Greek Spinach and Rice – Spanakorizo

 

[Photo from the internet, we ate mine]before I remembered to take a pic]

You can do this the traditional way or the easy way – my preferred way when in a rush for a side or accompaniment for a grilled meat or fish dish! This is the easy way so I should call it spanakorizo – sorry.

Ingredients
150 gm chopped frozen spinach thawed*
½ onion chopped 
1-2 spring onions chopped
1 Tbsp EV olive oil plus more for drizzling
½ Tbsp butter
Juice of half lemon (throw in some zest too if you like the tang)
I tsp dry mint or 1 Tbsp of fresh
1 Tbsp chopped dill or 1 tsp dried dill**
1½ cups cooked medium grain rice ***
Salt/Pepper
Serves 2

Method
Pop the spinach in the microwave for 2 mins then squeeze out liquid. Drizzle with a few drops of oil and/or lemon juice.
Sauté the onions with the rest of the olive oil and butter until soft
Add the cooked rice, spinach, dry mint, dill and heat through. Add a little warm stock or water if the mixture is too dry
Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil or better still butter. You could also add a little cheese (of your choice) but I like as is. Easy peasy and quick!

Chook’s note:  You could cook this in a risotto style if you have the time in which case *wilt fresh spinach in a little lemon juice and oil and then drain. Then add to other ingredients including *** ¼ cup of uncooked rice and ½ cup of water. Cover and simmer adding extra water or stock if needed. Brown rice gives an added depth of flavour.
** I find dill is one of those herbs a little hard to find sometimes and when you do there’s a lot of dill to be used fairly quickly before it spoils.  A favourite dish of ours is turmeric fish which needs a fair whack of dill but not a whole bunch. So I dry the picked-fronds in the microwave (see note) then crumble them, pop them into a small jar and freeze. The taste is good and you always have dill on hand – you only need a little. That small jar sits beside my wee jar of frozen dried kaffir lime leaves in my freezer. 

Forzen dried dill next to kaffir lime leaves (in the back are my bits and pieces,
I don't throw things out. They all get used)

Note on microwave drying: Wash and thoroughly dry the picked herbs – you can do this with any herbs. Place them between sheets of absorbent paper towel and place in microwave on high for 20-30 sec.  They may need 2 or 3 or more goes before they are completely dry and crumbly. Just turn them between blasts.  Once cool you can crumble then and store them however you want.  In the freezer I like little jars because they stay airtight in the damp environment and the lid is easily removed and replaced. But use whatever suits your kitchen and uses. Remember that dried herbs go a lot further than fresh once the water is removed.  Have fun!

Pasta with Artichoke Sauce

 

Don't be fooled, I bought them already prepared!

Ingredients
Serves 2
1 small jar of artichoke hearts, drained
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
½ lemon, grated zest and juice
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 Tbsp olive oil (to personal taste)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper (I use Szechuan pepper)
Optional: mushroom and spring onion
120 gm bucatini (or spaghetti) or enough for two
Splash of reserved pasta water or hot water

To serve
Chopped parsley
Grated parmesan
Optional: Crispy bacon

Method

* Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta, reserve some of the starchy water.

* Place the drained artichokes, cheese, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until combined *See Notes.

* Season to taste 

* Add a little oil to a pan and gently sauté the onion and mushroom, if using

* Drain the pasta and place it back in the hot pan and immediately pour the artichoke sauce over and toss to combine. Add a few Tbsp of the pasta water to bring it all together. 

Serve sprinkled with more parmesan cheese and parsley – and bacon crumbles if using. Serve immediately! 

Chook’s note: I use artichokes marinated in oil and use just a little of the oil in the sauce.

Try chopping a rasher of bacon and cooking till very crisp. This is totally optional but does add a bit more texture and flavour.   

*Note: The sauce can be blended until creamy or, as I prefer, left a wee bit chunky. All a matter of personal preference. 

