ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book brought the team back together in the studio and also brought a new publishing and design team to the task. For their efforts I would like to thank:
The great team cooking my food: Sarah Swan – old hand, she still has it – and Mike Clift – fabulous young cook who is joining the Rockpool Qantas Consulting team. Nice work.
Stephanie Young, my PA, for all the effort getting me in the right place at the right time.
Sue Hines, Publishing Director. I did my very first book with you in the ’90s – good to give it another go twenty years later.
Diana Hill – your patience and calm disposition got the best out of us.
Claire Grady – nice bit of project management, we did set a crazy deadline.
Hugh Ford – nice clean design and thanks for making the book I imagined.
Earl Carter and Sue Fairlie-Cuninghame – what can I say? Your creative insight make me look good and as always, I’m so pleased with your work, as well as your friendship. Big kisses.
And the biggest kisses of all to my chicks Samantha, Josephine, Macy and Indy. You make my life full of beautiful women… wonderful.
This book is dedicated to my dear friend and mentor David Coe.
Coey, as he was known, lived a full and rich life in his all too short 58 years. He left behind an amazing wife and three sons and a group of friends whose lives were better for having known him – in many cases he was the force that brought them together. He was certainly one of the best people on this planet and the memory of him will be with me forever. I’m a much better person for having known him.
The recipes begin with a few of my favourite cocktails, followed by simple soups and salads which work beautifully as either the perfect start to a meal or a wonderful lunch. A few simple pasta dishes follow — all that's required to serve is a dusting of cheese and a good glass of wine. You will then find the chicken dishes, from spicy to roast and lots of great flavours in between (the Caramel chicken wings are a real family favourite). Pork is the protein of choice, followed by beef, veal and lamb recipes. My Asian banquets are next, followed by the Mediterranean shared tables. Recipes for Mexican feasts, are dishes crying out for their place on a table, paired with shaved cabbage and wrapped in tortillas. The book finishes with the sweet things. All these recipes are delicious and the results are well worth the effort. Happy cooking and enjoy.
My sentiment for this book is the same as for Easy Weekends and the inspiration for these recipes comes largely from my column in the Good Weekend. My hope is that having simple, produce-driven recipes at your fingertips will inspire you to cook more at home for friends and loved ones.
It is based on the same philosophy: eating healthy, fresh food and buying well will deliver a healthy lifestyle. Buy quality and eat in season, eat in moderation and spoil yourself occasionally, add some light exercise and moderation in drinking and what more could you want in life?
This book is again an expression of my love of multicultural cooking. I not only enjoy eating in the diverse ethnic landscape that is Sydney, but I love being inspired by those trips to little restaurants in my own kitchen at home. My love of all these different cuisines comes to life in this book. It is a measure of how interesting eating can be in this amazing country, built out of immigration and with fabulous produce.
As I was compiling the recipes for Simply Good Food I noticed there were a number of really yummy Mexican dishes that would work well together, and for that matter many Asian-inspired and Mediterranean dishes as well. I have grouped these, so if you want you can cook some lovely banquets, or just cook the single dish – it’s entirely up to you.
I shouldn’t have to say it as I have been banging on about it for years, but please think about what you buy and look to animals that have been humanely raised and looked after. Yes, we eat them, but it doesn’t have to be a horror for them from start to finish. Buy Australian seafood – that way you will be sure where it came from – and although we are still working through what sustainable fishing means, we are way ahead of many of the other places we import from. I know we all have budgets, so try to buy the best you can afford and look at how eating simply one day can have you feasting the next while sticking to a budget.
Eat in season. It’s cheaper, tastier and much more fun waiting for the first asparagus or raspberries to arrive on the market than it is eating Peruvian or American ones out of season. It doesn’t make sense – not just because of the lack of flavour but also because of the carbon footprint.
Again I’d like to stress that this book is about simple and tasty cooking – you don’t have to be an amazing chef to get great results. If you are learning to cook, start with the simpler recipes with fewer ingredients and as you grow in confidence add more and more recipes to your repertoire. Cooking is a learned skill not a natural gift, so persistence pays off.
