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.

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.

Banana granola with raisins & walnuts

I haven't bought cereal in a while now, reaching instead for homemade granola with yogurt or milk and my morning coffee. I love the recipe I began making about a year ago, which gets its crunch from the addition of a whipped egg white (tip courtesy of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook). But recently we had a few very ripe bananas, and instead of baking a loaf of banana bread, I decided to mash one into our weekly granola. Best decision!

naturally sweetened banana granola
full of grains and protein = happy start to the day

The consistency of the banana, mixed with a little tahini, oil, and honey, resulted in a perfectly crunchy, clumped together granola, without the addition of a whipped egg white. I added raisins and chopped walnuts after baking the granola, which gave it just the right level of sweetness and crunch. Feel free to leave out the coconut if that's not your bag, and to use peanut or another nut butter instead of tahini (ground sesame seeds) if you'd like. I've also used coconut oil in place of the rice bran oil, which is delicious. The ground flaxseed and chia seeds, along with the oats, add plenty of protein and fibre-- this stuff will keep you full till lunchtime. 

oats, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, and coconut with banana, tahini, and honey

I'm also planning to try a sweet potato or pumpkin version of this granola later this month (just in time to cure any ex-pat Thanksgiving blues!)... I imagine a mashed sweet potato / pumpkin will offer a texture and sweetness similar to the banana in this recipe. I hope you enjoy this version as much as we did: the hubs has dubbed it the best granola yet.

Banana granola with raisins & walnuts

makes about 3 cups

1 large ripe banana (or 2 small bananas), mashed (about 3/4 cup)

1 tablespoon oil (rice bran oil or coconut oil work well)

1 tablespoon tahini (or peanut butter, almond butter, etc)

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of freshly ground sea salt

3 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup coursely chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the banana, oil, tahini, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, and stir well so that everything is evenly coated in the banana mixture.

Spread the mixture evenly onto a large cookie sheet (or two medium sized cookie sheets). Bake at 150C / 300F for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly golden, taking the tray out halfway through the baking time to flip the granola over with a large spatula and stir it around a bit on the cookie sheet so that it bakes evenly. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool, then sprinkle the raisins and walnuts over the granola. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Japanese oatmeal with sesame & miso

This riff on miso porridge is one I have been mulling over for a while now and have been working up the courage to try. I knew the hubs would melt over the idea of a savory oatmeal seasoned with miso, as we're always having the savory/sweet breakfast food debate on the weekends. He prefers savory, my ideal is slightly sweet. Our compromise is usually pancakes with fried eggs on the side. But salty miso oatmeal, when my favorite version is a cinnamon-spiced mixture sweetened with a little honey or brown sugar (and preferably some roasted pumpkin thrown in), was going to be all him.

plain yogurt, toasted walnuts, sliced radishes = perfect miso oatmeal stir-ins

However. This recipe blew my socks off. The flavor is stunning, satisfying.  The cool radishes and toasty walnuts, stirred in with a little creamy yogurt on top of the salty oats, are the most delicious combination. The hubs wants to experiment with a poached egg on top, too, though we haven't yet ventured that far (he has done so now, and it is delicious!).

sesame oil toasted oats with miso make a satisfying, flavorful oatmeal

We've also discovered that thinly chopped celery and baby bok choy are very tasty additions. Chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or dill) and toasted sesame seeds would also be great add-ins. If you don't have sesame oil on hand to toast the oats in the first step, use olive oil or butter instead. But make sure you toast them, it adds a rich, deep flavor to the finished bowl.

miso oatmeal topped with sliced celery and baby bok choy, with yogurt and toasted walnuts

It's going to take many more batches of Japanese oatmeal (as we've started calling it) until I grow tired of it and turn back to the sweeter variety. Trust me, you need to try this at least once. And somehow this seems the perfect breakfast for either the cooler fall whether you Northern hemisphere folks are experiencing, or our hotter, summery days down here in the southern half of the world. Happy November, all. 

