Recipes From Down Under

This is a Tuscan-style country chicken dish; it is absolutely delicious!  I served it with corn on the cob and this bread (below) , and it was a really good accompaniment!  As usual, I altered the dish a little, by leaving out the mushrooms - because none of us are big mushroom fans in our household. Serves 4. 20g (0.70oz) dried porcini mushrooms 1 cup boiling chicken stock 1.5kg (3.3lb) chicken (I used just chicken breast rather than a whole chicken - less fuss - and I had a bit less than this on hand; it was still great!) 50g (1.75oz) butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 150g (5.3oz) button mushrooms, sliced 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano 425g (15oz) can tomatoes 425g (15oz) can tomato puree Place porcini mushrooms in heatproof bowl, cover with boiling stock, stand 30 minutes.  Drain mushrooms, reserve stock, chop mushrooms. Cut thighs and legs from chicken.  S...

This is a very delicious tomato and onion bread.  It makes quite a good sized loaf, but keeps well overnight in an airtight container. Tomato Filling 4 medium ripe tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 medium red Spanish onions, sliced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (I used a bit less dried as I couldn't get it fresh) Bread 3 cups plain flour 2 teaspoons dried yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup warm milk, approximately 1 egg, lightly beaten Tomato Filling - prepare first. Peel tomatoes, remove seeds, chop flesh (I didn't peel the tomatoes but I removed the seeds).  Heat oil in pan, add onions and garlic, cook, stirring, until onions are soft.  Add tomatoes, cheese, oregano, cook stirring, 5 minutes.  Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until tomatoes are softened, stirring occasionally.  Cool. Bread Sift flour into large bowl, add yeast, sugar...

*we exchanged the pork mince in this recipe for ground beef, because that was all we had on hand, but it was still very good - the family enjoyed it greatly!* 500g (1lb) pork mince 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 egg 1 cup stale breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 tablespoons olive oil 400g (14oz) canned tomatoes 600ml (20 fl oz) bottled tomato pasta sauce 375g (13 oz) spaghetti 1/3 cup finely grated romano cheese  (we used ordinary grated cheese as the romano cheese would have added too much expense to the meal on our budget!) Combine pork mince, parsley, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs and paste in large bowl; roll tablespoons of meat mixture into balls.  Heat oil in large saucepan; cook meatballs, in batches, until browned all over. Place undrained crushed tomatoes and sauce in the pan; bring to a boil,  Return meatballs to pan, reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked t...

*We love Italian dishes, and this is a fantastic one for a quick meal. We serve it with freshly steamed vegies or salad* 4 bacon rashers, diced 375g (13 oz) fettucine pasta (or an alternative pasta) 3 egg yolks, beaten lightly 1 cup cream 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (we often use other cheese - whatever is on hand) 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives or 2 teaspoons dried chives Cook bacon in heated small frying pan, stirring, until crisp. Drain on absorbent paper towelling. Cook pasta in saucepan of boiling water until just tender. Drain. Combine pasta in large bowl with all ingredients. Serve hot. Serves 4.