Category Archives: Gluten Free

Steamed snapper with black bean & garlic sauce

October 13, 2014 6:17 am / Leave a Comment /

Steamed snapper with black bean & garlic

This is my version of a recipe from China Doll, using the commercial black bean and garlic paste that you can buy from a Chinese grocery store and adding to the paste with chilli, lemon and soy to give the fish a delicious flavour.

Perfectly and easily cooked in the steam oven, you wonder if you would bother trying to steam a whole snapper on a plate in a Chinese basket?  I think I did it once for a small fish and it was really difficult to remove.  You wouldn’t be able to fit this size snapper into a steamer basket in any case.  It is impossible to overcook the fish in a steam oven which makes cooking whole fish just a whole lot easier, not to mention healthier!

To finish, you can if you wish, heat some peanut oil until smoking and pour it over the fish at the table put personally I prefer to cut out the extra fat content as there is plenty of flavour in this dish already.

A nice change from the traditional ginger and garlic snapper here.

Ingredients:  Serves 4-5

1 whole 1.3kg snapper, cleaned and scaled
½ tsp sesame oil
1-2 garlic cloves
1 long red chilli, chopped + 1/2 for garnish
2 tbsp. black bean & garlic paste
1 tbsp. soy sauce
½ lemon, rind and juice
handful of coriander leaves
2-3 whole spring onions

Method:

  1. In a mortar and pestle pound the garlic, chopped chilli and its seeds with the lemon rind and a little sea salt until smooth.
  2. Add the black bean and garlic paste, soy and sesame oil and mix together.
  3. Score the fish into diamond shapes through the skin on both sides.
  4. Rub the paste into the fish, making sure that it penetrates into the cuts.
  5. Place fish into the large steamer tray on top of the whole spring onions.  This will stop it from sticking.
  6. Cook @ 90°C for 15 minutes.
  7. Pour over the juice of half a lemon and move onto a large serving platter.
  8. Top with the chopped coriander and sliced chilli.
  9. Serve with steamed jasmine rice that you can put into the steam oven first for 10 minutes @ 100°C then drop the temperature back to 90°C for the cooking time with the fish as above.

Note:  Cooking time for a smaller, say 700g snapper would be 10-12 minutes.

 

Posted in: Fish, Gluten free, Main Courses, Steam Oven

Slow roasted lamb with garam masala

September 3, 2014 11:47 am / Leave a Comment /

Slow roasted lamb with garam masala

This is a recipe adapted from Karen Martini where she used similar ingredients for the marinade and then slow cooked it, covered in a conventional oven.  As anyone with a combi steamer knows, slow baked lamb is even better with the added moisture a combi can provide see here.  Karen’s recipe was good but had too much yoghurt for a combi slow cook.  There is no need to cover the dish so the marinade needs to be intensified and baked with less liquid as the steam will add to the moisture in the pan.  I have reduced the yoghurt to only enough to marinate and the results were excellent.  Melt in the mouth lamb that fell off the bone with those delicious Indian spices that had seeped into the meat overnight.

A lovely change from the traditional garlic and rosemary that I used before.  Serve it with the meat juices, some Red cumin lentils, tomato and onion salad and some thick yoghurt with a little garlic and grated cucumber.  Yum 🙂

Ingredients:  Serves 4-6

1 x 2kg lamb shoulder or leg (shoulder is better)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
knob of ginger, grated
1½ tbsp. garam masala
2 tsp ground cardamon
1 lemon juice and rind grated finely
2 tbsp. Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp. sea salt

Method:

  1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, including the salt.
  2. Trim the lamb of any large pieces of fat that you can remove easily and ‘spear’ the meat all over with a sharp knife at random intervals so that the marinade may permeate into the meat.
  3. Rub all over the with marinade and place it into a plastic bag, tie it up and place it on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.  You should use all the marinade and it should just be enough to cover the lamb thickly without any excess.
  4. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before baking.
  5. Make sure your fan cover is installed on the back of the combi if you have one, place the lamb into the solid steamer tray and bake on Combination mode @ 120°C + 80% moisture for 4 hours.
  6. Remove from the solid tray and place onto a large, warmed serving platter.  Remove the bone if using a shoulder.
  7. Strain the juices into a jug and remove the fat.

There is no need to rest the lamb when cooking like this.  The bone should just fall out of the meat if you use a shoulder and be meltingly tender.  I used a leg this time around so after the meat was carved I poured over the meat juices before serving.

Enjoy.

 

Posted in: Combi Steamer, Gluten free, Indian, Main Courses

Red cumin lentils

August 26, 2014 7:00 pm / Leave a Comment /

Red cumin lentils

Lentils are fantastic cooked in the steam oven.

