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Foodie Friday: Vegetarian tacos

Foodie Friday

Styled on the brand’s colourful new range Majolica, today’s tasty vegetarian recipe (vege-packed tacos) is brought to us by Maxwell Williams. Inspired by the traditional Italian majolica tin-glazed ceramics, this statement table top collection features bold floral designs perfect for a communal feast.

Maxwell Williams

Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 corn cobs
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 2 avocados, mashed
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 12 tortillas
  • 200g sour cream
  • Red cabbage pickle

To garnish

  • Coriander sprigs
  • Chilli sliced – optional
  • Chilli sauce drizzle – optional

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add corn cobs and simmer for 10 mins. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the grill pan on high heat. Lightly spray cobs with olive oil and chargrill on all sides. Set aside to cool, then cut corn off the cob. Set aside.

3. Julienne the carrot, cover and set aside. Peel and de-seed avocados then, in a small bowl, mash the avocados with a fork. Add the lime juice and season to taste. Set aside.

4. Lightly toast tortillas on either side in a pan or on a grill plate. Your tacos are ready to assemble. Cool slightly in the trays, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. On top of the warmed tortillas spread a generous spoonful of sour cream. Dollop the avocado, add the pickled cabbage, julienned carrot and grilled corn.

6. Top with a garnish of coriander (for a spicier finish add chilli and a drizzle of chilli sauce.)

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Foodie Friday: Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

Foodie Friday

A hearty French classic ideal for sharing, this slow-cooked wonder is brought to us today by Australian Beef. With red wine a key ingredient you can put half a bottle in the pot and savour the rest with dinner. Voila!

Beef Bourguignon

Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 120 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg chuck or boneless shin/gravy beef
  • 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  • 4-5 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 30g butter
  • 12 (about 280g) small pickling onions or shallots, peeled
  • 200g button mushrooms, stalks trimmed
  • 1 cup water

Method

1. Cut the beef into 2.5-3cm cubes and place in a large bowl. Add the herbs and wine. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Drain the beef and put aside the marinade and herbs. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Heat a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in three batches. Remove each batch and place in a casserole dish. Pour over the reserved marinade and herbs. Add the stock and flour. Stir to mix.

3. Cover the casserole dish, place in oven. Stir every 40 minutes or so, adding water if needed to keep the ingredients just covered. Cook until the beef is almost tender (about 80 minutes).

4. Heat the oil and butter in a small frypan, add the onions and cook stirring for 10 minutes or until lightly golden (but not soft), remove and set aside. Cook the mushrooms in two batches, adding a little more butter if needed, remove and set aside.

5. Add the onions, mushrooms, and water to the beef, stir gently to combine. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes or until the beef is tender.

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Foodie Friday: Dan Dan beef Jianbing

Foodie Friday

The latest street food obsession to hit Australia is ‘The Bing’ or Jianbing – a Chinese crepe-like pancake that’s packed full of delicious savoury fillings and is traditionally served for breakfast. And to celebrate the current wave, Australian Beef has teamed up with MasterChef 2018 alumni and street food Instagrammer Brendan Pang to bring you a version of the delicacy that combines spicy, peanutty, aromatic mince with a crisp egg pancake.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Dan Dan beef mix

  • 400g beef mince
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp five spice powder

Filling

  • Vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 4 cos lettuce leaves
  • 4 tbsp peanuts, roasted and chopped

Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Jianbing batter

  • 1/3 cup millet flour (or fine cornmeal)
  • 1/3 cup white flour
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 3/4 cup water

Method

  1. Place all jianbing batter ingredients, plus 1/2 tsp of salt into a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
  2. In a wok, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and brown the beef. Add hoisin, shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce and five-spice powder. Cook until all the liquid is evaporated. Set aside.
  3. Place all spicy peanut sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mix well.
  4. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and brush with vegetable oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, pour in 1/4 of the jianbing batter. Working quickly, swirl the pan to spread the batter as thinly as possible and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour 1/4 of the beaten egg mix over the crepe, spread quickly and evenly with a spatula, sprinkle with a little spring onion and cook 1-2 minutes until egg is set.
  5. Flip the crepe and spread the top side with a generous spoonful of the spicy peanut sauce. Place a cos lettuce leaf in the centre and top with dan dan beef mix, cucumber slices, and roast peanuts.
  6. Fold in half twice and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining ingredients

