This Week's Recipe: Pumpkin Gnocchi

Why Pumpkin Gnocchi?
It is nearly a year since my fabulous trip to Italy and has taken just as long to create a recipe for pumpkin gnocchi that is of any justice to some I ate while I was in Siena.


The Siena version: I found in a small delicatessen/ green grocer that stocked ripe deep red tomatoes and other vegetables, freshly made pici, robust passatas, home made cinnamon baked apples and little orange coloured miss-shaped dumplings. The orange dumplings turned out to be home made pumpkin gnocchi, that were delicately light, a beautiful orange and deliciously yet subtly sweet. I was told by the lady who made them in a unique Italian/English dialect that she "did not add any of the potato and that the recipe would not leave". Translated: The gnocchi was not made with potato, and she was not going to give me the recipe.

My version: After quite a few attempts I have come up with a recipe that I am happy to say is just as good if not better. The secret to them is that the pumpkin has to be soft yet dry, and that unlike my recipe for ricotta gnocchi which is light and fluffy although has a roll-able dough, the dough for these dumplings remains too soft to roll and is spooned straight into the water.

I think this may be a new favourite - the sweetness of the pumpkin and the earthy spiciness of nutmeg match perfectly while the dumplings remain soft and light.'They are perfect with sage leaves fried in butter and freshly grated Parmesan.


Ingredients
1 kilo pumpkin (such as butternut or Japanese), seeds removed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces with the skin on
1 egg, beaten
approx 200 g plain flour
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 pinches nutmeg



Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with foil and a drizzle of oil. Place the pumpkin pieces on tray, season with salt and bake for 30-50 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and dry on the surface.


Scoop out the flesh and puree in a blender until smooth. Scrape the pumpkin into a bowl, add the egg, salt, nutmeg, pepper and mix well. Add the flour tablespoons at a time add mix well. Try to add as little flour as possible until your mixture holds together on a spoon.


Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Pour a little oil in a small cup to oil two teaspoons and set to the side.


When the water is boiling, lightly dip the teaspoons in the oil and form quenelles by passing the pumpkin back and forth between the spoons, and gently drop into the water. Remove with a slotted spoon when they bob on the top of the waters surface, and placed on a lightly oiled plate. Repeat until all are cooked. You can cook the gnocchi in advance and keep them on an oiled plate or tray heating them later either in the sauce or blanching them in water.


To serve them in a sage butter simply melt 125 g butter in a sauce pan and add 4-5 small sage leaves. Continue to cook until the butter starts to turn brown and add a squeeze of lemon (this will prevent the butter cooking). Toss the gnocchi in the butter and serve with some grated Parmesan.


Serves 4

Bon Appetite

This Week’s Recipe: Blueberry Orange Crumble Cake

Why Blueberry Crumble Cake?

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a cake covered in deliciously buttery icing. To make a cake unbelievably delicious takes skill these days as icings and butter creams become more indulgent from cakes covered in white chocolate whipped butter creams and 7-minute caramel icings.

Studded with deep midnight hued blueberries and covered in a crunchy, sugary and buttery crumble, this cake although icing free does every bit of justice. Coming out of the oven this cake fills the air with the goodness of a citrus and berry cake plus a cinnamon sweetness that you only get from that crumble topping.

The crumble topping adds crunch and flavour making it a great alternative to icings.

Enjoy with mascarpone and a dusting of icing sugar.

Ingredients
1 cup (150 gr) plain flour
3/4 cup (110 gr) wholemeal flour
1 cup (220 gr) caster sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
80 ml olive oil
180 ml milk
1 egg
2 teaspoon orange zest
200g frozen blueberries

Crumble Topping
1/4 cup (35 gr) plain flour
1/4 cup (55 gr) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (70 gr) walnuts
30 grams cold butter

100 grams blueberries

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and lightly flour a 24 cm spring form pan.

To make the crumble: in a food processor place the 35 grams of flour, brown sugar spices and walnuts and blitz until the nuts are small and crumbly. Add the cold butter and pulse until clumps of dough form. Set aside in a cool place.

To make the cake: in a small bowl combine the flours, spices, salt and baking powder and mix to combine with a fork. In a food processor or mixer place the sugar and oil and mix on medium speed. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients in three parts alternating with the milk. Using a spatula scrape down the edges and fold through the blueberries and orange zest.

Place the batter in the lined tin and sprinkle over the crumble topping. Scatter the 100gr blueberries over the top, making sure to stud a few amongst the crumble mix.

Bake for 40-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

If you can not find whole meal flour simply substitute for plain white flour.

Serve 8-10

Bon Appetite

This Week’s Recipe: Toasted Muesli

Why Toasted Muesli?

There are too many types of muesli on the market today.

The simple task of choosing a breakfast cereal is no longer that – simple. I have found myself on too many occasions standing in the cereal aisle for more than 15 minutes, while at home there is cupboards full of half eaten muesli.

Today there is such variety in muesli from ones with dried fruit and ones with nuts, muesli with bran and muesli with extra fibre to toasted and raw.

I realised the choice was far to big for me when I left the super market with all the ingredients to make my own, in a mission of making a muesli that was exactly what I wanted to start my day.

This is my version of toasted muesli, it is not as much a recipe but a guideline for you to be inspired to make your own.

Ingredients
8 cups rolled oats
5 cups coconut
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup raw pepitas
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup hazelnuts
2 cups dried apricots, sliced thinly
1 cup currants

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a large baking tray place the oats. In a separate baking tray place the coconut, sesame sees, pepitas, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts. Toss to mix evenly and place both trays in the oven (if possible place the nut and coconut mixture on the bottom shelf to prevent is browning quickly).

Bake in the oven for 20-40 minutes, stirring the nuts and oats every 10 minutes after the first 15minutes. Bake until the oats and nuts are golden. While the muesli is hot, mix the oats and nuts together with the apricots and currants.

Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Bon Appetite

This Week’s Recipe: Asparagus, Fennel and Pea Salad with Lemon and Mint

Why Fennel, Pea and Asparagus Salad?

There are a some flavour combinations that simply are perfect. Think of tomatoes and basil, potatoes with rosemary, pork and apples and of course peas with mint.

When I feel inspired to play with new combinations of ingredients, I always find myself at the same starting point – a few flavours that just seem to be made for each other.

I find by starting with building blocks (one of two ingredients) that compliment each other solidly, the rest of the creation is easy and fun.

Personally I look at individual flavours and see what ingredients go together. Try to have flavours that match with at least one or two other ingredients and build from there. I also think about how texture, taste and colour will enhance the dish or distract from it.

This salad was created out of my love for peas with mint. The fennel adds a fresh yet earthy tone, while the asparagus and peas bring out the sweetness of the mint, and the lemon lightens the salad as a whole.

Ingredients
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch stems
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 bunch mint, picked
3 handfuls rocket
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water, and toss into a colander with the frozen peas (the peas will defrost from the heat of the asparagus and the asparagus will cool quickly).

In a large bowl toss the rocket, sliced fennel and mint together. When the asparagus is cool, and peas are defrosted toss them with the salad leaves. Add the lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, olive oil salt and pepper.

Toss the salad in the dressing and serve.

Serves four as a side or two as a main.

Bon Appetite.

Make your own... Croque Monsieur

Technically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, a Croque Monsieur is a must to have in ones repertoire - morning, noon or night. Originally served in 1910 as a fast food snack on the Boulevard des Capucines, it still remains as popular today.

