Recipes

Chicken, Lemon, Parmesan and Parsely Spaghetti

This is the easiest and most delicious pasta meal I know – and it’s great for lunch or as an entree or main dish.
It will never disappoint.


600g dried spaghetti (buy the best quality you can afford)
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
500g chicken tenderloins (or sliced chicken breast)
1/2 cup good-quality olive oil for dressing
1/4–1/2 cup lemon juice (according to taste)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet (as a rough guide, 100g pasta requires 1 litre of water).

While the pasta is cooking, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan to a medium–high heat. Add half the tenderloins and cook until golden on one side. Turn and cook for 2 minutes or until cooked through. Cook the remaining chicken and set aside until required.

Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice until well mixed. Add the parsley, Parmesan, salt and pepper and continue whisking until creamy.

Drain the pasta – the better you drain it, the better the sauce will stick to it.

Add the cooked chicken and the sauce to the pasta and toss well so that the pasta and chicken are well coated. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Chicken Lasagne with Fresh Basil

Fresh basil is like a mouthful of summer and it adds a real freshness to this rich dish.


Chicken Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
450g chicken mince
1 clove garlic, crushed
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
400g can crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper

White Sauce
50g butter
1 heaped tablespoon flour
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup milk
3 large sheets fresh lasagne
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 190˚C.

To prepare the chicken filling, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chicken mince and garlic and cook for 4–5 minutes over medium–high heat. Mash with a fork to break up the mince as it cooks. Add the basil and tomatoes. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Season to taste.

To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring, until blended. Add the bay leaf and wine and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring over medium heat until
the sauce boils and thickens.

To assemble the lasagne, lightly grease a 2o x 15cm (or thereabouts) ovenproof dish. Add a spoonful of the chicken mince sauce and spread in a thin layer to just cover the bottom of the dish. Add a sheet of lasagne and top with with one-third of the mince followed by another sheet of
lasagne. Add another layer of mince, then another layer of lasagne and a final layer of mince. Top with white sauce and scatter with Parmesan.

Bake for 35–40 minutes until the lasagne is golden brown and bubbling.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4–6

Chicken, Orzo and Roasted Red Capsicum Salad

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that’s quick and easy to cook and perfect for salads.


Lemon Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
zest and juice of ½ lemon
salt and pepper

Salad
2 red capsicums, deseeded and sliced
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup orzo
500g chicken breasts, skinned, boned
and sliced into strips
2 cups baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper

To make the lemon dressing, whisk oil, vinegar, and lemon zest and juice together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Place the capsicums, onion and garlic in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to the directions on the packet. Drain, rinse and drain again well and set aside to cool.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Put the orzo, roasted vegetables and chicken in a large bowl. Add the spinach leaves and toss gently to combine. Season to taste. Drizzle with the lemon dressing just before serving.
Serves 4

Lazy Tiramisu

I like to make these individual serves in little espresso glasses or cups and they can be prepared the day before you need them.


24 sponge fingers (store-bought is fine)
2 cups strong espresso, cooled
500g mascarpone
½ cup caster sugar
100ml fresh cream, lightly whipped
cocoa powder to garnish

Dip two sponge fingers into the espresso and arrange on the base of the first ramekin. Repeat with remaining ramekins.

Whisk together the mascarpone and sugar until smooth. Spoon one heaped tablespoon into each ramekin and spread roughly over the espresso-soaked sponge base.

Combine the cream with the remaining mascarpone sugar mix, whisk well and set aside. Dip the rest of the sponge fingers in espresso and add another layer to each ramekin. Top with the creamy mascarpone mixture and refrigerate until required.
Just before serving, dust each dish with cocoa.

Makes 6 ramekins or small cups