Panfried Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

My first memories of eating potato gnocchi are a series of Italian tragedies. Potato bullets smothered in a pasty tomato passatas, dry dumplings overtaken by pungent blue cheese sauces, and gnocchi that seem to transform from dumplings into lumpy mash.

I know making potato gnocchi by hand, following tips from generations of Italians, will give tender dumplings, however, I find myself apprehensive to make them myself.

My love affair with ricotta gnocchi is no secret. Pillow like dumplings gently tossed in a simple sauce is my comfort food. They are simple to make, using a few ingredients and a gentle touch.

For a variation I have used a common technique used with potato gnocchi of poaching and then pan frying in butter and oil to give these spinach and ricotta gnocchi texture and extra flavour.

A labour of love, gnocchi should never be doused in an overpowering sauce. I like to serve my pan fried gnocchi with roughly chopped ripe tomatoes and basil.

Ingredients

150g baby spinach leaves

300g fresh ricotta

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tbs finely grated parmesan

1 egg, lightly beaten

150g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted (plus extra to dust)

2 tablespoons olive oil

40g butter

4 vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

micro basil leaves, to serve

Method

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Place spinach in a colander and rinse with water. Transfer spinach to pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing, or until just wilted (the water on the spinach will create steam and help cook the spinach). Place cooked spinach in a colander and leave to drain and cool.

In a bowl combine ricotta, lemon zest, parmesan and egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from spinach and roughly chop. Add spinach to ricotta mixture and mix. Add flour and mix until just combined.

Divide gnocchi into 4 batches. On a lightly floured surface, working one batch at a time, roll gnocchi into a log 3 cm wide. Dust a sharp knife with flour and cut gnocchi into 1 cm wide pieces and set aside. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and reduce heat to medium heat. In 4 batches cook gnocchi for 2-3 minutes, or until gnocchi float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a lightly oiled tray. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook for 1 minute, or until butter is foaming. Add gnocchi and cook, turning for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve gnocchi tossed with tomatoes and basil leaves.

Serves 4-6.

Beetroot, mozzarella & white anchovy salad

As a food editor, I am often asked where do you get your inspiration for recipes? The answer is easy - I'm inspired by what I see around me.

This salad is inspired after finding beautiful baby golden beetroot at the markets. I love the earthiness of beetroot, especially baby beetroots raw. They are best pared with a delicate balance of flavours. Beetroots love the tartness of lemon and the saltiness of white anchovies. I have tied all these flavours together with one of my favourites, creamy buffalo mozzarella.

Ingredients

1 bunch each baby golden and regular beetroot

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 quarter preserved lemon, flesh discarded

1 cup mint leaves picked

250g buffalo mozzarella

10-12 white anchovies

Method

Scrub beetroots, removing any dirt and blemishes and trim off stalks leaving 2 cm. Using a peeler or mandolin thinly shave beetroots. Place red beetroot in a bowl of cold water and golden beetroot in a separate bowl of water. Leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile finely chop preserved lemon and combine in a small bowl with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To serve, drain beetroot and arrange on a platter. Tear over buffalo mozzarella and scatter with mint leaves and preserved lemon dressing. Lay anchovies over the top and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Gluten Free Banana and Nut Cake

I like a challenge, especially a recipe related one.

I have a friend who often sends me text messages with intriguing recipe questions, and I often find myself researching late into the night trying to answer them.

Some are simple to answer - can one make a meringue without sugar? The answer is no. While others leave me so interested enough to test it out myself.

Her latest question; can nuts be ground and used instead of flour? This is not a simple yes/no answer, however I wanted to personally test my theory and ended up with this moist, gluten free, nutty banana cake.

The mixture of cashews and almonds not only adds texture, but flavour to this banana cake. This cake is moist yet crumbly and best eaten within 3 days of baking.

Ingredients

220g ground almonds

150g raw cashews, ground in a food processor

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup honey

3 ripe bananas, mashed

3 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup Greek-style yoghurt

½ cup rice flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 25cm round cake tin (I used a vintage octagon one) and set aside.

Place the ground almonds and cashews on a baking tray and roast for 5 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the butter and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes or until soft and creamy. Add the cooled nuts, rice flour, baking powder and bicarbonate to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.

