good things - Liz Posmyk
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs

On Valli Little's delicious. Home Cooking and a beautiful giveaway!

16/3/2013

 
Picture
'Put on your apron, pick up that spoon and let's get cooking,' says Valli Little. Image courtesy HarperCollins.
'I always refer to myself as a cook, not a chef. Even though I was formally trained, I truly believe that the best recipes are learned in the kitchen rather than the classroom... So, for my new book, I wanted to focus on home cooking, a subject dear to my heart.'
                                                                                                                                                                                              - Valli Little

It's Saturday afternoon and I've just come home from my usual outing to the Capital Region Farmer's Market, as well as the Lifeline Autumn Book Fair.  My 'nanna trolley' was overflowing with books, together with market-fresh seasonal produce. Later today, I plan to sit in a big, comfy chair in my sunny living room and thumb the pages of the new (old cookbooks) that I bought at the fair. But for now, my focus is being in the kitchen creating a dish or two from Valli Little's newest cook book delicious. Home Cooking. Valli Little is one of my favourite cookery writers. 'Sourcing, cooking, tasting and sharing food is one of life's great pleasures,' she writes. Readers will know that I share this philosophy and Valli's love of using fresh ingredients to create memorable meals.
Indeed, Valli Little is widely regarded as one of Australia's most exciting food writers. Her passion for food shines through in her recipes, which are imaginative, easy-to-follow and fail-safe. For eleven years Valli has been the food director of delicious. magazine, and every month she creates new recipes inspired by her travels and love of cooking and entertaining.

In delicious. Home Cooking, Valli presents 120 new recipes to cook at home, together with her tips and tricks to 'turn a family classic into a cover-worthy meal without the fuss'.  Chapters cover the four seasons, with starters, mains, desserts and menus for each.  There's much to cook here.  The recipes are achievable, simple to follow and accompanied by beautifully shot photographs.  

One of the Autumn starter recipes that caught my eye is something playfully called 'Figgy Piggy' - a combination of ripe figs, sweet prosciutto and a little soft Italian blue cheese with ciabatta.  How perfect!  HarperCollins have kindly allowed me to share Valli's recipe with you. 

'FIGGY PIGGY'
12 ciabatta slices
Olive oil, to brush
1 garlic clove, halved
12 figs, torn in half
120g gorgonzola dolce or other mild blue cheese, crumbled
12 slices prosciutto
Mixed micro herbs or small basil leaves and vincotto* or balsamic vinegar, to serve

Heat a chargrill pan over high heat. Brush the bread with a little olive oil and grill for 1-2 minutes each side until charred. Rub the hot bread with the cut side of the garlic clove. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, brush the figs with a little olive oil, and grill, torn-side down, for 1 minute or until lightly caramelised.  Scatter most of the cheese over the bread, drape with the prosciutto and top with figs.  Top with herbs and remaining cheese, drizzle with vincotto and serve.  Serves 6.  *Vincotto (a condiment made from cooked grape must) is available from gourmet food shops.

And now for my delicious. Home Cooking by Valli Little PRIZE GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers, I have three copies of delicious. Home Cooking to give away.  Three fans of Valli Little and readers of Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things will each win a copy of the book, valued at $49.99. 

HOW TO ENTER AND CONDITIONS

The competition is open to Australian residents only and runs from Saturday, 16 March until midnight on Wednesday, 27 March 2013. 

To enter the contest, subscribe to my regular recipe updates (if you haven't already); then submit a comment on this post and tell me about your favourite Valli Little recipe and why you'd love to win a copy of delicious. Home Cooking, Valli's latest book. If you can't think of a particular recipe, hey, just tell me why you'd like to win!


Please make sure you enter your email address with your comment, so that I can reach you in the event that you're one of the three winners!  The winners will be notified by email and the prizes will be posted to you kind courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers.