Although I am sure my recipe for this classic snack is not original, it is one that I will never change. Somehow the mixture of cream, Gruyere cheese and Dijon mustard once melted transforms into a cheesy, sharp yet creamy sauce.

Pull this recipe out for a carefree yet delicious brunch, a fantastic midnight snack, or as a last result when the dinner you were planning is burnt to a crisp and your dinner companions just arrived at the door. Somehow a Croque Monsieur solves every problem.

Ingredients
4 slices crunch white bread
4-8 slices good quality smoked ham
8 tablespoons Gruyere cheese, grated
4-6 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons mustard
Butter

Method
Mix the grated cheese, cream and mustard together to form a thick paste.

Toast one side of your slices of bread. Spread a thin layer of butter and one or two slices of ham on the untoasted side. Spread with the cheesy mixture and grill until golden and bubbly.

Serves 2 (as a snack)
To turn a Croque Monsieur into a Croque Madame simple add a fried egg on top!

Bon Appetite

This Week’s Recipe: Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Why Spaghetti with tomatoes and herbs?

It appears to be that time of year again – Detox time. Everywhere I turn friends are planning, complaining or enduring a detox in order to shape up for summer.

As a chef I have to taste and try a lot of different foods throughout the day from aioli at 7 o’clock in the morning and bircher muesli at 10 o ‘clock at night, so for me the concept of a detox is un heard of.

Also to be honest I love food and can not see the reasoning in spending weeks with head aches, stomach aches and living in agony fighting cravings for your favourite foods.

When I feel the need to get a little healthier, I look to eat foods that are kept simple and are in season. At risk of sounding a little spiritual I believe that when you are feeling a little under the weather you need to eat foods that nurture the body and soul.

This pasta is one of my favourite dishes to cook when I want to get back on track, because although it might be a pasta dressed with olive oil, to me it celebrates ingredients when they are at their best an can not do anything than make you feel better.

Tomatoes are at their finest from mid October through to February when they are sweet, yet sharp and have a beautiful blood red hue. This pasta celebrates their beauty with fresh herbs and a delicious fruity olive oil. It is delicious eaten warm of served cold.

Ingredients
500g dried spaghetti
400g vine-ripe cherry tomatoes
1 hand full basil leaves
1 handful marjoram
1 handful flat leaf parsley
1/2 handful lemon thyme
6 tablespoons good quality fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Method
Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente according to packet instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, halve the tomatoes and place them in a large bowl. Roughly chop your herbs and add them to the tomatoes with the olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Squish a few of the tomatoes to help release their juices.

Drain the pasta and while it is hot add it to your tomatoes and toss well. Drizzle with vinegar and lemon juice and check for seasoning. Either serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature.

Serves 4-6.
Bon Appetite

This Week’s Recipe: Baked Potato and Pea Salad

Why Potato and Pea salad?

This could be the best potato salad I have ever made.

It all came about because of a girl named Mary and a birthday picnic. Mary is a proud vegetarian, and having been invited to her picnic I wanted to create some delicious food that she could enjoy.

Having been out the night before and feeling a little under the weather I set about creating a salad that would
1. Taste delicious yet unique to the usual picnic potato salad
2. Would satisfy some of those hang over food cravings
3. Be super easy to make.

Fortunately for my friends this salad ticked all boxes.

Try this salad and you will be hooked. So at the request of a few here is my soon to be signature picnic potato salad.

Ingredients
1 kilo small cocktail potatoes
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch basil, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons small capers, drained and patted dry
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons aioli
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a large bowl toss the potatoes in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 20-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown, and soft in the middle.

While the potatoes are baking place the roughly chopped herbs in a large bowl. Heat a small frying pan for 1-2 minutes on high, add a drizzle of oil and fry off the drained capers for 1 minute until they are crispy. Add the fried capers and their oil to the chopped herbs.

When the potatoes are still hot squash a few of them with the back of a fork and add them to the herbs. Add your aioli, lemon juice and frozen peas and toss.

Season with salt, pepper and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Bon Appetite

Serves 2-3 very hungry picnic (male) guests, or 6-8 regular picnic guests.

Make your own...Aioli

Aioli is a garlic and oil emulsified sauce. Originally from Normandy, France, aioli was traditionally served with fish soups, stews and on croutons.

Today aioli is made with the addition of egg yolks to help the sauce emulsify, making it quite similar to mayonnaise.

To me there is something magical about home made mayonnaise with its ability to transform from humble egg yolks and oil into a creamy and velvety rich sauce that taste great on anything!

Homemade aioli is even better. This is a fantastic recipe to know as it easily adds taste and texture to any dish from potato salads, grilled meats and fish, salad dressings, crudités plates, and sandwiches.

This version of aioli may not be traditionally accurate as I use roasted garlic plus fresh garlic to add extra flavour and sweet depth, but it is simple to make and tastes wonderful.

Try it and you are sure to never look back to humble store bought mayonnaise again.

To make a mayonnaise simply remove the addition of garlic.

Ingredients
1 garlic bulb
1/2 clove garlic, finely grated
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
300-400 ml good quality vegetable oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Peel the garlic and place in a small baking tray. Cover with 200 ml of vegetable oil and bake in oven for 10-20 minutes until cloves are soft and golden brown. If you don’t want to use roasted garlic simply use one garlic clove finely grated instead. Also this recipe is a great excuse to make and use the recipe for confit garlic. Reserve the oil and garlic and allow to cool before using.

When cool, process the egg yolks, mustard roasted garlic, fresh garlic and lemon juice in a food processor until combined. While the motor is running add the garlic infused oil and regular oil in a steady thin stream. Continue to pour in the oils until the aioli becomes thick as desired and pale in colour. You will need to use at least 300 ml of oil for the sauce to hold.

Season to taste. If you would like to thin out the aioli at all add 1-2 teaspoons of boiling water to thin the aioli out slightly. Stir to combine and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 1/2 -2 cups

This Week’s Recipe: Fennel, Celery and White Anchovy Salad

Why Fennel and Celery Salad?

Good bye soups, stews and slow cooked foods spring and summer are all about fast fresh and tasty foods such as grilled fish and seafood, barbequed meats, sweet ripe fruits and lots of cools crunchy salads.

To me, this fennel and celery salad is the perfect way to welcome a season of sunshine and warm weather. Crunchy earthy yet refreshing celery, shaved anise scented fennel and the sweet yet sour tang of plump white anchovy fillets all finished off with a good squeeze of lemon juice, a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper. This salad is simple yet sensational.

White anchovies are beautiful in this salad as they are not at all like their pinky brown hairy cousins. Instead of being cured in salt and oil, white anchovies are pickled in herbs and white wine vinegar. They are plump firm fish that have a slightly salty, yet sweet and sour tart taste. They match perfectly with the anise flavour of fennel and crunchy freshness of celery. If however, white anchovies don’t excite you like they do for me, feel free to replace them with smoked trout or orange segments.

Enjoy this salad and seasons of fresh flavours and warm sunny days.

Ingredients
1 small fennel bulb
2 stalks celery
1 vine ripened tomato
1/2 bunch flat leave parsley, roughly chopped
8-10 white anchovy fillets
1 lemon, juiced
20 ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method
Trim the leaves off the fennel bulb and cut it in half, length ways. Using a mandolin or sharp knife slice the fennel and celery as thinly as possible. Place the fennel, celery and parsley in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.

