Table of contents for March 2021 in Taste.com.au

We had so much fun stepping back in time to bring you our first-ever retro issue. Think of it as a kind of DeLorean, taking you back to a time of big hair and perms, rollerskates, shoulder pads (for men and women) and some of the best music ever. This was our life, and how good was it? No wonder we’re nostalgic. So strap in, ’cause we’re going to take you there… with food! We’ve brought your retro faves – like candy apples, jelly cups, Mongolian lamb, vol-au-vents and fondue – back to the future, and given them a tasty 2021 spin. One bite and you’ll be transported back to those hypercolour days. We hope this issue brings on your own flashbacks. We’ve even made a mixtape so you can…

Jersey caramel slice A creamy no-bake cheesecake treat. “I tweaked the recipe by adding some cocoa to the biscuit base, berry flavouring and pink colouring to the middle, and chocolate to the top. It looked Just like the jersey and tasted great.” @RECIPES4FUN “Really good, you could even add more butter to the base.” @SNEWC1 Prawn cocktail pasta salad The seafood classic reimagined. “Lovely salad. I served it with garlic prawns and used red onion instead of the mint.” @JESSMONAHAN “This was great. Decided to make the dressing instead of using store bought and was so glad I did. Definitely reminiscent of seafood cocktails in the ’70s.” @LEGGIE Banana bread scones Perfect for afternoon tea! “Beautiful, easy, comforting – ticks all the boxes! A light dusting of cinnamon sugar before…

VEGETARIAN mexican salad These are the can’t-be-beat dinners you’ll want to make again and again, all done and on the table in just 30 minutes or less. Plus, with our timesaver tips, you can make these dinners even faster, like these easy, quick and crunchy vegetarian lettuce cups. Try our Curried Sausage Meatball Tray Bake for a twist on the familiar family favourite, curried sausages – or maybe a Sticky Lemon Chicken Salad is the retro revamp you need. curried sausage meatball tray bake serves 4 | prep 5 mins | cooking 25 mins QE 2 tsp olive oil 500g beef sausages 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced 3 tsp cornflour 310ml (1⅓ cups) beef stock 3 tsp curry powder 2 zucchini, sliced 2 large carrots, peeled, halved Lengthways, sliced…

brekky banana splits Peel and halve 2 bananas lengthways and arrange on 2 serving plates. Cut 1 Corn Thin into wedges and crumble 1 more. Divide 130g (½ cup) yoghurt between the plates. Top with mixed fresh berries, pepitas and the crumbled Corn Thins. Add the Corn Thins wedges and drizzle with maple syrup. BEST OF MARCH fruit avocadobananablackberriesgrapespapayapassionfruitpeachesplumswatermelon vegies capsicumcarrotscorncucumbereggplantgingersnake beansspinachtomatoes herbs bay leaveschivesparsleysagethyme FIGS KNOW-HOW Figs aren’t really a fruit – they’re tiny inverted flowers. The sweetness of a ripe fig naturally lends itself to desserts, but also pairs nicely with sharp savoury flavours. Enjoy them fresh, cooked or dried. choose Figs are picked fully ripe, so by the time they get to the shops they are quite fragile. Avoid figs with broken skin or that look like…

fad diets – unusual and sometimes downright unhealthy eating regimens – have been part of history since the Late 1800s. Typically promising unrealistic weight loss in a short time, and based on opinion rather than sound dietary recommendations, these quick fixes are the dietary equivalent to fast fashion. Extreme dieting hit its peak during the 1970s and ’80s, and the lycra era gave rise to some truly bizarre trends. The period of low-fat everything also had a strong focus on consuming single foods, with exotic-sounding names like the sexy pineapple diet, the grapefruit diet, the wine and eggs diet (yes, it really was a thing!), and even the cabbage soup diet, AKA the Dolly Parton diet. Just like today, cleanses were big during this era, with versions from the wacky…

CARAMILK CUSTARD DOUGHNUTS The pie maker takes the fuss out of making fresh, hot custard-filled doughnuts for a family-friendly sweet treat. MAKES 12 PREP 20 mins (+ chilling) COOK 30 mins 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour 2 tbs cocoa powder, sifted 2 tbs caster sugar, plus 70g (⅓ cup) extra for sprinkling 185ml (¾ cup) milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 90g butter, melted, cooled, plus 60g extra for brushing CARAMILK CUSTARD FILLING 1 tbs custard powder 125ml (½ cup) milk 75g Cadbury Caramilk chocolate, chopped 1 For the filling, place custard powder in a small saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon milk. Stir until smooth. Add remaining milk. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate…