AND THE WINNERS ARE:


SALLY
JANE
GLENDA (the one at entry number three)


Congratulations! You will be notified by email and a copy of delicious. Home Cooking will be posted to you by HarperCollins publishers. Thanks all for your great interest! Watch this space for more good things to come!
Print Friendly and PDF

DISCLOSURE
HarperCollins Publishers have generously sponsored the prizes. I have not been compensated for this post, but am delighted to be able to offer you the opportunity to win a copy of this beautiful book. So spread the word and get those entries in!  Thank you HarperCollins.  And, thank you, dear readers for supporting Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things.
Jane @ EarthAppleJane link
15/3/2013 04:52:43 pm

Hi Lizzy,
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win this delicious.Home Cooking book from Valli Little! My favourite recipe is Valli's Gnocchi Carbonara which obviously I love because it starts with 5 large Sebago potatoes! The method of making this luscious pasta is set out in a simple way, and includes scrummy things like pancetta, cream and parmesan cheese. If you are already drooling at the thought, then here is the link so you can get cracking!! http://www.taste.com.au/delicious/article/people/valli+little+s+gnocchi+carbonara,825 Will be lovely to see others' faves too!
Cheers Jane

Jane again link
16/3/2013 09:12:31 am

Liz, Just realised I never said why I would like to win this book, however reading Sally's comment below about the Brisbane floods, I would far rather she won it:))

Sally @sal_star1
15/3/2013 07:07:18 pm

Dear Lizzy A great post I wish I had that Nanna Trolley full of good things for the afternoon :) My favourite Valli Little recipe is Tea Fruit Cake - a fail safe moist boiled fruit cake that is now my 'go to' staple for 'Baked Relief' I would LOVE to win one of the 'delicious Home Cooking' as I love her writing and am still rebuilding my beloved cookery book collection after losing them all in the 2011 Brisbane floods cheers Sally ps here is the Tea Cake link http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/26064/fruit+tea+cake

Glenda
16/3/2013 10:23:26 am

Ooh how I would love this book. A friend of a friend has this book and indeed it does look wonderful. I have eleven years of delicious magazines on my bookshelves so needless to say have many tried and trusted Valli Little recipes but the one that comes to mind for me as not only one of my favourites (extremely difficult to pick just one) but a little bit fancy is the "mangomisu". Yes it's on the taste website and it always turns out perfectly for me.

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul link
16/3/2013 11:47:41 am

I love Valli's "mangomisu" recipe http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/23798/mangomisu. It's perfect for summer and quite a treat. I would like this book so I can have a guide for seasonal eating in Australia...with some ideas of recipes!

Alex link
16/3/2013 05:05:23 pm

I'm sure I've cooked loads of Valli Little recipes from various magazines/websites but I couldn't name one! For that reason alone I'd love to win!

Christine @ Cooking Crusade link
16/3/2013 10:33:36 pm

I love Delicious., its such a beautiful magazine with stunning photos. Valli Little is such a talented lady!

Maureen link
17/3/2013 12:33:04 am

I watched Valli work her magic at the Noosa Food and Wine festival last year and I would eat anything that woman made. It looked amazing.

A Canadian Foodie link
17/3/2013 04:25:20 am

The sandwich sound delectable. I actually have some grape must, and I imagine it would just need to be simmered down to a syrup - though it is like a balsamic consistency, now. Interesting twist - to see the grape must preferred over the balsamic - but probably because most balsamics are not authentic. I also have an authentic balsamic - and that would be heaven with these ingredients. No figs here, though. Wrong country. Darn. But, they are at the Italian store right now.... maybe I could splurge on a treat!
:)
Valerie

Tracey
17/3/2013 01:55:41 pm

Oh, so many recipes, and no way to whittle it down to one. What a lovely give away, it would be wonderful to win a copy of this glorious book.

