Japanese Salmon and Rice Bowl

Light and delicious!!

Serves 4

Sushi Rice

2 cups sushi rice
550ml water
60ml rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Sushi rice is a very specific process to get it nice and sticky. In Japan, it’s pretty much considered an art form. I’ve put down my general process here, but if you don’t care - then just serve with regular rice.

Wash rice under cold water in a mesh sieve until water runs completely clear. Let dry for 30 minutes. Put rice in rice cooker with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Cook, then let steam (on “warm”) for a further 15 minutes.

Combine rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir until sugar has completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Tip rice out into a bamboo or wooden bowl and pour half the vinegar mixture over the rice. It is important not to use a metal bowl or utensil, as it may react with the vinegar. While fanning the rice, fold through the vinegar. Repeat with the other half of the vinegar. The rice is now ready to serve.


Dressing
4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp Tamari*
1 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl or jar to combine.


Bits and Pieces
4 pieces salmon, skin on
4 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced
1 lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
2 sheets nori paper, cut into small strips**
Black sesame seeds and pickled ginger, to serve***

Remove salmon from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Pat salmon pieces dry with a piece of paper towel, then sprinkle a little salt on the skin.

Heat a frypan to a high heat with a little oil. Place salmon, skin side down, on the heat. Cook for 1 minute, then turn down to a medium heat. Cook the salmon until it is almost cooked right through, then flip over and cook for just 1 minute on the other side.

Stack rice, salmon, spring onions and cucumber in a bowl. Spoon dressing over meal, then top with nori strips, pickled ginger and sesame seeds.


* Tamari is a gluten-free soy alternative.
** Easiest cut with scissors
*** Available from asian grocers or the “international” section of the supermarket. Alternatively, switch out black sesame seeds for regular ones.

Chicken, Broccoli and Goats Cheese Salad

Light and delicious. Leaves you wishing you made a double batch.

Serves 2

2 large chicken thighs, trimmed

2 Tbsp cumin

½ head broccoli, cut into florets

2 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced

½ Lebanese cucumber, diced

Handful snowpea sprouts or a alfalfa, washed

Handful baby spinach, washed

40g goats cheese or fetta

25g pine nuts

4 Tbsp sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsp garlic infused olive oil

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Sprinkle chicken thighs with cumin and salt. Heat frypan with a little olive oil to a medium heat. Fry until just cooked through, then remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Dice into 1cm cubes.

Place broccoli in a small bowl with a little water and cook on high for 1½ minutes. Remove from microwave. Place pine nuts and sunflower seeds on a plate and cook on high in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes.

Whisk olive oil, garlic oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a glass or small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, spring onions, cucumber, sprouts, spinach, fetta, half the nuts and dressing in a bowl. Toss to combine.

Serve in bowls and sprinkle with the remaining nuts and parsley.

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

Perfect for a cloudy day

Serves 4

200g Gluten-free pasta, macaroni/penne/bow ties as desired

2 chicken thighs, trimmed

50g salami, cut into strips

1/2 small head of broccoli, cut into florets

2 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced

1/2 lemon, zested

3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

3 Tbsp finely chopped basil

1/3 cup hard cheese, such as cheddar, grated

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 egg, beaten with a splash of lactose free milk

30g pine nuts

Garlic oil

Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish. Cook pasta in a large saucepan until tender. Drain and rinse.

Heat a little garlic oil in a frypan over a high heat. Fry the salami until juices release, then remove salami from the pan, leaving the juices. In the same pan, fry the chicken on both sides until just cooked. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes, then shred. 

Steam broccoli florets either in microwave or in a steamer for a few minutes until just cooked.

Combine pasta, chicken, salami, broccoli, spring onions, lemon, parsley, basil, egg and half the cheese in a bowl. Season to taste. Pour pasta mix into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the remaining cheddar, parmesan and pine nuts on top. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden.

Serve on plates with an extra sprinkle of parsley for decoration.

Lemon and Pine Nut Crusted Fish with Zucchini and Tomatoes

Simple, quick, light and summery.

Lemon and Pine Nut Crusted Fish

2 pieces of mild white fish, approx. 150g each in weight

50g pine nuts

A handful of parsley

1 lemon, zested, ½ the juice

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 180C.

Blend pine nuts, parsley, lemon and a splash of olive oil in a food processor. Press crumbed mix on top of each piece of fish.

Put fish on a tray lined with baking paper in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked and the crust is golden.

Zucchini and Tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, sliced*

2 small zucchini, sliced lengthways

10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced

Shaved parmesan, to serve

Heat olive oil in a medium pan with garlic. Fry until garlic has released flavor and begins to brown. Remove the garlic from the pan and discard. Add zucchini to pan and cook until it begins to soften. Add tomatoes and spring onions and toss until cooked. Serve on plates sprinkled with parmesan.

* Garlic can be infused in oil to release flavours, provided the actual cloves are removed afterwards. Alternatively, use a pre-infused garlic oil.

Celeriac Fritters

Looks fancy, but sneakily easy and tastes delicious.

Makes about 14

1 large celeriac root, rind removed, grated

2 white potatoes, peeled and grated

1/3 cup parmesan, shaved

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsp cornflour

3 eggs, beaten

A few tablespoons of milk, if required

Combine celeriac, potato, parmesan, parsley, cornflour and eggs in a bowl. If the mixture is a little dry, stir through a couple of tablespoons of milk. Season well.

Heat oil in a non-stick frypan to a medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup spoonfulls of batter to frying pan. Cook fritters for 3 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through. 

Serve as a side to steak or on their own with salad.

Omelette with Hash Brown

Serves 1 very hungry person or 2 normal people

2 small potatoes, grated.

3 eggs (½  for the hash, 2 ½ for the omelette)

1 Tbsp cornflour

2 Tbsp lactose-free milk

50g salami, diced or sliced*

1 spring onion, green parts only, finely sliced

¼ red capsicum, diced

¼ red chilli, finely diced

¼ cup cheese, grated

Sliced tomato and parsley, to serve

Fry salami, spring onion, capsicum and chilli in a hot pan until cooked. Set aside.

Combine potatoes, cornflour and ½ an egg (beaten) in a bowl with some seasoning. Heat a good amount of oil in a pan to a medium heat. Put the potato mixture in the hot oil and spread out evenly using a fork, pressing down to compact the mixture a little. Once golden, carefully flip and cook the other side.

Combine milk, 2 eggs and the remaining ½ egg from the hash in a bowl and beat lightly.  Heat a pan to a medium heat with a little oil. Pour the egg mixture into pan and cook until edges are solid.

Sprinkle cheese and salami mixture on half the egg. Let the egg almost completely cook, then carefully fold the plain side over and press down lightly.

Serve hash brown stacked with omelette and a side of tomato. Cut entire serving in half to share.

* Omit salami for vegetarian