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Jualtn Thomaa

Jan HUlchtnson end Scoa Ellis

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intro uction
The challenge in cooking for television is to take some
simple ingredients, whatever I find, and turn them
into something special. It might look difficult (and
sometimes it can be) but I love doing it because it's
the way I was taught to cook . It follows one of the
most fundamental rules of the kitchen, something
my dad taught me when I first started out and which
I still stick to: Learn the basics, learn to do them
well, then work from there.

A meal might be as simple as a piece of steak with

mashed potato, but if you do them right you can
build on these basics, and suddenly you're cooking something you
never thought you could . Next time, for example, try marinating the
steak, throw a few herbs and spices into the mash, then add a great
sauce. It's not too hard; you'll end up with a spectacular meal; and have
a lot of fun as well!

Apply the same rule to sauces, which can transform a meal. I can tell
you now that for all the different sauces around, almost all come from
five basic recipes. If you learn to make those - and I've included
instructions for each - then moving up a step is easy because you've
got a great foundation to work from. Start with the basics, use your
imagination and experiment as you go. You'll have your own signature
sauce before you know it.

The recipes on these pages have come from a range of different places.
Some are from my family and haven't changed from the time I first
learnt them, and others are just things I experimented with and
improved along the way.

But no matter where they're from, they all still follOW that first rule: You
start with something simple and make it something special. Even with
the ingredients, I've tried to show you ways to take ordinary things and
turn them into a meal to remember.

I hope you w 'ill enjoy cooking these dishes as much as I have through
the years!

Aristos

introduction 5
 •
ife t e kitchen

Scenes (rom our

family restaurant,
th e Rex Cafe ill
Sun bury, wher e I
first learn! to cook

When I think about it, there wasn't much question about me becoming a chef - it

was in my blood!

My mother's family opened their first restaurant in Bunbury, Western Australia in

1935 and that was where my father found a job in 1960 when he arrived in Perth as a

chef in the Merchant Navy. He'd jumped ship and was at the Greek Club when a call

came through asking if anyone knew of a chef looking for work. He took off for

Bunbury, got the job, and before long he met and fel! in love with the bosses' daughter.

That was enough for him to decide Australia was where he wanted to be. He went

back to Greece and migrated officially about six months later. Mum and dad were

married soon after that, then \ came along. So when they took over my grandfather's

restaurant that 's where I grew up, spending most of my time in the kitchen watching

my parents and grandparents as they prepared the food, I learnt everything I could

along the way,

Even when I was a little kid I knew I wanted to be just like my dad , Mum remembers

finding me once in the big flour bin. When she pulled me out the first thing I said was:

"Mum! I want to be a cook!" And \ haven't changed my mind since!

As \ grew up I was still hanging around in the kitchen as much as I could. I used to

get my mates over and we'd play in the store room (and pinch a few soft drinks when

nobody was looking!) but a" the time \ was watching what my dad was doing.

6 cooking with aristos

 By the time I was ten years old I was helping out with washing the dishes. Later on,

when my mates were getting ready to go out on Friday and Saturday nights, I'd be in

the kitchen cleaning squid, trying to cut the fish and doing the little things I could like

garnishing the plates ... and loving it!

It was in the restaurant kitchen that J got my first real chance to try cooking, when I

was still just a teenager.

On some afternoons dad would go out with a few mates, then come back and doze

in the corner for a couple of hours while things were quiet. I was supposed to keep an

eye on things and wake him up when it got busy or if the fishermen came in with the

catch .. . but I decided I wouldn't.

The produce would arrive and I'd start preparing the food. Then later the customers

would come in and I'd quietly keep going. Eventually dad would wake up, take a look

at me and ask: "S07 It's been pretty quiet?" And I'd point over at the pile of dirty plates.

My dad was always very careful to make sure things were just right. He'd be out the
kitchen door checking with customers to see if everything was fine, and when it was he'd

break into a big smile and tell them: "My son cooked thatl" I was about 14 years old.

Like I said, I'd always wanted to be just like my dad. He was one of those people

who took real pride in making sure things were done properly and that people in his

kitchen really cared about what they were making.

life in the kitchen 7

The first thing I said
was: "Mum! I want to
be a cook! rr And I
haven't changed my
mind since!

In the early years my

great grandfather and
dad were an inspiration.
Today my dad's still
showing me whatlo dot

I knew if I wanted to be a really good chef, I'd have to do the same. So I watched

dad closely and learnt how to do the ordering, how to choose the best fish and the

best cuts of meat how to prepare them and how to make sure the customer was

always happy. Because I was doing the ordering from such a young age I learnt early

on about produce and how to deal with butchers and fishermen. Believe me, the best

way to learn is to buy bad cuts - you don't do that again!

For the next few years I kept at it in the kitchen, learning the trade secrets,

experimenting a bit myself (usually when Dad wasn't looking!) and just taking it all in.

Everyone in the family had little tips or tricks, recipes or skills which I tried to pick up.

My grandfather, for example, would put his heart into something as simple as

cleaning a fish. He was pedantic about the fillets being perfect and, no kidding, when

there was a stack of fish prepared by different people, you could go through and pick

out which ones had been done by him - he was that thorough .

Then there were certain dishes dad cooked and some that mum cooked . Even today

if I call them to say I'm coming over and ask for something special, like some Gravy

Beef, dad will say: "I'll get your mum to do that."

I watched everyone and tried to pick up who did what, and how they did it. I

changed the recipes a little bit, but to be honest, I hardly need to have bothered.

When they did it they got it right!

8 cooking with aristos

 Food played such a huge part in our lives. I learnt how to prepare and eat different
things when they were in season or when they were in their prime. I learnt to build a

good rapport with the butcher. I still go to his shop without a clue what I'm going to

buy and just pick what is best on the day or what he advises me is good.

I learnt to buy fish with my eyes. If it looks good, chances are it is. Try it yourself

next time you're buying fish - whichever one looks bright, shiny and has a good

lustre will generally be the best. Even if you don't know fish, 99 percent of the time

you'll be spot on!

As well as the restaurant, my parents had four fish and chip shops, a Souvlaki shop

and a lunch bar, so there was a lot of different food being prepared, talked about and
eaten. I was learning all the time.

By the time I was 20, when my parents sold the restaurant, I knew that cooking was what

I wanted to do in life . I tried a couple of other jobs, but at 26 I opened my own restaurant.

These days I still spend most of my time in the kitchen. My dad drops in from time

to time to take a look at what I'm doing and offer a bit of advice - even when I don't

need it! My brother is there working w ith me too, and even a few of the regular

characters from the old restaurant come and visit us.

Some days when I look out from the kitchen I get a real feeling of deja vu. It's the

same way of life I can always remember, but what can I say". I'm still loving it!

introduct ion 9
 It's great to have my
brother working
with me ill the
kitchen .

We fight and
argue now and again but I love him and it's great to
work with him in a kitchen ... well, most of the time. I'm
a pretty passionate guy and I admit I can be
temperamental, but I honestly think he's worse! I might
blow up if something annoys me, but then I forget about
it. Stratham will hold a grudge for a week, or at least
until payday.

He was a bit of a late starter as a chef - he qualified in

2001 - but he has one great ability I envy.
We were in the
kitchen one day and I walked over to see what he was

12 cooking with aristos

making. There were bits and pieces everywhere, but I
couldn't see a cookbook.

Eventually I asked him: "Where's the recipe?" He

shrugged. "Oh, I read it," he said. "Where 'd you read it?"
I persisted. "Oh, at the doctor's surgery," he replied,
without even looking up. At the doctors! Suddenly I'm
playing the worried big brother. He was at the doctor?
What was wrong? Was he sick? When was he at the
doctor? He just kept on working: uNo, donlt panic," he
said. "It was about three years ago."

entrees 13
olive pate
Ingredients Method
400g (14 ozl black pitted olives Blend olIves In ood pr ocessor until smooth. Ad d lemon J Jlce
1 tablespo on lemon juice and continue to process until w ell com bined. WI ~ l le processor
y, cup olive oil is rUll nlng, slowly dri zz le in the 011 in silla ll amounts un lit Ihe
m ixture begin s to thicken. Once it has started to hicken, add
Th e remain ing 0 11 in a thi n steady srrea m. Season with pepper
to ta ste . This will eep in sterili sed containers In the fridge for
up to 6 mo nths.

Aristos' Tip. Use to spread on pizza bases and lOP with

sundried tomatoes or spread on foccacia and top with
roasted capsicum and cheese.

grilled field mushrooms

Ingredients Me1hod
8 large mushrooms, stems removed Place mus hrooms on a baking tray. stem Side dow n . Place
pepper under grill for about 15 minu tes or until m ushroo ms begm to
salt soften. Remove tray fro m gnll and place musl· ·" oms ste m
splash of balsamic vinegar side up o n a dish . Sea son w ith black pepper. s,\ " nd a splash
8 small balls of bocconcini cheese. of bal samic vinegar to taste. Allow to sit for 1 hour.
thinly sliced PI"ce m ushroo ms on a bak ing tray and top with
1 sprig of fresh lemon thyme bocconcini cheese and a small sprig of lemon thyme. Gnll until
cheese melts.
Se rve im media tely.
Serves 4

seafood chowder
Ingredients Method
1 x 500g nib) fish fillet, perch or Cho p ca rro s, celery and cabb ag e 111\0 medium-Size dice and
snapper cook in th e extra bu tter for 5-7 m inutes. Add [he fish pi eces
21 (3 ~ pi ntsl fish stock and cook fo r a fur her 3 miliutes, then remove fro m hea t.
240g (8 Y, o~) butter Peel and chop [he potato Into I .eelium-Slze dice an d boil
2409 (S 't'loz) self raising flour un!,1cooked. Set asid e. Add the bodin g stock to the roux and
2 carrots livhis until of a smoo "1 consistency. Stir in bo th cans ot
3 sticks of celery condensed m il k an d stir w ell. Simm er for 20 mi nutes unti l the
y. cabbage taste ot the flour ha s gon e an d th e soup has i hickened. Ad d
609 (20zl butter. extra salt and pepper to taste .
1 potato Remove from heat anci if the re are any ILl mps In th e
2 x 375g (13fl oz) tins of Condensed milk chowder strain it t hrough a sieve. Add v egetabl es and fish an d
salt mix well.
pepper Serve immediai ely With fresh crusty bread,

Aristos' Tip: Occasionally homemade fish slock ca n taste a

little weak. Crumble some powdered fish stock into rhe
chowder to really boost the flavour jf it's tasting bland .

14 cooking with aristos

Oliva pAt6
barbecued king prawns
Ingredients
500g (lib) large king prawns
2 cups ( 500ml/17~fI oz) white wine
200ml (711 Ol) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
60g (20l) fresh basil, finely chopped
salt
pepper
baked stuffed avocados
Ingredients
3 avocados
%cup (211 oz ) lime juice
salt
For filling
2 cups crabmeat, tuna or
chicken, flaked
1 cup (250m1/9fl Ol) bechamel sauce
(recipe page 114)
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion, chopp ed
2 tablespoons green capsicum,
chopped
salt
pepper
1 cup ched dar cheese, grated
Method
Peel prawns, leaving the heads and la,ls on, and deve,n them
Place In a shallow baking dish. In a separate bowl miX while
Wine, olive oil, garlic, baSIl. salt and pepper Pour mixture over
prawns and marinate in Ihe fridge for 3 houfs.
Heat barbecue and place prawns on the hottest part of the
hotplate. Cook for 3 minutes each side, or untilihe meat has
turned while all the way through the prawn.
Serves 4
Aristos' TIp: Ano ther easy way of cooking these prawns is
to place them onto a very ho t barbecue plale, wi thout
peeling or marinat ing them. Just sprinkle a little salt on
t hem. Cook the prawns for approximately 3 minutes each
side, splash 60ml (2ft oz) of Pernod over them and remove
from the heat. This marinade can also be used for lobsters,
yabbies, Balmain bugs and o ther shellfish.
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (3SO"F).
Cut avocados in haillenglhways and remove stones
Sprinkle halves With lime JUice and salt
Combine crab meat with bechamel sauce, cayenne pepper,
Onion and capsicum Season the mixture With salt and pepper
to laste. Fill avocado With mixt ure and sprinkle grated cheese
on top.
Cover th e bottom o f a baking dish With Yicm of wa ter and
arrange avocados on tray. Bake for abou t 15 mnutes or until
cheese melts and avocado IS heated through.
Serves 6
entrees 17
chicken and vegetable soup
Ingredients Method
, chicken Rinse the chicken under the tap and set aSide. Wash, peel and
, onion roughly chop the vegetables, Melt the butler In a large
2 carrots saucepan and add the vegetables, cooking them lor a few
, turnip minutes and stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or
, swede spatula to stop them sticking
2 celery sticks Place the chicken In the pan with the vegetables and cover
, parsnip with water Bring to the boll and simmer for 1 hour Skim and
2 potatoes strain the stock through a colander. Remove meat from
60g (20l) butter chicken and chop roughly,
Y.i cup small maca roni Strain vegelOlbles over a bowl and put them into a blender
salt to make a puree. Pour the stock back Into the saucepan and
pepper bring back to the boil. Add macaroni_ When macaroni is
cooked al dente. stir through the vegetable puree and season
to taste with sal t and pepper. Just be fore serving, add chicken
pieces. Serve piping hot with crusty Italian bread
Serves 6
cayenne asparagus
Ingredi ents
8 large asparagus spears
drizzle of olive oil
60g (20z) of Parmesan, grated or
shaved
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
, bunch parsley, tops cut finely and
placed in water until they curl
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
splash of balsamic vinegar
figs wrapped in prosciutto
Ingredient s
30g (loz) butter
120ml (4fl ozl white wine
juice of 1 lime
250ml (9fl oz) cream
8 ripe figs, peeled and kept in tact
8 thin slices prosciuno
pepper
barbecued lamb fillets with
rocket sauce
Ingredients
3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
30ml (HI oz) red wine vinegar
4 medium-size lamb fillet s
1 brown onion, chopped
60g (20z1 paprika
Yo cup (60m1J2fl oz) olive oil
salt
black pepper
200g 17oz1 rocket
20 cooking with aristos
Method
To prepare the asparagus, hold the end of the asparagus with
one hand and th e middle w ith oth er and bend the stem until 1\
snaps. Discard woody core end Quickly blanch In boiling
water and remove Chill immediately in iced water Pat dry and
place asparagus In two lots of 4 spears on a baking tray.
Sprinkle w ith olive oil and Parmesan cheese and grill until
cheese browns.
To serve, sprinkle with cayenne pepper and garnish w ith
parsley and capsicum. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
Serves 2
Aristos' Tip: Placing vegetables in iced water stops the
cooking process and helps to retain their colour and flavour.
M ethod
In a sma ll saucepan, melt the butter and add the Wine, lime
Juice and cream. Combine well and simmer until the sauce
thickens. lithe sauce splits, add a lillie more cream If the
consistency of the sauce is a little thin It can be thi ckened
with a little corntrour and water
Preheat oven to 200'C (4(XrF).
Wrap each fig with prosciu tt o and place on baking tray
Cook In the oven for 5 minutes and then place under the gnll
for a further 5 minutes Place figs on a serving plate and pour
the sauce over th e top
Serve immediately with a good gnndlng of pepper
Serves 4
Method
In a bowl, soak the slices of bread In the red wine vinegar and
leave to one Side. Place lamb fille ts in a bowl and mix With
Onion, papnka, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place bread and
rocket In a blender With a little salt and blend thoroughly. If
thiS sauce IS too strong for your liking, adjust the bread or
vinegar to taste If the sauce IS too thick add a little water or a
hule more red wme vmegar
Heat a barbecue or skillet un til very hot. Cook lamb fi llets for
5 minutes on each Side; this Will produce a medium-rare filiei.
Cook slightly longer If a well-done fillet IS preferred
To serve place a small spoonful of rocket sauce onto plate
and place the lamb fillet on top.
Serves 4
savoury picnic roll
Ingredients Method
Loaf Preheat oven \0 200°C (4QO°F).
2 cups self raising flour Sift flour, salt and bran together Rub In the buller uSing
~ teaspo on salt ',ngenlps until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs Add
¥. cup bran the milk and mix Into a soft dough Knead lightly on a floured
2 tablespoons butter board and roll 1n\0 a rectangle, t ern thick
, cup (2S0mll9fl oz) milk In a bowl, combine onion, cheese, bacon, tomato.
capsicum, and gherkin, and season with salt and pepper to
Filling tas te Spread the m ixture oyer the dough. leaving a 2cm (/.In)
1 sma ll onion. chopped border. Roll up the dough li ke a SWISS ro ll and form a
1259 (4 )t\ oz) cheddar cheese, grated horseshoe shape. Cu t sli ts In the lOP of th e dough at 2cm
1- 2 slices bacon, chopped (Y.ln) Il1tervals. Glaze with egg or milk and bake for 20-25
1 tomato, chopped mll1utes
!oS capsicum, chopped Serve hot or cold,
1 gherkin , chopped
salt
pepper
egg or milk, for glaze

seafood sang chow bow

Ingredients
200g (7 0 2) king prawns, cooked
200g (7 0 1 ) crab meat, cooked
30ml (1f1 02) brown malt vinegar
200ml Pli 02 ) olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt
pepper
1 large iceberg lettuce
8 slices smoked salmon
1 white onion, thin ly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
8 sprigs of parsley
capers, optional
Method
Peel the cooked prawns and mix With crab meat
In a separate bowl. combine vinegar, 011, lemon and season
With salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Pour the mixture over
the prawn and crab meat mixture and refrigerate. Allow to Sit
until ready to serve.
Care fully peel off 8 full leaves of Iceberg lettuce as they
must sta y w hole to hold the seafood mixture layout lelllice
leaves and evenly spread some praw n and crab mixture into
each leaf Place a slice of smoked sa lmon on tOP of each,
follow ed by a slice of whi te onion and a slice o f avocado.
Roll up t he leaves and top With a sprig o f parsley
Capers ca n also be added for a bll of extra l ang .
Serves 8

zucchini flowers
Ingredients Method
1 cup self raising flour In a bowl, mix the flour, pepper and water together \0 make a
pepper reasonably thick bailer. In a blender, combine the onion and
200ml Pli 0 2) water anchOVies together and add thiS mixture to the batter. MIX well
%small onion Cover the bottom of a non-stick Irylng pan With 011 and heat
6 anchovies Dust the zucchini flowers With flour and lightly coat them WIth
flour, for dusting the baner. Fry for about 30 seconds on each Side, uSing two
16 zucchini flowers forks to turn them over, or until light brown In colour
splash of oil Ask your greengrocer to save the zuccllll1l flowers for you
as they are very seasonal. If the y are not avadable, use
vege tables of your chOice bu t be sure to par boil th em fi rst so
they are not too hard .

