Yarra Valley visit

Last weekend my sister came to stay and we decided to venture to the Yarra Valley for the day.  Our first stop was Dominique Portet Winery Cellar Door.  It's a beautiful winery with lovely friendly staff and well worth a visit - we stayed for a tasting, bought some beautiful wine and then drove next door for lunch.

Next door is the Bella Vedere restaurant, with chef Gary Cooper.  It had been recommended to us and was absolutely divine.  The photos below show a little of what we ate.  I also ordered an amazing chocolate, caramel and raspberry cake for dessert.  So good!

The desserts!

Dave's pork belly 

My lamb with spiced salad - fantastic!

Emma and Dave loved their wine over lunch so we decided to find the winery and buy some more.  It was a Yarra Yering Pinot Noir, apparently fantastic (I was the driver for the day and left all alcohol consumption to them as I'm over 6 months pregnant).  We found the Yarra Yering Cellar Door close by, but weren't able to buy any of the vintage we were after.  So instead Emma bought a special bottle of their 2007 Pinot Noir for us all to share when the baby arrives!

Our next stop was Yerring Station - a much large Cellar Door and set up to the others.  It had a bar, shop, gallery etc - plus tastings.  Bought some more reds...!

A fantastic day out of Melbourne - it's only 50 mins away, so easy.

Lamb Curry, Michele Cranston

A good one for the freezer and absolutely delicious.  Keep in mind that the meat needs 3 hours for marinating and then 1 1/2 hours to cook.

1 kg lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp garam masala
2 onions, finely sliced
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
3 green chillis, seeded and cut into strips
250 ml veal or beef stock
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
300g plain yoghurt
steamed white rice, to serve

Put the lamb cubes into a large ceramic dish and add 2 tbsp of the oil, the lemon juice, ginger and garam masala.
Massage the ingredients into the lamb to ensure it is well coated.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the onion.
Cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft, then add the lamb - depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook the lamb in batches.
Cook for several minutes until browned.
Add the tomato, tomato paste, chilli and stock and return the rest of the lamb to the pan if necessary.
Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, or until the liquid has reduced and the lamb is coated in a rich, thick sauce.
Meanwhile, stir the mint leaves into the yoghurt.
Serve the lamb spooned over steamed rice with a dollop of minty yoghurt.
Serves 4.
Michele Cranston, Marie Claire Comfort, Page 140.

Served with a mountain of beans, chapatis and minted yoghurt

Glazed Salmon with Brown Rice, Bill Granger

I love this dish and it is very much apart of our weekly repertoire.  It's easy to make on a week night - just need to remember to allow 15 mins for marinating - and is delicious.  Especially good if you are not a massive fish fan (but want some fish goodness), as the salmon is marinated and then caramelised in the cooking process so it doesn't taste at all fishy.

Also remember to put the brown rice on to cook early on as it takes a long time!

2 tbsp julienned fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, sliced

3 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 

1 tbsp soy sauce

700g salmon fillet

200g bok choy (pak choy)

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp soy sauce

Stir together the ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce in a large bowl.  

Cut the salmon fillet into large chunks, add to the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.  

Preheat the grill (broiler).

Arrange the salmon chunks in a single layer on a large baking tray and cook under the hot grill for 7 minutes (the fish should still be pink in the centre).

Meanwhile, halve the bok choy and steam or blanch for 1 minute, or until tender but still bright green and crisp.

Spoon the brown rice into serving bowls, top with the salmon and pan juices and serve with bok choy. 

Mix together the mirin and soy sauce and drizzle over the bok choy.

Serves 4.

Bill Granger, Simply Bill, Page 133.

I have a mountain of bok choy there - love it! 

Syrian Chicken with Ginger, Lemon and Saffron

Mum gave me a photocopy of this recipe from an old Sunday Life Magazine.  I'm not sure when it was published or who's recipe it is - I'd love to find out if anyone knows?!  I've been making this dish for a few years and is always a favourite, especially in cooler weather.  It usually takes me a while to chop everything up before I start, so probably more of a weekend dish than an weekly dinner when you're in a rush.  It has a fantastic flavour and is even better after a night in the fridge.

I usually serve mine with green veggies (beans) or a salad depending on the occasion.  With the ingredients below, I usually use chicken thighs (with or without the bones).

