Lucas' Blog Working on my creative writing skills.

Chicken, lime and chilli penne

Courtesy of Dan Rose’s friend Lisa Clark, below is the recipe for chicken, lime and chilli penne

SERVES 4

Ingredients

• 350g dried mini penne rigate pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 small red chillies, deseeded, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (see tip)
• 1 teaspoon finely-grated lime rind
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

• Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chilli, garlic and green onions. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Add chicken, lime rind, juice and pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Add coriander. Toss to combine. Serve.

Notes & tips

• You will need 1 small barbecued chicken for this recipe.

Le Cellier Cheese Soup

Courtesy of Dan Rose, below are the instructions for making a celery & cheese soup.

SERVES 10 -12

Ingredients

• 230g bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 710 ml milk
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 30g butter
• 710 ml water
• 0.75 ml Tabasco sauce (a generous splash)
• 1 cup flour
• 120 ml beer
• 340-350g good quality cheese, freshly grated
• salt and pepper

Directions

• In a soup pot, start to brown the bacon over medium heat. When the bacon is starting to get crisp, add the onions, celery and butter. Cook until the onion is translucent.
• Add the flour and incorporate with the butter. Cook for 4 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the water and whisk. Make sure there are no lumps.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Add the milk and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Do not boil after you add the milk.
• After the last 15 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese and then the beer, stirring gently until the cheese is melted. Take off the heat, add Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives or finely chopped green onions, if desired.

If the soup is too thick, you can thin it out with some milk.

Thai Chicken

Courtesy of Lynette Braddock, below are the instructions for making Thai Chicken.

Ingredients

• 500 grams chicken
• 1 cup lite coconut cream
• 2 tabs peanut butter
• 2 tabs sweet chilli sauce
• 1tbs tea curry powder
• 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1 cup water
• Capsicum
• Onion
• Carrot
• Mushroom
• Zucchini
• Snow Peas
• *basically any vegies you have*

Method

• Cook chicken and then add vegies and cook through till just tender (sort of stir fried)
• Add coconut cream, peanut butter, curry  powder, sweet chilli and chicken stock – bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve with rice

Adjust the measurements of the curry powder and sweet chilli sauce to your likings.

Vegetable Lasagne

Courtesy of Sue Stevens, below are the instructions for making Vegetable Lasagne

• Baste a selection of vegetables, such as  capsicum, zucchini, onion, garlic, pumpkin, etc with lemon juice and pepper.  Grill.
• Whilst they is grilling, prepare the pesto sauce:  4T flour in 4T butter.  Stir fry and add enough milk to make a thick white sauce.  You can season to suit your taste.
• Lightly oil a baking dish.
• Spread prepared pesto over base of baking dish, follow with layers of grilled vegetables, lasagne sheets, pesto, grated parmesan cheese, vegetables, lasagne, pesto, lasagne sheets, pesto and finishing with a good layer of grated cheeses, combination of mozza and parmesan, etc.  Bake for about 45 minutes in a moderate oven.
• Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!!!!!