#5 Lemon and thyme lamb chops 

We’re starting off strong with a good, honest flavour combination. Lamb, lemon and thyme. Doesn’t get much better than that. And how good are lamb chops?! I’m day-dreaming at the thought of it. This recipe, with thanks to MLA, was viewed 222 times in 2024. (A tasty teaser for you: this is the first of two lamb recipes to make the Top 5 cut. Lambassadors rejoice!)  

#4 Viral Cucumber Salad

It went viral on TikTok… and then it went viral on Australian Farmers! We think this delicious cucumber salad recipe is very cool, and it looks like you agree. This recipe is punching above its weight; it only hit our website in November, but it has been viewed hundreds of times since! Praise Gourd.  

#3 Beef and pumpkin curry  

This quick and easy beef and pumpkin curry recipe from Australian Beef is proving to be a real crowd pleaser. It’s fantastic mid-week meal. This recipe racked up more than 600 hits this year.  

#2 Zucchini and corn fritters

Another classic combo: zucchini and corn. Two summer faves. These fritters look flippin’ fantastic, and they’re quick and easy too. This recipe was viewed, and hopefully cooked, roughly twice a day over the past year: 673 times. A mighty effort.

But, the Michelin Star goes to…… 

#1 Camp oven lamb shanks

The only thing you guys love more than lamb is cooking it in a camp oven! 

Amanda Thomas donated this pearler of a recipe. It’s great for crowds; it feeds 15 adults and a couple of tin lids too. Incredibly, the ‘Camp Oven Lamb Shanks – The easy way’ recipe was posted four years ago, yet it was 2024’s top recipe by a very long shot. Amanda hails from Warren in New South Wales and has spoken with Australian Farmers before about her busy life. She’s a farmer, agronomist, mum, and now, an internet-famous chef! (We think so anyway.) 

Amanda’s recipe, which boasts 12 lamb shanks mind you, has been viewed nearly 3,000 times between January and December. That’s a whole lotta love for a whole lotta lamb.  

Thanks to everyone who’s visited the Australian Farmers recipe page this year.

We can’t wait to cook up a storm with you again in 2025.

The post Recipe Wrapped: The top 5 recipes of 2024  appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

If you’ve found yourself in a pickle trying to get your hands on a cucumber lately, you wouldn’t be alone.  

The empty shelves bring to mind a certain recent pandemic; but the real reason is a different type of virality.  

A popular TikTok recipe has caused cucumber sales to grow exponentially around the world; and Australia is no exception.  

Food blogger Logan Moffitt’s cucumber-themed TikTok account has amassed hundreds of millions of views (@logagm).  

Young Aussies have been especially invested in trying out Logan’s cucumber salad.

And while Zoomers have been busy crushing garlic, the bean counters at Rabobank have crushed some sales data.  

Check out the curiously continentally-shaped increase in cucumber sales among ‘young transitionals’ (Gen Zs) in the graph below, courtesy of Pia Piggot at RaboResearch. 

Logan’s signature cucumber salad recipe is a mix of sliced cucumber, soy sauce, garlic and sesame seeds.

I am a food blog has put the video recipe into traditional written format. We’ve included their recipe below, or you can check out the full blog post here.  

“TikTok Cucumber Guy Recipe” 

As seen on “I am a food blog” 

Ingredients 

• 1 cucumber sliced 

• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce 

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 

• 1 tsp fish sauce 

• 1 tsp sugar 

• MSG 

• 1 clove garlic grated 

• 2 green onions sliced 

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 

Instructions 

1. Use a mandolin to directly slice the cucumber into a container. Alternatively, use a knife to thinly slice a cucumber and place it in a bowl. 

2. Add the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, garlic, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds to the container (or bowl). 

3. Place the lid on the container and shake until the cucumber slices are coated evenly with all the ingredients. If your cucumbers are in a bowl, toss well. 

4. Enjoy immediately, or place in the fridge and marinate for a couple of hours then enjoy. The cucumbers will be crunchier the faster you eat the salad, so if you want a fresh cucumber salad, enjoy immediately. If you want more of a quick pickled cucumber salad, let marinate for 1-2 hours before enjoying. 

