BEEF VERMICELLI SALAD

I have a strange obsession with rice vermicelli noodles. I could eat them every single day if I allowed myself. Here's a very fresh and simple beef vermicelli salad that I love to make. You can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand! This is a beautifully light, fresh and vibrant salad, perfect for Spring or Summer! 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g lean eye fillet beef, cut into thin strips
• 2cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles 
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 medium capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 continental cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 shallots/spring onions, finely chopped
• Optional- 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, finely chopped 

Dressing 

• the juice of half a lime (around 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 1-2 tablespoons water 

COOKING 

1. Combine the beef strips with the ginger, garlic and oyster sauce and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Place the vermicelli noodles in a medium heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over noodles. Stand for 2-3 minutes or until noodles are tender, then drain well in a sieve or colander. Pour cold water over the noodles and drain again. 

3. Preparing the salad: In a large bowl toss the cooked vermicelli noodles with the carrot, capsicum, cucumber, shallots and coriander, if using. 

4. Preparing the salad: Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring.  If the dressing is too strong, add more water, just a splash at a time. 

5. Once the 10 minutes of marinating is up, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the beef strips and cook, stirring often, for around 5 minutes or until the beef is browned to your liking. Remove from heat. 

4. Add the cooked beef to the salad and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

ASIAN BEEF PATTIES / NAKED BURGERS

These Asian beef patties are a favourite of mine to make, as they are light, filling and delicious. I call them 'naked burgers' as you can eat them (and should eat them for dinner) without any bread; instead they can be eaten 'naked' as they are or wrapped in lettuce leaves. Make sure you consume a vegetable side when eating these as they are low in veges. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g lean minced beef
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 egg, preferably free-range 
• 2 tablespoons shallots finely chopped
• Optional - 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1/2 a small red capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• Optional - Lettuce leaves (to wrap the patties in)

COOKING 

1. Combine beef, chilli, fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, egg, shallots, coriander (if using), capsicum and a pinch of ground black pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands, mould the mixture into four even-sized patties. Place on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. 

2. When the 15 minutes is up, heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the pan. Place patties in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side, covered. Check if the patties are cooked by cutting a patty in half and seeing if any red flesh remains; if it does, continue cooking. 

3. Serve warm with a vegetable side, such as a salad, steamed corn or sweet potato fries. 

Serves / 4 accompanied by a side 

Total Preparation time / 30 minutes (including 15 minutes in the fridge)

Total Cooking time / under 10 minutes 

x Emily 

CHERRY TOMATO, BASIL & FETA BRUSCHETTA

This humble bruschetta may not be up to the Italian standards, but it is healthy, quick to whip up and is good enough for me! I love really simple bruschetta and tend to go by the pizza philosophy; that less is more. In my opinion all you need for a good bruschetta is some bread, garlic, tomatoes, basil and a pinch of oil & vinegar; everything else is just extra. Salt can be added, but for weight management I like to add ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices multigrain, wholemeal bread (or gluten-free if intolerant), cut into quarters 
• 250g (1 punnet) cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 40g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 large garlic clove, halved 

METHOD 

1. Toast the quarters of bread in a fan-forced oven of 200 degrees celsius for 10-15 minutes (depending on how toasted you like your bread). 

2. Meanwhile, make the bruschetta by preparing and combining the cherry tomatoes, onion, vinegar, cheese, basil and oil in a medium bowl. Season with ground black pepper. Leave the bruschetta to marinate together for at least 5 minutes. 

3. Once the bread is toasted and the bruschetta marinated, either spoon the bruschetta onto each quarter of bread or leave your guests to do this; the latter may be the better option as the bread will go soggy if the bruschetta is left to soak into it. 

Serves / 4 as an entree, snack or side 

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes max

x Emily 

HAM, TOMATO & ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

This risotto was created out of thin air during one day when I had a double shift at work. I raced home, napped for 30 minutes, then rushed around my kitchen like a mad woman throwing together something for dinner. Being exhausted as I was and scatter brained (as I frequently am), I cooked the rice first instead of letting it cook with the stock and other ingredients. Unexpectedly this little error made the dish taste even better, as the rice became particularly tender, however not too soft. I highly recommend that everyone try to make a risotto this way at least once. The tomato, zucchini and ham were a great combination and tasted even better for lunch the next day. NB: I make my risottos with brown rice as it is better for me than white risotto rice. Brown rice has a lower GI rating than white rice and is packed with proteins, calcium, magnesium, fibre and potassium. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 red onion (60-80g), finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, diced 
• 1 cup salt-reduced vegetable stock 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 500g (or 5 small) tomatoes, diced 
• 2 medium zucchini (around 250g), diced 
• 100g reduced-fat ham, roughly diced
• 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• Optional- fresh chopped chives and/or parsley, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Bring the rice and 2 cups of water to the boil, covered, then simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the stove. 

2. Whilst the rice is cooking, prepare all the other ingredients. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and cook the garlic and red onion, stirring for 2 minutes or until onion has softened. Add the vegetable stock, tomato paste, tomatoes, zucchini and cooked rice and bring to the boil, covered. Reduce the heat to the lowest and simmer for around 10 minutes or until the rice is very tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the ham, then remove from the heat. 

