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Sydney Morning Herald
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
How Aussie cookbooks are winning hearts and stomachs worldwide
'Seriously, when I (very late) sent through the material, and five days later I got the editorial comments, you couldn't see any of my writing, it was all blue and red. I was like 'woah', I thought I was done. It was so much! But I'm very happy that we went through that process – the final product is really amazing.' As for making dishes his own, Papadakis says you can take inspiration from the classics or your peers. 'I try to keep the integrity of the flavour and be original at the same time,' he says. 'A good example is our Tipomisu, a take on a tiramisu but very different, thus the name. We changed the coffee soaked savoiardi with a rich chocolate brownie and finished it with a salted caramel coffee sauce. 'In a similar way, we have had a smoked eel carbonara, where instead of guanciale I use local smoked eel, crisped up in a similar way as the guanciale, and make a smoked eel stock for the egg mix.' The book team includes editorial manager Virginia Birch, designers Andy Warren and Megan Pigott, photographer Mark Roper, stylist Lee Blaylock and illustrator Robin Cowcher. Australian cookbooks have form in the James Beard awards. Publisher Jane Willson has clocked up four wins and five nominations, including the latest for Tipo 00. Those wins include Josh Niland's first two books – The Whole Fish Cookbook and Take One Fish – the late Greg Malouf's Suqar in 2019, and Milk Made by Nick Haddow in 2017, all while she was at Hardie Grant. Nominations there include Carla Oates' The Beauty Chef in 2018 and From the Earth by Peter Gilmore in 2019. More recently, at Murdoch Books, she has garnered nominations for Mat Lindsay's Ester in 2024 and The Miller's Daughter by Emma Zimmerman in 2023. She says common ingredients in the best books are 'committed authors, appetite for risk (from all involved), a POV/something to say and a team that's greater than the sum of its parts – and is firing'. 'That last element is actually more important than you might think,' she says. 'Book-making is such a collaborative undertaking. I don't think it's any coincidence that the authors who get that and, indeed, embrace that, are often the ones who are recognised. 'It's a total thrill to win, but it doesn't really sell books ... What it does do, however, is recognise a commitment to thoughtful, quality, often boundary-pushing publishing.' Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook won the major gong in the overall Book of the Year in 2020 as well as its category. His Take One Fish won its category in 2021, then Fish Butchery: Mastering the Catch, Cut and Craft won its category last year. The Sydney-based chef known for his restaurant St Peter wrote that first book in just eight weeks on his mobile phone and has sold more than 200,000 copies. 'Doing the book was a good lesson in working with creatives in other fields,' Niland says. 'I felt like we managed to put together a team for [ The Whole Fish ] that was so ready. And nobody was combative or said, 'No, I don't think that will work' … it was like being in a drama lesson where you get taught to say yes, and it just made the product better.' Lorraine Woodcheke has spent much of her career marketing Australian chefs and authors in North America, as marketing and publicity director for Hardie Grant in the US and before that at Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Press and Chronicle Books. Now with Murdoch, based in San Francisco, she says a nomination is a major honour and 'a win is life-changing'. 'It becomes a permanent part of a chef or author's bio – a credential that carries weight across the food and publishing industries anywhere in the world.' While it may not immediately equate to sales, a win significantly expands visibility, particularly in the US,' Woodcheke says. '[It] affirms an author's place among the most influential culinary voices of their time. That recognition stays with them for the rest of their career and beyond.'
