Divine Tomato Soup

I forgot how fantastic this tomato soup is! Dad used to make it at their Pearl Beach holiday house when friends came up in winter.


We would all rug up and walk down to the beach where the waves were enormous and would crash down so ferociously that the earth would literally tremble beneath our feet, and the water would be churned into foam. Everyone would get back to the little beach house freezing and famished, our eyes stinging with the salt spray, cheeks scoured red from the wind, and hair whipped into a tangled mess.


This soup, served steaming hot into enormous black lacquer bowls was always met with revered silence - the proof of a great dish! - and everyone would beg him for the recipe. No doubt he felt a bit wicked knowing how incredibly easy it was to make, yet how satisfying the result was! It was the perfect start to many beautiful winter luncheons. 

3 cans good quality organic tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic
2 chicken stock cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chill flakes (optional)
a handful of basil leaves, finely sliced
parmesan cheese
fresh bread and butter, or croutons, to serve.

Put the tomatoes, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, chilli, stock cubes and half a tin of water into a pot and bring to a gentle boil then turn the heat down and let it simmer and the flavours develop for 20mins or so. Blend roughly with a bar mix leaving the soup still a little chunky here and there then put back on the stove until you're ready to serve it. Then finely slice your basil leaves and freshly grate your parmesan using the big side of the grater so you get nice big shredded pieces of cheese.

Make sure the bowls are warmed and the soup is really hot - this is important so the cheese melts a little on the surface of the soup! Ladle into bowls and stir in a decent amount of the beautiful aromatic basil leaves, then sprinkle the surface of the hot soup with a really generous amount of parmesan.

Blissfully easy & utterly delicious!

Rocket & Eggplant Salad

The rocket in my garden has gone totally bizerk lately, I can hardly eat it fast enough! The newest leaves are tender and sweet but as the plant matures they get more peppery. Eating this plant is insanely healthy, it has all manner of antioxidants and other things I can't even pronounce, it even has Vitamin K in it which is reported to help fight Alzheimer's, something I'm keenly interested in.

This is the yummiest salad and my absolute favourite way of eating eggplant - caramelised and delicious! When persuaded to try a piece even my 6yr old rated it ten out of ten. We made it recently to eat with a roast lamb dinner. It was scrumptious with the roast potatoes and pumpkin and any vegetarian would be more than satisfied to have it in place of the lamb.

1 large bowl of fresh rocket

1 large eggplant, cubed

Fresh herbs from the garden such as basil or mint

Balsamic vinegar

Put the eggplant in a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil, a little more than you would use on some baked potatoes, season with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven 180• - 200•. Keep an eye on the eggplant. After 15 minutes if it looks a little dry add another drizzle of oil. (Eggplant has a tendency to soak up all the oil its given, so its important not to give it too much, or to make sure your oil is really hot if you're frying on the BBQ for instance.)

The eggplant is ready in about half an hour, depending on the heat of your oven, when it is nicely browned and caramelised.

Assemble the salad by laying out the rocket and adding the eggplant then drizzling with the balsamic vinegar. You can also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too with the herbs if you like.

Cream of Cauliflower & Leek Soup

There is nothing better than having a big batch of homemade soup in the fridge, my kids love this one too. This is my latest easy peasy favourite, in a beautiful shade of creamy yellow!

1 leek, cleaned and chopped

1/2 head of cauliflower, stem removed and chopped

4Tbs mong or urid dhal

1 chicken style stock cube

1 tbs Keens curry powder

300ml thickened cream

chives

Sweat the leek in a little olive oil in a heavy based pot for a few minutes. Add all ingredients except cream and chives plus enough boiling water to almost cover. Simmer for 20 minutes then blend well with a barmix. Finally add cream and season, then serve sprinkled with chives.

Delicious Lasagne

There are so many delicious varieties of lasagne but this one I particularly like... Its a great dish if you're expecting lots of people as it can be made early in the day, the ingredients can be bought a week before and left overs keep really well too. Throw in a garlic bread and put a salad together and you have a feast!

