Sam's Kitchen

Monthly Archives: March 2016

• Babaganoush

  Posted at 11:25 am by samskitchen, on March 29, 2016

  

  Another eggplant recipe from my eggplant repertoire. Babaganoush – is a delicious smoky and silky smooth  Middle Eastern dip. The eggplant is charred over hot coals or a flame or like in my case baked in the oven, then blended with tahini and lemon juice. It is extremely tasty, so morish and such an easy dip to make; it takes virtually 45 minutes  from the time I start making it before it’s ready to be served.

  

  

  

  I decided to cut the eggplant into quarters before baking it in a hot oven to try and get more smoky flavour from the tops of caramelised flesh, the roasted caramelised garlic added more to the smokiness as well.
  I used extra virgin olive oil for its prominent flavour and a beautiful colour ( looks matter 😉 ).
  Pomegranates added an exotic touch plus I loved how the kernels popped in my mouth creating a surprise of flavours and texture.

  

  Ingredients

  1 large eggplant
  2-4 garlic cloves
  1 tsp ground cumin
  3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  1-2 tsp salt flakes ( I used Maldon )

  2-3 tbsp tahini ( preferably hulled )
  2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  1-2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste

  Pomegranate kernels ( optional )

  Method

  Preheat oven to 200C fan forced.
  Line a baking tray.

  Wash and cut the eggplant into four wedges.
  Place garlic cloves and eggplant wedges on a baking tray.
  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with cumin and salt.

  Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or till eggplant has browned and is soft. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

  Once the eggplant has cooled remove the flesh the help of a spoon.
  Place the eggplant flesh and peeled garlic into a food processor.
  Add 2 tbsp tahini and olive oil and process till smooth, taste and add more tahini if desired.
  Add lemon juice. I usually start with a teaspoon of lemon juice and then increase to suit my taste buds.
  Season with more salt if necessary.
  Transfer into a bowl, drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with pomegranate kernels.

  Serve with vegetables and bread of your choice.

  

  Generously drizzle eggplant quarters with olive oil, then sprinkle with cumin and salt.

  

  Roast in  preheated oven for 25-30 minute or till browned and soft.

  

  Remove the flesh with the help of a spoon.

  

  Blend in a food processor till smooth.

  

  Serve and enjoy with vegetables and bread of your choice.

  

   

   

   

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  Posted in Recipes, Starters & Antipasto | 2 Comments | Tagged baba ganoush, babaganoush, cooking, dip, easy recipe, eggplant, recipe, side dish, vegan, vegetarian

• Hazelnut and Chocolate Biscuits

  Posted at 10:52 am by samskitchen, on March 27, 2016

  

  Happy Easter to all you lovely folk! This is what my inner Easter Bunny brought us this Easter – four ingredient chocolate cookies; made with just hazelnuts, egg whites, sugar and cocoa. They are light, a little bit chewy and have a yummy chocolatey – nutty taste.

  

  And they make the perfect foodie gift!

  

  Ingredients

  3 large egg whites
  300g icing sugar sifted and extra for coating
  350g hazelnut meal ( ground hazelnuts )
  4 tbsp dutch cocoa ( or any other good quality unsweetened cocoa )

  Method

  Preheat oven to 160C.
  Line a cookie tray.

  In a bowl of a stand mixer beat the egg whites to a soft peak stage, then gradually add the icing sugar and continue beating for a few minutes. The mixture will resemble a soft runny marshmallow.

  Sieve the cocoa and mix with the hazelnut meal, gradually add it to the egg white and sugar mixture while folding in gently. You will end up with a soft cookie dough.

  Roll out 26-28 little balls (about the size of a walnut) and roll them in icing sugar.

  Place them on a lined cookie tray and bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and move to a cooling rack.

  Cool, and enjoy. They go beautifully with both coffee or tea.

  

  The mixture will resemble a soft runny marshmallow.

  

  Sieve the cocoa and mix with the hazelnut meal and gradually add it to egg white and sugar mixture while folding in gently using a spatula.

  

  

  

  Roll out 26-28 little balls and roll them in icing sugar.

  

  Place them on a lined cookie tray and bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

  

  Remove from oven and move to a cooling rack.

  

  A perfect yummy gift 🙂

  

   

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  Posted in Sweets | 5 Comments | Tagged afternoon tea, baking, biscuits, cookies, dessert, easy recipe, glutenfree, hazelnuts, nut cookies, recipe, sweets

• Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake

  Posted at 3:35 pm by samskitchen, on March 26, 2016

  

  For the pear and chocolate lovers a little easter treat – Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake. With a light texture, not overly sweet and a distinctive chocolate taste it’s a pure indulgence served warm with a big dollop of double cream or vanilla ice-cream.

