Roast Fennel with Breadcrumbs, Parsley and Parmesan

2 large fennel bulbs
100 ml olive oil
4 T water
1 T butter
1/2 C roughly chopped parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 thick slices ciabatta
3 T freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 200 C.

Cut fennel vertically into wedges. Cook wedges in frypan in a little of the oil until browned. Add butter and water and for for another 3 minutes.

Put fennel and the stock it is cooking in into oven dish. Sprinkle over parsley and thyme. Rip up bread into chucks and scatter over fennel. Sprinkle over the rest of the oil, season to taste and sprinkle over Parmesan.

Roast for about 20 - 30 minutes.

Recipe supplied by Pete Bufo

Image: "Fennel" by Ewwiej

Bellingen Public School

You don't get more local than the local school and the Bellingen Public School has released a cookbooks filled to the brim with recipes contributed by parents, students, staff and friends of the school. As well as real recipes using common ingredients, the recipe book also forms part of the schools fundraising program.

Available for the bargain price of just $15 from the School or the Bellingen Library.

Why stop at one, why not get enough for all of the stocking stuffers you will need for Christmas 2012.

Image: Nelson Stark with his winning cover for the recipe book. Photo from the Bellingen Courier-Sun

Easy Peasy Chicken

6 - 8 chicken pieces
2 medium brown onions, peeled and thinlly sliced
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
1 chorizo sausage, sliced (optional)
1/4 C olive oil
1 head garlic, haleved horizontally

Preheat oven to 200C.

In a large baking dish arrange onion, capsicum and chorizo. Drizzle with half the olive oil.

Place chicken pieces and garlic on top of the other ingredients. Drizzle over the remainder of the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the chicken is lovely and golden.

Serve with couscous, pasta, rice or lightly steamed cabbage. The juice creates a lovely sauce and the skin on the chicken goes crispy.

Recipe from the Bellingen Public School recipe book.

Image from fullmeals