Simple Dinners 02 / Roasted Grape & Prosciutto Toastie

Apologies for the complete radio silence lately! While baking inspiration has been at a high, time unfortunately has not. But I'm back today with another quick and easy lunch or dinner recipe that I think you'll like! Where comfort food is concerned, the toastie is hard to beat. They seriously couldn't be easier to make, but this one takes the flavours up a notch, because we all deserve a little treat after a long day at work!

Red grapes are roasted with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, salt and black pepper for just a few minutes until they start to burst out of their skins. It's a beautiful sight. At this point, you can use these roasted grapes in a number of ways - as an accompaniment to a cheese or charcuterie board, with fresh ricotta and grilled bread, with grilled haloumi, or even served with a lamb roast. They can even be cooked in advance. It's a super versatile little recipe.



I decided to combine the grapes with prosciutto, gruyere cheese and more black pepper on a toastie, and it was absolutely delicious. It has been added to my rotation of easy mid-week dinners, and I know I'll make it again soon.

Just when I thought autumn had settled in for good, we were given a stunning weekend of warm weather and sunshine!! Not that I'm complaining at all, but this recipe just screams out for a chilly day, a nice glass of red and a good movie.





One more little piece of news today, I'm very excited to share that Spicyicecream is one of just 25 food and lifestyle blogs nominated in the Top 100 for the Voices of 2013! I'm in fabulous company with my girls Steph and Karen, and some other great blogs that I love! Check out the other nominees here!

Mac and Cheese, plus 13 ways with Gruyere

It's no secret that I loooove cheese. I could spend an hour in front of the epic wall of cheese at Harris Farm. You may have noticed that I don't often do savoury recipes here, but be sure that when I do they are really something special. I hope you enjoy this round up of cheesy recipes from some of my favourite food blogs!

Picture Credits: Raspberri Cupcakes & Gourmet Traveller

1. This thing of beauty was inspired by a wonderfully comforting Cheese Toastie we had at a dinner together at Gazebo Wine Garden. Steph from Raspberri Cupcakes take on it included sweet roasted garlic and oozy gruyere. Yes please!!

2. There is red hot competition for the title of Sydney's best burger and Rockpool's with bacon, gruyere and Zuni pickles rates pretty highly! I didn't manage to try it on my recent visit to Rockpool Bar & Grill in Perth (which you'll hear more about soon, promise) but I'll definitely be heading to the Sydney restaurant soon. Just look at that burger!

Picture Credits: Citrus and Candy & Tartelette

3. I can tell you firsthand how amazing the Gnocchi a la Parisienne is at Tastevin restaurant in Darlinghurst. Karen from Citrus and Candy made a beautiful version of it. The most interesting thing about this dish is that the 'gnocchi' is actually choux pastry, not made from potato. Note to self, try this at home... And make another reservation at Tastevin soon!

4. One of the ultimate comfort foods is French Onion Soup, especially as its getting colder by the day here in Sydney. Helene's version is stunning, especially when topped with steaming hot, deliciously melty gruyere toasts.

Picture Credits: Cannelle et Vanille & Donna Hay

5. I love the idea of these unique Apple, Gruyere and Sage Muffins from Cannelle et Vanille to accompany a bowl of  hot pumpkin soup. I imagine these would also be quite adaptable - substituting pear for apple, or perhaps adding in some bacon and changing up the herbs. Yum!

6. If Stuffed Zucchini Flowers are on a restaurant menu, it's fairly likely that they'll end up in front of me - especially if they're filled with cheese! I've never tried making them at home, but this recipe from Donna Hay looks particularly lovely.

Picture Credits: Spicy Icecream & Gourmet Traveller

7. This is a bit of a blast from the past, dug up out of the archives, but i had to share these Gougéres from the Tartine cookbook again because they were delicious. The perfect bite-size appetizer washed down with a glass of wine, you'll find it impossible to stop at just one. I also really liked the combination of gruyere and thyme.

8. I remember the very first time I tried a Gruyere Souffle at Ripples in Pyrmont, it was amazing! Being the twice-baked kind, it's a little easier for a home cook and every bit as delicious. I'm keeping this recipe from Gourmet Traveller on file for my next dinner party.

Picture Credits: Eat Little Bird & Williams-Sonoma

9. Savoury waffles is an interesting concept - usually I douse mine in ice cream and maple syrup! Eat Little Bird brings us Waffles with Gruyere and Thyme, which started as a way to use up leftovers in the fridge but I think it sounds like a delicious lunch. Note to self - buy a waffle maker!

10. Okay, so I've never actually eaten a Popover but by the sound of them, I think they'd be delicious - especially with Gruyere! The recipe from Williams-Sonoma suggests serving them with steak, which sounds like a beautiful modern take on the classic Yorkshire pudding.

Picture Credits: Real Simple & My Recipes

11. Bacon. Gruyere. Meatloaf. Yes please! This recipe from Real Simple dresses up the humble meatloaf into a delicious gourmet dinner. This would be lovely with a simple green salad.

12. I recently expressed my new found love of bread and butter pudding, and this Pear and Gruyere Strata layered with cinnamon bread from My Recipes looks delicious! I think it would be lovely for brunch or dessert, with a big scoop of ice cream.

13. Mac and Cheese is a guilty pleasure of mine. I mean the nasty microwave stuff - so bad it's good right? But absolutely nothing beats homemade, even some fancy restaurant versions I've recently tried! In my opinion Mac and Cheese is best when baked with a scattering of breadcrumbs so the top gets nice and crisp.

I like experimenting with different cheeses and I think this version with Gruyere, Fontina and a smidge of Reggiano is a winner, but feel free to experiment with your favourite cheese varieties - the original recipe used an intriguing chilli-flavoured cheddar.

Pulled Pork Empanadas with Peach BBQ Sauce

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! Mine was wonderful, spent catching up with relatives (plus some visitors from Brisbane) over a big family lunch and lots (and lots and lots) of great food. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you might have seen pictures of the epic Berry Trifle I made for the occasion, which literally vanished in minutes. I couldn’t believe it!

