Recipes

 

 

 

 

• 500g thick fresh rice noodles 
• 500g beef fillet or rump steak, thinly sliced 
• 2 red onions, cut into thick wedges 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 tbs finely grated ginger 
• 1 tbs peanut oil 
• 1 bunch baby choy sum, trimmed, coarsely chopped 
• 1/3 cup (80ml) blackbean sauce 
• 2 tbs shaoxing wine or dry sherry 
• 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked 

• Place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside for 5 minutes to soak. Drain well and set aside. 
• Meanwhile, combine the beef, onion, garlic and ginger in a large bowl. Heat half the oil in a wok over high heat until just smoking. Add one-quarter of the beef mixture and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat in 3 more batches with remaining beef mixture, reheating wok and adding more oil if necessary, between each batch. 
• Return the beef mixture to the wok with the choy sum, blackbean sauce and wine and stir-fry for 1 minute or until choy sum begins to wilt. Add the rice noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute or until noodles are coated in sauce. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve immediately. 

Roast beetroot salad with orange & goats cheese
When the clock’s ticking you need a shopping list and smart recipes ready to go. Get started with this five ingredient wonder.

Ingredients
12 small beetroot bulbs, trimmed leaving 3cm of stem intact, peeled
3 oranges
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
120g baby rocket leaves
200g goats cheese, crumbled
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the beetroot in a large baking dish. Finely grate the rind of the oranges and add to the dish. Toss to combine. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pierce the garlic cloves with a knife and add to the dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the beetroot are tender.
Meanwhile, cut the top and base from each orange. Use a small sharp knife to remove the skin and white pith. Holding each orange over a bowl to catch any juice, cut along either side of the white membranes to remove the orange segments. Use your hands to squeeze any remaining juice from the orange into the bowl.
Divide the rocket, beetroot and orange segments among serving plates, reserving the garlic. Sprinkle with the goat’s cheese.
Add the orange juice and remaining oil to any juices in the baking dish and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad. Serve with the reserved garlic.
Notes
Cook’s tip: Roasted garlic is so versatile – squeeze the flesh from the skins and add to the salad, or spread over crusty bread.

Rocky road pudding
This ice-cream Christmas treat guarantees a sweet ending to you festive feast.
 
Equipment
You will need an 8-cup capacity metal pudding steamer.

Ingredients (serves 8)
16 chocolate biscuits
1.25 litres vanilla ice-cream, softened
1 cup Foster Clark’s vanilla custard
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup granulated nuts
1 cup frozen raspberries, roughly crushed
chocolate Ice Magic, sprinkles and silver cachous, to decorate
Foster Clark’s vanilla custard, to serve
 Method
Line an 8 cup-capacity metal pudding steamer with plastic wrap, allowing a 2cm overhang.
Break 10 biscuits into 2cm pieces. Combine ice-cream, biscuit pieces, custard, marshmallows, coconut, nuts and raspberries in a bowl. Spoon mixture into prepared steamer. Smooth top. Top with remaining biscuits. Freeze overnight or until firm.
Stand pudding at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften. Turn out onto a plate. Carefully peel away wrap. Drizzle with Ice Magic. Top with sprinkles and cachous. Serve with custard.

Strawberry cheesecake

Cheesecake is a classic crowd-pleaser – this no-bake version features fresh strawberries.

• 250g pkt Unibic Sponge Finger biscuits
• 1 cup apple juice
• 500g cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 large lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
• 3 teaspoons powdered gelatine
• 300ml pouring cream, lightly whipped
• 375g small strawberries, hulled
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam

 

1. Grease and line the base and sides of a 5.5cm deep, 22cm (base) springform cake pan. Dip biscuits, 1 at a time, into apple juice. Use to line the base of pan, cutting to fit.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon rind until smooth. Heat lemon juice and gelatine in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a fork until dissolved. Set aside to cool (gelatine and cream cheese mixtures must be at the same temperature before combining).
3. Using electric mixer on low, beat gelatine into cream cheese mixture. Fold in cream, mixing until combined. Spoon filling over base. Smooth surface. Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
4. Arrange strawberries, pointed end up, over cheesecake. Warm jam in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl for 45 to 60 seconds on HIGH (100%). Strain through a sieve. Drizzle warm jam over strawberries. Chill for 30 minutes or until jam sets. Serve.

 

Halloween cupcakes

This is one part of Halloween that no-one will find scary. These spidery cupcakes will delight the kids at birthday parties too.

Makes

12

• 340g packet golden buttercake mix
• 2 eggs
• 60g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 180g packet Smarties lollies
• 1 cup dark chocolate melts

• Butter cream icing

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
• Yellow food colouring
• Green food colouring

 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole, 1/3 cup capacity muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Make cupcakes following packet directions. Spoon mixture into cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of 1 cupcake comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Make icing Using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, beating constantly until combined. Tint lime green by mixing food colourings.
4. Spread cupcakes with icing. Press 3 Smarties into tops for spider bodies. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) for 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds, or until melted and smooth. Spoon chocolate into a snap-lock bag. Make a small snip in 1 corner. Pipe chocolate around Smarties to form spider legs and eyes. Set aside for 10 minutes or until set. Serve.

Banana bread and butter pudding

Need a few good reasons to try this new twist on an old favourite? It’s low fat, low GI and really easy to make!

• 40g reduced-fat spread
• 9 slices oatbran and honey bread
• 2 cups skim milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons yellow box honey (see note)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 small bananas, thinly sliced
• low-fat ice-cream or custard, to serve

 

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Spread reduced-fat spread over both sides of bread slices. Cut off crusts. Cut each slice of bread in half.
2. Whisk milk, eggs, honey and cinnamon together in a jug.
3. Layer bread over a greased 5-cup, ovenproof dish. Top with banana slices.
4. Pour over milk mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with ice-cream or custard.

 

Maple date loaf

It used to be hard to get the work/loaf balance right. Not anymore with this scrumptious recipe.

Chicken schnitzel caesar salad

Together at last! Crunchy, munchy schnitzel and creamy, crispy caesar salad, a dynamite duo joining forces to bring you summer deliciousness. Now give in!

• 1 quantity chicken schnitzel
• 4 rashers middle bacon, trimmed, roughly chopped
• 2 baby cos lettuce hearts, leaves torn
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• 1/2 cup caesar salad dressing
• Shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

• Chicken schnitzel

• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 550g chicken breast schnitzel (uncrumbed)
• Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

1. To make the chicken schnitzel: Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, lemon rind, parsley and garlic powder on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Place flour on a plate. Whisk egg and milk together in a shallow bowl.
2. Coat 1 piece of chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture. Coat in breadcrumb mixture. Place on a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture and breadcrumb mixture.
3. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
4. Arrange lettuce, egg and bacon on plates.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken, in batches, for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Slice and add to lettuce mixture. Top with dressing and parmesan. Serve.

