Spagetti Bolognaise

Every family has a particular way they like bolognaise. This recipe has evolved many times to include hiding vegetables in the mix for small boys to including the fabulous orange oil the Italians have in their bolognaise sauces. This it the final Fuller version. If you can include home made stock in the sauce so much so the better as each serve will then have all the goodness of 5 vegetables and fabulous chicken stock which is just good for body and soul

This is a freezer staple along with Lasagne. Whenever I need a meal to take to a friend, these are my go to choices.

1 brown onion

2/3 stalks celery

1/2 carrots

6 cloves garlic

¼ cup dried chopped porcini mushrooms ( soak in white wine for 10 mins and drain before use)

500gms beef mince

250gms pork mince

250gms veal mince

2 tins mutti tomato paste (250gms)

80gms butter

¼ cup olive oil

500mls chicken stock

150mls white wine

100mls milk

Melt butter and  olive oil in pan plus salt and pepper

Dice very finely onion, carrot and celery ( this is important)

Add to butter/oil and fry until nearly crispy

Add finely chopped garlic once the other vegetables are frying nicely ( garlic is very delicate)

Add drained mushrooms, fry

Add meat and separate with a fork whilst it is cooking

Add tomato paste and stir to combine

Add wine and half stock

Simmer and reduce by half and add remaining stock

When thick, add milk and cook until bolognaise is not milky

Turn off, cover and leave until needed – flavour will develop over the next hour

Protein Brownie Balls

Tastes Just like chocolate. These are great when craving something sweet and you don't want to raise the blood sugar.

Makes 20-25 balls

Ingredients

• 2 cups Chopped walnuts

• 1⁄2 cup chopped almonds

• 2 cups medjool dates

• 5 Tablespoons collagen powder or vanilla/chocolate powder

•  1 cup cacao powder

• 1teaspoon Vanilla extract

• pinch of sea salt

For rolling

• 1⁄2 cup oats and flaked almonds

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until all combined

2. Toast the oats and almond flakes on the stove or in the oven

3. Roll into balls and then roll in the toasted oat and almond mixture

4. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge

Kingfish with crunchy black rice

4 fillets Kingfish or any firmer fleshed fish

1 1/2 cups black rice

2 bunches brocolini

2 cups frozen peas

olive oil and butter

salt and pepper to taste

cook rice according to instructions - black rice takes approximately 30mins

drain and rinse in cold water and set aside ( this can be done several days ahead and kept in fridge - its great in a poke bowl)

trim and pat dry kingfish

unthaw peas in boiling water - do not leave to soak or they will overcook and go brown - you want the pea puree to be a lovely lettuce green

add one cup of peas, 30gms butter, salt and pepper to a blender and blend until silky smooth, set aside keeping warm

blanche the brocolini until still slightly crunchy, drizzle in olive oil and set aside

at the same time heat two frypans - one for the fish and one for the rice

use 60ml olive oil in the rice pan and heat to high, add rice and let it heat and very slightly stick on the bottom use a flat spatula to lift and turn rice so it uniformly gets a little crunchy and hot at the same time. A little seasoning at this time is good

use only a small amount of equal parts butter and olive oil in fish pan - you want the oil to fry the surface of the fish without making it oily. Fry fish for 2 minutes on each side or until you can see the flesh caramelising. You can season the fish whilst it is cooking. The fish should be just cooked through. To test, a fork should penetrate the fillet easily without pressure. If you are using tuna you can leave it rare in the middle

Assemble the dish with rice and brocolini, then fish on top and a spoonful of pea puree to the side. Sprinkle a small pinch of good quality sea salt flakes on the fish and serve with a wedge of lemon

Sweet Shallot Tart Tartin

This recipe makes a tart approximately  23cm in diameter. If possible use a cast iron pan with a handle that can go in the oven .

700gms small sweet shallots

125gms butter

1 tblsp sugar

salt and pepper to season

250gms butter puff pastry

pre heat oven to 200 deg. celsius

melt butter, sugar and salt and pepper

peel shallots and arrange on melted butter in pan, some may need slicing in half to get the depth consistent.

cook slowly for approximately 30 minutes or until the shallots are tender and the butter and sugar begin to caramelize. Do not cook over a high heat as the sugar will burn. Remove from the heat and set aside

Roll puff pastry until you have a thin circle 20% bigger than the pan. The pastry should be a few millimeters thick. Place the pastry over the shallots and tuck in around the sides. Cook the tart in the hot oven for 20 minutes. The pastry should be light brown and crisp.

Remove from oven, wait 5 minutes, cover with a plate and invert so the tart ends up on the plate shallot side up.  If the shallots are sticking then pour a little warm stock under the shallots, shake gently and then invert

Serve warm with some crème fraiche and a green salad

Kakadu Plum White Christmas

2 cups shredded coconut

2 cups chopped pink and white marshmallows

½  cup dried sour cherries or cranberries if you can’t find cherries

½  cup crunchy pistachios – optional ( use activated unsalted for best result)

Zest of one large lemon

450gms white chocolate

1 dessert spoon coconut oil

1 ½  dessert spoons Kakadu or Davidson Plum powder

Prepare a tin 10cm x 25cm or similar with baking paper long on two long sides for easy removal from tin

Mix coconut, marshmallows cherries and lemon zest in a bowl

Melt coconut oil to low temperature and mix in plum powder

Melt white chocolate in microwave on 600W power  for 90-120 seconds stirring it every 30 seconds

Add melted powder to white chocolate, mix well and add to rest of ingredients

Mix well and pour into tin. Push mixture well into corners and edges, fold baking paper over and weight down with cheese blocks or similar

Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Remove from tin and cut small even squares approximately 2 x 2cm

Store in refrigerator

Christmas

Here is an idea to ignite the Christmas spirit,

Christmas wreath pavlova with red currants and mint