Chinese New Year dinner: a variation on salt and pepper squid cooked with roasted black and Szechuan pepper, pink Himalayan salt, garlic, chilli, spring onion, coriander and a pinch of 5 spice. Served with pak choi braised in oyster sauce, rice wine, light soya sauce, ginger, black rice vinegar and a little sesame oil. And some boiled rice (not fried. I don’t have enough woks!)
Fish Tacos step #5: Roll her up captain!!
Fish Tacos step #4: frying up some salmon, haddock and tilapia, with a dusting of smoked paprika
Fish Tacos step #3: frying up some peppers with onion, garlic, chilli, lime
Fish Tacos step #2: homemade guacamole
Fish Tacos step #1 Salsa made with red and yellow baby plum tomatoes, mango, cucumber, red onion, garlic, lime juice, mint, parsley, salt
Main course winter soup:
Bacon hock with borlotti beans, pearl barley, leeks, parsnips, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, chilli, fresh parsley, bay, spinach, little tomato paste and smoked paprika… Simmered in a fresh turkey stock made with roast turkey carcass, onion, carrot, celery, bay, peppercorns.
Main course winter soup:
Bacon hock with borlotti beans, pearl barley, leeks, parsnips, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, chilli, fresh parsley, bay, spinach, little tomato paste and smoked paprika… Simmered in a fresh turkey stock made with roast turkey carcass, onion, carrot, celery, bay, peppercorns.
Pork, prawns, parsnip and peas pullao.
Also cooked with shallots, garlic, ginger, carrot, chilli, lemon grass, coriander, cumin, tumeric, black pepper, cider vinegar, a little coconut, chicken stock, fresh thyme.
Served with some dhal (seasoned with black mustard and cumin seeds).
SE Asian style squid curry in a peanut and coconut sauce.
1. Make a paste (either using a food processor, or as I did, elbow grease and a pestle and mortar) with 20-30 crushed roasted peanuts, 3 shallots, 4 clvs garlic, 3 red birds eye chillis, 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, some black pepper, 1/2 tsp shrimp paste, juice of 1/2 a lime, some grated creamed coconut.
2. Fry the paste in some groundnut oil, add coconut milk (and some water if necessary), bashed lemon grass, couple of kaffir lime leaves, a tsp of brown sugar, 4-5 slices of galangal or ginger (sliced)
3. Add veg if needed (in this case red pepper and tender stem broccoli)
3 . Simmer for about 20 mins then add the squid (in this case a large tube chopped into squares and scored) and simmer for about 5mins. Season to taste with fish sauce, add juice of other half of lime and serve.
Very quick but tasty salmon noodles.
1. Put the noodles on
2. Fry some sliced salmon fillet with some chopped garlic, ginger, spring onion, red chilli
3. Add 1 tblsp each of Chinese rice wine, light soya sauce, 1 tsp each of five spice and hot bean sauce.
4. Add chopped pak choi and yellow pepper, and a bit of the noodle cooking liquid.
5. Drain the noodles and chuck into the wok.
6. Sprinkle on a bit of sesame oil and serve.
Sydney Resolution NYE concert with Culture Club. My view from the stage..
Sydney Resolution NYE concert with Culture Club. Sound check view
Mothers homemade meatball curry. Amazing!