Table of contents for May 2020 in Taste.com.au

We’re officially in my favourite part of the year – soup season! Who doesn’t love the thought of cooking up a big pot of nourishment for the family, then sitting down to enjoy it together? We have loads of ideas in this issue, from soups that only take 10 minutes to prep and cook (page 44), to Louise Keats’s and Michelle Southan’s takes on naughty and nice minestrone (page 82). Plus, as we all hunker down and spend more time at home, making the most of what we have in the pantry is more important than ever. That’s why we’ve included all sorts of soup star flavour combos to try using pantry staples (page 94), plus a handy guide on storing cupboard items we all have right now. We’re also…

You’ll need: 8 large wholemeal wraps Olive oil spray 45g ( 1/3 cup) pistachio dukkah step 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Place 2 wraps on top of each other, edges lined up, on a large chopping board. step 2 Carefully upturn a 16cm plate in the centre of the wrap stack. Use 1 hand to hold the plate firmly in place. Grab a sharp knife. step 3 Use knife to make small V-shaped cuts all the way around wrap stack, from the plate to outer the edge, to create a star shape. step 4 Place stack in the centre of an ovenproof stainless-steel bowl, twisting top wrap so you can see all the points. Spray with oil. step 5 Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Spray with…

northern thai beef curry “The sweet and sour flavour from the combination of tamarind and palm sugar is a total departure from the creamy coconut Thai curries you might already know and love.” Marion Grasby serves 4 I prep 15 mins I cooking 1 hour 45 mins 1 tbs vegetable oil 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 2 1/2 tbs red curry paste 1kg beef chuck steak, excess fat trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces 2 tsp garam masala 250ml (1 cup) coconut milk 100g (1/2 cup) tamarind puree 50g palm sugar, finely shaved 4cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin strips 1 tsp kecap manis 1 tsp fish sauce (or to taste) Fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges, crispy fried shallots and steamed rice, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a…

“Special enough to serve to guests!” “You won’t miss the pasta in this one pot.” this traditional Italian dish has a great mix of vegetables, beans and pasta. But to make minestrone truly special and still keep your belly full, I’ve added a few indulgent ingredients that will elevate the finished dish. I’ve used pancetta (the Italian version of normal bacon), as the fat adds a lovely richness. To make this the ultimate in comforting soups, I’ve swapped out regular pasta for spinach and ricotta tortellini. The quick-cooking pillowy pockets bring extra creaminess – a super easy way to make this an extra spesh bowl. And finally, to finish it all off, I’ve topped mine with ultra-creamy crème fraîche and a dollop of basil pesto to make this pantry-staple meal…

We all know the saying ‘fresh is best’, but a thoughtfully stocked pantry doesn’t have to mean ‘second best’. Instead, it can provide a structure on which to build healthy meals. Whether you have a glamorous walk-in pantry or a couple of poky cupboards, it’s all about management and best storage practices. Ideally, your pantry should be cool and dark, out of direct sunlight. Opened packets should be emptied into airtight jars or containers, and if the contents aren’t immediately obvious, make sure you label them. An easy way is to simply cut the name of the product from the bag and slip it into or tape it to the jar. You’ll need to note use-by or best-before dates too – cut these out and tape to the jar –…

HEART & soul Love baking? Throw your heart into it with a sweet tin. Make cheesecakes, sponges and more with the Pyrex Platinum Heart Springform Pan, $21.50. It’s non-stick, so there will be no broken cakes (or hearts) when removing it from the pan. Use it as a template to cut out the pastry for the tart (on page 123). That’s Mother’s Day pressie sorted! Available at department and kitchenware stores. VEG OUT Hide vegetables where the kids won’t even think to look – by giving them snacks made with real veg! These bite-sized Veggie Rings from The Natural Chip Co. are 100 per cent natural, gluten free and are packed with corn, rice, sweet potato, peas and beetroot. Pop them in the school lunch box guilt free. Find them…

