​I can't begin to explain how much I enjoyed eating this for dinner, it is so simple, the flavour combination is so nice, it was absolutely delicious.

I love soft white bread rolls with this, that is how I love it, but you buy the ones you love.

Now I know that some people love takeaway processed fish fillet burgers, this is so much better. I used ling fillets which are mild in flavour and so easy to cook. I like to use thin fillets, maximum 1cm thick, if your fillet is thick, just slice it in two. 

​Using panko crumbs is far superior to normal breadcrumbs, but use what you have and what you can afford.

I double the recipe for my family, but this recipe is so easy to double or triple etc.

This is something that is quick and easy to make, my family loved it, hope yours do to.

Recipe adapted from Julie Goodwins cookbook Homemade Takeaway

Makes 5

1kg ling fillets, cut into pieces slightly larger than your rolls
​
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
​1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for frying

Tartare Sauce: 
1 cup whole egg mayonnaise, I like Thomy brand
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup baby capers in brine, rinsed and roughly chopped
1/4 cup baby gherkins, finely chopped
1/4 bunch dill, finely chopped, optional
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

​4 spring onions, finely sliced or 1/2 white onion, very finely diced
5 iceberg lettuce leaves

5 hamburger buns
​

Crumb the ling fillets: Place the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and stir to combine. In a second bowl whisk together the egg and the milk. In a third bowl, place your breadcrumbs.

Dip each piece of fish into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs gently so they stick.
​
Make the tartare sauce: Combine the mayonnaise and mustard in a bowl. Stir through the other ingredients.
​
Cook the fish: Heat 5mm oil in a large non stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the fish in a single layer for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crunchy. It's best not to overcrowd the pan, so cook the fish in batches.

Assemble the burgers: I generally put all the ingredients on the table and everyone makes their own burger. Split the buns in half and spread the tartare sauce generously over the bottom of each bun. Top with the lettuce and onion, then the crumbed fish and more of the tartare sauce, then the top bun. Serve immediately.

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​I love Julie Goodwins cooking, I find her recipes simple and delicious. This recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks of hers, Homemade Takeaway. It's a clever cookbook that brings fast food to your home in simple to follow recipes and you can make it to your taste.

Recently I introduced my family to Banh Mi Vietnamese street food and my family loved it. This burger reminded me of that, so I had to try it. It is delicious, it is an Asian gourmet take on a burger. The flavour combination is beautiful.

​I say this recipe makes 10-12 burgers as it will depend on the size of your buns, as the patties need to be made larger than the buns as they shrink when cooked, so if your buns are large, you make 10 patties, if smaller, you can make 12 patties.

The original recipe was for 4 burgers, but to triple the recipe not all the ingredients needed to be tripled, so I'll add the base recipe for 4 burgers here in case you wanted to make a small batch. 

For 4 patties:
500g chicken mince
1 egg, beaten
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon red curry paste
½ bunch coriander, stems and roots thoroughly washed and chopped, leaves reserved
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
4 shallots (spring onions) sliced
zest of 1 lime

For the extras to the burger and sweet chilli mayo, you can make as much as you need. The pickles make more than you need, they are delicious on sandwiches, my family cannot get enough of them. The pickles will keep for several weeks.

This is a great, simple meal idea that my family loved, hope yours do to.

Recipe adapted from Julie Goodwin's cookbook Homemade Takeaway

Makes 10-12 burgers

For the patties:
​1.5kg chicken mince
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 bunch coriander, stems and roots thoroughly washed and chopped, leaves reserved
2 small red chillis, finely chopped
10 shallots (spring onions), sliced
zest of 2 limes

2-3 tablespoons peanut oil

Sweet Chilli Mayonnaise:
 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
1/2 cup kewpie mayonnaise
Juice of 2 limes

Additions to burgers:
Iceberg lettuce, about 12 leaves
2-3 carrots, peeled and julienned

