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Blueberry muffins
I confess that I have a love/hate relationship with muffins. A good muffin is a beautiful thing and I have eaten some spectacular ones. But a bad muffin is pretty disappointing. Case in point – most cafes serve muffins – but they are usually enormous, either dry or stodgy, and the flavourings, be they blueberries, apples or bananas, as stingy as if a small amount had been tossed into the mixture from a great distance with most landing on the kitchen floor. A good muffin however, is full of fruity goodness, not too large, not too sweet and has a texture that is slightly crumbly and moist at the same time. I think this recipe delivers a pretty delicious muffin experience. We are enjoying a wonderful season of blueberries this year and fresh blueberries have been plentiful and inexpensive. They are the star of these muffins, which are also made lighter in texture by the use of buttermilk. Enjoy for breakfast, morning tea, or whenever the mood strikes. Makes 12 muffins 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour 3/4 cup raw caster sugar 120g butter, melted 1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs finely grated zest of 1 lemon 125g blueberries, fresh or frozen Preheat oven to 180 C. In a large bowl combine the flour, lemon zest, sugar and blueberries. In a small bowl mix together the melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla and then, using a fork, add the eggs and mix until well combined. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix quickly with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix. The end result should look a little lumpy – like a sponge cake you are ashamed of. Spoon the mixture into a 12 hole muffin tin. You can use paper cases to line the tin, or grease lightly with a little butter, whatever suits your style. Bake in the oven for around 20 – 25 minutes, until the muffins are well risen and lightly golden. They are delicious straight from the oven, but also very good warm. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Caramelised onion tarts
Caramelised onion is a wonder food. The humble onion, when cooked slow and long to release its natural sugars transforms into a sticky, sweet and savoury taste sensation that adds incredible flavour and richness to a simple host of foods – steak, roast beef sandwiches, root vegetables and more. In this recipe I celebrate caramelised onion as the star ingredient, rather than the bit on the side. These little tarts, topped with caramelised onion and some crumbled feta, are perfect for late afternoon drinks, a party, or even for lunch if you make them a little bigger and serve with a salad. Caramelised onion Makes approximately 2 cups 6 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons water a few sprigs of thyme 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Put the onions, thyme, olive oil and water into a large saucepan over a low heat and cook, covered, for 1 hour. Stir once or twice during this time. After then the onions should be soft and just starting to brown. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and season well with the salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 30 minutes until the onions are dark, caramelised and richly sticky. It will keep for about a week, in an airtight container in the fridge. Sour cream pastry 250 g plain flour 200g chilled butter, but into cubes 125 ml sour cream Heat oven to 180 C. To make the pastry, dice the butter, then pulse with the flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to incorporate into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Roll the chilled pastry out until 3 mm thick. Cut into rounds using a fluted scone cutter. I used one that was 7 1/2 cm in diameter, but you could make smaller or larger ones to suit your taste. This amount of pastry will make about 24 rounds that size. Place the pastry on a tray and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is nearly done. It will puff up in a miraculous way. Quickly take out of the oven and top with generous spoonfuls of the caramelised onion then put back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Serve hot or warm, topped with a little feta and a sprinkling of fresh herbs – thyme or chives.
