A Pretend Chef

This is a favourite of my kids, great for school lunches and a general crowd pleaser. You can make one or two large loaves, or six to eight small ones. I prefer to leave the dough overnight in my fridge to prove, however you can just let it rest for 2 hours if you don't want to wait. Leaving it overnight improves the flavour and adds a degree of light chewiness to the finished bread, almost like an Italian ciabatta. These can be frozen and consumed at a later time, reheated or at room temperature.  Ingredients For the dough 600gms strong plain white flour 2 x 7gm packets dried yeast 400ml warm water 20ml extra virgin olive oil 30ml milk extra flour on hand for kneading and dusting For the stuffing 2 x Chorizo sausages, diced 4 onions, roughly chopped 2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves 1 Tbs olive oil (not extra virgin) for frying Salt and pepper to taste Method Pour the warm water into a small bowl or jug and add the yea...

I saw this recipe, or something very similar, in a food magazine a couple of years ago that I have since lost. The candied feta gives it an interesting twist. This makes an excellent side salad to accompany barbecued meat. Ingredients 4 zucchini cut diagonally into 1/2 cm wide pieces small handful fresh oregano leaves small handful pine nuts lightly toasted 100gm firm feta cheese 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil for grilling the zucchini 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil for the salad dressing 1 tbs aged red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp sugar salt & pepper for seasoning to taste Method Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 120C. Crumble the feta onto a sheet of baking paper on a flat baking tray and sprinkle over with the sugar. Place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, remove and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.  Mix the 1 tbs of oil in a bowl with the zucchini pieces and BBQ over a hot grill until soft, turning frequently ensuring it doesn't burn. Once cooked remove ...

Serves 4-5 This is a variation on a recipe published by food writer Katrina Meynink that I found here;  www.dailylife.com.au/dl-food/food-blogs/blogs/the-kitchen-coquette/the-ultimate-comfort-food-20120508-1yaah.html It's a beautifully rich dish that is perfect for cold winter nights, however not too bad on a chilly spring evening either. I have tweaked it to my own taste and that of my family by using lamb in place of chicken as well as changes to some of the ingredients and the cooking times / method. Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion finely chopped 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 2 x 400g tins chopped / crushed tomatoes 1 tsp brown sugar 1/2 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved 4 eggs 100gm goat's feta a small handful of parsley leaves chopped a small handful of coriander leaves chopped For the Meatballs 1Kg minced lamb 1 red onion finely chopped 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp sumac 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground chilli powder (optional) 1...

Serves 4 A satisfying and super-healthy salad that can be served as a mid week main course. Easy to prepare and tastes amazing. You can also leave out the salmon and use this as a side salad to accompany barbecued meats. Ingredients 500gm salmon fillets (skin off) 2tbs olive oil (for frying fish) 100gm quinoa 1 brown onion finely chopped 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 stalk celery finely chopped 3 spring onion finely sliced 1 cup of rinsed tinned chickpeas 1 handful mint finely chopped 2 handfuls parsley finely chopped 2 Lebanese cucumbers, skinned, de-seeded and finely sliced 1 avocado, diced Juice of 1 lemon 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste 1 x freshly chopped, de-seeded chilli (optional) Method Heat 1tbs olive oil over a medium heat in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Fry till soft, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add quinoa and pour in enough water (or stock) to cover by just over a centi...

This is an easy mid-week vegetarian dinner and is also great served at room temperature so ideal to pack for picnics. This recipe happens to include parsley and basil, however I generally throw in whatever herbs I have fresh on hand. The measurements don't need to be exacting and you can mix it up with the cheeses used. For instance, in place of provolone you can use cheddar or another firm cheese. I sometimes add a few pieces of feta just to add some additional flavour if desired. Ingredients 200gm Broccoli florets (cut into halves) 6 Whole eggs 6 Egg whites 70gm Provolone cheese (shredded) 90gm Parmesan cheese (shredded) 25gm Parsley finely chopped 25gm Basil finely chopped 1/2 Red onion finely chopped 1 Clove garlic finely chopped 1 tbs. olive oil Sea salt & pepper for seasoning Method Steam the broccoli florets until just cooked. You don't want them soft, just offering a little resistance when you bite. If you don't have a ste...

This dish is so simple and yet has an amazing amount of flavour. It's healthy and can be served hot immediately once cooked, or cooled and served as a side salad at room temperature.  Ingredients 900gm Borlotti beans (un-podded) 2 tbs. Olive oil 1 Onion diced 2 Cloves of garlic thinly sliced 1 Small handful of continental parsley chopped 2.5 Cups of vegetable stock Sea salt and pepper to taste Method Pod the beans into a bowl, discarding any that are mouldy or appear to have spoilt. Heat the oil in a heavy based, deep frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and fry on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until soft. Add the parsley (saving a small amount for garnish) and fry for a further minute. Pour in the stock and then add the beans. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium / low. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for between 30-35 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Serve hot or at room temperature, whatever your preference. ...

