The Soup Kitchen Behind Paper Chef #10

With relief finally reaching Hurricane affected New Orleans, the inspiration for this post comes from the numerous "soup kitchens" for Hurricane Katrina survivors.

In Paper Chef #10 New Orleans Edition, Noodle Cook celebrated the united spirit of support for Hurricane Katrina survivors through an artistic and interpretative presentation of cocktail foods. While Noodle Cook convincingly produced a luxurious cocktail party for Paper Chef #10 out of a budget of AUD$10 for four people using frugal turkey meat and watered down beer, real life is a far cry from electronic reality. Come behind the scene and have a closer look at how to "turn simple to special" using Donna Hay's philosophy .....

Fancy burning jambalaya in the crockpot and inventing a new smokey, caramelised tomato taste?



The vegetables cooked to an unrecognisable pulp resembling porridge....



But pour the stuff down a strainer instead of the sink, because not all is lost....



Electronically transform the botched up jambalaya into a soup or a sphagetti sauce!

So how about Soup of the Day

Hurricane Jambalaya Soup, a deliciously refreshing Creole rice and vegetable soup with yoghurt and celery. Suitable hot or cold. Served with Cajun Prawn, Creole Hot Sausage and crusty bread. Pasta available on request.



The styling of the soup continues on the theme of support and help for Hurricane Katrina disaster, show by a prawn above the soup. Donations can be made at the Red Cross.

Most restaurants, including Noodle Cook's electronic restaurant, design "specials" menus to make use of well priced, bulk-purchased seasonal produce, and quite often of excess ingredients from "unpopular" menu items. Why not? The English invented Bubble and Squeak from left over roast and overcooked vegetables, the Italians called theirs frittata, and the Chinese crafted the Emperor's Soup using tamarind.



Was there really a cocktail party at Noodle's restaurant? You can invent a fitting conclusion by leaving an imaginative comment on how the cocktail party went....

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Kids Menu - Sausage Chips for Fussy Diners

Mildly spiced crispy Cajun sausage chips with basil tomatoes and Cajun prawns inspired by June's Paper Chef #10 entry which received a special Award. Intended as a meal for the younger diners, this dish borrows flavours from Italian pizzas. Serve with fresh crusty or toasted bread.

The recipe includes the New Orleans inspired ingredients of tomato, shrimp, beer and sausage of Paper Chef #10 and serves the purpose of raising awareness of children to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The dish can be made by children with a bit of adult supervision with the cutting (using plastic knifes and paper scissors) , and cooking in the oven. To make 4 serves:

Ingredients
1 large tomato
2 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil
1 polony sausage knob (250 g), use tofu or paneer cheese for vegetarian versions
1 tablespoon Cajun spices, approximately (made without cayenne using paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black/white pepper)
1/4 cup chickpea or other flour
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoon beer, use ginger ale or fruit juice for non-alcoholic versions
8 prawns, optional
lemon juice, optional



Cut the sausage into matchsticks. Moisten with beer or fruit juice. Dust with Cajun spices, then roll half of the chips in chickpea flour. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes until crispy. Note Cajun spices blacken on cooking.

Cut the tomatoes into circles. Sprinkle with basil. Sprinkle lemon juice and a small pinch of Cajun spices over the prawns. Drizzle tomato and prawns with garlic infused olive oil. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

The dish can also be toasted in a non-stick or baking paper lined pan on a stove.

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Paper Chef #10 - Ingredients

New Orleans inspired ingredients for Paper Chef #10: beer, sausages, shrimp, tomatoes.

Ingredients selection:

Beer - "Redback", uniquely local West Australian wheat beer. A great name to use for the cocktail.
Sausages - home-made using the cheapest meat, lean turkey to save money for Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Shrimp - a really luxury item, but compensated by using smaller size local prawns of cheaper grade and on "special", to save even more money. Heads left on to give impression of larger prawns.
Tomatoes - akudjura, the indigeneous Australian name for Australian bush tomatoes seems a good choice for this challenge to show Australia's $10 million contribution to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The caramel character replaces the need for browning in fat for New Orleans type dishes. Sun-dried tomatoes make a good substitute.

According to Vic Cherikoff Food Services Product information, akudjura posseses: "Sweet savoury taste of tamarillo/caramel and similar to concentrated sun-dried tomatoes. Light brown free-flowing powder. Blackens if used as a Cajun-style spice. Sprinkle or use as a seasoning for soups, vegetables, salads (as in the Sydney Salad), cheeses, fish and Salt or salty cheese enhances the flavour by balancing any bitterness."



