A taste...

Ingredients:

1 onion
1 bunch Pak Choy (or similar green Chinese vegetable)
2 cups mixed Broccoli and Cauliflower florets
1 large Carrot
1 glove Garlic
1 tablespoon chopped Ginger
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (or 2 whole birdseye chilli chopped if available)
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 handful Peanuts
Soy sauce for stir frying
Oil for frying
1 or 2 rounds of noodles (see notes)

Method:

1. Heat a wok with good quality vegetable oil (I by default use virgin olive oil, but cheaper vegetable oils will suffice). Fry the chilli and garlic in the oil until aromatic. Add the onions chopped into evenly sized strips and sweat.
2. Slice the carrots into thin lengths, cut the Pak Choy stalks into bite sized pieces. Throw these into the wok with the ginger and continually stir.
3. At this point boil water for the noodles and add to water only after boiling. Noodles should be checked for animal by product; I use Noodle King noodles which may be purchased at most Asian supermarkets for about 60c a pack. These use Tapioca rather than egg as a binding agent and are highly recommended for texture and taste as well as Vegan compatibiilty. Frisk noodles with a set of chopsticks while cooking to ensure they do not clump.
4. While the noodles are boiling (only requires around 2-3 minutes) add soy sauce with a little water to the stir fry. Then add the florets and the Pak Choy leaves and continue to stir fry.
5. Transfer the cooked noodles from the saucepan to the wok, a little water is preferred and will allow the noodles to coat. Add the sugar to the stir fry as you are stirring the noodles and vegetables together.
6. When the stir fry is well mixed and all the vegetables and noodles are well coated in the sauce serve in a large noodle dish. Chop the peanuts and sprinkle on top or mix through the stir fry if preferred. I tend to leave it out as a garnish owing to risk of guests with peanut allergy.
7. If you are allergic to nuts, looking for a lower fat alternative or simply a different source of protein then swap the nuts for half a cup of chopped Nigiri tofu and stir fry with the hard vegetable ingredients. You may if you wish use a textured vegetable proteine however I fail utterly to understand the idea of fake meat and so don't advocate it's use in cooking.
8. Also remember the point of stir fry is to use what vegetables you have; if you're maintaining a vegan diet the likelihood is that you have a large array of stir fry contendors in your fridge but if you are doing a one of feel free to exchange for any vegetable you like (this just happens to be what was in my fridge today). Capsicum, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts make awesome crunchy additions and I will always include these in stir fry when my cupboard isn't sparse from being recently returned from Europe.

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Ingredients:

1 large brown onion
2 cans kidney beans (or 1 large bowl of kidney beans soaked in water over night and then par boiled in salt)
1.5 cups sweet corn
1 large capsicum
1 large can of diced tinned tomatoes
1 tablespoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon chilli powder (unless a total wuss)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspon oregano
1/2 teaspon marjoram
Olive (or other vegetable) oil for frying

Method:

1. Dice the onions and fry in a small amount of salt with a fair quantity of oil - make a pool about the size of the palm of your hand in the pan. Add the chilli flakes to the onion, and garlic if desired.
2. Add the beans with a little of the juice, more of it adds a slightly thicker consistency to the chilli from the bean proteins. The secret to really good thick chilli is to take a potato masher at this point and mash about half of the beans once they are hot from frying. This allows you to 'refry' the insides and releases much more of the protein into the sauce.
3. Dice the capsicum and fry with the beans and onion, once this is soft add all the spices and fry into the vegetable mixture, add more oil if required. Once the vegetables have fried with the spices for about 2 minutes then add the tomatoes with a cup or two of water. Remember if you're feeling lazy you can add a pack of taco or chilli con carne seasoning rather than individual spices; be sure to check for animal stock powders though and remember that these spice packs usually contain bean flour or corn starch and so may require a little more liquid or oil to counteract.
4. Once at boiling point add the sweet corn and turn the temperature down to reduce the sauce some what. If you have the time over the course of a day, adding more water and then reducing multiple times makes a softer thicker chilli as the beans and corn are softened.
5. You can serve this with just corn chips or rice cooked with chilli; however my favourite is to serve it in white flour tortillas with shredded lettuce, guacamole and tomato. Tortillas and plain salted Corn Chips should always be Vegan friendly but check for animal sourced preservatives on the packaging. Rosita's Mexican Meal Range are available at all Woolworth's and are not only Vegan friendly but damn good quality and Australian owned and made.
6. For those intent on animal products... This recipe works quite well with meat, just replace half the beans with some lean beef mince and reduce the amount of oil used. Service with sour cream and cheese for the dairy tolerant and thin of waist.

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1 (2 to 3 pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
1 cup rice flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 serrano chile, sliced thin
1/2 cup fermented black beans*
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
*Can be found at Asian markets and gourmet shops.

