thai 'nam tok' beef salad.

i love this dish so healthy so clean and fresh

sear a lean piece of porterhouse in a very hot cast pan till charred but still pink in the middle a slighty chilled meat will help with this the texture its important... let steak cool meanwhile chop handful of mint and coriander leaves half a small red onion finely sliced and halfed, 1 or 2 if you love it hot small red chillis seeds an all but as ive always said to taste to taste!

in a small ramekin or bowl mix 1 tspn caster sugar 2 tblsns lime juice 2 tspns fish sauce

half tspn ground hot chilli

NOW

taste taste taste and get the flavour as you like it! i like it totally balanced but some may like it on the sweet side where i like everything balanced its up to your own taste

toss all ingredients in a bowl chill for 20 minutes in the cooler

serve with a fresh sprinkle of ground chilli

and toasted ground rice if you like that nutty overtone.

im droolin typing this as i just made it and im going to eat it after i finish this post so enjoy!

sunset from my terrace.

i know what to taste with a sunset like this my greek summer prawns and a chilly pinot grigio

this was photographed about a week ago by me
check me out as a photographer if you like
www.chrisioannou.com.au

french bistro mushroom chicken with white wine fresh herbs and cheese

cut breast into a medallion flatten season salt pepper you know the drill add a tbspn butter to non stick pan tspn olive oil cook till slightly golden both sides this is gonna cook fully in the oven

saute sliced fresh portobellos in some tyme cracked pepper and butter till hot add a splash o white wino

simmer that till sorta dry then cool in the pan

so then you

add breast to a small baking dish as pictured pour over mushroom mixture top with you fave tasty cheese this dish is sorta healthy goodness lifes too short 'enjoy' as 

jennifer patterson used to say... what a life she had

oven 180c 20 minutes check check check must be a gooey melt
serve with red wine and a crisp salad 

my easy peasy winter lamb shanks in white wine with fresh veg and herbs

Winter is upon us yes dread o dread i love the cold months hearty meals like this but most of them are so time consuming this takes 30 minutes to prepare and then you just cook in oven till ready

4 small potatoes skin on cut in half 1 medium brown onion thickly sliced 6 big cloves of garlic just smashed with your hand/fist and husk off 1 medium carrot thickly sliced

1 tblsn fresh tyme and rosemary add salt cracked pepper to these

season shanks with salt pepper lay all of these into baking dish splash a bit of dry white wine

and olive oil cover with at least 2 layers of foil heat oven to max when really hot add dish for 20 minutes then lower oven to 180c cook for 2 hours check check check turn oven OFF leave in for another hour!

serve with your drooooolin mouth or gob as we sometimes say here in oz!
salt pepper again to suit your personal taste
enjoy as jennifer says!

mexico city grilled rockling.

this is my recipe get a great fresh bit o thick fish i like rockling for this
the picture is an ungrilled one i want you to see it as it should be before grilling in a pan

mix 2 tbsn olive oil with fresh coriander leaves 1 clove garlic finely chopped

add green tabasco to taste salt pepper 1 tspn smoky paprika and some funky lime or lemon zest thin slices

spread all over fish i cut some slits on top of the great thick steak so marinate will go through

leave covered room temp for an hour no more

heat pan till high heat sear both sides till slightly golden never ever over cook fish

never!

serve with a crisp salad

my secret thai roughly diced fish paste.

i love a coconut thai curry but i love leaving the milk! out sort of like malay cooking much more dry a curry hence less coconut milk i love it this way well heres a thai fish dish with no coconut milk at all its very spicy easy to make sorta but very easy to cook so a bit of karma

2 large cloves garlic a bit of ginger thats about as big as a biggish clove of garlic

2 small birds eye chillis seeds half removed 1 big red chilli finley diced 3 big kafirr leaves (thanks janice from her garden) a tight handful of coriander leaves and roots if you like and very very finely chopped lemongrass 2 tspns

finely chop these all together to the rough thai paste pictured

in between a blender and a morter/pestle try it its a fantastic texture that goes with the fish so well

add some peanut oil (1 tablespoon) water (2 tablespoons) fish sauce (1 teaspoon or to taste) well everything in fact also add a sprinkle of ground white pepper and 1 tspn of really good sweet chilli sauce

spoon over you fave fish i like flathead tails cover with foil bake 180c for 20 minutes or so check check check

make this dish your own

also makes your bench a mess but its worth it!

