MY FAVOURITE RECIPES (Copy)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (550g) minced meat

2 tablespoons (40ml) oil

1 small onion, chopped

Half a medium green cabbage, chopped

2 tablespoons (30ml) rice

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 packets chicken noodle soup

250g french beans, sliced

2 & a half cups (625ml) water

METHOD

Lightly brown mince in hot oil in saucepan. Add all other ingredients. Cook for 20min.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kg topside of beef

2 medium onions

2 carrots

2 sticks celery

1 bulb of garlic

1 bunch of mixed fresh herbs , such as thyme, rosemary, bay, sage

olive oil

METHOD:

Remove the beef from the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/ gas 9.

Wash and roughly chop the vegetables – there’s no need to peel them. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled.

Pile all the veg, garlic and herbs into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with oil.

Drizzle the beef with oil and season well with sea salt and black pepper, then rub all over the meat. Place the beef on top of the vegetables.

Place the tray in the oven, then turn the heat down immediately to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and cook for 1 hour for medium beef. If you prefer it medium-rare, take it out 5 to 10 minutes earlier. For well done, leave it in for another 10 to 15 minutes.

If you’re doing roast potatoes and veggies, this is the time to crack on with them – get them into the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking.

Baste the beef halfway through cooking and if the veg look dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them from burning.

When the beef is cooked to your liking, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the beef to a board to rest for 15 minutes or so. Cover it with a layer of tin foil and a tea towel and leave aside while you make your gravy, horseradish sauce and Yorkshire puddings.

Ingredients

2 kg beef brisket , trimmed and sliced into 2.5cm thick pieces across the grain

500 ml hot coffee

3 large dried chillies , such as ancho, chipotle or poblano

2 red onions

10 cloves of garlic

olive oil

2 heaped teaspoons ground cumin

2 heaped teaspoons smoked paprika

1 heaped teaspoon dried oregano

2 fresh bay leaves

3–4 fresh chillies

2 cinnamon sticks

4 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons molasses or muscovado sugar

3 red, yellow or orange peppers

2 x 400 g tins of beans , such as kidney, butter, pinto

soured cream , optional

Method

Ask your butcher to trim and slice your brisket for you. If you’re doing it yourself, carefully trim the meat by discarding any fat or silver skin. Cut the meat against, rather than with, the grain into 2.5cm thick pieces.

Make the coffee and, while it’s hot, soak the dried chillies in it for a few minutes to let them rehydrate.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the onions and peel and finely slice the garlic.

Heat a few lugs of oil in your largest casserole pan on a low heat, add the cumin, paprika, oregano, bay and onions. Fry for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened.

Deseed and chop half the fresh chillies. Slice up the rehydrated chillies and add them to the onion mixture along with the chopped fresh chilli, the cinnamon sticks, sliced garlic, a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a splash of the chilli-infused coffee.

Stir, then add the rest of the coffee, the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, and the molasses or sugar. Add the pieces of brisket and another good pinch of salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for around 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

After a few hours use 2 forks or a potato masher to break the meat up and pull it apart.

Once you’ve done this, deseed, slice and add the peppers, then drain and add the beans. Leave to simmer with the lid off for 30 minutes, or until the meat is completely falling apart and delicious, stirring occasionally.

Have a taste and season well – if you require a bit more heat (like I would), this is the time to deseed and chop the rest of the fresh chilli and stir it in.

Dollop a big spoonful of soured cream over the chilli (if using), and serve straight from the pan, with fluffy rice, flatbreads or potatoes and a really nice fresh lemony green salad. Don’t forget multiple cold beers! Enjoy.

Ingredients

2 medium onions

2 cloves garlic

2 medium carrots

2 sticks celery

2 red peppers

olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon chilli powder

1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin

1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 x 400 g tin of chickpeas

1 x 400 g tin of red kidney beans

2 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes

500 g quality minced beef

½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery – don’t worry about the technique, just chop away until fine. Halve the red peppers, remove the stalks and seeds and roughly chop.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan on a medium-high heat, add the chopped veg, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cook for 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.

Drain and add the chickpeas and kidney beans, tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, then pour in 1 tin's worth of water. Add the minced beef, breaking any larger chunks.

Pick the coriander leaves and put aside, then finely chop and add the stalks to the pan, with the balsamic vinegar. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with a lid slightly ajar for 1 hour, or until slightly thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.

