tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52813512406646784202024-03-14T16:51:27.483+11:00.Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-1345963229107960312015-01-02T18:14:00.000+11:002015-01-02T18:14:05.371+11:00A Summer Lunch with a FriendToday we invited our friend Kim over for a New Year catch up over lunch. It's great to be on holidays and to have the luxury of a leisurely lunch during the week, along with a few glasses of wine and some good conversation. The weather is really warm right now, so I wanted a menu that kept me out of a hot kitchen, and that also took advantage of the beautiful Summer produce around at the moment. I managed to come up with a menu that delivered all that, as well as ensuring I didn't have to turn the stove on inside at all. Win!<br />
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I thought I'd set the tone with some lovely bright flowers in my favorite vintage vase to pretty up the dining table a bit. Red and green is also kind of festive, don't you think?<br />
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<b>Pretty, Pretty.</b></div>
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On New Year's Day I really felt like cooking a French style terrine (as you do!) so that made up our first course. I love a good terrine, and this one is my version, based on lots that I tasted when I was travelling in France. Every little cafe and restaurant seemed to have their own version (Terrine de Maison) and over the years I've developed my own. It is a mixture of pork and chicken, along with bacon, capers, pistachios, juniper berries and a touch of allspice. It is really delicious and better eaten the day after you make it. I've had a couple of requests for recipe, so I will share it with you at the end of this post. Here is what it looked like on the day I made it.</div>
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<b>My Terrine de Maison</b></div>
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I served the terrine today with some crisp lettuce hearts, cornichons and some beautiful Bruny Island plum jelly that I brought back from my last trip to Tasmania. We also enjoyed it with slices of crusty French bread and lashings of fabulous Pepe Saya cultured butter. </div>
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<b>Plated Terrine </b></div>
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<b>with accompaniments</b></div>
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For the main course, I visited the fishmonger this morning and decided to see what they had that looked good, and I would base a dish around that. I found some super fresh, large local prawns and some really good looking line caught Blue Marlin steaks. I cooked them outside on the BBQ, along with some fresh asparagus and some zucchini flowers. I made a simple sauce with olive oil, lemon juice, cherry balsamic, chilli, capers, parsley, garlic chives and fresh oregano from my garden. I just drizzled the dressing over just before serving. I added some grilled lime on the side and some baby chervil herbs for a bit of freshness.</div>
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<b>The Fish Course</b></div>
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The dessert was super simple. I bought 3 perfect white peaches that are now in season and really beautiful and fragrant, I always like creating dishes out of what is in season, and these are great right now. I blanched them in boiling water to remove the skins, chilled them and then served them drizzled with a sweet syrup made from palm sugar - and some fresh coconut cream and lemony tasting baby sorrel leaves. Easy - and a fresh and delicious end to a summer lunch. This is great dessert for people who can't eat dairy products. The coconut cream gives a velvety richness without any dairy at all. I notice that supermarkets are stocking it now, in the chiller section next to the sour cream and other dairy based creams. Have a look for it - it has a lighter, fresher taste than the tinned coconut cream you buy to make curries with.</div>
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<b>White Peach</b></div>
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<b>With palm sugar, coconut cream and baby sorrel</b></div>
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We had a lovely few hours eating and chatting and drinking wine and everyone enjoyed the menu I had put together. Apart from the terrine, which was made the day before, it was a very low stress menu for a hot Summer day.</div>
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As requested, below is the recipe for my terrine. You can cook it in a traditional ceramic terrine (the rectangular dish that gives the dish its name) or a metal loaf tin, if you don't have a terrine. You will also need something to place on top of the terrine while it is cooking, to compress it. I use a small rectangular ceramic dish that works fine.</div>
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<b><u>Gourmet Goddess Terrine de Maison</u></b></div>
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<b>500g Pork Mince</b></div>
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<b>500g Chicken Mince</b></div>
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<b>250g Finely Chopped Bacon</b></div>
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<b>15-20 Slices Prosciutto</b></div>
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<b>1 Large Finely Chopped White Onion</b></div>
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<b>2 Cloves Garlic</b></div>
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<b>1/2 Teaspoon Allspice</b></div>
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<b>6 Crushed Juniper Berries</b></div>
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<b>1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Rosemary (Don't use dried Rosemary for this recipe)</b></div>
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<b>1 Tablespoon Wholegrain Mustard</b></div>
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<b>1 Tablespoon Small Capers </b></div>
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<b>2 Teaspoons Salt</b></div>
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<b>1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper</b></div>
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<b>1 Egg</b></div>
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<b>1 1/2 Cups Breadcrumbs</b></div>
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<b>3 Pinches Cayenne Pepper</b></div>
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<b>1 Tablespoon Butter</b></div>
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<b>1 Tablespoon Olive Oil</b></div>
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<b>Olive Oil Spray</b></div>
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<b><u>Method:</u></b></div>
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Preheat the oven to 170C. Cut a piece of baking paper to line the bottom of your terrine dish or tin. Spray the tin with olive oil. </div>
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Carefully line the bottom and side of the tin with a layer of prosciutto. Set aside.</div>
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In a pan, heat the tablespoon of butter and olive olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook until transparent. Don't have the heat too high - you don't want the onions or garlic to brown. </div>
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In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked onion and all of the other ingredients. Using clean hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients until very, very well combined.</div>
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Fill the terrine with the mixture, taking care that it is packed in evenly. When you have finished, add a weight to the top of the terrine. I use a small rectangular ceramic dish to do this. You want the terrine to be compressed during cooking, which results in a nice, even terrine when you go to cut it later. Cover the whole dish with foil.</div>
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Cook in the over for 1 hour 20 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, take off the foil and carefully drain any excess cooking juices that you may find at the bottom of the terrine.</div>
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Allow the terrine to cool in the dish for about 30 minutes, before turning it out on a plate and putting it in the fridge to chill. You can eat it once it's cold, but I recommend waiting 24 hours, as the flavours develop really nicely given a little bit of time.</div>
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Serve with crusty bread, any kind of pickle of fruit jelly and some crisp lettuce leaves. It's also great in crusty rolls for a picnic.</div>
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Serves 8 People</div>
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Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-56081241219743141182014-11-16T15:14:00.002+11:002014-11-16T15:14:30.903+11:00Insanely Good-For-You Bliss BallsThis year, I have been on a bit of a mission to cut out as much processed food from our household's diet as possible. I always thought we were pretty good with avoiding processed food but when I really looked at what we were eating, I found quite a few nasties in there. There are additives and truck loads of processed sugar and salt in so many of our pantry staples it makes your head spin. I decided to get rid of the worst offenders and dramatically increase our consumption of whole foods. So hello leafy greens, fresh herbs, vegetables with every meal, seeds, nuts and eggs! I've also ramped up my garden activity and I'm growing a lot more of our own vegetables and herbs. After all, it's pretty easy to grow a few basics and you get the bonus of knowing exactly where it came from and that it's super fresh. I absolutely love spending time in the garden, so I don't really need an excuse to get out there and get my hands dirty growing food for us. <br />
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Today's recipe that I'd like to share with you is a gorgeous sweet, chocolatey treat that contains no processed sugar, wheat or dairy and is really quick and easy to make - my chia seed and cacao bliss balls. I came up with this recipe when I was trying to find a sweet mid afternoon treat that wasn't full of processed rubbish, but would still provide a delicious chocolate hit. I noticed a lot of health food stores and cafes had started selling different versions of these and figured I would have a go at making my own. How hard can it be? Well the answer is, not hard at all!<br />
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<b>Chia Seed and Cacao Bliss Balls</b></div>
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You will find most of the ingredients for this recipe at your local supermarket or grocer, however you may need to head to the health food store for the raw cacao powder/nibs. Remember that cacao powder is <i>not</i> the same as cocoa powder (which is often full of sugar), it is a less processed product with a lot more nutritional value too, including heaps of antioxidants. When I make a batch of bliss balls, I wrap each one individually and pop them in the freezer. It means that they last a lot longer and you aren't as tempted to scoff the whole lot in one go! They don't get super hard when frozen, so you can grab one out of the freezer and you don't have to wait for them to defrost either.<br />
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I hope you enjoy my chia seed and cacao bliss balls. These little treats pack a big nutritional punch, will keep you going through the afternoon and taste delicious. Perfect to have with your afternoon cuppa. In fact, I'm going to put the kettle on right now..... <br />
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<b>You will need:</b> 300g fresh dates, 1 heaped tablespoon raw cacao powder, 1 heaped tablespoon cacao nibs, 1 cup chia seeds, 1 cup dessicated coconut, 1/2 cup pepita seeds, Extra coconut to coat the balls.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Remove the seeds from the dates and place them in a food processor. Add the cacao powder, 1 cup coconut. Process until all combined.<br />
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Put the date mixture in a bowl with the cacao nibs, chia seeds, pepita seeds and mix well with your hands until well combined.<br />
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Shape into small bite sized balls, roll in the extra coconut.<br />
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Makes 12-15 bliss balls. Keep in the fridge - also suitable for freezing.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-42100929988045598192014-09-01T16:42:00.004+10:002014-09-01T16:43:24.273+10:00Just to let you know.....<div align="center">
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">The Gourmet Goddess </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">is juggling a whole lot of things at the moment!</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DnZCPZzylM/VAQT-S7oxUI/AAAAAAAAByM/LrBkRpehRW8/s1600/jugglingwoman-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DnZCPZzylM/VAQT-S7oxUI/AAAAAAAAByM/LrBkRpehRW8/s1600/jugglingwoman-3.jpg" height="320" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><strong>But don't fret - </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><strong>there will be more gorgeous GG content </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><strong>coming your way very soon!</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><span style="color: purple;"> </span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">GG XXX</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
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Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-36001092828535330382014-07-02T19:22:00.002+10:002014-07-02T19:22:44.047+10:00Winter Truffles<span style="font-family: inherit;">On our recent trip to Tasmania, I was so excited to see
fresh truffles for sale at the farmer’s market. I absolutely love them, and
being such a rare (and expensive!) treat, it isn’t very often that you see them
available for the average shopper to purchase as a raw ingredient. A friend
recently asked me what truffles taste like – hmmm... hard to pin down, as they have a really
unique flavour and aroma, and if you asked 50 people you would probably get 50 different answers. My personal description would be - earthy,
pungent, a bit mushroomy with the undertones of Autumn leaves and Patchouli.
They can be a bit of an acquired taste, but that dark, rich character really
appeals to me. If truffles were a subculture, I reckon they would be Goths - dark, brooding and mysterious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A truffle is actually the fruit body of an underground
fungus called Ascomycete, which grows in a symbiotic relationship around the
root systems of trees, most commonly oaks. They are harvested by special
truffle dogs that are trained for this purpose. The truffle seller I spoke to
at the market told me that his truffle dogs are so well trained, that they can
smell whether or not the truffles are mature and ready to harvest, and will
leave the ones that aren’t ready to dig up. Clever dogs!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Australia’s very first black truffles were grown near
Deloraine in Northern Tasmania in 1999. This is where the truffles at the market came from. The area is ideally suited to a longer,
colder growing season – which means truffles with a stronger, sweeter aroma
than those grown in warmer climates. This makes Tasmanian truffles much sought
after for their taste and quality.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fresh Tasmanian Black Truffles</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once harvested, truffles should be eaten within about 10 days.
