Food DISHionary (Book 3): Food DISHionary, #3

1Starters

Cheese

#1. Mezze

Feta, salami, tuna, olives, artichokes, bocconcini, prawns, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, pizza bread, sauce tomate (not ketchup) and olive oil. Use as a self-help tray for guests.

#2. Blue vein cheese beignets

Prepare a choux paste, mix in blue cheese and through a piping bag or using two tablespoons make small fritters and deep fry until golden brown. Serve with a blue cheese dip.

#3. Brie cheese

Deep fried. Cube the brie then put through flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs. Deep fry. Serve with a berry salsa.

#4. Parmesan crisps

Grate the Parmesan cheese and heap in small piles on a baking sheet. Oven bake till crisp. The cheese will spread out in the heat and look like potato crisps.

#5. Camembert fondue

Scoop out centre of the camembert and heat gently in a saucepan adding cream, garlic and wine. Pour it back into the centre of the camembert crust. Serve with vegetables/crudités and crackers.

#6. Goat’s cheese

Dry fry in a frypan without oil then coat with a cracked pepper crust and serve on a salad.

#7. Goat’s cheese with tomatoes and sesame seeds

Slice tomatoes and place on an oven tray. Slice goat’s cheese, then dip in sesame seeds and place on tomatoes and grill for 2 minutes.

For sauce: Dice onions then add cranberries. Pour balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and reduce by 75 per cent then add the onions and cranberries and allow to heat through. Drizzle over cheese.

#8. Baked camembert

Remove top skin, add chopped thyme then bake. Serve with parsnip crisps and caramelised apples.

#9. Haloumi cheese wrapped in bacon, battered and deep fried

Haloumi cheese works well for this dish. Cut off a 10–15 mm slice of haloumi and wrap in fried streaky bacon. Prepare a frying batter then dip the cheese and bacon in flour then batter and deep fry.

#10. Grilled haloumi cheese

Cut the haloumi cheese and grill both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a plate where sesame seeds have been placed.

Pastry

#11. Baked filo pastries

Wilt spinach in very little water then drain well and dry off. Mix spinach with ricotta cheese and cubed feta. Add seasoning and grated nutmeg. Using four sheets of filo pastry, butter between each one. Cut into quarters and place the filling on each one in a line so that it will be rolled up cigar shaped, turning in the sides so that the filling will not escape during cooking. Brush with melted butter and bake at 200°C. Serve with natural yoghurt with harissa paste mixed through it as a dipping sauce.

#12. Bagel chips

Slice a bagel through to create thin strips at an angle and lay them on a baking sheet then bake at 160°C till they dry out. They can be used as an accompaniment for dips or to add toppings to for canapés.

#13. Filled filo pastries

Using four sheets of filo, brush between each sheet with melted butter. Cut the sheets in half so there will be two pastries from the four sheets. Prepare a filling with chopped wilted spinach, tomato slices, cream cheese, nutmeg, parsley, lemon juice and zest, sesame seeds. Fold the right corner of the filo to the left side then fold back to the right ensuring the filling remains in the pastry and forming a triangle. Butter the pastry and oven bake.

#14. Filo (Tunisia)

Use a 20 cm round piece of filo. To a mixing bowl add drained canned tuna, capers, chilli flakes, parsley and fresh prawns plus one raw egg unbeaten and mix together. Place some of the mixture in the middle of the filo then brush the edge with egg wash, fold in half, seal and deep fry. Serve with chilli sauce.

#15. Samosas

Slice leek, mushrooms, onions and sweat off in butter then cool. Cut out the filo pastry into 20 cm circles and place some of the filling in the centre. Cut a brie round into segments and put two with the filling. Brush with egg wash and seal the pastry with the seam being uppermost then bake.