The great thing about cooking a lentil dish or dahl in the steam oven is that you now don’t have to worry about it catching on the base of the pot!  Anyone who has ever cooked dahl will understand and appreciate this.  The last time we tried this recipe on the stove top it not only caught on the base but was too dry and gluggy.  As the steam oven adds moisture whilst cooking this wasn’t a problem anymore and the result was really light and ‘fluffy’.

This is our favourite recipe which I have adapted from the old Bathers Pavilion cookbook and substantially reduced the quantity of fat.  This lentil dish packs a punch with the spice paste, lime juice and fish sauce and is really delicious with roast meat, chicken or curries.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion
knob of ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 large green chillies
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups red split lentils
2½ cups beef stock
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp fish sauce

Method:

  1. Peel and roughly chop the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies
  2. Place them all into a food processor.  Add the cumin and process until you have a paste.  You may need to add a little water.
  3. Heat the oil in a shallow casserole that will fit into the steam oven over a low heat.
  4. Add the paste and fry until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
  5. While the paste is frying, place the lentils in a fine sieve and rinse under running water for a few minutes.  I like to do this a few times.
  6. Add to shallow casserole with the stock.
  7. Place into the steam oven @ 100°C for 15 minutes
  8. Remove from steam oven and add the lime juice and fish sauce.  Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary with a little more fish sauce or lime juice.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

 

Posted in: Gluten free, Indian, Side dishes, Steam Oven

Lemongrass & kaffir lime creme brulee

August 11, 2014 9:59 am / 3 Comments /

 Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Creme Brulee

I have had many requests from people all over the world to cook a crème brûlée in the steam oven so here it is!

So much easier than bamboo baskets over pots of boiling water that may boil dry or a bain-marie in the oven.  More importantly a steam oven has precise temperature control, making it perfect for delicate things like this so you can cook with confidence knowing that you are not going to overcook them.

The only thing that you need to do for a crème brûlée in the steam oven is to cover the dishes so the condensation doesn’t pool on top of the custard.  Pop them all into the solid steamer tray and straight into the oven.  I greased my dishes with a tiny bit of oil which may not be necessary but easier to spoon from the dish in any case.

If you don’t have a Miele steam oven they may take a bit longer.  Check them after 1 hour, they should still ‘wobble’ a little.  If your oven can’t do 85° then go to 90°. The dishes should hold approximately 140-150ml each, although my dishes were larger but not filled to the top.

Perfectly cooked and a nice change from the classic vanilla.

Ingredients:  Serves 6

750ml thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
5-6 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 stick lemongrass, bruised and finely chopped.  Use about half the stem.
70g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
Extra raw sugar to caramelise tops, ground finely if possible

Cinnamon tuiles

2 egg whites
70g caster sugar
50g melted butter
35g plain flour or I used Gluten free plain flour with success
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method 

  1. Stir cream, vanilla bean and seeds, lime leaves and lemongrass over lowest heat for about 10 minutes or until almost boiling.  Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
  2. Strain and discard solids.
  3. Whisk sugar and egg yolks until combined. Gradually whisk in strained cream mixture.
  4. Strain mixture into six heatproof dishes.
  5. Put all the dishes onto the large solid steamer tray (I used the flat one).  Cover with foil and cook @ 85°C for one hour.
  6. Remove from the steam oven, uncover and let cool.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.  Can be cooked the day before and refrigerated overnight.

Preheat oven to 180°C Fan forced.  Line an oven tray with silicone or baking paper.

  1. To make tuiles, place egg whites in a bowl. Whisk until foamy.
  2. Whisk in sugar and butter.
  3. Add combined sifted flour and cinnamon. Whisk until just combined
  4. Spread teaspoons of mixture onto prepared tray into the shape of your choice.  They need to be spread really thinly.
  5. Bake for about 5 minutes or until dark golden.
  6. Sprinkle tops of brûlées with extra sugar.  It is better if the raw sugar is ground.
  7. Cook under a hot grill or caramelise sugar with a blow torch.

Serve brûlées with tuiles.

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Rules and also Luke Nguyen. 

 

Posted in: Desserts, Gluten free, Steam Oven

Fennel & pea soup

August 7, 2014 8:04 am / 2 Comments /

Healthy Fennel and Pea Soup

This is an old Gourmet recipe that I have adapted.  It originally had spinach in the ingredients but to be honest it didn’t need another ingredient and with the addition of my home-made chicken stock it was quite delicious.  Of course, you can also make it for vegetarians with vegetable stock.

