Main Dishes
Spiced pork meatballs in tomato curry sauce
Serves 6
Real food worth
cooking.
Considered, flavour-forward recipes for busy families — generously taught and built for real weeknights.
Small Bites
Prawn Cocktail Sliders
As we head into summer, meals like these prawn cocktail sliders, become less about cooking and more about assembly. Prawn cocktails have spent most of its life traversing from the height of fashion to the laughably passé.
Main Dishes
Panfried John Dory with Orange Saffron Sauce
Nothing beats fresh fish and this john dory dish is an absolute gem. Borne out of lockdown and the inability to head to the fish markets, we ordered a box from Sanford and Sons .
Main Dishes
Dramatically Flavoured Olive Oil Poached Fish
This a beautiful way to cook fish, softly poached in a dramatically flavoured olive oil. The colour is something reminiscent of the Incredible Hulk, but only when the herbs have fully relinquished all of their flavour.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Sesame Kingfish Tataki
Recently, we ordered a box from the wonderful Sanford and Sons and Kingfish Tataki was first on the list! Kingfish are an absolutely delicious fish.
Serves 2
Main Dishes
Beef Ginger Noodle Soup
Every autumn I start craving soups and this beef ginger noodle soup is a cinch to make. The foundation is a rich broth peppered with fragrant herbs and spices that gently warms your soul. There is a gentle heat to this soup.
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Thai Venison Salad
This Thai Venison Salad is absolutely delicious for the still-warm autumn evenings when you're craving something fresh and tasty. This salad is one of my favourite dishes from our local Thai takeaway and is deceptively easy to pull together at home.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Terakihi Ceviche for Date Night
This terakihi ceviche was created to match with a beautiful Albarino from Astrolabe Sleepers Vineyard , as per the notes from our Wine Friend subscription. While pregnant, we kept the Wine Friend subscription and now have a beautiful stash of inte…
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Grilled Nectarine and Haloumi Salad
This nectarine and haloumi salad is outdoor cooking at it's simplest and best using only your barbecue. Perfect for midweek while easing back into the work life routine, it makes little demands other than top notch ingredients.
Baking and Treats
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
These carrot cake energy balls are absolutely divine for a wee snack in the afternoon. They're easy to make with a sturdy food processor, they keep very well in the fridge for a week or so.
Breakfasts
Salmon and Dill Croissants
These salmon and dill croissants are a lovely way to add a touch of the cafe to the weekend for when you're on a tighter budget. Served with hot fresh coffee, they're a gorgeous, lazy way to start the day.
Small Bites
Crumbed Mozzarella Balls
These crumbed mozzarella balls are the perfect appetiser or game day snack. These are a crowd pleaser every time, so feel free to double or triple the recipe. I like to use Massimo's Cherry Bocconcini mozzarella balls.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Spanish Cauliflower Soup
Autumn has hit and this spanish cauliflower soup is an absolutely delicious way to warm up in the evenings. Cauliflower is having a moment - people have learnt treat this lovely vegetable with respect.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Maple Roast Chicken
Before we went into lockdown, I panic-ordered from the library and this Maple Roast Chicken is inspired by one of those books. Eva Kosmas Flores, Adventures in Chicken is a truly delightful read full of wonderful ideas of what to do with chicken. Chi…
Small Bites
Baked Caprese Stacks
One of my favourite salads is the classic Caprese salad and these baked Caprese stacks are the hot autumn equivalent. Gently roasted eggplants topped with melty mozzarella makes for a delightful vegetarian dinner.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Miso Salmon with Stirfried Greens
Miso salmon is a gorgeous and healthy dinner that is undemanding to put together. It is a simple dish that does require some advanced preparation but is no means strenuous. The result is an elegant dish that looks like it has been slaved over.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Chicken Alphabetti Soup
The weather is changing, the world is changing so I feel the need for comfort in a bowl of chicken alphabetti soup. Covid-19 has taken over the world and isolation is key; as is looking after one and other. I am learning to adjust to working from hom…
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Feijoa Crumble Cake with Chai Spices
This feijoa crumble cake tastes smells like autumn and is a little nostalgic way to share some love. Heady with spices, it is a great way to use up the fallen fruit from your tree.
