Footy fever

Everyone knows that pies taste better at the footy. Warming cold hands, the filling so hot you can hardly swallow, with rich gravy that somehow manages to drip onto bare skin; it’s all part of the experience. No matter if it’s junior footy or watching the professionals. No matter what code you follow. The same goes for chips. Piping hot, salty, crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Don’t forget the sauce.

With footy finals madness taking over, get into the swing by revisiting these old favourites. Many people follow a Grand Final day tradition and host friends and family for lunch whilst watching the game. (note in COVID-19 in Melbourne that numbers may be a bit more restricted).

For the warm up, start with some spiced nuts. They’re great with a cold beer.

At half time, try my old-fashioned meat pie. It’s a simple classic, based on my mother’s recipe. Use some good quality homemade shortcrust pastry, gourmet tomato sauce and you’ll never look back. Of course, you’ll need some hot potato wedges, too. So much better than manufactured chips, use real potatoes and bake them with the skins on. If you ask me, King Edward potatoes make the best chips. Grate over some  parmesan for a cheesy hit.

At three quarter time, bring out the choc tops. An Aussie favourite, they’re surprisingly easy to make. For a bit of fun, decorate them with your team colours.

Now you’re set for the big event. Hope your team wins.

Footy nuts

There’s always some nut at the footy! Embrace this and make your own. You get a delicious mix of hot, sweet and salty, all together. I’ve used hazelnut oil, but you could substitute another type of nut oil or simply use vegetable oil.

500g mixed nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamias, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)

2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

¼ (quarter) tsp cayenne

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp sea salt plus extra to sprinkle

4 tbsp hazelnut oil

Preheat oven to 200C.

In a large bowl, mix the nuts and seeds. Add the rosemary, cayenne, sugar and salt. Mix well.

Drizzle over the oil and toss to lightly coat.

Spread on a baking paper lined tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, give the nuts a stir and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden.

Remove and allow to cool. Sprinkle with extra salt if desired.

With a stash of this in your fridge, you will never have to buy dip again.

2 large eggplant

4 garlic cloves, skin on

juice 1 lemon

1 ½ tbsp tahini paste

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Preheat oven to 200C.

Make a few slits in the eggplants with a sharp knife and place on a baking tray with the garlic cloves. Bake for 1 hour or until very tender inside.

Remove from oven and allow to cool a little, then scrape out the flesh with a spoon. Place the flesh in a food processor and discard the skin. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and add to the mix, along with the lemon juice, tahini and olive oil. Process to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if required.

Serve with crusty bread.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

Baked eggplant with miso

A simple Japanese dish, this highlights the silky softness of eggplant, with a sweet miso dressing.

8 small long eggplants

1 tbsp olive oil

120ml mirin

2 tbsp yellow miso paste

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 180C.

Cut eggplant in half lengthways and score the cut sides with a sharp knife.

Place in a baking dish and brush with a little oil.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes until the eggplant is very soft.

Mix the mirin, miso paste and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat for 3-4 minutes until combined. Drizzle the dressing over the eggplants and cook in oven for a further 5 minutes, or until it starts to caramelise.

Scatter over sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

(Any extra dressing can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 weeks).

With their gorgeous glossy skins in deep, rich hues of purple through to black, eggplants have a kind of mysterious beauty. Available in a cornucopia of other colours, shapes and sizes, keep an eye out for these more unusual beauties at farmers markets, Asian grocers and supermarkets alike.

The versatility of eggplant makes it an all-purpose vegetable that can be baked, sautéed, fried, grilled, boiled and braised. Slice it, shred it, cube it, dice it, stuff it, and definitely puree it, too.

Learn how to cook it properly and you will be seduced by its silky texture and delicate sweetness. Undercooked, it can be squeaky and spongy, unpleasant with little flavour.