The whole raisin looking akudjura tastes very much like a crunchy sun-dried tomato. To enable skewering for the cocktail, plumb the akudjura up by boiling 2 minutes and letting it sit in the hot water for 30 minutes.

Related articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Paper Chef #10 - Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail

Skewered akudjura (bush tomato) and drunken Cajun prawn with Akudjura Redback. A simple Australian wheat beer and akudjura (bush tomato) cocktail carrying the message of support by Australians ($10 millions pledged by the government) to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, symbolically shown by an akudjura holding up a prawn. The skewer represents the offer of help to keep New Orleans "above the water". The sausage for the skewer to complete the Paper chef #10 theme ingredients was forgotten during photography.

For each Akudjura Redback cocktail, mix 1 teaspoon of concentrated tomato paste with 1/2 cup Redback wheat beer. To stretch the budget, use water instead. Perhaps season with a touch of tabasco and a pinch of Cajun spices. Pour into a glass. Place a skewer of akudjura, prawn and sausage over the cocktail. Garnish with celery.



Sprinkle with ground akudjura and top up with fresh Redback wheat beer. The foaming of the beer dramatises the events at New Orleans. Despite its name, Redback wheat beer is pale golden. The beer tastes smooth, with a hint of sweetness, and only subtle bitterness unlike most beers.



Related Articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Paper Chef #10 - Louisiana Hearts of Gold

Bright sunny golden quail eggs in triangular (heart-shaped) yellow paprika rings, served seasoned with red or green pepper sauce. A tribute to the wonderful people who reach out to help others in need. The hearts of gold form part of the Paper Chef #10 platter of sausage chains. Don't forget to donate to Hurricane Katrina relief if you have a heart of gold!

To make the hearts, select small, well-shaped triangular paprika peppers. Cut the paprika into 0.5 cm rings. Break quail eggs into individual egg cups. Place paprika rings on a heated, oiled cast iron pan. Careful tip an egg into each paprika ring and cook until the white just set.


Related Articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Paper Chef #10 - Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages

Rounded spicy Creole sausages with crusts of sesame seeds, parsley, chickpea flour or Cajun spices. Made from economical, and healthy low fat turkey mince, these beautifully fresh, flavoursome sausages contain no preservative or artificial colours. Adding eggs, cornstarch and stale bread, or even leftover mash potatoes, helps stretch the budget even further for those wanting to donate to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The deliciously moist texture results from smoking at a low temperature (130-150 degrees celsius) and adding beer to the smoking medium.

Creole Hot Sausage
For a "genuine" New Orleans recipe try Chuck Taggart's version. Otherwise, use this version which utilises cheap, lean turkey mince.



For 24 rounded sausages to feed 4-8 people:
600 g turkey mince
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2-4 bay leaves to make 1/2 teaspoon when ground

To stretch the budget, add the following:
4 slices stale bread, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons cornstarch

Mix everything together and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes until the meat gelatinises. Chill overnight for the flavour to develop. Roll into balls or long shapes. Instead of sausage skins, coat with parsley, chickpea flour, cajun spices, or sesame seeds to form attractive crusts.

For cooking thread the sausages onto disposable wooden chopsticks. The sausages were initially threaded onto the stems of garlic hearts (flowers), but the stems discoloured during smoking.



Beer Smoking
Place a bowl of beer at the bottom a wok. Scatter 1 cup of smoking wood chips (mesquite in this case) around the bowl. Heat the wok till the chips start smoking. Place the sausages on an oiled rack. Carefly pour 1/2 cup of beer over the wood chips and quickly cover. Smoke for 10-15 minutes at 130-150 degrees Celsius.



Remove sausages from the wok and unthread from the chopsticks. Thread the sausages with blanched stems of garlic hearts. Allow about 3 sausages per chain.



Assemble as shown and place on a large serving platter together with soaked akudjura, drunken Cajun prawns and "hearts of gold".





Related Articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Paper Chef #10 - Drunken Cajun Prawns

Mildly Cajun spiced grilled prawns prepared with a marinate of Australian wheat beer, and tamarillo and caramel tasting akudjura (bush tomato).

Prawn Marinate
For 12 prawns, use the following:
2 tablespoon beer, like Redback wheat beer
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Cajun spices
2 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of sugar
pinch of chilli flakes (for colour)
pinch of ground akudjura (bush tomato, or use sundried tomato as a substitute)

Mix together and season to taste. Marinate prawns for 10 minutes. Grill at 150 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

Cajun Spices
To make your own, try the following mix from FoodTV with the salt and sugar omitted:
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp dried mustard
1 tbsp ground cumin
4 tsp cayenne pepper

Some versions have oregano, celery, garlic and onion. A "buffalo wing" mix works fine.

