PIZZA LUNCH LOAF

almost tender.

• 2 small brown onions, cut into thin wedges

Ingredients

Set a 5L slow cooker to Browning. Heat oil. Cook onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, fennel and chilli. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato, beans, stock and bouquet garni. Season. Change cooker setting to High. Cover. Cook for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are

• 1 1/4 cups self-raising four

• 1 cup grated mozzarella

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Step 2

Stir in cavalo nero, bread and parmesan. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes or until soup has thickened slightly. Stir in lemon juice, to taste. Serve topped with parsley, lemon zest and extra parmesan.

• 12 slices Hungarian salami, cut into 1cm pieces

• 1/2 cup pitted mixed marinated olives, halved, plus extra to serve

• 1/2 cup semi-dried tomato strips, chopped

• 1/4 cup fnely chopped fresh fat-leaf parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup fnely chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra leaves to serve

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/4 cup light-favoured extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 9.5cm x 19.5cm loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan on all sides.

2. Place four in a large bowl. Add mozzarella, oni on, salami, olives, tomato, parsley and basil. Season. Stir until well combined.

3. Make a well in centre of four mixture. Add egg, oil and milk. Stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice. Serve with extra basil leaves and olives.

• 500g lean beef chipolata sausages

• Olive oil cooking spray

• 2 cups frozen peas

• Gravy, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Line 2 trays with baking paper. Place pumpkin and potato on 1 prepared tray. Place onion and sausages on remaining tray. Spray with oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Place pumpkin and potato tray on top shelf of oven. Place onion and sausage tray on bottom shelf. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, place peas in a microwavesafe dish. Add 2 tablespoons cold water. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high (100%) for 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve sausages with roasted vegetables, peas and gravy.

Max Crus

How fortuitous that Invasion Day (known as Australia Day to Peter Dutton) this year should fall NOT on a publication day, otherwise, like Triple J, Woolworths, umpteen councils around Australia and just about everyone else who doesn’t watch Sky News, we too would have had to shift our big day of celebration, the announcement of the 2024

(Terre á Terre) Daosa

Piccadilly Valley Blanc de Blanc 2019, $90. This is not only the best bubbles of 2023, but the top scoring wine. Luckily we had it new year’s eve or we would have had to wait a whole year to say that. Much effort has gone into the making and it has pretty much everything you could want in sparkling wine in pretty much the right balance, except for the price which is actually still good value. Ignore

Max Crus is a Clarence Valley-based wine writer and Grape Expectations is now in its 26th year of publication. Find out more about Max or sign up for his weekly reviews and musings by visiting maxcrus.com.au

Max Crus Trophy winner.

However, let’s get the frst column of ’24 underway in the usual fashion with something political, and for the frst time ever, I embarrassedly admit I agree with Dutton - Woolworths should be boycotted.

Our agreeance fnishes right there though.

Woolworths should be boycotted not because they

NV French muck if you’re spending $90, this is streets ahead. Congratulations Daosa, your trophy is in the mail. 9.9/10.

Terre á Terre SA Crayéres Vineyard Reserve (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc) 2019, $95. Several Terre á Terre wines reached the upper echelons of the points table, but this one is living proof that it is more important to decant new wines than old. The frst