COOKING CLASS WEEK 6 .....SEAFOOD STEW

Please bring along your slow cooker with lid .
250gm of raw prawns
250gm of uncooked  squid tubes or rings
2 skinned salmon fillets  ( work on 1 fillet per person )
1 x 500ml of fish stock
1 large onion
1 red , green and yellow capsicum .

We will also be making use of the donated quinces ...and  be making spiced quince chutney ..so please bring along 4 medium sized jars to take your chutney home in .
See you all Tuesday the 7th March
Noelene Marchwicki

SEAFOOD STEW

Cook 2 chopped onions with 2 tbs of ghee in a pan over a low heat until softened .
Add 3 tbs of minced garlic .
Chop and deseed 1 yellow, 1 green and 1 red capsicum and add to the pan .
Peel and chop 500gm of ripe tomatoes and add these to the pan along with 1x 170gm tin of tomato paste .
Finally add 1 tsp of chopped chilli.
Stirring constantly , continue to cook for 5 minutes .
Now stir in the juice and grated rind of 1 lime .
Add 2 tbs of freshly chopped coriander and 1 bay leaf .
Pour in 500 ml of fish stock , slowly bring to the boil , stirring occasionally .
Place the mixture in the bowl of your slow cooker , cover and cook on a low heat for 6 hours .
Prepare your seafood ....
Place cubed  500 gm of skinned salmon fillets and add 500 gm of raw and deveined prawns along with 250 gm of sliced squid bodies into a bowl , season with salt and pepper , cover and refrigerate till the stew is ready .
Add the seafood to the stew , replace the lid and place the slow cooker on high for 30 minutes , or until tender and cooked through .
Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately .

 

CHICKEN IN RIESLING

Place 3 tbs of plain flour in a plastic bag and season to taste with salt and pepper .
Add 2 kg of chicken pieces , in batches and hold the top of the bag securely and shake to coat pieces .
Melt 55gm of ghee in a pan , add chicken in batches and cook over a med/ high heat , turning frequently until golden all over .
Set the browned chicken pieces aside .
Add 55gm of ghee to the pan and melt over a med high /heat along with 4 finely sliced shallots and 100gm of sliced mushrooms , continue to cook until the shallots and mushrooms are lightly browned .
Return the chicken to the pan and remove it from the heat .
Add 2 tbs of brandy and stir through .
Return the pan to the heat and pour over 500ml of Riesling wine , bring to a gentle boil over a low heat .
Transfer the chicken and liquid to your slow cooker , cover and cook for 6 hours on low .
The chicken will be tender and cooked through .
Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving dish and keep warm .
Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid and pour the liquid into a saucepan add 250 ml of sour cream , season with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer over a low heat .
Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately with green vegetables .

 

DALA'MAHSHI

STUFFED BREASTS OF LAMB........

1.Prepare the stuffing ........
Heat a good glug of oil in a pan over a medium heat and add 1 peeled and chopped onion , stir until the onion is softened and slightly coloured .
Now stir in 250 gm of minced beef  cook until the meat is browned .
Stir in 1 and 1/2 tbs of rice and 1 dsp of chia seeds , stir constantly for 4 minutes .
Now it is time to add the spices ...
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of turmeric
1 cup of water
3 tbs of chopped parsley
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of cracked black pepper ......
Bring the mixture to the boil , then reduce  heat to a simmer .
Simmer till the water is absorbed .
Remove pan from the heat and add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of sultanas .
Set aside .

Now let us prepare the lamb breasts .....we will need to fillet the breasts ..remove the ribs and gristle .
Let your knife guide you along the bone ...
Lay your breast fillet out on your bench and pound it with a mallet , this is only to get an evenly sized  piece of breast .
You need to season and salt both sides of your lamb breast with salt and 7 spice mix , rubbing in with your fingers .

Lay the breast of lamb, skin side down and spread the stuffing mixture over the breasts .
Roll and secure with string .Slice the breast in 2 equal portions .
Place your lamb breast rolls in a well sprayed tray ......place in a preheated oven on 180 deg C , and bake until browned on top.

While your lamb breasts are baking , it's high time to prepare the apricot sauce ....
Place 1 and 1/2 cups of  dried apricots in a small saucepan along with the  water they have been soaked in for the last 12 hours along with 2 tbs of sugar .
Bring the mixture to a boil , then reduce the heat...and simmer until the apricots are pulpy .

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and discard the cooking liquids .
Now pour the apricots and their liquid over the lamb breasts and return to the oven and place tray on the lowest rack and cook covered with foil  for 5 hours on 150deg C adding 1/2 cup of water every hour or place in your slow cooker on low for 4.5hours .
Remove string and place on serving plates.
Skim off excess fat  and pour over stuffing and apricot sauce .
The best slow cooked lamb ....melt in your mouth ...cloud like .
Serve over pasta or rice .. with the addition of a few green leaves .
Many thanks to Najat Salloum for help with  the spices and explaining the cooking process .

COOKING CLASS WEEK 5 ...DALA ` MAHSHI

A tasty and economical dish of Syrian origin .

The ingredients you will need to bring
1and 1/2 cups of dried apricots soaked in water  ( please bring the apricots in a container in the water )
1 large onion
250gm of ground mince .
Now you will also need to go to the butcher and ask for 1 large whole breast of lamb...... ( yes I mean lamb )..The best buy will be at Norm Oliver`s Butcher  Mid Valley or Tasman meats Traralgon ..You may have to order it .
See you all Tuesday .
Noelene Marchwicki

BODKAAL . .....RED CABBAGE

Discard any old outer leaves of the red cabbage , cut in half and then quarters .
Cut away the base stem and all tough , thick white parts .
Slice the cabbage very thinly , this will take time , but essential to the end result .
Peel and coarsely grate the Granny Smith apple and add to the cabbage mix in a bowl .
In your pan add 125gm of butter / margarine and melt over a medium heat .
Add 1 tsp of caraway seeds
Add 2 tbs of sugar
Add 1 tsp of salt
Add ground black pepper to taste
Add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar .
Add 2 tbs of minced garlic
Now it`s time to add the cabbage and apple
Cook over a medium- high heat , stirring occasionally and cook until tender .
Add a handful of shredded carrot
Add 4 tbs of red currant jelly or cranberry jelly and stir through until melted .

THE FLAVOURS WILL MATURE IF ALLOWED TO STAND COVERED IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR A DAY AND THEN  REHEATED .
This is  an excellent  main meal with the addition of meatballs and sour cream or natural yoghurt and served over pasta .
BODKAAL will work just as well with green cabbage .

 

RUSSIAN BEETROOT

Remove the leafy stalks from a bunch of beetroot , leaving about 2cm of the stalk intact .
Wash well without damaging skin .
Place whole beetroots into a large saucepan .
Add 3/4 cup of malted vinegar , 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar , 3 whole cloves and sufficient water to cover .
Simmer over a medium heat 40 - 60 minutes or until tender .
Cool under cool water and slip off skins .
Slice or cube beetroot thickly .
Combine warm beetroot with slices of 2 peeled onions , 3/4 cup of sour cream and 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds .
Season with salt and pepper .