Spicy chickpeas with haloumi and the regaining of some precious time

Posted on May 7, 2012 by nellie

Spicy chickpeas with haloumi - Vegetarian goodness

Sometimes I have been known, on occasion, to overdo it on the food front. I have been known to cater for 4 and add a zero. Yes, yes, I can hear all your gasps (yes I can)…. so stop that if you would please. Perhaps what I should say is that I would like to hear the gasps. Instead, I think I hear a pin drop. I guess most people know by now, that I can overdo it – just a little!

I am asked to bring something sweet for a weekend away and before I know it, I find that I am suddenly stuffing four over sized Tupperware tubs in the back of my boot. I forgot the body soap but really – who needs it when you have nice cake?  I should add that I overcame a very justified fear of riding a horse on said weekend away with one of my daughter’s – proud? Yes, thank you… and so was I and so on the dismount, we celebrated with a variety of cakes – hurrah! I‘ll get around to sharing my horror horse riding stories with you all one day and you will appreciate why I am pounding my chest a-la King Kong style right now!

Friends over for dinner? I have been witness to belly clenching waddles as our nearest and dearest leave the table for the long walk up our front hall to the front door. My husband once commented that a close friend was walking like a seal and so yes, I may have overdone it – just a little!

It also has not gone unnoticed that some of our past cooking classes may have run over time a little because at curtain call, I make an executive decision that the class simply will not be the same without including the recipe and enjoyment of say,  a salted caramel ice cream. Not the quickest dish to prep for pre-class but if it is in my head at this point, there is really no point fighting it. Our regulars now smirk (a happy smirk) when they see my much loved ice cream machine in pride of place, churning it’s little heart out. There are never any complaints but I am sure there is a touch of ‘yep, she’s done it again’.

With all of this said and shared, I think I am getting wiser to the signs and know when I am stuck on this little treadmill and I do believe that slowly but surely, I am getting better and pulling myself up. I find that I hit a point when all I crave is simplicity (must remember this next time we a kissing seals farewell at our dinner party).  When I get like this, I try to de-clutter. I work out where I need and want to spend the little pockets of my spare time and it helps a great deal. I stop shopping daily (yes I do) and I get inspiration instead from walking in to our pantry and garden and using what is at hand for our weeknight meals. Some of our best meals are made this way (it helps to have a good selection of fresh herbs in your garden) and I get more creative, I am sure. I think of the five of us, as a family and what we need to nourish us. I quickly ponder what we might perhaps have indulged in too much of recently and then my arms are up and I am grabbing at the shelves. When I get like this, I am happy to cast meat aside and opt for other healthy proteins instead. I do like having a couple of meat free nights each week. This following meal is a vegetarian one and it is a little gem. I usually have everything I need in stock and can whip it up in ten minutes which leaves me precious time so that I can sit and listen to my baby girl as she learns to read, hear of my middle girl’s recent fascination with symmetrical shapes and  hold hands with my biggest girl and feel that she wont be a girl for much longer. They grow so fast, this much I know and so I am forever grateful when I stop acting so grown up and busy and organised and I consciously stop and enjoy all the things about being a kid again – even if just with my eyes and my ears to enjoy my girls before they act ‘all grown up’ too.

This isn’t a gastronomical masterpiece but it is damn good, cleansing, warming, hearty and will give you the extra 20 minutes you might find you need from time to time also. I hope you enjoy. X

Spicy chickpeas with haloumi
Serves 2-3 as a main meal or 4-6 as a side dish

2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
A good pinch of chilli flakes
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained
200g Cypriot style haloumi, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
400g can of diced tomatoes
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Approx 140g baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

2 tablespoons of full fat Greek yoghurt, to serve (I use and love 5:am organic yoghurt here)
Lightly toasted flaked almonds, to serve

Heat a medium saucepan and add the oil. Cook the onion for a few minutes, to soften. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, chilli and turmeric for approximately 30 seconds, constantly stirring. Add the chickpeas and haloumi and cook for a few minutes to infuse spice and flavor. Stir in the tomato paste and then add the sugar and tomatoes in their juice. Add zest and lemon juice. Taste and then season with sea salt and pepper and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add spinach, cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Allow to cool slightly and serve along with yoghurt and flaked almonds.