The Age
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
How Aussie cookbooks are winning hearts and stomachs worldwide
'Seriously, when I (very late) sent through the material, and five days later I got the editorial comments, you couldn't see any of my writing, it was all blue and red. I was like 'woah', I thought I was done. It was so much! But I'm very happy that we went through that process – the final product is really amazing.' As for making dishes his own, Papadakis says you can take inspiration from the classics or your peers. 'I try to keep the integrity of the flavour and be original at the same time,' he says. 'A good example is our Tipomisu, a take on a tiramisu but very different, thus the name. We changed the coffee soaked savoiardi with a rich chocolate brownie and finished it with a salted caramel coffee sauce. 'In a similar way, we have had a smoked eel carbonara, where instead of guanciale I use local smoked eel, crisped up in a similar way as the guanciale, and make a smoked eel stock for the egg mix.' The book team includes editorial manager Virginia Birch, designers Andy Warren and Megan Pigott, photographer Mark Roper, stylist Lee Blaylock and illustrator Robin Cowcher. Australian cookbooks have form in the James Beard awards. Publisher Jane Willson has clocked up four wins and five nominations, including the latest for Tipo 00. Those wins include Josh Niland's first two books – The Whole Fish Cookbook and Take One Fish – the late Greg Malouf's Suqar in 2019, and Milk Made by Nick Haddow in 2017, all while she was at Hardie Grant. Nominations there include Carla Oates' The Beauty Chef in 2018 and From the Earth by Peter Gilmore in 2019. More recently, at Murdoch Books, she has garnered nominations for Mat Lindsay's Ester in 2024 and The Miller's Daughter by Emma Zimmerman in 2023. She says common ingredients in the best books are 'committed authors, appetite for risk (from all involved), a POV/something to say and a team that's greater than the sum of its parts – and is firing'. 'That last element is actually more important than you might think,' she says. 'Book-making is such a collaborative undertaking. I don't think it's any coincidence that the authors who get that and, indeed, embrace that, are often the ones who are recognised. 'It's a total thrill to win, but it doesn't really sell books ... What it does do, however, is recognise a commitment to thoughtful, quality, often boundary-pushing publishing.' Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook won the major gong in the overall Book of the Year in 2020 as well as its category. His Take One Fish won its category in 2021, then Fish Butchery: Mastering the Catch, Cut and Craft won its category last year. The Sydney-based chef known for his restaurant St Peter wrote that first book in just eight weeks on his mobile phone and has sold more than 200,000 copies. 'Doing the book was a good lesson in working with creatives in other fields,' Niland says. 'I felt like we managed to put together a team for [ The Whole Fish ] that was so ready. And nobody was combative or said, 'No, I don't think that will work' … it was like being in a drama lesson where you get taught to say yes, and it just made the product better.' Lorraine Woodcheke has spent much of her career marketing Australian chefs and authors in North America, as marketing and publicity director for Hardie Grant in the US and before that at Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Press and Chronicle Books. Now with Murdoch, based in San Francisco, she says a nomination is a major honour and 'a win is life-changing'. 'It becomes a permanent part of a chef or author's bio – a credential that carries weight across the food and publishing industries anywhere in the world.' While it may not immediately equate to sales, a win significantly expands visibility, particularly in the US,' Woodcheke says. '[It] affirms an author's place among the most influential culinary voices of their time. That recognition stays with them for the rest of their career and beyond.'
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Cook This: 3 recipes from Salad for Days, including a baked sweet potato, 'made salady'
Our cookbook of the week is Salad for Days by Alice Zaslavsky, an award-winning Australian author and broadcaster. Jump to the recipes: barbecued adjapsandal with adjika yogurt dressing, yampers (camper's jacket yams), and Swiss chard and broccoli tumble with herby avocado dressing. Alice Zaslavsky 's joyful way with vegetables can't help but draw you in. Her recipes strike a rare balance — as easygoing and enticing as they are educational, which isn't surprising, given Zaslavsky's background. The award-winning Australian author and broadcaster used to be a middle-school teacher. In her fourth cookbook, Salad for Days (Murdoch Books), Zaslavsky takes her veg-loving ways to a natural place. Quoting 1990s-era Homer Simpson , she acknowledges that salads haven't always gotten the respect they deserve. But times have changed. 'As a global force of eaters, I think we're ready for more salads.' Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. When we spoke via video call, Zaslavsky, who lives between the Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne, had just finished breakfast at her parents' house. 'Salad, of course, on the table,' she says, laughing, 'with bratwurst.' Zaslavsky was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and emigrated to Australia with her family in 1990. In some Western cuisines, salads may be an afterthought relegated to side status, but in Georgia, they're a mainstay. 