Purple Power! Beetroot & Apple Relish

I 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.

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.

Mmmmm....Beets!

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.

Beetroot and Apple Relish

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.


You will need: 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.

Method: 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.

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.

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.

Preheat the oven to 200C

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)

Bake the mixture in the oven for an hour, stirring it a couple of times during cooking. When done, allow the ingredients to cool.

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.

Decant the relish into clean, well sealed jars or an airtight container. Store in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.

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Warm Carrot Salad with Goat Cheese

So I came home from work last night and was about to throw together a quick rather bog-standard salad to have with some grilled meat for dinner, when I decided that I actually wanted something a lot more tasty and a bit more interesting. I checked the fridge and found I had a couple of bunches of heirloom carrots - one orange bunch and one gorgeous purple bunch. They became the inspiration for a side dish that was so delicious I'd thought I'd share it with you.

This dish is super easy and would also work as a vegetarian starter or main course, as well as a side dish. In addition to the lovely carrots, I used sweet red onions, a bunch of asparagus, fresh continental parsley from the garden, creamy, tangy goat cheese, a little olive oil, balsamic, black pepper and sea salt - and that's about it. Very simple, but full of flavour.

As well as having a great flavour and nice contrasting textures, I loved how colourful the dish looked on the plate. If you haven't seen the purple carrots at your greengrocer, ask for them. They used to be a bit hard to find but are becoming a lot more common now. They look great and taste beautiful, especially when roasted.

I enjoyed this salad so much that I will definitely be making it again. Here at Gourmet Goddess we say - down with boring side salads! Three cheers for finding new and delish ways to eat your vegies!

Roasted Carrot Salad with Goat's Cheese

You will need: 2 large orange carrots, 2 large purple carrots, 1 large red onion, 1 bunch asparagus, 50g goat cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, about 1 tablespoon olive oil, sea salt, pepper, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

Method: First, prepare the vegetables. Cut the carrots into thick juliennes. Cut the woody ends off the asparagus and then cut each asparagus spear in half. Cut the onion into eight largish chunks.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a tray with baking paper and place the carrots and onion on the tray. Brush or spray with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, turning over the vegetables once during cooking.

In a grill pan or fry pan, cook the asparagus with a little olive oil, and some salt at a high heat for a few minutes until they start to char.

Allow the vegetables to cool a little before assembling the salad. Layer the vegetables and crumbled goat cheese on a serving plate. Drizzle over olive oil, balsamic and season with a little salt nad black pepper.

Sprinkle over the fresh parsley and serve.

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A Winter Salad - and a very food-centric week!

The past 7 days has been quite food focused here at Gourmet Goddess headquarters, and a real mixed bag. We began by doing something completely new - attending a themed "Six Degress of Preparation" dinner early in the week, indulged in some late night Hawker delights in Chinatown - one of our favourites -  and ended the week with the Good Food and Wine Show in Sydney on Friday.

When I came across the Six Degrees of Preparation people whilst checking out some other food related sites on the internet, I thought it sounded like a great idea - smallish 6 course dinners, built around one ingredient each time, showcasing that ingredient. I noticed that the next scheduled dinner was themed around one of my favourite ingredients - pomegranate. I thought it was really worth checking out, so bought our tickets and looked forward to seeing what it was all about.

The venue - Effendy Restaurant in Balmain - was really lovely, but sadly the food was a real letdown. It wasn't bad, just very average. I was expecting a real celebration of all things pomegranate, but the flavours were just not there. The creativity I had hoped for was missing and the presentation let it down badly too. Also, the servings were more "tastes", and we were both starving. Did I mention we were forced to wear name tags, so we could "mingle"? Awkward. Needless to say we made an early exit before dessert was served and headed to our absolute favourite late night food haunt in Chinatown - Mamak. Now those folks really know about flavour.

