create: chicken nuggets

(Better than maccas, I have been told on the very reliable authority of an 8 year old)

1kg chicken breast cut into pieces (3 - 5cm or however you fancy them)

1.5 cups buttermilk

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried mixes herbs

1 tsb ground black pepper

Olive oil cooking spray

Coat the chicken pieces in the buttermilk (I left it for several hours but its not important if you can't). Mix together all the dry ingredients.  Shake off the excess  buttermilk from chicken and toss in crumb mix to coat. Place on a baking tray on baking paper. Spray the top side with olive oil. Place in preheated oven at 180 degrees for 10 - 12 mins before turning over and cooking a further 10 - 12 mins or until crumb is crisp.

create: muesli bars

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup diced dried apricots

1/2 cup sultanas

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup of mixture of pepitas, sunflower seeds and pine nuts

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup honey or golden syrup

30 gm butter

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180. Grease and line (with paper overhanging edges) 19cm x 29 slice tin.

Place flour, oats, fruit, seeds and nuts, and baking powder and mix.

Add honey and butter to small saucepan and heat until butter has melted. Add to flour mixture with egg and stir until combined. If it needs more liquid add some honey or a touch of water.

Press into pan. Bake 20 - 30 mins until just firm and starting to colour. Cool in pan and then cut into fingers.

create: tuscan roast pork belly

2.5kg piece boneless pork belly, skin on
2 rosemary sprigs, just leaves
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups dry white wine
2 onions finely sliced
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup Marsala

Score skin and fat in criss-cross without cutting meet. Place pork on a rack in the sink and pour over kettle of boiling water. Dry well.

Crush rosemary, fennel, zest, garlic to coarse paste using mortar and pestle. Stir in oil, then rub paste into pork skin. Cover and marinate in fridge 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven 220 degrees. Place pork
in a roasting pan and pour over wine. Rub 2 tbsp sea salt into skin, roast for 30 mins. Reduce heat to 160 degrees and cook further hour. Scatter onions in pan, and roast further hour until skin is crisp and juices run clear. Remove onion and pork from pan and loosely cover with foil.

Discard all but 2 tbsp of fat from pan, reserve juices. Place pan over medium heat and stir in flour. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock, Marsala, and reserved juices until smooth. Strain and keep warm.

Thinly slice pork, serve with green beans, gravy and lemon wedges.

create: chinese caramelised pork belly

Give this a go...

1kg pork belly - cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cups chicken stock

1.5 cups light soy sauce

1/2 cup oyster sauce

1 cup shaoxing wine

1 cup brown sugar

4 star anise 

2 cinnamon sticks

3cm piece ginger, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup brown sugar, extra

1 cup water

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Steamed rice and Asian greens to serve 

Bring large saucepan of water to boil, add pork and simmer 5 mins. Drain and set aside pork. Heat stock, soy, oyster sauce, wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, ginger and garlic in large pot over medium/high heat and stir to combine. Simmer 15 minutes.

Add pork and simmer gently, uncovered over medium heat for 1 hour (make sure pork is covered in syrup and add a little water if reduces too much). 

Heat extra brown sugar and water until dissolves. Simmer 10 mins until syrup forms. Add fish sauce, vinegar, and 1/4 of pork braiding mixture. Stir to combine then simmer 5 mins.

Remove pork from braising mixture with a slotted spoon and transfer to strainer resting over a bowl to drain.  Add pork to syrup mixture and stir until heated through. Serve with rice and greens.

create: cheese twists

So easy and yet so good.  Perfect with a beer or a glass of wine.  Can be made ahead, stored in an airtight container, and then reheated briefly in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving. 

2 sheets ready made puff pastry

1 egg yolk

100gm strong cheddar cheese

Caraway or cumin seeds

Chilli salt (optional)

Allow puff pastry to defrost slightly.  Place the puff pastry on floured benchtop, or plastic/cling wrap, and brush with egg yolk.  Sprinkle grated cheese over the puff pastry and press it in.  Turn the pastry over and repeat with egg and cheese.  Cut the pastry into 3cm wide strips.  Line a baking tray with lightly floured non-stick paper.  Pick up each strip, and twist it, so that the twisted strip creates a hollow pipe shape.  Place on the tray.  Sprinkle with caraway seeds, or cumin seeds, of with a light chilli salt or other flavouring.  Refrigerate for at least 30 mins.  Place in hot oven (200 degrees, fan forced) for 20 - 25 minutes or until puffed up and golden brown.  Serve warm.

create: steamed puddings

Is there anything better in winter than a steamed pudding with hot custard? We used to have golden syrup pudding made with a Tandace Suet Pudding Mix but I can't find it in the local shops, and so we have to make do with a normal butter based pudding.  Suet, I understand, can be ordered from a butcher - if you can bring yourself to make a pudding from a tub of beef drippings am sure you will be rewarded....

Rum, raisin and dark chocolate pudding

100ml dark rum

100gm raisins

150gm caster sugar

125 gm butter

2 eggs

125gm plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

100gm dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

In a saucepan, heat the rum until almost boiling.  Remove from heat, add the raisins and cover and stand for 20 mins.  Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer until light and creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.  Fold through sifted flour and baking power followed by chocolate and rum/raising mix.

Pour mixture into a pudding tin or bowl which has been greased and lightly floured.  Cover with greased baking paper and then foil and seal using string if using a pudding bowl.  If using a pudding tin, cover with greased baking paper and then place lid on tin.  Place pudding tin in a large saucepan, filling with water that comes halfway up the side of the side of the pudding tin.  Cover, bring to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Golden syrup pudding

1/2 cup golden syrup (or more, if you like!)

125gm butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

2/3 cup milk

Grease a pudding tin or bowl.  Pour golden syrup into base of tin.  Beat butter and sugar using electric mixer until light and creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in flour and milk and mix until combined.  Spoon mixture on top of the golden syrup.

Cover with greased baking paper and then foil and seal using string if using a pudding bowl.  If using a pudding tin, cover with greased baking paper and then place lid on tin.  Place pudding tin in a large saucepan, filling with water that comes halfway up the side of the side of the pudding tin.  Cover, bring to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.  You can pour extra golden syrup over the top if you wish after it is cooked (the photo here does not have extra syrup!).

create: labne

Perfect in a mezze platter, with grilled lamb, or on a lunchtime sandwich.

1kg greek yoghurt
1 tsp sea salt

dukkha

olive oil

Mix together yoghurt and sea salt.  Place yoghurt in the centre of a clean chux cloth (or muslin if  you have it) and then tie in a loose ball.  Place in a flour sieve over a bowl, to allow the whey to drain out of the yoghurt.  Leave in the fridge for 3 days to drain.  Roll the cheese into balls, coat in dukkha (if desired) and place on a tray for at least an hour to dry out.  Then place in sterilised jars, cover with olive oil and store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.