Dried Mandarin Peels- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“When I was a kid, Mum used to dry mandarin peels on the kitchen windowsill and use them
whenever we were sick. We lived in such a small house that I don’t know how she managed
to find space to dry anything, to be honest. Mum would create a citrus skin steam room,
where we would inhale aromatic nutrients to relieve us of blocked or sore noses. It was such
a simple relief and without modern medicine. All you do is pour boiling water into a large
bowl, add the mandarin peels and wait a minute for the temperature to drop slightly. Cover
your head with a towel, hold your head over the bowl and breathe gently for a minute or
two; you’ll feel your nasal congestion slowly disappear. Dried mandarin peels aren’t only used in traditional Chinese medicine, they are also added to dishes, such as congees, soups, stir-fries, desserts and teas. Once you’ve dried the peels, they will keep for years; in fact, the longer you store them the darker the skins become and the more intense the aroma will be. If you try to purchase aged mandarin (or tangerine) peels in Guangdong, the older ones will cost more, similar to China’s famous aged
pu’er tea. Drying mandarin peels is effortless, therapeutic and rewarding. Better yet, it’s zero waste!
Any varietal of mandarin will do, although each has its unique aroma. Imperial mandarins are very easy to peel, so they are an obvious choice, but choose whatever is available and smells good when you scratch the skin. Today, most commercially grown mandarins are waxed to increase shelf life, so use organic or backyard mandarins if you can find them, as scrubbing the wax off the skin is nearly impossible.” p 161

CHÉN PÍ (陈皮)
mandarins
the sun

Wash the mandarins and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Score a 2 cm circle at the top of the mandarin in the skin only. Remove this mandarin skin and peel, then continue to score and peel the skin from top to bottom in six wedges. Set aside the fruit segments to enjoy later.

Using a serrated knife, scrape away the rind and pith from the peel as this is very bitter and tasteless. Place the mandarin peels on a plate and leave them on a windowsill with lots of sunlight to dry out. Turn the mandarin peels over every day for about a week, until the peels are completely dry. Store in an airtight jar in the pantry.

mayonnaise

120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

5 Minute Enoki Mushrooms- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“No sugar, no salt, ultimate umami! When you’re hungry and don’t have time for food prep,
this is the perfect meal that’s full of flavour. You can use the mushrooms in various ways –
I like to serve them with steamed rice, in a Turkish roll or in a burger. Did I mention they’re
cooked in under five minutes?
Firstly, mushrooms aren’t vegetables, they’re fungi, and they absorb lots of flavour, which
is why cooking them correctly is paramount. While other mushrooms have an abundance of
water, enoki mushrooms do not, and so for this recipe we are not using the wet-fry method
(see page 185), but rather a semi-dry oil method.
I’ve also cooked this recipe using button, flat and Swiss brown mushrooms. For these
types of mushrooms, finely slice them and boil in 50–100 ml of water until the water is nearly
evaporated. Once the mushrooms are cooked, continue with the recipe below, but shorten
the cooking time from 3½ minutes to 1 minute.” p186

Ingredients

SERVES 2–4
21/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2.5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
bunch of enoki mushrooms (about 300 g), trimmed
11/2 tablespoons soy sauce
11/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon cornflour mixed
with 1 tablespoon cold water

Heat the grapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the ginger and leave it to infuse the oil for 30 seconds. Add the enoki mushrooms and use a wooden spoon to separate the strands, then add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and mirin and cook, stirring occasionally, for 31/2 minutes. Add the cornflour slurry and cook for a further 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove the pan from the heat and enjoy the stir-fried enoki mushrooms with steamed rice, in a roll or in a burger.

mayonnaise

120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

Sri Lankan Jack Fruit Cutlets- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“For my 30th birthday, my mates bought me a cooking class voucher. I chose Sri Lankan
cuisine because I love how it uses similar produce to Vietnamese food but in different ways.
In the cooking class I learned how to make Sri Lankan cutlets – deep-fried balls of herbs
and vegetables dusted in flour – and I’ve loved them since. If you purchase a whole green
jackfruit, you’ll find you have more than the 300 g of fruit needed for this recipe, although
you can buy green jackfruit cut and portioned, if you’re lucky. Otherwise, canned jackfruit
also works, but you’ll need to wash out the brine thoroughly and dry the jackfruit chunks
before mixing and frying. Enjoy. “ p 128

