Nothing could be more refreshing than a crisp cucumber salad – perfect for Australia’s sticky and humid summer days.

Served as a pre-meal appetiser with a ‘rakija’ if you so desire, or simply in place of a garden salad with whatever you’re having for lunch or dinner, I could easily eat this salad every night of the week during summer, and the beauty of it is that it only takes a few minutes to whip up.

The secret to a really good salad is super fresh and cold cucumbers, old and rubbery ones that are served at room temperature just don’t seem to have the same impact. The cucumbers I often use are from my mum’s veggie garden, they’re a long white fruit with thin skin that doesn’t require peeling (although I prefer them peeled), I think the variety is called ‘Armenian cucumbers’. You can also use nice fresh Lebanese cucumbers as most supermarkets don’t seem to stock the Armenian variety.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste)
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) In a bowl add sliced cucumber, oil, vinegar and salt. Toss to dress evenly and serve immediately.

Tips:

- Use fresh cucumbers that are stored in the fridge.

There’s only a couple of foods I haven’t been able to stomach during this pregnancy, and one of them is mushrooms. Under non-pregnant circumstances I love, adore, and crave mushrooms, so you can imagine my confusion when my taste buds suddenly said “mushrooms – NO”. Why can’t I eat mushrooms?

After months of avoiding cooking them, I thought I’d attempt to make mushrooms again. Surely I’d enjoy them just the way my mum had always made them. Seeing her recipe is so simple to make and given the fact that David has been begging me make mushrooms for months, I gave it go.

So there I was, standing there with a beautiful looking pan full of deliciously golden mushrooms, determined I’d devour in a matter of moments, sadly it was quite the contrary, I just couldn’t do it! David on the other hand assured me that they were heavenly, I guess they must have been, considering he ate them all in one sitting!

Oh well, here’s hoping that post 13 June, I’ll be scoffing down yummy mushrooms again.

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Recipe

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients
3 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil
450g mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Sea salt to taste
1 small onion, thinly sliced lengthways
20g butter (optional)
Ground white pepper

Method
1) Heat olive oil in a large frying pan (med-high heat). Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and saute, stir frequently until liquid begins to evaporate (5-10 minutes). Add onion and continue to saute until the mushrooms turn golden (3-5 minutes). If you like that buttery taste, mix through a knob of butter and remove from heat to avoid burning. Sprinkle over ground white pepper and serve immediately as a side dish accompanying grilled meat.

Tips:
- Do not wash mushrooms, to clean use a cloth or kitchen paper.
- Fresh and firm mushrooms should not be peeled as the skin gives a more intense falvour.
- Store fresh mushrooms in a paper bag and never in a plastic bag.
- For another variation, try replacing the onion with a clove of crushed garlic.

I have some explaining to do…there’s a reason why my posts have been a little sparse over the past few months. I’ve been feeling ridiculously tired, my taste buds have drastically changed, and to my surprise, some days cooking is the last thing I feel like doing! If you’ve guessed that I’ve got a bun in the oven, you’re absolutely right…I’m pregnant!!!

So beloved feasters, I hope you can forgive me for my infrequent recipe posts, and I hope you’re still happy to follow me on my journey as an eager village cook and first time mum to be. The recipe posts will continue, but they may be tad less frequent, and they may become a little simpler over the coming months.

In keeping with the theme of simplified cooking, I’d love for you to try my Mum’s lemon and paprika chicken, it’s an old favourite and perfect during summer on the BBQ served with a simple garden salad or taratur.

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Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Juice and zest of half a lemon (zest is optional)
Sea salt to taste (or dried vegetable stock e.g. Vegeta/Massel)

4-6 chicken thigh or breast fillets, skin removed

Method
1) Combine olive oil, paprika, garlic, lemon and salt in a medium sized glass or plastic bowl. Add chicken and toss to completely cover with marinade. Cover and marinade in refrigerator for 2 hours.

2) Preheat BBQ plate/chargrill or large frying pan (medium to hot). Cook chicken for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

3) Serve chicken with salad.

Tip: Leftover chicken is delicious the next day on sandwiches with green oak lettuce, tomato, bacon and aoili (see recipe).

It has always been a family tradition to regularly enjoy a warming bowl of fruit compote on chilly winter nights. Not only is it quick and easy, it’s also sugar and fat free!

There are no hard rules with compote, you can add whatever fruit takes your fancy, I like a combination of dried prunes, sultanas, fresh pear, apple and quince. Feel free to experiment, you may like to add dried figs or apricots.