Serves 8

1 - 2 boxes dried lasagne sheets

1 large eggplant

2 zucchinis

1 tub ricotta cheese

2 eggs*

1 bottle tomato pasta sauce

big handful of basil leaves

2 cups milk*

30gms butter

2Tbs cornflour (or plain flour)

nutmeg

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese*

Slice the eggplant & zucchini half a centimeter thick then grill on a hot oiled griddle pan if you have one or BBQ on med-low heat. You want them to cook til tender and have nice stripes from the hot metal without burning. You can fry them just as easily but don't add too much oil. Spray oil is great as you can give them a light spray each time you turn them to keep them moist without going oily. Leave these to cool after they're cooked.

Beat the eggs and add the ricotta, chopped basil and salt & pepper.

To assemble your lasagne... a little tomato sauce to coat the bottom of the deep casserole dish, lasagne sheets, eggplant topped with half the ricotta mixture, lasagne sheets, half the tomato pasta sauce, lasagne sheets, zucchini topped with remaining half of ricotta mixture, lasagne sheets, remaining tomato sauce then lasagne sheets.

Finally make your white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and microwave the milk for approximately 2 minutes. Add the cornflour to the melted butter and stir, then let it bubble and cook for a couple of minutes - this is important as cooking the 'rue' will get rid of the floury taste. When it has cooked add the hot milk all in one go and stir straight away with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes as the white sauce thickens then remove from the heat and add salt & pepper to taste and a good sprinkle of nutmeg. Pour this sauce all over the top of your lasagne and sprinkle with the cheese then bake in a hot oven about 30 minutes.

*For a healthier option use soymilk and Nuttelex, and flavour your white sauce with nutritional yeast powder and omit the eggs. I haven't found a good alternative for the ricotta cheese however.

Lentil Stew with Garlic Yoghurt

A delicious soupy stew to warm up your evening! This is really yummy served with boiled potatoes that go so well with the mint garnish and yoghurt topping, but also equally tasty with chewy sourdough toast.

2 Tbs olive oil

1 leek, white part only, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2tsp curry powder

1tsp ground cummin

1tsp garam masala

2 bay leaves

1 litre hot vegetable stock ('Beef style Massel' stock cubes work well in this recipe)

1 cup brown lentils

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 zucchini, cut in half lengthways and sliced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

200g broccoli, cut into small florets

1 carrot, small dice

1/2 cup peas

1 Tbs chopped mint

New potatoes or sourdough bread to serve

Spiced Yoghurt

1 cup thick plain yoghurt

1 Tbs chopped corriander

1 garlic clove

3 dashes Tobasco sauce

Heat the oil in a heavy based cassoulet pot. Add the leek and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. Add the curry powder, cumin and garam masala and cook for 1 minute until lightly fragrant.

Add the stock, bay leaves, lentils and sweet potato. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender about 10-15 minutes.

Get your potatoes cooking; if they are small just peel them and pop into a bowl covered with gladwrap and microwave for 10 minutes. Check with a fork to see if they need any further cooking after this time.

Add the zucchini, tomatoes, carrot, broccoli and 2 cups hot water and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas in the last 2-3 minutes and season.

To make the garlic yoghurt use the side of a large knife to mash the garlic clove by repeatedly pressing and smearing it on your chopping board until it is a puree. Then combine all the ingredients for the yoghurt and mix well. Garnish your soup with a big dollop of the yoghurt and some freshly chopped mint. Delicious!

Fresh Fettucini with Pesto

If you are feeling energetic you can make the pasta from scratch, its a fun activity to do with your family but you do need a pasta machine. Its worth making extra so you can dry some to have another day.

