Not KFC: KBC – Korean Baked Cauliflower in a Sticky Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Date Published: June 24th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 24th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sides, main, snacks, vegetarian, healthy, appetizer, asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 60 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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In an attempt to eat healthier, I stumbled across this recipe by Chez Jorge. Toby has an undying love for Korean Fried Chicken so of course we had to try this recipe as soon as we saw it. The recipe turned out fantastic and the flavours were just like classic Korean fried chicken except we felt guilt-free eating the whole batch in one sitting. Even Toby’s parents were raving about it and asked for the recipe. I’ve made this a handful of times since and always find I run out of the breading ingredients way too early, so I’ve adjusted the recipe to double the coating, but the main recipe is essentially the same. I’d recommend checking out Chez Jorge’s original recipe and the beautiful food photography.

This recipe is on the spicy side so if you’re not a fan of spice, either get a mild gochujang or lessen the amount of it in the sauce. You can serve this as a side dish or eat it as a main with a small side of rice or cold noodles to break up the bold flavours.

I will warn you, this recipe does take some time to prepare and you’ll probably get really tired of breading all the cauliflower florets, but I promise it’s worth it! This recipe is also air fryer-friendly so you can get in a little extra crunch!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsps potato starch or corn starch
2 cups raw almonds
3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbsps white sesame seeds, to finish (optional)
Buttermilk Brine
- 3 cups milk or any non-dairy milk (ie. soy milk, almond milk)
- 3 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 tsps cayenne pepper
- 3 tsps white pepper
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 3 tsps garlic powder
- 3 tsps fine sea salt
Sticky Spicy Sauce
- 2 tsps sesame oil
- 1.5 tsps ginger, grated
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 tsps rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

Directions:

Make the brine: In a large wide-based bowl or pan, mix all the ingredients for the brine (milk, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ginger powder, garlic powder, salt) and add the cauliflower florets in and mix it around. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Place the raw almonds in a food processor and pulse until you get small coarse almonds pieces (do not blend – you don’t want it too fine or else you lose the crunch). Transfer the almonds to a bowl and mix with panko and set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Set aside.

Make the sauce: In a medium skillet on medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger in the sesame oil for 30 seconds then add in the rest of the ingredients (mirin, sriracha, light soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, gochujang). Simmer for a few minutes or until the desired consistency. You should have a sticky sauce. Tip: Don’t make it too thick or else it will be hard to evenly coat all the cauliflower.

Preheat oven to 215˚C (420˚F) and prepare two baking trays lined with parchment paper. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.

Bread the cauliflower: Separate the cauliflower from the brine. Bread your cauliflower in this order, making sure to cover all sides:

Dip into the flour/cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess.
Dip into the brine. Shake off excess.
Dip into the almond/panko and gently press it into the cauliflower to help it stick.

Place the breaded cauliflower on the baking trays and drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. Bake at 215˚C for roughly 30mins or until golden brown. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.

When the cauliflower is almost done, heat up the sauce until it’s hot and immediately toss the cauliflower in the sauce when it comes out the oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Not KFC: KBC – Korean Baked Cauliflower in a Sticky Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsps potato starch or corn starch
2 cups raw almonds
3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbsps white sesame seeds, to finish (optional)
Buttermilk Brine
- 3 cups milk or any non-dairy milk (ie. soy milk, almond milk)
- 3 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 tsps cayenne pepper
- 3 tsps white pepper
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 3 tsps garlic powder
- 3 tsps fine sea salt
Sticky Spicy Sauce
- 2 tsps sesame oil
- 1.5 tsps ginger, grated
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 tsps rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

Directions:

Make the brine: In a large wide-based bowl or pan, mix all the ingredients for the brine (milk, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ginger powder, garlic powder, salt) and add the cauliflower florets in and mix it around. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Place the raw almonds in a food processor and pulse until you get small coarse almonds pieces (do not blend – you don’t want it too fine or else you lose the crunch). Transfer the almonds to a bowl and mix with panko and set aside.
In another bowl, mix together the flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a medium skillet on medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger in the sesame oil for 30 seconds then add in the rest of the ingredients (mirin, sriracha, light soy sauce, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, gochujang). Simmer for a few minutes or until the desired consistency. You should have a sticky sauce. Tip: Don’t make it too thick or else it will be hard to evenly coat all the cauliflower.
Preheat oven to 215˚C (420˚F) and prepare two baking trays lined with parchment paper. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.
Bread the cauliflower: Separate the cauliflower from the brine. Bread your cauliflower in this order, making sure to cover all sides:
1. Dip into the flour/cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess.
2. Dip into the brine. Shake off excess.
3. Dip into the almond/panko and gently press it into the cauliflower to help it stick.
Place the breaded cauliflower on the baking trays and drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. Bake at 215˚C for roughly 30mins or until golden brown. You can also do this in an air fryer at 180˚C for 15 minutes.
When the cauliflower is almost done, heat up the sauce until it’s hot and immediately toss the cauliflower in the sauce when it comes out the oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

June 24, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Simple One Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Date Published: June 24th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 24th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: soups, easy, mains, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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I LOVE chicken noodle soup. It’s so delicious and warms you right up on a cold day. Growing up in an Asian household, I never heard of chicken noodle soup until we moved to Canada and I would always see it on tv or referred to by someone as something that everyone would eat when they’re sick. Of course my mom had no idea what it was so I never got to have it until one day I saw it at the grocery store in a Campbell’s soup can and got my mom to buy it for me. I instantly fell in love with it – it actually reminds me of my mom’s Asian chicken soup but without the rice, shiitake mushrooms and different vegetables. I never knew how easy it would be to make until I came across a recipe on AllRecipes.

