Curried Cauliflower Soup

This is such a yummy way to fill you up on a cold winter's evening.  A quick soup that can be made in 30 minutes and is great for one of those Meatless Monday meals.

An inexpensive meal to feed the family and still feel like your being luxurious.

You could also add a poached egg to this to make it even more of a meal.

1 large head of cauliflower

600ml cream

500ml vegetable or chicken stock

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon curry powder

Saute your onions in butter for about 5 minutes.

Add curry powder and saute for 1 minute.

Chop up your cauliflower florets to ensure they cook through.

Stir your cauliflower through and saute for another minute.

Mix together cream and stock and pour into your pan.  Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or cauliflower is cooked.

You will need to blend in batches, remember to take the small lid out of the big lid so your blender doesn't explode soup all over you.  I stick a tea towel or pot holder of the opening to prevent splatter.

Blend until smooth.

Serve with toasted croutons and some chopped parsley and if you wish a poached egg.

Prawn Cocktail

I love prawns and found that this was such an easy way to cook them and took just minutes to prepare cook and serve.  

I love this recipe it reminds me of my childhood, it's a very 70's dish that I feel deserves to be revived!  Great to have on a hot summers evening for a meal in itself or an entree for a quiet or rowdy dinner party.

500 gm raw prawns (less if its just for you or not)

lettuce

Cocktail Sauce

Cocktail Sauce 

1 cup egg mayonaise

3 tablespoons tomato sauce

juice of half a lemon

tabasco sauce to taste

Toss your prawns in salt, pepper and olive oil to coat.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in a pre heated 200C oven for 7 minutes or until pink and cooked but not rubbery.

Place all sauce ingredients in a bowl or jar and whisk together.  You can add more tabasco if you wish but remember that it will get more spicy as it sits.  This sauce can be made ahead and left in the fridge.

Shred your lettuce and place in a glass or bowl.

Remove roasted prawns from the oven.

Top the lettuce with prawns.

Drizzle over the cocktail sauce.  Serve.

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Cream

I love the smell that fills the house when gingerbread of any kind is cooking.  Cookies, Slice, Cake it makes my day.  Gingerbread cake should be made all year round, not just at Christmas, it is an easy satisfying cake to make and eat.

I gave the other half the option of this or a chocolate cake and well this was a no brainer, he jumped at this cake and enjoyed every slice.

I did double the mix to make 2 cakes however it is just as good with one cake cut and filled.  The following recipe is for one cake and the appropriate filling.

115 gm butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Filling

1/2 tub mascarpone cheese

150 ml cream whipped

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon curd

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy approx 8 minutes.

Mean while get your other ingredients together.  All dry ingredients and spices need to be whisked together.

To the butter mix add your vanilla, egg and applesauce, beat together. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Gently mix through the dry ingredients.

Fill a pre lined cake tin I used a 20cm round spring form tin.

Bake in a pre heated 180 C oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Whisk together the mascarpone and cream until stiff peaks formed.  Add the lemon curd and whisk through.

Cut and fill your cooled cake/s and allow to set in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Curry

I don't know about you, but, I love a good curry!   We had this at my Mum's place when we were visiting a month ago and Scott LOVED it!

It is a really nice and easy recipe and super tasty.  You can set the chicken to marinade the night before and then throw it all together the day you want it.

Mum bought me this great Tifin a couple of years ago, it is an Indian lunch box.  Cute isn't it!  This dinner gave me a chance to use my Mango Chutney that I had a final jar of in the preserves cupboard.

1 kg chicken, approx 6 thigh fillets

200 gm greek yoghurt

5 cm fresh ginger, grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 2/3 cups tomato pasata

2/3 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons honey

1 cinnamon stick

1/3 cup cream

In a mixing bowl place the lemon juice, chilli powder, ginger, half the garam masala and the yogurt together and mix.

Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture, mix until all coated and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour up to overnight if preferred.

Chop onion and crush garlic cloves.

In one fry pan saute the onion and garlic until softened.

In your second fry pan fry chicken in batches for 3 minutes on each side or until just browned.

Add the remaining garam masala and ground spices to the onions pan.  Cook, stirring until fragrant. 

Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Place all the chicken in the slow cooker once browned.

Divide the remaining between the onions pan and the chicken pan to de glaze.  Tomato puree, stock, honey and cinnamon. Once bubbling empty both pans into the slow cooker.

Give a quick stir.

Stick a piece of baking paper directly down on the chicken mix and place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove the cinnamon stick and add the cream.  Allow to cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve with rice and Naan bread.