Pumpkin, zucchini & bacon bubble & squeak

For 1:
1 chunk Kent pumpkin
2 rashers bacon
1 purple shallot
1 clove garlic
1 zucchini

Heat oven to 200, chop & oil pumpkin. Bake for 20 minutes.

Slice bacon & start frying. Chop shallot & add, frying for 5 minutes. Roughly chop garlic & add. Grate in zucchini.

Add pumpkin & oil. Salt & lots of pepper.

Vietnamese beef curry with lemongrass and star anise

For 6 people:

Peanut, sesame and shallot dust:

6 tbsp unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

4 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan (watch carefully, they burn quickly)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt flakes

2 tbsp crispy fried shallots

1.2kg beef chuck, in 2cm-3cm dice

Salt flakes

2 generous pinches saffron

Coconut oil

4 sticks lemongrass, white part only

4 long red chillies

4 small red chillies

8cm piece ginger

5 purple eschalots

6 garlic cloves

3 star anise

1 tsp five-spice powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tin tomatoes, drained and crushed

4 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp sugar

1 large daikon (white radish), peeled and cut in 4cm rounds

Rice, to serve

Coriander leaves, to serve

Limes, to serve

1. Season the beef and toss with the saffron and a little oil.

2. Roughly chop the lemongrass, chillies, ginger, eschalots and garlic, add to a food processor and process to a paste.

3. In a large pot, fry the paste in a little oil about 3 minutes or till fragrant, add the beef and stir. Seal the meat, add the star anise, five spice, cinnamon, tomatoes, fish sauce, sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir. Add two litres of water.

4. Simmer gently for about two hours or until the beef is tender. Add the daikon and cook for a further 30 minutes, until the daikon is tender and the sauce reduced.

5. To make the dust, in a mortar and pestle or small food processor, grind the peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar and salt together, then stir through the crispy shallots.

6. Serve with rice, coriander and lime. Sprinkle with crispy shallot and peanut dust.

Eat with lager

Crispy cornmeal sweet potato chips

For 2 big serves or 4 small:
1 large sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp. polenta
1 tsp. sea salt (more to taste, if desired)

extra flavour options:
ground cumin
smoked paprika
cayenne










1. Scrub the sweet potatoes well under running water. Slice them into long sticks 1cm thick. Place them in a bowl of water, swish around a few times, then drain (this step helps remove some of the starch from the potato). Place potatoes on a clean tea towel and dry thoroughly. Let them air dry while you prepare everything else.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. On low heat, melt coconut oil or ghee in a small saucepan. Place cut potatoes in a plastic bag, seal and shake bag vigorously to coat (this process can also be done on a cookie sheet, drizzle the oil over and toss very well to coat). Add cornmeal and salt to the bag and toss well to coat.

3. Place fries on a lined baking sheet, making sure that they are not touching. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp (no need to flip them halfway through cooking).

(Served with steak and salad.)

Sweet potato & red capsicum dahl

4-6 serves:
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 diced large onion
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes
1 diced (stemmed, seeded) red capsicum
1 1/2 cups rinsed red lentils
6 cups vegetable stock
Chopped fresh coriander





Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook cumin, turmeric and curry powder until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion with a few pinches salt, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and capsicum and cook 1 minute.

Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with coriander before serving.

Garlicky kale and white bean stew

Serves 3-4:
Knob ghee
2 medium onions
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
5 bay leaves
Pinch chili flakes
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tin white beans
2 cups packed shredded kale leaves
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can (400g) tomatoes
Cold-pressed olive oil to garnish

Directions:
1. Heat a knob of oil in a large stockpot. Slice onions and add to the pot with a couple pinches sea salt, chili, bay leaves and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add sliced garlic.
2. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, season to taste, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil (since everything is cooked, you don’t need to heat it long).

Oatmeal buttermilk pancakes

For 16 pancakes (4ppl):

• 2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup light olive or macadamia oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 bananas, chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, oil and vanilla in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; whisk until blended. Let batter stand to thicken, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover batter and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to low. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, ladle batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet. Place banana chunks on each. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over; cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Spaghetti bolognese

• 1 Tbsp ghee
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 75g pancetta, diced
• 600g minced pork & veal
• 2Tbsp tomato paste
• 800g chopped tinned tomato
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Splosh red wine
• Pinch of salt

Melt ghee and cook onion on low, add garlic and pancetta and fry. Increase heat and add mince to brown.
Stir in remaining ingredients, reduce heat & simmer uncovered, 1 hr plus - adding water if needs be.