Australian meals

[flossybeth]

It's 35 degrees outside and I've got cottage pie in the oven for tea because I'd already defrosted the mince.

 

What I need is to re-educate myself into meals for warm weather but am finding it hard to get out of a British mindset - when we had summer days it was easy enough to do green salad with cold meat or quiche because it wasn't too often but obvioulsy here it's just going to be hot for a long while. So what do you all eat? What are light but filling relatively meals that aren't lettuce???

 

Or is that what the barbecue is for - outdoor cooking so the kitchen doesn't get so hot?

 

Thanks, Floss

[wizzywozza]

I'm the same even after 22 years here. We rarely use the BBQ, and I've just prepped steak n kidney pud for tomorrow.

[tina&steve]

definately needlight meals for the summer!!! We use the BBQ pretty much every day (and in winter too!)easy to pick up some cold meat from the deli on way home from school runOr just drink cold beer!

[Rachiegarlo]

bbq chickens disappear from supermarket quickly on hot days. Add salad. Also BBQ. I guess if you live in aircon it doesn't really matter you can cook what you like. If you want to cook indoors then things that cook quickly like potato bakes, quiches, frittata, chops etc are the way to go.

[jtct]

Try picking up some of the supermarket (some are free) magazines - they have lots of ideas for meals, lunch boxes, entertaining and great weekly menus for seasonal food

 

http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolworths/freshfoodideas/recipes/delicious+recipes

http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolworths/freshfoodideas/woolworths-magazines/our+magazines?year=2012

http://www.coles.com.au/Products/Coles-Products/Magazines.aspx

Edited November 20, 2012 by jtct

[wizzywozza]

It does explain the thousands of takeaways here

[NicF]

I do lots of more interesting type salads, things like couscous or quiona mixed with raw veggies (carrot, capsicum, zuccini or what ever you fancy) and nuts. Or rice stir fried with some lightly suateed veggies, cooked meat, nuts and pineapple. If making just a salad I'll use different things like mango, apple, coriander, mint, basil etc and I'll make my own dressings. There are some good recepies for some more substantial (and none lettuce based salads) in the River Cottage veg book. Stir fries are quite good for the heat, even though they are hot food. They take very little time to actually cook so not much time with the heat on inside - you could even do them on the BBQ outside if you wanted. Either make your own sauce/flavourings or buy a ready made one from the shop.

 

The other thing I do is check the weather forecast at the begining of the week and plan in my more cooking intensive meals for the days when it's cooler and I make extra and freeze the left overs for anothr day. I find that a hot meal isn't so bad if you are just warming it up and not spending hours with the oven on. Alternatively do a roast ona cooler day then use the leftovers in easier meals on the following (hotter) days.

[snifter]

I do lots of more interesting type salads, things like couscous or quiona mixed with raw veggies (carrot, capsicum, zuccini or what ever you fancy) and nuts. Or rice stir fried with some lightly suateed veggies, cooked meat, nuts and pineapple. If making just a salad I'll use different things like mango, apple, coriander, mint, basil etc and I'll make my own dressings. There are some good recepies for some more substantial (and none lettuce based salads) in the River Cottage veg book. Stir fries are quite good for the heat, even though they are hot food. They take very little time to actually cook so not much time with the heat on inside - you could even do them on the BBQ outside if you wanted. Either make your own sauce/flavourings or buy a ready made one from the shop.

 

I have a recipe you might like for chicken in a pesto creme fraiche (with grapes). Amazingly it works really well and is great with cold pasta or rice or with fresh bread and salad. Because the chicken is chopped in to pieces and the grapes usually cut in half a chicken breast or two can go a long way.

[ladycasper]

I do lots of more interesting type salads, things like couscous or quiona mixed with raw veggies (carrot, capsicum, zuccini or what ever you fancy) and nuts. Or rice stir fried with some lightly suateed veggies, cooked meat, nuts and pineapple. If making just a salad I'll use different things like mango, apple, coriander, mint, basil etc and I'll make my own dressings. There are some good recepies for some more substantial (and none lettuce based salads) in the River Cottage veg book. Stir fries are quite good for the heat, even though they are hot food. They take very little time to actually cook so not much time with the heat on inside - you could even do them on the BBQ outside if you wanted. Either make your own sauce/flavourings or buy a ready made one from the shop.

 

The other thing I do is check the weather forecast at the begining of the week and plan in my more cooking intensive meals for the days when it's cooler and I make extra and freeze the left overs for anothr day. I find that a hot meal isn't so bad if you are just warming it up and not spending hours with the oven on. Alternatively do a roast ona cooler day then use the leftovers in easier meals on the following (hotter) days.

 

 

 

Some great comments and ideas on here. We are in our 5th year now and this is what we find works best...

 

When it gets hot and we want to use the air conditioning it does seems silly to heat the house up with cooking too.

 

So we have salads ands cold food, also buying a cooked chicken like mentioned above but the do go quick from the shops.

 

We have a Webber kettle bbq to cook a roast outside and can also spit roast a chicken, that all works a treat.

 

Things that are cooked in the house if you really fancy something are ok if cooked really quick like stir fry.

 

When it has been very hot (i.e. 40) for most of the week you tend to yearn for a proper cooked meal, so we then go out to a nice air conditioned place and let someone else do the cooking.

 

Some places do half price meals at tea time, such as Mick Osheas down south, 5 to 6 pm weekdays and is a nice treat when its hot...

 

Still what we all need it lots and lots of water at that time, so dont forget guys keep drinking any chance you get.......enjoy the summer

[flossybeth]

Thank you, there are some really good ideas. Stir frys and mixing up different salads are a good idea - the fruit and veg here is so much tastier so it's good to have something new to do with them.

 

And Snifter please share your recipe, I'll try anything once and again and again if it goes down well.

[Lol63]

there is also a recipe section on here that might help. Duh didn't realise when I answered this post that I was already in the recipe section duh!!! I think my medication is wearing off lol x

Edited November 21, 2012 by Lol63
bein idiotic

[NicF]

I have a recipe you might like for chicken in a pesto creme fraiche (with grapes). Amazingly it works really well and is great with cold pasta or rice or with fresh bread and salad. Because the chicken is chopped in to pieces and the grapes usually cut in half a chicken breast or two can go a long way.

 

That sounds lovely. You should definitely share the recipe.