SPICY CHICKEN WINGS

Spicy chicken wings are the perfect finger food for your next

picnic, BBQ or outdoor dinner party.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1kg chicken wings, tips removed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• METHOD

  • 1
    Combine the spices, garlic and oil in a mortar and pestle with some salt and pepper and grind into a paste. Place chicken in a bowl with the marinade and toss well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • 2
    Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  • 3
    Spread the wings on the trays and bake for 25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm or cold.

  • NUTRITION PER SERVE

    -

    Energy

    1244 kj

    Fat

    (total)

    26 g

    Fat

    (saturated)

    6 g

    Carbohydrate

    (total)

    1 g

    Dietary

    (fibre)

    1 g

    Protein

    15 g

    Cholesterol

    81 mg

    Sodium

    54.54 mg

SAKE-POACHED CHICKEN WITH SOBA NOODLES

The chicken in this dish is lightly poached in sake, soy and sugar for an authentic Japanese flavour.

INGREDIENTS

• 20g dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup (125ml) sake
• 1/4 cup (60ml) light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
• 2 x 180g chicken breast fillets
• 1 bunch bok choy or choy sum
• 270g packet soba noodles
• 150g enoki mushrooms
• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

• METHOD

  • 1
    Place the shiitake in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups (500ml) hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes, then drain, reserving the mushroom liquid.
  • 2
    Place the sake, soy sauce, sugar, chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, return to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over, add the bok choy and cook for a further 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and bok choy from the saucepan, transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
  • 3
    Bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the noodles, enoki and shiitake. Cook for 7 minutes or until noodles are tender.
  • 4
    Use tongs to divide the noodles among bowls. Shred the chicken and top noodles with chicken, mushrooms, bok choy and sliced red chilli. Spoon poaching broth into bowls to serve.
  • 
    

HOT-SAUCE CHICKEN WITH ROASTED CORN

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup (60ml) hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 4 chicken thighs (bone-in skin-on)
• 8 chicken wings
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 4 corn cobs, husks removed
• Sour cream and coriander leaves, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 190C.
  • 2
    Combine ginger, hot sauce and honey in a small bowl.
  • 3
    In a separate bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Brush the chicken with 2 tbs oil, then add to the powder mixture and toss to coat. Place on a baking paper-lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes or until light golden.
  • 4
    Remove chicken from oven and baste with hot-sauce mixture. Return to oven and roast, basting and turning chicken every 10 minutes, for a further 30-35 minutes until cooked through.
  • 5
    Meanwhile, brush corn with remaining 1 tbs oil and season. Place on a baking tray and place in the oven, on the bottom shelf, for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Remove chicken and set aside, loosely covered with foil, while you slice the corn. Serve the chicken with corn and sour cream, and garnish with coriander.

BAKED GOAT'S CURD CHEESECAKE WITH STICKY RHUBARB AND FIGS

This is extraordinary cheesecake is guaranteed to impress at any occasion.

INGREDIENTS

• 300g shortbread biscuits
• 125g unsalted butter, melted
• 3 3/4 cups (750g) goat’s curd (from gourmet food shops) or fresh ricotta
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 5 eggs
• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
• Chopped pistachios and honeycomb, to serve

Sticky rhubarb

• 1 bunch rhubarb stalks, trimmed, cut into 10cm pieces
• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) verjuice
• Pared zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Toffee figs

• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 4 figs, halved

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 24cm springform pan and line with baking paper.
  • 2
    Place biscuits in a food processor and whiz to a fine crumb. Add butter and whiz to combine. Press evenly into base of the prepared pan. Chill until ready to use.
  • 3
    To make the filling, place goat’s curd, honey, vanilla seeds and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar for 1 minute or until well combined. Gradually add egg mixture to curd mixture, whisking until smooth.
  • 4
    Pour over biscuit base, then place on a baking tray and bake for 90 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centre still has a slight wobble. Turn off oven and leave to cool in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • 5
    Meanwhile, for the rhubarb, increase oven temperature to 200°C. Place rhubarb, sugar, verjuice, lemon zest and vanilla pod and seeds in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes or until rhubarb has softened. Set aside, covered, to cool.
  • 6
    Strain liquid into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until syrupy and reduced by half. Set aside to cool completely.
  • 7
    For the toffee figs, place sugar on a plate and dip cut side of figs into sugar. Heat a frypan over medium-high heat. Cook figs, cut-side down, for 2-3 minutes or until caramelised. Transfer to a tray and set aside until ready to serve.
  • 8
    Place cheesecake on a serving platter. Top with rhubarb, syrup and figs. Serve with pistachios and honeycomb.