Thanks to “I am a food blog” for this recipe.  

The post Cool as a cucumber: TikTok trend lifts cucumber sales  appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

Ingredients

500g beef rump, thinly sliced
2 tbsp oil
1-2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 cup coconut cream
½ cup beef stock
2 tsp brown sugar
400g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into small cubes
½ cup small fresh basil leaves
1-2 tbsp Thai fried shallots (optional)
Steamed rice, to serve

Method

1. Add half the oil to the beef and mix well. Heat the wok, ensure it is hot. Stir-fry the beef in three batches, and set it aside. Reheat wok between each batch.
2. Reheat the wok, add remaining oil, add the curry paste, stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the cream, stock, sugar and pumpkin. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
3. Return the beef to the wok and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil. Sprinkle with basil leaves and fried shallots to serve. Accompany with rice.

*This recipe was originally published on Australian Beef.

The post Beef and pumpkin curry appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

In this My Market Kitchen’s latest episode, Queensland pineapple grower Gavin Scurr talks about how he grows pineapples and how tight knit the pineapple industry is.

Inspired by Gavin’s fresh product, My Market Kitchen host and dietitian and nutritionist Jemma O’Hanlon creates the ‘Morning Mood Booster’, a delicious smoothie packed full of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants!

Ingredients

4 ice cubes

2 cups Australian watermelon

1 cup Australian pineapple

1 Australian orange

2 Australian carrots

1 tsp fresh Australian ginger

¼ cup coconut water

1 tbsp fresh Australian mint leaves

Method

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
2. Serve in a glass with some extra fruit speared on a toothpick and a sprig of mint.

Jemma’s tip: When in season, add 2 Australian lychees to the blender and substitute 1 cup of Australian watermelon with 6 Australian cherries (seeds removed). You can also add ½ cup yoghurt to add a boost of calcium for strong bones.

Download the full recipe courtesy of My Market Kitchen: here.

Find out more about third generation Queensland pineapple grower Gavin below:

The post Pineapple shines in morning mood booster smoothie appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

Ingredients

8 lamb loin chops, excess fat trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon +extra wedges, to serve
1 ½ tbsp thyme leaves
1 large corn cob
¼ pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 1cm thick slices
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
250g pearl cous cous
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
80g goats cheese
Parsley leaves, to serve.

Method

1. Brush lamb chops with half the oil and sprinkle with lemon zest and thyme. Season.
2. Heat a large, lightly oiled char-grill pan or BBQ over medium-high heat and Cook corn for 7-8 minutes, pineapple and asparagus for 3-4 minutes, in batches, if necessary, until lightly charred. Set aside.
3. When cool enough to handle, remove kernels from corn using a small, sharp knife. Chop pineapple and asparagus into 3cm pieces.
4. Reheat same char-grill pan or BBQ over medium-high heat and cook lamb, in batches, if necessary, for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Rest on a plate loosely covered in foil for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile cook cous cous according to packet instructions. Drain well. In a screw-top jar place remaining oil, lemon juice, honey and mustard. Season and shake well.
6. Place cous cous in a large bowl with corn, pineapple, asparagus. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to coat. Sprinkle over goats cheese. Serve lamb chops with cous cous, lemon wedges and parsley.

Tips

• Lamb cutlets, forequarter chops or butterflied leg of lamb would work well in this recipe.
• Swap lemon and thyme for a seasoning such as Cajun or Moroccan or Tuscan;
• Swap cous cous for cauliflower or broccoli rice, brown rice or quinoa.

*This recipe was originally published on Australian Lamb.

The post Lemon and thyme lamb loin chops appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup of SR Flour (Gluten free flour works well too)
• ¼ – ½ cup of corn
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Method

1. Grate the zucchini’s and using a tea towel or paper towel squeeze out any excess liquid
2. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix together
3. Heat a fry pan to a medium heat and add the oil
4. Place 2 heap tablespoons of mixture into the pan and fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy
5. Repeat and cook the remaining of the mix
6. Serve with an egg, bacon and avocado or have on their own

These are the perfect delicious, quick and easy meal that can be made in less than 20 minutes.