Me and my girls (pic taken by http://www.tamaraerbacher.com/)

Me and my girls (pic taken by http://www.tamaraerbacher.com/)

Posted in Chickpeas, Haloumi, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Greek biscuits with olive oil and honey

Posted on April 23, 2012 by nellie

Greek biscuits

I was part of a Greek Seafood feast yesterday and it was truly gorgeous. The weather was a little wet and miserable earlier and then, almost by some divine miracle, the clouds floated away and we were left with blue skies and sunshine which filled the room with amazing warmth and a lovely feel for the whole afternoon. Carol from the Greek food Odyssey came to work her magic here at Relish Mama cooking classes. Carol’s food is relaxed, very home style, lot’s of love involved and she always rouses a laugh. Our 11 guests arrived at 11:30am and over the three hour cooking class we cooked Saganaki me garides (Prawn Saganaki), Psari Plaki (Whole baked fish -3kg of snapper at that – in a rich Greek tomato spiced sauce) and Midopilafo (Rice with Mussels and fresh herbs). A Mezze platter was also enjoyed earlier and the chargrilled eggplant was the star of that show! Unfortunately, it was not captured here on camera. Turns out the guests had worked up a quite an appetite and how could they not given the smells that were wafting from that kitchen!

‘A Greek seafood feast’ cooking class at Relish Mama – Sunday 22nd April

Our guests said their goodbye’s after a lovely lunch. They left well fed, loaded with new recipes and all had a smile on their faces. The only thing missing was a little Zorba the Greek in closing (next time!!!). My spirits were high, I bid farewell to gorgeous Carol and the sudden urge to cook some Greek biscuits was suddenly far more overwhelming than my urge to clean up from the aftermath of the class. Delay tactics at their best.

This Greek biscuit recipe was given to me by a lovely lady named Eleni, about 2 years ago. Eleni had attended a private cooking class here. It was a Hen’s luncheon and Eleni was the the future Mother in law of the bride to be. Eleni and I got talking about the delicious sweets we have cooked and loved over the years and she spoke of these glorious, melt in your mouth Greek biscuits. I guess she saw the eyes rolling back in my head and was witness to my drooling as the following week, she called in with a batch of these Greek biscuits and the handwritten recipe to go with it. They are wonderful, delicate (be warned) and melt in your mouth. They are the treat of treat’s! I cooked myself a mere 36 or so late yesterday afternoon and they went down perfectly (NO!!! not all 36 of them). They were still warm and I enjoyed them out on our back deck, biscuit in one hand, cup of tea in the other, sun streaming down on me but more to the point, with my back to the dishes! It was quite the moment!

These biscuits do not contain almond meal like many Greek biscuit recipes so they can be snuck in to school lunch boxes to put a little pep in your little tike’s step – they will feel the love, I am sure. I must warn you, they do not travel well. They are delicate and to avoid tears, protect them well. A measly paper bag will not do the trick here and trust me, they are worth every bit of gentle love that you give them. Olive oil replaces butter as the fat in this recipe and no eggs required (don’t let that fool you in to thinking I have given up working on my husband for our very own backyard Chook’s which we have spoken of, with such positivity in the past).

Greek biscuits with olive oil and honey

Greek biscuits with olive oil and honey

Makes approximately 36
Will keep stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week

80g plain flour
390g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
A pinch of salt
125g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
120ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon of rose water
180ml olive oil
1 teaspoon of sherry (optional)

Honey syrup

125ml runny honey
50ml water
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of ground cloves
Preheat the oven to 190oC. Line your baking trays with baking paper.

Sift the flours, spices and salt into a bowl. Tip these dry ingredients into a food processor with the butter and whizz until it resembles breadcrumbs. If you do not have a food processor, you can achieve this by rubbing the chilled butter in to the flour using your fingertips until you achieve the same effect.

Add the orange zest, juice rose water and gradually add the olive oil. Add the sherry if using. Combine and turn on to a floured surface to knead for approx 5 minutes. You could also do this in your food processor if you have a dough hook.

Take dessertspoon sized pieces of dough and either roll them into balls or shape them in to crescent moons – I often do both. Place on baking trays and bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool slightly on the trays before dipping in to the honey syrup.

To make the syrup, place the honey, water and spices in to a small saucepan and heat. Stir until boiling, lower the heat a little and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken and intensify in flavor. Take off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Now, this is the tricky bit…….I take one biscuit at a time and gently dip the underside of it in the warm honey syrup. I then place this on a spoon and with another dessert spoon, I scoop up a little more of the syrup and drizzle it over the top to soak in to the biscuit. Do this over the bowl so that any syrup not absorbed can flow back into the bowl and be used on the other biscuits waiting patiently in line. If you cannot be bothered with the syrup, they are also great with a really good smothering of soft icing sugar.

Enjoy-απολαύσετε

Posted in Biscuits, Desserts, Sweet things | 3 Comments

Easy fish in a bag with crispy asian coleslaw

Posted on April 12, 2012 by nellie

 

Firstly, Happy Easter to you all. I hope you had a lovely time with your chocolate and loved ones.

