Recipes

Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Ingredients 800 g cauliflower, up to 1 kg will work, separated into chunky florets, with leaves removed and stem removed  4 tbsp butter, 60 g  5 tbsp cornflour, 60 g  1 ½ cups milk, 375 ml  1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, 165 g, grated  ½ tsp nutmeg  Optional  salt and pepper to taste      Method    Place cauliflower florets in a large saucepan and cover with around 1.5 L / 3 pints of water. Bring to the boil and boil for 15-20 mins or until cauliflower has softened (test with a fork). Drain and transfer to a baking dish.    For the cheese sauce:  Melt the butter in the same saucepan you used to cook the cauliflower, on medium – high. Add cornstarch / cornflour and stir well with a whisk for about 1 minute to make sure it’s cooked through. This will stop it tasting like flour in the final sauce. Tip: Aim for a lemon curd consistency here – if it’s too thin, add another ½ tbsp cornstarch / cornflour and mix well.  Turn off the heat to pour in milk (this will stop the sauce becoming lumpy). Whisk through quickly, then pop back onto low heat and keep whisking until thickened, around 1 minute. Tip: If the sauce becomes too thick at this stage, add a little more milk to loosen.  Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and stir to melt it through the sauce. Tip: You can increase heat slightly to help the cheese melt if needed.  Season with nutmeg, and optional salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Tip: If the sauce is too thick to pour, add a little more milk once again to loosen.  To bake:  Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 360°F.  Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower florets, making sure each piece is well coated. Top generously with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake for around 20 minutes or until the cheesy top is bubbly and golden brown.

Recipes

Easy Oysters Kilpatrick

Ingredients 18 oysters fresh and shucked  1 bacon chopped, or 50 g shredded ham  1 tbsp tomato sauce  1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce  1 tbsp barbecue sauce      Method    Preheat your oven to 200˚C / 400°F.  Pop the bacon or shredded ham in a small frying pan over medium heat and sauté until cooked through and crispy. Note: It should release its own oil while cooking, but you can add a dash of oil if needed to give it more colour.  Mix the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.  Arrange the oysters in their half shells onto an oyster wheel tray (or a baking tray lined with a generous layer of rock salt) to hold them up. Top with cooked bacon and drizzle with sauce.   Bake for 5-10 minutes until the sauce starts to caramelise and the oysters are cooked to your liking.

Recipes

Prawn Cocktail Salad

Ingredients 15 cooked prawns, 500 g, we love SA King Prawns  10 lettuce leaves, your choice (we love cos or hydro lettuce)  1 cup cherry tomatoes halved, 150 g  1 avocado, sliced or chopped  ¼ red onion, sliced or chopped  ⅓ cup seafood sauce, sub thousand island dressing or ranch      Method  Peel and devein your prawns, then place them into a medium bowl. Pour over your seafood sauce and mix until well coated.  Arrange your lettuce leaves on a large serving platter, then top with your cherry tomatoes, avocado and red onion slices.  Top with saucy prawns and optional: garnish with herbs such as fresh chives or dill.

Recipes

Rolled Lamb Roast with Dukkah Crust

Ingredients For the Roast Lamb    1.5 kg boneless roast lamb, leg or shoulder  2 tbsp olive oil, 30 ml   1/3 cup dukkah, 45 g    For the Roast Vegetables  4 potatoes, peeled and quartered  2 onions, peeled and quartered  4 carrots, peeled and quartered  1 tbsp olive oil  Salt and pepper to taste      Method    Pre-heat your oven to 200˚C  (fan forced).  Pop your boneless roast lamb into a large roasting pan upside down and liberally baste olive oil onto the top and sides.  Sprinkle ¾ of the dukkah over the lamb top and sides until you have a nice coating then place into the oven.  Roast for 1 hour then carefully flip the lamb over so the top is now upright. Baste the top with remaining dukkah.  Add potatoes, onions and carrots into the roasting pan around the lamb, drizzle with olive oil (and / or baste with pan juices!) and season with optional salt and pepper.  Place your tray back in the oven and cook for another 30 minutes or until juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a fork. Flip your veggies over now and baste again with pan juices extra crispy deliciousness!  Remove lamb now for Medium or cook for a further 15 minutes with the veggies for Well Done.  Once you’ve removed your fragrant dukkah-crusted roast lamb out of the oven, cover with aluminium foil, and allow it to rest for 10 mins or so til it’s juicy and tender before carving.  Serve with your roasted veggies and your favourite gravy. Also goes well with steamed beans, cauliflower cheese or potato bake.

