Your Signature Dish

[Scraggers]

As we wind down from the festive season, I was curious to find out what you would consider your signature dish ??

For all those budding 'Jamie Olivers' or 'Nigella Lawsons' what meal is your go to meal when you are out to impress or score a few brownie points (pun intended).

Post your recipes below if you have one that you would consider your signature dish !!

[Scraggers]

Re: Your Signature Dish

For me, its the old classic ... Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding.

I marinate a 2kg topside cut of beef in red wine and garlic over night. Cook it for 90 minutes on a high heat (220 deg.), then let it rest under tin foil and tea towel for an hour.

I dirty cook, then roast the spuds and pumpkin; but the 'piece de resistance' is the yorkshires.

4 eggs (measured), equal milk, equal plain flour (and a pinch of salt). Mix the eggs and milk together with a beater, sift the flour in, and mix with beater ensure there are no lumps (your looking for pancake batter consistency). Let sit in a cool place (not the fridge) for two hours. Put the muffin tray into a very hot oven with a pea size piece of lard in each muffin hole ... remove from oven when lard is smoking. Give mix one last mix with whisk for 10 seconds, then quickly pour into muffin tray. Cook for 20 minutes, DONE !!

Smother all in gravy.

This dish works wonders when I'm trying to score points with the wife, or impress the rellies (especially the Pommy ones).

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Your Signature Dish

My kids love my chicken schnitzel; Dad's chicken they call it.

I get a small bowl & break 2 eggs into it, add a decent spoonful of minced garlic & whisk with a fork, then add milk & whisk that too. I use a fair amount of milk.

I get a larger bowl & empty a packet of bread crumbs into it & then add a bit of this & a bit of that, a bit of this & a bit of that is usually black pepper, rosemary, thyme, basil, lemon pepper, garlic salt, season all, chicken stock & chicken gravy powder. use a fork to mix up.

Using a fillet knife, slice chicken fillets up, then dip into the milk mix, then into the bread crumb mix. After I have all the chicken coated I repeat the process.

In order to avoid lumpy bits, I have the sink half filled with hot to warm water & after I crumb each piece of chicken & place my hand in the water to get the bread crumbs off.

Just fry the chicken in some oil & butter, then dish up with hassle back or mashed potatoes, vegetables & chicken gravy.

A bit fiddly, but tastes nice.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Half Mexican, half capricossa

[chef]

Re: Your Signature Dish

I would struggle to name just 1, but my favourite to make and eat is my Turkish Delight which I also use as a filling for my Macarons. If anyone wants the recipe I can post it.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Beef rendang curry, making the curry paste from scratch:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27175/beef+rendang

Only problem was, the first time a made it, I didn't use gloves when cutting up the chilli (duh stoopid!). Must have scratched my nose at some point, because it started to burn and I realised it must be the chilli. My immediate thought was, "For God's sake, don't touch your eyes, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES!"

So what did I do? My eye instantly itched, and in a reflex I scratched it. Trying to google, "how to get rid of chilli burn" with one eye shut and watering like billy-o was not fun

[chef]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Beef rendang curry, making the curry paste from scratch:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27175/beef+rendang

Only problem was, the first time a made it, I didn't use gloves when cutting up the chilli (duh stoopid!). Must have scratched my nose at some point, because it started to burn and I realised it must be the chilli. My immediate thought was, "For God's sake, don't touch your eyes, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES!"

So what did I do? My eye instantly itched, and in a reflex I scratched it. Trying to google, "how to get rid of chilli burn" with one eye shut and watering like billy-o was not fun

I know a chef who was cutting chilli's and then went to the toilet for a leak. Very funny

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Your Signature Dish

I would love the Turkish Delight recipe, chef, sounds yum!

The only meal I can count on everyone in the family eating is the old standby lasagne - not very exciting but it is delicious. I use Stephanie Alexander's recipe from the Cook's Companion. Beef mince cooked with garlic, onion, (I use ham not pancetta), wine, nutmeg, chicken stock, tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme; layered with lasagne sheets and white sauce, then topped with parmesan.

[Mantis]

Re: Your Signature Dish

I get a larger bowl & empty a packet of bread crumbs into it & then add a bit of this & a bit of that, a bit of this & a bit of that is usually black pepper, rosemary, thyme, basil, lemon pepper, garlic salt, season all, chicken stock & chicken gravy powder. use a fork to mix up.

