Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese summer rolls)
Gỏi Cuốn (pronounced “goy coo-an”) is a delicious, traditional Vietnamese dish. The name translates to “salad rolls” and they are often referred to in English as “summer rolls”. As with any traditional dish, the filling of the roll varies but this recipe uses prawns. The rolls are wrapped with rice paper (bánh tráng) and are served at room temperature or slightly chilled with a dipping sauce. In this case we’ll be making Nước mắm pha which is a popular fish sauce based dip.
These rolls taste amazing and they are really very versatile. They keep very well so they can be made in advance. They can also be made in different sizes so they can be used as an appetiser or a light main course. They are also quite low in fat.
Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese summer rolls)
2015-10-11 12:18:01
Delicious, light Vietnamese summer rolls filled with raw veggies and prawns with a hot, sour dipping sauce.
Prep Time
30 min
Total Time
30 min
For the filling
- 200g rice noodles
- 100g prawns (cooked)
- 2 baby gem lettuce
- 2 carrots
- 6 spring onions
- 2 limes
- Fresh mint, coriander and basil (Thai basil if available)
To wrap
- Rice paper (see tip at end)
For the sauce
- 180ml fish sauce
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 chillies
To prepare
- Prepare the rice noodles as per the instructions on the packet. (Usually by soaking in boiling water for a few minutes then rinsing.) Once cooled, chop roughly.
- Chop everything - the prawns, lettuce, carrots, spring onions, chillies and herbs.
- Juice the two limes.
Make the sauce
- Put the fish sauce into a bowl and add the sugar and rice vinegar. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the chopped chillies, one third of the spring onions, the garlic and about 4-5 tbsp each of the chopped coriander and mint.
- Mix well again and set aside.
Make the filling
- Put the chopped noodles in a large bowl. Add the prawns, lettuce and the remaining spring onion and mix well.
- Add about 4tbsp each of the chopped basil, mint and coriander. Next, add the lime juice and 2 tbsp of the dipping sauce. Mix well again.
Finish the rolls
- To finish the rolls you'll need to rehydrate the rice paper. Again this varies depending on the brand so check the instructions on the packet. Usually it'll involved soaking in either warm or cold water for a minute or two. One prepare one rice paper at a time! Ensure the work surface that you plan to make the roll on is also wet to avoid it sticking.
- Place a spoon or two of the filling on the wrap, just off centre. Start rolling then close in the ends and finish rolling. Once the paper dries a little it will hold.
How much rice paper?
- This depends on what you're making! If you use small pieces of rice paper you'll need 20 - 30 sheets to use all the mixture. These are ideal as appetisers. If you would prefer something a bit more substantial use larger pieces of rice paper - you'll probably need 10 - 12 sheets.
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Prawn Satay
Satay is a delicious, easy sauce to make. It’s also quite light making it ideal for summer. It’s about 39ºC here in Frankfurt at the minute so, in one sense it’s amazing I can even think about food at all! Nevertheless, we have to eat to survive so we might as well make it enjoyable eh?
Satay Sauce with King Prawns
2015-07-02 21:03:02
Serves 2
A light satay sauce with juicy prawns, an easy, quick, healthy alternative to a takeaway!
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
For the sauce
- 300g raw king prawn, shelled and deveined (see tip at end)
- 200ml veg or fish stock
- 400ml coconut milk
- 1 red pepper
- 1 chilli
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 onion
- 2 spring onions
- 1/2 tin of bamboo shoots
- 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 a lime
- Glug of vegetable oil or wok oil
To Serve
- 150g Basmati rice
You will also need
- A blender or stick blender
To Prepare
- Finely chop the chilli, onion and pepper.
- Boil the kettle and make the stock.
- Set a salted pot of water on the hob to boil.
- Combine the peanut butter, turmeric, soy sauce, stock and lime juice and blend until smooth.
Start the rice
- Once the water is boiling add the rice and set a timer for 10 minutes (adjusting as per the instructions on the packet).
Make the satay sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and the pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and fry for about 5 minutes.
- Add the peanut mix you prepared earlier to the pan as well as the coconut milk. Stir well to combine.
- Finally add the prawns, spring onion and bamboo shoots. Simmer for about 3 minutes then remove from the heat.
- The rice should now be ready, drain it.
To serve
- Fluff the rice with a fork then divide evenly between the two bowls.
- Using a ladle scoop a generous amount of prawn satay into each bowl.
- Enjoy immediately!