Same goes with the pesto - if you have a lot of rocket and basil in the garden make a big batch. It keeps well in the fridge as long as you put gladwrap touching the surface - the top will discolour but its perfectly okay. Adding your fresh pesto will liven up any soup, couscous, pasta, frittata, sandwich or veggie burger.

Basic Pasta Dough

Combine 400g flour with 2 tsp salt in a food processor. With the motor running add 4 eggs and process until the dough clings together and feels springy. If necessary you can add a little olive oil too.

Knead the dough for a few minutes on a clean, dry workbench. Then wrap in gladwrap to rest (preferably) for an hour. Put through the pasta machine on the widest setting and run it through about 3-4 times making the setting thinner and finally changing to the spaghetti or fettucini setting. Flour the pasta and hang it over a broom stick to dry.

Fresh Pesto Recipe

1 bunch basil

1 bunch rocket

2 cloves garlic, crushed

30g parmesan

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

pepper

Rinse the basil and rocket and dry well in a tea towel. Remove all tough stalks and stems. Place the leaves in a food processor along with the pine nuts, parmesan and pepper, then process adding the oil in a thin stream. Scrape down the sides of the processor with a spatula and stir then process briefly again.

Fresh Pasta Dinner

Toast some slivered almonds. Fry thinly sliced mushrooms and zucchini in olive oil with some crushed garlic in a large fry pan. Cook your fresh pasta in boiling salted water - it will only take a few minutes, taste to check when its cooked. Add a few big spoons of pesto to your pan and a big lug of olive oil. Drain the pasta and add to the fry pan then carefully distribute the pesto through the pasta using tongs. Garnish your fresh pasta dish with the almonds, fresh basil leaves, parmesan, cracked pepper and sea salt.

Rustic Mushroom Pies!

If you are craving a hearty winter dinner without the obligatory meat these little pies should do the trick! My kids really like them too served with creamy mashed potato and (of course!) tomato sauce.

They are a little fiddly to make but worth the effort.

Makes 6-8 small pies.

3-4 sheets of frozen puff pastry

1 brown onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 small bag mushrooms - swiss brown or buttons

1 cup vegetable stock

1 small carrot, diced

1Tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or thyme)

ground pepper

1Tbs balsamic vinegar

2Tbs soy sauce

1Tbs (heaped) plain flour

Take the pastry out to defrost while you cook the mushroom filling.

Preheat the oven to 180•C.

Fry the onion in a little olive oil, add the garlic and rosemary. Add the mushrooms and carrots then the balsamic and soy sauce and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the carrots are almost done. Mix the flour with a little water to form a paste then add to the mixture and stir until the gravy thickens. Season with pepper and remove from the heat.

To prepare the pastry cases grease some muffin tin trays then use a large cup or small bowl to cut out circles. Press in the bottom half, add the mushroom filling then add the lid. Fold and pinch your way around - they're supposed to look rustic hence the name! Then pop them in the hot oven for about 30 minutes to brown the pastry while you microwave some spuds to turn into delicious mashed potato. Yum!

Eggplant & Tofu StirFry

This is a really yummy stir fry - crunchy veggies, chewy deep fried tofu, caramelised eggplant! Serve with steamed rice and satay sauce. Herbies Spices does a really excellent and delicious satay spice powder that you just make up on the stove with a little peanut butter, brown sugar and sesame oil.

1 packet hard tofu, patted dry & cubed

1 small eggplant, cubed

canola or peanut oil for deep frying

1 red capsicum, in chunks

1 large red chilli, sliced (optional!)

snow peas, topped and tailed

button mushrooms

2 spring onions, sliced into 1" pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

fresh basil leaves

Mix together: 2 Tbs soy sauce + 1 Tbs fish sauce + 2 Tbs oyster sauce + 1 tsp brown sugar

Mix together: 1 tsp cornflour + 1/4 cup boiling water with half a stock cube dissolved

Firstly deep fry the tofu in small batches in hot oil in a wok, draining on paper towel. Then deep fry the eggplant too. Carefully pour the hot oil out of the wok - to a small saucepan is good where it can cool down. Then start your stir fry. Fry the spring onions for a minute, then add the mushrooms and garlic, then lastly the chilli, capsicum and snow peas. Add the soy sauce mixture for a minute then the cornflour stock and stir until the liquid thickens. Serve straight away with the basil sprinkled over.