Hungry for more tips about seasonal eating? Check out our article about how seasonal eating is good for your health and your back pocket.

The post Zucchini and corn fritters appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

MasterChef alumni and founder of Marion’s Kitchen, Marion Grasby has teamed up with Meat & Livestock Australia to “Say More With Lamb” this spring.

The partnership serves up easy-to-make and delicious Thai-inspired lamb recipes, like Panang Lamb Chops. Check out the video and recipe below.

Ingredients

• 12 Australian lamb cutlets or loin chops
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for grilling
• 400ml (14 fl oz) coconut milk
• 1½ tbsp finely shaved palm sugar
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 2 makrut/kaffir lime leaves, destemmed
• 190g (6.5 oz) Thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp shrimp paste (optional)
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ small pineapple, skin and core removed, cut into small chunks
• 1 long red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 cup fresh Asian herbs (e.g. coriander/cilantro, spring onion/scallions, Thai basil and/or mint)

Method

1. To make the panang paste, use a mortar and pestle to pound the roasted peanuts until finely crushed. Then add the makrut leaves and pound again until finely crushed. Stir through the curry paste, shrimp paste (if using), plus the ground cumin and ground coriander.
2. To marinate the lamb, place the cutlets in a large bowl. Take 1 tablespoon of the panang paste and add it to the lamb cutlets along with ½ tablespoon of fish sauce. Mix until well combined and each lamb cutlet is coated in the paste. Set aside until you’re ready to grill (a few minutes is fine or you could also marinate overnight).
3. To make the curry sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining panang paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir through the coconut milk, the remaining fish sauce and palm sugar. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to serve (gently reheat before serving).
4. Heat a grill plate or charcoal barbecue until hot. Brush the grill plates with oil. Grill the lamb chops for 3-4 minutes each side (for medium) or until cooked to your liking (don’t forget to grill the fat cap, too). Transfer to a tray to rest.
5. For the herb & pineapple salad, add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss together until combined.
6. Place the lamb chops on a serving platter, sprinkle over the herb & pineapple salad and serve with the panang sauce on the side.

For this recipe and plenty more head over to Australian Lamb.

The post Marion Grasby’s lamb recipe inspiration for BBQ season appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

Savoury orange salad

Serves 3-4 as a side.

• 3 oranges, remove skin and pith and slice thinly into rounds
• ¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
• Glug of olive oil
• Splash of good quality vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped salty olives
• Parsley, dill or tarragon leaves to scatter
• Plenty salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the orange slices on a flat platter, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and plenty of pepper. Scatter with red onion slices or quick pickled onions on top and add a little splash of vinegar. Sprinkle with finely chopped olives and plenty of chopped herbs. Serve this salad with a whole roast fish for a very impressive meal. Or with rich cheeses and good bread, a cous cous dish or grilled lamb.

Classic citrus marmalade

• 1kg citrus
• 3L water
• 1kg sugar
• 1 tablespoon spices or herbs of your choice – cloves, fresh ginger cut into matchsticks, cinnamon sticks, star anise, finely chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme

Juice citrus. Flatten each half onto the bench with the palm of your hand and thinly slice the rind into matchsticks.

Put the rind, citrus juice, 3 litres of water and spices (if using), into a good sized wide mouthed saucepan or jam pot. Simmer over low heat until citrus skin is soft and translucent. About 1 – 1.5 hours.

Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the sugar until dissolved. Then turn the heat up to medium and bring to the boil. Boil steadily, stirring every now and then until marmalade has set.

While the marmalade is cooking, sterilise your jars. To sterilise your jars: give your jars and lids a soapy hot wash and a good rinse or put them through the dishwasher. Put jars into a low oven (110 degrees) for 15 minutes. Boil the lids for 5 minutes in a small saucepan, then let air dry.

When marmalade is ready, carefully take jars out of the oven using sterilized tongs and place on the bench. Let cool for a minute or two. Carefully spoon marmalade into jars, wipe the rim with a clean paper towel and seal immediately.

Leave to cool. Check lid for the correct seal and then store in a cool dark place for up to 12 months. To extend the shelf life to 2 years, heat process jars for 10 minutes.