Cut the tomato into thin wedges and add to the salad along with the anchovy fillets. Season with plenty of pepper and a pinch of salt.

Enjoy as a main meal or serve along side any grilled fish or meat.

Serves 2 as a main.

Bon Appetite

*White anchovies are available from all good delicatessens and gourmet food stores

This Week’s Recipe: Chocolate Lace Biscuits

Why Chocolate Biscuits?

My favourite movie of all time has to be The Princess Bride. I remember as a child falling in love with the farmhand Wesley and endlessly wishing I were Princess Buttercup. As an adult it is still one of my favourite films and I still get anxious when Wesley and Buttercup travel through the Fire Swamp and am often finding myself reciting ‘my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father prepare to die!” for no apparent reason.

One may ask what this has to do with chocolate biscuits? I came across this recipe initially for inspiration with simple picnic food that can be prepare ahead of time and while it is a brilliant recipe for that purpose, I found while rolling the dark chocolate dough into balls it sparked my memory of my favourite film.

In one of my favourite scenes a magician Miracle Max strives to revive a ‘mostly dead’ Wesley and gives him a cure in the shape of a brown shiny chocolate coloured ball - very similar to the cookie dough.

Besides reminding me of some very fond childhood memories these biscuits are deliciously rich with a crunchy exterior and chewy centre. They also look fantastic. Before baking they are rolled in icing sugar and corn flour so that when they cook a unique lace effect is created with dark chocolate brown flecking through a white coating.

I suggest you enjoy these cookies with a glass of milk while watching The Princess Bride, or enjoy them as you wish.

Ingredients
100g dark chocolate, chopped roughly
80g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder, not drinking chocolate
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/4 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons corn flour

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Melt the chocolate and butter over the stove or in the microwave and allow to cool.

In a bowl sift together the flour, bi carbonate of soda and the cocoa powder and add the sugar. Mix the egg into the chocolate and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir to form a shiny dough.

Place in the refrigerator for 3 minutes to allow the dough to stiffen slightly and in a separate bowl sift together the icing sugar and corn flour.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll into balls a little smaller in width than a 10 cent piece. Roll them in the icing sugar mix and place on a lined baking tray.

Bake for 7- 10 minutes or until cracked on the surface.

Makes 24

Bon Appetite.

Food For Thought: Potatoes

A humble family stable, the potato is one vegetable that will never go out of fashion. Even with bad press from new food trends and diet fads the potato has held it’s ground, with an even more popular come back as the “food for the future”.

Facts and History
The potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, or better known as the nightshade family of flowering plants. Despite similarities, the potato is not related to the sweet potato or jerusalem artichokes, which span from the sunflower family. What these varieties all share however is that they are a tuber vegetable and have a considerable amount of starch.

The potato is in fact part of the same family as eggplants, tomatoes, capsicums and chillies.

Potatoes are the most widely grown tuber crop, and are the fourth most important food crop in the world after wheat, maize (corn) and rice. More importantly the potato is the only one of these four that is a non-grain food commodity.

Potatoes have a substantially long history, and are thought to have been consumed over 10 000 years ago in the Andes region, near modern day Peru and Bolivia.

The Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the 16th Century where it soon became an important food staple. Although the potato flourished in Europe due to the lack of cultural diversity only a few species were brought to European shores, and thus the crop was highly susceptible to disease.

In Ireland potatoes flourished in the peaty soil, and very quickly the population obtained a diet of potatoes and milk from the family cow. In 1739 however, when severe frost caused crop failure, one third of the population in Ireland died causing what is known today as the Great Irish Famine.

Potatoes Today
While potatoes remain to be an essential crop throughout Europe, in recent decades potato crops have spread across the globe in areas such as Southern and Eastern Asia. Today China is in fact the largest potato growing country.

The geographic shift in potatoes generally over the years has been towards countries with lower incomes. Potato crops are ideally suited to places where land is limited and labour is abundant; dominantly developing countries.

The potato has been recognised as such an important crop that the UN have named this year, 2008, The International Year of the Potato.

The International Year of the Potato is raising awareness for the important role that this humble tuber has in agriculture, the economy and world food security,

While food prices soar worldwide, concerns are growing over the risk of food shortages and instabilities in low income and third world countries. The potato however, could be the solution.

The potato unlike cereals produces a nutritious food more quickly and on less land, for example the potato plant is 85% edible by humans while only 50% of cereals can be consumed. Potato crops are proving popular in low-income countries, and are now amounting for half the globes harvest.

Potatoes: the food for the future
Despite diet fads such as the Atkins diet and other low carbohydrate diets, the potato has proven to remain a favourite. The diet of an average person is 33 kilos of potatoes per year.

Potatoes are in fact good for you and are being labelled the food for the future. They are a high in carbohydrates, making them a fantastic source of energy as well as satisfying the appetite more efficiently. They have the highest protein content out of all tuber and root crops as well as being rich in vitamin C. One medium sized potato contains half your daily recommended vitamin C intake.

Potatoes are high in starch and absorb sauces and fats quickly. However Potatoes alone are not at all fattening, what makes them unhealthy is rich flavourings such as creams and butters.

How to Cook
In Australia we have more than 25 varieties of potato. With such a choice they should be bought according to variety to boil, mash, steam, fry and roast.

When boiling potatoes make sure to start in cold salted water, other wise you will have potatoes that are watery and mushy on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. Starting in cold water will allow the potato to cook evenly and will reduce wateriness.

Some popular varieties are:
Desiree – Originated in the Netherlands and is quite waxy, for this reason it is ideal for mashing, roasting and salads as it holds its shape well after cooking.
King Edward – Originated in Europe, it is one of the oldest varieties. It is characterised by its fluffy texture and is ideal for roasting, baking, chipping and gnocchi.
Red Pontiac – Originated in the USA, and is characterised by its smooth reddish skin. It is best for baking, boiling, mashing however it is not suitable for frying due to a higher content of sugar.
Kipfler – Originated in Germany, this potato is characterised by its long finger like shape. The kipfler is best steamed and used in salads.

Recipes
Olive oil mashed Potato
A delicious and healthier variation on the classic mashed potato. It is great served with anything from fish to steak.

Ingredients
500g potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup milk
Salt
Pepper
Method
In a large shallow pan add the potatoes, and cover with the water, butter, olive oil and garlic clove. Cook on a high heat for 20 minutes, or until the water has evaporated.

Mash the potatoes and fold in the milk. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil.

Serves 4

Potato Pikelets
These pikelets are great for brunch or made into canapés. Serve them with crème fraiche, dill or smoked salmon or rare roast beef and horseradish.

Ingredients
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 egg
1- 2 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Method
In a food processor blend together the potato, egg and sugar. Add the flour and continue to process until smooth. Fold in the cream and parsley and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Fry spoonfuls in a heavy based pan with either olive oil or clarified butter until both sides are a golden colour.

Serve with your choice of accompaniment.

Note these pikelets can be made in advanced and kept under a damp tea towel.

This Week’s Recipe: Oven Baked Fish with Tomato and Fennel

Why Oven Baked Fish?

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in one of my favourite cook books Falling for Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros. I fell in love with this book because of the heart and soul that has gone into it. Kiros has a unique and multicultural background, and in this cookbook she brings them all together, showing pride in her families histories and cultures while sharing some of her favourite recipes from around the globe.

