BOB's Kitchen 29th March - snow peas and Easter fun

Monday 3/29/10 time 8:51 PM - BOB

BOB’s Kitchen 29th March

Eggs-cellent…..BOB today!

Whether your staying at home for Easter or going away BOB was full of great produce so you don’t have to think or shop - just relax eat well and have fun this weekend!

Ingredients

Today you will find in your beautiful organic BOB box, Celery, Carrots, Red Cabbage, Brocolli, Spinach leaves, Snow peas, Capsicum, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Plums, Bananas..and if you were lucky you would have ordered ssome beautiful Freestyle Granuesli and delic ious hot cross buns for a real Easter treat.

 

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Going away?

This weekend if your going on a bit of a journey somewhere - why not pack a snack box full of celery sticks and carrot with some dip to munch on on long car trips...avoiding the service station meat pie! You could buy some fresh peanut butter to go with the celery or whiz up a dip with some chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic and water, a pinch of cumin –add a dash of extra virgin olive oil to taste. Pack some of those lovely Jonathan apples and a few nuts for a healthy balanced nutritional snack too!

Staying at home?

For those staying home....enjoy experimenting with some of our recipes from previous blogs...invite friends over and enjoy! I think though it's time for a roast - as we move into Autumn it’s time to get all cosy and have a lovely roast - yes I know it's 30 degrees but mash the sweet potatoes, steam the brocolli and snow peas and stuff a roast chicken with lemon and garlic for a wonderful Easter comfort food!

 

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We loved the Snow peas today – did you know they will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge they provide lots of vitamins such as A and C, iron and potassium. You can Steam them in a small amount of water or stir-fry in a little oil. Whichever method is preferred, keep cooking short; one to two minutes at the most!. Snow peas can be served raw in salads, but blanching them in boiling water for one minute brings out their vivid green color and heightens their crispness.

Stir fry Prawns and Snow Peas (adapted from allrecipes.com.au)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

125 g snow peas

1 small green capsicum, seeded and very thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 medium green prawns (about 500 g), peeled and deveined

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Heat the 2 tsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add snow peas, capsicum and salt. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in the same pan. Add prawns, spring onion and chilli flakes. Stir-fry 11/2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add soy sauce and lemon juice. Stir-fry until prawns are curled, bright pink and cooked through, about 1 minute.

Add snow peas and capsicum to pan. Stir-fry just long enough to heat through, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon zest; serve immediately. 

 

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Soba noodle broth

Chicken, soba noodles, asian greens such as snow peas, brocollini, bok choy, capsicum, coriander, thai mint and basil, mushrooms, sesame oil, chicken stock,carrot, lime juice, chilli sauce and soy sauce

Cook 2 chicken pieces (thigh fillet or breast cut finely in small tetra pack of chicken stock or chicken consume along with half the coriander, 1 tbsp sesame oil, thai mint and basil leaves (6 of each). When chicken is cooked add very thin julienned strips of capsicum, carrot, 6 asian mushies or normal mushies if asian not avail, snow peas, brocollini and a packet of soba noodles,bok coy cut finely, cook further 7 mins and add lime juice (1 tsp) and chilli sauce and (mushroom soy if avail) soy sauce (1 tbsp each) just prior to serving.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

 

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BOB is putting his feet up at Easter – eating those yummy hot cross buns...BOB will be round on the 12th April to get you back on track!....

 

xx

 

 

BOB'S KITCHEN 22nd MARCH - STIR FRY WITH BOB

Monday 3/22/10 - BOB

 

BOB'S KITCHEN 22ND MARCH - ASIAN FLAVOURS

WOW what a packed packed packed box, BOB can't quite believe how big the box was this week!! BOB makes eating 100% affordable for everyone and easy too...please help us spread the word!

In BOB this week you'll find the perfect ingredients for stir fry's...easy and quick so you can catch the last few evening rays of sunshine before they disappear....

