Cooking with the Australian Womens Weekly Issue 88

MEASURES One Australian metric measuring cup holds approximately 250ml; one Australian metric tablespoon holds 20ml; one Australian metric teaspoon holds 5ml. The difference between one country’s measuring cups and another’s is within a two- or three-teaspoon variance, and will not affect your cooking results. North America, New Zealand and the United Kingdom use a 15ml tablespoon. All cup and spoon measurements are level. The most accurate way of measuring dry ingredients is to weigh them. When measuring liquids, use a clear glass or plastic jug with the metric markings. The imperial measurements used in these recipes are approximate only. Measurements for cake pans are approximate only. Using same-shaped cake pans of a similar size should not affect the outcome of your baking. We measure the inside top of the cake pan to determine sizes. We…

Christmas trees, baubles and tinsel aside, nothing says Christmas more than a shared table groaning with a wonderful festive feast. In this very special issue of Cooking we bring you maximum inspiration with fabulous recipes to make your celebration truly memorable. If you’re hosting Christmas for the first time, or an old hand looking for new ideas to transform your usual routine, there’s something in this issue for you. Our Test Kitchen team has an abundance of tips and hints to help keep your cooking stress-free this year. Every family has their own food traditions. For my laid-back tribe it’s a glazed ham, a seafood platter and some sensational salads. And the finale will be our cover star recipe, the Calypso Pavlova with Mango Curd on page 10. For mains we’ve got all…

IN SEASON November & December Vegetables Asian greens Asparagus Beans (green, flat, butter) Cabbage Capsicum Celery Chillies Cucumbers Eggplant Globe artichokes Lettuce Mushrooms Onions (spring, shallots, brown, red) Peas Potatoes Radish Silverbeet Spinach Sweetcorn Tomatoes Watercress Zucchini Zucchini flowers Fruits Apricots Avocados Bananas Berries (blackberries, blueberries, mulberries, raspberries, red & white currants, strawberries, youngberries) Cherries Grapefruit Grapes Loquats Lychees Mangoes Melons Nectarines Oranges (Valencia) Papaya Papaw Passionfruit Peaches Pineapples Aussie icons If you know someone who loves Australiana, then we have the perfect gift for them. These tea towels from WilsonPayne celebrate iconic Australia, featuring the Esky, the Hills Hoist, Ugg boots, the Big Merino, native animals and plants, and more. Head to wilsonpayne.com to snag one. MAGIC PUDDING Christmas in a bottle The Four Pillars Christmas Gin is made from distilled Christmas puddings aged in Muscat barrels to create a delicious, spice-laden spirit. It’s great over ice, mixed with ginger ale in a highball, or try it in Chrissy cocktails. You can find it at fourpillarsgin.com SPLASH SOME SOY More versatile than you think In the Test Kitchen, we know that soy sauce can bring…

Calypso pavlova with mango curd PREP + COOK TIME (+ COOLING) 1 HR 45 MINUTES SERVES 10-12 Mangoes add a juicy burst of sunshine straight from the tropics to our favourite Christmas dessert. 225ml egg whites (approximately 6 eggs), at room temperature1½ cups (330g) caster sugar1½ teaspoon white vinegar1 teaspoon corn flour450ml thickened cream1 cup (280g) thick vanilla coconut yoghurt2 Calypso mangoes, thinly sliced to decorateflaked coconut, toasted, to decorate1-2 tablespoons lime juice, extra CALYPSO MANGO CURD 1 Calypso mango2 tablespoons lime juice⅓ cup (75g) caster sugarpinch of fine table salt4 egg yolks110g cold unsalted butter, chopped 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan. 2 Whisk egg whites with an electric mixer on medium high until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more. Once all the sugar…

from the Test Kitchen You will need ½ cup (100g) shelled edamame. Use a V-slicer or mandoline to thinly slice the radishes and cucumber, if you have one. Seaweed salad is available from fishmongers, sushi bars and salad bars. You can use smoked ocean trout instead of the salmon and watercress or spinach leaves instead of the tatsoi and mizuna, if you like. Smoked salmon salad with Japanese dressing PREP & COOK TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 6 340g asparagus, trimmed, cut into short lengths2 cups (200g) frozen edamame pods, shelled (see notes)500g small radishes, sliced thinly (see notes)1 medium telegraph cucumber (400g), sliced thinly (see notes)200g tatsoi leaves200g mizuna leaves50g seaweed salad, optional (see notes)600g smoked salmon slices2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted JAPANESE DRESSING 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil¼ cup…

Zucchini & almonds Cut 6 small zucchini lengthways into four. Heat ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat; cook zucchini, in two batches, for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon. Add ½ cup flaked natural almonds to pan; cook, stirring, 3 minutes or until golden. Return zucchini to pan; toss to combine. Season and serve with lemon cheeks. Cavolo nero & mustard seeds Trim 5cm from stem end of 190g cavolo nero; discard. Cut remainder of stems in half crossways. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat; cook 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds and 1 clove crushed garlic, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add cavolo nero; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until…