Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 74 i Cooking with the Australian Womens Weekly

I feel we are at a crossroads, as what we eat is having a huge impact on the environment, animal welfare and the health of our farming sector as we try to find a food system that can support our increasing appetites. Australians are facing more hunger, obesity and environmental degradation than ever before. According to one of Australia’s leading food rescue organisations, FOOD BANK (foodbank.org.au) Australian households throw away 2.5 million tonnes of edible food each year – that equates to nearly 300 kilograms per person! It’s crazy to think that much of what we are buying in our trolleys ends up in the bin. This issue we’ve devoted some space to thinking about our food and where it comes from. We hope to arm you with the information…

If you’re serious about reducing waste and looking after the environment, the key is to think before you buy. Start by looking at what you already have. Perhaps it’s not needed after all, or it could be substituted with something else. Consider planning meals around what you have, rather than what you need to get. Be principled in your purchases, avoid anything that’s over-packaged, and as much as possible avoid plastics. BULK-BUY DRY GOODS Buying in bulk lessens the amount of packaging required. If you’re part of a small family, or a solo consumer, buy with friends and divvy things up. At home, transfer dry goods to glass jars or food-grade stainless steel containers. CONVENIENCE FOOD Try to shift your thinking and reduce your reliance on ready-made meals, as these…

LIFE ON THE FARM We are a nation of meat eaters and it’s big business, with the Cattle Council of Australia reporting in 2020 that domestic consumers ate around 25kg of beef per person in 2018-19. But our appetite for meat is raising questions around the impact of a diet based on it. We are struggling to find a system that can keep up with demand while mitigating animal welfare impacts, localised environmental consequences and the system’s contribution to climate change. PORK & PORK PRODUCTS There’s a reason that it’s uncommon to see a field full of pigs as you drive through the countryside, because more than 1500 factory pig farms produce a staggering 90 per cent of our domestic pork products. ‘Factory farm’ is a term used to describe…

RED CURRY PASTE PREP TIME 25 MINUTES (+ STANDING) MAKES 1 CUP REFRIGERATE 1 WEEK 20 dried long red chillies 1 teaspoon ground coriander 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon hot paprika 2cm piece fresh ginger, chopped finely 3 cloves garlic, quartered 1 medium red onion (170g), chopped coarsely 1 stalk fresh lemongrass (white part only), sliced thinly 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander root and stem mixture 2 teaspoons shrimp paste 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 Place chillies in a small heatproof bowl or jug; cover with boiling water. Stand for 15 minutes. Drain. 2 Meanwhile, place ground coriander, cumin and paprika in a small frying pan over medium heat; cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant. 3 Blend or process chillies and spices with ginger, garlic, onion, lemongrass, coriander mixture…

MALAYSIAN FISH CURRY PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 medium potatoes (400g), cut into wedges (see notes) 500g firm white fish fillets, cut into 2.5cm pieces 1 medium onion (150g), sliced thinly 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 cinnamon stick 2 x 410g cans mild Malaysian curry sauce 200g green beans or sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved lengthways 750g packet microwave white long–grain rice ⅓ cup (45g) roasted peanuts, chopped coarsely ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander 1 Heat oil in a large deep frying pan over high heat; cook potato wedges, in batches, until browned all over. Remove from pan. Add fish to pan, in batches; cook, turning, until browned. Remove from pan. 2 Cook onion and garlic in same pan, stirring, until…

An increasing number of people are realising the benefits of not only eliminating meat from their diet, but dairy and eggs as well. As this food and lifestyle trend grows, global fast-food chains and food companies are offering more animal-free menu items and products to meet the demand. The Essential Vegan offers a wide selection of delicious plant-based recipes – all easy to make and using readily available ingredients. This is a great book for those exploring a vegan way of eating, as well as those vegans looking for recipe inspiration. Available where all good books are sold and at aremediacookbooks.com.au…

