Mish Delish Good Food Blog| Mish Lilley's Recipes, Easy Family Meals, Delicious Food Ideas

The Ultimate | Crispy Roast Potatoes with Truffle Salt

2011-12-20T18:15:00.000+11:00

This is my last post for the year and for the holidays, I'll be taking January off for some beach time with the family, yippee. Thanks for all your comments, suggestions and blog loving all year long.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all x

I thought I'd share this very special way of getting the ultimate crispy roast potatoes, just in time for Xmas. Prepare to drool..

Crispy Roast Potatoes with Truffle Salt

You'll need:

1 kg desiree or good roasting potatoes
2 tbs semolina
1 cup olive oil
truffle salt (available from gourmet food stores)

Pre heat oven to 200C.

Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and then half again. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.

Bring the potatoes to the boil and then drain them in a sieve. Add them back to the saucepan, sprinkle with semolina and bash them around the pot to rough up the edges a little (see below).

Pour the oil into a large heavy based roasting pan and allow the oil to heat up for 10 minutes or so. (NOTE: I know this seems like a lot of oil, but it is crucial - trust me) Carefully place the potatoes in the hot oil and roast for 23-30 minutes, turning them over half way through. Cook until golden brown. Drain the potatoes quickly on paper towel and sprinkle with truffle salt and serve.

Christmas Lunch | Roulade with honey cream, pistachios & berries

2011-12-19T13:57:00.000+11:00

I was on dessert duty for a family pre-xmas gathering and for something different, whipped up this very festive meringue roulade with honeyed raspberry cream, fresh berries and crushed pistachios.

The meringue and the filling can be made the night before, so all you need to do is assemble on the day.

Feeds 8-10

You'll need:

300ml cream
1.5 tbs honey
2 punnets fresh raspberries
180g caster sugar (plus extra)
7 egg whites
pinch of salt
icing sugar to dust
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh mixed berries (strawberries, red currants and blackberries)

Pre heat the oven to 180C.

Whip the cream with beaters or using an electric mixer. When it is beginning to thicken, add the honey and continue whipping until the cream is stiff. Gently stir through the raspberries, place in an air tight container and refrigerate.

Oil spray or butter a lamington tray (33 x 23 cm) and line the base and sides with baking paper. Leave some paper hanging over the edges so that the meringue can easily be taken out from the tin. Spray more oil over the paper and dust with the extra caster sugar. Shake off the excess.

Put the caster sugar, egg whites and salt into a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5-6 minutes or until thick and glossy. Pour into the tray and using a palette knife, smooth out the meringue evenly in the tin. Bake for 10 minutes or until nice and golden.

Allow the meringue to cool completely in the tray. Carefully peel the edges of the baking paper away from the meringue. Spread the raspberry cream over the top. Lift out the meringue onto a large rectangle plate or board and roll the meringue up as tightly as possible, using the baking paper as a lever.

Dust the roulade with icing sugar and decorate with pistachios and berries and serve.

Gingerbread Muffins

2011-12-13T14:37:00.000+11:00

It's that time of year again, and my days are full. So full, that I haven't had much time to cook, let alone blog recipes :-(

Starting to think about Christmas treats to give to visitors, I whipped up these muffins this morning. You'll most likely have all the ingredients on hand (except perhaps the optional gold leaf), so you can pop them in the oven just before guests arrive. There's nothing more festive than the sweet smell of gingerbread wafting through the house.

Recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson
Makes 6-8

You'll need:

250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1.5 tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
100g raw organic sugar
150ml milk
1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
6 tbs grapeseed oil
8 tbs treacle
edible gold leaf pictured below (optional & available from specialty food stores like The Essential Ingredient)

Pre heat oven to 200C. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with baking paper cut into squares.

Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarb, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Whisk the egg together with the sugar in a large jug. Add the milk, balsamic and grapeseed oil and treacle and mix well. Add this to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. The mixture will be quite wet and lumpy.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. I filled them quite high, as the muffins don't puff up as much as normal muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Brush over a little gold leaf while they are still warm for an extra festive touch.

TIP: Use the same spoon used to measure out the oil for the treacle, it will just glide of the spoon rather than stick.

Chicken, Apricot & Date Tagine

2011-11-29T13:00:00.000+11:00

This is a great one pot wonder that everyone in the family will love. It freezes well too, so make a big batch and keep it on standby for weeknight dinners.

Serves 6

You'll need:

2 tbs olive oil
600g chicken thighs, diced
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 small pinch saffron threads (optional)
400g pumpkin, peeled & diced
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup sliced dried apricots
1/4 cup sliced dates
1 cup baby spinach leaves
roasted slivered almonds (optional)
couscous to serve

Heat in the oil in a large pot with lid. Add the chicken and saute until a nice golden crust starts to appear on the chicken.

Add the onion and garlic and stir for 2 minutes, add the spices and stir again until fragrant.

Add the pumpkin and stock, bring to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. Cook on a gentle low heat for 20-25 minutes.

Add the dates, apricots and spinach leaves and cook for a further minute.

Serve with couscous and scatter with roasted slivered almonds, if desired.

Quinoa and Polenta Porridge

2011-11-27T10:00:00.000+11:00

To gear up for a month of decadent eating and drinking, I thought a healthy breakfast post was in order. My breakfast routine (or sometimes, lack thereof) bores me, so it's nice to throw a few different options into the mix from time to time.

You'll need:

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup polenta
500mls water
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 cardamon pod, bruised
fresh berries or poached rhubarb and natural yoghurt to serve
honey (optional)

Place the quinoa, polenta, water, cinnamon and cardamon in a bowl and over the water. Allow the mixture to soak for 10 minutes or so.

Transfer the mix to a medium non-stick saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer or 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally and topping up with water, if necessary.

Spoon into a bowl and top with berries and drizzle with honey if desired.

Peanut Butter, White Chocolate & Sea Salt Cookies

2011-11-17T10:00:00.000+11:00

This is an adapted Women's Weekly recipe, that I found in my mum's vintage collection. They have a delicious melt in your mouth texture and are impossible to resist.

You'll need:

125g butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter ( I used a natural, low salt and sugar variety)
1 + 1/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
sea salt

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Cream together butter, vanilla, brown sugar and caster sugar until soft and pale. Add the peanut butter and mix to combine.

Fold in the flour, bicarb and salt, until just combined, then stir through the white chocolate chips.

Roll into balls and press down to flatten and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Evenly space out the biccies as they will spread a little.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until they turn a light tinge of golden.

Smoked Trout and Pea Tart

2011-11-15T12:30:00.000+11:00

This is an awesome tart made with the delicious tea smoked trout that I made in a previous post. You can substitute the trout with smoked salmon or tinned tuna if you like. The best thing about this tart is that I made it with greek yoghurt and eggs (no cream) and it's much lighter as a result.

You'll need:

1 qty home made shortcrust pastry or 1 sheet ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g hot smoked trout, flaked
3/4 cup (120g) fresh (blanched) or frozen peas
3 eggs, lightly whisked
3/4 cup (185ml) greek yoghurt

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Line a 25cm (base measurement) x 5cm fluted tart tin with removable base with the pastry and trim any excess. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Cover pastry base with baking paper and fill with pastry weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Reduce oven to 160°C.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Remove from heat.

Combine onion mixture, trout and peas in a bowl. Arrange the onion mixture in the base of the pastry case. Whisk the eggs, and yoghurt together in a bowl until well combined. Pour over the onion mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sydney giveaway | Woollahra Festival 10-13 November

2011-11-09T17:51:00.001+11:00

Woollahra's Queen Street Village is set to become a haven for food and wine aficionados for four days from 10 - 13 November.

I have 2 fantastic double passes to give away to two very inspiring cooking classes, details as follows:

Brave New Chefs I (Saturday 12 Nov at 10:30am) : A delightful cooking class with Terry Robinson, chef from Sepia and winner of the 2012 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year Award as well as Ben Hall, Head Chef Bistro Moncur with legendary chef Damien Pignolet and journalist David Dale.

Brave New Chefs II (Sunday 13 Nov at 10.30am): Another insightful cooking class with Damien Heads, Co-owner and head chef of Pony & Steel Restaurants, as well as Phillip Wood, Head Chef from Rockpool with journalist Caroline Baum.

All you have to do is follow me on Facebook and Twitter and DM me when it's done. First in best dressed.

Check out the full festival program at http://www.woollahrafestival.com.au

How To | Tea Smoke Fish

2011-11-08T22:35:00.000+11:00

My very own Mary Poppins - Kait, who looks after my girls whilst I'm busy working, brought me 2 lovely rainbow trout that her father Mick caught in Jindabyne NSW. Thanks Mick!

I thought I'd try my hand at tea smoking them, which is much more subtle than using wood chips and is easier too, given that you've probably already got all the equipment you need on hand.

You'll need:

1 cup loose leaf black tea leaves

1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 whole trout

Before you start make sure you have a large wok or deep fry pan with a lid.

Line the base of the wok with 2 sheets of aluminium foil.

Mix together the rice, brown sugar and tea and pour this mixture into the lined wok.

Lightly grease a wire baking rack and place this on top of the wok.

Place the wok over a high heat in a well ventilated area. I did mine outside as my BBQ has a wok burner.

Once the tea mixture begins to smoke, gently place the fish on the rack, cover with a lid or tent of foil and smoke for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow the trout to cool, and gently peel away the skin (it comes off really easily). The fillets on either side of the bone should come off easily too, but take care to remove any other small bones.

The trout is magnificent tossed through pasta or salads. I made a really yummy spring pea and smoked trout quiche with ours, recipe to follow.

Roasted Vegetable & Ham Lasagna

2011-11-07T21:40:00.000+11:00

This healthy and flavour packed lasagna is light on the meat but heavy on the vegetables. It's also a great recipe to have on hand when there's about to be a lot of excess ham around..

This recipe is adapted from Michael Moore's - Blood Sugar.

You'll need:

400g pumpkin, peeled and sliced
8 tomatoes, halved
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
1 packet fresh lasagna sheets
250g ricotta
250g fetta, crumbled
150g ham from the bone
2 tbs pumpkin seeds

Pre heat the oven to 180C.

Place the pumpkin and tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 25- 30 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool.

Grease a rectangle lasagna dish and line the base with sheets of lasagna to fit. Top with half of the ham, followed by half of the cooked pumpkin and tomato. Sprinkle over a third of the ricotta and feta and basil. Repeat.

Top lasagna with pasta and sprinkle over remaining cheese, herbs and the pumpkin seeds. Bake in the oven for 45 -50 minutes or until golden.

Blueberry Friand Slice

2011-11-02T17:11:00.000+11:00

For those times when you want to make friands, but don't have a friand tin.

You'll need:

4 egg whites

1 tbs milk

1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped)

90g butter, melted

1 cup almond meal

3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

1/3 cup self-raising flour

100g blueberries

Pre-heat your oven to 170C

Grease a small rectangle slice tin and line the base with baking paper. Allow enough paper to come over the edges to create a handle, this makes the removal of the slice from the tin extremely easy.

Place you egg whites into a large bowl and whisk until combined and frothy. Add milk, vanilla bean seeds, almond meal, icing sugar and flour and stir until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and dot the blueberries over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and springy. Allow the slice to cool in the tin before lifting it onto a chopping board. Cut into rectangles and devour with a latte or a steamy hot cuppa.

Zucchini & Bacon Frittata

2011-10-25T17:57:00.003+11:00

This is a family favourite and particularly lovely in spring when zucchini is in abundant supply. If you have leftovers, it's great for school lunches and freezes well too.

Serves 6

You'll need:

500g zucchini, grated
1 cup good quality parmesan, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
150g bacon, finely chopped
1 cup self-raising flour
3 eggs
sea salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease and line a rectangle baking dish (25cm x 15cm) with baking paper.

Drain the grated zucchini in a sieve, sprinkle with salt and press with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out the excess moisture.

Saute the bacon on a medium heat until golden and set aside on a paper towel. Mix the zucchini and cheese together in a large bowl and add the bacon and onion. Stir well to combine.

Lightly whisk together the eggs and add them to the zucchini mixture, followed by the flour. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until set.

Rhubarb & Greek Yoghurt Brulee

2011-10-20T15:11:00.000+11:00

A much healthier and easier take on a creme brulee (inspired by Stephanie Alexander), that tastes just as good. I love this dessert.

Serves 4

4 rhubarb stems, chopped into 3cm lengths
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
2 tbs brown sugar

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Place the chopped rhubarb into a baking dish and sprinkle with the caster sugar. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

Spoon the rhubarb in a single layer into a shallow dish/dishes (I used tapas style plates) cover the rhubarb with yoghurt, then with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the set yoghurt until no yoghurt can be seen and smooth over the top with the back of a spoon.

Place the dishes on a tray and place directly under a hot grill to caramelise and bubble up, or alternatively use a blow torch if you have one.

It's important that you keep an eye on the caramelising process as it can burn in seconds.

Serve immediately.

Smoky Chilli Lamb Turkish Style Pizza (Lahmacun)

2011-10-18T16:49:00.000+11:00

This recipe is borrowed from Greg and Lucy Malouf's Turquoise, a fabulous book about their travels in Turkey. My husband proposed to me in Turkey, so it will always be a special place to me. We hired a car and drove across Turkey after spending a couple of weeks on the Greek Islands. It was the best holiday ever! Lahmacun is a popular roadside snack and we'd often stop and scoff one before continuing on our journey. The dough is soft and pillowy like Turkish bread and ridiculously easy to make.

You can experiment with toppings but we're loving lamb at the moment, being Spring and all. I recently took delivery of half a Plains Paddock spring lamb, butchered into the specific cuts I wanted. The dorper lambs are free range, chemical and hormone free and farmed using organic practices and let me tell you, incredibly tasty. It's the perfect time to be buying lamb and buying it this way ensures freshness, quality, value for money and above all flavour. Contact Anna at plainspaddocklambATgmail.com if you're interested in getting in on the next Melbourne based delivery run. She's taking orders now.

Serves 6

You’ll need:

Pizza Dough
2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
¾ tsp sugar
2 tbs warm water
150g thick natural yoghurt
60ml olive oil
310g strong bread flour
½ tsp sea salt
olive oil (extra)

Topping
2 long red chillies
200g minced lamb
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 tomato, seeded & finely diced
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
½ tsp smoky paprika
1 tsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy. In another small bowl, whisk the yoghurt and olive oil.

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast and yoghurt mixtures. Use your fingers to work in the flour and form a smooth ball. Transfer to an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead on a low speed for 10 -15 minutes (if you don’t have a dough hook you can do this by hand). The dough should be smooth and shiny when ready.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 2 hrs in a warm place or until doubled in size.

Roast the chillies under a griller or over a naked flame, and then put them into a plastic bag to cool.

When cool, peel away the blackened skin. Place the minced lamb on a chopping board and put the chillies, onion, tomato, parsley, paprika and olive oil on top. Use a large knife to chop and mix everything together. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Knock back the dough, and then tip it onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a round, brush lightly with oil and spread with some of the lamb topping. Bake for 6-8 minutes and serve.

Springtime | Crunchy Radish, Carrot & Apple Salad

2011-10-13T11:00:00.000+11:00

If you're bored with your usual salad repertoire, this crunchy, colourful, utterly delicious salad is a great one to add. It's light and fresh and a perfect accompaniment to barbecued fish or meat.

Serves 4

You'll need:

1 carrot, peeled and finely julienned
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
1 apple, cored, quartered & thinly sliced
1 handful fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs white wine vinegar
sea salt & pepper
2 tbs slivered pistachios

Combine the carrot, radishes, apple, mint and sultanas in a bowl and toss to combine.

Put the olive oil and vinegar in a small jar with a lid and season well with salt and pepper. Pop the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well to coat. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with pistachios.

