Leek Soup

Ingredients

4 stalks of leeks
1.5 chicken boullion cubes
1.5 tbsps flour
2.5-3.5 cups water
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

This is a remarkably simple but damn good soup.

Wash the leeks thoroughly, and slice each stalk lengthwise. Chop them up as best you can, starting from the root- stop when you reach the green part at the top.

Add the butter to a preheated saucepan, and throw on the leeks. Sautee at low heat until cooked through and soft (about 5 mins). Toss into a blender, add the bouillion cubes, and flour to thicken. Add water as necessary for desired consistency. Liquify.

Pour the soup back into a saucepan to reheat. Allow the soup to come to a boil (about 5 mins). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Wilde Oscar says: You can steam potatoes and added them while blending to turn this into a leek and potato soup if that's more your taste.

Orange Almond Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
0.5 cup sugar
1 tbsp orange zest
0.5 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk
0.33 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1.25 cups flour
0.5 cup ground almonds
0.25 tsp baking soda
0.25 tsp salt
0.5-0.75 cup chocolate (chopped)


In a bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl use a spatula to cream together the butter, sugar, and orange zest. Mix in the egg yolk, almond extract and orange juice.

Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the egg mix and blend until the flour is fully integrated. Add in the chopped chocolate and mix some more until you have an appropriate doughy consistency.

Spoon out 1 tbsp sized servings onto a cooking spray lined baking tin, and place in an oven preheated to 160C. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cookies are lightly golden brown. At this point the cookies will be a bit puffy and non-uniform. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to evenly apply pressure across the surface while the cookies are still hot.

Place on a wire rack to cool. Serve with cold milk.

Salmon en Papillon with Asparagus

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless pieces of fish (salmon in this case though this method is great for a white fish too. Salmon is better seared, white fish steamed)
3-4 small red potatoes
1 lb asparagus
2-3 carrots
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp lemon peel
2 tsps minced garlic
0.5 tsp seasoned salt
0.5 tsp pepper
1 tsp tarragon leaves
1 roll parchment paper
4 lemon slices

Wilde Oscar says: Parchment paper is not the same as wax paper. The former is safe for the oven, the latter will burn your house down 5 alarm style.

Mix the olive oil, terragon, lemon peel, garlic and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Slice your skinless boneless fish into desired individual serving sizes.

Skin the carrots, and slice them lengthwise so you have strips of the same length as the asparagus.

Cut the potatoes into quarters or sixths (leave the skin on) and steam in a pot of water for a few minutes until halfway cooked.

Tear the parchment paper into 4 large squares, each about 40cm in length.

Fold the parchment paper in half, and place 1/4 of the asparagus and carrot slices onto each sheet. Place the fish on top of the vegetables, and baste liberally with the olive oil mix. Top with lemon slice. Add a few of the steamed potatoes to the parchment.

Wilde Oscar says: the longer you allow the fish to marinate in this mix, the better.  4 hours is ideal, though overnight is even better

Fold the parchment paper carefully along the edges until the packet is fully sealed. Use a knife to cut a few small slits in the top of each packet to allow steam to escape in the cooking process.

Repeat for each of the 3 remaining packets.

Place the 4 sealed packs on a cooking tray, and allow to cook for ~15 mins.

Wilde Oscar says: Instead of using the parchment in the oven method, you can sear the fish on a skillet too- it comes out with a nice lightly brown crust if seared gently. But don't over do it! Fish should never be overcooked. This is actually my preferred method, it comes out with a better colour than the parchment method.

Cookie Topped Brownies

*Heard these have been a hit before. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

For the Brownies:
90 grams bitter sweet chocolate
45 grams unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter
0.8 cups sugar
2 large eggs
0.25 tsp salt
0.25 tsp vanilla
0.5 cup flour
0.66 cup chopped walnuts

For the Cookie Topping:
0.6 cups flour
0.25 tsp baking soda
0.25 tsp salt
0.75 stick butter
0.5 cup brown sugar
0.33 cup sugar
1 large egg
0.5 tsp vanilla
0.5 cup milk chocolate chips

Make the Brownies:
Preheat the oven at 350C. Chop the two types of chocolate and butter into small chunks and heat in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth.

In a mixer mix the sugar and eggs until smooth. Add in the vanilla and salt. On a low speed, add in the melted chocolate until integrated. Add in flour and mix gently until incorporated. Fold in walnuts. Pour into small greased baking pan (8x8).

Wilde Oscar says: If you place the brownies in the fridge while you make the cookie dough, you'll be able to ensure the two layers stay separate better.

Prepare cookie dough:
In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder together.
In the food processor, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add in the egg. Mix and add in the vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Add in chocolate chips.

Remove brownie mix from the fridge and spoon on the chocolate chip mix. Use a spatula to carefully spread the cookie dough smoothly over the whole pan, but be careful not to let the cookie dough mix into the brownie mix. It should sit on top.

Place in oven for ~30-40 mins. To check if cooked, stick with knife- when it comes out clean, you're done. Cut into squares, grab some milk and loosen your belt.