Braised octopus in tomato, garlic, chilli and paprika broth

I picked up some octopus from my fishmonger, it is rich in zinc and very nutritional and I love it.
I planned on making a salad but instead opted for a braise with a rich red paprika salty and spicy broth.
This recipe is full in body, rich in flavour and tender to eat. I love to use the paprika paste from turkey, it is used to replace tomato paste in many of my recipes.

1 kg fresh octopus cut tentacles into 3 cm pieces
3 garlic cloves
3 small red chillies
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
black pepper to season
1 can tined tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 bunch oregano
2 tablespoons paprika paste (available from middle eastern supermarkets and made in turkey)

Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan keep the oil on a low heat, in a mortar and pestle pound the garlic and chilli to a paste, add to oil and gently saute, add octopus and stir, add stock and tomatoes, paprika and oregano.
Cook on low heat for 40 minutes the octopus will be be very tender serve alone or with quinoa or basmati rice

Enjoy.

Chopped caesar salad with left over christmas turkey

We had such a heavy traditional Christmas lunch, even to be polite I go with the flow and eat my mum's prepared lunch but I find it hard so I have a little, then I rest to digest.

This is my post boxing day recipe to use up some of that free range organic left over turkey

recipe -

Cooked turkey pulled apart
1 small cos lettuce cut into small pieces
1 sourdough bread for croutons ( rip into little squares roll in olive oil and sea salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes - and crispy)
1 cucumber diced into small pieces
french green beans trimmed and blanched for 2 minutes

dressing for salad

2 coodled eggs (runny only cooked for 2 minutes in boiled water)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Put all the dressing ingredients above in a blender careful not to split egg and oil mix (if it separates start again)

Place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl and mix through dressing so it"s coated well and serve

Serves 4

Amaranth spaghetti with basil pesto, rocket and baby tomatoes

1 packet amaranth (gluten free spaghetti) or your choice spelt etc
2 tablespoons basil pesto from recipe on blog
1 packet baby tomatoes ( i got beautiful yellow ones from markets)
1 bunch rocket
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to drizzle cold pressed
percorino or fresh Parmesan if you desire

Boil some water in saucepan and cook spaghetti (following instructions on packet)
When pasta is 2 minutes off ready throw in the tomatoes to boil
When done put into a colander and rinse with water working quickly
Put back into saucepan and work in basil pesto until coated
Place spaghetti on plate and decorate with rocket and some cold pressed oil
add some grated percorino

San Fransico, farmers markets, mushrooms and the golden gate bridge

Giovanni's shrimp van north shore hawaii

Basil pesto with sunflower seeds

1 bunch fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds


in a mortar and pestle pound all the ingredients so the pesto is chunky, if your feeling lazy use a food processor but it tastes much better hand blended.

Coconut passionfruit and raw honey ice cream

Icecream ( ooh so nice in summer) I have been wanting to adapt a dairy free version so many of my clients are dairy free and mostly I am too.

1 can coconut milk
1 can coconut cream
1 whole passionfruit (prefer home grown or organic)
4 tablespoons raw honey
4 egg yolks

In a saucepan heat the raw honey on a lower simmer until clear and runny
Seperate the eggs and whisk the yolks set aside
in a bowl whisk the coconut cream and milk together add the yolks and honey whisk until blended
add the pulp from the passionfruit and stir
pour into a jug and cool in fridge until very cold ( i do this overnight)
if you have an ice cream maker ( get one if you don't) follow the manufacturers instructions and pour in mixture

Enjoy and remember all yummy desserts in moderation

Eating in America

Hello.

3.5 weeks later I have returned from an amazing and inspiring whirlwind tour of San Fran, New York and lastly Honululu (for r and r and prosurfer at pipleline ooglin)

What a trip!

After eating out at restaurants, I was slightly worried I may have lost my touch in the kitchen. But alas 4 day's back and I have cooked for a client and created 3 new recipes which I will post.

The higlights of my trip

1. Visiting ferry farmer markets in san fran
2. Eating clam chowder ( i know so touirsty but delicious) - see funny photo of me with the live crabs; poor little darlings
3. Meeting my new mentor and the wonderful rebecca katz
4. Eating at herbivore in mission san fran
5. Learning to deconstruct a menu (thanks rebecca) and ask the waiter for what I really want (always a fear because I know what happens in the back of house ie kitchen.
6. New York New York Vegan baking at Natural Gourmet Institute with baking goddess Fran.
7. Eating at Angelica's kitchen
8. Discovering Cleanplates new yorks www.cleanplatesnyc.com (healthy tasty guide t manhattan) - Hanging out in the village eating shopping, eating shopping.
9. Falling in love wth great mexican food at Chipotle.
10. Grassfed burgers everywhere..
11. Wholefoods, so great so many cool things
12. Just simpley being in new york I love this city.
13. Pumpkin Pie in Brooklyn.
14. Helicopter ride over manhattan whoooo
15. Hawaii - crazy fusion food that really works and explodes in your mouth
16. North Shore pipleine masters - wow whoo.

Please mail me for food details if you heading to any of these cities I really hit the ground running and did a lot of research.