Main Dishes
Smokey Mexican Drumsticks
These smokey mexican drumsticks are a great lifesaver for busy weeks when you want something easy and delicious. It takes a little planning ahead which is nothing more than putting them in a marinade.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Roasted Summer Fruits
My beautiful mama grew up in stone fruit country and these roasted summer fruits remind me a lot of her. Vibrant plums, luscious cherries and plump apricots; and the beautiful Pinot Noir wine those flavours permeate.
Small Bites
Summer Peach Salsa for Tacos
Inspired by the beautiful Emma Galloway's rhubarb salsa , this summer peach salsa pulls out all the stops. Making the best of the summer fruit, the peaches are sweet and balanced against the sour lime.
Main Dishes
Beef and Blue Cheese Burgers
Our front deck has been the focus of construction and these beef and blue cheese burgers were brought in to feed the delightful volunteers. Dear friends and family have all offered to pitch in which makes the job not only fun, but go so much faster.
Serves 6
Soups and Salads
Picnic Pasta Salad
Casual barbecues and picnic dates rule the social calendar at this time of year; this picnic pasta salad is the perfect throw together dish for these informal gatherings.
Baking and Treats
Black Forest Cake with Summer Cherries
This beautifully luscious black forest cake accompanied us to a friends New Years Eve gathering. A dark rich sponge topped with beautiful summer fruits, it is a truly spectacular way to celebrate the end of a very packed year.
Breakfasts
Strawberry Ricotta Hotcakes
These strawberry ricotta hotcakes are beautiful for a lazy Sunday breakfast with the kids. Fluffy and moist, adding ricotta cheese makes these the ultimate in sweet but healthy breakfast treats.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Summer Bean Salad
This summer bean salad is perfect for a barbecue side dish or a gorgeous crisp salad on the Christmas table. The flavours are simple and delicious. If you're a nut-free household, leave out the nuts.
Breakfasts
Scrambled Egg Croissants
The humble scrambled egg is one of my all time favourite dishes. My father is known for his talents other than cooking, and yet his scrambled eggs are literally the best ever.
Baking and Treats
Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Hazelnut
Carrot cake with cream cheese icing is my absolute favourite, and this combination of carrot, pineapple and hazelnut is divine. Recently I made it for a dear friend who had an awful week and needed a wee pick me up.
Main Dishes
Chipotle Beef Short Ribs
Spicy, smokey and fragrant, these chipotle beef short ribs are full of flavour and perfect for a winters night. Short ribs are very rewarding when cooked, low and slow. This is a very meaty dish, you can truly taste the short ribs.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Bacon Minestrone Soup
Nothing beats coming home to a thick, rich bacon minestrone soup. Laden with wintery vegetables and free range bacon hocks, the slow cooker makes this a gorgeous midweek meal.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
French Onion Soup With Grilled Cheese
This French onion soup takes two days to make. With the help of a slow cooker it requires minimal effort. Day one is slowly caramelising the onions in a slow cooker; day two is slowly bubbling away the soup with a little grilling in the oven to finis…
Serves 4
Small Bites
Brussel Sprouts for Roasts
There are few vegetables that are as misunderstood as brussel sprouts. Overcooked renders the buds grey, soft and then they develop a strong flavour.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Saffron Risotto Milanese
The cheery bright yellow of saffron risotto Milanese is enough to put a smile on anyone's face. The colour comes from the use of saffron threads, an addition we must thank the glass painter of the Milan cathedral for.
Baking and Treats
Raspberry Amaretto Cookies
Wickedly simple; these raspberry amaretto cookies a lovely afternoon pick me up with a hot cuppa. The best bit? These can be made and then frozen, ready for a last minute bake when the feeling hits.
Small Bites
Hot Buttered Radishes
These hot buttered radishes are the ultimate autumn side dish. They have everything that I crave when the cooler weather hits. Butter, garlic and that sassy radish crunch.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Classic Eggs Benedict with Crispy Bacon
Benedicty thoughts: Cafe and brunch culture is strong in New Zealand and few brunch items are as revered as the classic eggs Benedict. Draped in hollandaise sauce, a simple poached eggs on toasted muffins is suddenly elevated.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Stuffed Croissant French Toast Bake
This stuffed croissant French toast bake was a complete epiphany. Day old croissants, stuffed with flavoured cream cheese and fruit then soaked over night.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Philly Cheesesteak Pies
These Philly Cheesesteak pies were dreamed up while on the bus to work and I have finally created them! Oozy melty cheese wrapped in flaky pastry, these pies sound similar to a steak and cheese pie but are very different.