Enjoy these recipes and I hope they make you and your friends and family happy as you sit around a table and enjoy your efforts. Cooking good food for family and friends is a labour of love and there are few things more rewarding for you – the cook and carer.
Most of all have fun with this. Remember, a happy cook makes happy food, which means lots of memories for a life well lived through food, drink and love.
Neil Perry x
AMERICANO
SERVES 1
30 ml (1 fl oz) Campari
30 ml (1 fl oz) sweet vermouth
soda water
1 slice of orange, to garnish
Pour the Campari and vermouth into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with the soda water and garnish with the orange slice and a stirrer.
MARGARITA
SERVES 1
You will need a cocktail shaker for this classic shaken margarita. There are any number of glasses you can use – just pick something that suits your style.
1 lime wedge, to salt the glass
sea salt for the glass, crushed till fine
50 ml (1¾ fl oz) tequila (I like Calle 23 Blanco)
30 ml (1 fl oz) fresh lime juice
20 ml (½ fl oz/1 tablespoon) Cointreau
Salt the rim of the glass by running the edge of a lime wedge around it, then dipping it into the salt – I find the best way is to lay a shallow layer of salt in a saucer. You can of course also use table salt if you prefer.
Pour the tequila, lime juice and Cointreau into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and give it a good shake. Strain into a coupe glass. This can also be served over ice, the choice is yours.
ITALIAN SOUR NO. 3
SERVES 1
30 ml (1 fl oz) Aperol
10 ml (2 teaspoons) Strega (an Italian liqueur)
5 ml (1 teaspoon) Campari
20 ml (½ fl oz/1 tablespoon) fresh pink grapefruit juice
20 ml (½ fl oz/1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
dash of egg white
a twist of grapefruit zest, to garnish
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with a small handful of ice and give a good shake. Strain into a wine glass over cubed ice and garnish with the grapefruit twist and a stirrer.
GIN & HOUSE TONIC
SERVES 1
I’m a fan of Hendrick’s Gin, but you can use Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray – whichever suits your palate. We make our own tonic water at Rockpool, but a great option for home is to get yourself a soda syphon, then you can create soda and tonic to your heart’s desire.
30 ml (1 fl oz) gin
100 ml (3½ fl oz) homemade tonic
lime wedge, to garnish
Simply build this drink in a short glass by pouring the gin over ice and adding tonic to just below the rim. Garnish with the wedge of lime and off you go.
CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH PARMESAN CROUTONS
SERVES 4
Any green vegetable, such as zucchini, broccoli or spinach, works well in this soup (in place of the asparagus), or try a combination of all three.
60 g (2¼ oz) butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, white part only, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
650 g (1 lb 7 oz/4 bunches) asparagus, trimmed, cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) lengths
1 large all-purpose potato (eg desiree), peeled and roughly chopped
800 ml (28 fl oz) chicken stock
150 ml (5 fl oz) thin (pouring) cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
PARMESAN CROUTONS
80 g (2¾ oz/1 cup) finely diced day-old sourdough bread (or any kind of dense bread)
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the leek, garlic, salt and pepper and sweat over low heat until the leek is soft. Add the asparagus and potato and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly coated in the butter mixture.
Add the stock and simmer over medium heat for 15–20 minutes or until the asparagus and potato are tender. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth.
Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the cream and lemon juice, and heat until just warmed through. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
For the croutons, combine the bread with the oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place the bread on a baking tray in one layer and bake for 4–6 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove the croutons from the oven and sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake for another 1–2 minutes or until the croutons are brown and crisp, tossing to prevent them burning. Allow to cool on the tray.
Serve the soup in large bowls topped with a spoonful or two of the croutons.
NOTE: The croutons will keep for a few days in an airtight container in a dry place. They can be tossed through any salad for added crunch, and go especially well in a Caesar.
SMOKED OCEAN TROUT DIP WITH LEMON THYME TOAST
SERVES 4
This dip also works well with Turkish bread or sliced baguette. You can serve it on top of lettuce leaves. I like baby cos or iceberg because of the crunch.