 

Crispy skin spatchcock with avocado & quinoa

Recipe for crispy skin spatchcock with avocado and quinoa is as follows:

Ingredients
2 x 500g spatchcock, halved and rib cage removed (your butcher may be able to help with this)
1 lemon
4 shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 Birdseye chilli, deseeded and julienne
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 tbsp. ginger, julienne and blanched
2 spring onions, sliced
Deglazing Liquids
10 ml Chinese black vinegar
15 ml balsamic vinegar
10 ml Worcestershire sauce
30 ml mirin
15 ml light soy sauce
75 ml chicken stock
Combine all the liquids
Rub the spatchcock skin with the lemon 5 min before you intend on cooking it. Place in a frying pan, breast and leg skin side and cook on low to medium heat till ¾ cooked – approx. 4-5 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for a min or two to complete cooking. Meanwhile blanch the ginger slices.
Remove the bird from the pan and add the shitake, chilli, shallots, garlic, blanched ginger and sauté for a min or two. Add deglazing liquids and reduce until it has a thick sauce like consistency. Add the spring onion as you serve
Avocado and quinoa base
1 avocado chopped into small dice
2 tbsp. cooked quinoa
1½ tbsp. thick plain yoghurt
1tsp preserved lemons, diced
1 tsp. finely sliced chives
Salt and pepper
To cook the quinoa, place in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then strain
Mix the avocado with the yoghurt, preserved lemon and chives and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fold the quinoa into the avocado mix
Daikon and cucumber salad
5 cm length of continental cucumber, seeds removed and julienne
5 cm length of Daikon peeled and julienne
Combine ingredients in a little ice water to make them crispier. Drain. You can also add some dried julienne of lemon zest if you like.
To serve
Place a large tablespoon of the avocado and quinoa base in the centre of the plates, top with a spatchcock leg and breast. Pour over sauce and finish with daikon and cucumber salad.
Serves 4

Lasagne for spring

• 1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into small chunks
• 3 1/2 tbs olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 2 red capsicum
• 2 yellow capsicum
• 1kg small vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, 6 with stems intact
• 1 garlic clove, cut into slivers
• 18 (10 x 6cm) fresh green lasagne sheets
• 800g low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped lemon thyme leaves
• 2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 tbs grated parmesan
• Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Toss the pumpkin in 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on a large baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. At the same time, roast capsicum for 15 minutes or until skin is charred, then remove from oven and place in a plastic bag. Set aside until cooled completely, then remove and discard charred skin, seeds and core. Cut capsicum into 3cm-wide strips.
3. Mash the pumpkin and set aside.
4. Place tomatoes on a roasting tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and scatter the garlic slivers over the top. Roast 8 minutes or until slightly wilted. Reserve the 6 tomatoes with stems intact for garnish and place remaining tomatoes and garlic in a bowl. Roughly mash with a fork, then season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
5. Place lasagne sheets in a large pan of boiling, salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until al dente. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop lasagne cooking, then drain on a tea towel.
6. Combine the ricotta, fresh herbs and half the parmesan in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
7. To assemble, place a sheet of baking paper on a large baking tray. Place 6 sheets of lasagne on the tray. Layer the pumpkin on top, followed by half of the ricotta mixture, then the tomatoes. Add another layer of lasagne, followed by the roasted capsicum, then the remaining ricotta and finally a layer of lasagne. Brush the tops of the lasagne sheets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Cover the whole tray loosely with foil, place in the oven and heat for 10 minutes. The lasagne should be eaten warm, not hot. Use a fish slice to place each lasagne on a serving plate, drizzle with a little oil and balsamic, and serve with the reserved tomatoes

Asparagus and goat’s cheese frittata

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

15 minutes

• 12 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thin cream
• 2 tbs finely chopped dill
• 20g butter
• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, diagonally cut into 3cm pieces
• 100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
• Toast, to serve
• Mixed salad leaves, to serve

 

1. Preheat grill on high. Whisk the eggs, cream and dill together in a medium bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Melt the butter in a large (20cm base measurement) frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until leek softens. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until bright green and tender but still crisp.
3. Pour egg mixture over the leek mixture in frying pan. Gently stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook for 4-5 minutes or until frittata is almost set but the top is still runny. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the goat’s cheese evenly over the top.
4. Place the frying pan under preheated grill for 2 minutes or until frittata is set and top is lightly browned. Use a spatula to loosen the frittata and slide onto a clean work surface. Cut into wedges and place on serving plates. Serve immediately with toast and mixed salad leaves, if desired.

 

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Slow-cooked lamb curry

This spicy lamb curry is best prepared in a slow cooker.

• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 800g diced lamb shoulder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
• 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Indian madras curry paste
• 270ml light coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon Vegeta gourmet stock powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 dried bay leaf
• steamed rice, yoghurt, naan bread and chopped fresh coriander, to serve

 

1. Place flour and lamb in a snap-lock bag. Season with salt and pepper. Seal. Shake to coat. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook lamb, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a 4.5 litre-capacity slow cooker.
2. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pan. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chilli and curry paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add coconut milk, stock powder and 3/4 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Transfer to slow cooker. Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
3. Cook, covered, on LOW for 6 hours or until lamb is tender. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Serve with rice, yoghurt, naan and coriander.

 

 

Chicken & vegetable pies

Eat these hearty little pies at home, or pack them up and head off on a winter picnic.

Makes

4

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 30g butter
• 500g chicken breast fillet, cut into 2cm chunks
• 1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbs flour
• 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine or water
• 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thick cream
• 1 large carrot, peeled, cooked, diced
• 1 large potato, peeled, boiled, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas, cooked
• 1 tbs chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 4 sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

 

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a frypan over medium heat, add the pieces of chicken and cook until lightly browned and almost cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the leek and garlic to the pan and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and bring to the boil for 1 minute, then pour in stock and cream and cook, stirring, for a further 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
2. Return chicken to pan with cooked vegetables and tarragon, season well, then set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
4. Cut four 18cm squares from the pastry, reserving off cuts. Place some chicken mixture in the centre of each square, then lift up the sides of the pastry to form a parcel, pinching edges together to seal. Cut out leaf shapes from the pastry offcuts and place over the joins. Make a small pastry rose for the centre of each parcel.
5. Place parcels on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

 

Mushroom & tomato frittata

It’s quick, it’s easy and it tastes great, so why not make this delicious frittata tonight?

• 30g unsalted butter
• 200g Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 eggs
• 75g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

1. Preheat the grill to high.
2. Melt 20g of the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and tomato wedges, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until tomato is just softened.
3. Lightly beat eggs with 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl. Stir in cheese, parsley, and the mushroom and tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Melt remaining butter in the frypan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, stir briefly, then cook for 5-6 minutes until golden underneath and nearly set. Place pan under hot grill for 3-4 minutes or until just set and top is golden. Slide onto a board, cut in half.

 

• serve with a dressed green salad

Grilled Jumbo Green Prawns like ala Paulista

Ingredients:
8 large green prawns, whole not shelled
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 large banana leaves to wrap prawns
1-2 tbsp palm sugar, grated
1 tsp red miso paste, dried and ground
1 tbsp palm oil
2 birds eye chillies, julienned
1 tbsp ginger, julienned
2 large shallots, finely sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1-2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 tbsp coriander
Steamed rice – to serve
2 limes cut into wedges – to serve

Method
Slice through the back of each prawn and devein.  Insert slices of garlic inside the prawn slightly sticking out.  Cook prawns under a medium-hot grill for 2 minutes on each side. You want the prawns and garlic to colour evenly, so don’t have the grill too hot. There is no need to add salt, as there is enough natural salt in the shell as well as in the dried miso.

Pre heat oven to 180?C. Blanch the ginger slices. Place the prawns on a lightly oiled banana leaf and sprinkle with palm sugar, miso, palm oil, chilli, ginger, shallots and half of the spring onions.  Wrap and secure with a toothpick if necessary. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes.

Transfer the banana leaf parcel to a serving dish and bring to the table.  Open the parcel, drizzle prawns with soy and lime juice, sprinkle over coriander and remaining spring onions.  Add a few more drops of palm oil.

Serve with a side of steamed rice and lime wedges

Serves 4

Cappuccino cakes

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush eight 250ml (1-cup) capacity ovenproof tea cups or muffin pans with melted butter to lightly grease.
2. Use an electric beater to beat together the butter and sugar in a medium bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a large metal spoon to fold in the flour, coffee and buttermilk until well combined. Spoon the mixture evenly among the prepared cups or pans. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside for 1 hour to cool completely.
3. Use a balloon whisk to whisk together the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar in a large bowl until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the Kahlua and whisk until well combined.
4. Spoon the mascarpone mixture over each cake and spread to the edge. Sprinkle with drinking chocolate to serve.

