BLEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

A whizzy beetroot relish, lemony tahini cream, AND a genius kimchi Marie-Rose for prawn cocktails? I’m on a bender with the blender.

For many of the David Beckham generation, he was an earth-bound god. For others, he was just a naughty little boy. For those watching the Beckham documentary on Netflix, he comes across as still quietly damaged by England’s response to The Incident, when he was sent off field for petulantly tripping an Argentinean opponent in the heat of the 1998 World Cup.

For me, he is just there to be gratuitously used in a headline to point to the quick and easy joy of blending something with steel blades in an enclosed container until emulsified. He may be able to bend it like Beckham, but I prefer to blend it.

1/ QUICK BEETROOT RELISH

This is a life-saver when you want something pickly and vibrant and don’t have the time to do anything serious.

• 150 g canned, pickled beetroot slices, drained

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and pepper

Whiz the beetroot in a mini food processor for a few seconds.

Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil and sea salt and pepper to taste and whiz again to combine.

TIP:  This is one of my fast office lunch hacks, served on Scandi crackers with whatever is around, from smoked salmon and hard-boiled egg, to leg ham, cheese and tomato (basically your salad sandwich). Also great in a burger, salad sandwich, egg and bacon roll, or with duck, venison or kangaroo.

2/ BEST-EVER TAHINI CREAM.

A magnificent no-brainer of a lemony, garlicky, tahini-rich cream to spoon over lamb, chicken, fish, felafel and vegetables all summer long. It’s also adorable with a tablespoon of natural yoghurt whisked through at the end.

• 100 g tahini

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated (how much you use is up to you)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a mini food processor or a bowl and give them all a good whiz or a whisk to come together - it will probably be stiff and a bit grey.

Add water by the spoonful and whiz or whisk until it miraculously turns pale, silky and smooth.

You should get a nice thick but pourable coating consistency - or keep adding water or more lemon juice for a lighter and runnier result.

TIP: This is SO GOOD with cauliflower. Just cut it into thick steaks, brush with olive oil and roast flat at 200C for 40 minutes, or do as I did here: break into florets and boil (or steam) for about 10 minutes, then drain really well. Spoon on the tahini cream and dust with sumac (dried tart red berry) or dukkah (duqqa), that ridiculously moreish, crunchy, warmly spiced Egyptian mix of sesame seeds, hazelnuts, cumin and coriander.

My recipe is a whizzy take on the Lebanese taratoor of Joseph Abboud of Melbourne’s beautiful Rumi restaurant. Watch out for my chat with Joe in next month’s AFR Magazine, which will run with his bloody brilliant chicken and tahini recipe. Free with the Financial Review on Friday 24 November.

3/ KIMCHI COCKTAIL SAUCE

A neat way to add some pizzazz to ye olde prawn cocktail sauce this Christmas. Sauce Marie-Rose is usually a simple mix of lemon juice, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, and maybe a touch of Worcestershire or hint of cayenne pepper. Ah, but blend some fermented cabbage along with some of its chilli-red juices with mayo, and you have next level.

• 1 heaped tbsp kimchi (fermented cabbage)

• 2 tsp kimchi juices

• 2 tablespoons good mayo, or more

• 2 tsp tomato sauce (ketchup)

• Squeeze of lemon juice

Place everything in a mini food processor and whiz until smooth and orangey-pink.

Taste and adjust for flavour, colour and consistency ie more mayo if thin, more lemon juice if thick. Note that it will thicken up when refrigerated.

TIP: Serve with prawns or school prawns and shredded lettuce. Or serve as canapes (see below) with a teaspoon on sauce and a small prawn on a Savoy or Jatz cracker.

Thanks for dropping by! And as always, thanks for your comments and suggestions. Special thanks to Terry for bringing home the school prawns that inspired the kimchi cocktail sauce. I do so love it when one week’s newsletter (kimchi) inspires the next.

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters upon which I work, live, cook and play; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to Elders past and present, and to the continuing strength and resilience of First Nations people, communities and cultures.