Steak Sandwich Burritos

Rump steak, small pieces, pounded
Caramelised onion
Cheese, tomato, lettuce
Mango chutney
Burritos

Result: 3

Preparation: dead easy

Zucchini and Potato Pancakes

From Charmaine's Vegetarian cookbook:
- 1 zucchini, grated, skin on
- 1 potato, grated
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 eggs, beaten
- salt + pepper
- 1 cup wholemeal flour

Mix & fry small pancakes till brown.

Result: 3 (not as a whole meal!)

Preparation: remarkably easy and successful for good vege content

John Dory with Fennel

From David & Kim:

Wrap in foil:
- finely sliced fennel on base
- topped with sliced lemon and orange
- top with John Dory fillet
- squirt of olive oil and Cinzano
- dill & star-anise
- bake 8-10mins at 180 degrees

Served with rosemary potatoes.

Result: 4.5

Preparation: really quick and easy, once fresh fish is obtained.

Baked Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks, rubbed with rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil, cooked at 190 degrees for about an hour, over a dish of chopped veges - carrot, potato, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, red capsicum, onion, garlic. Serve with mint jelly (or not).

Result: 2 - looks great and smells great and veges are excellent, but the meat needs to be chewed off the giant bone like a caveman. Lots of sinewy bits and layers of fat.

Preparation: about 10 minutes, including chopping the veges!!!

Honeyed sweet potato & chick peas

Thickly sliced sweet potato, placed on base of frypan. Add water, honey and butter. Cook until water is all gone.

Serve with a tomato & chickpea curry with whole coriander seeds, cumin seeeds, chicken stock cube, and spinach. Also good with paneer.

Result: 5

Preparation: really easy, especially the sweet potato!

Coulbiouc

From Huey - a Russian salmon dish

Cook basmati rice and hard-boiled eggs. Steam a piece of salmon. Mix all together with dill and lemon. Cook in puff pastry. Serve with fennel.

Result: 4

Preparation: easy and spectacular.

Pad-See Ew Tofu

Firm tofu, sliced & lightly fried
Savoy cabbage
Onion
Spring onion
Fresh rice noodles
Egg omelette
Red capsicum
Light soy, chicken stock cube, kecap manis, white pepper, dry sherry

Result: 3 (on flavour, 2 on appearance as noodles were not well done)

Preparation: quick and easy, but noodles will probably be a disaster again.

Curry Laksa

Homemade chicken stock, coconut milk, curry paste, curry powder, lime juice, tamarind, soy sauce, chopped chilli, finely diced onion, ginger, cauliflower, green beans, tofu, puffy tofu, hard-boiled egg, bean shoots, hokkien noodles, rice noodles.

Result: 3
Preparation: quick and easy (cook hard-boiled egg first)

Spinach & cheese pastry

From Moroccan book: super tasty silverbeet cooked with ricotta & pine nuts & onion. Wrapped in puff pastry and baked.
Result: 4 (5 for lunch next day!)
Preparation: very easy! bit messy with pastry.

Fajitas

Rump steak, sliced, marinated in ancho chilli powder, cumin, salt and lime juice.
Chicken breast, sliced, marinated in chipotle chilli powder, cumin, salt and lime juice.

To accompany:
- home brand burritos
- sour cream
- special green tomatillo sauce (for chicken, if available!)
- grated cheese
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomato
- avocado

Result: 3 (if cooked on slow hotplate), 5 on BBQ, great for kids
Preparation: takes time to cut up, but quick to cook. Marinate 1 hr in advance.

Satay Beef

Home-made satay sauce (mortar & pestle peanuts) with fish sauce, chilli, kecap manis, lime juice, water. Served with stir-fried beef and veges and rice or noodles.
Result: 3
Preparation: a bit of a hassle to prepare satay sauce. Rest is quick and easy.

Meat Pie

Pie filling:
mince beef, passata, soy sauce, chicken stock, onions, mushrooms, pepper, tin of tomatoes (consider leaving out), cornflour to give sticky gravy.

Cooked in small casserole dishes with puff pastry only on the top, baked for 20mins in moderately hot oven. Cook fennel in oven at same time.

Result: 3
Preparation: 2 (first time), 5 (repeat performance from freezer)

Pork, pears and fennel

Pork fillet cooked in a sour-cream sauce with pears, fennel, fennel seeds, black pepper, seeded mustard, Cinzano, chicken stock cooked in the sauce, served with pasta and veges.
Result: 5
Preparation: 3

Chilli with Chorizo and Polenta

Cam's home-made Chilli with chuck steak and chorizo (cooked in advance, taken from the freezer) served with fried polenta, with green beans.
Result: 5
Preparation: 3 (polenta is a hassle)

Risotto with Chorizo and Brussels Sprouts

Risotto with Chorizo sausage, brussels sprouts, onion, homemade chicken stock, Cinzano.
Result: 4
Preparation: 3

Meatloaf & haloumi veges

Meatloaf - mince, breadcrumbs, egg, tomato sauce, cooked for 45 mins in moderate oven.
Veges - pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini, capsicum, garlic and onion, cooked for 45 mins in moderate oven, then sliced haloumi put on top and cooked for 5 mins more.
Result: 3
Preparation: 3 for meatloaf, 4 for veges

Chicken & lemon tagine

Chicken marylands cooked in oven with chicken stock, preserved lemon, green olives, moroccan spices, sauce thickened with cous cous, served with roasted vegetables (including brussels sprouts) and flat bread.
Result: 5
Preparation: 4

Lamb Kebabs

Charmaine's lamb kebabs, with capsicum, onion and mushrooms, served with roti.
Result: 3
Preparation: 4