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Foodie Friday: Ravioli with lemon butter and greens

Ravioli with lemon butter and greens

Foodie Friday

Who said pasta should be reserved for winter? Proving it can be enjoyed all year, this light vegetarian ravioli is perfect for summer entertaining and given it takes just seven minutes to prepare, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up with your guests. Courtesy of Maxwell & Williams, today’s recipe is served on the brand’s statement Positano range. Bon appetit!

Ravioli with lemon butter and greensPreparation time: 7 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

500g pre-made ricotta ravioli
50g butter
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon, juiced and zested
500g baby spinach leaves, rinsed
1/4 cup baby capers
Parmesan, grated
Cracked pepper
Fresh dill, to garnish

Method

1. Fill a medium-sized saucepan halfway with water and a pinch of salt. Place over high heat and bring to boil. Gently and carefully place the ravioli in the water and boil for approximately 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Drain through a colander and set aside.

2. Set a large saucepan over high heat and melt butter. Add garlic, lemon juice, zest and capers, stir to combine and reduce heat. Stir through spinach and cook for 2 minutes or until wilted.

3. Add in ravioli and gently toss to combine.

4. Transfer to serving platter and top with parmesan, cracked pepper and dill.

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Foodie Friday: Ginger slice

Foodie Friday

Forgotten someone’s Christmas present? Received one from someone you weren’t planning to buy for? Come on, it happens! Impress them with a delicious and handmade sweet treat by baking this easy ginger slice this weekend. Thanks to Maxwell & Williams for the recipe which is pictured on their festive Merry Mistletoe range.


Ingredients

Base:

1/4 cup (90g) golden syrup 1/4 cup (55g) sugar
150g butter
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut
1 1/2 cups (135g) rolled oats
3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour

Icing:

2 tbsp golden syrup
2 cups (320g) icing sugar
80g butter
3 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup (55g) crystallised ginger, finely sliced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C

2. Line a 20cm x 20cm tray with baking paper, set aside.

3. For the base, add golden syrup, sugar and butter into a medium-sized saucepan. Place over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and stir in ginger, cinnamon, coconut, oats and self-raising our.

4. Combine thoroughly then scrape into the prepared baking tin, press firmly into the base and spread evenly with a spatula.

5. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until slightly golden.

6. While the base is cooling, start to prepare the icing. Place golden syrup, icing sugar, butter and ground ginger into a small saucepan over a low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until melted.

7. Remove baking tray from oven and pour icing over the base. Gently rotate the base to ensure even coverage and sprinkle with the sliced crystallised ginger.

8. Place in fridge for 4 hours or until rm, then remove from baking tray and place on chopping board. Cut into 5cm pieces and serve on a Merry Mistletoe dish.

Keeps for one week in an airtight container.

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Foodie Friday: Kirsten Tibballs’ strawberry tart

Strawberry tart

This week’s recipe comes from Kirsten Tibballs of Melbourne’s Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School. It’s a great way to make use of the current crop of strawberries that are getting sweeter by the week! Simple yet stunning looking, this cake can be made up to 10 hours in advance.

Strawberry tart

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g finely ground Digestive biscuits
  • 120g butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 450ml whipping cream
  • 60g caster sugar
  • 3 punnets of small to medium strawberries
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Combine the Digestive biscuits, butter and cinnamon and press into a fluted flan tin (23-25cm in diameters).
  2. Place flan tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  3. Place the whipping cream in a bowl and add in the sugar and whisk until fully whipped.
  4. Spread the cream on top of the chilled tart base.
  5. Cut the tops off all the strawberries and place top down on the tart.
  6. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Kirsten Tibballs will be demonstrating on stage at the upcoming Cake Bake & Sweets Show that hits Sydney from November 23-25 and Melbourne from November 30 to December 2.

