Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi in Rich Tomato Sauce

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1 Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi in Rich Tomato Sauce You all know I am a staunch meatetarian but on the odd occasion I love a good, clean, healthy vego meal. Particularly one that almost feels like you are eating meat. These delicious little bundles of spinach and ricotta joy were just that kind of meal. Packed full of flavour and nestled in a rich tomato sauce they ticked every box! Prep time: 30 Minutes Cooking time: 30 Minutes $ Low Budget Serves 4 as a main or 6 as an entree`

2 250gm of frozen spinach, thawed 400gm of ricotta (try and buy a nice firm one from the deli as opposed to the runny type in the dairy section) 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan 1 tbs of fresh thyme leaves 1 cup of OO flour (plain will be fine too) 1 egg, lightly beaten Sea salt and cracked pepper 40gms of butter and fresh thyme stalks (for poaching) Extra virgin olive oil & freshly grated parmesan to serve For the Sauce: Olive oil for frying 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 tbs of thyme leaves 1/2 cup of dry white wine 700ml jar of passata 1/2 tsp of sugar Sea salt and cracked pepper Place the thawed frozen spinach in a fine sieve and using the

3 back of a spoon, press down on the spinach to drain all the water out. You want the spinach to be really dry. In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan, thyme leaves, egg and spinach, season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Gradually add the flour, stirring with a spatula until you have a very thick batter. It will be quite sticky and will need to use a little brute force to combine the mixture. Heat a large frypan or casserole and add a little olive oil. Lightly fry the garlic and thyme leaves for 60 seconds or until aromatic before adding the wine. Reduce the wine for a minute or two and then add the passata and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the butter and thyme leaves and reduce the heat to a low boil. Using two spoons, scoop up a ping pong ball amount of the batter with one of the spoons and use the other spoon to knock it into the boiling water. Use this first Gnudi as a tester it will sink to the bottom but after a couple of minutes it will rise to the surface. Once on the surface allow it to float on top for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. If the Gnudi falls apart you may need to add a little more flour to bind the mixture. It really depends on how dry the spinach and ricotta are. If the first one gets the thumbs up, cook the rest of the gnudi in batches (if they are a little under done on the inside it won t matter as they will continue to poach in the tomato sauce).

4 Remove the Gnudi from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to the tomato sauce. When all the dumplings are transferred, allow them to simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve the Gnudi with a generous smattering of freshly grated parmesan, a good lug of extra virgin olive oil and a crisp green salad. Bellissimo! Harissa Steak Burger with Preserved Lemon Yoghurt Nothing beats a good burger except maybe one made with tender, juicy scotch fillet steak! Spiced up with Harissa paste,

5 laden with fresh salad, hommus and a gloriously tangy preserved lemon yoghurt this burger rated very, very high on the burger scale actually it was off the charts!! Prep time: 30 Minutes Cooking time: 8-10 Minutes $$ Medium Budget Allow at least 30 minutes marinating time Serves 4 4 x 150gm scotch fillet steaks 3 tbs of olive oil 2 tbs of Harissa paste* 1 tbs of Ras el Hanout (Middle Eastern spice blend, recipe below)* Juice of 1/2 a lemon Sea salt and cracked black pepper 50gm bag of baby rocket leaves 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1 large carrot, peeled and then peeled into long thin ribbons 1 small red onion, sliced into rings 4 tbs of store bought Hommus (make your own if you prefer) 4 Turkish rolls, halved crossways

6 For the Yoghurt: 1 cup of greek yoghurt 3 preserved lemon wedges, flesh removed and discarded and skin finely diced 2 tbs of chopped fresh coriander Sea salt and cracked pepper For the Ras el Hanout: This makes heaps but is a fabulous base for many Middle Eastern inspired recipes 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp ground allspice 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp ground cardamom 3 tsp ground cinnamon