Japanese Oatmeal

2 servings
inspired by 101 Cookbooks

3 teaspoons sesame oil

1 1/4 cups oats (make sure they're gluten-free if your cooking g-f)

2 cups water

2-3 teaspoons miso (I used shiro/white miso)

A selection of toppings to serve:

2-3 tablespoons plain/greek yogurt

1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1 thinly sliced large radish

1 5-inch piece of celery, thinly sliced

1 bunch baby bok choy, thinly sliced

Place a medium-sized pot on the stove and bring to medium-low heat. Add the sesame oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the oats, and cook, stirring occasionally to coat in the sesame oil, for about 6-7 minutes, until they have taken on a slight, light golden color and toasted scent. Add the water to the oats and bring to a slow simmer. Cook the oats, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed, about 6-7 minutes.

Place the miso in a separate small bowl, and add a few spoonfuls of the cooked oats to the miso. Stir to combine. Add this oat-miso mixture back to the cooked oats, and stir gently to evenly combine. Taste and add up to another teaspoon of miso if necessary. Remove oats from heat.

Serve immediately with a small dollop of yogurt, the chopped, toasted walnuts, and whatever other toppings you desire (thinly sliced radishes, celery, baby bok choy, etc). 

Quickbread Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts & Golden Syrup

I can't do yeast bread. I should practice more often. I should make sure the yeast I have hasn't expired every time I try to use it. But really I just prefer quickbreads. They're a sure thing. Baking powder and baking soda and that's all the leavening you need.

My great-grandmother, Mamaw, who lived in a tiny Louisiana town until she peacefully passed out of this world at the age of 101, was renowned for her yeast rolls. These perfect, light, flaky things were like a cross between a biscuit and a dinner roll, just incredible. We used to eat them by the basketful at dinners in her little white clapboard house on the sweet potato farm that was run by her husband, then their son (my great uncle), and his son after that. My dad (Mamaw's grandson) and his sisters and cousins still speak with reverence of the times she would make those rolls and cover them in a homemade, cocoa-based chocolate sauce. Then they became *chocolate rolls*, and were apparently the most delectable things any of them had ever tasted. I never had the chocolate version, but Mamaw's rolls original-recipe-style were heaven on earth. My mom does a pretty authentic rendition of Mamaw's rolls, and my aunt can make a delicious version of the chocolate rolls. But something about Mamaw's method made those rolls irreplaceable.

quick, delicious cinnamon rolls with walnuts and golden syrup

 I didn't get the good-at-yeast-rolls gene. But I love dinner rolls and breakfast rolls of all sorts. So when I saw a recipe on Vintage Mixer for one-hour cinnamon rolls, and realized they didn't require yeast, I had to experiment. I made a smaller batch and adjusted a few ingredients, making them less sugary-sweet but imparting the rich flavor of golden syrup. Golden syrup is a British staple, and is readily available here in the Antipodean colonies. It's beautifully thick and amber-colored, with a slightly roasted, almost buttery flavor. You can probably find golden syrup in many North American grocery stores, but, if it's unavailable, maple syrup or agave syrup will do fine. These cinnamon rolls are incredible, delicious and flaky just like their yeast-roll counterparts, but without the stress of using the yeast correctly, waiting for dough to rise, etc. I've found the perfect breakfast sweet roll recipe, and I think Mamaw would approve. Thank you Vintage Mixer! Play around with filling combinations to change it up (as if you'll tire of the perfect combo of cinnamon and walnuts), but this simple quick-bread base is a keeper.

I used walnuts in these cinnamon rolls, but pecans would also work well, as per the original Vintage Mixer recipe. I halved the recipe and still managed to make eight smaller (2-3 inches wide, 1.5 inches thick) cinnamon rolls, and they fit perfectly into an 7-inch pie pan. I also rolled the dough thinner, to about 1/4 inch, which allowed for a more cinnamon-filling to roll ratio. If you like a thicker cinnamon roll you can roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness, though this will yield fewer rolls. Double the ingredients for a larger batch, cutting the rolls a little thicker (2 inch increments instead of 1 inch), baking the rolls in a 9-inch square pyrex dish or metal baking tray, and adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time to ensure the middle rolls cook through. These rolls can also be prepared the day before, covered and stored in the fridge overnight, and baked fresh the next morning.