Mamak specialise in authentic roti and satay that tastes like it just came from a hawker stall in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur - and a real favourite of ours. Not only is it delicious, it is ridiculously cheap and of the best quality and freshness. There is a good reason they often have queues out the door! (alas, they take no reservations) You can find them at 15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket -  and praise the Goddess! On weekends, they stay open for supper until 2am. They also have a restuarant in Chatswood, which I haven't visited. To get more information on the joys of Mamak, head to their website: http://www.mamak.com.au/  Highly recommended, and well worth the hassle of trying to park in the city.

Friday saw us head to the annual Good Food and Wine Show. We always elect to take a day off and go first thing on the Friday to beat the massive crowds, as during the weekend it becomes completely chaotic - teeming with people and shopping carts and prams and squealing tots having tantrums and slow walkers and AAAGGHHH!!!! .....well, you get the picture! Bedlam. The show is worth a visit though and we always come away with a few goodies for our trouble - this time we brought home 4 great cheeses, all from the Hunter Valley (including a gorgeous aged goat's cheese I have used in today's recipe), duck breasts, a stash of beautiful Careme brand pastry, a selction of Beerenburg sauces, a couple of kilos of lovely crunchy "Jazz" apples, some organic muesli and snack bars and lots of samples of this and that.

I noticed that this year, a lot of my favouite stallholders were not there and big supermarket brands and all things Masterchef related seemed to dominate. A real shame, given that in my opinion,  the whole reason to go to these sorts of shows is to be exposed to new ingredients, suppliers, techniques and products. We did have a fun day regardless though - and lived on delicious cheese for the rest of the weekend! I did however keep a little aside.....

Which brings me to today's recipe - a gorgeous winter salad, bursting with colour, texture and layers of great winter flavours. I used a strong rich goat cheese - an aged chevre from Wyandra - and some baby beetroot as the inspiration for today's lunch. The beetroot is cooked twice with onions, creating a rich, sweet, caramelised taste that is a perfect companion for the goat cheese. I chose 2 different lettuces - red oak and spiky green endive, some smoky, crispy bacon, nutty chickpeas - and to top it off, a sweet/tangy dressing made with a base of delicious hazelnut oil and balsamic. This salad is substantial enough to serve as a main meal - toasted rustic bread would be a great addition. If you really aren't keen on goat cheese, feta cheese would be a good substitute.

Apart from the initial prep for the beetroot, it is quick to make and a real delight to eat - the perfect winter salad. Enjoy!

Winter Beetroot, Bacon and Chickpea Salad

with Aged Goat Cheese

You will need: A bunch of smallish sized beetroot, 2 cups cooked well drained chickpeas, 1 large red onion, about 4 cups of lettuce leaves (I used red oak and green endive), 50g goat cheese (I used an aged Chevre), 3 slices bacon, splash of olive oil, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

For the dressing: 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 or 2 tablespoons warm water, salt and pepper.

Method: First, take the beetroot and remove the stalks and the leaves. Place them in a pot of boiling water and allow them to simmer until tender - about 20 minutes. Rinse them under cold water and remove the skins - they will come away very easily.

 Preheat the oven to 220C. Cut the beetroot into quarters and place in a small overproof dish or baking tray. Peel and quarter the onion and add this to the dish, with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, the balsamic and a splash of olive oil. Bake the beetroot and onion, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a little.

While the beetroot is cooling, roughly chop the bacon and pan fry until crispy.

Next, make the dressing - whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, arrange layers of lettuce, beetroot mixture, bacon and chickpeas onto the plates. Top with the goat's cheese (you can crumble it over the top if you are using young goat's cheese or slice it like I did if you are using an aged, richer variety) Drizzle over some of the dressing and serve right away.

Serves 2-4 people.

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Dinner? Get Stuffed.

