Housewife

I cooked the most amazing dinner for my housemates the other night #ifidosaysomyself

Slowcooked shoulder of lamb with roast cauliflower salad and spiced sweet potato.

The lamb was on the slow cooker from 8am til 7.30pm and the sides took 20 minutes to pull together. Such an easy and relatively healthy dinner. 

The lamb was based on this Jamie Oliver recipe, but I put about 1.5 cups of chicken stock in the bottom of the slow cooker because I had it on for so long and didn't want it to dry out.

The roast cauli salad was from the Women's Weekly fast diet cookbook. It was kind of similar, sort of, almost, to this one.

And then there was the sweet potato that was gingery and delish with preserved lemon and fresh coriander. Find it here.

I cheated with dessert and picked up some absolute delights from Millstone Patisserie in Malvern. Get there as soon as humanly possible. Run, don't walk. It's phenomenal.

How low can you go?

I can go low, very low. Low carb, that is*.

How good does that salad look?

Absolutely phenomenal - and it tastes even better!

I've been a fan of The Londoner for ages now and am working my way through her recipes. Beth put me on to this winner after I'd dabbled with the Travelling Noodles over the school holidays. They were a hit and a half, I'll tell you that much!

See here for the recipe.

Anyway, thanks to my spiffy new spiralizer, I'm discovering all sorts of delicious vegetable pairings.

This low carb pad thai is a cracker and packed with flavour - and all things nutritious.

Recipe follows below, but in the spirit of transparency and being authentic, I thought I should include a pic of my attempt below. It's not pretty, but it packed a punch! A very picky and hard to please friend rated it 9/10 on Sunday night. That's good enough for me!

When you eat it with chopsticks, it even feels like a naughty takeaway deal. Fun!

To make enough for two generous portions, you’ll need:

• 1 Cucumber
• 2 Large carrots
• 2 Spring onions
• 1 Handful of fresh coriander
• 1 Handful of fresh mint
• 1 Handful of peanuts (roughly chopped/smashed)
• A couple of handfuls of shredded chicken/beef/duck/prawn/tofu/omelette/whatever you fancy!

Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 3tbsp Sesame oil
• 3tbsp Soy sauce
• 1tbsp Fish sauce
• 1tbsp chilli flakes
• 1tsbp honey
• 1 Clove of garlic

Start by turning your carrots and cucumber into noodles/ribbons. Pop them into a large bowl. I added zucchini as well - it's a  bit firmer than the cucumber and not as watery, I really like it - adds a  bit more crunch.

Use a pair of scissors to snip the spring onions over the top.

Add your protein. I went all out on Sunday and did egg omelette, prawns and chicken. Delish!

Snip over your coriander and mint.

I also like to add bean sprouts for a bit of extra crunch.

Dressing

Peel your garlic, add the rest of the ingredients. Shake/whisk until combined. Pour over salad.

Top with crushed peanuts and serve. Ah-mazing.

Recipe from here

*But only on the odd occasion, fear not! Nothing beats carbs for ultimate comfort meal :)

Lamington love

How is it the first day of February already? Seriously!

I haven't even recovered from Christmas and New Years etc and already I've been to New Zealand and back and fallen behind in work . . . only one month into the new year!

Anyway, speaking of New Zealand, on the way home I sat next to a mother of two travelling on her own back to Melbourne from Wellington. She had a four month old and a two year old and they were already settled when I got to my seat. I could see the strained look on the mother's face and instantly thought of my friends Bree and Gemma who travel with their little munchkins on their own all the time.

So I smiled and introduced myself to the two year old and offered to help out during the flight. The mother described me as a "Godsend", I think I've racked up enough karma points to last me the year!

Anyway, part of the kids morning tea on the flight was a lamington but Ariel (the two year old) had never had one before. As luck would have it, her Mum had packed Possum Magic to read during the flight so we got stuck into the picture book and discovered all sorts of yummy Aussie treats (they were kiwis but now living in Melbourne).

The timing was perfect as Australia Day closely followed so I got into the spirit and whipped up a batch of Donna Hay's cheats lamingtons. No, I didn't make my own sponge, but if it's good enough for Donna, it's good enough for me.

I took them to long weekend drinks with my friends Lill and Shuggie at the Pop Up Patch veggie garden in Federation Square. A gorgeous afternoon in the sun with vodka lime and sodas - and sexy straws. Shuggie brought Toobs and Burger Rings and a delicious beer and Lill supplied Prosecco. I was well and truly tickled by the time I stumbled home.