entrees 23
24 cooking VJith aristos
mushroom tart
Ingredients Method
Past ry To prepare the pastry. rub the flour and buller together With
1 cup plain flour fingertips unlll It resembles breadcrumbs Add waler and
%cup butter, softened knead until the dough is well combined, then refrigerate for
1 tablespoon cold water 30 minutes_
Preheat oven 10 200°C (400°f). Roll out the dough and
Filling place into a lightly greased tin. USing a fork, prick some holes
60g (201) butler Into the bottom of the pastry to Stop It from pu ff ing up. Bake
splash of olive oil for 15 minut es. or until three-quarters cooked
5009 (lib) mushrooms, t hinly sliced To make the f illing, heat the bu tter and olive 011 In a fryi ng
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns pan and saute the m ushrooms and pink peppercorn s fo r ' 0
400ml (14f l oz) bee f Slock d emiglaze minutes. Add the whi te wine and beef stock and Sim mer until
(recipe page 124) the m ixture red uces to a nice thick sauce. Allow to cool and
splash of white wine add tomato Provem;ale. Parmesan cheese, eggs, and sail and
1 tablespoon tomato Proven~ale pepper to taste MIX well and pour into the paStry case . Bake
(recipe page 117) the tart for' 5 minutes or until the filling is cooked The fill ing
%cup Parmesan cheese, grated should be firm wh en gently pushed down
4 eggs, beaten Serves 6
sail
pepper
jamaican fish cakes
Ingredients
5009 (lib) fresh Atlantic salmon
1 cup (250m ll9fl oz) white wine
1 bay leaf
sprinkle of black peppercorns, whole
2009 (7 oz) smoked salm on,
finely chopped
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 pinches of paprika
3 pinches of cayenne pepper
salt
200ml (711oz) cream
150g (S Y; oz) self raising flou r
:.'1 cup water
2 eggs
olive oil
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
shredded beef salad
Ingredients
1 x 3009 (10 ~0z) porterhouse steak
1 raddiccio lettuce, finely shredded
splash of olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
coconut crab au gratin
Ingredients
4 whole cr abs, or 500g nib) blue
swimmer crabmeat
100g ( 3 ~Ol) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coconut, dessicated
1 tablespoon curry powder
, ~ cups bechamel sauce
(recipe page 114)
26 cooking with aristos
Met hod
Place Allantlc salmon In a saucepan wl\h the white wine, bay leaf
and peppercorns and cover With watel. BOil for about 6-8
minutes_ Remove the salmon from liqUid and allow 10 cool.
Mash the salmon With a fork and mil! With Ihe smoked salmon.
Add Ihe chives, lemon JUice, papnka, cayenne pepper and some
Sait to taste and combine well Add the cream and mix thoroughly
To make the batter, beal flour, waler and eggs together. The
cons,s tency of the batter must be thick so that It can b,nd the fish
cakes together. Add Ihe ba tter to the salmon mixture slowly,
mi xtng well. until you have a firm mixture. Place the mixture in
the fr idge for 1 hour. Cooling th e mixture thickens 11 up and
makes il easier to hand le,
To prepare th e fish cakes, spoon 1 tablespoon of the m ixture
onto the grill of the hotpla te on the barbecue. Flatten the mixture
With a spatula and cook for 2 minutes on each Side or until golden
brown. The fish cakes should look and leellike a pancake
Serve With lime wedges, II you don't have a barbecue, the Iish
cakes can be cooked on the stove In a non-Slick pan hghtly
coated In 011
Serves 4
Method
Cut steak .nto thin strips, Heat a httle ohlle Ollm a Irylng pan and,
when the oil is hot, cook the steak strips for about 2 minutes,
Toss in radd.ccio and remove from the heal Immediately, Don't
overcook the lettuce, Stir through a splash of ba lsamiC IImegar
Season With salt and pepper to tas te and serve Immed iately
Serves 4
A ristos' TIp: Other cuts of meat such as rump, blade or round
steak can also be used,
Method
In a large saucepan, heat water until boiling Add crabs, bnng water
back 10 Ihe bo,1 and cook for approximately 5 minutes Remove
crabs and place In cold water to stop them cooking further. Peel
crabs, place meat In a bowl and set aSide Ihe 4 shells lor serving
Melt the butter In non-stick saucepan and saute the omons
until SOfL Add the coconut and saute lor a further 2 minutes Add
the curry powder and 1 cup of the bechamel sauce and mix well,
Ihen add the crab meat
Pour the ml)(ture into the crab shells, top WIth the rema ining
bechamel sauce and place under a gnll lor 3 minutes Of until brown
Serve With a spflnkling of paprika
Serves 4
Jamaican fish cakes
quick spinach souffle
Ingredi ents
500g (lib) fresh spinach
1 x 3759 (130z) can cream of
mushroom soup
2 tablespoons dried French
onion soup mix
" cup (185m1/61MI oz) mayonnaise
2 eggs, beaten
~ cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper
100g (3l'! oz) bacon, finely chopped
aristos' famous chilli prawns
Ingredients
600g (1 ~ lb ) prawns, peeled
1 small bunch of basil, finely chopped
2 fed chillies, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
60ml12fl 02) brandy
~ cup t 125m1/4 ~ fl oz) white wine
2 cups ( 500ml/ 17 ~fl oz) tomato
Provenc; ale (recipe page 117)
1009 ( 3 ~oz ) Australian fela cheese,
crumbled
salmon carpaccio
Ingredients
600g CI.lb) Tasmanian salmon fillel.
skinless and boneless
1 small white onion, finely chopped
lI! cup baby capers
sail
pepper
2 large sprigs of dill, roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 2 limes
splash of extra -virgin olive oil
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, extra
for serving
Method
Preheat oven to 180cC (3S0 "F).
Wash and ch op spinach. Thorougly drain and combine With
mushroom soup, French onion soup mixture, mayonnaise,
eggs, Parmesan and salt and pepper to laSle. Pour Into souffle
dishes and spnnkle lOPS WIth bacon bits and a bttle more
Parmesan,
Bake for 30 minutes and serve Immedlat!y.
Serves 4-6
Method
Heat the olive all In a frying pan over moderately high heat
Saute prawns, basil and chillies Add the brandy and white
wine and stir w ell . Add the tomato Provenc;a le sauce,
combining well, and simmer for 5 m inutes. Add th e cru mbled
fe ta chee se and toss well .
Serve Wit h saff ron rice
Serves 4
M ethod
Cut salmon into very t htn pieces about lOem (4In' x 4cm ('I,ln).
Place them on a baking tray and evenly sprinkle over the onion
and capers and season With salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, miX the dill, lemon IUlce, lime JUice and 011
and combine w ell. Dnzzle thiS mixture over the fish and gently
mix SO that all the Ingredients are blended together and evenly
distributed over the fish. Cover the baking tray In plastiC wrap
and place In ffldge for about 4 hours. After a few hours, you
should noti ce th e salm on chang ing colour. ThiS is th e CitrUS
cooking the fi sh
To serve, arrange the salmon slices on a plate and tOp With a
small drizzle of oiL The salmon can be served on a bed of rocke t
or mixed lettuce leaves I prefer It plain, spflnkled With large
crutons.
Serves 4
entrees 29
30 cooking with aristes
aristos' prawns lemonato
This recipe is perfect for the summer as it is light, tasty and very easy to prepare. Prawns,
Moreton Bay bugs or scallops can also be prepared this w ay as a delicious alternative.

Ingredients
3009 (lQlWzl prawn meat
» cup self raising flour
100ml (3 ~fl oz) e)(trB-virgin
olive oil
1 tllblespoon of fresh sage,
finely chopped
1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
juice of X 8 lemon
good hand ful of b re adcrumb s
Method
Ligh tly dust prawns Jfl flour. Heal 011 In frying pan until hot,
then add prawns and sage and saute for 3 minutes, stirring
occasionally
When the p rawns are cooked, drizzle over lemon JUice,
spnnkle w ith bre adcrumbs, toSS Bnd remove fro m heal. Serve
immediately
Serves 2
A rist os' Tip: As an alternative, 60ml (211 oz) of dry white
wine can be used instead of lemon juice. And a little
chopped red chilli can be added fo r exIra bite.
pissaladiere
Ingredients
Dough
1)1; teaspoons active dried yeast
5 tablespoons warm water
1 cup plain flour
, egg, lightly beaten
Y; teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping
y. cup (60ml/2 f1 oz l olive oil
lkg (2Ib) onions, finely sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
, teaspoon fresh thyme or
rosemary, chopped
, x 200g (7oz) can anchovy fillets
, cup black olives, pitted
salt
pepper
Method
To make the dough. dissolve the yeas t In th e warm water and
stir Sift the flour Into a bowl and form a well In the centre,
Pour the yeasl mixture into th e we ll with the egg and salt and
gradua\!y combine until II forms a dough. Knead on a floured
surface for 5 minutes until dough IS smooth and elas tiC.
Grease a bowl With 011 and place the dough into the bowl and
turn gently 10 coa t the en tire surface, Cover With a damp cloth
and set aSide In a warm place for 1 hour or until It IS tWice ItS
angina l size.
Preheat oven to 250°C (475°F),
To make the tOPping, heat some of the oil over moderate
heat and saute the onions, garlic and herbs until onions are
translucent. Blend together half the anchOVies and In a food
processor, all the olives and add to the onion mixture, Season
With salt and pepper to taste,
Roll out the dough and press onto a greased pie dish or
pizza pan
Spoon the topping onto the dough, leaving a broad nm
round the edge, Top with remaining anchovy fillets. Brush the
uncovered rim With the rema in ing olive 011 and bake for 20-25
minutes or until dough IS CriSp and brown
Serve hot with a glass of cold beer
Serves 6

white piaffi rice

M ethod 1 Method 1
Ingredients In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, rice ar.d stock and
30g (loz) butter season With sal t and pepper to taste. Mix well and bnng to the
1 cup short grain whi te rice boll on high heat. Cover the pan and reduce heat. Simmer for 15
2 cups 1500mI/17:/,f1 ozl chicken stock minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Taste the rice
salt and, If cooked, remove from heat and allow to SI1 for 5 minutes
pepper before serving If the liqUid has 00811 absorbed and the nce IS stili
not cooked, add a httle water and cook for a few more minutes

Method 2 Method 2
Ingredients Preheat oven to 200·C (400'F),
splash of oil Splash a small baking tray with olive oil and add the onion,
'h brown onion, grated Saute for 2 m inutes, then add the nee and cook lor a minute,
1 cup short grain white rice Add the nee and slOck and season With salt and pepper to
2 cups chicken stock taste, Combine well and cover With aluminium foil. Place In the
salt oven and allow to cook for 15 minutes. If the flce IS cooked,
pepper remove from oven and allow 10 Sit lor 5 minutes stili covered
If the flce IS n01 cooked, add water and return to the oven for a
further 5 minutes or until flce IS cook.ed
Ser ves 4

Aris tos' Tip: Both of these styles of rice are great served
with saucy meat dishes, like ossa bucco (recipe page 64),

32 cooking with aristos

Pissal,dlll'le
, •

•
pumpkin pilaf
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive o il
4 sprigs of rosemary, 2 finely chopped
and 2 whole
1 garlic clove, whole
1 bay leaf
500g (l ib) Japanese pumpkin. peeled
and chopped into small chunks
, small brown onion, finely chopped
300g (10Xoz) arborio rice
11 ' 1lhpints) chicken slock (fresh,
canned or made from stock cubes)
30g (1oz) butter
60g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper
Method
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil In a saucepan and add th e w hole
rosemary Sprigs, garlic. bay leaf and pumpkin. Cook for 20
minutes on low heat until pumpkin softens Remove Ihe
rosemary spngs, garlic and bay leaf,
In another saucepan, heat remaining 011 and saute onion over
medium heat until soft. Add rice and Stir for a lew minutes until
translucent. Add II httl e of the stock and th en th e pumpkin
mixture. Slowly add more stock unlll II IS all used and absorbed
by the nce, stirring from lime to lime to prevent the pilaf stlciong
to the pan.
Remove the saucepan from th e heat and stir in the buner and
Parmesan. Season wi th sal t and pepper to tas te. Sprinkle w ith
Ihe chopped rosemary.
Serves 4

prawns a la prosciutto
Ingredients M ethod
150g (5 ~oz) ricotta cheese In a bowl, combin e the ricotta, feta, Parmesan, egg and pepper
150g (5 ~ oz) Greek leta cheese and set aSide
609 (20zl Parmesan cheese, grated Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the lall on. Sill the prawn
1 egg, beaten down tne middle of the InSide and place a small spoonful of the
pepper cheese ml)(ture Into slit. then wrap the prawn in a shce of
16-20 large prawns prosciutto to seal.
8 thin slices prosciutto Heat Ihe all ,n a fry ing pan and cook prawns on bo th Sides
splash of olive oil until prosciutto IS cooked.
sprinkle of dried mint leaves Serves 4·6

barbecue chicken kebabs

Ingredients M eth od
6 chicken thighs, approximately 600g In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, oregano, paprika
('/.Ib), boned and cut into 3cm (y,in) and garlic and season with sal t and pepper. Add olive oil and
squares coat well Ref ri gerate for at least 24 hours to ma ri nate
1 small brown onion, roughly chopped Soak 8 bamboo sticks In cold water for 30 minutes and
1 teaspoon sweet paprika slide the cnlcken pieces ontO the sticks Just before you are
sprinkle dry oregano ready to cook. Don't pack the chicken pieces too tightly
2 gartic cloves, roughly chopped together as I hls Will cause Heat the barbecue and cook for
splash of olive oil about 5 minutes on each Side
salt Serves 4
pepper
Aristos ' Tip: Ideally, meat should be marinated for 24
hours although I have marinated meat for up to 3 days
with fantastic result s. Marinating meat for at least 4 hours
still gives a good resu lt. Pork and lamb can also be used.

entrees 35
toni's quattro formaggio
Toni and her husband David eat at my restaurant quite regularly. Toni once cooked and
delivered this lovely pasta dish to the restaurant for the boys in the kitchen and myself.
We all really enjoyed it and I hope you do too.

Ingredients
500g (11bl penne pasta, rigatoni
60g (20z) butler
250ml (911 oz) thickened cream
zest 01 2 lemons
100g 13Y.oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
100g 13YrOz) Gruyere cheese, grated
100g 13Y,oz) cheddar cheese, grated
100g (3Y,oz) cream cheese
Method
In a large saucepan, cook the pasta In boiling salted water until
al dente. Drain well and set aSide.
In a medium saucepan, melt th e butter and add the cream
and lemon zest. MIX well and add the Parmesan. Gruyere.
cheddar and cream cheese and mix well until all the cheese
has melted. Add the pas ta and combine well.
Serve Immediately With some chilli or tru ffle 011
If you feel tha t th e pasta IS a bit thick add a touch of cream
to achieve the right conSistency If 1\ IS too runny add more
Parmesan to thicken.
Serves 6

medley of pizza
Ingredients Method
8 slices Italian con tinentalloal Preheat oven to 200'C (400'FI.
splash of olive oil Using an Scm (3in) pastry cutler. cut each slice 01 bread
sprinkle of oregano into a circle and discard the crustS Brush one side of the
200g (7oz) mozzarella cheese, grated bread Circles With olive 011 and sprinkle with oregano. Place the
4 cherry tomatoes Circles OntO a baking tray oil-Side down.
8 anchovies Place grated mozzarella on <1 of the slices of bread. Place a
4 teaspoons ricotta cheese cherry toma to on tOp and cris-cross two anchOVies on top 01 the
4 slices prosciutto tomato.
4 whole pickled artichokes, roughly On the remalOlflg bread CIrcles, spread a spoonful of ncotta
chopped and place a shce of prQSCluttO on top. Evenly top With anlChoke
sprinkle of cayenne pepper or chilli To add a bit of a kICk. sprinkle With cayenne pepper or chilli.
(optional) Put baking tray Into the oven and bake for about 10
minutes or until the cheese melts Serve hot
Serves 4

Aristos' Tip: You can vary the toppings depending on what

you have available in the fridge and pantry on the day.

prawns a la greque
Ingredients Method
16 large prawns. raw Pee l and develn prawns, leaving the tails on. Heat oil over high
3 tablespoons olive oil heat and saute garlic for t minute Add prawns. tomatoes, sugar,
2 garlic cloves, crushed feta. parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-6 minutes
2 tomatoes, finely chopped Of until prawns are cooked.
sprinkle 01 suga r Serve w ith fresh crus ty bread
handful of feta cheese. cut into cubes Serves 4
2 sprigs of parsley, chopped
salt
pepper

36 cooking with aristos

spinach and feta pastries
Ingredients
Pastry
5009 (lIb) plain flour
pillCh salt
170g (6oz) butter, soft
250ml (9f1 o z) cold w ater
Filling
11arge brown o nion, chopped
, bunch of spring onions, chopped
, garlic clove, fjnely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch silverbeet, washed and
chopped. not stalks
3 bunches English spinach. washed
and chopped
~ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoo ns dill , chopped
salt
pepper
120g (4 oz) fela cheese
olive or vegetable oil for fry ing,
optional
another filling for pastries
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
500g (1Ib) leeks, bulbs on ly,
chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5009 (lib) lamb mince
y. teaspoon nutmeg
salt
pepper
gravy powder
Method
To make the pastry, sift flour and sail inl0 a bowl. Rub the
butter Into the mixture with flngenlps unllill resembles
breadcrumbs Make a well In centre of the mixture and add
waler and stir with the blade of a knife Knead slightly Cover
with a lea towel so the mixture does not dry out Set aSide.
To make the filling. in a saucepan saute the onion. spring
onions and garlic in olive oil over moderate heat. When onion is
transparent gradually add chopped sllve/beet and spinach Stir
nutmeg and d ill through and add some sail and pepper to taste;
be careful wi th the sal t as fe la cheese can be q uite salty.
Simmer until spinach is wilted, Turn fil ling mixture Into a
colander and strain. Leave m ixlure 10 cool. W hen cool, crUI'nble
fe la cheese throu gh the m ixture ,
Ro ll o ut pastry Into 15cm 161n) circles and ro ll the pastry as
thin as you can Place a tablespoon of the m ixture In centre the
of each past ry, Fold one side ot the pas try over to the other Side
and press the edges to make a half moon shape
In an electric frypan. cover the bottom of the pan With 011
and heat. Gently fry pastries until lightly browned They can
also be baked in an oven at 200°C 1400°F) Instead of frying
although frying the pastry IS preferable Place on paper towel to
absorb excess 011 and serve when cool.
Makes 20
Method
Hea t the butter in a large saucepan and sau te the leeks and
onion. Add the 1amb mince and brown. Add the nutmeg and
seas on With salt and pepper to taste, Spunkle fillin g w ith g ravy
pow der 10 thi cken ,
Makes 20
entrees 37
• I•
liJ!
 •
I've learnt a over the years, and he's still
teaching me now even though he's officially retired .

These days you'll find him picking fish straight from the
fishermen's boats and driving it down to the restaurant
to make sure - and that it
arrives fresh. If he's got time he'll stay on . While we're
working he loves to sit in the kitchen , drinking a glass of
red wine and chatting to my brother and I. Whenever a
plate goes past on its way to a table, he looks it over,
nods and then says to us in Greek:

Although I have a restaurant of my own, dad likes to

remind me every now and then that he's been around
for a long time and he's still the master - which he is!

40 cooking with aristos

 and his fathel. L.,..,..,,,,
e Barbaro. In
r butcher shop.

