24 Mini Yorkshires
Serves: 12 people
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
2 eggs
180ml milk (approx, see method for clarification)
100g plain flour, sifted
½ level tsp salt
Vegetable oil

Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C.

Using a 24-hole mini muffin tray, carefully pour 3mm of vegetable oil into each hole.

Tip: If roasting beef, use the fat from the roasting tin instead, and supplement with extra oil if necessary.

Place the tray with oil into the preheated oven.

While the tray and oil are heating, crack both the eggs into a measuring jug and add enough milk to take the volume to 300ml.

Pour into a bowl and whisk together.

Add the salt and flour and whisk until very smooth with no lumps.

Carefully remove the tin from the oven, making sure the oil or fat is very hot (the batter should sizzle when it is poured in).

Fill each hole with batter, halfway up the top of the tin.

Return to the oven immediately and bake for 9-12 minutes or until well-risen and golden.

Do NOT open the oven before the puddings are done, as they will easily collapse! Instead, watch their progress through the glass.

Serve immediately as a side to your favourite roast and gravy.

Tip: For larger puddings, use a 12-hole cupcake tray, adjusting the cooking time to 15-20 minutes (or until well-risen and golden).

Looking for inspiration in the kitchen? Try one of our recent recipes.

“Making scones is actually really quick and easy,” said Housien. “It only takes 20 minutes to make them from scratch, to the table!”

After striking up a conversation about scones with Staff Café regular John Ten Have, Housien offered to demonstrate just how quick and easy making scones can be using his all-time favourite recipe. So John, along with fellow scone lover Elsa Mardones took him up on the offer.

As part of the class, Housien showed John and Elsa several techniques guaranteed to make a good scone, including how to encourage scones to rise together, and to whisk cream using a figure-eight method.

“Housien’s a great teacher with a passion for sharing his skills,” said John.  “Yet another joyous discovery in the sanctuary which is the Staff Café!”

“It really made my day knowing my customers walked away with skills I taught them, skills they can now teach their friends and family,” said Housien.

Jealous of John and Elsa’s private lesson in ‘sconography’? Don’t be! Housien was so pleased with his impromptu class, he’s now offering scone masterclasses for interested staff, every Tuesday morning in July.

Housien’s scone masterclasses
Dates: 7, 14, 21 and 28 July 2015
Time: 9.45am – 10.30am
Where: Staff Café
Cost: $15 (includes all ingredients, scones to take home and a coffee)

Register now : Email Housien Koussan (housien.koussan@mq.edu.au). Places are limited to four per class.

Curried lentil soup

Serves: 5
Cooking time: approx. 45 minutes

Ingredients
30ml olive oil
15g fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 small white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium tomato, crushed (or 100g crushed tinned tomatoes)
1 tsp tomato paste
250g green lentils, washed and soaked
150g frozen diced vegetables (fresh is much better, but using frozen can be a handy time saver)
10g turmeric powder
10g ground cumin
25g curry powder
5g chilli powder (or to taste)
2L vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
1 bunch small bunch of coriander, chopped
1 lemon, zested
Honey yoghurt

Method
In a medium pot heat the oil, and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. Then add all the spices and cook for a further three minutes.

Now add the lentils and sauté for three to four minutes.

Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and cook on low heat for a further three to four minutes.

Add the vegetable stock.

Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to simmer and cook until lentils are soft (you will need to check and add more stock if needed to adjust the consistency to your liking).

Once lentils are soft, add vegetables simmer for a further five minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, sprinkle with chopped coriander, lemon zest and a dollop of honey yoghurt.

Chef’s Secret Tip: For a thicker consistency, remove half the soup from the pot and blend with a stick mixer (or in a blender) and then return and mix with the remaining chunky soup. You will need to allow the soup to cool slightly before blending, so this step is easy to add in if making in advance.

It’s been a while since This Week featured a recipe, and given Easter, for some, is a time of over-indulgence, we thought we’d start with a healthy (but delicious) salad! This salad is one of Staff Café Head Chef, Housien Koussan’s personal favourites. “It’s always a crowd pleaser,” said Housien.  “You can serve this salad as a healthy option for lunch or as a side with a roast dinner.  I currently have a very similar salad on the menu at Staff Café and it is a great hit!”

Roast butternut pumpkin and baby beetroot salad with pear and feta 

Serves: 10
Cooking time: approx. 45min

Ingredients
800g diced butternut pumpkin
400g whole baby beetroots (tin)
2 beurre bosc pears
400g feta cheese, diced
150g wild or baby rocket leaves
100g parmesan cheese, shaved
50g walnuts
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Brown sugar
Honey
Salt
Cracked black pepper

Method
Pre heat oven to 180°C.

Peel and dice the pumpkin in to 2cm chunks. Toss pumpkin in a bowl with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. (You can also add thyme or sage as a tasty alternative).

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is cooked through and is nice and soft. Allow to cool after cooking.

Drain the whole baby beetroots and slice in half. Toss in a bowl with a pinch of brown sugar, a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper. Place the beetroot on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool after cooking.

