A Pretend Chef

Slow cooked in the oven for a cool winter's night. About 30 minutes prep and then throw it in the oven for 5 hours. Ingredients 1kg beef brisket, cut into 3-4 pieces 200-300 gm chopped mild pancetta 1/2 cup plain flour for dusting 4 tbs olive oil 1 cup red wine 3 cups beef stock 1 400 gm can diced tomatoes 1 large brown onion roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic sliced 2 bay leaves 1 tbs tomato paste 1 tbs brown sugar 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried oregano 500gm packet penne pasta 1/2 bunch torn basil for garnish salt and pepper to taste grated parmesan to serve Method Preheat the oven to 120C. Lightly dust the beef in flour, shaking  off to remove any excess flour. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan on high heat. Brown the beef for 2 to 3 minutes each side until browned. Remove from the saucepan and set aside. Fry the pancetta for 3-4 minutes till slightly crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion and garlic, thyme and oregano and cook for 4-5 minu

Possibly my favourite winter dessert and one of the easiest to make. Goes perfectly with some creamy vanilla ice cream. This recipe is inspired by one I read a few years back in a Vogue Entertaining cookbook that was a collection of recipes from the now long closed Sopra at Fratelli Fresh in Danks Street Waterloo. Ingredients 150gm dried muscatels 150ml All 'Uovo Crema or another sweet Marsala style fortified wine 8 slices of thick cut raisin bread 4 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/3 cup caster sugar 600ml thickened cream Method Grease two rectangular 23cm long baking dishes with butter and pre-heat a fan forced oven to 180C. Simmer the muscatels and sweet wine in a small saucepan for 2-3 minutes and allow to cool slightly. Arrange the slices of bread in the two baking dishes in two layers, breaking the bread to fit. Spread the muscatels and sweet wine liquid across the bread on both the middle and top layers.  In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, eggs, sugar and cre

Perfect for 4th of July weekend, the tomato relish can be amped up with some more cayenne pepper or some chilli if preferred, however this version is kid friendly. The relish will keep for months in the fridge in a sterilised glass jar. The pulled pork recipe is based on a recipe provided to me by Dave the chef at my favourite cafe in Darlinghurst, Stop Valve cafe in Riley Street (www.stopvalve.com.au) PULLED PORK  Ingredients 2kg Pork Neck 150 ml Coca Cola 150 ml beer 1 large onion roughly chopped 5 cloves garlic chopped 1 tbs olive oil For the spice rub 1 tsp salt 2 tsp black peppercorns 1 tbs coriander seeds 1 tbs yellow mustard seeds 1/2 tbs nutmeg 1 tbs oregano flakes 2 tbs garlic powder 1 tbs chilli powder 1 tbs cayenne pepper Method Grind the coriander and mustard seeds together with the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle into powder and combine with all of the other rub ingredients. Dry the pork off with a paper towel and massage the spice mix