7 3 tsp ground coriander 2 freshly grated nutmegs or 6 tsp ground nutmeg Throw all the spices in a jar, give a good shake and Mohammeds your uncle! In a flat baking dish combine the olive oil, harissa paste, ras el hanout and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and stir with the back of a spoon to combine. Place each steak between two sheets of baking paper and lightly pound with a rolling pin to flatten them out a little. Place the steaks in the baking dish and use your hands to rub the mixture into the steaks ( it s a bit messy but it really gets the flavour in there), set aside for 30 minutes. In a small bowl combine the yoghurt, finely diced preserved lemon and coriander. Season with a little salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Heat a BBQ or griddle pan to nice and hot. Cook the steaks on each side for 4-5 minutes (depending on thickness) for medium rare ( the best way to tell when to turn the steak is when the blood just rises to the surface of the uncooked side). Set aside to rest. While the steak is resting cook the buns on both sides until slightly charred. To assemble the burger, smear the bottom half of the bun with a generous amount of hommus. Top with rocket leaves, carrot ribbons, tomato slices and onion rings. Lay the steak on top of the salad and top with a good dollop of preserved lemon yoghurt before placing the top of the turkish roll on. Wrap a

8 serviette around your neck before tucking into these gorgeous juicy burgers! *Harissa paste and Ras el Hanout can be found at gourmet food shops. If you are in a rural area, you can order these items on line. Goat s Cheese & Rocket Scrambled Eggs with Crispy Pancetta and Roasted Tomatoes

9 I love my Breakfast, particularly on weekends when you do something a little spesh. This however can be on the table in 15 minutes, looks amazing and tastes fab! Perfect for any day of the week!! Prep time: 10 Minutes Cooking time: 15 Minutes $ Low Budget Serves 4 10gm of butter 8 slices of pancetta 8 truss tomatoes, cut into lots of two and left on the vine 1 avocado, halved and sliced 8 eggs 2 tbs of milk 50gm bag of baby rocket 80gm of soft goats cheese Sea salt and cracked pepper 8 english muffins, halved and toasted Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling Pre heat the oven to 200 C.

10 Line an oven tray with a sheet of baking paper and lay the pancetta slices and truss tomatoes on it. Drizzle the tomatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the pancetta is golden and the tomatoes are splitting and blistered. Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl until well combined and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large frypan and add the butter. once melted and bubbling lightly saute` the rocket for approximately 60 seconds or until just wilted and then pour in the eggs. Allow the eggs to start bubbling slightly and then drag a wooden spoon across the base of the pan, gently folding the eggs over. When the eggs are almost done, crumble over the goats cheese and fold through. Arrange two muffin halves on four plates. Divide the scrambled eggs on one half and lay the pancetta and tomatoes on the other half. Serve the avocado slices on the side and drizzle the juice from the tomatoes over the top. Finish off with a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve

11 Coconut Beef, Bean & Basil Curry Everyone knows how much I love a curry and I am also a huge fan of Valli Little of Delicious Magazine fame. So when her new book came out I raced to the book shop to get hold of it before it sold out. Her cooking style is very much like my own (actually.mine is probably more like hers) and the recipes are simple to follow, amazing to cook and she (like me) represents all corners of the globe when it comes to food. The difference between Valli & I is that I cook my recipes once, I take the photo right before tucking in and I can honestly say that what you see is what you get. Valli s recipes are quite possibly cooked 3-4 times, a food stylist takes her photos, complete with professional lighting, food enhancing sprays etc etc and I am pretty sure she doesn t devour the food every time she cooks it! The other big difference is that I have every intention of following the recipe but when I get to the supermarket I can t always get the ingredients so have to improvise and tweak things to suit

12 the ingredients I can get. This was one of those times.there was not a curry leaf to be found, hence the replacement of basil and the addition of beans (a meal is not balanced for me without some form of green). Thanks Valli, this was ummmm. delicious!! Prep time: 30 Minutes $$ Low to Medium Budget Cooking time: 3 Hours Serves 4 2 tbs of olive oil 40gm of butter 800gm of chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes (keep it nice and big) 1 brown onion, peeled and cut into chunks 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 stalk of lemon grass, white part only, roughly chopped 1-2 long red chillies, seeds removed and roughly chopped (depending on how hot you like it) 2 tbs of ground cumin 2 tbs of ground coriander 1 tsp of chilli powder (more if you like it hot) 2 tsp of ground turmeric

