Magic Bunny

Blueberry pancakes

2008-10-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

These pancakes are sure to get you out of bed on the weekend. Throw your maple syrup away — even plain pancakes are so easy to enjoy with a sprinkling of icing sugar and lemon juice.

A simple pancake batter will do— the trick is to place the blueberries after the batter is on the pan.

Steamed swimmer crab

2008-10-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

This is dinner. You've got to make sure to get these guys as fresh as possible — ideally alive and make them "go to sleep" by placing them in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Remove the top shell by cutting around it, starting from the back where it's softer.

Cut out the gills and wash out the insides under cold running water.

Cut the crab into four parts and place in a steamer for 15-20 minutes.

Serve simply with lemon wedges and small mounts of salt and pepper.

Butternut and hazelnut pie

2008-10-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano.
Although the original recipe uses pumpkin puree (from a can), I've substituted it with homemade butternut puree and also use 25 percent less sugar in the filling.

Make a shortcrust pastry by combining 100g flour, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 100g chilled butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles bread crumbs and then add the water, drop by drop and form into a ball of dough.

Chill the dough for 25 minutes.

Roll it out onto a pie dish and poke holes in the bottom. Bake with pie weights for 10 minutes at 200 degrees C.

Make the hazelnut paste by combining 30g ground hazelnuts with 50g demerara or brown sugar and 2 tbsp softened butter.

Spread onto the bottom of pie shell and bake for 10 minutes are 230 degrees C.

Make the filling by combining 250ml of double cream, salt, cloves, cinnamon, 100g demerara or brown sugar, 1 tbsp flour...

250ml butternut puree, 2 eggs plus 1 yolk.

Pour filling into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes at 170 degrees C.

Falafel Iskandar

2008-10-03T19:46:00.000-07:00

The healthiest thing you could get from a kebab shop that is never on the menu: Iskandars. It's basically the kebab you already love with more vegetables in place of the bread wrap.

Start off by making some cus-cus by following the instructions on the back of the packet.

Reheat some (bought)falafel.

And arrange finely chopped red and regular cabbage, tomatoes, grated carrots, sliced beetroot, onions, feta cheese, olive oil and drizzle some hot chilli sauce for extra zing.

Healthy lentil pasta with zuchinni and sardines

2008-10-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Canned sardines taste really good and if you're bored of tin tuna — sardines are a great thing to try. Not only are they packed with all the good oils and minerals, they're also a great source of calcium believe it or not.

Get your favourite pasta, a can of sardines in brine, spring water or even tomato sauce, whatever you fancy — half a can of lentils (you can soak your own pulses, but the canned varieties work and taste, just as good) and one zucchini.

Dice the zucchini and sauté lightly in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.

Add sardines and lentils and toss in the pan over a medium flame.

In the meantime, boil your pasta and drain once cooked.

Toss into pan and serve.

Wagyu beef burger

2008-09-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

A great way to enjoy a really good burger is to start with high quality ground beef -- it's also a more economical way of enjoying good tasting beef such as the Angus and Wagyu variates.

So once you're on a roll with a premium pattie, choose a good bread that won't turn into pink dough when you're holding onto your burger and look for a red, ripe and juicy tomato.

Slice half an onion.

And cook it with the patties on a non-stick frying pan.

When the meat is cooked (takes about 15 minutes on a medium flame), assemble your burger and enjoy!

Finishing touches

2008-09-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here's the finishing touches to our inner-city character apartment. Although I'd call the style minimalist more than contemporary (as I did in earlier posts).

A curious looking jug used as a vase looks great on the bathroom window sill. Local and in-season cut flowers shouldn't set you back more than $5 and in my opinion a better investment (to your mood) than ornaments that clutter (and irritate).

Empty bottles make great candle holders and intricate subjects to draw after the wax has melted over.

Growing herbs

2008-09-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

I started growing herbs when the price of basil shot up to $5 at the markets. That's just ridiculous. After all, it does grow like a parasite in a sunny spot with some good soil.

I started growing my herbs from seeds but you can start with a juvenile plant.

In a sunny spot by on the kitchen window sill the seeds kept sprouting, and sprouting. Here, I'm transplanting them into individual pots made from recycled aluminum cans with holes punches in the bottom for drainage.

Now, they should start growing faster with less root and light competition.

The parsley plants are growing just as well.

With a little TLC and clean water, I'll have my own herbs in no time.

Lamb shanks

2008-09-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Lamb shanks are not the best way to keep in shape over the summer but as a Sunday (early) dinner (and skip brunch) with an activity planned for the evening — even a small walk, are A-okay.

Marinate the lamb shanks with rosemary, bay leaves, salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil (to make the marinades stick) in a roasting tray overnight.

The next day, roast the shanks in a 100 degree oven for 3 hours.

1/2 hour before the shanks are ready, sweat a leak in a pan by cutting the white part of the stalk into small rings and saut in a pan with butter. Then simmer on low with the lid down until soft. Season.

