Hot Chilli

I had to share this photo with you. This is a small container of chillis that I recently purchased from one of our local green-grocers.

And just in case you missed what the label said:

I'm guessing the label was originally mean't to say CHILLI HOT ASSORTED - however if you look closer there is no assortment. Only one type of chilli in that packet - which type? - you guessed it - HOT!...

Salmon with Spiced Capsicum Sauce

This is something I put together from a few different recipes I have come across. That's what your own cooking is often about - taking the pieces you like from other ideas and putting them together into your own original creation.

This recipe will serve 4.

Ingredients

• Two Red Capsicums
• Roma Tomatoes (same weight as the capsicums)
• Olive oil
• Small pinch of ground cloves
• Small pinch of ground cumin
• Small pinch of ground turmeric
• 1 Small Chilli, deseeded and diced
• 1 Small Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• Salt and lemon juice to season.
• 4 pieces of salmon
• Fennel for serving

Process

1. Preheat oven to 200, oil and roast two red capsicums (should take about an hour)
2. Core, peel, deseed, and chop tomatoes
3. In a frypan add oil and sweat garlic, chilli, onion.
4. Add spices and cook briefly release their flavour.
5. Add tomato, combine and gently simmer for 20 mins. Then allow to cool.
6. When capsicums have completed roasting, deseed and peel.
7. Combine and process the capsicums with the tomato mixture in a food processor.
8. Force the mixture through a sieve
9. Add a teaspoon of mustard and a tablespoon of cider vinegar, stir through and heat ready for serving.
10. Season the sauce with a small amount of salt and lemon.
11. Shave fennel in ice water for garnish.
12. Pan-fry salmon.
13. Serve salmon accompanied of capsicum tomato sauce and topped with the shaved fennel.

Of Interest

• This recipe might seem a little complicated but the flavours are very simple. Make sure you have good tomatoes and capsicums - the flavour and sweetness pair very well with the salmon.
• When you shave your fennel use a mandoline to get really thin slices and slice into or transfer directly to a bowl of ice water. This seems to stop the fennel going brown and makes it fantastically crisp. The crisp texture and aniseed flavour of the fennel complements the salmon very well.
• You may have noticed that the picture above has one extra ingredient - these are fried risotto cakes. These can be created by preparing a lemon risotto the day before. Once it is cooled sufficiently the risotto can be moulded into medallions by using egg rings. The medallions should be placed in the fridge overnight to solidify. Before serving shallow fry the medallions on both sides, drain, and then use as the base for the salmon.

Sweet Spagetti with Meatballs

 

O.K. I realise that this blog is heavily weighted in favour of pasta at the moment. (Apologies to all waiting on the Laksa recipe or the Chinese Pork Belly recipe - I promise they are coming soon...)

However I had a pasta recipe served to me recently, and at the risk of a pasta theme developing with my blog I must post it.

Reasons?

1. It was verrrry tasty.
2. It used a subtle addition of spice of which I am a big fan of.
3. It was simple and practical. If you have kids running around causing mayhem in the evening this may be the recipe for you. Simple, kids love it, and you can get them involved. 

 By service time you may even have your two-year-old twirling spaghetti like an old Italian.

This recipe donated by 'P'.

(serves about 4)

 
Ingredients

• 1/3 Cup of Olive Oil
• 1 Small Carrot
• 1 Small Piece of Celery
• 4 Medium Onions
• 1/2 Teaspoon of 'Mixed Spice' (see below)
• 700ml of Passata
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 1/2 Cup of Red Wine
• Slurp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon of Mixed Dried Italian Herbs
• 500gm beef mince
• 1 Cup of Bread-Crumbs
• 1 Egg
• Extra Olive Oil
• Extra Red Wine
• 250gm of Organic Spaghetti

Process

1. Finely dice carrot, celery, and onion.

2. Heat olive oil on a medium to high heat (preferably in a deep heavy based saucepan).

3. Add carrot, celery, and onion to the pan, frying off.

4. Reduce pan to low heat and cook gently for 15 minutes until the onion has softened and just begins to caramelise.

5. Add mixed spice and 1/2 dried herbs and cook off for 1 minute releasing the flavour of the spices and herbs.
6. Deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic vinegar.

6. Add passata and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

7. Bring to the boil and then turn down allowing to simmer.

8. Meanwhile being to make meatballs - combine mince, breadcrumbs, and egg.

9. Add the rest of the dried herbs and a pinch of salt.

10. Combine with your hands until mixed.

11. Form into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter (this is where the kids come in - don't worry about the size, any size will do really).

12. Heat a large frypan with a drizzle of olive oil and begin frying the meatballs in batches and adding to the sauce (start with the larger ones if the kids have made them as they'll need more cooking time - at this point the sauce should have been simmering for 1/2 hour).
13. Deglaze the pan with a little wine and tip into the sauce.

14. Once complete as the sauce continues to gently simmer prepare a large pot of salted boiling water for the spaghetti.

15. Cook the spaghetti according to packet directions to al-dente.

16. Serve the spaghetti with the sauce (time it so the sauce has been simmering for about one hour).

Of Note

• Mixed Spice - there are a few options out there but in this case 'McKenzies Mixed Spice' was used. This spice mix contains: Cinnamon, Coriander, Ginger, Cassia, Pimento, Cloves, Nutmeg. You could use any similar spice mix that contains cinnamon as he predominant spice.
• This recipe is called 'Sweet' for a reason - the dominant flavour is the sweetness. It's base is the onions and the spice mix with the cinnamon accentuates it. Make sure the onion is cooked gently for the full 15 minutes to bring out the sweetness and an appropriate spice mix is used. Don't add too much salt.
• All kids seem to love sweet things and seem to love being involved. With a recipe where they make their own meatballs and the result is a sweet tasting sauce it's sure to be a hit.