Category: Recipes

When strawberries are in season and cheap, and you have apples that need ‘using up’, what do you do? Throw together this scrumptious jam! The lemon adds a bit of tang and the vanilla rounds off the flavours beautifully.

1 red apple such as Pink Lady, cored and quartered
Juice of ½ lemon
500g strawberries, hulled
170g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place apple in TM bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add lemon juice, strawberries, sugar and vanilla. Cook for 35 min/105°C/soft speed with simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Pour into sterilised jars, seal firmly and turn upside down until cooled.

This Lebanese appetiser is similar to hummus except it uses eggplant instead of chickpeas. Basically a mixture of mashed eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic, some variations spice it up with ground cumin and top if off with chopped parsley.

Traditionally the eggplants are roasted over an open flame, some people cook them on the BBQ or under the grill, but I find it easiest to bake mine in the oven.

Serve it as a dip with pita bread and crudités or even use it as a spread. What’s more it tastes even better when made in advance and will keep a few days in the fridge.

I use a very small amount of olive oil to add a creamy taste and texture. You can also add a swirl on top when serving to make it look pretty but, if you’re oil-free, just leave it out completely.

2 medium eggplants
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 60g)
60g tahini
1 teaspoon cumin
½-1 teaspoon salt according to taste
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Paprika for garnishing
Extra olive oil for garnishing (optional)
Chopped parsley for garnishing (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a tray with baking paper. Prick eggplants in several places and place on tray in oven for 30 minutes. Remove eggplants, cut in half lengthways and return to oven tray, cut side down. Add the garlic cloves to tray and bake for a further 15 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh out of eggplants and squeeze flesh out of garlic. Place in TM bowl, add remaining ingredients apart from those for garnishing and blend 10 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides and repeat two or three times until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer to serving bowl, add a swirl of olive oil if using, and sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley.

This ‘anything goes’ Indian-style curry is so flexible. You can vary the ratio of hard to soft veggies, throw in some frozen vegetables such as peas or canned vegetables such as corn kernels. If you have tomatoes that need using up, roughly chop and add them instead of the canned version.

You can use fresh turmeric (add with ginger) or ground (add with other spices) and if you don’t have frozen stock cubes, just add a regular stock cube or stock paste with the tomatoes and water.

1 small teaspoon chilli flakes
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 knob of fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 frozen vegetable stock cube (see recipe for PP Veggie Stock in Back to Basics)
20g EVOO or oil of choice
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (if not using fresh)
400g can diced tomatoes
100g water (use it to rinse out tomato can)
350-400g diced hard vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot
350-400g diced soft vegetables such as capsicum, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower
270g can coconut cream
1 teaspoon garam masala (see recipe in Spice Blends)
400g chickpeas (canned or cooked yourself)
Handful of coriander or parsley leaves (optional, depends what you have on hand)

Set TM on 10 sec/speed 7 and drop chilli, garlic, ginger and fresh turmeric, if using, onto spinning blades through hole in lid. Add onion and stock cube. Chop 5 sec/speed 5 and scrape down sides. Add oil and spices. Cook 3 min/120°C/speed 1.

Add diced tomatoes and water. Place hard veggies in Varoma dish and soft veggies on Varoma tray, put in place, cover and cook 25 min/Varoma/speed 2. Check veggies and if cooked to your liking transfer to ThermoServer.

Add coconut cream, garam masala, chickpeas and herbs to TM bowl. Heat 3 min/100°C/REVERSE speed 2, pour over veggies in ThermoServer and stir to combine. Serve with rice, Indian bread such as naan or roti, yoghurt and chutneys.

TIP
If using potato with your hard vegetables, dice fairly small.

Not surprisingly the main ingredient of olive tapenade is olives. However the name for this delicious spread from the south of France is derived from the Provençal word for capers, ‘tapeno’.

So traditionally tapenade consists of pureed olives and capers along with olive oil, lemon juice and very often anchovies. My version uses an eighth of a lemon, peel and all – so the Thermomix is basically turning it into lemon zest as well as juice. I’ve also added some Provençal herbs as it seems appropriate and I have lots growing in the herb garden.

If you’d prefer a vegan version, omit the anchovy fillets and add some sun-dried tomatoes instead.