Divide the risotto into four servings and top with 1/4 of the feta cheese and the herbs, if using. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time & Cooking time / approx. 35 minutes 

x Emily 

TUNA STEAKS with STEAMED CORN & SALAD

A client recommended the 'Ocean Chef' brand of frozen fish to me recently, available at Woolworths supermarkets. In an effort to introduce fish into my diet (and having not been a fan of seafood for most of my life!) I decided that it was time to bite the bullet and make some fish meals. Tuna is a great source of protein, is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and is available for Pestacarians to eat! The Yellowfin Skinless Tuna Steaks that I used are often on sale, as are the other types of frozen fish from Ocean Chef, and feature 8 steaks to a pack, 1 per single serving, hence they are very reasonably priced. I was very pleasantly surprised by how delicious the tuna steak was and how easy and quick it was to cook. You can add any healthy sides that you would like to your tuna steak, I have listed my two accompaniments below. 

INGREDIENTS

Tuna Steaks 

• 2 similar sized (in thickness and weight) frozen or fresh tuna steaks, completely thawed if frozen
• paper towel
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped

Steamed corn 

• 2 corn cobs, hulks and silks removed and cut into even rounds
• ground black pepper 
• Optional - fresh herbs, such as chives or basil, finely chopped 

Basic Salad

• a generous handful of washed mixed lettuce 
• 1/2 a small avocado, diced 
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 a lebanese cucumber or 1/4 of a continental cucumber, diced 
• 20g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 

COOKING 

1. Wash & rinse the tuna steaks, then pat dry with paper towel. 

2. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, then combine the remaining steak ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the steaks and place in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour. 

3. Meanwhile, make the steamed corn by bringing a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil. Add the corn rounds and steam for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain well with cold water, then dry well and toss with ground black pepper & fresh chives, if using. 

4. Whilst the corn is steaming make the basic salad by combining all the ingredients and tossing well. 

5. Once the steaks have marinated for over 15 minutes, warm a grill plate over medium heat and cook the steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the fish starts to flake when tested with a fork. You want the tuna to still be pink in the middle. I like tuna quite pink in the middle, hence if you do not, leave it on the grill/in the pan for longer! 

**NB: If you do not have a grill plate, you may pan-fry the tuna steak by cooking them over medium heat in a medium frying pan, for 2-3 minutes each side, turning the steak over once during cooking. You can test if the tuna is cooked by using the same fork method as above.  

6. Arrange the 1 steamed corn,1/2 of the salad and a tuna steak on a plate. Serve warm. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / minimum of 20 minutes (based on a 15 minute marinating time) 

x Emily 

HOW TO POACH AN EGG

In this breakfast dish I describe the fine art behind poaching eggs (or at least what I have picking up from my partner, cooking magazines and my mother). Do not be afraid to try this recipe because of the detailed 3^rd step, as this detail is designed to help, not hinder your cooking. Best of luck! I think if you can poach an egg and serve it in a somewhat 'pretty' condition, you can do pretty much anything in the kitchen (besides perhaps de-boning a duck or killing a live lobster).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 free range eggs 
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar 
• 1/4 a small avocado, generously spread onto the toasted bread
• 1 piece of multigrain, wholemeal or gluten-free bread, toasted 
• 1 handful washed baby spinach
• 1 small to medium tomato, sliced
• Optional- a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon or 2 of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, parsley, etc. 
• 10g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 

COOKING 

1. Bring the eggs to room temperature as warm eggs will take less time to poach. Crack one egg into a small cup and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Repeat in a separate cup with the other egg. (I use vinegar as this helps to set the egg). 

2. Fill a large saucepan/ frying pan with 8cm of water. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer. (You will know the water is simmering when you can see small bubbles at the base of the pan). Use a wooden spoon or whisk to stir the water in one direction, creating a whirlpool. Pour in one egg at a time, making sure to pour the egg as close to the water surface as possible, in the middle of the whirlpool. (The whirlpool motion is essential as it makes the egg white wrap around the egg yolk to form a round shape). Cook for 2-3 minutes for a semi-soft yolk or 3-4 minutes for a firmer yolk. NB- Do not stir the water once the egg is cooking. 

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg on top of your toast (which can be 'buttered' with avocado). Serve the poached eggs with baby spinach, tomato, lemon juice, fresh herbs and feta piled on top or on the side. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 12 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET SUMMER SLAW VERMICELLI

The name and adaptation of this recipe comes from one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s amazing vegetarian creations. Yotam likes to make this ‘slaw’ as he calls it, with caramelised macadamia nuts and lots of papaya, green cabbage, mint and coriander. Not being a fan of caramelising ingredients due to the high quantity of butter and sugar used, I decided to opt for a relatively small amount of peanuts and raw shallots. You could serve this salad naked, or with vermicelli noodles like myself to make it more filling. Definitely a summer salad for the hot steamy Brisbane weather! 

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• the juice of 2 small limes 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons water 

Salad

• 150g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 a red cabbage, washed & finely shredded
• 2 large carrots (around 300g), finely grated
• 1 medium mango (around 100g), diced 
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil / coriander, torn 
• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• Optional- 1 ripe avocado, diced 

METHOD 

1. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

2. Fill a large heatproof bowl with boiling hot water and place the raw vermicelli in it. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then drain well with cold water. Place the cooked vermicelli in a large serving bowl and toss the red cabbage, carrot, mango, spring onion, basil, peanuts, dressing and avocado, if using, in the bowl. Serve cold. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 10 minutes 

x Emily