I can’t remember where I got this recipe from. It’s super easy to make and super yummy.
It’s for 6 but I did it for me and only used 2 chicken marylands.

6 × 350g chicken marylands, trimmed
1/2 bunch thyme
4 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tbl lemon zest
250g cherry tomatoes
1 cup (280g) tomato purée
1/2 cup red wine
5 anchovies
1/2 cup (120g) mixed olives
salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place all ingredients in a large heavy based saucepan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid, increase oven temperature to 200°C and bake a further 30 minutes until the skin is golden.
3. Eat!

I used some Dolmio tomato sauce instead of tomato purée and I added sliced mushrooms.

Having a rest…

Goan surf and turf: slow cooked beef, sautéed capsicum, chilli paste, chargrilled Tiger prawn.
Sauma, Northbridge. Western Australia.

My neighbour cooked this soup for one of our driveway parties. It’s awesome! The flavours are so good and it’s a simple recipe.
It will serve 4-6.

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small red chilli, seeds removed, chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
500g carrots, chopped
1 kumara (400g), chopped (that’s sweet potato)
4 kaffir lime leaves, 2 whole, 2 finely shredded
1l (4 cups) chicken stock
2 tbs palm sugar or brown sugar
2 tbs fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
200ml coconut cream
150ml thickened cream
1/3 cup (25g) toasted shredded coconut

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and cook for 2 minutes or until softened.
2. Add garlic, chilli, ginger, carrot, kumara, whole kaffir lime leaves and stock. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Remove kaffir lime leaves and discard. Set aside mixture in saucepan to cool slightly. Using a blender or stick blender, blend soup to a smooth purée, then return to the pan over medium-low heat. Add palm sugar ( or brown sugar), fish sauce, lime juice and half the coconut cream, then stir to combine.
4. Meanwhile, using electric beaters or a balloon whisk, whisk together the thickened cream and remaining 100ml coconut cream to soft peaks.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, then swirl through a spoonful of the coconut cream mixture. Top with shredded kaffir lime leaves and toasted shredded coconut.
6. Eat!

I didn’t make the coconut cream mixture. I just added the shredded lime leaves and toasted coconut.

On fire…

From “The little book of stress” by Kaz Cooke.

Gardening: that yard is full of thorns and poisonous thingies. Get a noisy weed whacker and lay into it. With a bit of luck, it may lead to another fight with the neighbours.

Have a baby, move house and get divorced at the same time. You might also like to begin a new job and come out of the closet, just to get everything over and done with at once.

Practice frowning and sneering. These expressions take more muscle work than smiling and will therefore give your face a good work-out.

Try to be funny all the time. Everyone likes a laugh, so make sure you slip a pun into every sentence. If nobody laughs, try two or three puns.

Put each sock in a different drawer. This will present more of a challenge when you’re late for work.