I remember one hot day I was unloading fish out the

back of the restaurant and dad came to have a look.
"Make sure you throw a bit of extra ice on those and
stack the big fish on the bottom," he said. I already knew
that was the way to do it because he'd taught me, but I
smiled anyway, threw in some more ice and kept going.
A minute later he looked up again. "They might need a
bit of extra ice," he advised, pointing to the sun, which
was directly overhead. The fish were going straight into
the processing room and would have only been in the
back of the ute for another five minutes, but he still
wanted more ice, so I shovelled in some more. Just then
I was called away to the phone. By the time I got back
the fish had been sitting there for about 20 minutes.
but how did he know the
phone was going to ring?
garlic and sage pasta
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small bunch sage, finely chopped
100g (3 Y.ioz) bu tt er
5009 (lib) No. 7 spaghetti
splash of olive oil
1 small bunch parsley. finely chopped
salt
pepper
1009 (3Yioz) Parmesan cheese, grated
fettuccini carbonara
Ingredients
500g (1Ib) fettuccini
150g (5Yioz) bacon, finely chopped
100g (3Yioz) b utter
1 small tin cham pig nons, drained
2 eggs
100ml (3Yifl oz) cream
150g (5*oz) Romano or Parmesan
cheese, grated
lamb shanks
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks
2 tablespoons butt er
1 tablespoon olive or vege table oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 )( 400g (140z) can whole peeled
tomatoes
1 cup (250ml!9f1 oz) chicken stock
y. cup (50m1/2 f l oz) verm outh
)Ii teaspoon powdered ginger
pinch cinnamon
salt
pepper
42 cooking with aristos
Method
In a non-stick frymg pan, saute garlic and sage In butler. When
butter has browned remove pan from heat and pu t to one side.
Boil pasta in a large pol 01 salted water With olive all. This
will ensure Ihe pasta does not Slick \0 the pot. Coole. for about
10 minutes or unlillhe pasta IS al dente Do not o\lercook the
pasta Drain pasta but do not nnse as Ihls removes Ihe starch.
Spread pasta over a large tray to cool.
Put pan With the browned butter bad: on heat. add parsley
and saute for a few minuteS, Add pasta and mix well. Season
With sa lt and pepper to taste and serve while hot
Top With Parm esan cheese and serve With a fresh green or
mixed sa lad
Serves 4
a la aristos
Method
In a large saucepan, cook pasta In boiling salted waler until al
dente. Drain and se t aSide
In a frY ing pan, saute bacon In butter until CriSPY Add
champignons and th e cooked pasta and mix well until heated
through Add the eggs and mix vigorously so the egg IS
cooked from the heat of the pasta. Slowly add cream until
pasta IS moist
Serve immediately With Romano or Parmesan cheese on top.
Serves 4-6
Method
Remove any excess fat from lamb shanks
Melt buller and 011 In a heavy, flameproof casserole dish.
Brown the shanks and remove from pan.
Add the onion and saute until tender. Stir In the tomatoes,
chicken stock, vermouth, ginger, Cinnamon and season with
salt and peppel to taste
Return shanks to casserole dish and combine well with the
sauce. lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours or unulthe
meat comes free from the bone.
Serve w ith mashed potato and peas or With rice and salad
Serves 4
Chicken parcels
chicken parcels
Ingredients Method
1 chicken breast Pre hea t oven to I S0°C (3 50°F). CuI the chicken into sma ll
splash of olive oit pieces and sau te In a frying pan unt il three-quarters cooked
splash of white wine Add while wine and season wi th salt and plenty of pepper.
salt Allow 10 cool.
pepper Brush one Side of 1110 pastry with some butter, lay the
4 sheets fila pastry second layer of filo on top and repeallhe process until you
1 tablespoon butter, melted have 4 layers of f ila on top of one ano th er. Cut the pastry in
~ C8membert cheese, thinly sliced half and place It lengthways, horizontally In front of you. Place
Yo avocado, sliced pieces of chicken, camembert and avocado in the middle of
the pasty. Fold the top over and roll Into a 'bon bon by
tWisting the ends
Place on a baking tray and brush w ith the re mainIng bu tter
Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry IS golden brown
Serves 2

fillet steak with vegetable sauce

Ingredients
2 large celery stalks, ro u ghly chopped
l1arge brown onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
, large turnip, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
10 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig of basil
1 bay leaf
1 clove
100g (3 ~011 cheap beef
1 cup (250ml/9f1 ozl dry red wine
609 (202) butter
splash of olive oil
4 fillet steaks, 3-4cm ( ' - ' ~ in) th ick
Method
In a medium saucepan, place the celery, onion, carrots, turnIp,
ga rl iC, parsley, basil , bay lea f and clove and mix w ell. Place the
cheap beef on top and pour red wine over th e ingredients
CombIne w ell and place the lid on the saucepan. Cook over
medIum heat lor 30 minutes Without stirring. Then remove the
lid, season WI th salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Cook for
a further 15 minutes unco'lered. RemO'le the saucepan from
the hea t and discard the beef, clo'le and bay leaf. Place the
remaining mIxture in a blender and blend until smooth.
In a non-stIck fryIng pan, heat the butter and oil and add the
'Iegetable mIxture. Simmer for abou t 5 minutes or until the
mixture thickens .
Heat th e barbecue hotplate or grill and cook the fille t steak
for abou t 5-7 minutes on each Side for a medium-rare resu lt.
To serve, spoon the sauce over the steak and serve with
crusty bread.
ThiS 'Iegetable sauce also goes well With 'leal cu tlets
Serves 4

mains 45
 cup
page 11 7)
500g (lib) bacon
2 x 300g (l OlSozJ tinned ,h,m,p" ;;;
sliced
lkg (2Ib) cheddar cheese, grated

46 cooking with arlstos

aristos' simple spaghetti
bolognese
I've never mel a bachelor who doesn't cook spaghetti bolognese - and they all think they're
pretty good at it. On the basis of the few I've tasted I would say this recipe is a mustll
Ingredients
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
750g (1Xlb) minced beef
250g (90z) chicken or pork, minced
6 cups tomato Provencale
(recipe page 117)
2 tablespoons tomato past e
I cinnamon stick
I bay leaf
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated
garlic spaghetti
Ingredients
200ml (7f1 ozl extra-virgin olive oil
2- 3 chillies, chopped
3-4 large garlic cloves, coarsely
chopped
500g (lib) NO. 5 spaghetti
, heaped tablespoon flatleaf parsley,
chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated
baked meatballs
Ingredients
500g (1Ib) beef mince
200g (7oz) chicken mince
splash of water
3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
1 cup (250ml/9fl ozl milk
2 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
2 sprigs of mint, finely chopped
pinch of oregano, dried
I egg, beaten
salt
pepper
2 cups (500ml/17X,11 oz) tomato
Provencale (recipe page 117)
Parmesan cheese
48 cooking with aristos
Method
In a saucepan, saute onion In buner or olive 011. When omon IS
transparen t add beef and chicken and cook until brown. Add
Proven(,:ale sauce, tomato paste, Cinnamon, bay leaf and salt
and pepper to tas te, Simmer for 1h hours, stlrrrn g
occasiona lly. (I f the sauce is too thick, dissolve a chicken stock
cube in 500ml waler and pour In , If the sauce IS too thin, allow
10 cook for a further 30 minutes, or until It has re ached the
fight conSistency),
Serve over freshly cooked spaghetti or fenucrne Wi th
Parmesan cheese
Serves 6
Method
Heat oil in saucepan. Add chi I and garlic and saute over low
heat for 5-10 minutes
In a large saucepan, cook spaghetti In boiling salted water
until al dente, Drain well and add the parsley and garlic
mixture to the pasta Toss well
Serve With Parmesan cheese
Serves 4
Method
Preheat oven to 180'C (350'F),
In a large miXing bowl, combine the beef and chicken mince
With a splash of water Soak the bread In milk and add It to the
meat Add the parsley, mint, oregano and egg and combine
well. Season With salt and pepper to taste
Grease a medlum-slle baking dish. USing the palms of your
hands, roll a spoonful of the mixture Into a ball. Place the
meatball into the baking dish and continue until all the mixture
has been used
Cover the meatballs With the tomato Provencale and bake
for about 15 minutes, Turn the meatballs over uSing two forks
and continue cooking for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are
cooked through.
To serve, spnnkle With Parmesan cheese and serve Wi th
mashed potatoes or while pisHI rice Ireclpe page 32),
Serves 4
arthur's fish
II there's one thing I remember about growing up in my parents' restaurant, it's t hat
everybody ate two fried eggs with every meal. On a long weekend we would use
dozens of eggs. There was one old guy. Arthur Wake, who used to work for my father
washing dishes, and his favourite was crumbed snapper with 2 fried eggs, drizzled with
Worcestershire sauce.

Ingredients Me thod
lkg (21bl fish fillets, skin removed and Ask your fishmonger to cut fish into four 2509 (9az). or eight
deboned 1259 (4)1,oz) fillets, In a bowl, beat eggs and milk.
2 eg9S In a separate bowl mix breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley.
150ml (5Yifl ozi milk Finely chop capers and pa t dry to remove any excess liqUid
2009 (7oz) breadcrumbs Add capers to the breadcrumb m ixture.
60g (20z) Parmesan cheese, grated Dust fish f illets in flour, dip In egg wash and coa t With tl1 e
1 small bunch flat -leaf parsley, finely breadcrumb mi xture. Coat th e bOllom of a frymg pan Wi th
chopped vegetable oil o r olive oil. (Do not use ex tra-wgm olive 011 as
20 capers the flavour can overpower the fi sh) When Oll iS qU ite hot,
sell raising flour, for dusting place fillets In pan. Cook each Side, turning the fille ts over With
two forks rather than a spatula
To tell I! fish is cooked, gently put a fOlk Into the thickest
part of flesh. If flesh IS stili translucent cook a linle longer
Remove from pan and drain on papel towel.
Serve With tartare sauce (ReCipe page 1271-
Serves 4

Aristos' Tip: If fish fitle ts are very thick, cut slits through
thickest part. T his will allow the heat to penetrate and cook
th e fish more evenly.

chicken paprika
Ingredients M ethod
2 medium onions, ch opped In a bowl, m ix the flour, papflka, sal t and pepper together.
30g (loz) plain f lour Coat chIcken In the seasoned flou r
1 teaspoon paprika Melt butter in a larg e frvi ng pan and saute the onions until
, teaspoon salt transparent Add chIcken and fry until lightly browned, Stir any
pepper remainmg flour seasoning into the pan, and add tomato paste,
4 chicken Marylands sugar and wa ter Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes or
JOg (loz) butter until the chicken is cooked through, Stir sour cream Into pan.
3 teaspoons tomato pas te Pour IntO a warm serving dish and sprinkle With freshly
1 teaspoon sugar chopped parsley.
125ml (4l'1fl oz) water Serve WIth noodles or flce and a green salad
1 x 300ml (lOl'1f1 ozl carton sour cream Serves 4
parsley, chopped

mains 51
braised chicken in tomato salsa
Ingredients
1 onion, fin ely cho pped
60g (2oz) butter
6 chicken Marylands
2 tablespoons toma to paste or
tomato Proven .. nle (recipe page 117)
~ cup (125mIj4!MI oz) dry white w i ne
~ teaspoon cinnamon
1 x 5009 (lIb) packet frozen
peas, minted
salt
pepper
stifardo (beef & onion stew)
Ingredients
lkg (2 Ib) stewing steak
ol ive oil
1 large brown onion, cho pped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
400ml (14fl o zl fed wine
150ml (5 )1; fl ad brown malt vi negar
2 cups ( 500mll17 ~ fI o z)
tomato Proven<;ale (r ecipe page 117)
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
salt
pe pper
10 brown pickling o nio ns
easy chicken cacciatore
Ingredients
12 boneless ch icken thighs
4 tablespoons o live oil
~ cup (125mt/4Y; fl oz) white wine
o r water
2 cups (500ml/ 17 )1,fl oz) Janice's
cacciatore sauce (recipe page 117 )
52 cooking with aristos
o
Method
Preheat even to 150°C (300°F).
In a casserole dish saute the onion In butter until
transparent Add chicken and brown. Add tomato paste, wine.
Cinnamon and salt and pepper \0 taste, Cover casserole d ish
and place In oven to braise fo r 35 minutes. Add minted peas
and cook lor a further 10 minutes.
Serve With mashed potato and steamed carrots
Serves 6
Method
In a saucepan, saute the onion and ga rlic in olive oil. Add the
stea k and cook until the meat browns. Add the w ine and
vinegar and leave to Simmer for 15-20 minutes Add the
tomato Provencale, Cinnamon stick and bay leaf and season
With salt and pepper to taste Simmer for a further 15 minutes
then add Ihe pickling onions. If the sauce IS a too thick, add a
cup of wa ter to achieve the right conSistency. Leave to
simmer until onions are cooked through
Serv e Wi th mashed potatoes or w hile piaffi rice )recipe
page 32).
Serves 4·6
Method
In a large saucepan, heat the all and saute the chicken until
brown. Add the wine and the cacCiatore sauce and combine
well. Place the lid on the saucepan and gently sim mer for 15
mi nutes . Remove ltd and Simmer for B further 20 min utes.
Serve With white plalll nee (recipe page 32),
Serves 4
Fish and pot"'b'~
fish and potato bake
Ingredients Method
2 tablespoons buner Preheat oven to lBO"C (350"C). To make a roux. melt butter In
21ablespoons fl our a small saucepan. Add flour and mix to form a smooth paste
300ml (1411 oz) tomato juice Stir in tomato JUice, paclo:et of tomato soup mix and sugar and
l00ml packet of tomato soup mil( cook untd the mixture thickens Add parsley and season with
sprinkle of sug ar salt and pepper to taste.
2 tablespoons pars lev. ch opped To make the mash potatoes, boll potatoes until soft. Mash
salt Wllh a masher or in a blender. Add the onion, milk and bulter
pepper and mi x well
500g (lib) potatoes Grease a pie dish and pou r half the raux Into th e d ish. Lay
, small onion, grated fish fille ts on top and pour the rest of the roux over the fish
100ml (3~fl oz) milk Top With mashed po tato and bake fo r obout 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon (209) butter Se rve w ith rocket salad ~ reclpe page 106).
4 x 250g (90z) f ish fillets, preferablv Serves 4
snapper

roast chicken
Ingredients Method
1 large chicken Preheat oven !O 220"C (425"F)
6 slices of stale bread, crusts removed Place bread in blender and blend until crumbed Pour
1 brown onion, grated crumbs Into bowl and add grated onion and half the olove all
i cup ( '25mIl4 ~fl 01) olive oil and mix well using hands. Stuff the chicken With the mixture
salt Rub salt and pepper over chicken and spunkle With oregano.
pepper Place In a baking tray With two cups of water and the
%cup (60g/2oz) oregano remaining olive all. (You can place the chicken on a baking rack
2 cups (500ml/ 17 ~fl ozl water above Ihe tray If you prefer). Cook for 15 minute s and baste
llablespoon gravy powder Turn chicken over onto other s ide and con tinue cooking lor
50-60 m inutes, bosting occaSionally
To test if chicken is cooked, spea r the ch icken on th e
thickest part of the breast. if th e luice is clea r, the chicke n IS
cooked; If not, keep 11 in the oven for ano ther 10 m inutes.
Once cooked, re m ove from oven, cover In fOil and keep
warm. Place baking tray on stove tOp and remove any excess
all With a spoon. Add gravy powder to pan juices and sti r. You
can also add some brandy and pepper for a deliCIOUS gravy.
Serves 4

Aristos ' lip: Basting the chicken with melted butter, liquid
or stock while it is cooking will add flav our and colour and
prevent the poultry from drying out.

mains 55
garlic prawns
There are a lot of recipes for garlic prawns but I don't think any are as tasty or as easy as
this one. It's a great dish for dinner parties as it l akes all of about 5 minutes to makel

Ingredients
600g (, Y.lbl prawns
salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
, small bunch of basil, finely chopped
1. cup breadcrumbs
lemon wedges, to serve
Method
De·vein prawns then wash and spflnlde with sa lt. Put to one
side to d rain
In a non-Slick frying pan, heat all until hot and add garli c
and baSIl. Add prawns, turning them over contlnuousl.,. Saute
for 3 minutes Spnnlde breadcrumbs into pan until prawns are
coated and all the all absorbed.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 4

56 cooking with aristos

italian pork chops
Ingredients
4 pork loin chops
4 t ablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups !SOOml/17%fl ozl of tomato
Proven~ale (recipe page 117)
salt
pepper
125g (4 ~oz ) mushrooms, chopped
3 green capsicums, cut into strip s
flour, for dusting
asian style chicken drumsticks
Ingredients
juice o f 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons coriander leaves,
finely chopped
olive oil or vege table oil
8 chicken drumsticks
lemon wedges, to serve
grilled swordfish
Ingredients
1 slice stale bread, crusts removed
splash of red wine vinegar
salt
pepper
splash of olive oil
6 anchovies
12 kalamata olives, pitted
12 capers
4)( 3009 (10 ~ oz) swordfish steaks
juice of 2 lemons
58 cooking with aristos
Method
Tnm fat from pork chops Flatten chops and dust With flour
Heat two tablespoons of olive all and fry the garlic. Add
chops and fry until golden brown on both Sides. Remove from
pan and ke ep warm.
Add the tomato Provencaleto the pan JUices and season
Wi th salt and pepper to taste Stir well and Simmer for 5
minutes Add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 5
minutes. Return chops to the pan Simmer for 15 minutes.
In another frying pan, saute the capsicum stripS in the
remaining oil
To serve, arrange the pork on dinner plate s, dri zzling the
sauce over the top, Place the pepper StripS on top.
Serves 6
Method
Combine lemon JUice, lemon zest, honey, soy sauce, garlic,
sweet Chilli sauce, lime IUlce and conander leaves In a bowl
and mix well
In a separa te bow l, cover chicken drumsticks With the
marinade and refflgerate for 2 hours
Preheat oven to 200'C (400°F) Grease a large oven-proof
baking Hay With all and place the drumsticks on the tray Bake
for 30 minutes or until the chicken IS cooked
Serve With lemon wedges
Serves 4
Method
Splash the bread With fed wine vinegar and season With sail
and pepper to taste Set aSide
In a blender, mix the 011, anchOVies, olives and capers. Add
bread and blend until smooth. Set aSide
Heat the barbecue and place the fi sh on the hOlieSt part and
cook for about 2-3 mlnuntes on each Side for a medium rare
f ish. Allow a few more ml!1utes on each Side If you prefer the
fish w ell-done
Serve Immediately on a bed of rocket or on ItS own. Spoon
a small amount 01 the anchovy and olive mixture into the
middle of the Iish and drizzle With lemon Juice
Serves 4
Italian pork chops
lamb casserole with feta
dumplings
Ingredients Method
lkg (2Ib) lamb, diced Preheat oven to l BO~C (350 F). Brown meal In olive oil, then
Q

llablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 x 400g (14oz) tins of whole tomatoes
, cup tomato paste
II cup (50m1/2fl oz) red wine
fresh oregano, chopped
~ cup (125mI/4V,f l oz) chicken stock
,y. cups (300g/10 Y,oz) self raising flo ur
30g (loz) butter, chopped
y, cup (80m1/3fl oz) sou r cream
"' cup (165m1/Sfl oz) milk
1509 (SY,oz) lela, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped,
extra
saute Onion and garlic until transparent. Add tomatoes, tomato
paste, red Wine, oregano and stock and bong to the boll
Transfer Into a ca sserole dish and bake for abou t 1~ hours or
unullamb IS lender
To make dumplings, m ix fl our, butter, sour cream, milk, leta
and extra oregano in a bowl alid combine well. Drop heaped
tablespoons of the dumpillig m ixture on to th e surface 01 th e
ho t lamb casserole and bake for a fu rthe r 25 m inutes or until
dumplings are puffed and brown .
Serves 4

roast lamb cutlets (lemonato)

