Avocado Bacon Pizza

Friday Dinner

- Pizza (Avocado Bacon/ Pineapple Salami)


Avocado Bacon Pizza Recipe (Serves1~2)

Ingredients

• 1 avocado, ripe
• 1Tbsp mayo
• 1Tbsp sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 strip of bacon
• 1 mushroom
• a handful of frozen corn
• cheese of your choice
• pizza dough

Method

1. Make pizza sauce by mixing 3/4 avocado, mayo, sour cream, salt and pepper
2. Slice 1/4 avocado thinly for topping
3. Spread the pizza sauce on pizza dough
4. Top with mushroom, corn, cheese, bacon, avocado slices
5. Bake in the preheated 250˚C oven for 15~18mins until golden

Bacon & Chicken GBR Paella

Thursday Dinner

- Bacon & Chicken GBR Paella

- Warm Vegetable Salad

I have made paella many times before but this might be the first time making a meaty one.  

Bacon & Chicken GBR Paella Recipe (Serves 3~4)

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 1~2 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 300g brown rice, germinated (GBR), drained
• 3~4 chicken drumsticks, marinated with soy sauce and ginger
• 2-3 pieces thick bacon, cubed
• 3 handfuls of green beans, cut into 3cm pieces
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• about 800ml stock (unsalted)

Method

1. Brown bacon and drumsticks in a shallow casserole
2. Remove drumsticks, fry onion and garlic
3. Add GBR and continue frying
4. Add stock, place drumsticks on top
5. Place a lid on, bring to the boil then cook on low heat until rice is softened and all the stock is absorbed for about 30~40mins
6. Add green beans and cherry tomatoes in the last 2mins for crunch and colour

Prawn Hot Pot

Wednesday Dinner

- Prawn Hot Pot

Soup stock for this Nabe is a mixture of Japanese Dashi stock and prawn stock made from prawn heads and shells.  But the hero of the dish was prawn and Tofu balls.  It was soft, succulent and somehow more prawny than prawn itself!  I won't bother with prawns with tails next time and turn all prawn meat into delicious prawn and Tofu balls.

Prawn Hot Pot Recipe (Serves 2-4)

Ingredients

• 500g fresh whole prawns
• 250g Tofu
• 1Tbsp arrowroot powder or potato starch
• 1/4 Chinese cabbage
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 celery stalks

Seasoning

• 500ml Dashi stock
• 1Tbsp fish sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• a touch of cayenne pepper

Method

1. Peel the prawns (reserve heads and shells) and de-vein them
2. Make prawn stock by frying heads and shells in an oiled pot
3. When crispy, add 1L of water and simmer for 15mins
4. Make prawn balls by mixing minced prawn meat, Tofu, arrowroot powder and salt. 
5. Strain prawn stock and transfer to a clay pot
6. Add about 500ml of Dashi stock, fish sauce, lemon juice to a claypot and turn the heat on
7. Add hard vegetables (white part of Chinese cabbage, carrot, celery)
8. When boiling, drop prawn balls mixture into the soup using 2 spoons
9. Add cubed Tofu and green parts of Chinese cabbage just before serving

Low Carb Okonomiyaki

Tuesday Dinner

- Low Carb Okonomiyaki

- Leftover Chicken

Okonomiyaki, sometimes called as Japanese savoury pancake is a popular Japanese dish in Australia.  I made a low carb version using soy pulp (Okara) and tin tuna.  It was light and fluffy but I will make it with bacon next time.  Sweet and savoury sauce is always a winner for hubby.


Low Carb Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 200g Okara
• 100g water or Dashi
• 2tsp psyllium husk
• 4 eggs
• 200g tin tuna
• 1Tbsp mayonnaise
• 200g cauliflower leaves or cabbage, finely chopped
• 1tsp fish(bonito) powder
• 1/2~1tsp salt
• 1/2tsp baking powder (can be omitted)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together
2. Heat a frypan with a small amount of oil, pour the mixture in and spread evenly
3. Once the edges are browned, transfer it to an oven
4. Cook in the 180˚C oven until browned and cooked through for about 20mins
5. Serve with bonito flakes, Aonori seaweed, Okonomi sauce* and red ginger.

