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Julie Goodwin shares her top tips for perfect potatoes every time

<p dir="ltr">Who doesn't love a good, hearty, delicious serving of fluffy and decadent potatoes?</p> <p dir="ltr">Original <em>MasterChef Australia</em> champion Julie Goodwin has shared her ultimate hacks for cooking the perfect potatoes every time, whether they’re mashed, roasted or baked.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Julie, there are three key things every home cook needs to keep in mind the next time potatoes are on the menu. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Make sure you have the right potatoes </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Depending on whether you want baked, mashed, roasted, or any other way you want to prepare your potatoes, it all starts in the supermarket. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I find that for things like mashed potatoes and gnocchi and rostis you want a floury potato, so the general rule is dirty potatoes for those things," Julie told <em><a href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/latest/julie-goodwin-top-three-tips-to-cook-potatoes-robertson-potato-festival/4d16ba12-bf14-4af2-990e-dcf0e89c30ee">9Honey</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And then for stuff like potato salads, boiled baby potatoes, and potato bake, it's better to have a waxy potato because they hold their substance better. And those are the ones that are sold clean, so things like the Pontiac and Desiree with the pink skin or the washed potatoes with the white skin."</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you want to use them in an Irish stew to break down and thicken the sauce you've got to use a floury potato," she says. "So tend to your dirty ones."</p> <p dir="ltr">She says that if you're buying a clean, waxy potato, you won't have to peel them since the skin is supposed to be edible.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, if you're buying a dirty, floury potato, then you're going to want to peel the dirt off first and then wash off the residue.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Get those crispy edges </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">As every home cook knows, the key to the perfect roasted potato is for the inside to be soft and fluffy while the outside stays crispy. </p> <p dir="ltr">It can be a tricky balance to master, but Goodwin says there's a simple way to get it right every time.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I like to par boil them before I roast them. Just so that they go a bit fluffy around the edges," she explains. "What happens is those bits go really crispy and lovely."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Let the flavour flow </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">When it comes to seasoning your potatoes, it's hard to know what flavours will suit your dish best. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Goodwin, more is less when you season potatoes, so it's best to close the spice cabinet.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Salt is absolutely the number one, pepper's beautiful [but] it depends on what the meal is," she says. "So if you're doing a bit of a Portuguese or Spanish inspired meal you might put some paprika on there.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"But I really love rosemary and that's beautiful if you pound that up with your salt and put it on the potatoes that makes it really nice."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Genius Christmas hack divides viewers

<p>Christmas, a time when the kitchen becomes a battlefield and culinary warriors seek ingenious hacks to conquer the chaos!</p> <p>Thankfully, Janelle from @thedailynelly on Instagram, armed with the wisdom of her grandma, has unveiled a potato-cleaning strategy that has shaken the very foundations of traditional holiday prep.</p> <p>Enter "Grandma's best Thanksgiving secret" – a cryptic title that foreshadows a culinary revelation of epic proportions. And yes, we know it's for Thanksgiving – but we are just going to give some thanks and use it for Christmas prep anyway.</p> <p>Janelle took to Instagram to showcase her revolutionary potato-cleaning hack for her followers and – spoiler alert – it involves a dishwasher, and things are about to get wild.</p> <p>As Janelle stacks unwashed potatoes into the dishwasher, she confidently claims that this unorthodox method saves her both time and effort. The video unfolds like a suspenseful thriller, with the person behind the camera questioning her every move. "This is the best way to do it. It saves you so much time," Janelle declares with the conviction of someone who has cracked the Da Vinci Code of holiday cooking.</p> <p>In a daring move, she populates not only the top rack with filthy potatoes but also the lower shelf, even utilising the cutlery holder – because who needs spoons when you can have spuds? Janelle defends her potato-loading strategy, pointing out that traditional methods in a bowl are impractical when faced with three bags of potatoes. Practicality, meet pandemonium.</p> <p>Janelle also points out – a little redundantly, but to be honest you never really know the caliber of person watching Instagram videos – that it's crucial not to use any dishwashing tablets or soap in this peculiar cleaning ritual, because, you know, that would be weird. We wouldn't want our spuds to taste like lavender-scented detergent, now would we?</p> <p>The climax arrives when the four-minute rinse cycle is over – a pivotal moment in this culinary odyssey. Janelle gleefully showcases the now pristine potatoes, claiming victory over the tedious hand-washing process. "They're clean, you didn't have to hand wash them. I'm telling you – it saves time on Christmas when you're hosting a tonne of people," she declares triumphantly.</p> <p>However, the internet, ever the skeptic, has of course reacted with horror and disbelief. Some commenters expressed their disgust, labelling the dishwasher technique as "gross" and "nasty". </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz7Af8oulYb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz7Af8oulYb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Daily Nelly (@thedailynelly)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Concerns about dishwasher residue and the efficiency of the method compared to traditional hand washing also echo through the comments. The naysayers argue that the time spent stacking potatoes in the dishwasher outweighs the alleged time saved.</p> <p>In the end, @thedailynelly's dishwasher potato video has become something of a cautionary tale, a reminder that not all culinary shortcuts are created equal. But here at OverSixty we are firmly on Team Janelle. At least she is out there giving it a go, listening to her grandma, and sharing her wisdom with the world.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">@thedailynelly</span></em></p>

Food & Wine

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“Deeply disappointed”: The Wiggles hit out at council’s “harsh” use of iconic song

