A Pretend Chef

A very easy side salad that can be served with or without the cheese. An ideal accompaniment to a BBQ.  Ingredients 2 to 3 bunches of asparagus (approximately 20 to 30) 100gm baby spinach 1tbs olive oil (for grilling) 50gm to 70gm shaved parmasen cheese (my preference is reggiano) 2tbs extra virgin olive oil 1tbs good quality balsamic vinegar salt & pepper to taste Method After washing the asparagus, gently bend each piece till they snap and discard the woody base segment. Mix the asparagus in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil and cook over a high heat BBQ grill for 2-3 minutes then turnover and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they are lightly grilled, being careful not to burn them. Transfer the cooked asparagus pieces back to the mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly for a couple of minutes. Arrange the spinach on a large flat serving platter then layer the cooked asparagus pieces over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese. Drizzle over the extra vi...

I saw this recipe, or something very similar, in a food magazine a couple of years ago that I have since lost. The candied feta gives it an interesting twist. This makes an excellent side salad to accompany barbecued meat. Ingredients 4 zucchini cut diagonally into 1/2 cm wide pieces small handful fresh oregano leaves small handful pine nuts lightly toasted 100gm firm feta cheese 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil for grilling the zucchini 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil for the salad dressing 1 tbs aged red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp sugar salt & pepper for seasoning to taste Method Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 120C. Crumble the feta onto a sheet of baking paper on a flat baking tray and sprinkle over with the sugar. Place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, remove and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.  Mix the 1 tbs of oil in a bowl with the zucchini pieces and BBQ over a hot grill until soft, turning frequently ensuring it doesn't burn. Once cooked remove ...

I tried something similar to this at Barbuto's in New York. I'm now officially addicted to it. This salad recipe is from a website I found whilst trying to discover the recipe for Barbuto's kale salad. I gave this one a try and didn't go any further. I've tweaked it ever so slightly to suit my taste.  You'll enjoy this Caesar salad if you don't like anchovies - it's an anchovy free zone! The original recipe can be found here:  CoolCookStyle.com Ingredients 1 bunch kale, washed thoroughly, stems removed and cut into thin 1/2 cm wide ribbons 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs 2 tbs  olive oil (for sauteing the breadcrumbs) 1 clove garlic sliced 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (Reggiano) grated 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional) Pepper to taste Method Place the garlic, cheese (leaving a little left aside to sprinkle over the finished salad) extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and chilli flakes i...

Serves 4 A satisfying and super-healthy salad that can be served as a mid week main course. Easy to prepare and tastes amazing. You can also leave out the salmon and use this as a side salad to accompany barbecued meats. Ingredients 500gm salmon fillets (skin off) 2tbs olive oil (for frying fish) 100gm quinoa 1 brown onion finely chopped 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 stalk celery finely chopped 3 spring onion finely sliced 1 cup of rinsed tinned chickpeas 1 handful mint finely chopped 2 handfuls parsley finely chopped 2 Lebanese cucumbers, skinned, de-seeded and finely sliced 1 avocado, diced Juice of 1 lemon 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste 1 x freshly chopped, de-seeded chilli (optional) Method Heat 1tbs olive oil over a medium heat in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Fry till soft, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add quinoa and pour in enough water (or stock) to cover by just over a centi...

This dish is so simple and yet has an amazing amount of flavour. It's healthy and can be served hot immediately once cooked, or cooled and served as a side salad at room temperature.  Ingredients 900gm Borlotti beans (un-podded) 2 tbs. Olive oil 1 Onion diced 2 Cloves of garlic thinly sliced 1 Small handful of continental parsley chopped 2.5 Cups of vegetable stock Sea salt and pepper to taste Method Pod the beans into a bowl, discarding any that are mouldy or appear to have spoilt. Heat the oil in a heavy based, deep frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and fry on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until soft. Add the parsley (saving a small amount for garnish) and fry for a further minute. Pour in the stock and then add the beans. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium / low. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for between 30-35 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Serve hot or at room temperature, whatever your preference. ...

Serves 4 This is a great BBQ combination. Everything works well together and the toasted bread in the fattoush salad is a very effective way to get my kids to enjoy a healthy salad.  I've experimented with various ways to make Hummus. It's dead easy and the below recipe will leave you with enough for other meals. It will last for a week in the fridge. Usually Hummus is made with raw garlic. I make mine with roasted garlic which imparts a subtle nutty sweetness to the paste and doesn't leave you with garlic breath. Ingredients 1kg lamb fillet cut into 2 cm cubes 1 tspn. each of cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds 1/2 tspn. sea salt 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil For Hummus 1 whole head of garlic 2 x 400gm tins of chick peas (rinsed thoroughly and drained) 1/2 cup tahini 3/4 cup water Juice of 1 lemon 1 tspn. sea salt Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling  A pinch of smokey paprika or cumin for topping For Fattoush Salad 100gm Turkish or...

