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Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
From courgette carbonara to coconut cream cake – 8 Italian-inspired lemon recipes
LEMON PANNA COTTA WITH STRAWBERRIES The simplest of puddings, and still one of the best. This is my classic ratio, but infused with a little lemon zest. I use the barest minimum of gelatine to make for the very softest wobble. Use dainty ramekins or espresso cups as moulds. 400ml double cream 100ml milk 50g sugar 3 strips lemon zest 1 vanilla pod, split 2 leaves gelatine (3-4g) To serve 500g strawberries, hulled zest and juice of ½ lemon 1-2 tbsp sugar a few lemon blossoms (if you can find them) or other edible flowers 1 Warm half the cream in a saucepan with the milk, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla pod over a low-medium heat and bring to scalding point. 2 Soak the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water and leave to soften completely – this should take around a minute. 3 Squeeze out the softened gelatine and add to the hot cream mixture, stirring well to dissolve. 4 Add the remaining cream to the mixture and strain it, removing the zest and vanilla pod – this can be saved to use in another recipe. 5 Decant into your preferred moulds and leave in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Ideally, remove from the refrigerator around 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off. 6 Meanwhile, halve the strawberries and marinate in the lemon zest, juice and sugar. Top the panna cottas with the strawberries and flowers and serve. LEMON & COURGETTE CARBONARA This courgette carbonara is lifted by a hefty hit of lemon (both zest and juice) that cuts through the richness of the eggs beautifully. It is also essential to counteract the sweetness of the braised courgettes, which are almost jammy after their slow sautéing in plentiful olive oil and garlic. I use pecorino sardo, which has a lemony flavour and nutty sweetness that work perfectly here. If you can't find it, use parmesan or a mix of pecorino romano and parmesan. SERVES 2 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 1 garlic clove, bashed 2 medium or 3 small courgettes, sliced in half lengthways, then cut into half-moons sea salt 180g pasta of your choice 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks 4 tbsp pecorino sardo (or parmesan), grated, plus more to serve zest of 1 small lemon and juice of ½ small lemon basil leaves, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, then fry the garlic clove until it begins to sizzle and smell good. Add the courgette slices and sauté, stirring regularly, until they are golden all over, beginning to break down and almost jammy. Season well with salt and set aside (or leave to cool, then keep in the refrigerator for future use). 2 Cook the pasta in a large pan of well-salted boiling water until al dente, according to the packet instructions. 3 Meanwhile, mix the egg and egg yolks, cheese and lemon zest and juice into the courgette mixture, and heat very gently, stirring all the time. Scoop the pasta with a slotted spoon and add into the courgette pan along with a splash or two of the cooking water. Stir and toss over a low heat until you have a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Taste for seasoning, add a few fresh basil leaves, extra parmesan and a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil, then serve. BURRATA WITH LEMONY SPRING VEGETABLES & PISTACHIO PESTO Burrata is the sort of cheese you can make a meal from, which makes it extremely useful as well as utterly delicious. Allow half a burrata per person as a starter or a whole one per person as a main with some other salads. This dish is one of my favourite ways to celebrate the abundance of spring vegetables. I chop the pesto by hand because I like it chunky, but if you want to use a food processor by all means do. SERVES 2 large handful of fresh peas, podded a few spears of asparagus (optional), chopped into short lengths large handful of fresh young broad beans (or blanched and skinned if later in the season) zest and juice of 1 large lemon sea salt extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling large handful of rocket large handful of herbs, roughly chopped (I use mint, basil and parsley, but tarragon, dill, chervil and wild fennel would all work well) 1-2 balls of burrata For the pesto 60g shelled pistachios ½ garlic clove, very finely chopped sea salt handful of mint leaves handful of basil leaves 20g parmesan or pecorino, finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon 50ml olive oil 1 Arrange all the fresh vegetables on a platter and scatter with the lemon zest. Squeeze over the juice, season with salt and drizzle a good amount of the oil. 2 Mix gently, then scatter over the rocket leaves and fresh herbs. 