Lunch with Alain Passard at Josef Chromy Wines

by | Mar 29, 2017 | Foodie Adventures, Lunch, Photography | 0 comments

We had an amazing day for lunch at Josef Chromy Wines with Lunch by Alain Passard. It was wonderful to see how many guests had come over from Melbourne for this much anticipated lunch including food writer Dani Valent who got me an in to take photos in the kitchen to go with her interview here.  I’ll let you read all about it on her site but here are some more of my photos of the delicious day that I hope you will enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Layered Salad Jar

by | Mar 10, 2017 | Arwen's Thermomix Recipes, Lunch, Thermomix, Thermomix Recipes | 0 comments

Layered Salad in a Jar is a fun way to serve salad & you can have so many variations based on your favourite in season salad ingredients. My version was created for a healthy eating workshop & after speaking with the nutritionist who was presenting I put together this yummy nutritious combo.

First make your dressing, I chose to use flaxseed oil & apple cider vinegar, you can use use lemon or lime juice instead of the vinegar or use extra virgin olive oil in place of the flaxseed oil.

Choose your flavours, try fresh herbs or your favourite mustard or even fresh chilli.

I love the zing of fresh ginger & garlic plus I had some gorgeous vibrant fresh turmeric as well!

Blitz 10g each of fresh ginger, garlic & turmeric for 5 secs on speed 7. Add 100g of apple cider vinegar & 100g chosen good quality oil & salt & pepper to taste, mix for 10 secs on speed 5.

 

Pour in your chosen amount of dressing to your jar or jars.

 

I like to make a “massaged” kale layer on top of the dressing layer, it really makes the kale taste amazing! After making your dressing leave about a tbs in the TM bowl, remove the stalks from the kale & put the leaves into the TM bowl & chop for 2-3 secs on speed 5 to your desired texture. Season to taste then set the Thermomix for 2-3 mins reverse speed 2. You can use a jam funnel to get your ingredients into the jar without pouring half of them onto the table. Try not to pack your ingredients down too much because you need room to stir them when you are eating the salad.

 

I like to include a shredded chicken layer, using leftover steamed chicken breasts (from steamed whole chicken) or you can poach them in the simmering basket after cutting them in half & cover with water to the max line cooking for about 20 mins, 100 degrees speed 1. You might like to chop up fresh herbs & garlic before adding water to give the chicken some flavour or use a big tbs of veggie stock paste. Once the chicken is cooked allow to cool & place in the fridge. Place cold chicken breasts into the Thermomix bowl & chop for about 3-4 secs reverse speed 4 until desired consistency is reached.

 

You can put layers of any of your favourite veggies, just think about vibrant colours to make it more appealing. It is better for any wetter ingredients to go towards the bottom of the jar, especially if you won’t be eating the salad until the next day. I hand chop things like cucumber, tomato or cherry tomatoes. If you are using avocado you will have to squeeze some lemon juice on it to stop it from going brown. I love using red cabbage or fresh beetroot that has been peeled I chop it for 3-5 secs on speed 5. Broccoli is another favourite of mine too. You could even do a boiled egg layer. Hand sliced radish looks & tastes great too.

 

Finish it off with some freshly chopped chives or other herbs & toasted seeds or nuts for some added texture.

 

If you want to ditch the jar, this salad is still delicious in a salad bowl! 😀

 

Thermomix Cooking Experience

by | Jan 18, 2017 | Dinner, Lunch, Thermomix, Thermomix Recipes | 0 comments

Once called a Thermomix Demo the name has changed to a Thermomix Cooking Experience. Just as the name suggests you experience how easy it is to use the Thermomix first hand. You & your 2-3  guests get to cook a dish with your consultant. You will get to use use the guided cooking on the recipe chips for 2 of the dishes. Of course you get to taste the delicious food too, which in my opinion is the best part, seeing & tasting is believing. Cooking from scratch with a Thermomix means you get maximum flavour into your food, enables you to be additive free, while saving you time & money. Plus there are some new menu items (indicated with a *). This Thermomix cooking experience commences on the 1st Feb 2017.

