Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Taste.com.au

The faster the world spins, the more I relish Christmas. The weather’s warm. The fruit is fresh. Who needs a white Christmas when you can spend the day in your swimmers instead? This year on taste.com.au we saw festive recipes surge in interest much earlier than before — in August! I’m not alone in looking forward to so obviously enjoying life, food and good times with the people I love. For me, it’s all about recipes that help me wake up on Christmas Day feeling ready, relaxed and proud of what I’m putting on the table. I’m captivated by Cheat’s Christmas (p86), packed with hacks and food so good you’ll be fighting over leftovers on Boxing Day. Last year our family was split between three continents. This year my daughter…

Michelle Southan, food director: Family favourites “If the fam is descending on your place this year, just breathe and set to work on this spectacular spread of classics with a twist. They’re going to love it!” Miranda Payne, food editor: Vegetarian “Packed with a rainbow of fruit and veg, this combo means vegetarians will have a festive feast too. You can even make the menu vegan by following our recipe tips.” Chrissy Freer, nutrition editor: Gluten free “The clever use of fresh, fragrant herbs and spices makes these dishes very merry indeed, whether you’re trying to avoid certain ingredients or not.”…

SHARE THE JOY The new Joy Love Peace range from Maxwell & Williams is inspired by Christmas Down Under. An Aussie take on classic festive motifs, this charming collection features icy poles, native flora and watermelon in joyful hand-drawn illustrations. The fun pieces are just the thing to snap up for secret Santa. From $9.95, there are gift-boxed mugs, candy dishes, plates and an oval serving platter. From major retailers and at maxwellandwilliams.com.au. THE GREAT DIVIDE Does anything say Aussie Christmas more than a pav? Our recent Facebook poll asked ‘what fruit should never go on pavlova?’ We received over 1200 responses and the results are in. The most controversial toppers are mango, passionfruit and kiwi – you either love them or loathe them! A lot of you declared that…

JAPANESE STICKY SALMON  serves 6 | prep 25 mins (+ cooling) cooking 35 mins 200g (1 cup) combined brown rice and quinoa 1 tsp Massel Stock Powder Chicken Style 3cm-piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced 1L (4 cups) Massel Liquid Stock Chicken Style 6 x 120g salmon fillets 2 tbs mirin, plus 1 tbs, extra 2 tbs salt-reduced soy sauce, plus 2 tsp, extra 2 tbs honey 60g (1/3 cup) tamari almonds, chopped 50g (1/3 cup) dried cranberries 1 avocado, sliced 1 cup watercress sprigs 1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice 2 tsp sesame oil 1 Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the rice and quinoa, and stock powder. Cook for 25 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Set aside to cool. 2 Meanwhile, place the ginger…

greek mezze platter A quick grill on the barbie, a blitz of the cheese and your summer spread is almost done – just add loads of bought bits! serves 6 whipped feta with lemon & honey  prep 5 mins 200g Danish-style feta 100g cream cheese, at room temperature 70g ( 1 /4 cup) Greek-style yoghurt 1 tbs olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle 1 lemon, rind finely grated, 1 tbs juiced 2 tsp honey Lemon and herb dukkah, to serve 1 Place the feta and cream cheese in a food processor and process until smooth. 2 Add the yoghurt, oil, lemon rind and juice, and honey. Process until combined. Spoon into a small serving bowl. Top with dukkah and drizzle over extra oil. haloumi & zucchini skewers  prep 10 mins…

SERVES 4 (as a side) PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins 2 sweet corncobs, husk and silk removed 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings 3 limes, rind finely grated, juiced 600g small sweet potatoes, scrubbed, quartered lengthways 125ml ( 1/2 cup) coconut cream 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves 2 fresh red birdseye chillies, deseeded, thinly sliced (optional) 1 Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan on medium-high. Cook the corn, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes or until tender and lightly charred. Set aside to cool slightly. Use a sharp knife to cut down the length of the corncobs, close to the core, to remove the kernels. 2 Meanwhile, combine the onion and 2 tbs lime juice in a bowl. Set aside to pickle slightly. Place half the sweet…

blushing best Tomatoes are at their absolute peak during summer – naturally sweet and delicious. Even better, they are extremely low in calories, making a wonderful side that looks and tastes amazing. They are rich in antioxidant lycopene, linked with several health benefits including providing some skin protection from the damaging effects of the sun. The feta, yoghurt and herb combo are a lower fat alternative to just using cheese. green fighter Watercress is a wonderful salad green to use at Christmas. It is abundant in summertime and, like all members of the cruciferous family, is extremely nutritious and packed with disease-fighting nutrients. It is rich in betacarotene and iron, plus it has a high vitamin C content to enhance iron absorption. It is most nutritious eaten raw – always…

