Seafood for Kat's Birthday

 

 

Scallops with Garlic and Parmesan Italian Style

Garlic Prawns

Garlic Yabbies

Grilled Asparagus

Pearl Couscous Persian Salad

Chilli and Parsley Pasta

Crunchy Salad

 

We enjoyed this lovely spread of goodies with a special Grosset Riesling!

 

 

 

 

 

love you my best friend Kat xxx

 

Pearly Persian Salad

 

1/2 cup pearl couscous

2 tbsp. red quinoa

2 tbsp. risoni

2 tbsp. yellow spit peas

half an avocado

handful of parsley chopped finely

1 tbsp. lemon myrtle olive oil

salt and pepper

handful of broad beans from the garden

seeds from half a pomegranate

Put the pearl couscous, quinoa, risoni and split peas in a saucepan with 1 tbsp. of vegetable stock and simmer till al dente approx. 10 minutes.
Remove Broad Beans from their husks, blanche in boiling water then skin them individually.
Prepare other ingredients.
Toss all together and serve!

Jerusalem salad

Jerusalem Salad

1 head of cauliflower

2 tbsp rice bran oil

1 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp maple syrup

8 tbsp red wine vinegar

Four sticks celery

Handful of pomegranate seeds

Handful of toasted hazelnuts

Parsley to garnish

Break cauli into small florets.

Toss cauli in oil and dust with cinnamon.

Bake for 30 minutes at 180 C

Slice celery

Toss all ingredients together and serve warm.

Was too nice for a photo, we ate it too fast. Will add one next time we make it!

Herby Barley Salad

Herby Barley Salad

 

 

½ cup barley

2 big handfuls parsley

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp lemon myrtle olive oil

1 handful pistachios

1 handful cashews

Piece of fetta cheese

Handful of kale

1 tomato

 

Bring barley to a simmer for approx. 30 minutes till its properly cooked. Then add Kale for 1 minute to wilt. Drain and set aside.

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds, crush in a mortar and pestle then add to the olive oil with the cumin powder and honey.

Chop the nuts coarsely and crumble the fetta.

Toss  together all ingredients.

Spiced Banana Yogurt Cake

Spiced Banana Yoghurt Cake




Makes an 8-inch cake



1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

Garnishes: vanilla icing sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon.







Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Butter an 8-inch cake pan.



In a medium size bowl, stir the yogurt and brown sugar together. Whisk in the vegetable oil, followed by the bananas, eggs and vanilla. Slowly stir in the flour, baking powder spices and salt until mixed.



Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, until firm to the touch (this is a moist cake, be careful not to over bake). Let cool and remove from pan onto a rack. The cake will keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for 2 days.

Dust with vanilla icing sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon.

Bendo Weekend Lasagne

It all started with a very serious manly meeting...

Then we had some fun making friends with the birds.

Even sharing bird friends.

 

Then the Lasagne Making started.

 

We grilled all the vegies on the fire and layered them with tomato sauce with mushrooms and white sauce with nutmeg. Haloumi was the key ingredient on the vegetarian agne. For the Bolognese agne Hash cooked up an amazingly rich mince sauce and we layered this with some pumpkin as well and lots of mozzarella.

Paprika on top

 

And unleash the monster

 

Oh yes. That's nice.

 

Wine goes well.

 

Then we played some poker and guess who won?

 

 

 

The next morning we had tea for breakfast. We were STILL FULL.

Hash instructed us in the art of archery.

 

Manuke was very happy.

 Later the next day we were hungry again and Luke made us pancakes.

Then we said goodbye to the birds, till next time.

Hash and Matt

Al

Matt and Luke

Squirrely Acorn Night

 

Al, with his amazing Acorn creations.

 

He invited us to a squirrelly munchies night. On the Menu was acorn, quinoa and Kale patties, acorn mayonnaise and a salad with Al's vegies. Plus dessert...

The acorns after they have been treated (soaking and rinsing for a couple of weeks)

 

It wouldn't be Al's without a nice big massive pot full of chai.

 

Dessert!

 

This was one of the best cakes I have ever eaten. Acorn cake!

It was golden and caramel flavoured with a crunchy outer layer and a chewy moreish middle.

There were even some bigger bits of acorn that were nice to chew in the cake.

Jules, Luke and I loved it, thanks Al!

 

I had to take a photo of his organised kitchen...a joy to bake in :)

Luke and Jules