1. Remove the head from the fish (or have your fishmonger do this) and cut the fish into 2-inch thick steaks. Put the rice flour on a plate and season it well with salt and pepper; dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour, shaking off any excess.
2. In a deep pot or a wok large enough to hold the fish, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F. Carefully put in the fish and deep-fry until it is browned, crisp, and cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the fish pieces and drain them on paper towels; place them onto a platter.
3. Carefully drain all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the wok. Stir-fry the scallions, ginger, garlic, and chiles for about 2 minutes. Add the black beans and fry for another minute. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.
4. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water making sure to get out all the lumps. Pour this slurry into the black bean mixture (it will thicken immediately) and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish pieces, garnish with cilantro leaves, and serve.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

80g bacon
80g butter
1 clove garlic
1 small onion
1 leek
150g tomatoes
100g asparagus
150g green beans
2 potatoes
2 zucchini
1 celery stick
1.5ltr light consume
Salt and Pepper
Small pasta
80g parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Chop bacon and brown it in butter with garlic, onion & leek.
2. Add chopped tomatoes then remaining vegies chopped in small pieces, consume, salt and pepper
3. Simmer until tender then add pasta
4. When pasta tender remove from stove and add parmesan
5. Serve with crusty bread

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

4 - 6 Ripe red tomatoes sliced - we find that the hydroponic “tress” tomatoes have the best flavour 
Red & green mignonette lettuce 
3 - 4 Bocconcini, sliced 
2 Green shallots, finely chopped 
2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese 
1/2 Cup good olive oil 
1/4 Cup red wine vinegar 
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves 
1 Clove garlic, crushed 
1 Teaspoon sugar 

Method:

1. Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, chopped basil leaves and sugar in a jar and shake well. Put aside. \
2. Put lettuce leaves on a large flat platter. Top with tomato slices. Place sliced bocconcini on top of tomato. Sprinkle with shallots and then the grated parmesan. Shake dressing again and gently drizzle over the salad.
3. Serve immediately.

Note: The dressing will keep for a while in the fridge. We usually make up enough for two servings and keep the remains for the next day or so. It's delicious on other tomato salads as well.

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Ingredients:

1 x 44g can of pink salmon
1 x 250g packet soft creamed cheese (ie philly)
Lemon Juice
Pepper

Method:

1. Drain and break salmon apart into bowl, remove bones
2. Using a spoon or fork mash salmon with creamed cheese, blending evenly as salmon breaks apart
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and sprinkle with pepper, mix through
4. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours
5. Serve with bread or crackers

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Ingredients

1 kg roma tomatoes
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) 
1 onion (finely chopped) 
½ tbsp of sugar1 tbsp of white vinegar 
1 tbsp of salt 
5 anchovy fillets 
100g olive100g capers 
1 bunch of basil 
½ tsp dried oregano 
¼ tsp dried chilli 
600g penne pasta 
1 x 185g can tuna

Method:

1. Remove stalks from the tomatoes and slice the pointy end through the skin, merely to break the skin to prevent it from bursting.
2. Smear with a little olive oil and put in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Slip off skin and mash the flesh.
3. Meanwhile bring 1tbsp of olive oil to heat and add garlic. When it turns white add the onions and turn down the heat to medium and cook until transparent.
4. Add the sugar and cook for one more minute.
5. Splash in the vinegar and salt, stir, and add tomato flesh. Simmer for about 20 minutes and taste for seasoning, set aside.
6. Place a large sauce pan over a gentle heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil, add the anchovy and stir with wooden spoon until dissolved, then add half the tomato sauce, oregano and chilli.
7. Bring to boil and turn down, simmer for 20 minutes until the tomato has separated from the oil, fold through the salmon, capers, basil, and olives, warm through, fold through cooked penne.
8. Serve into bowls, top with rest of sauce, grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Serves: 2

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Six pieces of stone fruit (peaches, nectarines and/or plums)
2 pears
2 cinnamon quills
Juice of 1 orange and zest of 1/2 orange
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Cut fruit thinly and place in a baking tray with the cinnamon, orange juice and zest.
3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake until golden (about 20-25 minutes) and serve with yoghurt, ice-cream or custard.

Also good cold the next day on muesli.

Serves:  6

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1. Cut chicken into pieces, leaving them on the bone and with skin on. Alternatively, use thighs and drumsticks.
2. Heat olive oil in a braising pan. Salt the chicken pieces on the skin side and fry on a moderate heat, turning after 7-8 mins. Fry both sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken pieces and put them aside in a warm bowl.
3. Add white wine to the pan and turn the heat to high until it all evaporates. Add tomatoes, garlic cloves, thyme, sage and marjoram. Stir well.
4. Once it is bubbling, add the chicken pieces and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 min, turning the chicken occasionally.
5. Add pitted black olives and basil leaves. Cook for a further 5 min and add the juice of a lemon before serving.