For dessert choose Fresh Fruit Sorbet or *Fruity Berry Dream 

(by the way we always eat our dessert first at the Cooking Experience)

Both are quick easy & delicious, the ThermoWOW factors are seeing sugar being made into icing sugar in 10 secs!! See the Thermomix chop ice or frozen fruit in about 1 minute!!

Sorbet

Fruity Berry Dream

Choose a Bread Option

*Brazilian Cheese Puffs

ThermoWOW factors – gluten free, quick, easy & cheesy YUM!! Recipe is from the Good Food Gluten Free Cookbook & recipe chip.

Bread Rolls

ThermoWOW factors -see how to mill your own flour, the kneading of the dough in 2 mins and we also have fun making different shaped rolls together too!

Pizza Bianca

Pizza bread topped with rosemary & garlic, the ThermoWOW factors are chopping fresh garlic & rosemary in a few seconds & seeing how the Thermomix kneads dough in about 2 mins!

Choose a main dish from these 4 options

*Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

ThermoWOW factors- learn how to make your own mince meat, with this family favourite & versatile meal.

Mushroom Risotto

The Mushroom Risotto has the ThermoWOW factors of using the guided recipe, grating parmesan cheese in 5 secs, chopping, cooking & stirring, a quick, delicious & easy meal.

Chicken or Salmon Veloute’ Meal

Veloute’ Meal ThermoWOW factors are seeing an all in one meal made, chopping, cooking, steaming & pureeing – you cook a veggie soup, while steaming your protein & veggies. Some of the soup is made into the delicious velvet sauce to go over the protein & veggies.

 

Being a host is easy & fun, you provide a few ingredients & your consultant brings the rest plus there are some great rewards, choose here.

Or Mix and match your menu options with the options from the Flavours of India Cooking Experience.

 

 

 

Super Salads

by | Jan 5, 2017 | Dinner, Lunch, Thermomix, Thermomix Recipes | 0 comments

I remember when a salad used to be quite mundane, maybe some iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber & carrot with a bit of dressing, which is till an ok side salad for a quick meat & salad meal. Salads can be just so exciting, start with the freshest ingredients & think colours, textures; with toasted nuts or seeds, flavour combos, roasted veg, fresh herbs, in season veggies or salad greens & delicious dressings, even adding in amazing protein can lift a salad. Even consider using leftovers from a meal cold grilled or steamed meats or meatballs. You don’t really need a recipe for a great salad but sometimes it’s so good you want to be able to recreate that amazing combo. Here are a few of my favourites in no particular order that I will be continuing to update.

Roast lamb salad (marinade made in the Thermomix) with some roasted veg feta & other salad ingredients.

 

I used Eloise Emmett’s recipe to pickle my octopus & then serve with either a greek style or green salad – also yummy with a creamy potato salad too.

 

Guess what? Some salads are better made without the Thermomix you might only make the dressing in the Thermomix – this is a favourite of mine Fennel Salad I love to serve it with confit or steamed salmon. (The recipe is from a great book that includes French style recipes – Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard.)

 

I’m not normally a fan of coleslaw but even using red cabbage & the fresh apple or pear, red capsicum & some fresh dill & try adding some pecans for extra crunch I prefer my coleslaw dressed with lemon juice & olive oil. Of course it is so easy to make your own mayo in the Thermomix too.- Dani Valent had a peanut butter coleslaw recipe in the In the Mix 2 cookbook.

 

My take on Mum’s Chicken & Mango Salad – Such a versatile salad great to use up left over steamed chicken breast (after steaming a whole chook) or poaching chicken breasts in the Thermomix. You can use any nuts you like either cashews, macadamia or pistachios. Finely chopped celery for the crunch & fresh element, 1 mango sliced, sliced spring onions. Avocado is delicious in it too. I used cucumber because I had some in the fridge & added fresh parsley & mint leaves. Mum dressed it with 1/2 homemade mayo & half natural yoghurt 1 tsp of curry powder & 1 tabs of tomato relish. I used a honey & seeded mustard vinaigrette to dress it, my sister likes to use an Asian style dressing with soy sauce, fresh ginger & garlic.

