Author: Andy

TOMATO, AVOCADO AND MOZZARELLA SALAD ON GRILLED GARLIC TOAST

TOMATO, AVOCADO AND MOZZARELLA SALAD ON GRILLED GARLIC TOAST

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Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Dish, Platter
Cuisine: Italian, Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 in large baguette slicedhalf
  • 6 tablespoons roasted garlic oil
  • 3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes thinly sliced
  • 2 avocado thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 balls fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese
  • leaves fresh basil and oreganofor topping
quick herb drizzle
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Method
 

  1. Heat the grill on the highest setting. Once hot, place the bread cut-side down on the grates until golden brown and toasty. Remove from the grill and place on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the toast with the roasted garlic oil, about 3 tablespoons for each side. Layer on the sliced tomatoes and avocado. Liberally season the tomatoes and avocado at this point.
  2. Add on the sliced red onion – as much or little as you’d like. Drizzle about half the herb dressing on now, then cover the top with pulled mozzarella. Drizzle the rest of the herb dressing on. Cover with the fresh basil and oregano leaves. A sprinkle more of salt and pepper if you’d like – and serve!
quick herb drizzle
  1. Add the herbs, vinegar, salt and pepper to a food processor or blender. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. Stream in the olive oil until the mixture comes together.

Pumpkin Cannelloni with Sage Brown-Butter Sauce

Pumpkin Cannelloni with Sage Brown-Butter Sauce

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Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large Garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 packet oven-ready lasagna sheets
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Place pumpkin, along with 3/4 cup water, in a large pan over medium heat. Cover and steam until tender, 20 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl and mash until smooth.
  3. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet and sauté garlic until golden. Transfer garlic to a mortar and pestle, then crush to a paste. Stir cheeses, chopped sage, salt, pepper, and garlic paste into mashed pumpkin. Set aside.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook lasagna sheets until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
  5. Liberally brush a medium baking dish with oil. Place a lasagna sheet on a clean work surface. Add 4 tablespoons pumpkin mixture to centre of lasagna, roll into a cannelloni tube, then transfer to prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining sheets.
  6. Pour reserved pasta water over lasagna and cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and pasta is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cook butter and sage leaves in small skillet over medium-high heat until golden-brown. Drizzle over pumpkin cannelloni and serve immediately.

Best Ever Mushroom Soup

Best Ever Mushroom Sauce

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Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 kg mushrooms sliced
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 brown onion diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup thickened cream
  • 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves for garnish or to taste
  • 1 pieces baguette halved lengthways and cut into 5cm
  • 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Herb butter
  • 60 g softened butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1/2 clove garlicfinely chopped

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms in butter with 1 pinch salt until the mushrooms give off their juices; reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until juices evaporate and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired.
  2. Mix onion into mushrooms and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 more minutes.
  3. Stir flour into mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Tie thyme sprigs into a small bundle with kitchen twine and add to mushroom mixture; add garlic cloves. Pour chicken stock and water into mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove thyme bundle.
  4. Transfer soup to a blender in small batches and puree on high speed until smooth and thick.
  5. Return soup to pot and stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper and keep warm.
  6. For herb butter, combine ingredients in a small bowl, season to taste and set aside.
  7. Preheat a grill to high. Place baguette cut-side up on a baking tray and grill until golden (1-2 minutes each side), then spread with herb butter.
  8. Serve soup in bowls, garnished with reserved mushroom slices, a few thyme leaves and the baguette slice.

