This Sunday is Father’s Day and what better way to spoil Dad than with a home cooked meal! To lend a helping hand, here I have put together the ultimate Father’s Day menu to surprise Dad with.
Starter
Lime and Honey Haloumi Skewers
This is a great starter to any meal because it takes very little time to prep and is a light yet flavoursome dish to get taste buds ready for the main course.
Serves: 4
Pre: 5 minutes
Cooking: 5-10 minutes
Ingredients:
250g haloumi, cut into lengthways
½ lemon, juiced
½ lime, juiced
¼ cup honey
½ tsp. smoked or sweet paprika
½ tsp. cinnamon, ground
4 grape tomatoes
Method:
In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients and marinate haloumi for 20 minutes.
Pre-heat BBQ or griddle pan until hot. Skewer the haloumi and tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes each side.
Serve on a platter with wedges of lime.
The Main Event
Give Dad a break from cooking on the BBQ with this eye fillet roasted in the oven. Eye fillet is a very tender cut of meat and when paired with this moreish walnut and rosemary quinoa salad, I am sure Dad will impressed.
Eye Fillet with Walnut and Rosemary Quinoa
Serves 6-8
Pre: 15-20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1kg eye fillet
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in boiling water and drained
1 small red pepper, diced
2 cups water
1 tbsp. tamari soy sauce (or to taste)
2 tsp. fresh or dried rosemary
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thaw if frozen
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Salt & pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Heat a little olive oil in a medium saucepan. Season the eye fillet with salt and pepper. Sear on each side for about one minute and then place in the oven for 15 minutes.
pepper. Sear on each side for about one minute and then place in the oven for 15 minutes. Once cooked take out of the oven and cover with foil, let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan; add onion, capsicum, rosemary and quinoa.
Sauté the mixture over a medium heat and stir constantly for about 3 minutes.
Add water, soy sauce and peas (if using fresh peas). Bring to a boil and cover, simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Meanwhile, roast the walnuts in an 180C oven for 5 to 10 minutes. When quinoa is cooked, turn off heat and mix in walnuts and frozen peas (if using frozen peas). Let the quinoa sit for an additional 10 minutes and then serve.
Dessert
Sago Berry Puddings
Sago is a forgotten old school favourite and Father’s Day is the perfect time to bring it back in fashion! This dessert has a spring feel to it and can be made in advance.
Serves 4
Pre: 20min
Cook: cooling time
Ingredients
1 cup sago
2 tbsp. coconut sugar
3 cups coconut milk
¼ tsp. vanilla bean paste
Topping
1 cup frozen mixed berries
½ cup freshly squeeze orange juice
1-2 tsp. orange zest
1-2 tsp. honey
¼ cup shredded coconut
Method
To make the topping, place all of the ingredients except the shredded coconut in a saucepan over low-medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until berries have broken down slightly and liquid is absorbed. Take off the heat and once cool put in the fridge.
To make the sago, clean and dry 4 dessert glasses. Place sago, sugar, milk and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer on low until sago has become translucent and taken up most of the liquid, approx. 15min.
Spoon the sago mixture into the individual glasses and place in the fridge to cool.
To serve, spoon berry topping on top of each pudding and finish with shredded coconut.
Wishing all father’s a happy & healthy Father’s Day!
