Aussie cook Hayden Quinn shares his top 15 summer recipes
Hayden Quinn is a passionate foodie, lover of all things Aussie produce, and host of Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn.
Breeze through your summer cooking and entertaining with delicious, easy-to-make recipes that make the most of in-season ingredients
What do you love most about summer? For cook, author, passionate foodie and host of Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn, it’s a chance to hit the surf, enjoy the season’s best produce and get stuck into some delicious food with friends. “As a surfer, I love summer and it’s also my favourite time of year to cook. I love the fresh, local produce available, the relaxed vibes and the chance to get creative with my favourite recipes outdoors,” he says.
Hayden says the easy sweet and savoury recipes in this collection are perfect for sharing. You’ll find dishes designed to showcase some of Hayden’s favourite Australian produce, plus recipes inspired by international cuisines including Mexican and Korean. “We get to enjoy unique flavours from all over the world,” says Hayden. Let’s go!
01
Grilled beef with burrata and nectarine salad
There are lots of reasons to choose rump as your barbecue steak – this great-value Aussie beef cut is a breeze to cook and big on flavour. Hayden’s Italian-inspired recipe keeps it simple and he gives seasonal produce a chance to shine in the easy Caprese-style salad, using a mix of tomatoes and nectarines tossed with balsamic vinegar. Serve it topped with creamy burrata and basil leaves.
02
Crispy tofu with spicy Thai-style dressing
Hayden's simple tofu recipe is a light, summery dish inspired by the textures and flavours of Thai-style salads. With sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy unsalted peanuts, and a vibrant mix of zesty and peppery herbs, the dressing is a balanced blend of sweet brown sugar, salty fish sauce, sour lime and vinegar, finished with fragrant lime leaf and fiery bird’s eye chillies.
03
Lamb kofta with couscous and quinoa salad
Full of flavour and great value, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe by Hayden is an excellent choice for summer meals. Seasoned and pan-fried to perfection, just prep your couscous and quinoa, throw together the refreshing salad and finish the dish with jewels of pomegranate, toasted flatbread and some Greek-style natural yoghurt swirled with spicy harissa for a delicious dish.
04
Salmon and bacon cakes with macadamia slaw
This fresh take on surf and turf from a surf-loving Aussie cook is a must-try. Along with mash, flaked salmon and diced bacon, Hayden’s less-than traditional fish cake mix is flavoured with fragrant dill and lemon. The lemony slaw made with shredded wombok, toasted macadamias and bright coriander cuts through the richness of the crispy patties and mayo.
05
Sticky gochujang chipolatas
Pass these sticky gochujang chipolatas around for your guests and knock their socks off. Hayden has taken tasty Aussie pork chipolatas to the next level with a Korean barbecue-inspired sauce made of hot pepper paste, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. A skewer of spicy sausage in one hand and a chilled drink in the other – now that’s bliss!
06
Cherry frangipane with cherry jam
Make the most of cherry season in a dessert you’ll want to serve year after year. Hayden’s “simple but impressive” French-style dish celebrates the classic pairing of cherry and almond. Hayden uses the summer fruit two ways in this dish, with pops of pitted cherries in the frangipane and a quick cherry and honey jam to dollop over the top. When cherries are out of season, it’s also great with frozen or canned cherries, or with berries for a twist.
07
Peruvian-style chicken with green sauce
You’ll need to butterfly a whole chicken for this dish (known as pollo a la brasa con aji verde in Peru) but it’s easy when you follow Hayden’s technique. The mouth-watering sauce, starring coriander, lime, garlic and charred jalapeño chilli, swaps the traditional mayo for lighter Greek-style natural yoghurt and boosts the freshness with spring onion.
08
Golden syrup semifreddo
No-churn recipes often call for freezing, beating and freezing again, which sounds like a lot of work. Well, this creamy frozen Italian dessert is great for entertaining because you just whip up an airy mixture, pour it into a loaf pan and freeze. Then when you’re ready to serve, turn it out and decorate. Hayden’s recipe has a caramelised flavour with chunks of biscuit and macadamia. Topped with ripe stone fruit, it makes an irresistible summer centrepiece.
09
Cheat's XO beef with eggplant
You’ve got to love a shortcut! Traditional Cantonese XO sauce uses luxe ingredients and takes hours to prepare, with many restaurants keeping their recipes top secret. Hayden’s speedy version gives you the sweet, spicy and savoury kick in a fraction of the time. In this easy barbecue recipe, the homemade sauce is an amazing partner for succulent five-spice steak and charred eggplant and broccolini straight from the grill.
10
Spiced lamb with garlic lemon sauce
There’s nothing like Aussie lamb straight from the barbecue, but here’s how you make it taste even better. Hayden’s easy recipe starts with a simple mix of spices you probably have in your pantry, such as cumin, turmeric, garlic powder and chilli powder. Make a paste with extra virgin olive oil, toss in your lamb chops and let them marinate for half an hour in the fridge before you fire up the grill. While they sizzle, you can rustle up the ridiculously tasty yoghurt and tahini sauce. Plate up your spiced lamb with a big pile of fresh herbs and chunky lemon wedges.
11
Pulled pork nachos
Usually, if you want to indulge in fall-apart tender pulled pork, you have to plan ahead to allow for hours and hours of patient slow cooking before you get to the good part. When you don’t have that luxury, there are easy shortcuts that can get you to your goal. Hayden layers up Woolworths Cook slow cooked mild Mexican pork shoulder with quality corn chips and shredded tasty cheese to make an easy base. To finish the nachos, he adds zesty and spicy toppings.
12
Simple avocado hand rolls
Whether you’re after inspiration for lunch-boxes, light meals to enjoy outside or finger food for summer get-togethers, Hayden’s tasty avocado hand rolls are your new go-to. If you’re not sure how to make sushi rolls, you’re in the right place. To help you roll them tight, use a bamboo sushi mat. Filled with avocado, mayo and toasted sesame, these tasty rolls will satisfy the whole family with the creamy, buttery filling and rich soy dipping sauce.
13
Pork and fennel rissoles with fennel salad
The best summer dinners are light enough not to weigh you down, but still pack in satisfying flavour. That’s why Hayden’s fresh update on rissoles and veg is guaranteed to hit the spot. These rissoles have the solid-gold pairing of pork and fennel (hello, Italian sausages!) along with garlic, chives and a hint of honey. The pan-fried patties taste great on their own, but adding crisp and crunchy shaved fennel and baby cos lettuce creates just the right balance on the plate.
14
Free-form blackberry galette
There are times when it pays to have pastry in your freezer – like when you want to share a platter of homemade pies and sausage rolls, or whip up a spur-of-the-moment fruit dessert. A sheet of shortcrust pastry, a couple of punnets of blackberries and some pantry staples, and you’re good to go. Hayden’s recipe has a delicious mix of golden crust and jammy fruit filling. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream for the ultimate pairing.
15
Peach and blueberry cobbler
When it’s peak season for peaches, you need some easy stone fruit desserts up your sleeve. Hayden has the answer: this classic fruit cobbler. Similar to a fruit crumble, but with a soft and spongy topping, cobblers are a year-round favourite. You can use any combo of fruit for the filling, but juicy blueberries and peaches are a top pick in summer. At other times of year, it’s easy to swap in with other seasonal fruits. This is sensational served warm from the oven with chilled vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream.