Grill Salmon and Dijon Butter

I went to a BEAUTIFUL wedding on the weekend - congratulations Daniel and Bronnie.... And the food at the reception was amazing!

This grilled salmon recipe was inspired by their entree and the fact that our table had way too much red wine to drink (in a good way)...don't you think fresh fish and salad are great for a hangover?

Grilled Salmon
Salmon fillet (with skin on!!)
salt
1 bunch of asparagus
1 bunch of watercress
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg yoke
2 shallots

Drizzle the oil in a frying pan and heat. Lightly salt the skin of the salmon and place skin side down into the hot pan.

While you are blanching the asparagus in a pot of boiling water, place a metal bowl on top - making sure that the boiling water does not touch the metal bowl. Place butter, mustard, lemon juice, finely chopped shallot and yoke into the bowl and whisk until smooth. If the sauce gets too thick add a little lemon juice, oil or water - depending on the taste.

Pile blanched asparagus and watercress onto a plate, top with the crispy skin salmon. Drizzle over the sauce and enjoy with a refreshingly long glass of iced water (or a dry white wine if you're not hungover)

Love a Little Lamb...

I love lamb cutlets!

When I was little I used to go and stay with my Nanna and she would always make my favourite meal - which was of course 'Crumbed Lamb Cutlets'.

Over the years, I've moved away from the crumbed lamb cutlet and all of it's carbs - but not away from the joy one gets when you're chewing on a bone.


Moroccan Lamb Cutlets
2 tbsps olive oil
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 kg lean lamb cutlets
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 stick cinnamon
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp paprika
250g pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsps butter
1 bunch of coriander, roughly teared
2 carrots
2 zucchinis
1 bunch of asparagus

Heat oil in a saucepan, add the almonds and onion and stir until golden, remove.

In a small dish place garlic, cumin, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and paprika. Dust the lamb cutlets in the spice mix and then brown in batches. (Note on the BBQ is best!!)

In the meantime, place couscous in a bowl. Bring the stock to a boil with prunes and cinnamon. Pour stock over the couscous, allow to stand until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in butter, almond, onion and coriander.

Pile the couscous on the plate, top with lamb cutlets, remaining almonds and coriander leaves. Serve the steamed carrots, zucchini and asparagus as an accompaniment. (If you're living life large top with butter and a sprinkle of paprika)

OMG - now this recipe is GOOD!!! So good that I guarantee that your taste buds will orgasm, and that's saying something. Now, maybe it's the butter that makes it taste so good - so this is not a recipe for those watching there weight.

The first time I made this meal (note that I only created it last week and have already made it twice) I made it with a mash potato (as seen in the photo), but the second time I made it I did a twice cooked version of the potato and it was AWESOME. So here it is...

150gram fillet steak

1 small zucchini

1 large potato

2 green shallots

1 tbsp of butter

1 roasted capsicum (the marinated kind are excellent)

Salt and Pepper

Cut the potato into 1cm thin slices, so that you have a nice round potato face with the skin in tact around the outside. Slice zucchini in half and then into quarters. Place potato and zucchini into a microwaveable dish, cover with water and microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes or until soft.

Whilst you are microwaving your potatoes, place the steak into a HOT pan and leave to cook for 5minutes, then turn - cooking until Medium Rare (don't turn it into a piece of shoe leather!!)

In a bowl mix together 1 tbsp of soft butter, thinly sliced shallot and capsicum (cut to approximately the same size as the shallot).

Before the steak is finished, drain the potato and add to the pan with a quarter of the butter mix. Crisp the outside of the potatoes then remove everything from the pan.

To plate up pile up the vegetables, then place the steak on top. Top the steak with remaining butter, season with salt and pepper and enjoy with a lovely glass of vino!

What's in my Cupboard?

How often do you get home after a hard days work, only to find that there is nothing there to actually make dinner with? It happens all the time - especially after a BIG weekend. So next time your at the supermarket, pick up these long life items and you'll never be in that situation again! Not to mention that this dish is quick, simple and EASY.