  I would highly recommend using only ripe pears or poaching the greener pears for a little while before baking or you are likely to end up with undercooked pears and clashing textures of soft and luscious cake and harder pears. So if you bought green pears, simply leave them on the kitchen counter for a few days until they ripen and before using them.

  Using good quality chocolate is essential as it is going to directly affect the taste of the cake. Try using chocolate that has at least 55% cocoa for a more distinctive and richer chocolate taste.

  I coated the pears in demerara sugar for their big granules and effective look, but using white or brown sugar is perfectly fine.

  Sprinkle the cake with few pinches of sugar just before serving it.

  

  

  

  

  Ingredients
  
  3 ripe pears
  120g unsalted butter cubed
  150g good quality dark chocolate
  4 eggs
  1 cup brown sugar
  1/3 cup plain all purpose flour
  2 cups almond meal
  2 tbsp dutch cocoa
  1 tsp baking powder
  1 tsp vanilla essence
  1/3 cup demerara sugar

  Double or thick cream, or vanilla ice-cream to serve

  Method

  Preheat oven to 175C.
  Grease and line a 22cm round cake pan.

  Peel, halve and core the pears.
  Cube the butter and break the chocolate into small pieces, then place them into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 min or till the chocolate has melted, stirring every 30 seconds to prevent burning the chocolate.

  In a bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar till thickened and has reached a creamy consistency  5-8 minutes on high.

  

  Sieve in the flour and baking powder into the eggs and sugar, using a spatula gently fold in.
  Add the almond meal and cocoa in 2-3 batches folding in gently.
  Pour cooled chocolate and butter mixture along with vanilla essence and gently fold in.

  

  Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.

  

  Coat the pear halves in demerara sugar and arrange them on top of the batter.

  

  

  Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in a pan. Serve warm with a good dollop of double cream.

  

  

   

   

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  Posted in Sweets | 11 Comments | Tagged almond cake, almond chocolate cake, baking, chocolate cake, dessert, easter, Easy, pear and chocolate cake, recipe, sweets

• Easy Mediterranean Style Chicken and Chorizo Sausage One Pot Bake

  Posted at 4:24 pm by samskitchen, on March 18, 2016

  

  Another update for an “old” recipe. I have been working hard the last few days trying to re-shoot my older posts with a better quality camera and give you dear food lovers a better content. I must say, I have enjoyed every bit of it including eating all this food. Feeling like my waist has expanded a size or two though, but hey the things you sacrifice for a good cause!

  Sam's Kitchen

  The first time I had chicken with sausages casserole was at my husbands cousin Jacqui’s place. I still remember how she was putting it together and all the divine aromas.

  I have changed it slightly by adding white wine and a few extra vegetables.
  The sausages can be any kind really except bbq sausages.
  Chorizo sausages give it a spicy kick and add a Spanish touch to it. It is a delicious way to cook chicken, a bit different and is so easy to put together for a lovely Sunday family get together.

  On this occasion I used two kinds of Chorizo sausages, however normally I would only use one type. One type was supermarket bought chorizo sausages, there were 6 in the packet. The other chorizo was from a local venison farm here in Margaret River, it’s a smoked venison chorizo with a good spicy bite to it. It is…

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  Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment

• Middle Eastern Pulled Lamb with Persian Feta and Pomegranate

  Posted at 12:49 pm by samskitchen, on March 17, 2016

  

  Did I ever mention just how much I love Middle Eastern cuisine?! The abundance of flavours, the amazingly colourful presentations, the fruit, the smell of delicious spices and  how simple to cook and at the same time so complex on taste buds it is! I’m smitten and my heart is forever stolen along with my taste buds.

  Finally, I got to use the preserved lemons I made a few weeks back. With their sunny look and flavour, they added a delicious fragrance to the lamb. And, I got to use the sumac spice that was bought on my last trip to Baku – my beautiful home city where I grew up and  love making extended trips to; visiting my parents, going to the local markets, eating delicious food and wearing makeup and pretty dresses every day just because all females do! It’s a beautiful city with amazing architecture and very strong sense of culture.

  

  

  

  While this lamb has complex flavours it is kid friendly and is a great way to introduce new tastes and flavours to the little ones. Both my kids 5 and 2 years old like it very much. Particularly my 5-year-old daughter who was very vocal about it – “oh this chicken is so yummy!” and apparently it was “the best day of my life!” too., easy to please hey ;).

