Whole Baked Pumpkin with Chorizo and Pearl Barley Stuffing

A baked and stuffed whole Kent or Jap pumpkin is a real crowd pleaser, and goes a long way as a vegetable side dish. It is a delicious and very economical way to serve pumpkin with an interesting filling which is also versatile, be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Using a smaller pumpkin, weighing about 1200 grams, ensures that it should bake within an hour. 

In My Kitchen, July 2025

I'm enjoying just being at home during our tropical Winter, with minimum temperatures of 8 deg. C, and a maximum of around 23 deg. C, what's not to love. As they say, we are living in paradise. It has to be the perfect time for cooking in my kitchen. Southerners visiting from the colder states in Australia, such as New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, and even Tasmania, probably don't even need to wear jackets, unlike us, who aren't used to the colder weather. We are rugged up and loving it.

Cumquat Marmalade, Ginger and Oat slice

This slice incorporates the nostalgic flavours of ANZAC biscuits, Grandma's Cumquat marmalade, and the warmth of ginger spice, into one delicious layer of biscuit. This is  a great one for the weekend. Think breakfast, morning tea, or afternoon tea or take it into work to win a few extra brownie points.

Italian Lamb Ragu with Home Made Pasta

 

Italian Lamb Ragu is an extremely rich and comforting dish, and full of nostalgia. Long slow cooking is the key to tender lamb which shreds beautifully to combine with a sauce full of delicious flavours. 

Curried red lentil, tomato and coconut soup

 

Winter has brought soup back to our dining table, and what a Winter Warmer this bowl of creamy lentil deliciousness is. Perfectly balanced herbs and spices with a hint of heat, are a specialty of Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe repertoire, and as a bonus this soup is also nourishing, hearty and gluten-free. It is also vegetarian.

Double Ginger Scones with Currants

Make these.

Make these.

Make these.

Okay, that's pretty much my post about these delicious ginger scones. Pretty simple message, no?

In My Kitchen, June 2025, looking back on Marvellous May

Dear friends, How can it be June already? It's been a big month of enjoying the magnificent weather here right now in North Queensland and keeping busy with harvesting and preserving all of the fresh and surplus produce coming our way, not to mention eating it.