Michael's Cooking Show

Peach and Strawberry Cobbler

2012-02-04T12:37:00.001+11:00

Here is yummy dessert from the Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For fruit

570g Peaches, firm but ripe (about 5), peeled, pitted, cut into 1 inch thick wedges

340g Strawberries, hulled

1/3 cup Sugar

1tbls Cornstarch

For topping

1 cup Plain Flour

½ tsp Baking powder

Pinch Salt

230g Unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup Sugar

2 large Egg Yolk

1 tsp Lemon Peel, grated

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Vanilla ice cream

Method

Make fruit:

Preheat oven to 190C.
Butter 20cm square baking dish.
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Let stand until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to prepared dish.

Make topping:

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth.
Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel and vanilla.
Add flour mixture; mix just until moist dough forms.
Spoon dough on top of fruit, spacing evenly.
Bake until juices bubble thickly and topping in golden, about 55 minutes.
Cool slightly and serve with ice cream.

Portuguese Tarts

2011-10-16T08:12:00.002+11:00

Ingredients

2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg

115 g castor sugar

2 tbsp corn flour

230 ml cream

170 ml milk

2 tsp vanilla paste

1 sheet (150g) puff pastry

Method

Mix the eggs, castor sugar and corn flour in a pan until smooth.

Add the cream and Milk. Cook until custard thickens and starts boiling.

Turn off heat and add the vanilla paste.

Pour custard in a bowl and cover with some cling film or baking paper to prevent a skin forming. Cool completely.

Cut the pastry sheet in half. Place one half on the other. Roll up from the thin end until the pastry forms a little ‘sausage’. Let stand for the joins to adhere. Cut out equal small slices (out of one roll, you should be able to get about 12 slices). Turn each slice onto their side so you can see the spiral layers of pastry. Roll out each slice into a flat round shape approximately 10cm in diameter and put in a greased muffin tin.

Fill each base with custard. Bake at 200-220 C for 20 – 25 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

Review: Lunch at Movida

2011-05-16T12:35:00.004+10:00

I was recently lucky enough to enjoy lunch at MoVida. Frank Camorra has a reputation for serving up some of the best tapas in Australia, and from my experience I have no reason to dispute the claim. If you are in Melbourne, my advice is to treat yourself and book a table. Just be aware that you often have to book 12 weeks in advance for weekend reservations. But trust me, it’s worth waiting 12 weeks! And while you are waiting, here are some photos of the dishes we ordered.

Aceitunas
Marinated Green Olives with Citrus, Garlic and Thyme

Complimentary bread and olive oil

Croqueta
Fried silky Croquete flavoured with Jamon and Egg

Bomba
Catalan Potato filled with chorizo

Pincho de tortilla

Organic egg potato and onion tortilla

Roast lamb cutlet

Encased in a Catalan pork & paprika pate

Confit pork belly

with Escabache puree and Piparra peppers

Carillera de buey
Slowly braised beef cheek in Pedro Ximenez on parsnip puree

Churros con Chocolate
Spanish doughnuts with rich drinking chocolate

Everthing tasted as good as it looks. My favorites dishes? The Croqueta, which was crispy on the outside and silky smooth on the inside and the Braised Beef Cheek, which was wonderfully rich and just fell apart on my fork. And am I the only one who thinks that every meal should end with churros and chocolate?

Friday Food Fun - Pizza and Cookies

2011-05-06T10:56:00.000+10:00

Have you ever bought a frozen pizza and thought 'I wish this pizza came with cookies'?

No, me either. But for those who have, DiGiorno in the USA have launched 'Pizza and Cookies'. No jokes. Check it out at http://www.digiorno.com/

Vanilla Slice

2011-05-01T16:38:00.004+10:00

A lot of people don’t bother making Vanilla Slice because the pastry is fiddly and the custard can be tricky. This recipe cheats a bit by using Lattice biscuits for the pastry. The secret is to keep stirring the custard vigorously. Best to have two people on hand as it becomes quite thick and you may need a break.

