Month: October 2023

by

Review- Oh Miriam, Stories from an Extraordinary Life – Miriam Margolyes

Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life
Miriam Margolyes
John Murray
Hachette Australia
ISBN: 9781399803366

Description:

Oh Miriam! risks the curse of the sequel, and pulls it off . . . A force of nature, a tour de farce. Bold, brave and bright, but also revealing, shocking and touching. Miriam is an icon, a cocksucker – and the star of her show’ ROBERT McCRUM, Independent

‘Our naughtiest national treasure . . . famously filthy, funny and phlegmatic . . . Oh Miriam! is Margolyes’s manifesto for a fulfilled life . . . She loves to tell it straight. And the older she gets, the straighter she tells it’ SIMON HATTENSTONE, Guardian

‘Irrepressible . . . A life-enhancing rollercoaster of a ride . . . this book is like Margolyes herself – outspoken, ebullient and unexpectedly wise’ EMMA LEE-POTTER, Daily Express

‘Snortingly funny . . . deliciously unbridled . . . There is something heroic in her unruliness. Let Miriam take the lead and enjoy the show’ RHIK SAMADDER, Observer

‘Insanely interesting, full of profanity and profundity , Oh Miriam! ‘s title comes from all the people who have ever exclaimed her name in every tone from horror to hilarity; and her unfiltered personality leaps off the page – honesty, kindness, generosity, sanity, erudition, outspokenness’ SUZANNE HARRINGTON, Irish Examiner

‘Endearingly eccentric’ WOMEN’S WEEKLY

From declaring my love to Vanessa Redgrave to being fed cockroaches by Steve Buscemi, from turnip-based comedy with Blackadder to being farted on by Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Graham Norton’s sofa to Alan Cumming’s camper van, my life has been (and continues to be) an uproarious adventure.

Oh Miriam! has been such a constant refrain in my life, said in all kinds of tones – laughs, surprised gasps and orgasmic sighs (I’m hoping for all of those from you as you read on!) – that it had to be the title of this book. And with a cast list that stretches from Churchill to DiCaprio, Dahl to Dietrich, Princess Margaret to Maggie Smith, I’ve so much more to tell you and so much more to say.

My chapters range from ‘How to Stay Married’ to ‘Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down’. Discover how to break the thickest conversational ice; why swearing is actually good for you (though not on the Today programme); the unexpected things I learned at school and what my Spice Girl name would be. Not to mention my Tale of the Unexpected and my very own Vagina Monologue.

Buckle up and join me on another unforgettable adventure, but this time through my heart and head . . .

My View:
Oh Miriam, you were not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting an insight into the life of the “tv persona” I am familiar with; intelligent with an open and honest humorous approach to life. The big and small screens sanitises (censors) so much of what we see /hear…I wasnt prepared for the honest and then the “let’s get a reaction” type sharing that is intermixed with paragraphs of brilliant observation.

So if you know Miriam, really KNOW Miriam, you may enjoy this read a lot more than I did.

by

Dried Mandarin Peels- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“When I was a kid, Mum used to dry mandarin peels on the kitchen windowsill and use them
whenever we were sick. We lived in such a small house that I don’t know how she managed
to find space to dry anything, to be honest. Mum would create a citrus skin steam room,
where we would inhale aromatic nutrients to relieve us of blocked or sore noses. It was such
a simple relief and without modern medicine. All you do is pour boiling water into a large
bowl, add the mandarin peels and wait a minute for the temperature to drop slightly. Cover
your head with a towel, hold your head over the bowl and breathe gently for a minute or
two; you’ll feel your nasal congestion slowly disappear. Dried mandarin peels aren’t only used in traditional Chinese medicine, they are also added to dishes, such as congees, soups, stir-fries, desserts and teas. Once you’ve dried the peels, they will keep for years; in fact, the longer you store them the darker the skins become and the more intense the aroma will be. If you try to purchase aged mandarin (or tangerine) peels in Guangdong, the older ones will cost more, similar to China’s famous aged
pu’er tea. Drying mandarin peels is effortless, therapeutic and rewarding. Better yet, it’s zero waste!
Any varietal of mandarin will do, although each has its unique aroma. Imperial mandarins are very easy to peel, so they are an obvious choice, but choose whatever is available and smells good when you scratch the skin. Today, most commercially grown mandarins are waxed to increase shelf life, so use organic or backyard mandarins if you can find them, as scrubbing the wax off the skin is nearly impossible.” p 161

