Recipes | Food Porn Nation

Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Buttered Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Posted: January 5, 2015 in American, English, Recipes
Tags: Bacon, Bacon Lardons, Brussel Sprouts, Buttered Bacon Brussel Sprouts, Deep Fried, Dinner Parties, Pancetta, Recipes, Recipes for Christmas, streaky bacon

The idea behind this recipe was inspired from my meal at Swine & Co, in Sydney and my visit to the US. They do a lot of deep fried brussel sprouts there! I wanted to do something similar for Christmas but it had to be quick and easy. I didn’t do a test run before Christmas, all I knew is that I wanted the brussel sprouts to be cooked in butter and bacon fat until the sprouts was blistered and brown. I wanted to create the illusion that they were deep fried by cooking the sprouts in bacon fat and butter. Then I wanted to top it off with crunchy bits of bacon to have the texture of crackling. This turned out really well and it was such a delicious way to enjoy brussel sprouts that I had to share!

Enjoy! x

Zucchini Pesto Pasta – 5:2 Diet Recipe

Posted: May 9, 2014 in 5:2 diet recipes, Health, Italian, Recipes
Tags: 52 diet, 5:2 diet recipes, fasting, gluten free, intermittent fasting, low calorie, low carb, low fat, pesto, recipe ideas, recipes under 500 calories, zucchini, zucchini pasta

I love pasta and pesto. As a combination of the two or in two separate counterparts. I love it.

Ever since I have discovered a delicious way of enjoying pasta without the calories and carbs, aka zucchini pasta. I have been on the hunt for a delicious basil pesto recipe to go with it, that doesn’t sacrifice on flavour and is low in calories. A perfect 5:2 diet recipe!

I am happy to report, that I have finally found the one! Courtesy of Weight Watchers I’ve adapted their recipe. I skip the toasting of the pine nuts completely and just blitz all the ingredients.

Zucchini Lasagne with Beef & Eggplant, a Low Calorie, Gluten free & 5:2 Diet Recipe

Posted: April 23, 2014 in 5:2 diet recipes, Italian, Recipes
Tags: 52 diet, 5:2 diet recipes, eggplant, food porn, food porn nation, gluten free, healthy, lasagne, low calorie, low carb, Priscilla Young, Recipes, Teresa Cutter, The Healthy Chef, weight loss, zucchini lasagne

After a number of requests on my instagram account, I thought it was time I share my zucchini lasagne recipe with you! This has past the boy test, who is my biggest critic and also happens to hate zucchini. He loves it, I love it and I know you will love it too. What I love about this recipe is that it tastes exactly like a lasagne. I don’t feel like I am missing out. It is packed full of vegetables and nutrition, coming in with a total of 7 vegetables. The zucchini sheets taste and feel exactly like pasta. I can promise that you will not even notice the difference between zucchini lasagne sheets and proper pasta lasagne sheets. The béchamel sauce has been replaced with low fat ricotta and parmesan on top. Otherwise, you can make a cauliflower béchamel based sauce as a healthy alternative and layer that on top.

Check out – Teresa Cutter’s (The Healthy Chef) White Sauce, 10 ways

This zucchini lasagne is low calorie, low carb, gluten free and absolutely guilt free. Each slice is 185 calories. Perfect for 5:2 diet followers. Unless you would prefer a large slice, this still comes in at 250 calories. So women can have 2 large slices for lunch and dinner and there is your fast day done! Just divide the lasagne into 6 portions instead of the suggested 8. I threw in some eggplant as an experiment to increase my vegetable intake. The result was an even richer and meatier meat filling. It is so delicious I will never make it without eggplant again. If you want to go completely vegetarian just replace the meat with more eggplant or any other vegetables.

What you will need:

Mandolin slicer
Kitchen towel/paper towel
Oven dish

How to Make Truffle Eggs

Posted: August 26, 2013 in Recipes
Tags: Edgecliff, Egg, Gourmet Life, How to make Truffle eggs, Truffle, Truffled Eggs, Truffles

The season for truffles is almost coming to an end. If you ever do get your hands on a gorgeous truffle or plan to before the season is over. One of the many things I recommend you make is a batch of truffled eggs. If you like eggs with truffle shavings then you are going to like your eggs infused with them. The shell of the eggs are so delicate that the aroma of truffles really seep through the pores. The truffle works it way right through the centre. In the yolk is where the taste of the truffles will be fairly concentrated. It is heavenly! It is really such an easy way to prepare eggs and a great way to get the most of your freshly purchased truffle before you start shaving it on everything and anything. All you need is a bit of patience on your side. This has never personally been my strong suit, so I was definitely sprung opening the container catching a whiff, seriously getting my smelly fix on! Lack of patience aside, it will be worth the wait. What you will need:

1 truffle (at the very least – the smellier the better!)
air tight container ( I used snapware, see below)
paper towels
eggs (I infused up to 16 eggs)

Roast Pork Rack with Caramelised Apples, White Wine & Sage Sauce

Posted: August 5, 2013 in Recipes
Tags: Caramelised Apples, how to make crackling, Recipe, Roast pork, Roast Pork Rack, Sage, Sauce, Sydney Food Blog, White Wine

When I am in the mood to impress this is something I like to whip up. What you have is a lot of contrasting flavours and textures. Salty, sweet, crunchy and tender. The best part is laying it out and slicing it for that deafening CRACKing noise and all eyes are on you. The pressure is on when you bring this baby home. However, to make sure it is ready for the cracking. One thing I like to do is to grab a knife and give it a good whack with the tip of the knife. If it sounds crackly and hollow, you’re good to go.

