New Recipes
Plum Tart
Makes 1 long tart, serves 6-8100g almond meal6 plums75g SR flour2 eggs80g sugar130g butter, softened1 orange or lime zest30ml brandy½ tsp ground cinnamonFor the Pastry95g sugar150g butterPinch salt½ vanilla bean scraped1 egg185g bakers flour40g cornflour2g baking powder Whisk the butter and sugar and brandy together. Add the egg, and then add the zest and dry ingredients. Spoon into a baked tart shell and flatten the top. Place sliced plums on top and sprinkle with sliced hazelnuts. Bake at 170°C for 20-30 minutes until cooked. Delicious with cream or icecream; serve warm or room temperature. For the PastryCream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg then add the sifted dry ingredients. Fold together and combine to a ball and wrap and chill for at least ½ hour before rolling out. Roll out to 3mm thick and place in greased tart case, chill, then blind back until golden.
Learn more
Seafood Chowder
Serves 6200g smoked speck1 celery heart, finely chopped1 brown onion, finely diced1 leek, finely diced3 bay leaves3 cloves garlic, crushed1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley stalks) tied in string300ml white wine1½ litres chicken stock or fish stock3 potatoes, cut into cm dice350g cockles500g white flesh fish, cut into dice200g peas½ bunch parsley, chopped½ bunch dill, chopped1 lemonRemove the rind from the speck and set aside. Dice the speck. Heat a large saucepan with a little oil and add the speck and the rind and sauté for a few minutes. Add the celery, onion, garlic and leek, and cook until soft. Add the bouquet garni, bay leaves and the wine. Cook until most of the wine has reduced. Add the stock and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are soft but still slightly firm. Add the fish and cook for a few minutes. Add the cockles and peas. Cook for a few minutes and season to taste with salt pepper and lemon juice. Add the herbs and serve in bowls with toasted bread and a good lashing of butter and herbs.
Learn more
Cheese Fondue
Serves 61 crusty baguette, cut into chunks1 clove garlic, peeled400g Gruyère cheese, grated200g maasdam cheese, grated300ml dry white wine1 tbsp cornflour4 tbsp dry schnapps (kirsch)white pepper, for seasoningMix the cornflour and schnapps together to form a paste & set aside. Rub the inside surface of the fondue pot with garlic. Add the wine and then the cheese and simmer until the ingredients are a smooth. Add the cornflour, stir and simmer a few minutes.Place the pot onto the fondue stand and light the burner to keep warm and serve immediately. Serve with the bread chunks, cracked pepper and a green salad. Serve with white wine, schnapps or peppermint tea to aid digestion.
Learn more
Laksa
Serves 6 3 tblspns vegetable oil 300g fresh Australian prawn meat 3 chicken thighs, bone out, diced 1L chicken or fish stock 2 garlic cloves 2cm piece fresh turmeric, chopped 5 cm galangal roughly, chopped 4 candle nuts or 10 raw cashew nuts 1 tblspn shrimp paste (optional) 4cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped 2 shallots, roughly chopped 3 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped 6 long red chillies, roughly chopped 1 can coconut milk 400ml fish sauce, to taste 200g fresh rice vermicelli noodles 200g Hokkien noodles 100g bean sprouts 150g pkt fried tofu, cut into chunks Fresh coriander, to garnish 1 lime, cut into wedges Finely sliced red chilli, to garnish Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and place in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. To make the paste, combine the garlic, turmeric, chilli, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, shallot, candlenut, shrimp paste with a good pinch of salt and pound in a mortar and pestle or blend in a food processor until a paste. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the Laksa paste, cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the oils split and the mix is soft and has darkened a little in colour. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, 1 tsp fish sauce and the diced chicken and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the prawn meat and cook for a few minutes, add the tofu. Adjust seasoning to taste with lime juice, a little sugar and fish sauce. Pour boiling water onto the noodles and leave for a few minutes. Drain and place into serving bowls. Alternatively place into soup base and simmer for a few extra minutes. Spoon over the laksa and garnish with beansprouts coriander and fresh chilli. Serve with extra lime on the side.