Brie and rocket salad with pomegranate dressing
This recipe is based on a well-known creation of Donna Hay, who publishes a wonderful food magazine and is one of my favourite cooks and cook book authors. She makes beautiful food using everyday ingredients – fresh, simple and creative – and her photography is spectacular. Her recipe uses dried cranberries in the dressing, but pomegranates are in season and the moment and their jewel-like colour and explosion of tart and sweet flavour seemed to me to be a perfect alternative to cranberries. It’s crispy, and creamy and bright – and superb as a light lunch or starter before a richer main course. We eat this salad with a glass of riesling, the perfect accompaniment. Serves 4 2 cups baby rocket 120 g crisp flatbread 250 g brie, cut lengthwise, into thin slices 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds and juice (1/2 a medium sized pomegranate) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons good quality red wine vinegar sea salt and black pepper Place the pomegranate seeds and juice, the olive oil, and the red wine vinegar in a small glass jar. Cover and then shake until well mixed. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. On four plates, layer the flat bread and brie and then place the rocket on top. Carefully spoon some of the dressing on top and drizzle a little more onto the plate. Serve immediately. Printable version: Brie and rocket salad with pomegranate dressing Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Sweet chilli sauce – with a kick
Chillis were on special at the shops this weekend, and all sorts were available – long red ones, bird’s eye, Scotch bonnets, Jalapenos, green chillis and more. I bought a heap of long, red chillis and set to work making sweet chilli sauce. My recipe is based on one from an old Donna Hay cookbook, but I add lots more chilli. It has a decent kick (or, Kung pow!!, as my daughter put it) and I was really glad I didn’t include the seeds, but the flavour is really yummy, and much better than the store bought variety. It goes well brushed onto simply grilled chicken, and as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese vegetable roll-ups or spring rolls. There’s also always the option to pour some over a block of cream cheese and smear on crackers – a truly Australian use of this Asian sauce! Makes about 1 1/2 cups 16 long, red chillis, de-seeded and sliced finely 2 cups sugar 1 cup white vinegar 1 cup water a good pinch of sea salt Place all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes until the chillis are soft and jewel-like and the sauce sticky. Pour into a sterilised bottle and store in the fridge. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Orange blossom cupcakes
When I was growing up cupcakes were called patty cakes and strictly for children’s birthday parties. Now it seems as if the formerly humble patty cake is everywhere, and dressed up in all manner of adornments. No matter if they have a new name and fancy schmancy decoration, they are still a universal favourite. These are just a little more ‘grown-up’ in their flavour, with the addition of lots of orange zest and a touch of limoncello*. I like a not-too-sweet finish and also think less is more where icing is concerned, so the cream cheese based topping here fits the bill, for me at least. Makes 12 (but you can easily double the recipe) 140g soft butter 180g castor sugar zest of 1 large orange 1 teaspoon or vanilla extract 1 tablespoon limoncello 2 eggs 185 g self raisiing flour 125 ml milk 120g cream cheese about 1 teaspoon orange juice 200g icing sugar Beat the butter, orange zest and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating lightly after each egg is added. Gradually add the flour and milk and then stir in the limoncello. The batter should be pale and smooth and smell marvellous. Drop spoonfuls into a paper lined, 12 hole cake tin and then bake in the oven for around 20 – 25 minutes or until golden. The cakes should spring back when lightly pressed. The cakes need to be completely cooled before icing. To make the icing beat the cream cheese, orange juice and icing sugar together until smooth. You can let your imagination run wild with decorations or just serve them simply iced. I like lightly toasted coconut or tiny thyme flowers. * Limoncello is an lemon flavoured liqueur from southern Italy. Substitue orange juice or lemon juice if you can’t find it. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Pan fried haloumi with lemon and parsley
Haloumi is a sightly salty, semi-hard cheese that has its origins in Cyprus. It is at its best when cooked, and the Mediterranean flavours of lemon, parsley and olive oil are wonderful accompaniments. Good quality extra virgin olive oil and beautifully fresh lemons are the secret to really making this dish sing, so use the best that you can afford. This recipe is fantastic as a starter, or with drinks before a casual dinner with friends. I recommend a crisp sauvignon blanc or a gin and tonic. We are blessed to have close friends who own a vineyard – Symphony Hill – and they make a spectacular sauvignon blanc, which is one of our favourite wines, so I may be a teeny bit biased with that suggestion! Serves 4 as a starter, or with drinks. 180g haloumi finely grated rind of one lemon 1 tablesoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablesoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon cut into wedges, to serve Cut the block of haloumi into 8 even slices. The size doesn’t really matter and depends a bit on the shape of your piece of cheese but the pieces should be about 5 mm in thickness. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until it is quite hot. Place the haloumi in the pan and cook on each side until golden. It should only take about 1 minute per side. Any more and you will have rubbery cheese. Take out of the pan and drain for a moment on absorbent paper. Place on a serving dish and sprinkle over the parsley and lemon rind. Season with a good gind of the black pepper and serve immediately with the lemon wedges on the side. Squeeze on some lemon juice, spear with a fork and eat up. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Zucchini, mint and corn fritters – farewell to summer
