Shepherd's Pie with Butternut Mash & Capers

This is the hubs' recipe for shepherd's pie, and it is epic. Born to British parents, he knows a thing or two about hearty, pub-style cooking. This is the kind of thing you'll find in a country pub, perfect for warming you up with a pint alongside. It's also great because it makes so much, so cook it up to feed a crowd, or put some in the freezer for easy meals later in the month.

The slightly sweet butternut-sweet potato mash is the perfect topping for the salty, caper-flecked ground meat (and makes this savory pie gluten-free). We sometimes crumble a little stilton or blue cheese over the top if we're feeling extra cheeky... but that might be a step too far for some.

No pictures yet for this one. Honestly, it's a hard dish to catch an an aesthetic angle, like many good comfort food, casserole-style dishes. But I promise it's worth making, especially if there's a chill still hanging around where you are! And if the temp has already hit 80, as it is here in Los Angeles, file it away for next winter: you'll thank me. In lieu of a Southern Spoon pic, here's a cheat photo of Jamie Oliver's delicious-looking vegan shepherd's pie:

Jamie Oliver's photo, not mine!
Recipe below is original to Southern Spoon, and is very much not vegan.

Shepherd's Pie with Butternut Mash & Capers
Serves 6-8

1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 1.5 cups)
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 1.5 cups)
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon oil (such as olive or canola)
1 yellow or brown onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 packages ground beef (20% fat content works well)
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup frozen peas
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 1 anchovy, mashed with a fork (optional!)
1 teaspoon coursely ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or crumbled stilton/blue cheese (optional)

Place the butternut and sweet potato pieces in a medium size pot with water covering the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then place the carrots in a steamer basket, and set the steamer basket on top of the pot with the potato and butternut pieces. Boil/steam the vegetables for 10 minutes. Remove the steamer basket and set the carrots aside (they will go into the pie's meat filling). Drain the potatoes/butternut, and mash them thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. Stir in a pinch of salt, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef, and carefully stir and break up the beef as it browns in the skillet. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, until beef is mostly cooked through.

While the beef is cooking, whisk the cornstarch evenly into the beef stock. Add the steamed carrots and the stock to the beef, along with the peas, capers, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, pepper, thyme, paprika, and a pinch of salt. Stir carefully to combine, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust any seasoning-- adding a bit more Worcestershire, capers, salt and peppers, etc, as you like. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes to further reduce the stock.

(At this stage, if you are not using a dutch oven, transfer the ground beef mixture to a large, oven-proof casserole dish).

Carefully dollop and lightly spread the butternut/sweet potato mash over the top of the ground beef mixture, and sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Place the shepherd's pie under the broiler set at high heat for about 3-5 minutes, until the cheese begins to bubble and slightly brown, watching to ensure it doesn't burn.

Serve immediately.

Storage Tip: Shepherd's pie will keep in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days, or can be covered and frozen for up to 3 months.

Kung Pao Chicken with Zucchini & Carrot Noodles

Delinquent blogger alert. It's been almost 8 months since my last post, whoops! In fairness, it's been a strange year, having been separated from the hubs for 3/4 of it by the good ole US dept of immigration, and then, finally being able to live and work in the same country, moving out to California to start our new lives in America. We're now happily settled on the west coast and loving exploring our fantastic city and state.

Our new city! Los Angeles from the Getty Museum.

This awesome, easy recipe is a little nod to the Chinese influences shared by our most recent home, Sydney, and our new one in Los Angeles. And it's adapted from everyone's favorite British naked chef, Jamie Oliver, so you know it will be flavorful and fresh. It's got the perfect spicy, slightly caramely finish without being overly sauced like so much of the American Chinese cuisine you might remember if you grew up in the 80s and 90s.

Kung Pao chicken: peppery and bursting with fresh ginger, garlic, and spring onions.  

We served the chicken over spiralized zucchini and shaved carrot ribbons, which was perfect. But you could also serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or with roasted vegetables. We loved the bold flavors so much that we're going to make this for my family back in Texas one night over the holiday break- it will be a refreshing (and gluten free) change of pace from the traditional Christmas spread. Give it a try, you'll never order Kung Pao take-out again!

Zucchini noodles and carrot ribbons round out a meal that's light but flavorful. 

Kung Pao Chicken with Zucchini & Carrot Noodles
Serves 4
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's recipe here

1 tablespoon black peppercorns (or Szechuan peppercorns if you have 'em)
2 tablespoons gluten free flour (or cornflour)
4-5 chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon oil that can withstand high heat (such as olive oil)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1-inch piece of ginger, minced
3 green onions (spring onions/scallions), thinly sliced
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 teaspoons honey
4 zucchinis, spiralized into noodles (or shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler)
3 carrots, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup crushed cashews

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander), coarsely chopped

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppercorns, and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking occasionally, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer the peppercorns to a grinder or a mortar and pestle, and grind finely.

Place the gluten free flour in a large bowl, and add the ground pepper. Add the chicken, and toss to coat evenly with the flour mixture.

Heat the large skillet again over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of oil. Carefully add the chicken to the pan, and fly for 7-8 minutes, until cooked through. Stir occasionally while cooking to avoid burning, and careful not to get burned by splattering oil. (A splatter screen makes this step much cleaner!). Remove the chicken from the pan and onto a plate lined with paper towels.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot over low heat, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the zucchini and carrot noodles/ribbons to the pot, stir to coat in the oil, then cover with a lid. Continue to cook the noodles over low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and remove lid when finished.

Carefully discard most of the cooking oil from the skillet in which you cooked the chicken, leaving about 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and honey to the skillet, stirring to combine with the garlic-onion mixture, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken back to the skillet, and stir to combine and reheat the chicken, about 2 minutes.