Ingredients Method
"It Preheat oven to 200"C 1400~F) Rub salt. pepper, hall the
pepper oregano and half the olive oil on the lamb cutlets and place In
109 (lOll oregano a baking dish. Cover the bottom of baking dish With water and
looml 13%fl oz) olive oil the remainder of the 011 Bake for about 15 minuteS, turning
8 lamb cutlets, thick when necessary Remove from oven, add potatoes and return
3 large potatoes, cut into smal l to the oven until lamb is almost done, about 15-20 m inutes
wedges When the meal IS almost ready, remove from oven, sprink le
juice of 1 lemon With remaining oregano and lemon JUice and con \lnu e cooking
until done.
Serves 4

mains 61
lasagna
Ingredients
'kg (2Ib) beef mince
, brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
olive oil
4 cups (HI pints) tomato
PrO\len~ale (recipe page 117)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon Slick
2 chicken stock cubes
12 lasagna sheets
Pa rmesan cheese, grated
mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
ham, thinly sliced and cut into squares
1 egg, boiled and roug hly chopped
2 cups (500m111711fl oz) bechamel
sauce (recipe page 114)
farfalle with smoked salmon and
snow peas
Ingredients
SOOg (lib) larla lle pasta
4 whole spring onions, chopped
60g (20z1 capers
100g (3~oz) snow peas, chopped
splash 01 olive oil
30g (loz) butter
2S0g (70z1 fresh Tasmanian smoked
salmon
1 cup (2S0ml!9fl ezl dry white wine
SOml (2fl ozl 01 cream
Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
62 cooking with aristos
Method
In a large saucepan, saute the beef, omon and garlic until
brown. Add the tomato Provem;ale. then the IOmate paste,
bay leaves and Cinnamon sti ck and seaSO l1 with sal t and
pepper to taste. Combine well, Add 1 cup (250mll9 fl ozl o f
water and the crumbled stock cubes. Simmer together for 1'j,
hours, stirring occasionally The sauce needs to be thick, so
adjust the water and slOck until you have the fight
conSis tency
In a saucepan, cook 12 lasagna sheets tn boiling salted
water. When they are three-quarters cooked, dra,n and place
tn a bowl of Iced water to stop the cooking process. Lay
sheets on tea towels and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 180 C (3S0°F). In a 30cm (12In) x 25cm
Q
11 Otn) baktng tray place enough pasta sheets to cover the
bottom of the tray {try not to overlap!. Pour some sauce over
pasta sheets, then sprinkle over some Parmesan cheese,
mozzarella, ham and boiled egg Cover with pasta sheets and
repeat thiS process until the tray IS full and finish wl1h pasta
sheets on top Top With bechamel sauce and bake In oven for
abou t 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Sorves 6
Method
Place pasta in a large pot 01 boiling saited water With olive all
(ThiS Will ensure the pasta does nOI stick 10 the pol) Cook for
aboul 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or unlll the pasta IS al
dente. Do not overcook the pasta . Drain and set aSide
In a saucepan, saute spnng onions, capers and snow peas
In butter and olive oil Add smoked salmon, white wtne and
cream and Simmer for S minutes. Add cooked pasta, and
Parmesan and season With salt and pepper to taste Combtne
well and serve.
Serves 4
Aris tos' lip: You can also add a spoonful 01 black or red
caviar to this recipe.
Ossa bucca
0550 bucco
Ingredients Met h od
2 veal shanks, cut into 2cm rYo in) slices Dust the shank pieces in lIour, shaking off the excess Cover
self raising flour, for dusting the bottom of frying pan with 011 When 011 1$ hot, fry shanks
splash of olive oil until brown on both Sides. Transfer the meat to another
1 onion, sliced saucepan and sel aSide.
1 carrot, sliced In the same fryIng pan used to brown the shanks, sautE!
1 garlic clove, crushed the onion, carrOl and garhc TIp 1\ 3111nl0 the saucepan with the
2 bay leaves veal and add the bay leaves. parsley, lemon zest, water,
2 sprigs parsley, chopped tomato paste and red wine. IA spoonful of IInned tomato soup
lemon zest, grated. to taste may be added at thiS stage to lend sweetness If deSired)
1 cup (250m1/9f l oz) wa ter Season wi th salt and pepper Simmer lor abou t 1 hour.
Jlablespoons tomato paste Serve w ith fettll c lne or mashed po tato
, cup (250m 119fl oz) red wine Se rv es 4
salt
pepper

butter bean pasta

Ingredients
500g ! lib) spaghetti No 7
1 brown onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
loog ! 3 ~oz) bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 x 375ml (130z) tinned butter beans
small bunch parsley, finely chopped
:-; cup !125mI/4)A,fI oz) chicken stock
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
In a large saucepan, cook spagheu, In boiling salted water until
al dente. Dra,n and sel aSide
Saute onion. garlic and bacon ,n 011 for a few minutes Add
beans. parsley, chicken stOCK and red wine vinegar Simmer
for 5 minutes and add the freshly cooked pasta
Serve With Parmesan cheese
Serves 4-6

papou's garlic rump

'Papou' is the Greek word for grandfather. My papou was a great cook and taught me a lot
about being prepared in the kitchen and not rushing. When he cooked, the kitchen was
spotless and all his ingredients were placed in regimented style. He was so preCise that
everyone could tell who had sliced the meat Just by looking at the tray. All the slices were
exactly the same thickness. This was one of his favourite recipes.

Ingredients Met hod

4 x 300g ( 10~ozl rump steak fillets
salt
pepper
4 garlic cloves, sliced in half
lengthways
1 cup (2SOmV9fl oz) dry red wine
sprinkle of oregano
splash of extra-virgin olive o il
Season the rump slices w,th salt and pepper and place them
on a medIum-Size baking tray Sprrnkle the garhc and oregano
over the top and add the wine and a splash of olive 011
Refrrgerate for 1 hour and turn the meat over to ensure the
flavours go rrght through the meat Refrrgerate for another
hour.
USing a barbecue or non-stick frYing pan, cook the meal.
The longer you leave the meat In the marrnade, the less time
you Will need to cook It as th e w ine cures the meat
Serve With mash patato or white plaffl nce (recipe page 32)
Serves 4

mains 65
 •
pizza
Ingredients
Do u gh
, tabl espoon dry yeast
~ cup (125mV4 Y,i fl oz) warm water
500g (lIb) plain flour
Y.i tablespoon salt
water, as needed
To pping
150ml(SJI,fl oz) tomato Proven'Vale
(recipe page' 17)
, cup mozzarella, grated
, cup cheddar, grated
100g (3 Y1oz) leg ham, sliced
100g (3iloz) Hungarian salami, thinly
sliced
60g (2oz) capsicum, roasted
}'. cup kalamata olives
60g (2oz) leta cheese, crumbled
chicken casserole with penne
pasta
Ingredients
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, c rushecl
1 tablespoon bu tt er
1 tablespoon olive oil
8-10 chicken drumsticks
I x 4209 (150zl tin whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil leaves, dried
% cup (125mI/4}$fl oz) white wine
}$ cup (125m V4 }$fl Ol) water
}$ teaspo on cinnamon
2 bay leaves
salt
pepper
500g (lib) penne pasta
Parmesan cheese, grated
66 cooking with aristes
Method
To make the dough. dissolve yeast In hall a cup of luke-warm
water. Place flour on a clean working bench and make a well
Tip dissolved yeast InlO centre of well and start to knead
Gradually add the water until the mll(ture becomes a nice firm
dough. Knead for 10 minutes and place In a bowl covered With
a damp tea towel, Set aSide In a warm place unlll Ihe mixture
doubles In size
Once Ihe dough has risen, take enough dough to roll out
and cover a pizza pan. Use a roiling Pin if a thin crus t IS deSired
or your hands if yo u prefer a thick crust Grease pizza pan With
o li ve a ll and sprinkle With f lour, then place the base In th e pan.
Prehea t oven to I BOge (350°F). To top the pizza, spread
tomalO Proven<;ale over the base uSing the bottom o f a spoon
In a separate bowl, combine mozzarella and cheddar cheese
and mix well. Lightly cover the p izza base Wi th ha lf the
cheese. Spnnkle Ihe ham, salami, capsicum and olIVes on the
base so they are evenly dlstnbuted. MIX the feta with Ihe
remaining cheese and sprinkle over the pizza base
Bake for about 1 hour or untl the clough IS cooked and Ihe
top IS golden brown.
Serves 4-6
Method
Preheat oven to 180"e 1350"Fl
In a saucepan, saute onion and garli C In butter and o il and
cook until tran sparen t Acid chicken drumst icks and brown
Add tomatoes, toma to pas te, baSil, Wine, water, Cinnamon,
bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste, Simmer for 30
minutes. Remove saucepan from stove al1d pour Ihe chicken
and sauce Into casserole or baking dish. Add the pasta and stir
through.
Place In oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until pasta IS
cooked Remove from oven and spnnkle With salt, pepper and
Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4
risotto aristos' style
Ingredients
1509 ( 5 ~z) bacon or prosciutlo, finely
chopped into cubes
GOml (2f1 oz) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fed onion, peeled and coarsely
chopped
2i1 cups (625mll1 pint) tomato
Provencale (r ecipe page 117)
2 cups arborio rice
3 cups (750mlf1 ~ pint s) chicken
stock, fresh or made from stock
cubes
salt
pepper
6 tablespoons Pecorino or Romano
cheese, grated
Method
Place a heavy-based medium-size tarracone casserole dish
over medium heal and heal the OIl. Add the bacon and saute
In 011 for 10 minutes or until CriSP Remove trom the dish and
set aSide
USing the same 011, saute the onion for about 5 minutes or
until translucent. Add the tomato Provencale and simmer for
15 minutes, stirring occaSionally Wi th a wooden spoon
Remove half the toma to sauce and reserve In a bowl Add the
ri ce to the casserole dish and stir very well for about 4
minutes Add half a cup of th e hot stock 1125m1/4~f l oz) at a
tim e , constant ly m ixing With a wooden spoon. Do not add
m o re until ongina l stock has been comple te ly absorbed by the
ri ce. Just before adding th e last ha lf c up of stock, add th e
reserved tomato sauce. When the rice has absorbed all the
liqUid, season With sa lt and pepper to taste. At thiS stage, the
rice shou ld be cooked but still relam a 'bite
Add the bacon, mix well, and transfer to a large warm serving
dish. Serve immediately with the Pacormo ()( Romano cheese
spflnkled over the top, or stirred through the flce If deSired
Serves 4

sweet and sour pork

Ingredients Method
6 pork chops Remove excess fat from chops
flour, for dusting In a bowl, combine flour, mustard powder, salt and pepper
)I, teaspoon mustard powder Lightly dust the chops In thiS mixture Heat the butter In a
salt saucepan and fry the chops until brown. Place the chops 111
peppar casserole d ish
1 tablespoon butter, ex tra Preheat oven to 180"C (350'F). In a saucepan, cook the
I onian, chopped o nion and capsicum In butter for a few minu tes . St ir in th e
1 green capsicum, chopped pmeapple, sugar, v inegar, toma to sauce and black sauce. Heat
1 tin pineapple pieces and mi x well. Pour mixture over the chops In the cassero le
Yo cup brown sugar dish and bake for 1 hour
)t,cup (35mV1 Y>fl oz) vinegar Serve With nee
1 cup (250ml/9oz) tomato sauce Serves 4
1 teaspoon black sauce

mains 69
roast leg of lamb
Lamb is a staple of traditional Greek cooking, and most Greeks pride themselves on being
able to cook a wonderfu l roast lamb. I'm no exception!

Ingredients Method
1 small leg of lamb, approximately Preheat oven to 200"C (400°F)
l ~kg (3Ib)
CuI approximately five small InCisions Into the leg of lamb.
3 garlic cloves
In a bowl, mix together garlic, , salt and pepper. Mix
Yo cup dried oregano well and fill the Incisions With the mixture, Drizzle
salt
half the olive oil over the lamb and rub In Ihe remainder of Ihe
pepper garlic mixture over the outside o f Iha meal.
250ml (9fl 02) olive oil
Place the lamb in a baking dish and add Ihe water and th e
250m I (9f! 0%) water remain ing o iL Roasl for about 1 hour or until cooked.
Serves 4-6

Aristos' Tip: Place cloves of garlic in a bowl of hot water

for 15 minutes to allow easy removal of the skin. Ask your
butcher 10 remove the bone from Ihe lamb to make
carving easy.
seafood gnocchi
Ingredients Method
11 (1].1, p ints) milk In a saucepan, bring Ihe milk 10 Ihe boll Sprinkle In the semolina,
, cup semolina mixing well with a whisk to aVOid lumps Add nutmeg and season
, teaspoon nutmeg with salt and pepper 10 taste Cook gemly for 6-8 minutes,
salt stirring conlln uously. Add the prawn meat, egg yolks, Parmesan
pepper and parsley and mix we ll Place mixture Into a p iPing bag wi th a
2009 (7oz) prawn meat. minced fla \ nozzle and squeeze out 4cm (1 /'In)lon9 pieces Allow \0 cool
2 egg yolks Cook gnocchl In plenty of salted boiling water for 5 minutes
60g (20z) Parmesan cheese, grated and drain
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Serve with a cream or tomato based sauce Seafood gnocchl
is also great with fresh basil and home-made tomato sauce
(recipe page 124 1
Serves 4-6

veal scallopine marsala

Ingredients Method
500g (lib) veal,(or baby beef) cut into Season veal Wi th sail and pepper and dust With fl our. Melt bulter
12 thin pieces and 011 In large frying pan. When hal, add garliC and veal pieces and
flour, for dusting cook unlll brown. Remove and discard garliC when 111urns brown
salt When meat has browned, pour In marsala and cook over high
pepper heat for about a mlr"lule or un\11 the sauce thickens
1 tablespoon butter Serve With mashed potaloes or garliC spaghettJ .reclpe page 481
3 tablespoons o live o il Serves 6
I garlic clove, chopped
180ml (6fl ozl marsala Aristos' TIp: As the scallopine will not easily fit into one pan,
split them into 3 batches and fry separately, using a third of
the marsala each time_ Keep the cooked pieces warm in a low
oven until all are done. If you don't like marsala, use white
w ine to make a delicious scallopine bianco.

lamb souvlaki
Ingredients Method
600g (1Y. tb) diced lamb or 6 lamb In a large ml)(lr"Ig bowl. combine the lamb. oregano, paprika, garhc,
fillets, diced Clr"lnamon. nutmeg and rosemary and season With salt and pepper
sprinkle o f dry oregano to taste. Add olive all and coat well. Re frigerate for at least 24
1 leaspoon sweel paprika hours 10 marina te.
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped Soak 8 bamboo Slicks Ir"I cold water for 30 minutes and slide
sprinkle of cinnamon the lamb p,aces onto the sticks lust before cookmg Don't pack
sprinkle of nulmeg the lamb pieces too tightly together as this Will cause the meal to
1 sprig fresh rosemary cook unevenly Heat the barbecue and cook lamb for about 5
sail mmutes on each Side or until the meat In cooked through
pepper Hea t the plla bread on the barbecue
splash of olive oil To serve, place th e bread on a large piece of grease-proo f
8 medium-size pila breads paper or alumlr"llum fall . Remove th e lamb pieces from the
loS iceberg lettuce, shredded bamboo stocks and place on the bread Place shredded lettuce.
3 lomaloes, sliced tomato and onion on top of the meat USing the paper or fall. roll
1 white onion, finely sliced the bread up
Thls!s a great odea for barbecues as everyone can mak.e their ov-ml
Serves 4

72 cooking with aristos

spicy lamb curry
Ingredients
lkg {2!b) lamb or mutton
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
, bay leaf
, teaspoon cinnamon. ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
, teaspoon cumin, ground
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 t!tflspopns curry powder
pepper
2 I flour,
Method
Trim fat from lamb. Cut lamb into bite-size pieces.
In a saucepan, saute onions in oil until transparent and
add the bay leaf, cinnamon, corian der, cumin, garlic and
curry powder and combine well. Mix in the flour and
simmer for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Add meat
and brown lightly. Add the tomatoes, fruit chutney, meat
stock, sugar and dried apricots and mix well. Season with
salt and pepper to tasle. Transfer the curry to a 1811Je
casserole dish and COVj9:r.
Bake in a 150°C !SOO°F) oven ,for 1 ~ hOuri! or simmer on
" top of the stovefor'" hour.: f ' .I' ..r tl
. S~lVe t ste:amad rlc~ and corlan;der. 8n~ rn~\'
I! fH
summer vegetable frittata
Ingredients
2509 (902) spaghelli
2009 170l) zucchini, sliced
150g ( 5 ~oz) mushrooms, sliced
2009 (Joz) leek, fine ly sliced
2009 (7oz) broccoli florets
B eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon mint
1009 (3Y!oz) peas, fr ozen
30g (1oz) butter
30g (loz) Romano cheese, grated
sail
pepper
pasta with gravy beef sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
lkg (2Ib) gravy beef, cu t in chunks
3 tablespoons tinned tomato soup
1 x 420g (140z) tin whole peeled
tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 ~ teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 packet No. 13 Baveue sp aghetti
Parmesan ch eese, grated
pink snapper
Ingredients
4 x 300g (10~ozl boneless pink
snapper fiUets
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
~ cup \ 125mV4Afl oz)dry white wine
2 cups (500mV17%fl oz) Janice's
cacciatore sauce (recipe page 117)
Method
In a saucepan. cook the spaghetti In boiling sailed water until
31 dente. Drain and set aSide. Preheat oven lo180 C (350°F).
Q
In a saucepan, steam or boll the vegetables In lightly salted
water until lender but s\11I "rm. Drain and ml~ the vegetables
With the eggs, mint cheese and season With sail and pepper
to taste, Lightly grease a pie dish and place spaghetti In It
evenly, Pour the vegetable and egg mixture over the top \0
cover the spaghetti
Bake for 20 minutes,
Serves 4-6
Method
In a heavy-based saucepan, heat butter or 011 and saute onion
and garliC. Add the gravy beef and brown Add tl1e tomato
soup. tomatoes, bay leaves. bas,I, oregano and c,nnamon and
mix well. Simmer for about 1 hours or unt,l beef IS cooked
In a large pot. cook the pasta In bo,lIng salted water until al
denle Dra,n and place in a warm dish and cover With sauce
Serve With lots of Parmesan cheese
Serves 4
a la victor
Method
Preheat oven to laO e e 1350~FI.
Place the fish 1,llets in a medium-Size baklOg dish and dnzzle
the oil over the fillets, Season to taste With salt and pepper
Cover the fish IllIets With white wine and the cacciatore sauce
Cook In the oven lor about 40 minutes or until the f,sh IS
cooked through,
Transfer fish to a warm plate and set aSide. Place the sauce
In a small saucepan and reduce
Pour the sauce over the fish tillets and serve With lacket
potatoes and a green salad
Serves 4
mains 77
veal caprici
Ingredients Method
'kg (2Ib) ve al, thickly s liced Cut mea t Into bile-size pieces and dust In f lour seasoned w ith
2 tablespo ons butter sa lt and pepper. In a saucepa n, sau te In butler and 011 until
2 tablespoons olive oil golden brown
3 slices bacon, chopped In a separate pan, sau te bacon and brown. Add to th e veal
Y. cup (185ml/BY1fl az) chicken stock and then add the chicken slOck and w ine. Cover th e saucepan
y. cup {1S5mI/S Y.,f l oz} dry white wine and cook gently for 20-25 minutes. Ad d sour cream and
sour cream cape rs, m ixing well. Return 10 low hea t for 5 minutes or until
1 tablespoon capers, chopped cooked
flour, for dusting 1 cup of sliced m ushrooms may be added al the same time
salt as the wine if deSired
pepper Serve w ith jacket potatoes and f resh, crusty bread
Serves 6

mum's pan fried jewfish with

lemon
My dad is a great cook but even he admits t hat no-one can cook fish like mum I The first
thing I learnt from mum is tha t you always use self raising flour when cooki ng seafood as
any other flour can cause your fish to go gluggy.

