5 Minute Food Fix

Feedback can be ...alarming? Unwelcome? But in Simon's case, it was feedback from a parent at his kids' school that reminded him of just how good a crispy chickpea can be!So what else to do with the idea?A coeliac-friendly, vegan delight, this is CLASSIC Food Fix: Simple, quick to prepare and within reach for the average home cook, but with STUNNING results.METHODDrain and rinse 1 tin of chick peas, dry them well, then crush them with a rolling pin or another tin.In a large frying pan, heat 4tbs of olive oil.When hot, add the chick peas and spread them out.Give them time to crisp up, stirring occasionally.When you're pretty sure they're ready and crispy, add two finely sliced garlic cloves and fry for another 30 seconds.Take off the heat and add the zest of 1 lemon, a handful of finely chopped parsley, and season well with salt and pepper! Serve on top of pasta, salads, a tomato carpaccio, a tuna rice bowl or on top of a bowl of roasted vegetables.Store in an airtight container! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ENGLISH CULTURE?Simon loves sharing where he's from and frankly, these delightful insights always go down well, especially with a strong mug of English Breakfast tea. Today he waxes lyrical about something I've heard of but never really experienced: the FlapjackSIMON'S SUPER SIMPLE FLAPJACKS200g butter200g brown sugar200g golden syrupMelt together in a saucepan until smoothStir in 400g of rolled oatsPress into a 20 x 30cm square tinAdd whatever yummy nutty thing or fruity thing you want. Or leave plain!Bake 180C for 20mins.Allow to cool in the tin then slice into bars or squares. It should last a couple of weeks! Take it on hikes, to work, football, etc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi kicks off the episode with a confession that SOUNDS bad but if you're an over-worked, under-slept working parent, you probably get it.And HOW GOOD IS FRESH CHEESE?Get some inspo for how a little tub of bocconcini could level up tonight's meal XX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've been referred to this podcast because one of your friends knows you like camping - this episode is for you!Yumi is a keen hiker and so a lot of the food she makes in *normal* life, she's assessing as to whether it could be repurposed as something lightweight and long-lasting that could come on a multi-day hike.This recipe, from Meera Sodha's wonderful book EAST - delivers. Of course, Yumi has to make adjustments, so her version is:In a HEAVY BASED PANFry up 2 stalks of curry leaves with 2 cinnamon quills, 1.5tsp of finely grated fresh turmeric, 1 lightly bashed lemongrass stalk, cut into 3, tbs black mustard seeds, 2 long red chillies, 1.25tsp salt.Add a pre-chopped fennel bulb OR onion.Fry until the onion or fennel is soft.After 10-15 mins, add in 150g - 200g of dried red lentils, 2 tins of coconut milk and a tin of water. Stir well.Cook for about 25 - 30 mins until the lentils are soft and creamy.Top with some crispy fried curry leaves! DELIGHTFUL! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Both your hosts tend to obsess over foods, recipes or ingredients and deep-dive with said specialty before turning to grab a new obsession.For instance, Yumi (me) right now is in the thick of trying to make the perfect Char Kway Teow (fresh, wok-fried Malaysian noodles that are beyond excellent when done well).Simon revisits one of his past obsessions, sweet paprika, and is delighted to find a new way to cook with it that is both super-simple, and fast.The sweet paprika that Simon recommends looks like this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Yumi confronts Simon with something questionable he did with a shot of coffee... And she then razzes him about how she improved his own recipe!FULLY LOADED PECAN BROWNIESLine a 20cm square cake tin.Put the oven on to 180CMelt in a bowl over hot water 125g chopped butter and 100g dark 85% chocolate,Remove from heat and allow to sit for a moment.Quickly add in 3 beaten eggs300g (1 1/2 cups) white sugar115g (3/4 cup) plain flour30g (1/4 cup) Dutch cocoa powder1 tsp vanilla extractPinch of saltThen stir through 180g of pecans. This batter will be very stiff! Bake for 30 mins. No less! Be careful not to overdo it and have your nose on HIGH ALERT for any burning smells. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MARMALADE shouldn't be out-of-reach for the average home cook!And if you LOVE the weird, spreadable, sour, sometimes bitter preserve, then you really must try home-made, because there's nothing as good available to buy in mainstream shops, although Simon does have a few he thinks are "pretty good".DELICIOUS RUBY BLOOD ORANGE MARMALADE1.5kg blood oranges1kg sugar2tsp agar agar powder (optional)METHODWash the skin of the blood oranges, remove any stickers and seeds and prepare to get chopping.Cut off the rough nubby ends of the oranges then halve them, and slice them into crescents slightly thinner than a 20c piece. (Same thickness is fine.) Compost excess pith.Soak the orange slices overnight in just enough water to cover them.Next day, sterilise 6-8 jars with metal lids by putting them in a cool oven and then turning it on to 100C for 30 mins.In a large pot, bring the blood orange slices and their water to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and set a timer for 40 mins. When the timer sounds, pour in the sugar. Stir to assist it to dissolve. Set another timer for 40 mins and keep cooking it gently so it's bubbling, but not furiously. Now you'll need to keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Keep stirring and watch the level of heat so that it doesn't scorch the bottom of the pan.In the last minute, scatter over the Agar Agar powder and mix through well.Allow the jam to cool a little - say, 15-20 mins.Arrange the sterilised jar in your biggest sink. Pour out the marmalade into the jars using a ladle or heatproof jug. Screw the lids on tightly. When the jars are cool enough to handle, wash them clean of spatters and spills.Add a cute label if you can be bothered.Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.Serve on toast, with a cheeseboard, on scones or muffins. DELIGHTFUL! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Sami Tamimi's FALASTIN - and it's a remarkable cookbook. It's got one of my favourite tomato recipes in the entire world, a rice dish where you use Greek yoghurt almost as a stock to make a creamy white risotto (incredible), and this dish, which I have (since recording) made multiple times. It's easy, really nourishing, and has flavours that transport you to the wonderful culture and food of Sami's homeland.SESAME CRUMBLE50g white sesame seeds25g black sesame seeds150g rolled oats50g flaked almondssea saltcardamom seeds, removed from the pods and crushed50g smooth peanut butter1 egg white100g honey1tbs rose water2tbs olive oilCombine and bake at 160g for 18-20 mins, stirring twice.Serve on top of fruit and yoghurt.PS. If you want to find out more about the GRANOLA I have perfected (it really is perfect) have a look here - or search for GRANOLA TEMPLATE, episode 295 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi is still very much hung up on the cookbook that is TOMATO by Clare Thompson, which so far has been yielding a DELIGHTFUL number of heavenly recipes, including the one which inspired her to get into a Black Olive Tapenade...Because who doesn't love a foodie quest? Find a hundred grams of the best pitted black olives you can afford!Moosh them up with 6 anchovies and a tablespoon of capers and 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprig of thyme!Use a sharp knife, a mortar and pestle, or a nutribullet-sized blender: The results will differ in texture, but will all be delicious! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Utterly thrilled with his work perk of a whole ton of beautiful, fresh pistachio nuts, Simon has gone nuts experimenting with this ingredient.He's tried nearly everything, but today's dish is far-and-away his favourite:PISTACHIO TRAY-BAKE CHICKENHeat oven to 220CTo make the pistachio paste:Chop 1 cup of shelled and roasted pistachios with one small bunch parsley. Get it quite well chopped and fine and then into a bowl.Add zest of 1 lemon, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, a pinch salt, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 3 tbs olive oil.MIX WELL til you have a chunky paste.Take a bunch of broccolini and toss with 1tbs of the pistachio paste and set aside600g boneless, skin-on chicken thighs. Coat them with the remaining pistachio paste.Pop on tray and roast for 15 mins and then add the greens and roast for another 10 mins or until the greens are cooked and the pistachio crust has gone golden.Serve with Simon's Lemon Yoghurt. (Greek yoghurt enlivened with a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi is going back to her mother's country with this particular culinary love affair.Zenzai is the name for Adzuki Beans when they're cooked and sweetened, but still hold their beany shape. There's fantastic info about it on this website which is particularly helpful if you love cooking Japanese food!Sweetened beans can be a weird concept if you're not accustomed to it - but give it a chance, it's extremely digestible and leaves the body feeling invigorated and powered!ZENZAI 200g Adzuki Beans1 Litre of water150g brown sugarpinch saltBoil the adzuki beans for 45mins. Drain and rinse them well then top them again with fresh cold water and bring back to the boil. Consider how watery/thick you want your finished product to be when you add the water. (Motto: "You can always add more [water, in this case], but you can't take it away!") Cook for 15 mins before adding the sugar and salt. Allow some water to evaporate but not so much that the pan is dry. Check the beans after another 30 mins. You want them soft and yielding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Borrowing heavily from Maggie Beer's famous recipe for SOUR CREAM PASTRY, Yumi gets super-inspired in the kitchen and devises a PIE RECIPE for the ages.SMOKED ALMOND PASTRYIn a food processor, mix 240g plain flour with 30g smoked almonds. Add in 160g chilled, cubed butter and whizz for 20 seconds.Add in 125g sour cream, and 40g of olive oil and whizz together for 30-50 seconds, until the dough forms a ball.Get the dough up out of the food processor, and roll into two balls. (If you love metrics, I weigh the base ball to be 340g (bigger) and the lid ball to be 290g.)Wrap in plastic or beeswax and refrigerate until needed (at least 2 hours, overnight is fine).FILLINGDry roast 1 big, cubed sweet potato for 20mins