Melbourne, Australia
A who’s who of Australian gastronomy – everyone from Neil Perry, Maggie Beer and Marco Pierre White to 2021 MasterChef champion Justin Narayan – have lent their talents to the creation of World Vision Australia’s first “famine fighting cookbook”.
The free e-book, Hunger Bites, features recipes from 17 chefs and cooks with the aim of helping Australians put affordable meals on their own tables while at the same time raising awareness of the world’s child hunger crisis – and some funds to tackle it.
Ed Halmagyi, best known as ‘Fast Ed’ from TV show Better Homes and Gardens, is among those whose recipes are in the book. Here is his recipe for ‘Nonna’s meatballs’…
INGREDIENTS
500g budget beef mince
2L stock (made from powder or cubes,
beef, chicken or vegetable)
8 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup finely grated parmesan
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 bunch parsley, very finely chopped
1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs
Sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
1 brown onion, very finely diced 2 sticks celery, very finely diced 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried sage
2 bay leaves
700ml tomato passata 1 cup fine polenta
METHOD
1. Combine the mince, half a cup of stock, half the garlic, grated parmesan, cinnamon, parsley and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix thoroughly, until smooth.
2. Form into 40 small balls with wet hands, then refrigerate for one hour, until firm.
3. Sauté the onion and celery in half the oil in a large saucepan for five minutes, until softened.
4. Add the sage, bay leaves and remaining garlic and cook for
2 more minutes. Pour in the stock and passata. Season with salt and pepper and continue simmering.
5. Fry the meatballs in batches in the remaining oil until browned. Transfer to the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
6. Pour the remaining stock into a medium saucepan and
bring to a boil. Scatter in the polenta, then boil for five minutes, until thickened. Serve with the meatballs and sauce
The recipes included in the book – which are interspersed with facts about child hunger around the world – are all designed to feed a family of four for $A14 or under and include everything from chef, author and TV personality Iain “Huey” Hewitson’s “Dublin Coddle” to Sydney restaurateur Luke Nguyen’s “Beef Wok-Tossed” and Barossa-based cook, writer and Great Australian Bake Off presenter Maggie Beer’s “Fish and Crispy Potatoes”.
Beer, who has been a long-time child sponsor with World Vision, said in a statement that Australia was “indeed the lucky country and are blessed with so many fresh, wonderful ingredients”.
“It saddens me to know that in some countries, families can’t afford even basic food items such as corn or rice. No child should ever go hungry.”
Award-winning chef Neil Perry – another World Vision child sponsor who recently who set up a community meal program called ‘Hope Delivery’, said it was challenging to draw Australians’ attention to global issues during a time when they were grappling with lockdowns and job losses.
“We are feeding some people in Australia because they can’t feed themselves with Hope Delivery – but the reality is there are many people here who can afford to do something, whether sponsoring a child, or donating, or talking to others about the reality of famine overseas…” he said.
“I always call for us to be more politically active around the world and set an example, whether it’s on sustainability or climate change or famine. We have an opportunity to be shining lights…and I think we need to shout out to Australians to do what they can.”
World Vision CEO Daniel Wordsworth thanked the contributors for their recipes.
“My heartfelt thanks go to these generous contributors for sharing our vision for a cookbook to support our fellow human beings in a time of great need,” he said in a statement. “When you put Hunger Bites to use, you not only put food on your own table – you help World Vision put meals on the tables of those who need them most. You make the world a better place.”
He said that having enough to eat is something “every child should be able to take for granted”.
“Australians would agree that no Mum or Dad should go through the pain of having their child go to bed hungry – or get too weak to play. Right now, too many parents and caregivers are trying to provide food while suffering extreme hunger themselves. We want this book to provide some food for thought about how everyday Australians can help to avert this crisis. If we only act once famine is declared, it is too late – people are already dying.”
Hunger Bites can be downloaded for free at www.worldvision.com.au/hungerbites.