Serve the chicken over the zucchini and carrot noodles, and top with a sprinkle of the crushed cashews and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

Storage tip: The vegetable noodles will become mushy as leftovers, but they still taste fine. The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

Baked whole red snapper with lemons and garlic

The first time I was ever presented with an entire baked fish to eat was in Haiti. I had just landed after a re-routed flight from Capetian to Port-au-Prince then back to Capetian (cattle on the runway, apparently), and was experiencing all kinds of new culture overstimulation just from the ride through the city via tap-tap from the airport to a place to eat. So when my plate turned up and the eyes of a fish were staring right back at me, I was a little stunned as to how to approach the meal. That was the first of many new culinary and cultural experiences in Haiti, and it all turned out better than I could have imagined. I loved the warmth of the people I met and their willingness to introduce me to their country and local customs.

In Australia we baked whole fish quite often. It's very easy to prepare when your fishmonger does the dirty work for you (gutting and descaling), and it always makes for a striking presentation at the table. We often serve it up directly off of the baking paper, but you could also transfer the fish to a platter and surround it with steamed or roasted vegetables.

baked red snapper, fresh from the oven and ready to to eat

The method below simply combines lemon slices, garlic, and some fresh parsley, but feel free to add whatever spices, herbs, or rubs you have on hand. Tomato slices are also delicious when baked in and around the fish. By baking in parchment paper the fish stays very moist while cooking through. Change this recipe up to suit your taste, and enjoy the looks on the faces of your fellow diners when you serve up an entire fish at the table!

Baked whole red snapper with lemons and garlic
Serves 4

1 whole red snapper (about 2 lbs, or 900g), gutted and descaled
1 lemon, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter, softened and chopped into chunks
pinch of freshly ground sea salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 390F / 200C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Tear off another sheet of parchment paper the same size and set aside.

Place about half of the lemon slices and half of the garlic slices onto the paper-lined baking tray, and place the fish on top. Place half of the butter, a few of the lemon slices, half of the parsley, and the remaining garlic slices into the cavity of the fish (where the guts were). Dot the remaining butter over the top of the fish, and place the remaining lemon slices on top. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and parsley over the top. Place the second sheet of parchment paper over the baking tray, and crimp all four edges together with the bottom sheet of parchment paper.

Bake the fish at 390F / 200C for 35 minutes, then remove the top piece of parchment paper and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. The fish is done when the flesh from the center flakes easily with a fork.

Serve immediately (warning everyone to watch for bones as they eat!).

Storage tip: Remove any remaining fish from the bones, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Pumpkin Salad with Avocado, Pecans, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

New Year's resolution-making already for 2015: more blogging! It's been over a month since I've posted, but since then: my job in Sydney finished, my Australian visa ran out, we've packed up and shipped all of our possessions, and I've moved back to Texas temporarily while I wait on the state department to approve the hubs to join me in the USofA. Needless to say, it's been busy.

But we're still cooking, and this is my first post from the Southern homeland I still call home. Have done a swift transfer from summer-weather salads to winter-themed dishes here in Texas, even though the weather is not quite frosty yet. The beautiful, delicious salad recipe shared below is just perfect for the holiday season, weather you're in the northern or the southern hemisphere. I made it in Sydney on Thanksgiving last month with my wonderful in-laws and will be making it again in Texas on Christmas for my family here.

This salad makes a beautiful addition to your holiday spread.

The sweet pumpkin, savory rocket (arugula) and crunchy pomegranate seeds and pecans make a mouthwatering combination, and the flavors are holiday season appropriate without adding another heavy, starchy side to your dinner table. I've used both kent pumpkin and acorn squash in this recipe with success, and butternut or any other slightly sweet squash would also work well. If you can't source avocados where you are (they're plentiful in Australia this time of year, and thankfully in Texas we have access to avos from Mexico and Cali), just leave them out-- the salad will still look and taste divine. This festive dish is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly. Win.

pumpkin, avocado & acorn squash over greens, topped with toasted pecans,
pomegranate arils, and pomegranate vinaigrette

Hope to be back before the month and year are over, but all best to you for December. And especially warm wishes to my family and friends back in Sydney, where the past week has been a tense and difficult one. May peace abound as we move forward into the New Year.

Pumpkin Salad with Avocado, Pecans, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Serves 6-8
Adapted from How Sweet it Is

1 acorn squash, or half of a kent pumpkin or butternut squash (no need to remove the skin!)
4-5 cups rocket (arugula; can substitute shredded romaine or another lettuce)

1 avocado, sliced into long, 1/4 inch-wide slices

1/2 of a medium sized pomegranate (for about 1/2 cup pomegranate arils)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped into large chunks

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
makes 1/2 cup

3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

pinch each of freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 395F/ 200C. Slice the squash or pumpkin into 1/4-inch slices (if using acorn squash, cut in half from bottom to top, then slice horizontally from bottom to top so you end up with scalloped slices of squash).

Place squash slices on a lightly greased or baking paper-lined baking tray, and place into a pre-heated oven. Roast at 395F/ 200C for 20-25 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through cooking, until the slices are cooked through and beginning to brown slightly. In the last 5-6 minutes of baking, place the pecans on another baking tray and place them in the oven to toast. Remove squash and pecans from oven and set aside to cool.

While the squash is roasting, remove the arils (seeds) from your pomegranate and set a 1/2 cup aside (refrigerate the remaining arils for another use). Then make the pomegranate vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together thoroughly.

On your serving platter or bowl, arrange the rocket leaves, and pour half of the vinaigrette evenly over the leaves. Arrange the squash slices over the rocket, then arrange the avocado slices in between the squash slices. Pour the remaining vinaigrette evenly over the salad, and sprinkle the pomegranate arils and pecans on top. Serve immediately.

Salad will keep, covered in the fridge, for 24 hours.

* Prep tip: The squash can be roasted up to a day ahead and placed in the fridge, ready to be used when you are ready to assemble the salad. The vinaigrette can be mixed up and stored in the fridge up to two days before serving.