2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cinnamon
cracked black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
8 chicken pieces
100mls olive oil
2 onions, thickly sliced
100gms ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
5 cloves garlic, bruised with a knife
2 small red chillis, split
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 pinches saffron threads
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
5 sprigs thyme
1 lemon, juiced and zest finely grated
2 tbsp honey
100g currents
2 tbsp vegetable stock powder
1/2 bunch coriander leaves
cooked couscous or rice, to serve

Combine salt, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and turmeric in a large plastic bag.
Add chicken pieces and shake to coat.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over high heat.
Add chicken and brown on all sides.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Add onions, ginger, garlic and chillies to pan and cook for 3 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary.
Add tomatoes, saffron, cumin seeds and thyme and cook for 2 minutes.
Return chicken to the pan.
Add lemon juice and zest, honey, currents, stock powder and enough water to just cover chicken.
Cover with lid and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Uncover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through and sauce is slightly reduced.
Stir in coriander.
Serve with couscous or rice.
Serves 4.

Minestrone

This is the best Minestrone recipe I've tasted - it's from The Perfect Cookbook by David Herbert and is absolutely delicious, especially on a freezing wet Melbourne night like tonight!  I'm serving mine with some mini parmesan toasts and grated parmesan on top of the soup.  Keep an eye on the progress of your pasta once you've added it to the pot - some cooks a lot faster than the allocated 20 minutes.  Lisa x

2 tbsp olive oil
3 rashers bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 brown onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 zucchini, diced
400g can crushed tomatoes
1.5 litres chicken stock
2 cups shredded spinach leaves
120g small pasta shapes, such as orzo
400g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp chopped flat-leave parsley or basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat.
Add the bacon or pancetta and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the onion, leek, carrot, celery and garlic.
Cook, stirring, for 7-8 minutes, or until softened.  This gives the mixture its soup flavour.
Add the zucchini and crushed tomatoes to the saucepan.
Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and 2 cups of water.  Bring to the boil.
Skim off any scum, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add the spinach and pasta.  Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cannellini beans and parsley.
Add extra water or stock if there is not enough liquid, but remember, this is a thick soup.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.
Serves 4-6
The Perfect Cookbook, David Herbert, Page 100.

My pot of minestrone before the spinach & parsley were added 

Bill Granger's Curried Chicken Rice

This is a fantastic, low fuss mid-week meal.  I made it last night so that it would cover meals for a couple of nights while I went interstate for work.  My only change from the recipe is that I use 8 chicken thigh fillets, rather than the 1kg chicken pieces on the bone with skin.  I'm sure the chicken on the bone would be a little juicier, however I prefer it without any bones or skin.  I also love to use the Herbies curry powder mix - it's a little more interesting than the standard ones from the supermarket.  When you're coating your chicken with the curry powder, I use a large clean plastic bag to shake everything around in.  I find it cleaner and easier than using a separate bowl.  Do whatever works best for you!

1kg chicken pieces on the bone, with skin
2 tbsp Indian curry powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic gloves, crushed
300g basmati rice
750ml chicken stock

To serve
150g plain yoghurt
cucumber and lime salad (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F).
Put the chicken in a large bowl, add the curry powder and toss to coat well.
Place a heavy-based casserole pan with tight fitting lid over medium heat.
Add the oil and chicken pieces and cook until they are sealed and browned all over.
Remove the chicken to a place.
Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook until the onion is soft and pale golden.
Add the rice, stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
Put the chicken back into the casserole in a single layer over the rice and carefully pour in the stock.
Put on the lid and bake in the oven for 45 minutes of until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with yoghurt and cucumber and lime salad.
Serves 4.

Cucumber and Lime Salad
Toss together 2 chopped Lebanese cucumbers, 3 sliced spring onions, and a small handful of whole mint leaves.  Dress with 1 tbsp of olive oil, the juice of a lime and a dash of sea salt.

Bill Granger, Simply Bill, Page 21.

Straight out of the oven...

