Recipes

Nan's Curried Sausages

Serves ~4

• 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
• 4-6 thin sausages
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large onion
• peas
• corn
• 1 potato
• 200mL coconut milk
• cornflour to thicken

Cover sausages with water, add curry powder and bring to a simmer for 6-7 minutes. Remove sausages from pan, remove their skin and cut into 1 1/2 cm pieces. Meanwhile, place all vegetables in sausage stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until cooked, then add the sausages and coconut milk, bring back to simmer and thicken with cornflour.

Mum's Aussie Meat Pie

Makes one large meat pie.

• 1 lb best quality ground beef (e.g. sirloin)
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped finely.
• 1 cup brown gravy
• salt & pepper to taste
• puff pastry (or savoury shortcrust) - enough for base of pie dish and a pie cover

Preheat oven 375°F.
In a frying pan, brown mince, add onion and cook until transparent, stirring occasionally. Add gravy mix and cook until thickened. Allow to cool and prepare the pie dish by lining with pastry. Fill pie dish with mixture and cover with pastry. Pierce a few holes in top and brush with egg or milk. Bake until pastry is golden, about 15 - 20 minutes. (Can be frozen.)

Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4

• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• ~4 bacon rashers (diced)
• mushrooms
• garlic (optional)
• 1 tbsp white flour
• 1 tbsp white whine
• 200mL cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Optional extras:

• sundried tomatoes
• avocado
• chicken

Saute onion, bacon and mushrooms. Add garlic, careful not to burn. Make a hole in the middle of the saucepan to ad flour followed by white wine. Mix into a thick paste. Add cream over gentle heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Boil pasta for 4, toss through sauce and serve.

Tess' Thick & Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Makes a large main course size for 4 people. (> 8 ladels)

• 4-5 large potatoes
• equivalent weight of pumpkin
• 2 large onions
• 4 chicken cubes
• 4 cups of water
• 1/2 cup cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil vegetables and chicken cubes in water until vegetables are soft. Let cool and blend or mash. (Add additional water if a thinner soup is preferred).

Place blended soup back in saucepan and heat until bubbling. Take off heat and add cream. Do not boil the soup after addition of cream, heat only.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Crescents

• 2 tblsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 400g sweet potato (cubed 1cm)
• salt/pepper to taste
• 300 milk
• 250g fresh spinach
• 1 tblsp cornflour mixed in 1 tblsp water
• 4 sheets puff pastry
• milk or egg for brushing

Preheat oven 200°C.
In frying pan, heat oil and cook onion until transparent. Add sweet potato, salt, pepper and heat through for 1 minute stirring occasionally. Add milk, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Thicken with cornflour mixture.

Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the spinach to slightly wilt and cook. Squeeze out excess water and chop finely. Add add sweet potato mixture and cool. Spoon into pastry triangles (or squares) and brush edges to stick together. Lightly brush tops and bake 15 - 20 minutes.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta

• 400g destemmed cherry tomatoes
• 1 large clove of garlic (optional)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 1 large sprig of fresh basil - torn into pieces
• salt&pepper to taste
• 400g pasta

Cut tomatoes into chunks and place in bowl. Smash garlic with a small pinch of salt. Add to the tomatoes along with the oil, vinegar, basil, pepper. Set aside.

Cook the pasta, drain and return to saucepan. Add tomato mixture off heat (to avoid tomatoes weeping) and mix well. Serve immediately.

Oma's Winter Vegetable (and Beef) Soup

Serves about 8 (can freeze)

• 500g steak
• 1 large carrot
• 1 turnip
• 1 swede
• 1 parsnip
• 1 large onion
• 1 potato
• 1 celery stick
• 4-6 cups of liquid (water or beef/vegetable stock)

Dice all the vegetable into about 1-2cm cubes (or equivalent). Cube steak.

In a large saucepan, braise the onion and steak. Once sealed, remove and set aside. Add all vegetables and liquid and bring to the boil. Add steak and onion mixture and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 45 minutes).