Braised Spiced Soy Pork Belly

Time is a gift that many of us forget about. In this recipe, the shopping list maybe long, however the rest is so so simple. The only crucial part is time and patience.

All ingredients are put together in a saucepan and left to create an incredible tasting pork with tender, falling apart meat and an intensely rich and complex sauce.

Ingredients
1 cup dark soy sauce
1 cup shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)*
½ cup black Chinese vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ firmly packed cup brown sugar
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 whole garlic bulb
1 onion, halved
2 whole star anise
6 whole dried chillies

1 ½ kilo boneless pork belly
2 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve
¼ cup white vinegar, to serve
2 tablespoons chilli sauce, to serve
steamed white rice, to serve
black sesame seeds, to garnish

Method
Combine the soy, shaoxing, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar and aromatics in a large saucepan with 2 litres of water, stir to combine.

Submerge the pork belly in the liquid (adding more water if the pork belly is not covered). Place over a low heat and cover.

Cook for 3-4 hours, until the pork is tender and falling apart (check every so often, the poaching liquid should remain at a gentle simmer).

Turn off the heat and carefully remove the pork. Set aside loosely covered. Strain 500ml of the poaching liquid into a clean saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduce by half.

Serve the pork, sliced on a bed of rice, with a small dish of vinegar, spring onions and chilli on the side. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spoon over reduced poaching liquid.

Serves 4
Bon Appetite.

* Chinese cooking wine available from selected Asian grocers. Substitute with sherry.

Prawn Linguini with Zucchini and Chilli

The best thing about an Australian Summer is big bowls full of freshly cooked prawns with lemon wedges, homemade aioli, plenty of napkins. Prawns, for me are best eaten whole. They should be sweet in flavour, with a subtle salty hint (the flavour of the sea), with a crisp texture.This pasta celebrates cooked Australian prawns at their best. While there are not big bowls of prawns– the flavours are simple to complement the beauty of prawns in a stylish dish.


Ingredients
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
¾ cup good quality white wine
½ long chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
400g dried linguini
100g unsalted butter, diced
200g baby zucchini or 1 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthways
12 medium cooked, peeled Australian prawns
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and chives


Method
Cook pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.Heat remaining olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes until garlic is soft and fragrant. Add the wine, bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the butter a piece at a time and whisk to combine. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 minutes, until just tender.Add the cooked pasta and prawns to the butter sauce and toss to combine. Add lemon juice, zest and herbs and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.Divide amongst plates and serve.

Serves 4-6
Bon Appetite

Rice Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

The entertaining season is just around the corner. Summer, Christmas and the New Year all give us more than enough reasons to through a barbecue, impromptu cocktail party or beachside picnic.

These rice stuffed peppers are an easy antipasti dish that are perfect served with any cocktail, as part of a dinner spread or for a casual bite to share. They can be made a few days ahead which makes them great for entertaining.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice, cooled
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
8 anchovies chopped
1 tbs good quality sun dried tomato pesto
2 tbs finely grated Parmesan
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 jar of marinated roasted piquillo peppers* or 8-10 very small roasted capsicums

Method

In a bowl mix together the rice, parsley, anchovies, pesto, Parmesan and zest. Season.

Drain the capsicum from any oil and reserve. Gently open each capsicum and fill with rice mixture a tablespoon at a time. Make sure to press the rice gently as to not split the capsicums.

Arrange on a platter and drizzle over the remaining oil from the capsicums and lemon juice.

Serve as part of an antipasti or entree.

Stuffed capsicums will keep refrigerated for up 5 days.

Bon Appetite

*Piquillo peppers are a variety of small mild chillies. They are sold in jars or tins, after being roasted, peeled and seeds removed.

Chocolate & Caramel Melting Moments

Ingredients
3/4 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
125 g unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoon icing sugar
1 cup dulce de leche (thick caramel)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.Sift the flour, corn flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside.

In the meantime place the butter in the bowl of an electric beater. Add the sugar and beat for 5 minutes, (scraping down the sides) until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a log 3-4 cm wide.Slice the dough into 16x 1 cm slices and arrange on a large lined baking tray 2 cm apart. Mark each with the back of a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes, allow biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.To serve place the dulce de leche in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe a circle of dulce de leche on 8 biscuits and sandwich with remaining biscuits making sure the fork decoration is facing up right.

Makes 8 biscuits.

Cabbage, parmesan & anchovy salad

Spring has arrived – the weather is warmer and soon the days will be longer.

A change of a season brings the end and arrival of fresh produce.

Personally I love the end of season produce. I find by the end of a season, fruit and vegies always tastes their best

Cavalo nero is one of them. Available in Australia from April to September, cavalo nero is an Italian cabbage with dark green wrinkled leaves. Its hearty flavour makes it great for stews and soups when the weather is cold, however it is also great served as a salad.

Its flavour and texture match perfectly with bold ingredients. This is one salad with a big flavour hit.

Ingredients
2 bunches cavalo nero
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
100g grated Parmesan
good quality anchovies, to serve

Method
Finely slice the cavalo nero and place in a large bowl. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil and season well and leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Toss with chilli, Parmesan and serve topped with anchovies.

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Bon Appetite

This salad is also tasty the next day!

Scallop tacos with cucumber & apple salsa

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon caster sugar
400g fresh scallops, roe removed
crème fraiche, to serve
salmon roe, to serve
8x15 cm round flour tortillas, chargrilled
for the salsa
1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped
½ green apple, chopped
juice of 1 lime

Method

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant and the onions start to soften. Stir in the spices and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sugar and stir to coat. Season and cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the salsa, toss the cucumber, apple and lime juice together in a bowl. Season and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Heat a large frypan over high. Season the scallops and brush with remaining oil. Cook for 30 seconds each side until golden yet opaque inside.

To serve spread a little tomato on the base of each taco. Divide the scallops on top. Garnish with cucumber and apple salsa, crème fraiche and salmon roe.

Makes 8

Bon Appetite

Early Grey Tea Cake

A cup of earl grey tea in the afternoon always picks me up. The only thing better is a slice of cake next to it – what better than a tea scented cake to really enjoy my earl grey fix.

Early grey is a black tea, scented with bergamot is great for a buttery lemon afternoon tea cake.

For this cake, use the best quality tea. My favourite is French Earl Grey. Along with bergamot it is scented with dried rose petals.

Ingredients
125g thickened cream
1 tablespoon earl grey tea leaves
180g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300g plain flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
125g natural Greek style yogurt, plus extra to serve

For the Syrup
juice and zest of 1 lemon
125ml water
175g caster sugar
1 teaspoon earl grey tea leaves

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 24cm spring form cake tin.

Combine the cream and tea together in small saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to just below the boiling point and turn off the heat. Leave the cream to infuse while you make the cake batter.

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

Add the eggs, one at a time (beating between each until well combined). Add the vanilla, flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Add the yoghurt and the infused cream (tea leaves included) and fold together until thick and smooth.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile for the syrup, combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar and take off the heat.

While hot slowly pour over the cake and leave to soak in.

Cool the cake completely in the tin.

Serve the cake with extra Greek style yoghurt (and a cup of earl grey tea).

Serves 8-10.

Roasted Capsicum Soup with Hummus

Winter is quickly coming to an end. The days are getting warmer, however the nights still have a a crisp feel to them.

Hot soups are always a favourite to enjoy on a cool night and I am making the most of them before the season changes.

Soups are an easy way to explore different flavour combinations easily. This roast capsicum and hummus soup was inspired by a tapas plate.

The smoky sweet charred capsicum matched with the smooth creamy yet nutty hummus was delicious yet complex. These flavours have transformed into a soup with texture and depth. A delicious soup to send out the winter.

Ingredients

3 ox heart tomatoes, halved
6 eschallots, skin on, halved
1 whole garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 red capsicum, halved and seeds removed
1 long red chilli, halved and seeds removed
500ml vegetable stock
Hummus, to serve
extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two large baking trays with foil.

Lay tomatoes, eshcallots and garlic on one tray. Drizzle with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Lay the capsicum and chilli, skin side up on the other tray. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season.

