Table of contents for December/January 2024 in delicious

The Northern Hemisphere might disagree, but I think we get it right on the south side of the globe. When the jacaranda bursts into clouds of purple and the warbling of magpies competes with the whir of lawn mowers on sunny mornings, we know: Christmas is coming. That sense of bubbling excitement starts even earlier at delicious., with planning for our annual bumper edition starting almost as soon as we farewell winter. Which is why, in the first days of October, our Sydney studio was transformed into a festive tableau for our potluck shoot (p 84). Family is often as much the one you choose as the one you’re born to, and in honour of the many orphan Christmases held in apartments, courtyards and parks across Australia each year, we…

FOOD Hungry for gift ideas for the food-lover in your life? We’ve got the perfect recipe right here. “My Christmas wish this year is the Gozney Dome S1 pizza oven, so I can whip up delicious pizzas for my family and friends.”– LUCY NUNES HOME Give the gift of style this Christmas with these elegant finds that will add a touch of class to every room in the house. “French designer Sarah Espeute hand-embroiders still-life motifs onto vintage fabrics in her studio in Marseille – they are as much works of art as they are table dressings.”– KRYSIA BONKOWSKI TRAVEL For those who love to roam, these pack-worthy presents all make for the ideal travelling companion. “Packing cubes are the gift that keeps on giving. Your globe-trotting loved one will…

Fresh TAKE Our Digital Editor and dining expert Erina Starkey on what’s hot right now. We’ve crunched the numbers: potato crisps are in! From TV snack to dainty indulgence, the humble chip has busted out of the bag and onto the bar scene. WHAT’S HOT: Skip the shops and enjoy your favourite salty treat at an upscale restaurant or wine bar. Just don’t expect cheese and onion. Chefs are importing upper-class crisps from France, Spain, Italy and beyond to create a posh chip-eating experience that looks nothing like what you do at home. Naturally, there’s dip – perhaps a whipped cod roe or fancy French onion – and sometimes cured meats, tinned fish or even caviar on the side. WHY: Thinly sliced, ruffled or kettle-cooked, potato crisps add texture to…

Christmas is surely the most intense time when it comes to bickering about food. Arguments erupt over how to cook the turkey, whether the cheese board should be served before or after the meal, and whether 3pm is too late to start a Christmas lunch. As the Christmas meal is one of the few culinary rituals we have left, it’s no wonder people fight to preserve the version they hold dearest, and questions that challenge the status quo can be met with brutal responses. Do we need to have a turkey? How many brussels sprouts are enough? Do we need a traditional pudding? For the record, my answers to these are: 1. No, a roast chicken is far easier to cook well. 2. Twenty a person, minimum. 3. Yes, definitely,…

RECIPE NOTE: “We stock pine syrup at Meatsmith, and some good delis and specialty food stores will sell it. If pine syrup is unavailable, the best-quality maple syrup you can find is a good substitute.” Australian butcher shops have always been social places; they are places of knowledge as much as they are places to buy produce. At Meatsmith, we’ve noticed that when someone buys a steak, they first ask what it is, then how much it is and the next question is: how do I cook it? That exchange of knowledge is a constant in the butcher shop environment, and that makes recipes a constant in our daily life. It made sense to us to document and evolve those recipes, and create a record of how and what we like…

RECIPE NOTE: “You can get your butcher to prepare and tie your beef, and ask them to leave the outer cap on – this is where the fat and flavour is.” STANDING RIB ROAST ADRIAN RICHARDSON “Standing rib has everything: a thick layer of creamy fat that becomes crisp and golden, marbling through the meat and adding flavour; and rib bones that keep the meat moist and juicy (and are great to chew on). This magnificent roast should be served with all the trimmings, and gravy made with the pan juices.” FOLLOW ME: @chef_adrian_richardson RECIPE NOTE: “I would make this turkey breast just to be able to make these sandwiches! If you’re lucky to have leftovers, plan on making this the following day.” – Danielle Alvarez TURKEY ROULADE DANIELLE ALVAREZ…

