Miso chicken

1 small chook

Olive oil

5 or more shiitake mushrooms sliced in half

5 or more shimeji mushrooms sliced in half

3 or more oyster mushrooms sliced in half

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 small red chillies, chopped

1 cm piece of ginger, chopped

5 sprigs thyme

1 lemon zest

1 heaped Tbsp miso

4 torn sheets of nori

1L chicken stock

2 cups jasmine rice

1 cup coconut milk

2 cups water or chicken stock

Coriander

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wipe the chicken dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the chicken, breast side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, until browned, then remove and set aside.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, chillies, ginger, thyme and lemon zest. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in the miso paste, sea spinach or nori and the chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pot breast side up and bake uncovered for 60 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

Cook rice in a rice cooker with the extra nori, coconut milk and stock. Fold through the coriander and serve with the chicken.

Leftovers are grea with soba noodles, peas etc.

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.

Chicken with olive chimmichurri

enough for: 2
takes 30 minutes
200g (7oz) green olives, pitted
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoon lemon juice
4 chicken thigh fillets
2 large handfuls green beans or green salad, to serve

1. For the chimmichurri, place the olives, parsley, oil, garlic, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons water in a small bowl or jug. Using your stick blender puree to a chunky paste. OR puree in your food processor or regular blender. Taste and season with salt if needed (you might not depending on how salty your olives are). Set aside. If using beans, trim to remove stalks but leave the tails intact.

2. Cut chicken thighs into 2-3 pieces then using your fist, a meat mallet, small saucepan or potato ricer (as I do) bash the chicken until each piece is about 1cm (less than 1/2 inch) thick. Rub chicken with oil and season with salt.

3. Heat a frying pan or BBQ on a high heat. When the pan / BBQ is hot add chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until well browned and no longer pink in the middle. Divide between two plates.

4. If using beans, return pan to the heat and add beans with a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so until the beans are bright green and no longer super crunchy.

5. Divide cooked beans or the salad leaves between plates and drizzle over chimmichurri.