I love her recipe for her oven baked fish because it is simple cooking done at its best. For me fish has to stay simple for the delicate flavour of the fish to shine. In this dish the sweetness of the tomatoes, the freshness of the parsley and earthy and slightly aniseed flavours of the fennel give the fish a fantastic background.

This dish is great to feed a large crowd. I simply put the whole pot on the table and serve it with simple boiled potatoes and crunchy bread to soak up all the juices.

Ingredients
1 kilo firm white fish, cut into 6-8cm pieces
400g tin tomatoes, with their juice
1 bunch chopped parsley
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 lemons, juiced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
Salt
Pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Drizzle the bottom of an oven proof dish with olive oil and place the fish in a single layer. In a bowl mix together the tomatoes, parsley, garlic, celery, sugar, fennel lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste.

Pour over the fish, making sure it is all covered. Cover with foil or a lid and bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the foil or lid and increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius and bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened and the top of the fish is golden in someplace.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Serves 4-6

Bon Appetite

Make your own... Satay Sauce

Satay sauce is one of the easiest ways to spice up any meal. Also known as peanut sauce, it great to accompany chicken, beef, fish, vegetables and noodles.

Satay sauce is quick and simple to make and tastes authentic when you make it from scratch, unlike some watery and peanut butter tasting store bought versions.

There are many different recipes for satay sauces that use different Asian influences and ingredients, however a favourite of mine is Indonesian based as it has a beautiful sweet and sour balance and is rich in flavour.

This sauce is great to make when you are in a hurry and don’t know what to make for dinner or to impress last minute guests.

Once you have the basics of this sauce feel free to add more spice or adjust the sweetness, saltiness and sourness to compliment your dish.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons palm sugar, grated (or caster sugar)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (or chilli paste or fresh chilli chopped)
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt

Method
In a large saucepan add the oil and garlic. Place on a medium heat and allow the garlic to release its aroma. You don’t want the garlic to become brown. When the garlic is soft add the peanut butter, water and coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Remove from the heat and stir in the palm sugar, soy sauce, sambal oelek, salt and lemon juice.

You may need to add some more water or coconut milk to get a desired consistency.

Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Makes 250gr.

This Week's Recipe: Portuguese Tarts

Why Portuguese Tarts?

Encased in a light, feathery crisp pastry, sits a pale yellow, cinnamon scented creamy custard with a slight caramelised burnt top. So delicate and delicious Portuguese’s tarts are claimed to be the new cup cake.

For any one who has been living under a rock for the last couple of years will have missed the universal increase in popularity of the cupcake. Possibly made famous for appearances in television shows such as Sex And The City, these quintessentially cute cakes seem to have popped up everywhere, having replaced the traditional wedding cake to being the latest development in the café culture. Although I will admit that I am an honorary cupcake fan, I am also very glad to see a new and tastier competitor.

Also known as Portuguese cream tarts, they were first made by nuns nearly 200 hundred years ago evolving from pastel de nata, a traditional baked custard. Portuguese tarts have come a far way from humble convents and are now popular the world around.

I am always the first to admit that I am a food adventurous and am willing to try anything, however I am also the first to admit that when you can buy produce made authentically that tastes great, I will. Portuguese tarts fall into both of these categories.

I love to make Portuguese tarts at home, but only when I have the time and patience. The reason is that although they are not difficult to make, they do consist of a few different steps that need your full attention. I suggest you save this recipe for a rainy day, or when you feel inspired to be creative and have friends near by to eat the rewards of your labour.

In the meantime I suggest you try the following places to feed your cravings for some delicious Portuguese tarts.

•Pastelaria Caravela
60 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction, Sydney Australia

•Fernandes Patisserie 516 Marrickville Road, Marrickville, Sydney Australia

Ingredients
For the pastry:
1 packet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk, beaten

For the Filling:
1 3⁄4 cups whole milk
1⁄4 cup cream
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour, sifted
1 cinnamon quill
2 strips lemon peel
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract

To Finish
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon icing sugar

Method
For the custard - in a saucepan off the heat, add the milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar. In a thin stream pour in the flour into the milk, while whisking to avoid lumps. Once combined add the cinnamon quill and lemon zest.
Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir continuously with a whisk. Continue to stir the cream on a very low heat until the custard is thick – a high heat will cook the eggs and you will have sweet scrambled eggs. This may take up to five minutes but persist and do not stop stirring making sure to get into the corners of the pan.

Once thick remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Remove the cinnamon and lemon and cover with wax proof paper to avoid a skin forming.

For the pastry cases - preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. If your puff pastry is in a block, roll out on a floured surface until is it s 1/4 cm thick, otherwise lay the sheets out. In a separate bowl mix together the cinnamon and nutmeg. Brush the sheets with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the spice mix. Starting from one end begin to roll the pastry up like a cigar. Try to make sure it is snug but not too tight to avoid air pockets later. Leave the pastry to sit for five minutes for the egg to glue to the pastry.

Cut the pastry into 2cm thick slices, and lay them flat on a lightly floured surface. Push each disk down with the palm of your hand until they are 1/4 cm thick. You may need to work them slightly with your fingers too.

Place the pastry disks in a tartlet tray or a small muffin tray, pushing the pastry to fit into the corners and far enough up the sides. Try not to stretch the dough, but rather push it gently. This will help reduce shrinkage during the baking.

Fill each case a little more than 3/4 with custard. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle shelf. You don’t want them sitting on the top rack, as they tend to burn quickly. Check to see that they are done by seeing that the pastry is golden brown.

Allow to cool and dust with cinnamon sugar.
Makes 12-14
Bon Appetite

Food Intolerance: Salicylate Sensitivity

Today food is more than just a necessity to live. With food comes the pleasure of creation and inspiration, sharing with friends and family, creating comfort and reliving memories. While the majority of us enjoy food with out a seconds thought of what we are really eating, there are many people out there who cannot share this simple joy.

I myself am lucky because as far as I know I am tolerant to most foods, and can eat and drink anything I like. As a chef however, I am often confronted with people who are not as lucky. Personally, I do not know much about allergies and intolerances, as I do not have to deal with them every day. I have a friend however, who is salicylate sensitive and often asks me how she can create foods that are not bland and boring.

Here I share with you what I have recently learnt and hope to inspire food intolerant people and friends to enjoy creating food as much as I do.

Allergies vs. Intolerance

There is an overall assumption that allergies and intolerances are much the same thing. Truth is that they are not.

An Allergy:
•Is an immune reaction to food proteins. Meaning simply that ones immune system recognises and responds differently to something that is normally harmless to everyone else.
•Can happen very quickly, normally within the hour.
•Can occur with the smallest amount of the allergen.
•Is not as common as we think. It is thought that 1% of adults have allergies, while more children will, as their immune systems develop.

An Intolerance:
•Does not affect the immune system at all.
•Is triggered by chemicals in food, which cause reactions by irritating nerve endings in different parts of the body.
•Is dose related. Some people are sensitive to small doses of particular food chemicals while others will only have a reaction with large amounts.
•Is more common in children as the doses of food to weight and size are increased.
•Can take up to 48 hours to appear.

While there are major differences from allergies and intolerances the symptoms remain to be similar and are very extensive from anything as itchy skin, rashes, bloating, headaches, nausea and blocked airways.

Salicylate sensitivity is when a person is intolerant or sensitive to salicylates.

