Seven pantry staples you can DIY
NEXT time you hit the shops, don't reach for a bottle of dead horse, a packet of dried pasta, preservative- packed aioli or salad dressing. Instead try making them yourself at home.
It's easy and the taste is more rewarding. Here are seven trolley favourites you can DIY.
Tomato sauce
INGREDIENTS:
2kg ripe tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
5 juniper berries
5 cloves
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1tbs paprika
1 small cinnamon stick
2tbs sea salt
1tsp pepper
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 cups white malt vinegar.
METHOD: In a large saucepan on medium heat, cook off the onion, tomatoes, cloves, berries and garlic for about 45 minutes, stirring every so often until the tomatoes are tender and break down. Add the remainder of the ingredients, stirring occasionally for about 1 hour. The mix should have a thick and saucy consistency. Strain through a fine strainer and discard the solids. Cool the sauce and bottle. Store in the fridge. Makes a litre.
Garlic aioli
INGREDIENTS:
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 egg yokes
½tsp sea salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2tsp dijon mustard
1tsp warm water
1tsp white vinegar
¼tsp ground black pepper.
METHOD: In a medium mixing bowl add egg yolk, garlic, dijon and vinegar. Whisk the ingredients together, slowly adding the oil as you go. Make sure you add the oil slowly and don't stop whisking or the aioli will split. Once all the oil is combined, mix in the water, salt and pepper.
Spice rub for lamb
INGREDIENTS:
3 cardamom pods
6 cloves
½tsp ground cinnamon
2tbs ground coriander
2tbs ground cumin
¼tsp ground nutmeg
2tbs ground black pepper corns
1tsp turmeric. METHOD: Toast off cardamom and cloves and grind up, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Run mix over any cut of lamb before cooking. Store any leftover in an airtight container for next time. Forget packet seasonings.
Basic white bread
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups plain flour
4tsp dried yeast
4tsp caster sugar
1tsp salt
2tbs melted butter
450ml warm milk.
METHOD: Preheat oven to 170C. Place flour, yeast and salt in a mixer with dough hook. On slow speed, add the milk until all incorporated. Kneed for 4-5 minutes slowly adding the butter. The dough should be soft and coming away from the sides of the bowl. if too wet add a bit more flour. Remove from mixer into an oiled bowl, then cover and rest the dough in a warm place for half hour or until doubled in size. Kneed the dough and shape into a long oval. With a sharp knife cut a shallow slit on top of the dough every 5 m. Let sit for 15 minutes to rise again. Dust with flour and place in oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap on the top of the bread.
Fresh pasta
INGREDIENTS:
150g flour
150g semolina
3 whole eggs.
METHOD: Mix the flour and semolina together on a clean bench. Make a well in the middle of the flour and crack the eggs into the well. Using your clean hands mix the eggs into the flour until combined. Kneed the dough for 10 minutes. Wrap in cling wrap and let sit a room temp for half an hour. Roll out and cut into pasta or use a pasta rolling machine. Cook in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. Serve with favourite pasta sauce. Serves four to six.
Red wine vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup red wine vinegar
½tbs lemon juice
½tbs salt
½tsp ground black pepper
1 ½tsp crushed garlic
¼ red onion
1 cups vegetable oil
1/3 cup olive oil.
METHOD: Place all the ingredients except the oils in a blender. Blend for 1 minute on high until all is blended together. Put blender on the lowest setting and slowly add the oils, until all is combined.
Honey sesame soy marinade
INGREDIENTS:
70ml honey
60ml soy sauce
1tbs oyster sauce
2tsp sesame oil
1tbs olive oil
2tbs toasted sesame seeds.
METHOD: Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Use marinade on beef or chicken skewers.