I actually made these Pulled Pork Empanadas a few months ago for a lunch with my favourite food blogger gal pals, but now couldn’t be a more appropriate time to share it with you all, as I’m sure we’re not the only ones with a glut of Christmas leftovers. You can use any kind of shredded roast pork in the filling, or get creative with turkey, ham or even chicken. These empanadas would make a great appetizer for a casual meal with friends, or they’d be perfect on your next picnic because they taste great warm or at room temperature.

The pastry is subtly spiced with paprika and very easy to put together, but I have to say, the star of the dish is the amazing peach BBQ sauce. It would also be delicious slathered onto ribs or on a hamburger, or served alongside any kind of grilled meat for that matter. Feel free to change up the spices depending on what you like. I’ve listed what I used in the recipe below but it’s just a starting point.

I hope everyone enjoys their New Years Eve celebrations and has a wonderful start to 2012! I’m heading to Perth to spend it with the boy. I’ll be back with an update from the west coast in the new year! xox



Pulled Pork Empanadas with Peach BBQ Sauce
Serves 10
Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

Empanadas
• 110g butter, roughly chopped
• 2 ½ cups plain flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• About 2 ½ cups shredded leftover roast pork
• 1 egg, extra, lightly whisked for egg wash

Peach BBQ Sauce
• ½ cup pureed peaches
• 2/3 cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon mustard
• 2 ½ teaspoons treacle
• 2 tablespoons Worstershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Garlic, chilli, parsley, thyme and oregano (optional), to taste

To make the dough, place butter, flour, salt and paprika into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have pea-sized chunks of butter throughout the mixture. Whisk together the egg, water and vinegar and add to the flour mixture, pulsing until just incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured benchtop and knead a few times before patting into a circle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

To make the sauce, place ingredients into a bowl or jug and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a jar or airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). To form the empanadas, cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll to 3mm thick. Cut out 10cm round circles from the dough, re-rolling pastry scraps to cut more circles. Brush edges of each dough round with egg wash. Stir in 1/3 cup of sauce into the shredded pork. Place a large spoonful in the center of a rough, and fold the top half to the bottom to lightly pressing to seal. Use a floured fork to seal edges closed. Repeat for all dough rounds. Place onto baking trays, brush with remaining egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional sauce for dipping.

Shredded Brisket Tacos with Tequila Lime Guacamole and Mexican Corn

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang

Us Sydneysiders were blessed with an absolutely beautiful weekend, a welcome respite from the unpredictable weather we've been copping lately. And while there are countless things to love about spring, Sydney's temperamental weather is not one of them! I thought there would be no better way to celebrate such a gorgeous weekend than a casual Sunday lunch with the family.

In case you can't tell by now, I really like slow cooking hunks of meat! This time I used beef brisket, which is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of the animal and really benefits from braising. It not only infuses flavour right into the meat, but it ensures the end result will be perfectly tender. As I've recently learned, braising is definitely not just something you just do in winter. Meats like pork, beef and chicken are so delicious served with zingy fresh spring flavours like in these tacos.



The recipe was adapted from Lachlan Colwill’s, which appears on the menu at Grace in Adelaide, and is definitely on my list of places to check out when I eventually make it back for a holiday there. The beef is braised in stock and soy, with delicious flavours like cinnamon, star anise and dried chilli. What you end up with (after about four and a half hours of slow cooking) is super tender beef that falls apart under your fork.

I served my shredded brisket tacos with an awesome tequila lime guacamole that I’ve completely fallen in love with. Just a small amount of tequila really brings all the flavours together and makes them shine.



Mexican corn is a hugely popular dish in Sydney at the moment, popping up on restaurant menus everywhere. I love it so much that I decided to try an easy cheat’s version at home, with a chilli and coriander butter that was brushed onto the hot corn cobs, and then a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lime to finish. Totally delicious and much loved by everyone! I think this will be one dish that I’ll make over and over during spring and summer.



Shredded Brisket Tacos
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller
Serves 6-8

• 2.5kg beef brisket
• 7 cups Campbell’s Real Stock, beef flavour
• 250ml rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 star anise
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed

To serve
• Corn tortillas, fresh coriander, diced tomato and lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat a little olive oil in a deep fry pan over high heat. Place brisket into the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until well browned. Remove from the pan and place in a roasting dish or casserole dish with deep sides.

In the same frypan (if large enough, or in a saucepan if not) combine the rest of the ingredients and heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to infuse for about 20 minutes. Pour liquid over brisket, ensuring it is completely submerged, cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour, and then reduce the heat to 140°C (285°F) and cook for a further 3 – 3 ½ hours or until tender, turning the dish around every hour to ensure even cooking.

Remove from the oven and set aside to rest in the liquid for a further half an hour. Remove and coarsely shred meat with two forks into a bowl. Add enough liquid to moisten (discard remainder). Serve in tortillas with diced tomato, tequila and lime guacamole, fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Tequila and Lime Guacamole
Serves 6

• 2 ripe avocados
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Dried chilli flakes, to taste
• Lime juice, to taste
• 1 tablespoon tequila

Split avocados in half, remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Add salt, coriander, and chilli flakes and mash with a fork. Add lime juice and tequila and taste. Add more salt, lime or chilli until you’re happy with the balance of flavour. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. To avoid browning, place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the guacamole and press down to expel any air.

Mexican Corn with Parmesan and Lime
Serves 4

• 4 corn cobs, outer layers removed
• 2 teaspoons Campbell's Real Stock Paste, vegetable flavour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 30g butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons coriander, finely chopped
• Dried chilli flakes, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon smoky paprika
• Parmesan cheese, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve

Fill a medium saucepan with water and season with salt and vegetable stock paste. Add corn cobs and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until corn is cooked. In the meantime, mix together butter, coriander, chilli flakes and paprika in a small bowl. Drain the corn and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Brush butter onto the warm corn. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve with lime wedges.

Beef Ribs with Pomegranate BBQ Sauce

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang

Ahhh, it must be spring. The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer, and my hayfever is back with a vengeance! But it also means that BBQ season is just beginning, and that is something I get excited about every year. Cooking and eating outside during the warmer months is really special, and I just love the relaxed vibe that comes with a Sydney spring.

