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Maya

@maya_mesimeris

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Passionate Cook & Recipe Developer
Personal chef & more
Wholesome food 🇱🇧 🇬🇷

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Slow braised greens beans in all their plated beauty. Loubieh bi zeit - Green beans braised in olive oil, onion, fresh green garlic & fresh ripe tomatoes.
A healthy & delicious Lebanese meze /side dish. Lucky to find some quality flat Italian beans last few weeks. This dish is all about highlighting the flavour of the bean. Best beans = best flavour.
#beautifulfood #braisedbeans #lebanesefood #lebanesecuisine #mediterraneandiet#vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes #vegetables#flatgreenbeans #italianbeans @harrisfarmmarkets taken in Elizabeth Bay by @maya_mesimeris

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2 years ago

Oat, honey & berry muffins - a little something to keep the kids’ spirits high and stress levels low during exam season.
So moist & delicious. Honey flavour is divine. Ensure you hydrate oats. Essential step. Also note that muffins are baked on high heat for 5 mins then oven turned down for remainder of time. Enjoy 🤍

240ml milk (160g) (kitchen note 12/8/26 - use less milk - perhaps 200ml next time )
85g whole rolled oats
156g spelt flour, plain flour or wholemeal flour. I used spelt.  1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
110g unsalted butter, cubed & at room temperature - should be soft
160g honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries or blackberries
(If using frozen berries, don’t thaw & reduce milk to 180ml)

In medium bowl add oats & milk. Set aside for 20 mins. Oats will soak up milk. If not stir & leave for another 10 mins. Add egg, vanilla & honey. Whisk with a fork to combine.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Place 10 cupcake liners in muffin tin.
Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to combine. Add soft cubed butter & mix on low speed until incorporated & mixture looks like wet sand. Add oat mixture & continue mixing on low only until batter is well combined. With a spatula scrape the bowl & fold batter a couple of times to ensure it’s well mixed from the bottom up then fold in the berries.
Divide batter between 10 muffin cups. Place on middle shelf & bake for 5 mins. Turn oven down to 175°C and bake for a further 16 - 17 mins.
#oatmuffins #muffinrecipe by @maya_mesimeris

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4 months ago

Cottage pie with curry leaf + rainbow chard stalks topped with oak smoked cheddar mash
Made this the other night using up the bits and pieces that were disrupting the ‘semi order’ of my fridge - rainbow chard stalks, curry leaves, sad parsley stalks, 1/2 red onion and a leek.
Result was simply delicious!! Jotting this down to make again exactly as is. Cottage pie was elevated by the quality of the beef mince. Worth sourcing from a good butcher. Small additional cost for big flavour.
You can sub some of the ingredients for a more traditional pie.
We enjoyed it with a succulent shaved cabbage & herb salad. 10/10

Serves 4-6
extra virgin olive oil
750g best grass fed beef mince you can find - not too lean - I recommend buying from a good butcher
1/2 red onion finely diced
1 leek finely diced
3/4 cup finely diced chard stalks (or celery)
Handful parsley stalks finely chopped
1 medium carrot cut into 1 cm pieces
Handful chopped chard leaves (or spinach leaves)
2 stems curry leaf (or 2 bay leaves)
Few tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3/4 tsp salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp flour
1/2 can (200g) crushed tomatoes
415 ml water

1.2 kg Dutch cream potato, peeled & chopped
60g butter
60g grated oak smoked cheddar (or regular cheddar )
Salt & pepper

Warm few tbsp oil in large pot, add mince & cook stirring for 10-15 mins cooking away released water. Remove with slotted spoon & place in a bowl.
Add 5 tbsp oil to pot & gently cook onion, leek, chard stalks & parsley stalks until soft & sweet. 10 mins.
Add carrot, chard leaves, curry leaves & parsley cooking & stirring for about 2 mins until fragrant.
Add mince to pot. Season w salt & pepper
Stir in the flour. Add water & crushed tomato.
Stir, bring to gentle boil, place lid on pot and cook over low heat for 30mins stirring occasionally. Remove lid & leave to gently simmer for a further 10 mins if there is too much liquid.
Meanwhile simmer potatoes until done add butter & mash.

Preheat oven to 200C

Spoon meat into a baking dish (approx 28cm x 22cm & at least 5cm deep), roughly spread mash on top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until the top is golden. by @maya_mesimeris

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5 months ago

Beef meatballs baked with artichoke, olives, tomatoes & rosemary. Delicious combo. Love revisiting cookbooks written by some of my favourite chefs. I never tire of honing my skills, discovering new flavours & regional specialties. This recipe was inspired by a chef I’ve admired for so long- Paul Bertolli, a dish his mum used to make.
Hope you enjoyed my version🤍
Serve with crusty bread and fresh salad.