When the shanks are ready serve them with the leeks and Kumara mash, or peas, whatever you fancy.

Oven roasted bream

2008-09-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Eating more fish is a great way to stay in shape for summer. And if cooking fish is new territory for you, make friends with your local fish monger and I'm sure he'll help you along. I've never met one who didn't.

Buying fish whole is a great way to get the freshest fish. Make sure the eyes are clear and the gills are red (not brown) and its flesh springs back up after you (gently please) poke it.

Ask your fishmonger will de-scale and gut it for you.

Cut up some vegetables and a whole clove of garlic in half and arrange them around your fish in a roasting tray. Place lime, or lemon slices on the fish and you can even season it with sweet paprika, or any spice you fancy and have handy in the pantry. The back of the label usually lets you know if it will go well with fish.

Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 180 degree oven for 45 mins or till cooked — I usually take a fork and test the flesh in the middle.

Authentic hummus

2008-09-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Authentic hummus is one of the easiest things to make. It's a great snack or can be eaten as a light meal. Once you've made your own, you'll never buy the vinegary supermarket rubbish ever again.

Here's what you do;

In a pot; fry diced onion and chopped garlic till fragrant.

Add one can of chickpeas, as well as the brine, and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Throw in chopped coriander and red chillies and sit aside.

To make little pancake wraps, combine 1 cup of plain flour in a bowl with tbsp of water and mix into a ball of dough. Sit it in the fridge for 20-30 mins, split the dough into 8 equal portions and roll out pancakes. Fry them on a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and viola.

You can mush the hummus up, but why would you?

Custom dining table

2008-09-26T22:23:00.000-07:00

Customizing our dining table took a little work. I had my heart set on a Balinese style bench table, although that style of furniture was going to be a distinct no-no if we were to pull of a more sophisticated look — so when I told Joe my idea for customizing a bench dining table, he was all for it.

Spaghetti aglioo olio pepperoncino

2008-09-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

I was contemplating making something fancy, impressive, different, the other night. Then I thought about my stomach and realized I wasn't in the mood for something strange and exotic with twenty ingredients.

So I called my mother and here's what she told me to do:

All you need: olive oil, chilli flakes, garlic, spaghetti.

Slice and fry garlic in olive oil.

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling water till al dente.

Drain pasta, toss in olive oil, fried garlic and chili flakes. Viola!

Farm-style roast

2008-09-10T04:01:00.000-07:00

I found a great way to get a crispy skin roast chicken.

Basically; pan fry the whole chicken and pour flaming brandy over it before roasting.

You can also use the juices at the bottom of the roasting tray to make a gravy.

Pan fry the whole chicken.

Take your time to brown the sides as well.

Transfer the chicken to a roasting tray with potatoes, onions, bay leaves, garlic and a splash of red wine.

Roast the chicken at 190C for 1 1/2 hr. Longer if you like bigger chickens. Make sure the juices run clear.

Plate and serve with your favourite, in-season side vegetables.

Bruschetta

2008-09-10T03:35:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes, Olive oil, Salt, Pepper, Herbs (whatever you have on hand - basil, parsley, dried oregano).

Rub garlic on toasted bread (whatever you fancy). Viola!

Breakfast, office lunch, dinner entré — you will love this.

In a bowl: combine tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, salt & pepper.

Toast bread and rub a clove of garlic over one side and watch it melt like butter.

Top toast with tomatoes and enjoy!

Japanese-style curtains and wall deco

2008-09-07T03:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a great way to dress up a window using craft fabrics with Japanese prints and patterns. Japanese style curtains are simple flaps that tend to sit higher than the actual length of the sill (or doorway).

Intended to create atmosphere; you can widen, shorten and/or lengthen the fabric depending on how much privacy you desire.

Here's how to sew Japanese-style curtains by hand:

Another great deco idea for your walls is a simple drawing.

Everyone remembers high school art classes and their frustrated sketches of everyday and seemingly simple objects. You may think you've already forgotten what how to draw but actually; the secret was some logical observation plus patience all along.

Try it out for a relaxing activity and frame your work. Even if you're not feeling convinced at the end of the activity, just remember, "Art can be anything".

If you really want to learn how to draw: find an art class nearby and take a short course.

I quickly learnt drawing was a more technical skill acquired through careful observation rather than inbound talent I originally thought.

The sketch looked quite stunning framed simply and hung modestly in a corner.

Chocolate cake

2008-08-26T05:22:00.000-07:00

If you've got the urge to bake, nothing is more satisfying than baking a luscious batter to golden perfection, spreading a layer of sexy ganache in and around your home-baked and creating rhythmic swishes with the chocolate..

I used a white chocolate recipe for the cake but found it was far too rich - the job of the ganache. I'd recommend using a plain cake batter (sugar, butter, eggs, flour).

Enough said? Check out the slideshow;

French toast with cinnamon sugar

2008-08-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

French toast was one of the first things I learnt to cook. My cousin showed me how to dip the bread in scrambled eggs and cook it on a hot pan, turning only once.

