mangiare

greek zucchini fritters

2012-01-15T16:36:00.001+08:00

What you
need
1 medium zucchini,
grated
1 onion, grated
1/2 carrot, grated
1 clove garlic,
minced
1/2 stick celery, peeled and grated
3/4 tablespoon star anise seed, crushed
1/2 tablespoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground
black pepper
1 egg
1 cup self raising flour, or as needed
oil for frying

what to do
Mix zucchini, onion, carrot, garlic, celery root, star anise seed, celery seeds, lightly beaten egg, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Gradually stir in flour until you have a soft, wet dough that sticks to your hands.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 190 degrees C.
Drop dough by tablespoons into the oil, and turn until all sides are golden brown.

greek barbecued chicken

2012-01-12T16:16:00.002+08:00

What you need

2 x 1.3kg whole fresh chickens

2 small red onions, coarsely grated

2 bunches fresh oregano, leaves picked, chopped

2 tbs finely grated lemon rind 4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 long fresh green chillies, seeded, finely chopped

80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil Olive oil, to grease

Fresh oregano sprigs to serve

what to do

Rinse 1 chicken inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Place, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Use sharp kitchen scissors to cut along either side of the backbone. Discard backbone.

Turn the chicken and open. Press to flatten. Place in a glass or ceramic dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the onion, chopped oregano, lemon rind, garlic, chilli and oil in a bowl. Spread the mixture over the chickens.

Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.

Preheat a barbecue hot plate on high.

Brush the plate with oil.

Cook the chickens, skin-side down, on barbecue for 10 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook for a further 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Cut into pieces and place on a serving platter.

Top with fresh oregano sprigs,

pannetone french toast with fresh ricotta

2011-12-27T11:41:00.006+08:00

At this time of year, pannetone is always given at christmas and this year I recieved 3 loaves. It is great toasted and topped with fresh ricota and Grilled peaches (pictured). But for something a bit special why not make french toast and serve it with fresh ricotta, and add the peaches as well.

what you need
200g fresh ricotta
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 chocolate truffles, chopped
11/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 slices panettone (see note)
1/3 cup (110g) jam (we used cherry)
3 eggs
1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs icing sugar

what to do
Combine the ricotta, vanilla, chocolate and 1 tsp cinnamon, in a bowl. Spread 4 slices panettone with the ricotta mixture and spread the other 4 slices with jam. Sandwich the slices together.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and cream together. Soak panettone sandwiches in the egg mixture for a few seconds each side so they can absorb the batter.
Melt half the butter in a large frypan over medium heat until bubbling. In batches, cook panettone for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm while you cook the remaining French toast.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining cinnamon and icing sugar.

Dust the French toast with cinnamon sugar, then serve immediately.

ricotta gnocchi with eggplant sauce

2011-06-21T18:51:00.004+08:00

Eggplant Sauce
What you need
1 large eggplant, cut into 1.5cm dice
2 tablespoons table salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
400g can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
What to do
Season eggplant with salt and set to one side.

what to do
heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes or until thickened. Stir in basil.

Heat remaining olive oil in a medium frying pan. Wash salted eggplant and pat dry. Panfry eggplant for 5 – 6 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place onto a paper towel-lined plate.

Stir egglant into sauce mixture

Ricotta Gnocchi
what you need
250g fresh ricotta
200g romano cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting

what to do
For gnocchi, combine ricotta, romano cheese, egg, nutmeg and ½ cup of the flour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using your hand, mix ingredients together to form dough like consistency. Add remaining flour and mix to form a stiff dough.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll into 4 cylinders. Cut and roll into 1cm balls. Using the back of a fork, pull along ball of dough to make gnocchi shape.

Place gnocchi into a large pot of boiling water. As gnocchi rises to the top, remove and place in a colander to drain.

Toss gently in the eggplant sauce, serve with freshly greated parmesan.

lamb risotto

2011-03-31T16:59:00.009+08:00

what you need

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 lb lamb, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup red onion, finely diced

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

2oz feta (about 1/4 cup), crumbled

what to do

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat, add lamb, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes Use a slotted spoon to remove lamb, set aside.

Bring stock to a boil in a medium sized pot then simmer and maintain over low heat.

In separate large saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add onion and sauté until onions are soft. Add rice, stir until each grain is well coated with oil and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine, stir until absorbed.

Add stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. After about 4 cups of stock, check to see if the risotto is done. If it’s still firm add another 1/2 cup broth and check again. Continue until risotto is tender. When done remove from heat and add lamb and Feta. Mix well.

Garnish with crumbled feta if desired.

Lemon Semifreddo

2011-03-19T14:23:00.001+08:00

what you need

Oil, to brush

4 savoiardi sponge-finger biscuits

80ml Vin Santo or dry marsala*

4 eggs, separated

2 lemons, rind grated

110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

500ml (2 cups) thickened cream, whipped

Candied lemons

2 lemons, sliced

110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

what to do

Lightly brush a 24 x 10cm terrine with oil and line with plastic wrap.

Roughly break up the sponge fingers and place in a bowl with the Vin Santo. Beat egg yolks, lemon rind and sugar until pale. In a separate bowl, beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Fold together sponge fingers, egg yolk mixture, eggwhites and cream, then pour into prepared terrine. Freeze overnight.

To make the candied lemons, place lemon slices in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, cook for 1 minute then drain. Discard the water and set the lemons aside.

Place the sugar and 425ml cold water in the saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the lemon slices and simmer for about 30 minutes (the lemons should be translucent and the liquid well-reduced). Drain the lemons on a rack over a tray until cool.

Allow the terrine to soften in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. To serve, slice the semifreddo and serve with the candied lemons and cream, if desired.

chef’s note

* Vin Santo is Italian wine and is available either sweet or dry. If unavailable, use a good-quality dry marsala

Spinach Pesto

2011-03-07T08:49:00.007+08:00

Spinach Pesto a wonderful fresh variant on the more traditional basil pesto, and is a combination of spinach, garlic and with a hint of basil that is great as a topping for bruschetta, stirred through pasta or with grilled chicken

what you need
8 cups fresh spinach
1 cup fresh basil
½ cup toasted pine nuts
1 garlic clove
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Put small amounts of spinach, basil, pine nuts and garlic into a food processor or blender. Pulse and continue to add the remaining ingredients until all of them are able to fit in the blender.
Add olive oil and continue to process until the mixture is creamy.
Transfer to a bowl.

Stir in the grated cheese, salt and pepper, and it's ready to serve.

Place the pesto in an airtight container and ensure it is covered with olive oil, this will keep for several weeks in the fridge.

beetroot risotto

2011-03-07T08:44:00.004+08:00

what you need

3 large fresh beetroot

1 tbs olive oil

30g butter

1 onion, diced

2 cups arborio rice

4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

100grs grated parmesan

2 tablespoons butter

what to do

Peel the beetroot and cut into julienne strips. Wash the beetroot tops and chop into 7cm pieces.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy saucepan, saute the onion for 3 mins or until soft. Add the beetroot and cook stirring over a moderate heat for 2 mins. Add rice and stir until translucent.

Add a ladle of stock at a time to rice and stir until absorbed. Continue stirring in the stock, gradually, until the rice is just cooked. This process should take around 20 mins.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Stir in butter and parmesan. let stand for 5 minutes. Then serve topped with diced beetroot and shaved parmesan.

chilli and chive baked ricotta

2011-02-19T15:34:00.002+08:00

what you need

Olive oil, to grease

500g fresh ricotta

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 tsp chilli flakes

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

what to do

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush two 250ml capacity ramekins with oil to lightly grease.

place ricotta in a clean cloth and suspend over a bowl to drain four at least an hour.

Combine ricotta, egg, chives and chilli in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon ricotta mixture among ramekins and smooth the surface.

Place on a baking tray.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden and set. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Turn onto a cheese board. Serve with a fresh crusty baguette

Or refrigerate then slice and use as required

dried feta stuffed olives

2011-02-19T15:23:00.007+08:00

what you need

1/3 cup plain flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbs milk

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 1/3 cups finely grated parmesan cheese

Pinch of cayenne pepper

400 gr Spanish feta stuffed olives, rinsed, drained *

Extra-light olive oil, to deep-fry

what to do

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the flour on a plate. Combine the egg and milk in a bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and cayenne pepper in a bowl.

Dip olives in flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat. Place on lined tray. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.

Add enough oil to a large saucepan to reach a depth of 5cm. Heat to 190°C over medium-high heat (when oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden brown in 10 seconds). Add one-fifth of the olives to the oil and cook for 30 seconds or until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 4 more batches, with the remaining olives, reheating oil between batches. Place in a serving bowl and serve.

*feta stuffed olives are available from most continental delis

chocolate tart

2011-02-01T20:47:00.003+08:00

what you need

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cold water

170 grams bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

2 egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Chocolate shavings (optional)

what to do
To make the crust, thoroughly mix flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut butter in chunks and add to bowl. With two knives or pastry blender, cut butter into flour, tossing to coat with flour until largest pieces are the size of pine nuts and remaining pieces resemble coarse breadcrumbs.

As you work, scrape flour up from bottom of bowl, and scrape butter from knives or pastry blender. Do not let butter melt or blend completely into flour. Drizzle 1-1/2 tablespoons cold water over flour mixture while tossing and mixing, until just moist enough to hold together when pressed.

Add remaining water if needed. Turn out on plastic wrap. Gather into a flat disc, pressing together any loose bits. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 degrees celsius). Let dough stand 30 minutes at room temperature, or until pliable enough to roll without cracking.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 14- by 9-inch (35cm - 23cm) oval, about 1/8-inch thick (3mm), rotating and dusting with flour to prevent sticking.

Brush excess flour from dough; fold in half to transfer to a piece of parchment slightly larger than dough. Unfold dough. Loosely fold and roll edge, without pressing, to form rimmed crust. Place parchment with pastry on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown (crust edge will be a little raw inside).

Meanwhile, for filling, melt chocolate in microwave on 50 per cent power (medium) about 2 minutes. Stir frequently until chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from microwave. Stir until melted; set aside.

In bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Pour pecans and melted chocolate over whites; fold with spatula until batter is uniform colour.

Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees celsius). Dollop filling on crust. Spread to 1/2-inch (1.2cm) thick. Bake 10 minutes, or until surface looks dry and slightly cracked (fudgy inside).

Cool on baking sheet on rack. Serve warm or cool. Cover and refrigerate after two hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, top with chocolate shavings.

peasant style chicken, potatoes & chorizo

2011-01-23T17:36:00.003+08:00

This would have to be my daughter, Alexia's favourite dish, a very simple one pan dinner that is so easy to make and perfect for a sunday night dinner.

what you need

1 whole large free range chicken cut 1/2

2 chorizo sausages sliced

200mls chicken stock

1 kg potatoes quartered lengthways skin on

1 large onion sliced

2 gloves garlic finely chopped

fresh rosemary chopped finely

fresh oregano chopped finely

olive oil

sea salt & cracked pepper

what to do

Lay potatoes in the base of a heavy roasting dish, top with the sliced onions.

Rub the chicken with some of the olive oil, chopped herbs and garlic, and place on top of the Potatoes and onions.

Place chorizo around the chicken

Pour in chicken stock , and season well with the sea salt and cracked pepper.

Roast in a moderate oven till the chicken is well browned and cooked to the bone

chilli crab

2011-01-23T12:19:00.011+08:00

Nothing like fresh crabs, Paul and the boys decided on a quiet Friday night to drag the boat down to the swan river. After may hours, with all the nets down they pulled up 8 monster blue swimmer crabs, and what better way to cook them than in a thick hot chilli sauce.

