Tender Venison Necks

Posted on May 10, 2016 by soulfoodie92

Everyone who knows me knows I absolutely love a good bargain! One of my favorite things to do is get the reduced to clear meat goes very cheap and usually still has 2 days good before it must be frozen. However these were not reduced to clear they were full price $3.86 for 5 venison necks, $5.99kg now that is awesome isn’t it?

Venison is one of my favorite meats its super high in iron and very lean! Today I was in a relaxed mood as it was my day off so i decided to put the slow cooker on. I love the thing I must say switch it on in the morning by dinner time all you have to do is thicken and make some mash. Love a simple dinner and here is a beauty one im sharing with you all!

Venison necks are a nice cheap cut of meat and they have a surprising amount of meat on them to so its a great value for money meat. You can find them at most supermarkets i picked these up from pak n save however i used to get them at countdown and sometimes new world as well. The ones here are from Canterbury from a farm called the Merchant of Venison. If your lucky enough to have wild venison or know a hunter who could get you some give it a go with that it has a more gamer flavour and is also delicious.

Slow Braised Venison Necks with Cranberry and Pumpkin
on
Swede and Agria Mash

Ingredients

5-6 venison necks
1 tsp paprika
1 onion, fine dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, fine dice
2 carrots
1/2 small crown pumpkin, peeled and 3-4cm dice
1 tin diced tomatoes
400ml water
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tbsp cornflour + water for slurry
Swede and Agria Mash
1/4 swede, peeled and small 2cm dice
3 medium agria potatoes, peeled and 4cm dice
1 spring onion, finely sliced
50gm butter
1/8 cup milk
salt and pepper

Method:

Turn slow cooker onto low.
Season venison generously with salt, pepper and the paprika on both sides.
Heat medium fry pan over a medium to high heat, add 1 tbsp oil followed by onion, celery and garlic. Saute until opaque add to slow cooker.
Brown venison necks both sides add to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, apart from the cornflour.
Cook on low for 6 hours, combine cornflour and small amount of water to make a slurry stir into venison and cook for further 10 minutes.
Bring swede and potato to the boil and cook until tender. ( it is important to cut the swede smaller as it takes longer to cook than potato.)
Drain, mash and stir in butter, milk, spring onion, salt and pepper. Stir well.
Serve venison necks on bed of swede and agria mash with sprinkle of crumbled feta and chopped celery leaves.

Serves: 2-4

Homemade Cinnamon Coconut Crunch Muesli

Posted on October 19, 2015 by soulfoodie92

Here’s a great base recipe for homemade muesli what i mean by base recipe is you could add any chopped dried fruit you wanted I just didn’t have any in my cupboard at the time. Some of my favorites are apricots, cranberries, sultanas and blueberries.

You can use this muesli for much more than just breakfast! It can be the crunch layer in a layered yoghurt dessert added to raw muffin mix for a crumble topping and many more!

This is my new go to muesli recipe! Im sitting here at 2 in the afternoon with a big bowl and it is so tastey and crunchy, with a combination of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, finished with cinnamon and maple syrup.

Homemade Cinnamon Coconut Crunch Muesli

Ingredients:

2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cup pumpkin seeds
8 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 brown sugar
250 gm butter, melted

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees.
In large bowl combine all ingredients, mix well, pour into a lined baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown not to dark as it will taste burnt.
You want to stir it every 5-10 minutes to evenly bake the museli.
Remove from oven , cool and store in an air-tight container.

Makes: 10-15 serves muesli

Sunday Comfort

Posted on August 10, 2015 by soulfoodie92

With snow on the forecast and and the fire going I thought nothing better than a roast, however this time I wanted to change it up a little and try a pot roast pork.
One of the local supermarkets was selling pork shoulder for a bargain $6.99 a kg how could I not partake in that bargain!!

The Italian Herb Blend by Equagold was a perfect rub for this pork shoulder! Notes of fennel and oregano went perfectly with pork and lemon brussel sprouts, it added a good sharp tasty note to this comforting dish.

Italian Rubbed Pot Roast Pork Shoulder with braised agria potatoes,red onion and a side of garlic lemon brussel sprouts

Ingredients:

Pot Roast Pork
1-1.5kg pork shoulder
3 tbsp Equagold Italian Blend
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp flaky sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cracked pepper
2 large agria potatoes, washed
1 1/2 red onion, cut into large wedges
2 garlic cloves, rough chop
2 cups vegetable stock

