Spicy Grilled Potato Skins by Robert Rainford

Taken from Astroview March 2010

• 6 baking potatoes
• 1 tbsp vegetable cooking oil
• 1 tbsp roasted garlic
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 3/4 cup bottled salsa
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chives to garnish
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno

For roasted garlic:

• 1 head of garlic
• olive oil
• pepper
• sprig of fresh thyme

Method:

1. Wash potatoes and prick with fork. Then wrap potatoes in aluminum foil
2. Preheat BBQ to 300’F (150’C) and cook until tender
3. Remove potatoes from the grill, slice them in half and scoop the flesh out of the potatoes, leaving approximately 1/2” of the flesh around the sides. Allow to cool
4. Brush the skin with oil and season with salt and pepper. Then place on a well-oiled preheated medium high grill for 8 mins until golden and crispy
5. Remove from heat and drop a dollop of salsa in each, followed by sour cream, chopped jalapeno and roasted garlic
6. Add grated cheddar and top with chopped chives

Cajun Shrimp Love Sauce by Robert Rainford

Taken from Astroview March 2010

• 3 pounds of large shrimp

For the marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 3 tsp Cajun seasoning

For the Cajun Love Sauce:

• 2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large chopped celery ribs
• 6 chopped green onions
• 4 tbsp dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp capers
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 2 tsp horseradish
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup Hickory wood chips soaked in cold water for 30 mins
• 2 cups of dry Hickory wood chips

Method:

1. Peel shrimp, leaving their tails on and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning and let marinate in the fridge for 20 mins. Bring to room temperature before cooking
2. In the meantime, preheat barbecue to 220’F (110’C). Squeeze the water from the wet chips and place them in the center of a large piece of tin foil. Add the dry chips and mix. Fold the foil into a sealed pouch. With a fork poke holes in both sides of the pouch from which the smoke will escape. The more holes – the more smoke!
3. Turn one burner to medium high heat and place the woodchip pouch directly over the flames. Turn the other burners off
4. Once the grill is smoking, quickly place the shrimp directly over the grills that are off. Smoke shrimp with indirect heat for 10 – 15 mins or until shrimps are evenly pink and slightly caramelized on the outside
5. Meanwhile add all ingredients for the Cajun Love Sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use
6. Combine the smoked shrimp with Cajun Love Sauce in a serving dish and chill for 1 or 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Scallops with Roasted Catalan Sauce by Jose Andres

Taken from Astroview June 2010; serves 4 to 6

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup Spanish extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for coating the vegetables
• 1 red bell pepper
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 1 Spanish onion
• 3 nora chili peppers (or any dried sweet chili pepper)
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• 1 ounce white bread, crust removed
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp pimenton (Spanish sweet paprika)
• 1/2 tbsp salt

For the scallops:

• 2 tbsps Spanish extra virgin olive oil
• 8 large sea scallops
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 350’F
2. Lightly brush olive oil over the pepper, tomatoes, garlic and onion and roast for about 25 mins
3. Remove from the oven and peel them. Seed the pepper and tomatoes and cut off their tops
4. Meanwhile, soak the chili in a bowl covered with hot water for 15 mins. Strain, remove the seeds and puree them until smooth. Strain the puree and set aside
5. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over low heat. Add the almonds and saute until just browning, then set aside
6. Raise the heat to medium and add the bread to the same pan. Toast the bread and set aside
7. Add the pureed chili to the pan and cook for 30 secs. Remove the pan from the heat
8. To make the sauce, place the peeled roasted vegetables into the blender. Add the almonds, toasted bread, toasted chili paste, vinegar, pimenton and the remaining 7 tbsps of olive oil. Blend into a thick sauce and add salt to taste. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside
9. Prepare the scallops by heating a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and when hot, add the scallops and sear on both sides for about 30 secs each side. Season to taste with salt and set aside
10. To serve, spoon some sauce onto a serving plate. Place the seared scallops on top. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and garnish with chopped parsley

Spicy Lamb Curry by Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Taken from Astroview April 2010; Serves 4

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 kg lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut roughly into 4 cm cubes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 6 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 500 gm jar of spicy apple chutney
• Water
• 500 gm butternut squash, peeled and cut roughly into 3 cm cubes
• Salt and ground black pepper

Note: Adding the jar of chutney is a great shortcut for adding real depth of flavour to the dish. A good fruity chutney will do too.