 

Notes

• If you don’t have an espresso machine, use 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 185ml (3/4 cup) boiling water

Rocky Road

Inspired by the colourful candy from animated family film HOP (available to own on DVD August 4) chef Janelle Bloom shares her recipe for delicious Rocky Road and some tips for shaking up this traditional kids favourite!

Rocky Road is a treat the entire family loves. It’s quick and easy, not to mention deliciously naughty. Spending valuable time with the kids in the kitchen are memories that will last forever, it teaches the kids many things- how to read, how to get organized, how to clean up and patience.

Rocky Road is one of those recipes where you can interchange the basic ingredients to add your favourite things; like swap the milk chocolate to white, replace the Smarties with MM’s or chocolate coated sultanas or add your favourite lollies like chopped snakes alive or mint leaves, the recipe is only limited by your imagination.

Ingredients

1 cup shredded coconut

400g good quality milk cooking chocolate, chopped

2 tbs vegetable oil

100g marshmallows, chopped using scissors

1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts (see note)

200g good quality white chocolate, chopped

1 cup smarties

Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm slab pan with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhanging on both long edges so you can lift the rocky road out once its set.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced. Spread the coconut onto a baking tray. Put into the oven and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once until the coconut is lightly toasted. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Place the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir often with a metal spoon until the chocolate is melted and smooth (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Alternately microwave the chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl (like Pyrex) in 1 minute bursts on High/100%, stirring every minute until smooth. Stir in the oil. Remove the bowl to the bench and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Stir the coconut, marshmallows, peanuts, white chocolate and smarties into the milk chocolate until well combined then spoon into the slab pan. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours until firm. Cut into small or big pieces and serve.?

Note You can replace the peanuts with other nuts like macadamia, walnuts or roasted hazelnuts or try crispy fried noodles, you will find them in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Tips for the kids!

Not only can you change the ingredients around you can have so much fun with the shape!

1. Cut the rocky road into squares, pipe numbers on top using melted chocolate or icing & shape it like hopscotch squares

2. Spoon it into upside down party hats so its shaped like a pyramid tree

3. Set the rocky road in paper cupcake cases & make a rocky road croquembouche

4. Shape it like a donut & hang it to cloths line with string & play the donut game - where all hands are secured behind your back and you have to try & eat the rocky road quicker than everyone else!?

Fast chicken tagine

This chicken dish is quick, easy and full of flavour!

• 1kg chicken thigh fillets, halved
• 3 tbs chermoula spice mix or paste (see note)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 100g blanched almonds
• 140g green olives
• 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
• Couscous and chopped coriander, to serve

 

1. Toss chicken with half the spice mix. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened. Remove and set aside. Add chicken to pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Add lemon, nuts, olives, stock and remaining spice mix. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Serve with couscous and coriander.

 

Banana and raspberry bread

This recipe is great for the lunch box and also perfect with an afternoon cuppa.

Makes

10 slices

• 150g butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 ripe bananas, peeled, mashed (see notes)
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (see notes)
• butter, to serve

 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease base and sides of a 7cm deep, 11cm x 21cm (base) loaf pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at both long ends.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale. Add egg, in 2 batches, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in banana. Sift flour and baking powder over banana mixture. Add milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Carefully fold in raspberries.
4. Spoon mixture into loaf pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 10 even slices.

 

• You will need 1 cup mashed banana for this recipe.
• If using frozen raspberries, place on paper towel to thaw before using.

Asperges à l’orange

A recipe by Jacques Reymond: Tasty asparagus and shemeje,sprinkled with crumbled Roquefort

INGREDIENTS
2kg white asparagus
250ml pure virgin olive oil
150ml hazelnut oil
4 red witlof
350ml orange juice
200g roasted and peeled new season hazelnuts – coarsely crushed
50g wakame
250g mild Roquefort
50ml rice vinegar
250g shemeje mushrooms
Flake salt, pepper, sugar
1 young snow pea tendril (living ones)
1 micro red shiso
1 micro green radish
Juice 1 lime
METHOD
? Separate all the leaves of witlof. In a pan make a dry caramel with the sugar, deglaze with rice vinegar, add orange juice and reduce by half. Add witlof leaves and cook for 1 minute. Reserve.
? Pour the remaining liquid in a bowl, add some olive oil and hazelnut oil as well as the lime juice and emulsion well
? Peel the asparagus and roast, then place in a pan with olive oil and hazelnut oil. When it is three quarters cooked add shemeje and toss all together. Season.
TO SERVE
? Place the asparagus and shemeje on the plate, sprinkle with crumbled Roquefort, hazelnuts and wakame.
? Place witlof leaves on top and pour over a little dressing
? Garnish with the herbs

The best spaghetti carbonara
Quick, easy and delicious – try this carbonara and see if you think it’s the best!

Ingredients (serves 4)

400g spaghetti
1 tbs olive oil
200g sliced flat pancetta (see note), cut into 1cm-wide strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 eggs, plus 1 extra yolk
100ml thickened cream
2/3 cup (50g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method
Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook pancetta, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until beginning to crisp. Add garlic for 30 seconds, then set pan aside.

1. Place eggs, yolk, cream and parmesan in a bowl. Season, then mix gently with a fork. Drain pasta, then return to pan. Quickly add egg and pancetta mixtures and parsley. Toss to combine – the heat from the pasta will cook the egg slightly and form a creamy sauce. Serve immediately with extra parmesan.

Seafood stew with smoked chilli aioli

Garlic, lime and grilled chilli mayonnaise speckled with paprika give a kick to this Mediterranean-style prawn and tuna main.

Preparation Time
20 – 30 minutes

Cooking Time
75 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 celery sticks, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
2 x 410g cans chopped tomatoes
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
4 strips orange rind, white pith removed
1kg green prawns, peeled leaving tails intact, deveined
1kg tuna steaks, cut into 3cm pieces
Mashed potato, to serve
Fresh thyme leaves, to serve
Jalapeno Cornbread (see related recipe), to serve
Smoked chilli aioli
4 fresh red bell chillies
2 x 200g ctns aioli with lime zest
1 tsp smoked paprika

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and chopped thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and light golden. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until the wine is reduced by half.
2. Add the tomato, bay leaves and orange rind to the pan, and stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 50 minutes.
3. Stir in the prawns and tuna. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the prawns curl and change colour and the tuna is cooked through. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes to stand.
4. Divide the mashed potato and stew among serving bowls. Top with smoked chilli aioli and thyme leaves. Serve with the cornbread.

 

Roast marmalade chicken with winter salad

The bittersweetness of the marmalade, the warm heat of the mustard and the fresh tang of orange juice combine to give the roast chicken stacks of flavour.

Ingredients (serves 4)
3 tbs bitter orange marmalade, warmed gently
1 tbs Dijon mustard
8 chicken thigh cutlets (with skin on)
2 red onions, quartered
1 orange, quartered, plus juice of 1 orange
1 tbs olive oil
Winter salad
2 tbs sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar (see Notes)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup (120g) kalamata olives, pitted
100g feta, crumbled
2 oranges, peeled, white pith removed, cut into 5mm-thick rounds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a roasting pan with baking paper.
• Mix the marmalade and mustard with some sea salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat well.
• Arrange the chicken skin-side up and drizzle with any remaining marmalade mixture. Scatter over the onion and orange quarters, then drizzle with the orange juice and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Roast for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through, basting with the juices once or twice.
• Meanwhile, for the winter salad, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Add the parsley, olives, feta and orange and gently toss to combine.
• Divide the chicken and salad among plates, then drizzle over any pan juices.

