Chorizo, Chicken and Prawn Paella Sometimes it’s a few weeks before I post a recipe, and I’m really wishing I had posted this sooner, since I’m not 110% on what I did anymore.  That’s most of the reason I started this blog; I make a lot of different stuff, and I can never remember the recipe.  This came out incredibly, serves 6. Ingredients: 4 boneless chicken thighs about a dozen shell-less prawns (mine were frozen, I thawed them before use) 2 chorizo sausages, sliced 2 capsicum (in 2 colors), cut in 1x1 inch cubes 1/8 cup sliced blanched almonds 1 tsp imitation saffron, or a pinch of saffron threads 400g bomba rice 1 liter chicken stock 10-ish juniper berries 1 cup roughly chopped oregano and rosemary 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cinnamon 3-4 garlic cloves 1 dried mulato chili Olive oil, pepper and salt Soak the chili in a bit of hot water for 5 minutes.  Remove the seeds and chop. In a mortar and pestle, smash up the garlic, salt, juniper berries, saffron, paprika, cinnamon, and chili with some olive oil.  Set aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, brown the chicken in a skillet and set aside.  Next saute the prawns and set aside, then the chorizo.  Once the chorizo is brown, add the rosemary, oregano, capsicum, almonds, and mashed up spice mixture.  Add the chicken and prawns back ones the capsicums start to soften, sprinkle the rice over and add the stock.  Bring to a simmer, and let simmer on low, untouched, for about 30 minutes, until the liquid has all absorbed and it’s formed a crust on the bottom. High-res

Chorizo, Chicken and Prawn Paella

Sometimes it’s a few weeks before I post a recipe, and I’m really wishing I had posted this sooner, since I’m not 110% on what I did anymore.  That’s most of the reason I started this blog; I make a lot of different stuff, and I can never remember the recipe.  This came out incredibly, serves 6.

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless chicken thighs
  • about a dozen shell-less prawns (mine were frozen, I thawed them before use)
  • 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
  • 2 capsicum (in 2 colors), cut in 1x1 inch cubes
  • 1/8 cup sliced blanched almonds
  • 1 tsp imitation saffron, or a pinch of saffron threads
  • 400g bomba rice
  • 1 liter chicken stock
  • 10-ish juniper berries
  • 1 cup roughly chopped oregano and rosemary
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1 dried mulato chili
  • Olive oil, pepper and salt

Soak the chili in a bit of hot water for 5 minutes.  Remove the seeds and chop.

In a mortar and pestle, smash up the garlic, salt, juniper berries, saffron, paprika, cinnamon, and chili with some olive oil.  Set aside.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, brown the chicken in a skillet and set aside.  Next saute the prawns and set aside, then the chorizo.  Once the chorizo is brown, add the rosemary, oregano, capsicum, almonds, and mashed up spice mixture.  Add the chicken and prawns back ones the capsicums start to soften, sprinkle the rice over and add the stock.  Bring to a simmer, and let simmer on low, untouched, for about 30 minutes, until the liquid has all absorbed and it’s formed a crust on the bottom.

Scrambled Eggs with Chili Prawns and Goat’s Cheese and Mint Ingredients (serves 2): 4 eggs 1/2 cup skim milk 2 prawns, cooked or uncooked, sliced in half lengthwise 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 4 tbsp goat’s cheese 1 tomato, sliced 1 cup baby spinach 2 slices of bread 1/4 cup chopped Vietnamese mint Salt, pepper and oil Mix the eggs and milk, and set aside.  Saute the prawns with the chili, and season with salt and pepper.  In a pan on medium heat, pour in the eggs, whipping constantly, until they change in color and start to set.  Once they’re quite thick, stop stirring and flip to finish cooking on the other side. Layer spinach and tomato on the bread, top with eggs, season with salt and pepper, and add the cheese, prawns, and finish with mint. High-res

Scrambled Eggs with Chili Prawns and Goat’s Cheese and Mint

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 2 prawns, cooked or uncooked, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 4 tbsp goat’s cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1/4 cup chopped Vietnamese mint
  • Salt, pepper and oil

Mix the eggs and milk, and set aside.  Saute the prawns with the chili, and season with salt and pepper.  In a pan on medium heat, pour in the eggs, whipping constantly, until they change in color and start to set.  Once they’re quite thick, stop stirring and flip to finish cooking on the other side.

Layer spinach and tomato on the bread, top with eggs, season with salt and pepper, and add the cheese, prawns, and finish with mint.