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Ingredients:

12 small potatoes, unpeeled
1 big bunch English spinach, washed
4 ocean trout fillets, skinned and pin-boned
Sea salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 tbsp tiny capers, rinsed

For the hollandaise sauce
160g butter
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. Steam the potatoes for 20 minutes until tender. Trim the spinach stalks and roughly chop the leaves.
2. For the hollandaise: Melt the butter, skimming off some of the frothy white residue. Whiz the egg yolks, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender until pale and smooth. Slowly pour the melted butter into the blender, with the motor running. Keep the sauce warm in a covered bowl set over hot water.
3. Season the ocean trout well and steam for 5-6 minutes, depending on size. Steam the spinach for 4 minutes, squeeze dry, toss with a little olive oil and make a mound on four plates. Arrange ocean trout on top, coat with hollandaise, scatter with capers and serve with the potatoes.

Serves: 4

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A classic southern Italian pasta dish -  you cook the broccoli until soft in the same water as the pasta. The key to this tasty dish is that, once the pasta and broccoli are drained, you fry them a little in garlicky olive oil before serving. You can substitute anchovies for pancetta and salty pecorino, a more authentic southern-style cheese, for parmesan.

Ingredients:

300g penne
1 head of broccoli, broken up into smallish florets
Few tbsp extra virgin olive oil
80g pancetta or bacon 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Grated parmesan to serve

Method:

1. Cook penne in plenty of boiling salted water.
2. When half-cooked, add the broccoli. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add some of the oil and cook pancetta until crispy. Add the garlic and chilli, stir until lightly golden and remove from heat.
3. Drain pasta and broccoli - the broccoli should be soft and broken up - and add to the pan of garlic and pancetta, cook for a few minutes, tossing and adding a touch more pepper, salt and oil. Serve with parsley, if using, and parmesan.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

200g baby green beans trimmed
3 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
425g can tuna in springwater, drained, flaked
1/2 cup drained capers
1/2 cup seeded small black olives
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh flat leaf parsley
440g can whole baby potatoes, rinsed, drained, halfed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Method:

1. Boil, steam or microwave beans until just tender, drain. Rinse under cold water, drain.
2. Combine tomato, egg, tuna, capers, olives, parsley and potato in large bowl
3. Combine remaining ingredients in screw top jar, shake well. Add beans to salad, drizzle with dressing, toss gently.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (500g)
coarse cooking salt
200g pumpkin thinly sliced
700g bottled tomato pasta sauce
80g baby spinach leaves
4 green onions slinced thinly lengthways
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts

Method:

1. Discard top and bottom of eggplant, cut lengthways into 10 5mm slices. Discard rounded skin side slices, place remaining 8 slices in colander, sprinkle all over with salt and let stand 10 mins
2. Rinse eggplant well under cold water, pat dry with absorbant paper. Cook eggplant and pumpkin in batches on heated grill or bbq until tender
3. Meanwhile, place sauce in medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 2 mins
4. Place four slices of the eggplant in single layer on an oven tray. Top with half of the spinach, half of the pumpkin, half of the onion, spoon 2 tbspn of the sauce over each then repeat the layering process. Top the stacks with the remaining eggplant slices, pour over the remaining sauce, sprinkle stacks with cheese and nuts. Place under hot grill until cheese browns lightly.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh rosemary sprigs
12 lamb cutlets
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 cup coarsely grated lemon rind
2 fresh small red thai chillies, seeded, chopped finely
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups water
1 cup chocken stock
3/4 cup polenta
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
50g butter melted
2 tbspn lemon juice

Method:

1. Coarsely chop half the rosemary. Place lamb and chopped rosemary in a large bowl with the garlic, half the rind, chilli and oil. Toss to coat the lamb in rosemary mixture. Cook lamb on heated grill plate or bbq until browned both sides and cooked as desired.
2. Meanwhile, combine the water and stock in a large saucepan, bring to the boil. Stir in polenta gradually, cook stirring about 10 mins or until mixture thickends. Add milk and cheese, stir until cheese melts.
3. Divide polenta among plates, top with lamb. Drizzle with combined butter and lemon juice then sprinkle with remaining rind and rosemary.

Serves: 4

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2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 Nashi pear, cored, quartered and finely sliced
1/2 cup rocket
extra virgin olive oil
cracked pepper
50g-75g blue cheese (such as Castello), crumbled

Method:

1. Place the pears in a bowl with the rocket and a good amount of olive oil to coat the leaves and pears. Add cracked pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands to combine.
2. Onto a serving plate, pile the rocket & pears, top with the crumbled blue cheese. Add the walnuts and drizzle the salad with the sherry syrup. Serve immediately.

Note: parmesan cheese can be substituted for the blue cheese, if you prefer.

