This Week's Recipe: Wok Fried Eggs

Why Fried Eggs?

This is my version of a Kylie Kwong recipe. These eggs are best thing to eat the day after a big night when the world feels against you, for dinner when you really don’t feel like cooking, or as the perfect snack at anytime.

I am a huge fan of this dish for all the reasons above plus that it is simplistic yet sensational in taste, texture and ingredients. The contrast of the crisp and gooey wok fried egg, the velvety earthiness of oyster sauce, the crunch of fresh green shallots and the heat of the chillies.

Enjoy by itself, or with boiled white rice.

Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 free range eggs
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 green shallots, finely sliced
1 bird’s eye chilli finely sliced or dried chilli flakes.

Method

Heat the oil in a hot wok until the oil seems to shimmer on the surface. Crack the eggs in a bowl and just break the yolks. Pour the eggs into the oil. The eggs will pop and blister so stand back. Cook the egg in the oil without stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until the eggs are crisp on the outside but slightly gooey in the middle.

Gently remove the egg from the wok and drain off excess oil. Scatter with shallots, oyster sauce and chillies.

Serves 1-2

Bon appetite.

Recipe of the Week: Oma's Ragout

Why Oma’s Ragout? Oma in Dutch means Grandmother, and this is the recipe for her famous ragout (a meat and béchamel like stew).

This recipe is a present for my uncle Jeroen and aunt Anca who both turn a fabulous 50 today.

I believe at this milestone, you both have the wisdom and skills to make it yourselves and share it with your own families. Enjoy and Happy 50th Birthday!

For everyone else this is a simple winter meal that is easy to make and is ever so yummy. It is quite old fashioned in its simpleness, which is why I think our family loves it so much- perfect comfort food!

Eat it on toast (the way my family does) with hot mustard, or serve it with rice or potatoes and vegetables.


Ingredients

500g Chuck or Blade Steak
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of black pepper corns

40g butter
30g plain flour (you may need a little more of less depending)
1 white onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground
Salt
Pepper

Method
Place the steak, whole onion (unpeeled), carrot and celery bay leaf and peppercorns in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the meat and vegetables. Allow to simmer for 1-2 hours until you have a rich coloured stock and the steak falls apart.

Drain and reserve the liquid. Keep the meat and discard the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns.

In the meantime place the butter in a saucepan and slowly melt. When the butter starts to bubble add the chopped onion and stir until your onions look see through.Turn the heat down and add the flour. Continue to stir until this mixture becomes stiff. If it appears a little soft and continues to run in the pan add a little more flour and stir thoroughly- this is your roux. Cook this mixture out for 1 minute while continuing to stir.

With your saucepan on a medium heat add the stock 100 mills at a time to the roux and whisk until the mixture becomes a thick paste. Continue to add the stock in small amounts- this will help avoid any lumps.

Once your sauce is thick and resembles a cheese sauce consistency stop adding any more liquid and allow your mixture to come to the bubble. This will indicate how thick your sauce will be, while cooking out the flour. If you think it is too thick add a little more stock or water and allow the sauce so bubble again. Be careful though as you can always make the mixture thinner but you cannot make it thicker.

Take this sauce off the heat and in the meantime cut the steak into small cubes. Add your meat to the sauce and stir. Season with salt pepper, nutmeg and mustard powder.

Serves 4 as a main.

Bon Appetite.

Recipe of the Week: Lentil and Walnut and Fetta Salad

Why Lentil and Walnut Salad?

An Australian Autumn is here again. There is something special about this season that I can never really put my finger on. I think it is because it is a time of year in a time of year that doesn’t know if it is coming or going. The mornings and nights are cooler however midday is just as beautiful and warm as summer.

People seem to act accordingly to this somewhat miss match season by trying to blend summer and the coming winter together in a way that only Australians can. You don’t know whether to stay indoors and entertain or go out to parks to relish in the sun on a cool day soaking up the rays. You see people walking the streets rugged up with jumpers while wearing thongs and sandals. Or others who are wearing a light summer dress with stockings and then there are those who will deny the weather and dress in a winter ensemble or a beach summer dress when you can tell they are so uncomfortable with their choice.

To be honest I can’t help myself but use this time of year as an excuse to do the mix matching I crave to do all year. Food included.

Warm Salads. There is something unique with those two words put together. Warm food – you think of roasts, soups, legumes grains and hearty robust flavours. Salads – you think of crisp cool lettuces, refreshing ingredients such as tomatoes, cucumbers and zingy salad dressings.

This salad is exactly that. It is my dedication to celebrate the oddness of autumn.

Ingredients
200g dried brown Lentils, soaked for a minimum 2 hours
200g dried Puy Lentils, soaked for a minimum 2 hours
1 bunch flat parsley
1/2 bunch spring onions
1 bunch basil
60 gr walnuts
150 g soft fetta
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons walnut oil (or any nut oil or a fruity olive oil)
Sea salt
Pepper


Method
Roughly chop the parsley, basil and spring onions and place in a large bowl.

Boil the lentils separately in salted water until they are al dente (this should take 10-20 minutes depending on how long they have soaked). Drain and leave covered to stay warm.

Meanwhile toast the walnuts in a dry fry pan until you smell a nutty aroma. Combine with the lentils and herbs. Add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and toss. Serve with fetta crumbled on the top.

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Bon Appetite.