Lamb and haloumi kebabs

750g diced lamb
200g semi dried tomatoes
400g haloumi, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Thread lamb, tomato and cheese onto eight skewers
2. Place kebabs in shallow dish, pour over combined remaining ingredients and refrigerate for 3 hours+
3. Drain kebabs; discard and marinade. Cook kebabs on heated, oiled BBQ until ready.

Kebabs with mint and pistachio pesto

1kg diced lamb

Pesto:
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup pistachios, toasted
1/3 cup coarsely grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp water (approx)

1. Thread lamb onto 12 skewers (after soaking them in water)
2. Cook lamb on heated oiled BBQ until ready
3. Serve lamb with mint and pistachio pesto

Mint and pistachio pesto: blend or process mint, nuts, cheese, garlic and juice until well combined. Pour in oil and just enough water to give desired consistency.

Tandoori lamb naan

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

3/4 cup plan yogurt
1 tbsp tandoori paste
4 lamb fillets (320g)
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp lime juice
100g curly endive
1 lebanese cucumber, seeded and sliced finely

1. Combine a third of the yogurt and paste in a medium bowl; add lamb and cover. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
2. Blend or process remaining yogurt, mint and juice until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Cook lamb on heated, oiled BBQ, uncovered until browned and cooked. Stand 5 mins before slicing.
4. Meanwhile heat naan according to packet's directions.
5. Place lamb, endive, cucumber and yogurt mixture in centre of naan. Rolls to enclose filling.

Lime and coriander octopus

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

1.25kg baby octopus
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp kecap manis
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander
2 limes, sliced thickly

1. Remove and discard heads and beaks from octopus, cut tentacles in half.
2. Combine chilli sauce, kecap manis, juice, garlic and coriander in a large bowl and add octopus. Refrigerate for 3 hours+
3. Drain octopus and discard marinade
4. Cook octopus and lime slices in batches on heated, oiled bbq
5. Serve with lime slices

Spinach and cob dip

1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 pack spring veg soup (dried/powder)
shallots
1 pack (thawed) frozen spinach
1 cob

Method:

Mix together and empty into hollowed out cob.

Greek meatballs with pasta & tzatziki

Preparation Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
500g premium mince beef
100g creamy fetta cheese, crumbled
1 x 72g pkt Gourmet Garden Greece
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
Salt & freshly ground pepper
700g bottle Italian tomato pasta sauce
2 cups (500ml) water
250g pasta
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, seeds removed and coarsely grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup thick Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large mixing bowl combine mince, feta, 1 sachet each of the garlic, parsley and rosemary from the Gourmet Garden packet and lemon rind. Season well with salt and pepper.

2. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place onto a large baking tray. Bake meatballs for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the tomato pasta sauce and water in large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add remaining packet of garlic, parsley and rosemary. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until almost tender.

4. Remove pan from heat, cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine cucumber, garlic and yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper. Serve meatballs with the penne, tzatziki and fresh mint leaves.

Notes & tips
Tip: Whenever you're making meatballs, use wet hands to roll the mince into balls to prevent it from sticking to you.

Pasta with panchetta, bocconcini and mushrooms

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
400 gm large pasta shells
freshly ground salt
olive oil
1 leek, cut in half lengthways & sliced
4 slices pancetta, chopped
½ cup cream
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
10 tiny button mushrooms, quartered
4 bocconcini, cut into 6
1 tbsp freshly chopped chives


Method:
1. Cook pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Then drain well.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and gently saute leek and pancetta.

3. Add cream, stock and pepper, and cook down. Then add parmesan, stir and cook until reduced.

4. At the same time, heat a little oil in another non-stick pan and gently saute mushrooms.

5. Add pasta to sauce, together with bocconcini and mushrooms. Toss well and add chives at the last minute.

6. Serve with a little extra parmesan and chives sprinkled on top.

Kel's sausage rolls

* Especially for Jackie and Laura! These arent nearly as hard as you think, its embarrassing!

12 sausages
2 packets puff pastry

1. Spread puff pastry out across the bench.
2. Put 1 sausage onto each sheet of pastry. Cut off any excess and use to decorate top of sausage roll before baking.
3. Roll up and flatten a little
4. Decorate.
5. Bake in 180 degree oven 20-25 mins or when sausage is cooked/pastry golden brown.

Thats it!!

Mushroom Pie

Serves: 4-6 (*hasnt been tried yet)

Ingredients:
olive oil
2 medium-large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
7 field mushrooms, sliced
2 punnets Swiss brown mushrooms, cut in 4
1 punnet button mushrooms, cut in half
1 tspn port
1 tspn red wine vinegar
freshly ground salt & pepper
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
¼ cup vegetable stock
a good splash of balsamic vinegar
a good splash of Worcestershire
1 heaped tspn mustard
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1 sheet bought puff pastry
1 egg
1 tbsp milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 200-210°C.

Heat a little oil in a pan and gently saute onion and garlic. Add mushrooms (saving 1 field for garnish) and gently cook for 3-4 mins.

Add port, vinegar, salt, pepper and flour. Mix in well and cook for 1-2 mins. Then add stock, balsamic, Worcestershire, mustard and parsley. Gently cook for about 5 mins until thick and allow to cool a little.

Pour mushroom mixture into a baking dish. Lay pastry on top and cut away overlapping bits. Then lay extra mushroom on top.

Make egg wash by combining egg and milk, and brush top of pie.

Bake in oven for about 12 mins, until crisp and golden.

Vanilla Cupcakes

(makes 12 or so)

120g soft butter
180g caster sugar
2 eggs
240g self raising flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Icing:
1 1/2 cups butter
4 cups icing sugar mixture
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food colouring and decorations, to your liking
^ This makes enough icing for two batches!

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place cupcake patties inside muffin baking trays.
2. Beat butter with sugar until light and creamy.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Fold in half the flour, the half the milk.
5. Repeat with remaining milk and flour (be careful not to over mix).
6. Spoon mixture into cupcake patties. Do not fill the cases more than half full if you want to ice them.
7. Bake for 15-20 mins until they are risen, golden and firm to touch. Allow to cool in muffin tray for a few minutes before taking them out to cool on a wire rack. Wait until they are completely cool before icing.
8. To make the icing: Beat butter until creamy, then add the remainder of the ingredients and mix evenly. Add food colouring and mix. Spread icing on the cupcakes and decorate as you like.

Rock Cakes

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins

2 cups SR flour
100g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup currants (I used craisins)
2 tbs glace ginger, finely chopped (can do without this)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup demerera sugar to sprinkle (try castor)


1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Sift flour and rub butter in with fingers until resembling bread crumbs.
3. Add sugar, currants and ginger and mix.
4. Add egg, milk and vanilla into another bowl and combine.
5. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until a stiff dough.
6. Drop dessert spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet, sprinkle sugar and bake for 10 mins

Ling and Snow Pea Green Curry

1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
2 tsp peanut oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped finely
3 small green chillies, sliced thinly
1/4 cup green curry paste
1 2/3 cups lite coconut milk
4 ling fillets, chopped coarsely
200g snow peas, halved
4 green onions, sliced thinly

1. Cook rice in large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, until tender; drain, cover to keep warm
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan, cook brown onion, chilli and curry paste, stirring until onion softens. Stir in coconut milk, and bring to boil. Add fish and reduce heat.
3. Simmer uncovered for 5 mins before adding snow peas and green onion. Stir gently until veges are tender
3. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.