2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only
2 sprigs oregano, leaves only
2 large sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1/8 of a large lemon, peel and all, no pips
300g pitted kalamata olives
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
15g baby capers
Good grinding of black pepper
30-35g EVOO

Place garlic, herbs and lemon into TM bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 8. Scrape down sides and repeat.

Add remaining ingredients and chop 5 sec/speed 7. Scrape down sides and repeat.

This is my version of a fabulous recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi, the renowned chef, restaurant owner, food columnist and author of several best-selling and award-winning cookbooks.

Although not a vegetarian himself, many of Ottolenghi’s recipes are vegetarian or vegan. I’ve adapted his Cauliflower Cake recipe for the Thermomix, thrown in a couple of cloves of garlic (‘cos our family loves it!) upped the quantity of rosemary and subbed oregano for basil (‘cos the herb garden is going wild with it!). I’ve also reduced the quantity of oil and given alternatives to make it dairy free and gluten free.

1000g water
450g (1 small) cauliflower, broken into 3cm florets
Melted butter or oil for brushing
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-2 teaspoons rosemary leaves
40g EVOO
7 eggs
½ cup fresh basil or oregano leaves
120g plain or GF flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
150g coarsely grated parmesan or 80g nutritional yeast flakes (‘nooch’)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Add water to TM bowl, place florets in Varoma and steam for 20 min/Varoma/speed 2 or until cauliflower is quite soft. Set aside to dry. Empty water from TM bowl.

Meanwhile line the base and sides of a 24cm springform cake tin with baking paper, brush with melted butter or oil and sprinkle in combined seeds so they stick to the sides.

Cut 4 slices, each 5mm thick, off the onion and set aside. Halve remainder of onion and place in TM bowl. Add garlic and rosemary. Chop 6 sec/speed 6, scrape down sides and repeat. Add oil and sauté 3 min/120°C/speed 1. Allow to cool and add eggs and basil or oregano. Mix 5 sec/speed 4.

Add flour, baking powder, turmeric, cheese or ‘nooch’, salt and pepper. Mix 5 sec/speed 4, scrape down sides and repeat. Add cauliflower and mix 10 sec/REVERSE speed 2. Pour mixture into prepared pan and arrange reserved onion rings on top.

Bake in centre of oven, preheated to 180°C, for 45 minutes, until golden and set. Make sure a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave at least 20 minutes before serving either just warm or at room temperature.

A dreamy, delicious, decadent dessert that’s also dairy free and sugar free.

Its creamy chocolatey deliciousness is divine any time of the year but, as there is no baking involved, you can serve it in the height of summer and still keep your cool.

Use whatever nuts you like or have on hand. I tend to use a combination of almonds and walnuts with maybe some macadamias or brazil nuts thrown in but cashews, pecans or hazelnuts should also work.

NUTTY PIE CRUST
250g nuts such as almonds, walnuts and a few macadamias
100g pitted Medjool dates (unsoaked)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING
100g pitted Medjool dates, soaked and drained
150g water
80g pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
250g avocado flesh (2-3 avocados depending on size)
50g cocoa or cacao powder

YOUR CHOICE OF DECORATION

Lightly grease or spray a pie dish.

Add all crust ingredients to TM bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 9. Scrape down sides and repeat. Press firmly and smoothly into pie dish and place in fridge.

Place dates, water, maple syrup and vanilla into TM bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides and repeat. Add avocado and cocoa or cacao powder. Beat 10 sec/speed 5, scrape down sides and repeat until smooth and creamy. Add to pie crust and place in fridge to set.

Before serving, decorate with berries, fruit and/or nuts.

This delicious dip combines all the goodness of carrots – a great source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants – with the classic and complex Moroccan spice blend, ras el hanout.

Preserved lemon imparts a tangy, salty touch so there’s no need to add salt.

It is gluten free, oil free and dairy free yet sublimely creamy so dip right in!

900g water
350g carrots, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
½ bunch parsley or coriander leaves and stalks (not roots)
¼ of a large preserved lemon
1 teaspoon ras el hanout
150g silken tofu
½ to 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

Add water to TM mixing bowl. Place carrots in TM simmering basket and cook 25 min/Varoma/speed 3. Test with skewer and, if not tender, cook for a further 5 minutes if necessary. Remove simmering basket and reserve 50g cooking liquid from TM bowl. Discard rest of cooking liquid and allow carrots and TM bowl to cool.

Place garlic, ginger, coriander and preserved lemon into mixing bowl, chop 5 sec/speed 5 and scrape down sides. Add ras el hanout and 50g cooking liquid. Sauté 3 min/120°C/speed 1.

Add carrots, tofu and maple syrup or honey. Blend for 30 sec/speed 5 increasing to speed 9. Repeat if necessary until desired consistency is reached.

This tasty salad features brown rice, one of the world’s healthiest foods. This is because only the outermost layer, or hull, has been removed so it maintains its status as a whole grain. It provides a good dose of many nutrients such as fibre, manganese, magnesium, selenium, iron and some B vitamins.

I’ve used the veggies I had on hand but use whatever you have available – capsicum, celery, carrot and so on – and chop them in the Thermomix to save time if you like. You could also replace the kale with rocket or baby spinach.

Smoked salmon is quite high in sodium so you probably won’t want to add any salt.

1000g water
200g rice
2 cloves garlic
1 knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/8 fresh lemon, peel and flesh, no pips
25g EVOO or oil of choice
15g vinegar such as ACV or red wine vinegar
2-3 big handfuls of kale leaves
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
3-4 green onions, sliced
½ punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
½ can corn kernels, drained
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained
1-2 tablespoons fresh dill
200g smoked salmon, sliced

Pour water into TM bowl. Weigh rice into simmering basket, rinse and place into position. Cook 30 min/Varoma/speed 4. Remove and rinse rice with cold water to cool and then place in salad bowl.

Empty water out of TM bowl and add garlic, ginger and lemon. Turbo for 2 seconds, scrape down sides and repeat. Add oil, vinegar and kale. Chop 2-3 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides and repeat. ‘Massage’ for 2 min/REVERSE soft speed and add to salad bowl with rice.

Add cucumber, onions, tomatoes, corn kernels, capers, dill and salmon. Mix together gently but thoroughly.

Blood oranges are rich, sweet and have a gorgeous deep red pulp with a slight berry-like taste. They make a wonderful marmalade, especially with a splash of Grand Marnier to really bring out the orange flavour.

Like other citrus fruits, they are an excellent source of vitamin C and are high in antioxidants.

400g blood oranges (include ½ lemon)
120g water
250g raw sugar
45g Grand Marnier

Wash fruit, cut into pieces and remove pips. Peel away some of the rind if you like, depending on how much you want in your marmalade. If fruits are very pithy, discard some. If fairly thin skinned, don’t bother.

Place fruit and peel in TM bowl. Chop 6 sec/speed 6. Scrape down sides and chop a further 3 sec/speed 6. Repeat if necessary to reach your preferred chunkiness.

Add water. Cook for 25 min/105°C/REVERSE soft speed. Add sugar and cook for 15 min/105°C/REVERSE speed 1 with simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Add Grand Marnier and cook 5 min/105°C/REVERSE speed 1 with simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Pour into sterilised jars, seal firmly and turn upside down until cooled.

Garam translates as ‘warm’ and masala as ‘spices’ but it is not a hot spicy mix. Rather this refers to the spices having a warming effect on the body and believed to have beneficial digestive and medicinal properties.

A staple of Indian cooking, there are thousands of recipes for this fragrant blend that vary across regions and states, from chef to chef, household to household and according to personal tastes.

Some typical spices that can be used are coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel, caraway, cardamom, cloves, star anise and nutmeg. My recipe uses all these!

10g coriander seeds
10g cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks (approx. 10g)
10g black peppercorns
8g fennel seeds
8g caraway seeds
3 black cardamom pods
8 green cardamom pods
3g whole cloves
2 star anise
1 nutmeg

Place all ingredients in TM bowl and dry roast 10 min/Varoma/speed 1, leaving MC off to keep seeds as dry as possible. Allow to cool slightly and place a sheet of paper towel between the TM lid and MC to stop seeds flying out. Mill 30 sec/speed 9. Scrape down sides and repeat.