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APPLE, FENNEL & ROSEMARY PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINUTES SERVES 4 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 4 chicken marylands 2 envy™ apples, each cut into 8 wedges 2 small bulbs fennel (260g), cut into thin wedges, fennel fronds reserved 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 cloves garlic, crushed 330ml bottle apple cider 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 200g crème fraîche 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard crusty bread, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Heat oil in a large heavy-based flameproof pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt flakes and pepper. Cook, skin-side down first, for 5 minutes or until golden. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes; remove from pan. 2 Cook apple and fennel, in batches, in same…

NOW ON SALE $29.99 Simple, delicious and hearty food is what you crave after a long day of hiking, stuggling to put up your tent and finally unwinding in the great outdoors. Whether you’re hitting the trails for the first time, or you’re already an outdoor pro, this collection of our best camping recipes will provide new inspiration and great ideas for campfire cooking. Recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as classic fireside sweet treats, will add a new level of deliciousness to your adventures. Available where all good books are sold and at awwcookbooks.com.au…

POPPY SEED & HAZELNUT CAKE WITH RASPBERRY MASCARPONE PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ STANDING) SERVES 16 ½ cup (75g) poppy seeds 1 cup (250ml) milk 250g unsalted butter, softened 2 cups (440g) caster sugar 6 eggs 2 cups (300g) self–raising flour 2 cups (240g) hazelnut meal 1 cup (240g) sour cream 500g mascarpone 300ml pouring cream ½ cup (80g) icing sugar 200g dark chocolate, chopped finely 375g raspberries 1 Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan. Grease two 20cm round deep cake pans; line bases and sides with baking paper. 2 Place poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl; set aside to soak for 15 minutes. 3 Beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer for 6 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Beat in…

NOW ON SALE $34.99 If your child loves food, chances are they’ll love learning to cook. Thanks to celebrity chefs and TV cooking shows, cooking has become an exciting activity, where children can flex their creativity and independence, while making yummy food to share with their friends and family. Not only is the book packed with info, but every recipe has been hand-picked and recipe-tested by one of our Junior Chefs. A great cookbook for kids, approved by kids! Available where all good books are sold and at awwcookbooks.com.au…

NOT-SO-PALTRY CONCERNS ABOUT POULTRY With so many differing labels and terms, buying the best kind of chickens and eggs for your family can be very difficult. Right now in Australia there are also no national standards that all egg farmers need to comply with, so sometimes, what the labels say is not what you think it means. For free-range, for example, you might be buying a brand of eggs laid by chickens who have 10 times more space to move around in than those of other brands, so it pays to do a little research. Once you find a brand you’re happy with, stick with it. Whether you’re choosing eggs and chicken due to animal welfare concerns or simply for the difference in flavour, you can only guarantee you’re getting…

THE BIG PICTURE A 2014 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation report stated that more than 90 per cent of the world’s fisheries are fished to their limit, depleted or overexploited. As consumers, it can be hard to stay informed, but there are simple things we can do to shop more consciously and think sustainably. Modern state and commonwealth fisheries laws are based on science, with most Australian fisheries operating to strict quotas. Internationally, a fishery is deemed ‘sustainable’ if it is fished annually at less than 20 per cent of the available biomass (how much there is of a given species before fishing). Most Australian commercial fisheries operate at less than 10 per cent. Australia’s 1999 Biodiversity and Environment Protection Act prohibits the unsustainable catching or growing of seafood…

BRANCH OUT! Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). It has a unique mild, peppery taste that becomes sweeter when cooked. Best of all, you can eat the whole thing, so there’s no waste! For more information, visit perfection.com.au USE YOUR NOODLES Don’t limit Chang’s Original Fried Noodles to savoury dishes – try making a cake with them too! Head to page 125 for our Bird’s Nest Cake recipe. For more information, visit changs.com.au SOY MATE Whether you’re using it for dipping with dumplings, wontons or spring rolls, or adding it to stir-frys, Pearl River Bridge Soy Sauce adds a deliciously authentic flavour. Visit pearlriverbridge.com YOU’RE OIL I NEED Australian producer Cobram Estate reckons it’s produced its finest EVOO range yet, thanks to perfect conditions last…