Sweet and Sour Pickled Cucumbers:
6 Lebanese cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar

12 burger buns, I like the Vietnamese style buns for this, crisp outside, soft centred
​
Make the patties: Combine all the patty ingredients except the reserved coriander leaves in a bowl. Work the mince with your hands until it is holding together. Using damp hands, form the mince into 12 large, thin patties. Make sure they are bigger than your burger buns as they will shrink when they cook. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Sweet Chilli Mayonnaise: Place all the ingredients in a bowl, stir to combine. I like to add the juice of 1.5 limes first, taste, then add the last half, if needed.
​ 
Make the Sweet and Sour Pickled Cucumbers: Place the cucumbers in a heatproof bowl.

In a small saucepan over a medium high heat, stir together the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until the syrup thickens a little. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before pouring over the cucumber. Refrigerate in an airtight container before eating.
​
Cook the patties: I do in a frying pan that can do it in two batches. Place half the oil in your frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Set aside, covered with foil, while you make your second batch.

To assemble the burgers I have everything on the dinner table and everyone makes their own burgers. But you simply split the buns in half and spread chilli mayonnaise generously over the bottom of each bun, then add the lettuce and carrot. Add the pickled cucumbers. Top with the chicken patty, some of the reserved coriander leaves and the top of the bun and serve.

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​I really love this one, one of my favourites.

Recipe adapted from Christmas Cocktails Cards

Serves 1

30ml cointreau
30ml gin
1/4 lime, juiced
sparkling wine
Blue curacao
1 cup ice
​

Blend cointreau, gin, lime juice and ice in a blender. Pour into chilled glass. Top with sparkling wine and drizzle with blue curacao.

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​I love watching movies that have cooking in a movie, make it a small town movie and I will watch it on repeat. This recipe was inspired by Julie and Julia. At the beginning of the movie one of the recipes made was a chocolate cream pie, I had to try and make one.

My kids say this custard tastes like yogo, the chocolate custard they love eating. So my kids do love this dessert.

When making the custard, if by chance the eggs curdle, pour the custard mixture through a sieve and throw away all the curdled bits. No one will know.

This is quite easy to make and tastes amazing, hope you love it like we do.

Recipe adapted from www.pjandthomas.com/

Serves 8

Crust:
85g unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs, about 10 biscuits
1 tablespoons caster sugar

Filling:
4 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 tablespoons cornflour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
115g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
28g soft butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Topping:
300ml thickened cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon icing sugar, optional

​dark chocolate, grated, to decorate
​

Preheat your oven to 180°C/160 fan forced

. Make the crumb: Finely crush the biscuits (rolling pin in bag or food processor).

Place the biscuit crumbs in a bowl, add the butter, sugar and salt, mix to combine.

Grease a 22cm  pie dish with cooking spray or additional butter.

Pour the crumb mixture into the pie plate and evenly press to form a crust on the bottom and up the sides. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden. Remove and allow to cool.

Put the egg yolks, sugar, cornflour and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the milk, until the mixture is smooth.

Place over a medium heat, cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Add in the chocolate, butter and vanilla and whisk until all the chocolate has melted.

Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with cling film, make sure the cling film is touching the surface of the custard to stop the custard from forming a skin, allow to cool. If you want to make the pie quickly, I actually prefer to leave the custard in the saucepan and whisk every now and then. This also makes the custard cool much quicker and whisking it stops a skin forming on top.

Fill crust with custard and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

​When ready to serve, beat the cream, vanilla and icing sugar (if using) together until it holds stiff peaks. Using a spatula, evenly spread the whipped cream on top (or pipe the cream and decorate the pie).

​Decorate with some grated dark chocolate.

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​This is a refreshing blend of vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and pineapple juice.

You could use orange juice in place of the pineapple juice.

​This one is fun to drink.

