Seafood Stew with Smoked Chili Aioli

This aromatic Mediterranean style stew is so simple to prepare and yet when presented at the dinner table, your family or friends will think you have spent the entire day in the kitchen! The added flavors of chilies and smoked paprika to the aioli gives this stew a bit of a kick. Ailoi (pronounced ahy-oh-lee) is a velvety smooth mayonnaise made up of egg, garlic and olive oil and is traditionally served with boiled vegetables, seafood or fish.

Serves 8
recipe from Good Taste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 x 410g cans chopped tomatoes
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
4 strips orange rind, white pith removed
1kg prawns, peeled leaving tails intact, deveined
1kg tuna steaks, cut into 3cm pieces
mashed potato to serve

Smoked Chili Aioli
4 fresh red chilies
2 x 200g cartons aioli
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

To make the smoked chili aioli, preheat grill on high. Thread the chilies onto metal skewers. Cook under grill, turning occasionally with tongs, 3-5 minutes or until charred and blistered. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag and set aside for 5 minutes (this helps to lift the skin). Peel the skin from the chilies and coarsely chop the flesh (scrape out the seeds before chopping if you want to remove most of the heat). Place in a food processor and add aioli, paprika and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and chopped thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft and light golden. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until the wine is reduced by half. Add tomatoes, bay leaves and orange rind. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 50 minutes.

Stir in the prawns and tuna. Cook, uncovered for 5 minutes or until the prawns change color and the tuna is cooked through. Set aside for 5 minutes to stand. Divide the mashed potato among bowls and top with the stew. Add a dollop of the aioli and thyme leaves.

The Culinary Chase's Note: In lieu of mashed potatoes, I served the stew with a soft polenta (made with milk instead of water to give the polenta a whiter look) which was absolutely delicious! I felt the tuna was overcooked so next time I would add it in the rest period as we like our tuna rare in the middle.

Artichoke and Tomato Pie

This crustless pie is perfect for a casual dinner or lunch. Panko breadcrumbs are found in Japanese and French cuisines and are used to create a crunchy coating for fried foods. Panko is made from bread without crusts which has a crisper, airier texture than most types of breading found in Western cuisines. If you can't find panko breadcrumbs, use regular breadcrumbs.

Serves 6-8
recipe from Taste

melted butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 x 400g jars chargrilled artichokes in oil, drained and sliced
1 cup Kalamata olives, drained and pitted
600g Italian tomatoes in juice, drained well and mashed
150g thinly sliced fresh mozzarella

Brush an oven proof dish (21cm x 5cm deep) with melted butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs. Mix remaining crumbs with the parmesan. Make layers of the ingredients in this order: artichoke slices, olives, tomatoes, salt and pepper, mozzarella cheese, then a sprinkling of the breadcrumb mixture.

Gently pat the surface of the pie, then drizzle melted butter on the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180c or until bubbling and golden on top. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

The Culinary Chase's Note: A delicious and simple pie! I used a pie plate but you can also use a cake tin. Use chopped tomatoes and make sure to drain well otherwise you'll have too much liquid from the tomatoes. Serve with a glass of non oaked chardonnay. Enjoy!

Chinese Sweet and Sour Fish

I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of fish (too many bones!). That being said, since coming to Asia I have learned to prepare and enjoy fish in different ways and that's due to the many Chinese restaurants we've eaten in over the years. This dish is a bit like homemade deep fried fish without the heavy batter. The texture is light while the fish is moist.

Serves 6
recipe from Good Taste

1 egg white, lightly whisked
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
pinch of salt
750g firm white fish fillets, cut into 4cm pieces
peanut oil, for deep frying
3 shallots, thinly sliced diagonally (to serve)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
pinch of white pepper

Combine the egg white, ginger and salt in a bowl. Add the fish and toss to combine. To make the sweet and sour sauce, place the cornstarch in a bowl and gradually whisk in the stock until smooth. Add the garlic, sherry, vinegar, soy sauce and pepper. Whisk to combine.

Add enough oil in a wok or heavy based saucepan to reach 1/4 of the way up the side of the pan. Heat to 190c over medium high heat. Add a quarter of the fish to the hot oil and cook 3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with remaining fish (2 batches). Place the sweet and sour sauce in a frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring until the sauce starts to thicken.Add the fish to the sauce and cook until the sauce coats the fish (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a serving platter. Top with shallot and serve with rice.

The Culinary Chase's Note: This is an easy dish to make and the sauce is packed with powerful flavors. Perfect for a Chinese banquet!

