Table of contents for September 2017 in Taste.com.au

“The winners both had an inviting golden, cheesy pastry crust and a rich, hearty sauce.”Mat t PrestonCOOK THE COVER JUDGE Le Creuset prize pack: 6.6L stockpot 16cm saucepan 26cm non-stick frying pan 26cm sauté pan with handle and lid winners! “ The perfect winter warmer recipe – a new family favourite at our home.” TO ENTER our Cook the Cover comp this month, see p21…

speedy satay noodles with tofu  serves 4 | prep & cooking 17 mins 2 x 90g dried ramen noodles 150g (1 cup) frozen peas 150g (1 cup) podded frozen edamame 200g marinated teriyaki tofu, halved horizontally 125g satay sauce 60g (1 cup) bean sprouts 2 green shallots, shredded 40g ( 1 /4 cup) roasted salted peanuts, chopped 2 tbs fried shallots Fresh mint and coriander leaves, to serve Sliced fresh red chilli, to serve (optional) secret ingredient Save time and buy edamame (young soybeans) already podded. 1 Cook noodles in a saucepan of boiling water following packet directions. Add peas and edamame to the pan for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse well under warm water. 2 Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray…

CHEF’S CHOICE: COOKS CO-OP ZUCCHINI – cooksco-op.com “The best place for me to be is in the kitchen, cooking and being part of a team,” says Mark LaBrooy, chef and co-founder of the Three Blue Ducks restaurant group. “I love exploring food, playing around with ideas and working with the like-minded people you get in this industry.” The keen surfer fostered a love of the culinary arts early in life thanks to Nils Strömland, his uncle, role model and chef at Fisk. By the age of 18, Mark embarked on a career in the kitchen that saw him earn his first stripes at Tetsuya’s and then Cafe Morso before the travel bug bit. Seven years in the Northern Hemisphere included stops in Morocco and Switzerland, where he added the prestigious…

CHEF’S CHOICE: DELICIOUS DAIRIES COUNTRYSTYLE CREAM – on Facebook Jacqui Challinor, the head chef of Nomad restaurant in Sydney’s Surry Hills, initially wanted to get into nutrition or food styling for magazine shoots. To that end she embarked on a TAFE catering course. “It was there that I realised I loved being in the kitchen instead!” The biggest obstacle to her change of career path was her own anxiety: “It’s very much a man’s world and I was hesitant about stepping into an apprenticeship,” she explains. “But a friend who’d got tired of hearing me complaining said, ‘Just go for it!’ and so I did.” Jacqui apprenticed under Christopher Whitehead at Mad Cow (“I can’t speak highly enough of him; really great guy and an excellent chef”). An early role…

IKUEI ARAKANE Ikuei Arakane (Kin San) is the chef behind popular restaurants in Melbourne and Hobart. CRISP GLAZED SALMON WITH TOMATO & WITLOF SALAD  serves 4 80g Kewpie Mayonnaise 2 tbs wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste 2 tsp mirin 2 tsp soy sauce 4 x 150g salmon fillets (skin on), pin-boned 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour Salt flakes, to scatter 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated 6 small heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1 witlof (Belgian endive), leaves separated Lemon wedges and micro shiso, to serve 1 Preheat grill to high. Combine Kewpie Mayonnaise, mustard, miso paste, mirin and soy sauce in a bowl. Set aside. 2 Place the salmon on a plate and dust with flour to coat, then scatter with salt…

“These wings get the kung pao treatment with spicy chilli, crunchy peanuts and a dash of pepper. The chicken marinade forms a light batter that turns golden in the oven and soaks up all the flavour when tossed in the sauce.” Marion Grasby kung pao chicken wings  serves 6 | prep 20 mins (+ 20 mins marinating time) | cooking 15 mins 12 (about 1.2kg) chicken wings 2 tbs cornflour 1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger 1 tbs light soy sauce 1 tbs Shaoxing wine (see tips) 40g (¼ cup) roasted peanuts, chopped Steamed rice and gai lan (Chinese broccoli), to serve (optional) kung pao sauce 2 tbs light soy sauce 1 tbs Shaoxing wine 1 tbs white vinegar 1 tbs brown sugar 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (see tips)…