Don’t miss this month’s top videos featuring dishes that are built for comfort! For these and many more, visit taste.com.au/videos. Mouth-watering aromas are guaranteed as you serve up this creamy soup topped with crunch-in-your-mouth golden croutons. We all can’t get enough of Caramilk. Mix it with cheesecake and layer it over butternut snap biscuits, and wow! Hand me a fork! A chicken and bacon tray bake is always popular at dinner. When it’s also totally gluten free, nobody misses out!…

aving the right equipment to photograph your newest food creation is one of the most important things you need to really make it pop. So we’re super excited about this month’s prizes – two Canon cameras! The first prize winner will take home an EOS M6 Mark II single lens kit, valued at $1700. Fast, versatile and lightweight, this compact mirrorless camera is the ideal dinner guest for every food lover. Second place will win the PowerShot G7X Mark III, worth $1210. This powerful yet compact camera has a tilt up screen, perfect for live streaming your HD videos. For your chance to win, make our cover recipe, follow our photography tips (on page 13), snap a pic and share it with us! “Wow me with a sunny bread bowl,…

the hunt is on for clever ways to make it vegan! autumn eating calls for meat that falls apart on your fork… this melty, low-fuss meal is so hot right now! giant lemon melting moment This classic bake is really having a moment right now! We’ve supersized it, so you can share the love. serves 8-10 | prep 30 mins (+ cooling) | cooking 40 mins 250g butter, chopped, at room temperature 60g ( 1/3 cup) icing sugar mixture, plus extra, to dust 1 tsp vanilla extract 225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour 70g ( 1/2 cup) custard powder buttercream filling 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature 210g (1 1/3 cups) icing sugar mixture 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind 1 Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan forced. 2 Use electric…

“A warming, nourishing soup doesn’t have to bubble away for hours. These quick and easy meals are proof!”Michelle Southan prawn & salmon chowder serves 4 I prep & cooking 10 mins 400g pkt microwave baby potatoes with butter and herbs 1 leek 250g skinless salmon fillet 420g can corn kernels 2 garlic cloves 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil 100g pre-diced bacon 2 tbs plain flour 500ml (2 cups) almond milk 310ml (1 1/4 cups) chicken stock 16 peeled green prawns, tails intact 2 fresh continental parsley sprigs 1 Heat a large deep frying pan over high heat. Cook the potatoes in the microwave following packet directions. 2 While the pan heats up, slice the leek and cut the salmon into 2cm pieces. Drain the corn. Crush the garlic. 3 Once…

french shallot tarts Milder and sweeter than onion, French shallots are the perfect pastry filling. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Cover 500g French shallots with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Drain. Peel (halve, if large). Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook shallots, stirring, for 10 minutes or until golden. Stir in 2 tbs water, 2 tsp each balsamic and brown sugar. Season. Set aside to cool. Cut six 11cm-diameter discs from 1 1/2 sheets thawed frozen puff pastry. Arrange in six 2cm-deep, 8.5cm fluted tart tins. Fill with shallots. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with thyme and goat’s cheese. BEST OF MAY fruit custard apple lemon navel orange nashi pear persimmon quince vegies broccoli brussels sprouts butter beans field…

gluten-free apple cake Have a go baking with buckwheat flour. Made from whole grains, it’ll give your cake a nutty flavour. Plus, it has loads of protein for healthy muscles and fibre for a happy gut. serves 12 I prep 35 mins (+ cooling) I cooking 55 mins 2 Granny Smith apples 1/2 lemon 60g (1/3 cup) coconut sugar 3 eggs 80ml (1/3 cup) honey, plus 2 tsp, extra 2 tsp vanilla extract 125ml (1/2 cup) light extra virgin olive oil 155g (1 1/2 cups) almond meal 140g (1 cup) buckwheat flour 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder Gluten-free icing sugar, to dust (optional) Coconut yoghurt, to serve (optional) 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease the base and side of a 22cm springform cake…

strawberry coconut slice serves 15 I prep 30 mins (+ cooling) I cooking 55 mins 190g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour 100g cold butter, chopped 80g ( 1/2 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted 1 1/2 tbs iced water 255g (3 cups) desiccated coconut, plus 2 tbs, extra 40g (1/44 cup) self-raising flour 395g can sweetened condensed milk 2 eggs, lightly whisked 2 tbs shredded coconut 250g fresh strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced icing 1 tbs pure icing sugar, sifted 1/2 tsp butter, at room temperature 2 tsp milk 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease the base and sides of a shallow 3cm-deep, 20 x 30cm slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the long sides. 2 Place plain flour, butter and1/2 cup icing sugar…