Chargrilled Vegetable and Pita Salad with Feta and Dukkah

This is a quick midweek meal that is easy to prepare, loaded with vitamins and is easy on the budget as well. My May 7 posting was on dukkah and one of the ways mentioned how to use it was in salads. Dukkah helps to spice up the flavors in this dish.

Serves 4
recipe from Good Taste

2 pieces small pita bread
2 large zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1cm thick slices
2 red bell peppers, halved, deseeded and cut into 2cm thick slices
450g eggplant, trimmed, quartered lengthways
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
1 tablespoon dukkah (or to taste)
100g feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 200c. Place the pita bread on a large baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool. Break into small pieces. Meanwhile, preheat a large chargrill on high. Combine the zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cook one third of the zucchini mixture on the grill for 3 minutes each side or until tender and lightly charred. Repeat, in 2 more batches with the remaining mixture.

Whisk together the lemon juice, honey and remaining oil in a large bowl. Add the zucchini mixture, parsley and mint and toss to combine. Divide the salad among serving bowls, Sprinkle with dukkah and feta.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The feta helps to keep the flavors intense and the dukkah gives it that added crunch. Use your favorite vegetables and now that the weather is warmer, it's time to start using that BBQ to grill the vegetables and pita bread!

Dukkah

Dukkah (pronounced 'do -kah') is an Egyptian blend of coarsely ground nuts and spices. Use it by dipping bread in extra virgin olive oil then into the Dukkah. I remember the first time I encountered this curious looking mixture when I was still living in Singapore. My husband and I went out for dinner at The Cellar Door and while we were waiting for our drinks, we were served Dukkah with bread. We looked at the waiter and asked what it was and how to use it. It's easy to see how one can become addicted to the flavors. Thank goodness we stopped after a second helping of bread to dip otherwise we wouldn't have had room for our meal! Dukkah is an easy gift to make and give to friends as it keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks (if it lasts that long!).

Makes about 2 cups

150g sesame seeds
50g coriander seeds
50g cumin seeds
50g shelled pistachios
75g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (can use whole blanched almonds)
2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt (please don't use table salt!)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dry roast all spices individually until fragrant; don't burn:
1) Quickly pan fry (dry pan) sesames, stir and then remove
2) Add coriander and cumin together and dry roast until fragrant
3) Roast macadamia nuts and pistachiosin oven until golden brown, 200c for about 5 minutes (let cool before processing)

Place spices in a spice grinder, food processor or pound with mortar and pestle. Grind to a coarse consistency (I prefer to process until fine). Remove from processor and place in a bowl. When macadamia nuts are cooled, place in the food processor and process until fine. Combine spices and nuts with sea salt and pepper to taste. Store in an airtight container preferably in the the fridge.

The Culinary Chase's Note: It's important to make sure all the ingredients have cooled down before processing otherwise you'll end up with a paste. You can also substitute the coriander and cumin seeds for ground coriander and cumin (just remember that whole spices are more aromatic when roasted). Use Dukkah as a crust or breading for foods like lamb, shrimp, fish or chicken. Sprinkle over salads or pasta dishes. Delicious!

Creamy Beef and Vegetable Stroganoff

Although I like a simple stroganoff at times of just beef, mushrooms, onions and sour cream I do like the idea of adding vegetables to a meal. Beef Stroganoff is an authentic Russian dish which hails from Saint Petersburg. The story goes that a chef was employed by the wealthy Stroganoff family (back in the mid 1800's) where he concocted beef stroganoff for Count Stroganoff because the Count had lost his teeth and could no longer chew through a typical steak. Whatever the real story is, the recipe is a delicious one!

Serves 4
recipe from Good Taste

400g dried rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (250g each) beef rump steaks
250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch of broccolini, cut into long florets
1 brown onion, halved and cut into thin wedges
300ml thickend cream
185ml (3/4 cup) beef stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cook the pasta following packet directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pan. Cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 3-4 minutes each side for medium or cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Add the tomato to the pan and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes or until the tomato softens slightly. Transfer to a plate.

Cook the broccolini in a large saucepan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Drain well. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushroom, onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is golden. Add the cream, stock and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes until heated through. Thinly slice the beef across the grain. Add the beef, tomato, broccolini and parsley to the pasta. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The sauce was light and the vegetables not only added vitamins and minerals but also a colorful element to the dish. I used half and half cream instead of full cream. Delicious!