1 DISHWASHER METHOD Run the jars and lids through the hottest cycle of a dishwasher without any detergent. 2 STOVETOP METHOD Lie the jars down in a large saucepan with the lids. Cover them with cold water, then cover with a lid. Bring to the boil over high heat and boil for 20 minutes. 3 OVEN METHOD Do not use this method for plastic jar lids. Stand the jars upright, without touching, on a wooden board on the lowest shelf in the oven. Turn the oven to the lowest possible temperature, close the oven door and leave the jars to heat through for 30 minutes.…

FRENCH DRESSING PREP TIME 5 MINUTES MAKES 1⅓ CUPS Combine 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and ½ teaspoon caster sugar in a small bowl. Gradually add ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking continuously until thickened. BALSAMIC & GARLIC DRESSING PREP TIME 5 MINUTES MAKES 1¼ CUPS Whisk 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 crushed clove garlic and ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl until combined. TAHINI HERB DRESSING PREP TIME 5 MINUTES MAKES 1 CUP Combine ½ cup tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 clove crushed garlic, ¼ cup cold water and 2 tablespoons each finely chopped fresh coriander and fresh mint in a small bowl until emulsified; season. Sprinkle with sweet paprika.…

ROAST PORK WITH CHESTNUTS & PANCETTA PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & STANDING) SERVES 8 1.7kg boneless loin of pork, rind on 1 tablespoon salt flakes 4 slices pancetta (60g), torn into pieces 4 fresh sage leaves, chopped finely 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 220g canned whole chestnuts, drained, chopped coarsely ¼ cup (35g) dried cranberries, chopped 40g butter ¾ cup (50g) stale breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 medium carrots (240g), chopped coarsely 1½ cups (375ml) water 3 small beurre bosc pears (540g), unpeeled 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 40g butter, extra 2 tablespoons plain flour 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock, approximately 1 Pat pork rind dry; rub all over with salt. Cover; refrigerate overnight (see notes).…

LEVELLING A CAKE Using a large finely serrated knife, hold the knife horizontally at the level you want to trim the cake. Keeping the knife level, use a gentle sawing motion to cut through the cake evenly. Discard the trimmings. SPLITTING A CAKE EVENLY Use a ruler to measure out the layers; cut shallow slits at equal intervals around the cake. If cutting into three layers, start with the top layer first. Cut layers using the slits as a guide. Lift away each cut layer with a wide spatula or a tart pan base.…

FIVE-HOUR BRISKET & BEER PIE WITH CHEDDAR PASTRY PREP + COOK TIME 5 HOURS 30 MINUTES (+ RESTING) SERVES 8 ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 30g butter, chopped finely 2 large (400g) red onions, sliced thinly 1.75kg beef brisket, fat trimmed, cut into approximately 2cm pieces 1 tablespoon CSR Muscovado Sugar ¼ cup (60ml) red wine vinegar 1 celery stalk, chopped finely 1 medium (120g) carrot, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 3 cups (750ml) beef stock 400g can cherry tomatoes 1½ cups (375ml) dark ale ⅔ cup (100g) White Wings Plain Flour 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash sour cream, to serve CHEDDAR PASTRY 2 cups (300g) White Wings Plain Flour 1 cup…

VEGETABLE & WHITE BEAN SOUP PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 medium (300g) onions, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 medium (240g) carrots, grated 2 celery stalks, sliced finely 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock 1 bay leaf 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons tomato paste 400g can white beans, drained, rinsed 2 medium zucchini (240g), sliced thinly 100g green beans, trimmed, cut into 2cm lengths ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan grilled rustic bread, to serve 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Add carrot and celery; cook for a further 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, rosemary, paste and 2…

HOW TO CHECK FOR RIPENESS An avocado is ripe when the flesh closest to the stem is soft when gently pressed and the stem plug will flip out easily. Hass avocados will turn a deep purple when ripe. Shepard avocados do not change their green skin when ripe. PURCHASING Select avocados that are free of blemishes and bruises, which are ripe if you want to use them the same day. If you need them in two to three days’ time, buy less ripe ones and store at room temperature. If you want them to last two weeks, buy unripe avocados and store in the fridge. They will still ripen while in the fridge, but much more slowly. To speed up the ripening process, move them from the fridge to the…

