Cavolo Nero and potato curry

This has been a month of Cavolo Nero challenges. More cabbage than you can possibly eat in one sitting. Here is a good use of a cabbage and other green veg you may happened to find in your fridge. This is another adaptation from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall River Cottage Veg with cavolo nero and potatoes.

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 6)
One whole cavolo nero or Kale or cabbage – washed & tough stalks removed
Handful of Green beans (prepared to cook)
2 leeks chopped
2 large red onions chopped.
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves sliced
1 green chilli deseeded and chopped
3cm piece of ginger (peeled and chopped)
1 tsp of coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp curry powder
500g potatoes – peeled and chopped
250g plain yoghurt
½ tube of tomato puree
small bunch of coriander – chopped
handful of pistachios  toasted & chopped
Salt and pepper
400ml water



Equipment
large saucepan/deep frying pan with lid
pestle and mortar
Sharp knife and chopping board
Wooden spoon
Hob/hot plate


How to throw it together
Shred the cabbage and stalks and set aside in separate piles.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion & leek until golden. Meanwhile pound and garlic, chilli and ginger together with salt to a paste. Add to the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Tip in rest of the spices and cook for a minute or two.








Add the potatoes and fry stirring frequently for about 5 minutes so they are well coated with the spice mixture. Pour in about 400ml of water – enough to cover the veg. Bring to a simmer cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender. Add the cabbage leaves and beans, stir and cook until cabbage just wilted.

Add the tomato puree with some of the hot liquid from the curry and stir well into mixture. Bubble for about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper or additional curry powder (deending on how hot you want your curry)

At this point you can stop and let the curry steep or cool and freeze it.
When ready to eat, taste for add yoghurt and reheat over low heat ; this is important so that the yoghurt does not curdle.

When ready to serve sprinkle on toasted nuts and eat with Naan or chapati or rice if you prefer.

Cavolo Nero in coconut milk

We have struggled in past years to find anywhere that sells coconut milk in our part of Italy (Le Marche). This year we arrived with several tins and found a cabbage curry side dish recipe to combine both. This originally came from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall River Cottage Veg with leeks instead of cabbage.

This is quick and easy to make.

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 6 as a side dish)
One whole cavolo nero or Kale or cabbage – washed & tough stalks removed
2 large red onions chopped or leeks if in season.
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves sliced
1 teaspoon of good curry powder
400ml of coconut milk
50g roasted peanuts
Salt and pepper

Equipment
large saucepan
Strainer for cabbage
Deep Frying pan
Sharp knife and chopping board
Wooden spoon
Hob/hot plate

How to throw it together
Shred the cabbage and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat and sweat the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes

Add the curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the greens and sweat down until slightly wilted but still crnchy.





Pour in the coconut milk and heat through letting it bubble for a minute. Serve at once sprinkled with roasted peanuts.

Mushroom and Cavolo Nero lasagne

Our challenge this year is what to do with 10 ready to eat Cavolo nero .  This recipe is adapted from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall River Cottage Veg. It takes approximately 3 hours to prepare and be ready to serve so it is not a quick dish.

This includes digging up and cleaning the onions, garlic,celery and cabbage so if you are buying these from a supermarket you can slim down some of the time.If you like you veggies and are prepared to make some time, it is very tasty and worth all the effort.  You can also cook this in advance and reheat a bit later. We will re-use the béchamel sauce for a more traditional  lasagne dish.

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 6)

300 g cavolo nero or Kale or cabbage tough stalks removed

30g butter

500g mushrooms – washed, chopped

2 garlic cloves – finely chopped

sprigs of thyme – leaves only

175g lasagne sheets ( to create 3 layers in your lasagne dish)

Parmesan – grated – enough to cover your dish

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Bechamel Sauce

750ml whole milk

1 bay leaf

1 onion chopped

1 celery stalk – chopped

black peppercorns

50g butter

50 plain flour

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

Equipment

2 large saucepans

Strainer for cabbage

Sieve for sauce

Large Bowls (to set aside ingredients)

Pouring jug

Frying pan

Sharp knife and chopping board

Wooden spoon

Lasagne dish

Oven

How to throw it together

Pre heat oven to 180C/Gas mark 4

Heat the milk for the sauce with the bay leaf, onion, celery and peppercorns until just below simmering. Remove from heat and set aside to infuse.

