5 Minute Food Fix

In our cookbook, which you can buy here, I have a recipe for 'Wedding Guest Croutons' - theory being that the perfect crouton should be like the perfect wedding guest: Immaculately behaved and never overshadowing the real stars of the show ( - the bride, the mother-of-the-bride, the flower girls and the SALAD or the PASTA ON WHICH IT SITS). Phew!Being low-key obsessed with croutons, I had to share this recipe for Anchovy Croutons which I'm making ALL THE TIME.ANCHOVY CROUTONS1/2 loaf of sliced, good-quality sourdough bread, stale is ok1/3 cup olive oil100g jar or tin of anchovies, including the oilMETHODCombine the oil with the anchovies in a tiny saucepan. Meanwhile warm the oven to 140C and prepare a couple of baking sheets.When the anchovies start to "melt", encourage their disintegration with a wooden spoon until they form a muddy riverbed silt. Lightly brush this mixture over one side of each piece of sourdough bread until it's all used up.Cut the bread into cubes. (I like mine slightly bigger than 1cm but don't overthink it. Just cut.)Mop up any leftover anchovy mixture with cubes of bread then spread them over the 2 baking sheets, and bake for 10 - 15 mins.Turn them well, bringing to corner croutons into the middle of the pan and rotating the middle-pan ones out to the edges.Cook for another 15 until the croutons are smelling toasty, changing colour to golden, and are crunchy when you try them.Allow them to cool before storing in an airtight jar.Serve on salad, with burrata, or atop a red spaghetti. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Asparagus really is the KING of Vegetable. It has such a short season, is so flavourful and healthy, and best of all, requires the very barest of intervention to make it taste good.If you're interested, the restaurant where Simon had the best asparagus of his life is St Peter in Paddington, Sydney, and it's extraordinary by all accounts!But to make Simon's King Asparagus Salad, do this:Find the freshest asparagus you can.Trim the ends, then slice 3 bunches into tiny coins.Dress with the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper, and a generous drizzle of your best olive oil.Arrange on a beautiful, showoffy platter and top with shavings of parmesan.Serve as part of a lunch spread with crusty bread and smashed minty broad beans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've talked about Simon's 'Fully Loaded Banana Bread' on this podcast before... but today Yumi arrives in studio with a massive fail of this tried-and-tested recipe.Here, we try to unpack what went wrong...And then we head into the real reason we wanted to talk - which was the concern that we are not making the most out of the wonderfully non-perishable fruit that is the GRAPEFRUIT.How can we expand our uses of this marvel? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amazingly, Simon and I are up to 299 episodes of the 5 Minute Food Fix! Here's what to do with an excess of blueberries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

School holidays can be a rough time for parents! Yumi and Simon have a food-related activity you could do with your kids?Make preserved lemons! (it's easier than you'd think. The hard part is figuring out what to do with the preserved lemons once you've made them tbh.)Well lucky you're here because Simon has a weeknight recipe he likes that uses preserved lemons.CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMON AND TOMATOStart with 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, patted dry and seasoned.Heat 2tbs olive oil in a pan and fry the chicken until lovely and golden brown, about 5 mins per side.Remove from the pan and set aside.In the same pan, add 500g cherry tomatoes. Cook until they start blistering, squash them with the back of a spoon. Add in 1tbs of finely chopped preserved lemon and 4 finely sliced garlic cloves. When it's all combined and looking good, add in 2tbs tomato paste and a good pinch of Turkish chilli flakes. Cook and stir for a couple of minutes before adding 1.5cups of water, bring to a simmer then allow to reduce. Add in fresh oregano, then add in the chicken breasts and mix through, allow to cook for 10 mins. Finally, add in a good squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve with cous cous!PS. The Basque Cheesecake episode can be found here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MIRACLE CABBAGE AND CHICKENWARNING: This episode contains instances of making each other laugh like astronauts on a space station where they've run out of oxygen and have no choice but to start pumping in pure happy gas. Unfettered lunacy I tell you!TO MAKE THIS MIRACLE:In a medium bowl, whisk together 1tbs each of soy sauce, honey and olive oil.Add in 4 x skinless boneless chicken thighsSeason with salt and pepper, toss to coat.Put a rack in the middle of the oven and put the grill up to highFind that gigantic half a purple or white cabbage that's taking up all the fridge space, and cut it into (roughly) 6 wedgesArrange the wedges and 350g of trimmed green beans on a baking sheet.Drizzle over 2-3 tbs olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then space the chicken on the tray next to the cabbage and beans and set under the hot grill for 19 minutes.The cabbage should have lovely blackened charred bits.Remove and allow to sit for 5 - 10 mins.WHILE THIS IS COOKING...Make the dressing by whisking together in a small bowl or jug:1/4 cup rice vinegar2 tbs sesame oil1 tbs chilli sauce1 finely grated garlic clove2 tbs soy sauce1 