 

Today I will not, I – absolutely – will – not, post about chocolate. This I know for sure, however sometimes I find it so hard to choose which recipe I want to write to you about. I get a little stuck. There are just so many I want to share but with the little time left after cooking classes, three children and other paid work, I don’t lock myself away to write anywhere near as much as I would like to and alas, will never be able to post as quickly as I eat. When I can knuckle down, I find I am presented with even more challenges and distractions (If you have been following for a while now, the fact that I am easily distracted will present no great surprise). I lose so much time with the many recipes and tastes smacking me in the head that I find it so hard to choose which will be the hero this time around. Will what I choose tickle your taste buds as it does mine? Will you think, darn, I wish she had have posted about the amazing red duck curry she bangs on about or the marble cake she cooked with the girls last week to celebrate the successful completion of her daughter giving up cake for 40 days (what better way to celebrate this successful mission than with a super moist cake – a playful and colourful marble cake………although I am glad I didn’t think like this when I gave up my bout of smoking many moons ago!).

I am mostly a savoury kind of gal but try telling that to my cravings that strike at 4pm most days. It is now 4:26pm and after two weeks of giving you nothing, I finally sit here at my desk and here it comes…… distraction strikes again. I have just satisfied my 4pm afternoon slump with 2 home made honey jumbles, washed down with a cup of green tea (as if the green tea makes it better). So many times, I find that I intend to post about one thing and then I sit, 4pm strikes and my mind wanders to sweeter tastings and I change path altogether. Well…………not today my friends!!! Today, I will remain strong. I will remain focused and no matter how much I want to go back to the sweet blue cookie tin in my pantry, I am going to give you something super good, super tasty, super healthy.  I’ll succumb next post, just in case your shoulders have suddenly slumped with the words ‘super good for you’  but I figure after all the chocolate that has passed our lips since Easter, consider this a pallete cleanser, a little goodness for your bootie and despite all of this goodness, a whole lot of taste on that sweet, sweet plate.

This is a gorgeously simple fish in a bag recipe with a little asian coleslaw and cucumber salad on the side . You will put this together in less than 15 minutes so it is perfect mid week tucker (not sure ‘tucker’ belongs in the same sentence as asian coleslaw but never the less, it is perfect mid week tucker.
I hope you enjoy!

Fish in a bag with asian coleslaw and cucumber salad

Don’t be alarmed by the list of ingredient’s. I still stand by this being a 15 minute dish. Most is in the dressing but although a few things going on there, it is all thrown in the one bowl and Voila!

For the fish
4 firm white fish fillets (a fave of mine is Rockling for this recipe)
80g unsalted butter, cut into 4 squares
Zest of a lime
Juice of a lime
Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Spring onions, julienned to garnish
Baking paper for wrapping fish

For the asian coleslaw
400g wombok (chinese cabbage), finely shredded
3 spring onions, julienned

For the cucumber and sesame salad
2 lebanese cucumbers
Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Dressing for the coleslaw and cucumber and sesame salad
1 tablespoon of mirin
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 180oC.

To make the salad dressing, place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Take 4 large squares of baking paper and sit each piece of fish in the middle. Place the butter, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper on top of fish. Join the two horizontal sides of the baking paper and fold a couple of times to seal. Fold the two vertical sides underneath the parcel.
Place the fish parcels on a baking tray and cook on a middle shelf for approx 14 minutes or until just cooked through. Remember that fish keeps cooking when removed from the heat source.

Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and dress with 2/3 of the salad dressing. Toss to combine.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel long ribbons from the cucumber. Toss with as much of the remaining salad dressing as required (you may not need it all). Dress with toasted sesame seeds.

Place the cooked fish on serving plates along with the asian coleslaw and cucumber salad. Garnish the fish and the coleslaw with the spring onions.

 

Enjoy.

 

Posted in Coleslaw, Cucumber salad, Fish | 1 Comment

Ava’s coconut slice

Posted on March 19, 2012 by nellie

Our beautiful Ava (photo taken by www.tamaraerbacher.com & not one of my 'not so skillful' shots that I bless you with hereafter)

Ava is ‘my middle girl’. In very typical ‘middle child’ style, she tries to please and to keep the peace. She is one of the most thoughtful people I know and this is not me, gloating as a  Mother (although I am), this is me, writing with much pride, that she is one of the most thoughtful people I know. She teaches me a great deal.

I watch from a distance as she will give up a toy or pen or notepad, to avoid an argument in our house and says nothing nor expects any praise. I watch from a distance as she goes to help her little Sister, still struggling at times in her first year of school, to remember that Pyjama pants are not required under her school dress! I watch from a distance as she covers our strawberry plants, each morning, to ensure the birds don’t beat us to these juicy, sweet red gems. Nothing from Ava says ‘applause please’ in fact she would loathe it which is why everything she does, from that huge heart of hers is so mega special.

