Tag: italian

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  Garlic And Rosemary Confit

  Making garlic confit is delightfully simple. It is garlic cloves slowly cooked in olive oil until they are soft and spreadable.

  Over the course of 2 hours on a low heat, the garlic looses its bight and takes on a mellow, nutty flavour.

  You can use it many novel ways, anything from spreads to garnishes to cheese platters. Oh and in all the ways you would normally use raw garlic.

  I generally use a whole head of garlic (two sometimes) at a time because the confit will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

  

  Simply

  Peel and clean the garlic cloves. Chuck them into a small pot or an oven proof ramekin, with some rosemary.

  

  Then cover everything with olive oil and pop the pot into a preheated 100c oven for about 2 hours.

  

  After about 1.5 hours, start using a spoon to gently squeeze a clove against the side of the pot. Repeat this process every half an hour or so. Everything is ready when the clove gives way easily and forms a paste.

  

  Once the oil has cooled, spoon the cloves into a jar and cover them with the oil. Store the jar in the fridge and never at room temperature. The olive oil will solidify in the fridge but that is not a problem. Simply spoon the cloves that you want to use out and the oil will run off them as it warms up.

  

  I love smearing it on crusty, buttered bread for instant garlic bread:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are more cooking ingredients and sauces, marinades and seasoning posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  April 20, 2023

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  Lemon Pepper And Thyme BBQ Chicken Breast

  This Mediterranean styled barbecued chicken recipe is guaranteed to wow your guests.

  Slices of lemon (bruised to release their juice), olive oil, thyme and black pepper provide the epic flavours. To seal the deal the lemon slices are placed on the meat as it cooks, keeping it moist.

  Want more flavour? Throw in some oregano and rosemary.

   

  You could mix all the ingredients (plus salt and pepper to taste) in a zip lock bag, leaving it to marinade over night.

  Here though I have layered the ingredients in a container and then drizzled the resulting stack with lemon juice and a bit of olive oil.

  

  On medium heat, barbecue the breast meat, keeping as much of the other ingredients on the chicken as possible. When you have turned the meat, put the lemon slices back on top so the juices continue to add flavour.

  

  Serving suggestion: Along with chips and a garden salad.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are more chicken dishes and Mediterranean cuisine:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  January 25, 2023

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  Lemon, Garlic And Olive Oil Sauce And Marinade

   

  Perfectly balanced, this garlic and rosemary infused emulsion of lemon juice and olive oil provides a Mediterranean flavour punch. I use it as a marinade and for drizzling on salads and cooked meat.

  Simply mix a 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup of olive oil and two garlic cloves in a blender.

  

  

  Let it whiz for a minute to force the oil into the lemon juice, giving you creamy, tangy sauce. I recommend tasting it at this point and adding a bit more oil if the lemon juice is overbearing. Whiz for another 30 seconds.

  Chuck in some rosemary and you are done. It keeps about 10 days in the fridge but might need another whisking/shaking if the oil settles out.

  

  Here I have marinated lamb ribs for 48 hours and cooked them low on the Weber:

  

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are more cooking ingredients and sauces\marinades:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  January 23, 2023

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  Condensed Mushroom Broth From Scratch

  I love making this simple mushroom broth concentrate. Easily stored as cubes in the freezer it brings depth to soups, stews, pastas and the like. The ingredients are simple, 3l of water, your mushrooms of choice, an onion and several pinches of salt to get the flavours going.

  Note: Takes about 8 hours in a slow cooker and around 4 hours in an electric skillet.

  

  Steps

  1. Preparing ingredients
  2. Simmering
  3. Straining
  4. Storing and using

  Equipment

  • 1 chef’s knife
  • 1 soup pot or electric skillet
  • Small meshed sieve/strainer

  Ingredients

  • 3L water
  • 1 brown onion, halved
  • 6 – 8 large white mushrooms, rough chopped
  • Salt, a small amount to bring out the flavours

  Preparing the ingredients

  Gently rinse the mushrooms to remove any dirt, then chop them into large pieces.

  

  Peel the onion then slice in half. Add everything to your slow cooker pot or skillet and add 3l of water.