Shed the cabbage. Put into a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat ½ the butter in large frying pan over medium heat. Add half the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until caramalised. Add half of the thyme and garlic for last minute and stir well.  Remove from heat, place into a dish and set aside. Repeat for other half of the mushrooms, garlic, thyme etc then set aside.

Gently reheat the infused milk, then strain into clean jug.

Heat the butter in the frying pan, stir in the flour to form a smooth roux and cook gently for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add ¼ of the milk and stir in to form a smooth paste. Repeat with rest of milk beating vigorously until you have a smooth sauce.  Return to the heat and allow to bubble gently until thickened. Stir in mustard and salt and pepper.

Add half the sauce to the Cabbage and put to one side.

Spread half the béchamel sauce over bottom of the lasagne dish. Layer 1/3 of the lasgane in the dish and spoon the cabbage on top. Add another layer of lasagne sheets then the mushroom mix. Finish with a final layer of lasagne and the remaining béchamel sauce.

Scatter over the cheese and add a trickle of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

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Tomato, bean and pancetta pasta sauce

This is a great cupboard meal if, like us, you have tins of butter beans or chick peas or any type of beans in your cupboard. You also need tins/jars of tomatoes/tomato pasta sauce, onions, garlic and pasta. Don’t’ do what we did one year and store fresh pasta in the cupboard until it dried out and was cooked as if it was dried by mistake. Needless to say we did not do that again!

This recipe has been adapted from a Nigella Lawson Kitchen recipe; it is quick and easy and thrown together in 30 mins.

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 2)
Pasta Dried or fresh
150g pancetta – chopped into cubes
400g tinned tomatoes or tomato pasta sauce
200ml red wine
30g butter
Dried thyme
Dried sage
Black Pepper
Sea salt
400g can of cannellini or ceci or butter beans drained and rinsed
1 red onion (peeled and chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped)
Olive oil
Parmesan (grated

Equipment
Large saucepan for pasta
Large deep based frying pan with lid
Wooden spoon
Sharp knife and chopping board
Tin opener
Sieve for draining

How to throw it together
Boil water for pasta- add some salt
Heat olive oil in frying pan and brown pancetta onions and garlic over medium heat until starting to brown.
Add dried herbs , salt and pepper and stir well
Add tomatoes and stir well
Add wine
Add in butter – stir well and tip in time of drained beans. Stir well and leave to bubble whilst pasta cooking. let mixture reduce
When water is boiling add pasta and cook as per instructions on packet (dried)
Serve with sauce on top of pasta in large bowls.  Add

Pork with mustard and crème fraiche

We were looking for something different to cook and stumbled across this recipe. We do not eat pork very often as it is normally very fatty but this is a lean, tasty dish not too heavy and great with new potatoes and green beans. Source is Delia Smith “Pork”

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 2)

2 thick pork fillets (trimmed of fat) 375g each

1 large egg

1 heaped dessertspoon of grained mustard

1 heaped dessertspoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves of garlic (peeled)

10g fresh parsley

4 heaped teaspoon fresh white bread crumbs

salt and fresh milled black pepper

Sauce

1 heaped dessertspoon of grained mustard

1 heaped dessertspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon crème fraiche

10g butter

1 medium onion finely chopped

310ml dry white wine

Equipment:

Oven

Oblong dish – longer than the pork fillets

Plate

Medium baking tray – greased and longer than the pork fillets

Knife and chopping board

Small bowl and whisk

Small processor to chop herbs

Small saucepan

How to throw it together

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 5 /375F/190C

Trim the excess fat and sinew from the pork fillets

Beat the egg with the mustard in a small bowl, then pour into an oblong dish.

Chop the garlic and the parsley in a processor, add the breadcrumbs and seasoning of salt and pepper, whiz for a couple of seconds then spread onto a plate.

Roll the pork fillets in the egg mixture until well coated. Lift out – letting excess drip back into the dish then lay in the crumb mixture. Turn the fillets over the crumbs until they are evenly coated and there are almost no loose crumbs left in the dish.

Transfer them into the greased baking tray and roast the fillets in a pre heated over for 30 minutes.

