Ingredient 4 - Pomegranates

Pomegranates are a fruit originating from the Middle East and Asia, which are becoming increasingly popular these days due to their rich antioxidant content.

The arils or ruby-coloured seed casings are the edible part of the fruit. A quick way to separate these from the rind and inedible pulp is to score the fruit in half, scoop out the flesh into a bowl, add some cold water and the arils should sink whereas the pulp will float.

This recipe only requires the juice from the fruits. However don’t discard the arils – instead add them to your bowl of morning muesli for some extra flavour. 

Peach tart with pomegranate sauce

Serves 8

Pomegranate sauce

4 pomegranates

½ cup water

½ cup caster sugar

2 tsp cold water

2 tsp cornflour

• Slice the pomegranates in half and scoop the flesh out into a large bowl. Use a mortar (or alternately the bottom end of a long glass) to smash the seeds, extracting the juice. Strain the juice through a sieve to remove the solids. The 4 fruits should produce around 2 cups of juice.
• Place the juice, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to half the original amount.
• Mix the cornflour and cold water in a mug and then add to the saucepan, gently simmering for a further 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of the spoon.
• Remove from heat and cool completely.
• The sauce can be kept in the fridge until desired. If you find it has thickened too much add a tbsp of hot water and stir well to thin it down.

Peach tart

1 piece of puff pastry

4 peaches

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 row of dark chocolate

• Preheat oven to 150°. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Cut the peaches in half, remove the seeds, and then slice the halves into pieces around 5mm in thickness. 
• Place the piece of pastry on the lined tray and then arrange the peach slices on top, leaving a 1cm border around the entire edge of the pastry. This allows the border to ‘puff up’ around the rectangle of peaches in the oven.
• Roughly chop up the chocolate, scatter the pieces over the peaches and sprinkle the tart with sugar.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and edges have ‘puffed up’.
• Serve with vanilla icecream and pomegranate sauce.

Ingredient 3 - Panko breadcrumbs

Panko is simply the word ‘breadcrumb’ in Japanese.

Panko breadcrumbs are available for purchase in most supermarkets. They are lighter and crispier than the usual breadcrumb due to their greater surface area, giving it their characteristic ‘flaky’ appearance.

So try these little morsels this week. Either serve the patties up with some cucumber yoghurt as mentioned here, or include them in this week’s wrap for work lunches, or even Sunday brunch with a poached egg and toast.

Salmon, pea and panko patties

Patties

Makes 24 small sized patties

400g tin pink salmon

1 medium sweet potato (approx. 500g)

1 egg

1 cup frozen peas

1 packet Panko breadcrumbs

1 long red chilli

4 sprigs mint

2 tbsp olive oil

• Peel and chop sweet potato into large chunks.
• Boil water in medium saucepan, add the sweet potato and boil for further 20 minutes or until tender. Cool for 15 minutes.
• Place sweet potato chunks in a bowl with the peas and mash together.
• Drain the tin of salmon and place in a mixing bowl, removing any skin or bones.
• Finely chop the mint and chilli. Add to the bowl, along with beaten egg, mashed potatoes and peas. Mix well.
• Chill mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle a large plate with panko breadcrumbs. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls, form into patties and coat them well with panko breadcrumbs. The more breadcrumbs covering the outside, the crispier the patty will be!
• Heat olive oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat. Fry the patties until golden.

Cucumber yoghurt

10cm piece of cucumber

¾ cup natural yoghurt

1 clove garlic

• Grate the cucumber into a bowl, or alternatively finely slice into very thin strips.
• Add the yoghurt and crushed garlic. Mix well and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so flavours can infuse.

Serve the patties either hot or cold with the chilled cucumber yoghurt.

Ingredient 2 - Pecorino Cheese

Pecorino cheese is a firm Italian cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk. It is a creamy and white in appearance, and comparatively mild in flavor.

Fresh pecorino cheese is fairly accessible – I managed to scour it down in a regional supermarket, even at a reasonable price. In saying that, mozzarella would be a fine substitute.

There is nothing quite like homemade pizzas bases, however if you don’t fancy the kneading process then simply buy a good base and try the topping!

