Author: Robert Beerworth

I love cooking, wine, travel, my three boys, and two girls, Avalon and my beautiful wife and best friend and cook, Nat...

Green Pistachio Muffins

.Reading time 1 minute.

Yields: 10 muffins

We went through a bit of a phase last winter of doing a weekly batch of muffins.

These pistachio muffins were particularly popular and so here they are for you to try.

Certainly a great way to get rid of that stubborn bag of pistachios that’s been sitting in the pantry for 5 months!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and grease the muffin tins well.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients including the zest and finely chopped pistachios in a large bowl.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the eggs – one at a time – unto the creamed mixture until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and rum extracts.
  4. Slowly add the dry mixture and the milk to the batter, ensure not to over-mix the batter.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the tops with the coarsely chopped pistachios.
  6. Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the muffins test done.

Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

This dish – and I mean it – is incredible.

It could have been the fresh egg noodles, it could have been the oil… it was probably all of it… though they were as good as I have ever had in any Chinese restaurant, ever.

It is a bit hard to explain, though whereas so often noodles cooked at home just have a consistent, solid flavour, there were layers, clarity and cleanliness to these noodles. Home cooking it is not.

Why is worked, I really don’t know though certainly, have your wok high and marinate the chicken for a few hours if you can.

When we cook, we only type up recipes that are clearly standout and worth it.

This noodle dish is the level above.

(Just don’t cut corners on the noodles and make the time to get quality, fresh, Chinese egg noodles from a Chinese grocer.)

Ingredients

250gm chicken thigh, cut into 1cm cubes
240gm Shanghai-style egg noodles
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 spring onion, cut into 2 cm pieces

Marinade for the Chicken

2 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine
1/2 tsp salt
Good pinch of ground white pepper

Other seasonings

6 tbsp sunflower oil for stir-frying
1 tbsp hoisin sauce mixed with 1 1/2 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar combined

Method

  1. Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for an hour or more.
  2. Prepare the noodles according to the instructions. Rinse and toss with the sesame oil.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a hot wok. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Season with the soy sauce and sugar while stir-frying. Set aside.
  4. Heat up 1 1/2 tbsp oil in the wok, again over a high-heat. Add the noodles and stir fry quickly, ensuring they do not stick. Stir fry for a minute or two.
  5. Add the hoisin and toss to combine. Add the cooked chicken and cabbage.
  6. Add the spring onion, stir and heat through for a minute or two.
  7. Serve immediately.

Andalusian-style Chicken

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 2

A little while ago, I typed up an Andalusian-style pork recipe and wow was it is a cracker.

So fresh, so full of flavour, so simple to prepare and healthy as well.

Simple Spanish cooking at its best.

Well here you have another cracker Andalusian dish; again, unique, full of bold, fun flavours and easy to pull together on a Monday night.

Served with broccolini sautéed with chilli and garlic and this really was such a great way to start the week.

Pour yourself a wine, prep, cook… and this will be an equally great start to your week.

(Note the serving size and double for lunch the next day or if you have friends coming around.)

Ingredients

Large pinch of saffron
1/2 chicken stock cube, crumbled into 100ml boiling water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 large chicken breasts or 6 boneless, skinless thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Large pinch of ground cinnamon
1 red chilli, reseeded and chopped
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp clear honey
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp raisins
Handful of coriander, roughly chopped
25gm toasted pine nuts
Crusty bread to serve

Method

  1. Add the saffron to the hot stock to soak.
  2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until it is soft and just beginning to turn golden. Add the chicken and cooked until the chicken is browned all over.
  3. Add the cinnamon and chilli and cook for a few minutes. Add the stock, vinegar, honey, tomato and raisins. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through.
  4. When ready, scatter with coriander and nuts and serve with bread on the side.

Almond and Broccolini Salad

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 6

Yum.

Our eldest boys, Oliver and Tom made us dinner the other night.

Meatballs with halloumi and pine nuts… and this dish on the side, found by Oliver after some very diligent online research.

It’s really good and definitely something for a summer BBQ.

Well done boys.

Ingredients

2 bunches broccolini, ends trimmed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup currants (or raisins)
2 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
1 tsp grated lemon zest

Method

  1. Blanch the broccolini in boiling water until the stems are tender-crisp; 2 minutes or so. Refresh in ice water and set aside.
  2. Transfer broccolini to a serving platter. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice; sprinkle with currants, Parmesan cheese, almonds and lemon zest.

Super Healthy Slaw

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 6

Nat found this one and we served it with a great, homemade chicken schnitzel: breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, lemon rind, chilli, Parmesan and plenty of seasoning.

The coleslaw dressing was pretty tart to begin with, though once we mixed it through the vegetables and apple, it was a really good coleslaw.

At 45 calories per serve, you essentially ditch the mayo for more veges.

Kid friendly too!

Ingredients

1/2 white cabbage, shredded
1 apple, cored and grated
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
100 gm fat-free Greek yogurt
Juice, 1/2 lemon
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

  1. Mix the cabbage, apple, carrots and onion in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar and mustard. Season well, pour over the vegetables and stir through.

Cavatelli with Pork Ragu

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 8

This is a wonderful braise where is it all about cooking it as slow as possible… and as rich as possible.

The Cavatelli is a wonder, shell pasta pairing.

The really fun part however is the addition of the currants and kale. They really make the ragu pop.

I cooked this dish for Nat and I when she was in hospital waiting for Maxy B to come out. Our home-cooked dinners in the hospital made days of walking the corridors and staring at the roof so much better.

And this dish was one of the best we had during that long week.

Cook, eat, enjoy… and freeze for a dinner next week.

