Sangria, adapted from America's Test Kitchen

This makes enough for 12 servings, and is an easy and delicious way to feed a crowd.

This recipe doubles easily. You could add other fruit to make it more festive. If the orange and lemon slices are left in too long their rinds add bitterness which can be unpleasant. Some people like to add soda water to give a bit of fizz. Adjust the recipe to suit - more of less syrup, fruit, juice. Some people also add brandy for added complexity. America's Test Kitchen only uses 60g sugar, but I prefer it sweeter. Leftovers can be frozen as ice blocks on sticks for an adult treat.

Ingredients
100g sugar - 8 tablespoons
100 mls water
1.5 litres Merlot, or other fruity red wine
120 mls triple sec or Cointreau
3 oranges
2 lemons

Method
Heat sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved. This is called Simple Syrup.
Slice 2 oranges thinly, and juice the other.
Slice both lemons thinly.
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and chill at least 2 hours for the flavours to meld.
Serve in chilled wine glasses half filled with ice. 

Foccacia

These instructions will give a loaf to serve around lunchtime. If you'd like to serve it for dinner, make the poolish in the evening, mix the main dough in the morning and pour into the baking tin. Place it in the fridge for at least 10 hours, and then cook.

Poolish

2 cups bread flour

500mls water

Pinch of yeast

Main dough

2 cups bread flour

150mls warm water

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon yeast

The night before mix the poolish ingredients together in a large plastic container with a lid. You may need to use your hand (washed, of course) to mix the poolish well. When finished scrape the dough off your hand back into the container.

Place the lid on, leaving a small opening at one corner. Leave out of the fridge overnight.

The next morning add the main dough ingredients to the poolish. Again, you’ll probably need to use your hand to do this. It can take up to 5 mins to get it mixed in properly. The dough will be lumpy at this point, and very slack, but all the flour should be well moistened. It will be too wet to knead.

Let the dough rest for 10 mins. Then wet one hand (this stops the dough sticking to your hand) and slide it half way under the dough. Lift the dough up until you feel resistance, then fold this part of the dough back over itself. Turn the container 90 degrees, wet your hand again and repeat. Do this a total of 4 times, almost forming a square. (Though the dough will not look square. It will be round.)

Let the dough rest another 10 minutes and repeat. And then rest another 10 mins and repeat. So you do the stretch and fold proceedure a total of 3 times. This aligns the gluten strands and you will see the dough become smoother the more times you do it. This all sounds way more complicated to describe than to do. It’s actually quite simple. You just make a square with the dough 3 times.

Line a shallow baking tray with silicone paper.

Allow the dough to rest a few more minutes, then plop it onto the baking tray. Wet your hands for a final time and push and smooth the dough to reach the ends of the baking tray. If the dough seems reluctant to stretch, let it rest a little longer. Press your fingers deep into the dough, touching right to the bottom of the pan. Do this about 10 times to make 40 dimples. This is what gives foccacia it’s charachteristic lumpy appearance.

Set aside to rise for anything from an hour to five hours. If you want to leave it longer than that you could refrigerate it for part of the time. No need to cover it.

An hour before you want to bake it, preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  

Drizzle 3-6 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dough, being careful not to actually touch and therefore deflate the dough. I like to sprinkle it with rosemary too, but this isn’t necessary

Bake for 25-35 mins, until golden brown on the top. Check it after 20 mins - you may need to rotate the pan if it’s cooking unevenly.

Meatballs with Pomegranate, Yogurt and Tahini

This recipe includes two tricks to keep the meatballs moist - a ‘panade’ made of breadcrumbs and milk, and adding gelatine. And as you mix the seasonings into the meat you knead the meat, causing the proteins stick together and create a cohesive texture. 

1kg mince

2 slices bread

1 teaspoon gelatine

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons each ground cinnamon and allspice

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, stalks removed

½ bunch mint, leaves only

100 mls milk or water
Pomegranate molasses (optional)

Tahini Yogurt Sauce

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons tahini

1 clove garlic, crushed

Lemon juice and salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together using a whisk or a fork,

Method

Using the cutting blade on a food processor, process the bread until it forms crumbs.

Add garlic and dry ingredients and process again.

Add parsley and mint and process until finely chopped.

Add milk and process until it achieves a thick paste.

Remove this from the processor and in a large bowl combine the bread mixture with 1/3 of the mince until it is thoroughly incorporated.

Add half the remaining mixture and mix again. Then repeat with the last third of the mince. Mixing the seasonings into the meat takes a while.

Roll into balls. I find this makes about 70 small balls that are just right for a single bite. Alternatively, form into sausage shapes or make larger hamburger style patties.

Place on oven tray lined with baking paper and brush with pomegranate molasses.

Bake in the oven at 120C for 10 mins, or until just cooked depending on size. If you see juice coming out of them, they are already overcooked.

Alternatively you could cook them on the bbq or in a frypan.

To serve, place meatballs on a plate and dot the yogurt sauce over. Then sprinkle with a combination of whatever is available - pomegranate seeds, ground sumac, parsley or pistachios. 

Drizzle with a little more pomegranate molasses.  
Spear each meatball with a toothpick and serve.

Sicilian Style Stuffed Capsicums (Red Peppers)

6 yellow or red capsicums
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
1t honey
3 anchovies
2 cl garlic
1/4t cinnamon
2 tablespoons marsala
50g pitted black olives, rinsed and chopped
10g parsley
10g mint
50ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 150.
Soak 75g raisins in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then drain.
Chop all ingredients finely and mix together
Taste before seasoning – even though the stuffing is still raw, you need to get an idea of how much salt to add (if any).
Halve 6 red peppers, spoon the stuffing into them and place in an ovenproof dish.
Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top and bake in the oven for ½ -3/4 hr.
Place under griller and grill until brown on top.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Alternative use for seasonings - make into meat balls
Mix with seasoning with 200g pork or chicken mince.
Fry as meat balls.
Add 100mls marsala and/or cream to pan and heat.
Serve over pasta.