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With all the hot weather we’ve been having here in Sydney, I have become a bit of a fan of cold salads recently. Something fresh and light. This one I served with some beef steak done on the BBQ naturally. The sweetness of the carrot worked perfectly with the saltiness of the olives and meatiness of the beef. Really delicious. I blanched the carrots slightly as I often find them hard work when they’re raw. It worked a treat.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
2 carrots (very finely julienned)
4 spring onions (finely sliced)
1/2 cup green pitted olives (sliced)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh mint (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil. Add the julienned carrots and cook for no more than 45 seconds. Drain and run under the cold tap to stop them cooking. Let them dry slightly then combine with all the other ingredients. Leave, coevered in the fridge to develop in flavour.

SERVING:
Serve with fish, chicken or meat or as part of a mezze selection.

I love meatballs! What can I say! There’s something so satisfying in them. I especially love the Spanish version called albondigas. I always order them in Spanish restaurants and always eat the lion’s share. So, making them at home is dangerous as I have a tendency not only to eat them from the pan, before serving, but also returing to the pan after eating to finish them off; one by one. The sauce for this is beautiful and will greatly benefit from you using good quality chopped tomatoes.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
Meatballs:
250g veal mince
250g pork mince
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
4 tablespoons fino sherry
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 egg yolks

Sauce:
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
salt & pepper
200ml beef stock
1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)

Other Ingredients:
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Flour (for rolling the meatballs in)
extra fresh parsley (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:
To make the meatballs, combine all the meatball ingredients together thoroughly with your hands. Put about 2 tablespoons of flour in a shallow bowl. Take out walnut sized pieces and roll into balls then roll in the flour. Arrange on a plate.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the meatballs in small batches and fry, shaking the pan to turn them, for 3-4 minutes until they’re browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and cook the remaining, adding a little more oil with each batch.

To make the sauce, add a final tablespoon of oil to the pan. Gently fry the onion for 4 minutes until translucent and lightly browned. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, stock, paprika, salt & pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 minutes before returning the meatballs to the pan and simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir in the honey and check for seasoning adding more salt, pepper or honey to suit your taste.

SERVING:
I served mine as a main course with vegetables, but it works well with pasta, crusty bread or on it’s own in a small portion as part of a tapas spread.

After buying some berbere spice mix, it’s been on bloody everything since! It’s so delicious… thankfully I used the last of it for this simple chicken stew from Ethiopia. The spice mix really adds depth of flavour to this dish. Maybe now I can eat something that isn’t Ethiopian…

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons ghee (or vegetable oil)
700g chicken thighs (cut into large chunks)
2 onions (chopped)
6 garlic cloves (chopped)
4 tablespoons berbere spice mix
3 tomatoes (roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
4 peels of lemon zest
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon fresh coriander (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large pan with the ghee over a moderate heat. Fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan add a little more ghee then fry the onion and garlic for 4 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add the berbere, stir for 1 minute then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, lemon zest, 320ml water and chicken to the pan. Stir well until it comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in the coriander and salt and pepper to your taste. Squeeze over a little lemon juice just before serving.

SERVING:
Serve with flatbreads or rice.

I made this to accompany some spiced pork cutlets that had been rubbed in an Ethiopian spice mix called Berbere. The sweetness of the apple and slightly aniseed taste of fennel worked perfectly with pork. This zingy, refreshing salad could also accompany fish or chicken. It’s perfect for a summer’s evening.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 bulb fennel (very finely julienned)
1 red onion (very finely sliced)
1 granny smith apple (peeled and julienned)
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice of)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh dill or fennel leaves (chopped finely)
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
Toss together the apple and lemon juice as soon as the apple is cut to avoid it discolouring. Mix in all the remaining ingredients thoroughly, cover and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to develop in flavour.

SERVING:
Serve alongside pork, fish or chicken.

I do like a bit of tomato ketchup from the bottle once in a while, but I must say it’s way too sweet and strangely doesn’t really taste of tomatoes anymore. This is a simple, homespun sauce which takes a Moroccan character. Lovely and rich, and spicy too. It’s great served just as you would with normal tomato ketchup – dip your chips in it, smother your bacon sandwich. Cover your Christmas dinner with it for all I care – just give it a try!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
2 tomatoes
1/2 red onion (coarsely grated)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon harissa paste
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Quarter the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard. Roughly grate the flesh stopping at and discarding the skin. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over a moderate heat. Gently fry the onion with the salt for 4-5 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Stir in the harissa paste, paprika, tomatoes and sugar. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, uncover and simmer for 3-4 more minutes then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

SERVING:
Serve cold or hot alongside BBQ meat, fish or poultry. It’s great on a burger too!