<p dir="ltr">The Wiggles have taken aim at the Western Australian city of Bunbury for using their iconic song in a “harsh” way. </p> <p dir="ltr">The childrens’ entertainers found out the local council had been playing their song <em>Hot Potato</em> on an endless loop to deter homeless people from congregating. </p> <p dir="ltr">The song had been playing at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell, a stage in one of the town’s parks, that plays host to bands and events. </p> <p dir="ltr">When not in use for entertainment purposes, homeless people would gather under the shell and pitch tent to seek shelter from the elements. </p> <p dir="ltr">After being alerted to the fact that their song was being used in such a callous way, The Wiggles contacted The City of Bunbury and banned them from using the song.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement given to the <a href="https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/the-wiggles-slap-the-city-of-bunbury-with-music-ban-over-homelessness-row--c-12413889" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>West Australian</em>, </a>they said, “The Wiggles’ music is created to bring joy and happiness to children and families around the world, and we are deeply disappointed to hear that it is being used in any other way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The council had been using the Wiggles’ song for around six months before the band issued their ban. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mayor of Bunbury Jaysen Miguel defended his decision to play the music, saying, “The City of Bunbury has been running music on and off there for the past six months, as happens across Australia and across the world where you can have music in certain areas to deter anti-social behaviours.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“But... there has been a known problem where people are getting in and turning the music up to full bore.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Local homeless cafe provider Intown Centre said the council needed a better response to the homelessness crisis, as Chair David Bailey said, “In the last couple of days, I have been walking around and I have heard it, but I did not think it was the council.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought it was someone with a CD player,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It did strike me as odd. It is harsh . . . (and) there needs to be a better response.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Stuffed baked potatoes

<p>A steaming-hot baked potato makes perfect comfort food and doesn't need lashings of butter and cheese to be delicious. This tasty vegetarian filling combines marinated mushrooms and zucchini for a healthy filling. Other fillings are limited only by your imagination.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>4 baking potatoes, about 300g each</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>200g small open-cup mushrooms, about 5cm in diameter</li> <li>1 large zucchini, about 170g, sliced</li> <li>1 teaspoon red wine vinegar</li> <li>1 teaspoon dijon mustard</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>⅓ cup (10g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preparation:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 200°C.</li> <li>Push a metal skewer through each potato or push the potatoes onto a potato roasting rack. (Pushing a metal skewer into the potatoes helps to conduct heat through to their centres so that they cook more quickly.</li> <li>Place the potatoes directly on the shelf in the oven and bake for 1½ hours or until tender.</li> <li>Make the zucchini and mushroom filling when you first put the potatoes in the oven so that it has time to marinate.</li> <li>Alternatively, it can be made just before the potatoes are cooked and served hot.</li> <li>Heat a large ridged chargrill or frying pan.</li> <li>Drizzle half the oil over the pan and cook the mushrooms and zucchini slices for 10-15 minutes or until they are well-browned in places and softened and have released their juices.</li> <li>Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with all their juices and add the remaining oil, the vinegar and mustard.</li> <li>Season to taste, mix well and leave to marinate until the potatoes are cooked.</li> <li>Split open the baked potatoes, then press gently to part the halves, keeping them joined at the base.</li> <li>Stir the parsley into the marinated vegetables, then pile them into the potatoes.</li> <li>Serve immediately.</li> </ol> <p><em>This article first appeared in <strong><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/stuffed-baked-potatoes">Reader’s Digest</a></strong>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"40 years ago today": Alan Alda celebrates MASH milestone

<p>Alan Alda has celebrated the 40th anniversary of the iconic <em>M*A*S*H</em> (<em>MASH</em>) season finale. </p> <p>The series, which ran on CBS from 1972 to 1983, totalled an impressive 11 seasons with 251 episodes - all of which Alan Alda appeared in as the memorable Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce. However, his credits weren’t limited to just acting, with Alda dabbling in some crew work during his time on the show. </p> <p>And it was Alda himself who wrote and directed the series finale, titled ‘Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen’. The episode ran for two-and-a-half hours, set a ratings record that many consider to be near impossible to beat, and reportedly still holds the title of being the most watched scripted television show episode of all time. In the US alone, over 60% of households tuned in to see the lives of the <em>MASH</em> unit change at the end of the Korean War. </p> <p>Now, 40 years after the episode went to air, Alda has looked back on the milestone, taking to Twitter to celebrate. Alda didn’t so much as have to mention the show’s title, with the show’s legacy doing the work for him. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">40 years ago today. ⌛️❤️</p> <p>— Alan Alda (@alanalda) <a href="https://twitter.com/alanalda/status/1630617599116558369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>In Alda’s replies, and on social media in general, a screengrab from the episode began to circulate - the word ‘goodbye’ spelled out in rocks on a small hillside - and fans proved eager to reflect and celebrate with him. </p> <p>“40 years ago today we got back 30 min of our Sunday night. I would gladly give 30 min of any night to watch the magnificent writings &amp; acting of that <em>MASH</em> unit again,” wrote one fan, before going on to thank those involved in the production. </p> <p>“<em>MASH</em> is one of my comfort shows and still brings me joy, laughter, and tears no matter how many times I’ve seen an episode,” said another, “thank you.” </p> <p>“Ended before I was even born, yet it's still one of my all-time favorite shows!” shared one fan too young to have caught the original run, but was thrilled to join in on the reminiscing, “I'm even in the middle of a rewatch at the moment!” </p> <p>“When I was a kid, I watched the show with my dad - usually as an excuse to stay up a little bit later and spend time with him,” someone else shared, “I wouldn't trade that for anything. This past summer, I watched it again with my son. Still perfect.”</p> <p>“It was shown later in the year here in the UK,” one fan told Alda, “my dad recorded it on our newly rented VCR. To this day he’s never watched the last episode as he never wanted it to end.”</p> <p>And for those seeking a return to <em>MASH </em>themselves, publicist Danny Deraney shared an emotional clip from the finale to celebrate the occasion, while citing the show’s ratings success. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">40 years ago today, MASH aired its final episode. </p> <p>The episode, directed and Co-written by <a href="https://twitter.com/alanalda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alanalda</a>, became the most watched television program in history.</p> <p>"Goodbye, Farewell, Amen." <a href="https://t.co/a0Qv252oCj">pic.twitter.com/a0Qv252oCj</a></p> <p>— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) <a href="https://twitter.com/DannyDeraney/status/1630661000834990081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Images: Twitter, Getty</em></p>

