Sue’s “Taste” Recipes

Sue Story takes a pack of Hot-smoked Salmon

as seen in Taste Magazine November 2009

Salmon Pâté. This can be made without the cold smoked salmon and put into a ramekin for a more casual presentation.* Serves about 6 as a pre-dinner nibble.

Line a lightly greased 1 ½ cup ramekin with a  narrow strip of baking paper for easy removal then place slices of cold smoked salmon (about 100 g) to cover the inside.

*Using a processor, puree any remaining salmon with 100g hot smoked salmon (I like the Regal brand). ½ cup cream and the rind and Juice of a lemon. Season with pepper. Chop remaining 100g hot smoked salmon into small pieces and fold into the puree then pack carefully into the ramekin. Cover and chill till needed. To serve, remove from ramekin and serve with crusty bread or Crostini. Can be made into tiny ones for 4 using little coffee cups for an elegant starter with a small salad.

Salmon Potato Cake Supper for two.

Peel, boil and mash 2 large Agria potatoes (500g).Season with salt and pepper and a knob of butter. Cover the base of a lightly oiled nonstick frying pan with half the cooled potato, top with 200g flaked hot smoked salmon and the grated rind of a lemon and top with remaining potato to make a “cake”. Cook over a moderate heat until browned on the bottom then place a large plate over it and turn it over carefully and slide back into the pan to brown on the other side. Serve with a spoonful of your favourite tomato relish with some diced avocado mixed through.

Hot Smoked Salmon Salad with Strawberries.Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a light meal.

I love the way the strawberries liven up the salmon and the peppery rocket and nuts add a contrast.

Roast ½ cup hazelnuts in a hot oven for 10 minutes or use ready toasted almonds if you prefer. Chop slightly. Rinse and dry a small punnet of ripe strawberries then cut in half. Peel and dice an avocado and wash and dry a bag of rocket leaves. Combine all the ingredients except the salmon in a large bowl.  Dress with a tablespoons of Ponzu citrus flavoured soy (Kikkoman do one) mixed with a teaspoon of sesame oil and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. If you can’t find the Ponzu use a squeeze of lime juice in plain soy sauce. Place on plates and arrange 200g flaked hot smoked salmon around the edge. Season with pepper.

Sue Story takes a jar of lemon curd.As seen in Taste magazine October 2009

 With a jar of lemon curd in the pantry you have the basis for so many easy desserts. Some recipes will benefit from the more homemade style of Lavender’s Green lemon curd(available good delis) while the supermarket brands such as Auntie Von’s will be fine for the soufflés.

Warm lemon curd and gingernut soufflés. Serves 4.This is a quick store cupboard dessert for unexpected guests.   Preheat oven 170c (fan oven, 190c non fan) Crush 4 gingernuts in a small food processor until fine and powdery and sprinkle into 4 x ½ cup greased ramekins (saving a spoonful for the tops.) Beat 2 large egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in 4 tablespoons icing sugar. Add 6 tablespoons lemon curd and mix in carefully. Place ½ the meringue mixture into the ramekins then drop a teaspoonful of extra lemon curd into the centre and top with the remaining meringue mixture. Sprinkle the last spoonful of crumbs on top and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffing and golden. Serve immediately with a drizzle of pouring cream if you like.

 Cheat’s Lemon Meringue ice-cream for grownups. Serves 6There is a commercial brand of this flavour on the market but I prefer my version!Place contents of a 1 litre pack of slightly softened vanilla ice-cream in a bowl and add ½ cup good quality lemon curd and 4-6 crushed store-bought meringues. Fold in leaving swirls of curd and meringue showing. Place back in the freezer for an hour or more. Serve scoops in a glass with a splash of Limoncello (Lemon liqueur) for a grown up treat. This is also lovely with diced mango cubes or sliced strawberries.

Lemony Tiramisu serves 4

Replacing the usual coffee with lemon syrup flavoured with gin, and the mascarpone with crème fraiche and yoghourt gives this favourite dessert a much lighter feel.Place 3 tablespoons raw sugar and 1/4 cup water into a small jug, and microwave for 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. When cool add the grated rind and juice of one juicy lemon (Meyer are not as tart as Lisbon variety and are juicier.)For adults add 2 tablespoons gin.Dip sponge finger biscuits (about 8-10 in total) quickly into the syrup and line the bottom of a small container such as a plastic box with half of these. They should cover the bottom of the container.Mix ½ cup each of lemon curd, Greek yoghourt and crème fraiche in a bowl and place half the mixture on top of the sponge fingers. Repeat with another layer of sponge fingers and curd mix. Smooth the top and chill, covered, until needed. Can be prepared the night before and made in individual containers as well. Serve in slices or scoops as desired.Cut up lemon cake or sponge cake can be used instead of sponge fingers but will be softer. This is lovely with strawberries in a raspberry coulis.   

