Recipes from MasterChef Julie Goodwin's cookbook, Classic

I was spending a quiet day at home when I got the phone call that would, once again, change my life. Thirteen years after season one of MasterChef Australia, I was being asked to consider returning to the kitchen. As a contestant.

It was an unexpected call, to put it mildly, and it came at an interesting time. I was about three years into a locked-horns battle with depression and anxiety, and only three weeks out of a stint in hospital. I hadn't yet returned to work and was trying to figure out what life would look like, now.

On the face of it, the idea of stepping back into one of the highest-pressure situations I had ever faced seemed ill-advised. Irresponsible. Ridiculous. And yet ... I couldn't stop thinking about it. There was a little bubble of excitement inside me that I hadn't felt in a long time. Something was telling me to go for it. And so, I went.

So much came flooding back to me from my first time on MasterChef in 2009 - not least the stress and self-doubt that comes with entering this very public arena. My uncertainty was fairly obvious, I guess, which prompted some very kind words from judge Jock Zonfrillo after our first cooking challenge: "You're a winner, but ... you are, more importantly, a classic. And classics never get old. Classics are very hard to beat. And time and time again, the classics rise to the top."

And just like that, I was given permission to cook the way I love to cook, to serve the food that has always made my family and friends happy, and I hope it did the same for the judges.

I could find my feet again, own my style, and celebrate it the way I know how.

Returning to MasterChef was a unique opportunity to revisit the past while figuring out the future. To relive some incredible memories, while creating new ones.

I am currently in the midst of the most wonderful remembering and renewal in my own life: I am a grandmother. Delilah has burst into our lives and cracked our hearts wide open. She awes me with her daily learning and ways of expressing herself, while at the same time taking me back to when my boys were babies. She is the spitting image of her father, his double in personality, humour and creativity - as well as looks. Being with her has me torn between the past and the future, one foot in that beautiful era of raising little boys, and the other in the world in front of us, with all that it holds.

And that is the nature of my latest book, Classic. It's a nod to the recipes that have meant something to me and the people I love to cook for, and the anticipation of cooking for them again. No matter how many years have passed, what food trends come and go, or what age and stage we are at, these are the dishes that I return to. Dishes for celebrating, dishes for comfort, dishes for quick and simple nourishment.

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Classic is about reflection and renewal, looking back and moving forward. Honouring traditions and old favourites, while welcoming new people into our orbit, whether they are new family members, new friends, or new MasterChef judges.

For me, it's a book that acknowledges that we can take on new challenges and new adventures without letting go of the things that have made us happy. Like pulling on a favourite old jumper before tackling a new bushwalking track, or keeping a well-loved comfy chair when moving to a new house, I hope that you can find in this book food that will bring the warmth of old memories to whoever is at your table now and in the future.

Happy Classic cooking.

If I had to name my most-cooked recipe, this would be it. And not just by me - but by the scores of people who have contacted me about it over the years. Once you've cooked it, you'll see why. Doable for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack, it's easily made with gluten-free flour and customisable in so many ways. Change the veggies, sub out the bacon, make it in bulk, it only takes a few minutes and is truly one for the regular cook up.

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a non-stick lamington tin (18 x 28cm base measurement), and line with non-stick baking paper.

2. Combine the zucchini, onion, bacon, cheese, flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the oil and lightly beaten eggs, and mix.

3. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and set. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Makes 12 pieces.

It wouldn't be right to write a cookbook called Classic and not have a pav in it. This is an Aussie icon. No correspondence will be entered into.

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 25 x 38cm baking tray and line it with non-stick baking paper. Beat the egg whites and salt in an electric mixer until soft peaks appear. Add the caster sugar a little at a time, whipping continuously until it is all incorporated. Continue to mix until the egg whites form stiff, glossy peaks.

2. Gently fold in the cornflour and vinegar, being careful not to knock the air out of the mixture. Spread the mixture onto the baking tray, leaving a 2cm space around the edges.

3. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140C and bake for a further 40 minutes. Turn the oven off and prop the door open a couple of centimetres. Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven. When it is completely cool, top with whipped cream and fruit to serve.

Makes one very big pavlova.

When Mick and I first bought a home together, we worked all hours - as many do - to pay the mortgage and the bills. I was waitressing as a second job at the time, at a steak restaurant called The Black Stump in Pennant Hills. As I cleared the plates I would save leftover meat for our big dog, Charlie. On more than one occasion, Mick and I would be eating our budgetarian dinner while Charlie was chowing down on filet mignon and steak diane. Mick would sigh and wish he was the dog. He no longer wishes he was the dog, as I can now cook him a filet mignon all of his own.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Trim the bacon to match the thickness of the steak, and wrap a rasher around the edge of each fillet, securing with toothpicks. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear over high heat on all sides (including the bacon). This should take three to four minutes.

2. Place the pan containing the steaks in the oven for around 15 minutes depending on the way you like it cooked.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another frying pan and saute the mushrooms over medium-high heat until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove the pan from the oven, being very careful with the hot handle! Take the steaks out of the pan and remove the toothpicks. Set aside under foil to rest. Place the pan over medium heat, pour the brandy in and cook for a couple of minutes until reduced and the raw alcohol smell is gone. Pour in the cream and toss in the mushrooms. Serve on top of the steak, alongside some roasted chat potatoes and steamed asparagus.

Note: You can sear the meat several hours in advance, then finish it in the oven just before serving. Be sure to remove the meat from the fridge well beforehand to allow it to come back to room temperature before placing it in the oven. If you don't have brandy, use a little beef stock or water to deglaze the pan.

Serves 4.

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