GourmetGetaways link
17/3/2013 06:28:11 pm

What a gorgeous cookbook, I seem to collect them and I love everyone! What a gorgeous fromt cover too :)

giulia link
18/3/2013 12:20:24 am

hello ! i'm giulia, i work with lauren and she told me about your food blog! so yummy :) .. i'm also a foodblogger so it'l be great to follow you!!! good thing i landed here when you are holding a giveaway .. i must admit i don't know anything about valli little.. but i think that makes me the perfect candidate... I want to find out all about her!!!!! just the cover photo is making me drool!!!! love love from a fellow foodie! i have added you to my blog roll so will keep updated!! G.

e / dig in hobart link
20/3/2013 11:43:33 am

oh, i'm ashamed to say i cannot name a favourite valli recipe! but i love the freshness of delicious magazine, so if i may nominate my current favourite recipe from the magazine instead, it's the simple and indulgent ricotta pancakes(http://diginhobart.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/ricotta-pancakes.html ). the cover image alone that you've shown us here warrants shutting off the world and curling up with that book!

Brian Dodd link
20/3/2013 05:20:37 pm

Dear Lizzy.....As I love cooking asian style food, it would have to be the "sticky pork chops" that would go down a treat here. The book would make a great addition to my collection of well thumbed food splattered cookbooks. b

muppy link
20/3/2013 06:13:38 pm

You know with Delicious i'm not sure its about a favourite recipe, but about inspiration of what flavours go together, and how you just need quality ingredients cooked simply and perfectly in the right proportions and your set. i love these types of books and would love to be 'inspired', especially excited to read that its in seasons :)

Glenda Booth
23/3/2013 06:13:39 pm

I love the mangomisu.Absolutely delicious and mangoes here in Brisbane are usually plentiful.Have read Delicious magazine a few times and would love to win a cookery book to add to my library.My son also shares my passion for cooking and tries out the recipes so it would get great usage!

Liz @ lizbakescakes link
23/3/2013 08:15:31 pm

My favourite recipe of Valli's is from delicious, about 9 years ago...it involved brownies, chocolate sauce AND caramel sauce. Need I say more? I'm sure the recipes in this book will be equally delicious!

Maria P
23/3/2013 10:44:51 pm

I can't think of a particular recipe but I'd love to win because I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment and I'm sick of hearing "Muuum, not pasta again!".

Jennifer
24/3/2013 12:09:27 am

I would give the Zaatar-Crusted Lamb with Chickpea and Bean Salad a go to start off with, but I just love flicking through cookbooks. It is one of my favourite past-times. It is so relaxing and even if you don't cook anything immediately it is a great way to learn the best ways for different elements to be cooked as well as flavour combinations . I love cooking by the seasons too.

karina w
24/3/2013 01:31:48 am

Love the Florentines a la Lizzy. Looks like something I can bake and enjoy!

Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:05:04 am

Thanks Karina, that's very kind of you, but the question is 'what's your favourite Valli Little recipe?'.

Serena
24/3/2013 02:49:17 pm

Having just moved to Canberra from a small country town I am enjoying the produce on offer, especially from the Sat morning Farmer's market. It is seriously the best place to shop for food in Canberra! It has helped me get my mojo back with regards to cooking, I lost interest for a while...I have been a Delicious fan for years and admire Valli's style of cooking such as Spiced Baked Pumpkin Salad - fresh, seasonal asian flavours Yum!

Kyrstie @ A Fresh Legacy link
24/3/2013 03:11:00 pm

I would love pouring over a new cook book, I covert them soooo but they are low on the budget list!! My favorite Valli Little recipe would have to be Beef Biryani. The spice combination is perfectly balanced. I can't wait to start adding it to our family menu again as the weather cools.

Liz
24/3/2013 09:32:53 pm

I love your pistachio and cranberry biscotti recipe - I made some for last Christmas because of the red and green colours, and they were a huge hit!

Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:05:55 am

Thanks Liz, that's very kind of you and I love that you tried the biscotti recipe, but the question here is 'what's your favourite Valli Little recipe?'.