In BOB this week you will find

Jonathan New Season Apples (OFC)

Rockmelon (NASSA)

Orange Valencia (DEMETER)

Grapes Premium (NASSA)

Beetroot (NASSA)

Carrot (ACO)

Cauliflower (OFC)

Baby Corn (BFC)

Rocket (NASSA)

Flat Mushroom (ACO)

Choy Sum or Pak Choy

Butternut Pumpkin (DEMETER)

Zucchini (ACO)

Eschallots (ACO)

 

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Asian Greens

1 bunch Chinese greens

1 tbsp olive oil

pinch sea salt

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp cold water

Soy or Tamari sauce

Sesame seeds

Preparation:

Slice Chinese greens e

Method:

Heat oil in a wok and add ginger, sesame seeds and stir through. Add greens, lemon juice and cook for 2-3 minutes or until greens start to wilt. Add the water and add to the wok. And the soy / tamari. Cook through for 1-2 minutes and serve.

(Adapted from thefoodcoach.com.au)

 

 

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Asian Lamb

Serves 4

400 grams lean lamb fillets

2 tbsp kecap manis, *additive free

2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp olive oil

Shallots thinly sliced.

400 grams button mushrooms, finely sliced

1 bunch baby bok choy, separated and stalks sliced

Preparation:

Combine lamb, ketcup manis and sweet chilli sauce in a medium bowl, mix well to combine. Cover and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Method:

Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add sesame seeds and stir-fry 2 minutes or until golden. Remove to a plate.  stir-fry lamb in batches for 2 minutes or until brown. Remove to a plate and repeat with oil and remaining lamb. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the wok and heat until hot. Add shallots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add bok choy stems, stir fry for a minute. Add lamb and bok choy leaves and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir through the sesame seeds and serve immediately with rice.

(Adapted from thefoodcoach.com.au)

 

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Asian Cauliflower

This is a fairly simple dish that goes well with rice or chapathi.

1/2 Cauliflower cut into big florets

1 Tomato

1 Onion chopped

1 tsp Ginger garlic paste or thinly slice to taste 

1 tsp Cumin seeds/ jeera 

1 tsp Mustard

Turmeric powder -a pinch

1 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tsp Garam masala

Salt to taste

1 tsp Olive Oil

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Soak the florets in salted water for 10 minutes.Meanwhile,heat oil in a pan and put in mustard and jeera/cumin seeds When the mustard splutters,add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the onion and cook till soft. Put in the tomatoes and cook till mushy. Add salt,turmeric powder,chilli powder and garam masala. Cook till the raw smell of the masala disappears. Rinse and drain the cauliflower and put into the pan. Sprinkle water and mix well. Cover and cook till the florets are soft stirring occasionally.Don't stir too much else the florets will break to tiny pieces.Sprinkle more water if needed. Once cooked remove from heat,garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

 

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Asian Beef Stir Fry

250g Beef (choose cut suitable for stir-frying)

1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1/2 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

Dash of Pepper

1 tsp Minced Garlic

6 slices Ginger

2 stalks Spring Onion

1 tsp Cornflour mixed with 100ml Water

 

Method:

Slice beef thinly across the grain. Tenderize beef slices with a meat mallet.

Add soy, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil  to the beef slices and mix well.

Cut the spring onions into 5cm lengths. Heat a little oil in a non-stick wok.

Stir-fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add beef slices and stir-fry.

When beef is almost cooked, add in spring onions & cornflour mixture.

Once sauce is thick, remove from heat. Do not overcook beef.

Serve.

 

Enjoy

Love BOB x

Ditzy Mushroom Tart for BOB 15TH March

Monday 3/15/10 - BOB

What to do with BOB's mushrooms? Try this recipe supplied for this week's BOB box from our friends at The Ditzy Tart

Next week get a free coffee from our friends at The Ditzy Tart 11 Curlewis Street, Bondi with your BOB box x

Ditzy Tart's Mushroom Tart 

Puff pastry (we use ready rolled but if you are a whiz, try making it yourself)

6 free range eggs

½ cup of pure cream

tablespoon or so of fresh chives snipped with scissors

¾ cup of crumbled fetta

1 cup of caramelised onion*

12-14 flat brown organic mushrooms from your “BOB,” thickly sliced 

20cm loose bottom flan tin (bigger is ok – just increase the quantities proportionately) 

