The Peripatetic Chef!

Hello all. I’m a few days late. Apologies. I’m traveling. (I’m the peripatetic chef.) But the good news is that I am a houseguest with my favorite Australian family, and I’m pleased to bring you a recipe from The Barbie! This one is worth the wait!

SEAFOOD BROCHETTES WITH LIME AND COCONUT
(Soak bamboo skewers in water for about 1 hour to prevent them scorching. You need 24 skewers for this recipe.)
500 g piece tuna
500 g piece salmon
500 g piece swordfish
1/3 cup finely chopped palm sugar
400 ml coconut cream
2 Tbls grated kaffir lime rind
¼ cup kaffir lime juice
2 bird’s-eye chilies, seeded, chopped finely

Remove any skin from fish; cut each fish into 4cm pieces. Place sugar and cream in small pan; stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves, cool. Stir in rind, juice, chili and fish. (Best made ahead to this stage. Cover, refrigerate for 3 hours, overnight or freeze.)

Drain fish over small pan; reserve marinade. Thread a mixture of fish pieces onto 12 pairs of skewers; grill on heated oiled barbecue, uncovered, until browned lightly and just cooked through. Place reserved marinade on barbecue; simmer, uncovered, 1 minute or until thickened slightly. Serve with brochettes. Makes 12.

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SURPRISE POTATO CAKES
1 oz butter
4 oz onion, chopped finely
2 oz hazelnuts, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
½ green pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped finely
1 Tbls tomato puree
2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
squeeze lemon juice
2 lb potatoes, boiled and well drained
1 egg, separated
2-3 oz desiccated coconut
salt and pepper to taste
lemon slices and parsley sprigs to garnish

Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion hazelnuts and cumin seeds and sauté until golden. Stir in the turmeric, green pepper, tomato puree, tomatoes and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fairly dry, then leave to cool.
Mash the potatoes with the egg yolk, and salt and pepper. Using floured hands, shape into 8 cakes. Spoon one eighth of the filling onto each cake, then work the potato around the filling to encase it.
Dip each cake into the lightly beaten egg white, then into the coconut/ Place on a greased baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven (425˚) for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Garnish with lemon and parsley. Serves 4.

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ORANGES AND STRAWBERRIES WITH LIME
3 sweet oranges
8 oz. strawberries
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp sugar
fresh mint to decorate

Using a sharp knife, cut a slice off the top and bottom of the oranges, then remove the peel and pith, curing downward and taking care to retain the shape of the oranges. Using a small sharp knife, cut down between the membranes of the oranges to remove the segments. Discard the membranes. Hull the strawberries by pulling the leaves off. Cut into slices, along the length of the strawberries. Put the oranges and strawberries in a bowl, then sprinkle with the lime rind, lime juice and sugar. Chill until ready to serve. To serve transfer to serving bowl and garnish with mint sprig. The oranges could be replaced with mangoes. Orange flavored liquor could be substituted for some of the sugar. Serves 4.

Recipes from The Aussie “Bar-bie”