Lunch Special - Red Lentil Burgers

Pan roasted red lentil patties delicately flavoured with coriander, capsicum and onion, with a fresh garden salad. Accompanied with lentil pappadum or flat bread, and choice of spiced yoghurt dressing and homemade tomato sauce. A vegetarian/vegan alternative to the Char-grilled Aussie Beef Burger.

Red Lentil Burgers

250 g red lentils, soaked overnight

1 onion, finely chopped

2 T chopped coriander or herb of choice

2 T chopped capsicum and/or chilli

1/2 t salt, optional

1/4 t black pepper, ground

2 T rice flour, or more to bind patties

olive oil for frying

1. Drain the red lentils well. Puree half the lentils.

2. Combine all ingredients, adding extra rice flour as needed to form patties.

3. Shallow fry until golden, or brush with oil and toast under a griller.

Variations:

Thai: 2 t coriander and pepper paste

Cajun: 2 t cajun seasoning

Indian: 2 t curry powder

Yoghurt Dressing

4 T yoghurt

1 T coconut cream, optional

1 T chopped coriander

1/2 t garam masala

1 T lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1 lemon myrtle leaf, chiffonade

1/4 t chilli powder, optional

1/4 t chopped mint

Combine all ingredients and chill for 30 minutes.

Tomato Sauce

1 garlic, smashed

1 shallot, finely diced

1 T olive oil

400 g canned diced tomatoes in juice

2 t allspice

1 T chopped parsley

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t salt

1. Fry shallot and garlic in olive oil until golden brown.

2. Add tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until thick.

3. Add allspice. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat. Add parsley. Season.

Homemade Pappadum

150 g (1 c) white urid dal flour (lentil flour)

75 mL (1/3 c) boiling water

1/2 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

olive oil for rolling

1. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water.

2. Add to lentil flour and mix to a stiff dough with electric hooks.

3. Beat for 15 minutes until soft and pliable. Rest for 15 minutes in cling wrap.

4. Oil the dough and roll as for pasta sheets.

5. Air dry for 15 minutes before cutting to shape.

To use as a pasta, boil for 2-3 minutes. Otherwise fry or microwave until crispy as for pappadum.

Read more...

Apples

March is the month for new-season apples like golden delicious and royal galas, and then from May, granny smith, pink ladies and Lady Williams. Western Australia's apple capital, Donnybrook comes alive with harvesting. Time to look forward to apple tarte tatin with that wonderful buttery, scorched, caramel sauce, baked upside down with pastry.

Apple favourites:
Apple Tarte Tatin
Apple Pie
Apple Crumble
Apple Charlotte
Apple Bread and Butter Pudding
Apple Sauce for Roast Pork

Read more...

Rick Stein Thrills Perth Fans

It is not everyday, Perth gets a an internationally acclaimed seafood guru and personality like Chef Rick Stein. Food loving fans enjoyed a close encounter with Chef Rick at an exclusive book signing held on 28th March 2011 at Kailis Brothers, Leederville, surrounded by the best seafood available in Western Australia.


Very fresh NW coral trout with red eyes.

Eager fans, each with multiple copies of Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey, queued for pole positions to win tickets to Chef Rick's show in Perth, on 29/3/2011 and 30/3/2011, at Burswood theatre.



With such a queue, and an over-zealous media contingent, including the 2-minute Noodle Cook, Chef Rick was snowed under with signing. For over half an hour, the queue continued to grow as new fans arrived.



Chef Rick signed with speed, wishing the pen was motorized.



Chef Rick was charmed by his fans. His most devoted fan, who requested a photo with Chef Rick and a kiss, planned to attend the Perth show, as well as travel to Chef Rick's restaurant at Padstow, Cornwall. The people in the queue were envious!



Chef Rick gave seafood tips.




The 2-minute Noodle Cook, as luck would have it, was no match for the journalists and their sophisticated equipment, and was beaten by the clock, when the parking meter expired, to get to the front of the loooong queue to meet Chef Rick.

