Zucchini Ricotta and Basil Tart

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This quick and easy recipe for a zucchini tart uses bought puff pastry and is delicious served with a mixed salad.

1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
2-3 zucchini (courgettes)
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
250g fresh ricotta cheese
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs finely chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs pine nuts (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1 handful fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil

Lay pastry square or rectangle on a paper-lined baking sheet and preheat the oven to 200°C. Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise using a vegetable peeler. Place in a bowl with the olive oil and seasoning and mix well with your hands to coat well.

With a fork, mash the ricotta with the lemon juice and rind and seasoning. If it’s a bit stiff add a drizzle of olive oil. Mix in the chopped basil. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a border of a couple of centimetres or one inch around the edges.

Layer the zucchini slices on top of the ricotta, overlapping the slices in parallel rows and doing several layers. Arrange the garlic slices over the zucchini before covering them with the last layer of slices. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the zucchini. Brush the beaten egg around the edges.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Halfway through the cooking time, sprinkle with the pine nuts, if using.

Place the fresh basil leaves in a food processor and process, adding enough oil to make a thick sauce. Drizzle the basil oil over the tart before serving.

Serves 4-6

Baked Fennel with Bacon

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This easy side dish goes well with fish or chicken.

1 large bulb of fennel or two smaller ones
2 tbs olive oil
2-3 rashers of bacon, diced
1 slice bread, preferably sourdough
2 Tbs fresh rosemary, leaves only
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 200°C. Oil or butter a shallow baking dish. Thinly slice fennel and cut the slices into smaller pieces. Place in a mixing bowl with the olive oil. Mix then tip into the baking dish and spread evenly.

Place bread, rosemary and pepper in a food processor and pulse to obtain chunky crumbs. Fry the bacon until crisp, then mix with the breadcrumbs. Spread over the fennel, then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the fennel is tender and the crumbs are golden brown.

Serves 4-6

Chicken Confit with Coconut Rice & Red Curry Sauce

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Living in Paris some 20 years ago I was introduced to confit, a cooking method where poultry is covered with duck fat or olive oil and cooked at a low temperature for a long time.

Confit comes from the French word confire which means to preserve and is used to describe any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period as a method of preservation. It dates back to the days when people didn’t have refrigerators and this was a means of making things last longer.

The French mainly use this cooking method with duck, but chicken works just as well and I have also tried it with salmon. They say that confit duck or chicken pieces will keep in the fridge, submerged in the cooking fat, for up to a month, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving it for more than a week, just to be on the safe side. To serve, remove the chicken or duck pieces from the fat and pan fry them on both sides till crisp and golden brown.

The red curry sauce is a real winner. Quick to make and it can be frozen. If you don’t have time to confit the chicken, buy a cooked chicken at the supermarket, take off all the meat and mix it with this delicious sauce. The sauce goes with everything. Try it over steamed broccoli, green beans, noodles or fish.

The coconut rice recipe is also a winner because it requires no attention. It cooks in the oven and comes out beautifully fluffy and dry. This week’s recipe is perfect for entertaining because you can prepare all the elements beforehand.

There are two ways to serve this confit chicken. Either pan fried on top of the rice with the reheated curry sauce spooned over – as shown in the photo. Alternatively, remove and discard the chicken bones and mix the chicken meat (home-made confit or a cooked chicken from the supermarket) into the curry sauce, reheat and serve on top of the rice.

If you make the confit, don’t throw away the cooking oil once the chicken has been removed. Keep it to make the most delicious roast potatoes. Parboil them for 10 minutes, then drain, mix with some of the oil and roast in a hot oven or in an air fryer.

If you want to cut down on the calories in this recipe, use half a tin of coconut milk in the sauce and half in the rice. Add extra water to make up the difference.

Confit chicken pieces – see recipe
I used 6 chicken Marylands (drumstick and thigh)
Red Curry Sauce:
1 can (400g) coconut milk
2 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs red curry paste
2 Tbs fish sauce
2 Tbs lemon or lime juice
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup finely chopped peanuts
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Coconut Rice:
2 cups rice (Basmati or Jasmine)
1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil to grease the casserole
1 can (400g) coconut milk
1 cup water
4 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
To serve:
Thinly sliced spring onions
Chopped fresh coriander
Lightly toasted coarse coconut
Lemon or lime wedges

Make the confit chicken according to the recipe link or buy a cooked chicken and take all the meat off.

Red Curry Sauce: place all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring often,  for 10 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and reaches the desired consistency. Can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until needed.