Although I usually focus on sweet recipes on my blog, one of my favourite things to cook is slow roasted meat. Whether it’s a shredded pork shoulder to fill some delicious tacos or veal shanks slow cooked in a rich tomato sauce to top homemade pasta, there’s something inherently magical about this style of cooking. Ribs are one thing I’ll never get enough of, and are at their best when slow cooked in a delicious saucy marinade.

This time I used beef ribs, which I had never cooked before (but have enjoyed eating on many occasions!) but pork ribs would also work beautifully in this recipe if you prefer. I always start by preparing a spice rub, which gives them an extra boost of flavour, and then grilling them on the BBQ. This does two things – jump starts the cooking process, and gives the meat a lovely, slightly charry flavour.




I recently picked up a bottle of pomegranate molasses and decided to add some into the marinade for fun, and it was absolutely delicious, creating a sweetness and a hint of smokiness in the sauce. I also loved the Cambpell’s stock paste sachets for a convenient way to get the flavour of beef stock into the sauce, without having to add a lot of liquid. From there, the ribs are slow cooked in that magical sauce until the meat is tender and falling off the bones.

I find writing savoury recipes a little difficult, as I usually just throw the ingredients in, tasting as I go along and rarely measuring, so feel free to adapt the sauce to include whatever you like – perhaps some maple syrup or some bourbon would be nice. The sauce is also delicious on other things too, so if you have any left over, store it in an airtight container and serve it on burgers or pies.

The ribs were totally delicious, and the sauce was the star. I served mine simply with steak fries (you can’t have ribs without chips!) washed down with a nice cold glass of apple cider. Not a bad way to spend a nice warm spring Sunday if I do say so myself!



Beef Ribs with Pomegranate BBQ Sauce
Serves 6
Original Recipe

• 3.5kg beef ribs (or pork if you prefer)
• Olive oil
• Steak fries, to serve

Spice Rub
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoky paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground chilli
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ¾ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

BBQ Sauce
• 200ml tomato sauce
• 2 sachets Campbell’s beef stock paste
• 2 tablespoons Worstershire sauce
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• Chilli flakes, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients for the spice rub in a bowl and mix to combine. Rub all over the ribs and place in a non-reactive container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2-3 hours.

In the meantime, combine ingredients for BBQ sauce in another bowl or jug, tasting as you go along and adjusting to taste.

Heat a BBQ or char-grill plate over high heat. Drizzle olive oil onto ribs and toss to coat. Place ribs fat side up and cook for 5-8 minutes each side or until sealed and slightly charred.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Transfer ribs to a large oven-proof dish and brush generously with BBQ sauce. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 2 - 2 ½ hours, turning 3-4 times throughout, until meat is tender and falling off the bone. You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to crisp up the outsides slightly. Serve with chips and extra BBQ sauce.

Pork, Apple and Cider Pie

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang

There's something inherently special about Sundays. For me, it's a golden opportunity for a sleep in, and a nice time to relax before stepping in to the new week. In my perfect world, there would be a picnic lunch every Sunday in summer, either in the park or down at the beach, and a nice hearty lunch at home every Sunday in winter.

Sadly, the Sunday Lunch seems to be a forgotten ritual these days – I know I don't do it enough – but I think that makes them even more special when they do come around. Usually everyone helps with the cooking, and then sits down together to enjoy the meal. It’s really lovely.

I love the combination of pork and apples, but wanted to try something different from your usual roast, so I decided to make it into a pie. I simmered the pork shoulder with chicken stock and apple cider for about an hour, until it was falling apart, then added some sage, potato and apple. But the best part is, it’s actually really simple to prepare. In fact once the main prep work is done, you can leave it pretty much alone to simmer over a low heat, with just a stir here and there.

It’s a really great dish that is hearty but not heavy, thanks to the light flavour of the cider. It is just perfect for this end of winter weather, when spring has been playing hide-and-seek. But with my undying love of pulled pork, I would very happily eat it all year round.



Pork, Apple and Cider Pie
Serves 6
Adapted from Donna Hay

• Olive oil, for frying
• 2.2kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into 5cm cubes (remove excess fat)
• 1 ½ brown onions, sliced
• 3 bottles dry apple cider (I used Monteiths)
• 2 cups chicken stock (I used Campbell’s Real Stock)
• 1 large potato, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
• 2 tablespoons sage leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled, and chopped into 2cm cubes
• 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat, and add the pork. Cook in batches until browned (4-5 minutes). Remove pork and set aside.

Heat another 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown onion over medium heat or until softened. Return the pork to the pan with cider and stock. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 1 hour. Add the potato, sage, vinegar, salt and pepper and cool for a further 15-20 minutes or until the potato is tender and the pork is falling apart. Stir through the apples and allow to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Spoon the pork mixture into a pie dish or ovenproof frying pan. Trim pastry to fit over the top and brush with lightly beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

BBQ Pork Ribs

I declare that 2010 is the year of ribs! I think I’ve eaten more ribs this year alone than in the rest of my life combined, and it’s only October, plenty of time yet! There’s been all you can eat rib-a-thons at Mumu Grill, Café Ish and Waterfront Grill, as well as some delicious specimens sampled at South, Buzo, Sugarmill and Taste of Sydney (I still dream about Danks St Depot’s watermelon smoked beef ribs). What could be more beautiful than perfectly marinated meat, absolutely falling off the bone, with no cutlery required! It’s quite primal, I suppose, gnawing meat from bones, but makes me glad to be a carnivore, because, well, animals are delicious.

It was only a matter of time before I shared my own recipe for ribs. It’s one that I’ve made a few times this year and that I now deem perfect. It’s loosely based on a recipe from this year’s Masterchef, following the same method with a spice rub, a good grilling on a smoky barbeque, and then followed by a slow braise in the oven, soaking in a saucy marinade. I’ve changed up the ingredients in both the spice rub and the marinade a little to create an incredible combination that is a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, but massively delicious. Especially with a beer, or a summery cocktail.



