FB: How would you rate yourself as a cook?
MW: I love cooking. It’s one of my favourite things to do in the world, and I just find it really calming. It’s like meditation. So when I’ve got a busy or really hectic schedule, what I love to do is just cook, and I’ll cook for lots of people or I’ll cook for myself. I cooked for Christmas. I love doing it. When you’re working, your mind’s in a million places and for me, when I’m cooking, I have to concentrate on cooking. You have a glass of wine and talk. I think it’s such a valuable thing to do for me, personally.
FB: What is your signature dish?
MW: I think it would be a slow, slow and low cooked lamb. I cook it for about seven hours. A big beautiful lamb leg. Lots of garlic. Some anchovies. Cover the whole thing up. I slow, slow cook it for hours on end. I think any meal you can share and pull apart together is just perfect.
FB: What is your favourite kind of food?
MW: I feel like I was born in the wrong country. I feel like Italy is where I was supposed to be. I can’t speak Italian, but I can cook Italian. Pasta is just heaven – absolute heaven – to me. Life without pasta is life not worth living. I get great joy out of making pasta (from scratch).
FB: Are you a coffee drinker?
MW: I am a coffee drinker, although I’ve limited it to one a day these days because, you know, I’m getting older and I don’t sleep like I used to. I’m happy to have instant. I’m all for bringing back instant coffee. I feel like we’ve moved too far the other way with our coffees. You know, there’s nothing wrong with a Nescafe Blend 43.
FB: Which five people would you most like to invite to dinner?
MW: David Bowie, Prince, Elvis Presley, Elton John and Madonna.
FB: Do you have a kitchen tip for us?
MW: Tidy up as you go. There’s nothing worse than having just a mound of mess when you’re done. That takes the joy out of it for me.
INTERCHANGEABLE SLICE
On the latest Food Bytes podcast, we discussed my favourite go-to slice recipe. It’s an interchangeable slice. By omitting just one ingredient, it can be something entirely different. Usually I’ll make the traditional chocolate version for my son, while hubby prefers the tangy lemon version. For lemon slice, simply leave out the two tablespoons of cocoa and ice with lemon frosting instead of chocolate. If you’re ever called on to ‘take a plate’ to party or function, here’s what you do … in one bowl, mix together 1 cup sifted self raising flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons cocoa (as I said, omit if you’re making lemon slice), 1 cup caster sugar, 1 cup desiccated coconut, 150g melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence and 1 lightly beaten egg. Bake at 160 degrees celsius in a 20 x 30cm lined baking tray for 25 to 30 minutes. When cool, ice with either chocolate or lemon icing. Below are photos of two versions I prepared earlier!
FOOD QUOTE
“When I’m old and grey, I want to have a house by the sea and paint with a lot of wonderful chums, good music, and booze around. And a damn good kitchen to cook in” – Ava Gardner