Back to school | Healthy nut-free muesli bars

2011-10-11T17:02:00.000+11:00

I'm always quite conscientious on the first day back to school. You'll find me polishing shoes, poaching chicken for sandwiches and making muesli bars. Unfortunately, as the school term progresses, exciting lunch boxes and tidy uniforms tend to wane a little, as my focus becomes solely dedicated to just getting the kids fed and out the door on time. If only I had that just back from holidays feeling, all the time.

You'll need:

2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup buckwheat
1/4 cup sesame seeds (substitute with chia seeds, if you prefer)
2 tbs pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/4 cup sultanas or chopped dates
1/2 additional chopped dried fruit such as dried apricots, cranberries, blueberries, apple etc
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
60g butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease and line a slice tin (26cm x 17cm approx) with baking paper.

Mix all the dried ingredients including the fruit together in a large bowl, until well combined.

In a separate, small bowl combine the egg, honey and vanilla and whisk through the melted butter.

Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.

Press into the prepared tin and flatten the top evenly. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden.

The muesli bars will keep in an airtight container for up to a week, however, they will soften slightly.

How to | Prepare Artichokes

2011-10-06T12:27:00.000+11:00

Hands up if you can't be bothered with fresh artichokes? They are really easy to prepare, once you know how, and taste so amazing fresh. Australia's artichoke season is nearly done, so I thought I'd sneak this post in, just in time. Follow my step by step guide and you won't look back. NB I've used small globe artichokes

Step 1

Bring some water to boil in a double saucepan and turn down to a simmer. Place your artichokes in the steamer basket and place the lid on top. Steam for 10 - 15 minutes for small artichokes and 20-25 minutes for larger artichokes. Test with a skewer, they will be tender when ready. Allow the artichokes to cool completely.

Step 2

Using a paring knife gently start pulling the leaves off until you get to the heart of the artichoke. You'll know when you get there as the outer leaves are tough and the inner leaves are soft. Don't discard the leaves (see below for a tip on how to use these)

Step 3

Have a cut lemon handy and cut off the base (at the stem) of the artichoke. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the fibrous flesh out the middle (the choke) and rub generously with the lemon again, even squeezing a little of the juice over it. Artichokes oxidise very quickly when cut and go a very unappetising shade of brown, the lemon stops the oxidisation process. I find that the tips of the leaves can be a little tough, so cut off the very top of the artichoke as well, to reveal the inner layers.

Step 4

Drizzle your artichoke hearts with extra virgin olive oil, chopped Italian parsley and season with salt and pepper.

You can eat your artichokes simply done like this, they make a wonderful addition to an antipasto plate.

Fry the reserved leaves in a little olive oil until golden brown. Season with salt and suck the flesh off the base of the leaves. My kid's love eating them this way.

Another fantastic idea (courtesy of Jared Ingersol of The Dank Street Depot and The Cotton Duck in Sydney) is to mash them up with a little honey and stir them through softened butter to make an artichoke butter. Spoon the butter over scallops in the shell and grill for a few minutes until golden and just cooked through.

We enjoyed our artichokes in a simple pasta, spaghetti with artichoke and chilli garlic crumbs.

You'll need:

1/2 packet spaghetti
2 slices day old bread, crumbled
4 pre-prepared artichoke hearts, quartered
1 birds eye chilli, finely sliced
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
Olive oil
Italian parsley
Sea salt and pepper
Reggiano or good quality parmesan, shaved

Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until aldente (follow packet instructions) and drain.

Gently fry the breadcrumbs on a medium heat in olive oil until golden brown and crispy. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the spaghetti to the breadcrumbs and moisten with a little extra olive oil. Toss through the artichokes and warm them through. Add the parsley and season well with salt and pepper. Serve with reggiano or parmesan.

Lokshen Kugel Recipe

2011-10-04T16:17:00.000+11:00

This is my type of pudding, not too sweet, enriched with ricotta, apple and cinnamon and just delightful in every way.

Recipe from the Monday Morning Cooking Club

Serves 8-10

You'll need:

250g wide Jewish lokshen egg noodles

3 eggs, separated

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese

1 cup sultanas

1 large granny smith apple, grated

100g unsalted butter, melted

cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a 25x 20cm baking dish.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook noodles for 5 minutes or until just cooked. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

Using a mixer beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Mix in the ricotta and combine well. Add the sultanas and the apple and mix. Add the noodles and the melted butter, then gently fold through the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden and crispy on top. Serve warm.

Tupperware MicroSteamer | Prawn & Pork Dim Sum Recipe

2011-09-28T15:32:00.000+10:00

I have a microwave and apart from using it to melt butter and re-heat leftovers, I use it for little else. So, when I was sent Tupperware's new MicroSteamer to try out, I was intrigued. Particularly, as the steamer has a inbuilt protective lining to protect whatever you are cooking from the microwave itself.

I instantly fell in love with the retro-ness of the steamer, it reminded me of the old school Tupperware that my mum had and still has. The resilience of the stuff is quite extraordinary.

Aesthetics aside, I was keen to take the MicroSteamer through its paces. The MicroSteamer comes with a really cute cookbook featuring 20 healthy and delicious recipes, but me being me had to try out one of my own creations, Prawn and Pork Dim Sum. The dumplings were steamed to perfection and I'll definitely be trying out other recipes in this nifty kitchen accessory.

I recommend you add the MicroSteamer to your next Tupperware party shopping list. That, and the avocado saver, which is just pure genius.

For stockist information please call Tupperware Australia on 1800 805 396/ www.tupperware.com.au or Tupperware New Zealand on 0800 800818/ www.tupperware.co.nz

Prep 30 minutes
Cook 14 minutes
Serves 6

You'll need:

100g spring onions, finely chopped
300g pork mince
6 raw prawns, chopped into small dice
1 tsp salt
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3 tsp Chinese rice wine
1 tbs cornflour
1 pckt round dumpling skins

Chives for garnish and chilli sauce to serve

Mix together the spring onions, pork, prawns, salt, sesame oil, ginger, rice wine, and cornflour together in a bowl.

Place a teaspoon of mixture into the centre of a dumpling skin and moisten the edges with water. Press down the edges into a half moon shape and press firmly to seal, ensuring that there are no air pockets. I used a ravioli cutter to seal the ends, but this is not necessary. Repeat this process, until you have used up all the mixture.

Bring a wok half filled with water the boil & line a bamboo steamer with baking paper pierced with holes. Place 8 or so dumplings in the steamer and place over the wok. Reduce the temperature to a simmer and steam the dumplings for 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings, garnish with snipped chives and serve with chilli sauce.

{If using the MicroSteamer, fill the water tray with 400ml of cold water. Line the base with cabbage leaves or baking paper pierced with holes. Place 8 or so dumplings on top, place the base on top of the tray, cover and cook on medium for 14 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings, garnish with snipped chives and serve with chilli sauce}

Decadent | Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

2011-09-22T13:40:00.000+10:00

Dreams most definitely can come true. I dreamt of this ridiculously delicious concoction and now here it is. Yum!

You'll need:

180g salted butter, diced
150g good quality dark chocolate, chopped roughly
1.5 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa
100g dark chocolate (extra), chopped into chunks
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

Preheat your oven to 180C

Grease and line a 23cm square slice tin. I find it easier to line the tin with extra baking paper so you have 2 handles on either side to pull the brownie out when it is cooked and cooled in the tin.

Combine the butter and dark chocolate in a small saucepan on a gentle low heat and stir until it has melted.

Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.

Sift flours and cocoa together and add this to the mix and stir until just combined. Stir through additional dark chocolate and pour into your pre-prepared tin.

Spoon teaspoons of the peanut butter into the brownie mixture and swirl with a knife.

Bake in the oven for 35- 40 minutes, the brownie should still have have a slight wobble to it.

Allow the brownie to cool in the tin, then gently lift it out and cut into squares.

Crispy Fish Brioche Rolls

2011-09-20T13:26:00.000+10:00

The magical combination of seafood and mayonnaise encased in a warm buttery brioche roll was inspired by the amazing 'New England Lobster Roll' at Golden Fields in Melbourne's St Kilda.

Whilst I'd quite happily snack on a lobster roll every night of the week, I've come up with a slightly more accessible version, using blue eye (any firm fleshed white fish will do).

Makes 6

You'll need:

2 potatoes, cooked with skin on, peeled and cooled
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
500g firm white fish, skinned, de-boned and diced into small cubes
1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise
2 tbs fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tbs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (available from supermarkets)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup rice bran oil to pan fry
extra panko breadcrumbs to coat
extra whole mayonnaise and fresh rocket for rolls
6 brioche rolls (available from selected bakeries)

Gently saute the onion in a little oil for a few minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.

Mash the potato, roughly with a fork. It doesn't need to be super smooth.

Mix together the potato, fish, cooled onion, mayonnaise, chives and parsley and 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

Form the mixture into 6 burgers, roll in extra breadcrumbs and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Gently heat the rice bran oil in a non stick fry pan and cook the burgers until golden on both sides. Transfer to the oven to cook through for an extra 5 minutes. At the same time, place the brioche rolls in the oven to warm up.

Slice the brioche rolls in half and spread them generously with mayonnaise, place the burger on top and dress with fresh rocket.

Healthy Bran Muffin Recipe

2011-09-15T12:53:00.000+10:00

This is a sentimental post for me. My grandmother Merle moved into a old folks home not so long ago as it was getting harder for her to manage on her own. She has always been fiercely independent so I can only imagine just how hard it is for her, especially as a fine country cook and not having a kitchen of her own.

She was always baking and there was always something to have with a cup of tea, tins of biscuits, freshly made scones and pancakes for breakfast.

Since she has moved out of her house, I am now the proud owner of Merle's treasured recipe collection. Most of the recipes are hand written and have a name attached to them, like Joyce's Jelly Cakes. What a treasure!

I discovered a recipe for bran muffins that I loved as a kid, and replaced the sugar with maple syrup and added some dried cranberries ( I hope you don't mind Nan).

Makes 6

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 Minutes

You'll need:

1 cup All Bran cereal
1 cup milk
1.5 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup dried cranberries (you could substitute with blueberries, dates, apple, whatever you like)
1 tsp bi-carb soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup organic maple syrup or honey
2 tbs grapeseed oil

Pre-heat oven to 180C and grease a medium sized muffin tray. Cut squares out of baking paper and set aside.

Place the All Bran in a bowl and cover with the milk. Leave to soak, while you get on with the next step.

Place the flour, cranberries, bi-carb and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Combine the lightly beaten egg, maple syrup and grapeseed oil in a jug and whisk to combine.

Add the soaked bran to the flour mix, along with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pop a square of baking paper in the muffin tin and fill with mixture, repeat until done. They will rise a little but not much, so fill them quite well.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Best eaten whilst still warm, with butter.

Something Old Something New | Tuna Bake Recipe

2011-09-13T13:00:00.000+10:00

Since my retro flashback posts 2 weeks ago, I've received a few requests to revive a few classic dinners favourited in the 70's and 80's. Tuna Mornay was top of the list so I renamed my version, Tuna Bake (Mornay just isn't a culinary term thrown around much these days). Apologies to purists.

My version of 'Tuna Bake' is topped with healthy grains - kind of like a savoury crumble. It's utterly delicious and a great meal for the whole family.

Serves 4

25 mins prep

15 mins cook

You'll need:

50g butter, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup plain flour
2 cups milk (warmed)
2/3 cup grated gruyere or cheddar cheese
425g can tuna in olive oil, drained, flaked
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 medium multigrain bread roll
1 tbs raw buckwheat (available from health food section of supermarket)

1 tbs oats

1 tbs pepitas

olive oil to drizzle over top

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Gently melt butter in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes until soft. Add flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook this mixture out for another 2 minutes.

Remove pan from the stove and slowly add the milk stirring with whisk to combine as you go, to prevent lumps. Return pan to the stove on a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until starting to thicken. This will take around 5 minutes. Keep an eye on this mixture and stir frequently.

Remove pan from the stove and stir in the tuna, cheese and peas (no need to defrost).

Lightly grease a square oven proof dish with a little butter or olive oil and pour the tuna mixture into it. Break open the bread roll and crumble the bread over the top in chunks. Sprinkle over the pepitas, oats and the buckwheat and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden.

Tapas | Calamari, Chorizo and Cannelini Bean Stew

2011-09-08T13:17:00.000+10:00

This super easy and tasty dish was part of a lovely tapas selection we enjoyed on Fathers Day. There was something for everyone. If you'd like me to help you plan a lunch or dinner with friends and family, send me an email and I'd be more than happy to help you out with menu ideas.

Serves 4

3 chorizo sausages, chopped
2 cans organic cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
chicken stock to cover
olive oil
6 small clean calamari hoods, scored finely in a criss cross (see video tutorial below)
coriander leaves

Heat a medium non stick saucepan on a medium heat and saute the chorizo for a few minutes until starting to golden (there should be enough oil in the sausages to saute in, but feel free to add extra if you desire)

Add the cannelini beans and cover with stock. Bring the stew to the boil then lower heat to a simmer and cook until the stock is almost all reduced (this may take 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the heat of your stove)

When the stew is almost reduced heat a non stick fry pan until hot and add a drizzle of olive oil. Sear the calamari until it curls up and is cooked through. Take care not to overcook the calamari, it only needs a minute or so, otherwise it will toughen.

Add the calamari to the stew and serve, topped with coriander leaves.

Spring has sprung | Baby Vegetable & Chicken Broth Recipe

2011-09-06T15:52:00.001+10:00

Spring has also sprung a cold on me and most of my family. I've lost my appetite (boring) so nothing suits me more than a bowl of chicken broth with lightly cooked baby vegetables. I feel better, just even looking at it.

Serves 4

You'll need:

6 cups homemade chicken stock (follow the first step of this recipe)
8 baby turnips, peeled
8 baby carrots, peeled
8 broad bean pods, podded & outer skin removed
8 spears baby asparagus

Pea shoots & chives to garnish

Place the stock in a medium sized saucepan and gently bring to a simmer. Add the turnips and the carrots and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the broad beans and then after 2 minutes, add the asparagus for 1 minute and take of the heat.

Gently spoon the vegetables into shallow bowls and pour over the stock. Top with chives and pea shoots and serve.

Special note: You don't have to use baby vegetables, I just love the fact that we are seeing more and more of them at markets and not just at posh restaurants.

Old school | Jelly Slice Recipe

2011-09-01T10:19:00.000+10:00

Now if this doesn't scream Nana, I don't know what does! This slice reminds me so much of my childhood. Do you remember it?

You'll need:

Base
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
2/3 cup self raising flour
85g butter, melted

Lemon layer
400g can condensed milk
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp gelatine dissolved in ¾ cup boiling water

Topping
1 pkt strawberry jelly crystals

Pre-heat oven to 160C. Line a 25 x 15cm slice tin with baking paper. Allow the paper to come out over the sides of the tin, so you have handles to lift the slice out when it has set.

Make up the jelly following the packet instructions and allow to cool at room temperature.

For the base, mix together the brown sugar, coconut and flour, removing any lumps. Add the melted butter and stir well to combine. Press into base of the slice tin.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until a pale golden colour. Allow to cool.

For the lemon layer, blend all ingredients and spread over biscuit layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

Gently and slowly pour the jelly over the slice. You don't need to use it all, it just depends on how thick you want your jelly layer. Chill until set, cut and serve.

Mish Delish Goes Retro | Chicken Chow Mein

2011-08-30T10:11:00.000+10:00

I'm going retro this week (wait until you see the sweet post on Thursday!). This westernised Chinese classic was a dinner staple for many families in the 70's and 80's. It's a great family meal, tasty, packed with vegetables and quick to make too. Most old school chow mein recipes contain a packet of chicken noodle soup or an artificial enhancer of some sort. Karen Martini inspired me with a fresher version, which tastes so much better than any other I can remember.

I can think of many retro recipes such as apricot chicken, filled vol au vents and beef wellington. Many of which are full of processed ingredients. Tell me your favourite retro dish and I'll do my best to come up with a fresher, modern version.

Serves 4

3 tbs rice bran oil or olive oil

500g chicken mince

1 heaped tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1 brown onion, halved and sliced into thin rings

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

50g fresh ginger, peeled & grated

1/4 savoy cabbage, very finely shredded

1.5 tbs oyster sauce (Panda brand)

100ml light soy sauce

1/2 cup frozen peas

100g vermicelli noodles, soaked in boiling water for 2 minutes

4 spring onions, chopped

2 green chillies, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a large wok or fry-pan and saute chicken mince on a medium heat until golden (about 5 minutes), breaking up clusters as you go.

Add the five spice and stir. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and stir to mix. Add the cabbage and add 1/2 cup hot water. Stir through the oyster sauce and soy sauce. Add peas and drained noodles and stir again and serve topped with spring onions and green chillies.

Lurpak Baking Kit | Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

2011-08-25T14:03:00.001+10:00

I'm a big fan of Lurpak butter, so I'm delighted to be able to contribute one of my very own versions of sticky toffee pudding in a fantastic limited edition Lurpak baking kit available in Woolworths, right now.

It's a great deal. For less than the usual price of 2 blocks of butter, you get:

An excellent quality non-stick-baking tin
2 x 250g Lurpak unsalted butter (cheaper than buying them individually)
Recipe booklet including 5 delicious recipes (one of which is featured below)
50% off coupon for a Lurpak Spreadable product

I've always made my sticky toffee pud in a cake tin and this one is just right for restaurant quality presentation.

Serves 6

You'll need:

150g fresh dates (stones removed)
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
170g self raising flour
95g Lurpak butter (at room temperature)
130g light soft brown sugar
2 large eggs

Toffee sauce
115g light brown soft sugar
60g Lurpak butter, cubed
115ml pouring cream
1 small pinch salt

Ice cream to serve

Pre-heat oven to 190C.

Butter the Lurpak baking tin well and line the base with baking paper.

In a small saucepan, simmer the dates together with the bicarbonate of soda and 150ml of water, for 2-3 minutes until softened. Puree this mixture with a blender and set aside.

Using the bowl of an electric mixer, sift in the flour and add the butter, sugar and eggs. Mix on a medium speed until well combined. Add the date puree and mix again until combined.

Pour mixture in the baking tin and bake for 40-45 minutes. The pudding is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre of the pudding, comes out clean.

Allow the pudding to cool slightly in the cake tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the toffee sauce - simply heat the sugar, butter, cream and salt together in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for a few minutes.

To serve, cut along the centre of the cake horizontally and then vertically into 6 neat rectangles. Spoon over the toffee sauce and top with vanilla ice-cream.

Beef Cheek Rendang Recipe

2011-08-23T15:55:00.000+10:00

This is a dry style curry that works brilliantly as part of a shared meal with rice and stir fried greens. Unlike a lot of curries there isn't a long list of ingredients, just a slow cooking time to ensure the beef cheek becomes as tender as possible.

You can use other braising cuts of beef such as oyster blade or chuck, if you can't find beef cheek.

Serves 4 -6
Cooking time 2 hrs

Curry paste
8 eschallots
3 small red chillies
6 garlic cloves
3 cm piece of ginger, sliced
3 cm piece of galangal, sliced
2 tbs oil

800g beef cheek
1 tbs oil
2 stalks lemongrass (white part only)
2 kaffir lime leaves
400ml coconut cream
1 tsp sugar
100g shredded coconut

To make the paste, blitz up all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor or smash to a smooth paste in a mortar & pestle.

Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot & fry off the curry paste on a medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and caramelised.

Slice the beef into cubes or chunks and add to the paste with the lemongrass, sugar and lime leaves. Stir well to coat the beef in the paste.

Add the coconut cream and 300ml of water and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook on a gentle simmer for approximately 1 and ½ hrs. Give the curry a stir every once in a while, to make sure the liquid isn’t evaporating too quickly. If it is, turn down the heat further and add a little more water.

When most of the liquid has evaporated, dry fry the coconut in a separate pan on low heat until golden. Add the coconut to the curry and stir.

Continue to cook the curry (stirring as often as possible) on a low heat for another 30 minutes, until all the liquid has evaporated and the curry is now frying in the oil that has separated from the coconut cream.

Check for seasoning and serve.

Liquorice Ice-cream

2011-08-18T13:13:00.000+10:00

I adore liquorice, so many people are divided on it. For those of you that love it, this one is for you.

This recipe is inspired by George Calombaris.

2 cups milk
230g soft liquorice sticks, chopped into small pieces
3 egg yolks
115g caster sugar
160ml pouring cream

Place the liquorice and milk in a small heavy based saucepan and heat gently to a simmer (do not boil). Stir to melt the liquorice as much as possible (it won't melt entirely).

Whisk eggs yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until combined.

Pour a third of the milk and liquorice mixture into the eggs and sugar and whisk.

Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and whisk continuously on a gentle heat until starting to thicken.

Add the cream and whisk well. Chill the mixture in the fridge and process in a ice-cream machine as per manufacturer's instructions.

25 Minute Roast Chicken with Cavalo Nero & Speck

2011-08-16T09:20:00.002+10:00

If you feel like roast chicken but can't wait the usual 1.5 hrs than this is the dish for you. Pan roasting this way not only cuts out the time, the flesh is cooked more evenly resulting in a very tender chook with crispy skin.

Serves 4

You'll need:

1 chicken (1.4kg approx) cut into 8 pieces (you can substitute marylands, just make sure the meat is on the bone)
sea salt & pepper
1 tbs grape seed oil
200g speck or bacon cut into cubes
1 bunch of cavolo nero, roughly chopped

Sauce (not pictured)
splash dry white wine
250ml chicken consomme or stock
1 tbs honey
1 tsp seeded mustard

Pre heat oven to 190C.

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.

In a shallow fry pan with a heat proof handle, place chicken pieces skin side done and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the chicken skin has turned a deep golden colour.

Turn the chicken pieces over, sprinkle over the speck and transfer the fry pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Lightly steam the cavalo nero while the chicken is roasting. To gently reheat, before serving just plunge the cavolo nero in boiling water. Drain and serve.

Remove the chicken and speck from the pan and rest for 5 minutes while you make the sauce. Pour off and discard most of the fat from the pan and return to a medium heat. De-glaze the pan with a good splash of white wine. When this has almost evaporated, add the the stock, honey and mustard and stir. Stir for 5 minutes or until the sauce is starting to thicken.

Serve the chicken on a platter with the sauce on the side or drizzled over - up to you!

RSPCA Cupcake Day | Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

2011-08-13T12:09:00.000+10:00

Monday 15 August is Cupcake Day, a fantastic RSPCA fundraising initiative. If you haven't heard about it, read here for more information. I thought I'd provide a little inspiration for those thinking of taking part.

These cupcakes are a variation on Martha Stewart's recipe, and oozing with freshly made lemon curd, they taste just like lemon meringue pie.

Makes 12

You'll need:

1.5 cups plain flour

1/2 tbs baking powder

1 small pinch salt

115g softened unsalted butter

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

2 lemons, finely zested

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

lemon curd

Frosting

450g white sugar

6 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

Follow the instructions for the lemon curd and make this first (it only takes 10 minutes).

Preheat your oven to 160C.

Line a standard 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.

Measure out the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix well to combine.

Using a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar for a few minutes and until they turn pale, light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between.

Add the lemon zest and 1/2 of the flour mixture and beat gently add the lemon juice and the buttermilk and then the second half of the flour and beat until just combined.

Spoon the cupcake mixture evenly into the cupcake cases, until they are 3/4 full.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Test with a skewer (it should come out clean).

Allow the cupcakes to cool and scoop out a little piece of each cake with a small spoon.

Fill the little hole generously with lemon curd.

To make the frosting, fill a saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to simmer. Clean and dry your mixer bowl and add the sugar and egg whites. Place the bowl over the saucepan and whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is no longer grainy and all the sugar is dissolved.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan to the mixer add the vanilla and beat the mixture until glossy and thick. Be patient this can take up to 15 minutes.

Fill a piping bag with the meringue and pipe a generous swirl over the top of the lemon curd. I blow torched them for a little something extra, but you don't need to do this.

Sunshine in a bowl | Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup Recipe

2011-08-11T09:36:00.000+10:00

Everyone one has their own way of cooking chicken and sweet corn soup. Mine is more about using fresh ingredients rather than bought chicken stock or creamed corn and not surprisingly, you can really taste the difference.

You'll need:

1 whole chicken (approx 1.4kg)
water to cover
3 corn cobs, husks and silks removed
3 spring onions, finely sliced
few drops of sesame oil

Peel the skin from the chicken. Carefully, remove the breasts from the chicken and set aside. Chop the remaining chicken into large pieces and place into a large stock pot. Cover with water and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 1 hour, skimming the top from time to time (if you want to save time here, you can use ready made stock instead of the water but still simmer the bones in it for 15 minutes).

Strain the stock through a fine sieve lined with a chux or muslin cloth. Discard the chickens but reserve the meat to use for another time (great for kids sandwiches).

Pour 1.2 litres (approx) of the stock in a clean large pot and slowly bring to the boil. Cut the kernels from the corn and add to the stock along with the chicken breasts and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the soup and shred. Remove half of the corn kernels with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Using a small food processor or stick blender, blitz the corn kernels into a puree and add this back to the soup along with the shredded chicken.

Season the soup with salt. If you are using homemade chicken stock you'll need to season the soup more than if you were using commercially made stock.

Stir through the finely sliced spring onions and drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil and serve.

Afternoon Tea | Walnut & Date Scones

2011-08-08T20:23:00.000+10:00

I picked up some locally grown organic walnuts at the market last week, they taste so much better fresh from the shell. Whilst cracking them open, I decided to bake some scones, using the walnuts and some dates for some extra sweetness. I don't add much sugar to my scones (as I usually lather them in jam) so just add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter scone.

You'll need:

2 cups SR flour
1 tbs castor sugar
1 heaped tbs butter (at room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fresh walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dates (dried or fresh), chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 180C & grease and line a baking tray.

Sift the flour and the sugar together in a bowl.

Using the tips of your fingers, gently rub the butter into the flour mixture until it roughly resembles breadcrumbs. (don't be concerned if there are still a few lumps).

Add the buttermilk, stir gently with a fork and then use your hands to mix into a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky but not too dry, if it is a little dry add some more buttermilk. Using your hands gently mix through the walnuts and dates.

Put the dough on a lightly floured bench and knead it a little so the dough is nice and smooth and about 1 inch thick. Be careful not to over work it.

Using a round cutter (size is a matter of preference) cut out rounds and cluster them on the baking tray. Re roll the dough and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Baste the tops of the scones with some milk and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden & cooked through.

Roasted Beetroot and Haloumi Risotto Recipe

2011-08-02T16:23:00.001+10:00

I picked up some beautiful organic beetroot over the weekend and whipped up this very tasty risotto with it. The colour was so stunning and I'm certain that this played a part in the girls liking it so much. I mean how could a little girl refuse pink rice for dinner?

This recipe was inspired by Gary Mehigan - Comfort Food

You'll need:

2 medium sized beetroot
600ml good quality chicken stock
60g unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large pinch sea salt
200g carnoroli rice
100ml dry white wine
1 pckt haloumi (Cypriot style)
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tbs grapeseed oil
Baby coriander to serve (optional)

Preheat oven (fan-forced) to 160C. Wrap the beetroot in foil, place on a tray and bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool a little and then gently peel of the skin.

Cut 1/2 of one of the beetroot into a dice and puree the rest with a blender. Set aside.

Bring the stock to a boil over a high heat. Melt 30g of the butter in a large fry pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes or until starting to soften. Add the salt. Add the rice and cook for a few more minutes. Add the wine and allow it to reduce down. Now add all of the stock and bring to a simmer.

Now, I know that this goes against most risotto making techniques but if you are using a good quality rice such as carnoroli, the rice will release just enough starch for a perfect consistency - without standing over the stove stirring and adding stock by the ladleful.

The risotto should be ready in 15 minutes. The rice should be just cooked with a little liquid still floating around. Stir through the pureed beetroot and cook through for 2 minutes. Add the butter and stir to combine. Check for seasoning and added salt and pepper if necessary.

To prepare the haloumi, slice it into thick slices and dredge through the plain flour. Heat the grapeseed oil in a small frypan on a moderate heat and fry the haloumi on both sides for a few minutes or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.

To serve spoon the risotto into bowls and top with haloumi and scatter the diced beetroot around the edge of the plate. Top with baby coriander and serve.

Chicken and Cashew Korma Recipe

2011-07-27T13:17:00.000+10:00

This is great mild curry for kids, and healthy too. We spiced ours up with loads of chilli (added after the kids had been served) and mopped it up with homemade roti. I will do a separate post on roti making soon. Yum!

You'll need:

8 boneless & skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup natural yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
1 tbs grapeseed or olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala (extra)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 cup jap pumpkin, chopped into cubes
1 corn cob, kernels cut off
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts, blitzed in a food processor
1 cup natural yoghurt (extra)
1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
Salt & pepper to season
Extra natural yoghurt
Black sesame seeds (optional)

Chop the chicken thighs in half, length ways. Mix together the yoghurt, garam masala and ginger in a glass dish and add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan and brown off the chicken on both sides. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes until starting to soften. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and extra garam masala and stir to combine. Pour over the chicken stock and add the cauliflower, pumpkin and corn. Add the cashew powder and yoghurt and stir.

Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook gently for 2 hours. Add the broccoli 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with rice and/or roti and top with more yoghurt and black sesame seeds.

Slow Cooked Lamb with Barley

2011-07-21T15:51:00.001+10:00

This is so hearty and let me tell you, really hits the spot on a chilly night.

You'll need:

6 lamb chops with bone in centre
plain flour to dredge
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic
2 carrots, halved and sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced on the diagonal
2 starchy potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water

Pre heat oven to 160C.

Heat the oil in a large oven proof baking dish with a lid.

Dredge the lamb through plain flour and shake off excess. On a moderate heat brown the brown the chops on both sides until they are a deep caramel colour. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute for a few minutes until soft. Add the rest of the vegetables and saute for 5 more minutes. Put the chops back in the pot and add the white wine, barley, stock and water and bring to the boil. Pop the lid on and transfer to the oven for 2 hours.

Season and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Baking | Almond Kifli

2011-07-19T10:05:00.000+10:00

Yet another delightful recipe from the Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook. These biscuits are perfect accompaniment to coffee and have a beautiful crumbly texture that just melts in your mouth.

You'll need:

125g whole raw almonds (skin on)
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
350g plain flour
1 tbs caster sugar
1 cup icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 160C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.

Grind the almonds in a food processor. Add the butter, flour and caster sugar and pulse gently until the mixture comes together.

Roll the dough into small thumb sized rolls bend into crescent shapes. Place on trays and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until pale and golden.

When the biscuits have cooled, roll them in the icing sugar to generously coat.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Tomato Sugo

2011-07-14T12:34:00.001+10:00

This gnocchi is light and fluffy and not stodgy at all. It's also super easy and quick to make. My kids love it with just tomato sugo but you could serve it with pesto, cured meats, ragu, whatever you feel like.

Serves 6

(I usually make a big batch as the uncooked gnocchi freezes well, and there's no need to defrost, just cook it frozen)

This recipe was inspired by Stefano de Pieri.

Gnocchi
100g 00' strong flour
500g ricotta (drain it in a colander to remove excess liquid)
1 egg
1 cup grana padano cheese, finely grated
pinch of salt

Sauce
1 tbs olive oil
1 large clove garlic, smashed
1 pinch sea salt
1 x 400g tin chopped organic tomatoes
Extra grana padano shavings to serve

Pass the ricotta through a fine mesh sieve or a ricer into a large bowl.