3. In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the walnuts and cook for 5 minutes or until they have caramelised. Add the sherry vinegar and remove from the heat. Pour onto a tray lined with baking paper and let the walnut sauce cool down

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For the Lamb:

2 racks of lamb (8-9 ribs) with bones frenched and fat trimmed
salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsps vegetable oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place a shallow pan in oven to heat.
2. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over high heat
3. Place lamb in skillet meat side down with ribs facing outward. Cook until well browned and a crust has formed on the surface, probably about 4-5 minutes
4. Use tongs to stand ribs up against each other to brown bottoms
5. Transfer lamb to preheated roasting pan and roast 12-15 minutes. (retain 2 T. fat for use in sauce)
6. Remove and cover meat loosely with foil and let rest 10-12 minutes
7. Carve into individual and chops and serve immediately with sauce

For the sauce:
2 medium shallots, minced
1 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 tsps minced rosemary leaves
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsps butter
Salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Pour off all but 2 Tbsps of the fat from the skillet where you browned the lamb.
2. Saute shallots over medium heat until soft.
3. Add red wine and rosemary, increase heat to medium high, and simmer until dark and syrupy.
4. Add chicken broth and reduce until about 3/4 cup.
5. Remove from heat, add butter to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Ingredients:
 
leg of lamb or lamb fillets, cooked and cut into thin strips
4 cups fresh, closed mushrooms sliced thinly
1 tomato, diced with pulp removed
1 medium sized onion, finely sliced
2 tbspns herbs (parsley & chives)
4 cups Mesclun salad leaves
freshly ground black pepper to taste
150gms (approx) parmesan, shaved into thin strips

Dressing:

40mls cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 tbspn red wine vinegar
1 tbspn balsamic vinegar
1 tbspn lemon juice
 
 Method:

1. Place the lamb into a bowl, splash on some olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Massage the marinade into the lamb using clean hands.
2. Place the lamb into a frying pan and seal over high heat. Once the lamb is sealed, turn the heat down to low and cook slowly. (Tip: if using large pieces of lamb, turn them several times during the cooking.) When the lamb is cooked, allow to rest and then carve against the grain.
3. Wipe the mushroom caps with a clean cloth and slice them thinly. Grate the parmesan cheese, slice the tomato and onion.
4. To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegars, lemon juice and olive oil. 
5. Place all vegetables and salad into one large container, and the lamb into another. Pour half the dressing onto the lamb, and the rest onto the vegetables. Toss. 
6. Arrange on serving plates, salad first then lamb. Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Serves:  2 as a main or 4 entrees

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Ingredients:

180g fresh or frozen blackberries
180g fresh or frozen raspberries
4 tbspn grand marnier
200g coconut macaroon biscuits
400g thick honey yoghurt
8 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Method:

1. Combine the berries and grand marnier in a bowl and leave for 20 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure the grand marnier is evenly distributed amongst the berries.
2. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and carefully crush with a rolling pin, then place half the biscuit mix in the bottom of each tall glass. Add half the yoghurt, then half the berry mix and a scoop of ice cream. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients and top with another scoop of ice cream.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

120g self raising flour
1 tspn bicarbonate of soda
4 tbspn caster sugar
4 egg yolks
40g butter melted
320ml buttermilk
4 tbspn buttermilk extra
20g butter extra
4 scoops vanilla icecream

Blueberry citrus sauce
200g blueberries - fresh or frozen
4 tbspn sugar
320ml orange juice
8 tspn lemon juice
4 tbspn grated orange rind

Method:

1. Sift the flour and bicarb of soda into a bowl. Add the sugar and make a well in the centre. Mix together the egg yolk, butter and buttermilk in a jug, then add to the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk if the mixture is too thick to pour.
2. Heat the extra butter in a non stick frying pan over medium heat, pour one third of the mixture into the pan and cook for 2 mins, or until bubbles form. Turn the pancake over and cook for a further minute, or until golden and cooked through. Remove and repeat with the remaining mixture to make two more pancakes.
3. To make the blueberry citrus sauce, put the blueberries, sugar, orange juice, lemon rind and half the orange rind in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins or until syrupy. Stack the pancakes one on top of the other and place a scoop of ice cream on top.
4. Pour the sauce over the top and garnish with the remaining orange rind.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

1 kg diced lamb
1 green capsicum
2 larged diced tomatoes
2 medium red onions
2 tabspn (or more) madras curry paste (hot)
2 teaspn chives
1/2 tspn dried coriander
1 teaspn dried chilli powder
1 tspn dutch cinnamon
1 tspn cummin
Splash worchestershire sauce
1 beef cube crushed
Garlic
3 teaspoons curry powder
50g butter

Method:

1. Pour boiling water to just cover the meat in a pan, bring to boil and simmer. Add the spices.
2. Fry in butter - tomatoes, onions, capsicum, all chopped ... simmer until cooked then add to the meat
3. Simmer 1-2 hours over low heat, stirring occasionally until cooked.