*Okonomi sauce is a thick sweet and savoury sauce for Okonomiyaki or Takoyaki.  It can be made by mixing oyster sauce, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and honey.

Wasabi Soy Chicken

Monday Dinner

- Soy Wasabi Chicken Drumsticks

- Green Beans & Broccoli

Marinate 1kg of chicken drumsticks with 2.5~3Tbsp soy sauce and some Wasabi.  Cook in the 180˚C oven for 30~40mins depending on the size of drumsticks.  Serve with steamed veggies.  Veggies were cooked in the oven for 15-20mins.

Pork Meatballs Hot Pot

Sunday Dinner

- Pork Meatballs Hot Pot

Hot pot (Nabe) is something many Japanese people make when they don't feel like cooking.  I am no exception.  Just throw everything in a pot and turn the heat on.  I chose pork meatballs for protein like last time.  The best for a chilly Sunday night.

Nabe Hot Pot Recipe (Serves 2-3)

Ingredients

Soup

• about 800ml Water
• 1 Dashi pack
• 1tsp soy sauce

Meatballs (*only use less than half, freeze the rest)

• 500g pork mince
• 1 small onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1tsp salt
• 10g ginger, grated
• 1Tbsp arrow root

Other

• 1/4 Chinese cabbage
• 1 carrot
• 1 small turnip, sliced
• 3 dried Shiitake mushrooms, torn
• 3 mushrooms, sliced
• glass noodles

Method

1. Make meatballs by mixing all the ingredients for meatballs by hand until sticky
2. Add all the ingredients for soup in a pot and turn the heat on
3. Add vegetables
4. When water is boiling, add meatballs
5. When meatballs are done, add glass noodles
6. Serve with Ponzu, Yuzukosho or Kanzuri

Leftover Corned Beef & Lentil Soup

Thursday Dinner

- Leftover Corned Beef & Lentil Soup

To make use of the leftover corned beef and about 2L of beef stock, I made a lentil soup.  In a pressure cooker, fry onion, garlic and celery with small amount of oil before adding beef stock, green lentils(2cups, soaked for 30mins) and a bayleaf.  Cook for 15mins under pressure.  Once the pressure is released naturally, add corned beef pieces, green beans and eggs to poach.  Cook on low heat until egg white is set.

It was tasty enough but I realised that I am not a fan of corned beef or maybe beef in general.  I found myself keep pushing the meat to the side and ended up giving some to Hubby but enjoyed the rest of the soup.  It might have been better if the meat was shredded, only for my liking.

Low Carb Gyoza & Fried Rice

Wednesday Dinner

- Low Carb Gyoza

- Low Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice

- Egg & Wakame Clear Soup

This low carb version is the only Gyoza I make at home these days.  It doesn't have the crispiness of the real thing but it is a pretty good substitute and hubby and I love them a lot.  I used the pork mixture in freezer for the filling which had dill and green apple in it, not a typical Gyoza flavour but still good.  If you want Gyoza flavour, season pork mince with garlic, ginger, spring onion, cabbage, soy sauce and sesame oil.  I sometimes use beef mince and chillies for Nepalese Momo style.  Play with flavours, there are no rules!