Preparing the cucumber and lime salad 

All on the plate with plain yoghurt

The Collective and Prahran Market

I visited Prahran Market yesterday for the first time and loved it.  It was a lot smaller than I expected and quite similar to the set up at Camberwell Market, but there was plenty of beautiful food on offer!  It's purely a food market with delis, butchers, fish mongers, green grocers, flower stalls, nut and legume stalls, and even a great coffee stall with seating.  We bought a load of veggies and fruit, some beautiful fresh ham off the bone from the deli and this fantastic looking date ball.  It's made from a traditional Lebanese recipe that contains only dates and pistachios - the dates are mashed up into a paste and then rolled in the crushed nuts.  Apparently an excellent accompaniment to cheese (like a quince paste).  Very healthy and delicious!

We're just back from visiting the Collective Espresso & Kitchen for a coffee and I was hoping to sit down for a little snack but the place was packed...  I settled for a takeaway muffin with my takeaway chai latte instead - both were amazing as usual.  I'm not really into coffee at the moment (being pregnant I seem to have lost the taste for it), but my husband raves about their coffee.  It's our "local" and we love it.

Pea Soup from The Perfect Cookbook

I had a bit of a cooking blitz yesterday and made a couple of soups, cookies and a bolognese sauce all for the freezer.  One of my soups was this delicious pea soup from David Herbert's The Perfect Cookbook.

Great for lunch or a light dinner.

David Herbert says "this is a simple and modern version of an old favourite - pea and ham soup".

1 tbsp olive oil
2 rashers bacon, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock
500g frozen peas
1 tbsp roughly chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
Add the onion, celery and leek, and cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but have not browned.
Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the peas, return to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool a little.
Puree the soup in batches in a blender or with a hand held blender until smooth.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve garnished with mint.
Serves 4.
The Perfect Cookbook, David Herbert, Page 109. 

Finished soup ready for the freezer!

Kylie Kwong's Delicious Fried Rice

My sister introduced me to this recipe earlier in the year and I've only made it a few times but I love it.  I've used left overs for the meat element (eg. roast pork, chicken or lamb) but this time I used bacon as per the recipe.  The only variation from the recipe is that I add a cup of frozen peas (as suggested by my sis - she also adds corn) when adding the rice, eggs and other bits to the pan.  It is a little time consuming chopping up all the ingredients, but well worth it!  I'm still on the induction hotplates so couldn't use a wok, but my new Scanpan worked perfectly.

1/3 cup peanut oil
4 large free range eggs, beaten
1 tbsp peanut oil, extra
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 medium brown onion, finely diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped rindless bacon rashes or Chinese sausage
1 tsp white sugar
2 tbsp shao hsing wine
5 cups cooked medium grain white rice
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 cup finely sliced spring onion scallions
3 tsp Maggii Seasoning
1/4 tsp sesame oil
2 finely sliced on the diagonal spring onions scallions
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 large red chilli finely sliced on the diagonal

Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.
Pour beaten eggs into wok and cook for about 1 minute, lightly scrambling them and rotating the wok to ensure even cooking.
When almost cooked through, carefully remove omelette from wok with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper.  Set aside.
Wipe out wok with kitchen paper, add extra oil and stir-fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute, or until very aromatic.
Add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender.
Add bacon and stir-fry for a further minute, or until lightly browned.
Stir in sugar and wine, then stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Finally, add rice, reserved omelette, oyster sauce, spring onions, Maggi seasoning and sesame oil.
Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until rice is heated through.
Roughly chop omelette into smaller pieces as you stir.
Divide rice between individual bowls and garnish with extra spring onions.
Combine soy sauce and chilli in a small bowl and serve on the side.
Serve as a simple supper for 2-4, or as part of a banquet for 6. 


Kylie Kwong, Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul  
http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/print.aspx?RecipeID=585

My new Scanpan!

Finished fried rice - plenty for 4 pax

Three Bags Full and Ginger Boy all in a couple of days...

My first visit to Three Bags Full was a couple of weeks ago, on a wet and freezing Saturday morning and had to wait for about 15 minutes until a table was available.  Lucky there were only two of us as I think some of the larger groups waited for nearly an hour.  It was mayhem at the front door with everyone trying to squeeze in out of the rain...  Once we were seated, it was a fabulous experience and I've thought about the breakfast and incredible cookies there most days since!  I went back today for a coffee with my parents and it was lovely and calm - no wait for tables...  The coffee was excellent, and the choc chip, apricot and macadamia cookies tasted as amazing as I remembered.  Think I may be addicted to them...  Dad bought me a few extras to take home for the rest of the week - think he could tell I was a into them in a big way!   Now I just need the recipe...