Place the walnuts on a baking tray, drizzle with honey and bake for two or three minutes. Allow to cool after cooking.

Meanwhile, dice your feta cheese the same size as the pumpkin. Cut the pear into quarters (allowing for easy removal of the seeds), then slice the pear quarters into thin slices.

Balsamic dressing
In a bowl, combine 50ml balsamic vinegar with a pinch of brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in 100ml extra virgin olive oil and whisk vigorously until it emulsifies. Taste, and season again if necessary.

To construct the salad, gently place your rocket on a platter and add the ingredients one by one in layers. Make sure the pumpkin, beetroot and walnuts have been left to cool for at least ten minutes before plating up the salad.

Top with the balsamic dressing and serve.

Tip: You can cook the pumpkin and beetroot up to three days in advance as they will keep in the fridge and still make a lovely salad. The walnuts can also be pre-roasted and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Have you dropped by the Staff Café lately?
During April, the Staff Café is running a great coffee deal: get a small coffee and an ANZAC slice for only $4.50. The Café as also open until 6pm on Thursday evenings, with an expanded beverage list and rustic bar menu including buffalo chicken wings and pizza fries. With this in mind, the Staff Café terrace is a great place to meet and mingle with colleagues on a Thursday afternoon. Definitely worth the walk to W5A!

Wine Recommendation:
Sakkie says: “A Hunter Valley Semillon or Clare Valley Reisling would be a perfect match with this recipe.”

Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham
Serves 10

Ingredients
2.5kg cooked leg of ham, preferably double-smoked. (Can be ordered through a butcher, but also easily found in most supermarkets this time of year.)
50g brown sugar
10 -12 whole cloves
250g apricot jam
50ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced).

Remove the skin from the ham by slowing working your fingers under the skin from the broad end up to the knuckle end.

Using a sharp knife, score the ham (5mm deep) in a diamond shaped pattern.

Rub the ham well with brown sugar and stud the cloves in each diamond ‘cross’.

Cook in a large tray (uncovered) for 30-35mins.

Meanwhile, combine the apricot jam and the Grand Marnier (or Cointreau) together in a small saucepan over a low heat.

After 30-35mins of cooking, remove the ham from the oven and brush with the apricot glaze.

Turn the oven temp down to 160°C and cook for a further 60-90 minutes (or until golden all over) taking the ham out to baste with the apricot glaze every 15 minutes.

Try more of our recipes over the break:
Spicy Prawn skewers
Vegetarian burgers with cucumber raita
Rustic homemade hummus
Prawn linguini with shaved fennel, tomato, chilli and garlic
Mediterranean red quinoa and feta salad
Lebanese lamb kofta
Freshly-baked friands

Wine recommendation
Sakkie says: “There are several decent matches for these spicy prawn skewers. I recommend either a Riesling or Semillon Sauvignon blanc from Margaret River in Western Australia. For those who prefer red, try a pinot noir from Tasmania, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsular or Ashton in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills.”

Prawn skewers with lime, chilli and coriander

Ingredients
36 green prawns, peeled and deveined (tails intact)
2 fresh limes, zested and juiced
1 long red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Method
Soak 12 long bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the oil, lime juice and zest, freshly chopped chilli and coriander in a large bowl. Add the prawns and toss to coat in the mixture, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue on medium-high heat. Thread three prawns onto each skewer and grill for two minutes each side or until just cooked. Serve with your favourite spring salad or as an addition to your weekend barbecue.

Chef’s Tip: To cook the perfect prawn
Make sure your hotplate is almost smoking hot before you start cooking. If the plate isn’t hot enough the prawns will stick and result in a soggy mess.

Previous recipes
Vegetarian burger
Rustic homemade hummus
Master the pasta
Two reds in a salad bed
Let loose with lamb
Say hello to my little friand…

Wine recommendation
Sakkie says: “My recommendation for this dish would be a Mornington Peninsula or northern Tasmanian Pinot Grigio. For those who prefer red, try a Shiraz Viognier from South Australia’s Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, or the Yarra Valley in Victoria.

Vegetarian burgers with cucumber raita

Ingredients
The patties
600g chickpeas, soaked and boiled
3 tsp red curry paste
3 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 egg yolk
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
100g bread crumbs, for binding
Salt and pepper to taste
30ml of vegetable oil, for cooking patties

The sauce (cucumber raita)
2 cups of Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber, grated
1 tsp ground cumin powder, roasted
Chilli powder, to taste
Chopped coriander

The filling
10 freshly baked whole meal buns, cut in half
80g rocket
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 Spanish onion, sliced
3 avocados, sliced

Method
Place the chickpeas in a pot of salted water and boil until soft.

While the chickpeas are boiling start preparing the pattie ingredients. Grate the vegetables and chop the coriander for both the patties and sauce.

Toast the cumin powder in a pan until aromatic. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl combine the yoghurt and grated cucumber. Add toasted cumin spice and chili to taste.

Drain the chickpeas and set aside to cool.