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Recipe

Serves 2-4

Ingredients
3 cups (750ml) water
1/2 quince, peeled, cored and diced (optional)
2/3 cup dried prunes
1/2 cup sultanas
1 cinnamon stick (if unavailable add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Pink Lady apple, peeled, cored and diced

Method
1) Combine water, quince, prunes, sultanas and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Add diced pear and apples, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for further 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick, spoon into serving bowls and enjoy while hot.
Note: Drizzle with honey if you prefer your compote a little sweeter.

Tips:
- Fruit can be left unpeeled with skin on.
- For an easy dessert serve fruit without liquid along with double cream or custard.

With no sugar or fat, this recipe for baked apples is super easy, healthy and tasty too!

It’s a perfect winter treat and a great way to use up apples that are a little older and have become floury. Coring the apples is not traditional however definitely an option, you can even chop in half and remove the seeds if you prefer. I felt like being old fashioned and sticking to my families village recipe of leaving the apples whole. You’ll just need to remember to avoid the seeds when eating.

Once baked, the soft and mushy flesh is perfectly complimented with ice cream or warm custard.
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Recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
6-8 apples, washed and dried
Ground cinnamon (optional)
Water

Method
1) Preheat oven to 180 °C.

2) In a medium ovenproof dish pour in enough water to completely cover the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with ground cinnamon (optional). Sunggly place the apples upright in the dish and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the apples are tender. Remove from oven and drizzle over the syrupy cooking juices.

3) Serve while warm with a scoop of ice cream or warm custard.

Tips:
- The length of baking will depend on the size and type of apples, test by inserting a fork into the flesh.
- During baking, be sure to check regularly and add more water if necessary to avoid the apples from drying out. If the apples begin to burn cover with a sheet of foil and/or reduce the oven temperature.

I’ve mentioned lutenka as an accompaniment in many recipes (chevapi, kjofte, maznik, pitulici) so I thought it was fitting to share my baba’s (grandmother) recipe.

There are oodles of mass produced options available in select delis, as lutenka, or lutenica as it is also referred to is popular across the Balkans, but nothing beats this homemade version.

Traditionally made with only red banana chillies, I had a heap of green ones lying around that I decided to put to good use and it tasted just as good. If you don’t have banana chillies, you can always use capsicums.

Before blanching cut an ‘X’ into the base of each tomato

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Recipe

Makes 1.5 litres

Ingredients
2kg red/green banana chillies (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies)
1-2 hot chillies (optional)
1.5kg ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for storing
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/8 cup (30ml) red wine vinegar
1/3 cup (70g) caster sugar
Sea salt to taste
Handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method
1) Wash, dry and grill chillies. Allow to stand covered for 20-30 minutes. When cool enough to handle peel, remove stems and seeds and thinly slice flesh, set aside. For detailed instructions see Grilled Chillies (Pecheni Piperki) recipe.

2) To blanch tomatoes bring a large pot of water to the boil. Wash tomatoes and cut an ‘X’ into the base no bigger than 2cm and no deeper than 3mm. Gently drop half the tomatoes using a slotted spoon into the boiling water. Cover with lid for 1-2 minutes. Carefully remove remove from boiling water and place on a tray to cool. Repeat with remaining tomatoes. When cool enough to handle remove skin and stems and place peeled tomatoes into large bowl. Using a potato masher squash the tomato pulp and then pass through a coarse sieve until only the seeds remain (this will take you 5-10 minutes).
Note: Passing through a sieve is optional, removing the seeds will give you a smoother and richer taste.

3) In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and gently fry until lightly golden and fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add tomatoes and increase heat to high then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, stiring every so often. Add chillies, vinegar, sugar and salt to taste and increase heat to high. Stir and reduce heat to medium, simmer 25-30 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Taste the sauce and add more salt and/or sugar if required. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

4) Meanwhile steralise 6 jars (250ml capacity). Wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water, then put them in a pan of simmering water for 10 minutes. Remove the jars (not lids) and place them upside-down in an oven preheated to 140°C and allow to dry for 10 minutes.

5) Add chopped parsley to lutenka and stir through. Spoon into clean, dry and warm jars, cover the surface with 1cm of olive oil (this will help to seal and preserve the lutenka). Clean around the rim of the jar, remove lids from water and dry with a towel then use to seal. Store lutenka for up to 6 months in a cool, dark spot.

Tip: Enjoy with chevapi, kjoftinja, maznik, pitulici and on fresh bread with crumbled feta/goats cheese.

The secret to beautiful tasting eggplant is two-part. Firstly, select firm, medium sized fruit with unblemished skin, rather than extra large ones with wrinkly skin. Secondly, it must be cooked until the flesh collapses and is soft and mushy, under-cooking it will result in spongy and flavourless eggplant.

