Camembert Quichettes & Spiced Grilled Chicken with Tzatziki

These Quichettes are a variation of the Gorgonzola Quichettes I have made before, found at http://thepassionatecook.typepad.com/thepassionatecook/2007/01/gorgonzola_quic.html

I wanted to try them using camembert as some people do not enjoy the stronger gorgonzola cheese. I have to say I preferred the gorgonzola but these were still nice.

This lovely fresh chicken recipe was in the Masterchef Magazine, Issue 6. The chicken is first pounded until about 5mm thick which makes it quicker to cook and also increases the surface area to apply the spice rub to. The spice rub is made by dry frying coriander, cumin and fennel seeds until fragrant, then grinding them with a mortar and pestle, before adding cayenne pepper (I used a little chilli powder as I didn't have cayenne pepper), turmeric and salt. The chicken is brushed with olive oil before rubbing it all over with the spice rub. This rub would be lovely on all types of meat and even fish and the turmeric gives it a great yellow colour.
The chicken is cooked in a chargrill pan along with some thinly sliced zucchini. The chicken and zucchini is served with tzatziki and salad leaves and sprinkled with lemon zest, lemon juice and coriander leaves. The tzatziki is simply made by combining chopped, peeled and seeded Lebanese cucumber, Greek style yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest and sprinkled with cumin.
This would be a really lovely BBQ lunch to share with friends on a warm summer's day.
Rating 8 out of 10.

Sage & Bocconcini Fritters with Orange Salad

This recipe was in the Masterchef magazine, Issue 6. These fritters were a little bit fiddly to make but worth every second, as they were delicious. They would be a lovely starter.

To make the fritters you cut a slit in the side of a cherry (baby) bocconcini. Bocconcini means "little mouthfuls" and these cherry bocconcini are certainly that! Bocconcini are small, semi-soft, white, rindless unripened mild cheese easily found in most supermarkets. Into the slit you stuff a small piece of anchovy. You then place the stalk of a sage leaf into the slit and wrap the leaf around the cheese. Next you crumb the cheese with flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs which are coarse, crisp Japanese breadcrumbs found in the Asian supermarkets. 

The fritters are deep fried in rice bran oil until golden brown. Rice bran oil is a great oil for deep frying and roasting potatoes as it has a mild flavour and high smoke point. The fritters were served with a salad of segmented oranges, rocket, finely shaved fennel and finely chopped eschallots dressed with orange juice and olive oil. To add texture and flavour you can also add some deep fried sage leaves. YUM!
Rating 8-9 out of 10.

Angel-Hair Pasta with Prawns, Tomatoes and Rocket

I found this recipe in the Masterchef magazine, Issue 6. To make this simple pasta dish you first cook some red onion and garlic, then add green prawns, celery (which I left out), cherry tomatoes, rocket (or basil), red chilli, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes. Next you cook the angel-hair pasta (you can use spaghettini or spaghetti) in boiling salted water. Add the pasta and some of the pasta cooking water to the prawn mixture and cook until warm. Serve topped with extra rocket (or basil), cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil if you choose. I served this dish with a simple tossed salad and found it a very enjoyable weeknight meal.

Rating 8 out of 10.

Paprika Chicken and Chocolate Fondant with Raspberry Coulis

This Paprika Chicken recipe was in the Philadelphia promotion cookbook, Simply Heaven. There is a similar but different version at http://www.philadelphiacreamcheese.com.au/recipes/Dinner/Creamy-Smoked-Paprika-Chicken.aspx

To make the recipe from the cookbook you first brown the chicken breasts. Next you cook some onion and garlic, add some smoked paprika and crushed tomatoes then return the chicken to the pan to cook through (cover the pan). Finally add some Philadelphia cheese (the recipe used Light Cream for Cooking but as I had none I used spreadable Philadelphia and a little light pure cream), salt and pepper and chopped parsley. I served the chicken with steamed rice and vegetables. This was a really delicious, easy weeknight dish.

Rating 8 out of 10.

This Chocolate Fondant with Raspberry Coulis recipe can be found at http://www.masterchef.com.au/chocolate-fondant-with-raspberry-coulis-and-fresh-berries.htm As this recipe uses melted dark chocolate it is rich and amazingly delicious!! I think mine could have been cooked slightly longer as they were hard to remove from the ramekins and didn't hold their shape very well but they were gooey and yummy! If the junior masterchefs can make this so can you...treat yourself!

Rating 8 out of 10.