Method 

Preheat your oven to 220 C.  Line a 20cm round loose bottom flan tin with puff pastry.  Be careful to ease it into the corners without tearing it or your filling will escape.  If you have joins in your pastry, press the layers together using the warmth of your fingers to “weld” it together and make sure to overlap the two layers as the pastry will shrink during cooking.  Trim any overhang, but not too ruthlessly as again,  the pastry will shrink a bit.  Bake the pastry for ten minutes and then quickly stab it with a fork to let the air pockets out and gently press the pastry back down flat.  If your pastry still looks gluggy and wettish, put it back in the oven for five minutes, but don’t let the edges colour up. 

In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream and chives until evenly combined.  Spread the caramelised onion evenly across the bottom of the partially cooked pastry case.  Sprinkle the fetta evenly across the onion layer.  Pour on the egg mixture.  If your tart looks a bit shallow, whisk up a couple more eggs with two tablespoons of cream and pour on at this stage.  ‘Float’ your thickly sliced mushies (stalks removed) on the top of the flan in an artistic sort of a way.  Place it carefully back into the 220 C oven and bake until the top of the egg starts to colour and the tart loses its wobble in the middle.  If your pastry is burning but your egg is still very wobbly, remove the tart and cover the edges with foil as best you can without burning yourself, spilling the tart contents or missing the weather report on the news.  Put it back in and continue cooking. 

* Caramelised onions – slice two med to large red onions, heat a tablespoon of vegie oil in a frying pan.  Add the onions and fry until they become translucent.  Throw on a handful of brown sugar (two tablespoons) and pour on some red wine vinegar (half a cup), let it continue cooking at a reduced heat, stirring as necessary.  When the mixture becomes tacky or slightly jam like (as opposed to soupy liquid), remove from heat and serve.  These are also great on a steak sandwich. 

BOB's Kitchen 8th March - Red Cabbage

Monday 3/8/10 - BOB

 

BOB’s Kitchen 8th March

Cook this week with:

Fresh Round Beans

Zucchini

Pak Choy

Asaparagus or Spinach

Carrots

Lebanese Cucumber

Red Cabbage

Gourmet Tomatoes

Sweet Potato

Sugar plums (Fairly, D&G, NASSA)

Rockmelon

Banana

IN BOB’S KITCHEN LET’S TALK RED CABBAGE

The distinctive dark purple colour of red cabbage adds a beautiful splash of colour to the BOB box – but what do I do with it and other good stuff…..So here are some great things about red cabbage:

How to Store: It keeps for a few weeks in the fridge and once it’s cooked you can freeze it – therefore it will never go to waste.  So put it in a plastic bag, but punch a few holes in the bag so that air gets to it.  Likewise a paper bag will store cabbage well under refrigeration.  The leafy cabbages are a little more perishable and will keep for about a week in the fridge

It has heaps of nutrients: Cabbage is a rich source of vitamin C, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium.  The odor that it emits comes from the sulphur content of cabbage which helps the body to resist bacteria and protects the cells.  It is said to aid in producing glossy hair. Many studies are being conducted on the anthocyanins in cabbage. These studies all have to do with the protective nature of cabbage. Sulforaphane may increase the production of antioxidants and enzymes in the body that detoxify.  This may help eliminate carcinogenic compounds.

When you are cooking slice the cabbage at the last minute so that you don’t lose nutritional value for example if you are making a coleslaw, try to make it as close to serving as possible. 

Cabbage is a versatile vegetable, going well with red wine, sage, thyme, caraway, dill fennel, horseradish, apples, onions, chestnuts, juniper berries, and sour cream.  Red cabbage can be served raw or cooked. Raw red cabbage can be served in salads or pickled in vinegar to serve with cold meats and baked potatoes.

How To Prepare Red Cabbage: Remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage in half and then into quarters, cut off the hard white core from each quarter at an angle. Slice and wash thoroughly.