​​Recipe adapted from the Family Circle 'Cocktails and Party Drinks' Cookbook

Makes 1

Ice cubes
45ml vodka
30ml peach schnapps, De Kuyper is my favourite brand
​45ml pineapple juice
45ml cranberry juice
Crushed Ice
​
Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the vodka, schnapps, pineapple juice and cranberry juice. Shake well to mix and strain in a tall cocktail glass, half filed with crushed ice.

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​​We really liked this one, easy to make and absolutely delicious.

​​Recipe adapted from Christmas Cocktails Cards

Serves 1

10ml Citron Vodka
20ml Vodka
30ml Cointreau
60ml Cranberry Juice
1 lime wedge
1 cup ice

Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lime.

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​This is what happens when your husband buys a 2.5kg piece of pork belly. Recently I have roasted pork a few times, so when my husband bought this large piece of pork belly I wanted to try something new, I didn't feel like a traditional roast, so I halved the piece and decided to try two new recipes.

​The first one is this one Sticky Pork Belly Banh Mi-Vietnam's answer to street food. It was amazing. The second recipe was this one.

My family absolutely love this. 

These buns are so soft and fluffy, and really easy to make, but they do take some time. Now I make them in my freestanding mixer, with a dough hook, as I don't really like to knead all that much, I do it when I have to. But if you don't have a mixer, you can do it by hand, just knead it for about 10-12 minutes or until it is smooth.

The filling is delicious, so delicious, so much flavour. The pork belly is so soft. The flavour combination here is amazing, watching my family eat this brought me so much joy.

With the pork belly I like to cut it into smaller pieces just before frying as I prefer it to one larger piece of pork in my bun, but you slice it how you like it.

My husband would have liked some pickled cucumbers with this, so next time I would add it. You can find the recipe here for pickled cucumbers. 

​So if you love steamed buns, give these a try, they will not disappoint.

Recipe adapted from marionskitchen.com/ 

Makes 12-15 buns

1.2kg piece pork belly

Braising Liquid: 
2/3 cup light soy sauce
2/3 cup Shaoxing wine
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (use normal soy sauce if you don't have dark)
5 slices ginger
2 spring onions, trimmed, halved crossways
2 cups water
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks

​Pork Bun Base:
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
300g bread flour
55g caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant skim milk powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
35ml vegetable oil

Sriracha Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise, I like Thomy
1-2 tablespoons Sriracha, this is to taste

Shredded green cabbage, to serve
Sliced spring onions (scallions), to serve
Crushed roasted peanuts, to serve, optional


Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan forced.
Combine the ingredients for the braising liquid in a casserole dish, just large enough to fit the pork. Slice the piece of pork in half and add it to the liquid, skin side up. Pour in enough water to allow the braising liquid to just cover the pork. Cover with baking paper and cover with a lid. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours. Set aside in the fridge overnight to chill.
​
To make the buns: combine the yeast and 170ml warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour, sugar, milk powder, sea salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and start the mixer on medium speed. Add the vegetable oil and mix until the dough comes together. Reduce speed to low and continue to mix for 8-10 minutes. Remove the dough, place in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest in a warm place for about two hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
​
To make the spicy mayo, mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
​
Back to the buns: Once risen, transfer the dough to a work surface, if the dough is sticky, dust a little flour on your dough. ‘Punch down’ the dough by kneading it for 5 minutes. The aim here is to remove as many air bubbles as possible. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/2cm thick. Then use an 9cm diameter pastry cutter (or a plastic cup of the same diameter) to cut out rounds. Remove the excess dough. Dip your fingers in vegetable oil and lightly spread the oil over the surface of your rounds. Fold rounds in half and flatten slightly with the rolling pin, rolling from the fold to the edges. Place on a square of baking paper and place onto a tray. Repeat with remaining dough (excess dough can be re-rolled and used). Cover the folded rounds and set aside to prove for 30 minutes.
​
Scoop out and discard any pork fat in the dish. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Place 1 cup of the braising liquid in a small saucepan over high heat (save the remainder in the freezer to use as a master stock). Simmer the braising liquid for 10-12 minutes or until slightly thickened.
​
Cook the buns: Pour about 4 cm water in a wok (steamer should not touch water) and bring to rapid simmer over medium-high heat.

