Satay Prawns on the BBQ

When I asked Mr. CCC what he wanted for dinner, bearing in mind that I had brought prawns, he told me he wanted prawns, on skewers, on the BBQ.  Who am I to argue with that - it makes an incredibly easy meal from my standpoint.  Make the marinade, thread the skewers and cook the rice - he can do the rest (outside in the freezing cold!!!)

I have had a bit of a disjointed couple of days - I didn't really plan my grocery shop too well, and just sort of bought a bunch of "stuff" hoping in the end it would all work out.  We were one down for all weekend, so it kind of meant I could take it sort of easy anyway.  "The Darlings" had requested tacos for dinner - so I set all the ingredients out and let them cook the taco meat themselves.  Of course having Thermie there to help makes it oh so easy - child's play actually!!!  In fact that is one of the great things about the Thermomix - it is really good for the kids to start getting them more involved with the cooking.

I had just received my delivery of Thermomix Cookbooks in the last couple of days, so on the way to rugby I leafed through the one entitled "A Seafood Bounty" looking for some ideas for the prawns - what should I find - but a photo of Spicy Satay Prawns on Skewers!!! Perfect - had all the ingredients - there's our dinner!!

Spicy Satay Marinade for Prawns
Adapted From A Seafood Bounty - Thermomix Cookbook

1 kg green prawns, peeled, tails still on
1 large piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 clove garlic
2 MC of crunchy peanut butter (approx 4 tbs)
300g water
2 tbs chinese cooking wine
1 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs honey
2 tbs curry powder
1 tsp cumin

Place the ginger and garlic into the TM bowl and chop for 6 seconds on speed 7.  Place all the remaining ingredients in the TM bowl and mix for 3-6 seconds on speed 6.

Pour the marinade over the prawns and allow to marinade for 1-4 hours.

Thread onto skewers.

Place the marinade that is left over into a small saucepan.  Bring to the boil over medium heat.  Simmer while the prawns are cooking.

Cook on the BBQ for 2-3 minutes each side, or until cooked through.

Serve the skewers with steamed jasmine rice and satay sauce on the side.

This was really far too easy a meal to even warrant this blog - but boy was it good!!!  Perhaps because there was so little work involved!!

The flavours were great - the only thing I might do differently next time is use coconut milk instead of the water - but really it worked pretty well as it was!!!  If you don't have a Thermomix - simply blend in a food processor.

So last night - the marinade was made in Thermie, "The Darlings" Taco meat was made in Thermie, and the rice was steamed in Thermie - so there was hardly any washing up last night!!! Got to love that!!!

So Dear Readers what is your idea of a really easy dinner?  Is it something you can throw on the BBQ?  Or do you have someone that will cook for you to give you a break?

Hope you have all had a nice weekend - I know we have had a nice quiet one!!!!

Spiced Lamb Free Form Pie with Dukkah and Yoghurt

Last night was a bit of a rush - I came in late, and a million things hit me head on that needed to be done - not the least of them was get a meal on the table to feed the starving "Darlings".

I did procrastinate a little on getting this started, but once I did it all came together quite quickly with the help of my kitchen helper "Thermie".

The recipe is my take on a recipe that I saw in the latest edition of Super Food Ideas - I of course added more meat, and kind of made it my way.....

Spiced Lamb Free Form Pie
Adapted from Super Food Ideas Magazine July Edition

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups plain flour
125 butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 cup approx chilled water
1 zucchini, cut into cubes
150g sweet potato, cut into cubes
1 small bunch coriander
1 brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp allspice
1kg lamb mince


Place the flour in the TM bowl.  Put on closed lid position and press Turbo once to "sift" the flour.  Add the butter and process on speed 4-5 until the ingredients look like breadcrumbs.  With the motor running, gradually add the water until the mixture comes together.

Knead on Interval setting for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth.

Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper until it is forms a rectangle approximately 30cm x 40cm.  Place on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the zucchini in the TM bowl and process for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Place the zucchini in a strainer over the bowl, pushing out as much liquid as possible.

Place the sweet potato in the TM bowl, process for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Remove from bowl and set aside.

Place the onion, garlic and coriander in the TM bowl, process for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat if necessary.

Add the mince, the zucchini, sweet potato, allspice paprika and salt and pepper to taste to the onion mix in the TM bowl.

Mix the onion mixture with the spatula just enough to get a little of the meat mixture down the bottom of the bowl.

Set dial to closed lid position and and knead on interval setting for 2-3 minutes, or until all the ingredients are well combined.

Place the meat mixture in the middle of the pastry, and fold up the edges to make a rough free form pie shape.

Sprinkle the top of the pie with a small amount of dukkah.

Spray the pastry with olive oil spray.

Bake in an oven that has been preheat to 200 degrees C for approximately 1 hour, on until when a sharp knife inserted in the centre come out clean (ie no red juices flow out).

Dukkah
From EDC Thermomix Cookbook *

150gsesame seeds
100g hazelnuts & almonds (mixture)
25g cumin seeds
30g coriander seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp dried mint

Place the sesame seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, cumin and coriander seeds into the TM bowl and dry roast for 8 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.

Remove the lid and the bowl from the housing and allow to cool.

When all the ingredients are cool, add the salt and peppercorns and the mint.  Set dial to closed lid position and pulse 1-2 times on Turbo to form a coarse powder.

* I altered the amounts shown in the cookbook as I did have the full amounts in the cupboard.  This still made a lot of dukkah!!!

Yoghurt

200g greek style plain yoghurt
1/2 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
salt and pepper

Place the mint in the TM bowl, process for 3 seconds on speed 7.  Scrape down the side of the bowl.  Add the yoghurt, sweet chilli sauce and salt and pepper.  Mix on speed 3 for 3 seconds or until combined.

Serve the pie topped with additional dukkah and a dollop of yoghurt, and extra sweet chilli sauce to taste.

I know the photos are not that appealing - but they were ready to eat their arms off if I didn't get a meal to them - so it was plate and eat (or else!!!)

We all thought this meal was really good - and "The Darlings" even ate it all without complaining!!!  One of the them told me he knew there were vegetables in there - but it was OK because they were chopped up very small!!!

So all were happy - dinner was a little late getting to the table - but at least they all ate it!!!!