Add the additional ingredients to the ricotta and gently mix with your hands until combined.

Pour out the mixture onto a floured bench. The only way of knowing whether you have the right consistency is to test it. So bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and break off a small piece of dough (about the size of a ten cent coin) roll into a ball and drop into the boiling water. If it disintegrates as it cooks than you need to add a little more flour to your mixture.

Once you're happy with the mixture, roll out into logs and and chop the gnocchi into little balls and place on to a tray lined with baking paper.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic. When you hear a sizzle add the salt and chopped tomatoes and simmer gently stirring every once in a while until your sauce has thickened and reduced down.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook your gnocchi in batches. Spooning into the tomato sauce as you go. The gnocchi will only take a few minutes to cook and will rise to the surface when cooked. Take care not to over cook the gnocchi.

Spoon into bowls and garnish with extra grana.

Winter Baking | Hazelnut Coffee Scroll Recipe

2011-07-12T12:07:00.000+10:00

This recipe cleverly creates its own sticky caramel icing. Perfect with a cuppa on a wintry day.

* Recipe adapted from Women's Weekly Winter Favourites

You'll need:

Hazelnut caramel

80g butter
165g brown sugar
1 tbs water
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, lightly crushed

1 shot espresso (or 2 tbs instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbs hot water)
1 cup milk
3 cups self-raising flour
1 tbs brown sugar
60g butter, chopped
50g butter, extra melted
165g brown sugar, extra
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, lightly crushed

Pre-heat your oven to 200C. Lightly grease a rectangle lamington pan.

To make the hazelnut caramel. Melt the butter, sugar, water together and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir through the hazelnuts and take off the heat and pour into the prepared tin.

Combine the milk and the coffee in a jug and stir well. Place the flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips. Add most of the milk mixture and mix through using a butter knife. Stir until you have a soft sticky dough. Add the rest of the milk if the mixture is still too dry.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape. Brush the dough with extra butter and sprinkle with extra brown sugar and hazelnuts.

Roll up the dough from the long side into a tight roll and cut into 1/2 inch rounds. Place the scrolls snugly into the tin.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Food cure | Avgolemono with Broccoli Recipe

2011-07-05T19:28:00.001+10:00

Everyone in our house has been sick at some point this week, damn winter. I got talking to a lovely lady at Sweet Greek at the Prahran Market and she prescribed some of her Greek chicken and lemon soup traditionally called Avgolemono, it was delicious and so was her freshly baked Galaktoboureko (Greek custard filo). I must go back and try some more goodies.
Anyway, I have tried to make this soup before and it wasn't as good as the one I tried at Sweet Greek. So I asked for the secret and sure enough there is one! I came home and checked all my Greek cookery books, of which I have many, and none of them mention it. So here it is. The addition of broccoli is not traditional and just a me thing, but it worked well.

You'll need:

1 organic whole chicken
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed slightly
4 stalks of parsley
2 stalks of thyme
1/2 cup arborio rice or risoni
2 eggs, separated
3 lemons, juiced
1/2 head broccoli, finely chopped and lightly steamed
Sea salt to taste

Rinse the chicken well then put into a large stock pot. Add the onion, garlic, parsley and thyme and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and turn down to simmer for 2 hours. Skimming the top as often as needed.

Remove the chicken and allow to cool. Strain the stock through a muslin or chux lined sieve and put back into a large clean saucepan.

Bring the stock back to the boil, add the rice and stir well. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the meat from the chicken, discarding the bones and skin.

HERE'S THE HOT TIP:

Separate the yolks from the whites and beat the whites in a mixer until stiff. Gently fold through the yolks through the whites then add the lemon juice. Add a ladle of hot stock and whisk well before adding the mixture to the soup.

Add the shredded chicken and the lightly steamed broccoli.

Stir and take off the heat and serve.

Chocolate Goozy Fondant Recipe

2011-06-30T18:39:00.000+10:00

Chocolate fondants are the best dinner party dessert. They are easy to make, can be prepared well ahead of time and kept in the fridge or even frozen before cooking. The only tricky part is getting the cooking time spot on. Follow my step by step guide and you'll find this easy.

Makes 8

You'll need:

oil spray
dutch cocoa for dusting
200g good quality dark chocolate buds
200g butter (softened)
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
200g plain flour

Spray 8 small stainless steel dariole moulds lightly with oil and dust with cocoa. Set aside.

Very gently melt together the chocolate and the butter and stir until smooth. It's easy to do this is the microwave for 30 seconds then stir and repeat until melted. Set the chocolate aside to cool a little.

In a mixer beat together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale and a ribbon like consistency. Sift the flour into the egg mixture and beat until combined.

Add 1/2 the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, folding to combine and then add the second half. Folding again until well combined.

Carefully, spoon the mixture evenly into the moulds until 3/4 full.

Refrigerate the puddings for at least 20 minutes or they can be frozen at this point.

Pre heat oven to 200C and bake the puddings for for 10-12 minutes (14 minutes if frozen).

Check the puddings after 10 minutes. They should have a crust on top and be starting to come away from the sides. If they still seem a little soft put them back in for another minute or two.

Let the puddings sit in the tins for a few minutes before attempting to serve them. Then, using a cold cloth gently pull the moulds off. If they get stuck, gently run a palette knife around the edge but if you grease them well, you shouldn't have a problem.

How to make| Pork and Chilli Wonton Soup Recipe

2011-06-28T14:45:00.004+10:00

This was my first attempt of making Chinese style dumplings, which explains why they look like tortellini! I made a double batch so that we could try them different ways and freeze the rest. We steamed them and had our very own yum-cha session and then made a big pot of soup and cooked them in the soup. The soup was the stand out winner. I prefer a soup with substance and the wontons made this bowl of soup a meal in itself. Admittedly, a little bit of effort is needed but it's so worth it.

Start the stock the day before.

Broth - makes 1 litre

1 x size 14 chicken
500g chicken necks or bones
1 brown onion skinned and chopped in half
6 white peppercorns
2 star anise
1 inch piece of ginger sliced in half

Place the chicken, necks, onion, peppercorns, star anise and ginger in a large stockpot and cover with cold water.

Gently bring the boil and lower heat until just bubbling. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming the top whilst cooking.

Strain broth through muslin or a chux cloth and refrigerate. Shred the chicken from the bones and keep for another use - I used mine for school lunches.

Allow the broth to cool and refrigerate overnight if possible.

Dumplings - serves 4

1 pkt ready made wonton wrappers
250g minced pork
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbs freshly grated ginger
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 birds eye chilli, seeds removed and chopped finely
3 tbs fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs chinese rice wine
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp raw sugar

Mix together pork, garlic, ginger, spring onions, chilli, coriander, oil, rice wine, soy sauce and sugar.
Place a sheet of baking paper on your work bench and start assembling.

Place a teaspoon full of filling in the middle of each wonton wrapper. Dampen the edges with a little water and fold into a triangle and squeeze to push out all the air.

Fold the triangle over again and bring the edges together and stick as below. Repeat. Freeze your dumplings if you don't intend to use them straight away. They will go soggy if kept in the fridge.

Soup - serves 2

500ml broth (as per above)
1 tbs chinese rice wine
2 tbs soy sauce
8 dumplings (as per above)
2 spring onions, sliced
6 fresh shitake mushrooms
coriander leaves picked

Remove the fat that has risen on the chilled broth and ladle 500ml of stock into a saucepan (you can freeze the rest if not using). Bring to a gentle simmer, add the soy sauce and rice wine and season with salt to taste. Add 8 dumplings (these can be added frozen - no need to defrost) and cook for 5 minutes or until dumplings are cooked.

Divide the spring onions and shitake mushrooms evenly into 2 bowls and ladle the hot stock and dumplings over each. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Vegetarian comfort food | Chickpea Ratatouille Recipe

2011-06-23T15:48:00.001+10:00

This is for the nights when you crave something hearty but healthy.

Chickpea Ratatouille
Serves 6

You'll need:

2 tbs olive oil
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 red peppers quartered and de-seeded
1 large eggplant, halved and sliced
2 medium zucchinis, sliced
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 tsp raw sugar
1/4 cup finely grated good quality parmesan cheese
1 tbs finely sliced parsley (to garnish)

Preheat grill to very hot.

Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a pan and saute onion and garlic until soft. Add chilli and tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes or until starting to thicken.

Place the peppers on a tray and grill until blistered and blackened. Place them in a plastic bag to sweat for 5 minutes or so. Peel off skins and dice roughly.

Combine eggplant and zucchini in a bowl and toss through the remaining olive oil. Place on a tray and grill both sides until tender. Add the peppers and set aside.

Pre heat oven to 180C.

Stir the chickpeas, thyme and sugar into the tomato sauce and set aside.

In a large rectangle oven-proof dish scatter half the roasted vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Top with half the chickpea sauce and repeat.

Sprinkle with parmesan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Lemongrass and Lime Leaf Chicken Recipe

2011-06-15T12:00:00.002+10:00

Here's another highlight from our trip to Vietnam. This chicken is mouth wateringly delicious and the kid's just can't get enough of it. When serving it up to adults I sprinkle it with freshly chopped birds eye chilli, to give it a little extra kick.

Serves 4

8 skinless chicken thighs
1 tbs ground turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbs raw sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp five spice
3 lime leaves, very finely sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots
1 stick lemongrass, chopped finely
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs fish sauce

Place the thighs is a bowl with the turmeric, salt, sugar, pepper and five spice. Mix well to coat the chicken in the spices.

Pound the lime leaves, garlic, shallots and lemongrass in a mortar and pestle until it forms a rough paste.

Add the sesame oil and the fish sauce and add this to the chicken and mix well.

Marinate for 30 minutes.

Set the grill in your oven to high and line a tray with foil. Place the chicken on the tray and grill on each side for 4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with rice.

Gluten free | Lemon and Polenta Cakes

2011-06-08T12:00:00.005+10:00

These are such pretty little cakes. If you don't have bundt tins, you can make them in a 6 hole muffin tray they work just as well.

You'll need:

250g unsalted butter, softened

250g caster sugar

2 lemons, zested and juiced

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder (gluten free if you prefer)

250g almond meal

150g polenta

Icing sugar to dust

Pre heat oven to 160C and grease 6 hole bundt or muffin tins.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and creamy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, baking powder, almond meal and polenta.

Using a spatula, fold in the ingredients until fully incorporated.

Spoon evenly into the holes in the tin and smooth over the top with a knife. Tap the tin on the bench a few times to release any air bubbles.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes and test with skewer. If the skewer comes out clean they are ready. Please note that the bundt tins have a hole in the centre so if you are using a muffin tin, the cakes may take a little longer.

Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Winter warmer | Lamb Shank Ragu with Rosemary & Garlic Crumbs Recipe

2011-06-02T11:00:00.003+10:00

This very simple dish is sure to provide you with some comfort and warmth on a cold winter's day. I love it on its own served with some green beans but it also works well with some good old mashed potato or pasta too. The ragu freezes well, so this is a great dish to make over the weekend when you have more time to slow cook.

Serves 4

You'll need:

4 frenched lamb shanks

2 tbs olive oil + 1 extra

1 onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pinch porcini powder (optional)

1/4 cup white wine

1.5 cups chicken stock

For the crumbs

3 slices day old ciabatta

1 tbs olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp sea salt

Pre heat the oven to 160C.

Season the lamb shanks well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. To create good flavour, brown them all over in the olive oil over a moderate heat, until they turn a deep golden brown. Set aside.

In a large casserole dish with lid, heat the extra olive oil on a moderate heat and saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for a few minutes or until starting to soften. Add the porcini powder and stir well.

Add the shanks to the casserole dish and nestle them in amongst the vegetables. Add the white wine and pour over the stock.

Bring to the boil on the stove, cover and transfer to the oven and cook gently for 3- 4 hours. Remove the meat and bones and reduce the sauce on the stove until decreased by a third (you may not need to do this if the sauce has evaporated enough already). Shred the meat and return to the sauce.

For the rosemary and garlic crumbs, place the bread in the oven for a minutes to dry out. Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and crumble in the bread. Add the garlic, rosemary and sea salt and stir until the crumbs start to golden.

Sprinkle over the ragu to serve.

The Lurpak Challenge | Get on board today!

2011-05-31T13:56:00.001+10:00

Do you use Lurpak® butter? I do, and I'm excited to announce that alongside 3 other food bloggers I'll be judging the first round of a fantastic Lurpak® butter competition. You've got to get involved, the prizes are just too good!

It's called the Lurpak® Challenge and it is all about discovering Australia's greatest kitchen creations.

Simply register your details here and follow the instructions to upload a recipe, photo and description of your dish.

The top 55 entries (those who gather the most votes) will proceed to the judging process, which consists of two rounds:

Lurpak®, together with Friends of Lurpak® (that's me) will judge the top 55 entries and select 15 finalists.

The 15 finalists will be contacted and given the opportunity to provide an additional submission proving why their entry should win.

Lurpak®, together with none other than patissier legend Adriano Zumbo, will consider both the original entry and the additional submission from our 15 finalists and select the best 5 to win.

Five winners will each receive $1,500 and have their recipes published and distributed nationwide through Woolworths Supermarkets.

The 50 runners-up will each receive $100 WISH Gift Cards.

But that's not all, at three points in time during the promotion, Lurpak will announce a spot prize opportunity on Facebook and on their website. For each spot prize, they will be giving away 30 Lurpak® Gift Packs including a tea-towel, apron and butter knife RRP $15.

A taste of Vietnam | Tomato and Tofu Soup Recipe

2011-05-26T12:58:00.001+10:00

Just got back from a whirl wind trip to Vietnam. We spent 2 days in the north, 2 days in the central part and 2 days in the south. We didn't take the kids so we were able to do some "real" travelling and with only a small day pack with the essentials, we were able to do some serious exploring. I took heaps of photos (mainly of food) and tried to taste as many different Vietnamese dishes as I could. I was way to squeamish to try duck embryo or snake head though!

I couldn't help myself and did a cooking class. Vietnamese food is incredibly healthy, they barely use oil unless something is deep fried and they don't use any butter. The reliance on spices, aromats and sauces such as fish sauce bring life to the food and I have loads of recipes to share.

The first of which is a tasty soup that you can whip for your lunch in 10 minutes.

Tomato & Tofu Soup
Serves 2

You'll need:

150g firm organic tofu, cut into cubes
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade if possible)
1 tbs rice bran oil

2 spring onions (bottom half) chop in 1 inch lengths and pounded with the back of a knife

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp tamarind puree
1 egg beaten
2 spring onions (top half) chop finely for garnish

Bring the stock to the boil and add tofu and simmer for 3 minutes on a low heat.

In a small fry pan saute the spring onion (bottom lengths) in the oil for 1 minute. Add half of the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and chilli and cook for 3 minutes or so until the tomatoes start to soften.

Add the remaining tomatoes to the stock and bring to the boil. Add the tamarind and half the beaten egg and stir. TIP: pour the egg from a high distance into the pot, stirring in one direction at the same time.

Check again for seasoning, you may have to add a little more salt. Garnish with spring onion and coriander, if you have it on hand.

NB I didn't have any tamarind on hand so when you make the soup it will be a little darker. The tamarind gives the soup a slight sourness, which is really yummy.

One pot | Thai Braised Beef Ribs Recipe

2011-05-19T13:47:00.006+10:00

This is a version of one of my favourite Karen Martini recipes. Once everything is in the pot the long slow cooking process produces a super tasty, unctuous stew. This is a brilliant entertaining dish as you can cook ahead of time and your kitchen will be smelling amazing when your guests arrive.

Serves 4

You'll need:

2 tbs grapeseed oil
8 beef short ribs (about 180g each)
2 onions, sliced
4 cm piece galangal, sliced
4 cm piece ginger, sliced
4cm piece lemongrass, finely sliced
130ml fish sauce
130g palm or brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, bruised
500ml chicken stock
500ml water
2 kaffir lime leaves
4 tbs tamarind puree
3 birdseye chillies
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, picked
1 large green chilli, sliced

Pre heat the oven to 150C.

Heat the oil in a large wok or fry pan and brown the ribs over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan.

Transfer the ribs to a large casserole dish with a lid and add the onions, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, chicken stock, water, tamarind and lime leaves. Stir and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Cover and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours or until the ribs are very tender.

Remove the ribs from the dish and reduce the sauce until syrup. This will take 10-15 minutes depending on how much liquid remains. Plate the ribs up and drizzle with the reduced sauce. Garnish with coriander and fresh green chilli. Serve with rice.

Cinnamon and Apple Pie Recipe

2011-05-17T11:00:00.001+10:00

Another, winner of a recipe from The Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook. This Apple Pie is a beautiful dessert. More like a cake than a pie, it is lighter than more traditional versions. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serves 10

You'll need:
6 large granny smith apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1.5 tbs cinnamon sugar
3 eggs
1.5 cups caster sugar
1.5 cups light olive oil or grapeseed oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups plain flour
extra cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease and line the base and side of a 26cm springform cake tin.

Layer the apple slices in the prepared tin so they come about two-thirds of the way up the side. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the apples.

Make a batter by beating the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil and vanilla and beat well, then stir in the flour. Spoon the batter on top of the cinnamon covered apples and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if desired. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin.

Monday Morning Cooking Club | Chicken and Barley Soup Recipe

2011-05-15T12:54:00.003+10:00

A little while back, I met a very lovely and inspirational lady named Lisa Goldberg. Lisa is part of the Monday Morning Cooking Club.

By gathering up the best recipes from the best cooks in the extremely diverse Jewish community, Lisa and her talented team got together every Monday morning and cooked, tested, refined and eventually published a cookbook that I have already begun to treasure. I have had the book for a while, flicking through it, not knowing what to cook first, there is just so much from it that I want to cook.

Many of the coveted recipes are generations old that might have been lost or forgotten. This is not just a cookbook it's a book of memories and history, which has become a permanent record to be cherished and loved by generations of cooks to come.

I'm fortunate to have many Jewish friends and almost all of them love food and obsess over it as much as I do. I have always admired their incredible sense of family, and the importance they place on "nurturing, feeding and nourishing those whom they love," is very close to my heart.

The first recipe I cooked was this very delicious and simple chicken and barley soup. Perfect for the cooler weather.

You'll need:

2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock (homemade is best if you have it)
200g pearl barley
2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat
2 tbs chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot and cook the onions, carrot and celery until soft. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.

Add the barley and reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook for about 50 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Add the chicken and the parsley, and stir through to heat.

Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. I also added a squeeze of harissa for a bit of kick.

Quick dinner idea | Baked Tuna, Tomato & Zucchini Rice

2011-05-10T15:11:00.003+10:00

This is a recipe that every parent should have in his or her repertoire. It has been an absolute saviour when I’m disorganised and only have basic ingredients on hand. It’s not pretending to be a risotto, but the rice always seems to cook perfectly every time with no stirring required. I shared this recipe recently with the readers of Little Eats, a fantastic and very informative website on kid friendly cafes in and around Melbourne.

Serves 4

What you’ll need:

1 onion, finely diced

2 tbs olive oil
1 pinch sea salt
1 cup risotto rice (Arborio or Carnoroli)
1.5 cups good quality chicken stock
2 x 180g tins of good quality tuna in oil, drained (i.e Sirena)
1 can organic chopped tomatoes
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 small handful baby basil leaves

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Heat a heavy based ovenproof casserole dish with a lid, on the stove to a medium heat. Add the olive oil and the onion and sauté gently for 2 minutes or until starting to soften.

Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated well with the olive oil.

Add the stock, tomatoes and zucchini and bring to the boil then add tuna. Place the lid on the dish and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake for a further 10 minutes, this puts a lovely crust on top.

Scatter with basil leaves to serve.

five:am Organic Yoghurt | Vanilla Bean Yoghurt Pannacotta Recipe

2011-05-05T13:00:00.001+10:00

I use quite a bit of yoghurt in my cooking as an alternative to cream or butter to reduce the fat content. It is fantastic in curries, muffins, so many things and it is also pretty much a daily breakfast staple for me.

If you haven't tried five:am yoghurt yet, you should. They have refined their yoghurt technique to create yoghurts free from gluten, gelatin, preservatives and starches with no artificial colours, flavours, stabilisers or sweeteners and best of all they are 100% certified organic.

As a lover of all things organic, it's nice to know where things come from and how the food is treated along the way. In this particular case the 160 cows that are responsible for this yoghurt, all have names. I love that.

The vanilla bean yoghurt is my favourite and I decided to lighten up a pannacotta with it, and serve it with some baked rhubarb. The perfect autumn dessert.

You'll need;

185ml pouring cream
40g icing sugar, sifted
3 leaves, gold strength gelatine
250g five:am vanilla bean yoghurt
1/2 bunch rhubarb, cut into lengths
1/4 cup caster sugar

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft.

Place the cream and icing sugar in a saucepan and gently heat through, stirring for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat.

Squeeze the gelatine and wring out as much water as you can. Stir the gelatine through the warm cream.
Whisk through the vanilla bean yoghurt.

Spoon into plastic dariole moulds and refrigerate until set. It will take several hours, so if planning a dinner party overnight is best.

Meanwhile, to bake the rhubarb, pre heat the oven to 160C. Lay the rhubarb flat in a baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and cover with foil. Bake until soft, but not breaking apart. It should take about 15 minutes.

The Mum & The Chef | Mushroom Lasagna Recipe

2011-05-03T10:56:00.004+10:00

Some really beautiful mushroom varieties are popping up at the market at the moment. So, I was delighted when Kat chose mushrooms for The Mum & The Chef this week. It doesn't really matter what variety of mushrooms you use for this dish but it's good to mix up the textures and flavour. A combination of different types of mushrooms will work best. With the help of wild mushroom specialist Damien Pike and his wonderful staff (who have a mushroom for everything) at the Prahran Market, I chose a portobello mushroom for its stronger flavour and firm texture and the slippery jacks, which have just come into season for a milder, softer accompaniment.

Serves 4

You'll need:

Bechamel

40g butter

40g plain flour

200mls milk

200mls hot chicken stock

40g parmesan, grated

salt & pepper

Mushrooms

250g assorted mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stem thyme, leaves picked
1 tbs butter
fresh lasagna sheets (good quality)

Topping
extra butter and parmesan cheese

Pre heat oven to 180c

Get started with the bechamel. Melt the butter in a medium non stick saucepan and whisk in the flour. Stir for a few minutes until the mixture starts to golden. Pour the milk in gradually whisking as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Switch to a wooden spoon and keep stirring and add the stock. Allow to thicken for 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Add the parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. It should be a nice thick, smooth sauce. Feel free to add more cheese if you prefer.

Melt the butter in a fry pan and saute the mushrooms with the garlic and thyme until starting to soften.
Season and set aside.

Butter a square casserole dish and cutting the lasagna sheets to size layer the pasta on the bottom of the dish. Spread a layer of bechamel and scatter some mushrooms on top. Repeat this process over and over finishing with a layer of pasta on top.

Dot the top of the pasta with butter and extra parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and the pasta is cooked through.

Just in case you haven't read about The Mum & The Chef project before, here's the lowdown -

Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have joined forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and independently come up with some recipes featuring our chosen ingredient. We've called it - The Mum and the Chef, where Kat (a fully qualified chef) will share her culinary expertise, and I'll share my home cooking and kid friendly ideas. It's going to be interesting to see what we both come up with.

For more mushroom recipes & inspiration, check out the following Mum & The Chef contributors:

http://www.katrinahigham.blogspot.com/

http://www.domesblissity.blogspot.com/
http://www.gourmetgirl-friend.blogspot.com
http://www.tarisota.typepad.com>
http://www.youwantsomemore.blogspot.com> http://www.girlswearbluetoo.com>

If you'd like to join us too, click on The Mum & The Chef logo on the right and email through your details. The more the the merrier!

How to make | Light Rye Bread Recipe

2011-04-27T14:52:00.001+10:00

Since working in the restaurant at Steer I've been baking my own bread, from scratch. There is great sense of achievement that comes with baking your own bread. The kitchen smells like a bakery in the morning and there is never any shortage of bread for school lunches.

This is a really good entry level yeast bread to get you started. If you've never made your own bread before, give it a try, it is really not as hard as it looks.

You'll need:

Light Rye

400g bakers flour (available from supermarkets)
100g buckwheat flour (available from health food shops)
5g bread improver (available from supermarkets)
10g salt
15g fresh yeast or 7g dried yeast
280g tepid water
15g olive oil

NB If you have a mixer with a dough hook use it, otherwise do it by hand. It's a bit more of a workout but yields the same results.

Measure out the flours, bread improver and salt, and mix to combine. In a measuring jug mix together the yeast and water and stir to mix thoroughly, add the oil and stir into the dry ingredients.

Knead thoroughly for 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. The dough should be stretchy and not get holes in it, when you pull it.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl to prove in a nice warm place (ie on top of an oven) for about an hour or until its doubled in size.

On a lightly floured bench, knock the air out of the dough and form a rectangle.

Fold the dough into itself a third at a time. Turn it 90 degrees, and repeat.

Pinch and smooth down the seam, so there are no visible openings or folds in the dough.

Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased loaf tin or just bake free form. It's up to you. Let the dough sit in the tin to prove again for another 30 minutes.

Pre heat the oven to 200C.

Before you bake, cut a slit about 1/2 inch deep through the top of the loaf to help air escape.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and when you give the base a tap it sounds hollow.

Easter cooking | Gingerbread Bunnies and Eggs Recipe

2011-04-22T09:28:00.002+10:00

This Easter, I wanted to revisit a post I did 2 years ago and make these super cute gingerbread bunnies and eggs again. Like most kids, mine don't have a choc-ometer and will eat it until they are rolling around on the floor moaning with sore tummies. These are a nice addition to Easter gift giving and a great activity to do with the kiddies when holiday boredom sets in.

Happy Easter.

You'll need:

Gingerbread

125g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup golden syrup
2.5 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda

Royal icing

3 egg whites, at room temperature

4 cups pure icing sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Pink and blue food colouring

Piping bag with small attachment

Preheat oven to 180C.

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add the golden syrup, flour, ginger, cinnamon and baking soda and mix to form a smooth dough.

Pop the dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the dough is firm. Roll out the dough between sheets of non-stick baking paper until an even thickness (approximately 4mm). Cut out shapes from the dough using Easter bunny and egg cutters.

Place the cookies on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on trays.

To make royal icing, put all the ingredients in to a mixer and beat until thick, shiny and white, It should take about 8 - 10 minutes to get this consistency.

Divide the mixture into 2, adding a few drops of pink to one and a few drops of blue to the other.

Working with one colour at a time pipe an outline around each cookie and decorate as you wish.

I also made some little bags by zigzag stitching up some clear cellophane.

Chocolate and Macadamia Cookie Recipe

2011-04-19T11:00:00.003+10:00

I'd really like to be able to say that these are healthy, obviously I can't. Everyone deserves a little treat from time to time though and these cookies are damn fine with a cup of tea or a glass of milk. My kids say that they're best eaten fresh out of the oven (still warm) and dipped in milk. Who am I to argue? Best of all, the cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can even bake them to order.

You'll need:

150g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
200g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten lightly
1.5 cups plain flour
1/2 cup dutch cocoa or good quality cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
200g macadamia nuts, chopped

Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until pale and thick. Add the egg and the vanilla extract, and beat further until just combined.

Fold in the flour, cocoa and baking powder and a small pinch of salt. Stir through the macadamias, taking care to not overwork the dough.

Roll the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

When you're ready to bake the cookies, pre-heat your oven to 180C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Using a sharp knife, slice cookies off the log and bake as needed. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until starting to firm. Allow them to cool a little on the tray before dipping or devouring.

Pumpkin, Sage and Bacon Bone Soup Recipe

2011-04-16T15:55:00.003+10:00

The onset of the colder weather makes me want to get out the stockpot again and make some soup. I picked up some organic pumpkin from a farm I go in the Mornington Peninsula and it was the sweetest, brightest orange pumpkin, just gagging to be made into soup. The bacon bones gave this soup a delicious smokiness. The perfect lunch for a dreary day.

You'll need:

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

3 roasted bacon bones (available from your butcher)

1/4 large grey pumpkin, skin removed and cut into chunks

1 litre homemade chicken stock (if using bought chicken stock make sure it's salt reduced)

water

sage leaves

2 tbs extra olive oil to fry the sage

Heat a stockpot or large saucepan, add the olive oil and saute the onion until soft on a medium heat. Add the bacon bones and pumpkin and the stock. Add enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot.

Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to low and simmer for approximately 2 hours or until the liquid has reduced by about a third.

Remove the bacon bones and puree with a blender, until smooth. Heat a frypan on a medium heat and add the extra olive oil and fry some sage leaves until crisp to garnish.

Steer Bar and Grill Boot Camp | Kitchen Madness

2011-04-08T14:21:00.003+10:00

It was with great anticipation that I hit the kitchen at Steer. After all, as a cook, this is where my greatest interests lie and I was eager to experience first hand the workings of a busy restaurant kitchen.

The first thing that I saw when I walked in was a 20kg bag of onions, and my heart sank. This was going to be less than ideal. I wondered, just how many shitty jobs would be palmed my way? Well not many, fortunately, and the onion prep was a job delegated to larder, as well as hand-cutting chips. Funnily enough this was a station that I wasn't assigned to or actively avoided, whichever way you want to look at it.

I gravitated towards the pastry section. Things seemed a little calmer back there, a nice achievable to do list with no crazy panic until dessert time. Pastry chef's don't get off lightly though, with longer working hours as they are first to arrive to bake the bread and last to finish cooking.

I've never really properly attempted my own bread making, so it was great getting a one-on-one tutorial with Jane (above). Since working at Steer I bake all my own bread now. It's the best and the kid's are loving it. I'm still mastering my bread making skills and this deserves a post of its own, so stay tuned.

One of my job's in the pastry section was to make the Pao De Quejo (Brazilian cheese bread). It couldn't be easier to make and these little gluten-free delights straight out of the oven are a real treat.

You'll need:

130g milk
130g water
65g oil
2 tbs salt
500g sour starch*
2 eggs
200g grated parmesan

Pre heat your oven to 180C.

Place the milk, water, oil and salt in a heavy based saucepan and gently bring to the boil.

Mix together the sour starch and parmesan in a mixer and add the eggs, mix until combined, then pour in the hot milk mixture. Mix until combined.

Portion out the mixture into 40g (or close to) weight and gently roll into a neat ball, using oil to lubricate your hands to stop the mixture sticking to them. Place on baking trays lined with baking paper and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden and puffed up.

*Available from Casa Iberica Deli in Johnston St, Fitzroy or you can substitute with tapioca starch (from Asian grocers) but the bread will have a slighter firmer texture

After learning how to make a souffle in 10 minutes (it's not hard and I will completely demystify this for you, but again another post needs to be dedicated to it) I was getting a little too comfortable with the pastry section, and it was time to move on. I was at Steer for a money can't buy experience, right? So, I shuffled my weary feet up to the pass and hung out with the boy's up front, where let me tell you, during service, this is where it all happens.

With executive chef Shaun off for the night, chef Richie was in charge and asked me to call the orders. I was petrified, but I tried really hard not to show it. I'm exceptionally good at barking orders on the home front, so I couldn't see why I couldn't do it here.