 

 

I love to make Teressa Cutter’s Massaged Kale Salad in the Thermomix – I stir it on reversed instead of massaging it by hand & then I love to add some Thermomix shredded chicken YUM!!

 

Warm Sweet Potato Salad or use pink eye potatoes instead either with homemade mayo or serve warm with Thermie made Bearnaise sauce with or without crispy bacon!! Of course you can put it in the fridge & serve it cold too 🙂 (Yes you may have noticed there is a sneaky Brussel Sprout in this one so feel free to add any of you other favourite veggies that are in season I steamed the brussel sprout with the sweet potato.)

 

I love greek salad but serving it with steamed lamb meatballs really makes it into a special delicious meal that is so easy to prepare 🙂

 

Nico Moretti’s roasted Cauliflower Salad. You will find the recipe in his Delicious Journeys Cookbook – actually it’s on the front cover too!

 

Beetroot salad

The classic beetroot salad from your basic cookbook you can jazz up if you want, serve with feta, pistachios, pomegranate seeds, chickpeas or even tuna. Use any fresh herbs you like.

 

Other salad pictures & recipes coming soon Nigella’s Watermelon & Feta Salad & Spicy Carrot Salad, Crunchy Quinoa & Puy Lentil Salad with Yoghurt Dressing,Winter Nicoise Style Salad & Spicy Crunchy Quinoa Salad.

Festive Cauliflower Salad

by | Dec 18, 2016 | Lunch, Thermomix, Thermomix Recipes | 0 comments

 

Save Print
Festive Cauliflower Salad
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 - 8
 
INSPIRING IDEAS: Try serving with fish, chicken or quail. Add some chopped fresh beetroot for even more colour & flavour. (Place beetroot halves into the TM bowl & chop for 3 secs speed 5.5) To remove the pomegranate seeds from the fruit using your Thermomix, simply place two pomegranate quarters into mixing bowl and remove arils 1 sec/speed 4. Discard the skin and pith and set pomegranate seeds aside in serving bowl. Repeat until all pomegranate quarters are used. Set all arils aside in serving bowl.
Ingredients
  • SALAD
  • 1 cauliflower head, outer leaves removed
  • 100 g shelled and unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, washed and well dried
  • 20g fresh coriander, leaves and stems, washed and well dried
  • DRESSING
  • 80g extra virgin olive oil
  • 40g freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄4 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper Additional ingredients to serve:
  • 1 pomegranates, seeds only
  • pomegranate molasses, to drizzle Sumac, to sprinkle
  • Fresh coriander, leaves only, roughly chopped to garnish
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped Mint leaves optional
Instructions
  1. SALAD:
  2. To prepare the cauliflower, first trim the stalks from the core and discard the core.
  3. Cut the very top of the florets off the stalks and set florets aside in a bowl.
  4. Place stalks into mixing bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and chop a further 10 sec/speed 7. Set aside in a large salad bowl.
  5. Place half of the reserved cauliflower florets into mixing bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 5, or until slightly courser than the stalks. Set aside in the salad bowl.
  6. Place remaining cauliflower florets and pistachios into mixing bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 5. Set aside in the salad bowl.
  7. Place parsley and coriander into mixing bowl and chop 2 sec/speed 6.
  8. Set aside in the salad bowl.
  9. DRESSING:
  10. Place all dressing ingredients into mixing bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 5 and pour over salad
  11. Top with pomegranate seeds then drizzle with pomegranate molasses, sprinkle with sumac, coriander and parsley and lightly toss before serving.

 

Christmas Planning & Recipe Ideas Countdown

by | Dec 4, 2016 | Baking, Desserts, Dinner, Food Styling, Foodie Adventures, Lunch, Snacks & nibbles, Thermomix, Thermomix Recipes | 0 comments

It’s almost here – again! How on earth did that happen?