The nutrient content of the eggplant may not be very exciting, but it is a good source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Because the flesh of the eggplant is so porous, it can absorb oil quickly. Brush lightly with oil just before cooking. Add a little water to the pan when sautéing to reduce the amount of oil required.

The historical journey of the eggplant through China, India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe into the Mediterranean diet has given us an infinite number of delicious dishes to try. Start with the recipes below and eggplant will surely become a favourite.

Ratatouille

A classic French dish, this can be enjoyed as a meal in itself, or accompany anything from fish to chicken, sausages or grilled meats. The addition of fresh herbs and lemon juice at the end balances the richness of the stew.

2 ripe tomatoes

1 brown onion

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

2 small zucchini

1 large eggplant

150ml olive oil, plus extra if required

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

4 sprigs thyme

handful pitted black olives

6 anchovies (optional)

¼ cup baby capers

1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn

zest and juice 1 lemon

Chop all the vegetables into similar size dice, approximately 1-2 cm.

Heat oil in a large heavy based frypan and cook eggplant in batches until golden. The eggplant will absorb quite a lot of oil, so you may need to add a little more, depending on the size of the eggplant. (add a little water as you go, to reduce the amount of oil required). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Add onion and peppers to pan and cook until softened. Add zucchini, garlic and thyme and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the olives, anchovies and capers and heat through. Return the eggplant to the pan. Finish off with fresh herbs and the zest of the lemon and finally a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Serve immediately.

Another easy meal that makes a regular appearance for family meals. Use different noodles for variety. I have used fresh flat rice noodles for their delicate soft texture. Tamarind puree is available in jars from specialty asian stores, or you can use tamarind juice by soaking tamarind in warm water. (Tamarind is in a packet in the asian aisle of the supermarket). It gives a lovely sour taste. I finely shred the vegies with the mandolin, but you can simply slice them with a knife.

1 packet fresh noodles (about 400g)

2 cloves garlic

1 large mild red chilli, deseeded (optional)

2 tsp white pepper

¼ (quarter) red onion, finely diced

2 tbs rice bran oil

500g minced pork

1 tsp tamarind puree

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs fish sauce

1 carrot, shredded

1 red pepper, shredded

1 cucumber, shredded

1 cup basil leaves

1 cup coriander leaves

deep fried shallots and crushed peanuts to serve

Place noodles in a large heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Allow to stand for a few minutes, stir to loosen noodles, drain and set aside.

Place garlic, chilli, pepper and onion in a mortar and pestle and pound to form a paste. (You can also use a food processor.)

Heat oil in wok, fry paste for 1 minute, then add pork mince and fry for a few minutes until browned. Add tamarind puree, lime leaves, brown sugar and fish sauce and cook for a few minutes. Taste and adjust flavouring. It should taste sweet and sour, spicy and salty. Now add carrot, pepper, cucumber and noodles. Toss well to combine.

Finally add herbs and remove from heat.

Place into serving bowls and top with shallots and peanuts.

serves 4.

This recipe has been adapted from one that my daughter cooks in her school’s kitchen garden program. It’s a delicious vegetarian meal with a spicy kick from the Sichuan chilli bean paste. Add some mince pork or other vegetables for a variation.

4 small Lebanese eggplants (300g)

3 tbsp peanut oil

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks spring onion, sliced on an angle

1 tbsp Sichuan chilli bean paste

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp cornflour mixed in a little cold water

100g bean thread vermicelli noodles, soaked for 7 minutes in boiling water

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice into 1.5 cm pieces.

Heat oil in wok and stir fry eggplant until golden.

Add ginger, garlic, spring onion and chilli bean paste and stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Mix chicken stock with soy and add to wok with cornflour mixture.

Cook for about 1 minute to thicken the sauce.

Add noodles and toss together.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

I kg fresh broad beans

2 bunches fresh asparagus spears

olive oil to drizzle

salt and pepper to season

24 green prawns, peeled, with tails on

1 orange, segmented, juice reserved

1 pink grapefruit, segmented, juice reserved

1 tangelo, segmented, juice reserved

Remove the broad beans from their outer shells. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add broad beans and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Peel off the outer pod and set aside.

