Category Archives: Vegetables and sides

Potato Gratin

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It’s Winter again and yes, I know it’s been over a year since my last post. For anyone who reads this blog, (yes, this means you!) sorry for the long delay. No, I didn’t drop off the edge of the earth (thankfully!) and I am still alive and breathing (thankfully!!).  I’ve been a bit busy and I have to admit I haven’t felt inclined to write in a while. Dear old blog…maybe I didn’t update you “quite as often as I could have”… but you were ….*sometimes*… on my mind, hehe.  Anyway…I didn’t forget you and here I am again.

After a pretty warm and mild Autumn, Winter is starting to settle in and wrap Sydney around her cold, windy, drizzly blanket. And, as always, the chilly weather is making me crave warm, comfort food.

Potato Gratin is one of those comfort foods. It’s familiar (we go way back since Primary school days), tastes delicious and it’s consistent (no matter where you are or how old you are when you eat it, it will always taste about the same…which is comforting).

To make the potato gratin, you’ll need:

About 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, sliced thinly

About 1 cup reduced fat cream or skim milk, warmed.

1 cup shredded strong cheese (I like aged cheddar, colby or gouda)

About a teaspoon of Rosemary or your favourite herb mix

1 clove of garlic

Salt and pepper.

May You Cookt It |Potato Gratin

  1. Preheat oven to about 180 degrees celsius.
  2. Halve the garlic clove and rub the sides and bottom of the baking dish with it before discarding the clove.
  3. Layer the potatoes into the baking dish in an overlapping pattern.
  4. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper.
  5. Pour the warm cream or milk over the potatoes.
  6. Cover with foil and bake for about 35 mins or  until the potatoes are tender.
  7. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Bake for a further 10-15 mins until golden.

May You Cook It | Potato Gratin

That’s all there is to it. Very easy and so nice served warm out of the oven. It makes a delicious side dish and I usually serve it with steak and a bit of steamed vegetables. Definitely one of my favourite Winter warmers!

Stir Fried Vegetables

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Stir frying is a general term used to describe a Chinese cooking technique (chǎo) which involves heating a small amount of oil in a wok before adding spices then frying meat and/or vegetables while tossing the ingredients swiftly together. The term was first penned by Buwei Yang Chao in her book How to Cook and Eat Chinese and has since become a conventional description of many other Asian dishes using a similar style of cooking.

I love the tastes and spices in Chinese cooking and I particularly enjoy the light and fresh flavour of this recipe. Its good to have as a side dish but is also delicious on its own.
Stir Fried Vegetables | May You Cook Iy

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
Sliced cuttlefish balls (optional)
about 1 cup chopped Chinese broccoli
about 1 cup chopped zucchini
about 1 cup chopped carrot
about 1 tsp fish sauce
about 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
6 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the Shaoxing wine, sugar, water, cornstarch and fish sauce
  2. Heat the wok and add the oil. Add the ginger and stir fry until aromatic.
  3. Add the cuttlefish and swiftly stir fry until cooked. Add the remaining vegetables and stir quickly.
  4. Add the sauce into the wok and stir until the sauce thickens.
  5. Transfer the vegetables into a dish and serve immediately.

Bruschetta

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Bruschetta is an appetizer originating from 15th century Italy and is one of my favorite things to eat. Bruschetta was developed out of necessity as a way to salvage bread that was going stale. It traditionally consists of bread rubbed with garlic, then sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. A variety of toppings have developed over the centuries and this recipe incorporates one of the more popular kinds outside of Italy. I loove to eat it as a snack and one of my favorite things to do is curl up with a good book, a plate of bruschetta and a cold drink. Yum!

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Ingredients

  1. Handful of fresh basil or parsely
  2. Extra virgin olive oil
  3. Several cloves of garlic
  4. Handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped
  5. 1 red onion, finely chopped
  6. Balsamic vinegar
  7. Crusty bread cut into thick slices.

Instructions

  1. Chop the basil or parsley, onion and tomato. Finely slice the garlic
  2. Combine ingredients in a bowl and add approx 2 tbs balsamic vinegar and 2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil. Set aside and allow the ingredients to marinate.
  3. Brush the bread with extra virgin olive oil and rub with a garlic clove.
  4. Sprinkle the bread slices liberally with salt and pepper.
  5. Lightly toast the bread in the oven.
  6. Add the topping onto the toasted bread and serve.