Crab and Corn Fritters with Saffron Aioli

Fritters are a great way to use up the last of left over ingredients. Jazz up this recipe with a delicate saffron aioli.

Serves 4 (makes about 12 fritters)

3 cobs of corn, kernels removed

2 x 170g cans crabmeat, drained

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

¾ cup self-raising flour

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

½ tsp saffron threads

1 cup good-quality purchased aioli

vegetable oil for deep frying

lemon wedges, to serve

1 Combine corn kernels, crabmeat, chives and flour in a bowl. Whisk eggs and milk in a jug. Add egg mixture to corn mixture and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

2 Place saffron threads into a bowl with 2 tsp of boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until saffron softens. Add aioli and stir until well combined.

3 Half fill a medium-sized deep saucepan with oil and place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, carefully drop tablespoonfuls of mixture, 4-5 at a time, into oil. Cook for 3 minutes or until fritters are golden. 

4 Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel. Cook remaining batter. 

5 Serve fritters with saffron aioli and lemon wedges.

Thai-flavoured Fritters with Chicken

Serves 4-6 (makes about 24 small fritters)

500g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes

olive oil cooking spray

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 chicken breast fillet

½ cup self-raising flour

¼ cup rice flour

5 green onions, 
thinly sliced

1 bunch coriander, 
leaves removed

165ml can coconut milk

¼ cup water

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp lime juice

2 long red chillies, deseeded, thinly sliced

2 green onions, shredded, extra

1 Preheat oven to 200˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper, place pumpkin onto tray and spray with olive oil. Bake on top shelf of oven for 20 minutes. Mash with a fork. Heat 1 tsp oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer pan to oven and cook for 7 minutes or until cooked through. Shred chicken.

2 Combine flours in a bowl. Stir through onions. Roughly chop half the coriander and add to flour mixture. Combine coconut milk, water, fish sauce and lime juice. Add coconut mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Stir through pumpkin.

3 Heat 1 tsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Drop tablespoonfuls of mixture into pan and cook for 1 minute or until bubbles form on the top and base is golden. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Cook remaining batter, adding oil as needed.

4 Place fritters onto a platter. Top with chicken, chilli, shredded onion and remaining coriander. Serve.

Chia Almond Energy Bars

Makes 8 bars

1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup Ceres Organics Chia Seeds

1/4 tsp Gatty Vanilla Extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/4 cup Planet Organic Cocoa Powder

¾ 
cup Ceres Organics Whole Almonds, roughly chopped

1 tbsp Ceres Organics LSA


1 Puree dates and chia seeds in a food processor until a thick paste forms. If dates are slightly dry, add a few drops of water in order to pull the mixture together. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, then the cocoa powder. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Add the chopped almonds and pulse until nuts are finely chopped and well distributed.

2 Spread a sheet of wax paper on a flat surface and dust with LSA. Place chia-almond mixture on top of LSA and cover with another sheet of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out mixture to about a 1cm-thick rectangle. Dust top with LSA. 

3 Wrap firmly and chill for an hour. Unwrap block, and cut into bars. Dust edges and sides with more LSA, to prevent sticking.  Re-wrap each bar in waxed paper.

Hokey Pokey Biscuits

Support the All Blacks during the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final with this favorite recipe from New Zealand. These biscuits are quick and easy to make, just ensure you make enough to go around!

Makes about 16

125g butter, softened

½ cup caster sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1⅓ cups plain flour

hokey pokey ice-cream, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.

2 Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Place golden syrup and milk into a heatproof microwave-safe jug. Microwave for 20-30 seconds on high or until hot. Stir in bicarb – take care as mixture will bubble up.

3 Add warm milk mixture to butter mixture. Stir until well combined. Sift flour over batter. Mix well. Roll 2 teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls. Place onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Gently press biscuits down with a floured fork.

4 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Stand on trays for 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5 Store in an airtight container at room temperature. To serve, sandwich biscuits together with 
hokey pokey ice-cream. 

Homemade Coronation Chicken

Don't let anything go to waste. We show you how to create a beautiful, delicate dressing to serve with any leftover chicken you may have. Use in salads, wraps or simply serve on its own in a crisp leaf of lettuce.

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, halved lengthways, thinly sliced

2 tbsp mild curry paste (Korma)

1 tbsp mango chutney

1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt

½ cup chicken stock or water

leftover chicken breasts, roughly chopped

white pepper

8 butter lettuce leaves

½ cup thinly sliced celery

¼ cup toasted flaked almonds

1 Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Stir in curry paste and mango chutney. Cook for 1 minute.

2 Add yoghurt and stock and stir until well combined. Cook over a medium-low heat until heated through. Stir in chicken. Season with salt and white pepper.

3 Place 1-2 lettuce leaves onto serving plates. Spoon chicken mixture into lettuce cups. Top with celery and toasted almonds. Serve.

Satay Chicken

Makes 25 skewers

1kg fresh chicken (breast or Maryland fillet), sliced into 3cm cubes

1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and roughly chopped

200g shallots, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled    

2 tsp turmeric    

1 tsp each of fennel, cumin and coriander powder and salt  

2 tbsp sugar   

1 tbsp honey

1. Blend lemongrass, garlic, turmeric and shallots together in a food processor to make a paste.

2. Combine the chicken with the blended ingredients and all remaining ingredients, covering completely, then leave in refrigerator to marinade for at least 4 hours.

3. Pre-soak your skewers in water and then skewer your chicken (about 4 pieces per skewer). Your satay is ready for the grill.

Satay Sauce

100g peanuts with skin intact (pre-fried in olive oil on low heat for 1 minute)

3 shallots, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small brown onion, roughly chopped

1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

20g chilli paste (available from Asian grocers)    

Generous pinch salt and generous pinch sugar     

  

1. Blend the peanuts to rough chunks, then blend the shallots, garlic and brown onion with the bruised lemongrass.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of any neutral oil (olive, vegetable or peanut) and cook the blended ingredients in the oil on a low flame for approximately 8 minutes or until the ingredients turn to golden dark brown.

3. Add the chilli paste and cook for another 5 minutes, then the blended peanuts, salt and sugar and cook for another 2 minutes.

4. Adjust seasoning to taste, the sauce should be sweet and thick.

5. When time to serve, loosen the sauce with a little water if needed, and heat before pouring generously over the skewers.

Beef Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce

Empanadas are a common snack found in Latin Amerca and Southern Europe. This traditional recipe uses beef, eggs and olives, with plenty of garlic and spices, and a tasty parsley chimichurri sauce.

Makes 16

2 tbsp olive oil

750g chuck steak, cut into 2cm pieces

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp plain flour

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1½ cups beef stock

1 small red onion, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, extra, roughly chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves removed

1 bunch coriander, leaves removed

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

4 sheets frozen ready-rolled short crust pastry, partially thawed

4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges

16 stuffed green olives

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based heatproof casserole dish or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 of the meat and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Cook remaining portions of beef, adding more oil as required, until browned. Transfer to plate.

2 Add onion and garlic to pan and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle flour, cumin and paprika over onion and combine. Slowly add beef stock, stirring constantly until combined and mixture comes to the boil. Return beef to casserole dish. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 1½ hours or until meat is tender. Season well with salt and pepper. Cool.

3 Place red onion, garlic, oil, parsley and coriander into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Add lime juice, vinegar, chilli flakes and salt. Stir until combined.

4 Cut each sheet of pastry into 4 x 8cm rounds. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoonful of meat mixture onto one half of each pastry round, leaving a 1.5cm border. Top with a wedge of egg and an olive. Brush border with cold water. Fold pastry over filling. Press edges together to seal.