For the sauce, heat the butter in a small saucepan and cook the onion in it on a medum heat for about 10 minutes until softened and brown. Then add the white wine, turn up the heat and boil for 10 minutes to reduce slightly before adding the crème fraiche and mustards then simmer gently for a further 10 minutes. When the pork is cooked, let it rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes before carving into slices and serving with the sauce.

Rice Pudding

Yearning for something homey warm and sweet, we searched for a rice pudding recipe as Sarah rejected Jo’s just chuck milk and cream on top of cold rice. This is the result – Marcus Wareing extra rich homemade rice pudding. To die for!

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 4)

90g of short grained pudding rice (or if you are like me- use leftover cold steamed rice)

250ml full fat milk

250ml double cream

1 vanilla pod – split lengthways (seeds scraped out and reserved)

5 medium egg yolks

90g caster sugar

Jam or raisins to serve

Equipment:

Heavy saucepan

Wooden spoon

Hob

Bowl for egg yolks + bowls to serve

Electric whisk

Spoons

How to throw it together

Rinse and drain rice (if using pudding rice , otherwise start with your cold leftover rice) Tip into heavy pan. Add the milk and cream and drop in the vanilla pod(not the seeds) Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Turn down the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring from time to time for about 20 minutes until the rice is soft but still with a slight bite.

Put the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds and whisk to combine.

Take pan of rice from heat and remove vanilla pod. Mix about 1/3^rd of the rice with the egg yolks, then stir this mixture into the rest fo the rice in the pan. Continue cooking over a low heat for a few more minutes, stirring constantly until the pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Pour the pudding into bowls and blob a spoonful of jam or scatter raisins over ht centre of each.  Serve hot.

Apple and Almond pudding

Apples are great in autumn and for something other than just another applie pie, try this version. This is light and fluffy and very satisfying. Source – Delia Smith “puddings” Nothing like Delia for a good recipe. Ate it all before remembered to take photographs! Oops!

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 2)

450g cooking apples or green apples – peeled, cored and sliced

110g ground almonds

50g soft brown sugar

110g butter (room temperature)

110g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

Equipment:

Round overproof baking dish – diameter 8 inches(20cm) 1.5 inches deep(4.5cm) buttered.

Medium Saucepan

Bowl

Whisk/ wooden spoon

How to throw it together

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 4 /250F/180C

Place the apples in a saucepan with the brown sugar and approximately 2 tablespoons of water, simmer gently until soft and then arrange them in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy and then beat in the egg a little at a time. When all the egg is in, carefully and lightly fold in the ground almonds. Now spread this mixture over the apples and even out the surface with the back of a  wooden spoon.

Bake on a high shelf in the oven for exactly 1 hour.

This pudding is equally good served warm or cold – either way its great with chilled pouring cream. Can keep in fridge for 3-4 days.

Steamed trout with ginger and spring onions

We bought a 60cm fish poacher whilst cycling through Crows Nest, Sydney. As it was difficult to cycle far with it attached to the pannier rack, we deposited it at a friend’s house for a few days. Safely installed in the kitchen we searched recipe books to try out steaming fish and the first recipe we tried has become our favourite. This is from Delia Smith “Fish”

Nothing like a good trout to satisfy hunger especially with boiled potatoes or rice. The sauce is great.

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 2)

2 rainbow trout - gutted and de scaled.

Piece of fresh root ginger – peeled and cut into thin strips

4 spring onions

1 clove garlic

crushed sea salt

Sauce

1 teaspoon peeled and chopped root ginger

1 clove of garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons Shaosing (Chinese rice wine)

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

½ teaspoon dark soft brown sugar

Equipment:

Large steamer for fish with lid

Hob (2 or more rings)

Kitchen paper

Small saucepan

Sharp knife and chopping board

How to throw it together

Rinse the trout and then dry them on the kitchen paper.

Sprinkle the outside of the fish with sea salt and leave for 30 minutes to help firm up the flesh.

Please all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, then bring them to simmering point and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cut the spring onions in half where the green and white parts meet, and the very green part in diagonals. The rest should be thinly shredded lengthways.

After 30 minutes, wipe the salt away from the trout with more kitchen paper ad place the fish in the steamer with the ginger and the garlic scattered inside and all over. Place it over boiling water and steam with lid on for exactly 15 minutes. Serve the trout with the reheated sauce poured over and garnish with the spring onions.