Low Carb Gyoza Recipe (Serves 2~3)

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant (smaller ones are better)
• 250g pork mince
• veggies of your choice (e.g. cabbage)
• ginger, garlic, minced
• salt or soy sauce to taste

Method

1. Make Gyoza filling by mixing pork mince and veggies
2. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise then slice crosswise into 1.5cm thickness with slit in the middle
3. Stuff the filling in the slits
4. Arrange eggplant in a frypan and turn the heat on
5. When the frypan is hot, add 1/2 cup water and put a lid on
6. It is ready to eat when all the water is evaporated (remove the lid if necessary)

Tips

• You could steam instead of pan-frying

Corned Beef

Tuesday Dinner

- Corned Beef

- Veggies

- Wasabi & Sour Cream Sauce

This was my first time ever buying, cooking or eating corned beef.  It was really easy to make which I always love.  Just throw everything (onion, garlic, carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, corned beef) in a pressure cooker with plenty of water to cover the meat and turn the heat on.  It was a 1.2 kg piece of meat and I cooked for 30mins after pressurised but I think I could cook a bit longer.  It was fork tender only around the edges.  Served with boiled vegetables and wasabi and sour cream sauce.  I made the sauce too thin but tasted good with corned beef. 

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/9702/corned+beef

Sautéed Pacific Saury in Butter

Monday Dinner

- Sautéed Pacific Saury in Butter

- Okara salad

- Chawanmushi (Steamed Savoury Egg Custard)

Hubby gets really excited when the dinner is fish even though there are bones to go through.  He is much better at eating a whole fish than I am.  I just sautéed gutted and salted pacific sauries in butter.  Very simple and tastes great.  You will need chopsticks for this.  I can't imagine eating a whole fish with a knife and fork.

For the sides, I made Okara salad by mixing Okara (soy pulp), tin tuna, onion, corn, red capsicum, celery, olives and seasoned with 4Tbsp mayo, 2Tbsp yoghurt, 1Tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1tsp soy sauce.  It is like a low-carb version of a potato salad, very similar texture and flavour and it is one of the few Okara dishes hubby likes.

Chawanmushi is a steamed savoury egg custard and a typical Japanese appetiser.  It has rich Dashi flavour and it is almost like a soup.  It was much easier to make than I always thought.  No doubt I will be making it more regularly.

Chawanmushi (Steamed Savoury Egg Custard) Recipe (Makes 2)

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 1tsp Mentsuyu or soy sauce
• 300ml Dashi stock
• pinch of salt
• 2 dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked in Dashi, sliced

Method

1. Whisk eggs in a bowl, add Mentsuyu, Dashi stock and salt, Mix well
2. Divide reconstituted and sliced Shiitake mushrooms into 2 small heat resistant cups
3. Pour egg mixture to the cups passing through a tea strainer
4. Steam for 10mins (reduce heat to simmer when water is boiling)

Tips

• Add a bite-size prawns, chicken or fish cake/ball
• No need for a steamer, just steam in a pot with 2-3cm hot water

Beef Stew

Thursday Dinner

- Beef Stew

Beef blade is usually made into pulled beef in my household but I wanted something different so made a simple but delicious beef stew.  The only special thing about this stew would be that I used red wine infused fruit for stock.  Hubby and I drink red wine in winter and we often infuse fruit in it.  After drinking all the wine, I like to blend the leftover fruit with water and use them in curry or stew.  It always makes a dish extra delicious for some reason.  Stew is so easy and simple to make but I was surprised how tasty it turned out to be.  I only used tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, oregano and bay leaf.  The meat was fork tender after 15mins in a pressure cooker.

Poached Fish

Wednesday Dinner

- Poached Fish
- Cauliflower & Broccoli Gratin

What do you do with leftover pickle juice?  Down the drain?  I never gave a second thought about throwing away pickle juice until I made one for myself.  Once you make your own, you know what goes in there and you know they are packed with beautiful flavours, throwing away that seems such a waste (Mottainai in Japanese).

Ever since I found out that you could poach fish in leftover pickle juice, I have been wanting to try it.  Yesterday, my pickle jar had three gherkins left, so I have decided to make poached fish.  It turned out to be so easy and tasty.  I will make it again and again every time I finish up a pickle jar.  Cheesy and creamy gratin went so well with the fish.  Hubby and I were so happy.