Bok choy salad with sticky grilled eggplant, baby corn & miso garlic chicken

We spent last weekend in the Blue Mountains with friends (see pic at the end of this post), and had a great time going on long bushwalks through the gum trees then coming back to our Airbnb house to cook up a big meal over beers and old fashioneds. My friend Kate made the most amazing seared kangaroo salad on our first night-- check out her blog The Katechen for more delicious food outta Melbourne. We'll definitely be trying *roo salad* at home soon, but tonight we stuck to our favorite version of summer salad (marinated, grilled chicken thighs over an Asian-inspired base), topping it with sticky grilled eggplant slices inspired by Laura over at The First Mess.

baby bok choy salad topped with grilled sticky eggplant and baby corn

The basil and mint keep things tasting light, while the grilled eggplant and chicken make this dish go a long way to satisfy big appetites. If you can't easily source baby bok choy, any lettuce (romaine, oak leaf, etc) will do, or try a combo of thinly sliced Napa (Chinese) cabbage and purple cabbage. If you're cooking for vegetarians, just serve the grilled chicken separately, alongside the salad.

salad topped with miso garlic grilled chicken

These eggplant slices would also be delicious as a side on their own, or added to a burger/wrap situation. File this one away for the summer months, northern hemisphere mates. And a shout out to my little brother, whose birthday is today! Can't wait to toast the last year of your twenties with an old fashioned when we're back in the same country, bro. 

full of flavor: salad with grilled veg & chicken

Bok choy salad with sticky grilled eggplant, baby corn & miso garlic chicken

Serves 3-4

Bok choy salad

3 bunches baby bok choy, separated, washed, and thinly sliced

1/2 of a red bell pepper (capsicum), thinly sliced

4-5 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

small handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped

large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon reserved eggplant marinade (recipe below)

Toss the baby bok choy, bell pepper, mushrooms, mint, and basil together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved eggplant marinade with olive oil and mirin. Pour the marinade dressing over the salad, and toss to coat. Set aside to serve straight from the bowl, or transfer the salad to a flat serving plate to serve. 

Sticky grilled eggplant and baby corn (inspired by this recipe at The First Mess)

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1cm-wide slices

fat pinch of ground sea salt

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 of a brown or purple onion, thinly sliced 

big pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon miso

1 tablespoon mirin

handful of baby corn, sliced in half lengthwise

Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on a sheet of aluminum foil or a baking tray, and sprinkle with with sea salt on both sides. Leave the eggplant to sit while you make the marinade.

In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, ginger, onion, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the mixture has reduced by about half and is thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the miso and mirin. Set aside one tablespoon of the marinade mixture to use in the bok choy salad dressing (see above). 

Generously brush the eggplant slices on one side with the marinade (you won't use all of it, save the remainder to use while you're grilling). Leave the eggplant to marinate while you prepare the chicken (eggplant needs only about 10 minutes to soak up the flavors of the marinade).

When you're ready to grill, heat an outdoor barbeque or an indoor stovetop grill to high heat. Brush the grill with oil. Place the eggplant slices, marinated side down, onto the grill, and immediately brush the tops with the remaining marinade mixture. Place the sliced baby corn on the grill, too. 

Grill the eggplant slices for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until char marks appear and eggplant softens. Toss the baby corn around on the grill every couple of minutes, removing after the corn begins to develop a little char, about 6-8 minutes total. Remove the eggplant and corn and set aside to cool for a few minutes before arranging them on top of the bok choy salad.  

Miso garlic chicken

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil (or toasted sesame oil if you have it)

1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon miso

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

In a large glass or ceramic dish, mix the fish, sauce, oil, mirin, miso, and garlic. Place the chicken thighs into the mixture and turn them over a few times to coat evenly. Place the dish in the fridge for 15 minutes as you grill the eggplant (or, alternatively, marinate chicken, covered in the fridge, for up to 8 hours or overnight). 

Heat the grill (outdoor barbeque or indoor stovetop grill) to high heat. Add the chicken thighs, and grill for about 5-8 minutes on each side, until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear. 

Remove chicken from heat and allow to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices. Arrange the chicken on top of the salad and grilled eggplant and baby corn, or serve the chicken on a separate platter alongside the salad. Enjoy!

view from one of the lookout points near Leura on our Blue Mountains bushwalk last weekend

Chocolate Pavlova with Figs & Honey Yogurt Whipped Cream

This weekend was my sister's birthday-- happy birthday! Although I haven't been able to celebrate with her in the same country for the last nine years, we did have a mini early celebration last month when she visited us in Sydney. To acknowledge the Australian locale, we made a pavlova (aka *pav*), the delicious meringue dessert topped with cream and fruit that is ubiquitous at any Aussie holiday, especially around the broiling Christmas season.

Pavlova with a chocolate base, lightly sweetened cream filling,
ripe figs, and melted dark chocolate 

We decided to experiment with a chocolate pav base, and used an interesting technique picked up from Nigella Lawson recipe-- a touch of balsamic vinegar stirred into the whipped egg whites with some cocoa. The flavor is perfect, not too chocolatey, and a delicious accompaniment to ripe figs and lightly sweetened cream. I've since made this recipe again using a half cup of halved fresh cherries, which worked really well with the chocolate flavor, and I'm sure sliced strawberries would also be great. We Americanized the pav even further by drizzling a little melted dark chocolate over everything before serving, which made for a great presentation-- but it's just as tasty without the drizzle.

chocolate pav: a delicious birthday cake alternative : )

A word of warning-- the pavlova base doesn't hold its shape well in a fan-forced oven (I accidentally made a flat fruit pizza instead of a pav when I used the fan on my oven), and this dessert will work best when prepared on a less-humid day. Try it out for a special occasion-- it's a gluten-free dessert that's sure to impress, and people will be coming back for seconds. Enjoy, and happy birthday wishes to my favorite sister!

Chocolate Pavlova with Figs and Honey Yogurt Whipped Cream
Adapted from Nigella Lawson
Serves 6-8

Pavlova:
4 egg whites
2/3 cups sugar (I used  2 tablespoons brown sugar as part of this)
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Honey Yogurt Whipped Cream:
1 small carton cream (whipping cream in the US, single cream in the UK)
3 tablespoons natural or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Fruit & Chocolate Topping:
4 ripe figs, quartered (halved fresh cherries or strawberries also work well)
1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F (do not use a fan-forced oven or pavlova will flatten).