However, not all was at loss, as on hand to pay tribute to Chef Rick, were Perth identities, Chefs Sophie Budd and Sunny de Ocampo, about to launch Taste Budds Cooking Studio. Chef Sunny choice of cookbook, like most of the fans, was Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey. Here is a recipe from Taste Budds, Quick Chilli Crab Pasta:



(Serves 4 as a main)

You will need:
400 g pasta
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 red chilli, de-seeded and thinly sliced
400 g fresh crab meat
the juice of and zest of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Italian parsley finely chopped

Method:
Boil the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water. In a big based pan heat the olive oil, fry the garlic gently for a minute, add the crab, chilli, lemon zest and juice. Add the cooked pasta when it is al dente (still with a little bite). Finish with the parsley and a little drizzle of olive oil. Serve with Salad. (For a recipe to make fresh pasta checkout our website.)



Local Western Australian river crabs from Kailis Brothers, Leederville are perfect for the dish.

Chef Sophie Budd is a Jamie Oliver chef. Sophie arrives from Cornwall and has over thirteen years experience as a chef in restaurants and cafes in England and in Perth. Sophie is extremely well qualified, having been a Training Chef at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant in Cornwall where she trained the apprentices in all aspects of commercial cookery. She has also worked with celebrity chef, Rick Stein at his seafood restaurant also in Cornwall.

Chef Sunny De Ocampo comes from a family of restaurateurs in the Philippines. He migrated with his family to Western Australia, where he joined Perth’s Parmelia Hilton as an apprentice, and before long, became Head Chef at the Hilton’s Globe Restaurant. He travelled extensively, where he finds inspiration for the international flavors in his cooking. Sunny promotes his "eatgoodlife" philosophy, of healthy eating in a fun environment, through cooking shows and classes, cookbooks and magazines.

For cooking lessons with Chefs Sunny and Sophie, including seafood after Rick Stein's Seafood Journey, check out the following cooking schools:

http://www.thecookingprofessor.com.au
http://www.uppercrust.com.au
http://www.kitchenwarehouse.com.au

Read more...

Lunch Special: Country Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

Freshly baked country chicken and mushroom pie, bursting with country freshness and goodness, the ultimate in comfort food. Juicy chicken breast and luscious, buttery mushroom smothered in a rich, creamy, stock-based sauce with loads of fresh garden herbs and just that touch of freshly ground pepper. Accompanied with seasonal locally harvested vegetables.

Country Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie
Recipe for 4 pot pies in ramekins:

500 g chicken breast, diced int0 2 cm cubes
150 g mushrooms, sliced
5 T plain flour
1 T olive oil
2 t butter
100 mL cream or milk
400 mL stock
2 T chopped herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme, sage)
1 onion, cut into 2 cm pieces
1 sheet puff pastry
salt and pepper



1. Fry mushroom lightly in butter until golden brown. Remove.
2. Toss chicken in 3 T flour seasoned with pepper and salt
3. Brown the chicken in olive oil. Remove.
4. Saute onion in the pan. Remove.



5. Add the remaining flour to the pan. Lightly brown. Slowly add stock to make a roux.
6. Return chicken, mushroom and onions to pan. Add cream. Simmer gently to thicken.



7. Add herbs. Adjust seasoning.



8. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavours. Remove from heat and cool.



9. Place pie filling in 4 ramekins. Cover with quarter sheets of puff pastry. Cut a hole in the centre.
10. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling hot.

Read more...

Afternoon Tea Special - Scones

Fresh from the oven, these deliciously fluffy scones are just perfect with homemade jam and fresh whipped cream. Enjoy with choice of teas.

Served on a beautiful Blue Willow pattern plate, made by Churchill of England, reminiscent of British tea drinking heritage in Australia.

The Willow pattern was derived from the ancient 400 year old Yu Garden in Shanghai. The pattern came into use some 200 years ago in England.



