5 Minute Food Fix

Nigella Lawson is coming to Australia!! - - and your food-obsessed, Nigella loving hosts can't decide whether they can stump up for a ticket. What would you do?

(You can email us your thoughts any time at [email protected])

Simon has a story about, yes, having eaten genuine, home-cooked Nigella food back in England... and a recipe throwback to a staple in MANY houses - including Nigella's own. You can find it here but it's basically cooking a whole chicken in a casserole dish with ORZO PASTA, a couple of carrots and lemons, some leek and garlic - and you don't even need stock! Use water and salt.

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Got fussy kids?

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!

Mine don't eat a huge variation of foods and I get tired of spinning the existing recipes 'round and 'round and around again...

The new thing they *might* actually try?

CRUNCHY TOFU

Silken tofu

rice flour

deep-frying oil

Tsuyu sauce for serving

Pre-heat the oil. (I use about 1.5 cups of vegetable oil in my smallest saucepan.) Dust the dried-off tofu in plentiful rice flour. Shake off the excess. Have a rack or draining towel standing by and some good tongs.

Gently lower the tofu squares into the hot oil. If needed, turn the tofu halfway through cooking to ensure all sides are cooked.

Fry for about 4 minutes.

Serve with Japanese udon sauce, or Tsuyu sauce, diluted about 1:4. Garnish with snipped chives, or finely grated ginger/daikon or (in my kids' case) nothing at all!

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The annual Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is a big event on the International Foodie calendar and Simon was there getting amongst it.

World's Greatest Baker Richard Hart was there and the two got to experience a memorable "fusion" food experience.

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It's not every day that you get to interview an acclaimed and genuinely cool English author who can sell out rooms here in Australia... but that's what Yumi was doing (for her other job) when something DEEPLY CRINGE AND FOOD-RELATED occurred. You can hear all about it on today's episode! LOLSSSSS.

You can also hear about this SALAD - from an amazing website I use all the time.

1 tomato

2 tbs ponzu

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds

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SPOILER: Yumi's is Japanese fermented soy beans, "natto" (pronounced: "nut - or"), and Simon's is the recipe below for Spicy Tuna Pasta.

They'll also talk about what "alone time" means for busy parents and what books they've been reading lately!

SIMON'S SPICY TUNA PASTA FOR ONE

100g linguine, spaghetti or whatever pasta you want - cooked in a pot of boiling, salted water

While the pasta is cooking, prep your ingredients by chopping finely 2 long red chillies, 1 garlic clove, and have standing by 1 big handful of chopped parsley and a fancy tin of your favourite tuna.

Using the now-dry and empty pasta-cooking pot, cook the garlic and chilli in 2 tbs olive oil. Add the tuna and break it up a little. Add some reserved pasta water, toss in the parsley and if you have, a big squeeze of lemon juice.

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When the holidays loom, it's easy to feel like making plans is just ONE MORE JOB on our already overloaded TO-DO LISTS!

SIMON'S EASTER HOLIDAYS OLIVE OIL CAKE

Grease and line 20cm cake tin

Pre heat 180C

INTO A BOWL WITH:

125 ml olive oil

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs

zest of a lemon

-- whisk to combine --

then add 50ml milk

FINALLY combine

200g plain flour, 1.5tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt

Mix then pour into the tin and sprinkle with 2 tbs caster sugar on top.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Test with a "skewer"

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RETHINKING ingredients can take a bit of brain elasticity.

For example? I always thought pine needles had to be served as full needles! But they can be finely chopped to excellent, delicious effect.

Same goes for SNOW PEAS.

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A lot of families have a carousel of meals they cook on rotation. Simon and Yumi both have this - and it can get boring. The spins can lack variety and surprise!

And you know what else? Every now and then you look at what you've got on regular rotation and realise... HANG ON, THAT THING THAT WE ALL USED TO LOVE AND EAT ALL THE TIME FELL OUT OF FAVOUR!

So - in Simon's case? Let's bring back Coriander Pesto!

It's so good to add flavour as a condiment to a curry. But it can also be drizzled over cooked fish. Or to marinate chicken. SO GOOD, TRUST ME.

1 bunch of coriander, washed well and spun dry

100g plain peanuts (not roasted/salted etc)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 small green chillies, de-seeded if you don't like heat

1 tsp salt

FYI in Meera Sodha's version (and we both LOVE HER COOKBOOKS), she also adds in 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and 4 tsp brown sugar!

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My kids will go camping simply on the promise of a foil-wrapped, campfire roasted potato.

They'll endure tent-sleeping in torrential rain for them!

So what do you do if you can't have a camp fire? (National Parks, total fire bans, etc.?)

And how can you translate this natural and tasty delight into something you can make at home surrounded by your city comforts?

LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE as your fave foodies talk you through it.

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Does cooking for one sound sad? Depressing? Lonely?

It's kind of okay - if you're armed with some hacks so you're not starting from scratch every meal.

YUMI'S ANCHOVY SALAD DRESSING (TO LEAVE IN THE FRIDGE FOR WHEN YOU JUST CAN'T BE BOTHERED)

60g anchovies

250ml olive oil

10g honey

25g tahini

20g best balsamic vinegar

50g white balsamic vinegar

juice of one lemon

Blend everything in the jar you intend to store it in. Check for sourness and seasoning. If it's too intense, add more oil, up to another 150ml.

Store in the fridge.

Dress on a salad of rocket, walnuts, pear, crutons and thickly grated grana padano cheese! (You won't need the full amount of dressing! This is so you can use a bit and store the rest. A couple of tablespoons per serve of salad.)

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