Roast potato medley

Okay, this is not quite what I promised to post but I couldn't keep this one to myself. It is so simple to throw together and great for satisfying a carb-craving.

It is what I label as a "quick and dirty" because it's a very earthy dish that takes no time to prepare. Simply scrub the skins of the potatoes you plan on using - pictured above, I used 3 different types of sweet potaotes: yellow, white and purple-flesh, 2 types of potatoes: kipflers and royal blues, but you can use a variety of others that are available at the market. It helps if you get the tubers more or less the same size as it eases the cutting process a great deal. After cutting the potatoes into almost equal and generous wedges, season liberally with salt and pepper, then stick a few springs of rosemary about the roasting pan and a pour over good slug of olive oil.

Bake at 230C for 10 minutes until the flesh browns and blisters, then turn the heat down to 180C to cook until the 'tats are tender.

These are so incredibly good to eat on their own, or with a good spicy chutney or aioli. Or try it served with a leg of roast lamb.

Rustic mushroom salad

Today, we put our clocks back an hour as Daylight Savings come to an end. I was hoping to take full advantage of this event by spending an extra hour in bed but of course with numeric confusion, I ended getting out of bed at 6; 2 hours too early which was a disappointment especially since it is Sunday.

Anyway, after breakfast and a trip to the markets, I made a warm mushroom salad and a ginger-pear cake for a late afternoon picnic at King's Park. The salad is one I have made quite often in the past but for some reason, I moved on to other salads. It made a reappearance sometime last week when I had to make it at work and had me wondering why I haven't made it for so long.

This is so very simple to prepare and Autumn is just the perfect season for it because mushrooms are cheap and in abundance. Of course you can try a variety of mushrooms but I recommend small, tight Swiss Browns and fleshy field mushrooms. Swiss Browns have a sweet-nutty flavour and hold their shape better during cooking while field mushrooms have a nice meaty texture - both excellent for soaking up the delicious savoury and vinegar-y cooking juices. Although this particular salad is inspired by Mediterranean flavours like fruity olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sweet basil and pungent garlic, other cultural renditions are just as good. For example, why not try shimeji, shitake and oyster mushrooms with chilli, garlic, spring onions, a dash of mirin and sesame oil then finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds?

In a hot pan, saute some sliced red onions (I used 2 medium ones) until brown and slightly soft (don't forget the seasoning) then add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Set aside, then in the same pan, saute some chopped garlic in your favourite olive oil then add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms collapse, season well then add more balsamic vinegar to the pan (it should hiss, spit and sizzle!). Mix the cooked mushrooms with the onions then add lots of chopped sweet basil and a slug of good extra virgin olive oil. Crumble your favourite chevre or fetta atop and enjoy it warm with lots of grilled ciabatta.

And if you are feeling more industrious than usual, why not prepare a pot of soft polenta or creamy potato puree as a side dish. For our picnic, I roasted a large sweet potato I had cut into small chunks with nothing but a good splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Topped with the mushroom salad, it made a very wholesome and nutritious meal - with Autumn's colours on a plate.

Autumn pasta - mushrooms, spinach, pine nuts and creme fraiche

This is one of my favourite quick weeknight meals when I want to indulge in a bowl of pasta. Again, all there is to this very satisfying dish are a handful of ingredients you can add to or subtract from. Pasta being the key ingredient is something you cannot do without and the type you choose is entirely up to you. Last night, I picked up this peculiar tripe-resembling variety called spugnole for an extravagant sum of $14.00 per kilo. I know this is extremely indulgent especially during "such difficult times we live in", but it is one of the few things I afford myself in place of jewels and overpriced sandals, both of which I too am very fond of.

So as I was saying, pick a pasta that pleases you and while you have it boiling in a pot, you can start preparing the other items that go in the dish. Autumn is a great time for mushrooms so try a variety or go for some "meaty" field mushrooms. Although baby spinach is a convenient option because its tender leaves wilt in an instant when it comes in contact with the searing heat of the pan, I quite enjoy silverbeet too. The latter takes a little longer to cook but I find it packs a bit more in texture and vegetal flavour. Swiss chard is another good vegetable to use as it contributes both flavour and colour to the dish.

The time it takes for the pasta to cook, you can saute some chopped garlic and chilli in a pan with the mushrooms until they become soft. Add to this a good splash of dry white wine or sherry, some seasoning then the drained pasta and baby leaves. As I don't always have cheese in my fridge, I often stir a healthy dollop of creme fraiche, light sour cream or yogurt through my pasta or risotto dishes towards the end. I know it isn't the tradition (especially with yogurt) but I find the light creaminess and tang of these products is a pleasant change and doesn't overpower the other flavours of the dish. These creams form a smooth velvety sauce that is pleasingly thick enough to cling to the pasta.

Warm chickpea and broccoli salad with toasted almonds

Tonight I made myself a warm salad. To be honest, calling it a salad would be slightly misdirected as I think it is more a stir-fry with one unlikely candidate as the protein component - chickpeas (NB I added a few shelled prawns just because I had them - of course, you can omit them should you wish to keep this dish vegetarian).

This is an incredibly fast, substantial and cheap meal to prepare and it really does cover all the required food groups. Here, I have opted for piquant Asian flavours: lime, fish sauce (which you can replace with soy sauce for a vegan/vegetarian alternative), garlic, chilli and fresh coriander. In hindsight, I could have added some coconut cream and leftover curry paste to the pan as well and I would have a quick vegetable curry. I was searching for something crunchy and salty to add to my salad - like bacon bits. But I don't eat pork. I suspect if you enjoy bits of salty pork, you could saute some pancetta in the pan before adding the rest of the ingredients and it would be quite tasty. In the end, toasted flaked almonds played the role of "salty pork bits" for me.