Bake these fast and easy quickbread-based cinnamon rolls for birthday mornings, holidays, or any time you feel like treating yourself and your loved ones to a sweet breakfast treat.

Quickbread Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts & Golden Syrup
makes 8 (2-3 inch) cinnamon rolls
adapted from Vintage Mixer

Quickbread Dough
1 1/2 cups flour (I used a 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
small pinch of freshly ground sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 cup milk (any fat content is fine)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (or maple syrup, or agave syrup)

Cinnamon-Walnut Filling
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup coursely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
small pinch of freshly ground sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil)

Golden Syrup Icing
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon golden syrup (or maple syrup, or agave syrup)
2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
1 teaspoon milk (or any dairy-free milk)

First make the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the melted butter (or olive oil), milk, and golden syrup. As the golden syrup is so thick, I found it easier to microwave the butter, milk, and golden syrup together for about 15 seconds, then whisk them together. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture, and stir well to combine. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 2-3 minutes, until dough is smooth. Place dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes (or the freezer for 10 minutes).

Make the filling while the dough chills. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pour 1 tablespoon of the melted butter (or olive oil) over the cinnamon sugar mixture, and stir to combine.

When the dough has chilled a bit, remove from fridge and place on a very lightly floured countertop. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness for skinnier cinnamon rolls, or to 1/2 inch thickness for thicker cinnamon rolls. I rolled mine out to about a 7x10-inch rectangle. Spread 1 tablespoon melted butter (or olive oil) evenly over the dough. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the buttered dough, and press the mixture in lightly with your hands. Starting from the long end, carefully and tightly roll the dough.

Slice the rolled rope of dough into 8 sections (so that each section is about 1 inch thick). Place the rolls into a greased 7-inch round cake tin or pie dish, arranging them so that the seams of the rolls are facing toward each other and not towards the outside of the pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220C/ 425F for about 18-22 minutes, until the middle roll looks done and they are beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for a couple of minutes before drizzling the icing over the tops. Serve warm.

For the icing, combine 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon golden syrup in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for about 10-15 seconds on high. The golden syrup should now be less viscous and closer to maple-syrup consistency. Stir in the two tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar, and, if necessary, thin out with 1 teaspoon of milk (or your choice of dairy-free milk). Stir well, then drizzle over the warm rolls, spreading the mixture around the tops a bit to evenly coat the rolls.

*Preparation tip: if you are clumsy with transferring ingredients back and forth across various countertops in your kitchen, make sure to use metal bowls so that when you drop them, you only have to vacuum up brown sugar and walnuts, not broken glass:

#southernspoonfail
the hubs kindly vacuumed up the cinnamon-sugar-walnut-melted butter mess
while I attempted to finish the cinnamon rolls with minimal ingredient casualties

Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes with Honey

Two breakfast food posts in one day-- catching up here on SouthernSpoon. These are those banana pancakes I mentioned earlier, so soft and filling and wonderful, and this is what we ended up having for breakfast (brunch?... it was almost noon) this morning.

gluten-free pancakes made with ground oats and flaxseed, sweetened with ripe bananas,
served with honey and chopped walnuts

These gluten-free, dairy-free wholesome pancakes are adapted from this recipe I've been playing around with from Cookie + Kate (whose blog I adore). I've kept them gluten-free friendly by using oats ground up in a blender (make sure your oats are labelled g-f to ensure they're safe from cross-contamination with gluten-containing products). I've added some ground flaxseed and orange juice, with a few more warm spices. I bet you could leave out the egg altogether if you added another tablespoon of flaxseed to make sure things bind together. But one egg does work well with the baking soda to keep them nice and fluffy.  

banana walnut oatmeal pancakes = gluten-free, diary-free breakfast treat

The banana in these pancakes is not overwhelming but sweetens them up beautifully. The best addition here is chopped walnuts in the batter, with more sprinkled on top for serving, all topped off with a generous drizzle of honey. 