How To Cook Red Cabbage:

Red cabbage is best braised, unlike other types of cabbage it does not spoil if overcooked. To braise red cabbage, layer the prepared red cabbage, 1 diced cooking apple, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, seasoning and a knob of butter in a flameproof casserole. Cook on the hob over a low heat or in the oven at 150°C, for 1 - 2 hours or until very tender and cooked right through.

To stir-fry red cabbage, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the cabbage and stir fry for 4 - 5 minutes or until tender but still crisp.

(Information adapted from: http://www.inmamaskitchen.com)

Recipes this week

Seared Sesame Salmon on Asian Slaw

200 g Salmon Fillets per serve

½ cup sesame seed

Salt & Pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Asian Slaw

¼ small Red Cabbage thinly sliced

1 cup grated daikon radish

2 grated granny smith apples

½ small Red Onion thinly sliced

150 g bean sprouts

1 cup coriander leaf

1 cup Mint leaf Roughly cut

1 cup basil leaf

50 g Pickled Ginger thinly sliced

Salad Dressing

Squeeze of Lime

Squeeze of Lemon

kecap manis Indonesian sweet soy sauce

Wasabi Lime Cream

½ cup Japanese mayonnaise

½ cup Lime juice

1 teaspoon Wasabi paste

Heat non-stick pan with a little oil and coat top side of seasoned Salmon in sesame seeds. Fry sesame side down first, until golden & crunchy and bottom side for just a minute. Pop into hot oven to finish off, about 5 mins.

Serve on salad drizzled with wasabi cream & Ketchap manis (sweet Indonesian soy).

Asian Slaw Slice cabbage as thin as possible, using a mandolin, grater or even a sharp good quality peeler. Add rest of ingredients and toss together. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix through salad.

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au

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Grilled Haloumi and Walnuts on Caraway Seed Colesslaw

Ingredients

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

1 cup green cabbage, shredded

1 medium carrot, grated

1 stick celery, finely chopped

1 green apple grated

¼ cup mini cornichons, finely sliced

Dressing:

1 tsp grain mustard

15 ml apple cider vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1½ tsp caraway seeds

200 grams haloumi cheese

½ lemon juiced

1 tsp olive oil

½ cup walnuts, chopped

 Preparation:

Combine the coleslaw ingredients together in a bowl and dressing ingredients together in a small jar. Thorough combine the two.

http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au

 

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Spicy Lamb Wraps

750 grams lamb, without bone

2 lemons juiced

1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 red cabbage

1/4 chinese cabbage

Trim excess fat from the lamb and cut into cubes approx 1.5 cm cubed.

Combine a marinade with lemon, olive oil, garlic herbs and pepper and pour over the lamb to marinate for a minimum of two hours.

Drain the meat and thread onto skewers.

Preheat a grill and cook the meat for 5 - 8 minutes then turn and repeat the process.

Shred the cabbage and combine them together on a 6 plates. Remove the meat from the skewers (2 per person) and serve with the juices from the meat, cracked black pepper and cucumber raita (see recipe list).

Makes 6 Serves

http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au

BOB's Kitchen 1st March Welcome Autumn

Monday 3/1/10 - BOB

BOB’s Kitchen 1st March

THE SUGAR-PLUM TREE

by: Eugene Field (1850-1895)

AVE you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?

'T is a marvel of great renown!

It blooms on the shore of the Lollipop sea

In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;

The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet

(As those who have tasted it say)

That good little children have only to eat

Of that fruit to be happy next day.

