Mains
Sausage Fennel Bake
Serves 66 sausages smoked (something like kranskys)1 ½ fennel bulbs 2 stalks celery cut into diagonal chunks 1cm thick2 tablespoon yoghurt200ml cream3 tablespoons Dijon mustard150g camembert or brie, cut into thin stripsThyme sprigs3 fresh bay leaves1 small baguette, cut into 1 cm slices Salt pepper400ml white wineCut the fennel in half length-ways and cut each half in quarters length-ways. In a large oven proof dish arrange the celery and fennel and then arrange the sausages and bay leaves. Pour over the wine and place in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.Mix together the mustard, cream, yoghurt, thyme and pepper. Season with salt if needed. Mix into the sausage dish and arrange the bread slices. Arrange the Camembert slices on top and add a few extra sprigs of thyme and cracked pepper. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes until golden. Serve hot with a crisp green salad.
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Gnocci
(serves 6)150g piece speck, cut into 5mm chunks2 cloves of garlic, minced½ cup parsley, chopped1 kg fresh gnocchi1 bunch broccolini, cut into 2 inch lengths1/2 cup freshly, grated Parmesan cheese500g brussel sprouts, cut in halfFresh parsley, chopped30g butter1 lemon zestedolive oilsalt and black pepper1 chilli, choppedfreshly grated Parmesan, for servingPlace the gnocci in a large pot of salted boiling water & cook for a few minutes then drain. Heat a large frying pan and add the speck and cook until the fat renders down and it is golden brown. Remove the speck and add the brussel sprouts cut side down. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until golden. Shake the pan and turn the sprouts to cook on the dome side. Remove from the pan and add the garlic and gnocci and toss with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add the broccolini, lemon zest and chilli and keep tossing until golden. Add the brussel sprouts and season to taste. Toss with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan. Spoon into a serving bowl and enjoy with a nice bottle of red.
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Chinese Style Duck Breast
Serves 42 duck breasts10g coriander seeds crushed2 Tablespoons coconut, palm or brown sugar2 Tablespoons honey2 cinnamon sticks2 pieces dried mandarin peel1 small piece mace1 orange, juice and zest50ml fish sauce80ml soy sauce2 star anise10g fennel seeds crushedPlace all ingredients except the duck in a saucepan and reduce until it becomes sticky.Place the duck in a frypan skin side down and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes to render down the fat and to crispen the skin. Remove from the pan and roll into the reduced sauce. Allow to settle and baste again in the sauce and repeat this 4 more times. Place on a rack on a small tray and place in the oven and cook until medium about 6-8 minutes.Allow to rest for a few minutes and slice. Arrange on a small plate and pour over the remaining sauce. Serve with rice.
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Thai Chicken Curry
Serves 6¼ pineapple cut into slices3 tomatoes cut into chunks250g pumpkin thinly sliced6 lime leaves1 eggplant cut into inch chunks6 eggs soft boiled and peeled1 chilli sliced¼ bunch Thai basil2 chicken breasts cut into chunks8 okra cut in half (optional)60g Palm sugar30ml Fish sauce30ml Tamarind paste600ml coconut milkWater or stockFor the Paste10 dried long red chillies, soaked in warm water4 hot banana capsicums grilled2 stalks of lemon grass3 shallots1 inch piece galangal3cm piece turmeric1 tblspn shrimp paste (optional)6 garlic cloves4 coriander rootsSalt and pepperCombine the paste ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat a deep sauté pan or saucepan with some oil. Fry the paste for a few minutes and add the palm sugar. Add the coconut milk, tamarind paste and fish sauce, and enough water or stock to loosen the sauce. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes and then add the eggplant and okra. Cook for 5 minutes and add the pumpkin. When the chicken and eggplant is tender add the pineapple, tomato, lime leaves and eggs and check seasoning. It should be hot, sour and salty, so adjust with more palm sugar or fish sauce. Serve with rice. Garnish with Thai basil and sliced chilli.
