Tanami Spinach Curry

This curry is easy and super tasty and loosely based on one published in 'Australian Table' magazine in 2003 - vary the spice according to your preference (I tend to skip one of the green chillies and keep it mild enough for the kids, with natural yoghurt or extra cream to dilute if necessary). Bought packets of pappadums are easy to cook in the microwave - just pop them on a paper towel in a single row for 30 seconds. So quick!

Ingredients:

300g baby spinach leaves
2 mild green chillies
1 tsp tanami fire
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp crushed or finely chopped garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup tomato puree / passata
400g tin baby corn, cut into 1cm slices
1/3 cup cream
Cooked basmati rice, to serve
Pappadums, to serve

Step One

Blanch baby spinach and green chillies in boiling water for 2 minutes, then rinse under cold water. Drain, place in a food processor with the Outback Pride Tanami Fire, then process to a fine paste.

Step Two

Place butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan on low heat, then add garlic and cumin seeds and cook until golden. Add tomato puree, spinach paste and cumin powder, and cook for 2 minutes.

Step Three

Season to taste with salt. Add baby corn and cream, and stir to heat through. Serve immediately with rice and pappadums.

Serves 4

Roast Capsicum and Kangaroo Pasta

On days that are warm (but not so hot that I am unwilling to cook), I like to toss some ingredients in an olive oil base and serve with pasta for a simple, flavoursome meal.

Feel free to experiment! If you prefer vegetarian cooking, replace the meat with another vegetable (sweet potato would be tasty, or roasted pumpkin and zucchini). Replace the kangaroo with an alternative meat or protein. Try a different herb blend to vary the flavour, whatever takes your fancy. Basic experimentation is the easiest way to introduce native herbs and ingredients into your cooking routine.

This type of pasta also makes a good lunchtime meal, with complex carbs and protein to keep you going through the afternoon, which is why this recipe is a single serve. Just double or multiply depending on the quantity you need.

Ingredients

1/3 cup roasted capsicum (approx 1/2 large capsicum, roasted)
1 tsp Outback Pride Desert Flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150gm kakadu (marinated) kangaroo steak
Goat cheese, Persian fetta or similar, to taste
Cooked pasta, to serve

Step One

Put the pasta on to cook while you prepare the dressing. Slice the roasted capsicum and set aside. Slice the steak thinly, or dice if you prefer.

Step Two

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the kangaroo to the pan and toss, lightly frying until just cooked through. Add the roast capsicum to the pan and stir until warmed through.

Step Three

In your serving bowl, combine the cooked meat and capsicum with the Outback Pride Desert Flakes. Stir in the pasta and mix together.

Step Four

Crumble goat cheese or feta over the top of the pasta and serve.

Serves 1

Guacamole

This easy, tasty dip is a great warm-weather treat with vegetable sticks, turkish bread or corn chips. Also fantastic on nachos or served on top of baked enchiladas! I love the touch of chilli flavour from Tanami Fire, but if you prefer a peppery touch rather, try the new Native Pepper Seasoning instead.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocadoes
1/4 cup natural yoghurt
1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Tanami Fire
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
Salt to taste

Method

Use a fork to mash the avocado and combine with the remaining ingredients. Serve!

Wild Lime Soda

My new summer drink of choice is very refreshing and uses the new Outback Pride Wild Lime Cordial.

The Outback Pride cordials are great for entertaining, adding a gourmet touch to your summer drinks or experimenting with fun cocktails (I have a few ideas, I'll keep you posted!).

For this beverage, simply pour a small measure - about 1/2cm - into a short tumbler and add a few ice cubes. Top with soda water, and stir. You could also add a shot of Bacardi White Rum or Vodka to liven it up a little, if you wish. Enjoy!

Smoked Salmon and Sea Parsley Quiche

This is a pretty basic quiche recipe, easy to customise and add to! I wouldn't mind trying this one with some asparagus added, or perhaps replacing the Sea Parsley with Desert Flakes and replacing the salmon with some roast vegetables. A creamy quiche base is like a blank canvas, and great hot or cold. I used a deep quiche pan, about 25cm diameter.

Ingredients

1 extra large sheet frozen shortcrust pastry (or 1 1/2 standard sheets)
6 eggs
300ml cream
2 cups grated low-fat tasty cheese
100gm Smoked Salmon, cut into strips
2 tsp Outback Pride Sea Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Step One


Preheat oven to 230 degrees. Allow pastry sheet to thaw and then press into the quiche pan. Trim any overhanging edges. Prick the pastry evenly all over with a fork, place foil in the pan and weigh down with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Blind bake in a hot oven for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Step Two

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, Outback Pride Sea Parsley and salt and pepper.

Step Three

Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and stir to combine. Stir in the smoked salmon strips.

Step Four

Remove the foil and rice / weights from the quiche base, and pour in the egg mixture. Make sure the ingredients (here, the salmon strips) are evenly spread around the quiche.

Step Five

Sprinkle the remaining cup of grated cheese over the top of the quiche. You may also wish to add some grated parmesan or other variety of cheese to add extra flavour.

Step Six

Bake in a 180 degrees oven for 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Serve alongside salad or as part of a picnic lunch.

Pear Passion Tartlets

These individually served pear tarts are ideal for a dinner party and oh-so-easy to prepare. Each pear and sheet of puff pastry makes four tartlets.

Ingredients

1 sheet butter puff pastry, thawed
1 large, well-ripened pear
4 tablespoons Outback Pride Desert Passion syrup

Step One
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the pear vertically into half-centimetre slices. Place the four largest slices in the four quarters of the sheet of puff pastry.