Some of the regular guests we have that come to Relish Mama often enquire after our girls. It is special to have this relationship with friends who keep coming back. Some have enjoyed Ava’s recipe’s in the cooking classes they have attended and they have loved it – the dish and her ability. She has the natural ability to throw ingredient’s together and it works. On occasion, one of Ava’s recipe’s feature’s in our cooking class ‘Mid week Inspiration’. It is her lamb cutlet and rosemary recipe. Here is the blurb that is printed with the recipe to give our guests a little info on how this simple dish came to be :

 

“We have three beautiful daughters all of whom just love to cook. Ava, cooked this dish about a year ago when it was her turn on the pan’s. She had me mesmerized & jumping for joy, all at the same time. She worked with such speed & she literally threw the ingredients in to the pan. Rosemary came from the garden (roots and all) & stock was thrown in straight from the freezer (apparently you don’t have to defrost it first!!!). It was a hit & is now cooked often & enjoyed immensely as one of our family meals.”

This lamb dish of Ava’s is beautiful, uncomplicated and doesn’t scream applause. It is comfort and it is delicious – it is my middle girl on a plate!

 

When Ava was still home with me, before she started school 3 years ago, we had a lot more time to cook together. Ava often wanted to ‘whip’ up something for Grace to come home to after school (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree). This recipe became known as ‘Ava’s coconut slice’. It can be thrown together in 5 minutes and all you need is a bowl and a wooden spoon. It is the perfect slice for kids to cook and it always gets a round of applause from her Sisters, whether she likes it or not. I love this moment because this causes a wee little raise on the outer edges of her lips and then slowly but surely, we see that magic smile of hers. She has done it! She has made everyone happy and she has kept the peace – God love my middle child!

Ava's coconut slice

Ava’s’ sweet coconut slice

Makes approximately 20

260g desiccated coconut
230g caster sugar
120g butter (melted & then cooled down)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a whisk
200g of chocolate pieces (use milk, dark or white chocolate – whichever you like best!)
2 large handfuls of frozen raspberries

 

Preheat the oven to 180 c.

Get a baking tray that is approximately 20 x 30cm & line it with baking paper.

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl & reduce the power level on the microwave so it is around 30-50%. Do it for 90 seconds & check it but you may need to put it in longer if not completely melted.

In a large bowl, mix the desiccated coconut & sugar together & then add the melted butter & eggs. Stir to combine. Add half the chocolate & mix gently. Pour & press the mixture in to your lined tray. Top with the rest of the chocolate & also the raspberries & gently press them down in to your on your slice.

Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until firm & then leave in tin to cool for about 15
minutes. Cut into little rectangles & transfer to a wire rack to cool further before eating.

Mixing the ingredient's with a little love

My turn ! (it's the only way I can keep taking picture's of her)

Here come the raspberries for Ava's lovely coconut slice - note the thoughtfulness….one of her sister’s doesn’t like raspberries (impossible but true!)

Ava inspecting her handy work

Ava's coconut slice..her work is done!

Ava's coconut slice - Voila!

 

 


 

Posted in Berries, Cakes, Chocolate, Coconut, Desserts, Sweet things | Leave a comment

Mango and mixed berry smoothie

Posted on February 29, 2012 by nellie

Mixed berry and mango smoothie

This is goodness in a glass!

With beautiful berries and mangoes in season over these warmer months, we’d be mad not to get a little fix as often as we can. Not only are berries wonderfully delicious and naturally sweet but they are also extremely good for our health.  One cup of strawberries contains over 100 mg of vitamin C, almost as much as a cup of orange juice. The pigments that give berries their beautiful blue and red hues are also good for our health. Berries contain phytochemical and flavonoids that  may help to prevent some forms of cancer. Blueberries and raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision. Mangoes are also a star. They contain a variety of power nutrients. The fruit pulp of a mango is high in dietary fibre, vitamin C, pro vitamin A and carotenoids.

Smoothie’s are a quick and delicious way to get a nutrient boost and put a wee little spring in your step. Make yourself a glass of this good stuff for a quick and healthy breakfast or take one out in to the sunshine with you and just ‘chill’ . Usually foods this good for you are swallowed by by pinching your nose and taking one quick & horrid gulp. Not this baby – I hope you enjoy each & every glorious mouthful.

