Slow cooked pork stroganoff

Ingredients: 

  1kg pork strips 

  3 teaspoons paprika

  1 tablespoon plain flour

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  1 large onion, sliced

  400g Swiss brown mushrooms, halved

  3 cloves garlic, crushed

  2 tablespoons tomato paste

  2 tomatoes, chopped

  250 ml (1 cup) chicken or beef stock 

  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  100g (1/2) cup sour cream

  Chopped parsley, to serve

  Pasta, to serve

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Place pork slices in a large snap-lock bag. Add paprika and flour and season well with salt and pepper. Seal bag and shake to coat in spices.

 Step 2

Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan (or base of slow cooker). Cook onion for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Remove and set aside. Add pork, in batches, browning for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside with onions.

 Step 3

Heat remaining oil. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and browned. Transfer onions, pork and mushrooms to slow cooker (or if browning in the slow cooker, return the onions and pork). Add garlic, paste, tomatoes and stock. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

 Step 4

Reduce heat to low. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and cook for a further 1 1/2 hours. Stir through sour cream. Season well and scatter over fresh parsley. Serve with pasta

Smokey Bacon, Potato and Leek soup

Ingredients: 

  1kg smokey bacon bones

  1 brown onion, chopped

  2 carrots, chopped

  2 celery sticks, chopped

  3 litres cold water

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  1 leek, thinly sliced

  2 garlic cloves, crushed

  1kg Kennebec or Dutch Cream potatoes peeled, cubed 

  3/4 cup (185ml) pouring cream

  Snipped fresh chives, to serve

  Ground black pepper, to serve

  Sugar Ant Ridge Sourdough, to serve

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Place bacon bones, onion, carrots, celery and water in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat falls off the bones. Remove meat and set aside. Strain the stock, discarding vegetables. Shred the meat when cool.

Step 2

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes. Stir in potatoes, water and 3 cups of stock. (see note) Simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Slightly mash the potatoes. Add the shredded meat and stir over low heat until heated through. Serve topped with chives and pepper and accompanied by crusty bread.

 Step 4

Use the remaining bacon bone stock in another soup or in a risotto. You can freeze the stock for up to 3 months.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients: 

 1 tablespoon olive oil

 50g bacon, sliced

 1 large brown onion, diced

 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

 500g beef mince 

 1 medium carrot, peeled, finely diced

 1 stick celery, finely diced

 2 bay leaves

 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

 500 ml (2 cups) Beef stock

 250ml (1 cup) red wine

 Packet of L’Abruzzese Spaghetti 

 Grated parmesan, to serve

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan, add bacon cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until golden. Add the onions and garlic, cook for a further 1-2 minutes until they are starting to soften. Add mince and increase heat. Cook until mince starts to brown for approx 10 mins.

Step 2

Add the carrot and celery and cook for a further 3 minutes. Pour in stock, red wine, add canned tomatoes and bay leaves.

Step 3

Bring mixture to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Step 4

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring often, for 8 mins or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain. 

Step 5

Serve with parmesan cheese.

Risotto with white truffle and mushroom

Ingredients: 

  300gms carnaroli rice

  35gms porcini or forest mushrooms

  50gms butter

  1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  150ml white wine, dry

  1ltr chicken or vegetable stock

  1 large onion, finely sliced 

  Bunch of parsley, chopped

  Grana Padano or parmesan, finely grated 

  Salt and pepper 

  1 tsp white truffle salsa, optional

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Begin by reconstituting the dried mushrooms, to do this simply place in a bowl and add hot water. Leave for approximately 20mins.

Step 2

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based saucepan over a medium to high heat, add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes stirring until all of the rice is covered by the butter and oil.

Step 3

Add the white wine, pouring slowly into the rice. Allowing all the alcohol to cook off.

Step 4

Slowly begin to ladle in the stock, but only add enough so that the rice soaks up the liquid, add more stock as it cooks off. 

Step 5

Remove the porcini mushrooms from the hoot water and add to the dish, reseving the left over water to use as extra stock. The water contains flavour that shouldn’t be wasted. 

Step 6

Alternate between ladling the stock and the reserved mushroom water into the risotto and continue to cook until the rice done.

Step 7

Season to taste. Remove from the heat for 5mins before serving. Stir in tuffle salsa. 

Step 8

Serve with chopped parsley and grated cheese.

Risotto with peas and saffron

Ingredients: 

  300gms carnaroli rice

  50gm butter

  1 small onion, finely diced

  150mls white wine, dry

  1 cup frozen peas

  1ltr vegetable stock 

  ½ gram saffron 

  100gm grated parmesan cheese

  Salt and pepper to taste

  1 tbs cornflour, mix with a little cold water

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Place the saffron into 100mls of stock and infuse as the stock warms. Whisk in a little cornflour paste, you want it to be quite thick. Set aside. 

Step 2

Place peas into a saucepan with 2 tbsps of chicken stock and a good tablespoon of butter, add cracked pepper. Cook for 2-3mins and then puree and set aside.

Step 3

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based saucepan over a medium to high heat, add onions and cook until translucent.

Step 4

Add the rice and cook for a few minutes, stirring until all the rice is covered by the butter and oil.

Step 5

Add white wine, pouring slowly into rice. Allowing all the alcohol to cook off. 

Step 6

Add pea mix and season to taste.

Step 7

Remove from the heat and leave for 5mins before serving. Stir through grated cheese, let stand before serving. 

Step 8

Put saffron sauce in a side dish to serve with risotto.

Mexican Nacho Bowl

Ingredients: 

  1 cup red kidney/mixed beans

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  500g beef mince

  2 red onions, halved, coarsely chopped

  1 green capsicum, halved, deseeded, finely chopped

  2 garlic cloves, crushed

  1 tablespoon sweet paprika

  1 tablespoon ground cumin

  2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes

  2 x 400g cans diced Italian tomato

  500ml (2 cups) cold water

  1 pkt corn chips 

  80g (1 cup) grated cheddar

  Fresh coriander, to serve

  Sour cream, to serve

GUACAMOLE

  1 large ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled 

  2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

  Salt & freshly ground black pepper

 TOMATO SALSA

  1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quarter

  2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander

  ¼ red onion, finely diced 

  1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions:

 

Step 1

Heat oil in a large fry pan over a medium to high heat. Add mince, onion and garlic and cook till mince browns, add capsicum, beans, spices, chilli, diced tomatoes and water, bring to the boil remove from heat.  

Step 2

Divide corn chips between six oven/heat proof serving bowls. Divide half the mince over corn chips and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with another layer of corn chips, remaining mince and cheese. Place bowls on baking tray, bake in oven for ten minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. 

Step 3

Meanwhile, to make guacamole, mash avocado and lime juice together in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

To make tomato salsa, combine tomatoes, red onion, coriander and lime juice in a bowl.