Whip up the egg whites till firm with electric mixer. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Carefully stir in cocoa and balsamic vinegar. (It's ok if streaks of cocoa remain)

Pile the egg white mixture onto a baking-paper lined cookie sheet. Make a large but tall circle, making a bit of an indentation in the centre for the cream filling. Place in oven and immediately turn oven down to 150C/ 300F. Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours, until meringue is set, but still very slightly squidgy when you press your finger in the very centre. Turn off oven, crack open the oven door a couple of inches, and leave to cool completely (pavlova can be left in the oven overnight if necessary).

When ready to serve, carefully peel the meringue shell from the baking paper and set it on a serving plate. Mix all ingredients together for the honey yogurt whipped cream. Pile the yogurt whipped cream into the centre of the meringue shell, leaving an inch or so of meringue showing around the edge. Arrange the fig quarters around the creamy topping.

For the chocolate topping (optional): melt the dark chocolate carefully in a microwave (at 15 second intervals) or a double-boiler. Drizzle the chocolate over the entire pavlova.

Serve within a few hours to ensure that the meringue stays crisp on the outside.

Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Eggplant & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin

Apologies for the lull here at Southern Spoon recently. We hosted my awesome sister in Sydney for a couple of weeks, after which I few straight to Iceland for work (fabulous fish, meat, soups, berries, etc-- see proof on my instagram feed @SouthernSpoon), then we moved house-- always an exhausting exercise, but our new kitchen makes up for it. It's big by inner-city standards, equipped with new appliances, and just around the corner from a great grocery store and Newtown, a central Sydney suburb known for its great cafes and restaurants. So goodbye to our tiny, 1970s vintage kitchen, and hello to white granite countertops and a new neighborhood of food and drinks to explore.

This simple salad is inspired by one over at Sydney-based blog Eat Drink Paleo (a beautiful blog of delicious, doable, whole food recipes-- highly recommended). Aussie salads are delicious: focused on seasonal produce without tons of dressing weighing them down, and this one is the perfect balance of textures and flavors. The slight sweetness of the dukkah-crusted pumpkin goes well with the savory steak and peppery rocket (aka arugula), and a simple olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing is all the salad needs to bring the flavors together. Rather than eggplant, you could easily substitute bell pepper or tomatoes, cutting them into slices before roasting for 15-20 minutes.

paleo-friendly salad of rocket, steak, dukkah-crusted pumpkin, and roasted eggplant

This is delicious for lunch or dinner, and would make a great salad to transport to a barbeque or pot luck event, as the hardier rocket leaf holds up very well in a dressing, staying crisp for hours after it is made. The steak packs a protein punch, so this salad will fill you up and keep you satisfied till your next meal. It's paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and allergy friendly for serving to a crowd (though careful about what nuts/seeds you use in the Dukkah if cooking for nut-sensitive eaters). Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Peppers & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin
Serves 3-4 as a main course, 6-8 as a side
Inspired by Eat Drink Paleo

1.5 lbs (680 g) flank beef steak or other thin-cut of beef
pinch of freshly ground salt and pepper
3 teaspoons cooking oil (such as rice bran oil), divided use
2 cups rocket (arugula), rinsed and spun dry
2 cups diced pumpkin (kent, grey, butternut), about 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons dukkah (see my easy, homemade dukkah recipe here)
1 cup diced eggplant, about 1-inch squares

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 215C / 420F, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and diced pumpkin, tossing to coat. Add the dukkah, and toss to coat the pumpkin evenly with the dukkah. Arrange the pumpkin and diced eggplant on the baking sheet lined with baking paper or greased well with oil, spreading out the vegetables so that the pieces aren't touching. (You may need to spread everything out over two baking trays). Place in pre-heated oven and cook at 215C / 420F for 18-25 minutes, turning over the pieces halfway through, until pumpkin is cooked through. (If the eggplant pieces are done earlier and beginning to brown, just remove them and set aside while the pumpkin continues to cook).

While the pumpkin and eggplant are cooking: season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, swirl 2 teaspoons cooking oil around to coat the skillet evenly. Add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, till seared on the outside but still pink in the middle (medium), or to your desired level of doneness. Remove steak and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and the minced garlic.

To assemble the salad: on a large serving platter or wide bowl, spread out the rocket leaves. Scatter the dukkah-crusted pumpkin and the roasted eggplant evenly over the leaves. Arrange the steak slices along the top of the salad, and drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad. Top with freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 6 hours, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Leftover salad will keep for two days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

I love whipping up a batch of muffins, savory or sweet, and that's something I've missed now that the hubs and I are focusing on lowering our carb intake in favor of more vegetables and protein. I've been pinning paleo-style and low-carb recipes like crazy for inspiration as we make up new dishes, and there are quite a few good-looking recipes out there for grain-free muffins. I've tried a few almondmeal-based muffins and have been very happy with the results-- they still rise a bit (not as much as a flour-based muffin), are moist and crumbly, and very satisfying after just one or two.

banana muffins, pale-style (grain-free goodness)

These banana bread-style muffins were a delicious component of our weekend breakfast, rounded out with eggs over easy and some crispy fried prosciutto. The muffins are plenty sweet with the banana and just a tablespoon of honey-- a perfect treat.

tender and just-sweet-enough banana muffins

This recipe is already grain-free and gluten free. To make it dairy-free just substitute melted coconut oil or your favorite cooking oil for the butter. I've listed my preferred mixture of warm spices, but feel free to use your favorite combination or a pumpkin pie spice mixture that adds up to one teaspoon. This makes a small batch of muffins, just six, but double the ingredients and divide between twelve muffin cups (same baking time) for a full dozen. 

For breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack I'm sure you'll find these paleo-friendly muffins as delicious as we do. Happy (grain-free) baking! 

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

makes 6 muffins (double ingredients for 12)

Inspired by a number of paleo-friendly banana bread recipes

1 medium, ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup mashed)

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg

1 cup almond meal 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (ground linseed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash of freshly ground sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 177C/ 350F, and grease 6 cups in a standard-sized muffin pan (or line with cupcake liners or baking paper).