This recipe is easy and warming. The best part is, it’s also low in calories! I always end up eating half the pot every time I make this soup because it’s so damn good. You can choose any time of pasta noodles you like, but I prefer the classic spirals. You can also use leftover shredded roast chicken for this soup instead of chicken breast.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 Tbsps olive oil (or butter)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
Half a bunch (4-5 stalks) of celery, diced
1 cup of mushrooms, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 pinch of dried thyme
8 cups (2L) chicken or vegetable broth (try a low sodium one)*
1 chicken breast, diced
1.5 cups of uncooked pasta noodles (whichever kind you like)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil (or butter) in a pot over MED heat until fragrant (~30 seconds). Then add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms (if using). Cook until the vegetables are tender and easy to break with a spoon. You can put a lid on to quicken this cooking time.

Add the oregano, basil, thyme and chicken/vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low heat for at least 20 mins to let the flavours infuse.

Add diced chicken and noodles to the pot. Continue to simmer until the noodles and chicken are cooked. Turn off the heat, salt and pepper to taste. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Simple One Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Date Published: June 24th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 24th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: soups, easy, mains, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps olive oil (or butter)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
Half a bunch (4-5 stalks) of celery, diced
1 cup of mushrooms, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 pinch of dried thyme
8 cups (2L) chicken or vegetable broth (try a low sodium one)*
1 chicken breast, diced
1.5 cups of uncooked pasta noodles (whichever kind you like)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil (or butter) in a pot over MED heat until fragrant (~30 seconds). Then add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms (if using). Cook until the vegetables are tender and easy to break with a spoon. You can put a lid on to quicken this cooking time.
Add the oregano, basil, thyme and chicken/vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low heat for at least 20 mins to let the flavours infuse.
Add diced chicken and noodles to the pot. Continue to simmer until the noodles and chicken are cooked. Turn off the heat, salt and pepper to taste. Serve!

June 24, 2021June 24, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Okonomiyaki

Date Published: June 24th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 24th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, easy, healthy, low calorie, mains, vegetarian, sides, appetizer
Serves: 4-6 large pancakes | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins per pancake

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I LOVE okonomiyaki. I can’t remember when I had my first one, but my latest trip to Japan a few years ago reignited my love for them. They’re widely available in Japan but my favourite one was in Osaka at a little hidden place called Dan recommended by our Airbnb host. There are many variations of okonomiyaki around different regions of Japan but the basic recipe is typically similar.

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake made of mainly shredded cabbage and a flour batter then topped with a variety of sauces and toppings such as kewpie mayo, okonomiyaki sauce, and bonito flakes. The pancake is cooked on a flat top and covered with a lid to steam and soften the cabbage. The result is a beautiful golden brown pancake with a slightly crunchy texture. It’s filling and satisfying as a main dish or quick snack.

You can experiment and add different toppings into your batter such as corn, ham, shrimp…etc. Just be careful not to add too many toppings and change the texture of your pancake.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Okonomiyaki flour, bonito flakes and seaweed flakes/seasoning

200g okonomiyaki flour
300ml water
4 eggs, lightly beaten
10 cups cabbage (~1 small cabbage), sliced thinly
1 onion, diced
Toppings:
- Okonomiyaki sauce
- Kewpie mayo
- Seaweed flakes
- Bonito flakes

Directions:

What your batter should look like – not too runny

In a large bowl mix the okonomiyaki flour with water until you get a smooth paste. Then add in beaten eggs, cabbage and onion. Mix until everything is combined.

(See photo above for the consistency of what your batter should be. There should be enough batter mixture to cover all the cabbage pieces. It may differ depending on how thin you sliced your cabbage. Add more batter mixture if it doesn’t look like there’s enough.)

Heat a flat pan/skillet on MED and add a drizzle of oil. Ladle your batter onto the heated pan to size of your liking. You want it roughly 2.5cm thick. Flatten slightly with your spatula and push in the sides so you have a circle. Cook for 5 mins on each side covered with a lid. It should be golden brown on both sides.

Serve drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce, kewpie mayo, and a sprinkling of bonito flakes and seaweed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Okonomiyaki

Ingredients:

200g okonomiyaki flour
300ml water
4 eggs, lightly beaten
10 cups cabbage (~1 small cabbage), sliced thinly
1 onion, diced
Toppings:
- Okonomiyaki sauce
- Kewpie mayo
- Seaweed flakes
- Bonito flakes

Directions:

In a large bowl mix the okonomiyaki flour with water until you get a smooth paste. Then add in beaten eggs, cabbage and onion. Mix until everything is combined. (See photo above on what your batter should look like.)
Heat a flat pan/skillet on MED and add a drizzle of oil. Ladle your batter onto the heated pan to size of your liking. You want it roughly 2.5cm thick. Flatten slightly with your spatula and push in the sides so you have a circle. Cook for 5 mins on each side covered with a lid. It should be golden brown on both sides.
Serve drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce, kewpie mayo, and a sprinkling of bonito flakes and seaweed. Enjoy!