Use promo code KIRSTENVIP18 at checkout to get $99 VIP tickets to meet Kirsten at either the Sydney or Melbourne shows (usual price $140).

 

For more on the Cake, Bake & Sweets Show.

 

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Foodie Friday: Leftover lamb pilaf rice

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This week’s recipe comes from our favourite nutritionist Rosie Eyre at By Rosie and it makes use of leftovers which is always very welcome! This dish is also highly adaptable meaning you don’t have to stop at lamb – you could make it with with leftover beef, chicken or even eggplant.

By Rosie leftover lamb

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 40 minutes

 Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or fat leftover from your roast
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5 cardamon pods, crushed
  • 1 heaped tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • Any leftover gravy
  • 400 grams leftover cooked lamb
  • 150 grams brown rice
  • 600 ml stock (beef/chicken or vegetable) and any leftover gravy if you have some
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

Just before serving

  • 2 vine ripe large tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 3 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup parsley, roughly chopped

Method

  1. In a large frying (shallow pan that has a lid), melt oil, add onions and sweat until soft and fragrant. Then add garlic, cardamon pods, turmeric and cinnamon stick and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add rice, stock, any leftover gravy, salt and lamb and stir well. Bring to the boil. Once boiling place the lid on and turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes until rice is cooked. Keep checking to ensure that the water has not run out, add a little more if need be.
  3. Once cooked, take off the heat, add chopped tomatoes, parsley and spring onion and stir through.

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Foodie Friday: Baby potatoes with chorizo & olives from ILVE

Whether you have just purchased a new ILVE appliance or are still making up your mind, ILVE regularly puts on cooking classes in their showrooms to teach you how to make the most of your ILVE. This week, ILVE in-house cooking chef and foodie Julie McKnight shares one of her favourite tried and tested recipes. Follow these simple steps to put an Italian spin on a classic side dish of potatoes.

Ingredients

700g baby potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters

2 tbs oil

2 cloves garlic

½ bunch sprigs of thyme

100 – 150g chorizo sausage

75g pitted olives

Extra thyme leaves for serving

Method


1. Pre-heat oven to 200C. Place potatoes and garlic on a baking tray and drizzle with oil and salt, sprinkle over sprigs of thyme and bake 40 minutes or until crispy.

2. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from oven, cover with foil to keep warm or place in lower part of the oven. Turn oven to fan grill at 180.

3. Cut sausages in half, drizzle with a little oil and fan grill for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and slice to bite size.

4. Combine potatoes and sausages and olives in a large bowl and mix together; remove any strings of thyme and serve with fresh thyme leaves.

 

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Foodie Friday: Maple balsamic pork chops

Here’s something stickily delicious for the barbecue! The team at Williams Sonoma share their pork chop recipe which is sure to become a summer favourite.

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in pork loin chops, each about 280g and 2cm thick
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Olive oil for brushing
  • Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Method

1. Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Should take about 10 minutes. Stir in the chile powder, garlic, rosemary and 1 tsp. salt. Pour about 1/3 of the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside for finishing the pork chops.

3. Pat the pork chops dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Brush the 2/3 balsamic vinegar mixture on both sides of the pork chops.

4. Preheat and oil a barbecue or grill pan. Place the pork chops on the grill and cook for four minutes on each side, or according to your desired doneness. If cooking in a pan, you may need to do this in two batches.

5. Transfer the cooked pork chops to a platter, cover and keep warm. Transfer the second batch to the platter and rest for five minutes.

6. Divide the pork chops among four plates, drizzle with the remaining 1/3 balsamic vinegar mixture, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Foodie Friday: Eggs Florentine with crispy sourdough crumbs

Easter may be well behind us, but we’re still mad for eggs, especially in the form of this one-dish winner from Williams Sonoma. Sure it’s a breakfast standard, but there’s no reason you can’t make this into a delicious, super-simple weeknight dinner.

First up, grab yourself some seriously gorgeous French-made porcelain bakeware (hint: it’s 20% off right now!) and either make one or two large gratins or individual ones.

