Feijoa and Apple Compote

Posted on May 18, 2019 by soulfoodie92

I got given a huge bag of Feijoa from a lovely young lady at work and the recipes are starting to roll in this is a simple Feijoa and apple compote perfect served with yoghurt or ice-cream as a dessert treat. On your fave muesli in the morning or baked into cakes or muffins. It a very versatile recipe that has more than just one purpose, you can freeze it down and bring it out when you need it.

Feijoa and Apple Compote

Ingredients:
10-12 medium feijoas, flesh removed
1 large green apple, 2cm dice
1/2 cup water

Method:

Combine feijoas, apple and water in a pot over a medium heat and simmer for 18minutes.
Stir occasionally to avoid it catching.
Cool and enjoy

Makes: 2 cups

Chicken Parmigiana, The Real Deal

Posted on July 24, 2017 by soulfoodie92

Stuck on something to impress your family or special someone well here is the dish for you. I cooked this up for my lovely flatmates on Sunday night and it sure went down a treat, lets just say it was rather quiet when this was being consumed which is a good sign right?

Crunchy crumbed chicken breast baked with tomato passata sauce, dollops of basil paste, parmesan and layers of fresh mozzarella finished in the oven until golden brown and crispy! Served up with simple spinach and garlic penne pasta. I will admit this may be on the cards again for dinner this week as it was so satisfying and tasty.

Homemade Chicken Parmigiana with Spinach and Garlic Penne

Ingredients:
150gm Breadcrumbs
2x eggs
1/2cup Flour
2 1/2tsp Garlic Salt
2tsp Cracked black pepper
4x Chicken breast, skin removed
250ml Canola oil
500ml Tomato Passata sauce or Tomato pasta sauce
80ml Tube Basil Puree or 4 tbsp fresh basil chopped
1/2cup Parmesan, finely grated
250gm Mozzarella
1tbsp Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Spinach and Garlic Penne
50gm Baby spinach
500gm Penne Pasta
1tsp Garlic salt
1tsp Cracked black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degress.
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk together, set aside.
Place flour in another bowl and add 1tsp garlic salt and 1tsp cracked black pepper, mix until seasoning is evenly mixed through.
repeat same process with the bread crumbs and remaining garlic salt and cracked pepper.
Firstly coat the chicken breast in flour, then into the egg mixture and finally into the seasoned bread crumbs. Set aside and repeat until all breasts are crumbed.
Heat oil in a heat based wok or fry pan over a low to medium heat until it reaches 170-180 degrees. This will take around 5 minutes or so, Be very careful at this point.
Add 2x Chicken breasts to the hot oil and fry either side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, place in oven proof dish.
Pour a strip of tomato passata sauce over the crumbed chicken followed by half a tube of the basil puree or 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil. Pour the remaining sauce around the sides of the dish.
Sprinkle 3/4 of the parmesan over and cut mozzarella into 12 pieces, lay 3 pieces over each chicken breast.
Spoon a small dollop of tomato sauce over the top of the chicken and a teaspoon of basil puree and the remainder of the parmesan.
Sprinkle with cracked pepper and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Boil penne in heavily salted water with 2 tbsp oil until cooked.
Drain and add 1 tbsp oil to prevent it from sticking together add spinach, 1 tsp cracked black pepper and a teaspoon of garlic salt. Mix together.
Remove your chicken from the oven, sprinkle with roughly chopped parsley and serve over your spinach and garlic penne.

ENJOY!

Great side to any curry

Posted on April 13, 2014 by soulfoodie92

As requested here is the recipe for Mint and Lime Yoghurt and Garlic Sautéed Silver beat, featured with lightly spiced butter chicken and brown rice and red quinoa. Perfect sides to accompany any curry.

I used Sun Rise’s Brown Rice and Red Quinoa mix and followed the recipe on the back of the packet. Be sure to rinse your quinoa and brown rice before cooking as this removes some of the bitterness and starch.

Mint and Lime Yoghurt

5 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
1 lime zest and juice
3 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 heaped dessert spoons of plain unsweetened yoghurt
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl season with salt and pepper, taste adjust seasoning.
This side sauce is great served with a spices curry, spooned over meat on salad and folded through couscous.

Garlic Sautéed Sliver Beat

4 large sliver beat leaves rinsed, thick slice
1 clove of garlic, fine dice
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Heat fry pan over a medium heat, add olive oil and sauté garlic for 1- 2 minutes until garlic becomes fragrant.
Add rinsed sliver beat, cook for 3 minutes until wilted and shiny. (The water left from rinsing will steam sauté your silver beat.)

Great side dish for curry or any mid-week dinner, tasty way to incorporate greens into any meal.

New Zealand Food Writers Competition

Posted on April 3, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Here is the lastest page I have added to my blog, showcasing my entry into the New Zealand Venison Food Writers Competition in 2013. I did not win however I had the honor of them publishing my recipe and the picture is featured on their page and I was also mentioned in the New Zealand Hospitality magazine last year.

New Zealand Food Writers Competition.

Heart Warmer

Posted on March 25, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Roasted Cauliflower and Smoked Bacon Soup with Crispy Caramel Onions

With a soulful thought and some tender loving care, I have created a heart warming soup to put a smile on anyone’s face. Rich and warming smoky bacon infused roasted cauliflower soup with hints of fresh corn finished with pulled smoked bacon and crunchy caramel onions .

