cavolo nero polenta with beef cheek ragu

A great way to eat greens, this polenta recipe appears in River Cafe Cook Book Two by Rose Grey and Ruth Rogers. Beef cheeks: In some olive oil over high heat sear the beef cheeks briefly and remove them to a plate. Lower the heat and add a little more olive oil, some diced onion, garlic, carrots and celery…… Continue reading cavolo nero polenta with beef cheek ragu

leek, brussel sprout and stilton tart + roasted beets and carrots

A lovely combination of flavours improved by being encased in Maggie Beer’s sour cream pastry. Make the pastry according to the recipe (it works very well with light sour cream too). Roll the pastry out and cut a circle for the bottom of a springform cake tin and some strips for the sides and line the tin making sure there…… Continue reading leek, brussel sprout and stilton tart + roasted beets and carrots

grand final fiesta

There are many similarities between Super Bowl Sunday and the AFL Grand Final. Many families and friends gather to watch the game and celebrate or commiserate. The drink of choice is generally beer. At the game a meat pie is essential but at home barbecues reign. We decided instead to drink Margheritas and eat chicken fajitas, chorizo with potato and corn,…… Continue reading grand final fiesta

chèvre ice cream with brandied figs

Homemade fresh chèvre in abundance led me to another wonderful ice cream flavour from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. The flavour is delicate and delicious and the brandied figs are a great match. For the ice cream measure 2 cups of milk. Take out 2 tablespoons of the milk and make a slurry with 4 teaspoons of cornflour…… Continue reading chèvre ice cream with brandied figs

jerk chicken + coconut rice and beans

I haven’t tried much Jamaican food but a newly found appreciation of all things cooked over coal led to this delicious meal. Jerk is a style of cooking in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture which always includes allspice (pimento in Jamaica) and Scotch bonnet chillies. We used Tasting Tables’s…… Continue reading jerk chicken + coconut rice and beans

fresh rice noodles with egg sauce

This dish is almost Char Ho Fun, a traditional Malaysian dish, with a few slight alterations. The noodles were made by the Vietnamese method of steaming, leftover after making phổ. If you don’t want to make the noodles you can buy fresh rice noodles at Asian stores. Separate the noodles and set aside and have your prawns…… Continue reading fresh rice noodles with egg sauce

banana sesame walnut loaf

This delicious variation on banana bread is wholemeal, full of walnuts and not too sweet. The recipe (published in Gourmet Traveller) is by Dan Lepard. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and line a loaf tin with baking paper. Mash 4 bananas with 200g (7 oz) of dark muscovado sugar or unrefined molasses sugar until smooth then stir in the juice…… Continue reading banana sesame walnut loaf

roasted beetroot and chèvre stack with walnut crumb + roasted leek

Fresh chèvre and beetroot are a great match. Paired with the walnut crumb and roasted leeks this dish has a wonderful combination of flavours and textures. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Peel and slice 2 large beetroots and lay them onto baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast until soft. Wash…… Continue reading roasted beetroot and chèvre stack with walnut crumb + roasted leek

fish and green mango curry + dhal with spinach

Inspired by the gift of a new cookbook Before it’s all forgotten by Shivahari Sellamuttu, David cooked this delicious Sri Lankan style meal. In a frypan over low heat dry roast 1½ tablespoons of chilli powder, 1 tablespoon of ground coriander seeds and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin until aromatic then set aside. In a heavy…… Continue reading fish and green mango curry + dhal with spinach