Double Choc Cookies

Donna Hay’s Double Choc Cookies

250g (8oz) butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

140g (4.5oz) dark chocolate, broken into chunks

140g (4.5oz) white chocolate, broken into chunks

Preheat oven to 325 °. Place the butter and sugars in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs gradually and beat well. Add the flour, baking powder, cocoa and chocolate and mix well. Shape 2 tablespoons of the mixture into rounds. Place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room for the cookies to spread, and flatten slightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until dark brown on the bottom. Cool on wire racks. Makes 28.

I halved the recipe, used organic shortening and only 1 egg. And I used mostly white chocolate with very little dark. I liked the contrast and the taste of the white chocolate more in this cookie.

I love all Donna Hay books. There are more of her magazines strewn about the kitchen.

Sardines grilled

A stovetop fish grill (or roaster) is pretty cheap, you can get them for $10- $20 (possibly less) at Japanese or Korean markets. I use it often for mackerel fillets and it’s also good for grilling small veggies. It’s important you have good vents or be able to open up some windows; depending on what you are cooking it can get smoky (like with very oily fish).

Here I used some small sardines. The quickest way to prep them is to cut off the heads (optional, head on or off is up to you) and slit them down the middle, removing all the innards. Under running water you should be able to remove all the scales with your fingers alone. Over medium high heat it should cook about 3-4mins each side (maybe longer depending on size). It’s good to go with just some salt, pepper and lemon juice. It would go great with rice and miso soup with the addition of some scallions, (microplane grated) radish and ginger.