Hi Everyone!

Hope you have had a reasonably dry week.  We certainly haven’t here and our hearts go out to those who have had their homes and lives flooded by the rising waters.  It certainly makes us feel like the lucky ones being able to sit with family and share a meal while so many don’t even know if they will have a home to come back to when all the water recedes.

So with that in mind and being extremely grateful, this week I want to share with you a wonderful Adam Liaw main meal.  Adam won the second series of Masterchef and has gone from strength to strength.  One of the things I love most about his cooking is the infusion of asian flavours with something as simple as throwing a chicken on the barby.

This Thai Grilled Chicken was so delightful, flavoursome and moist.  At first, I thought it may be too hot (given the “Smoking hot” description) for the MAV’s palette, however, it was a total winner.

There is a bit of chipping and chopping to prepare the marinate but nothing a good sharp knife or a super mini food processor can’t handle.  Loads of garlic so cook it one night when you don’t have to do important client interviews the next day perhaps but the smell of the marinade is fabulous and once I rubbed it in, I stuck it in the fridge for 6 hours.

The filling isn’t sickly sweet – in fact quite savoury which is perfect with the caramel sauce.  It feels light in the mouth but certainly two figs each is enough.  I’ll definitely do this one again.  9/10

Until next time.

From my table to yours with love x

Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)

This dish is best given a lengthy marinating time - even overnight

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.8 kg whole chicken
• 2 stalks lemongrass finely chopped
• 2 coriander plants roots and stems, leaves reserved
• 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Juice of one lime
• freshly ground black pepper
• lime wedges to serve
• 1 tbsp uncooked rice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chilli powder preferable roasted
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1 eschalot sliced
• 2 tbsp finely shredded coriander leaves
• juice 2 limes or 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

Method

 

1. Cut down either side of the backbone of the chicken and remove it. Press down on the breast of the chicken to flatten it. Combine all remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken, rubbing it into both sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
2. For the nam jim jaew dipping sauce, place the rice in a dry frying pan and heat over high heat, shaking regularly until the rice is lightly golden. Transfer it to a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder. Stir through the remaining ingredients then taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Heat a hooded barbecue to medium-low heat and add the chicken, skin side down. Cook for 20 minutes with hood closed then turn over and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest for 10 mins before serving. If cooking the chicken in the oven, roast at 220°c fan-forced (240°c conventional) for 45 minutes. Serve with reserved coriander leaves, lime wedges and the dipping sauce.

Notes

Source: Adam Liaw (Sunday Paper)

Grilled Snake Bean and Basil Salad

You can add other vegetables to this salad. Asparagus goes really well.

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 bunch snake beans or 500g green beans
• 1 clove garlic peeled
• 1 bird's-eye chilli seeds and stem removed
• 2 tbsp golden syrup or 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 c cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 c loosely packed Thai basil leaves

Method

 

1. Trim the hard ends from the beans. Heat a BBQ grill to high and grill the beans for about 5 minutes, turning regularly until they are softened and slightly charred. Cut into 5cm lengths. In a large mortar and pestle pound the garlic and chilli to a coarse paste. Add the golden syrup, fish sauce and lime juice and mix well. Add the cherry tomatoes and bruise with the pestle to extract their juices. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir the grilled beans through the dressing and toss with the basil leaves.

Notes

Source: Women's Weekly "After Work Fast"

Walnut and ricotta-stuffed figs

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 8 medium figs
• 1/4 c roasted walnuts chopped coarsely
• 1/2 c ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/3 c cream
• 30 g butter
• 1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 200°c/180°c fan-forced
2. Cut figs, from the top, into quarters, being carful not to cut all the way through; open slightly. Place on oven tray.
3. Combine nuts, cheese and sugar in small bowl, divide nut mixture among figs. Cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until figs are heated through.
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in small saucepan; stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer, uncovered, 3 mins.
5. Place two figs in each serving dish; drizzle with caramel sauce.