'We don't call them salads, necessarily. Each dish has its own name and purpose. Some of them are smaller, some of them are bigger, and they all add up to this supra (feast) and this incredible kind of kaleidoscope.' She extends this sense of bounty to Salad for Days, a year-round guide to filling your plate with vegetables. With all she does, whether as the host of A Bite To Eat With Alice , a nightly cooking show on ABC, or in her cookbooks, Zaslavsky tries to evoke joy. 'That's my word.' In the nearly 500-page In Praise of Veg (2022) — her 'vegetable bible,' which so far has been translated into six languages in 14 countries — it's wrapped up in vivid colour. Her third book, Better Cooking (2024), centred on skills to build kitchen confidence while having fun. With Salad for Days, 'I tried to contain the joy in a way that made it feel very accessible to anyone.' The result is curated and intentional, with space for cooks to find themselves in. 'We're so bombarded with information and imagery, and more, more, more. This is my pared-back, less-is-more book.' Reflecting this streamlined approach, there are just two chapters: Warmer Days and Cooler Days. Zaslavsky bookends the 80 recipes with shortcuts to finding one that suits your cravings or the contents of your crisper. A dressings index divides them by category, such as spicy and funky or zippy and zesty. And, since salad-making often starts with what you already have, the book concludes with a recipe breakdown by vegetable. 'I'm putting myself in the mind of a modern cook. We've got aspirations, but we've also got deadlines, limited bandwidth and multiple tabs open, and I want this book to feel like you can take a breath. I've got you. Whether you feel like telling me what the weather's doing, what you've got, or if you want something zippy or creamy, I'm meeting you where you are and with what you need. And I think it all comes back to that idea that I'm feeling useful and adding value.' The beauty of salads is that they often involve more assembly than cooking, highlights Zaslavsky. 'Effort-to-return is one reason I love salad-making.' As in her native Georgia, where an abundance of vegetable dishes sit side by side, she creates opportunities for mixing and matching, noting what each recipe is 'friends with.' Serve barbecued adjapsandal with adjika yogurt dressing alongside cauliflower tabbouleh with lemony tahini and pomegranate, for example, or yampers (camper's jacket yams) with a honey-and-juniper slaw. Zaslavsky takes a generous view of the form. As she writes, 'No longer merely a bowl of leaves, Salad 2.0 can be just about anything you want it to be.' When developing the recipes for Salad for Days, she started with the vegetable, 'as always,' and considered the 30-odd most commonly bought varieties. She thought about their density, seasonality and occasionality. For instance, asking, 'Why would people buy a cauliflower, and how might they make it the hero?' resulted in her cauliflower korma crown and cardamom brown rice. 'Rather than doing a roast chook (chicken), why not do a roast cauli but treat it more like a baked rice dish?' She's worked with home economist Jane Grylls for 13 years and describes their process in improv comedy terms: 'Yes, and …' They riffed off each other and spreadsheeted the recipes to ensure a balance. Acknowledging that people associate salads with warmer days, Zaslavsky stretched the definition for cooler ones. 'You could, in another context, say, 'But Alice, is that not just a stir-fried noodle?' But then, it's about how much vegetable and how much green you add. It's about the essence of it.' In April, Zaslavsky wrapped 100 episodes of A Bite To Eat With Alice after six months of filming. The experience of developing recipes for a nightly cooking show has given her a new outlook — the product of 'flying hours.' She compares the evolution to starting as a hobby pilot and becoming a commercial airline, flying hundreds of people multiple times a day. She's clear on what kinds of recipes viewers want because they tell her. 'My inbox is always open,' says Zaslavsky, referencing a direct message she had received that morning from a woman wondering if lamb schmaltz would be too intense for knedle. (The answer was yes.) 'People are wondering those sorts of things, so how can I offer them the same boundaries I've learned? The same kind of 'yes, and-ness' that I and my home economists love to play with. How can I open that gateway for the home cook as well?' This awareness has rippled out to all aspects of her work. From the recipes to the format, Zaslavsky says that every part of Salad for Days has been done with intent. For the first time, she went with a soft cover because she wanted the book to be at an accessible price point; in Australia, it's in its fourth reprint. The pebbled cover is wipe-clean so that any dressing spatters can be washed away. 'When I was describing the texture, I wanted it to feel kind of bumpy — textural, a bit organic. But then, when I held it in my hand, the matte of it felt like skin. You hold it in your palm, and the matte is skin-true. Skin to skin. And it's like I'm physically holding your hand while we make this together. And that's exactly what I want and more than I could have asked for.' Serves: 4-6 1 large or 2 medium eggplants, about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz), sliced into 1 cm (3/8 inch) discs 2 large zucchini, about 400 g (14 oz), sliced into 1 cm (3/8 inch) discs 1 large red onion, about 250 g (9 oz), sliced into 1 cm (3/8 inch) rings 4 large truss (vine-ripened) tomatoes, about 400 g (14 oz), quartered vertically 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing Adjika: 4 garlic cloves 1/4 cup (40 g) sun-dried tomatoes, drained 1 cup drained piquillo peppers, about 250 g (9 oz) 1/4 tsp mild chili flakes 15 g (1/2 oz) cilantro stems, leaves reserved 15 g (1/2 oz) parsley stems and leaves 15 g (1/2 oz) holy basil, Thai basil or young regular basil leaves, plus extra for garnish 30 mL (1 fl oz) neutral oil (I like sunflower or grapeseed here) 1 tsp ground fenugreek 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp salt flakes 1/2 tsp sugar 1/4 tsp pepper Final bits and bobs: 1 cup (230 g) natural yogurt Preheat the barbecue or grill plate until smoking. Pop eggplant and zucchini on one tray and onion and tomato on another. Brush the eggplant generously with olive oil (you can use an olive oil spray if you like). The zucchini doesn't need as much oil — the residual oil on the grill is plenty. Place the eggplant on the open grill side of the barbecue for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through and with defined char marks (more is more with eggplant, really). Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to the upper rack to keep warm (if you don't have an upper rack, pop them back onto the tray and loosely cover with foil). Grill the zucchini for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway. Repeat with the tomato and onion, until they are slightly blackened and blistered and seeping out juice. As each item is cooked, introduce them to the eggplant on the upper rack (or in the loosely covered tray) to keep warm, too. Make the adjika by putting all of the ingredients into a small blender and whizzing until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, blob the yogurt and the adjika together on a large serving platter, schmearing with a flexible spatula or the back of a spoon to create a marbled pattern. Put the warm grilled vegetables on top and finish with extra olive oil, reserved coriander leaves and extra basil leaves. Serves: 4-6 6-8 small sweet potatoes, about 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz), washed 100 g (3 1/2 oz) red cabbage, finely shredded 1 carrot, about 100 g (3 1/2 oz), finely shredded 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp salt flakes Sour cream and chive drizzle: 100 g (3 1/2 oz) sour cream 50 g (1 3/4 oz) whipping cream 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 tsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp + 2 tsp finely chopped chives, plus extra for garnish 1/2 tsp salt flakes 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper Final bits and bobs: 50 g (1 3/4 oz) baby spinach leaves 80 g (2 3/4 oz) cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup (200 g) corn kernels (see note) 2 tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil Pop sweet potatoes onto a lined tray and into a cold oven. Crank the heat to 220C (430F) or 200C (400F) fan forced (convection), then roast them nudey rudey (undressed) for 40 minutes, until they blister, burst and yield to the touch. Make the sour cream and chive drizzle by whisking the ingredients together, tasting and seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Toss together shredded cabbage, carrot, vinegar and salt, then season to taste with more salt and a generous crack of pepper. To assemble, lay a bed of baby spinach in the base of a large shallow bowl, then arrange the baked sweet potatoes, still in their jackets, over the top. Pierce into each with whatever implement is to hand by criss-crossing, then squashing down a little to expose the vibrant orange (or purple!) innards. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the innards while still warm, to let the cheese melt. Pour half of the sour cream and chive drizzle over the top in broad strokes, then tumble on the cabbage and carrot slaw and the cooked corn. Finish off with more of the drizzle over the top, then sprinkle with extra chives and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Crack pepper on and call it a day. Note: Using tinned corn is more authentically campy, but if you have fresh cobs, boil for 4 minutes, then shave off the kernels. Serves: 4-6 1 broccoli head 1 small fennel bulb, about 200 g (7 oz), fronds reserved for garnish 1/2 bunch Swiss chard, leaves only 2 tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 300 g (10 1/2 oz) green grapes, halved Herby avocado dressing: 2 spring onions (scallions), green parts only, white parts finely sliced and reserved 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill 1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1-2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 ripe avocado (a creamier variety like Hass) 1 tbsp + 1 tsp tahini 1 tsp dijon mustard Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp salt flakes 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper Final bits and bobs: 2 tbsp + 2 tsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted Boil 2 cups (500 mL) of water. Trim and peel the broccoli stem, then slice it thinly along with the florets, following the shape of the broccoli. Do the same with the fennel bulb. Pop both into a heatproof colander and pour the boiling water over the top. Roll the Swiss chard leaves up and thinly shred with your sharp knife. Rub the leaves with the olive oil and a pinch of salt flakes to macerate. To make the dressing, blitz all of the herby avocado dressing ingredients in a food processor to a thin paste. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Toss the drained veg, rubbed Swiss chard and the grapes together in a serving dish, then drizzle generously with the dressing (feel free to leave any leftovers in a jug on the table) and finish with a sprinkle of pepitas, reserved spring onion whites and fennel fronds. Recipes and images excerpted from Salad for Days by Alice Zaslavsky. Text copyright ©2024 by Alice Zaslavsky. Photography ©2024 Rochelle Eagle. Recipes and images reprinted with permission of Murdoch Books. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here .
National Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
Cook This: 3 recipes from Salad for Days, including a baked sweet potato, 'made salady'
Our cookbook of the week is Salad for Days by Alice Zaslavsky, an award-winning Australian author and broadcaster. Article content Article content Jump to the recipes: barbecued adjapsandal with adjika yogurt dressing, yampers (camper's jacket yams), and Swiss chard and broccoli tumble with herby avocado dressing. Article content Alice Zaslavsky 's joyful way with vegetables can't help but draw you in. Her recipes strike a rare balance — as easygoing and enticing as they are educational, which isn't surprising, given Zaslavsky's background. The award-winning Australian author and broadcaster used to be a middle-school teacher. Article content In her fourth cookbook, Salad for Days (Murdoch Books), Zaslavsky takes her veg-loving ways to a natural place. Quoting 1990s-era Homer Simpson, she acknowledges that salads haven't always gotten the respect they deserve. But times have changed. 'As a global force of eaters, I think we're ready for more salads.' Article content Article content Zaslavsky was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and emigrated to Australia with her family in 1990. In some Western cuisines, salads may be an afterthought relegated to side status, but in Georgia, they're a mainstay. 'We don't call them salads, necessarily. Each dish has its own name and purpose. Some of them are smaller, some of them are bigger, and they all add up to this supra (feast) and this incredible kind of kaleidoscope.' She extends this sense of bounty to Salad for Days, a year-round guide to filling your plate with vegetables. Article content With all she does, whether as the host of A Bite To Eat With Alice, a nightly cooking show on ABC, or in her cookbooks, Zaslavsky tries to evoke joy. 'That's my word.' In the nearly 500-page In Praise of Veg (2022) — her 'vegetable bible,' which so far has been translated into six languages in 14 countries — it's wrapped up in vivid colour. Her third book, Better Cooking (2024), centred on skills to build kitchen confidence while having fun. With Salad for Days, 'I tried to contain the joy in a way that made it feel very accessible to anyone.' Article content Article content The result is curated and intentional, with space for cooks to find themselves in. 'We're so bombarded with information and imagery, and more, more, more. This is my pared-back, less-is-more book.' Article content Article content Reflecting this streamlined approach, there are just two chapters: Warmer Days and Cooler Days. Zaslavsky bookends the 80 recipes with shortcuts to finding one that suits your cravings or the contents of your crisper. A dressings index divides them by category, such as spicy and funky or zippy and zesty. And, since salad-making often starts with what you already have, the book concludes with a recipe breakdown by vegetable. Article content 'I'm putting myself in the mind of a modern cook. We've got aspirations, but we've also got deadlines, limited bandwidth and multiple tabs open, and I want this book to feel like you can take a breath. I've got you. Whether you feel like telling me what the weather's doing, what you've got, or if you want something zippy or creamy, I'm meeting you where you are and with what you need. And I think it all comes back to that idea that I'm feeling useful and adding value.'