TV

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Recipe: Cheesy potato bake

<p>The perfect accompaniment to any meal, everyone needs a great potato bake recipe in his or her repertoire and this one is delicious (and simple). </p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> Six</p> <p><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 20 minutes</p> <p><strong>Cooking time:</strong> One hour 30 minutes</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span> </strong></p> <ul> <li>60g of butter, plus extra for greasing</li> <li>2 ⅓ cups milk</li> <li>400ml cream</li> <li>2 cups of cheese (tasty or parmesan work well), grated</li> <li>1½ kg potatoes (Sebago, Desiree, or similar), peeled and thinly sliced1 onion, finely chopped</li> <li>3 garlic cloves</li> <li>1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves</li> <li>Salt and pepper to season</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180 °C or 160 °C for fan forced. Lightly grease a seven-cup ovenproof dish. </li> <li>Melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add milk and cream, stirring constantly until well combined. </li> <li>Add one and half cups of cheese. Stir to combine. </li> <li>Layer one third of potatoes over base overlapping slightly. Top with half the onion, garlic, thyme and one third of cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat two more times. </li> <li>Brush a sheet of foil with oil and place oil-side down over the potato. Seal tightly. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and brush top with melted butter. Cook a further 45 minutes until tender and golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese for last 15 minutes of cooking.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Why potatoes don't deserve a bad reputation