Alkoomi 2017 White Label Shiraz, $18 No Aussie Christmas is complete without a shiraz! Cool-climate fruit gives this wine soft elegance and liveliness, as well as an abundance of red fruit. It won’t overpower whatever you’re feasting on. A good value drop, this is a great pick for sharing. DRINK IT WITH roast meat, Christmas lunch. Elderton 2019 Golden Semillon, $27 Luscious desserts and piled-high cheese boards will love this dessert wine. It’s made from semillon grapes that are left to dry on the vine before harvesting to make them super concentrated. With apricot, toffee and marmalade, it’s sweet yet fresh. DRINK IT WITH cheese, fruit platters, pavlova, cakes, desserts. Vasse Felix 2019 Classic Dry Rosé, $19 For festive fare, reach for this crisp, dry rosé. It goes with a…

"I'm on the search for a star who can shape a sturdy crackle bowl, lightly caramelise the meringue and create a super stack of Lindor balls." matt preston CELEBRITY JUDGE transform the kitchen into your favourite ice-cream shop with the Breville Smart Scoop! It is the first ice-cream maker to automatically sense the hardness of the mixture based on your selection from 12 settings, including sorbet, frozen yoghurt, gelato and ice-cream. It will also keep your frozen flavours perfectly churned and chilled for up to three hours, and it'll beep to tell you when to add your ice-cream extras like chocolate chips, fruit or honeycomb. Make our white Christmas cheesecake bliss bowl, send us a pic and you could win this awesome summer holiday appliance! SEND IN YOUR ENTRIES BY…

SUMMER ROLL prawn bowl Make some fresh new moves for summer with flavoursome, healthy meals. Kick off your shoes and throw together easy, breezy recipes, such as this Vietnamese-inspired bowl brimming with juicy mango, sweet prawns and rice noodles. The sweet, salty chilli dressing and bright colours will whisk you away in just 25 minutes! sticky balsamic & honey lamb with carrot & lentil slaw serves 4 | prep 10 mins (+ 10 mins marinating) | cooking 5 mins 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves 2 tbs balsamic vinegar 1 tbs honey 2 tbs fresh lemon juice 12 small French-trimmed lamb cutlets 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil 400g can lentils, rinsed, drained 300g pkt pre-shredded carrot 80g baby spinach, shredded 2 tbs currants Fresh basil leaves, to serve 1…

at its simplest, the act of cooking is an act of love; an act of indulging those you love with something delicious. This book is about joy, vegetables and how to get more plant-based recipes into your repertoire. Sharing a meal is one of the key things that makes us human. We should revel in that. Sure, nutrition is important, and sure, it is great if recipes use fresh and easily accessed ingredients as these do, but these should be givens. These recipes are either vegetarian or vegan, but if you decided you’d like to add a little bacon or a slab of fish, then we’re not going to judge you. Every little step each of us takes to ensuring our footprint on this planet is a little smaller should…

The ravigote is sensational. Love it. The salmon cooked this way is just wonderful. Will make again!MOTORBIKEFROG SERVES 8 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hour 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh continental parsley leaves, finely chopped 1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives 30g baby cornichons, finely chopped 1 French shallot, peeled, finely chopped 1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced, plus extra lemon zest, to serve 2 tbs drained baby capers 2 tbs white balsamic vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard Pinch of caster sugar 185ml ( 3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil light flavour 1.4kg side of salmon, skin on Micro herbs, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 80°C/60°C fan forced. Place an oven shelf in the centre of oven. Place a 1m piece of baking…

maraschino cherries Make dessert complete with a cherry on top! Place 215g (1 cup) caster sugar, 250ml (1 cup) water, 2 thick strips orange zest, 60ml ( 1 /4 cup) lemon juice, 1 star anise and 1 cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. Add 400g pitted cherries. Simmer for 10 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat. Stir in a dash of kirsch, if you like. Cool completely. Transfer to a sterilised jar. Place in fridge for 2 days to infuse. Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. BEST OF DECEMBER fruit apricot blackberry cherry grapes nectarine papaya peach pink grapefruit raspberry redcurrants vegies butter beans capsicum celery corn cucumber eggplant tomato zucchini…