Ingredients Method
4 x 250g (90z) Western Aust ralian Sprink le th e fi sh fillet s Wi th salt and refri gerate until ready to use
jewfish fi llets In an electri c fry ing pan. heat th e 011. Lightl y dust the fish with
salt fl our and gently place In the pan to cook. Cook the fill ets for
splash of oil about 3-4 minutes each Side or until fish is cooked . To ch eck if
sel f raising flour, for dusting th e fis h IS cooked. pri ck the thi ckest part of th e fi sh With a fork
juice of 2 lemons and check tha t the flesh IS opaque
Dri zzle t he lemon jU ice ove r the fi sh fill ets In the pa n and serve
Immediately With Iceberg and fenne l salad (recipe page 109) or
th e boys tomato salad (reCipe page 1001
Serves 4

78 cooking with aristQs

Veel capfiCI
pan fried calamari
Ingredients Method
600g 11 Y.lb) squid, cleaned and sliced Dust calaman In flour, shaking off any excess Cover the
2cm {Y<in) thick bottom of non-stick. pan wi th olive 011 and allow to heal until 011
self raising flour, for dusting starts to smoke. Gently place calamari Into frying pan, being
splash of olive oil careful not 10 splash the hOt oil. Cook for 6-12 minutes,
juice of 2 small lemons (liming frequently, or until golden brown and CriSPY
salt Once cooked, drain excess oil from pan and squeeze the
lemon JUice over squid Sprinkle With sal\.
Serve Immediately
Serves 4

Aristes' Tip: The calamari is much easier to cook using an

electric frying pan. I don't recommend using white squid
lubes, which can be tough and tasteless.

glazed pork loin in aunty val's

marinade
Aunty Val is the laSlle I cook In Ihe family. The only proble 1 I that sr'"Ie md line e C 11 ~
live in Honolulu so we don't get to eat her tasty treats very uflen

Ingredients
12 sage leaves
salt
pepper
splash of olive oil, extra for frying
6 small shallots
16 dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Yl cup (125mV4¥; fl oz) apple cider
~ cup (125mI!4 ~ fl ozl water
1 whole pork loin strip, small amount
of fat removed
Method
In a mortar and pessel, gnnd together the sage, sail. pepper
and a splash of all until well combined. If you don 't have a
m ortal and pessel, use a small bowl and Ihe back of a large
spoon as Ihe sage leaves need \0 be brUised to release their
arom atiC l lavours
Heat Ihe all In a medium·slze sauC€pan and add Ihe
shallots. Saute for about 3 mInutes or until golden brown . Add
th e sage mixture, apricots, sugar, soy sauce, cider and water
and bnng to Ihe boll. Reduce heat and simmer lor about 25
minutes or until the glaze IS Ihlck and glossy Allow to cool.
Rub half the glaze onto til e pork lOin and refrigerate for
about 4 hours to allow the flavours to Infuse Ihe meal
Preheat the oven to 200°C (4OQ°F) and remove the pork
loin from the refri gerator Allow to stand at room temperature
for 30 m inutes. Cook the meat for about 1 hour or unlil the
meal is cooked through
Serve the pork lOin wi th roasted po ta toes and th e
remainder of the glaze.
Serves 4

Aristos' TIp: You can also use pork chops instead of a pork
loin in this recipe. Instead of roasting them just cook them
on th e barbecue.

mains 81
roast baby goat
Ingredients
1 )( 3k9 (6Ib) side baby goat
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30g (l oz) oregan o
100ml ( 3 ~fl oz) olive oil
salt
pepper
2009 (7oz) butter, melled
2 brown onions, roughly chopped
, cup (250ml/9fl oz) water
3 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
3 large potatoes or 10 baby potatoes
cui into halves
Method
Ask your butcher to CUI the goat side Into Ihld: pieces. leaving
out the belly and rib cage.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) In a bowl, ffill( garhc.
oregano, olive oil and salt and pepper \0 taste Combine well
and rub over the meal.
Place the bUller and Onion on the bottom of a baking dish
Place meal on lOp and cover the bottom of dish wi th water
Put two-thirds of the chopped tomatoes over Ihe top cllhe
meat and place in oven \0 cook for about 1'h hours
Add the potatoes and th e remaining tom ato and return to
the oven for another 40 min utes or until the meat and
potatoes are cooked ,
Serves 4

lamb chops - george's way

My dad George loves simple food, and he loves to use good-quality ingredients, which is
where my cooking style comes from. So when you are preparing food, always use the best
ingredients avai lable. As my Dad says, "there's no substitute for quality,·

tngredients M ethod
'2 lamb loin chops Season the lamb with salt and pepper to taste Sprinkle with
salt oregano and a splash of olive 011. USing a gnll, frying pan or
pepper barbecue hotplate, cook the lamb over high heat for about 4
sprinkle oregano minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking
splash of olive o il Remove the lamb from heat and drizzle the lemon IUlce
juice of 2 lemons over the chops Serve w ith boiled spinach and runner beans
dressed in olive 011 and lemon.
Serves 4

82 cooking with aristos

ve a es
 When It comes to
cooking fresh
~eget8bles, the less
YOll do the bener

There's always something

new, something you hadn't thought was in season or
some surprise. It's also one of the most important places
for a chef because the choices you make there can mean
the difference between a great meal and an average
meal. Make sure you take a close look at what you're
buying and pick good-looking, fresh food.

When cooking vegetables, it's really a case of the less

you do the better. All vegetables have their own unique
flavours and it's really just boredom that makes people

..
try different dishes when really
.

If chefs get sick of cooking something the same way,

they can sometimes be tempted to suddenly try

86 cookmg with aristos

something new, like adding roasted hazelnuts to the
beans. But really, why bother? Just boil them or steam
them - make sure you don't overcook them - and then
drizzle over olive oil and a little lemon juice. It's one of
the easiest ways to prepare vegetables, but it's still the
best. They'll taste fantastic .

mmdIntl! Adish like cauliflower

cheese is a great example. Most people love cauliflower
cheese, but if you've got the boss coming over for dinner
it's probably the last thing you 'd think of cooking . And
that's a mistake, because if you cook it properly, it's
bloody good!
aristos' vegetables
I normally IJrepare most vegies wilh olive oil and lemon juice. This method was passed
down to me We would boil or steam our vegetables and simply dress them with a little
t'llive oil and lemon juice. Almost all vegetables, with one or two exceptions, can be served
like Ihis . Try your vegies this way and you may just be impressed with the laste!

Asparagu s Cauliflower, minted peas and onion

Hold each asparagus spear al either end
and bend until It snaps; discard woody
part. Cook In boiling water for 2 minutes,
Drain and drizzle with olive 011 and lemon
JU ice
Place cauliflower and thinly sliced onion In a pan of boiling
water until cauliflower IS Just cooked Remove cauliflower
from pot. Lea ... e onion In water Bnd add peas and a spng of
mint cook until peas are lender Dram , add to cauli flower, and
serve with olive oil and lemon JUice

Spinach Stringless beans

Wash thoroughly under COld water
Bring a pan of water to 1M boil and add
spinach Cook for approximately 3
minutes Do nOI overcook as spinach
should Slay a httle crunchy_ Drain and
dnzzle with olive 011 and lemon IUlce
Cook in boiling water or steam until tender Dram al1d serve
w ith olive oil and lemon JUice
Broccoli and cau liflower
Steam or boil untiliusl tender. Drain well. Splash with olive oil
and lemon JUice.

bachelor's roast vegetables

Ingredients
any vegetables you h a ...e in the fridge Method
- and I mean any vegetables! Preheat oven 10 200¢C (400°F)
water Chop up vegetables and spread out In a baking dish.
olive oil Sprinkle With water and dflzzle With oll...e 011 Season With salt,
sail pepper and oregano 10 taste. Bake for 20 minutes or until
pepper ...egetables are soft.
dried oregano

88 cooking with aristos

chinese greens
Ingredi ents
1 bunch of bok choV or other Chinese
greens
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely
chopped
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoo n s soy sauc e
george's lathera (mixed vegies)
Ingredients
Ikg (2Ib) green beans, French or string
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1x 4009 (14oz) tin whole peeled
tomatoes
1 sprig of mint
pinch of sugar
salt
pepper
2 pOlalOes, washed and Quartered
2 carrots, thickly sliced
Method
Steam bok choy In a bowl. combine garlic, ginger, sesame
seeds and soy sauce Drizzle over bok choy
Serves 2
Aristes lip: As an optional extra you may like !O add som e
finely sliced fresh chilli.
Method
W ash and tri m be ans and snap them Into halves. Se t aSide.
Heat olive oil in a large sa ucepan and sau te th e onion until
transparent. Add tomatoes, mint and sugar and season Wi th
salt and pepper to taste Simmer for 10 minutes and add the
beans, potatoes and carrots Cover the saucepan and cook
slowly for about 30 minutes or until the beans are tender
Serves 4-6
Aristos Tip: Vegies cooked th is way can be served as an
accompaniment to meal, chicken or fish dishes alike.
vegetables 91
 • •
Ing redients
splash o f olive oil
'2 baby potatoes, peeled and halved
, large sprig of rosemary, leaves only
2 chicken stock cube s
, cup (250m119fl ozl warm water
92 cooking with arlstos
• •
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (400 C FI
Cover the bonom of a non 5\1 I:; ftyr19 pan with 011 and
heal Add potatoes and rosernary"ld saute unt,1 blown
Crumble stock cubas Into water and S(I' until dissolved
Transfer pota toes to a baking tlay and dOllls stock ovel the
potatoes_ Bake for 25 mmutes or until cooked through and
golden brown
Serves 4
Aris tos' Tip: Peeled potatoes should be placed in a bowl of
water unt il ready to use to prevent them from
discolouring.
crumbed eggplant
Ingredients Method
I eggplant Cut eggplant into 2cm min) thick rings and spnnkle with salt
salt Allow to stand for 15 minutes
I egg, beaten In a bowl. moe. egg and milk togethel In a separate bowl,
100ml (3 ~fl Ol) milk mix cheese, breadcrumbs and parsley
60g (20z) Parmesan cheese, graled Remove any liquid from eggplant by palM g dry w ith some
200g (7oz) breadcrumbs paper towel. Dust the eggplant in flour, dip In egg wash and
1 sma ll bunch of flat -leaf parsley, then coat with breadcrumb mixture
chopped Coat the bonom of a frying pan with vegetable all and heal
flour, lor dusting Gently fry eggplant until cooked Remove from pan and drain
vegetable oil on paper lowel to remove excess all
Serves 4

vegie fry
Ingredients Method
2 eggplants Wash eggplants and shce lengthwise about tcm ('(,In) thick,
salt, lor eggplants Spnnkle w ith sa lt and allow to stand for 20 minutes, then
2 medium zucchini pat dry_
flour, for dusting Wash lUcchlnl, CUI In half and slice each hall lengthwise,
~ cup ( 125mV4 ~ fl Ol) olive oil Lightly dust eggplant and lUcchlnl In flour Heal some oil In
3 tomatoes, thickly sliced electriC Irylng pan al 180°C (350°F) and fry vegles until lightly
salt browned on both Sides, Remove from pan and drain on paper
pepper towel.
Arrange on planer and top w ith sliced tomatoes Sprinkle
With salt and pepper to tas te Serve Wi th barbecued meat You
can also substitute the tomato lor capSicum and gnllthe
vegetables on top of the barbecue as a vanallOn.
Serves 4-6

94 cooking with aristos

 • I was never much of a salad eater
until I started getting older and my partner raised the
idea of including a few fresh veggies in my diet.
Although there are a lot of different salads out there,
from Caesar to Rocket and everything in between, I
prefer them plain and simple.

For me, the best salads consist of a few fresh elements,

with a little dressing drizzled over at the last minute to
keep things crunchy. I reckon that's the way to go, and
I'm not alone.

At my restaurant there's one group of guys who come in

all the time. They're all about 50
to 55 years old; they've been around and they know
what they like. They come in as a group and stay for a

98 cooking with aristos

 Many of our
customers like their
salads plain and
simple - so do I.

few hours, trying whatever I recommend or choosing

something from the menu. But there's one thing they
like to have made in a very specific way: the salad.

"Mate," they say, "we just want a plain salad." "Lettuce

with sliced tomato and onion and some brown vinegar
on the side." They won't even let me jazz it up with a
different kind of lettuce! they
tell me, and they mean plain, old-fashioned iceberg
lettuce. No cos, no butter lettuce, just "real" lettuce .

• . ,
the boys' tomato and onion salad
The "boys" are a group of great guys that dine in my restaurant on a regular basis. They
are all between 50 and 60 years old, and they always ask for this salad as it reminds them
of when they were young.

Ingredients
3 npe Roma tomatoes. cut into thick
slices
1 while onion. finely sliced
pepper
dri zz le of 01 ive oil
splash of brown malt vinegar
12 pieces semi-matured cheddar
cheese, thinly sliced
Method
Place a javer of tomatoes In a serving disll and layer tile OniOn
slices on top. You ca n use one layer of lO matO and onion fo r
this dish or several alternate laye rs depending on the size 01
your dish.
Sprin kle the top w ith salt and pepper 10 taste and dmzle
olive or! ..4 dd a splash of v negar. Use a pota to peeler to sh,l'"e
of'l 12 pieces of chee se and place l l1 e ~ e 0 11 top o f the sala d.
Serves 4

lima bean salad

Tinned lima beans are availab le from all good delis. You could also use most other kinds
of tinned beans for this salad .

Ingredients
1 x 3759 (130z1 tin lima beans, drained
4 whole spr in g onions, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
3 sp rigs of parsley, finely chopped
dri zz le of olive oil
splash of brown malt vinegar
salt
pepper
Method
In a salad bowl. combine bean s. spring onions. tomatoes an d
parsley anel season With salt <mel pepper to tas te.
Dress the ala d w ith a small drIZzle of olJVe 011 alld sp lash
of vinegar.
Serves 4
Aristos' Tip: After dressi ng a salad I always run my hand
under the cold water tap and flick the salad with the water
to break down the acidity of the vrnegar in the salad. Th is
is something my mother taught me.

100 cooking with aristos

pepperoni salad with
avocado dressing
Ingredients Method
Salad Tear lettuce Into pIeces and place In salad bowl Add the ,>now
1 cos lettuce peas, capSI :um, bean sprouts, salami Bnd croutons and lOSs
150g I S~oz l snow peas together wei
I yellow capsicum, sliced To make the dreSSIng, place the avocado. cream cheese,
1 green capsicum, sliced French dreSSIng, lemon IUlce and olIVe 001 In a blendor and mil..
3009 110:h02) bean sproulS until smoo th Drizzle dreSSing over salad mix before serving
6()g (Zozt pepperoni salami, thinly Serves 4
sliced
12 croutons

Dressing
1 small avocado
1259 W/'02) cream cheese
JoI cup 1125ml/4 X'1 oz) French dressmg
2 tablespoons lemon Juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

caesar salad
Ingredients Method

So'' '
I rasher bacon, sliced
In a frYIng 001
heat and set aSIde
saute the bacon u't, Cf ~IJV R~rno ... e from

1 baby cos lettuce, washed and Place cos leaves In a salad bowl Add the solt bollelJ egg,
drained well baCon, arx:hovles, Parmesan and croutons
I egg, soft boiled and cut into six To make dressu'lg, place the egg yolks, seeded mustard,
109 (Yi oz) anchovies Oilon mustard, vInegar, garlic, Worces tershn9 sauce, dl1ChO'-y
JOg (loz) parmesan cheese, grated fillets and Parmesan cheese In a blender and nll X w ell
12 croutons GraduCilly stir ,n lhe oil until a thiCk. dresslflg fOlms Dllule 0.-61
salad Ingredients JUSt before seNlng Toss w oll
Oressing Serves 4
4 egg yolks
llablespoon seeded mustard
118blespoon Oiion mustard
l00mI 13Y.fI ozl fed wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
l00ml (3M I oz ) Worcestershlre sauce
4 anchovy fillets
60g (20z) Parmesan cheese, grated
WOrnl f17 Y. fI oz l extra-virgin olive oil

salads 103
thai noodle salad
Ingredients Method
Salad Cook noodle _ in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al
500g (l ib) rice vermicelli noodles dente. Rinse and drain. Put into serving dish W lti) the ca rrots.
2 cups ca rrots, julie nn ed To make the dressing, in a bowl combine the cl,illi, chilli
sauce, mint, basil, coriander, lime Juice, oJive oil, fisl, sauce
Dressing and sweet soy and mix well.
1 green ch ill i, finely chopped Pour mixture over noodles and carrots. Toss well to coat.
3 ta blespo ons sw eet cll il li sau ce Serves 4
Yz cup mi nt, fin ely cho ppe d
71 cup basil , finely choppe d
y, cup co ria nder, finely ch opped
juice of 2 lim es
% cup ( 6 ~ f l oz) ol ive oil
YJ cup (2fl oz) Thai fish sauce
2 tablespo ons ABC sw eet soy
(available from Asian supermarkets )
dad's greek potato salad
Ingredients
2 potatoes, boiled
1 white onion. f inely chopped
YI cup kalama!a olives. pitted
drizzle 01 extra-virgin olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar
2 eggs, boiled and Quartered
rocket salad
Ingredients
1 bunch of rocket, washed and
drained well
2 Rome tomatoes, sliced
drizzle of olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar
1009 (3:t:ioz) slivered almonds
greek salad
Anybody who tells you t hat a G reek salad has got iceberg lettuce in it doesn't know w h at
t hey're talking about!
Ingredients
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 small Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
12 kalamata olives
1 small white onion, ro ughly chopped
1 small red or green capsicum,
roughly chopped
sprinkle of oregano
salt
pepper
drizzle of olive oil
splash of balsa mic vinegar
100g { 3 ~z l feta cheese, preferably
Dodoni, diced
106 cooking with aristos
Method
Dice the pOTatoes ,nl0 2cm (I!. ln l cubes.
In a salad bowl, combine the potatoes. on,ol1 and oli ves and
toss well With the olove 01 and vinegar Arrange egg quan e.s
on lOp of salad. Drizzle With a I,tlle more olive 011 and season
With sall8fld pepper to taste,
Serves 4
Method
Teal rocket ,nto pieces and Piace In a salad bo wl With lom3toes
To make the dreSSing, place the 011 and w 1egar ,n a bowl
and whisk to combine well. Dnzzle dreSSing over sCllad
Place almonds In a hot fryi ng pan 10 brown. Stirring
conllnuously so they do not burn Spfl nkle over top 01 salad
IUS I before serving
Serves <I
Method
In a sa lad bowl, combine tomalo, cucumbers. olives. onlOO.
capsicum and a sp"n'ie 01 oregano. Season With sa lt and
pepper \0 tas te and tOSS well
Drizzle Wit h olive 011 and a splash 01 balsamiC vinegar
Spnnkle With water Spllnl 'e the leta cubes ovel the top
Serves <I
Aristes' Tip: This salad can be served with just about any
foed or as a simple lunch d ish served with crusty bread.
ar·stos' salad
Ingredients Method
iceberg lettu ce, washed . drained and Place lettuce, orna to. sundried tomalO, onion and cucu m blH
shredded in d sa lad bowl anclliliX weil .
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced To make the dressing, place the anchovy fillet s, capers,
5 sundried tomato pieces cheese , garliC. lemon J\.Ilce and m\.ls tard In a blenrJer and
white on io n, sliced combine we ll Slowly pour the oil infO ll,e Ililxture while
cucum ber. diced ble nding unti l a hick dressing forms . Season wllh sa il r.,, ~ c!
pepper to taste.
Dressing Drizzle the dressing over tile salad IU ~ before serving .
6 anchovy fillets Serves 4
12 capers
sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, grated
1 garlic clove
70ml (2Y,fl 0 2) lemon juice
teaspoon Oijon mustard
200ml (7fl oz) extra·virgin olive 011
salt
pepper

iceberg and fennel salad

Ingredient s Method
1 large iceberg lettuce, washed , In a bovvl. combrne he lettuce, sprrng onions and fennel or ddl
drai ned and torn into pieces Clnd toss w ell .
5 spring onions, finely chopped DI'izzle Wilh olrve 011 and lemon JUice lUSt before serving.
small bunc l, of fennel or dill, f inely Serves 4
choppe d
driIZle of olive o i I
juice of 1 lemon

salads 109
 Like a cold beer, a
good sauce can turn
the mundane Into
memorable.

~"""""'~""""""""""""""'~......:..u the
one thing youlll see slowly cooking away somewhere is
a sauce. It's the one pot you always go back to, check,
give the contents a stir and maybe a taste, and then get
on with whatever you were doing.

Chefs always have their own little variations on a sauce

and there are all sorts of different names for them, but
most are really based on just five "Mother Sauces",
~~' and can make a world of
difference to a meal.

The five basic sauces are: demiglaze, tomato Provenc;ale,

bechamel, veloute and hollandaise. While some, like the
demiglaze, might take hours to prepare, others can be
pulled together in less than ten minutes. Either way, a

112 cooklng with aristos

good sauce will bring any meal to life. Think back to the
last time you enjoyed a dish with a wonderful rich sauce:
• ' . • or whatever piece of
food you had left on the plate. It was a sign that
someone in the kitchen had done their job well.