#16. Smoked chicken cigars

Store-bought puff pastry sheets, char-grilled red capsicums, smoked chicken, pesto and cheddar cheese. Dice the capsicums and smoked chicken and place in a mixing bowl. Spoon over pesto, grated cheddar cheese and mix in with seasoning. Cut the puff pastry sheet into quarters then place some filling down the centre of each quarter and roll sealing the edge with beaten egg wash. Twist both ends so that the filling cannot escape while cooking. Bake at 220°C and serve with a tomato salsa and grapes.

#17. Yorkshire pudding canapés

Whisk up a Yorkshire pudding batter adding crumbled blue cheese. To the muffin tin moulds add oil and heat the muffin tin moulds in the oven till the oil is very hot. Then ladle in the batter and bake at 220°C. When cooked, fill the centre with smoked salmon, add a little more blue cheese and mayonnaise.

#18. Yorkshire pudding canapés No. 2

Whisk up a Yorkshire pudding batter. In the bottom of the muffin tin moulds, place hot, fried, black pudding with a piece of streaky bacon on top. Pour the batter over and put into a hot oven at 220°C.

#19. Bouchée hollandaise

Using store-bought puff pastry, cut out two circles using a crimped pastry cutter. Out of one of the circles, cut a smaller circle using a similar-style cutter at 40 mm. Egg wash the first circle, place the second circle on top and again egg wash then bake till golden brown. Leave to go cold then fill the centre with cold poached salmon with hollandaise sauce over the top.

#20. Bouchée smoked salmon

Produce the bouchée case as in #19 then when cold, fill with feta, sliced capsicum and smoked salmon slices and dress with a balsamic dressing.

#21. Onion tart

Blind bake a puff pastry case in a spring-form tin then when cold, coat with crème fraîche. Cook sliced onions in red wine, thyme, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar then reduce and cool. Spoon the onion mixture over the pastry then add crumbled feta onto the tart and keep in the refrigerator.

#22. Naan bread omelette

Prepare an omelette with a tuna and chilli filling. Do not fold the omelette but just place in centre of the naan bread then roll the naan bread with the omelette till completely enclosed then cut into slices for serving.

#23. Chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents

Poach the diced chicken breasts in stock then make a velouté from the stock adding fresh cream at the end. Add the small pieces of chicken to the velouté then fry the sliced mushrooms and add to the velouté. Chop coriander leaves and add to the sauce. Using store-bought puff pastry, cut out two 60 mm rounds with a pastry cutter. With the second 60 mm piece, cut out a centre round of 40 mm and keep separate. Egg wash then place the puff pastry ring onto the 60 mm whole pastry ring, i.e. 60 mm round with 60 mm ring on top, and 40 mm centre cut-out in a 220°C oven, fill with the chicken mix and place the lid on top.

#24. Chorizo and blue cheese canapé

With a pastry cutter, cut out from sliced white bread a 40 mm diameter crouton then deep fry till brown. In a frypan, fry sliced chorizo in butter and oil till golden brown then place on the crouton. Meanwhile soften the blue cheese in a food processor and add cream. Pipe some blue cheese on top of the chorizo and add a basil leaf.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto dish consisting of grilled ciabatta bread, rubbed with fresh garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. The following are toppings that can be used for bruschetta but they are not limited to this list. As an alternative, the toppings can be served separately along with the ciabatta toasted slices so that guests can select their own toppings.

#25. Roasted vine tomato bruschetta with black olives

Olive paste, olives, roasted vine tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, basil, lemon juice.

#26. Roasted vine tomatoes with sage, feta, black olives and olive oil

Roast the vine-connected tomatoes in olive oil, sage and garlic. Process some of the tomatoes and keep some for garnish. Rub the ciabatta slice with garlic then spread over the tomato paste and add black olives with feta.

#27. Bruschetta with roasted aubergine, basil and feta

Mash the roasted aubergines with garlic, lemon juice, torn basil leaves, seasoning and olives. Spread over the ciabatta slices and garnish with cherry tomatoes and basil.

#28. Bruschetta tomato and feta

Ciabatta bread, butter, garlic, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh basil, black olives and olive oil.