This recipe is quite time consuming to tackle all in one day, unless you’re planning a very late lunch, but if you prepare the spice rub the day before, the pork ribs can marinate in the fridge overnight. And if you have a handy man about the house to tend to the barbeque, you can prepare the marinade in the meantime. But make sure you’ve got snacks while they’re braising, because hot damn they smell so amazing my mouth was literally watering, while my stomach was growling.

In the future I’d really like to try cooking beef ribs, I think they’re quite a different specimen to pork ribs but equally if not even more delicious. And I have the recipe for Jared’s watermelon ribs from his beautiful cookbook Sharing Plates! I served the pork ribs with crinkle cut chips – a personal favourite – but you could serve with piping hot cornbread, coleslaw or salad.



BBQ Pork Ribs
Adapted from Masterchef
Serves 4

• 1.5kg American style pork ribs
• Olive oil

Spice Rub
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Marinade
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the ingredients for the spice rub in a bowl. Using your hands, rub the mixture into the meat to coat completely. Set aside in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

Heat a BBQ or char-grill plate over high heat. Drizzle olive oil onto ribs and toss to coat. Place ribs fat side up and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until sealed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place marinade ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened slightly and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer ribs to a large oven-proof dish and pour over marinade. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours, turning 3-4 times throughout, until meat is tender and falling off the bone. You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to crisp up the outsides slightly. Serve with chips.

Pulled Pork Tacos

Two words, put together that are guaranteed to make me weak at the knees everytime. They’re not “chocolate fondant” or “lemon meringue”, or even “ginger beer”. The words I’m talking about are “pulled pork”. Oh yes, what in the world could possibly be better than a pork shoulder, roasted slowly for hours until its falling apart under your fork. And then, add carbs. Whether you put the meat directly onto a sandwich, or with black beans and rice in a burrito, or as I’ve done here, with a tomato and avocado salsa in a delicious taco. Pulled pork is always a hands down winner, and one of my favourite things to cook.

I first made this recipe when I was in Perth, when we were entertaining my boyfriend’s sister and her man. I knew it would go down a treat, and score me some brownie points, plus I had to somehow top the awesome pizzas I’d made them the visit before! The meat was juicy and oh so tender, I couldn’t help but nibble away (and moan in delight) as I was shredding the pork. It was absolutely perfect washed down with a Broome-brewed Matso Ginger Beer on a warm day. Speaking of the Ginger Beer, it was absolutely delicious, refreshing and almost embarrassingly easy to drink. Make sure you check it out if you’re ever in Western Australia, as it doesn’t seem to be stocked outside of the state.



When I tried slow roasting the pork at home in my own oven, it didn’t quite turn out the same. I think it was because we could only get a boneless pork shoulder, after visiting several butchers, so over the long cooking time the meat ended up a little drier but delicious nonetheless. It’s important to be aware of the weight of your pork, and adjust your cooking time accordingly. It’s also a good idea to keep checking on the piggy regularly throughout the cooking time, turning the pan to ensure it cooks evenly.

You know it’s ready when you can shred it with forks and the meat falls off the bone. And then it’s time to invite me over for dinner! The original recipe gave instructions for how to make your own wheat flour tortillas, which I didn’t do this time but would love to try out in the future. I’ve included it in the recipe below in case you’re so inclined. I seriously can’t wait to shake off the last of winter’s cold and start cooking and eating outside again. I know this recipe is firmly logded into my summer cooking repertoire and will make an appearance at my dinner table again very soon.



Pulled Pork Tacos with Tomato and Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller
Serves 6

• 1.8kg pork shoulder, bone in
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

Wheat Flour Tortillas
• 450g plain or bread flour
• 120g lard

Tomato and Avocado Salsa
• 2 avocados
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chilli, or chilli powder
• ½ cup loosely packed coriander leaves
• 40ml lime juice

Place pork shoulder in a large baking dish. Drizzle with oil and rub in the cumin. Season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper, rubbing to coat evenly. Roast at 200°C (390°F) for 1 hour, then reduce heat to 150°C (300°F) and cook for 2 ½ hours. It’s ready when the meat comes cleanly away from the bone.

For wheat flour tortillas, place flour in a large bowl and using fingertips, rub in the lard until combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, combine 1 teaspoon sea salt with 1 cup water. Add to flour and mix until combined. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes. Heat a flat, heavy based fry pan over low heat. Roll a tablespoon of dough into a 15cm thick circl. Place into the frypan and cook fro 1-2 minutes on each side or until just coloured. Repeat with remaining dough, covering cooked tortillas with a towel to keep warm.

For salsa, peel avocadoes, halve and remove stones and then cut flesh into 1cm pieces. Combine with tomatoes, chilli, coriander and lime juice and season to taste.

To serve, coarsely shred meat using two forks. Place some on each tortilla, top with salsa and serve immediately with a beer.

Grape Schiacciata

Some days just seem custom-made for baking. This was the case last Sunday, when the weather was grey and drizzly, perfect for staying indoors and pottering about the kitchen. More specifically, I was in the mood to make bread. When I saw this recipe in the Bourke Street Bakery cookbook, I knew exactly what to do, and I immediately went out to buy some grapes. The flavour combination intrigued me, and I’ve always wanted to try the schiacciata, which are like flatbreads with all manner of delicious toppings.

I’d made the basic olive oil dough before, which comes together really easily in a stand mixer (although you can do it without if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty!) For this recipe you only need 400g of the dough, but I would recommend making the full recipe, rather than halving it. You can use the rest for any number of things – shape it into mini bread rolls or panini, roll it out as pizza dough, or if you’re really keen you can make some chorizo and thyme rolls with the leftovers.

I loved the sweet/savoury qualities of this bread, and the rosemary was the perfect accompaniment. I also used some freshly ground black pepper over the top before I put it into the oven. I think I might have rolled my dough may just a little too thick this time, but I loved it nonetheless. This would be fantastic to serve warm at a casual lunch or take on a picnic. Of course the choice of toppings is completely up to you! Try tomato, basil and cheese, or even potatoes and prosciutto layered over the top.

