Christmas, Dinner, Entertaining, Lunch, Recipes, Savoury, Special Occasions

Preparation 10 Minutes

Cook 2 hours Minutes

Serves 6

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pumpkin halves, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Brush the cut side with 1 tbs oil. Roast for 1 1/4 hours or until just tender. Set aside to cool. 

Use a spoon to remove pumpkin seeds and membrane and discard. Meanwhile, arrange the walnuts & hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 3-5 mins or until toasted. Set aside to cool. Coarsely chop 

Heat the remaining 1 tbs oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 4 mins or until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 secs or until aromatic. Stir in the mushrooms & lemon thyme. 

Place the onion mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, fetta, baby spinach, currants and nuts in a large bowl and stir to combine. Season.  

Divide mixture among pumpkin shells and press down firmly. Carefully place the pumpkin shells together and tie with kitchen string to secure. Place on a baking tray and roast for 45 mins or until heated through. Transfer to a serving platter.

Ingredients

2kg butternut pumpkin, halved lengthways

2 tbsp olive oil

50g (1/2 cup) Sunbeam Australian Walnuts

55g (1/3 cup) Sunbeam Australian Hazelnuts

105g (1 1/2 cups) Fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)

Diced mushrooms

100g Danish feta, crumbled

1 egg, lightly whisked

2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs, to serve

1 small brown onion, finely chopped

30g baby spinach leaves, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

100g (¾ Cup) Sunbeam Australian Currants

Recipe Collection

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

  1. Cut cauliflower roughly into pieces, toss with half the oil and cumin. Season well. Spread onto a lined oven tray and roast at 180°C for 25 minutes or until tender.
  2. Heat remaining oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is tender. Add roasted cauliflower pieces, potatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. When potatoes are tender, puree soup with a food processor or handheld blender, until smooth and creamy. Return to heat until required.
  4. For walnut crumb, heat oil in a frying pan and toast breadcrumbs and walnuts until golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in parsley and currants. Season well. Serve hot soup with a scattering of crumbs.

Chocolate Raisin Brownies

Preheat oven to 180°C.

  1. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking paper. Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.Step 1
  2. Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Add flour and cocoa, and stir through. Stir raisins through mixture. Spread out evenly in baking tray and bake for 30 mins. Allow to cool before slicing into squares.

HINT: FOR AN INDULGENT ADULT TREAT, SOAK RAISINS IN 1/2 CUP DARK RUM BEFORE ADDING.

Moroccan Chicken with Raisins, Almonds and Honey

Pat chicken dry with paper towel, and sprinkle both sides of meat with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil into a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.

When oil is shimmering, add half the chicken pieces and cook 5 – 7 mins per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon stick, and ginger to the hot oil. Stir well, then cook for 5 mins, until onions have started to soften.

Return chicken and any resting juices to the pot. Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5 hrs, until the chicken is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and add raisins and honey to the pot. Gently stir to combine and increase heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, for a further 30 – 45 min, until the sauce has reduced and the raisins are plump. Stir through lemon juice.

Garnish with almonds and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or couscous.

Christmas Cake Gift Jar

As a gift idea

  1. Place flour in bottom of jar and add spices and bicarbonate of soda
  2. Pour in fruit and push down lightly
  3. Next place brown sugar and finish with slivered almonds.
  4. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

YOU WILL NEED
250g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup brandy

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven 150°C. Double line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
  2. Combine gift jar contents, butter, eggs and brandy and stir until combined
  3. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Rainbow Couscous & Sultana Salad

In a small saucepan, bring water and salt just to the boil. Add couscous and stir once. Cover pan, remove from heat and set aside 10 mins, until water is absorbed.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add sultanas, chickpeas, veggies, herbs, and onions, and tosswell.

Drizzle salad with half of the dressing and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle salad withwalnuts and feta. Serve with remaining dressing.

Tips

  • Store salad in a covered container in the fridge, for up to three days.
  • Couscous can be substituted with cooked and cooled quinoa, if preferred

Macadamia Choc Chip Cookies

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line cookie trays with baking paper.

Beat butter, extract, sugars and egg in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in sifted flour and soda, in two batches. Stir in Sunbeam macadamias & chocolate chips.

Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls; place 5cm apart on trays.

Bake cookies 15 minutes or until golden; cool on trays.
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