spring recipes
About Karen I m Karen McFarlane and my Food Love has been with me for as long as I can remember. I grew up on a farm in Victoria where my next door neighbour was a ten minute bike ride away. It was a very serene place to grow up, and I know how fortunate I was to have such a childhood where we grew our vegetables, milked our cows, collected fresh eggs and picked fruit to bake in pies on the weekend. My Mum is an amazing baker and I have the fondest memories of helping her to bake our family favourites most Sunday afternoons, just as the sun started dipping below the front veranda. Growing up, I would often take over Mum s kitchen to cook up something different to our usual Mediterranean menu. I remember cooking many things from the Australian Women s Weekly Chinese cookbook and trying to perfect Margaret Fulton s meat pie. The kitchen was where I loved to be, and it still is. These days, my Food Love has grown to include recipe writing, food photography and food styling. When I m not in the kitchen, I also tend to my veggie garden at home, as well as growing and harvesting produce from our family farm. Contents About Karen 2 Broad bean & bacon bruschetta 5 Corn & halloumi fritters with chorizo & chilli 7 Tomato & gruyere tart 9 Spaghettini with prawns, artichoke & lemon 11 Salmon with asparagus, peas & hollandaise sauce 13 Crispy Moroccan chicken with salad 15 Greek style lamb cutlets with dill & honey tzatziki 17 Coconut & banana pie 19 Coconut cake with lemon curd 21 Strawberry & honey millefeuille with almond praline 23 After working for several years in the media industry, I left my job to raise my three young children and open the door to my foodie future. I now work as a Food Stylist and have been involved with magazines, MasterChef, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and now Falcon Australia. In my spare time I also develop, style and photograph recipes for my website foodlove.com.au. All recipes, food Styling and photography by Karen McFarlane, foodlove.com.au
Broad bean & bacon bruschetta 15 mins 4 Sourdough bread, cut into 4 thick slices 600 gm broad beans, already podded 2 rashers bacon, diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Handful of flatleaf parsley Juice of half a lemon ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil 200 gm fresh ricotta 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese Preheat your oven to 200 C Fanned grill. To double-peel the broad beans, place them into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water from a kettle, allow to sit for 10 minutes then drain. Make a tiny slit in the outer skin of each broad bean and gently squeeze to pop out the inner bean. Discard the skins and set broad beans aside. Lay the bread slices on a baking sheet and place on the top shelf (the oven door remains closed when using this function) for 3-4 minutes until golden, turn over and cook again to brown the other side; transfer to your serving plate. Pour half the olive oil into a fry pan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 5-7 minutes until the it begins to crisp, then add the rest of the olive oil, garlic and peeled broad beans and cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes to warm the beans through. Add the parsley and lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta and parmesan cheese and season with pepper then spread a generous layer onto each slice of bread, then serve topped with a mound of broad beans, and if you like, a poached egg on top. 5
Corn & halloumi fritters with chorizo & chilli 15 mins 15 mins 4 2 corn cobs, husks and silks removed 100 gm halloumi cheese, diced 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese ½ cup mint leaves finely chopped, plus extra for serving 4 eggs ¼ cup plain flour ½ tsp salt 2 chorizo sausages, finely diced 1 red chilli, finely chopped Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil for frying Sour cream to serve Remove the corn kernels from the cobs, cutting as close to the cob as you can. Place the corn in a large bowl, along with the halloumi, parmesan, mint, eggs, flour, salt and freshly ground black pepper; mix well to combine. Heat a teppanyaki plate over medium-high heat and add a little oil, then working in batches, spoon large dollops of the mixture onto the plate and cook for 2 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, in a medium frypan over mediumhigh heat, add a tablespoon of oil and the chorizo and fry until the edges of the chorizo are crisp and it has released its oil, add the chilli and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, remove from heat. Serve the fritters with a dollop of sour cream, extra mint leaves and some chorizo and chilli over the top. 7
Tomato & gruyere tart 25 mins 60 mins 6 Pastry 150 gm plain flour 150 gm self-raising flour ½ tsp fine salt 50 gm gruyere cheese, grated 100 gm cold unsalted butter, diced 125ml cold buttermilk Filling 40gm unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely diced 3 sprigs thyme, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely minced 600 gm cherry tomatoes, cut in half 150 gm gruyere cheese, coarsely grated 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 egg beaten, for brushing For the pastry, place the flours, salt, cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the butter resembles coarse breadcrumbs; add the buttermilk and pulse again until the dough comes together when pressed. Tip out into a floured bench and knead briefly until it comes together, cut in half and form 2 disc shapes; cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180 C Fan oven. Grease and flour a deep 23cm loose-bottom tart pan. Heat a frypan over low-medium heat, add the butter, onion and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent then add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the onion mixture in a bowl along with the tomatoes, cheese and flour, season with salt and a generous grinding of black pepper; mix well to combine. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll one out on a floured bench to a 30cm circle, use to line the tart tin, then pour in the filling and spread evenly; brush the edges of the pastry with egg. Roll out the remaining pastry to a 30cm circle and cut into even strips, use to make a lattice pattern over the top of the tart be as precise or haphazard as you like, it ll still taste amazing. Gently press the ends of the lattice into the edge of the crust to stick them, trim the pastry around the tin and brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash. Bake for 45 minutes until golden. Cool before removing from the tin and serve at room temperature. 9