Being a living organism, once taken away from their source of nourishment, they
start to break down. A truffle will lose about 3% of their weight a day, once
harvested. They should be stored in the fridge, wrapped loosely in paper towel,
in a glass jar with a lid. This will prevent the whole fridge and everything in
it being overcome with truffle!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now let’s talk cost. The current market price for truffles
is $2000 a kilo. Yep. $2000 smackeroos. That was the going price of the black beauties I found at the
market. But as the truffle farmer reminded me, you would normally only serve
around 6-8 grams per person. Well.....when you put it that way.....<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And</span> yes, I succumbed. We bought 50g worth. I
used the excuse that it was a treat because we were on holidays. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That night I made a classic Italian truffle pasta dish. Simple
and heavenly. Just spaghetti cooked al dente, good butter, finely shaved
truffle, a little Parmesan and salt and pepper. So decadent, so aromatic - downright
sexy! I used half of the truffles we bought, and took the other half home with
us to enjoy a week later.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tasmanian Black Truffle Pasta</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The truffle season in Tasmania goes from June to September,
so now is the perfect time to enjoy them if you have the opportunity to. And yes, they
really are all that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The black truffles we bought were from Truffles of Tasmania. I notice that they do sell them online, so if you are dying to experience the Tasmanian truffle season without leaving your kitchen, you can get more information here: http://www.trufflesoftasmania.com.au/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>A word about truffle oil</b> – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh boy. Where do I begin? The first thing to say is that the vast majority of "truffle oil" that you see for sale hasn't ever been anywhere near a real truffle. Sorry folks, but that's the reality. It's frequently just synthetically made from a compound called Dithiapentane, mixed together with some olive oil and flogged off to unknowing punters. At first sniff, it's <i>kind</i> of like the smell of truffles, but the taste? Well, it aint' nothing like the real thing. Frankly, I find it cloying and absolutely vile - I really don't know why people still insist on ruining perfectly good ingredients with the hideous stuff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Having said that, you <i>can</i> buy truffle oil that is legit - that is, oil infused with <i>actual</i> truffles. It tastes very different to the awful fake stuff that currently floods the market, and used judiciously can actually enhance rather than trash the right dish. Read the labels and ask questions - if the ingredient list mentions "truffle flavour" or "truffle essence" then it is fake. For Australian Gourmet Goddess readers, I do know that the truffle oil from the Simon Johnson label uses the real thing (the oil is infused with French truffles). I'm sure there are others - so do your research and buyer beware. </span><br />
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Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-49156508661126182972014-06-30T18:35:00.003+10:002014-06-30T18:35:14.871+10:00Seafood ChowderWe have just returned from a gorgeous week long winter escape to Tasmania - just the thing to bring a bit of joy to what is often mid year blah-ness. I was lucky enough to win return flights to Hobart courtesy of Destination Tasmania, so the trip was an unexpected and much welcomed surprise. We had already decided there would be no trips for us this year, as we saving to buy a house over there, but it seems that the Goddess had other ideas and so off we went!<br />
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Tasmania in winter is just beautiful - cold? well yes.... we actually got snowed on as we stood on the banks of an alpine lake taking in the pristine beauty of it. Little snowflakes fluttering down on a face numbing wind. Breathtaking - literally! But with the harsh winter, there is also a lovely cosy feel too - the smell of wood smoke and open fires, everyone rugged up against the cold. And of course, plenty of seasonal comfort food - which is the inspiration for today's recipe.<br />
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Filled with fresh seafood and flavoured with leeks and eschallots, my seafood chowder will more than warm the cockles of your heart - especially when served with warm crusty bread on a cold winter night. I used fish, scallops and prawns for my version, but you can use any seafood really. It is also beautiful with the addition of mussels and clams. For a budget friendly version, you can use just fish and it will still be delicious.<br />
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As well as my chowder recipe, I also wanted to share a new addition to my kitchen. I have been searching for an old copper kettle for ages, and was thrilled to find one in Hobart. Being an antique, it has a few bumps and mends on it - but no holes, which is the important part! I think it is just beautiful and has heaps of character. It's going to be a pleasure to use. I love the thought of using something that has a history - I wish my new kettle could talk and tell me where it's been and whose households it has been a part of. Here it is, pre- polish.<br />
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<b>My Antique Copper Kettle</b></div>
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Now back to the chowder - it is best eaten freshly made and is not suitable to freeze. But it is so delicious you're unlikely to have any leftovers. Serve it will warm crusty bread and lashings of butter. Roaring winter fire optional.<br />
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<b>Seafood Chowder</b></div>
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<b>You will need:</b> 400g firm white fish cut into cubes, 6 large shelled and de-veined prawns, 6 scallops, 1 large potato, 1 small carrot, 1 leek- white part only, 4-6 eschallots, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 2 cups fish or vegetable stock, 2 cups milk, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons plain flour, 2 pinches cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, a little extra olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Peel and finely dice the carrot and potato. Set aside.<br />
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Finely slice the leek and eschallots. In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the leeks and eschallots on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until very soft. Do not let them brown. Add the garlic, carrot and potato, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pot and set aside.<br />
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Cut your prawns and scallops in half and season them with salt and pepper. Heat a little extra olive oil in the pan and cook them quickly on a high heat. The idea is to sear them and give them a little colour - they do not have to be cooked right through, as they will continue to cook in the chowder later. Remove them from the pan and set aside.<br />
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Now add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once bubbling gently, add the plain flour. With a wire whisk, combine the flour and butter thoroughly. It is important to use a whisk and not a spoon, as this will stop any lumps forming. Cook the butter/flour mixture for a few minutes on a medium heat.<br />
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Remove from the heat and whisk in the stock, combining well. Now return to the heat. Add the cayenne and milk and whisk it through. The mixture will start to thicken slightly. Add the vegetables back into the pot. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. If the chowder is too thick, add a little extra milk.<br />
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Add the fish and stir gently through. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes before adding the prawns, scallops and 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if required.<br />
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Spoon into bowls, top with the remaining parsley and serve with warm crusty bread. Serves 4 people.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-52807851998494514712014-06-01T18:10:00.002+10:002014-06-01T18:10:20.840+10:00First Day of WinterWelcome to the first day of winter here in the southern hemisphere. We could be forgiven for thinking that it would never get here, given the unseasonably warm weather that we have been experiencing. Autumn barely made an appearance at all, and frankly I feel a little bit ripped off, given how much I love the cooler weather (actually, the colder the better as far as I'm concerned). Happily, we got some welcome rain overnight and the day has been cool, with a steely grey winter sky - just gorgeous.<br />
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I headed out into the garden to check out how my winter veges are faring, and they were looking beautiful and healthy after a soaking of rain. The lettuce is ready to start harvesting this week, I picked the last of the tomatoes, the first baby carrots should be ready in another couple of weeks, as well as the spring onions. I plan to plant some beetroot and maybe a few other vegetables in the coming weeks. Always a good idea to plant a few vegetables at different times, so you have things to pick at various times during the winter. The herbs, such as parsley, lemon balm, chives, sage and bay leaves are all powering along. I used fresh bay and parsley from my garden in today's recipe.<br />
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I thought I would welcome Winter with the comfort food of comfort foods - slow cooked lamb shanks. They are the perfect dish to cook if you are having a lazy Sunday at home. Although the cooking time is long - about 3 hours - the preparation time is short, and there are minimal ingredients. It's set and forget cooking.<br />
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To make the dish more complex, you could always add vegetables such as carrots, parsnip and celery with the meat - but I keep mine really simple, preferring to add fresh vegetables after the meat is cooked as side dishes. With a rich dish like this, I think it's good to have some fresh greens or other vegetables on the side to balance things out a bit and provide contrast to the richness. Because the cooking time is so long, if you put veges in the pot, they are going to break down completely anyway - and believe me, these lamb shanks already have buckets of flavour, so they don't need help in that department.<br />
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A dish like lamb shanks really benefits from being served with creamy potato mash or polenta to soak up all that delicious sauce - not to mention that buttery, falling off the bone tender meat. Enjoy this gorgeous welcome to Winter dish.<br />
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<b>Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks</b></div>
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<b>You will need: </b><br />
4 lamb shanks, 2 large sliced brown onions, 1 large sliced red onion, 2 cups beef stock, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 bay leaf, 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley stalks, 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 teaspoons cornflour, salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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<i>For the seasoning mix:</i><br />
2 tablespoons plain flour, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, pinch of cayenne pepper.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Preheat the oven to 160C.<br />
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Combine all of the seasoning mix ingredients and set aside.<br />
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Heat the olive oil in a pan and while that is happening, coat the lamb shanks well in the seasoning mix. Add the shanks to the pan and cook until very well browned on all sides. Transfer the lamb to an ovenproof casserole dish.<br />
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Add the butter, and when this has melted, the onions and the bay leaf. Cook the onions on a medium heat until very soft. Add the parsley stalks, paprika, brown sugar and garlic. Cook and combine well for another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the lamb.<br />
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Combine the stock and the soy, and pour over the lamb. Cover well with foil (I use 2 layers) - or a tight lid.<br />
Cook the lamb covered for 2 hours.<br />
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After 2 hours, uncover the lamb, add half of the parsley leaves, stir well and cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Combine the cornflour with a little cold water until smooth. Remove the lamb from the oven and stir through the cornflour and water mixture quickly. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Return it to the oven for another half an hour. Finish off with fresh parsley to serve.<br />
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<b>Note: </b>Depending on the amount of fat in the individual lamb shanks, you may end up with a thin layer of oil on the top of the dish. I choose to get rid of this and use a big spoon to skim it off before serving.<br />
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Serves 4 people.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-27197129070132071422014-05-25T11:32:00.002+10:002014-05-25T11:32:46.797+10:00A Weekend Away - Canberra<br />
Last weekend we headed off to the nation's capital for the weekend. I always really enjoy visiting Canberra, particularly at this time of the year, when the Autumn leaves are out in all their colourful glory, and the air has that wonderful crisp chill to it. Usually, when we visit, we head off to the National Gallery, Parliament House (yes, I'm a bit of a politics nerd) and the local markets - but this time the visit ended up being extremely food-centric!<br />
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We usually break up the 3 hour drive with a rest break at a trucker's roadhouse (which usually involves consumption of some dodgy servo food eaten on the run) but this time we decided to take our time and check out a place that we always drive past - but I've always wanted to try. The rather twee named Grandma's Little Bakery is located in Collector and sits up on the hill, overlooking the olive groves of Fedra Olive Farm. The cafe is part of the farm complex, and serves generous, rustic and really flavoursome food using local ingredients. It was a gorgeous day when we visited, and eating lunch whilst looking out over the sun drenched olive groves was a lovely way to break up the trip.<br />