The other easy way to give food a new twist is using

butter. A simple garlic butter will take only a few minutes
to prepare - that's no time at all if you1re doing a
barbecue. While everything is cooking on the hotplate,
just take a step back and quickly make up the butter.
Then, when the barbecued meat is ready, top it off with a
small pat of homemade garlic butter and taste the
difference - wo.;'~~:...-..
 e ercorn sauce
Ingredients Method
30g (1 o ~ 1 butler In a sauce pan, nlelt the bu tt er, Add til e peppercorns,
1 tablespo o n black or g reen Worcestershrr e sauce, basil, beef SlOck, bran dy i3nd cream ,
pepp ercorns S,mm er over low heat until yo u have 8 ! 1-, w, sa uce con srS tenc',i,
50ml (2fl ozl W orcestersh I re sauce If th e sauce splits add a little cream alld mix well,
1 teaspoon ba si I, chopped Makes 250ml
1 teaspoon beef stocklci em igl(lZe
1recip e page 124)
60ml (211 oz) b ran d y
100ml (3 )1; 11 07. ) cream

echamel sauce
Ingredients Method
60g 12011 butter In a saucepan, prepare th e roux by m Itrng th butter and addrng
60g (2oz) flour l lle flour Cook tor 3 m inutes an d ! ave to coo!, 0 herwlse n·le
1 sma ll on ion, peeled and studded sauce Will become lumpy
with cloves In ;:; separa te saucepan , place the onion 111 the rlk and heal
500mi 19f1 oz} milk gently Do not aliow to boil. Rem ove onion and, over low heat.
I)our th e mrl k into the r8U X B h\ll e at ri me , sti rrr ng con tinuously
for 10 m in utes to prevent sauce stl 'King Strain throug h a si ev e
to remove an y lumps and ci rlzz !e some melted bUl\e r on top of
the sauce 10 SlOp a skin from i orrrll ng,
If the sauce is too thick add a litt le more milk t achieve the
ng ht conSistency. If til e sauce is 100 t In, make OJ little more ro ux
and add to thlCk ell,
Makes 600ml

Arlstos' Tip: This sauce has a number of uses incll)ding

lasagna 1recipe page 62) and crepe filling. By adding a little
Pa rmesan cheese, it becomes a delicious mornay sauce
perfect for lopping grilled seafood.

• •
aristos're Ine JUS
Ingredients Method
60g (20z) butter In a saucepan, mel t tile but lef and sau te the sha llots and
6 shallots, finely chopped mUSllrOOmS fo r about 3 mrnutes or I) nti1 soit , Add ihe Wine and
100g 13 1, oz) b utton mushrooms, finely oran ge zes t and Imm er untrl the liquid has reduced by one hlrd ,
ch oppe d Add the stock and rose mary simmer for 30 mi nute
250ml 19f1 ozl dry red wine Pass thmugh sieve and . vvhile hol, Whisk rn the remaining
zest of 1 o range butter, Seaso n w ith sa lt al1d pepper to tast e
250ml (9fl o z) b ee t stock/demiglaze Serve wi th roas t lamb or beef.
I re c ip e pa ge 124) Makes 300ml
1 sp rig o f fr esh rose m a ry
salt
pepper

114 cooki ng With aristos

tomato provencale
Ingredients Method
2 x 4009 (140z) Iins whole peeled In a sauce pQ Il , cook tomatoes. basi! . garli c. oregano and olive
tom atoe s 011 o n mediulll hea t for 20 minutes. stin ing occasionall y.
handfu l of basil, chopped Season With sa lt and pepper to taste . Remove saucepan irom
2 garliC cloves, crus hed hea t and place tllraugll moulle 01 blender
lag (Y, oz) orega no Malces 700ml
splash of olive (lil
sail Aristos' Tip: This sauce can be used ror any disll with a
pepper tomato base, such as sou ps a nd sa uces . It can a Iso be
frozen for use at a I ater date.

janice's cacciatore sa ce
III ( I It Ild I. f 1)111 l lUI Ilt)lltj II I J I> I ! IIIII )lI

- sh<.> 1101~. to Ill' jf'( v'' Y 11~C,VI I 1'. 1111 Ily Illrli r II I "U' ~ II 1\1j!f .11111 I I 1\
n t he Indt]f'. cI' I sep.11l t! I It JI ill I lin,

Ingredien1s Method
2 medium finger eggplants Cut tile eggpian ts I h<J1f lengtllways and sprinkle With salt
4 tablespoons olive oil Rest for 5 m inutes (lnd p<H c1ry, Dice IIHO 3c m ('/ "n) c l> b ~ s and
2 large brown onions, finely cho ppecl set aSide ,
<\ garlic cloves, roughly c hopped In e large non"s\lck irVing pilil . heal the 01 1and saute he
1 re d capsicum, diced onion and garliC un .1 soh . Adcl tile eg91)la n and C<t PSIClIm
1 sma ll ZlIcchini. diced an d cook fo r min utes . co nl inuously stlrflng . .il.del :he
10 small mushrooms, quartered zucchini, m ush ro om s aile! o lives and coo k ror a fWlher 3
12 kalamala 01 ives, pitted min u te s on 1"llgh heat 0 1 un til ti,e veg etable s l)egl 11 to softel1.
2 x 375g (130z) tins crushed tomatoes I--\dd ti, e tomatoe s, oregano . pars ley. basil. suga r and I,vat81
~ cup fresh oregano and co mbrne w ell . Season vV lth sal t and pepper to taste and
Y; cup fresh parsley Simmer for about 30 m inutes,
y, cup fresh basil It th e sa uce I a litt le Ihln . Simmer tor a f urther 5 minute s
pinch of sugar or un lil tile sauce thi ckens. Refrigerate or freeze until required .
salt Serve With steak or sc1lnitze l.
pep per Makes SOOml

Aristos ' Tip: Fresh, over-ripe tomatoes can be also be used

instead of tinned tomatoes , 1 usually grate the m with a
cheese grater,

cocktail sauce
Ingredients Method
30 0m~ (101,n ozl tomalo sauce To m ake the sauce, combin e the tomato SclUc e, ~'Vorc es lerslwe
lOami (3~fI oz) Worcestershire sa lice SOlv ce. brOlnd y, Tabas co anel lernon jUice in a bowl and m ix welt.
90ml (311 oz) brandy Add tile may nnalse alld mix \-\/81 1 Ll nl,r it is a nice tllick
30ml (1/102) Tabasco conSIS eney. Season Wltll salt and pepper to taste
30ml (111 OL) lemon jLl ice Makes 850ml
300m I (1 O'MI oz) mayonnaise
sa lt
peppe r

sauces 117
Clockwise trom lOP:
red pepper sauce.
mayonnaise.
mushroom sauce.
fresh tom ato and
chilli salsa

118 cooking with aristos

coriander mint chutney
Ingredients Method
3 bu nciles of coriand er In a food processor, mix coria ncler, mint, ch illies, ga rbe, lemon
1 bunch o f m int iUlce, sugar an d ginger an d bl ell d to a paste Add w ater and
6-8 green chi lli es se son w ltll sal t to aSI8
6 garli c cloves Serves 4
2 tablespoons lemon iuice
1 ta blespoon sugar Aristos' Tip: Serve w ith pakoras, samosas, meiltballs, colc!
4cm (1 Y2i n) fresh ginger chicken or a platter o f crud ites. This ch utne y will keep for up
2 tablespoons water 10 6 monrhs if sealed in sterilised airtight conta in ers and
salt stored in the fridge.

red epper sauce

Ingredients
60g (20z) bUlter
1 onion, fine ly chopped
2 ce lery stalks, finely chopped
3 re d capsicum, finely chopped
1 sma ll green chi Iii finely chopped or
y~ te aspoon hoI ch illi po wder
500g (lib) tomatoes, coarsly chopped
2 spri gs of thyme
sa lt
peppe r
1 sp ri g basil , finely ch opped, to serve
Method
In a saucepan , melt but ter and sau e th e on ion, ce le ry,
capsicum and chilli until t nde r, Add lomatoes, (hyme a l~d
season with salt and pepper 0 ta ste. Simmer uncover d \.lnlll
mixture thickens Sprinkle w ith basil and ser ve.
Ma kes 500ml
Aristos' Tip : This sauce is excellent with grilled steak, lamb
chops or chi cken breasts,

fresh tomato and c illi sa ' sa

Ingredients
4 tomatO es, peeled, seeded and finely
chopped
1 red chilli, seeoed anci finely chopped
3 tablespoons coriander. chopped
h onion, finely chopped
1 ga rli c clove, crushed
3 teaspoons olive oil
3 teaspo ons lemo n ju ice
salt
pepper
Method
In a bo,;,,,I , com bine tomatoe s, chilli, COriander, onion, garlic, olive
od and lemon Juice and mi x w ell Season wi,1 sai l Clnd pepper to
taste. Use straightaway or slDre in the fridge
Serves 4
Aristos ' Tip: Serve th is sillsa with lacos or as a topping on
grilled fish , chicken or vegetables .

120 cooking with aristos

holla ndaise sa uc e
holla daise sauce
Ingredients Method
300g (1 OY: ozl butter To clarily t he butter, melt the butler In a saucepan and allow to
75ml (2Y:fl 07.1 while vinegar separ ate. Pour oil mel ed butter and set aSllje , Discard \t1e
1 tablespoon waler m ilk ollds,
12 peppercorns In a sepa ra e saucepan, si mmer vin egar, 'vVa sr and
3 egg yolks peppercorns Into a pan , Simmer until red c d 10 o ne tillrd,
juice of 1 lemon Allovv to cool and, over a double bolier, ad d the egg yo lks ,
salt Illlhisk un til cream y and re n,ove irom heal,
pepper Drizz le in the clarified butter, a lillie at a tII~e , wh l king
w ell. W hen al! butter is Incorporated and the m ix tur e i y

crea my, add the lemon Juice and seeson with salt and pepper
to ta ste. Us e a req uired ,
Makes 300ml

Aristos' Tip : If the sauce beg ins 10 curdle, place the pol
over some ice and keep whisking , Remove from ice when
curdling is corrected .

•
mayonnaise
Ingredients Method
7 egg yolks W h sk toge ther egg yolks. vlneger, both m ustard s and lemon
60ml (2ft oz) wl~ite vmegar JUice Llslng an electri c mixer with a w hisk attaChm ent, o r bv
1 dessertspooll Dijon mustard hand, unlil w II c m bined, Very slowl)" add a little 0 11 at a time,
1 ctessertspoon seeded mustard w hisking con tin uously un til ali Ille 0 11 15 Incorporated and til e
1 tablespoon lemon jLlice conslslency IS thick Season 10 ta ste Wi th sal t and pepper,
11 I jIj, pints I good-quality vegetable oi I If th e con sis ency IS lOO i'IICk, Ddd a littl e 110t wa te r to
salt adJu s1.
pepper Ma ke s 11
60ml (2ft o2 111Ot water, optional

m s room sauce
Ingredients Method
80g {30zl butter M elt butter In pan and sau te tile musll rooms for 2 mlnuteo on hlgll
2 cups mushrooms, chopped hea t, Add Worceste r hi re sauce and cream and si m mer untlt sauce
60m I (2ft 0 7. ) Worcestersh i re sallce thickens. I' the sa uce spli ts, add a li ttle more cream and mix welt
100ml (3'h fl Ol) cream Season With salt and pepper
sail Ma kes 250m I
pepper
Aristos' Tip: This sauce is great with barbecued meat or
crumbed meat.

sauces 123
sundried capsicum and tom to
salsa
Ingredients
100g (3 :t; oz ) sunclried capsicum In
olive oil, drained and chopped
250g (gOl) yellow teardrop tomatoes,
quartered
3 tablespoons basil , chopped
2 teaspoons sundried caspicu In oil
pepper
beef stock/demiglaze
Ingredients
lkg 121b) beef bones
1kg (2Ib) veal bones
1kg 121b} chicken bones
500g (1Ib) stewing beef
2 carrots
2 onions
2 ce lery Slicks
sprinkle of pepperco rns
101 (l6Y, pints) water
mum's home-made tomato sauce
1 Clm a lJlY [ 'HI uf IOIIl If) "dilL, P p~, lally with d !.loud
lolls TillS I lilt" Wrf I lJ uoo(1 In IAavp wI'
Ingredients
21<g 141b) tomatoes, chopped
500g I1lb} sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper, grou nd
2 garlic cloves, tin ely chopped
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 te as poons salt
75m l (2 )1, 11 oz) brown mall vinegar
1 teas p oo n whole cloves
, chilli, roughly chopped
2 granny smith apples, cored, peeled
and chopped
3 brown on ions, roughly chopped
124 cooking willl aristos
Method
I" a bowl, com bine ca psicum , tomatoes . basil an d 0 11 and mix
well. Season to ta s e With peppe r Serve on toasted bread
slices as brusche tt a or with barbecued sausages, lamb c!' ops
or chicke n.
Serves 4-6
Ar istos' Tip : I like to toast some slices of bread and drizzle
them wilh extra-virgin olive oil. I then grate aR oma
tomato into a bowl, season to laste with sail and pepper
and smear it over the bread .
Method
Place the bon es. stewing beef, carrots, ontons, celery SUCKS,
peppe(C Orr1S and water in a lar e POl. Bring to th e boil Slo wly
and kin he top thoroughl y. Si mmer gen tly for 7 to 8 hours .
Str ai n, retul [) to the pot an d rapid boil unti l red uc d by a tll ird
M akes 31
Aristos' Tip : This is a general-pu rpose brown stock which
can be used on its own or as a base to wid en the
repertOire of any kitchen, particularly to enha nce
casseroles, pies and sauteed mushrooms .
",11 plH:lld's P"" or IlOme i11il c iro ''; l lf~<H
Method
Place all th e In gredie nt in a large sau cepan ana combine well
8(1 11 9 to the boil and reduce hea t Check 0 ten nd sttr
occasiona lly. Simmer lor 3 houl's
Sterilise stera e jars by boiling them In w ater or pourin g
bo iling w ater in 0 th em , SlrSII, rhe sau ce thro ugh a sieve and
in to the ia rs im m ediatelY', w hile both the sauce and [he lars are
still Ot.
Fills 2-3 500mi jars
Sundried capsicum
and tomato alsa
tartare sauce
Ingredieots Method
150g (5Y:oz) gherkins, sliced Place the gherk ins . Cilpers . onions. gh erk in juice. caper jUice .
1009 (3 Yioz) capers parsley. anchovy and lemon juice in a ble nde r and mix
100g (3Yioz) onions, roughly chopped horoughly. Add home-made or ready-made mayonna ise and
20m I gherkin juice com bine we ll
25ml caper juice Serve with crum bed fish or fried or grilled seafood .
60g (20z) parsley. chopped Makes 750ml
60g (20z) tinned anchovy fillets.
drained and chopped
juice of Y, a lemon
700ml (1 Y.pint) mllyonnaise
(recipe page 123)

sweet chilli sauce

Ingredients
750ml (1 /: pints) sweet chilli sauce
200ml (7(1 oz) rice wine vinegar
100g (3/'ioz) coriander. chopped
100g (3:;'oz) mint. chopped
100g (3)'>fl 02) water
)o\ cup (125g/4 Y7 0l) sugar
Method
In a bow l, m ix svveel chi lli sa uce. vinegar, corian der. mi nt.
w ater and su gar and com bin e w ell . This sauce mCl'y' be kept in
a steril ised bo ttle In the refrigerator for up to j monl s.
Tilis sa uce IS Idea l If/lth Jamaican fish ca kes {recipe pa ge 26\
or fish and chi ps .
Ma ke 11

dianne sauce
Ingredients Method
60g (20z) butter M elt bu tter111 a saucepan and sau le onion w ithou colou ring.
1 onion. diced Add basil, 'vVorcest ershlre sauce, beef stock . crea m and brandy.
100ml 131',11 oz) Worcestershire sauce Reduce until sauce thickens. Ii the sa uce spl its add a little m ore
1 teaspoon basil, finely chopped cream. Serve WI h steak or ba rbecued m eal.
100ml (3 1)fl oz) beef stock demiglaze Makes 300ml
(recipe page 124)
100ml (3Y,fI 02) cream Aristos' Tip: RedUCing not only thickens tile consislency of
60ml (202) brandy the sauce bUI it also creates a stronger flavour.

anchovy butter
Ingredients Method
250g (902) butter, softened Place butler, an cllovles and a pinch of pepper ill a bowi and
100g (3Y,oz) anchovy fillets, fi nely mIx w ell or place In a lood processor lor 3 Illin utes un til wel l
chopped combined.
pepper Mould Ihe bu tl er Int o a sausa ge shape and wrap II III plastiC
w ra p, Refri gerate unt il ready to use

Aristos' Tip: To serve, slice off a small piece of the butter

and place inside some barbecued fish while it's still hot.

sauces 127
 I
mainly because you have t o measure so precise ly, usin g
half a teaspoo n of t his, half an ounce of that, and I really
prefer throwing in a bit of whatever takes my fancy as I
go! You can't get aw ay w ith that in a dessert, so it was
always the one cou rse t hat f rustrated me.

Then out of the blue I was asked to be gu est chef at a

dinner at a w inery in Western A ustralia. I had to create
the entire menu, incl udin g dessert . As usual I couldnlt
think of w hat to do so I called the chef who usually runs
the wine ry kitchen and tol d her lid be honoured if she'd
make desse rt; an yt hing sh e liked. After all, I w as entering
her domain. Unfo rtunatel y for me, sh e sa id she w ouldn 't
dream of interfering ... It was time fo r that re liable old
SOS call:

130 cooking with aristos

 Mum has rescued
me in the kitchen on
more than one
occasion I

A coupl e of days later, a package arrived from mum with

som e recipe suggestions. I happened to be out at a
Chinese restaurant and was running through some of the
ideas when
an d the solution hit me.