Serve up with fluffy rice or couscous, a hunk of crusty bread, or over a jacket potato, with some yoghurt, guacamole, and wedges of lime on the side for squeezing over. Sprinkle over the reserved coriander, and some fresh chilli, if you like, then tuck in.

Ingredients

12 Jacob's cream crackers

8 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley

500 g quality minced beef

2 heaped tablespoons Dijon mustard , optional

1 large free-range egg

olive oil

1 cos or round lettuce

3 ripe tomatoes

1 red onion

3-4 gherkins

6 slices of Cheddar cheese , optional

6 quality burger buns

Method

Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands, then tip into a large bowl.

Finely chop the parsley (stalks and all), then add to the bowl with the mustard (if using), and the minced beef.

Crack the egg into the bowl, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 6 and pat and mould each piece into a roundish shape, roughly 2cm thick.

Place the burgers onto a plate, drizzle with oil, then cover and place in the fridge until needed – this will help to firm them up.

To cook the burgers, preheat a large griddle or frying pan for 4 minutes on a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium.

Place the burgers on the griddle or into the pan, then use a spatula to lightly press them down, making sure the burger is in full contact with the pan.

Cook the burgers for 3 or 4 minutes on each side, depending on how you like them – you may need to work in batches.

Meanwhile, wash and dry a few small lettuce leaves, tearing up the larger ones. Slice the tomatoes, peel and finely slice the red onion, then slice the gherkins lengthways as finely as you can.

Place all the veg toppings, and the cheese (if using) on a platter and put in the middle of the table with plates, cutlery, ketchup and drinks.

Once cooked, remove the burgers to a plate and carefully wipe the pan clean with a ball of kitchen paper.

Halve the burger buns and lightly toast them in the pan, then serve up.

Tips

If cooking for less people, wrap the extra burgers in clingfilm and freeze for another day.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

800g thin beef sausages

1 large brown onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 tablespoons fruit chutney

2 cups Massel chicken style liquid stock

1 cup frozen peas

Steamed rice, to serve

Parsley leaves, to serve

METHOD

Step 1 - Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook sausages, in batches, turning, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a large plate.

Step 2 - Add onion, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add curry powder. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add fruit chutney and stock. Return sausages to pan. Cover, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until sausages are cooked through and sauce thickens.

Step 3 - Stir in peas. Season. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with steamed rice and sprinkled with parsley leaves.

INGREDIENTS

1 x 500g pkt green split peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 brown onions, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped

3 celery sticks, ends trimmed, coarsely chopped

1 large (about 750g) ham hock (see note)

2.75L (11 cups) water

Turkish bread, toasted, to serve

BOUQUET GARNI

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 dried bay leaves

4 Black Peppercorns

METHOD

Step 1 - Place the split peas in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 6 hours or overnight to soak. Drain.

Step 2 - To make the bouquet garni, place the thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a small piece of muslin cloth. Wrap up and tie with unwaxed kitchen string to secure.

Step 3 - Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the split peas, bouquet garni, ham hock and water. Cover and bring to the boil.

Step 4 - Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 3/4 hours to 2 hours or until the ham begins to fall off the bone and the soup thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 5 - Use tongs to remove the ham hock from the pan. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Use your hands to pull the ham off the bone. Discard the bone. Shred the ham. Return the ham to the soup. (To freeze, see notes.)

Step 6 - Stir the soup over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Serve with toasted Turkish bread.

NOTES

Ham hocks are cured, smoked shanks of leg ham. They're available from the deli section of supermarkets. To freeze: Make the soup up to the end of step 5. Set aside to cool slightly. To freeze in two-portion batches, divide the soup among 3 x 1L (4-cup) capacity freezer-proof containers with lids. Cover and place in the fridge for 4 hours or until cold. Label, date and freeze for up to three months. To thaw: Place the desired number of soup portions in the fridge for 24 hours, or until thawed completely. To reheat: Place in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the soup just comes to the boil and is heated through.

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil

125g rindless bacon, roughly chopped

750g lean beef mince

2 medium brown onions, finely chopped

2 medium red capsicums, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed1 long red chilli, chopped

2 tablespoons Mexican chilli powder

800g can chopped tomatoes

400g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

toppings, to serve (see note)

METHOD

Step 1 - Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 15 minutes or until browned.

Step 2 - Add onions, capsicums, garlic and chopped chilli. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Step 3 - Add tomatoes and 1 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to mediumlow. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until sauce has reduced slightly.

