Easy Beef & Tomato Stir-fry

This Chinese-style fillet steak is bathed in a thick sweet, sour and juicy tomato sauce.

Preparation Time
15 minutes

Cooking Time
15 - 20minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
300g beef fillet steak, thinly sliced across the grain
1 tbs cornflour
2 tbs sweet sherry
1 tbs soy sauce
5 ripe tomatoes
1 tbs peanut oil
250ml (1 cup) water
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) tomato sauce
125ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
Steamed rice, to serve
Shallot curls (see tip), to serve

Method
Place the beef and cornflour in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Add the sherry and soy sauce. Season with pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.
Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to cut a small cross in the base of each tomato. Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 1 minute or until the skin loosens. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of iced water. Set aside for 1 minute. Peel and discard the skin. Coarsely chop.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until just smoking. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
Drain the oil from the wok. Add tomato, water, sugar, tomato sauce, vinegar and ginger. Stir until well combined. Bring to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the beef mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Divide rice and stir-fry among serving bowls. Top with shallot curls to serve.
ENJOY
Chef Nathan

Roast Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed
500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cubed
1 small red capsicum, thickly sliced
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
Olive oil cooking spray
4 eggs
1/4 cup pure cream
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves


Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place baking tray on top shelf of oven. Line another baking tray with baking paper.
2. Use pastry to line base and sides of a 2.5cm-deep, 11.5cm x 34cm (base), loose-based fluted tart pan. Prick base with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm.
3. Place pumpkin, capsicum and onion on prepared tray. Spray with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on lower shelf of oven. Place tart pan on hot baking tray in oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until pastry is golden and vegetables are just tender. Remove tart pan and vegetables from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
4. Mix eggs, cream and cheese. Arrange vegetables in pastry case. Pour over egg mix. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and just set. Top with coriander. Serve.

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Salad

Preparation Time
15 minutes
Cooking Time
15 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
3 small (about 500g) single chicken breast fillets
150g rice stick noodles
1 tbs rice vinegar
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp peanut oil
100g (2 cups) finely shredded Chinese cabbage
2 carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
8 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh coriander leaves

Method
1. Place chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a plate. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Coarsely shred chicken and place in a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, place noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften. Stir with a fork to separate. Drain well.
3. Place vinegar, lime juice, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce and oil in a screw-top jar and shake until well combined.
4. Add the noodles, cabbage, carrot, green shallot, mint and coriander to the chicken and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to combine. Divide the salad among serving plates and serve immediately.

Curried Pumpkin & Lentil Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
1.75kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
natural yoghurt, to serve

Method
Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock. Stir until well-combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly until pumpkin is just tender.
Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt if desired.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients
Wonton cups:
12 (3 1/4 by 3 1/4-inch square) wonton wrappers*
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 snapper fish fillets cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, halved, pitted and flesh cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 mango, peeled and flesh cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 cups coarsely chopped baby rocket
Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
Kosher salt

Creme fraiche: (French variety of Sour Cream)
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon wasabi powder*
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions

Special equipment: a 12-count nonstick muffin pan

For the wonton cups: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Using a pastry brush, brush each side of the wonton wrappers with canola oil. Gently press the wonton wrappers into the bottom and sides of a 12-count muffin pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Gently lift the wonton cups out of the pan and cool completely, about 10 minutes.

For the filling: In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Drizzle the snapper fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the fish in a single layer in the pan and cook until the flesh is flaky and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lime juice. Season with salt, to taste. Add the avocado, green onions, and rocket. Toss until all the ingredients are coated.

For the creme fraiche: In a small bowl, mix together the creme fraiche, wasabi powder and salt until smooth.

To assemble the tacos: Put the wonton cups on a platter and divide the avocado mixture into the cups. Top each with 3 to 4 pieces of fish. Spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the creme fraiche mixture on top of the fish and serve.

Grilled Endive Caesar Salad with White Beans

INGREDIENTS:
2 large heads endive
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 large cloves garlic, 1 grated or finely chopped, 1 halved
About 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 large, ripe lemon
About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
A generous handful of grated pecorino-Romano cheese
Lots of pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
A few grates of nutmeg
Ciabatta bread, sliced
5 large eggs, hard-boiled, then chopped (see tip)
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
You can pick up hard-boiled eggs at deli counters and salad bars; chop and reserve them. Or place raw eggs in a small pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. When the eggs come to a full boil, cover the pan and turn off the heat; let stand for 10 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water as you crack them. Let stand for a minute to loosen the shells, then peel and chop the eggs.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. Fill the sink with water. Trim the escarole but leave the heads intact, then swish the escarole heads vigorously. Halve the heads and dry them with kitchen towels. In a shallow bowl, combine the anchovy paste, grated or chopped garlic, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Whisk in about ½ cup EVOO, the cheese and pepper. Coat the escarole lightly with the cooking spray and grill, turning once, until wilted and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Season the escarole halves with a little nutmeg and drizzle the anchovy dressing on top, or chop to mix thoroughly with the dressing. Char the bread slices on the grill, on the grill pan or under a hot broiler. Rub with the halved garlic and drizzle with EVOO. Chop the bread. Arrange the eggs and the cannellini beans over the halved escarole or toss with the chopped escarole. Serve with the bread.

Moroccan Chicken with Couscous

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons Moroccan seasoning
4 (800g) chicken breast fillets, trimmed, halved lengthways
Moroccan couscous
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/3 cup currants
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
200g grape tomatoes, halved
75g baby spinach

Method
Combine oil, lemon juice and seasoning in a shallow, ceramic dish. Add chicken. Turn to coat.
Make Moroccan couscous: Bring 1 1/2 cups cold water to the boil in a saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover and stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Using a fork, stir to separate grains.
Place currants, vinegar and 1 tablespoon cold water in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.
Add currant mixture, tomatoes and spinach to couscous. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Heat a greased barbecue plate or chargrill over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, brushing with oil mixture, for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with couscous.