Recipes
Get a little spicy with Chinese fish in chilli sauce
Food & Drink

Get a little spicy with Chinese fish in chilli sauce

03 Nov 2016

From the simplicity of spring rolls to the complex flavours of Sichuan dishes, there's a lot to love about Chinese food. It is one of the world's most-enjoyed and oldest cuisines, and highly regarded Chinese authors Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan have joyously celebrated it in their gilt-edged compendium China: The Cookbook. The book explores more than 650 authentic traditional recipes from 30 distinct regions of China, including staples such as hot-and-sour soup and chicken in black bean sauce, and lesser-known dishes such as Lai Wan-style congee and laughing doughnuts. This recipe for fish in chilli sauce comes from the Sichuan region – so you can be sure it will get your heart racing. more

Recipes
Kick off seafood season by whipping up a chargrilled spicy prawn salad
Food & Drink

Kick off seafood season by whipping up a chargrilled spicy prawn salad

27 Oct 2016

When it comes to Brisbane’s culinary elite, Luke Nguyen is among the cream of the crop. Not only is he the proprietor of the popular eatery Fat Noodle and Sydney’s Red Lantern, he is also an accomplished television personality. As a regular presenter on SBS, Luke has been able to bring the tastes of Asia into our homes, and his latest show Luke Nguyen’s Street Food Asia is his best and most hunger-inducing show yet. Alongside the series itself, Luke has released a companion cookbook, chock-full of the tantalising flavours and heady aromas Luke discovers in his travels among Asia’s backstreets. If you love the varied tastes of Asian street food, then you’ll love this chargrilled spicy prawn salad – plucked directly from the pages of Luke’s latest culinary compendium. more

Recipes
Jump out of bed for avocado and kimchi toast
Food & Drink

Jump out of bed for avocado and kimchi toast

13 Oct 2016

We're not sure what it is about avocado on toast, but it's something we just never seem to get sick of. Every now and then, however, we like to spice it up a bit. So when we found this recipe for avocado and kimchi toast from Julia Turshen's Small Victories cookbook, we got pretty excited. Julia is no stranger to great recipes – she has co-authored and developed recipes for a number of incredible books, including Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good and Mario Batali's Spain ... A Culinary Road Trip. She understands that becoming a confident cook means taking pleasure in each small victory and celebrating them, which is what Small Victories is all about. As well as featuring more than 95 recipes and hundreds of variations, the book also teaches the basic lessons of cooking and the potential inspiration that can come from each small victory. So the next time you get that boiled egg just… more

Recipes
You do win friends with goats cheese brulee salad
Food & Drink

You do win friends with goats cheese brulee salad

06 Oct 2016

We know, we know. The general rule is you don't win friends with salad. But we promise that this is the kind of salad that will definitely have your friends knocking on your door. This delectable salad presents beautifully, combining the vibrant colours of red and yellow beetroots and watercress with the pièce de résistance in the centre – an oozing round of bruleed goats cheese just waiting to be dipped into. The recipe comes from Anna Gare's newest cookbook Delicious Every Day, which features more than 100 'mostly healthy, always tasty' recipes, the majority of which are preservative, additive and gluten free. more

Recipes
New potatoes in their skin with sage butter will ensure you win at dinner
Food & Drink

New potatoes in their skin with sage butter will ensure you win at dinner

29 Sep 2016

Mmm ... potatoes. Mmm ... beef. Mmm ... beef and potatoes. Two of the most comforting ingredients around combine to create the ultimate comfort-food cookbook titled (wait for it) – Beef & Potatoes. The book comes from the genius that is Jean-François Mallet, who has dedicated the entire book to recipes highlighting both beef and potatoes, and the glorious pairing of the two. Inside you'll find delicious delights such as fillet steak with truffles and foie gras, paprika beef and potato croquettes, and this drool-worthy recipe for new potatoes in their skin with sage butter, just to name a few. Enjoy. more

Recipes
Succumb to food porn with Pornburger's Bao-ser's Castle Burger
Food & Drink

Succumb to food porn with Pornburger’s Bao-ser’s Castle Burger

22 Sep 2016

Hey baby, bring those hot buns and juicy beefcakes over here. Get your mind out of the gutter sicko – we're talking about burgers! Because they are so much more than just a beef patty between two buns. According to San Fransisco chef, food stylist and photographer Matthew Ramsay, a burger is something deeper, spiritual and naughty, a satisfaction of one's most carnal culinary desires. Inspired by his popular blog pornburger.me, Matthew has just released his book Pornburger, featuring 80 recipes for drool-worthy burgers accompanied by some pretty saucy recipes. We're easing ourselves in with the White Castle-inspired Bao-ser's Castle Burger – follow the below recipes to create your own sexy stack. Bao chicka wow wow. more