tapas idea #7,891

any idea you get in your head for an easy snack make it

TAPAS

invent away my foodie professors great baguette from a frenchy place

tuna slices with the oil it comes with top with chilled avocado spanish onions finely sliced

add some fruity chilli sauce like my fave 'encona west indian hot pepper sauce'

BEWARE

this sauce is hot but o so fruity not sweet but fruity use with caution!
if you cant find this sauce green tabasco works well with this

just a few drops all to taste as ive always said

top with fresh parsley

and enjoy.

old fashion british style lamb chops very yum yum!

get some lovely lamb chops but not too thin 1 inch thickness is best for this recipe as you can sear them fast and it still remains pink and juicy in the middle

leave chops till room temp add pepper salt heat olive oil in pan till hot add chops sear both sides till golden then add 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce to hot pan and turn chops once or twice while reducing sauce boil off till chops are glossy but a bit dry not too much check with my photo its very accurate as it should look add more salt pepper if you like all to taste

as jennifer from the 2 fat ladies says nobody knows your taste than yourself

make this dish your own!

easy but exotic nachos!

who does not love a nachos this is my speedy gonzales dish for a wonderful but easy snack to make you can add homemade avocado dip (recipe pending) sour cream fresh chillis your fave hot chilli sauces etc as ive always said make this dish your own this is the start of the idea!

layer natural corn chips you know what i mean not flavoured ones

add your favourite tasty cheese (full fat please as jennifer would have insisted upon)

sprinkle with some smoky paprika and ground chillis to taste add some finely sliced shallots

oven bake covered 180c heat till still gooey dont let the cheese dry out so check after 15 mins

serve with some chilled spanish onion bread and a crispy salada

you know speedy gonzales was a carpet layer hence his cry 'underlay underlay'

bad joke i know.

Bon Apetite

TAPAS IDEA #769a

this is my tapas idea and you can dream up any tapas you like the flavors must work together!

slice a great baguette into one inch slices drop into a pan with olive oil turn turn turn till crispy

add great cheese of your choice i like italian provalone its close to spanish cheeses

let melt add at the last turn of the bread cracked pepper and if you are feeling hungry a bit of shaved parma ham on top with a little drizzle of warm olive oil lemon juice diced capers and parsley

more to come i love tapas so easy and a smorgasboard of tastes

where does that word smorgas well you know the one come from?

smorgasbord |ˈsmôrgəsˌbôrd|
noun
a buffet offering a variety of hot and cold meats, salads, hors d'oeuvres, etc.
• figurative a wide range of something; a variety : the album is a smorgasbord of different musical styles.
ORIGIN Swedish, from smörgås ‘(slice of) bread and butter’ (from smör ‘butter’ + gås ‘goose, lump of butter’ ) + bord ‘table.’

there you go!

spanish pan grilled prawns 'la plancha style'

TAPAS IDEA #578

only kidding there are so many tapas ideas ill start with #578 idea

'la plancha a spanish term means to cook with very little oil over high heat in a heavy pan'

SO

lovely raw fresh australian king prawns leave heads on

marinate in olive oil lemon juice and garlic for an hour

heat olive oil with crushed garlic and some smoky paprika and ground black pepper all to taste

cook cook cook till a bit blackend and the poor ol buggers are crispy

sprinkle with parsley and some lemon juice serve with crusty bread and more tapas ideas to come

grilled prawns and crisp white wine under the moon?

the view from my terrace

yes i dont know what is the most romantic dish to have under the moon yet so ive backed it up a bit to the sunset before i shot the big cheese in the sky this was 2 days ago to help gimme a think 

hhmmm
most romantic dish to have under the moonlit night sky
?????

my vietnamese spicy pork noodle soup

cannot believe i could not get this anywhere i cant buy this so make it... rice noodles cook to packs directions get some great bbq pork from your asian butcher or victoria street viet supermarkets mint coriander vegies of your choice shallots onion bean sprouts

THE STOCK

beef stock watered down a bit to taste add onions white pepper black pepper chilli oil pickled chilli and lemon juice

this all too taste you may have to make this once to get it but as ive always said taste taste taste when making anything but of course a wonderful asian stock like this and this is the easy version its gotta look good must have red colour and all those bits of oh i dont know what floating in it to give that great look that makes you want to dive in like you were back in the fantastico vietnamese/thai street stalls!

