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Healthy recipes from MasterChef Australia to relish on World Heart Day

World Heart Day is right around the corner and we have the perfect recipes from the MasterChef kitchen to recreate and keep the guilt at bay. Gyms are passé when you can cook some yummy food and keep your health in check at the same time. So bring out your inner chef and try these recipes for a healthy treat

1. Stir Fry Abalone with Broccoli and Horseradish Leaf

By Tamara Graffen – Contestant

Stir Fry Abalone with Broccoli and Horseradish Leaf
Stir Fry Abalone with Broccoli and Horseradish LeafInstagram


1. For the Spatchcock and Shiitake Sauce, prepare a shiitake stock by placing shiitake mushrooms and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and simmer very gently for approximately 30 minutes or until shiitake mushroom flavour has infused into the water. Set aside, keeping warm, until needed.

2. Remove the legs and wings from the spitchcock and chop roughly. Chop the rest of the spitchcock into small pieces. Heat a small frying pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, then the spatchcock pieces. Stir occasionally or until the pieces are browned and sediment has appeared on the bottom of the pan, about 9-10 minutes.

3. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and allow to reduce slightly whilst stirring and scraping the sediment off the bottom of the pan. Once reduced, add approximately 2/3 cup of the shiitake stock, along with the horseradish leaf, and continue to simmer until reduced by half.

4. Once reduced, strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean small saucepan and continue to reduce over medium heat until a viscous consistency, approximately 5 minutes. Once reduced, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside, keeping warm, until ready to serve.

5. For the Pickled Shiitake and Horseradish Leaf, combine all ingredients along with ¼ cup of water, stir well and set aside to pickle for at least 15 minutes. Once pickled, drain and set aside until ready to serve.

6. For the Stir Fried Abalone, Horseradish Leaf and Chinese Broccoli, use a large kitchen spoon to remove the abalone from its shell. Clean and trim abalone. Slice into 1mm slices, as fine as possible, across the grain. Set the abalone slices aside in a medium bowl until needed.

7. Finely shred the horseradish leaf and toss together with abalone, oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.

8. Heat a frying pan or wok over high heat. Once searing hot, add a little oil, the abalone and horseradish leaf and stir-fry very briefly until abalone is just cooked about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, keeping warm, until ready to serve. Keep the pan on heat.

9. Add a little more oil to the hot pan, then the Chinese Broccoli pieces and briefly stir-fry until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from pan and set aside, keeping warm, until ready to serve.

10. To serve, divide Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli between 4 plates. Add equal amounts of the Stir Fried Abalone and Horseradish Leaf. Add three slices of drained Pickled Shiitake Mushroom and Horseradish Leaf on top of each dish. Serve with Spatchcock and Shiitake Sauce in a jug on the side.

2. Flame Grilled Bonito with Pickled Cucumber, Celtic Mustard and Shiso

By Brett Graham

Flame Grilled Bonito with Pickled Cucumber, Celtic Mustard and Shiso
Flame Grilled Bonito with Pickled Cucumber, Celtic Mustard and ShisoInstagram


1. To prepare the bonito for the tartare and for the finished dish, gut the bonito. Fillet the bonito, reserving spine bones. Trim fillets reserving trimmings for tartare, and remove blood line. Set fillets aside, flesh side down, on sushi paper, in the fridge. Set trimmings aside in the fridge.

2. To refresh the shiso vinegar for the shiso dressing, pour shiso vinegar into a glass jug. Bruise 5 shiso leaves in a mortar and pestle and add to the vinegar. Set aside to infuse.

3. To make the pickled cucumber, place the apple juice, water, vinegar and dill in a blender, process until combined then strain through a fine sieve. Place cucumber pieces and 2 tablespoons liquid in a sous vide bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Set aside.

4. To make the cucumber agar agar jelly, process cucumbers in a thermomixer and strain to make 250ml cucumber juice. Transfer juice to a saucepan, add agar agar and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain through double muslin. Measure out 135 grams and pour out onto an evenly flat 52cm x 32cm tray and set aside on the bench to set.

5. To prepare the charcoal for the shiso dressing, place charcoal over an open flame on the stove until it turns white.

6. To make the pureed avocado, blend avocados with salt, and just enough lime juice and water to make a very smooth consistency. Adjust to taste with lime juice and salt.

7. To make the shiso dressing, chop the reserved bonito bones into small pieces (about 2cm) and wash in cold water until water runs clear. Dry bones and place in a bowl, add salt and toss to coat. Transfer bones to a bamboo steamer basket and set aside.

8. Transfer hot charcoal to a wok and add wood chips to create smoke. Set bamboo steamer over charcoal and chips and allow bones to gently smoke for about 5 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, place vinegar, white soy, and garlic in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add smoked bones, cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Pass through a strainer, whisk in the grapeseed oil, without emulsifying, and set aside.

10. To make the bonito tartare, place all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

11. To make the tartare roll, cut set jelly into a rectangle 9cm x 10cm. Lay jelly on top of a baking paper rectangle cut slightly bigger. Add a spoonful of tartare in the middle of the jelly rectangle then roll. Press lightly to seal and trim edges. Set aside in the fridge.

12. To make the celtic mustard, place the nori and water in a small bowl and allow to soak. Place toasted cumin in a mortar and pestle and crush to a powder. Add soaked nori and mix until smooth. Add mustard and mix until smooth. Slowly add oil until well emulsified. Add more water, a drop or two at a time, until mustard is smooth. Set aside.

13. 1To make the crisp shallots, place grapeseed oil in a saucepan and set over high heat to heat to 180C.

