feedme now!

billgranger

contents

introduction 6

rise & shine 8

midday fuel 30

afternoon treat 50

family supper 68

the dinner dash 92

on a shoestring 138

freeze me 160

friends over 178

sweet dreams 214

index 236

Bill Granger, highly popular, contemporary Australian restaurateur

and food writer, is renowned for his home cooking. With a young family

and busy lifestyle, time is at a premium – as it is for most of us – and Bill

recognises the need for easy home-cooked dishes that don’t take a lot

of time. Simplicity, good-quality fresh ingredients and great flavours are

the essence of his cooking.

With his trademark straightforward food, Bill has put together a bright,

joyful, practical collection of recipes to answer the day-to-day food

dilemmas of busy modern families of all ages and stages. These are

easy dishes, based on relatively few ingredients, prepared with the

minimum of fuss.

Covering all aspects of family everyday life, chapters include ideas for

quick healthy breakfasts, fast sustaining lunches, teatime treats, family

suppers, after-work meals and dinners with friends. There is also a

chapter on low budget meals for times when resources are stretched,

and another on prepare-ahead meals for the freezer.

Echoing the relaxed, informal style of his celebrated restaurants, Bill’s

dishes are inviting, tasty and satisfying. Beautifully photographed, this

must-have book fulfils the need for fast, healthy food for families and

their friends.

Bill Granger is a self-taught cook who strongly believes that food

should always be a joy, never a chore. Bill’s easy-going approach to

cooking is an essential factor in his enduring popularity. Born in

Melbourne, he moved to Sydney where he opened his first restaurant,

bills, at the age of 22, followed by bills Surry Hills just three years later; a

third Sydney restaurant opened in July 2005. In March 2008 Bill opened

his first beachside restaurant in greater Tokyo, in Kamakura. All of these

restaurants have been highly successful.

Bill’s previous cookbooks include bills Sydney food, bills food, bills open

kitchen, simply bill, Every Day, and Holiday, all international best sellers. In

all, he has sold over 800,000 books and has been translated into five

languages. He has worked with various magazines, including BBC Good

Food and Australia’s Delicious. His television series, bills food, launched in

2004, was broadcast worldwide in no less than 27 countries; in the UK

alone over two million viewers watched it on BBC TV.

specification£20.00 Hardback

ISBN: 978 184400 706 6

240pp 270 x 216mm

42,500 words including over 125 recipes

120 colour photographs

Publication April 2009

Quadrille Publishing LimitedAlhambra House

27–31 Charing Cross Road

London WC2H 0LS

www.quadrille.co.uk

Bill Granger, highly popular, contemporary Australian restaurateur

and food writer, is renowned for his home cooking. With a young family

and busy lifestyle, time is at a premium – as it is for most of us – and Bill

recognises the need for easy home-cooked dishes that don’t take a lot

of time. Simplicity, good-quality fresh ingredients and great flavours are

the essence of his cooking.

With his trademark straightforward food, Bill has put together a bright,

joyful, practical collection of recipes to answer the day-to-day food

dilemmas of busy modern families of all ages and stages. These are

easy dishes, based on relatively few ingredients, prepared with the

minimum of fuss.

Covering all aspects of family everyday life, chapters include ideas for

quick healthy breakfasts, fast sustaining lunches, teatime treats, family

suppers, after-work meals and dinners with friends. There is also a

chapter on low budget meals for times when resources are stretched,

and another on prepare-ahead meals for the freezer.

Echoing the relaxed, informal style of his celebrated restaurants, Bill’s

dishes are inviting, tasty and satisfying. Beautifully photographed, this

must-have book fulfils the need for fast, healthy food for families and

their friends.

Bill Granger is a self-taught cook who strongly believes that food

should always be a joy, never a chore. Bill’s easy-going approach to

cooking is an essential factor in his enduring popularity. Born in

Melbourne, he moved to Sydney where he opened his first restaurant,

bills, at the age of 22, followed by bills Surry Hills just three years later; a

third Sydney restaurant opened in July 2005. In March 2008 Bill opened

his first beachside restaurant in greater Tokyo, in Kamakura. All of these

restaurants have been highly successful.