Trim asparagus and cut into 3 cm lengths. Use the same pot of boiling water to cook these for a minute or two until just tender. Drain, then place in a bowl with the broad beans, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a grill or non stick pan, add oil and quickly cook the prawns on both sides. Toss into the bowl with beans and asparagus.

Add citrus segments and a little reserved juice.

Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Add salad leaves and gently toss.

Pile onto plates and serve.

serves 4.

1 crusty sourdough loaf

1 clove garlic, peeled

extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

1 kg fresh broad beans (300g podded beans)

1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

1 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

120g fresh ricotta from the deli

few leaves of mint

Slice the sourdough thickly and toast or grill. While these are still hot, rub with the garlic and drizzle with a little oil.

Remove the broad beans from their outer shells. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add broad beans and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Remove and drain. Peel off the outer pod and set aside. Roughly mash the broad beans with peas and oil in a mortar and pestle. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pile onto toast with a dollop of ricotta on top and sprinkle with some finely chopped mint.

serves 4.

Broad beans in the market signal that spring is here. Unlike other vegetables, which are available all year round, broad beans have a distinct season. So buy them now, before they disappear again. They look like giant green puffy pods, much bigger than other beans. When these pods are small, you can eat them whole. Enjoy this special treat by planting your own, as they’re easy to grow. The broad beans in the markets are usually quite large. The pods need to be peeled to reveal the beans. When the beans are small they can be eaten with their skins still on, but I prefer to peel them again. This is known as double podding. It’s quite simple to do; bring a pot of water to the boil, add the beans and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove. The skins will slip off easily, revealing beautiful emerald green pods, sweet and juicy.

When they’re not in season, you can still buy frozen beans, already podded, from the supermarket. I have also been able to buy frozen broad beans which have been double podded, in my local asian grocery. Whilst not quite as charming as podding your own, it’s certainly quicker, when you’re short for time.

Why not try these delicious recipes to enjoy this delicate seasonal treat.

Broad bean ‘falafel’ fritters with minted yoghurt

Falafel are usually made with a  mix of dried broad beans and chickpeas. Here, I have used fresh broad beans and tinned chickpeas. You could also make them into small ball shapes and deep fry.

1 kg fresh broad beans

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded and sliced

½ (half) lemon, zest and juice

½ (half) cup plain flour for dusting

vegetable oil for frying

1 cup plain yoghurt

2 tbs shredded mint leaves

Remove the broad beans from their outer shells. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add broad beans and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Remove and drain. Peel off the outer pod and set aside.

Place the beans and chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add coriander, mint, salt and pepper, spices, lemon zest and pulse until finely chopped.

Use your hands to shape the mixture into 10 -12 small patties, then lightly dust with flour to coat.

Heat oil in a large frypan and cook the fritters on both sides until lightly browned.

Drain on paper towel and set aside.

Mix yoghurt with mint leaves and serve alongside the fritters.

make 10-12.

These are one of our family favourites. The texture of the biscuit is slightly soft and delightfully chewy, paired with the tart raspberry jam and the creamy smooth vanilla filling.

Monte carlos

190g butter at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla essence

125g brown sugar

1 large egg

150g self raising flour

100g plain flour

¼ (quarter) tsp bicarb soda

75g fine dessicated coconut

½ (half) cup raspberry jam

cream filling:

75g butter

½ (half) tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp milk

190g icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180C.

Beat butter, vanilla and sugar with an electric mixer until just combined. Add egg and beat to combine.

Sift flours with bicarb soda and add to butter mixture in two batches, alternating with coconut. Mix well.

Roll 2 tsp of mixture into ovals, place on lined oven trays and flatten slightly with the back of a fork. Allow room for spreading.