<p>In the two decades I've been writing about food and health, one piece of diet advice has remained consistent: Eat more whole plant foods. More vegetables and fruits, more legumes and grains, more tubers and roots. There has been, that I can recall, only one notable exception, and it is the beleaguered potato. Eat more plants! Just not potatoes.</p> <p>Why? One word: starch.</p> <p>Starch is made up of molecules of glucose, a simple sugar, which our cells can use as fuel with very little processing from our bodies. It goes right to the bloodstream, and the blood sugar spike prompts the pancreas to release insulin, which enables our body to either use or store that sugar. When that's done, we're hungry again. The quicker it happens, the sooner we start casing the kitchen, looking for our next meal, and the fatter we get.</p> <p>That's the theory, at any rate, but there's no potato consensus in the nutrition community.</p> <p>Spearheading the anti-potato side is Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Potatoes don't behave like most other vegetables," he said when I spoke with him. "In study after study, potatoes do not seem to have the benefit of reducing cardiovascular disease, and they are related to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes." They're also associated with weight gain and hypertension, he noted.</p> <p>But the key word there is "associated," and Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, is unwilling to finger potatoes as the cause of that litany of health problems. "This is using one particular food or nutrient as a reductive explanation for diseases and problems that are very complicated and have multiple causes," she says. "It's nutritionism."</p> <p>Because the association between potatoes and disease derives from research on people who are asked what they eat and then tracked until something bad either happens or doesn't, it's hard to conclude that potatoes cause the disease. For starters, accurate self-reported diet data is hard to get.</p> <p>To see just how hard, try filling out one of the questionnaires used by the researchers at Harvard. At Nestle's suggestion, I did, and found it nigh-on impossible. I do most of the shopping and cooking at my house and seldom eat out, but I still hadn't the foggiest idea how often I ate a half-cup serving of cabbage over the past year.</p> <p>Willett fully acknowledges the imperfections and says the surveys are most useful to compare people who seldom eat a particular food with people who eat it several times a week. (If you fall into one of those categories, you're likely to be able to answer accurately.) Even so, a person who eats a lot of potatoes may be different from a person who eats no potatoes – and different in many non-potato-related ways – so it's impossible to definitely blame that heart attack on those French fries.</p> <p>Is the association between potatoes and bad health outcomes a result of how people eat potatoes (often, fried, or with salt and plenty of sour cream)? Or is it because potato eating is part of a dietary or lifestyle pattern that could include, say, cheeseburgers and "Survivor" reruns, and it's the pattern, not the potatoes, that does the damage? Or is it just because the data are unreliable? We don't really know.</p> <p>"Potatoes have calories," says Nestle, and she mentions that pesky word "moderation." But she's sure not giving them up, and she doesn't think we have to, either.</p> <p>Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, also finds reason to be sceptical about the potato's bad reputation - in part, and a bit counterintuitively, because consumption has been tied to so many bad outcomes. "When it's associated with everything, you have to suspect that there's something else that is . . . accounting for it," she says. "Rarely in the science of nutrition do we have any dietary factors that span all outcomes."</p> <p>When you move on from population data to research in which people are fed potatoes in a lab, the picture changes a bit. The knock on potatoes is that the quick spike in blood sugar and subsequent insulin response leave people hungry, but when you feed people potatoes and then ask them how full they are a couple hours later, and track what they eat at the next meal, potatoes seem to be quite satiating.</p> <p>Back in 1995, a group of Australian researchers gave 240 calories' worth of food to subjects who each ate one of 38 specific foods. They tracked how hungry the subjects got and developed a Satiety Index (using white bread as a benchmark, with a score of 100). The hands-down winner, with a Satiety Index of 323, was potatoes. In second place was fish (225), and oatmeal took third (209).</p> <p>It's an imperfect study, as it tracks hunger for only two hours, and few additional studies have compared satiety of potatoes vs. satiety of other foods (and some have been funded by the potato industry). Generally, there is enough disagreement over whether the speed of insulin response correlates with satiety that we shouldn't be so hard on the potato. A food is undoubtedly more than its contribution to blood sugar, and it's not unreasonable to believe that potatoes have other qualities (fibre, water, resistant starch) that could contribute to satiety.</p> <p>Part of the potato's problem is simply its classification. When you call it a vegetable, you ask it to fight above its weight class. Compare potatoes with green vegetables, and you get more calories and less nutrition. But compare potatoes with whole grains, and you find surprising similarities, and even a case that potatoes are more nutritious. Compare 100 calories of baked potato to 100 calories of oatmeal, and you find a bit less protein (3 grams vs. 4), a bit more starch (18 grams vs. 16) and a similar mineral profile (potatoes have more potassium, but oats have more selenium). But potatoes beat out oats in just about every vitamin, as well as fibre.</p> <p>Both Willett and Lichtenstein say they think nutrition guidelines should classify potatoes with grains; Willett would group them with refined grains and Lichtenstein would position them between whole and refined grains.</p> <p>OK, so maybe potatoes should have a place at the table (although both frying and sour cream clearly have to be deployed with care). But if we're going to eat responsibly, we have to look beyond our own health and try to assess the environmental impact of the choices we make. From that point of view, the potato is a contender.</p> <p>Because all crops confer calories, I like calories-per-acre as a starting point for environmental impact. When I use it, I hear from a few (sometimes quite a few) people suggesting (or insisting) that I need to take nutrients into account. Which is absolutely true; we need both calories and nutrients.</p> <p>So, let's look at the potato's per-acre potential to deliver those nutrients vs. the potential of a nutrient powerhouse, broccoli. Sure, potatoes produce about 15 million calories per acre to broccoli's 2 million, but how about individual vitamins and minerals? The potato still scores more wins than losses on nutrients. It yields about half the calcium and vitamin C of broccoli per acre and none of the vitamin A, but it has three times the iron, phosphorus and potassium.</p> <p>Here's what it boils down to: Broccoli delivers nutrients without attendant starch calories, and potatoes deliver nutrients with them. If you're a privileged American with a weight problem, broccoli's a great choice. Green vegetables are, calorie for calorie, the most nutrient-rich foods we can put on our plate. But if we're trying to feed a planet, we have to look at how to maximise both the calories and the nutrients we can grow on the land we have, and potatoes do that very well.</p> <p>Let me be clear: I am very pro-green-vegetable. I eat a lot of them, and I employ various strategies to get my husband to eat them, too. (If I hear "This is the food my food eats" one more time…) Americans' health clearly would benefit if we all ate more of them. But the problem isn't just us. The problem is feeding the world, and we have to avoid crafting solutions in our own dinner's image. Let's hear it for the potato.</p> <p><em>Written by Tamar Haspel. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Shepherd’s pie with sweet potato topping

<p>Not only is this dish the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening, but it’s also a meal with an interesting history.</p> <p>Made to use up any leftover meat, Shepard’s pie dates back to the 1790s. When it is made with beef it's called cottage pie and if it is made with lamb, then it's shepherd's pie.</p> <p>The sweet potato really spices this recipe up a bit to give it some kiwi flavour.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tbsp. butter, olive or coconut oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 medium carrots, medium diced</li> <li>2 celery sticks, medium diced</li> <li>450g lamb mince</li> <li>1 ½ (375ml) cups beef stock</li> <li>1 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>40g tomato paste</li> <li>2 large sweet potatoes, peel and cut to quarters</li> <li>2 more tbsps. of butter</li> <li>Dash of cream or full fat milk</li> <li>½ cup mozzarella cheese grated</li> <li>¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated</li> <li>Freshly ground salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C for a fan forced oven.</li> <li>Heat butter in a large pan and on a medium heat add onions, carrot and celery.</li> <li>Cook stirring for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.</li> <li>Add lamb and cook until browned, for about 5-8 minutes, squashing any lumps with a fork.</li> <li>Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.</li> <li>Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until sauce thickens.</li> <li>When meat sauce has thickened, spoon into an oven proof dish and spread with mashed sweet potatoes.</li> <li>Sprinkle with the two cheeses.</li> <li>Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden and juices are bubbling through.</li> <li>Serve with some simple steamed broccoli.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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“The world’s biggest not-a-potato”