Bill’s previous cookbooks include bills Sydney food, bills food, bills open

kitchen, simply bill, Every Day, and Holiday, all international best sellers. In

all, he has sold over 800,000 books and has been translated into five

languages. He has worked with various magazines, including BBC Good

Food and Australia’s Delicious. His television series, bills food, launched in

2004, was broadcast worldwide in no less than 27 countries; in the UK

alone over two million viewers watched it on BBC TV.

specification£20.00 Hardback

ISBN: 978 184400 706 6

240pp 270 x 216mm

42,500 words including over 125 recipes

120 colour photographs

Publication April 2009

Quadrille Publishing LimitedAlhambra House

27–31 Charing Cross Road

London WC2H 0LS

www.quadrille.co.uk

rise & shine 17

serves 4

hotcakes

300g wholemeal flour

3 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons caster sugar

50g rolled oats

750ml buttermilk

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

75g butter, melted, plus extra to grease pan

caramel banana topping

3 bananas

60g butter

90g soft brown sugar1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

To make the hotcake batter, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon,

nutmeg and salt together into a bowl. Stir the sugar and oats through,

then make a well in the centre. Pour in the buttermilk and beaten

eggs, stirring until just mixed. Add the melted butter and stir to

combine. Set aside.

For the caramel bananas, halve the bananas lengthways and cut each

piece in three. Put the butter, sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons water

into a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook until the mixture

forms a caramel and darkens. Add the bananas and toss through until

well coated.

To cook the hotcakes, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium

heat and brush a little butter over the base. Pour a small ladleful of the

batter into the hot pan, tilt to coat the base evenly and cook for

2–3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook for a

further 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while cooking

the rest. Serve the hotcakes with the caramel bananas.

oaty hotcakeswith caramel bananas

“Fresh raspberries – sprinkled

with a little icing sugar and lightly

crushed – make a delicious

alternative topping. Or you could

simply serve the hotcakes

drizzled with maple syrup.”

rise & shine 17

serves 4

hotcakes

300g wholemeal flour

3 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons caster sugar

50g rolled oats

750ml buttermilk

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

75g butter, melted, plus extra to grease pan

caramel banana topping

3 bananas

60g butter

90g soft brown sugar1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

To make the hotcake batter, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon,

nutmeg and salt together into a bowl. Stir the sugar and oats through,

then make a well in the centre. Pour in the buttermilk and beaten

eggs, stirring until just mixed. Add the melted butter and stir to

combine. Set aside.

For the caramel bananas, halve the bananas lengthways and cut each

piece in three. Put the butter, sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons water

into a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook until the mixture

forms a caramel and darkens. Add the bananas and toss through until

well coated.

To cook the hotcakes, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium

heat and brush a little butter over the base. Pour a small ladleful of the

batter into the hot pan, tilt to coat the base evenly and cook for

2–3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook for a

further 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while cooking

the rest. Serve the hotcakes with the caramel bananas.

oaty hotcakeswith caramel bananas

“Fresh raspberries – sprinkled

with a little icing sugar and lightly

crushed – make a delicious

alternative topping. Or you could

simply serve the hotcakes

drizzled with maple syrup.”

98 the dinner dash

serves 4

2 tablespoons mild-flavoured oil, such as

sunflower or rapeseed

20 large raw prawns, shelled and

deveined, with tails intact

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges

400g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 4cm

lengths on the diagonal

1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut

into thin strips

200ml coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

to serve

coriander leaves

steamed rice

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large frying pan over a

high heat. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until

they turn pink and are just cooked. Remove and set aside.

Return the wok to a high heat, add the remaining

1 tablespoon oil, followed by the curry paste and cook,

stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the onion and

asparagus and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the red

pepper and cook for a further 1 minute.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, and

stir to combine. Return the prawns to the wok and cook for

a further minute or until they are heated through. Scatter

over some coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

“Like a cross between a

curry and a stir-fry, this is

rich and satisfying but still

crunchy and alive.”

spicy prawnstir-fry

98 the dinner dash

serves 4

2 tablespoons mild-flavoured oil, such as

sunflower or rapeseed

20 large raw prawns, shelled and

deveined, with tails intact

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges

400g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 4cm

lengths on the diagonal

1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut

into thin strips

200ml coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

to serve

coriander leaves

steamed rice

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large frying pan over a

high heat. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until

they turn pink and are just cooked. Remove and set aside.