The key to this recipe, like any that uses only a few ingredients, is the quality of what you include. If you’re starting with fine French porcelain, you may as well maintain the standard with organic eggs and fresh-from-the-earth spinach leaves. The breadcrumbs add an important crunch and flavour here, so go for your favourite sourdough (yesterday’s leftovers are best) and process it yourself into irregular, large crumbs in your food processor. 

Other than that, this recipe is very adaptable. You can add sautéed mushrooms, zucchini or tomatoes instead of or in addition to the spinach – basically whatever’s fresh and seasonal at your market or in your garden!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 small sourdough roll or slice of rustic sourdough bread, torn
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced shallot
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 250 g baby spinach
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 cup (250 ml) pouring cream
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
  • A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Preheat an oven to 190°C. Spray two 1-litre capacity (or 4 individual) gratin dishes with cooking spray and place them on a rimmed baking tray. 

Pulse the bread in a food processor or chop with a chef’s knife until coarse crumbs form. In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs, thyme and a sprinkle each of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs are browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bread crumbs onto a plate.

Wipe out the sauté pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until they begin to brown, 45 seconds. Add the spinach by the handful and toss with tongs until it is wilted, 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Place the spinach in the 2 gratin dishes. Crack 4 eggs into each dish, spacing them evenly. Pour the cream around the eggs and sprinkle with the tarragon, nutmeg and a little salt and pepper. Bake, rotating the baking dishes once, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are slightly runny, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove the dishes from the oven. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the dishes, dividing evenly, and serve immediately. 

For more autumn meal inspiration, head to www.williams-sonoma.com.au

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Foodie Friday: Brunch Lorraine

Easter’s approaching, which means a gloriously long weekend to look forward to! Why not take your cue from Williams-Sonoma and gather friends over a leisurely Easter brunch? Organise an egg hunt for the kids and let the adults catch up over a simple, relaxed feast. This “brunch Lorraine” is inspired by the classic flavours of a quiche Lorraine, but in an easy, rustic, free-form casserole, perfect for entertaining a crowd.

You can easily prepare this dish the night before (in fact, it’s preferable, so that the bread has time to soak), cover and refrigerate it, and then simply pop it in the oven the next morning just before your guests arrive. By preparing it in this vintage-inspired lidded casserole dish in a vibrant festive shade, it’ll be safe to go straight from fridge to oven to table, perfectly presented and warm, crisp and meltingly delicious.

Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • Sea salt, to taste, plus 1 tsp
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 500 g baby spinach or coarsely chopped English spinach
  • 750 g loaf batard or ciabatta, crusts removed, bread cut into 2.5cm squares and toasted until dry (about 9 cups)
  • 250 g ham, diced
  • 185 g Gruyère, grated
  • 10 eggs
  • 2½ cups (625 ml) pouring cream

Method

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelised, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same pan over medium heat, warm ½ Tbsp of the olive oil. Add half of the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander. Repeat with the remaining ½ Tbsp olive oil and spinach. Using a rubber spatula, press out the excess moisture.

In a large bowl, toss together the bread, the caramelised onion, spinach, ham and cheese. Transfer to a 4-litre baking dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, the 1 tsp salt and pepper, to taste. Pour onto the bread mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 16 hours to soak.

Preheat an oven to 180°C.

Remove the plastic wrap from the baking dish and cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is browned and the casserole is cooked through, 40 to 50 minutes more. Serve warm.

–For more Easter entertaining inspiration, head to www.williams-sonoma.com.au

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Foodie Friday: Spring Lamb Chops with Pea, Feta & Mint Salad

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Here’s a delicious way to ring in spring with the season’s signature lamb and peas from Williams-Sonoma. As the weather begins to warm up, it’s the perfect time to head outside and fire up the barbie for an easy mid-week dinner or long weekend lunch. Look for grass-fed, pasture-raised lamb at the supermarket or butcher and, if you’d like to simplify prep, use thawed frozen peas in place of fresh.