#29. Prawn bruschetta

Slice ciabatta bread into 15 mm slices and toast or fry in butter on both sides. Make an anchovy spread using soft butter, anchovy fillets and a little anchovy oil. Spread over the fried ciabatta. Fry the prawns in butter and lemon juice and place on the anchovy butter. Grill when ready to serve or serve cold with aioli.

#30. Prawn and tomato bruschetta

Slice the ciabatta into a 15 mm slice and fry in garlic butter till golden brown on both sides. Roughly dice the tomato and marinate in balsamic vinegar, mint and garlic. Toss the prawns in butter and fry quickly then cool. Mix the prawns, tomatoes and a little of the vinegar together then lay out on the ciabatta.

#31. Blue cheese bruschetta

Soften the blue cheese with butter adding Worcestershire sauce and orange zest. Spread on the fried ciabatta slice and top with caramelised apple chutney.

#32. Bruschetta — hot

Tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar on a croute that has been fried in butter and garlic. Slice the tomatoes and place in a bowl then add balsamic vinegar and seasoning. Place the tomato slices on the croute along with basil and sliced feta and grill quickly.

#33. Pea and mascarpone bruschetta

Ciabatta sliced and toasted, spread with butter and garlic then with mascarpone and topped with minted pea mash. Mint or parsley to garnish.

#34. Calamari, butter bean and chorizo bruschetta

Using fresh calamari rings, fry very quickly in hot oil then cool. In the same pan put diced chorizo and fry it till coloured all over. Grill the ciabatta bread slice, rub with raw garlic then line with the calamari, butter beans and chorizo.

#35. Crostini, mozzarella and tomatoes

Baguette grilled with butter and rubbed with garlic, then coat with sliced mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil.

#36. Blinis, gravlax and cream cheese

To make the blinis, sift buckwheat flour and ordinary flour together. Add in baking powder and an egg and start whisking while adding buttermilk. Whisk to a smooth thick paste then add melted butter. Use two tablespoons of the batter in a frypan with hot oil to make the blinis. Top the blinis with cream cheese then sliced salmon.

#37. Bruschetta

Top with caramelised apple, tomato, thyme and fried feta.

#38. Rarebit

English mustard, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, cheese, flour. In a saucepan, melt butter then add flour along with mustard, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and cheese. Once the paste has cooked through, spread on ciabatta and grill. Could also use on top of steak, fish or toast.

#39. Pear and asparagus bruschetta

Hot and en croute. Toss pear and asparagus in a pan with garlic and oil. Toast ciabatta bread and rub with butter and garlic. Line with mozzarella, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top with pear slices and asparagus.

#40. Tomato crostini with whipped feta

Put feta and cream cheese in bowl and whisk. Add olive oil and lemon juice. In a dry frypan, fry pine nuts until brown all over. Make a dressing and add sliced tomatoes. Spread the cream cheese mix on the crostini, add tomatoes and pine nuts.

#41. Crostini, sun-dried tomatoes and feta

Slice baguette on an angle. Toast and toss in hot butter and oil then leave to cool. Top with feta and baked vine-ripened tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and mint.

#42. Smoked salmon and prawns

Cut a slice of white bread into three then fry in garlic butter on both sides. Cool then spread with lime aioli, a slice of smoked salmon and cooked garlic prawns.

#43. Fresh salmon tartare canapé

Chop the very fresh salmon so that it resembles coarse mince and place in a mixing bowl. Add finely diced shallots, olive oil, lemon zest, capers, sliced gherkins and seasoning. Mix well and spread on grilled baguette slices that have been toasted and spread with garlic butter. Top with capers and lemon zest.

#44. Bacon and blue cheese

Slice the ciabatta, fry in garlic butter then spread with blue cheese that had been softened with balsamic vinegar. Cut streaky bacon into batons, fry and cool then spread over the blue cheese and place under the grill.

#45. Cajun mushroom bruschetta

Fry sliced button mushrooms in butter, garlic and Cajun spice. When cooked, add in chopped parsley and spread over the sliced ciabatta toast.