CHÉN PÍ (陈皮)
mandarins
the sun


Wash the mandarins and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Score a 2 cm circle at the top of the mandarin in the skin only. Remove this mandarin skin and peel, then continue to score and peel the skin from top to bottom in six wedges. Set aside the fruit segments to enjoy later.

Using a serrated knife, scrape away the rind and pith from the peel as this is very bitter and tasteless. Place the mandarin peels on a plate and leave them on a windowsill with lots of sunlight to dry out. Turn the mandarin peels over every day for about a week, until the peels are completely dry. Store in an airtight jar in the pantry.

mayonnaise



120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

by

5 Minute Enoki Mushrooms- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“No sugar, no salt, ultimate umami! When you’re hungry and don’t have time for food prep,
this is the perfect meal that’s full of flavour. You can use the mushrooms in various ways –
I like to serve them with steamed rice, in a Turkish roll or in a burger. Did I mention they’re
cooked in under five minutes?
Firstly, mushrooms aren’t vegetables, they’re fungi, and they absorb lots of flavour, which
is why cooking them correctly is paramount. While other mushrooms have an abundance of
water, enoki mushrooms do not, and so for this recipe we are not using the wet-fry method
(see page 185), but rather a semi-dry oil method.
I’ve also cooked this recipe using button, flat and Swiss brown mushrooms. For these
types of mushrooms, finely slice them and boil in 50–100 ml of water until the water is nearly
evaporated. Once the mushrooms are cooked, continue with the recipe below, but shorten
the cooking time from 3½ minutes to 1 minute.” p186

Ingredients

SERVES 2–4
21/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2.5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
bunch of enoki mushrooms (about 300 g), trimmed
11/2 tablespoons soy sauce
11/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon cornflour mixed
with 1 tablespoon cold water

Heat the grapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the ginger and leave it to infuse the oil for 30 seconds. Add the enoki mushrooms and use a wooden spoon to separate the strands, then add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and mirin and cook, stirring occasionally, for 31/2 minutes. Add the cornflour slurry and cook for a further 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove the pan from the heat and enjoy the stir-fried enoki mushrooms with steamed rice, in a roll or in a burger.

mayonnaise



120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

by

Sri Lankan Jack Fruit Cutlets- Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me! The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Troung)

Don’t Buy Fruit and Veg Without Me
The Fruit Nerd (Thanh Truong)
Plum
Pan Macmillan Australia
ISBN:9781761265969
RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper

Description:
Meet Thanh Truong, aka ‘The Fruit Nerd’, Australia’s top fruiterer with a mission to revolutionise how we see and enjoy fresh produce!

Thanh’s passion and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect teacher, as he shares life-changing tips and delicious recipes to help enhance your eating experiences.

Need help picking the perfect avocado? Follow Thanh’s foolproof method for choosing well every time. Want to know how to select and tackle a satisfying pomegranate? Thanh has a tip that even most chefs don’t know!

Featuring 50 recipes inspired by Thanh’s family, travels and food-loving friends, such Matt Preston and Nat Paull from Beatrix Bakes, this book will help you choose and prepare the perfect ingredients to take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey.

