Category Archives: Recipes

Toasted Tuna Open Sandwiches

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My dentist has TV you can watch on the ceiling while he’s fixing your teeth. It’s usually tuned in to the food channel and it gives you something to take your mind off all that drilling. Last week I watched a guy on SBS who was making these toasted tuna sandwiches. There was no sound, but it wasn’t a complicated recipe.

Here’s my version of this delicious quick and easy lunch for two. After the excesses of Christmas it might be just what you need. It’s also great for the kids during school holidays.

1 185g can tuna, drained
½ small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced or chopped
2-3 Tbs mayonnaise, preferably homemade
1 cob fresh corn (optional)
Grated cheddar
2 slices bread, lightly toasted

Cut corn kernels off the cob (if using) and place them in a bowl with the tuna, onion, celery and mayonnaise. Divide mixture evenly between the two slices of toast, top with grated cheese, then cook in an air fryer at 200° for 5-7 minutes or place under a grill. When cheese is golden brown serve immediately, garnished with baby tomatoes or some salad.

Serves 2

Delicious Desserts for New Year’s Eve

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I would like to wish all my readers a wonderful holiday season and a safe, happy and healthy New Year. In the old days it was common to wish everyone a prosperous New Year, but since Covid-19 most people have come to the conclusion that there are more important things in life than money.

Whether you’re experiencing freezing cold winter weather in the northern hemisphere or hot, summer days in the southern hemisphere, a New Year gathering calls for some special desserts. Here are a few of my favourites.

If berries are not in season you can make most of these desserts with frozen ones. When using frozen berries to decorate (rather than inside a jelly or trifle) remove them from the freezer and spread them out on a plate about half an hour before serving. This way they will have just thawed when you use them and won’t have had time to go mushy.

See you next year!

Eton Mess.

Layered Fruit Jelly.

Mango and Passionfruit Ice Cream Cake.

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Tim Tams.

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Tim Tams

Raspberry Trifle.

Pavlova.

Labneh with Summer Berries.

Rhubarb Compote with Ginger and Pistachios

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We grow a lot of rhubarb which I usually make into pies and crumbles, or a simple compote for breakfast. We give the rest away to friends.

This recipe is light and refreshing as well as being gluten-free. To make it dairy free, swap the whipped cream for coconut cream or coconut yoghurt. Don’t be put off by the olive oil at the end – give it a try, it’s delicious.

1 kg rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths
½ cup water
2 Tbs or more sugar, honey or maple syrup, to taste
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1 orange
Topping:
Whipped cream (or coconut cream or yoghurt)
Lightly toasted shelled pistachio nuts
Extra Virgin olive oil

Place rhubarb, water and sweetener in a large saucepan and cook, stirring often for 10-15 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft. Add the ginger and orange juice and leave to cool. Keeps in the fridge for several days.

Toast the nuts by stirring them over medium heat in a dry frying pan until lightly toasted. Whip the cream. Serve the compote in individual serving dishes – martini glasses look pretty. Top with the whipped cream, then a few pistachios and a drizzle of oil.

Serves 8

Note: if liked add a little sweetener and/or vanilla essence to the whipped cream or coconut cream.

Pasta with Peas

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This quick and easy vegetarian pasta recipe with its crunchy crumb topping will appeal to fans of frozen peas.

500g pasta of your choice (I used penne)
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
Juice of ½ a lemon
Good pinch of chilli flakes
Small handful of fresh basil (keep a couple of sprigs to serve)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve:
1 Tbs olive oil or butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs (stale bread blitzed in food processor)
¼ cup pine nuts

Cook pasta until al dente in boiling, salted water, then drain. Cook peas in boiling salted water until tender then drain. Place half the peas, the ricotta, lemon juice, basil, garlic, chilli flakes and seasoning in food processor and process until smooth. Mix into the cooked pasta with the remaining peas, saving a few to garnish.

While pasta and peas are cooking make the topping. Heat the olive oil or butter and add the Panko crumbs and pine nuts. Stir fry until golden. Remove from the heat and mix in the Parmesan.

Serve pasta topped with the crumbs and remaining peas, garnished with a basil sprig. If liked, drizzle with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Serves 4

Variations: use a mixture of ricotta and goat cheese or feta cheese to give the sauce a bit more punch. Add some asparagus spears, cut into lengths and steamed.

Please bring a Plate

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It’s that time of year when there are lots of gatherings where guests are asked to “please bring a plate”. It may not be common in all countries, but here in Australia what we call Pot Luck lunches or dinners, where everybody makes a contribution, are quite normal. Picnics, beach parties, family or work gatherings to celebrate Christmas or New Year, which of course is the height of summer here. It’s hard to get through December and January without being asked to bring a plate.

A Greek friend arrived in Canberra from Athens in the 1960s with very little English. When he and his wife were invited for lunch and asked to bring a plate they were somewhat perplexed. If their hosts didn’t have enough plates, perhaps they were also short of glasses and cutlery. So they brought their own, never imagining they were expected to bring food.

Today’s photo shows a delicious salad which can be put together in no time with 5 ingredients picked up from the supermarket. It’s so easy I’m not even going to write a recipe. Just layer a packet of washed rocket, then a packet of prosciutto or jamon serrano, cut into smaller pieces with scissors, some small chunks of a soft creamy blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola from Aldi) and walnut or pecan halves. Just before serving, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil  and balsamic glaze.

Here are some other recipes you might like to try next time you’re asked to bring a plate.

I’ve taken Spinach Salad with Red Dressing to many Pot Luck lunches and dinners over the past 3 or 4 decades. Even the older kids like it,

Beef Teriyaki can be served hot or at room temperature. Either way it’s delicious.

Eggplants with Labneh and Spicy Cashews

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This recipe was inspired by a dish we enjoyed at a small deli and restaurant on King Street in Newtown called Pistou. There are lots of little gems on King Street and Pistou is no exception.

With a good wine selection and lots of delicious sharing plates, including cheese and charcuterie platters, it was a good choice for a light meal on a Friday evening.

If you haven’t come across labneh before, it’s just strained plain yoghurt and you can easily make your own. After removing the excess liquid it becomes very thick. Labneh can be served as it is or you can add salt and herbs or a little sweetener and vanilla for a sweet version. Try this delicious Ottolenghi recipe for labneh with summer berries.

Instead of making the Caramel Sauce you could use balsamic glaze or pomegranate or date molasses.

250g plain Greek yoghurt
2 medium to large eggplants
Olive oil to brush
Salt to taste
Spicy Cashews:
1 cup cashew nuts, lightly toasted
1 tsp each cumin and paprika
½ tsp each salt and chilli flakes
Caramel Sauce: (see note below)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
To serve:
Juice of ½ a lemon
Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Make labneh: place a sieve over a bowl, line it with a piece of fine cotton or muslin and scrape in the yoghurt. Cover and leave in the fridge for several hours or until all the liquid has drained out. Discard the liquid.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a shallow oven tray with baking paper. Remove stalks from eggplants, then cut them in half lengthwise. With a sharp knife, cut deeply into the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and tender.

Place ingredients for the Spicy Cashews in a food processor, then use the pulse button to chop. You want some larger pieces of cashew to remain, so don’t over-process.

For the Caramel Sauce, place sugar in a small heavy-bottomed pan and cook, swirling and shaking the pan, until it has dissolved and turned into caramel. Add vinegar – be careful as it will spatter – and continue to swirl and shake until the caramel has dissolved. Cool.

To serve, spread labneh on one large or four individual serving plates. Top with the eggplants, then the Spicy Cashews. Drizzle with some of the Caramel Sauce, then the lemon juice and garnish with the coriander.

Serves 4

Note: instead of making the Caramel Sauce, you could use balsamic glaze or pomegranate or date molasses instead.

Prawn Burgers

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I was in my local shopping centre, heading for the supermarket, when I saw a sign outside a small bistro which said “Today’s Special: Prawn Burger”. I thought to myself “That sounds nice”, so I bought a packet of peeled green prawns and some brioche buns and made them for dinner. They were delicious.  If you can’t find raw prawns you could use cooked ones and just cook the burgers for less time.

On its own, or perhaps with some oven chips cooked in the oven or an air fryer, dinner’s ready.

200g peeled green (raw) prawns
1 spring onion, roughly cut up
½ an egg white
1 Tbs cornflour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup breadcrumbs (preferably Panko)
1-2 Tbs oil
To serve:
2 or 3 brioche burger buns, split and toasted
Mayonnaise (preferably home made)
Salad: Avocado, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, red onion
Or coleslaw: shredded cabbage, carrot + a mayonnaise based dressing, plus some avocado (shown in the photo)

Place half the prawns, the spring onion, egg white, cornflour and seasoning in food processor and process until fairly smooth. Fold in remaining prawns, roughly chopped.

With damp hands, form mixture into 2 burgers the diameter of the brioche buns and coat them evenly with breadcrumbs, patting them on. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and fry the burgers for 4-5 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through.

Spread some mayonnaise on the toasted buns, then fill each one with a burger and some salad or coleslaw.

Makes 2 burgers

Moussaka

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When I started cooking, any recipe using eggplants involved salting the slices and leaving them to drain, in order to remove any bitterness. You then had to pat them dry and fry them in oil. Eggplants are a bit like blotting paper and will soak up as much oil as you give them. More recent varieties of eggplant seem to have eliminated the bitterness and browning the slices in the oven means you don’t need to use too much oil.

This recipe was given to me by my friend Margaret when we were all posted to Tel Aviv, many moons ago. Like a big lasagne, it’s a great choice for feeding a crowd. All the preparation can be done ahead and with a big salad and some crusty bread you’re all set.

1kg eggplants, sliced 1cm thick
1kg minced lamb or beef
2 chopped onions
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 Tbs olive oil
1 400g tin tomatoes, chopped (or equivalent in fresh tomatoes)
500g mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbs chopped parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 heaped Tbs tomato paste
½ cup water + 1 beef stock cube
Olive oil for brushing or spraying
Grated Parmesan cheese
Sauce:
30g butter
30g plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1½ cups milk
2 beaten eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200°C. Arrange eggplant slices on two large oven trays lined with baking paper. Spray on both sides with olive oil, or use a brush. Cook for 20 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown on both sides.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook onion and garlic until soft. Turn up heat and add meat and mushrooms and cook stirring until meat has browned. Add chopped tomatoes (skinned if fresh), herbs, tomato paste, cumin, stock cube and water and season to taste. If the frying pan isn’t big enough put everything into a deeper pan. Simmer 10-15 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary.