Salicylates are a natural group of chemicals found in a wide range of foods. In plants salicylates act as a natural immune system against insects and fungus. In manufactured form salicylates are used to preserve items, such as smells in perfumes and flavours in foods. The main food sources of salicylates are certain fruits, vegetables, dried spices, teas and food flavourings.

Salicylates are also highest in unripened fruit and vegetables and are often concentrated just under the skin. Salicylate sensitive people should peel all fruit and avoid the outer layers of vegetables.

Salicylates have a similar chemical structure as salicylic acid, which is manufactured to produce aspirin, and as a result most salicylate sensitive people will be sensitive to aspirin.

Extensive studies have been made to classify different fruits and vegetables and foods from negligible and low in salicylates to high and very high. By eliminating moderate to very high foods and minimising the intake of moderate to low foods one can easily maintain control their reactions. A list of foods with salicylate contents can be found here.

Low Salicylates Recipes:
Parsley Pesto
Fresh herbs always brighten a meal. This pesto is great to add texture and depth to the simplest of meals.

Ingredients
3 handfuls parsley
1 handful raw cashews
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon malt vinegar
1 cup sunflower oil

Method
In a food processor blend the parsley, cashews and garlic until they form a thick paste. Add the vinegar and while the processor is running slowly add the oil until desired consistency.

Serve in pastas with peas, sweated leeks and chicken. Or spread on meat or fish and bake in oven.

Store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Chive and Parsley Salad Dressing
This light dressing has the perfect balance of sweetness sourness and bite to make any salad a standout.

Ingredients
1 handful chives, chopped
1 handful parsley, chopped
1/4 golden delicious apple cut finely
2 cloves garlic
1 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup lime juice

Method
Mix the lime juice, chives, parsley garlic and apple in a food processor of blender until ingredients form a puree. Slowly add 1 cup of sunflower oil and blend together.

Serve as a dressing on iceberg lettuce tossed with fresh peas and thinly sliced peeled apple.

Drizzle over cooked meats and fish.

Use to marinate raw meat and fish.

Celery and Potato Gratin
A hearty and delicious gratin that is perfect with fish, chicken and meat or simply on its own.

Ingredients
6 stalks of celery, peeled and thinly sliced
3 white potatoes, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible
2 shallots, sliced
3⁄4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, or another white cheese such as fetta or ricotta
1⁄2 cup cream
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
Salt

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Combine the celery, potato, shallots, 1⁄2 the cup Parmesan, salt and cream in a bowl and toss gently.

Lightly oil a baking dish and lay the potato, celery and shallot mix in firmly. Drizzle with the left over cream and cheese from the bowl, cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Uncover, scatter with the rest of the Parmesan (or any other cheese) and bake for 10 minutes uncovered until the top is golden.

Vodka Poached Salmon
Vodka has a unique way of bringing out the flavours in food much like salt. The Italians often use vodka at the end of pasta sauces to heighten the sweetness of tomatoes or the salty bite to anchovies. In this dish it gives an extra depth to beautifully poached salmon.

Ingredients
1⁄4 cup vodka
1⁄2 cup water
2 salmon fillets, roughly 250gr each with skin off
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 celery stalks cut roughly
1 small handful chopped parsley
1 bunch parsley stalks (kept from the chopped parsley)
3 cloves chopped garlic

Method
Heat vodka and water over medium high heat in a saucepan large enough for the fish and add the celery, garlic and parsley stalks. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the salmon and dot with butter. Turn the heat to a simmer and poach the fish covered with a lid or foil for 10 minutes.

Remove using a slotted spoon and allow to sit covered for 2 minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and a dot of butter.
Serves 2

This Week’s Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

Why Beef Stroganoff?

Every now and then there comes a time to go back to ones roots. In our busy lives it is easy to get side tracked by the need to have the latest of everything that we forget that, the humble old fashioned can sometimes be just what we need.

As much as I love new food trends, styles, and restaurants I find myself smiling when I see that at the heart of a great modern dish is the sound understanding of traditional techniques.

Old fashioned and traditional recipes hallmark the food we eat today as they all come down to the basics of solid techniques, and good quality yet simple ingredients. Otherwise how could the combination of beef, onions, mushrooms and sour cream leave me feeling like I have had a five star gourmet meal?

Ingredients
900g rump or fillet of beef
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
250g button mushrooms, sliced
250g sour cream
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Method
Cut the steak across the grain into 2 cm thick slices and season with pepper.

In a large heavy based pan melt half the butter and sweat the onions until they just start to get a little colour. Add the beef and sauté for 5 minutes until all sides are golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

In the same pan add the other half of the butter and add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they are golden brown. Return the beef to the pan. Season with salt and nutmeg. Add the sour cream and all to reduce slightly.

Serve with potatoes, tagliatelle or boiled rice.

Serve 4-6

Bon Appetite

Make your own...Caesar Salad

While the late 80’s and early 90’s saw an era of the Rubik’s cube, the first Opera Winfrey Show, an increase in gender roles for women and the first episodes of the Simpsons, to me it was the era of the Caesar salad. Although I was a small child I have strong memories of seeing and eating Caesar salads everywhere I went. One distinct memory is of always eating all the croutons, chicken and bacon out of my mothers salad and leaving her only with the lettuce and dressing.

Even though the Caesar salad has defiantly had its day to shine in the culinary world, for me it will always bring back fond memories with every bite.

Despite my personal fondness for this salad, I do believe it is still a fantastic salad to have in ones repertoire. The flavour combinations and textures never make it dull, not to mention the dressing, which could be a masterpiece on its own.

While there are debates on the origin of this salad and the original content I do believe that the key is in a properly made dressing. Once you have that under your belt feel free to add or discard the bacon, chicken, croutons, boiled egg or whole anchovies.

On the anchovy topic however, I will share an interesting point - the original recipe for the dressing does not call for anchovies at all but Worcestershire sauce which gives it that anchovy like flavour.

Ingredients
2 heads of romaine or cos lettuce
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
4 slices bread cut into croutons
1 lemon
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pepper

Method
Strip the lettuce from the stalks and wash and dry them carefully. Leave them whole and store in the refrigerator to stay crisp.

In a heavy based pan add a little olive oil, half the garlic and salt and heat until just warm. Toss in the croutons and cook until golden.

For the dressing, boil water in a small pan. Once boiling add the eggs and boil for exactly one minute and remove. (This is called coddling, when you cook an egg has only a slightly cooked egg white).

In a large bowl or food processor place the lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and oil and whisk.

Just before serving arrange the leaves whole in a bowl, toss with the croutons, cracked black pepper and Parmesan. Lastly crack the coddled eggs into the bowl with the dressing and whisk to emulsify. Pour over the dressing and toss until each leaf is coated and there is not excess dressing left in the bottom of the bowl.

Garnish with your choice of already prepared ingredients and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Food for Thought: Quinoa

It might have a confusing name, and might look a little different to other cooked grains, but quinoa is soon becoming known as a super food. Besides being very good for you, quinoa is a favourite for its delightfully unique texture and fantastic nutty taste. In ancient times Quinoa was dubbed the ‘mother of all grains’, today it has been dubbed the new cous cous for the 21st century and is bringing new light to some old favourite recipes.

History
Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wa originated in South America where it was a highly important food for over 6000 years. The Incas referred to it as the ‘mother of all grains’ and held it to be sacred.

