Chinese Marble Tea Eggs

With Easter right upon us, chances are you've probably seen your fair share of egg decorating ideas, but indulge me for a minute because I have one more to share. While these marble tea eggs don't necessarily classify as an 'Easter activity', they do however involves eggs, which makes them somewhat relevant.

Tea eggs are one of my favourite ways to cook eggs. Simmered in a fragrant broth of black tea, soy sauce and spices, the eggs are elevated from a humble hard-boiled egg into something beautiful and complex in flavour. The mulling process permeates the whites of the egg so that even the yolks are infused with a hint of tea and spice. These eggs are as common to Chinese homecooking as cheeseburgers are to America. Generally consumed as a snack either warm or cold from the fridge, these eggs make a great addition to any meal. Add them over ramen, in a rice bowl, or even as the basis of an Asian inspired deviled egg. Personally, I like to have them for breakfast, slice in half, warmed up and with a splash of the tea marinade over the yolk.

 

Chinese Marble Tea Eggs
1 dozen eggs
2x star anise
1x cinnamon stick
3-4 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
2x dried orange peel
2x tea bags (any type of black tea will work)
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp five-spice powder

1. Boil eggs till soft-boiled, approximately 6 minutes
2. Bring a large pot with 4 cups water to boil. Add tea bags, spices, soy sauce and five-spice powder and let it simmer. Reduce broth by 1/4 before adding eggs.
3. Lightly crack the shell on the eggs but do not peel. Either gently tap with the back of a spoon, or roll the eggs lightly on table.
4. Place cracked eggs in tea broth, bring to a boil and continue simmering for one hour.
5. If eggs are not completely submerged, rotate after every half hour. Add more water if necessary.
6. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate the eggs in the tea broth.
7. The flavour will continue to develop overnight. Tea eggs are best consumed the next day and the day after. Peel egg just before serving.

Sesame Crusted Turkey Meatballs

I recently attended a baby shower where the theme was 'ready to pop' and by pop I mean popcorn! The table was laden with bowl upon bowl of different flavoured popcorn while every other dish was sized down to resemble some form of a pop.

When I first learned of the theme I was so excited by the possibilities, but it soon had me racking my brain trying to come up with a dish that was 1) relatively healthy 2) savory in nature and 3) looked like popcorn. Eventually I hit upon the idea of coating mini turkey meatballs in a sesame seed crust to resemble little popcorn balls. Bloody brilliant was what I thought. That was until I realised no such recipe existed on the internet, at least none that I could find. After a little improvising and trial and error I believe I've finally perfected a recipe that was good enough to serve up at a party and more importantly, good enough to share on this blog. So here you have it- mini thai style turkey meatballs in a sesame seed crust. Enjoy!

 

 

Sesame-crusted Turkey Meatballs

1-1/2lb turkey mince
1/4 cup panko
1 egg
1tbsp ginger minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small shallot minced
3 scallions finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp chinese cooking wine (optional)
2 cups roasted sesame seeds to coat
Peanut oil for frying
Sweet chili sauce to serve

1. Combine turkey, egg, panko, ginger, garlic, shallot, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and cooking wine in a large bowl.
2. Mix with hands till well combined. Microwave a spoonful of mixture to check if more seasoning is required.
3. Shape 1tsp of meat mixture into a ball and place on tray. Repeat.
4. Once you have a full tray of meatballs, generously coat with sesame seeds. Shake tray to coat underside of meatballs.
5. Heat up enough peanut oil in a pan so meatballs are half immersed.
6. Fry meatballs on medium heat for 2 minutes on either side to crisp the sesame seeds.
7. Transfer back to tray and finish cooking in oven at 350F degrees for 5 minutes depending on size of meatballs.
8. Serve with ample sweet chili sauce or another condiment of choice.

