Asian Beef Burgers

These are super moist burgers with a slight, but not overpowering, asian flavour. Thank-you Oyster sauce.

Makes 15 small burger patties

750g minced beef

1 zucchini, grated and juice squeezed out

2 Tbsp polenta

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced

4 Tbsp oyster sauce*

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp white pepper

Prepare a plate or baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, getting your hands into it to make sure it’s thoroughly combined. Roll balls of mixture in your hands and pat down to approximately the size of your palm. Lay patties out on the prepared plate.

Once all patties have been made, cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a BBQ to high heat. Place patties on grill and cook, turning after a few minutes.

Serve with salad and extra oyster sauce.


* Coeliacs and those avoiding large amounts of gluten should be sure to get a gluten-free oyster sauce. Alternatively, substitute with some tamari and a little brown sugar.

Rocket Quinoa Fetta Salad

“Can you bring a salad to the BBQ?”. This one makes the top of my list!

Serves 4 or works great as a side dish for 6-8

Big handful of rocket lettuce*

1 cup white quinoa, cooked

½ cucumber, finely diced

3 spring onions, green parts only, finley sliced*

200g feta, crumbled or finely diced

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

½ cup pecans, roughly chopped

¼ cup sunflower Sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp garlic oil

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tsp white sugar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp cumin

2 tsp white vinegar

Combine oils, lemon zest and juice, white sugar, Dijon, cumin and white vinegar in a small bowl or jar.

Combine all the ingredients, except pecans and sunflower seeds, in a large bowl. Top with pecans and sunflower seeds and serve.

* AKA Rocket lettuce = Arugula, spring onions = green onions

Chicken Biryani

My first attempt at Indian food without any onion or garlic! Turned out pretty good, I think... next time I would serve with a wedge of lime.

Serves 4

500g chicken thighs, cut into 2cm cubes

2 cups basmati rice, washed

2 ½ cups chicken stock*

1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1 green chilli, finely diced

4 spring onions, green parts only, finely sliced**

3 Tbsp garlic oil

1 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped**

½ cup chopped walnuts, to serve

3 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground fennel

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

8 cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

Heat garlic oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and cook until softened. Remove from heat and set aside. Add onions and chilli cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions has softened. Add spices and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Add rice and spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and rice and cook, stirring for a few minutes or until rice becomes glassy.

Add half the chicken stock and cook, stirring regularly. Once most of the stock has been absorbed, add the remaining stock and continue cooking until rice is soft and fluffy. Add broccoli and coriander and stir until broccoli is heated through.

Serve in bowls sprinkled with walnuts.

* It’s best to use home-made stock. I used leftover stock from poaching chicken for the chicken pesto pasta that I kept in the fridge for a couple of days (or you can keep it in the freezer much longer).

** For my North American counterparts, I’m talking about green onions and cilantro. (That’s for you, Keiran)

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Great for a main and even better for lunch the next day.

Not the best photo, I was too excited to get in and eat it!

Serves 4

3 skinless chicken breasts

4 bay leaves

3 spring onion

200g Gluten-free pasta, macaroni/penne/bow ties as desired, cooked

3 tomatoes, diced*

2 capsicums, any colour

Large handful baby spinach

½ cup walnuts

50g parmesan, to serve

Basil Walnut Pesto

1 cup basil leaves

½ cup walnuts

¼ cup fresh parsley

60ml garlic oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

3 spring onions

2 anchovies

Put 4 cups water, bay leaves, spring onions and salt in a pot, cover and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, gently drop chicken breasts in, then cover and let sit for 45 minutes.

After this time, check if they are cooked and if not, return to the stock for another 5-10 minutes. Heat the stock to a simmer over the stove if necessary. Once cooked, remove chicken from water and set aside.  Once cooled, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Preheat oven grill. Cut capsicums into 4 or 5 large, flat slices. Remove seeds and membrane and place on a lined baking tray. Place under the grill for 10-15 mins or until the skins have blackened. Remove capsicum from oven and transfer to a ziplock bag and seal. Leave to cool. Remove capsicums from bag, peel off skin and discard. Cut flesh into strips.

For the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Season to taste.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the parmesan. Serve on plates or in bowls topped with parmesan.

* I used kumato, which are a softer, less tart tomato because they are amazingly delicious.

Pork Meatballs with Spinach and Fennel

If you make the meatballs the day before, they're even better!

Serves 4

Meatballs

500g pork mince

2 Tbsp polenta

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp ground coriander

1 lemon, zested

2 Tbsp garlic oil

1 tsp red chilli flakes

¼ cup white wine

Spinach and Fennel

1 fennel bulb

4 spring onions, green parts only, sliced

8 slices bacon

200g baby spinach

1 lemon, juiced

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp ground cumin

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and season well. Using your hands, roll small meatballs (approx. 2cm diameter) and place in container lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat a little garlic oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Place meatballs in carefully and cook, tossing occasionally, until brown all over. Add chilli flakes and white wine and cook until meatballs are done.

For the vegetables, cut the fennel into quarters and remove the hard base. Slice very finely, ideally using a mandolin. In a separate bowl, combine lemon, oil, Dijon, cumin, salt and pepper. Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until soft. Add fennel and spring onions, cooking until soft. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted. Drain excess liquid from vegetables and stir through dressing.