Roast for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the escallots are tender and the capsicums are slightly charred (one tray may take longer than the other so check after 1 hour).

Once roasted (and while still hot), place whole capsicums and chilli in a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove the seeds and skin.

Place the capsicum and chilli in a large saucepan.

Meanwhile remove the eschallots and garlic from their skins and add to the saucepan along with the tomato.

Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are very tender.

Leave to cool slightly before pureeing in a blender, until smooth.

Serve soup with a swirl of hummus and olive oil.

Serves 4-6.

Soup will freeze well (without the hummus) for up to 3 months.

Bon Appetite.

Eggplant and Pomegranate Salad

I have a group of friends and when ever we get together we seem to make League tables. For example the league table for the King of Nuts (after much debating it was decided that the raw almond was King, closely followed by the pinenut ... poor cashew came last).

Recently we made a League table of what the 'most female vegetable'. The gentlemen voted eggplant, however the ladies didn't agree. According to the men eggplants were 'smooth and gentle; a vegetable that carries other flavours well'.

The ladies, including me disagreed. Eggplants, although smooth, are dark and brooding. They can be meaty, smokey, robust, yet gentle, subtle and smooth.

This salad backs the ladies up.

The eggplant is smokey and rich in flavour, yet tender in texture. The dressing packs a punch – however the eggplant can carry it well.

Enjoy this salad on any anti pasta plate or mixed with grilled chicken, with hummus or on its own.

Ingredients
4 eggplants, cut into rough wedges
150ml olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
½ cup roughly chopped coriander and mint
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Method
Preheat oven to 220°C.

Toss the eggplant in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil. Lay in a single layer on a large baking tray lined with baking paper.

Roast for 50 - 60 minutes or until the eggplant is slightly charred and tender.

Remove from the oven. Place in a bowl along with any of the oil. Pour over the lime juice and pomegranate molasses and leave to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving scatter with chopped herbs and pine nuts.

Serves 4-6.
Bon Appetite

Chilli Miso Salmon with Pickled Eschallots

The cold weather always brings about colds and flues. Being sick can be a let down. You feel terrible; physically and quite often feel terrible emotionally, being stuck at home while others get on with their days.

When I am sick I try to feed my body well. I always stock up on chicken soup and comfort foods. However when I feel that I am on the mend (and can cope with a quick trip to the shops) I like to indulge in food that is tasty, yet simple and clean.

Chilli is always and must as well as seafood.

This recipe for chilli miso salmon ticks the box, plus the pickled eschallots make the meal just the right thing to get you back on the road to recovery.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons your favourite chilli paste
3 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 x 150g salmon fillets, skin removed
4 eschallots, thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, sliced
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons caster sugar

steamed rice to serve

Method
In a bowl mix together the chilli paste, miso and sesame oil. Rub over and salmon fillets and leave to marinate at room temperature for 10 - 15 minutes.

Preheat grill to medium high.

Place the sliced eschallots in a bowl.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan combine the sliced chilli, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour warm vinegar over the eschallots and leave to cool.

Place the salmon fillets on a tray lined with lightly oiled foil.

Place under the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until the surface is golden and slightly caramelised and the inside is just opaque.

Serve the salmon on a bed of rice topped with the pickled eschallots.

Serves 4
Bon Appetite.

Pearl Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Spring Onions

Risotto is winter comfort food. Creamy arborio rice grains cooked in stock and seasoned with Parmesan cheese.

I like my risottos cooked with butter and olive oil. The butter helps create a creamy result and the olive oil flavour. I always add a little grated Parmesan towards the end of cooking and a good grating when I serve it.

My mouth salivates at the thought of risotto now, however my hips do not feel the same excitement.

While a delicious risotto is enjoyable every now and then, a healthier option is needed for the colder weeknights when comfort food is needed.

Pearl barley is a hulled barley. It has a mild nutty flavour and while tasting great is high in fibre and lowers cholesterol.

Ingredients
20g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 cup white wine
5 cups hot chicken stock
200g swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
50g grated Parmesan
2 spring onions, sliced


Method

Melt butter and olive oil in a heavy based saucepan over medium low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook stirring for 5-8 minutes until soft. Add the barley and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until the grains are all coated and shiny.

Pour in the wine and leave to bubble away until nearly evaporated.

Add stock a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally, until each ladle has been absorbed. Add the mushrooms in the last ladle of stock. Increase the heat to high and cook stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Take off the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the Parmesan and serve scattered with spring onions.
Serves 4.

Bon Appetite

Make Your Own... Onion Relish

I have had enough red onion jam. Ten years or so ago it was 'the' ingredient to have. Added to rare beef sandwiches in cafes, served with pate in restaurants, along side sausages at gourmet BBQ's or mixed into dressings for designer salads.

Don't get me wrong I love a good red onion jam; made with Spanish onions, brown sugar, thyme and balsamic vinegar. It makes my meal when I have bangers and mash.

There are however, other alternatives. Any onion is sweet and aromatic when cooked slowly. Brown onions are perfect for an onion relish that has the sweetness of caramelised onions while keeping a necessary savouriness.

I like to keep this relish in balance.The apples help create the texture of a sweet onion jam while the caraway seeds add to the savouriness.

A new favourite ingredient to cook with,I use this onion relish when I don’t want to tear up cutting onions.

It adds a delicate onion flavour that only a long, gentle cooking time will create. Add it to mince meat when making meatballs, mash potatoes, soups and sauces.

Ingredients
2 green apples, peeled and grated
5 brown onions, sliced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar

Method
Place the apples in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes or until the apples release juice and are translucent.

Add the onion and cook, covered for 20 minutes or until the onions are very soft.

Add the caraway seeds, sugar and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring for 10-15 minutes or until the onions are translucent and slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat. Place in sterlised jars or containers and seal. Leave to cool before refrigerating.

This onion relish will keep for 4 months, refrigerated or 2 months unopened in your pantry.

Cloud nine Cakes

Why cloud nine cakes?

I remember the best cinnamon scroll I ever ate. I was 10, on holiday with my family in Vale. I had had a fight with my brother and left the ski slopes in a huff. Walking back to the lodge I found a bakery – went in and found my anger and frustration disappear as I enjoyed every bite of a sweet glazed cinnamon scroll.
I love that food and flavours can turn a bad day around and that the memory of a meal can transport you in a second back to an exact moment in time.
These cinnamon scented sweetened yeast breads remind me of that cinnamon scroll I ate in Vale.
I named them cloud nine cakes – as while they look like clouds – they remind me that food is my way of expressing me.

Ingredients
1 x 7gram pack of dried active yeast
60 gram unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
a pinch salt
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the icing:
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place ¼ cup of warm water in the bowl of stand mixer and sprinkle over the yeast. Leave to stand for 5-8 minutes or until it starts to bubble. Stir in butter, sour cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt and mix for 10-15 minutes or until a smooth sticky dough forms.

Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm dry place until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour)Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
In the meantime in a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar for coating. Lighlty grease a 6 hole texas muffin tin.

Divide the dough into 6 portions and roll each one into logs 2 cm thick. Cut one log into 9 equal size pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough.

Arrange nine balls in each muffin hole, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for 40 minutes.
Bake the cakes for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool in pan for 5 minutes.. Use a knife to help remove buns from pan. Place buns on a wire rack. Place a piece of parchment paper underneath wire rack. In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar and milk together until smooth.Drizzle each cake generously with icing.

Makes 6.

Bon Appetite

Ruby's Diner

What: Cafe
When: Monday – Friday 6.30am-3.30pm, Saturday & Sunday 8am – 3.30pm
Where: Shop 1, 173–179 Bronte Rd Waverley 2024
Why: Fantastic coffee. Made with a Single Origin Estate blend specially designed for the Ruby's Diner. A breakfast and lunch menu with abundance and style that changes with the season.
What to try: Bircher muesli made in house, with poached fruit, natural yoghurt topped with a sweet pistachio crunch.
Poached eggs with either mushroom and pearl barley risotto or house cured trout with asparagus depending on the season.
The creamy scrambled eggs tossed with spring onions.
Organic beef burger.
Belgian Chocolate milkshake.
Did I mention their coffee.

Squid Ink Linguini with Rare Tuna and Chilli

Why Squid Ink Linguini with Tuna?

I'm often asked what I cook when I want to impress.

To be honest I don't do very much different than when I cook for myself.

Food for one, food for a crowd or food for the one you want to impress should always taste just as good as each other.

This is one of my favourite pastas to cook just for myself. At home I will make it with regular linguini.

The combination of rare sashimi grade tuna tossed through glistening pasta with extra virgin olive oil, chilli, garlic and fresh herbs is simple yet decadent.

It makes a perfect meal to comfort one and with little effort can be a meal that will impress anyone.

To impress, I simply swap the linguini with squid ink linguine. This jet black linguini has a very subtle flavour and looks spectacular mixed with the pink tuna and herby green olive oil.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 birds eye chilli, thinly sliced
4 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
400g dried squid ink linguini
150g piece sashimi grade tuna, thinly sliced
lemon juice to serve

In a large cold frypan add the olive oil, garlic, chilli and anchovy fillets. Place over a medium low heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring until fragrant and the anchovies have dissolved.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions or until al dente.

Drain the pasta and while hot add to the frypan. Add the herbs and gently toss.

Fold through the tuna, season and toss (the heat from the pasta will partially cook the tuna).

Divide amongst warm bowls, serve with lemon wedges and drizzled with oil.

Serves 4-6.

Bon Appetite.

Roast Beetroot and Blue cheese tart

Why Beetroot and Blue cheese tart?

Homemade shortcrust pastry is never beaten. It doesn’t take any effort or much time and the results are always perfect.

This recipe only allows for one resting time – leaving a pastry that will shrink far less than frozen store bought varieties.

When making your own shortcrust pastry it is important to always remember to not over work your dough (this will result in a tough dough that will tend to shrink a lot).

Also always try to work with ingredients at their coldest – this way they will combine together easily.

The filling for this tart is a lovely mixture between a savoury cheese cake and a quiche. Unlike a quiche the addition of cream cheese gives the tart a creamy smoothness that matches well with the blue cheese.

Ingredients
175g plain flour, sifted
90g very cold unsalted butter, diced
1 egg yolk
1-2 tablespoons iced water
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon lemon zest
100g creamy blue cheese, crumbled
1 bunch roasted baby beetroots, halved
picked herbs to garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Lightly grease a 23cm wide 4 cm deep loose bottom tart tin and place in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile place the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and water with the motor running (adding the water a little at a time) and process until the pastry comes together.

Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and work the dough into a smooth flat disc. Roll the pastry out to 3-4 mm thick and line the base of the chilled tart. Trim the edges leaving a little overhang as the pastry may shrink on resting.

Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile in a clean food processor place the cream cheese, milk, lemon zest and eggs. Process until smooth and season.

Prick the base of the tart with a fork and line with baking paper. Fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the baking paper and baking beans and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until the pastry is dry and golden.

Pour the cream cheese filling into the tart shell and crumble over the blue cheese and beetroot halves

Carefully place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tart is just set on the surface but with a gentle wobble.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes and serve topped with herbs.
Serves 8

Bon Appetite.

Slow cooked Fennel and Marinated Feta Pasta

Why Fennel and Marinated Feta Pasta?

I don't often cook pasta for myself as I tend to get carried away and end up with enough pasta for 6! (Maybe this explains why Italians always have big family meals).

I have started to learn my lesson and try to only cook pastas for 1-2 that are full of flavour yet only use up to 5 ingredients (excluding the pantry staples).

Although the cooking time isn’t extremely slow – I like to call the fennel slow cooked as it is cooked gently over a low heat to help create flavour.

This pasta is great served hot or cold the next day for lunch.

Ingredients
2 small fennel, frond removed and reserved
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g dried good quality pasta
100g marinated fetta, crumbled

Method

Quarter each fennel and slice into 1 cm thick slices.

Heat oil in a large frypan over medium low heat. Add the garlic and good pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Add the fennel and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring until the fennel is soft.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water according to packet instructions or until al dente.

