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If you have been following fairytale romances as a lead up to the Royal Wedding, then read on, for part 2 of the one that happens at the other end of the scale, down under, at "An Electronic Restaurant" where dreams sometimes come true. Re-cap part 1.
So, it isn't THE ring, or rather THE diamond.
Instead, it's a diamond pendant, more correctly, a pearl with MICRO-diamonds. Wait, there's still more...
There's a dark secret waiting....... Behind the pendant is a black diamond.
Modern day miracles do happen. Just look at these plants which suffered transplant shock after moving to harsh seaside conditions at Sorrento at the height of summer heat.
The lemon myrtle pictured above receives sun damage, but somehow recovers, with leaves intact.
The riberry plant dries up into twigs, and then unexpectedly rejuvenates with fresh pink foliage.
The lilly pilly, cousin Baby Ben, dries up and drops its leaves in sympathy with the riberry. Like the riberry, it too starts putting out new growth when all seem lost.
When the jam wattle (acacia acuminata), host for the quandong, went down to one leaf, the quandong struggled to survive. Miraculously, the wattle sprouts fresh pinnate leaves, unlike the fine strappy leaves seen previously. It looks like the quandong is going to survive thanks to the mateship of the acacia.
Sadly, out of the bush tucker plants, the two least expected to perish, the salt bush and midyim berry fail to make it in their new home. RIP.
A decadent chocolate fondant made with dark chocolate containing 70% cocoa solids. Spongy on the outside with a luscious, soft, smooth centre. Serve with homemade yoghurt ice cream and fruit sauce. Raspberry pairs well with chocolate. For cocoa powder and mocha fondants, refer to the earlier post here.
This recipe is adapted from Gordon Ramsay on BBC. The main ingredients are equal in weights to a whole egg. By cup measurements, use 1/2 c for the flour and 1/4 c for the rest of ingredients. The batter can be made by creaming or sponge methods.
Quantities for 6 small espresso cup servings:
50 g butter
50 g quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa mass), chopped
50 g sugar
1 egg
1 yolk (or 1 T of milk)
50 g plain flour, sifted
1. In a microwave, melt the butter. Stir in the chopped chocolate and allow to melt.
2. While the chocolate mixture is cooling, whisk sugar, egg and yolk in a bowl over hot boiled water until very thick. Allow 10 minutes with an electric mixer. Remove from the heat.
3. Fold in the chocolate mixture.
4. Fold in the flour.
5. Pour into 6 greased and bottom lined espresso cups or equivalent. Allow around 40-45 g of batter per cup.
6. Chilled for at least an hour or more.
7. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for around 8 minutes, just as the batter domes and looks cooked. A skewer comes out with thickened batter.
8. Rest for 2 minutes.
9. Turnout and dust with icing sugar. Serve straight away, with ice cream and fruit sauce (see below).
Easy Raspberry Sauce
There are times when making a fruit coulis from out of season fruits isn't practical. Here's an alternative:
1 T raspberry jam, strained
1 T raspberry cordial
1/2 t cornstarch
2 T water
1 t lemon juice, optional
Combine ingredients. Microwave in 30 seconds burst until thickened.
Childhood is arriving home to the smell of baking. It takes ANZAC 2011 for John to experience that lost childhood, of savouring a homemade ANZAC biscuit. To make up lost time, 36 biscuits vanish in 3 days.
The humble potato lends itself to many dishes. Bland on its own, it is perfect for adding flavours to complement main dishes. Here are ideas:
Potato gratin (dauphinois)
Potato boulangere
Baked jacket potato
Potato galette
Potato tart, quiche and pizza
Potato chips, skins and wedges
Potato mash
Potato rosti and fritters
Potato salad
Potato masala
Potato soup
Potato gnocchi
Potato paratha
Potato has high potassium. Water from boiling potatoes and the discarded skins make a wonderful fertiliser for potted herbs.
To par cook whole potatoes:
Score with a sharp knife and microwave 2 minutes/200 g or
Boil for 15 minutes
To cook whole potatoes:
Score with a sharp knife and microwave 4 minutes/200 g or
Bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes
To bake whole potatoes:
Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius until soft when tested with a skewer.
The classic Shepherd's Pie undergoes a makeover with the addition of exotic baharat, a Middle Eastern spice mix which combines sweet and warm elements, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves with a subtle curry aroma from cumin and coriander. The baharat together with lemon zest, and lemon myrtle give the dish a Moroccan flavour. Serve with boiled vegetable dressed with lemon, and crispy minted potato skins as a side dish.
