stuffed tuscan loaf

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.

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1.03.01

gluten free pizza dough

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.