Here’s a different version of cauliflower and cheese. Heat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Divide a small cauliflower into florets and slice 1 onion. In an ovenproof dish, toss them in some olive oil and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and some grated fresh nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and roast in the oven until brown…… Continue reading cauliflower ricotta frittata
squid stuffed with prawns
Seeing fresh squid tubes on a recent shopping trip inspired this meal. For 4 squid tubes, you will need 300g (10½ oz) raw prawn meat. Place half of this in a food processor and process to a fine sticky paste. Add the rest of the prawn meat, 1 finely diced clove of garlic, a few sprigs of…… Continue reading squid stuffed with prawns
backyard mint ice cream with a chocolate shell
Here’s another wonderful ice cream flavour from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. Creamy, delicate and refreshing all at the same time. The chocolate shell is so simple and so much better than anything you can buy. Measure 2 cups of milk. Take out 2 tablespoons of the milk and make a slurry…… Continue reading backyard mint ice cream with a chocolate shell
chrismukkah 2014
This year, in keeping with Chrismukkah, we celebrated Christmas day with a Jewish feast. The first course was chopped liver. This fantastic recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem. We ate it on rye bread while sipping champagne. Melt 70g (2½ oz) of duck or goose fat in a fry pan and fry 2 large sliced onions until dark brown.…… Continue reading chrismukkah 2014
chicken cooked in milk
Having tried pork cooked in milk I decided to try this recipe by Jamie Oliver. The flavour is delicate and delicious. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and choose a pot which just fits your chicken. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry in a little olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Discard the olive…… Continue reading chicken cooked in milk
banana hazelnut loaf
Another delicious variation on a classic, this loaf is not too sweet and can be toasted for a great breakfast. Whip 125g (4½ oz) of butter and 100g (3½ oz) of honey then add 3 large or 4 small eggs one at a time. Add 4 ripe mashed bananas, 100g (3½ oz) of hazelnut meal and…… Continue reading banana hazelnut loaf
roasted herb crusted lamb straps
A simple and very tasty way to cook lamb straps or loin. This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Tracy Rutherford which appeared in Australian Good Taste in September 2009. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350ºF). In a small food processor or mortar and pestle combine 6 anchovy fillets, 4 diced garlic cloves, the leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary,…… Continue reading roasted herb crusted lamb straps
fish baked in yoghurt with a walnut herb crumb
This interesting way of cooking fish comes from Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf’s book Saraban – A chef’s journey through Persia. We used Barramundi but any firm white fish would be suitable. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (360ºF) and butter a baking dish just big enough for your fish fillets. In a bowl combine 140g (5 oz)…… Continue reading fish baked in yoghurt with a walnut herb crumb
birthday cake
A special birthday request from my sister led to us making this amazing cake. It’s the Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake. A recipe at Hummingbird High was our guide and it took 3 hours to make. You will need a stand mixer and a tall freezer space for this recipe. There are four components to this cake:…… Continue reading birthday cake
pumpkin wedges + grilled zucchini salad
Butternut pumpkin wedges served with sour cream and a zucchini hazelnut salad with blue cheese. Both of these vegetarian delights were inspired by and adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi recipes. Preheat your oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Peel and slice a small butternut pumpkin into thin wedges and lay them onto a baking sheet. Combine 50g (1¾ oz) of…… Continue reading pumpkin wedges + grilled zucchini salad
michelle picker cooks 