Pittwater Life April 2023 Issue

Food Life
with Janelle Bloom
Food Life
Recipes: janellebloom.com.au; FB: facebook.com/culinaryinbloom Insta: instagram.com/janellegbloom/
Looking for great meals on a
budget? Peek in the pantry...
There are many reasons to keep a well-stocked pantry. You
can save time, money, and a whole lot of stress when you
keep some basic pantry staples such as rice, pasta, canned
tomatoes, stock cubes, Mexican seasoning and tuna. It’s great for
the budget too (and aren’t we all on a budget nowadays). There is
no point having the pantry well-stocked if you don’t have a list of
repertoire recipes you can put together using basic ingredients.
Here is five of my go-to pantry recipes to get you started.
Tuna, pea &
caramelized
onion patties
Makes 12
longer if time permits.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying
pan over medium-high heat.
Cook patties, in batches, for
4 -5 minutes each side or
until golden. Remove to a
tray keep warm in the oven
while cooking the remaining
patties. Serve warm or at
room temperature with,
spinach, tartare and lemon
wedges.
Ham, cheese &
corn pasta bake
Serves 4 (as main)
400g penne pasta
1 tbs olive oil
4 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
250g shaved ham, chopped
2 rindless bacon rashers,
chopped
1x 490g jar creamy pasta sauce
2 tbs tomato paste
300g can corn kernels, drained
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup grated 4-cheese blend
onions and garlic. Cook,
stirring, for 1-2 minutes or
until softened slightly. Add
the ham and bacon and
cook, stirring often, for 3-5
minutes or until light golden.
Remove from the heat.
3. In a bowl, mix the pasta
sauce and tomato paste
together. Add the pasta,
bacon mixture, corn, basil
and half the cheese. Mix well.
Season with pepper.
4. Spoon the mixture into
a greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining
cheese. Place onto a tray and
bake for 20 minutes or until
sauce is bubbling around the
edges and the top golden.
Serve.
Mexican
crunch wrap
Makes 8
2 tbs olive oil, plus extra to
serve
1 small onion, finely grated
600g beef mince
35g pkt taco seasoning
400g can chopped tomatoes
8 large flour tortillas
8 small flour tortillas
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded baby spinach
leaves or iceberg lettuce
2 cups grated mozzarella
olive oil cooking spray
or until the onions are soft.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
Remove the lid, increase
fan forced. Cook the pasta in
heat to medium high. Add
a large saucepan of salted
the maple syrup, cook 5-8
boiling water following the
minutes until the onions are
packet directions, until al
sticky and light golden. Set
2 tbs olive oil
dente. Drain.
aside to cool.
2 brown onions, halved, thinly
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in
2. Meanwhile, place potatoes in
sliced
a large frying pan over
a large saucepan. Cover
medium heat. Add the green
2 garlic cloves, crushed
with cold water, season well
1 tbs maple syrup
with salt. Bring to the boil
700g unwashed potatoes,
over high heat. Boil for 10
peeled, chopped
minutes or until the potatoes
425g can tuna in oil, drained are tender. Drain well. Return
¼ cup frozen peas
to the hot saucepan, roughly
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped mash. Set aside to cool
1 lemon, rind finely grated completely.
½ cup plain flour
3. Tip the tuna into a large
1 egg, lightly beaten
bowl, flake with a fork. Add
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
the peas, parsley, lemon
vegetable oil, for shallow frying rind, potato and onions.
spinach leaves, tartare sauce Add the flour and egg.
and lemon wedges, to serve Season. Mix until well
combined. Using 1/3 cup of
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan mixture per patty, shape into
over low heat. Add the
rounds then flatten slightly.
onion and garlic, cover
Place onto a tray, coat both
with a lid and cook, stirring sides in breadcrumbs.
occasionally for 15 minutes Refrigerate for 30 minutes or
66 APRIL 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991