In the Kitchen
120 favourite recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, picnics and parties
Legendary caterer and food wholesaler shares her fresh, easy, seasonal recipes that cater for every occasion, from breakfast to dinner, cocktails to picnics.
Author bio:
Simmone started her food business in a small flat in Sydney's Neutral Bay, hand-delivering her cakes to local cafe owners. She then leased an old butcher's shop, added pies, braises and salads to her repertoire, and her business continued to grow. Now, twenty-five years on, Simmone Logue has created a $10 million business in wholesaling, retailing and catering. The Simmone Logue kitchen team, based in Marrickville, is now 60 strong, and makes everything by hand and from scratch. Her clients include Woolworths, Qantas, Virgin, Thomas Dux. Simmone Logue is a Gold Licence Caterer and caters for intimate dinners for six, a quick lunch in one of her stores, or a corporate cocktail party for 500. Her customers trust the team will deliver high quality, tasty food which is both beautiful in presentation and delicious to eat with family and friends.
Sample recipe
KALE, PEA, MINT & FARRO SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING
KALE, PEA, MINT & FARRO SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING
Kale is such a gorgeous curly-leafed vegetable, and becomes so ridiculously green when you cook it that you can't help thinking how good it is for you. I really enjoy its chewiness, and the way it holds its shape even after cooking. I also love its versatility — you can fry it, bake it, stir-fry it, add it to soups and curries, and use it in salads such as this.
SERVES UP TO 10 AS A SIDE DISH
PREPARATION 15 MINUTES | COOKING 30 MINUTES
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) packet farro (see Tip)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch kale, stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) packet frozen green peas
1 bunch (80 g/23⁄4 oz) mint, leaves picked
250 g (9 oz) feta cheese
Cook the farro according to the packet instructions until it is just tender, but still has a chewy bite. Set aside to cool.
Heat half the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat, then fry the garlic for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant and a bit nutty.
Add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and bright green. Squeeze the lemon juice over the kale and sprinkle with the salt.
Meanwhile, cook the peas in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold running water.
In a large bowl, combine the farro, kale and peas. Add the mint, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss together and place on a platter. Crumble the feta over the top. Serve while the flavours are fresh and perky.
TIP: Similar in appearance to brown rice or barley, farro is an ancient wheat variety with a chewy, nutty texture. Rather than cooking the farro in a pot of boiling water, I cook it in my rice cooker, as this seems to work really well; simply follow your rice cooker instructions for cooking rice.
