Zucchini cheesecake

3 zucchini

Mint

Spring onion

250g cream cheese

200g feta

3 eggs

Tuna, rocket & lemon pasta

For 2.5:
350g pasta

1/4 cup EVO oil

1 clove garlic

Juice & zest one lemon

2 x 185g tins tuna

Small red chilli

Bag of rocket

Pork burger with chipotle mayo

Enough for: 2
takes: 30 minutes
100g (3.5oz) chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
100g (3.5oz) mayo + 2-3 tablespoons extra for slaw
450g (1lb) minced (ground) pork
50g (2oz) grated parmesan, plus extra
1/4 medium red cabbage
small bunch coriander (cilantro)

1. First make the mayo by chopping chipotle chillies and mixing with the mayo. Taste and season with salt if needed.

2. Combine pork and parmesan and form into 4 burger patties. Heat a large frying pan on a medium high heat. Add a little oil. Reduce heat to medium and then cook the burger patties for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until well browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle.

3. While the burgers are cooking, shave the cabbage using a mandoline or sharp knife. Finely chop coriander stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Toss shaved cabbage and chopped coriander in a bowl with the 2-3 tablespoons of extra mayo.

4. When the burgers are cooked, divide chipotle mayo between two plates smearing into an off centered circle. Top with cooked burger patties. Add slaw on the side and finish with an extra grating of parmesan.

Ma’s yoghurt ice cream

Whisk:
1 cup milk
1/2 Cup castor sugar
2 tsp vanilla paste
big pinch salt

Then:
1 Cup thickened cream
1 Cup Greek yoghurt

For added strawberry awesomeness:
Microwave 1 punnet chopped strawberries
Squeeze lemon
Pinch salt
Spoon caster sugar

Chocolate beetroot cakes

75g cocoa powder
180g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g caster sugar
250g cooked beetroot
3 large eggs
200ml olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4. Arrange paper muffin cases in a 12-mould muffin tin.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the sugar, and set aside.

Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and oil and blend until smooth.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix. Pour into the muffin cases.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Thai mince curry with eggplant

Enough for: 2
Takes: 20 minutes

1 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 tsp Thai red curry paste
400g minced chicken, turkey or pork
3 long baby eggplant, sliced into bit sized pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 tin coconut milk
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked

Heat a little oil in a large pot. Cook the onion, then garlic, then meat, stirring often until browned and no longer pink.

Add the curry paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until everything smells amazing.

Add the eggplant, coconut milk and the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer.

Cook, covered for 5-10 minutes or until eggplant is very tender. Taste, season and serve with coriander leaves on top.

Lentil bolognese with cauli mash

Red onion
Mushrooms
Garlic
Passata
Rosemary
2 tins lentils
Tbsp balsamic

Parsley

Cauli mash

Euro burgers with red wine sauce

enough for: 2
takes: 10 minutes
400g (14oz) minced (ground) beef
1/3 cup red wine
2 – 3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 generous tablespoons unsalted butter
mixed salad leaves, to serve

1. Preheat a large frying pan or skillet on high.

2. Form beef into 2 patties.

3. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon salt on the hot pan and place burgers on top.

4. Sear burgers for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove meat and rest on 2 warm dinner plates.

4. Add wine and tomato paste to the pan. Simmer for a minute or so, stirring to scrape up and burger bits into the sauce.

5. Stir in butter until melted. Taste and season sauce.

6. Serve burgers with sauce poured over and green salad on the side.

CHRISTMAS GINGER BEER-GLAZED HAM

4kg half leg ham on the bone

Ginger Beer Glaze

1 firmly packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 whole cloves
1cm piece ginger, peeled, sliced
3/4 cup ginger beer
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
1/2 cup (250ml) red wine
1 tsp mustard seeds

Melon salad:

1/2 rockmelon, seeds removed, cut into wedges
handful basil, leaves picked
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs white wine vinegar

For the glaze, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 40 minutes or until reduced by two-thirds. Set aside to cool completely. Strain glaze into a bowl, discarding solids.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Using a small sharp knife, cut around ham shank in a zigzag pattern, then carefully run knife under skin, around the edge of the ham.

Gently lift off skin in 1 piece by running your fingers between the rind and the fat. Discard skin, then score fat in parallel lines, 1cm apart. Baste fat with some of the glaze and place ham on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Roast ham, basting with remaining glaze every 20 minutes, for 1.5 hours or until caramelised.

Slice the ham and serve with salad.

Asian pork & broccoli

enough for: 2
takes: 15 minutes
2 smallish heads broccoli, chopped
450g (1lb) pork and fennel sausages, skins removed, meat crumbled
1-4 small red chillies, chopped
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
handful cashews (optional)

1. Preheat a wok or frying pan on a medium high heat. Add broccoli and stir fry until the broccoli is bright green and no longer crunchy. About 5 minutes.

2. Place cooked broccoli in a clean bowl then add a little more oil. Stir fry the sausages until browned and cooked through.

3. Add chilli and return broccoli to the pan. Add hoisin sauce and stir fry another minute or until everything is hot.

4. Taste and season with more hoisin sauce. Serve in bowls with cashews on top (if using).