This very traditional Australian bread was the staple food of the famous Australian swagman. Traditionally it is cooked in the coals of the campfire but this version is made in your oven. It’s very quick to make and extremely versatile. Damper is a cross between a bread and a scone. It can be either sweet or savoury and the variations are endless – just use your imagination. Try a savoury damper as a side dish with soup. The swaggies often served a plain or sweet damper with butter and golden syrup (corn syrup). Served like this it’s called ‘cockie’s joy’ – a ‘cockie’ being a farm worker, and a ‘boss cockie’ being the person in charge. Damper does not keep well. It is best eaten the day it is made, but it can be frozen and reheated. Give it a try for something different!
My adaptation of another of Huey’s fabulous recipes. His salads he always categorises as sexy salads. He recommends this dish as an entrée or light lunch for four. It could, of course, also be served as a side dish. Serve it warm or at room temperature, whichever you prefer. Huey (Iain Hewitson) is a larger than life Melbourne restaurateur and chef who also features on his own extremely popular TV show. I have posted several of his recipes on Zaar.
A simple fry-pan cooked mushroom -lowfat version for my New Years Resolution to lose some weight. Great served on toast with egg, serve on top of steak or chicken. For a gluten-free or lactose free then check your stock powder is suitable (I use Massel brand-GF, vegan, lactose free and all natural). For a creamier sauce use low-fat cream or evaporated milk in place of the water. I’ve noticed that the nutrition panel seems to be picking up on the extra olive oil-it’s optional and only needed if your mushrooms require. Instead of the extra oil you could use a little water.
Yummy pancakes which can be served for breakfast, brunch, as a snack or as a side-dish. Although the recipe specifies sebago potatoes, you can also use russet burbank or spunta potatoes. All of these are potatoes that are varieties which are good for baking. This recipe has been adapted from a recipe in the Australian Women’s Weekly’s ‘Potatoes: over 100 exciting ways to cook the humble spud’, recently reprinted by popular demand. It is essential to squeeze as much moisture as possible from the potatoes in step one before adding the potatoes to the other ingredients. Please feel free to vary the herbs according to your taste preferences.
A Karen Martini recipe from her cookbook “cooking at home’. She suggests that 1 bunch carrots can be substituted by 1 turnip and 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters. A nice vege side for any roast. You could use larger carrots and cut them into halves or quarters instead of baby carrots if wished….though the baby carrots give a lovely presentation