Return the wok to a high heat, add the remaining

1 tablespoon oil, followed by the curry paste and cook,

stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the onion and

asparagus and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the red

pepper and cook for a further 1 minute.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, and

stir to combine. Return the prawns to the wok and cook for

a further minute or until they are heated through. Scatter

over some coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

“Like a cross between a

curry and a stir-fry, this is

rich and satisfying but still

crunchy and alive.”

spicy prawnstir-fry

friends over 213212 friends over

serves 4–6

1.7kg leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 good quality anchovy fillets in oil (tinned or

in jars)

500ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

juice of 1 orange

60g pitted black olives

to serve

potato gratin

tomato confit

Rub the lamb all over with garlic and rosemary, drizzle with olive oil and

season with salt and pepper. If possible, leave to marinate in a cool place

for a couple of hours, or overnight in the fridge if time permits.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Place the lamb in a roasting tray and

roast for 11/2 hours, or until cooked to your liking.

Transfer the lamb to a warm platter and set aside to rest in a warm place.

Put the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the anchovies and break

them up with a wooden spoon, then pour in the stock, stirring to deglaze.

Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and stir until slightly reduced.

Add the orange zest and juice. Stir until reduced and slightly thickened,

then add the olives.

Slice the lamb and serve with the sauce, potato gratin and tomato confit.

“To simplify this dish, omit the potato gratin and tomato confit.

Instead, toss quartered, peeled potatoes in olive oil and throw them

into the roasting tray with the lamb, then serve the roast with a

tomato salad. Finish with an apricot upside down tart (page 219) or

a gooey raspberry chocolate cake (page 231).”

roast leg of lamb with anchovies & orange

potato gratin

25g butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1.2kg yellow waxy potatoes, such as

Charlotte or Nicola, peeled if preferred

30–40g butter

750ml chicken stock

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Heat the

butter and olive oil in a frying pan over medium

heat. When the butter has melted, add the

onions and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes until

golden brown. Stir through the thyme leaves.

Peel and slice the potatoes very finely, using a

mandolin, if you have one. Arrange a third of

the potatoes in a medium baking dish, scatter

over a third of the onions, dot with butter and

season well. Repeat the layers twice, finishing

with an onion layer. Pour over the stock, cover

with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover

and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the

top is golden brown and the potatoes feel

tender when tested with a knife.

tomato confit

1kg ripe roma tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with a knife

2 thyme sprigs

125ml extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

small handful basil leaves

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas 2. Quarter

the tomatoes lengthways and cut out the

core and seeds, leaving just the flesh

attached to the skin. Drizzle some of the olive

oil onto a baking tray and place the tomatoes

cut side up on the tray. Scatter over the garlic

cloves and thyme sprigs, drizzle over the

remaining olive oil and season liberally with

salt. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the

tomatoes and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a

tray. The tomatoes can be kept in a sealed

container in the fridge for a couple of days,

but make sure you bring them to room

temperature before eating. Slip off the skins

and serve the confit tomatoes scattered with

basil leaves and sprinkled with pepper.

friends over 213212 friends over

serves 4–6

1.7kg leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 good quality anchovy fillets in oil (tinned or

in jars)

500ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

juice of 1 orange

60g pitted black olives

to serve

potato gratin

tomato confit

Rub the lamb all over with garlic and rosemary, drizzle with olive oil and

season with salt and pepper. If possible, leave to marinate in a cool place

for a couple of hours, or overnight in the fridge if time permits.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Place the lamb in a roasting tray and

roast for 11/2 hours, or until cooked to your liking.

Transfer the lamb to a warm platter and set aside to rest in a warm place.

Put the roasting tin over a medium heat, add the anchovies and break

them up with a wooden spoon, then pour in the stock, stirring to deglaze.

Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and stir until slightly reduced.

Add the orange zest and juice. Stir until reduced and slightly thickened,

then add the olives.

Slice the lamb and serve with the sauce, potato gratin and tomato confit.

“To simplify this dish, omit the potato gratin and tomato confit.