 The sugar plum is a small plum with red to dark red skin and sweet yellow flesh. It arrives late in the summer, because it takes its time to ripen, the sugar plum is one of the sweetest of all the plums. Unlike many other plums, its skin is not astringent; it is thin and breaks down easily once cooked, making the sugar plum ideal for jams. Bubbled in a pot for 10 minutes or so with tangy rhubarb and a little sugar, it makes a wonderful filling for pancakes, scones or a sponge cake with cream, ice cream or marscapone. Check out this recipe for a treat! http://www.smh.com.au/news/interactive-cook/ sugar-plums/2007/03/08/1173166881103.html

 

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In BOBs Kitchen at the start of Autumn you will be able to nourish yourself with beautiful and abundant:

Veggies:

Fresh Round Beans (Nasaa, Tim Hamilton)

Brocolli (OFC Kirconnel )

Mesculin Mix (A Morris,  Nasaa)

Zucchini (ID Ross, OZ QUAL),

Eggplant (Caffa,NASSA)

Bok Choy (Rivendel Organics, OGA)

Flat White Mushrooms (Price’s Mushroom Farm, ACO)

Spanish Red Onion (Caffra, NASAA)

Butternut Pumpkin (Garry Harm)

And not forgetting some very large Carrots

 

Fruit:

Red Delicious (ACO)

Grapes Premiu white seedless (NASSA)

Sugar plums (Fairly, D&G, NASSA)

 

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Storage tips

How to store Bok Choy?: Store wrapped in a paper towel and in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, wash before use. The leaves have the most nutritional value, but the stocks are delicious as well. Bok choy does not freeze well due to it's high water content.

How to store Pumpkin: Once cut , wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

 

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BOB’s nutrition advice: Eat your greeeeens (without added chemicals!)

Todays BOB contains beautiful greens such as Bok Choy (eat the leaves!), round green beans, broccoli which is really really fresh, Zucchini and mesculin mixed salad.

The minimum recommendation for greens by the US department for Agriculture is 3 cups a week – that’s nothing but some people struggle to achieve this! OMG in BOB you will be getting triple that just adding a side of greens to every meal and you will be adding vital nutrition including vitamins such as C, K, A and folic acid and also minerals such as iron and calcium and cancer fighting compounds called antioxidants to your diet.

They’re all high in chlorophyll too and are packed full of live enzymes (to help break down other foods you eat) and fibre that assist the digestion and cleaning process and boosting metabolism. Most of them are alkaline to help normalize the body’s pH level which is normally too acidic due to a diet high in sugary foods, white carbohydrates and fats.

 Antioxidants bind with free radicals (unstable molecules that damage body tissues) to make them stable, and in this way contribute to ensuring that the body is keeping on top of all the daily free radical producers, such as processed foods, smoke from cigarettes and city smog, and also from airborne pesticides.

(Adapted from an article on http://www.naturalhealth.net.au/articles/ nutrition/green-vegetables)

 

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Recipes for this week

Balsamic Mushrooms with Lime (courtesy of the Food Coach)

1/2cup walnut halves, chopped

0.16 cup olive oil

1 cloves garlic

1/2 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

250 grams button mushrooms, trimmed

1 tsp brown rice syrup

1/2tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp lime juice

Heat a wok over high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until hot. Remove and set aside.

Add oil, garlic and chilli to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms are just tender.

Combine the balsamic vinegar and rice syrup, add to the mushrooms and stir-fry 30 seconds or until well coated.

Remove from the heat, stir in the walnuts and lime juice. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Makes 2 Servings

 

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Organic Gluten Free Pizza with Pumpkin, Zucchini and Goats Feta,

1 x Organiic Gluten Free Pizza Base

100g Pumpkin

1-2 Tomato crushed or a tomato paste

1 x chopped red onions

1/2 sliced Zucchini

20g Goats Feta

Roast Pumpkin until soft

Meanwhile chop and slice all red onion, zucchini and sofen for 5 minutes in a frying pan in a teaspoon of olive oil

Prepare the pizza base with the tomato sauce I like to crush some fresh tomatoes and mix with a little tomato paste

Sprinkle the feta all over the pizza, add all the veggies and put in the oven to bake!

 

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Minty, garlicky green beans

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb green beans, trimmed, cut in half and steamed for 5 minutes

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

 Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium high heat.

Add the steamed green beans and cook until just starting to turn brown, about 7 minutes, stirring or tossing often.

Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the garlic, salt and pepper.

Cook for two minutes and stir in the mint, lemon juice and zest.

Cook for one minute, stirring to combine all the ingredients and remove from the heat.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

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