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) hot smoked ocean trout
125 g (4½ oz/½ cup) crème fraîche
2 lemons, zested and juiced
15 g (½ oz/¼ cup) finely chopped dill
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
LEMON THYME TOAST
150 ml (5 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
3 pieces large pitta bread
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
For the dip, remove the trout skin and use a fork to roughly flake the flesh. Combine the crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice and dill, and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold through the trout pieces and check the seasoning.
For the toasts, heat the oil, garlic cloves and lemon thyme together in a small saucepan. Once the garlic starts to blister, turn off the heat and set aside. Cool.
Cut the pitta bread into 10–12 pieces, place on a lined baking tray and toast in the oven for a few minutes or until lightly golden. Brush with the lemon thyme oil and serve immediately with the smoked ocean trout dip.
NOTE: The lemon thyme oil can be made a few days ahead of time. It’s alsogreat brushed over grilled fish or chicken.
SPANNER CRAB WITH TOMATO & CUCUMBER SALAD
SERVES 4
Any seafood can be substituted for the crab in this versatile salad – try cubes of raw fish, marinated for 5 minutes in lime juice, or chunks of hot smoked trout or eel. I also like this salad with pieces of roast chicken or duck instead of the crab. For a wonderful crunch, add croutons. Fry torn stale bread in extra virgin olive oil until golden brown, then toss through the salad.
80 ml (2½ fl oz/1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baby cos (romaine) lettuce, leaves separated and torn
16 cherry tomatoes, halved (see note)
2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthways, seeded and cut into 1 cm (½ inch) half moons
2 large fresh jalapeño chillies, halved lengthways, seeded and chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cooked spanner crab meat, picked over to remove any shell or cartilage
To make the dressing, place the oil, the juice of 2 lemons, the zest of 1 lemon, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl, and mix well.
In a separate bowl, place the cos leaves and one-third of the dressing, season with pepper, toss gently and divide among four serving plates.
Place the remaining ingredients, except for the crab, in the bowl and dress with half the remaining dressing. Place the salad on top of the leaves (try to keep it together, but don’t fret if it slides off).
Place the crab and the last bit of dressing in the bowl and mix to coat the crab. Place a mound of crab on each salad. Finish with a good grind of pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt.
NOTE: Use any beautiful tomatoes you can find – cherry, Kumato or vine-ripened.
SCALLOP CEVICHE WITH GINGER, CHILLI & CORN
SERVES 4
Any good-quality fish works well in this recipe and prawn or lobster would be fabulous. If you don’t like fish, substitute the same weight of mussels or clams, shell them and then add the salad ingredients. Cooked crab meat or cooked king prawns will also work well. Shredded roast chicken from a good chicken shop turns this into a five-minute meal.
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) raw scallops
1 tablespoon very finely chopped ginger
½ red onion, finely chopped
juice of 4 limes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 wild green chillies, finely chopped
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves only
1 small orange sweet potato (about 300 g/10½ oz), peeled, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice, boiled until tender
1 corn cob, kernels only
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the scallops, ginger, onion and half the lime juice in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain off the juices, add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the ceviche into four beautiful glasses, such as martini glasses, and serve.
SPICE-CRUSTED TUNA, TOMATO & BUTTERBEAN SALAD
SERVES 4
Prawns, salmon or ocean trout are good substitutes for the tuna. Chicken, quail or pork also work well – just adjust the cooking times and cook the chicken and pork all the way through. When making the tuna crust, do take the time to toast the spices as it brings out the essential oils and makes a huge difference to the flavour.
2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
pinch of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra, to season
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) sashimi-grade tuna loin, skin and bloodline removed
2 handfuls baby rocket (arugula) leaves
60 g (2¼ oz) butterbeans, diagonally sliced, blanched and refreshed
55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) drained semi-dried (sun-blushed) tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground white pepper
PRESERVED LEMON DRESSING
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon finely chopped preserved lemon zest
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toast all the spices in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Grind the sea salt with the spices in a mortar with a pestle to form a coarse powder. Spread the spice mix over a plate.
Cut the tuna in half lengthways and roll each piece in the spice mixture until evenly coated. Sear the tuna in a well-heated oiled frying pan over high heat until it is cooked 5–6 mm (¼ inch) of the way through on each side. Allow to cool and then wrap and refrigerate until needed.