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Pickling your way to taste
Pickling master Alex Elliott-Howery. PHOTOS: ALAN BENSON Having a pantry full of home-made pickles and chutneys is a very satisfying feeling and quickly makes a meal more satisfying. Elliot-Howery should know - she discovered the ''hard'' way. Her partner filled their tiny backyard with zuchinis their children did not like and after a while their friends and family were overloaded and could not take any more. ''I couldn't bear the thought of throwing food away. So I thought I'd give pickling a go. ''And once I'd begun, I couldn't stop.'' Intensely focused on figuring out ways to reduce food waste on a domestic level in a busy urban neighbourhood, she taught herself as many traditional food skills as she could to deal with any excess. ''I preserved obsessively, putting anything I could get my hands on into a jar. ''Homegrown vegetables, fruit from the neighbours' unloved trees, whatever was cheap at the markets or was left over in the fridge at the end of the week.'' She filled her garage with pickles, chutneys, sauces, jams, marmalade and sauerkraut. They then decided to open a little cafe, Cornersmith, in their neighbourhood highlighting the way they ate at home assembling a variety of delicious elements - one or two vegetable dishes, a jar of pickles or ferments, a nice loaf of bread and a small simple protein such as a wedge of cheese, boiled eggs, a grilled piece of fish or meat. Elliott-Howery became known for her pickles and ferments and locals would bring their excess in for her to preserve and it would end up on the menu later in the year. Soon after they started up a pickles and cooking school to share her knowledge and opened another cafe as she continued to spread the word about food sustainability. THE BOOK: Images and text from Pocket Pickler by Alex Elliott-Howery, photography by Alan Benson. Murdoch Books RRP $32.99. She has also authored four cookbooks plus her latest Pocket Pickler. ''Pickling for us has come to represent much more than just delicious condiments. ''While pickling and eating pickles, we talk about the importance of cooking from scratch and knowing where your food comes from, share helpful tips to reduce food waste and teach food history and sustainability.'' Having a pantry full of home-made pickles and chutneys is a very satisfying feeling as they quickly make a meal more interesting and you always have a gift on hand. ''It's a real buzz to know that you have rescued excess food and turned it into something delicious.'' Nothing is safe from Elliot-Howery who turns all sorts into preserves including mango, stone fruits, grapes, Brussels sprouts and pears alongside more traditional green tomato, cauliflower and chilli relishes. Getting started is easy, she says. Just look in the fridge, fruit bowl or garden and see what needs using up. Get some vinegar, sugar, salt, a few spices, a saucepan and a few jars and read up about the process of pickling, jar sterilisation. ''Start small and give it a go. ''Then the next time you're doing the shopping, grab a big bottle of vinegar and a couple of kilograms of something that's cheap, abundant, in season and looking good and try your hand at making a bigger batch.'' Pocket Pickler is divided into the seasons to make it quick and easy to find recipes for what's in season now to turn into a pickle, chutney or ferment. Rhubarb & red onion relish Makes 4 x 300ml (1¼ cup) jars Lovely with cheddar, eggs or at a barbecue or Christmas lunch, this is an excellent relish to stock in the pantry or give as a gift. Roasting the rhubarb really intensifies the flavour, so don't skip this step. It also cuts down on cooking time, once it's in the pot. Ingredients 1kg rhubarb stalks, washed, trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths 2 Tbsp caster (superfine) sugar 500ml (2 cups) red wine vinegar 80ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil 500g red onion, thinly sliced 50g grated fresh ginger 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground fenugreek 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed 500g apples, peeled and grated 200g (1 scant cup) brown sugar 1-2 tsp salt Method Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the rhubarb evenly over two baking trays. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and 80 ml (⅓ cup) of the vinegar. Mix with your hands to combine. Roast the rhubarb for about 20 mins until soft and slightly caramelised. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a non-reactive, medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for about eight mins, until soft and translucent. Add the ginger, spices and garlic, saute two mins until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the roasted rhubarb to the pan, along with the remaining vinegar, grated apple, brown sugar and salt, stirring to combine well. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 mins, stirring now and then, until the relish is thick and glossy, with no puddles on the surface. Meanwhile, sterilise your jars and lids. Carefully fill the hot jars with the hot relish. Remove any air bubbles by gently tapping each jar on the work surface and sliding a clean butterknife or chopstick around the inside to release any hidden air pockets. Wipe the rims of the jars with a paper towel or a clean damp cloth and seal immediately. Leave to cool on the benchtop, then store in the fridge for up to six months. To extend the shelf life to two years, heat-process the jars for 10 mins. Once opened, refrigerate and use within three months. TIP: If you have some relish left over after you've filled your jars, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and use within three weeks. Chilli sambal We make mountains of this sambal when chilli season is in full swing. So quick and easy to make, it gives tacos, rice dishes, marinades and breakfast eggs a good hit of heat. We use carrot as a base in this recipe as it adds sweetness and gives the sambal a fantastically bright colour, but you could experiment with other bases such as green mango or pineapple. Try