DREAMY & CREAMY When it comes to baking, sweetened condensed milk is the Aussie cook’s secret weapon. Made with fresh milk, Nestlé’s Sweetened Condensed Milk is wonderfully creamy and sweet, and it’s a great shortcut to making your favourite slices, cheesecakes, puddings and cakes. We’ve even used it to make old-fashioned condensed mi mayonnaise! Pick up a can of Nestlé Sweetened Condensed Milk from supermarkets for $3.20. PROTEIN POWER We’re all about the retro revival here at taste, and versatile cottage cheese is a time-honoured favourite – for good reason! Bulla Cottage Cheese soft and creamy, packed with protein and low in fat. And it’s made in country Victoria with fresh milk, so you can feel even better about adding some to your breakfast bowl, dotting it on top of…

Broccoli is a real powerhouse of nutrients, protein and fibre, and is also rich in vitamin C. It’s wonderfully versatile in the kitchen too, as a delicious addition to stir-fries, soups, salads, pasta and frittatas. Broccoli grown from seed takes around 16 weeks until it’s ready for picking, and autumn is the perfect time to start growing your own crop. step-by-step broccoli * Find a spot in the vegie patch that receives at least 6 hours of sunshine every day, and enrich the soil by digging in some organic soil improver. * Start the seeds in trays or punnets of seed-raising mix. Sow seeds 6mm deep, keep the mix moist and seedlings will emerge in 6-10 days. Transplant the young broccoli plants into the vegie patch when they’re about 7cm…

For all advertising enquiries, call (02) 8045 4734. GET SAUCY An essential in Thai-style cooking, Squid Brand Fish Sauce packs a flavour punch. This pantry staple has an intense aroma and a salty, robust flavour, and can be used for dipping sauces, marinades, curries and stir-fries. It’s also a great seasoning – but remember, a little goes a long way. For recipes and more information, check out asianinspirations.com.au. CREAM OF THE CROP Go beyond baked potatoes and nachos with light-as-air Bulla Sour Cream. Tangy and rich, it can be used to add softness to cakes, as the base in homemade dips, or to boost flavour in cheesecakes. Award-winning Bulla Sour Cream pairs well with sweet and savoury dishes alike. Find it in the dairy section of your local supermarket. Go…

FOR ALL THE LATEST FOOD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS…

Our prize this month is a coffee lover’s dream: say hello to the Nespresso CitiZ&Milk machine, valued at $399. This fantastic appliance heats up quickly, so in under than 30 seconds you’ll be ready to start the day with an espresso or lungo coffee, and it froths super-velvety milk for your lattes and flat whites. For your chance to win one, all you have to do is make our cover recipe, take a photo and share it with us. “Impress me with a stack of golden rissoles, a generous nest of spaghetti and plenty of oozing cheese!” matt preston CELEBRITY JUDGE SEND IN YOUR ENTRIES BY 17 MARCH two ways to enter email it: Send a photo of your creation, with your name, address and telephone number to us at…

do you fondue? There’s no denying our love for all things retro here at taste, particularly if there’s cheese involved, so we were all rapt to hear that fondue was back and better than ever. Enter this fabulous copper-plated set from Swissmar Biel. The pot and burner make for breezy entertaining (the fondue forks are all colour coded so you know which one is yours) or a fun way to add extra cheese (yes, please!) to weeknight classics like chilli, meatballs, nachos and soups. Available online for $299. Head to kitchenwarehouse.com.au. old-school FLAVOUR SodaStream has come a Long way since the ‘70s. Now you can get refreshing soft drinks – still in the classic SodaStream flavours – with half the sugar. Sweet! Soda Press Co’s new soda syrup range is…

lemon butter salmon serves 4 | prep 10 mins | cooking 20 mins E 40g butter, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed 4 (about 180g each) skinless, boneless salmon fillets 2 tbs dill 1 Lemon 4 slices ciabatta 1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Place the butter, garlic and lemon rind on a small chopping board. Use a fork to mash until combined. 2 Tear four 30cm square sheets of foil and line with baking paper. Divide the asparagus among the centres of the paper. Top with the salmon. Scatter with small dollops of the butter mixture. Season. 3 Fold the foil and paper to enclose the filling and seal tightly. Place onto a large baking tray and bake for…

