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

ho doesn’t love the idea of ending your day with a small glass of wine in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other? Problem is, there’s often something standing in the way. And the biggest culprit always seems to be time. So, I couldn’t be more personally – and, quite frankly, selfishly – excited to say, “Here comes taste.com.au to the rescue,” with our best-ever Speedy Issue! In fact, this time we’ve taken speedy a step further. Not only do you get your full dose of Speedy recipes, that take only 30 minutes from go to woah, we’ve also added Super Speedy recipes into the mix. These little rippers are ready in a zippy 10 minutes! Just look for these recipe tags. The only extra ingredient you need…

CREAMY tuscan chicken pasta Looking for a little more variety during the manic midweek? We’ve come up with easy dishes inspired by flavours from around the globe – and all ready in 30 minutes or less! Have a go at this delish pasta, made with light cream, lean chicken tenderloins and semi-dried tomatoes for bursts of juicy tartness. steak with smashed minted peas serves 4 I prep & cooking 30 mins 450g (3 cups) frozen peas 2 tsp olive oil 4 x 180g beef scotch fillet steaks 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 zucchini, peeled into ribbons 1 /3 cup fresh mint leaves 80g feta, crumbled Lemon halves, to serve 1 Cook the peas in a saucepan of boiling water following packet directions. Drain…

Zucchini is a low-cal way to keep your bakes moist. Plus, it’s rich in potassium, folate (especially important for pregnant women) and vitamin C. banana & zucchini bread with walnuts  serves10 I prep 20 mins (+ cooling) cooking1 hour 10 mins Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease and line the base and sides of a 9.5 x 19.5cm loaf pan, allowing the paper to overhang sides. Prepare muffins to the end of step 2. In step 3, omit LSA and increase rolled oats to 35g ( 1 /3 cup) and chia seeds to 2 tbs. Stir in 20g walnut halves. Proceed with recipe, spooning mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set…

The beauty of meatballs is that we have 2500 years of recipes from around the world to plunder, but you can also allow your imagination to run riot! Meet Karl Friedrich Christian Ludwig Freiherr Drais von Sauerbronn, the early 19th century German inventor who helped turn meatballs into an everyday dinner. Karl was also the inventor of the first bicycle and the typewriter. His best work, however, was reserved for the kitchen. Among other things, Karl invented the first mincer. This hand-cranked meat grinder meant that, for the first time, mince could be made quickly and easily at home and on an industrial scale. This cheap meat, once accepted – it took a little time as punters were suspicious that anything could be ‘hidden’ in there – prompted the popularity…

golden syrup apple doughnuts serves 4 I prep & cooking 10 mins 40g butter 3 small pink lady apples, quartered, cored, cut into thin wedges 11 /2 tbs golden syrup, plus extra, to serve 2 tbs chopped walnuts 4 bought cinnamon doughnuts, halved horizontally 4 scoops vanilla ice-cream 1 Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the apples. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until tender and light golden. Drizzle over 2 tsp golden syrup and toss to coat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer apples to a plate, reserving pan juices. 2 Add remaining 1 tbs golden syrup to the pan and stir into the reserved pan juices to combine. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until toasted and well…

mini pavlova lamington kisses makesabout 16 I prep30 mins (+ cooling) cooking40 mins 2 egg whites, at room temperature 100g ( 1 /2 cup) caster sugar 25g ( 1 /3 cup) shredded coconut, plus extra, to decorate 300g chocolate ice-cream 80g dark chocolate melts 1 Preheat oven to 90°C/70°C fan forced. Use a pencil and 4cm round cutter to draw 32 circles 2cm apart on 2 sheets of baking paper. Place, pencil-side down, on 2 baking trays. 2 Use electric beaters to beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and glossy. 3 Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle. Pipe rounds of meringue…