June 24, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Date Published: May 15th, 2021 | Last Updated: May 15th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: salad, sides, healthy, low calorie, easy, vegetarian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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In an attempt to eat healthier, Toby and I have been cutting dairy out of our diets and as much saturated fats as possible. We’ve been on this new diet for about 3 weeks and I must say it has been much easier than expected, however the temptations in our new clinic have been a challenge. This new clinic is the most well-stocked clinic we’ve ever been to in terms of food. There are snacks and junk food in pretty much every drawer and cupboard in the lunch room and even a chocolates/Tim Tams drawer in the fridge! There have also been 2 catered meetings and one was KFC and the other was pizza 😭. Although eating healthy isn’t hard, but the temptations everywhere have been quite the challenge. Happy to report we’re still staying strong though!

One of the key things to eating healthy or staying on track is to plan your meals ahead of time. It’s so easy to just grab fast food on the way home or open up a bag of chips at the end of a busy work day when you’re too lazy to cook, but if your meals are planned ahead of time and you already have your groceries done, it’s easier to stay focused. It also gives you an extra push to use up the veg in your fridge to make sure it doesn’t goes off 😜. I’ve been researching lots of recipes that are low in saturated fats and calories and so far this is one of my favourite side dishes and it’s so easy to make. The original recipe is from BudgetBytes with a few adaptations.

This mediterranean-inspired dish is made of delicious roasted cauliflower in a blend of spices with chickpeas, red onions, and fresh parsley, drizzled with a tangy garlicky lemon tahini dressing. To make this a full meal, toss it over a bed of kale. This dish is packed with flavour and the fibre and will keep you full all day.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can (420g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (skip if you don’t want it spicy)
3 Tbsps + 2 Tbsps olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Half bunch (~5 cups) curly leaf kale (optional – for a full salad)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).

Roast the cauliflower: In a large bowl combine: paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsps of olive oil (or more if it seems a little dry). Add in cauliflower, red onion, and chickpeas and mix everything around and spread it onto a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked and browned on the edges.

(Tip: You can also put this through an air fryer for about 10-15mins, just remove the chickpeas first and put it in the air fryer in the last 5 mins, otherwise when the chickpeas cook too much they start to pop!).

Optional: Prepare the kale: While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner and discard the stems. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.

Make the dressing: Add all the ingredients of the dressing together in a bowl and mix until combined and smooth: tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt and sugar.

Assemble the salad: Once the cauliflower finishes, add it to the prepared kale along with chopped parsley and drizzle the tahini dressing over top to finish. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can (420g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsps + 2 Tbsps olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Half bunch (~5 cups) curly leaf kale (optional – for a full salad)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F).
Roast the cauliflower: In a large bowl combine: paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 Tbsps of olive oil (or more if it seems a little dry). Add in cauliflower, red onion, and chickpeas and mix everything around and spread it onto a lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked and browned on the edges.
- (Tip: You can also put this through an air fryer for about 10-15mins, just remove the chickpeas first and put it in the air fryer in the last 5 mins, otherwise when the chickpeas cook too much they start to pop!).
Optional: Prepare the kale: While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Wash and dry the leaves in a salad spinner and discard the stems. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the leaves and massage the kale with both hands until the leaves are soft and turn a darker shade of green (1-2 mins). Set aside.
Make the dressing: Add all the ingredients of the dressing together in a bowl and mix until combined and smooth: tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne, salt and sugar.
Assemble the salad: Once the cauliflower finishes, add it to the prepared kale along with chopped parsley and drizzle the tahini dressing over top to finish. Enjoy!

May 15, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Mini Banoffee Pies

Date Published: April 12th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: desserts
Serves: 16 pies | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 2 hours

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Banoffee = banana + toffee. If you love bananas, caramel, and cream, then you’ll love banoffee pie. I don’t remember where or when I first had it, but I do remember it was love at first bite. The first time I heard of this pie was actually in an episode of Little Britain when Marjorie from Fat Fighters shamed Tania for bringing banoffee pie for the group and puts it in her own handbag instead 😂.

This recipe uses dulce de leche as the “toffee” which is essentially caramel but made with both milk and sugar instead of just sugar. I’ve used Arnott’s Granita biscuits as the pie base but it’s also commonly made with a graham cracker base (it’s just nearly impossible to find graham crackers in Australia). Feel free to use pre-made whipped cream for the topping but I find fresh whipped cream nicer and easier to control the sweetness (and it’s also super satisfying turning a liquid to a whipped “solid”).

This recipe is SUPER easy BUT it does take time to make so plan ahead if you’re making this for a party. Most of the time that goes into this recipe is just waiting for the condensed milk to caramelize into dulce de leche in the oven. Grab a book or put on a movie while the oven does most of the work for you! The rest of the recipe is basic. Just blend up the biscuits with some butter and honey, bake for a few minutes, then top with the dulce de leche, chopped bananas and cream. Done!