I made some spring rolls, stuffed them with feta, ricotta

and apricots, then made a blackberry sauce to pour over
the top, sprinkled with a bit of icing sugar. I was really
making it up as I w ent and had no idea how it would
turn out. But when it was ready I took a bite, and you
know what?
baked banana slice
Ingredients
1 cup self raisi ng flour
1'2 cup sugar, extra
60g (2m) butter
1 egg, beaten
Y3 cup m ilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1', teaspoon cinn amon
butter. 1)1elted, for glazing
3 medium-size bananas . peeled and
sliced
banana and bourbon
Ingredients
4 bananas, medi um-ripe
100g (3 1',02 ) butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
90ml (311 02) Jack Daniels or Jim Bea m
bourbon
aristos' apple strudel
Ingredients
50g (202.) bUlle r
6 large granny smith apples, peeled.
cored and diced
150g 15 Y,oz) sultanas
80ml (211 az) brandy or cognac
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tab les poons cinnamon, ground
2 sh eets puff pastry
1 egg yolk
132 cooking with aristos
Method
Pre heat ove n to 180°C (350° F)
In a bow !, si ' fl our and combine 'Nlth sugar. Ru b III the
bu S f wi th vour fin ge r ips and add the egg and lrl k. Su u trl
well blended . Spread the mixture evenly into a greas d 28cm
(11 In ) x , Scm (7111 ) la mi ngton tin.
In a bowl, combine an extra tablespoon of sugar, lemon zest
and cin namon In a bowl and sponkle over the mi xture In the
tin . Arrange the bananas on top and brush wit h melted bu er
Ba ke for 30-35 mi ns or un trl olden brown.
To ser ve. cut I to squares and serve with wllipped crean1
or cus tard.
Serves 10
Method
Peel bananas and slice diagonal y. In a non-stick frying pan, m el!
butter and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add bana nas and ligh Iy
saute for about 2 minu te each side. Add bourbon.
Serve w l1 h crea m Of ice cream
Serves 4
Method
rehea oven to 180"C {350°F)
In a medium saucepa n, I,ea t the bUller an d add the apples and
sultanas . Saute ull\il apples begin to sorte n, Add the bra ndy and
Jemove from heat. Add the sugar and cinnamo n immediately and
mix well. Allow 10 cool
Spoon half the mixture onto the righ t side of one pa try shee t
and fold he left side over the mixture so the tw o edg s meet.
Trim he pas try so tha I It 100 s like an even rec ta ngle. To sea l the
strudel, press the pastry edges down With a tor ensu ring there
are no gaps.
Make another strudel with the remaining pa try sl,ss and
mixture.
Brush the egg yo lk over the two strudels and place th em III a
baking tray. Bake strudels fo r abou t 20 min utes or lInnl golde
brown
Serve hOI wit h Ice crea m or fres hly w hipped cream.
Serves 8
granny's apple pie
Grandmas always seem to make the best apple pie . Every time my uncles and I would visit
Nana's house w e would go straight to the electric oven and open the door because that's
where we'd fi nd any leftover apple pie l

Ingredients Method
Pastry To make th pas (y, Ilil X he but ter and f lour in a bowl uSing
250g plain flour your f inger IPS so that the m ixture becomes crum bly.
1259 (4 Y>oz) butler. softened Gradually add w ater un til the iXlure becomes a sofl dough .
wate r Spnnkle a lillie flour on your bench surface and knead the
flour, for kneading doug .
Di Vide the dough In tw o, one piece slightly larger than the
Filling ot her. Flatten the dough and spr in kle som e flour on top to SlOp
60g (202) butter th e ro lling pin sticking . Ro ll he larger piece of dough out thi nly
5 Granny Smit h apples, peeled, cored so i IS large enough to cove r he base of a pie (I sh. Rollout
and sl icerl the rest of lhe dough to make the li d of the pie. Grease th e
y, cup SlJltanas pie dlsh nd sprinkle enough flour to cover he base of the
1 tablespoon sugar di sh, La y the dough into the bov'!l and cut aro und the edge.
1 teaspoon cinnamon re movIng any xcess past ry.
spla sh of brandy or apple brandy Prehea t oven to 200°C (4 00°F), To make the 'illing. heat
e
some utter in a pan and sau the apples and sultanas an d
add a plash of brandy. Allow to Simmer for arou nd 5-10
m lnu es, being carefu l not to overcook l he apple
In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon . Remove
tl.., ,:= sa ucepan (r om the hea t and add hal the cin na mon and
sugar mixtur e. (Don 'l attempt this w hile the apple mi xture is
stili cooking a hey pples an d sui anas will s ic · to the
bottom of the pan .) M IX well and pour the filling in to the pie
dish. Place he pastrv lid over the top of he filling and cu o ff
any excess pastry J Oin th e ba se and lid by pushing dow n
arou nd the nm wah a for
Bake the pie lor ab ou l 15- 20 r1ll nutes or until top is golde n
brown . Re move pie fro m oven and sprink le some c innamo
sugar ove r the top.
Serve Wi1h crea m, Ice cr eam or custar d.
Serves 6

134 cooking with aristos

three fruit cassata
Ingredients
1;1,1 12 Y, pints) vani lla ice cream
1 x 3759 (13oz) tin mango slices,
drained
1 x 375g (130z) jar moreschino
cherries, drained and chopped
30ml (HI 02) strawberry liqueur
150g (5}',oz) coconut, shredded
easy boiled chocolate cake
Ingredients
Cake
1 cup sugar
100g (3 i?oz) butte r
1 cup (250mlj 9tl oz) water
2 tablespoo ns coc oa po wder
1 teaspoon bicarbo nate of soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 Y, cups self raising flour
Icing
1 cup ic ing sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
water
136 cooking with aristos
Method
Part ly defrost ice cream so l hat it ca n be divided easilv In to
thre e equal poniol s
Ble nd the mango slices in blender and mix hrough one- 1111Cl
01 th e ICR crea m . POll I' ihe mixture Into an emptV 21(3Y,pi nt j
Ice cream container or simila r, and put into freez er to ha lden.
In a bowl, combine the ch erri es ,.'V iti, th e sua.,,,'berry liqueur.
M ix the che rry mixture thr ough ana her third of the ice cream .
W hen the mango ice cream IS hard. pour the cherry mixture
on top and reiu rn to free zer to harden .
Finally. com bine the rema ining Ice cream with the coconut
and mix well . W hen the cherry ice cream has ha rdened, POUI
th e co con ut m ixture on lop and relurn to the free zer to harden.
Ser ve when all the layers are hard.
Serves 10-12
Method
Preheat oven to '180°C {350°F) ,
In a saucepan, m ix ugar, butter, water and cocoa and l)r in9
to the boil. M ix in bicarbonate of soda and allow to cool. Stir in
eggs and sii ed flou r an d combine we . Pour mixture Into a
gleclsed cake tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes or until cooked
through. a skewer inserted Into cake shou ld come out ciean.
Allow to cool,
To rnake th e icing, combine the icin sugar and cocoa ill a
r)ow l With enough water to make a smooth paste . Evenly
diS tribute 111e ici ng over i he cake .
Serve with whipped cream and strawberries,
Serves 4

mascarpone surprise
Ingredients
2509 190z) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
';I, cup berries, blackberries,
strawberries or blueberries
60ml (2(1 Ol ) Cointreau
juice of ~ lemon
1 meringue shell, pre-cooked
•
Method
III a bo w l, beat the mascarpone until SOi l, Add half th e sugar
and mi x well.
In another bowl m iX ben les, COin treau, lem on JUice and
Th e re st 01 su gar and a low to sit for 1 Ilo ur.
In a martini or panail glass, plBce a layer of masea rpone
mixtur e followed by the i)erry m ixture. Repeal until the m ixtures
reach Ille lOp of I e glass . Crul n ble the rn eringue o n l Op.
Serves 2

apples calvados
Ingredients Method
2 granny smith apples, cored, peeled In a saucepan , melt I he butter and add th e opples. pear s,
and diced s ul~a n a s. clove. sugar and lemon ze Sl Place The lid on the
3 pears, peeled and cut into quarters saucepan ilnd Sirn mer the IYIIXlUre on low heal until th e c; jJp(e s
60g (2oz) or su Itanas are so it. Add th e bran dy anel rem ove irom f\e at.
60g (20z) butter Spoon th e 'ru it InlO indi Vid ual bow ls and serve Immed imeiy
1 clove \v ith vanilla ice cream and w ale rs,
1 teaspoon of sugar Thi s can also be refriger ated and served cold With eusTa r(i .
zesl of 1 lemon . optional Serves 4
30m I (HI oz) Calvados, hospital
brandy or cognac
ice cream , 10 serve
wafers, t o ser v e

beginner's luck strawberries and

cream
When I f irst started cooking for girls, I wou ld alway s use thi s f oo lproof recipe to impress
the m and it never let rne down l

Ingredien1s Method
1 punnet large strawberries, washed Cut Ihe lOp S of' th e strawberries and slice them in hali fro m
and drilined top to bOllom Place the m In a bowl an d add the sugar and
1 tablespoon sugar bra ndy. Toss vi ell and refrigerate l or t ho ur,
30ml (HI oz) cognac or brandy To serv e. diVide the strawbern es be twe en IWO martini
1 small tub cream, preferably King glasses and drizzle the jUice fro m he str(! w be m8s over the
Island lOp . Serve With a good dollo p of cre am,
Serves 2

desserts 139
cinnamon sour cream cake
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 y, cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups plain flour
1:, teaspoon baking socia
1 Y, teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoons vanilla essence
Yo, cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar, for topping
my brother stathy's
cheese scones
Ingredients
2 cups cheese, grated
2 cups self raislIlQ flour, sifled
2 cups (17Y,fl oz) milk
y, teaspoon cayenne pepper
creme brulee
Ingredients
500ml (17Y:{1 OL) cream
SOOml (17~1,f1 oz) milk
1 vanilla bean
8 egg yolks
:Yo cup sugar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
140 cooking with aristos
Method
In a large bowl, mi x butier, sugar and eggs and beat un til light
and flu ffy. Fold in the Sour crea m. Sift i iour. sodCl and bakin g
powder /11 ta mixture and co m bi ne 'Nell . Add the va nilla
essence and blend wel l. Spoon half the ba n er Ill to a 23cm
(gin) cake or loaf tin Wh lC ll has been grea sed and floured.
In a small owl, combine wa lnuts, crnna mon and sugar
tOget her and spflnkle half 01 thiS mi xture onto tl18 batter In th e
cak e tin. Spoon the rema ini ng batte r into th e cake tin ancl top
w ith the re sl of th e w al nut m ixtUre.
Place 111 cold oven and bake at 180°C {350 Q FI fo< about 55
inutes until the top IS golden brown ~nd a skewer Inserted
Inlo Ihe ca ke comes out clean.
Serves 8
Method
Preh eat oven to 180 C C (3 5 0 ~F) .
In a bOWl, cornb lne che ese, fl our an d m il k and mix well
unlil a so ft dough IS achi eved . Spo on the mixture into greased
mu ffin pan and ba e lor 20- 25 m inutes or until the scone s are
light an d fluff y.
Makes 6
Method
Preheat ave 10 90°C (37Sa F) In a sa ucepan , Wdrn-, lilA cream,
milk and vanilla ben n for 5 min utes .
111 a bowl, w hisk the egg yolks and sugar log eliler and gradually
5\11 Ihe crea m mixtu re inlo the egg m ixture an d combi ne well
Strain the cus taro' Into another bowl and skim off th e bubbles.
Sp oon the cust ard mi xtU re into eight 10em iAin} x 15cm (Gin ) oval
dishes.
Fill hall a large baking tray wilh boiling w ater and place dishes
into the tray. Cover loosely Will, alum in ium toil and bake tor 1 hou r
or until the custard is set but stili wiggles a li tlle.
Ju st before serving, sprinkle a th in layer 01 brown SIJgar over
,lie custard an d plClce under ille grill for 30 seco nds to 2 minutes,
watching it clos ely to ensure th e sugar does not burn . Remove
from grill w hen the sugar is caramelized and golden brown .
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3 teaspoons gelatine
310ml (10 Yl fl oz) milk
500ml (17V,fl oz) th ickened cream
1659 (S Yzoz) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
assorted berries: strawberries,
blueberries and blackberries
mint sprigs
142 cooking with aristos
Method
Sprinkl e gelatine over 60m l (211 oz) of mil k and Stir w ell. Allow
to stand for 5 minu tes .
In a saucepan, combin e til e rema ining mil k with the crea m
and su gar and gen tly heat w ithout boili ng. Remove from heat
and stir in ge latine mixture, th en add the vanilla essence.
Slrain imo a jug. Pour mixture into six 180ml (60z) di 11e and
re frigerate or 3 hours .
When 1118 mixture has set, turn each pari na cotta onto
individual chilled plates and sca tter wi th as sorted berries .
Garni sh w ith sprigs 0 ' mi t.
Serves 6
Aristos' Tip : Panna cotta can be made with any fruit you
happen to have. such as peaches and nectarines.
custard slice
Ingredients Method
375g 1130z) fllo pastry Prell eat oven to 190~C (375°F)
125g (4;;'oz) butter. melted Gentl y crunch each sheet of iilo and plac III a 33cm (13in)
4 eggs. beaten x 25cm (lOin) baki ng dish. rarlln at the centre unlll the
1 cup I 250ml /9f1 ozl milk pastry covers the whole trav. Drizzle the past ry Wlih butter and
1 cur> sugar cook for 15 minutes or Llntil golden brow n In colour. Remove
hom oven and set aSide .
In a bowl. mix eggs . m il k and sugar together until ""vell
combined. Pour mixture over tile filo pastry and coo' 'or
another 10 m r .u tes or untl set. Remove frorn oven and leave
10 cool in the baking (ilsh
To serlie. dust the slice with Icing sugar.
Serves 6·8

creme caramel
I like to make a few extra of these because they are grea to eat 01 any lime of the (iny, not
just after dinner.

Ingredients Method
11 (l~pints) milk Prellea lOv n a 180' C 1350'F).
6 eggs To m a e the caramel. heat 1OOrn l l3 Y,l1 oz) of wat er i1 nd the
4 egg yolks SLr gar In a sillall saucepan. 8rr ng to the borl ane! cook until the
120g 1402\ sugar syrUp IS a caramel colour. Add the remaining cold w ater to stop
2 teaspoons vanrlla essence the caramel from cooking and cover the bottom of 10 dariole
200g 170z) sugar m oulds With the caramel Set aSide and allow to se t
130mi (4 \1, fj oLI water In a saucepan . heat the milk . Do not bar!
In a bow l. mix the eggs . egg yolks and vanilla es ence and
combine w ell. Slowly add he milk, stirring constan IV. until
well co mbined
Half fi ll a large baking tr ay wIlh hot water Fi ll the dariole
mou d With the m ix ture and place >11 the bakin g tra y. Place
lhe tray in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes .
Wilen cooked. rem ove dariole moulds from th e oven and
re'rlgerate for about 2 hours or un il se t.
To serve . 10 se n the top edges of the aramel y soft lv
p shln g down on he creme caramel wltl'. your lingers . Place a
It I Dla te on top of m ould and. hold ing the mould and plate
li ghtly together. tllrn the mould upsrde down and shake once
Serve With fresh cream and peeled orange
Serves 10

desserts 145
mum's kourumbiethes
(greek shortbread)
Ingredients
2509 (90z) butter
3 tablespoons iCing sugar
1 egg yolk
y, cup toasted almonds . chopped
2 tablespoons ouzo or brandy
3 cups plain flou r
1 teaspoon baking powder
icing sugar. for lopping
pancakes
Ingredients
250g self raising flour
salt
2 eggs, beaten
500ml (17V,fl oz) milk
oil or buner
146 cooking With aristos
Method
Prehea l oven \0 180~C i350"FI. In a bow l. bee together th e
butt er and ,Clng su gar. Add egg yolk and COlllbme we ll . Stir in
Ci lmonds and ou zo . Graduaily add ilour and bak i g pow de r
sif ted toge ther and m ix w ell until the m ix{Ure be e mes a soft
doug h .
Roll th e dough In to balls and pat them down w ith yo ur
hand Place he shonbrea d 011 eln IIl1g reased bak 'n g tray and
e
bake In a 180 0 (3 50" F) ov en for 15 minu te s or unlil lig ht
golden 'n colour Tu rn ove n ofi cmd leave shor tbrea d in for a
l urther 5 min ut es , \fli hen coo l. Sitt over Icrn g sugor
Makes 24
Method
Sift flour a d sa l, Imo a bowl, I"j ake a w ell In the cen tre Add
eggs anci slowly add the milk to the dry In gredlem . Beat until
you have a smooth batter.
In a heavy-based frYi ng pan hea1 a ,11({le 0 11 or bun er until
hot. Ti p out exces s oil and pour a thin layer oi batter 10 coal
lhe bottom 01 pan Cook both Sides until golden . Repeal untd
mi xture is iinl sh ed ,
Pancakes can be served wi th a spri nkle of Cinnamon. sugar
and a sq ueeze of lemo n or iilled "vil h frU it i'lnd c us tard. either
Ila. or folled-up_
Aristos' Tip: For savoury pancakes. saute some prawn
meal and combine well with bechamel sauce (recipe page
114) Fold into a parcel arJd serve as an entree,
Mum's
kourumbiethes
(greek shortbread)
Ingredients Method
7 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh Mash 5 cups of ra spberries with the sugar until th e bernes are
'4 cup sugar half liquefied.
1 loaf white bread, sliced and crusts Line th e bottom of a round 12cm (511l) diamete r cake tin
removed with a sheet oi plastic w rap. leaving enou gh hal gin g over 1116
2 tablespoons raspberry jam Sides to cover the lOp 01 the pudding later on . Coat lhe
1 tablespoon water, warm bottom of 1he pan wit h a very thin layer of the ii quefied
/:j cup ISOml/2fl oz) thickened ra spberries. Place a layer of bread over the bernes, ca re iully
cream, whipped fi lli ng the slices together. Repeat until YOll have 3 layers of
4 mint leaves bread alterna ting Wilh 4 layers of raspbemes . Cover the top of
th e ca ke Wi1h the reserved plastic wrap. Place a weight on top
and refrig erate overnight.
'When read y to serve , gentl y knoc the bottom of the pan
10 loosen th e pu dding and careiully remove he plastic wrap,
In a bowl, combi ne the raspberry lam w ith w arm w ater.
Very gen tly. stir the rem aining 2 cups of ra spberries into the
melted raspberry j.l~ Cover the top of the pudd ing with ti,e
raspberry mixture.
Serve w ith w hipped cream and fresh m int leaves.
Serves 4

148 cooking IJvith aristos

Snow-white
chocolat e
strawberries

J
snow-white chocolate
strawberries
Ingredients Method
200g 170z l co veture white cooking Pl ace choco la te piece s In a glass bowl over a pan o f
chocolate simmeri ng w ater ana i1 eat gen tly. Sti rrin g co ntin uousl,.. \/lJhen
12 large stra w berries, washed choco la te has m elte d, Ilalt dip each straw berry 111 chocola re
arod place o n a 113 ge plate cov ered w ith greasep roof paper
Pi ac e 1r1 th e fridge in, m edli'l ely until ready to serv e.
Serves 2

Aristos' Tip: Do not overcook the chocolate, as it will lose

i ts runny consistency.