Apparently necessity is the mother of invention and today's recipe is the result of a 7.30 Tuesday night "what will we have for dinner" crisis. There was not a whole lot in the fridge to choose from and I was not inclined to go to the trouble of defrosting something from the freezer, so I decided to see if I could make something tasty with the bits and pieces we had. The ingredient that really leapt out at me were 6 beautiful large Portobello mushrooms, almost as big as rice bowls. They certainly looked like they should be containing something, so I took stock of the fridge and settled on a stuffing based on a small amount of left over minced chicken, herbs and  breadcrumbs.

The whole dish took just over half an hour from beginning to end, and the result was so delicious that I thought it warranted sharing with you all. The large mushrooms had a delicious rich flavour and the freshness of well seasoned, herbed stuffing was a great contrast to the earthiness of the mushrooms. I would not attempt this recipe with small, button mushrooms - it requires the strong flavour of the large tastier varieties to pull it off I think. Is it just me, or do those little button mushrooms taste like nothing?

You could easily adapt this recipe according to whatever you have around - other herbs, maybe some finely chopped spinach, bacon, pine nuts, a touch of lemon rind. You could also substitute the chicken mince for pork or beef. However you make it, be sure to season your stuffing mixture well and choose large, fresh and firm mushrooms.

Here they are......

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

with balsamic and olive oil

You will need: 6 large Portobello or field mushrooms, 1 cup raw minced chicken, 1/2 cup mozzerella cheese, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped continental parsley, 1 tablespoon thinly sliced spring onion, 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard, about a teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon (thyme would work too),pinch of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to serve.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200C. Now, gently twist off and remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Chop them finely and place in a bowl with the chicken, mozzerella, garlic, parsley, spring onion, breadcrumbs, mustard and tarragon. Sesaon with a pinch of cayenne pepper and plenty of salt and pepper. Combine the mixture very well (using your hands is best for this)

Press a generous amount of the filling into each of the mushrooms. Place them on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook for about 25 minutes. allow the mushrooms to rest for a few minutes before serving.

To serve, drizzle over the pan juices and some extra olive oil over the mushrooms and also add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to the plate. It combines with the juices from the mushrooms and the oil to make a delicious dressing.

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Gourmet Goddess welcomes Spring

Nothing signals the start of Spring to me more than the sight of fresh asparagus. I love this time of year when so many of my favourite fruits and vegetables start coming into season. As the season progresses, the quality and supply gets better and the price drops - you have to love that! I am a devotee seasonal eating. I've never understood why eating the same food all year round is perceived as a good idea. In order to eat food out of season, we are required to ship food from long distances, with all the negative environmental impact that has, as well as sacrificing quality and increasing price. Eating seasonally makes sense for your tastebuds, your wallet and the environment too.

It is really worth going online and researching what is in season at particular times of the year and planning menus around that. I always include seasonal suggestions on the right hand side of my blog page, so you may also want to start there for ideas. When buying produce, always check the origin - if your grocer doesn't diplay this information, then ask why - they should. Same goes for seafood and meat. Food that has travelled a long way has not only contributed to more carbon emissions, but has also been handled multiple times to get to you - quality can only suffer. Buy close to home as much as you possibly can to get the very best produce and to do your bit to minimise negative environmental impacts.

Now, to today's recipe - This dish is so simple to make, but is also pretty enough to serve at a dinner party. I love the effect of the sage leaves through the veil of proscuitto. Juicy chicken, salty proscuitto, the lovely herbal aroma of sage and a garlic infused, buttery mozzerella centre make this Italian inspired dish one that you and your guests will love. I served this dish last night with some asparagus (of course!) - I just threw the asparagus spears in a grill pan for a couple of minutes with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper. Don't forget to chop off the thick, woody ends before you cook them.

To accompany the asparagus, I chopped up some baby roma tomatoes and black olives, which I seasoned well with salt and pepper and tossed with a drizzle of olive oil and a little balsamic. The whole meal was done in under half an hour. Perfect to throw together after work when you don't have a lot of time. This dish would also go well with grillled vegetables - zucchini and eggplant would be great, or an Italian inspired salad - think cos, rocket or  radicchio leaves, basil, roasted capsicums, olives, artichokes, fetta or bocconcini cheese - whatever is in season. Give it a try - it is maximum flavour and presentation with minimum effort.