In a small bowl, add the melted butter (or coconut oil), honey, and egg to the mashed banana. Stir thoroughly to combine.

In a medium sized bowl, add all of the remaining dry ingredients (almond meal through nutmeg), and stir to evenly combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir thoroughly to combine. 

Divide the mixture between 6 muffin cups (if desired, top with chopped walnuts), and bake at 177C/ 350F for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out without any batter on it (it may have a few crumbs). After removing from the oven, leave muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes before gently running a knife around the edges and removing them from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Muffins will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge, for 3 to 4 days.

Homemade Dukkah... and a Snack of Mandarins with Yogurt, Olive Oil, Sunflower Seeds & Dukkah

I loved the winter snacks post that Laura of The First Mess posted a couple months back. I thought her suggested combination of cara cara oranges with savory yogurt, olive oil, za'atar and pinenuts was inspired-- a little sweet, a little savory, perfect. I had some leftover dukkah that I made a couple of weeks ago to coat cubes of pumpkin before I roasted them, and thought it would go well with the mandarins I like to keep on hand.

mandarins with yogurt, olive oil, sunflower seeds & dukkah (pardon my retro, tea-stained countertop)

So this is my version, and it's a little out of season here. We're still getting a few Aussie mandarin oranges on the shelves, though they aren't as juicy as the ones we'll have a little later in the year. I used my favorite plain yogurt, and a local extra-virgin olive oil. I didn't have pinenuts on hand, so sunflower seeds were a good substitute, but any small nut or seed would do here.

Middle Eastern inspired snack, gluten-free and delicious

Hope you enjoy this tasty, Middle Eastern-style alternative to your typical mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Madarins with Yogurt, Olive Oil, Sunflower Seeds, and Dukkah
serves 1

1 mandarin orange, peeled and separated into segments
1/4 cup yogurt (I used plain cow's milk yogurt)
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
1 tablespoon shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon dukkah (recipe below)

In a small bowl, arrange mandarin segments. Top with yogurt, olive oil, sunflower seeds, and dukkah. Serve immediately.

Dukkah
makes just over 1/4 cup

1/4 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly ground sea salt

Pre-heat oven to 177C/ 350F. Roast the hazelnuts in a baking tray for about 10 minutes. Remove hazelnuts from the oven, and carefully rub them together (in your hands after they cool, or in a tea towel) so that the outer papery shell comes off-- discard the outer shell. Finely chop the hazelnuts.

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat, and toast the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds for about 3-4 minutes, until they are beginning to brown and fragrant (be careful not to burn the sesame seeds). Remove from the skillet and crush/chop the seeds with a knife (I used the side of a large knife to crush the seeds, then chopped them more finely)... or use a mortar and pestle to grind them down to a coarse mixture.

Add the finely chopped hazelnuts, pepper, and salt to the toasted, crushed seed mixture, and blend well.

Store covered at room temperature or in the fridge for up to six weeks.

Serving tips: Dukkah is delicious sprinkled over roast meat (before or after roasting), coated over vegetables such as pumpkin before roasting, sprinkled over salads, or in savory-sweet dishes like the mandarin-yogurt snack above.

Southeast Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

The hubs and I are still enjoying our eating plan that focuses on plenty of protein and vegetables, quality fats, and limited gluten and carbs. We both have more stable energy levels throughout the day, and it's been fun / challenging to create new lunch and dinner meals that don't include grains.

One of our favorite regional cuisines is southeast Asian, which influences a lot of the food options here in Australia. At the moment we're steering clear of grains, though, and it can be hard to find southeast Asian food without rice or rice noodles. Last weekend I thought I would try to recreate the delicious lettuce wraps I remembered from trips to P.F. Chang's with friends in high school. Now, P.F. Chang's is hardly as authentic as some of the food we can get in Sydney, but those chicken lettuce wraps of theirs were awesome!

southeast asian style beef lettuce wraps, flavorful & filling, paleo-friendly & gluten-free

We subbed lean ground beef for chicken, and mixed it up with mushrooms, onions, and some celery for crunch. For dipping sauces we used our favorite store-bought oyster sauce thinned out with some mirin, vinegar, and water, and we mixed up a simple spicy mustard to go with it. The chopped basil and mint, combined with the sauces drizzled on top, made for incredibly fresh and delicious beef lettuce wraps-- better than the P.F. Chang's version that I remember!  We made these a meal by serving them with steamed, thinly sliced green cabbage and radishes, tossed in a little toasted sesame oil and soy sauce with freshly ground pepper.

tasty beef lettuce wraps with steamed cabbage and radishes

We liked this meal so much we're repeating it tonight. Highly recommend trying these-- they're gluten-free, dairy-free, full of protein and vegetables, and, as we say in Oz, tasty as. 

Beef Lettuce Wraps

Serves 2 - 3 as a main dish

1 tablespoon oil (cooking olive oil)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely diced mushrooms

1/4 cup finely sliced celery

500g (1 lb) ground beef (high quality, grass-fed preferred)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (divided use; make sure it's gluten-free if you're cooking g-f)

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon rice vinegar (divided use)

1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

pinch of freshly ground pepper

To Serve: 

8 Romaine, butter, or iceburg lettuce leaves, washed and chilled

Oyster sauce:

oyster sauce

1/4 teaspoon mirin

1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon water

pinch of freshly ground pepper

Hot mustard sauce:

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 to 1 teaspoon water

Herb mix:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oils and swirl to coat pan. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 further minute. Add diced mushrooms, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, mirin, half of the rice vinegar, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn't burn. Add ground beef, remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, remaining rice vinegar, chili flakes, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish. 

Meanwhile, make the sauces. In a small serving dish, mix together all ingredients for the oyster sauce, adding enough water to make it a runny enough to spoon easily. In another small serving dish, mix together all ingredients for the hot mustard, adding enough water to make it runny enough to spoon easily.

To Serve: Arrange the beef mixture, lettuce leaves, serving sauces, and herb mix on a serving or dining table, and let guests help themselves to building their own lettuce wraps with accompanying garnishes.

