Showcase Dan & Steph Australian MKR Winners 2013 - Cookbooks

It was only last year in India, Colors infinity aired My Kitchen Rules (MKR) commencing with season 4.  Since that first episode, MKR had me hooked; it is by far the best cooking competition I have ever watched.  In season four, the moment I saw the Hervey Bay couple, Dan and Steph Mulheron, I loved everything about this easy-going couple.  Even in the early stages, you could see Dan and Steph had a great love for food, a flair and most of all dedication that had me rooting for them right the way through to their teary grand finale.

Words cannot express how excited I was to get together with Dan and Steph to put together a few blogs, sharing their amazing success since MKR.

Thank you Dan and Steph for making this happen xxxx

Down-to-earth Hervey Bay couple, Dan and Steph winning the fourth series of Australian ‘My Kitchen Rules’ in 2013.    

 Dan and Steph have gone on to author two amazing cook books.

Eat @ Home encapsulates the passion shared by this adventurous foodie couple, adding an exciting flair to your much loved home style meals.

Collected here are the dishes they love to make at home. Whether it's a quiet night in or a dinner party with friends. Eat @ Home has delicious dishes for breakfasts sides pasta seafood and more as well as Dan's classic sausage recipes and Steph's bold desserts.

There's no need to go out when you can Eat @ Home with Dan and Steph's easy to follow recipes.

There is a tasty recipe for Corned Beef, which Steph says always reminds her of her Nana. They have included breakfasts, sides and salads, spreads for entertaining, pasta and seafood.

Of course, Dan has included recipes for his home made Pork Sausages with Onion Gravy, Beef Sausages poached in Red Wine & Thyme with Colcannon & Smoked Honey Carrots.

Steph has added some of those bold desserts she loves to create, including Meringue with Passionfruit Curd, Mango & Whipped Coconut Cream, Smoked Meringue with Poached Apples, Cinnamon Cream & Salted Caramel Walnut Praline.

BUY FROM

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The cookery Book

Meat & Sweet is the second cookbook from the creative duo Dan and Steph Mulheron. This unique book showcases the exciting flair that they bring to much loved home-style meals.

Dan is known as the sausage connoisseur and it is Steph who loves creating bold desserts, so they have divided the recipes according to their personal tastes. The first half of the book features Dan's mouthwatering meat dishes, which are then complimented by Steph's visually stunning and delicious desserts.

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Amazon 

Amazon uk  

Amazon in  

Amazon de  

Amazon ca  

The cookery cook

About Dan & Steph

Before MKR, they were every day Aussie battlers, working very hard in their day to day jobs to make ends meet.   They openly admit they weren’t great cooks prior to MKR, but loved to entertain their friends & family, purely because they enjoyed making people happy with the best ingredient of all - food cooked with love. 

Things get hot in the kitchen in the instant restaurant round.

Dan and Steph love their footy, snags and beer. But make no mistake: this down-to-earth Hervey Bay couple are serious foodies. After winning the fourth series of Australian ‘My Kitchen Rules’ in 2013, they gained a variety of experiences and many cooking techniques that they use now every day in life.

Tips on buying spices on your next visit to Goa

Of course, it makes sense that when coming to India one of the spice capitals of the world you would want to take home a taste of Asia. 

Be warned and be careful where you buy your spices.

Although the colourful displays at the market look appealing, remember, when subjected to air and sunlight spices lose their flavour. You will no doubt be charged double even more than you should be, but most importantly buying from markets or roadside vendors can be suspect, to spices being contaminated.  My advice would be, to go to a reputable supermarket.

 

Below is just an example of how spices are contaminated.

Turmeric, Coriander powder, Red Chilies:

 

 

 

 

 Turmeric is mixed with coloured chalk powder, aniline dyes. 

Sawdust is added to both turmeric and coriander.

 Red chilies are mixed with Red colour dye, paint powder and brick dust.

Argemone seeds are regularly added.

Spice Powder e.g. Masala mixes.

 Synthetic colours.

Cinnamon Sticks:

 Cassia bark is added.

Cumin seeds:

 Grass seeds coloured with charcoal is mixed. Rub them in your palm if they turn black, it indicates adulteration.

 

 

 

 

Pepper:

Pepper powder is grinded with papaya seeds. Whole pepper is mixed with papaya seeds which are very similar in size and colour but are relatively tasteless once dried.

 

 

 

 

 

Saffron

If you put a thread of real saffron in your mouth and it feels sweet, then it’s fake!

 

 

 

 

 

Tea:

 Iron filings, coloured tea leaves.

 

 

Final Okra post – Okra pie

Okra Pie

Serves 4-6

For the Pastry

75g margarine      pinch of sea salt      175g plain flour      cold water

Put the flour, salt and rub in the margarine until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Slowly add water to the mixture at the same time working the mixture to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a good five minutes. Then wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

When ready to use, give it a light quick knead and roll out.

For the filling

2 tsp olive oil      1 onion finely chopped      1 crushed clove garlic      2 sticks of celery chopped      100g carrot sliced      2tbsp tomato puree      1tbsp soy sauce light      150ml hot vegetable stock      1 tsp each of  dried thyme and sage      175g okra sliced    225g potatoes boiled and mashed     salt and pepper to taste  beaten egg for glazing

Set the oven to 220/425/gas 7

Heat the oil and gently fry the onion and garlic.

Add the celery and carrot and cook for 5 minutes.

Mix the tomato puree and the soy sauce in with the hot stock and add to the onion, celery, carrot along with the okra.  Cook gently for 5 minutes.

Combine the okra mix with into the mash potato.

Season with salt and pepper.

Roll out about 2/3rds of the pastry and line a greased round pie tin.

Pack in the okra mix.

Roll out the rest of the pastry and to make a lid. Seal and brush with the beaten egg.

Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the temp to 190/375/gas 5 and bake for another 35-40 minutes.