RECIPE NOTE: “If you have hot hands, cool them on a bag of frozen peas before rolling the truffles. The coffee can be replaced with spices, such as cinnamon, star anise or vanilla. Instead of cocoa powder, roll the truffles in crushed roasted nuts” “Surrender yourself to these simple and irresistible morsels – the most indulgent way to get a coffee hit. Small in size but big on flavour, these to-die-for truffles are laden with chocolate and coffee goodness and mellowed with a touch of honey and vanilla. They also make excellent gifts, if you can bring yourself to part with them.” “Enter a world of strawberry syrup-soaked sponge, seductively sweet white chocolate mousse and an abundance of fresh summery strawberries. The beauty of this knockout trifle comes from the…

Follow us on social —@deliciousaus #makeitdelicious WHAT YOU’RE LOVING… 5.7K LIKES, 1.3K SHARES Our September cover star was also a hit on socials, with plenty of thumbs up for this indulgent pavlova with rosemary orange syrup and cardamom cream. Find the recipe + more perfect pavlova ideas at delicious.com.au RECIPE: @ottolenghi PHOTO: @chriscourt STYLING: @vivienwalshstylist LETTER OF THE MONTH… I read the October issue of delicious. in the chaotic cafe area of a soft play centre (school holidays). As my kids ran themselves ragged, I got super-inspired and made a shopping list. In two days, I cooked the roasted flat mushrooms with tahini and pistachio gremolata and the spicy sugo eggs with sausage and cannellini beans, and my six-year-old son and I had an awesome time mixing up a tray…

SUBSCRIBE NOW! VISIT MAGSONLINE.COM.AU/P/M2312DLC OR CALL 1300 656 933 AND QUOTE M2312DLC Already a subscriber? Simply extend your subscription to receive your bonus gift! The joy of Christmas is only heightened when you share beautiful food made from the heart, and this cookbook is filled with inspiration to help you create spectacular dishes all throughout the festive season. Bake biscuits to gift, whip up tantalising bites to delight, embrace a traditional menu or serve up sensational seafood. You’ll find it all inside, right down to that show-stopping pav, pud or trifle – everything that’s magical, memorable and delicious. *Allow up to 4 weeks from the time of order for the delivery of your bonus gift. Offer ends January 10, 2024, or while stocks last, and is valid for Australian delivery…

If you haven’t yet experienced the joys of creme fraiche, brace yourself, because you’re in for a real treat. It’s a total game-changer in the kitchen. Creme fraiche is cream that has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria that thickens the cream and gives it a distinctive, slightly sharp – but not too sour – tang. History indicates that creme fraiche (which, unsurprisingly, is French for ‘fresh cream’) originated in the dairy-producing regions of France, such as Normandy, Alsace, Franche-Comté and the northern Loire. Traditionally, fresh milk was left to settle overnight at cool ambient temperatures, allowing the cream to rise to the top. The naturally occurring lactose-fermenting bacteria worked to thicken and acidify the cream. However, these days, creme fraiche is usually made in a far more controlled and…

No one knows classic bakes quite like the legendary ladies of the Country Women’s Association (CWA). So when we were in need of the perfect boiled fruit cake recipe for our Christmas issue, we knew just where to turn. “Our recipes are handed down from our mothers and grandmothers; even great-grandmothers,” says Diana Whitton, a member of the Manly branch of the CWA of NSW, who shared the original recipe, at left. “We also have a collection of cookbooks that have been published.” When it comes to CWA cookery competitions, the judging criteria for boiled fruit cakes is a lot tougher than you might expect, and looks at much more than just flavour and texture. “There needs to be an even distribution of fruit,” Whitton warns. “And you can never…

STYLE NOTES: Lauren uses her Walter G range throughout: Luxor Saffron cotton tablecloth + Burano Azure cotton napkins (set of 4) both from walter-g.com.au Summertime entertaining is a specialty for the Emersons. The young family is uniquely qualified to put on a spectacular spread, with Lauren (co-owner of Walter G textiles) and her husband Andy (co-founder of Avalon Beach wine bars Bar Elvina and Randy’s Wine) both bringing their wealth of food and design expertise to the table. “When we entertain, it’s almost always an outdoor long lunch involving barbecued seafood – freshly caught when the fishing gods are kind,” Lauren says. “We like to break out all the fancy platters, glassware and textiles. Nothing too stuffy or serious. We generally think of a signature dish, then build the rest of…