Mixed berry and mango smoothie

A good handful of fresh or frozen raspberries
6 strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half
A small handful of blueberries
1 small mango, peeled and diced
200g natural yoghurt
100ml milk
A good drizzle of honey
12 ice cubes
fresh blueberries, for serving (optional)

Place all the ingredients (with the exception of the blueberries for serving) into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with the blueberries.

Bottom’s up!

 

Posted in Berries, Drinks, Mangoes | Leave a comment

Pancake Tuesday fun

Posted on February 21, 2012 by nellie

Pancake Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday means Pancake fun

The history:
Shrove Tuesday is celebrated today, on this last day before Lent. In earlier days there were many foods that observant Christians would not eat during Lent such as meat and fish, eggs, and milky foods. So that no food was wasted, families would have a feast on the shriving Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that wouldn’t last the forty days of Lent without turning stale. Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a dish that could use up all perishable foodstuffs such as eggs, fats and milk, with the simple addition of flour.

Here is our recipe for lovely fluffy Pancakes. More of our tips and others can be found in today’s Herald Sun ‘Taste’ section. Hope you have a flipping lot of fun with these!

Relish Mama Pancakes
Makes approx 12 pancakes

225g (1.5 cups) Plain (all purpose) flour, sifted
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bi carbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, melted
300ml milk (or use buttermilk for extra fluffy pancakes)
1 eggs, lightly beaten
A little melted unsalted butter, in addition, to wipe the pan when cooking

Sift the flour, baking powder and bi carbonate of soda in to a large bowl, add the salt and sugar and then make a well crater. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, milk and lightly beaten egg. Pour this wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredient’s and with a balloon whisk, whisk until mixture is smooth and lump free. Allow to rest in refrigerator for approximately half an hour. Strain the batter if you find there are any lumps. If your batter is a little thick, simply whisk in a little more milk. Pour the batter in to a jug as it is easier to pour your batter in to the pan rather than spooning it.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, wipe the pan with some melted butter and pour in enough batter to make a pancake approximately 12cm in diameter.

Allow to set and cook on the first side for approximately 1-2 minutes or until golden and bubbles start appearing on the surface, then turn pancake over with a spatula and cook on the other side. The second side will need a shorter cooking time so stay close! Repeat for rest of mixture but add more melted butter to the pan should you need.

Nellie’s suggested toppings for pancakes:

* Sprinkled caster sugar with lemon wedges or freshly squeezed lemon juice
* Yoghurt or Ice cream with fresh berries
* Pure maple syrup
* Banana, split lengthways down the centre, with ice cream and pure maple syrup
* Caramelized plums, nectarines or figs served with yoghurt or Ice cream & pure maple syrup : to caramelize the fruits, cut plum, nectarine or fig in half, sprinkle with sugar & place cut side down in a hot frying pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until sugar melts and caramelizes.
* Pancakes can also be rolled up with berries, stewed apricots or sliced banana & cooked in a preheated oven on 180oC for 10 minutes. Then serve with yoghurt or Ice cream.

Variation’s :

* Using buttermilk in lieu of regular milk gives you a pancake that is tender, fluffy, and soft. It will give your pancake a thick and creamy texture with a rich tangy buttery flavor. *Buttermilk pancakes are definitely worth trying.
* Crepe’s can be made using the same batter recipe but with the addition of a little more milk. The consistency you are after should be like thin cream. If your batter is a too thick,
simply whisk in a little more milk. When cooking, pour enough of the thin batter to almost cover the base of your frying pan and immediately tilt and rotate the pan so that the batter
runs across the base. Due to the thinner consistency, crepes will have a shorter cooking time to pancakes.
*Pikelets can also be made using the same batter by simply reducing the milk quantity (to approx 185ml) and you can also add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the dry mix. The consistency you are after should be thick but pourable.
* Sugar is added to give the pancakes a touch of sweetness, yet it also adds moisture and helps to give the pancakes their lovely golden brown color however, omit the sugar should you be making savoury pancakes.

Tips:

* Using a heavy based frying pan stops your pancakes or crepes from burning.
* Resting your pancake batter for half an hour gives the starch cells in the flour time to swell with the moisture so that when they burst when they hit the heat and this is what makes the
pancake light and fluffy. A pancake batter made using self raising flour does not need to be rested and if you do, your pancake will be heavier.
* Do not over whisk your batter as this will cause the pancakes to be heavy and tough.
* Please note, the first pancake is not usually great and may stick a little. You will get better as you go, I promise!
* Pancakes can be kept warm in the oven on 180oC if you want to serve them all at once to enjoy together with friends. If you have any leftover batter, this will keep overnight, covered in
the refrigerator. Simply give the batter a quick whisk before cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Desserts, Pancakes | Leave a comment

Garlic paste magic

Posted on February 19, 2012 by nellie

Raw garlic - the beginnings

This garlic paste may become one of your secret weapon’s!