Olive Oil Dough
Makes 1kg of dough, or two loaves

• 600g strong flour
• 13g fresh yeast (or 7g instant dried yeast hydrated with 10% of the water in the recipe)
• 400ml water
• 20ml extra virgin olive oil
• 20ml milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons sea salt

If using an electric mixer, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and continue mixing for 5 minutes. The dough should come away from the edges of the bowl and have a silky complexion when done.

Place the dough in a container that has been sprayed with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to bulk prove for 1 ½ hours.
Knock back the dough every 30 minutes during the bulk prove – twice in total. To knock back the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and press out into a rectangle about 2.5cm thick. Use your hands to fold one third back onto itself, then repeat with the remaining third. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold over again into thirds. Place back into the oiled container, cover with plastic wrap, and continue to bulk prove for a further 1 hour. Once the dough has finished its bulk prove it is ready to be divided and shaped.

Grape Schiacciata
Makes 2

• 400g olive oil dough
• 500g black seedless grapes
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
• Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper

Divide the olive oil dough into 2 equal portions. Use a rolling pin to roll out each portion into a 30 x 15cm rectangle about 5mm thick all over. Gently transfer dough to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Set aside to prove for 20 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). If you have a pizza stone, place inside the warming oven. Pick and wash the grapes and black in a bowl. Roughly crush them with your fists to get some of the juice out (don’t pound them into a paste). Drain the juice.

Scatter the grapes over the dough, leaving a 5mm border around the edges. Sprinkle rosemary, demerara sugar and pepper over the top. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F), transfer schiaccita and baking paper to the baking stone if using, and bake for 25 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. It is important to check the base to see if it is cooked all the way through. Serve warm or room temperature.

Just Lovely

I love cooking for friends and family. To me it’s the most perfect to show my favourite people that I love them. I love planning menus (and of course changing my mind countless times), setting the table and sharing food and laughter. Last Sunday I had five lovely ladies come from far and wide to visit my place for lunch. I wanted to create a nice autumnal meal with seasonal ingredients and I couldn’t go past pears. You may remember that I just love them around this time of year. They’re one of my favourite thing about cool weather cooking.

I decided to make a lovely dish of baked pears with herbed goat’s cheese and prosciutto, which were served on a bed of rocket with a light honey and balsamic dressing. I used a Pukara Estate cinnamon and vanilla balsamic that I picked up in Surry Hills that was just lovely with as a dressing, but I imagine would be fantastic as a reduction or glaze too.

It was super easy to prepare and only took around 20 minutes in the oven. The flavours were absolutely incredible together – the tang of the goat’s cheese seasoned with parsley and basil offsets the sweetness of the pear. Combined with the saltiness and crispiness of the prosciutto, this ticks all the boxes for a great entrée. It even looks beautiful on the plate, if I do say so myself! Best of all, my efforts incited cheese-o-phobe Karen to try the goat’s cheese and declare it “not bad”, which I will definitely claim as a small victory on my part! It was a big hit with the girls and set the mood for a great meal.

Roast Pears with Goats Cheese and Proscuitto
Recipe adapted from taste.com.au
Serves 6

• 200g soft goats cheese
• Finely chopped parsley and basil, to taste
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 6 small pears
• 12 slices prosciutto
• Olive oil, to brush
• Rocket leaves, to serve

Dressing
• ¼ cup Cinnamon and Vanilla Balsamic (Pukara Estate)
• 1 tablespoon quality honey


Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)

Combine the goats cheese and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Peel pears, slice in half and scoop out the seeds and core (a teaspoon works well for this). Fill the cavity with goats cheese mixture. Wrap pear halves with prosciutto slices, brush with olive oil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pears and soft and prosciutto is crisp.

Combine the vinegar and honey and whisk to combine. To serve, divide rocket amongst serving plates, place two pear halves on top and drizzle with balsamic dressing. Serve warm.

Summer Vegetable Galette

I thought I’d left the crazy world of deadlines and sleep deprivation back in my college days, when the all nighters were all too common and I’d live and breathe Photoshop. But no, here we are again, a little bit older and wiser but still trying to beat the clock, when the to do lists seem to get longer instead of shorter. I’m heavily involved, working on a very exciting project with Denea, aka Gourmet Rabbit. I feel very lucky to be combining the two things I love the most, and I will tell you all about in early March when it is officially launched.

So, instead of a brand new recipe fresh out of the oven, today I’m dusting off one I’ve been meaning to tell you about since November. We invited my Nanna over for lunch one Sunday, and I cooked a lovely summer vegetable galette, with prosciutto and fetta. It was also a great opportunity to test out Bourke Street Bakery’s savoury shortcrust, which has since become my go-to recipe, because it’s delicious and buttery, and so versatile. You could even make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for those days when you’re short on time.

The best thing about this type of lunch is that you can use whatever’s in season – tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini in summer, pumpkin in winter, with whatever cheese you fancy. Or they’re a great way to use up the folorn specimens hanging around in your vegetable crisper. It’s casual, yet impressive and the free form shape of the galette means there’s no skill involved and even the kids can help out, or make their own!

Summer Vegetable Galettes
Makes 6 small galettes

The recipe below is a really rough guide, because you can get creative with the fillings, depending on what you like and what’s in season.

Shortcrust Pastry (from Bourke Street Bakery)
• 300g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1.5cm cubes
• 600g plain flour, chilled
• 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
• 3 teaspoons (15ml) vinegar, chilled
• 170ml (2/3 cup) water, chilled
• Eggwash, to brush

Filling Ideas
• Caramelised Onion
• Proscuitto, bacon, pancetta
• Capsicum
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Mushrooms
• Char-grilled Eggplant
• Baby spinach
• Cheese – feta, goats cheese, blue cheese, brie

1. Remove butter from the refrigerator 10 minutes before you start mixing. The butter should be just soft but still very cold.
2. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and add the butter, pulsing in 1 second bursts about three or four times to partly combine.
3. Turn out onto a clean surface and gather together. Combine the vinegar with the chilled water and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Use the palm of your hand to smear the mixture away from you across the bench. Gather together and repeat this process once or twice more to bring it together. You should still be able to see streaks of butter through the pastry.
4. Divide into two round, flat discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge 20 minutes before you want to roll it. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface and rub some flour over your rolling pin. Divide each disc into 3 even portions. Roll each into a circle shape, sprinkling extra flour over the bench if needed. Place onto baking sheets and return to the fridge for at least an hour, for gluten to relax.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Place the fillings of your choice in the center of each pastry circle, leaving at least 4-5cm edge. Fold in edge over filling, brush with egg wash and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salad greens.

