Matthew Evans' favourites we keep cooking again (and again)

Over many years, some of our most beloved recipes have been created by Matthew Evans - wholefood meat lover and passionate foodie farmer.

Yoghurt and raspberry cake... thank you Matthew Evans! Source: Alan Benson

Matthew Evans has had an ongoing relationship with SBS Food for more than a decade. He contributed to Feast magazine, created three-part series For The Love of Meat, made the eye-opening documentary What's The Catch? and, of course, is our all-time favourite Gourmet Farmer.

As well as providing thought-provoking commentary on the state of food in our nation, over the years Matthew has created almost three hundred treasured recipes for us. So, let's just say that choosing favourites has not been an easy task.

It simply wouldn't be a Matthew Evans recipe if it wasn't destined to gather a table of friends and family together.

A philosophy of abundance

To help us out, we decided to stick to Matthew's own food philosophy. Which means a focus on recipes that encourage us to grow as much of our own food as we can. For many with the means to do so, it might mean self-producing the bulk of a recipe's fruit and vegetables. For most of us, it means shopping carefully for sustainable ingredients at a trusted grocer, fishmonger or butcher.

Hopefully, for all of us, it can mean at least growing the abundant herbs Matthew uses in his recipe. And by all means, sharing the food we cook with others. It simply wouldn't be a Matthew Evans recipe if it wasn't destined to gather a table of friends and family together.

The basics

These are the recipes that taught us that we can cook pretty much anything from scratch, with a little Gourmet Farmer know-how.

No-knead pizza

The flavour in the base comes from letting the dough rest overnight. Source: Benito Martin

If you can make pizza dough, with a little flour and yeast, you've got yourself a meal. This particular recipe makes the top of our favourites list because it's probably the easiest meal you'll ever pull together.

Passata

Tomatoes and time make the best passata. Source: Matthew Evans

You'll need a good passata to go with that pizza dough, and Matthew shows the way. Tomatoes, and lots of them, are pureed and preserved to bring a little late summer magic to dishes all year 'round.

Cornbread

A skillet of cornbread made with buttermilk and polenta is a skillet of happiness. Source: Alan Benson

A recipe from Matthew's Feast magazine days, cornbread is such an easy bread to make. And also extremely delicious. Try it with one of these soups:

Haloumi

Haloumi is cooked after making, so you don’t have to be as fussy with your techniques as some cheeses. Source: Gourmet Farmer

Who knew haloumi was this easy to make? Oh, that sweet, squeaky giver of life. Thanks to Matthew, this is our "first cheese to try", with the understanding that we could go forth and make every other kind of cheese. We are so very clever. More secret haloumi conquering tips here:

Sauerkraut

There's no finer way to enjoy the humble cabbage than in a giant jar of sauerkraut. Source: Alan Benson

Pickling of every kind is Matthew's kind of thing. This easy sauerkraut recipe is one he shared with us years ago and no doubt has been made millions of times, by thousands of different hands, since then.

Meaty love

You'll have a full heart to match a full stomach when you make one of these special meals for your people. Vegetarian options to follow...

Slow-roasted beef brisket

Please save a seat at that table for all of us. Source: Alan Benson

This brisket, served with a giant plate of homemade veggies, feels like everything Matthew stands for. It's a low and slow kind of dish that uses a lesser-known cut of meat that seems to expand to feed the masses. We can smell the party already.

Jerk pork

You can also oven-roast this jerk pork dish if you can't face firing up the barbecue just yet. Source: Alan Benson

A barbie favourite that is literally packed with herbs and spice. The chilli paste is left to marinade overnight, resulting in fall-off-the-bone tender meat that packs a mean punch. On reflection, this jerk pork is rather aptly named...

Mussel paella

The mussels take a starring role in this dish, though you can also add other cuts of meat if you fancy. Source: Alan Benson

This mussel paella makes us want to hire a boat and up anchor Gourmet Farmer Afloat-style. Failing that, a quick trip to the fishmonger and it's anchors away on a real crowd pleasing dish that takes no time at all.