I love my food and cherish my time in the kitchen but just like you, my life is a busy one and you have to have a few tricks up your sleeve to make that mid week meal one that is minimum effort but results in maximum smiles and lends itself to lots of gorgeous ‘table time’ as the day draws to a close. This garlic paste does exactly that and no, you wont have the breathe of a vampire the days proceeding!

I make up this paste and then keep it (for up to 1 month) in the fridge. It comes out every week for that entire month to grace our plates for one meal or another. It takes no more than 5 minutes to make this paste so it’s fair to say I am very happy with it’s output compare to my 5 minute input!

Garlic paste

Enjoy this paste with and chicken or meat dishes, particularly those cooked on the barbecue.

1 medium head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of olive oil
Zest and juice of  ½  lemon
Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle (or use a blender or food processor) and pound to a smooth paste. Gradually add the oil (as you would for mayonnaise) and then add the lemon zest and juice. If the mixture separates, add a couple more cloves of garlic and pound / blend again.

Spoon into a sterilized jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Garlic paste magic with chicken skewers, yoghurt and chopped cos salad

Photographed (above) is one of our family dinners this past week. To prepare, I combined 3 skinless breast fillets (cut into 3cm cubes) with 2 tablespoons of the garlic paste and let it work it’s magic, covered, in the fridge for approx 1 hour. The chicken can then be threaded on to skewers and cooked on the barbecue or grill for approx 5 minutes or until golden. I served this with a chopped cos salad with homegrown cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, a splash of extra virgin olive oil as well as a little salt and pepper. The yoghurt is divine, spooned over your garlic infused chicken skewers which is made simply by combining some greek yoghurt (I have recently become addicted to 5am brand yoghurt) with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper and a drizzle of yes, you guessed it – extra virgin olive oil! With the garlic paste in your fridge, the accompaniments are done in the 5 minutes it takes to cook the chicken. How is that for garlic paste magic and a gorgeous mid week meal? I hope you enjoy!

 

 

Posted in Garlic, Poultry | Leave a comment

The Wagyu burger

Posted on January 18, 2012 by nellie
The great wagyu burger

The great wagyu burger

A great burger is one of life’s great pleasure’s. I love eating with my hands. I love to feel the food, to taste the food, to have full control over how wide I can open my mouth and stuff that great burger in – not so classy? Please be kind and hold all judgement on my eating style until you cook this burger pleeeaaase. For me, a burger is also one of the nicest and simplest meals on a warm summers night and even better enjoyed with a table of friends. Burgers offer a very relaxed and easy way to entertain.

So what seperates a burger from being, “that was truly awful” (and we’ve all had that burger I am sure) to “it’s was okay” and then there is the “oh my word – amazing and I cannot wait to do that again and again and again”? Perhaps I’ll rent ’When Harry met Sally’ again sometime soon – was it a Wagyu burger she was eating? As much as I’m a girl who loves a crunchy soft bun and all of the glorious burger accompaniments, I’m here to tell you that for a great burger, it all comes down to the patty itself. The meat, well, it has to be a little bit fatty and a whole lot flavoursome. This summer, I have played around a lot to get burger perfection and I declare that I am elated with my final take – it takes me to burger heaven and well…….we all like to go there from time to time! So what meat do I use for my patty? I use wagyu. Wagyu (和牛, which literally translates to Japanese cow, refers to several breeds of cattle who are genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of unsaturated fat. Wagyu beef is high quality eating. It has a naturally enhanced flavour, tenderness and juiciness. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. More and more good butchers are stocking wagyu beef these days. Wagyu does cost a little bit more but that first bite will be all you need to assure you that you got great beef bang for your buck (try chanting “great beef bang for my buck” 10 times whilst whoofing down your Wagyu burger - you see, arent you glad you held back on your judgement of my eating style earlier? ! 

If you do cook this (and I truly hope that you do), I’d love to hear from you and I hope you enjoy every whopping sweet mouthful!