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Henry James It’s officially the first day of autumn in our part of the world. We love autumn and the beginning of a different season, but we’re not quite ready to let glorious, long summer afternoons go yet. It still feels summery to us and summer fruits and vegetables are still what we feel like eating. These light and delicate fritters, full of zucchini, pops of sweet corn, mint fresh from the garden, and spicy, green chilli in every mouthful, fit the bill very nicely for lunch today. All too soon the evenings will close in early and the morning chill will make getting out of bed a challenge, but for now we cherish the remaining summer days and the last produce of the season. Serves 4 375 g zucchini (about 2 medium-sized) 2/3 cup self-raising flour (if you want to make a gluten free version, just substitute gluten free flour) 2/3 cup polenta 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons melted butter 4 cobs fresh corn 200 g firm feta cheese 1/2 cup finely sliced fresh mint 1 long green chilli, very finely diced olive oil, for shallow frying sea salt 1 punnet cherry tomatoes extra fresh mint 200g creme fraiche Grate the zucchini and place in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and leave for about 20 minutes for the juices to drain away. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, eggs, milk and melted butter to make a smooth batter. Finely dice 150 g of the feta cheese. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the kernels away from the corn cobs. Add the corn, chilli, mint and the diced feta to the batter and combine. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the zucchini and mix into the batter. In a large frying pan heat a small amount of oil. Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook until golden brown on the underside. Carefully turn over and when fully cooked, take out of the pan, drain on absorbent paper and keep warm while you cook the other fritters. Serve with the tomatoes and creme fraiche after sprinkling the fritters with the remaining feta and mint. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Feta and oregano dip
I know it’s easier to just head to the supermarket and buy dips, but for flavour, value and culinary satisfaction, I often choose to make my own. This dip comes together really quickly and is creamy and salty and herby and a bit spicy all at the same time. We ate it with crispy pita bread, but it would also be great smeared on crackers and followed up with a kalamata olive chaser. Makes about 1 cup 250g feta cheese, chopped into cubes 1 tablespoon cream 1 tablespoon plain yoghurt 2 – 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes 1 tablespoon olive oil black pepper Put all the ingredients into a food processor and season well with the black pepper. Process until all the ingredients are combined. I like mine to be a little chunky but you can make it as smooth as you like. Spoon into a serving bowl. I like to sprinkle a few extra chilli flakes and drizzle a little more olive oil on the top. Serve with pita crisps or crackers. It will keep for about a week in the fridge. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Poached egg on toast
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication – Leonardo da Vinci I doubt Leonardo da Vinci was referring to a poached egg on toast when he made that statement. However, a softly poached egg – organic or from a generous friend’s backyard chooks – with a chewy piece of toasted rye bread, topped with sea salt and fragrant black pepper speaks to me of both simplicity and sophistication. Sit in a sunny, warm place, eat your eggs and read something inspirational. Your day will be better for having eaten something so beautiful, yet so lacking in fuss and artifice. You can dress them up with smoked salmon, or ham-off-the-bone, or a sprinkling of dukkah for a special occasion, but they stand very well all on their own. There are many firmly held views about the best way to poach an egg so if you are committed to your way, go for it. Otherwise, here’s how it’s done at our place. Serves 1 2 eggs Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 slices toasted rye bread Butter for the toast 2 eggs Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 slices toasted rye bread Butter for the toast Bring a medium sized saucepan half-filled with water to a gentle boil. Swirl the water around with a knife and then quickly break in the eggs. Turn the heat down a little and cook for four minutes. While the eggs are cooking, toast the bread and butter it generously. Using a slotted spoon, gently lift out the eggs and place onto the toast. Season with the sea salt and black pepper. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Tzatziki, or, finding my inner Greek
It’s a bold thing to suggest that any recipe for tzatziki is an original and I don’t make that claim. It’s a classic sauce/accompaniment that has its origins in Greece but versions also appear in Turkish, Cypriot, and Persian cuisines. I owe what I know about making great tzatziki to both the wonderful Jamie Oliver and the gorgeous George Calombaris. I’ve never used a recipe so writing this down was a challenge in itself. But, with the summer weather here in Australia the hottest it’s been for many years, I was seeking something suitably cool and calming to make. We ate it with relish at our place. Makes about 2 cups 2 small cucumbers 1 cup greek yogurt 1 lemon 1 clove garlic 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped sea salt and black pepper extra virgin olive oil Grate the cucumbers into a small bowl and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Let it sit for a few minutes and then squeeze firmly in your hands to extract all the liquid. Place the cucumber in another bowl and discard the liquid. Finely grate about 1/4 of the garlic clove into the cucumber and then the zest of 1/2 of the lemon. Add the mint leaves and the yoghurt and stir until well combined. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and then spoon into a serving bowl. Grate a little more lemon zest onto the top and then drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with bread or crackers or with a simple host of Greek dishes. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Pumpkin and haloumi bruschettta