For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the salad, place the rocket leaves, beans and tomatoes in a small bowl. Add enough preserved lemon dressing to just coat. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Arrange the salad on a plate and top with the tuna slices. Drizzle the tuna with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and white pepper. Serve immediately.
NOTE: Simply double the quantities and you have a fantastic summer main course salad for lunch or dinner. All that’s required is a quality chilled white wine and you’re in business. If cutting the beans is too much for you, simply open a tin of cooked white beans such as cannellini and rinse. They have a wonderful affinity with tuna and are great to keep in the cupboard for simple meals when you don’t feel like cooking the beans from scratch.
LEEKS & SOFT EGGS WITH GARLIC VINAIGRETTE
SERVES 4
This salad is great as a starter or as part of a shared family table. The leeks could be replaced with fresh asparagus or artichokes, which have either been cooked, or sliced thinly and served raw.
10 garlic cloves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 eggs, organic, if possible
4 small–medium leeks, white part only, trimmed and washed
freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ bunch chives, finely snipped, to serve
Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the garlic, reduce the heat and simmer until very tender. Strain the garlic and mash it in a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar and whisk until incorporated.
Cook the eggs, straight from the fridge, in boiling salted water for 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool. Peel the eggs.
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, gently simmer the leeks for 8–10 minutes or until tender. Drain the leeks on paper towel. Carefully remove the first layer of skin from each leek and cut the leeks in half lengthways then cut each half into lengths approximately 5 cm (2 inches) long. While still warm, dress with the garlic vinaigrette and mix through the parmesan.
Place the leeks on a large serving dish or divide among four plates. Cut the eggs in half and place on the leeks, spoon over any extra dressing and sprinkle with the chives and black pepper.
NOTE: Leeks are a much-underused vegetable. Try them boiled, roasted or grilled on the barbecue.
CHICKEN & NOODLE SALAD WITH SPICY SESAME DRESSING
SERVES 4, OR 8 AS PART OF A SHARED ASIAN BANQUET
Prawns are lovely in this salad, either as a substitute for the chicken or added with the chicken. The chicken and dressing are also tasty when served with steamed rice instead of noodles.
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
3 garlic cloves, sliced
8 cm (3¼ inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
½ bunch spring onions (scallions), dark green ends only, plus 2 spring onions, extra
250 g (9 oz) skinless chicken breast fillets (free-range or organic, if possible)
6 iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded
150 g (5½ oz) fresh egg noodles, blanched and refreshed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
SPICY SESAME DRESSING
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons thick soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Chinkiang black vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame sauce
1 teaspoon ground chilli powder
2 tablespoons chilli oil (see note)
Place the Shaoxing, garlic, ginger, spring onion ends and 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand for 20 minutes, then remove the chicken.
Mix all the dressing ingredients until well incorporated.
Shred the chicken by hand. Shred the white and green parts of the remaining 2 spring onions.
Combine the lettuce, noodles and coriander in a bowl with two-thirds of the dressing. Place the noodle mixture in the middle of a large plate. Top with the chicken and pour over the rest of the dressing. Sprinkle the shredded spring onions over the top.
NOTE: It’s worth going to the effort of making your own chilli oil. Lightly toast 20 seeded dried long red chillies, then grind them in a spice grinder. Heat 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) of vegetable or peanut oil to 155°C (300°F) and pour it on the chilli powder. Leave for 1 hour, then strain.
MANCHEGO & CORN FRITTERS
MAKES ABOUT 18 FRITTERS
75 g (2½ oz/½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 egg whisked with 2 tablespoons milk
60 g (2¼ oz/1 cup) Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
CAPSICUM JAM
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons good-quality sherry vinegar
2 large red capsicums (peppers), seeded and thinly sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
BECHAMEL
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) milk
1 fresh bay leaf, gently bruised
½ thyme sprig
1 small garlic clove, crushed with the back of a knife
1 whole clove
40 g (1½ oz) unsalted butter
35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
MANCHEGO AND CORN FRITTERS
25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
200 g (7 oz/1 cup) fresh corn kernels
25 g (1 oz/1/3 cup) finely grated Manchego cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper