Category Archives: Pasta

Meet Kirrily Cornwell, Australian Good Taste Home Cook of the Year

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Today, I have the great honour of presenting my interview with Kirrily Cornwell, a fellow Canberran who was recently crowned the Australian Good Taste Home Cook of the Year 2011. Not only did Kirrily beat out nearly 5000 other competitors with her sheer cooking awesomeness, but she’s also a wonderful mother, world-traveller, and talented singer (she’s even performed in a Canberran production of Fiddler on the Roof, which you know is dear to my heart). Enjoy getting to know Kirrily; I certainly did!

Australian Good Taste Magazine, November 2011Hannah: Congratulations Kirrily! Your winning dish of Salmon with White Wine Risoni and Fennel Orange Salad looks phenomenal, and I love that a fellow Canberran won Australian Good Taste Home Cook of the Year. How did it feel to be announced the winner?

Kirrily: Thanks so much Hannah.  I can honestly say irrevocably and without a shadow of a doubt I was shocked beyond belief when they called my name out as the winner.  It sounds like a cliché but I didn’t expect to get as far as the semi-finals, let alone the finals, let alone win!

Hannah: You were selected as one of six finalists from almost 5000 entries. What led you to enter, and what inspired your winning dish?

Kirrily: I buy the magazine on a regular basis and when I got the issue which started the competition, the Reader’s Issue in June, I thought there were so many great recipes. I really enjoyed bringing my own touch to the recipes and it was a real learning process taking photos and composing shots of food (I had a couple of rejects that never made the cut because they just didn’t look good in photos!) (Hannah: I hear you there, sister!)

When I was selected as a semi-finalist and asked to submit my own recipe I was really happy. I wanted to do something a little bit different with pasta, and it seemed to come to me fairly easily with the ingredients just reflecting the flavours of spring. I did trial the dish with my family, and the salmon got the big thumbs up!

Hannah: Travel plays a key role in your love of cooking. What are your favourite food-related travel experiences?

Kirrily: It’s so hard to narrow down! The fresh produce at markets in France and Italy blew me away.  My sister is a great cook and we stayed in a villa in Tuscany with her and her husband and I’ll never forget cooking over a barbecue with candles, cooking risotto with fresh porcini mushrooms, and eating the best gelato in the world in San Gimignano. (Hannah: Ooh, if only I’d tried the gelato in Sin Gimignano! I definitely loved the gelato in Florence…)

Kirrily Cornwell, Australian Good Taste Home Cook of the YearI also love the memory of cooking in the tiny, tiny kitchen of a medieval cottage in the south of France.  I love duck and it was so great to get my hands on the best duck and all the other fresh produce I needed to make yummy food.

Wow the list goes on, awesome pizza in Venice, pepper crab in Singapore, French onion soup in Paris, fresh waffles in Belgium (not to mention the chocolate, beer, and fried goodness!), tapas in Spain, kebab ‘sandwich’ and mint tea in Morocco… I probably should stop or this article will go on forever! (Hannah: Don’t stop! I’m lost in dreams…)

Hannah: Now, let’s talk Canberra! Do you have any favourite restaurants here?

Kirrily: I’m a bit sad to say this but we hardly ever eat out! I’d have to ask my mum who eats out much more than I do lol! (Hannah: My mum eats out more than I do too!) They go to The Ridge at Farrer Shops all the time, apparently it’s got great food. Jehangir at Swinger Hill has really, really good Indian food. I love Thai Spice for a good Laksa, and just along from there the Chinese Kitchen has the best bbq’d duck and pork.

Hannah: How did your family react to the news that you’d gained the coveted title of Home Cook of the Year 2011?

Kirrily: My husband was so funny he swore a LOT! (he won’t be happy I told you that). All the plans of me getting a taxi home from the airport changed and he and the girls came out to pick me up, flowers and Moet in hand :) (Hannah: Aw! That’s so lovely!) Everyone has been so excited and proud, I had to tell my mum she had to stop telling people because we weren’t supposed to let on until after the November issue was released (that was hard!)

Kirrily Cornwell in FranceHannah: Do you have any food-related plans for the future?

Kirrily: To me there is a fundamental difference between being someone who wants a career in the food industry and someone who just loves cooking.  The food I cook is made to be shared with family and friends, prepared and shared around a big table of food and drink and laughter and fun. I am also determined that my kids have an appreciation for different types of food and where their food comes from so that is one of my main motivations behind cooking. I can’t really see myself as someone working in a professional kitchen. Unless later on in life we end up retiring to the French countryside and decide to run our own bed and breakfast! :-)

Hannah: Before I let you go, I must ask the most important question of all. Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy?