I think it was more fun watching these three guys dig into the large bowl of chilli crab, dipping the crusty bread and slurping up all that hot spicy sauce. On the down side was now having to clean the walls and windows that are now have red spots all over them.

what you need
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 green (uncooked) blue swimmer crabs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 fresh long red chillies finely chopped
1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
2 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs brown sugar
6 spring onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
1/4 cup fresh coriander

what to do

Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat until just smoking. Add the crab and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until just cooked (the crab meat will turn white when cooked).

Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the tomato and sweet chilli sauces, sherry and sugar, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens slightly.

Remove from heat. Add the spring onions and stir until just wilted. Add the coriander and toss until just combined.

Enjoy with crusty bread or serve with steamed rice

Crab linguine with chilli, lemon and garlic

2011-01-22T20:01:00.003+08:00

what you need

100ml olive oil
1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
3 pared strips of lemon zest, finely chopped
450g linguine - fresh if possible
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges to serve
225g freshly cooked white crab meat
2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

what to do

Put the olive oil, chilli, garlic and lemon zest into a small pan and put over a gentle heat until it begins to fry. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
Tip the chilli and lemon mixture into the pan the pasta was in, then add the lemon juice and season. Heat until sizzling, then add the linguine and crab meat to the pan and toss gently over a medium heat to warm the crab through.
Add the parsley, season, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

baked gorgonzola figs with macadamia, honey, balsamic dressing

2011-01-03T09:27:00.004+08:00

what you need

8 fresh ripe figs

50gr gorgonzola cheese

1/3 cup toasted, finely chopped macadamia nuts

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Fresh dressed mixed greens

2 tablespoons full flavoured honey

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

what to do

Trim off the stem end of the figs, and using a sharp knife cut an X into the top of the fig 3/4 of the way down leaving the bottom of the fig attached.

Roll some of the gorgonzola into small balls about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in size, then roll the balls into the macadamia nuts gently pressing them into the cheese balls. Place the figs on a baking sheet, then place a cheese ball into each fig. Gently squeeze the fig to enclose the cheese inside. Brush the figs lightly with a little olive oil and place the figs in a preheated oven, until the figs are heated through and the cheese is just beginning to melt.

While the figs are heating, divide the greens on top of each of four plates. Mix together the honey, balsamic, and olive oil. Place the figs on top of the greens and drizzle the figs with a little of the honey, balsamic dressing. Serve immediately.

Risotto Milanese

2011-01-02T15:13:00.003+08:00

what you need

4 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced finely
1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1 large pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)

what to do

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Lower heat, keep warm.

In the risotto pan, add the olive oil and onion. Cook the onion slowly for several minutes, until soft but do not brown. Add the rice and cook the rice for a couple of minutes. Add the saffron. Add the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes until the liquid has cooked off.

Start adding the stock. Add a couple of ladles initially and stir. Use a rubber spatula instead of a spoon. This really is the best tool - you can really lift the rice off the bottom of the pan. When you begin adding the stock, start timing the risotto. It should take between 20-25 minutes. You should stir the rice as much as you can, not allowing it to stick to the bottom of the pan. Do not boil the rice, just keep it on a simmer. As soon as the liquid has cooked off, keeping adding the stock by the ladleful.

After about 20 minutes, taste the rice. It should be soft, but still retain a little firmness (bite). When you think it is done, do not add any more liquid. Four cups of stock is usually just right. When the rice has absorbed the liquid, turn off the heat and add the parmesan. Serve hot and add more grated parmesan to the top if you like.

Sicilian stuffed arancini

2011-01-02T09:54:00.004+08:00

what you need
5 cups chicken broth
pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cups Arborio, Carnaroli or Aquerello rice
a rind of Parmigianno Reggiano cheese (if you have it) or 2 tablespoons grated cheese
2-3 egg whites
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (you can also use panko)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup (approximately) of meat sauce, bolognese, or ragu
vegetable oil (I used Canola) to give you about 4 inches of oil in your pot for frying

Make the risotto:
Heat the broth, add the saffron to it and keep it warm in a pot next to the pot in which you want to make your risotto.

In a medium size heavy pot, heat the olive oil and butter. Saute the onion with a pinch of salt gently for a few minutes. Do not let it brown. Add the rice, raise the heat a little and toast the rice for a couple of minutes. Add a couple of ladlefuls of broth and stir the risotto. Add the cheese rind. Lower the heat a little - you do not want the mixture to boil, but just to simmer gently. When the rice has absorbed the broth, add two more ladlefuls. You can tell when to add the broth by running your spoon through the mixture. If the liquid immediately fills in the crevice you make, let it cook some more. If it remains clear, it is time to add more broth (see photo in post for an example). Keep adding broth and stirring, repeating until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. You may not use all the broth. If you don't have enough broth, continue with plain water. If you don't have a cheese rind, at this point add the grated cheese and mix. Pour the risotto onto a baking sheet and let cool. You can refrigerate it to let it cool.

Line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Place the egg whites in a small bowl and beat a little with a fork. Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl. Place the meat sauce into a small bowl.

Scrape the cooled risotto into a bowl and add the whole beaten egg. Mound some risotto into your hand using a quantity a little smaller than what size you want the finished arancini. With a spoon or your hand, make an indentation in the risotto. Place about a tablespoon of meat sauce in the indentation, add some risotto over the top and gently mold the whole thing into a ball. Roll the arancini in the egg whites and then in the bread crumbs. Place the arancini onto the wax paper. After they are all done, place them in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Heat about 4 inches of oil in a small pot or use a fryer if you have one. When the oil becomes hot enough to fry, lower the arancini one at a time into the oil with a handled strainer. Let fry for a few minutes, checking the color so they do not burn and gently rotating them with the strainer. When they are golden brown, remove with the strainer and place on paper towels to drain.

Italian stuffed mushrooms

2011-01-02T08:32:00.003+08:00

18 large (about 2 lbs.) white mushrooms
Extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup Marsala wine
1 ½ cups, fresh bread crumbs (can substitute with gluten free crumbs!)
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
Aged balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove stems and coarsely chop them, reserving the caps. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushrooms to the heated oil, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until mushroom mixture is dry, about 5 minutes. Slowly add Marsala. Cook until Marsala has evaporated, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the bread crumbs. Set aside the bread crumb mixture to let cool, and then add Pecorino Romano, parsley, and garlic. Mix thoroughly.

Place mushroom caps in a single layer (rounded side down) on a greased cookie sheet. Spoon mushroom filling into caps, drizzle with olive oil, season with pepper, and bake until golden brown, about 30-45 minutes. Arrange mushrooms on serving platter and drizzle with a little aged balsamic vinegar

Italian sausage and three-cheese calzone

2010-12-01T19:25:00.004+08:00

what you need

400g plain flour

100g semolina

1½ cups warm water

60ml olive oil

7g sachet dried yeast

1 Tbsp salt flakes

Extra 1 Tbsp olive oil

300g spicy pork sausages, out of their skins

2 large brown onions, sliced

¼ bunch oregano, leaves picked

Extra salt flakes and pepper, to season

400g ricotta

200g cherry bocconcini

150g parmesan, grated

what to do

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Put flour and semolina in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Attach dough hook. In a jug whisk together water, oil and yeast.

Turn mixer on low and pour in yeast mixture. Once all liquid has been added, increase speed to high, add salt and mix for 5 minutes until dough is soft and silky. Remove dough hook and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Put bowl in a warm place and allow dough to prove for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

Heat extra oil in a frypan. Add sausages and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes or until brown. Add onion, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. Add oregano and season with extra salt and pepper.

Divide dough into 4 portions and roll out into rounds. Divide ricotta between rounds, tear over cherry bocconcini and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt flakes and pepper. Sprinkle over parmesan and top with sausage mixture.

Fold over dough rounds to form half-moon shapes, then rope-twist the edges or press with a fork to seal. Put calzones on a heavy tray or preheated pizza stone and bake for 30 minutes.

Stand for 10 minutes, before serving.

corn and coriander fritters

2010-11-16T18:49:00.004+08:00

what you need

1.5 cups corn kernels

2 spring onions finely chopped

½ onion finely diced

1 knob of ginger finely chopped

1/3 bunch of coriander leaves chopped

½ red capsicum finely diced

1 tsp dried cumin

½ cup of water (if you’re using tinned corn, use the water it comes in)

2 eggs

1 cup self raising flour

Sea salt flakes

Cracked lack pepper

Olive oil

what to do

Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit).

Sauté the onion and ginger in a little oil until soft and translucent.

Place the flour, 1 cup of the corn kernels, onion, ginger, cumin, water and eggs into a food processor and process until well combined.

Place mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir through the remaining corn, shallots, capsicum, and coriander and season the mixture with sea salt and black pepper.

In a non-stick fry pan place a little oil and set over high heat.

Using a 30 ml (1 oz) ladle cook fritters 2 at a time, approx 1 minute per side or until golden.

Transfer to an oven proof rack and tray and cook for a further 3-4 minutes in the oven.

cajun spiced nuts

2010-11-16T18:33:00.005+08:00

These are great to serve at a party or when friends come over for drinks you can also toss a few into a salad to give some extra bite and crunch.

What you'll need
1 kg mixed nuts

Good pinch Sea Salt flakes

Cajun Spices 50gms

2 Egg Whites Lightly whisked

What to do
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, rub the mixture together with your hands to get a good coating over the nuts

Place on a lightly greased tray and dry at 120C (250F) for 40 minutes

Once cool keep in an airtight container. They will last for a couple of weeks and you can crisp them up again in an oven at about 100degC (230F) for about ten minutes

new york style pizza dough

2010-11-14T18:12:00.002+08:00

What you'll need
½ teaspoon active dry yeast

350ml warm water

2 ½ teaspoons sugar

2 ½ teaspoons) salt

15 ml olive oil

4 ½ cups) OO flour

What to do
Set the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes, or until it starts to ‘bloom’

Add the remaining ingredients until they are just combined

Place a wet cloth over the bowl and let sit for 20 minutes. This step allows the starches to hydrate and better develop the dough as you proceed

Knead the dough for at least ten minutes, or until the dough is stretchy and does not rip when your finger pushes down on it

Put the dough in a warm area and let sit until it doubles in size

Punch it down, knead for three minutes, and let it rise until again doubled

Punch down again and shape in to 300gr balls.

let stand for 10 minutes, roll out and top as required.

Mango-Chili Salsa

2010-11-14T17:47:00.003+08:00

What you need

200gr diced mango flesh

100 g (5 oz) mango puree, you may prepare this with the remaining flesh around the seed and the trimmings of the mango fillets when cutting the dice

90 g ( 3 oz) red or green bell peppers, diced

50 g (1 2/3 oz) red onions

10 g coriander leaves, chopped roughly

salt to taste

white pepper from the mill

1 piece lime, juice only

2 piece red finger chili, chopped

30ml (1 fl oz) virgin olive oil

What to do

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the coriander leaves. Season well and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Add the coriander just before serving

raspberry friands

2010-11-08T19:07:00.003+08:00

what you need

190g unsalted butter

60g plain flour

1 1/3 cups (200g) icing sugar, plus extra to dust

120g almond meal

5 eggwhites

100gr raspberries

what to do

Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter and use a little to grease a 12-hole friand pan. Dust with a little flour, shaking out excess.

Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl, then stir in the almond meal.

Place eggwhites in a small bowl and lightly froth with a fork. Add to dry ingredients with melted butter, stirring until completely combined, then gently fold through raspberries. Fill each friand hole two-thirds full. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-11-07T20:04:00.004+08:00

what you need

4 chicken thighs

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red capsicum, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

3/4 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons drained capers

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

what to do

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

In a large heavy sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, sauté it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the red capsicum, onion and garlic to the same pan and sauté over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil

Best Served with penne pasta..

vegetable & feta tort

2010-11-01T20:01:00.005+08:00

what you need for the pastry 2 cups bakers flour 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tsp sea salt water as required for the filling
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
400g pumpkin, peeled and diced 2cm
1 large kumara, peeled and diced 2cm
6 silverbeet leaves, thickly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten

what to do For the pastry

Place the flour, salt and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook and mix in enough water to make a stiff dough.Knead with the dough hook for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. This can also be done by mixing in a bowl then kneading by hand. Remove from the bowl, cover in plastic wrap and rest the pastry in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

For the filling
Heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry gently until soft and well browned. Remove from the heat and cool.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and crush coarsely with a fork. Boil the pumpkin and kumara separately in more salted water until tender. Drain well and cool. Boil the silverbeet leaves until well wilted, cool under cold water then squeeze dry and chop again.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Roll 1/2 the pastry out to make a disc 35cm in diameter. Place on a baking sheet greased with olive oil. Put the potato in an even layer over the pastry, leaving a border 2cm wide all around the edge. Spread the fried onions on top, then the pumpkin and kumara. Sprinkle the silverbeet and feta over and season with a little salt (depending on how salty the feta is) and black pepper. Roll out the other 1/2 of the pastry and place on top. Brush the edges with egg and crimp or twist together all around to seal the pie. Brush the top all over with egg and make several cuts on the top to let the steam escape. Bake for 40 minutes or until well cooked.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly

Oven baked sausage and tomato risotto

2010-10-31T16:34:00.005+08:00

What you need

1 tablespoon olive oil

400g chorizo sausages sliced thick

1 red onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

2 celery stalks, diagonally sliced

400g can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf

parsley, to serve

what to do

Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a 12-cup flameproof casserole or ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Fry sausages for 10 minutes, turning until browned and almost cooked. Remove from pan.

Add onion to saucepan, and more oil if needed. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until soft.

Slice sausages into bite-sized pieces.

Add rice and celery to saucepan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Add sausages, tomatoes, stock and water. Stir. Remove from heat. Cover with the lid or foil.

Transfer dish to the oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, but firm to the bite. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

chocolate lava cake

2010-10-07T19:16:00.001+08:00

These individual chocolate lava cakes are great for dinner parties because they can be completely made the day before and then quickly baked before serving, for the all-important "ooze" factor. Makes 6.

180gr unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter, set aside. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins or muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Slowly stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins. Cover the ramekins and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for15 to 20 minutes. They will be done when the outside has risen slightly above the sides of the ramekins and the center is still soft. Unmold the cakes. Place each cake on a plate and serve with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream or a dollop of double cream.

olive and garlic bread

2010-10-07T17:22:00.000+08:00

This olive & garlic bread is a foccacia based bread roll, and is ideal for a mediteranean style meal, or simply for dipping on olive oil.

What you'll need

Olive oil

2 gloves garlic

21gms Yeast

3 tsp Sugar

1650gms Plain flour

480gms Kalamata Olives

150gms Extra flour

3 tsp Sea sal

What to do

Roughly chop the olives and finely chop/crush the garlic.

Combine yeast, sugar and 3 cups of luke warm water. Rest in a warm area until it becomes frothy.

Combine flour, sea salt, chopped olives & thyme in a bowl, make a well in the center and then pour in the yeast mixture, add 2 tbsps oil and mix to a firm dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Vigorously knead the dough until it is soft and silky (add more flour if too wet) coat the dough in oil and let it stand in a bowl for 2 hrs in a warm area( or until it has risen to twice it's size).

Cut the dough into 160 gm (6 oz) pieces and shape into small bread rolls, place on an oiled tray and stand in a warm area for 30 minutes.

Bake the bread for 30 minutes on 180*c (350 F) or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped

spiced coffee rub

2010-10-06T17:05:00.001+08:00

If your after something different in terms of flavour on your next roast or barbecue meats, why not try a coffee rub, its not as strange as it sounds. the coffee combined with the sugar, chilli and spices give a great taste, and enhance the meats natural flavour.

what you need

5 tblsp espresso coffee powder

2 tblsp chili powder

3 tblsp dark brown sugar

2 tblsp paprika

2 tsp cumin powder

1 ½ tblsp coarse salt

1tsp onion powder

½ tblsp dry English mustard

½ tblsp cracked black pepper

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp cayenne

½ tsp red chili flakes

½ tsp ginger powder

½ tsp garlic powder

What to do

Combine all seasonings well.

Lightly oil the pork chop, then sprinkle generously with the spiced coffee rub.

Rub into the meat evenly and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Grill to your liking.

chef's note:

If roasting a large piece of meat, rub the spiced coffee rub generously all over the meat and allow to marinated for at least 6-8 hours or overnight before roasting. This recipe is fantastic for BBQs and Grill parties.
Store left of spice rub in an airtight jar, for your next BBQ.

beer bread

2010-10-06T09:59:00.001+08:00

This easy to make beer bread can be made using either whole meal flour or white self raising flours.

What you'll need

3 cups of white self raising flour

3/4 cup of wholemeal self raising flour

2 teaspoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of salt

1 x 375 ml stubby of beer. Stout will give a darker brown colour.

Milk for glazing

Sesame seeds

What to do

For white flour only version use just 3¾ cups of white self raising flour.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees centigrade (425 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sift the dry ingredients without the sugar.

Stir in the sugar followed by the beer.

Mixing thoroughly and make into a loaf.

Brush with milk across the top and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Place into a bread tin & bake for fifty minutes. To test if bread is cooked, tap on bread and it should give a hollow sharp sound.

sweet chilli jam

2010-10-05T16:38:00.004+08:00

This fiery yet sweet chilli jam is great with roasted vegetables and goes well with all meat dishes especially on barbeque chicken.

What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) roma (egg) tomatoes

1 small onion julienned

3-4 small red chillis (chopped)

6 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 small knob of ginger (chopped)

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tbsp mustard seed

1/2 tbsp turmeric

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt flakes

Cracked black pepper

What to do
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit)

Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle them with olive oil and roast in the oven until skins start to blister.

Sweat the onions in a pot in a touch of oil on low flame until they turn soft and translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients to the onions and sweat a few more minutes.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook out for 1-2 hours season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once all the ingredients are cooked out, allow to cool and puree in a food processor, refrigerate and use as needed

zucchini and feta tart

2010-10-05T16:19:00.002+08:00

What you need

6 medium zucchini,thinly sliced

2 Tbsp sea salt

6 eggs

2 Tbsp cornflour

½ cup finely chopped dill

80g fetta cheese, crumbled

Sea salt and white pepper

¹⁄³ cup finely grated parmesan

What to do

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Put half the zucchini slices in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Top with the remaining zucchini slices and salt. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, then rinse zucchini under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Set aside on a large baking tray.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add cornflour and whisk to combine. Add dill, crumbled feta cheese and salt and pepper to egg mixture and stir to combine. Put zucchini slices in prepared cake tin.

Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked in the centre when tested with a skewer.

Stand tart for 10 minutes before turning out onto a plate. Serve warm or cold, cut into wedges.

stuffed eggplant

2010-09-19T13:50:00.005+08:00

This is classic peasant food. It makes the most out of stale bread and eggplants when they are cheap and abundant in the summer. Like all rustic dishes if you get it right the taste is amazing.

what you need

2 medium sized egg plant

2 cups home made tomato sauce

1 cup quality bread crumbs

handful parsley leaves, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup grated parmesan

2 eggs

what to do

cut the egg plants in half and boil them until they are soft.

When cool scoop out the flesh gently, leaving the skin as a vessel.

In a bowl mix the flesh with all the ingredients minus the tomato sauce, making sure that the mixture is properly seasoned and that it’s not too wet or too dry.

Adjust accordingly adding more breadcrumbs if it’s too wet and more egg is it’s too dry.

Pack the eggplant skins with the mixture, pressing it gently.

In a non-stick pan with just a film of oil fry the eggplants with the stuffed side facing down so that a nice crust is formed and the contents are sealed.

Remove from the pan very gently and place the eggplants in a baking dish with the fried side facing upwards.

Spread the tomato over the surface of each eggplant, Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes .

stuffed tuscan loaf

2010-09-12T10:00:00.016+08:00

When deciding on what food to take on a fathers day picnic, the last thing i wanted to do was cook once we arrived.
So when deciding what to take one of things I went with was a stuffed Tuscan loaf, I took a large Tuscan cob loaf that I hollowed out and filled with all the things I love, basil pesto, fresh cut continental meats, grilled and marinated vegetables and provolone cheese.

This dish is something that the wives of men working in the fields would generally prepare, it was one way to have all their lunch in a easy to eat and carry way.

You could fill the loaf with what ever you like. for mine i hollowed out the loaf, and spread the entire inside with basil pesto.

Then layered all the things i like in side, fresh sliced, leg ham, proscuttio, various types of salami, fresh sliced tomato. fresh basil leaves, provolone cheese, feta cheese, fire roasted red peppers, grilled eggplant, olives and English spinach leaves.

You need to alternate the layers until it is full and compacted to the top, remember to work on the colours for maximum effect once you cut it open.

Once you have filled it to the top, ensuring the fillings are compacted tight, spread the lid with pesto and place on top, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

When read to serve cut in wedges with a sharp knife and enjoy.

Some of the other items we took were, bacon and leek tarts, rosemary and parmesan crumb chicken tenderloins, pizza bites, sweet potato risotto balls, roasted chicken thighs stuffed with ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes and lamb koftas.

While everyone one else was trying to get around the public BBQ that never seem to heat up down by the river, we were sitting back in the sun enjoying lunch and having a glass of wine.

That''s a stress fee fathers day.

gluten free pizza dough

2010-09-12T09:54:00.001+08:00

This dough is not like the traditional pizza dough but if you are gluten intolerant and love crispy base pizzas this is a great base to make.

what you need
450gr gluten free flour
550ml cold water

what to do
Place the gluten free flour in a large bowl and slowly add the cold water.Mix the flour and water together until you have a firm dough which resembles shortbread. The shortness of the dough will make it hard to knead.
After kneading for 7-10 minutes you should have a good pizza dough.
Roll out the dough and place on a baking tray slightly overlapping the edge, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Top as desired and bake.

note... if you don't let it rest and cook it straight away it will shrink and crack.

basic pizza dough

2010-09-12T09:37:00.003+08:00

Recently I had an email from Lu Anne requesting a pizza dough that she could make at home resulting in a thin crispy crust, unlike the thick bases in those large chain pizzas.