Cream Scones
Makes about 30

375 g (3 c) SR flour
1/2 t salt
125 mL cream
250 mL milk

1. Sift flour with salt.
2. Add cream and milk. Mix to a soft dough with a wooden spoon. Do not overwork.
3. Place dough on a floured surface. Using floured hands, pat dough out to 2 cm thickness.
4. Cut into 5 cm rounds.
5. Place on buttered baking tray.
6. Brush with milk.
7. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes until golden and bottoms sound hollow when tapped.

Read more...

Bitter Melons

Bumper summer harvest! Bitter, with a delicate aroma. Ayurvedic medicine claims bitter melons cure diabetes.

To prepare, cut open to remove bitter white pits and the seeds. Blanch in boiling water before use. Use in dish of choice or simply steam, stir-fry or boil and dress with deep fried shallot and extra virgin olive oil. Use as a side vegetable.

A few recipes found searching the internet:

Thai Pork with Bitter Gourd - aromatic coriander and pork mince stuffed in thick bitter melon sections, deep fried and then cooked in a savoury sweet Thai green curry gravy.

Chinese Bitter Melon and Dried Oyster Soup - a traditional soup cooked in a clear pork bone broth.

Indian Karela Curries - a variety of dishes from masala to curry gravies
Indian Stuffed Karela - a 100 year old family recipe of spiced chickpeas stuffed in bitter melon

Read more...

Figs

Bountiful spring and autumn. Time to put autumn figs in preserves till next year's harvest.

Fig paste

For scones and dessert sauces, such as a coulis

1 kg fresh figs

2 c pear juice

1 T pectin (Jamsetta), optional

Blend the figs. Rub the puree through a sieve to remove seeds. In a heavy saucepan, cook the puree in pear juice with the pectin. Simmer of 30 minutes. Reduce as required to thicken. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. When cool, store in the refrigerator.

Caramelized fig paste

For scones, cheese boards and sweet-savoury dishes

1 kg fresh figs

1 c pear juice

Blend the figs. Rub the puree through a sieve to remove seeds. In a heavy saucepan, cook the puree in pear juice, stirring continuously to form a thick caramelised paste. Allow an hour or so. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. When cool, store in the refrigerator.

Fig Pickles

Firm, just about ripe figs

Salt

Sugar, made into bar syrup (1:2 water to sugar, boiled 5 minutes)

Vinegar, boiled and cool

Chilli flakes, optional

Cut figs in half. Sprinkle salt over and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. Pack into jars. Pour enough bar syrup to half cover the figs. Top with vinegar. Adjust sweetness. Add chilli flakes. Cover. Leave in the fridge for at least 2 weeks before using.

Fig Tart
Check out Maggie Beer's recipe. Luscious macerated figs on an almond custard (frangipane) baked in rough puff pastry.

Read more...

Quandong

Quandong Pudding
Adapted from A Taste of the Bush

A bush tucker version of the quintessential self-saucing sponge pudding with native Australian peach, quandong.

1/2 c dried quandong (40 g)
1 c fresh red grape juice
225 g sugar
150 g butter
2 eggs, beaten
150 g SR flour, sifted
1 t ground lemon myrtle, optional

1. Soak the quandong in grape juice until double in size or overnight
2. Drain the quandong.
3. Bring the grape juice to boil.
4. Add 50 g of the sugar. Boil until syrupy.
5. Add the quandong and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Place quandong and syrup in the bottom of 4 ramekins.
7. Make a cake batter by creaming the butter with remaining sugar. Slowly add the eggs. Fold in flour.
8. Pour batter over the quandong in the ramekins.
9. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with fresh cream.





Quandong and Grape Clafoutis (pronounced klah-foo-tee)
Adapted from Cherry Clafoutis recipe by Joanne Harris & Fran Warde, The French Kitchen

A classic French dessert of soft custard like pudding loaded with delicious juicy fruit.

