Grilled Chicken & Asparagus with roasted Kumara & Creme Fraiche

So here it is: another really delicious, easy midweek meal, this one is also pretty healthy and this is definitely my favourite way of cooking asparagus, it brings out the sweetness of the asparagus but brings a level of smokiness and interest to it. I have discovered Kumara (orange sweet potato) and just love the gorgeous colour. I used Thyme to season the kumara while roasting it and decided to flavour the crème fraiche with it too. You can get this all done within 40 minutes - the longest cooking time is the kumara so get that going first and while it is roasting you can get the rest of the dish done. I have been reading some of my cook books lately and it occurred to me that none of the recipes really explain how to get a whole meal ready at the same time - this comes with experience so if you are a novice cook, this can be the most daunting part of cooking, so throughout my menus and recipes I tend to try and explain how to get the timing thing going!!

For this meal if you get your oven pre-heated and a pot of water boiling before you do anything else you will be halfway to finishing within 40 minutes

To prepare the Kumara:

Preheat your oven to 220C.
I use 1 large Kumara per person
Peel the kumara or sweet potato - you may notice the sweet potato /kumara tends to turn black quite quickly so place the peeled kumara in some water with a little lemon juice to prevent this discolouration - slice the kumara/sweet potato in half lengthways and then into wedges, toss them in the lemon water and then pat dry on kitchen towel. My newest favourite thing is to cook on some baking parchment so I don't have to wash the roasting tray.
Toss them in a splash of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with fresh thyme and Maldon salt and then pop them into the hot oven and roast 30 - 40 minutes or until soft and golden. I usually turn the kumara only once during roasting about 30 minutes into the cooking time.

Use about 5 - 7 spears of asparagus per person
Once the kumara is safely in the oven and your water is boiling slice about 1cm off the ends of the asparagus and then place them in the boiling water (you are blanching them) and cook for 3 minutes, take them out the water and drain under cold running water and set them aside - we will grill them just before serving.

Get a griddle pan onto the stove to begin heating up - it needs to be smoking hot. This should take around 5 - 7 minutes. If you don't have a griddle - a pan will do

I usually work on 1 breast per lady and 2 per man, rub them with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper - About 20 minutes before the kumara is ready place the chicken breast onto the griddle pan and DO NOT turn them or even try and move them until they are well browned - a good 4 minutes. Turn them over and grill another 4 minutes. They will probably still be a bit pink in the middle so at this point the kumara should have about 10 minutes to go - I then put the breasts into the same tray as the kumara to finish them off and turn the kumara. Now place the asparagus onto the griddle pan and allow to brown all over. Chop a little fresh thyme and add to a tub of crème fraiche - a little squeeze of fresh lemon or lime adds a nice twang.

At this point everything should be ready - You can either plate up individually or place everything in the roasting tray and place it in the centre of the table for everyone to dish up for themselves. The creme fraiche is great for dipping the kumara in!!

Sugar & Spice - Easter Brunch

Easter is looming so I have prepared a quick, light, and TASTY Easter Brunch menu which we will share with friends on Saturday. There will be heaps of kids, loads of chocolate and good company so a convivial atmosphere is expected. Oh and don't forget excellent company needs excellent coffee. 5Senses is my favourite coffee - try the AM blend. www.fivesensescoffee.com.au/ and best of all you can order on-line (Not sure outside Australia). I am going to make some bunny biscuits for the kids to ice and decorate and perhaps we can do some rice bubble cakes decorated with Easter eggs. Should be lots of FUN

Easter Brunch Menu

• Prosciutto, Asparagus & Tomato Tart
• French Toast with Caramelised Banana, Bacon and Maple Syrup
• Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon
• Home-made Hot Cross Buns
• Easter Chocolate Cake

Prosciutto, Asparagus & Tomato Tart

This is so easy and quick and it's super delicious

Heat your oven to 220C while your pastry rests - it is really important to put puff pastry into a very hot oven as this is what causes the pastry to lift or rise.

You will need:

1 Pack all butter puff pastry

A bunch of fresh green asparagus, lightly blanched and sliced in half lengthways

5 Slices Prosciutto OR your favourite cured ham

About a half cupful of Cherry or Rosa tomatoes, halved

1 Cup Mozzarella, grated

1 Egg mixed with 15ml milk (egg wash)

METHOD:

Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese all over the pastry, leaving a 2cm gap from the edge of the pastry.