Slice the avocados, Spanish onion and tomatoes for the filling and set aside with the rocket.

Cut the buns in half, ready for filling.

Prepare the patties by crushing the chickpeas with a fork, and then add the rest of your ingredients saving the bread crumbs until last. Season with salt and pepper.

Split the mixture into 10 even sized balls then flatten until 2cm thick.

Place a tbsp of vegetable oil into a pan and cook the patties until they are golden brown on both sides.

Before serving, build the burger by placing the filling on the bottom, the pattie above and the cucumber riata on top.

Previous recipes
Rustic homemade hummus
Master the pasta
Two reds in a salad bed
Let loose with lamb
Say hello to my little friand…

As the festive season draws closer, Chef Manager Housien Koussan and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius have come together to match an entertaining favourite with the perfect wine.

Wine recommendation
Sakkie says: “I’d serve a Pinot Grigio to complement the flavours of this simple, yet popular dish. If you’re a red drinker, try a Grenache from South Australia’s McLaren Vale.”

Rustic homemade hummus

Ingredients
1 400g tin of canned chickpeas
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5tsp lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2tsp tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2tsp salt
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and crush into a smooth paste. Use a fork to start then a wooden spoon or spatula to finish creating the paste. If you prefer a silky smooth texture, use a food processor.

Add 1/4 cup of liquid from the can of chickpeas with the lemon juice, tahini and salt and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon for 3-5 minutes until thoroughly combined.

Season to taste.

Place in a serving bowl and create a shallow well in the centre of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tbsp) of extra virgin olive oil in the well. Garnish with chopped parsley and a pinch of chili (optional).

Serve with warm Lebanese flat bread, or crisp vegetable crudities (for the more calorie conscious reader).

Previous recipes
Master the pasta
Two reds in a salad bed
Let loose with lamb
Say hello to my little friand…

Chef Manager Housien Koussan and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius have teamed up again to provide This Week readers the opportunity to match a delicious dish with the perfect wine.

Wine recommendation
Sakkie says: “My recommendation for this dish would be a Hunter Valley Semillon or a Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. For those that prefer red, try a Pinot Noir from Tasmania, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsular or the Adelaide Hills in South Australia.”

Staff Café’s Prawn Linguini with shaved fennel, tomato, chilli and garlic

Ingredients
600g green prawns, peeled and sliced length-ways in half
900g linguini pasta
1 tbsp pomace olive oil, for cooking
1 large bulb fennel, shaved or sliced thinly
350g Roma tomatoes, diced 2cm thick
1 long red chilli with seeds, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
4 tbsp of white wine (see wine match)
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste

To finish
1 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
½ bunch shallots, chopped

Method
Cook the linguini pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. This takes around 12 minutes, but follow the instructions on the packaging for timing.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes, add the olive oil and then add the sliced prawns. Keep on a medium heat and toss for one minute.

Add the minced garlic, chilli and diced tomatoes. Sauté for a further two minutes on a high heat.

Add the shaved fennel and sauté for a further minute. Add a splash of white wine (about four tbsp).

Add the pasta to the pan (including a little bit of the water that the pasta was cooked in) and toss through the coriander and chopped shallots on high heat. Season to taste.

Transfer to a large bowl and finish with chopped parsley and a really good extra virgin olive oil.

Serve with a side of grilled ciabatta or sourdough bread.

Previous recipes
Two reds in a salad bed
Let loose with lamb
Say hello to my little friand…

Wine recommendation

Thanks to an excellent suggestion from one of our regular readers, Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy-Vice Chancellor (Research) has enthusiastically agreed to wine match all of our future recipes. Sakkie has a distinguished background in wine research and is an internationally recognised expert in the field, having held the positions of Director of South Africa’s Institute for Wine Biotechnology at Stellenbosch University, and Managing Director and CEO of the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) in Adelaide.

Sakkie says: “To best complement the dominant flavours in this week’s recipe I’d choose a Pinot Noir. Ideally grown in cooler climates, top Pinot Noir wine regions in Australia are Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, Mornington Penninsula (Victoria) and Orange (NSW), so pick a bottle or two from these regions and enjoy your meal!”

Staff Café’s Mediterranean red quinoa salad with feta

Ingredients
Serves 10 (as a side salad)

2 cups red quinoa
4 cups of vegetable stock or water
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup feta, crumbled
2 cups baby spinach
1 cucumber, diced
1 bunch chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
In a pot, dry fry the quinoa on medium heat until you hear it make a popping sound (will take just a few minutes).

Add the vegetable stock or water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the liquid is completely dissolved and the quinoa has popped open and almost sticking to the bottom of the pot.

While your quinoa is simmering away, start preparing the rest of your salad ingredients ready to toss into your salad.

Place the cooked quinoa into a mixing bowl and fold all the ingredients through, keeping some feta aside.

Add the red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to dress the salad and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve your fresh and healthy quinoa salad in a bowl and garnish with remaining feta.

Request your favourite Staff Café meal recipe for an upcoming edition: thisweek@mq.edu.au.