Anjum Anand’s Grilled Chopped Chicken Salad

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 2

I’ve slightly adapted this salad to fill it out for two, though the essence is the same.

And that is just a wonderful, healthy, Indian salad perfect for New Year’s Day: where in 2025, the Champagne had to continue.

Right?

The sprinkled Chaat Masala with the roast and ground cumin seeds is your spice. I deseeded the chilli though that is your call.

I also cooked the chicken breasts over charcoal.

Add that lemon, plenty of olive oil and more Champagne and this was a blast of a salad.

Fun. Tasty. Spicy. Perfect to start the new year.

Perfect for a Sydney summer.

More Champagne? Yes thank you.

Another Anjum Anand success.

Ingredients

1 large chicken breast
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra to serve
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds
Good fistful of coriander (stems and leaves), finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 medium tomato, cut into 1cm cubes
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1cm cubes
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
Two good handfuls of chopped lettuce*
1 1/2 tsp chaat masala
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
2 tbsp salted peanuts, lightly chopped

Method

  1. Marinate the chicken in 1 tbsp olive oil, seasoning and garlic for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Heat a griddle pan, add the chicken breast and cook for 5 – 6 minutes each side until done.
  3. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, more seasoning, roast cumin and a little of the lemon juice and coriander.
  4. Place the tomato, avocado, onion and lettuce in a bowl. Add the chaat masala, chilli and most of the dressing and toss. Taste, season and add more lemon juice as necessary.
  5. Thinly slice the cooked chicken and place on top of the salad, drizzle with the remaining dressing, coriander and peanuts. Drizzle with more olive oil and serve… with Champagne.

* Nat has a ban on iceberg lettuce in our house on account of its nutritional deficiency. Though we served these Neil Perry Prawn Cocktails as part of a Christmas Eve dinner and we had iceberg lettuce left over.

We both agreed, this was the way to go. It’s New Year’s Day and the feeling was right. Go the iceberg.

Dianne Bibby’s Bobotie Filo Parcels

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Makes: 20

New Years Eve 2024 and we are off to Nat’s parents for Champagne, a swim with the family and counting down the minutes.

My main was this always brilliant Doner Kebab, with the chicken slow cooked and caramelised.

But it was Nat’s starter of these Bobotie filo parcels that won the night.

They’re awesome.

The addition of the Mrs Ball’s chutney means it doesn’t need to be on the side. The sultanas add a sweetness to balance the excellent spice. The addition of the milk-soaked bread keeps the whole thing moist.

The buttery filo pastry and then the egg wash with the black (or white) sesame seeds finishes it off.

Sophisticated? No. And neither expected.

Delicious? Absolutely yes.

I promised my brother-in-law Greg – of South African heritage – I would type these up for his mother – Elaine – who has not only published a cookbook and is a fantastic cook and entertainer, though is also a subscriber of this blog!

Elaine’s specialty is South African. Think Bobotie, Bunny Chow and Cape Malay Curry.

Actually, that’s not fair.

Elaine’s speciality is just great food and sharing the experience of cooking and enjoying it with friends and family.

I’ve had the pleasure.

Catching up with Elaine is always electric. She is as mad about food as I am and we share stories and all sorts of promises.

I don’t think I have had Elaine’s Bobotie and I am not convinced Greg shouldn’t be cooking these for his mother instead, though this recipe is for Elaine and hopefully her next family gathering.

Delicious? Will most definitely be.

Ingredients

2 sliced white bread, crusts removed and soaked in 200ml milk
2 tbsp golden sultanas
45ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
20gm salted butter
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, finely grated
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half
500gm lean beef mince (Nat used turkey mince)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp Mrs Ball’s chutney
1 c chicken stock
2 tbsp almond flour
20 sheets filo pastry
4 tbsp melted butter
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 30ml water)
Sesame seeds, for finishing