 

Middle Eastern-style lamb shanks with saffron rice

Transport your family somewhere exotic with these superb Middle Eastern lamb shanks.

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
115 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tbs olive oil
4 lamb shanks, French trimmed
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
1 x 800g can diced tomatoes
Fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Greek-style yoghurt, to serve
Saffron rice
55g (1/3 cup) pine nuts
750ml (3 cups) water
1/2 tsp saffron threads
400g (2 cups) basmati rice
95g (1/2 cup) flame raisins

Method

• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic.

 

• Return the lamb shanks to the pan with the stock and tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and cook, stirring, for 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender. Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high and bring the stock mixture to the boil. Boil, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

• Meanwhile, to make the saffron rice, cook the pine nuts in a large frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add the water to the pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Add saffron and reduce heat to low. Add the rice and cook, covered, for 12 minutes or until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate the grains. Stir in the pine nuts and raisins.

• Divide the saffron rice among serving plates. Top with lamb shanks and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with yoghurt.

 

Barbecued pork fried rice

Barbecued pork fried rice is a great choice for Asian rice dishes.

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 small carrots, peeled, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup frozen peas
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 cups cooked white rice, chilled
250g barbecued pork, sliced (see Chinese barbecued pork, related recipe)
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok over high heat. Swirl to coat. Add egg. Swirl to coat. Cook for 1 minute or until just set. Remove to a board. Roll up. Stand for 1 minute. Thinly slice.
2. Add remaining oil to wok. Add carrot. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add garlic, peas and half the onion. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add soy sauce. Simmer for 1 minute. Add rice and pork. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until rice is heated through.
3. Spoon fried rice into bowls. Top with egg, coriander and remaining onion.

 

Lamb shanks with tomato, white beans and thyme

Paired with a glass of your favourite red, these melt-in-your-mouth lamb shanks make a great winter meal.

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 large French-trimmed lamb shanks
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400g cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 lemon, finely grated rind and 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400g sugar snap peas, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly coat the lamb shanks with flour. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole dish over a medium high heat. Add 2 shanks at a time and cook for 4-5 minutes until well browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining shanks and transfer to plate. Reduce heat to medium.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the tomatoes, lemon rind, lemon juice and white wine to the pan. Stir until well combined. Return the shanks to the pan and bring to the boil. Add the thyme sprigs. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour.
3. Remove the casserole from the oven. Add the beans and stir until well combined. Cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes or until the meat is very tender.
4. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bright green in colour and just tender. Drain.
5. Season the shanks with salt and pepper, and serve with the sugar snap peas.

 

Chocolate macaroons

One of the most vexing tasks some bakers come across is making the perfect Parisian macaron, those ethereal little domes of almond meringue seen all over Paris, often filled with buttercream, ganache, or a fruity filling of jam. Although the original macaron didn’t have filling, but were simply fused together while warm.

Makes
20

Ingredients
2 cups desiccated coconut
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 egg whites
1/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place desiccated coconut, caster sugar, egg whites and dark chocolate in a bowl and mix well until combined. Roll level tablespoonfuls of the coconut mixture into balls, and place on the lined tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Set aside to cool completely before serving.

Chicken Parmigiana

You can pretty much get a chicken Parma at every pub in Australia, but this home made version will be a lot better – trust us!

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 chicken breast fillets
1 eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
60g butter
425g can chopped Roma tomatoes
250g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
150g baby spinach leaves, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken into a ceramic, ovenproof dish.
2. Thinly slice eggplant lengthways. Heat oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook eggplant, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until tender and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
3. Place eggplant over chicken. Spoon over tomatoes. Top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is golden and chicken is cooked through. Serve warm with baby spinach leaves.

Chicken schnitzel with roasted winter vegetables

Reinvent this pub grub classic by adding fresh herbs to the crumbs.

Preparation Time
20 – 50 minutes

Cooking Time
60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
800g Kent pumpkin, deseeded, cut into 3cm wedges, halved crossways
12 (about 550g) baby coliban (chat) potatoes, halved
1 bunch baby (Dutch) carrots, ends trimmed, peeled
1 red onion, cut into thick wedges
Olive oil spray
210g (3 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
1/2 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
2 eggs, lightly whisked
4 single chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally
Canola oil, to shallow-fry
Steamed broccolini, to serve

Method

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the pumpkin, potato, carrots and onion, in a single layer, in a large roasting pan. Lightly spray with olive oil spray. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until tender.
• Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and parsley on a large plate. Place the flour on a separate plate and season with salt and pepper. Place the egg in a bowl.
• Dip the chicken pieces in flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to coat. Place on a large plate. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
• Add enough oil to a large frying pan to come 1cm up the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a large baking tray. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the oil between batches.
• Bake the chicken in oven for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Divide the chicken and roasted vegetables among serving plates. Serve with steamed broccolini.

 

Toast Mother’s Day with a POM Crown Jewels cocktail

Celebrate Mother’s Day with a POM Crown Jewels cocktail. A prince amongst cocktails, the POM Crown Jewels expertly blends the sweet tart taste of 100% pomegranate juice, with blackcurrant juice and tequila in a cocktail suitable for new royalty.

Ingredients

• 30 ml POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 30 ml Tequila
• 30 ml Blackcurrant Juice
• 2 Large Strawberries (Hulled)
• Lime Wedge
• Lime Zest

Preparation

• Add the strawberries and the POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate
Juice to a cocktail shaker glass and muddle well
• Squeeze the lime wedge and drop it into the shaker along with the blackcurrant juice and tequila
• Add ice and shake well
• Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lime zest and strawberry
POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is available year-round and is found in the produce departments of most Woolworths and Safeway stores nationwide. RRP is $4.98 for 473ml and $2.99 for
236ml varieties.

Russian Easter bread

It wouldn’t be Easter for Russians without a kulich or sweet, yeast-risen bread or Russian Easter Bread .

Ingredients (serves 6)
2 (7g each) sachets yeast
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
3 1/3 cups (500g) strong baker’s flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup sultanas
Grated rind of 1 lemon
4 eggs
150ml milk
60g unsalted butter, softened

Coloured eggs*
4 eggs
1 tsp red food colouring

Method

1. Place yeast in a bowl with 50ml warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Set aside for 15 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl and add remaining sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, cinnamon, sultanas and rind. Stir in dissolved yeast, 3 eggs, milk, butter and 100ml water. Flour a board, turn out dough and knead with your hands for 5 minutes, until you have a soft dough. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Remove dough, place back on board and knock it back by pounding a couple of times with your fists. Divide dough into 2 long strips, plait together and place on a large, greased baking tray. Leave to rise for a further 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, make coloured eggs. Place eggs in a saucepan of cold water with food colouring and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool in pan for 1/2 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
5. Lightly beat remaining egg. Set coloured eggs down the centre of plaited bread and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm with butter.

Notes
* Coloured eggs are decorative and shouldn’t be eaten.

Easter cupcakes with chocolate eggs

Perfect for Easter or any occasion when a sweet n’ tangy treat is order, this nostalgic little cupcake is a unique twist on a springtime favorite.

Makes
12

Ingredients
325g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour, sifted
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
3 cups (450g) icing sugar, sifted
Food colouring of your choice
12 coloured chocolate Easter eggs, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a 12-hole, 1/3-cup (80ml) muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Place 225g butter in a food processor with the caster sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup (60ml) milk. Process until the mixture is smooth, then divide among the muffin cases. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden.
3. Meanwhile, to make the icing, place the icing sugar, remaining 100g of butter and remaining 1/4 cup milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add a few drops of food colouring of your choice and beat to combine.
4. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cakes are cool, scoop the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle, then use to ice cakes. Garnish each one with an Easter egg, then serve.