Prawn, Chorizo and Mushroom Risotto I made a pretty lavish lunch this weekend since it was my mother’s last day in town.  Plus, I haven’t been in the kitchen since before my trip to Vietnam (I was only reminded about the pork burger recipe when I found the leftover onion relish on my return), so I was pretty happy to get back into it. Ingredients (serves 4): 12 prawns (I left the head / shells on for flavor, but remove them if you’re worried about getting your hands dirty to eat this) 1 spicy chorizo, sliced 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms 1 cup sliced oyster mushrooms 1 cup arborio rice 1/2 onion, diced 1 chili, chopped 1/2 cup basil, chopped 2 cups grated parmesan cheese 2 cups chicken stock 2 cups milk 2 cups water (you may need more) 2 tbsp butter A few chunks of goat’s cheese Salt and pepper to taste Soak the porcini mushrooms in the stock.  Melt the butter and saute the onions, chili and chorizo.  Add 1/4 cup of basil, the oyster mushrooms, and rice.  Saute for a minute before adding the stock.  Cook into the rice and season with salt and pepper.  Add the water next and cook until absorbed, stirring frequently. Next add the milk, and once it’s mostly cooked in add the cheese, then the prawns and rest of the basil.  Once the prawns have cooked through, have a taste and if the rice is still a bit crunchy, add another cup of water and cook in.  Served on a bed of pea shoots, topped with goat’s cheese. High-res

Prawn, Chorizo and Mushroom Risotto

I made a pretty lavish lunch this weekend since it was my mother’s last day in town.  Plus, I haven’t been in the kitchen since before my trip to Vietnam (I was only reminded about the pork burger recipe when I found the leftover onion relish on my return), so I was pretty happy to get back into it.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 12 prawns (I left the head / shells on for flavor, but remove them if you’re worried about getting your hands dirty to eat this)
  • 1 spicy chorizo, sliced
  • 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 cup sliced oyster mushrooms
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 chili, chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil, chopped
  • 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups water (you may need more)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • A few chunks of goat’s cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the porcini mushrooms in the stock.  Melt the butter and saute the onions, chili and chorizo.  Add 1/4 cup of basil, the oyster mushrooms, and rice.  Saute for a minute before adding the stock.  Cook into the rice and season with salt and pepper.  Add the water next and cook until absorbed, stirring frequently.

Next add the milk, and once it’s mostly cooked in add the cheese, then the prawns and rest of the basil.  Once the prawns have cooked through, have a taste and if the rice is still a bit crunchy, add another cup of water and cook in.  Served on a bed of pea shoots, topped with goat’s cheese.

Mango and Prawn Rice Paper Rolls I love rice paper rolls.  I tried making a different sauce with these, but you really can’t beat hoisin.  All you need is whatever you’re putting in there, and a mild amount of skill to put them together.  This is a really good tutorial on how to roll them; mine didn’t look great this time around so I won’t bother to try and explain, other than it’s like wrapping a burrito. For these, I used sliced mango, rice vermicelli, sauteed prawns, julienne cucumber, cilantro, and green onions.  Served with sauteed mushrooms with green onions. High-res

Mango and Prawn Rice Paper Rolls

I love rice paper rolls.  I tried making a different sauce with these, but you really can’t beat hoisin.  All you need is whatever you’re putting in there, and a mild amount of skill to put them together.  This is a really good tutorial on how to roll them; mine didn’t look great this time around so I won’t bother to try and explain, other than it’s like wrapping a burrito.

For these, I used sliced mango, rice vermicelli, sauteed prawns, julienne cucumber, cilantro, and green onions.  Served with sauteed mushrooms with green onions.

Prawn and Gruyere Pizza First, I made a half recipe of this pizza crust. I had frozen prawns and gruyere, so that seemed like a good start to make something up. Quick tomato sauce: Saute chopped garlic in olive oil, with some basil, salt and pepper When it browns, add either a couple chopped up tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes and cook down slightly (optional: puree it when it’s done… I used cherry tomatoes so there was an excessive amount on skin) Toppings: Sauteed mushrooms and spinach… squeeze the spinach out so your pizza doesn’t get soggy! If your prawns are thawed, pop them on the top and cover in grated cheese… cooking them first will dry them out, but make sure the pizza is in the oven long enough to cook them through I had some kalamata olives, so I threw them on top, but not after slicing my finger on the new knives… ouch Cook on 200C / 375F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is golden… and then eat the shit out of it. High-res

Prawn and Gruyere Pizza

First, I made a half recipe of this pizza crust.

I had frozen prawns and gruyere, so that seemed like a good start to make something up.

Quick tomato sauce:

  • Saute chopped garlic in olive oil, with some basil, salt and pepper
  • When it browns, add either a couple chopped up tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes and cook down slightly (optional: puree it when it’s done… I used cherry tomatoes so there was an excessive amount on skin)

Toppings:

  • Sauteed mushrooms and spinach… squeeze the spinach out so your pizza doesn’t get soggy!
  • If your prawns are thawed, pop them on the top and cover in grated cheese… cooking them first will dry them out, but make sure the pizza is in the oven long enough to cook them through
  • I had some kalamata olives, so I threw them on top, but not after slicing my finger on the new knives… ouch
  • Cook on 200C / 375F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is golden… and then eat the shit out of it.