Bolognaise Sauce (in bulk) January 7, 2009

I made up a huge pot of budget bolognaise sauce to freeze, it made about 8 2 person portions. So I thought I’d share what I did.

Ingredients:
About 500g Lean beef mince
2 large mushrooms
1/2 a red capsicum
1/2 green capsicum
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 zucchini
1 large carrot
4 x large (800?) g tins chopped tomatoes
1 jar (200g?) tomato paste
1/4c dried basil
1/4c dried sage
2 tsp curry powder
2 bacon stock cubes
2 tsp cumin
2tb mustard (I like seeded)

Method:
1). Brown the mince. I use a dry saucepan and add no oil.
2). Roughly chop the mushrooms, capsicum, onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini, then add to a food processor and blend so that most of it is very finely chopped. some bigger bits are ok.
3). Mix the meat and the veg mix together in a very large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients.
4). I’d intended to do it in the slow cooker, but it made too much for that, so I did half in the slow cooker for a couple of hours on high (took a while to heat it up) and half simmering on the stovetop for about an hour
5). spoon out into containers and freeze.

Cheesy Mushroom gravy December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
Gravy powder (Gravox)
Corn flour
2 cheese slices or 1/2 cup grated cheese
milk powder
spring onions
mushrooms
garlic

Method:
Chop mushrooms, garlic and onion. Fry these until softened (don’t let the garlic burn). Mix about a tablespoon gravy powder with about a tablespoon of milk powder and 1-2 cups water. Add herbs and spices and bring to the boil. If your gravy isn’t thick enough, add about 1-2 tablespoons corn flour to a dash of water and then add that in, that should thicken it up. Add the cheese, stir until mixed.

Serve over a nice piece of steak, or chicken, or a veal schnitzel or dip some wedges into it…. yum

Chilli Plum Sauce December 13, 2008

A bit like sweet chilli sauce but different. It is lovely for dipping wedges/chips in.

 
Ingredients:
Jar of plum jam/conserve
Bottle of chilli sauce

 
Method:
1). Spoon out some of the jam into a microwave safe bowl and microwave it until its liquid (not bubbling, just liquid)
2). Mix that with the chilli sauce to taste (about half and half is good)

 
You can pour it into jars to keep in the fridge

Spicy Tomato Sauce December 13, 2008

(makes 2 cups worth)

 
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped)
2 ts chilli (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped finely or crushed)
1 red capsicum (seeded & chopped)
8 large tomatoes (peeled, & chopped)
(or use 2x425g cans of tomatoes)
Seasonings (to taste)

 
Method:
Lightly fry onion, chilli, capsicum and garlic until soft. Add tomato and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the sauce has thickened remove from the heat and store in airtight container.

 
(From Super Food Ideas magazine)

BBQ Sauce December 13, 2008

(Makes 1 cup)

 
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped or crushed)
3/4 beef stock
1/4cup tomato sauce
1tb Worcestershire sauce
1tb brown sugar
1ts chilli sauce
1ts mustard powder
black pepper to taste

 
Method:
Lightly fry the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Add all other ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 mins until sauce thickens slightly.

 

(From Super Food Ideas magazine)

Lower fat white sauce December 13, 2008

I never see the need for butter in white sauce. (usually a white sauce calls for butter and flour to be mixed together then add milk) Simply put a few tb flour into the saucepan, add a little milk and blend until smooth, then add more milk to make enough sauce. Add cheese or seasonings and you don’t notice the lack of butter.

 
With Cream based sauces (such as for pasta), often evaporated milk will give a similar taste, with less fat.

Steak with mushroom gravy December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
Steaks
Mushrooms
Spring Onions
Capsicum (optional – use red, it looks nicer)
Cracked pepper
1 small clove of Garlic
Gravy powder (“gravox” etc.)
Corn flour
Optional – fresh herbs such as chives, basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary.

whatever vegetables you want to serve this with.

