Honey-slathered, cumin and chilli roasted pumpkin, slung together with barley, chives and parmesan. A deconstructed risotto of sorts. Easy autumn fare.
main meals:
soba salad with mango + eggplant (and a go-to sesame dressing)
10 November 2011 7 Comments
An Ottolenghi recipe which combines sweet mango, earthy eggplant and baked tofu in a summery vegetarian salad of tropical southeast Asian flavours. My twist: a sweet-salty-sour sesame dressing.
broccoli + cannellini bean soup
24 June 2011 7 Comments
A thick, nourishing soup of broccoli, kale and creamy cannellini beans that’s nutrient-loaded and quick to prepare. Top with fresh grated parmesan and serve with buttery toasted muffins.
potato crust frittata
22 May 2011 3 Comments
A robust frittata for the cooler months, with acidic tomato, sweet zuchinni, salty feta and a crispy potato-base crust. With endless variations on the potato-crust theme, this is a quick weeknight, one-pan meal using whatever fresh veg you’ve got.
tomato, chickpea + paprika soup
8 May 2011 9 Comments
A quick and unfussy soup of sweet tomato and capsicum (bell/sweet pepper), chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and smoked paprika. Requires little more than pantry staples. Half an hour (tops) and you’ll be slurping down a bright red bowl of goodness.
whole pumpkin soup
24 April 2011 2 Comments
A simple, rustic and full-flavoured pumpkin soup which makes use of the whole pumpkin. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds spiced with cumin, coriander, sea-salt and chilli. And a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream.
caponata style beans
6 April 2011 1 Comment
Two recipes in one: a warm, chunky caponata-style salad of eggplant, zucchini, tomato, red onion, olives and fresh herbs; and a chilli bean dish with caponata-style vegies. Take one or both and you’ve got a peasant’s feast in no time at all. Serve the salad as a side or the beans as a main. Warming autumnal fare.
noodle + bean soup
27 March 2011 7 Comments
Traditionally served in Persia to bring good luck for the new year, this is a simple soup of beans, grains, noodles and herbs. A fragrant broth spiced with tumeric, cumin, chilli, pepper and lime. Hearty but not heavy, comforting but healthy. A perfect meal not just for celebration, but recuperation from world-weariness. It satisfies the core. Based on 101 Cookbooks’ adaptation of Greg and Lucy Malouf’s recipe from Saraban: A chef’s journey through Persia.
pumpkin adzuki curry w coconut, lime + ginger
13 March 2011 8 Comments
A punchy little pumpkin curry with adzuki beans, set-off with coconut, lime and ginger. And a fair kick of chilli. Based on a Nigel Slater recipe, this dish has a great balance of sweet-sour-spicy. Serve with rice, lime wedges and coriander or Thai basil.
roo bolognese
20 February 2011 3 Comments
A lean and chunky bolognese sauce made with kangaroo (with a few facts about this high-quality protein thrown in for good measure). Tomato + basil make this a perfect summer pasta sauce. Prep to sit-down in 20 minutes.
spicy pinto beans w. pumpkin
2 February 2011 2 Comments
Perhaps I jinxed things with overzealous descriptions of a return to normalcy. Tonight, along with most people around Australia, I’m anxious as cyclone Yasi – tipped to be the worst storm ever to hit Australia – will hit the North Queensland coast. The second unprecedented severe weather event to hit my subtropical adopted state in [...]
miso-glazed tofu
9 January 2011 4 Comments
Miso-glazed tofu with greens + soba noodles: a wholesome bowl that feels good and is incredibly more-ish. Perfect food for whatever ails you.
roasted baby capsicums w. fettucine
4 December 2010 2 Comments
A chunky, rustic pasta sauce of roasted baby capsicums, garlic + olives. Sweet with a hint of burnt-caramelly goodness. Simple, one-handed weeknight cooking, with minimal knife work. The roasted capsicums make a killer accompaniment to sourdough, in salads or as an antipasto.
dry-roasted cauliflower curry + eggs
21 November 2010 Leave a Comment
A dry-roasted cauliflower curry with chickpeas, chilli spice and a clean zing of lime. Served with folded eggs + steamed rice.
warm pumpkin salad w. sesame salt
15 November 2010 2 Comments
A simple warm salad of roasted pumpkin, asparagus and cannelini beans, dotted with feta and sesame salt. Hands-off weeknight fare. So good, you’ll want to make extra for leftover lunches! The sesame salt adds spark to salads, rice dishes, stir-fries and only takes a few minutes.
thai green chicken curry (& how to make perfect steamed rice)
6 November 2010 6 Comments
My favourite Thai green curry, fragrant with kaffir lime, punchy like a king-hit. Thai basil, beansprouts and lime juice keep it clean. Stupendous weeknight fare. And how to make perfect steamed white rice without a rice cooker.
the creamiest roasted eggplant ever
23 October 2010 4 Comments
Ottolenghi-inspired roasted eggplant, seasoned with olive oil, sea-salt and pepper. Fluffy, creamy, almost cloud-like. Served with assorted roasted spring veg and herbed buttery couscous. Hands-off weeknight fare that’s light and super delish.
eggplant with polenta
3 October 2010 1 Comment
Silken fried eggplant in a simple tomato sauce, served over creamy polenta, with liberal dustings of peccorino. This is simple, comforting couch food, adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s sweetcorn polenta and aubergine sauce.
quick fried rice
26 September 2010 Leave a Comment
Simple bowl food: warmed brown rice, slivers of ginger, chopped baby spinach, omelette style eggs and beansprouts. Season with sesame oil and soy. Quick as, super healthy, utterly delish.
warm zucchini salad w. chickpea & fennel
10 September 2010 6 Comments
A warm spring salad of white zucchini, chickpeas and fennel, browned in the pan and dressed with lemon, feta and mint. Serve with grilled meat and a glass of something chilled on a warm night. Or mix it up with brown rice and spinach for a workday lunch.