Ingredients

250 g potatoes, peeled
600 ml coconut oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra
12 curry leaves, left whole
2 Thai red shallots, finely chopped
2.5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
300 g green jackfruit, skin and seeds removed, flesh cut into 2 cm chunks
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons tamarind paste
75 g (1/2 cup) plain flour
150 g panko breadcrumbs

TAMARIND MAYO
120g (1/2 cup) good equality mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind paste

Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until a knife slips through the potato easily. Drain and mash the potatoes, then set aside. Melt the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the curry leaves, shallot, ginger, garlic and white pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant.

Stir through the jackfruit and 100 ml of water, then cover with a lid and cook for 30–35 minutes, until soft.
Add the mashed potato, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the tamarind paste, and cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is very thick. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Mix the flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and and 150 ml of water in a bowl until you have a pancake batter consistency. Place the panko breadcrumbs on a plate.

Shape the cooled green jackfruit mixture into 2 cm balls. Working in batches, dunk the jackfruit balls in the batter to coat, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until completely covered. Place the cutlets on a plate, ensuring that they aren’t touching, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the tamarind mayo, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside in the fridge.

Heat the 600 ml of coconut oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C on a kitchen thermometer – the oil needs to be high enough to cover the cutlets. Working in batches, fry the cutlets for 3–4 minutes, until golden (don’t let the oil temperature drop below 160°C), then drain on paper towel. Serve hot, with the tamarind mayo for dipping.

mayonnaise

120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Capsicum-The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.

Serves 4 / Prep 10 minutes / Cook 20 minutes
Ingredients:
500 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200 g gluten-free spiral pasta
200 g green beans, sliced
150 g roasted red capsicum (not in oil), drained, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread cauliflower over prepared tray and lightly spray with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Add chickpeas to tray and bake for a further 10 minutes or until cauliflower is light golden and tender.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pan.

Add cauliflower mixture to pasta mixture with capsicum, lemon juice and parsley. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with extra parsley leaves.

TO REFRIGERATE: Store leftovers in a reusable container for up to 2 days.
Serve cold or reheat single portions in microwave.

Paprika Spiced Chicken with Roasted Capsicum Relish-The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.

Serves 4 / Prep 5 minutes / Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 x 300 g skinless chicken breasts
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
200 g roasted capsicum (not in oil), drained, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Method

1. Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin fillets.
   Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 teaspoon paprika. Lightly spray
   a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.
   
2. Meanwhile, to make relish, combine capsicum, parsley, vinegar and remaining paprika in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
   
3. Serve chicken with relish.
   
4. For a heartier meal, boil or steam 8 (320 g) baby (chat) potatoes and divide between
   plates to serve.

Harissa Grilled Prawns with Zucchini and Cannellini Beans -The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.

Serves 4 / Prep 10 minutes + marinating / Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients
1½ teaspoons harissa paste (see tip)
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
500 g peeled raw prawns, deveined, tails intact
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 x 400 g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

• Harissa is a fiery North African chilli paste. You’ll find it in the
  herb and spice section in supermarkets.

1. Combine harissa and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a shallow dish. Add prawns and toss to coat. Cover and place in fridge for 10 minutes.
   
2. Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium–high heat. Cook zucchini, turning occasionally, for 2–3 minutes, until light golden. Add garlic and cannellini beans and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, until heated through. Stir in remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick grill pan or barbecue over high heat. Lightly spray prawns with oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes each side, until cooked through.
   
4. Serve prawns with zucchini and bean mixture. Sprinkle with parsley leaves.
   
   
   

#MeatfreeMonday, Grilled Peach, Tomato and Burrata Salad: Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else – Daen Lia

Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else
Daen Lia
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN: 9781761265952

RRP$29.99

‘Garlic, Olive Oil + Everything Else by Daen Lia, published by Plum, RRP $29.99, photography by Armelle Habib.’