I became addicted to chimichurri when I spent time in Argentina in 2009. The locals eat this sauce of finely chopped herbs with any kind of meat. Considering they eat meat with almost every meal, this is consumed in huge quantities. I love it. Every restaurant in Buenos Aires seems to have their own special recipe, however the common ingredients are parsley, garlic, onion, vinegar and olive oil. It's my favourite accompaniment to steak or any kind of sausage. I tend to make a batch every couple of weeks and it keeps in the refrigerator until I make my next batch when supplies run low. I've tried a few variations however this is my preferred recipe. You can hold off on the chilli if it's too hot. I like it hot. Ingredients 1 large bunch of continental parsley finely chopped 1 large bunch of oregano finely chopped 1 large bunch of coriander finely chopped 1 clove of garlic finely chopped 1 small red onion finely chopped 120ml red wine vinegar 200ml...

Serves 4 This is a great BBQ combination. Everything works well together and the toasted bread in the fattoush salad is a very effective way to get my kids to enjoy a healthy salad.  I've experimented with various ways to make Hummus. It's dead easy and the below recipe will leave you with enough for other meals. It will last for a week in the fridge. Usually Hummus is made with raw garlic. I make mine with roasted garlic which imparts a subtle nutty sweetness to the paste and doesn't leave you with garlic breath. Ingredients 1kg lamb fillet cut into 2 cm cubes 1 tspn. each of cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds 1/2 tspn. sea salt 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil For Hummus 1 whole head of garlic 2 x 400gm tins of chick peas (rinsed thoroughly and drained) 1/2 cup tahini 3/4 cup water Juice of 1 lemon 1 tspn. sea salt Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling  A pinch of smokey paprika or cumin for topping For Fattoush Salad 100gm Turkish or...

Serves 4 (with sides)   My kids go nuts over these stuffed chicken breasts. Serve them with a large salad, or if the weather is chillier, some roast vegetables. I have teamed them with a broad bean and herb salad as well as a simple rocket salad (Baby rocket mixed with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar). Ingredients 650 to 700gm of chicken breast fillets (2 to 3 fillets) 200gm sliced prosciutto (about 8 to 10 thin slices) 100gm baby spinach finely chopped 100gm Feta cheese 10 to 12 pitted black Kalamata olives, chopped Small handful, toasted pine nuts Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh oregano, finely chopped 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pepper for seasoning stuffing Method Pre-heat the oven to 180C (fan forced) Toast the pine nuts in a pan over a low heat. It’s important you keep stirring them and don’t let them burn. As soon as they start to brown lightly, pour them out into a bowl to cool. For the stuffing mix the spinach, oregano, oli...

Serves 4 I prepare this salad as a dinner for my family during the week as it’s easy to do and is super heal thy. You can do so many variations on this with whatever happens to be in the fridge vegetable drawer. For instance I've added chopped capsicum, sprouts, spring onions etc. It’s a good recipe for experimentation. Leave the olives out if you are not a fan. I sprinkle mine with some dried chilli flakes to add some heat. Ingredients For Salad Mix 2 x free-range chicken breasts (approximately 600gms to 700gms) 1.5L chicken stock (or slightly salted water) 1 x 400gm tin of chickpeas (rinsed well and drained) 1 x large head of broccoli cut into small florets (use the main stem as well, cutting   away the hard outer skin and dicing the core) Handful of black, pitted Kalamata olives 1 tspn. cumin seeds 2 x cloves of garlic sliced 2 x tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 bunch continental parsley (finely chopped) 1 bunch coriander (finely ch...

Both the lamb and haloumi recipes are from Pete Evans' cookbook, Grill http://www.peterevanschef.com.au . This is one of the best BBQ cookbooks I've come across and it includes a range of cocktail recipes that make this book a unique addition to the cookbook library. The cocktail is truly undervalued as a great partner to any Aussie barbie! The original Spiced Lamb recipe from the Grill cookbook has these as skewers, however I've made them as small skinless sausages in this instance. Either way works. I just avoided using skewers for this recipe so it's a little more 'child friendly'. My youngest daughter, Emma, in particular can get very animated at the dinner table and skewers mixed with wild flourishing hand movements don't mix. The original lamb recipe includes hot paprika which I've not included, again aiming to make the meal more child friendly. I've also slightly changed the haloumi/chorizo salad recipe, again to better suit the palate of the ...