on 180C.Dry cook 500g baby spinach until it's all wilted. This looks goofy like the pan is overfilled but it shrinks down, be patient and watch it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.Allow the sweet potato and the spinach to cool.Combine these ingredients with 500g fresh ricotta, 120g finely grated Grana Padano (I used the microplane) and a pinch of salt.Mix well.TO ASSEMBLEPre-heat the oven to 180C.Roll out the pastry in 2 pieces. The larger piece goes into the base of the pie.If you're prepping ahead, you can stop here and refrigerate the crust. This will also prevent shrinkage!Fill the pie with your sweet potato-ricotta-spinach mixture.Top with the lid.Trim, decorate, get fancy with the edges (or don't) and remember to cut a slit in the lid for steam to escape.Brush the lid with a whisked egg yolk, a shake of salt and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds.Bake for 30-40 mins. Serve in fat wodges with a side of tomato sauce.LOSE YOUR MIND and RELISH THE LEFTOVERS! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not brain surgery or rocket science, but heating up some leftover rice *can* be a sexy meal ticket. *cough*Simon gets inspired with a meal for one that'll take you 4 minutes to put together. Bonus points if you made the lemon salsa from last episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon is STOKED with the new season's lemons.For this stunning (and achievable) spoon-on-everything sauce:CHOP ONE LEMON very well, flicking out the seeds as you go until it's almost like a pastechop through a small bunch of parsley,2tbs drained capersloosen everything up with 1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oilsweeten with a tiny bit of sugar or honeyand a fat pinch of saltServe on fish --- or listen for our next episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi can't let go of trying to perfect a recipe from The Regional Italian Cookbook. Even though it demands we use a cheese that is impossible to find in Australia.SHE IS DELIGHTED to report that she's cracked the nut! It can be done!And is predictably delicious!Grease with butter a 23cm cake tin and drizzle with olive oil.Pre-heat the oven.Run 1kg of peeled potatoes through a grater.Put the potato "noodles" in a colander and rinse well with freshly boiled water from the kettle.Mix with 1 egg, beaten with 100ml cold water.Fold through 70g plain flour (or less).season with salt and pepper and a generous pinch of finely ground white pepper.Mix well then put into greased tin.Top with curls of butter (I used about 100g).Top with handfuls of grated Fontina cheese or Spressa delle Guidicarie cheese.Bake on the bottom shelf of your oven at 180C for 35 mins.Serve hot!If it still seems undercooked on the bottom, cook individual slices on your sandwich press! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi gets excited to be tasked with the responsibility of cooking a cake big enough to feed a crowd, that is stable enough to take to the beach.It uses Nagi's 'My Very Best Vanilla Cake' - which is dead-set reliable and brilliant.A couple of variations: I cook it in a 28 x 35 roasting tin which I line with baking paper and give a light spray with cooking oil.I also always use coconut oil (the runny, liquid kind) as the oil in the recipe.Contrary to what I was planning when we recorded this episode, I changed my mind about the icing and used my own recipe:YUMI's KILLER ICING500g fresh ricotta (the kind that is sold in a basket or from the deli, NOT the stuff in the tub)1 block of lactose-free cream cheese (I have found this in ALDI)260g icing sugar2tsp vanilla essence and 1tsp vanilla pasteWhizz everything up in a food processor. You'll need to stop a couple of times and scrape the mixture down the sides. Whizz until glossy and lump-free.Dress the cake immediately if you're eating it immediately. If you're taking it somewhere, my recommendation is you decant the icing into a sealable container (I use a big, clean 2L yoghurt tub) and keep it cool in an insulated bag with a couple of icebricks until needed. (NO ONE wants beach-warm dairy!) Dress with a silicone paddle and top with hundreds and thousands and candles and other delightful nonsense! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unfortunately I missed the opportunity to interrogate Simon on him putting a shot of coffee into his BOLOGNESE - please feel free to email your horror reaction to foodfixemail@gmail.com SIMON'S SUPER STEAK COFFEE RUB1-2 tbs finely ground coffee1 tbs brown sugar1tsp smoked paprika1 tsp saltCombine the ingredients - it's ready for a couple of big steaks.TO COOK:Remember to dry off your steak before you do anything!Then rub in the smoky coffee rub!Fry HOT and (pretty) quick - depending on the cut of meat, roughly 2 mins per side on either an oiled pan or with a bit of oil drizzled over the steak prior to cooking.Allow to rest and serve!PS. 수박 겉 핥기 [subak geot hal-kki] 수박 [subak]= watermelon겉 [geot] = outside핥다 [haltta] = to lickLiteral translation: "licking the outside of a watermelon"Source: Talk To Me in Korean Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of Simon's cookbooks has gone to #1 in Australia for the past fortnight.It's called The Weekly Grocery Shop and you can buy it here.The idea kind of inspired Yumi to make croutons (again). This time using an innovation borne of necessity. But they're REALLY GOOD!Pre-heat your oven to 150C and find the biggest trays you have.Take one stale sourdough baguette and slice into the thinnest possible rounds.Lay out the pieces of bread like large coins over the baking trays.Use a microplane to grate a smoked tasty cheese over the bread slices.Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and sesame seeds (optional).Bake for 15-20 mins or until smelling toasty and feeling very crunchy.Store in an airtight container until needed - should last 2 weeks.Serve in Caesar Salad, Rocket and Pear Salad or on any soups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon's amazingly healthful and generous Chicken Soup *IS* pretty winning. He tries to massage my competitive gland by telling me Kate Brown (from my book publisher) prefers HIS soup recipe to mine... HOWEVER IT'S UNTESTED and THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT!Warm 1tbs oil in a big pot.Add 4 finely sliced garlic cloves.Add a thumb of finely grated ginger and 2 tsp ground turmeric. Cook til smelling fancy.Add in 500g chicken thighs and3/4 cup of brown rice1 bay leaf and8 cups of water or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.Cook for 20 mins.Add in 2 neatly diced zucchini and cook for the last 10 mins.(30 mins cooktime in total.)TO SERVE:Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper accordingly.Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a handful of washed coriander, some chili oil (optional!). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why DO people cook sweets with vegetables?Are they trying to use up a glut?Trick the people they care about into eating more veg?OR - does it genuinely work as a flavour add-in?Today we dive into BUNDT cakes, how they go wrong, and we get specific with a Lemon and Zucchini Bundt Cake that is surprisingly easy, lasts well and uses up your dirty gourds! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi is drawn to a book called The Regional Italian Cookbook but hits some speed humps in trying to make the perfect Potato Cake.Can you pronounce Spressa delle Giudicarie? In this episode you can hear Yumi make multiple attempts to say the name of the cheese, which we were unable to find (email us if you know where to get it! foodfixemail@gmail.com ) Grease with butter a 23cm cake tin and drizzle with olive oil.Pre-heat the oven.Run 1kg of peeled potatoes through a grater.Mix with 1 egg, beaten with 200ml water.Fold through 120g plain flour (or less).season with salt and pepperMix well then put into greased tin.Top with curls of butter (I used about 100g).Top with handfuls of grated Fontina cheese or Spressa delle Guidicarie cheese.Bake on 180C for 35 mins.Serve hot! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon is full of inspiration and new information about PEPPER.So he's got a lovely recipe for a WHITE PEPPER CHICKEN CONGEE.Rinse a cup of Jasmine rice.Add it to a pot with 7 cups of chicken stock, 1 chicken breast and 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped.Simmer gently for 45 minutes until the rice breaks down.Remove the chicken breast from the pot and shred it to go back into the congee. Season well with salt and LOTS (talkin' a whole tablespoon here) of our hero ingredient - ground white pepper.Top with a sprinkle of chopped spring onion, a drizzle of sesame oil and maybe even another sprinkle of ground white pepper! Serve! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Cacio e Pepe' is having a moment - but Simon has a fantastic spin on the idea that makes it a great dish for ONE (*side eye Yumi*) and cuts the amount of carbs.Use one jar of fancy white beans, drain and cook up in a half cup or so of stock with a big knob of butter. Warm it up and then add a generous fistful of Pecorino cheese and a MASSIVE grind of freshly ground black pepper. (Be like Simon - or don't! - and get the best, most interesting black peppercorns you can find.)Stir and add more cheese, more pepper, and wait until it tastes "restaurant fancy". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is a Tarka? Simon explains and there's a really good picture of what it looks like on top of a daal here.CASHEW SPICE TARKA1/4 cashews1 tbs ginger2 sprigs curry leaves1/4 tsp nigella seeds1/2 tsp chilli flakesMeera Sodha's 1 tsp cumin seed1 tsp mustard seed1 long green chillicurry leaves, all fried in smoking hot oilQUICK NO-FRY BASIC RED LENTIL DAAL1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced1 tbs grated ginger1 tsp grated garlic1/2 tsp turmeric1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp ground coriander1 cinnamon quill300g red lentils600ml waterADD EVERYTHING TO A POT, PRESSURE COOKER or SLOW COOKER and cook for about 40 mins. Add salt and pepper. Then top with a Tarka of your choice! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I won't name the restaurant because it's gorgeous and fantastic and deserves every success!JATZ CRACKERS CHICKENMarinate chicken tenders or thigh fillets cut into strips in Greek yoghurt with a pinch of salt.Blitz the Jatz Crackers to form a crumb.Coat the chicken in the crumbs.Air fry for 15 mins.To cook in the oven? Lightly spray with oil and bake on a tray (spread out) for 10-15mins, 200C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Simon reveals just how much he listens to Yumi's work on Double J, and reminisces about when his kids were so little he had to make lots of tray-bakes, because they're very "set-and-forget" - allowing one to get on with the very hands-on work of parenting!ONE TRAY SALMON (or other fish) BAKEPre-heat the oven to 220C.Rub a family sized salmon fillet with dijon mustard, oil, salt and pepper.Chop a fennel bulb into narrow-ish wedges. Add to the tray with broccoli florets, squished kalamata olives, lemon zest, fennel seeds and a big drizzle of oil.Cook for 15 mins and serve immediately. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon is very caffeinated and VERY stoked with his new coffee machine.What could he possibly use coffee in - for cooking?The obvious answer is TIRAMISU. Both your hosts have extensive experience making this dessert - - and Simon has some key DOs and DON'T when it comes to nailing it.Here's Nagi's recipe...Here's Simon's:Serves 10-126 eggs , yolks and whites separated1cup (220g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)1 tsp vanilla extract500g mascarpone ,1 1/4 cups black coffee 3 tbsp Masala1 packet (c.350g) lady finger/savoiardi biscuits100 g good-quality dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped into smallrubble-sized piecesCocoa , for dustingMethodBeat the yolks and sugar in a stand mixer on speed 6 to 7 for 10 minutes or until itchanges from yellow to pale yellow (almost white), and is thick. Add vanilla andmascarpone, beat until just combined and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl,set aside.Add egg whites to another bowl and beat until they're stiff and foamy, about 3minutes. Add 1/2 the cream mixture into the egg whites. Gently fold through. Whenmost incorporated, add the remaining cream mixture and fold through until justcombined.Mix the coffee and Masala together. Quickly the dip biscuits in and line the bottom ofa rectangular dish (I like to use a small-medium enamel roasting tin). Spread overhalf the cream, scatter over half the chopped chocolate, then top with another layerof coffee dipped biscuits.Spread with remaining cream and scater over the remaining chopped chocolatepieces.Cover, refrigerate for at least 4 – 5 hours, preferably overnight. Dust with cocoapowder just before serving – either before you cut or after placing onto servingplates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who DOESN'T adore a linguine or spaghetti - with prawns?It's one of my favourites (Yumi) and it's been a goal of mine this year to figure out the best recipe for making it at home. For myself. Cos - yum.COMBINING marinated prawns with THIS RECIPE FOR SPAGHETTI ALLA ASSASINA is a bit of a cheat... but if you love chilli...and black pepper...and prawns... This is going to be a winner!I used 150g of prawn tail meat per serve, and marinated them in a non-reactive bowl with a couple of teaspoons of sambal oelek (from the mainstream supermarket) and a ton of fresh black pepper. You don't want the marinade to be soggy.PS. I got lazy and one time tried just tossing the prawns in with the spaghetti as it cooked and IT FAILED. Soggy prawns and super gross. You need to fry the prawns seperately! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apparently we're in our Freezer Girl Era now – – and yes, I know I'm a boy. But this trend?I'm fully on board. It's about filling your freezer with little things that make weeknight cooking feel like you actually have your life together.This isn't bulk meal prep. This is freezer magic – a stash of flavour bombs and shortcuts that save you mid-week.Here's what's in my current rotation: Flavoured butters: mix butter with garlic and herbs, or miso and sesame oil, ortruffle and parmesan. Roll into a log, freeze, and slice off coins as needed. Pesto ice cubes: blitz wilting herbs with oil and garlic, freeze in trays. Add to pasta,soups, sandwiches – boom. Rice balls: leftover rice + soy + sesame = freezer patties you can pan-fry from frozen. Wine cubes: splash of red or white to rescue a bland dinner. You're welcome. Cookie dough blobs: bake one, freeze ten. Smug levels: high.Stock your freezer like you're feeding your future self – or just buying yourself five quietminutes.- Simon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It feels like Spring and Summer are around the corner, and Yumi is excited about a pasta salad that can be served warm and has a super-cute, mouth-pleasing texture that may well intern it into the FOREVER FILES.Based on this recipe, Yumi has halved the quantities to suit her ("Mercifully Divorced") lifestyle and improved it by cooking the corn and adding chopped smoked almonds at the end.Quick answer to a riddle we don't solve on-air: Creste di Gallo looks like this!And the book Simon is talking about is The Geometry of Pasta.SUPER-CUTE PASTA SALAD125g ditalini pasta2 ears fresh corn, shucked and washed1-2 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped2 tbs finely chopped fresh chivesroughly chopped smoked almonds (optional)DRESSINGGranulated sugar (probs don't need)2 tablespoons white or yellow miso2.5 tablespoons lemon juice1 tablespoon hot hot chilli sauce, minced chipotles in adobo, or gochujang, or sambal oelek1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Kewpie)METHODPrepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a