I love the mild flavor and delicate crunch of walnuts-- they seem to make any recipe a little more sophisticated. And they always reminded of my cousin. Her boyfriend used to bring her walnuts to snack on while she was studying for the MCAT because he'd read that they help your memory and are just generally good for your brain. Such a thoughtful guy! And now they're married, and this weekend is their anniversary, which they're celebrating with a sweet baby boy. Cuz, I hope you find time to make these pancakes one weekend soon to share with your wonderful family. 

Happy weekend, all, and to family and friends in San Antonio, TX-- Happy Fiesta!

Banana Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes with Honey

Adapted from Cookie + Kate

makes about 10 4-inch pancakes

1 cup rolled oats (not instant; and make sure they're labelled gluten-free if you're cooking gluten-free)

1 cup mashed, ripe banana (2 large bananas)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh-squeezed if you have an orange)

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, allspice, nutmeg

1/4 cup coursely chopped walnuts, plus more for serving

runny honey (for serving)

Preheat oven to 100C / 215 F, and place an oven-proof serving dish in the oven.

Grind the oats into a flour using a blender or food processor. I just pulse in a blender for about 10 seconds so that some whole rolled oats remain. Pour oatflour into a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, olive oil, orange juice, ground flaxseed, and egg. Mix well to combine. 

To the small bowl with the oat flour, add the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Whisk together to evenly distribute the soda and spices.  

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Heat a skilled over medium-high heat. When a few drops of water sprinkled onto the skillet dance across it, you're ready to cook the pancakes. Grease your skillet with a little olive oil if necessary. Ladle about a 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the skillet. This batter is thicker than your typical pancake batter, so you may have to spread it out a bit as soon as you drop the batter onto the skillet.

Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Place cooked pancakes into the serving dish in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.  

When finished cooking all the batter, serve pancakes warm with chopped walnuts and honey. 

Catching up, and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Cherry Pecan Salsa

Too long since the last blog update...

In the past few months visiting friends, business travel, and family gatherings have filled up free moments.  I've eaten some amazing meals with great company and in fabulous locations (Perth, Cape Town, London)-- just haven't set aside the time to write about them!  I tried ostrich steak for the first time while in Cape Town (superb), and enjoyed fabulous wine in Stellenbosch and the surrounding vineyard-covered region.  The Dutch colonial-style hotel where I stayed near the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town made a mean pumpkin soup topped with coriander-infused popcorn.  The head chef visited my table to ask what I thought.  The recipe was the creation of one of his young, eager chefs, and they had been experimenting with the best herb for the popcorn.  The soup itself was velvety with a spicy kick, and the popcorn lent a bold herb flavor and pleasing crunch-- a winner in my books, and so I told the chef.  

Discovered adorable Bea's of Bloomsbury when meeting a friend for coffee in London.  I had a homey bowl of fresh fruit, muesli, yogurt, and honey to accompany my strong flat white, but I coveted my friend's thick-sliced whole wheat walnut toast spread thinly with butter and marmite.  I enjoyed a blissful dinner-for-one at Kitchen W8 the evening of our wedding anniversary, the only drawback being that the hubs was in the opposite hemisphere!  The informative servers made excellent wine recommendations for my meal choices.  An incredible starter of roasted beet, fig, microgreens, goat's cheese, and olive oil and chestnut purée drizzled salad was followed by pan fried sea bream fillet with garlic purée over a ragout of chickpeas, roasted peppers, and chorizo.  To finish, a bitter chocolate pavé garnished with new season's cherries, toasted buckwheat, and a cabernet sauvignon strawberry sorbet: divine.  

I had a nice and fresh quinoa vegetable salad with roasted eggplant dip (and a pecan-covered brownie) at Gail's Artisan Bakery, and a well-balanced fillet of herb-crusted sea bass with olive risotto, roasted tomatoes, and asparagus at Le Pain Quotidien.  Shared meals outdoors in relatives' gardens, soaking up the last warm rays of English sun, and even helped my cousin-in-law's husband create a side of grits for his slow-cooked lamb shanks (I'd gifted him the Texan grits when I moved to Sydney, fearful of the strict import laws for Australia).  A thoroughly enjoyable visit back to Blighty.    