The recipe was given to me by Ms G, which I have slightly adapted. I caramelise the apples underneath the pork, so that the pork juices infuse into the apples. When you pull the pork out of the oven, everyone will swarm over to have a little perv then quickly turn on the apples and start picking at them. So I always prepare some extras. It tastes like candied flavoured apples with a rich pork flavour. It tastes so incredible, that you could probably stop right here and forget about the sauce! But having it, in its entirety with the pork is pretty bloody unreal. Give it a go because you won’t know what hit you!
(more…)

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce Recipe

Posted: July 12, 2013 in British, Dessert, Recipes
Tags: best recipes, Butterscotch Sauce, Dessert, dessert recipes, Dinner Parties, easy pudding recipe, English Dessert, Fig, Fig Pudding, Figs, Food Blog, food recipes, Prune Pudding, Prunes, Pudding, ramekin, ramekins, Recipes, Sticky Date Pudding, Vanilla Icecream

I am going to share with you a ridiculously easy sticky date pudding recipe that I have found and slightly adjusted. I tested it out on some dinner guests and they absolutely raved about it. It is perfect for the winter months and for a stress free dessert when you are having guests pop round. It is that easy! Batter and sauce can be prepared earlier and also be frozen for a later date. So you can still have that fresh baked feel and your guests will be none the wiser. The result is a deliciously moist pudding with a gloriously hot, sticky and buttery sauce. Go on and give it a whirl!

sticky date

Osso Bucco, Pressure Cooker Recipe

Posted: April 29, 2013 in Italian, Recipes
Tags: food porn, food porn nation, italian recipes, osso bucco recipe, Recipes

I’ve never had osso bucco before. So, with a shiny new pressure cooker, I decided to give it a whirl and I was amazed at the results.

Now… I’m in love with my pressure cooker and with this recipe! Just perfect for the colder months.

The result is fork tender melt in your mouth meat served with a beautifully rich and flavoursome sauce.The best bit is all in that marrow – sucking out that rich gooey goodness. Delish.

If that’s too sickly for you, each mouthful will still bring warmth and comfort in every bite. This meal will not disappoint, I guarantee it.

Mud Crab with Ginger & Shallot Sauce

Posted: April 10, 2013 in Chinese, Recipes, Seafood
Tags: Chinese Cooking, Mud Crab, Mud crab with ginger and shallot sauce, Recipes

Ingredients:

1.5 kilo mud crab

400 g egg noodes

A knob of ginger (cut into shards)

6 cloves of garlic (crushed and roughly chopped)

5 stems of shallots (cut lengthways)

salt

white pepper (2 teaspoons)

brown sugar (2 teaspoons)

1 cup chicken stock

Chinese rice wine

1 cup warm water

1 heaped teaspoon of corn flour

soy sauce

peanut oil

How to prepare the crab:

The easiest way is to ask your fish monger to slice the crab into quarters for you, which is what I do. This totally beats having to do this yourself. Also ask them to crack the claws. This ensures that the heat seeps through the claws to even out the cooking time. You will need to cut the the legs (little legs of four) on each side in half. This will ensure everything cooks consistently.

Remove the deadman’s fingers/gills and digestive tract. Or you can leave the mustards, if you prefer.

The Art of Pasta, Sydney Morning Herald Growers’ Market

Posted: March 8, 2012 in Book Review, Food for Thought, Inner City, Italian, Pyrmont, Recipes
Tags: Farmers Market, food porn, Italian, Italian Cook Books, Italian food, Lucio's, Neutral Bay, Pasta Emilia, photos of food, pictures of food, The Art of Pasta, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wild Basket

The Art of Pasta is one of my favourite cook books. I am completely enamoured with it. It is a stunning collection of pasta and Italian recipes that is artistically captured and presented through an inspiring collaboration between Artist and Chef. Showcasing two craftsman at their best. Dishes are uniquely dressed with the original artworks of Luke Sciberras that were inspired and painted simultaneously while Lucio prepared the food on set. The book is so exquisitely beautiful, creative and just so… explicit that I have admittedly drawn inspiration for my food photography right from this book.

I discovered from the Sydney Morning Herald Grower’s Market (Pyrmont) facebook page, that the two authors Lucio Galletto owner and chef of 2 Chef’s Hat Lucio’s Restaurant and David Dale would be completing two food porn-y pasta demonstrations up on the Master Chef Stage followed by book signing. Right in front of everyone too, which is a bit naughty!!