Spicy Indian
10 baby potatoes (use large potatoes if that's all you have)
1 small bag of baby peas
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes (use large tomatoes or can tomatoes if that's all you have)
2 large brown onions
1 tbsp crush garlic
1 tbsp crush ginger
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chicken stock (powder)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup of water
1 packet of mini Nan Breads

Slice baby potatoes in half and place in a microwavable dish with water. Microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes or until soft.

In a deep frying pan cook off onion, garlic, ginger and spices until the onions are soft. Add in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add peas, potatoes and water to the frying pan. Note, if you have used canned tomatoes you will only need to add half the water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with warm Nan Bread.

Lamb Shanks and Lentils

This simple recipe actually makes two meals: a) a main meal of rich lamb shank, mash potato and tasty sauce, and b) the lentils which can be eaten for lunch the following day (but actually end up being the best part of the meal!).

A meal to be made on a rainy Sunday (like the one just past) in which you have time to sit around and read a good book while the oven does all the work.

4 lamb shanks

2 cans of crushed tomatoes

2 cans of brown lentils

1 can of butter beans

2 large brown onions

1 tbsp of chili flakes

1 tbsp of chicken stock (powder)

1 glove of garlic

4 large potatoes

2 tbsp of butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Into a large baking dish place the lamb shanks. Pour over the lamb the entire content of all the cans (tomatoes, lentils, butter beans). Add finely sliced onion, chili and chicken stock - mix. Put into a 160 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, add minced garlic and return for another 30 minutes.

During the last 30 minutes cooking time - make the mash.

To serve place two scoops of mash on the plate. Lay a lamb shank on top and ladle on the tasty sauce.

Leave the remains to cool - then refrigerate until use. The lamb shanks should have broken down a little and lamb can be found throughout the lentils - PERFECT!

Zucchini Slice

Life is about routine! You'll find that if you can stick with something for a week - then you'll be able to do it for a year...but take a brake, and you'll be back to the beginning.

Don't beat yourself up about eating that hamburger for lunch, skipping that gym class or forgetting to write that blog for about three months. Life is also about making mistakes. But the sooner you get back on the horse, the easier it will be and the stronger you will be.

Don't ask me what that has to do with Zucchini Slice - but it's a healthy lunch that's really nice...

4 large zucchinis
1 large brown onion
3 rashes of bacon
1/2 a cup of grated cheese
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
1 cup of rice flour
8 eggs
Salt and Pepper

Grate the zucchinis into a large bowl. Dice onion and bacon and cook over low heat in a frying pan. Once the onion and bacon has cooled, add to zucchinis with cheese, flour and eggs. MIX LIKE CRAZY!

Greese a baking dish with olive oil spray or line with baking paper. Pour mixture into a large dish and top with halved cherry tomatoes. Push the tomatoes into the mixture with the back of a spoon so that they are still on the surface. Top with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Eat hot or allow to cool and keep in the fridge for lunches.

DIY Lunch

After changing jobs, again - I know, don't ask questions - I am living in Sydney and working for Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness. Gone are the days of gourmet meat pies and decadant treats from Flute (in Canberra), replaced with pre-packed healthy lunches and snacks of fruit and nuts.

In this 'time poor' era - where we have all added more on our metaphorical plates, too many people seem to be taking less on their physical plate and end up eating junk food because of it.

Here is a quick and easy salad, that can be made in advance and taken to work throughout the week to fill you up!

1 BBQ Chicken
1 Bunch of Parsley
4 Shallots
1 can of Water Chestnuts
2 tblsps of Mayanaise
1 tblesp of Seeded Mustard
2 tsp of lime juice
1 red capsicum
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes

Remove the skin from the BBQ chicken and shread. Add chopped parsley (including stalks) and shallots. Dice the water chestnuts into small pieces (around the same size as your shallot pieces) and add to the mix. Add Mayanasie, Mustard and Lime Juice and coat all ingredients. Leave in a plastic container in the fridge.

Dice up the capsicum and slice the tomatoes in half. Place in another plastic container in the fridge.

Before leaving for work place as much salad in another container as desired, along with some capsicum and tomato. Store in the fridge at work, until you are ready to eat.

Makes approximately 5 lunches.