tiny bowl or jar.Prepare the celery by chopping to pieces the same size as the pasta will be when cooked (about the same size as an adult human tooth).In a large, heavy-based pan, cook the corn until slightly charred.Boil the pasta to al dente. (Very important not to overcook it or it'll be gross!)Drain the pasta well then combine the salad ingredients, mix well and pour over the dressing.Serve immediately with smoked almonds scattered over the top.LEFTOVERS can be revived with some fresh rocket, tuna, chopped tomato, etc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apologies in advance! Your hosts completely lose it and start laughing like hyenas over the Netflix doco 'Poop Cruise' - which is not for the faint-hearted!Listen along though - it's good for you to laugh!Otherwise skip through to the 3 minute mark for chat on making:STEW - HORRIBLE WORD. BRILLIANT THING TO EATA meaty, miso-boosted winter stew that's big on flavour, low on fuss – TERRIBLE name, EXCELLENT dinner.RATIO: Meat to Veg = 2:1Brown your meat in batches to get the meat lovely and flavourful. Take your time.Add some onion wedges and get it softened in the pan. Add in your more robust herbs like thyme and rosemary, tomato paste and aromatics.Add a big blob of miso paste and then your vegetables (evenly cut, not too large), and your (good quality) stock.To serve?Freshen the whole thing up with a grate of lemon zest, squeeze of lemon or a dash of vinegar, and a scattering of fresh herbs like parsley or basil. Serve with a hunk or bread, or mashed potato, or even rice! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To make the Toum, blitz 6 garlic cloves2 egg whites 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a food processor. While it's running, slowly drizzle in 1½ cups of vegetable oil until it thickens into a fluffy white cloud. Season with salt. It's bold, punchy, and keeps for a few days in thefridge.Chicken PitaMix 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon ground coriander and 3 tablespoons oil with a spoonful of toum (or not – if you're allergic to garlic/alliums).Slice 500g of boneless chicken thighs in half lengthwise, salt them, and marinate for a few hours or overnight!When you're ready, skewer the chicken – folding the pieces onto themselves – and grill overmedium heat for 10–12 minutes until beautifully charred.Serve on warm pita with pickles and, if you dare, a very generous smear of toum.And if you've got leftover toum? It's brilliant slathered on roast veggies, stirred into yoghurt for a quick dip, dolloped onto fried eggs, or used in place of mayo in pretty much anything. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi's son is the main budding chef in the brood, and he's obsessed with this book by Reece Hignell. It means Yumi and Manbaby have tried MANY recipes from the book, including this one for a giant Devil's Food Chocolate Cake.CAKE BOI'S DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE - aka Chocolate Lover's Heaven!Pre-heat the oven to 160C fan-forced.Grease and line 2 20cm cake tins.Sift 480g flour, 700g caster sugar, 170g cocoa powder, 4tsp baking soda, 1tsp baking powder and 1tbs salt. (Yep, I said 1 teaspoon but it's actually a whole TABLESPOON.) Reece's recipe also has 1tsp ground nutmeg to add in at this point although we left this out cos = fussy kids.In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 480g milk, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2tsp vanilla and 4 eggs. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fully combine before repeating with the remaining 2/3. Add in 480ml boiling water then mix for 1 minute.Divide the mixture evenly (I use scales) between the 2 cake tins then bake for 50 - 55 mins.Check with a skewer that the cake is cooked - a few moist crumbs is good, wet batter is not.Allow the cooked cake to cool on a wire rack.My kids don't like icing so we stop here!ICING:Finely chop 400g of 54% cocoa chocolate. Place in a stand mixing bowl.Heat 600ml thickened cream in a small saucepan until it reaches a simmer. Add in 50g butter, then pour the lot over the chopped chocolate.Allow it to sit for 1 minute, then mix it until smooth and glossy. Add 1tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Stir well, then refrigerate for 1 hour to set.Run the icing in the electric mixer to get fluffy and awesome. Spread over the two cakes. Reece suggests horizontally halving the cakes to make 4 layers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes a dinner is SO BAD that it just has to go straight to compost.Sorry, inner-tightass, but it's true.Simon shares a recent take-away food experience that would get a less-busy man writing angry Yelp reviews!! LOL.Yumi shocks Simon by revealing just how much of a tough-nut she can be when it comes to fish and chips (his reaction is worth the price of admission)...And Simon has a good handful of tips for how to turn some "meh" homemade dinners into something - maybe not brilliant? - but something DECENT and EDIBLE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's with some amazement that your hosts reflect on the fact that they're both currently working in offices. LIKE, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?Yumi struggles with boredom in meetings, and has directed a lot of that restless energy into