Soups and Salads
Harira Soup
Harira soup is a Moroccan soup that is traditionally eaten to break the Ramadan fast at sunset. Full of goodness and a richly flavoured broth, it comes in many forms.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Jalapeno Queso Fundido
I love Mexican food for its complex flavours and this jalapeno queso fundido dip is no exception. Spicy, earthy and creamy, this dip is the best way to kick off a Mexican feast. The jalapenos in this recipe are from our garden.
Soups and Salads
Puttanesca Potato Salad
I like the word 'puttanesca'. It sounds slightly salacious. I like the theory behind the name even more. The theory being that the puttanesca sauce can be made quickly in between other less savoury obligations of 'ladies of the night'.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Pumpkin Miso Ramen
Pumpkin signals the cooler weather and this pumpkin miso ramen is perfect for chilly autumn nights. I roast the pumpkin first, coating it in a blend of miso paste and some Asian flavourings.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burgers
Buttermilk fried chicken. Need I say more? Naughty and delicious, most people have a favourite kind of fried chicken. The buttermilk helps trap the moisture in the chicken while the seasoned flour forms a crisp crust on the outside.
Serves 4
Pantry Staples
Hot Honey Sauce
My Canadian is a chilli fiend and this hot honey sauce was created for a date night in with fried chicken burgers. So I wont pretend it is healthy, but it is certainly delicious!
Main Dishes
Easter Ginger Pork Belly
This ginger pork belly is perfect for an Easter roast. Autumn is here, the weather is cooling down making roasts King of the kitchen. The ginger cuts through the richness of the pork belly, and is elevated by the sweet contrast of pears.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Good Friday Fish
Whether you adhere to Lent or not, a Good Friday fish dinner is always a lovely way to balance the indulgence of Easter. We have so many beautiful options for fish in New Zealand, make sure you buy as fresh as possible.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Easter Caramel Pots
Easter provides one last hurrah and these Easter Caramel Pots are great when shared with friends. Making caramel from scratch can be a finicky process; so I advocate getting a little bit of help.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Easter Roast Chicken
Easter in the Southern Hemisphere signals the beginning of Autumn and that means a lovely Easter Roast Chicken full of the season's bounty.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Mongolian Beef Broccoli Bowls
These Mongolian beef bowls are easy to whip up midweek for those time when you feel like takeaways without the grease. Full of vegetables and delicious savoury sauce, this is great option for those busy weeknights.
Serves 2
Baking and Treats
Irish Coffee Panna Cottas
Celebrate St Patricks Day this year with these rich and lucscious Irish Coffee panna cottas. Irish coffees always brings make memory of the empty Irish coffee glasses sitting on the kitchen bench the day after my parents had guests over.
Serves 6
Small Bites
Spicy Carrot Fritters
Let me introduce you to the wonders of these spicy carrot fritters; full of flavour without being heavy, they make a beautiful, affordable midweek dinner.
Small Bites
Beef and Guinness Pies
Beef and Guinness Pie. Few products are as closely associated with St Patricks Day than a drop of the black velvet, Guinness. Here I combine both my New Zealand upbringing and my Irish heritage in one delicious dish.
Serves 8
Main Dishes
South Asian Beef Curry
The projects for the year are full steam ahead, so I need recipes like this South Asian beef curry to help keep everything balanced during the week. Meals that can be prepared ahead of time are always needed in busy households.
Baking and Treats
Salted Caramel Brownies
Is there anything that isn't made better with the addition of salted caramel? These brownies are heady, rich and buttery, with an intense caramel sweetness shot through. A decadent addition to a morning tea, or even a party table.
Main Dishes
Pad Thai
I adore any excuse to bulk up the vegetables in a dish and this vegetarian Pad Thai is full of fresh vegetables and a signature fragrant sauce.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Pear and Blue Cheese Muffins
Here is that classic flavour combination of pear and blue cheese, piled into an easily transportable vessel of a muffin. I like to make a batch for a weekend morning tea; and smuggle a few away in the freezer.