Recipes
Spread the love with some homemade peanut butter
Food & Drink

Spread the love with some homemade peanut butter

13 Sep 2016

Did you hear the joke about peanut butter? We can't tell you, you might spread it. Okay, on a more serious note, did you know Australians consume approximately 30,000 tonnes of locally grown peanuts every year, all of which are processed in Kingaroy? Crazy, huh?! And if there was ever a week to celebrate these wonderful legumes (that's right, they're not actually nuts) it's the week of September 13, which is World Peanut Day. To spread the peanut love, try your hand at making this simple recipe for homemade peanut butter – just make sure you use delicious Australian-grown peanuts to celebrate and thank our local farmers! more

Recipes
Make weeknight dinners delicious with pancetta-wrapped meatloaf
Food & Drink

Make weeknight dinners delicious with pancetta-wrapped meatloaf

08 Sep 2016

Wake up. Go to work. Go to . Get home. Look at fridge. Cry a little on the inside. Sound familiar? Sophie Gillatt and Katherine Westwood, aka The Dinner Ladies, have heard your cry for help. Balancing families and busy lives, the two ladies came up with the idea of preparing dinners for time-poor friends so they would always have homemade food in the fridge or freezer. Today their idea has grown to a fleet of trucks delivering thousands of homemade meals each week to hungry homes, and a brand-new cookbook aptly called The Dinner Ladies. The book features 170 recipes perfect for cooking now and eating later, so you always have a back-up meal in the fridge or freezer. You'll find everything from veggie-focused thinner dinners to family favourites, such as this recipe for pancetta-wrapped meatloaf. more

Recipes
Spice up your evening with asparagus and beef red curry stir-fry
Food & Drink

Spice up your evening with asparagus and beef red curry stir-fry

01 Sep 2016

Simple ingredients. Quick to prepare. Minimal clean up. These are the key things we look for in a weeknight after-work dinner. This asparagus and beef red curry stir-fry comes to the party, ticking all the boxes with the added bonus of being super delicious. Even better yet – now that spring has sprung, asparagus is once again in peak season so you’ll be able to get your hands on a fresh local bunch. Woo! You’ll find most of the additional ingredients in your pantry, and you only need one pan to whip it up in a matter of minutes. Guess we just answered your ‘what’s for dinner’ question … more

Recipes
Start your morning on the right note with sweet potato cinnamon bread
Food & Drink

Start your morning on the right note with sweet potato cinnamon bread

25 Aug 2016

Bread. It’s the unsung hero of nearly every cuisine on the planet. We love bread, we'd marry bread if we could. Making bread at home in an immensely satisfying exercise, especially when you nail it. Jude Blereau’s new cookbook Wholefood from the Ground Up features a brilliant recipe for healthy sweet potato cinnamon bread, which is perfect when enjoyed as is, or topped with some of your fave foodstuffs. We’ve got the easy-to-follow recipe here for you to try at home this weekend. more

Recipes
Warm your bones with beef tallow-roasted onions with fresh rosemary
Food & Drink

Warm your bones with beef tallow-roasted onions with fresh rosemary

18 Aug 2016

Spring is so close we can almost taste it, but before we get to warm our bones in the sun there are still a few cold evenings to make the most out of winter cooking. Jennifer McGruther is a food educator that has come forth with a new cookbook Broth & Stock, which is filled with pages upon pages of filling and nourishing recipes for broths and stocks and some classic dishes that use them. We’ve selected the unique beef tallow-roasted onions with fresh rosemary to try before spring arrives. more

Recipes
Serve up a comforting slice of pork and fennel lasagne
Food & Drink

Serve up a comforting slice of pork and fennel lasagne

11 Aug 2016

When we're cold and feeling a little under the weather, our cravings tend to always swing towards Mediterranean food. Wait, who are we kidding? No matter the temperature or our health status, we always crave Mediterranean food! Fitzroy institution Alimentari has long celebrated the delicious cuisines of the region, and owners Linda and Paul Jones have decided to share some of their sumptuous deli favourites in their new cook book. Also titled Alimentari (which translates to good food and camaraderie), the book features recipes to take you from breakfast through to dessert, including chickpea coriander fritters, felafel and kibbeh wraps, and this recipe for pork and fennel lasagne. more

Recipes
Get a taste of London with Shannon Bennett's bubble and squeak
Food & Drink