Recipes

Easy Australian Pavlova Recipe 

Ingredients For the pavlova meringue base    6 egg whites (using extra large, 59 g eggs)  390 g caster sugar  1 tsp cornflour, heaped  1 tsp vinegar  1 tsp vanilla essence    For the whipped cream  400 g thickened cream  75 g caster sugar  1 tsp vanilla essence    Topping suggestion  1 punnet strawberries, sliced  1 kiwi fruit sliced  1 banana sliced  1 passionfruit, pulp extracted  1 tbsp icing sugar, to sprinkle      Method    For the pavlova meringue    Pop your egg whites into the mixing bowl and attach the whisk to the stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Start by whipping them on speed 2 then move through to speed 4 after a couple of minutes.  When the egg whites turn into bubbly soft peaks, up the speed to 6 and add the caster sugar and cornstarch, then increase to speed 8 for 10 – 12 minutes until you’ve got yourself a luxuriously smooth, glossy meringue mixture.  Now bring the speed down to 4 and pour in the vinegar and vanilla essence. You might need to scrape down the meringue from the sides of the bowl every now and again with a spatula to make sure it mixes through. Let it mix for 1 minute then switch off your mixer.  Preheat your oven to 150˚C / 300˚F (Fan Forced) and line your tray with baking paper.  Scoop out the glossy meringue mixture onto a lined baking tray and form a flat circle shape. Smooth it out or get creative with decorative patterns, twists or twirls.  Pop in the oven, lowest rack, and bake for an hour to an hour and a half until the meringue sets into a crunchy, crispy outside with a soft golden glow. When the outside is firm and dry, and cracks start to appear on the top, you’re ready to go. Switch off the oven and allow the pavlova to cool in the oven completely with the door slightly open.    For the whipped cream  While the pavlova is cooling, pour your cream into your cleaned mixing bowl and pop in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. When your pavlova is cool, place the bowl back on the stand mixer (or grab your hand mixer) and whip the cream on Speed 6 – 8. Add in the caster sugar and vanilla essence and continue to whip until the cream thickens and holds a nice shape.    To assemble  Top your cooled pavlova with whipped cream and sliced fruit such as strawberries, kiwi fruit, banana and passionfruit, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Recipes

Easy Green Tea Matcha Cookies

Ingredients • ½ cup brown sugar 50 g, not packed down • ¼ cup caster sugar 40 g, plus 1 – 2 tsp for sprinkling • ¼ cup salted butter 60 g, softened • 1 tsp white miso paste • 1 tsp matcha green tea powder heaped • 2 tbsp hot water, around 80°C – see notes • 1 tsp vanilla essence • 1 egg • 1 ½ cups self raising flour 180 g • ½ cup macadamia nuts 60 g, roughly chopped, sub hazelnut or white chocolate chips   Method To toast the macadamias (optional) Dry toast the macadamia nuts in a medium frying pan on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden with a slight char around the edges. Transfer into a small bowl and allow them to cool down for a few minutes before adding to the cookie dough. Tip: The flavour and aroma of toasted macadamias is out of this world! But you can skip this step if you want to save time.   To prepare the dough  Place the matcha green tea powder into a small dish and pour in the hot water. Mix well with a matcha whisk or small regular whisk until the matcha is fully dissolved and frothy. Cream the brown sugar, caster sugar and salted butter using a stand mixer or hand held beaters for around 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Tip: You can use a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon if you need. Add the bloomed matcha tea, white miso paste, vanilla essence and egg, then mix together on low. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer (if using) then stir in the 1 ½ cups self raising flour and toasted macadamias using a wooden spoon until well combined. Cover and refrigerate dough for a minimum of 15 min. Cover and refrigerate dough for a minimum of 15 min.   To make the cookies 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F. Form cookie dough balls around 3 cm / 1.5 inches in diameter, then place onto baking trays lined with baking paper / parchment paper or a silicone mat. Tip: Leave a little space next to each one, as they will expand while baking. Flatten the tops slightly and sprinkle with the extra 1-2 tsp caster sugar. Bake for around 10 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges and cracks start to form on top. Transfer to a cooling rack until fully cooled, then serve or store in an airtight container on the benchtop.  