Related Articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Paper Chef #10 - Menu

For Paper Chef #10, Owen of Tomatilla! decided that in view of Is My Blog Burning? (IMBB) relaunch and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans, the theme should be a virtual party, with the aim of aid donations from savings made eating at home instead of at restaurants. Owen selected four New Orleans inspired ingredients of beer, sausage, shrimp, and tomatoes for this round of Paper Chef. Of course, cheaper ingredients enable further savings.

The ingredients immediately conjure up images of Tabasco sauce, roux based "gumbo" meat soup/stew and "jambalaya" rice dish with meat and vegetables, often with tomatoes. Terms like pepper and capsicum-based Cajun and Creole spices come to mind. A quick search on Google returns two useful links, Real Cajun Recipes and The Gumbo Pages. The sites provide information on Louisiana Cuisine, which is historically influenced by French, Spanish, Native Americans, Englishmen, and Africans.

Without further ado, the proposed party dishes, complete with French painting and jazz music:

Akudjura New Orleans Platter
Akudjura (Australian native bush tomato), drunken Cajun prawns, and beer-smoked Creole hot sausage chains with "hearts of gold". Green stems of garlic hearts (flower buds) link the rounded sausages with various crusts (chickpea, cajun, parsley or sesame) into a chain. The "hearts of gold" are "Louisiana Gold" pepper sauce seasoned quail eggs in triangular (heart-shaped) paprika rings. For general recipe instructions, refer to the links at the bottom of the page.



In essence, the platter is a symbolic representation of different people with hearts of gold joining together, like links in a chain, to help rebuild New Orleans. The way the the prawn rests on the sausage represents offers of help and support. If you enjoy this platter, please donate to the Hurricane Katrina disaster.



Akudjura and Prawn Cocktail
Skewered Cajun prawn with Akudjura Redback. A simple wheat beer and bush tomato cocktail carrying the message of support by Australians, of $10 millions, to the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, symbolically shown by an akudjura holding up a prawn. The skewer represents the offer of help to keep New Orleans "above the water", shown by lifting the prawn above the Akudjura Redback cocktail, and also conveys the reliance on outside help. For general recipe instructions, refer to the links at the bottom of the page.



Banana, Foster and Redback Beer
It won't be Australian without beer .... but excuse the pun "Banana Foster". Aussies will have to leave the local New Orleans folks to cook "Banana Foster".



Louisiana is cocktail country according to Southern food expert, Chuck Taggart from "The Gumbo Pages". There is the aptly name "Hurricane Cocktail", a citrus and passionfruit concoction. But Chuck is quick to say "Hurricanes are for tourists. Sazeracs are for natives." The "Sazerac" is made from rye whisky, anise liqueur and bitters, sweetened with a sugar syrup.

For the teetotaller:
Genuine Southern ice tea, made to stringent specifications given by Chuck Taggart, almost resembles a Japanese green matcha tea ceremony, an artform executed to perfection to produce clear fresh tea that taste of tea.

Genuine Southern cafe-au-lait, "Real, New Orleans-style coffee must be dark roast, brewed strong, and must include chicory. In fact, most of the coffee drunk in the Crescent City is a coffee-and-chicory blend."

However, if you are much further South, as in Australia, perhaps the tea and coffee from Paper Chef #9 are the way to go.

Finally, all done with Paper Chef #10. So it's three cheers: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie .... Oy, Oy, Oy!



Related Articles:

Paper Chef #10 Menu
Paper Chef #10 Ingredients
Paper Chef #10 Drunken Cajun Prawns
Paper Chef #10 Beer-smoked Creole Hot Sausages
Paper Chef #10 Louisiana Hearts of Gold
Paper Chef #10 Akudjura and Cajun Prawn Cocktail
Banana Foster Tribute

Read more...

Lunch Special - Chickpea Crepe

Welcome the start of Spring 2005, with a fresh light lunch or an entree of toasted chickpea crepe with a filling of lightly spiced masala potato, pea and lentil. Recommended with lime pickle, mango chutney and raita.

The filling also goes well with low fat fermented rice and lentil crepes.

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Spring in the Garden

There's a caterpillar on the lavender! It's spring in the garden.

Spring is the time for...

shades of soft pastel colours
sunshine and outdoor living
light, bright, crisp, fresh flavours
scents of flowers and fresh fruits



A time to ....

change the menu and give the restaurant a fresh, clean feel
pull back the curtains to let the light in for leisurely meals...

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