Family mince pie

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 100g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 600g beef mince
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons beef gravy powder
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease a 3cm-deep, 20cm (base) round glass or ceramic pie dish. Line base and side with 1 pastry sheet. Trim excess. Place dish on a baking tray. Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are light golden. Remove weights and paper.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add mushroom and herbs. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mushroom has softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until liquid has almost evaporated.
3. Combine gravy powder and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a jug. Add to pan. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Spoon into pastry case. Top with remaining pastry. Press edges to seal. Trim excess. Cut a small cross in the centre of pie top. Brush top with egg. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

Notes & tips

• To freeze: Set aside to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 1 month.
• To cook: Thaw in fridge overnight. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Remove plastic wrap. Cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through.

Cranberry and white chocolate biscuits

Preparation Time

45 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Makes

72

Ingredients

• 500g butter, at room temperature, chopped
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
• 750g (5 cups) self-raising flour
• 1 x 170g pkt craisins (dried cranberries)
• 200g white chocolate, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 3 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.
3. Add the condensed milk and flour to the butter mixture. Stir to combine. Stir in the craisins and chocolate.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll tablespoonfuls of 1 portion into balls. Divide among the prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Use the palm of your hand to flatten slightly. Bake in oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 8-10 minutes or until light golden. Set aside on the trays for 3 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Repeat with remaining dough portion.

Beef stroganoff

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 500g beef strips
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 small brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 250g button mushrooms, sliced
• 250ml (1 cup) hot water
• 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 300g (1 1/2 cups) white long-grain rice
• 85g (1/3 cup) sour cream
• 1 tbs coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley

Method

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add half the beef and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Repeat with remaining beef.
2. Melt butter in same pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the onion, garlic and paprika and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the beef, mushrooms, hot water, stock cube, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until beef is tender. (To freeze, see note.)
3. Meanwhile, cook rice in a saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions until tender. (To freeze, see note.)
4. Stir sour cream into beef mixture until just combined. Remove from heat.
5. Place rice in a serving bowl and top with beef stroganoff and parsley.

Notes & tips

• To freeze beef (up to 3 months): Cool beef mixture to room temperature. Divide into individual serves and place in small containers. Label, date and freeze.to freeze rice (up to 2 months): Cool rice to room temperature. Divide into individual serves and place in small containers. Label, date and freeze.

Beef and vegetable pasties

To freeze pasties, place in a single layer in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge the night before serving.

Makes

16

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 400g lean beef mince
• 1 medium desiree potato, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 small carrot, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup barbecue relish
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup salt-reduced beef stock
• 1/2 cup frozen pea and corn mix
• 4 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• tomato sauce, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Add potato, carrot, thyme, relish and worcestershire sauce. Stir to coat.
2. Add stock. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid has almost evaporated. Stir in pea mixture. Remove from heat. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Using a 12cm cutter, cut 4 rounds from each pastry sheet. Spoon 1/4 cup mince mixture onto each round. Brush edges with egg. Bring pastry edges together to form a semi-circle. Pinch edges together to seal and form frills.
4. Place pasties on prepared trays. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden.

Chargrilled lamb & couscous with vegetables

NB Diabetes friendly

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 cup salt reduced chicken stock
• 2 x 425g cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 50g roasted red capsicum, cut into strips
• 50g chargrilled eggplant, cut into strips
• 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
• olive oil cooking spray
• 320g lamb loin fillets, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Place couscous in a large, heatproof bowl. Combine 3/4 cup water and 1/2 cup stock in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Pour over couscous. Cover and set aside for 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate grains. Add chickpeas, capsicum, eggplant, parsley, coriander, lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover and set aside.
2. Spray a non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season lamb with pepper. Add to pan and cook for 3 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and set aside for 5 minutes to rest. Increase heat to high and add vinegar and remaining stock. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens. Stir in any juices from lamb.
3. Divide couscous between serving plates. Thinly slice lamb and arrange over couscous. Pour over balsamic sauce. Serve.

Indian Spiced Lamb Rissoles

1 x 3 second spray Always Fresh Olive Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
400 g extra lean lamb mince
2 slice white bread, made into breadcrumbs
1/2 medium onion, grated
2 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbs curry paste, (korma)
1 whole whole egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped
2/3 cup skim plain yoghurt
100 g baby spinach leaves
1 whole cucumber, halved, thinly sliced
240 g turkish bread, (4 x 60g pieces), toasted

Combine mince, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, curry paste, egg and half of the mint and coriander in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Using clean hands, mix until well combined. Roll the mixture into 16 balls and flatten slightly between hands. Tranfer the rissoles to a plate, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes if time permits.


Meanwhile to make dip, combine yoghurt, remaining garlic and herbs in a medium size bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.


Place a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray with oil and cook the rissoles in 2 batches for approximately 5 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through. Set aside.


Serve rissoles with Turkish toast, yoghurt sauce, sliced cucumber and baby spinach leaves.

Prawn & Chilli Risotto

4 cups chicken stock
1 onion finely chopped
1 long red chilli finely chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
1.5 cups aborio rice
400g can diced tomatoes
16 peeled tails intact large green prawns
2 tsp portugese seasoning
1 bunch rocket
1tsp finely grated lemon rind.

1. make up your chicken stock

2. heat a large heavy based saucepan over a med heat, spray with oil. Add onion, chilli and garlic, and cook stirring occassionaly for 5 mins. Add rice and cook for a further minute.

3. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Start adding a cupful of hot stock at a time, stirring until combined and being sure that each addition of stock is absorbed before you add more. Continue adding stock for about 20 mins or until the rice is al dente and creamy.

4. meanwhile toss the prawns in the seasoning to coat. heat a large non stick frying pan over high heat, spray with oil. add prawns and cook for 2 mins or until cooked. set aside.

5. when rice is ready, set aside, remove from heat, stir in rocket and lemon rind, season with S&P. Cover and stand 3 mins to allow flavours to develop. Serve rice then prawns on top.