Grilling eggplant is a perfect way to enjoy its flavour. Team with thinly sliced garlic and a scattering of fresh parsley for a quick and delicious summer side dish.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt before grilling

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Recipe

Serves 4 as appetiser

Ingredients
2 eggplants, cut widthways into 1.5-2cm thick slices
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing, plus extra for drizzling
Sea salt
1-2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Parsley, coarsely chopped to garnish (optional)

Method
1) Preheat a griddle pan or bbq grill over medium-high heat. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt on both sides. Grill eggplant slices in batches, turning once until cooked through and the flesh has collapsed slightly (5-7 minutes on the first side, 4-5 minutes on the reverse side). Place the cooked eggplant in a medium dish, sprinkle the first layer with some of the garlic slices, tightly cover with a lid or sheet of foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining grilled eggplant, sprinkling with garlic between each layer. Drizzle the final layer with olive oil, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes, this will help the flesh soften.

2) Before serving drizzle with extra olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and scatter with parsley. Enjoy while warm or at room temperature with grilled meat or fish, or on toast with a good quality goats cheese.

Tip: Grill eggplant in half the time on an electric cafe-like grill (similar to a sandwich press).

Every family has Christmas traditions, so every Christmas Eve Mum would bring out the Christmas ham. In preparation for the following day we’d enjoy a light dinner of ham off the bone, a beautiful tomato salad and fresh crusty bread (vienna loaf is best).

In reality, I love this tomato salad throughout summer, when juicy ripe tomatoes are in abundance. Depending on your taste buds, you may prefer this salad dressed with just olive oil and salt, as the tomato juices form part of the dressing. If however, your a vinegar lover like me, a splash of red wine vinegar makes this salad just perfect.

The best part is mopping up the juices with bite-sized chunks of soft bread, yum, yum, yum!
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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
2-3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium banana chilli, sliced into rings (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillie)
1/4 spanish onion, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Red wine vinegar to taste (optional)
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) Arrange tomato wedges in a bowl, top with onion and chillies. Drizzle with olive oil, vinegar (optional) and sprinkle with salt. Gently toss and serve immediately.

Tips:
- Leftover tomato salad makes the best tomato relish the following day. Store the leftovers in an airtight container overnight, the following day gently fry (medium heat) for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes collapse.
- Never store tomatoes in the fridge, keep in the pantry in a cool, dark spot.
- Use green capsicum if you are unable to find banana chillies.

Inevitably, living in an apartment limits what I can grow in pots on my sunny balcony. I have a couple of essential herbs growing like parsley, rosemary, basil and sage, but for the good stuff (chillies, tomatoes and cucumbers) I have to rely on my garden obsessed family. Luckily for me, the supply of heavenly summer garden vegetables has begun with my first bag of fresh chillies!

I have been brought up to believe that there are 101 ways to eat a chilli. And believe me, there are! You can bake, dry, pickle, stuff then pickle, dust with flour then fry, fry with eggs, fry with tomato, grill, add to stews and goulashes, in salads, in sauces, in relishes…the list goes on.

One of my favourite ways of eating sweet garden chillies is blistered, peeled and drizzled with olive oil and vinegar. It’s a delicious and healthy salad-type appetiser which can be eaten with a fork, but the best way to eat it is by holding the stem and gradually easing into your mouth, yum!

Use the stem of each chilli to turn over

Split each chilli in half to drain out any excess liquid

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Recipe………………………………..

Serves 4 as an appetiser

Ingredients
12 long banana chillies (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Red wine vinegar to taste

Method
1) Rinse and dry chillies. Heat a bbq hot plate or grilling/frying pan (medium-high heat). Place half the chillies on the grill/pan and let the skin char and turn black (3-5 minutes on each side). Every so soften press down lightly to ensure all surfaces are being charred (being careful not to split the skin), use the stem of each chilli (or tongs) to turn over. Once blackened all over transfer to a bowl and cover with a dinner plate to keep in the heat (you can also place in a plastic bag), allow to cool (10-15 minutes).
2) Once cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Use your thumb and index finger to split the chilli in half length ways to allow the excess liquid to drain out. Place the perpared chillies in a clean bowl, sprinkle with salt and drizzle over olive oil, use your fingers to ensure each chilli has been evenly dressed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
3) To serve, chillies should be at room temperature. Place 2-3 chillies in a plate, drizzle with red wine vinegar and a little extra salt if necessary, eat with feta cheese and fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Tip: You can also blister chillies in a very hot oven (250°C). Place chillies on a tray, bake for 15-20 minutes, turning regularly until blistered all over.