Quinoa unfortunately lost popularity in the Western world after European conquest of South America in the 15th century, where different cultures and tastes proved to rule. The Spanish Colonists probably scorned quinoa as it was seen as food for the Indians, and was further suppressed due to its use in Indigenous non-Christian ceremonies.

Quinoa, like buckwheat is technically not a grain although treated as such, but is in fact a seed from the goosefoot plant. The succulent like plant that gets its unique name from its webbed looking roots grows 1 – 2 metres high and has angular branches that flower and produce the seed quinoa.

Today quinoa is gaining popularity for both taste and nutrional value. Quinoa is very high in protein making it a fantastic food for vegans and vegetarians plus being high in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. While also containing vitamin E and B quinoa is gluten free and is easily digested.

Facts and Details
In its natural state quinoa has a bitter tasting coating making it unpalatable. The grains are coated in a waxy mildly toxic compound known as saponin. This bitter coating makes it an undemanding crop to grow as it has a natural defence system during cultivation against pests and birds.

Today quinoa is put through a process where the saponin is removed before it is sold.

Quinoa looks like a cross between a sesame seed and millet, and ranges in colour from cream to reds browns and blacks depending on varieties. These different varieties also vary in taste ranging from very nutty to slightly bitter.

Quinoa's unique characteristics most probably make it popular today. Once cooked quinoa has a fluffy texture like cous cous. Its favourable characteristic is that when it cooks the outer germ around each grain twists outwards forming a little white spiral tail. The grain itself is soft like cous cous, while the tail is crunchy creating a great combination of textures.

Unfortunately as far as we know quinoa is not yet grown in Australia even though it is an undemanding crop to grow, needing well drained soils warm climates and a long growing season. The quinoa we buy at health food stores comes from Bolivia where 90% of the grain is organically certified.

How to Cook
The simplest way to cook quinoa is to treat it like cous cous. There should be a ratio of 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa.

Cover the quinoa with water, I personally like to add a zest of orange to create balance between the earthinesses of the grain and enhance the nutty flavours. Season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until you can see the germ sprouting. Leave to stand for five minutes and fluff up with a fork.

When quinoa is cooked it should have a similar bite to it like risotto and al dente pasta.

Once cooked quinoa is great to add to salads, especially in replacement of cracked wheat in tabouleh and is a great substitute to rice.
Other uses for Quinoa
Quinoa flour: is a great alternative for gluten free baking. For simple gluten free all purpose flour mix four parts quinoa flour, two parts potato starch, one part tapioca starch and two parts rice flour. Mix to combine and store in an airtight containers. To use replace normal flour with gluten free flour.

Quinoa Sprouts: Quinoa seeds can be easily sprouted and eaten raw in salads and sandwiches. To sprout a quinoa seed simply soak one third of a cup of quinoa in a jar with water for two to four hours. Drain and rinse the seeds twice a day for two to four days, or until the sprouts are one inch long.

When the sprouts are one-inch long place them on a wet cloth near a window for sunlight to hit. Make sure the cloth is always damp to keep the sprouts crunchy and green. Simply cut to use.
Recipes

Quinoa Pilaf

Pilafs originated in Iran, Central Asia, India, Turkey, and the Caribbean where each region used very different ingredients but all maintained a similar cooking method. For this reason there are not many traditional pilaf recipes leaving ones inspiration to create new flavours.

Quinoa pilaf is a fantastic alternative that adds extra depth to this dish. Feel free to add other ingredients such as chicken, beef or seafood. Pilafs are great to make for large crowds and a great eaten warm or cold.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped finely
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped including the green tops
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 green apple, sliced thinly
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Salt
Pepper

Method
Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sweat until soft. Add the spring onions, cinnamon and quinoa. Cook, stirring until all grains are glossy.

Add the water, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and allow to cook until the quinoa germ has sprouted or the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for five minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and fluff up with a fork. Season with lemon juice and olive oil. Before serving, scatter with thin apple wedges and almonds.

Serves 4


Chermoula Style Quinoa Salad

Chermoula is a marinade used in Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. It is often made of a mixture of coriander, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, spanish onion, chilli, pepper and salt. In this salad I use the ingredients of the traditional marinade to build up the salad.

This salad is great with grilled fish, and meats and is a perfect salad to bring to barbeques and picnics.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa (follow steps above)
1/2 spanish onion, chopped finely
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped roughly
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped roughly
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 birds eye chilli, seeds removed and chopped finely
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
Salt
Pepper

Method
Cook the quinoa following the method above. In the meantime mix the onion, tomatoes and herbs in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the lemon juice, olive oil chilli, garlic, cumin salt and pepper.

When the quinoa is cooked and still warm transfer to the bowl with onion, tomatoes and herbs. Toss together with a fork. Add the dressing and avocado and toss once more.

Serves 4 as a main salad or 8 as a side salad.

This Week's Recipe: Risi e Bisi

Why Risi e Bisi?

You will not often find me in the frozen food aisle of a supermarket. To me frozen vegetables are a nightmare. I shudder at the thought of having to eat a vegetable that some how has lost all taste and feels like watery mush in your mouth. The exception however, is frozen peas.

Fresh peas are a pure delight to eat, especially at the end of spring when I strongly suggest you try to buy them. However, I have to admit I am a big supporter of frozen peas to get you by for the remainder of the year. Peas somehow loose the least after the freezing process and retain their sweetness and colour nearly perfectly, leaving one to enjoy them all year round.

Risi e Bisi (rice and peas) is an Italian dish from the Veneto region that is a perfect dish for frozen peas. Traditionally this dish is served as a ‘wet’ risotto having the consistency similar to soup, but thick enough to be eaten with a fork. Like with many recipes I can’t help but change them slightly. I make my risi e bisi the same consistency of risotto and add a little fresh mint.

Ingredients
200g Vialone Nano rice (or Arborio)
2 tablespoons butter
100g pancetta cut into small cubes the same size as peas
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
450 g frozen peas
1/4 bunch parsley, finely chopped
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper

Method
In a large heavy based pan melt one tablespoon butter and sweat the onions and pancetta on a low heat. Cook until the onions are translucent but have no colour. Add the rice and stir until all grains are glossy.
Add one cup of stock and cook on a medium high heat stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed. Add the second cup of stock but do not stir. Allow the liquid to absorb before add the third cup. Before adding the fourth cup check the rice. If the rice is nearly cooked with a little crunch in the centre add the frozen peas and stir until the peas are tender. If the rice is still quite hard add a little stock and test the rice again when the stock has absorbed.

When the peas are tender take off the heat and stir in the rest of the butter. This will make the rice creamy. Add the parsley and mint and season with salt and pepper.

Remember that like risotto you want the rice to be slightly moist but not wet. It is good to have a little liquid in the pan when you take the risi e bisi off the heat, as the rice will continue to absorb liquid.

Serves 6 as a side dish.

Bon Appetite

Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Why Cinnamon Swirl Bread?

There is no better two smells in the world to me than freshly baking bread and cinnamon.

Freshly baked bread of all sorts from savoury to sweet has a unique buttery sweet aroma with a very slight sourness from the warm remains of yeast. Cinnamon on the other hand has an overwhelmingly earthy aroma that from childhood has warmed my heart and at the risk of sounding very deep, has centred my soul.

It is amazing how smells can bring you instantly into other places and times reminding you of memories nearly lost. That is why I love cooking. This recipe is simply that – the joy of cooking.

