empty fridge challenge #1

cooking to a recipe, for the most part, is probably not overly challenging for most. particularly not in the gastronomically-saturated times of which we live. thanks to neil and nigella, jamie, george as well as a whole host of amateur cooks whose faces are now probably more familiar to us than that of not-so-distant relatives, what was once the domain of the expert and/or stupidly brazen is now as common as a cupcake.

it's all pretty simple really; pick a recipe from your favourite celeb chef's latest hardcover coffee-table book, spend a small fortune at the local markets and gourmet providore on ingredients, and after a few hours in the kitchen of blood, sweat and swearing, you (maybe) have something that roughly resembles the picture in the book.

but what about when your motivation is MIA and your creativity has crawled into bed. or, you're just too lazy/broke/hungover to make the trip out to the shop and want to knock something semi-appetising up with what you have at home?

enter, the empty fridge challenge: tried and tested recipes that not only cobble together what pittance of food remains in pantry and larder, but that also taste surprisingly good.

i blogged about tarts before, so staying in theme and on topic, here's EFC's first conquest: the severely made-under, inexpensive and unsophisticated version of tart. i had all ingredients on hand and it took about 20 minutes to prep.

things you will need:

1 and a bit sheets of shortcrust pastry
3 eggs
3/4 of a cup of milk
butter
dijon mustard (or any mustard you happen to have on hand)
tasty and parmesan cheese
1 onion
sea salt & freshly ground pepper

unremarkable ingredients
guaranteed to be on hand for all

what you will need to do:

preheat oven to 180C and line a 28cm quiche or flan tin (with a removable base) with the pastry. ensure it is pressed into the crimped edges of the tin and that there are no holes. i find it usually takes just over one sheet of pastry to do this. place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and fill the tin with pie weights (or uncooked rice in the absence of pie weights). bake for 10 to 15 minutes and remove from oven.

blind baking: nothing to do
with wearing a bag over
your head.

whilst the pie shell is blind baking, very finely slice the onion. in a small pot or pan, melt 2 large knobs of butter and start to sautee the onion. put the lid on the pot and turn the heat right down, allowing the onions to sweat and turn soft. keep the onions moving so they don't burn. remove from heat once the onions are soft and shiny and stir through 2 teaspoons of mustard.

 

arrange the cooked onion mixture around the base of the pastry shell evenly. cut a few slices of tasty cheese into smaller squares and arrange on top of the onions. in a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together, then season with salt and pepper. pour over the onion mixture and cheese pieces to cover. if you have it on hand, sprinkle some parmesan over the top, and give it one last spritz of freshly ground pepper. bake in the oven for a further 30 minutes or until golden brown and completely set (a skewer should come out clean).

note: this recipe uses milk instead of cream. the tart will be somewhat lighter in texture, but just as delicious.

the verdict: fabulous!

slow-roasted pork neck with maple pears and turnips

you'd have to have spent all your life under a rock if you didn't know roast pork and applesauce were a tasty combination, but what about roast pork and.....PEARS!? you'll be nicely surprised to learn that there exists another sweetly-tasting alternative to the slightly cliched roasted pig and applesauce offering. delicately piquant and lusciously sweet, this slow-roasted treat is definitely worth the wait.

things you will need:

800g to 1kg piece of pork neck or shoulder
2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard
8 slices of prosciutto
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups of chicken stock
1 bulb of garlic, not peeled, but sliced in half
2 medium red onions, sliced into wedges
3 pears, halved
2 tablespoons of shredded sage leaves
quarter of a cup of maple syrup (the real stuff please!)
a few extra fresh sage leaves to serve
3 or 4 large turnips
olive oil

what you will need to do:

preheat oven to 180C. using a knife, spread the mustard over the pork, then lay out the prosciutto and wrap the pork. place the pork in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with pepper (no salt as the prosciutto will be salty enough). place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

remove from the oven and add the halved pear pieces, onion wedges, garlic (break the halved bulb into individual garlic pieces) and pour over the chicken stock. sprinkle the shredded sage over and season with salt and pepper to taste. add the maple syrup and then cover with foil. return to oven and bake for a further two and a half hours. pork will be tender and juicy when cooked.

when the pork has about 40 minutes cooking time remaining, put the turnips into the oven. to prepare, peel and chop the turnips into a large pieces, then season in a large bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil. roast in a separate pan.

to serve, slice the pork and serve with the other veggies and turnips, and spoon over the pan juices generously then sprinkle with some more fresh sage.

i heart tarts.

well spring has finally sprung (sort of anyway) and it's time to dust off the picnic basket and engage in a bit of splendour in the grass. forget stodgy potato salads and greasy pieces of fried chicken, make your outdoor frolic truly memorable (and delicious!) and bring along a few tarts.

LEEK & GRUYERE TART

things you will need:

2 leeks
150g of gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
sea salt and freshly ground salt pepper
3 large eggs
half a cup of cooking cream
1 and a bit sheets of shortcrust pastry (make your own if so inclined but i used the ready-made stuff)
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

what you will need to do:

preheat oven to 180C and line a 28cm quiche or flan tin (with a removable base) with the pastry. ensure it is pressed into the crimped edges of the tin and that there are no holes. i find it usually takes just over one sheet of pastry to do this. place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and fill the tin with pie weights. bake for 10 to 15 minutes and remove from oven.

while the pastry is blind baking, get the leeks going. start by removing the green portion of the leeks and chop finely. make sure the leeks are washed properly as there is nothing more unpleasant than biting down on grits of sand! once the leeks are washed, melt a few large knobs of butter in a medium sized pot or frying pan and throw the leeks in. place a lid over the leeks as you want them to sweat and soften. keep them moving around the pan so they don't stick or burn. they'll be ready when they're bright green, soft and shiny (roughly 10 minutes cooking time). remove from the heat and stir through the dijon mustard.

slice the gruyere into small squares, or grate if preferred. spread the cooked leek mixture evenly around the base of the pastry shell and season with salt and pepper. place the cheese on top. whisk the cream and eggs together and pour over.

bake in the oven for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the quiche has set (a wooden skewer should come out clean) and it looks golden brown. can be enjoyed immediately with a side salad of bitter greens or pop it in the fridge and enjoy cold at a picnic.

GRUYERE TART WITH TRUFFLE

things you will need:

150g of gruyere cheese
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
half a cup of cooking cream
1 and a bit sheets of shortcrust pastry
2 teaspoons of truffle sauce (i used a brand called tartufi alfonso fortunati, made in italy - cost is about $29 but you only need a teensy bit for big bangs of flavour)

what you will need to do:

prepare the pastry in the flan tin as above and blind bake in a 180C oven for 10 or so minutes. once the pastry is out of the oven, whisk the cream and eggs together, and stir in the truffle sauce. slice or grate the gruyere cheese and place evenly around the base of the pastry shell. pour over the truffle egg and cream mixture and season with a bit of pepper and a sprinkling of sea salt.

return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until cooked.

note: you can use mini-tart tins if you prefer smaller, individual servings. the above quantities should yield one large tart or about 8-10 mini tarts.