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Who doesn't love a Butter Chicken Curry?! It's a universal crowd pleaser but I've found that at-home recipes don't quite live up to the flavour you get from a restaurant. After many attempts and tweaks, I am finally happy to share my recipe that I think delivers on flavour but with every shortcut in the book. For me, the key to a really tasty Butter Chicken is the pre-cooking of the chicken, getting all those black, charred edges. They give the curry so much flavour and a beautiful smokiness that you would get from a tandoor. My method of cooking on a BBQ mimics this flavour and gets it really close to restaurant quality. Of course to make up for this extra step, I've pulled back on the tomatoes, opting for a jar of passata instead of using fresh diced tomatoes and blending them. It's up to you but I will take a shortcut wherever I can get it. Also if you make your own tandoori paste and garam masala mix, please use it, but I just use bought and don't regret it! #noregrets “This recipe makes a huge batch for a family (3 x family serves) and it freezes fantastically so I will often freeze the remaining 2 portions and save them for lazy nights when I just want to microwave something. I figure, if you're making a curry, it may as well be a big one!” Easy Butter Chicken an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children x 3 night's serves 4 Tablespoons of Tandoori Paste (I just buy it to save on time) 200g Greek Yoghurt 2kg Chicken Thigh 1 Large Onion, chopped 6 Cloves of Garlic, chopped 2 Thumb sized pieces of Ginger, grated 700g Tomato Passata 2 Teaspoons of Paprika 2 Tablespoons of Garam Masala 2 Teaspoons of Cumin 2 Teaspoons of Ground Coriander 2 Teaspoons of Fenugreek (available from Indian Grocers or the 'Herbies' wall of the deli/fresh food grocer) 10 Cardamom Pods, cracked 300ml Thickened Cream Drizzle of Honey Step 1- Combine the tandoori paste and Greek yoghurt in a large bowl with the chicken thigh and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Step 2- On a screaming hot BBQ, grill the marinated chicken thighs until cooked through and blackened on the edges. These black bits are full of flavour and will give the end curry a lovely smokey flavour. Chop into bite sized pieces and set aside. Step 3- In a large pot or wok, saute the onion, garlic and ginger in oil with a generous spoonful of butter until soft. Step 4- Add in all the spices and stir through the oil so they toast. Step 5- Pour in the tomato passata, cream, and chopped chicken (including the resting juices) and stir to combine. Step 6- Season to taste with a generous amount of salt and a drizzle of honey. This curry is better the longer it sits, so it will taste even better the next day! Serve with rice, naan and pickles.

These Air Fryer Spring Rolls are more Vietnamese in style with a pork and prawn filling as opposed to the Chinese style which has a lot of cabbage. They make a great starter to a meal and can be fried in a pot of oil on the stove, or in the air fryer! The results in the air fryer are not quite as crispy as traditionally fried, but they are pretty bloody close! Not all spring rolls are created equal, and even though each Asian country seems to do their own version, I think that the Vietnamese style are the best. For me, its the combination of meat and seafood with the full flavored fish sauce that really brings them to life and when you have a really good one, it makes those sad vegetarian versions that are seemingly all cabbage taste like disappointment. My version here is obviously not authentic, I am using Chinese style wrappers, where in Vietnam they would use rice paper, and I'm cooking them in the Air Fryer, which admittedly don't taste as good as deep fried but they are healthier and easier and perfect for people who are scared to deep fry at home. I've included instructions for both air frying and deep frying so you can choose your own adventure. I prefer the taste of deep frying, but if I've got kids running around and its a Tuesday night, you know I'm pulling out that air fryer. “If you're making these for a dinner party, or as a starter for a BBQ, which I often do, you can prepare the filling in the morning or day before and roll a couple hours before you're ready to (air) fry. The rolling is a great activity to do with kids or even your guests if you want to get them involved, and they always disappear quickly so make sure you do a big batch!” Air Fryer Spring Rolls an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 8 people as a starter/nibbles 50g of Glass Noodles (also known as cellophane noodles, or mung bean noodles, from the Asian grocer) 30g Black Fungus (also known as wood ear mushrooms, in the dried mushroom aisle of the Asian grocer) 500g Minced Pork 200g Raw Prawn Meat, chopped 1 Carrot, grated 2 Eschallots, finely chopped 3 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped 1/4 Cup of Fish Sauce 1/4 Cup of Caster Sugar 