If you prefer, you can remove most of the bones before eating

Toasted Muesli

This is very simple to make and useful if you need to use up nuts, seeds, dried fruit and oats. It is a variation on the recipe from Brian Pearson but with addition of desiccated coconut and more dried fruit. You can add whatever you find lurking in your dried fruit/nut/seed draw and it will come out a winner. Thank you Marcus Wareing

Foodstuff you will need:  (serves 12)

150g honey

50ml groundnut oil

500g rolled oats

80g wheat germ

60g desiccated coconut

60g bran flakes

80g sesame seeds

80g pumpkin seeds

80g skin on almonds (chopped)

100g-pitted prunes

100g dried apricots

Equipment:

Oven and large roasting try

Saucepan

Large bowl

Airtight container

Wooden spoon for mixing

How to throw it together

Preheat the oven to 140C. Gently warm the honey and oil in a saucepan. Combine the remaining ingredients (except the fruit) in a large bowl. Pour the honey and the oil over the mix and stir to coat everything.

Spread out the mixture in a large roasting tin and bake for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the fruit and cook for a further 10 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool, then keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Celery soup

We were stuck with what to do with lots of celery so resorted to one of favourite no nonsense chefs; this recipe is from Delia Smith. This is a very light and creamy recipe but full of flavour.

Foodstuff you will need:  (severs 4)

350g celery (or half celery) trimmed chopped

25g butter

110g potatoes peeled and chunked

2 leeks washed and cut into slices

550ml vegetable or chicken stock

275ml milk

¼ teaspoon of celery seeds

2 tablespoons of double cream or crème fraiche

good grating of fresh nutmeg

salt /pepper

Equipment:

Tablespoons

Knife and chopping board

Measuring jug

Ladle

Large saucepan with lid

Liquidiser

Clean large saucepan

Grater for nutmeg

How to throw it together

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat

Add celery with potatoes and leeks.

Stir to coat vegetables with butter, cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Shake the pan from time to time to prevent vegetables from sticking.

Pour in the stock and milk and sprinkle in the celery seeds (don’t over do it: care these are very salty!)

Bring the soup to simmering point then cover and cook over a very low heat for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat. Leave the soup to cool for a while then transfer into a liquidizer (You may need to do this in batches) Liquidise the mixture until all in puree form.

Transfer liquidized mixture to a new saucepan.

Return to the heat and add cream/crème fraiche and the nutmeg. Bring soup back to the boil, check the seasoning, add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve in large bowls. Great with fresh bread.

Sautéed mushrooms

This is a very tasty mushroom recipe, especially for breakfast as the zesty lemon and garlic gives the dish a bit of a zing.

This is great with any type of mushrooms but probably best with flat open mushrooms. Great with steak or on toast for breakfast.

Foodstuff you will need:  (severs 4)

800g flat open mushrooms

60ml extra virgin olive oil

40g unsalted butter

1 teaspoon of thyme (fresh or dried ok)

3 garlic cloves – peeled and chopped

sea salt

lemon juice

freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons of chopped parsley

Equipment:

Knife and chopping board

Large heavy based frying pan

Wooden spoon

How to throw it together

Slice the mushrooms into thick slices

Add the olive oil and butter to the frying pan large enough to hold all the mushrooms. Heat on high until butter starts to foam, add mushrooms and thyme and toss to coat. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and some sea salt and raise the heat again; the mushrooms should start to caramelize. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat; add lemon juice to taste; add a grind of black pepper and sprinkle over the chopped parsley.

Mix well and serve.

Rump steak with pepper and brandy

This is a well used recipe but was first tested on Norwegian and South African friends Arild and Dorette. Quite a risky strategy testing out recipes on friends, but ours seem to enjoy it, even when we get it wrong. This recipe however is a standout. Thank you Neil Perry.

The steak is great with sautéed mushrooms, roast potatoes (or chips) and broccoli.

Foodstuff you will need:  (severs 4)

4x 200g rump steak

sea salt

25g white /and or black peppercorns

60ml extra virgin olive oil

40g unsalted butter

60ml brandy

500ml  cream

1 lemon (juice only)

Equipment:

Oven (heat to 50C then switch off)

Large deep heavy based frying pan

Mortar and pestle

Flat plate x 2

Spatulla & fork to turn meat

Wooden spoon

Plates to serve x 4

How to throw it together

Remove steaks from fridge 1 hour before cooking and season with sea salt.