Noodle Soup

This is like a cross between a stir fry and a soup. It makes a delicious quick and easy lunch or dinner in wintery weather.

1Tbs sesame oil

1Tbs peanut oil

1Tbs soy sauce

1/2 vegetable stock cube

2 sachets instant miso

1 spring onion, sliced

1 cm ginger, peeled and grated

1 ball dried wheat noodles, or udon noodles

1 bunch bok choi, thin parts sliced

1 or 2 swiss brown mushrooms, sliced

Cook your noodles according to the packet directions in 2 cups of water with the vegetable stock cube. Add the oils to a hot wok, then stir fry your vegetables, reserving the thin dark green leaves which will cook faster and can be added for the last minute with the soy sauce. When the noodles are done turn off the heat and add the miso sachets. Divide the noodles into bowls and top with the soup and stir fried vegetables. 

Broccoli & Tofu Salad

Chewy, tasty and wholesome - finally I know what to do with tofu, thanks to my friend Sally. It is really a great pick-me-up when I'm feeling low on energy and (amazingly) Charlotte loves the tofu and rice too.

1 packet hard tofu, cut into 1.5 cm cubes

1 cup brown rice

1 head of broccoli cut into small florets

.25kg green beans

1 avocado

3 Tbs tamari*

2 Tbs sesame oil

3 Tbs dry roasted peanuts

2 Tbs sesame seeds

1 Tbs pickled ginger finely chopped, or grated fresh ginger or fresh chopped coriander

Put the cup of brown rice in a saucepan with 6 cups of cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer gently and set your timer for 20 minutes (the rice will need to cook for 28 in total). Put an inch of water into a second pot with a steamer top and put on high heat then prepare your vegetables and tofu. Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds, tossing often in the pan. When the timer goes put the broccoli florets and green beans into the steamer and add the tofu to the brown rice pot. After 8 minutes drain the rice and tofu into a sieve and put into a large bowl with the steamed broccoli. Season with the sesame oil and tamari and toss well. Add the nuts and seeds and pickled ginger and toss again. Leave to cool a little before adding thick slices of avocado.

*Tamari is similar to soy sauce but with a milder flavour. If you don't have it you can substitute with soy sauce to your taste.

Snake Bean & Grape Curry

I am always on the lookout for new tasty vegetarian recipes - here's one that is delicious, created to celebrate the visit in our garden by a red-bellied black snake, hence the use of snake beans! It is mild and creamy with a bit of crunch from the almonds. You need a couple of "odd" things, but once bought they keep well in the pantry.

1 bunch snake beans, cut into 1" pieces

1 leek, halved, washed well and sliced

200g button mushrooms, chopped coarsly

0.5 cup Textured Soy Protein - coarse pieces*, soaked

2Tbs curry powder (I use Keen's Traditional)

1 vegetable stock cube

1Tbs cornflour, mixed with a little water

2Tbs slivered almonds

1Tbs mustard seeds

1Tbs mango chutney*

1 sachet coconut milk powder*, mixed with 1 cup water

1 bunch green grapes

First put on your rice. If you don't have a rice cooker follow this easy absorption method. 

Put 1 cup of rice and 1 & 3/4 cups of cold water into a smallish-medium saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. There is no need to rinse the rice. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally, then give a good stir, turn the heat down to the very lowest setting and put the lid on. Set your timer for 12 minutes, then when the time is up turn off the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes or until your curry is cooked.  Do not take off the lid until you are ready to serve!