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Ingredients:

100g butter
8 spring onions, finely chopped
4 small cloves of garlic
12 teaspn plain flour
6 cups chicken stock or veg stock
4 large field mushrooms finely chopped
8 tspn chopped flat parsley

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium het, add the spring onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins or until the onion is soft. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute until flour is slightly golden.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually stir in the chicken stock. Return to the heat, stir through the mushroom and parsley and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 5 mins.
3. season with salt and pepper and serve with crusty french bread.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

2 green apples unpeeled
120 butter
4 leek thinly sliced lengthways
2 teaspoon soft brown sugar
8 teaspn oil
4 (800g) pork fillet trimmed
400g sweet potato cubed
4 tspn plain flour
4 tspn Dijon mustard
400ml thickened cream
8 tspn chopped chives
8 tspn milk


Method:

1. Core the apple and cut it into slices. Melt half the butter in a frying pan and add the leek and sugar. Cook for 2-3 mins, then add the apple and cook for 5 mins until the leek and apple are golden brown. Set aside and keep warm.


2. Heat the oil in the same pan and cook the pork over medium heat for 3-4 mins on each side, or until cooked through. Remove from pan, cover with foil for 5 mins and then cut on the diagonal into thick slices.


3. Place the orange sweet potato in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins or until tender.


4. Combine the flour and mustard in a small bowl, then add the cream. Add to the frying pan and cook, stirring until bubbling and slightly thickened. Add the pork and chives and stir until warmed through, season.


5. Drain the sweet potato when just tender. Add the remaining butter and enough milk to moisten, season and mash with a fork or masher. To serve arrange the pork over the leek and apple and spoon on the sauce. Serve with the sweet potato mash and steamed veg of your choice.

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

250g Fusilli pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
4 bacon rashers, thinly sliced
2 tablespn pinenuts
250g mushrooms finely sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Add pasta to large pan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender, drain
2. Heat oil in pan, add onion, bacon and pine nuts, cook, stirring until onion soft
3. Add mushrooms, cook stirring until mushrooms soft
4. Stir in combined sour cream, egg, cheese and parsley
5. Stir over low heat until heated through
6. Serve over pasta

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

1 kg tomatoes cut into chunks
1 large onion finely chopped
100g carrots finely chopped
1 tspn dried basil
1 tbspn tomato paste
2 tbspn unsweetened orange juice
1/2 tspn honey
Good pinch of nutmeg
1 cup ham or bacon stock
2 tbpsn cornflour
1 cup milk
Chopped chives

Method:

1. Cook onions, carrots and basil
2. Add tomatoes, paste, orange juice, honey, nutmeg, and stock. Simmer a further 10 mins.
3. Blend until smooth then add cornflour and water paste, stirring quickly.
4. Reheat for a few minutes, stirring.
5. Add milk, stir through and sprinkle with chives.
6. Serve

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Unlike most stews, this is more a soup. Great with buttered bread rolls. Also freezes well - i tend to cook up the meat, and freeze without the vegetables. I prefer to add those fresh. What i have listed below is the 'traditional' recipe my mother gave me.

I tend to vary the below by adding a lot more vegetables - whatever i have in the fridge. When i throw the vegetables in, depends on what they are and how long each will take to cook.

Ingredients:

6 beef stock cubes crumbled
Water to cover ingredients
1 Onion
2 lge carrots chopped
3 large potatoes quartered
1 kg blade or chuck steak diced
Butter beans
Worchestershire sauce
Chopped pumpkin
Tobasco

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to large pot, simmer for half an hour. Add any other vegetables you may wish to include. Simmer for another half an hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Serve with buttered rolls.
   
   

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While i am on a roll... :-)

Ingredients:

3 leeks
4 potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream
1 qt. water or chicken stock
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 each of chopped celery and shallots

Method:

1. Peel and quarter the potatoes.
2. Prepare the leeks by removing the green portions, reserving for another use if desired. Cut down the center lengthwise and wash thoroughly. Chop the white portions finely and sauté lightly with the chopped shallots in half the butter for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add 1 quart of water or chicken stock, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, celery, the quartered potatoes, and simmer 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove potatoes and leeks to a blender in portions. Puree and return the puree to the pan. Stir in the milk, cream, and remaining butter, reheating one minute if needed.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and croutons.

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The quantities here are for over five litres of soup. Cut them in half if you want to make less. Rather than the traditional pureed potato and leek soup, this one is more of a broth.

