Recipes - Mains

(Most recently added recipes display first.)

Fish With Potato, Leeks And Broad Beans

Ingredients

  • 2, (150g) medium Desiree potatoes
  • 1, (800g) bunch medium leeks
  • Butter
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2, 150g thick fillets of Blue-Eye or Salmon with skin on
  • Corn flour for coating
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup (150g) frozen broad beans
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Lemon wedges

Preparation

  • Prick potato skin with a fork.
  • Place in a suitable microwave oven.
  • Cover and cook in a on High (90-100%) for 3 minutes.
  • Turn potatoes over and cook further 4 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.
  • Remove and set aside.
  • Remove roots and tops from leeks (reserve dark leaves for making stock).
  • Wash leeks well and cut into thin diagonal slices.
  • Place in a medium microwave dish, add 1 tablespoon butter, cover and cook on High (90-100%) for 2 minutes, stir and cook a further 4 minutes or until softened.
  • Remove, season with salt and pepper.
  • Set aside.
  • Coat choice of fish lightly with corn flour, season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil in a medium frying pan until hot.
  • Add fish skin side down, press lightly with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Turn over, lower heat to medium and cook further 5 minutes or to desired taste.
  • Meanwhile, place frozen broad beans in a shallow microwave dish.
  • Add 1 tablespoon water, cover and cook on Medium-High (70-80%) for 4-5 minutes, stirring once.
  • Remove, add some chopped parsley and season with salt.
  • Cover and set aside.
  • Cut potatoes in half, smash roughly with a fork.
  • Season with butter, salt and pepper.
  • Reheat vegetables if necessary.
  • Serve fish on top of leeks with smashed potato and broad beans.
  • Accompany with lemon wedges.

Tip
Tested in a 750 watt oven. If the microwave oven is a higher wattage, remember the vegetables will cook in less time.

Turkey Waldorf Salad *

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup brandy
  • 3 granny smith apples peeled and cored
  • ½ cup walnut halves, toasted
  • 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
  • 500g turkey breast, poached and cubed
  • 500 ml mayonnaise
  • 1 tblsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • celery leaves for garnishing

Serves 4 – 6


Omit turkey, use 500g chicken breasts, poach as directed, cool dice and add to salad.
Replace raisins with chopped dried apricots
Omit walnuts, add toasted blanched almonds
Combine 1 cup each mayonnaise and natural yoghurt together for a lighter dressing.

Preparation

  • Place raisins and brandy in a small Pyrex jug, cover and  heat on High (100%) for 2 ½ minutes or until the brandy is absorbed.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Cut apples lengthwise into 3mm thick slices.
  • In a bowl combine the walnuts, celery, apples, turkey and half the raisins  with enough mayonnaise to coat.
  • Season to taste and toss well to combine.
  • Divide mixture among the plates, sprinkle with remaining raisins and parsley.
  • Garnish with celery leaves to serve.

Tips:
To poach the turkey breast, place it in a microwave safe container with some peppercorns, a celery and parsley stalk and 2 spring onions. Cover with warm chicken stock, then cover the container and microwave on MED (50-60%) for 9 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.

This dish may be prepared a day ahead and kept refrigerated.

Christmas Turkey Caesar Salad *

Ingredients

  • Spray oil
  • 500g turkey breast
  • 1 clove garlic
  • fresh sage leaves, chopped pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Cos lettuce leave
  • 100grams bacon (rind removed cut into strips)
  • 6 slices of bread (crust removed and cut into cubes
  • 2 lightly boiled eggs, sliced
  • 100g shaved parmesan cheese

Dressing:

  • 200 mls light olive oil
  • 30 mls white wine vinegar
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves of finely crushed garlic
  • 2-3 fillets of anchovies chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4


Omit turkey, replace with chicken breasts.
Replace bacon with strips of prosciutto
Add toasted walnut halves instead of bread croutons.

Preparation

  • Insert the garlic clove into the centre of the turkey breast.
  • Sprinkle with sage and season with pepper.
  • Spray a non stick frypan with oil, and sear the turkey on both sides.
  • Elevate seared breast on a microwave roasting rack, cover loosely with paper towel and cook on Medium (50-60%) for 8 minutes turning over half way through cooking time.
  • Wrap cooked poultry in foil to stand and keep warm.
  • Toast the croutons in the oven and fry the bacon until crisp.
  • In a Pyrex jug Whisk together oil, vinegar, juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic and anchovies with seasoning to taste until well blended.
  • Warm in the microwave oven on Medium (50-60%) for 2 minutes.
  • Whisk well before serving.
  • With an electric knife slice the roasted turkey thinly.
  • On a large serving platter layer the lettuce, turkey slices, bacon, croutons and top with egg slices.
  • Drizzle with warm dressing and serve garnished with shaved parmesan cheese.
  • Cook for 2½ minutes on Medium (50%) then move container to the opposite side of the turntable.
  • Cook on Medium (50%) a further 2½ minutes.
  • Remove and stand whilst cooking the capsicum.
  • Place prepared capsicum in a microwave safe plastic jug, cover and cook on High (100%) for 5 minutes.
  • Stand for 5 minutes then peel away skin and discard.
  • Slice capsicum.
  • Invert Baked Ricotta onto the centre of a serving platter, surround with mesclun topped with capsicum, olives and sliced salami, and serve with crusty bread.

Prunes with Chili and Basil

From Café de Jour in Young, NSW

Marinate prunes in fresh or bottled chilli, rum and fresh coriander. Place on skewers with char grilled chicken (marinated in honey, fresh lime juice and Dijon mustard} and fresh basil leaves.

Jewelled Riz Pilaf

Ingredients

  • 2 tblsps butter
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1½ cups long grain rice
  • ¼ each of red, green and yellow capsicum, diced
  • ¼ cup pitted prunes, diced
  • 3 cups water, hot
  • Salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
  • ½ cup pistachio nuts

Serves 4 -6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 200 C
  • Melt butter in a heavy based ovenproof saucepan
  • Sauté onion until softened
  • Stir in rice until it has taken on a greased appearance
  • Stir through capsicums and prunes
  • Add hot water and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
  • Bring rice to the boil, cover the pan and place into the oven for 17 – 18 minutes
  • Remove from the oven, fork through and serve garnished with nuts

Tip
Couscous maybe used in place of rice for a change