Bake for 7-10 minutes.

Remove and cool on trays for a few minutes to firm up, then lift onto wire racks to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat butter, vanilla, milk and icing sugar in a small bowl until fluffy.

Place a small amount of raspberry jam on the flat side of one biscuit and spread some icing on the flat side of a similar size biscuit. Sandwich both biscuits together. Repeat with remaining biscuits.

Makes 28 filled biscuits.

My childhood memories of Grandma’s kitchen always include the taste of her homemade ginger nut biscuits. Fresh out of the oven, the heady aroma from the spices would permeate her small home and we never waited for them to cool too long before sneaking one or two from the wire racks on the bench.

Make up a batch of these and you’ll possibly do the same. Keep them simple without adding the butterscotch filling and they’re still irresistible.

ginger nuts with butterscotch cream

300g plain flour

1 ½ (one and a half) tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

125g unsalted butter, room temp

220g caster sugar

1 egg

¼ (quarter) cup treacle

½ (half) cup raw sugar

butterscotch cream:

300g caster sugar

150g thickened cream (35% fat)

200g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift flour, bicarb soda and spices together.

Cream butter and caster sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add egg and treacle and mix well.

Add flour mixture and mix well to combine.

Roll into small balls and roll in raw sugar.

Place on lined oven trays and flatten slightly. Allow room to spread.

Bake for 10 minutes, until crisp.

Remove from oven and cool on trays for a few minutes before lifting onto wire racks to cool.

To make the butterscotch cream filling, melt sugar in large heavy based frypan, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, add cream and stir until combined. Set aside to cool.

Place butter in an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk until light and fluffy. Add cooled caramel and continue to whisk until combined.

Sandwich biscuits together with butterscotch cream.

Makes 20 large filled biscuits.

When the baking mood hits you, a batch of biscuits is not only quick and easy to whip up, but extremely satisfying.

These old fashioned recipes can be made by hand, as my mother and grandmother did, or whipped up using an electric mixer or food processor.

For the baking novice, there are a few rules to follow.

Start with the ingredients at room temperature. If your butter is cold, use a grater to break up into small pieces. Otherwise, microwave in short bursts to soften.

To bring eggs to room temperature, take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to use them. Alternatively, you can warm them up very quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.

Sifting flour and other dry ingredients together helps to integrate and aerate the mixture. Sift onto a piece of baking paper to make it easier to add to the mixing bowl.

When using cup and spoon measures, check that they are Australian Standard Metric measures. An Australian metric tablespoon is 20ml and a cup is 250ml. Many kitchenware shops sell cup and spoon measures that have been designed overseas, where the measurements are different. This can lead to disaster when baking.

When measuring flour using a cup, first stir the flour in its container to aerate and lift it. Then scoop out the required amount, heaping it slightly in the cup. Level it off with the back of a knife. Don’t be tempted to tap or shake the cup, as the flour shouldn’t be packed in.

A more failsafe approach is to weigh all ingredients. Digital scales are a good investment as your measurements will be accurate.

The following recipes are for old fashioned, filled biscuits. So find an excuse to get baking. And may these recipes become some of your family favourites.

 melting moments with passionfruit icing

Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth treats with a fresh passionfruit filling.

1 cup (150g) self raising flour

1 cup (150g) cornflour

250g butter at room temperature

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

icing:

60g butter at room temperature

150g icing sugar

pulp 1/2 passionfruit

Preheat oven to 160C.

Sift flour and cornflour.

Cream butter, vanilla seeds and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add flour and mix thoroughly.

Place small spoonfuls on a lined oven tray or use a piping bag with a 1cm star nozzle to pipe small swirls.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

To make passionfruit icing, cream butter, icing sugar and passionfruit until light and fluffy.

Spread a small amount of icing onto the flat side of one biscuit, then top with a matching side and press down gently with a little twist to spread the icing evenly.

makes 20 filled biscuits.