The Australian Women’s Weekly Food Issue 51

Brrrr… it’s cold outside and what could possibly be better than walking in the front door after work and dinner is ready to serve? Enter possibly one of the most favourite kitchen appliances, the slow cooker. This issue we’re encouraging you to drag it out of the cupboard and put it to work. Slow cooker recipes are such a timesaver for busy households – it’s an easy set and forget at the start of the day. Our comfort food dinners, like chicken soup in five ways (page 36), smoky pork ribs (page 88) and meltingly tender pork or lamb roast (page 95) will be sure-fire hits. Don’t think for a minute that the slow cooker is only for soups or casseroles. Our Test Kitchen gurus have come up with tempting desserts like…

Slow cookers are available in a range of shapes and sizes and come with a variety of features. The first step when using your slow cooker is to read the manufacturer’s instructions, as each cooker will differ depending on its features. They will also outline appropriate safety measures, such as not leaving the appliance unattended at any time. Some cookers heat from the base and side, while others heat just from the base; some have timers that cut off after the cooking time has expired, while others have timers that will keep the food warm by reducing the temperature until you’re ready to eat. SLOW COOKER SETTINGS Generally, the longer meat takes to cook, the more tender and more intense the flavours will be; so if you have the time, set your…

Sarah Murphy FOOD EDITOR, AWW FOOD When you think about slow cooker recipes, you don’t always think of desserts! These easy puddings are a simple yet luxe treat – a perfect way to finish a dinner party. CHOC CHERRY PUDDINGS PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES MAKES 4 Grease four 1-cup (250ml) deep heatproof dishes. Beat 125g butter, softened, ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Stir in ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour, ½ cup (50g) dutch-processed cocoa, then ¼ cup (60ml) milk and 60g finely chopped dark chocolate. Drain a 670g jar seeded morello cherries in syrup; fold in half the cherries. Divide mixture between dishes. Place dishes in…

FANCY DRESS No more soggy lunchtime salads, dressings just got convenient! Birch & Waite’s new single-serve dressing packages come in a six-pack of three of their most popular flavours: Green Goddess, Greek Lemon Dressing and Balsamic Vinaigrette. Find them in the fresh salad section of Woolworths. HEATING UP THE KITCHEN Sunbeam’s new Mixmaster Hand Mixer with HeatSoft Technology, $99.95, gently heats ingredients to bring them to room temperature for super smooth mixtures every time – genius! Visit sunbeam.com.au TRAVEL TIPPLES We love planning our foodie adventures! Lonely Planet’s new book Global Distillery Tour, $29.99, showcases top distilleries and bars around the world, so you’ll never go thirsty.…

Cookbook author and television presenter Adam Liaw talks with AWW FOOD about stress-free entertaining and some of his unexpectedly delicious food finds! Tell us about one of your most amazing food experiences while travelling? You can find great food in the most unexpected of places. Most recently I was in the Philippines and a few chefs I know took me out for a meal. We literally walked around the corner from the fancy hotel we were staying in and had the most amazing barbecue of spicy isaw skewers cooked over hot coals. It cost less than five bucks a person. What’s your daggy food guilty pleasure? My guilty pleasure is definitely potato chips – on the couch, watching TV, after everyone’s gone to bed. These days Red Rock Deli is really stepping things up…

The flakey layers of Pampas Puff Pastry make this freezer staple a perfect base for experimenting with your favourite recipes. We love this twist on the classic sausage roll. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Combine 1kg chicken mince, 1 finely chopped onion, ½ cup stale breadcrumbs, 1 egg, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped, ½ cup drained semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped, and 2 tablespoons tomato paste in a large bowl. Season. Halve 5 Pampas Puff Pastry sheets, just thawed. Divide mixture lengthways along centre of each pastry piece. Roll pastry up from one wide edge to enclose filling. Cut each roll into four pieces; lightly score; brush with beaten egg; sprinkle with poppy and sesame seeds. Bake on baking-paper-lined trays for 25 mins until golden.…