Couldn't Wait

I keep prattling on about how much I love summer fruit – berries, mangoes, peaches and cherries, but I also love summer vegetables. Eggplant is one of my favourite things, and I love zucchini in almost any form. Lets not forget gorgeous ripe tomatoes, which need nothing more than a drizzling of olive oil and some cracked black pepper on your favourite sourdough to be the perfect summertime lunch. What better way to showcase summer vegetables than ratatouille, an honest French dish that lets the flavours do the talking. I’ve already made this twice so far this summer and I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you about it!

I found the recipe in an old Gourmet Traveller Annual Cookbook from 2006. I have simplified it somewhat to really make the flavours shine. The ratatouille is served with some crispy potatoes that are sliced thinly, par-cooked until tender, then pan-fried with butter and oil until crisp. They’re then tossed with parsley and, if you like, a little red wine vinegar. Sitting on top is a crispy-skin chicken breast. Make sure you buy chicken with the skin on – parsley butter is pushed underneath the skin, and then the chicken is pan-fried skin side down before being baked, covered with foil for 20-30 minutes until juicy and perfectly cooked.

Everyone who has tried this dish has absolutely loved it, even the boyfriend’s parents! The components compliment each other so well. There is a little bit of prep work involved, but the ratatouille can be made in advance and heated gently just before you’re ready to serve it. It’s a fantastic way to showcase your favourite summer vegetables in an honest and simple, restaurant-quality dish, the best kind to have in your repertoire as far as I’m concerned. I know I’ll be making this again!



Crispy Chicken Breast with Ratatouille and Crispy Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller
Serves 4

• 4 chicken breasts, skin on
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 40g butter, softened
• Sea salt & black pepper

Ratatouille
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1cm dice
• 1 green zucchini, cut into 1cm dice
• 1 large red capsicum, cut into 1cm dice
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 50g tomato paste
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Crispy Potatoes
• 5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled into 1cm thick rounds
• 20g butter
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, optional

1. For ratatouille, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add eggplant and cook until tender, then transfer to a bowl. Add zucchini to frypan and cook until tender, and then add to eggplant. Cook capsicum until tender and then add to vegetables in the bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add the vegetables and season to taste. Keep warm.
2. For potatoes, heat butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Add onion and sauté for another 5 minutes or until onion is tender, then add parsley and season to taste. Remove from heat and toss through red wine vinegar, if desired.
3. To make crispy skin chicken, combine parsley and softened butter in a bowl. Using your fingers, separate skin from chicken breast to form a pocket and spread butter under the skin. Heat a frying pan to medium heat and cook chicken, skin side down for 3 minutes or until golden, then turn over and cook for another 3 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Transfer chicken to a baking pan, cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Serve chicken with ratatouille and potatoes.

Thing of Beauty

An impromptu picnic with Bourke Street Bakery goodies on our walking tour of Surry Hills

I have extolled more praises about Bourke Street Bakery than I can count, from my daily trips to the Broadway store for coffee and crossiants, and my love of the recipes from the beautiful cookbook. There’s something magical about actually snagging a table at the Surry Hills store, and biting into the crackly crust of a ginger brulee tart. And the sound of the crust as you slice into a fresh loaf of sourdough. This is why I have chosen to cook a recipe from the book each month in 2010. You might remember that Mark and I cooked from the Tartine Bakery cookbook last year, and I wanted to keep with the theme. What better than Bourke Street, a Sydney institution and the home of some of my favourite delicious treats.

This month I have chosen a recipe for sausage rolls, to coincide with Australia Day. Sausage rolls are sold all over Australia, from the footy ground, to kids parties, to fancy bakeries. If we’re being honest, I never really liked sausage rolls. The frozen ones still scare me a little. It even took me a while to get up the courage to try one at Bourke St Bakery, but I’m so glad that I did. When done well, it’s thing of beauty. A flavoursome meaty filling, encased in delicious flaky pastry – it doesn’t get much better than this, except dunked in copious amounts of tomato sauce.


Veal and Fennel Sausage Rolls. Photo by Simon

I cheated a little bit, not using the book’s recipe for puff pastry, but instead using the remainder of my home made batch that has been sitting in my freezer for the last few months. I have only recently been converted into liking fennel, after having shunned it since I don’t particularly like aniseed. But it was at Sparrow Kitchen & Bar that I changed my mind. The fennel seeds worked so well in the goat meatballs so I knew this recipe would be great. I swapped the pork mince for veal, which was a delicious substitution. I also cut down the pepper in the recipe below, because I think it had a little too much. I made half the recipe, but still ended up with about 16 small sausage rolls.

Unfortunately, the photographs I took didn’t turn out very well, but luckily Simon from The Heart of Food had snapped the one above. Thanks Simon!! These were enjoyed at the most perfect Australia Day lunch at Gourmet Rabbit’s lovely Balmain apartment. It was a fantastic lazy day of cooking, eating, and drinking some really excellent wine with some great people.

We also had goat’s brie, prawns, maple and soy marinated chicken wings, and the most incredible lamb shanks with roasted eggplant and purple sweet potato. For dessert, we had a fruit salad with some delicious Achacha ice cream and a bottle of dessert wine I had to go all the way to Adelaide to find! And that’s what Australia Day should be all about – good food and good friends. With lamb, and prawns, and sausage rolls of course.