<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand couple who thought they had grown the world’s largest potato have been informed that it actually isn’t a potato.</p> <p dir="ltr">Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were weeding their garden on a small farm in Hamilton, when his hoe hit something hard under the ground.</p> <p dir="ltr">Colin bent down to make sure it was a potato and tasted the strange looking object, confirming to his wife that it was a “potato”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple named it Dug, took it for walks and even dressed it up when they finally decided to submit the heavy 7.8kg find to the Guiness Book of Records.</p> <p dir="ltr">The record for the world’s largest potato is currently held by someone in Britain, who grew a massive potato weighing just under 5kg.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, Colin and Donna’s dreams were shattered when they were told Dug was in fact not a potato.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sadly the specimen is not a potato and is in fact the tuber of a type of gourd. For this reason we do unfortunately have to disqualify the application,” the email read.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said he couldn’t fight their conclusion because they had submitted Dug’s DNA for testing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What can you say? We can’t say we don’t believe you, because we gave them the DNA stuff,” Colin told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/worlds-largest-potato-doug-a440afd3c656018c585078ed3ac18970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AP</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the disappointment, Colin and Donna still care for Dug who now sits in their freezer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I say ‘gidday’ to him every time I pull out some sausages. He's a cool character,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whenever the grandchildren come round, they say, ‘Can we see Dug?'"</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dug is the destroyer from Down Under. He is the world’s biggest not-a-potato.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Pick up your $2.50 potato hearts from Aldi

<div class="description g_font-long-format" style="font-size: 18px;line-height: 1.5;margin-bottom: 24px"><p style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-style: inherit;font-variant: inherit;font-weight: inherit;line-height: inherit;font-family: inherit;vertical-align: baseline">When it comes to frozen potato treats, it’s safe to say us Aussies are fans.</p></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline">Who could forget the uproar when Potato Smiles were discontinued from supermarkets – as well as the excitement when they were reintroduced (as the made-over Potato Emojis) in 2020.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline">So it is no surprise that Aldi shoppers have been excited by the addition of a new potato treat, with some even saying they would make the perfect Valentine’s Day meal.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline">The German supermarket is selling Potato Hearts for $2.49, with the “super cute” freezer item easily cooked in an air fryer or oven.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline">These tasty treats have sent members of the Aldi mums facebook group into a freenzy. It’s not known whether the Potato Hearts are a permanent addition to shelves or here for a limited time only. </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline">Pick up yours today from Aldi and enjoy!</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;line-height: inherit;font-size: 18px;vertical-align: baseline"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"I was like a flaming ball": Man struck TWICE by lightning shares his story

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: This article contains graphic content.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Ten years after a freak accident killed and revived him, New Zealand man Troy Hall is sharing his recovery story.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/new-zealand-man-killed-then-brought-back-to-life-by-120000-volt-powerline-electrocution-shares-story-of-survival-c-4989811" target="_blank">Speaking to<span> </span><em>7Life</em></a>, 32-year-old Mr Hall admitted he is “still battling demons” after he was struck by 120,000 volts of electricity twice in the same day.</p> <p>He hopes his story - which he has not spoken openly about before - inspires other burn victims to keep fighting.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846520/2e946d2bbca6449cab6c9484a3127404518fe165.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/804183b76228482694a00b127f46d34a" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Troy Hall suffered severe burns across more than half his body. Image: 7NEWS</em></p> <p dir="ltr">In 2011, Mr Hall was working in picking fruit in an avocado orchard.</p> <p dir="ltr">The then-22-year-old had been working outside in the rain all day, climbing up and down cherry pickers to reach the highest fruit.</p> <p dir="ltr">His father John warned him to be careful of the overhead power lines, but Troy laughed off the warning as one of the lines “crackled” above them.</p> <p dir="ltr">He now says that act was “fearless and arrogant”.</p> <p dir="ltr">As his shift was about to end, Mr Hall searched for phone reception to call his then-partner and let her know he was finishing up and heading home. He managed to reach her after climbing up a cherry picker, then he made his way back down.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was about four and a half metres away from the power line, but you know power jumps,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">What happened next was a blur for Mr Hall, but his dad has since helped him piece together the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just remember blacking out,” he recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair believe that, due to the wet weather, an arc of electricity jumped from the nearby powerline and delivered 120,000 volts through the right side of Mr Hall’s head.</p> <p dir="ltr">The shock instantly killed him and he dropped to the ground.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the young man was struck again, this time through his chest, which the pair believe brought him “back to life”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was only a few moments later, but it blew my chest up and restarted my heart,” Mr Hall said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It lit me up from the inside… I was like a flaming ball.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He recalled that everything went instantly dark.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t see or feel anything, I didn’t really understand what was going on,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Mr Hall tried to stand up, his dad came to aid and yelled at him to “stay down”.</p> <p dir="ltr">His co-workers and dad worked to try and “damp out” his body, which was engulfed in flames.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I could just hear everyone panicking and crying,” Mr Hall said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dad was yelling at me to ‘just stay in the water’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">By the time the ambulance arrived, his body had swelled up to five times its size and more than 60 percent was covered in third-degree burns.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:375.3846153846154px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846518/a817b3a257c8b33aeb00890ab6ed49564a60d6a7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/61e8e9a1fa224341babafa0f3c950cd7" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Troy spent months recovering, and says he is still “battling demons”. Image: 7NEWS</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“The doctors told me I probably would never walk or talk again,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was trying to talk but couldn’t.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite facing the possibility of losing his right leg and arm, Mr Hall thought to himself, “‘I will f***ing show you’”.</p> <p dir="ltr">A few weeks later, he took his first steps and regained his voice shortly after.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, after undergoing multiple skin grafts taken from his legs, he lost an ear and sight in his left eye.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have a prosthetic ear now, it looks so realistic - I just pop it on!” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s actually a great party trick … the kids love it,” he laughed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Hall has maintained that the last ten years have been far from easy, but that his recovery was due to his seven-year-old daughter Nevaeh.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t have gotten through this without her,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am so grateful she is in my life and I tell her that every time I see her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With help from his dad and friends Richard and Viv, Mr Hall got back on his feet and has since started his own avocado business called Crispy Avo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I certainly underestimated the power of electricity,” he admitted.</p> <p dir="ltr">With his continuing recovery, Mr Hall said he is still coming to terms with his appearance, but that it pales in comparison to current world events.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a first world problem,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7NEWS</em></p>