Coconut Rice: thoroughly rinse the rice with cold water, then cover with cold water and leave overnight or for at least an hour. Drain rice and place in a lightly-oiled heavy casserole with a lid. I used Le Creuset. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover with the lid. Can be made ahead to this point. Bake for 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove from the oven and stir well about 15 minutes into the cooking time. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To serve: remove the confit chicken pieces from the oil they were cooked in, then fry in a frying pan until crispy and golden brown on both sides. You don’t need to put any oil in the frying pan as the chicken pieces will all have a light coating. Toast the coconut by stirring it in a dry frying pan over moderate heat until lightly coloured.

Serve the chicken on a bed of coconut rice, with half to three quarters of a cup over reheated curry sauce spooned onto each serving. Garnish with the spring onions, coriander, coconut and lemon or lime wedges.

Serves 6

The Olympic Chocolate Muffin that went Viral

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Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen uploaded a TikTok reel reviewing the meals in the Olympic village in Paris. There was pain au chocolat, pesto pasta, pork skewers, shrimp dumplings and chicken gyoza, all of which he gave average ratings.

However, when he gave the chocolate chip muffins a glowing 11/10 it went viral, and everyone went crazy for this chocoholic’s dream. Some of Christiansen’s muffin videos had over 10 million views and soon earned him the nickname The Olympic Muffin Man.

These little cakes, called Muffins Chocolat Extrême, are made in Paris by a company called Coup de Pates. A lot of people have been trying to replicate them and the photos I saw online all looked delicious. I thought I would have a go.

Use top quality Dutch cocoa and high quality dark chocolate for the best result. Use chocolate chips or just roughly chop a bar of dark chocolate to make chunks. The trick is not to overcook the muffins. The chocolate ganache which you squeeze into the middle after they’re cooked is optional, but very nice.

Definitely worthy of a Gold Medal 🥇

Muffins Chocolat Extrême - the Olympic village sensation

¾ cup milk
¼ cup water
2 tsp instant coffee
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
125g butter
2 cups plain flour
1 Tbs baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup firmly packed soft brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
A few extra chocolate chips or chunks to go on top
Chocolate ganache filling:
½ cup cream
¼ cup chocolate chips or chunks
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with muffin paper liners.

Place milk, water, coffee and cocoa powder in a medium to large saucepan and heat, stirring, to dissolve. Add the butter and chocolate chunks and when melted turn off the heat. Add the brown and white sugar, the oil, salt and vanilla. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then add the beaten eggs, the sifted flour and baking powder and the 1/3 cup chocolate chips or chunks. Don’t over mix, just enough to combine.

Spoon mixture into the muffin liners, filling them level with the top of the paper. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a few extra chocolate chips or chunks and push them in a bit. Bake for 15 minutes or until well-risen and firm to touch. As soon as they’re firm to touch they’re ready. Overcooked muffins will be dry.

For the filling, heat the ingredients in a small saucepan and mix. When smooth leave the ganache to cool a bit, then put it into a piping bag with a nozzle. Squeeze a bit into the centre of each muffin through the top.

Serve the muffins while they are still warm, or zap them in a microwave for 20 seconds the next day.

Makes 12 large muffins

Apricot Jam from Dried Apricots

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Everyone loves apricot jam but the fresh fruit is in season for such a short time and expensive. Using dried apricots is the answer. This recipe comes from Aussie cook Matthew Evans, although I’ve cut down considerably on the sugar.

If you live on your own and don’t think you can manage to eat it all, a jar of jam makes a great gift for friends. And a dollop on Greek yoghurt is divine. Or use it instead of Lemon Curd in these delicious and quick Blueberry Parfaits.

500g dried apricots
1.5L (6 cups) water
2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1-2 cups sugar

Place apricots in a large, heavy-based saucepan or jam pan. Add the water and leave to soak overnight. Add cinnamon sticks and simmer for 20 mnutes or until the fruit is soft. Remove cinnamon sticks if using, add the lemon juice and one cup of sugar.

Cook for a few minutes or until the sugar has dissolved, then taste and add more sugar as required. I used about a cup and a half but we don’t like our jam too sweet.

At this stage I used a stick blender to break up some but not all of the fruit, leaving it thick and chunky. Cook for a few more minutes or until you have jam consistency.

While the jam is cooking prepare about half a dozen small jars. Wash and dry them then microwave on High (without the lids) for 2 minutes to sterilise.