*recipe yields roughly 30 mini meatballs

Crispy Parmesan Edamame

They say simple is often the best and when it comes to cooking, no truer words were ever spoken. With the promise of Spring on the horizon, these days I'm all about simple delicious fare where the produce really shines through. Like this recipe for oven roasted parmesan edamame. Not only is it healthy and delicious but it takes a total of 30 seconds to prepare, how's that for easy! I love roasting up a large tray to have on hand whenever I'm craving a snack. They pair great with an ice cold glass of beer, and unexpected guests are always delighted by the sight of having something homemade to nibble on.

So next time you're pouring butter over popcorn for movie night, why not give this healthy alternative a try?

 

Crispy Parmesan Edamame

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
2 tbsp grated parmesan (more if necessary)
1 bag of frozen edamame

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line baking tray.
1. Open a bag of frozen edamame and spread onto baking tray in single layer.
2. Pour olive oil and lightly toss to coat evenly.
3. Season with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and parmesan cheese. Lightly toss to coat.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Slightly cool and enjoy!

Basil-Seared Salmon with Vegetable Orzo

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to our local Rainforest Cafe for a bit of a treat. While I really wasn't expecting to be wowed by the food there, it came as a pleasant surprise when they served up a delicious basil-seared salmon with one of the best tasting orzos I've ever had. My taste buds immediately went into overdrive as I tried to deconstruct the recipe with each bite. By the end of the meal I had managed to narrow down the basic components but was still missing a few I'd need to recreate the dish. As usual, quick google search solved all my problems. Turns out, the basil-salmon at Rainforest cafe is so popular that their chefs had whipped it up for daytime tv.

My version is quite close to the original with some minor tweaks. I've made a few substitutions to better suit homecooking (who has lobster broth just lying around?) and additional seasoning to kick things up a notch. This dish is not only delicious and healthy but takes less than 30 minutes to make. Best thing is, my kids absolutely eat it up and that rarely ever happens.

 

 

Basil-Seared Salmon with Vegetable Orzo and Crispy Salmon Skin

Salmon:

1 piece fresh salmon

4 basil leaves (or enough to coat salmon)

1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 oz. olive oil

dash of Mediterranean seasoning (optional)

Orzo:

1 tomato diced

1 zucchini chopped 

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 lb orzo pre-cooked

4oz. clam juice

1 tbsp chopped basil

pinch of salt and black pepper

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese to serve

1. Bring large pot of water to boil, add orzo, cook till al dente, drain and set aside. 

2. Remove salmon skin and rub salmon with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and/or additional seasoning of your choice. Season salmon skin with a pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

3. Lay basil leaves over non-skin side, heat non-stick pan and add olive oil. 

4. Gently lay salmon with basil side down onto the hot pan and sear for approx. 2 minutes (depending on thickness of fish). Flip salmon and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer to 450F degree oven and continue cooking for approx. 4 minutes. 

5. Sear salmon skin in same pan over medium-low heat until crispy.

6. Using the same pan, remove excess oil. Add fresh olive oil and brown garlic and onions till fragrant.

7. Add vegetables to pan and continue cooking till almost cooked through. Add orzo pasta and clam juice, continue to simmer till broth is reduced by 50%.

8. Stir in chopped basil, salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. 

9. Serve with crispy salmon skin on the side.

* recipe adapted from Rainforest Cafe's original 

Almond Crescent Cookies with Italian Hot Chocolate

'It's the most wonderful time of the year...'. Okay maybe not yet, but hey November is almost over which means we are officially in holiday season right? Gauging from that last sentence you can probably tell my level of excitement about the upcoming holidays. Christmas really is the best time of the year. What's not to love about a season that's associated with family, festivities, singing and general jolliness?

Today I thought I'd share one of my favourite holiday recipes with you. Note, the term 'holiday' is applied very loosely here given that I consume these cookies all throughout the year and rarely ever on the holidays. Vanillekipferi (or crescent/horseshoe as they are more widely known) is a traditional Austrian sugar cookie made with nut flour. These cookies have such an impressive history that they are even accredited to being the fore-bearer of the popular French croissant. The cookie was first introduced to Paris in 1839 when an Austrian Army officer founded a Viennese Bakery. It is said, the french chefs were so inspired by his Austrian fare that they re-created the cookie in a flakier form, creating the croissant.