Method:

1. Grind the cumin and coriander together
2. Heat a little rapeseed oil in a large frying-pan over a medium-high heat and brown the meat evenly all over. Don’t overcrowd the pan – you may need to do this in batches. Transfer the browned meat to a large saucepan
3. Add a little more oil to the frying pan and add the onion, garlic, ginger, crushed cumin and coriander seeds and curry powder. Saute for 5 mins to release the aromas
4. Tip the spiced onion mixture into the pan with the meat, along with the chutney and enough water or stock just to cover
5. Bring to the boil, lower the temperature and simmer very gently, uncovered, for an hour
6. Add the chopped squash and cook for a further hour until the lamb is very tender
7. Adjust seasoning if required and serve with rice or bread

Thai BBQ Chicken by Ben O’Donoghue

Taken from Astroview October 2011

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg chicken, cut in half, bones removed and fat trimmed off
• Iceberg lettuce, halved and leaves separated  into cups
• 1 cup mint
• 1 cup coriander
• 1 cup Thai basil
• Sweet chilli sauce

Ingredients for chicken marinade:

• 5 coriander roots, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 5 shallots
• 1 birdseye chilli
• 1 tbsp minced turmeric or turmeric powder
• 2 tbsps white pepper
• 3 – 4 tbsps fish sauce
• 2 – 3 tbsps palm sugar

Method:

1. Puree coriander roots, garlic, shallots, chilli and turmeric
2. Add pepper, fish sauce and sugar to taste
3. Rub the marinade into and under the skin of the chicken. Leave in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 hours
4. Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature
5. Prepare barbeque for direct grilling over medium heat
6. Add the chicken, skin side down and grill until crisp and golden brown
7. Lift chicken off the heat, and separate the coals to create an indirect cooking method. Cook for 20 mins or until cooked through
8. Glaze chicken with  sweet chilli sauce, carve into strips and serve with lettuce cups and herbs

Norwegian Poached Salmon Tower on Cream Curry by Chef Ricky

Taken from Astroview October 2011

Ingredients:

• 120gm salmon, cut into 3 equal sizes
• 50gm spinach, cooked
• 10gm onions, cooked
• 40gm asparagus
• 25gm leek
• 20gm celery
• 20gm carrots
• 500ml hot water
• 1 lemon wedge
• 5 cherry tomatoes

Ingredients for curry sauce:

• 10gm curry powder
• 30gm onions
• 10gm ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 200ml cream

Method:

1. Bring hot water to a boil and throw in celery, onion, carrots, leek and basil
2. Add salmon into the water and poach
3. Once cooked, sandwich the salmon with layers of spinach and onion, and decorate with grilled asparagus and tomatoes. Place the lemon wedge on the salmon tower
4. For the sauce, saute onions, ginger, cinnamon and curry powder, adding cream to thicken. Drizzle generously before serving

Cauliflower “Cous Cous” by Eric Ripert

with Market Vegetables and Argan Oil Vinaigrette (Serves 4)

Taken from Astroview May 2011

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• Baby carrots, peeled, cut in half
• Baby turnips, peeled, cut in half
• Asparagus tips
• Green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half
• Baby bok choy, tough outer leaves removed
• Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Radishes, quartered
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsps  vinegar
• 6 tbsps Argan oil
• 4 – 6 tbsps Canola oil
• 1/2 cup baby Arugula
• 1/2 cup pea tendrils
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Special equipment:

• 4 4” ring molds

Method:

1. Depending on the variety of vegetables to be blanched, bring several small pots of lightly salted water to a boil
2. Separate each of the cauliflower florets and place the florets in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower resembles cous cous. Transfer the cauliflower cous cous to a saute pan, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and gently cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and most of the water has evaporated. Strain and place in a mixing bowl to cool
3. Prepare the vegetables for blanching; cook each of the vegetables in a separate pot of boiling water, drain and shock in an ice water bath. Transfer to a towel-lined plate and set aside
4. Season the cooked cauliflower cous cous with lemon juice, olive oil, mint and parsley; set aside
5. Combine Dijon mustard and vinegar in a mixing bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle in the Argan oil and just enough Canola oil to balance out the acidity while whisking constantly. Put this vinaigrette aside
6. Place one ring mold in the center of each of four plates and spoon the cous cous into the ring molds, pressing gently to lightly pack in the mold
7. Toss the vegetables, Arugula and pea tendrils in a mixing bowl with just enough Argan oil vinaigrette to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper
8. Arrange the vegetables on top of the cous cous. Drizzle more of the vinaigrette around and serve immediately