Crispy Orange Duck Leg with Sauteed Kale, Red Cabbage and Raisins I absolutely love duck.  It’s really got to be my favorite meat, if only it wasn’t so bloody expensive.  Every now and then I’ll see it at an ok price and treat myself; this was a delicious meal and the standout was this recipe I found for the red cabbage and raisins.  I had some mixed dried fruit I used instead, but it was a great side for this dish and there was enough leftover that I had it with pork belly the next night (recipe, coming up!). Kale was just sauteed with some garlic and lemon.  The duck was lacking a bit of liquid so I’ve altered the recipe slightly to “what I would have done”. Ingredients (crispy orange duck leg): 2 duck marylands 1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice 1 orange, quartered 1 tsp cinnamon 1 red onion, sliced 1/2 cup of orange juice 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine Salt, pepper, and olive oil Pat the top of the duck leg dry, and season the underside with the five spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Salt the top of the duck skin, and in a hot oven proof pan with a bit of olive oil, sear the duck skin for about 5 minutes until brown. Remove the duck and saute the onion until soft.  Squeeze in the juice from the orange quarters and throw the rinds into the pan.  Add the juices, season with salt and pepper, and place the duck legs in meat side down.  Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes at 170C / 325F.  10 minutes before the end of cooking, baste with the pan juices, and make sure the skin is super crispy (you make need to turn your oven, or the grill, up). High-res

Crispy Orange Duck Leg with Sauteed Kale, Red Cabbage and Raisins

I absolutely love duck.  It’s really got to be my favorite meat, if only it wasn’t so bloody expensive.  Every now and then I’ll see it at an ok price and treat myself; this was a delicious meal and the standout was this recipe I found for the red cabbage and raisins.  I had some mixed dried fruit I used instead, but it was a great side for this dish and there was enough leftover that I had it with pork belly the next night (recipe, coming up!).

Kale was just sauteed with some garlic and lemon.  The duck was lacking a bit of liquid so I’ve altered the recipe slightly to “what I would have done”.

Ingredients (crispy orange duck leg):

  • 2 duck marylands
  • 1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
  • 1 orange, quartered
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1/2 cup of orange juice
  • 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine
  • Salt, pepper, and olive oil

Pat the top of the duck leg dry, and season the underside with the five spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Salt the top of the duck skin, and in a hot oven proof pan with a bit of olive oil, sear the duck skin for about 5 minutes until brown.

Remove the duck and saute the onion until soft.  Squeeze in the juice from the orange quarters and throw the rinds into the pan.  Add the juices, season with salt and pepper, and place the duck legs in meat side down.  Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes at 170C / 325F.  10 minutes before the end of cooking, baste with the pan juices, and make sure the skin is super crispy (you make need to turn your oven, or the grill, up).

Chorizo, Mushroom, Potato, Feta and Pesto Pizza I love potato on pizzas, especially with this since the flavors are so strong.  I used my trusty pizza base recipe and made a quick pesto. Ingredients: 1 bunch of basil 1 garlic clove Olive oil, salt and pepper 1 piece of smoked chorizo, sliced 2-3 portabello mushrooms, sliced and sauteed 1/2 cup crumbled feta 1 potato, finely sliced, in a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water for 5-10 minutes Blend the basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  On a pizza base, layer on the pesto, potato, mushroom, chorizo and feta, and season a bit with salt and pepper before baking at 220C / 425F for 15 or so minutes. High-res

Chorizo, Mushroom, Potato, Feta and Pesto Pizza

I love potato on pizzas, especially with this since the flavors are so strong.  I used my trusty pizza base recipe and made a quick pesto.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of basil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper
  • 1 piece of smoked chorizo, sliced
  • 2-3 portabello mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 potato, finely sliced, in a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water for 5-10 minutes

Blend the basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  On a pizza base, layer on the pesto, potato, mushroom, chorizo and feta, and season a bit with salt and pepper before baking at 220C / 425F for 15 or so minutes.