A banoffee pie is usually served as an actual regular-sized pie, but since it’s usually just Toby and I on the road and we never have the space to store a whole pie (nor be able to eat it all on our own), so when I bake I like to bake for the entire hospital staff. I always find whole pies and cakes difficult to serve to a big busy team on the go when you have to fuss with plates, forks, knives, storage and the dishes afterwards so I’ve developed a smaller two-bite version with not cutlery required. Feel free to make this into a full-sized pie. Just follow the instructions as-is, but press the base into a pie dish instead of cupcake liners.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Dulce de leche:
- 1 can (397g) condensed milk
Biscuit Base:
- 1 package (250g) Arnott’s Granita biscuits
- 125g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsps honey
2 bananas
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
- 5 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional – but it helps the cream set better and last longer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F).

Make the biscuit base: Place the Granita biscuits in a food processor and pulse until completely crumbled. Then add in the melted unsalted butter and honey and continue to pulse until all combined.

Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners (or tart shells if you’ve got them) and place a large heaping tablespoon of the biscuit mixture into each cupcake liner. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the pan. You can use a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to help you press it down.

Bake in the oven at 180˚C for 8-10 mins until golden brown. Remove gently and let it cool completely.

Make the dulce de leche: Pour the entire contents of the condensed milk into a glass* pie dish or a heavy tray and cover with aluminum foil. Place it in a larger tray and pour boiling water in the outer tray until the inner tray is half submerged in water. Bake for 90 mins (still at 180˚C) until the condensed milk is a caramel brown colour. Mix it around and smooth out any large lumps.

* This will still work with a metal pan (as pictured above), but the metal pan won’t be heavy enough to submerge in the water and will float on top of the water instead. A glass dish will be heavy enough to submerge in the hot water. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a glass dish and your pan floats. The flavour will be similar but the dulce de leche will be thicker and not as smooth. Flavour will still be similar – you can just cover any lumps with extra bananas or cream :).

Make the whipped cream topping: While the dulce de leche is cooking, make the cream by adding together the thickened/heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract and cream of tartar (optional) in a mixing bowl. Whip until you get stiff peaks (be careful not to over whip). Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Once the bases are cooled and the dulce de leche is ready, assemble the pie: Granita base + spoonful of dulce de leche + banana slices + whipped cream. Remove the cupcake liners before serving. Done!

Tip: If the dulce de leche is difficult to spread out, you can warm it up a little by re-submerging your tray in a warm water bath, or dip a spoon in a little oil and smooth it out in the pie.

Summarized Recipe:

Mini Banoffee Pies

Date Published: April 12th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 12th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: desserts
Serves: 16 pies | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Dulce de leche:
- 1 can (397g) condensed milk
Biscuit Base:
- 1 package (250g) Arnott’s Granita biscuits
- 125g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsps honey
2 bananas
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
- 5 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional – but it helps the cream set better and last longer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F).
Make the biscuit base: Place the Granita biscuits in a food processor and pulse until completely crumbled. Then add in the melted unsalted butter and honey and continue to pulse until all combined.
Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners (or tart shells if you’ve got them) and place a large heaping tablespoon of the biscuit mixture into each cupcake liner. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the pan. You can use a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to help you press it down. Bake in the oven at 180˚C for 8-10 mins until golden brown. Remove gently and let it cool completely.
Make the dulce de leche: Pour the entire contents of the condensed milk into a glass* pie dish or a heavy tray and cover with aluminum foil. Place it in a larger tray and pour boiling water in the outer tray until the inner tray is half submerged in water. Bake for 90 mins (still at 180˚C) until the condensed milk is a caramel brown colour. Mix it around and smooth out any large lumps.
- *See notes above under the photos if you don’t have a glass dish
Make the whipped cream topping: While the dulce de leche is cooking, make the cream by adding together the thickened/heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract and cream of tartar (optional) in a mixing bowl. Whip until you get stiff peaks (be careful not to over whip). Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Assemble the pies: Once the bases are cooled and the dulce de leche is ready, assemble the pie: Granita base + spoonful of dulce de leche + banana slices + whipped cream. Remove the cupcake liners before serving. Done!
- Tip: If the dulce de leche is difficult to spread out, you can warm it up a little by re-submerging your tray in a warm water bath, or dip a spoon in a little oil and smooth it out in the pie.

April 12, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Chewy Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: desserts, easy
Serves: 22 cookies | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 8 mins

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This recipe is straight right off of the bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips. The first time my housemate made them I was ADDICTED. She happened to make a big batch because the PB chips were on sale (which never happens). These cookies are soft, light, and packs a punch of peanut butter chips. You can also easily substitute out the PB chips for regular chocolate chips. I decided to add the recipe to this website as a reference for myself so I don’t always have to read off the wrinkled bag and also so I can use substitutions when I don’t have the bag around. I’ve added a few notes from myself to help guide the process and also added in metric units for food scales (which makes life so much easier and less messy in my opinion!).