Prawn panic
- Prawns are tricky. The best way to get them is raw, deshelled and deveined. Most often these will be frozen and will require thawing before cooking. You can of course use fresh, precooked prawns but be warned that these never get as juicy as they don't absorb the sauce. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where you can get fresh prawns, don't forget to add some extra preparation for skinning and deveining them!
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Perfect Sunday Roast Chicken
So, unfortunately this blog has been a little quieter lately than planned! That’s mainly because I changed jobs and moved country. So I’m sitting here writing this blog from my living room in Germany.
Sunday is really the perfect day to blog about a roast. A roast chicken is of course delicious any day, but there’s always been something special about Sunday dinner for me. And, no roast chicken can compare with this one! Every part of it from the veg to the gravy is delicious and you’ll feel like a proper chef after making it!
Perfect Sunday Roast Chicken
2015-06-21 16:18:32
Serves 4
A delicious, juicy roast chicken with veg, potatoes and homemade gravy that's perfect every time!
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 10 min
For the chicken
- 1 chicken (about 1.6kg)
- 1 lemon
- 1 bulb of garlic
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 3 slices of streaky bacon
For the veg
- About 8 - 10 potatoes depending on size
- Veg of your choice (I used celery, carrot, parsnip and red onion but you can also use a pre-prepared soup mix)
- Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
For the gravy
- 250ml white wine (any kind will do!)
- 500ml chicken stock
You will also need
- Olive oil
- Tinfoil
- A sturdy baking tray, good enough to be used in the oven and on the hob
- Another baking tray
- Small saucepan
- Colander/sieve
To Prepare
- Remove chicken from packet. Season well inside and out with black pepper. Cover and return to fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 240ºC.
- Peel potatoes and half if they are very large. Roughly chop the rest of the veg. Pull the garlic cloves apart but don't peel.
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil for the potatoes.
For the veg and potatoes
- Add the potatoes to the boiling water. Add the lemon and about half of the unpeeled garlic cloves. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Remove the lemon and garlic and set aside. Drain the water from the potatoes and give them a good toss to get them fluffy. That is what makes the roast potatoes crispy!
- Put about half of the veg and the rest of the garlic into a baking tray. Drizzle generously with olive oil.
For the chicken
- Remove chicken from fridge and rub with olive oil.
- Stab the lemon lots of times. As it's hot, the juice should just ooze out. Push this, the garlic cloves and the thyme and bay leaves into the cavity of the chicken.
- Turn the heat in the oven down to 200ºC.
- Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables. Cover everything with tinfoil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
Add the rest of the veg
- Baste the chicken with the juices from the pan.
- Add the rest of the veg and the potatoes. Add the rosemary now as well. Cover the chicken breast with the bacon. Drizzle over some more olive oil and give everything a good stir.
- Put back in the oven for another 45 mins. Adjust the time accordingly if your chicken is bigger/smaller.
Finish the chicken
- Take the chicken out of the oven and turn it off.
- Remove the chicken from the tray and put it on a chopping board to let it rest. Pull off the wings. Cover the rest loosely in tinfoil. Letting it rest is what keeps it juicy, don't skip this step!
- Transfer the veg and potatoes (leaving anything that's burned, stuck or soggy) to another baking tray and pop back in the over to keep warm.
Make the gravy
- Put the baking tray on the hob over a high heat. Use a spoon to remove any fat that floats to the surface. Remove the meat from the wings and add to the pan. Mash everything to a pulp. Add a heaped tablespoon of flour and mix well.
- Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Allow the mixture to boil for about 5 minutes.
- Drain the mixture through the sieve into the pot.
To serve
- Put the warm veg on a plate with some of the chicken. Cover with the delicious gravy and enjoy immediately.
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Vegetarian Farfalle with a Zesty Pesto Sauce
This dish is a rather unusual one for me. I’m a self-confessed carnivore so cooking a veggie dish when it’s not strictly necessary (because I need to feed a veggie or because I can’t afford meat) is not my usual choice. However, every day is a school day and I’m home alone for the weekend so I thought I’d experiment. I was pretty impressed with the result, not feeling hungry afterwards and I found the sauce really tasty.
Vegetarian Farfalle with a Zesty Pesto Sauce
2015-05-02 21:50:48
Serves 2
Healthy wholewheat farfalle with a zesty pesto and tomato based sauce, with feta cheese and baby spinach.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
For the sauce
- Glug of olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 jar green pesto
- 75g feta
- Handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
- Handful of fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the pasta
- 150g wholemeal farfalle pasta
To prepare
- Finely chop the garlic and roughly chop the basil and spinach. Crumble the feta cheese.