You can use fewer biscuits, if you wish, Just be sure to arrange them evenly over the batter. biscuit tin slice  serves 16 I prep 15 mins (+ cooling) cooking 30 mins 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease a 28 x 18cm slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the 2 long sides. 2 Stir the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and the mixture is combined (the sugar won’t completely dissolve). Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to help release the heat. 3 Add the milk, eggs and vanilla. Use a balloon whisk to combine. Add the almond meal and sift in the flour. Use the whisk to…

“There’s nothing quite like fresh bread and this Indian staple is super simple too. Master the basic recipe, then try one of the filled variations.” Michelle Southan you’ll need… let’s go! naan bread  makes 6 I prep 20 mins (+ 1 hour proving) I cooking 30 mins → 450g (3 cups) bread and pizza plain flour → 2 tsp (7g sachet) dried yeast → 1 tsp sea salt flakes → 1 tsp caster sugar → 185ml (3/4 cup) warm water → 90g (1/3 cup) natural yoghurt → 2 tbs vegetable oil → 30g ghee, melted → Sesame seeds, toasted, to serve (optional) 1 Combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix in water, yoghurt and oil. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5…

HINTS OF DARK CHOC Dandelion Vineyards 2018 Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, $30 Made from century-old vines, this shiraz is less traditional Barossa and more nouveau European in style, offering elegance and restraint. A clean, almost savoury finish makes it food friendly. It’s also great value. DRINK IT WITH stews, braises, curries. WARM & SAVOURY Pizzini 2018 Nonna Gisella Sangiovese, $21.50 If you’re not used to drinking sangiovese, be warned: this racy red bounces from plums to cherries and back to savoury herbs, with loads of bright crunch. It’s quite light, yet packed with generous flavour. DRINK IT WITH slow-cooked meats, ragout. TASTES OF STONE FRUIT Innocent Bystander 2018 Chardonnay, $25 Keep the chardon-yay thrills going through the cooler months with this deliciously creamy yet bright drop from the Yarra…

Vibrant green spinach is packed with vitamins and minerals, protein and fibre. The leaves can be tossed into salads, savoury muffins, quiches, pasta and even smoothies. It’s a fantastic way to add more vegies to your diet. Growing spinach at home is quick and easy and will give you months of healthy and tasty greens right on your doorstep. Start sowing the seed in autumn for a delicious winter harvest. step-by-step spinach Spinach can be grown in a vegie patch or pots, in a position that receives at least six hours of sunshine a day. Enrich the soil or potting mix with organic soil improver. Sow a few spinach seeds in clumps 12mm deep. Keep the soil or potting mix moist and the seedlings should emerge in seven to 20…

fairy bread melting moments  makes 15 I prep 30 mins (+ cooling) I cooking 20 mins 250g butter, chopped, at room temperature 60g (1/3 cup) icing sugar mixture 1 tsp vanilla extract 225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour 70g (1/2 cup) custard powder, plus extra, to dust 120g (1/2 cup) hundreds and thousands, plus extra, to decorate filling 100g butter, chopped, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 125g (3/4 cup) icing sugar mixture 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Use electric beaters to beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. 2 Sift over the flour and custard powder. Use a flat-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until a soft dough forms.…

17-minute creamy Japanese chicken curry This quick and easy curry is perfect for school nights. “Really tasty ... even the fussy vegie eater in my house loved it.” @JNC “Great recipe. I don’t bother removing anything from the pan, I just keep adding stuff. It works out.” @D1NNY67 “Super easy and super delicious. Yum.” @BROOKEFURLONG One-pot Italian chicken This creamy casserole is ready to eat in just 25 minutes. “Added one large chopped onion and extra garlic, as well as lemon juice. I also added a little cornflour to thicken; it turned out beautifully. Will definitely make again!” @KATMUNDY “My family loved this dish. I added sweet basil, so it smelt sensational pretty quick.” @MATSERCHEF2003 Sticky Japanese salmon tray bake This super-easy tray bake makes dinner a breeze. “Loved the…

Beans have had a long and glorious tradition. Nutritious and easy to grow, store and carry, it’s no wonder you’ll find a whole host of stewed legumes and pulses in kitchens around the world. When thinking about beans across the globe, we must consider the famous cassoulets of South West France, Cuban black beans, Tuscan stews made with cannellini or borlotti beans and the pease pottage of Medieval England. In 1753, a recipe for it included white peas, beef neck, spinach, colwort (cauliflower), leek, shredded herbs, a crazy 350g of butter, anchovies, mint, bacon and pea-sized meatballs. Nice! Further back in history, indigenous tribes shared their baked bean recipes with the struggling New World pilgrims. Local beans, like navy beans, soldier beans and the yellow-eyed beans of Vermont, were stewed…