Ingredients
15g fresh yeast or 1 1/2 packets of 7 g dried yeast
20g sugar
310ml tepid water
500g bread flour
15g salt
Extra flour for dusting
30g cinnamon
15g caster sugar

Method
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in half the water. Rest for 1 minute until it becomes slightly foamy.

In a large bowl place the flour and salt, make a small well in the centre and pour in the yeasty water. With your fingers slowly mix the flour and water together by making circular movements from the centre moving outwards until the water is soaked in.

Slowly add the rest of the water and oil into the centre and mix to make a slightly moist dough. Depending on your flour you may need a little less or more water so take your time and add slowly.

Flour your workbench and lightly flour your hands. Turn the dough out onto your surface and sprinkle with a little more flour. With the palm of your hand push the dough away from you and with your fingers pull the dough up and fold it towards your palm. If it is a little sticky at first add a little more flour. Continue to do this for up to 5 minutes until the dough is silky smooth on the surface.

Make the dough into a roundish shape, lightly flour the top and place it on a floured baking tray. Cover with a warm damp tea towel and leave in a warm draught free area.

In the mean time put the oven on 200 degrees Celsius and spray a 23 cm x 12.5 cm loaf tin with oil. In a small bowl mix the sugar and cinnamon.

After 40 minutes to an hour the dough should have doubled in size. When it has, using your fist punch the dough to deflate it (this is called knocking back). Return the dough to your work surface and knead a few times for it to become smooth again.

Working the dough with your hands spread out into a 30-40 cm by roughly 30-40 cm square. Don’t worry if you can’t get the bread that large on the first working. Try leaving the bread to rest for a minute and try again.

Once spread out sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Starting at one end roll the bread dough up until you have a long sausage and seal the end with a little water. Cut the sausage into 8 even lengths and place in the oiled bread tin so you can see the swirl.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before placing in the oven. Once the bread is in the oven turn the heat down to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the base sound hollow when you tap it.

Enjoy warm with butter and jam, or use to make into a fantastic bread and butter pudding

Makes 1 loaf.

Bon Appetite

Make your own...Onion Jam

Onions are fantastic. Yes they may make you cry when slicing or give you a somewhat unpleasant breath, but over all onions have the all-essential role in the food world.

Onions are famous for playing the supporting role in an ensemble of foods from stocks, sauces, soups and stuffings. However onions are also great at assuming star roles such as French onion soup, pickled onions, deep fried onion rings, and one of my old time favourites from culinary school glazed onions.

Eaten raw they are pungent, but cooked slowly they release an amazing sweetness.

Onion jam turns ordinary onions into a show stopping condiment. With an earthy depth of sweetness, and the acidity of balsamic vinegar, this jam is great added to cheese such as fettas, goats and cheddars, serving with sausages, steak, lamb and cold meats and is essential to add to gravies to give a fantastic earthy richness.

Ingredients
1.5 kilo brown onions, peeled and sliced thinly
150g brown sugar
250g balsamic vinegar
1/2 bunch lemon thyme
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt


In a large heavy based pan add the onions with the oil and a teaspoon of salt. Turn the heat on the lowest setting cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes take the lid off and stir well. Continue to cook on medium low for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

After an hour the onions should look transparent and glossy. Turn the heat on full and add the brown sugar and thyme leaves. Continue to stir constantly because they will stick very easily.

After 15 minutes add the balsamic onion and stir. Cook for 5-10 minutes and take off the heat.

Store in sterilised jars while hot, allow to cool and keep in a dark place. Otherwise store in any container and keep in the refrigerator.

Makes 1-1.5 litres.

Will keep for 1 year.

This Week's Recipe: Walnut and Parsley Pesto

The simple addition of herbs transforms any meal from ordinary to extraordinary. A simple and easy way to transform your meals using fresh herbs is with a salsa verde or pesto.

This ‘pesto’ uses an all time favourite herb in a new light. The walnuts add earthy creaminess as well as crunch while parsley that unique way of producing a grassy aroma and fresh flavour the minute it touches warm food.

This pesto is fantastic to add to pasta, or tossed through boiled baby potatoes, as a dip with fennel, celery and radishes or served with any meat or fish.

If you want to make a simple, yet more substantial pasta simply add smoked trout or smoked chicken, oven roasted cherry tomatoes and ricotta. Or for a vegetarian version add broad beans, peas and Parmesan.

Ingredients
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
100g walnuts
2 slices Italian crusty bread, torn
2 cloves garlic
250 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
Pepper

Method
In a food processor place the parsley, walnuts garlic and bread. Process slowly adding the olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture becomes a thick coarse paste.

Season with the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper.
Store in an airtight container covered with a little drizzle of oil in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

To use bring to room temperature.
Makes 1- 1 1/2 cups.
Bon Appetite

Food for Thought: Rhubarb

Rhubarb is an ingredient that intrigues me. Technically a vegetable, rhubarb is regarded as a fruit. Although beautifully pink, rhubarb tends to be sour and highly acidic. While having a history in medicinal purposes rhubarb is in fact not very nutritious and is mainly made up of water, not to mention that they leaves are mildly poisonous.

Having said that ,rhubarb still intrigues the culinary world, having come into popularity with a history of being the ‘good for you’ food. Simply cooked with sugar, added to sauces, made into stuffings and desserts rhubarb always creates a fantastic flavour sensation.

Facts and Details
Rhubarb Rheum rhaponticum is part of the sorrel family and although treated as a fruit it is in fact is a vegetable. Rhubarb is a cool weather perennial plant that requires the winter dormancy period to store energy and stimulate the next season’s growth.

Unknown to many rhubarb does not ripen and turn red like with fruit and the depth of pinkness in the stalks consequently does not indicate sweetness. There are known to be 60 different varieties of rhubarb grown throughout the world today.

In Australia rhubarb is not sold by variety, however a few that are superior are the Cherry Cultivar and the Ever Red. Rhubarb is grown in open fields and is available all year round. In winter Australian rhubarb is thinner and deeper in colour where summer rhubarb grows faster due to stronger and longer amounts of sunlight resulting in greener large and tougher stalks.

In Europe however, where rhubarb has a popular history, it is sold in two forms: forced and garden. Garden rhubarb grows out doors in the warmer months in natural climates. Forced rhubarb, however is cultivated during the cold winter months in a unique way.

The Candle Lit Rhubarb
Forced rhubarb is grown in North England in a region known as the Rhubarb Triangle. In this region rhubarb is left to grow unharvested for two years, where is stores energy from the sun. In winter the rhubarb is transferred by hand into dark nursery sheds to be ‘forced’.

Here rhubarb is left to grow in dark candle lit warm sheds. The darkness, warmth and wetness mean that the rhubarb concentrates on growing longer. Unlike garden rhubarb, which grows fast with sunlight, forced rhubarb is tricked into growing, and does it slowly. The warmth of the dark nurseries tricks the rhubarb’s hormones into triggering growth. Without light they feed on the energy they have stored in their roots for the last two years.

This results in a bright pink stalk that is tender and sweet and retains its colour after cooking. They are also characterised by their tiny curled iridescent green leaves.

History
Indigenous to Asia rhubarb was originally not grown for consumption but was regarded as an important drug. The rhubarb root was used for many illnesses especially regarding the stomach, lungs and liver.

It is believed that Marco Polo was the first to bring the drug from Asia to Europe where it became so popular that it tripled the cost of opium.