Baz, have you tried using fresh breadcrumbs instead out of the packet ones?

I have started making my own and the results are some tasty products.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Baz, have you tried using fresh breadcrumbs instead out of the packet ones?

I have started making my own and the results are some tasty products.

No, I have no idea how to use 'She who must be obeyed's' blender thingy.

[EasternWest]

Re: Your Signature Dish

I would struggle to name just 1, but my favourite to make and eat is my Turkish Delight which I also use as a filling for my Macarons. If anyone wants the recipe I can post it.

I would love the Turkish Delight recipe, chef, sounds yum!

Seconded!

If you're feeling generous, I'd love a crack at your Macarons too.

Surely anyone with the username and occupation "Chef" is going to have the good oil?

[Bornadog]

Re: Your Signature Dish

I do all the cooking at home. This is one of my favourites:

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (by Charmaine Solomon)

Ingredients
1.5kg chicken thigh cutlets
2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
10 curry leaves
2 large onions, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground fennel
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 stick cinnamon
1 stalk lemon grass
1 pandan leaf
1 cup thick coconut milk

Preparation
Heat ghee and fry fenugreek and curry leaves until they start to brown.

Add onions, garlic and ginger and fry gently until onions are quite soft and transparent.

Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, cumin, fennel, paprika, salt and vinegar and stir well.

Add tomatoes, whole spices and lemon grass.

Add chicken and stir over medium heat until chicken is thoroughly coated with spices. Cook, covered, over low heat for 40 to 50 minutes.

Add coconut milk, taste and add more salt and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Do not cover after adding coconut milk.

Serve with stringhoppers or rice and coconut sambol.

There are lot of ingredients but well worth making your own curry.

[Mantis]

Re: Your Signature Dish

No, I have no idea how to use 'She who must be obeyed's' blender thingy.

Easy fixed.

When she is around get it out and put all the ingredients in. Then ask her over and pretend like you have no idea what your doing. She will push you out the way and finish the job for you. Hopefully she cleans up the mess too.

[chef]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Turkish Delight.

1/2 cup Water 1
1 Orange and 1 Lemon, juice and finely chopped zest 2
3 cups Sugar 3

5 leaves Gelatin 4
2 cups Water 5

3/4 cup Cornflour 6
1/2 cup Water 7

Pink colour 8
Rose water 9

Soak 4 in 5 and set aside.
Mix 6 and 7 together and set aside.
Bring 1,2 and 3 to a gentle boil(making sure all sugar crystals are dissolved).
Add 4 and 5 and stir with a whisk until back to the boil.
Add 6 and 7 and stir until back to the boil.
Cook out(gentle boil) the 6 for around 10 minutes stirring frequently(the longer you boil it the clearer the TD will be).
Take off the heat and add the 8 and 9, the amount depends on what shade of pink you want and how strong off a rose water flavour(I usually ad about 100mls of 9)
Pour into a tin or tray line with non stick baking paper and refrigerate.
Cut with a hot clean knife cleaning between each cut.
Enjoy.

[Scraggers]

Re: Your Signature Dish

Turkish Delight.

1/2 cup Water 1
1 Orange and 1 Lemon, juice and finely chopped zest 2
3 cups Sugar 3

5 leaves Gelatin 4
2 cups Water 5

3/4 cup Cornflour 6
1/2 cup Water 7

Pink colour 8
Rose water 9

Soak 4 in 5 and set aside.
Mix 6 and 7 together and set aside.
Bring 1,2 and 3 to a gentle boil(making sure all sugar crystals are dissolved).
Add 4 and 5 and stir with a whisk until back to the boil.
Add 6 and 7 and stir until back to the boil.
Cook out(gentle boil) the 6 for around 10 minutes stirring frequently(the longer you boil it the clearer the TD will be).
Take off the heat and add the 8 and 9, the amount depends on what shade of pink you want and how strong off a rose water flavour(I usually ad about 100mls of 9)
Pour into a tin or tray line with non stick baking paper and refrigerate.
Cut with a hot clean knife cleaning between each cut.
Enjoy.

Cheers Chef