“I’ve been researching pizza in Italy for many years now and I’ve noticed a huge change in the way it is made. ‘New wave’ pizza making is a movement that returns to pizza’s origins.”Stefano Manfredi Stefano Manfredi’s New Pizza takes the world’s favourite fast food back to its origins – as a deliciously healthy and simple meal for everyone to enjoy. Pizza comes in many styles – thin, thick, crisp, chewy, round, square, a metre or more in length, filled, fried or sweet – and the quality of the pizza is defined by the quality of the flour, dough and toppings. This pizza maestro will show you how to use whole-wheat flour, fresh toppings and tried-and-tested methods to create the tastiest pizza this side of Naples. New Pizza by Stefano…

The three keys to flawless fried chicken? Crunch, juiciness and flavour. Inspired by our friends in the US, this classic recipe with a cajun kick ticks all the boxes. From the first mouth-watering bite, you’ll be hooked on this tender chook! Michelle Southan “Treat your friends to a little southern hospitality with crispy fried chicken and a side of fresh slaw, green beans or mac ’n’ cheese.” you’ll need … let’s go! southern fried chicken serves 8 | prep 20 mins (+ 6 hours marinating & 30 mins chilling time) | cooking 40 mins 2 x 1kg whole chickens 375ml (1½ cups) buttermilk 180g (2 cups) dried (packaged) breadcrumbs 115g ( 3 /4 cup) plain flour 2 1  /2 tbs cajun seasoning (store-bought or mix up your own…

The Perfect Plate (see diagram, left) is my hunger-busting formula for weight-loss success. With this balance of macronutrients, you’ll be able to control your calorie intake and help stabilise your blood sugar levels. You’ll also be less likely to binge on unhealthy snacks between meals. Vegies: At least half your plate at each main meal should consist of vegetables. Vegies are packed with dietary fibre to keep you feeling full for longer, and loaded with disease-fighting phytonutrients. What’s more, they’re extremely low in calories. Lean protein: One-quarter of your plate or roughly the size of your fist should be lean protein, which assists satiety and helps prevent slumps in blood-sugar levels. Wholegrains/starchy veg: Add a small serve of wholegrains or a starchy vegetable for added soluble and insoluble dietary fibre,…

Whether it’s diet-related or a lifestyle choice, dairy-free milks are becoming the go-to option for more and more people. These days, we’re spoilt for choice, so we’ve tried a wide range of dairy-free milks and chosen the best coconut, soy, rice and almond milks based on price, nutritional value and ingredients. Vitasoy Coconut Milk, 1L, $4.17 Creamy, smooth and made from real coconut, this milk has the highest calcium count of all the coconut milks we tested, as well as the lowest fat per serve. Bonsoy Soy Milk, 1L, $4 This has the highest amount of protein of all the soys we tried. There’s no mistaking its soy flavour, so it’s great on its own or in your morning cuppa. Pureharvest Activated Almond Milk, 1L,$3.39 Made from filtered water, organic…

milk chocolate vs dark chocolate Milk chocolate has more calories than dark, but with that comes the benefits of milk, with four times more vitamin A and five times more calcium. Dark has less sugar, almost twice as much zinc and magnesium, and three times more iron, plus its polyphenols have been linked with reduced stroke and heart attack risk, and improved mood. Both are loaded with calories, so go easy. winner: dark chocolate pumpkin soup vs cream of chicken soup These soups usually have similar calories, but cream of chicken soup tends to have more protein and fat, as well as more than twice the salt. Pumpkin soup often has more than twice the sugar and less calcium. However, it also has more than six times the beta-carotene and…

