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Australian home cook and bestselling author Donna Hay is back with Even More Basics To Brilliance, the follow-up to her 2017 cult classic. Inside, you’ll find some of her much-loved recipes reimagined for today’s home cook, with simple flavour switch-ups and shortcuts for those who feel less confident in the kitchen. Here, Donna shares the inspiration behind her latest release, as well as three new recipes…
By Heather Steele
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Photography: CHRIS COURT
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Everyone needs a collection of classics they can always rely on – those dependable, delicious recipes we all want in our bag of tricks. In this anticipated follow-up to my bestselling book Basics to Brilliance, you’ll find more of those much-loved recipes – only reimagined for today’s home cook – with simple flavour switch-ups to make one recipe many, and take you from basic to brilliant in the kitchen.
From easy entertaining favourites like the dreamiest chocolate mousse, easiest-ever no-stir roasted tomato sauce, and a scorched and silky crème brûlée – to those essentials we find ourselves returning to (get ready to meet the carrot cake of your dreams, and the fluffiest no-knead flatbread) – we’ve covered it all in this must-have modern reference book. These days, we’re cooking a little differently, so expect to find new favourites here that will expand your repertoire to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Inspired?
Here are three great recipes to try at home
Roast Garlic Chicken On Potato & Leek Gratin
Serves
4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons mashed roast garlic (see below)
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves, plus 4 sprigs, extra
80g unsalted butter, softened
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 x 1.3kg whole chicken
½ lemon, cut into wedges
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
For the mashed roast garlic:
3 large heads garlic
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Sea salt flakes
For the potato and leek gratin:
1kg starchy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 leeks, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1¼ cups (310ml) hot pure cream
Method
Step 1
To make the garlic, preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Step 2
Place each head of garlic on a sheet of aluminium foil. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap to enclose.
Step 3
Place on a baking tray and roast for 40 minutes or until soft and golden.
Step 4
Cool for 10 minutes, then squeeze the garlic from their skins and transfer to a sterilised glass jar+. Discard the garlic skins. Makes ⅓ cup (100g)
Step 5
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Combine the mashed roast garlic, tarragon, butter, salt and pepper. Loosen the skin over the chicken breast.
Step 6
Using a small spoon, place the garlic butter under the skin of the chicken.
Step 7
Fill the cavity of the chicken with the extra tarragon sprigs and the lemon. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.
Step 8
To make the potato and leek gratin, place the potato, leek and thyme in a deep 25cm x 30cm (10 inch x 12 inch) baking dish. Pour the hot cream over.
Step 9
Place the chicken on top of the gratin and roast for 1 hour or until the chicken and potatoes are tender and cooked through.
Bocconcini-Stuffed Meatballs With Roasted Tomato Sauce
Serves
4
Ingredients
1 x quantity roasted tomato sauce (see below)
Basil leaves and toasted sourdough slices, to serve
For the roasted tomato sauce:
2 brown onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2kg ripe tomatoes (about 20), quartered and cored
4 stalks basil
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the bocconcini-stuffed meatballs:
⅓ cup (80ml) milk
1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
750g pork mince
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves
1½ teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
sea salt and cracked black pepper
16 baby bocconcini
Method
Step 1
FOR THE ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE:
To make the tomato sauce, preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
Step 2
Place the onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, oil, salt and pepper in a large deep-sided baking dish.
Step 3
Cover with 2 sheets each of non-stick baking paper and aluminium foil to create a tight seal. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft.
Step 4
Carefully remove the aluminium foil and baking paper. Remove the basil leaves from their stalks. Discard the stalks.
Step 5
Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes, garlic and basil until your desired consistency. This makes 2.1 litres – and you can keep this in a sterilised glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Step 6
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
Step 7
Place the roasted tomato sauce in a large deep-sided baking dish and heat in the oven for 20 minutes or until hot.
Step 8
To make the bocconcini-stuffed meatballs, place the milk and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the pork, garlic, sage, fennel, salt and pepper and mix for 1–2 minutes or until very well combined.
Step 9
Roll 2 tablespoonfuls of the pork mixture into 16 balls. Press a bocconcini into the centre of each meatball and gently roll to enclose.
Step 10
Add the meatballs to the roasted tomato sauce and bake for 12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Step 11
Serve with basil and toasted sourdough slices.
Chocolate Mousse
Serves
4-6
Ingredients
1 cup (250ml) pure cream
½ cup (125ml) double (thick) cream
220g dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup (60ml) water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
4 large egg yolks, extra
⅓ cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar
Method
Step 1
Place both the creams into a cold bowl and whisk together until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until required.
Step 2
Place the chocolate, water and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water) and stir until melted. Allow to cool slightly (the mixture may split).
Step 3
Place the eggs, extra yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed for 8 minutes or until the mixture is warm, thick and fluffy.
Step 4
Remove the bowl from the heat. Add ½ cup (125ml) of the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and, using a metal spoon, fold to combine+. Add this chocolate and egg mixture to the remaining egg mixture and gently fold to combine.
Step 5
Place mixture over an ice bath and very gently fold until cooled++. Remove from
the ice bath, add the whipped cream and gently fold to combine.
Step 6
Spoon the mousse into serving bowls or glasses and refrigerate for 2 hours or until
well chilled and set.
Cook’s Notes
+ Using a metal spoon to gently fold the egg mixture ensures you keep as much fluffy volume as possible.
++ To create an ice bath, place ice and enough water to just cover the ice in a large bowl. Placing a second bowl on top allows it to evenly cool down.
Even More Basics To Brilliance by Donna Hay (£28, Fourth Estate) is available to buy here. Photography: Chris Court; Recipes & styling: Donna Hay.
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