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2.5 kilos of potatoes
1 medium leek
1 onion
1 carrot
3 or 4 vegetable stock cubes or equivalent
A few crushed black peppercorns
2 or 3 bayleaves
Vegetable oil and butter or margarine
Salt
A few sprigs of parsley or dill for garnish 

Method:

1. Put 5 litres of water in a very large pot and put it on to boil while you prepare your vegetables as it will take a while to boil. Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces. Throw them into the water as you chop them. Chop up your leek and throw it in after the potatoes. Add the bayleaves and if the water's boiling, turn the heat down a little.
2. Chop the onion finely and fry it gently in a 50/50 mixture of oil and butter or margarine (you can use just oil or just butter/marg. if you want). While the onion is frying, grate the carrot. Add it to the frying pan when the onion has browned well. Stir for a minute or two until the carrot is soft, then add the contents of the frying pan to the soup pot. Add stock and pepper but wait a bit before adding salt to see how salty the stock makes it.
3. The soup will be ready about an hour after it started to boil. Switch off the heat and stir in some chopped greenery before serving.

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Ingredients:

1.25kg fillet of beef
125g butter
60g pate de foie gras
1 small onion
125g mushrooms
500g puff pastry
1 egg yolk
Salt & pepper

Method:

1. Spread beef with 30g softened butter, bake in hot oven 10-15 mins. Remove and allow to cool, reserving pan juice.


2. Chop onion finely, slice mushrooms, saute in bugger until tender. Combine remaining 60g softened butter with the pate, season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread over top of beef fillet, top with cooled onion and mushroom mix.


3. Roll out puff pastry to 3mm thick. Place beef in centre and wrap pastry around, press edges together (not too thick). Place in baking dish and brush with beaten egg yolk.


4. Bake in very hot oven 10 mins. Reduce to hot, cook forther 10-15 mins until pastry is golden.


5. Reserved pan juices: Add 1 cup of beef stock and 1 tablespoon of red wine to pan juices. Cook over high heat until sauce slightly reduced, strain.


6. Cut fillet into thick slices, spoon sauce over and serve with vegetables

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

1 onion
1/2 packet split peas (for 2 people)
1 ham bone
Pepper
Bacon stock to flavour
Bacon pieces
Potatoes quartered
1 Leek

Method:

1. Boil the ham bone in water for a couple of hours
2. Add the rest of the ingredients
3. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours
4. Release any ham from the bone into the soup and dispose of bone
5. Serve

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

1 can or homemade tomato soup
1/2 kg mince
2 eggs beaten
Pepper
Salt
1 tspn nutmeg
1 cup breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Mix ingredients
2. Form into small meatballs - 1 tbspn each
3. Fry and add to tomato soup
4. Serve

Note: The meatballs can even be made up, cooked and frozen in batches for a quick sunday night dinner.

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

2 lg Onions Finely Chopped
2 Carrots Finely Chopped
1 Celery Stalk Finely Chopped
2 tb Olive Oil
1 lg Garlic Clove Crushed
1 cup  Dried Green or Brown Lentils Cooked & Well Drained
1/2 ts Ground Cumin
 1/2 ts Ground Coriander
 6 ts Chopped Parsley
 1 tb Lemon Juice
 Black Pepper
White Flour

Method:

1. Saute the Onion, Carrot and Celery in Oil in a Large Saucepan  for 10 Min. until Soft and Lightly Browned, Stirring from Time To Time.
2. Add the Garlic, Lentils, Cumin, Coriander, Parsley and Lemon Juice. Mash By Hand or Puree in a Processor until the Mixture Holds Together. Season With Pepper.
3. With Floured Hands, Shape the Mixture in 10-12 Flat Burgers, Using a Palette Knife.  Coat the Burgers With Flour. 4. Saute the Burgers in a Little Oil until Crisp and Browned, Turning Them Over Carefully To Cook the Second Side.
4. Drain on Paper Towels and Serve Garnished With Watercress and Tomatoes.

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

1 lb of zucchini (about 2 medium sized), coarsely grated
Salt & Ground black pepper
1 large egg
2 spring onions finely chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grape seed oil or olive oil
Sour cream or plain yoghurt

Method:

1. Salt the zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Try to remove the excess moisture from the zucchini by either squeezing the liquid out with a potato ricer, or by squeezing with paper towels. (The original recipe calls for putting the zucchini in a colander set in the sink to let it drain for 10 minutes after salting it. I think it works much better to use a potato ricer.)
2. Whisk egg in a large bowl; add the zucchini, flour, spring onions, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix to combine well.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook fritters in two batches. Drop six mounds of batter (2 Tbsp each) into the skillet. Flatten slightly. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4-6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining batter.
4. Serve immediately, with sour cream or plain yoghurt on the side.

Notes You can spice these fritters up a bit with cheese (e.g., feta), interesting spices (paprika, cayenne pepper, dill), or minced hot peppers.