While parsnips are often relegated to side dishes or soup, they’re like their carrot cousins and are actually extremely versatile – you can even use them in desserts! They have a sweet nuttiness, which works well with many flavours and cooler-weather dishes are their specialty! choose Veg with an even yellow-cream colour and no dark parts, as this may indicate older produce. Select parsnips small to medium in size – these will be sweet and tender. Large ones tend to be tough and woody. cook Mash cooked parsnips and use as a topping for fish pie. Serve roasted in a salad with baby spinach, tahini yoghurt dressing and a sprinkling of dukkah. Add grated parsnips to cake or pudding just as you would carrot. Try in sticky date pudding with…

roast pork with crackling & gravy serves 8 I prep 20 mins I cooking 6 hours 10 mins 600g-piece pork rind (crackling, see tip) 2 tbs olive oil 1.4 kg boneless pork scotch fillet roast 2 brown onions, each cut into 8 wedges 2 red apples, cored, each cut into 12 wedges 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock ½ small red cabbage, cut into thin wedges 40g butter 10 fresh sage leaves 2 tbs plain flour 1 Unwrap pork rind and lay out on a large tray. Pat dry with paper towel and place in the fridge, uncovered, until needed. 2 Heat 1 tbs oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork all over then transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining 1 tbs oil over…

This super veg supper uses pantry staples, like noodles and miso, and long-lasting produce, like pumpkin and ginger. See our tips on page 100. vegan super soup serves 6 | prep 15 mins | cooking 1 hour 60ml ( 1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthways, thinly sliced 1 celery stick, coarsely chopped 1 large carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 350g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces 220g (1 cup) pearl barley, rinsed 2 fresh bay leaves 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs 1.5L (6 cups) vegan stock (see tip) 2 cups kale leaves, torn almond & basil pistou 60g ( 1/3 cup) blanched almonds, toasted 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves…

chicken schnitzel with herb salad & preserved lemon mayo serves 4 | prep 15 mins | cooking 20 mins 4 Lilydale Free Range Chicken Breast Fillets 150g (1 cup) plain flour 1 tsp sea salt flakes 1 tsp ground black pepper 2 eggs 90g (1 cup) dried breadcrumbs 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh continental parsley leaves Extra virgin olive oil, to shallow fry 4 whole pickled gherkins (optional) herb salad 1 cup fresh dill 1 cup fresh continental parsley leaves 60g lamb’s lettuce or baby spinach 1 bunch chives, cut into 2.5cm lengths 2 tbs Cobram Estate Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbs white wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard preserved lemon mayo 250g (1 cup) whole egg mayonnaise 2 tbs preserved lemon rind, finely chopped 1 Preheat oven…

Michelle Q What are the best cuts of meat to make soups heartier? Adding slow-cooked meat to soups helps bulk them out and fill you up. Best of all, slow cooking helps infuse great flavour and also sends an aroma through the house that will have everyone wanting more. Slow cooking a whole ham hock in water with a few basic stock flavourings, such as onion, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves, can then be used to make pea or pumpkin soup. It not only adds flavour, but the meat can also be shredded from the bone. Add cubes of gravy beef to minestrone. Slow-cooked chicken thighs or whole chicken pieces will make the best chicken noodle soup. And lamb shanks will turn a vegie soup into a very hearty meal.…

just like Goldilocks, the team here at Taste HQ like our porridge just right! This month, we’ve tried out the many combos of convenient porridge sachets – here are our top picks. If you prefer your morning oats slow, not fast, try our slow-cooked version at taste.com. au/slowcookerporridge. Carman’s Honey, Vanilla & Cinnamon, $6 This creamy option is worth a try. With less than 5g sugar per serve, it has just the right amount of sweetness. Made from Aussie whole grain oats, it is just as creamy when made with water. Heritage Mill Maple, Date & Pecan, $5 Ultimate flavour combo! With wholegrain oats, this creamy porridge is a great source of fibre. Can also cook it on the stove. Try it topped with sliced banana. Arnold’s Farm Apple &…