Lovely people - Max and Fiona Schofield of Fresh Fodder

Max and Fiona Schofield are great entertainers. They even have a business dedicated to producing beautiful dips and sauces that make having friends over both easy and delicious. It's called Fresh Fodder and they make everything here in Orange, employing over 20 locals in their pristine commercial kitchen and using local produce as much as possible.

I'm a big fan of their whole range, so when the family asked me to help develop a few recipes cards to sell with their products, I jumped (please see a few of these recipes below).

Max, Fiona and their three gorgeous boys invited me to join them for a quick supper the other day, we had the below ricotta loaf and bowls of pasta topped with their Napolitana sauce. It was fast and local food at its best! For more information on Fresh Fodder, and where to find the range, please jump over to their website.

 Baked antipasto and ricotta  loaf

Serves 6

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes

This is about as perfect a picnic recipe as you can get; a whole meal perfectly contained in its own, edible container! Plus it seems to improve in flavour a few hours after coming out of the oven so will travel and keep well. The key is to find a really sturdy, proper loaf or you’ll risk a soggy bottom. And that's never an attractive prospect.

1 round sourdough cob loaf
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups (300g) ricotta
1/2 cups (40g) grated parmesan
200g Fresh Fodder Kalamata Olive, Lemon Zest, Garlic and Fetta Antipasto mix
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan forced). Slice the top away from the loaf and hollow out, pulling out the soft centre (place this in a freezer bag and keep for breadcrumbs). Whisk together the eggs, ricotta, parmesan and eggs and pour this mixture into the lined loaf. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 45 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with oregano leaves.

Warm lamb salad with smashed garlic peas and pumpkin and rosemary dip

A simple meal that is absolutely jam-packed with flavour and colour; this one is held aloft by the mellow pumpkin and rosemary flavours and bumped along by the zesty, garlicy peas. Plus, it takes all of 10 minutes to throw together, and when served with a warm loaf of sourdough, makes an impressive lunch or dinner option.

Serves 4

4 cloves garlic
1 tsp sea salt
zest and juice of one lemon
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
600g lamb backstrap
120g (1 cup) peas (fresh or frozen)
200g Fresh Fodder Roasted Pumpkin and Rosemary dip
2 cups baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Crush the garlic and sea salt together in a mortar and pestle until you have a smooth paste. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and smash together again to combine. Take half of this mixture and use it to coat the lamb backstrap. Rub it in well, then cover the lamb with plastic and place in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour but up to 6.

Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Heat a frying pan or grill on high and add a drop of olive oil to the pan. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the lamb for 3-4 minutes on each side then set aside under a tent of foil to rest. Meanwhile, cook the peas for just a couple of minutes then drain. While still warm, add them to your mortar bowl and smash up a little with the remaining lemon and garlic mixture.

To serve, take a large, flat serving platter and smear half of it with the Roasted Pumpkin and Rosemary Dip. On the other half, mix the peas and baby spinach together in a bright green mound. Slice the warm lamb across the grain and lay on the Pumpkin and Rosemary Dip. Dizzle with any collected juices from the resting meat and a little more olive oil if you like. Grind over a little black pepper and serve immediately.

Pearl couscous, Taramosolata and haloumi salad

This salad is really more of an assembly job than a recipe but, when served with a few thick fingers of warm Turkish bread, makes an easy, delicious meal.

Serves 4
Cooking time 10 minutes
Prep time 10 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil
200g (1 cup) pearl couscous
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
180g haloumi, sliced into 1cm thick pieces
1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

70g (1/2 cup) pistachios, roughly chopped
70g (1/2 cup) Fresh Fodder Taramosolata, or more to taste!

for the dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
zest and juice of two lemons

Extra lemons and mustard cress (optional) to serve

Place a saucepan on medium heat and warm half of the olive oil. Add the couscous and stir for 30 seconds or until coated. Add boiling water. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring often, for six minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside. Make the dressing by whisking lemon juice and olive oil together and seasoning to taste. Toss this through the cooled pearl couscous with the herbs and nuts (reserving some for last-minute sprinkling).

Cook the haloumi just before serving. Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high and fry for two minutes on each side, or until golden. Spoon couscous into a wide serving bowl, top with the haloumi, sprinkle with the extra nuts, mustard cress and dollop with the Taramosolata. Serve with a final drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges.

And just quickly, I wanted to note that this isn't a sponsored post, I just wanted to share the love for Fresh Fodder because I love working with the family and they make good and local stuff.