I love following my instagram feed over the weekend and seeing how all my friends and family were celebrating Australia Day. There were lots of pavs and lamingtons and lashings of Vegemite. I spent the public holiday at the Hanging Rock Races which felt very Aussie with kangaroos jumping past the track.

And now here we are at February. I hope it's a good month for you all.

xx

lamingtons

• 1 store-bought sponge cake or 1 quantity basic sponge cake, see recipe
• 3 cups (480g) icing (confectioner's) sugar
• ¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup (80ml) boiling water
• 75g butter, melted
• dessicated coconut, to coat

Make 1 quantity basic sponge cake in an 18cm-square cake tin and cool on a wire rack. Cut into 6cm squares. Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa. Mix with the boiling water and melted butter. Using 2 forks to hold the sponge squares, dip in the chocolate icing and roll in desiccated coconut. Allow to set on a wire rack. Makes 9.

Recipe from here

Salad session

Happy Boxing Kangaroo Day! It's like the day after Christmas, you know, Boxing Day. But it's the day after Australia Day. With an Aussie twist. Clever, hey!?

What did you do for your celebrations? I ticked something off my Victorian Bucket List and headed to the Hanging Rock Races. It was cold, but beautiful. A really nice day out - just wish I'd worn warmer clothing. 

I was starving when I got home and for once, could peer into a fridge full of groceries and take my pick of what I felt like for dinner. It's a rarity to have a well compiled fridge with meals planned for the week.

One of these meal plans included Pete Evans' chicken and avo salad that I saw in the recent Gourmet Traveller (thank you Optus for my three month free subscription!).

It was so easy to whip up and was enjoyed by all. I have sent the recipe off to a few friends already with strict instructions that they must try it. Immediately. But think it's only fair I share the love wider. So yummy. And healthy, I think?

Ingredients2½ tbsppine nuts1ripe but firm avocado, diced500 gmwhite or Savoy cabbage, thinly shredded300 gmleftover roast chicken, shredded60 ml (¼ cup)extra-virgin olive oil (optional)60 ml (¼ cup)lemon juiceSmallhandful soft herbs, such as tarragon, flat-leaf parsley and chervil, coarsely torn (I used coriander)Method

• 01
• Preheat oven to 170C and roast pine nuts on a baking tray, shaking tray occasionally, until golden (4-6 minutes). Set aside to cool.

• 02
• Mash the avocado to a creamy yet slightly chunky texture in a bowl, add cabbage, roast chicken, olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and pine nuts, toss to evenly dress salad with avocado, season to taste, transfer to a platter and serve.

Match made in heaven

With all this festive eating under my belt (more like shortening my belt) over the last few weeks, I thought it only fair to share some of my new fave treats.

Nibbles are my bread and butter, I could just graze all day every day. I think it's the 'order envy' beast coming out in me - I hate having to limit my order to one thing off a menu and inevitably always wish i could have wgat the person sitting next to me has ordered. But with nibbles, starters, appetisers, finger food, canapés ... whatever you want to call then, you can have a bit of everything.

Christmas Day was off to a great start with (amongst many other delights) one of my fave dips that is so delicious but so ridiculously easy. It's almost embarrassing, it's simple. I think my friend Sarah was the first to introduce it to me, and I know my friend Ad has made it for me lots (she's the one famous for Aunty Rach's tuna dip) but I've also seen donna hay roll it out aswell.

You can't beat it. 

Hommus with crispy chorizo.

Mince one chorizo sausage to chunky crumbs. Technically, you're supposed to skin it but I can't be bothered, and I don't have a magimix or food processor so I just finely dice the sausage.

Heat a big slurp of olive oil in a fry pan and add your chorizo crumb. Cook, stirring, until crunchy. It's good to let it really crisp up. Take off heat. 

Spread a tub of store bought hommus over a plate or platter. I guess you could make your own, but seriously ...

Spoon the warm crispy chorizo crumbs over the hommus, drizzling the oil from the pan over the dip as well.

Serve with grilled/toasted flatbread or bagel crisps.

You're welcome.

Happy house

I'm a bit of a Mother Hen in my sharehouse and like to keep my housemates well fed. I just love cooking and feeding people and sharing a big feast with friends.

Christmas is a great excuse to get people together for a beautiful celebratory meal but this time . . . I put my foot down and insisted my housemates pitch in. Okay, so I was a bit of a control freak and wrote the menu and told them what they had to buy/contribute, but it all worked out brilliantly. Some couples bought and made their own dishes while others gave me the ingredients and I cooked it up on their behalf. Worked for me!

One couple did nibbles and I had to laugh - my actual housemate did nothing but her boyfriend totally took charge of the situation. His spread was quite impressive.

Then it was the main deal and my contribution - the turkey.

