Devilled Sausages

My friend and I were reminiscing over this dish recently. What better way to enjoy your favourite sausage then simmered in a tangy, sweet and spicy sauce served over mash or rice. Now that the weather is finally cooling off, this is the perfectly lovely warming comfort food type of dish to start thinking about cooking.

Whether this was a childhood staple, or like me, your go to flat dinner when a poor university student, it's still just as tasty and satisfying. I historically always made it using the classic Maggi mix, but trust me, it's so much more satisfying (and surprisingly easy) making it from scratch. In fact you've probably already got most, if not all, of the ingredients at home.

You could just as easily cook this in slow cooker, brown the sausages (or not), and put in all other ingredients and leave on low for 4-6 hours. You could easily double this recipe to feed a crowd, or freeze leftovers to reheat on another day.



Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 6-8 good quality pork or beef sausages - I used Freedom Farms Pork & Fennel Sausage
• 2 small brown onions, sliced
• 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled, halved lengthways and sliced thinly
• 1 1/2 cups boiled water
• 2 tsp beef or chicken stock powder (use beef for beef sausages/ chicken for pork) 
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder, or 1 tbsp prepared mustard
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce 
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tbsp cornflour (mixed with 1 tbsp water to form a smooth paste) 
• mashed potato or steamed rice, to serve

In a large saucepan with a lid, lightly brown the sausages in oil over a low heat. Once lightly browned, slice the sausages lengthways, or into smaller slices (which may be more suitable for children). 

Add the onion, apple, carrot, stir, then add the water, stock powder, soy sauce, curry powder, mustard, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Stir to combine, cover and reduce heat to as low as possible. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes till vegetables are softened and sausages are cooked through.

Add the frozen peas, and cornflour mix, simmer for another 3-5 minutes to thicken the sauce. 

Serve upon a bed of rice or mashed potato and tuck in!

Marrow stuffed with Spanish beef and rice

Over our Christmas break my zucchini plant went bazerk. I can home to find 12 massive oversized zucchini, known as marrow. Marrow is one of those vegetables that our parents generation know well. Dad raves about them, but like most things, would just boil it till it's soft. Previously I'd boiled them with kumara and a big dollop of butter to make a light and tasty mash. This time I wanted to get a bit more creative - I asked around and heard loads of legends of amazing stuffed marrows that someone's Aunt or Grandmother used to make. Google searches came up with some interesting responses, some recipes showed promise and provided the inspiration for this one, but trust me, some were plain weird. 

This made enough to feed four hungry people, but it could also easily serve 6, or even 8-10 with a side dish. 
If you're short on cooking time you could steam, or par boil the hollowed out marrow before filling and baking. If you pre-boil, then I would recommend leaving the water out of the roasting dish.


Ingredients  

• 2 medium sized marrow, cut lengthways and seeds scooped out
• 1 cup long grain white rice, cooked according to packet directions
• 1 tbsp oil
• 500 g beef mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup water or beef stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of grated cheese

Place the cut marrow into a large deep roasting pan. Optional: Lightly rub the hollows with a small amount of salt. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. 

In a saucepan heat the oil and gently saute the onion. Once softened add the mince, garlic, cumin seeds, oregano and paprika. Cook stirring occasionally to break up the mince. When the mince is cooked add the capsicum, tomato, water or stock and reduce heat to a low simmer. Allow the liquid to reduce before tasting and adding a little salt and pepper. 

Once seasoned, leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, then stir through the cooked rice. Press this mixture into the hollowed out marrow halves, then top with the grated cheese. 

Pour some water into the roasting pan so that it goes half way up the sides of the marrow halves, then place into the hot oven. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the marrow flesh is soft and the filling is hot. I served these as they are, generous marrow halves on a plate, with a douse of chilli sauce on the side. However you could tart it up a bit with a green salad. 

Chicken Broccoli and Quinoa Balls

Chicken and Broccoli Bites or Broccoli and Cheese Bites have been trending on food blogs for a while now, and I have been wanting to try them for a while. 

Mr 11 months dinner platter.
The chicken broccoli and quinoa
balls were demolished!

However my 'fussy eater' is weird about meat (unless it's pulverised into a puree, masked with pumpkin or kumara), and is not a big fan of cheese. He'll eat his ham and cheese sammies okay, but won't eat cheese on it's own, and didn't seem too pleased with the cheese and veggie fritters that I made (but he loves my Lasagne and Tuna Pasta Bake, go figure?). Regardless, I was hesitant to try something, which was too 'meaty' or 'cheesy', but I am wanting to introduce more finger food, so I came up with these tasty morsels: Which he devoured, and completely ignored everything else which was on his plate. Luckily these are basically a complete meal in one, so he can just eat these for the rest of his life for all I care and I know he'll be getting a balanced diet. 

Best of all, they're a hit with adults as well as children! Little ones can enjoy them plain or with a little tomato sauce, and for adults, add a teaspoon of chilli sauce to the tomato sauce for a flavour kick. Alternatively, you could serve them with spaghetti and a tomato sauce. 

