3 Salads and a Soup!

Recently I was diagnosed with Syndrome X/Metabolic Syndrome - which is a combination of various illnesses, two of which are Diabetes Type II and NAFLD (Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). So I will be shifting the focus of this blog onto more healthy food :(

To start off .... here are 3 of my favourite salad recipes along with a low fat Beef and Veg Soup.
I usually do these salads for parties, but they can also be made up and left in the fridge for a few days (undressed) and then dress as you use it ...
You can add purple/red onion (?Spanish onion) to any of these. I am not a fan of raw onion, so I don't.

Potato Salad (makes a huge salad)
Approximately 1kg blue or red potatoes (never the yellowy ones - I usually use blue as they are lower GI)
Cube up the potatoes into bite size and boil until just cooked (knife slides in easily but they aren't falling apart)
1 can of corn.
1 cup of peas (frozen ones then cooked till just done)
A good handful of chopped parsley.
(occasionally I will throw in 3 spring onions - sliced)
When potatoes have cooled, add all ingredients together and mix gently.
For the dressing I cheat and use Praise French dressing (the light one), or I make a vinaigrette (see below for recipe).
NB: For the fatty version, Add in 6 rashes of bacon (that have been chopped and fried crispy first) and use Kraft Onion and chives potato salad dressing.


Coleslaw/Cabbage Salad (makes a huge salad)
1/2 red cabbage - sliced in processor and then soaked in water for a few minutes to get all the "blue" out otherwise it stains the rest of the salad and it looks manky)
1/2 white cabbage - sliced in food processor
4-5 good size carrots (grated in food processor)
(NB: I do it all in the food processor as I like a fine - thin shred - looking salad - so I use the fine slice blade)


Add all ingredients together and mix till even spread of veg.
For the dressing I cheat and use Praise French dressing (the light one), or I make a vinaigrette - see below for recipe.
**If we are eating the same day as making, I will grate a whole granny smith apple into the mix. Any longer and the apple looks kak.


Beetroot Salad
400g raw beetroot (peeled & quartered)
100g carrot, roughly chopped
1 small green apple, quartered
2 tbsp fresh coriander or Italian parsley leaves (personal taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 red onion (optional)


Place roughly cut vegetables in food processor until evenly chopped. Scrape down sides and chop again for a couple of seconds until desired consistency (should end up looking like a fine coarse salad about risoni size pieces, but can be done chunkier if that's what you prefer)
NB: If you accidentally process too much, or you have leftovers, add some raw cashews/almonds or light sour cream, process until finely ground, and use as a dip!


Vinaigrette
3 parts of Champagne Vinegar (or vinegar of your choice) to 1 part of olive oil (I only use Cobram Estate) and a good pinch of salt (I am a total wanker, so I use Himalayan Rock Salt from the grinder)

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Okay, the Soup recipe makes an absolute truckload. I am not very good at making small quantity stuff. When I make this, we eat it for dinner one night, then for lunches for the next few days. I also give some to my mum. You will need a big stock pot to make this all in. Time to make? 1/2hr prep, 1-2hrs cooking (I cook this long to get meat soft)

Beef and Vegetable Soup
3 Carrots
1 Swede
1 Turnip
1 Parsnip
3 stalks Celery
2 Brown Onions
1/2 small green Cabbage
1 kg of chuck Beef (casserole Beef) - fat trimmed off
1 cup Pearl Barley (optional)- soak in water for 1/2hr before adding
Beef Stock - about 2ltrs
Vegetable Stock (I use Vegeta) - about 2 ltrs
1 Tablespoon Oil
Salt
Paprika
NB: This soup can freeze quite well, but I would tend to use it within 4 weeks.