Mushroom, Chilli and Pecorino Cheese Pizza

Pizza bases

Makes 2 thin crispy bases

1 tsp dried yeast (or 1 satchet)

¾ cup lukewarm water

pinch of caster sugar

1 ½ cups plain white flour

pinch of salt

• Place the lukewarm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top. Let it stand for 20 minutes.
• Prepare the bench top for kneading by wiping it down, sprinkling it with plain flour and having 1 cup of flour on standby.
• Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture in. Firstly use a fork to combine the ingredients, then use your hands so it comes together well.
• Turn onto the floured bench and use as much flour as necessary to bring into a firm ball.
• Begin the kneading process – this should take around 20 minutes in total. Take the ball of dough, place your heel in the centre and then push your heel away from you, pushing the dough with it. Turn the dough 45 degrees and then repeat the ‘pushing the heel away’ process. Once a complete circle has been done, fold the dough over and repeat the process again. You may find that more flour needs to be added as you knead if you find the dough too sticky.
• Once satisfied with the kneading, form the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bowl and cover with glad wrap. Let it rest for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Take the dough out of the bowl and knead for a further 5 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Divide dough into 2 portions and place one aside.
• Roll the portion out or alternately mould it onto a pizza tray so it is covered. Do not worry too much if not perfect, as this will add to the authenticity!

The leftover dough can be used to make another pizza or place in a well-sealed container in the fridge and used within 3 days.

Pizza topping

Makes enough for 1 pizza

400g button mushrooms

1 large garlic clove

2 tbsp olive oil

1 long red chilli

3 sprigs of rosemary

200g fresh pecorino cheese

• Preheat fan forced oven to 220°.
• Wash the mushrooms and keeping the skin and stalks on, slice into fairly thick slices. Finely chop the garlic clove and chilli. Remove the rosemary from the stalks and roughly chop.
• Heat the olive oil in small fry pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and half of the chopped rosemary and sauté for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are just starting to brown. Set aside and cool for 10 minutes.
• Slice the pecorino cheese up into thick slices, around 5mm thick.
• Spoon mushroom mixture over the base and place the pecorino pieces on top. Sprinkle with chilli and the remaining rosemary.
• Cook the pizza in the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese has started to brown. You should be able to well and truly smell it by this stage!

Ingredient 1 - Duck

A little quaint duck recipe with French-Vietnamese influence.

For this I opted for the challenge of roasting a whole duck. However if you prefer to spare the site of a bird in the oven then just purchase duck breasts, which will also transform it into a much simpler recipe!

Duck Crunchy Noodle Salad

Serves 4

Roast duck

1 whole duck

1/3 cup light soy sauce

3 cloves of garlic

Pinch of sea salt

Juice and rind of 1 lime

2 tbsp chopped coriander

• Preheat fan forced oven to 180°
• Rinse the duck with cold tap water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the marinade ingredients into a bowl.
• Place duck in a shallow baking dish with the breast side facing upwards. Score the duck in the thick areas and brush over half of the marinade.
• Cook for 1 hour, brushing over the remaining marinade half way through.
• Increase oven to 220° and then cook for a further 15 minutes or until the skin is lovely and crispy.
• Cool slightly and then slice off the meat.

Salad dressing

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2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp tamarind paste

Juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp water

• Whisk together in a bowl, ensuring that sugar has been dissolved. 

Noodle Salad

400g piece of pumpkin

½ Chinese cabbage

Good handful of snow peas

1 bunch coriander

1 packet of bean sprouts

1 packet of Asian crunchy noodles

2 long red chillis

1 lime - quartered

• Chop pumpkin into small cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and place in preheated oven at 180° for 20 minutes until soft and tender, yet still holding their shape.
• Finely slice the cabbage and chop coriander coarsely. 
• Trim snow peas and blanch them in bowl of boiling water for 10 seconds or until bright green. Rinse immediately under cold tap water until cooled. Slice diagonally into thin strips.
• Place cabbage, pumpkin, snow peas, coriander and crunchy noodles on a lovely serving plate.
• Top with chopped roast duck. Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve immediately with chopped chilli and lime wedges.

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