A simple salad

If you’ve been to my blog before you are familiar with my celebrations of simplicity. Simple, fresh ingredients are usually all you need to make things taste delicious and look beautiful.

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One of the simplest dishes that I make often are salads – all kinds, whether they consist of many ingredients or just two, have roasted vegetables or fresh and crunchy ones. I love my salads.

This particular salad features pan-fried mushrooms as its star; mushrooms seared in a hot pan and then tossed in a vinaigrette of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary, and plenty of pepper. Other tasty additions include colourful cherry and grape tomatoes, cos and radicchio leaves, and cucumber slices. Just a few simple things can make the best dinner ever – try it out!

Something for spring

Spring in Sydney – an end to the colder months and a welcome to longer, sunnier days and flowers. It’s just the beginning of my favourite time of year, and to celebrate it I put together a few spring-inspired foods.

At the grocer, I picked up a bunch of vegetables and herbs. I made a simple salad of sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and torn basil and dressed the two ingredients with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic and freshly cracked black pepper - a light vegetable salad. Of course, if this was going to be a celebration of spring I had to place something exciting on the table. What’s more of a treat than fresh oysters!

Another simple supper

You don’t have to sacrifice flavour and taste just because you don’t have a lot of time. I know I sound like one of those cooks on television but I do think there is something to what they’re saying. When I don’t have a lot of time but crave something delicious I look to one or two main ingredients to help me - for instance, my special ingredient tonight: the sweet potato.

Ok here I go…Sweet potatoes are an absolutely wonderful, often overlooked vegetable. They are a root vegetable – not to be confused with potatoes which are 'tubers'. They're not as starchy as potatoes and full of nutrient rich beta-carotene – which works to boost immunity and sight (much like carrots). Sweet potatoes are also full of vitamin C, potassium, fibre and so much more. I’ve even heard people say it’s the most healthy vegetable of all.

It’s crazy when you think that something that tastes this sweet, creamy and rich could be so wonderfully good for you too. I combine sweet potatoes with a few other delicious ingredients – cherry tomatoes, fresh thyme, red onions and grapes – topped with mozzarella and parmesan and baked until wonderfully golden, gooey and crisp.

Just twenty minutes and you have supper. Sundays like this definitely work for me.

For more simple Sunday suppers – see here

sweet sunday supper
2 large serving or 4 small

3-4 medium sweet potatoes/kumera, sliced into 1-2 inch chunky pieces
a few sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch sea salt and black pepper
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red grapes
2 red chillies, sliced (used dried if you don’t have fresh)
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, grated
splash of balsamic vinegar or worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 220 degrees fan forced (this is hot but perfect because it will give a little charred flavour to the potatoes)
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper. Add sweet potato pieces, drizzle with oil and mix around. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and add thyme sprigs. Baked for 10 minutes and take out. Add onions, tomatoes, grapes, red chillies to tray and bake another 5 minutes. Take out sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 1-2 minutes or until melted.  Take out, dress with a splash of balsamic or worcestershire sauce and serve with fresh rocket or salad greens – enjoy!

Simple spaghetti Saturday

Spaghetti - a thin, long and stringlike type of pasta – is the quintessential Italian food. It is typically eaten with meatballs or in a tomato-based meat sauce. I love spaghetti, but I often prepare it in a non-traditional way. I enjoy cooking tomato sauce from scratch but - especially when the weather feels like spring (even though it’s autumn!) - I want something lighter and fresher but still hearty.

I used one of my favourite ingredients - the borlotti bean.  This beautifully speckled bean is full of protein and has a firm yet creamy texture. I added fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic infused olive oil, freshly shaved pecorino romano and baby basil.  I finished it with a little sprinkle of dried red chili.  I love wholemeal or wholegrain pasta – it’s healthy for one, but it also has a rich grainy texture and stronger flavour. Remember - you have to cook it (a little) longer than regular pasta.

This was a great, light dinner but would also make a tasty and filling lunch.