Category — Recipes

Rhubarb is currently in season in Australia, and whilst most people think rhubarb is a fruit it is actually a vegetable. Known for its tart, tangy and slightly sharp taste, rhubarb is a great filling for pies and crumbles, marries beautifully with cream and custards and also has its place in savoury dishes. I have wonderful childhood memories of my Mum’s delicious rhubarb crumble…

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Sometimes I crave simple, honest food. Foods prepared with a minimum of fuss, without fancy ingredients or complex flavours. Something deliciously and unpretentiously homemade, like this banana bread.

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You will be transported to Provence as the aroma of garlic, tomatoes, fresh herbs and olives fill your home when making this recipe.  Chicken is everyone’s favourite, and this tasty dish is equally good as a mid-week meal or a dinner party dazzler. The use of sun-dried tomatoes give this dish an added tangy taste.

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These delectable savoury nibbles are perfect served with a pre-dinner drink. Made with ready-made puff pastry, they are a cinch to make and extremely moreish!

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Limes are in season, and I am fortunate to have a tree which is currently bulging with fruit. As well as give limes away to friends and neighbours, I like to make the most of them in my cooking. This includes these delicious muffins which sing with the flavours of summer. At this time of the year, these are the muffins we serve to our cooking class participants when they arrive, and they are always devoured. They are easy to make too – you’ll have them prepared and ready to cook before your oven is hot!

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Pissaladière is a type of pizza, originating from Provence in the South of France, and comprises caramelised onions, anchovies, olives and fresh herbs. This is an easy version, using ready-made puff pastry and is equally delicious. Serve it as an entrée , for lunch with a salad, or cut it into small pieces and serve as finger food.

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This impressive yet dead easy dish is equally good served at a casual barbeque with salad, or a more formal affair with all the trimmings. Use a selection of whatever herbs you have on hand, such as thyme, rosemary, flat-leaf parsley, oregano and basil, or use coriander, lemongrass, grated lime rind and ginger for an Asian twist.  The success of this dish is in the quality of ingredients, so make sure the herbs are fresh and the beef is grade one. By all means make your own Aioli from scratch, but as this blog is about making entertaining easy, we do like to offer a few acceptable shortcuts from time to time! A Shiraz is the perfect wine accompaniment.

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With the festive season fast approaching, it’s that time of the year to catch up with friends and family before Christmas. Whether you are hosting a party, or have been asked to bring a plate of nibblies along to a someone’s else’s gathering, these tasty morsels will be a hit. Quick, easy and elegant, the spread can be made ahead of time and only needs to be spooned into the pre-bought pastry cups when ready to serve. Perfect with a glass of bubbles!

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Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart, made most commonly with apples, where the fruit is caramelised in sugar and butter prior to baking. Because I like to incorporate local and seasonal produce into my cooking, I came up with this version, where pineapple and passionfruit replace the traditional apple. It’s a tropical twist on an old favourite, and it’s really good!

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Ayam, providers of authentic Asian groceries since 1892, generously sponsor the life’s a feast cooking school by providing us with a selection of their products. As Asian food has such a large influence on cuisine in Australia , many of our cooking classes feature Asian-inspired dishes. Quality of ingredients is paramount at life’s a feast, and consequently our alliance with Ayam is an excellent fit as their products are first class.

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