Mushroom and Native Thyme Pizza

Homemade pizzas can be created in a myriad of ways, and the options for toppings are pretty much endless. One of our faves is the Broccoli and Salmon Pizza with Seafood Sprinkle.

This mushroom and native thyme pizza may well be my personal top choice from now on, though! I used fresh native thyme, as the plant I bought from Aussie Food Plants is very happy in my Dandenong Ranges garden, but dried native thyme would be awesome too.

Ingredients

200gm swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
1 large wholemeal pita bread
1/4 cup goat curd (I used Udder Delights goat curd, but a soft chevre would be great too, or even Persian Fetta)
1 tablespoon chopped native thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried native thyme
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

2. Spread the pita bread evenly with the goat's curd.

3. Top with the sliced mushrooms and native thyme. Drizzle with olive oil.

4. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes.

Serves 1. Mmm, warm and tasty :)

Zucchini Pasta with Native Spices

Zucchini pasta is a great lunch or side-dish for those on a low-carb way of eating, or just for a way to get more veg into your day! The flavours are fairly simple here, enhancing the subtle zucchini flavour, but can be spiced up to taste.

Ingredients

2 zucchinis
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1 tiny pinch chilli flakes, or you could also use Tanami Fire
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Native Thyme
1/4 tsp Ground Wattleseed

Method

Cut the zucchini into thin, long strips. Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat, reduce to medium-high and add garlic. Stir for about 20 seconds and then toss in the zucchini.

Stir fry zucchini until al dente (softened but still with a firmness to bite on) and then add the spices. Combine well and serve! Serves 1 as a meal or 2 as a side.

Chicken Lasagna with Native Thyme

Lasagna is such a versatile fish and I love to experiment with it. This chicken version features native thyme and native pepper.

Ingredients

500gm free range chicken mince
200g mushrooms, finely chopped
600gm passata
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch spring onions, approximately 8cm in length from the white end, chopped finely
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 tsp Outback Pride Native Pepper Seasoning
1 tbsp Outback Pride Native Thyme
1/2 cup grated low fat tasty cheese
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 packet lasagna sheets


Step One

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. In a large frying pan, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds before adding the spring onions. After 1-2 minutes of cooking the spring onions, add the zucchini to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Throw in the mushrooms and cook the vegetables until the mushrooms have softened. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step Two

Heat the rest of the oil in the frying pan. Add the chicken mince to the pan and cook, stirring to break up the meat evenly, until cooked through. Return the vegetables to the pan and pour in the passata, adding the native thyme and native pepper seasoning at the same time. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, simmering for 10 minutes or so.

Step Three

In a baking dish, layer the lasagna sheets with the chicken and vegetable sauce. Top with the grated cheeses and freshly cracked black pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, covering with aluminium foil if needed to prevent over-browning the top. Serve with a fresh green salad and bread.

Serves 6.

Native Thyme and Lemon Myrtle Chicken Casserole

This is a tasty casserole that can be adjusted depending on taste and supply - try leek or onion instead of spring onion, for instance, use whatever sort of mushrooms you have on hand and add additional vegetables or a tin of cannellini beans to bulk it up! For a lighter colour, replace flat / field mushrooms with button mushrooms. I tend to serve it with rice, but it is also fab with crusty bread and butter.

Ingredients

600g free range chicken thigh fillets, roughly chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
250g flat mushrooms, chopped
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
1 zucchini, grated or finely chopped
2.5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup low fat cream
1 tsp Lemon Myrtle Flakes
1 tsp Native Thyme
1/2 tsp Native Pepper Seasoning
Cracked pepper and salt to taste
Chopped parsley leaves, to garnish

Step One

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring now and then, until browned. Set aside.

Step Two

Melt the butter in the pan and add the spring onions, zucchini and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes and then add the mushrooms. Continue to cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mushrooms have softened. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute.

Step Three

Return chicken to pan along with chicken stock and native herbs, and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Step Four

Place in pre-heated oven and cook for approximately 1 hour.

Alternatively, place in a slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 3 hours.

Serves 4-5

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.

Native Thyme and Lemon Myrtle Roast Chicken

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend - it is nice to have a few days 'off'!