Ingredients

2 packets of Arnott’s Lattice biscuits

1 ½ cups milk

1 vanilla bean, split

½ cup cornflour

½ cup custard powder

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

750ml (3 cups) thickened cream

50g unsalted butter

3 egg yolks

1 ½ cups icing sugar

Passionfruit pulp (1-2 passionfruits)

Method

Place a layer of Lattice biscuits in tray/container to hold slice.

Place milk in a pan over medium heat. Scrape in vanilla seeds and add bean too. Warm gently, then set aside for 10 minutes.

Place cornflour, custard powder and caster sugar in a pan. Strain milk, discarding bean, into pan with cornflour and whisk until smooth. Add cream, then return to heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture thickens and boils. Add butter, stirring well to combine, then remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth.

Pour into Lattice biscuit-lined pan and set aside to cool slightly before placing another layer of Lattice biscuits on top. Refrigerate overnight.

Warm pulp slightly in microwave, then add a small amount at a time to sifted icing sugar, mix well after each addition, until smooth and spreadable. Spread over top of slice, allow to set.

Cut along predefined lattice biscuit squares to serve.

Chocolate Brownie

2011-04-28T16:23:00.001+10:00

Ingredients:

200g butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa - sifted

1 cup flour - sifted

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

300g white chocolate

Method:

Melt butter in a saucepan (Use a big one so everything gets mixed in the pot).
Add sugar, cocoa, flour, vanilla and eggs and mix together.
Add white chocolate and mix.
Place in a well greased tin and bake in oven at 150C for 40 - 45 minutes or until cooked.

Frangipane Tarts

2011-01-02T12:00:00.003+11:00

One of Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meal ideas that is easy and delicious.

Makes 12 small tarts
or 6 small and 1 large tart

Ingredients
12 small deep shortcrust pastry cases
1 egg
100g ground almonds
100g butter
90g golden caster sugar
1 orange
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
1/2 a 350g jar of good-quality raspberry jam
1 x 250g tub of crème fraîche, to serve

Method
Put the 12 pastry cases on a baking tray.

Make a frangipane mixture by cracking the egg into a mixing bowl and adding 100g of almonds, 100g of butter and 90g of golden caster sugar.

Grate over the zest of ½ an orange and add 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste or extract.

Use a spoon to mix everything together.

Spoon a half small teaspoon of jam into each pastry base. Top with a teaspoon of frangipane, add another small teaspoon of jam, then finally another teaspoon of frangipane.

Put the tray in the oven and bake on the middle shelf at 180C for 18 minutes.

Serve them warm, with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side.

Lemon, Almond and Polenta Cakes

2010-07-21T12:00:00.002+10:00

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter

1 cup sugar (220g)

4 eggs

90g polenta

2 tsp baking powder

250g almond meal

2 tbs milk

finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon

Syrup

1/2 cup sugar

grated zest & juice of 1 lemon

Method

Beat butter and sugar until pale. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine polenta and baking powder and add to egg mixture.

Add almond meal, milk, lemon zest and juice, and then stir.

Spoon mixture into muffin party cases and bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until golden.

For syrup, place sugar, lemon zest and juice in a saucepan with 2 tbs of water. Stir over low heat to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and boil for 3- 4 minutes.

Brush cakes with syrup then cool

Spiced Lamb Casserole with Thyme Dumplings

2010-06-21T11:00:00.001+10:00

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2cm piece ginger, grated

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbs plain flour

1.2kg diced lamb shoulder or leg

2 carrots, peeled, cut into 4cm batons

2 tbs tomato paste

100ml red wine

1L (4 cups) lamb or beef stock

2 tbs quince paste*

2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Thyme dumplings

100g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

25g unsalted butter, softened

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbs thyme leaves

2 tbs milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based casserole over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a few more seconds. Remove from pan.