SERVES 4
50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
500g quality beef mince (or a mix of beef & lamb for next level flavour. Here I did 350g beef 150g lamb )
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs, hydrated with 1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp Parmesan
200g cherry tomatoes
1 x 400g can artichoke hearts (go for one with no preservatives) drained & halved
Handful olives roughly chopped, love the Ligurian olives but Kalamata works
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup homemade or quality chicken stock

Warm oil in small pan, add onions & cook over moderate heat for 8mins until soft & sweet. Not browned.
Meanwhile, add beef to mixing bowl & season with S&P. Add parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg & 1/3 of cooked onion. Mix gently. Form into approx 11 meatballs weighing 58g each.
Preheat oven to 170°C
Transfer remaining onions to medium baking dish. Heat few tbsp olive oil in large pan & brown meatballs. Place in baking dish on top of onions.
Combine artichoke, tomatoes, garlic, olives sage & lemon juice. Season. Mix and distribute around meatballs. Pour hot broth over & drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil & bake for 45 mins. Uncover & bake further 10 mins.
#meatballs taken in Elizabeth Bay by @maya_mesimeris

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6 months ago

Waking up to Autumn 🧡🙏🏽 by @maya_mesimeris

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6 months ago

Monday night wonder - Pork loin steaks w sautéed sweet nectarine. Served w shaved fennel salad. Kids loved this. Use nectarines or peaches. Bay leaves are a must. I think a red or white wine would also work if you don’t have sherry or Marsala. Don’t overcook pork loin to prevent it from drying out. Some fine sea salt sprinkled onto the pork the night before will also help. This was such a delicious combination. Will def be making again with the Summer abundance of nectarines and peaches. I imagine this would also work with Autumn plums. Yum yum.

Pork loin steaks w sautéed sweet nectarine

4 pork loin steaks (preferably from a good butcher and lightly salt w fine sea salt overnight if you have time)
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
Black pepper
3 firm nectarines
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Few good splashes of sherry or Marsala
25ml water

1. Cut nectarines into 8 pieces (I cut mine into four wedges then halved these wedges horizontally. See photos,). Place in small bowl, drizzle w honey., add bay leaves & sherry/Marsala/wine. Mix and leave to marinate for however long you can. I left mine for about an hour while the pork came to room temperature.
2. Season pork w salt, pepper & ground fennel.
3. Heat few tbsps extra virgin olive oil (EVoo) in a medium fry pan. Brown pork (about 3 mins each side). They will still be a little under cooked. Remove to plate.
4. Turn heat down to low. Add few more tbsp EVoo. Add nectarines & all the juices. Sauté for 2 mins. Add water, place lid on & cook over med- low heat for about 5 mins or until nectarines just begin to soften. Nestle the pork in between the nectarines and continue to cook until done. About 5 mins depending on the thickness of the steaks. Add splash of water if it dries out. Finish everything off with the good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
#dinnerinspo #porkrecipe#porkloin #porkandnectarines#nectarine taken in Sydney, Australia by @maya_mesimeris

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8 months ago

A few of my favourite moments from our South Coast adventure. In awe of this beautiful country. Stunning coast lines, ocean pools, rainforest, peaceful picturesque countryside - mesmerising beauty. THE BEST local oysters, ocean caught prawns & delicious South Coast fish. Seafood extravaganza & so much fun creating omelettes using the Weber. Grateful 🙏🏽🤍 taken in Down South by @maya_mesimeris

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8 months ago

As promised, recipe for slow cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary, cumin & fresh fennel. This was sensational. Fragrant yet light. Both lamb and fennel melt-in-the-mouth tender. Little prep then slow cook for 4.5 hours. Great result using a Dutch oven.
Effortless & so very delicious.
I served with shaved fennel herb salad & roasted potatoes.
Happy long weekend 🤍

Preheat oven to 150°C

1. 2kg lamb shoulder, score fat & season generously with salt + pepper

2. Herb + Spice Rub - mix & rub into the scored fat
1 tsp ground cumin
1 sprig rosemary finely chopped
Zest 1 lemon
Few tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3. Bottom of pot - use a large Dutch oven
2 medium bulbs fennel, quartered
2 onions, halved & sliced
10 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 sprig rosemary, leaves roughly scattered

4. Lamb on top, skin side up + Juice 1 lemon + 2 cups water

5. Roast uncovered for 45 mins then baste, cover and cook for about 3 hours or until tender, baste a couple more times if possible.

6. Remove lid and cook a further 20 mins or until nicely coloured.
#lambrecipe#slowcookedlambshoulder#lambshoulder#roastlamb taken in Sydney, Australia by @maya_mesimeris

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8 months ago

Lost myself in a few hours of blissful creation.
Happy New Year 🤍🙏🏽
#kibbeh by @maya_mesimeris

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9 months ago

This spontaneous weekend creation made for an eventful Monday night dinner. Moroccan-inspired beef and prune braise served with plain buttery saffron rice. Slow cooked beef in warm spices - cinnamon, coriander, ginger - and onion+ prunes that melt into a rich, glossy sauce. Simply delicious!
Like all good stews, it tastes even better the next day. I tailored it to appeal to my kids’ palate , but if you like a bolder flavour, add some preserved lemon. Next time I’ll top with roasted almonds.
Served over buttery saffron rice (always using @noorishbynoor flawless recipe for rice from one of my favourite cookbooks Lugma). Would also be great with couscous, mash, or any root purée… celeriac one of my faves. Hope you try it. Double for extra servings.

Serves 3 -4
750g grass fed beef chuck cut into larger than bite size pieces, seasoned with sea salt & pepper
1 large onion cut into half moon and sliced thinly
1 leek, white part only sliced thinly (optional)
1 large celery stalk, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped into small pieces
8 -10 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch chilli flakes
100g pitted prunes
2 x 10cm pieces orange or lemon rind (wash thoroughly & preferably organic)
500ml water
Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Preheat oven to 160°C
Medium Dutch oven/oven proof pot warm few tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Brown beef. Remove.
Add few more tbsp evoo, low heat, add onion, celery, garlic. Cook until soft. About 10 mins. Stir in thyme + bay. Stir 1 min to release aroma. Add spices and cook about 1 minute to release aroma. Add beef, water prunes & orange or lemon zest Bring to simmer. Lid on & into oven for 1.5 - 2 hours until beef tender.

#FamilyMeals #HomeCooking #MoroccanFlavours #ComfortFood #DinnerInspo taken in Sydney, Australia by @maya_mesimeris

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a year ago

Summary of the last 10 days
1. A simple lamb stew. Weeknight wonder made possible by using small pieces of lamb shoulder that cooked to tender in about an hour. Served with olive oil roasted potato. Miss you Greece
2. Grass fed beef eye fillet served with a Lebanese flat bean stew I made on the weekend.
3. Kafta (homemade Lebanese sausage) served with mustard and chilli flakes inspired by our fav Athens eatery.
4 & 5 Corfiot inspired baked pasta. Spices purchased in Corfu ground fresh for us. A special blend. I actually used 1 tsp too much here. Note to self.
6. Chicken, potato and zucchini traybake ready for oven
7. Shaved cabbage , fennel apple slaw
8. Served with schnitzel & baked sweet potato, Granny Smith apple & red onion
9. Lamb shoulder slow cooked with hints of cumin and coriander. There is fresh tomato and grated carrot in there. Sunday test kitchen. by @maya_mesimeris

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a year ago

Lefkada. Our senses overwhelmed with its unruly beauty. Limestone cliffs, sapphire waters, snorkelling through a rain of shimmering fish. Everywhere the scent of fig, rosemary, sage, mountain thyme and olive trees. Uplifting, Exciting, Life affirming. We discover its personality not through seeking but allowing a day to unfold along pot hole filled mountain roads. An abandoned church with a sprawling aged fig tree. I look for ripe figs. Another road and we are intrigued by the sight of wizened Dimitri & Xenia manually pressing grapes in their front garden. We stop. We chat, then an offer of their pure chilled rosé. Our send off is two sweet fragrant figs. Another day, another road and we meet charming Stavroula @sklavenitis_olive_oil who gives us a personal tour of their olive press factory. Extra virgin olive oil, green gold close to my heart & central to all my culinary inspiration. I could jump for joy listening to the process for the upcoming season’s harvest & wish I could be there. We sample the oil and I’m intrigued by the olive spoon sweet. Yum. The road home fertile Alpine Mountains in the hot September sun. Beauty fuses into more beauty with the setting sun a magnificent background to our love and our walk along the village road to our favourite taverna. I forage fennel pollen to add to my herb box. We eat food made by an excellent cook. Dina explains how she makes her beautifully flaky cheese pie. She doesn’t see it as some great miracle. I love that. The pork is sweet. The chips hand cut. The baklava laced with the taste of local butter and whole nuts. We drink the local wine and rediscover Tom Waits’ Blue Valentine. His soulful sound is divine. Not what you’d expect in a Greek village Taverna but it works. And it’s beautiful. We walk home in the complete dark, the Milky Way above us. With so much beauty in this world I’m confounded with man’s capacity to carve out paths of despair and destruction. by @maya_mesimeris

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a year ago