Pour the jam into the hot jars and seal while hot with the lids. Store in a dark cupboard and refrigerate after opening.

Makes 4-6 jars depending on size

Old Fashioned Lamb & Barley Soup

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My mother always served a roast for Sunday lunch, on a four week rotation. Beef, then pork, then lamb, then chicken, then back to beef again.

Roast beef was accompanied by Yorkshire puddings and horseradish sauce. Roast pork by home-made bread stuffing (bread, onion, mixed herbs, an egg and salt and pepper) and apple sauce. Roast chicken was stuffed with the same bread stuffing and roast lamb was always served with mint sauce. In addition to these traditional accompaniments, the Sunday roast also came with gravy, roast potatoes, carrots and one or two green vegetables.

On Mondays dinner would consist of leftover meat from the Sunday roast, usually cold with hot veggies. On Tuesdays my mother made a chunky soup with the bones. Sometimes, if there was enough meat left over, she would get another meal out of the Sunday roast by making shepherds pie, chicken curry or rissoles – a kind of meatball which was popular back then. On Thursdays we might have sausages with gravy and creamy mashed potatoes or Spaghetti Bolognese, a recipe my mother learnt to make while living in Malta during WWII. Friday dinners were invariably from the fish and chip shop, or occasionally from the Chinese takeaway. Or we might have Mum’s Kedgeree.  Saturdays we had ham and salad, before watching the latest episode of Dr Who. Then we were back to Sunday again. There wasn’t much variety, but the food was always tasty. We didn’t eat a lot of meat, but filled up on vegetables, which we now know is a healthy approach to life.

You may remember your mother making this hearty soup with the bone from a roast leg of lamb. It comes from a postwar era when nothing was wasted. It’s very economical, making an inexpensive meal to serve at least four people. It’s simple, comfort food.

I didn’t have a meaty lamb bone so I bought four lamb forequarter chops, used two to make this soup and froze the other two to make it again in a couple of weeks. We still have another few more weeks of cold weather in Canberra, before Spring arrives.

1 cup pearl barley
1 meaty bone from a leg of lamb or two lamb chops
3-4 celery sticks
2 medium onions
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
3 or 4 carrots
2 or 3 potatoes (optional)
2 stock cubes (vegetable, chicken or beef)
2 L of water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
Chopped parsley to serve

Cover the barley with cold water and leave it to soak overnight. If you’re using lamb chops place them in a large heavy bottomed saucepan with a little olive oil so they don’t stick and cook them on both sides until they’re brown. If you’re using the bone from a leg of lamb you don’t need to do this, just put it in the pan. Peel and chop all the vegetables and add them to the pan with the water, stock cubes, drained barley and sugar. Simmer for an hour or until the barley is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the chops, cut up the meat and put it back into the soup. With a lamb bone remove any meat and put it back, discarding the bone.

Serve sprinkled with parsley

Serves 4

Gluten Free Dairy Free Fruit and Nut Loaf

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I don’t have a Thermomix, but my friend Rosi has one she she sent me this recipe. I have adapted it by using my Magimix food processor to chop everything very finely for the paste.

This delicious cake is perfect with a cuppa and would make a welcome addition to packed lunches this week. A yummy treat which is gluten free, dairy free, not to mention healthy.

Nut Paste:
200g shelled almonds
50g pumpkin seeds
50g sunflower seeds
50g sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs sweetener (sugar, honey or maple syrup)
2 Tbs oil (vegetable, nut oil or olive oil)
Cake mixture:
120g pitted dates
70g dried figs or dried apricots
1 tsp fennel seeds (optiona)
4 eggs
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1 cup walnuts, macadamias or pecans (optional)
Sliced or slivered almonds to decorate (optional)

Nut Paste: place all ingredients except the oil in food processor and process for 1-2 minutes or until very finely chopped. Add the oil and continue to process until the mixture starts to stick together. Scrape out into a bowl. No need to wash the food processor.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line a loaf pan with baking paper.

Place dates and figs or apricots in food processor with the fennel seeds, if using, and process to chop coarsely. Add eggs, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar and mix. Add the nut paste and mix well, stopping to scrape down the sides. If using, add the cup of nuts now, leaving them whole or in large pieces.

Scrape into the loaf pan, smooth the top, then sprinkle with the almonds, if using, and press them lightly into the mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Don’t overcook – mine was ready in 40 mins. Cool, remove from tin and serve in thick slices, plain or buttered.