less is more Skip butter – high in saturated, fat – in these healthy plant-based kievs, and switch to golden garlic and herb breadcrumbs with heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. Likewise, with its cholesterol-reducing properties, the high soluble dietary fibre content of the sweet potatoes benefits heart health. Sweet potatoes are also rich in immune-boosting antioxidant carotenoids, plus vitamins C and vitamin E. see our wine suggestion on page 123 ‘a’ for amazing This vegie version of a classic is rich in belacarolene, which is responsible for the bright orange of pumpkin and converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A promotes healthy hair and skin, plus an optimal immune system. tray good Cauliflower makes for a low-cal version of a pub favourite that…

Easter is the bakiest time of the year, eclipsing even Christmas. While we make rum balls, trifles and cheesecakes for summer, come autumn we look to the oven. And when it comes to what to bake, there can really be only one contender for the So Hot! Right Now column as we head towards Easter, and that’s banana bread! Never in taste’s extensive records has banana bread had quite the year it’s had these past 12 months. “Along with sourdough, searches for banana bread skyrocketed.” Banana bread became the must-make dish of covid cooking, and was one of the three most-searched recipes on taste.com.au. But it’s never enough for us to only hit one hot trend when developing a new recipe, so we’ve included buttermilk, and we’ve topped it with…

piña colada pineapple upside-down cake serves 8 10| prep 20 mins | cooking 55mins 60g butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tsp extra 440g can pineapple slices in juice, drained 6 red glacé cherries, plus 12 extra red glacé cherries 440g pkt butter cake mix 2 eggs 160ml (2 ⁄3 cup) milk 60ml (1 ⁄4 cup) Malibu 300ml ctn thickened cream, whipped to firm peaks 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan forced. Grease a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan and line base with baking paper. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the extra 1 tsp of butter to the pan and swirl to coat. Cook the pineapple slices for 1-2 minutes on one side only or until slightly golden. Arrange over base of the prepared pan,…

Nikkal 2020 Rosé, $150 (6 pack) Crisp and light, this Yarra Valley rosé has hints of bright summer berry and red apple. Plus, all of the profits go to Breast Cancer Network Australia when you purchase a 3 or 6 pack from goodmanwines.com. DRINK IT WITH vegetable tray bakes, chicken salads. Calabria Family Wines Richland Durif 2019, $11.95 Hailing from the NSW Riverina, this bargain priced full-bodied red wine delivers on flavour and quality, offering a heady mouthful of plum, black pepper and dark chocolate. DRINK IT WITH rich meaty dishes, braises and barbecue meats. Clandestine Vineyards 2018 Grenache, $30 This McLaren Vale grenache is juicy, medium bodied and bursting with the flavours of fresh cherries and raspberries. It’s food-friendly and super drinkable, making it a fabulous dinner party drop.…

after dinner mint cheesecake slice makes 24 | prep 30 mins (+ chilling) | cooking 30 mins 50g butter 270g dark chocolate, chopped 1 egg, lightly whisked 170g caster sugar 40g (¼ cup) plain flour 1½ tbs cocoa powder 250g cream cheese, at room temperature ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste ½ tsp peppermint essence 425ml thickened cream 2 tsp gelatine powder 2 x 150g Harringtons After Dinner Mints 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan forced. Line a 16 x 26cm slice pan, allowing paper to overhang the long sides. Place butter and 70g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir occasionally until mixture is smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. 2 Add…

Don’t miss this month’s top videos, featuring handy step-by-step guides and how-to tips! For these and many more, visit taste.com.au/videos. Covered in crispy bacon and pistachios with a spicy chipotle kick, this jumbo cream cheese delight is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. Two family favourites – apricot chicken and rissoles – come together in this quick but impressive weeknight dinner. Clever shortcuts make this slice super speedy and delicious. No wonder it has more than 230 five-star reviews!…

DECEMBER WINNER We had so many fantastic entries for the Baileys Snickertini Trifle – it was a festive feast for the eyes! But one amazing creation stole the show. runners up! @masontracey @kathleen_harris_88 @sally_wheeler @felicitylouise82 @biancamuresian @werriwish #tastemagcover Matt Prestan CELEBRITY JUDGE “Nicole won me over with distinct layers, clouds of billowing cream and those luscious caramel drips!” Our winner NICOLE EGAN, WA prize…