13 2 cinnamon sticks 1 cup of beef stock 400gm can of coconut cream 1 tbs of tamarind puree 1 tbs of brown sugar 300gm of green beans, topped and sliced diagonally 1/2 a bunch of basil, leaves removed and stalks discarded Extra coconut cream, basil leaves and steamed rice to serve The quickest and easiest way to chop everything finely is to get the food processor out. If you don t have one then just chop everything really finely with your knife in a back and forth motion across your chopping board. Preheat your oven to 160 C Place the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass in the food processor and blend until it resembles a paste or pesto like consistency. Heat a large ovenproof casserole or frypan and add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted and bubbling, brown your beef in batches until golden and caramelised. Remove from the pan and pop on a plate.

14 In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed and fry the onion mixture until the onion is soft and the mixture is nice and aromatic. Add the cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric and fry for another minute or two before returning the beef (juices and all) back to the pan. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, stirring to combine and then add the cinnamon sticks, tamarind and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper and give a final stir before bringing the curry to the boil. Cover with a piece of baking paper, tucking it in nice and snug and then pop on a tight fitting lid. Place in the oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 2 hours, remove the lid and stir through the beans. Place the lid back on and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Remove from the oven and stir through the basil leaves. For a nice garnish, heat a small frypan and add a little olive oil. Fry the extra basil leaves in the oil for approximately 40 seconds, remove and place on a piece of paper towel. Reserve the oil for drizzling, it will be infused with that delicious basil flavour. Serve the curry with steamed rice and pappadums. Top with a drizzle of coconut cream, the basil oil and crispy basil leaves. This recipe would be suitable for the slow cooker. Cook in the normal method and then pour into the slow cooker. Cook on

15 low for 8 hours, popping the beans in an hour before serving. Lamb Gozleme with Radish, Cucumber and Onion Salad I believe I have a major obsession with Gozleme. If I go to a market there had better be a Gozleme stall or else. These delectable little pancakey, lamb stuffed, subtly spiced, thingamajiggy s are a gift and I was utterly dismayed when

16 mine actually worked! Thin chewy pastry, spiced lamb, fetta and spinach cooked to golden on the Barbie with a fresh and crunchy salad were the gear my friends the absolute gear!! Prep time: 30 Minutes Cooking time: 40 Minutes $ Low budget Serves 4 For the Dough: 200gm of greek yoghurt A pinch of sea salt 2 cups of self raising flour 40gm of butter for basting For the Filling Olive oil for frying 400gm lamb mince 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced 1 tsp of ground cumin 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes

17 Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 cup of tomato juice Sea salt and pepper 1 tbs of finely chopped mint 50gm of baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped 80gm of fetta, crumbled For the salad: 1 punnet of baby cucumbers sliced (1 normal cucumber halved, deseeded and chopped would be fine) 4 radishes, finely sliced 1/2 a red onion, finely sliced 1/2 cup of parsley leaves 1 tsp of sumac 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar 1 tsp of castor sugar Sea salt and cracked pepper Greek yoghurt and Lemon wedges to serve To make the dough, whisk the yoghurt and salt together until smooth. Add the flour and mix until a dough starts to form.

18 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until combined and you have a soft firm dough that is not too sticky. About 5 minutes ought to do it. Alternatively, place your ingredients in a Kitchen Aid and knead on speed 2 with the dough hook until combined. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside for 30 minutes. To roll the dough out, cut it into 4 equal portions. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out as evenly as possible and as thin as possible (about 3mm is perfect). Place it between sheets of baking paper until you are ready to use it. Place the onion for the salad in a small bowl and sprinkle over the sumac. Pour in the olive oil, red wine vinegar and sugar and mix well to combine. Set aside. Heat a medium sized frypan and add a little olive oil. Make sure the pan is nice and hot and fry the mince, breaking it up with the back of a spoon to a fine mixture. Add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes, stir to combine and fry for a further 60 seconds and then add the lemon juice and tomato juice. Allow the liquid to reduce until the mixture is quite dry and then at the last minute stir the mint through. Remove from the heat and set aside. To prepare the salad place the marinated onions, radishes, cucumbers and parsley leaves in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine To assemble the Gozleme, scatter an even layer of baby spinach over half of the dough. Top with a layer of mince and a