When we were ready to eat our golden squares she grabbed a bottle of vinegar-y tomato ketchup and brutally drowned our beautiful breakfast in red goo.

You're never too young — or old — for french toast. Here's how I have it these days.

Get your bread and eggs on standby near the stove.

Dip both sides of the bread in the egg mixture.

Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Top toast with cinnamon sugar and enjoy!

Tasty toasties

2008-08-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Canned pasta on toast has got to be great kiwi tradition NZ foodies would rather not be acknowledged for. As a young girl going to the South Island to study in my late teens and being brought up in Italy, my enjoyment of spaghetti and cheese toasties had to be kept a total secret.

Okay, so canned pasta is slimy and not the most desirable of foods but actually, if you use left-over and home-made lasagne as a toastie topping it's the ultimate comfort food.

Left-over lasagne toasties: I discovered how comforting pasta and cheese can be on toast in NZ.

Left-over rattatoulie is a great toastie, or pizza topping as well.

Finish your meal with a lime slice and reward yourself for the dollars saved with a glass of bubbles.

The lime slice recipe is from Taste magazine (NZ).

Breakfast fit for a king

2008-08-20T04:35:00.000-07:00

The fastest way to pick yourself up mid-week is waking up 20 minutes earlier than usual and cooking breakfast.

An easy way to make potato rosti is to steam two potatoes the night before, sit them in the fridge and grate them in the morning before stir frying them with a knob of butter in a non-stick pan while the sausages and tomatoes cook in the oven...

Make the potato rosti while the sausages and tomatoes roast in the oven.

I've bought lean chicken sausages from the butcher and roasted them with the tomatoes and some oregano at 190 degrees for 20 mins.

Fry two eggs and viola!

Another quick breakfast idea: poached egg on smoked salmon and bit of toast.

DIY bookshelf: how to make a stylish, deconstructed bookshelf

2008-08-19T06:04:00.001-07:00

It seems as though bookshelf styles haven't changed since 1910. While there are some neat ideas and designs for floating shelves out there — it doesn't help the renter who can't poke holes in the wall.

Here's a stylish bookshelf you can put together for under $50:

We're using concrete blocks for the base, so we've attached felt pads to the bottom to avoid damaging the flooring.

Stack particle boards between the concrete blocks.

Here's where you can get creative placing the concrete blocks and boards to give interesting gaps and protruding angles.

Mussels roasted in butter, wine and lemon juice

2008-08-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Mussels, butter, wine and lemons are one of those food marriages made in heaven.

The only other thing that's needed is a fresh baguette stick and room for the rest of the wine.

In a pot: chooped parsley, butter, olive oil...

..500g mussles, 1/2 cup wine and juice of half a lemon. Season and place pot in a 210 degree C oven for 15-20 mins. Return pot to stove and simmer for 5-10 mins to thicken sauce.

Serve mussels with plenty of bread rolls to mop up the juices.

Pasta making tutorial

2008-08-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

Home-made pasta tastes and feels wildly different from store-bought pasta. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it doesn't take much longer to make your own pasta than it does to wait for the dry stuff to cook (fresh pasta cooks in 2 minutes).

Even with a simple sauce of olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper - fresh pasta is so easy to enjoy because of its melt in the mouth texture. The ultimate comfort food.

Plus, if you aim to make a simple sauce that takes 30-45 mins to cook that'll give you plenty of time to play around with the pasta machine. But don't forget to invite a friend... the little piece of equipment requires two operators.

Check out the pasta making tutorial below and learn how to make a simple mushroom sauce.

Blueberry yoghurt cake

2008-08-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a great way to use up yoghurt. At the same time, cooking blueberries develops their flavour so they can be enjoyed to their full potential.

Another good use for this batter can be as a muffin batter - simply adjust the cooking time and use the skewer test to see if they're done.

The ingredient quantities and cooking instructions are included in the slideshow captions and you can pause the pictures if you need to.

Cream 125g butter and 3/4 cup caster sugar.

Add 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 cup of strawberry yogurt and 2 beaten eggs and mix well.

Spoon mixture into a greased and lightly floured baking tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 45-50 mins.

How to make pizza dough and topping ideas

2008-08-18T04:27:00.000-07:00

If you buy pizza bases from the supermarket or regularly order pizza from the local takeaway — you'll be surprised at how easy a pizza base is to make and how little it costs to top.

This one is topped with canned sardines.

Pizza dough is basically one sachet of instant yeast mixed with one teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water, 1 1/2 cups of flour plus a pinch of salt.

Dissolving a teaspoon of honey in the warm water and yeast mixture makes the dough soft and fluffy.

Knead the dough for 10 minutes.

Leave it to rise for about 30 minutes.

And then knead and stretch the dough to your desired shape, size and thickness. Top with your favourite things and bake for 15-20 minutes at 220 degrees C.

You can make a simple cheese and tomato pizza...

or try using pesto instead of tomato sauce for the base and top with roasted tomato wedges and feta cheese.