#46. Creamy mushrooms

Sliced button mushrooms cooked in butter then added to a béchamel sauce along with mascarpone. Add seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and spread over the ciabatta.

#47. Mussel bruschetta

Steam the mussels in very little water and white wine. Once they have opened, remove the mussel from the shell then remove the beard. In a frypan, sweat off finely diced onions with smoked paprika in butter. Add in the mussels and toss. Toast the ciabatta slices then rub with garlic butter and sun-dried tomato pesto. Top with the mussels, coriander then serve.

#48. Roasted capsicum and basil bruschetta

On the toasted ciabatta slice, top with sliced roasted capsicum that has been drenched in a balsamic vinegar, virgin olive oil and garlic dressing. Garnish with basil leaves.

#49. Mushrooms with blue cheese and walnuts bruschetta

Use portobello mushrooms and fry in butter. Cook skin side last and add pieces of blue cheese on top along with roughly chopped walnuts. Serve on toasted ciabatta.

2Beef

#50. Beef with blue cheese dumplings

Prepare a beef casserole with chuck steak. Put the beef through seasoned flour and brown in oil and garlic. Add thyme, Guinness, mustard, tomato paste, fresh chopped tomatoes, orange zest and juice, chopped onion, marmalade, mixed herbs and stock. Oven bake and cook slowly. The flour should thicken the casserole for the sauce. When the beef is nearly cooked divide the dumpling dough into equal sizes, roll between the hands to form a ball and put on the beef, brush with milk and return to the oven to brown. Blue cheese dumplings: 200 g self-raising flour, 100 g butter, 50 g blue cheese, seasoning and milk. Rub the butter and blue cheese lightly into the flour then add milk to make a dough. Handle carefully so that it does not become a tight dough. Or herb dumplings: 1½ cups self-raising flour, 60 g chopped butter, thyme leaves, chopped parsley, ½ – 1/3 cup of milk plus seasoning.

#51. Beef casserole potato top

Prepare the beef casserole as in dish #50. When the beef is cooked, ladle into a casserole dish and top the casserole with potato gems and return to the oven to cook the gems. Grated cheese could also be sprinkled on top. As an alternative, store-bought gnocchi can be cooked then cooled quickly and placed on top of the beef when ready. Like the potato gems, place back in the oven to reheat.

#52. Crusted beef ragout

Using a good braising steak or cubed steak, fry onions and garlic in a saucepan till brown then add beef and brown all over. Add tomatoes, caraway seeds, beef stock and oven bake on 160°C for 1 hour. When cooked transfer the beef to ramekins for individual portions then make a crust from cup flour, ¼ cup Parmesan, baking powder, chopped rosemary, butter, salt and milk. Place the crust on the ramekin and oven bake. When ready to serve, top with black olives, capers and rosemary or thyme and anchovy fillets.

#53. Fillet steak tarte Tatin

Very quickly brown the fillet steak on each side and cool. Prepare an onion marmalade with brown sugar and dried herbs. In a large pie tin, pack the fillet steak tightly together then add crushed garlic, onion marmalade and butter. Cover with puff pastry, tucking the overhanging pastry down the inside of the pan, egg wash and bake. When cooked, place the serving platter over the top of the cooked pastry and complete a 180-degree turn. The pastry now becomes the base. Keep your face away from the pan while turning, as you might get boiling liquid spilling from the pan.