The key to crispy base is replacing some of the flour with fine semolina, and also to cook the pizza on a stone. The stone helps to draw out the moisture resulting in a crispier base.
If you aren't lucky enough to have a wood fired oven with a stone base, you can purchase pizza stones from most kitchenware stores, that you can heat up in your kitchen oven. The secret is to cook your pizzas directly on the stone and not on a metal tray.

what you need
1 kg (2.2lbls) strong bakers flour
10 grams salt (0.35oz)
10 grams sugar (0.35oz)
20 grams dry yeast (0.70 oz)
20mls good olive oil (0.70oz)
660mls water (22fl oz)

what to do
mix flour with salt, sugar and dry yeast.
place water and olive oil in an electric mixing bowl add all dry ingrediedients mix on low with a dough hook for 5 minutes. turn out and need for one minute.
place dough in a oiled bowl covered with cling film for approx 1.5 hours to double in size.
knock back and shape into pizza balls, let rest for 15 minutes, then roll out and top as desired.

crispy tip
If you want a crispier crust replace 200grams of flour with 200grams fine semolina

veal rolls with polenta

2010-08-29T14:10:00.001+08:00

what you need
4 (140g each) thin veal schnitzels, halved lengthways
4 slices pancetta, halved
2/3 cup (80g) semi-dried tomatoes
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 cup polenta
1/3 cup pure cream
Small fresh basil leaves, to serve

what to do
Place 1 piece veal on a plate. Top with 1 piece pancetta, 1 tablespoon tomatoes, 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 tablespoon basil. Roll up to enclose. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining veal, pancetta, tomato, cheese and basil.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook veal, turning, for 3 minutes or until golden. Add pasta sauce. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until veal is cooked through.
Meanwhile, place 3 cups cold water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Gradually add polenta in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until polenta is soft. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Remember to remove toothpicks from veal. Serve veal and polenta topped with basil.

Ciabatta Italian Bread

2010-08-29T13:54:00.002+08:00

Poolish (the starter dough)

what you need
300 g general purpose flour (Caputo Tipo 00 works well)
300 g room temperature water
1 g (pinch) yeast

what to do
Mix to a pancake batter consistency, cover with plastic wrap and let ferment for 3-4 hours, or overnight. Refrigerate after 3-4 hours.

The Finished Bread

what you need
The poolish, plus:
700 g flour
20 g salt
9 g yeast
430 g water (73% final hydration)

what to do
Mix the dough until it is well hydrated (it is very sticky).

Stretch and fold (like a letter) and let rest covered with plastic for 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold again, and let rest for 1 1/2-2 hours covered. (The stretch and fold lines up the gluten to give the dough structure.)

Cut the ball into 3 pieces, and stretch into the final shape.

Proof for 1 hour, then bake at 500ºF (plus or minus) until the internal temperature reaches 205ºF.

It’s a very moist dough, and you don’t slash it. The final shape looks almost like a dog bone, and the final bread is crusty, with big holes in the crumb.

ricotta and spicy chorizo calzone

2010-08-21T21:17:00.000+08:00

what you need
Basic pizza dough
180g 00 strong plain flour (or bread flour)
140ml warm water
1tbls Italian extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp dried yeast

For the filling
500g ricotta cheese
200g cooked spinach
15 slices of spicy chorizo sausage
Handful of Parmesan cheese
Handful of pitted black olives
3-4 tbsp passata tomato sauce
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Basic pizza dough
Mix the salt and the yeast in a bowl with the water. In another large bowl make a well in the centre of the flour and then add the water mixture and the extra virgin olive oil. Mix well with a wooden spoon until you create a doughy texture. Turn out the dough onto a clean well floured surface and work it with your hands for approx. 3 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with a towel, leave in a warm place and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes. At this stage, pre-heat the oven at 220º.

To make the calzone
Use a 30cm diameter pizza tray. Flatten the prepared dough into the tray with your hands.
Spread a thin layer of passata over the dough spread all the ingredients on one half of the pizza and very carefully fold the other half over the top and closing the edges with your fingertips. Bake for approx. 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

rosemary and parmesan crusted chicken cutlets

2010-08-20T21:01:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic crushed
5 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 grated parmesan
1 cup chopped parsley parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
500gr thinly sliced chicken breast
Salt
Pepper
5 Eggs
Vegetable oil

what to do
Beat 5 eggs together and add 1 cup of milk.
Soak Chicken Breast fillet in 2 cups of milk with the crushed fresh garlic. Can be made 2 hours before or soacked night before.
add chopped parlsey and rosemary to the bread crumbs.
Add parmesan to the bread crumb mixture.
Add a couple of pinches of salt and some cracked pepper.
Now drain the milk egg mixture of each cutlets and coat with bread crumb mixture and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.

Italian Sausages, with Potatoes and Rosemary.

2010-08-20T20:55:00.000+08:00

what you need
6 italian sausages
800 g kipfler potatoes scrubbed and sliced
1½ teaspoons Paprika
1 Rosemary stalk
4 Garlic Cloves unpeeled
sea salt
freshly ground Black pepper
2 Slices ciabatta bread
50 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 handful continental parsley

what to do
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Slice the sausages into 4cm pieces and place in a large roasting pan.
Add the potatoes, paprika, rosemary, garlic cloves, sea salt and pepper.
Tear the ciabatta into bite size pieces and add to the roasting tray.
Drizzle over the oil and gently toss to combine.
Place in the oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sausages and bread are golden brown.
Top with continental parsley and serve with a green salad and crusty bread

pasta with braised beef and tomato ragu

2010-08-07T14:52:00.000+08:00

A truly hearty Italian meal which will warm and fill anyone on these cold nights. This recipe is also well suited to lamb, especially lamb shanks.

what you need
1kg stewing beef on the bone (such as shoulder or veal shank)
100ml olive oil
3 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 bay leaves
400ml red wine
4 tablespoons tomato puree
4 x 400g cans chopped Roma tomatoes
600g rustic style pasta just as trofie
6-8 basil leaves, torn, to serve

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Season meat with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Heat a dash of olive oil in a heatproof casserole over a medium-high heat, brown meat all over, then remove and set aside.
Add remaining oil to casserole, reduce heat to medium, and fry onion, celery and garlic until softened. Add bay leaves, pour in wine and bring to the boil, then stir in tomato puree, canned tomatoes, 300ml water and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Place meat back in casserole and bring to a simmer, then cover casserole, transfer to the oven and cook for at least 3 hours, or until meat is tender and falling from the bone and sauce is a glossy, deep burgundy colour; if sauce starts to thicken too much, add a little extra water.
Allow to cool a little, then pull meat from the bone, discarding bone. Refrigerate meat in the sauce, then scoop off and discard surface fat, and divide ragù into two batches; reserve one batch for another mealtime

Cook pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente and reheat remaining batch of ragù. Toss drained pasta in the ragù, scatter with basil leaves, and serve immediately.

You could also serve this ragu with polenta or creamy mash potatoes.

raspberry and white chocolate friands

2010-08-07T14:28:00.000+08:00

what you need
125g fresh or frozen raspberries
185g butter, melted
6 egg whites
1 x 100g packet almond meal
1/2 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
100g white chocolate, chopped

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease 8 x 1/2 cup capacity loaf friand pans.
Crush 1/2 cup (75g) of the raspberries, place in large bowl with butter, egg whites, almond meal, flour, sugar and chocolate, and mix until combined.
Pour evenly among prepared pans. Scatter with remaining raspberries. Bake 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Stand 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with a little raspberry coulis, if desired.

italian sausage and cheese calzone

2010-07-01T06:46:00.000+08:00

whay you need
400g plain flour
100g semolina
1½ cups warm water
60ml olive oil
7g sachet dried yeast
1 Tbsp salt flakes
Extra 1 Tbsp olive oil
300g spicy italian pork sausages, out of their skins
2 large brown onions, sliced
¼ bunch oregano, leaves picked
Extra salt flakes and pepper, to season
400g ricotta
200g cherry bocconcini
150g parmesan, grated

what to do
Preheat oven to 200ºC. Put flour and semolina in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Attach dough hook. In a jug whisk together water, oil and yeast.

Turn mixer on low and pour in yeast mixture. Once all liquid has been added, increase speed to high, add salt and mix for 5 minutes until dough is soft and silky. Remove dough hook and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Put bowl in a warm place and allow dough to prove for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

Heat extra oil in a frypan. Add sausages and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes or until brown. Add onion, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. Add oregano and season with extra salt and pepper.

Divide dough into 4 portions and roll out into rounds. Divide ricotta between rounds, tear over cherry bocconcini and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt flakes and pepper. Sprinkle over parmesan and top with sausage mixture.

Fold over dough rounds to form half-moon shapes, then rope-twist the edges or press with a fork to seal. Put calzones on a heavy tray or preheated pizza stone and bake for 30 minutes or if your lucky as i am cook it in your wood fired oven..
Stand for 10 minutes, before serving

roasting meat

2010-06-19T15:45:00.000+08:00

Roasting large pieces of meat to the correct doness can be fairly difficult at times and once the roast is too much done, there is no turning back anymore.

The easiest solution to avoid disappointment is to use a meat thermometer. I prefer this “scientific” approach much better than how i learnt many years ago by “poking” a meat fork into the meat and establishing the doness of the meat by trying to judge the cooking temperature by the color of the juice that sipped out of the whole where the fork was removed and/or the temperature of the needle held against the lower lip ( which if well done can burn). This might be the “old fashion method” but it still works just as well especially when one is experienced in using this method.

What you'll need
* Meat thermometer, digital or analog
* Meat fork or stainless steel needle

What to do
While one can leave the thermometer inside the joint/roast while roasting, this is not always advisable as, especially when roasting meat on a BBQ grill, due to the basting with liquid or marinate.

Stick you needle into the meat, so that the needlepoint reaches the middle of the thickest point of the roast. Depending on the type of thermometer used, ensure that you allow time for the needle to come up to the final reading.

All meat should be well rested after roasting.
This is done on a warm (below 60C or 140 F) place; 10–20 minutes depending on the size of the roast will be sufficient. This will help in equally distributing the juices throughout the meat and the meat will be equally done rather then very bloody on the inside and grey around the edge of the meat.

In general the meat will “heat through” a bit during the resting period, one should calculate approximately 10% additional “cooking” during the resting period.

As a general guideline to determine the doneness follow these temperatures:

Very Rare / 45C (113F) / blood of meat will be cold
Rare / 50C (122F) / deep red to purple, “bloody”
Medium Rare / 55C (131F) / dark red
Medium / 60C (140F) / pale red,
Medium Well / 65C (150F) / light red to pink, almost clear
Well Done / 71C (160F) and above / clear, no blood visible

beef and red wine jus

2010-06-19T09:12:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered how to make that dark rick sauce that nearly every restaurant serves with their meat dishes, while it is best to make your own stock, there is nothing wrong with the good commercial ones you can by from the supermarket.

What you'll need
2 litre Veal or beef Stock
1 litre red wine
2 shallots (eschallots) peeled and halved
4 sprigs tyme
3 bay leaves

What to do
Place all the ingredients except for the veal stock in a sauce pan over a low flame and reduce by ½ (I usually make a little pen mark on the outside of the pot, so I know when it is half).

Add the veal stock and reduce that amount by half again.

Strain, portion and freeze and use as required for your next dinner party.

A little more than a tablespoon is all that is needed per serving of beef, lamb etc; so you should have enough here for a few dinner parties.

prawn oil

2010-06-19T09:03:00.000+08:00

Next time you prepare a dish that leaves you with a lot of left over shells do not throw all those wonderful bits out, instead make up this oil and you will regret every time you did throw them out. With this oil in your fridge you will be able to add a beautiful richness to a large range of dishes.

What you'll need
1 kg of any or all of the following: prawn, crab, lobster or bug heads & shells
1 brown onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
carrot (peeled and roughly chopped)
stalk of celery (roughly chopped)
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp tom paste
1 litre (1 quart) virgin olive oil

What to do
Crack, break or chop the shells into pieces (approx the size of a thumb nail).