Btw, these cookies are soft enough to use to make ice cream sandwiches. Just skip the PB chips in the recipe, bake the cookies as normal, and when they’ve fully cooled, add a scoop of ice cream between two cookies. Yum!

This recipe is SO easy and cooks up quickly, perfect for last-minute baking for an event.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cup (180g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (35g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (180g) sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups (280g/10oz package) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175˚C (350°F).

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, Beat together the butter and sugar until combined, then add in the egg and vanilla. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated.

Gradually add in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time, allowing everything to be combined before adding the next 1/3. Stir in the peanut butter chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet (roughly golfball-sized). Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. Do not over bake.

The cookies will puff up slightly when baking then deflate into flat cookies when cooling.

Tip: If you want perfectly round cookies, form them into round balls with your hands before baking them instead of dropping them by the spoonful.

Tip: If you want less soft and more chewy cookies, flatten them slightly before baking.

The cookies will be very soft and fragile when they come out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking tray first until they firm up before letting them cool on a wire rack completely. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Chewy Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: desserts, easy
Serves: 22 cookies | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 8 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup (180g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (35g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup (150g) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup (180g) sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups (280g/10oz package) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175˚C (350°F).
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, Beat together the butter and sugar until combined, then add in the egg and vanilla. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated.
Gradually add in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time, allowing everything to be combined before adding the next 1/3. Stir in the peanut butter chips.
Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet (roughly golfball-sized). Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. Do not over bake.
- The cookies will puff up slightly when baking then deflate into flat cookies when cooling.
- Tip: If you want perfectly round cookies, form them into round balls with your hands before baking them instead of dropping them by the spoonful.
- Tip: If you want less soft and more chewy cookies, flatten them slightly before baking.
The cookies will be very soft and fragile when they come out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking tray first until they firm up before letting them cool on a wire rack completely. Enjoy!

April 4, 2021April 4, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Currywurst (A Curry Ketchup Recipe)

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sauces
Serves: ~1 cup sauce | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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I’ve only been to Europe once in my life and that was back in 2014 where a few of my friends and I spent a 3 week adventure in Belgium, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. It was such a fantastic trip filled with fantastic company, plenty of beers and great food. Apart from the amazing tapas in Barcelona, I was obsessed with the Currywurst in Berlin. We went to a few locations but I think Curry61 was my all time favourite. Currywurst is a street food dish originating from Berlin that is essentially just sausages served with curry ketchup. Sounds simple enough, but the curry ketchup is much more than just adding curry powder to ketchup. It’s got a much richer flavour and I just couldn’t get enough of it! I’ve been told you can buy curry ketchup by the bottle in Europe, but its nearly impossible to find in Australia so I’ve experimented to making my own. I’ve follow the recipe from CraftBeering.com and added a few minor adjustments.

This recipe is really just a recipe for the sauce because you can serve it over whatever you like. Once the sauce is made, feel free to fire up the grill and cook up a few sausages or add it to a burger or french fries.

Once this pandemic is over, Toby and I have plans to visit again and he can try it for the first time and tell me how close my recipe is. 😜

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion (1.5 cups), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder + more for dusting
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard)

Directions:

Heat a small pan on MED heat and sauté the diced onion with the vegetable oil until the onion softens and turns translucent (~ 5 mins).

Add in the garlic and curry powder and continue to sauté for another minute to toast the curry powder.

Turn the heat down to LOW and add in the ketchup and continue to cook for a few minutes until heated through.

In a small bowl, add and mix together the rest of the ingredients: vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, mustard powder. When the ketchup has heated through, add this mixture to the pan and continue stirring for another few minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is heated through.

Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a blender or use a stick blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. If you want your sauce runnier, add in a tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency.

Serve with crispy grilled sausages, french fries…etc. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Currywurst (A Curry Ketchup Recipe)

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: sauces
Serves: ~1 cup sauce | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion (1.5 cups), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp curry powder + more for dusting
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard)

Directions:

Heat a small pan on MED heat and sauté the diced onion with the vegetable oil until the onion softens and turns translucent (~ 5 mins).
Add in the garlic and curry powder and continue to sauté for another minute to toast the curry powder.
Turn the heat down to LOW and add in the ketchup and continue to cook for a few minutes until heated through.
In a small bowl, add and mix together the rest of the ingredients: vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, mustard powder. When the ketchup has heated through, add this mixture to the pan and continue stirring for another few minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is heated through.
Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a blender or use a stick blender and blend until the mixture is smooth.
- If you want your sauce runnier, add in a tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency.
Serve with crispy grilled sausages, french fries…etc. Enjoy!