Step Two

Lay baking paper on a large baking tray. Cut the pastry into quarters and carefully place each quarter - with its pear slice - on the sheet of baking paper. Make sure they aren't touching. Drizzle each tartlet with 1 tablespoon Outback Pride Desert Passion syrup.

Step Three
Place in the moderate oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the pastry around the pear slice is golden and puffy. You may sprinkle with caster or icing sugar if you like, and serve with ice cream or cream.

Pumpkin Carbonara with Desert Flakes

For vegetarians or just for a change, this recipe takes the classic creamy egg and cheese carbonara, ditches the bacon and runs in another direction! Also tasty with tuna instead of pumpkin.

Ingredients

1/3 medium butternut pumpkin, cubed
1 tbsp Outback Pride Desert Flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp cream
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1 small onion, halved and finely sliced
1/2 stick celery, finely sliced
Cooked pasta, to serve

Step One
Place the cubed pumpkin a large bowl and toss with half the Outback Pride Desert Flakes and all of the olive oil until evenly coated.

Step Two

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the pumpkin. Cook, stirring regularly, until the pumpkin has a roasted appearance and is cooked through. You may need to turn the heat down after browning the outside to achieve pumpkin tenderness. This is also a good time to put your pasta on to cook.

Step Three

While the pumpkin cooks, combine the egg yolks, cream, parmesan and the rest of the Outback Pride Desert Flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step Four
Remove the pumpkin from the frying pan with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low (if not already reduced) and add the onion and celery to the pan. Cook the onion and celery, stirring constantly, until translucent and soft.

Step Five

Turn off the heat and return the pumpkin to the pan, stirring to mix it in with the celery and onion. Drain your cooked pasta and return it to the saucepan along with the vegetable mixture. Pour in the cream and egg mixture, and stir until well combined and the sauce gives the pasta a light, glossy appearance.

Serves 4

Apple and Desert Passion Crumble

This recipe is really an idea - the addition of Desert Passion Syrup to the stewed apple base is just divine! If you have your own preferred combo for crumble toppings, feel free to use that instead of the basic mix in this version. The addition of oats to the crumble is also a good idea.

Ingredients:

2 large apples, cut into eighths
1/4 cup water
2 tbsps Outback Pride Desert Passion Syrup
1/2 cup plain flour
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup raw sugar
1 tsp Outback Pride Ground Wattleseed

Step One
Add apples and water to a saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until soft and stewed.

Step Two

Use your fingertips to mix the butter and flour together, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the raw sugar and wattleseed, and stir to combine. Add extra sugar to taste.

Step Three

Spoon the stewed apples into two ramekins and top each with one tablespoon of Outback Pride Desert Passion Syrup. Sprinkle the crumble over the filling, and place the ramekins inside your preheated oven.

Step Four
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until topping has a crispness to it. Serve with ice-cream.

Makes 2 x 250ml ramekin crumbles, serves 2-4

Native Thyme Kangaroo Lasagne

This tasty lasagne is another warm home-cooked favourite. If you already have a favourite lasagne recipe, why not use that but toss in some native herbs for extra flavour? In this version I've used Native Thyme - my personal favourite - but Native Basil would also work, a touch of Tanami Fire would add bite or try Ground Kutjera for a smoky caramel tomato flavour. Just pick one and see how you like it :)

Ingredients

1kg kangaroo mince (or replace with other type of mince)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 onions, quartered and finely sliced
2 large carrots, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
700g passata
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup red wine
3 tsp native thyme
1/2 tsp mountain pepper
375gm ricotta
250g lasagne sheets
1/2 cup each tasty and mozzarella cheese, grated

Step One

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or frypan. Add the garlic to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Add the mince and onion and stir, breaking up the mince and browning all over.

Step Two

Add the grated carrot to the pan, and stir to combine. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, until carrot softens.

Step Three

Pour in the tomato passata, tomato paste and red wine. Stir and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the native thyme and mountain pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Step Four

In a rectangular baking dish, spoon some of the sauce over the base. Top with lasagne sheets and then layer the bolognaise sauce and lasagne sheets. With the second from top layer, spread the ricotta cheese over the top of the sauce before adding the lasagne sheet. Top with the remainder of the sauce and sprinkle with the grated cheeses.

Step Five

Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown all over. Divide and serve with salad and bread.

Serves 6.

Seafood Burritos with Tanami Fire

A yummy, creamy seafood meal with a bite! Just a mild one in this version (family-friendly) but increase the quantity of Tanami Fire if you like getting all spicy with it. I've also gone really easy on the seafood for budget reasons, but the sauce would be even more divine with the addition of scallops, salmon or other seafood. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons Outback Pride Tanami Fire
400gm peeled green (raw) prawns
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/2 red or green capsicum, halved and finely sliced
1 medium onion, quartered and finely sliced
4 flour tortillas
2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup shredded or grated parmesan
1 tablespoon Outback Pride Sea Parsley
1 cup grated low-fat tasty cheese

Step One
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Heat half the oil and half the butter in a frying pan before adding the garlic and Outback Pride Tanami Fire. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the prawns. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until all of the prawns turn pink. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Step Two
Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat. Stir in the onion and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for a further minute. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step Three

Add the remaining butter to the pan and melt. Add the flour to the pan and stir until the mixture begins to froth. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cream and milk. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken and boil. Stir in the sour cream, parmesan and Sea Parsley. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan and stir to combine with the sauce.

Step Four
Add the cooked prawns to the sauce and mix well. Lay the four tortillas, each folded upwards like a taco, in a greased pan (or on baking paper in a baking tray). Fill the middle third of each tortilla with sauce - top to bottom - and then fold each side over it.

Step Five

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the tortillas and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the ends are slightly crispy. Serve on a plate atop Tanami Fire Tomato Sauce.