Kirrily: Most definitely definitely definitely crunchy!  My name is Kirrily and I’m a peanut butter addict… (Hannah: Welcome to the club! I knew I liked you for a reason.)

Hannah: Thank you so much for your time, Kirrily! And thank you for the fantastic recipe below, too. It’s been a blast getting to know you, and I look forward to meeting up to sing some Fiddler on the Roof together soon…

Kirrily Cornwell, Risoni Croquettes

Smoked Tuna & Risoni Croquettes with Baby Rocket & Cherry Tomato Salad and a Garlic Aioli

Recipe by Kirrily Cornwell, Australian Good Taste Home Cook of the Year
(makes around 12-14)

  • Punnet of cherry tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves – unpeeled
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup San Remo risoni
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tins smoked tuna slices – flaked
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
  • Canola oil for deep frying
  • 3/4 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
  • Olive oil to serve
  1. Preheat oven to 140°C. Line oven tray with baking paper, place cherry tomatoes and garlic on tray, spray with olive oil and season with salt. Drizzle balsamic over tomatoes and bake for 40mins or until garlic is tender, ensuring tomatoes stay intact.
  2. Meanwhile, cook risoni in salted boiling water until al dente, transfer to a large bowl, add parmesan and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Add two eggs, lightly beaten, tuna, dill and lemon zest to risoni mixture. Stir to combine. Season to taste and refrigerate until cooled completely (add some plain flour is mixture is too moist).
  4. Line tray with baking paper. Place flour, two eggs (lightly beaten) and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Roll 2-3 tablespoons of risoni mixture into a croquette shape, dust lightly with flour shaking off excess, dip into egg then roll in breadcrumbs until coated. Refrigerate for 30 mins.
  5. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat (to a depth of around 10cms). Heat to around 180 degrees. Cook croquettes in batches until golden, turning if necessary. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and keep warm.
  6. To make aioli, peel slightly cooled garlic & blend in a food processor with mayonnaise until smooth. Season to taste.
  7. Place baby rocket & tomatoes on a serving plate & drizzle with a little olive oil. Place 3-4 croquettes on plate & serve with aioli.

Tunisian-Style Beef, and What Happened When I Went To The Doctor

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I experienced a whopping great fright (tinged with consternation) at my doctor’s clinic yesterday.

True story.

Scene: Doctor’s clinic
Time: 10:00am

Hannah pushes open the door to her doctor’s waiting room and approaches the front desk.

Hannah: Hiya, I’m here for my appointment with Dr. Awesome Pants Of Gives Me Faith at 10:15?

Receptionist: Sure thing. You’re a little bit early for Dr. Awesome Pants Of Gives You Faith, so take a seat.

Hannah smiles at the receptionist and walks towards the seating area, reaching absentmindedly into her bag for The Boat by Nam Le, her current reading material of choice. Suddenly, a deep male voice calls out from a chair to her left.

Unknown Older Man: You can come and sit on my lap if you’d like, young lady.

He pats his lap enthusiastically.

All five women in the room (that would be Hannah, two patients, and two receptionists), jump in shock.

Hannah looks over at the man and takes in the situation. She collects herself, breathes deeply, and then strides over to him,  preparing a strong retort that will restore the situation to normal.

She leans over the man, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Hannah: Hi Grandpa! Fancy seeing you here!

And then she kisses him on the cheek, sits down on a chair, and tells him about the birthday dinner she’s cooking that night for her dad. The grandpa then gives the lady some lovely, lovely, much-needed-and-appreciated words of support in regards to a certain life decision she’s recently made, and all is well with the world.

The End.

Tunisian-style Beef

And now, the food! My dad’s birthday was over a month ago (you can read about his birthday dinner at Ottoman Cuisine here), and my present to him was the promise to cook a father-daughter dinner on a night when my mother was out. We bided our time, and then… BOOM. Mum went to yoga, I popped over with a swag of ingredients to which my mum is allergic, and then I cooked. Oh, how I cooked.

For those of you so inclined, I must admit that the main dish wasn’t vegan. You see, I’d promised my dad that I wouldn’t serve him tofu. However, the dessert was vegan, so be sure to check back here in future for that particular chocolate-y delight.