1 Teaspoon of White Pepper 2 Packs of Spring Roll Wrappers, defrosted 1 Egg, beaten Step 1- Boil the kettle, and pour over the glass noodles and black fungus, in separate bowls to soak for 10 minutes. Step 2- Drain the noodles, and using scissors, snip roughly into smaller pieces. Drain the black fungus and chop finely. Step 3- In a large mixing bowl, combine the soaked and snipped noodles, soaked and chopped black fungus, pork mince, prawn meat, carrot, eschallots, garlic, fish sauce, caster sugar and white pepper. Step 4- Place one spring roll wrapper on a board so it is in a diamond shape facing you, and in the bottom corner, place one teaspoon of the spring roll filling. Shape filling into a log at the corner. Step 5- Start tightly rolling away from you, up towards the top. When you get half way up, fold in the sides to overlap in the middle. Continue rolling until you have reached the top corner. Brush with beaten egg to seal. Place on a lined tray until you are ready to cook. Repeat until all the filling is used. Step 6- If using the Air Fryer: Place a single layer of spring rolls in the basket, and lightly brush or spray with vegetable oil. Cook at 200c for 15 minutes, turning halfway through. If deep frying: Heat a large pot of vegetable oil (I like rice bran oil) over medium/high heat. Test if the oil is ready by gently laying a spring roll in the oil. If it immediately bubbles, its ready to fry. Fry in batches, making sure to rotate and remove when cooked. Drain on paper towel. Step 7- Serve with a nuoc mam or sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Duck Ragu with pasta is something I always order when I see it on a menu. It's not really a dish most people would consider cooking at home because it seems hard but once I had a go of it myself, I found it really is so easy and simple to do. A little bit of time and love is all it takes to enjoy a luscious, flavoursome duck ragu made from scratch. A slow cooked ragu with pasta is so comforting to me especially in the cooler months, but really, I wouldn't say no to it any time of year! #pastaforever #ragulife All the finely chopped vegetables in this recipe are great to sneak some goodness into kids (and adults) diets, and if your knife skills aren't quite up to scratch, a super fast shortcut would be to throw everything through the grating attachment in the food processer. Once it cooks down, it will all just be part of the sauce and the kiddos will be none the wiser. If the 2hr cooking time is putting you off, a slow cooker will do all the work for you. Just throw everything in at the start of the day and come home to a beautiful ragu where all you have left to do is shred the meat and boil some pasta. The flavour isn't quite the same without all the browning and sautéing but it's still pretty bloody good. Any pasta will work with this, so use what you have, or I usually let my kids have their choice of the pasta aisle. I find getting them involved- even with just the shopping- makes them much more likely to eat and enjoy my cooking. “Duck marylands can be hard to find sometimes and unfortunately, you can't substitute duck breasts which are much more readily available. I've found that Harris Farm supermarkets have a steady supply, as well as most butchers. If you can't manage to get your hands on some, chicken marylands will do the job, or lamb shanks would be wonderful.” Duck Ragu an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 4 Duck Marylands 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 Carrot, finely chopped 1 Stalk of Celery, finely chopped 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped 1 Sprig of Rosemary, finely chopped 6 Stalks of Thyme, whole 3 Strips of Orange Rind (use a vegetable peeler) 1 Small Pinch of Saffron 400g Tin of Crushed Tomatoes 1 Litre of Chicken Stock 500g Pasta (any) Step 1- Season the duck with salt and pepper, then in a wide pot or deep frying pan, place the duck skin side down and turn on the heat to medium/high without any oil. The fat will render out of the duck and allow it to fry, browning the skin. Remove and set aside. Step 2- In that same pot, sauté using the rendered duck fat: onion, carrot, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme, orange rind, saffron until soft. Step 3- Add the duck back into the pot, add in crushed tomatoes and pour the stock over, until covered. Step 4- Cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone. Step 5- Remove the thyme stalks and orange peel and discard. Carefully remove the duck and shred, discarding the bones. Add the meat back into the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Step 6- Simmer the sauce and duck all together and reduce until its thickened slightly. The texture should be like a thick soup. Meanwhile, boil your chosen pasta until al dente in heavily salted water. Step 7- Combine the pasta and a cup of pasta water with the ragu and serve with parmesan cheese and chilli oil (if you're feeling spicy).