Add the lemon zest and juice and cook for a further 2 minutes and turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1-2 tablespoons of cooking water and add to the pan with the fennel.

Finely chop the reserved fennel fronds.

Gently toss through the pasta and fennel fronds and season with salt and pepper.

Serve topped with marinated feta and fennel flowers (if available).

Serves 2

Bon Appetite

Pickled zucchini, Mushroom and Roast Carrot Salad with Dukkha

Why Pickled zucchini, mushroom and carrot salad?

Salads during summer are ideal – fresh lettuces, ripe summer tomatoes and sweet balsamic. During winter however, salads need to be revamped.

Although you will find tomatoes all year round – the flavour of one during summer will never compare.

This salad of fresh pickled zucchinis with roasted dutch carrots and raw mushrooms has the crunch you want in a salad along with great flavours.

Ingredients
1 punnet of baby zucchini (or 3 small zucchini)
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 tbs chopped mint
100ml white wine vinegar
1 bunch baby carrots, washed and trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs dukkah
100g small king mushrooms (substitute with swiss browns or button mushrooms), sliced

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.

Slice the baby zucchini in half length ways, if using regular zucchini slice into half moons. Place in a bowl and sprinkle over 1 tbs of flaked sea salt (¼ tsp regular salt). Gently toss.

In a separate bowl whisk together the garlic, mint and vinegar*. Pour over the zucchini and leave to pickle while you prepare the carrots.

Slice the carrots in half length ways. Toss with 2 tbs of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a lined tray. Bake for 15 minutes until they are golden but still with a little bite.

Sprinkle with dukkha and set aside.

Remove the zucchini from the pickling juices and place in a large bowl. Gently toss together with the carrots, mushrooms, remaining olive oil and 2 tbs zucchini pickling vinegar.

Serve sprinkled with herbs.

Serves 4.
Bon Appetite

*You can store pickled zucchinis in an airtight container in their juices for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Pan Fried Shitake Mushrooms with Wasabi and Soy Butter and Pork Cutlets

Fresh shitake mushrooms are far different from regular varieties and are my favourite type to cook with. Flavour wise, they are rich, buttery, meaty and a little smoky. They are never dirty or gritty, and have a much firmer texture when cooked (having less water content than other mushrooms).

This recipe for wasabi and soy butter shitake mushrooms is addictive. The wasabi adds a much needed horseradish like heat, the soy, some salt, while the butter, we all know is perfect with mushrooms.

Try these mushrooms served on toast, boiled rice, noodles or my favourite with pork cutlets.

60g unsalted butter, soften
2 tsp wasabi paste
¼ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
250g fresh shitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
1 birds eye chilli
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 pan fried pork cutlets
1 bunch garlic chives, blanched

For the butter, place the softened butter, wasabi paste, coriander salt and pepper in a small food processor. Process until combined and set aside.

(You can make this butter ahead of time and roll it into a log wrapped in cling film. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week)

Meanwhile heat a large frypan over medium high heat. Without oil, add the mushrooms, whole garlic and chilli. Cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing until the mushrooms start to smell fragrant and catch on the bottom of the fry pan. Add the butter and turn the heat up to high.

Cook tossing for 2-3 minutes or until foaming. Add the soy sauce and toss.

Serve the mushrooms immediately with pork cutlets and garlic chives.

Serves 2

Bon Appetite

Quick Chicken, Chorizo and Tomato Soup

Why Chicken, chorizo and tomato soup?

What is better than a meal that is fast, simple and full of flavour?

With good quality ingredients, a delicious meal can be served with simple methods and few steps.

This is one of my favourite soups to make when I am stuck for time but want to enjoy a flavour packed meal. Good quality stock is essential in this soup to achieve a well developed flavour, as is a good quality, spicy, salty and smokey chorizo.

To make this soup a meal to remember, I like to serve it with olive tapenade and black olive sour dough.

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
500ml good quality chicken stock
1 large chicken breast, diced
1 chorizo, diced
1 spanish onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ tsp smoked paprika
a pinch chilli flakes
2 tbs olive oil
black olive tapenade, to serve
basil leaves, to serve
olive bread, to serve

Place the tomatoes and stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and boil for 2 minutes. Season and puree in blender or with a hand blender until smooth.