Another thing, if you ever glance into the kitchen before the orders start flying in, you'll often see chef's standing at the pass in this stance. It's a classic, calm before the storm, mental preparation. Watch out for it when you next dine out somewhere, I swear they all do it.

I was impressed with the crazy multi-tasking concentration of these guys, it was insane. I got the hang of things pretty quickly and started to feel the adrenaline as the orders starting flying in. All different types of cuts of meat to varying degrees of done-ness were being managed with a speed and level of adeptness I've never witnessed before. I will never complain about doing a dinner party for 12 again.

Steer launches its new menu tonight under executive chef Shaun Nielson and Paul Wilson, with a New York Steakhouse theme. And, if the test dishes I tried are anything to go by, then its well worth a visit.

Thanks again to all involved for providing me with such a great experience and to such a great crew, I'm missing you all already.

Super Easy Indian Lamb Curry Recipe

2011-04-06T18:32:00.002+10:00

This is a basic, but very tasty lamb curry and has become a firm family favourite. I often make it when kitchen stocks are low as I usually have all the ingredients on hand. Ensure you follow all the steps as the technique of reducing the sauce before topping it up with water again, creates a beautiful gravy that is full of flavour. Enjoy.

Serves 4

You'll need:

700g lamb shoulder, diced
1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs cumin seeds or ground up to you
1 tbs coriander seeds or ground up to you
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp garam marsala
3 tbs rice bran oil

2 onions sliced

1 tbs sea salt
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
Steamed rice to serve

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant and pound in a mortar and pestle (you can cheat and use ground spices if you want to).

Coat the lamb with ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and garam marsala. Leave to marinate for as long as you can.

Heat the oil in a large stove top casserole dish or heavy based saucepan. Add the onion and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes until golden and soft.

Turn the heat to high and add the meat and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and fry for 3 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the oil is starts to separate out and float to the surface. Take the lid off and cook for another 2 minutes, then add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 1- 1.5 hrs. The cooking time varies but it's ready when the meat is tender and coated with a delicious gravy.

Season with the sea salt and serve with basmati rice and chopped coriander.

Scrumptious Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

2011-04-03T11:38:00.004+10:00

I've been reading a newly released cook book Bake - Essential Companion by Alison Thompson an expert baker and pastry chef, and I love it. It covers off all the fundamentals of baking including yeast breads, pastry, brioches and croissants, biscuits and slices, muffins and scones, gluten-free and more. This is a book for a passionate life-long baker and a beginner, its got all bases covered with detailed, clear instructions and beautiful photography.

The cakes in the book are high and bakery like. I love that in a cake. So many cake recipes aren't as generous and I feel like I always have to double them.

I gave the carrot cake a whirl for a school picnic and it was a huge hit and fed many. There is a gluten-free version of the same cake in the book too. I can't wait to try the hot cross buns for Easter.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Serves at least 12

You'll need:

450g self-raising flour
450g soft brown sugar
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
5 eggs
450g unsalted butter, melted
5 medium-sized carrots, peeled and grated
200g sultanas

For the frosting
125g unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
600g pure icing sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon, to dust

Pre heat the oven to 160C and line a 25cm round cake tin with baking paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sifted flour, brown sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the eggs and melted butter. Stir to combine, then add the grated carrot and sultanas. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, place the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and sift in the icing sugar. Beat on a low speed until combined, then beat on a high speed for 2 minutes.

Use a palette knife to spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake, then dust with cinnamon.

Steer Bar and Grill Boot Camp | Food and wine matching and more

2011-04-02T15:52:00.005+11:00

As a lover of fine wine I was very excited to step into some sommelier shoes and learn the tricks of the trade from Manolo at Steer Bar and Grill.

If you haven't read about the restaurant boot camp I've been involved in at Steer Bar and Grill, you can read all about it here.

Steer has an extensive wine list which includes many European wine varieties and over 21 wines by the glass and 31 half bottles. This seemed liked a lot to me, but it makes so much sense to match a wine to a dish, rather than just quaffing a bottle of your favourite variety over dinner. My husband and I have been doing the wines by the glass thing a lot more recently, when dining out, and usually end up spending and drinking less (particularly if we stick to just 2 courses).

Here's a few basic tips that will help you match wine to a dish:

Pair light-bodied wines with lighter food and more delicate dishes i.e. dishes that have been poached or steamed. Pair fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more flavorful, richer and fattier dishes.
Very hot or spicy foods such as some Thai dishes, or hot curries for example, often work best with sweet desert wines. Opposing flavours can play off each other, creating new flavour sensations and cleansing the palate.
It's tough to match ingredients like onions, asparagus and artichokes with wine, if you're dish is dominant on these things you're better off sticking to sherry or beer.
Red wines go well with mild to sharp cheese. Pungent and more intensely flavored cheese is better with a sweeter or fortified wine.
Sweetness in a dish will increase the bitterness and astringency qualities in the wine, making it appear drier and less fruity.
High amounts of acidity in food will decrease sour qualities in wine, making it taste richer.
Bitter flavours in food increase the perception of bitter, tannic elements in wine.

Here's another thing, a sommelier should taste all the open bottles of wine by the glass before service. I had to take a break, seriously, I should have been spitting as I went, but I felt that I couldn't get the full feel for the wine. So many restaurants don't taste the wines and it should be an essential practice. I've had countless glasses of wine by the glass served to me that has been sitting in the bottle way too long.

And, to put some of my new knowledge into practice I was given the opportunity to do some wine/cider matching to some of the new dishes at Steer. Tough job but some one had to do it.

Oysters with salsa fresca & finger lime (Magners Irish Cider)

Steak tartare, jalapeno bone marrow croquette & oregano toast (Cuvee Marianne 2008) and a mixed plate of jamon (Ca del Bosco Cuvee), anchovies & olives (Sanleon Spanish Sherry), cheese, Henriques Madeira Verdelho and bread.

And, to finish my training, I sipped on a 100 year old Sainte Croix Rivesaltes fortified and realised I probably shouldn't have driven to work.

Sweet Potato, Feta and Coriander Roesti Recipe

2011-03-28T18:54:00.004+11:00

When making sweet potato mash I often add coriander, the flavours work really well together. These roesti's are brilliant on their own as a vege burger, or served as a side. Ours accompanied beautiful eye fillet steaks and green beans tossed with butter.

You'll need:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated

1 tbs butter

1/2 bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped roughly

1/4 cup firm feta

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs + extra to coat

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Grapeseed oil

Put the grated sweet potato into a medium non-stick saucepan and add the butter, cook, stirring constantly until the sweet potato starts to break down and soften.

Take of the heat and allow to cool slightly. Mix through the coriander, feta and 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Roll the mixture into even sized patties and gently fry on both sides until golden brown. They won't need a lot of cooking.

Perfect Autumn Dessert | Apple and Blackberry Crumble

2011-03-17T18:25:00.003+11:00

Crumble is the best and in 3 easy steps you have a beautiful dessert that everybody loves. You can substitute the apples and blackberries with any fruit you like. Pear and cinnamon or rhubarb and vanilla are other personal favourites. This recipe creates a beautiful slightly thickened sauce that you can spoon over ice cream, if you desire.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Serves 4

You'll need:

2 punnets fresh blackberries

1 large granny smith apple, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 tbs plain flour

2 tbs castor sugar

100g unsalted butter, cut into pieces (plus a little extra to dot the top)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbs organic rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pre heat oven to 200C.

Mix together the blackberries, apple, flour and castor sugar and stir well to coat and place in a buttered dish.

In another bowl combine the brown sugar, rolled oats, flour and baking powder and using the tips of your fingers to rub the butter in the flour mixture. When it's rubbed in nicely, and looks like chunky breadcrumbs, pour the crumble over the fruit mixture. Dot with the extra butter and bake for 20 -25 minutes until golden.

Spoon out onto plates to serve.

Steer Bar and Grill Boot Camp | Quick lesson in the art of the cocktail

2011-03-15T17:56:00.004+11:00

Now, I'm writing this feeling decidedly worse for wear as I have spent a good part of the long weekend making cocktails for my friends. I learnt how to make some delicious cocktails at Steer last week under the watchful eye of Bar Manager and mixologist extraordinaire David van Iersel. David boasts a great deal of experience working for Gordon Ramsay in his Boxwood cafe and LAB a multi award winning cocktail bar in Soho London, to name a few.

If you haven't already read about about my Steer experience than you can read about it here.

So with great delight I let the cobwebs out the liquor cabinet (the cellar is more widely used these days) and added a few more items to my collection.

If making cocktails at home for a soiree or dinner party, I'd stick to just the one type of cocktail. They can get messy and some of them require a quite a few ingredients.

Equipment wise, you'll need a cocktail shaker, a tall glass that neatly fits inside the shaker, a spirit measure or a shot glass and a fine mesh strainer.

I can't believe how many types of cocktails there are out there, including at least 8 variations of the Expresso Martini but I wanted to share a version that can be whipped up easily at home after the kids have gone to bed.

Expresso Martini
(makes 1)

30ml Vodka
15ml Kahlua
30ml Expresso (freshly brewed)

Pop your martini glasses in the freezer to chill nicely before you start.

Fill your cocktail shaker 3/4 full with ice. Add the vodka, kahlua and expresso to the tall glass and put the glass into the cocktail shaker on a slight angle and give it a good whack to secure. Shake vigorously for a minute or so and give it all you got. You should hear a rhythmic ca-shh-ca-shh -ca-shh sound. Using the palm of your hand hit the side of the glass to dislodge from the shaker. Pop the cocktail shaker lid on and pour into the chilled martini glass through the fine mesh strainer. Garnish with a few coffee beans and serve.

The Mum & The Chef | Plum recipes

2011-03-15T09:41:00.007+11:00

I adore plums, which is why I chose them for this week's Mum & The Chef ingredient. Martin Boetz from Longrain taught me how to make plum sauce using fresh blood plums in a Masterclass at The Essential Ingredient. It works equally as well with chicken, spatchcock or even pork belly and it is very quick to make. I've served it with roasted szechuan salt and pepper duck legs. It's an utterly mouth watering combination. Trust me.

Plum sauce with salt & pepper duck legs

Serves 2

For the plum sauce

Makes 3 cups

500gm palm sugar

100ml water

100ml fish sauce

100ml tamarind concentrate

10 blood plums, halved and quartered

100 ml hoisin sauce

In a medium sized heavy based saucepan, melt the palm sugar into the water and allow to caramelise slightly. Add the fish sauce and the tamarind.

Then, add the plums and hoisin and cook until you the sauce is starting to thicken. This took me about 30 minutes. Be careful not to overcook as you will end up with a jammy tasting sauce.

Pass the sauce through a mesh strainer and set aside.

For the duck

2 duck marylands

Szechuan pepper and salt mix (see below)

1 tbs olive oil

If you have time pat dry the duck and allow to air dry further uncovered in the refrigerator to dry out the skin.

Pre heat your oven to 160C. Cut an incision as per below to clean up the leg but leave the bottom part on as it protects the bone from burning in the oven.

Rub the skin with salt and pepper mix. To make this, toast 1 part szechuan pepper to 2 parts sea salt and grind in a mortar and pestle.

Sear the duck skin side down in a medium to hot pan to crisp up the skin. Place the duck on a roasting rack over a roasting dish and bake in the oven for 1hr. Allow to rest for a further five minutes and serve with the plum sauce and steamed broccoli.

You'll have sauce left over, so bottle it for a rainy day.

Just in case you haven't read about The Mum & The Chef project before, here's the lowdown -

For more plum recipes & inspiration, check out the following Mum & The Chef contributors:

http://www.katrinahigham.blogspot.com/

http://www.girlswearbluetoo.com/

http://www.domesblissity.blogspot.com/
http://www.gourmetgirl-friend.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to join us too, click on The Mum & The Chef logo on the right and email through your details. The more the the merrier!

Mish Delish has gone to Boot Camp..

2011-03-11T10:28:00.003+11:00

I'm not doing crunches or push ups but working in a restaurant for a short stint. It's considered a bootcamp, as in just 2 short weeks I'll be interval training between being a sommelier, a chef, a waiter and bar person. Phew. Sounds like hard work? Well let me tell you, it is!

I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in this fantastic opportunity alongside fellow food bloggers Penny from Jeroxie and Thanh from I Eat Therefore I Am.

You can see us all in action at Steer Bar and Grill. Steer is located beneath the boutique Olsen hotel, at 641 Chapel Street, South Yarra.

Steer’s menu to date has had a strong Brazilian influence, but this is currently changing to a broader Latin American focus under the direction of chef Paul Wilson and chef Shaun Neilson. I'll also be training under the watchful eye of Wine Director Raul Moreno Yague (ex Head Sommelier of Vue de Monde). This is shaping up to be an experience of a life time.

As first cab off the rank I am already deeply ensconced and learning heaps. This week I am undergoing extensive mixology, bar and sommelier training.

You can follow our shenanigans on twitter & view all of our pics on flickr.
Make sure you check my blog for further updates, recipes and tricks of the trade that will help you create restaurant dishes at home.

Homemade Tomato Sugo Recipe

2011-03-03T12:53:00.003+11:00

I fear I may have left this post a little late with Autumn upon us and decent tomato supplies starting to wane. I did notice, however, that there were still plenty of inexpensive ripe tomatoes at the market this week, so there is still time.

As Italian cooks will attest there is nothing better than homemade tomato sugo. It is so simple to make and it leaves the bought stuff for dead. You also get such an amazing feeling of accomplishment when your pantry is filled with sugo, better still you are reminded of this feeling every time you reach for another jar of sauce.

I picked up 9 kilos of organic roma tomato seconds for $13.00 in Red Hill in January. I was pretty pleased with myself. This yielded about 12 large jars worth of sugo. If you have a good relationship with your greengrocer ask them to get you in some seconds, they don't need to be picture perfect, just super ripe.

I keep my sugo really simple so I can boost the flavour with chilli or garlic when using the sauce in cooking. All you need is tomatoes, sea salt and some fresh basil.

To get started, wash and halve the tomatoes. Place two large pots on the stove, and fill the pots with tomatoes until 3/4 full. You don't need to add anything other than a little sea salt. Gently bring the tomatoes to the boil and then turn down the heat so they are bubbling away. When they are starting to break down and become nice and soft, they are ready.

If you are planning on making a large quantity of sauce, its best to buy a tomato press to remove the seeds and skin. I bought mine for $50 and it saves so much time. If making smaller quantities you can put the tomatoes through a food processor and then push through a sieve to remove the seeds (they can be quite bitter).

A tomato press spits out the seeds and skin on one side and a beautiful thick sauce on the other. I usually put through the seeds and skin through the machine again, as you get more sauce from it. Waste not want not!

To sterilise the jars wash them in soapy water, dry them well and place them on a tray in a oven heated to 150C for 30 minutes or so until they are hot. Alternatively, you can put the jars though a dishwasher cycle, just make sure they are hot when filling them with sauce.

Before filling the jars, place one fresh basil leaf in each. I've found they most effective way to fill the jars is to use a funnel and ladle the sauce through the funnel, to minimise mess.

Once the jars are filled, place them in a pot and fill with cold water (you may have to repeat this process, if you don't have a pot big enough). The water should be just above the jars. Bring to the boil and simmer until the lids start to pop (20 minutes or so). Turn the heat off and let the jars cool in the water, and you're done.

Meat lovers | Slow Roasted Lamb Souvlaki Recipe

2011-03-01T18:03:00.004+11:00

This fresh take on the fast food "souva" is a winner. The lamb can go in the oven at lunchtime and left to slowly and gently cook. By the time dinner comes around, only a small amount of prep is required to churn out a hearty meal.