Serves 12
Pantry Staples
Slow Cooked Tomato Base
This summer our tomato plants have yielded kilos of produce, so this slow cooked tomato base was a great way to preserve those we couldn't eat. Growing tomatoes is an immensely satisfying past time.
Main Dishes
Korean Eggplant Skewers
These Korean eggplant skewers look divine as part of a barbecue feast, piled high and vibrant in colour. Eggplant is also cheap and plentiful at the moment and these skewers will be devoured by vegetarians and omnivores alike.
Serves 20
Main Dishes
Mexican Black Bean and Prawn Fritters
A couple of crazy first weeks into the working year and these Mexican black bean and prawn fritters were a delicious Friday night dinner. I find fritters beautifully informal and simple to make especially on busy weeknights.
Main Dishes
Wicked Prawn Pineapple Burgers
Crispy batter, juicy prawns and the sweetness of pineapple = wicked prawn pineapple burgers. Big juicy pineapple rings contrast beautifully with the crispy beer batter that gives way to big pink prawns.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Stuffed Lotus Root Bao
WARNING: these stuffed lotus root bao are ridiculously moreish... Lotus root is similar in texture as potatoes, crunchy when raw and crisp when cooked.
Small Bites
New Year Dumplings
I am not an expert in the traditions of Chinese New Year but these New Year dumplings are totally delicious. From all of my reading and understanding, consuming fish, dumplings and other delicious foods at Chinese New Year are thought to bring good l…
Soups and Salads
Almond Satay Beef Salad
While my beloved Fix and Fogg staple is their Smoke and Fire blend; we've branched out recently to make this Almond Satay Beef Salad with their Crunchy Almond Butter.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Zucchini Pumpkin Breakfast Loaf
This savoury breakfast loaf is a rather indulgent way to start the day. Jam packed with vegetables and protein from the cheese and eggs, it will keep you rolling through the day. It also makes a divine snack, that is easy to throw together.
Baking and Treats
Margarita Pie
This frozen margarita pie is decadently delicious for a weekend treat. The recipe is from the most enormous cookbook called America: A Culinary Road Trip the 50 States, that my Canadian bought me for Christmas.
Serves 8
Soups and Salads
Zucchini Basil Soup
This zucchini basil soup is a tasty answer to the excess produce from our monstrous plant. A zucchini plant is both a blessing and a problem that tests the creative elements of any home cook.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Leftover Christmas Ham Frittata
A frittata is a beautiful way to be resourceful and use up leftover Christmas ham. Either for brunch, lunch or a nice light dinner with a big green salad, it's so versatile that you'll find ways to have it all year round.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Ginger Crunch
What makes the best ginger crunch? I think it's all in the icing to base ratio. I am a fan of the 2:1; mostly crunch with a soft smear of spicy ginger icing on top. Be sure to get the icing consistency right; you don't want it runny as it needs to ho…
Baking and Treats
Individual Chocolate Panettone Trifles
My love affair with trifles has existed for over three decades now and I see no sign of it stopping. We've always had trifle for Christmas dessert and most years, I manage to hide some away for a delicious Boxing Day breakfast.
Small Bites
Punchy Salsa Verde and White Bean Crostini
These white bean crostini are great on their own but it's the punchy salsa verde that truly makes these appetisers delicious. This time of year I always have a can or two of cannellini beans in the cupboard.
Small Bites
Lamb Meatballs with Romesco Sauce
These lamb meatballs remind me of tapas in Spain; simple, flavourful and delicious when paired with a beautiful sauce. Meatballs are a firm favourite in our house, and these are a great way to get kids involved with food.
Serves 25
Small Bites
Smoked Salmon Cakes with Dill Yoghurt
A glass of bubbles in one hand, a smoked salmon cakes in the other. That sounds like a beautiful way to kick off the New Years Eve celebrations. The key to these little starters is to keep them bite sized.
Serves 30
Baking and Treats
Christmas Gingerbread Cookies
For the last few years, I've made these Christmas gingerbread cookies as gifts and they are always a hit. Gently spiced, these fragrant little bundles fit perfectly into little ones hands.
Soups and Salads
Grilled Corn, Basil and Feta Salad
Perfect for Christmas Day or at any BBQ, this corn basil and feta salad is so simple to make. It is made best with corn that has been grilled on the cob, then stripped with a sharp knife.