April 4, 2021April 4, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Chicken Marsala

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Jump to recipe |

Back in my uni days when I first started discovering how to cook on my own, my friend Mehdi would occasionally come over and we’d experiment with some recipes. One night we decided to try making chicken MASALA, the Indian dish, but accidentally made chicken MARSALA, the Italian dish. It still makes me laugh to think that I never even questioned that the recipe was not what I was looking for – even when there were no spices or curries involved. 😂 I kept thinking things weren’t right while we were making it, but trusted that the recipe would somehow all come together in the end – it had a bunch of positive reviews after all. 😅 This goes to show you how noob I was at the time at cooking and couldn’t realize that there was no way my list of ingredients would make an Indian dish (it even used Italian wine for gods sake! 😅😅😅). Obviously at the end of the cook, the dish didn’t magically turn into Indian chicken masala but the chicken came out so tender and the creamy mushroom wine sauce was damn addicting. It was the best mistake I made in kitchen that day. It was so delicious that I’ve made it at least half a dozen times since. Over the years I’ve experimented with a few different recipes and have settled on this version. You’ll probably find that this recipe yields too much sauce, but I’ve done it on purpose because the sauce is THAT good. I like to serve it with some bread to soak up the extra sauce or drizzle it over mashed potatoes. Mmmmm. It’s also really good served over pasta shells and dice up the chicken instead of serving it as a cutlet.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 large chicken breasts
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps (30g) + 1 Tbsp (15g) butter
250g white button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy/thickened cream
3/4 tsp dry thyme (or 2 tsp fresh thyme)
Parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a wide bowl, mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, and oregano.

Butterfly the chicken breasts (see tutorial here) and pound down until they’re roughly 1.5cm thick then coat each chicken breast in the flour mixture until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour. Set aside.

(If you’ve got a smaller pan you can also cut them into 4 cutlets instead of 2 large ones.)

In a skillet or wide pan on MED-HIGH heat, add the 2 Tbsps of olive oil and 2 Tbsps of butter and mix together until melted. Add in the chicken breasts (you can do one at a time if your pan is too small) and brown each side until lightly golden brown (3-4 mins on each side). You do not want to cook the chicken all the way through, just brown the outside. Remove the chicken from the pan onto a plate and set aside.

In the same pan with the remaining butter/olive oil, add in 1 Tbsp of butter and sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until browned. Then add in the garlic and onion. Cook for another few minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent.

Add in the Marsala wine, chicken broth, cream, and thyme. Stir and bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to MED until you get a light simmer. Continue simmering the sauce until it has reduced in half and slightly thickened. The sauce will turn a darker colour. You will get a thin cream sauce at this stage (~15-20mins).

If you’re planning to serve this over pasta, rice or a side dish, now is a good time to make it while you wait for the sauce to simmer.

Once the sauce has reduced, add back in the chicken breasts and continue cooking until the chicken is fully warmed, cooked and the sauce has thickened a bit more (or to your liking). The flour coating on the chicken will help thicken the sauce further. Done! Sprinkle some parsley on top for garnish.

Tip: If your chicken is already cooked but your sauce isn’t thick enough, you can remove the chicken and continue boiling down the sauce on its own or alternatively mix in a couple tablespoons of flour to thicken it (do not add the flour directly to the sauce or it will clump – add it in a small bowl and mix a small amount of sauce with the flour until you get a smooth paste, then add it to the pan and continue to mix).

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken Marsala

Date Published: April 4th, 2021 | Last Updated: April 4th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 large chicken breasts
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps (30g) + 1 Tbsp (15g) butter
250g white button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy/thickened cream
3/4 tsp dry thyme (or 2 tsp fresh thyme)
Parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a wide bowl, mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, and oregano.
Butterfly the chicken breasts (see tutorial here) and pound down until they’re roughly 1.5cm thick then coat each chicken breast in the flour mixture until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour. Set aside.
- (If you’ve got a smaller pan you can also cut them into 4 cutlets instead of 2 large ones.)
In a skillet or wide pan on MED-HIGH heat, add the 2 Tbsps of olive oil and 2 Tbsps of butter and mix together until melted. Add in the chicken breasts (you can do one at a time if your pan is too small) and brown each side until lightly golden brown (3-4 mins on each side). You do not want to cook the chicken all the way through, just brown the outside. Remove the chicken from the pan onto a plate and set aside.
In the same pan with the remaining butter/olive oil, add in 1 Tbsp of butter and sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until browned. Then add in the garlic and onion. Cook for another few minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent then add in the Marsala wine, chicken broth, cream, and thyme. Stir and bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to MED until you get a light simmer. Continue simmering the sauce until it has reduced in half and slightly thickened. The sauce will turn a darker colour. You will get a thin cream sauce at this stage (~15-20mins).
- If you’re planning to serve this over pasta, rice or a side dish, now is a good time to make it while you wait for the sauce to simmer.
Once the sauce has reduced, add back in the chicken breasts and continue cooking until the chicken is fully warmed, cooked and the sauce has thickened a bit more (or to your liking). The flour coating on the chicken will help thicken the sauce further. Done! Sprinkle some parsley on top for garnish.
- Tip: If your chicken is already cooked but your sauce isn’t thick enough, you can remove the chicken and continue boiling down the sauce on its own or alternatively mix in a couple tablespoons of flour to thicken it (do not add the flour directly to the sauce or it will clump – add it in a small bowl and mix a small amount of sauce with the flour until you get a smooth paste, then add it to the pan and continue to mix).