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Turns out you've been mashing potatoes wrong this whole time

<p><em>Images: Tiktok and Getty</em></p> <p>When it comes to producing the perfect creamy mashed potatoes, the internet is full of conflicting advice and information.</p> <p>Some swear by peeling and cutting them before boiling, then mashing them while still hot. Others are convinced the way to do it is to keep the skin on while boiling and remove it later, just before mashing them up to make that creamy consistency.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845866/new-project.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/be568044463347f38c5f1a7ab19415e8" /></p> <p>One of the problems with this method is, it can be difficult to peel the potatoes while still hot so they mash properly, which could be where The Wiggles drew their inspiration for the song ‘Hot Potato’.</p> <p>Instead, there is a kitchen hack you can use to peel hot potatoes without burning your fingers that will also help you mash them.</p> <p>Cooking ‘guru’ Lora McLaughlin Peterson has shared her method on TikTok @lorefied.</p> <p>Lora explains she boils her potatoes before slicing them in half. Once this is done, she places a wire cooking rack over a glass pie dish. The next step is pushing the potatoes down and through the wire rack, which serves to both mash them and remove the skin.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845867/new-project-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f49cf08674724a83a473e9a732590d65" /></p> <p>Once this is all done, she is left with rustic mashed potatoes that can be placed in a bowl and finished with salt, butter, milk and whatever else you desire.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 349.5145631067961px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845865/new-project-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e495c69ccf9743fa9831a2e1656f7f80" /></p> <p>This is the latest cooking hack to go viral and the perfect advice ahead of the festive season.</p>

Food & Wine

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First look at Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>Fans have got their first look at Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in upcoming biopic<span> </span><em>Being the Ricardos<span> </span></em>with the teaser trailer dropping overnight.</p> <p>The Aaron Sorkin film follows Hollywood couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who is played by Javier Bardem, during a production week on the set of their hit sitcom<span> </span><em>I Love Lucy.</em></p> <p>Throughout a Monday table read all the way through an audience shot on Friday, both Ball and Arnaz face challenges that could end both of their careers and their marriage.</p> <p>In the trailer, quick glimpses of the couple’s whirlwind life are shown accompanied by Kidman’s voiceover, with the first clear look at Kidman coming via the re-creation of Ball’s iconic grape stomping scene.</p> <p>Production on the movie was kept tightly under wraps with a closed set throughout, as Kidman showed on social media during filming.</p> <p>In Kidman’s recent Variety Actors on Actors conversation with Chris Rock, she stated that the biopic will not be a remake of<span> </span><em>I Love Lucy</em>, but will instead tackle serious themes.</p> <p>“The strange thing about Lucille Ball is that everyone thinks we’re remaking the ‘I Love Lucy’ show, it’s so not that,” Kidman said.</p> <p>“It’s about Lucy and Desi and their relationship and their marriage. It’s very deep actually.”</p> <p><em>Being the Ricardos</em><span> </span>also navigates the racial barriers that the couple had to face, with Desi being discriminated against for being Cuban, and Lucille fighting for him to remain on the show.</p> <p>Sorkin has written the screenplay and helms the film for Amazon Studios and Escape Artists. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch of Escape Artists are producers. Escape Artists' Jenna Block and David Bloomfield serve as executive producers, along with Stuart Besser, Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lauren Lohman.</p> <p>The film will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on December 21. Check out trailer below: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/We-MGoNaFcQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p> </p>

Movies

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“You’d never guess what’s inside”: Jacinda Ardern’s weirdest fan mail ever