concocting the PERFECT OFFICE LUNCH. This code also applies to school/uni lunches if you have a common room.LANGUAGE WARNING: It's not technically "swearing" but at some point Yumi does say "kick it in the dick" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi has come up with a way to use up 2 really, really nasty bananas - in a way the kids won't even notice.2 NASTY BANANAS -> CHOC CHIP MUFFINS2 nasty, dead-looking bananas 180g55g melted butter1 egg1tsp vanilla100g greek yoghurt150g wholemeal (or regular) self-raising flour70g dark chocolate chipsPre-heat the oven to 180CPrepare a 6-hole muffin trayMash well your bananas. Sometimes if I can be bothered, I used the back of a spoon to smoosh them through a sieve so there are absolutely NO LUMPSAdd in the butter, egg, vanilla, and yoghurt and mix well.Sift in the flour. Mix with a light hand - just a couple of emphatic stirs with a big slotted spoon.Add in the choc chips. Mix around, being careful not to overdo it.Distribute batter among the 6 muffin holes.TO ENSURE I get the kids over the line, I sprinkle some brown sugar on top of each muffin. This is optional.Bake for 20 mins or until cooked.REALLY GOOD eaten hot with butter but I freeze them then put them in school lunches direct from the freezer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it offensive to say you've "upgraded" an absolute classic?In this case, it's not Simon making the claim - it's from an online recipe... But enough users are in the comments RAVING about the so-called upgrade that Simon had to give it a go.The big difference? Marinating the fetta in broken pieces (not cut cubes) in oil made from frying lemon slices. Blistering the red peppers/capsicum. And using fresh oregano (as well as traditional dried if you want to really, REALLY upgrade)!RECIPE:Start with 225g of feta – tear it into chunky pieces and place in a bowl. Thinly slice 1 lemon, remove the seeds, and cook the slices in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until nicely charred – about 5 minutes. Add the lemon slices and oil to the feta, along with ¾ teaspoon dried oregano and a big pinch of salt. Let it sit and soak up the flavour while you prep the rest.Now, in the same pan, cook 3 long sweet peppers in a bit more oil until they're blistered and soft – about 5–7 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then slice them into bite-sized pieces.In a large bowl, toss together:1 medium red onion, thinly sliced1 large cucumber, chopped500g cherry tomatoes, halvedA big pinch of saltAnd 1 tablespoon red wine vinegarAdd in the chopped blistered peppers and gently mix.To serve, pile everything onto a platter, spoon over the marinated feta and charred lemons, and drizzle with any leftover lemony oil.MORE IDEAS - Want to make it dinner? Add some grilled chicken or chickpeas and call it a night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your hosts explain the hows and whys of a perfect CHEESE BOARD - and I think you're gonna learn something today. It really is within reach to make a cheese board classy AND effortless - by stripping it back.ALSO - why is it so hard to spot one's own kids in a crowd? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your favourite cooking nerds get EXCITED over an internet recipe that has the Comments Section going off.You know how they say "you should never read the comments"?Not in this case!The recipe is here.The modifications are:Cut the chicken into smaller pieces than suggested, then marinate them in 2tbs Garam Masala, 1tbs finely minced ginger and 1tbs fish sauce. To up the coconutty flavour, fry the chicken in coconut oil, not neutral oil. Don't use coconut cream (too oily), use coconut milk.Yumi also beefed up the cashews to 1 whole cup, and added 1/4 cup currants. (Raisins would also be amazing.)Yumi forgot to say in this episode - before you put the lid on and pop in the oven - LAY THE CHICKEN PIECES ON TOP OF THE RICE. Lol. Okay - any feedback ("comments") on this or any other episode foodfixemail@gmail.com LOVE YOU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Final Instalment of Simon Davis's shameful Air-Fryer Diaries, you'll discover what's still sitting in the hallway of Simon's house, in its boxed, unloved and unopened.Yumi shares how she's been doing the audiobook recordings for a couple of her books... ALSO - how to make the greatest, easiest dessert ever: AFFOGATO?!It's so good it's almost uncanny.RECIPE:Ball up your best vanilla ice-cream into a neat spheres that you know will fit your (small) coffee glass. Return the ice-cream ball/s to the freezer until needed, along with your serving glasses because you want them nice and frosted.Place the ball of ice-cream into your pre-chilled glass.Make a hot espresso coffee.Pour it over the ice-cream. (This can be done at the table for fancy effect.)Eat immediately! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon is sheepishly confessing to two cooking FAILURES - and one win.What on earth are they?And what delicious food can we possibly eat to get us through the grimmest months of winter? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Both your hosts Yumi and Simon have so far resisted the allure/hype of the AIR FRYER.Neither has one - til now!But why have they resisted? And what could make them cave?