​Preserved Tomatoes  
 
1 kg ripe Roma tomatoes  (approx 18 med sized)
Freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tspn dried chilli flakes
small handful of fresh small oregano leaves
60g finely grated Pecorino cheese
extra virgin olive oil
 
Preheat oven to 140deg C
 
Bring a large pot of water to boil and remove from heat. Add tomatoes for one minute only until skins soften slightly.
 
Drain immediately and allow to dry on paper towels. Cut them in half lengthwise and give them a gentle squeeze to remove excess liquid. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes. 
 
In the meantime, prepare the filling by mixing together garlic, chilli, oregano and grated Pecorino.
 
Pat dry tomato halves and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Take one tomato half at a time, dip inner side into filling and sandwich together with the other half. Place into a sterilised jar, one after the other, until you reach the top. Cover with extra virgin olive oil, close tightly, and store in a cool place. Will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
 
Note:  If you want to keep them longer, the tomatoes will have to be drier - and omit the cheese.

​Turkish Style Pita Pizza      Makes 2 pizzas
 
500g lamb mince
1 tblspn olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tspn ground cinnamon
1 tspn paprika
1 tspn ground cumin
½ tspn ground ginger
½ tspn salt
½ tspn ground black pepper
1 tblspn pine nuts
Extra salt and ground white pepper to taste
2 tblspns tomato paste (1 tblspn per pita base)
Grated cheese (Mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
 
To garnish:
100g feta, crumbled (I like smooth and creamy)
1 tblspn each of chopped coriander and parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
 
Base: 2 x Greek pita bread 
 
Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium low heat and cook onion and garlic gently until translucent, stirring regularly.
 
Turn up the heat to high and add lamb mince. Stir constantly until meat is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated.
 
Add spices and pine nuts and stir through. Cook until excess liquid has evaporated and meat starts to brown and caramelise.  Add white pepper and extra salt to taste. Allow lamb mixture to cool. At this stage, you can refrigerate or freeze until required.
 
Place pita bread onto oiled baking trays and spread with tomato paste. Sprinkle with grated cheese and then a generous amount of cooled lamb mixture.
 
Bake in a hot oven (200 deg fan forced) for 10-15 mins until base is golden and edges crusty.
 
Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta and herbs, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve straight away with a huge smile on your face.
 

For the full recipe and notes on making your own sauerkraut, keep scrolling down in this blog or go direct to May 2020 in the Archives.  Sauerkraut is delicious, easy to make and great for your gut health.

This recipe supports the video on Kitchen Jazz YouTube channel

Roasted Cauliflower,  Freekeh and Herb Salad  Serves 3-4
 
1 small head of cauliflower, broken into approx. 2cm florets
1 tspn cumin seeds
3-4 tblspns olive oil
½ cup cooked Freekeh (follow packet instructions) or use a gluten free alternative (see below)
½ cup finely chopped parsley and chives (or a mix of your favourite green herbs)
2 large green shallots, finely sliced white and green sections
½ cup almonds with skin, roasted in 180C oven for 10 minutes (fan forced)
Extra 2 tblspns olive oil
1 tblspn lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
 
Heat oven to 180C fan forced
 
To Roast the Cauliflower: In a bowl, mix together cauliflower florets, olive oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked to desired texture. (Toss halfway)
 
To Make the Dressing: Mix together 2 tblspns olive oil, 1 tblspn lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
 
To Compile the dish:    Roughly chop the almonds in half diagonally.
 
In a large mixing bowl, place cauliflower, cooked freekeh, herbs, shallot and optional pomegranate arils. Mix together with dressing and just before serving, fold through half of the almonds, reserving some for a crunchy topping.
 
 
 
Notes:
Freekeh can be cooked in advance as it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. It is derived from green wheat and can be substituted with rice or quinoa for a gluten free alternative.
 
Optional extras: fresh pomegranate and feta

This recipe supports a video on the Kitchen Jazz YouTube channel

1 zucchini (approx 150g), grated
½ small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tblspn chopped parsley
1 egg
1 tblspn plain flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tblspns oil
Lemon Mascarpone, see below
100g smoked salmon
Dill sprigs to garnish
 
Squeeze as much liquid as possible from grated zucchini and dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix together zucchini, onion, parsley, egg, flour, salt and pepper.
 
Heat oil in a non-stick fry pan on med high heat and using a spoon, form 8 fritters on pan. Cook for approx 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and firm to touch. Remove from pan and serve. (They can be made in advance and either served room temperature or reheated if refrigerated).
  
For the Lemon Mascarpone, mix together:
 1 tblspn mascarpone or cream cheese
½ tblspn lemon juice
½ tspn finely grated lemon rind
Salt and pepper to taste
 
 
To compile:
 Lay out fritters and dollop a teaspoon of mascarpone on each. Top with a curl of smoked salmon (give it some height) and garnish with dill sprigs.
 

Visit my Kitchen Jazz YouTube channel to view videos of egg cooking techniques. Below are simple recipes

For all cooking techniques, I use free range organic 70g eggs

How to Boil Eggs:
Allow eggs to come to room temperature (or place in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
Bring saucepan of water to the boil. Reduce heat to med low and gently ease eggs into the water with a spoon. Adjust heat to maintain a regular simmer.
Cook for 6.5 minutes, stirring in a clockwise direction for the first minute or so to allow the yolk to set in the centre of the egg.
Plunge eggs into a bowl of cold water for 1-2 minutes. (This stops the cooking process and also makes them easier to peel.
 
Note: This method is to soft boil large eggs.
 
 
How to Fry Eggs:
Heat a non-stick fry pan on medium heat with a knob of butter.
Crack eggs into individual bowls (this ensures no broken yolks or shell fragments. It also allows you to control the shape as it sets on the pan)
When butter is starting to sizzle, reduce heat to low and add eggs one at a time.
Allow the egg to set its shape and then cover with a lid.
Cook 2-3 minutes until egg whites are opaque (no longer transparent). This is now a runny fried egg (egg white is set, but yolk is runny). This is a classic ‘Sunny side up’
Cook for another minute or two if you like a harder egg yolk.
Serve and season with salt and pepper.

 
How to Scramble Eggs:
Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly with a fork.
Add 1 tblspn cream and continue to whisk until the egg white has broken down. Do not overbeat and only add salt near the end of whisking as both these actions can toughen the eggs.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat with a knob of butter. When sizzling (and before it browns), turn down heat to medium low and add egg mixture.
Stir constantly with a spatula for 1-2 minutes until nearly cooked through – still a bit runny.
Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley or chives, stir and serve.
Note:  It continues to cook as you serve.

 
How to Poach Eggs:
It is important to use fresh eggs for poaching. As the eggs age, the egg white becomes looser and ends up separating and wisping into the water.
Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer.
Crack egg into a small bowl and then into a sieve. This allows you to discard any loose egg white and eliminates the need to use vinegar. From the sieve, pour the intact egg back into individual small bowls.
Create a light vortex in the water with a spoon and gently pour individual eggs into the water.
Gently move them around to create an even round shape.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes and using a slotted spoon, lift each egg, temporarily rest on a paper towel to absorb excess water and serve.
Tip: If you want to poach eggs in advance, remove them from the simmering water and into a bowl of cold water. They can be refrigerated like this for up to a day. When ready to serve, put them into a bowl of very warm water for a minute or two to warm up. They should still have a soft centre.

 
How to Make an Omelet:
Crack 2 large eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Do not overbeat – there should still be a slightly uneven texture to give your omelet some body. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a small fry pan on medium high with a knob of butter. When sizzling and light golden brown, turn down heat to medium and pour in egg mixture.
Using a spoon, make a quick figure 8 throughout the pan. Now cook, constantly bringing the edges in close to the centre and tilting the pan for uncooked egg to fill the gaps. This creates lovely fluffy airy pockets with no crusty dried edges.
When just about fully set, sprinkle all over with finely chopped chives and grated cheese on one half.
Using 2 spoons tucked in under the top of the omelet, roll up 1/3 at a time and then continue to cook for 20-30 seconds or until egg is fully cooked and cheese has melted.
Hold pan at an angle over your serving plate and allow it to slide and flip onto the plate with the beautifully caramelised bottom now shining in glory on the top.

It’s a fabulous Ooh la la moment!

​During home isolation throughout Covid-19 restrictions, there was no way that I was going to waste the festivities of a Saturday night! Our plan was for the two of us to watch a large screen movie at home after a meal designed around the theme of the movie. We completed this series over a period of 7 weeks and this is one of them.  (Menu and Recipes below.)

​Trip to Spain - I was really looking forward to not only watching this comedy foodie movie but also to cook our meal and be transported back to Spain.

Menu:

• Tostados with goats cheese and roasted mushrooms
• Tostados with Spanish cured meats and olives
• Chorizo, Red Capsicum and Pea Paella

Tostados Recipe:

This is a foolproof method which I have been using ever since our trip to Spain many years ago.
Heat oven to 180C fan forced
Slice baguette on the diagonal and lay slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.
While hot from the oven, rub a halved garlic clove over one side.  Now rub over with a halved tomato to extract juice and pulp. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Let your imagination go wild for toppings!!!!

During home isolation throughout Covid-19 restrictions, there was no way that I was going to waste the festivities of a Saturday night! Our plan was for the two of us to watch a large screen movie at home after a meal designed around the theme of the movie. We completed this series over a period of 7 weeks and this is one of them. ​

'The Gentlemen' was a typical Guy Ritchie film with action, quirkiness and dark humour.  I wanted to create an English menu with blokey overtones and bold statements. The wagyu steak was inspired from one of the scenes and the Englishman's Relish (anchovy spiced butter) was a no-brainer for me.

Menu:

• Home made crumpets with white butter, smoked salmon and capers and a whiskey on the side.
• Wagyu Steak with Englishmans Relish, green beans and fried parsnip crisps

Crumpet Recipe:
1 tspn instant yeast (I use freeze dried available in supermarket)
2 tspns caster sugar
1.25 cups lukewarm skim milk
1.5 cups 00 white flour
1 tspn salt
1/3 cup warm water
1 level teaspoon bicarb soda

In a glass measuring jug, combine milk, sugar and yeast and mix until dissolved. Cover and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. By then it should be starting to froth.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour and salt and make a well in the centre. Pour yeast mixture into  well and mix into flour mixture until it is all combined. Cover and again set aside in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Mix together the warm water and bicarb soda and whisk  into  flour mixture. Cover and sit in a warm place until it doubles in size again - 30-40 minutes.

You will need a wide non-stick fry pan and egg rings. Turn heat on med low and place egg rings onto the pan. Spray pan and rings with oil.  (Be careful not to spray onto gas flame)

Spoon 2-3 tblspns of batter into each ring and cook for 12-15 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.  At that point, using tongs, remove the egg rings. Flip  crumpets and cook briefly until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

You can either serve immediately or store in fridge/freezer to toast up later.

These were particularly delicious served as an appetiser with unsalted butter and smoked salmon. 

Note:  I use a sink of water as a warm place to rise yeast. Ensure bowl is covered.

During home isolation throughout Covid-19 restrictions, there was no way that I was going to waste the festivities of a Saturday night! Our plan was for the two of us to watch a large screen movie at home after a meal designed around the theme of the movie. We completed this series over a period of 7 weeks and this is one of them.  

This movie 'Parasite' was Oscar winning and quite bizarre!  There was one cooking scene where the maid quickly concocts a 2 minute noodle dish. I decided to make that dish with the extras of a fried egg, slivers of cooked eye fillet steak and some bok choy on the side to make us feel healthier!


 Jjapaguri or Ramdon ('Ram' for Ramen and 'don' for Udon)

1 packet of Nongshim 'Chapaghetti'  (from supermarket)
1 packet of Nongshim Neoguri noodles (from supermarket)

Boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan and add the noodles from both packets. Cook for 4 minutes until tender and strain, making sure that you retain approx 1/3 cup of the cooking water.

Return the noodles to the saucepan and add the reserved water and the contents from all the sachets of the noodle packets. Stir and cook until fully coated. Serve in bowls topped with slices (or cubes) of steak and a fried egg. And if you are like me, have a bowl of greens on the side!  It is a little on the spicy side.