Foodie Friday Lamb Chops

Ingredients

  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 lamb chops, each 125-155 g and 2.5-3 cm thick
  • 3 cups freshly shelled peas (or thawed frozen peas)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh mint
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 90 g feta cheese, crumbled

Method

In a shallow dish large enough to hold the chops in one layer, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the lamb chops, turn to coat, and let stand for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Prepare a bowl of iced water. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rapid boil. Add the peas and cook for about 1-2 minutes until not quite tender. Immediately drain and transfer to the iced water to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry.

In a bowl, combine the peas, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and the mint. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Toss gently. 

Preheat barbecue grill on high. Pat the lamb chops dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt. Place on the grill rack and cook for about 3-5 minutes until dark brown and sizzling. Turn over the chops and continue to cook for 3-5 more minutes for medium-rare, or to your desired doneness. Transfer to a platter, season with pepper, and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Stir the vinegar and cheese into the pea salad. Serve alongside the chops. Serves 4.

–If you enjoyed this recipe you can try many more at the Williams-Sonoma Sydney Cooking School. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, book yourself in to learn a range of cooking techniques and cuisines.

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Foodie Friday: Caprese Salad

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Today’s recipe comes from Rosie Eyre at By Rosie.

Made from market bought heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and creamy burrata cheese drizzled in homemade basil dressing, my take on the Italian favourite “Insalata Caprese” is divine by itself or the perfect accompaniment to any weekend BBQ.

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Tomatoes contain the carotenoid antioxidant called lycopene. When absorbed into the body, this is wondrous chemical helps prevent and also repair damaged cells by inactivating free radicals in the body. It has thus been credited for reducing wrinkles. Basil is a great alkalinising herb, rich with vitamin C to aid with immunity but also a great anti-inflammatory on the body. 

Burrata is made from cow’s milk and is a traditional cheese eaten in the south of Italy. I much prefer it to standard Mozarella. It contains a good source of calcium and protein.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1/2 cup basil leaves, washed, torn
  • 2 large heirloom tomatoes, finely sliced
  • 1 burrata ball, torn

For the dressing:

  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 1/2 clove, garlic
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method

  1. On a large plate, lay out sliced tomatoes, scatter 1/2 cup of the basil and dollop the whole burrata in the middle (tear it just before you serve, or let guests do that).
  2. Grab a pestle and mortar and smash up the cup of basil leaves into a condensed mush. Add the olive oil and apple cider vinegar, stir well. Add garlic, sea salt, pepper and honey and mix well. Season to taste. Drizzle over salad just before you serve.

by rosie

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Foodie Friday: Mac & cheese with Swiss chard and breadcrumbs

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In this indulgent dish from Williams-Sonoma, heavy cream plus aged gruyère and parmesan cheeses melt to a creamy consistency and stand in for the traditional flour-thickened sauce to make a dish that’s both vegetarian and hearty. Serve this rich dish with a refreshing romaine salad or seasonal steamed vegetables that have been lightly dressed. 

Macaroni and Cheese with Swiss Chard and Sage Breadcrumbs-652x652

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 large bunch Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 250g elbow or shell pasta
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh sage
  • 1 slice bread, made into crumbs in a food processor (about 1/2 cup crumbs)
  • 1 cup grated aged gruyère cheese
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Method

In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the Swiss chard and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 4 minutes, or until the chard is tender. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and stir well. Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring frequently.

In a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil. Add the sage and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until browned and crisp, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the frying pan with the chard. Add both cheeses and stir over medium heat until the cheeses melt and the pasta is coated, thinning with the pasta cooking liquid as needed. Season to taste with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Divide the pasta among 4 warmed plates, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and serve immediately. Serves 4.

–If you’d like to brush up on your kitchen skills, head to the Williams-Sonoma Sydney Cooking School to learn the tricks of the trade. 

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Foodie Friday: Easy pear and ginger upside down cake

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This week’s recipe comes from The Little Grocery Service, a boutique fruit and vegetable delivery service in Sydney. This gorgeous cake is definitely perfect for winter. Somebody put the kettle on?

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Photo: Cath Muscat

Ingredients

  • 60g butter
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 3 pears, peeled, cut in quarters and cored

For the gingerbread:

  • 125g plain flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • a pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • a pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 125g brown sugar
  • 90g treacle
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 60g butter, melted

Method

To make the pears, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a 20cm cake tin.