* Whack the onions through your food processor (slice disc) and fry off with the oil at bottom of stock pot - until translucent. Then add 2 ltres of beef stock.
* Process the rest of the vegetables with the large size grating disc (Cabbage on slice disc). You can do this by hand, but what a PITA that would be! Alternately, if you like a more rustic look, you can use the chopping blades, or cube it all by hand (PITA).
* Put all the veg into the stock pot and add 2ltres of vegie stock.
* Cube the Beef into small bite sized portions and add direct to soup.
* Check water level, you want everything covered by liquid. If not, cover with just water (you can taste test later on to get right flavour).
* Drain off the Barley and add to the soup.
* I will keep this on simmer for at least an hour to develop the flavours. When I check the taste, I will add in salt and paprika to my taste, so please do same for yourself.

NB: You can omit the stock and use a packet of French Onion soup mix instead. 

Exclusively Food

Just found a great cooking blog here

http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/

Hazelnut and Chocolate Ganache Tart

I am posting the recipe up now, before I have made it ... so I don't lose my train of thought (I am amalgamating a few recipes here)

Hazelnut and Chocolate Ganache Tart

Ingredients

Tart Shell (See recipe below)
Filling
100g Hazelnuts (whole)
230 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream/thickened cream
1 tablespoon alcohol (brandy, Grand Marnier, rum or bourbon) or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Method:
Roasting Hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Bake the hazelnuts for 10 - 15 minutes or until the skins start to blister and the nuts are fragrant. Remove from oven and wrap the nuts in a clean towel and steam for 5 minutes. Rub the towel briskly to remove the skins. Let cool. Remove 1/2 to use as garnish.

Filling
Coarsely chopped the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl (preferrably pyrex). In a small saucepan bring the cream to a boil. Immediately, remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Gently stir the mixture until smooth and then add the alcohol (or vanilla extract).

Assembly
Line base of tart shell with hazelnuts - sporadic, not packed in.
Pour ganache filling into the base of the tart shell and allow to set for one hour (or until firm) in the fridge.
After it has 'set', remove from the fridge and decorate with remainder hazelnuts.

nb: best served at room temperature.

Basic Tart Shell Recipe
Makes two - 23 cm tart shells.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar (skip for savory tarts)
225 grams unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup of ice water
Directions
1.In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour water in a slow, steady stream until the dough just holds together when pinched. Add remaining water, if necessary. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
2.Turn the dough out onto your work surface on parchment paper (you will need this later on) and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten each portion into a disk, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. At this point you can also freeze the second dough for later use.
3.Place the pastry back on the parchment paper and flatten with your hands. Cover with cling film and roll out the pastry to fit into your tart pan. With the parchment paper it is easy to turn the pastry round as you are rolling, it never sticks on the counter, no flour is required to be added and it is easy to flip into the tart pan.
4.When you have inverted the dough in the tart pan, cut off any dough, which is in excess, prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover with the same cling film you used and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter.


For baking the tart shell
1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and place rack in centre of oven. Line the unbaked pastry shell with the parchment paper you have already used and cover with beans or any other similar weight, making sure the beans are evenly distributed over the entire surface.
2.Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove beans and cool crust on wire rack.
Proceed with desired recipe that calls for a pre-baked shell.

Hot Cross Buns

My first ever attempt!

Ingredients

4 cups plain flour
2 x 8g sachets dried yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons mixed spice
pinch of salt
1.5 cups currants
40g butter
300ml milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Flour Paste
1/2 cup plain flour
4 to 5 tablespoons water
Glaze
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Method
1.Combine flour, yeast, sugar, mixed spice, salt and currants in a large bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add milk. Heat for 1 minute, or until lukewarm. Add warm milk mixture and eggs to currant mixture. Use a flat-bladed knife to mix until dough almost comes together. Use clean hands to finish mixing to form a soft dough.

2.Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dough doubles in size.

3.Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Punch dough down to its original size. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 12 even portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place balls onto lined tray, about 1cm apart. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes, or until buns double in size. Preheat oven to 190°C.

4.Make flour paste: Mix flour and water together in a small bowl until smooth, adding a little more water if paste is too thick. Spoon into a small snap-lock bag. Snip off 1 corner of bag. Pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until buns are cooked through.

5.Make glaze: Place water and sugar into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm hot cross buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NB:
These buns can be frozen for up to 7 days once cooked.