In a large heavy based pot over high heat add a few tbs of olive oil and sauté the carrot, onion and celery until soft.

Add the shells and tomato paste and continue to cook a further 5-8 minutes.

Carefully pour in the remaining oil, add the bay leaves and thyme, make sure that all the ingredients are covered in oil, you may need to add more than a litre depending on the shape and size of your pot.
* Leave on high heat for 5 minutes and then reduce to low and allow to cook for at least 3 hours.

Turn off and allow to cool for at least 2 hours.

Once cooled strain though a colander and allow solids to drain of all the oil.

Discard the solids and strain the liquid through a fine chinois (sieve) at least twice.

Once oil is completely cooled down transfer it to a bottle and it will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of months.

chefs tip
When using the oil in recipes you will need to remove it from the fridge about an hour before you need it so it can become liquid again.

Use it as the oil called for in any seafood pasta dish. Toss it through any al'dente pasta along with a little chopped parsley. Drizzle it on top of any soup. Cook scrambled eggs with salmon in it. Once you understand the flavours in it, let your imagination run wild.

parmesan and herb crumbed lamb

2010-06-14T16:45:00.000+08:00

This dish, although inspired by the abundance of herbs in late spring, is a wonderful dish to have any time of year. I find it a great choice for entertaining, as you can crumb the lamb hours before. All you'll need to do when your friends arrive is cook the lamb, let the wine breathe and sit down to dinner.

what you need
12 lamb cutlets (ask your butcher to French, slightly tenderize and flatten them)
3 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 cups plain flour
4 eggs
1 cup milk

For the lamb
Lightly beat the egg and add the milk.

Place the flour into a wide bowl or dish and season with salt and pepper.

Place the crumbs, parmesan and herbs into a wide bowl or dish and mix in the pesto, (it may become lumpy but keep mixing it until you have an even texture.

Dust the cutlets in the flour, keeping the bone clean.

Then one at a time, moisten them with the egg and milk wash, again keeping the bone clean.

Allow the egg wash to slightly drain off and crumb them with the pesto bread crumb mix.

Place in the fridge if you are preparing ahead of time, or move right onto the next step.

Over medium-high heat, brown them off in a little butter mixed with extra virgin olive oil and transfer them to the oven for 5-10 minutes depending on whether you want well done or medium-rare cutlets.

I recommend a medium bodied red such as a Cabernet Sauvignon to go with the lamb.

Great as party food or serve as a meal with Caponata and mash potatoes and crusty bread.

peach and buttermilk muffins

2010-06-14T12:16:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 cups rolled oats (regular oats not instant or fast cook)
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
415g can peach slices in natural juice, drained, diced

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease three 6-hole, 1/3-cup capacity muffin pans.

Place oats, buttermilk, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Sift flour and cinnamon over oat mixture. Add sugar. Stir gently to combine. Fold in peach. Spoon mixture into muffin holes to completely fill (muffins won't rise much, due to the oats).

Bake muffins for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve muffins warm with cream cheese.

tomato dust

2010-06-13T16:38:00.000+08:00

This is perhaps the simplest of recipes and one of those that sound so fancy on a restaurant menu
But, tomato dust or powder is a handy thing to have around the kitchen. Use it as simple decoration sprinkled on the rim of plates or dust a little on top of the mascarpone that I like to top a creamy pasta with or to sprinkle on a savory souffle.

The same process can be applied to slivers of beetroot or carrots, citrus peel (peel only, all the white pith needs to be removed) and slivers of sweet potatoes to achieve different flavors and colors.

What you'll need

Tomato peel - the peel that is left and dis-garded when peeling tomatoes

What to do

Spread out the tomato peels on a baking paper lined sheet pan, or rack and dry in an oven at 80 C (175 F) for approx 2 hours, until the tomato skins are completely dry and crisp.

Place the crisp tomato peel into a coffee grinder or blender and turn it into a fine dust.

Store in a dry shaker for usage anytime when needed.

rich chocolate brownies

2010-06-13T16:30:00.001+08:00

What you'll need
500g butter
1Kg flour

120gr Sugar
8 Eggs
70g Cocoa Powder
50g Dark Chocolate
250g Roasted Hazelnuts (Chopped)

What to do
Heat the chocolate and butter until melted, don't boil. Pour into a large bowl and whisk in the sugar, adding the eggs one at a time, then sift in the flour and cocoa and chopped hazelnuts.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper and pour in the mixture, Bake at 150*c (302 F) for 35 minutes.

Remove the brownie from the baking tray, trim the edges off and cut into portions.

Top with some vanilla bean ice cream and a rich chocolate fudge sauce.

braised duck tagliatelle

2010-06-13T12:05:00.000+08:00

what you need
duck marylands
1 large onion and 1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste
1 tbs plain flour
2 cups (500ml) dry red wine
300ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves and 2 tbs thyme leaves
Pared rind and juice of 1 orange
500g tagliatelle or any wide pasta
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

what to do
Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Place a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add duck, skin-side down, and cook for 6 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove duck and drain fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a further minute.

Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine. Add the wine, stock, herbs, rind and juice. Bring to the boil and season. Return the duck to the pan, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.

Remove the duck from sauce, skim as much residual fat from the surface as you can. Place casserole over medium heat. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until sauce has reduced slightly. When duck is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred meat. Return meat to casserole.

To serve, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain. Return to the pan, add the sauce and toss to combine. Divide pasta among plates and serve sprinkled with parsley and grated parmesan, with a watercress, fennel and orange salad.

Note :
You can use ready made pasta, or you will find a recipe for fresh pasta on my site.
A maryland is the leg and thigh of the duck

pumpkin and date mufins

2010-06-06T13:36:00.000+08:00

what you need
2oz butter or margarine
6oz brown sugar
125mls water
1 egg (well beaten)
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100gr cooked and pureed pumpkin
6oz pitted dates cut into thirds and soaked in hot water

what to do
Preheat oven to 180f
Melt butter and brown sugar in the water and place into fridge to cool.
Grease muffin tray with butter or margarine
Beat the egg well and add pour the sugar/butter/water mix in and stir well
Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl make a well in the center and
pour the liquid in and stir until smooth add dates and spoon into tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes

warm pumpkin and goats cheese salad

2010-06-06T12:00:00.000+08:00

what you need

1/2 small jap pumpkin (skin on), cut into thin wedges
100ml olive oil
1 tbs thyme leaves
150g firm goat's cheese, cut into rounds
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 cups mixed baby salad leaves

what to do
Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Toss pumpkin with 2 tablespoons of the oil and thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until cooked and lightly caramelised. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, brush the cheese rounds with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and coat in the breadcrumbs. Place on a separate greased baking tray and chill until just before you're ready to serve the salad.

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the goat's cheese in the oven for 5-6 minutes until crumbs are golden.

Toss the salad leaves and pumpkin in half the vinaigrette and pile onto plates. Add the warmed goat's cheese and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

note: you can substitute panko crumbs for dry breadcrumbs

orange and poppy seed muffins

2010-06-05T16:16:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/3 cup extra-light olive oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 large oranges, rind finely grated, juiced
100g cream cheese
1/4 cup pure icing sugar

what to do
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place twelve 1/2-cup capacity extra-strength muffin cases on a baking tray (see note).
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in sugar and poppy seeds. Make a well in the centre.

Whisk oil, buttermilk, egg, 2 teaspoons orange rind and 1/2 cup orange juice in a jug.

Pour into well. Gently fold until just combined. Three-quarter fill muffin cases with mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand muffins on tray for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Place cream cheese and icing sugar in a small bowl. Using a wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind and 1 teaspoon orange juice and stir until well combined. Spoon mixture on top of muffins.

pumpkin, ricotta and sage lasagne

2010-06-05T15:55:00.000+08:00

what you need
1.2kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbs chopped sage, plus 12 whole leaves to serve
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
350g ricotta
1 egg
1 cup grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
8 fresh lasagne sheets
100g unsalted butter
2 tbs chopped walnuts

what to do
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Place the pumpkin on a baking tray, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with chilli flakes and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Allow to cool slightly.

Puree pumpkin in a food processor with the chopped sage and nutmeg. Set aside. Clean processor, then process the ricotta, egg, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Lightly grease a 24cm-square baking dish. Lay 2 lasagne sheets over the base and spread with half the pumpkin. Add another layer of lasagne sheets, then spread with half the ricotta. Repeat process, then sprinkle final layer of ricotta with extra parmesan. Lay a sheet of baking paper over surface, cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden. Stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter, sage leaves and walnuts in a pan for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until the butter starts to foam. Remove from the heat.
Serve the lasagne drizzled with sage butter, scattered with extra parmesan.

ricotta and blueberry muffins

2010-05-30T11:01:00.000+08:00

what you need
75g butter, softened
175g reduced-fat ricotta
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk
150g fresh or frozen blueberries

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan with paper muffin cases.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, ricotta, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour over butter mixture. Add milk. Gently fold in flour and milk until just combined. Fold in berries.
Spoon into muffin cases. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

chicken and chorizo rolls

2010-05-30T10:38:00.000+08:00

what you need

1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
500g chicken breast mince
i chorizo sausage,finely chopped/minced
1 egg, plus 1 extra lightly beaten egg
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 onion, grated
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed
good homemade Tomato to serve with

what to do
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
Process crumbs, chicken and unbeaten egg in a food processor until well combined.
Place in a bowl, mix well with all other ingredients, then season to tase.
Place 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface and halve.
Spoon an eighth of the mixture lengthways along centre of each piece. Fold 1 edge of pastry over and tuck in beside filling, then fold over other side to make a roll, pressing down lightly to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
Cut rolls into 3cm pieces and cut two small incisions into each roll to prevent splitting.
Place on baking sheets, cover and chill for 30 minutes. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls are lightly browned and cooked through.

Serve with sauce on the side

Lime, Chilli and Gin Jelly Oyster Shots

2010-05-26T18:07:00.000+08:00

what you need
10 rock oysters
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons gelatine
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
60ml gin
1/2 red chilli finely chopped
tabasco sauce to taste
1 lime, sliced into thin wedges

what to do
Divide oysters between 10 shot glasses.
Bring stock to the boil, remove from heat. Add gelatine and stir until gelatine has dissolved. Stir in all other ingredients. Cool to room temperature.

Pour mixture evenly over oysters. Top with lime wedges.

Chill for 1-2 hours until set.

chicken stock

2010-05-25T18:50:00.000+08:00

A good Chicken Stock is the building block of many a good soup, sauce and stew. Quality home made stock is to the Chef as much a staple as good olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Although there are many retail varieties of stocks now available, many of them I find too salty and contain a lot of unwanted additives. Plus I find something very enjoyable and therapeutic about making stocks for my kitchen. Not only can you claim to your quests that the entire dish is made from scratch but you will know exactly what is in the food you are eating.

What you'll need
6 chicken carcasses approx 1.5-2 kilos (4 lbs)
2 medium onions (peeled & quartered)
2 celery stalks (washed & roughly chopped)
2 peeled carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)
3 bay leaves
5-6 black peppercorns
Cold water

Makes approximately 3 litres of stock

What to do
Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring it all to the boil.
Once boiling immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 4 hours.
Every hour skim the foam off that accumulates on top and discard.
Strain the stock.
Discard the solids (if you used meaty carcasses, feel free to pull any of the meat off and use as desired).
Strain the stock through a fine strainer to remove any fine solid particles.
Refrigerate over night, (the following day remove and discard they layer of hard fat that has solidified on top overnight).

