Lasagna.

Full of carbohydrates (pasta), meat and cheese, the lasagna is a kiwi favourite.
I have used the dried small lasagna for this recipe which needs to be cooked to "al dente" before being added to the meat and sauce.
To make the cheese sauce, first make a ROUX (butter, flour and milk) which turns into a white sauce. By adding the cheese, you make a cheese sauce.
Layer your pasta with the meat and cheese sauce in an oven dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and then bake/grill to finish.
Serve with a salad to balance the meal. Lasagna does have a lot of fat in it, that is why it tastes so good.

Lasagna

Equipment

·      Pot and lid

·      Sieve

·      Sharp knife and chopping board

·      Small fry pan

·      Measuring cups/spoons

·      Oven dish

·      Mixing bowl

Ingredients

·      Lasagna pasta, 2 cup

·      Salt, a pinch

·      Beef mince, 1 ramekin

·      Onion, ½ sliced

·      Garlic, ¼-1/2 tsp

·      Tomato puree, 2 tsp in ½ cup water

·      Oil, a small squirt

·      Seasonings (salt/pepper)

·      Butter, 25g

·      Flour, 2 Tbsp

·      Milk. 1 cup

·      Cheese, 3 Tbsp

·      Herbs, pinch

·      Breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup

Method

1.    Preheat oven to 175⁰C.

2.    Bring a pot ¾ full of water to the boil. Lid on.

3.    Add a pinch of salt.

4.    Add the pasta, stir and bring back to the boil.

5.    Boil, uncovered for 15 minutes or until pasta “al dente”. Drain through sieve and leave in mixing bowl.

6.    Heat up the fry pan with a little oil (medium heat).

7.    Add the onion and fry until soft.

8.    Add the mince, garlic and seasonings and cook through (5-10 minutes). Add tomato puree with water. Leave to reduce on low heat.

9.    Place the butter in the pot and melt.

10.  Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes until frothy.

11. Take off the heat and add the milk, stirring all the time. Return to heat.

12. When the sauce is thick, add the cheese and herbs. Mix through and remove from the heat.

13. Layer the pasta, meat and sauce in the oven dish.

14. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and bake for 15 minutes.

Food Academy- Laksa (red/green curry)

Beware of the kick of the laksa!
You can replace the chicken with pork or seafood. You can add different green vegetables as well.
Just start with the base soup (curry paste, stock, coconut milk/cream, fish sauce and palm sugar) and then go from there.
I have used Udon noodles for this but you could use rice or egg noodles.
Don't forget the mung bean sprouts and fresh coriander to finish.

Asian Red/Green Curry (Laksa)

Equipment

·      Large frying pan

·      Pot

·      Sieve

·      Chopping board and sharp knife

·      Measuring cups/spoons

Ingredients

·      Red or green curry paste, 1-3 tsp (mild, medium, hot)

·      Coconut milk, 1 cup

·      Chicken (or pork or prawns), 1 breast, cut into chunks

·      Thai fish sauce, 1 tsp

·      Chicken stock, 1 cup, hot

·      Bean sprouts, half a handful

·      Palm sugar, ½ tablet, crushed

·      Chinese cabbage, ¼, shredded

·      Coriander leaves, chopped

·      Chilli flakes, light sprinkling

·      Rice noodles

·      Oil for frying

Method

1.    Place the curry paste into a large oiled frying pan on medium heat.

2.    Stir fry for 2 minutes.

3.    Add the chicken stock and bring to boil.

4.    Add coconut and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer.

5.    Add fish sauce and palm sugar.

6.    Add the chicken and Chinese cabbage to soup and simmer for 15 minutes. Season

7.    Boil a pot of water for the noodles, cook until soft then drain.

8.    Add the noodles and bean sprouts to bowls.

9.    Pour the soup over the noodles and garnish with fresh coriander and chilli flakes.

Lemon Coconut slice/cake

A simple recipe which produces a great result. I have used a small round cake tin, instead of the rectangular slice tin. So this is more of a cake than a slice.
However it is laden in sugar. Don't eat too much.
Be aware of the amount of sugar you are consuming as this is the primary cause of obesity and Diabetes.
If you don't have a zester, just lightly grate the lemon to get the skin off. You don't want the pith.

Lemon Coconut Slice

Equipment

·      Round Slice tin with baking paper

·      Measuring cups/spoons

·      Mixing bowls

·      Wooden spoon

·      Sieve

·      Cooling rack

·      Zester or grater (1 per table)

·      Juicer (1 per table)

Ingredients

·      Butter, 50g, melted

·      Castor sugar, ½ cup

·      Egg, 1, beaten

·      Lemon rind, 1 tsp (1/2 a lemon)

·      Flour, ½ cup

·      Baking powder, ½ tsp

·      Coconut, 1/4 cup

Lemon Glace Icing

·      Icing sugar, ½ cup

·      Lemon juice, 1 Tbsp

·      Coconut, 1 Tbsp

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 175⁰C.

2.    Grease and line slice tin with baking paper.

3.    Mix together the melted butter and sugar, then the egg and lemon rind.

4.    Sieve in the flour and baking powder, then mix in the coconut.

5.    Spread the mix into the slice tin and pack down.

6.    Bake for 25 minutes in the middle of the oven. It should have risen, be spongy and light brown in colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on rack.

7.    Make the icing by sieving the icing sugar and pouring in the lemon juice and mixing well until spreadable. Add a little hot water if too dry.

8.    Carefully spread the icing on the cooled slice.

9.    Sprinkle the coconut over the icing.

10. Cut into squares/slices and serve.