  

  I served my pulled lamb with butter couscous, homemade hummus and pan fried eggplant with yoghurt dressing.

  

  

  

  

  

  Ingredients

  1.5 kg lamb bone intact ( I recommend shoulder )
  1-2 tbsp olive oil
  1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
  1 tbsp dry tarragon ( optional )
  1 tsp sumac
  1 tsp smoked paprika
  4 green cardamon pods
  1 small cinnamon stick
  2 quarter slices of a preserved lemon
  1 large or 2 small red onion peeled and quartered
  4-6 garlic cloves
  1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  1 tbsp honey or pomegranate molasses
  2 1/2 -3 cups stock ( chicken or vegetable )

  For Topping

  2-3 tbsp Persian feta
  2-3 tbsp lightly toasted almond flakes
  1 handful pomegranate kernels
  1 handful fresh coriander (cilantro ) leaves
  1 handful fresh mint leaves

  Method

  Preheat oven to 160C.
  Prepare a tagine or a heavy cast casserole pot.

  Mix spices, salt and tarragon in a bowl.
  Sprinkle the spice mix over the lamb, drizzle with olive oil reserving 1/2 tbsp, and massage the mix into the lamb.
  Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1/2 tbsp olive oil over a hight heat and brown the lamb leg on all sides (4-5 minutes each side).

  Rince and pat dry the preserved lemon quarters then slice them into three strips each.
  Arrange the sliced preserved lemons, cardamon pods, cinnamon stick, garlic, onions and rosemary springs  on the  bottom of a tagine or casserole pot and place the lamb leg on top.
  Using the same pan the lamb was seared in, bring 1 cup of water or stock to a boil to deglaze the pan then stir in 1-2 tbsp honey, pour this sauce over the lamb.
  Cover with lid and place in a preheated oven. Slow bake for 4-5 hours turning over and basting every 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  Once the  lamb is cooked and is falling easily from the bone, turn the heat off and let it rest covered in the oven for 20 minutes.

  Move the lamb onto a chopping board then using two forks pull the lamb into bite size strips.
  Strain the sauce through a sieve.
  Arrange on a plate, top with Persian feta, pomegranates, herbs and almond flakes.
  Drizzle with some of the sauce the lamb was stewed in or serve the sauce on the side.

  Notes:

  Cook the lamb a day ahead, it always tastes better the next day – the spice flavours and preserved lemon will have plenty of time to marry and create a deliciously balanced taste.

  Persian feta can be a little pricey, replace it with thick greek style yoghurt or labneh.
  Serve the lamb on a flat bread with hummus, tabouleh and top it with Persian feta or labneh.

  

  

  

  

   

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  Posted in Recipes | 10 Comments

• Pan Fried Eggplant with Yogurt Dressing

  Posted at 12:30 pm by samskitchen, on March 17, 2016

  

  Hello, food loving folk! Here is an updated version of the Pan Fried Eggplant with additional photographs.

  Sam's Kitchen

  I’m sharing  an old family recipe for eggplant, the one my parents would often cook for us when eggplants were in season. It is one of my favourites out of many favourite eggplant recipes, note: I”m a massive eggplant fan.
  Every time I cook with eggplant it reminds me of the days when I was still a kid and how my dad would go to a local bazaar on early Saturday morning and get the freshest groceries. I remember the smell of ripe tomatoes and the glossy look of dark purple eggplants and the capsicums, and how fragrant their smell was.
  And without a doubt on my visits back home, my first outing usually ends up being a trip to a local bazaar market!

  At the time these photographs were taken I wasn’t blogging yet, but still loved to document all my foodie adventures on my phone camera. And I’m…

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  Posted in Recipes | 0 Comments

• Prawn and Chorizo Spaghetti with Carrot and Zucchini Noodles

  Posted at 12:02 pm by samskitchen, on March 7, 2016

  

  This is what I would call simplicity at it’s finest – healthy, tasty and it only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

  Fresh prawns, good Spanish smoked chorizo sausage, garlic, white wine and a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes give this pasta some fantastic flavours.
  Carrot and zucchini noodles give it an extra nutritious touch and make it a little guilt free, but still as indulgent.