3 Put the burrata in the middle of the dish, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle with salt. 4 To make the pesto, roughly chop the pistachios with the garlic, salt to taste and herbs to form a rough paste on your chopping board, then scrape into a bowl and add the grated cheese and lemon zest. Drizzle in the olive oil and squeeze in the lemon juice until it becomes a dolloping consistency. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon or salt as required. Dollop the pesto over the burrata and salad and serve. CHICKEN BRAISED WITH ARTICHOKES, SAFFRON & LEMON A dish with Moroccan Jewish origins, this is a combination of three of my favourite ingredients: chicken, artichokes and lemon. The original recipe also contained cinnamon, but I prefer it without. The saffron provides a subtle, almost sweet and honey-fragrant undernote that works well to counterbalance the sharpness of the lemon. Serve with good bread, olive oil-roasted potatoes or a bitter-leaf salad. Or all three. SERVES 4 4 chicken thighs or legs sea salt 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 240ml dry white wine (I use vernaccia but dry sherry would also be good) 120ml chicken stock or water 1 white onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced good pinch of saffron threads large handful of parsley, roughly chopped 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges 6-8 artichoke hearts 1 Season the chicken pieces with salt. Warm half the oil in a heavy-based sauté pan or casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces (skin-side down first). Without crowding the pan, aim to get a good light brown colour all over, then remove the pieces and set aside. 2 Deglaze the pan with a little of the wine or stock, scrape up all the good brown bits and save this liquid for later. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and place back over a low heat. 3 Warm the remaining oil in the same pan. Sauté the onion, garlic and saffron for 10-15 minutes until totally soft and translucent. Add half the chopped parsley and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the lemon wedges and the artichokes and sauté for a minute or two longer, then add the chicken pieces back in, skin-side up, with the wine, reserved juices and chicken stock or water. 4 Cover partially and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is tender (the juices should run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a sharp knife) and the sauce is nicely reduced. Taste and check for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Serve with the remaining chopped parsley on top. PRESERVED LEMON & HERB YOGURT DRESSING When I worked at the lovely restaurant Spring in London we made a version of this – mostly to go with sea bass, although I have since made many variants for just about anything. It is the palest green, herb-flecked and, with the preserved and fresh lemons, wonderfully zingy – perfect with barbecued food, grilled veg, as a salad dressing or for dunking bread into. It will keep in the fridge for a few days – but for the freshest flavour eat it the day it is made. ½ garlic clove 1 tbsp preserved lemons, mostly rind pieces zest and juice of 1 large lemon 150g thick plain yogurt 1 tsp runny honey handful of mint leaves handful of dill or wild fennel fronds a handful of parsley leaves 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil sea salt 1 Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until the herbs are just pale green flecks and you have a runny, creamy sauce. I particularly like this with roasted red vegetables or grilled peppers. LEMON & COCONUT CREAM CAKE There is something extremely chic about this cake, like a very fine cream alpaca cardigan. The coconut cream makes the crumb extra moist and delicately sweet, and the fragrant zest cuts through everything nicely. I like it as a summer breakfast, or for a celebratory tea. SERVES 8-10 225g unsalted butter, softened 200g sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp salt zest of 2 lemons 3 tsp baking powder 250g plain or 00 flour 200ml coconut cream For the icing 40g coconut flakes 170g mascarpone 100ml coconut cream 50g icing sugar a few drops of vanilla extract zest of 1 lemon 1 Preheat the oven to 180/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin. 2 Beat the butter with the sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the salt, lemon zest and baking powder. Finally, beat in the flour and the coconut cream until you have a smooth batter. 3 Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. 4 Lightly toast the coconut flakes in a small frying pan over the lowest heat (keep an eye on them – they burn very quickly) until just golden around the edges. Set aside. 