14. Top and tail the shallots and remove the outer skin. Cut shallot in half lengthways, remove inner few layers of shallot and discard. Slice shallot using a mandoline to about 2mm thick. Deep fry shallot strands in the hot oil until golden brown. Remove from oil, drain on paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside.

15. To make the toasted breadcrumbs, hand chop bread into coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a bowl, drizzle with oil and toss to combine. Spread crumbs on a tray and place in the 175C oven to bake until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

16. Toast sesame seeds and set aside for garnish.

17. To begin plating the dish, place some avocado puree on the serving plate. Add some breadcrumbs and a drizzle of celtic mustard. Remove the pickled cucumber from the sous vide bag, dip in toasted sesame seeds and add to the plate. Add a tartare roll to the plate.

18. Place 2 tablespoons shiso dressing in a small frypan and sit near the stove top.

19. Heat grapeseed oil in a small, non-stick frypan over medium heat. Dust bonito lightly with salt and flour, place in pan, skin side down, and cook until skin is crispy, being careful not to overcook the fish.

20. Transfer cooked bonito to a wire rack that has been brushed with grapeseed oil, skin side down and gently cook over a naked flame just until skin starts to blacken and charcoal lines appear.

21. Transfer bonito to the pan with the dressing and gently baste.

22. To finish serving, place cooked bonito on the serving plate. Garnish with baby coriander, baby shiso, sea spray and crisp shallots. Drizzle the plate with shiso dressing from the pan.

3. Tuna, Avocado and Yuzu

Gary Mehigan

Tuna, Avocado and Yuzu
Tuna, Avocado and YuzuInstagram


1. For the Tuna, brush the tuna slices with oil and season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat and set aside in the fridge until needed.

2. For the Yuzu Mayonnaise, place the egg, mustard, lemon juice and zest, yuzu, miso and a pinch of salt into a small food processor. Process until the mixture becomes light and foamy.

3. Combine the oils together in a jug. With the food processor running, slowly add the oils to the egg and mustard mixture until the mayonnaise becomes thick and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag then set aside in the fridge until needed.

4. For the Avocado Furikake, place all ingredients, except for the avocado and lemon juice, into a small food processor and process to a coarse crumb.

5. Cut the avocados in half, then into quarters. Cut the avocado quarters then cut, diagonally, into chunks. Place into a bowl with the lemon juice and toss to coat. Add the blitzed furikake seasoning and toss to coat. Set aside.

6. For the Sesame Dressing, toast the sesame seeds in a pan.

7. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining ingredients in a bowl until combined. Add the hot toasted sesame seeds and mix to combine. Transfer to a serving jug and set aside.

8. For the Crispy Garlic, heat oil in a small saucepan to 160C. Add garlic to the oil and fry until golden and crisp, then remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. Season with salt and set aside until needed.

9. For the Salad, prepare all ingredients and wash well in cold water. Drain on paper towel to remove excess water then set aside in separate bowls in readiness to plate up.

10. To plate, lay slices of Tuna in the centre of each serving plate. Add a few pieces of the Furikake Avocado. Pipe some mounds of the Yuzu Mayonnaise in and around the pieces of tuna. Add some edamame beans, radish slices, watercress, micro sorrel leaves and shiso leaves to the plate. Finish with a sprinkle of Crispy Garlic.

4. Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad

By Chloe Carroll – Contestant

Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad
Beetroot and Goats Cheese SaladInstagram


1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. For the Pickled Beetroot Stems, place the chopped beetroot stems into a small bowl and set aside.

3. Place remaining ingredients and 1 tablespoon of water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the chopped beetroot stems. Allow to pickle for 30 minutes. Strain, discarding liquid, ginger and peppercorns and set pickled stems aside until serving.

4. For the Beetroot Reduction, place all ingredients into a saucepan. Place over a high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced and syrupy. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside at room temperature, until serving.

5. For the Roasted Beetroots, peel and slice baby beetroots into 2mm thick rounds.

6. Place onto a large, lined baking tray. Drizzle beetroots with oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Cover beetroot slices with a piece of baking paper and then another baking tray.

7. Place in oven to roast until tender, about 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, at room temperature, until serving.

8. For the Charred Beetroot Leaves, place a griddle pan over high heat.

9. Drizzle beetroot leaves with olive oil and season with salt. Place onto the hot griddle pan and cook until charred, about 1 minute on each side. Remove from pan and set aside until serving.

10. For the Goats Cheese Mousse, place the goats cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the goats cheese is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add double cream and salt and mix on a medium speed until cream is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside in fridge until serving.

11. To serve, pipe three rounds of Goats Cheese Mousse onto each serving plate. Add Roasted Beetroot and scatter with Pickled Beetroot Stems and Charred Beetroot Leaves. Drizzle with the Beetroot Reduction and garnish with carrot stems.

5. Seared Salmon with Pickles and Aioli

By Red Team

Seared Salmon with Pickles and Aioli
Seared Salmon with Pickles and AioliInstagram


1. Place sugar, 190 ml vinegar, coriander seeds and salt to taste in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, remove from heat, add the radish, carrot and cucumber slices and set aside in the fridge to pickle until needed.

2. Place the egg yolks and remaining vinegar in a small food processor and process to combine and mixture starts to thicken. With the motor running, slowly add the grapeseed oil until the aioli is thickened. Stir in the dill and season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until required.

3. Place the olive oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Add the salmon fillets, skin side down and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn fillets over and continue cooking until warmed through but still a little pink inside, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove pickle mixture from the fridge and strain. Serve salmon with some pickled vegetables and a spoonful of dill aioli.

MasterChef Australia season 10 airs every Monday to Friday at 9 pm on Star World and Star World HD!