Chinese Style Pig Trotters

Chinese Style Pig Trotters.

Serves a few as a nibble or starter - too rich for a whole meal.

I think many people don't eat these tasty little morsels simply because they don't know what to do with them and they don't know how insanely good they taste. Heres and easy recipe. By the way piggies hoofs are cheap cheap! 6 hoofs cost me $3.20.

6 pigs trotters - cut in half lengthways and then into 4 or 6 pieces.

5cm piece of ginger chopped

5 garlic cloves - crushed

50ml dark soy

100ml light soy

100ml cider vinegar

50gm brown sugar

150ml pineapple

50 ml chinese cooking wine

1 star anise

1 cinnamon quill

Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the trotters off.

Add the garlic & ginger, star anise & cinnamon and give a quick stir to release the flavours.

Add the remaining ingredients.

Add enough water to cover the piggies trotters.

Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 2 and a half hours. So simple!

These are a sensational gelatinous taste sensation. Grab a cold beer and snack away to your hearts content. YUM

White Bean & Pistachio Dip

White Bean & Pistachio Dip

This is great to whip up in a couple of minutes for a tasty snack or a delicious lunch with some vegetables.

I made it last night with some kale in it as well - it gave it a nice peppery flavour. Another tip is when I am roasting up my garlic I pop a sprig of rosemary in there too - gives a great flavour.

Ingredients:

1 x tin of cooked cannellini beans – drained (get these at the supermarket)
juice of 1 lemon

70 ml good olive oil
3 cloves of roasted garlic
4 tbspn chopped parsley – generous amount
50 gms pistachios
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a bowl and wizz up with a bamix or alternatively put into a food processor and mix it all together (a milkshake or smoothie maker will do the trick)

Serve with another slug/swirl of olive oil on top - a sprinkle of dukkah is nice too.

This will take about 5 minutes to make and will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.

DAMN GOOD CHICKEN PIE

THE BEST CHICKEN PIE EVER!

This one is worth the effort – make double and freeze half. Full it with vegetables and take it with you to work for a great meal when you are working hard and need to keep your energy levels up and give your soul a big nutritious hug! I like to just put heaps of celery & parsley in mine and I make about 5 pies at a time so I have them in the freezer for "unexpected" guests.

ingredients:·

1 x cooked chicken or alternatively 4 poached chicken fillets cut into nice chunks. (to poach chicken simply put in a pan and cover with water and bring to the boil then simmer for about 5-7 minutes)

· 4 stems of celery chopped

· 2 carrots chopped

. 1 bunch chopped continental parsley

· 1 pkt of frozen spinach (opt)

· Any vegetables you like really, zucchini, peas, corn, capsicum – just dice them up like the others.

· 2 cups of chicken stock – now really you can use cubes that’s fine just get good ones (massell, knorr) and add one more than they tell you or use the liquid stock you can also get at the supermarket.

· 150gm butter

. 180gm four

· 2 cup of milk

· salt and pepper to taste

· 4 pieces of puff pastry or filo (if you are gluten intolerant you may want to make a nice topping for your pie out of gluten free bread, olive oil, parmessan and chopped parsley – just sprinkle it over the top and bake as instruction)

what to do next:

1. Melt the butter in a large enough pot and whisk in the flour - cook out the flour for approx 2 - 3 mins. You are making a roux.

2. Slowly add the stock and milk in a saucepan large enough to hold all the ingredients and bring to the boil and turn heat down to simmer.

3. Saute all your vegetables in a pan – cook until tender (not soggy!) this should take about 8-10 minutes.

4. Add all the vegetables and poached chicken to the runny white sauce

5. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens. If you need more cornflour then do so. (this is a cheats version of whats chefs call a veloute which is made with milk and stock and thickened with butter and flour)

6. Add your chopped chicken – filling is made!!

7. Here it is up to you what you do with this – eat it with rice, put it in a pie dish and top with pastry (always brush pastry with egg wash -egg mixed with a bit of milk) before cooking and always cook in a hot oven (200° for about 25 – 35 minutes)

Make filo parcels and freeze some for when your schedule doesn’t give you any time for cooking! This is beautiful and a real hug from mums meal.