Eat Well Issue #38 2021

Chicken parmigiana is a dish that graces menus in pubs around Australia, but it may surprise you to know that chicken was not originally part of the dish at all. In fact, parmigiana began life in Campania (southern Italy) and Sicily, where it was known as melanzane alla parmigiana. It was made using thin slices of eggplant laid at the bottom of a dish, drizzled in olive oil, topped with Napoletana (tomato-based) sauce, herbs and mozzarella cheese, then baked. These ingredients were all accessible to even the poorest families and eggplant parmigiana was known as one of the la cucina povera (from the kitchen of the poor) dishes. It was not until Italian migrants in the United States found themselves better off and with access to meats such as chicken…

The myriad of Asian green varieties available are regulars in our cooking these days. Whether it be baby buk choy (at its peak during spring and autumn), choy sum or gai lan, they all offer a delightful taste and spectacular nutrition. Whatever your favourite Asian green, it is best to separate the leaves and stems before cooking as the stems take longer to cook. In general, however, Asian greens take very little to cook. A brief steam or stir-fry is all that is required, and they will combine beautifully with sesame oil, chilli, garlic, coconut milk, soy sauce or ginger. With Asian greens, keeping it simple truly is best.…

Daughters have a way of looking right through you. Mostly, I choose to kid myself, it is a look of familiar acceptance laced occasionally with appreciation. On a recent occasion, however, I detected questioning and a distinct overtone of disdain. It was early morning and, as I prepared myself for the physical and intellectual rigours of the day, I was getting on the outside of a hot cup of coffee. It was at this moment that I detected the searching gaze of my daughter. “Is everything OK?” I ventured hesitantly. “Why do you always have a black coffee every morning?” she came straight to the point. It was on my lips to respond with a dismissive, “Because I like it” when I realised that would not really be answering the question. The issue here was…

Naomi Sherman Naomi Sherman is a food photographer and stylist who creates edible artistry in her studio located in the beautiful Huon Valley in Tasmania. A firm believer that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to good health, Naomi loves to create recipes that are fresh and bursting with flavour, with an emphasis on gluten- and refined-sugar-free dishes. Find her recipes, along with her award-winning cookbook Edible Heirlooms, at naomishermanfoodcreative.com Georgia Houston Georgia Houston is an accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist with a degree in psychology. An advocate for the un-diet movement, Georgia specialises in eating disorders and supports her clients one-on-one in healing their relationship with food and body. Georgia’s passion for helping those with a complicated relationship with food stems from her own experience with an eating disorder in her late teens. Through…

Hibiscus tea, made from the plant species Hibiscus sabdariffa, has been enjoyed in Egypt and Sudan for centuries where it is known as karkade. In ancient Egypt, the tea was primarily served cold and was mainly used by the Pharaohs to cool off in the desert heat. Today, hibiscus tea is enjoyed around the world. Just pour boiling water over dried hibiscus flowers and leave to stand for five minutes. You can sweeten as desired and consume hot or cold. Juices such as pineapple go beautifully with this antioxidant-rich tea that has a tart tang quite similar to cranberries.…

“As an added flavour burst, peas can go into soups, pasta sauces, omelettes, stir-fries and frittatas.” The modern garden pea is thought to have originated from the field pea that was native to central Asia and the Middle East. Centuries of cultivation and selection for certain characteristics have resulted in the pea that we know and love today. Since its cultivation dates back thousands of years, the pea is widely regarded as one of the first food crops to be cultivated by humans. Peas were apparently consumed in dry form throughout much of their early history and did not become widely popular as a fresh food until changes in cultivation techniques that took place in Europe in the 16th century. Peas in your garden To grow peas, plant pea seeds in the ground…