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<b>The view as we ate lunch </b></div>
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<b>at Grandma's Little Bakery, Collector.</b></div>
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Grandma's Little Bakery also has a small farm shop, which sells their wonderful olive oil and olive products - as well as a range of herbs, sweet treats and kitchen supplies. I was sure to bring home a bottle of their beautiful olive oil. I think we will be making a stop to the olive farm a regular part of future Canberra road trips. It made the drive so much more enjoyable.<br />
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<b>Award winning local Fedra Olive Oil </b></div>
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<b>which I bought to take home.</b></div>
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Crossing the border into the Australian Capital Territory, you could see right away that Autumn has arrived. The colours of the leaves are just spectacular - shades of ochre, scarlet red, silver and everything in between. We were treated to really beautiful weather for the whole weekend, so we got to enjoy it all in the Autumn sunshine. Nature really is magnificent.<br />
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<b>Canberra Autumn colour.</b></div>
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Our favourite accommodation option in Canberra is the historic Hyatt Hotel, located close to Parliament House. It was built in 1927 to house politicians when parliament was sitting, and is a gorgeous example of Art Deco architecture. I'm a huge fan of all things Deco, so it is always such a treat to stay at the Hyatt and revel in that pared down elegance.<br />
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<b>The Foyer - Hyatt Hotel Canberra.</b></div>
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We have stayed in lots of hotels in our travels, but the things that make the Hyatt one of our favourite places to stay are those generous, elegant rooms - particularly the luxurious bathrooms, which all have beautiful deep baths and so much space that two people can happily get ready in the morning without getting under each other's feet.<br />
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<b>Art Deco Bedroom - Hyatt Hotel Canberra</b></div>
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We have found the standard of service in the hotel really excellent on all of our visits - and I should mention that they also do a great martini in the Speaker's Corner Bar in the evening! The hotel is famous for it's high tea, which is served in The Tea Lounge every day.<br />
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<b>Nothing like a luxurious bathroom to make you feel spoiled.</b></div>
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On the Friday evening, we headed into Civic to check out a restaurant I had heard good things about - Temporada. As chance would have it, the week before we went to Canberra it received a really glowing review in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food supplement - so I thought that our chances of getting a reservation would be zilch. Turns out we were lucky and managed to get in.<br />
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The food all had one thing in common - knock your socks off flavour. As a starter, we enjoyed gorgeous South Coast oysters cooked on a wood fire in their shells. Just beautiful - and it got me thinking about using this technique at home. Then we moved on to entrees - a beautifully prepared venison scotch egg (with a luscious runny yolked quail egg inside) and a beef short rib roll served with horseradish and fermented cucumber. Sadly I don't have any pictures to share - the place had lots of "atmospheric" lighting which made it impossible to get decent shots.<br />
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For mains, Andrew chose the Bangalow pork cutlet with caramelised brussels sprouts, mustard and speck - and for me a beautiful crispy skinned trout with charred broccolini, almonds, capers and beurre noisette. Both dishes were delicious - served in a rustic, generous way. Perfect Autumn food. We shared a dessert - salted caramel donuts, served with house made banana ice cream and toasted marshmallow. Over the top - but delicious.<br />
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<b>Dining Room - Temporada</b></div>
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On Saturday, we drove to Hall - about 30 minutes out of Canberra - to Poachers Pantry for lunch. Poachers Pantry is a farmhouse on the grazing property of Susan and Robert Bruce, farmers who decided to build their own smokehouse, so they could smoke and sell their own produce. The smokehouse idea grew, and now, a couple of decades on, there is a cafe, farm shop and cellar door, selling their cool climate "Wily Trout" wines. The beautiful farm setting makes a lovely place for a weekend lunch, and there is also the chance to pick up some great products from the farm shop while you are there. I bought some of the Bruce's locally made Prosciutto, as well as an excellent Bresaola (salted, air dried beef). They also sell all kinds of smoked red meats as well as chicken and fish. The shop also stocks locally produced olive oil, condiments, preserved goods - and their Wily Trout wine range. There is also wine tasting on site.<br />
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<b>Down the road to Poachers Pantry</b></div>
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So, to lunch. I kicked off with one of my favourite food combos ever. Scallops and black pudding. They were served with a lovely fresh fennel and herb salad, and a delicious sweet pumpkin puree. So simple, but wonderful. I enjoyed a glass of Wily Trout Sauvingon Blanc which was perfect with this dish.<br />
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<b>Scallops with Poachers Pantry Black Pudding</b></div>
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For the main course, I went for the braised pork cheek with kimchi and lotus root. The dish was served with a rich, full flavoured master stock. The hot, spicy kimchi was the perfect contrast to the rich, buttery pork cheek. Andrew chose smoked lamb cutlets with fondant potato and parmesan crisp - he was generous enough to share some with me, so I can confirm that the lamb dish was rich and delicious.<br />
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<b>Braised Pork Cheek with Kimchi & Lotus Root.</b></div>
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<b>In the background - Andrew's smoked lamb cutlets.</b></div>
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My dessert choice was a beautifully light layered green tea and white chocolate mousse, served with gingerbread crumb and yuzu curd. I was really taken with the contrast of textures as well as the beautiful flavours of this dish. The citrus tang of the yuzu curd against the rich mousse and the crunchy, fragrant gingerbread was so lovely.<br />
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<b>Green Tea & White Chocolate Mousse</b></div>
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<b>with Yuzu Curd and Gingerbread Crumb</b></div>
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As you can see, there are all kinds of delights to be had in Canberra and it's surrounds. These are just a few of them. We had a really fantastic weekend trying some new places and soaking up the gorgeousness that is Canberra in Autumn.<br />
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In other Gourmet Goddess news, we are heading back to our beloved Tasmania in late June. After deciding that we were going to be sensible and save money by not heading over this year (we are currently saving furiously to buy a house there that will be a holiday place first, then eventually our full time home) I ended up winning two return flights to Hobart in a competition. So guess what? We're going. I take this as a sign from the universe that we were meant to visit after all. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Needless to say I will be writing all about it as I always do. Each time we visit we find great new places to eat and gorgeous new destinations and produce to share with you. Can you blame me for wanting to live there?<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-71712939609524366232014-05-10T12:32:00.002+10:002014-05-10T12:32:26.415+10:00Bookish Delights - Smoked Ocean Trout & Horseradish TartI am a member of a Bookclub made up of a group of literary minded mates who decided we would use our love of books and enjoyment of each other's company as an excuse to discover new things to read. It is also a great way to guarantee that we get together every couple of months. We also happen to be avid food lovers and good cooks, so Bookclub has also become a place to share great food. Even if the book turns out to be a dud, you know that the catering is going to be impeccable!<br />
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We found that often we were inspired by the books we were reading, cooking food related to the themes or settings. Sometimes, it is easy to come up with something relevant to the subject - other times, it is more of a challenge. Our latest book falls into the latter category. Our current Bookclub book is the magnificent Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent, telling the story of an accused murderess awaiting execution, set in harsh rural Iceland in 1830. The book actually talks quite a lot about the food that they ate back then - preserved whale blubber anyone? <br />
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There were also references to eating dried and preserved fish, which gave me the idea of what I would cook for today's Bookclub. Smoking fish is a very old preservation technique, and also happens to be delicious, so I made that the centrepiece of my dish. Even better was the fact that I happened to have some smoked ocean trout in the fridge (which I love having with poached eggs for a special weekend breakfast treat). I created this very simple to put together tart, with fresh herbs fro the garden, a silky cream cheese filling and the gorgeous bite of horseradish. You could use smoked salmon in place of the trout if you preferred.<br />
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I'm sure that folks in rural Iceland probably wouldn't be eating something so pretty and delicate looking - but the cheese, fish and herbs take some of the elements of what they would have eaten and make them fresh and modern. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Smoked Ocean Trout & Horseradish Tart</b></div>
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<b>You will need:</b> 1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry, 100g smoked ocean trout cut into strips, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 tablespoon horseradish cream, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 teaspoons washed and drained capers, 1/2 small red onion sliced very thinly, salt & pepper.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Preheat the oven to 200C.<br />
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Cut the pastry sheet in half. Lay one half on a baking tray lined with baking paper. With the other half, cut a border about 2cm thick the whole way around. When you remove the pastry in the middle and you will be left with a rectangular frame shape. Lay the frame on top of the pastry on the tray, press down gently. Use a fork to prick the middle of the pastry only, not the "frame". I gently score the frame with a knife on the edges for presentation - you can do this if you like.<br />
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Bake the pastry in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden. As it cooks, you will see the middle puff up - don't panic - you will press it down later when you add the topping of the tart. Once the tart is cooked, allow to cool completely before adding the filling.<br />
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Mix together the cream cheese, horseradish, half of the parsley, half of the chives and half of the capers. Season generously with salt and pepper.<br />
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Gently push down the pastry that has puffed up in the centre of the tart. If it is particularly puffy, you can also gently lift it out completely - it will still leave a layer of crispy pastry on the base.<br />
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Spread the cream cheese mixture over the tart base. Layer the finely sliced red onion and then arrange the strips of ocean trout on the top. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley, chives and capers. Add some cracked pepper and a little salt and serve.<br />
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Eat this tart cold or at room temperature.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-14063003989530461132014-04-18T12:39:00.002+10:002014-04-18T12:39:29.042+10:00Fluffy Easter PancakesSome of the fluffiest, nicest pancakes I've ever eaten are made with buttermilk. Buttermilk is the liquid that is left from churning butter or cream, and although you can buy buttermilk reasonably easily, it is not something that most people would have as a staple in the fridge. This means that if you decide to make buttermilk pancakes one morning, it is likely to involve a special trip to the shops to get it.<br />
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Today I'm sharing a recipe I use for pancakes that give the same result as the buttermilk kind, but is much less hassle to make - with a technique for lightly souring the milk to create a perfect substitute for the buttermilk. These pancakes are deliciously light and fluffy and not overly sweet. You can of course top them with anything you like, but today I have topped mine with mixed berries and maple syrup.<br />
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These pancakes make a perfect Easter brunch, or even a simple dessert served with yoghurt, ice cream or any manner of toppings that you can dream up. I have also made small pikelets from this mixture and topped them with jam and cream to make a sort of Devonshire Tea style treat.<br />
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However you adapt them to your taste, this recipe is a keeper, with great results every time. Maybe give it a try this Easter long weekend?<br />
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<b>Fluffy Buttermilk Style Pancakes</b></div>
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<b>With Berries and Maple Syrup</b></div>
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<b>You will need:</b> 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons white vinegar, 3 eggs, 2 cups Self Raising Flour, 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder, 2 cups mixed frozen berries, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, maple syrup to serve.<br />
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<b>Method:</b> Add the 2 teaspoons of vinegar to the milk, stir through and allow it to stand for a couple of minutes. This will lightly sour the milk.<br />
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Combine the berries and the sugar, microwave them for 1 minute and stir well. You could also do the berries in a small pan on the stove, but I find the microwave is quick and easy - and less cleaning up.<br />
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Whisk together the milk and the eggs. Add half of the flour and all of the baking powder to the mixture and whisk until smooth. Now add the remaining flour and whisk through, ensuring there are no lumps. If the mixture feels too thick, add a little extra plain milk. If it is too thin, add extra flour.<br />
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Allow the pancake batter to rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.<br />
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Cook the pancakes in a lightly greased or non stick pan. When bubbles appear on the surface, they are ready to turn over. The pan should be moderately hot - watch the temperature, as if the pan is too hot, the pancakes will be overcooked and dark on the outside and not cooked in the middle.<br />
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Serve the pancakes with the berries and maple syrup - or anything you fancy.<br />
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Makes 4 large or 8 medium sized pancakes.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-63159079880778860922014-04-06T09:56:00.004+10:002014-04-06T10:09:08.934+10:00Food Diary - Saturday Night Dinner at HomeThere are few things I enjoy more than catching up with friends at home over a good meal and a glass of wine. We were long overdue in catching up with our friend Kim (who actually only lives close by - isn't that always the way!) so last night we did something about that and invited him over for a moochy Saturday night dinner at home.<br />
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To start, I came up with a dish that is basically posh eggs on toast - a crunchy base of toasted rustic garlic rubbed bread, piled with Prosciutto, fresh greens, a soft poached free range egg - and finished off with luxurious black truffle butter sauce. The combination of the crunchy bread, velvety eggs, salty Prosciutto and fresh greens created a gorgeous contrast of textures - and that decadent black truffle butter sauce created an entree that was wickedly good.<br />
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<b> Soft Poached Egg on Garlic Toast</b></div>
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<b>With Prosciutto, Greens and Truffle Butter Sauce</b></div>
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I recently purchased a small bottle of Tetsuya's Black Truffle Salsa - which is designed to be used to create the famous truffle butter that he serves in his restaurant. I've been lucky enough to dine at Tetsuya's quite a few times now (in fact we are heading there in a couple of weeks for our wedding anniversary dinner) and the truffle butter is something we always look forward to. Lots of other people clearly think so too, so he now sells the base of it so that people can create their own. I decided to make up a batch of the butter and just warm it through, to create a luxurious sauce. The result was an eye rollingly delicious entree. <br />
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If you want to get your hands on some of Tetsuya's Black Truffle Salsa for yourself, you can find it in good gourmet stores, or online. If you are searching for it, it comes in a tiny jar that looks like this -<br />
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For the basis of main course, I chose something that I haven't cooked at home for ages - venison. Regular readers of Gourmet Goddess would know that I'm a big fan of game meat, and in the last week or so had been thinking that I wanted to get my hands on some venison to create a dish using Autumn produce. I used a beautiful piece of venison loin, which I marinated in olive oil, some garlic, a splash of raspberry vinegar, crushed juniper berries, pepper and allspice.<br />
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I then seared the meat in a very hot pan and transferred it to a 200C oven to cook for 10 minutes. After resting the meat, I carved it and served it with a rich, velvety puree of cauliflower and potato (I used the Dutch Cream variety), roasted beetroot ( which I cut into uniform circles with a cookie cutter, to improve the presentation), toasted hazelnuts, beetroot leaves and a jus that I made from beef stock and Pinot Noir jelly (similar to redcurrant jelly, but made with Pinot grapes) and flavoured with bay leaves from my garden. Yum.<br />
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<b>Loin of Venison with Cauliflower & Potato Puree, </b></div>
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<b>Roasted Beetroot, Hazelnut and Pinot Noir Jus</b></div>
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Venison is a fantastic flavoursome and super lean meat that is not hard to cook with, as long as you choose the right cut for the kind of dish you are making. I chose the loin of the venison, which is cooked for a short time and served medium rare, to rare. The only real thing that you really need to watch for is overcooking. It isn't a meat that is really suited for people who like their meat well done, so if you are making it at home, know your diner's preference. Cooking venison to a well done order will just result in a grey, tough piece of meat. A waste of really excellent produce.<br />
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I decided not to make a dessert and to serve a selection of cheeses, fresh pear and some quince paste - but after what was a rich entree and main, we decided that we were all satisfied, and that a cheese plate would just be overkill. The cheese platter might end up being Sunday lunch.<br />
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If you like game but have never had a go at cooking venison at home, I really encourage you to give it a try. It isn't hard and makes a great key ingredient for a special meal, whether you are sharing it with guests or not.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-38758625161496608662014-04-03T19:04:00.002+11:002014-04-03T19:13:24.564+11:00Simply Delicious - Pea and Pancetta LinguineTonight's recipe ticks all the boxes for a fast, simple and delicious meal that you can knock up when you get home from work - but is nice enough to quite happily serve to guests as a great no drama dinner party dish. It uses very few ingredients, and doesn't require a lot of kitchen skill - but really delivers on taste.<br />
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We love this dish in our house and it is a real favourite. A simple combination of salty, punchy tasting Pancetta (salt cured and spiced pork belly) and the sweet peas are just gorgeous. I only use a small amount of Pancetta (200g) as it's richness is more than enough to carry through the pasta. The sauce is created by simply stirring the Pancetta, peas and Parmesan/egg mixture through the hot, freshly cooked pasta. Talk about low maintenance!<br />
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I made this whole dish tonight in well under 30 minutes. It is not a do ahead kind of thing - it needs to be cooked and served right away. So, gather everyone around the table, get the pasta pot boiling and enjoy this Gourmet Goddess favourite.<br />
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We are now in Autumn here in Australia, and it is my favorite time of the year. I love the cooler days, all the nature colours around us, and the lovely Autumn produce. Check out my "What's in Season" section to get some inspiration and to see what is at it's best right now. Even better, head out to your nearest farmers market if you have one close by, and check out what you can find - as well as top notch, seasonal produce, you also get the pleasure of dealing with the folks who actually grow the food.<br />
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Autumn is also the time I start to plant vegetables for harvesting in the winter. I've been a bit slack and have not been out in the garden to do this yet, or even actually decided on what I will plant this time around. I plan to get organised and make this all happen in the next couple of weeks. There is so much pleasure in growing your own food, regardless of whether you have a big kitchen garden - or like mine, just a collection of pots, hanging planters and odd bits and pieces in my little inner city patch of green.<br />
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Until next time - live and eat well!<br />
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<b>Pea and Pancetta Linguine</b></div>
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<b>You will need: </b>200g piece of Pancetta diced into cubes, 1 small finely chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 1/2 cups cooked peas, 4 eggs, 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, 250g linguine (or spaghetti.)<br />
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<i>Note: If you cannot buy Pancetta, you can substitute Speck, Prosciutto - or even good bacon.</i><br />
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<b>Method: </b>Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the onion. Cook for a few minutes until it starts to become translucent. Add the Pancetta and cook until the it begins to get crisp at the edges. Add the garlic and the peas, toss through for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.<br />
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Put a large pot of well salted water on the stove to boil. While that is happening, whisk together the eggs and Parmesan. Season generously with salt and pepper.<br />
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Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Working quickly, drain the pasta and return it to the original pot. Add the egg mixture and the peas and Pancetta and stir it all together thoroughly. As you stir, the egg will cook, creating a fine coating on the pasta. The heat of the pasta will do this, and you should not need to return it to the heat. It will take about 5 minutes.<br />
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Serve right away with cracked pepper and a little more Parmesan.<br />
Makes 2 generous mains or 4 entree sized serves.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-55195153394663389682014-02-16T17:19:00.005+11:002014-02-19T14:49:18.947+11:00Melting MomentsFrom a really young age I always loved being in the kitchen and this was where my lifelong love of food and cooking began - watching my mum cook and picking up basic skills that I built on as I got older. There were surprisingly few cooking disasters along the way (the notable exception being a misguided attempt to make honeycomb which resulted in the totally trashed, burnt saucepan being buried in our back yard in suburban Perth to hide the evidence. It's probably still there!)<br />
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Today's recipe goes way back to my childhood and early cooking days - and is one of the first things that I remember making all by myself. Andrew has been asking me to make biscuits for him to take to work this week, so I thought I would dig in to my childhood repertoire and make a batch of Melting Moments.<br />
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These biscuits are simple to make, but require a light touch. The mixture is super soft, but cooks to a gorgeous, melt in your mouth consistency once cooled. I played around a little with the the filling - normally I would just make a basic icing with lemon juice and icing sugar - but I had some lemon curd in the pantry, which I added along with lemon rind and some fresh lemon juice. The result was a lovely tangy filling with a much richer depth of flavour than the standard one. Passionfruit is also great as a filling flavouring if you have any. My recipe makes 12 generous sized Melting Moments - but you could make little bite size versions if you wanted something a bit more dainty. Here is what mine looked like -<br />
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<b>Melting Moments</b></div>
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<b>With Lemon Curd Icing Filling</b></div>
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In other news, regular readers might have noticed my new blog header banner at the top of the page. I had been thinking about refreshing the design for a while, when out of the blue my gorgeous and highly talented artist and designer friend Blair Parkinson sent through a new design he had been working on to get my feedback. Well of course I absolutely loved it, and it now holds pride of place here at Gourmet Goddess. Blair specialises in Opera design, as well as having a considerable portfolio of evocative and beautiful original works, many based on ancient mythology. As if that wasn't enough, he also offers a design service. He really is a man of many talents. His work is available for sale and he also takes commissions, so check out his website for more - <a href="http://www.blairparkinson.com/">http://www.blairparkinson.com/</a><br />
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It's struck me that I've been posting a lot of sweet things in the past few months, so I'm hoping to balance things with some more savoury dishes very soon. We are nearing the end of Summer here in Australia, so we will be seeing a change in the produce available too - always great inspiration for new dishes. In the meantime, enjoy these delicious Melting Moments....<br />
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<b><u>Melting Moments</u></b><br />
<b>You will need: </b><br />
For the biscuits: 250g butter, 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. 2 cups plain flour, 1/3 cup cornflour.<br />
For the filling: 3 Cups Icing Sugar, Rind of 1 lemon finely grated, 3 tablespoons lemon curd, Juice of 1 lemon.<br />
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<b>Method: </b><br />
Preheat the oven to 160C. Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicone baking mats.<br />
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Beat together the softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla until light and pale. Fold in the plain flour and cornflour to make a super soft dough.<br />
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With floured hands, lightly roll the dough into balls and place on the baking trays, leaving at least a couple of finger widths of space between them. With a floured fork, gently press the balls down to form disc shapes.<br />