As for recipes, I'll backtrack to the delicious grilled sweet potato wedges with cherry pecan salsa that I made to accompany our all-American hamburgers and corn-on-the-cob for July 4th.  The recipe can be found here at one of my favorite food blogs, The First Mess.  

grilled sweet potato wedges with cherry pecan salsa

Fourth of July was mid-winter in Australia, so while we hung the stars and stripes from our balcony, we didn't fire up the barbie for these.  Rather, I steamed them as per the recipe and grilled them on our indoor griddle set over the stovetop.  As a result, a few of the wedges were still a little firm in the centre.  I probably should have steamed them a little longer beforehand since the indoor griddle wasn't as hot as a bar-b-que would have been.  They were very tasty, though, and the cherry pecan salsa was a bright accompaniment to the spicy-sweet wedges.  

Highly recommended as a fun alternative to potato salad, baked beans, or whatever you traditionally serve with burgers.  The salsa would also be perfect over veggie burgers, pork tenderloin, or chicken.  I'll try this recipe again when we enter bar-b-que season (soon)!  More recipes to come... 

Grilled Fig & Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese, Walnuts, and Honey-Tarragon Vinaigrette

One of my favorite things about making a meal is surprising my husband with something he hasn't always loved (beans, salad, etc) and making it awesome!  He recently declared that he was so glad that he married me and (thereby) discovered that beans are delicious.  Victory!  Last night I made a richly-spiced dish of cannellini+kidney bean and roasted bell pepper enchiladas with a guacamole side salad over spinach, garnished with homemade, baked tortilla strips... I didn't have time to snap a picture before we dove in, so I'll wait to post that one till next time when I have a photo.  But suffice it to say that the 100% vegetarian meal gained the hubs' approval.  Score.  Enough about beans...

All day today I was craving a salad.  (It's summer here in the southern hemisphere: prime salad-craving season).  But if I want to make a salad for dinner it's got to be one that will also satisfy the appetite of my fellow diner (the one who has a history of distaste for beans and salad).  I had bought some ripe figs on sale a couple of days ago, and they were just about past their prime.  So on the way home I grabbed some greens and a little block of blue cheese to whip up a dinner-worthy salad.  We barely brushed a little soy sauce over the split figs, coated some butterflied chicken breasts in a splash of soy and a squeeze of honey, threw those on the barbie (grill), and I whisked up a little vinaigrette with some things from our pantry and little balcony herb garden.  The resulting salad was just what I had in mind: fresh greens, grilled fruit and lean meat, creamy blue cheese and walnuts, finished with a peppery sweet tang.  And we both enjoyed it!

grilled figs and chicken + blue cheese and walnuts

I don't prefer drowning salads in dressing, so the dressing amount made is just enough to splash a little flavor onto the greens.  If you'd like a more generous drizzle, increase the ingredients for the vinaigrette to 4 tablespoons rice bran or extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons honey, 4 teaspoons white vinegar, a generous squeeze of lemon or lime juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or other mild garden herb).

Whether it's warm or cold where you are, this salad will brighten things up and fill you up, too.

Grilled Fig & Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese, Walnuts, and Honey-Tarragon Vinaigrette
2 hearty main servings, or 4-5 first course servings

3 cups mild lettuce greens, washed and roughly torn (I used green oak lettuce)
1 cup fresh baby spinach, washed
5 fresh, ripe figs, rinsed and tops trimmed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided (make sure it's gluten-free if cooking g-f)
2 tablespoons honey, divided
2 tablespoons rice bran oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
2 teaspoons white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice (about 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon (other mild, fresh herbs would work here, such as marjoram)
scant 1/4 cup coursely crumbled blue cheese
2-3 tablespoons coursely chopped walnuts
ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fire up the barbeque to medium heat.  Combine the lettuce and spinach leaves, and divide evenly onto two large dinner plates (or four salad plates); set aside.

