PRAWN & CHIVE DUMPLINGS

Last week my fiancée very nicely asked me when we were going to have gyoza or dumplings again. Unbeknownst to him, I had already stocked up on gow gee wrappers and prawns for a recipe in the not to distant future. I love eating dumplings out at sushi trains, however I find myself getting a little frustrated at the rising price: $6 or $7 for 2-3 dumplings! Of course mine are nowhere near as expertly folded or presented, but practice makes…an average dumpling maker. If you are a big fan of ginger, add in 1 or 2 grated tablespoons to the prawn filling. Serve immediately after steaming or they will wilt and become soggy. Ps please note that gow gee wrappers are not gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS

Dipping sauce 

• 1 teaspoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

Dumplings

• 500g prawns, heads & tails removed and peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 small handful fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, packed tightly 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mirin (or mirin seasoning)
• 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• 30-34 gow gee wrappers
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten 

PREPARATION / COOKING 

1. Mix prawns, chives, ginger, vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and sesame seeds in a medium to large bowl. Stir well to combine. 

2. Make the dipping sauce by stirring the three ingredients in a small bowl. 

3. Place gow gee wrappers on a clean surface. (If you are working with wrappers that have been in the freezer and are thawing, place the wrappers under a damp tea-towel so they do not dry out). Place 1-2 teaspoons of the prawn mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Brush all the edges with egg white and fold over to close. Pleat the edges of the wrapper with your fingers to seal well. Repeat this process until all wrappers have been used or until the filling has run out. 

4. Bring a small to medium saucepan of water to the boil. (If you have a steamer, line it with baking paper and place it on top of the saucepan. If you do not have a steamer, you can use a colander like I do, but just make sure you place 2 sheets of baking paper over the colander and lightly coat with oil so the dumplings do not stick). Working in batches of no more than 5, steam dumplings (with the saucepan lid over the top of the colander or the fitted lid over the top of the steamer) for 4-5 minutes or until dumplings are transparent and until the prawn meat is pink. Serve dumplings straight away with the dipping sauce. 

Makes / 30 - 34
Total Preparation time / 45 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 30-35 minutes 

x Emily 

BACON, EGG & POTATO LETTUCE CUPS

I occasionally find myself intensely craving a BLT club sandwich. I cannot for the life of me tell you where this desire comes from. This craving can never be completely and wholly satisfied, as I cannot eat the gluten-packed mayonnaise or thick white bread due to allergies and the fact that when served at restaurants this whopper of a sandwich can be very fattening. So when one cannot do, they create! Consequently this gluten & dairy-free spin on a BLT was made. Cherry tomatoes can be added to make it a more traditional BLT, however they would have to be oven-baked or pan-fried and on this particular day I wasn’t yearning for their acidity. Quite a light meal, protein-packed with eggs, low-fat bacon and ham, this little baby of mine will now serve all of my BLT future hankerings.

INGREDIENTS

Bacon, Egg & Lettuce cups 

• 75g weight watchers or low-fat bacon, fat removed, cut into small pieces
• 50g gluten-free ham, cut into small pieces
• 2 eggs (preferably free-range), hard boiled and roughly chopped 
• scant handful of fresh chives, finely chopped
• 500g potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1/4 iceberg lettuce

Aioli

• 1/2 garlic bulb
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup 99% fat-free & gluten-free mayonnaise 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 180 degrees celsius (200 non fan-forced). Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add potatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well in a colander with cold water. When cool, cut into small pieces. 

2. Meanwhile, make aioli by drizzling olive oil over garlic and wrapping completely with al foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until garlic is roasted and tender. Remove from oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes, then remove garlic from skins by squeezing gently. Place in a small bowl with mayonnaise and whisk well to combine. (Note - you will only need to use 1/2 of the aioli for this recipe - save the rest to use as a dipping sauce for another dish). 

3.  Combine 1/2 of the aioli, potato, ham, bacon and chives in a large bowl. Stir well to mix. Serve on top of lettuce whole leaves with sea salt scattered on top and/or parmesan cheese shavings if not dairy-free. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time /  10 minutes (not including boiling the eggs)
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes

x E

CHERRY TOMATO & BALSAMIC BRUSCHETTA

Oh my dear blog, how I have missed you! A week away was far too long, I feel like a balloon about to burst with all the writing I feel compelled to do.

I was very blessed to have 4 days away in the magical Yarra Valley in wine country Victoria this past week. I had an enlightening experience, which will be blogged about shortly. But back to the food. As I was eating and drinking some of the most delectable food and wine in Australia, I couldn’t help becoming inspired about creating my very own twist on Eggplant & Chickpea Tagine, Fennel & Rocket Salad, Summer Sorbet, Middle Eastern Rice and many other remarkable dishes.

The bruschetta above is gluten & dairy-free. The sharp but sweet flavour of the goat’s cheese compliments the sourness of the cherry tomatoes and tangy fresh garlic.  One of my own creations, it reminded me of the Yarra Valley on a windy Brisbane night.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices gluten-free multigrain or wholemeal bread, cut into quarters and toasted in a fan-forced oven of 200 degrees celsius for 10 minutes
• 1 large garlic clove, halved 
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 40g goats cheese 
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil 

COOKING 

1. Rub garlic halves over the toasted bread pieces. With the remaining garlic finely chop and marinate with the cherry tomatoes, red onion and vinegar in a small bowl for 10 minutes. 

2. Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Swirl to coat pan, then add red onion & tomato marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes or until cherry tomatoes start to collapse and red onion is soft. Remove from heat. 

3. Spread goats cheese on all bread pieces. Top with cooked red onion & cherry tomatoes and drizzle extra balsamic vinegar if desired. Sprinkle with fresh chives. 

Serves / 4 as an entree or side

Total Preparation time / 25 minutes (including toasting the bread & marinading time)

Total Cooking time / 5 minutes 

x E

RAINBOW OMELETTE

Do you ever have those days where you not only feel like shit, but every piece of news you receive is crappy? I had such a day yesterday and was, for once, not in the mood to cook. When I get really in my head, running is the only method that can chill me out. After my breathless, panting 8 km run last night, it was really 8pm and I was on the clock to provide something for dinner.

A little different from a conventional omelette, this Rainbow Omelette was a big crowd pleaser last night. Due to the sad and sudden disappearance of my spatula, I was unable to fold the omelette in half like is common practice. Instead I decided to let the egg completely set and serve the omelette in quarters. Me and my boyfriend Chris hungrily consumed this omelette at 8:30pm last night and my only regret was that I wish I had had 8 eggs in the fridge to make the meal bigger. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs (preferably free-range)
• sea salt & black pepper
• 1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dairy-free spread 
• a small handful of sun dried tomatoes, 99% fat free and finely chopped
• 3 heaped tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• Optional- if not dairy-free, add 1 tablespoon light grated cheese, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese. 

COOKING 

1. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, adding sea salt & pepper. Heat dairy-free spread in a large frying pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Pour the egg into the pan, spreading the mixture around the whole pan. Add the sun dried tomatoes, chives, red onion and cheese (optional) and let the omelette cook, letting it stand for 5-6 minutes or until all the egg has set. Remove the egg from the heat, cutting it into quarters and serve warm. 

Works beautifully served with some oven-toasted gluten-free bread with dairy-free spread and a sprinkle of rosemary. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / 6 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 6-7 minutes 

x E