Recipes

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Ingredients • 200 g prawns, cooked, sliced in half lengthways (500 g if unshelled) • 200 g vermicelli rice noodles • 8 sheets rice paper wrappers • 3 leaves lettuce roughly chopped • 1 bunch fresh mint leaves • water boiling, for soaking vermicelli noodles • water lukewarm, for dipping rice paper sheets Ingredients for the Peanut hoisin sauce • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce • 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter • 1 tsp sesame oil • 1 clove garlic finely chopped • water Method  Take a rice paper wrapper and rotate it in the warm water until all surface areas have been covered. Pop it on your plate and top with lettuce, mint and vermicelli on the edge closest to you, then pop the prawns about 2-3cm closer to the top edge. Now grab the bottom of the rice paper and roll it over the greens. Tuck in both sides and continue rolling up the rest of the way. That’s it! All that’s left is to dip it in your delicious peanut hoisin sauce or nuoc mam cham and eat. Yum! Method for the Peanut hoisin sauce  Add the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil and garlic into a small saucepan and gently simmer on the stove. Stir through water a little bit at a time until the sauce has a glossy look and a smooth, slightly runny texture. Taste test a few times and add more of any ingredient or water until you’re satisfied with the flavour.

Recipes

Cheesy Garlic Cob Loaf Dip

Ingredients • 1 cob loaf • 250 g sour cream, sub Greek yoghurt or cream • 250 g cream cheese • %2 tsp celery salt • 2 tsp mixed herbs dried • 4 garlic finely chopped • %2 cup parsley fresh, chopped • 2 spring onion / green onion sliced • 100 g cheddar cheese, Maffra Cheese Co • 100 g red Leicester cheese, Maffra Cheese Co Method Pre-heat the oven to 110°C / 230° and grate your cheeses. Slice around 2 cm /1 inch off the top of the cob loaf, and remove the soft bread inside. Break it up into bite size pieces and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Add the lid and empty cob loaf and pop the tray into the oven for 5-10 minutes to lightly crisp the bread to your liking. Meanwhile, add in the sour cream, cream cheese, celery salt, mixed herbs, garlic, parsley and spring onion in a medium saucepan over medium heat and warm through for around 3-5 minutes. Next, add in the grated Maffra cheddar and red Leicester cheeses (reserving a handful of each to top). Mix again until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, around 2 minutes. Remove the cob loaf and bread pieces from the oven and turn the oven up to 200° / 400°. Transfer the bread pieces and lid into a bowl ready to serve. Optional: Cut the lid into pieces for dipping too. Pour the cheese and garlic dip into the cob loaf and top with the remaining grated cheese. Place the cob loaf back into the oven for around 10 minutes to melt the cheese on top and warm it a little more. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!      

Recipes

Miso Glazed Salmon 

Ingredients 4 salmon fillets, 500 g – skin on  2 tbsp red miso paste  1 tbsp mirin  1 tbsp cooking sake  1 tbsp soy sauce  1 tbsp sugar  1 tbsp vegetable oil      Method    In a small bowl, add the red miso paste, mirin, cooking sake, soy sauce and sugar. Mix until combined.  In a large bowl, place in the salmon fillets and the miso marinade. Coat well, cover then pop in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.  To cook, heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour in your vegetable oil, then coat the pan using a brush or paper towel. Carefully pick up each salmon fillet, and place them skin side down on the pan. Note: The miso marinade is full of sugar and will char, making it look burnt in areas. This is perfectly normal and adds to the flavour. By cooking on medium heat, it allows the fish to cook through without actually burning the outside.  Leave the salmon on the skin side for 2-3 minutes, before laying them on the side to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat this, cooking the top and other side of the salmon for the same amount of time, then remove from the pan.  Serve with freshly cooked rice and optional garnishes such as toasted sesame seeds and spring onion slices.    Recipes courtesy of Wandercooks. For more great recipes, go to wandercooks.com