The Hangry Chef

You will need... 400gr pork mince 1 tsp fennel seeds (more or less depending on how much you like fennel flavour!) 1 small brown onion 2 garlic cloves 500ml passata 1 zucchini (optional) olive oil 1/2 tsp sugar 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar or balsamic salt and pepper to taste 1/2 packet spaghetti (2-3 serves) 3-4 sprigs fresh parsley 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Method... Peel and finely dice the onion, peel and crush the garlic. Quarter lengthways and dice the zucchini. Wash and pick the parsley and roughly chop. In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil. Add the onion and cook on low until soft and transparent for 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and fennel, then cook until fragrant. Turn heat to medium-high and add the meat. Cook until browned, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon. Once meat is browned, add the passata, zucchini, salt and pepper. Reduce to low and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water...

Thirty minutes is all it takes to make this tasty dinner. I admit I got this one from Hellofresh. Some of their recipes are so good, we make them now even though we are no longer using the service! You can find the recipe here  , I haven't changed much, only quantified the ingredients they haven't, because they supply you with the tubs all measured out ready to go. You will need...  1 small brown onion 1 clove garlic 300gr pork mince 2 Tbsp of chermoula spice mix (recipe on my blog here ) 1 salt-reduced chicken stock cube 1/4 cup slivered almonds 1/2 cup water (for the pork) 3 Tbsp tomato paste 3 Tbsp mango chutney 1 cup couscous 1/5 cups water (for the couscous) olive oil salt and pepper 1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes 2 sprigs mint 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar  pinch white sugar Method... Peel and finely dice the onion, mince the garlic. Heat a dry non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add the almonds. Cook, until golden...

You will need... 12 green banana prawns, peeled 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 3 medium zucchinis 3 cloves garlic 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 shallot, washed 2 sprigs basil salt pepper olive oil Method Prepare your zucchinis, wash and trim the ends then spiralize them to your desired thickness (I prefer to keep them thicker as they stay crisp and don't go soggy so quickly Zest and juice your lemon, removing any pits Crush the garlic, slice the shallot Wash, pick and chop the basil Mix the garlic, a Tbsp olive oil and half the lemon zest with the prawns, add a pinch of salt and pepper (you can do this in advance if you would like to marinate them!) Heat a pan on high. Add the prawns and let brown before turning. While pan is still on high, add the shallots and tomato and toss to coat.  Quickly add the zoodles and then the lemon juice, salt, pepper and another dash of olive oil. Toss and allow to cook briefly for 3-5 minutes until zucchini is just warmed. Sprink...

You will need... 1 kg chicken thigh, bone out, skin off 1 tin diced Italian tomatoes 1/2 cup water 1 pkt taco seasoning (30gr) or you can make your own recipe link at bottom of post. 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp white sugar 1 tin black beans 1 brown onion olive oil Method Preheat slow cooker to high Peel and dice the onion. In a non-stick pan, sweat off the onion over a low heat in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until transparent Remove the onion and then turn pan heat to high. Add the chicken, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sear until brown on both sides then transfer to slow cooker with the onion. Drain and rinse black beans, add to slow cooker, add remaining ingredients then stir to coat thighs. Cook on high setting for 1.5-2hrs. This will depend on your slow cooker, ideally you want the thighs to easily be pulled apart with tongs or a fork. Remove chicken thighs, place in a tray and pull into desired sized chunks. Leave sauce to simmer in slow cooker if you would lik...

You will need 1 x 165ml tin of coconut milk 3/4 cup basmati or jasmine rice 1 cup water pinch salt Method Rinse and drain rice under cold water Combine coconut milk and water in a heavy based saucepan and bring to a simmer Add rice and salt, allow to come to the boil then cover with a lid and place on a very low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Serve Image credit https://www.livestrong.com/article/409614-the-health-benefits-of-coconut-milk/

This recipe is a revelation and once you make it it will end up being a staple in your cooking rotations. You will notice that I keep the beef and sauce separate, and only combine the two when reheating. The reason I do this is so that I can make a large batch, portion the beef into zip-lock bags and freeze them, along with pouring the cooking liquid into ice cube trays, freezing and then also into zip lock bags for portion control.   This way I can reheat the beef and sauce whenever I like. Also, keeping the beef separate to the sauce means that it can be used in a whole different manner of ways. I've used it in curries- cooking veggies in coconut milk with red curry paste and then adding the beef at the end as an easy week night dinner. It can be added to salads, pizzas and even stir-frys.  Or you can just eat it once cooked with the sauce over a bed of rice or with some vegetables or roast potatoes on the side as I did with our meal. I highly recommend making...