Poached Fish in Leftover Pickle Juice Recipe (Serves 2~3)

Ingredients

• 2~3 Fish fillets (e.g. Hoki)
• Vegetables, thinly sliced (e.g. celery, carrot, onion, garlic, fennel etc)
• Spices of you choice (e.g. peppercorn, bay leaf, star anise etc)

Method

1. Pour leftover pickle juice (herbs and spices and all) and some water in a large shallow pan
2. Turn the heat on, add vegetables and spices 
3. When the water is close to boil, add fish fillets (add more water to cover at least 2/3 of the fish)
4. Turn the heat to the lowest and simmer until just cooked through
5. Serve with steamed veggies or creamy vegetable gratin

Cheese Sauce for Gratin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups Milk
• 1 cup Sour cream or cream
• 1 cup Cheese, shredded
• 2Tbsp Okara
• 1tsp Psyllium husk
• Garlic powder to taste
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat milk, sour cream and cheese in a small pot
2. When cheese is melted, add Okara, psyllium husk
3. Add salt and garlic powder to taste
4. Once the sauce is thickened, turn the heat off
5. Pour over hard-boiled veggies and bake in the oven for 15mins

Lemon Soy Chicken

Tuesday Dinner

- Lemon Soy Chicken

- Roast Veggies (Cauliflower/Broccoli/Mushrooms/Eggplant)

Lemon is my favourite seasoning at the moment particularly with meat.  I love how lemon zest adds such a refreshing citrus flavour without being sour or bitter.  

The recipe is so simple, not even garlic and this is how I like it.  Simple always wins.  Recently, I discovered that I don't like garlic with meat, it enhances the beastliness of meat.

Lemon Soy Chicken Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1kg Chicken drumsticks
• 3Tbsp Soy sauce
• Zest of 2 Lemons, finely grated
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Method

1. Marinate drumsticks with soy sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice for at least 2hrs
2. Bake in 180˚C oven for 30mins

Prawn Bisque

Monday Dinner

- Prawn Bisque

- Okara Biscotti

If you throw away prawn heads and shells, I bet you have never tasted prawn bisque before.  It is amazing to think this intense prawny flavoured creamy soup is made with only prawn heads and shells.  You don't really need prawn meat but I added them this time for extra proteins and texture.  Prawn bisque can also be used as a pasta sauce.

For the recipe, just google prawn bisque.  I used 500g prawns, 400g tin tomato, 800ml water, garlic, onion, carrot and celery.

Beef &Tomato Mapo Tofu

Thursday Dinner

- Beef & Tomato Mapo Tofu
- Lemon & Mint Pickled Cabbage
- GBR


Beef & Tomato Mapo Tofu Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 500g beef mince
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 eggplant, cubed
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 400g Tofu, cubed

Seasoning

• 2~3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 10g ginger, grated
• 1Tbsp Tobanjan
• 1 star anise
• 1Tbsp Miso
• 2Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper

Method

1. In a frypan, heat oil and fry garlic, ginger, Tobanjan and star anise
2. When flagrant, add beef mince
3. When beef mince is cooked, add onion, eggplant and cherry tomatoes
4. Add a cup of water, Miso and soy sauce and simmer with a lid on
5. When eggplant is almost cooked, add Tofu and continue cooking for 2~3mins
6. Add 1Tbsp arrowroot starch mixed with 1Tbsp water to thicken
7. Stir well, be careful not to break up Tofu too much
8. Sprinkle Sichuan pepper
9. Serve as is, with rice or noodles

Leftover Roast Lamb Curry

Wednesday Dinner

- Lamb Curry

- Minty Couscous

Roasted a 1.5kg leg of lamb with Harissa paste for a guest on Tuesday.  I had a craving for curry for few days so I didn't have to think much about what to do with the leftover.  This is my favourite use of leftover roast lamb!