Making your own stock is really very simple.  The only thing you really need to do is make it the day before you need it so the fat can come to the surface and can be removed easily.  It also guarantees you have ‘gluten free’ stock which is what I need for this dinner.

I used two large fennel bulbs and it would easily serve 12.  Be careful not to overcook or reheat it by leaving it to boil as you will lose the lovely vibrant green colouring.

Ingredients:  Serves 12

1 large leek, sliced finely
2 large fennel bulbs, sliced finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1kg frozen peas (not the mint variety)
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups jellied chicken stock if possible
salt and pepper to taste
Greek yoghurt and chopped chives to garnish

Method:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot
  2. Add leek, garlic and fennel and sauté until softened on a low heat
  3. Add chicken stock and bring to the boil
  4. Cook for 5-10 minutes until soft
  5. Add the frozen peas and bring back to the boil for 5 minutes
  6. Add a good pinch of salt and finely ground black pepper and cool
  7. Puree until smooth and test for seasoning again.
  8. Reheat only when needed without letting it boil for more than a minute as you will lose the colour.

Serve in warm bowls with yoghurt and chives as a garnish.

 

 

 

Posted in: Gluten free, Healthy eating, Soups, Vegetarian

French lentils

July 22, 2014 9:08 am / Leave a Comment /

French Lentils for Bastille Day

I haven’t done a steam oven recipe for a while so I have adapted this Lyndey Milan recipe for the tiny, French green lentils.  I thought that the flavouring would be perfect to serve with my Roast Tarragon Chicken for Bastille Day as a hot side dish.  I also thought it would be a lot easier to cook in the steam oven, especially while something else is cooking at the same time and would certainly be a lot less washing up as I can cook it in the serving dish!  The best part about cooking this is the steam oven was the fact that you don’t need to stir it, worry about it catching on the bottom of the pot and it took less time.  The lentils were also perfectly cooked, with just a little bite to them.

Remember, there is no transfer of flavours when cooking in the steam oven so even cooking fish with the lentils underneath won’t result in a ‘fishy flavour’ imparting into the lentils.

These lentils have a big flavour so would also be excellent with roast meat.

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 cup French Puy green lentils
1 tablespoon of oil
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 small leek, washed well and finely sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1½ cups water
pinch salt

Fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of baby capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Handful of baby spinach

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a shallow casserole that will fit into the steam oven.
  2. Add the leek, carrot and garlic and sauté, covered on a low heat until soft.
  3. Add the lentils and water and cook @ 100°C for 17 minutes until soft but not broken down.  They should still hold their shape but have a bite to them.  Season with a pinch of salt to taste.

Stir through all the other ingredients and serve immediately.

 

Posted in: Dinner parties, Gluten free, Side dishes, Steam Oven, Vegetarian

Healthy Waldorf salad

April 3, 2014 4:17 pm / 1 Comment /

Waldorf salad

Without a hint of mayonnaise in sight and containing heaps of goodness this healthy Waldorf salad is bound to become a favourite.

If you pre-cook your quinoa in the steam oven and set it aside to cool to absorb the stock then it really is quick to assemble.   I arrived home from yoga, fluffed up the quinoa with a fork then prepped enough of the ingredients for a single serve in about 10 minutes.  Nice to think you can eat something delicious for lunch when your eating alone.  You don’t always have to prepare a massive quantity.

Remember it does have to be eaten straight away.

Ingredients:  Serves 6

1 cup quinoa, washed in a fine sieve
2 cups vegetable stock
2 large Pink Lady or red apples, grated.  Use a grater with long strands if possible.  Leave skin on.
2-3 cups finely sliced celery including inner leaves
Bunch baby radishes, sliced on a mandolin then sliced again into matchsticks
Rind & juice 1 lemon
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup toasted Walnuts, chopped roughly
Black pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Cook quinoa in stock in the solid steamer tray @ 100°C for 20 minutes
  2. Zest the lemon and add to the hot quinoa to absorb the flavour.  Set aside to cool.
  3. Once cool, fluff with a fork and add all the other ingredients ensuring you add the lemon juice over the grated apples immediately so they don’t discolour.
  4. Toss well and serve.  Add pepper to taste.

Delicious 🙂

 

Posted in: Gluten free, Healthy eating, Salads, Steam Oven

Superfoods salad

March 25, 2014 8:43 am / Leave a Comment /

Superfoods saladLast week a few of us had a massive walk from Taronga Zoo on Sydney’s beautiful harbour to Balmoral Beach then back to Cremorne.  It was a hot and humid day and when we arrived at a popular café in Chowder Bay all we wanted was a fresh, light salad. We all ordered their Superfoods salad which was a combination of leaves, nuts and seeds but unfortunately it was so salty that we could hardly eat it.