Combine spices with flour in a bowl, then dust lamb with mixture to lightly coat, reserving remaining flour mixture. Add remaining oil to casserole, increase heat to high and cook lamb, in batches, until browned. Return all lamb and onion mixture to casserole and stir in remaining flour mixture. Add carrots, paste, wine, stock and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover, transfer to oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for herb dumplings, sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Add milk and bring mixture together using your hands, adding enough water to make a very soft dough.

Remove casserole from oven and increase temperature to 180°C. Stir quince paste into lamb, then gently drop tablespoonfuls of dumpling mixture into the casserole. Cover and return casserole to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until dumplings are light and fluffy. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

White Wine, Olive Oil and Polenta Cake

2010-03-11T14:00:00.001+11:00

This is an awesome cake, with subtle flavours. What’s even better is that it’s dairy free – which is handy. Goes really well with poached pears and ice cream.

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 eggs

250g caster sugar

150ml white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling)

150ml olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon

175g plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup (85g) instant polenta

icing sugar to dust

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 24cm spring form cake pan.

Place eggs and sugar in large bowl. Using electric hand whisk, whisk the mixture for 10 minutes or until thick enough to form ribbons when you trail it on the surface. Gently beat in the white wine, olive oil, vanilla and lemon zest.

Sift over the flour and baking powder. Gently fold in with a metal spoon until just combined, then fold in the polenta. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan (for about 15 minutes), then remove and carefully transfer to a serving plate. Lightly dust the top with icing sugar, then slice and serve warm.

Can be served with poached pears and ice cream.

Sausages with Port Jus

2010-02-03T13:00:00.001+11:00

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g potatoes (such as Desiree), peeled, roughly chopped

50g unsalted butter

150ml thickened cream

8-12 thin beef sausages

frozen peas

Port Jus

150 ml port

2 bay leaves

1 fresh thyme sprig

2 black peppercorns

1 tbs caster sugar

200ml beef stock

Method

Cook potatoes in a pan of simmering water over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in cream in small pan on low heat. Drain potato, return to the pan and mash with cream until smooth. Season. Keep warm.

For the port jus, place all ingredients except beef stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to the boil and cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is reduced by half. Strain, then return liquid to pan with beef stock. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes, then cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausages, turning, for 8-10 minutes until golden and cooked.

Serve sausages on mash with peas, port jus.

BBQ Burgers

2010-01-02T13:10:00.001+11:00

Ingredients

500g minced beef

1/2 onion chopped finely

1 handful breadcrumbs

2 tbls BBQ Sauce

Method

Easy – mix it all together and form into patties. Yummo!

Stick 'em in a bun with your favorite fixings!

Olga’s Shortbread

2009-08-02T12:00:00.001+10:00

Ingredients

12 oz plain flour

1 tbsp corn flour

pinch salt

8 oz butter (unsalted)

4 oz castor sugar

extra castor sugar to dip biscuits

Method

Ingredients should be at room temperature.

Sift together flour, corn flour and salt. Separately sift sugar.

Rub hands with rose water. Kneed butter into sugar, then kneed into flour. Combine until there are no cracks, then rest pastry for 1 – 2 hours.

Roll pastry out 1/4 inch thick (roll onto baking paper). Using a cutter, cut pastry into desired shape and place on tray. Prick holes on the top to allow for better baking. Cover and rest overnight.

Bake at 160C for 25-30 minutes. Leave in oven to cool for 10 minutes with door ajar.

While still warm, dip in extra castor sugar and then cool on rack. Store in an airtight container.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

2009-01-03T13:00:00.001+11:00

Ingredients

Baby Spinach leaves – enough for everyone!

Strawberries – same as above

Poppy seed Worcestershire Dressing

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tbs sesame seeds

2 tbs poppy seeds

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp minced onion

Method

Cut strawberries in half and to spinach leaves.

Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Toss with spinach and strawberries.

