Crab Fried Rice

Crab Fried Rice - My Unique Recipe

I have amazing days at work.  They can be incredibly hectic, talking to so many people, 

or quiet, gentle days when I can sit, read and reflect on things.

I prefer the busy days as they fly by and it is 4.30pm before you know it.

I pop into the supermarket on the way home to purchase the nights' dinner ingredients 

which ensures you always run into one or two friends which can be so entertaining.

This evening I bumped baskets with a very creative friend of mine.

This energetic friend throws everything in with anything to create a meal.

There were tins of crab for about $2 each where we were standing

so I bought a few, envisioning sang choy bau or crab + lettuce sandwiches.

Ms Creative said that she threw crab in with left over rice and vegetables.

I thought why not, but I would rather fry it.

Meanwhile Ms Creative and I walked together and were passing the fresh vegetable section when we

saw a man eating grapes.  Not just one, but he had a whole big bunch in his hand

and was standing there devouring it!  Seriously, I tried so hard not to look at him;

he was definitely not a local person - you just can't do that.

I did however leave the supermarket with a big smile on my face.

So a quick google search later revealed a few crab fried rice recipes,
which I glanced at before deciding to cook it my way.
This is what I came up with and cooked for lunch the next day - it was delicious!

Crab Fried Rice

2 cups cold cooked rice

150g cooked crab

1 egg

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon curry powder 

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

white pepper and salt

vegetable oil

coriander leaves and a slice of lime for garnish

Heat up your wok, add oil and stir fry onion 2 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Toss in the rice and curry powder, cook 1 minute, add flaked crab and cook 1 more minute.

Move to the side and add the egg, slightly frying before folding through the rice mixture.

Add the soy and fish sauces, season with white pepper, taste before adding salt.

Slide onto a serving plate, garnish with coriander leaves and a slice of lime on the side.

Serves 1

Buon appetitio!  Enjoy, Merryn

Capsicums stuffed with Vegetables - My Unique Creation

Capsicums filled with Vegetables

Perfect Vegetarian Fare for Spring

Firstly I chopped up vegetables, and fried them in olive oil until just cooked.

Then I halved 2 freshly picked green capsicums, removing the membrane and seeds.

Placing the capsicum halves into a foil lined and olive oil sprayed tray,

they were then filled with the cooked vegetable mixture.

Mozzarella was grated over the top and I placed the tray into a pre heated oven

180 Celcius and cooked for about 25 minutes, 

until the capsicums were soft and the cheese was melted. 

What a delightful vegetable accompaniment, or served as a tasty entrée.

 

Vegetable Filled Capsicums

 Ingredients

1 eggplant, cut into 1cm cubes

1 potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes

1 onion, sliced finely

1 garlic clove, finely chopped



1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed
3/4 cup Passata, (or 3 tomatoes, chopped)
Handful parsley, chopped
1 pinch dried oregano
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
6 green capsicum, halved and with membrane removed.
1/4 cup olive oil
olive oil spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Heat up a large frying pan, pour in the 1/4 cup olive oil, add eggplant and fry for 2 mins per side over a medium high heat.  Add potato, celery, zucchini and onion, turn down to a medium heat and stir occasionally , cooking for 8 minutes. 

 Add the garlic, capers and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 3 minutes. 

Ad the herbs, salt and pepper, tossing through the vegetable mixture. 

Line a baking tray with foil.  Spray lightly with olive oil and place the prepared capsicums, cut side up in the tray. 

Put the vegetables into the capsicums, piling them high as they will shrink when baked.
Top with mozzarella, spray with a little olive oil and bake for 25 - 30 mins until the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

I  would love to hear how you bake capsicums.           Buon appetito, Merryn

Turkey Cannelloni

Cannelloni filled with Turkey

When I was 14 years old my best friend's parents decided to move over the border to Queensland.   We did so much together, from catching the bus to school to riding our horses every afternoon that were stabled in the same paddock.  Apart from being devastating it was also quite exciting.
We kept in touch often via phone calls or posted photographs and remained best friends.

 A few months later my mother dutifully put me on the Greyhound bus - at midnight of course - for the journey to visit my girlfriend in Queensland.   I was too excited to sleep - this was such a great adventure and I didn't want to miss a minute of it!   I noticed every bus stop and town along the way, all by streetlight.

The first day there we rode her horses and just enjoyed being together.
On the second day we were going to the newly opened Dreamworld.
I was full of anticipation and could hardly walk my legs were shaking so much.  That was the best day, a country girl riding high on the roller coaster and every fast moving ride on offer.
I have been back many times over the years, taking our children to experience all possible and they too have the love of the roller coaster and upside down rides.

The next day we went driving to Surfer's Paradise.  Strolling around the shops and examining everything in  Ripley's Believe it or Not.  Then we had lunch at a not so little Italian Trattoria which is where I first had Cannelloni.   It's funny how you assimilate food with life experiences, remembering intricate details about what and where you ate at different times.  I can picture the open air Trattoria on the corner and the aroma of that amazing cannelloni.

Turkey breast has 35 calories and 1 gram of fat per 1oz (28gram) 
serving which makes it a healthy non-vegetarian version.

It is super quick to make, is great heated up the next day and excellent to freeze for another time.

Turkey Cannelloni Recipe

Turkey filling:

500g lean turkey breast, minced

2 eggs, beaten

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 bottle Tomato passata, fresh basil leaves and grated mozzarella for topping.

1 x 250gram packet purchased cannelloni shells

Mix all of the turkey filling ingredients together, stirring until well combined.
Place olive oil in 2 large dishes just to coat the bottom.
Take each cannelloni shell and literally stuff the filling into half way with your fingers, then turn over and stuff from the other side.   Place slightly apart on the baking dish to allow tomato passata to drip between each shell.

Pour over the passata straight from the bottle until the shells are just covered.  Place whole fresh basil leaves randomly on top then cover it all with grated mozzarella.

Cover tray with foil and place in 180C oven for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and cook for another 10  minutes until mozzarella is nicely browned.  Remove and serve with a green salad and fresh bread to mop up any tomato juices.

This will make approximately 21 filled cannelloni shells.

 

This is my modern version of Cannelloni which I hope you enjoy.  You can make it also with half turkey/half pork combination.  I am working at improving my food photography skills but the flavour and aroma are undeniably sensational.

If you have enjoyed my post, kindly comment or recommend it to your friends.  Buon appetito Merryn.