  Simmering

  Slowly reduce the liquid, at a simmer, until you have about 1.5 cups remaining. Remove the onion and the mushrooms.

  

  Straining

  You don’t have to but I strained the broth using a fine mesh.

  

  Storing and using

  If you are using a  portion in the next few days, simply pour some into a reused glass jar and pop it in the fridge.

  Otherwise, you can use an ice cube tray to make handy to use portions.

  

   

  

  Chuck them straight from the freezer into your dishes, for that flavour boost.

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more stock making posts and kitchen related thriftiness : 

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  March 10, 2022

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  Condensed Chicken Bone Broth From Scratch

  This simple chicken bone broth is slowly reduced, over the course of a day, into a protein and collagen rich flavour boosting concentrate. Easily stored as cubes in the freezer, I make it anytime I get enough chicken frames. The flavours are kept simple, just chicken bones,  one onion and several pinches of salt to get the flavours going.

  Note: Takes about 8 hours in a slow cooker.

  When chilled it will set and keep for a several days in the fridge: 

  

  Steps

  1. Preparing the frames
  2. Simmering
  3. Straining and removing fat
  4. Storing and using

  Equipment

  • 1 chef’s knife
  • 1 slow cooker
  • Small meshed sieve/strainer

  Ingredients

  • 3L water
  • 1 brown onion, halved
  • ~4 chicken frames or the equivalent in mixed off cuts
  • Salt, a small amount to bring out the flavours

  Preparing the frames

  1. Blanche all of the chicken frames to get a cleaner bone broth.
  2. Peel the onion then slice in half. 
  3. Add everything to your slow cooker pot and cover with water to the max limit.

  

  Simmering

  Slowly reduce the liquid you have about 2 cups remaining. I used my slow cooker for 8 hours and then a high simmer until I got the consistency I was after. 

  

  Straining and removing fat

  I use a fat seperating jug to remove the skim of fat you will get as the liquid cools. Then you can use a fine mesh to remove any small bones and the onion.

  

  Storing and using

  If you are using a  portion in the next few days, simply pour some into a reused glass jar and pop it in the fridge.

  

  Otherwise, you can use an ice cube tray to make handy to use portions.

  

  

  You can then defrost the cubes, add some water and hey presto, you have liquid broth.

  

   

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more stock\broth making posts and kitchen related thriftiness : 

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  March 7, 2022

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  Pasta: Succhietti

  Succhietti is a type of Rigatoni  with the spirals shape of Tortiglioni. This pasta shape can handle the heavier sauces due to the ridges and large hollow diameter.

  

  Cheesy goodness:

  

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  November 10, 2021

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  Pasta: Casareccia

  Hailing from Sicily, these rolled noodle shapes are a treat for the eye. 

  Not a shape for heavy sauces, they are perfect for light cheese sauces, pestos and salads. They are also a great soup pasta.

  

  Cheesy goodness:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  October 30, 2021

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  Pasta: Wagon Wheels

  In Australia we have a pasta shape called ‘Wagon Wheels’.

  Designed for kids (big and small) they really hold light sauces well and have a springy texture.

  

  

  Check out my little tasting bowls:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  October 16, 2021

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  Pasta: Agnolotti

  Agnolotti is a semi-cirlce shaped type of ravioli, often although it can be square or irregularly shaped. Either way it is stuffed with different mixtures of meat, vegetables and cheese.   

  

  They are fun to make

  Roll out some fresh pasta dough and use a cookie cutter to make circles. 

  

  

  

  

  Add into each disc a spoon of your filling and a bit of cheese. Then fold the disc into a semi-circle.

  

  

  Pinch the edges down with your fingers or a fork.

  I like to serve them in a simple tomato or cream sauce.  I’ve also been known to add them to soup.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 6, 2021

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  Pasta: Curly Fettuccine

  This pasta shape is a treat for the eyes. Just like flat fettuccine, it is perfect for both light and heavy sauces. The curly ripples help to trap sauce and even meat or vegetables. They also make for that something a little bit different and kids love the “frills”.

  

  

  Here I have folded them through a sauce made with Creme Fraiche, pasta water, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino cheese:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 20, 2021