tbs honeytaste and season with more salt if needed.Roughly chop the cooked cabbage and finely shred the chickenAdd it to a big bowl with the cooked beans. Add a few finely slices spring onions and half a cup of chopped parsley. Dress with the dressing, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not gonna lie, Yumi still sounds sick on this episode and mercifully Simon runs the show to talk through the uses of nut butter, in particular peanut butter!PEANUT NOODLE SALAD YOU'LL MAKE WEEKLY:Dressing140g peanut butterjuice of 2 limes1/4 cup soy sauce2 tbs sesame oil2 tbs maple syrup1/4 cup water2 tsp grated ginger2 finely grated garlic clovesNOODLES:200g Udon noodles, cooked in boiling water according to the packet instructions then rinsed in cold water.1/4 cup of dressing3-4 finely sliced Lebanese cucumbers4 sliced spring onions1 cup of coriander leavesoptional: 1/2 cup peanutsMETHOD:Toss, taste and if necessary, add more dressing.Eat immediately and love it sick! Leftover dressing will last long enough for you to make this again,*Yumi recommends this with chopped red chilli.This recipe can be found in our cookbook - The Food FixAnd email us any time! [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's always* fun when you go viral, especially for an article you've written about bodily functions!One thing I didn't include in the article was a tip from my pelvic floor physio about what to eat for exceptional digestion! She really, REALLY wanted me to eat this food on the reg, so I did, and it's actually been pretty life changing!But how can you make it yummy? And not food = medicine?The trick might be adding it to this granola:TEMPLATE GRANOLA:750g rolled oats100g coconut fat100g honey or maple syrup3tbs ground cinnamon1/2 tsp ground cardomonpinch saltTHAT'S THE TEMPLATEThen add in non-sweet things, eg.Pepitasroasted peanutssunflower seedspecanswalnutsshredded coconutMETHODToss everything together then roast in a low, 140C oven for 10 minutes.Add in the sweet things, eg.crystallised gingerraisinssultanasdried cranberriesdried blueberries...toss everything around, then back in the oven for another ten minutes until it's clumping together, smelling aromatic, sweet and nutty, and is starting to go golden.Allow it to cool before storing away in airtight containers.Serve with diced whole kiwi fruit (SKIN ON!), yogurt and ground flaxseeds.*not always Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We just did an episode about capers and I was fired up to talk about Smoked Salmon Bagels, given that they're a classic and I have eaten PLENTY.So what are some of the elements of the perfect Smoked Salmon Bagel?As usual, Simon knows a gobsmacking amount about a niche food (Caperberries and boiled bagels, in this case), and we leave you with a completed episode and a rumbling tummy. Is that you immediately heading out for supplies for tonight's dinner? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Yumi is still sore of throat and there's an alarming revelation about the waste of money that is cough medicine!But Simon has energy around the delicious ingredient - CAPERS.What the heck are capers?They're actually the unripened berried from a prickly caper bush and food-wise, they're probably best-known as the thing you find atop of a smoked salmon bagel.On today's episode, Simon talks us through what they're commonly used for, how to maximise their punch in your day-to-day cooking, and then a brilliant recipe from his favourite cookbook (so far) of 2024, Anna Jones - EASY WINS.Cauliflower Caponata:Heat your oven up to 220C.Break up 1 cauliflower into big florets directly onto a big oven tray.Cut up 3 onions into wedges and chop up 3 sticks of celery, add them to the tray then toss through 1tbs olive oil, 2tbs white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.Cook for 25 mins until charred and softened.Remove from oven. Turn the oven down to 200C.Add in 2 tins of plum tomatoes, 100g of good quality pitted olives, 3tbs of a star ingredient CAPERS, and 50g of raisins. Mix them all together, mashing the veg a little with a fork as you do.Back in the oven for another 40 minutes.Take out the tray and while it's cooling add another tablespoon of vinegar and some chopped parsley.Serve immediately while still warm or jar it up to last at least a week, finishing with olive oil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we near our 300th episode, Simon and I review our reasons for doing a food podcast. Is it because we love the sound of our own voices? Not so much! (Maybe!)It's because even the BEST cooks struggle to feed their families every day, especially when running households, multiple jobs, parenting, and all the other things we're doing just surviving.So one thing you can do is prepare a few things when you DO have time - like a daal that can be frozen, sweet potato croutons that can be used on a soup one day and then to plump out a salad the next. Find out more by subscribing to your favourite food podcast! DAILY DAALCube a couple of sweet potatoes, toss in 2-3 tbs of oil, shake over some salt, pepper and cumin seeds, then roast until soft, about 20mins at 180C,MEANWHILE... fry up some onion in a deep, wide saucepan or frying pan. Add in 2 cloves of garlic and a hearty knob of ginger, and fry out. Add in half a packet of Herbie's Daal Spice Mix and cook to release the aromas. When ready, add in a tin of tomatoes, the same tin again but filled with water, a tin of coconut milk or cream, and crumble in a stock cube. Allow to cook for 20 mins, stirring, then check for