Thai-style red curry pumpkin soup with prawns

Serves 4

Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minute

2 Tbsp peanut oil (we used Vegetable oil)
1 brown onion,coarsely chopped
2-4 tsp red curry paste
3 cups vegetable stock
1.3 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 cup coconut milk
20 green prawns, peeled, leaving tails intact
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves
lime wedges to serve

Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Add the pumpkin and lime leaves. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
Transfer half the pumpkin soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the soup to a clean saucepan.
Repeat with the remaining pumpkin mixture.
Place over low heat and add the coconut milk. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large fry pan over high heat.
Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until they curl and change colour.
Ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Top with the prawns and coriander to serve.

Recipe by Michelle Southan, Food editor of Woolworths Australian Good Taste Magazine

Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Soup

Serves 4

olive oil
150g chorizo sausage, finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
500g fresh spinach, washed and chopped
8 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 x 410g tin cooked chickpeas, drained
1.3 litres chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
55g pata negra, Spanish ham or prosciutto, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil


Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot and add the chorizo. Allow to heat up and cook for a couple of minutes until the fat comes out of the chorizo, then add your onion, garlic and celery.
Turn the heat down and cook slowly for 15 minutes with a lid on and without colouring the onions. Now take the lid off, stir it around and get some colour happening. Add spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for around 40 minutes.

At this point you can remove about a third of the mixture and puree it in a food processor or Thermomix. Put it back into the pot, give it a good stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and stir in the pata negra or ham and 2 or 3 Tbsp good virgin olive oil.

Scallops with Ginger and Lime with Soba Noodles

500gms scallops approx. (more can be added)
Knob fresh ginger sliced finely or grated
Juice 1 lime
Olive Oil

Soba Noodles – 2/3 pack. Prepare as per directions.

Toss through:
Ketchup Manis (approx 3 – 4 tablespoons)
3 shallots sliced finely
250gms snow peas sliced diagonally
100 - 150mls coconut cream

.Combine ginger, lime and scallops and sear quickly in little olive oil over high heat. Toss all ingredients together and serve with bok choy or other asian vegetable that has been steamed and tossed in Oyster sauce to taste.




Ginger, Soy, Wasabi and Lime Dressing

Knob Ginger finely sliced or grated
½ cup Soy
Wasabi to taste
Juice 1 Lime or to taste

Combine and mix with spoon

This delicious meal was prepared for us by Di and Steve Moore who we met at Port Lincoln SA.

Thai Prawn Salad

Lovely and refreshing and perfect to serve on a warm night.

2 oranges, peeled and segmented
2 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented
75g (1 cup) bean sprouts, trimmed
1 handful bean shoots
1 mango cut into cubes
1 handful coriander, chopped
1 handful mint, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 spring onions sliced
12 raw prawns peeled with tails intact
1 Tbsp chopped roasted cashew nuts, to garnish(or peanuts)

Dressing:
60mls (1/4 cup) lime juice
1 tsp honey
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed

Combine the first nine ingredients in large bowl.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Stir fry the prawns in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 1-2 minutes, or until cooked and golden.
Season with freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Add the prawns and dressing to the salad and toss well.
Divide between serving plates and garnish with the cashew nuts.
Serve immediately.

Occasionally I add a little cabbage to make the dish go a little further.

Bali Breakfast

While in Bali, our Hotel had a traditional Bali breakfast each morning. This is as close as we could get by guessing the ingredients. Feel free to experiment to suit your taste.

This can also be used as a dinner meal. You may wish to increase the amount of ingredients to give a larger serve.

For two people:

1/2 cup rice
250 grams diced chicken
2 cups chicken stock
3 spring onions finely chopped
2 Tbsp coriander
6 jalapenos chopped (use more or less depending on how much you spice you like)
handful of peanuts
squeeze of lime juice in each bowl
dash of tamari in each bowl

Steam chicken and set aside.
Cook rice and set aside.
Heat chicken stock.

Divide all ingredients equally in two bowls.

Breakfast Protein Shake

Take your time drinking this for breakfast. If you get hungry during the morning eat some fruit until lunch.

For one person:

1 banana
1 cup of other fruit e.g strawberries, mango, peaches
1/4 cup milk or orange juice (you may need more if too thick)
1 Tbsp honey
1 egg
1 Tbsp almond
1 Tbsp cold pressed almond oil
1 Tbsp oats
1tsp green powder- optional (barley, spirulina, wheat)
hand full ice cubes

Place all ingredients into your thermomix or blender and mix until smooth.

Taken from “Changing Habits, Changing Lives” by Cindy O’Meara

Capsicum and egg/Pear and proscuitto

Red Capsicum and egg

1 large red capsicum, washed, de- seeded and cut in half lengthwise

Place the capsicum on a hot barbeque.

Crack an egg in the centre of each capsicum, add a little sea salt and cracked pepper.

Close lid on barbeque. Check frequently and remove when egg is cooked.

If you like a little spice, try adding a few chili flakes to the egg while cooking, or sliced jalapenas just before serving.



Pears wrapped in prosciutto

Cut pears in half, wrap with a thin slice of prosciutto and pin in place with a toothpick.

Place on hot barbeque and cook until prosciutto crispy and pear is tender.

These can be used as an entree or with a meal.