Serves 4 (with sides)   My kids go nuts over these stuffed chicken breasts. Serve them with a large salad, or if the weather is chillier, some roast vegetables. I have teamed them with a broad bean and herb salad as well as a simple rocket salad (Baby rocket mixed with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar). Ingredients 650 to 700gm of chicken breast fillets (2 to 3 fillets) 200gm sliced prosciutto (about 8 to 10 thin slices) 100gm baby spinach finely chopped 100gm Feta cheese 10 to 12 pitted black Kalamata olives, chopped Small handful, toasted pine nuts Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh oregano, finely chopped 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pepper for seasoning stuffing Method Pre-heat the oven to 180C (fan forced) Toast the pine nuts in a pan over a low heat. It’s important you keep stirring them and don’t let them burn. As soon as they start to brown lightly, pour them out into a bowl to cool. For the stuffing mix the spinach, oregano, oli...

Serves 4 I prepare this salad as a dinner for my family during the week as it’s easy to do and is super heal thy. You can do so many variations on this with whatever happens to be in the fridge vegetable drawer. For instance I've added chopped capsicum, sprouts, spring onions etc. It’s a good recipe for experimentation. Leave the olives out if you are not a fan. I sprinkle mine with some dried chilli flakes to add some heat. Ingredients For Salad Mix 2 x free-range chicken breasts (approximately 600gms to 700gms) 1.5L chicken stock (or slightly salted water) 1 x 400gm tin of chickpeas (rinsed well and drained) 1 x large head of broccoli cut into small florets (use the main stem as well, cutting   away the hard outer skin and dicing the core) Handful of black, pitted Kalamata olives 1 tspn. cumin seeds 2 x cloves of garlic sliced 2 x tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 bunch continental parsley (finely chopped) 1 bunch coriander (finely ch...

I usually serve these dishes along with the Balinese Tamarind Chicken (see my post from November 7, 2009 - http://apretendchef.blogspot.com/2009/10/balinese-tamarind-chicken-ayam-panggang.html ) and always with some jasmine or basmati rice. You can prepare the shredded chicken and salad dishes in advance, earlier on the day (refrigerating the chicken dish up until a 1/2 hour before serving). The satay beef dish is a recipe I picked up from a local restaurant that use to be situated down a side street in Seminyak in the 90's before it became the bustling tourist precinct it is today. I was able to talk the restaurant's owner, Enda, into letting me into his kitchen for 1-on-1 classes over a few days. The shredded Chicken and vegetable salad are both traditional Balinese dishes that were taught to me at the Hotel Tugu along with the Tamarind Chicken dish. The amount of chilli used in each dish is up to your personal taste. The amounts noted in these recipes are mild to ...

Both the lamb and haloumi recipes are from Pete Evans' cookbook, Grill http://www.peterevanschef.com.au . This is one of the best BBQ cookbooks I've come across and it includes a range of cocktail recipes that make this book a unique addition to the cookbook library. The cocktail is truly undervalued as a great partner to any Aussie barbie! The original Spiced Lamb recipe from the Grill cookbook has these as skewers, however I've made them as small skinless sausages in this instance. Either way works. I just avoided using skewers for this recipe so it's a little more 'child friendly'. My youngest daughter, Emma, in particular can get very animated at the dinner table and skewers mixed with wild flourishing hand movements don't mix. The original lamb recipe includes hot paprika which I've not included, again aiming to make the meal more child friendly. I've also slightly changed the haloumi/chorizo salad recipe, again to better suit the palate of the ...

This is an easy salad ideal for a BBQ. I love fresh beetroot and broadbeans when they are in season. Ingredients 4 large or 5 medium beetroots Broadbeans (from approximately 10 pods) 1 clove garlic crushed 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1tbls of finely chopped parsley 1tbls of finely chopped basil 1 tbls of finely chopped mint Method Wash and trim the beets and place in a deep casserole or roasting tray, covered with foil. Roast the beets in an oven at 220C for 1hr 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Once cool remove skin and cut the beets into 1-2 cm pieces. Blanch beans in boiling water for 3 minutes then run under cold water. Remove skins and mix in a bowl with the beetroot pieces. Add all other ingredients, mix well and transfer to serving bowl.