I use pasta that I usually have already cooked and in the freezer. It’s such an easy option and the good thing is that the starch in pre-cooked cooled pasta is converted into ‘resistant starch’ which increases the food's fibre-like properties, resulting in a lower glycemic response, better gut health, fewer absorbed calories AND it saves time.

This is one of those go to recipes for a lazy night. Just keep a tub of precooked pasta in the freezer along with lemon zest and juice which I normally do. And a block of parmesan cheese in the fridge which I do because it’s my goto cheese for all manner of things. Oh and a jar of artichokes. As a substitute if you don’t have artichokes, you could substitute Chinese broccoli or some other vege. And you have a meal ready to go.

The sauce can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before using and I daresay it would breeze perfectly well.

You can thank me later!

Slow-cooker Indian-style roast beef

 

Succulent spiced roast beef - simple and delicious

Ingredients
1.5kg beef blade roast
2 Tbsp rogan josh curry paste*
1 cup beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
2 sprigs fresh curry leaves
Warmed naan bread and plain yoghurt to serve

Pickled Cucumber Rice
3 tsp vegetable oil
3 brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
5 fresh curry leaves
3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups basmati rice
3 cups chicken stock
2 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled into ribbons
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

Method

* Rub beef all over with curry paste. Place in the crock of a largish slow cooker. Add stock, cinnamon and curry leaves. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hrs (or on high for 4 hrs) or until beef is tender and cooked through. Turn halfway through,

* Pickled cucumber rice 

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 mins or until browned and tender. Add mustard seeds (watch they don’t burn), curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 min or until seeds start to pop. Place in a bowl and set aside.

* Place rice and stock in same pan over high heat. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 18 mins or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff rice with a fork. Set aside for 10 mins. Transfer to a bowl, cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or used precooked rice)

* Place cucumber and vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

* Drain cucumber. Add to rice with mint and 1/2 the onion mixture. Toss to combine. Spoon into a serving bowl. Top with remaining onion mixture.

* Remove beef from cooking liquid. Cover to keep warm. Place cooking liquid in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 mins or until thickened slightly. 

Slice beef. Drizzle with cooking liquid.

Serve with rice, yoghurt and naan bread.

Chook’s note: 

* I didn’t have rogan josh curry paste so used up some korma curry paste 

* Curry leave. If you have a curry tree lucky you. I used rather dried ones that had been in the crisper for ages. They work and give fragrance.

I substitute cassia for cinnamon (every time) as I prefer its earthier flavour.

I always have cooked rice in the freezer (it’s better for you as it increases the amount of resistant starch thus a slower, more sustained release of energy).

I cooked this is a 3.5 L slow cooker and it was plenty big enough for my 1.4kg piece of blade.

I sliced the meat and put it in serving-size tubs for the freezer..

And as always don't be afraid to substitute ingredients and experiement.

Spicy Pork hand-pulled noodles

 

(Recipe adapted from Marion Grasby's recipe)

Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I use peanut oil)
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste) *see note
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns *see note
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cm piece ginger
400g pork mince
Noodles or fresh pappardelle or other wide pasta
Finely sliced spring onion to serve

Seasoning sauce:
4 Tbsp oyster sauce
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vinegar (I love Chinese black vinegar for this)
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce (the sticky one, very much like Indonesian kecap manis)

Method
* In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the seasoning sauce and set aside for a bit.
* Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and stir-fry for 3-4 mins or until they’re blistered and starting to char. Then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 20s. Then stir through the chilli powder, paprika and Sichuan peppercorns.
* Add the pork mince and stir-fry for 2-3 mins or until just cooked. Pour in the seasoning sauce and mix through. Turn the heat down to medium-high and simmer for 2-3 mins or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
* Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add your choice of noodles. If you’re using the homemade Hand Pulled Noodles, follow the instructions for stretching the noodles into the water. Cook until the noodles are tender but still chewy. Use tongs to transfer the noodles directly into the pork sauce (save the noodle cooking liquid in case you need it).
*Turn the heat back on underneath the sauce and noodles and toss them together until well combined (add a couple of Tbsp of noodle cooking water if the sauce is too thick).

Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with spring onion. Enjoy!

Chook's notes: This is a absolutely delish dish with a wonderful flavour profile!  A few notes on substitute you can explore.
For the chilli component I use gochugaru flakes (Korean chili powder or flakes). I have this also in paste form and use that in other dishes but the flakes or powder are simpler to use. In the end, just use whatever chili you have.

Szechuan peppercorns (are not really pepper) are aromatic and a bit citrusy. I put it in a spare pepper/salt grinder and it can be used on lots of things. But if you don't have Szechuan peppercorns use Tasmanian Pepperberry (which I find a bit hot) or  crush 1 tsp black peppercorns with 1 tsp coriander seeds, or use 1 tsp black pepper with 1/2 tsp lemon zest.  We're talking quite subtle differences but a little fragrance goes a long way to happiness.

A word on ginger! I buy a large chunk fresh, grate it and store in little bags (about 1-2 Tbsp ~4cm piece) in freezer. Very convenient to have on hand (goes in the caravan as well).

Pasta/noodles. I had half a packet of fresh (albeit frozen) fettuccine and that was absulutely fine. Took just a couple of mins to cook. I haven't investigated hand-pulled noodles but you might like to buy fresh lasagna sheets and cut them to your preferred width but I like the simple options. 

Japanese Salmon Rice

 This is the simplest dish to make and is delicious

[https://honest-food.net/japanese-salmon-rice/]

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Japanese rice
1/2 cup sake (optional)
1 3/4 cup salmon stock or dashi (or water)
2 green onions, sliced thin
100-50 gm cooked salmon meat
2 Tbsp furikake seasoning (see below)
1 to 2 Tbsp sesame oil

Method
Rinse the rice well before cooking. Follow the directions on the package for the exact amounts of liquid to cook your rice in. 
Put the rice, sake and stock in a pot (adjust the amount of liquid to suit the particular rice you are cooking), cover and cook on high until it boils. Lower the heat to low and cook until the rice is almost done, about 10 mins, then uncover the pot and put in the green onions and salmon. Cover the pot again and wait 5 mins for flavours to infuse.

When you are ready to serve, fluff the rice with the sesame oil and furikake seasoning.

Chook's notes:
If you don't have furikake seasoning, simply toast 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and use that. (See https://thepingingchook.blogspot.com/2025/07/citrus-furikake.html for recipe)
I rarely have Japanese rice so I simply use good old Australian medium grain. And I substitute Chinese cooking wine for sake and use chicken stock (because I usually have some in the freezer and having to prepare salmon stock would take the simplicity out of this dish for me).
Don't use expensive cuts of salmon. I usually make this with smoked salmon cooking pieces but you could use tinned at a pinch.
Last time I added a handful of endemame beans and served the rice with a side of shredded spinach -  they certainly tasted good together and add an extra healthy twist.

Central Asian Herb Paste

 

(This is not specificall Tajik but comes from the region)

Ingredients
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch parsley*
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint leaves
2/3 cup pistachios
A pinch of salt if pistachios are unsalted
Fresh lemon juice - enough for your own taste
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper

Instructions
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor. Puree, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally, until a paste forms. Add more oil and/or juice if needed.

Serve as a garnish with Tajik soup or whatever dish calls for some zing - the smell and taste of the mint is delicious.  Great on toast with fresh tomato. 

Chook's note:
The original recipe called for flat-leaf parsley but I prefer curly leaf it has a better flavour
*Pistachios - I used packet roasted nuts.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or you can freeze small quantities for later.
This paste is very simple but a slightly different flavour profile to my Herb/Green Jam but just as delicious https://thepingingchook.blogspot.com/search?q=herb+jam

Tajik Green Lentil and Rice Soup

 

A simple nourishing soup in progress! 