Return to the saucepan and keep warm.

In a bowl toss together the chicken, chorizo, onion, garlic, smoked paprika and chilli flakes and season.

Meanwhile heat oil in a large frypan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring until golden and crisp.

Divide the tomato soup amongst warm bowls and top with the chicken and chorizo.

If using top with olive tapenade and basil leaves.

Serves 4

Bon Appetite

Pickled Pears

I don’t need an excuse to enjoy creamy, runny, blue or sharp cheeses. Nor do I need any excuse to devour thinly shaved salty sweet prosciutto. These pickled pears however are a great excuse that I use to even fool myself.

These pears are great to make especially when new season Corella pears are about.

They are perfect with any cheese plate. They have a honey sweetness of ripe pears, with a little acidity.

The bay leaves, rosemary and sage add an earthy depth that is magic when enjoyed with a selection of cured smoky, spicy meats.

8 medium firm pears (I used a mixture of paradise and Corella pears)
2 cups white wine vinegar
½ cup caster sugar
2 fresh bay leaves
1 rosemary sprig
3 sage leaves

Method

If desired peel the pears and depending on size halve or quarter. (I peeled the paradise pears and kept them whole and quartered the Corellas).

In a medium size saucepan combine the white wine vinegar, sugar and aromatics. Add the pears and top with enough water to just cover.

Cover the pears with a piece of baking paper (this will keep the pears submerged under the vinegar). Place over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes until the pears are just tender.

Remove from the heat and pour into a sterilized jar and cool. Refrigerate and serve with your next platter of cheese or enjoy with a selection of prosciutto, sopressa and salami.

Keeps refrigerated covered in the pickling liquid for 3 weeks.

The Best Sausage Rolls

Not to be confused with the luke warm, dry and bland versions you pick up from convenience stores, these sausage rolls are packed with flavour.

An ideal party food, snack or quick lunch or dinner, sausage rolls are an easy crowd pleaser, easy to make at home – and better yet taste fantastic.

The recipe below makes 20 sausage rolls. This might seem like a lot, but when I make them I bake a quarter of them and wrap the others individually in foil to freeze.

To cook the frozen ones, simply un wrap and defrost, then and bake as normal.

Ingredients
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 rashes rindless bacon, finely chopped
1 chorizo, finely diced
500g mince beef
500g minced pork
2 tbs each flat leaf parsley, sage and rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbs tomato relish or ketchup, plus extra to serve
1 egg, beaten
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
5 frozen sheets puff pastry, thawed

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Combine the onion, garlic and bacon in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped, alternatively finely chop each ingredient seperately.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl along with the chorizo, minced meat, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, tomato relish, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix and season well.

Lay one sheet of pastry on a flat surface and cut in half. Form the sausage roll mince into

Cut each sheet of puff pastry in to 4 equal pieces. Take some of the sausage mince and form into roll 10cm log and 2-3 cm wide.

Lay the mince on an edge of the pastry and roll up until the pastry meats and overlaps a little. Lay on a lined baking trays seam side down.

Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.

Using a sharp knife make2-3 incisions to reveal a little mince.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until pastry is golden and meat is cooked through.

Serve hot with tomato relish.

Makes 20.

Bon Appetite

Feta Banista

I love salty crumbly feta, I love greek creamy yogurt, I love flaky buttery pastry and above all I love trying and cooking something new.

Banista is a Bulgarian dish that ticks all the above. It is a traditional dish made up of rolled up filo pastry filled with beaten eggs, feta and yoghurt. These are layered in a spiral pattern in a large round baking tin and cooked.

Serve Banista for any meal as it is done in Bulgaria.

Ingredients

4 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon baking soda
500g Greek style yogurt
250g feta cheese
100g butter, melted
10 -12 sheets filo pastry
200g milk

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Beat the eggs and baking soda, then add the crumbed feta and yoghurt. Season and set aside.

Lightly brush a 30cm round deep pizza pan or cake tin wit butter.