Crush peppercorns in mortar with pestle. Transfer to a flat plate. One at a time press the steaks into the peppercorns turning to ensure both sides are covered.

Cook 2 steaks at a time.

Heat ½ the virgin olive oil and ½ the butter in a deep based frying pan. When hot plae steaks in the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove and set on a plate in a warm place to rest. Repeat with remaining steaks.

Once all the steaks are resting, add the brandy to the pan. 

As it flames scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the flames have gone add the cream and cook until reduced by half. Squeeze the lemon juice over, then check the seasoning.

Place steaks on warm plates, pour over some sauce and serve immediately.

Smoked Mackerel pate

This is very simple and easy to make once you have found the smoked fish. Luckily the local fish market in Sydney lived up to its reputation of having the exact fish you need.

It keeps a few days in the fridge so it can be used in a number of ways _ spread on bread or biscuits or with salad. It is very rich and filling but delicious.

Foodstuff you will need: 

25g crème fraiche

50g cream cheese

25g good quality mayonnaise

grated zest and juice of a ½ lemon

10 drops of Tabasco sauce

½ tsp salt

ground black pepper to taste

250g smoked mackerel fillet, skinned and flaked

Equipment:

Large bowl

Spatulla

Zester

Ramekins (for individual portions_

How to throw it together

Mix together the crème fraiche, cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the lemon zest, juice, Tabasco, salt and ground pepper. Add the mackerel and fold through the mix.  Check seasoning and serve. Refrigerate if not used immediately.

Roast Vegetables

This is a great way to use up veg that is left over from other recipes or just a good way of cooking lots of different veg together. I avoid beetroot as I don’t like it but it could be added if part boiled separately.  This dish serves 8 easily and goes brilliantly with all sorts of BBQ meat.

Foodstuff you will need: 

Red pepper (cored and chopped)

Small swede (peeled and chopped)

2 small turnips (peeled and chopped)

2 Red onions (peeled and chopped)

6 Carrots (peeled)

6 purple carrots (peeled)

3 Zucchini (thinly sliced length ways)

Small Part boiled potatoes (skins on but washed) – enough for the number you are serving

Cloves of garlic (peeled)

180ml extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

100g unsalted butter

chopped parsley (to serve)

Equipment:

Oven

Large roasting tray

Kitchen knife and chopping board

3 Saucepans

How to throw it together

Pre heat the oven to 200C FAN or 220C conventional

Cook the purple carrots and regular carrots separately in 2 saucepans of boiling water for 12 minutes . Set aside to cool the cut in half length ways. Place on baking tray and scatter with large knobs of butter. Drizzle with oil and sea salt.

Part boil the potatoes, swede and turnip in the same saucepan

Drain all and arrange on baking tray along with the pepper, zucchini, carrots and onion.

 

Drizzle all with olive oil and sea salt.

Roast the vegetables for 20-30 minutes, until turning slightly brown at the edges.

Remove from the oven. Place all veg on a serving dish or directly to plates ad sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Slow Cooked Fillet of Beef

This is a Maggie Beer sourced recipe, but she cites that the original idea came from from Kylie Kwong. An Asian influenced Australian dish maybe?

The beef cooks very slowly and is divine. You have to be careful you do not leave it longer than recommended (unless you like your beef medium or well done) It is important to marinate it overnight in the fridge if you can.  This recipe worked perfectly for us as – surprise, surprise I found a large Hunter Valley beef fillet in Coles in Katoomba (think Tesco/Sainsbury equivalent for UK) and the juniper berries in a health food store sold for herbal tea!. Luckily all the herbs grow in our garden.  Serves 8 as a main or if you are very hungry and love beef (like us) it serves 2 for 3 days! I served this with roasted veg and roast potatoes.