Get a taste of London with Shannon Bennett’s bubble and squeak

04 Aug 2016

There is something about London that no other city has. From Mayfair to Southwark, the English capital has a certain je ne sais quoi that cannot be replicated. Shannon Bennett knows exactly what it is – class. In his personal guide to London – aptly named Shannon Bennett's London – Shannon takes us on a journey through the boroughs of the city, sharing his favourite places to stay and eat in each. While you're planning your perfect London itinerary, you can try your hand at some of Shannon's travel-inspired quintessential English recipes, such as venison wellington, classic fish and chips, and this recipe for bubble and squeak. more

Recipes
Fancy up your steak with Paul West's meaty marinade
Food & Drink

Fancy up your steak with Paul West’s meaty marinade

14 Jul 2016

Steak without a marinade is like a suit without a tie – it’s fine and all, but you can’t help but wonder how much better it would be with that extra special touch. River Cottage Australia’s very own Paul West is in town for the upcoming Regional Flavours presented by The Courier-Mail, and has imparted a marinade recipe designed to seriously level up your standard meat game. Paul's penchant for local produce and farming comes through in his recipes, with this particular sample rooted in simplicity that will let your steak speak for itself. Whip it up, chuck it on and let the flavours do all the talking. more

Recipes
Lick your lips for some tasty Mai Thai chicken thighs
Food & Drink

Lick your lips for some tasty Mai Thai chicken thighs

07 Jul 2016

When we think of American barbecue, we usually conjure up ideas of big burly bearded blokes enveloped in smoke over hot coals. Well think again, dear readers – Irish gals Samantha Evans and Shauna Guinn claim they are the real barbecue experts. In 2012, the girls said goodbye to the daily grind and took off on a six-month roadtrip from California to Tennessee, eating their way through the best barbecue joints in the southern United States. Collecting insider secrets and recipes along the way, Samantha and Shauna gained enough knowledge to create The Hang Fire Cookbook, filled with a bunch of hot tips on how to make great barbecue. With everything from the basics for home smokers and different types of wood, to what rubs, cures and brines work best with each type of meat, The Hang Fire Cookbook will get you set up to be a barbecue king ... or queen. You'll find a plethora of… more

Recipes
Eat Mediterranean with a slice of healthy moussaka
Food & Drink

Eat Mediterranean with a slice of healthy moussaka

30 Jun 2016

According to local dietitians and nutritionists Lisa Peterson and Desi Carlos, the secret to healthy eating isn't a secret at all – it's as simple as adopting the Mediterranean diet. Over the past two years, Lisa and Desi have worked hard to create delicious and nourishing recipes, modifying traditional family treasures to be healthy, calorie-controlled meals. The result is their first cookbook, Mediterranean Eating: Cook – Eat – Live, which features recipes, meal plans and scientific research proving the Mediterranean diet's ability to reduce incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s whilst simultaneously increasing longevity of life. You'll find crowd pleasers like this healthy moussaka, as well as salads, meat dishes, savoury pies and more. more

Recipes
Treat your tastebuds to oat biscuits with soft blue cheese and carrot and orange jam
Food & Drink

Treat your tastebuds to oat biscuits with soft blue cheese and carrot and orange jam

23 Jun 2016

We're pretty blessed to have the Scenic Rim right on our doorstep. A veritable smorgasbord of produce, the region is brimming with a bountiful selection of fruit and veggies, cheese, wine, olives and more – basically all of our favourite things. To celebrate the verdant region and its incredible producers, renowned local chef Brenda Fawdon has partnered with Christine Sharp to create Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim in conjunction with Scenic Rim Eat Local Week. The book journeys through the region, documenting the authors' conversations with the producers and their families, as well as more than sixty recipes using wholesome ingredients inspired by the farmers, growers and makers of the Scenic Rim. This recipe for oat biscuits with soft blue cheese and carrot and onion jam originally used Towri Sheep Cheeses' Roquefort-style Blue Ewe. more

Recipes
Munch on crunchy filled risotto croquettes
Food & Drink

Munch on crunchy filled risotto croquettes

16 Jun 2016

Risotto croquettes, or arancini, are like the perfect food surprise. With their golden crispy exterior, your mouth begins to water at the thought of the satisfying crunch that awaits. But the true magic comes when you take that first bite – that warm oozing cheesy gift that lies beyond the rice. Hungry yet? Then maybe you should make a batch of your own. Sicily is renowned for its arancini – you'll find a multitude of sizes and fillings almost everywhere you go. In her latest book, Flavours of Sicily, Ursula Ferrigno explores Sicilian cuisine at its finest – from vibrant to light soups and pasta dishes, and of course, arancini. more