I never used to use pork belly for roasting until a friend of mine served this delicious roast up at a dinner party. I was amazed by how wonderful it was so asked if I could share her recipe with you. I have seen quite a lot of different ways of cooking the belly and Jamie Oliver also has a great recipe on his site for doing it a different way. This would be a great entree if having a large dinner party or else as mains for a dinner party for 4 - 6 people.
INGREDIENTS:
1.2 - 1.5 kg pork belly
sea salt to rub in
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper.
CARAMELISED SYRUP:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup chicken stock
juice of an orange
orange peel
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
METHOD:
Preheat oven to very hot 220C for fan forced.
Score the skin of the pork about a centimetre apart with a very sharp small knife. Make sure you don't cut into the meat.
Rub plenty of sea salt into the scores, making sure you get well into each mark. Brush off the excess salt. Turn meat over and lightly season the underside with salt and black pepper.
In a baking pan, spread a little olive oil in the bottom and place the pork belly in the pan skin side up and place in the hot oven. Drizzle a little more oil over the pork.
Roast for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the skin is starting to puff up into crackling.
Turn heat down to 180C and roast for about another hour.
Remove and baste with any fat in the bottom of the pan.
Set aside for 15 minutes while you make your cramelised syrup.
Serve the pork sliced with the syrup drizzled over it, some creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and some sweet mustard on the side.
Syrup:
Put the sugar, vinegar and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, until syrupy.
Stir in the chicken stock and simmer another 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add the orange juice and peel and reduce heat to low. Simmer very gently until thick and syrupy.
Season to taste.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Stuffed Potato Skins Recipe
I have to admit to loving potato skins and am always on the lookout for different ways of doing them. I limit myself to making them only on special occasions, such as barbecues or cocktail parties as I would end up eating too many of them if I had them more often. This recipe was given to me by Judy, a friend of mine. She is a great cook and was always treating us to some really special recipes, this being one of them.
INGREDIENT'S:
5 - 6 baked potatoes
1 tablespoon butter - melted
3 spring onions - chopped
3- 4 rashers bacon - cooked and diced
3/4 cup grated cheese
sour cream (I use the light one with garlic and parsley)
some spring onions - thinly sliced (green part only)
season salt (can use plain sea salt)
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Cut cooked potatoes in halves and remove most of the insides. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle a little salt on them.
Bake or about 15 - 20 minutes or until just crisp but not dried out.
Remove from oven and sprinkle the cheese, bacon and onion over them.
Return to oven and heat until cheese is melted.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and then put the spring onions over.
Can use snipped chives instead if fresh ones are available.
You can cut the potatoes into quarters instead of halves if using for a party.
INGREDIENT'S:
5 - 6 baked potatoes
1 tablespoon butter - melted
3 spring onions - chopped
3- 4 rashers bacon - cooked and diced
3/4 cup grated cheese
sour cream (I use the light one with garlic and parsley)
some spring onions - thinly sliced (green part only)
season salt (can use plain sea salt)
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Cut cooked potatoes in halves and remove most of the insides. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle a little salt on them.
Bake or about 15 - 20 minutes or until just crisp but not dried out.
Remove from oven and sprinkle the cheese, bacon and onion over them.
Return to oven and heat until cheese is melted.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and then put the spring onions over.
Can use snipped chives instead if fresh ones are available.
You can cut the potatoes into quarters instead of halves if using for a party.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Fruit and Nut Bar Recipe
I am always looking out for easy slices to make and a hostess at a clothing party I attended served these little bars up for afternoon tea. I thought they were quite tasty so I asked her for the recipe. They are super easy to make and I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I did.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pitted dates - chopped
1 cup mixed nuts - chopped ( I just used walnuts)
2 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 cups rice bubbles - lightly crushed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup dried peaches - chopped
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C
Beat eggs till light and fluffy then add the sugar, beating through until mixture thickens.