Ingredients

750gm boneless pork shoulder cut into 3cm pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig oregano
1 bay leaf
1 x 400ml can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
500gm cavatelli or other small shell pasta
1/3 cup dried currants soaked in hot water
1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed, torn into 6cm pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more

Method

  1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the meat until browned all-over. Set aside.
  2. Drain all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pot; reduce the heat to medium and cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, stirring occasionally until golden brown: around 10 minutes.
  3. Tie rosemary, oregano and bay leaf into a bundle with kitchen twine and add to the pot along with the pork, tomatoes, wine, peppercorns, nutmeg and cloves.
  4. Add water just to cover meat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, adding more water as needed, until the meat is very tender: around 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Discard the herb bundle. Using 2 forms, shred the meat in the pot and cook, uncovered over a medium heat until the sauce has thickened and you have a ragu.
  6. Cook the past in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.
  7. Add the currants and kale to the ragu and cook until the kale is soft and cooked: around 5 minutes. Mix in the butter and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and season again.
  8. Serve the ragu on the pasta, topped with more Parmesan.

Poached Chicken with Bok Choy in Ginger Broth

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

160 calories per serve.

And it tastes wonderful and is a breeze to prepare.

It makes lunch the next day.

Which would mean 320 for lunch and dinner combined.

This is a seriously great weeknight meal!

Ingredients

1 ltr chicken stock
2 cups hot water
4cm piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced (leaving one sliced spring onion for garnish)
2 Thai chillies, one chopped for broth and sliced for garnish
200gm fresh, mixed Japanese mushrooms, chopped
1 bunch, fresh dill
2 chicken breasts
300gm baby bok choy, halved
Bunch fresh coriander to garnish

Method

  1. Heat the chicken stock and water in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced ginger, spring onions, chopped Thai chilli and the dill. Bring the mixture to the boil and then a gentle simmer.
  3. Add in the chicken breasts and poach until cooked through, around 13 – 15 minutes. Set aside to rest.
  4. Strain the soup broth into a large bowl and discard all the solids. Return the strained soup broth to the saucepan.
  5. Test for seasoning and then add the mushrooms for 2 minutes and then the bok choi for another 2 minutes.
  6. Slice the chicken and divide evenly among four bowls. Ladle over the stock and vegetables and garnish with the remaining chilli, spring onion and plenty of coriander.

Chimichurri

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Chimichurri is one of our favourite sauces for beef – or chicken or pork – and this classic recipe is right down the line.

As well as serving as a side, there is something quite wonderful about marinating a piece of rump steak in this before you grill.

With more Chimichurri by the side of course.

If you haven’t made/had this before, read the ingredients and please consider!

Ingredients

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 eschallot, finely chopped
1 red jalapeño finely chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh coriander
1/4 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Combine the ingredients.
  2. If marinating meat, marinate over night.

Roasted Pork Fillet (Tenderloin)

.Reading time 1 minute.

As much as I like to cook a ‘recipe’, some nights call for something simpler.

And likely healthier.

Like a good green salad and a great piece of protein.

Pork Fillet is one of my favourites to do on the BBQ, in the pan or in the oven.

This quick rub for a roasted pork fillet is a wonderful one, especially where you’re trying to be healthy and avoiding a more sugary glaze you might do.

Going into summer, I’m all for rubs and marinades. I reckon this roasted pork fillet will definitely get another run.

Ingredients

1 pork fillet (tenderloin), about 600gm
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1 tsp mixed herbs (dry: sage, rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

  1. Dry the pork fillet, pierce the pork all over with a fork and rub 1tbsp of the olive oil all over.
  2. Combine the rest of the ingredients to make the rub. Rub all over the pork and allow to sit.
  3. Heat the oven to 180c.
  4. In an ovenproof pan, heat the remaining 1tbsp of olive oil over a medium-high heat.
  5. Seal each side of the pork until golden; around a minute or two each side. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for around 15 minutes or until the centre of the pork registers 65c.
  6. Enjoy.

Christine Manfield’s Andhra Curry Leaf Chicken

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

There is yet to be a Christine Manfield curry that hasn’t amazed and this one is no different.

It is moorish, spicy, colourful with a few layers of flavour, the cashew paste adding a wonderful creaminess at the end: we added more of the cashew paste than was asked and didn’t look back.

The real winner however – as Nat observed – is the fried curry leaves and the fun and flavour they add.

And it’s a simple dish. Marinate overnight, cook in under 30 minutes the next night.

I’ve written it many times, though the excitement for us in cooking Indian food is finding new flavours and styles. Christine does not let anyone down with this one.

Ingredients

1.2kg chicken thighs, cut into 4cm chunks
1/3 cup cashew paste
2 large dried red chillies
2 tbsp shredded curry leaves
2 tbsp fried curry leaves

Marinade

1 tsp chilli powder
1 large dried red chilli, broken into small pieces
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
3 tomatoes, chopped
150gm thick natural yoghurt

Method

  1. To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients and 1 tsp freshly ground pepper in a bowl. Add chicken chunks, mixing to coat. Marinate for 10 minutes (or overnight).
  2. For the cashew paste, blend equal parts raw cashews and water in a food processor to make a thick, smooth paste.
  3. For the fried curry leaves, heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan to 170c and fry fresh batches of curry leaves for 20 seconds until their colour darkens. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
  4. For the ginger and garlic paste, process equal parts garlic and ginger in a food processor with a little water until smooth.
  5. Tip the chicken and marinade into a large, non-stick frying pan. Place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the mixture is not too wet and the marinade has reduced and is coating the chicken.
  6. Stir in the cashew paste, chillies, 1 tsp salt and the shredded curry leaves and cook for another few minutes.
  7. Serve sprinkled with the fried curry leaves.