Instead, toss quartered, peeled potatoes in olive oil and throw them

into the roasting tray with the lamb, then serve the roast with a

tomato salad. Finish with an apricot upside down tart (page 219) or

a gooey raspberry chocolate cake (page 231).”

roast leg of lamb with anchovies & orange

potato gratin

25g butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1.2kg yellow waxy potatoes, such as

Charlotte or Nicola, peeled if preferred

30–40g butter

750ml chicken stock

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Heat the

butter and olive oil in a frying pan over medium

heat. When the butter has melted, add the

onions and fry, stirring, for 10 minutes until

golden brown. Stir through the thyme leaves.

Peel and slice the potatoes very finely, using a

mandolin, if you have one. Arrange a third of

the potatoes in a medium baking dish, scatter

over a third of the onions, dot with butter and

season well. Repeat the layers twice, finishing

with an onion layer. Pour over the stock, cover

with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover

and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the

top is golden brown and the potatoes feel

tender when tested with a knife.

tomato confit

1kg ripe roma tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with a knife

2 thyme sprigs

125ml extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

small handful basil leaves

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas 2. Quarter

the tomatoes lengthways and cut out the

core and seeds, leaving just the flesh

attached to the skin. Drizzle some of the olive

oil onto a baking tray and place the tomatoes

cut side up on the tray. Scatter over the garlic

cloves and thyme sprigs, drizzle over the

remaining olive oil and season liberally with

salt. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the

tomatoes and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a

tray. The tomatoes can be kept in a sealed

container in the fridge for a couple of days,

but make sure you bring them to room

temperature before eating. Slip off the skins

and serve the confit tomatoes scattered with

basil leaves and sprinkled with pepper.

232 sweet dreams

serves 8

topping

100g good quality dark chocolate

125ml raspberry jam

125ml single cream

cake

40g cocoa powder

60ml milk1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

80ml raspberry jam

115g butter, softened

70g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

125g plain flour

11/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of sea salt

80g raspberries, plus extra

to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Generously grease a 22cm cake tin. For

the topping, put the chocolate, jam and cream into a small saucepan over

a medium heat. Stir until smooth, then pour into the prepared cake tin.

In a medium bowl, mix 125ml boiling water and the cocoa powder together

until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla and jam. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy,

then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Sift the flour,

baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Using a large spoon, fold the

dry ingredients and the cocoa mix into the creamed mixture, alternating the

two, then fold the raspberries through.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin, ensuring you spread it right to the edge

and cover the topping completely. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until firm.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. (If not serving straight

away, you can refrigerate the cake in the tin, but you will need to warm it in

the oven before turning it out.)

Turn the cake out onto a plate. You may need to scrape some sauce out of

the tin and spread it over the top of the cake. Serve warm or cold, with

fresh raspberries.

“The beauty of this cake is

that it virtually self-ices. It

also works terrifically well

with apricot jam.”

gooey chocolatecake with raspberries

232 sweet dreams

serves 8

topping

100g good quality dark chocolate

125ml raspberry jam

125ml single cream

cake

40g cocoa powder

60ml milk1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

80ml raspberry jam

115g butter, softened

70g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

125g plain flour

11/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of sea salt

80g raspberries, plus extra

to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Generously grease a 22cm cake tin. For

the topping, put the chocolate, jam and cream into a small saucepan over

a medium heat. Stir until smooth, then pour into the prepared cake tin.

In a medium bowl, mix 125ml boiling water and the cocoa powder together

until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla and jam. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy,

then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Sift the flour,

baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Using a large spoon, fold the

dry ingredients and the cocoa mix into the creamed mixture, alternating the

two, then fold the raspberries through.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin, ensuring you spread it right to the edge

and cover the topping completely. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until firm.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. (If not serving straight

away, you can refrigerate the cake in the tin, but you will need to warm it in

the oven before turning it out.)

Turn the cake out onto a plate. You may need to scrape some sauce out of

the tin and spread it over the top of the cake. Serve warm or cold, with

fresh raspberries.

“The beauty of this cake is

that it virtually self-ices. It

also works terrifically well

with apricot jam.”

gooey chocolatecake with raspberries

feedme now!

billgranger