Fish and Chips with Tartare Sauce

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 1/4 cups chilled water
• 2 eggwhites
• 4 large desiree potatoes, peeled, cut into thick chips
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 1kg flathead fillets, skin on
• lime wedges, to serve
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 IGA Homestead Gherkins, chopped
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1. Make tartare sauce Combine egg yolks and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds. With the motor running, slowly add oil in a thin, steady stream. Process until thickened. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in gherkin, parsley and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
   
2. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add chilled water. Using a balloon whisk, slowly stir until the consistency of pouring cream, adding more water if necessary. Beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter.
   
   
3. Preheat oven to 150°C. Place a large wire rack over a baking tray. Place potato, no more than 2 layers deep, in a shallow, microwave-safe dish. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Half-fill a large saucepan or wok with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Cook potato, in batches, for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to wire rack. Keep warm in oven.
   
   
4. Place remaining flour on a plate. Coat both sides of fish fillets in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into batter to coat, allowing excess batter to drain. Cook fish, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes or until batter is golden and crisp. Transfer to rack. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
   
   
5. Place fish and chips on plates. Season with salt. Serve with tartare sauce and lime.

Lamb and Potato Pie

This pie has a crisp bread case, a filling of chopped roast lamb in a tomato sauce, and a creamy mashed potato and golden, melted cheese topping. Vegetables could be added to the filling, if you want. Its a lovely comfort food ;) I used lamb mince instead of the roast lamb - either would be lovely.

The pie can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook. If cooked straight from the fridge, you will probably need to increase the cooking time.

Serves 4-6.

540g peeled potatoes, halved or quartered
35g butter
70ml (3 1/2 tablespoons) milk
Salt
60g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) grated tasty cheese

Boil potato in a large saucepan until tender, drain. Mash potato with butter and milk until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and set aside until required.

20g butter
100g finely chopped onion (one small onion)
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock, or one chicken stock cube in 250ml water
40ml (2 tablespoons) tomato sauce
30ml (1 1/2 tablespoons) Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
400g chopped roast lamb
6-7 slices white bread (toast/thick slice)
Extra butter, to butter bread

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees fan forced).

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened. Add flour and stir over heat for about one minute. Stir in tomato paste. Add half the stock and stir until mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining stock. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper and stir until mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes, stirring occasionally.



Remove from heat and stir in chopped lamb. Set aside until required.

Generously butter bread on one side. Line the base and sides of a 2.6 litre ovenproof dish with bread (buttered side down).



You will probably need to cut the bread so that it fits into the dish snugly and completely covers the base and sides of the dish.



Pour meat filling over bread and spread evenly.



Top with mashed potato.



Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the bread case and the top of the pie are golden.

Salmon with mustard and lime dressing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 x 200g salmon fillets, deboned, skin on
• Fettucine
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 125g baby spinach

• Mustard and lime dressing

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup thick, plain yoghurt

Method

1. Make mustard and lime dressing. Whisk mustard, caster sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice and yoghurt in a bowl. Cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 220°C. Using 2 teaspoons oil, brush both sides of salmon fillets. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil. Cook 2 fillets, skin side up, for 1 minute or until light golden. Turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crisp. Transfer to a baking tray. Repeat with oil and remaining fillets. Bake salmon for 4 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking.
   
   
4. Meanwhile, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to hot pan and cook fettucine. Add chives and spinach and stir until wilted.
   
   
5. Spoon fettucine onto plates. Top with salmon. Drizzle over dressing and serve.

Meatloaf cups

Serves 4

6 slices multigrain bread
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 brown onion, grated
100g shortcut bacon, finely chopped
250g beef mince
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 tbsp BBQ relish
2 cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease four 3/4 capacity texas muffin pan holes. Using a rolling pin, roll 4 slices of bread flat. Use bread slices to line base and side of greased muffin holes (sides will not be completely covered). Bake for 5-10 mins or until firm to touch.

2. Place remaining bread in food processor. Process to fine crumbs. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally.

3. Combine mince, egg, parsley, relish, breadcrumbs and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Using 1/3 cup of mixture per meatloaf, spoon into bread cases. Press 1 tomato half, cut side up into each mince top. Bake 20-25 mins or until cooked through. Leave to cool in pan.

NB This can be frozen for up to 2 months.

(Recipe courtesy of Super Food Ideas, February, 2007).

Tuna, pea and corn bake

Serves 4

250g fusilli pasta
185g can tuna in extra virgin olive oil, drained and flaked
1/2 cup frozen peas and corn
410g can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree. Grease an 8 cup capacity Corningware dish. Cook pasta in a lge saucepan of boiling water. Drain.

2. Combine tuna, peas and corn, soup and pasta in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

3. Spoon pasta into prepared dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25-30 mins or until set. Allow to cook completely.

NB this freezes for up to one month.

(Recipe courtesy of Super Food Ideas, February, 2007)

Pumpkin and spinach pasta bake

Serves 4

1/2 tsp coriander seeds
600g butternut pumpkin, cut into 2cm pieces
olive oil cooking spray
200g tortiglioni or penne pasta
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
50g parmesan cheese
250g packet frozen chopped spinach, thawed.
(I top with mozzarella!)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degree. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Using a mortar and pestle, pound coriander seeds till crushed (can go without these). Place pumpkin on prepared tray. Lightly spray with oil and sprinkle with coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered 20 mins or until tender. Reduce oven to 180 degrees.

3. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water. Drain. Combine ricotta, egg, parmesan and drained spinach in a bowl. Add to pasta and sitr through.

4. Spoon into a Corningware dish and bake for 20-25 mins or until set in centre.

NB this can be frozen and taken for lunches

(Recipe courtesy of Super Food Ideas, February 2007)

Chipolata, spinach and red onion salad

Serves 4

Olive oil cooking spray
650g chipolata sausages
2 medium red onions cut into skinny slices
2 tbsp olive oil
100g baby spinach leaves
tomato chutney and crusty bread to serve

1. Preheat a pan or BBQ plate on medium high. Spray sausages with oil. Combine onions and 1 tbsp oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat.

2. BBQ sausages and onions, turning often for 8-10 mins or until cooked. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to cool slightly.

3. Halve sausages diagonally. Arrange spinach on serving plates. Top with sausages, onions and a dollop of chutney. Drizzle with remaining oil and serve with crusty bread.