 

Chicken with mushroom, leek & bacon stuffing

A moist and delicious stuffing gives this traditional roast chook extra-special flavour.

Preparation Time
20 – 30 minutes

Cooking Time
95 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
1.5kg whole fresh chicken
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
Mushroom, leek & bacon stuffing
1 tbs olive oil
100g button mushrooms, finely chopped
2 bacon rashers, rind removed, finely chopped
1 leek, pale section only, washed, finely chopped
70g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C. To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom, bacon and leek and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the bacon and mushroom is golden. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, parsley and egg and stir until combined.
• Remove excess fat and giblets from chicken cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Loosely fill the cavity with stuffing mixture. Use unwaxed white kitchen string to tie the legs together. Tuck wings under. Place chicken, breast-side up in a roasting pan. Drizzle over the oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme.
• Roast in oven for 1 1/2 hours or until golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Cover with foil. Set aside for 10 minutes to rest before carving. Serve

 

Chilli jam chicken

Sweet chilli and chicken make easy partners. Chicken drumsticks, easily available from your local butcher or supermarket poultry counter, come up crispy when slightly charred on the barbecue or grill.
Preparation Time
5 – 20 minutes

Cooking Time
10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tablespoons chilli jam
or sweet chilli sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon peanut oil OR canola oil
8 chicken drumsticks
Salad
1 lebanese cucumber,
seeded and sliced
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 teaspoons lime juice

Method

1. Place the chilli jam, garlic and oil in a bowl. Make 2-3 slashes in the flesh of each drumstick and add to the marinade, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cucumber, mint and lime juice. Set aside.
3. Heat a grill or barbecue to medium heat. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, turning regularly until cooked through and slightly charred. Serve with cucumber salad.

 

Sausage minestrone with broccolini & celeriac

Take soups from starters to the main event with this top recipe. It’s hearty, tasty and budget-friendly, too.

Preparation Time
10 minutes

Cooking Time
30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tbs olive oil
4 (about 400g) Woolworths Gourmet Beef Sausages with Cracked Pepper & Red Wine
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 small celeriac, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary leaves
625ml (21/2 cups) beef stock
2 x 400g cans diced Italian tomatoes
375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
115g (1 cup) dried small shell pasta
1/2 bunch broccolini, trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
1/3 cup shaved parmesan or pecorino
Chopped fresh continental parsley, to serve

Method

 

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning occasionally, for 4 minutes or until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to low. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the carrot, celeriac and rosemary, and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the stock, tomato and water. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer for 12 minutes or until the pasta is almost tender. Add the broccolini and simmer for 2 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Thickly slice the sausages and stir into the soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup among serving bowls and top with the parmesan and parsley.

 

Lamb flatbreads
Spring lamb — sweetly spiced in a cuisine from the Mediterranean.

Preparation Time

15 – 75 minutes

Cooking Time

25 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (125ml) hot water
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 250g lamb mince
• 1/4 cup (45g) toasted pine nuts
• 100g feta, crumbled
• Natural yoghurt, to serve
• 1 pomegranate, halved, seeds removed
• Mint leaves, to serve

 

1. Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the centre. Add the water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and stir until combined. Gently knead in the bowl until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour to rest.
2. Preheat oven to 230°C. Place a pizza stone or baking tray in the oven to heat.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the cumin, coriander, allspice, ginger and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the lamb and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lamb changes colour and is cooked through. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide the dough into 4 even portions. Roll a dough portion out on a lightly floured surface to a 20cm diameter disc. Repeat with remaining dough portions. Remove the preheated tray from the oven. Place 2 discs on the tray. Spoon the lamb mixture over each flatbread. Sprinkle with pine nuts and feta. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the bread is golden and crisp. Remove from oven. Repeat with remaining flatbreads, lamb, pine nuts and feta.
5. Place the flatbreads on serving plates. Drizzle with yoghurt and sprinkle with pomegranate and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

For a marvellous variation on a basic cheesecake recipe, try this Macadamia cheesecake log.

Ingredients (serves 8)
2 x 250g packets cream cheese, chopped, softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup thickened cream
220g macadamia shortbread cookies

Method

• Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add maple syrup and cream. Beat until thick.
• Place 2 tablespoons mixture on a plate to secure cookies. Sandwich cookies together with half the mixture, assembling on plate. Cover top and sides with remaining mixture. Cover. Refrigerate overnight. Cut on an angle to create a striped effect. Serve.

Notes

Serve with whipped cream, thawed frozen berries, or chocolate curls. Dust cheesecake with icing sugar mixture, drinking chocolate or cocoa powder. We used a non-stick springform pans. If using regular pans, line the base with baking paper

Chargrilled chicken with orange, asparagus & beans

You’ll get plenty of protein and loads of fibre from this simple and super healthy chargrilled chicken salad!

Preparation Time
10 minutes

Cooking Time
10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 large (about 500g) single chicken breast fillets
1 tsp ground cinnamon
80ml (1/3 cup) fresh orange juice
2 tsp honey
2 tsp olive oil
2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, halved diagonally
150g baby green beans, topped
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 x 400g can butter beans, rinsed, drained
1 orange, segmented
1/3 cup fresh continental parsley leaves

Method

1. Place the chicken in a glass dish. Combine cinnamon and half the orange juice, honey and oil in a jug. Pour over chicken and turn to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to marinate.
2. Cook the asparagus and green beans in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain.
3. Preheat a chargrill on high. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Thinly slice across the grain.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar and the remaining orange juice, honey and oil in a jug. Taste and season with pepper.
5. Place the asparagus, green beans, butter beans, orange and parsley in a bowl and toss to combine. Divide salad among serving plates. Top with chicken and drizzle over the dressing to serve.
6. Make the most of summer entertaining with pasta salad recipes, potato salads, barbecue recipes and fish & seafood recipes.

 

Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is among the best known Indian foods all over the world. Its gravy can be made as hot or mild as you like so it suits most palates. Also commonly known as Murg Makhani, Butter Chicken tastes great with Kaali Daal (black lentils), Naans and a green salad.

Cooking Time
30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 1/2 tbs light olive oil
600g chicken thigh fillets, excess fat trimmed, quartered
20g butter
1 brown onion, cut into thick wedges
2cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, shredded
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 7cm cinnamon stick (see note)
2 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chilli powder
185ml (3/4 cup) passata (tomato pasta sauce)
125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
150g green round beans
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
80ml (1/3 cup) thickened cream
60ml (1/4 cup) natural yoghurt
2 tsp cornflour
25g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds, toasted
Natural yoghurt, extra, to serve
Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
Saffron rice or steamed rice, to serve
Method

• Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until smoking. Add half the chicken. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken, reheating the wok between batches.
• Heat the remaining oil and butter in the wok. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the cinnamon, paprika, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala and chilli powder, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
• Add the passata, stock, beans and tomato. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Combine the cream, yoghurt and cornflour in a small bowl. Add to the wok and simmer for 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• Serve the curry with the almonds, extra yoghurt, fresh coriander and rice.
• Notes
  Cook’s tip: To toast the almonds, place in a frying pan over medium heat and stir for 3-4 minutes.
• If cinnamon sticks are unavailable, use 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

 

Chinese fried rice

Once you have made fried rice the first time, you’ll realise how versatile it is.