Ingredients
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp ground allspice
4 med tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup brown rice
1 cup green or brown lentils
1-2 bay leaves
4-5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
* Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then the cumin seeds. Roast gently until they are fragrant, about 1 min but watch they don't burn.
* Add the onions, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and the onions translucent, about 5 mins
* Stir in the garlic and allspice and cook 1-2 mins. Incorporate the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and bring to a brisk simmer. Let simmer and thicken for 5 mins.
* Mix in the bay leaves, rice and lentils.
* Add the stock and bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-30 mins, or until rice and lentils are tender.  The soup tends to be quite thick so if you prefer a thinner soup simply add more stock or hot water and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Crumbled goat cheese or feta 
Central Asian herb paste
Lemon wedges

Chook's note: 
You can take the easy route and use canned tomatoes (1/2 can) and also canned lentils (rinsed well)
Use whatever tice you prefer . Brown would be great but I used Basmati (because it was handy).
If you don't have allspice you could use nutmeg

Citrus furikake

This a Japanese seasoning traditionally sprinkled on rice but I imagine it would go on many things – steamed spinach with a dash of sesame oil, avocado, salads and a plain old hot buttered toast.  I tripped over it when I was trying to find something edible to do with mandarin rind (I also used a little lemon peel left over when making lemon marmalade). It has an amazing flavour profile.

First dry your peel. Remove as much pith as possible and then dry in which ever is your favourite way – oven, dehydrator, air.  I chose the latter. It took a few days but the heavenly aroma of the mandarin oil was preserved.

Ingredients
3 x 20 cm sq sheets of nori
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds or substitute
2 Tbsp dried citrus peel
2 tsp flaky salt
1 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds (from ~20 pods)
1 tsp sugar (optional)

Method
Heat oven to 165°C
* Toast the sheets of nori for about five minutes. Remove, allow to cool, and crumble into tiny flakes. I crushed by hand and then gave them a short blitz (avoid going to powder).
* Arrange the sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast until the white seeds are golden. Alternatively use my quick way, fry them in a dry pan but don't take your eyes off them! Remove from pan, spread out on a plate and allow to cool.
* Blitz the citrus peel until it is course grain – size is a matter of personal choice but don’t reduce it to powder. 
* Remove the little black seeds from each cardamom pod and crush into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle (don’t worry if they’re not black they’ll still taste OK).
|* Combine the nori, sesame seeds, flax seeds, citrus peel, salt, sugar (if using), and cardamom pods in a bowl. Stir well and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Chook’s note:  I didn’t have flax seeds (and don’t particularly like them) so I used nigella seeds instead - good flavour. You can use a single citrus or a mix of citrus peel in this recipe. The origin Japanese version dried fish (like bonito flakes)
My one largish mandarin made a 200gm jar.

Kofta Curry

 

L: Qamar Milak R: her kofta curry

This is a delicious Pakistani curry. which appeared in the Australian Women's Weekly in 1973 (50 years later the page is rather tattered!). This was one a number of dishes prepared by Qamar Milak (wife of the then Trade Commissioner for Pakistan which is quite incidental).  It was part of a two page spread on curries (unfortunately the second page disappeared somewhere along the line) which I suspect was all about promoting true curries into Australian kitchens. This one is a real favourite of mine and Lindsay's and one we have been cooking together for almost 40 years. It is very fragrant and full of delicious, almost delicate flavours. You can make it as hot as you like but we tend to the warm and spicy. Highly recommended!

Ingredients
Meatballs
450 gm minced steak*
1½ Tbsp dry bread crumbs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp finely chopped mint
2 Tbsp yoghurt
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 onion

Sauce
2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
2.5 cm piece of ginger
2 Tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp salt
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
¼ ground cloves
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ cup water
oil for frying

Method
Meatballs:
Grate or blitz onion. Combine all ingredients, mix together well for 5 mins so that mixture is well blended.  If you like it hot, add 1 finely chopped green chili.
Shape into small balls (2-3 cm).