Rhubarb is thought to have first been consumed between the 17th and 18th century when the English opted to eat the stalks as a means to get the drug into the body. Rhubarb became a very popular vegetable in England during war times as it grew easily and was known to be good for you – in which specific ways however, many were unsure. Interestingly this did not stop parents feeding rhubarb stalks to children with a bag of sugar to dip in when sweets were to expensive.

Although rhubarb has a reputation as being very good for you it is in fact mainly made up of water. It does however contain vitamin C, high levels of calcium, and is rumoured to speed up your metabolism. It is interesting to consider however, that to make rhubarb taste great one generally need to add a fair amount of sugar, making is nearly impossible to be consumed in a healthy way.

How to Cook
Rhubarb traditionally is stewed with a combination of sugar, orange zest or vanilla. This method of stewing is also usually used as the base for many sweet dishes such as soufflés, fools and trifles.

Rhubarb’s natural sourness is a fantastic way to enhance the flavours of other ingredients and brighten more neutral ones.

Today rhubarb is matched alongside meats and fish to add a surprising spectrum of flavour. Rhubarbs sourness makes it perfect for relishes and is incredibly refreshing making it a perfect dessert.

Traditionally Stewed Rhubarb
Place rhubarb cut into 1.5 cm length into a non reactive pot with a generous amount of caster sugar, the zest of an orange, a couple of tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes then lift the lid and stir. Cook for a few more minutes until soft.

Cool and store in the refrigerator. Add to custard, ice cream or eat with natural yoghurt for breakfast.

Savory Rhubarb Relish
750g rhubarb stalks, cut into 2cm lengths
500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 onions, finely sliced
250ml white wine vinegar
250ml white wine
300g light soft brown sugar
2tablespoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom pods, bashed slightly
1teaspoon ground allspice
1teaspoon ground ginger
1tablespoon salt

Place the rhubarb, apples and onions in a heavy-based, non-reactive pan with the vinegar and wine, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add the sugar, mustard seeds, cardamom, allspice, ginger and salt and continue to simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally, until it is thick.

Remove from the heat for ten minutes, and then spoon the chutney into hot, dry, sterilised jars and seal. Keep in a cool, dry place for two weeks before opening.

Makes 1 litre.

This relish adds a tangy and spicy balance to gamely meats and oily fish. The rhubarb has a tendency to turn slightly brown during long cooking but the taste is still fantastic.

Rhubarb and Walnut Stuffing
1/2 bunch rhubarb, finely diced
150-200g fresh breadcrumbs
2 small white onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper

Sweat the onions garlic and rhubarb in a little oil until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the walnuts and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 150g of breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix well. If the mixture looks a little wet add some more breadcrumbs. You want the mixture to feel slightly moist in your hands and can to clump together.

Use as a stuffing for a loin of pork or chicken.

Make your own...Confit Garlic

Confit is a traditional French method of cooking and preserving foods in oil or fat. Originally it was the poor in France who used the method to preserve meats when refrigeration was not available. These days however, confit foods, especially poultry are popular in many trendy restaurants.

Confiting is ever so easy to do and makes any one look like a fabulous cook. Confit garlic is fantastic in roasts, added to mash potatoes or tossed through any green vegetable turning the simple into spectacular.

When you cook garlic slowly sugars are released, creating a delicious sweet and earthy depth to these some times potent bulbs and makes them soft and creamy like butter.

Ingredients

6 bulbs of garlic
3 cups vegetable oil
2 sprigs thyme or rosemary

Method

This is not really a recipe, but more a guideline to follow. Feel free to change the quantities, however I suggest using the above recipe as a minimum. It is easier to cook the garlic evenly in large amounts.

Peel the garlic cloves and place in heavy based casserole dish along with the sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Cover the cloves with oil and cook on a low heat.

Continue to cook for 40 – 60 minutes or until the cloves are lightly golden and soft.

Allow to cool for five minutes before transferring into sterilised jars. You want the garlic and oil to still be hot. This will help seal the containers for storage. Store in sterilised jars three to four months, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six months.

Use the oil for sautéing and frying to add a wonderful garlic aroma to your food. Add the garlic in anything from sauces, spread on crusty bread and even salads.

Bon Appetite.

Recipe of the Week: Tomatoes Braised in Olive Oil

Why Tomatoes Braised in Olive Oil?

Nothing beats the flavour of a vine ripened, earth grown tomato. This might sound strange to some and have them asking aren’t all tomatoes grown in the ground and on a vine? The answer is no.

Unfortunately today most tomatoes that are sold are hydroponic- meaning they are grown in a soil-less medium. The other sad fact is that many tomatoes are picked before maturity and left to ripen in factories or in brown paper bags on the kitchen bench.

Having said that however, I still love tomatoes. You will find me at growers markets and grocers sourcing out tomatoes that are tasty and locally grown. To me the perfect tomato has a fire engine to blood red hue, is bursting with juice and has a unique sweet yet tart flavour.

I have come accustomed to having to eat tomatoes that don’t fit this description and so, have come up recipes that make any tomato taste better.

This recipe is perfect all year round but is particularly good during the winter months when food just doesn’t have that same sweetness.

Ingredients
4 medium vine ripened tomatoes, peeled
1- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 bunch basil leaves
1 teaspoons caster sugar
Sea salt
Pepper

Method
In a heavy based casserole dish place olive oil, basil and garlic cloves. Cook on a low heat until the garlic is soft.

In the meantime place the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from the water and peel off the skin using the back of a small knife.

Add the peeled tomatoes, stem side down and season with sea salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of caster sugar. Cover and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Turn carefully and season again with salt, pepper and the rest of the sugar. Cook for a further 20 minutes or until tender making sure to baste with oil every now and then.

Serve warm or at temperature with crusty bread and goats cheese. Serves 4.

Store the tomatoes in their oil in the refrigerator for up to a week. To serve bring back to room temperature.

Bon Appetite

This Weeks Recipe: Whole Orange and Almond Cake

Why Whole Orange and Almond Cake?
There is nothing more delightful than the fragrance of whole cooked oranges. The smell alone is enough to make me smile and feel somewhat better inside, however the taste too is an amazing delight. Removed from the citrus sharpness you get with orange zest, this cake becomes flavoured with sweet yet slightly bitter oranges, and stays ever so moist.

This recipe is adapted from a few different Jewish recipes for flourless cakes. It is perfect for afternoon tea or dessert and can be made a day or two ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Ingredients
2 oranges, scrubbed well to remove the waxy coating
250g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs, separated
300g ground almonds
1 tablespoon baking powder

Method
Place the oranges in a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour until completely soft. Allow to cool before cutting in half to remove any pips.

Preheat oven toe 200 degrees Celsius. Butter and line a 24cm springform cake time.

Put the oranges in a food processor with the sugar, butter and egg yolks and pulse until the orange is broken up. Add the almond meal and baking powder and pulse to combine.

In a very clean bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. An easy way to tell this is to turn the bowl upside down. If the egg whites stay still they are ready.

Gently fold a few tablespoons of the orange almond mix into the egg whites. Continue to fold in the orange almond mix in three batches until evenly combined.

Pour into the cake tin and place in the oven. Cook at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 160 degrees Celsius and bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the cake starts to come away from the edge.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before un-moulding to cool completely on a wire rack.

Dust with icing sugar.

Serves 6-8.

Bon Appetite