Nutrition changes (Southern Spoon goes a little paleo)

Some big dietary changes going on in the Southern Spoon household the past couple of weeks that I wanted to share. Pour a cuppa tea, this post is a little longer than usual.

rocket salad with roasted eggplant, dukkah-crusted pumpkin,
grass-fed beef steak, and garlic, olive oil, tahini vinaigrette

If you read this blog, you know that I cook whole foods and work around a number of food intolerances: preservatives, artificial colors / flavors, peanuts (and lentils), and foods with high levels of the natural food chemical salycilates (tomatoes, for example, are out for the hubs, as is wine). Since moving from England to Australia in 2011 we have adopted what we presumed was a more healthy diet: making many more meals meatless, eating a wider variety of vegetables (produce is so much better here!), and being more active in the balmy weather.

However, despite those dietary changes, a massive reduction in stress levels, getting more sleep, and losing a little weight over the last two-and-a-half years, recent medical tests have revealed extremely high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. In an effort to ensure we're treating our bodies as best as possible, a doctor referred us to a nutritionist.

This nutritionist has planned a dietary approach with the goal of reducing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is believed by a number of medical and nutrition professionals to be a major cause of poor health (including heart disease), and it's not hard to trust that reducing inflammation through dietary and lifestyle changes is a good idea.

cauliflower crust pizza with chicken & veggies: delicious

On this nutritionist's plan, breakfast is the carb-iest meal of our day: carbs with a protein and a fat, preferably working in barley and soy milk (to up soluble fiber and help clean up bad cholesterol). Lunch and dinner should have a protein, a fat, and what the nutritionist calls *free foods*, basically low-carb vegetables (so excluding potatoes, grains, legumes). This diet is meant to keep insulin and blood sugar levels more level during the day, and thus help reduce inflammation.

This means our lunches and dinners are very similar to a paleo-style eating plan, emphasizing plenty of protein (mostly animal-based protein, since higher-protein plants like legumes and grains are to be avoided), vegetables and some fruit, and sources of fat from things like avocados, olive oil, even butter. The nutritionist didn't cut out dairy, and even recommended some cheese, yogurt, etc, so we're still eating some dairy.

salad with roasted tomatoes, eggplant,
dukkah-crusted pumpkin, & chorizo

We've been eating this way for two weeks. We both feel more energetic - physically and mentally - and I find that my blood sugar swings are hardly non-existent, whereas I used to rush home after work starving for dinner, even after having a big, veggie and grain-based lunch, and a granola bar snack. I feel full more quickly when eating increased levels of protein and fat (lots of eggs, yum!), but without feeling bloated. We're also trying to get out and move a little more: walking to the beach, running a few laps, doing more strength training.

It's been an adjustment to think of our typical dinner dishes without grains, legumes, or potatoes, but so far we've made it work, and everything tastes just as (if not more) delicious. I'll be interested to see what the medical tests reveal about cholesterol and blood pressure levels in three months after the next check-up, but mostly I'm interested in simply continuing to feel a little bit better, in mind and body.

From now on I'll be sharing some of the dishes we're enjoying on this eating plan: they'll be low-carb, usually grain- and legume-free, with an emphasis on quality protein and fat, and a variety of vegetables. The photos in this post are some of the meals we've enjoyed so far, recipes to come.

Hope you like these dishes too, and, of course, always communicate with a medical or nutrition professional before making big changes in your own diet. Happy Spring, all.

Toasted Buckwheat Lebanese Salad with Lamb Koftas

A couple of weeks ago I came home to the hubs making up lamb koftas-- Lebanese meatballs-- for dinner, which were delicious wrapped in naan bread with a homemade cucumber-yogurt tzatziki. Ever since I've been scheming about how I can pair them with a salad to bring in more plant-based goodness to the dish, and was delighted to run across this Middle Eastern Salad from nutritionist Danielle Levy's blog. This week we made the koftas again and served them over a similar toasted buckwheat salad, dressed with hummus, and the dish was perfect. The fresh, crunchy combination of salad and grains worked wonderfully with the lamb meatballs, and the hummus dressing brought everything together for a Lebanese-style feast.

grilled zucchini, toasted buckwheat, chickpeas, radishes, celery, and fresh parsley

This salad is packed with sources of plant-based protein from the buckwheat and chickpeas (Danielle also sprinkles hemp seeds on top for added protein and omega-3 fats, though we left these out because the local grocer doesn't carry them), and it could easily serve as a meal on its own with the hummus dressing. We'd worked in our three vegetarian dinners already this week (a new goal for 2014), so the lamb koftas as another protein hit took this salad into into the filled and totally satisfied category.

salad ingredients mixed together for a crunchy, filling dish

If you have other fresh herbs on hand in addition to parsley, such as mint or basil, a chopped handful of those would also be welcome here. Keeping in mind our heart-healthy focus, we didn't add any salt to the salad components, relying on the hummus, lemon juice, and touch of balsamic to bring in a salty-tart profile. I felt that this really allowed the crisp and distinct flavors of the vegetables-- radish, celery, grilled zucchini, parsley-- to show through. But if you feel it needs a little something extra, toss the salad with a pinch of freshly ground sea salt.

Lebanese-style salad ready to serve, hummus dressing not shown

Hope you enjoy this fresh and satisfying salad as spring begins to gradually poke its head up in the northern hemisphere, or file it away for warmer weather. Happy beginning of March to you!

Toasted Buckwheat Lebanese Salad
serves 4

1/2 cup dry toasted buckwheat*
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced lengthwise (1/8 - 1/4 inch slices)
4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
2 long celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (no salt added)
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
juice from half a lemon (zest the lemon half first if you're making the lamb koftas)
lamb koftas (optional, recipe below)

Hummus Dressing
1/2 cup hummus (homemade recipe here)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
splash (2 teaspoons) of balsamic vinegar
up to 2 teaspoons water

(*If your buckwheat is not toasted when you buy it, just rinse it with cold water in a fine mesh sieve, then toss it into a wide pan heated to medium heat and sprayed lightly with oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the buckwheat begins to turn golden brown and toasty. Remove from heat, and boil in a saucepan of water as detailed below.)