#54. Barbecue beef fillet

Trim the beef and remove any fat or silver skin. In a mixing bowl, pour olive oil, chopped garlic, thyme, seasoning, cracked black pepper, smoked paprika and a few drops of smoke oil if available. Place the beef in a casserole and pour the marinade over the beef and keep in the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge an hour before cooking. Place the beef in a barbecue fired by charcoal and cook till rare in the centre but nicely browned on the outside. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

#55. Cola pot roast

Buy a boned and rolled blade of beef. Brown the beef in a frypan with sliced garlic in oil. Roughly chop root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and sweet potato; pumpkin can also be used. Once the beef has been browned, place in casserole dish with lid. Brown the vegetables in the same frypan and place with the beef. Deglaze the pan with stock and pour it over the beef along with the cola and Worcestershire sauce. Cook the beef slowly in the oven and when cooked remove from the casserole and set aside to rest. Thicken the sauce with an instant gravy mix or make a roux from butter and flour. Check the sauce for taste and seasoning and return the joint back to the sauce briefly for 5 minutes then carve and serve.

#56. Corned beef in cola

Place the corned beef in a large saucepan in cold water and bring to the boil then tip out the water. This will remove some of the brine and salt in the meat. Wash the meat in cold water, pat dry then place back in the saucepan. Pour in cola but the meat does not have to be covered. Add whole cloves, cinnamon quill, onion cut into quarters, roughly chopped pieces of carrot and bring to a very slow simmer. Keep a lid on the saucepan while the meat is cooking. Check that the meat is cooked and leave to rest before carving. Serve with a mustard sauce.

#57. Braised beef in coffee, cinnamon and orange juice

In an oven dish, sweat off diced onion and sliced garlic till translucent then stir in coffee, orange zest, cinnamon, oil and brown sugar. Brown the beef in oil in a frypan till it is sealed all over then add to the coffee mixture in the oven dish. Put a lid on the oven dish and bake in the oven slowly at 150°C till the beef is cooked. Allow the beef to rest, reduce the cooking liquor then thicken with a roux. Check seasoning of the sauce before serving.

#58. Bacon and cheese meatloaf

Mix the beef mincemeat with chosen herbs, spices then add an egg and breadcrumbs. Once the meat has been mixed well, place half the meat into an oiled meatloaf tin. At halfway, top with cold fried bacon batons and grated cheese as a layer then top with more mincemeat. Bake in the oven till the meatloaf is cooked through.

#59. Beef short ribs

Cook the ribs in simmering apple juice, chilli, diced onions, garlic, celery and reduce then leave to cool. Make the barbecue sauce from ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, white wine vinegar, bourbon and seasoning. Brush over the ribs and baste while cooking on the barbecue.

#60. Beef ribs

Brown the ribs in a frypan in oil and garlic, then transfer to a roasting dish and put aside. In a food processor blitz onion, chilli, root ginger and garlic to a paste then fry in oil in the same frypan. While the paste is heating, pour in beer, miso blended with water, grated lime zest and sugar. Pour the paste over the ribs and bake slowly in the oven. Meanwhile cook brown rice to serve with the ribs. Fry the cooked rice with chopped onions, carrots, peas, ginger and garlic. While the rice is frying make two holes in it with the base of a serving spoon and break in fresh eggs and mix in with the rice along with soy and fish sauce.

#61. Paprika beef and cream

Cut bacon into strips then fry in oil and butter and remove. In the same pan, fry beef schnitzel in oil and garlic till brown on both sides. When cooked, remove from the pan and cover with tinfoil. To the pan, add diced onions and fry adding paprika. Leave to cook out then pour in pomodoro sauce and sour cream. Simmer gently and allow to reduce. Return the beef back to the sauce for 5 minutes then serve.

#62. Steak bites

Cut sirloin or rump steak into 20–25 mm size pieces. Fry quickly in oil and butter till brown but rare. Remove when cooked then add more butter to the pan and cook diced onions and mushrooms. Return the beef back into the pan with the mushrooms. Add garlic butter and swirl the pan. Add a teaspoon each of mustard and sour cream. Stir and serve.

#63. Stuffed Wiener schnitzel

Use two small pieces of beef schnitzel or one large piece and fold in two to complete the dish. Prepare a bread stuffing of white bread, diced bacon and onions, mixed herbs, orange juice and zest. Once the stuffing is made, place in the middle of the schnitzel then top with the second piece. Egg wash the edges so that a good seal is made. Dip the schnitzel through flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs and fry in an oil/ butter medium on both sides.

#64. Garlic bread casserole

Using a baguette, slice into diagonal slices then butter both sides with garlic butter. Prepare a Bolognese sauce using beef mince. Butter a casserole dish and spread the base with a layer of meat sauce. Top with the sliced garlic bread and grated mozzarella over the top of that. At this point, spinach and sliced tomatoes could be added, then spoon in another layer of meat sauce. Top with a layer of bread then more meat sauce, followed by a thin layer of cheese sauce, grated mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. Bake in the oven till cooked through and golden brown then serve.

#65. Steak marinade

Oil, jalapeño, coriander, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, orange juice and seasoning. Pour the ingredients into a Ziploc bag and shake. Add the steak and leave in the fridge for 4 hours plus. Then cook the steak and freeze the marinade.

#66. Hungarian goulash

Dredge the meat through the flour and fry in a frypan in oil and garlic till brown then place in a casserole. In the same frypan, brown the diced carrots, onions, capsicums and hold the sliced mushrooms to the end. To the frypan, add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and 200 ml of beef stock and stir well to lift all the pan drippings. Pour the contents of the frypan into the casserole and bake in the oven for 90 minutes at 160°C. Check that the beef is tender then add sliced mushrooms that have been fried in butter. Check if any sugar is required to remove any acidity. After 30 minutes, check for taste, seasoning and serve.

#67. Beef and barley casserole

Cut the beef into 30 mm cubes, dredge in flour and brown in a frypan in oil, garlic and dried mixed herbs. Put the meat into a casserole dish then in the same pan fry diced carrots, onions, pumpkin and celery till brown and place with the meat. Pour tomato purée into the pan along with a can of crushed tomatoes to deglaze the pan then add all to the meat. Top the casserole up with beef stock then add barley and place in the oven. Stir occasionally early so that the barley mixes into the liquid and does not form a lump. Cook for 2 hours on 160°C then check for the tenderness of the beef. Check seasoning and thickness of the sauce and serve.

#68. Thai corned beef

Place the beef in a large saucepan of cold water without adding any salt, bring to the boil and as soon as it reaches the boil, drain out the water, wash off the beef and saucepan then place the beef back into the saucepan with hot water. Add tomato paste, coriander seeds, fish sauce, red curry paste store-bought, whole peppercorns, diced onions, carrots and whole baby potatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and hold there for 90 minutes. Check that the beef is cooked then make a sauce from the cooking liquor and add coconut milk to the sauce to finish it off. Let the beef rest for 15 minutes before carving.

#69. Beef brisket in balsamic and blackberry sauce

Brown the brisket in oil in a frypan so that it is browned on both sides then place in a casserole dish with a lid. Pour in beef stock, garlic, balsamic vinegar and blackberry jam. Cook on low heat at 160°C and check for tenderness of the beef. Check taste and seasoning then remove the beef and allow to rest. Pour the cooking liquor into a saucepan, reduce and sweeten with sugar or blackberry jam if necessary. Thicken the sauce with cornflour mixed with water then serve.

#70. Bourbon bacon meatballs

Prepare meatballs with the addition of 100 ml of bourbon and bacon which has been chopped to a coarse mix in a food processor. Mix the beef mince and sausage meat mixture, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, dried mixed herbs then roll into balls. Brown in a frypan in oil and garlic then place in a casserole. Make caramelised onions and add to the meatballs then pour in a gravy. Bake in the oven till the meatballs are cooked.

#71. Meatballs in a nest

Prepare the meatballs as in dish #70. When ready to serve, cook spaghetti in boiling salted water to a point of being al dente. Drain quickly into a colander then using a pasta spoon, scoop out some spaghetti and place on a baking tray that has been oiled. Using a table fork, place in the middle of the spaghetti and turn the fork to create a cavity in the spaghetti. Place a meatball in the centre, top with Parmesan cheese and bake. Place on the serving dish and coat