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3 eggs
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons peanut oil
5 (30g each) dried Chinese pork sausages, thinly sliced (see note)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 long red chilli, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways, to serve

Method
Cook rice following absorption method on packet until tender. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread rice over prepared tray. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Combine eggs and half the sesame oil in a jug. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Swirl to coat. Add one-third of the egg mixture. Swirl to coat. Cook for 1 minute or until just set. Remove to a board. Roll up. Thinly slice. Repeat twice with remaining peanut oil and egg mixture.

Add sausage and onion to wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until sausage has browned. Add garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add rice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, peas and remaining sesame oil. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Top with chilli. Serve.

Fragrant Pork

In Sichuan cooking, there are over twenty-three different flavours that can be created. ‘Yu-shiang’ or ‘fish fragrant’ is just one of these, but this dish does not actually taste ‘fishy’. It is a way of describing the almost bouillon-like taste that is derived from using a good stock.

Here, the flavour is created using a good chicken stock, chilli bean sauce and rice vinegar.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons groundnut oil or corn oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil
1 aubergine, halved lengthways and then cut into 1cm/½ inch slices, top to bottom
2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1 medium red chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated root ginger
200g/7oz minced pork
1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons chilli bean sauce
2 pak choy or ½ Chinese cabbage, halved and sliced lengthways
200ml/7fl oz hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon cornflour blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

Method:

Heat a wok over a high heat and add 4 tablespoons groundnut oil. Fry the aubergine slices with a splash of water until softened and golden on the outside. Transfer to a plate and put to one side.
Wipe out the wok, reheat and add 2 tablespoons groundnut oil. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger and chilli for a few seconds, then add the minced pork. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the rice wine or sherry. Cook until browned, then add the chilli bean sauce and stock. Return the aubergines to the wok. Add the pak choy.
Season with the vinegar and sesame oil and bring to the boil. Stir in the spring onion. Add the blended cornflour and stir to thicken. Serve immediately.

French toast with roasted plums

The perfect Australia Day weekend breakfast or brunch; cleverly designed so the toast captures the oozing pan juices of the warm, ripe plums. Great French toast requires bread with a bit of heft to it and 10 minutes in the oven to fluff it up.

Ingredients

• 8 dark-skinned plums
• 100g castor sugar
• 2 tbsp liqueur, eg Cointreau
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100ml milk
• 8 small, thick slices day-old bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 100g natural yoghurt
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp mint leaves

Method

Heat oven to 190C. Cut plums in half, discard stones, and arrange on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Scatter with two tablespoons castor sugar, drizzle with liqueur and bake for 20 minutes or until soft and juicy. Whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Whisk in milk and pour into a flat container. Soak the bread in batter, turning once, until soaked. Heat half the butter in a non-stick frypan and fry four slices of soaked bread on medium for two minutes on each side until golden, then repeat with remaining butter and soaked bread. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until fluffed up. To make the vanilla yoghurt, whisk the yoghurt, one tablespoon icing sugar and remaining vanilla until smooth. Top two overlapping slices of toast with three or four cut-side-up plums, dust with icing sugar and scatter with mint. Serve with vanilla yoghurt.

Serves 4

Caramelised banana and roast macadamia fingers

The most flavoursome bananas in the country come from the area between Yarrahappini, just south of Macksville, to Woolgoolga, just north of Coffs Harbour. They?re smaller, sweeter and tastier because they take longer to grow than their Queensland counterparts.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized bananas, still
  firm but not green
• 100g macadamia, unsalted and roasted
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 125g unsalted butter
• 4 sheets filo pastry
• 2 tbsp honey

Method

• Peel the bananas and slice them, top to bottom, into eight long pieces.
• Put the roast macadamia, caster sugar and cardamom into a mortar or food processor and grind until fi ne. Melt the butter gently in a saucepan on very low heat. Lay out the fi lo sheets one at a time and brush the surface facing up with the melted butter. Sprinkle the sheet with the ground macadamia, taking care to leave 3-4cm on each long end free of the nuts. Cut the sheet in half, top to bottom, with a knife. Take a piece of banana and put it at the beginning of one of the prepared filo ends. Don’t worry if it is curved and it breaks. Roll it up gently but making sure it’s as tight as possible.
• Repeat until you have eight “fingers”. Place them on some non-stick baking paper on an oven tray and refrigerate for an hour or freeze until you want to use them. To bake, add the honey to the remaining butter and heat gently then mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 180C. Brush each fi nger well with the butterhoney mixture and place in the oven. After 10 minutes, turn the fingers and baste with the caramelised liquid forming on the tray. Bake for another 10 minutes, remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Makes 8

Spicy beef salad

This Thai classic is so easy to put together. Look for balance with the nam jim dressing. If you like it really hot, dial up the other flavours so you get the heat with complexity. Most importantly, keep this very fresh-tasting.

Ingreditents

200g beef fillet
1 small Spanish onion, finely sliced
1 small handful of coriander leaves
1 small butter lettuce, leaves separated
A pinch of ground roast rice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful of Thai basil leaves, finely shredded
Marinade

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Dressing

1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves removed, chopped
1 long red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 small wild green chillies, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Juice of 3 limes

Preparation

To make the marinade, mix together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Add the beef and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
Remove from the fridge two hours before cooking.
To make the dressing, pound the lemongrass, chillies, garlic and sugar in a mortar with a pestle to form a fine paste. Mix the fish sauce and lime juice together and taste for balance.
Heat a grill or a barbecue to hot, and cook the beef for about two minutes on each side until it forms a good even crust. Remove from the heat and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Slice the beef thickly across the grain.
Toss the beef, onion and coriander leaves with some of the dressing.
Arrange the lettuce and beef on a serving plate and drizzle with any remaining dressing. Sprinkle with the ground roast rice, give it a good grind of black pepper and top with the shredded Thai basil.

Bacon & chive scones

Impress friends and family with delightful bacon & chive scones served with lashings of butter.

Preparation Time
10 minutes

Cooking Time
25 minutes

Makes
20

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
6 bacon rashers, rind and excess fat trimmed, finely chopped
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
2 tsp caster sugar
20g butter
250ml (1 cup) milk
2 tbs finely chopped fresh chives
Plain flour, to dust
1 tbs milk, extra
2 tsp poppy seeds
Butter, extra, to serve

Method

• Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until crisp. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
• Place flour and sugar in a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub butter into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Combine milk, chives and bacon mixture in a jug. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add milk mixture. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until just combined. Bring dough together with your hands. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Shape dough into a 2cm-thick disc. Use a 5cm-diameter round pastry cutter dipped in flour to cut out scones. Place scones, side by side, on tray. Brush with extra milk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until scones are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve with extra butter.

Herb-roasted Turkey

Turkey skin acts as a sort of rain slicker: outside flavors have a tough time penetrating it. So for this recipe, we combine herbs with softened butter and lemon zest and smear them directly onto the meat, after working the skin loose by hand. The herb butter not only subtly flavors the meat, but it also really enhances the pan drippings we use to make a delicious gravy.

Ingredients
15- to 20-pound turkey
Salt
1/4 cup soft butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
6 to 8 chopped fresh sage leaves (or 2 to 3 teaspoons dried crumbled sage)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 to 2 cups chicken broth

Instructions
Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 325º. Remove the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard and discard or reserve for another use. Rinse the bird well inside and out and pat dry, then salt the cavity.