Learn more
Mixed Olives
500g Mixed olives1 x200g piece fresh chevre (goat’s cheese)Fresh thymePlace olives into a small baking dish. Place the fresh cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season with thyme and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until warmed. Serve with crunchy bread.
Learn more
Spaghetti with Eggplant balls
1 large eggplant diced into 1cm pieces120g fresh breadcrumbs2 cloves garlic finely chopped2 chillies finely chopped1 onion finely diced1 egg2 tablespoons fresh thyme1 can white beans or chickpeas, washed and drained 80g grated parmesan80g grated provolone picante3 Tblspns parsley chopped375g spaghetti cooked and drained600g fresh tomato sauce (passata)Panko bread crumbs to coatPlace a little oil in a frypan and sauté the garlic, chilli and onion for a few minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme and cook until soft. Add the drained beans and season to taste. Puree in a blender then add the breadcrumbs, grated cheeses, egg and parsley. Allow to cool and roll into balls and roll into panko crumbs.Heat a pan with oil and lightly fry the balls on each side until golden. Heat the tomato sauce in a pan and add the balls to coat and serve with spaghetti and sprinkle with extra grated cheese and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
Learn more
Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Makes 2 large baking dishesServes 10-12 750g frozen leaf spinach defrosted and chopped 400g ricotta 1 onion finely chopped 1 chilli finely sliced Freshly grated nutmeg 2 garlic cloves finely chopped 80g grated parmesan 80g grated provolone picante Salt and pepper to taste 200g bococcini balls 600ml tomato passata (fresh tomato sauce) 500g large pasta shells – cooked in salted water until tender. drain Sauté the onion, chilli and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. In a bowl combine the spinach, ricotta, grated cheeses and add the onion mix and season well with salt pepper and fresh nutmeg. Grease 2 baking dishes and then stuff the pasta shells with spinach filling. Repeat and place in baking dishes. Drizzle over the tomato sauce and sprinkle over a little extra grated cheese and dot over torn bococcini. Bake in a hot oven until golden on top. Serve hot with a crisp green salad
Learn more
Rhubarb Coconut Cake
Makes 1 x 18cm 4 layer cake300g butter6eggs400g sour cream1 tsp vanilla bean paste100g desiccated coconut420 flour1 lemon zest and juice30g baking powder300g caster sugarBeat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs whipping between the addition of each egg. Fold in the sour cream. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, coconut and lemon. Divide evenly into 4 lined cake layer pans and bake for 15-20minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.For the rhubarb500 rhubarb100g sugar1 orange juice and zest1 vanilla bean1 cinnamon stickWash the rhubarb and cut into chunks. Combine all ingredients in a pan and cook until the rhubarb breaks down and the liquid is reduced. Allow to cool completely.For the rhubarb buttercream6 egg whites225g caster sugar450g unsalted butter softened.Over a double boiler whip the egg whites and the sugar until thick and glossy. Transfer the mix to a mixer and whip until cold. Gradually add the butter little by little and then rhubarb to taste.To assemble the cake1 punnet raspberriespomegranate seedsedible flowersSpread a little rhubarb mix over each layer of cake and pipe smooth rosettes over the cake and add fresh raspberries between each rosettes on the outer edge. Repeat for each layer then place each layer on top of each other. garnish with fresh edible flowers and pomegranate seeds.