Today's recipe is a tasty method of adding native, zesty flavour to a good old roast chook. Most of us have our own methods for roasting chicken, so I will be fairly general about it :)

Ingredients
1 standard Roast Chicken (I prefer free-range)
3 tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons Native Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Ground Lemon Myrtle
1 teaspoon crushed garlic

Step One

Preheat oven to 220 degrees. Combine butter, thyme, lemon myrtle and garlic in a small bowl. Mix well.

Step Two
Use your fingers to make a pocket between the chicken breast meat and the skin. Push the herb butter mix in between the skin and the meat, pressing from the outside to spread evenly.

Step Three

Insert stuffing, if desired, into the chicken cavity. I also like to add half a lemon or some whole garlic cloves, depending on the stuffing flavour.
Place the chicken in a roasting dish. Brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil.

Step Four
Place roasting dish in the hot oven for 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to a moderate 180 degrees. Cook for approximately 50 minutes or until juices run clear when skewered.

I like to roast a variety of vegetables in the pan with the chicken, such as sweet potato, potato, pumpkin and carrot. Add these during the cooking process, depending on the vegetable type and size of the pieces. Larger pieces of potato, for instance, can start off in the pan with the chicken. Pumpkin should be added half-way, unless they are very large pieces.

Step Five

Cut chicken into portions and serve with vegetables.

Native Summer Meatballs

This recipe is a native interpretation of Nigella Lawson's recipe for 'Summer Meatballs' and a fave in our family. It reheats well, and is great for the kids - my two love it, and there are plenty of hidden vegies in the sauce! This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Ground Lemon Myrtle
1/4 cup olive oil
20g butter
1 tsp caster sugar
3 cups - 750ml - tomato passata (tomato puree)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Steamed basmati rice, to serve

Meatballs Ingredients

500gm kangaroo mince
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs, approximately
1 garlic clove, minced
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan
1 tablespoon Native Thyme
1 teaspoon Saltbush Flakes


Step One


Process the onion, garlic, celery and Ground Lemon Myrtle in a food processor until mushy. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the processed vegies with a sprinkling of salt to stop them browning. Cook gently for about 10 minutes or until they soften.

Step Two

Add sugar and passata to the pan, with 2 cups water. Cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Uncover and add the milk, gently cooking for a further 15 minutes before adding the meatballs.

Step Three


In the meantime, place all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix together very thoroughly. Take rounded teaspoonfuls of meatball mixture and roll them gently into balls with your hands. Place to one side until all the meatballs are formed. When your sauce is ready, add the meatballs to the simmering pan. Give the pan a quick shake to make room for more meatballs as you drop in each batch.

Step Four

Partially cover the pan with a lid, and simmer the meatballs and sauce over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve the steamed basmati rice among bowls and top with the sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and extra parmesan if desired.

Native Herb Crumbed Chicken

I'm going to introduce this blog with a recipe for an old family fave, reinvented with the addition of native herbs. My mum used to make these crumbed chicken drumsticks, and even though I never got the official recipe, I remembered enough of the general idea to come up with this new version!

Ingredients

Approximately 8 large chicken drumsticks (or 10 smaller ones)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 1/2 teaspoon saltbush flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon mountain pepper flakes
3 teaspoons native thyme
1 teaspoon kutjera

Step One

Preheat oven to about 200 degrees. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Pull all the skin off the chicken drumsticks and discard. Set chicken aside.

Step Two


Combine breadcrumbs and all herbs on a large plate. Feel free to adjust the quantities and types of herbs used according to what you have, and to your taste. Mix well and then spread out across the plate.

Step Three


Dollop natural yoghurt onto a second large plate. Take each drumstick and coat in the yoghurt before rolling in the herb and breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken pieces on the tray.

Step Four

Use a cooking spray, such as an olive oil spray, to lightly coat all sides of the chicken. The only tricky bit of this recipe is stopping the crumbs from sticking to the tray when the chicken is cooked! Bake the chicken in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the drumsticks, until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Serve hot or cold, with salad. A bit of Quandong and Chilli Sauce would also be tasty on the side :)



OTHER IDEAS
Homemade crumbing is a great way of getting a taste for native herbs and spices. You can use crumbing for your own schnitzels, small pieces of chicken fillet, seafood, steak, etc. I love combining the native herb mix 'Seafood Sprinkle' with breadcrumbs for my calamari rings! If you are a fan of hot and spicy, 'Tanami Fire' would make a great addition to some crumbed steak. You can try out all sorts of herb and breadcrumb combinations, and they are a great way of getting used to the different native herb flavours. Especially in Summer - BBQ season!