Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt is the latest in a long line of award-winning cookbooks for the Sydney mother of two, who is famous for her fast, simple and beautifully styled recipes.
Hay believes living by the sea has given her food a relaxed, fresh and sunny spirit.
"Because come summer, I’d rather have more time to swim and soak up the sunshine. I love how summer produce doesn’t need the time and effort that winter ingredients call for."
Coming home from the beach to a classic summer dinner of burgers or barbecues or fish tacos is what she loves — dishes designed for sharing and that can be easily packed up and transported to the beach.
Her happy place is cooking for friends and family at home so her latest book is a collection of the recipes she likes to cook for her sons on a sleepy Sunday afternoon or a casual friends beach dinner.
"This is bright zesty, sun-dappled food that’s best enjoyed with a sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon."
"It’s here I like to distil the creative thoughts I have swirling around and map out a plan for the day ahead."
Hay also shares some of the tricks of the trade to styling that she is famous for. She has been collecting homewares for as long as she can remember and she encourages people to look beyond the chips and imperfections of treasured vintage pieces, get them out and use them.
"I don’t leave anything in my "good cupboard" or the special corner of my prop room any more — nothing is off limits. That old forgotten gravy boat is ready for its new life as a flower vessel, just like that vintage teapot in the depths of your kitchen cupboard is waiting for its next chapter."
The book
Donna Hay — Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt
Photography: Chris Court
Recipe and styling: Donna Hay
Tomato toasts with sesame and haloumi fried eggs
For me, tomatoes taste like summer, bursting with sun-kissed savoury sweetness. Here I’ve teamed them with crispy haloumi egg nests for a light, bright take on fried eggs on toast.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 large slices bread of your choice, toasted
4-6 mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 Tbsp thinly sliced store-bought preserved lemon rind
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sherry vinegar
sea salt and cracked black pepper
Sesame and haloumi fried eggs
180g haloumi, coarsely grated
2 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, extra
4 eggs
To serve
basil leaves and mint leaves
Method
To make the sesame and haloumi fried eggs, combine the haloumi and sesame seeds in a bowl. Heat the extra oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Spoon the haloumi mixture into 4 rounds in the pan and make an indent in the centre of each. Crack an egg into each indent. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Place the bread on to serving plates and top with the tomatoes. Combine the preserved lemon, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and spoon over the tomatoes. Serve topped with the basil, mint, and the sesame and haloumi fried eggs.
Double-spiced fried chicken
I like to start preparing this dangerously good fried chicken the night before, so all that’s left to do after a perfect beach day is a quick coating and cook-up!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2½ Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns or white peppercorns
½ tsp chilli powder
2 cloves garlic, peeled
40g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
¼ cup (60ml) water, plus about 100ml extra
1kg chicken thigh fillets (about 8), trimmed
vegetable oil, for frying
1½ cups (255g) fine rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
Lime mayo
½ cup (150g) whole-egg mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp lime juice. Mix to combine.
To serve
1 tsp sea salt flakes, coriander (cilantro) leaves, lime wedges and sliced long red chilli or crispy chilli oil
Method
Place the peppercorns in a small frying pan over medium heat and toast for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Place the peppercorns and chilli powder in a small food processor and process until very finely chopped. Remove half a teaspoon of the peppercorn mix and set aside.
Add the garlic and ginger to the food processor and process until chopped. Add the sugar, soy, vinegar and ¼ cup (60ml) water and process to combine.
Place the chicken in a large non-reactive bowl, add the peppercorn mixture and mix to combine. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
Fill a large saucepan with 6cm of oil and place over medium heat until the temperature reaches 175°C.
While the oil is heating, combine the rice flour and baking powder. Add to the chicken and mix to combine, adding enough extra water to create a thick batter.
In batches, deep-fry the chicken for 7 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Place the chicken on to a serving platter. Combine the salt and reserved peppercorn mix and sprinkle over. Serve with the lime mayo, coriander, lime wedges and chilli.
Cook’s note:
You can use a non-reactive bowl made from glass or stainless steel.
Pistachio choc chip cookies
I don’t want to brag, but my choc chip cookies have earned a bit of a reputation for their fudgy, chewy, crisp-edged perfection. So if I’m doing a new flavour riff like this nutty pistachio one, it has to keep hitting all those high notes!
Makes 12
Ingredients
120g store-bought pistachio spread
2¼ cups (335g) plain (all-purpose) flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of (baking) soda
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
¾ cup (180g) firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
225g unsalted butter, chopped and slightly softened
2 cold eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt flakes
250g milk chocolate, chopped
1 cup (150g) toasted pistachios, chopped
Method
Line a small baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Scoop 12 × 1½ teaspoons of pistachio spread into balls and place on the prepared tray. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cornflour. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add both the sugars and butter and beat for 8 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt and beat for 3-4 minutes or until the batter turns pale in colour and the sugars are well incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined, ensuring not to over-mix. Add the chocolate and pistachios and stir to combine.
Roll the dough out into 12 × ½-cupful (about 110g) rounds and flatten slightly. Press a frozen pistachio ball into each and gather the dough edges around the pistachio ball to enclose.
For thicker, fudgier cookies, freeze the cookie dough rounds for 1 hour or overnight. For flatter, crispier cookies, bake the cookie dough rounds immediately.
Place the cookie dough rounds on to 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing 10cm between each cookie.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on the trays.
Cook’s note:
You can also use store-bought pistachio spread for this recipe.