Rosemary-infused strawberry empanadas

Rosemary-infused strawberry empanadas

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Servings: 12
Course: Dessert, Platter
Cuisine: Sth American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • For filling
  • 1 450 g strawberries
  • 4 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chocolate chips approx or a little more, optional
For empanada dough
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour 135g
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 140g plain flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 55 g unsalted butter 55g cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4-5 tbsp water cold
  • 1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash

Method
 

  1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries. Put in a pan with the honey and rosemary, mix and bring to a low boil. Boil gently for around 30 minutes until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to around room temperature.
  2. While the filling is cooking, make the dough. Put the flours and the salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the egg, butter and oil and pulse until like small breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is coming together in larger lumps. Remove from food processor, press together and cover and refrigerate for around 30min (less is fine).
  4. Meanwhile preheat oven to 200C.
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until about as thin as you are comfortable with (around 2-3mm) and cut out circles - about 10cm diameter.
  6. Put a spoonful of the strawberry filling in the middle of each circle of dough leaving around 2cm around the outside. Press in two or three chocolate chips in each if using. Brush the outside of the circle with egg wash.
  7. Carefully pull together the sides of the pastry and stick the edges together - this is easiest by bringing together at the middle then working to one side before then working back along the whole edge. If you like, crimp the edge as you go by gently pulling the underneath side over the edge and tucking in. Alternatively press the edges together with the tip of a fork.
  8. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment and transfer the empanadas to the tray. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash then bake for approx 15min until the empanadas are starting to brown.

Mini Apple Rose Pies

Mini Apple Rose Pies

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Servings: 16 mini pies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 sheets frozen short crust pastry
  • 6 pink lady apples thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice about half a lemon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • 5 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

Method
 

  1. Chill mini muffin tin in the fridge. Thaw pastry sheets as instructed. Once ready, place on a lightly floured surface; using a 8cm cookie cutter, punch out rounds. Remove muffin tin from fridge. Gently press rounds into each well. Transfer pie crust-lined muffin tin back to fridge to prepare filling.
  2. Core apples. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut apples into half-moon shapes about 2mm thin. Gently toss apples in lemon juice. Place brown sugar, butter, and jam into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and cook until ingredients are melted and combined. Remove from heat. Pour mixture over apples slices. Toss to combine. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to allow apples to become pliable. If apples are still not pliable, quickly microwave in 15-second bursts until apples are pliable. Strain apples slices and discard liquid.
  3. To form roses, arrange about 8 apple slices in a straight row, with each slice overlapping one another to create a 12-inch line. Starting with one end, gently roll apples. Transfer rolled apples into pie crust. Repeat rolling apples, until all pie crusts are filled. Heat oven to 180c. Transfer to oven and bake until the crust is golden and apples have cooked, about 30 minutes. If apples start to brown faster than pie crust, lightly place foil on top.
Author Posted on Categories Cakes

Thai Roast Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Thai Roast Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

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Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 kg pumpkin peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 tsp sunflower oil
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 1 lemongrass bashed a little
  • 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 400 ml can coconut milk
  • 850 ml vegetable stock
  • lime juice and sugar for seasoning
  • 1 red chilli sliced, to serve (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 180C fan. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting tin with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 mins until golden and tender.
  2. Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 mins until softened.
  3. Stir in the curry paste for 1 min, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock.
  4. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins, then fish out the lemongrass.
  5. Cool for a few mins, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender, or in a large blender in batches.
  6. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it.
  7. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli.

CURRIED CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

CURRIED CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

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Servings: 6
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons ghee butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
  • 4 leeks white parts only, sliced thinly
  • 1 large onion roughly chopped
  • 3 medium shallots roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Indian curry powder
  • 750 grams broccoli florets
  • 1/4 medium apple diced small
  • 4 cups bone broth or organic free-range chicken broth
  • Sea salt flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk

Method
 

  1. Melt the ghee or fat of choice over medium heat in a large soup pot.
  2. Add the leeks, onions, shallots, and curry powder, and sauté until softened. When in doubt, toss in lots of alliums – your soup will taste that much better.
  3. Throw in the chopped broccoli and apple and add the chicken broth. Top off with some water if the vegetables aren’t submerged.
  4. Turn the heat up to high to bring the soup to a boil, and then lower to a simmer until the vegetables are soft (~20 minutes).
  5. Once the vegetables are soft, season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Place the pot back on medium heat and stir in cup of coconut milk until uniform and warmed through. Serve!
Author Posted on Categories Paleo