“There’s nothing more celebratory than a suckling pig cooked outside, spit-roast style. You can create a similar version at home using smoking wood chips in the oven to mimic an open fire. It’s not only a centerpiece on the Christmas table but something that brings everyone together – from fighting for crispy bits of crackle to figuring out who gets to take the leftovers home. It’s essential at our Christmas gatherings. Sretan Božic!”- Monika Hecimovic, Editorial Coordinator Krysia Bonkowski’s TROPICAL UN-PUNCH SERVES 12 ¾ cup (180ml) pomegranate balsamic vinegar (see note)4 cups (1L) chilled lemonade4 cups (1L) chilled ginger ale1 (900g) small sweet pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored and shaved into long thin lengths250g small strawberries, unhulled, halved300g blueberries125g baby cucumbers, very thinly sliced lengthways (we used a mandoline)3 limes,…

“This stunning yet effortless trifle is the perfect show-stopper dessert for Christmas, and you don’t need to tell anybody how easy it was to put together!” - Lucy Nunes RECIPE NOTE: If baking ginger isn’t available, you can use finely chopped crystallised ginger instead. You can also use a festive cookie cutter to cut shapes from this dough, re-rolling offcuts to produce as many as possible. Eight-centimetre shapes will produce approximately 24 biscuits. GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE WITH PRESERVED GINGER SYRUP SERVES 12 Begin this recipe a day ahead. You’ll need 2 x 18cm round cake pans. 200g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature½ cup (110g) white sugar¼ cup (60g) firmly packed brown sugar3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten⅓ cup (125g) molasses2 tsp vanilla bean paste2 ¼ cups (335g) plain…

A road trip can be a magical thing. An adventure that (for many of us) is rich in nostalgia. Maybe, like me, your memories of them are always mingled with balmy summers, where hands were permanently sticky from servo ice creams, and the back seat was where you jostled for space with the dog, and brawled with your siblings over who controlled the music (just part of the fun). While plane travel is undeniably convenient (at times), for me there’s really no better way to get acquainted with our vast sunburnt country than from the road. Meandering through towns big and small, meeting its many landmarks (and many characters) along the way. Off the back of a boom in regional travel, there’s now a growing design-savvy population of chic revamped…

There’s no place like home for Alessandro Pavoni. The chef waxes lyrical about this stunning region. Lombardy is where I’m from; my family and friends are still there. I try to go back every year, and am lucky that I’m able to do this. My great friend (and fellow chef) Giovanni Pilu and I go to a different region of Italy each year with a small group of foodies to host behind-the-scenes food tours – it’s lots of fun and also means I get to see a lot of my home country. Lombardy is my home though, and where my heart is. Why it’s worth visiting: Lombardy is such an interesting region. The thing I love about it is the sheer variety of foods due to the incredible difference in…

1 SNAPPER “Snapper has a nice sweetness, and fries up really well. And it’s affordable and accessible. I always like to cook snapper on the bone so it doesn’t dry out.” 2 SPANNER CRAB “It’s a bit of a labour of love, but spanner crab is one of the greatest crabs. It has a nice sweetness about it, holds together well, and has a really good texture.” 3 SCALLOPS “Cooked properly, scallops are one of the best molluscs around; they’re so versatile. Just don’t overcook them – go on the medium-to-rare side.” 4 KINGFISH “I think kingfish is one of those oily fish that is just as superior as tuna. It’s sustainable, versatile, and fantastic… People just don’t really know how to handle it.” In a country girt by sea,…

Here is a dish that melds the best flavours of summer into one robust salad. Yotam Ottolenghi calls for cherry tomatoes, but summer’s best tomatoes would also be right at home among the feta, mint and za’atar. Serve this salad alongside grilled meat, preferably in the backyard, and share with all your favourite people. Yotam Ottolenghi is chef-patron of the London-based Ottolenghi delis and the Nopi and Rovi restaurants. He has published 10 internationally best-selling cookbooks – his latest is FLAVOUR, published by Random House. “Here is a dish that melds the BEST FLAVOURS of summer into one robust salad.” TOMATO & POMEGRANATE SALAD SERVES 6 950g mixed small or cherry tomatoes, varying colours2 tsp za’atar2½ tbs extra virgin olive oilSeeds of 1 pomegranate½ yellow capsicum, seeds removed, very thinly…