Veal and Fennel Sausage Rolls
Adapted from the Bourke St Bakery Cookbook
Makes 12

• 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 30g fennel seeds, finely chopped
• 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 150g brown onions, finely chopped (about 2 small)
• 150g celery, finely chopped (4-6 stalks)
• 150g carrots, finely chopped (about 2 small)
• 1.2kg finely minced veal
• 40g dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white pepper
• Puff Pastry (I used the recipe from Daring Bakers)
• Egg wash, for brushing
• Fennel seeds, for sprinkling

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the fennel seeds and thyme and stir together for 1 minute, or until aromatic. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly mushy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
2. Put the veal mince in a large bowl and add the cooled vegetables and breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix the meat quite forcefully to thoroughly combine. If you like, you can fry a little ball of the meat to test for seasonings.
3. Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle, about 92 x 32 cm. Cut the pastry into six rectangles about 15 x 30 cm each. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
4. Divide the filling mixture into six equal size portions. On a clean work surface, roll each portion out into a 30cm log with a 3cm diameter. Place each log lengthways in the center of a pastry rectangle. Brush one long edge with egg wash.
5. Firmly fold the pastry over, pressing to enclose the log tightly, leaving the edge open. Cut each roll into 2 or 3 equal size pieces and place on baking trays lined with baking paper, seam side down. Brush the top of each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with fennel seeds.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (375°F) and bake for 35-40 minutes or until they are a golden brown roll of steaming oozing goodness.

Feels Like Yesterday

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but every time I look at the calendar or flip the pages in my Moleskine diary, I am astounded by how fast this year has gone. It feels like yesterday, back this time last year, when I was stressed out of my mind finishing up major projects, thinking about graduating from college with a graphic design degree, and finding out the good news that my work wanted to put me on permanently.

This time last year I was still skipping out to Bourke St Bakery in Broadway for a much-needed long black in the morning, and often grabbing a chorizo and thyme roll to eat for lunch. They became one of my favourites, and I often had thoughts of trying to replicate it at home, but of course I never got around to it. That is, until I bought the Bourke St Bakery cookbook and flicked to the page that had the recipe. It had been almost a year since my last chorizo and thyme roll. I couldn’t resist.

The rolls are based on an olive oil dough that you can make with a ferment, or without. I chose to do it without this time, because the ferment takes a day to make, although I might try it this way in the future. The dough comes together easily in a stand mixer and I found the recipe easy to follow and very descriptive, letting you know what to look for each step of the way. To make the dough by hand is a little more difficult as it’s quite soft and sticky, but it’s definitely doable so don’t let that put you off. The dough itself is a great base for so many other recipes too, I used half of it to make the chorizo and thyme rolls, and the other half as pizza bases, and they were absolutely perfect.

The chorizo, caramelised onion and thyme flavours work so well together, and it tasted just as good as I remember from the bakery. I love the smell of bread baking this made my kitchen smell absolutely wonderful. They are great as a light lunch or brunch, but would be delicious as an accompaniment to wintery soup on a cold night. You could also experiment with other fillings as well – maybe sun-dried tomato with chilli and basil, or pumpkin, rosemary and blue cheese for something different.

Olive Oil Dough
Makes 1kg of dough, or two loaves
From the Bourke Street Bakery Cookbook by Paul Allam and David McGuinness

• 600g strong flour
• 13g fresh yeast (or 7g instant dried yeast hydrated with 10% of the water in the recipe)
• 400ml water
• 20ml extra virgin olive oil
• 20ml milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons sea salt

1. If using an electric mixer, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and continue mixing for 5 minutes. The dough should come away from the edges of the bowl and have a silky complexion when done.
2. Place the dough in a container that has been sprayed with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to bulk prove for 1 ½ hours.
3. Knock back the dough every 30 minutes during the bulk prove – twice in total. To knock back the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and press out into a rectangle about 2.5cm thick. Use your hands to fold one third back onto itself, then repeat with the remaining third. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold over again into thirds. Place back into the oiled container, cover with plastic wrap, and continue to bulk prove for a further 1 hour. Once the dough has finished its bulk prove it is ready to be divided and shaped.

Chorizo and Thyme Rolls
Makes 8 rolls

• 185g chorizo, cut into 1.5cm cubes
• 1 cup caramelised onion
• 6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 kg olive oil dough

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Arrange the chorizo on baking trays lined with baking paper and cook for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for a further 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
2. In a bowl, mix together the chorizo and onion with their oils and add the thyme. Stir in the milk until well combined and set aside until needed.
3. To shape the olive oil dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a 45 x 15cm rectangle, about 1.5cm thick. Lay the long side parallel with the edge of the bench and mark the dough into thirds with your finger. Lay half of the chorizo mixture inside the middle third of the dough, spreading it evenly to the edges. Fold the right third over the middle and lightly press down to push out any air bubbles.
4. Evenly spread the remaining chorizo mixture onto the folded third and fold over the left flap, lightly pressing down to seal.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C (425°F). Use your fingers to mark the dough into thirds, this time parallel to the bench. Fold the top third over the middle third, then overlap with the bottom third. Press the dough down and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
6. Cut the dough into four strips, then cut each strip into two pieces. Place on a greased baking tray, then place in the oven, lightly sprayed with water. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) and cook for 20 minutes, turning on the tray after 10 minutes, or until cooked and golden.

My Favourite

Last week was exhausting. Between working back, a few late nights, feeling the beginnings of a cold and then having to work on my day off, by the time the end of the week came around I really, really understood the meaning of the age-old saying “TGIF!” But on the way to work on Friday, I had a little stickybeak at the Rocks Markets and found figs – gorgeous dark purple figs, which I bought without a second thought.

I usually try not to impulse buy fruit and vegetables without a clear idea of what I’m going to do with them, but I just couldn’t resist these figs. It was especially exciting because Nanna’s fig tree had a poor yield this season, with the wet, humid weather and the birds who got to them before we could! So I wanted to show them off in the simplest way possible, and what better than a seasonal salad, just perfect for this time of year.

Figs and hazelnuts seem to be best friends, and they are one of my favourite flavour combinations. I simply roasted the nuts in the oven for a few minutes so I could easily remove the skins. The recipe that inspired the salad had a balsamic reduction, in which you cook down some balsamic vinegar until it’s thick. I skipped this step, but next time I might try it. I also couldn’t find any hazelnut oil so I substituted with macadamia oil, which is more readily available.