Method:
1). In a frying pan, place a little oil and then put the pan on to get hot. Place the steak into this hot pan and cook for about a minute on each side – just until they have browned. You aren’t cooking them, just sealing the sides.
2). Take the steaks out and place on a plate to “rest”
3). Chop the onion, capsicum, mushrooms and garlic. Place all but the garlic into the pan and fry until just starting to brown, add the garlic and fry until everything browns.
4). Add about a teaspoon of gravy powder to a coffee mug and add some water (about half a cup) and mix well. Pour this (plus 1 extra cup of water) into the frying pan. Add any of the fresh herbs you like (chopped)
5). Place the steaks back into the pan of gravy, and simmer these for your desired amount of time. If you like your steaks “medium”, this will be quicker than if you like them “well done” for example. I think steaks are best when they are just slightly pinkish in the centre, but some people prefer them totally cooked through and some people prefer them still bleeding. It is up to you.

have your vegies on cooking

6). When your steaks are done to your personal tastes, take them out and place them on the plate, with any vegetables you made, and add about a teaspoon of corn flour to a few tablespoons of water – mix well and then add this to the gravy. Mix it through. bring to the boil and it should thicken. Pour this over your steak and vegetables if you desire. You can add a little cheese to this gravy to make a cheesy mushroom gravy

Bolognaise December 12, 2008

Ingredients:
1/2 medium Onion
1 -2 Cloves Garlic
Fresh Herbs (To taste – I like Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Chives, Thyme and Parsley), use dried if you have to
2 Mushrooms (Optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
500g Beef mince (or so)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 small tin of tomato paste
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional) *
1/2 tsp cumin powder (optional)

Method:
1). Put a saucepan on the heat, and add the mince (no oil). Fry until the mince has browned. Drain this well to remove excess fats. Finely chop the onion, mushrooms and garlic, add them (and the mince) back to the pan and fry (again, no oil) until the Onion and Garlic are cooked.
2). Add the chopped herbs, spices and tomatoes. Add Tomato paste to taste (I only like about 2 tablespoons at most). Simmer this gently for as long as you can. About 1-2 hours is fantastic!.
3). Either serve this poured over pasta, or mix the pasta through then serve

*The curry powder adds a subtle flavour that you wouldn’t recognise as curry….. you can leave it out if you don’t trust me, but you should give it a shot!

Vegetarian Pasta Sauce December 12, 2008

Ingredients:
1/2 medium Onion
1 Clove Garlic
Fresh Herbs (To taste – I like Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Chives, Thyme and Parsley)
2 Mushrooms
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tin chopped tomatoes
some chopped olives (whatever you like)
1 stick chopped celery
1/4 cup diced capsicum (red or green – I prefer green for a nicer colour to the sauce)

 

Method:
1). Finely chop the onion, mushrooms, celery, capsicum and garlic and fry until the Onion and Garlic are cooked.
2). Add the chopped herbs, olives and tomatoes. Simmer this gently for as long as you can. About 1-2 hours is good.
3). Either serve this poured over pasta, or mix the pasta through then serve.

Dipping Sauce November 16, 2008

Useful for spring rolls and other Asian foods.

 
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons sugar
50ml soy sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornflour
50ml extra water
1 clove garlic crushed with a little salt

 
Method:
In a saucepan, bring to the boil the water, soy sauce and sugar. Mix the cornflour with the extra water, and add to the saucepan, stirring well until it thickens. Add the crushed garlic, and cool before serving.

Dipping Sauces for Kids November 15, 2008

Some kids like spicy, some don’t… but most like to dip food in something! Chips, nuggets or whatnot. Dips can be a way to entice kids to eat vegies! Here are some Savoury dipping sauce ideas.

 
Tomato Salsa – Puree tomato, red and green capsicum and a little onion and chilli if your child likes it – leaving some larger pieces. Mix in some lemon or lime juice and some fresh chopped herbs.
 
Sweet Chilli Cream – Mix about half and half sweet chilli sauce and sour cream. Add less chilli for milder sauce.
 
Chilli Plum – mix about half and half sweet chilli sauce and plum jam. Add less chilli for milder sauce.
 
Honey Mustard – Mix ¼ cup sour cream with 1 tb mustard (dijon) and 1tb honey.
 
Thousand Island – Mix about half and half tomato sauce and mayonnaise.
 
Hummus – Puree a drained and rinsed tin of chick peas with a few tb lemon juice, a few tb water, a clove of garlic (if your child likes it, leave it out if not), and about a teaspoon of a mixture of cardamon, nutmeg and cumin. You can add more water to make it a little runnier.
 
Tzatziki – Take a tub of natural greek yoghurt and allow this to drain on some cheesecloth/muslin to let the excess liquid drain away. Peel and chop a cucumber to remove all the seeded pieces. Finely shop half of this and grate the other half. Add 1tb lemon juice, 1 clove crushed garlic if you wish and a little fresh mint and/or chives. Mix together