Rinse the buckwheat with water in a fine mesh sieve. Place buckwheat and 1 1/2 cups water into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, until buckwheat is tender. (Watch carefully towards the end to make sure the water doesn't evaporate too quickly and you burn the buckwheat!) Rinse the cooked buckwheat again through the fine mesh sieve with cold water to cool. Set aside.

Heat an outdoor grill or stovetop griddle to medium-high heat. Carefully coat the griddle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and arrange the zucchini slices on the griddle in a single layer. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and zucchini is tender. Remove zucchini from grill and set aside.

In a large non-metal bowl, toss the radishes, celery, parsley, onion, garlic, chickpeas, and half of the grilled zucchini slices. Add the pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice, and carefully toss to coat the salad.

To make the hummus dressing: Mix all ingredients together, thinning out with a couple of teaspoons of water to achieve a slightly runny consistency.

To serve: Arrange the salad on a serving plate, and garnish with the remaining grilled zucchini slices, twisting them around the edge of the salad. (Alternatively, to save dirtying another plate, add the rest of the zucchini to the salad and serve in the salad bowl). Drizzle the hummus dressing evenly over the salad. If desired, top the salad with lamb koftas, and serve.

Toasted Buckwheat Lebanese Salad with Lamb Koftas

Lamb Koftas

serves 3-4

400g (14 oz) ground lean lamb (mince)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley)

1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

pinch of freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon flour (I used wholemeal wheat flour)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (I used rice brain oil)

In a large non-metal bowl, mix together the ground lamb and the next eight ingredients (through ground pepper). Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, add the egg, and mix thoroughly to combine.

Using clean hands, form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, packing the mixture together slightly so that it will stay together when it cooks. This should make 9-10 meatballs.

Heat a wide skillet over medium heat, and coat the skillet with the oil. Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the bottoms are browned, then turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes. At this point, begin turning the meatballs over on all of the sides that are not browned, cooking for a few minutes on each side, until the meatballs are browned all over and cooked through. Cut a meatball in half to to make sure they are done.

Remove the lamb koftas from the heat, and serve atop Toasted Buckwheat Lebanese salad as above. Alternatively, serve the koftas in pita bread halves or wrapped in naan bread with sliced cucumbers, sliced red onions, and plain yogurt or hummus. 

Valentine's Day menu recap

Just a little post to share the super easy appetizer we made for Valentine's last night, and provide links for the other food we enjoyed.

The main course was a recipe from The First Mess: a beautiful dish of grapefruit roasted beets over canellini beans and wilted beet greens, topped with pistachio butter (and we added some chopped prosciutto to use up a few slices we had that needed to be eaten up). The grapefruit really lightened up the beets, making them taste more like a summer/spring dish than a winter food, perfect for our current season here in Sydney. We love beets (a staple in Aussie burgers: yum), but if you're not yet convinced, I recommend Laura's method of roasting them in a citrus juice to balance out their naturally earthy flavor. Our local grocer didn't have shelled pistachios, so it was a labor of love to prep them for the pistachio butter, but well worth it. The full and creamy flavor-texture was a perfect accompaniment to the beans/greens/beets.

labor of love: pistachio shelling for the Valentine's Day main dish
(retro countertops for the win)

For dessert I adapted Deb's recipe for linzer heart cookies over at Smitten Kitchen. I used ground almonds that I already had on hand rather than hazelnuts, reduced the sugar a bit, replaced some of the AP flour with wholewheat, and we filled half of them with Nutella and half with strawberry jam. The dough was a little finicky to work with in the heat, but they turned out crisp, buttery, and delicious. They are the hubs' favorite cookie, though I don't make them often since they require a heck of a lot of butter, and eating just two cookies is equivalent to eating four (self-restraint is difficult in the face of Nutella). But they were a delightful treat for Valentine's Day. Will have to try Oh Ladycakes' raw version when we next get a craving for them.

linzer heart cookies with nutella and jam

And back to the starter: watermelon rounds (cut with a small biscuit cutter) topped with sliced shallots, a little crumbled blue cheese, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction (made like this one on Camille Styles). This was a simple, refreshing way to begin the meal. The watermelon felt lighter than a traditional cheese board of bread, crackers, nuts, olives, etc, and the little bites paired beautifully with a crisp white wine.

watermelon topped with shallots, blue cheese, balsamic reduction. 

Hope you had an enjoyable day, and were reminded of those you love and those who love you! 

Twice-Baked Potatoes (and a little chat about hearts)

Potatoes are your post for Valentine's Day, really? Let me explain.

Twice-baked potatoes were one of my favorite side dishes growing up. I loved coming home after school and seeing my mom prep them on a baking tray, ready to be popped into the oven with dinner. They are easy to make and take everyone's love for mashed potatoes to the next level (who doesn't love mashed potatoes?). I started making them as soon as I moved away from Texas to England nine years ago because I could easily source the ingredients and they tasted like home. They've become a regular rotation at our house, with various herbs, spices, and mustards to liven up the filling. If you don't have herbs or mustard on hand, these will still taste great with just a pinch of salt and pepper.

twice baked potatoes, flavored with herbs, pepper, and mustard, round out a heart-healthy dinner

Speaking of salt, the hubs came back from a regular check-up yesterday with a pamphlet about blood pressure and maintaining a healthy heart... now that we're (just) past 30 both of us are taking strides to make sure we eat healthy and stay active. We follow a pretty healthy day-to-day diet, eating whole food, almost all of it cooked from scratch (because of food intolerances to preservatives and some natural food chemicals), and limiting our intake of fats and sugar. We're getting better at eating vegetarian dinners a few nights of the week, which isn't too hard when there are such beautiful veg and vegan blogs and cookbooks available! However, salt is something we need to try harder to limit. (More about salt and blood pressure over at the American Heart Association. 97% of Americans eat too much salt. It's a big issue, y'all).

twice baked potatoes, broccolini, pesto-roasted eggplant, and sumac-dusted salmon

Though we have drastically reduced the amount of salt we use at the table, sodium and salt are still prevalent in many of the foods we enjoy-- from southeast Asian dishes to Tex-Mex. So in 2014 we're going to make some big changes to the amount of sodium we consume. Citrus, herbs and spices, vinegar, and other strong flavors will take over where we often use salt. If we need a fix, we'll take a ten-minute walk down the street to our beautiful local Sydney beach and soak up some of the Pacific spray.