Add the bananas, eggs and yoghurt together and beat until just combined and add to the cake mixture. Beat until just combined..

Pour into lined baking pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with extra honey to drizzle.

Serves 8

Coconut Miso Chicken Karaage

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Why Coconut, Miso Karaage?

Karaage is the Japanese answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken. JFC (Japanese fried chicken) what could one want more?

Imagine mixing 'chicken fried goodness' with a miso soup and a katsu curry... now that is just too tempting.

Instead of marinating the chicken in soy and garlic, in this version I have used coconut milk, white miso and curry powder.

The result, heaven from chopstick to mouth.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons white miso

270ml coconut milk

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs curry powder

600g chicken thigh, cut into 4cm pieces

Vegetable oil to deep fry

½ cup potato flour (or corn flour)

Kewpie mayonnaise, to serve

Method

Combine miso, coconut cream, soy sauce and curry powder together in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add chicken. Toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (over night is best).

Next day, fill a wok or saucepan 1/3 full with oil and heat to 180C.

Working in three batches, remove chicken from marinade and lightly dust in potato flour.

Lower chicken into oil and cook for 6 minutes, turning, or until chicken is golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate covered with kitchen paper.

Repeat with remaining chicken.

Serve on small plates with kewpie mayonnaise on the side.

Serves 6 as main with Japanese rice, or 8 as a starter or snack.

Coconut lemon ice

Coconut ice, just the name brings back sweet memories of childhood, where enjoying a sugary treat made all problems disappear.

Now as an adult, if I close my eyes and take a bite of this coconut treat I am 6 years old again, at a Sunday afternoon birthday party, wearing my favourite dress, ribbons in my hair without a worry in the world.

I have added lemon to this classic. The balance of teeth aching sweetness, coconut creaminess and the fresh tartness of lemon make it worthy of adult innocence.

Ingredients

125g coconut oil*

250g desiccated coconut

400g icing sugar, sifted

2 egg whites, whisked until frothy

zest of 2 lemons

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 drops yellow food colouring

Method

Line a 14 x 20cm rectangular lamington tin with baking paper and set a side. Place coconut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

Combine the coconut and icing sugar in a large bowl. Add the coconut butter and egg white and stir until well combined. Divide mixture in half. Press half the coconut mixture over the base of the prepared pan (I use the bottom of a jar to make sure the surface is flat and well compressed).

Add lemon zest, juice and yellow food colouring to the remaining coconut mixture and stir until well combined and evenly coloured. Press the lemon coconut mixture over the white coconut mixture and smooth the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour or until set.

Remove the coconut ice from the pan and leave for 15 minutes. Use a sharp hot and damp knife to cut into 2cm squares.

Coconut lemon ice will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.

*Coconut butter is available from health food stores.

Makes 18.

Caramel Salt Toffee

Salted caramel -  bitter-sweet caramel, crystals of salt and buttery creaminess is a combination that will never go out of style.  when put together will never go out of style.

This recipe is for a hard toffee as opposed to the chewy kind. Personally, I prefer the hard type because as you suck it, salt crystals start to dissolve surprising you with new flavours and the best part is the sticky chewy texture the toffee gets just before it is finished.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (180 ml) thickened cream
60g butter, chopped
½ cup (125ml) corn syrup
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
11/2 tbs salt flakes

Method

Line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper and set aside.

Place cream, half butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Set aside and keep warm.

In a separate medium large saucepan combine corn syrup and sugar over medium heat and cook, stirring until the sugar just dissolves. When the sugar has dissolved cook, untouched (swirling the pan occasionally) for 20 minutes, or until a sugar thermometer reaches 155C.

Remove from heat and carefully stir in warm cream. Return to medium heat and cook mixture until it reaches 130C. The timing will vary on how warm or cold the cream is.

Stir in half salt and pour into the lined tin. Scatter over remaining salt. Leave to set for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a board and while still warm, cut into cubes with a lightly oiled knife.