Soups and Salads
Carrot Cranberry Salad
This carrot cranberry salad has all the flavours of Christmas without the overindulgence. I find having a few simple recipes up my sleeve helps to keep everything in balance.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Brie Prosciutto Rolls
The silly season is nearly upon us and we need a few beautiful recipes to help get us through; these brie prosciutto rolls are just the ticket.
Serves 12
Main Dishes
Guinness Christmas Ham
One of the best parts of Christmas is having leftover Christmas ham. I love to toss the leftover through some scrambled eggs, or add to a salad for lunch. And of course, the simple cheese and ham toasties after a day at the beach.
Baking and Treats
Summer Fruit Icecream
Summer is on it's way and this summer stone fruit icecream is a gorgeous option for when the hot days arrive. I love visiting the markets where they blend beautiful fresh fruits with vanilla icecream to order.
Main Dishes
Spring Prawn Zucchini Fritters
Modelled off my corn fritter recipe, these asian inspired prawn zucchini fritters taste like spring on a plate. Fresh and crisp, they're a delicious dinner for these lighter nights, bolstered with a fresh side salad. It has taken a few tries to get t…
Serves 10
Main Dishes
Grilled Asparagus with Poached Eggs
Less a recipe and more a guideline, this grilled asparagus with poached eggs is a seasonal dish that pops up everywhere in spring. I can find few dishes as elegant and as luxurious as asparagus with eggs; be they scrambled or poached.
Serves 1
Soups and Salads
Raw Energy Salad
I tend to eat vegetarian when the Canadian is away for work and lately and this raw energy salad has been hitting the spot. Bright and colourful, it is inspired by the wonderful salad from Ripe Deli in Grey Lynn.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Peanut Butter Cookie Icecream Sandwiches
Summer is on it's way and icecream sandwiches are in! This is a great dessert to make for a dinner party. Cookies can be made in advance, kept in an airtight container and away from my Canadian.
Main Dishes
Jerk Chicken
My first taste of jerk chicken was at the Nottinghill Carnival in 2010. The smoke from the BBQ's filling the streets, the music and the dancing. The atmosphere was loud, colourful and wonderful.
Small Bites
Thai Pork Meatballs
These Thai Pork Meatballs are a gorgeous alternative to their Italian cousins, heady with mint and coriander. The aromas that fill the house when these are cooking is simply heavenly.
Serves 20
Main Dishes
Bloody Mary Braised Brisket
A spiced Bloody Mary cocktail reminds me of my lovely sister-in-law; her love for this cocktail runs very deep. The order will be specific - well spiced with a good wallop of hot sauce.
Main Dishes
Greek Lamb Tray Bake
The weather is warming up and lamb was on special this week, making this greek lamb dinner a divine little hint of luxury. Lamb can be expensive, so we save it for a real treat. Here I've used shoulder to roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Miso Sesame Prawn Toasts
Prawn toasts have a poor reputation thanks to the flavourless cardboard that is so often served at restaurants and with takeaways.
Main Dishes
Simple Fish Burgers
Sometimes there are recipes that are so integral to my week that I often feel they're not blog worthy; my Canadian had to remind me how delicious these simple fish burgers were!
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Almondy Coffee Oats
For those looking for a healthy but energising start to the day, these almondy coffee oats are just the ticket. The coffee flavour is mild, providing just enough caffeine to kick start the day.
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Spring Chopped Salad
Spring has sprung and we're moving away from the heavy foods of winter to lighter meals like this spring chopped salad. It is relatively quick and easy, the time spent on preparation is the entire dish. My Canadian is not a fan of cucumber (he calls…
Serves 4
Small Bites
Havarti & Sundried Tomato Quiches
Kicking into spring, these havarti and sundried tomato quiches are gorgeous for an office lunch or a light dinner. I like the creaminess of the havarti next to the sweet and strong tomato flavour.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Raspberry Cacao Oaty Jars
I've made a batch of these raspberry cacao oaty jars to set me up for the week. My Canadian is away for a few days and a little breakfast organisation helps keep me on track for the week ahead. These jars are deliciously easy to make ahead of time.