• In a small mixing bowl, blend the butter, herbs, mustard, lemon zest, and pepper. Starting at the tail end, gently slide your hand under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen it. Using your fingers, smear a generous tablespoon of the butter mixture on each half of the breast. Smear half of the remaining herb butter on the exposed flesh near the neck. Then smear the remaining herb butter over the skin of the breast. (If you are not stuffing the bird, pull up the excess skin at the neck to seal, and secure it to the body of the bird with a small skewer or toothpicks.)
• Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Pull up the excess skin at the neck to seal, and secure it to the body with a small skewer or toothpicks. Loosely fill the main cavity with stuffing. Tie together the legs with kitchen twine, or secure them with the plastic leg clamps if the bird came with them. Tuck the wing tips under the bird so they don’t scorch.
• Place the turkey directly in a large roasting pan or on a rack inside the roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour without opening the oven. After 1 hour, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan. Rotate the pan 180º. Continue to roast until the meat registers 180º, measured at the thickest part of the inside thigh; do not let the thermometer touch bone. At the center of the cavity, the stuffing should register 165º. Add more broth to the pan, if necessary, to keep the pan juices from burning. Total cooking time for a stuffed turkey should be 4 1/4 to 5 hours (for an unstuffed bird, subtract 30 minutes). Transfer the turkey to a large platter. Cover and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour the pan juices into a 2-cup measure and set aside for the gravy. Makes 10 servings.

 

 

 

 

Make this with any coffee you like, from instant granules to freshly ground Yirgacheffe beans – but make it strong or the coffee flavour will be too faint.

Ingredients

150g castor sugar
150g butter, softened
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs
125g sour cream
2 tbsp very strong black coffee
½ tsp vanilla extract
170g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
Topping
50g walnuts, chopped
50g granulated sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Method

Heat the oven to 180C. Beat the sugar, butter and salt together until pale.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well, then the sour cream, coffee, and vanilla. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then lightly mix in the milk.

Transfer to a buttered, deep-sided 20 cm round or square cake tin.

Mix the topping ingredients together, and scatter generously on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with coffee.
Serves 6

Indian Chicken Recipe : Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is among the best known Indian foods all over the world. Its gravy can be made as hot or mild as you like so it suits most palates. Also commonly known as Murg Makhani, Butter Chicken tastes great with Kaali Daal (black lentils), Naans and a green salad.

•1 kg boneless chicken skin removed
•Juice of 1 lime
•Salt to taste
•1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
•6 cloves
•8-10 peppercorns
•1″ stick of cinnamon
•2 bay leaves
•8-10 almonds
•Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
•1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
•3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
•2 onions chopped
•2 tsps garlic paste
•1 tsp ginger paste
•2 tsps coriander powder
•1 tsp cumin powder
•1/4 tsp turmeric powder
•1 can (400g or 14 oz) of tomato paste
•1/2 litre chicken stock
•2 tbsps kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
•3 tbsps unmelted, soft butter
•Salt to taste
•Coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

•Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
•Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds. Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
•Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
•Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
•Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).
•Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock, kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken.
•Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
•Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken.
•Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Naan and Kaali Daal.
•For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: When the Butter Chicken is cooked, make a small bowl shape with aluminum foil and place it on top of the curry (‘floating’ on it). Heat a briquette of charcoal on an open flame till red hot and gently put the charcoal in to the aluminum foil bowl. Cover the dish immediately. Remove the cover just before serving, discard the foil bowl and charcoal and serve. The curry will be infused with a smokey flavor!

Barbecued beef & vegetable kebabs

A kebab is a small chunks of meat or vegetables or fruits threaded on skewers and barbecued. It is usually eaten as a starter. These mouth melting meat or vegetable grilled skewer dishes are liked by one and all and are sure to satisfy any palate. Here are some kabab recipes from our collection for you to try. Learn the easy way how to make kebabs.

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 fresh red birdseye chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
500g beef rump steak, fat trimmed, cut into 2cm cubes
200g button mushrooms, halved
1 red capsicum, deseeded, cubed
2 zucchini, thickly sliced
2 corn cobs, husks and silk removed, cut into quarters
1 1/2 tbs olive oil, extra
3 tsp red wine vinegar
80g salad leaves, washed, dried

Method
Combine the oil, chilli, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Soak 12 bamboo skewers in cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towel. Thread the beef, mushrooms, capsicum and zucchini alternately onto the skewers. Brush the skewers with some of the oil mixture.

Cut 8 pieces of foil, each large enough to enclose a piece of corn. Place a piece of corn in the centre of each and brush with a little of the remaining oil mixture. Wrap up the foil to enclose the corn.

Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill on high. Reduce heat to medium. Place the corn parcels on preheated barbecue and cook, turning often, for 15 minutes or until the corn is bright yellow and the kernels are tender but firm to the bite.

When the corn has been cooking for 5 minutes, add the skewers to the barbecue and cook, turning and brushing with the remaining oil mixture occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until just cooked. (If you are cooking the skewers on a chargrill, you will need to do 2 batches.)

Combine the extra oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small jug. Place the kebabs, corn pieces and salad leaves in serving bowls. Drizzle the salad leaves with the dressing and serve immediately

Notes:You will need 12 bamboo skewers for this recipe.

Christmas Ham

A leg of ham soaked overnight in water & cider is slowly boiled and then baked with sugar and mustard. A long process but totally worth it.

Ingredients
1 whole leg of ham on the bone, uncooked
1 large bottle (750ml) dry cider, more if required
8 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
175g light brown soft sugar
3 tablespoons hot english mustard powder
whole cloves for studding ham

Preparation method
1. Place ham in a large stockpot and cover with water & cider. Leave in a cold place to soak overnight.

2. Heat the stockpot over medium high heat. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes per 450g. Remove from heat.

3. Preheat oven to 220 C. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and mustard.

4. Remove the leg from the stockpot, carefully peel off the skin and score diamond shapes into the fat with a sharp knife. Place the ham in a baking tray with a small amount of the cider to cover the bottom of the tin. Spread the sugar and mustard mixture over the fat on the ham. Press a clove into the corner of each diamond shape.

5. Roast the ham in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the fat is crisp and golden. Remove and allow to cool before carvin

Mince pies

Christmas is only 6 weeks away so in preparation we are helping you get ready with our favourite recipes

Mince Pies

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb sultanas
• 1/2 lb raisins
• 1/4 lb currants
• 2 oz candied peel
• 2 oz chopped almonds
• 1/4 lb shredded suet
• *1/4 lb Irish butter
• 1/2 lb soft brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• grated zest & juice of 1 lemon
• grated zest & juice of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons brandy (cognac)

Just mix all the ingredients well in a bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with a cloth and leave it somewhere cool for 4 days. Every day, twice or three times a day, give it a good stir, and if it seems to be getting dry add a couple of tablespoons of brandy.

After the 4 days, pot it into sterilized glass jars, top with a circle of silicone paper and seal the jar well, just as you would for jam. It lasts for ages, up to a year. You may need to add more brandy from time to time to keep it moist.

For the pies

• 1 lb prepared short crust pastry
• Mincemeat as required
• I egg beaten with a dessertspoon of milk (to glaze)
• Fine sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Roll out about 2/3 of the pastry to about 1/8 inch thick. Keep the left over trimmings.

Cut the pastry into rounds large enough to line your cake cases. Spoon about a dessertspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case – don’t overfill.

Now roll out the remaining pastry to about 1/8 inch thick. Again keep the trimmings. Now cut rounds large enough to cover each little pie.

Use the pastry trimmings to cut small decorations – Christmas tree or holly leaf shapes maybe. Place one on top of each pie. Brush the entire surface of each pie with the egg/milk glaze.

Place in the oven for 30 minutes, until the pies are golden brown on top. Remove and shake a little fine sugar over them while they are still warm.

Serve hot, or store and reheat when needed. Mince pies freeze very well so can be stored for quite a long time.

They are usually served hot with whipped cream.