Ingredients Salad • 1-2 Fresh yellow peaches, sliced • 1-2 Grilled cobs of corn, sliced • Yellow cherry tomatoes, halved • Basil leaves to garnish Dressing • 4 tbs Balsamic vinegar • ¼ Cup olive oil • Sea salt flakes & fresh ground pepper • 1 tbs Lemon & Herb Dukkah Salmon • 4 Salmon fillets • 3 tbs Lemon & Herb Dukkah • ¼ Cup olive oil • Sea salt flakes & ground pepper Method Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Combine the Olive oil with 1 tablespoon of Dukkah and rub onto each side of the salmon fillets (except the skin side), gently patting to help it stick. Place fillets on a lined baking tray and sprinkle a further 1/2 tablespoon of Dukkah on the skin side of each fillet…

Matt Q What’s the trick to perfecting pavlova? Trace the shape of your pav onto baking paper. Place the paper, tracing-side down, on a baking tray. Secure paper with a dab of meringue in each corner. Dollop meringue onto the outline and pat down with a wooden spoon. I like to add swirls. Smooth the edges with a palette knife using upward sweeps if you want straight sides (otherwise it will bulge a little in the middle). Bake it low and slow. To finish, leave the pav in the switched off oven until cool. This is less about cooking and more about drying it out. For a chewier pav, take it out straight after cooking. Marion Q What sauce should I serve with cooked prawns or seafood? I love experimenting…

For all advertising enquiries, call (02) 8045 4734. WHOLLY GRAIN The ancient grains in this crispbread pop like corn, resulting in a crunchy texture and a more-ish, nutty taste. As they are gluten free and non GMO, Corn Thins are the perfect base to load with your favourite toppings, such as smoked trout, cucumber and honey-dill mustard. Go to cornthins.com. BERRY GOOD YOGHURT Generous lashings of fruit and a rich, velvety texture make Liberté yoghurt a pure indulgence. It’s only nine per cent fat, so you’ll feel great about every spoonful. Head to liberteyoghurt.com.au. PORK CRACKLING FOR THE WIN Christmas isn’t Christmas without roast pork and crackling. There are three things you need to ensure that irresistible crunch: heat, oil and salt. Scoring and drying the rind is also key.…

“December is about those treats you have once a year, so we’ve turned white Christmas into a bowl filled with cheesecake! Make the bowl up to four days ahead.” Michelle Southan let’s go! white christmas cheesecake bliss bowl  serves 4 | prep 20 mins (+ 6 hours chilling) | cooking 20 mins 70g (2 cups) Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles 45g ( 1 /2 cup) desiccated coconut 40g ( 1 /4 cup) dried cranberries, chopped 40g ( 1 /4 cup) pistachios kernels, coarsely chopped 10g freeze-dried strawberries, coarsely chopped 2 tbs icing sugar mixture 250g good-quality white chocolate, chopped 100g dark choc melts 50g white choc melts 14 Lindt Lindor White Chocolate balls Chocolate-dipped pretzel stars, to decorate 1 fresh or maraschino cherry vanilla cheesecake 250g pkt cream cheese, at room temperature,…

Eton mess raspberry swirl cheesecake The sweet berry swirl will keep you coming back for more. “Yum! Made this for Christmas. Pretty easy recipe and really tasty. A big hit with my family!” @LG22 “Easy and delicious. I used chopped fresh raspberries instead of frozen. I was pleasantly surprised that the sponge base didn’t go soggy.” @NSTEWART Healthier Mexican haloumi salad This super simple dish is loaded with better-for-you ingredients. “Flavoursome and fresh. Highly recommend!” @AMBERJUDD “Easy to throw together! Delicious and fresh.” @SHERRIGILCHRIST “Great for leftovers the next day – wrap in a tortilla with grated cheese. Great for teenage boys.” @QUEENM Maple mustard pork belly The hard part is waiting for the crackling to be ready… “The pork belly was really juicy and tender. The maple and mustard…