Leftover Roast Lamb Curry Recipe (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• Leftover lamb roast, bone-in
• 400g tin tomato
• 400ml water
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup dry beans of your choice (I used red kidney and green lentil)
• 1~2 green chillies
• Spices: 1tsp each: paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric
• Vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, carrot
• 1tsp garam masala

Method

1. Add first 7 ingredients into a pressure cooker
2. Cook for 20~30mins under pressure (turn the heat down to the lowest after pressurised)
3. When depressurised naturally, remove meat, add veggies and cook on low heat
4. Shred the meat and return to the cooker
5. When veggies are cooked, add garam masala
6. Serve with minty couscous or rice

Yuzukosho Chicken

Monday Dinner

- Yuzukosho Chicken Drumsticks

- Steamed Cauliflower and Carrots

- Sauerkraut

- Braised Chicken Liver

Yuzukosho Chicken Recipe (Serves 3~4)

Ingredients

• 1kg Chicken drumsticks/wings/thighs
• 1tsp Yuzukosho paste
• 1Tbsp of white wine
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Marinate chicken pieces in a plastic bag for at least 2 hours (can be frozen)
2. Arrange chicken on a tray with a layer of baking sheet
3. Cook in 180˚C oven for 30~40mins

Pork Meatballs Hot Pot

Sunday Dinner

- Pork Meatballs Hot Pot

The second hot pot of the season!  Simple soup was made with a Dashi pack.  Added meatballs, carrot, Chinese cabbage, dried shiitake and glass noodles.  Pork meatballs were made with dill and finely chopped apples, it was delicious.

Butter & Caper Sautéed Leather Jacket

Sunday Brunch

- Bacon & Eggs

- Butter & Caper Sautéed Leather Jacket

- Sautéed Mushrooms & Kale

Leather Jackets are one of the most economical local fish in Australia.  Sautéed in butter and caper for Sunday brunch and it was super-easy and delicious!  I have decided that I will eat more leather jacket in the future.

Chorizo & Kale Pizza

Friday Dinner

- Chorizo and Kale Pizza

Hubby and I loved this pizza!  Tasty chorizo and bits of crispy kale were amazing...


Pizza Crust Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 144g Wholemeal flour (72%)
• 56g Semolina flour (28%)
• 172g lukewarm water (86%)
• 3g IDY
• 2g salt

Method

1. Mix two flours and make a well in the middle
2. Add IDY in the well, pour lukewarm water
3. Mix well with a silicone spatula, add salt
4. Cover and leave to rise for 30~60mins
5. Coat with olive oil, Spread in a oven tray with a silicone spatula
6. Top with your favourites and Bake in a 250˚C oven for 10~15mins 

Lamb Heart Skewers and Zucchini Boats

Thursday Dinner

- Lamb Heart Skewers
- Zucchini Boats
- Chinese Cabbage Salad

Have you ever had lamb heart?  It's not as gross as you think.  It is definitely less smelly than other organs such as kidney or liver.  It has very little fat and the texture is chewy when cooked.  For the prep, I rinsed the heart and removed the visible white fat, cut into a bite size pieces then soaked in water for about 5mins.  You can soak in water overnight if you want.  Drained well and marinated with two different flavours, one with Harissa and the other with salt, garlic powder and sesame oil.  Thread onto skewers and cook on a grill pan.

I always cook skewers on a sheet of aluminium foil for a easy cleaning.  It's worth it even if you don't believe in the disposable, non-biodegradable stuff.  No one likes scrubbing a hot and heavy cast iron griddle that doesn't fit in a sink for hours.

For the side dish, I made zucchini boats with a tin tuna.  This might be the ultimate entree for a dinner party because it is easy, you can prep in advance and when the time comes, all you need is to put them in the oven.  I used onion, carrot, red capsicum, 90g tuna for the filling but can be substituted with shredded chicken, pulled pork/beef or minced meat with any other veggies you have in hand.  This can also be stuffed in tomatoes, capsicums or mushrooms.   Just top with cheese and cook in the oven for 10mins.  I used bocconcini this time.

The salad is made with Chinese cabbage, crumbled Tofu, Nori seaweed, dried bonito flakes and Shiso Dressing.