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the sultanas in a small bowl, cover with the orange juice and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, carrot and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  4. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until nicely browned and just starting to catch on the bottom of the pan. Season with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper; mix in all the spices and cook for a further few minutes.
  5. Stir in the milk-soaked bread along with the milk, drained sultanas, cinnamon, chutney, stock and almond flour. Cover partially with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the carrots are soft, the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has reduced. Set aside to cool.
  6. Lay one sheet of Filo pastry on a bench with the shorter edge facing you and brush with the melted butter.
  7. Lay another sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut the sheet into 3 strips (approximately 15cm each).
  8. Place one heaped tbsp of the filling mixture on the very top of the sheet allowing 2cm from the bottom. Take the bottom right corner of the Filo pastry strip and fold it diagonally towards the opposite side of the strip to form a triangle.
  9. Then take the bottom left corner of the strip and fold diagonally towards the opposite side.
  10. Continue folding in the same way to ensure you keep a triangular shape.
  11. Brush each triangle with the egg wash, scatter with sesame seeds and cook for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Matty Matheson’s Sichuan Chilli Oil Smashed Cucumber with Soy-Cured Egg (Salad)

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6

As Matty Matheson says it:

This is just one of the best things ever. The textures and tastes set you up for a perfect meal. Normally, smashed cucumbers are often served simply as a side to just nibble on while you’re waiting for noodles or dumplings to come out. I think this treatment takes the cucumbers to more of comprehensive dish. This is so refreshing. The soy eggs are just Banana Town. Since we’re making a cookbook, we could make something like this a main event. I’m so hyped on this salad, and I know this will be a staple for you and your family or friends, or maybe your lover

This is a sophisticated Asian salad, no doubt.

The black vinegar chilli crisp dressing is sensational and I’ve prepared it separately for different salads of rocket, avocado and poached green beans with great effect.

The soy sauce eggs are the lux element. This shows effort and it won’t go unnoticed.

Christmas is the time for salad and winding down.

This salad is worth every bit of effort.

And save that dressing on its own. Chilli crisp is brilliant.

(There are 5 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds in total here: just a pre-warning.)

(And the eggs need no less than 6 hours resting and ideally overnight.)

Ingredients

Soy Sauce Egges

6 eggs
1/2 c water
1 c soy sauce
3/4 c mirin

Cucumber Salad

2 English cucumbers, cut into 6cm strips*
Salt
1/2 red onion, sliced as thinly as possible
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
1/2 bunch spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Black Vinegar Chilli Crisp Dressing

1/4 c chilli crisp**
2 tbsp black vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 small knob ginger, grated
2 tbsp grapeseed oil

Method

  1. Starting with the soy sauce eggs: bring a large pot of water to the boil and carefully lower each egg into the pot and set your timer for 6 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath until they get cold, then peel them.
  2. To marinate the eggs, place a Ziplock bag in a small bowl. Fill it with the water, soy sauce and mirin, add the eggs and squeeze out the air to ensure the eggs are fully covered by the soy mixture. Seal and store in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours and ideally a day.
  3. When you are ready to make the salad, get ready to smash the cucumbers. Lay them out on a chopping board and smash them with the bottom of a pot. Transfer them to a strainer set over a bowl, generously salt them and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes: when done, press them with paper towels to remove all the moisture you can.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the red onion, coriander and spring onions.
  5. Make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients and combine/shake well.
  6. Carefully remove the soy eggs from their bath and break them up gently with your hands. Be artful.
  7. When you’re ready to serve, get a large platter out. First put down the smashed cucumber. Toss with the dressing. Top with the broken up soy eggs. Add the coriander, onion and spring onions and top with the sesame seeds.

* I used Lebanese. There are apparently 100 varieties of cucumber in the world and whilst they vary (seedless vs non-seedless, thicker vs thinner skin), I lost no sleep over this.

** I cannot – cannot – overemphasis the need to find this which isn’t hard. The substitute is not jarred chilli or chilli oil. In fact, even the best substitute suggestions on Google are lukewarm and suggest you get off your arse.

Matty Matheson’s Meatball Sub

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 8

Nat said these meatballs were the best she has ever had and I’m not going to lie.

They are.

Add the marinara sauce, the mozzarella and the focaccia and this is just heaven.

It’s the sum of the parts that make this brilliant. No expenses spared.

Matty believes these subs should be served as single meatball portions, though did whole meatball subs and the kids absolutely loved it.

Which is not to say this isn’t something Nat and I wouldn’t cook again and again.

Just for us.

Which is why I am typing it.

Go Matty Matheson!