Arrange the pears around the perimeter of the tin, cut sides up.

To make the gingerbread, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, brown sugar, treacle, milk and melted butter until combined, then stir into the flour mixture.

Beat well for 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth, and pour over the pears.

Bake in a preheated 180 °C oven for 40-45 minutes.

To serve, allow the cake to cool slightly before turning out onto a large platter. Serve cut in wedges with vanilla ice cream.

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Foodie Friday: Greek style stuffed capsicum

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Today’s recipe comes from Rosie at By Rosie (formerly The Rosedog Blog)…

“My Greek-style stuffed capsicum is a winning meatless feed. The filling is made from raw whole buckwheat, homemade spicy tomato, chipotle and turmeric sauce topped with a strong Greek feta and baked in the oven. Served with a squeeze of fresh lime.

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Raw capsicums have the highest levels of vitamin C in any fruit or veggie around (sufferers of colds and flu, you need to be eating these raw). Buckwheat (gluten-free) is a brilliant seed which allows slow release energy throughout the day. Perfect for people with diabetes, it will help maintain a steady environment with a slow release of glucose. Turmeric is the God of all spices, known to be anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.”

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

  • ½ cup whole raw buckwheat
  • 1.5 cups cold water
  • 2 Lg Capsicum
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 2 Thumbs raw turmeric, finely grated
  • 2 garlic cloved, minced
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 2-3 chipotle chillies in abodo sauce (or 3-4 tsp chipotle chilli)
  • 1 tin diced tomatoes
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • ½ bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup Greek feta, crumbled
  • 1 Lime, squeezed (to serve)
  • 2 Tbsp Greek Yoghurt (optional to serve)

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180c. Rinse the buckwheat in a sieve before adding to a medium saucepan with 1.5 cups cold water. Bring to the boil before letting it simmer for about 20-25 minutes (until buckwheat is soft but not mushy).
  2. Whilst the buckwheat is cooking. Pop the whole red capsicums (stalks and all!) on a baking tray and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
  3. During this time, grab a large frying pan, add coconut oil, when melted add onions, garlic and turmeric and lightly fry until soft and fragrant.
  4. Add the chillies (fresh and chipotle) and heat for a further 2-4 minutes.
  5. Add tin of tomatoes, 1/2 re-fill the tin with cold water and add to sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, then slowly simmer until sauce has thickened (probably around 10-15 minutes). Add salt and pepper. Season to taste.
  6. Remove capsicums from oven, chop in half and remove stalks and seeds (be careful not to burn hands). Place back on baking tray.
  7. Buckwheat should be cooked by now. Remove any excess water by using a sieve. Rinse quickly in cold water, pop to one side.
  8. If sauce has thickened and all excess water has boiled off, add the buckwheat to the spicy tomato sauce. Stir well before adding half of the coriander leaves.
  9. Evenly distribute stuffing into capsicum. Sprinkle with feta and pop into oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve with final sprinkling of coriander and a wedge of lime squeezed over. Optional couple of dollops of Greek yoghurt to serve.

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Foodie Friday: Spelt crepes with mulled wine poached pears

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This week’s recipe is by Jennifer Jenner, photographer, stylist and commercial recipe developer. She blogs unprocessed, allergy-friendly recipes with a creative twist over on 84th & 3rd.

Jennifer says: ” I am unapologetically addicted to brunch. There’s something so perfect about a meal that can be eaten any time from mid-morning well into the afternoon — and to me, brunch has always carried a relaxed connotation. The weather in Sydney at the moment is still unseasonably warm, however the gradually cooler evenings are a persistent reminder that winter is well on the way. There are few better ways to hide away from the cold than with hot mulled wine — and using it for brunch may be one of the best ideas I’ve had in ages!”

