Seasoned Writer. Red Hot Thermomixer.
SALAD
DRESSING
Trim the fennel, halve lengthwise and core. Reserve some fronds for dressing. Thinly slice the fennel, radishes and cucumber, using a mandolin if you have one. Place in a bowl and add cashews. Mix together dressing ingredients, add to salad and toss to coat.
Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop lemon and ginger onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Scrape down sides and add apple. Chop 5 sec/speed 5, scrape down sides and add mulberries. Chop 5 sec/speed 5 and scrape down sides.
Add sugar and cook for 25-30 min/105°C/soft speed with simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Pour into sterilised jars, seal firmly and turn upside down until cooled.
1 small whole lemon, roughly chopped (no pips)
1 large red apple, cored and cut into eighths
1 punnet (250g) strawberries, hulled
1 punnet (125g) blueberries
200g sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop lemon onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Scrape down sides and add apple. Chop 8 sec/speed 5, scrape down sides and repeat if necessary.
Add berries, sugar and vanilla extract. Cook 30 min/105°C/soft speed with simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Pour into sterilised jars, seal firmly and turn upside down until cooled.
This recipe is based on one by Megan May from her raw cookbook, Unbakery. I’ve more or less halved it as the original makes quite a large quantity and I’ve tweaked some of the measurements.
Because the dressing has tamari, which is high in sodium, I feel it doesn’t need extra salt.
You can use this dressing in so many delicious ways – drizzled on fish, chicken, meats, vegetables or salads as it’s a great substitute for mayonnaise. Family and friends recently enjoyed it served with barbecued king prawns.
5-6 sprigs parsley, leaves only
7-8 chives, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
1 small fresh green chilli (optional)
35g filtered water
60g tahini
30g apple cider vinegar
20g tamari
20g freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
45g EVOO
Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop parsley, chives, garlic and chilli if using onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Scrape down sides and add remaining ingredients except oil and blend 30 sec/speed 8. Set TM to 3 min/speed 3 and very slowly pour oil onto measuring cup letting it drizzle into mixing bowl to emulsify.
And the beet goes on…crackers, lavosh, Turkish bread, crudités…hey people, we’re talking about beetroot dip. This brilliant crimson-coloured creation is delicious served so many ways, even as a sandwich spread.
It features the fabulous Moroccan flavours of preserved lemon, pomegranate molasses, harissa and the exotic spice blend, ras el hanout, which you can read about in the recipe for Moroccan Quinoa Salad.
This recipe makes quite a large dip so just halve the quantities if it’s for a fairly small gathering.
1000g water
550-600g raw beetroot, unpeeled and halved or quartered, depending on size
2 cloves garlic
¼ preserved lemon, rind only, roughly chopped
60g tahini
50g pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1 teaspoon harissa (or chilli – flakes, powder or paste)
4-5 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only
Pour water into TM bowl, place beetroots into Varoma dish and cook 40 min/Varoma/speed 3. Test beetroots with skewer and if not tender enough, cook for a further 10 to 20 minutes. Remove Varoma and place on upturned Varoma lid to catch drips. When beets are cool enough, top and tail if necessary and peel – wearing disposable gloves!
Drain water from mixing bowl. Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop garlic and preserved lemon onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Scrape down sides and add remaining ingredients including the peeled beetroot. Blend 30 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides and repeat until your desired consistency is achieved.
TIPS
Wear disposable gloves to peel beetroots to help prevent staining your hands.
As this recipe uses preserved lemons, you won’t need to add extra salt.
This apple crumble with strawberries and blueberries is very berry delicious. The topping is crunchy, nutty and dairy free. We often use Pink Lady but Granny Smith or other apples work well and we sometimes replace two or three of the apples with firm pears. To make it gluten free, use quinoa flakes instead of oats.
It makes enough for up to eight people and we serve it with regular yoghurt for those who can tolerate dairy and almond yoghurt for those who can’t. Of course, you can be more traditional and serve it with custard, cream or ice cream.
CRUMBLE MIXTURE
90g raw almonds
75g raw walnuts
40g shredded coconut
75g oats or quinoa flakes
50g maple syrup
FRUIT MIXTURE
6 apples, cored and cut into eighths
Juice of ½ lemon
40g brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 punnets strawberries, halved or quartered depending on size
2 punnets blueberries
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place almonds in TM bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Add walnuts and chop a further 3 sec/speed 5. Add coconut, oats and syrup and mix 20 sec/REVERSE speed 2. Set aside crumble mixture, don’t bother rinsing TM bowl.
