TABLE FOR TWO:
recipes that are just right for a couple
Cook-and-freeze pumpkin quiches MAKES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
4 sheets shortcrust pastry
900g butternut pumpkin, chopped 1.5cm 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup (125ml) milk
4 eggs, beaten lightly
½ cup (60g) frozen peas
100g feta, coarsely crumbled 1½ tablespoons pine nuts
30g mixed baby salad leaves beetroot relish, for serving
1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fanforced). Oil four 9cm x 12cm oval pie tins 1½ cups capacity.
2 Combine the pumpkin, garlic, sage and oil on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Season. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove, cool.
3 Meanwhile, line pie tins with pastry, leaving about 1.5cm overhang; press into side. Freeze for 5 minutes.
4 Reduce heat to 200°C (180°C fanforced). Place tins on an oven tray. To blind bake, cover pastry with foil or baking paper and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake on lower shelf for 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans; bake for a further 5 minutes or until pastry base has dried out.
5 Combine milk and eggs, whisk lightly. Season with salt and ground pepper.
6 Divide pumpkin mixture among pastry cases. Pour over egg mixture. Sprinkle with peas, feta and pine nuts. Bake for 35 minutes or until set and browned. Cover edges with foil if pastry is over-browning.
7 Serve two quiches with salad leaves and relish. Freeze the remaining quiches for another meal.
Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.
Baked fish ‘n’ chips with yoghurt tartare SERVES 2 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES
1 large (500g) orange kūmara, unpeeled, cut into thin wedges
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
400g skinless, boneless firm white fish fillets (see Test Kitchen tips, previous page)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon coarse cooking salt
1½ tablespoons white sesame seeds
⅓ cup (25g) panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons plain flour
30g rocket lime wedges, to serve
YOGHURT TARTARE
½ cup (140g) Greek-style yoghurt 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 tablespoon finely chopped baby gherkins (or cornichons)
1 spring onion, chopped finely 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with baking paper.
2 Combine kūmara and half the oil in a medium bowl; season.
3 Place kūmara, in a single layer, on lined tray; bake for 15 minutes or until browned lightly, cooked through and crisp.
4 Meanwhile, cut fish into large pieces. Combine spices, salt, seeds and breadcrumbs in a wide shallow bowl. Place flour in another shallow bowl. Lightly beat egg in another shallow bowl. Coat fish in flour, shake off any excess. Dip fish in egg, then in breadcrumb mixture, turning until fish is completely covered.
5 Heat remaining oil in a non-stick ovenproof frying pan over medium heat; cook fish for 30 seconds each side or until browned all over. Transfer frying pan to oven; bake fish for 3 minutes or until just cooked through and browned.
6 YOGHURT TARTARE Combine ingredients in a small bowl; season to taste.
7 Serve fish with chips, rocket, Yoghurt tartare and lime wedges.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.
Honey-lemon prawn stir-fry SERVES 2 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, extra to serve 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
500g medium uncooked prawns, shelled, deveined, tails intact
1 small (80g) onion, cut into thin wedges 1 medium (120g) carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh ginger
¼ medium (250g) wong bok (Chinese cabbage) chopped coarsely
⅓ cup (115g) honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
250g packaged microwave jasmine rice 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
¼ cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 Toast the sesame seeds in a heated wok or frying pan until browned lightly; remove from wok.
2 Heat half the oil in wok or frying pan over high heat; stir-fry prawns for 2 minutes or until prawns just change colour and are almost cooked. Remove from wok.
3 Heat remaining oil in wok over medium-high heat; stir-fry onion, carrot and ginger for 3 minutes or softened. Return prawns to wok with cabbage and honey; stir-fry until hot. Sprinkle over lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
4 Meanwhile, heat rice according to packet directions.
5 Serve stir-fry with rice, sesame seeds, spring onions and coriander.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.
Chicken and mushroom pot pies SERVES 2 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small (200g) leek, sliced thinly
1 small (200g) fennel bulb, sliced thinly, reserve fronds
200g Swiss brown or button mushrooms, quartered
¼ cup (80ml) dry white wine 1 tablespoon plain flour
450g chicken breast fillets, chopped coarsely
1 cup (250ml) pouring cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 sheets butter puff pastry
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes rocket leaves, for serving
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
2 Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat; cook garlic, leek, fennel and mushrooms, stirring, for 5 minutes or until vegetables soften. Season.
3 Stir in wine; cook, stirring until wine has evaporated. Add flour, cook, stirring 1 minute. Add chicken and cream; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat, stir in mustard and parsley.
4 Spoon filling into 2 x 2 cup (500ml) ovenproof bowls or dishes. Cut 2 x 1cm strips from pastry. Place around the rim of the dishes to form a “collar”. Cut 2 x rounds from pastry sheets to fit dishes; top pies with pastry. Crimp edges to seal; brush with egg. Using a small knife, make a slit in pastry. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and salt.
5 Bake pies for 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.
6 Serve with rocket leaves.
Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.
“Get ahead and make a double batch. Freeze the pies unbaked.”
Paprika and cuminspiced chicken SERVES 2 PREP AND COOK TIME 45 MINUTES
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup (70g) Greek-style yoghurt
2 x 200g chicken breast supremes or breasts with skin on (see Test Kitchen tips)
2 teaspoons olive oil, extra
½ x 400g canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed
200g cherry truss tomatoes
100g firm ricotta, broken into large chunks
½ cup loosely packed coriander sprigs
1 Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fanforced).
2 Combine garlic, paprika, cumin and half the oil in a small bowl.
3 Combine yoghurt and 1 teaspoon of the spice oil mixture in another small bowl; season. Cover yoghurt mixture; refrigerate until required.
4 Rub 2 tablespoons of the remaining spice oil mixture over chicken; season. Heat the extra olive oil in a medium flameproof non-stick frying pan over high heat; cook chicken for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Roast chicken for 6 minutes.
5 Reduce heat to 180°C (160°C fanforced). Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, ricotta and remaining spice oil mixture in a large bowl. Spoon chickpea mixture around chicken in pan; season. Roast for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
6 Serve chicken and chickpea mixture with yoghurt sauce, sprinkled with coriander.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.