The herbs have taken over

This week was a hectic week for us at work. NAPLAN had taken over and some of us were more busy than others. So it was a good thing that I was cooking and Rose was sampling (LOL). I decided to go with nice and light this week and it proved very delicious.  This week I decided to do all my shopping at B FRESH and I'm glad I did. I don't mind plugging a good store haha. Rose had given me, via text, my core ingredient: Chinese Five Spice. After a few days of scouring the recipe books and Delicious Magazines I came up with my menu of Warm Salad of Brie and Roast Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Chicken on Asian Rice Noodle Salad.

Warm Salad of Brie and Roast Cherry Tomatoes

Punnet of Vine ripened cherry tomatoes
200g mixed salad leaves
1 1/2 cups kalamata olives
1 red onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs chopped basil
2 tsp chopped chives
1 tbs chopped flat leafed parsley
          plus extra to serve
8 baguette slices chargrilled and kept warm
400g brie (at room temperature)

Preheat oven at 180 deg. Roast tomatoes for 5-10 minutes until starting to split.
Meanwhile, combine salad leaves, olives, and onion. Whisk together oil, vinegar and mustard, then stir in herbs and season. Toss with salad, tomatoes and parsley leaves. Serve with baguette and brie.

This was a light and delicious starter. The texture contrast with the brie and the baguette was great against the crunch of the salad and the tang of the roasted tomatoes.

Crispy chicken on Asian Rice noodle salad

100g vermicelli noodles
1 red capsicum
2tbs chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped thai basil leaves

Dressing
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
1 1/2 tbs fish sauce
3 tsp caster sugar
1cm piece of ginger finely grated
1/2 long red chilli seeded thinly sliced

Crispy Chicken
1 egg
1 cm piece of ginger finely grated
1 garlic clove crushed
110g plain flour
2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 chicken breasts thinly sliced
vegetable oil to shallow fry

To make dressing whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain, then return to bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Add capsicum and herbs and toss to combine.
To make the crispy chicken, whisk egg, ginger and garlic in a large bowl until just combined. Combine flour five spice and S&P in another large bowl. Dip chicken into egg mixture, drain off excess, then toss in the flour mixture.
Fill wok or deep frying pan halfway with oil and shallow fry chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Place noodle salad on serving plates and top with crispy chicken to serve.

This was a very tasty dish, but could have had more kick in the chilli and a bit more dressing in the noodles. I thought the chook was tasty. I do need to work on my portions and my plating up lol.

Next week promises to be delish as Rose's task is to cook something Moroccan. YUM.