I feel a little silly actually giving a recipe for this, because it’s so simple, but it’s more a set of instructions for assembling it. You could serve this on it’s own as a light lunch or a starter, or as I did as a side dish to a gorgeous prosciutto and quince paste wrapped chicken breast, which was delicious.

Fig and Hazelnut Salad
Recipe inspired by Notebook magazine
Serves 1 (but easily scaled up)

For each person
• Large handful of mixed greens or watercress, rinsed and patted dry
• 2-3 figs, torn in half
• 5-6 hazelnuts
• Macadamia Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place hazelnuts in a shallow metal baking dish and roast for 5 minutes. Place warm hazelnuts in a clean tea towel and rub with your hands to remove the skins. This is more easily done when they are still warm.
2. In a bowl or on a plate, assemble the lettuce and the torn figs on top. Scatter over the hazelnuts, dress with macadamia oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

So Patient

I’ve been patient, so patient. You see, it was right at the tail end of last year’s fig season that I discovered I liked them. I had an amazing caramel fig gelato that made me completely forget why I avoided them for so long in the first place. Waiting for fruit to grow has got to be even more boring than watching paint dry! And then to rub salt in the wounds, there were events like Sugar High Friday that occurred when there were no figs in sight for months around here! (though I must say, all of those submissions looked amazing, and I was particularly upset that I wasn’t able to participate)

I’ve spoken a little about my Nanna before, but I didn’t mention her garden. My grandparents originally came from Malta, which is a tiny island in the Mediterranean, just south of Sicily. When they migrated to Australian in the 1970s with their six children, they brought with them their knowledge and love of Mediterranean food.

My grandfather planted fruit trees in his garden – oranges, blood oranges, lemons, pomegranates, bananas, prickly pears and figs. He planted parsley and mint, and all manner of lovely flowers. I think he even grew tomatoes and grapes at one point! I have fond memories of climbing ladders to pick oranges and lemons to make fresh juice for lunchtime. He has now passed on, but his garden is still flourishing, and my nanna often has more fruit than she knows what to do with! When she offered me some figs, I greedily accepted.

I ate many of them raw, sometimes with ice cream and honey. I looked at many recipes and saw that figs were often paired with walnuts, which inspired these lamb burgers. I was so impressed with how these turned out, the flavours played nicely against each other. I especially liked the slight crunch that the walnuts gave. My dad and sister who aren’t too keen on figs loved them, but I thought they were even better a day later after a sleep in the fridge, which makes me imagine that they’d be good ‘make in advance’ picnic food. The good thing about these burgers is that they can be served with green beans and creamy garlic mashed potato for dinner, or on Turkish bread with salad for lunch. I would have loved to add slices of fig to my burger but I’d eaten them all by then!

Lamb Burgers with Walnuts and Figs
Makes about 10-12 patties

• 600g lamb mince
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 4-5 figs, stalks removed, finely diced
• ¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon (or your hands, if you’re keen) until well combined. The mixture should hold together pretty well and not be sloppy.
2. Shape mixture into patties, approximately 10cm in diameter and quite thin because they shrink while cooking
3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Cook 2-3 patties at a time until well browned and cooked through. Allow to drain on paper towels. Serve as desired.

Completely Captivated

Sometimes you find the most wonderful things in the most unexpected places. They catch you off-guard and the moment is made magic because you could never have even dreamed it up. I wouldn't say I'm a romantic person by any stretch but sometimes a girl needs something to take her breath away, make her forget where she's standing and just be completely captivated. But no, I'm not talking about a man right now... I'm talking about a cookbook...mostly :)

I just returned from 10 days in Perth, which is Sydney's little sister all the way over on the west coast of Australia. I stayed with a good friend who gladly let me take over his kitchen and even helped as we cooked all sorts of yummy things. I won't lie, supplies needed to be purchased, but he is now the proud owner of a baking dish, a removable-bottom cake pan and a nifty set of measuring cups and I can only hope that he gets some use out of them now that I've gone. We wandered around the lovely and historic Subiaco, visited two patisseries only to find them both closed, we ate fish and chips on the beach, sat in the gorgeous Kings Park, and I went on my first ever camping trip to Margaret River. It's a small, quaint little town about 300km south of Perth famous for local wine and surfing beaches. We explored Mammoth Cave, which was an incredibly well preserved natural wonder, and watched an amazing sunset over the Indian Ocean, something I've never had the pleasure of seeing for myself before. Unfortunately though, the camera battery died on our first day there, so we didn't get many photos of Margaret River, but stay tuned for photos of the rest of the trip!

It was in this tiny little town that I found a cookbook I've had my eye on for months now, Chocolate and Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier, who you all know from her blog of the same name, Chocolate and Zucchini. I couldn't believe that I found the book in Margaret River when I couldn't find it in Sydney! On the car trip home I pored over the pages (and dribbled over the photos) and decided right away on a quiche recipe that would be perfect for a picnic we were planning.



We used what we had on hand to make the quiches, this involved substituting macadamias for the cashews specified in the original recipe, parsley for tarragon and Swiss cheese for Gruyére. The tiny quiches held up perfectly on the picnic. I liked the chunkiness, with each bite a melding of flavours and textures. I had been thinking about putting nuts into a quiche for some time now, and I was more than happy with the result. What's more was that they were easy and fun to make! Thanks Clotilde, if you happen to see this. Your book is a very welcome addition to my growing cookbook collection, and I hope you enjoy your time in Perth this year too!

Chicken and Macadamia Mini Quiches
Adapted from Chocolate and Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier
Makes 12

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 3 small chicken breasts, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 90g plain flour
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• ½ cup Swiss cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 90g macadamias, chopped roughly

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and use a pastry brush to grease a muffin pan with olive oil.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, stirring for a few seconds before adding the cubes of chicken. Cook until golden and pieces are slightly firm. Allow to cool.
3. Halve and core the tomatoes, discarding the seeds and juice. Dice the flesh into 1cm cubes.
4. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk and whisk again. Sift in the flour, salt and pepper.
5. Add the chicken, cheese, tomatoes, parsley and macadamias and stir with a spoon.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden and puffy. Transfer to a rack for 2 minutes to cool, then unmould to cool completely.