Garlic Lemon Brussel Sprouts
8 brussel sprouts, cut into quarters
1/8 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp butter
1/2 lemon zest and juice
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degress.
In small bowl combine oil, salt, pepper and Italian herb seasoning, stir to combine, pour over the pork shoulder and massage in. (you could marinate overnight if you had time for extra flavour)
Heat medium size fry pan, add 1 tsp oil and red onion, season and add to the bottom of casserole dish that has a lid or you can use tin foil.
Cut Agria Potatoes into Large wedges with skin on, brown slightly and add to casserole dish.
Brown pork roast both sides around 3 minutes, sear in all the flavour and juices, add to the potatoes with chopped garlic and vegetable stock.
Place on the lid or tin foil and bake for 2 hours.
Remove pork from oven, take the fat of and shred the pork, spoon over juices from the casserole dish about 1/2 cup. (keep some juices to spoon over your finished dish.)
Heat medium frypan over medium to high heat, add 1 tsp oil and brussel sprouts , brown slightly and add water. Simmer for 2 minutes, add butter,lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Finish with parsley.
Place potatoes on your plate followed by onions, brussel sprouts and topped with the star Italian shredded pot roast pork, spoon over some casserole juices and serve!

Serves:1-4 ( 1 potato per person)

Cut onion into large wedges.

Combine oil, salt, pepper and Equagold’s Italian Blend Seasoning.

Rub over pork and massage in for a minute.

Cut potatoes into large wedges. Leaving the skin on holds them together during the braise.

Brown onion followed by potatoes.

Brown pork both sides add to casserole dish. Deglaze frypan with vegetable stock and add to casserole dish, place on lid and cook for 2 hours.

Shred pork shoulder.

Cut brussel sprouts into quarters.

Heat medium fry pan over medium to high heat, add 1 tso oil lightly brown sprouts, add water and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, juice and butter.

Serve potatoes topped with onions, brussel sprouts then the star shredded pot roast pork, spoon over casserole juices and serve.

Sinful Chocolate Boysenberry Cheesecake

Posted on August 2, 2015 by soulfoodie92

Sinful Chocolate Boysenberry Cheesecake

I received a goodie parcel from Equagold a few days ago and as today is my day off a “Saturday to most”. So I decided that it was time to hit the kitchen and get the creative hat on. I was thinking cheesecake however I didn’t want to make the classic biscuit crumb so i opted for my moist chocolate velvet cake.

The end result is bloody delicious if I may say so myself. WOW sums up my reaction when my fork hit the chocolate boysenberry cheesecake!!! Words basically cannot describe this dessert it was basically like being in heaven! Creamy velvet chocolate cheesecake with a moist velvet cake finished with slightly sweet boysenberry gel! No need to buy chocolate and melt it into this cheesecake, Ive used Equagolds Premium Dutch Cocoa Powder it is just divine, you cant tell that its cocoa not melted chocolate.

Equagold is creating outstanding products if you would like to get your hands on Equagolds Dutch Cocoa Powder I have used in this recipe please click this link : Equagold Online Store

If you want to impress someone or treat yourself this is the recipe for you!!

Ingredients:
Velvet Cake Base
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
250ml water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp white vinegar
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
250gm cream cheese, room temp
2 heaped tbsp Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa, sifted
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp Equagold vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp boiling water
Boysenberry Gel
1 1/2 cup frozen boysenberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp boiling water

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl sift all dry ingredients for the velvet cake, once sifted whisk the dry ingredients to aerate and evenly mix together.
3. In a separate bowl combine all liquids for the velvet cake, pour into the center of the dry ingredients and mix through to combine. (Do not over mix)
4. Pour into a lined spring form cake tin and bake for 25-30minutes until when tested with a skewer it comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and turn put onto a cooling rack, once cold using a bread or serrated knife cut the top of the cake off. *see the picture
6. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer attach the whisk attachment, in the mixing bowl combine, cream cheese, sifted icing sugar and cocoa and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
7. Scrap down the sides and be sure to get the bottom of the bowl, add cream and whisk to combine.
8. in a small bowl sprinkle gelatine over boiling water and microwave for 15 seconds, stir well and whisk into cheesecake filling.
9. Using the same cake tin as you baked the cake, reline and this time line the sides, a little cooking spray before you put the baking paper around will make it stay in place.
10. Place the trimmed cake base in the bottom of the lined cake tin, followed by the cheesecake filling. Smooth over and place in the fridge.
11. Now onto the final stage, take a small saucepan combine boysenberry’s, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved around 4 minutes, add squeeze of lemon. Bloom the gelatine the same as for the cheesecake filling step and add to the boysenberry mix.
12. Allow to cool and pour over the cheesecake filling, place in fridge for 1-2 hours. 13. Serve with whipped cream or yoghurt.

Serves:8-12

Sift all dry ingredients for the velvet cake.

Whisk together wet cake ingredients and add to dry.

Stir to combine and pour into a lined medium sized spring form cake tin.

Bake at 180 degrees for 25-30minutes.

Once cooked and cooled, remove the lump over the cake to make it flat. ( you can eat the off cuts 🙂

Leveled cake.