Now, no cookie is complete without a piping hot beverage alongside. And what better to pair these almond crescents with than a decadent mug of Italian hot chocolate. Picture your regular hot chocolate but in a rich, thick, silky texture. It's such a luxurious drink, I'm not sure if I'd even still classify it as a beverage. Actually, Italian hot chocolate and I go way back. I always associate it with cold winters spent in University cafes agonising over design dilemmas (ah the glamourous life of a starving student). It's amazing how food conjures up some of our fondest memories. What will you be eating these holidays?

 

 

Traditional Almond Crescents

250g unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 cups almond meal
2 cups plain flour sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar to dust cookies

1. Preheat oven to 180C degrees, line tray with baking paper.
2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla till you get a smooth consistency.
3. Add the dry ingredients and fold till combined. This step can be done by hand with a spatula.
4. Let dough sit in a cool unrefrigerated place for 30 minutes. Cover with tea towel.
5. Shape cookies by rolling mixture into 1 inch balls, then slightly flatten. Holding dough between your index and thumb lightly squeeze until it takes on a crescent shape. Place on baking sheet and smooth over with fingers for an even finish.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
7. Once cooled, sift icing sugar over each cookie. Coat liberally.


Italian Hot Chocolate

120g bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp corn flour
dollop of cream

1. In a saucepan over low heat, add chocolate and a tiny bit of milk. Stir with wooden spoon till melted.
2. Dissolve corn flour in milk, then slowly add to chocolate and mix to combine.
3. Continue simmering over low heat until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon.
4. Add sugar to taste. Serve with a dollop of thick cream.

Vanilla Scones with Strawberry Cream

Forget the steam engine, the industrial revolution, or heck even the English language. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest Great Britain's greatest contribution to the world will always be their afternoon tea ritual and subsequently all the delicious nibbles associated with it. Okay, so I probably exaggerated a teensy tiny bit but the fact of the matter is, I really really like afternoon tea (and morning tea). There's nothing better than taking some time out in the middle of a busy day to just sit and enjoy a quiet spot of tea with homemade scones.  It's one of my greatest indulgences and a daily ritual I uphold with the utmost importance. It's right up there alongside wearing underwear and brushing my teeth (yes I have a problem).

Now when it comes to the world of scones, they exist in every form imaginable. Savory, sweet, citrus, cheese, raisins, pumpkin, potato, bacon, onion, the list goes on. But my favourite way to have them is the traditional way- plain with clotted cream and jam (strawberry jam that is). This recipe is a slight variation on the basic scone. The use of cream rather than butter results in a scone that still remains soft even when cold (fellow scone aficionados will understand the importance of this statement). I also find by adding fresh strawberries to the usual cream and jam mixture to give the scones a little tartness and a better bite. Try it out next time, you'll see what I mean.

 

Vanilla Scones

1 cup cream

1 cup milk

4 cups plain flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 200C degrees and line tray with baking paper. 

2. Sift flour, sugar and a pinch of salt into large bowl.

3. Combine cream, milk and vanilla extract and add to dry ingredients.

4. Using a flat-bladded knife, slowly 'cut' the mixture together. The key is to combine but not over mix.

5. Roll out the dough onto a clean surface, knead until smooth and flatten to approximately 25mm thickness. Note, kneading too much will result in a tough texture. 

6. Use cookie cutters to cut each scone out and transfer to prepared baking tray. Lightly sprinkle flour over each scone.  

7. Bake for 10 minutes or until scones have risen and are slightly coloured. Cover with a tea towel and leave the scones on the tray for 10 minutes.

* Recipe yields roughly 20 scones 5cm in size. 

Strawberry Cream 

1 handful of fresh strawberries sliced

2 tbsp strawberry jam

2/3 cup of double cream 

1. Spoon strawberry jam into bowl and stir till softened.

2. Add cream to jam mixture and lightly swirl to combine. Do not over mix. 

3. Add sliced strawberries to mixture.

4. Pile onto warm scones, prepare to scoff down the lot. 

* You can substitute fresh whipped cream for double cream.