The stock can now be used as required, refrigerated for 2-3 days, or portioned and freeze to be used at your convenience for up to a few months.

Note:
If a very clear broth is desired, leave out the carrots and simmer for only 2-3 hours.
If a richer, darker stock is required brown the bones first in a 200 degree oven (400 Fahrenheit) and simmer for 6-8 hours (this may require adding more water during the simmering process to prevent the stock drying up).

Focaccia

2010-05-25T18:30:00.000+08:00

what you need
310ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
2 tsp caster sugar
3 1/2 tbs olive oil
450g (3 cups) plain flour
2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 1/2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves
20 pitted kalamata olives

what to do
Combine the water, yeast, sugar and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 5 minutes or until frothy. Place flour and half of the sea salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl with oil to grease. Place dough in bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Brush a 20 x 30cm Swiss roll pan with 2 teaspoons of remaining oil. Punch down centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until dough is elastic and has returned to original size. Press into the prepared pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 20 minutes or until doubled in height. Use your finger to press dimples into the dough. Brush with remaining oil and sprinkle over rosemary and remaining salt. Press the olives into the dough.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and focaccia sounds hollow when tapped on base.
Serve warm or at room temperature with good olive oil for dipping or filled with a variety of continental meats and marinatd vegetable and a little aoili

Margherita Pizza

2010-05-23T18:32:00.001+08:00

Margherita is a pizza prepared according to a recipe of the Italian chef Raffaelle Esposito. The pizza was first made in 1899 when Queen Marghereta visited Napels to escape a cholera epidemic in the north of Italy. The ingredients used to make a Margherita pizza, tomatos, mozzarella cheese and basil, imitate the colors of the Italian flag. Queen Margherata liked the pizza so much that she wrote a thank you letter to Esposito, who decided to name the pizza after the Queen.

what you need
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. plum Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12" uncooked dough crust
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese

what to do
Combine 2 Tbls. olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, and salt in bowl.
Allow to marinate while making dough.
Brush dough crust lightly with olive oil.
Top with cheese, then tomatoes.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in preheated 480F oven on pizza stone for 8−10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
Remove from oven and top with parmesan cheese, then basil.

Cool on a for 2−3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

pecan pie pizza

2010-05-23T18:28:00.000+08:00

I tried this pizza the other night for a group of friends and while they all only took one slice, to be polite of course, deep down i know they all wanted more, nice and warm straight from the oven and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. it wa so good.

what you need
10-12 inch basic pizza base
caramel sauce
110 gr caster sugar
1 cups pouring cream

what to do
Place sugar in a deep heavy-based frying pan and place over low-medium heat and stir until sugar just begins to dissolve. Cook without stirring, but shaking pan occasionally, until a golden-amber caramel forms. Meanwhile, heat cream in another saucepan until almost boiling, then gradually add to caramel, taking care as mixture will spit violently. Return mixture to heat and stir until well combined and smooth. Serve sauce immediately or cool to room temperature. Sauce will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. Sauce will thicken once refrigerated, warm to achieve the desired consistency.

pecan filling
150gr butter softened
150gr castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 eggs
150gr self raising flour, sifted
200gr roughly choped pecans

what to do
place sugar, butter, vanilla bean paste and eggs in mixer and beat till light and fluffy
add sifted flour and mix thoughly
fold through pecans.

to put together
roll out pizza dough and place on a oiled tray
spread half the caramel sauce once cold over dough leaving a rim around the edge
gently spread the pecan filling over the caramel sauce
bake for approx 10 minutes on 220c or until the centre springs back when touched.
Drizzle withthe remaining caramel sauce and serve hot with vanilla bean icecream

cheat tip... you can always buy the caramel sauce, and use sweet pastry if you prefer over pizza dough.

Spicy cashew nuts

2010-05-23T18:02:00.000+08:00

These spicy cashews are great to serve at a party or when friends come over for drinks you can also toss a few into a salad to give some extra crunch

What you'll need
1 kg Raw Cashews
30 grams Sea Salt flakes
50 grams Cajun Spices )
2 Egg Whites Lightly whisked

What to do
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, rub the mixture together with your hands to get a good coating over the cashews

Place on a lightly greased tray and dry at 120degC (250F) for 40 minutes
Once cool keep in an airtight container. They will last for a couple of weeks and you can crisp them up again in an oven at about 100degC (230F) for about ten minutes

Olive, goats cheese & chargrilled vegetable tarts

2010-05-23T17:41:00.000+08:00

what you need
Olive oil, to grease
12 60gr short pastry tart cases
120g goats cheese
50g char grilled eggplant, coarsely chopped
10 semi-dried tomatoes, halved length ways
10 pitted black olives, halved lengthways
20 small fresh basil leaves

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly brush a baking tray with oil to grease. Place the tartlet cases on a prepared tray.

Divide the goats cheese among the cases and top with the eggplant, tomato, capsicum and olive.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes or until just heated through. Top with basil leaves. Arrange on a serving platter to serve.

corn blini with avocado and salmon roe

2010-05-23T14:10:00.000+08:00

what you need

1 x 425g can corn kernels, drained
100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
3 eggs
2 small ripe avocados, halved, stones removed, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 tbs fresh lime juice
2-4 drops red Tabasco pepper sauce
Olive oil spray
40g salmon roe
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

what to do
Reserve 40g (1/4 cup) of the corn. Place the flour, eggs and remaining corn in the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes or until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the reserved corn.

Place the avocado, lime juice and Tabasco in the clean bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process for 1 minute or until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray to grease. Heat over medium-high heat. Place five 1-tablespoon quantities of the batter into the pan, allowing room for spreading. Cook for 30 seconds each side or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 5 more batches, with the remaining batter, reheating the pan between batches, to make 25 blini.

Spoon the avocado mixture among the blini. Top with salmon roe and coriander leaves to serve

eggplant bruschetta

2010-05-15T11:24:00.001+08:00

bruschetta
Bruschetta (pronounced "brusketta") is a traditional italian antipasto, where ‘bruscare’ means ‘to roast over coals’. it is then rubbed with fresh garlic and drizzled with olive oil. Most people think the word ‘bruschetta’ refers to the topping itself and not the dish.

what you need
2 large eggplants sliced
2 gloves garlic crushed
170ml olive oil
juice of one small lemon
salt and cracked pepper to tatse
4 slices bruschetta
grilled dense bread that has ben rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil

what to do
Heat a char grill or pan and place a few pieces of eggplant at time and cook till browned and soft. repaet till all egplant is cooked.
Place egplant in a bowl and combine with all other indredients, season to taste.
Top four slices with the bruchetta mix and drizzle a little extra olive oil over.

panzanelle

2010-05-15T11:12:00.000+08:00

what you need
1 loaf white Italian style bread
300ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
capers to tase
5 ripe tomatoes
1 small red onion
½ bunch basil
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Remove the crust from the bread. Cut into even sized cubes and bake until golden brown and dry. Cool.

In a bowl place the oil, vinegar and garlic. Add the bread and toss.

Remove the core from the tomatoes and roughly chop. Thinly slice the red onion and add both to the bowl. Pick the basil leaves and tear into small pieces, add the capers. Season to taste and serve immediately.

panettone french toast with mixed berries

2010-05-07T19:13:00.000+08:00

what you need
3 eggs 1/3 cup (80ml) thin cream
1/3 cup (80ml) milk
2 tbs caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Two 1.5cm-thick rounds of panettone* (cut across horizontally), quartered
250g frozen mixed berries, thawed
2 tbs icing sugar, plus extra to dust
40g unsalted butter
Thick cream or yoghurt, to serve

what to do
In a wide, shallow bowl, beat eggs, cream, milk, sugar and vanilla. Add the panettone, turn to coat and leave to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down from time to time to ensure it soaks up the batter.

Meanwhile, place half the berries in a blender with icing sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth. Combine with remaining berries and set aside.

Heat half the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Drain excess egg mixture from half the panettone slices and cook for 1-2 minutes each side until golden. Keep warm while you repeat with remaining butter and panettone.

To serve, place two slices on each plate, dust with icing sugar, and top with berry compote and a dollop of cream.

chefs tip... you can substitute panettone for and dense fruit bread...

seafood stew

2010-04-02T12:20:00.000+08:00

with easter now upon us, seafood is the prefered option for many reasons,this great seafood stew is both light and filling, and the flavours you get from really fresh seafood will make all the difference.

what you need
½ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
600g medium green prawns, peeled and butterflied
500g squid, cleaned, sliced into rings
1 fillet anchovy, chopped
½ cup white wine
400g can Italian chopped tomatoes
½ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
500g firm white fleshed fish fillets, such as cod or grouper cut into thick strips
600g black mussels, cleaned
extra parsley, to serve

what to do
Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof dish over a medium heat. Add garlic and prawns, cook until prawns are golden brown all over, remove prawns from dish and any garlic slices which are over-browning.

Add squid to dish and cook until golden, remove from pan and set aside. Stir in anchovy, wine, tomatoes and parsley and then bring to boil.

Scatter prawns, squid and fish over sauce in dish. Arrange the mussels standing up-right around edge of pan. Cover with foil, simmer gently for 10 minutes or until mussels have opened and seafood is just cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper, serve with lot of crusty bread

stuffed baby squid

2010-04-02T08:37:00.000+08:00

what you need
50g fetta, crumbled
½ chorizo (75g), finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
grated rind of ½ lemon and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
6 squid tubes, cleaned
1 tablespoon olive oil

what to do
Preheat barbecue or fry pan
Combine fetta, chorizo, tomato, lemon rind, breadcrumbs, parsley and oregano in a bowl. Season with pepper. Spoon into squid tubes and secure with toothpicks. Brush with oil.

Cook squid for 2 minutes each side. Drizzle with lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes, until opaque and well browned. drizzle with some good olive oil, Serve with lemon wedges."

Ce careful not to overcook or the squid will become very tough

grilled polenta with proscuitto

2010-03-12T08:10:00.000+08:00

what you need
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup instant polenta
50g unsalted butter

6 slices proscuitto
1 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, roasted, seeds removed, sliced
1/2 cup small black olives
2 cups wild rocket leaves
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle

what to do
Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan with 2 cups (500ml) water.
Bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to very low. Slowly add the milk, then the polenta, whisking continuously. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, then add the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into a 20cm x 30cm shallow baking tray. Allow to cool, then place in the fridge for about 1 hour until firm.
Place a chargrill pan over very high heat or heat a BBQ. Cut the polenta into 6 triangles, wrap with the proscuitto and use the tablespoon of oil to lightly brush both sides. Chargrill for 3 minutes each side until charred and crisp.

To serve, place a wedge of grilled polenta on each plate, top with slices of roasted capsicum, a few olives and some leaves. Drizzle with extra olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.

Nashi Pear, Rocket and Pecorino Salad

2010-02-06T16:40:00.000+08:00

What you'll need

For the Salad
90 g rocket (Arrugola) leaves
30 g Pecorino Romano
1 pc Nashi pear
12 cherry tomatoes
100 g arrugola leaves

For the Dressing
45 ml lemon juice, fresh, approximately 1 lemon
45 ml honey
10 g Dijon mustard
Sea salt
Pepper from the mill
30 ml (1 oz) cider vinegar

What to do
In a bowl, combine the mustard with the lemon juice and honey. Whisk until completely dissolved.
Season with the sea salt and pepper from the mill. As the Pecorino Romano cheese is fairly salty it is wise to keep your dressing slightly bland.
Chill the dressing well until usage.
Core the Nashi pear and quarter it. Slice the individual quarters further into very thin wedges.
Clean the rocket leaves off the stem and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Shave the Pecorino Romano cheese with a vegetable peeler into thin wide strips.
Arrange the Nashi pear, rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes on the serving plates and drizzle with the dressing before serving.