Chicken with proscuitto & sage

served with grilled asparagus and baby roma tomato and olive salad

You will need:

2 chicken breasts, 6 slices proscuitto, 10 sage leaves, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon grated mozzerella cheese, salt and pepper.

Method:

Trim any fat off the chicken breasts and gently cut a pocket along the length of the breast, taking care not to cut right through. You want the chicken to still be in one piece.

Finely chop 2 of the sage leaves and combine with the cheese, butter and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon half of the mixture into the pocket you have made in the chicken breast. Repeat with the second one.

Lay 4 sage leaves on top of each of the chicken breasts and then wrap the chicken in 3 pieces of proscuitto each. Tuck under any stray bits of proscuitto so that the surface is smooth.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Some of the butter will flow out of the chicken - use this to gently baste the chicken. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving and drizzle over the remaining pan juices.

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You say tomato... I say bruschetta!

I came across some particularly gorgeous looking baby Roma tomatoes when I was at the greengrocer the other day and they were the inspiration for today's recipe. Very simple but just so delicious -  and perfect for a light lunch, an entree or finger food (if you want to scale it down to smaller pieces). Try to have your tomatoes at room temperature for this dish (or any dish for that matter) as the natural flavour and sweetness of the fruit is much more pronounced. If you don't believe me, try eating a tomato right out of the fridge and then one that has been sitting in the fruit bowl for an hour and you will see what I mean.

This bruschetta is made extra delicious with the addition of Fontina cheese, slices of proscuitto and fresh thyme. Use any cheese you like - even some crumbled feta or soft goat cheese would work well. Don't even consider making this unless the tomatoes are fabulous. I find that often the small cherry tomato are tastier than a lot of the larger tomatoes in supermarkets, so if the larger ones don't inspire you, then check out the smaller varieties. And if you are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes, then you are well and truly sorted!

Roma tomato bruschetta with proscuitto and fontina cheese

So, what did I do?
I'm not bothering too much with precise measurements here - just use as much bread and tomatoes as you need for the number of people you want to feed and taste as you go. Easy.

Chop the tomatoes and combine with a handful of fresh parsley. Add some fresh thyme (remove the woody stalks so there are soft leaves only), a splash of good extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Taste and add more salt and pepper if required. (Try not to add too much oil or vinegar - you don't want the tomato mixture to have too much moisture)

Now, in a cup,  mix some fresh thyme and a couple of cloves of minced garlic with olive oil. Lightly toast sliced rustic style bread - sourdough or ciabiatta is ideal. Then, brush both sides of the bread with the oil. Top with a slice of the cheese and a slice of proscuitto. Pop in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese has just melted. (I prefer it when the cheese is not browned, but do whatever you prefer)

Top with the tomato mixture, freshly ground pepper and a little extra fresh thyme. Serve right away. Delicious!

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Gorgeous Game

I am a big fan of all kinds of game meat and with the arrival of beautiful Autumn produce, it is the perfect time to indulge in both! I had a couple of duck marylands in the freezer and thought I would team these with some lovely organic produce from the Addison Road Organic Market for dinner on Sunday night. I bought a bag of French Charlotte potatoes (a variety I had never tried before), some sugar snap peas, asparagus and a bunch of stunning ruby red beetroot.

I love the earthiness and sweetness of beetroot and it tastes fabulous when cooked until sticky and sweet with balsamic vinegar, lots of nutty roasted garlic and caramelised onions. It is the perfect addition to a dish of simply roasted duck. To prepare the duck, I simply took 2 marylands and rubbed them with garlic salt (made with 2 teaspoons of Maldon sea salt, a pinch of cayenne and 2 crushed cloves of garlic) I let the duck rest for about 2 hours in the fridge, before roasting it gently for about 35 minutes (let it rest for 10 mins before serving) For the sauce, I just used the pan juices, some homemade chicken stock and a tablespoon of redcurrant jelly whisked together and thickened slightly.