Spaghettini with prawns, artichoke & lemon 15 mins 30 mins 6 ½ cup olive oil 4 rashers streaky bacon, diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 350 gm marinated artichoke hearts 500 gm uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined Zest and juice of 1 lemon ½ cup loosely packed flatleaf parsley, plus extra for serving 400 gm dried spaghettini Heat a large frypan over medium heat, add half the oil and bacon and cook until the bacon begins to crisp; add the artichokes and cook for 5 minutes until hot, add garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant then transfer everything to a plate. Place the frypan back on the heat and increase to high, add some more oil and cook the prawns in batches so you don t crowd the pan, until opaque and lightly golden on each side. Meanwhile, cook the spaghettini in a large pot of salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente; reserve ⅓ cup of cooking water then drain pasta. Return the bacon and artichoke mixture to the prawns, along with the cooked spaghettini, lemon juice, parsley and all the olive oil. Add the pasta water to emulsify the sauce and bring it all together with a silky finish. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with extra fresh parsley and lemon zest. 11
Salmon with asparagus, peas & hollandaise sauce 15 mins 4 4 fillets fresh salmon, skin on 3 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut in half 200 gm fresh peas (about 500 gm unpodded) 20 gm unsalted butter 2 tbsp olive oil Hollandaise sauce 2 shallots, sliced 100 ml white wine vinegar 4 egg yolks 1 tsp Dijon mustard 250 gm unsalted butter, melted 2 tbsp dill, chopped Juice of ½ a lemon For Hollandaise sauce, place a small saucepan over medium heat, add shallots and vinegar and reduce liquid by half. Place the egg yolks and mustard in a jug and pour the hot vinegar over the top. Using a stick blender, mix together and slowly pour in the melted butter until thick and emulsified, stir in lemon juice, dill and a pinch of salt; cover and set aside. Meanwhile, blanch asparagus and peas in salted water for 3-4 minutes, drain then stir through butter and transfer to serving dish. Season the salmon with salt and pepper then place on top of vegetables and serve with a dollop with hollandaise sauce. For the salmon, heat a large frypan over medium-high heat, pat-dry the salmon skin and rub with olive oil. Once the pan is hot, place the oil and salmon in frypan, skin-side down, and press firmly with a fish slice to stop the skin from curling, cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp, then flip over and cook for 30 seconds, or until cooked to your liking. 13
Crispy Moroccan chicken with salad 45 mins 4 8 boneless chicken thighs, skin on ¼ cup olive oil Zest and juice of a lemon 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout, or Moroccan spice mix 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 red onions, halved then cut into slices Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges to serve Salad 2 Lebanese cucumbers, diced 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 5 radishes, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced ½ red onion, thinly sliced ½ cup flatleaf parsley, chopped ½ cup fresh coriander, chopped Juice of half a lemon 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil In a large bowl, mix together the oil, lemon zest and juice, spice and garlic; add the chicken and mix well to coat with all the marinade, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two. Meanwhile for the salad, place everything in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and gently mix together. Serve the chicken with the salad, lemon wedges and Greek yoghurt on the side. Preheat oven to 180 C Fan assisted. Remove the chicken from the fridge and season with salt and pepper. In an oven dish large enough to fit the thighs in a single layer, scatter the sliced onions over the base and place the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. Roast in the centre shelf for 40-45 minutes until the meat is tender and the skin is golden and crisp. 15
Greek style lamb cutlets with dill & honey tzatziki 15 mins 4 12 lamb cutlets 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp dried oregano Zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for serving Dill and honey tzatziki 300 gm Greek yoghurt 2 Lebanese cucumbers, coarsely grated Juice of ½ a lemon 2 tbsp dill, chopped 1 tsp honey 1 small clove garlic, minced ½ tsp sea salt Extra virgin olive oil for serving For the tzatziki, pour off any liquid that is sitting on top of the yoghurt then transfer to a bowl. Place the grated cucumbers in a clean tea towel, or clean hands, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can; add to the yoghurt along with the lemon juice, dill, honey, garlic, salt and mix well to combine. Transfer to serving bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, refrigerate until ready to serve. Heat a grill or large frypan to medium-high heat and cook the cutlets, turning once, for about 3 minutes each side, depending on the thickness, or until cooked to your liking. Allow to rest on a tray before serving with extra fresh parsley and the dill and honey tzatziki. In a large bowl, mix together the cinnamon, oregano, lemon zest, olive oil and parsley then add the lamb cutlets and coat in the spice mix; refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the cutlets from the fridge and season with salt and pepper. 17
Coconut & banana pie Medium 25 mins 6-8 1 cup (95 gm) almond meal 1 cup (100 gm) desiccated coconut ¼ tsp salt 100 gm coconut oil, melted 3 bananas, sliced ⅓ cup coconut flakes, to serve Coconut custard ½ cup milk 400 ml coconut milk ½ cup coconut sugar 4 egg yolks 2 tsp vanilla paste 3 tbsp corn flour Date and maple caramel 8 pitted dates, chopped 1 tbsp maple syrup For the custard, combine the milk, coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla and corn flour to a smooth paste then slowly pour in hot milk, whisking continuously. Return mixture back to saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick. Allow the custard to cool to room temperature then cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Preheat oven to 160 C Fan oven. In a medium bowl, add the almond meal, desiccated coconut, salt and melted coconut oil and mix well until you have a wet crumb. Press firmly into the base and half way up the sides of a 20cm loose-bottom cake tin to make a crust; bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden, cool then refrigerate for 30 minutes. For the date caramel, places the dates in a jug, cover with ¾ cup of boiling water and allow to stand for 10 minutes to soften. Add the maple syrup and blitz with a stick blender into a smooth sauce. To assemble, whisk the coconut custard with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Remove pie crust from tin and transfer to serving plate, pour in coconut custard and spread out into crust, top with sliced bananas and spoon over enough of the date caramel to cover the bananas (leftover date caramel will keep covered in the fridge for 5 days). Top with coconut flakes and serve. 19
Coconut cake with lemon curd 1 Hour 15 mins 8-10 200 gm unsalted butter, softened 1 cup caster sugar 3 eggs 2 cups plain flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 300 ml coconut milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup (90 gm) moist shredded coconut Lemon cream cheese frosting 250 gm cream cheese, softened Zest and juice of ½ lemon ½ cup pure icing sugar, sifted 1 cup coconut flakes Lemon curd 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks 1 cup caster sugar Zest and juice of 3 unwaxed lemons 100 gm cold unsalted butter, cubed Preheat oven to 160 C Fan forced. Butter a 10 x 22cm loaf tin and line with baking paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at time until combined, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine then gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating a third at a time with the coconut milk until all mixed together. Fold in the vanilla and shredded coconut and mix until just combined. Pour batter into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cooked, cool. Meanwhile, for the lemon curd, place the eggs, yolks sugar, zest and juice into a medium saucepan over low-medium heat and whisk to combine. Once warm, add the butter a little at a time and continue to whisk until all combined and the mixture thickens (do not allow the mixture to boil as it will split), a low constant heat it what you need. Remove from the heat and push the curd through a fine sieve to remove zest, allow to cool, stirring occasionally so curd doesn t form a skin, cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Curd will keep in a clean sealed jar in the refrigerator for a couple weeks. For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar for 2-3 minutes until smooth, add the lemon zest and juice and beat until combined. Place your cake on a serving plate and generously spread the frosting over the top and finish with the coconut flakes. Serve slices of the cake with a dollop of lemon curd. 21
Strawberry & honey millefeuille with almond praline Medium 40 mins Makes 12 375 gm puff pastry sheet 1 egg, beaten for egg wash 350 gm strawberries, sliced Almond praline 1 cup (220 gm) caster sugar 100 gm almonds, toasted and roughly chopped Honey pastry cream 4 egg yolks 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla paste 5 tbsp corn flour 750 ml full cream milk ⅓ cup honey (100 gm) 40gm unsalted butter ¼ cup cream To make the honey pastry cream, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and corn flour and whisk until smooth. In a medium saucepan bring the milk to a simmer then remove from heat and slowly pour into egg mixture, whisking continuously to combine. Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick, remove from heat and whisk in the honey and butter. Allow the custard to cool, then cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Preheat oven to 200 C Fan forced. Take puff pastry out of refrigerator and cut in half so you have two identical pieces, then cut each piece into 6 so you have 12 rectangles in total. Lay the pastry on a baking paper lined tray and brush top with egg wash. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 180 C and cook for a further 15 minutes until golden, risen and crisp; allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, for the almond praline, place the sugar and ¼ cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook just swirling the pan occasionally, until a deep caramel. Remove from heat, quickly add the almonds and pour onto an oiled tray to cool and harden, then roughly chop, set aside. Pour the cream into the honey pastry cream and whisk with an electric mixer for two minutes until smooth. Fill a large piping bag with pastry cream, secure the end and refrigerate until ready to assemble tarts. To serve, cut each puff pastry in half horizontally so you have a top and a bottom. Pipe each bottom layer with a thick layer of honey pastry cream, sprinkle with some praline then top with a layer of strawberries; place the pastry lid over the top, dust with icing sugar and serve. 23
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