raspberry mousse
Ingredients Method
4 eggs Sepa rate eggs, keeping bo th yolks an d whites . Beat egg yolk"
1 CLIp 1250ml/911 o~) milk Hea t m ilk, egg yol ks clnd suga r in th e top of a dou ble boi le r
3 tablespoons sllga r Stir contin uously until custard coat s th e sp oon . Remov e from
1 tablespoon sweet sherry heal and beat In sherry and va ni lla ess ence. Le ave to cool.
Y: teaspoon v anilla essence Add the raspberries an d nllX in gently.
2 cups tinned raspberr ies, drained In a separate bow l, bea t the egg whites until sti'l . Fold the
and crushed egg w hites into raspberry m ix ture. Gently fold the cream into
2 cups (500ml/911 oz) cream, w hipped the m ixture. Pour he m Ixture in to Indivi dual se rv lIl g dl sl'les
and Chill for 3 or 4 hours .
Serves 4-6

fresh custard dessert

Ingredients Method
2 large egg yolks In a bo wl. w hisk the eggs and suga r.
30g (1oz) sugar In a sau ce pan . heat the m ilk until bodin g. Gentl y stir tile m ilk
300ml (10;;/1 oz) milk ,Ti ro he egg m ixture until well com bin ed . Return the m ixture to
1 teaspoon va nilla essence the saucepa n and place on ve ry low h eM and Sllr con tin uously
With a wooden spoon until the custClfd coats the back of tile
SpOOI1 . Do not allow to boll .
Stra in the custard throu gh a fine sieve and ger,t iy stir in lhe
vanilla es sence until w ell co, bill ed.
Serves 1\

desser1s151
ravani (gree sugar cake)
Ingredients
3 cu ps (H'.pints) water
2% CLIPS sugar
juice of /) ora nge
250g (90z) bUlle r. melted
5 eggs, beClten
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup semolina
3 leaspoo ns baking powder
y, r.up (1 25m Ij4!1,fI oz) cream, whipped
!I, cup w alnu ts. chopped
ri ogalo (greek rice pudding)
I think m y mother makes t h e best ri zogalo in the wor ld. It was o il ly wh en I asked he r to
teach me that she to ld me it was actua lly au nty Va l' s rec i pe. (See. I to ld you my aunty Val
made 111e tastiest t reats !)
Ingredients
!. cup short·grain white nce
)I, cup water
11 (1 :1 pints) m ilk
2 egg yolks
y: cup sugar
salt
Z8st of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
pinch cinn amo n. ground
strawberries & ice cream
Ingredients
2 pUI~n ets strawberries, washed
2 ta bl espoons sligar
60ml WI 02) brandy
8 scoops van illa ice cream
150ml 15)(,tl ozl crea m, whipped
152 cooking with aris10s
Method
Preheat ove n to ISO°C (3 50 FI,U
To m ak tr.e syrup, b OI the WCl 8 1, 2 cups of su gar and
orange Juice over medium heat 10 1 15 min utes Se l as ide and
coo l.
To make the cake, pour the melted butter lot o a bow l an d
add th e re mamlng s ugar Stir until the sugar dissol ve s , Add the
eggs, mixing we ll , and stir In : he vanilla es en ce . M i' tne f lour.
em oli na an d baking powder and sd t lnto the e9g m ixture .
Combine well.
Po r m ix ure In 0 i:I 36cm (l4in) x 25cm (1 Oln) cake tin an d
ba e tor 3 5 mm ut es or until th e ca ke IS co o,~ed ; a skewer
inser eel Into the ca ke should come ou t cleall . Rern ov '3 from
ove n and pour the syrup vel' the ca ke · .Alhile still hot. Allow 10
co ol in cake ti n.
Serve with whipp ed (eam and sprinkle Wltll w alnuts
Serves 10-12
Method
In a sau cepan , bOil the flce in the '!vater tor 5 m inute s
Rem ove sa ucepan from heat and straill.
In a separate sauc epa n, hea t th e mil k. Do n Ol al!O \A/ to bOil.
A dd l he ric an d simm er ove r low hea t for 45 mill ules, stirring
ccasionCllly. Remove t ile SEll.lCepan f(Gm heat and sel as ide.
In a I)owl. w hi sk the egg yo lks, sugar and a plilch of salt
un til w ell com bined. Slowl y tIr tile egg mi xtu re Into lhe rice
and co ok over IO"N Ileal unt t! the m ixtur e is creamy and thick.
Add the vanilla es sence and le m on zest and mix w e ll.
Fil l n ivid ual desser t bowls or ma rtini glasses w ith rice
pu dding and sprinkle With clilna mon . Refngerate for about 2
hours or un til set.
Serve col d w ith coff ee and pon.
Serves 4-6
Method
Cut tile tOPS ott the strawbe rries and sl ice in hal f. In a bowl,
m ix th e stra w berrie s With sugar and brandy and leave to stilnd
for 1 hour.
To se rve. spoon strawberrie s Into marllill glas s and <cp w;th
ice cream and cream
Serves 4-6
Ravani ~greek sogar cake)
index
Anchovy BUlter 127 chowder 14 Iceberg and Fennel Salad 109
Alicia's Special Veal Cu tlets 46 chutney 120 Italian Pork Chops 58
Apples Calvados 139 Cinna mon Sour Cream C2.kB 140
Ar istos Apple Strudel 132 Cocktail Sauce 117 Jamalc8 Fish Cakes 26
Ar is tos' Famous Chilli Prawns 29 Coconut Crab au Gratin 26 Janice's Caccia tore Sauce 117
Aristos ' Prawns Lemonato 30 COriander and Mint Chu rn ey 120 jewfish 78
Arlstos Red Wine Ju s 114 crab 26
Aristos' Sa lad 109 Creme Brulee 140
Ar is tos Simple Spaghe tll Bolognese 48 Crem e Caramel 145 lamb 20,42.61,70,72,74.82
,ll,ristos' Vegetables 88 Crumbed Eggpla nt 94 Lamb Ch ops - George's W2Y 82
Ar hur 's Fi sh 57 Custard SIIc.e 145 Lasagne 62
,l\sian Style Chicken Drumsticks 58 LII a Bean Sai8(i 100
asparagus 20, 88
avocado 17, 103 Dad 's Greek Potato Salad 106
Dianne SaLice 127 M ars ala Veal Scallopl ne 72
Marsca pone Surpn a 139
Bachelor's oas t Vege tabies 88 MC1yon nal se 123
Baked Banana Slice 132 Easy Boile d Choco la ie Cake 136 meatballs 48
Ba ked Mea ball s 48 Easy Chic en CaCCiatore 52 M edley of Pizza 36
Baked Stu ' fed Avocados 17 eggplant 94 MUI1"I 's Pan Fried Jewhsll
Banana and Bou rbo n 132 Wit h Lemon 78
Balbecued Chi c en Kebabs 35 Mum 's Horne-Made Toma to Sallce 124
Bar ecued ing Prawns 17 Farfalle With Smoked Salmon and Mu m's Kourum biethes
Barbecued Lamb Fillets 'vVill1 Snow Pea s 62 (Gre ek Shortbread) 146
Rocket Sauce 20 fennel 109 m ushrooms 14, 24, 123
beans 65, 88, 100 a
FelluCClni Carbonara la ArislOs 42 Mushroom Sauce 123
Bechamel SaLlce 114 FIgs Wrapped In PrOSCiutto 20 M ushroom Tart 24
bee f 26, 52, 65, 77 Fillet Steak \Mlh Veget able Sauce 45 My Brother Sta t lV's
Beef St ock/Demlgla ze 124 fish 26,51,55,58,77,78 Cheese Scone 140
Beginner' s Luck Strawbernes Fish and Potalo Bake 55
and Creart'o 139 Fresh Cu stm d Dessert 151
berri es 139,142,148,151,152 Fre sh To 810 and Chilli Salsa 120 Olive Pate 14
Boys' To m ato and Onion Salarl. Tl1e 100 Osso Bucco 65
Braised Chicken in TomalO Salsa 52
Bulle r Bean Pasta 65 Garlic Pra wn s 56
Garlic Spaghetti 48 Pancakes 146
George's Lathera (1Vllxed Vegi es) 91 Panna Cotta With Forest Baffl es 142
Caesar Salad 103 Glazed Po r Lom In Auntv Va 's Pa n Fried Calaman 81
cake 136, 140, 152 Marinade 81 Papou's Garlic RLIITIP 65
ca lamari 81 gnocchi 72 pasta 36,42,48,62.65 , 66,77
cauliflower 88, goat 82 Pasta With Gr5vy Basi Sauce 77
Cayenne /\sparagu s 20 Gran ny's Apple Pie 134 pastry filling 37
cheese, scones 140 Greek Sala d 106 pflte 14
ch icke n 18, 35, 45, 51, 52, 55, 58, 66 Grilled Field M ushrooms 14 Pepper orn Sauce 114
Chicken Cass erole W ith Penne Pasra 66 Grilled Swordfish 58 PepperonI Salad W ith
Chicken Paprika 51 Avocado DreSSing 103
Chicken Parcel s 45 Hollanda Ise Sauce 123 Pink Snapper a la Victor 77
Chicken an d Vege table Soup 18 Piss aladiers 32
Chinese Green s 91 Pizza 66

156 cooking with aristos

pork 58, 69 , 8 1
potatoes 55, 92
pra w ns 17 , 29, 31 , 35, 36, 56
rawns a a Greque 36
Prawns a la P' OSCIUI'.O 35
prosc iutto 20, 35,
Pum pkin Pilaf 35
Q uICk Spinae Souifle 29
Rasoberry Sum m er Puddi ng 146
Raspberry IviolJsse 15 1
Ravanl (G ree Sugar Ca 'e)
Red Pepper Sauce 120
rice 32, 35, 69, 152
Risotto Arlslos ' Style 69
Rizogal o (Greek Rice Pudding) 152
Roast Baby Goat B2
Roast Chicken 55
oast Lamb Cu tle ts (LemonatQ) 61
Roas t Leg of Lamb 70
rock et 20, 106
Rockel Salad 106
Ro semar y Po tatoes 92
spinach 29, 37, 88
Spinach and Feta Pastries 37
steak 45,65
Sri far(lo 52
strawberries 139, 151
Stra wb errres & Ice Cream 152
Summer Veg etable Fntta \a 77
Sundned Capsicu m and
Tomato Salsa 124
Sweet Chilli Sauce 127
Sweet and Sour Pork 69
swordfish 58
152 Tartare Sauce 127
Thai Noodl e Saia d 104
Three Frui t Ca ssata 136
tom atoes 52 , 100, 117
TNn ato Provenr;ale 117
TOl1l' s 01.l 81tro Formaggio 36
veal 42 , 65, 72, 78
Veal CapriCI 78
Vegie Fry 94

Salmon Carpa cc lo 29
Savoll{,/ Picnic Rol l 23
Seafood Chowder 14 Zucchini Fl ow ers 23
Seafo od San g Chow Bow 23
Seafood Gnocch i 72
shortbre ad 146
Shredded Beed Salad 26
Snapper, pink, a la Victor 77
Snow -While C h oc ol al ~
Srravvberries 151
soup 18
spaghetti 48
SpICY Lamb Curry 74

index 157
credits
Page 15 "O nnellinen ' fabnc by
Marimekk o, Chee Soon &
FI zgera ld Three-pod servIng
pl atter, Empire Hom ewares.
Pille knife, The Bay Tree.
Page 16 Long w hite pla tter,
The Bay Tree, Sm all w hi te
bowl, Ikea. Sm all square plate
and str iped napkin, Orson &
Blake .
Page 18·19 Bowl. Em pire
Home wares. Soup spoons and
Plant ti on paprika napkin, The
Bay Tree, Chinese chopping
block. Burlington Cen tre
Chinatown,
Page 21 Square white plaw ,
Orson Bla ke Green kId ney
plate. Mitchell + Helen English,
O live oli bottle, sW11 t's ow n ,
Page 22 Red and v,,"hlt6 tea
rowel, The Bay Tree.
Page 24-25 Side plates and
small bovv l, Empire
Hom ewares , fri nged napkins,
Country Road Hom ewares.
Chopping block, Major & Tom.
Fork. The Bay Tree .
Page 27 Glass platter an d
small glas s dipping bow .
Orre fors Kos ta Boda. Striped
napkin. Orso n & Blake .
Page 28 WI-di e ramekins,
st yli st'S own . Rec tangular dish,
Ikea, Ori:1 nge nap in, Country
Road Hom ew ares. Fork. The
Bay Tre e
Page 30·31 Panda n plac emat
and w hile linen napkin, Orson
& Blake, Boda Nova "Tellus"
crockery, Orre for5 Kos ta Boda,
158 cooking with aristos
I-Iackrnan fork, Empire
I-Iom ewares.
Page 33 Tea towel. The Bay
Tree Beer glas ses. Ikea .
Page 34 Fringed napkin,
Country Road Homewares,
Ceramic plates, Or son & B!ake.
George Jensen soup spoon,
Orrefors Kos ta Boda .
Page 43 Bowl, Em prre
Homewares. Georg e Jense
"I\jew York" fork , Orrefors Kosta
Boda Placemat. Orson & Blake.
Page 44 Wooden spatu la, Ikea.
N"pkin, slylist' s ow n.
Page 46-47 ''Tellus" crockery,
OrrelO(5 Kos ta Boda. Hackman
cutle ry, Em pi re Hom ewares
Unlkko' fabric by Ma ri ekko,
Chee Soon & Fllzgei i\ld
Page 49 Speck leci bowl,
E' "Dlre Hom ew ales.
Page 50
"Da VinCI" bowl. Country ROCld
I-Iomewares Tin of ancilovles,
D & K deli at Le ichha!dl.
Page 53 I.A/ooden plate. Malar
& Tom . Kude" fabric by
Marimek o. Cllee Soon &
FI 12Qe raid.
Page 54 Mason and Cash
cerami c bowl, The Essenual
Ingredient. Whit e ceranllC plate,
Orson & Blake. Hackman
spoon. Empire Hom ewa res.
Napkm, Lanterne/Ginger Flo wer,
Page 59 Dinner plates. Ikea .
Napk1r1, Coun try Road Hom e-
\iv(1res . Cutlery, The Bay Tree.
Page 60 "I-Ielna fabric by
Ma rlnle kko, Ch ee Soon &
Fitzge rald , Tea towel.
The Bay Tree. Le Creuset
casserole dish, The Essenila l
Ingredient.
Page 63 "Heina" fabric by-
M arilTlekko, Chee Soon &
Fitzgerald. M ason and Cash
cassero le dish, The Essen tial
Ingredient. Oran ge ce ra mic
pia e, Mitchell + Helen English.
Hac km an fork. Empi re
Homewares ,
Page 6<1 Plate and bOWl.
EmpIre Homewares . Napkin.
The Ba'l Tree
Page 67 Pla te nd bowl,
Empire Hornevvar s,
Page 68 "UIl1.' ko" fabric I)y
M arimekko, Chee Soon &
Fitzgerald . Terra cot ta dish. The
Essen tlal lngredien 1. Oven
doth, The Bay Tree,
Page 70-71 Large cer am ic
plim er and ce ramic bOWl.
Country Road Hom ewares.
CarVing se t. The Essential
Ingredienl. ChOPping board,
Major &: Tom.
Page 73 "Da Vinci ' bowls,
sm all cOlldiment bow l and
"Mare" napkin, all Country Road
Homewares ,
Page 74·75 "Space" plene and
"J.\ria" bowl, Empire Homevvares ,
Wooden spoon, Ikeil. t'.Japkin,
Lan t me/Ginger Flow er.
Page 76 M ason and Cash
casserole dis . The Es sential
Ingredien t. Ceramic plate,
Orson & Bla ke. For k and sa lt
containe r. The Bay Tre8,
Page 79 Ce ramic bowls and
napkin , Country ROtJd
Ho m ewares . George Jensen
'Nevv York" fo rk, Orre for s 0518
Boda . "Unlkko ' fabriC by
tv1 arim ek 0 , Ch ee Soon &
Fitzgerald .
Page 80 Bowl , Empire
Homewares.
Page 83 Le Cre uset ba krng
diSh . Th e Esse nti al Ingred ient.
Page 89 Woode n bowls,
Mi tch e ll Helen English,
Wooden spoon, Ikea. Napkin,
Orson & Blake. "S atu la fabnc
by tv1ar imekko, Cllee Soon &
Fitzgerald ,
Page 90 Bow l,
Lantern e/G inger Flower,
Page 92·93 Oven cloth, The
Essen tial Ingredient, Baking
dis h, styli st's own.
Page 95 Recta ng lar pl atter,
The Bay Tr ee , "SatulaOfa bnc by
Manmekko, Chae Soon &
Fitzgerald,
Page 101 Square plate, Orson
& Blake. Hac kman fo rk, Em pire
Homewa res, Napkin, Country
Road Homevva res.
Page 102 Glas s salad bowl,
Ikea. Spoon, The Bay Tree.
Sm all Py-rex dish, The Cllefs'
W ar ehouse .
Page 104·105 Bow l,
Lant eme/Ginger Flower.
Page 107 Lon g rectangular
platter by Jonatilon Adler and
Rosenthal glass bottl e, Orson
& Blake. Side plates, Ikea
Hackman cut lery, Empire
Homewares.
Pag e 108 Wooden sa lad bowl,
The Bay Tree.
Page 115 W ooden spo on, Th e
Essen la l Ing re dient Napkin,
La ntern e/Ging r Flower
Ceramic lug, Th e Bay Tre e,
Page 116 Green and I'ellow
ceram ic bowls, The Bay Tr ee.
Wo oder, spoon, Ikea,
Page 118-119 p.yrex bowls
and white Pill,vuyt bOWl, The
Che fs' Warehouse .
Page 121 Glass bow l and
coconut spoon, The Sal' Tree.
Page 122 Glass jug and side
plate, The Essential Ingredient
Page 125 Ceramic bOWl. Tile
Bay Tree
Page 126 r~in k cerarnie plate,
M tellell + Helen English,
Hackman 'Cinerio" spoon and
glass bowl, Empire Homew are
Pag e 133 "Onnellinen fa bric bY'
Marimekko, Chee Soon &
Fitzgerald,
Page 134-135 \A/,re cake rack,
M ajor & Tom, Pink cerami c
pla te, M itchell + Helen English,
Cake server, The Essential
Ingre dien t,
Page 137 "Tan ts u" fabric by
Man me ko, Chee Soon &
Fi tz gera ld. Stelton tray, Empi re
Homewares.
Page 138 Wooden board,
Major & Tom , Pew ter spoon
and glass bowl, H ie Bay Tree.
Page 140-141 Ceramic bovllis
and Hackm8 11 "Ci r e,-io" spo on,
Empire Homew ares. Nepki
styli st's Oli'ifl .
Page 143 "TanlsLI" abrrc bV
Ivlarimekko. Chee Soon &
Fitzgera ld, W ire cake rack, The
Che fs' W arehouse.
Page 144-145 Ceram ic plates,
M aisoll en Prolience , Hac, 1ll8n
"Cine rio' SiJOOI1, Empire
Homewa es ,
Page 146 " O n n ell il~ e n " labne
by IVi arimekko, Chee Soon &
Fitzgerald . Lmoge pla tter and
ca ke server, Tile Bay Tree.
Pag e 149 'Tantsu· fal)nc by
l\!1a nmekko, Chee Soon &
Fitzgerald . Glass cake stand,
rvlajor & Tom ,
Page 150·151 Llmog e cake
platter and spoon, The Ba y
Tree
Pag e 152 Pulljvuyt IJowl, TI~e
Chefs ' \Narehouse,
Page 155 Cake platter, The
Chefs' W arehouse. Bo\<\'I, The
Essential Ingredient.

stockists
Homewares Sydney NSVV 2000 Ikea Orrefors Kosta Boda D & K Deli
The Bay Tree Tel 02 92237985 Supercentre Shop L218 Shop 19, Marketplace
40 Holdsworth Street Tel '1800801 911 for Cnr. South Dowling Cil;JI SWood Chase Flar Street
W ool lahra NSVV 2025 national branches Str eet &. Todman Avenue ClliHswood NSW 2067 I_elchilard\ NSW 2040
Tel 02 9328 1101 M oore Pa rk r\j SVv' 202 1 Tel 0294154912 Tel 02 9560 8956
Empire Homewares Tel 02 9313 6400
Chee Soo n & 18-22 Oxford Street Orson & Blake Murdoch Produce
Fitzgera ld Paddi ngtoll i'!SW 202'1 Lanterne 483 Riley Str8et Ph 02 9517 2018
387 Crow n Stree t Tel 02 9380 8877 330 Victoria Street Surry Hills NSW 2010
Surry Hills i'lSW 2010 Dariinghurs l NSVV 20 t 0 Tel 8389 2525 T&R Gourmet
Tel 029360 103'1 The Essential Tel 02 9380 7172 Butchery
Ing redient Produce Shop 14
T he Che fs' W arehouse 4-6 Austral ia Street Major & Tom Barbaro Bros Cosmopolitan Centre
252 Riley St reet Camperdowl-' NSW 2050 45 Barwon Park Road Quality Butchers Double Bay 2028
Surrv Hills NSW 20 10 Tel 02 9550 5477 St Pete rs NSW 2044 Shop 2, ph 02 9327 6107
Tel : 02 9211 4555 Tel 02 9557 8380 120 Cockman Ad,
Ginger Flower Greenwood VilA 6064
Country Road Shop 4, Mitchell + Helen Ph, 9247 4244
Ho rnew ares 3-9 Broug illon Street English
Lev el 2, Sky gardens Kirr ibil li NSW 2061 Shop 812-16 Glenmore Rd Demcos
ShOPPing Centre Tel 02 8920 3199 Paddlllgton NSVV 202 I pi, 02 9700 9000
213 CaSl lereagil Stree t Tel 02 9331 0015

index 159
 •

Aristos is the charismatic and flam boyant cookin g

dynamo who has taken Australia by storm. His
innovative recipes and ability to oreate someth ing
o t of noth ing have shown that by sticking to the
basics you can create a delicious meal.

III ~strat ed throughout with colour photographs a

wIth over 130 recipe ideas, Cooklf1g With Aristos
I ~ the perfect coo~bo ok for anyo n~ who loves
ISBN 1-7405 1-454-8
fa tastic, fuss-free food .

I ristos is a motor-mouth of good advice,

ihp;tructive and haps of fun"
~ydney Morning Herald