Warm Lamb, Potato & Feta salad

2008-12-23T10:55:00.001+11:00

Serves 4

Ingedients

400g whole baby potatoes

400g lamb backstrap

1tsp dried oregano

1tsp dried chilli

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ tsp salt

100g baby spinach leaves

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

100g feta, crumbled

½ red onion, finely sliced

Lemon dressing:

1/3 cup (60ml) olive oil

1 ½ tbs lemon juice

½ tsp sugar

Method

1) Slice potatoes, heat butter in pan and cook potatoes until brown on both sides. Drain on paper.

2) Rub lamb with oregano, chilli and garlic. Heat olive oil, cook lamb until browned. Cover and stand for 5 minutes.

3) Combine all ingredients for lemon dressing.

4) Combine spinach, mint, potatoes and feta. Toss gently. Transfer to plates, top with sliced lamb and onion.

5) Drizzle with dressing, serve with crusty bread.

Caramel Popcorn

2008-12-23T09:57:00.000+11:00

This has become a bit of a Christmas tradition in the Dorman household.

Ingredients

1 cup margarine or butter

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup glucose syrup

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla essence

24 cups popped popcorn

Method

1) Melt butter. Add brown sugar, glucose syrup and salt.

2) Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring (turn down heat, while boiling so it doesn’t burn).

3) Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda.

4) Pour over popped popcorn.

5) Place on cookie sheets (I use large ceramic casserole dishes, so it doesn’t stick so much) and bake at 250F for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

6) Remove from oven to cool, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Store in air-tight container.

Yum.

Sticky Date Pudding

2008-12-23T09:01:00.001+11:00

This is a really easy, and yummo, Sticky Date pudding recipe. It's from the CWA, so it must be good!

Pudding
1 cup chopped dates
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g butter or margarine
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour

Sauce
1 cup soft brown sugar
125g butter
150ml cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 180C and grease and flour a tin. For pudding, cook dates in water until combined.

Beat in remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared tin. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked. For sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Pour over pudding to serve.

Banana Caramel Puddings

2008-11-16T14:00:00.001+11:00

Serves: 4

Ingredients

90g butter, melted

1/2 cup (60g) almond meal

3 egg whites

3/4 cup (120g) icing sugar

1/4 cup (35g) plain flour

25g butter, melted, extra

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

2 medium bananas (400g) sliced thickly

Method

Preheat oven to 200C / 180C fan forced. Grease four 9.5 cm-round 2/3 cup (160ml) ovenproof dishes; place on oven tray.

Combine butter, almond meal, egg whites, icing sugar and flour in medium bowl; stir until just combined.

Divide extra butter among dishes; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.

Divide banana slices then pudding mixture equally among dishes.

Bake uncovered, about 20 minutes or until puddings are browned lightly. Stand puddings 2 minutes before turning onto serving plates.

Almond and Date Balls

2008-09-23T12:00:00.001+10:00

This recipe is one of those rare ones that is not only delicious, but also healthy and exceedingly easy to make.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups Whole Almonds (with skin on)

2 Cups Dates (pitted)

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Essence

Method

Using a food processor place 3/4 cup of whole almonds and chop till you have a fine almond meal. Remove from food processor and set aside.

Return to the food processor and add 1 cup of whole almonds with the skin on and 2 cups of pitted dates that have been roughly chopped. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla essence and process till you have achieved a mixture that is well combined.

Then using a heaped teaspoon of this mixture, mould the paste in the reserved almond meal and roll into a ball. Repeat this till you have used up all the mixture. Balls should be kept small as this mixture is very rich.

Balls can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, ideal for school lunches or at supper time.

San Francisco Chicken Burritos

2008-09-02T19:49:00.002+10:00

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 Chicken breast fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Large flour tortillas (preferable at least 25cm in diameter)
½ cup of warmed-up canned beans
1 cup of Tex-Mex rice
2 tablespoons sour cream
6 tablespoons grated cheese
½ cup of shredded lettuce
Hot Mexican sauce (Taco Sauce)

Method
1. Marinate the chicken: Place the breasts in a wide mixing bowl. Pour the oil over them and toss the breasts in the oil. Add the minced garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, the ½ teaspoon salt, and cayenne. Use your hands to mix well, making sure the breasts are evenly coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

2. When ready to prepare the burritos, remove chicken from marinade and grill until the chicken is cooked through. Cut into diagonal slices and reserve.