SO

 add bbq pork all prepared noodles herbs and vegetables into bowls boil stock till super hot and pour over 

 serve right away

the romance of the moon for foodies all over the world

ever seen that movie moonstruck great romance cooking italian familys going through life that big moon in the sky makes you feel younger and makes me want to cook so the next story is the most romantic dish you can have under the big cheese in the sky! Hmmm what shall it be?

this is my shot by the way yes i can take photos of food and the majesties above
moon burger hmmm
saturn chilli ring burger (think about it!)

french bistro cheese pepper and butter cooked chicken medallion

take an organic breast remove tenderloin save for a curry or whatever... slice in half bash with your lower fist each of them between some grease proof paper till flatter and wider but not too thin

season salt pepper to taste heat your fave butter in pan gently add chicken and saute till golden on both sides put into a roasting pan a cozy size (such as pictured)

then tasty cheese with lots o cracked black pepper out of a mill

cover put into oven pre heated to 180 for 30 mins or so dont over heat check check check

should be wonderfully gooey and flowing just as pictured.

watching the two fat ladies yes an old show but a mould breaker for tv cooking shows to this day i kid you not... they would have loved this simple but very indulgent dish god love jennifer rest her soul she was so funny and wonderful!

Bon Apetite.

Thai garlic chilli pepper chicken with white pepper rice

i like it hot so im guessing you might as well this is my easy but excellent version of this dish which is a beauty as you can prepare the night before and marinate overnight in all of the superb flavours

400 grams organic chicken breast cut into bite size bits add to a bowl then add 

half a medium onion cut to quarters

1 large garlic clove finely chopped

half a small capsicum(red) sliced and quarted

2 birds eye chillis seeds an all finely sliced (these are really hot so to taste)

1 tablespoon pickled chilli

2 teaspoons fish sauce 

2 teaspoons Maggie seasoning (get it at an asian store)

3 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper (more or less to taste)

mix all ingredients in bowl cover and into fridge till dinner the next day...
but and a big butt no your butt will not get big eating this you can marinate for 1 or 2 hours no problem at all
remove from the fridge for at least 1 hour then

cook your rice as usual but put 1/2 a tablespoon of ground white pepper to the water and stir then cook as usual.

heat wok till high heat add 1 and a half tablespoons of peanut oil add chicken mix from bowl and stir fast till cooked well through serve with pepper rice add soy if you like its pretty tasty though.

I remember Robin Williams line from Good Morning Vietnam when offered fishball soup

He says 'i didnt know fish had Balls!
Bon Apetite!

Classic napolitana pizza (easy version)

itsa luigi here to let you know owa easy thisa isa

pizza is easy for you allo ofa my friendsa!

im going to make this easy so try to get a certain pita bread which ive found to make a great base

its not the thin 2 layer job this pita is one layer fluffy and light its called? ill get back to you on that and

 you can get it from? 
so use what you like at the moment
oil your base with a touch of good olive oil
add some passata thats been reduced  with salt pepper and a few basil leaves
heat oven to the max if you have a pizza stone put into the oven cold and heat from cold this is so important never ever put a cold stone into a hot oven very dangerous!!!
no pizza stone then a non stick pizza pan sorta ok you can get ones with tiny holes in them to help the pizza base crisp! (pictured with a non stick pan)
(if using one of these max oven temp 170c) it will take longer to cook but a pizza stone is best
 after adding sauce add great mozzarella cheese anchovies kalamata olives (halfed and pitted) oregano
all to taste capers if you like and even crushed garlic if you like!
put into searing oven (max heat for a stone base!) for about 8 to 12 minutes just keep a watch on it!
make this pizza your own.