Sweet & sour pork meatballs Give pork meatballs a sweet and sour makeover you’ll love. “Easy to make and tasted great. I left the cornflour out of the meatballs and added a bit to the sauce.” @KAZJB “Easy to make; very tasty. Clean plates all round.” @VRONZA “I love it. Will definitely cook it again.” @JOYJIE Maple-glazed lamb & sweet potato tray bake This is a quick and flavoursome roast you can cook midweek. “This was a great midweek meal. Used lamb steaks (as they were on special) instead of cutlets. Can’t wait to have it again. Will certainly try it with chickpeas as an alternative.” @SJT “Very happy with this recipe. Yum, yum, yum!” @ACGRE088 Neapolitan vanilla slice cake Colourful layers with a vanilla slice twist will wow you!…

turmeric zucchini rosti with smoked salmon “The secret to making a zucchini version of the traditional potato rosti is to remove as much liquid as possible and keep frying until you get a deep colour with crispiness on the edges.” Marion Grasby serves 4 I prep 20 mins (+ 10 mins straining) I cooking 20 mins 4 cups (tightly packed) coarsely grated zucchini 1 tsp sea salt flakes 2 eggs 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour 50g (1/3 cup) grated parmesan 1/4 cup thinly sliced green shallots, plus extra, sliced, to serve 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground turmeric Vegetable oil, to shallow fry 300g sliced smoked salmon Fresh mint leaves and lemon wedges, to serve coriander mint yoghurt 260g (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves…

BEST OF MARCH fruit apple blackberries fig papaya passionfruit rambutan vegies borlotti beans brussels sprouts capsicum corn cucumber okra herbs basil coriander dill mint miso-roasted eggplant Miso glaze is an eggplant’s best friend! Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Cut 2 eggplants in half lengthways. Deeply score flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush with oil. Cook, cut-side down, in a large frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray, cut-side up. Brush cut side with 1 /3 cup miso paste combined with 2 tbs mirin and 1 tbs each sake and caster sugar. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender. Top with tray juices, toasted sesame seeds and micro herbs.…

lean & low cal Beef mince ranges from fewer than 5g fat to almost 20g per 100g. Extra lean beef mince (also labelled five-star mince) is much lower in saturated fat and calories than regular mince. Pre-cut vegie stir-fry mixes are handy when you’re short on time but still want to boost the vegie content. Try brown rice for twice the fibre of white, plus higher nutrients, such as B2, B3, iron, manganese and magnesium. great gobble Turkey breast mince is extremely lean, with fewer than 2g fat, only 114 calories per 100g and loads of B vitamins (essential for energy metabolism). Red lentil pasta, made from 100 per cent red lentil flour, is a nutritious and protein-packed alternative to regular pasta. It contains around 23g protein per 100g (dried…

Welcome to the world of intermittent fasting – but there’s no boring calorie counting here! Our latest top 100 cookbook shows you how. If you love food, the word ‘diet’ isn’t one you want to hear all that often! But the taste top 100 The Fast Revolution is about to change that. This is your new go-to guide on intermittent fasting, made for foodies. Designed for everyone, no matter your size, exercise level or dietary requirements, we help you lose weight and stay healthy with mix and match meal planners and expert tips from the taste nutrition team. We’ve even included ways to add to meals for non-fast days. Turn the page for a taste of some of the flavour-packed dishes. Plus, they’re all ready in 30 minutes or less!…

paella rice salad Frozen and canned veg, microwave rice and pre-cooked prawns make this one easy meal! serves 4-6 I prep & cooking 30 mins 125g gluten-free chorizo, thinly sliced 300g can corn kernels, rinsed, drained 80g ( 1 /2 cup) frozen green peas 450g pkt microwave white long-grain rice 60ml ( 1 /4 cup) olive oil 11 /2 tbs sherry vinegar 1 tsp honey 285g jar piquillo peppers, drained, chopped 250g peeled cooked prawns, deveined, tails intact 1 /2 cup chopped fresh continental parsley leaves Lemon wedges, to serve 1 Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo, turning once, for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crisp. Add the corn and peas. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to a large bowl.…

milo-mi-su Coffee and booze take a backseat to Milo-soaked biscuits and strawberries. Serve with a long spoon to reach all the layers! makes 4 | prep 20 mins (+ 1 hour chilling) 1 Place the milk and Milo in a jug. Stir until the Milo dissolves. 2 Use a balloon whisk to whisk the cream, mascarpone and icing sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle. 3 Break the biscuits into small pieces and divide half between the bases of four 350ml serving glasses. Pour in half the Milo mixture. Pipe over half the cream mixture. 4 Reserve 4 strawberries. Hull and chop the remaining strawberries. Top each cream mixture layer with half the strawberry pieces then…

