A Little Comfort Food There s still a month or two of cold weather to go for most of us. I don t know about you, but my winter food repertoire is a little on the tired side now. If it s the same at your place then this issue may be the answer. We were inspired to put together some of our all time favourite cold weather food ideas, hence our latest edition A Little Comfort Food. Comfort food will mean different things to different people, but on the whole it is going to taste good and fill hungry tummies with warming goodness! Comfort food is not something you can always achieve in a brisk 30 minutes so make sure you leave enough time. If you are short on time during the week, can I suggest you have a Sunday afternoon cook off. Cook a double batch and hold some for a delicious meal during the week, which you can vary with different vegetable accompaniments and maybe the addition of some crusty sourdough bread. I love the Baked Eggs with Salmon for a delicious lazy Sunday brunch, but alas, I can't choose between the shanks and osso bucco...so I guess I ll make both. Enjoy!
Bacon, Blue Cheese and Broccoli Tart SERVES: 6 PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 30-40 minutes Baked Eggs with Salmon SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 20 minutes 2 sheets frozen short crust pastry, thawed 2 tablespoons oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 125g bacon, chopped 1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces and cooked until just tender 4 eggs 1 cup cream 1 tablespoon chopped oregano 1 cup grated KRAFT Tasty Cheese 60g mild blue cheese, crumbled PRESS pastry into the base of a lightly greased 25cm round fluted tart pan with a removable base. Pastry will need to overlap slightly and be trimmed to fit. Prick well with a fork and bake in a hot oven 200 C for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden. HEAT the oil in a frypan and sauté the onion until softened then add the bacon and cook until golden. Arrange the broccoli in the pastry case and spoon over the onion and bacon. WHISK together the eggs, cream and oregano then pour over the broccoli. Sprinkle with the cheeses then bake in a moderately slow oven 160 C for 20-30 minutes or until cooked and golden brown. Serve warm or cool. 40g butter ¼ cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan 200g baby spinach leaves 150g piece hot smoked salmon 125g PHILADELPHIA Spreadable Cream Cheese 4 eggs Salt and white pepper, to taste Chunky soldiers of toasted sour dough bread, for serving MELT the butter in a frypan then remove from heat. Grease 4 x 1 cup ramekins with some of the butter then sprinkle with Parmesan. Place in a baking dish. Cook the spinach in the remaining butter for 3-4 minutes or until wilted, drain well, finely chop then spoon into ramekins BREAK the salmon into pieces and divide between the ramekins. Beat together the PHILLY, eggs and seasonings and pour over the salmon. POUR boiling water into the baking dish to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in a moderate oven 180 C for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. Serve immediately with toast.
Braised Lamb Shanks with Cheesy Soft Polenta SERVES: 4-6 PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 2¼ hours Braised Osso Bucco SERVES: 4-6 PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 3 hours 2 tablespoons oil 1 large onion, chopped 8 Frenched lamb shanks 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 sticks celery, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 2 rounded tablespoons flour 2 cups red wine ¼ cup Marsala 1 tablespoon KRAFT Bonox 400g can chopped tomatoes Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 3 cups water ¾ cup polenta ¼ teaspoon salt, extra 125ml PHILADELPHIA Original Cream For Cooking ¼ cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan HEAT the oil in a large heavy based saucepan and cook the onion for 3 minutes. Push the onion to the side of the pan; add the shanks and brown. ADD the vegetables, garlic, rosemary and flour and stir to combine. Stir in the wine, Marsala, Bonox and tomatoes. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in a slow oven 150 C for 2 hours or until tender. COMBINE the water, polenta and salt in a heavy based medium sized saucepan. Bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly with a long handled spoon, for 20 minutes or until smooth and creamy. If the mixture becomes stiff, add up to ½ cup extra water. Remove from heat and stir in the PHILLY and Parmesan. Spoon onto serving plates and top with the lamb shanks and steamed beans. ¼ cup oil 2 large onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon mustard powder ½ teaspoon powdered nutmeg Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 8 pieces osso bucco (veal shank) 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 440g can chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon chopped oregano 2 bay leaves 440ml can dark ale 1 cup water 1 tablespoon KRAFT Bonox Mashed potatoes, to serve Chopped parsley, for serving HEAT half the oil in a large heavy based saucepan and gently cook the onion for 15 minutes or until nearly translucent. Add the garlic and cook a further 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside. COMBINE the flour with the mustard, nutmeg and seasonings. Toss the osso bucco in the flour, shaking off and discarding excess flour. HEAT the remaining oil in the pan and brown the meat well on both sides. Top with the onion, carrot, tomatoes, oregano and bay leaves. Combine the dark ale, water and Bonox, then pour over the vegetables. Cover and cook in a slow oven 150 C for 2½ hours or until tender. Spoon into a serving bowl with mash and a sprinkle of parsley. Steamed green beans, for serving
