Recipes - Mains

(Most recently added recipes display first.)

Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder

Ingredients

  • 1 kg fresh loose or packaged pippis, thoroughly rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 200g whole piece bacon or salt pork, cut into 2mm dice
  • 1 large Spanish (red) onion, cut into 2mm dice
  • 2 large celery stalks, rinsed, cut into 1mm thick slices
  • 500g Desiree or any firm boiling potatoes, peeled, cut into 2mm dice
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

 

Serves 6

Preparation

In an 800Watt microwave place 500g of hard-shelled  pippis (30-35 pippis) in a single layer with 1 cup luke warm water.
In a large suitable microwaveable dish with a lid. Cook on High (100%) for 3 minutes or until the shells open. (See tip below).
Strain the pipi liquid into a measuring jug and set pippis aside.
Repeat microwaving remaining pipis as above.
Remove all pipis from shells and set aside.
Melt butter in a heavy-based casserole or saucepan. Turn heat to medium-low, add the bacon or salt pork and cook, stirring for 5-6 minutes or until bacon starts to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and set aside.
Add onions and celery to the pot and cook stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft but not brown.
Stir in potatoes and wine. Continue cooking a further 5 minutes or until wine evaporates and potatoes have just started to soften.
Measure reserved pippi liquid and make up to 4 cups (1 Litre) if necessary with water. Pour into the pot adding thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Partly cover  and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in reserved pippis and bacon. Add freshly ground pepper and a squeeze lemon juice to taste.
Remove the chowder from the heat. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Set aside for 10 minutes, reheat, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with fresh crusty bread.

Tips:
Australian clams – often sold under the name ‘pipis’ can be used in place of the quahog clam, a hard shelled species found off the New England coast of America, traditionally used in this -clam chowder.
Any unopened pippis after microwaving can be gently prised open before further use.
Refrigerate chowder overnight to further develop flavours.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 250 g button mushrooms, finely sliced
  • ¼ white wine
  • 150 ml beef stock
  • 150 ml light sour cream
  • 1 ½ tbs olive oil
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 500 fillet steak, tail end, thinly sliced

Serves 4

Preparation

Sauce

Gently heat butter in a pan. Add onion and sauté until soft.
Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add thyme, nutmeg and mushrooms and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
Pour in wine and stock and allow to simmer for several minutes.
Stir in in sour cream and cook a further minute to blend.  Set aside until ready to serve.

Serving Time

Heat oil in a large fry pan over, a high heat. Stir in paprika then fry meat in batches, 2 – 3 minutes, or until seared on all sides.
Combine steak with pre-prepared warm sauce, season to taste, garnish with parsley and serve with fluffy rice.

Tip

Substitute fillet steak with chicken and use chicken stock.

 

Pork Schnitzels

Ingredients

  • 3 pork fillets;
  • 250g Panko breadcrumbs;
  • 2 teaspoon each grated lemon rind; fresh thyme leaves, chopped;
  • ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped;
  • 2 large eggs, beaten;
  • 1 cup organic plain flour;
  • Freshly ground sea salt and ground white pepper to season;
  • ½ cup canola oil for cooking schnitzels

Serves 6

Preparation

  • Slice pork fillets into 3 cm/1” pieces and flatten between 2 pieces of baking paper
  • Place seasoned flour; seasoned beaten egg; and seasoned breadcrumbs; onto 3 separate dinner plates.
  • Lightly coat pork pieces with flour each side, then dip in egg and finally cover each side with breadcrumbs,  lemon thyme and parsley
  • Heat a large frypan with the oil until hot and then add crumbed pork pieces, half the quantity at a time.
  • Cook until golden on each side, (about 5 minutes each.)
  • Place cooked schnitzels on a warmed plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper until all the pork is cooked and you are ready to serve
  • If you are cooking for a crowd, place cooked schnitzels on a rack in a warm oven (170 degrees C/) until all the pork has been cooked.

Healthy Hint- Use homemade breadcrumbs using sourdough or wholemeal bread or a mix of both.

Tasty Tip
Add ½ cup Italian Parmesan to the breadcrumbs for an extra flavour sensation. You can substitute pork for veal escalopes or chicken fillets for a flavour alternative.

Japanese Prawn And Scallop Stir Fry

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch broccolini
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1.2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2.5cm/1″ fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
  • 500g/1 lb. raw shelled prawns
  • 8 scallops, cut into 3 sliced
  • 500ml /2 cups low salt vegetables stock
  • 1 pinch of sea salt
  • 1 dessertspoon Miso paste
  • 2 teaspoons low salt soy sauce
  • 1 packet soba noodles

Serves 4

Preparation

  • Blanch broccolini in lightly salt boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and chop into 5cm/2” pieces
  • Heat canola oil in a wok and add prawns, scallops and ginger. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Add sesame oil and coat ingredients by gently stirring.
  • Blend hot stock with miso paste. Add soy sauce and gently incorporate ingredients.
  • Stir in broccolini.
  • Serve on a bed of soba noodles.

Tip

Add lightly steamed snow peas and shaved carrot to give the dish added texture and colour. Tamari sauce is a delicious alternative to soy sauce. It can be found in the Asian section of your supermarket.

Healthy Hint – Broccolini is a good source of folate, which is excellent for digestion and very low in saturated fat.

Tuna Pilaf

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
  • 300 g basmati rice
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 400g can cherry tomatoes
  • 400 mls chicken stock,
  • 2 x 200g cans tuna, drained,
  • 200g green beans trimmed and blanched
  • 2 tbsps fresh coriander, finely chopped

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
  • Heat the oil in a heavy based container and sauté the onion until golden
  • Add the rice and a pinch of cayenne stirring to coat in oil
  • Stir in the tomatoes and stock, seasoning to taste
  • Bring to the boil
  • Cover and cook in the oven 18 -20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed
  • Stir through tuna and beans, and garnish with coriander to serve

Tip
Frozen peas can be used in place of blanched green beans