Wrap in plastic wrappers or baking paper.
Caramels will keep in airtight containers between sheets of baking paper for up to 1 month. 
Makes 40

French Onion Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese... is your mouth watering yet??? Salty, creamy, buttery sauce smothered in pasta, baked in oven with a crisp golden crust. Ultimate guilt comfort food (there is a reason why it comes in a 'ready to make box' in supermarkets and another reason why you pause to think about buying one).

There is no glamorous, nor sophisticated mac and cheese recipe. That is why I have made mine with french onion dip, guilty pleasure all the way.

Ingredients

250g macaroni pasta

250g french onion dip

1/3 cup thickened cream

100g grated gruyere cheese

2 tbs Asian fried shallots

Pickles, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 6 minutes or until al dente. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Add french onion dip, cream and half grated gruyere cheese. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Lightly grease an oven proof dish, pour macaroni into dish and top with remaining cheese and season with pepper.

Place on an oven tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Scatter with shallots and serve with pickles.

Serves 2

Bacon Jam

You had me at bacon.... A rich, sweet, smoky relish made with non other than my favourite, bacon.

This jam is perfect with fried eggs, hotcakes and french toast in the morning. Spread on your favourite sandwich for lunch. A teaspoon added to a simple salad dressing, or mixed into a simple pasta sauce for dinner. This bacon jam keeps refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Ingredients
300g rindless bacon, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 cup (125ml) cider vinegar
1/2 cup (125ml) tomato ketchup
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
1/2 cup (125ml) espresso coffee

Method

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook for a further 1 hour, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced and jam is thick and glossy.
Makes 2 cups.
Keep refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Carrot Soup with a Tex Mex Twist

I could enjoy Mexican everyday of the week - coriander, limes, avocado, chillies, tortillas and corn chips. There is however a voice that pops up and tells me that pulled pork and bean tortillas every night of the week may not be the best idea.

This soup plays with my favourite Tex Mex flavours without the guilt of tortillas every night!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 carrots, peeled roughly chopped
1 Spanish onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 litres vegetable stock or water
¼ cup sour cream
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
1 green chilli, seeds removed, chopped
juice and zest of 2 limes
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
corn chips, to serve

Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and carrots and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, or until the onions start to colour.

Season with salt and pepper, add chilli flakes and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat and stir through sour cream. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and blend until smooth.

Meanwhile for the coriander and green chilli salsa, combine coriander, chilli, lime zest and juice and oil in a small food processor. Season and blitz and until combined.

Serve the soup with salsa and corn chips.

Serves 4-6.
Bon Appetite

Smoked fish pate with Dill Lavosh

Have a I mentioned my dad was an amazing cook and one who introduced me to the amazing world of food?

One of his famous recipes was smoked fish pate. Made with at least 5 different types of smoked fish, including bottagra (years ago when he used it, bottagra was sold as smoked cod roe and was $5.00 a kilo instead of todays price of $360 a kilo!!!).

To this day, it is the best smoked fish pate I have ever tasted and one I know I will make again, but only on a very special occasion.

My inexpensive version satisfies my cravings especially when matched with my homemade dill lavosh.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
200g softened cream cheese
100g softened butter
2 x 150g smoked salmon fillet, skin removed and flaked
50g clarified butter, optional

Dill Lavosh
400g plain flour, approximately 2 1/2 cups plus extra for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
160ml (2/3 cup) water, plus additional if needed
1 egg
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 /4 cup finely chopped dill sprigs


Method

For the lavosh, place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. In a small bowl whisk together the water, egg, oil and dill. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together, adding additional water if the dough is dry. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead 5-6 times.
Divide into 3, cover each piece and rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line 3 large baking trays with baking and paper and lightly grease. Set aside.

Working with 1 ball at a time divide into three. On a lightly floured surface roll each ball into a log. Using a rolling pin roll until 2 mm thick. Place on the baking tray and repeat with remaining dough.

Brush with oil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Turn off oven and leave to cool and crisp in the oven for an hour.

For the pate, combine mustard, dill, lemon zest and juice, cream cheese and softened butter in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add flaked fish and blitz until combined. Season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.

Spoon into ramekins or bowls and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

If using spoon a 1-2 tbs clarified butter over chilled pate and swirl to coat the surface. Refrigerate for a further 10 minutes before serving with crisp bread.


