My family fell in love with sweet potato wedges long before they became a cafe staple, principally because roast sweet potatoes were also a family favourite. I wanted something that was a little more healthy, and these oven baked wedges were perfect. They only use a little bit of olive oil, are seasoned with salt…
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Figs with honey, yoghurt and toasted almonds
Figs are one of the most beautiful fruits. Unctuously sweet and perfumed, they are also tender and very luxurious. Unless you have a fig tree they are an extravagance as they are so expensive, but for the short season when they are available, as an occasional treat there is nothing better. Give me figs over chocolate…
Read MoreRicotta and tomato tart
The beauty of late summer, aside from a welcome relief from constant humidity and long, hot, sweaty nights, is the abundance of tomatoes that ripen almost before our eyes. There are a great variety of tomatoes available now – yellow pear tomatoes, vine ripened red tomatoes, green heritage varieties, cherry tomatoes and luscious roma tomatoes.…
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Cranberry and pecan sugar cookies
Sweet and tender and crumbly, these sugar cookies are based on what I think is a traditional American recipe – although there seems to be an almost endless variety of sugar cookie recipes available, both in recipe books and online. It is hard to say for certain the true provenance, although I did read that…
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Flatbread with smoked olives, brie and prosciutto
Flatbreads have ancient origins, with the simplest and earliest forms just a mixture of some sort of flour, water, and sometimes salt, kneaded together, patted flat and fried over a fire. I love flatbreads, and have a weakness for chapatis, toasted pita bread, and tortillas. I’ve tried lots of recipes and this one is my…
Read MoreGnudi with pumpkin, burnt butter and sage
One of my cooking resolutions for this coming summer is to learn how to make pasta. It’s been on my to-do list for a couple of years and now is the time. Over summer our busy life slows down a little and I usually have a holiday break. Relaxation, and relaxed cooking and eating is…
Read MoreChocolate self-saucing pudding (best ever)
Chocolate self-saucing pudding is the ultimate winter comfort food – fudgy and rich and warming. There are lots of recipes available for this pudding, as it is an Australian staple. My recipe however, has a little more cocoa than the standard ones, because I love the chocolate to predominate. Try to get some dutch process…
Read MoreGrilled portabello mushrooms with polenta
Earthy, richly satisfying, and deeply warming on a windy winter’s day, these marinated and grilled portabello mushrooms with polenta are simply delicious. I love the almost meaty flavour of the portabello mushroom, and because they are robust in texture, they respond well to grilling. The marinade is greedily soaked up, and prevents the mushrooms becoming…
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Orecchiette with salsa verde
This recipe is a whisper of springtime green in the middle of a wintry June. We still have herbs a-plenty in the garden at our place, even some basil that is remaining sweet, though it should have gone to seed long ago. The herbs called to me to make something bright and fresh and satisfying. Salsa verde,…
Read MoreLime and ginger cheesecake
Today, to finish our long weekend in style, I made this lime and ginger cheesecake – my take on the classic recipe made with cream cheese, condensed milk and lemon juice. What makes this recipe a bit different is the use of ginger biscuits and pecan nuts in the crumb crust, which adds a little bit of spicy…
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Simple food 