Mother’s Day Recipes. 

A menu to treat Mum and make her feel truly loved, with beautiful home-cooked food she’ll adore.

Checkerboard appetisers.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: NA | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Tomato and bocconcini checkerboard

  • 14 baby cherry truss tomatoes

  • 14 cherry bocconcini

  • 1 tablespoon basil pesto, store bought

  • 2 tablespoons (40ml) extra virgin olive oil

  • baby basil leaves to garnish

  • salt and pepper to season

Cucumber and dill checkerboard

  • 180g feta, cut into 2cm cubes

  • 4 Qukes baby cucumbers, cut into 2cm thick pieces

  • ½ lemon zest and juice

  • 5g fresh dill, (1 tablespoon) finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 1 tablespoon (20ml) extra virgin olive oil

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 tablespoon sliced raw pistachio’s

Method:

Tomato and bocconcini checkerboard

  1. Arrange the tomatoes and bocconcini on a serving platter in a checkerboard pattern, alternating each piece neatly as you go. Making a 4 × 7 checkerboard.

  2. Mix the basil pesto and oil in a bowl to combine. Dollop over the basil pesto, allowing it to fall naturally between the tomatoes and bocconcini.

  3. Scatter with baby basil leaves and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cucumber and dill checkerboard

  1. Arrange the feta and cucumber on a serving platter in a checkerboard pattern, alternating each piece neatly as you go. Making a 4 × 7 checkerboard.

  2. Place the lemon zest and juice, dill, honey and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Spoon the dressing over the feta and cucumber just before serving. Sprinkle over pistachios and serve.

In partnership with CIRCA Fragrances and Harris Farm markets.

Barramundi with tomatoes and capers.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 800g barramundi side, deboned, skin on

  • 3 tablespoons (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, extra to serve

  • 50g unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, extra to taste

  • 2 truss tomatoes, grated with cheese grater, discard leftover skin

  • 200g mini tomato medley, halved

  • 2 tablespoons baby capers

  • 1 tablespoon (20ml) caper brine

  • 1 tablespoon (20ml) raspberry vinegar

GARNISH

  • 10g basil leaves

  • 1 lemon, zested to serve

  • sour cream to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC fan force (350ºF) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the barramundi fillet skin-side down, on the tray, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Dot with butter and season with 1/2 teaspoon of smoked salt and cracked pepper. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

2. To a medium bowl add grated truss tomatoes, halved mini tomatoes, baby capers, caper brine, raspberry vinegar, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked salt and cracked pepper to taste. Mix and set aside.

3. Remove fish from oven. Test the fish is cooked in the thickest part. It should be white, not translucent and flake easily with a fork.

4. Generously top fish with tomato mixture, then scatter over basil leaves, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream.

COOKING NOTES:

Can substitute capers for black or green pitted olives, roughly chopped.

Serve with roasted chat potatoes and sour cream for the perfect entertaining meal.

Pomegranate, barberry and bulgur salad with feta.

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: NA | Serves: 10

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups coarse bulgur

  • 3 pomegranates, seeds removed, 2 cups

  • 1 cup barberries

  • 4 celery stalks, finely sliced

  • 1 bunch dill, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon sumac

  • 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 1 Spanish onion, shaved with a mandoline or vegetable peeler

  • 4 tablespoons (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons (40ml) red wine vinegar

  • salt and cracked black pepper, to season

  • 250g Danish feta, crumbled

  • ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped

  • ½ cup pepitas

Method:

1. Place the bulgur in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over 7 cups of boiling water, cover with a plate or clean tea towel and let stand for 20 minutes, or until the bulgur is tender. Drain and place into serving bowl.

2. Add the pomegranate seeds, barberries, celery, dill, sumac, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice and shaved onion. Mix to combine.

3. Drizzle over olive oil and red wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper and scatter over crumbled feta. Mix well to combine. Clean sides and top with parsley leaves and pepitas.

Tip

This is a beautiful make-ahead salad for a crowd. Prepare the bulgur and dressing ahead of time, then toss everything together just before serving so the herbs stay fresh and vibrant.

Zucchini carpaccio with kiwi fruit, macadamia and pecorino.

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: NA | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 small zucchinis, sliced paper thin using a mandoline

  • 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced into small cubes

  • ⅓ cup raw macadamias, roughly chopped

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 1 ½ tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil

  • Sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste

  • 50g pecorino, finely grated

  • 5g thyme leaves, to garnish

Method:

1. Arrange the zucchini slices in a circular pattern on a large round platter, slightly overlapping each slice. Finish by placing one slice in the center of the platter.

2. Evenly scatter the diced kiwi fruit and chopped macadamias over the zucchini.

3. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Whisk until well combined.

4. Drizzle the lime dressing over the salad and then generously grate pecorino cheese over the top with a microplane.

5. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and additional sea salt, and cracked pepper to taste.

6. Let the salad sit for 20 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to meld.

White chocolate and almond cake.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 4 large free-range eggs, room temperature. See note 2

  • 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar

  • 250g (2 cups) almond meal, coarse texture

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 100g white chocolate, (1/2 cup) roughly chopped. See note 4

Serve with:

  • fresh berries

  • icing sugar to dust cake

  • 300ml pouring cream, whipped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C fan force (340°F). Grease and line a springform 20cm round cake tin.

2. In a large glass bowl, whisk eggs well (or use electric hand beater).

3. Whisk for a further 3-4 minutes, gradually adding the sugar in 4 batches. The mixture will turn thick and creamy in appearance (See cooking notes for more details).

4. Add in the almond meal and baking powder, whisk to combine. Fold through the chopped white chocolate with a spatula.

5. Pour into the cake tin. Place in the oven on the bottom shelf and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and spongy on top.

6. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes. Loosen sides with a butter knife and place onto a platter. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.

COOKING NOTES:

1. The egg and sugar mixture should be thicker, creamy and pale. It should not be separated. If mixture does not come together and separates, your cake will not work.

2. Use 60-70g eggs. If you have small eggs add 1 more egg. Ensure the eggs are room temperature and fresh.

3. Make sure you gradually add the sugar over the 3-4 minutes in 4 batches

4. Use chocolate from a bar of chocolate as white chocolate buttons will not melt in the cake as well.

5. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will last for 3 days.