Serves 5
Small Bites
Jalapeno Popper Dumplings
My Canadian has a deep love for spicy food so I knew these jalapeno popper dumplings will become a firm favourite of his. They are 100% inspired by Lady and Pups, a blogger based in Hong Kong with a completely fearless approach to cuisines, flavo…
Serves 60
Pantry Staples
Sesame, Lime & Tamari Dressing
Here is another in the jam jar dressing series; sesame, lime and tamari dressing. As with all jam jar dressings, it is simple to make. Throw the ingredients in a jam jar, shake your little heart out and serve on nearly everything.
Baking and Treats
Rum Spiked Chocolate Mousse
I remember when I was little, my mother would make chocolate mousse for dinner parties. I remember the pretty parfait glasses, filled and waiting in the fridge for the guests to arrive.
Main Dishes
Pillowy Potato Gnocchi in Popeye Sauce
Soft pillowy potato gnocchi. A humble but sexy way to serve potatoes. Little pillows, light and fluffy; served in a considered and luxurious sauce.
Main Dishes
Marinated Beef Bahn Mi
Spring is on it's way and these marinated Beef Bahn Mi are the perfect addition to a spring picnic at the beach or the park. Bahn Mi have to be one of my all time favourite sandwiches. I first encountered them on Dominion Road as a graduate.
Pantry Staples
Basic Herby Yoghurt Dressing
Since purchasing an Easiyo there have been many different takes on this basic herby yoghurt dressing over the years. But the foundations remain solidly the same. I make the dressings in either my little ceramic jug, or in an old jam jar.
Breakfasts
Punchy Corn Fritters
These punchy corn fritters were one of the first recipes I learnt to make. By now, I know this gorgeous recipe verbatim. They're a Kiwi brunch classic that regularly feature on cafe menus around the country.
Baking and Treats
Oaty Banana Loaf
My week has been stressful and this oaty banana loaf is one of the most comforting foods to eat. Fresh from the oven with a little butter or lightly toasted with jam, this is a recipe that is adored by everyone.
Baking and Treats
Apple Tamarillo Crumble Tart
There are very few desserts that I go for, but an apple tamarillo crumble will pique my interest each and every time. Something about the acid, sweet, butter and crunchy combination that creates a little party in my heart.
Main Dishes
Soul Warming Curried Vegetable Pies
These soul warming vegetable pies are a beautiful way to entertain a casual weekend lunch with a couple of dear friends. The Indian style spices add a tasty, fragrant kick while the cheese sauce envelopes the vegetables, hugging them close.
Serves 6
Main Dishes
Creamy Winter Chicken with Mushrooms and Thyme
This creamy winter chicken is a simple midweek dinner that truly satisfies in the depths of winter. I use chicken thighs as I find them more forgiving and prefer the flavour.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Solo Salmon Poke Bowl
My Canadian often travels for work and these solo salmon poke bowls are great for one. I can find it hard to eat healthy when flying solo. It's because I'm looking for something fast, simple and tasty; which is why cheese on toast is so popular.
Main Dishes
Luxuriously Simple Chicken Confit
Luxuriously simple chicken confit; when one thinks of confit, the word simple doesn't usually appear. They typically think of fancy restaurants, chefs and a complicated dish.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Chipotle Pumpkin Burgers
I like to incorporate a few vegan and vegetarian meals in our meal rotation, and these Chipotle Pumpkin burgers are a delicious option. In winter, I will often peel and chop a whole pumpkin into pieces and roast all the pumpkin at once.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Fix & Fogg Spicy Chicken Satay Skewers
Fix & Fogg are a beautiful Wellington company that make the most divine natural peanut butters and spreads. They have some interesting blended peanut butters, as well as the standard smooth and crunchy for purists.
Small Bites
Fish Bites with Chipotle Mayo
My Canadian and I have been painting and sanding all weekend, so these Mexican Fish Bites are perfect for an afternoon snack. I love combining the smokey Mexican flavours of paprika and chipotle with the fresh flaky fish; I used tarakihi, but any fre…
Small Bites
Negroni Cured Salmon
This cocktail cured salmon was inspired by Negroni Week. I have made my own gravalax previously and thought about adding gin to the cure. Then it occurred to me that the flavours of a Negroni would be divine with cured salmon.