Add the other ingredients and mix through.
Press into greased 23cm x 23cm tin and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and mark into bars with a knife before cooled down.
You could also use dried apple instead of peaches for a variation and if dieting you can substitute the sugar for artificial sweetener such as splenda.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pitted dates - chopped
1 cup mixed nuts - chopped ( I just used walnuts)
2 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 cups rice bubbles - lightly crushed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup dried peaches - chopped
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C
Beat eggs till light and fluffy then add the sugar, beating through until mixture thickens.
Add the other ingredients and mix through.
Press into greased 23cm x 23cm tin and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and mark into bars with a knife before cooled down.
You could also use dried apple instead of peaches for a variation and if dieting you can substitute the sugar for artificial sweetener such as splenda.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Diabetic Chocolate Mousse Recipe
My husband loves chocolate mousse and is always buying the little weight watchers ones from the refrigerator section at the supermarket. On seeing how much they cost, I decided to look around for a suitable recipe that not only saves us money but also one that tastes great as well.
I found this recipe on a site that lets you share them and decided to make it myself to see if I thought it was good enough to share with you. I found it quite tasty and I am sure that once you try it you will agree with me. When using artificial sweeteners, always look for one that does not contain aspartame.
INGREDIENTS:
1 sachet of gelatin (about 30g)
1/4 cup water
1 cup low fat milk ( I use Hi-Low)
1/2 cup good cocoa powder
1/3 cup sweetener (I use Splenda)
1 cup light cream - whipped
flake chocolate or chocolate curls to decorate.
METHOD:
Sprinkle the gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand for a couple of minutes. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
Stir 1/4 cup of the milk into the cocoa powder to make a paste then gradually stir in remaining milk.
Pour into gelatin and add the sweetener to this.
Refrigerate until it begins to thicken, approx 25 minutes.
Remove from fridge and fold in whipped cream.
Spoon mixture into serving glasses and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours.
To serve, garnish with some crumbled flake or chocolate curls.
I found this recipe on a site that lets you share them and decided to make it myself to see if I thought it was good enough to share with you. I found it quite tasty and I am sure that once you try it you will agree with me. When using artificial sweeteners, always look for one that does not contain aspartame.
INGREDIENTS:
1 sachet of gelatin (about 30g)
1/4 cup water
1 cup low fat milk ( I use Hi-Low)
1/2 cup good cocoa powder
1/3 cup sweetener (I use Splenda)
1 cup light cream - whipped
flake chocolate or chocolate curls to decorate.
METHOD:
Sprinkle the gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand for a couple of minutes. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
Stir 1/4 cup of the milk into the cocoa powder to make a paste then gradually stir in remaining milk.
Pour into gelatin and add the sweetener to this.
Refrigerate until it begins to thicken, approx 25 minutes.
Remove from fridge and fold in whipped cream.
Spoon mixture into serving glasses and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours.
To serve, garnish with some crumbled flake or chocolate curls.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Baked Ricotta Recipe
Have you ever ordered baked ricotta at a restaurant and the cost is around $10 to $12 for an entree serve? I have as I love it so much. I have a friend who had her own restaurant and it was one of her most popular items on the menu. She eventually sold her restaurant and she gave me her recipe for this lovely dish. It is just so easy to make and once you have tried it out on your friends, they will keep asking you to make it again. It is great as an entree or even as the main course for a luncheon, served with a tomato salad and some fresh crusty bread. I like to use turkish or ciabatta bread.
INGREDIENTS:
1 - 2 teaspoons good olive oil
1 tablespoons pine nuts
1 - 2 cloves of crushed garlic (can use bottled)
100g english or baby spinach
500g ricotta cheese (can use low fat)
1 egg - lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chives (optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C in fan forced or 200C regular oven.
Lightly grease a six hole muffin pan of 1/3 cup capacity.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy base frypan on medium heat. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook through until fragrant.