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>NZ Prime Minister shared her weirdest fan mail ever, which just so happened to be a raw potato with her face on it.</p> <p>She shared it on her Instagram page, delighting over the raw potato that was sent in a box filled with other goodies such as chocolates and party poppers.</p> <p>The spud featured a photo of Ardern on one side and some potato puns on the other.</p> <p>"I get sent some amazing things. I get sent some interesting things. And sometimes, I get sent a potato," the Labor leader capturing a photo of the package.</p> <p>"Thank you to whoever sent it to me, the accompanying puns were spectacular."</p> <p>The lid of the box accurately declared 'You'd never guess what's inside'.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHZSQLeAw_x/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHZSQLeAw_x/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">I get sent some amazing things. I get sent some interesting things. And sometimes, I get sent a potato. Thank you to whoever sent it to me, the accompanying puns were spectacular.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/jacindaardern/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Jacinda Ardern</a> (@jacindaardern) on Nov 9, 2020 at 7:25pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fans were eager to know what puns were on the spud, with Arden saying that the potato congratulated her on her recent re-election.</p> <p>"Congrats on your spud-tacular victory. You s-mash-ed it again," the potato reads.</p> <p>"Who knew you could fit more than one potato pun on an actual potato," Arden joked.</p> <p>The spud sender, Srinivas Kalokota said that he posted the potato to congratulate Ardern.</p> <p>“She loved the gift [but] people are confused and wondering who sent this potato and what it is all about,” Kalakota said.</p> <p>He's launched an online service called Potato Post NZ, which has an aim of "spreading love, one potato at a time".</p> <p>“We wouldn't allow hate potatoes. We have a disclaimer that says we won't do it,” he said.</p> </div> </div> </div>

News

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Not again! Novak Djokovic hits judge with tennis ball

<p>Not long after his US Open disqualification, Novak Djokovic bruised another line judge’s face after a stray forehand at Roland Garros.</p> <p>The tennis star admitted he had an “awkward moment of deja vu” after unintentionally hitting a ball which smashed into the head of a line judge at Roland Garros this morning.</p> <p><span>World No. 1 Djokovic for his 35th win of 2020 and a place in the Paris quarter-finals for the 14th time with a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win over Russia’s Karen Khachanov. </span></p> <p><span>However, while stretching the star threw the ball out of the frame off of his racquet and into the baseline judge sitting near him. </span></p> <p><span>The Serb went immediately to the official to check if he was okay. </span></p> <p><span>The incident follows not long after he was defaulted at the US Open in New York for swiping angrily at a ball which hit a female line judge, who was standing just behind him, in the throat.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Djokovic just sniped another line judge <a href="https://t.co/QaEMWXNrBg">pic.twitter.com/QaEMWXNrBg</a></p> — Gump Cathcart (@bubbagumpino) <a href="https://twitter.com/bubbagumpino/status/1313125127928852480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>That disqualification is the only defeat Djokovic has suffered all year.</span></p> <p><span>“My gosh, it was very awkward deja vu. I’m actually trying to find the linesperson and see if he’s OK because I saw he had a little bit of a bruise, like redness, in that place in the head where the ball hit him,” said Djokovic. </span></p> <p><span>He has now reached the French Open quarter-finals for an 11th straight year.</span></p> <p><span>“I hope he’s fine. I mean, he definitely dealt with it in a very strong and brave way. But it was a hit because I was very close.</span></p> <p><span>“Obviously because of what happened in New York, people I guess are going to make the story out of this. It has happened to me and to many other players in the last 15 years that I’ve been on the tour.</span></p> <p><span>“I’ve seen it a lot when the ball ricochets from the racquet and the frame, hits someone in the stands, or someone that is close to you or a line umpire. Yeah, it was a very awkward situation.”</span></p>

News

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Healthier sweet potato and spelt carbonara

<p><em><span>Recipe by Magdalena Roze for Australian Sweet Potatoes</span></em></p> <p><span>I</span>’<span>ve made this recipe for one serve because it</span>’<span>s the perfect meal to make for one when you have leftover sweet potato mash or puree. To cook for more people, simply double, triple etc the quantities. It can</span><span> also be easily adapted for vegetarians by simply omitting the bacon. In this healthier version of carbonara, I</span>’<span>m using delicious sweet potato as a substitute for cream, and wholesome spelt pasta.</span></p> <p><em><span>Serves 1</span></em></p> <p><strong><span>Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span>100 grams spelt spaghetti</span></li> <li><span>1 tablespoon olive oil</span></li> <li><span>1 garlic clove, crushed</span></li> <li><span>30 grams bacon or pancetta, diced</span></li> <li><span>150 grams sweet potato, pureed</span></li> <li><span>30 grams parmesan cheese, grated</span></li> <li><span>1 whole free range egg, beaten</span></li> <li><span>Salt and pepper to season</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span>Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li><span>Cook the spelt pasta according to the packet instructions, usually around 10 minutes, and reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water for your carbonara sauce.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="2"> <li><span>In the meantime, place the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat, add the garlic and bacon/pancetta, and cook for about 5 minutes or until it</span>’<span>s crisp and golden, then set aside.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li><span>Put the sweet potato, parmesan, egg and half the pancetta/bacon in a bowl. When the pasta is ready, remove it from the water with tongs and place it into the bowl along with a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water. Using the tongs or a couple of forks, toss the pasta with all the ingredients until it</span>’<span>s well coated and all ingredients are well combined. The hot pasta will lightly cook the egg.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li><span>Top with remaining bacon/pancetta, extra parmesan and a generous amount of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="5"> <li><span>Enjoy!</span></li> </ol>

Food & Wine

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Sweet potato crusted shepherd’s pie

