Thermomix love...

I have a Thermomix.

When some people hear that, a curiously mocking grin lurks around their mouths (thinking, I suspect, "suburban housewife, too much time, too much money"). When some people hear, they look at me as if to say WTF is that?! It is a talking point, that's for sure.

Well it's a whizz bang, in your face, beautifully masterminded little bundle of awesomeness as far as I'm concerned! I LOVE it. I use it every day.

Knackers to your bloody store bought pesto, mayo, hollandaise sauce, salad dressing, jam, custard.....I make them all and they taste like proper! I'd never made any of those things from scratch before (because, quite frankly, they sounded like too much of a Bucking Fitch to be contemplated.)

No more caster or icing sugar for me! I mill my own. I could even mill whole wheat into flour. (but truly cannot be bothered going that far!) I made a cake in it last night for school lunches. It was mixed and in the oven in 5 minutes.

I hate kneading stuff. All that crapola about feeling the love in the dough... I hate the stuff sticking to my fingers!! Bread dough, including kneading, 2 minutes. Pasta dough, including kneading, 3 minutes.

Anyhoo....one of my faves is


Mushroom and Prawn Quinoa Risotto. Here's the recipe with or without TM.

Grate 50g Parmesan ((10 secs on Speed 9) - set aside

Chop 1/2 an onion and 2 cloves garlic ( 3 secs speed 7)

Add 25g Olive Oil, saute (2 mins, Speed 1, MC off)

add 1/4 cup of Arborio Rice and 3/4 cup Quinoa (whole cup of either if you prefer) and 100g Verjuice (or White Wine) Saute 2 mins (100 degrees, Reverse Speed 2)

Add  200g Swiss brown (or any) Mushrooms
*Add 2.5 cups Chicken Stock to Thermomix and cook 17mins 100 degrees, reverse Speed 1)


**heat 2.5 cups of Chicken Stock in microwave or saucepan till nearly boiling, add a half cup at a time to risotto, stirring constantly till absorbed.

Add 20 Frozen Raw Prawns in the last 2 mins of cooking. 1 min for Fresh/Thawed.

Season with Salt and Pepper, add the parmesan, rest for at least 5 mins before serving.

I add a bit of Goats Cheese into the serving dish at resting time, just dotting it into the top of the risotto. Also stir in Basil or Spinach leaves in the 5 mins resting time. Whatever you like really.

Pretty healthy, especially as it's mostly Quinoa, and delicioso!

x

Goat's Cheese is the new Chocolate!

I made a Chorizo and Vegetable Lasagne last night. I had it for dinner and again for lunch today. My god, it was divine! (If I may say so myself)

I have henceforth decided that Goat's Cheese is my new Chocolate. It's zesty earthy taste sends shivers into my tastebuds. 

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I hate tea, and I LOVE Goat's Cheese. 

I most definitely would dance for it!

Recipe here, if you're innerested... You can easily leave out the Chorizo if you want.

Chorizo and Vegetable Lasagne

1 onion

1 tsp Garlic

1 (large) bottle Passata

Salt and pepper

1 pkt Philadelphia Light

1 small Goat's Cheese

Milk

Pesto

Thinly sliced Chorizo Sausage (as good as you can get)

Thinly sliced Pumpkin, Zucchini, Eggplant

Lasagne sheets - Fresh or Dried

Sweat the onion and garlic then add 3/4 of the bottle of Passata and cook for 5 minutes or so. Season well.

Process the Philly and Goats cheese, then add milk 'til it is a saucy consistency.

Layer the Lasagne - tomato sauce first, lasagne, pumpkin, GC sauce, pesto, lasagne, tom sauce, zucchini, GC sauce, pesto, lasagne, tom sauce, eggplant, GC sauce, pesto, lasagne, chorizo, GC sauce, pesto, rest of Tom sauce - add the last 1/4 of the bottle to the top. 

Make sure it's nice and saucy or it will dry out.

Cook at 180 degrees for about 30 or 40 minutes.

maaaaa!