I did a Donna Hay recipe and it was brilliant. So so so tender and so easy and delicious. I can't believe how moist it was - I've always heard how easy it is to dry out a turkey breast, but this was perfection.

I ordered the turkey breast from the poultry man at the South Melbourne Markets. It was about 2kg for $53 and it would have served about 10 people I reckon. Recipe from here.

prosciutto-wrapped turkey

• 100g butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon sage leaves, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 2kg turkey breast fillet, skin on
• olive oil, for brushing
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 15 slices prosciutto

Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Place the butter, lemon rind, sage, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine. Gently push a spoon between the skin of the turkey and the breast meat to release the skin from the flesh. Using your fingers, evenly distribute the butter mixture under the skin. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with the extra salt and pepper. Wrap the prosciutto around, place on a greased rack in a baking dish and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when tested with a skewer. Rest the turkey for 15 minutes before carving. Serves 6–8.

Then for sides I allocated one couple to two salads. It was really nice to have everyone get their hands dirty and feel proud about their contribution.

This Ottolenghi one was a real winner. And so so so easy. Recipe from here.

We cheated and just put the beans in a bowl and poured boiling water over them, left them for a while then added the snow peas towards the end until ever so slightly cooked, then ran cold water over them. I really like my greens crunchy and this meant the team could stay out of the kitchen. Much better!

Green bean, snow pea and hazelnut salad

You can really play with this salad, the beans make for a perfect base from which to improvise. You could add pomegranate seeds, goats cheese and/or pinenuts. Or you could replace the mange tout with chickpeas or white beans, and chop the green beans into segments to make it a little bulkier.

Ingredients
300g (one std pack) of fine green beans
150g (one std pack) of mange tout
50g hazelnuts
15g chives
1 orange
1 tblsp sesame oil
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper

Heat the oven to about 150 oC.

Fill as big a pan as possible with water for the beans and mange tout. The more space you give them, the more they retain their vivid green colouring. I use a big old casserole pot. Bring the water to the boil.

While it’s heating up, trim and wash the beans and mange tout, keeping them separate. When the water is bubbling merrily away drop the beans in and cook for 4 minutes. Take them out, plonk them in a colander and run under plenty of cold water to stop them cooking further.

Bring the water back to the boil and drop the mange tout in and cook them for no more than a minute. Then drain them into a colander and run under cold water. Dry the beans and the mange tout with some paper towels and put in a large salad bowl.

Put the hazelnuts into the oven and roast for about 7 minutes. Remove and squeeze the skins off – they should mostly crumble away. It doesn’t matter if some bits are left on. Roughly chop with a big, very sharp knife, You don’t want them too finely chopped, there should be plenty of halves, even the odd whole hazelnut left.

Wash the orange and peel away the zest in strips, trying to minimise the amount of white pith you take with it. Slice the strips as finely as possible. Slice the chives in to 1cm lengths.

Add the hazelnuts, orange zest and chives, grind over some black pepper to the beans and toss until all mixed up. Add the sesame (or walnut, hazelnut, pecan or any other nut oil you might have) and olive oils and toss some more.

Serve at room temperature.

The next salad was one I've featured before - it's so Christmasy with those gorgeous gems of pomegranate.

See here for my previous post.

The potatoes were the stand out of the night. Apparently. They got all the attention. Such a simple thing but so hard to get right. And we nailed it (I still think my turkey was the shining light of the evening!).

They were a Gordon Ramsay recipe without all the trimmings - we didn't do the turmeric rub that's recommended, just simple salt and pepper and olive oil. The key is the hot oil on the tray, and roughing up the potatoes after boiling. And turning them during the cooking stage.

It's so worth the effort.

Recipe here - but ignore the chilli and turmeric. Unless you want to be a bit adventurous.

Dessert was an age old favourite - sticky date pudding. I did my Mum's sworn winner - the Masterchef recipe that I featured a few years ago. I cooked it in a spring form tin the night before then just heated it up after main course. Served with vanilla icecream.

The praline was a winner. I doubled the recipe. Boom.

And I tell you what, I could eat that butterscotch sauce 'til the cows come home.

Here's the recipe.

I have raved about the whole night non-stop so Mum has said I have to roll it out again for Christmas Day at home. Suits me just fine, I've had the dress rehearsal, I'm ready for the real deal now! We're currently sitting on the couch watching Maggie Beer's Christmas special and flicking through Christmas cookbooks looking for 'entree' inspiration. Christmas lunch deserves a more decadent starter than just nibbles, so we're tossing up different versions of prawn cocktails. So retro. So cool.

I'll be sure to post about our feast soon!