  • NOTES

    -

    Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

TRIPLE CHOC CHEESECAKE

The stuff dreams are made of.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g chocolate biscuits (we used Choc Ripple)
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
• 125g salted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 140g pure icing sugar, sifted
• 250g each cream cheese and sour cream
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g dark chocolate, one-third melted
• 2 tbs honey
• 150ml pure (thin) cream

White chocolate panna cotta

• 3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
• 200g white chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream
• 1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 4 whole cloves

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 120°C. Grease a 9.5 x 22cm loaf pan and line with baking paper, leaving some overhanging.
  • 2
    Place biscuits, flour and caster sugar in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Add butter and pulse to combine. Place dough between 2 pieces of baking paper and roll out to 5mm thick. Place on a baking tray and chill for 30 minutes to firm.
  • 3
    When chilled, cut a base and 2 long sides from the dough to fit prepared pan (sides should be 5.5cm high), then use to line pan. Chill until needed.
  • 4
    Place eggs and icing sugar in a food processor and whiz until pale. Add cream cheese, sour cream and cornflour. Whiz until smooth, then add vanilla and melted chocolate, and pulse to combine. Pour into pan and bake for 90 minutes or until set. Cool in oven for 1 hour, then chill.
  • 5
    To make the ganache, chop remaining 200g chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl with honey. Place cream in a pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake. Chill to firm up.
  • 6
    For the panna cotta, soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Place remaining ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and stir into cream mixture until melted and combined. Strain into the chocolate bowl and stir until melted and smooth.
  • 7
    Reserve 1/3 cup (80ml) panna cotta, then cool remaining panna cotta by stirring in a bowl set on a bowl of iced water until thick. Pour over ganache, and top with reserved panna cotta to give a smooth finish. Chill for at least 2 hours.
  • 8
    To serve, carefully lift cake from pan using overhanging paper and cut into slices using a warm knife.
  • Begin this recipe 1 day ahead, Cheesecake will need to chill for 5 hours.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH POTATOES, OLIVES AND LEMON

This slow-cooked lamb dish, with green olives and potatoes, can be made ahead of time, and served family-style, with salad and crusty bread for a long lazy lunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 French-trimmed lamb shanks
• 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, bruised
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 3 thyme sprigs, plus extra thyme leaves to serve
• 3/4 cup (185ml) white wine
• 2 cups (500ml) chicken or beef stock
• 3 desiree potatoes (about 600g), peeled, cut into wedges
• 3/4 cup (150g) pitted mixed olives
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• METHOD

  • 1
    Dust the lamb in flour. Heat 2 tbs oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Season the lamb, then cook, turning, for 6-8 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • 2
    Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, thyme and remaining 2 tbs oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Return lamb to the casserole and season. Increase heat to high and add wine, scraping the bottom of pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until evaporated. Add stock and enough water to cover lamb. Reduce heat to low, then cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours.
  • 3
    Add potatoes and olives, cover and cook for a further 45 minutes or until the lamb is very tender and potatoes are cooked through. Remove the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced by one-third. Remove from heat and season.
  • 4
    Sprinkle lamb shanks with lemon zest and extra thyme leaves to serve.

SPINACH AND GOAT'S CHEESE MUFFINS

These cheesy savoury muffins pair perfectly with soup, or even as stand-alone snack.

INGREDIENTS

• 25g unsalted butter
• 200ml milk
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 1 2/3 cup (250g) plain flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2/3 cup (50g) finely grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• 120g soft goat's cheese
• 8 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly grease 8 holes of a muffin pan. Heat butter and milk in a pan over medium heat.
  • 2
    Add the spinach and stir for 1 minute until wilted. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
  • 3
    Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add parmesan, egg and spinach mixture.
  • 4
    Crumble in cheese, then stir gently until just combined. Fill pans with mixture. Prick tomatoes several times, then place one in the centre of each muffin.
  • 5
    Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins are risen and cooked through. Turn out onto a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm
  •