Whisk in 1/2 cup cream, scrape down the sides.

In stand mixer bowl combine cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

Add dissolved gelatin mixture, mix well to combine.

Line cake tin bottom and sides.

Add trimmed cake followed by cheesecake filling.

Smooth over and refrigerate.

Combine 1 1/2 cup boysenberries in medium pot with sugar and water. Simmer for 4 minutes add gelatine mixture, cool.

Pour over cheesecake filling and refrigerate for 1-2 hours if possible over night.

Remove baking paper. Using a hot knife cut a medium size wedge.

Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar and cocoa.

Enjoy

Easy 7 Step Dessert

Posted on November 30, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Strawberry Bliss

Great way to enjoy fresh produce is by keeping it simple.

Creamy yoghurt with crunchy ginger nuts and fresh strawberries with bursts of mint and lemon. Perfect light dessert even the kids could make!!

Ingredients:

1/2 packet ginger nuts
2 cups berry yoghurt
1 punet strawberries, roughly diced
1/2 juice lemon
1 tbsp. icing sugar
3 mint leaves, thinly shredded

Method:

1. Blitz half a packet of ginger nuts in the food processor.

2. Roughly slice 1 punet of fresh strawberries.

3. Add juice of half a lemon.

4. Followed by 1 tbsp. icing sugar, stir to combine.

5. Add 3 shredded mint leaves and stir to combine.

Layer strawberries, ginger crumb and yoghurt and repeat.

6. Layer stawberries, ginger crumb and yoghurt and repeat.

7. Finish with ginger crumb and enjoy!

Meatloaf Madness

Posted on October 14, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Homemade Meatloaf with Sautéed Garlic Greens

Ingredients:

Meat

500g sausage meat
700g lean beef mince
1 onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, fine dice
1 carrot, finely grated
1 tbsp. fresh marjoram
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
3 tbsp. Worcester sauce
1 egg. lightly beaten
salt
pepper

Topping

80g rolled oats
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c tomato sauce

Garlic Greens
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 head broccoli, cut florets into 1/4 pieces
1 handful of green beans, remove ends
4 bok choy leaves, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water

2 medium golden kumara, boiled and mashed with 50gm butter 50ml milk, salt and pepper. Plus 1 tbsp. fresh chives.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
Grease loaf or rectangle oven proof dish lightly with butter.
In a large bowl combine sausage meat, mince, diced onion, garlic, grated carrot, finely chopped herbs, salt, pepper and beaten egg. Mix together with your hand until well combined.
Press meat mix into grease oven dish. Pat down evenly.
In a separate bowl combine oats, brown sugar and tomato sauce. Mix until a paste has formed. Spread over meat mix evenly.
Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden at the edges and cooked. (it will shrink slightly with cooking.)
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Pre-heat wok or fry pan on high add oil followed by broccoli and garlic. cook for 2 minutes until slightly starting to brown. Add green beans and cook for 1 minute, add water and cook on high for a further 2 minutes, add bok choy toss gently.
Remove from heat and place in serving bowl.
Slice meatloaf and serve with the garlic greens and kumara mash.

Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients nice and cheap!

In a large bowl combine sausage meat, mince, onion, garlic, carrot, Worcester sauce, herbs, salt, pepper and 1 beaten egg.

In a large bowl combine sausage meat, mince, onion, garlic, carrot, Worchester sauce, herbs, salt, pepper and 1 beaten egg.

Mix together, best done with your hand for even mixing.

In separate bowl combine oats, brown sugar and tomato sauce.

Stir together to form a paste type consistency.

Butte a loaf or rectangle baking dish with butter, pat down meat mixture evenly.

Top meat with oat topping evenly, bake for 45-50 minutes until puffed and cooked.

Prep green vegetable for sautéing.

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil over a high heat in a wok or fry pan. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Once starting to brown add in green beans cook for 1 minute.

/followed by 1/4 cup water. Cook for 2 minutes stirring over high heat.

Add sliced bok choy and toss gently.

Remove from heat after a minute or so and place in serving bowl.

Remove from oven, allow to stand for 5 minutes. (it will shrink a small amount during cooking.

Serve with creamy chive mashed golden kumara, sautéed greens and that stunner of a meatloaf.

Enjoy!

The Chiquita

Posted on September 6, 2014 by soulfoodie92

The Chiquita

Handmade flour tortilla topped with baby rocket, chili tomato shredded
chicken, cinnamon pickled onions and avocado crema.

Would you like the recipe for the shredded chicken to make at home?
Well comment below!!!

p.s 2 chicken breasts shred out to be enough for a family of 4, you can have tacos, burritos, or over rice or salad the possibility’s are endless!!