Place all the ingredients attractively over the cheese, tearing the ham into bite sized strips

Brush the edge of the pastry with the egg wash

Place the tart in the fridge to rest for 1/2 hour - DON'T FORGET TO TURN ON THE OVEN

Place the tart into the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes at 220 and then turn the heat to 150 and cook another 10 minutes or so until the pastry is golden and well risen and cooked through.

French Toast with Caramelised Bananas, Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup



I don't think there is anything more comforting or more decadent than this combination. It is definitely my favourite breakfast EVER. I had this in a little restaurant/ cafe in Notting Hill in London called 202 and this is my attempt to replicate it:

Start with a lovely chunky slices of sour dough bread (their slices were about an inch thick)
1 Banana and 2 smoked bacon rashers per person. (Try to find an organic bacon as I find the commercial varieties full of water and additives and completely flavourless), and finally lashing of Maple syrup. You must use the real thing here - the flavoured syrups simply won't do. I know the real one is expensive but it is so worth the investment I PROMISE and I have a few other recipes up my sleeve where it can be used.
2 Eggs beaten per portion
Butter for frying.

METHOD:
Heat your oven to 100C - to keep the bananas and bacon warm while you fry the toast.
Peel the bananas and slice in half lengthways
Heat a heavy based pan and add a generous dollop of butter and allow it to melt Place the bananas flat side down into the pan for about 2 minutes or until beautifully golden and then turn them carefully with a spatula and fry the other side - set them aside in the oven.
Grill the bacon until crispy and set aside in the warm oven
Whisk the eggs in a large square flat dish (so you can lay the bread in the egg and turn it over without squashing the sides)
Heat a clean heavy based pan until hot (if it is cold the egg won't brown nicely) Add a generous knob of butter to the pan and then dip the egg on both sides into the egg (I don't like my French toast soggy so I do this at the last minute) and then place into the hot melted butter and fry. About 2 minutes per side should do the trick.
Place a slice of toast on a gorgeous big whit plate, pile on the bacon and banana and then drizzle with heaps of Maple syrup. DELISH

Recipes and Pics to follow!!

As promised here are the pictures and recipes for the rest of the menu, I have to say we had a great day with friends and most importantly the kids had a blast and a complete chocolate overdose so it's chicken nuggets and chips with veggies for dinner!! Watch out for my really easy mid week fish dish.

Ginger & Spice Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns
500g Flour
5ml Salt
50ml Castor Sugar
15 ml Mixed Spice
5 ml Cinnamon ground 25ml Butter 15ml Instant dry Yeast 200ml Luke warm water 1 Egg
150ml chopped crystallised ginger

Slack Dough for the Crosses
200ml Flour
10ml vegetable oil
100ml milk
5ml Baking Powder
Pinch Salt

Sugar Syrup for Glazing
125ml Sugar 125ml Water

METHOD
Heat your oven to 220C
Sift the flour, salt, sugar and spices together into a bowl and then stir in the yeast
Rub in the butter
Make a well in the flour and add the egg and lukewarm water - don't add all the water at once, you need a soft pliable dough - not too tough and not too sloppy - rather add a little more if needed.
Mix well until the dough is formed and then knead until smooth and glossy
Place the dough in a clean greased bowl and cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in volume - this should take an hour in a normal kitchen
Knock down the dough and add the ginger and form the dough into 12 balls and place on a greased oven tray and allow to prove (about 30 minutes)
Make the slack dough by combining all the ingredients to form a thick but runny paste and just before placing the buns in the oven, pipe the crosses onto the buns.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until the buns are golden and cooked through
While the buns are baking make the sugar syrup by boiling the sugar and water together until syrupy
As soon as the buns come out of the oven brush them with the glaze.
Serve them piping hot with butter and freshly brewed coffee. Mmmmm

Easter Cake

For this I made a decadently rich chocolate mud cake and then covered it in chocolate ganache and added Lindt bunnies and balls - trying to make a more modern interpretation of the traditional Easter Simnel cake where the 11 marzipan balls atop the cake represent the 11Disciples - (Judas being omitted)

HAPPY EASTER