Learn more
Melting Moments
(makes about 36)250g salted butter, softened150g pure icing sugar, sifted1 tspn vanilla bean paste250g plain flour60g custard powderpure icing sugar, to dustFor the filling: (or use the buttercream from 'rhubarb coconut cake')60g unsalted butter, softened150g pure icing sugar, sifted20g raspberriesPreheat oven to 160°CWhip the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and custard powder and gently fold into the butter. Wrap and chill for about half an hour. Roll out to 2-3mm thick and cut into rounds. Place onto lined baking trays and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.For the filling: Beat the butter in a bowl until light and creamy add the icing sugar. Stir in the raspberries. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe onto a cookie and then place another round on top. Repeat for all the cookies and then dust with icing sugar, arrange on a serving plate and enjoy with a cup of tea.
Learn more
Raspberry Scones
Makes about 18420 plain flour30g baking powderPinch of salt60g caster sugar70g cold & unsalted butter, diced300 ml milkfrozen raspberries for decoratingPreheat the oven to 200°C Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add salt and sugar. Add the butter and mix together with either a paddle attachment on your mixture or rub in with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs. Slowly add enough milk until the mixture just comes together into a ball. Do not over work the dough.Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and gently pat the dough together into a round shape, about 3cm high. Use a scone cutter to cut rounds from the dough. Gently work the remaining dough together to cut as many rounds as possible. Place the scones close together on a lined baking tray and brush with milk. Press a few frozen raspberries into each scone. Bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes or until they are golden and well-risen. Dust the scones with some icing sugar before serving. Serve warm or cold with rhubarb jam (recipe online) and clotted cream.
Learn more
Braised Cabbage & Pork Belly
1.2kg pork belly ¼ large Chinese cabbage Crushed white peppercorns 3 star anise 5 dried chillies 1½ inch piece ginger, finely sliced salt 3 spring onions 4 stalks celery leaf 50g dried shitake mushrooms 2 garlic cloves 3 dried chillies ½ inch piece ginger sliced 2 tblspn oyster sauce 50ml soy sauce. 30ml Shaoxing winecoriander, celery leaf & spring onion, chopped to garnish In a saucepan combine shitakes, 2 garlic cloves, dried chillies, sliced ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine and then add 500ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for ½ hour. Remove mushrooms reserving the liquid.Slice pork belly into thin strips and layer with cabbage and season with white pepper and a very tiny sprinkle of salt. Place in a shabu shabu pot, and dot in the shitakes mushrooms and sliced ginger. Pour over the mushroom braising liquid and add the dried chillies and coil over the spring onions and celery leaf. Cover with the lid and place on heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and braise for about 1hr 15 mins. Turn off the heat and allow to rest for ½ hour.Sprinkle with chopped herbs , and serve with steamed rice and chill oil.
Learn more
Thai Style Chicken Salad
IngredientsSalad 2 chicken breasts 12 white peppercorns 2 slices of lemon 4 coriander roots, scraped 50ml fish sauce 1 punnet cherry tomatoes 2 carrots, peeled 1 inch piece ginger, julienned 2 cucumbers 1 celery heart, sliced 1 bunch coriander, picked 1 bunch of spring onion, sliced 200g snow peas 1 bunch mint, picked 1 red onion, sliced Dressing 2 cloves garlic pinch of sea salt 2 long red chillies 2 green chillies 50g sugar 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp lime juice 4 coriander roots, scrapped 8 white peppercorns MethodPlace the chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add peppercorns, coriander root, 1 spring onion, lemon and fish sauce. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes and turn off. Allow to cool in the liquid. Once cool, shred by pulling apart with your fingers. In a large bowl, using a peeler, shave the carrot into long thin strips. Cut the cucumber into quarters lengthways and cut away the seeds. Cut into 4mm pieces on the diagonal. Add the remaining ingredients, including the chicken, and lightly toss together. Add as much dressing as you need to flavour the salad, and mix well. It should take most of the dressing.Dressinglace peppercorns in a mortar and crush. Add garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Crush until smooth. Add the coriander root and pound until it starts to break down. Add chillies (with seeds in if you like it hot) and keep pounding. Add sugar, fish sauce and lime juice, add a few spoons of water for consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, with more sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. This dressing should be hot, salty, sour and sweet.
Learn more