- Set a pot of salted water on the hob and bring to the boil.
For the pasta
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water as per packet instructions. This is usually about 12-15 minutes.
For the sauce
- Once the pasta is on, heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic for about 30 seconds over a medium heat until aromatic.
- Add the tin of chopped tomatoes and mix. Season well with pepper. Turn the heat up to high and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat back to medium. Add the chopped spinach and basil reserving some basil for garnish, the pesto and the lemon juice. Stir well then stir in about 80% of the cheese. Allow to simmer.
To Serve
- Drain the pasta and divide onto two plates. Scoop some sauce onto each plate and crumble the remaining cheese over. Add some basil to garnish. Serve immediately.
Variations?
- Experiment with different types of pasta and different types of pesto until you find a combination you enjoy.
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Mexican Prawns
These marinated Mexican-inspired prawns are an ideal mid-week dinner as they’re quick and easy to prepare. They are also delicious and good for you!
Mexican Prawns
2015-03-19 10:28:00
Serves 2
Fresh prawns marinated in Mexican inspired spices with stir fry veg is a great, quick, healthy mid-week meal.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
22 min
For the prawns
- Glug of olive oil
- 300g prawns
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic italian (or half garlic and half basil)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp chilli flakes
- 1 bunch of fresh coriander
For the veg
- 2 large carrots
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 lime
- 10-12 cherry tomatoes (halved) or 1 beef tomato (chopped)
- 1 fresh green chilli
To serve
- 150g rice
- 2 spring onions
To prepare
- Mix all of the prawn spices in a small bowl. Toss the prawns in the olive oil and coat evenly with about 3/4 of the spice mix.
- Finely chop the onions, chilli, garlic and coriander (leaving some coriander for garnish). Roughly chop the carrot and pepper into strips. Chop the spring onion.
- Remove the zest from half the lime and juice the lime.
- Boil the kettle and set a pot of boiling salted water on the hob for the rice.
Cook the rice
- As the rice will take the longest it needs to be put on first. Cook as per instructions on the bag (usually between 10 and 12 minutes depending on the brand and type).
Cook the dish
- Heat a small bit of olive oil in a pan and add the prawns. Cook over a medium heat for about 1 minute on each side or until no longer grey. They need to be sealed, not cooked at this stage. Remove from pan.
- Without cleaning the pan, add the onions and garlic. Add a little more oil if necessary. Cook at a medium high heat (mark 4) until aromatic then add the chilli, tomatoes, coriander, carrot and pepper. Add half the lime juice and all of the zest. Cook for about 5 minutes or until al dente.
- Add the prawns and cook for 2 more minutes.
To serve
- Half the rice between two plates and sprinkle with a little lime juice and the spring onions. Add the prawn and veg mixture then sprinkle over the remaining lime juice and garnish with some coriander. Enjoy immediately.
Fresh prawns or frozen?
- If it's your first time cooking prawns, don't worry! Fresh prawns that are already deshelled and deveined are best as they are the easiest. Fresh prawns are grey and turn to a pinky white when cooked. Cooked prawns can also be used in this recipe but when cooking you should focus more on heating them rather than cooking them as overcooking makes them tough.
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Thai Green Curry
Thai green curry is my favourite curry to make. The coconut milk combined with the heat of the spices make for a delicious treat. Serve with some sticky basmati rice and you’ll never go back to ordering takeaway again! (Unless it’s a hungover Sunday!)
Thai Green Curry
2015-03-19 14:50:20
Serves 2
Thai green curry is a delicious aromatic and spicy curry with a coconut milk base.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
45 min
For the dish
- Green curry paste (I use about 1/2 a jar of Blue Dragon paste)
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
- Tin of coconut milk (400g usually)
- Bunch of fresh coriander
- 2 chicken fillets
- 2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
To serve
- 150g rice (ideally basmati)
You will also need
- Large wok or frying pan
- Large bowl
To prepare
- Finely chop the onions, garlic and coriander, reserving some coriander for garnish.
- Boil a kettle of water for the rice.
- Chop the chicken fillets into small chunks.
Make the curry
- Put the chicken in a large bowl. Pour in 1tbsp of dark soy sauce and mix well. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium high heat (mark 4). Add the curry paste and heat for about a minute or until aromatic. Add the onions and garlic. Mix well and fry until the veg become soft. Add more oil if required.