5 Whip the mascarpone, coconut cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract together and use it to ice the cake. Top with the reserved toasted coconut flakes and lemon zest. LEMON POSSETS IN LEMON BOATS When you are lucky enough to have beautiful, leafy lemons, there is no nicer thing than halving them, scooping out the flesh (to squeeze) and filling them with lemon posset. The flavour of the rind perfumes the posset and provides a perfect picturesque vessel. You will need to scoop out four whole lemons, to create the 'boats' this is served in, but you only use the juice of two, so the pulp from the others can be used in another recipe. SERVES 8 400ml double cream 90g sugar 90ml lemon juice (I use 2 large lemons) 8 hollowed-out lemon halves, to serve 1 Combine the cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Stir gently (the cream will expand a lot) and continue to cook for a minute or two, making sure the sugar has dissolved. 2 Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. 3 Add the lemon juice to the cream mixture, then decant into your lemon boats. (Note: the boats need to be on a flat surface so the liquid doesn't spill.) Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. LEMON BARS WITH POLENTA PASTRY & OLIVE OIL CURD The lemon bar is a teatime classic. Crumbly, buttery, creamy and tart, the sunshine-yellow squares are popular with both children and adults, and constitute an essential part of my Sardinian mother-in-law's grandly named, and even more grandly hosted, 'English teas'. I have added polenta to the pastry to Italianise them a bit. The curd itself is spiked with a little olive oil to make it extra glossy and provide the slightest peppery back note. MAKES 8-10 For the base 100g plain or 00 flour 60g polenta 120g butter a good pinch of salt zest of 1 lemon 80g sugar For the curd 2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks juice of 4 lemons 280g sugar 10g cornflour a pinch of salt 60ml extra virgin olive oil 70g butter icing sugar, to decorate 1 Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line a 25cm x 25cm brownie pan with baking parchment. 2 Blitz all the ingredients for the base in a food processor until you have a fine, damp sand. Press into the base of the tin using the back of a spoon to form a flat, even layer. 3 Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden all over and smelling biscuity. Meanwhile, make the curd. Measure all the ingredients except the oil and butter directly into a saucepan, whisking until smooth. Cook over a medium heat, whisking continuously, until thick. The mixture should come to the boil and then begin to thicken after a few minutes. 4 Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in the oil and the butter until smooth. 5 Pour the curd over the cooked base and then return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until just set. 6 Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then slice into squares, dust with icing sugar and serve. NOW BUY THE BOOK Our recipes are from For The Love Of Lemons by Letitia Clark, with photographs by Charlotte Bland (Quadrille, £28). To order a copy for £23.80 until 15 June, go to or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Shakedown
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Shakedown Constructor: Larry Snyder Editor: Jared Goudsmit CAT SPA (1A: Place where toygers are pampered) A toyger is a breed of CAT with a striped coat similar to a tiger. My CAT, Willow, who is a calico, not a toyger, would likely not be a fan of a trip to a CAT SPA. To be fair, she's pretty pampered at home. In this photo she's sitting on my lap demanding a cuddle, even though I am supposed to be working. NO BUENO (14A: Faux Spanish for "Not good") In Spanish, one would say "NO está BUENO," or "NO es BUENO," to indicate something is not good. RECIPE (15A: "Jump to ___" (food blog button)) Having perused a number of food blogs, I am grateful for the "Jump to RECIPE" button that allows me to start cooking when I'm not in the mood to read all of the backstory. LAKES (17A: Como and Ontario, for two) LAKE Como is located in Lombardy, Italy at the foot of the Alps. LAKE Ontario is the easternmost of the Great LAKES, located on the Canada - United States border. CARLE (18A: "The Grouchy Ladybug" author Eric) The Grouchy Ladybug is a 1977 children's book by Eric CARLE. The story follows the titular character's search for an animal large enough to be worth fighting. The size of the book's pages increase as the ladybug encounters bigger animals. Eric CARLE also wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar. NIGERIA (20A: Benin's neighbor) NIGERIA and Benin are countries in West Africa. NIGERIA is located east of Benin. The capital of NIGERIA is Abuja, and the capital of Benin is Porto-Novo. ROOFS (36A: They cover top stories?) If this clue did not have a question mark, the answer might be journalists. The question mark, however, indicates there is an element of (possibly tricky) wordplay happening. The answer is ROOFS, which literally cover the top stories of buildings. PETER (39A: "Wicked" actor Dinklage) In the movie Wicked (2024), PETER Dinklage voices Dr. Dillamond, a talking goat who teaches history at Shiz University. EVA (53A: Broadway star Noblezada) EVA Noblezada's Broadway roles have included Kim in Miss Saigon, Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, and Eurydice in Hadestown. As I mentioned the other day, EVA Noblezada is currently playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway. O'HARA (58A: Actress Catherine) Catherine O'HARA is known for her portrayal of Moira Rose in the sitcom Schitt's Creek (2015-2020). She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for that role. UNICORN (62A: National animal of Scotland) It's true, the national animal of Scotland is the legendary UNICORN. The UNICORN has been a heraldic symbol of the country since the 12th century. OBOE (8D: Orchestra-tuning instrument) I have previously written about the OBOE being the instrument used to tune orchestras. My husband and I attended an orchestra concert last weekend, and I made a point of listening for the OBOE's tuning pitch. MERCI (10D: "Arigato" in French) "Arigatō" is a Japanese word meaning "thank you." In French, the word for "thank you" is "MERCI." Many people are familiar with the phrase, "Dōmo arigatō, Mr. Roboto" ("Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto"), from the 1983 Styx song "Mr. Roboto." HARVEY MILK (16D: Politician and LGBTQ+ activist who said "Hope will never be silent") HARVEY MILK was California's first openly gay elected official. He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Eleven months into his term, HARVEY MILK and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by a disgruntled city supervisor. CETERA (18D: The "c" in etc.) The abbreviation "etc." stands for the two-word Latin expression "et CETERA," which means "and other things." ALOO (24D: ___ chokha (potato dish)) ALOO chokha is a potato dish in Indian cuisine. It consists of mashed potatoes mixed with chopped chilies, onion, salt, and mustard oil. REDS (34D: Sangiovese, merlot, etc.) Sangiovese and merlot are two varieties of grapes used to make RED wine. The word "Sangiovese" is derived from the Latin phrase for "blood of Jupiter." The name "Merlot" is derived from the French name for "blackbird," thought to be a reference to the color of Merlot grapes. SZA (37D: "Saturn" singer) "Saturn" is the lead single from SZA's 2024 album Lana. "Saturn" won a Grammy Award for Best R&B song. EGOT (57D: Award quartet for John Legend) EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. John Legend achieved EGOT status in 2018 when he won an Emmy Award (his first; he now has six) for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. John Legend also has 13 Grammy Awards, an Oscar (Academy Award) for Best Original Song (2015) for "Glory" from Selma, and a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (2017) for Jitney. ONO (65D: "Starpeace" singer Yoko) Starpeace is a concept album by Yoko ONO. It was released in 1985 as a message of peace in opposition to Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" missile defense system. A few other clues I especially enjoyed: HOLOGRAM (16A: 3D image in many a sci-fi film) TREE (35D: Word after word"family" or "Christmas") IDIOM (50D: "Cut corners," e.g.) SCIENCE FAIR (4D: School exhibition with experiments) HARVEY MILK (16D: Politician and LGBTQ+ activist who said "Hope will never be silent") GIVE ME A HAND (22D: "Little help, please") SHAKEDOWN: The last word of each vertical (DOWN) answer can be paired with the word SHAKE: FAIR SHAKE, MILKSHAKE, and HANDSHAKE. I'm going to be honest; I'm a fan of any puzzle that makes me think I might need to have a MILKSHAKE. I also enjoy seeing SCIENCE FAIR as a theme answer. Hooray for SCIENCE (literally) in the crossword! Thank you, Larry, for this excellent puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for May 24, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The 'Cheap' Lunch My Grandmother Always Made Us, That I Still Make All The Time
Growing up, I spent many lunchtimes at my grandmother's house, usually perched up at the counter stool watching her make me one of her signature lunches. In my mind, she was the queen of lunches. Yet, looking back, all of the meals I remember having often have three things in common: simple, Southern, and 'cheap.' Now, decades later, weekday lunches have become the bane of my existence. Not only do I not want a mess that needs cleaning up, but I also don't want to spend inordinate amounts of money for a semi-healthy, hunger-staving lunch that I have to make myself. Which is why I often find myself turning back to my grandmother's lunches, which look nothing like the delicate salads and fancy wraps that most folks seem to favor today. Perhaps her most controversial—in a child's mind, anyway—but most delectable in my opinion, was her cream-cheese-olive sandwiches. They consisted of her Southerner-approved