Autumn is the perfect time to put comfort meals back on the menu. Whip up something warm and delicious in your alfresco kitchen in under an hour with these simple autumn recipes.
Blowtorched Nachos
Ingredients:
- 230g/1pkt Mission Tortilla chips (cheese) or regular corn chips
- 300g/1 jar salsa (mild or hot)
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
- 500g mince beef lean/regular
- 1pkt taco spice mix
- 400g canned black beans
- 400g canned corn kernels
- 250g tasty cheese
- 1 avocado
- ½ lime
- Sour cream and jalapenos as desired
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil spray
1. Heat the frypan with olive oil spray and add mince meat. Break down mince meat with a wooden spoon whilst cooking. When the meat is just brown add the taco mix and drained black beans. Once all are combined and the meat is cooked, remove from heat.
2. To make guacamole, mash avocado and then add a splash of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cut cherry tomatoes in quarters and drain corn and combine in a bowl.
4. In a large deep platter, empty packet of tortilla corn chips and spread out evenly. Cover with mincemeat mix, followed by salsa and then tasty cheese. Ensure all ingredients are evenly spread over the tortilla corn chips.
5. With a Gasmate blowtorch, melt the cheese. Slow and steady gets best results for evenly golden melted cheese. Once cheese is melted top with cherry tomato and corn mix, jalapenos, guacamole and sour cream.
These can be also cooked in a hooded BBQ in a cast iron fry pan. Be sure to keep the flame away from the edges of the dish.
BBQ Cape Grim Scotch Fillet with Spinach and Red Wine Jus
Ingredients:
- 4 250g Cape Grim scotch fillet
- 600ml beef jus
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- ½ bottle red wine
- 50g butter
- 100g baby spinach
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1. Preheat the BBQ until hot registers on the hood indicator (hood down).
2. For the sauce: Heat a pot to medium on your wok burner and add oil, sliced onions, garlic and thyme. Sauté with no colour until onions are soft. Add red wine and reduce to 1/3. Add the beef jus, reduce by half. Set aside.
3. Oil and season steak with salt and pepper and turn the BBQ heat down to ½. Place steak on grill and let sear for approximately 2 minutes. Turn the steak with the raw side still facing up to achieve crisscross char grill lines and wait for tiny drops of blood to form on the surface (this is for medium rare), then turn over. Cook steak on the second side for about ½ the cooking time of the first side. Once cooked, place the steak on a resting plate.
4. For the wilted spinach: Lace a tray on the BBQ with a small amount of water. Add spinach and warm through gently. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Drain excess water. Finish sauce by bringing back to the boil and whisking in cubed room temperature butter.
To serve: Place wilted baby spinach leaves onto the centre of your plate. Top with your steak and drizzle with sauce.
Butter Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
- 700g chicken thigh or breast fillet, diced
- 1 medium brown onion, diced
- 400g canned diced tomato
- ½ cup thickened cream (can use lite cream)
- 1 small capsicum, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 120g spinach
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp butter chicken paste
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g plain Greek yoghourt to serve
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- Cooked rice for serving
1. Dice onion, capsicum and carrots.
2. Spray the frypan with olive oil and once hot, add diced ingredients. Sauté on medium to high heat, stirring them until they start to get soft.
3. Add diced chicken and when it starts to brown add garlic, ginger and butter chicken pastes. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the frypan to remove any residue that is stuck.
4. Add canned diced tomatoes and salt. Stir to combine and reduce heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and then add cream and simmer for a few more minutes before adding spinach.
5. Mix in spinach and as soon as it breaks down, turn off heat.
Serve with rice and/or flatbread/roti with some Greek yoghurt on the side. Any vegetables can be substituted or added such as sweet potato or broccoli. Serve on cauliflower rice or sweet potato mash for a low carb option instead of rice.
Enjoy delightful autumn meals cooked in your AlfrescoPlus outdoor kitchen!
AlfrescoPlus is a renowned builder of outdoor kitchens in Melbourne. Our DIY outdoor kitchen range offers style, quality, functionality and versatility, and our outdoor BBQ Kitchen cabinets feature a patented framing system for a seamless and robust cabinetry solution. We bring together market-leading appliances, premium materials and award-winning services to make your dream outdoor kitchen a stunning reality.
Don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 174 876 or send us an email at info@alfrescoplus.com.au for enquiries or more information.