The Wagyu beef burger
Serves 4

250g (approx) of caramelised onions - you will get this quantity from caramelising 2-3 onions
400 g wagyu, coarsely minced (your butcher will likely be happy to mince it for you)
50 g dried fine breadcrumbs (don’t use from a packet if you can help it. Making fresh breadcrumbs is a sinch and makes a big difference here)
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tbspn grapeseed oil or olive oil
4 thin slices of vintage cheddar
4 Soft burger bun rolls (Phillipa’s bakery make a lovely one simply sold as ‘Soft roll’ but I am also very partial to their campagnard roll as pictured)

To serve:
Mayonnaise
Greenery – baby cos or iceberg are my preference
Relish Mama beetroot and balsamic Relish (or substitute for a good quality Relish of your choice)
Carmelised onions

Place the caramelised onions in a bowl and add the wagyu mince, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix with your hands to combine. Season to taste. Mould into 4 patties, place on a tray, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 220o C. Heat grapeseed oil in an ovenproof frying pan and sear burgers over medium heat until browned (1-2 minutes each side). Transfer to oven and cook for 2 minutes, then top each patty with a slice of cheese slice and cook until cheese just melts (1-2 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat a grill on high heat and lightly toast the cut-side of the soft burger buns / rolls and then spread with mayonnaise whilst still warm. Top bun bottoms with lettuce, followed by the wagyu patty , caramelised onion and beetroot relish. Add the top and serve straight away, preferably with some sunshine and an icy cold glass of your favourite liquid. Enjoy!

Posted in Burger, caramelised onions, Main meals, Meat dishes, Wagyu | Leave a comment

Toasted Pepitas and a super start to 2012

Posted on January 9, 2012 by nellie

Happy New Year to you all! Wishing you love, health and happiness – may it be a wonderful 2012.

This New Year’s / Summer break, I am in a very conscious state of mind to ‘slow it down’. I have a tendancy to run at flat out speed – it is in my nature & you can either love it or hate it & sometimes, I do both (often at the same time). I have taken an intentional few weeks off  from the cooking classes and I am taking the time to catch up on the many things that lapsed over the busy December period as well as some super exciting ventures for 2012 (more on that another time) however the main reason for this conscious hiatus is family. I have taken a step back & am getting to know them all over again – it is a wonderful thing. I have never stopped being there for them but with the busy schedule that we all have during the year, it is almost like we are running from a- to b- without getting to play, without getting to laugh (or cry) and without getting to just ‘be’.

Our third child (our baby), starts school this year…………..do I need to say more or can you sense the mix of confused emotions I have whirring inside of me? I feel I am whacked in the heart each time we are lying down together reading her new favourite book or this week when she snuggled up with me on the sand at the beach to ask me all the hard hitting questions like (out of nowhere) “Mummy, if you were to die and you had only just died that second, would it help if I got a handsome prince to come and kiss you hard on the lips”? (I told her it was definitely worth a shot). There is also her daily outfit changes for her deepest love ‘Lola’ who is her soft toy bunny, who is as manky as all get out – an incredibly loved soft toy who has been stitched up more times than one would think possible. We might be off to the beach and ‘Lola’ appears in a bikini (of course). ‘Lola’ gets jammed in a cupboard that closed recently with an almighty ‘bang’ and after the tears (from Ettie, our daughter), she has her bandaged up quicker than any well respected surgeon. Ettie wont be able to take ‘Lola’ to school this year and yes, I know the heartache that this will cause for all involved (Yes it is likely ‘Lola’ might be found in in my handbag those first weeks -I was touched by Toy Story too you know!) and so again, I am whacked.

Lola hits the beach

We have had some gorgeous day trips this summer. My Mother & Father In law visited from Tasmania over Christmas and on one of those days we spent a fabulous day travelling around the Mornington Peninsula. We stopped and had a very enjoyable lunch at Merricks General Store where the kids spent their spare moments collecting flower buds that had fallen from the majestic tree on the deck whilst I snapped away at their delighted faces and devoured a great pork terrine with a delicious glass of pinot gris.

Flower power at Merricks General Store

On the same day, we visited T’Gallant winery which was stunning but we lifted the average age by a good 20 years and so didn’t stop long enough to ward off their better spending customers. We have been to the beach each and every day (rail, hail or shine) all the days but one (this was our pact to each other as school broke out). We have played more family games of Uno attack than one would have thought possible and on occasion, broken it in to two parts for those games that seem to roll in to mandatory holiday ‘happy hour’. We have enjoyed a few lovely nights on the deck, where we have entertained simply with friends, family or just (& delightfully) each other and there have been a couple of nights where we have moved on to the local for a spot of barefoot bowls – we pack some favourites to grill on the barbecue, a couple of salads, drinks at the bar, shoes off – what’s not to love?