- Add the chicken to the pan. Stir well and fry until the chicken is sealed on all sides.
- Add the coconut milk to the pan and stir well. Add the coriander, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Stir well. Turn the heat down to low (mark 2) and simmer without a lid for at least half an hour stirring on occasion.
Make the rice
- When the curry has been simmering for about 15 mins or so, put the rice in a pan of boiling salted water. Check the instructions on the rice but it usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes depending on the brand and type.
To serve
- Serve the rice and curry immediately with some coriander to garnish.
Change the heat of this dish
- Reduce the amount of curry paste for a creamier taste and increase the amount of curry paste and garlic to increase the heat. The heat of the paste depends on the brand so make sure to read the usage instructions on the jar!
Add some veg
- This dish works very well with mangetout and peas. Simple add for the last 5 or 10 minutes of cooking, about the same time you put on the rice.
Make it healthier
- Swap the white rice for wholegrain rice and use low-fat coconut milk. Use a spoon of honey instead of sugar. Be warned that brown rice takes longer (about 40 mins usually) so will need to be put on at the same time as the curry!
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Champagne Black Velvet
Ah, St. Patricks day. The day where half the world celebrates being “Irish” and Ireland organises (mainly) silly parades. The big ones may get televised but you haven’t really had an Irish St. Patricks day until you sit in a small town in Tipperary or Cork or anywhere rural and watch the trucks from local businesses drive through the streets.
I’m in Frankfurt this year for St. Patricks day so we decided to make some Black Velvet cocktails in a throw back to the Celtic Tiger. Also because although they are decadent, they are delicious!
Black Velvet
2015-03-19 09:59:03
A deliciously decadent creamy cocktail with the fizz of champagne and the heart of Guinness. Ideal for St. Patricks day, Irish themed parties or just when you fancy a treat.
Prep Time
2 min
Total Time
2 min
For the drink
- Can(s) of Guinness (depending on how much you'd like to make)
- Champagne (I used Veuve Clicquot but any champagne or sparkling wine would do)
To serve
- Champagne flute(s)
To prepare
- Ensure the champagne and Guinness have been chilled.
Make the cocktail
- Fill the champagne flute half way with Guinness. Allow to settle (i.e. the Guinness separates into black and white).
- Top with the champagne. Be careful, this will fizz up much more than expected!
- Enjoy!
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Mother’s Day Berry Sponge Cake
I decided to bake a sponge cake for Mother’s Day as a treat. It was a risk as my Ma makes a great sponge cake but I think it worked out pretty well! 
Berry Sponge Cake
2015-03-14 21:34:00
Serves 6
The addition of fresh berries to this sponge cake elevates it to the next level and really makes it a special treat. You can *almost* pretend it's healthy!
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
47 min
For the sponge
- 175g sugar
- 100g butter
- 2 eggs
- 190g self raising flour
- 200ml milk
- Vanilla essence
For the topping
- Fresh berries. I used blueberries, raspberries and strawberries but any mixture will do.
- 2 tbsp of caster sugar
- 1 carton of Avonmore double cream
- 20g icing sugar
You will also need
- Electric whisk
- 2 cake tins (ideally spring-form)
- Sieve
- Wire-tray
To prepare
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
- Grease the cake tins.
For the cake
- Rub the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and beat until well combined.
- Sieve the flour into the mixture gradually and combine.
- Add the milk and vanilla essence and stir well. Use an electric whisk to ensure the ingredients are well mixed and enough air has been added.
- Divide between the two cake tins and pop in the over for about 30-35 mins until golden. A knife inserted into the cake should come out clean.
Prepare the berries
- While the cake mixture is baking begin preparing the berries. Place half of the berries in a small pot. Chop larger berries such as strawberries.
- Add the caster sugar to the pot and place over a med heat for about 10 minutes. The berries should soften and release some juice.
- Strain the berry mixture to separate the softened fruit from the juice.
To serve
- Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire-tray to cool.
- Spread one of the slices with most of the berry juices we reserved earlier.
- Whip the cream and the icing sugar together and once the cake is cooled spread about half of the cream over the berry juice mixture.
- Place the other half of the cake on top and spread the remaining cream over the top. Drizzle over the remaining juice then place the softened fruit on top of the cake. Top with the rest of the fresh fruit and serve.