Lamb souvlaki with garlicky yoghurt

Serves 2 adults and 2 kids

500g piece of lamb shoulder bones and fat removed (get your butcher to do this)

Olive oil

Sea Salt
Greek souvlaki bread
1 handful mint, roughly chopped

1 small red onion, sliced

Garlicky yoghurt

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

1 lemon juiced

1 garlic clove, crushed

Pre heat the oven to 150C.

Rub the lamb with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Seal the meat in a roasting dish on the stove and then cover with foil and cook gently for 3- 4 hrs. The meat should be ridiculously tender and come off in beautiful tender chunks.

To make the garlicky yoghurt, simply stir together the garlic, yoghurt and lemon juice and season with salt.

To assemble warm the bread slightly and top with shredded lamb, garlicky yoghurt, red onion and fresh mint.

Tempranillo is a favourite of ours and it goes really well with bbq'd or slow cooked meat. We enjoyed our souvlaki with a bottle of Solar Viejo Crianza Rioja, imported by Wingara Wine Group. This Rioja with hints of cherries and plums is so smooth and perfectly matched with meat dishes.

Gluten Free | Flourless Almond Cake Recipe

2011-02-24T13:23:00.001+11:00

This post is a tribute to my friends Kat and Al, at the Windsor Deli.

They make this incredibly moreish cake that we cannot get enough of. So, I've been working on recreating the cake myself at home. And after significant trial and error, I think I'm almost there. Kat?

Flourless Almond Cake

240g almond meal
small pinch of salt
250g castor sugar
4 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbs Amaretto liqueur
200g unsalted butter
1/4 cup flaked almonds

Pre heat your oven to 180C.

Butter a 20cm cake tin and line the sides and bottom with baking paper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and set aside to cool.

Mix together the almond meal, salt and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and Amaretto until combined, then add the cooled melted butter to this mixture.

Tip the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pre-prepared tin and scatter with the flaked almonds.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool in tin before taking out and serving. This cake will last in the fridge for up to a week.

The Mum & The Chef | Fish Pie Recipe

2011-02-22T13:31:00.006+11:00

The Mum & The Chef brief was local fish, this week. I managed to get my hands on some beautiful fresh snapper, which is my favourite fish with red emperor a close second. Its firm texture lends itself to many recipes and it's probably too good to put in a pie, but this is a very special pie that the whole family will love.

Snapper Pie

Makes 2 big serves

1 large snapper fillet (400g), bones and skin removed

1 brown onion very finely diced

40g unsalted butter

Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

2 tbs plain flour

1 tbs Dijon mustard

300ml milk

1/4 cup peas

1 sheet of puff pastry or 1 cup mashed potato

White truffle oil (optional)

Pre heat your oven to 200C.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over a low heat and add chopped onions. Season well with salt and pepper and saute until soft. Add the flour and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.

Add the mustard and gradually add the milk, whisking as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes until you end up with a lovely thick sauce/ roux.

Dice the fish into cubes and add to the sauce, cook gently for a few minutes and stir through the peas.

Spoon into ramekins and top with puff pastry lids or mashed potato if you prefer. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. When just out of the oven drizzle with white truffle oil.

Just in case you haven't read about The Mum & The Chef project before, here's the lowdown -

For more fish recipes & inspiration, check out the following Mum & The Chef contributors:

http://www.katrinahigham.blogspot.com/

http://www.gourmetgirl-friend.blogspot.com/

http://www.franklyfeisty.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to join us too, click on The Mum & The Chef logo on the right and email through your details. The more the the merrier!

Family Friendly | Spinach, Olive and Cheese Pie Recipe

2011-02-15T11:56:00.003+11:00

I had a big bag of organic spinach leaves, a few other bits and pieces and mum and dad coming over for lunch. This delicious pie was the result. Great for a hot summers day or night.

Spinach, Olive and Cheese Pie

1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs olive oil
1 large bag spinach leaves
1/2 cup black pitted olives, chopped
1/4 cup full fat ricotta
1/4 cup firm feta
6 filo sheets (avoid the frozen sheets as they are tricky to work with)
Extra olive oil to baste
Fennel seeds or dukkah (optional)

Measure the base of your tin and cut the filo to exact size (this will be your pie lid). Keep the filo wrapped up in a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry out

Grease a rectangle tin with olive oil, and preheat your oven to 180C.

Saute the onion in the olive oil until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook for an extra minute and set aside.

Wash the spinach leaves well and place in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stem for 60 seconds on high. Place the spinach in a colander and press down to release the excess water.

Mix together the sauteed onion and garlic, together with the spinach, chopped olives and crumbled cheese. Press into the rectangle tin.

Baste each sheet of filo with olive oil and place one by one on top if the filling. Baste the top sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with fennel seeds or dukkah.

Bake in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Happy Valentines Day | Red Velvet Layer Cake Recipe

2011-02-14T14:49:00.001+11:00

During Bo's tap dancing class this morning I decided to go home and make a red velvet cake to blog for Valentines Day. I should have made this and blogged about it yesterday, to allow you enough time to make it. But as I write at 2.35pm, if your heart is in the right place or if you can be bothered, there is still enough time.

Red Velvet Layer Cake
*Based on Sugardough's - Orlando Artavilla's recipe

90g unsalted butter (at room temp)
280g sugar
2 eggs
3 tbs natural red food colouring
1.5 tbs dutch cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
400g plain flour
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

1/3 cup soft unsalted butter
3 cups icing sugar
1.5 tbs vanilla extract
2 tbs milk

Pre heat oven to 180C.

Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and light. Add eggs to the mixture, one at a time, mixing well between.

Mix together the cocoa and red food colouring in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix well.
Now add the buttermilk, alternating with the flour. Add the salt. stop mixing when incorporated as you don't want to overmix it. Lastly stir in vinegar and baking soda and pour into a lightly greased and lined 20cm tin. I used a heart tin.

Bake the cake for 40 mins and test with a skewer, it's done when it comes out clean.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the milk and and vanilla extract and beat well until smooth. You might need to add a little more milk to get the right spreadable consistency.

When the cake is cooled, cut into 2 or 3 layers. Layer with frosting and serve.

Best of Blairgowrie and Beyond

2011-02-11T12:23:00.001+11:00

Ruby's first school year ended before we knew it and we decided to escape Melbourne for the school holidays. I managed to stay in most parts unplugged, with only the occasional glance at social media and emails on my i-pad. It was surprisingly difficult to peel myself away and fully relax, but I'm so glad I did.

As you'd expect with Victoria's unpredictable weather and very young children in tow, it wasn't all lazy days at the beach but thankfully the Mornington Peninsula is blessed with much more than just beautiful beaches.

Organic vegetables, fruit and eggs were sourced locally from local farm gates, we ate fresh cheese made just days before from Red Hill Cheese. We drank local wines from Foxeys Hangout, Stonier, Merricks Estate, Main Ridge, Ballieu Vineyard, Kooyong, 10 Minutes X Tractor, Port Phillip Estate just to name a few.

And when I wasn't making blueberry cheesecake ice-cream with Biodynamic Blueberries from Drum Drum Farm or preserving freshly picked morello cherries from Ellisfield Farm, we ventured out to our local favourite cafes and restaurants.

Foxey's Hangout in particular was a fantastic new find. We loved the "just bring it" dining experience where we were randomly fed small plates from the seasonal menu until we were full. The setting is also hard to beat and best of all the kid's could roam free and play while we stuffed our faces with duck rillettes & sour cherries, avocado, candied walnuts and pancetta, spiced meatballs with yoghurt dip and mushrooms in chargrilled vine leaves. And, drank wine of course. Get there early for lunch (open weekends only) as you can't make bookings and demand is not surprisingly, very high.

Foxey's kitchen

Enjoying the stunning view at Foxey's

BBQ quail

The Mum & The Chef | Beetroot Ravioli (Casunziei)

2011-02-08T08:34:00.006+11:00

Fresh back from a lovely extended summer break, it's great to kick off with a Mum & The Chef recipe.

My choice this time around, and summer just ain't summer to me without beetroot, one of my favourite ingredients. I cook with it loads and love its versatility in both sweet and savoury dishes. Beetroot and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven and its hard to go past roasted beetroot in a salad or dip. It's even amazing raw, shredded or juiced. As well as tasting good, beetroot is also a super food. With a little research, I discovered that not only is beetroot rich in antioxidants, it is scientifically proven to enhance your mood. Perfect.

I chose to make a super sexy dish native to the Veneto region of Italy. It does take a little effort and time, but well worth it. In fact, if you were looking for a dish to cook for a special someone on Valentines Day, then this would have to be it.

Beetroot Ravioli (Casunziei)
Serves 4

You'll need:

Filling:

1 bunch of small to medium sized beetroot

1 desiree potato, peeled cooked & mashed

1 tbs butter

1 large onion, very finely diced

1 egg

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Olive oil

Pasta:

200g 00 flour

2 eggs

1 small pinch salt

2 tbs olive oil

2 tsp water

Sauce:

50g best quality salted butter

2 tbs poppy seeds

Good quality parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 180C.

Trim the stems from the beetroot and wash well. Individually wrap the beets with foil and drizzle with a little olive oil before loosely closing them up. Bake in the oven for 1hr or until tender (they may take a little longer if they are big, test doneness with a skewer).

Make the pasta dough while the beetroots are baking as it needs time to rest. You really need a pasta machine for this recipe, if you don't have one or want to save time you can use wonton skins (availble from Asian grocers). Not ideal, but it will still work.

Place the 00 flour, egg and salt in a food processor and whiz gently to combine. Add the olive oil and water and process until it is moist but crumbly. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and knead until it comes together and is smooth. Press into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

When the beets are done and cool enough to handle, gently rub the skins off and puree the beetroot (you may want to use gloves when peeling the beets to avoid pink tinged fingers). Gently saute the onion in a little butter until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the pureed beetroot and cook for another couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place the beetroot and mashed potato into a large bowl (make sure both are cooled otherwise the egg will scramble). Add egg and season well with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Halve the pasta dough and start rolling through your machine until you get to the last setting. Lay out on a lightly floured bench and using a large round cutter, cut out circles and lift up the excess pasta (you can re-roll this to eliminate wastage). Dot each circle with a small teaspoon of beetroot filling. It's good to get a bit of a production line happening here.

Dampen the edge of the ravioli with little water and gently fold the edges over to form a semi circle.

Repeat, repeat and repeat and voila`.

Cook the ravioli in batches in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.

Arrange the ravioli in serving bowls or plates. The sauce will take 30 seconds.

Heat the butter in a saute pan. When it starts to foam up, add the poppy seeds and spoon over the pasta and serve with shavings of parmesan.

Just in case you haven't read about The Mum & The Chef project before, here's the lowdown -

Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have joined forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and independently come up with some recipes featuring our chosen ingredient. We've called it - The Mum and the Chef, where Kat (a fully qualified chef) will share her culinary expertise, and I'll share my home cooking and kid friendly ideas. It's going to be interesting to see what we both come up with.

For more beetroot recipe inspiration, check out the following Mum & The Chef contributors:

http://www.katrinahigham.blogspot.com/
http://www.tarisota.typepad.com/
http://www.youwantsomemore.blogspot.com/
http://www.gourmetgirl-friend.blogspot.com/
http://www.papecancook.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to join us too, click on The Mum & The Chef logo on the right and email through your details. The more the the merrier!

The Mum & The Chef | Pizza with Zucchini Flowers Recipe

2011-01-11T12:38:00.004+11:00

Kat from Windsor Deli* chose Zucchini for this weeks recipe inspiration. It's a particularly good choice as those of us growing them in their kitchen gardens will soon be picking them in abundance and forever trying to think of new and innovative ways to cook with them. You'll also be able to find some other innovative zucchini recipes at Gourmet Girlfriend, Food Glorious Food and Tarisota.

Unfortunately, my homegrown zucchini are still a little way from harvest, but they are nicely propagated and coming along well.

I was going to post my old time favourite zucchini fritter recipe, but that would be cheating. So with holiday kitchen store cupboards at my disposal and a stunning haul of beautifully fresh zucchini, I made pizza. Truth be known I was expecting this pizza to be quite bland but it was far from it. The just cooked baby zucchini and the nuttiness of the flowers (I kept the stamen in by the way) really added to the margherita style base.

You'll need:

Pre-heat oven to 250C. It needs to be smoking hot.

Pizza Dough

Makes 2 bases (based on a Mr Wolf recipe)

200g 00 flour
50g semolina (plus extra)
1 tsp salt
180ml warm water
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried yeast

Place the flour, semolina and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, if you have a dough hook use otherwise a paddle attachment also works fine. You can also prepare the dough by hand by kneading it on a floured bench top for 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Mix the water, yeast and olive oil together in a cup and stir to dissolve the yeast.

Gradually add this to the flour mixture and beat at a high speed for 10 minutes or so.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm place for 1/2 hour.

Half the dough and gently roll out into a round shape, pressing down the edges until nice and thin. Transfer the base to a pizza tray or stone in readiness for the topping.

Tomato Sugo
This sugo works as a great base for pasta too.

1 tbs olive oil

1 large pinch of sea salt

1 can chopped organic tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife but left whole

Heat the olive oil and the sea salt in a heavy based non stick saucepan then add the garlic.

When you hear a sizzle, pour in the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and crush the tomatoes as you cook with a wooden spoon.

It will be ready after 10-15 minutes when the tomato is thick, lost most of its water and starting to caramelise. Allow to cool.

Topping
Sugo (as above)
1/2 packet stracchino or mozzarella cheese
6 female zucchini flowers (with baby zucchini attached)
Pepper

Spoon the sugo and spread liberally over the pizza base, fishing out the garlic cloves as you go.

Top with thin slices of the cheese and then top with the zucchini flowers. Season with freshly cracked pepper.

Bake on a pizza tray or stone for 10 minutes or so until golden brown. Cut and serve.

* Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have decided to join forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and

independently come up with some recipes featuring our chosen ingredient. We've called it - The Mum and the Chef, where Kat (a fully qualified chef) will share her culinary expertise, and I'll share my home cooking and kid friendly ideas. It's going to be interesting to see what we both come up with!

The Mum & The Chef | Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

2010-12-28T19:23:00.008+11:00

This week The Mum (me) & The Chef* (Kat from Windsor Deli & friends, Gourmet Girlfriend, Food Glorious Food and Tarisota, are cooking with strawberries. I've used some sweet and delicious Sunny Ridge strawberries from Main Ridge in the Mornington Peninsula. I hope to go picking with the girls soon, if you haven't done it before it's a really fun thing to do with kids in the summer months.

I decided to make ice-cream with the strawberries as the weather looks as if it is improving and we finally may get a summer. Here's hoping.

This is a basic ice cream with a custard base, it's a nice easy one that is a fantastic blank canvas to create any flavour you like.

Like most things with food, homemade is best, so if you adore ice cream like we do, it's not a bad idea to go out and buy an ice cream machine. You can still make this without one, but it requires a little extra work.

You'll need:
makes 1.5 litres

2 punnets of strawberries
180g caster sugar
375mls thickened cream (pouring cream)
4 egg yolks

Hull the strawberries and sprinkle with 60g of the caster sugar, crush roughly with a stick blender but do not blend completely. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining caster sugar until combined and starting to go pale and set aside. Also, have on hand an ice bath (a bowl with ice in it) and a fine mesh strainer.

Pour the cream into a medium sized heavy based saucepan and bring gently to simmering point on a moderate heat. Take of the heat and pour into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Pour back into the saucepan and stir on a low heat with a wooden spoon until starting to coat the back of the spoon.

Put a clean bowl over the ice and strain the custard. Stir through the crushed strawberries and refrigerate. When the custard is cool, process with an ice cream machine or place in the freezer and stir with a fork every half hour for about 2 hours.

* Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have decided to join forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and

Christmas baking | White Chocolate And Rosemary Nougat

2010-12-21T13:00:00.002+11:00

You probably wouldn't be surprised to learn that I'm right into Christmas baking. I love to have little treats on hand to give away as gifts or serve to visitors.

For those of you Sydneysiders, that have been to Seans Panoroma in Bondi and tried this outstanding nougat, you'll know just how incredible it is. I've used pistachios and dried cranberries for a Christmassy touch but you can add any fruit and/or nut combination you like.

Even though it may look hard, it's not that difficult to make nougat. Just make sure you have a sugar thermometer and all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. And, if possible engage your children in an activity outside of the kitchen so you can concentrate without interruption (yeah right).

Merry Christmas x

Makes 1 tray

White Chocolate and Rosemary Nougat

* this recipe is adapted from Sean Moran's - Let it Simmer

You'll need:

1 packet of dried cranberries

150g shelled pistachios

200g good quality white chocolate

125g unsalted butter

4 large sprigs rosemary

4 sheets rice paper (available form gourmet food stores)

440g castor sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 cup liquid glucose

2 egg whites (at room temperature)

1 pinch salt

1 vanilla bean

Pre-heat oven to 100C and roast pistachios on a baking tray for 30 minutes.

Cut white chocolate into small chunks and place in the freezer.

Dice butter and strip the leaves from the rosemary sprigs and chop finely.

Line the base of a 20cm x 30cm but 4cm deep rectangle baking tray with 2 sheets of rice paper. I use a little egg white to fuse the two sheets together only slightly overlapping with the sides coming up the edges of the tray.

Divide the castor sugar, honey and glucose evenly between 2 heavy based saucepans and add 30ml of water to each. Stir a little and place the sugar thermometer in 1 saucepan. Bring both syrups to the boil.

Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a mixer with salt until it reaches soft peaks. Now, get back to your syrup and when the saucepan with the thermometer reaches 125C, drizzle it nice and slowly into the egg whites, while beating simultaneously. Transfer the thermometer to the remaining saucepan and when it reaches 155C take it off the heat without delay and slowly pour it into the egg white mix. Gradually whisk in butter until absorbed into the mix.

Fold in the pistachios, cranberries, white chocolate, rosemary and vanilla bean seeds. Pour mixture into the prepared tray, pressing down the remaining 2 sheets of rice paper on top, firmly. Refrigerate for a few hours before cutting but store the nougat in an airtight container at room temperature.

Succulent Chicken Satay Recipe

2010-12-14T11:31:00.002+11:00

Ever wanted a good authentic tasting recipe for chicken satay? Well this one is pretty tasty and makes a great summer dinner.

Serves 4

You'll need:

1 tbs soy sauce

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tbs sweet chilli sauce

100ml coconut milk

1 stem lemongrass, finely chopped

225g crunchy peanut butter

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

400g chicken thighs, chopped into thin strips

12 wooden skewers

Place all the ingredients except the chicken into a food processor and add 3 tablespoons of hot water to soften the mixture. Process until smooth .

Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade and pour the rest over the chicken and marinade for 1 hour or longer if you have time.

Meanwhile, soak the wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes (this helps to stop them from burning).

Thread the chicken onto the skewers. I sometimes grill the skewers under a hot grill, turning frequently until they turn a deep golden brown and are cooked through or they are also fantastic cooked on the bbq.

Serve them drizzled with the extra marinade that was set aside and a big summery salad and rice.

Mouthwatering Salt & Pepper Tofu Recipe

2010-12-09T15:59:00.004+11:00

Photography can't demonstrate crispiness, I'm afraid. After many failed attempts of making crispy tofu, calamari or whatever it may be, I can assure you that potato flour is the key!

I can never make enough of this stuff, it is so delicious. And, there's something really satisfying watching my kids fight over the last piece of tofu.

I've adapted a Luke Nguyen spice mix to coat but you could also use chinese szechuan pepper and sea salt too.

You'll need:
Serves 4 as a starter

Spice mix (makes more than you need, but it will keep in an airtight container)
1 tbs salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fine white pepper
1/2 tsp five spice

1 packet of firm but silken tofu
2 spring onions finely sliced
1 birds eye chilli, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Rice bran oil
1 cup potato flour (available from asian grocers)

Mix all spice ingredients together and set aside.

Remove the tofu from the packet and pat it dry with paper towel. Cut the tofu into even sized squares.

Heat 500ml of rice bran oil in a heavy based medium sized saucepan until hot. Roll the tofu pieces in the potato flour, coating well.

Gently lower 4 pieces of tofu into the oil and cook for a few minutes until starting to golden and go crispy. Cook the rest of the tofu the same way and cook in batches.

Next remove a little of the oil from the saucepan and add it to a small frypan and saute the onion, garlic and chilli for a few minutes or until fragrant.

Arrange the tofu on a serving plate and sprinkle with the spice mix. Scatter with the sauteed garlic, onion and chilli and serve.

I never really know what to drink with spicy food (other than beer), we matched this dish with Freixenet Cordon Rosado Brut ( a Spanish sparkling rose`). I love rose` and the sparkling variety was perfect for a balmy summer night and worked really well with the tofu.

The Mum & The Chef | Cherry Jam Recipe

2010-12-07T09:41:00.003+11:00

This week The Mum (me) and The Chef (Kat from Windsor Deli) & friends: Tarisota, Papecancook, are cooking with cherries. Cherries remind me so much of Christmas, so I thought it would be nice to put up a really simple recipe for cherry jam, as it makes a beautifully homemade gift giving idea.

Plus, I want to show you just how easy it is to make jam , if you've never tried making it before.

Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have decided to join forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and

Remember if you'd like to contribute recipes and join us, click on The Mum & The Chef button to email us. The more the merrier. Also, if you have a favourite seasonal ingredient, that you'd love some extra recipes for, fell free to drop us a line.

You'll need:
makes 4-5 small-medium jars

1 kg fresh cherries
1 kg white sugar
3 lemons, juiced
4-5 small to medium jars

Firstly, before you even think about cooking with multiple cherries. You need to purchase this nifty little tool - a cherry pitter. It is also very useful for olives and dates, as well. I can assure you it is not another worthless kitchen gadget, I use mine all the time.

Once you've pitted your cherries (it only took me 15 minutes to pit 1 kg) cut a quarter of them in half but leave the rest whole. Put the cherries in a large heavy based saucepan and pour over the sugar and the lemon juice. Allow the mixture to macerate for 2 hours. I used a deep stock pot as the jam tends to bubble up quite a bit.

The jars need to be hot when filling them with jam, so it's best to time the sterilisation for when you are ready to make the jam. The easiest way to sterilise jars is to wash them first in hot soapy water, rinse well and place them on a baking tray. Place them in a cold oven and heat the oven to 120C for 20 minutes. If the jars are ready before the jam, turn the oven off and keep the jars in the oven, until you're ready to fill them.

Next, start cooking your macerated cherries on a high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until all the sugar is disolved. Continue to cook on a high heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring every once in a while so the jam doesn't stick. From my experience a quick jam is a good jam. In other words cook your jam on a high heat rather than slowly on a lower heat.

It's important that you get the jam to a point that it sets well but it's equally important not to overcook it.

So, here's a few tips to help you get your jam to the perfect point:

You will see the jam bubble up before it starts to thicken . This is a good indicator that it's not to far away.
Watch and test your jam regularly, after it bubbles up.
To test the jam, lift the wooden spoon up in the air and observe how the jam falls off the spoon. If the jam falls in droplets, it's not ready. If it starts to fall in longer droplets, place a little jam on some baking paper and pop it in the freezer for 1 minute. Gently touch the jam your finger and if it wrinkles up, you're jam is ready.
Be patient with this. I usually test 2 or 3 times before it's good to go.

Take the jam off the stove and allow it to settle for 2 minutes. Remove the jars from the oven and ladle the hot jam into the jars. Cover with a clean, dry tea towel and allow to cool completely.

Label and devour on freshly baked crossants as we did and give some jars away as gifts.

Weekend lunch idea | Cornish Pastie Recipe

2010-11-28T12:42:00.006+11:00

These take me back to my childhood, mum often used to make pasties for Saturday lunch. With 5 kids hungry from sport commitments, not to mention the countless number of friends that came over on the weekends, these must have been a saviour for mum. They take no time at all to make and a great way to feed the hungry hordes. Writing this, on a lazy rainy day I feel like one now. Lucky for me last time I made a batch, I froze some (they freeze beautifully by the way).

Cornish Pasties

You'll need:

150g minced beef
4 desiree potatoes, peeled and chopped into small dice
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into small dice
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into small dice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
Sea salt & pepper
4 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry (or if you have time make your own)
1 egg, beaten for basting

Pre heat the oven to 200C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Mix the meat together with all the vegetables in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.

To make the stegosaurus shape (as my daughter refers to them) cut the pastry sheets in half vertically, place a good amount of filling along the middle and lightly baste the sides of pastry with egg. Bring the pastry to the centre and crimp together with your fingers. Baste the outside with more egg. Repeat.

If you can't be bothered with this, place a good amount of filling in the centre of one of the pastry sheets and then simply fold in half, baste and seal the edges. Baste the outside with more egg. Repeat.

Place the pasties on the pre prepared tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

The Mum & the Chef | Asparagus with Crushed Egg & Crispy Capers Recipe

2010-11-23T16:01:00.008+11:00

Kat from Windsor Deli (chef) and I (mum) are cooking up asparagus this week for 'The Mum & The Chef project' (see below for more information). Asparagus means spring and beautiful salads to me, I wonder what it means to Kat?

Fellow food blogger and cafe owner Katrina Higham from Windsor Deli (my local fave) and I, have decided to join forces for a while. Each fortnight or so, we will choose a fresh seasonal ingredient and independently come up with some recipes featuring our chosen ingredient. We've called it - The Mum and the Chef, where Kat (a fully qualified chef) will share her culinary expertise, and I'll share my home cooking and kid friendly ideas. It's going to be interesting to see what we both come up with!

My contribution is a really versatile starter, light lunch or beautiful accompaniment to grilled fish or meat. I don't like fiddling with asparagus too much as it is easy to overcook and then well, let's face it, just tastes awful.

As a side note, my kid's won't eat asparagus on its own, but they love it done this way. Must be the lure of the crushed boiled egg and the crispy capers.

Asparagus with crushed egg & crispy capers

You'll need:

2 bunches fresh asparagus
2 organic free range eggs
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1/4 cup capers in brine, drained and dried off in paper towel
2 tbs olive oil extra to fry capers
Sea salt & pepper

Fill a small saucepan 3/4 full with water and bring to a simmer. Gently place the 2 eggs in the simmering water and boil for 8-9 minutes. Cool in cold water, peel and mash with a fork and set aside.

Snap the stems of the asparagus (see tip below) and gently steam them or blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes. Refresh under cold water to stop the cooking process.

To make the dressing place the lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar in a small jar with lid and shake well to mix.

Heat olive oil in a small fry pan and fry off capers until starting to crisp up and turn golden. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

Now you're ready to assemble. Place the asparagus on a plate or in a bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and then heap the crushed egg on top. Sprinkle with the crispy capers and season with a little sea salt and pepper.

Tip: Hold the asparagus firmly with two hands and gently snap off the end. It should naturally snap off the woodiest bit, so you're left with the best part.

I'm reluctant to admit that I find myself usually drinking the same wines at home, irrespective of whether it goes with the food I'm eating. It usually comes down to white or red. White with fish and red with meat. It's never that simple when I dine out at restaurants and have professional advice on hand. So, as I was very lucky to receive some wine from Wingara Wine Group, I thought I might start actually matching wine with my food from time to time.

With no better time to start, we enjoyed the asparagus dish with a 2007 Katnook Estate Chardonnay. It is quite a zesty chardonnay with a clean crisp finish, and it was absolutely perfect with the asparagus.

Tart au Citron | Classic Lemon Tart Recipe

2010-11-18T15:26:00.002+11:00

I'm a lemon tart lover. I've had some good ones and some bad ones, and after loads of experimenting, this one comes pretty close to lemon tart perfection - well it is to me anyway. I know that such matters can be totally subjective, so I'll explain a little about what a perfect lemon tart means to me.

It needs to have melt in your mouth pastry that is not tough, or thick and the filling needs to a tangy lemon curd. I'm not really into the dense cream based lemon tarts that dilute the intensity of lemon.

Serves 6
(inspired by a David Lebovitz' recipe)

You'll need:

Pastry

240g plain flour
1 small pinch salt
1 tbs caster sugar
180g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup icy cold water (pop it into the freezer)

Filling

1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 lemons, finely zested
1 cup caster sugar
160g unsalted butter
4 eggs (preferably free range organic)
4 egg yolks (preferably free range organic)

Start with the pastry. Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor. Add the cubed butter and pulse a few times or until the butter mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse a few more times until the pastry comes together. Remove it from the food processor and place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it gently into a disc. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Roll out the dough as thinly as possible and press into a lightly greased 23cm tart tin with a removable base.

Line with greaseproof paper and load with rice or baking weights and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and bake for another 10 minutes or so. The pastry should be golden brown and well cooked.

To make the filling, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and butter to a non stick saucepan and stir to melt the butter.

Beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a small bowl.

When the lemon butter mixture is melted, add a tiny amount to the eggs and whisk promptly. Then pour the egg mixture into the lemon mixture. Stir over a low heat until the mixture starts to thicken (this won't take long).

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the tart shell that you've prepared earlier.

Smooth the mixture over with a spatula and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes to set the curd.

Eggplant Papoutsakia Recipe

2010-11-15T17:50:00.005+11:00

I have already mentioned how much we love Greek food in our house, so it may not come as a surprise to you that Tessa Kiros' latest book - Food From Many Greek Kitchens, is a new favourite.

The recipes are very traditional and authentic - straight from a Yia Yia's kitchen, into my own. I live in a greek neighbourhood and the divine cooking smells that waft from houses, particularly when a lamb spit is roasting in the backyard, are just sensational. When I cook from this book I can't help but feel that I'm contributing to the tasty neighbourhood cooking aromas.

Tessa's papoutsakia is basically the same as moussaka, but prepared differently. For those of you that have tried making moussaka before, you'll agree that it is a time consuming feat and a labour of love. If you have some bolognese sauce already on hand (like many of us mums do) you could use that in replacement of the meat sauce prepared in this recipe, just make sure you add the eggplant to it as instructed.

Serves 8
Recipe adapted from Tessa Kiros' - Food From Many Greek Kitchens

4 eggplant (similar size)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
400g minced beef
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
4 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped

Bechamel
40g butter
40g plain flour
300ml milk, heated
a big pinch of nutmeg
3 tbs of grated haloumi cheese

Cut the eggplants in half length ways, sprinkle the cut sides with salt and leave them upside-down in a colander for half an hour or so to drain away any bitter juices.

Drizzle some olive oil into a large non-stick frying pan and when hot, add half the eggplant halves. Fry until deep golden and soft on both sides. Remove to a platter and fry the remaining eggplant halves. When cooled scoop out the flesh (very gently) using a sharp edged spoon, leaving a 6-8mm border. Chop the flesh and put aside.

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the fry pan and saute the onion until golden. Add the mince and fry until browned. Add the garlic, cook for a moment more, then add the wine and let it simmer for a minute or two. Add 1 tin of tomatoes and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring a couple of times, for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Add the chopped eggplant and simmer for another 10 - 12 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Preheat the oven to 180C. To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat and stir in the flour. Whisk the milk in gradually to ensure no lumps. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and a little pepper. Whisk until thick.

Empty the remaining tin of tomatoes over the bottom of a lasagna or roasting dish and add a little salt. Line up the eggplant shells on top, cut side up, and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Divide the mince mixture among them. Dollop 3 tablespoons of bechamel on each, scatter with the haloumi and pour 1/2 cup water around them. Bake until roasty and golden on top, about 30 minutes.