We’ve set ourselves a mission for our big Spring Issue and that’s to tease your tastebuds out of winter with bright, fresh flavours and exciting new twists. We promise, you’ll never look at a veg in the same way again once you’ve tried recipes like our Baked Onion Flower (p113), Broccoli Tabouli (p121) and the Vegie Avo Burger (p125) where the avocado plays the role of the bun! It’s not just the vegies that get a makeover, we’ve reworked some of the classics into the kind of food we’re craving right now. Highlights like the gluten-free Supergreen Pasta Primavera (p69), our low-cal Spring Fruit Cheesecake Slice (p81) and Chrissy Freer’s low-cal, protein-rich salads (p72), not to mention those super bowls of goodness that just scream “Eat me!” (p56). Don’t worry,…

new • baby cucumbers• buk choy• Chinese cabbage• gai lan• kohlrabi• sugar snap peas• watercress• yellow grapefruit now • asparagus• beetroot• cauliflower• leeks• lemons• peas• radishes• strawberries be quick • blood oranges• fennel• mandarins• parsnips• Jerusalem artichokes braised italian fennel Place thick slices of fennel in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, a little chicken stock and lemon juice. Add fresh thyme sprigs. Season. Cover. Roast at 180°C/ 160°C fan forced for 40 minutes, until tender. Uncover. Roast until golden. Top with parmesan. inside-out greek salad Combine 8 quartered cherry tomatoes; ¼ red onion, finely chopped; 8 kalamata olives, pitted, chopped; and ¼ red capsicum, finely chopped in a bowl. Drizzle with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Season. Halve 8 baby cucumbers lengthways. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Fill with the tomato mixture. Crumble over some feta, sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves and drizzle with olive…

“ I’ll look for neatly stacked cups with nicely drizzled, glossy chocolate topping.” matt preston CELEBRITY JUDGE give our Choc-crackle Peanut Butter Cups recipe a whirl, snap a photo and share it with us for your chance to win one of three KitchenAid Magnetic Drive blenders, valued at $999 each. The Magnetic Drive blender combines high power, high style and low effort to blend like never before. Whether you’re looking to blend something healthy, decadent, basic or experimental, simply slide the jug in, select a preset program on the dial and let the blender blitz your ingredients in no time! SEND IN YOUR ENTRIES BY 13 SEPTEMBER TOTAL PRIZE POOL $2997 3 fab blenders to win! two ways to enter email it: Send a photo of your creation, with your…

WTF! What the food! To get your kids to eat, it helps when food and fun go hand in hand. Novelty foods can provide great inspiration. Take, for example, these pink ramen noodles that bring new meaning to the term ‘brain food’. A collaboration between novelty item dealers Village Vanguard and Panda Hole (aka Villepan), No-Men ‘brain noodles’ are catching on in Japan. For a similar DIY dish closer to home, try dyeing noodles red with beetroot juice for ‘intestines’. COOKBOOK OUT NOW: SUPER BOWLS Get ready… our latest cookbook will really bowl you over! Super Bowls, $9.99, features no-fuss recipes and top tips for smoothie bowls, salads, soups, grain-based dishes, oodles of noodles and more. From easy breakfasts to curl-up-on-the-couch dinners, all of these one-bowl wonders are simple and…

CHEF’S CHOICE: BORROWDALE FREE-RANGE PORK – borrowdalefreerange.com.au It’s unexpected for a chef who owns and runs a business called LP’s Quality Meats to admit he originally “hated the idea of being a butcher”, but Luke Powell says it took a relatively recent career epiphany to set him on this path. The New Zealander, who has called Sydney home for 11 years, got his first taste of the industry at age 13, when he started washing dishes at a local restaurant for pocket money. So keen was he to make a beeline for life in kitchens that his mother had to talk him out of quitting school there and then. He stayed in education till he was old enough take up a chef’s apprenticeship. A visit to these shores in his…

Enjoy the best regional produce prepared by an acclaimed chef in our state-of-the-art Harvey Norman® kitchen. This event includes a cooking demonstration plus a three-course meal served with a selection of wines. THE CHEF MONTY KOLUDROVIC Icebergs Dining Room and Bar Come and enjoy an exquisite gourmet experience with renowned chef Monty Koludrovic. Using the finest fresh produce, including Fremantle Octopus , he will demonstrate how to cook spectacular food, which will be perfectl y paired with a selection of great wines. EVENT DETAILS WHERE Harvey Norman@Domayne 84 O’Riordan St, Alexandria, NSW WHEN 7pm, Tuesday, September 19, 2017 PRICE $75 plus booking fee (includes three-course meal served with wine) BOOK Visit: hnproduce.floktu.com FOR ALL EVENT DETAILS, VISIT: HN.COM.AU/PRIDEANDPRODUCE SHOP AT YOUR LOCAL STORE, ONLINE AT…