Foodstuff you will need: 

1x1.8kg beef fillet – trimmed (40cm long, 6cm wide)

1 tbsp juniper berries

4x20cm stems of rosemary leaves stripped and chopped

4 tbsp roughly chopped thyme

2 tbsp orange zest – long thin strips

sea salt

125ml extra virgin olive oil plus extra for rubbing

8 fresh bay leaves

¼ cup vino cotto

Vinaigrette

Reserved beef resting juices

60ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp vino cotto

Equipment:

Sharp Kitchen knife and chopping board

Oven

2 Large roasting tins for marinade and for cooking

Plastic film

Kitchen string

Zester

Measuring cups/jug

Tablespoons

Meat thermometer

Large heavy based frying pan

Large baking dish

How to throw it together

Day before:

Trim the sinew off the beef fillet and tuck the skinny tail end under the fillet, securing with kitchen string. Tie the rest of the fillet at 4cm intervals to form a compact shape; this helps the beef cook evenly.

Mix the juniper berries, rosemary, thyme and orange zest, 1 tbsp of salt and the olive oil in a baking dish. Add the beef fillet then rub the marinade mix all over the beef. Top with bay leaves, slipping them in a row underneath the string. Cover with plastic film and leave to marinade overnight in the fridge (turning occasionally)

On the day

Remove the beef from the fridge and leave to come to room temperature (about 1 hour)

Preheat the oven to75C fan or 90C conventional.

Pat the beef dry and place in a roasting tin, then roast for 3-3.5 hours (turning half way through cooking) or until it feels soft when pressed with a finger and gently springs back into shape.  The beef fillet should register 60C on a meat thermometer when it is ready.

Remove from oven.

Rub a little salt and splash of olive oil all over the fillet.

Heat a large heavy based frying pan over a high heat, then add the beef and sear for 6 minutes, turning until evenly browned on all sides.

Transfer the beef to a large clean baking dish, the pour vino cotto over and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes; the beef should be pink all the way through.

To make the vinaigrette, mix the resting juices from the beef with the olive oil and vino cotto.

Cut the beef into thick slices and serve warm or at room temperature with the vinaigrette.

Fig Salad

Figs do not ripen after picking therefore those that have travelled great distances may be bland and dry; try buying fresh figs from local producers only in late summer/early autumn. Figs should look like they are about to burst its skin. They should be sweet, soft and wet and when squeezed lightly they should give a little.

This is a very quick starter that can be assembled at the last minute. It serves 4 or can be used as a main for 2. It is surprisingly good. Thank you Yotam OttoLenghi.

Foodstuff you will need: 

2 small red onions

3 tbsp olive oil

50g hazelnuts (skins on)

60g mixed lettuce leaves (or radicchio)

40g torn basil leaves

40g watercress

6 large ripe figs

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

salt and black pepper

Equipment:

Kitchen knife and chopping board

Oven

2 small baking trays for roasting

Large wooden spoon

Small jar

Serving plates

Tablespoon & teaspoon

How to throw it together

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas mark 7

Peel and chop the onions into 3cm wide chunks

Mix together ½ tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Spread the onions on a baking tray and pour on oil

Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until the onion is soft and golden and turning crispy in parts. Remove, set aside to cool before pulling the onion apart with your hands into bite sized chunks.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160/140FAN/Gas mark 3.

Scatter the hazel nuts in a small roasting try and toast for 20 minutes. Try not to burn them to a cinder. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, remove the skins and then roughly crush with a wooden spoon or side of a knife.

Assemble the salad on plates. Mix the lettuce/basil and cress together and place a few on the bottom of each plate. Cut the figs lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces. Place a few figs and some roasted onion on the leaves. Top with a few more leaves and continue building the layers into a small pyramid.

In a jar, mix together the remaining oil, vinegar and cinnamon with a pinch of slat and some black pepper. Drizzle this over the salad, finish with the hazelnuts and serve.

Fisherman's Stew

This is the best and most hearty fish stew we have ever tasted/made. It is a Marcus Wareing dish that has a strong emphasis on the fish contents as opposed to the broth. We have made this several times now but i have failed to take any photos (so anxious to eat the broth!) The last time we made it we doubled the quantities of the broth and used beef stock instead of chicken (Dorette's request) and it worked just as well. It is very filling. Great if you live near a fishmonger or a fish market (Sydney residents take note!) It is a winner for a dinner party if you do not mind fiddling with seafood. :)
Serves 4

Foodstuff you will need:  
12 large raw prawns
12 fresh mussels (scrubbed and de bearded)
2 large potatoes cut into 3cm cubes
1 large fennel bulb (chopped into small pieces)
12 smalls callops
400g skinless firm white fish fillets cut into bite size pieces
200g skinless salmon cut into bite sized pieces

