Hayden Quinn

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PALAK PANEER

July 09, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

Hayden Quinn Palak Paneer Recipe

I love Palak Paneer, Saag Paneer, however it comes really - my goto order when it comes to Indian food but also a favourite of mine to make at home ‘cause it is pretty simple, doesnt take long and PACKS in the flavour. My recipe below…

Ingredients
200g paneer, cut into cubes
2 tbs ghee
1 tbs whole cumin seeds
2 red onions, finely slices (reserve some for serving)
5cm thumb ginger, finely dices
6 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
2 green chili, finely sliced
2 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs ground coriander
2 tsp chili powder (add as much or as little as you like)
1/2 tbs turmeric powder
2 bunches, washed english spinach
1 bunch fresh coriander
3 tbs plain yoghurt

Method
Step 1. Using a medium heat, fry off the paneer cubes in a little ghee until golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside until needed.
Step 2. Next using the remaining ghee, fry off cumin seeds along with onion until onion softens. Next add in your ginger, garlic and chili, fry off until aromatic and follow with the spices, combining well and gently toasting. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3. Add spinach to pot of boiling water and blanch quickly until vibrant and green, strain in a colander and along with coriander add to ice water to stop the cooking process.
Step 4. Blend spinach and coriander with a little water until smooth, add half the onion mix and blend again, finally add yoghurt and blend for a final time until silky.
Step 5. Add the paneer back to the pan with the onions, pour over the spinach mix and warm through. Serve with rice and breads.

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categories / asian, RECIPE, RICE, SHARING, VEGETARIAN
tags / INDIAN, CURRY, VEGETARIAN

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

July 01, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

I DIDNT HAVE A PHOTO OF THE FINISHED DISH, SO HERE ARE THE VIDEOS 🥲😂

6 portabello mushrooms, stalks removed
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tbs dried thyme leaves
6 cubes butter (approx. 1/2 tbs each)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup (~50g) dried mixed mushrooms*
1L water
250ml pouring cream
Finely chopped chives, to garnish

Step 1. Roast the Mushrooms. Preheat oven to 220°C
Arrange portabello mushrooms on a baking tray. Scatter over garlic and add butter cube to each of the mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 25–30 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened completely.

Step 2. Make a mushroom stock. Add dried mushrooms to a small pot with 1 litre of water, cover and gently simmer.

Step 3. Blend together. Transfer the roasted mushrooms and garlic (along with any juices) into a blender or large pot. Add strained mushroom stock and cream and blend until smooth. (If using a pot, use an immersion blender.)

Step 4. Gently simmer the Soup: Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepan if not already using one. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Step 5. Serve. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped chives.
Serve with crusty bread or a swirl of cream for an extra touch.

* you don't need to make your own mushroom stock, you can use vegetable stock as an option.

SOME MORE COSY WINTER DISHES HERE

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categories / RECIPE, SHARING, Soup, VEGETARIAN
tags / WINTER, SOUP, MUSHROOM, VEGETARIAN

CHRISTMAS HAM W/ MANGO CHILI GLAZE

January 29, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

Recipe developed for Woolworths

1 Woolworths Half Leg Ham

Mango Chili Glaze
1 tin Woolworths Mango slices, in syrup
1 tbs chili flakes
3 tbs sweet chili sauce
1 tbs coriander powder
2 tbs white wine vinegar
Lime leaf

Step 1. Preheat oven to 170°C, ensure oven / racks allow sufficient space for your ham. You may need to remove some oven racks from the oven, placing one rack on the bottom shelf of the oven.

Step 2. Remove ham from its packaging and  using a sharp knife, cut around the shank of the ham, about 10-15 cm from the end. Run a knife under the rind around just the edge of ham. Using your fingers between the rind and the fat, gently lift the rind off in 1 piece. Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern, making shallow cuts with a sharp knife. You only want to score the fat layer and not into the meat. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan lined with foil or baking paper.

Step 3. Make the Mango Chili Glaze by adding all glaze ingredients into a blending jug and using a stick blender, blend until smooth. If needed adjust the quantities of spice to taste, depending on your preferred level of heat and sweetness.

Step 4. Pour the glaze into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, until the glaze thickens and is sticky and glossy.

Step 5. Glaze the Ham. Brush 1/3 of the glaze over the entire surface of the ham. Make sure to get the glaze into the scored cuts. Bake, brushing with glaze every 30 mins, for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Step 6. Allow the ham to rest slightly (15-20 minutes) before carving. Slice the ham and serve with any remaining glaze on the side for extra drizzling and garnish with fragrant lime leaf threads.