Add the Pecorino Romano shavings just ahead of serving the salad.

Chilli Jam

2010-01-04T09:55:00.000+08:00

What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) roma (egg) tomatoes
1 small onion julienned
3-4 small red chillis (chopped)
6 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 small knob of ginger (chopped)
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp mustard seed
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper corn mill

What to do
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit)
Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle them with olive oil and roast in the oven until skins start to blister.
Sweat the onions in a pot in a touch of oil on low flame until they turn soft and translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients to the onions and sweat a few more minutes.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook out for 1-2 hours season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once all the ingredients are cooked out, allow to cool and puree in a food processor, refrigerate and use as needed"

Hollandaise Sauce

2010-01-03T12:58:00.000+08:00

This would have to be Angie's favourites sauce and one of the main reasons we go out for breakfast, having this thick creamy sauce poured over her eggs and grilled ham (eggs benedict) or for me with smoked salmon and sauteed spinach with poached eggs. Also great on grilled salmon and fresh steamed asparagus.

What you'll need
400 grams (14 oz) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
White wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Ground white pepper

What to do
Fill a medium sized saucepan approx 1/3 full with water and put on to boil.

Place the butter in a clear microwave safe dish and microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes, (until the butter has separated).

Pour the clarified butter off the top into another container and discard the white liquid left at the bottom.

Reheat the clarified butter a further 2 minutes and skim any impurities off the surface.

In a large stainless steel mixing bowl place the egg yolks with a few drops of water and whisk together and then whisk in 2 tsp of vinegar.

Place the bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the egg yolks have thickened and become lighter in colour.

Remove the bowl from the pan and place it on a folded slightly wet towel.

Gradually add the still warm clarified butter in a steady stream whilst whisking the eggs.

Keep adding the butter as long as the eggs will hold it, (if the sauce gets a slightly shiny oily appearance, hold off with adding the butter and continue to whisk until the oily appearance has disappeared).

Once all the butter has been incorporated add the lemon juice, (if the sauce appears too thick whisk in 1 tbsp of tepid water).

Season to taste and serve (the sauce can be kept in a slightly warm spot or in a Bain Marie)."

Reduced Balsamic

2010-01-03T10:16:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered what that black sticky sauce is on the plate when you dine out, well its a reduced balsamic vinegar, used more as a garnish by some restaurants than for its flavour.

Reduced Balsamic is one of those incredibly simple items to prepare, yet expensive to buy, it is simply Balsamic Vinegar that has been reduced over heat till a thick sweet surup is formed. This is a great ingredient to have on hand in any kitchen. It's sweet yet slightly tart flavour not only is the perfect complement to many dishes but makes a very visually appealing garnish.

What you'll need
Balsamic vinegar (about 2/3rds of the volume will be lost, so you'll need to decide before you start how much you would like to be left with.)

What to do
Pour the Balsamic vinegar into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes or until reduced by 2/3rds.
Allow to cool and use as desired.
I pour mine back into the bottle and mark it as 'reduced'.
It will keep for months and months in the pantry.

why not try infusing it with different flavours like
lemon - great for seafood dishes
rosemary - perfect for lamb
tyme - for beef dishes
orange - drizzle over fresh strawberries
chilli - to add some heat

Just add the jest or a sprig in the last 15 minutes of simmering s not to ver power the balsamic flavour

Chicken Stock

2010-01-03T09:44:00.000+08:00

A good stock is the basis of many a great, soup, stew or sauce. Without a good stock recipes don't have the great depth of flavour required to bring out the best in any dish. While it is possible to purchase ready made stocks from the supermarket, i find many of them far to salty and lack that true natural chicken flavour. So why not make a batch and freeze in portions and you will have months of chicken stock on hand to add to any dish.

What you'll need
6 chicken carcasses approx 1.5-2 kilos (4 lbs)
2 medium onions (peeled & quartered)
2 celery stalks (washed & roughly chopped)
2 peeled carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)
3 bay leaves
5-6 black peppercorns
Cold water
Makes approximately 3 litres of stock

What to do
Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring it all to the boil.
Once boiling immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 4 hours.
Every hour skim the foam off that accumulates on top and discard.
Strain the stock.
Discard the solids (if you used meaty carcasses, feel free to pull any of the meat off and use as desired).
Strain the stock through a fine strainer to remove any fine solid particles.
Refrigerate over night, (the following day remove and discard they layer of hard fat that has solidified on top overnight).
The stock can now be used as required, refrigerated for 2-3 days, or portioned and frozen to be used at your convenience for up to a few months.

Note
If a very clear broth is desired, leave out the carrots and simmer for only 2-3 hours.
If a richer, darker stock is required brown the bones first in a 200 degree oven (400 Fahrenheit) and simmer for 6-8 hours (this may require adding more water during the simmering process to prevent the stock drying up)."

Mushroom-and-Goat-Cheese Stuffed Chicken Thighs

2010-01-03T09:29:00.000+08:00

what you need
1 rasher of bacon
500gr (4oz) finely chopped button mushrooms
1 shallot finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped tyme
250gr (2oz) fresh goast cheese
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon plain flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and papper to taste

what to do
"Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F. In a medium pan, cook the bacon over high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the thyme and goat cheese and let cool slightly.

Arrange the chicken thighs on a work surface, skin side down. Using a meat pounder, lightly pound the thighs until they are a scant 1/2 inch thick.
Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the thighs and roll them up; the skin should almost wrap around the meat. Tie each bundle with kitchen string in 2 places.

In a large, ovenproof pan, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add the bundles to the pan. Cook over moderately high heat, turning, until lightly browned all over, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken skin side up.
Transfer to the oven and roast for about 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Pour the chicken fat and pan drippings into a bowl and skim off the fat, reserving 1 teaspoon in the pan. Whisk in the flour and cook over moderate heat until foamy. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan with a wooden spoon, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour the reserved pan drippings and any accumulated juices from the chicken into the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove the strings from the chicken thighs, drizzle with the sauce and serve witgh creamt mash potatoes.

Tzatziki

2009-12-24T17:49:00.000+08:00

Tzatziki, is a wonderful addition to many meals. I like to use it on virtually any grilled fish or chicken dish. Use it as a dip for vegetables, or a replacement to mayonnaise. Of course traditionally it is served with Greek dolmades or chicken souvlaki.

What you need
500 grams (1 lb) thick full fat yoghurt
½ Lebanese cucumber (peeled, seeded and finely diced)
1 small clove garlic (finely diced)
Sea salt
Black pepper corn mill
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon

What to do
Pour any liquid collected on the top of the yoghurt off.
Squeeze as much juice from the diced cucumber as possible.
Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, a few pinches of salt, a few turns of the pepper mill, 2 tbsps olive oil, and the lemon juice.

Gently stir and place in the fridge for 1 hour prior to serving. grea served with Lamb koftas or barbequed meats.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

2009-11-21T16:44:00.000+08:00

what you need

2 (8 ounce) sweet potatoes
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour

what to do

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, or until soft to the touch. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to work with, remove the peels, and mash them, or press them through a ricer into a large bowl. Blend in the garlic, salt, nutmeg, and egg. Mix in the flour a little at a time until you have soft dough. Use more or less flour as needed.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. While you wait for the water, make the gnocchi. On a floured surface, roll the dough out in several long snakes, and cut into 1-inch sections. Drop the pieces into the boiling water, and allow them to cook until they float to the surface. Remove the floating pieces with a slotted spoon, and keep warm in a serving dish.

Serve with butter and shaved parmesan or creamy pesto sauce."

Baba Ghanouj - eggplant dip

2009-11-21T16:26:00.000+08:00

what you need

2 large eggplants
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup (purchased) roasted red capsicum, chopped
5 tbs roasted tahini
2 tbs rice wine vinegar (sweet vinegar)
2 tbs ground coriander
4 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, sliced coarsely
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Prick the surface of the eggplant all over, and brush it well with olive oil.You can either bake the eggplant at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, Or, you can put it on the grill over medium heat, turning several times, until the skin is well charred and the pulp is soft. Use a fork to test the flesh for doneness. the charring method will give the dip a nice smokey flavour.

Cool the eggplant for at least 10-15 minutes before you try to work with it.

Heat 2 T olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red capsicum, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.

Cook for about 2 more minutes then remove the contents to a bowl to cool (about five minutes).
Place the mixture into a blender, and process until smooth.

Remove the pulp of the eggplant and throw away the skin.

Add the eggplant to the blender with the mixture and combine until smooth. You need to add the eggplant immediately to the mixture, because the acid in the lemon juice will keep it from turning brown. It would still taste good but it wouldn’t be nearly as appetizing to look at.

After you put the baba ghanouj to a serving bowl, sprinkle with about 2 T extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian parsley over the top

chicken with lemon & tyme

2009-11-21T16:14:00.000+08:00

what you need

1/2 chicken on the bone
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
fresh tyme sprigs

4 lemons
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

what to do
Thoroughly wash and dry the chicken .

Cut 2 lemons into round slices.

Salt and pepper chicken on both sides.

Place chicken skin side up in a casserole dish.

Mix oil,lemon juice,parsley.

Pour over chicken.

Sprinkle tyme all over chicken and refrigerate for about an hour.Turn the chicken over and sprinkle more tyme on top then refrigerate for about another hour.

After the chicken is marinated. place in the oven (190 celcius) for about 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and roast for about another 20 minutes while basting with the oil and juice mixture.

Great served with citrus spiced cous cous

Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Zucchini Rolls

2009-10-26T15:38:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 large zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or substitute domestic parmesan)
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped thyme

what to do
Preheat a grill pan. Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the hot grill pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the grill marks show.If you do not have a grill pan, brush zucchini slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and sauté in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and just tender (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the goat cheese wih the Parmigiano, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, and set aside.Remove the zucchini slices from the grill, and set aside to cool slightly. Spread goat cheese mixture over one side of the zucchini slices, roll up, and arrange on a platter. Serve cold or at room temperature.

pepperoni calzone

2009-10-21T15:09:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 x 250gr pizza dough balls
1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

what to do
Punch dough down.On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 14" circle .Place one circle on a greased baking sheet. Spread spaghetti sauce in a strip down the center. Sprinkle with oregano, pepperoni,and mozzarella cheese.Fold over dough and seal edges; repeat for other circle

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.Bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown in a traditional oven.

For party food make the circles about 4"round and fill as above. fillings can be varied like spinach & cheese, ham & mushroom or what ever you like to try.

chicken marsala

2009-10-21T06:20:00.000+08:00

what you need

3 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 tbls unsalted butter

2 cups fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbls olive oil

1 cup marsala wine

1/2 cup fresh cream

Preparation:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place the breasts between layers of plastic wrap, and pound until thin. . Clean and slice the mushrooms.

Dust the chicken with the flour. Shake off excess flour.

Heat the oil and butter to medium-high temperature in a large saute pan. Add the chicken, and brown on one side. Turn over, and add the mushrooms.

