Recipes
Muhammara (Middle Eastern Red Capsicum Dip)
In her fabulous book, The Cooking of The Eastern Mediterranean, Paula Wolfert writes that this is one of the outstanding dips of the eastern Mediterranean, "as delicious and striking as the far more famous hummus and baba...
Chilli Chocolate Truffles
What Dad can resist chocolate? These rich, irresistible chocolate truffles have a slight chilli hit at the back of the throat and make a perfect gift for Dad for Father's Day. They're easy for older children (10 upwards) to make. Once the...
Smoked Trout Fennel and Orange Salad
I really like the combination of flavours, textures and colours in this simple, elegant salad. Blood oranges, radishes and fennel are in plentiful supply at present so make the most of them. You can play around with it, substituting...
Upside-Down Blood Orange Gingerbread Cake
I love blood oranges and now's the season to grab hold of them. They're especially good cooked with their skin and pith, as in this fabulous upside-down cake, the recipe for which was inspired by a leaflet from Sydney...
Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pie
Chicken, mushrooms and leeks are a heavenly combo. Now that the winter chill has hit, the family will appreciate your efforts making this luscious pie. If you have leftover chicken from a recent roast or pot-au-feu, be thrifty and use it...
Cacio e Pepe
In his recent entertaining TV series, Searching for Italy, actor Stanley Tucci goes in search of four iconic pasta dishes which he describes as staggering in their simplicity: rigatoni amatriciana, spaghetti cacio e pepe, spaghetti carbonara and pasta...
White Chocolate Bark
Yulefest might be winding up in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, but there's still time to make a batch of this yummy sweet. Wrapped in a cellophane bag and tied with a green, red or gold bow, it's a terrific edible gift at any time of the...
Winter Vegetable Casserole
This chunky sumptuous dish is perfect for vegetarians or as an accompaniment to roast chicken, char-grilled steak or fish. You can halve the amount of oil, but it won't be as rich and luscious. Experiment with using different veggies - I used...
Cumquat Almond Cake
This marvellous Moorish (moreish) cake, a version of Claudia Roden's better known Orange Almond Cake, is so moist it can also be served as a pudding with thickened cream. I sometimes slather the top with melted dark "Lindt Orange Intense" chocolate...
Warrigal Greens and Cheese Pastries
To celebrate the last day of Naidoc Week 2023, I'm profiling a recipe from a fabulous book I recently discovered called Australian Native Food Harvest (Peppermint Ridge Farm) by Julie Weatherhead. Julie is a native food plant...
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
I love roasted parsnips and used them recently in this surprisingly delicate soup. Look for creamy coloured parsnips and unblemished pears. Inroduction About this Recipe I love roasted parsnips and used them recently in this surprisingly...
Impossible Spaghetti Bolognese
"We are gambling with the future of our planet for the sake of hamburgers," declared Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics Princeton University, in The Conversation this week. In his newly revised edition of Animal Liberation, a book that...
Chicken Kedra with Almonds & Chickpeas
Chicken Kedra with Almonds & ChickpeasThis recipe is from Paula Wolfert's stunning book, The Food of Morocco (Bloomsbury). You'll find all you need to know about the preparation and food of Morocco in this definitive tome. Paula explains that a kedra is particular...
Moroccan Fish Tagine
Preserved lemons lend their unique flavour to this tasty colourful fish Moroccan tagine. Serve it with steamed couscous and a grated carrot salad, made by combining grated carrots with a little fresh orange juice and sprinkling with ground...
Dukkah Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Couscous
Here's a delicious quick meal using a few of the ingredients I discovered on my recent trip to Canowindra: Minoru lamb cutlets, Four Jays Hazelnut Dukkah and Rosnay Figs in syrup.A little soft goats cheese scattered over the...