Meanwhile prepare your vegetables and soak your TSP (see below) then heat 1-2Tbs oil in a saucepan. Fry the leek for a few minutes then add the curry powder and stir for a minute until aromatic. Add the TSP and soaking liquid, mushrooms, snake beans, stock cube and a little water if necessary. Don't add too much extra water - the vegetables should not be quite covered. Bring to a gentle simmer, put on the lid and cook/steam for about 8 minutes stirring every now and then. 

Meanwhile put your almonds and mustard seeds into a dry pan over a low heat and toast, tossing them often. The mustard seeds will pop when they're ready.

Add the cornflour water mixture to the curry and stir, as it simmers it will now thicken nicely. Then add your mango chutney, toasted almonds and seeds, coconut milk and grapes. Stir gently, turn off the heat and allow to sit for a minute to warm the grapes through. Dish out your rice, top with curry and serve with extra mango chutney and Vietnamese mint or coriander if you have some in the garden!

*Made from soy beans, TSP is available from health food shops. It adds a 'meaty' texture to the dish and makes this veggie curry more filling because you are combining a pulse with rice which makes a protein. To use it you pour over enough boiling water just to cover and let it rehydrate for 5 mins or so. 

Rather than buying tinned coconut milk or cream I've started buying powder which comes in sachets - less wastage and very easy to use. 

Mango chutney is a MUST have in your fridge. I buy Sharwoods and it is absolutely delicious with any curry, adding a tangy sweetness.

Homemade Dips

Dips are so easy and versatile to make that you'll wonder why you ever bought the tiny overpriced supermarket tubs. 

Hummus

1 tin chick peas, drained

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 lemon, juiced plus zest

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbs tahini

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbs olive oil 

salt & pepper

Toast the cumin seeds in a fry pan for a minute til they are fragrant, then wizz them in a little coffee grinder to a fine powder. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend. You can add a couple of oven roasted tomatoes or chargrilled capsicums too for variety. Garnish with parsley and serve with carrot sticks and lavosh crackers. 

Babaghanoush & Feta Dip

1 large eggplant

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tub herb marinated feta with 1-2 Tbs oil

mint, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend. I find adding the feta gives the dip a better texture and is a nice way to use the flavoured oil.

Roast Tomato & Goats Cheese Fettucini

A delicious easy, creamy pasta dish - the goats cheese literally melts into the hot pasta. The squishy, succulent tomatoes can be roasted anytime the oven's on and stored for a couple of days in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

Serves 3

8 large roma tomatoes

120g goats cheese

handful of basil leaves

fettucini

pine nuts and sliced almonds, toasted

shaved parmesan

Slice the tomatoes length ways and arrange closely on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh thyme or sage if you like too, then pop in the bottom of an oven about 170-180• and leave to roast for an hour or so. The lower the oven the longer you can roast them and the more intense the flavour will become. 

Then cook your fettucini in a big pot of boiling salted water - reserve a little of the water when you strain it. Heat the tomatoes gently in a large fry pan if you've made them the day before, break up the goats cheese and toss in the pasta and basil adding some liquid if you need to. Garnish with shaved parmesan, nuts and cracked pepper.

Greek Lentil, Spinach & Feta Soup

This delicious soup was made for me soon after my son was born by my good friend Cybele. I don't know if it was the insatiable appetite of a breastfeeding mother, the rampant hormones or the love and care with which she made it that made it so memorable but it instantly became one of my favourite soups. It is high in iron, folate, vitamin C, calcium, protein and fibre - especially great for pregnant or new mothers!

500g brown lentils

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 ltr vegetable stock

english spinach

feta cheese (preferably a hard block that you can slice reasonably thinly)

lemon juice

Saute the onion and garlic gently in olive oil. Add the lentils and stir for a couple of minutes then add the stock and simmer for 30 mins. Meanwhile soak the english spinach in water then add to the hot soup 5 mins before serving. Serve topped with slices of the feta and a generous squeeze of lemon juice, cracked pepper and a little olive oil.