Place apple into TM bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides and repeat. Add lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Cook 5 min/100°C/REVERSE speed 1. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole or baking dish and stir through strawberries and blueberries. Spread crumble mixture over fruit mixture and bake 20-25 minutes.
Here’s a delicious dish for two people that’s not only quick and easy but also uses just one baking tray. A handy weeknight meal that’s fit for a gourmet.
The recipe features quick-cooking vegetables and the wonderful Moroccan spice, ras el hanout. You can read about this exotic blend in the recipe for Moroccan Quinoa Salad in SoupASalads.
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1 clove of garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons EVOO
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 fillets white fish
½ large red capsicum, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 eschalots or ½ red onion, diced
200g fresh or canned diced tomatoes
200g canned chickpeas, drained
10 pitted olives (optional)
Coriander leaves to garnish (optional)
Combine ras el hanout, garlic, oil and lemon juice. Use half the mixture to baste fish and set aside to marinate.
Place vegetables in an ovenproof tray and toss through remaining marinade. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Stir through chickpeas and olives if using, place fish on top and return to oven and bake for a further 5-10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or couscous.
I attempted to make a Dairy-Free Orange Cake and it turned out to be a fail. It had risen beautifully and a skewer came out clean so I took it out of the oven but as it cooled it sank, the texture was stodgy and it tasted as if not cooked enough. LOSER!
Rather than waste all the lovely ingredients, I decided to try and turn it into a sort of biscotti, the crunchy Italian biscuits which translate as ‘twice-cooked’. So I was already halfway there.
I sliced the cake into pieces about 1.5cm thick and, because biscotti traditionally have almonds, randomly shoved in some slivered almonds on both sides.
I placed them on a tray lined with baking paper and cooked in the oven preheated to 150°C for 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes.
Not the most beautiful things in the world but everyone thought they tasted great. WINNER!
The failed cake.
Here’s another fresh and fabulous salad featuring raw veggies and, instead of the usual mayonnaise, a tangy dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar and Dijon mustard.
It’s so crisp and colourful and, for some extra crunch, we like to add ‘Crunchy Combo Sprouts’ and various nuts or seeds depending on what we fancy and what’s in the pantry. Slivered almonds, pine nuts, cashews, pepitas and sunflower seeds are all great options.
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of ½ lemon or 1 lime
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon maple syrup or honey
Pepper & Salt to taste
150g carrot, roughly chopped
150g red cabbage, roughly chopped
½ red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 apple, quartered and cored
Handful of fresh herbs such as parsley, mint or coriander
Big handful of ‘Crunchy Combo Sprouts’
Big handful of nuts and/or seeds
Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop garlic onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Scrape down sides and add oil, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, mustard and seasoning. Mix for 5 sec/speed 5.
Leave dressing in bowl and add remaining ingredients except sprouts and nuts or seeds. Chop 4 sec/speed 5. Transfer to a salad bowl and stir through sprouts and nuts or seeds.
This is a versatile vegan curry that uses whatever Thai curry paste you prefer – red, green, yellow, Massaman and so on. It’s also a great way to use up stray vegetables in the crisper.
The recipe calls for about 100g of curry paste but that can depend on how much spice you like. If you’re using my home-made red or green curry pastes (see recipes in Spice Blends) which I indicate to freeze in ice cube trays, this will depend on the size of your cubes. If you don’t want to make your own curry pastes, Maesri have a range that don’t contain shrimp paste so they’re fine for vegetarians and vegans – just use the entire 114gm can.
Approximately 100g Thai curry paste
270g coconut cream
400-450g quick-cooking vegetables such as diced capsicum, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, snow peas, green beans, frozen peas, baby corn or kernels
60-100g water
250-300g diced firm tofu, preferably pressed
Fresh coriander or Thai basil leaves
Put curry paste into a pan that ideally can go straight from the stovetop to the table. Add about 50g of the coconut cream and sauté for several minutes until it’s beautifully fragrant.
Add the vegetables and enough water so they can cook without sticking. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost cooked.
Add remaining coconut cream and tofu. Cook gently for a further few minutes. Stir through or garnish with herb leaves and serve.
old chris new tricks 