It looks a little scone like in this photo...  It's not, but it is enormous!

 We all went to Ginger Boy for dinner last night (it's been a fantastic 24 hours of food) and loved it.  Really interesting dishes and flavours, excellent service and a great atmosphere.  We ordered five of the small shared plates and then two of the larger plates - it was plenty of food.  We even finished with the dessert tasting plate!  I'd definitely go back.

www.gingerboy.com.au

Chickpea and Vegetable Couscous Soup from Marie Claire Supper

This is a great healthy soup that I love for lunches and light dinners.  We actually had it for lunch today with my parents before I drove them back to the airport after their stay with us.

My only suggestion for this is to reduce the amount of eggplant and cut it into smaller pieces.  I find really large chunks of eggplant quite overpowering and today I removed quite a few pieces from the soup as they can detract from all the other delicious veggies.

It's also a good soup for the freezer - I add the couscous once it's defrosted and simmering on the stove.

2 tbsp oil
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp mild paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 large potato, cut into large pieces
1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
1 yellow zucchini, thickly sliced
1 green zucchini, thickly sliced
2 slender eggplants, thickly sliced
400g can peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 litre vegetable stock
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tbsp shredded fresh mint

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions, garlic and chilli over medium heat until the onion is soft.
Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, or until they start to soften.
Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetable are soft.
Remove from the heat and add the couscous.
Leave, covered for 10 minutes or until the couscous is soft.
Serve topped with the yoghurt and sprinkled with mint.

Marie Claire Style Supper, Jody Vassallo, Page 42.

Veal Osso Bucco with Cannellini Beans (Masterchef)

I had been looking for a good dish to have for a late dinner/supper when my parents arrived to stay on Sunday night.  They had an evening flight (arriving at 7.35pm) and so I was after a one pot dish that could slow cook in the oven while I was out.

This Veal Osso Bucco was on Masterchef last Friday night - Gary cooked it during the masterclass, and I thought it might be perfect for us and the occasion.  I actually hadn't cooked Osso Bucco before - nor was I familiar with the flavour of the dish, but it looked so good on TV that I sure it would be great...  It was fantastic!

I pulled it out of the oven when we arrived home and served it with crunchy bread.  If I was feeding more people under different circumstances I would probably add some side dishes - a salad (maybe a rocket and parmesan), green beans and maybe also some mashed potato.

I only used 1kg of veal pieces which was spot on for 4 people, though we didn't have any leftovers...


1.5kg bobby veal shin, cut 2.5cm thick (about 12 pieces)
1 cup plain flour
100ml olive oil
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
¼ bunch parsley stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stalks reserved
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
250ml white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
400g tin crushed tomato
2 cups veal stock
100g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight

To finish
Freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt
½ bunch parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 loaf crusty bread, thickly sliced


Preheat oven to 180⁰C.
Season meat with salt and white pepper and toss in flout to coat, shaking off excess. 
Heat oil in a frying pan, add meat and panfry until caramelized. Add celery, onion, carrot, reserved parsley stalks, garlic and cook10 minutes.
Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and deglaze with wine.
Add remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 ½-2 hours.
Remove lid, cook for 45 minutes until sauce has thickened.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with cracked pepper, sea salt, chopped parsley and lemon zest.
Serve with crusty bread.


http://www.masterchef.com.au/veal-osso-bucco-with-cannellini-beans.htm

Straight out of the oven, before parsley and lemon zest were added

Yum!

More of Bill's Cookies!

I made a double batch of choc chip cookies yesterday - mostly to go in the freezer, but kept a few out for me...  They are so good!!  Recipe is in post below.

Cookie dough - yum!

Pork, Basil and Pepper Stir Fry

This delicious stir fry is from Marie Claire Cooking - one of the first cookbooks I bought over 14 years ago.  It's a great dish and I particularly love the heat from all the cracked pepper and chilli.

I'm also using an Induction cooktop at the moment (while living in Melbourne) and so can't use my wok.  The saucepan worked well - no issue there at all.

