Needing to spruce up my dinners from the “what I know” to the “wow” factor, (and perhaps just a good change in the norm, I came across these recipes in the “Gourmet Traveller…” No doubt in my mind that there’s a little something special here for everyone!
Persian Chicken in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
40gm unsalted butter
8 skinless chicken thigh fillets
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
200gm walnut halves, coarsely chopped
400ml chicken stock
2 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Juice of 1 lg lemon
1 tbsp brown sugar
To serve – steamed rice and flat leaf parsley
Method:
Heat olive oil and butter in a deep heavy-based saucepan and brown chicken all over.
Add onion and garlic to the same pan and cook over medium heat for 5-6min or until soft. Add walnuts and cook, stirring continuously, for 3-4min (or until golden.) Add stock, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Add sugar, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then return chicken to the pan and simmer, partially covered, for 20min or until chicken is cooked through.
Divide rice and chicken among shallow bowls, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.
Zarzuela Marisco – Spanish Seafood Stew / Soup
Ingredients:
8 Green King prawns, cleaned and peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/4 sml red capsicum thinly sliced
1 sml red chilli finely chopped
1/2 sml spanish onion thinly sliced
400gm firm white fish fillets, cut into 3-4cm pieces
2 green spanner crab quartered (when available)
2 squid tubes (about 200gm) thinly sliced
50ml brandy
8 scallops, roe removed
8 black mussels, cleaned
16 kalamata olives
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
lemon wedges, crusty bread and green salad to serve
Marisco Sofrito – ( The Sauce)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
4 stalks of celery finely chopped
400gm can italian tomatoes
500gm egg tomatoes quatered
Method:
For the Marisco sofrito, heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add garlic, onion, carrots and celery and cook over high heat for 10 – 15min or until light golden. Add reserved prawn shells and heads and cook until shells have changed colour. Add canned and fresh tomatoes, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20min. Pass sauce through a strain or fine sieve, extracting as much liquid as possible, then discard solids.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-based oven proof frying pan, add garlic, chilli, onion and capsicum and cook over medium heat until garlic begins to brown, then add fish, crab and squid and cook over high heat for 1 min, stirring continuously. Add brandy and marisco sofrito, combine well and bring to a simmer. Add prawns, scallops, mussels, olives and parsley and season to taste, then cook in a 200C oven for 10-15 min or until seafood is cooked through. Serve in warm bowls with lemon wedges, crusty bread and green salad.
Potato Dipping Curry
Ingredients:
1/3 Cup Malay curry powder
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 onion thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1.5kg sebago potatoes peeled and cut into 1.5cm pieces
20 fresh curry leaves
2x 50 gm sachet dry coconut powder ( you can get this from the Asian shops)
2 tsp caster sugar
Coriander leaves and grilled roti to serve.
Method:
Combine Malay curry powder, sweet paprika, shrimp paste, chilli powder and 1/3 cup water in a bowl until a paste forms. Heat oil in a wok, add onion and garlic and cook over low heat for 6-8 min or until just soft. Add spice paste, combine well and cook for 2.3min over low heat or until oil starts to separate. Add potatoes, curry leaves and 2 cups water, combine well and simmer for 20min or until potato is tender.
Combine coconut powder with 1/3 cup cold water in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste, Add coconut paste and sugar to curry mixture, combine well, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and remove from heat. Serve with a good scatter of coriander leaves and grilled roti.
Roasted Spiced Lamb Rump with Tomato Cardamom Relish and Mint coconut Sambal
Ingredients:
1 Clove garlic chopped
1 green chilli seeded and chopped
3 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds dry-roasted and ground
2 tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted and ground
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 tbsp mustard oil
6 lamb rumps (about 200gm) trimmed
Tomato & Cardamom Relish
2/3 cup peanut oil
1 onion finely chopped
150gm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 cloves dry-roasted and ground
10 cardamom pods, seeds removed, dry-roasted and ground
200gm semi-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
Mint Coconut Sambal
125gm fresh coconut flesh peeled and grated
4 green onions finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1tsp ginger finely chopped
1 fresh green chilli seeded and finely chopped
3/4 cup mint leaves, shredded
Juice of 1/2 lime or to taste
Method:
Place garlic, chilli and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a mortar and, using a pestle pound to a paste, then add spices, mint and mustard oil and pound until smooth. Transfer past to a glass or ceramic dish , add lamb and turn to coat well, then cover and refrigerate for 24hrs.
For tomato and cardamom relish, heat peanut oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add onion, ginger, garlic and 2tsp sea salt and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 1 hr or until onion is caramelised. Add turmeric, ground cloves and cardamom, combine well and cook for 5 min, then add tomatoes and cook for another 20 min or until a thick sauce forms. Makes about 1 1/2cups.
For mint coconut sambal, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Makes about 2 cups.
Now place the lamb in a lightly oiled roasting pan and roast at 220C for 15min for medium rare or until cooked to your liking, then stand in a warm place for 10min. Slice lamb, and serve with tomato relish, mint coconut sambal and coriander sprigs.
Deelicious !!
Happy Cooking 