Sauce:
Cut peeled onion into quarters. Put in blender with peeled garlic and peeled sliced ginger. Blend until fine (or grate or chop finely).  Heat oil in pan, add onion mixture, cook until golden.  Add yoghurt, stir well, cook 2 mins.  Add salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, cloves and cinnamon.  Cook over gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is almost dry. 
Add the water and, while water is still cold, add meatballs.  Shake pan gently to splash spices and liquid over the top of meatballs.  Cook, covered, 30 mins or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serves 4.  

Chook’s note: * I use beef or lamb mince.
The sauce can be used with other meats or fish or vegetabese. And the meat balls make yummy snacks on their own. Just forget the sauce and bake in the oven! 

Ancient Grains soup - good health in a bowl!

 This soup is based on one of good old McKenzie’s soup mixes. I can’t recall when I first started using them but the company has been around since 1852. This mix is ancient grains not the bean mix, which I love, but the ingredients in this mix appealed to me – lentils both red and green, buckwheat, barley, split green peas, kibbled spelt. Just reading the ingredients is making me feel healthy already!

The soup has been decanted into freezer containers aleardy

Ingredients

1 cup Ancient Grain soup mix – picked and rinsed

1 Tbsp oil

1 lg onion diced

3-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, sliced (leaves work well here too)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 medium zucchini, sliced (no need to peel)

2 litres vegetable or other stock

Lg handful of baby spinach leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream, pesto, chili flakes to serve (all optional)

Method

Heat the oil and cook onion and garlic until tender

Add carrot and celery and cook for 2 mins then add, tomatoes, washed grain mix, stock and zucchini.

Bring to the boil and cook ~30 mins until grains are to your liking.

Add spinach last to just wilt

This quantity made enough for  9-11 serves.

The Chook's alternatives because there are always alternatives!

This is one of those soups that is ery tolerant of tweaking - just see what you have in the fridge.

Fry a couple of rashers of bacon with the onion mix

Add shredded cabbage in place of spinach (because I had it)

Add herbs – mint and parsley or oregano work well

Throw in a few dried shiitake mushrooms to add depth (remove them once the soup was cooked).

Sprinkled in some chili flakes while the soup was cooking. 

I used up cup of leftover pasta.  

I suspect it would be delish served with small croutons with grilled cheese a la French Onion soup

This quantity made enough for 10-11 serves.

Bon Appetit. Enjoy!

Rice and super green soup

 

This soup is packed with vitamins and minerals - a healthy choice and very quick and easy to make.

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbsp EVO
2 bacon rashers, chopped
500g packet frozen peas
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1.5 lt chicken stock
3/4 cup jasmine rice
250g packet frozen chopped spinach, thawed
To serve:
100g Danish fetta
crumbled bacon
fresh mint leaves

Method
Heat 2 tsp oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bacon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel (either discard fat or use it to fry the onions).
Meanwhile, place peas in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 mins. Drain. Transfer half the peas to a food processor. Process until almost smooth.
Heat remaining oil in pan over med heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 mins. Add stock. Bring to the boil over high heat. Stir in rice and processed peas. Boil for 10 mins or until rice is tender. Add spinach and remaining peas. Bring to the boil.

Serve soup topped with bacon, fetta and mint. Depending on the rice you might need to add  little water to thin it down.

Blackcurrant jam

 

Ingredients

600g blackcurrants (strip off the stalks)

~ 400g white caster or granulated sugar

juice of ½ a lemon

Method

Sterilise your jars (I do mine in microwave or dishwasher). 

Tip the blackcurrants into a heavy-based saucepan with about 100ml of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins until the fruit has broken down to a chunky pulp. Leave to cool slightly.