Whole orange and chocolate cake

Makes 1 x 22 cm round cake.

Flourless citrus cake is a classic. Always moist, never too sweet, and a whole lot more interesting than a sponge cake. This one is made more lush with chocolate and whole citrus. We use oranges here but feel free to use other citrus fruit instead.

• 2 oranges
• 200g dark chocolate
• 100 g butter
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 cups almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder

Place oranges in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the oranges are completely soft. Drain and allow to cool completely. Break the cooled oranges up a bit, pull out as many seeds as you can, then blend to a pale paste using a hand-held blender or food processor.

Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl isn’t touching the water, then add chocolate and butter and melt together, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 22 cm (8 1⁄2 in) cake tin with butter. In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs with sugar until frothy. Fold in almond meal, powder, the blended oranges and the chocolate mixture. Stir gently to combine, then pour into the tin. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Orange bitters for gin and tonics or booze free cocktails

Makes 2 cups.

There’s one place where bitter flavours are still much appreciated, and that’s in beverages. Aperitifs and digestives are made with bitter ingredients considered to be good for digestion. You might have tonic water in your fridge for gin and tonics, or to mix with juice or cordial. This recipe is a cheat’s version of tonic water that also utilises the bitterness of orange scraps.

Use the peel and pith of 4 oranges. Put these scraps in a saucepan with 3⁄4 cups caster sugar, 5 allspice berries, 2 star anise, 1 roughly chopped lemongrass stem (white and green bits), 1 tbsp juniper berries, 1⁄2 tsp salt, 1⁄4 tsp black peppercorns and 2-3 cups water.

Bring this all to the boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave at room temperature to steep overnight. Strain into a clean and dry bottle or jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Start with 2 tbsp bitters to 30 ml gin and top with sparkling water for a classic gin and tonic, then add more bitters to taste.

Feeling inspired and enlightened?! Check out our Ode to the Orange tips straight from the Cornersmith kitchen and meet Michael Arnold, an Australian farmer who grows citrus. You can also check out our tips and tricks for saving money and doing your bit to reduce food waste with the other foods in this series: Bread, carrots, lamb, greens and cheese.

The post The citrus recipes you never knew you needed appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

• 1.2kg piece beef chuck or beef bolar blade
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1½ cups Beef stock
• 400 g can cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 small char-grilled capsicums, thinly sliced (optional)
• ½ cup small fresh basil leaves
• Pasta and grated parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Cut Beef into four or five large pieces. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Heat a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Brown the pieces of Beef well on all sides. Remove and place in slow cooker bowl.
2. Reduce heat, add a little oil to the frypan and onion and garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the flour and stir to scrape up residue from the base of the pan and ensure the onion is coated with the flour. Gradually pour in the stock and stir until the mixture boils. Pour over the Beef in slow cooker dish. Add the tomatoes and thyme and a small pinch of sugar.
3. Cover the slow cooker with its lid, cook on low setting for 6-8 hours and then 1 hour on high setting (if you have time). Alternatively, cook on the high setting for 4-5 hours. To serve, shred the Beef with two forks. Stir in the roasted capsicum and basil leaves. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan.

Find more great recipes like this and cooking techniques at Australian Beef.

The post Slow cooked beef ragu appeared first on AustralianFarmers.

Ingredients

• 250 gram butter, softened, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 cup (330g) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup (225g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
• 1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice
• 1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice

Candied citrus slices

• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) water
• 1 (240g) medium orange, thinly sliced
• 1 (75g) medium lime, thinly sliced

Glace icing

• 2 cup (320g) soft icing sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) boiling water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm-round cake pan; line the base and side with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, rind and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Fold in the sifted flours and juices in two batches. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes. Stand the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
4. To make candied citrus slices, combine the sugar and the water in a large frying pan. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; add the orange and lime slices and bring to boil. Reduce heat to very low; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, turning slices occasionally. Remove from heat, cool slices on a wire rack.
5. Sift icing sugar into a bowl with boiling water; stir until smooth.
6. Drizzle cake with glace icing. Just before serving, top with candied citrus.

The post Citrus butter cake appeared first on AustralianFarmers.