Double Cream
- Be careful when whipping the double cream, especially if using an electric whisk. It consistency jumps from liquid to butter very quickly!
Be careful with the temperature
- I'm using a fan oven so I'm baking at 160ºC. If you aren't using a fan oven then you'll need to bake at 180ºC.
No self raising flour?
- Simply use regular flour with two teaspoons of baking powder instead.
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Key Lime Pie
As a self-confessed food addict, I have always maintained that dessert goes into another stomach. Key Lime Pie is a great easy alternative to a Lemon Meringue and it’s very tasty. You’ll need to make this the night before but that has the added bonus of taking the pressure off you the next day.
Key Lime Pie
2015-03-12 00:19:06
Serves 6
Key Lime Pie is a traditional American dessert hailing from Florida consisting of a biscuit base topped with a zesty lime filling and whipped cream. Rest in the fridge overnight for best results.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
4 hr 25 min
Total Time
4 hr 30 min
Biscuit base
- 175g digestive biscuits (about 9 biscuits)
- 75g butter (plus extra for greasing)
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Topping
- 1 400ml tin of condensed milk
- 125ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- Finely grated rind of three limes
- 4 egg yolks
Baking
- Nonstick pie tin (ideally springform)
- Food processor for pulse the biscuits (optional)
- Electric whisk (or strong hands!)
To Serve
- Carton of whipping cream
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
To prepare
- Preheat the oven to 170º. Grease the pie tin with a little butter.
- Melt the butter over a bowl of hot water.
Make the base
- Pulse the biscuits, sugar and cinnamon in the food processor until you get coarse crumbs or smash manually with a rolling pin and combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the melted butter to the biscuit mixture and combine well.
- Tip the mixture into the pie tin and press firmly into place to create a solid base.
- Put in the oven for 5 minutes to set.
Make the lime topping
- Whisk all of the filling ingredients until well combined.
- Remove base from oven once set and pour the filling over, smoothing out to the edges.
- Put back in the oven for 15 minutes until the edges have start to set. The pie should still be a bit wobbly at this stage.
And now we wait
- Allow to cool completely then put in the fridge for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
To serve
- Whip the cream and spread over the pie. Dust a small amount of cinnamon over the top.
- Slice and enjoy!
Leftover Eggs?
- You'll have the white of 4 eggs left over after creating this. You don't need to throw it out, egg white freezes very well!
Nutty Makes http://nuttymakes.ie/
Delicious, Topped Pancakes
Pancake Tuesday! I’m not an expert with pancakes. In fact I’d even go as far as to call myself bad at them. However, as it is Pancake Tuesday I am obliged to have a good at this once-a-year treat. No matter how badly your pancakes turn out, once you have enough delicious toppings no-one will notice!
Simple Topped Pancakes
2015-02-17 22:14:03
Serves 2
A simple pancake batter, topped with your choice of chocolate, nuts and fruit.
Prep Time
1 hr 10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
For the Pancakes
- 50g plain flour
- 1 egg
- 150ml milk
- 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
- A pinch of salt
- Butter (for frying)
Toppings Suggestions
- Caster Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Cinnamon
- Fresh berries
- Greek Yoghurt
- Nuts e.g. Chopped Almonds or Walnuts
- Nutella
- Peanut butter
To prepare the batter
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl then add the salt. Beat the egg and the oil into half of the milk. Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour and beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. (Add more milk if required).
- Once you have a paste, add the rest of the milk gradually. Your batter should have the consistency of slightly thick single cream by now. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Cooking the batter
- Set a non-stick frying pan with a small knob of butter over a medium-high heat (4 or 5 for electric ovens) until the butter melts. Add a scoop of pancake mixture to the pan, swirling to ensure equal coverage. Be careful not to put in too much, Irish pancakes are quite flat.
- After about a minute once the pancake is golden underneath, carefully flip it with a fish slice (or flip it with the pan if you're some sort of pastry artist). Cook for about a minute on the other side then serve.
No berries? No problem!
- At this time of year it may be difficult to get fresh berries, but the tinned variety are too sweet. A good trick is to buy some frozen fruit and heat it over a medium to high heat until it starts to thaw. You can use a wooden spoon to smush the berries, making a sort of easy compote.
Too hungry to wait?
- If you didn't make your batter on time and you don't have the time to refrigerate it, don't fret. You can still use your freshly made batter! Refrigerated batter has a nicer consistency and is easier to work with but weigh up what's better; amazing pancakes later or good pancakes now?
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