Sweet Chilli Jam

I was first introduced to sweet chilli jam years ago when I visited Australia to see my mum's sister Aunty Raina Ruri and her whanau.  She was renowned for whipping up a 3 course meal with literally only a handful of ingredients in her pantry.  She may not have had fresh herbs or fresh stock, but what she did have was the initiative to get depth of flavour by using what she had.   It was no problem to throw in some chutney or tomato sauce to give her casserole a little lift.

I've pretty much had a jar of sweet chilli jam in my pantry.  It's great to add to stews, as a dipping solution with some home made dim sims or even poured over some sour cream as a quick dip with some corn chips or vegetable sticks when unexpected visitors arrive and it turns into afternoon drinks.

The amount of chillies used is really up to you.  The more you have, the hotter the sauce and although I state to use red chillies, I've used long green chillies as well, as it's turned out perfect!!!

Ingredients
12 - 20 long red chillies
2 whole heads of garlic, cloves peeled
2 large pieces of ginger - about 200 grams
5 cups of caster sugar
1 cup of water
1 cup of white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of fish sauces
Zest and juice of 8 limes.

Method
Get a pot that big enough to hold all the ingredients.

Chuck the chillies, garlic and ginger into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Add the chilli mixture into the pot with the remaining ingredients and stir over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Once the sugar is dissolved bring to boil until the sauce is reduced by a third.  This should take about 20 mins.

Pour into sterilised jars.

Makes approximately 1200 mls.

Happy learning peeps!

Garlic & Herbed Salt

This recipe is so easy to make and is so handy to have in the kitchen!!  You can decide what kind of herbs you want.  Rosemary, thyme, marjoram or oregano all go really well.  If you only have one herb in your garden, then one is all you need.

You can even adjust the volume of herbs and garlic you wish to use or add something like lemon zest and chopped chili.  The opportunities are endless!!

Ingredients
500 grams of sea salt
10-12 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 - 10 tablespoons of fresh herbs, finely chopped

Method
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and let stand uncovered for 12 - 24 hours.  That's it!!!

Store in an airtight container and use on any meats you wish!!

Happy living!!

Paleo Mayonnaise

Homemade mayonaise has always scared me because I thought it was such a drama ensuring you got the right consistency.  That was until I found this recipe, or should I say, my husband found it.  Not only is it quick and easy, but it's delicious, healthy and extremely versatile.  Once this basic mayonnaise is done, you can add any additional herbs or spices to match whats on your menu.  

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon of dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup of olive oil

Method
Place all the ingredients except the olive oil, into a small glass bowl and whisk until nicely combined and the egg yolk has thickened slightly.

Add the olive oil in a steady slow stream whilst whisking continuously until the oil is combined and the mayonnaise is thick and creamy.

Makes approximately 1 cup of mayonnaise.

Happy living people!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Last week I decided to make another batch of vanilla extract because the batch I made a year ago had all gone :-(   The reason why I make my own is mainly because it's so damn expensive for good quality vanilla extract and so damn easy to do it yourself.

Ingredients is pretty simple.  Vanilla beans and alcohol.  Equipment is even easier.  Bottle (or sealable jar), jug and funnel.  Place the beans in the bottle and top with the alcohol.  Place the lid on and let it steep for as long as you can.  The longer the better.

Equipment and ingredients

Beans in the bottle with the alcohol

One week of brewing

I tend to cut the beans in half to release more flavour quickly and I also tend to leave the beans in the alcohol.  The longer you leave the beans in the stronger it gets, then it's just a matter of sitting back and enjoying the flavour in your baking, coffee or whatever your heart desires.

Happy living peeps!