Whatever direction you wish to take this dish is entirely up to you. I have a can of butter beans and lentils sitting in my cupboard, so next time I might use those in place of chickpeas. Grains and pulses tend to be neglected in most of our diets but they are an excellent and cheap source of protein. The added bonus is they are also high in dietary fibre - which commonly lacks in our contemporary diet.

Chickpea and broccoli salad

1 medium head of broccoli, cut into florets

1 tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained well

1 chilli, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1/2 lime/lemon, juiced

peanut oil

fish sauce (vego alternative: soy sauce)

handful of flaked almonds, toasted in a pan

heat pan or wok and add peanut oil

saute chopped chilli and garlic until fragrant then add chickpeas

add soy/fish sauce and juice to the pan (it should sizzle)

add broccoli florets and 1/4 cup of water

place lid over pan allowing the steam to cook the broccoli - this takes about a minute or two

remove from heat and place in bowl

scatter flaked almonds and chopped coriander on top of salad

enjoy

Soba noodles with seared tuna steak

Keeping it simple and fresh tonight with a handful of ingredients I found in my cupboard and fridge. This is a very healthy and wholesome dish you can prepare for yourself even after a long hard day at work and my promise to you is a feeling of being nourished from within.

Although I included slices of seared tuna in tonight's version, vegetarian variations can be just as easy to prepare, simply adding slices of grilled or pan-fried tofu or tempeh. Perhaps even sauteed seasonal vegetables. I am particularly fond of spinach and mushrooms but this would work just as well with chunks of roasted pumpkin, spring onions and even fresh amaranth (something I still haven't had much luck finding in Australia). In fact, you can go in many directions with this dish. When the weather is cooler, I include the dashi broth I cooked the noodles as part of the dish. In summer, I chill the noodles in ice water then eat it with nothing but a smear of wasabi, some crisp julienne cucumber or grated daikon, and a light dressing made with mirin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Since there is no fixed recipe for a dish like that, I thought it best for me to include a couple of guidelines I tend to follow

1. Cooking the soba noodles in a stock, miso soup or dashi broth gives it a very good flavour regardless of whether you wish to include the cooking liquid in the finished dish
2. Most soba noodles you get in the shops will not clump up or turn claggy when overcooked. I find the authentic Japanese imports are less forgiving but have better flavour (they even have green tea variations!). Should you try the latter, refresh the cooked noodles in lots of iced water.

Let me know if you do try this dish and I would love to hear about the way you cook your favourite noodles.

In the mood for soup: Curried red lentil and mango soup

The cold weather makes me want to hoover everything edible in my path, in particular temperature raising foods like slow-cooked meat casseroles so rich and savoury they leave your lips sticky, hearty soups, golden-roasted root vegetables seasoned with crunchy flakes of salt and espelette, spicy Indian curry with roti, pomme puree, thick slices of warm toast with soft and creamy scrambled eggs, cups of hot chocolate that leave you a Marx-ian moustache everytime you take a sip, freshly steamed sticky date pudding and the list continues.

This time last year, all I wanted to eat for every meal was macaroni and cheese! I made several variations of the dish, each time, using a different type of pasta and cheese. My favourite version was one I made with a smoked aged cheddar and casareccia which I ate with a piquant tomato chutney and a bitter salad on the side. Sometimes the marvellously simple dishes are the ones that deliver absolute pleasure in the eating, wouldn't you agree?

Before I share the recipe I made today, I would like to dispel any implication that my obsession for including a little bit of "summer" in my dishes is a reflection of any detestation for this cold weather. I love winter as much as I do summer and autum, but maybe less than spring, but I am sure that this is understandable. Winter has its charm, its character and its own moments -- like how the air smells "forest fresh" after an overnight shower, and how the grass looks greener and brighter with the early morning sun breaking through the blanket of mist. When else would you draw more pleasure and comfort from watching steam rise out of your coffee cup than on those crisp cold winter mornings?

So here it is, today's soup incited by traditional Indian dahl served with bread or rice, it is prepared in a short time and is absolutely loaded with taste. I included curry powder, fresh grated ginger and garlic which add a gentle spiciness to the soup and a few kaffir lime leaves for citrus tones without the sharp acidity. I simply adore citrus in soups! I then finished the soup with some light coconut cream and roughly chopped mango flesh. Served with some pappadums, this soup is so satisfyingly flavourful it left me wanting nothing more but a second helping!

Curried red lentil and mango soup

2 medium onions, finely diced

3 small-medium sized waxy potatoes, diced

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

piece of ginger, grated (i used one the size of my thumb)

3-4 kaffir lime leaves

1 1/2 cups red lentils

2 tsp curry powder (i used a mild one)

3-4 small ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (or use a tin of chopped tomatoes)

1 tin of mango in natural juice, roughly chopped

1 small tin of light/regular coconut cream

(generously serves 6 hungry adults)

sweat onions with a couple of tablespoons of vege oil in a medium sized heavy based pot until soft but not brown. This will take about 4 minutes over medium low heat

add curry powder, chilli, garlic and ginger to the onions and cook until your kitchen is filled with spicy fragrance

stir in the diced potatoes and lentils to coat with the

cook for 2 minutes, stirring the whole time so the mixture doesn't catch on the bottom of the pot and add a teaspoon of salt

add 500ml (about 2 cups) water and bring to a boil

add the kaffir lime leaves, chopped tomatoes and the juices from the tinned mangoes

gently simmer until the lentils and potatoes are tender (you may have to add another cup of water to adjust the consistency at this point)

**you may at this point remove the kaffir lime leaves and blend the soup to achieve a smooth consistency**

finish with coconut cream and chopped mango

season with salt and pepper to taste