Below is the recipe for the caramelised balsamic beetroot - be warned, it is extremely moreish! I like the beetroot in reasonably large chunks, but you can also cut the beetroot small, so that it forms more of a relish. It can be served warm or cold and is great with all kinds of game - venison, duck, rabbit or quail. It will also work well with lamb or roasted pork if you aren't that keen on game.

Here is Sunday night's offering.....

Roasted duck marylands
with roasted balsamic beetroot and redcurrant gravy

Roasted Balsamic Beetroot

You will need:
5 or 6 small, fresh beetroot, 1 large red onion cut into thick slices, 6 cloves garlic peeled and cut into half, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper, generous pinch black pepper.

Method:
Cut the stalks from the beetroot and wash them well. Place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring them to the boil and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Drain the beetroot and run them under cold water. When they are cool enough to handle, gently rub off the outer layer (it will come away easily) Cut the beetroot into quarters.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Combine the beetroot with all of the other ingredients. Cook for about an hour or until the onion and beetroot caramelises. Give the mixture a stir every 20 minutes or so.

Serve warm or cold with baked or roasted meat.

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By special request....

Here at Gourmet Goddess we are all about satisfying the culinary cravings of those we care about, so this week when my friend and fellow food lover - the lovely Emily - asked me if I had a recpe for a mediterranean style chicken casserole dish, I promised her that I would whip one up on the weekend and post the recipe. This chicken dish I have chosen is very rustic and the flavours are bold, with the addition of fennel, olives and capers. The sauce also contains anchovies. Now, if you hate anchovies, don't go all skittish on me (you are already screwing up your nose, aren't you??) Anchovies add a beautiful piquant quality to the sauce and I promise you that it won't taste even remotely fishy. They really do add something special to the dish, so don't be tempted to leave them out. I really love capers in a whole range of dishes and they really work well with mediterranean flavours. Generally I prefer to use the salted capers - you just need to rinse the salt off them before use. If you can only get the ones in vinegar, that's fine - just drain them well. The smaller capers are much nicer than the really large ones too, so look out for the smaller "baby" capers.

This dish can be made ahead and is actually even more delicious the next day. Perfect for entertaining if you want a "set and forget" meal that will not keep you away from your guests. It is also ideal for freezing, which is what I am doing with the batch I've made tonight. It is gorgeous as a pie filling too. Put the mixture in a dish or in individual ramekins and whack some puff pastry on the top. Cook until the pastry is puffed and golden and presto! Mediterranean chicken pie. This casserole is lovely with polenta, green vegetables such as broad beans or zucchini or with crusty, garlic grilled bread.

So, here you are Em - hope you enjoy this one....

Mediterranean chicken with olives and capers

You will need: 1kg boneless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons plain flour, 2 tablespoons mild paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 large onions, 1 small fennel bulb, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted olives (I used a mixture of red and green), 1 tablespoon capers, 1 bay leaf, 4 anchovies finely chopped, olive oil, 1 litre chicken stock, 1 tin crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Method: Trim the excess fat from the chicken thighs and if the chicken thighs are all in one large piece when you buy them, cut them in two. Combine the plain flour, cayenne, a generous amount of black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the paprika - coat the chicken well in that mixture. Heat some olive oil in a casserole dish on the stovetop and brown the chicken till golden, a few pieces at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan - you want to brown the chicken at this stage, not stew it. Put the chicken aside.

Slice the onion and fennel (only use the white part of the fennel bulb). Heat a splash of olive oil in the pan and cook the fennel and onion until it starts to soften. Add the bay leaf, garlic, anchovies, olives and capers and combine well. Add the chicken, stock, tomatoes, balsamic and 1 tablespoon paprika. Bring to a simmer and then cover the pan and transfer it to a moderate oven.