Extremely disappointing, but it made me think how easy it would be to create a similar version using the steam oven and with more substantial ingredients such as the asparagus and pumpkin.  I was correct, it is more satisfying with these ingredients rather than just a plate of leaves.

As this is a very versatile salad you can put just about anything you have to hand in it.  The pomegranate and mint work well with the crunch of the nuts and seeds.  An avocado would also be a fabulous addition, as would some feta cheese if you would like some dairy.  If you want to ‘extend’ it to be more of a meal then add 1 cup cooked quinoa.  You can find quinoa instructions here.

So healthy 🙂

Ingredients:  Serves 4

2 cups steamed, cubed pumpkin
1/4 cup each flaked almonds, chia seeds & sunflower seeds
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
2 handfuls of baby rocket or spinach leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
Seeds and juice from half a pomegranate
1 tbsp. olive oil
Small pinch sea salt
Ground black pepper
1 cup cooked quinoa (optional)

Method:

  1. Toast seeds and nuts in a 160°C oven for about 8 minutes until the almonds are just golden.
  2. Steam pumpkin @ 100C for 5 minutes, asparagus for 2 minutes
  3. Cut pomegranate in half and over a large bowl squeeze out the seeds and juice.  Pick out the unwanted pith.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients to this bowl, including the seeds but retain a few to garnish the top.
  5. Mix well with your hands.
  6. Pile into a large bowl or individual serving plates.  If you want to extend the salad a bit more then add the cooked quinoa which will make it a more substantial meal.

 

Posted in: Gluten free, Healthy eating, Salads, Vegetarian

Steamed peaches, nectarines or apricots

March 22, 2014 4:53 pm / 3 Comments /

Steamed peaches

As I mentioned in a previous post the flavour of everything is better in the steam oven because all the nutrients are retained in the food and not lost in the boiling or poaching liquid.

This really shines through when steaming fruit.  Such an effortless way to serve fruit as a delicious breakfast or dessert.  I keep the added sugar content to a minimum, preferring to just use a little honey if necessary.  Let the natural flavours be the star 🙂

Timing is for medium size fruit so if your fruit is larger or smaller then always cook less rather than more.  Fruit will also stay in shape cooked in the steam oven as seen here with the rhubarb.  Also a great way to use up fruit that has passed its prime.  Remember to also steam your fruit for using in puddings and crumbles.  See my basic Stewed apples here too.

So healthy, quick and with no added sugar.  In stone fruit season there is no excuse not to have some in the fridge everyday!

Ingredients & Method

Just ripe peaches, apricots or nectarines, halved and stones removed

Place in the solid steamer tray.  No need to add any sugar.

Steam @ 100°C for 3-5 minutes.  Ripe apricots for 2 minutes.

Cool before transferring to your serving plate.   Simple and delicious.

 

 

 

Posted in: Breakfast/Brunch, Desserts, Gluten free, Healthy eating, Steam Oven

Forbidden Mexican red rice

February 25, 2014 2:42 pm / Leave a Comment /

Mexican red rice

We had our first Mexican Fiesta evening with a few friends after our trip to the USA last year.  We were inspired by the fantastic Mexican cuisine that we ate in all parts of the States with memorable meals in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.  The food was amazing, which has now inspired me to get into the whole Mexican thing.

Loving the new Mexican series on SBS1 with Peter Kuruvita on Thursday nights @ 7.30pm.  He is correct, authentic Mexican isn’t all soggy cheese and sour cream but is in fact a wonderful combination of earthy flavours and fresh ingredients.

I found this great Mexican cookbook on our travels and made this rice dish with just long grain rice on our return.  A great dish to cook again, this time with the Red rice from Forbidden foods cooked in the steam oven.  Their red rice is a combination of red and white long grain rice which is fantastic with this simple rice dish as it works well with the nuttiness of the rice, spices and colours.  Red rice is just SO Mexican!

Delicious served with my Pulled pork and Mexican Watermelon salad here and no, you don’t need the sour cream (that was just for the pic 🙂 )

Ingredients:  Serves 6-8

1½ cups Forbidden red rice, washed quickly
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1¾ cups chicken stock

Method:

  1. Heat oil and sauté onion and cumin seeds until soft and fragrant
  2. Add tomato paste and red rice.  Stir well
  3. Now add stock and place into the solid steamer tray.
  4. Cook @ 100°C for 30 minutes

Stir and garnish with chopped red chilli and coriander.

Posted in: Gluten free, Mexican, Rice, Side dishes, Steam Oven, Vegetarian