This Banana Cake is a quick and easy cake that doesn't require too many ingredients or any fancy equipment. With just a wooden spoon and a mixing bowl, you can create the perfect homemade present for your next-door neighbour, kid's teacher or contribution to the dreaded school bake sale. This recipe is a #hack on my Best Ever Moist Banana Muffins recipe which is exactly the same ingredients and mixing method (throw it all in the bowl and stir!) but baking it in a pretty bundt tin and for longer. I prefer the use of a bundt tin over a normal cake tin because it cooks faster and is quite pretty, meaning you don't have to worry about decorating, a simple dusting of icing sugar does the trick. “This is also a great recipe to make with kids. I get one peeling bananas, the other one mashing, and then measuring is an opportunity to learn fractions #asiantigermum. You'll probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already, just add overripe bananas!” Banana Cake an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Makes: 1 Cake 3 Bananas, mashed 1/2 Cup of Vegetable Oil 2 Eggs 1/4 Cup of Milk 1/2 Cup of Caster Sugar (replace with honey or sweetener if avoiding sugar) 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla paste or extract 1 3/4 Cups of Plain Flour 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder Icing Sugar for dusting Step 1- Generously butter a bundt cake tin and then dust with flour, tipping out the excess. Step 2- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon. Step 3- Pour into the the prepared bundt tin and bake at 180c for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Step 4- Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Crème Brulee is actually one of the easiest desserts you can make, which surprises a lot of non-cooks out there. Even for someone like me who loves cooking, I don't often make desserts. So something like this: with not many ingredients, straight forward steps, the ability to make it ahead and being delicious and theatrical, is a star in my eyes. Crème Brulee is one of those lovely romantic desserts that you may have had on holiday in France or in a little local French bistro. Usually it goes along with fond memories of date nights, family celebrations or just feelings of being fancy! Well I'm here to let you in on the secret that it is so easy to make yourself and it doesn't only need to be reserved for special occasions. “When I make Crème Brulee for a dinner party, I like to get everyone involved with torching their own little ramekin. It adds that element of theatre to the dish and everyone seems to really love it, especially men, it must go back to caveman days!” Easy Crème Brulee adapted from a Sally's Baking Addiction recipe Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 Brulees 5 Egg Yolks 1/2 Cup of Caster Sugar 3 Cups of Thickened Cream 1/4 Teaspoon of Salt 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Bean Paste 8 Teaspoons of Caster Sugar to top the Brulees Step 1- In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Step 2- Heat the cream, salt and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil. Remove from the heat just as bubbles are forming but before it comes to a simmer. Step 3- Very carefully, pour the hot cream into the whisked eggs in a thin stream, all while whisking quickly. Pour slow, whisk fast. Continue until all the hot cream is whisked into the eggs. Step 4- Place 4 ramekins into a deep roasting dish. Pour the cream and egg mixture into the ramekins until each is filled to the top. Step 5- Fill the roasting dish with boiling water, until about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the oven at 165c for 30 minutes or until just set, with a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from oven. Step 6- Using oven mitts, remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool on the bench for 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. Step 7- Just before serving, top each ramekin of set custard with 2 teaspoons each of caster sugar. It should be in a thin, even layer. Burn with a blow torch, constantly moving in a circular motion until you achieve a crunchy and slightly burnt topping.