COFFEE & HAZELNUT PUDDING PREP + COOK TIME 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES SERVES 10 4 eggs 2/3 cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar 11/3 cups (160g) hazelnut meal ½ cup (125ml) pouring cream ¼ cup (15g) espresso coffee granules 2/3 cup (100g) self–raising flour 2 cups (500ml) vanilla custard 1 Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in hazelnut meal. 2 Place cream in a small saucepan; bring to the boil then remove from heat. Whisk in coffee granules until dissolved. Whisk coffee mixture into hazelnut mixture. Sift flour over hazelnut mixture; stir to combine. 3 Grease a 2-litre (8-cup) pudding steamer; spoon mixture into steamer. Top with baking paper and foil (see notes); secure with kitchen string. Alternatively, cover with a tight-fitting lid. 4 Place…

WHAT IS VEGAN? A vegan diet is wholly plant-based and excludes all animal products. Our new book, The Essential Vegan, is broken down into chapters featuring hero food groups to help you achieve a nutritionally balanced vegan diet. Think Power Pulses, in which you’ll find recipes featuring beans and lentils; Great Grains, incorporating rice, grains and noodles; Orange Vegies, which showcase the versatility of sweet potato and pumpkin; All in the Family (cauliflower, broccoli, green veg); Meet Your Protein (tofu, nuts, seeds and plant-based mince); and, last, but not least, Magic Mushrooms! USEFUL INFO IN A NUTSHELL LABEL CHECK Avoid products that list any of the following on their label: casein, whey, lactalbumin, lactulose, isinglass, tallow, gelatine, albumin, honey (product of bees). IRON ABSORPTION Increase your body’s uptake of iron…

The carbohydrates in chickpeas are very slowly absorbed, giving them a very low glycaemic index value of 36. Low GI foods are those with a score less than or equal to 55, so this means chickpeas are extremely filling and help keep hunger at bay for longer. This results in you eating less and enabling you to control your weight more easily. The lower GI also means your body doesn’t need to produce as much insulin as it does with higher GI foods, such as white or wholemeal bread. This, in turn, makes it easier for your body to burn fat, control blood-glucose levels and, in the long term, reduce your risk of developing diabetes. Chickpeas are packed with resistant starch fibre, which appears to be especially important for gut…

WHITE BEAN & SAUSAGE PASTA PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 500g Italian–style pork sausages 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional) 800g canned diced tomatoes 400g can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed 375g penne pasta 100g fetta, crumbled fresh basil leaves (optional), to serve 1 Squeeze sausage meat from casings; discard casings. Roll meat into small balls with the palms of your hands. 2 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook sausage-meat balls, garlic and chilli, if using, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add tomatoes and beans; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium; cook for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Season to taste. 3 Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large…

LEMON, THYME & HONEYCOMB VINEGAR PREP 10 MINUTES START 8 DAYS AHEAD KEEPS 6 MONTHS READY IN 7 DAYS MAKES 2 CUPS Honey adds a warm note to this vinegar, while the thyme adds an earthiness. Try the vinegar in a dressing for a lamb salad or one with roasted root vegetables and fetta. 15g fresh thyme sprigs rind from 2 lemons (see notes) 2 cups (500ml) white wine vinegar 30g piece honeycomb 1 Wash thyme and lemon rind; pat dry with paper towel. Place in a clean 2½-cup (625ml) jar or bottle. 2 Place vinegar in a small saucepan. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Pour into jar, ensuring thyme and lemon rind are completely submerged. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 1 week. 3 Place honeycomb…

PRETZEL BUNS PREP + COOK TIME 35 MINUTES MAKES 8 2 tablespoons plain flour 2 x 250g portions store–bought fresh pizza dough 40g block gruyère cheese 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon salt flakes shredded barbecued chicken, sliced cheese, sliced tomato and rocket leaves, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 Sprinkle a clean bench with the flour. Cut each dough ball into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. 3 To shape pretzels, roll each ball out into a 30cm long rope. Form each rope into a U-shape, then cross the ends to form a loop. Twist once in the centre, then fold the end up over the loop to form the pretzel shape. Place pretzels on…