cream-cheese-and-olive spread on fluffy white bread, sliced diagonally with the crusts cut off, so that they looked fit for a tea party. All in all, it comes out to under-$5 for a more-than-generous serving that I can enjoy at lunch and later. Thanks, grandma!With MyRecipes, your personal recipe box, you can save and organize your Southern Living favorites and thousands more in one Saving Now Cream Cheese and Olive Spread is a Southern classic. It's made simply, starting with just two main ingredients: a block of cream cheese and a jar of olives. While that might seem a bit uninspired to first-timers, give it a taste, and you'll regret ever thinking that. My grandmother's version typically called just for the addition of generous sprinklings of Lawry's garlic salt and black pepper—and that's it. Simple, Southern perfection. Two pieces of sliced bread—or crackers if you prefer—and you're ready to go. As an adult, such an easy and cheap lunch is too good to pass up. Hence, why I've been whipping it up almost weekly like it's my job. It never disappoints as lunch on a sandwich or a snack with Ritz crackers and sliced cucumbers. Related: 30 Sandwich Recipes That Make Lunchtime Anything But Boring Often, I'll make a batch at the beginning of the week and dole it out as I see fit—as a sandwich one day, with crackers the next. Her recipe was simple for a reason, and it's easy to keep all the ingredients on hand, particularly because it calls for so few ingredients that stay good for a while. Don't like olives? Use chopped or shaved cucumbers instead! 1 block of cream cheese, softened (cost: around $2) 1/2 jar of pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped (cost: around $2 for the serving) Worcestershire sauce, a couple dashes Garlic salt, as desired Black pepper, as desired Stir all the ingredients together, season to taste, and you're all set. Related: 40 Easy Party Dips And Spreads To Serve All Year Long There are many possible variations of this recipe that still keep it easy, affordable, and make-ahead-friendly. You can add chopped pecans for crunch, or a spoonful of mayonnaise for extra creaminess. You can double the recipe, which my grandmother often did, giving a jar of the extras to a neighbor. Serve with hot sauce on the side for those who like a kick, which I sometimes favor when eating it with crackers. Sometimes, I'll add chilled smoked salmon (like the affordable Everything Bagel seasoned pack from Trader Joe's) onto the sandwich or crackers for extra protein. Put simply, it pleases me for a quick lunch, and it almost always pleases a crowd. Except for olive haters–bless their hearts. Read the original article on Southern Living
News24
07-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- News24
What are News24 readers cooking? These were April's most popular recipes
April was a month of long weekends and Easter feasts, and our readers were busy bookmarking some truly mouthwatering recipes on News24 Food. From indulgent Easter desserts to quick and easy meal-prep options, we've rounded up the top 10 recipes that you saved over the month of April. 10. The most indulgent chocolate hot cross bun pudding Take the traditional bread pudding to a whole new level and try my chocolatey, indulgent hot cross buns pudding this weekend - you won't regret it! 9. Rack lamb with mustard crust on mushroom risotto Yes, it sounds like a mouthful and a lot of work, but it's actually quite simple. Traditionally, risotto requires adding the stock one ladle at a time, but I add it all at once and stir occasionally to release the starch from the rice. Rack lamb with mustard crust on mushroom risottoDonna Lewis 8. Smoky Spanish chicken This Spanish-inspired chicken dish is packed with smokypaprika, chorizo, and tender, flavourful rice. Smoky Spanish chickenDonna Lewis 7. Air fryer gem squash with crispy bacon and cheese crumbs Like my mother used to make, except I've added a savoury crust for extra texture. If you're looking for a quick and easy weekday meal that also happens to be perfect for meal prep, this is it. 5. Microwave chocolate cake The perfect emergency cake, last-minute bake, and just pure satisfaction for any late-night craving. 4. Midweek quiche in the air fryer A stalwart that you can rely on for a flavoursome meal. 3. Quick and easy creamy mushroom soup topped with grilled goat's cheese The secret? Potato as the base. It makes the soup creamy and gives it enough substance to serve as a main meal. 2. Chef Ollie's curry-battered fish and chips with a coriander and ginger tartare sauce Say it like a Durbanite: 'fush 'n chups.' This batter is so crispy and delicious! Curry-battered fish and chips with a coriander and ginger tartare sauceFreestyle Cooking with Chef Ollie 1. Air fryer Tandoori chicken with a creamy herb sauce Want to try something different for your next braai? Cook this chicken in the air-fryer before finishing it off over the coals.
ABC News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
RecipeTin Eats' Nagi Maehashi bests Brooke Bellamy at Australian Book Industry Awards
Nagi Maehashi, the founder of wildly popular food blog RecipeTin Eats, has bested fellow cookbook author Brooke Bellamy in a major book prize. Both cooks were up for Illustrated Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs), held in Melbourne on Wednesday night, but Maehashi came out on top — just one week after she Photo shows a composite image of two women Brooke Bellamy rejects claims by popular Australian cook Nagi Maehashi that two recipes in the cookbook Bake with Brooki are copied. Last week, Maehashi said two recipes in Bellamy's cookbook, Bake with Brooki, had "specific and detailed" similarities to ones she published on her website. Bellamy has denied the allegations. The ABIAs celebrate books that are popular with readers and with booksellers, and are judged by a mix of publishers, booksellers, librarians, distributors, literary agents and journalists. The latest book from Maehashi, RecipeTin Eats: Tonight, was the Tonight sold more than 78,000 copies in its first week, breaking the record for a non-fiction title. ( Supplied: Pan Macmillan ) "It is hearty and accessible [food], the type of food that everybody loves, so it doesn't alienate people," she said. The overall winner at the ABIAs on Wednesday was John Farnham's memoir, The Voice Inside, co-written with Poppy Stockell, which took out Book of the Year, Audiobook of the Year and Biography of the Year. The memoir, which sold 92,000 copies in 2024, came in third on last year's adult non-fiction bestsellers, after Maehashi's cookbooks. The first-ever memoir from Farnham grew out of dozens of conversations between the musician and Stockell. Farnham's 1985 record, Whispering Jack, is Australia's highest-selling album by a local artist. ( Supplied: Hachette ) She "It was definitely hard for him [to talk about]," she said. "There were a lot of years of really hard experiences. "But he's the master of his story. He's the owner of his narrative. We gently peeked through it and sort of constructed it." The most-loved novels of 2024 Perth-based Irish writer Dervla McTiernan won General Fiction Book of the Year, for her thriller, What Happened to Nina?, while Robbie Arnott won Literary Fiction Book of the Year for his historical-fiction novel, Dusk. What Happened to Nina? was the fourth-most-popular adult fiction book in Australia in 2024, selling 57,000 copies, after the latest from Liane Moriarty, The book is McTiernan's first win at the ABIAs, after being shortlisted for her crime novel, The Good Turn. What Happened to Nina? was inspired, as McTiernan The events in What Happened to Nina? have drawn parallels to high-profile true crime cases, including the murder of Gabby Petito. ( ABC Perth: Mitch Edgar ) "You absolutely believe your son is innocent, because you know your son," she said. "Or [if] you're the parent of a missing daughter [you think]: 'This story that he's telling does not make sense. Why would he lie?' "As a parent, your love for your child is so powerful. Is there anything you wouldn't do for your child? "It just sent me thinking." Arnott's win is also his first at the ABIAs, after being shortlisted in previous years for his novels The Rain Heron and In her review for ABC Arts, Claire Nichols described Arnott as "heir apparent" to Tim Winton as the "master of writing Australian landscapes". ( Supplied: Pan Macmillan ) Dusk is the story of twins Iris and Floyd who hunt a puma through the highlands of 19th-century Tasmania. One inspiration for the book, as Arnott "[What] if they'd been brought over for a reason?" he said. In Dusk, pumas are brought to Tasmania from Patagonia to control the deer population, who are a nuisance to both the environment and sheep farmers. But the pumas begin hunting sheep, and irate graziers go after the cats. By the beginning of the novel, only one puma remains — named Dusk — and it has a bounty on its head. But it has started killing the people who go after it. "While it's [a story] I've completely made up, it also just felt not too far from reality, especially when you look at some of the stranger parts of colonial history in the species that were moved back and forth across the globe on a whim," Arnott said. " We're really great at not learning from the past. " Other winners at the 2025 ABIAs include Australian Book Industry Award winners 2025 ABIA Book of the Year The Voice Inside by John Farnham with Poppy Stockell (Hachette) Audiobook of the Year The Voice Inside by John Farnham with Poppy Stockell; narrated by John Farnham, Jill Farnham and Gaynor Wheatley (Squaresound) Biography Book of the Year The Voice Inside by John Farnham with Poppy Stockell (Hachette) The John Marsden Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+) My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery (Allen & Unwin) Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7–12) Wurrtoo by Tylissa Elisara, illustrated by Dylan Finney (Lothian) Children's Picture Book of the Year (ages 0–6) The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Danny Snell (Bright Light) General Fiction Book of the Year What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (HarperCollins) General Non-fiction Book of the Year The Chairman's Lounge by Joe Aston (Scribner) Illustrated Book of the Year RecipeTin Eats: Tonight by Nagi Maehashi (Pan Macmillan) International Book of the Year The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre) Literary Fiction Book of the Year Dusk by Robbie Arnott (Picador) Small Publishers' Adult Book of the Year All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot by Lucinda Price (Pantera) Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press) Social Impact Book of the Year Brainstorm by Richard Scolyer with Garry Maddox (Allen & Unwin) The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year We Are the Stars by Gina Chick (Summit)