Pulled Pork with Cannellini Beans, Butternut Squash and Tomato I miss proper barbeque.  More so, I miss Dinosaur BBQ.  There’s nothing that comes close in Australia, and there are certainly no sauces you can get that compare. Note: If anyone from Dinosaur is reading this, for the love of God, open up a restaurant in Sydney. In the meantime, I found a recipe for their sauce online, and made so many substitutions that it was hardly the same recipe.  And you know what?  It was pretty damn good.  The below is enough for two big batches of pulled pork, so stock up and freeze it if you have 20 minutes to put this together.  Hell, even double it. Ingredients (BBQ sauce): 1.5 cups of diced onion 1 apple, cored and diced 1/2 red pepper, diced 2 bullseye red chilis, diced 4 garlic cloves, diced 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup worcheshire sauce 1/4 cup wholegrain spicy mustard 1/4 cup ketchup 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup rice malt 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 cup water 3 400g cans of diced tomato Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper Olive oil 1 tbsp chili powder 1/2 tsp nutmeg Juice of half a lemon Saute the onions, chili and garlic in a splash of oil.  Add the apple and cook for a couple minutes before adding in the powdered spices, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Add everything else.  Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has a nice thickness.  Process with a hand blender or food processor, check the spices, and go nuts. Ingredients (pulled pork): 1-2 kg pork butt or shoulder.  I used a bone-in pork leg with the fat still on top because I couldn’t find a shoulder, and it was alright, but it definitely needs the fat on it. Half the above BBQ sauce recipe (about 4 cups) Salt and pepper I’ll give you a few options for cooking this; 1) Season the pork with salt and pepper, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. 2) Season the pork with salt and pepper, sear it on a grill or in a pan, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. 3) Season the pork with salt and pepper, roast in the oven for about 20 minutes on high heat, until browned.  Add the sauce, cover, and cook at 170C for about 3-4 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart. Ingredients (cannellini beans): 1 can of cannellini beans, drained 2 cups of diced butternut squash, in 1cm cubes 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine 1/2 tsp of nutmeg Salt and pepper Saute and serve. High-res

Pulled Pork with Cannellini Beans, Butternut Squash and Tomato

I miss proper barbeque.  More so, I miss Dinosaur BBQ.  There’s nothing that comes close in Australia, and there are certainly no sauces you can get that compare.

Note: If anyone from Dinosaur is reading this, for the love of God, open up a restaurant in Sydney.

In the meantime, I found a recipe for their sauce online, and made so many substitutions that it was hardly the same recipe.  And you know what?  It was pretty damn good.  The below is enough for two big batches of pulled pork, so stock up and freeze it if you have 20 minutes to put this together.  Hell, even double it.

Ingredients (BBQ sauce):

  • 1.5 cups of diced onion
  • 1 apple, cored and diced
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 2 bullseye red chilis, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup worcheshire sauce
  • 1/4 cup wholegrain spicy mustard
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup rice malt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 400g cans of diced tomato
  • Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • Juice of half a lemon

Saute the onions, chili and garlic in a splash of oil.  Add the apple and cook for a couple minutes before adding in the powdered spices, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Add everything else.  Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has a nice thickness.  Process with a hand blender or food processor, check the spices, and go nuts.

Ingredients (pulled pork):

  • 1-2 kg pork butt or shoulder.  I used a bone-in pork leg with the fat still on top because I couldn’t find a shoulder, and it was alright, but it definitely needs the fat on it.
  • Half the above BBQ sauce recipe (about 4 cups)
  • Salt and pepper

I’ll give you a few options for cooking this;

1) Season the pork with salt and pepper, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

2) Season the pork with salt and pepper, sear it on a grill or in a pan, and put it in a slow cooker with the sauce for 8 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

3) Season the pork with salt and pepper, roast in the oven for about 20 minutes on high heat, until browned.  Add the sauce, cover, and cook at 170C for about 3-4 hours.  Stick a fork in and pull it apart.

Ingredients (cannellini beans):

  • 1 can of cannellini beans, drained
  • 2 cups of diced butternut squash, in 1cm cubes
  • 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup verjuice or white wine
  • 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper

Saute and serve.

Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes, Almonds, Cilantro and Red Pepper I’ve been making a fair amount of chicken salad for lunches, but rarely do I photograph it since I’ll make it at night and throw it in a tupperware.  One time I even made enough for 2 days to leave at work overnight, thinking I was really clever for planning ahead.  That was a huge mistake.  Going into the kitchen for Day 2 Lunch to see someone had been munching on it as a midnight snack was fairly infuriating.  Who does that? I digress.  I had to try a bit of this so I managed to take a picture, and it’s one of my favorites so far.  The rolls I made with leftover pizza dough that was in my fridge for 24 hours, mixed with some flax-seeds.  Really nice, and not just because they were warm.  The 24 hours in the fridge helped. Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tbsp curry powder 2 tbsp chili powder 1/2 red pepper, diced 1 cup grapes, sliced in half 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Olive oil and salt Rub the chicken with a little oil, then sprinkle with the curry and chili powder.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 220C / 375F or until just cooked through.  Let cool. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients.  Chop or shred the chicken once it’s cool enough to handle, and mix in.  Season with salt. High-res

Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes, Almonds, Cilantro and Red Pepper

I’ve been making a fair amount of chicken salad for lunches, but rarely do I photograph it since I’ll make it at night and throw it in a tupperware.  One time I even made enough for 2 days to leave at work overnight, thinking I was really clever for planning ahead.  That was a huge mistake.  Going into the kitchen for Day 2 Lunch to see someone had been munching on it as a midnight snack was fairly infuriating.  Who does that?