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Serves 4

Ingredients

For the crepes:
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk (370ml)
  • 3/4 cup water (187ml)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 1 1/2 cups white spelt flour (165g)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
For the pears:
  • 4 firm pears
    1 cup red wine (250ml)
  • 1/2 cup orange juice (125ml)
  • 2 cups strong tea (500ml)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 1 slice fresh ginger
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup (40ml)

Method

To make the crepe batter whisk together milk, water, eggs and oil. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Allow batter to rest while you make the pears.

Peel pears, cut in half and remove core. Place in a medium saucepan with all remaining ingredients (wine through syrup) and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

If you have time, cool pears in poaching liquid before removing – if not remove while hot – then bring poaching liquid back to the boil. Boil 20-30 minutes until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup. Pour a spoonful or two of the syrup over the pears and strain the rest into a serving jug.

Preheat a crepe pan or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and wipe with a lightly oiled paper towel. Pour in a scant 1/4 cup crepe batter and swirl pan to coat evenly. Cook 90 seconds, flip and cook a further 90 seconds. Repeat process until all batter has been used.

To serve, fold crepes in quarters and stack 3 or 4 on a plate. Top crepes with slices of poached pear, mulled wine syrup, and a dollop of yoghurt/coconut cream/ice cream/whipped ricotta if you wish.

Cook’s notes

  • Black tea or chai tea work well, but for a deeper red colour use a fruit tea that contains hibiscus flowers.
  • Wine can be substituted with an equal quantity of tea or fruit juice. If using juice you may want to reduce the maple syrup.
  • Pears and crepe batter can both be made in advance – reheat pears in syrup before serving, allow batter to sit at room temperature for 30 mins before cooking.

–Find Jennifer on Instagram (she often takes part in our #7vignettes challenge), Facebook and Snapchat.

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Foodie Friday: Lemon, Coconut & Blueberry Cake & Maple Cream

Sydney-based teacher-turned-cake-queen Katherine Sabbath, has a cult following on Instagram. She collaborated with Pyrex on this recipe to celebrate the launch of their new Vintage Charm range.

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INGREDIENTS

Cake

  • 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon rind
  • 1 ½ cups (330g) caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (310ml) buttermilk
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 2 ½ cups (450g) self-raising flour, sifted
  • ½ cup (40g) desiccated coconut

Maple cream cheese

  • 750g cream cheese, softened
  • 100g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup (160g) icing sugar mixture
  • ¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

To decorate

  • 1 cup coconut flakes (I like to use a mixture of lightly toasted and untoasted)
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup 100% fruit blueberry jam
  • ½ cup (125ml) pure maple syrup

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METHOD

Step 1: Preheat oven to 160°C, fan-forced. Grease or line a 19cm round springform cake pan (Bakers Secret) with non-stick baking paper.

Step 2: Place butter, lemon extract, lemon rind, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a clean Pyrex bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites until light and frothed.

Step 3: Stir in half the sifted flour and half the desiccated coconut, until just combined. Beat in half of the egg and milk mixture, until combined. Then stir in remaining flour and coconut. Finally, beat in the remaining egg and milk mixture until incorporated.

Step 4: Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 20 minutes before turning onto wire rack, top-side up, to cool completely. Cover with cling wrap and set aside until assembly.

Step 5: Place cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth.

Step 6: Add butter, vanilla bean paste, maple syrup and lemon juice and beat until light and fluffy. Cover with plastic wrap and set filling aside until needed.

Step 7: Using a long, thin knife trim top of cake to flatten if needed, then cut cake horizontally into two layers.

Step 8: Secure the bottom layer of your lemon coconut cake onto your favourite cake stand, serving platter or a cake board by applying a small dollop of maple cream cheese. Use a butter knife to spread blueberry jam over cake layer.

Step 9: Next, fill a pastry bag lined with a round-tipped nozzle with maple cream cheese. Starting from the outside edge, pipe peaks around the top of cake layer, slowly working towards the middle, until completely covered. Stud with some fresh blueberries and coconut flakes. Repeat this process with the second cake layer, including blueberry jam. Finish with a generous drizzling of maple syrup and serve immediately.

Katherine’s Tip: If your filling appears to be too soft to pipe neatly into your cake layers, leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes in order to firm up the mixture to a more workable consistency.