Australian nutritionist Sarah Pound’s new book highlights her passion for food that’s wholesome and healthy. Photos / Supplied
Australian nutritionist Sarah Pound’s new book highlights her passion for food that’s wholesome and healthy. Photos / Supplied
Zesty lemon chicken with olive salsa
Serves 4
Zesty Lemon Chicken with Olive Salsa. Photo / Supplied
3 tbsp plain flour
½ tsp salt flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
4 chicken drumsticks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
125ml (½ cup) dry white wine
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 bay leaves
OLIVE SALSA
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
80g pitted green olives, chopped
1 large handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 large handful oregano, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 long green chillies, sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced).
In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken thighs and drumsticks in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dishover medium-high heat. Add the floured chicken pieces and brown them on all sides.
Once browned, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan, add the onion and cook until it softens and becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly. Add the chicken stock to the pan with the lemon zest and juice. Add the bay leaves, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them into the liquid.
Cover the pan with a lid or aluminium foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Let the chicken slow-cook for about 1½ hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, prepare the olive salsa. Combine all the ingredients and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
When the chicken is ready, remove it from the oven and carefully take out the bay leaves. Spoon the olive salsa generously over the chicken pieces and serve.
Thai pumpkin soup with coconut & coriander
Here’s a bit of a spin on the traditional pumpkin soup, and it’s my mum’s favourite. The red curry paste gives a zingy kick and the coconut milk provides a wonderful creaminess.
Serves 6
Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut & Coriander. Photo / Supplied
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1.3kg pumpkin, cut into 5cm chunks
250g starchy potatoes, cut into 4cm chunks
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2cm piece of ginger, very finely chopped
3 tbsp red curry paste
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
400ml can coconut milk
1 large handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
juice of 2 limes
4 spring onions, very finely sliced
For the soup base, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until it is translucent and slightly caramelised. Stir in the pumpkin and potato and cook for 6-7 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the red curry paste and cook until the oil in the curry paste separates. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin and potato are soft. Remove the pan from the heat and use a hand-held blender to puree the soup.
Return the pan to low heat and stir in the coconut milk. Let the soup gently heat through for 5 minutes, but do not let it boil.
To prepare your topping, combine the coriander, peanuts, lime juice and spring onion in a bowl.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Serve with a sprinkle of the peanut mixture.
Tender pork banh mi with hoisin mayo
Serves 4
Tender Pork Banh Mi with Hoisin Mayo. Photo / Supplied
1 x 500g pork tenderloin
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
½ cup Japanese kewpie mayonnaise
4 banh mi rolls (or long, white, crunchy rolls), split in half
2 lebanese cucumbers, very finely sliced lengthways
2 large handfuls of coriander leaves
1 long red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
MARINADE
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely sliced
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
QUICK CARROT PICKLE
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 large carrots, very finely sliced with a julienne peeler
To make the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients in a large, shallow bowl. Mix well. Add the pork and use your hands to rub in the marinade.
Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or even better overnight, covered and in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
Combine the hoisin sauce and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Mix well. Taste and feel free to add more hoisin or mayonnaise. Set aside.
Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan or chargrill pan over high heat. Add the pork and cook on each side for 3 minutes to create a golden and caramelised crust. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes until just cooked through. Cover the tin with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, before cutting the pork into slices 1 cm thick.
Meanwhile, make the quick carrot pickle. Combine the vinegar and caster sugar in a shallow bowl, stir well and add the carrot. Mix the carrot into the liquid, so it’s mostly covered. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes, then drain.
To assemble, spread the hoisin mayonnaise over the base of the rolls; you want to be generous with this. Top with the sliced pork, some carrot pickle, cucumber, coriander and chilli, if using.
Wholesome by Sarah, by Sarah Pound. Photo / Supplied
An edited extract from Wholesome by Sarah by Sarah Pound (Macmillan, RRP $49.99).