Now, though, I’m going to show you some Tunisian-Style Beef. (Please don’t ask me what makes this dish “Tunisian”. If you’d like, I’ll promise to report back if/when I ever make it to Tunisia myself.)

Tunisian-Style Beef

Tunisian-Style Beef

Adapted from The Australian Women’s Weekly “From The Shelf” Mini Cookbook
Serves 2*

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tb (40ml) fresh orange juice
  • 3 tsp (15ml) white wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 3/4 cup (75g) wholemeal couscous
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 2 tsp butter
  • 1 tb olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 250g beef mince
  • 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
  • 2 medium tomatoes (250g), finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 2 tb fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tb lemon juice

1. Mix together the garlic, ginger, orange juice, vinegar, and spices, and set aside.

2. Combine the couscous, boiling water, and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with clingwrap. Set aside for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed, and then fluff with a fork.

3. Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan, and stir-fry beef and onion until beef is browned. Add zucchini and orange juice mixture, stir-frying until zucchini has softened a little.

4. Add tomatoes and heat through, stirring. Last but not least (cliche alert!), throw in the couscous, herbs, and lemon juice, then season with salt. Stir to mix and heat through,. Serve, preferably to a father who is all kinds of magnificent.

Tunisian-Style Beef

* You might want to increase the amounts a little bit. After eating this and the dessert (to be blogged), I found myself toasting a cinnamon-raisin bagel and topping it with peanut butter and Ghirardelli chocolate chips before the night was out. And then there was more chocolate. And some oatmeal. And more chocolate. But shhhh…

Tamari and Sesame Mushroom Pasta For One (and a letter to Smurf Kitchen)

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Dear Smurf Kitchen,

It’s okay; I don’t blame you. It wasn’t your fault. How could you know that some doofus in the area would call a plumber at mid-day, without Body Corporate approval, and that said plumber would turn off the water for the entire complex? How could you know that you’d be one of the 50-plus units suddenly stripped of the ability to make coffee, cook dinner, wash hands, shower, or use the toilet?

Sure, it would’ve been nice if you’d let us know, through psychic brainwaves, that our plans for risotto-making, water-drinking, and general, you know, living were off the table. If we’d known that the plumber would leave at 5:30pm without turning the water back on, that ActewAGL would refuse to do so for fear of being sued (but would ask my housemate, on the phone with them, to find the water main and do it herself… erm, we don’t really want to be sued either, thanks all the same), that I would get cornered in the stairwell by our across-the-landing neighbour, Mr.StinkyNeverWashes*, while he talked about the situation and all I could think was breathe through my mouth, breathe through my mouth… well, we might’ve made other plans for the night.

This has nothing to do with anything. It's just rice on my pretty Istanbul plate.

I do understand, though, Smurf Kitchen of mine, that you aren’t entirely sentient and probably don’t know how to telepathically warn me of such things. But maybe you could work on that? Still, thanks for returning water to us at around 8pm. And thanks for having allowed me to cook delicious mushroom pasta in the morning, as I was then able to eat it for a no-cook dinner.

Much love,

Hannah

*Seriously. He doesn’t even have a washing machine. The smell drifts into the stairwell area even if he’s only left the door open a few minutes. In truth, I prefer the cigarette smell.

Tamari Mushroom Pasta

Tamari and Sesame Mushroom Pasta for One

  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 200g mushrooms, sliced (I used mushrooms from the farmers markets, and they were fantastic. Buckets better tasting than supermarket mushies.)
  • couple of good shakes of smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp tamari
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • the amount of pasta you’d normally serve yourself. Cooked, that is. No one likes an entire bowl of crunchy pasta, although I used to eat strands of uncooked spaghetti as a kid. Oh, and by the by, I used wholegrain spiral pasta, because I adore wholegrain pasta.
  1. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then throw in the garlic and let it sizzle for a few seconds. Tip in the mushrooms with the smoked paprika and let the mushrooms cook down a bit, maybe 1-2 minutes, until they start releasing their liquid.
  2. Add the tamari and rice wine vinegar, sizzle away until it’s cooked to your liking, then add the cooked, drained pasta and stir around. Eat hot, if that’s your thing, or cold, if you’ve made it in advance and later find yourself in a building bereft of water.
  3. See, it’s hardly much of a recipe, is it? It is awesomeness though. If you want to be fancypants, though, I’d recommend throwing in some chopped spring onions, fresh coriander, ginger, sesame seeds (ooh, sesame seeds!), and/or tofu. Brilliant.