  

  I served it straight from the skillet

  

  It was a lovely dinner that went fabulously with a glass of dry white wine while sitting on a veranda and watching the colours of the sky change as the sun went down. Another best thing was, there wasn’t a ton of dishes to do afterwards…

  

  Preparation and cooking time 30 min
  Serves-4

  Ingredients

  400g – fresh prawns peeled
  16 -20 pieces 2mm thick sliced chorizo sausage
  1-2 tbsp olive oil
  1 dried red chilli deseeded and thinly sliced
  2 garlic cloves peeled, crushed
  2 cups cherry tomatoes
  1/2 cup dry white wine
  1 carrot spiralized or thinly julienned
  1 zucchini spiralized or thinly julienned
  Salt and pepper to taste
  1/2 packet spaghetti
  Handful fresh basil leaves

  Method

  Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add prawns and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
  Add chorizo slices to the pan and cook for 1-2 min on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
  Add garlic and chilli, saute till fragrant for about 1 minute, then add cherry tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring to avoid garlic browning too much.
  Pour the wine in, let to simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  Prick some of the tomatoes with a pick or a fork to let the juices out. Add chorizo and prawns, cook for further 5 minutes or till reduced but not completely dry, there still has to be sauce left.
  Add the carrot and zucchini noodles in and cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  Boil pasta in a big pot of salted water for 8 minutes or as directed on package.
  Drain the pasta and add it to prawns and chorizo.
  Toss well, season with more pepper if desired and add a handful of fresh basil leaves. Serve and enjoy 🙂

   

  

  

   

   

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  Posted in Mains | 10 Comments | Tagged chorizo spaghetti, dinner, easy recipe, pasta, prawn spaghetti, recipe, seafood, spaghetti

• Orange and Ginger Sticky Spare Ribs

  Posted at 2:25 pm by samskitchen, on March 3, 2016

  

  If you are looking for a pork spare rib melt in your mouth experience go no further, it’s here!
  Marinated in a delicious combination of orange based marinade paired with ginger and other Asian flavours these spare ribs are just divine.

  

  After years of living and travelling around South-East Asia, I’ve tried many MANY spare ribs; baked, slow cooked, sticky, not so sticky, tasty and not so tasty ( that happened only once ). These ribs I’m sharing today are my attempt at recreating ribs from my favourite eatery in Malaysia, Dragon Palace. I’ve lost count to the number of times I went there for lunch and the many times the ribs were ordered. Their sweet and sour taste with the smallest hint of spicy is just too addictive.

  Upon my return to Australia and no longer being able to have my favourite ribs I’ve decided to make my own version of them.
  I think they taste very close to the original, and I would like to think that the chef from Dragon Palace would be proud of me!

  I served the ribs with smoky flavored  egg fried rice.

  

  It is essential to let the ribs marinate for at least a few hours before roasting them. The longer marination will allow all flavours marry each another and let them reach that beautiful intricacy of flavours.

  It may look a little complicated making these ribs, but believe me, it is incredibly easy. All that is required to do is to place most of the ingredients into a dish, marinade, then bake and that is all.

  Serve them with steamed or fried rice, Asian style coleslaw or any other salad of your choice.

  It’s fun to experiment with the flavours of your marinade; add more or less of the sauces or juices, or simply add any other flavour you think will work well.

  

  Ingredients

  1kg pork spare ribs
  5cm piece fresh ginger, sliced
  3 star anise
  5-6 green cardamon pods
  1 orange peel ( peel orange before juicing it )
  2 large orange juice
  1 lime juice ( optional )
  1/4 cup soy sauce
  1/4 cup sweet soy sauce
  2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  2 tbsp tomato or plum sauce

  1 cup water or enough water to cover the ribs

  To serve 

  Steamed rice
  1-2 tsp Japanese sesame seeds lightly toasted
  Cilantro leaves, chives or  sliced scallion

  Method

  Arrange pork ribs in a bottom of a baking dish ( preferably ceramic ) add sliced ginger, orange peel and spices.
  In a jug or a bowl mix orange and lime juice, soy sauces, sweet chilli sauce and tomato or plum sauce reserving water for later.
  Pour the mixture over pork ribs, cover  and refrigerate for  at least 2 hours.

  Preheat oven to 175C

  Pour water over the marinated ribs and give a little shake-stir to incorporate.
  Cover with tin foil and cook in preheated oven for 1 hour covered with foil.
  Remove foil, turn the ribs over and cook uncovered, turning over a few times and basting them with the sauce.
  Cook for further 1-1.5 hours or till sauce has reduced and thickened and ribs are tender.

  Serve with steamed or fried rice, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions chives or cilantro leaves.

  

  

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  Posted in Mains | 3 Comments | Tagged asian pork ribs, easy dinner, orange pork ribs, oven braised pork, pork ribs, sticky porkribs

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