With regard to the ingredients below, I generally use regular basil, and 2 mangos rather than just the one.  The extra mango gives the dish additional sauce and flavour - try it however you prefer!

2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
2 red chillies, chopped
500g pork strips
200g asparagus, halved and trimmed
4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 cup Thai basil leaves
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 mango or 2 nectarines, chopped  

Heat oil in a wok over high heat.
Add garlic, pepper and chillies to wok and cook for 1 minute.
Add pork to wok and stir fry for 4 minutes or until pork is well browned.
Add asparagus, lime leaves, basil and soy sauce and stir fry for 3 minutes.
Stir through mango or nectarine pieces.
To serve, place stir fry on serving plates with steamed rice as an accompaniment.
Serves 4.
Marie Claire Cooking, Donna Hay, Page 112.

Finished stir fry in the pan

Stir fry served with steamed rice

Bills Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Mum reminded me how good this dish is the other day as I hadn't made it in years.  This is actually a good one for the slow cooker, but I didn't have enough time and so followed Bills method of baking it for 2 hours.  It tasted fantastic, though I think the lamb would be even more tender if I had cooked it a little slower.  Another really hearty dish with loads of flavour.

1 tbsp olive oil
8 small frenched lamb shanks
1 Spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp grated palm sugar
4 tsp fish sauce
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 potatoes, unpeeled and chopped
1 sweet potato, unpeeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Heat oil in a frying pan over a high heat.
Add lamb shanks and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are well browned.
Remove lamb and place in a baking dish.
Reduce heat to medium and add onion to the pan.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.
Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer, then add chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add sugar, fish sauce, chopped tomatoes, lime leaves and stock, and bring to the boil.
Remove from heat.
Add potatoes and sweet potato to the baking dish with the lamb, and pour the sauce over the top.
Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours, or until the lamb falls away from the bone.
Serve with steamed cous cous or rice.
Serves 4.
Bills Sydney Food, Bill Granger, Page 139.

This is the sauce that has just come to the boil

The pot straight out of the oven

Wednesday - minor blog frustrations...

I'm very new to the blog world and am having difficulty with formatting and the colour of my post headings.  Yellow keeps cropping up as a heading colour even though I have tried several times to change it.  Will keep working on it...

I made a great Lamb Tagine tonight which I'll post in the morning - delicious!

Speedy Tuna Pasta (recipe from Mum)

This is a really good dish if you want to make something great for dinner in about 15 mins (or faster!).  I love the taste, it's healthy and filling.  I made a double quantity this time which will cover us for two meals. Mum passed this recipe on to me and I'm not sure who originally created it.

200g dried pasta
185g can chunky tuna in olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
pinch of sugar
2 handfuls (about 40g) rocket
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.  Drain.
Meanwhile, drain the tuna reserving the oil.
Flake the tuna into chunks.  Please 2 tbsp tuna oil and onion into a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5 mins, or until just tender.
Add tomatoes, sprinkle with sugar and cook for 1 minute or until heated through.
Add the drained pasta, tuna and rocket to the saucepan and cook, occasionally tossing gently until the rocket just starts to wilt.
Add a little more of the reserved tuna oil if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Serves 2

Finished pasta (double quantity)

Jamie Oliver's Curry Rogan Josh (with lamb) and Chapattis

This recipe is a new find and it's fantastic.  I added lamb as it is meant to be a vegetarian dish - and I'm sure would be divine without meat.  Just knew that my husband would prefer it with meat and it would probably be more filling for both of us.  Important for me at the moment as I'm pregnant and forever hungry!

I added about 1kg of diced lamb once the onion was soft - browned it off before adding the other vegetables.  Seemed to work fine and still tasted fantastic.  My other variation was adding more of the curry paste.  I used about half of a 540g jar of the Pataks Rogan Josh curry paste.  Next time I will probably use the spicier version as this original one was delicious but not spicy at all.

The recipe is from Jamie Oliver's "Jamie's 30 Minute Meals" book and so there aren't specific timings for things - he's assuming you're doing it all in 30 mins and so it's a step by step guide that takes you through the entire 30 mins.  The recipe also includes a carrot salad, lemon pickle and special rice - I'll try those additional elements next time.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees, fill and boil the kettle, put a large pan on a high heat.