Cook for 1 hour with the lid on, stirring a few times during the cooking. After the 1 hour mark, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if required. Turn the oven up high and cook the chicken for another 20 minutes so that the sauce reduces furter before serving. Serves 4-6 people.

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Out of your shell...

Oysters. There seems to be no middle ground - people either love them with a passion or absolutely detest them. Me? Well, I adore oysters and I find them very hard to resist at the best of times, but tonight I fell in love at the fish counter with some beautiful Pacific Oysters from Coffin Bay in South Australia. Oysters from this region come from pristine water and you can taste that in the oyster. So fresh and lovely. They looked so gorgeous, I decided on the spot that they would be dinner.

I couldn't decide how I wanted to serve them so I settled on making myself a tasting plate with a variety of flavours and textures. This would work well as cocktail food or as an entree or a tasting plate for a dinner party. I enjoyed them with a nice glass of Oyster Bay Semillion Blanc from New Zealand. A delicious Friday night dinner if I do say so myself....

Oysters Three Ways

Oysters with Proscuitto & Maple/Balsamic Dressing :Whisk together equal amounts of good extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup with 1 clove crushed garlic. Season with pepper. Drizzle over oysters and top with strips of Proscuitto.

Oysters with Chilli Ginger Dressing :Whisk together equal amounts of rice vinegar and fish sauce (Nam Pla), a few teaspoons grated palm sugar, 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped red chilli, 1 tablespoon finely sliced spring onion. Spoon dressing over oysters to serve.

Fried Oysters with Chive & Wasabi Cream :Combine good quality, thick Greek style yoghurt with Wasabi (as much or as little as you fancy) and finely chopped chives. Set aside.
Whisk together 1 egg, soda water, a few tablespoons flour, salt and pepper to make a batter that coats the back of the spoon.
Dry the oysters with a paper towel and heat some vegetable oil for frying, Coat the oysters in the batter mixture and fry until golden. This will happen very quickly - be sure not to overcook them! Serve with the Wasabi Cream.

***About Coffin Bay Oysters:
For more info about luscious Coffin Bay Oysters, check out their website:
http://www.coffinbayoysters.com.au/

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Veg-A-Rama!!

I've had some really bad, tasteless vege burgers in my time. Do people think that because you are choosing the vegetarian option that you have also had your tastebuds removed and have lost your culinary will to live??? No people! Mashing a cup of lentils and making them burger shaped does not a vege burger make!!! There are so many other great ingredients that you can include that will give your vege burger bucketloads of flavour and make it delicious.

My recipe includes lovely creamy sweet potato, lentils, chickpeas and plenty of other seasonal vegetables and is served with a delicious and easy to throw together beetroot relish. I make a batch and then freeze the burger patties individually. Heat them in the microwave for a minute or two and you are ready to go. I do not fry my burgers - I find that doing them in the oven is a lot less hassle and you don't have to worry about the burgers breaking up, which can happen if you cook them in the frypan. The oven option also means that these burgers are very low in fat, so this recipe makes a ridiculously healthy, great tasting lunch or dinner.

This recipe makes about 12 burgers and the relish recipe will make two jars. Store the relish in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks. The relish also goes beautifully with grilled meat.

Gourmet Goddess Vege Burgers with Beetroot Relish

You will need:
(For the burgers- makes 12) 1 x rinsed and drained can of chickpeas, 1 x rinsed and drained can of lentils, 4 cups mashed sweet potato, 2 grated zucchini, 1 grated carrot, About 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 small red chillies, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup chopped continental parsley, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, pepper.

(For the relish - makes 2 jars) 3 large sliced onions, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 2 x 400g tins drained sliced beetroot, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup water.