I digress.  I had to try a bit of this so I managed to take a picture, and it’s one of my favorites so far.  The rolls I made with leftover pizza dough that was in my fridge for 24 hours, mixed with some flax-seeds.  Really nice, and not just because they were warm.  The 24 hours in the fridge helped.

Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup grapes, sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Olive oil and salt

Rub the chicken with a little oil, then sprinkle with the curry and chili powder.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 220C / 375F or until just cooked through.  Let cool.

In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients.  Chop or shred the chicken once it’s cool enough to handle, and mix in.  Season with salt.

Goat’s Cheese and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Fennel, Roasted Mushrooms and Pomegranate I’ve been making this style of chicken quite a lot, but am trying to mix up the stuffings. So what’s the #1 way to improve a recipe? Add cheese. It’s the American way. Ingredients (chicken): 1 whole chicken, cut up the backbone and flattened 1/4 cup goats cheese 3 garlic cloves 1/2 bunch of sage, chopped 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves Juice of half a lemon Salt, pepper and olive oil Mash the ingredients, starting with the garlic, and add a few tablespoons of oil.  Season with salt and pepper, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.  Stuff under the skin of a flattened whole chicken, and the brown skin side down in a skillet for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more before putting in the oven for about 30 minutes at 220C / 400F. This side, on it’s own, is a lovely vegetarian dish and would have been very sufficient as dinner. The caramelized fennel I got from the book Plenty I’ve been raving about, and served with oven roasted mushrooms and fresh pomegranate.  Buy this book. High-res

Goat’s Cheese and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Caramelized Fennel, Roasted Mushrooms and Pomegranate

I’ve been making this style of chicken quite a lot, but am trying to mix up the stuffings. So what’s the #1 way to improve a recipe? Add cheese. It’s the American way.

Ingredients (chicken):

  • 1 whole chicken, cut up the backbone and flattened
  • 1/4 cup goats cheese
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 bunch of sage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt, pepper and olive oil

Mash the ingredients, starting with the garlic, and add a few tablespoons of oil.  Season with salt and pepper, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.  Stuff under the skin of a flattened whole chicken, and the brown skin side down in a skillet for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more before putting in the oven for about 30 minutes at 220C / 400F.

This side, on it’s own, is a lovely vegetarian dish and would have been very sufficient as dinner. The caramelized fennel I got from the book Plenty I’ve been raving about, and served with oven roasted mushrooms and fresh pomegranate.  Buy this book.

Free Cake

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Moroccan Spiced Scrambled Egg Sandwich with Crispy Prosciutto and Brie Ingredients (serves 2): 4 eggs 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp Moroccan seasoning Salt and pepper Prosciutto, fried Brie, sliced tomato, and 2 rolls Mash the garlic, whip with the eggs, and mix in the milk, thyme, Moroccan seasoning, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, whisking constantly, until it changes colors and starts to form solid chunks.  At this stage, using a spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan and create folds.  One the eggs are more or less in one pieces, flip over and finish cooking on the other wise. Serve on the roll with the brie, tomato, and prosciutto. High-res

Moroccan Spiced Scrambled Egg Sandwich with Crispy Prosciutto and Brie

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp Moroccan seasoning
  • Salt and pepper
  • Prosciutto, fried
  • Brie, sliced tomato, and 2 rolls

Mash the garlic, whip with the eggs, and mix in the milk, thyme, Moroccan seasoning, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, whisking constantly, until it changes colors and starts to form solid chunks.  At this stage, using a spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan and create folds.  One the eggs are more or less in one pieces, flip over and finish cooking on the other wise.

Serve on the roll with the brie, tomato, and prosciutto.

Borlotti Bean Cakes with Smoked Trout and a Poached Egg There was a pile of leftover croissants that I wanted to turn into breadcrumbs, which worked well with the beans (they can get a little dry if you’re not careful).  Just use regular breadcrumbs if you don’t have a croissant or two. Ingredients (borlotti bean cakes): 1 can of borlotti beans, rinsed and slightly mashed 1 egg 1 croissant, toasted and chopped into breadcrumbs Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup cilantro Salt, pepper and olive oil Mash up the ingredients, seasoning with the salt and pepper, and use the oil to grease the bottom of a pan.  Form cakes and cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side.  Serve with trout and a poached egg, and maybe a little cheese. High-res

Borlotti Bean Cakes with Smoked Trout and a Poached Egg

There was a pile of leftover croissants that I wanted to turn into breadcrumbs, which worked well with the beans (they can get a little dry if you’re not careful).  Just use regular breadcrumbs if you don’t have a croissant or two.

Ingredients (borlotti bean cakes):

  • 1 can of borlotti beans, rinsed and slightly mashed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 croissant, toasted and chopped into breadcrumbs
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • Salt, pepper and olive oil

Mash up the ingredients, seasoning with the salt and pepper, and use the oil to grease the bottom of a pan.  Form cakes and cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side.  Serve with trout and a poached egg, and maybe a little cheese.