doneness. At cooked, add in a squeeze of lemon. Freeze what you don't need for later. To serve: Add another squeeze of lemon. Top with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, some fresh coriander leaves and those delicious sweet potato croutons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The science does NOT back turmeric as anything other than a brightly coloured tuber... but having it with ginger in SHOT form can certainly enliven the feeling in the back of your throat, make you feel like you're at least TRYING to feel better - and it's kind of delicious! It certainly worked for Simon - who reports that this is a MASSIVE retail fad back in the UK - and after recording Yumi also gave it a go. Didn't cure her hayfever, but it was YUMMY, used up some ginger and turmeric and was a bit of a morning heart-starter!In a high-speed blender combine:400ml fresh apple juice60g loosely chopped ginger20g turmeric (powdered or fresh)juice of 1/2 a lemonspoon of black pepper (optional!)BLEND FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. Then strain the mixture through a Chux in a sieve or through a good, old-fashioned tea-strainer. Serve cold in 50ml shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's true that we "eat with our eyes". Most cooks consider the appeal of contrasting (and bright) colours when putting together a meal.Simon gets deep today, asking, "Is there a place for grey food?"Yes, if you count oysters as a grey food!What else? Listen here...Tomato Tonnato recipeArrange 5-6 big chunky vine tomatoes (about 900g), sliced on a gorgeous platter.In a blender5 tbs olive oil85g tin of tuna in oil2 anchovy fillets2tsp drained capers1/4 cup of mayonnaisejuice of 1/2 a lemon1 garlic clovea few basil leavesWhizz until creamy. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon the sauce over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and more basil leaves. Serve with crunchy bread. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We can't nail every meal!Especially when we're cooking in someone else's kitchen!On today's episode, Yumi and Simon both get pod therapy about their most recent disasters, and Simon does a do-over on a delicious Baba Ganoush.DO-OVER BABA GANOUSH2-3 eggplants, pricked with a skewer or fork (if you don't want to live dangerously)Cook the eggplants WELL on the BBQ. Like, REALLY WELL, so they're blackened and blistered and completely yield.Allow them to cool and sweat a bit on a plate, then rub off the skin, cut off the heads, and with the remaining soft cooked flesh, chop in up on a big board with a big knife.In a big bowl, season with salt (but not too much), a good glug of olive oil, the juice of at least 1 lemon, and some spoons of tahini. Greek yoggut *could* be deployed here but is optional. Serve with crusty bread or on the side with lamb. Yum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All green, raw food does not have to flee from your kitchen just because it's cold.Yes, the weather definitely affects what you feel like eating but salad can still comfort and nurture you even when you're putting an electric blanket on the couch. (Try this! It's excellent!)On today's episode Yumi revisits one of the GOAT salads. The classic. Rocket, Pear and Walnut. It appears in her cookbook Endless Summer. But she's giving it a rejig to make it more weather-appropriate. THE SALAD240g rocket leaves2 firm pears, sliced into chips3/4 cup of walnuts, refreshed by being toasted under the grill for 2-3 minutesbetween 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan CheeseTHE DRESSING (enough for 3 salads, so only use a third of this!)40ml White Balsamic Vinegar80ml of your best olive oil1tsp honey3/4tsp salt2tbs tahini Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, it's been a big and exciting couple of days for Stynes with her book with Dr Melissa Kang 'WELCOME TO SEX' being nominated for a Prime Minister's Literary Award... but we WILL talk about food. Yumi's been busy going through the cookbook she co-wrote with Simon. Partly because she loves Simon's recipes but also because she can't remember her own! It's incredibly handy having them written down - and you can find the book here if you're interested.SIMON'S FULLY LOADED BANANA BREADMelt 100g of butter and set aside to cool slightly.Preheat the oven to 180C.Line a loaf tin with baking paper.Activate 1tsp of bicarb in 1 cup of Greek yoghurt. Allow it to sit for 5 mins to fluff up and activate.Add to the yoghurt mixture the butter, 1 cup of caster sugar and 2 eggs, and mix.Now add in 250g plain flour, 1tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon - and mix but don't overmix. Finally, add in 400g of very ripe, very mashed banana.Pour it into the prepared tin and cook it for 1.5 hours, trying not to doubt the cook time.Cool on a wire rack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are NO MORE EXCUSES if your roasted potatoes aren't perfect!Also, why is Yumi laughing so hard she has tears?It's all about this guy who went viral for his potatoes. THIS RECIPE IS YUMI'S VERSIONGet a large pot on the stove with 2cm water in, turn up hot.At the same time, put a full kettle on to boil.Quarter 700g potatoes.By the time you've finished cutting up the spuds, the water in the kettle and the small amount on the stove should both be boiling.Pour the kettle water into the pot on the stove.Tumble the potatoes in making sure they're not sticking together. Stir a little. Wait for the water to return to boiling then set a timer for 3 minutes.Once the timer has sounded, drain the potatoes really well so they're dry, and allow them to cool.To do the Ibiza method, pop the now-cool potatoes in the FREEZER for 35 mins.Preheat the oven to 200.Get a roasting tray on the hob and fill it with at least 2mm of olive oil. Be careful! Use the stove element to heat the oil and when it's spattering hot, carefully decant the potatoes into the oil. They will spatter. Use tongs to make sure each piece is cut-side down.Pop in the oven and roast for 30 mins before turning to the other cut side, and roast for another 20 mins. Serve when golden crunchy all over. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freshly returned from his old stomping grounds in London, Simon is full of fresh inspiration and ideas. One of the places he's loved in the past is the legendary Peckham produce store, Persepolis. We hear about its owner and creative force, Sally Butcher, aka Sally in Peckham, and Simon talks us through one of her recipes, which you can find here or below:CAULIFLOWER AND PICKLE PIEINGREDIENTS1 cauliflower, cut into florets1 chopped onion1 cubed zucchini50g raisins1 tin drained and rinsed chickpeas1/2 jar of pickled turmeric (which you can buy here)Oil, for cookingfilo pastryMETHODPre-heat the oven to 190C.In a large tray, spread out all the veg, and rub and coat them with pickle and a few tablespoons of oil. Cover the tray with foil and bake for 30 mins. It is here Simon says you can stop and enjoy this with rice! Or continue on to make a pie:Lightly oil a 26cm X 36cm baking tray.Brush layers of filo pastry lightly with oil and layer them in the bottom of the tray until you have used half of the packet of filo.Now add the cauli-pickle filling.Repeat the filo brush-with-oil layering for the remaining sheets of pastry.Bake at 180C for 20 mins. Serve immediately with a side salad or enjoy later as leftovers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You're in the minority if a lurgie hasn't waylaid you this past month!Here's a ginger tea to heal your roughed-up throat.Cook up 15g ginger, grated in 500ml water.While it's warming, make a slurry of 1/2tbs of potato or corn starch dissolved in 1tbs cold water.When the ginger-water tea is hot, use a whisk to stir in the slurry and bring the mixture to the boil. You should see your tea thicken - just slightly - and grow a little cloudy.Take it off the heat and stir through 2tbs of your best honey. Manuka is good here. Squeeze in some lemon if you have. Drink one cup immediately and save the other for bedtime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Davis is freshly returned from a month in his home country and the delightful dining experiences he had in England have invigorated and enlivened his appreciation of food.On today's episode we find out what is Simon's FAVOURITE RESTAURANT...? And we talk through one of the simplest desserts that is so good, I have to "cook" it this afternoon (no actual cooking required).BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES1 punnet of strawberries, washed, hulled and halved1 tbs of your best balsamic vinegar2 tbs of white sugarCoat the strawberries in the vinegar and sugar, then leave them in the fridge to macerate for a couple of hours. Serve plain, alongside cake, or with dollops of cream, crème fraiche, or ice cream! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A couple of listeners have asked us to talk you through Tapioca Pudding. It's the sort of thing you can buy in the fridge section of health food stores and at specialty Thai Dessert Takeaway places - but unlike it's spiritual sister Bubble Tea, this is pretty easy to make!Boil 3 cups of waterAdd in 1/2 cup of tapioca pearlsStir and keep an eye on it. The pearls will go from opaque white to translucent and glassy.Don't overcook it. Take it off the heat when there's still a white nucleus.Srain and rinse in cold water, stirring with clean hands.In a seperate small saucepan, cook up1 cup of coconut milk,1/2 cup sugar,1 knotted pandan leafWarm the coconut sauce on the stove to thoroughly dissolve the sugar.Once warmed through, add back in the cooked tapioca. Stir gently. Spoon or pour out into serving cups and top with sour mango or regular mango, and if mango is out of season, top with any fruit such as paw paw, melon, tinned mandarin, pomegranate, etc. Leave to set in the fridge or eat still warm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the utter absence of cooking with cactus in our lives (!) and a cookbook which I have loved by Nik Sharma called VEG-TABLE.To make the recipe, you need500g Orecchiette (thus named because the tiny scooped pieces look like a baby's ear 285g frozen peas11/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle4 cloves of garlic, grated1 tsp red pepper flakes, eg., Aleppo, Maras or Urfa.2-3tbs white miso paste (I use 3, Nik Sharma says 2)lots of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano (I use a cup+)snipped chives from the gardenBoil the pasta in generously salted rolling boiling water a minute or 2 less than the amount of time recommended on the packet. In the last 2 minutes, add the peas to the pot. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Dress the cooked pasta/peas with 1tbs of olive oil. Set aside and then:Warm 3 tbs good olive oil then add cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Fry for less than 1 minute until releasing their aromas. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes.Dissolve the miso paste in 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add this to the fried spices then add the peas and crush them a little so they're less intact and more prepared to integrate with the sauce.Use a big slotted spoon to fold the cooked pasta into the spice mixture, adding in about 1/4 cup of cheese. Feel free to add a bit more pasta water to make the final version brothy. Taste. It may need more salt. Serve with more cheese on top and some generous snips of chives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode Simon and Yumi reminisce about when they first started recording the podcast more than 280 episodes ago - in the KiiS Sydney studios, using Kyle Sandilands's diamond-encrusted microphone.It's been an incredibly fun and delicious ride since then and today's a bit of a full-circle moment as Simon builds on that first ever episode's food suggestion - try grating a tomato on your box grater. Add olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, garlic if you want (don't have to), and then spoon this simple mixture onto sourdough toast. Unbelievable!So what now? Cook it? Add seafood? You'll have to listen! And share the podcast with your people! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some great info in today's episode about why some foods burn while we're cooking them EVEN WHEN WE'RE RIGHT THERE WATCHING.It's all about SUGAR content! Whether in a bolognese sauce or the fancy toast you keep burning, WHY? And what to do about it?PLUS - try this brilliant Teriyaki Sauce recipe that is TOO EASY to believe!TERIYUMMY CHICKEN500g chicken thigh fillet, cut into plus-size nuggets, dusted in plain flour2-3 tbs plain oil, eg., grapeseed, peanut or canolaTERIYAKI SAUCE2 tbs Kikkoman soy sauce2 tbs mirin (a sweet wine)1 tsp honeyPreheat the oil in a heavy-based frypan. When it's hot to sizzle, tumble in the dusted chicken pieces. Fry until burnished, then when pretty cooked, pour in the combined teriyaki sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring to coat the chicken and reduce a little, then remove from the heat and serve immediately on hot rice. Optional: top with a handful of roasted cashews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode I take care to explain exactly what is meant by the Very Online term, 'Girl Dinner'... and I have a girl dinner of my own to share, based on this recipe - but not much like it at all.YUMI'S GIRL DINNER FLATBREAD1 x small, round za'atar flatbread, shop boughtabout 150g of halloumi cheese, grated1 x medium zucchini, shaved into ribbonssalt, pepper, a drizzle of honey (optional), fresh oregano (optional)Pre-heat the grill to HOT.Top the flatbread with grated halloumi and then arrange the ribbons of zucchini artfully around on top. Season with salt and pepper then pop under the hot grill for about 5 mins. (Keep an eye on it - your grill is different to mine, and how close your tray is to the heating element makes a huge difference to how long it will need. You want the bread hot and steamy, the zucchini cooked and the cheese melted.)Pull out, pop on a plate, drizzle with honey and oregano if you can stump up that much energy, then serve with an opened tin of sardines on the side. If you want. I mean Simon audibly gagged when I suggested this so you figure it out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's no secret that Simon Davis LOVES Greek yoghurt as an ingredient. But has he ever been this excited about Greek yoghurt as he is today?Listen for a fantastic rave about Anna Jones's new cookbook 'Easy Wins' - an exasperated take on mayo - and this fantastic recipe:Frizzled Spring Onion and Olive Oil Dip150g good Greek yoghurt, strained if you can be bothered1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped100ml olive oil1 tsp pul biber Turkish chilli flakes 1 tsp sugar1/2 tsp ground turmericzest and juice of 2 limessalt and pepperOver a low-medium heat, fry the spring onion and pul biber chilli flakes in the olive oil until crisping and charring on the edges, veritably sizzling and frizzling - around 10 minutes.At the 9th minute, add the sugar and turmeric.Remove from heat, add salt and pepper then set aside and allow to coolJuice and zest the limes into the yoghurt, mix through, add salt to taste. Opulently dress the yoghurt with the yellow onion and oil mixture. Mix through or leave it on top. Serve with bread, chips, roast chicken, lamb chops, whatever you want! It's amazing! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Yumi and Simon's top-rating food podcast, we unpack the mysterious giant vegetable that is the Daikon.What are some of the uses? What can I do if I've foolishly bought one?Help! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making bread takes a bit of effort so you really want it to pay off!On today's episode, Simon and I discuss YEAST and a book that I am a huge fan of - - Karen Martini's COOK (- which I manage to mis-name as "Food" - my apologies!). There's so much in there, it's basically an encyclopaedia OF FOOD. I even bought a second copy to give to my kid who lives out of home.And I'm still discovering cool new recipes inside. Like this one:POTATO BREADCombine 300g still-warm mashed potato with 500g plain flour then add to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer.Add 375ml of warm water which has already had 7g dried yeast added to it and dissolved. Mix using the dough hook for about 6 minutes.Allow the dough to prove in a warm place (not hot!) until double in size. Could take an hour? Could take longer.Tip the dough into a metal baking tray. Drizzle it with oil and stretch it to fit the pan. Cover and leave it for 45 mins.Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 190C.When your bread looks big and puffy, gooshje your fingers deeply into the dough to create many delightful indentations. Top with your choice of yummies. (I use fresh rosemary and flaky salt.) Karen Martini suggests 250g cherry tomatoes, 80g pitted and torn black olives, Greek oregano, 1 tbs red-wine vinegar, 1 tsp caster sugar and 5 anchovies.Bake for 40 mins until well puffed and golden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's funny to realise just how inevitable it is that when you first get a mandolin slicer (also known as a 'V-Slicer'), you are likely to cut your fingertips or knuckles a few times before giving the gadget the respect (and caution) it deserves!Simon has a couple of golden rules for staying safe when using it... and a beautiful salad that makes the most of your amazing mandolin.Fennel and Radish Salad1 fennel bulb, trimmed and halved1 bunch of washed and trimmed radishparmesan cheeseLemony dressing:Juice of 1 lemon6 - 8 tbs of your best olive oilsalt1/2 tsp mustard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cookbook authors reach for a few phrases that suck me in every time. If someone says, "I've tried it many other ways, but THIS way is the best! I can't veganise it!" - - I tend to believe them. Today we celebrate a brilliant book that won a Guild Award in the UK - Ruby Tandoh's 'Cook As You Are'. The book Simon edited which previously won the same award is Mark Diacono's 'A Taste of the Unexpected'. Ruby Tandoh's Gnocchi Recipe:1 packet of store-bought gnocchibuttercaperschili crisp oiltons of finely grated parmesanCook the gnocchi according to the packet instructions, remembering to reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water.Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-large frypan. When it's molten, add the capers. Add in the chilli crisp oil to loosen, then add in the cooked gnocchi and pasta water. Serve on a bed of baby spinach (optional, this is my recommendation!) with a ton of grated cheese. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What IS a Hasselback Potato? And should we bother?And what nonsense is the internet offering us *this week* in the world of food?Today we talk about ALL of it - and return to one of our favourite recipes for potatoes. (Spoiler? It's not the Hasselback.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon and I are both a bit weirded out when ingredients used in a traditional way in one's respective childhood home - become modernised and used in new and creative ways. Modern food! Whut?I confess it's taken me a while to get onboard with all these groovy new ways to use miso paste but it is bloody marvellous.AS IS HETTY McKINNON. Her 'Community' cookbook changed the way we do salads in Australia. She's also gifted us this wonderful revision of Cacio e Pepe (a very simple, classic spaghetti with black pepper and cheese) - which you can find here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Yumi and Simon's consistently Top-10 rated food podcast, the two hosts delve into the meaning of "heirloom" when it comes to food.And if you're surviving the cost-of-living battle sufficiently that you can shell out $$ for a couple of really good quality Ox Heart tomatoes - Simon has a beautiful and easy salad to really make those almost sacred (!) - tomatoes - that involves nothing more than salt, olive oil and a good looking platter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Food goes in and out of fashion, it's amazing to watch! Is Ottolenghi out of f(l)avour? Or are we bored? Or what?Today we unpack a classic old-fashioned dessert and one of the few desserts we ate in my house when I was a wee little tacker.PRE-HEAT YOUR OVEN 180CGrease a 1.5 L oven dish.CUSTARD INGREDIENTS MIX THESE THINGS TOGETHER IN A JUG:2 eggs2 tbs caster sugar500ml milk1 tsp vanilla essencePUDDING2tbs sultanas10 slices old, white bread, cut into trianglesoptional: butter the breadMETHOD:Arrange the bread triangles along the bottom of your ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle the sultanas as evenly as you can over the top. Pour over the custard mixture. If you want, top the lot with a grating of nutmeg or a shake of cinnamon, and then a tablespoon or two of your crunchiest sugar. Bake for 30 mins. Serve with vanilla icecream and try not to burn the roof of your mouth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Basque Cheesecake was all the rage a couple of seasons ago and now I'm making it almost weekly. Partly because it's a classic, is easy, and super-yummy, and partly because I am trying not to get my scrawny Asian ass kicked in this race I'm competing in Very Freakin Soon. DON'T ASK ME ABOUT THE RACE! Let's talk about cheesecake instead!YOU NEED:A lust for cheesy, delicious protein.A 20cm high-sided cake tin, which you have lined with scrunched up baking paper so that the paper towers a little above the top of the tin.An oven pre-heated to somewhere between 200-220C. (I use 200C in my oven.)INGREDIENTS:3 cream cheese blocks at room temperature200 g caster sugar310 ml cream or Greek yoghurt (which will add an extra tangy sourness to the cake)30g plain flour1 tsp vanilla bean paste220g whisked eggs Combine everything, then cook for 45mins - until it looks right.Recipe courtesy of Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon and I are both dismayed to hear that pears have grown so "unpopular" that local growers have been ripping up their trees to try to plant something more lucrative. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-17/pears-out-of-favour-with-shoppers/102961848Why not just enlist us to plug the pear?We'd do a great job!There are so many great uses for this subtle and affordable fruit - not least of all one of the GOATS of salads! (Does not contain goat nor any other livestock.)DEAD EASY POACHED PEARS RECIPE:10 pears250 ml sweet wine100g sugarMETHOD:Preheat the oven to 180CSlice the bottoms of the pears so that they can sit proudly upright.Arrange them to sit close together in a ceramic roasting tray.Top with a mingled mixture of the wine, sugar and any aromatics you like - eg., cloves, cinnamon, star anise. (Or leave these out!)Bake for 1 hour, basting with the syrup every 15 mins if you can be bothered.Serve with ice-cream, custard, yogurt or whatever you like. Use the leftovers to go with breakfast muesli or granola. DELICIOUS! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brussels sprouts were only ever polarising because our Boomer parents had no idea how to cook them.Here in the real world, this seasonal, winter vegetable is INCREDIBLE.How do you get the most out of them so they're as good as when you sit down for a side dish of these babies at a fancy restaurant with your mum?It's easy, you can do it!Find out more on today's episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi and Simon nut out the big questions on today's episode.What IS the difference between a garnish and something bigger, like a handful of croutons?Yumi will also talk you through a FANTASTIC cauliflower soup recipe which is easy (tick), delicious (tick), you could probably do tonight (tick!) and it is topped by the most unbelievably enjoyable garnish. (That is actually NOT a garnish.) Wait with baited breath to see if Simon can somehow incorporate his favourite ingredient into today's episode! INGREDIENTS:1 whole cauliflower (about 1.6kg), trimmed and cut into chunky florets2 tins white beans, drained and rinsed1 litre of chicken or veg stock3 tbs sakè or dry white wine2 tbs mirin2 tbs smoked salt flakes (just use whatever you have)2 tbs sprigs of fresh thymeTO SERVE:1 tub sour creamjuicy lemonsTOPPINGPlain potato chipsFresh chivesMETHODCombine everything in the INGREDIENTS list in your slow cooker, turn on 'LOW' and leave for 8 hours.Blend everything until smooth.Before serving, stir through the sour cream and lemon juice.Top each individual bowl with crushed potato chips and a few snips of chives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Yumi asks questions about olive oil, Simon answers.There's A LOT to Olive Oil that we take for granted, but it's worth knowing why this is such an essential ingredient, how to get the most out of what you're paying for, and what to look for when purchasing.Olive oil icing: 1 cup icing sugar + 1/3 cup of (good quality!) olive oil. Mix and pour over your carrot cake! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It sounds silly but farting is a genuine consideration in a lot of peoples' cooking, especially those of us with the most tedious of all the tedious food intolerances, #FODMAP.Garlic and onion are the devil to our digestive systems and a "bad case of the farts" is way worse than it sounds! BLACK BEAN RAGU - NO FARTS!Dice 2 medium eggplant to a 1cm diceFry that off in a big frypan in 4tbs of HOT olive oil. Allow 10 mins to really get it soft and a little browned, shrunken down and looking edible and awesome.Meanwhile, in a blender/food processor, whizz 1 tin of black beans, including the liquid, with 3 good-sized tomatoes, 1tbs white miso, 2tbs tomato paste, and 2 tsp of chilli oil (I use gochujang)Add this to the frypan with a second tin of black beans, this one drained and rinsed, and 200ml stock.Allow to cook down for another 5-10 minutes.Serve on rice, pasta, polenta, toast or on its own.BASED ON AN ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM Bee Wilson 'The Secret of Cooking' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

YES, we do exist! Not just figments of your fever dream that is 2024!And we'll be meeting you in person at the Sydney Writers Festival 2024 - Saturday 25 May, 11am with special guest foodies Alex Elliott-Howery (aka "Alex Cornersmith"), and Lucy 'Every Night of the Week' Tweed.It's 11am so you have time to get to the shops, chuck on the slow cooker, grab a coffee and then come sit with us.https://www.swf.org.au/program/season-2024/the-dinner-dilemma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Okay, if you're part of a diasporic community in Australia, there's a strong chance you're all over Plantain as an ingredient! But this incredible, versatile and super delicious ingredient was previously it's not grown locally, was hard-to-find, and expensive. THAT'S ALL CHANGING. (Coming soon to a fancy restaurant near you!) Plantain is Yumi's prediction for hitting the mainstream here in restaurants, cafes, cooking shows and at home - - so get onto it first!TO MAKE SIMPLE PLANTAIN CHIPS YOU'LL NEED:3 yellowish to black plantains1 flat teaspoon cayenne peppergenerous pinch of salt4mm sunflower oil for fryingALSO - We are very excited to be coming to Sydney Writers Festival! Saturday 25th May, 11am at Carriageworks, Simon and I will be joined by Alex from Cornersmith, Lucy 'Every Night of the Week' Tweed and all our usual LoLs and obsessive food chat so please come along!https://www.swf.org.au/program/season-2024/the-dinner-dilemma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't forget you can come see us with Alex Cornersmith and Lucy 'Every Night