250 g red grapes
60 g sugar
20 g dried quandong
10 g butter, melted
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
200 mL milk
85 g flour, sifted
icing for dusting
1 t cornstarch

1. Mash 200 g of the grapes. Microwave for 2 minutes. Strain the juice. Discard the pulp.
2. Add half the sugar to the juice.
3. Soak quandong in the grape juice until double. Microwave for 2 minutes. Drain. Reserve the juice.
4. Cut remaining grapes in half. Remove pits.
5. Grease a shallow dish with the butter.
6. Place the fruit in a neat layer in the buttered dish.
7. Whisk the eggs, with remaining sugar and milk.
8. Add the mixture to the flour and mix to a smooth batter.
9. Pour batter over the fruit.
10. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes until the custard batter is firm and golden.
11. Sprinkle with icing.



To make sauce, add water (or more grape juice) to the reserved juice to make 1 cup. Add cornstarch. Microwave for 2 minutes. Serve the clafoutis immediately while well risen, with the grape juice sauce.

Read more...

Plums

Plums grow well in Perth. These 2 varieties survived coastal conditions and limey soils.

Santa Rosa
Medium size, crimson red skin, light red flesh. Matures December.

Laroda
Glossy red skin, yellow-red flesh. Matures January. Low to medium chill.




Plum and Grape Conserve

500 g plums
750 g red grapes
850 g sugar
1 T pectin (Jamsetta)
50 mL lemon juice

1. Cut plum and grapes in halves and carefully remove seeds.
2. Place in a shallow saucepan. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Heat gently until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Skim off foam and residual seeds.
4. Boil on medium-high for 20 minutes before testing for gel on an ice cold saucer.
5. When jam gels to your liking, pour into sterilized jars and cover immediately.

Use as a jam or as a base for oriental plum sauce.





Fresh Plum Sauce

1 c fresh grape juice (or orange juice for duck)
2 cm cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 star anise
2 T plum and grape conserve or sugar
1 t Dijon mustard
4 plums, sliced

If pan juices are available, deglaze with grape juice. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes until plums soften. Remove cloves, cinnamon stick and star anise. Serve with pork or duck.

Read more...

Grapes

Bumper summer harvest from the garden!

Grape Jam

2.250 kg fresh ripe grapes to yield 1.5 L pulp and juice
1.25 L sugar
2 T pectin (Jamsetta)
100 mL lemon juice

1. Mash the grapes through a sieve. Retrieve the juice, pulp and skins. Remove the seeds.
2. Boil 10 minutes. Skim off foam and residual seeds.
3. Measure volume of grape mixture. Measure equal volume of sugar. Transfer to a wide saucepan.
4. Add pectin and lemon juice. Adjust lemon juice to taste.
5. Boil on medium-high for 20 minutes. Test for gel on ice cold saucer. When ready, the boiling jam looks syrupy with small bubbles 2-3 mm in diameter. Allow up to 40 minutes to gel.
6. Bottle in sterilized jars and cover immediately.

Serve with quality cheeses on crackers.




Grape and Macadamia Clafoutis

160 g grapes, halved and pitted
1 T grape jam
1 t butter, melted for greasing
60 g macadamia nuts, milled
2 eggs, beatened
250 mL cream
50 g (3 T) sugar
1 t cornstarch
icing and ground macadamia for dusting
ice cream for serving

1. Place grapes and jam in a shallow buttered dish.
2. Mix together macadamia nuts, eggs, cream, sugar and cornstarch. Pour into the ramekins.
3. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until golden brown on the top and custard sets.
4. Dust with icing and macadamia
5. Serve with ice cream.




Baked Custard with Grapes

160 g grapes, halved and pitted
1 T grape jam
1 t butter, melted for greasing
3 eggs, beatened
250 mL milk
300 mL cream
100 g (1/3 c) sugar
2 t cornstarch

1. Place grapes and jam in 4 buttered ramekins.
2. Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and cornstarch. Pour into the ramekins.
3. Place ramekins in a tray with boiling water half way up.
4. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes until golden brown on the top and custard sets.

Read more...