Lana kindly wrote to the Foundation, as we communicated further we learnt a little about Lana’s story which she kindly agreed to share along with 2 beautiful recipes.
“It seems a million moons ago, yet sometimes only yesterday when Vogue Entertaining named my fun Cooking School [no real ritzy name] as one of the best eight schools in Australia. I facilitated the school from my beautiful home in Paddington, Sydney. The laid-back stylish kitchen featured Tasmanian Huon timber and glass cupboards, open shelving showcasing blue and white china carried home from travels in South East Asia, black and marble bench tops, – opening out to see a sunlit courtyard through white-painted French doors to pick green herbs so easily to add to my food. My aim was always to present fresh, flavoursome, new creative cuisines from around the globe to a lively group gathered around my rustic wooden table. My Cooking School created the greatest joy imaginable for me. I coached, cooked, and offered food-flavoursome-food to salivating students. The first recipe from Cooking School days coming to mind is the Moroccan dish B’stilla (chicken and almond pie wrapped in golden paper-thin pastry leaves) – I cooked it decades ago while facilitating the school in my home for friend and cookbook author Belinda Jeffery, who said: “My toes are curling in delight under your dining table.”
We are delighted to have Lana share two of her beautiful recipes which we have trialled and tasted- simple and delicious! We know you and your residents will agree- have a go!
CHILLED CUCUMBER, CAULIFLOWER, GINGER and TRUE GREEN FRESH MINT SOUP
Makes approx. 1.25kg 10x serves at 125g
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp (30g) butter
- 2-3 (15g) cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 12 cm (30g) piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 leek (200g) [ white part], chopped
- 3 (500g) long Lebanese cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, chopped
- ½ (250g) small cauliflower, broken into florets, blanched for 3 minutes
- 500 g Greek yoghurt
- Chicken stock, if needed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh mint, torn
- S & P to taste
- Extra cucumber, diced for serving
METHOD
- Melt butter in a large pan
- Saute crushed garlic, grated ginger, leek and cucumber for 2 minutes
- Take off stove, add blanched and drained cauliflower, stir.
- Cool a few minutes
- Add yoghurt , lemon juice, S & P, fresh mint to taste
- Blitz, check consistency, add chicken stock or water if needed
- Chill, refrigerate at least 2-3 hours
- Stir, pour liquid on top of diced chopped cucumber in individual bowls
- Optional: Serve with small sprigs of fresh mint, Tiny tiny sprinkle of paprika for a speck of colour and olive oil (for Maggie)
ROASTED SPICED SEASONAL VEGETABLES with Feta and Fresh True Green Herbs
Makes 2kg- approximately 8x 250g serves
[There is the option of sautéing vegetable chunks to brown first for a few minutes – time and space permitting]
INGREDIENTS– rinse and leave skin on all root vegetables and cut roughly into 3cm chunks
- 300g Sweet Potato
- 650g Pumpkin – Qld Blue or Kent
- 400g Potato
- 300g Carrots
- 200g Broccoli florets- cut into approx. 3cm pieces
- 200g Cauliflower florets- cut into approx. 3cm pieces
- 300g (1 large) Red Onion or Leek
- 3 garlic cloves- in skin and crushed with back of knife
- ½ cup Peas [frozen can be used for convenience- Birds eye brand]
- 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Ginger powder
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh Oregano chopped
- To garnish
- ½ cup fresh Parsley leaves chopped
- ¼ cup fresh Mint leaves chopped
- Persian Feta [select cheese to taste re salt content and texture]
METHOD
- Preheat a fan forced oven to 200c, line a large baking dish with parchment paper
- Chop root vegetables into chunks and place in a large bowl. Cut florets and onion/leek and place in a separate bowl.
- Mix the powdered spices, S & P, and oil. Divided between both bowls of veg and toss to coat.
- Place the coated root vegetables on the prepared baking dish, add garlic and bake for 20-30 mins. Check for colour. Turn chunks.
- Reduce oven Temp to 180c add florets, onion/leek and oregano, bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until crisp outer and soft centre. Bake frozen peas in separate dish.
- Once cooked removed from the oven and allow to cool slightly, before presenting in a serving dish, evenly scatter with fresh mint, parsley, S&P, peas and crumbled fetta
- Optional: Saute mushroom slices on stovetop for added nutrition