craig – Craig Cooks

Baked Cauliflower with Chickpeas

August 4, 2018 by craig Leave a Comment

Here’s my second baked cauliflower. I used the same spice mix as last time.

2 tsp turmeric,
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil (add a bit more if needed)

Double the above quantity if needed.

This was a huge cauliflower so I only baked half of it. I learned touse a smaller cauliflower next time, as the core won’t bake quickly enough. Cut a deep X into the core to help it cook through.

Bake at 180C and check at 20 mins and then every 5 mins after until it is done.

Baked wedge of pumpkin (about 20 mins at 180C)….

Duck with Figs and Ginger Sauce

July 8, 2018 by craig Leave a Comment

The is duck recipe comes from Diane Holuigue’s “The French Kitchen.”

The figs are poached for 2 mins in a syrup of 2 tbsp sugar, 6 tbsp water and 1 tbsp brandy.

The duck was pan-cooked and then backed. I had some difficulty as always getting the duck right.

The sauce was made in the duck pan with most of the fat drained off. Add 2 diced eschallots and 30g butter and fry very briefly, then add 4 tbsp ginger wine and 300ml chick stock and simmer to reduce to half. Finish by adding 40g butter and season.

I served the duck in cauliflower puree with baked cauliflower, carrot puree (cooked in orange juice), peas and beetroot.

Vegetable Curry Soup

June 6, 2018 by craig Leave a Comment

Here’s a soup that I made last night. we’re still eating it so I added some zing tonight with toppings and some bread. This recipe will work with pretty much any combination of similar vegetables.

Serves lots!

Ingredients
1 large brown onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed (not minced)
1/2 bulb of fennel, diced
2 sticks of celery, opeeled and piced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 parsnips, outsides not cores, peeled and diced
1/2 leek, sliced
5 cm root ginger diced
400g tin of tomatoes
Small tub of tomato paste
Water or chicken stock

Spices
1 tbsp toasted cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp ajowan seeds (optional)
2 bay leaves
Cracked black pepper
Sea salt

Cook the chopped vegetables in olive oil and a little butter on medium to high heat until starting to brown.

Meanwhile, if you have cumin and coriander seeds, toast them in a dry pan. Add the mustard, cardamom and carway seeds towards the end. Grind these in a mortar and pestle.

Add just enough water or chicken stock to just cover the vegetables. Also add the tomatoes and tomato paste and bring to a simmer.

Add the spices and simmer for 90minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Use a stick blender to mix to a coarse puree. Season with salt an pepper.

I served this topped with yoghurt, red and green chilli slices (so people could determine their own level of heat), preserved lime from our garden, and coriander leaves.

The bread was topped with garlic oil, sea salt, cooked onion and nigella seeds.

Roast Cauliflower & Gnocchi

June 5, 2018 by craig Leave a Comment

Last night I made pan-fried potato gnocchi with roast cauliflower, a cheese sauce, parsnip chips, leek, pickled thyme leaves and a parmesan crisp. It was great!

Serves 6

Place flattened circles of grated parmesan cheese on a silicon mat or baking paper and cook at 160C until melted and just starting to brown. You’ll need to keep an eye on them. They will take 5 to 8 mins. Allow to cool and break into shards.

Peel strips from the outside of two parsnips. Cook in the oven, skin side down with a little olive oil at 180C until crisp (maybe 10 mins – but keep an eye on them).

Cut a piece of leek about 4 cm long and then cut lengthways into thin strips. Brush with a small amount of olive oil and char these under a hot grill.

Put 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (preferably white) in a saucepan and add 1/8 tsp sugar. Heat until sugar is melted. Add a few sprigs of thyme or lemon thyme and allow to cool. Remove the thyme and remove leaves from stalks.

Gnocchi
1 kg desiree potoatoes
200g 00 flour
1 egg
70g parmesan cheese
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Steam potatoes with skin on. Peel them while still warm and but through a potato ricer.
Add flour, whisked egg, cheese, salt and pepper.
Mix lightly until barely combined.
Roll out into long cylinders with extra flour as needed,
Cut cylinders into pieces and roll into small balls.
Flatten the balls with the back of a fork or use a ridged gnocchi rolling board.

Cut cauliflower into small florets. Combine with some olive oil and sea salt. Cook on baking paper in the oven at 200C for 20-25 mins until just starting to brown.

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce (see below).

Cheese sauce

1/2 leek, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed not minced
Butter
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup other cheese of choice – cheddar, gruyere, goat curd
1 egg yolk

Saute the leek and garlic gently in some butter until soft. Add the wine and black peppercorns and simmer until reduced by half.
Strain the mixture and return to pan. Add the cream and heat until barely simmering.
Add the cheese and stir until it melts and combines.
Season with salt and pepper as required.
If it is a bit runny, allow to cool slightly and gradually pour in the egg yolk, whisking to combine.

Cook gnocchi in barely boiling water until they rise to the surface.
Brown the gnocchi in a frypan with a mixture of butter and olive oil.