LITTLE LOVES Rumbling tummies and little hands need cute, crunchy snacks! Qukes (baby cucumbers) will get the green thumbs up when you pop them in your kids’ lunch boxes or serve as an afternoon snack. Try them whole, as sticks for dipping, in salads or roll them in sandwich bread for sushi-style bites. Qukes are a great source of fibre, vitamin C and folate for healthy cells. Find them in supermarkets for $4 a packet. SKINNY SELTZER Health-conscious sippers, this one’s for you. Gluten free, lower in carbs and with 50 per cent less sugar than other vodka premixes, the Quincy Sparkling Alcoholic Seltzer is where it’s at! The Australian-made bevvy is light and refreshing, and comes in two fizzy and refreshing flavours: Lime or Passionfruit. Available for $19.99 for…

Marion Q What pantry staples should I have on hand to make quick lunches? My pantry is never without brown rice. I keep raw grains and microwave packets to make a quick salad or to serve with a stir-fry. A range of canned vegetables, such as chickpeas, white beans and corn kernels, will provide healthy options for salads or for snacking. I also always have canned tuna, mackerel and sardines on hand so I can feel good about packing healthy omega-3 fats into sandwiches, salads or simply on toast. And to season and dress any emergency lunch, I use my trusty stash of soy sauces, Kewpie mayonnaise, chilli flakes and chilli sauces – Thai sriracha, sweet chilli and Tabasco, just to name a few! Matt Q What dinner makes the…

This handy 900ml personal blender can quickly whip up fruit and veg smoothies that nourish from the inside out. With a powerful 1200-watt motor and two pre-programmed cycles that pulse and shut off automatically, the NutriBullet 1200 Series will easily break down even the toughest ingredients every time. Enjoy ultra-smooth soups, become a dab hand at nut butters or make your own sauces with ease. Just make our easiest-ever spinach and ricotta-stuffed shells, send us a pic and you could win this whiz of an appliance! "I'm looking for beautifully arranged pasta shells filled to the brim and topped with a golden, cheesy crust."matt preston CELEBRITY JUDGE SEND IN YO UR ENTRIES BY11 MARCH Terms and conditions: Entries open 00:01 (AEDT) 13/02/2020 and close 23:59 (AEDT) 11/03/2020. Open to Australian…

“Go great guns on the multitasking and pick flavour-boosting ingredients to make light work of dinner.”Michelle Southan cajun barramundi tacos with pineapple salsa Made with dried herbs, and garlic and onion powders, just a spoonful of Cajun seasoning is a simple way to add a zesty, spicy kick. serves 4 I prep & cooking 10 mins 600g Australian barramundi fillets 1 tbs Cajun seasoning 1 tbs olive oil 350g pkt kale slaw mix 2 pickled jalapeño chillies 220g pkt pre-chopped fresh pineapple 2 limes 8 mini flour tortillas Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve 1 Heat a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. 2 While the pan heats up, remove the skin from the fish and cut the flesh into 2-3cm pieces. Transfer to a bowl. Add the Cajun seasoning…

From sweet to sour, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to plums in Australia. You’ll find them classified as either European or Japanese – European varieties range in colour from green to yellow to deep blue, while Japanese plums are usually larger with mostly red skin. choose Pick fruit that is firm but gives slightly to light pressure. Avoid plums with cracks, blemishes or soft spots. For baking, a slightly firmer plum is ideal as it holds its shape and doesn’t release too much juice. serve Sliced raw in Asian-style salads with pork, beef or duck. Oven roast with a sprinkle of sugar for an instant dessert served with a good-quality vanilla ice-cream. Plums behave well in tarts and cakes, and also make wonderful jams. store Keep ripe…

There’s a lot of talk about intermittent fasting these days. And alternating periods of fasting with normal eating has certainly been shown to be a powerful tool for improving overall health. Intermittent fasting as a weight-loss strategy is often much more sustainable than simply cutting calories day in, day out. You effectively compress your low-calorie eating to certain days or certain hours per day, which is often much easier and more realistic. Many studies have shown that this is an effective method of dieting for most people. But how does it work? the science Intermittent fasting works in a similar way to traditional diets. Typically, most diets recommend reducing calories by about 500-1000 a day. Generally speaking, cutting 500 calories each day reduces your weight by half a kilo per…

Speck, garlic crumb and cream make this classic heavenly. at taste we know one of our most popular weeknight meals is and always will be carbonara. What’s not to love? It’s quick, it’s easy and most of the ingredients are already in your pantry and fridge. Not only that, you can be sure that the whole family will devour it! One of my favourite things to do is to add crunchy breadcrumbs to my pasta dishes. Sprinkling them on at the very end adds a more-ish texture and a tasty surprise with every mouthful. The other great thing that goes with pasta is garlic bread. Combining these two ideas to make a savoury, crispy crumble to scatter on top is a match made in heaven! It’s the perfect way to…

“For golden pancakes every time it takes a gentle whisk, watchful eye and a graceful flip. It’s easy — we show you how!” Michelle Southan you’ll need… let’s go! golden pancakes with honeycomb & blackberries  makes 12 I prep 15 mins I cooking 3 mins (per batch) → 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour → 55g ( 1 /4 cup) caster sugar → 1 1 /2 tsp baking powder → 375ml (1 1 /2 cups) milk → 3 eggs → 1 tsp vanilla extract → 80g butter, melted, cooled, plus 1 cube, extra, cold 1 Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to push mixture to the side of bowl, making a well in the centre. 2 Use a whisk to…

Henschke 2019 Green’s Hill Riesling, $35 “Drink less but drink quality” is a great budgeting mantra to live by. Spending just a little more on this delicate, floral yet citrussy riesling – which has been biodynamically grown in the Adelaide Hills – will repay you in spades. DRINK IT WITH spaghetti carbonara. Taltarni 2015 Blanc de Blancs, $26 Not just an aperitif, this bubbly (made from 100 per cent chardonnay in the Methodé Traditionelle style) really shines when served alongside a delicate starter or main course. It’s particularly good with fish and salty dishes, which brings out the crisp citrus flavours and delicious minerality. DRINK IT WITH seafood, salty dishes. Wicks Estate 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, $20 This Adelaide Hills-grown savvy B just took out a Gold Medal at the Royal…

cabbage is having a wonderful resurgence as we learn new and tasty ways to use this super healthy vegie. Richly coloured red varieties add an even greater nutritional punch than green as they have antioxidant-packed leaves. Thinly sliced into slaws and salads, red cabbage adds a mild peppery crunch. It is also delicious braised or sauteed. Mini red cabbages have a tightly wrapped head of crisp and vibrant plum-coloured leaves. They’re great to grow at home, as they don’t take up too much room, either out in the vegie patch or in your fridge! step-by-step cabbages Cabbages do best in a vegie patch that has well-drained soil and receives at least six hours of sunshine each day. Sow cabbage seeds into trays of seed-raising mix, keep moist then transplant the…

spice up mealtimes with a dip, dunk or drizzle of hot sauce! At taste HQ we’ve been riding the heatwave to find the hot-shot condiments to tempt your tastebuds, whether you’re almost no-spice or prefer full-on flavour. Here are our top picks for burgers, salads, tacos and more! MasterFoods Tomato & Sriracha Sauce Hot, $3 This is tomato sauce dialled right up! Available in a convenient squeezy bottle, it’s tangy and sweet with a strong chilli kick. Use wherever you’d use tomato sauce to turn up the heat. Marion’s Kitchen Coconut Sriracha, $5 Creamy yet zingy, and milder than regular sriracha, this is a great all-rounder. Jazz up salad dressings or stir through noodles. You can even use it just as a spread or dip. Outback Spirit Chilli Ginger &…