green or yellow chillies too. With fruit-based sambals, you may need to add more vinegar to loosen them. Keep tasting and adjusting the sugar to salt ratio until you're happy with the flavour. Makes 4-5 x 375ml (1½ cup) jars Ingredients 750g long mild red chillies 250g carrot 50g knob of fresh ginger 4 garlic cloves 55g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 1 Tbsp salt 185ml (¾ cup) white wine vinegar Method Sterilise your jars and lids. Roughly chop the chillies, carrot, ginger and garlic. Put them in a food processor with the sugar and salt and blitz for 5 mins. Slowly pour in the vinegar until your sambal has a smooth consistency; you may need to adjust the quantity. When the jars are cool enough to handle, pack the sambal into the jars, pressing down firmly to make sure the chilli paste is covered in a thin layer of liquid. Remove any air bubbles by gently tapping each jar on the work surface and sliding a clean butter knife or chopstick around the inside to release any hidden air pockets. Wipe the rims of the jars with a paper towel or a clean damp cloth and seal immediately. You can store the sambal in the fridge for up to 3 months, or heat-process the jars for 10 mins and store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 months. TIP: If your chillies are extra hot or if you prefer your sambal milder, you can always change the ratio. Try 500g carrot to 500g chillies or even 750g carrot to 250g chillies. Rescued apple chutney We used to make this chutney a lot when the children were little, using up all the apples from the fruit bowl with only one little bite taken out. This recipe is a good way to rescue fruit that is floury, bruised or wrinkled. Try it with pears, plums or even pumpkin (squash). Change the spices to whatever you have in the pantry. Makes 1 x 500ml (2 cup) jar Ingredients 3 Tbsp olive, sunflower or vegetable oil 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp salt 1 tsp brown or yellow mustard seeds ½ tsp ground cinnamon A pinch of ground cloves (or use 2 whole cloves) A pinch of cayenne pepper 1-2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 3 apples, roughly chopped with the skin on 125 ml (½ cup) red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 55g (¼ cup) sugar of your choice Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion (or that half onion leftover in the fridge) with the salt until soft and sweet. Add the mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne and ginger. Mix well, then throw in the apples, vinegar and sugar. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until you have a thick and glossy chutney (add a little water if the chutney starts to look dry). Taste and add extra spices or sugar if needed. Allow to cool a little, then spoon into an airtight container or clean jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 month. How-to guide Sterilising jars and bottles To sterilise jars or bottles, give them a wash in hot soapy water and a good rinse, then place them upright in a baking dish in a cold oven. Heat the oven to 110°C (225°F) and, once it has reached temperature, leave the jars in the oven for about 10-15 mins, or until completely dry, then remove them carefully. For hot packing, pour the hot chutney straight into the hot jars; for cold packing, let the jars cool before adding your pickles or preserves. To sterilise the lids, place them in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 mins, then drain and dry with clean paper towels, or leave them on a wire rack to air dry. Ensure they are completely dry before using. Heat-processing Also called water bathing or canning, this process uses heat to stop the growth of bacteria. It generates pressure inside the preserving jar or bottle, which forces out any oxygen, creating an uninhabitable environment for micro-organisms. Treating your preserves in this way has two benefits: it lengthens their shelf life, and it ensures the jars or bottles are sealed correctly. Opinions differ on when heat-processing is necessary, but at Cornersmith we encourage our students to heat-process any cold-packed preserves, pickles and bottled fruit as well as large batches of chutneys and jams. Get the biggest pan you have, such as a stockpot the taller, the better and put it on the stovetop. Lay a folded tea towel (dish towel) in the bottom of the pan, then sit your jars on the tea towel, taking care not to cram them in, and keeping them clear of the sides of the pan. (All these measures are to stop the jars from wobbling around and cracking as the water boils.) Roughly match the water temperature to the temperature of the jars (to help prevent breakages from thermal shock), then pour in enough water to cover the jars, either completely or at least until three-quarters submerged. Bring to the boil over medium heat. The heat-processing times given in the recipes start from boiling point, and will generally be 10-15 mins for jars or bottles up to 500ml (2 cup) capacity, or 20 mins for larger capacities. You might have one or two breakages when you're starting out. The worst that can happen is that the remaining jars will swim in pickles for the rest of the processing time. Just keep going, then take the surviving jars out at the end and give them a wipe down. If they all break, you have our permission to have a gin and a lie down! Once the heat-processing time is up, the lids should be puffed up and convex. Carefully remove the hot jars from the water. If you've bought some clamps, now is the time to use them, or you can use oven mitts and a thick cloth to protect your hands. Line your jars up on the benchtop and let them sit overnight. As they cool, a vacuum will form inside each jar and suck down the lid, sealing them securely. In the morning, the lids should be concave: either get down to eye level with the top of the jar to check for the tell-tale dip in the lid, or lay a pencil across each lid to show the cavity below it. If you have concerns about the seal of any of your jars (sometimes a couple of jars fail to seal correctly), store them in the fridge and use their contents within a few weeks.