19 scatter over the crumbled fetta. Lift the bare half of the dough over the top of the filling and either pinch the dough with your fingers or use the back of fork to seal the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough and lamb mixture. Heat a BBQ plate or large frypan to nice and hot. Brush one side of the Gozleme with melted butter and place it butter side down on the plate. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden and then brush the top with butter before flipping over and cooking for 3-4 minutes on the other side. To serve, cut the Gozleme into 3 wedges and arrange on plates. Top with yoghurt and lemon wedges and serve the salad on the side Parmesan & Sage Crumbed Pork with Roast Pumpkin, Tomato & Rocket Salad

20 This was a little something I made up in my head in the middle of the night that left me salivating all over my pillow. My sister recently gave me a gorgeous Jap pumpkin from her garden and being the middle of summer I didn t think pumpkin soup was really appropriate. So my little foodie obsessed brain got a ticking and the end result was rather yum! Crispy parmesan and sage infused crumbs coated tender pork cutlets. I felt a side salad of caramelised roasted veg, fresh rocket, toasted pine nuts and a sweet balsamic dressing would be the perfect accompaniment and by George.I was right! Prep time: 25 Minutes Cooking time: 35 Minutes $$ Low-Medium Budget Serves 4 Olive oil for frying

21 4 x Rindless pork cutlets 2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tbs of water 2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs 2 tbs of plain flour 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese 6 sage leaves, finely chopped Sea salt and cracked pepper For the Salad: Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling 1/2 a jap pumpkin, skin on and sliced into wedges 1 packet of cherry or roma truss tomatoes 1 bag of baby rocket leaves 2 tbs of toasted pine nuts Sea salt and cracked pepper 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar Squeeze of lemon juice Extra sage leaves to fry for garnish To crumb the pork, set yourself up a little production line. Place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper.

22 Have your eggs whisked and ready in a shallow bowl and mix your crumbs, parmesan and finely chopped sage with your finger tips on a flat plate. Lightly coat a cutlet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it in the egg and make sure it is coated all over and then gently press the cutlet into the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside on a lined baking tray and repeat with the remaining cutlets. To make sure the crumbs really stick and if you have time, place the cutlets in the fridge for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 C. Place the pumpkin wedges in a large lined baking tray and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes before adding the tomatoes (season a little as well) and baking for a further 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is golden and the tomatoes are starting to blister. Heat a large frypan and add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. To test if the oil is hot enough, pop in a few crumbs and if they start to bubble right away, it is ready. Place the cutlets in the pan (you may need to do this in batches) and gently fry on both sides for approximately 4-5 minutes until golden. Once golden, remove from the pan and place on a tray lined with paper towel. Cook the remaining cutlets and then place in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until cooked through. Don t leave them in too long, pork has a tendency to dry out. Keep the remaining oil in the pan nice and hot and place the whole sage leaves in the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until crispy, remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.

23 Place the olive oil, balsamic and lemon juice in a small bowl and lightly whisk to combine. Open the bag of rocket and place a little of the dressing in the bag. Clench the top of the bag and give it a gentle toss to coat the leaves. To plate the dish, place an equal pile of rocket leaves on each plate along with the pumpkin wedges and tomatoes. Top with a cutlet, scatter over the pine nuts and crispy sage leaves and then spoon over the remaining dressing. Enjoy! Chicken, Mushroom & Pancetta Bolognese Bit sick and tired of the same old Bolognese? Then you had best try this emmalicious rendition that had the whole family

24 lining up for seconds! Light, tender chicken mince immersed in a rich, herby, tomato sauce and an infusion of earthy mushrooms was the ultimate partner to long, slippery strands of spaghetti. The ultimate comfort food Prep time: 20 Minutes (the longer the better) Cooking time: Minimum 30 minutes $ Low budget Serves 4 generous serves comes to pasta?) (is there any other kind when it 2 tbs of olive oil 500gm of spaghetti 500gm of chicken mince 8 slices of pancetta, finely diced 1 brown onion, finely diced 3 cloves of garlic. finely minced 12 thyme sprigs, leaves removed from stalks or tied in a bundle 2 fresh bay leaves 2 large flat, field or portobello mushrooms, finely chopped 1 cup of white wine 1/2 cup of chicken stock 400gm tin of diced tomatoes 3 large tbs of tomato paste (this makes it lovely and rich)

