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!

 

 

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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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Big thanks & a very Merry Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2011 by nellie

We are drawing near to the last of the classes for the year. It flew by in a flash but when I think of the growth in 2011, I am pleased to say we accomplished a lot. What an amazing year it has been!
At this time of year, as we are finishing our wonderful Christmas cooking classes, I find it’s the time I like to reflect and give thanks. I cannot go without mentioning my very lovely family . First & foremost, to Michael. Although he is not often seen during a class, Michael is totally involved in this business. He is my sounding board, my dish drier, chief furniture mover (our furniture gets moved around & shoved in to other rooms many times each week ), he is really good at reaching things up high – Ha! (when your wife is 5 ft 2 “, I can tell you, his arms are up a lot). I love him most of all for his patience, love & for the belief he has in me. To our angels, Grace, Ava and Ettie who light up my everyday & who I love & adore so very much. I do know how lucky I am. Thank you for being the happiest helpers in our kitchen! Always eager to help with egg cracking, stirring, flour spilling – I love you!
To the rest of my family – thank you for beautiful childhood memories that inspire many of the recipes in the classes and for being the initial reason why today I adore eating, sharing and the joy of ‘just being’ around a table with others!
To our brilliant guest Chef’s & Cook’s – Silvia, Keshav, Quyen, Carol, Kirsty & Paul. It has been a joy & pleasure to work with you & to offer more variety to our expanding business.
To my friend & co worker Vicki. I am often asked by guests if they can take Vicki home. She does such a super job & it is so lovely to have a friend by your side in the kitchen. Likewise to Ann-Marie, Kirsty & Karen who have filled in when Vicki couldn’t make it. Lucky, lucky me!
To my gorgeous friend of many many years, Tamara Erbacher who has captured the very heart of both Relish Mama and my family and home in her stunning photographs. Our website is all the better for it – apparently my Iphone pics didn’t quite cut it. It is always a joy to spend time with you Tam.
A little thank you to Beachside creative for the new website. You have been utterly professional and a sincere pleasure to work with.
Lastly and most importantly to our guests. I thank all who have attended classes this year and over the past three years. I have had the pleasure of cooking and meeting some wonderful people & I feel truly fortunate to have shared a kitchen and a table with you. This is a very personal business & you all seem to get that. Your support for ‘Relish Mama’ is so wonderful and sincerely heartfelt. I hope to share it all and more again with you in 2012! Thank you for your feedback, compliments and in many cases, the great recommendations to your friends and family.

It’s time to hit the eggnog everyone!
Wishing you & your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!

Nellie x

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

My Friday night ‘feel good’ fish

Posted on December 3, 2011 by nellie

You know you’re getting on a bit & happily content when your best imaginable Friday night would be to have no plans and to stay in and enjoy a family dinner on the deck followed by our family show ‘Better Homes & Gardens’. Yes, I said it ‘Better Homes & Gardens’. Our youngest daughter asked upon waking this morning ” Mum, do you have a class tonight”? “No, I don’t actually” was my reply. Her wee little five year old arms were flung around my neck so fast and in one quick breath she blurted out “so does that mean we are altogether for family night tonight ”. You betcha!

It’s busy for everyone I bump in to right now. The craziness seems to start earlier every year. Do you think so too? The busier I get, the bigger point I make to eat really well. I can cope with things so much better when I am well fuelled. As a family, we would eat fish at least two, but usually three, times a week. If I have a Friday night off work, it is my ultimate & without exaggeration, I feel instantly better for throwing that creature from the sea on to my surbuban plate. My fave (at the moment) is to steam a baby snapper and to infuse it with asian flavours and serve it with steamed brown rice and topped with lots of coriander. Tonight however, I cooked a dish that is very much an old faithful. It is a sentimental little number. I think it was the dish that won my husbands heart. Actually, I am hoping it was I that won my husbands heart but this fish dish, well….. it might have been the sealer. I still remember the first time I cooked it for Michael 12 or 13 years ago. He didnt talk (unusual for us over dinner) but his face was everything. I live & breathe food so when you get those expressions (everyone who loves to cook for others will know what I am talking about here) it is everything. This dish is sentimental for another reason also. It was the main meal for the very first Relish Mama cooking class. This class was lovely & it is so nice to remember it now. It was essentially a room filled with friends or friends of friends who were gorgeous enough to come and show their support. I will never forget that night. It was the start of me following my dream. This gorgeous fish dish is still on our ’Sensational Seafood’ menu / cooking class & this is what I write above the recipe for this particular class:

This is a simple recipe and I have cooked this for many years. It is a beautiful dish. It is impressive without dominating and the flavours are so vibrant & the colour so wonderful – you know it is going to be good for you just by looking at it. This dish was the main meal at our very first ‘Relish Mama’ cooking class and I do love that it is still being cooked and enjoyed today. It’s very much an old favourite.