____________________________________The link to Simon's son's beloved Sausage Rolls on RecipeTinEats is here.The book that Yumi's son took camping despite the lack of oven and general cooking equipment is Reece Hignell's CAKE BOIThe book that Yumi and Simon co-authored that has the cute illustrations of said hosts/authors is THE FOOD FIX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finely slice your onion, pre-heat your fry pan then add 3 tbs good olive oil.Gently sautee your onions for ...wait. TWENTY MINUTES??Listen here for WHY - ...and some hacks if you simply can't spare the time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Yumi floats her theory about why 40th birthdays are often a big, fat non-event.Then we go all-in on Yumi's son's newest favourite cake. (Since recording this episode, she's made it twice more: both little ones LOVE IT in their school lunches.)It's a Nagi recipe from Recipe Tin Eats and you can find it here.And if it's your 40th birthday soon? GO EASY ON YOURSELF. There'll be more birthdays! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 might be the year that we begin to RE-appreciate the offcuts that used to populate the supermarket meat section back in our parents' day... Liver, anyone? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes a terrific NAME can get you racing to the kitchen to attack a recipe.Who doesn't love 'Crunchy Fish', for instance? And what about Pesce all'Acqua Pazza, or better known as 'Fish in Crazy Water'?? Find the recipe here - - or just gently fry up 1/4 cup olive oil with 2tsp salt, 700g chopped tomatoes and YOUR FAVE aromatics - eg., dried chillies, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and after 3-5 mins, add in 2.5 cups of water, put the lid on the pot and leave it to infuse and flavour the "crazy" water for 20 mins.Pat your fish pieces dry, season the fillets with salt and pepper, then lower it into the gently simmering Crazy Water.Allow to cook for between 4-8 mins, depending on the size of the fish fillet. Commonsense may be required here! Serve in bowls with water/broth, a drizzle of olive oil and the most delightful fluffy, crusty bread you can find. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your hosts go ALL IN for that great winter vegetable, FENNEL, which has the annoying habit of refusing to go off while taking up space in your fridge! Curse you, Everlasting Vegetable! Yumi also recounts a breakthrough moment of understanding that oils and salads need to be co-ordinated, much like tops and bottoms do when putting together an outfit.FENNEL AND SNOW PEA SALAD:500g prepped snow peas, blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds then rinsed in cold water until cool, and well-dried on a clean tea-towel.Finely slice your fennel, around 3-4mm.Toss your sliced fennel with the juice of a lemon and set aside while you make the dressing, which is:Juice of a lemon1 tsp honey2 tsp tahini1/2 tsp salt1/3 cup of walnut oil*taste for more salt, pepper, and more sour (eg., a couple tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar)OPTIONAL: Toss through a fat bunch of chopped fresh mint, and top with anchovy croutons, which you can learn more about from this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by the chef Michael Moore who wrote a great book full of delicious and healthy recipes called BLOOD SUGAR - and also inspired by the need to bunker down under MANY layers of doona and thermals and eat hot, filling food, Yumi revisits an old recipe for baked meatballs that really is beautiful and very achievable. Try it here:Preheat the oven to 180CDecant 2/3 of a bottle of passata into a baking tray with high sides.Roll up about 18 meatballs using500g pork/beef mince (lean)1 egg white1/4 tsp salt1tsp whipped garlic dip2-3 tbs finely chopped spring onion greenscracked pepperUse scissors to cut up some fresh lasagna sheets into pieces smaller than your phone but bigger than a matchbox. Place a meatball into the canoe of pasta sheet then set it to sail on the ocean of passata. Repeat until all the meatballs are used and the tray is full. Pour over the remaining passata. Top each meatball with a cube of fetta or a chunk of ricotta. Top with about 80g of your fave cheese. Bake 30 mins. Serve with crusty bread and a side salad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On your favourite food podcast, Yumi Stynes explains how food, in this case persimmons, connects her to her mother's culture.Persimmons are, like asparagus, TRULY seasonal. Which is why we have to enjoy them in winter!Dried persimmons are becoming A THING in Australia - and you can find the salad recipe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yumi has some personal news to share with Simon which she predicts will BORE HIM TO TEARS. She also has an amazing Creamy White Beans recipe to share with everyone - TOTALLY NOT BORING!It's a New York Times Cooking recipe - and you'll probably have everything you need to make it - just grab or make sure you have Fresh CreamTomato PasteHalf a jar of sundried tomatoes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your hosts have a LOT of thoughts when it comes to ordering food at a restaurant.What are the common mistakes?How can you absolutely nail it?On what topics should you consult with your waiter? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.