Basil Pesto

Perfect basil Pesto

I love having a jar of homemade pesto in the fridge. Obviously its great on pasta but I love it on toast, or served as a dip with plain crostini.For a simple potato salad add some pesto to boiled potatoes, add a little extra Parmesan cheese and a few fresh basil leaves.

Ingredients

1/2 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic crushed
6 tbs olive oil
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Place the pine nuts, basil, garlic and cheese in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
With the motor running slowly add the oil until well combined.










 

Apple and Date cake with coconut topping

Apple and Date Cake with Coconut topping

My mother and father in laws arrived in Dubai yesterday so this was a great excuse to make this decadent dessert cake. Its full of apples and dates with a sticky coconut topping, serve it with vanilla ice cream and you have a sensational dessert.

Ingredients

2 green apples peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cup of dates pitted
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
125g butter
1 cup castor sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups plain flour
Topping
75g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tbls milk

Method

Place the apple, dates and soda in a bowl pour over the boiling water and allow to cool.
Beat the butter and sugar together until thick and pale, add the egg and vanilla.
Fold in the flour and the apple and date mixture.
Pour into a greased spring form tin and bake for 45 minutes in the oven at 180.
To prepare the topping place all the ingredients in a pan, heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping on top.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Transfer to a serving plate.







 

Creamy Mushroom Beef Stroganoff

Creamy Mushroom Beef Stroganoff

serves 4-6

I have given this 80s dish a make-over, its such a delicious comforting meal that I thought it should make a come back. My husband went back for seconds so it was obviously a success, served with rice and steamed broccolini, I had dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Olive oil
500g beef fillet cut into thin strips
1 medium red onion diced
4 cloves garlic crushed
salt and pepper
250g mixed mushrooms sliced
6 dried mushrooms soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup whiskey
1 tbs tomato paste
200ml light sour cream
3 ts chopped parsley
pinch smoked paprika

Method

Heat a large heavy based pan and add 2tbs of olive oil.
Season beef with salt and pepper and fry for 1 minute to brown all over, transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Add an extra tbs of oil to the pan, reduce the heat to low and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, soaked mushrooms and the soaking liquid to the pan.
Add tomato paste, whiskey and the cooking juices from the resting beef to the pan and bring to the boil.
Add the paprika and the sour cream, allow the sauce to reduce slightly about 5 minutes.
Add the beef cook for a further minute, taste for seasoning and stir through chopped parsley.
Serve with steamed rice.





 

Fresh Tuna Spring Rolls with Harissa Mayonaise

Fresh Tuna Spring Rolls with Harissa Mayonnaise

Makes 15

This has to be one of the easiest canapes or snacks to prepare, they are so delicious. Once you have made these, it will become a great standby recipe for easy entertaining.

Ingredients

300gm tuna fillet cut into 15 batons
Fresh coriander leaves
Spring Roll Wrappers ( small squares )
1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon harissa paste

Method

Lay a spring roll wrapper on a work surface, place a piece of tuna in the corner top with a few coriander leaves and roll up using a little water to seal the ends.
Deep fry the spring rolls for 30-40 seconds.
Combine the mayonnaise and harissa paste.
Serve the spring rolls hot with harissa mayonnaise.












 

Steamed Prawn Wontons

Steamed Prawn Wontons

Makes 30

These little pockets or prawns and herbs are so delicious, you won't stop at one. They are easy to make and because they are steamed they are super healthy. I made them last night along with a Thai Beef salad for Dean and myself, we had 8 wontons leftover, obviously they were quite a hit.

Ingredients

300 gm fresh uncooked prawns
200 gm white fish
3 cloves garlic
2 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs chopped coriander
4 spring onions chopped
wonton wrappers
Ginger dipping sauce to serve

Method

Combine all the ingredients except for the wonton wrapper in a food processor and process until you have a smooth paste, note it will be sticky.
Heat water in a wok and place a bamboo steamer lined with baking paper on top.
Place a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand and place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre.
Pinch the sides together, using a little water to seal.
Place in the steamer and steam for 7 minutes serve with ginger dipping sauce.
Ginger Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbs mirin
1 tbs grated ginger







 

Banana and Treacle Cake

Banana and Treacle cake

This is actually a James Martin recipe, he uses golden syrup, but Dubai is currently out of golden syrup so I substituted it with treacle. Its works really well, the cake is a little darker and richer, but still a winner with the family. Every week I seem to make something with over ripe bananas, with the heat they only last a couple of days and my kids apparently don't like to eat things that according to them  "don't look right". I love the fact that all the ingredients are mixed together in a food processor, no beaters, mixing bowls and the rest of the paraphernalia that is part of baking!!!!!!!

Ingredients

3 large rip bananas
100 gms butter
4 tbs treacle
100 gms castor sugar
250 gms plain flour
4 teas baking powder
3 eggs

Method

Pre heat oven to 190c.
Place the bananas in a food processor and pulse for 10 seconds.
Add remaining ingredients, and blend until you have a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into a prepared cake tin and cook for 1 hour or until a cake skewer comes out clean.

Note : you may need to cover the cake with foil during the cooking time if it starts to brown to much.