If you are new to cooking salmon, heres a great little resource for pan-frying a really good bit of fish----> http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-perfect-salmon-fillets-230150 I would recommend using this method for most fish and meats. Bringing seafood or meat to room temperature before cooking and using a hot pan is key for ensuring your protein doesn't 'seize' up and go tough while cooking. Also, I recommend resting EVERYTHING before you serve it. Most people know to rest meats like beef and lamb but not many people know that fish and chicken also require a good rest time to ensure tenderness and juiciness. Always cook the side you intend to serve facing up first (chef trick), and if you are a fan of crispy salmon skin then ensure you salt the skin (just like you would crackling) and cook it first in a good bit of oil. As you can see from my images, I didn't serve skin side up as we passed on the skin this time- but it always adds a nice bit of crunchine...

You will need.. 2.5kg pork leg roast, de-boned, trussed with skin scored (ask your butcher to do this for you) 2 Tbsp sea salt 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice fennel seeds (optional) Mirepoix- chunky diced vegetables 1 carrot 1 onion 2 celery sticks 4 cloves garlic (leave whole in skins- just lightly bruised) Gravy 2 Tbsp plain flour 2 cups reduced salt stock (or water) Salad 1 fennel bulb, shaved 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced 1/2 cup roasted, peeled hazelnuts 1 cup baby rocket leaves 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp vinegar of your choice salt and pepper to season roasted vegetables of your choice- pumpkin and sweet potato go well Method.. 1. Preheat your oven to 240 degrees celsius. 2. Dice the mirepoix and in the bottom of a heavy roasting tray, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. 3. Rub a drizzle of olive oil over the skin of the pork. Scatter salt to evenly cover in a light layer over the pork skin, then drizzle lemon juice and a scatter of f...

Nothing goes better with a sausage BBQ then potato salad. This is a nice, light summery one that you're friends and family will love, which can be a good thing-but also a bad thing if they demand you make it for every occasion!! You will need... 2kg of washed chat potatoes 1/2 lemon, finely zested and juiced 1/4 bunch of dill 1/4 bunch parsley 1/4 cup capers (or more if you like!) 1/2 spanish onion 1/2 cup cornichons (again, more if you like!) For the aioli dressing... 2 egg yolks (i use smaller, free-range eggs, but if you use larger eggs one yolk should suffice) 1 clove garlic 1 Tbs lemon juice 1 tsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup vegetable oil 2 tbs luke-warm water Method... 1. Cook the potatoes the night before by bringing a pot of salted water to the boil, then placing them in whole* and cooking until just soft (check with a sharp knife-if you put the knife in and it slides straight out then its cooked, but it the po...

The beef I am using is organic grass-fed rump. It's totally up to you what kind of meat you use, and I'm not going to push anything down your throat, but I'm being conscious of what I put into my body at the moment. The saying goes 'you are what you eat', and that goes for animals too- so if a cow has been munching on lovely nutrient-filled grass then it's meat is likely to contain more vitamins and minerals (B & K as well as calcium, magnesium and selenium) if you'd like to read more go to;  http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-differences-between-grass-fed-beef-and-grain-fed-beef/#axzz2hMbrtNP6 You will need... (for 2 or three people) 400gr beef rump (or you could use lamb, pork or even chicken) 1 clove garlic 1 pinch chilli flakes 1 pinch dried parsley 1 pinch dried thyme 1 pinch (you're liking my measurement system here?) dried rosemary* course salt freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar 1 splash (again so spec...

You will need... 2 large chicken breasts, butterflied and flattened to an even thickness salt & pepper olive oil For the Quinoa.. 1 cup uncooked white quinoa 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/2 brown onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely diced 1 large lemon, zest and juice. 1/2 tsp each of dried basil, thyme and oregano handful fresh baby spinach For the Roast Pumpkin.. 1/2 large butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and diced into 1.5cm cubes 2 garlic cloves, left with skin on and flattened 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or thyme For the Dressing... 1 lemon, juiced 2 sprigs fresh basil, finely diced (or use the stuff in the tube-pre chopped-about 1 Tbs worth) 1/4 cup olive oil salt & pepper Method... Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius fan-forced. Roast the pumpkin in a shallow baking tray with paprika, herbs, whole garlic cloves, salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of oliv...

One of my lovely friends brought me a container of this liquid gold when I was convalescing from a recent surgery. It has since become my new favourite soup, and when I was feeling back to myself post-surgery I made myself a slow-cooker full of it, portioned it up into takeaway containers and froze it for quick, easy work lunches. If you don't have a slow-cooker it's just as easy to cook on the stove. You will need... 1 medium-sized kent pumpkin (or butternut if you wish) 4 Tbsp of red curry paste- I always use Ayam as I like the flavour, but you can use whichever brand you prefer 2 tins full-fat coconut cream 1 salt-reduced chicken stock cube (optional, but I think it gives it a bit of an extra flavour. Make sure you use salt-reduced otherwise your soup will be extra salty) washed coriander to serve Method... 1. Peel, deseed and dice the pumpkin. Add to the pre-heated slow cooker or a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the curry paste and stir to coat. Pour over the coc...

I took inspiration for this recipe from Donna Hay's slow cooked beef ragu pasta . I normally make my pasta sauces in large quantities (recipe here ), and freeze the portions. I thought I would try something different and do a traditional ragu with braised beef instead. I wanted to use brisket as I know from previous experience it has the perfect ratio of fat to meat for pulling and thought it would work well in a ragu (I was right!!) most online recipes called for chuck steak, which is great for dicing into stews but thats not exactly what I wanted. So thanks to Donna Hay, I've taken a few steps from her recipe and then put my own spin on it. Enjoy! You will need... (makes 6 generous serves) 1kg beef brisket, outer fat layer trimmed, sliced into four pieces plain flour for dusting 3 Tbs olive oil salt and pepper 1/4 cup diced pancetta or bacon 1 large brown onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup red wine 2 cups salt-reduced beef stock 2 400gr tins diced Ita...

I'm still practising with my slow cooker and butter chicken is next on my agenda! It was a bit easier to bring together then the Massaman beef that I cooked the week before but maybe thats just because I'm starting to get the hang of the slow cooker thing! You will need... 1.5kg chicken thighs, diced 1 lemon, juiced ¼ cup yoghurt 1 tblsp ginger, grated 4 tblsp vegetable oil 1 tsp salt 4 small onions, peeled  and diced 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed 400g tin crushed tomatoes 75g unsalted butter, chopped 1 cup thickened cream 2 sprigs chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp salt Spice mix: 4 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 cardamom pods 4 cloves 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1 cinnamon quill Method... 1. Prepare the spice mix by g rinding all the spices (except the cinnamon quill) in a mortar and pestle until a powder. Remove cardamon husks. 2. Transfer to a bowl with  the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, yoghurt and 2...

I recently invested in a slow cooker, as we are well into Autumn and the weather is starting to cool down I am getting into slow-cooked meals. I'm not a huge fan of soups and stews, but I love curries and slow-cooked meats so I decided to bite the bullet and make it a bit easier on myself. I figure I can prepare the ingredients the night before, put them in the slow cooker the following morning and come home from work to a perfectly braised meal, my life will be so much easier! My first experience with the slow cooker is this Beef Massaman curry. I actually cheated and bought a pre-made spice mix from Curry Traders . I think there's no shame in buying pre-mixed spices for curries, as generally you will need about 10 different spices and unless you intend to cook these types of curries regularly there is no point cluttering up your pantry with all the individual spice-jars. Having said that, if you like to make your own I will include the recipe for the spices needed also. ...

Ohhh pasticcio... This recipe gives me so many warm and fuzzies. My mum always used to make it for me when I was younger for special occasions like my birthday and Easter so I associate it with fun times and getting presents and all that good stuff. The one my mum made came from the old faithful Margaret Fulton Cookbook circa late sixties/early seventies... I'm not sure what my Italian mum was doing making Greek recipes written by an Australian cookbook guru but anyway... it must have been en-vogue when the book was written and I'm not complaining because it's delicious. Mum's pasticcio was put together 'lasagna-style' with layers of curly-edge lasagna sheets that would get all crispy and brown on the edges. She would layer the pasta sheets with the tomato and beef sauce and béchamel and then bake it, and it would usually take her a while to prepare. My New Favourite Cookbook! I like this recipe by George Calombaris because it still has all that wo...

These are a hands-down summer must eat. They're so light and flavoursome that you'll wonder where they've been your whole life. I'm happy that they were easy to make, and I think the stand-out component of the dish is the sauce (which was also super easy to make- thank you Jamie Oliver!)... Let's stop dithering and get into it shall we? You will need... (makes 4-5 tacos) 450-500gr of white fish- haddock, cod or gemfish work well in this! 2 large, juicy limes 2 shallots 2 kiwi fruit 1/2 yellow capsisum 1/2 ripe avocado, diced 1 bunch fresh coriander, washed 1 large green chilli, deseeded tabasco olive oil salt and pepper 1/4 small red cabbage 1 small tomato, diced 4 or 5 small (8 inch) white corn tortillas fresh yoghurt for serving Method... 1. Start by slicing the fish into nice thick pieces and place on a plate. I removed the skin off mine and took out a few bones that were left in, if you aren't confident doing this yourself you can ...

This kind of gnocchi is really so much easier to make then the regular potato gnocchi. I have given a recipe for four serves, but really you can easily double it, store it in the fridge for lunches the following day or freeze the gnocchi (without sauce- just on a tray, separated to stop it from sticking) and reheat in boiling water on nights when you feel like something quick and yummy! I like to serve my gnocchi with a basic Napolitana sauce which takes around 25 minutes to cook and only requires a couple of easy ingredients. Topped with lashings of freshly grated parmesan, this yummy meal is delicious and not too bad for you either! You will need... (4 serves) 250gr fresh ricotta 1/4 cup of frozen spinach, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed out and chopped relatively finely 2 Tbs freshly grated parmesan 1 egg 1/2 cup plain flour small pinch salt & freshly ground black pepper extra flour for rolling For the Napoli 2 tins of diced Italian tomatoes 2 cloves garlic,...