Valentine's Day roses from the hubs!

So these twice-baked potatoes are made with your heart's health in mind. The recipe relies on herbs and pepper for flavor, with a little mustard and a tiny bit of cheddar if you want it. We served them last night with sumac-dusted grilled salmon, steamed broccolini, and thinly sliced eggplant that I'd brushed with the lightest amount of pesto and baked in the oven for 20 minutes. Filling and delicious, and they didn't need any added salt.

Don't worry, we'll be indulging in watermelon, shallot, and blue cheese salad appetizers, this beautiful grapefruit roasted beet dish over beet greens and white beans with pistachio butter, and linzer heart cookies two ways (with nutella and jam) tonight. But in the mean time, hope you enjoy these flavorful, low-sodium twice-baked potatoes, and wishing you a heart-healthy Valentine's Day : )

Twice-Baked Potatoes (with herbs and mustard)
serves 4

2 medium-sized potatoes
1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
1 to 2 tablespoons natural or greek yogurt (low-fat)
1/4 teaspoon each dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
4 thin slices cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 200C/ 400F.

Wash the potatoes and pierce them all over with a fork or knife. Place potatoes in the microwave, and microwave on full power for 7-10 minutes, until potatoes are tender to the touch and cooked through. (Alternatively, bake the potatoes in a pre-heated 200C/ 400F oven for 30-40 minutes, until tender and cooked through).

Carefully slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, and leave for a few minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a metal spoon to scrape the flesh out of each potato half into a medium sized bowl, coming as close as you can to the skin of the potato without cutting through it. Reserve the potato skins.

Mash the potato up a bit with a fork, then add the milk and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Mix thoroughly until you achieve a smooth consistency, you may need to add another tablespoon of yogurt at this stage. Stir in the dried parsley, oregano, basil, pepper, and mustard (to taste), and blend thoroughly into the mashed potato.

Spoon the mashed potato into the four potato half skins, and, if desired, top each with a thin slice of cheddar cheese. Place potato halves on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 200C/ 400F for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are piping hot and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Twice-baked potatoes will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 2 days.

Cherry Miso Glaze (for roasted eggplant, asparagus, & more)

While I was in the US for Christmas I wanted to introduce my parents to the incredible Japanese Oatmeal that has become a staple on the breakfast rotation at our house. We had such trouble finding miso in any of the nearby grocery stores that we gave up. I'm sure that I could have found it if we'd searched further afield, but we had better things to do with the precious little time we get with family and friends on our visits to Texas. With all the miso recipes appearing on American food blogs, I'm guessing it's not too hard to find if you know where to look for it. Sounds like Whole Foods is a good bet for sourcing miso, and any larger grocery store that has a good international foods section. So while you're there purchasing Vegemite or Marmite for your cheesymite scrolls, stock up on miso, too. The salty, slightly fermented taste adds such a rich depth to whatever food you pair it with.

I've seen some recipes for miso-glazed eggplant around the web, and have been hankering to try it out. Tonight we thought it would complement the crispy-skin salmon we had in mind, and the entire meal turned out perfectly. Instead of the typical mirin-miso blend for this glaze, I used some local Australian cherry juice, mixed with a bit of miso and raw sugar. Cooked over low heat for a few minutes, it reduced down into a beautiful, dark burgundy glaze. We used it to baste some small eggplant halves and some whole asparagus, and the result was delicious.

Apologies for possibly the worst photo on this blog-- we were hungry after a long day at work.
But I promise this cherry miso glaze over  roasted eggplant and asparagus tastes amazing.

You could easily use this glaze on other vegetables that do well in roast: halved brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, baby squash, zucchini, etc. When spread over the surface of the vegetable, the glaze imparts a more subtle flavor, while a sliced or scored vegetable will soak up more of the sweet-salty flavor. This glaze would also work well on baked meat dishes such as a mild fish, pork tenderloin, and chicken breasts or thighs.

If you can't find cherry juice, try substituting pomegranate or even apple juice. Just make sure that you're buying 100% juice, no sugar or preservatives added. The miso is a necessary ingredient--  I promise you'll be glad you invested in it and will find it a flexible, long-lasting ingredient in the kitchen. Go out on a limb experimenting with these ingredients if you never have before, and enjoy the perfectly sweet-salty balance of this delicious glaze.

Cherry Miso Glaze (and how to use it on roasted eggplant & asparagus)
makes just over 1/4 cup of glaze

1/4 cup cherry juice (100% juice, no preservatives added)
2 tablespoons miso (either yellow or white miso is fine)
2 tablespoons raw sugar

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir with a whisk or fork while the mixture heats up to blend the miso into the sauce. When it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 more minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the miso is completely incorporated.  Remove from heat.

Use glaze immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Cherry Miso Glazed Eggplant and Asparagus
serves 3-4 people as a side dish

1/4 cup Cherry Miso Glaze
4 small eggplants (mine were about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide)
1 medium bunch of asparagus

Preheat oven to 190C.

Wash the eggplant and asparagus. Remove and discard the leafy tops from the eggplants, and snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus spears.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and score each half of flesh into a cross-hatch pattern, cutting all the way to (but not through) the eggplant skin.

Lightly brush or spray the eggplant and asparagus with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet or roasting tray. Place the tray in the pre-heated oven, and bake for 6 minutes.

Remove tray from oven, and carefully baste the eggplant flesh and the asparagus spears with the cherry miso glaze. You may have a bit of glaze leftover-- store for another use. Return the basted vegetables to the oven and bake at 190C for another 10-15 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown and the asparagus spears are tender when a fork is stuck through them. Serve immediately.