Blondie's Recipes | Finding Feasts

Roti Canai using Pizza Dough, a step by step

This is insanely good Roti Canai using my ‘Best Ever Pizza Dough’ recipe – That’s right, pizza dough for roti!

I knew this dough was good but I am truly surprised at how adaptable it really is. I generally have a portion of this dough in the fridge at any given moment – Seb loves a pizza, but it was only when I went to use it after it had been there for a few days that I realised just how supple it had become…

While the Finding Feasts gal’s were taking a short break with the families in Kangaroo Valley, I chose to try my hand at roti. The dough was amazingly supple and had an incredible stretch but the end result wasn’t too great. But I will never forget the feel and texture of that dough.

When I came across this similar texture in the pizza dough my first thought was the roti dough, which is why we are now here!

What makes this just so amazing is that you have a dough that has so many uses. You don’t feel like you are making an effort for a dish that you will only make once or twice, you will be able to make it whenever you want knowing that some of it can go to making pizza bases or flat bread.

I made two styles of this, one is the circular one and the other is a rectangular one. The rectangular shaped one can also have a filling of your choice,

Roti is alot of fun to make and if you are so inclined you could use the proper technique of flipping – that will be my next challenge!

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Spinach Pie Crust – Vegetable Pie Crust

Spinach Pie Crust – Vegetable Pie Crust is a fantastic recipe for when you want to mix it up a little.

This is an adaptation from one of my most favourite cookbooks, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen. I haven’t strayed too far away from the original but I HIGHLY recommend getting a copy of this book if you want more stunningly beautiful and simple recipes.

I will be making the mushroom and yoghurt pie from this book using this pie base, as suggested, but through pot luck I had about 1/2 cup of mixture left over so decided to make some Savoury Spinach and Parmesan Biscuits… Stunning! and a great addition to cheese board or Charcuterie platter.

Enjoy the greenery… Blondie

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Coq Au Vin aka Chicken in Wine Casserole

Coq Au Vin aka Chicken in Wine Casserole… This is a classic french dish that is so full of flavour and character, and although it may appear to have lots of steps they kind of all fall onto each other so the actual process is really quite fast and uncomplicated.

It requires a 12 hour marinating time to fully marry the flavours with the chicken but if you were really pressed for time I’m sure you could get away with just a couple.

If it’s been a while since you have enjoyed this beautiful casserole then maybe it’s time to bring it back… or try the lighter version of Coq au Chardonnay.

Blondie

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Low & Slow Beef Ribs

Low & Slow Beef Ribs – Picture this… Thick pieces of beef cooked slowly and oh so low till it can no longer hold firm to it’s supporting centre, finally, succumbing to the heat and relinquishing it’s grip, falling languishingly off the bone…

Anyway, back to business. This weekend in Sydney is going to be cold and a bit rainy, finally! And of course I don’t have any warm jackets. I left my favourite one in New Zealand late last year, which I will be picking up later this year, and then left my new replacement one in Canberra a couple of weekends ago. Not impressed!

After hankering for something slow and luxurious for this weekends cold snap I decided to go with one of my most favourite cuts, and that is ribs. The beef ones especially as they have a good amount of meat surrounding the bone and just fall apart when eaten.

This weekend will be spent cooking and it only just occurred to me that although there really isn’t that much difference between an oven and a slow cooker, the number one biggest benefit for me is that the slow cooker frees up the oven. With my beef ribs slowly cooking in the cooker on my bench top, I will be able to have several different dishes going in and out of the oven throughout the day. Not at all possible if my ribs were occupying it for 7 hours or so.

This dish is best served the next day as quite a lot of fat comes out of the meat. The best way to get rid of it is to let the fat harden in the fridge and then just skim it off with a knife in one big chunk – that being said, it’s impossible not to eat it on the day it’s cooked after having the smell wafting through the house all day!

Happiness is a cold weekend… Blondie 🙂

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Cauliflower in a Coconut Curry

Cauliflower in a Coconut Curry…Years ago I was given an Indian cookbook by my sister, 1000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra. It’s by no means a beautiful coffee table cookbook – there isn’t one photo in it, but a tome to 1000 Indian recipes. I have so many bookmarks in it and I’m slowly getting through them, but this one gets cooked the most. Cauliflower in a Coconut Curry is traditionally done with the whole head of cauliflower kept in tact. It certainly is a show stopper when done this way, but for an easy family meal, cutting it into smaller florets makes it a lot easier to manage.

It’s not strict to the recipe, only because I was missing a couple of ingredients (I replaced the 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1 cup of water with 400g of coconut milk and omitted the coriander and nutmeg) Both are equally amazing but have to admit that this version is OUTSTANDING! It will all depend on whether you feel like a tangy, yogurt base or a creamy coconut base.

Make a Indian flat bread such as a Paratha to help sop up all the delicious curry sauce.

Good eating…. Blondie 🙂

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Blondie’s Cauliflower Recipes

Fried Cauliflower Rice — Fried Cauliflower ‘Rice’

Blondie’s Cauliflower Recipes… At $1.75 for a head of cauliflower, you really can’t go past seasonal produce for price and quality. This can easily feed a good size family!
So with my cauliflower sitting on my bench I wanted to try some new recipes. I love my gratins and curries but needed something new.

I came across Cauliflower Rice, what a fantastic idea!

Rich in nutrients, low in calories and high in dietary fibre this a vegetable that is probably forgotten as it’s not a vibrant, lively colour or maybe it appears awkward to cook with, but with a beautiful texture and flavour this should really be included into your weekly meal plan.

Stir Fried Cauliflower ‘Rice’ – This would have to now be my most favourite and changeable dishes. No mater which country’s cuisine you are cooking, you will be able to alter this to the flavours of that country. I’m having Mexican tonight so have gone with chillies, tomatoes and paprika but if you wanted Italian flavours then throw in some basil, thyme and maybe some salami or sausage. Add egg or tofu for a protein hit…So easy and adaptable!

Kids Cauliflower Rice – an amazing way to get more nutrients into your kids meals. When cooked with rice, the blitzed cauliflower resembles rice grains. If you have an overly picky eater and they love Jasmine rice then the flavours combine completely and they won’t even know that they are eating far more than they ever suspected!

Enjoy – Blondie 🙂

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Sticky Chicken Wings w/ Spinach and Almond Rice

Sticky Chicken Wings w/ Spinach and Almond Rice is a delicious soft meat with a sweet, sticky, sauce that caramelises in a hot oven and, dare I say it, is lip smacking, finger licking good!

This marinade originally started as one I used to cook a whole chook in a wok with but with the volume of marinade left over, once cooked I used it for these extra sticky chicken wings – One of my biggest kitchen rules is, never throw out leftover sauces or juices from roasts. Freeze them and then you have on hand an amazing starter base for your next marinade, gravy or jus. As this marinade had been cooked once before it has a richness and depth that is equal to a slow cooked meal.

Freezing rules:

Raw (uncooked) and then defrosted foods or liquids, whatever it may be, CANNOT be frozen again WITHOUT being cooked prior.

Previously cooked food or marinades that have been frozen after cooking and then defrosted CANNOT be frozen again.

The Spinach and Almond Rice is the perfect accompaniment to the wings and the delicious sauce… you have to have something to mop up the juices.

Enjoy! Blondie

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