Ingredients (makes 40 balls): 

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups of roughly chopped broccoli (florets and stalk - just remove the skin of the stalk) 
• 400 grams skinless boneless free range chicken 
• 100 grams haloumi cheese 
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup dried + 1 cup water, simmer for 10-15 mins) 
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp paprika 

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line two baking trays with grease proof paper. 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor (depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do a few ingredients at a time, then finish up the mixing in a large bowl. 

Using wet hands, shape ping-pong sized balls of the mixture and drop them onto the lined trays. 

Bake for 25 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway to ensure even cooking. 

Cool and serve: with a tomato sauce (chilli optional), or with spaghetti and a cooked tomato sauce. 

Tuna Pasta Bake

If you liked my Cheat's Lasagne Recipe from a last month then you'll love this variation. I used to spend hours coming up with elaborate meals to prepare, but these days with a young baby I don't have enough to time to prepare, let alone think of such creative meals as I used to. Well not regularly anyway. 

This pasta bake is great in that I can throw this in the slow cooker in the morning (while the little one naps) and then it's ready to serve in the evening. Perfect for if we have a busy afternoon ahead. It's so easy and pretty darn tasty too. The leftovers keep us going for a couple of days and best of all, even the baby likes it!

Ingredients:

• 2 x 185 gram tins of tuna in spring water
• 1 x 400 gram can of creamed corn
• 1 cup of vegetable stock
• 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 300 grams dried pasta 
• 1 & 1/2 cups of grated cheese
• 1 & 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 eggs

Oil the bowl of the slow cooker, and turn on to high setting to preheat. 

In a food processor mix the tuna (including liquid), creamed corn, stock, celery, carrots, onion, and salt and pepper till well combined. 

Spread 1/4 of the mix in the bottom of the slow cooker dish. Cover with half of the dried pasta, then another 1/4 of the mix over that. Sprinkle with half of the cheese, before layering the remaining pasta, then the rest of the tuna mix on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. 

In the same food processor (don't bother cleaning it in between) combine the eggs and milk, then pour this over the top of the cheese. Put the lid on the slow cooker and reduce the temperature to low. Cook for 5-6 hours, before slicing and serving. 

Everyday Strength ~ Book Review

Everyday Strength ~ Recipes & Wellbeing Tips for Cancer Patients

By Sam Mannering & Karen McMillan

Health and Wellness books are extremely popular right now, with people realising that what we put into our bodies as fuel matters. This book fits into that category, but is specifically written for people facing cancer. The authors write from personal experience with a wealth of expertise. Sam, being a food writer and columnist at Sunday Star Times and contributor to Cuisine and House and Garden magazines; while Karen has published a dozen books both fiction and non-fiction on a range of topics including cancer, WWII memoirs, and historical novels. Karen has also been a hospice volunteer, and Sam a hospice ambassador.

Many cancer lifestyles advocate for vegetarian, vegan, organic, or raw diets. Things which are often complete upheavals of one’s former lifestyle. And although these things may be suitable for some, for others it’s an unrealistic and daunting idea. Everyday Strength however is a book about ‘making every day better’, using simple strategies, tips and recipes for people throughout the various stages and cancer treatments. It doesn’t advocate a cure, and how could it, every case is unique. Instead, what it does offer is practical solutions for common problems.

Food in life is a source of pleasure for many people, it’s how we socialise and how we often ‘treat’ ourselves, a nice meal out, a slab of cake, or an expensive cut of steak. However when managing cancer, battling a myriad of symptoms, one’s appetite and taste buds can be affected.

Therefore the chapters in this book are arranged around the symptoms that cancer treatment brings, and provides tips, insights and recipes to combat them. Exhaustion, Lack of Appetite & Weight Loss, Nausea, Common Side Effects of Hormone Therapy, Dealing with Pain & Discomfort, Hair Care, Skin & Nails are among the chapter titles. Accompanying recipes are designed to tempt the tastebuds while providing necessary nutrition. The Pork Chops with Apple Sage and Sweet Wine for example, is designed to contain Vitamins B6 & B12, magnesium, potassium and zinc as well as protein. While the Carrot Cake recipe is made for flavour with the added benefit of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

What’s great about this book, is that it’s real food - that everyone can enjoy, it’s practical, and most of all it’s realistic. If you or someone you know are currently facing ‘The Big C’ then this is definitely a book worth exploring.

If you’re interested in hearing more from the authors and their personal stories then you can see them in person at the Going West Festival this Sunday 10th September www.goingwestfest.co.nz  

Angelo's Wild Kitchen - Book Review

Angelo’s Wild Kitchen - Family Favourite Recipes

By Angelo Georgalli

I was very excited to get my hands on this pre-release copy of Angelo’s Wild Kitchen, his second book following The Game Chef. He’s a household name in our family, thanks to his show also titled The Game Chef on Maori Television. Here he shares his love of hunting (often with bow and arrow) and gathering, with his passion for wholesome family cooking.

