Roast Beef

Start with a whole fillet such as scotch fillet from Liberty Meats in Preston which was $17/kg and 2.1kg.

Take a few cloves of crushed garlic, a sprinkle of salt, fresh pepper and quite a bit of grain mustard. Rub onto the beef and drizzle on olive oil and massage all over. Wrap tightly in Glad Wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Roast in the oven 170 degrees fan grill with the probe to 65 degrees. Turn once. When done take out and cover with foil.

This will cook to medium but there should be a hint of pink and the meat will be juicy. Cook this way to avoid complaints of people who don't like the meat rare.

Result: 5 - absolutely sensational. Must do for a dinner party. Any left overs are great for sandwiches or a dinner of Thai Beef Salad.
Preparation: Only a few minutes effort.

Thai beef salad

Salad of cucumber, red capsicum, tomato, half a red onion very finely sliced, small bunch of coriander and small bunch of mint chopped roughly. Add very thin slices of cold roast beef (the left over roast scotch fillet was excellent!).

Toast a tablespoon of jasmine rice in a dry fry pan until it is brown. Pound in a mortar and pestle to a rough flour, about that of cous cous. Spinkle over the salad.

Add some roughly chopped cashews.

Make a dressing of fresh lime juice, light soy, rice vinegar, fish sauce, fresh chilli and enough sugar to ease the tartness and salt.

Mix well. Serve with hot jasmine rice.

Result: 5!
Preparation: Really easy when there is cold beef on hand.

Asian style baked pork chops

Two thick pork chops, about 2cm thick. Marinate in a tablespoon of light soy, juice of a mandarin, two cap fulls of sherry, teaspoon of honey, half a teaspoon of chilli and a teaspoon of crushed garlic.

Bake in oven on fan grill 180 degrees, with probe set to 75 degrees. Use the rectangular Pyrex dish. Will take about 30 minutes. Turn once.

Serve with white rice and steamed beans, broccoli and bok choy tossed in a few drops of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Result: 4.5. It is essentially meat and three veg.
Preparation: Really easy simple.

Pan fried Trevally fillets

Trevally fillets from M&C Seafood in Thornbury. They were very cheap at $7/kg so $2.50 for two serves.

Dust in besan flour with a little salt and pepper. Fry in the skillet pan on a low heat in olive oil, turn once. Have the exhaust fan on high!

Serve with a Mediterranean style salad of green beans and tinned mixed beans. A little egg mayonnaise for the fish plus a squeeze of lemon.

Result: 4. A delicious fish, quite a strong fishy taste and some oiliness in the flesh. A very healthy dinner.
Preparation: Non-existent.

Smokey Paprika Chicken and Capsicum with Pasta

300g chicken thighs diced, browned with an onion and garlic clove in olive oil. Add a whole red capsicum cut in thin strips. Add two teaspoons of smokey paprika and a little salt and pepper. Stir everything together. Add 2 ice cubes of chicken stock then cover with lid and cook on very low heat for 45 minutes. Add some green beans towards the end of the cooking with the lid on.

Add about a tablespoon of pasata to help thicken and finish for about 15 minutes with the lid off to reduce liquid if needed.

Accompany with with savoy cabbage that had been browned in a dry non-stick pan, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Serve alongside small pasta.

Result: 4, a very good everyday meal and quite easy.

Beef Do Piaza

Take Charmaine's recipe for Lamb Do Piaza and do with chuck steak instead. Black cumin seeds are also known as kalonji and are essential. Serve with steamed veges, rice, yoghurt and Indian bread.

Result: 5. A sensational mild curry who those who don't mind onions.
Preparation: somewhat involved, with two stages of onions including in the blender.

Quick Pork and Cabbage stir-fry

Pork mince, sliced onion - fry until onion is soft.
Add chopped savoy cabbage, eggplant in sticks, sliced mushrooms and stirfry until all cooked, adding some sesame oil. Finish with chopped fresh coriander, light soy and kecap manis. Serve with rice.

Result: 4
Preparation: quick and easy. Apart from rice, done in under 20 mins.

Pork Chops and Ratatouille

Pork Chops - 2cm thick. Egg and crumb. Cook in small queen cookware frypan, olive oil, low heat, lid on for about 15 mins.

Make ratatouille from zucchini, capsicum, eggplant, mushrooms, onion, garlic and tomato. Basically fry up the lot and add tomato. Cook for 30 mins.

Result: 4
Preparation: quick and easy.

Chicken Drummettes

1 kg chicken drummettes (18 or so)

Marinate in: dry sherry, kecap manis, light soy, white pepper, for about an hour, turning occasionally. Keep marinade to use as sauce for stir-fry.

Bake chicken in baking tray at 180 on fan grill on shelf 6 for 35 mins. Serve with brown rice and stir-fried veges.

Result: 4
Preparation: dead easy.
Bonus points: "Like childcare" - baby may actually eat, perhaps.

Also works really well without marinating for an hour. 30 mins is probably enough (was a bit dry at 35 mins). Went very well with white rice and stir-fry of green beans, broccoli, garlic and cashews. 1kg is too much - 15 drummettes is ample.