KBKabaret

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound gnocchi
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• * 20 Marinated Duck Meatballs
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 4 ounces of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 to 2 ounces fresh basil, julienned (1/2 to 1 cup loosely packed)

*Wild Duck Meatballs

For all you non-hunters, you can easily substitute domestic duck or goose, or just make these meatballs the traditional way—with a combination of beef and pork marinated with wine or beer. If you do this, omit the pork fat, as it will already be mixed into the pre-ground meats.

Makes between 18 and 22 large meatballs

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds duck meat, skinned (marinated overnight in Red Dry wine)
• 1 pound pork fat
• 2⁄3 cup milk
• 2 to 3 slices of good but stale bread, crusts removed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Marinate skinless/boneless duck meat in dry red wine (cabernet or shiraz) for at least 24 hours.
2. After marinating remove from marination and chill the duck meat and pork fat until it is almost freezing by sticking it in the freezer for an hour.
3. Cut both the meat and fat into half-inch chunks.
4. Grind through your fine die in a meat grinder. If you do not have a meat grinder, you can use a food processor, set on pulse. Don’t crowd the processor and chop the meat in pulses until you get something that looks like ground meat—it will not be as good as with a grinder, but it is easier than hand-mincing everything, which is also an option.
5. Put the meat in the fridge.
6. Pour the milk into a pot and set it on low heat.
7. Cut the crusts off the stale bread and break it into pieces. Add it to the pot. It will begin to absorb the milk. When it does, turn off the heat and mash everything into a paste. Let it cool to room temperature.
8. In the meat bowl, add the salt and spices and herbs, as well as the cheese. Crack the eggs into the bowl, then pour the bread-milk mixture in.
9. With clean hands, gently mix everything together. Do not knead it like bread, and do not squeeze things together. Just gently work the mixture—think cake, not bread.
10. When it is mostly combined—you need not get everything perfect—grab a palm-full and roll it into a ball with your palms, not your fingers. You want meatballs about one to one and a half inches across.
11. Gently roll the meatballs in the bread crumbs. You may need to re-shape them before putting them onto a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper.
12. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling; cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
13. Heat a 10-inch or larger cast iron skillet over medium heat with a 1/4 inch of olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Turn the meatballs over and brown for for 2 to 3 minutes, when light brown push into a pile at the edge of the skillet and turn the heat up to high.
14. When the skillet is quite hot, add the tomatoes, skin down, crowding them in if necessary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are blistered, then stir in with the meatballs. Cook for 2 more minutes, until both tomatoes and meatballs are slightly more browned. Stir in gnocchi and cook just until all is combined, but the tomatoes have not broken down into sauce.
15. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir Parmesan and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Any cooked meatball or sausage is good in this dish, although I do prefer one with a little extra flavor added, like red peppers or garlic.
• I specify a cast iron skillet because I think it gives the best color and sear to the tomatoes and sausage. However, any deep skillet or sauté pan should work as well, provided it doesn’t have a nonstick coating, which will interfere with browning.

Remaining Meatballs can be refrigerated for a week, or frozen for several months.

Three filling options

*Mascarpone Curry Cream
**Chili and Cheese
***Blue Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients
3.  Divide mixture into 20 meatballs, then form each meatball around frozen fillings (see filling recipes below), making sure to cover fillings completely. Place on prepared baking sheet.
4.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Don’t worry if the filling starts to ooze out. That just means your meatballs are going to be extra ooey-gooey delicious!
• You can serve these meatballs with a dipping sauce if using as an appetizer or with spaghetti and or other sauces for a complete meal.

Three Fillings for Beulah’s Bonnie Bites

You will need an ice tray for all of the following fillings

Ingredients:

1. * Mascarpone Curry Cream
   1/2 cup Mascarpone
   1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
   1 tbl. Red Curry powder
   1 tsp salt
   1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2. ** Chili and Cheese
   2 cup Chili (store bought or homemade)
   1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
   1or two drops of hot sauce
   salt/pepper to taste
3. *** Blue Cheese and Bacon
   1 cup cream cheese
   1/2 cup crumble Blue Cheese or Roquefort Cheese
   1/2 cup crumbled prepared crisp bacon
   Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Mix each batch separately
Place in ice cube tray
Freeze

Then take out only when ready to bake in preheated oven.

Vibrant Southeast Asian seasonings are a natural with shrimp. Freeze any leftover coconut milk or refrigerate it for several days; you can use it instead of broth or water to cook rice or enrich a curry.

