Gabriel Gate recipes: August 2008

Apple and Raspberry Crumble

Apple and Raspberry Crumble is a dessert good enough for a dinner party.

Peel, quarter and core 4 Granny Smith apples.  Cook the apples in a covered saucepan with 3 tbsp of water until soft.

Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together 5 tbsp of rolled oats, 1 tbsp of wholemeal flour, 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut, 2 tbsp of chopped almonds,
2 tbsp of softened butter and 2 tbsp of runny honey.

Spoon the cooked apple into a gratin dish and top with 200g of raspberries, flattening the top with a spatula.  Spread the top with the crumble mix.

Place the dish in a preheated oven at 220°C and cook for about 15 minutes until the top is golden brown.

It serves 4 and is lovely with ice-cream.

Orange and Passionfruit Salad

I'm always being asked about healthy desserts, and an Orange and Passionfruit Salad is a great one.

Using a sharp knife, peel the skin of 4 firm, juicy oranges, removing all the white part as well.  Cut the oranges into 1cm slices and place in a bowl.

Scoop out the pulp of 4 heavy passionfruit and mix it with the orange slices, adding 1 tbsp brown sugar.

Add 2 sliced and peeled kiwifruits.

And for a special occasion, add 2 tbsp Drambuie. 

Sprinkle with 4 tbsp toasted flaked almonds.

It serves 4.   Bon appétit!

Baked Bananas with Chocolate Sauce

Bananas are wonderful baked as a dessert and served with a chocolate sauce.

Cut 4 bananas in half lengthwise, keeping the skin on.  Place banana halves in an oven dish, with the skin side down, and sprinkle with a little caster sugar, then a little brown sugar.

Dot each banana half with 3 small squares of butter, then bake in the oven at 200°C for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place 4 tbsp water in a saucepan with 2 tbsp dark cocoa powder.  Stir and bring to the boil.  Add 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp cream and boil for 10 seconds.

Spoon the chocolate sauce over the bananas. 

It serves 4 - but be careful, it's hot!

Beef and Mushroom Casserole

In the cold weather, many of us enjoy a Beef and Mushroom Casserole.

Coat 12 pieces of oyster blade steak, each about 80g, with plain flour and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a little oil in a wide ovenproof casserole and stir-fry for a few minutes,
one finely sliced onion with one finely diced carrot and two diced rashers of bacon.
 
Add meat, 3 sprigs of thyme, 1/2 cup white or red wine and 1-1/2 cups strong beef stock.  Bring to a simmer, stir briefly, cover with foil and a lid and cook in an oven preheated to 160°C for about 2 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking.

15 minutes before serving, sauté 600g mushrooms in a little olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, 2 cloves of chopped garlic and 4 tbsp chopped parsley.

Mix mushrooms with the beef and serve.

Cauliflower With A Light Cheese Sauce

Cauliflower with a Cheese Sauce is a winter favourite.

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt 50g butter. Stir in 50g plain flour and cook for 2 minutes. 

Bit by bit add 2 cups milk, whisking well until it thickens.  Cook on low heat for 5 minutes, then season with salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne pepper. 

Add 6 tbsp grated Gruyère cheese and stir well.

Cut a small cauliflower cut into flowerets, then cook in salted boiling water until just cooked, then drain. 

Place the cooked cauliflower in an oven dish and spread the sauce over it.  Sprinkle cauliflower with a little extra grated Gruyère cheese, then place under a hot grill until lightly browned on top.

It serves 4-6.

Pan-Fried Chicken Fillets With Walnuts And Herbs

Everyone likes quick recipes, and this Chicken Fillet with Walnuts and Herbs is really easy.

Cut a chicken fillet into 1cm slices and season with salt, pepper and a dusting of ground cumin.

Heat a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and pan-fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side. 

Add 3 chopped walnut halves and 1 small diced tomato and stir for
2 minutes.

Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley, a few sprigs of coriander and 2 finely sliced mint leaves.

Voilà!  It serves 1 and is lovely with a green salad.

Almond Crescents

Home-made biscuits are wonderful, and these Almond Crescents are easy to make.

In a food processor blend 1/3 cup blanched almonds into very small pieces.  Then, add 1/3 cup caster sugar, 200g diced butter and 1 tbsp Dutch cocoa. 

Blend a little to soften the butter, then add 2 cups plain flour, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence, a pinch of salt and 2 egg yolks.

Blend until all the ingredients are just incorporated.  Transfer to a bowl and
add 2/3 cup diced blanched almonds.  Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes.