His mother is Italian, and father Croatian, so his recipes have a very European flair running through them. Expect to see mouth watering pastas, pizzas, breads, and homemade sauces, all prepared with local New Zealand produce, much of which he has grown or foraged himself. There’s even a few recipes at the back of the book which feature his children and their inherited love of food. Teenager Luca’s Roast Tomato Soup made with his own home grown tomatoes, and Oscar, who loves fishing, has a Brown Trout recipe .

Angelo has been in NZ for over 20 years currently resides in the picturesque Cardrona Valley, so as well as the stunning food photography, you’ll find breathtaking imagery our native backyard. The inside cover of the book even has topographical maps of Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, and the Cardrona ranges.

Even though the title is ‘Wild’ Kitchen, don’t be put off. Pretty much every single recipe in this book I could source the ingredients for and could easily make myself. The ‘wild’ more refers to the fact that ingredients can be sourced locally (and for free, hunting, fishing, growing, if you’re that way inclined). He even has a page of tips and tricks for ‘How to bring the wild into any home’. There is still enough to keep the wild food lovers happy too, with a few venison and hare recipes, a rabbit pie, and a North African Goat Hotpot, amongst the more traditional beef, chicken, cured meats, vegetarian, and variety of seafood recipes. The seafood recipes alone make this book worthwhile: crayfish caesar and sandwiches, calamari fettuccine, Greek fish stew, and Greek stuffed calamari, trout, salmon, BBQed fish, seafood chowder and 3 different seafood pizzas. AKA seafood heaven!  

One thing I really love about this book is the variety. The chapters cover everything: Breakfast, Butters - so popular right now! & Bases, All Things Saucy, Grazing - my favourite way to eat, Seafood delicacies, Pizza Pasta Pizazz, Wild Asian Fusion - nope, it’s not all European, Give Me Greens (Salad and Veges), Meat, Sweet Things, For The Kids - dedicated to his children’s recipes, not kid food. In fact, one criticism would be, what has he got left? It seems he’s put everything into this cookbook, and I wonder, or hope that he’s got more up his sleeve for another one. There’s so much crammed in that the pizza recipe, like the steamed buns, provides the recipe for the dough, then a range of different filling and topping recipes. Meaning that if you go to the effort of mastering the dough making, you’re not just a one trick pony!

It needs to be noted as well, that this book is truly for everyone. I’ve mentioned the variety of recipes above, but it’s also suitable for all those people with dietary restrictions too. Featuring Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free and Vegetarian recipes throughout the chapters.

You can expect to find copies of Angelo’s Wild Kitchen on shelves from the 1st of September and if you can get in quick, I’d highly recommend this book as a great gift for upcoming Father’s Day, or a Christmas gift for any budding foodie, hunter, or horticulturist. The recipes are simple classic fare with his own twists. The first recipe I tried was his Pork Belly, Mushroom & Sage Orecchiette which is his version of Fettuccine Carbonara: Indulgent, yet simple and delicious. Next up, I plan to make his Napoletana Sauce, which then features in other recipes throughout the book.

Cheat's Lasagne

Okay, so I'll admit this from the start, if you're a purist - this isn't exactly lasagne, but if you're lazy like me and want the meat, pasta, cheese combo baked into something that you can serve (and freeze if you want) easily, then this is your jam! When I say easy, I mean EASY. Traditional lasagne takes time to prep and lots of pots and pans - you have to cook the meat sauce, cook the pasta and make a white sauce before assembling and baking again. This cheat lasagne however, simply mix, layer, and leave for 5 or 6 hours then devour! Yes, there is absolutely NO pre-cooking required. And to make it even easier, mix everything in the food processor! You can thank me later. 

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 400 g tin of tomatoes 
• 500 g beef mince 
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp cracked pepper
• 1 tsp salt 
• 250 g dried lasagne or pasta shapes (spiral would also work well) 
• 4 tsp cornflour
• 1 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 eggs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese 

Preheat the slow cooker by turning it on high, and oiling the dish. (Alternatively you could bake it in the oven on 120 degrees Celsius for 5 hours.  

In the food processor, chop onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini till well minced. Add the stock, tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, mince, oregano, salt and pepper and mix till well combined. 

Layer the mince with the dried pasta into the slow cooker dish. Use 1/4 of your mince mixture first, spreading evenly, then 1/2 of the dried pasta. Top with another quarter of the mince mixture, then the other half of the dried pasta. Finally put the remaining half of the mince mixture over the top. 

Scatter the grated cheese over top. Next mix your cornflour with a little of the milk till smooth, then mix in the remaining milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper and beat well. Pour this over the top of the grated cheese. Turn your slow cooker onto low, cover and leave for 4-6 hours till cooked through and beginning to brown on top. Every slow cooker is different - in mine, it is done perfectly after 5 hours, so keep an eye on yours the first time to get the perfect cooking time. 

Slice and serve with garlic bread and either salad or steamed vegetables.