8.Maple salmon. Brocolini. Wild rice and salad

I know I've made a post before about my mirrin sauces and salmon with wild rice, except this is with a twist.

For a change and a break from the lemon pepper flavoured seasonings I usually use with salmon, today I made a simple maple syrup, sea salt and sesame oil glaze. It makes the skin crispy and sweet and a wonderful match with wild rice.

The combination of wild rice dressed with the mirrin dressing, freshly sliced cucumbers with mint and chilli, steamed brocolini and salmon was so fresh and one of those meals you instantly feel healthier for eating.

7. Warm Greek salad, Tex-Mex Steak and Parsnip Chips

I have a new love for parsnips. They give a wonderful earthy flavour and complement powerful and punchy flavours like chilli. Simple to cook and make for a wonderful crispy topping. The warm Greek salad is fantastic for this time of year, using seasonal veggies with a slight twist.Please see below for my easy warm Greek salad recipe:

Warm Greek Salad

2 baby eggplants
3 roma tomatos
1 leek
1/4 cup of Kalmata black olives (pitted)
two handfuls of button mushrooms
100gm of Haloumi cheese
50gm of Greek feta cheese
2tsp of dried oregano
handful of basil
Black pepper and sea salt to taste
Olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine
2 cloves of garlic
optional : Fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (c).
Slice all veggies into bite sized pieces.
Combine all vegetables into a bowl and dress lightly with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and the dried oregano.
Place in a lined baking tray and roast for 20min.

Meanwhile blend the chopped garlic, and additional olive oil with the red wine.

Take the vegetables out, toss and add the cheeses and garlic, red wine oil dressing.

Drop temperature to 180(c) and continue to cook for an additional 25-30min.

Ready to serve with fresh basil leaves scatted on top

This salad goes well with Tex Mex rubbed sirloin steak and parsnip chips.

6.Herbed leg of lamb

Today I am marinating a leg of lamb with some of the most delicious and fresh spring flavours.
It's easy and rustic and makes for a wonderful weekend roast.

Herbed Lamb Marinate

a spring of thyme
handful of parsley
six leaves of tarragon
half handful of sage
half handful of marjoram
1/4 cup of good quality olive oil
2 teaspoons of white peppercorns
2 teaspoons of good quality rock salt
4 cloves of garlic

Place all ingredients into a mortar and pestle ( or food processor when in a hurry).
Ground into a fine paste, removing any stems from the thyme springs.

With the lamb place several slits into the skin, this allows for the marinate to get through the lamb and adding flavour.

Rub the lamb all over with the marinate, cover and place in the fridge for 4-5hours.









Ready to roast!

5.Sausage Cabonara

This is one of my alltime favourite comfort food dishes, and it is probably one of the most simplest to make too.

It is from Jamie Olivers jamie's italy cookbook, and great for a mid weeknight dinner.

You can find the recipe here

I added some of the basil from my garden to give it another layer. I think oven roasted roma tomatoes would go really well with some rocket as a side salad.

Egg mixture before being poured over the pasta to cook into a silky sauce

Sausage and bacon fry up

4.Wasabi +mirin salmon

I've made the decision of having healthier lunches and today was a start.

I used Atlantic salmon grilled and then boiled up some wild rice, sliced cucumber and served with my wasabi and mirin dressing:

wasabi + mirindressing

-2tsp of wasabi paste
-1/4 cup of mirin
- 1tsp grated fresh ginger
-1tsp sesame oil
-sprinkle of sesame seeds

Stir all ingredients together and serve over the salmon

3.Szechuan

Tonight's dinner Szechuan pepper beef stir fry.

The Szechuan was really zingy and gave it a great lift.

2.Sunday in the herb patch

As I continue to be inspired by growing my own produce, I thought I would share with you the latest growings of my mini urban garden patch.
I have a variety of herbs which are starting to sprout, with rocket plants, Ox Heart and Cherry tomato's yet to be potted.

I have been getting great inspiration and helpful tips from Stephanie Alexander's :Kitchen Garden Companion
a must have for anyone wanting to learn more about growing their own produce with some healthy, delicious recipes too.

Another form of inspiration I have found is in the edible garden concept developing in Sydney. The Edible garden on Foster Street, Surry Hills, Sydney is worth checking out Edible Outdoor Garden.

These are some snaps of what I have growing in my backyard mini garden:

My Lemon tree finally in bloom, second year in a row, just hoping I get some lemons before the bugs  get them first.

Rocket growing from seed in my recycled container planters

My first attempt at growing fennel

Red Cayenne Pepper plant, looking forward to getting some chilli's!

1.Fish Taco's

Fish Taco's from Thursday night.

Recipe from Curtis Stone:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/curtis-stone/curtis-stones-fish-tacos-_b_1068153.html

One of the easiest and most healthiest takes on a Mexican favourite. 

Welcome

A big hello and welcome to everyone, this is my new blog The food leafed clovar.

I am still getting use to all these html codes and gadgets and things so please excuse any little glitches which may appear.

Here you will find post of my food photography journey, mostly of meals I have cooked at home or of delicious meals I have spotted out and about or on the web.

I look forward to sharing a piece of my world which motivates me, and makes me want to do this everyday.

bon appetit

xo clo