You now have 2 options. For a smooth jelly-style jam, squash the fruit through a sieve into a bowl. If you prefer your jam chunky and seeded, leave the pulp as it is. Whether it's strained or unstrained, weigh the fruit pulp and then add 400g of sugar to every 500g of pulp, then tip pulp back in the saucepan.

Pour in the lemon juice then heat gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar completely. Turn up the heat, then boil hard for about 10 mins or until it reaches 105C on a cooking thermometer (the setting point evidently). If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, put a saucer in the freezer. You all know this but to test for setting point, spoon a little jam onto a cold saucer. After a couple of mins gently push your finger through the jam – if the surface wrinkles, it's ready. If not, return to the boil for 2 mins, then re-test.

Take off the heat and skim off any froth with a slotted spoon. Cool for 10-15 mins. Stir gently to distribute the fruit, then ladle into sterilised jars. Keeps for 6 months in a cool dry cupboard – at least.

Chook’s note: Adjust the quantities up or down depending on the amount of fruit you have,  My fruit all had the remnants of the flowers attached and I thought that I would perhaps strain the pulp and make jelly rather than have floaties but the dead petal remains disintegrated leaving a glorious jewel-like textured potful.

The flavour is so worth the small amount of time spent cooking these wee berries. The colour is simply stunning.

I use this h=jam as the base for a gastrique *see elsewhere.

Guacamole

Ingredients
1-2 ripe avocados, depends on size
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
3 to 4 Tbsp minced red onion or thinly sliced green onion
1 to 2 serrano (or jalapeño) chilis, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 Tbsp fresh (or semi-dried) coriander (leaves + tender stems), finely chopped
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Optional - 1/2 ripe tomato, chopped and added just before serving

Method
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, scoop out the flesh.
Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado. 
Sprinkle with salt and lime (or lemon) juice. The acid in the lime juice will provide some balance to the richness of the avocado and will help delay the avocados from turning brown.
Add the chopped onion, cilantro, black pepper, and chilis. Chili peppers vary individually in their heat, so start with a half of one chili pepper and add more to the guacamole to your desired degree of heat.
Serve immediately or if it is to be used later, cover with plastic wrap, press plastic down on to surface 
Refrigerate leftover guacamole up to 3 days.

Chook’s note:  A simple recipe made in minutes. I have frozen this when I had a glut but it’s best served fresh.
There are all  manner of variations to this, it's really a matter of taste and time! Here are a couple of simple ones:
1/4 cup salsa mixed with a mashed avo.
Mashed avo with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon and perhaps a sprinkle of chili flakes

'Kashmir' Lamb - a 1982 mock up

 

Woman's Day May 4 1982 - almost a collector's item!

Ingredients
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced
½ capsicum, sliced
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup raisin
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked lamb, sliced
3 beef stock cubes crumbled 
A little water if needed
1 Tbsp curry powder

Method
Heat oil in large frying pan. Add onion, capsicum, parsley and garlic.
Cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
Mix in crumbled stock cubes and remaining ingredients.
Gently stir over a medium heat until all ingredients are combined and heated thoroughly. 

Chook’s note:  The page I tore out of the magazine containing this recipe (see above) is a bit ragged and splattered but this is the recipe as it appear all those years ago - the TV recipe of the week!
I substitute the pine nuts with almonds and I reckon you could make lots of other substitutes. It’s not haute cuisine (I think I had simpler tastes back then and the kids liked it) but it's simple and cheap and a great way to use up left over roast meat (if you have any!).

Roast chicken pie

Ingredients
Short and puff pastry bottom and top
½ roast chicken shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped into lardons
1 leek or onions, sliced into rounds
45g butter (or less)
45g plain flour (or less0
120ml milk
100ml chicken stock
50g peas
Sliced mushrooms (2-3)
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
25g pack parsley, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Makes 1 lg(23cm) pie or if you have lots of filling 1 lg and 1 sm.