4 servings

Ingredients:

•   ⅓ cup “lite” coconut milk
•  2 serrano chiles, or jalapeno peppers, preferably red, seeded and minced
•  1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
•  1 clove garlic, minced
•  2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
•   ¼ cup lime juice
•  1 tablespoon brown sugar
•   1 pound medium shrimp, (30-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
•   1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
•  ½ cup diced seeded tomato
•   4 cups baby spinach
•  4 large soft tacos

Directions:

1. Combine coconut milk, chiles, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain well, reserving marinade.
2.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until barely pink, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add tomato and spinach to the pan; cook, stirring, until the spinach starts to wilt, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved marinade; simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan; heat through. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Freeze any leftover coconut milk or refrigerate it for several days; you can use it instead of broth or water to cook rice or enrich a curry or rice pudding (visit www.eatingwell.com for recipe suggestions).
• Cooking with frozen shrimp: Individually quick-frozen shrimp, sold in resealable bags, are convenient to keep in your freezer. Thaw in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. If you’re in a hurry, place shrimp in a colander under cold running water for about 5 minutes.
• People with celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity should use soy sauces that are labeled “gluten-free,” as soy sauce may contain wheat or other gluten-containing sweeteners and flavors.

Coconut Chili Sauce

Time to make: 5 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
•  1/2 cup light coconut cream
•  2 tablespoons brown sugar
•  1 tablespoon fish sauce
•   juice of 1 lemon
•  1 kaffir lime leaf, finely chopped (optional)
•  3 tablespoons chopped coriander

Instructions

Mix together all ingredients, then pour over tacos

Chicken Lap Lap is a recipe from the South Pacific Vila, Vanuatu
(suggested Pairing: Chardonnay Domaine de Bernier from the Loire region)
Serves 4

Lap Lap is easily made at home. This adapted recipe uses a grated taro lap lap base, topping it with spiced roasted chicken and gingery coconut gravy. Oven-baking the lap lap base means that it doesn’t get the same smoky flavor that an earth oven gives, but the banana leaves still do their magic.

Cook the lap lap in a casserole dish so that you can bring it to the table straight from the oven and eat it in true island style! To make it for four, use a larger chicken and up the quantities of everything else by another half.

Ingredients:

BASE

• 2 large squares banana leaf
• 5 cups grated taro
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups cooked island cabbage, squeezed dry (substitute: spinach)
• 4 small tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper

CHICKEN

• 1 small whole chicken (about 2 1/2- 3pounds)
•  juice of 1 lemon or lime
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder
• sea salt

COCONUT SAUCE

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (substitute: vegetable oil)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger
• 2 lime or lemon leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 chilies, whole
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped spring onions
• salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Directions:

1. Soften two pieces of banana leaf in hot water. Lay one in an oiled casserole dish. Mix the grated taro with half a cup of the coconut milk. Spread the mixture evenly on the leaf to make a layer about 2 inches thick. Chop the island cabbage and place it in the center of the taro mix. Surround it with the halved tomatoes, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining cup of coconut milk over the the whole. Cover with the second softened piece of banana leaf. Set the taro cake aside while you prepare the chicken.
2. Rinse the chicken well and drizzle with the citrus juice. Place it in a mixing bowl with the oil and all of the spices. Coat well and transfer to a roasting pan. Roast the chicken and the taro cake at the same time for one hour. Baste the chicken with pan juices from time to time, and take the banana leaf cover off the taro cake for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
3. Meanwhile, make the coconut sauce. Heat the coconut oil in a heavy pot with the garlic and ginger. Add the citrus leaves, if using, and cook a little more. Add the flour and cook for four or five minutes to make a light roux. Pour in the coconut milk, add the chillies and spring onion and whisk well. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, to thicken slightly.
4. Take the chicken and the taro cake from the oven. Let the chicken sit for a few minutes. Cut the chicken into serving-size pieces and place on the taro cake. Season the coconut sauce with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Take your chicken lap lap to the table and drizzle with coconut sauce. Serve hot.

Serves: 24 rolls

Ingredients:

Dough recipe

• 1 cup milk, lukewarm
•  ⅓ cup milk, lukewarm
•  3 tablespoons melted butter – using 15ml measure – can use oil
•  4 cups of flour
•  1 teaspoon sugar
•  1½ teaspoons salt
•   2¼ teaspoons yeast – or a bread maker yeast packet

Filling ingredients

• 2 cups grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese mixture
•  3 tablespoons Vegemite
•  milk for brushing top of Cheesymite Scrolls

Directions:

1.  Place ingredients, in the order listed, into your bread machine and select the dough program. Should take about 90 minutes to complete the dough cycle.
2.  Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Cut the dough in half, and roll out each half of the yeast dough into 2 rectangles, about 1cm thick. Do the next steps to both pieces of dough. 1cm thick dough will give you 12 pieces, ½cm thick dough will make 24 Cheesymite Scrolls.
3.  Spread the Vegemite thinly over the yeast dough, leaving a 1cm border around the dough, Vegemite free.
4.  Sprinkle the cheese over the Vegemite. Roll up the yeast dough firmly until you have a dough log. Start to roll along the long side of the rectangle.
5.  Using a sharp knife, cut the ends off the log and start to cut every 3cm along the dough log. Place the round scrolls on a greased baking sheet. Some people like to keep the Cheesymite Scrolls closely baked together, but I like perfectly round scrolls, so keep them a few centimetres apart from each other. Put a pinch of cheese on top of the Cheesymite Scroll. You can cover with cling wrap and place in a warm place for about 45 minutes, allowing the dough to rise further. This is optional, especially if you’re pressed for time, but makes for a better scroll.
6.  Brush the Cheesymite Scrolls with milk. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Allow to cool and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove Fresh garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1  Carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stick Celery, diced
• 2 1/2 pounds. Beef cheek, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup Red wine
• 4 1/2 Beef stock, or chicken stock or water to cover meat
• 1 *Bouquet garni
• 2 sheets Puff pastry, frozen

Directions:

1. Gently sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the chopped carrot and celery. Cook over moderate heat until fragrant and the onion is clear.
2.  Fill a bag with the seasoned flour, then add the beef cheeks and shake to coat. Place beef pieces, a handful at a time, into the pot and brown gently.
3.  Add wine, then stock or water to cover. Add the bouquet garni and put on the pot lid. Cook on the stovetop on low heat for three hours, or put in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes on high.
4.  Cool the cooked meat (overnight if you wish), grease your pie dish and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
5.  Roll out one thawed pastry sheet to line the dish.
6.  Add the beef cheek filling (remove the bouquet garni first). Use the second sheet of pastry for the lid, sealing and crimping the edges all around. Cut a few slashes in the top and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is browned and puffed. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas.

Note: Puff pastry likes to be cold when you use it so only thaw the sheets for 10 minutes maximum before you start using it. It should still be quite cold and stiff when you begin rolling.

*Bouquet Garni

A bundle of aromatic herbs.
Step 1: For a classic bouquet garni, gather together a few fresh parsley stalks, thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Step 2: Use unwaxed kitchen string to tie the bouquet garni, then add the bundle to the pot. This makes it easy to remove after cooking.
Step 3: To stop the herbs from coming apart in the liquid, you can tie them in a piece of muslin. Add a few whole black peppercorns, if desired.

Recipe makes 4 pints, 8 half-pints or 16 4-oz jars

Ingredients:

•  3 pounds of very ripe Meyer Lemons (about 8 large)
• 3 pounds sugar
• 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper
• 6 ounces Scotch whiskey

Directions:

1. Place cleaned lemons in large nonreactive pot (enameled cast iron is good), cover with water and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes if very ripe.  Drain carefully, capturing all juices and let cool until you can handle them.
2.  Cut off the stem end to create a small hole and squeeze the pulp into a strainer set over the same pot.  Remove seeds and add pulp to pot.
3.  Slice quartered skins into very thin slices and add to the pot.
4.  Add sugar and bring to vigorous boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.  Lower heat and simmer about 30 minutes stirring often until a candy thermometer reads 222F or the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
5.  Ready the jars as for canning.
6.  Carefully add the Scotch, taking care to avoid the steam and bubbles that will erupt.  Simmer for five minutes more to burn off alcohol and mixture thickens again.
7.  Take off heat and stir in Cayenne Pepper
8.  Ladle into jars, seal and process in hot water bath for 15 minutes or cool, cap and store in refrigerator up to six months, one year if processed as for canning.

Ingredients:

• 300 g (Around 10 1/2 ounces) *Kumera (orange sweet potato), peeled and thinly sliced
• Garlic olive oil spray
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon dried yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons VEGEMITE
• rosemary sprigs
• 2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

PLACE the potato on a paper lined baking tray and spray with oil. Bake in a hot oven 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until just tender.

SIFT together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and oil and stir to make dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

ROLL out dough on a floured surface to make a rough 20 x 30 cm rectangle and place on a large, lightly floured baking tray. Spread with VEGEMITE and then top with *Kumera Sweet Potato, rosemary and cheese. Bake in a hot oven 200°C for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve immediately.

*Kumera has a nice sweetness, but if you can’t find it, use regular sweet potatoes or a combination of sweet potatoes and yam.

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

Directions

1. Sift the flour together with the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom in a mixing bowl.
2. Beat the butter together with the white and brown sugars in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and corn syrup until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until evenly blended. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and wrap tightly each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
4. Using 1 portion at a time, work on a floured surface and roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutter, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven until set, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered tins.