Primavera is Italian for ‘spring’, and this immensely popular sauce is based on spring vegies. It’s a family favourite for good reason – the sauce is creamy, mild and cheesy, with enough greens to keep parents happy! Here, I’ve flavoured the cream with Dijon mustard and lemon rind for a little zing. For the veg, I’ve gone with a combo of zucchini, squash and broccolini, and I’ve included crispy bacon for a bit of salty crunch. Parmesan is essential, of course! I’ve used it finely grated, to add to the sauce, and then have topped off the dish with thin shavings. You can mix up the vegies if you want – just look around at what’s in season or use whatever vegies you have in the crisper! creamy spaghetti primavera…

seared beef, beetroot, spinach & tahini salad  serves 4 | prep 15 mins (+ 10 mins resting time) cooking 15 mins 500g piece beef eye fillet 1 tbs wholegrain mustard 2 bunches broccolini, trimmed, cut into 5cm lengths 1 tbs unhulled tahini 1 tbs fresh lemon juice 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp honey 1 tbs warm water 3 (about 250g) beetroot, peeled, coarsely grated 100g baby spinach Baby sorrel, to serve 1 tbs sunflower seeds, lightly toasted 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spray beef lightly with oil. Season. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook beef for 1-2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to the prepared tray and cover with mustard. Roast for…

“Inspired by the Alsatian bacon and onion tart, this is an easy weeknight dish. Make it fancier by adding thyme-buttered mushrooms!”Manu Feildel caramelised onion & crispy speck tart serves 6 | prep 25 mins (+ 20 mins resting time) | cooking 45 mins 1 pkt Carême Sour Cream Shortcrust Pastry, just thawed (see tips) 40g butter 80ml ( 1 /3 cup) extra virgin olive oil 4 red onions, halved, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, crushed 300g piece speck, cut into lardons 100ml crème fraîche 200g quark or smooth ricotta 10 sprigs fresh thyme Green salad, to serve French vinaigrette, to serve (optional) 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Line a round 24cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin with removable base with the pastry. Trim the edges. Place…

Manu Q When is it best to season a dish – before, during or after? Seasoning is the most important technique in cooking and my answer is that it may be all of the above. For a steak, generous seasoning before cooking keeps meat juicy. For a roasted pork belly, definitely before – crisscross the skin and rub well with seasoning, as the salt will draw moisture out of the skin and give you the best crackling. For stews, it is very important to season the meat first. Then, when the stew is cooking, season again. If you don’t season the meat first, the sauce may be well seasoned but the meat will be bland. After roasting meat, it is important to season each slice after it is has been…

MINI MARVEL Good news for Kalettes fans – the kale/brussels sprouts love child is back! In fact, it’s been so popular that the crop has grown fivefold over the past two years to keep up with demand. This little leafy green, $2.90 for 160g, combines the earthiness of kale with the mild, nutty flavour and size of brussels sprouts. Kalettes are delicious roasted with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Eat them on their own or toss through a warm salad. SAUCY SWITCH Dust off the barbie and pick up your tongs – it’s grilling season! And when you reach for the sauce, why not ditch the standard tomato and give the new Gourmet Garden Finishing Drizzle sauces, $3, a whirl? Made from Aussie-grown herbs,…

funfetti whoopie pies makes 26 | prep 30 mins (+ cooling time) | cooking 30 mins 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature 100g ( 1 /2 cup) caster sugar 80g ( 1 /2 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 375g (2 1 /2 cups) plain flour 330ml (1 1 /3 cups) buttermilk 90g ( 1 /3 cup) hundreds and thousands buttercream filling 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature 230g (1½ cups) icing sugar mixture 1½ tbs milk Pink food colouring, to tint 1 Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in egg. 2 Stir in the bicarb. Use a metal…