Soups and Salads
Chicken Soup For Warming The Soul
Sometimes you want a dinner that is like a hug from the inside and this chicken soup is it. Chicken soup is a well loved favourite around the globe and each culture has their own gorgeous version. Thickened with red lentils, full of vegetables and pr…
Small Bites
Cauliflower Cheese Handheld Pies
For the lovely Kellie, here is the recipe for the lovely, soul warming cauliflower cheese pies. These little bundles are perfect on a rainy miserable afternoon. Cauliflower cheese from the 1980's has probably scarred many people.
Serves 12
Baking and Treats
Autumn Apple Whiskey Raisin Tart
I love the simplicity of an autumn apple tart. Understated and classic, there is something matchless about apples, butter and sugar, baked until caramelised, sweet and heady with aroma.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Mushroom Red Wine Arancini Balls
There's a party happening and these mushroom red wine arancini balls will be present. My Canadian turned another year older and celebrations were in full swing on the weekend.
Main Dishes
Vietnamese Fish Curry
Autumn has brought her crisp clear days and fallen leaves; our little household is starting to crave heavier dishes that are still light, like this Vietnamese Fish Curry.
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Umami Miso Noodle Soup
The autumn leaves and the sound of rain has me craving this earthy umami miso noodle soup. Full of delicious vegetables and savoury enough to warm the soul, yet light and healthy. Soba noodles are my current favourite.
Serves 2
Main Dishes
Chicken Leek Brie Tarts
These chicken leek and brie tarts are luxuriously moreish. It is oh, so simple to have another one... And another one! I did cheat with this and prepped the chicken and line the pastry tins the night before.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Friday Night Paneer Saag
When my Canadian goes away, I treat myself with meals that only I enjoy, like this Saag Paneer. Beautifully spiced and fragrant, I find it is the perfect antidote to a long arduous week.
Serves 2
Main Dishes
Fragrant Vietnamese Beef Stew
As the temperature drops, this fragrant Vietnamese beef stew is a divine dinner, that fills your kitchen with beautiful exotic aromas. The pungent ginger, lemongrass and star anise all mellow over time to create this light, but warming stew.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Cider Roast Chicken
There is something very special about the smell of a roast chicken. The aromas permeate the house with the scent of homey comfort. I find this to be a very simple meal to create as the oven takes the grunt of the workload.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
French Toast Stuffed With Plums
My Canadian loves his sweet brunches such as pancakes and French toast. This eggy soaked sandwich ticks all those boxes, especially when the maple syrup is just left on the table for pouring over the top.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Spiced Tomato, Lentil Coconut Soup
When the weather is unrelenting, I start craving soups such as this spiced tomato and lentil soup. It's a richly flavoured dahl, with aromas that flood the kitchen. Tomatoes are such a good buy at the moment and fresh is best.
Serves 4
Pantry Staples
Quick Dill Pickles
These dill pickles are permanently in my fridge at all times. I adore them as an addition to burgers, sandwiches and pizzas., realistically anything. They are quick to make and even quicker to eat, including straight from the jar.
Main Dishes
Classic Fish Burgers
While I do adore more complicated fish burgers, this is that classic fish burger combination. Fresh fish, fried in butter until tender, moist and lightly golden.
Serves 4
Soups and Salads
Nectarine Salad with Blue Cheese
Cheese and fruit are a classic combination and this nectarine salad is full of flavour. Light and simple to make, it is perfect for these hot, sticky days.
Serves 4
Small Bites
Chilli Fried Potatoes
These chilli fried potatoes are HOT! My Canadian adores his spicy food and has been growing chillies in our garden over the summer. I've used a jalapeño from the garden for this recipe, but the tiny Thai chillies are also divine.
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Hot and Sour Duck Salad
The hot and sour of this dish refers to the beautiful dressing. Lifted from Nigella Lawson's Cambodian Beef Salad recipe, I adore the way it cuts through the richness of the duck.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Huveos Rancheros
Huveos Rancheros is a sexy spicy breakfast that is a great vegetarian alternative to the traditional fry up. They are light, flavourful and best made with summer grown fresh tomatoes.
Serves 4
Pantry Staples
Slow Cooker Chicken Broth
My love of my slow cooker is well documented, and often this chicken broth is blipping away in it. I made the broth through out the year, by saving the bones from a roast chicken or two.
Soups and Salads
Summer Couscous Salad
I adore Middle Eastern food and this summer couscous salad is regular of mine. Using the larger couscous, called either pearl or Israeli couscous, it makes a gorgeous addition to a summer spread at a BBQ or as a midweek meal.