Spiced Lamb Mince
Adapted from "The Hairy Biker's Cook Off"
500 g lamb mince
1 T olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 celery sticks, finely diced
1 garlic, smashed
2 T plain flour
500 mL stock or water
1 x 425 g tinned tomatoes in juice
1 bay leaf
2 t baharat, see below
1 T Worcestershire sauce, omited for this dish
1 t lemon zest
1 lemon myrtle leaf
1/2 t salt
1. In a frying pan, add 1 t of olive oil.
2. Render fat from the lamb mince and continue to fry the mince in its fat until brown. Remove the mince and drain the oil.
3. Add more olive oil. Fry onions until soft. Add garlic, celery and carrot. Saute until the vegetables starts to soften. Allow 10 minutes.
4. Return the lamb mince. Stir in the flour and baharat.
5. Add stock and tomatoes. Top with enough water to cover the mince. Add bay leaf.
6. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cover and reduce to a thick sauce.
7. Add lemon zest and lemon myrtle. Season to taste.
8. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf.
Potato Mash
4 (800 g) potatoes
1/4 c cream
1/4 c milk
1 t butter, optional
salt
Boil the potatoes with skins for 40 minutes until soft. Carefully slice off the skins with 3 mm of flesh and reserve. Press potatoes through a sieve. Add cream, milk and butter. Season to taste.
Crispy Potato Skins
Skins from 4 boiled potatoes
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t pepper
1/8 t salt
1/8 t mint or thyme
2 t olive oil
Place potato skins on a baking tray. Sprinkle with paprika, pepper, salt and herb. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve as as side dish with yoghurt or sour cream.
Baharat
1/2 t cardamom powder
3 cloves
1 t cinnamon powder
1/4 t nutmeg powder
2 t cumin seeds, roasted
1 t coriander powder
1/2 t turmeric
2 t paprika
1 t peppercorn
Mill and store in an airtight jar.
To make the Shepherd's Pie
1. Place cooked mince in a 20 cm casserole.
2. Top with potato mash.
3. Mark the mash with a fork.
4. Dot with 1 t butter.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-30 minutes until golden
Fresh bay salt seems an unusual seasoning. In its raw state, the bay leaf smells over powering. However, the aroma mellows on cooking. This spice is fantastic for grilled or roasted pork.
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's cookbook, "Jamie's Kitchen".
1 t fennel seeds
10 bay leaves
2 T salt
Pulverize in a spice mill or use a mortar and pestle. Use fresh or keep in a jar in the pantry. Apply as a rub on meat like pork.
Indian grilled meats are typically seasoned with a red tandoori spice paste and cooked in a hot tandoor oven. The main flavour in a ready-made tandoori paste is cardamom, and the red colour comes from mild Kashmiri chilli and paprika. Since cardamom produces a very strong aroma, only a small amount is used. Hence it is sometimes not listed as an ingredient. Instead, garam masala is often used as most blends carry cardamom as well as small amounts of the warm spices like cloves and cinnamon to enhance the depth of flavour.
Main ingredients:
2 T lemon juice
1 T crushed garlic
1 T crushed ginger
1/2 t ground cardamom seeds (4 cardamom pods, husk removed)
2 t Kashmiri chilli powder (mild)
2 t paprika
Additional ingredients or 1 T garam masala
1 t ground pepper
1 t cumin seeds
1 t coriander seeds
2 cloves
1 cm cinnamon quill
1 t dried mint
pinch of saffron, optional
Mill the dry spices and make into paste with the ginger, garlic and lemon juice. Store in the refrigerator. To use, add 2 tablespoon of spice paste to 2 tablespoon of yoghurt for every 300 g of meat. Marinate the meat in the fridge overnight. Cook in a very hot oven (maximum power on domestic oven) for 10 minutes.
A basic Thai flavour to use on its own or make into a green curry paste.
From Charmaine Solomon's Thai Cookbook
1 T chopped garlic
2 t salt
2 T whole black peppercorns, milled
2 c chopped whole coriander with roots
2 T lemon juice
Blend everything. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge.
The Colonel's secret 11 herbs and spices for Kentucky Fried Chicken may never be known to everyone. Here's a version which tastes very similar:
2 T paprika
1 t chilli
2 t sage
1 t basil
1 t oregano
1 t marjoram
1 t rosemary
1 t thyme
1 t pepper
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
2 t salt, optional
To use in seasoned flour for coating before frying, add the herbs and spices to 1 cup of flour. If the chicken is brined before cooking, omit the salt from the recipe.
Brine for Chicken
For a 5% solution
50 g salt
20 g sugar
1 L water
Dissolve salt and sugar in the water. Soak chicken pieces for 1-2 hours or overnight for a whole chicken. Rinse well and dry. Apply spice rub.
Check out this post on quick brining.
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