This mussel paella makes us want to hire a boat and up anchor Gourmet Farmer Afloat-style.

Beer-sozzled chicken

Sage and garlic star alongside the chicken, all doused in two stubbies worth of Tassie beer. Source: Matthew Evans

The name alone makes us want to try this recipe. This is the first chicken dish Matthew cooked when he moved to Puggle Farm. It's fitting that his first dish should become an enduring favourite - consistency has always been his thing.

Bohémienne 

Anchovy fillets add spark to this warming bake. Source: Alan Benson

Bohémienne is a French tomato and eggplant casserole that feeds a crowd. Plonk it in the centre of the table with a basket of crusty bread and watch it contentedly disappear.

Cotechino with lentils

"Once you’ve had a good cotechino, sliced and crisped so the skin in the mix tastes like crackling, you’ll crave it forever after," says Matthew. Source: Matthew Evans

We've included this dish to showcase what Matthew does best: encouraging us to seek food that's a little left of our everyday centre. He's a true foodie who entices us to try every aspect of the food that's available to us. This recipe will have you Googling 'cotechino near me' within moments.

All about the veggies

Matthew Evans is a proud veggie farmer, growing most of what he serves in his Fat Pig Farm restaurant and at his own table.

Leafy greens pie

A yoghurt pasty completes this green-packed flaky pie. Source: Tim Thatcher

Our Gourmet Farmer extends his 'nose to tail' philosophy to eating the whole vegetable, too. As well as good-old garden spinach, this generous leafy greens pie is made with the tops of carrots, radishes and turnips, plus foraged nettles.

Ratatouille

The perfect ratatouille. Source: Benito Martin

When we want to make a pot of goodness, Mathew's slow-cooked ratatouille is what we make.

Gorgonzola pasta

Somewhat like pizzocheri, where taleggio and cabbage are involved, this is a rib-sticking pasta dish that’s big on flavour. Source: Alan Benson

Matthew is a man who simply loves cheese. His best friend and sometime business partner Nick Haddow owns Bruny Island Cheese Co, which makes the kind of Tasmanian cheese we would gladly move states for. While Nick doesn't make gorgonzola, we can still picture the pair of them sitting down to a meal of this rich pasta, as content as two Jersey cows in a clover field.

While Nick doesn't make gorgonzola, we can still picture the pair of them sitting down to a meal of this rich pasta, as content as two Jersey cows in a clover field.

Baked beans

Four hours might seem like a long time to wait for a baked bean, but trust us, these beauties are worth your time. Source: Alan Benson

Slow-cooked hearty baked beans that are a world away from the insipid tinned variety. We'd happily make them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Make that breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Desserts for dinner

There's one more thing that Matthew Evans specialises in: stick-to-your-ribs cakes and bakes that are substantial enough to stand in for dinner.

Apple fritters

Warm, crisp, sweet and spicy. Source: Alan Benson

We could write an entire round-up on Matthew's apple recipes, but here are a few stand outs. The boozy apple fritters are an unusual dessert, but definitely a must-try. Also stunning:

Yoghurt cake

This is a surprisingly quick and easy cake to bake. It's perfect as a slice at a picnic, or served with ice cream or cream in a bowl for dessert. Source: Alan Benson

You are not alone in wanting to dive straight into this yoghurt and raspberry cake.

You really can't beat fruit to end a meal... especially when buttery crumble is involved.

Rhubarb crumble

Hot tip: Cooking crumble is a great way to make friends and also lure your neighbours into thinking you are a baking genius. Source: Alan Benson

Notice the fruit-heavy deliciousness that is Matthew's choice of dessert? All part of his 'grow your own' food philosophy and a good reminder that you really can't beat fruit to end a meal... especially when buttery crumble is involved.

Chocolate cake

Everyone needs a classic chocolate cake recipe to wow the show judges... Source: Benito Martin

There are so many good cakes to choose from, but we couldn't resist this classic prize-winner. No, really, third place at the Bream Creek Show. Now that's worth bragging about.

You can watch all the Gourmet Farmer episodes on SBS On Demand here.