These little patties were the star of the show! The delicious aromatic Berbere spice mix brings a fragrance and taste to these that is just glorious. The crunch of the crumbed crust works perfectly with the soft, creamy texture inside. All it needs is a little yoghurt on the side to finish it (and me) off!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
For the patties:
1 x 400g can chickpeas
1 medium red onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon Ethiopian Berbere spice mix
1/2 lemon (juice of)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Other Ingredients:
vegetable oil (for frying)
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 egg (lightly beaten)

DIRECTIONS:
Place the chickpeas, onion, garlic, egg, dill, parsley, berbere, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and process into a chunky smooth paste. Gradually stir in the breadcrumbs till you can form balls without it sticking.

Arrange three bowls one with the flour, one with egg and the last with breadcrumbs. Roll a golf ball sized amount of the mixture into the flour, then the egg, then finally the breadcrumbs. Flatten out into a pattie and arrange on a plate while you make the rest.

Heat a little oil (2-3 tablespoons) in a frying pan until just smoking. Cook a batch of 4 patties for about 2-3 minutes per side till golden brown. Add a little more oil between batches.

Serve hot.

SERVING:
Serve with meat or fish or even on their own with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt on the side. I served mine with a delicious Ethiopian Berbere spiced pork cutlet and refreshing apple and fennel salad. Berbere spice mix is available from speciality stores and deli’s. Try middle eastern and african stores. If you can’t find it, make your own HERE.

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mix. I’d seen it on TV recently and when I saw some in my local deli, I chucked it into the basket. Once home, I decided to make a simple spice rub on some rather expensive pork cutlets I’d bought in a moment of madness. The spice mix is a cornucopia of ingredients reminiscent of Indian curry powder. That said, It has a milder, more aromatic temperament than its Indian counterpart and it worked brilliantly on the pork. I accompanied this with a deliciously refreshing APPLE & FENNEL SALAD and CHICKPEA PATTIES, both of which worked perfectly with the meat. All in all, it was pretty refreshing – just what we needed in the sweltering 35ºC heat of a Sydney evening.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
Pork Marinade:
2 large pork cutlets cutlets (250-300g each)
2 teaspoons berbere spice mix
1/2 lemon (juice of)
salt & pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
To marinade the meat, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a plastic bag. Seal and and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour, overnight is best.

Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Heat a griddle pan and cook the pork for 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes then remove and sit for 1 minute to rest. Serve hot.

SERVING:
Serve the pork with vegetables. Or as I did with the apple and fennel salad and chickpea patties. (recipe’s to follow).

Berbere spice mix is available from speciality stores and deli’s. Try middle eastern and african stores. If you can’t find it, HERE is a recipe.

This is one of the easiest curries you’re likely to make. There’s no fussing about adding things at certain times, there’s no blending, grinding, frying. All you are required to do is put everything in a pan and cook it for 1 1/2 hours. Nobody could mess it up. I challenge you. Oh, and incidentally it’s pretty damn tasty!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
Curry Powder:
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Other:
700g lamb (cubed)
1 medium onion (very finely chopped)
1 tablespoon garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
10-12 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
salt

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all the powder ingredients together and coat the lamb with it.

Place all the remaining ingredients except the salt, tamarind and peas in a large saucepan. Stir in the lamb and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook covered gently over a low heat for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the lamb is tender. Add the peas, tamarind and some salt to your own taste and simmer for 5 minutes to cook the peas. Stir in the coriander and serve.

SERVING:
Serve with fluffy basmati rice.

I love cauliflower, and I love finding new, interesting ways to cook it. Here’s a simple recipe for cauliflower fritters. It takes its influence from Indian vegetable pakora’s but gives the little fritters more of a middle eastern slant with the use of my favourite spice, cumin and one of my favourite herbs, dill. They’re light and fresh with a little spice from the chilli to liven up things. Great with fish or meat and even as a simple vegetarian starter too. Splendid.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups raw cauliflower (finely chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 small fresh red chillies (finely chopped)
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped)
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh coriander (for garnish)
1 lime (cut into wedges, for garnish)
olive oil (for frying)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the flour, cumin, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs then gradually pour into the flour mix, beating constantly. Mix in the cauliflower, chillies and dill.

Heat a medium frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium/high heat. When hot, drop a tablespoon measure of the batter into the pan and repeat with a few more. When each side turns brown, turn over and brown the other side (about 2 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels and add a tablespoon more oil with each batch. Serve immediately.

SERVING:
Arrange on a large serving platter, sprinkle over the coriander and arrange the lime wedges around to squeeze over just before eating.

I ate mine with some delicious marinated lamb steaks cooked on the BBQ, a simple green salad and some greek yoghurt mixed with coriander and lime juice.