April 4, 2021April 4, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Mushroom Sausage Risotto

Date Published: April 3rd, 2021 | Last Updated: April 3rd, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

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Warning: This recipe is slow, painful, and requires constant attention, but the end result is a beautiful creamy risotto, made the traditional way. It’s not difficult but it is time-consuming. If you’ve got a spare couple of hours on a lazy day off, this recipe may be for you. So why is making risotto so slow and painful? Believe it or not, the creaminess of a risotto is from the starch of the rice that is released slowly by constantly stirring the rice in a small amount of liquid. As you agitate the rice grains, the released starch creates a creamy texture with the broth without any need of cream or butter. This process must be done slowly on a low-medium heat or else the starches won’t release properly and your risotto won’t be as creamy. Although it’s a mind-numbing process to wait for the liquids to absorb each time, the constant stirring of the risotto can actually be kind of therapeutic if you’ve had a long day and just need to zone out.

I’m a fan of versatile recipes and this recipe fits right into that category. I’ve written it as a ‘mushroom and sausage risotto’, but you can add in whatever meat or veg you want. Just keep the methods of making the rice the same and at the end just stir in whatever cooked meat or veg you like. You can even stir in a few tablespoons of pesto! To make this vegetarian, simply omit the sausage and use vegetable broth instead.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

6 cups chicken broth
4 sausages
250g white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Warm up the broth either in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Set aside.

In a pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a few tablespoons of oil and cook the sausages until the outside is crispy then remove them from heat and set aside. Wait for them to cool a little then slice them into bite-sized pieces.

In the same pan with the leftover oil, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they’re golden brown. Remove the mushrooms and any liquids and set aside.

In the same pan on MED heat, add another couple tablespoons of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add in the rice and sauté for a couple minutes until the rice absorbs some of the oil. Then add in the 1 cup of white wine and sauté until all the wine is absorbed by the rice.

Once the wine is absorbed, add 1/2 cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Optional: I added in some roast pumpkin for a bit of colour

Once the last of the broth has been absorbed, stir in the cooked sausages and mushrooms (with any of their liquids) and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Then turn off the heat, add the parmesan and stir until melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Tip: To make it indulgent, stir in 50g of butter at the end before serving.

Summarized Recipe:

Mushroom Sausage Risotto

Date Published: April 3rd, 2021 | Last Updated: April 3rd, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth
4 sausages
500g white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Warm up the broth either in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Set aside.
In a pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a few tablespoons of oil and cook the sausages until the outside is crispy then remove them from heat and set aside. Wait for them to cool a little then slice them into bite-sized pieces.
In the same pan with the leftover oil, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they’re golden brown. Remove the mushrooms and any liquids and set aside.
In the same pan on MED heat, add another couple tablespoons of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add in the rice and sauté for a couple minutes until the rice absorbs some of the oil. Then add in the 1 cup of white wine and sauté until all the wine is absorbed by the rice.
Once the wine is absorbed, add 1/2 cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
Once the last of the broth has been absorbed, stir in the cooked sausages and mushrooms (with any of their liquids) and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Then turn off the heat, add the parmesan and stir until melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Tip: To make it indulgent, stir in 50g of butter at the end before serving.

April 3, 2021April 3, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Babička’s Svíčková (Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce)

Date Published: March 29th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 10th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 3 hours

*Updated Dec 2024: Updated with new and improved photos and a link to the shortcut Instant Pot version of this recipe.

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This is Toby’s babička’s (grandmother’s) version of a svíčkova. It’s Toby’s all time favourite Czech dish that he learned from his babička when we first started cooking together so he could show me what authentic Czech cuisine is. There are many different ways to make this dish but this is the version Toby has grown up knowing and will forever be his favourite version. He has made this for me a handful of times over the years and its so damn delicious every time that we just had to add it to this website collection of recipes.

Toby always requests svickova every time we visit ❤️ – you have no idea how hard it is to a get a photo of babi smiling 😅

Svíčkova is one of Czech’s most popular dishes – I can see why! In its simplest terms, svíčkova is a steak dish served with knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) and smothered in the most addicting creamy vegetable sauce made of parsnip, celeriac, carrots and onion. There’s a slight lemon-y tang to the sauce that balances out the heaviness of the cream. The knedlíky is my favourite part of this dish because the fluffy bread just soaks up all the delicious sauce. The sauce is meant to be on the runny side, rather than a thick gravy – I’m always super tempted to just drink the sauce as a soup every time. The sauce is the star of the show.

An old photo of when I first made this dish and had no idea how to plate it properly 😅

Although this dish is pretty straight forward, there are a few steps to it and it takes time for the flavours to slowly simmer out – allow about 3.5 hours total.

Updated Dec 10th, 2024: If you have an Instant Pot pressure cooker, I’ve just recently published a short cut version of this recipe, cutting down the cook time from 2.5 hours to 1 hour in total. Check it out here.

Instant Pot Svíčková – a Shortcut to Babička’s Classic Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce

This recipe is a shortcut version from the OG svíčková recipe that cuts down the cooking time from 3.5 hours cook time to 1 hour. You’ll need an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker for this recipe.

by Abby December 23, 2024December 24, 2024

Here are two recipes for knedliky – one is a flour/bread base (houskové knedlíky) and the other is a denser potato base (bramborové knedlíky). Svíčkova is usually served with the flour based dumplings.