Method
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan.
In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat the oil, then fry the bacon. Once browned, reduce the heat, add the leeks/onions and cook until they have softened. Mix the butter and flour into a paste and add to the pan, stirring to coat the bacon and leeks. Add sliced mushrooms and cook a couple of mins. 
Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to ensure the mixture doesn’t get lumpy. Add the chicken stock and peas, cook for 2 mins, then add the mustard and remove from the heat.
Add chicken to the pan with the parsley.

Line pie dish, spoon in filling and top with pastry. Crimp and seal the edges. Brush with the beaten egg, then cut a few slits in the middle for steam to escape. Bake for 45 mins until golden. 

Chooks note: I sprinkle the top with slightly crushed fennel and/or carraway seeds. The pie freezes well. The pie in the pic was made with all short crust pastry but s flakey top is lovely.

Slow cook Rabbit stew

 

Ingredients
1 small rabbit, cleaned and jointed (into large chunks – maybe 4)
Flour for dusting
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 rashers of smoky bacon cut in large strips
1 onion diced plus 2-3 spring onions cut in batons
1 medium carrot cut in chunks
1-2 bay leaves (I find they can be astringent so use your own judgement on number)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 whole Allspice berries
100ml red wine
150ml chicken stock
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped OR half tin of diced tomatoes
A spring of dried oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Parsley stalks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional 1-2 shiitake mushroom – fresh or dried (I simply chopped the dried mushrooms and buried them in the pot)

Method
Wash the rabbit pieces well, then pat dry and dust with flour. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and lightly fry with the bacon. Place meat in slow cooker
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Season with a little salt and pepper and cover the ‘crock’ pot (this can also be done in a slow oven).
Cook on high for 45 mins then reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 hrs until the rabbit is tender. Check and give a light stir occasionally.
You can thicken the sauce near the end if it is too liquid but serve with risoni or rice and that will sop up that delicious juice (almost the best part).

Depending on size of rabbit, this will serve 4-6 people.

Chooks note:  I haven’t tried this but my taste buds say that fennel would go very well with this dish. Recommend you quarter a few fennel bulbs, lightly fry in EVO and add to the pot an hour or so before the end of the cooking time.  A nice garnish would be a handful of crispy butter-fried sage leaves but the dish really stands alone.

If you’re lucky enough to get the heart and kidney, save them for a breakfast fry-up with a tiny bit of mustard, tomato paste or Worcestershire sauce, onion and bacon. 

A quick and easy fish curry

 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger (about a 5cm piece)

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

10 – 15 fresh curry leaves

400ml coconut milk

2 med tomatoes roughly chopped

1 tsp salt

600g firm white fish cut into 3cm chunks

1 cup chopped fresh coriander

Juice of 1/2 lime 

Method

* Melt the coconut oil in a deep pan and saute the onion for about 5 mins over a medium heat until translucent and just starting to brown.

* Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring gently for 1 min.

* Add curry leaves (careful as they spit) then the curry powder and turmeric, stir over a medium heat for a further min until the mixture is fragrant.   

* Slowly stir in the coconut milk, scraping up the spices and onion from the bottom of the saucepan.  Bring the pan to a gentle simmer.

* Add the chopped tomato and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the tomato begins to soften.

* Add the fish and the salt to the sauce and gently poach for about 6–8 mins, or until the fish is cooked.

* Gently stir in the coriander and lime juice - and breathe that wonderful aroma!

Serves 4

Chook’s note: I use good old Clive of India curry powder – the smell is delicious. I’m sure this would be fine without the curry leaves if you can’t get them but they do add a little extra dimension. 

Ginger – I always have tiny bags of grated fresh ginger in the freezer. Each one 1 Tbsp or there abouts. I also keep a nub of ginger frozen for those recipes that call for sliced or chunks of ginger. 

A firm fish is best for this dish. I used mackerel but use whatever you can get (cheap).