Some of my favourite things are combined in these tasty bruschetta; perfect for serving as a snack, or to pass around among friends with a chilled glass of wine. Sweet pumpkin, salty and squeaky haloumi, tangy lemon, crunchy almonds and fragrant oregano work wonderfully together to top the toasted slices of bread. Use the best olive oil you can afford to drizzle over the top because it will release a fruity perfume as it touches the warm haloumi and pumpkin, making the bruschetta irresistible. Enough waxing lyrical; go make them! Makes 16 1 medium-sized french bread stick 600 g Kent pumpkin 250 g haloumi cheese, sliced into 16 pieces 1/4 cup oven roasted almonds, roughly chopped a handful fresh oregano or marjoram 1 lemon good olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 200 C. Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges, leaving the skin on, but with the seeds and membrane removed. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with sea salt. Roast for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the bread stick diagonally into 16 pieces and toast on a griddle pan on both sides until golden and crisp. When the pumpkin is cooked, carefully remove the skins and break up into chunks in a medium sized bowl. In a medium pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the haloumi on both sides until it is golden. It should take about 2 minutes per side. To assemble, place the pumpkin and haloumi on top of the bruschetta and season with black pepper. Top with the fresh oregano and the almonds and the zest of the lemon. Lastly drizzle over a little more olive oil (I use a beautiful lemon-infused olive oil for this) and serve straight away. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Grilled pears with ricotta, pecans and runny honey
This simple, but beautiful recipe was inspired by the abundance of fresh pears in my part of the world now that autumn is fully upon us. The mornings and evenings are chilly and we are looking around for something warm to eat in the morning. This dish is a great alternative to porridge or eggs for breakfast. I used beurre bosc pears, with their intriguing mottled brown skin, and heavy juiciness; perfect for grilling until soft, but still able to hold their shape. What a wonderful way to start an weekend autumn morning. Serves 4 2 large beurre bosc pears 11/2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 250g firm ricotta cheese 4 teaspoons runny honey 2 tablespoons pecan nuts grated zest of 1 lemon Preheat the grill of the oven to 200C. Slice the pears lengthwise into 6 slices each. Place on a tray and brush generously with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the cinnamon and grill until the pears are lightly golden and soft, about 5 or 6 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the pecan nuts in a dry pan for a couple of minutes and then chop into small pieces. Warm the honey until it is runny (I do this in the microwave for about 20 seconds). Divide the ricotta between 4 serving plates. Place 3 slices of pear on each plate, sprinkle over the pecan nuts and lemon zest, and then drizzle with honey. Serve straight away, on their own, or with slices of toasted brioche. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation
Custard kisses
I have been working my way through my mother’s recipe book, revisiting memories of her baking biscuits and cakes for our family, and looking for recipes to tweak, develop or share just as they are. I have four siblings and we are all close in age with only seven years between the youngest and oldest, so there was a lot of baking in my childhood. Mum made biscuits frequently (I was 19 before I ate a Tim-Tam ), and cakes for our birthdays. We had a number of complex rules around who got what bits to taste when mum was baking. If it was your birthday you got the bowl. The beaters and the spoon were then given out on a first in, best dressed basis, and whoever missed out on cake batter would then get the icing bowl. For me, there was nothing better than sitting under the kitchen table licking the lemony, sweet leftover icing from the bowl. Along with square dance biscuits (recipe lost and mourned), custard kisses were a real favourite for all of us. They are similar to the more well known melting moment, but are flavoured with custard powder in the biscuit and the icing, rather than vanilla and passionfruit. I like to make them quite small because they are very rich and buttery. If you were having an afternoon tea party, they are perfect as a foil for finger sandwiches, lemon curd tartlets and scones. Break out the vintage china and a frock and you’re all set. Makes 16 biscuits 250g butter 1/2 cup icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups plain flour 1/2 cup custard powder Icing: 1 cup icing sugar 1 tablespoon custard powder 1 tablespoon soft butter approx 1 tablespoon milk Heat oven to 170 C. Line 2 cookie trays with silicon paper. For the biscuits, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until just combined to a dough. This is important because if you go too far the biscuits will be tough and coarse-textured. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into small balls and place on the tray with about 1 cm between them. Gently press them down using the tines of a fork, leaving little indentations on the top of the biscuits. Bake fro about 15 minutes, or util lightly golden. take out of the oven and cool completely on a cake rack. When cold, sandwich together with some of the icing. Store in an air-tight container. The custard kisses will keep for 4 – 5 days. To make the icing beat all the ingredients together in a small bowl, adding just enough milk to give a fairly stiff icing. Posted by:mawarre I love to cook (and eat). Based in Brisbane, Australia, I write about the food I cook for my friends and family. Post navigation