It's good to be home x

Christmas in colour

Call me kitch, but I do love it when the colour of food reflects the season.

So my Christmas go-to at the moment is a light and fresh coleslaw - I want to call it Asian inspired, but is probably is more Mexican in flavour?

Great with a roast chook (which is exactly what I served it with at Carols by Candlelight with my friend Nadia this week) or of course, with pulled pork in a soft bun.

Delish!

Recipe from here

Coleslaw

• ¼white cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 bunch(about 300 g/11 oz) radishes, finely sliced
• 4spring onions, finely sliced
• 2green apples, finely sliced
• 1 handfulcoriander leaves
• 1 handfulmint leaves
• 2limes, juiced
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• Make the coleslaw by combining the cabbage, radish, spring onion and apple. Tear the herbs over it and squeeze in the lime juice, along with a small drizzle of oil. Season to taste.

The best ragu. Ever.

It's times like these that I remember why I started ye olde blog.

It was to share my favourite recipes with my friends and family.

Well, I'm quietly confident that this is perhaps the best recipe I've ever shared. 

You know how when you buy a new brand of car, that's all you ever see on the streets from then on? Or when you hear a new song you like (or hate) and then it's playing on the radio every time you turn on your car? Well, that happened to me with a recipe last week.

A girl from work and I were talking cooking and she told me about this sausage ragu that she loves. The only sausage ragu I know is the terrible one we get served up at school with the sausages still in their skin, disguised in some weird coloured curry sauce. I smiled politely but deleted her email as soon as she sent the link through to the recipe.

Then later that week, my friend Shuggie told me about this amazing ragu she makes with pork and fennel sausages. Now, Shuggie would never lie to me when it comes to food, so this time I sat up and took notice. Sure enough, it was the same Karen Martini recipe and it's such a winner in her family, that her Dad now uses it as their lasagne base.

Then I was talking to someone else back home in Adelaide and I mentioned this random ragu recipe and they seconded (or is that thirded) the fact that it's a truly life-changing dish. Everywhere I looked, Karen Martini and her Roman Pork Sausage Ragu was waving hello!

So I just had to try it myself. And everything they said was true - I cooked it for the first 'family dinner' with my new housemate and it was so good we barely spoke - it was all 'mmmm, aaahhhh, yeeeessssss' kind of noises.

Do yourself a favour and get on board. You will never make a normal spaghetti bolognaise ever again. And you will have a newfound respect for the humble sausage!

Hot tip: Watch the video on Karen's website here. I was a bit confused about the whole 'crumble the meat' thing but she makes it look so easy.

And a confession - I didn't buy my sausages from the butcher like she recommends. I bought Coles 'pork, apple and cider' sausages then realised I needed more so topped up with Woolies' 'Italian beef, pork, red wine and fennel sausages'. They worked a TREAT. Oh, and I couldn't find thick-cut pancetta so I used a wedge of smoked pork. Same same but different?! Don't be afraid to experiment.

Ingredients

750 grams pork and fennel sausages 

150 grams thick-cut pancetta, diced

2 brown onions, peeled and diced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium carrot, diced

3 celery stalks, finely sliced

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons tomato paste

400 ml red wine

600 ml chicken stock

400 grams tinned crushed tomatoes

3 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs oregano

salt and pepper

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

100 grams pasta per person, such as pappardelle

Method

Remove the skins from the sausages and crumble the meat. Discard the skins. Heat a heavy-based pot on medium heat, then add the sausage meat and pancetta. Fry until the sausage meat is golden brown, stirring every few minutes. Don’t worry if you get some sticky, crunchy bits – it’s all flavour.

Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaves, dried chilli and fennel seeds. Stir in well. The vegetables will sweat a little and ease all the crusty, caramelised pieces from the bottom of the pot.

Continue to cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelised. Add the tomato paste and red wine and bring to a simmer. Add the stock, tinned tomatoes, rosemary and oregano and continue to simmer for about 45 minutes on low heat, until you have a thick, intense sauce consistency.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

When cooked, season the ragu carefully (the sausages will already be salted), then add the olive oil and the cooked pasta. Bring the pot to the table.

Play a lovely tuna

Tuna is a poor girl's best friend. That, and tinned corn and lentils and chickpeas. It's amazing what you can do with these staples!

I  must admit though, I am a bit of a tuna snob and do love Sirena tuna. The chilli and oil flavour is the bee's knees - tossed through pasta, in a pita pocket, on a bed of spinach with some sun dried tomatoes, olives and feta - the bomb!

But my clever friend Ad recently introduced me to an all new way to indulge in this pantry item (thanks to Aunty Rach). The best tuna dip ever!

