Jamie Oliver “Oozy Mushroom Risotto”

This recipe is simply amazing!!  It is by far one of the best mushroom risottos I have ever tasted – and I have eaten a lot of risottos when dining out.  The flavours are delicious and if you can incorporate some different mushrooms (pending on seasonal availability etc), then you can enhance the dish further.  In addition, the crispy mushrooms to place on top at the end really make the meal complete!
This is from the 30 minute meal book by Jamie Oliver, however I would recommend giving yourself at least an hour to make this dish, especially if you’re cooking it on your own and don’t have the assistance of your partner to help mix the risotto and prepare ingredients.
Definitely a favourite in our house though!

I’ve found a version of the recipe on the Jamie Oliver website – looks like there’s some slight differences in wording but otherwise it looks the same!
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/rice-recipes/grilled-mushroom-risotto

Beef and Potato Curry

It was my turn to cook dinner one night last week.  I got home to an almost-empty fridge with the only main ingredients left being beef and potato.  I thought this would be a good time to try one of the many recipes I’ve looked at online and went back to this one: http://bakingatmidnight.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/beef-potato-curry.html
I would usually have added capsicum, broccoli or some other type of colourful vegetable to add a bit of variety, but on this occasion, I had to work with what I had.  It turned out pretty nice… A few extra vegetables would have made it perfect but my husband also enjoyed it and we both had it for lunch as leftovers the next day.

Thanks “Tramie’s Kitchen” for the recipe!

Triple Tomato Risotto

Poppit – Just a quick one today!  This is my latest risotto which I found on the Taste website.  If you’re ever having trouble finding something new or different for dinner, this website is so useful!  You can search for recipes or look through the many different collections.  I went to the risotto collection and found this one.  I think I could happily eat any risotto but sometimes they can be a bit plain if the wrong ingredients are used.  This one definitely didn’t lack flavour and the different tomatoes used were so delicious! 
I was happy with just the risotto but to make sure my husband didn’t go hungry, I cooked some lamb cutlets to go with his (as the recipe suggests).

Recipe found here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/6522/triple+tomato+risotto+with+grilled+cutlets

Enjoy!

Cashew Nut Chicken and Coconut Rice

Poppit’s Creative Cooking – Tuesday Night

Poppit – Even though we only had Thai on the weekend (Mum’s choice for Mother’s Day), I really felt like making something stir-fry to have with rice.  This is a favourite dish of mine and although I have made it before, I changed a few of the ingredients.  Also, I didn’t make the coconut rice this time but it’s very easy to make and I’ll include the recipe for that as well.

Cashew Nut Chicken Recipe:

– 500g chicken breast, cut into cubes
– 1 capsicum, cut into strips
– 2 garlic gloves
– 4 red chillies (only 2 if they’re particularly hot)
– 2 tbsp oil
– 2 tbsp oyster sauce
– 1 tbsp soy sauce
– 1 tbsp brown sugar
– 2 green onions, sliced thinly
– 1/2 cup cashews, roasted
– 1 small brown onion, chopped finely
– 2 tbsp lemon rind
– 2 tbsp lemon juice
– Fresh lemon grass stick, chopping finely
– 230g can whole water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
– 300g broccoli, cut into pieces

Method:
1. Have all ingredients ready and cut up.  Stir-frying in a wok is a quick process so you don’t want to be chopping while you’re cooking.  You’ll burn everything!
2. Combine the chicken, sauces, rind, lemon juice, sugar and lemon grass in a medium bowl (can let this marinated for a few hours but don’t need to).
3. Heat half the oil in the wok and stir-fry the chicken until browned before removing from wok.
4. Heat remaining oil and stir-fry brown onion, garlic and chilli until onion softens.
5. Add broccoli, capsicum and chestnuts and stir-fry until broccoli is tender.
6. Return chicken to wok and stir-fry until hot.
7. Serve on plate with rice and sprinkle with green onion and cashews.

 

Coconut Rice:

– 250ml water
– 2 cups coconut milk
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 2 tbsp sugar
– 2 2/3 cups Jasmine Rice

Method:
1. Wash the rice until the water runs clear.
2. Put water, coconut milk, salt and sugar in heavy pan.
3. Add Jasmine Rice.  Cover tightly with a lid and bring to the boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, without lifting the lid unnecessarily for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender.
5. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 – 10 mins.
Hint – Don’t have the heat too high as it will burn easily on the bottom of the pan.

Mouth-watering Eye Fillet with Red Wine Risotto

Poppit’s Creative Cooking – Wednesday Night

Main

Roasted Eye Fillet with Red Wine Risotto

 

 

Ingredients:
– 500g piece of beef eye fillet
– 1 tbs olive oil
– 1 tsp pepper
– 1/4 cup red wine (dry or suitable for cooking)
– 1/2 cup beef stock 

– 3 cups vegetable stock
– 40g butter
– 1 medium brown onion, chopped finely
– 1 cup arborio rice
– 1 cup dry red wine
– 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
– 3 green onions, sliced thinly (extra left long for garnish – optional)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C)
2. Trim excess fat off meat and place in lightly oiled baking dish.
3. Brush over with oil, sprinkle with pepper.
4. Roast, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until cooked as desired.
5. In the meantime, make the risotto – bring stock to boil in saucepan then simmer, covered.
6. Heat half of butter in large saucepan, cook brown onion, stirring until softening.
7. Add rice and stir to coat in the butter mixture.
8. Add wine and bring to boil. 
9. Reduce heat, simmer and stir for 2 minutes.
10. Stir in 1/2 cup of simmering stock and cook while stirring over low heat until stock is absorbed.  Continue with this process, adding 1/2 cup mixture each time until all stock is added and rice is tender.  Can take up to 30 minutes.
11.  Add cheese, remaining butter and green onion, stir until butter melts and all is combined.
12. Remove beef from dish and stand for 10 minutes.
13. Place baking dish over low heat, add wine and simmer – stirring for about 2 minutes until mixture halves.
14. Add stock and bring to the boil while stirring.
15.  Stain mixture into a small jug.
16.  Serve beef on bed of risotto, pour sauce over top and garnish with extra green onion.