Pesto Lamb Pizza (slowcooker lamb part 2)

The holy grail combination. Everyone has some. Theres the very common dark chocolate and raspberry, honey and soy, lemon and fish... to the less common olives and white chocolate, oysters and kiwi or mushroom and blueberry (some of Hestons crazy favourites of course!) Everyone has favourites and to me, pumpkin and pesto and lamb and goats cheese ALWAYS hit the spot together. Put the two holy grails together and throw in some caramelized onion pine nuts and a delectably crispy pizza dough and this would have to be in my top 3 favourite meals ever. Just trust me. Don't question it, just make it!

Lamb Pesto Pizza

Prep time:20 (not including dough prep) Cooking time:30  minutes  Serves:4

Ingredients:

• Leftover slow cooked lamb
• 2 pizza bases or 1/2 quantity of pizza dough recipe
• 1 cup diced kent pumpkin 
• 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
• 1 brown onion
• Small knob of butter
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar 
• 75g of goats cheese
• 4 tablespoons basil pesto

Method:

1. Place diced pumpkin in saucepan and boil until soft but not mushy. Place into a bowl with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

2. Chop onion in half and thinly slice onion. Add them to a frying pan over medium heat with the knob of butter and a small dash of oil to stop the butter from burning. 

3. Cook the onions until soft and transparent and add in sugar and vinegar. Cook for a further few minutes until mixture has thickened and is bubbling.  

3. Roll out your pizza dough into the shape of your pizza or baking tray and evenly spread on a layer of pesto- this can be as little or a lot, depending on how strong you want the pesto to be.

4. Top the pizza with pumpkin, lamb, caramelised onion, pine nuts and crumble on goats cheese. 

5. Bake in an oven until the pumpkin and goats cheese are browned and the bottom and edges of the pizza are crisp. 

Wonderful Wednesday: Privilege

I'm so lucky. It's something I don't say enough, something that most of us lucky ones don't say enough. I really am so lucky. 

In the crazy 40+ degree heat in Australia at the moment, and living in a rental with no airconditioning, I've been feeling oh so very sorry for myself and to be honest, doing a hell of a lot of complaining. It wasn't until I was watching the news tonight and saw the latest devastation in the South Australian bush fires, that I realised how trivial my complaint was and how much heartbreak was happening mere hours away from me. 

I am so thankful to have my gorgeous fiancé, my loving family and friends. At 19 years old I'm able to rent and live in a lovely 2 bedroom house with just my fiancé, in a great part of town. I work part time and love it and study full time and love that even more. So many people my age don't have the opportunity or means to do any of these things and I need to remind myself of that every time I go to complain about either. 

I feel so privelaged to have what I have and to live the life I do. Today, I'm feeling so very lucky and this Wednesday is wonderful. 

Creamy Chicken Volovants

Today is a sad week for me. My younger cousin, who happens to be one of my best friends is off on the trip of a lifetime to America for 10 months. I'm incredibly proud of her for taking on this adventure at only 17 but already feeling so lonely without her. Some comfort food to fill my sad little lonely self was on the cards and these volovants certainly helped- rich + creamy + hearty = comfort.

Creamy Chicken Volovants

Prep time:10 Cooking time:15  minutes  Serves:4

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast
• 3/4 cup button mushrooms
• Small bunch of spring onion
• 1 cup full cream
• 1-2 teaspooons seeded mustard
• Small knob of butter
• Salt
• Cracked pepper
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup tasty cheese
• 4 large volovant cases

Method:

1.Dice chicken breast and cook in a large frying pan with a dash of olive oil and cook until sealed on all edges (not browned). Add bacon into the pan and cook with the chicken until both are browned and thoroughly cooked.

2. While the chicken and bacon is cooking, slice the mushrooms and spring onions. And add to the pan with a knob of butter until softened.

3. Pour the cream, seeded mustard and cracked pepper into the pan and let the mixture cook until thickened. 

4. Into the pan add the cheese and turn off the heat and let it sit until the cheese is melted. 

5. Pour the mixture evenly into the volovant cases and bake according to the instructions or until the shell is golden and the top of the volovants are browned.