Forget the latest gadgets, the humble freezer is the unsung hero of every home kitchen! In Cook Ahead, Justine Schofield shows you how to make the most of yours, saving time and money in the process.
Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
It’s well worth preparing a big batch of these bundles of joy. Nothing beats homemade juicy dumplings, and by making a large quantity, later down the track when you need a quick dinner, you will be so grateful to have them stashed in the freezer.
MAKES 40
Ingredients
- 2 Chinese cabbage leaves
- 500 g pork mince
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground
- white pepper
- 40 round wonton wrappers
Dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp black vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- few drops of sesame oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp chilli oil
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
For the dipping sauce, combine everything in a bowl.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the cabbage leaves. Bring back to the boil and cook for a minute before draining and patting the leaves dry with a clean tea towel. Remove the stalk and finely shred the leaves.
Combine the cabbage with the pork, ginger, garlic, shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar and white pepper. Mix with a fork until a sticky paste-like mixture forms. This can be made a day ahead.
Line a tray with baking paper. Working with four wonton wrappers at a time, place the wrappers on a work surface and add 2 teaspoons of the mince mixture to the centre. Brush the edges with a little water. Bring the opposite edges together to enclose the filling and lightly press around the filling to release any air bubbles and form a dumpling. Crimp the edges to seal each dumpling and place on the tray. Cover with a damp tea towel to ensure the dumplings do not dry out. Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and mince mixture. Keep, covered, in the fridge until ready to cook.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the dumplings in batches, and once they start bobbing to the surface, cook for 6–8 minutes or until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to a clean tea towel to drain well.
Serve the dumplings immediately with the dipping sauce.
FREEZE:
Place the dumplings on a tray that fits in your freezer and freeze for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid. Portion the frozen dumplings into snap-lock bags. Seal, label, and date. Freeze for up to three months.
THAW:
No need to thaw.
REHEAT:
Cook the frozen dumplings in batches in boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
Frozen Yoghurt Bars
I turn to these bars when in need of a refreshing snack on a hot summer’s day. I love their dramatic double-decker look: oats bound by peanut butter in the first layer, followed by a creamy layer of yoghurt rippled with crushed berries. So yum, and the best part is, these bars are super healthy.
MAKES 16
Ingredients
- 125g blueberries
- 125g raspberries
- 150g dates, pitted
- 140g (½ cup) peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter of your choice)
- 150g (1 ½ cups) rolled oats
- 30g (¼ cup) LSA (or any nut meal of your choice)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 375g (1 ½ cups) Greek yoghurt
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
Place the berries and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan, cover with the lid and cook over low heat for 5–8 minutes or until the berries start to break down. Roughly mash the berries with a fork, then cool to room temperature.
Line a 20 cm square brownie tin with two sheets of plastic wrap.
Combine the dates and peanut butter in a food processor and blitz to form a rough paste. Add the oats, LSA and cinnamon and pulse to combine. Pour the oat mixture into the tin and smooth out with the back of a spoon, pressing down firmly so the surface is even and compact.
Combine the yoghurt and maple syrup in a bowl and pour over the oat mixture, spreading out evenly. Dollop the cooled berries on top with a dessertspoon. Then use the back of the spoon to form ripples, so the yoghurt and berries marble together. Place in the freezer for 3–4 hours or until completely solid.
Before serving, remove the slice from the freezer and thaw slightly. Holding the sides of the plastic wrap, lift the slice out of the tin and cut into sixteen bars. Eat immediately.
FREEZE:
After portioning, place the yoghurt bars in an airtight container with baking paper between each layer so the bars do not stick together. Seal, label and date. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Extracted from Cook Ahead by Justine Schofield, Macmillan Publishers, RRP $44.99
