Delicious recipes from the kitchens of the Butler sisters

Monday, February 11, 2013

Crunchy crust kale pasta bake

•400g macaroni pasta (or other small-shaped pasta) •1 bunch (150g) kale (or other leafy vegetable such as spinach or silverbeet) •1 tablespoon olive oil •625ml (2.5 cups) Vitasoy Original Soymilk •2 tablespoons dairy-free vegetable spread •2 tablespoons cornflour •1 teaspoon Dijon mustard •3 slices multigrain bread, blitzed to make coarse breadcrumbs •1 lemon, zested •3-4 parsley sprigs, leaves picked and chopped 1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or as per packet instructions until almost al dente. You want it a little underdone because it will be heated again in the oven later on. Drain well and then place into a 2L ovenproof baking dish. Set aside. 2. Roughly chop up the leaves and stems of the bunch of kale and add to a frying pan with the olive oil. Fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until just wilted. Transfer half the kale to a mini food processor and add a splash of soy milk. Blitz for 30 seconds until finely chopped and smooth. Pour over the pasta in the baking dish along with the rest of the wilted kale from the frying pan. 3. Heat the oven to 200C. Melt the margarine or butter in a small saucepan, add the cornflour and stir to form a paste. Slowly pour in the remaining soy milk while vigorously mixing to avoid lumps. Stir for 5 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the mustard and season with a little salt and lots of pepper. Pour over the pasta and stir well to combine everything. 4. Put the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and parsley into a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crunchy. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Crust Hawaiian Pizza

Ingredients: CRUST: 1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower) 1 large egg 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese (or try another kind!) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic) 1/2 teaspoon onion salt TOPPINGS: 1/2 cup tomato-basil marinara sauce (or pizza sauce) 1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese 3 slices Canadian bacon, cut into strips 1/2 cup pineapple tidbits Directions: 1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. You'll need a total of about 2 cups or so of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them (dry) for 8 minutes (see Tips below if you do not have a microwave). Give the cauliflower a chance to cool. 2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower crumbles (about 1 1/2 cups since they shrink after cooking) with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil. 3. Prepare the pizza: Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Add the bacon and pineapple, spreading it out around the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately. Tips: For those who don’ t have a microwave: You can steam the florets just until they are tender (not mushy) on the stove and then let them cool before grating them. The texture/consistency won’t be the same (It will be more like a puree) but it still works fine once you mix all the ingredients together. *Other topping ideas: Marinara or pizza sauce with your favorite toppings Pesto with thin sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella Alfredo with sausage, mushrooms, Provolone & Asiago cheese Barbecue sauce with shredded chicken, green onions and smoked gouda *This pizza is best served on a plate with a fork.