Makes 1 loaf

Variations: use raisins or sultanas instead of the dates or figs. Use walnuts instead of almonds in the nut paste.

Chicken with Lemon, Garlic & Parmesan

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This quick and easy chicken dish is perfect for a busy week night. Leftovers are delicious in wraps, salads and sandwiches.

1 kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Marinade:
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed or 1 Tbs grated ginger
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp chilli flakes
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper to taste
To garnish:
Fresh herbs

Mix all ingredients for marinade. Marinate the chicken in about three quarters of the mixture. Keep the remaining quarter for serving. Make sure the chicken is well-covered with the mixture, then leave it to marinate, covered, overnight in the fridge. If you don’t have time to marinate it overnight, a minimum of 30 minutes will do.

Cook the chicken at 200ºC in the oven, or on a hot barbecue or in an air fryer at 200ºC for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and browned. Turn over about halfway through cooking. Slice downwards and arrange on a serving plate. Drizzle with the remaining marinade and garnish with herbs.

Serves 4

Slow-roasted lamb with Black Garlic and Herb Pesto

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This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Australian Gourmet Traveller website. We have a special gadget to make black garlic which we keep in the garage. We keep it there for two reasons. Firstly it’s about the size of a rice cooker and we don’t have room for it in the kitchen and secondly we don’t want the whole house to smell of garlic. It takes several several days on a very low heat to turn a dozen bulbs of garlic into black garlic. It makes a very welcome gift to friends and family who like to cook. When buying the fresh garlic you need to choose big ones with large cloves. If you can’t be bothered to make your own, black garlic can be bought at specialty food stores and farmers’ markets.

It’s not easy to describe, but I think it tastes like a cross between black truffles and an aged balsamic vinegar. Quite sweet and not particularly garlicky. A delicious addition to canapés, sauces and marinades, it can also be mashed with butter to serve on top of grilled steaks or blended into mayonnaise to make black garlic aioli.

1 boned leg or shoulder of lamb
1 head of black garlic
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup beef stock
Herb Pesto:
1 cup each loosely packed parsley and mint
½ cup chives or 1 spring onion
4 cloves garlic
2-3 pieces lemon rind removed with a veg peeler
¼ cup lemon juice
4 anchovy fillets
1 Tbs capers
½ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 140°C. Place lamb in a Dutch oven or large casserole with a lid. Squeeze the black garlic cloves to remove the papery skins and place them in a food processor with the olive oil and salt and blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture out onto the lamb, then use your hands to coat the meat, rubbing it in to every crevice. Place in casserole, add stock and cover with the lid. Can be prepared ahead to this stage.

Roast for 4 hours, basting from time to time.

For the pesto, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process, stopping to scrape down the sides, until you have a chunky pesto-like sauce. Keeps for a day or so in the fridge.

When the meat is ready it will be very tender. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pesto and a drizzle of the pan juices. I served it with a whole roasted cauliflower and some baby potatoes.

Serves 6

Quick Olive Bread

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This recipe is an adaptation of Irish Soda Bread. Made in the time it takes the oven to heat up, you can whip this up between morning coffee and Sunday lunch.

Served with home-made Gravlax and pickled vegetables (see below) it was delicious. Spread the bread with butter or mayonnaise, before topping with the gravlax or smoked salmon.

2 cups plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar
1½ cups plain yoghurt
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup sliced olives (black or green or a mix)
1-2 tsp salt, to taste
1 Tbs each sunflower seeds and pepitas

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Mix all the ingredients together, except the seeds, in a mixing bowl. Mix until all the dry bits have been incorporated. With floured hands, form into a ball and place on the baking tray. Use hands to shape into a low flattish round as shown in photo. Sprinkle with the seeds and pat them on.

Bake for 45 minutes or until evenly browned. Cool then serve immediately. Any leftovers can be served next day, toasted.

Makes 1 loaf

Variation: use chopped sun dried tomatoes instead of olives or some of each.

Japanese Pickled vegetables: cut vegetables into two-bite pieces and pack into a clean large jar or 2-3 smaller ones – cauliflower florets, red capsicum strips, cucumber sticks, carrot sticks, chunks of fennel etc. Heat 1 cup each of sugar, water and cider or white wine vinegar in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil and pour over the vegetables. If liked add one or two whole red chillies, then cover with the lid. If you don’t have enough liquid to cover the vegetables, make a bit more, using equal quantities of sugar, water and vinegar. Keep for a few days before using. Store in the fridge.