Happy Hour: Pear Essence Cosmopolitan

Recipe: Passionfruit Cheesecake

Ingredients

250g plain biscuits 125g butter, melted 500g cream cheese, room temperature, cubed 3 eggs ½ cup caster sugar 250ml thickened cream 1/3 cup passionfruit pulp (approx 3 passionfruit)
Instructions

Grease and line base of a 20cm springform pan. Blend or process biscuits until fine. Place biscuit crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; mix well until combined. Press crumb mixture into the base and sides of a prepared pan. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place cream cheese into the Sunbeam Mixmaster bowl. Beat on High speed (8), High bowl speed, for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add sugar and mix for a further 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Scrape sides of bowl if necessary. Reduce to Low speed (3), Low bowl speed, add cream and passionfruit. Beat until the cream has been mixed through and there are no lumps. Pour filling into crust and bake in oven at 160° for approximately 50 minutes or until firm. Cool in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Variations

You can use strawberries or blueberries instead of passionfruit.

Cooking time (duration): 450

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: dessert

My rating: 3 stars:  1 review(s)

Recipe: Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250ml) milk 1 cup (250ml) cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 egg yolks 125g caster sugar 500g strawberries 55g caster sugar, extra

Instructions

1. Combine milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan and almost bring to the boil. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until light and creamy. Whisk in milk mixture into egg mixture until well combined. Pour mixture into cleaned saucepan and cook, stirring, over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cool at room temperature for 10 minutes then refrigerate for several hours or until well chilled. Meanwhile, remove hulls from strawberries and process in a food processor until smooth. Pour mixture though a sieve. Place strawberry puree and extra sugar in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase heat and boil, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until the mixture reduced to 1 cup. Transfer to a heatproof bowl or jug; chill for several hours. Combine the custard mixture and strawberry mixture in a jug. Position Sunbeam ice cream unit as directed. Turn unit on then pour mixture through spout. Mixture will be ready once the paddle goes backwards and forwards several times.

Cooking time (duration): 400

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: dessert

My rating: 4 stars:  1 review(s)

Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1.5kg pumpkin cut into 2cm pieces 1 litre chicken stock Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup cream or sour cream to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat, add onion and cook 2-3 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add diced pumpkin, cook, stirring, until pumpkin begins to soften and colour slightly. Transfer to Sunbeam slow cooker. Add chicken stock and cook on HIGH 1-2 hours or LOW 3-4 hours. Cool before pureeing. Blend or process cooled soup until smooth. Reheat in slow cooker for about 1 on high, or until hot. Serve with cream and extra ground black pepper.

Cooking time (duration): 480

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: dinner

My rating: 3 stars:  1 review(s)

Recipe: Corn Fritters

Ingredients

250g plain biscuits 125g butter, melted 500g cream cheese, room temperature, cubed 3 eggs ½ cup caster sugar 250ml thickened cream 1/3 cup passionfruit pulp (approx 3 passionfruit)
Instructions

Grease and line base of a 20cm springform pan. Blend or process biscuits until fine. Place biscuit crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; mix well until combined. Press crumb mixture into the base and sides of a prepared pan. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place cream cheese into the Sunbeam Mixmaster bowl. Beat on High speed (8), High bowl speed, for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add sugar and mix for a further 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Scrape sides of bowl if necessary. Reduce to Low speed (3), Low bowl speed, add cream and passionfruit. Beat until the cream has been mixed through and there are no lumps. Pour filling into crust and bake in oven at 160° for approximately 50 minutes or until firm. Cool in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Cooking time (duration): 30

Diet type: Vegetarian

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: breakfast

My rating: 4 stars:  1 review(s)

Recipe: Pistachio Dukkah

Ingredients

1/2 cup pistachios 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted 1/2 teaspoon chilli seeds, dried 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions

Place all ingredients into the Kambrook stickmaster chopper bowl and process for 30 seconds. Serve with a bowl of olive oil and fresh bread. Dip the bread into the oil and then into the dukkah. Delicious!

Variations: You could use cashew or brazil nuts instead of pistachio

Cooking time (duration): 2

Diet type: Vegetarian

Number of servings (yield): 3

Meal type: hors d’oerves

Rating 4 :  ????? 1 review(s)

Start off your November right by stocking up on some of the season’s best, like super-crispy lady apples and a rainbow of delicately fragrantpear varieties. Pomaceous fruits are most gratifying when eaten out of hand, but they also add an element of complexity to Autumn cocktails.

Here, tender anjou pear slices add intrigue to a classic cosmopolitan for an ultrasmooth sip and a mellow yet lingering finish. Serve it to guests at a Fall function, and leave them wondering what makes your cosmo so special. For a recipe that’s very right now, keep reading.

Pear Essence Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

• 2 anjou pear slices
• Juice of 1/2 a pressed lime
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• 1-1/2 ounces citrus vodka
• 1/2 ounce triple sec
• 3 cranberries, for garnish

Directions

In a mixing glass, muddle pear slices, lime juice, and cranberry juice.
Add vodka and triple sec. Add ice to tin. Shake well.
Double-strain into glass, using the strainer over the shaker while pouring contents through a sieve placed over the glass.
Garnish with 3 cranberries on a cocktail pick.

Makes 1 drink.

Recipe : Cup Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 125g butter, melted, cooled
• 2 x 59g eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Queen Natural Vanilla Essence
• Sprinkles and lollies, to decorate
  Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
• Pink food colouring, optional
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan. Alternatively, line holes with paper cases. Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture. Using the Sunbeam Mixmaster Handmixer, on a slow setting, stir gently to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
4. Make icing: Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add food colouring and water. Stir until smooth and well combined. Spoon icing over cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles and lollies.

Recipe: Irish Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients

Instructions

Cooking time (duration): 280

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: dinner

Culinary tradition: Irish

My rating: 5 stars:  1 review(s)

 

Christmas pudding

Much tradition and folklore is attached to the Christmas pudding. Traditionally each member of the family takes a turn stirring the mixture in a clockwise direction, making a secret wish as they go. Many people also bake lucky treats into their puddings. Often they’re silver coins, but in some antique shops you may come across special silver charms that were reserved for this purpose, their different shapes indicating the fortune of the finder.

The pudding was usually made up to a year ahead and left to mature, and then heated up on Christmas Day and brought to the table flaming with warm brandy and decorated with holly. Custard and ice-cream are winning accompaniments, but it can also be served with cream or brandy butter.

Christmas pudding
Serves 8
Cooking Time Prep time 40 mins, cook 6 hrs 250 gm each    raisins, sultanas and currants
100 gm    candied orange, finely chopped
200 ml    rum or brandy
250 gm    butter, plus extra for greasing
275 gm (1¼ cups)    firmly packed brown sugar
1    orange and 1 lemon, finely grated rind only
4    eggs, lightly whisked
150 gm (1 cup)    plain flour
½ tsp each    salt, mixed spice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda
60 gm (½ cup)    almond meal
140 gm (2 cups)    fresh breadcrumbs

INGREDIENTS

Method:
1  Combine dried fruit and candied orange in a bowl, scatter with rum or brandy, cover and stand overnight.
2  Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and rinds until pale and fluffy, then slowly beat in egg. Sieve together flour, salt, spices and bi-carb soda. Add to mixture in batches, alternating with soaked fruit mixture and almond meal. Stir through breadcrumbs.
3  Brush a 1.8 litre-capacity pudding bowl with butter, line the base with a circle of baking paper and dust with flour. Pour pudding mixture into bowl and top with another circle of baking paper. Cover with two layers of foil and tie with string.
4  Place pudding into a large saucepan with a wire rack or tea towel lining the base. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, topping up water when necessary. Pudding may be made ahead and cooled in bowl. Reheat in a large saucepan of simmering water for 2½ hours. Serve with brown sugar custard.

Christmas Ham