Sweet treats for Christmas date back to medieval times. Fast-forward to now, pavlova and trifle are synonymous with our Australian summer season, so we had a peach of an idea! Searches on our website spike at this time of year for Christmas desserts. These major on puddings, pavlovas and trifles. There’s a long history of sweet treats for Christmas. In medieval times, sugar was a luxury that could only be afforded on peak religious holidays. Trifle has roots in the Spanish bizcocho borracho, or ‘drunken cake’, which arrived in the UK at the 1554 marriage feast for English Queen ‘bloody’ Mary I and Phillip II of Spain. Following that, the first trifle recipes popped up in Thomas Dawson’s English cookery book, The Good Huswifes Jewell (1585). It was a warmed…

give the gift of sensational and seasonal food with the first in our series of top 100 recipe books. Your tastiest ever summer and festive season start here… The beautiful bounty of nature is ours for the plundering all summer long! We help you do just that with this top 100 collection of recipes from taste.com.au. In this exclusive extract of Summer Fresh, you’ll get a taste of enticing, delicious and nutritious dishes that are ideal for entertaining, whether it’s for Christmas or a summer celebration. Easy, fail-proof and triple-tested, these made-to-share winners come with the reassurance of being rated and reviewed by millions of other Aussie home cooks. Plus, everything’s at your local supermarket. Summer Fresh is on sale now at all good bookstores and online. Summer Fresh (HarperCollins…

SERVES 6 (as part of a banquet) PREP 10 mins (+ 4 hours marinating) COOK 20 mins 750g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces 125ml ( 1/2 cup) yakitori sauce 1 nori sheet, crumbled 2 tbs white sesame seeds 1-2 tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste 2 tsp sea salt flakes 90g dried soba noodles 60ml ( 1/4 cup) ponzu sauce 1 small bunch baby broccolini, trimmed, sliced lengthways 100g snow peas, trimmed 100g sugar snap peas, trimmed 110g ( 3/4 cup) podded frozen edamame 310g (1 cup) watercress sprigs Pickled ginger, to serve 1 Combine the chicken and yakitori sauce in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2-4 hours to marinate. 2 Meanwhile, place the nori, sesame…

Mangoes embody the essence of summer in Australia. The sweet tropical aroma, vibrant colour and lick-your-lips juiciness make them an all-round favourite. Whether they’re sliced and added to a salad, used in dessert such as pavlova or trifle, halved and barbecued or eaten straight from the skin, mangoes are the go-to fruit for the sunny season. choose Fruit that is firm but gives slightly when touched, with that distinctive heady, exotic aroma. store In the fridge for a few days once ripe. Never store in plastic. cook A versatile fruit, it works well in savoury and sweet dishes. Try it pureed in chicken curry, make a salsa for tacos or serve with black sticky rice. eat with • coconut • prawns • fish • salmon • pork • lime • chicken • chilli…

gluten-free gingerbread puddings with crème anglaise makes 6 | prep 20 mins | cooking 40 mins 225g (1 1 /2 cups) gluten-free plain flour 60g ( 1 /3 cup) dark brown or coconut sugar 20g ( 1 /4 cup) desiccated coconut 3 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 1 /2 tsp ground cloves 1 /4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 red apple (about 250g), skin on, finely grated 1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger 125ml ( 1 /2 cup) milk or nut milk (such as coconut, almond or hazelnut) 60ml ( 1 /4 cup) macadamia oil 2 eggs, lightly whisked Edible gold leaf, to decorate (optional, see tip) better-for-you crème anglaise 500ml (2 cups) milk or nut milk 50g ( 1 /4 cup) coconut sugar…

white chocolate brownie bars  makes 12 bars | prep 30 mins (+ cooling) | cooking 35 mins 300g white chocolate, chopped 125g butter, chopped 100g ( 1 /2 cup) caster sugar 60ml ( 1 /4 cup) milk 150g (1 cup) plain flour 50g ( 1 /3 cup) self-raising flour 2 eggs, lightly whisked 50g ( 1 /3 cup) dried cranberries 35g ( 1 /3 cup) chopped pistachio kernels, toasted Mixed white and gold cachous, to decorate Edible red glitter, to decorate (optional) buttercream icing 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature 230g (1 1 /2 cups) icing sugar mixture 2 tbs milk Red and pink food colouring, to tint 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease a 19 x 29cm slice pan. Line the base and 2 long sides with…