Winter 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. 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 Contents About Karen 2 Crusty spelt loaf 5 Sweet potato & carrot fritters with herb salad 7 Kale & ricotta gnudi with brown butter 9 Braised beef cheeks with orecchiette 11 Chicken & bacon meatloaf with crunchy sourdough topping 13 Chicken & chorizo pilaf 15 Lamb shank pie with pearl barley 17 Madeleines with pumpkin caramel 19 Pumpkin muffins with maple caramel and pecans 21 Chocolate espresso brownies 23
Crusty spelt loaf (plus rising time) 40 mins Makes 1 loaf Sponge ¾ cup (120 gm) bread flour ¾ cup (120 gm) organic wholemeal spelt flour 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp honey ½ tsp yeast 1½ cups water, at room temperature Flour mixture 2 cups (320 gm) bread flour 2 tsp fine salt ½ tsp yeast 5 ice cubes for baking the bread NOTE: If you can t find bread flour you can use regular unbleached flour, but your loaf won t be as chewy. Begin this recipe a day in advance. In a large mixing bowl, place all the for the sponge starter and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the sponge to sit for an hour at room temperature then overnight in the refrigerator, or up to 24 hours. Turn on the Nexus Proving drawer function. Bring the sponge up to room temperature, then add all the flour mixture to the sponge and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic; if the dough is still sticky add a little more flour. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and roll the dough around to coat, cover with a damp cloth and place in the proving drawer for 1 hour until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 220 C Fan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and knock the dough back to release the air by folding the bread over itself a few times. Shape the dough into a round loaf, place onto a floured heavy-based dish, or a 20cm floured banneton or bread proofing basket; cover with a damp cloth and place in the proving drawer for a further 1 hour. Place the dough onto a heavy-based tray, if not already, and with a very sharp knife or razor, make 4 cuts in the top of the dough in a square shape. Place a baking sheet in the oven on the bottom rack (underneath where the bread will bake) and allow it to heat up. Put the dough in the oven and put the ice cubes in the empty tray beneath and quickly shut the oven door. This will trap all the steam in the oven and allow the bread to rise before the crust begins to form. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 180 C and bake for a further 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. 5
Sweet potato & carrot fritters with herb salad 20 mins Makes 12 300 gm sweet potato, grated 300 gm carrots, grated 1 clove garlic, finely grated 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp fine salt 2 eggs ¼ cup (40 gm) plain flour 2 tbsp olive oil for frying 1 tbsp linseeds for serving Herb salad ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped ½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped ½ small red onion, thinly sliced 1 pomegranate Juice of half a lemon Yoghurt dressing 1 cup Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp tahini 1 tsp honey Juice of half a lemon Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the yoghurt dressing, whisk all together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. To make the fritters, place all together in a large bowl and mix well to combine; form into 12 small fritters by pressing the mixture together firmly with your hands. Heat teppanyaki plate to medium and working in batches, cook fritters in a little oil for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. For the salad, place all in a small bowl and toss to combine, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the fritters topped with some yoghurt dressing, herb salad and a sprinkle of linseeds 7
Kale & ricotta gnudi with brown butter Serves 4 150 gm kale leaves, about 1 bunch 600 gm fresh ricotta, drained of excess liquid 2 egg yolks 1 cup plain flour ½ cup (50 gm) finely grated parmesan cheese 10 gratings of fresh nutmeg 1 tsp fine salt 50 gm butter 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced Extra parmesan cheese for serving Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For gnudi, blanch the leaves in boiling water until just wilted, drain and cool then using clean hands or a cloth, squeeze out all excess water. Transfer to a chopping board and chop finely, place in a large bowl along with the ricotta, egg yolks, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper; mix well to combine. Gently mix through the flour until the dough just comes together, turn out onto a floured bench and divide into 2. Roll each ball into a log about 2cm thick then cut gnudi using your thumb as a guide for thickness. Set the gnudi aside on a floured tray. To cook gnudi, in batches, dust off excess flour and drop into salted boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes until they float to the surface, remove from water with slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Meanwhile, heat a large frypan over medium high heat, add butter and garlic and cook until the garlic browns, remove from pan and discard. Continue to cook the butter until nut brown; add the gnudi and cook, turning, until golden. Serve with a grating of fresh parmesan cheese. 9
Braised beef cheeks with orecchiette 20 mins 4 hours Makes 6 3 beef cheeks 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 onions, finely chopped 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 roma tomatoes, chopped 2 fresh bay leaves 2 rosemary sprigs, chopped 250 ml red wine 500 ml beef stock 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 40 gm unsalted butter 750 gm orecchiette pasta ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped Parmesan cheese to serve Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 140 C Fan. Place oil in a large heavy-based ovenproof saucepan over a high heat. Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper and brown all over then remove from pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining oil, onion, celery and carrot and cook until the onion is soft, then add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes. Return the beef cheeks and add the herbs, wine, stock and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with lid, transfer to oven for 3½ - 4 hours until tender. Meanwhile, in the last 20 minutes of the beef cooking time, cook the orecchiette in salted boiling water according to packet instructions. Remove beef from oven and discard bay leaves. Use two forks to pull apart and shred the meat into the sauce, then add the butter. Stir the cooked pasta through the sauce, season with salt and pepper and top with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese. 11
Chicken & bacon meatloaf with crunchy sourdough topping 60 mins Serves 4-6 1 tbsp olive oil 2 rashers bacon, finely diced 1 brown onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 kg chicken mince 250 gm cream cheese, at room temperature Zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup pine nuts (30 gm), toasted ½ cup basil leaves, shredded ½ tsp fine salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed 40 gm unsalted butter, melted 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese Roasted vegetables to serve. Preheat oven to 180 C Fan. Grease a 10 x 22 cm loaf tin and line with baking paper. In a frypan over medium heat, add the oil, bacon and onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and the bacon renders its fat, add the garlic and cook for one minute, transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken mince, cream cheese, lemon zest, pine nuts, salt and pepper, and basil; mix well to combine but a few larger bits of cream cheese scattered throughout are ideal. Fill the loaf tin with the chicken mixture, pushing it into the corners and smooth the top - I find using clean wet hands are the best tools here. For the topping, use a food processor to pulse the sourdough slices into breadcrumbs, but not too fine. Place the breadcrumbs into a bowl and pour over the melted butter and mix well to coat; add the parmesan cheese and spread the crumb mix evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked and the top is golden and crunchy. (A thermometer should read 75 C when pressed into the centre of the meatloaf). Use the baking paper to lift the meatloaf out of the tin and onto a board; cut thick slices and serve with roasted vegetables. 13
Chicken & chorizo pilaf 30 mins Serves 6 1 tbsp olive oil 3 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cubed Pinch of saffron 1 onion, finely diced 2 chorizo sausages, diced 1 red capsicum, diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 40 gm unsalted butter 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock 1 tsp fine salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup corn kernels, about 2 cobs ½ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped ⅓ cup flaked almonds, toasted Greek yoghurt for serving, optional Place the saffron in a mug and half-fill with boiling water (about 150 ml) allow to stand. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frypan fitted with a lid over high heat, add oil and cook chicken thighs until browned all over and cooked through. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and chorizo to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes until the onion is soft and the chorizo has begun to crisp, add the capsicum and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the butter and rice; stir to coat. Pour in the saffron and chicken stock, salt and freshly ground pepper and stir. Sprinkle the corn over the top of the rice; cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 12 minutes or until the rice is tender. Once it s cooked, leave the pilaf to stand, covered, for 10 minutes to allow any excess steam to be absorbed - this makes for a fluffier pilaf. Stir the pilaf with a fork to combine and serve scattered with fresh parsley, toasted flaked almonds and a dollop of Greek yoghurt. 15
Lamb shank pie with pearl barley 4 hours Serves 6 6 lamb shanks, frenched 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced 1 stick celery, finely diced 3 parsnips, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 5 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste 500ml dry white wine 500ml chicken stock 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed 1 tbsp red wine vinegar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Preheat oven to 140 C Fan. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid over a high heat, working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion, carrot, celery and cook for 7 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the parsnip, garlic and herbs and cook for a further minute before stirring in the tomato paste. Return the shanks to the pot and add the wine and chicken stock, season with salt and pepper and cover with baking paper, foil then the lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2½ hours until the meat pulls easily off the bone. Remove the bay leaves and discard, remove the shanks and set aside to cool slightly before shredding the meat and discarding the bones, set lamb aside. Increase the oven temperature to 200 C. Add the pearl barley and vinegar and return to the oven to cook for 35-40 minutes until the pearl barley is cooked and the sauce has reduced, add the lamb to the pot and mix gently to combine. Pour into a greased 32x24 cm pie dish and cover with the puff pastry, make 2 slits in the centre of the pastry, crimp the edges and brush with the egg. Bake for 15 minutes until the pastry has risen, then reduce the temperature to 180 C and cook for a further 25 minutes. 17
Madeleines with pumpkin caramel (plus resting time) 20 mins Makes 24 200 gm plain flour ½ tsp baking powder 200 gm caster sugar, plus ½ cup extra 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 100 gm unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 2 tbsp milk ½ tsp cinnamon Pumpkin caramel ½ cup (110 gm) caster sugar 1 cup cream ½ cup pumpkin puree 40 gm unsalted butter ½ tsp sea salt flakes In a large bowl, place the flour, baking powder, 200gm caster sugar and whisk to combine, add the eggs and vanilla then whisk in the melted butter until you have a smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat oven to 170 C Fan. To make the pumpkin caramel, place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar melts and turns golden brown. Carefully add the cream and whisk to combine, taking care as hot caramel will bubble up. Add the pumpkin puree, butter and salt and stir over medium heat until the caramel is thick and glossy. Set the caramel aside in the saucepan and heat gently when you re ready to serve. Brush two madeleine trays with melted butter, then spoon some batter into each mould filling them two thirds of the way. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the extra caster sugar and cinnamon and whisk to combine. When the madeleines are cooked and still warm, tap them out onto your bench and roll them into the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve madeleines piled up with warm pumpkin caramel on the side for dipping and drizzling. 19
Pumpkin muffins with maple caramel and pecans 20 mins 20 mins Makes 12 500 gm pumpkin that has been peeled, deseeded and diced 100 gm unsalted butter, melted ½ cup buttermilk ¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar 2 eggs 3 cups (480 gm) plain flour 2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1 tsp fine salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp ginger ½ cup toasted pecan nuts, chopped Maple caramel 1 cup (250 ml) maple syrup 20 gm unsalted butter ½ tsp sea salt flakes ¼ cup cream Preheat oven to 160 C Fan. Grease and flour a 12-hole muffin tray. For the maple caramel, place maple syrup in a large saucepan (maple syrup will bubble up a lot), over medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until reduced slightly, add butter, salt and cream and whisk until smooth, set aside to cool and thicken. Place the pumpkin in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water and steam for 10 minutes until soft, drain on paper towel to remove excess moisture. Mash or transfer to a food processor and blitz into a smooth puree, transfer to a large bowl, add the melted butter, buttermilk, sugar and eggs; whisk well to combine. In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices and whisk together, then fold the dry into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter into your muffin tin and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked. Turn out the warm muffins onto a serving board and pile up, drizzle with the maple caramel, scatter over the pecan nuts and serve warm. 21
Chocolate espresso brownies 50 mins Makes 9 250 gm unsalted butter, chopped 250 gm dark chocolate chips, plus 1 cup extra 1 cup (220 gm) caster sugar ½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar 4 eggs 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 shot espresso coffee, 40 ml ½ tsp fine salt ½ tsp baking powder 1 cup (160 gm) wholemeal spelt flour, plus 1 tbsp extra 1 tbsp cocoa powder for serving Espresso cream 250 gm mascarpone 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 shot espresso coffee, 40 ml 1 tsp vanilla paste Preheat oven to 160 C Fan. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin with baking paper. In a bowl over simmering water, add the butter and 250gm chocolate and stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool slightly before whisking in the sugars, then the eggs; whisk until smooth and glossy. Mix in the vanilla, espresso, salt, baking powder and 1 cup of flour until combined. In a small bowl, toss the 1 cup of chocolate chips with the extra flour to coat, then stir through the brownie mixture. Pour into prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 50 minutes until set but still moist in the centre. Cool completely in the tin before lifting onto a board and cutting into squares. For the espresso cream, whisk together all the until soft peaks form. Serve the brownies with a dollop of espresso cream and dust with cocoa powder. 23
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