PEACE. LOVE. JOY. A HOLIDAY MENU FROM ARIA | AN EASY, BREEZY SUMMER LUNCH | ANNITA POTTER’S FRUIT-FORWARD THAI MENU | CLASSIC MEALS FROM MEATSMITH | THE DELICIOUS. TEAM’S FESTIVE FAVOURITES | A MIDDLE EASTERN FEAST | CHRISTMAS ROASTS (AND LOVELY LEFTOVERS) | SUPER SIDES FOR A SPECTACULAR SPREAD | CHRISTMAS BAKES TO SPREAD SOME CHEER | EVEN MORE GREAT REASONS TO ENJOY CHOCOLATE | SIX SWEET WAYS WITH GINGERBREAD…

Grand Soleil coupe glass in azure & yellow (used throughout) from maisonbalzac.com • Tropics multi tablecloth (used throughout) + Dots amber tumblers (set of 2) + Fruit Salad yellow napkins (used throughout, set of 6) all from bonnieandneil.com.au J’ai Faim dinner plates in sky (set of 2) from maisonbalzac.com • Papaya border multi tablecloth (used throughout) from bonnieandneil.com.au Top right: Summer Fruits glass decoration in green pear from maisonbalzac.com BABY SQUID & RUBY GRAPEFRUIT SALAD WITH RED CHILLI DRESSING SERVES 4 (AS A STARTER) 300g baby squid, cleaned and scored2 ruby grapefruit, segmented3 red shallots, thinly sliced2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced3 long green shallots, thinly sliced1 cup each coriander and mint leavesCrispy garlic, to serve RED CHILLI DRESSING 3 coriander roots, washed3 garlic cloves2 long red chillies, deseeded, chopped2½ tbs…

“Another hummus recipe. Can you believe it? Chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic and salt. How hard could it be? It isn’t that hard at all, but as with so many simple foods, the care taken in the process is what makes the difference. To make your hummus better, soak the chickpeas in bicarb soda over 2 days, changing the water several times. Try to remove some of the excess skins that float to the top when cooked. Blend the chickpeas while still warm, without adding too much liquid at the beginning. Blend until your machine is about to die. If your machine dies too easily, buy a better one." RECIPE NOTE: “Once made, cover the surface of your hummus with some plastic wrap or baking paper to avoid a skin forming.” On…

“Toasted butter and malty muscovado sugar makes these softly spiced humps the sweetest cookie in the jar. A scoop of rye flour brings an earthy flavour and a slight heft to the chew. If you want to skip the sugar syrup coating, a thin icing sugar glaze or dark chocolate dip are equally delicious options.” “Apart from apples and cinnamon, there is no better combination than these buttery, hazelnutty cookies paired with a red fruit jam filling. You can make the wreath as a pretty table cookie centrepiece, or just turn all the dough into filled cookies.” “I was the Goose to Dad’s Maverick when he made our family Christmas cake every year. I shadowed him as he carefully chose the best dried fruits, soaking them all in a special…

After almost three years of strict lockdowns and border closures, South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ is back in the picture. While tourists were away, art insiders started opening their homes for overnight guests, while a slew of young Black chefs have revitalised the food scene with local flavours. Here are the hotels, restaurants and local-minded boutiques to book(mark) for your next visit. WHERE TO STAY A pink neon sign reads “Hello Gorgeous” above the check-in desk in Gorgeous George Hotel’s lobby. It’s an indicator of the feel-good vibe that flows throughout all four floors of this townhouse-turned-boutique hotel in Cape Town’s CBD. With carpets covered in an explosion of flower prints, metro-tiled bathrooms and quirky fittings, rooms are smart and supremely comfortable – but it’s the Gigi Rooftop Bar that is…