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categories / asian, PORK, RECIPE
tags / CHRISTMAS, HAM, PORK, ASIAN

STEAK W/ CAFE DE PARIS

January 29, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

2 tbs eschallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed, finely chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp woooooooostershire sauce
3 anchovies
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
250g butter
1/4 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup tarragon, finely chopped

Step 1. In a small bowl, combine eschallot, garlic, mustard, woooooooostershire sauce, anchovies, curry powder and paprika. Mix well to combine.

Step 2. Add in butter and herbs, using a fork and then a spatula incorporate all ingredients into the butter.

Step 3. Place a large sheet of cling wrap down on a clean surface and add the butter into a rough log on the cling film. Wrap and roll into a tight sausage and place in fridge until set.

Step 4. Cook your steak and serve w/ Cafe de Paris medallion

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categories / BEEF, BBQ, RECIPE, STEAK
tags / STEAK, BEEF, SAUCE, BUTTER, FRENCH

CREAMY SUNDRIED TOMATO & PRAWN PASTA

January 29, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

RECIPE DEVELOPED FOR GRANT BURGE WINES

400g your favourite short pasta*
800g fresh medium green prawns*, peeled, tails on, deveined
Olive oil
Sea salt

Sauce
2 tbs unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbs Dijon mustard
2 cup pouring cream
1 cup, fresh basil, roughly chopped
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, finely grated, to serve

Step 1. Start by cooking pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. This whole dish should come together in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Step 2. Heat a large saute pan over high heat, toss prawns through some oil and season well with sea salt, cook prawns searing each side quickly until colour changes, you do not need to cook all the way through, this will be done when finishing the dish. Remove from pan and reduce heat to medium.

Step 3. Add butter and garlic and cook until fragrant. Next, the sundried tomatoes, mustard, mix well to combine, pour over cream and reduce slightly. Finally add in the prawns and basil and toss together.

Step 4. For pasta, reserve some pasta water and then drain, add into pan with prawns and toss through along with sea salt, pepper and parmesan, adding pasta water if needed to loosen.

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categories / PASTA, QUICK, RECIPE, SEAFOOD, VEGETARIAN
tags / PASTA, SEAFOOD, SUMMER, SIMPLE, VEGETARIAN

NONNI'S 7 LAYER SALAD

January 28, 2025  /  Hayden Quinn

Nonni's 7 Layer Salad 🥗

1 head iceberg lettuce, torn or shredded
1 cup diced celery
4 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Can  sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
250g sliced cooked and crumbled bacon
2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 cup cheese

Step 1.) Into a large glass container place the lettuce then sprinkle  the  next ingredients on top in layers in the order listed, ending with the bacon.

Step 2.) Stir together the Mayo and sugar and spread over the top like frosting..to seal the ingredients.

Step 3.)  Sprinkle the cheeses over the top.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hrs.

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categories / RECIPE, QUICK, SALAD, SHARING, VEGETARIAN
tags / SALAD, TRIFLE, SHARING, BBQ, SUMMER, AMERICAN, VEGETARIAN

CAMPERVAN CURRY

September 27, 2024  /  Hayden Quinn

Recipe developed for Apollo Campervans

This is a simple and delicious prawn curry that I cooked up in the Apollo Camper Van. Super tasty and delicious took cook in my kitchen on wheels! Loved it. Check out the video to see how amazing the view was! Cook it in your camper van, cook it in your kitchen, it is such a good recipe.

Prep 00:10

Cook 00:15

Serves 2

Easy

Ingredients

1 tbs neutral oil
1 x small brown onion, diced
4 x cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
3 x sprigs curry leaf, leaves only
2 tbs curry powder (I used Love my Earth Fish Masala)
1 tbs brown mustard seeds
Sea salt, to taste
1 (400ml) can coconut milk
400g peel green prawns
White rice, cooked to your liking
Coriander, to garnish

Method

Step 1. Heat a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onion, cook for 2-3mins until onion begins to soften. Next add garlic and curry leaf, stir well to combine. Once fragrant, add curry powder and mustard seeds, and toast for a further 1-2mins.

Step 2. Add coconut milk and stir, incorporating all the curry powder and spices into the mix, the coconut milk should change colour and bring to a gentle simmer. Add prawns and cook until done to your liking. *note, you may need to add a little water to the mix if it becomes too thick.

Step 3. Serve curry over rice and garnish with coriander. Enjoy.

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categories / RECIPE, RICE, SEAFOOD, VEGETARIAN
tags / CURRY, SEAFOOD, QUICK, VEGETARIAN, INDIAN, RICE