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Green Curry Roast Chicken
For the Paste 2 lemon grass stalks, chopped 2 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped 1 inch piece turmeric, chopped 2 inch piece galangal, chopped 2 long green chillies 1 red chilli, chopped 3 garlic cloves 2 shallots, roughly chopped 2 lime leaves 1 lime, remove skin and chop flesh 2 Tablespoons fish sauce Pinch salt Combine all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. To Assemble 1 large oven bag 1 zucchini chopped into chunks 2 potatoes cut into chunks 1 punnet baby corn 6 lime leaves 3 banana capsicums roughly chopped 1 eggplant cut into large chunks 1 whole plump chicken Arrange vegetables in the base of an oven bag and place on an oven tray or in a roasting pan. Rub the paste all over the chicken and carefully place it on the vegetables in the bag and place on the tray or roasting pan. Close the bag and place in a hot oven 180C and cook for 1 hour to 1¼ hrs. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve as it is on the table and carefully cut the bag open and serve, or carefully place on a large serving platter. Serve with fresh lime, and rice.
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Sweet and Sour Pork
150-200g pork loin or shoulder1 red capsicum cut into chunks1 green capsicum cut into chunks1 yellow capsicum cut into chunks50g pineapple cut into chunks½ red onion cut into chunks1 garlic clove crushed1 spring onion sliced2 egg yolks20g corn flourPinch saltPinch white pepper20ml Chinese cooking wineExtra cornflour for dustingVegetable oil for deep fryingFinely slice the pork and place into a small bowl and add the egg yolks, cooking wine, salt, pepper and cornflour. Allow to marinate for at least ½ hour. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan and then coat each piece of pork in cornflour and fry. Drain and set aside. Add an extra 2 tablespoons cornflour and a little water in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.Heat a wok and add a touch of oil and fry the capsicum and onion until tender. Add the pork, pineapple and then add the sauce. To thicken the sauce, slowly add a little of the cornflour slurry and toss for 1 minute to thicken. Serve on a platter and garnish with spring onion.For the sauce10ml Shaoxing wine60ml rice vinegar30ml soy sauce40g sugar100g ketchup/tomato sauce20ml sesame oilCombine ingredients together to make the sauce. It should taste sweet and sour. Set aside
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Stir Fried Soy Beans
200g spicy tofu, sliced400g soy beans1 bunch choy sum, chopped80-100g chilli jam1 chilli, sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed½ inch piece ginger, finely choppedPinch saltvegetable oiltoasted sesame seeds, to garnishIn a wok heat a little vegetable oil. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and toss. Add the stalks of the choy sum and toss. Add the tofu and soy beans and toss to heat through. Add the leaves of the choy sum, chilli jam and a pinch of salt. Season to taste. Place into a serving bowl, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and enjoy with steamed rice.
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Pad Thai Noodles
Ingredients 350g dry wide rice noodles 200g Australian Prawn meat 2 shallots, finely sliced ½ bunch garlic chives, cut into inch lengths 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 eggs, beaten 200g Bean Sprouts 3 spring onions finely chopped 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts toasted and chopped ½ bunch coriander chopped ½ bunch thai bail 3 eggs 4 Tablespoons tomato ketchup 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 Tablespoons fish sauce 4 Tablespoons tamarind paste 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar dried chilli flakes peanut or vegetable oil lime, to garnish Place the noodles in a large bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Allow to sit for about 4-5 minutes until hydrated. Strain and rinse in cold water. Toss through a drizzle of vegetable oil and set aside until ready to use. Combine the tamarind, ketchup, fish sauce and vinegar. Season to taste. Adjust with a little sugar or fish sauce. Heat a little oil in a wok and add garlic and shallot. Add the prawns and toss for 2 minutes until cooked. Place on a plate and set aside. In the wok add the sauce and heat. Add the eggs and loosely scramble them. Add the noodles and toss for a few minutes. Add the prawns bean sprouts and herbs and add a squeeze of lime, add the peanuts and spoon onto a serving platter. Garnish with a few extra bean sprouts, coriander and chilli flakes, peanuts and a wedge of lime.
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Lamb Rub
20g caster sugar10 g cumin seeds10g coriander seeds10g black peppercorns10g sea salt flakes5g chilli powder5g ground turmeric In a mortar and pestle crush the peppercorns, then add the salt, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and crush to a powder. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a bowl and coat the lamb back-strap in the rub. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add the lamb. Cook on all sides at a medium heat for a few minutes and then remove from the heat. Allow to rest for a few minutes. Serve with minted garlic yoghurt.Serving suggestion; roast some pumpkin and enjoy with a roasted pumpkin salad with the addition of fresh salad leaves, and roasted pumpkin seeds and toasted walnuts.Garlic minted yoghurt for lamb150g drained Greek style yoghurt1 clove garlic½ tsp dried mint10 mint leaves, sliced finelysalt and lemon juice, to tasteIn a mortar crush the garlic with a little salt. Add the mint leaves and crush lightly. Add the yoghurt, dried mind and season with salt and lemon juice.
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Spring Time Pasta
(serves 8-10)Ingredients 1 packet cassarecia or fussili pasta100g peas1 packet frozen broad beans (outer skin removed) or fresh if available2 bunches of asparagus cut into 1 in lengths1 bunch broccolini, chopped1 tsp chilli flakes1 zucchini, diced120g parmesan cheese, gratedolive oil2 garlic cloves, chopped¼ bunch parsley, chopped¼ bunch dill, chopped1 lemon, cut into thin slicessalt and pepper to taste MethodCook the pasta in salted water until tender. Add the asparagus and broccolini and drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. In a large frying pan heat a little oil and fry the garlic, add the zucchini and sauté for a few minutes, add the peas, broad beans and the chilli flakes. Add the pasta and toss to combine, adding a little cooking liquid if needed. Add the lemon, fresh herbs and parmesan and season to taste.
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Salmon Tajine
(serves 8-10)IngredientsFor the Stuffing6-8 pieces of salmon1 punnet cherry tomatoes, cut in half ¼ bunch dill, roughly chopped ¼ bunch coriander, roughly chopped ½ fennel, sliced 1 lemon, sliced 1 chilli, sliced ½ preserved lemon, scraped and finely sliced 1 leek, cut into rounds 100g olives 2 large potatoes cut into rounds 15-20g Ras el hanout 1 red onion, sliced 1 tin artichokes cut into quarters juice 1 lemon olive oilsalt and pepper, to taste MethodPlace the fish in a bowl and sprinkle over a little olive oil and half of the ras el hanout salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper and the remaining ras el hanout. Place in a large tagine and simmer for about 40 minutes until tender. Nestle the fish into the tagine and cook for a further 15 minutes until the fish is cooked. Serve with a fresh squeeze of lemon, and herbed cous cous.
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Noodle paella
(serves 12-14) 8 tablespoons olive oil 400g angel hair pasta, (spagettini) broken into 3 lengthssalt and pepper, to taste 3 bay leavesa good pinch of saffron threads5 cloves garlic, crushed 2 chillies finely, sliced 3 celery stalks, finely diced ½ fennel, finely diced (optional) 2 onions, finely diced 1 large red capsicum 6 diced tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes400g cockles, rinsed 300g calamari, sliced ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tablespoon smoked paprika1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, or water300g medium Australian prawn meat½ bunch fresh dill, chopped ½ bunch fresh parsley, leaves choppedlemon or lime wedges1 lemon zest Crush 2 cloves of garlic add 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, chilli powder and combine. Add the prawns and calamari and allow to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a paella pan, and add the broken pasta in batches until lightly golden and remove. Heat the remaining oil and add the onion, garlic, celery, fennel chilli and capsicum and sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, saffron, smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and then the fried pasta and cook on gentle heat until al dente. Add the cockles, prawns and calamari and cover and simmer for about 5 minutes until the seafood is cooked, the pasta is tender and the stock has absorbed. Allow to rest for 5-10minutes and then add lemon/lime wedges and sprinkle with chopped herbs.
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