Karlene
25/3/2013 01:44:32 am

Your honey cake recipe. All the ingredients are always in the pantry so it can be baked at short notice.
I was at the ABC Shop Carindale on Saturday and picked up the Home Cooking book and had a sneaky flick through. It's gorgeous and would take pride of place on my cookbook shelf in my new (ish) kitchen.

Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:06:31 am

Thanks Karlene, that's very kind of you, and the honey cook is divine... but the question here is 'what's your favourite Valli Little recipe?'.

Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:07:15 am

To enter the contest, subscribe to my regular recipe updates (if you haven't already); then submit a comment on this post and tell me about your favourite Valli Little recipe and why you'd love to win a copy of delicious. Home Cooking, Valli's latest book. If you can't think of a particular recipe, hey, just tell me why you'd like to win!

Krystal Bouquet
26/3/2013 02:00:26 pm

I love the Valli Little Lemon delicious recipe. It satisfies the emotions and pulls at the heart strings. It's quick, impressive and scrumptious until the end. Comforting yet pleasurable, it's the ultimate winter's dessert.

Tara Parish
26/3/2013 06:23:38 pm

Lamb, zucchini and Houlumi burgers, really tasty and they can be frozen for a quick supper! I love Valli's practical, tasty cooking that impresses! Fingers-crossed I win so I can expand my collection.

Anna link
27/3/2013 12:34:08 am

I want this book! Have never cooked any of Valli's recipes yet! But that cover strawberry tart looks divine it just might be my ticket to winning this! xx


Comments are closed.

    Welcome...

    Üdvözölöm
    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

    ​Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion.
    ​
    Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers
    and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks
    ​and cooking.
    ​
    - Liz Posmyk

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    All
    Anzac
    Apple Growers
    Australia
    Australian Producers
    Autumn
    Baking
    Beverages
    Biscuits
    Book Reviews
    Bread
    Breakfast
    Butter
    Cakes & Slices
    Canberra
    Charmaine Solomon
    Cheese
    Chestnuts
    Christmas
    Cocktails
    Coffee
    Conversations
    Cookies
    Cookware
    Cuisine Companion
    Curries
    Dairy Products
    Desserts
    Diet
    Dough
    Drink Blog
    Easter
    Edible Gifts
    Eggs
    Egg Safety
    Essays
    Events
    Favourite Flavours
    Fish
    Food News
    Food TV
    Food Verse
    Fruit
    Giveaways
    Good Things Favourites
    Growers & Producers
    Guest Post
    Health
    Hummus
    Hungarian Recipe
    Ice Cream
    In My Kitchen
    Kids In The Kitchen
    Kitchen Garden
    Markets
    Meat
    Muffins
    Musings
    My Book
    My Family
    New Year
    Noodles
    Nuts
    Observations
    Olives
    Pancakes
    Pasta
    Pastry
    Pepe Saya
    Pink Martini
    Pizza
    Polenta
    Postcards And Morsels
    Poultry
    Preserves
    Prize Giveaways
    Prunes
    Reminiscences
    Retro
    Reviews
    Rice
    Ricotta
    Salad
    Salads
    Sandwiches
    Sauce
    Seafood
    Slow Cooking
    Snacks
    Soups
    Stop Hunger Start Cooking
    Sydney
    Tefal
    Thanksgiving
    Thank You
    The Barber From Budapest
    Tofu
    Travel
    Truffles
    Tweatup510064f8ec
    Tzatziki
    Valentines Day
    Vegetables
    Vinnies Christmas Appeal


    NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes. 

    Picture
    Winner ABC's 2015 Australia Cooks competition, ACT (mains category)
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Meet the Chefs - recipes featured on Australian Asparagus Council website

Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


Photos used under Creative Commons from alantankenghoe, riptheskull, David Jackmanson, Amani Hasan, SuntanMidori, oropeza, Annie Mole, Vegan Feast Catering, avlxyz, jeffreyw, mockstar, jenly, Syeefa Jay, pizzodisevo (therapy - terapia - Therapie), ginnerobot, cliff1066™, Jim, the Photographer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • My book
  • Writing & Media
  • FAQs