“During the summer stone-fruit season, I have a problem. I am utterly addicted to eating peaches – specially when they are lightly grilled with a touch of sea salt flakes and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Peaches are yearning to be served in savoury dishes. I would be so bold as to say that they are more savoury than sweet. With their tart, floral and delicate flavour, they like to be paired with juicy tomatoes, creamy burrata and slightly pickled red onions – perfection in a bowl! For some reason, whenever I share my love for peaches in savoury dishes, it tends to be rather polarising. While some people get it, others are outraged to see a peach treated the same way as a vegetable. If you are on the other side
of the fence from me, just trust me on this one. Once you begin to cook with peaches the way I do, you will understand what I have been talking about. Join the savoury peach movement and you will never look back.“p53

Grilled peach, tomato and burrata salad with basil olive oil

2 large peaches, cut into 4 cm wedges
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 roma tomatoes, cut into 4 cm slices
¼ red onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons Basil Olive Oil (see page 42), plus extra for drizzling
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 × 125 g burrata
One handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped.

Place the peach wedges in a large bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Mix to combine.

In a chargrill pan over high heat, grill the peach wedges for 1–2 minutes on each side, until lightly charred. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the grilled peach, tomato, onion, basil olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season generously with salt and pepper, gently stir through to combine and leave the salad to sit for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Push the salad to the side and place the burrata in the bowl. Cut the burrata open and drizzle the salad with basil olive oil. Sprinkle the parsley over the top of the salad, then serve.

SERVES 4

Garlic Confit Ragu Bolognese: Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else – Daen Lia

Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else
Daen Lia
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN: 9781761265952

RRP$29.99

‘Garlic, Olive Oil + Everything Else by Daen Lia, published by Plum, RRP $29.99, photography by Armelle Habib.’

“This is one of those recipes that will always happily feed my family or a crowd. I wanted to share this recipe with the option of using either garlic confit or raw garlic, as it’s a great way to show how versatile garlic confit can be and just how quickly you can go through a big batch of it.”p36

Garlic confit ragu bolognese:

Ingredients:

1 × quantity fresh Tagliatelle (see page 150) or 500 g dried pasta of your choice
grated Pecorino Romano, to serve

RAGU BOLOGNESE
500 g beef mince
500 g pork mince
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 white onions, very finely diced
2 carrots, very finely diced
3 celery stalks, very finely diced
20 Garlic Confit cloves (see page 14) or 6 raw garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
185 ml (¾ cup) white wine
700 g passata
4 tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
TIPS
Use a food processor to dice the onion, celery and carrot. It will save you so much time!
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for 2 months.

Method:

To make the ragu bolognese, season the mince with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large saucepan over high heat. Once hot, add half the mince to the pan and fry for 3 minutes, ensuring you do not touch it. You want it to be caramelised and brown on one side. Flip the mince over and cook for a further 2 minutes, until a crust forms on the other side.

Break the mince up with a wooden spoon and give it a quick stir through. Take the mince out of the pan with all of its juices and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle the pan with another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with the remaining mince. Don’t worry if the mince is still a little pink and not cooked through as it will continue to cook once in the sauce. This step ensures we build flavour and texture in the dish.

To the same pan, add another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once there is a slight haze and sizzle coming the pan, turn the heat down to medium–low and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 12 minutes, or until they become fragrant and translucent. Add the garlic confit to the pan and cook for
3 minutes.

Turn the heat to high and add the tomato paste to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring quite often, until it turns a deep-red colour and is almost sticking to the pan. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and stir for 2 minutes or until 80 per cent of the liquid has evaporated. Add the passata, tomato, 250 ml (1 cup) of water, the bay leaves, some salt and pepper and the sugar (if using) to the pan and stir well. Add the
mince and all of its delicious juices and give it a stir. Bring the ragu to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for 2½ hours with the lid on. Taste the sauce as it cooks to ensure it is seasoned to your liking. You may want to add more sugar, salt or pepper. Take the lid off the pan
and cook for an additional 15 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to the boil. If using fresh pasta, cook for 2 minutes or until very al dente. If using dried pasta, follow the instructions on the packet and drain your pasta 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time as it will continue to cook when it’s stirred through the sauce.

Reserve 125–250 ml (½–1 cup) of the pasta cooking water. Combine the drained pasta and the reserved pasta water with the sauce and stir through over low heat for 2 minutes or until you have a smooth and
glossy texture. (As this is an extremely large serving of sauce, you will only need to use half to three-quarters of it. See Tips for how to store leftovers.) Serve with a sprinkling of pecorino romano and my chilli oil for drizzling.

Fennel and Lemon Risotto: Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else – Daen Lia

Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else
Daen Lia
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN: 9781761265952

RRP$29.99

‘Garlic, Olive Oil + Everything Else by Daen Lia, published by Plum, RRP $29.99, photography by Armelle Habib.’

“In my high school years, there was a joke among my friends and I that if a day of the week were to best describe me, it would be Sunday. I love a slow day where I spend a good part of it in my pyjamas and on the couch while eating something extremely comforting. Risotto is my Sunday meal. It’s pure comfort food that will always make me feel nourished and happy. When making a risotto, I like to keep the flavours as simple and delicate as possible. This is quite a traditional risotto, but with a little contemporary twist from the lemon that brings a lovely fresh zestiness to a rich base of white wine, butter and Pecorino Romano.”p82

Fennel and Lemon Risotto

Ingredients

1 large fennel bulb
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 French shallots, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
220 g (1 ½ cups) arborio rice
125 ml (½ cup) white wine
1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
50 g butter
45 g (½ cup) grated Pecorino Romano
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Finely slice the fennel using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Reserve the fennel fronds.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Fry the shallot, sliced fennel and garlic for 10 minutes or until translucent and fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Increase the heat to medium, add the rice to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until the rice becomes opaque. Add the wine and keep stirring until it has been absorbed by the rice.

Add 250 ml (1 cup) of the chicken stock and stir through, until all the stock has been absorbed. Repeat this step five more times, until you have used up all the stock. The rice will start to become plump as it continues to cook and absorb the stock. It should take roughly 25 minutes to cook. When you
have added the last cup of stock you want about 80 per cent of the liquid
to have been absorbed.

Reduce the heat to low, add the butter, cheese, lemon zest and juice and a generous amount of salt and pepper, and stir them through. Take the risotto off the heat and sprinkle the reserved fennel fronds over
the top. Serve immediately. SERVES 4

Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else – Daen Lia

Garlic and Olive Oil and Everything Else
Daen Lia
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN: 9781761265952
RRP$29.99
‘Garlic, Olive Oil + Everything Else by Daen Lia, published by Plum, RRP $29.99, photography by Armelle Habib.’

Description:
Daen Lia’s stunning modern Mediterranean dishes have taken social media by storm thanks to their show-stopping textures and bold flavours. This much-anticipated cookbook is the essential collection of her recipes for lovers of olive oil, garlic, butter and all things delicious.

Every dish is iconic, from Daen’s famous crumbed chicken (that almost broke the internet) and the only bolognese recipe you’ll ever need, to fluffy focaccia, perfect bagels and mouth-watering sandwiches, chilli and other flavoured oils for the pantry, and must-have condiments such as confit garlic, which will change your cooking game entirely.

This confident collection heralds Daen’s arrival as Australia’s new go-to food personality for Mediterranean classics with a fresh, modern, everyday twist.

Recipes include: Italian-style chilli oil, Cheesy roasted garlic bread, Garlic butter crispy smashed potatoes, Popcorn eggplant, Grilled peach, tomato and burrata salad with basil olive oil, Pesto Genovese with ricotta gnocchi, One-pan crispy chicken thighs with caramelised onions & Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with garlic confit and anchovy paste.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

With an enormous worldwide social media following, Daen Lia – dubbed ‘the Olive Oil Girl’ online – has established herself as one of Australia’s most popular digital food creators. Taking inspiration from her Spanish and Italian heritage and global travels, Daen’s generous, accessible recipes celebrate bold flavours and fresh ingredients, bringing a youthful, modern twist to Mediterranean classics.

Daen lives in Melbourne with her partner and daughter.
daenskitchen.com
@daenskitchen

https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781761265952/garlic-olive-oil-everything-else/

My View:
Wonderful fresh and tasty ingredients are combined to create iconic recipes with a Mediterranean twist. Available soon.