Prep for a party and. freeze the sausage rolls uncooked To serve, thaw in the fridge, then bake as per step 5. “The cabbage and. carrot makes these sausage rolls lovely and. moist, while the pastry remains gorgeously flaky. A hit of chilli in the sauce helps them sing.”Marion Grasby dim sim sausage rolls Makes 20 | prep 35 mins (+15 mins chilling) | cooking 20 mins 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage ½ cup coarsely grated carrot 1½ tsp salt 500g pork mince 2 garlic cloves, finely grated ¼ cup thinly sliced green shallots ¼ cup finely chopped water chestnuts 1 tbs soy sauce 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp sesame oil ¼ tsp white pepper 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed 2 egg yolks, Lightly whisked Sesame seeds,…

Almond meal makes this classic cake extra moist. Don’t skimp on the oozy caramel drizzle! gluten-free banana cake serves 10 | prep 20 mins | Cooking 45 mins GF 110g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tbs extra 150g (⅔ Cup) raw caster sugar 2 eggs 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed 150g (1 cup) gluten-free plain flour 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 100g (1 cup) almond meal 70g (⅓ cup) brown sugar 80ml (⅓ cup) pure cream Sliced banana, to serve cream cheese frosting 250g cream cheese, at room temperature 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind 60g (⅓ cup) pure icing sugar, sifted 1 tbs fresh lemon juice 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Line the base and side…

This liqueur laden slice is one for the adults to enjoy, with a delightfully crunchy biscuit base, creamy chocolate mousse – and more than a dash of Baileys! This super easy show-stopping dessert is dinner party perfect, guaranteed to impress friends and family when you’re asked to bring a plate. Layers of luscious chocolate mousse bring back memories of my childhood. A crisp chocolate biscuit base topped with Baileys cream make this a sophisticated finish to a meal. grab these… let’s go! baileys chocolate mousse slice serves 16 | prep 10 mins (+7 hours chilling) | cooking 5 mins E 250g pkt Arnott’s Choc Ripple biscuits 125g butter, melted, cooled 2 x 100g blocks Lindt Excellence Extra Creamy Milk chocolate, coarsely chopped 100g block Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark chocolate,…

Marion Q I’d love to add an Asian twist to reinvent our family meatloaf. What would you recommend? I enjoy adding some Thai-style vibes to my family meatloaves. An easy way to do this is to add finely chopped lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to the mince mixture. I serve this with sweet chilli sauce and a sprinkling of roughly chopped fresh coriander. Brushing the top of the meatloaf lightly with hoisin sauce 10 minutes before the end of cooking gives it a lovely glaze. Michelle Q My white sauce for tuna mornay is always lumpy. Can you help? When making a white sauce (also known as a bechamel), melt the butter and then stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds to a minute to cook off the…

We ate it. We rate it. YOGHURT Low-fat, high-protein, Skyr or kefir: the shelves stacked with yoghurt seem boundless. No matter your preference, we’ve saved you the fuss and compiled a shortlist of the best probiotic stuff. Alpro Almond Vanilla Yoghurt, $7 Alpro’s Almond Vanilla Yoghurt is plant-based and dairy-free, so it’s good for you and good for the planet! Sweet and nutty, it makes a great base for muesli and smoothies. Tamar Valley No Sugar Added Greek Style Passionfruit Yoghurt, $5 Made locally with fresh milk from the Tamar Valley, this creamy yoghurt is thick, sweet (without added sugar) and tangy, thanks to generous layers of sunny passionfruit pulp. Cocobella Dairy Free Natural Coconut Yoghurt, $6 This rich and creamy yoghurt is made with fermented coconut milk (no dairy…

Dedication you can taste Since pioneering the Australian free range market nearly 20 years ago, Lilydale has set itself apart through its commitment to quality and to the welfare of its chickens, raised without antibiotics, and with no added hormones or growth promotants. This dedication flows from farms to the tables of cooks who understand that if it’s raised better, it tastes better. Visit lilydalefreerange.com.au for recipes and more. moroccan chicken bowl serves 4 | prep 25 mins (+ cooling & resting) | cooking 50 mins E 1/2 small kent pumpkin, unpeeled, cut into thin wedges 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges 1 large eggplant, cut into 2.5cm pieces 165g (1 cup) cracked freekeh 2 tsp Moroccan seasoning 2 Lilydale Free Range Chicken Breast Fillets 4 mini pita bread,…