Aunty Rachel's tuna tip

1 can chilli and oil tuna

1 tub spreadable light cream cheese

1 squeeze of lemon juice

2 anchovies (I cheat and if I don't have any in the fridge, I use a splash or two of fish sauce, and I think capers would work equally as well)

Pinch of salt and pepper

Slurp of olive oil

1. Drain the tuna from the oil and chilli - but reserve the oil and chilli for later.
2. Place the tuna, cream cheese, lemon juice, anchovies, S&P and olive oil in a bowl and blend to combine until smooth (I just used a stick blender).
3. Transfer the dip to a smaller serving bowl, cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge to set. About an hour is okay and it's not the end of the world if you don't have time for this step - it will just be a bit sloppy but still taste great!
4. Take out to serve and place the reserved chilli on top, pour over the oil and then sprinkle with dukkah.
5. Serve with pita crisps, bagels, carrot sticks etc.

You can have your cake

So, I promised the chocolate cake to end all chocolate cakes? 

Well, I'm one to stay true to my word . . . even if I don't make deadline.

On a recent trip back to the Rads, we celebrated my dear friend Ad's birthday with a dinner party at her place. It was beyond spectacular. Three courses of amazingness - so good that I stole two recipes from the night and pulled them out at my own fundraising dinner part a few weeks later.

One of these recipes was for Ottolenghi's chocolate fudge cake. It was seriously the best thing I'd ever tasted. The table went silent when Ad served it up. We were lost for words, totally caught in the moment.

So it's only fair that I share the love with you . . .

Ottolenghi’s Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients:
240g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
265g dark chocolate (52% cocoa), chopped into small pieces*
95g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped into small pieces*
290g light muscovado sugar
4 tablespoons water
5 large eggs, separated
pinch of salt
cocoa powder for dusting

Method:
Preheat your oven to 170°C (350°F) and butter a 20cm (8″) spring form pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment/baking paper.

In a large heat proof bowl, combine the chopped chocolates and butter.

Combine the muscovado sugar and water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour the boiling syrup over the chocolate and butter and stir until they have melted. *If you ignored the “chopped into small pieces” instructions, insert another step; melt mixture further over a double boiler until smooth…

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture and then set the bowl aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt to a firm but not dry meringue. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Once combined, add another third, fold and then fold in the remaining third until just combined.

Pour 2/3rds of the batter into your prepared pan (about 800g, reserving the remaining batter for later) and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely. Flatten the cake with an offset spatula. Don’t worry about breaking the surface crust and pour the rest of the batter on top. Level the surface again. Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes. When tested with a skewer the cake should have a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Allow to cool completely in the spring form pan before attempting to unmould it.
Dust with cocoa powder before serving & serve with double cream.

** Recipe taken from Duchess Roz

So as you can see, the cake needs to be made in stages. And I was juggling a couple of dips, the lamb tagine and a few other dishes as well. As well as a date or two. Big week.

I started on the Thursday night with stage one - my housemates all chipped in and helped me make the batter. I let them eat the leftovers. Best housemate ever.

The first layer was sublime. Perfection. I was proud as punch. I had to leave it overnight to cool and then planned to cook the second layer on the Friday. I came home from work and was in a frantic rush, the tagine was on the stove top, I was monitoring the cake and slapping on some makeup for a date that night.

I was all set to go, glammed up and feeling top of the pops when the timer went off and I opened the oven door to take out the cake. It was heavenly, the perfect amount of rise, still gooey in the centre but crunchy around the edges.

I was a little cocky, perhaps. Then . . . the oven mitt got caught and I burnt my hand on the cake tin. It was bloody hot so I squealed a bit and moved my hand from the edge of the tin to the base. Which was loose. Which detached from the sides. Which upended all over my benchtop.

I hate springform tins.

I swore like a sailor and stamped my feet in a tantrum like a three year cracking the shits in the toy department at David Jones. What a waste! All that chocolate, all that melting, all that cooking, all that waiting!

My housemate rushed over to help - but his version of helping was getting a bowl and a spoon and salvaging the cake for himself. He seriously stood there and ate it while muttering nice words of support.

"If it makes it any better, Kate, it tastes really good!" quickly followed by "Oh, are you going to cry?" at which stage he put the bowl down and went to fetch a bucket and mop.

I couldn't do anything but pick up my phone, take a photo, clean up the mess, top up my red lippy and head off on my date. Where I drank far too much champagne far too quickly.

Apparently you can cook it all in one go, saving yourself that second cooking stage, but if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well so I mustered up the courage (and the budget!) to start all over again the next day. 

And boy, it was worth it.