Chicken, Pumpkin and Cashew Stirfry

This stir-fry is my favourite home-cooked meal. It's tasty, filling and easy to make. It can easily be made with pork, or it can be made into a vegetarian stir-fry by just taking out the meat and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock! Fantastic!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of unsalted, raw cashews
750g of chicken breast (or pork neck if you're using pork)
500g of butternut pumpkin, cut into small cubes
1 tblsp of grated, fresh ginger
1/3 cup of chicken stock
1/4 cup of dry sherry
1 1/2 tblsp of soy sauce
1/2 tsp of cornflour
500g of baby bok choy, chopped roughly
1-2 tbsp of fresh coriander leaves

METHOD:
Prepare all the ingredients first before heating a large wok. Once it is hot add some oil to coat the wok.

Stir-fry the cashews until lightly brown, being careful not to burn them. Remove from the wok and place aside.

Place rice into a rice-cooker (or saucepan) and cook.

Add some more oil to the wok and cook the chicken in batches until all lightly browned, then place aside.

Make sure the wok is still coated in oil before adding the pumpkin and ginger and cooking until lightly browned. 

Add the chicken stock, soy sauce and sherry and simmer for about 3 minutes. Blend the cornflour with a teaspoon of water and add to the wok.

 Once the mixture has boiled and thickened return the chicken and cashews to the wok. Mix in the bok choy and corriander. Continue stirring until the bok choy has wilted.

Remove cooked rice from rice-cooker/saucepan and place in bowl. Ladle stir-fry over the top and serve! Yum!

Try this recipe for the family dinner this week and enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Naé Danielle..

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup is my favourite soup of all. It's warm and fills you up.. It tastes like home!
I got this particular recipe from my Uncle Frank, who is an amazing cook!
We even have cooking competitions to see who can make the best dessert for family functions.. I never win though!


INGREDIENTS:

50g of Butter

2L of Vegetable/Chicken stock

2 Leeks

6 mid-sized potatoes

1.5kg of Sweet pumpkin (I use butternut, it's my favourite)

160ml of Double cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD: 

 Peel and wash the potatoes and cut into quarters.

 Peel, remove seeds and cute into cubes the same size as the potato cubes.

Remove tails, cut down the middle, wash and slice.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over mid heat. Add the leeks and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until leeks are soft. Be careful to not brown them. Add the potatoes and pumpkin pieces and mix. Add the stock, which should cover the potato and pumpkin. Place on a lid and bring the a boil. Once it has started boiling, reduce the heat, take off the lid and simmer for approx 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Take off the heat and let it cool down until it's just warm. 

 Using either a blender or a hand blender, blend until mixture is smooth. Heat soup on a mid heat, add cream and stir until evenly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with toast. For a bit of spice you can also add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Get warm this cold winter and enjoy some amazing soup with family or friends! Have a go making this delicious recipe and tell me how you go!

Happy Cooking!

Naé Danielle..

Pumpkin and Feta Arancini Balls

I've always loved Arancini balls, but this is the first time I've ever made them. It was more work than I expected, but it was definitely worth it!

INGREDIENTS:

250g butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed into 1cm pieces
3 cups of chicken stock
1 small brown onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
100g feta, crumbled
2 tbs finely shredded sage
1/2 cup plain flour
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup dried (packaged) breadcrumbs

METHOD:

Place the pumpkin on a baking paper covered oven tray and drizzle with some oil. Place into oven on 180°C until tender (Approx. 20mins).

Once it's done bring it out and allow to cool.
Place the stock into a saucepan, bring to boil and then allow it to simmer. Put some oil into a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender. Add the rice and stir until the rice appears glassy. Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed.
I don't know anything about wine, but I used one I've heard tastes fantastic and a colleague of mine makes! I've given this away as presents before and have always heard amazing things!

Pimpernel Vineyards.

Once the wine has been absorbed add a ladle of stock, stir in until absorbed and repeat until all stock is used. 

The rice should now be nice and creamy. Set aside risotto mixture to cool.

Once the rice is completely cooled add the pumpkin, feta and sage and mix.

Set up a work station with the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.

It took all my will power not to just eat the risotto..

 Take some of the risotto and roll into a ball in your hands. 

 Coat in flour.

 Cover in egg.

Roll in breadcrumbs until completely covered.

Repeat with all the mixture, place onto a tray covered in baking paper and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat some oil in a pan and place the risotto balls in, turning to evenly cook each side. If you have a deep fryer you can use go ahead, I don't know how to use the one at home and mum wasn't there to ask!
Once cooked, eat!

Yum!

The pumpkin and feta arancini balls can be eaten with salad or on their own. Either way, it's a very tasty snack/meal!

Have a go at cooking some yourself. You could even put in some different ingredients!

Happy Cooking!

Naé Danielle..