Monthly Archives

December 2022

Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin

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Sweet and spicy Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin. This flavorful pork is oh so tender, quick and easy to put together, and will produce delicious results every time. Ready in just over 30 minutes! Perfect for a weeknight dinner, holiday worthy and makes great leftovers!

Prep Time: 3 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloin (about 500g each)
2 tablespoons Herbies Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup butter (unsalted (4 tablespoons))
¼ cup honey
½ cup chicken broth (low sodium)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
  2. Sprinkle the cajun seasoning all over the pork tenderloins and rub it all over.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet over high heat. Add the tenderloins and sear on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the pork to a plate.
  4. Add the butter, honey and chicken broth to the skillet and cook until it comes to a boil. Add the tenderloins back to the skillet and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 68°C.
  5. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork to a plate. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt or additional cajun spice.
  6. Place the pork tenderloins back in the skillet and flip it around in the sauce to coat evenly all around.
  7. Cut into slices and serve with sauce.

Raspberry and pistachio semifreddo

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Cook Time: 30 Minutes |  Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 ¾ cups thickened cream, whipped
1 cup pistachio nut kernels, roasted, roughly chopped
1 tbsp rosewater
Mint leaves to serve
200 g fresh raspberries plus additional 100 g fresh raspberries to serve

Method

  1. Grease a 19cm long x 6cm deep loaf pan. Line with baking paper and leave a 5cm overhang on both ends.
  2. Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer. In a heatproof bowl place eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Place bowl over a saucepan and whisk ingredients for 4 to 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and whisk for a further 5 minutes or until cool.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold in cream, 2/3 cup pistachios, 200 grams raspberries and rosewater.
  4. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan.
  5. Cover and place in freezer overnight.
  6. Stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before turning out on a plate. Top with remaining raspberries and pistachios and mint leaves to serve.

Rudolph cupcakes

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Almost too cute to eat … almost!

Cook Time: 45 Minutes |  Makes: 12

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

¾ cup plain flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla essence
80 g butter
½ cup milk
2 eggs

For the chocolate frosting

1 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 – 3 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

For decoration
Pretzels for antlers
Red M&Ms or Jaffas for noses
White chocolate, melted for eyes
Brown M&Ms for eyeballs

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160C.
  2. Prepare a 12-hole muffin pan by lightly greasing and lining with patty pans.
  3. Sift all dry cupcake ingredients into a mixing bowl.
  4. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add remaining cake ingredients.
  5. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 4 minutes.
  6. Distribute cupcake mixture evenly into the patty pans and cook in oven for 15-18 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  7. Set aside to cool.

Grilled Carrot Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette

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This fabulous recipe makes the most perfect side-dish. The carrots spend a couple of hours marinating in a herb and spice mix before hitting the grill.  Grilling concentrates the sweet flavour and creates a lovely caramelisation of the marinade leading to an oh-so-tasty flavour.

Cook Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes |  Serves: 6

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground fennel
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 clove garlic
4 sprig thyme
500 g baby carrots
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp almonds
150 g rocket

Method

  1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, paprika, fennel, coriander, garlic, and thyme. Add the carrots and let stand for 2 hours.
  2. Preheat a grill pan. Remove the carrots from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat, turning, until crisp and tender, 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook the butter over moderate heat until lightly browned and nutty-smelling, shaking the pan gently, about 5 minutes. Scrape the butter and solids into a blender. Add the vinegar, water, and the 2 tablespoons of almonds; puree until smooth. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the vinaigrette and rocket to the carrots; toss to coat. Transfer the salad to plates, sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve.

Butterflied Roast Chicken

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A butterflied chicken means a quicker and more even cook to the traditional roast chicken. Add that with pantry herbs – you’ve got yourself a quick, delicious, budget friendly weeknight meal.

Prep Time:  10 Minutes  | Cook Time: 40 Minutes |  Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 chicken, butterflied
2  tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, zested and sliced into 4
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp white wine or stock

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200C
  2. Combine the dried rosemary, thyme, sage, peppercorns, olive oil.
  3. Season chicken generously with salt, then rub lemon zest and the dried herb mix. In a baking tray or an ovenproof pan place the garlic cloves, lemon quarters on the base of the tray and lay the chicken skin side up on top.
  4. Roast in the oven for 35- 40 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked.
  5. Remove the chicken from the tray and set aside to rest in a warm place.
  6. Place roasting tin on the stove top on low heat and deglaze with white wine and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir the base with a spoon to loosen any sticky bits and bring the gravy to a boil to reduce.

Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onion Gravy

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Prep Time:  15 Minutes  | Cook Time:  90 Minutes |  Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 kg scored boneless rolled pork loin
3 onions, halved
500 mL chicken stock
1  tbsp butter, softened
1  tbsp flour
3  tbsp olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 230C, fan forced.
  2. Remove the pork from the fridge an hour before cooking to bring the meat up to room temperature, to ensure an even cook. Wipe off any excess moisture on the surface of the skin, add more salt and drizzle oil all over the pork.
  3. Lay the half onions, flat side down, on a roasting tray and place the pork on top. Roast at 230C for 35 minutes, flipping the tray over for an even crackling. When the skin has crackled, bring the oven temperature down to 160C fan forced and let it cook for a further 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 65C.
  4. Meanwhile in a separate tray, place apples, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned lightly in the oven for 30 -35 minutes or until apples are tender.
  5. Remove pork from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
  6. To make a gravy, scrap the pan juices along with the onions into a saucepan. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the onions are soft and falling apart and the liquid has reduced. Place the onion stock into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Beer, Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham

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A fabulous combination of flavours will give your ham a beautiful golden glaze

Cook Time:  1 Hour 15 Minutes. |  Makes: 18

Ingredients

1 x 8-10 kg ham leg, rind removed
Cloves, for studding (about 50)

For the Beer, brown sugar & mustard glaze
375 mL bottle dark ale
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp golden syrup

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200C.
  2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, score the ham fat (not the flesh) in a honeycomb pattern at 2 centimetre intervals. Insert a clove into the centre of each square of fat. Wrap the hock in foil (this prevents it from burning).
  3. Place ham on a greased rack in a large baking pan lined with foil.
  4. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until reduced by a half.
  5. Brush the ham fat a few times to evenly coat with the glaze. Roast, brushing with remaining glaze occasionally, for 1 hour or until ham is golden and caramelised. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Crumble Top Mince Pies

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Just like mince pies, only better! A rich crumble tops off these festive favourites. For a smaller quantity the recipe can simply be halved.

Prep Time:  45 Minutes. |  Makes: 24

Ingredients
175 g plain flour, plus extra to dust
65 g icing sugar
100 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1 egg yolk
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
1 tbsp orange juice
840 g fruit mince

For the Crumble
75 g plain flour
60 g unsalted butter, cubed
50 g demerara sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Grease a 24-hole small muffin tin, ¼ cup capacity.
  2. Blitz flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk, orange zest and juice and pulse again to bring the pastry together. Turn out onto a floured surface and lightly knead. Shape into a disc, wrap in clingflim and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Make the crumble top by pulsing flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor until it comes together in clumps. Refrigerate until needed.
  4. Preheat oven to 190C.
  5. Cut pastry in half and work with one piece at a time while the other piece stays in the fridge. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 3mm thick. Using a 7.5-centimetre cutter, cut out rounds and line the tins with pastry. Fill cases with fruit mince and then top each with the crumble mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool in tin before gently taking out.

Roasted vegetables with hummus

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Bring some colour and flavour to the table with this assortment of veggies that are roasted to perfection and served with a homemade hummus

Prep Time:  1 Hour 30 Minutes. |  Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 parsnips, peeled and cut in half lengthways
3 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthways
3 beetroot, peeled and halved
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges
12 mushrooms, halved
12 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
Fresh thyme to garnish

For the Hummus
1/3 cup tahini
2-4 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp fine sea salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200C.

  2. Combine all vegetables, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to combine and coat the vegetables.

  3. Put vegetables in a large roasting pan, distributing them out evenly. Roast in oven for 45 minutes.

  4. Combine red wine vinegar and sugar in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove vegetables from the oven and pour the vinegar mixture over the top. Use a large metal spoon to toss well to coat all vegetables.

  5. Return to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes or until tender.

To make the Hummus

  1. Add tahini, water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add chickpeas and puree until smooth. If it is too thick, add more water. Taste and season.
  2. To serve
    Put hummus in a bowl and place in the centre of a serving platter. Arrange vegetables around the hummus and garnish with thyme.

Easy black forest trifle

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Short on time? This stunning dessert has the wow factor but is super-easy to make.

Prep Time:  30 Minutes. |  Serves: 14

Ingredients

1 litre ready-made vanilla custard
200 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3 packets chocolate flavoured biscuits such as Arnotts Choc Ripple
500 g cherries, halved with pits and stems removed
75 mL kirsch (optional)
200 g cherries, whole with stems
600 g double cream
400 mL crème fraîche
50g icing sugar
Grated chocolate to decorate

Method

  1. Place custard and chocolate pieces in a saucepan over a low heat. Heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted. Cover with gladwrap and refrigerate to cool.
  2. Meanwhile lightly whip the cream with the crème fraîche and icing sugar until soft peaks form.
  3. In the bottom of a trifle bowl spoon some of the cream mixture and then arrange a layer of biscuits on top. Sprinkle biscuits with some of the kirsch and add a layer of cherries and a layer of chocolate custard.
  4. Repeat these steps to create layers, finishing with a layer of cream. Top with whole cherries and grated chocolate.
  5. Keep refrigerated until serving.