Cauliflower has received a major glow-up in recent times: going from once the daggy vegetable that no one ate without being smothered in cheese sauce, to now the star of the low-carb/low-calorie world: making appearances as rice, pizza, pickles, mac & cheese, soup and many more wonderful iterations. In this Cauliflower Fried Rice, I have made the switch from heavy starchy rice to light and bright cauliflower, delivering all the flavour notes that you crave, without the calories. I hereby declare myself a fully fledged cauliflower convert, and in my house, curries, stir fries and even pasta sauces are now served over cauliflower rice instead of its carb-y counterpart. For those of you who haven't tried it yet, my advice is to pair your cauliflower rice with strong flavours so that you don't notice the flavour of the cauliflower and don't miss the real thing. In this recipe there is so much going on with sauces, sausage and prawns that the cauliflower just acts as a carrier of flavour. The recipe below details how to make your own cauliflower rice in a food processor, but of course you can buy it pre-done in the refrigerated vegetable section of the supermarket, and the freezer section too. It comes down to time vs. cost. A word of advice if you do buy frozen, let it thaw out and drain the water out, or you will have a very runny fried rice. “Fried rice is a great dish to empty your fridge on. What I mean by that is anything you have lying around at the end of the week can be chopped up and thrown in. A sad lone carrot, a couple slices of ham or bacon, a handful of mushrooms or some leftover steak will all taste wonderful in your fried rice.” Cauliflower Fried Rice an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 1 Head of Cauliflower 4 Lup Chong Sausages, diced (available from the Asian pantry section of the supermarket- they are not kept in the fridge) 1 Onion, sliced 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced 300g Green Prawns, peeled and deveined 1 Cup of Frozen or Fresh Peas 1 Cup of Frozen or Fresh Corn Kernels 3 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce 2 Tablespoons of Sugar 3 Eggs Sliced Spring Onion to garnish Step 1- Make the cauliflower rice: Cut the cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until the size of grains of rice. Set aside. Step 2- In a wok or large frying pan, fry the lup chong sausages over medium heat to brown off and release the fat. Step 3- Turn the heat up to high and add in the onion and garlic to stir fry until soft. Step 4- Add the prawns and stir fry until they change colour. Step 5- Add in the prepared cauliflower, peas, corn, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar and stir fry for a few minutes until combined and cooked. Taste and check for seasoning. Step 6- Fry the eggs, sunny side up in a non stick pan. Step 7- Serve the fried rice, topped with fried egg and a scattering of spring onions. Chilli sauce optional.

As the weather gets warmer, fish and salad is my go-to but I don't love the smell it leaves in my kitchen. This recipe uses the oven and skinless salmon fillets to achieve a delicious and really easy meal without the smell of frying fish lingering for days. Yes, cooking in the oven means you don't get crispy skin, but this miso glaze is so packed full of umami flavour that I think it's worth the tradeoff. This is an incredibly simple recipe for a dish that I usually cook on Monday evenings. Monday's are just crazy for me, recovering from the weekend, catching up on housework that didn't get done, and taxiing my kids from one activity to another. By the end of the day, I am wrecked and a quick and healthy meal is exactly what I search for. As much as I love Salmon with crispy skin, on days that I'm busy and tired, I just can't put myself through the babysitting of the frying pan watching it cook, the oil clean up after, or the lingering smell. The oven is a fantastic tool which is actually a very gentle cooking method for the fish and can be left while it does its thing. You could also do this in the air fryer if you prefer, but for me, a hot oven does the trick. “This miso glaze is very versatile and can be used on almost anything. While it is great on salmon and other fish like cod, you could slather it on chicken, pork, eggplant or carrots!” Miso Glazed Salmon an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 2 Teaspoons of White Miso Paste 2 Teaspoons of Caster Sugar 2 Teaspoons of Rice Vinegar (or 1 teaspoon of white vinegar as a substitute) 1 Teaspoon of Soy Sauce 3 Skinless Salmon Fillets Asian Slaw to serve Step 1- Combine the miso paste, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in a bowl. Step 2- Lay the salmon fillets on a lined baking tray and smother in the miso mixture. Step 3- Bake in the oven at 180c for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Step 4- Serve with an Asian slaw.

My boys are obsessed with Macaroni & Cheese and although they'll take it anyway they can get it, their absolute favourite version is...from the box! As a foodie this horrifies me but I also kind of get it, the box version is a guilty pleasure for many people out there. My version tastes even better and there is no orange powdered cheese to be seen! I've made Mac & Cheese all types of ways: with a more time consuming béchamel sauce, with a million different combinations of cheeses and with the additions of mushrooms/bacon/lobster #fancy, but the below recipe is by far the most simple! It really does recreate that orange box taste with the use of Burger Cheese. If you haven't seen it before, its available in the sliced cheese section of the supermarket and of course is amazing on burgers to give you that American burger chain taste #merica, but in this Mac & Cheese it brings that orange flavour. Yes- I should turn my nose up at this and be steering my boys into more sophisticated flavour profiles, but lets be real, everyone likes to slum it sometimes! #slummingit #lovingit “You can use any type of cheese in this recipe depending on your audience. Gruyere or manchego would be beautiful, or even a really great cheddar. But when it comes to kids searching for that box flavour, you can't go past the sliced burger cheese.” Macaroni & Cheese Just Like The Box! an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 500g Macaroni 375mL Tin of Evaporated Milk 250g Burger Cheese diced (don't bother separating the slices, just dice as if it's a whole block) 1 Handful of Shredded Mozzarella 2 Tablespoons of Breadcrumbs Step 1- Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain and set aside. Step 2- Meanwhile, pour the evaporated milk into a saucepan with the diced cheese, and stir continuously over medium heat until melted. Do not walk away from this, or the cheese will burn on the bottom. Season generously with salt and pepper. Step 3- Combine the macaroni, cooking water and cheese sauce in a baking dish, cover with shredded mozzarella and breadcrumbs. Step 4- Grill in the oven for 5 minutes until browned.

With Spring in the air I like to change up my cooking from hearty stews and curries to lighter dishes like these lovely Lemon Chicken Drumsticks roasted with garlic, rosemary and of course lemon! These are perfect with a side salad and make great leftovers in sandwiches the next day. I just love the use of lemon in cooking. A simple squeeze and it can liven up any dish. In fact, a little cooks tip is that if you taste your cooking and it feels a bit flat, try adding a little squeeze of lemon, you'll be surprised just how much it can lighten and brighten up your food without tasting lemon-y. In this dish however, lemon is really the star of the show. Not only does it permeate through the chicken meat, it cooks down and mixes with all the chicken juices to create the most beautiful pan sauce that is just begging to be poured over the crispy skin before biting in #pourme #drinkme “Although this recipe does not have a quick cook time, the 40 minutes spent to cook these drumsticks is completely without the need for babysitting. I often throw these in the oven, bath the kids, hang out the washing, unload the dishwasher and by the time I'm finished, so is dinner! It's a very low maintenance dish, which is just what I need mid-week.” Lemon Chicken Drumsticks an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 1.5kg Chicken Drumsticks 1 Lemon, sliced 3 Cloves of Garlic, sliced 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Sprig of Rosemary, leaves only 1 Teaspoon of Paprika Step 1- In a large roasting dish, lay the chicken drumsticks in a single layer and push the sliced lemon and garlic in between each. Step 2- Drizzle all over with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Step 3- Roast in a 200c oven for 40 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through. Step 4- Serve with a side salad and crusty bread.

Everyone seems to love Pumpkin Soup, and its easy to understand why. Not only is it quick and easy to cook, it's cheap to make, low in calories and a big pot can feed a crowd! During Winter its on constant rotation in my house, if you've never made it yourself before, give it a go! Choice of sides are plentiful when it comes to soup. Some people are all about croutons, a sandwich for dipping or just a crusty bread roll, but what I really love is a side of crispy bacon with my soup! #bacon4eva. Again the choice is up to you when it comes to the addition of cream. I think this soup is lovely on its own, but if you like, you can drizzle with some pouring cream, sour cream or creme fraiche. I've done it here mostly to look pretty in the pictures, but usually I would only add cream if I happened to have some in the fridge. “Blended vegetable soups all follow the same basic steps: saute onion and garlic, add a chopped vegetable of choice, top with stock, simmer and blend. So once you have mastered this, you can use the same recipe and substitute whatever you have on hand. This works really well with mushrooms, broccoli, potato and leek, cauliflower or any combination you can come up with.” Pumpkin Soup an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 1 Onion, chopped 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped 900g of Pumpkin, peeled and chopped into chunks 1 Litre of Chicken Stock Step 1- In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft. Step 2- Add in the pumpkin and top with stock until everything is covered. Step 3- Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow for a strong simmer with the lid on, until the pumpkin is soft (about 10-15 minutes). Turn the heat off. Step 4- Using a stick blender, blend the soup in the pot until smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, you can transfer to a bench top blender but be very careful of the hot liquid. Step 5- Serve with sides of your choice and a drizzle of cream if you wish.