Take one sheet and lightly brush with butter. Spread a thin layer of feta filling over the filo pastry and roll up into a rope like shape. Make sure not to over fill otherwise the filo will crack.

Roll the the filo rope into a spiral and place in the centre of the buttered pizza tin. Repeat with remaining filo pastry and continue to form the spiral.

Pour over the milk and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Serve warm or cold for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Serves 8-12.

Bon Appetite

Lyonnaise Salad

Breakfast is by far the best meal of the day. Fresh toasted bread, crispy bacon and perfectly poached eggs with firm whites and a gooey yellow.

A French salad known in Lyon as Salade Lyonnaise, is one of my favourites because it is 'breakfast in a salad'.

Traditionally made with simple greens, croutons, crisp lardons of bacon, a poached egg and traditional french vinaigrette.

This is my version of the classic – I love to add roasted starchy potatoes to the mix to help soak up the dressing and yolk plus slices of chargrilled bread instead of croutons and crisp prosciutto to remind me of the breakfast I love so much.

A traditional French salad from the Lyon region
4 medium kifler potatoes
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush
4 thin slices of proscuitto or pancetta
4 thin slices of sour dough bread
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
300g frisee lettuce
2 eschallots, peeled and thinly sliced
4 organic eggs, poached

Preheat oven to 200°.

Place potatoes in a saucepan covered with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until just tender and drain.

Place on a lined baking tray and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange the slices of prosciutto around the potatoes. Season and bake for 20 minutes or until both golden and crisp.

Meanwhile preheat a grill until hot. Brush bread with 1 tablespoon of oil and grill for 1-2 minutes each side until charred and set aside.

In a bowl whisk together the remaining oil, vinegar and mustard.

To serve arrange lettuce in bowls. Crush potatoes and arrange around the lettuce along with the crispy prosciutto and eschallots. Serve topped with a poached egg and vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Bon Appetite

Appeltaart (Dutch Apple tart)

Why Appeltaart?

I love that I have a mother who is from the Netherlands and a father who was from the United Kingdom.

I am (and all of my family are) proudly Australian, however, I love my international heritage – if not only for the different cultural lessons I have learnt growing up*, but also for the frequent trips to Europe.

Going to Europe as a young child opened up my (culinary) eyes to a different culture and world.
Tulips, Delft blue tiles, van Gogh, Rembrandt, clogs, croquettes and kaas (cheese) is just a small list of things that I instantly fell in love with on early visits the Netherlands.

Each year I have list of food to eat that a quintessentially Dutch. The list, however, keeps growing every year and unfortunately my beloved appeltaart did not make it.

So here I share it with you. This recipe is adapted from a recipe from one of my mum’s cookbooks from when she first moved here. I like to slice the apples very thinly so that they are tender once cooked with a few sitting amongst the tart that still have a little crunch.

*My mum always to this day pronounces Lavender as lavendel (the dutch/german way) and will always ask if I had a good ‘sleep out’ before quickly correcting herself by saying ‘sleep in’ when I speak to her on the weekend.

Ingredients
225g plain flour
160g butter, chilled and finely diced
110g caster sugar
a pinch salt
1 egg, lightly whisked

For the filling
1 kilo granny smith apples, peeled cored and thinly sliced
100g raisins
80g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons custard powder

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a food processor place the flour, butter, caster sugar, salt and half the egg (reserving the rest). Pulse until the pastry comes together (make sure not to over work the pastry or it will shrink when baking). Turn out, flatten into a disc and wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl combine the apples, raisins, caster sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and juice and gently toss to combine.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut off a third and reserve for the lattice topping.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 2-3 mm thick and use to line a 20cm spring form cake tin, trimming any excess pastry. (Don't worry of the pastry breaks a little, you can press it together in the tin.)

Sprinkle the custard powder on the base of the pastry and fill with the apple filling.
Roll out the remaining pastry and slice into 1.5cm wide strips. Arrange these in a lattice pattern over the top and press to secure.

Brush the surface with the remaining egg and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Remove and leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin.

Serve with cream and ice cream.

Serves 8.
Bon Appetite.