25 1 tsp of sugar Juice of 1/2 a lemon Sea salt and cracked pepper Freshly grated parmesan, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and extra thyme leaves to serve Heat a large heavy based pan and fry the pancetta until golden. Add the olive oil and lightly fry the onion until soft and then toss in the garlic and thyme. Fry for a further minute, increase the heat of the pan and add the mushrooms, frying until golden and then add the chicken mince. As the mince is frying, break it up with the back of a wooden spoon so that it is a nice fine consistency. Once the mince is browned, pour in the wine and reduce by half before adding the bay leaves, stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper before stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer, place a lid on and allow to bubble away gently for at least 30 minutes. As with all sauces of this type, the longer the better. Remove the lid for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce slightly. While the sauce is simmering bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions or until al dente`. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the starchy liquid if your bolognese sauce is looking a little dry. Just add a couple of tablespoons to moisten it up again.

26 Toss the spaghetti through the sauce and divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle over a generous helping of freshly grated parmesan, a lug of good quality extra virgin olive oil and a smattering of thyme leaves. Deeeeeevine! Mexican Spiced Fish Fillets with Mango Salsa & Coconut Lime Rice Well, it is right in the middle of summer and I am always

27 searching for new summer inspired meals in our midweek repertoire. This simple, light, Mexican inspired dish was a delicious addition using fresh, gorgeous seasonal produce. I simply couldn t go past my kids favourite side, coconut rice, although I ramped this baby up with zesty lime which I must say took it to a whole new level. Spicy, sweet and tangy = winner, winner midweek dinner! A little tip double, triple or make as much of the dry spice mix as you like, leaving out the lime juice of course. Pop it in an airtight container and use it to make homemade tacos or rub on steak, chicken or pork. Otherwise you have the mix made up for next time you want to cook this dish! Prep time: 20 Minutes + 30 Minutes Marinating time Cooking time: 30 Minutes $-$$ Low Medium Budget Serves 4 800gm of firm, white fish fillets (Ling, Snapper, Barramundi or whatever is on special!) 2 tbs of olive oil 2 tsp of sweet paprika 1 tsp of ground cumin 1 tsp of ground chillies (less if you prefer it less spicy) 1 tsp of garlic powder 1 tsp of onion powder

28 1 tsp of dried oregano 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper 1/2 tsp of sea salt A pinch of ground cinnamon A pinch of ground cloves Juice of 1/2 a lime Fresh coriander sprigs for garnish For the Salsa: 1 firm but ripe mango, finely diced 1 fresh Thai red chilli, deseeded and finely diced (Leave the seeds in for an extra kick if you like) 3 tbs of chopped fresh coriander 2 tbs of olive oil Juice of 1 lime A sprinkle of sea salt and cracked pepper For the Coconut Lime Rice: 11/2 cups of basmati rice 1 cup of coconut milk 1 cup of water

29 Zest and juice of 1 lime Sea salt and cracked pepper Mix all the dry spices together in a small bowl. Place 2 tablespoons of the mix in a larger bowl along with the olive oil and lime juice and stir well to combine. Place the fish fillets in the marinade and toss well to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Place the rice, coconut milk, water and lime juice in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally and once boiling reduce to a low simmer and place on a tight fitting lid. Allow the rice to absorb the liquid for 12 minutes before removing from the heat and allowing to stand for a further 5-7 minutes, leaving the lid firmly in place. Place the mango, chilli, coriander, lime and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a large fry pan or BBQ plate and cook the fish fillets for approximately 8 minutes on either side or until the fish pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove the lid from the rice and add the lime zest and season well with salt and pepper before fluffing the rice with a fork.

30 To serve, divide the rice among four serving plates and top with the fish fillets. Spoon over the mango salsa and any remaining pan juices and top with fresh coriander sprigs.