I explained to a recent class that I was about to pull the dish as I wanted to do the snapper. A lovely lady at the class asked me to thank Michael for putting his foot down and for keeping this on the menu. She loved it & she loved what it meant to us. Sometimes you dont need to move from a good thing. The fish & the marriage ….well…………I’m glad to say, they are here to stay!

Salmon fillets with lime, ginger & soy
Serves 4

4 Salmon fillets
2 teaspoons of finely grated or finely sliced ginger
2 teaspoons of lime zest
1 red capsicum, seeded & thinly sliced
4 or 5 spring onions finely chopped
2 limes cut & the juice squeezed on to the fish
4-6 teaspoons of soy sauce
4 tablespoons of port or muscat
Cracked black pepper & a small pinch of Murray river salt

Preheat your oven to 180 C. Line the fish fillets in dish. Evenly distribute the ginger, lime rind, capsicum & spring onions on top of the fish fillets. Squeeze the juice of the 2 limes on top. Pour the soy sauce & port on top also.
Bake for approx 15 minutes. Halfway through the cooking, spoon sauces over the fish to help keep it all lovely & moist.

If I were to have this in the cooler months, I would enjoy it on a bed of creamy mash and add some lime zest to tie it all intogether and really make it sing. In the warmer months, it is lovely to serve this with ‘al dente’ asparagus or a lovely crisp green salad. A delicious yoghurt sauce is what I would serve it on top of. To make this, simply combine natural yoghurt with lemon juice, sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste.

Posted in Fish, Main meals, Seafood | Leave a comment

Salted caramel Ice cream

Posted on November 23, 2011 by nellie

Salted caramel Ice cream - scoops ready!

A lady told me on the weekend that she could take this Ice cream to bed. Read in to that what you will but I am thinking it is for it’s comfort, it’s silky texture and the fact that if she snuck off quietly enough, she might not have to share it with anyone else. I hear you. I feel that way too. 

Many have been enjoying this ice cream as a little bonus at the end of our classes of late. Never intended as part of the course material so no recipe to offer at the time but there has been much demand since and lots & lots of lovely emails. A great lady, named Joanne, came to one of our classes earlier this month. I got a very funny email from her on the weekend. Joanne’s email was completely dedicated to her first mouthful / taste of this Ice cream. I have even been informed by a few guests that they have since purchased an ice cream machine after experiencing the joys of this wonderful frozen custard. Hurrah! You will not look back if you buy an ice cream machine (except perhaps if you go through the stage, like I did, when my backside seemed to extend a little further than desirable). Nothing beats the texture of a freshly churned silky ice cream.

My flavour obsession lately might just be the queen of all ice creams. For some of our class guests lately, I have been making this salted caramel ice cream. It started with our Vietnamese class a month or so ago. In this class we don’t usually serve a typical dessert but late in the day, at the usual time that I have a yearning for sugar, I decided it was the perfect class to share this obsession with our guests / students. In case I have lost you and you are asking yourself what salted caramel Ice cream has to do with Vietnamese cookery, please stick with me. Due to the French colonization of Vietnam, which began in the 16th century and ended in the middle of the 20th century, the French have had a deep influence on Vietnamese cuisine. As a result, caramel dishes (mainly savoury) are often cooked and are a wonderful inclusion to a Vietnamese banquet. My other reason was all about restraint. If I knew I was preparing and then serving this Ice cream for dessert, it wouldnt be looked upon as a good thing to eat a litre of ice cream, on my own, pre class. No really, this salted caramel ice cream is too lethal to enjoy on ones own so yes, our customers have been enjoying the results of the afternoon churning activities of ‘Relish Mama’ as a little unexpected bonus.

They say that love and happiness is the key to a happy heart! I love this ice cream and man, does it make me happy! Please just make this and ignore the bathroom scales. It’s enevitable with Christmas coming so start early with the blowout this year. This ice cream is worth every pound!

Tip – For the caramel, you need to cook it far enough so it’s very-slightly burnt; otherwise it will just taste like a sugar syrup.

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream
Recipe from David Lebovitz ‘The Perfect Scoop’
Makes approximately 1 litre

For the caramel praline (mix-in):

½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt (do not use table salt. I used Murray River but you can use another good quality salt)

For the ice cream custard :

2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or brush or spray it sparingly with unflavored oil.

This is one of those freaky photo's where you can see something more. Is it just me or is that sugar smiling? Maybe it too has heard how delectable salted caramel really is!

Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved (or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later).

Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn. It won’t take long.

Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don’t even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

Caramel Praline swirled & twirled & set aside to harden

To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they’re floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, as per method above.

Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.

The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.

Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).

Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Caramel custard

Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits. You could use a mortar and pestle or you could also use a rolling pin to belt around a little.

Crushed caramel praline

Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they’re intended to do.