Rustic Chicken Laksa

Posted on July 27, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Rustic Chicken Laksa has to be one of my favourite asian soups. Slightly spicy coconut broth with rice noodles and seasonal veges, finished with a wedge of lime and bursts of fresh coriander, this one is super good and can be whipped up for dinner within 30 minutes.

Rustic Chicken Laksa

Ingredients:

1 small onion, fine dice
4 garlic cloves, fine dice
1 tsp. root ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 230g jar thai style laksa paste
400g boneless chicken thigh, cut into strips
1 can coconut cream
1/4 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp. palm sugar, shaved
300g rice stick noodles, cooked
1 carrot, peeled and cut into match sticks
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 pak choy, washed and chunky slice
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
4 tbsp. fresh coriander, rough chop
4 tbsp. crispy shallots*

Method:

Heat a large pot over a low to medium heat, add peanut oil and onions. Sweat for 5 minutes until translucent, add garlic and ginger cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
Add laksa paste and cook for 2 minutes, add sliced chicken cook until chicken starts to turn white.
Add coconut cream. Fill laksa and coconut cream tin with water add to the pot. ( Fill coconut up twice, this makes sure you don’t leave any laksa paste or coconut to waste.)
Add palm sugar and fish sauce simmer for 15 minutes.
While your laksa is simmering, cook noodles and rinse in cold water, blanch all vegetables until just tender, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
In each of the serving bowls evenly divide rice noodles and top with vegetables. ( when you add the hot laksa they will heat up.)
Fill each bowl with hot laksa and chicken, sprinkle with crispy shallots and coriander plus a wedge of lime to serve.

Serves: 2-4

* Crispy Shallots can be found at any asian supermarket or in the international isle at your supermarket.

Use thick rice noodles, see back of packet for cooking instructions

Use thick rice noodles, see back of packet for cooking instruactions

Simple base ingredients to a good laksa.

Sweat onion in peanut oil, add ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant.

Add laksa paste and cook out for 5 minutes.

Add laksa paste and cook out for 2 minutes.

Add chicken strips.

Once the chicken has started to turn white add coconut milk.

Fill laksa jar with water add this to the pot.

Followed by 2 cans of water. I’ve used the coconut cream and laksa jars for measures, plus you don’t leave any goodies behind.

Once noodles are cooked rinse under cold water and leave to drain.

Divide evenly between serving bowls.

Slice the stalk end of the pok choy quiet thin.

Slice the leaves into large slices, cooks extremely fast.

Divide blanched vegetables between serving bowls.

After laksa has simmer for 15 minutes its ready to serve.

Top with chicken.

Ladle over hot laksa.

Finish with crispy shallots, coriander and lime wedge.

Seasonal Salad

Posted on July 6, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Roast Cauliflower, Quinoa and Spinach Salad

Simple winter salad recipe goes perfectly alongside any grilled meats, roast or just by itself. I served mine with some chicken and leek potato cakes, the depth of flavours in this salad is perfect as a side to mid-week dinner or lunch time snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 cauliflower, shaved *see picture below
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 lemon zest and juice
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 cup spinach, finely sliced
3 tbsp. sultanas
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
3 tsp. sunflower seeds
2 tsp. italian parsley, rough chop
salt and pepper

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degress.
In oven prof dish place shaved cauliflower, garlic, lemon juice and oil. toss to combine and bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Stir halfway through the cooking process.
Remove from oven and scatter over grated parmesan, leave to melt.
In a bowl combine cauliflower, spinach, quinoa, lemon zest, parsley, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Serves: 1-3

Shave cauliflower on a angle.

Stir halfway through the cooking process.

Sprinkle over finely grated parmesan.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Enjoy

Infused Oil

Posted on June 20, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Today was a weird day and I felt like making something in the kitchen, I wasn’t sure what exactly and them it came to me. Something I’ve always wanted to do was try making my own infused oils. So that was that I decided on infused oil using thyme, lemon, garlic and pepper as the flavour. This infused oil is perfect for marinades, frying meats, browning veges anything really.
I just tossed hot potatoes with 1 tbsp of this and parsley and it was simply perfection.

This oil has so much flavour and is easy to make .
It’s just a basic recipe you can substitute any of the flavours for other ingredients like:
Chilies, rosemary and other herbs, cardamom pods, fennel or cumin seeds. The possibilities are endless. I would love to see your infused oils or what you use them in.

Thyme and Lemon Infused Oil

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh thyme stalk and all
1/2 lemon, just rind/skin
4 garlic cloves, crushed
6 peppercorns.

Method:

In small pot combine all ingredients, gently heat on low for 10 minutes. ( If it starts to spit it’s too hot, remove from heat)
Cool and pour into sterilized jar with the thyme, lemon, garlic and peppercorns so the flavours can develop more

Makes: 1 Jar