3. Heat the tortillas and lay them on the bench. Divide the beans among them, creating a rectangular block of the beans at the centre of each tortilla. Top the block with the rice, dividing it between the tortillas. Continue to build on the block, dividing the ingredients, sour cream, chicken slices, grated cheese, shredded lettuce and hot sauce to taste. Roll up the burritos, enclosing the filling. Serve immediately.

Tex Mex Rice

2008-09-01T19:00:00.002+10:00

Serves about 4 side dish servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup finely minced onion

2 tablespoons finely minced red capsicum

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1 small fresh green chilli, seeded and finely minced (more or less to taste)

½ cup long-grain white rice, washed

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

1 cup chicken stock

Method

Place canola oil in saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red capsicum, garlic and chilli. Cook for 5 minutes with the lid on, removing lid occasionally to stir; try to prevent browning.

Add rice to the pan, stirring well with a fork to coat the grains. Stir in chilli powder and tomato sauce, blending well. Add chicken stock. Bring liquid to a boil, stirring occasionally with a fork.

When liquid come to a boil, reduce heat so that liquid is simmering. Cover with lid and cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and fluffy. Taste for seasoning. You may hold the rice in the saucepan for a few hours by placing a clean tea towel over the rice and topping with the lid. When ready to use, re-fluff rice with a fork.

Pin Wheels

2008-05-11T12:00:00.001+10:00

Makes – a pretty large batch

Ingredients

500g grated cheese

500g diced bacon

2 small to medium onions finely diced

1 beaten egg

2 apples, grated

5-6 sheets puff pastry

Method

Mix all ingredients except for the pastry.

Spread a layer (about 5-10mm thick) of mixture onto a pastry sheet leaving about 2cm at one end. Roll up fairly tightly (dab a bit of water on the bare 2 cm strip so it will stick). Slice the roll into about 1-2cm strips and place on tray with baking paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C

Mars Bar Slice

2008-04-02T13:11:00.001+11:00

Ingredients

85 grams butter

2 large Mars Bars

1 1/2 Family blocks chocolate

1 table spook golden syrup

3 cups Rice Bubbles

Method

Melt butter and golden syrup in pot.

Chop Mars Bar and add.

Add Rice Bubbles

Pour into baking tin and press firm.

Melt Chocolate and pour over top.

Refrigerate until set.

Plain Scones

2008-02-17T17:09:00.001+11:00

Bit of a boring recipe - until you are craving scones with Jam and Cream on a Sunday afternoon. This is the classic recipe used by my Mum for years. So easy that even I can make pefect scones everytime. The secret is to rub the butter into the flour while it is still cold.

Makes 12

Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
30g butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water

Method
Sift flour and salt into bowl, stir in sugar. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

Pour nearly all combined liquid in at once, mix to a soft dough; add remaining liquid if necessary.

Place on floured surface, knead lightly.
Roll out to 2cm thickness. Cut with a plain round scone cutter

Place on lightly greased oven tray or baking paper. Glaze with a little milk.

Bake at 220C for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Scalloped Potatoes

2007-10-09T12:50:00.001+10:00

Another recipe that I got from Disney World. One of my favorite ways to serve potatoes. Unfortunatly this dish is quite rich, so you can't have it too often (a moment on the lips, forever on the hips, my Mum used to say). Ideal to serve with steak.

Ingredients
500 grams potatoes (Nicola potatoes are ideal)
1 cup cream
½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup thinly sliced onion
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Method
Combine all ingredients in a greased baking pan. Bake for 1 hour at 180C. Let stand for five minutes before serving.