Place 4 to 5 buns in your steamer basket, I do it in two steamers at a time, so I can cook 8-10 buns at a time, cover with steamer lid. Steam, in batches for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through, I steam them for 8 minutes.
​
Preheat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Use a sharp knife to cut the pork into thick slices or squares. Grill for 2-3 minutes each side, spooning over some of the reduced braising liquid as the pork cooks.

Serve buns hot. To assemble, open up your bao buns gently, spoon spicy mayo onto the bottom of each bao bun. Top with cabbage and pork. Then sprinkle with peanuts (if using) and spring onion. Drizzle with more spicy mayo and serve.

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​This is what happens when your husband buys a 2.5kg piece of pork belly. Recently I have roasted pork a few times, so when my husband bought this large piece of pork belly I wanted to try something new, I didn't feel like a traditional roast, so I halved the piece and decided to try two new recipes.

​The first one is this one, probably the best sandwich on the planet and Vietnam's answer to street food.

My goodness I'm glad I did, this was delicious and so easy to make. The flavour combination is absolutely delicious. My family loved this so much, we were all very excited with dinner.

The original recipe says to use skinless pork belly, but I didn't read that when I cooked it and left the skin on. The skin is not crunchy, but it is soft and was perfect here, not rubbery or chewy, so for me, I would leave it on next time unless you want to remove it to make crackling, your choice.

You can cook the pork the day before, refrigerate overnight and continue with the recipe the next day, just bring the pork out of the refrigerator an hour before you want to fry it. Which is great if making for a party.

With regards to the pate, at first we were worried about adding it, but we loved it and it worked.

I like to cut each roll in half and serve them smaller as it is easier to manage half a roll. Just cut the pork into slices that will fit in the rolls

This may be a sandwich and we had it for dinner, but it is one of the greatest sandwiches you will ever try.

Recipe adapted from marionskitchen.com/

Makes 10 long rolls or 20 half rolls

10 crusty white long bread rolls, split in half length ways
200g pork, duck or chicken liver pate
1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise, to taste
2-3 small Lebanese cucumber, sliced into batons
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
coriander sprigs to serve

Sticky Pork Belly:
1/2 cup hoisin
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1.2kg pork belly


Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan forced.

Combine the hoisin, soy sauces and garlic in a bowl. Add pork belly and toss to coat. Place pork belly in a small roasting tin and pour over the hoisin mixture and rub all over the pork. Then pour ½ cup water around the pork. Place a sheet of baking paper over the pork (stops foil from sticking to the pork). Cover with foil and roast for 2 ½ hours. Take the pork out of the oven and remove the baking paper and foil. 

Preheat oven grill to high. Place pork under the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool in the sauce. 

Make the pickled carrot. Combine the carrot, sugar and vinegar. Set aside until ready to serve.
​
​Preheat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Use a sharp knife to cut the pork into about 1cm thick slices or however you like it.

Fry for 2-3 minutes each side, spooning over some of the roasting liquid as the pork cooks.​

To assemble, spread pate over one half of each bread roll. Then spread over the mayonnaise. Drain pickled carrot and divide among bread rolls. Top with cucumber and warm pork belly slices. Sprinkle with chilli slices to taste and top with coriander sprigs.

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Recipe adapted from the Family Circle cookbook 'Fantastic Cocktails & Mixed Drinks'​

Serves 1

ice
30ml peach liqueur
30ml banana liqueur
15ml malibu
15ml lemon juice
4 strawberries
dash grenadine
​

Combine ice, peach liqueur, banana liqueur, malibu, lemon juice, strawberries and grenadine in a blender; blend well. Pour into champagne flute or wine glass.

Garnish with a fresh strawberry, if you like.

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