Step 4 - Add beans. Increase heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes or until beans are heated through and sauce has thickened. Serve chilli with toppings.

NOTES

Serve with pickled jalapeno chillies, light sour cream, coriander leaves and grated light tasty cheese for toppings. These can also accompany the pork tacos.

Ingredients

1kg beef mince1 onion finely chopped large1 carrot finely chopped

1/4 tsp thyme

1 tbs tomato paste

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

1 & 1/2 cups Massel*Beef Style Liquid Stock

1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

2 tbs plain flour

1/4 cup water

TOPPING

750g potatoes

60g Lurpak*unsalted butter

1/4 cup milk

1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

Method

Place mince in pan, cook over high heat, stirring until meat is well browned.

Pour off excess fat and add onion and carrot.

Cook until onion is transparent. Add thyme, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, stock and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 25 minutes.

Stir in blended flour and water until mixture boils and thickens.

Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Place mixture into overproof dish.

Topping:

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and mash potato.

Add butter and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread potato evenly over meat and bake at 180C for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion finely chopped peeled

1 garlic clove finely chopped

500 g beef mince

2 tbs gravy powder

1 1/2 cups water

3 carrots peeled thinly sliced

6 potatoes large peeled

2 tbs butter

2 tbs whole-egg mayonnaise

Method

Add olive oil to fry pan and heat.

Add onion, carrots and garlic and sauté until partly cooked.

Add mince and brown.

Mix gravy powder into water and dissolve, before adding to mince mixture.

Bring mixture to a simmer, adding more water if needed, and stir occasionally until carrots are cooked and the gravy has thickened.

Boil potatoes with salt in a large saucepan until very soft.

Drain water from potatoes and add butter and mayonnaise.

Mash until there are no lumps, and add salt to taste.

To serve, place mashed potatoes on plate and pour mince mixture on top.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast fillet skin on

1L Campbell's chicken stock (liquid)

1 splash sesame oil

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 chicken stock cube

375g canned creamed corn

2 tbs cornflour

2 eggs

2 spring onions chopped *optional

Method

Cover chicken fillet with water and simmer until cooked.

Remove chicken, cool and remove the skin. Discard skin but keep water.

Shred the chicken into long strips, but do not chop.

In a pot combine chicken stock, ginger powder, sesame oil, crumbled chicken stock cube and creamed sweetcorn.

Bring to the boil.

Add the shredded chicken and bring back to boil.

Mix cornflour with small amount of chicken water to form a thin paste. Drizzle into the soup, mixing thoroughly.

Mix in 1 or 2 eggs together with a dash of the chicken water, then drizzle it into the pot very slowly from about 15 cm above the pot.

Garnish with chopped spring onions.

NOTES

I use Campbell's ready made stock.

Ingredients

8 slices bread day-old

8 tbs strawberry jam

5 eggs

400 ml milk

1/3 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

1 tbs brown sugar

Method

Spread jam over bread and slice in half.

Arrange in a deep baking dish randomly.

Mix eggs, milk, caster sugar and vanilla essence together and pour over the bread.

Sprinkle coconut and brown sugar over the top.

Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.

Serve with thick cream or vanilla ice cream.

NOTES

The bread will rise in the oven - this is normal and will go down as it cools.

Baked it at 180c and it took a while. Turned it up to 200c towards the end as it didn't look very cooked. Not sure what temp the oven was supposed to be at.

Ingredients

500g self-raising flour

1 egg

1 1/2 cup milk

1 tbs icing sugar

2 tsp baking powder

60g butter melted

Method

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.

Add beaten egg, milk and butter.

Quickly combine all ingredients into a dough.

Stand dough on a floured board for 20 minutes.

Gently roll out to required thickness (about 2cm).

Cut out circles using the rim of a glass dipped in flour.

Stand scones close together on a lightly floured baking tray for a further 15 minutes.

Bake at 210C for 10 minutes.

If you have trouble making good scones these might just do the trick. Extra baking powder and standing time helps to keep these light and fluffy.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cups self-raising flour

40g butter, chilled, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/3 cup milk

Thickened cream, to serve

SYRUP

50g butter, chopped

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup golden syrup

METHOD

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced.

Step 2 - Sift flour into a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar. Whisk golden syrup and milk together. Add to flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir to form a soft dough. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture to make 12 balls.

Step 3 - Make Syrup: Place butter, sugar, golden syrup and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a deep, 12-cup capacity heavy-based flameproof casserole dish over low heat. Stir for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Bring to the boil. Carefully add dumplings to syrup. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Serve dumplings with syrup and cream.