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

4 tbspn fish sauce
4 tbspn lime juice
2 small tomatoes diced
1 1/3 cups (40g) loosely packed fresh thai basil leaves
12 tbspn peanut oil
8 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
8 spring oinions finely chopped
2 small red chillis, seeded and thinly sliced
4 chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
280g snow peas, topped and tailed

Method:

1. Place the fish sauce, lime juice, tomato, basil and 4 tbspn water into a small bowl and mix well
2. Heat a wok over high, add the oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the garlic, spring onions and chilli, and stirfry for 1 min or until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned.
3. Add the snow peas and the fish sauce mixture to the pan and scrape off any sediment from the bottom of the wok. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tomato is soft and the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

600g fresh mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries)
8 egg yolks
4 tbpsn caster sugar
12 teaspn Grand Marnier (can substitute Cointreau or fresh OJ)

Method:

1. Brush 4 gratin dishes lightly with melted butter. Arrange the mixed berries in the dishes
2. Place egg yolks, sugar and grand marnier in a small metal heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water - the bowl should not touch the water at the base. Whisk the mixture with electric beaters until thick and creamy (this *can* be done by hand).
3. Pour mixture over the 4 berry dishes and place them under a hot grill until golden. Serve immediately (with cream or icecream if you wish).

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

8 large iceberg lettuce leaves, washed and drained 
32 cooked tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
2 mangoes cut into 2 cm cubes
2 avocadoes, cut into 2 cm cubes
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
4 tspn finely shredded fresh mint leaves
4 tbspn lime juice

Method:

1. Finely shred 4 lettuce leaves and place in bowl with the prawns, mango, avocado, spring onion, mint and lime juice. Mix well.
2. Place the prawn mixture in the remaining lettuce leaves and serve 1 per plate.
3. Note: For an accompanying dressing, mix 4 tbspn lime juice with 4 tbspn whole egg mayonaise

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

2 small nectarines, thinly sliced
1/2 x 250g punnet strawberries, thinly sliced
pure maple syrup to serve
fresh mint leaves to decorate
wafers

Orange Cream
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup prepared vanilla custard
1 tablespn icing sugar
1 tablespn orange-flavoured liquer

Method:

1. Orange Cream: Beat all ingredients together in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Cover, refrigerate for 30 mins.
2. Place a wafer onto each of four plates, top with orange cream, then fruit. Repeat layers with remaining wafers, orange cream and fruit dividing equally among the plates
3. Serve wafer stacks drizzled with maple syrup, decorate with fresh mint leaves

Serves: 4

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

250g chopped bacon (optional)
2 tspn crushed garlic (2 cloves)
1 packet pine nuts
1 packet baby spinach
150-200ml thickened cream
200g blue cheese
1 packet bow-tie pasta

Method:

1. Toast pinenuts in dry pan until lightly coloured
2. Fry bacon in a non-stick pan until crispy, add garlic and toasted pinenuts, baby spinach roughly torn and stir until wilted
3. Pour in cream and crumble in the blue cheese
4. Pour over pasta or salad (when cold)

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

375g bow-tie pasta
1 tbspn olive oil
4 bacon rashers, chopped (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
1 large red onion thickly sliced
1/2 cup semi-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives
100g baby spinach leaves
Salt & pepper to tase
Sun-dried tomato pesto
Toasted crusty bread to serve

Method:

1. Add pasta to a large pan of boiling, salted water. Boil, uncovered until tender then drain.
2. Heat oil in large pan. Add bacon (if including) cook stirring until lightly browned. Add garlic and onion cook stiring until onion is soft.
3. Add pasta, tomatoes, olives and spinach.. Cook stirring until spinach is just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide pasta among serving bowls, top with a spoonful of pesto. Serve with bread.

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

4 veal steaks
4 slices proscuitto
1 tablespn chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup plain flour
Salt & pepper to taste
50g butter
1 tablespn olive oil 
1 x 200g bag rocket leaves
2 large tomatoes sliced thinly
1/2 cup whole fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup balsamic dressing

Method:

1. Pound veal between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap until halved in thickness. Top each fillet with a slice of proscuitto and sage. Fold veal in half to enclose filling, secure with toothpicks.
2. Season flour with salt and pepper. Toss veal in flour, shake away excess.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large pan. Add veal, cook on both sides until browned and tender.
4. Combine rocket, tomatoes and basil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving plates.
5. Serve veal on rocket mixture, drizzle with balsamic dressing.

Balsamic dressing:

2 tbspn olive oil to 1 tbspn vinegar, mix well.

Current Mood: accomplished

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Peel and halve the onion, remove the core then break into segments. Wpe the outside of the mushrooms and remove the woody part of the stem.
2. Put the onion, garlic, water, oil, vinegar and fresh herbs into a baking tray. dd the mushrooms and stir until they are just moist, being careful not to break them. Arrange the mushrooms, cut side up, on top of the herbs. 
3. Add salt and pepper, and then put a little parmesan cheese into each mushroom cup.
4. Bake at 180°C until done (cooking time depends on your oven and the size of the mushrooms). Place cooked mushrooms on serving plates, spoon the juices over the top and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Current Mood: tired

Ingredients:

1. Place the beef into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the onion, cloves, peppercorns and balsamic vinegar. Bring slowly to the boil, skimming frequently.