Using your hands, roll walnut-size pieces of dough into 5cm lengths.  Then shape them into crescents.  Don't worry about making perfect shapes.

Bake them on a tray lined with baking paper in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 15 minutes.

Cool the biscuits for 10 minutes before rolling them in about 100g icing sugar.

It makes about 35 biscuits.

Middle Eastern Stuffed Capsicum

I love baked capsicum stuffed with spicy minced lamb.

Cut the lids from 2 capsicums and remove the seeds.  Wash capsicums and chop the lids finely.

In a bowl: Mix thoroughly 250g minced lamb with the chopped capsicum lids, 1/4 chopped onion, 2 tsp ground cumin, a pinch of chilli powder, 2 tbsp cold water, 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 1 chopped tomato and a little salt and pepper.

Fill the capsicums with this mixture and drizzle the top with a little olive oil. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 40 minutes.

It serves 2.

Pan-Fried Rump Steak With Mushroom Sauce

Steak with Mushroom Sauce is always very popular.

Season 2 portions of rump steak with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pan and cook the steaks to your liking.  Place the steaks on 2 plates and cover with foil.

Add 1/4 chopped onion to the pan with a little extra oil and stir for 20 seconds. 

Add 8 finely sliced mushrooms and cook on high heat.  Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon (use about a 1/4 of a lemon)

Stir in 1 tbsp cream and 2 tbsp chopped parsley.  Serve the hot sauce over the steaks.

It serves 2.  Yum!

Grilled Fish Salsa Mexicana

It's great to learn to make a spicy salsa, to serve with grilled fish or meat.

Cut 2 large tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds.  Dice the tomato flesh and place in a bowl. 

Add 1 finely sliced, seeded green chilli, 1/2 finely sliced red onion, the juice of 1 lime or lemon, 3 tbsp olive oil, a little salt and pepper and 2 tbsp coriander leaves.

Grill 2 pieces of fish or chicken fillets until just done.

Place the fish or chicken on plates and spoon the exotic salsa Mexicana over the top.

It serves 2.

Roast Beef Fillet with Olives

This weekend, treat yourself with a tender Roast Beef Eye Fillet.

Tie an 800g piece of trimmed eye fillet steak with kitchen string, and season the meat with salt and pepper.

Brown the meat in a little oil in a roasting tray.  Around the meat place 1 red capsicum cut into small pieces, then bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven, transfer the meat to a dish and cover with foil.

Add 3 tbsp of red wine to the roasting tray and bring to the boil.  Add 1/2 cup of beef stock and boil for 3 minutes.

Add 20 pitted black olives to the gravy.

Cut the meat into 2cm slices and serve on hot plates with the olive sauce.  Yum!

It serves 4.

Quick Red Beef Curry with Green Beans

If you like it hot, you'll love this Quick Beef Curry.

Trim the fat from a 400g of sirloin steak then cut it into thin, bite-size pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick frypan or wok, and brown the meat for just
1 minute.  Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add 1/4 of a finely chopped onion to the pan and stir briefly.  Add 6 sliced mushrooms and stir for a minute, before adding 1 tbsp of red curry paste and 1/4 cup of hot water.  Mix well, bring to a simmer and add 1/4 cup of coconut cream.

Add a cup of cooked green beans and reheat. 

Stir in the meat, season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle the top with coriander leaves. 

This delicious curry serves 2.

Australian Cheese Salad

A cheese dish can replace a dessert, and this Australian cheese salad is a delight.

In a large salad bowl, mix 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar with a little salt and pepper, half a finely chopped clove of garlic, and 3 tbsp of olive oil.

Line 6 plates with a layer of fresh green salad leaves.  Top each with 3 halved cherry tomatoes, 4 small sticks of celery and a quarter of an apple, cut into thin slices.

Top each with a thin slice of your favourite Australian blue cheese, then a slice of brie and a slice of goat's cheese. 

Place a walnut half on top of each piece of cheese, sprinkle some finely cut chives over the salad and spoon a little dressing on top.

It serves 6 and is delicious.

Baked Celery And Carrots

Europe has some interesting vegetable dishes and this Baked Celery with Carrots is lovely.

Trim and peel the hard strings off 6 sticks of celery, then cut the celery into 5cm pieces.

Peel and dice 2 large carrots.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in an oven-proof pan.  Stir-in 2 slices of diced bacon and 1/2 a diced brown onion, and cook for about 3 minutes. 

Add the carrot, celery, 1 crushed garlic clove and 2 cups of strong chicken stock. 

Bring to a simmer and mix in 1/2 tbsp of corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp of white wine or water.  Season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and a lid and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

Bon appétit!