Method: First, make the burgers. Put the chickpeas, garlic and chillies in the food processor with a couple of tablespoons of water. Blend until the chickpeas have broken down. Don't blend too much - you want to have a bit of texture to them, so don't make the mixture too smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the chickpea mixture, lentils, mashed sweet potato and all of the other ingredients. Using your hands is best for this. The mixture should be quite soft, but still hold together. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too soft.

Using wet hands, form the mixture into generous sized burgers and place them on a baking tray that is lined with baking paper. (I find that because they are soft, they stick if you don't use the baking paper) Bake them in a moderate oven for 30-40 mins. They will start to brown slightly.
Cool the burgers on the trays before using an egg slice to remove them.

While the burgers are cooking, it's time to make the Beetroot Relish. Place the beetroot in the food processor and blend until the mixture is quite fine (you don't want massive chunks of beetroot)

Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and beetroot. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes. Add the balsamic, salt, pepper and water and let the mixture simmer until most of the moisture is absorbed. Allow the relish to cool and put in jars.

Serve your burgers in a crusty roll with salad and beetoot relish.
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Purple Reign

When it comes to root vegetables, I have always held the view that Beetroot is king. Earthy and sweet, all swathed in ruby/purple goreousness, the colour of Ceasar's robes. It has been eaten since Roman times, when it was used to treat sickness and was believed to fortify the blood. Beetroot is ridiculously good for you - rich in folate, vitimin B, very high in fibre and extremely low GI, so it will help stabilise your blood sugar. Apart from all of that, it tastes fantastic.

Beetroot is in season right now and it is a great time to eat it at its best. I was inspired by this morning's trip to the grocer, where I found beautiful fresh bunches of beetroot and new season's oranges - ingredients that belong together. I was craving fresh greens all day, so tonight's dish is a salad - with roasted beetroot as the star - along with mixed greens, fresh orange, toasted walnuts, fetta cheese and an orange and maple dressing.

Before we go to the recipe, I should share a little Gourmet Goddess cook's hint with you. The secret to the fabulousness of this salad is in matching the music to the boldness of the beetroot. Punchy, sassy, purple as they come and sure to make you feel good? There could be only one choice here. I have to admit that a sneaky glass of red for the cook and Prince played loudly on the stereo (Purple Rain on high rotation and a singalong to Raspberry Beret!) made the beetroot that much sweeter. Would I lie to you?

Balsamic Roasted Beetroot Salad

with Orange and Maple Dressing

You will need: 1 bunch fresh beetroot, 1 large red onion cut into thick slices, 3 cloves garlic, Olive oil, 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar (tonight I used a Pomegranate Balsamic but a plain one is still perfect), Juice of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, Sea salt & pepper

For the salad: Mixed greens, Flesh of 1 orange, sliced into segments, 1 or 2 tablespoons walnuts (I toast them in a dry pan for 5mins - gives a better flavour), A few cubes of Fetta cheese (I used an organic sheep milk Fetta tonight)

For the dressing: 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 4 tablespoons orange juice, 1 clove crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, Salt & pepper to taste

Method: Start by cutting the stalks off the beetroot and putting them in a pot of water. You should keep the beetroot whole at this point. Bring them to the boil and then simmer for about 15mins. You are not trying to cook them right through, so don't worry if they are still quite firm after the cooking time is over.

Plunge the whole beetroot into a bowl of cold water and let them sit there for 5 minutes. With your hands, rub the outside skin off the beetroot (treat it rough, it can handle it) You should be left with beautiful smooth, bright purple beetroot. Cut the whole beetroot into into small wedges.

In a baking dish, mix the beetroot, onion, garlic, oil, balsamic, maple syrup, orange juice, salt & pepper and cook in a hot oven for about 45mins (or until the onion and beetroot has caramelised and the liquid has evaporated) Stir the mixture a few times during the cooking process. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Whisk the dressing ingredients. Assemble the salad ingredients and beetroot - topping with the the walnuts and a crumble of Fetta. Drizzle with the dressing and serve right away.

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