Thai-Spiced Chicken Traybake

A recipe by Sarah Cooks, inspired by Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 potatoes, chopped into 3cm cubes

Olive oil, salt and pepper

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 chicken marylands

1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry paste

3 tablespoons coconut yogurt, coconut cream, or Greek yogurt

Fresh coriander, for serving

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place the cauliflower florets and potato pieces into a large roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil and the red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Using a sharp knife, score the chicken pieces down to the bone in the thickest parts of the chicken.

Stir together the curry paste and coconut yogurt.

Coat the chicken pieces in the spicy paste (I recommend food gloves), making sure you get it all over the chicken pieces and into the slits.

Place the chicken pieces into the tray with the cauliflower and potatoes.

Bake for 1 hour, or until the chicken skin is crispy, the meat is cooked through, and the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown around the edges.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves to serve. 

Serves 2

Nußmakronen

Nußmakronen

Nußmakronen

Nußmakronen / Hazelnut Macaroons

Recipe adapted from The Daring Gourmet

Ingredients

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

170 grams icing sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

250 grams hazelnut meal

24 x 50 millimetre Back Oblaten, optional

24 whole hazelnuts

Method

Preheat oven to 175C.

Whisk egg whites and salt until stiff. Gradually add icing sugar and cinnamon, while beating. Add hazelnut meal and fold in gently with a metal spoon.

If using the Backoblaten, arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Place approximately 2 teaspoons of mixture onto each Backoblaten.

If not using Backoblaten, spoon the mixture directly on a lined baking sheet.

Press a whole hazelnut into each macaroon.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the outside is dry and the edges are starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes approx. 24

Whipped cream mountain

Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc
A recipe by Sarah Cooks, Meringue from The Roux Brothers on Patisserie, stabilised whipped cream from Live Well Bake Often, Chestnut Purée from Ricardo Cuisine

Ingredients
For the meringue
2 egg whites (approx. 70 grams)
60 grams caster sugar
60 grams icing sugar, sifted
For the stabilised whipped cream
40 millilitres water
2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
500 millilitres whipping cream
60 grams icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chestnut purée
1 x 435g can unsweetened chestnut purée
60 grams icing sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 120C. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat for 5 minutes or until the mixture is firm and very smooth and shiny. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, folding it gently with a metal spoon.
Line two baking trays with baking paper. Pipe a 20cm circle and a 15cm circle, approx. 2.5 cm high. Pipe individual meringue kisses if you have any leftover meringue mixture and enjoy them as a snack.
Place the trays in the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 100C. Allow to cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry on the top and bottom. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before assembling.
To make the stabilised whipped cream, place the water in a small microwave safe bowl and sprinkle the gelatine evenly over. Microwave on high in 10 second bursts, stirring after each time, until the gelatine is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Place the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken and soft peaks form. Turn the speed to low, and slowly pour in the gelatine mixture in a steady stream. Keep whisking until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
To make the chestnut purée, place the unsweetened chestnut purée, icing sugar, dark rum and vanilla extract in the bowl of a food processor. Whizz until completely smooth. (Be patient and keep going until it's completely smooth, otherwise you'll get chunks of chestnut stuck in the piping bag later!)
To assemble, place a small dollop of whipped cream on a serving platter, and gently press the largest meringue disk on top. Spoon the whipped cream over in a thick layer, then place the smaller meringue disk on top. Cover with more whipped cream and form into a big hill/mountain/dome shape. Smooth with an offset spatula. (You may not need all the cream).
Fit a piping bag with a 3mm plan nozzle. Fill with the chestnut purée. Pipe the purée in circles around the cream and meringue dome, until it is completely covered.
Refrigerate until it is time to serve, and dust generously with icing sugar just before serving.
Makes one big Mont Blanc, serves at least 8 people

With all the fixings...

Mexican Lentil Soup
A Recipe by Sarah Cooks, primarily adapted from Yummy Mummy Kitchen

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, chopped into small cubes
2 sticks of celery, chopped into small cubes
1 red capsicum, chopped into small cubes
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 chipotle chilli in adobo sauce (from a can), finely shopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 x 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
1/4 cup red lentils
To serve: fresh coriander, sour cream (omit to keep it vegan), avocado, lime wedges, chipotle tortilla chips (see recipe below)

Method
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the onion, carrot, celery and capsicum. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, approximately 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, chipotle chilli, cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano and cook for a further few minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and red lentils and stir well. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the red lentils are cooked.
Serve in shallow bowls with coriander, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges and chipotle tortilla chips on the side for people to add to taste.
Serves 4 as a main, more as a starter

Chipotle Tortilla Chips
A Recipe by Sarah Cooks

Ingredients
4 x corn tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil
Chipotle seasoning

Method
Brush the corn tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with chipotle seasoning. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges, and cook in an AirFryer for 5 minutes at 180C.
Note: if you don't have an air fryer, they can be cooked in the oven, or deep-fried.
Note: chipotle seasoning is available at my local supermarket in the spice aisle, and is a mixture of salt, sugar, garlic powder and dried chipotle chilli powder.