Curry
2 onions
1 medium butternut squash
1 small cauliflower
optional: 1 fresh red chilli
4 cloves of garlic
a bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 a jar or Patak's rogan josh paste (I ended up using 1/2 jar of the 540g size)
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
100g washed baby spinach
1 x 500g tub natural yoghurt

Chapattis
1 pack of chapattis
turmeric, for dusting
olive oil

Curry
Peel and slice the onions and add to a pan with a splash of water and a few good lugs of olive oil.
(Once the onions were soft, I added the lamb now and browned it off before adding the other veggies)
Carefully cut the butternut squash in half across the middle, wrap up the base and put in the fridge for another day.  Slice your piece into 1cm chunks - no need to peed.  Add to the pan.
Trim the cauliflower and remove the outer leaves.
Cut it into bite-sized chunks, and throw them into the pan.
If you want some extra heat, slice up the chilli and add it now.
Crush in the unpeeled garlic.
Finely chop the coriander (stalks and all).
Reserve a few leaves for garnish and add the rest to the pan with a couple of generous splashes of boiled water.
Add the rogan josh paste and the tin of chickpeas, with their juices.
Season and stir well, then put a lid on.
Cook hard and fast, stirring occasionally.
Check after approx 10 mins and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry.  Stir, then replace the lid.
After another 5 mins, take the lid off.  Do you need to adjust the consistency?
If so, you can add a generous splash of boiled water, depending on whether you want it drier or wetter.
Or mash up some of the veg for different textures.  Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed.
Then add the spinach and stir through.

Chapattis
Scrunch up a large sheet of greaseproof paper under the tap.
Flatten it out, then layer the chapattis on top, drizzling each lightly with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of turmeric.
Wrap them in the paper and put them on the middle shelf of the oven.
(Keep an eye on them as they don't take long)

To serve
Tip half the tub of yoghurt into a small bowl.
Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and take to the table.
Remove chapattis from the oven and take them straight to the table.
Transfer the  rice and curry into large serving bowls.
Spoon the remaining yoghurt over the curry, sprinkle with the rest of the coriander leaves and take both bowls to the table.
Jamie's 30 Minute Meals, Jamie Oliver, Page 82.

My pot before the spinach was added

A serve on rice
(had still forgotten spinach at this stage)

Delicious chapattis - crunchy freshness
straight from the oven

Comforting Chicken Stew

I've actually only made this once and it was a recommendation from Mum.  It's a delicious and hearty winter stew, packed with veggies and flavour.  It's also really healthy as there's no butter or oil - just the chicken, vegetables and stock.  It's a good one to cook when you want to put something in the oven and forget about it for a while.  The preparation is really quick.  Good to serve with fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.

2 tbsp plain (all purpose flour)


2 tsp sea salt
4 chicken leg quarters (I used chicken thighs)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 turnip, peeled and cut into chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 leek, sliced
500ml chicken stock


Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat.
Toss all vegetables in a separate large bowl.
Arrange half the vegetables in a large baking dish.
Add floured chicken, then the remaining vegetables.
Pour in 500ml chicken stock.
Then cover and bake in moderate oven for 1 hour 20 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.  
Serves 4.
(Mine needed a bit longer in the oven, I probably gave it an extra 20 mins)
Marie Claire Seasonal Kitchen, Michelle Cranston

All the raw ingredients in the pot

Cooked dish after I'd taken out 2 servings

Bills Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bill Granger's choc chip cookie recipe is the best!  I always make double quantity and keep a few stocked containers in the freezer.  Kids and adults love them - my husband loves a couple of cookies with his mid-morning latte.  Lisa x

125g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups tightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups plain (all purpose) flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate bits

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).
Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and creamy.
Add vanilla and egg and stir to combine.
Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.
Fold through chocolate chips.
Place spoonfuls of cookie mixture on a greased and lined baking tray, allowing room for spreading.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, until they turn pale gold.
Allow to cook on the tray for 5 minutes before placing biscuits on a wire rack to cool.
Makes 16.
(I tend to make smaller cookies and get at least 25 from a single batch)
Bills Sydney Food, Bill Granger, Page 111

YUM!