So obviously you are wanting to plan for food for the big day & any celebrations with family & friends leading up to Christmas 🙂 So I bring to you some inspiration & ideas to get you through this crazy busy time 😉

The Festive Flavours Cookbook & Chip is really great with some really good ideas for making your own gifts too like flavoured salts or spice rubs or flavoured sugars.

festive-flavour-book-1

The Festive Flavours Cookbook is one of 4 books currently available to purchase in a book bundle saving you money. There are also lots of other great gifts available from the Thermomix online shop.

One of my favourite recipes from the Festive Flavour Book is  the Pork & Chicken Terrine & I am definitely making that again – it was really delicious, it has cranberries & pistachios in it too.Terrine

Our family love my Thermie green avocado dip & this year I will be making the warm roasted cauliflower hummus from Dani Valent Cooking – speaking of which, wouldn’t a subscription to this site be a great gift for Christmas – there are already over 40 recipe videos available (index here) with a new one added each week, Dani Valent also has a Christmas ebook available to purchase for $15 or it’s free to her subscribers. See some of her recipes on my post called my addiction to Dani Valent Cooking 🙂 I am almost certain we will be having the Basque Cheesecake on Christmas day too!!

Also don’t forget about the recipe platform now called Cookidoo – what a great way to plan out your dishes for the festive season – if you haven’t signed up yet it is really easy to use with a great shopping list feature too. Here is the link to sign up to Cookidoo & you will get 1 free recipe collection when you sign up.

I am having a fun countdown on my social media pages sharing a different recipe idea each day – I hope you enjoy it & get some great ideas to use for your special day 🙂 Merry Christmas everyone!!

Day 1 recipe is my friend Kelly’s Dutch Spice Speculaas recipe here

speculaas

Day 2: Strawberry & Rosewater Sorbet for Cocktails or Mocktails

Strawberry & Rosewater Sorbet

Strawberry & Rosewater Sorbet

 

Day 3 Thermie Green Avocado Dip This is one of the best dips ever – even if I do say so myself, put it on your Christmas & or entertaining menu this season or maybe just put it in your mouth!! Your taste buds will thank you 😉

The Best Avocado Dip

The Best Avocado Dip

Day 4: I introduce to you the “Cheesecake” You can put as many or as little layers as you like of your favourite cheeses & I have included a layer of my favourite fruitcake to eat with cheddar cheese. You have to trust me on this it is seriously good – I also made some apple paste to go on my “cheese cake” because I’m all out of my homemade quince paste. I was also toying with the idea of making rounds of homemade crackers to put in between the cake layers so when you dismantle the “cheesecake” you could break the big cracker into a few pieces to serve with the cheese too.

cheesecake

fruit-cake-with-cheese-2

Day 5 inspiration is Smolt’s Lemon Curd  You can give it as gifts or serve it on or with your christmas desserts – Like pavlova with fresh berries!!

lemon-butter

Day 6: Black Forest Trifle is another family favourite YUM!!

Black Forrest Trifle

Black Forrest Trifle

Day 7: Southern Stars White Christmas Custard – Coconut, White Chocolate, Frangelico & Vanilla Bean – our Thermomix team created this recipe for a custard challenge last Christmas & it is very delicious 🙂

Vanilla Custard

Day 8: My Fruit Mince Surprise – it’s got rhubarb in it!! YUM! You can do so much with this delicious stuff – Add some fruit mince to some cream cheese and serve with fruit for Christmas sweet dip, stir through your ice cream mixture or serve with vanilla or brandy custard. Use fruit mince with thick custard or whipped cream as a profiterole filling, or use in fruit mince pies, pull apart bread or spread onto rectangles of puff pastry or brioche dough and make scrolls.

fruit-mince

Save Print
Fruit Mince Surprise
Author: 
Recipe type: Christmas
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Use Fruit Mince in profiteroles mixed with cream or thick custard, fruit mince pies, pull apart bread or spread onto rectangles of puff pastry or brioche dough and make scrolls. Add some Fruit Mince to cream cheese and serve with fruit for Christmas sweet dip. Stir through your ice cream mixture or serve with vanilla or brandy custard.
Ingredients
  • 1 orange zest
  • 500 g apples peeled, cored and quartered
  • 200g chopped rhubarb
  • 100 g dates dried
  • 80 g craisins
  • 100 g currants
  • 15 g fresh ginger piece chopped/ minced
  • 60 g flaked almonds
  • Juice 2 oranges
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamon
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Cointreau or Brandy (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place orange zest, dates and fresh ginger into mixing bowl and mince for 20
  2. sec/speed 9.
  3. Add apples and chop 4-6 sec/speed 6.
  4. Add remaining ingredients except brandy and cook for 35 min/Varoma/
  5. /speed 1. Cool slightly,remove the bay leaves & stir in cointreau or brandy, set aside
  6. until ready to use.

