Month: August 2016

Prawn Curry with Eggplant Relish

, Valentina Rice

 

Gone are the days of using jarred sauces and hiding them from guests out of shame. No more pretending that we made every last morsel from scratch. Now we shout proudly, “can you believe how good it is? And straight from a jar!”. The ingredient labels on these “next generation” jarred sauces list foods we fully recognize, sourced from the freshest ingredients and made in small batches so that conceivably, we could have made them ourselves. We’re so lucky to offer a slew of these fantastic sauces on Many Kitchens which take us across Europe and over to Asia. We’re so pleased to be adding Akka’s products to this category. Made from Lawrence Dass’ great grandmother’s recipe, Akka’s Eggplant Relish was a Good Food Award winner and the Curry Paste was a finalist – the two together make for an exceptional and exotic dinner with just the right amount of sweet and heat. And all ready by the time your rice has boiled!

 

Prawn Curry with Eggplant Relish

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1/2 jar of Akka’s Curry Paste

1 can of coconut milk

1lb of fresh prawns, peeled and deveined

Akka’s Eggplant Relish for serving

 

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and fry the onion for approximately 5 minutes until soft.

2. Add the curry paste, stir well and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. Add the coconut milk, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add the prawns and cook through – approximately 4-5 minutes.

5. Serve with Basmati rice, nan and Eggplant Relish

Pecan Apple Crumble Pie

, Valentina Rice

 

I can never decide which I like more, apple pie or apple crumble and now I don’t have to. The best of all worlds with buttery flaky pastry on the bottom and sweet juicy filling oozing out of the nutty crunchy layer on top. I used Molly and Me’s Praline Pecan Toppings but any of her home grown and home roasted pecan mixes would work just as well.

 

Pecan Apple Pie

Serves 4-6

Ingredients for the pastry:

8 oz plain flour

5 oz unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

3 ounces sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk mixed with a splash of milk

 

Ingredients for the filling:

4 or 5 apples, I like to use a mixture

Zest of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons muscovado sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup of oats

1 stick of butter at room temperature

1/2 cup of soft brown sugar

1 jar Praline Pecan Toppings

 

Method for the pastry:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Put the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and blitz until you get crumbs.

3. Add the egg and mix again.

4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until 1/4″ thick. Lay the pastry in a 9″ pie dish, cut off any overhang with a knife and press the back of a fork around the rim. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

 

Method for the filling:

1. Peel and core the apples then cut into eighths.

2. In a sauce pan over low heat, toss the apples with the lemon, sugar, cinnamon, salt and a tablespoon of water. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then allow to cool completely.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt, oats and butter using your fingertips until you get a “crumbly” texture. 

4. Add the sugar to the mixture and combine well.

5. Remove the pie dish from the fridge, line with foil or parchment paper and then fill with uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool.

6. Once cool, pack the apple mix tightly into the dish and sprinkle the crumble mixture  and then the pecans over the apples.

7. Use the yolk and milk mixture to egg wash the pastry rim and then bake in the oven for a further 30 minutes or until nicely browned. 

 

Blueberry Granola Parfait

, Valentina Rice

 

My friend Cree’s homemade granola set the bar so high that we’ve never had one on the site. We dubbed hers ‘Crackola’ as it was so utterly addictive, I had to hide it in my own kitchen. Finally a granola exists that rivals Cree’s and I’m over the moon to finally be able to offer it on Many Kitchens.

 

Nuts & Bolts Granola has just the right amount of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy. It’s the maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil and mixture of roughly chopped nuts that makes me look forward to my new favorite breakfast.

 

I like it with greek yoghurt, a handful of berries and a drizzle of honey but how ever you like your granola, I urge you to give this one a try – you won’t be disappointed.

 

Blueberry Granola Parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nuts & Bolts Granola

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

1/2 cup Blueberries

Kosher Wild Flower Honey for drizzling

 

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients and eat immediately to start your day off right!

Kale Salad with Farm Fresh Pecans

, Valentina Rice

 

Last week’s visit to the farmers market had me lugging home more kale than I could fit in my fridge. Reducing its bulk to a manageable size was the first order of business. There’s something therapeutic about cleaning a large volume of greens; methodical and rewarding but completely mindless. Next was the Rumpelstiltskin style task of turning a mound of kale into culinary gold. I made a huge batch of pesto (just substitute basil for kale), 2 trays of kale chips and still had enough left over for a bright salad with Molly and Me’s Sneaky Hot Pecans. The pecans added a perfect pop of heat and crunch to compliment the sweet golden raisins and the tart vinaigrette, resulting in a completely satisfying lunch on a steamy hot day.

 

Kale Salad with Farm Fresh Pecans

Serves 2

Ingredients:

5 oz kale (washed and stems removed)

1/4 cup golden raisins (soaked for 5 minutes in water)

1/2 cup Sneaky Hot Pecans

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

 

Dressing:

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method:

1. Roll up the kale in bunches and slice into bite size strips. They don’t need to be even.

2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and vinegar then whisk in the olive oil and season.

3. In a large bowl, add the kale and dressing and massage well with your hands.

4. Add raisins, pecans and goat cheese.

5. Leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.