Czech Bread Dumplings – Houskové Knedlíky

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 Tbsps (50g) + 1 Tbsp (25g) + 25g lard
2 medium onions (~3 cups), diced
1 whole celeriac (~3 cups), peeled and grated
- Celeriac can come in a wide variety of sizes. The one we got was roughly bigger than a baseball: 370g before peeling and 300g after peeling which came up to about 3 cups once grated.
2 medium sized parsnips (~3 cups), peeled and grated
3 large carrots (~3 cups), peeled and grated
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock
10 whole black peppercorns
10 whole dried allspice berries (or 1/2 tsp ground allspice)
4 dried bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
600-700g good quality steak (ie scotch fillet, eye fillet, rump steak – the less tendon, the better)
200ml thickened/heavy cream
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
Serve with knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) and wedges of lemon

Directions:

A quick note about preparing the vegetables:

The exact amount and size of vegetables aren’t important, as long as you roughly have equal amounts of the celeriac, parsnip, and carrots.
Celeriac is a root vegetable and comes in a variety of sizes and is essentially a starchy celery. It’s got a green and white rough and wrinkly exterior that you want to remove by trimming it off with a knife until you get to the softer inside and the entire celeriac is white.

After you’ve peeled the vegetables, you can either dice them into small cubes, or the quickest way is to grate them in a food processor.

(If you haven’t already, you can make the knedlíky dough first and while it proofs for an hour you can start making the svíčková.)

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 50g of lard and add in the diced onions. Sauté the onions until lightly browned and translucent.

Turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the grated celeriac, parsnip and carrots. Add in another 25g of lard into the vegetables and mix it around (the extra lard prevents them from burning). Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (392˚F).

Once the vegetables begin to soften, add in the beef stock, black peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Make sure you COUNT the number of peppercorns and allspice berries you add in because you’ll have to take them out later. Bring the heat up to HIGH until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 2.5 hours with the lid on.

While the veg is simmering: In a pan or skillet on HIGH heat, melt another 25g of lard and sear the beef on all sides. Put the seared beef in the preheated oven for 20 minutes then remove it and add it to the pot of vegetables along with any juices and continue to let it simmer for the rest of the 2.5 hours with the lid on.

(You can take this time to cook the knedlíky if you haven’t already.)

Once the veg and meat have simmered for 2.5 hours, remove the meat, peppercorns, allspice berries and bay leaves. Set aside the meat and discard the spices. Use a stick blender and blend the veg/stock mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture into a bowl and discard any fibrous material.

Place the strained mixture back into the pot, add the thickened cream and lemon juice and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the beef back into the pot and heat until warmed. Remove the beef and slice.

Serve by placing a couple slices of beef with a few slices of knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) on a plate and a generous portion of the sauce overtop. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Babíčka’s Svíčková (Beef with Vegetable Cream Sauce)

Date Published: March 29th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: mains
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps (50g) + 1 Tbsp (25g) + 25g lard
2 medium onions (~3 cups), diced
1 whole celeriac (~3 cups), peeled and grated
- Celeriac can come in a wide variety of sizes. The one we got was roughly bigger than a baseball: 370g before peeling and 300g after peeling which came up to about 3 cups once grated.
2 medium sized parsnips (~3 cups), peeled and grated
3 large carrots (~3 cups), peeled and grated
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock
10 whole black peppercorns
10 whole dried allspice berries (or 1/2 tsp ground allspice)
4 dried bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
500-600g good quality steak (ie scotch fillet, eye fillet, rump steak – the less tendon, the better)
200ml thickened/heavy cream
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
Serve with knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) and wedges of lemon

Directions:

(If you haven’t already, you can make the knedlíky dough first and while it proofs for an hour you can start making the svíčková.)
In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt 50g of lard (~3 Tbsps) and add in the diced onions. Sauté the onions until lightly browned and translucent.
Turn the heat down to MEDIUM and add in the grated celeriac, parsnip and carrots. Add in another 25g of lard into the vegetables and mix it around (the extra lard prevents them from burning). Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C (392˚F).
Once the vegetables begin to soften, add in the beef stock, black peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Make sure you COUNT the number of peppercorns and allspice berries you add in because you’ll have to take them out later. Bring the heat up to HIGH until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer for 2.5 hours with the lid on.
While the veg is simmering, in a pan or skillet on HIGH heat, melt another 25g of lard and sear the beef on all sides. Put the seared beef in the preheated oven for 20 minutes then remove it and add it to the pot of vegetables along with any juices and continue to let it simmer for the rest of the 2.5 hours with the lid on.
(You can take this time to cook the knedlíky if you haven’t already.)
Once the veg and meat have simmered for 2.5 hours, remove the meat, peppercorns, allspice berries and bay leaves. Set aside the meat and discard the spices. Use a stick blender and blend the veg/stock mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture into a bowl and discard any fibrous material.
Place the strained mixture back into the pot, add the thickened cream and lemon juice and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the beef back into the pot and heat until warmed. Remove the beef and slice.
Serve by placing a couple slices of beef with a few slices of knedlíky (Czech bread dumplings) on a plate and a generous portion of the sauce overtop. Enjoy!

March 29, 2021December 23, 2024

Abby4 Comments