Wash the spinach thoroughly, blanch in hot water, then chop roughly.
Add the spinach to the pan and gently cook for a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool down.
Stir the beaten egg through the ricotta, making sure it is well combined.
Add this with the parmesan cheese and snipped chives to the spinach and mix thoroughly.
Fill the muffin pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden on top and slightly cracked on the sides.
Remove from oven and cool in pan. Using a knife, run around edges then gently slid off onto plates for serving.
Serve with a tomato salad or some baked deli sized trussed romano tomatoes.
To bake tomatoes, place in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with a little virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake about 12 - 15 minutes or until tomatoes begin to cave in.
INGREDIENTS:
1 - 2 teaspoons good olive oil
1 tablespoons pine nuts
1 - 2 cloves of crushed garlic (can use bottled)
100g english or baby spinach
500g ricotta cheese (can use low fat)
1 egg - lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chives (optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180C in fan forced or 200C regular oven.
Lightly grease a six hole muffin pan of 1/3 cup capacity.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy base frypan on medium heat. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook through until fragrant.
Wash the spinach thoroughly, blanch in hot water, then chop roughly.
Add the spinach to the pan and gently cook for a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool down.
Stir the beaten egg through the ricotta, making sure it is well combined.
Add this with the parmesan cheese and snipped chives to the spinach and mix thoroughly.
Fill the muffin pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden on top and slightly cracked on the sides.
Remove from oven and cool in pan. Using a knife, run around edges then gently slid off onto plates for serving.
Serve with a tomato salad or some baked deli sized trussed romano tomatoes.
To bake tomatoes, place in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with a little virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake about 12 - 15 minutes or until tomatoes begin to cave in.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Roasted Beetroot Dip Recipe
This is the other beetroot dip recipe I promised. It takes a little more effort to make but once you have tried it I am sure you will agree that it is worth it. I love this version of a favourite dip.
INGREDIENTS:
4 fresh beetroots
2 cloves garlic (can use bottled)
300ml tub of greek style yoghurt or light sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
100g roasted cashews
1 teapoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cummin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 200C.
Scrub the beetroots gently and remove the stems.
Wrap individually in alfoil and roast in oven for approx 1 hour or until cooked through. Turn occasionally.
Remove from oven and when cooled enough to handle, rub beets to remove skin.
Chop nuts in a food processor, then add the beetroots and process until just smooth.
Add other ingredients and process slightly till mixed well.
Serve with turkish or lenanese breads or dipping crackers.
Leftover dip can be froze or stored in an airtight container for several days in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS:
4 fresh beetroots
2 cloves garlic (can use bottled)
300ml tub of greek style yoghurt or light sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
100g roasted cashews
1 teapoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cummin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 200C.
Scrub the beetroots gently and remove the stems.
Wrap individually in alfoil and roast in oven for approx 1 hour or until cooked through. Turn occasionally.
Remove from oven and when cooled enough to handle, rub beets to remove skin.
Chop nuts in a food processor, then add the beetroots and process until just smooth.
Add other ingredients and process slightly till mixed well.
Serve with turkish or lenanese breads or dipping crackers.
Leftover dip can be froze or stored in an airtight container for several days in the fridge.
Beetroot Dip Recipe
I first tasted beetroot dip about 3 years ago and loved it so much I asked the hostess for her recipe. She gave me 2 recipes. One is a very simple one to make and the other one takes much longer, has more ingredients but is definitely worth the effort to make. I will share the both of them with you to try.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (450g) of baby beetroots
1 cup greek style plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cummin
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Coaresly chop the beetroots and place in a medium size bowl with all other ingredients.
Combine well and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with pieces of turkish bread or other dipping sticks.
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (450g) of baby beetroots
1 cup greek style plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cummin
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Coaresly chop the beetroots and place in a medium size bowl with all other ingredients.
Combine well and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with pieces of turkish bread or other dipping sticks.
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