Choux pastry

 

An unassuming little sugary morsel thanks to Alexandre

From a fascinating lecture on the Antarctic's Ross Sea, an unlikely oasis of fecundity, I dashed to the kitchen to learn how to make choux pastry - and you wonder what entices us to travel!?  We had these, and other wee fancies, delivered to our cabin every night -  instead of traditional pillow chocolates, thank goodness.

The ingredients are simple, it’s the mixing that matters. Who hasn't made choux pastry?

Ingredients

263g eggs (4-5 eggs)

145g flour

125ml milk

125g butter

125ml water

1 tsp or less salt

1 tsp or less sugar

These are just wee morsels but they melt in you mouth

Method

Bring milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil. 

Lower the heat and add the flour and mix till 'dry'. It’s all in the mixing!

Add eggs one by one folding through with a spatula.

Pipe onto a tray and sprinkle with sugar - probably our raw sugar equivalent.

Bake at 180C for 45 mins

Chook’s note:  I didn’t count the quantity we made but I’ve halved the ingredients and reckon this will make a couple of dozen.

Far Breton

 

The lesson was accompanied by French cider

Recipe compliments of Alexandre Chef d’hotel, Commandant Charcot.
Being on board this rather luxurious icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot for 4 weeks as we navigated around half of Antarctica, gave us ample time to enjoy some cooking classes with the chefs on board, predominantly Alexandre. Our classes were made up of Australian, French and US passenger so discussions were interesting. This is one of many of the dishes that we learnt to make - and yes the French do indeed use loads of eggs and cream and butter. Delicious! And the 
Far Breton is a traditional cake or dessert from Brittany and that is where Alexandre our chef comes from. In this class he was making enough for 8 (so that we all got a taste) so I have reduced the recipe to make one 30cm cake.  

Ingredients
450ml milk
110g flour
105g sugar
3 lg or 4 sm eggs
12g rum
15g butter
200g prunes

Method

Soak prunes in warm water for about 30 mins

In a bowl beat eggs with the flour and sugar. Gradually incorporate the milk without stopping to mix then add the melted butter and rum.

Drain prunes and place in the dish and pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake for about 1h 20 in 190C oven. *The time and temp are based on cooking a large batch not to mention that the Bretons tend to cook these until the top is quite dark. Just make sure you keep an eye on it and use your own judgement.

Serve warm or cold

Alexandre - a generous teacher

Chook’s note: this was delicious and not unlike clafoutis which we were offered many mornings for breakfast – along with a mountain of other delicious pastries and breads.

Bon appetit!

Hot & sour cherry sauce with crispy chicken

 

I have adapted this recipe from the original which called for a boned flattened chicken to serve 6. This version gives 2 generous serves.

Ingredients
2 chicken Maryland
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 small red onions, halved
coriander sprigs, for serving

Hot & sour cherry sauce
1 cup (125g) cherries, pitted, halved
1/3 cup (70g) brown sugar, firmly packed
30g caster sugar
1 piece star anise
40ml Chinkiang vinegar
1 long green or red chili roughly chopped
A little lemon zest

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).  

Place chicken onto an oven tray or shallow pan with baking paper.

Rub chicken all over with oil and season generously with sea salt flakes.
Roast for 1 hour or until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear. If you plan to serve with jacket potatoes toss these in the pan with the chicken. Add onions to the tray halfway through cooking time.

Preparing the sauce 

While the chicken is cooking, combine all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir until mixture comes to the boil then cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 mins or until cherries are soft. Cool slightly, discard star anise; blend until smooth.

Pour sauce over chicken to serve with sprigs of coriander and extra cherries.

Chook’s notes: The sauce makes about 1½ cups. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze to use later – it goes well with lamb fillets. The original recipe suggested gently pushing butter under the skin. I think the meat has sufficient rich juices without the need for butter. It's simply a matter of personal choice.