This recipe is enough to make two large moussakas or one extra large one, as shown in the photo. If preferred, make half the recipe. Fill each dish with layers – meat sauce sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan, eggplant slices, then meat sauce and more Parmesan, then remaining eggplant slices.

For the sauce, melt butter in a non-stick pan, add flour and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring until thick before you add more. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and add the beaten eggs last. Pour sauce over the top of the moussaka and spread out evenly. If you’re making it early in the day, refrigerate at this stage until you’re ready to bake. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 200°C, or until browned and bubbly. Stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Can be completely cooked a day ahead, kept in the fridge, then just reheated.

Serves 10-12

Warm Halloumi and Mushroom Salad with Crispy Lentils

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This recipe was recommended by my friend Megan who was owner-chef at the Palette Cafe at the Beaver Gallery in Canberra for over 20 years.  It was my favourite lunch venue and I miss it, although Meg continues to serve wonderful food whenever we’re invited for dinner.

The recipe comes from Taste.com, a good source of online recipes which has stood the test of time. In the recipe they put the lentils, halloumi and mushrooms in the oven to roast. I changed the method slightly and cooked everything, apart from the lentils, in a frying pan. I think it gives you more control over getting the halloumi nice and golden brown. The recipe serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course.

 

4 large portobello mushrooms
250g halloumi cheese
1 can lentils, drained, rinsed and patted dry
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
200g green beans
150g mixed small salad leaves and/or spinach leaves
2 tsp pink peppercorns

Spinach pesto:
50g baby spinach leaves
25g parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100ml olive oil

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread out the lentils in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, moving them around a couple of times, until they are evenly golden and crunchy. Remove from the oven and cool.

Place all ingredients for pesto except the oil in food processor. Process until chunky then add the oil through the feed chute with the motor running. Scrape into a small bowl.

Cook green beans in boiling salted water for 4 minutes or until lightly cooked. Not as well cooked as al dente but not as crunchy as when raw. Refresh under cold water, then pat dry.

Peel mushrooms and remove stalks. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and cut each mushroom into 3 or 4 slices. Add lemon juice to the mushroom juices left in the pan, mix then add to the salad greens with a pinch of salt. Mix well then arrange the salad on four serving plates (or two for a main course).

Wipe out the frying pan and add a tiny drizzle of oil. Pat halloumi dry then cut into slices. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

On top of the salad arrange the beans, the mushrooms and the halloumi. Garnish with the crispy lentils and the pink peppercorns, then drizzle each serving with some of the spinach pesto.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main

Ottolenghi’s Turmeric Fried Eggs with Tamarind Dressing

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While in London for a weekend last month we caught up with some old friends over dinner at one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s six restaurants. Tucked away in a narrow Georgian alleyway, Spitalfields is the largest of his restaurants and it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Apart from the restaurant, there’s a deli which sells salads, pastries and other delicacies for customers to take home.

Plates at Spitalfields are designed to be shared. Many but not all are vegetarian. We enjoyed the meal so much we came back on our own next morning for breakfast. I had the Quinoa, Chia Seed and Cardamom Muesli with Raspberries, which was delicious and not too heavy after our feast the previous evening.

When we paid the bill we were given a card with this fried egg recipe from Ottolenghi’s latest cook book Extra Good Things. I made it, it was delicious and here it is. Serve it for breakfast, brunch or as a light lunch or dinner.

1 shallot or half a small onion, finely sliced into rounds
2 tsp lime juice
3½ Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
200g baby spinach
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 large eggs
1 green chilli, finely sliced into rounds, seeds and all
salt
Fresh coriander
Tamarind Dressing:
2 Tbs tamarind paste
1 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbs lime juice
2 tsp brown sugar

Place the shallot or onion rings in a bowl with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Mix well then leave to pickle. Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small jar with a lid and shake well. Add between half and 1 tablespoon of water and shake again, so it’s not too thick.

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the spinach, a good pinch of salt and stir fry for a couple of minutes, or until wilted. Remove to a warm plate and wipe out the pan.

Add remaining oil to the pan with the turmeric and stir to combine. Add the chilli slices and stir fry for a minute or so, then push them to one side. Break in the eggs, using a spatula to keep each one separate. Spoon the chillies and some of the oil on top of each egg, then season with salt. Cook the eggs  to a point where they are crispy underneath but the yolks are still soft. Don’t turn them over.

Divide the spinach between two warmed serving plates. Top with two eggs each, the chillies, a few onion rings and any oil left in the frying pan. Drizzle with some of the tamarind dressing and garnish with coriander.

You will have some onions and dressing left over – use on roast potatoes or grilled steak.

Serve with warm flatbread, pita bread or naan to mop up the juices.

Serves 2