Polly puts the kettle on, Polly puts the kettle on...

After a couple of hot 40ºc days, we were desperate for a cool climate change. When we knew one on was its way, we decided that we should have BBQ again when we got the chance. So I marinated some chicken thighs the night before and kept them in the fridge.

Yesterday's temperature dropped by about 10ºc during the day and by evening, the temperature dropped further and a cool westerly sea breeze gently swept by, it was a beautiful evening.

So THE MAN gathered his gears and off he went to the side of the house to start a fire - on the BBQ. I've got the easy job, I was on the other side of the wall (indoor) boiling green beans and whisking mustard dressing. :D







Rosemary & Lemon Chicken with Mint Dressing

Serves 6
Prep time 15 min
Chilling time 1 hour or overnight
Cooking time 10-15 min
½ cup rosemary leaves
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
60ml (¼cup) olive oil
1 long fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
6 (about 750g) chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
*steamed asparagus and baby green beans, to serve

Mint Dressing

1 tablespoon dijon mustardjuice of ½ lemon
100ml olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

1. Place rosemary, garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle, and crush well, or blend in a food processor until roughly chopped. Transfer to a non-reactive bowl, add oil, chilli and lemon juice and mix well.
2. Add chicken to marinade, cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.
3. Heat a barbecue grill on high, then lightly grease. Remove chicken from marinade and cook on barbecue, basting occasionally with marinade and turning once, for 10-15 min, until chicken is just cooked.
4. Meanwhile, make mint dressing bu whisking all ingredients until well combined. Season to taste. Serve with chicken, asparagus and beans, if desired. * I only use beans.

Easy Summer Salad - Greek Chicken Salad

Its 40ºc today, 1ºc cooler than yesterday, not much cooler, is it? Though it has been windy, we could hardly take any comfort from the easterly desert wind. Feels a little like being roasted in a fan-forced oven. For a hot day like this, I wonder who would care to stand in front of a hot stove, it would be asking for it, wouldn't it? I wouldn't bother BBQing either, plainly, it just too hot, and who would want to punish themselves like that eh? Thank God there is salad and salad isn't just greens, the variety is surprisingly huge. I have collected about 30 salad recipes so far and I am still adding to my collection. This is an easy and delicious summer salad, why don't you give it a try when you can't be bothered cooking?

Greek Chicken Salad

You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken, weighing approx. 900g for this recipe.

Serve 4 fat 52.4g per serve kj 4226 per serve (1009 cal)

375g small shell pasta
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh oregano (herb)
¼ cup (125ml) olive oil
½ cup (60ml) lemon juice
3 cups (480g) shredded cooked chicken
1 medium red onion (170g), sliced thinly
500g cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 lebanese cucumbers (260g), chopped coarsely
1 large green capsicum (350g), chopped coarsely
1 cup (120g) seeded kalamata olives
280g jar marinated artichoke hearts, drain, chopped coarsely
200g fetta cheese, chopped coarsely

1. Cook pasta in large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender; drain. Rinse under cold water; drain.
2. For dressing, place 2 tablespoons of the oregano, oil and juice in screw-top jar; shake well.
3. Place pasta in large bowl with chicken, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, olives, artichoke hearts, cheese and dressing; toss gently to combine. Top salad with remaining oregano.

Tip: You can use your favorite kind of pasta for this recipe. Use the oil from the artichokes to make the dressing if you wish. Get husband to shred the chicken while you prepare other ingredients. hehe.

Tonight's dinner - Penne with Prawns, Chilli & Lime

We have pasta tonight and this dish is yummy! *I used tiger prawns instead of king prawns. So ladies and gentlmen, I give you:





Penne With Prawns, Chilli & Lime

Serves 4
Prep time 20 min
Cooking time 5 min

500g penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
24 *king prawns, shelled and deveined, tails intact
2 long red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
⅓ cup olive oil, extra
salt and cracked black pepper
¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)

1. Cook penne in a saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a non stick frying pan on medium high. Cook prawns for 3 min. Add chillies and garlic and cook for another 2 min, until prawns are golden and cooked through.
3. Combine lime juice, oil, salt, pepper and parsley. toss with prawn mixture and penne. Serve immediately.

My recommended recipe - Fish with Tomato Coriander Sauce

I am not a photographer or food decorator so pardon the unflattering photo, but it truely tasted awesome! I made this dish last week and *I substituted green beans with broccoli. Try it! :D

Fish with Tomatoes Coriander Sauce

Serves 4

Prep time 15 min

Cooking time 15 min

kJ 1280 fat 13g sat fat 2g

2 tablespoons oil

6 green onions (shallots), finely chopped

400g can diced tomatoes

1 green capsicum, cut into strips

¼ cup chopped coriander

4-6 (800g) snapper fillets, or other firm-fleshed fish fillets

steamed chat potatoes and green beans to serve

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan on medium. Sauté green onions for 1 min, until soft. Add tomatoes, capsicum and coriander. Simmer for 5-8 min, until sauce thickens.
2. Cut each fillet in half diagonally and season to taste. Heat remaining oil in a frying pan on high. Pan-fry fish in batches for 2 min each side, until golden.
3. Top fis with sauce and serve with steamed potatoes and *beans.