Here are our top 5 winter recipes to keep you warm this season, selected by Astra Apartments managers.

1. Glen from Sydney CBD has chosen Slow roasted Pork with Thyme and Marjoram

Ingredients:

  •          1 tablespoon chopped thyme
  •          1 tablespoon chopped marjoram
  •          3 garlic cloves, crushed
  •          1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  •          1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
  •          1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  •           1.5kg boned pork shoulder, rolled

Method         

Preheat oven to 220°C. Combine the thyme, marjoram, garlic, salt, oil and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the pork and use your hands to work herb mixture into rind and centre of pork to coat well.

Place the pork on a rack over a large roasting pan and pour over any herb mixture remaining in the bowl. Cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 150°C and roast for a further 3 1/2 hours or until very tender. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.

Place pork on a serving platter and drizzle with pan juices. Serve with roasted root vegetables

2. Takie from Melbourne selected a Spicy Sausage Bake

Ingredients:

  •          250g cherry tomatoes
  •          200g grape tomatoes, halved
  •          2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
  •          1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  •          1 long red chilli, finely sliced
  •          1 large green capsicum, chopped
  •          1 tablespoon olive oil
  •          8 (500g) thick extra-lean beef sausages
  •          crusty bread and salad leaves, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Place tomatoes, basil, chilli, capsicum and oil in a large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Top with sausages.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning sausages occasionally, or until sausages are cooked through. Serve with bread and salad leaves.

3. Emma from Perth chose Potato Topped Lamb Casserole

Ingredients:

  •          1 tablespoon olive oil
  •          6 Coles Brand Lamb Forequarter Chops, fat trimmed
  •          1 leek, finely sliced
  •          2 garlic cloves, crushed
  •          1 cup Coles Brand Chicken Stock
  •          1/4 cup red currant jelly
  •          1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  •          750g red washed potatoes, thinly sliced
  •          50g butter, melted
  •          Freshly ground black pepper
  •          Steamed Green Vegetables, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan-forced). Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Brown the lamb chops in 2 batches and transfer to a shallow 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish in 2 layers.  

Reduce heat to medium-low and heat the remaining oil. Add leek and cook for 5 mins, until soft. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 secs. Stir in stock, red currant jelly and rosemary, scraping the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil and pour over chops. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and uncover. Increase oven temperature to 200C (180C fan-forced). Layer potato slices over top and brush with butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return to oven and cook for 30 mins, until golden brown. Serve with steamed green vegetables.

4. Duncan from Canberra chose the french classic Tartiflette

Ingredients:

  •          1.2kg Kestrel potatoes, peeled
  •          Butter, to grease
  •          200g kaiserfleisch, rind removed, thinly sliced (see note)
  •          1 brown onion, finely chopped
  •          2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  •          80ml (1/3 cup) white wine
  •          300ml ctn thickened cream
  •          2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  •          80g (1 cup) coarsely grated Swiss cheese

Method

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat and cook for 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Cut into 1cm-thick slices.  

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 2L (8-cup) capacity baking dish with butter. Cook the kaiserfleisch and onion, stirring occasionally, in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat for 7 minutes or until the kaiserfleisch is crisp. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute or until reduced slightly. Stir in the cream and thyme. Season with pepper.

Place half the potato in a single layer in the prepared dish. Top with half the kaiserfleisch mixture. Top with the remaining potato and kaiserfleisch mixture. Top with the cheese. Cover with non-stick baking paper and foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove paper and foil. Bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden.

5. Finally, Kosta from Astra Apartments Brisbane selected Balsamic Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

  •          12 (2kg) chicken thighs (bone in, skin on), trimmed
  •          600g chat potatoes, quartered
  •          2 medium red onions, cut into thin wedges
  •          6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  •          6 fresh thyme sprigs
  •          1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  •          2 tablespoons olive oil
  •          2 teaspoons brown sugar
  •          250g cherry tomatoes

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Arrange chicken, potato, onion, garlic and thyme in two large roasting dishes. Whisk vinegar, oil and sugar in a jug until sugar has dissolved. Drizzle over chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 40 minutes. Add tomatoes. Bake for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve 8 chicken thighs with half the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate remaining chicken and vegetables.

 

* recipes taken from a taste.com.au

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