Serves 4
Breakfasts
Shakshuka
My Canadian adores shakshuka for weekend brunches, and in summer it is regularly on our menu. Capsicums are cheap, plentiful at their best and this dish relies on their flavour being optimum.
Serves 5
Soups and Salads
Grilled Vegetable Soup
This Grilled Vegetable soup uses the best of summer vegetables while they're in season. I found eggplants, capsicums and zucchini's were some of the best purchases at the green grocers at the moment.
Serves 4
Baking and Treats
Blue Cheese and Walnut Rolls
After the Christmas break and Auckland Anniversary Weekend, we had a couple of odds and ends of blue cheese in the fridge. You know the ones I mean, that last bite that gets put back in, but is never appropriate to bring out when you have guests agai…
Main Dishes
BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers
These BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers are perfect for entertaining; prep the pork the day before and then leave in the oven for a whole day on low. I adore that the oven or BBQ do the hard work for me, making it easier to sit and talk with my guests.
Serves 6
Main Dishes
Leftover Roast Lamb, Bacon Mushroom Pies
Here is a gorgeous, decadent little pie full of leftover roast lamb, bacon lardons and a delicious herb gravy. These are not for the faint hearted. The recipe makes 4, which is perfect for the two of us; one for dinner and one for lunch the next day.
Serves 4
Main Dishes
Japanese BBQ Salmon
This salmon is covered in Al Brown's Japanese BBQ sauce. It is sticky and sweet but savoury and umami without being salty or cloying on the tongue; the balance is perfect.
Baking and Treats
Cherry Custard Tarts
These Cherry Custard Tarts are light, sweet and utterly delicious. My Canadian and I had the parents for dinner and these tarts were devoured at lightening speed.
Serves 6
Breakfasts
Ultimate Breakfast Salad
This breakfast salad is perfect when the weather and sunshine ramps up. A slightly more complex breakfast, but still one that can be enjoyed midweek.
Serves 1
Baking and Treats
Chilli Chocolate Fudge Cookies
These Chilli Cookie Fudge cookies are rich, moreish and the perfect addition to a picnic, or as a gift for loved ones. You can always keep them to feast on over the course of the week too.
Pantry Staples
Homemade Preserved Lemons
Lemon trees are a staple in Kiwi gardens and every year, I see pleas from those with an over abundance. I make a couple of jar of preserved lemons with the excess.
Breakfasts
Braised Tomato Chickpea Stew
A cross between a vegetarian stew and shashuka, this braised tomato stew is a hearty breakfast that truly sets you up for the day. It is delicious for a weekend brunch with family, or even as midweek vegetarian dinner.
Serves 2
Pantry Staples
Vegetable Stock
I started to make my own Vegetable Stock after reading the back of the packet of powdered stocks. All of the preservatives, chemicals and numbers can scare any one off the very useful pantry staples. So I decided to make my own.
Soups and Salads
Spicy Sweetcorn Chowder
My Canadian adores this Sweetcorn Chowder, asking for it nearly every autumn when the weather turns. I have made it in summer, with fresh corn cobs from the market.
Serves 2
Soups and Salads
Korean Beef Salad
At times, I crave food that is fresh and light with a definite kick and this spicy Korean beef salad is just the thing. Apart from a little forward thinking, it is very simple to put together.
Serves 2
Main Dishes
Tomato, Ricotta and Thyme Tart
I made this Tomato, Ricotta and Thyme Tart to take to my niece's 3rd birthday BBQ, knowing there would be a handful of vegetarians attending.
Serves 6
Pantry Staples
Carrot Top and Walnut Pesto
This is the classic pesto, with a couple of twists. The green tops of carrots have a spice to them that is similar to rocket, or arugula. I like to save them in the freezer until I have enough to make this batch of pesto.
Main Dishes
Spiced Cauliflower Salad
This Cauliflower Salad has been a recent favourite of mine, especially for those times when you simply can't look at another lettuce leaf. It is fragrant and warm with beguiling freshness.
Serves 2
Main Dishes
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Herby Dressing
I adore the flexibility of this Grilled Vegetable Salad. It allows you to take full advantage of the best seasonal produce available at the time.
Serves 2