Light Drinking For Healthy Life

THE COOL GREEN

This is a slightly more savory and herbaceous drink with all the flavors of a summery English garden.The borage flowers are optional but pretty and worth planting in a sunny corner of the garden.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cucumbers, peeled and juiced. Juice, pulp and peel all reserved. Should yield 600ml of juice.
• 120ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• 120ml St Germain elderflower liqueur or elderflower cordial
• 400ml soda (or lemonade if your guests have a sweeter tooth)
• Crushed ice
• 4 limes, 10 cheeks cut off, the remains frozen for later use
• Borage flowers (optional)

• METHOD

  • 1
    In the morning, juice the cucumber and prepare the frozen cucumber elements. Press the pulp in an ice cube tray and freeze into blocks. Wind up 12 ribbons of cucumber skin into a dozen “roses” secured with a toothpick. Lay these on a sheet of kitchen paper on a baking tray and place in the freezer.
  • 2
    Fill four long glasses with crushed ice. Pour over 30ml elderflower and then 30ml gin into each glass. Squeeze in a cheek of lime. Next add a quarter of the cucumber water. Top with soda to taste.
  • 3
    Garnish with a second cheek of lime, a cucumber ice cube, a cucumber ribbon rose (toothpick removed), and borage flowers if you can find them.

  • NOTES

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    Tip: Any leftover cucumber ice cubes can be blitzed with chopped jalapeno and a little lime juice to make an ace topping for fresh oysters.

Enjoy its earthy flavours in this simple recipe

WILTED SILVER BEET WITH CHICKPEAS, CHORIZO AND CRISPY POTATOES

silver beet is a hardworking and versatile green that deserves our attention. Enjoy its earthy flavors in this simple recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 600g sebago potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 300g chorizo, cut into 1cm-thick slices
• 80g manchego, cut into 1.5cm pieces
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bunch silverbeet, leaves separated, stalks cut into 5cm pieces
• 1/2 cup (125ml) dry sherry
• 75g blanched almonds, toasted, chopped
• Lemon wedges, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook potato in a saucepan of boiling salted water over high heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, shake in a colander, then place on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbs oil and roast for 30 minutes or until light golden. Add chorizo and roast for 15 minutes or until crisp. Remove potato and chorizo from tray, draining and reserving chorizo oil. Add manchego to tray, and roast for 5 minutes or until melted.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a frypan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas, then cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Drain. Transfer to a bowl and toss with cumin, paprika, cayenne and 1 tsp salt.
  • 3
    Heat chorizo oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook silverbeet stalks for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Remove stalks and set aside. Add sherry and cook for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half. Add stalks and silverbeet leaves to pan and cook, tossing, for 2 minutes or until wilted. Serve silverbeet with cooking juices, potatoes, chickpeas, manchego, chorizo, almonds and lemon wedges.

For Easter, the chocolate doesn't have to come in bunny form - we love this recipe too.

RED WINE AND CHOCOLATE CHICKEN

we love this recipe too.

INGREDIENTS

• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 3 x 5mm-thick slices speck, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 16 whole eschalots
• 200g button mushrooms
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1.8kg whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 3 cups (750ml) red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 oregano sprigs, plus extra to serve
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped, stalks reserved
• 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
• 6 allspice berries
• 2 each whole cloves and cinnamon quills
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 20g dark (70%) chocolate, grated
• Buttered steamed brown rice, to serve

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 180°C. Place half the butter and oil in a casserole over medium heat. Cook speck, celery and eschalots for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside. Return casserole to medium heat with remaining 25g butter and 1 tbs oil. Season chicken with salt and cook, in 2 batches, turning, for 6-8 minutes until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • 2
    Return all chicken to pan. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until browned. Add tomato paste and cook for a further 1 minute, then add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Tie together bay, oregano and reserved parsley stalks to make a bouquet garni and add to pan with stock and spices. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid. Transfer to oven and cook for 50 minutes or until tender.
  • 3
    Strain chicken and vegetables and set aside, discarding cinnamon and bouquet garni. Return sauce to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened, then whisk in chocolate. Pour sauce over chicken and scatter with extra oregano. Serve with buttered brown rice.

This deliciously gooey and moorish dessert shows just how versatile butter can be. It's best eaten quickly and before anyone else!