Penne alla Vodka is a match made in heaven between tomato and cream pasta sauces. It really is the best of both worlds and manages to keep everyone in my house happy. Add to this that its made in 15 minutes and tastes bloody delicious, this dish is a superstar performer and an amazing addition to your rotation. Pasta is a special treat in my house. Even though the family and I love it, I don't cook it very often because I like to be able to fit in my jeans! #pastalife #jeansorpasta So when I do cook pasta (a couple times each month) it better be great, and this my friends, is a great pasta. Don't let the short ingredients list and quick cook time fool you, this dish is packed with flavour and so worth the calories. “There is a bit of questioning over what the vodka actually brings to this dish, and apparently it brings out the flavours of the other ingredients. For me, I'm not really convinced of this but I add it anyway because, why not?! But if you don't have any vodka in the house, I wouldn't stress over not including it. Of course if you do include it, there is no need to worry about the kids, because you will cook the alcohol out.” Penne all Vodka an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children 500g Penne 100g Pancetta, chopped 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced 100mL Vodka 1/2 Cup of Tomato Paste 500mL Cream Grated Parmesan Cheese and Torn Basil to serve Step 1- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook till al dente and drain, saving a cup of cooking water. Step 2- Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large frying pan over medium heat, fry the pancetta until crisp, then stir through the garlic. Step 3- Deglaze the pan with the vodka, and allow to bubble up to cook off the alcohol. When the liquid has almost all evaporated, stir through the tomato paste and cream. Step 4- Bring to a bubble and allow to reduce until saucy. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Step 5- Add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water, stirring through to combine. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and torn basil.

After not liking blue cheese for most of my life, I've come to the realisation that I actually do love it, in particular Gorgonzola Dolce for its smooth, creamy sweetness offset by a savoury, sharp tang. It's relatively mild in flavour and a great entry point to the world of blue cheese. I am so obsessed with it at the moment, that it is making an appearance in a lot of my cooking, from cheese boards, to salads, to pastas, to this dish of pan fried Eye Fillet Steak with a quick pan sauce made by scraping up all the burnt goodies from the bottom of the pan, reducing with a tin of evaporated milk (a lighter option than cream) and you guessed it: blue cheese! I actually debated whether I should write out a recipe for this dish as it is so simple but my husband reminded me that not everyone is an intuitive cook like me and some people need clear instructions to be able to cook a dish #likehim #speakingfromhisownexperience. My aim with this recipe is to give you a base or more a formula to making pan sauces so that you can adapt this recipe depending on your personal tastes (maybe not everyone likes blue cheese!? #haters) or what you happen to have on hand. You can use any sort of steak in this dish. I usually go for a Wagyu Scotch Fillet or Eye Fillet because I love how tender they are, but if you want something with a bit more size to it, go for that T-Bone! I know when we think steak, we think BBQ but it is important to cook your steak in a frying pan so that after, when you make your sauce in that same pan, you can steal those beautiful cooking juices and crusty bits to add flavour to your sauce. “A pan sauce just consists of some sort of liquid: eg stock, cream, evaporated milk and flavouring: eg blue cheese, sauteed garlic, sauteed mushrooms, green peppercorns, worcestershire sauce. Bring to a bubble, while scraping all the cooking juices and debris left over from cooking your protein and reduce until thick and saucy.” Eye Fillet Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce an original recipe by Kimberley Kells Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children with veg 3 Eye Fillet Steaks 375mL Evaporated Milk 90g Gorgonzola Dolce, roughly crumbled Step 1- Season your steaks with a generous amount of salt and pepper and cook in a frying pan over high heat for approx. 2 minutes each side or until cooked until your liking. I would recommend medium-rare. Step 2- Remove the steaks from the pan to rest on a plate while you make the sauce. Return the same pan to the stove and without washing or wiping it out, pour in the evaporated milk and gorgonzola. Simmer over low heat until the gongonzola is melted, while scraping the bottom of the pan. Step 3- Increase the heat to medium and reduce the sauce to thicken. This should take about 5 minutes. Pour in any resting juices from the steak. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Step 4- Serve the steak and sauce with vegetables of your choice. I am loving roasted brussels sprouts at the moment and always have green beans on hand, simply steamed.