<p>Take out your casserole and try this recipe for the weekend.</p> <p><em>Serves 4 </em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, diced</li> <li>150g butter</li> <li>Salt and black pepper</li> <li>3 tbsp olive oil</li> <li>1 onion, finely sliced</li> <li>1 carrot, finely diced</li> <li>1 stick celery, finely diced</li> <li>2 clove garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>500g lamb mince</li> <li>2 tbsp tomato paste</li> <li>2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>½ cup red wine, optional</li> <li>1 cup chicken stock</li> <li>1 x 400g tin tomato</li> <li>1 cup frozen peas</li> <li>½ cup grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>Green leaf salad, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Steam or boil the sweet potato until cooked and soft then drain, mash and mix with the butter, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.</li> <li>Heat a medium saucepan over a high heat, add the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and lamb.</li> <li>Season with a little salt and cook over a medium to high heat to colour the lamb and cook the vegetables, stirring to break up with a spoon as it is cooking. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute then add the Worcestershire sauce, red wine, chicken stock and tinned tomato and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for approx. 30 minutes.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 190C. Adjust the seasoning of the lamb ragu then spoon the lamb mix into a baking dish, stir through the peas and top evenly with the mash sweet potato. Cover with the cheddar then bake for 15 -20 minutes before serving with a green salad if preferred.</li> </ol>

Food & Wine

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Butter chicken and sweet potato

<p>Looking for something wholesome and fulfilling for dinner? Try out this comforting butter chicken and sweet potato dish as a winter’s warmer.</p> <p><em>Serves 4</em></p> <p><em>Prep time: 15 mins + 1-hour marinating (optional)</em></p> <p><em>Cooking time: 40 mins</em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tbs tandoori curry paste</li> <li>¼ cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>700g small chicken thigh fillets, trimmed                      </li> <li>1 tbs ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped</li> <li>800g sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthways, cut into 3cm pieces</li> <li>420g jar butter chicken sauce</li> <li>400g can finely chopped tomatoes                   </li> <li>150ml thickened cream</li> <li>Warm naan, to serve</li> <li>cucumber raita &amp; coriander sprigs (optional), to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Combine curry paste and yoghurt in a bowl. Cut chicken in half crossways (if chicken is large cut into thirds). Stir into tandoori mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour only if you have time.</li> <li>Preheat oven 230°C fan forced. Remove chicken from marinade. Place on a greased tray. Roast 10 minutes in hot oven.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat ghee or oil in a deep-frying pan or wok. Add onion and chilli. Cook stirring 4 minutes until soft. Add sweet potato, cook 5 minutes. Add butter chicken sauce and tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until sweet potato just tender. Stir in cream. Add the chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes until chicken cooked through.</li> <li>Serve with warm naan, raita and coriander.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Ghee is clarified butter, its available in the Indian section of the supermarket. Once opened, store in the fridge. It’s great for cooking curries, pancakes, pikelets and cooking over high heat as it won’t burn like regular butter.</p>

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Miguel’s mushroom sweet potato gnocchi

<p>When it comes to cooking, celebrity chef Miguel Maestre has a surprising favourite ingredient – mushrooms.</p> <p>“Mushrooms are a brilliant and versatile ingredient that make meal times tastier and healthier,” the restaurateur and TV presenter said.</p> <p>Here’s one of Miguel’s mushroom recipes.</p> <p><strong>Recipe by: </strong>Miguel Maestre for Australian Mushrooms</p> <p><em>Serves 2-3</em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 medium sweet potatoes</li> <li>2 cups all purpose flour</li> <li>2 teaspoons salt flakes</li> <li>flour for dusting</li> <li>250g Swiss brown and button mushrooms, chopped in quarters</li> <li>10 sage leaves</li> <li>2 tbsp toasted pinenuts (optional)</li> <li>1/2 lemon</li> <li>50g butter</li> <li>Grated Parmesan</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork, and then bake them for at least 1 hour on a bed of rock salt in the oven until they are tender and the skin starts to look wrinkly.</li> <li>While the potato is still warm, peel the skin away from the flesh and set aside to cool slightly.</li> <li>If you have a potato ricer, put the sweet potatoes through this. Otherwise you can use a fine sieve and push the potato through with a ladle or wooden spoon.</li> <li>Place the flour on a board, or your kitchen bench. Make a well in the centre and add the riced / sieved sweet potatoes to the well.  Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Using your hands, work the sweet potato into the flour until it’s fully combined. You don’t want the dough to be sticky so keep adding flour gradually until you get a nice dry dough. This could take quite a bit of extra flour.</li> <li>Once fully combined, roll the dough into a ball and cut it into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a long sausage, each about a finger in thickness.</li> <li>Cut the rolls of dough into 2cm little pillows of gnocchi, and gently toss each piece into some flour on your work bench to ensure that it’s dry. At this point you could also use a gnocchi board or fork to press grooves into each piece of gnocchi to make it more professional looking but this is optional and tastes just as good without!</li> <li>To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the salt. Blanch the sweet potato gnocchi in salted boiling water until they all float. Then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.</li> <li>In a large frying pan, over a high heat, add a splash of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter, add the quartered mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until golden. Spoon out the mushrooms into a bowl.</li> <li>Using the same frying pan, add the cooked gnocchi and sear until crispy. Add the remaining butter, pine nuts, sage leaves and mushrooms you just set aside. Cook until the butter starts to burn.</li> <li>Then add lemon juice and Parmesan and serve.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Putting the potatoes through a sieve or potato ricer is a vital step to making gnocchi, as this breaks down the starch.</li> <li>If you make gnocchi often, a potato ricer is a fairly inexpensive kitchen tool that is handy to have.</li> </ul>

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