Salted caramel Ice cream - scoops ready!

Posted in Dairy, Desserts, Ice creams and sorbets | Leave a comment

Chocolate and raspberry brownies

Posted on November 14, 2011 by nellie

Chocolate and raspberry brownies

Most of you would know the love affair that I have with a good brownie. I also know a young girl who could possibly ‘pip me at the post’ with her adoration for the perfect brownie. This lovely girl usually comes to our home and shares afternoon tea with our children at the start of each week. On the day that she comes, they have all taken to chanting (very loudly, I might add) ‘BRROOOOWWWWNNIEEE’! I often question why I find myself whipping up a brownie, pre school pick up, in a mad rush on these particular days when it is all so busy (even without the brownie cook up!). The answer is simple. I truly do love cooking for people and I especially love cooking them the things that I know they will really truly love. Can you imagine the reaction I would get after their deafening ‘BRROOOOWWWWNNIEEE’ chant if I presented them with an empty brownie tin and just the fruit platter ? I’d be stoned! Of course, I do insist they eat the fruit platter also but then this often back fires with “I ate 3 pieces of fruit so does this mean I can now have 3 brownies”? ! 
Last week I risked the stoning. They like familiarity these kids. They all sat up at the bench & before they could let it rip with their deafening brownie call, I presented them with this platter (above). One of my daughters looked gob smacked and said ”Ooohhh, that’s brave Mum! She’s here for her Monday brownie”.  So funny! After the initial shock and dismay, they added one of these foreign treats to their plates (poor deprived children aren’t they!). Silence….. chewing….. more silence and then finally….. their eyes took in each others and…..da-dah!  ……………Big smiles! Really big big big smiles! 

I hardly dared to be that different. It was a version of a brownie after all but just that little bit different to the one they were all now fixated on. They had another… and another and then I was aksed by one of my own ” so does this mean I can skip the fruit platter today given these had raspberries in them”!  – Close my little friend but no cigar this time!

I wonder how many weeks I will find myself making these little treasures before I dare mix it up for them again?

Chocolate & Raspberry brownies

Makes 30 mini brownies

100g unsalted butter, roughly chopped
100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
220g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
110g plain flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
25g cocoa powder
100g frozen raspberries
100g dark chocolate, cut in chunks
Icing sugar to dust / serve

Preheat the oven to 160o C. Grease your mini muffin trays.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and then add the chocolate. Stir continuosly until the chocolate has melted and combined with the butter. Set aside to cool.

Place sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Grab a metal spoon now and gently fold in the flour, baking powder, cocoa, raspberries and chocolate chunks. You need to use a folding action here rather than to stir.

Spoon the mixture in to the mini muffin holes until about ¾ full. Try to make them all fairly even in size. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until just set when the top is pressed lightly. The brownies will still be a little bit wobbly. This is okay. The melted chocolate will set and firm as the brownie cools. Leave in muffin tins for 10-15 minutes and then place on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar, to serve.

Please note, frozen raspberries are definitely best here as fresh will go end up a little mushy.

I’d so love to hear what you think of these. Give them a go at home. They are definitely just that little bit addictive! Enjoy!

Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Snacks, Sweet things | 1 Comment

Preserved lemons

Posted on November 2, 2011 by nellie

Nellie's Preserved lemons

Preserved lemons are a really lovely and super easy thing to make.  They add a fantastic freshness and zing to dishes. Preserved lemons can be added to rice dishes, tagines & slow cooked stews as well as salads and dressings. Delightful added to fish or poultry too (I love them with with a good roast chook). Play around a little! I think you will love them too!

1 large sterilized preserving jar
10 small lemons (use 5 to preserve and the juice of the other 5)
Sea salt
2 fresh bay leaves
1 cinnamon quill
5 coriander seeds
5 black peppercorns
Boiling water

Firstly ensure your jar is sterilized.

Quarter your lemons and roll each in a little sea salt before adding them to the jar. As a general rule, you would use 1+ teaspoon of salt per lemon and 1 for the jar. Add your extra teaspoon of salt to the jar as well as the bay leaves, cinnamon quill, coriander seeds, peppercorns and then pour in the lemon juice. Top right up with boiling water and put the lid on lid while the water is still hot. Leave for 40 days in a cool dark place, giving the jar a gentle shake every few days to move the salt around.

If you are anywhere near as forgetful as I am, it’s a really good idea to note on your jar the date they were bottled and or the date they will be ready to use.

To use the lemons, remove a wedge from the jar, scrape off the flesh, rinse well (remember it is very salty) and cut the peel into fine strips or dice. Once your jar is opened, your preserved lemons need to be kept in the refrigerator.

We had a really wonderful Moroccan cooking class here a couple of weeks ago and we whipped these little babies up in no time. We then added preserved lemons in our two tagines and they really do make the world of difference. I hope you enjoy experimenting with yours.

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