ROAST: Classic and Contemporary.
Published by The Australian Women’s Weekly, Sydney, 2012.
In line with their cookery pages in the popular monthly magazine (still, perversely, called a weekly), this compendium does not waste space on wordy introductions. Virtually every page of this small fat paperback is given over to recipes and photographs, the exceptions being a glossary and index at the end.
With autumn in evidence, culinary thoughts turn to roasts and family feasts around a table rather than a braai. There is plenty in this collection to inspire cooks, whatever their taste in oven-baked fare, provided they are not looking for cutting-edge gourmet – no foams, essences or obscure ingredients here.
Up first is poultry, with chicken legs – marinated in citrus juice, orange marmalade and hot chilli – teamed with vermicelli and cucumber salad spiked with mint. Whole roasted peri-peri Portuguese chicken is followed by a central European classic, roast goose with dried fruit and nut stuffing.
Med favourites like Provencal chicken with 40 cloves of garlic tempt, as do bacon-wrapped quails paired with sweet muscadel grapes, in season now. Morocco stars in harissa-roasted fowl, India with Tandoori-style wings and Mexico with taco-seasoned breasts on black bean and barley salad.
Beef roasts open with the quintessential British classic, complete with Yorkshire puds and red wine gravy, followed by corned beef with sticky redcurrant and port glaze. Veal is paired with baked figs and port sauce, and French and Italian roasts precede oriental Sri Lankan spicy ribs with coconut pilaf.
Slow-roasted beef shanks makes a change from lamb, but you will find the latter in the next chapter, with favourites like roast leg with mint sauce, rolled loin with tomato concasse, rack of lamb with garlic and sage, and other ideas from all over the globe.
China comes to the fore with easy pork recipes: think crisp five-spice salt belly and barbecued sesame ribs, while British traditionalists will relish roast leg with apple and onion compote. Glazed ham with mango and chilli salsa sounds like a good festive option.
The seafood chapter is the one that intrigued most – using the oven for salmon fillets baked with Asian spices, or substitute Cajun spices and serve with a corn salsa. Vineleaf-wrapped trout is roasted with fennel bulbs, and fish topped with herbs and vegetables and wrapped in foil is a basic that can be adapted for many species. Moist tenderness is guaranteed if you slow-roast fish at 150ºC.
Vegetarians are presented with variations on roasted veggies, root and gourds, potato and sweet potato, bell pepper and tomato, finishing with a dish where thinly sliced potato is tossed in oil and egg white, then seasoned and roasted in a single layer until crisp and served with malt vinegar.
These well-tested Aussie recipes are illustrated in full colour and times are given for preparation and cooking, followed by detailed nutritional counts per serving. - Weekend Argus