Starry nights

Whether it’s a hectic Monday night or a flexy Saturday, these hero meals from former Donna Hay recipe creator and stylist Lucy Tweed will take the pressure off dinnertime.

Take the pressure off dinnertime this week with these tasty meals from former Donna Hay recipe creator and food stylist Lucy Tweed.

CAULI TACOS SERVES 8–10 HANDS-ON TIME 20 MINUTES COOK TIME 50 MINUTES

300g cornflour

1½ cups soda water

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon smoked paprika rice bran oil, for deep-frying

1 whole cauliflower, cut into small florets 20 mini soft tacos

200g mozzarella, sliced into 20 thin rounds Spicy goddess mix

Flesh from 2 avocados baby fist of coriander leaves, chopped

1–2 tablespoons jalapeno chillies, chopped

(depending on how much heat you like) 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 spring onions, chopped

Salsa

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

Cabbage salad

3 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ red cabbage, shredded

1 teaspoon sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a roasting tin lined with baking paper and pop in the oven for 15 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool, and then scoop all the deliciousness into a bowl. Meanwhile, blend the spicy goddess avocado mix (this will make about 1½ cups).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornflour, soda water, turmeric, garlic powder, cardamom and smoked paprika until it forms a smooth slurry. Pour 1 centimetre of the rice bran oil into a deep frying pan and heat over medium heat. Test the heat with a drip of batter. When it bubbles, you’re ready.

3. Dunk batches of the cauliflower into the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, and then, using tongs, place them in the hot oil. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry the cauliflower until golden on each side (about 4 minutes each batch) and place on a wire rack to drain. Once it’s all cooked, combine the cabbage salad ingredients and let them relax for a bit.

4. To heat the tacos in cheesy batches, place them on a tray in a single layer with a slice of mozzarella. Then put the tray in the oven until the cheese is oozing.

5. Serve the tacos hot, like pancakes, on constant rotation from oven to mouth, with the cauliflower, spicy goddess, salsa and cabbage salad.

NUTRITION (per serve) 2056kJ/492cal. Protein 12.6g. Carbs 57.6g. Sat fat 7.2g. Fibre 4.8g. Sugars 4.1g. Sodium 643mg

SERVES 4 HANDS-ON TIME 25 MINUTES COOK TIME 25 MINUTES

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 cup grated zucchini

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped baby fist of chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ cup frozen kale

½ teaspoon sea salt

50g butter

1 cup short-grain white rice

2 cups chicken stock

60g taleggio cheese, sliced (or any other soft, oozy

cheese, such as mozzarella or brie)

2 garlic cloves, extra, sliced

400g tin cherry tomatoes

1 Lebanese cucumber, roughly chopped 3 tablespoons kalamata olives

3 tablespoons chopped dill and mint (combined) 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. In an ovenproof pan, fry the onion and zucchini in 1 tbs of oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft but not coloured.

2. Add the garlic, parsley and kale and sauté for another 5 minutes, or until combined and fragrant. Season to taste with salt.

3. Add butter and rice, and stir until the rice is fully coated and the butter has melted. Pour in the stock and stir. Put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. Place the taleggio on top and bake for another 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, heat another tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the extra garlic for 2 minutes. Add the cherry toms and cook for another 3 minutes. This is called a passata party. 5. Toss together the cucumber, olives, dill, mint, vinegar and remaining tablespoon of oil. Place the garlicky tomatoes and fresh salad on the baked rice. Now, just forget the rules. Scoop and slide.

NUTRITION (per serve) 2009kJ/481cal. Protein 12.8g. Carbs 50.3g. Sat fat 6.3g. Fibre 5.5g. Sugars 8.1g. Sodium 539mg

SERVES 8 HANDS-ON TIME 20 MINUTES COOK TIME 40 MINUTES

1 head of broccoli, florets chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons chopped chives

½ cup finely grated parmesan

445g good-quality shortcrust pastry

4 cups loosely packed basil leaves

250g frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed

1 cup oregano leaves

500g fresh ricotta, crumbled

5 eggs, lightly beaten (reserve 1 tsp for the egg wash) sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Sauté the broccoli and onion in the oil over medium heat for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Grate the zest of the lemon over the broccoli mix as it cools. 2. Fold and knead the chives and parmesan into the pastry, bring together into a ball and then wrap in plastic wrap. Set aside to rest.

3. Blitz the basil, spinach and oregano in a food processor until fine. Combine the ricotta and beaten egg (except the teaspoon you’ve remembered to keep back) in a large bowl and fold through the blitzed basil mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Roll out the pastry to 40cm round and 5mm thick and place on a pizza tray. Place the broccoli mixture in the middle and top with the herby ricotta, leaving a 7cm pastry band around the edge. Fold the pastry up and over the filling as much as you can, pinching and pleating it to seal.

5. Whisk together the reserved egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the pastry. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centre is springy to touch. Serve warm or cold.

NUTRITION (per serve) 1663kJ/398cal. Protein 18.2g. Carbs 30.5g. Sat fat 7.9g. Fibre 6.1g. Sugars 3.8g. Sodium 650mg