and Antipasto Salad
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
400g button mushrooms, trimmed
200g marinated stuffed olives, chopped
Grilled Peaches
with Vanilla Ricotta
200g semi-dried tomatoes, drained & chopped
200g char-grilled eggplant, chopped
1 cup basil leaves
3/4 cup honey roasted cashew nuts
1. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper in large glass bowl, whisk until well combined. Add mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes to allow mushrooms to absorb dressing.
2. Just before serving, add olives, tomatoes, eggplant, basil and cashews and toss gently to combine. Spoon into large bowl, season with salt and pepper and serve with turkey, ham or pork.
QUICK TIPS
Add 750g peeled, deveined cooked prawns and 100g baby rocket or spinach to the salad to serve as a main or part of buffet.
8 yellow peaches, halved and stones removed
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp butter 100g fresh ricotta cheese 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1. Place peaches on grill tray cut side up; pour a little syrup over each peach and dot with a little butter. Cook under hot grill until bubbling and heated through.
2. Mix together ricotta, sugar and vanilla. Serve immediately with the grilled peaches.
QUICK TIP
Peaches bruise easily so look for smooth, unblemished fruit and handle them with care.
Steam, blanch, grill or throw on the barbecue! Add to summer pizzas with goat’s cheese or fetta and whip up a tasty omelette or frittata. Stir-fry asparagus with red capsicums, baby corn and snow peas or slice raw spears into salads for fresh crunch.
Berries
Blackberries, blueberries, loganberries, strawberries and raspberries are perfect for sprinkling over cereal and yoghurt for breakfast and whizzed up into quick refreshing drinks. Try mixing your favourite berries with honey (or sugar) and a squeeze of lemon juice and push through a sieve to make a wonderful sauce to serve with cakes, tarts, pancakes or ice cream.
Cherries
Enjoy just as they are, pop into your summer fruit salad, add to cheese or fruit platters or dip into melted chocolate for a special summer sweet treat.
Mangoes
Slice or dice mangoes and add to salads and desserts or whip up a healthy smoothie with low-fat milk, vanilla yoghurt and ice – no sweetening needed with Australian mangoes!
Nectlarines
Nectarines make a quick and healthy summer snack whether at the beach, on a picnic, at home, work or school! Sliced nectarines are a perfect addition to salads, fruit salads or cheese and fruit platters.
eetl Corn
Fresh young sweet corn is sweet, milky and delicious tossed into salads. Use a sharp knife to shave kernels off the cob and combine with diced avocado, finely sliced red chillies, diced red onion, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and you have super salsa!
Goalt’s Cheese
and Rocket Salad with Cherry Dressing
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Sugar
8 fresh cherries, pitted and quartered
300g rocket
50g pine nuts
300g fresh goats cheese in a log
3 tbsp cornflakes
2 tsp oil
3 green onions, finely sliced
Moroccan Lamb
with Asparagus
Couscous
8 thick cut lamb cutlets or mid loin lamb chops
2 tbsp Moroccan seasoning
Asparagus Couscous:
350 ml vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
Additional 1 bunch cooked asparagus to serve
Mango Salad Roasted Cashews
4 mangoes cut into large
1 whole store bought barbecued chicken 4-6 Lebanese cucumbers sliced Sweet chilli sauce to serve
1/2 cup chopped roasted cashew nuts to serve
Salad:
400g tuna fillet, cut into steaks
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
25g mesclun (mixed salad leaves)
100g green beans, blanched
150g Pontiac potatoes, sliced and blanched
3 eggs, semi hard-boiled, peeled and cut into quarters
100g Kalamata olives
60g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1-2 avocados, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing: 25g Dijon mustard 50ml red wine vinegar 1 spring onion, finely diced 375ml olive oil
egg yolks Salt and pepper to taste
with Fresh Avocado
1. To make dressing: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, stir through cherries and set aside. Rinse rocket and spin dry.
2. Heat small frying pan and dry roast pine nuts until golden brown.
3. Cut cheese into about 2cm wide discs. Place cornflakes in a sealed lunch bag and crush with your fingers. Place cornflakes on plate and press cheese with both sides into cornflakes.
4. Heat oil in non-stick frying pan and brown cheese on both sides. Place cheese on paper towel, and then arrange with salad on plate. Scatter over onions, pine nuts and dressing and serve immediately.
1. Place cutlets and 1 tbsp of seasoning in plastic bag, shake to coat well and set aside. Bring stock to boil, add couscous, cover and remove from heat. Allow couscous to absorb stock then use a fork to fluff up grains.
2. Heat half the oil in large pan, and pan fry cutlets 4 minutes each side. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil, onion and pumpkin to pan with remaining seasoning and cook 5 mins. Stir in couscous, asparagus and almonds and cook a further 4 minutes.
1. Divide up the barbecued chicken into portions and arrange onto serving plates with the mango quarters and sliced cucumbers.
2. Drizzle over sweet chilli sauce and sprinkle with roasted cashew nuts. Enjoy!
QUICK TIPS
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3. Remove from heat and fold coriander through. Serve lamb on bed of couscous with cooked asparagus.
Add mixed salad leaves and a lemon or lime dressing. Replace chicken with firm fleshed fish cooked on the barbecue.
1. To make dressing: Whisk egg yolks, vinegar, shallot (spring onion) and mustard together. Continue whiskingslowly adding olive oil - until creamy and salt and pepper to taste.
2. To make salad: Season tuna with garlic, parsley and salt and pepper. Place onto hot grill or barbecue and cook until medium. Remove from heat and set aside. When ready to serve, cut into bite size pieces.
3. Arrange mesclun leaves, beans, potatoes, eggs, olives, tomatoes and avocado on a plate, top with tuna and dressing. Recipe courtesy of Avocados