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Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays completely before filling them.<br />
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To make the filling, mix the icing sugar, lemon curd and rind well. A teaspoon full at a time, add the lemon juice until the mixture forms a firm icing (you may not use all of the lemon juice, that's ok)<br />
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Put a spoonful of the filling onto half of the biscuits and put the remaining biscuits on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to set.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-3355830189219771142014-01-24T11:13:00.002+11:002014-01-24T11:13:31.506+11:00Too Many Plums!<span class="element">Well, I got a little over enthusiastic at our local growers market last weekend and came home with a very large bag of sweet, dark plums. Although I've eaten them with my lunch every day for the last week, today I found myself with a fruit bowl full of them, that were super ripe and needing to be eaten pretty much right away. The thought of eating 8 plums today was rather daunting so I decided to come up with a more creative way to use them.</span><br />
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What I came up with is a golden plum cake, that would be lovely for morning tea - or even served warm as a pudding with some cream or custard. I used the same concept as an upside down cake, laying some of the plums on the bottom of the cake tin, so that when you turn the cake out to cool, you get the effect of the gorgeous ruby colour. I also chose to bake the plums with a little sugar first, instead of just chopping them up and adding them to the cake batter. What this does is to intensify the flavour and also the colour of the plums.<br />
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I think this cake would work really well with any stone fruit - peaches, apricots or nectarines - or even with mangoes. Just see what you have in your fruit bowl if you don't happen to have plums.<br />
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<span class="element"><strong>Golden Plum Cake</strong></span></div>
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<span class="element"><strong>You will need:</strong> 8 medium sized plums, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, 250g butter, softened, </span><span class="element">1 cup caster sugar, </span><span class="element">2 teaspoons vanilla extract, </span><span class="element">3 eggs, </span><span class="element">2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, </span><span class="element">2/3 cup milk.</span><br />
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<span class="element"><strong>Method:</strong> Heat the oven to 200C.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Remove the seeds from the plums and cut them roughly into quarters. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the plums on the tray. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons caster sugar over the plums and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the plums from the oven and allow to cool a little.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Gently spoon the plums into a bowl, trying not to break them up too much. I use a slotted spoon for this, as it helps the extra moisture drain away - you don't want too much of the plum juice in the cake, just the cooked flesh. Set the plums aside.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Reduce the oven to 180C. Grease a cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Using an electric beater, cream together the butter, caster sugar and vanilla until it becomes fluffy and a little lighter in colour.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Add the eggs one by one and beat till all combined. Now stir in half the flour and half the milk (a spatula is good for this) Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Take the plums and place a few of them on the base of your cake tin - this will end up being the top of the cake and the "presentation" side. Now gently fold the remaining plums through the cake mixture.</span><br />
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<span class="element">Pour the mixture into the cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (this will depend on your oven, so just keep an eye on it) It will be cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. </span><br />
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<span class="element">Turn out onto a wire rack and gently peel away the baking paper. Allow the cake to cool and serve as it is - or with whipped cream, ice cream or custard.</span><br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-91174135713791518252013-12-29T15:58:00.001+11:002013-12-29T16:20:15.416+11:00Festive Season Food DiaryI'm always a bit bemused about the Christmas/Festive Season hysteria. And yes, it really is hysteria. Why people blindly buy in to it and put themselves through the ringer about this time of the year I just don't know. In our household we take a very laid back approach to the whole thing. For us, it's less about parting with large amounts of cash to buy "stuff" most people don't want, or putting pressure on yourself to cook what all the glossy mags or smug TV chefs tell you that you should be cooking - and more about having much valued time off work and enjoying each other's company. Usually we bypass the traditional Christmas palaver altogether, by heading off on our own somewhere quiet, and staying there till new year. The downside to this of course is that it tends to be expensive staying anywhere in December, and as we are currently in saving money mode, (to buy our longed for plot of nature in Tasmania) we stayed home this time around.<br />
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Instead, we headed up to the NSW Central Coast to enjoy a laid back Christmas Day with my in laws, Kate and Peter. I volunteered to cook the four of us Christmas lunch, and thought that I would take a "mystery box" approach to the cooking, bringing with us a selection of seasonal ingredients that I liked, and then making up a menu pretty much on the day. Until Christmas morning I wasn't 100% sure what I was cooking - I had a few ideas in my head - but I just ended up cooking according to the ingredients and my mood. The exception to this was the dessert, which I did make the day ahead. Having one of the courses already sorted made the rest quite easy. Only cooking for four people also helped a lot too of course, and I could focus on quality over quantity. <br />
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Kate had requested a fairly light menu, so I thought that seafood and a fruit based dessert were obvious choices. We have recently returned from Western Australia, and thanks to my Mum's boyfriend John, had been given some beautiful W.A Rock Lobsters that he had caught for us. These became the basis of the main course. We grabbed some fresh local prawns on Christmas eve from the local fish lady at Ettalong Beach, and along with an esky full of bits and pieces - and what was growing in Kate's garden, created our lunch menu.<br />
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First up was a bit of a take on the Prawn Cocktail, but with a salsa of home grown tomatoes, avocado, lime, chilli and herbs from the garden. As I was preparing this, I noticed a leftover bread roll from lunch the day before in the bread basket. I turned this into crispy, oven baked parmesan toast to serve on the side. It was tasty and gave a nice crunchy textural element to the entrée. I served the cocktails in insulated coffee glasses that I found in the cupboard. Great to keep the cocktails nice and cold.<br />
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<strong>Prawn Cocktail with Avocado Salsa</strong></div>
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<strong>and Crispy Parmesan Toasts</strong></div>
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Main course was based around that gorgeous W.A lobster. I didn't want to mess with it too much, so just sautéed it gently with a little butter, a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper and a small squeeze of lemon. I served this with grilled asparagus, a super velvety cauliflower puree spiked with a little cream, and Red Oak and Sorrel micro herbs. I drizzled the pan juices over the lobster just before serving. It was really delicious and a big hit with the family.<br />
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<strong>Sauteed W.A Lobster</strong></div>
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<strong>with Cauliflower Puree, Asparagus and Micro Herbs</strong></div>
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My do ahead dessert was based on mangoes and passionfruit, which are great at the moment. I made a passionfruit and mango mousse and layered it in a big bowl, with fresh mango and Savoiardi sponge fingers soaked in Limoncello (from New Zealand, that I had picked up at the Sydney Food and Wine Show last year.) I served the dessert with some fresh cherries and raspberries for a bit of a festive touch.<br />
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<strong>Mango and Passionfruit Mousse</strong></div>
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<strong>with Italian Sponge and Limoncello</strong></div>
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So that was Christmas day. Two days later, we ended up having what looked a <em>lot</em> like a traditional Christmas dinner when I decided to cook some free range, organic turkey breast that we had bought from our favourite meat supplier, Feather and Bone. I stuffed the turkey breast with some left over zucchini and parmesan stuffing I had in the freezer (I always do a big batch of stuffing when I make it and freeze some. Really worth doing, and it freezes very well) Served it with all the trimmings - vegetables, cauliflower and broccoli gratin and gravy - and also invited friends over to share it with us. It was really delicious and made us all ponder why we don't eat turkey more often.</div>
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<strong> Stuffed Turkey Breast </strong></div>
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<strong>with all the trimmings</strong></div>
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Andrew has been asking me for what feels like forever (years!) to a make pavlova, so I thought I would finally give it a try. I was a bit unsure about it, so consulted Stephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion" (aka "The Bible") to find out what to do. I was really thrilled with the result - crispy on the outside, marshmallow on the inside, just as it should be. Stephanie rules. I topped the pavlova with a vanilla cream, and more mangoes and passionfruit.</div>
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<strong>Stephanie Alexander's Classic Pavlova</strong></div>
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Only down side to my pavlova success is that now I think I am going to have to add it to the regular cooking repertoire. Andrew loved it. I have an idea to do one with a salted caramel and fresh fig topping at some stage.<br />
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<strong>Ready to eat - Summer Pavlova</strong></div>
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Now, I <em>really</em> hate wasting food, and I am the queen of recycling ingredients and turning leftovers into another meal. After our turkey dinner, we had turkey and some of the cauliflower and broccoli gratin left, so I turned it into brunch the next day - made into fritters with the addition of sweet corn and herbs from the garden. Served with a quick tomato salsa and a spoon full of light sour cream, it made a lovely tasty summer dish.<br />
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<strong>Turkey and Corn Fritters</strong></div>
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<strong>with Tomato Salsa</strong></div>
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So that is what I have been cooking and eating over the festive season. There is a whole lot of really wonderful produce in season at the moment, and I would encourage you all to enjoy it while you can. The season will be over before you know it. My favourites are stone fruit, berries, cherries, mangoes and fresh pineapple - and seafood of course.<br />
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New Year's Eve is only a few days away, and we have a tradition of ringing in the new year by having dinner at Restaurant Atelier, our favourite local eatery and an exceptional place to dine. This year will be a little sad as the evening of 31 December will be their last service ever, after over a decade of consistently serving magnificent food and wine. This restaurant is very special to us, as they have shared in so many celebrations and great meals - we even visited on the night before we were married. We will be sitting at our favourite table on New Year's Eve and raising a toast to Chef Darren Templeman and his wife, Maitre d' and Sommelier extraordinaire Bernadette in gratitude for the amazing meals and evenings we have spent at Atelier. They will be sorely missed. Word is, they may be heading south to Melbourne. Lucky Melbourne!<br />
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I wish all of my Gourmet Goddess readers a very happy, healthy and delicious 2014. May it bring you all of the good things.<br />
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<strong>Me, enjoying a swim in the rain on Christmas Day,</strong></div>
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<strong> while everyone else was having a nap</strong></div>
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-37371769276455351312013-11-30T18:29:00.002+11:002013-11-30T18:31:37.644+11:00Lovely Lemon LusciousnessToday I decided to go really old school and bake a very simple, traditional recipe that is not only absolutely delicious, but is also super economical to make. If you or a neighbour has a lemon tree, and you can score some free lemons, it will be even <em>more </em>economical. My old fashioned lemon bars only use a few basic ingredients - but the result is a moist, sweet and tangy treat perfect for afternoon tea, or served with a scoop of ice cream or freshly whipped cream for a lovely dessert.<br />
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A luscious sweet treat deserves a pretty plate I say, so I served them on one of my favourite plates - a lovely green and white vintage number - one of a pair that I found in a flea market in Paris. I was on my honeymoon when I found them and every time I use those plates I get all nostalgic thinking of walking the streets of that gorgeous city - and the brilliant time we had. These are my instant feel good plates!<br />
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So give these beautiful old fashioned lemon bars a try - and I warn you, they are extremely moreish.<br />