This post isn’t really about food although naturally, this will take us to there in the end (it always does). When talking to Michael the other night about some of these magic moments, he said “isnt it a shame that we got so busy with life and stopped writing down all the beautiful things the girls do and say down on to paper” (we used to keep journals of all such but that went out the window with number three and full time work). Given how lazy I got with their journals, my special little place here in cyberspace seemed like a likely and lovely place to record it and nice to have family and food featured in my first post for the New Year – family & food is what my life is all about. I hope our girls read this one day and remember the lovely summer break we shared together. I will make it my aim to start writing in their books again (and at the very least, to start one for our poor neglected third child) and I will also do my very best to stick to my New Years resolutions of trying really hard to not be late for everything and to spend more quality time with my gorgeous Sister (the latter is way easier for me, trust me). I also plan to make these moorish toasted Pepitas at least once a week for the rest of summer or at least until we tire of them (I don’t see that happening any time soon). These are my new thing. They are what I love to nibble on. They have appeared at all of the above summer catch up’s & doings. They are perfect for all occasions ………………they are a canapé in their own right, great on a shared platter, they are a superb accompaniment to campari, beer or bubbles, a great ‘fix’ during an intense family game of Uno attack and excellent on top of crunchy tortillas or tossed through a salad. Experiment, enjoy and wishing you a wonderful summer.

Xx

Toasted chilli Pepitas

Toasted Pepita’s (pumpkin seeds) with a hint of chilli

80 g Pepitas
2 tablespoons of caster sugar
1 ½ tablespoons of sea salt flakes
1 teaspoon of ground chilli
A pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine the pepitas and sugar in a frying pan and stir occasionally over low-medium heat until the sugar begins to melt. Add the sea salt flakes and gently shake the pan for a couple of minutes, until the pepitas are toasted. Remove from the heat and stir in the ground chilli and cayenne pepper. At this point, I transfer the toasted pepitas to a silicone mat or baking paper to separate them a little as they have a tendancy to clump together if left to cool too closely together.

Low-Med heat : Waiting for the sugar to melt

Sugar melts now toasting the pepitas for maximum glorious flavour

Chilli & cayenne are in and we're ready for some Pepita magic!

Toasted chilli pepitas - yuuuuummm

Posted in Canape and cocktail food, Pepitas | 2 Comments

The best zucchini fritters & a minty Mojito for Christmas

Posted on December 22, 2011 by nellie

Zesty zucchini fritters

How’s your ‘to do’ list going this week? I wanted to give you a little something that you can whip up and enjoy during this busy Christmas week. I can tell you first hand that these tasty zucchini fritters are best enjoyed with a Mojito. Both are extremely moor-ish and Mojito has fun written all over it. I guess this tells you how my ‘to do list’ is going but at least I am having a little fun as I step further in to the dark hole of disorganisation and despair. It is entirely up to you whether you have more of the mojito’s or the fritters and entirely up to you whether you enjoy them solo (as you sit up at the bench staring at your lengthy ‘to do list’) or whether you share with wonderful friends. These are so quick & easy and seasonal, to boot. We have zucchini growing right now and it is beautiful to walk in to the backyard, pick a zucchini and be enjoying homemade fritters in less than 10 minutes.

A little tip – the batter is better if you have time to let it rest for 15 minutes (you can also leave for up to 4 hours in the fridge).

I hope you enjoy & I hope you have a really special and wonderful Christmas this year!

Zucchini fritters
Makes approx 12 small (canapé sized) fritters

1 medium zucchini
1 egg
3 tablespoons of self raising flour
50g marinated goats cheese or feta, crumbled (I love using this Meredith Dairy marinated goats cheese)
2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion (green only)
1 garlic clove, crushed
2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
A small pinch of chilli flakes
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon of melted butter

Coarsley grate the zucchini into a clean teatowel, muslin or chux cloth. Pull the sides of the cloth up, twist & squeeze as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible. It is really important to squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can for fritter perfection.

Mix the flour and egg together to make a thick and smooth batter. Add the grated zucchini, goats cheese or feta, spring onion, mint, parsley, lemon zest, chilli flakes and season to taste. Stir in the melted butter (melt it in the pan you are going to cook the fritters in – saves on dishes and you have greased your frying pan already).

Spoon dollops of the mixture in to your hot frying pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes each side, until golden and the fritters are cooked through the centre.

I like to serve these little gems with my beetroot relish, salad leaves, lemon wedges and of course, a mojito.

Mojito’s

In a mixing glass, gently muddle together:
1 large sprig of mint and 30 ml of sugar syrup **
Add half a spent lime hull (or use lime wedges), 30 lime juice (no less, no more), 60ml  white rum (Bacardi works really well), 90ml  sparkling mineral water. Top with crushed ice and mix with a straw until drink is combined and glass is frosty.

** To make a sugar syrup, combine equal quantities of caster sugar to water in a saucepan (eg. 2 cups sugar to 2 cups water) and stir over heat until the sugar dissolves. Store, covered in the refrigerator until required. Sugar syrup is great for coulis, sorbets, cocktails, gelato and warmed over summer fruits.  

 

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