Michelle Southan: Picnic lunch “Make the most of the warmer weather by eating outdoors — whether it’s in the park or your backyard. These recipes make for the perfect lunch in the sun.” side Easy chicken berry salad with walnuts main Caramelised onion & crispy speck tart dessert Gluten-free lemon syrup cake Miranda Payne: Father’s Day menu “Father’s Day is always a big family affair in our household, so I like to make food that can easily serve a crowd and will appeal to everyone.” starter Speedy zucchini & haloumi fritters main Ham, mushroom & sage pizza rossa dessert Chocolate-coated cheesecake bites Alison Adams: Spring-clean eating “Give the slow-cooker a rest and enjoy bright, lighter meals again! Even better when those meals don’t take long to throw together.” starter Inside-out…

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CHEF’S CHOICE: FREMANTLE OCTOPUS – fremantleoctopus.com.au Sydney’s fine-dining scene has an aunty to thank for the career choice of one of its favourite protagonists. Monty Koludrovic, executive chef of Icebergs Dining Room and Bar and The Dolphin Hotel, grew up in Lismore and Byron Bay. His aunt would frequently take him to Sydney as a kid and he looks back fondly on those visits, as it was these early exposures to restaurant-going that cultivated his reverence for the world of fine dining. The “aha!” moment was when she took him to The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay sometime in the mid-’90s. “I recall it vividly; it was that experience that showed me how food could be amazing, creative, expressive and intuitive,” he says. “It didn’t necessarily make me decide to become…

prawn taco bowl  serves 4 | prep 20 mins | cooking 25 mins 180g (1 cup) black rice 2 tbs fresh lime juice, plus lime halves, to serve 2 corncobs, husks and silks removed Vegetable oil, to shallow-fry 3 white-corn tortillas, cut into 2cm-wide strips 400g can black beans, rinsed, drained 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated 1 avocado, quartered, sliced 1 red capsicum, deseeded, sliced 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 200g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved 20 cooked prawns, peeled, deveined, leaving tails intact 60ml ( 1 /4 cup) whole egg mayonnaise Sriracha or chipotle chilli sauce, to taste 1 tbs pepitas, toasted 1 Cook rice in a saucepan of boiling water for 25 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a bowl. Add lime juice. Toss to combine. Cool slightly. 2…

This primavera turns up the health dial by including six vegies, which pack a punch of fibre, folate and a range of essential minerals, including magnesium and potassium. Brussels sprouts have plenty of vitamin C and vitamin K, among other goodness. Plus, they contain sulphur, which is essential for production of glutathione, a special compound that protects against cell damage and promotes immune function. Topping your pasta primavera with delicious crispy pecorino kale chips and a drizzle of herb oil gives you plenty of flavour without having to overload on cheese and salt. And olive oil is a top pick for your health – choose extra virgin, as it won’t be chemically refined and will still retain all of its healthy polyphenols. supergreens pasta primavera  serves 4 | prep 30…

It doesn’t matter what you call it: moghli in Lebanon, morocho in Ecuador, grjónagrautur in Iceland or kheer in India — it’s all the same delicious stuff... rice pudding. The technique of slowly boiling or baking rice with milk or water is universally adored. In fact, Wikipedia lists over sixty different rice puddings spanning every continent. The rice used varies from Thai black or broken to arborio or jasmine, while the milk ranges from condensed to coconut or almond. Flavourings include everything from anise, caraway or cinnamon to date syrup, citrus peel or rosewater. But although it’s become a symbol of all that is simple and comforting, this is not a dish to sit cosily in a corner. When the great books talk about what the gods eat, rice pudding…

Dal Zotto Sangiovese 2015 $25 Sangiovese is the perfect red to reach for as the days get warmer and the food we eat gets lighter. This deep-purple drop from the King Valley boasts delicious plum and red cherry flavours. A medium-bodied wine that will sing for any supper. West Cape Howe Pinot Grigio 2016 $17 Here’s a brisk, bright and searing pinot grigio that’s still faithful to those pear and lemon zest flavours we love about the variety. It hails from WA’s Great Southern Region and pairs nicely with seafood or lightly grilled chicken. Down the Lane Shiraz Tempranillo 2015 $12.60 Start your engines. This new bargain blend, laden with berries, spice and cola, will take you for a dark and juicy ride. Chill it for 30 minutes before pairing…