Broth
2tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion peeled and halved
2 carrots, peeled and cut in half
1 bulb garlic halved horizontally
1 leek (white part only) cut in half
3 sticks of celery cut across in half
4 tbsp tomato puree
pinch of saffron threads
250ml white wine
¼ bunch tarragon
¼ bunch thyme
2 litres of chicken stock

Equipment:
Large saucepan *3
Sieve
Slotted spoon
Chopping board & sharp knife
4 Large bowls for broth

How to throw it together
Peel the prawns (remove heads, tail and shell) Set aside.
Rinse the shells and heads
To make the broth, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. When almost smoking, add the prawn heads and shells together with the onion, carrots, garlic, leek and celery. Brown well, stirring. Add the tomato puree and the saffron, then deglaze with the wine. When reduced to a syrup, add the herbs and stock and bring to a boil.

Pass through a sieve into a second clean saucepan pressing down on the prawn shells and vegetables to extract all the liquid; discard the vegetables and shells. Bring the broth to the boil, then add the mussels. Cook and cover until the shells open. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and remove from their shells. Discard the shells; keep the mussels warm.

Stain the broth into another pan to remove any grit from the mussels, then bring back to the boil and adjust the seasoning. Add the potatoes, fennel and cook  until almost tender. Add the prawns, scallops and fish and simmer until just cooked. Return the mussels to the stew then serve.

Nectarine and King prawn salad

Maggie Beer has some wonderful recipes. She appears on Australian Master chef from time to time and has her own brand of sauces/pickles/jams etc.
Her recipe is with Yabbies, but we prefer it with cooked king prawns. This can be served as a starter or as a main depending how big you want to make the portions ☺
The ratios below are for a starter for 6. It takes very little time and it is literally thrown together quickly.

Foodstuff you will need:  
Ready cooked King prawns (as many as you would like per person)
3 large ripe nectarines (stones removed) thinly sliced
Zest of 1 lemon (no white pith)
Mixed lettuce leaves (cos, witlof, spinach, soft salad leaves)
Mint (finely chopped)

Vinaigrette
1/3 cup (80ml) Verjuice
1/3 cup(80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Equipment:
Medium sized Jar with lid to mix vinaigrette
Large bowl and salad spoons
Zester
Plates

How to throw it together
Place verjuice, olive oil and mustard and salt and pepper to taste in a small jar. Put on lid and shake until fully mixed. Set aside.
Peel prawns and place in large bowl. Add nectarines, salad leaves, lemon zest, and vinaigrette and gently mix to combine.
Scatter mint and serve.

Eton Mess

This is a fabulous recipe from Marcus Wareing’s book “Gilbert Scot” We have not made it look like a master chef dish, and prefer as a messy mess (this is why it is called Eton Mess!) but it certainly tastes delicious.  We have adapted it to what we can find in an Australian supermarket (no liquer and no frozen dried raspberries to scatter on top)

Foodstuff you will need:
350g raspberries
150g frozen mixed berries (leave to defrost for a few minutes until soft)
200ml double cream
2 tbsp raspberry jam

Meringues
3 free range egg whites (80g)
80g caster sugar
80g icing sugar

Equipment:

Oven
Electric whisk (for egg whites)
Large mixing bowl
Piping bag and 1cm nozzle
Big spatula
Baking tray
Baking paper
Blender (to puree the fruit)
Sieve
Jug for puree
Large bowl for whipping cream


How to throw it together
Pre heat the oven to 100C. Make the meringues
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, then add the icing sugar and whisk until combined. Spoon into a piping bag with 1cm nozzle and pipe 6 domes onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Place these in the oven for 1 hour -90 minutes or until outer shell is firm.
Remove from oven. While the meringues are still warm scoop out the inner part and discard this bit, leaving a firm shell only. Leave to cool.

For the berry sauce, put the un frozen mixed berries into a blender and bled to a puree.  Pass this mixture through a sieve into a jug. Put aside.












Lightly whip the cream in a bowl. Break the raspberries in half and gently fold into the cream, together with the raspberry jam. Use this to fill the meringue shells.

If the meringue shells are a bit broken up and you are unable to fill them with anything, do not worry. Break the meringues into bits and gently fold through the cream mixture.








Serve onto plates and pour raspberry sauce on the side.