The Australian Women’s Weekly Food Issue 55

Christmas trees, baubles and tinsel aside, nothing says Christmas more than a shared table loaded with a festive feast. In this very special issue of AWW Food, we aimed to create maximum inspiration with our Triple Tested recipes and easy craft projects that will make your celebration stress-free and truly beautiful. Every family has their own food traditions and my crazy tribe are quite laid-back, so it’s a glazed ham, a seafood platter and some sensational salads. As a finale it will be our cover star recipe, fancy French meringues placed in the centre of the table with help-yourself bowls of softly whipped cream and fresh summer fruit. Our food editor Sarah Murphy has other ideas: “I’ve had my eye on the rosy peach and panettone trifle for my Christmas dessert…

FRENCH MERINGUES PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES (+ COOLING) MAKES 8-10 1 tablespoon cornflour8 egg whites, at room temperature½ teaspoon sea salt flakes½ teaspoon cream of tartar2¼ cups (360g) pure icing sugar, sifted TO DECORATE pink colouringmelted chocolatethick spreadable caramelsea salt flakescrushed freeze–dried strawberriesfinely chopped pistachiosdried rose petals TO SERVE edible gold leafsprinkleswhipped creamfresh fruit 1 Preheat oven to 120°C/100°C fan. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper; grease the paper and dust with cornflour. 2 Whisk whites salt cream of tartar egg , , and 1 heaped tablespoon of icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture just holds soft peaks. 3 Gradually add the remaining icing sugar. Continue beating at high speed for about 3 minutes or until the meringue is thick, shiny and holds firm peaks. You…

@jillianleiboff created the rhubarb and custard shortcake from our August issue. We’d love a slice of this delight for afternoon tea! The combo of chocolate cake and mousse sent this recipe to the “must make” category for our Instagram fans. Look for chocolate mousse cake on womensweeklyfood.com.au You can’t go past the classic flavours of lime and mint in this all-time fave cocktail, and our Facebook fans agreed! Find classic mojito on womensweeklyfood.com.au Our pinterest community loved this spin on caprese salad, teamed with easy chicken skewers. Search for the peach caprese salad recipe on womensweeklyfood.com.au Visit us on Instagram @womensweeklyfood and tag us #TheWeeklyEats, follow us on Facebook or drop us an email at recipeenquiries@bauer-media.com.au and show us what you’re cooking. womensweeklyfood.com.au…

FRUIT Avocados Apricots Berries: Blackberries Blueberries Mulberries Raspberries Strawberries Cherries Grapefruit Loquats Mangoes Melons Oranges: Valencia Papaya Passionfruit Peaches Pineapples VEGETABLES Asian greens Asparagus Beans: Green Flat Butter Capsicums Cucumbers Eggplants Lettuces Onions: Spring Green Silverbeet Spinach Sweetcorn Tomatoes Watercress Zucchini Mangoes are a truly versatile fruit; they are delicious in salads, cocktails, smoothies and desserts, or as a nutritious snack. Ripe mango flesh can be frozen, dried, cooked and pureed. Brimming with vitamins and calcium and a rich source of fibre and potassium, they are a guilt-free treat. Mangoes are one of the few remaining truly seasonal fruits, available from late September to mid-April. The first sign of their sweet scent evokes memories of eating mangoes on Christmas morning. MANGO VARIETIES In Australia, the most commonly grown mango is Kensington Pride or Bowen, a large, bright orange mango, often with a red blush. Grown throughout the lush sub-tropical and tropical regions of Australia, the major production areas are in Queensland, northern NSW, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. MANGO TIPS Choose A ripe…

STEP-BY-STEP 1 For mango slices, use a large dessert spoon to scoop out the mango flesh away from the skin of the cheek. 2 Gently remove the mango cheek in one piece like you would a halved avocado. Place this, flat-side down, on a board and thinly slice. 1 To cube a mango cheek, score flesh 3 or 4 times vertically (being careful not to cut through the skin), then do the same horizontally. 2 Firmly hold both edges of the cheek and turn inside out. Slice cubed flesh away from the skin to use in salads or eat as is.…

PEAR & WALNUT SALAD WITH TARRAGON PESTO PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4 4 small corella pears (400g), sliced thickly crossways2 stalks celery (300g), trimmed, sliced diagonally1 cup firmly packed fresh celery leaves (see notes)1 baby fennel (130g), sliced very thinly½ cup (50g) walnuts, roasted, chopped coarsely100g blue cheese, crumbled coarsely TARRAGON PESTO 1 cup firmly packed fresh tarragon leaves2 slices white bread (90g), crusts removed¼ cup (60ml) milk¼ cup (60ml) water2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon sea salt 1 Make tarragon pesto. 2 Cook on a heated oiled pear barbecue (or grill or char-grill pan) until browned lightly on both sides. 3 Place pear in a large bowl with celery and celery leaves, fennel and walnuts; toss gently to combine. Season to taste. 4 Serve salad topped with the tarragon pesto and blue cheese. TARRAGON…