NOTES

Serve immediately so there’s enough sauce for everyone otherwise the dumplings will soak it up!

Variations:

Spice it up! Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or cinnamon to dumpling batter.Add some crunch: stir 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts through batter.Replace thickened cream and serve dumplings with scoops of hokey pokey ice-cream.Add a tropical touch and serve dumplings sprinkled with toasted coconut or add 2 teaspoons coconut essence to batter.

COMMENTS

Dumplings were nice but definitely doesn't need 15-20 minutes as stated. Next time I'd only cook them for 10 minutes or less. Sauce was burnt after 15 minutes on medium low heat.

INGREDIENTS

150g (1 cup) self-raising flour

60g unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg

1-2 tablespoons milk, to beat

Thick cream, to serve

SYRUP

30g butter

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

4 tablespoons golden syrup

1 small lemon, juiced

METHOD

Step 1 - Sift flour into a bowl, then rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat egg with a little milk and pour into flour mixture. Combine to form a dough, then divide into small balls.

Step 2 - To make the syrup, combine the ingredients together with 1 cup of water in a pan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Carefully add dough balls to syrup and boil for 20 minutes. Serve with syrup and cream.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1kg thick lamb sausages(see notes)

2 carrots, halved lengthways, thinly sliced diagonally

4 eschalots, cut into quarters (see notes)

1/2 cup frozen peas

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

Crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced.

Step 2 - Place cornflour in a jug. Gradually add 1/4 cup stock, stirring until smooth. Add curry powder, garlic and remaining stock. Stir until combined.

Step 3 - Arrange sausages, carrot and eschalot, in a single layer, on a large baking tray with sides. Pour over stock mixture. Turn sausages to coat.

Step 4 - Bake for 35 minutes or until sausages are golden. Sprinkle with peas. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until sausages are cooked. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with bread.

NOTES

You could use beef, pork or chicken sausages instead of lamb sausages.

You could use 1 small brown onion, cut into thin wedges, instead of eschalots

INGREDIENTS

2 almond croissants (see note), roughly torm

3 pain au raisins (see note), roughly torn

400g brioche loaf, roughly torn

100g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

6 eggs

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

600ml pure (thin) cream

600ml milk

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

2 teaspoons vanilla extractIcing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Step 1 - Grease a 2L baking dish.

Step 2 - Arrange the almond croissant pieces in the baking dish, then top with layer of pain au raisins pieces and finish with a layer of brioche.

Step 3 - Whisk the butter, eggs, sugar, cream, milk, orange zest and vanilla together in a bowl until just combined. Pour over the pastries and brioche, then stand for 3-4 hours to allow the cream mixture to soak in and the flavours to develop.

Step 4 - Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Step 5 - Bake the pudding for 1 hour or until just set. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (500ml) milk1 cup (250ml) cream

395g can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (100g) medium grain rice, rinsed, drained

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon orange rind

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 Coles Brand Australian Free Range Egg yolks

2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted

ROASTED RHUBARB

1 bunch rhubarb, cut into 5cm lengths

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

Orange zest, to sprinkle

METHOD

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 160C. Combine milk, cream, condensed milk, rice, sugar, orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins or until mixture comes just to a simmer. Set aside for 5 mins to cool slightly.

Step 2 - Add the egg yolks and stir to combine. Pour into a 4-cup (1L) ovenproof dish. Bake, stirring every 15 mins, for 1 hour or until rice is tender and custard is set. Set aside for 10 mins to rest.

Step 3 - Meanwhile, to make roasted rhubarb, increase oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the rhubarb over the prepared tray. Sprinkle with sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bake for 10 mins or until just tender.

Step 4 - Divide rice pudding among serving bowls. Top with roasted rhubarb and sprinkle with almonds.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups traditional rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 x 120g tubs apple purée

1/2 cup honey, plus extra to serve

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon pepita and sunflower seed mix

1/4 cup almond kernels, roughly chopped

1 cup low-fat coconut yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 4cm-deep, 17cm x 22cm (base), 20.5cm x 26cm (top) enamel baking dish.

Step 2 - Place oats, coconut, mixed spice and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Place eggs, milk, apple purée and honey in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add egg mixture to oat mixture. Stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with berries, seed mix and almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and just set. Stand for 5 minutes. Drizzle pudding with extra honey. Serve with yoghurt.