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

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Servings: 8 Pancakes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree see notes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger, kosher salt, and ground cloves) in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (milk, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract) and whisk to combine.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together. Mix until just incorporated - try not to over-stir. It's okay if the batter is lumpy. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Heat a non-stick skillet of medium-high heat. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of the batter in the middle of the griddle and twirl pan in a circular motion to get the batter to spread out evenly to approximately a 5 inch circle. No need to add any additional oil to the pan since the batter already has coconut oil.
  5. Cook until bubbles begin to emerge from the center of the pancake and the sides of the pancake change from shiny to dull, approximately 3-6 minutes. Quickly slide a spatula underneath the pancake and flip over. Cook on this side for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
  6. To keep the pancakes warm while finishing up all the batter, you can place the pancakes on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil in the oven at 200 degrees.
  7. Serve hot, with some pure maple syrup.

Notes

To make pumpkin puree, preheat over to 108c. Cut pumpkin into large wedges and toss in olive oil. Roast on a tray until soft (around 40 minutes). Cool and blitz in a processor until smooth. Freeze any excess, it keeps well.

Harissa-Roasted Broccoli, Tofu, and Quinoa Bowl

Harissa-Roasted Broccoli, Tofu, and Quinoa Bowl

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Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g extra-firm tofu
  • 3 garlic cloves grated
  • 2 tablespoons harissa paste
  • 7 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar divided
  • Sea salt flakes freshly ground pepper
  • 1 large head of broccoli cut into large florets with some stalk attached
  • 1.5 cups quinoa
  • 1/2 inch red onion cut into 1/2slices
  • leaves Sliced avocado and mint for serving

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 200c. Lay a double layer of paper towel on a large plate. Place tofu on towel, then cover with another layer of towel. Cover with another plate and place something heavy (a few cans of beans or tomatoes will work) on plate to act as a weight. Let sit at least 10 minutes; pressing out excess liquid in tofu is key to a crisp, not soggy, bowl. Remove weight and towels and cut tofu into 5cm pieces.
  2. Whisk garlic, harissa, 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. oil, and 3 Tbsp. vinegar in a large bowl; generously season with salt and pepper. Toss broccoli and tofu in harissa mixture until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer broccoli mixture to a lined baking tray, spread out evenly, and roast, turning everything halfway through, until broccoli is lightly browned and cooked through, 30–40 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak about 15 minutes, then drain through a fine-mesh sieve. Cook quinoa in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally so quinoa doesn’t stick to bottom, until tender, 10–12 minutes. Drain again; transfer to a medium bowl. Toss and fluff with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Divide quinoa among bowls. Top with broccoli mixture, onion, avocado, and mint.

Mandarin & Bay Leaf Olive Loaf

Mandarin & Bay Leaf Olive Loaf

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Servings: 1 loaf
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 160 ml mild extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 fresh bay leaves crumpled/bruised, plus extra to decorate
  • 5 –6 mandarins (about 600g depending on their size
  • 225 g plain flour all-purpose
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 100 g apple purée
  • 80 ml buttermilk
  • 3 eggs
Apple purée
  • 4 large apples

Method
 

  1. For the apple purée, peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Put the apples and a splash of water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until tender. Stir and mash the apples, still over the heat, until broken down – they should be mushy and quite thick. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  2. Heat the olive oil and bay leaves in a small saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes or until bubbles start to form around the leaves. Set aside to cool and infuse, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, reserving the oil.
  3. Finely zest and juice 3 mandarins – you need 2 tsp of zest and 80ml juice. Thinly slice the remaining whole unpeeled mandarins. Set aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Grease a loaf (bar) tin (11.5 cm x 21.5cm) and line the base and two long sides with a piece of non-stick baking paper, extending the paper about 4cm above the sides of the tin.
  5. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
  6. Whisk the cooled olive oil, apple purée, mandarin zest and juice, buttermilk and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared tin and top with the mandarin slices, slightly overlapping them along the centre, as they will spread out as the cake rises.
  7. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before gently turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely, mandarin-side up.
Author Posted on Categories Cakes