“For my 30th birthday, my mates bought me a cooking class voucher. I chose Sri Lankan
cuisine because I love how it uses similar produce to Vietnamese food but in different ways.
In the cooking class I learned how to make Sri Lankan cutlets – deep-fried balls of herbs
and vegetables dusted in flour – and I’ve loved them since. If you purchase a whole green
jackfruit, you’ll find you have more than the 300 g of fruit needed for this recipe, although
you can buy green jackfruit cut and portioned, if you’re lucky. Otherwise, canned jackfruit
also works, but you’ll need to wash out the brine thoroughly and dry the jackfruit chunks
before mixing and frying. Enjoy. “ p 128

Ingredients

250 g potatoes, peeled
600 ml coconut oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra
12 curry leaves, left whole
2 Thai red shallots, finely chopped
2.5 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
300 g green jackfruit, skin and seeds removed, flesh cut into 2 cm chunks
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons tamarind paste
75 g (1/2 cup) plain flour
150 g panko breadcrumbs

TAMARIND MAYO
120g (1/2 cup) good equality mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind paste

Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until a knife slips through the potato easily. Drain and mash the potatoes, then set aside. Melt the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the curry leaves, shallot, ginger, garlic and white pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant.

Stir through the jackfruit and 100 ml of water, then cover with a lid and cook for 30–35 minutes, until soft.
Add the mashed potato, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the tamarind paste, and cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is very thick. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Mix the flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and and 150 ml of water in a bowl until you have a pancake batter consistency. Place the panko breadcrumbs on a plate.

Shape the cooled green jackfruit mixture into 2 cm balls. Working in batches, dunk the jackfruit balls in the batter to coat, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until completely covered. Place the cutlets on a plate, ensuring that they aren’t touching, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the tamarind mayo, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside in the fridge.

Heat the 600 ml of coconut oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C on a kitchen thermometer – the oil needs to be high enough to cover the cutlets. Working in batches, fry the cutlets for 3–4 minutes, until golden (don’t let the oil temperature drop below 160°C), then drain on paper towel. Serve hot, with the tamarind mayo for dipping.

mayonnaise



120 g (1/2 cup) good-quality
mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tamarind past

by

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Capsicum-The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.



Serves 4 / Prep 10 minutes / Cook 20 minutes
Ingredients:
500 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200 g gluten-free spiral pasta
200 g green beans, sliced
150 g roasted red capsicum (not in oil), drained, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread cauliflower over prepared tray and lightly spray with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Add chickpeas to tray and bake for a further 10 minutes or until cauliflower is light golden and tender.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pan.

Add cauliflower mixture to pasta mixture with capsicum, lemon juice and parsley. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with extra parsley leaves.

TO REFRIGERATE: Store leftovers in a reusable container for up to 2 days.
Serve cold or reheat single portions in microwave.

by

Paprika Spiced Chicken with Roasted Capsicum Relish-The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.


Serves 4 / Prep 5 minutes / Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 x 300 g skinless chicken breasts
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
200 g roasted capsicum (not in oil), drained, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Method

  1. Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin fillets.
    Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 teaspoon paprika. Lightly spray
    a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.
  2. Meanwhile, to make relish, combine capsicum, parsley, vinegar and remaining paprika in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Serve chicken with relish.
  4. For a heartier meal, boil or steam 8 (320 g) baby (chat) potatoes and divide between
    plates to serve.

by

Harissa Grilled Prawns with Zucchini and Cannellini Beans -The 20-kilo Challenge: Small daily habits for big weight-loss goals – by WW (weightwatchers reimagined)

The 20-Kilo Challenge by WW,
Macmillan Australia,
RRP $39.99,
photography by Jeremy Simons.



Serves 4 / Prep 10 minutes + marinating / Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients
1½ teaspoons harissa paste (see tip)
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
500 g peeled raw prawns, deveined, tails intact
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 x 400 g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

  • Harissa is a fiery North African chilli paste. You’ll find it in the
    herb and spice section in supermarkets.
  1. Combine harissa and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a shallow dish. Add prawns and toss to coat. Cover and place in fridge for 10 minutes.
  2. Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium–high heat. Cook zucchini, turning occasionally, for 2–3 minutes, until light golden. Add garlic and cannellini beans and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, until heated through. Stir in remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick grill pan or barbecue over high heat. Lightly spray prawns with oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes each side, until cooked through.
  4. Serve prawns with zucchini and bean mixture. Sprinkle with parsley leaves.