Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography

Of all the culinary weapons in a 10min foodies arsenal, the humble egg is one of the most versatile and useful.

Once you have mastered the art of cooking an egg to its sublime perfection, its just a matter of adding a few delicious bells and whistles to take you to gourmet paradise.

In this episode of a 10min foodie I will share with you the secret to cooking perfect scrambled eggs that we will then take to new heights with the addition of  a few  flavorsome spices, which equals a delicious dinner in under 10 minutes.

With this episode of the 10min Foodie, I show you how you too can become a gourmet chef in under ten minutes.

Lemon Aioli
Like most things handmade, this great tasting aioli is well worth the extra effort.
250 mls of oil (use a non flavoured vegetable oil like sunflower, grapeseed or canola)
2 large egg yolks
2-4 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 roasted garlic cloves crushed ( optional, but recommened!)
2 raw garlic cloves crushed and finely chopped
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Into a thoroughly clean bowl, place the egg yolks and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and whisk until well combined.
With great patience and a steady hand, slowly add the oil to the bowl, drip by drip whisking continuously. The process is call making an emmulsification which is necessary to produce a smooth thick dressing. Its also a great workout for the arms!
Once all the oil has been incorporated, add the garlic and whisk through. I recommend that you use a combination of roasted and raw garlic in the aioli as the roast garlic helps to balance out the flavour of the aioli without making it to spicy by using just raw garlic.
Season the aioli well with slat and pepper, tasting to see if you need to correct the flavour with more lemon juice or salt and pepper to taste.
Can be store covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Photo by kevindooley

Some things just taste better the second day.

The flavours have time to develop, the seasoning and  spices are getting well acquainted and the moisture is dispersing itself evenly throughout.

The  traditional Sunday roast chicken leftovers is no exception having had time for the wonderful flavors to permeate the flesh and soak up all its goodness.

I like my chicken organic and free range, nice and plumb and fresh from the farm or farmers market. Dealing with battery hens is so last century and shouldn’t be contemplated by anyone… nuff said.

This dish has its roots firmly planted in the Sechuan province in China where they are renowned for their love affair with chilli.

So the sauce that accompanies this dish is a spicy yet sweet and salty nut based dressing that literally makes the ingredients leap off the plate into immortailty.

And why is it called Bang Bang? Traditionally the chicken was pounded on to make it tender, and the sound of the pounding gives the dish its fabulous sounding name. If you’re happy that your chicken is tender free ranged and organic, pounding of any nature is unnecesary.

Now that you have your hands on the leftover delicious chicken- no pounding required- this easy to follow episode of ‘The 10min Foodie’ will show you how to turn shredded leftover meat into a sensationally succulent salad in under 10 minutes!

Bang Bang Chicken Dressing

Into a large bowl mix the following ingredients and then whisk until a smooth sauce is acheived.

2 Tablespoons peanut oil

1-2 teaspoons of sambal olek (or chilli paste) to taste

3 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

2 Tablespoons dark soysauce

2 Tablespoons black Chinese vinegar (or balsamc vinegar)

2 Tablespoons caster sugar

2-4 Tablespoons cold water

Within this episode of The 10min foodie, not only will you learn how to cook a succulent piece of ocean trout, you will also learn how to do it all in under 10 minutes. What could be simpler and what better way to eat yourself to better health.

Fabulous fish facts: via Bridget_cooks on twitter

• People who regularly eat fish have a lower incidence of depression. Depression can be linked to low levels of omega 3 in the brain.
• Fish averages less than 2% fat, is low in kilojoules, with fewer kilojoules than even the leanest meat or chicken.
• Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish helps reduce the risk of, breast, ovary and prostate cancers.
• Eating fish at least once a week helps with prenatal and postnatal neurological development.
• The omega 3 fatty acids in fish may reduce the risk of many types of cancers by 30 to 50 per cent.
• Elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week may have a lower risk of developing dementia.
• Children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.
• Eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation.
• Fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina.
• People who eat fish once per week are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who never eat fish.
• Fish is a good low calorie, high protein choice to assist in weight loss.
• Fish is good choice for people with diabetes. The high protein supply aids in the regulation of blood sugar.
• Fish is good source of Vitamins helping to maintain healthy nerve tissues,strong bones,  teeth and a glowing complexion.

• Simple  fresh green salad of spicy rocket and mizuna leaves with a citrus vinaigrette
• Cooked red and orange beetroot salad with slivers of ruby grapefruit and fresh mint
• Classic oven baked crispy potato wedges with homemade tartare sauce and fresh lemon wedges
• Steamed mussels with chilli and lemongrass in a butter broth
• Soba noodles with fresh wasabi, sliced shallots, ginger and sesame oil

But perfection is in the mouth of the diner. People are as different as night and day when it comes to HOW they like their steak cooked.

One person’s rare steak is another person’s raw. One person’s beloved well done steak equates to another person’s tough old boot.

With this episode of the 10min Foodie, I cook for you the perfect medium rib eye or scotch fillet steak. But if you are a lover of other degrees of readiness use this link  to a steak doneness chart to help attain your nirvana.

An instant read thermometer plus following the simple guidelines on this foodeo will certainly assist you on your path to steak glory!

Recipes from the ‘Foodeo’

I chose 2 pieces of rib-eye (also known as scotch fillet steak), each piece weighing 250grams which is approximately a 9 ounce steak and the following recipe is enough for two servings.

Glorious Roasted Wedge Potatoes and Blanched Baby Carrots with a Herb Butter

For two people, you will needed 4 large potatoes, cut up into wedges.

Place the wedges in an oven tray in a single layer with a generous grinding of black pepper,sprinkling of sea salt, a light drizzle of olive oil and some finely chopped fresh thyme.

Cook them in a preheated oven on 200C or 400F, for 25 minutes and then take them out, turn the wedges over to crisp up in the oven for a further 20 minutes. Once they are golden, remove from the oven.

Prepare 1 bunch of baby carrots by removing the green tops and tipping the tail off with a small knife. Carefully peel down the length of the carrots- avoiding fingers!

Bring to the boil a medium sized pot of water with a pinch of salt and plunge the carrots into to the water for 5 minutes until tender to the touch. Drain the carrots well.

Make the herb butter by chopping 50 grams or 2 ounces of butter in to small cubes and zapping quickly in the microwave for 10 seconds, just to get the butter soft. Add 1 Tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme, a grinding of  black pepper and a pinch of sea salt flakes and mix through the butter with a fork until well combined.

Use the above combination’s as I did in the foodeo for a stunning steak dinner or you may like to use some of the following ideas to accompany that perfectly cooked steak of yours!

Creamy garlic mashed potatoes with a fresh green salad

Lightly blanched green beans and broccolini

Baked potato or roast potato with lightly steamed asparagus

Tender roasted portobello mushroom with a mixed leaf salad

Creamy potato salad with barbecued corn cobs