Split the figs in half lengthwise, and brush just a bit of the soy sauce over the outside and inside of the fruit; set aside. Butterfly the chicken breasts and slice all the way through to make four thin portions.  Toss the chicken with the remaining soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of honey.

Place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 8-12 minutes, flipping when necessary, until chicken is still tender but no longer pink in the center.  (I've given a big window of time here because cooking time will depend on your barbeque).  Watch closely at the beginning to ensure that you turn the chicken before it burns.  The soy and honey will brown a bit, which is fine.  Place the figs on the grill, flesh side down, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Flip over to the skin side and cook about 2-3 minutes longer, until soft and slightly browned.

While the chicken is cooking, combine the rice bran oil (or extra virgin olive oil), remaining one tablespoon honey, the vinegar, squeeze of lime or lemon juice, and the tarragon.  Season with just a little salt and a generous grinding of pepper.  Whisk thoroughly, and sprinkle evenly over the plated salad greens.  Sprinkle the walnuts and crumbled blue cheese evenly over the salads, and top each salad with a tiny pinch of salt and more ground pepper.

Remove the chicken and figs from the grill when done.  Slice the chicken across the grain into thin strips. Arrange the chicken strips across the center of each salad, then arrange the figs evenly around the edge of each salad.

Serve immediately with a warm baguette or fresh loaf of wholegrain bread.

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel

First post from the new kitchen! Still waiting on all my baking gear to arrive (two weeks to go!), but we've made do pretty well with the bare minimum. For the past week we've had Texan friends of friends staying with us: our first houseguests in our new home! We've had a great time getting to know them and showing them the sites (and tastes) of this beautiful city.


This morning we cooked up a big breakfast, including these coffee cake muffins. I saw a recipe on Cooking Light for a coffee cake that grabbed my attention because it included toasted oats-- what a great concept! I adapted the recipe for muffins, reduced the sugar and cholesterol, amped up the cinnamon, and subbed pecans for walnuts. The result is a light and deliciously spiced muffin that perfectly evokes Texas weekend brunches.

coffee cake muffins hot out of the oven

I used self-raising all-purpose and whole-wheat flours because that's what I had on hand. If you have plain flours just add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. For a large cake instead of muffins, just bake the batter in a greased 9-inch round springform pan. Enjoy!

oatmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan goodness

Coffee Cake Muffins with Pecan-Oatmeal Streusel
Makes eleven muffins or one 9-inch round cake


3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 cup self-raising all-purpose flour
1/4 cup self-raising whole-wheat flour
(if you don't have self-raising flours, add 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil (rice bran oil works well, and is good for you)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat natural yogurt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecan
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon chilled butter


Preheat oven to 350F/ 175C. Spray a 12-cup muffin tray or a 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.


Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes, until fragrant and browning. Remove and set the pecans in a small bowl.


Spread out the oats on a baking sheet and bake at 350F/ 175C for 7-8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted oats. Pour the rest of the oats into a large bowl and add the other flours (plus baking soda and powder if not using self-rising flours), salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon; mix well.


In another large mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar, half of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the vegetable oil. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.


Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Stir only a few times with each addition, some lumps will remain-- do not overmix! Spoon the batter evenly into 11 of the greased muffin cups (you will get a nice, big, rounded muffin by distributing into only 11 of the 12 muffin cups).


Add the reserved 1/4 cup of toasted oats, the rest of the brown sugar (about 2 tablespoons), and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the reserved toasted pecans. Mix with a fork. Add the tablespoon of butter rub the mixture with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed.


Sprinkle a big spoonful of the pecan-oatmeal streusel on top of each portion of muffin batter (or sprinkle evenly over the entire cake pan if using a 9-inch round springform pan), patting down lightly with your fingers to anchor the nuts into the batter.


Bake the muffins at 350F/ 175C for 18-20 minutes (or bake for 38-40 minutes if baking in a 9-inch round pan), until risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.


Cool for at least 6 minutes so that the muffins slide easily out of the pan when you run a knife around the edges. Or, if baking as a large cake, cool for at least 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve immediately. These muffins store well in an airtight container for 2-3 days.