 Sue Story takes a can of chilli beans. As seen in Taste magazine. June 2009

Spicy Vegetable Chilli

Microwave 2-3 cups peeled and diced kumara, pumpkin or potato (or a combination) in a covered microwave dish for 4 minutes and set aside. Meanwhile slice 1 onion or leek, 2 sticks celery and 1 red pepper then heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or deep sided frying pan and add 1 tsp black mustard seeds (optional) and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Sizzle for a few seconds then add onion celery and pepper and 1 tsp curry powder or chilli powder. Cook for 4-5 mins then add cooked potato etc, a tin of chilli beans and ½ cup water. Season to taste and simmer until heated through. Serve with brown rice or naan bread. Reheats well.Serves 4Huevos Rancheros (Ranch eggs)Drain some liquid from a 400g can of chilli beans and reserve liquid. Roughly puree beans in a processor. Heat 1 -2 Tbsp oil or lard in a non-stick pan and cook 1 sliced red onion for a few minutes until slightly softened. Add a tsp cumin powder and add the pureed beans. Cook gently to warm through adding the drained liquid if necessary to moisten. Meanwhile fry 4 eggs and warm 4 tortillas in the microwave or oven.Serve the eggs on the tortillas with the bean mix to the side and add some diced avocado and Mexican Salsa if desired. Serves 4.

Beany Nachos SupperServes 4 Cook 250g lamb or beef mince and 1 finely chopped onion, in a non-stick pan until coloured then add a  400g tin of chilli beans, and ½ cup good quality pasta sauce. Simmer for 6-10 minutes then stir in 2 small squares of dark chocolate. Set aside. Put about 3 cups blue (or favourite) corn chips on 4 plates and top with some grated cheese. Microwave for about  a minute per plate to melt the cheese. Top with warm mince/bean mixture then 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, 1-2 mashed avocadoes, sour cream and some tomato chilli salsa.

Dukkah recipes. Sue Story for July issue Taste magazine 

Dukkah- crusted Kumara, goat cheese and red pepper salad

 Dip one side of evenly-sized pieces of peeled Beauregard kumara (600g) into a beaten egg then Dukkah and place Dukkah- side up on a shallow roasting tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle over about 1/3  cup olive oil and roast till golden brown (180c fan oven) for about 25-30 mins. Save the oil for a dressing mixed with a spoonful of red wine vinegar. Serve warm with crumbled goat cheese such as Puhoi Goat Cheese, roasted red peppers from the deli and a pile of baby spinach leaves dressed with the oil /vinegar combo. Also nice accompanying a main course such as roasted chicken. Tip. Cook chicken pieces in the oven at the same time as the kumara. Serves 4-6.

 Savoury Potato Bake Cook 800g peeled and cut up Agria potatoes in salted boiling water till soft. Drain well then mash with a ¼ cup warm milk. Add ½ cup grated cheese, 2 eggs and 2 tbsp Dukkah. Pile in to a greased baking dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese and Dukkah and bake in a hot oven for 25 mins or until golden and slightly puffy.This can be prepared well ahead and baked just before dinner so it is a good dish for when friends are coming over for a meal. 

Crumbed tenderloins with spicy dipping sauce. Mix 4 tbsp breadcrumbs with 4 tsp Dukkah (I like Alexandra’s Piquant Dukkah for this) on a shallow plate. Open a 165ml can coconut cream and pour ½ into another shallow plate. Dip 8-10 chicken tenderloins into the coconut cream one at a time then into the Dukkah and set aside for about 15mins in the fridge to firm up.Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook the tenderloins carefully on both sides over a medium heat or they will burn. Meanwhile place the rest of the coconut cream in a small bowl and add 1-2 tsp Harissa (or a red pepper pesto if serving children), 1 tsp Worcester sauce, and a few spoonfuls of water . Warm through in the microwave for a minute and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve as a dipping sauce or over the tenderloins if serving as part of a meal.