Ingredients

1 c dry breadcrumbs
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 clove for rubbing the focaccia
1 c flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbsp salt
Freshly cracked pepper
1 tbsp chopped oregano leaves
1 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1 c grated Pecorino Romano
Olive oil
500gm ground beef
500gm ground pork
500gm ground veal
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 c Marinara (recipe follows)
1 large focaccia
250gm mozzarella sliced into 16 slices

Marinara (makes 6 cups)

800gm canned tomatoes
1 c olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch basil
2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk, mixing them thoroughly, and let stand for 10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are hydrated. Add the eggs, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, oregano, Parmigiano, Pecorino, and a dash of olive oil and mix everything until combined.
  2. Next add the beef, pork and veal. Use your hands to really work the meat until everything comes together into a nice homogenous mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit in the fridge for 1 hour.
  3. After the mixture has rested, portion the mixture into golf ball sized balls. In a medium bowl, add the flour. Gently dust each meatball with the flour.
  4. Preheat your oven to 180c.
  5. Pour 1.5cm of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet and bring it up over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, about 10 minutes on all sides. Be gentle. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a large baking dish and cover them with marinara. Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Slice the focaccia down the middle and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Grill or toast until olive-oil side is golden brown. Rub both grilled sides with a sliced piece of garlic.
  7. Preheat your grill on high. Spread the meatballs over the bottom half of the toasted focaccia. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and place a slice of mozzarella over each meatball. Place onto a baking sheet and grill until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned: 5 minutes. Coat the meatballs in the marinara mixture and the remaining slice of focaccia. If serving individually, skewer each meatball or cut it up however you want.
  8. For the marinara: in a heavy pot, warm the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, helping to break them down. Turn the heat down, add the basil an allow the sauce to simmer for 1 hour or more.
  9. Remove from the heat, remove the basil stems and add the salt, sugar and Parmesan. Using a hand blender on low, gently blend the sauce until the tomatoes break down: you are looking for a sauce that is slightly chunky. Allow the sauce to cool. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Matty Matheson’s Taco Submarine

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 2

Matty Matheson’s new cookbook Soups, Salads, Sandwiches is a must-have cookbook.

There isn’t a thing in it I wouldn’t cook.

Four recipes in, each has been a blockbuster.

The book is full of obtainable, super tasty food with a few fancy touches here and there; the Sichuan Chilli Oil Smashed Cucumber Salad and Soy-Cured Egg is just one example: a beautiful, sophisticated yet obtainable Asian salad.

The photos – and there are plenty – of Matty and his family are just fun.

And the stories are fucking fun. (He swears a lot.)

This taco sub isn’t sophisticated though is damn excellent.

This is a Saturday night, tequila time dinner.

As Matty says introducing this recipe:

To this day, my favourite restaurant is Robo Marty a small gas station und the Peace Bridge on the Niagara River. They used to have a taco sub that was so insane it worked, and it made me happy. Cheesy Mexican pickled jalapeño beef. Texy mexy beefy. Cheesy sexy texy mixy mexy jalapeño beef. After a few minutes it would relax you, and if you were like me and in high school on a BMX bike eating this in the woods, then you do what you gotta do. Life is not a straight line, but it is not fair if you don’t get to have your cake and eat it too. The taco sub is that for me. It’s a double-edged sword and double entendre, but it’s always worth the fight.

Ingredients

500gm ground beef
1 c water
Two 30gm packets spicy taco seasoning
1/2 c pickled jalapeños
6 slices American cheese
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 submarine buns
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
1 c Wedge Salad Dressing
Frank’s RedHot sauce (available in Australia)