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE WITH BURNT-BUTTER BANANAS AND ICE CREAM

It's best eaten quickly and before anyone else!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 firmly packed cup (110g) brown sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
• 4 firm, ripe bananas
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 8 small scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup (75g) salted peanuts, roughly chopped

• METHOD

  • 1
    Place 4 dessert bowls in the freezer to chill.
  • 2
    Place sugar and 100g butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream (mixture may spatter), then cook for a further 1 minute or until smooth and combined. Remove from heat, add 1 tsp salt flakes and stir to dissolve. Set aside and keep warm.
  • 3
    Melt another 25g butter in a frypan over medium heat until foaming. Peel 2 bananas and slice lengthways. Add half the lemon juice and banana slices to the pan. Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes until bananas are softened and light golden, but still holding their shape. Set aside and keep warm. Repeat with remaining 25g butter, lemon juice and bananas.
  • 4
    Remove the bowls from the freezer and place 2 scoops of ice cream in each. Add 2 banana slices to each bowl, then top with warm butterscotch sauce and chopped peanuts to serve.

Here, classic ingredients are used simply to create a timeless dish you can share at any occasion.

HUMMUS, PUMPKIN, BEETROOT AND SEEDS WITH TURMERIC DRESSING

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 butternut pumpkin, seeds removed, sliced into wedges
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbs white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 each red and gold baby beetroots, peeled, thinly sliced using a mandoline
• 30g fresh turmeric, peeled, finely grated
• 3/4 cup (200g) thick Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 cup (260g) hummus
• 50g baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup (50g) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1/3 cup (55g) sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup (80g) Sicilian or other green olives
• 200g feta, crumbled

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Place the pumpkin on a baking paper-lined baking tray, toss with 1/4 cup (60ml) oil and sprinkle with ground turmeric, coriander seeds and orange zest. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until tender and caramelised. Set aside to cool.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Place the beetroot in separate small bowls. Divide the vinegar among bowls. Set aside for 15 minutes to pickle, then drain.
  • 3
    To make the dressing, combine the orange juice, fresh turmeric, yoghurt, remaining 2 tbs olive oil and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
  • 4
    Spread hummus over a shallow serving bowl. Arrange spinach, pumpkin, pickled beetroot, seeds, olives and feta over the top. Drizzle with dressing to serve.

EGYPTIAN RICE PUDDING

this old-fashioned rice pudding.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (500ml) pure (thin) cream
• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 4 eggs, plus two extra egg yolks
• 100g arborio rice
• 1/2 cup (75g) pistachios, toasted, chopped

Roasted Rhubarb

• 700g rhubarb, stalks cut into 7cm pieces
• 1 tbs ginger, finely grated
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 160°C. Combine cream, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
  • 2
    Grease a 2L (8-cup) ovenproof dish. Remove cinnamon and vanilla pod from milk mixture. Whisk in eggs and extra yolks, then stir through rice. Pour mixture into dish and place in a deep roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and stir. Return to oven, bake for 15 minutes, then remove and stir again. Bake for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked, then increase oven to 220°C. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and set aside in waterbath for 15 minutes to rest.
  • 3
    Combine all rhubarb ingredients in an ovenproof dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until tender. Serve pudding topped with rhubarb, rhubarb juices and pistachio.

WATERMELON SPRITZ

Watermelon and vodka is a combination that always rings party bells for Matt Preston. Add mint, a little garnish of a feta and olive skewer and you've recreated the flavors a classic summer salad!

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5lt of freshly squeezed watermelon juice; from 3kg of watermelon
• 6 green limes, cut into quarters.
• 300ml chilled vodka
• 1lt soda
• 10 sprigs of mint
• 30 pitted olives
• 100g of fetta, cut into 20 cubes 
• Ice

• METHOD

  • 1
    Squeeze all the limes bar two quarters into a large jug. Top with the watermelon juice and give it a good stir. Place in the fridge until the guests arrive. Chill the glasses.
  • 2
    Just before the guests arrive, run the remaining lime quarters around the rim of each chilled glass Add the vodka to the watermelon juice and stir. Fill each glass with ice and the pour over the watermelon taking care to restrain the lime wedges from dropping into each glass. Using a sieve or a wooden spoon to help you achieve this. (Add the wedges if you want their green in the glass).
  • 3
    Garnish with a little plume of mint and a skewer of olives and two cubes of fetta.
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