 

Christmas Profiterole

Christmas Profiterole – serving suggestion for my Special Fruit Mince

 

Day 9: Ellie’s Turducken. Yes it’s a chicken in a duck in a turkey!!

 

Day 10: Spiced Cherry Brioche from the Festive Flavours Cookbook – you can put any of your favourite fillings in 🙂 spiced-cherry-brioche-3

Day 11: Sarah’s Cheese Biscuits make up a few batches of this & store in the freezer in log ready to slice & bake when unexpected guests arrived or an attack of the munchies! Perfect with a glass of bubbles!

Sarah's Cheese Biscuits

Sarah’s Cheese Biscuits

Day 12: Mum’s Chicken & Mango Salad – Such a versatile salad great to use up left over steamed chicken breast (after steaming a whole chook) or poaching chicken breasts in the Thermomix. You can use any nuts you like either cashews, macadamia or pistachios. Finely chopped celery for the crunch & fresh element, 1 mango sliced, sliced spring onions. Avocado is delicious in it too. I used cucumber because I had some in the fridge & added fresh parsley & mint leaves. Mum dressed it with 1/2 homemade mayo & half natural yoghurt 1 tsp of curry powder & 1 tabs of tomato relish. I used a honey & seeded mustard vinaigrette to dress it, my sister likes to use an Asian style dressing with soy sauce, fresh ginger & garlic.

chicken-mango-salad-2

Day 13: 60 Sec Fruitcake from the Devil of Cookbook – there are lots of other great Christmas recipes in this cookbook – Toblerone cheesecake,  raspberry & white chocolate cheese cake just to name a few 🙂

xmas-cake-1024x683

Day 14: Nicole’s Festive Nougat – My friend Nicole makes these very year to give as gifts to friends.

nougat

Day 15 : Spinach & Cheese Grissini

12232918_10154307109053998_467692484026302440_o

Day 16: Flavoured butters can jazz anything up in a hurry & you can store them in the freezer. Dani Valent has some great butter flavour ideas & video of her making butter in the Thermomix. My friends at a girl, a guy furkids & food have a fabulous butter recipe then add any flavour you like – last year I made turkey skin butter as a variant to Dani Valent’s In the Mix cookbook Chicken Skin Butter recipe.

turkey-skin-butter

Day 17: Festive Cauliflower Salad is so easy & delicious 🙂

12273724_10154313225828998_5505249077494346608_o

Day 18: Herb & Garlic Dip can be made into a great canape’ spread on sliced of french stick or sliced veggies with some smoked salmon YUM!!

Day 19: The good old Aussie Pav, you can make in all shapes & sizes with any choice of topping from fruits nuts & sauces, the possibilities are endless. Try the wreath recipe or pavlova stack.

Day 20: Shortbread Stars – recipe from my friend Erica.

Day 21: Gingerbread or Gingerbread House – I use the recipe from the Festive Flavours Cookbook.

Gingerbread house made by my customer Natalie & her 3 year old daughter.

 

Day 22: Beetroot Cured Salmon – there is a recipe in the Festive Flavours cookbook but I used the Jamie Oliver one from his new Christmas Cookbook & made the curing mixture with the Thermomix. I have served it here on Blinis – however it is so versatile you could serve it on cucumber rounds or rounds of baguettes – serve on top of a green salad to make it into a dish.

 

Day 23: Double Chocolate Pretzel Cookies from In the Mix 2 & Dani Valent Cooking – Santa will love them too!

Day 24: Basque Cheesecake from Dani Valent Cooking

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY THERMOMIXING!!