Method

  1. The biggest thing is making this beef. It’s so important. Get a large skillet really hot with no oil. Take the ground beef out of the pack and put it into the hot pan. Sear it like one big cheeseburger patty and let it fry up, about 10 minutes. Once it is a little smoky, using a flat wooden spatula, scrape the beef off the pan and chop it all up and break it down. Keep chopping with your spatula while it browns and cooks, about 5 minutes.
  2. When the beef is completely browned, deglaze the pan with water. Stir that in with the beef. Real quick. Dump in the magic powder (taco seasoning) and pickled jalapeños. Keep stirring until your entire house smells like magic and cook it out for 5 minutes max. Throw in the American cheese and stir until the cheese melts and is incorporated, about 2 minutes. It will become stinky cheesy texy mexy beefy, Turn off the beef heat, The residual heat will melt the cheese.
  3. Take the bun. Don’t toast it. Slice it open. Take a big spoonful of cheesy beef and throw three clumps of it into the soft bun. Throw half the onions, tomatoes, and lettuce on top, then drizzle with the dressing. Squirt some hot sauce all over it. Take your knife and squish it all in. Wrap it in parchment paper. Repeat with the other sub.
  4. Slice the sub down the middle, then peel it back and take a bite.
  5. I told you how bloody good this was.

Vefa Alexiadou’s Easy Cheese Appetizer (Tiromezes)

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

If ever there was a correlation between simplicity and brilliance, this is it.

Cooked by Nat as a starter to a long, Christmas, Greek lunch, we both agreed that this appetizer was just “stunning”.

If you’ve read my blog, you’ll know I am into my superlatives: though hand-on-heart, this dish is stunning.

I followed up with this Arni Pesto accompanied by a wicked mushroom pilaf by Nat and with Champagne, the sun and the holidays starting, this was a lunch to celebrate.

Ingredients

4 square, thick slices feta cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 rounds
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried oregano
Pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  1. Preheat the broiler (grill).
  2. Put the cheese slices side-by-side in a shallow flameproof dish. Put a tomato slice on top of each feta square and top with the slices of chilli. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
  3. Cook under the broiler for 6 – 8 minutes until the chilli and tomato are lightly browned.
  4. Serve immediately: ideally with a delicious ouzo apparently. We had none, though if you do, please tell me. I actually get it. Reminds me of Oysters Charentaise where you have an oyster, a bite of a spicy sausage and a good sip of cold, white wine: heaven.

Daniel Gritzer’s Fettuccini Alfredo

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

I’ve read Alfredo recipes that add cream, which I think is akin to adding cream to Carbonara. It’s amazing in a dodgy pizza restaurant in Newtown or Brooklyn, though hardly traditional or subtle.

This recipe from Serious Eats goes back to the original recipe with nothing but pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter and salt: no pepper, nothing else.

In terms of pure joy, this is it.

As part of Nat’s search for the World’s Best Pasta and in a slipstream of cooking the simplest pasta, the original Alfredo made the cut and came out way ahead.

If you can make your own fettuccini, power to you.

It really is pure joy.

Use a younger Parmigiano-Reggiano, pour a glass of cold Riesling and sit in the sun with a bowl of this pasta and prepare to be amazed.

Pure joy.

Ingredients

115gm good unsalted butter, diced
115gm grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
Salt flakes
500gm fresh fettuccine pasta

Method

  1. In a large heatproof bowl, combine butter and cheese.
  2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain, transfer the pasta to the bowl with the cheese, retaining 1/2 c pasta water.
  3. Add the pasta water to the pasta, butter and cheese and using tongs, toss the pasta repeatedly until the butter is melted and a creamy, emulsified sauce forms. Add more pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Season with salt, sprinkling more cheese at the table.

Paul Farag’s Potato Rosti with Cultured Cream and Bottarga

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 4

Wow.

This as starter or a side. Just brilliant.

By Paul Farag, the genius behind Sydney Turkish 2-hater Aalia, this recipe has a little technique behind it, though it’s otherwise simple and elegant.

What we loved about it was the drama of serving two large Rostis so that everyone can get in on the fun.

The shaved bottarga is just lux. Add caviar if you really want to impress.

I say it every time, though when I find a new potato dish that is a home run, I’m so excited.

(Nat found it, cooked it and I can no credit other than to be typing this up.)

We’re BBQing lobster on Christmas Eve – an annual tradition with Nat’s parents – and this rosti is going to make Nat’s mother so happy: just need to someone cook all that ghee without her seeing!

(If you don’t have a mandoline fitted with a julienne attachment, now might be the time.)

Ingredients

1gm sebago potatoes, peeled*
200gm ghee, melted
200gm crème fraîche
10gm bottarga or roe, caviar
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

Method

  1. Using your mandolin fitted with a julienne attachment, cut your potatoes into fine matchsticks.
  2. I rarely interrupt a recipe other than to suggest a wine or to keep stirring, however I say this as someone that made four cauliflower pizza bases one Friday night, not realising I would need to food-process, steam something like 20 cauliflowers and then suffer through the purgatory of squeezing the hot wet rice of 20 cauliflowers: do not julienne 1kg of potato with a knife. Just don’t.)
  3. Using your hands, squeeze out all the excess liquid, then place potato in a large bowl. Toss the potato with half the ghee and season well with salt flakes and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Place a non-stick pan with a 23cm base (use a sheet of baking paper to line the pan if your pan isn’t non-stick) over medium-low heat. Add half the potato mix, spreading it evenly to cover the base of the pan, lightly shaping it to a neat circle, but trying not to push down too much.
  5. Cook for 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. When ready to flip, place a chopping board over the pan and flip onto the board. Place half the remaining ghee (50gm) in the pan and transfer the rosti back to the pan, uncooked side down and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes until deep golden colour. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel. Repeat the remaining process with the remaining potato mixture and ghee.
  6. To serve, place a good dollop of crème fraîche on top of each warm rosti, finely shave bottarga over the top and sprinkle with chives.

* Yes, you can buy them in Australia.

Vefa Alexiadou’s Pork Chops in Wine

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

Another excellent and simple Greek dinner from Vefa Alexiadou’s ‘Greek Cookbook’.

We were after a quick Monday dinner and this totally hit the spot.

Alongside a green salad and some pan-fried potatoes with oregano and feta, this is how you celebrate beating Monday.

Plus now that you have an open bottle of red or white wine, well, you know…

Ingredients

4 large pork chops, 1.5cm thick
Salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2/3 c dry white or red wine
4 lemon wedges
Fried potatoes and greens, to serve

Method

  1. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan large enough to hold the chops in a single layer. Add the chops and cook over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
  2. Pour in half the wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol has evaporated, then pour in 5 tbsp water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
  3. Increase the heat and let the chops sizzle. Pour in the remaining wine and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until the alcohol has evaporated. Serve immediately on warmed plates with 1 – 2 tbsp of the wine sauce, garnished with lemon wedges and accompanied by fried potatoes and greens.

Dina Begum’s Doi Murgi (Bangladeshi Yoghurt Chicken Curry)

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Serves: 4

This is my third Dina Begum recipe and it was an absolute home run.

It is total comfort food.

The braised chicken thigh in the spices and yoghurt and the wonderful whole green chillies, finished with the crispy shallots on rice: kill me now.

This is what dreams are made of.

I ended up cooking the gravy down longer than the recipe prescribed though other than that, what you see is what you should cook.

Marinate the chicken overnight, get those onions golden and the rest is pretty set-and-forget.

With a glass of wine, two of my favourite things in life were consecutively ticked off!

Update: our best friends Woodles and Billy just had baby #2. A little girl Izzy. Nat is rumoured to get to see the little girl tomorrow and so I’ve doubled this and can confirm it works: as a small dinner gift.

So excited for you guys! Can’t wait for the next looooooong lunch! 🥴

The always wonderful Woodles! (With Nat.)

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

1kg boneless chicken thighs, skinned and cut into large pieces
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
(I used 4 tsp ginger garlic paste)
1/4 tsp black pepper, crushed
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 c Greek yoghurt
1/2 tsp cumin powder

Sauce

5 tbsp mustard oil
3 medium onions, finely sliced
1 tsp salt
6 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
8 cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6 green chillies

To garnish

1 handful crispy shallots
4 green chillies, split lengthways

Method

  1. Place the chicken in a bowl with all the marinade ingredients, mix well and chill in the fridge for at least 2 – 3 hours and preferably overnight. Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before cooking.
  2. Heat the mustard oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, bay leaves and whole spices and cook until golden brown. Add 125ml of water and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. When the onion mixture is soft and caramelised, add the ground spices.n Turn up the heat to medium and sauté for a minute or two to cook out the spices. Add the green chillies and marinated chicken mixture together with 50ml of water and stir to combine.
  4. Set the pan back over a low heat and cover. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pan and continue to cook until you have a thick gravy with a little oil rising to the surface. Serve with crispy shallots and a split chilli.