Lou s Creamy Vegetable Bake SERVES: 6-8 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 1½ hours Spiced Sweet Potato and Apple Soup SERVES: 8 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 35 minutes 1 tablespoon oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 250ml PHILADELPHIA Original Cream For Cooking 1 cup milk 3 cloves garlic, crushed 125g Parmesan cheese, grated Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 orange sweet potato (kumera), peeled and cut into 2mm thick slices 1 celeriac, trimmed and cut into 2mm thick slices 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2mm thick slices 1 potato, peeled and cut into 2mm thick slices HEAT the oil in a frypan and sauté the onion for 3 minutes. Remove, cool slightly and then combine with the PHILLY, milk, garlic, cheese and seasonings. ARRANGE half the sliced vegetables in a greased 2 litre shallow casserole dish. Pour over half the PHILLY mixture. Repeat with remaining vegetables and PHILLY. Cover with foil and bake in a moderate oven 180 C for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 2 tablespoons oil 2 large onions, chopped 800g orange sweet potato (kumera), peeled and chopped 2 teaspoons garam masala 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock 2 tablespoons chopped coriander 250ml PHILADELPHIA Light Cream For Cooking Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste HEAT the oil in a stockpot and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the potato and garam masala, cover and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the apple, cook 2-3 minutes then add the stock and coriander. Simmer, half covered, for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Cool slightly. BLEND or process the soup until smooth. Return to the stockpot then add the PHILLY and stir through until well heated. Season to taste.
Easy Cheese Fondue SERVES: 5-6 PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 10-15 minutes Rum Raisin Bread and Butter Pudding SERVES: 6-8 PREP: 30 minutes COOK: 40 minutes 2 tablespoons cornflour 1 cup cider 2½ cups KRAFT Perfect Melt 3 Cheese Blend 2 cups grated Swiss style cheese 75g blue cheese, crumbled ¼ cup snipped chives Food for dipping e.g. crusty bread, steamed vegetables, pickled onions WHISK together the cornflour and ¼ cup of cider. Set aside. COMBINE the remaining cider with the cheeses in a bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water isn t touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir the melting cheese occasionally. WHEN the cheese has melted stir in the cornflour mixture and the chives. Stir until thickened and glossy. Place onto a serving platter with pickled onions, bread or vegetables for dipping. ½ cup raisins ¼ cup dark rum 40g butter, melted 6 slices bread 250g PHILADELPHIA Block Cream Cheese, softened ¾ cup caster sugar 1 cup milk 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla Brown sugar, for sprinkling Icing sugar, for dusting Cream or ice cream, for serving COMBINE the raisins and rum and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Brush the bread on both sides with the butter and then cut each slice into 4 triangles. Arrange bread triangles in a greased 1.5 litre capacity baking dish. BEAT the PHILLY and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the milk, eggs and vanilla. Scatter raisins over the bread then pour over PHILLY mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. SPRINKLE the pudding with brown sugar and then bake in a moderate oven 180 C for 35-40 minutes or until set. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or ice cream.
Cherry Clafoutis SERVES: 4-6 PREP: 10-15 minutes COOK: 35 minutes Chocolate Hazelnut Tart SERVES: 8-10 PREP: 25 minutes COOK: 10-15 minutes 300g pitted cherries, fresh or frozen 250g PHILADELPHIA Spreadable Light Cream Cheese 1 cup milk 1 cup flour ½ cup caster sugar 6 eggs, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla Icing sugar, for dusting Cream or custard, for serving SCATTER the cherries over the base of a greased 20cm pie plate. Combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth and combined. POUR over the cherries and bake in a moderately hot oven 190 C for 30-35 minutes or until set and golden. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or custard. 1½ cups chocolate biscuit crumbs 100g butter, melted 1 cup pure cream 300g CADBURY Dark Baking Chocolate, chopped ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread Pinch salt 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped Cream, for serving COMBINE the biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl. Press mixture into the base of a lightly greased 35cm x 12cm rectangular fluted tart pan with a removable base. Bake in a moderate oven 180 C for 5-7 minutes then cool on a wire rack. POUR the cream into a saucepan, bring to a boil then immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Whisk in chocolate hazelnut spread and salt then stir through half of the nuts. Pour onto the crust and stud surface with remaining nuts. Chill until firm. Slice and serve with a dollop of cream.