of the Week' Tweed at the Sydney Writers Festival on Saturday 25 May, at the extremely farmer's-market-friendly time of 11am! Carriageworks!On today's episode we're celebrating the rando gadgets you find in hotel kitchens, in this case, the legendary JAFFLE PRESS.To make The Perfect Baked Bean Jaffle?plug in the jaffle and get it going2 slices of sandwich bread (wholemeal or white)butter the outsidesswipe the insides with a little mustard if you're into that kinda spicefill the sandwich with a few spoonfuls of drained Wattie's Baked Beanstopped with cracked peppergenerous Havarti cheeseToast until the cheese is oozingEAT IMMEDIATELY WHILE ALSO AVOIDING SCALDING THE INSIDE OF YOUR MOUTH Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon and Yumi go deep on the humble potato in this episode.Can washing grotty old potatoes be worth the effort?What's the difference in supermarket varieties?NOTES: The word "yogghurt" is not used once in this effort.WARNING: Curve ball about dishwashers saved til end of episode.The Dinner Dilemma is going to be a hoot at this year's Sydney Writers Festival! For more info follow this linkhttps://www.swf.org.au/program/season-2024/the-dinner-dilemmaand to send a couple of photos of the contents of your fridge and [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rhubarb only has a short season, but that just makes it more glorious!It *does* require sweetening, so how do you measure what's the appropriate amount without killing the delicate, perfumed flavour?Yumi does have a terrific and doable RHUBARB COMPOTE recipe:800g trimmed, washed and dried rhubarb, cut into finger-lengths250 - 300g sugar1 tsp vanilla (optional)juice of 4 imperial mandarinsJuice the mandarins and cook down with the sugar until reduced by about half before adding all the rhubarb and stirring continuously for 12 minutes. Store in the fridge for 1 - 2 weeks. Eat on cereal with Greek yoghurt or top with crumble topping!WE ARE AT SYDNEY WRITERS FESTIVAL 2024! Simon and I (Yumi) will be onstage on Saturday 24 May with Alex Elliot-Howery from Cornersmith and Every. Night. Of. The. Week. cookbook author Lucy Tweed. Come along! And if you want your fridge and pantry to be featured, discussed and "solved", email [email protected] with photos of their contents!https://www.swf.org.au/program/season-2024/the-dinner-dilemma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a game-changer for the time-poor home cook.You've got some zucchini, broccoli stems, a few withered cherry tomatoes and an eggplant looking more wizened than Gandalf?Use them up in this amazing way to reduce waste and have food ready to go for when you need a pasta sauce, a soup base, or something to layer in a lasagna. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avocados being as cheap as they are right now (May 2024) feels like a TREAT.So what can we do with them and how do we get our kids to eat them?Yumi has a couple of ways to get them into your body! And your kids!And Simon knows about what the different varieties mean and how much a local cafe can charge for Smashed Avo these days.JAPANESE ABSORPTION METHOD RICEYou need a relatively small, good quality saucepan with a lid that fits. You also need kitchen scales.Weigh out your rice.Rinse rice in cold water twice.Allow the rice to sit for at least half an hour, no more than 16 hours.Cook on your smallest stove element, on HIGH for 7 minutes. Turn the heat to the stove's lowest settings for another 7 minutes, then switch off the heat and allow the rice to steam. (Don't remove the lid.)Some portion options...I use this quantity most often. It's enough for a modest portion for 3-4 people.240g rice + 360g water = 600g total weight (not counting the saucepan)Single serve?150g rice + 220g water = 370gBigger family?300g rice + 440g water = 740g Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're taking a break from the old routine. I've got a recommendation for you that is NOT food related. Check out the podcast "Can We Be Real?" hosted by two of my friends - Meshel Laurie and Simon Baggs. We've known each other for years, I love them both dearly, but more important than that, they're fantastic broadcasters.Can We Be Real is a weekly show that delivers laughs. If you like it, it's available on all major podcast platforms. I highly recommend it. XX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From bolognese on toast for one, to a GLORIOUS tuna and tomato on toast for 2 - 4, today's episode is a chance to shed shame around picking the easy route to dinner. Toast is FINE. Toast is GOOD. And if you want to elevate your dinner toast? Listen up.5 good tomatoes1 medium tin of tuna in springwater1/4 cup olive oilsalt and pepper1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried oreganofresh basil4 slices of excellent sourdough Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A share plate of steak is a great way to centre this nourishing ingredient while keeping it light - and dare I say - digestible? Based on a recipe by the wonderful Sabrina Gahyour, this is a beautiful platter that gets one steak in front of the whole family!Using a dressing of 200ml pomegranate molasses, 75ml balsamic vinegar, 1tbs olive oil and 2tsp Dijon mustard. Cook the steak (whichever you like, eg., sirloin) hot and fast for rare. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing finely. Serve the slices circling a nest of rocket leaves, drizzle with the dressing and top with a gorgeous tousle of pomegranate seeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.