Serves 6 as a starter. Smoked fish pate will keep refrigerated for 5 days. Lavosh will keep for 5 days in an airtight container.

Cocoa and Dried Pear Truffles

They are not truffles in the conventional sense. This is a healthy chocolate treat. Instead of being made with chocolate and cream they are made with a mixture of dried fruit, ground nuts, honey, coconut and good quality cocoa powder.

Make sure you use good quality cocoa for this recipe, otherwise your truffles will taste fruity and not chocolaty.

Ingredients
250g dried pears, soaked in warm water for 15 mintues
200g pitted prunes
80g LSA (ground linseed, sesame and almond)
2 tbs honey
1/4cup good quality cocoa powder
desiccated coconut, to roll

Method
  
Drain the pears. Place all ingredients except the coconut in a food processor and process to a paste. Roll tablespoons of paste into 18 balls. Dust in coconut and store in refrigerator.

Makes 18 truffles that will keep for 3 months refrigerated.

Rice, Spinach and Fetta Pie

A vegetarian pie that will have any carnivore coming back from more. Rice, spinach, fetta, lemon and pistachio encased in a free form puff pastry crust, this pie takes inspiration from Greek spanikopita and rice pilafs.

Delicious eaten hot for a light dinner or great served cold for lunch or at a picnic.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked white rice, cooled
1 x 350g packet frozen spinach, thawed
250g fetta, crumbled
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios
½ cup roughly chopped mint
1 spring onion, sliced
a pinch dried chilli flakes
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 375g block frozen puff pastry, thawed

Method

In a large bowl mix together rice, spinach, fetta, lemon zest, pistachios, mint and chilli flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl whisk together the oil and egg. Add to the rice mixture reserving 1 tablespoon.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to 30 cm circle (do not worry if it a little rough in shape). Prick the pastry with a fork and pile the rice in the centre leaving 10 cm boarder. Fold the pastry boarder over the filling, overlapping slightly and pressing gently to seal. Brush the pastry with reserved egg and chill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C. Place a baking tray in the oven to preheat.

Remove from the refrigerator and transfer to a large piece of baking paper. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven and slice the baking paper onto the tray.

Bake the pie for 25 minutes, until pastry and filling are golden. Remove and leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Bon appetite.

Gnocchi with Lentils & Hazelnut, Sage Butter

Entertaining at home has gone from being an easy, relatively stress free affair to a at home cooking competition.

An impressive meal doesn't need to be tedious and labour intensive. Instead at home, meals can be stylish and delicious, yet with minimum effort and fuss from you; the host. The best part - you get to sit down with your guests and enjoy the meal.

This recipe uses near to no effort (there isn't even any time consuming chopping), but is sure to impress.

Ingredients
1 onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 rashes rindless bacon, roughly chopped
400g can lentils, drained and rinsed
1 cup (250ml) pureed tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) good quality chicken stock
500g store bought quality potato gnocchi
40g unsalted butter
1/3 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup sage leaves

Method
Place the onion and garlic in a small food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes, until soft.

Meanwhile place the bacon in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring for 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, tomato puree and stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the potato gnocchi in plenty of salted water according to packet instructions or until al dente. Drain and toss through the lentil ragu.

Place a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add the butter, hazelnuts and sage leaves and cook, swirling, until the butter has gone a nutty brown colour and the sage leaves are crispy.

To serve divide gnocchi amongst bowls and drizzle over hazelnut sage butter.

Serves 4

Lime and Mint Cordial

What better way to quench a summer's thirst than with fresh lime and mint cordial, plenty of ice and sparkling water.

Cordial can be made using flavours including ginger, fresh berries, citrus fruit and flowers. Keep your cordial in the fridge for up to 6 months and enjoy all year round in water, cocktails or as the base for granitas and frozen sherbet.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (550g) caster sugar
2 cups (500ml) water
2 bunches mint, washed and roughly torn (stems included)
3 limes, finely grated zest and juice

Method
Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

When the sugar has dissolved add the mint and lime zest. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Take off the heat and add the lime juice.

Leave to cool completely, strain pour into a clean glass bottle.

Makes around 800ml.