2. Continue simmering for 3 hours. Keep the water level topped up during the cooking period. Turn off the heat and allow the meat to rest in the liquid for a further 30 minutes.


3. To make the mustard sauce, put the butter in a double boiler and when melted add the flour and mustards. Cook for 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Warm the milk and gradually add to the flour, stirring continuously. Return to the heat and whisk until boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Take off the heat and cover the top with greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming. The sauce can be made in advance and reheated when required.


4. Potato And Garlic Mash - Wrap the bulb of garlic in foil and place in the oven at 150°C for 1 hour or until cooked. Peel the potatoes, cover with cold water and bring up to the boil. Add the salt. When cooked, drain and place in a bowl. Squeeze the cooked garlic out of the cloves onto the potatoes and mash. Add the two beaten eggs and pepper. Mix well together. The potato is now ready for serving.

Current Mood: relaxed

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Chop dates and soak overnight in tea and bicarb of soda
2. Combine all other ingredients and mix well
3. Add the date mixture
4. Bake in square pan in 150 degree oven 1-1.5 hrs until springy

Current Mood: busy

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Shred cabbage
2. Add cabbage to pan with dripping. Fill half full with water and add vinegar, cloves, onion and bay leaves
3. Bring to boil, cook gently for 2 hours
4. Serve with Pork and Apple Sauce

Current Mood: busy

Ingredients:

1 pkt cooking margarine (not butter) (250g)
Salt
1 cup water
1 beef stock cube
1/4 tspn sambal olek
1 clove garlic

Method:

1. Melt cooking margarine in pan.
2. Wait until it stops bubbling then place meat (meatballs, roast pork) in pan to cook gently until browned
3. Sprinkle salt on both sides of meat, add clove of garlic and 1 cup of water
4. Simmer on low 1-1.5 hours until meat cooked but tender
5. Remove meat, place 1 beef stock cube and 1/4 tspn sambal olek into pan
6. Return meat to warm through
7. Serve with meat/vegetables

Current Mood: busy

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Mix ingredients
2. Form into meatballs
3. Cook slowly in Shue (see separate recipe)

Current Mood: busy

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Cut pumpkin into 2 cm squares.  Place eggs and cream in large bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Fold through pumpkin and remaining ingredients.  Pour mixture into greased and lined 20cm square sandwich pan and bake in oven 180C for 45 min or until set.  (If browning, cover with foil).  When cool, turn out onto a board and cut into serving pieces.

(The above recipe is straight from the book, but I change ingredients to suit. Example:  Pumpkin to Sweet Potato, add mediterranean vegetables (I always roast the vegetables with Spanish onions and loads more garlic bulbs.  I add a lot more feta and add sun dried tomatoes & sometimes olives depending what sort of Frittata I want to do.  Sometimes do a layer of asparagus on the top. Also instead of adding cream I have done just milk instead to cut out the fats, but it isn’t as rich)

Serves: 8 –10

Current Mood: bouncy

Ingredients:

45g unsalted butter
2 1/2 tbspn flavourless oil
2 med brown onions coarsely diced
1/2 head finely sliced cabbage
6 sheets filo pastry
40g unsalted butter (melted)
2 medium green apples grated coarsely
125g button mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs
Glaze:
1/2 egg yolk
1 tbspn sour cream

**Note do NOT use salted butter as it makes the pastry weep.

Method:

1. In large heavy pan heat 45g butter and 2 1/2 tbspn oil. Soften onions stirring over medium heat for 10 mins. Add cabbage and cook while stirring, until cabbage juice evaporates (approx 15 mins). Set aside.
2. Paint extra melted butter between the pastry sheets, layering them. Cover with damp towel.
3. Grate apples coarsely and mix into cabbage mixture with mushrooms after the mix has cooled.
4. Scatter filo with breadcrumbs and spoon mixture down the length of the filo, rolling up and tucking in the ends.
5. Mix glaze and pain over the top and sides of the strudel, prick the top several times and bake on 2nd lowest rack of 175C oven for 20-30 mins - till crisp and golden.
6. Serve with sour cream and chives.

Serves 8

Current Mood: bouncy

Ingredients:

Penne pasta
1-2 rashers of bacon per person
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 bottle italian sauce
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 wineglass vodka
Parmesan cheese
Spring onions
Hot salami

Method:

1. Fry garlic, add bacon and salami. Add italian sauce and cook gently for 10 mins.
2. Add cream and spring onions, simmer for 2-3 minutes
3. Add vodka just before serving.
4. Add to pasta, mix and serve with salad/bread.

Current Mood: bouncy