Christmas Recipes from Vanessa Jones

2UE Christmas recipes

Brazil Nuts

500g Brazil nuts
2 tbsp light olive oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp Egyptian dukkah*

Preheat oven to 180C.  Put the nuts in a small bowl and coat with olive oil, then place on an ungreased baking tray and sprinkle with poppy seeds and dukkah. Cook for 8 minutes or until slightly browned and aromatic. The nuts are best served while still warm.
* see recipe below

Egyptian Dukkah

Egyptian dukkah spice mix can be bought in specialty delicatessens; however this quick-and-easy recipe costs a fraction of the price. It also makes for interesting talk at the dinner table.   
 
100g Brazil nuts
50g pistachio kernels
100g sesame seeds
50g coriander seeds
50g cumin powder
1 tbsp sea salt  
 
Preheat oven to 160C. Line a flat tray with baking paper. Place the Brazil nuts and pistachio kernels on the tray and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame and coriander seeds and cumin over the nuts and cook a further 5 minutes Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then using a mortar and pestle crush the spices and nuts to form a coarse powder. Add the salt and mix until combined.Store in an airtight jar.

Serving suggestion:  Serve a bowl of Egyptian dukkah and olive oil with bread. First dip bread into the oil and then into the dukkah. Dukkah is best served with pre-dinner drinks. I find warm sourdough the best type of bread to use.

Bollywood Bites

Serve nuts spiced with Indian flavours and bring out your inner Bollywood fantasies.

200g peanuts
200g Brazil nuts
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder*
2 tbsp light olive oil

Preheat oven to 180C. Mix the nuts, spices and oil together in a large bowl until the nuts are evenly coated with the spices. Place the mixture on an ungreased baking tray and cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve straight from the oven.
*Garam masala is a spice blend of cardamom, Indian bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, coriander and cinnamon. It can be bought at most supermarkets.

Poached Summer Peaches with Vanilla Yoghurt

4 yellow peaches
½ cup caster sugar
3 cups water
1 cinnamon quill
1 star anise
1 vanilla pod, split in half and scraped
¼ cup low-fat natural yoghurt  
½ cup low-fat cream, whipped
2 tbsp pistachio kernels, lightly crushed

Using a sharp knife lightly score a cross on the bottom of each peach. Place the sugar, water, cinnamon, star anise and half the scraped vanilla pod in a medium saucepan and bring to the simmer. Stand the peaches upright in the liquid and simmer for 4 minutes or until skin starts to come off. Remove the peaches from the liquid, let cool, then peel and refrigerate. Continue simmering the poaching liquid for a further 7 minutes or until it reaches a syrupy consistency. To make the vanilla yoghurt, gently mix the yoghurt with the cream and the remainder of the vanilla pod until combined. Serve the peaches with a sprinkle of pistachios, a little of the syrup and the vanilla yoghurt on the side. Serves 4.