Pour in the wine, and reduce to half the volume, add cream and cook till reduced and thickened

Great served on mash with fresh steamed beans with the sauce poured over.

rigatoni with Italian sausage

2009-10-20T14:37:00.000+08:00

what you need

500gr rigatoni pasta

1/2 onion finaly diced

1 glove garlic chopped

500gr Italian sausage (with fennel if possible)

2 tbs olive oil

1 cup tomato passata or canned tomatoes

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper

freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley leaves

what to do
Place the sausage in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water. Cover, bring to a boil and turn heat down to low. Simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sausage cool to room temperature. Remove casings from sausage and chop finely.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic, turn heat to low and cook till softened, Stir in tomato passata, sausage, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large volume of boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Drain in a colander, transfer to a bowl . Mix 3/4 of the sauce with the pasta and spoon remaining sauce and sausage on top.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

spaghetti carbonara

2009-10-19T14:24:00.000+08:00

what you need
4 ounces spaghetti (or other pasta like fettuccini, linguine, or tortellini)
4 ounces pancetta, cut into thin strips

3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 green onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/8 to 1/4 cup pasta cooking water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

what to do
Add olive oil to a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and onion and continue cooking and stirring until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (just tender).
In a small bowl mix together egg yolks, cream, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, remove 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water and slowly whisk into the egg yolk mixture (to temper eggs), beating vigorously to prevent eggs from scrambling.
Quickly drain the pasta in a colander and return to pot. Immediately toss in the egg and pancetta mixtures, stirring the spaghetti continuously to both cook the eggs and coat the pasta. Serve immediately in heated bowls with a healthy grind of black pepper and season with salt to taste.

Top with grated Pecorino Romano, if desired

sun dried tomato pesto

2009-09-13T14:02:00.000+08:00

what you need

1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 generous packed cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1/4 cup grated parmigianno regianno
1 cup olive oil

what to do

Drain your sun dried tomatoes, lightly rinse them, and then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Toast your almonds in a dry shallow pan or hot oven. They will take about 10 minutes, and you will smell when they are done.
In a large food processor, combine the basil, toasted almonds, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. Process until coarsely chopped.
Add the sun dried tomatoes and parmigianno cheese and process until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
Now stream in the olive oil slowly and process until the pesto comes together.
Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

marinated mushrooms

2009-09-12T18:29:00.000+08:00

This recipe for marinated mushrooms is so easy, it keeps for weeks and can be done in large volumes. So now you can serve homemade marinated mushrooms and not have to pay the high price from the gourmet deli , perfect to serve as part of a antipasto platter.

What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) Swiss Brown or button Mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup of red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

fresh rosemary sprig
Sea salt flakes
Pepper mill

What to do
Grate or finely chop the garlic
Add the garlic to the mushrooms
Place a large pot on medium high heat
Add 4-5 tablespoons oil
Add mushrooms & garlic
Stir for about 1 minute
Add the red wine
Increase the heat to high, stir and cook for 1 minute
Add the vinegar and stir through
Season with salt & pepper
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes
Allow to cool
Drain & serve (reserve the liquid)
Can be served whole as part of antipasto platter, in salads or even sliced on bruschetta

Store remaining mushrooms covered in the marinade in fridge

beef goulash

2009-09-11T21:37:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.25kg boneless veal shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes
2 brown onions, halved, sliced
1 large red capsicum, sliced
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
3/4 cup dry white wine
690g bottle Italian tomato passata sauce
3 dried bay leaves
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 small desiree potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
cooked pasta (such as spaghetti or fettuccine), to serve

what to do
Preheat oven to 130°C. Heat oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the veal. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Remove to a bowl. Repeat in 2 batches with remaining veal.
Reduce heat to low. Add onions and capsicum to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soft. Add paprika and caraway seeds. Cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Return veal to pan. Add passata, bay leaves, stock and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 2 1/2 hours or until veal and potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Spoon goulash over pasta or try serving with polenta or gnocchi

basil pesto

2009-09-10T13:56:00.000+08:00

what you need
45g (1/4 cup) pine nuts
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 small garlic cloves, halved
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
5 tbs olive oil

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spread the pine nuts over a baking tray. Bake in oven for 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
Place the pine nuts, basil, garlic and parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin steady stream until well combined.

Chicken Cacciatore

2009-09-09T08:52:00.000+08:00

Chicken cacciatore literally means 'hunter's style chicken'. This stew originates in central Italy and dates to the 15th Century when only the affluent could afford poultry and the sport of hunting.

what you need
8 chicken thigh fillets
plain flour, for dusting
salt and cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 cup (160ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
steamed vegetables, to serve

what to do
Dust chicken thigh fillets in combined flour, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, in batches, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in stock, wine and tomatoes, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir through olives and oregano, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve with steamed vegetables.

Or try with chicken pieces and braise slowly in a covered dish in the oven for 90 minutes for a more full flavoured dish

eggplant rolls

2009-09-06T20:27:00.000+08:00

what you need

3 eggplants
250 g cottage cheese or soft cheese
1-2 garlic cloves
rosemary, thyme, parsley,
salt to taste

cracked pepper
olive oil for frying

what to do
Wash the eggplants, trim off the ends and cut them along in thin slices.
Pour olive oil into a frying pan and fry eggplant slices on both sides until they get soft, for about 2 minutes each side.
Chop herbs finely. Mash garlic cloves.
Mix the herbs and the garlic with cottage cheese or any soft cheese. Salt slightly if needed and cracked pepper to taste.
Then put cottage cheese on the warm eggplant slices and fold them into rolls.

Serve the rolls cold, drizzle with good olive oil light squeeze of lemon

chilli spiced polenta cakes

2009-09-05T07:59:00.000+08:00

what you need
1 1/2 cups polenta

1/2 cup diced roasted green chilies

1 small onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

what to do
Sweat the onion and garlic in a dash of oil. Add the green chilies and the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the polenta and keep stirring until the spoon stands up-right without falling over, about ten minutes.

Spoon polents mixture into well greased muffin trays, and bake for 25-30 minutes at 180c or until golden brown.

Serve warm with crisp salad and red pepper sauce or tomato salsa

lamb kofta with garlic & lemon yoghurt

2009-09-05T07:55:00.001+08:00

what you need

8 garlic cloves
200g plain natural yoghurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
700g lean lamb mince
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
olive oil cooking spray
lemon wedges, to serve

what to do
Preheat oven to 200°C. Wrap 7 garlic cloves in foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until garlic softens. Remove from oven. Carefully remove from foil. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Squeeze garlic from skin into a food processor. Discard skins. Add yoghurt, fresh coriander, lemon rind and lemon juice. Process until combined. Season with salt. Transfer to a bowl.
Peel and crush remaining garlic clove. Place lamb, onion, cumin, ground coriander, garlic and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix to combine. Divide mixture into eight oval shapes. Thread onto skewers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat a barbecue plate or chargrill on medium-high heat. Spray skewers with oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, or until cooked through.
Arrange koftas on a platter. Serve with mixed greens yoghurt mixture and lemon wedges.

italian braised pork

2009-07-16T21:07:00.000+08:00

what you need
2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5kg pork shoulder, rolled and tied

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped coarsely

½ small fennel bulb (100g), chopped coarsely

8 slices hot pancetta (120g), chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ cup (125ml) dry white wine

400g can whole tomatoes

1 cup (250ml) chicken stock

1 cup (250ml) water

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 large fennel bulbs (1kg), halved, sliced thickly

spice rub

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon sea salt2 teaspoons olive oil

what to do

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Heat oil in large flameproof casserole dish on stove top; cook pork, uncovered, until browned all over.Meanwhile, combine ingredients for spice rub in small bowl.Remove pork from dish; reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil in dish; discard remainder. Cook garlic, onion, chopped fennel and pancetta in same heated dish, stirring, until onion softens. Add paste; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.Meanwhile, rub pork with spice rub. Return pork to dish with wine, undrained tomatoes, stock, the water and rosemary; bring to the boil; cover. Transfer dish to oven; cook 1 hour. Add sliced fennel to dish; cover. Return dish to oven; cook 1 hour. Remove pork from dish; discard pork rind. Cover pork to keep warm.Meanwhile, cook braising liquid in dish, uncovered, over medium heat on stove top until thickened slightly. Serve sliced pork with sauce, and warm ciabatta bread, if desired

date and chocolate torrone

2009-07-16T21:01:00.000+08:00

what you need

1/3 cup (55g) currants

¼ cup (60ml) brandy

200g unsalted butter, chopped

300g dark chocolate, chopped

2 eggs

½ cup (110g) caster sugar

225g shortbread biscuits, broken into chunks

2/3 cup (110g) finely chopped mixed peel

½ cup (70g) pitted dates, chopped
1/3 cup (55g) roasted almonds, coarsely chopped

cocoa, to dust

what to do
Line base and long sides of two 8 by 26cm bar cake pans with baking paper. Combine currants and brandy in a bowl. Cover and set aside for 1 hour. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Stir over simmering water until melted and smooth. Using an electric beater, beat eggs and sugar together until pale and thick. Stir in chocolate mixture, currants and brandy. Gently fold in remaining ingredients until just combined.Spoon into prepared pans and spread out. Cover surface with plastic wrap and smooth out. Refrigerate overnight, until set. Remove plastic wrap, turn out onto a board and dust with cocoa.

Slice and serve, or cut in half lengthways and wrap to give as a gift.

bread and butter pudding

2009-06-27T14:13:00.000+08:00

As the winter settles in and the temperature falls this is a great winter dessert and good way to warm up, make sure you use day old bread, or try using old croissants for something a little richer and more indulgent.

85 gm (½ cup) sultanas
2 tbsp brandy, warmed
5 eggs
300 ml pouring cream
300 ml milk
55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar
1orange, finely grated rind only
1vanilla bean, seeds only
½ tsp ground cinnamon
8 1.5cm-thick slices of day-old white bread
60 gm soft butter, plus extra for greasing
1 tbsp demerara sugar
To serve: icing sugar and vanilla bean ice-cream or double cream

Combine sultanas and brandy in a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Combine eggs, cream, milk, caster sugar, orange rind, vanilla seeds and cinnamon in a jug. Whisk vigorously to combine and set aside.
Spread both sides of bread slices with butter and halve lengthways. Scatter one third of the brandied sultanas into a lightly greased 1-litre capacity ovenproof dish. Trim bread slices to fit dish and layer, scattering remaining brandied sultanas between each layer. Pour cream mixture evenly over bread slices and stand until bread has completely absorbed cream mixture (about 1 hour).
Preheat oven to 180C. Scatter demerara sugar over pudding and bake until golden and custard is firm (30-40 minutes). Serve immediately or at room temperature, lightly dusted with icing sugar, and with scoops of vanilla ice-cream or cream to the side, if desired

mixed berry & frangellico trifle

2009-05-22T13:09:00.000+08:00

This well presented, simple mixed berry trifle individually served is a perfect dessert for any dinner party.

what you need

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
250gr mascarpone
8 x 1cm-thick slices panettone
300g fresh or frozen mixed berries

what to do

Use a balloon whisk to whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoonful of the Frangelico and whisk until smooth. Add the mascarpone and use a metal spoon to gently fold until just combined.Use an round pastry cutter to cut discs from the panettone slices. Brush four discs with a little of the remaining Frangelico. Place in the base of four 1-cup (250ml) capacity serving glasses. Spoon half the berries evenly among serving glasses. Top with half the mascarpone mixture.Continue layering with remaining berries, mascarpone mixture, panettone and Frangelico, finishing with a layer of mascarpone. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill before serving