As the months grow colder and the days grow shorter we are in need of some hearty warming dishes. Cauliflower is in an abundance at the moment and oh so cheap. Picking up a whole Cauli for $2.50 at the farmers market= BARGIN. The best thing about this recipe is it makes 3.5 ltrs and is great to be frozen and pulled out on a cold winter night or served fresh on the day of making. I believe soups always grow tasty the day after making , the flavours become bolder and harmonize together creating an ever so tasty spoonful.

Would you like this recipe? Comment Below

I’m sure your Family would love to see this on the table!

Soul Packed Snack

Posted on March 24, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Coriander Spiked Guacamole with Cajun Spiced Baked Wedges

Coriander and Lime spiked Guacamole with Cajun Oven Baked Potato wedges

Fresh quality ingredients used to create a flavour packed afternoon snack. Smooth avocado with diced red onion and fresh coriander folded in with a hint of lime zest and a squeeze of tangy lime juice, served alongside slightly spiced Cajun oven baked wedges garnished with fresh coriander, spring onion and smoked paprika. Now that’s a perfect afternoon snack or starter to any meal.

I had an abundance of Avocados and Limes were so cheap this week at the fruit and vegetable grocer I couldn’t resist.

Garnishes

Season the Base of the Bowl

Ready to be Finsihes and Served

Oven Baked Cajun Wedges

Coriander and Lime Spiked Guacamole

Coriander Spiked Guacamole with Cajun Spiced Baked Wedges

Would you like the Recipe? Comment Below

The Kumara take OVER!

Posted on March 14, 2014 by soulfoodie92

The Kumara take OVER!

It’s not only the potato that you can bake and stuff with skin on. The Golden Kumara is a delicious alternative to your common stuffed potato , when baked with the skin on the kumara turns into a heavenly soft center full of a natural sweetness.

I’ve served mine layered with sautéed red capsicum and a succulent browned beef mince coated in Egmont cheese, finished under the grill and drizzled with a garlic and rosemary balsamic reduction, fresh basil leaves. The sweet tangy flavours of the balsamic reduction pared alongside the rich beef and sweet kumara so together like potato and gravy, a match made in heaven.

All you have to do is pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees fan bake, wash kumara to remove unwanted soil and bake whole in a roasting dish for 1 hour until you can push a knife easily through the kumara. Make a cut along the to and pull apart slightly to make a cavity, fill with you desired topping , finish with cheese and grill for five minutes.

A tasty mid-week dinner

If you would like my recipe for; Golden baked Kumara stuffed and layered with sautéed red capsicum and a succulent browned beef mince coated in Egmont cheese, finished under the grill and drizzled with a garlic and rosemary balsamic reduction, fresh basil leaves.

Comment below!

Beach Spinach Pesto

Posted on March 13, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Beach Spinach Pesto

From my earlier post I talked about foraging around the New Zealand coastline and would attach a recipe for beach spinach pesto so here it is.

Ingredients:

1 cup beach spinach, washed
50 gm Italian parsley, rough chop
1 clove garlic, fine dice
4 tbsp. sunflower seeds
50 ml water
70 ml olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced

Method:

1. In a blender combine beach spinach, parsley, salt, pepper, water, olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Heat a non-stick fry pan to a medium heat, add garlic cook until fragrant add sunflower seeds and cook until lightly golden.
3. Add garlic and sunflower seeds to the blender, place on lid and pulse for 1-2 minutes until you have a chunky paste like texture, check seasoning.
4. Serve on grilled meats , toss through your favourite pasta or on crackers with a nice cheese, camembert is on of my favourites.

Yield: Makes around 1/2 cup pesto. Store in an airtight container and will keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

A piece off steak: Seared Beef Sirloin resting upon roast cauliflower and warm lemon salad, balsamic roasted cherry tomato’s and a dollop of beach spinach pesto to finish.

Tell me what you’ve served your pesto with?
If you can’t find or don’t have access to beach spinach, baby spinach works just as well.

Simple things

Posted on March 4, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Simple things

In life it’s not all about glitz and glam and how many items you can fit into or on one thing. It’s about using and adding one or two things that will harmonize and elevate the simplest things.

Sometimes you need to take a step back and respect your product in its simplest form, adding only things that will improve its all around appeal.

In New Zealand corn is in an abundance at the moment at the Otago Farmers Market I picked up 6 corn cobs for just $4.00. Straight from the grower to my home kitchen, I love fresh produce! With keeping these things in mind tonight I create one of my most loved corn dishes, it is simple and delicious yet respects the sweetness of the fresh corn by adding a zing and a burst of flavour.

Tonight’s dish is:

Steamed Corn Cob with Lime Coriander Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

2 fresh egg yolks
2 limes, zest & juice
3/4 tsp. fresh garlic, finely diced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
150ml olive oil
1 tsp. boiling water
2 corn cobs
small knob of butter
pinch of smoked paprika

Method:
1. In a deep stainless steel bowl combine egg yolks, zest and juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Whisk together until well combined. ( You can use an electric whisk it is easier on the arm.)
3. While whisking at a vigorous pace, slowly drizzle in a steady stream of the oil.
4. The egg mixture will begin to thicken, adding 3/4 of the oil then the tsp. of boiling water. ( The boiling water helps thin the mayonnaise and reduce chance of splitting.)
5. Finish by whisking in the remainder of the oil and check seasoning.
6. In a steamer of a rapid boil, steam corn on cob for 3 minutes. (They will go a bright yellow colour.)
7. Remove from heat and place on your serving plate, rub with a small knob of butter and drizzle over coriander lime mayonnaise finishing with a pinch of smoked paprika.

Serves: 1-2 people , however you will have plenty of coriander lime mayonnaise left over. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Goes great smeared over your favorite grilled steak or on that homemade hamburger.

The simple things.