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<strong>Old Fashioned Lemon Bars</strong></div>
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<strong>You will need:</strong> <br />
<em>For the base:</em> 150g soft butter, 1& 1/2 cups plain flour, 4 eggs, Juice and rind of 2 lemons, 1 & 1/2 cups caster sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt.<br />
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<em>For the topping:</em> 2 cups icing sugar, Juice and rind of 1 lemon.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a shallow brownie/slice tin with baking paper.<br />
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Beat together the flour, sugar, salt and butter. <br />
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In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest.<br />
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat for about 2 minutes. Pour into the lined tin. <em>Note:</em> The mixture will not really rise, so don't choose a tin that is too large, otherwise your lemon bars will be flat as a pancake.<br />
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Bake for about 30 minutes. Test with a skewer in the centre of the mixture. If it comes out clean, it's cooked. <br />
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. <br />
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To make the glaze/topping, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice (add more icing sugar or water to make a spreadable consistency if you need to)<br />
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Spread the topping evenly over the lemon base, sprinkle the lemon rind over the top. Allow for the topping to set and cut into squares or bars.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-36869473391204586922013-11-23T18:09:00.002+11:002013-11-23T19:18:01.009+11:00Pumpkin Pie - Danish/Scottish/Australian Style!Today's dish has had an interesting journey to get to you - from Denmark - via Scotland, via Australia. The original recipe was passed on to me from my sister, who lives in the Highlands of Scotland. Where she is in the Northern Hemisphere, they have recently celebrated the old festival of Samhain, a celebration marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter on October 31. This old Pagan festival has morphed into what is celebrated around the world in modern times as Halloween. Foods of the harvest are traditionally shared at this time of the year, with pumpkin being a very common ingredient to go into Samhain celebration dishes.<br />
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Andrew has been asking me to make a pumpkin pie for a while, and so when my sister sent me a Danish pumpkin pie recipe this week that she had made and recommended - <em>and</em> we had a glut of pumpkin at our house - I thought it was a great time to give it a try. I made a few changes to the original recipe, omitting the brandy (not being brandy drinkers, we didn't have any in the house so I just left it out), tweaking the dairy and spice component and adding vanilla, as well as a pecan/hazelnut pastry base.<br />
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You could easily use store bought plain shortcrust pastry for this recipe if you wanted to simplify the preparation, but if you have time, the nutty base is really delicious and adds another taste and texture element to the dish. I used a mixture of ground hazelnut and pecans - just because I had them in the pantry. I blitzed the nuts in the food processor until they were blended finely. You could use almond meal too if you liked.<br />
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<strong>Pumpkin Pie</strong></div>
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<strong>with Hazelnut & Pecan Pastry</strong></div>
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The pumpkin pie is rich, so I served it in quite small slices, dusted with a little icing sugar and eaten with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, a few walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. It would also be great with some thick cream on the side, dusted with some praline.<br />
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The very warm, spicy aroma of this dish remind me very much of traditional Christmas flavours. The pumpkin pie would be a great addition to a Christmas dinner - or if you are in the States, Thanksgiving. Although the flavours are rich, the texture is light, so it gives you lots of taste without heaviness. You could also do little individual tarts which would look fantastic.<br />
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Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween or Samhain - or even if you are not - this is a delicious dish to serve and share.<br />
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<strong>Pumpkin Pie</strong></div>
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<strong>served with walnuts & maple syrup</strong></div>
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<strong>You will need:</strong><br />
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<em>For the pastry -</em> 2 1/2 cups plain flour, 1/3 cup caster sugar, 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts, 1/2 cup ground pecans, 175g chilled butter, 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons iced water.<br />
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<em>For the filling -</em> 500g peeled pumpkin, 175g brown sugar, 4 eggs, 2 cups cream, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
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Chop the pumpkin into cubes and steam until very soft (I do this by putting the cubes of pumpkin on a large flat plate, covering with plastic wrap and cooking on high in the microwave for about 6 minutes - you do not need to add any water at all) Place the cooked pumpkin in a strainer for at least 30 minutes and allow the excess moisture to drain away.<br />
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In the meantime, make the pastry. Place the flour, sugar, nuts and butter in a food processor and blend until just combined.<br />
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Whisk together the egg yolks and cold water. Add to the flour mixture and process until it mixes and then forms a large ball of dough. Do not over process your mixture.<br />
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Turn the ball of dough onto a floured board and knead gently until the dough holds together well. Shape into a rough disc shape, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.<br />
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Once the pastry has rested, roll the pastry flat and line a pie dish. Bake at 180C for about 15 minutes.<br />
Remove from the oven and set aside.<br />
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To make the filling, put the pumpkin and all of the other filling ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. The consistency will be quite runny - don't be concerned - it will firm up during the cooking process.<br />
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Pour the filling into the pastry case.<br />
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Bake the pie at 180C for about 1 1/4 hours. Allow to cool before dusting with icing sugar. I serve mine with walnuts, a drizzle of maple syrup and a scoop of cream or ice cream.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-26783957683798425372013-11-17T20:04:00.001+11:002013-11-17T20:09:05.493+11:00Sunday Night CapersIt's been raining like crazy all day today, so it has been spent cosying up indoors, listening to the rain on the roof and enjoying a luxurious lazy Sunday afternoon. As dinnertime approached, I wanted something tasty robust tasting and comforting - but that didn't require slow cooking or lots of fuss. This dish of pan fried pork cutlet with a zingy and delicious lemon caper sauce fit the bill perfectly, especially when served with some creamy mash and beautiful seasonal asparagus. It was quick to put together, but didn't scrimp on flavour or the comfort food factor.<br />
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Andrew reminded me this week that the very first meal I ever cooked him at home was pork cutlets with caper sauce and how much he enjoyed it. I haven't really made it since, which is surprising, as this classic sauce is so simple to do and it tastes delicious. It adds a special element to an otherwise quite simple meal - and you can even make up the butter and freeze it so you have it on hand whenever you feel like it - really worth doing.<br />
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This butter based sauce works beautifully with rich meat such as pork, or if you like seafood, salmon steaks or any robust, firm fleshed fish. The acidity and saltiness of the capers, lemon and a touch of anchovy cuts through the richness of the meat, giving a lovely vibrancy to the dish. This is so easy, it barely warrants being called a recipe! Give it a try.<br />
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<strong>Pan fried pork cutlet</strong></div>
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<strong>with lemon & caper sauce</strong></div>
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<strong>You will need:</strong> <br />
1-2 pork cutlets per person, 3 tablespoons butter,1 clove finely chopped or crushed garlic, 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons finely chopped capers (I use the baby ones), 2 anchovies chopped and mashed, 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, pinch of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
Combine all ingredients except the pork in a small saucepan. Set aside.<br />
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Season the pork. Pan fry or BBQ the pork until cooked as desired. I like it to retain a touch of pinkness in the middle, so it stays succulent. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes.<br />
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While the pork is resting, heat the butter in a small saucepan until it melts. Add any of the meat juices from the rested cutlets. Drizzle the butter over the pork just prior to serving (or serve in a small bowl so people can dish up their own sauce)<br />
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This dish is delicious with a creamy potato mash and a fresh green vegetable such as asparagus, green beans or broccoli.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-80055161667564312452013-11-08T10:23:00.000+11:002013-11-08T10:23:37.548+11:00Fast & Fresh FridayIt's Friday, it's been a long week and you want something quick, simple and delicious to serve for dinner, right? Well look no further than this packed with flavour dish of Peri-Peri prawns, served with a quick to put together Chimichurri sauce. I cooked mine on the BBQ - which I think gives the prawns that great, charred BBQ taste - but of course you can do this on a grill pan on the stove if you like. Have the BBQ/pan very hot - you want the prawns to cook fast so they are nice and caramelised on the outside, whilst still remaining succulent and sweet inside. <br />
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Only choose the freshest prawns - and avoid the imported ones that are flooding our seafood market. If they have travelled a long way to get to your plate, they are unlikely to be a high quality product. A good fishmonger should have all of their seafood clearly labelled and be able to tell you where their seafood comes from - and if they don't, find another fishmonger!<br />
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If prawns aren't your thing, this dish would work beautifully with squid, or any firm fleshed fish too - even a combo would make a great seafood platter. The Chimichurri sauce can also be easily adapted to your taste - feel free to amp up the chilli component if you like it extra spicy, or adjust the vinegar/oil component to suit you. As with all cooking, the golden rule is to taste as you go, and tweak the flavours until you are satisfied with the result.<br />
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The basic Chimichurri sauce I have included here is a good one to have up your sleeve, as it works with pretty much any kind of meat or seafood you can think off - particularly the BBQ kind. For vegetarians, it is delicious on grilled eggplant, zucchini or pumpkin. It keeps in the fridge for a few weeks too, so make a big batch during BBQ season so you can have it on hand and ready to serve. <br />
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<strong>Peri-Peri Prawns</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>with Chimichurri</strong></div>
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<strong>You will need:</strong><em> </em><br />
<em>For the prawns: </em> About 1kg fresh king prawns in the shell, 1 tablespoon fresh paprika, 1 teaspoon minced chilli (more if you like it spicy), 1 cloves minced or finely chopped garlic,1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons warm water.<br />
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<em>For the Chimichurri:</em> 200ml olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 100ml white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced chilli (or more if you like it spicy), 1 cup flat leaf parsley, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt to season, a little warm water.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong><br />
First, make the Chimichurri - put all of the ingredients in a food processor and process for a few seconds until combined. It the mixture is not liquid enough, add a small amount of warm water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.<br />
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Remove the shells from the prawns, leaving the tail and the head intact (I do this, as it adds to the flavour and also looks better for presentation - but if you are really in a rush, just remove the whole shell & head) Remove the digestive tract by making a small incision by the head and using a skewer to pull it out. Set the prawns aside.<br />
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In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients for the prawns - paprika, chilli, garlic, salt, olive oil and warm water. mix together and then pour over the prawns. Gently combine the prawns with the marinade, mixing well. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour. (you can do this overnight if you prefer)<br />
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Cook the prawns on a hot BBQ or grill pan, taking care not to overcook them. Serve with the Chimichurri and crusty bread.<br />
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Serves 2-4 people<br />
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******</div>
Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-37929700027108717682013-11-01T16:39:00.001+11:002013-11-01T16:39:07.744+11:00Hazelnut Meringue-A-RamaWhilst sweet things are not generally my favourite dishes to cook or to eat, I do admit that I love anything remotely meringue-like. Whether they are crispy or mallow-ish, creamy like the Italian style meringue, bite size or king size, I love them. I will say no to cake, but always say yes to pavlova, or pretty meringues in a cake shop window. Today I had a day off and thought I would have a go at making a hazelnut meringue, which is my absolute favourite kind.<br />
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The nuts add a great texture dimension, as well as that heavenly hazelnut taste. You could make individual meringues, but today I went with a large round one, which I decided to serve with Chantilly cream and fresh strawberries, which are in season now and are particularly good. I confess that I cracked the meringue a bit when getting it from the tray to the serving dish, but the beauty of this sort of dish is that you can hide any cracks under a delicious topping. No dramas. <br />
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The Chantilly cream is very easy to make, (you could add some cocoa to it if you wanted a chocolate cream) but I <em>beg</em> you not to use that awful fake vanilla essence in this recipe - or any other for that matter. Invest in proper vanilla extract - it is worth the few extra dollars I promise. Fake vanilla essence is the work of Satan and has no place in the kitchen, except for cleaning the inside of your fridge with.<br />
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Although this dish needs over an hour in the oven, it is actually quite simple, so worth giving a go - even if like me , you aren't really the baking type. You could get really creative with the toppings too - roasted nuts, shaved chocolate, different kinds of seasonal fruit. Drizzling it with raspberry or chocolate sauce would be lovely too. You could also shape the meringue to be taller than mine, if you wanted it to be more pavlova like.<br />
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Bon Appetit!<br />
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<strong>Hazelnut Meringue </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>with Chantilly Cream & Strawberries</strong></div>
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<strong></strong><br />
<strong>You will need:</strong> 4 free range egg whites, 1 cup caster sugar, 1 cup ground hazelnuts, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 2 teaspoons cornflour, 300ml whipping cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons icing sugar, 1 punnet strawberries.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> Preheat the oven to 120C. Line an oven or pizza tray with baking paper.<br />
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In a very clean, dry, metal or ceramic bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon full at a time and continue to beat until all combined. Add the cornflour and vinegar until mixed through.<br />
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Gently fold in the hazelnuts until evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to the baking tray and using a spoon or spatula, form the meringue to the desired shape. I build up the sides a little for presentation purposes and for ease of serving later.<br />
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Wipe any excess off the baking paper. Bake meringue for 1 hour and 15 minutes. When it is done, turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cool there, without removing it. You can leave the oven door slightly ajar to speed up the process a bit.<br />
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In a bowl, combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat together until firm enough to spread. Use this to top the cooled meringue. Finish with the strawberries and serve.<br />
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Serves 6-8 people<br />
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*******</div>
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-36008314883720647222013-10-27T16:10:00.000+11:002013-10-27T16:10:01.049+11:00Purple Power! Beetroot & Apple RelishI LOVE beetroot. As well as the gorgeous earthy, sweet flavour I also love the amazing purple colour that looks so fantastic on a plate. This weekend I found myself with 2 bunches of beetroot in the fridge that I hadn't got around to cooking yet and that really needed to be put to use (they were also taking up heaps of crisper space!) so I thought that I would make my own beetroot relish. I happened to have a few really nice organic apples in the fruit bowl as well, so I thought I would put the two together with onions and some spices and see what I could come up with. It was all a bit of an experiment, but the result was so good that I thought I would share it with you all.<br />
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Unlike most relishes that are made completely on the stovetop, I did mine mainly in the oven. The reason for this, is that roasting the onions, apples and beetroot will give you a much richer, more complex flavour, as well as caramelising all of the natural sugars found in the ingredients. The resulting relish is quite thick, instead of the thinner, vinegar based relishes that you might be used to. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Mmmmm....Beets!</span></strong></div>
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This relish is beautiful with grilled or roasted red meat, perfect for homemade hamburgers or to enjoy with all kinds of cheese - it is especially good with a sharp cheddar or a tangy, creamy goat cheese. You could also eat it with fresh carrots or radishes as a dip. The other great thing about this tasty purple concoction is that it makes a really excellent edible gift for food loving friends. Just fill up a jar with the relish (gives you a perfect chance to recycle any jars you have lying around in the cupboard) add a cool, homemade label and a gift tag and there you go - a delicious, inexpensive and handmade gift.<br />
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<strong>Beetroot and Apple Relish</strong></div>
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As well as tasting great, you also have the added health bonus of beetroot being ridiculously good for you. It is a powerful antioxidant, choc full of potassium, magnesium, iron, folic acid, vitamin A,C and B6. It is great for lowering cholesterol, stabilises blood sugar and is excellent for fatigue. Lots of good reasons to eat it regularly. Beetroot is currently in season, so it is at it's best right now. What are you waiting for? Embrace purple power.<br />
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<strong>You will need:</strong> 8 large raw beetroot, 3 large red onions, 3 large apples, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 heaped tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, salt, pepper.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> Chop the leafy tops off the beetroot and place the beets in a pot of plain water, ensuring they are covered. Bring them to the boil and allow them to simmer for about 20 minutes.<br />
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Drain off all the water and run the beets under cold water. When they are cool enough to touch, rub off the outside skin and stalks with your hands. Doing this in a bowl of cold water makes this process easier, and also stops your hands from getting too stained with beetroot juice. Chop each beet into 4-6 pieces. Put the beetroot aside. <br />
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Roughly chop the onions and the apples (you can leave the skin on the apples, but remove the cores) Peel the garlic cloves and cut them in half.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 200C<br />
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In a baking paper lined baking dish, combine the beets, onions and all of the other ingredients. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly (clean hands are best for this)<br />
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Bake the mixture in the oven for an hour, stirring it a couple of times during cooking. When done, allow the ingredients to cool.<br />
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In a food processor, blend the mixture into a consistency you are happy with. You could make it super smooth, almost like a sauce or a little more rustic, which is how I like it. If the relish is a little too stiff, simply add small amounts of warm water. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if required.<br />
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Decant the relish into clean, well sealed jars or an airtight container. Store in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.<br />
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*******</div>
<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-20317389502901155172013-10-20T11:36:00.002+11:002013-10-20T11:36:10.643+11:00Sunday Brunch - Pumpkin & Feta MuffinsMorning everyone. I've been out in the garden bright and early this gorgeous Sunday morning tending to my tomato plants - which in time I hope are going to deliver crops of delicious, home grown tomatoes. I didn't have a lot of luck with them last year - they were sad and scraggy looking, and I lost some to a leaf spot thing that attacks the plants and makes the fruit drop. However this year I decided I would read up about tomato growing in my area, to educate myself on what will make happy plants and lots of fruit. I also decided on four very different varieties (two of them heirloom) as a bit of an experiment to see which ones like my backyard. So far they are all going beautifully, looking strong and healthy and already sporting plenty of flowers that will turn into fruit. This morning they got a good watering and a dose of potash, which they seem to love. Fingers crossed I will have some great tomatoes to show you and to eat very soon. The bees are also loving the new flowers, and anything that brings them into the garden is a good thing.<br />
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So, as I was out pottering in the garden, I was thinking about what to make for Sunday breakfast/brunch. I noticed that my herbs were looking particularly lush, so I decided whatever it was, it had to include a handful of fresh herbs. I always like to use what I have on hand, so I checked out the fridge to see what might give me some ideas for this morning's breakfast. Today's inspiration was - pumpkin, feta cheese and natural yoghurt. I decided to bake a batch of savoury muffins, full of the sweetness of pumpkin, the tang of the yoghurt and cheese and the freshness of herbs just picked from the garden.<br />
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As well as a great breakfast idea, these would also be ideal picnic food, or as an accompaniment for a bowl of soup or a salad anytime. These also freeze well, so it would be worth making a couple of batches and keeping some for whenever you fancy something savoury and delicious. As with most of my recipes, you can tailor make these muffins to include whatever flavours you like, or what you have on hand - olives, spring onion, corn kernels, extra cooked vegetables or whatever herbs you have in the garden - the basic recipe will work regardless. These muffins are lovely and moist, as well as being packed with flavour. You can eat them warm or cold, with or without a little butter. Personally, I think they are delicious warm, without anything at all! <br />
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<strong>Pumpkin and Feta Muffins</strong></div>
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<strong>You will need:</strong> 3 cups raw pumpkin cut into small cubes, 1 diced Spanish onion, Splash of olive oil, 2 cups self raising flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1/2 cup unsweetened natural yoghurt, 1/2 cup milk, 2 free range eggs, Pinch of cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (I used a combination of thyme, parsley and chives), 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, salt and pepper.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> Preheat the oven to 200C.<br />
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Combine the pumpkin, onion, a splash of olive oil and a very generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Mix together until well coated. Bake on a tray (I line mine with baking paper for easy clean up) for about 25-30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Set aside to cool.<br />
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In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, yoghurt, cayenne and oil. Whisk together thoroughly.<br />
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In another large bowl, put the flour, both the cheeses, herbs and pumpkin/onion mixture. Season well with salt and pepper. Using your hands, very gently combine these ingredients - you don't want to smash up the soft components too much, but you want to ensure that they are evenly combined.<br />
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Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture until just combined. Remember the golden rule with muffins - don't over mix. The mixture should just barely hold together.<br />
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Spoon into a greased or oiled muffin pan and sprinkle with the poppy seeds.<br />
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Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to sit in the pan for a few minutes, before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold.<br />
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Makes 12 regular sized muffins.<br />
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*******</div>
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-54823125408408469292013-10-11T16:14:00.000+11:002013-10-11T16:14:16.312+11:00Spring Salmon - Gourmet Goddess Returns
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it’s been a while but I’m back in the kitchen after a
rather longer than intended winter break. The few weeks I thought I would be
away from cooking and blogging turned into almost two months, thanks to an
overseas work trip to New Zealand (with a week or so of road trip around the North
Island thrown in at the end) and our household being laid low by illness in
past few weeks. Let’s just say that the cooking that has been happening (when
it was happening at all) was very basic and far from Gourmet Goddess worthy, so
I promise that you haven’t been missing out on much in that department!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since my last post, the weather has completely changed, Winter
has left us here in Australia and we welcome the start of Spring - and the
appearance of a whole lot of gorgeous Spring produce. I love this season, as
all my favourite fruit starts to come in to season, especially strawberries,
blueberries, mangoes and the first stone fruit – peaches, nectarines and plums.
Asparagus is everywhere, and it’s local (although still check the labelling and
reject any dodgy imports which may still be around) At this time of the year it
is great quality and also inexpensive so there’s no reason why you can’t eat it
every day if you wanted to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my
favourite things in the world is asparagus, soft poached eggs and creamy goat
cheese and I eat this often at this time of the year. Delicious! I have updated
the “what’s in season?” section on this page to give you an idea about what you
should be looking for at the greengrocer right now. Have a look at the list and
get some inspiration for some spring dishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought I would share a super healthy, light and delicious
spring recipe as my first post of this season. It is fast to put together, very
good for you and uses a selection of lovely spring vegetables. It is also super
low carb (if that sort of thing turns you on) Feel free to add whatever fresh
herbs take your fancy, or some chilli for a spicy kick. This would also make a
really nice lunch platter – cook a few salmon fillets and arrange them on a
larger serving plate to serve a whole bunch of people. I made this dish for
dinner last night and it literally took me 15 minutes from preparation to table
– and I wasn’t even rushing. Easy and yum!</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pan Fried Salmon with Corn Salsa</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>You will need:</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Salmon Fillets (about 150g each), 1 cup cooked corn kernels (I cook the corn on the cob and then cut off the kernels), 3 radishes finely chopped, 1 small Lebanese cucumber de-seeded and finely diced, 1 cup diced fresh cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons Spanish onion finely chopped, 1 tablespoon chopped continental parsley, 1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon balm (if you don't have this, substitute with fresh mint), salt & pepper, a drizzle of olive oil for pan frying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Dressing:</em> 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, dash of Tabasco, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper. Fresh lemon to serve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Method:</strong> Check the salmon and remove any bones you might find with a pair or tweezers. Wipe the salmon with some paper towels and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a bowl, combine the corn, radish, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon balm (or mint). Season with salt and pepper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Season generously and pour over the salsa mixture. Combine and put aside until ready to serve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat a non stick pan to a medium heat. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the pan. Cook the salmon until golden on the outside but still slightly springy to touch. Be careful not to overcook the salmon or it will dry out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve with the salsa and fresh lemon right away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serves 2</span><br />
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******</div>
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-29038644424920570542013-07-28T15:39:00.001+10:002013-07-28T15:39:48.112+10:00Show us your Mussels!This week I managed to get my hands on some beautiful fresh "blue" mussels and was all set to cook them as I always do - in a basic Nepolitana sauce with a little chilli, and a side serve of crusty bread - when I was reminded of the delicious Belgian style mussels that you find in many a Belgian Beer Café. Cooked simply in wine or cider, and served with frites (chips) and mayonnaise, they are delicious - and a change from the way I tend to cook my mussels. <br />
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My husband Andrew (aka Mr Smith) spent part of his childhood living in Belgium and was keen for me to recreate and serve up this dish that he ate as kid. A little research and I discovered that the ingredients were very simple and I was more than willing to give it a go. I even did a batch of frites and served them with some garlic mayo on the side to make the dish even more authentic. The result was a fragrant, tasty dish that was so quick and easy to prepare. It would be an ideal fast after work meal, or great to serve guests as a no hassle entrée or main course.<br />
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As with any produce, ensure that your mussels are super fresh - they should smell like the sea and not "fishy". To prepare them, scrub off any seaweed or dirt from the outside with cold water and de-beard them if necessary (pull out any tendrils of seaweed sticking out of the mussels) I used cider for my recipe, but many versions use white wine. I just happened to have cider in the house, so that's what went in. I also saw some versions of this dish that added a little cream to the sauce, to create a richer taste - feel free to add this if you want to.<br />
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I remember eating mussels cooked in this style many times in France, where they are also served with frites (French Fries). Despite the fact that they are known by this name over much of the world, the origin of the thinly cut fried potatoes that we call French Fries is actually Flemish, originating from Belgium. The earliest written account of people eating potatoes cooked in this style comes from the Meuese Valley, Belgium in 1680. They were eaten by fishermen and their families along with whole fried fish. So I guess you could say that fish and chips originated in Belgium too! Regardless of where they come from, they taste good and are the perfect accompaniment for a bowl of mussels.<br />
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This dish would be an ideal one to try if you are a bit unsure about cooking seafood, because it is very easy to do. The only thing you need to be aware of is to avoid overcooking the mussels. Once the shells have popped open, they are done and you are good to go. Mussels are a good choice if you aim to eat seafood in a sustainable way, and have the added bonus of being cheap and great for you.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Belgian Style Mussels</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>with Frites and Mayonnaise</strong></div>
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<strong></strong><br />
<strong>You will need:</strong> <br />
1-2kg fresh, cleaned mussels, 1 cup cider (I used a pear based cider, but apple is good too),1 white or brown onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salted butter, salt & pepper.<br />
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Note: 1kg of mussels will serve two people as a main course or four people as an entrée. <br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> Heat the olive oil to a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent.<br />
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Add the cider, a few pinches of salt and half of the parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes or so.<br />
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Add the butter and stir until well combined. Add the mussels and stir them so that they are all covered in the sauce. <br />
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Put the lid on the pot and allow the mussels to steam for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring gently now and then. The mussels are cooked when the shells open.<br />
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As soon as the shells are open, remove the pot from the heat (avoid overcooking, or your mussels will be tough). Season with some salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Discard any mussels that do not open.<br />
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Serve in bowls with some of the sauce/pan juices spooned over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the parsley over the mussels and serve right away with crusty bread, or frites and mayonnaise.<br />
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<br />Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-61187302276336607562013-07-14T18:35:00.000+10:002013-07-14T20:31:11.380+10:00Beautiful Berowra Waters Inn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Approaching by boat - </strong></div>
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<strong>Berowra Waters Inn from the water</strong></div>
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It was my birthday yesterday, and my lovely husband decided to treat me to a long lunch at the Berowra Waters Inn. This destination restaurant has been on my must do list as it was closed for a while there, reopening with a new chef Brian Geraghty (ex Quay, Bilson's) and so I was thrilled to finally get the chance to enjoy their food and the gorgeous riverfront setting on my birthday. The restaurant is set amongst bushland on the Hawkesbury River, a one and a half hour drive from Sydney. The venue itself is only accessible by boat or seaplane - so if, like us, you have neither of these forms of transportation - you take advantage of the restaurant's private boat, that picks you up downriver at an agreed time, and ferries you back when your meal is over.</div>
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The short boat trip up to the restaurant is really gorgeous and sets the tone for the whole Berowra Waters Inn experience. The winter sun reflected off the water and river birds flew along the edges of the trees as we approached the inn to disembark at the private wharf. From the moment you step on the boat you feel as if you are destined for something special.</div>
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<strong>The Dining Room</strong></div>
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After a warm welcome from the staff, who meet you at the wharf, you are ushered up the stairs to the simple, light filled dining room. The design makes the most of the river view, with floor to ceiling windows that let you watch wildlife and riverboats as you enjoy your meal. I think lunchtime really is a great time to visit Berowra Waters Inn, giving you the maximum opportunity to enjoy the stunning setting.</div>
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The menu is a degustation style, and diners choose from either four or seven courses, with or without matching wines. We opted for seven courses, and went for wine by the glass - I always find the matching wine option too much if I am having lots of courses, and would rather consult the Sommelier for a couple of recommendations instead. We started off with a glass of luscious Gosset Champagne (well, it was my birthday!) and settled down to an afternoon of some really beautiful dishes.</div>
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A very pretty looking amuse bouche of apple and aromatic cheese, and a velvety chicken liver parfait in a crispy tuille began our meal. Incredibly delicious, with such rich flavours and interesting textures. Definitely a winner.</div>
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<strong>Amuse Bouche -</strong></div>
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<strong>Cheese "Apple" & Chicken Liver Parfait</strong></div>
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I was really excited to see scallops on the menu, being one of my very favourite kinds of seafood. This dish was light and luscious, with beautifully pickled discs of root vegetables which worked so well with the rest of the ingredients. A great start to lunch.</div>
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<strong>Scallop, Horseradish Cream, Rye & Root Vegetables</strong></div>
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The next seafood dish of confit ocean trout was soft, buttery and delicious - the addition of crispy dashi wafers made this dish such a delight to eat.<br />
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<strong>Confit Ocean Trout, Smoked Milk, Dashi & Lemon</strong></div>
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A beautifully cooked, gelatinous and glazed piece of pork belly was the centerpiece for the next dish, with a reduction of honey mead (yum!) and paired with green tomato and sweet Moreton Bay bug meat. A crunchy rye crumb gave this dish lots of textural interest. Really loved this one.</div>
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<strong>Pork Belly, Honey Bug, Mead & Green Tomato</strong></div>
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An indulgent combination of fish, prawns, pine nuts and winter truffles gave the next dish a very rich and indulgent feel. Sitting there, enjoying winter truffles, drinking good wine and looking out over the Hawkesbury, I must admit I felt very spoilt indeed!</div>
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<strong>Whitefish, Broccoli Veloute, Karid Prawn, Pinenut </strong></div>
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<strong>& Winter Truffle</strong></div>
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A meaty, savoury course of slow cooked Kobe brisket, leek and stinging nettle was full of rich winter flavours, without being overpowering. The caramelised leek was a delicious sweet accompaniment to the robust flavour of the beef.</div>
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<strong>Slow Cooked Kobe Brisket of Beef</strong></div>
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The cheese course was one of my favourite dishes of the day. A light as air blue cheese parfait in a crispy shell, creamy red onion sorbet and fresh, shaved walnuts. A knockout combination and so beautiful on the plate. </div>
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<strong>Blue Cheese Cigar, Red Onion Sorbet, </strong></div>
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<strong>Shaved Walnut & Celery</strong></div>
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A surprise pre-dessert of pannacotta and tangy, fresh raspberry was a great transition into the final dessert course. </div>
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<strong>Yoghurt Pannacotta with Raspberry Foam</strong></div>
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The finale was a hazelnut and mandarin dessert that was just beautiful - the toasty, almost marshmallow texture of hazelnut parfait with milk sorbet and a punchy, citrus mandarin gel. Really delicious and a great way to end the meal.</div>
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<strong>Hazelnut Parfait, Mandarin Gel & Milk Sorbet</strong></div>
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Well..... almost the end of meal. The coffee is seriously good (funnily enough, the blend is from The Grounds Roasters in Alexandria, just around the corner from where we live) and some lovely sweet morsels to enjoy with it.</div>
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<strong>Grounds Roasters Coffee</strong></div>
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<strong>Apple Cakes & Rose, Lime & Chocolate Macarons.</strong></div>
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So, the verdict on Berowra Waters Inn? Just beautiful. Definitely one of the best meals we have ever eaten in Australia and in such a stunning setting. We both agreed we would visit again and check out the menu when the season changes. It really was a special way to spend my birthday.</div>
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If you wanted to enjoy the food and wine and not drive home, there is riverside accommodation nearby, or you could always stay on a Hawkesbury houseboat overnight. Now that would be really something special! </div>
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<strong>The sunlight over the Hawkesbury, </strong></div>
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<strong>as we were leaving in the afternoon</strong></div>
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For more information on reservations and how to get there, check out the Berowra Waters Inn website: <a href="http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/">http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/</a> or call them on (02) 9456 1027</div>
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Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5281351240664678420.post-69832801785370464542013-07-07T11:16:00.004+10:002013-07-07T11:16:59.057+10:00Apple, Rhubarb and Pecan MuffinsA very good Sunday morning to all of you Gourmet Goddess peeps! Today I thought I would share a simple recipe for something that I baked last weekend, that turned out to be rather lovely. I decided to make a batch of muffins for brunch, and as I wasn't very motivated to get out of my track suit pants and go to the shops, it had to involve ingredients I already had on hand. I checked out the fruit bowl, the fridge and the pantry and came up with a combination of Pink Lady apples, a few stalks of rhubarb and a couple of handfuls of pecan nuts.<br />
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The result was these tasty, rustic fruit packed muffins.<br />
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<strong>Apple, Rhubarb and Pecan Muffins</strong></div>
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The pecans add a wonderful textural element to these beauties - I chose to leave the skin on the apples for the same reason. The skins also have lots of fibre so they are better for you as well. The muffins aren't overly sweet and you can really taste the natural flavours of the fruit coming through, without this being overwhelmed by too much sugar. To add some warmth and spice, I included some cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to the mixture, as well as a touch of vanilla. These ingredients add flavour without the sugar - feel free to add more than I state in the recipe if you want your muffins extra aromatic and spicy.<br />
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I would be inclined to use whatever you have in your fruit bowl as a basis for these muffins - any combination of apples, pears or even plums would work well. I adore rhubarb, but if you aren't keen on it, you could substitute chopped strawberries if you wanted to. Don't have pecans on hand? Chopped almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts would be great too.<br />
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Eat these muffins warm with good butter. Oh, and they would freeze well too.<br />
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Have a lovely Sunday!<br />
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<strong>You will need:</strong> <br />
3 apples (I used Pink Lady variety), 3 or 4 stalks rhubarb, 2 cups self raising flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 free range egg, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used rice bran oil), <br />
1 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 pinches nutmeg.<br />
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<strong>Method:</strong> <br />
Wash and trim the rhubarb and ensure no leaves are left on. Chop the stalks into small pieces. Core and chop the apples into small pieces (I leave the skin on). Spread the apple and rhubarb onto a lined baking tray and cook for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 200C. Remove and allow to cool.<br />
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Whisk together the milk, oil, vanilla and egg. Set aside about a tablespoon of the pecans to sprinkle on the tops of the muffins once in the pan. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, remaining pecans, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. <br />
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Add the fruit to the flour mixture, then pour in the wet mixture. Combine gently until just mixed together. Do not over mix, or your muffins will be tough and flat. Spoon into a large muffin pan. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the tops of the muffins.<br />
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Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan before turning out the muffins. Makes 10 large sized muffins.<br />
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******</div>
Gourmet Goddesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984376016662470441noreply@blogger.com0