First Day of Winter

Welcome 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

You will need: 
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.

For the seasoning mix:
2 tablespoons plain flour, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, pinch of cayenne pepper.

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C.

Combine all of the seasoning mix ingredients and set aside.

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.

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.

Combine the stock and the soy, and pour over the lamb. Cover well with foil (I use 2 layers) - or a tight lid.
Cook the lamb covered for 2 hours.

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.

Note: 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.

Serves 4 people.

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Middle Eastern Inspiration

In winter, I really love to eat food that is full of warm, aromatic and earthy flavours - and today's dish has this in spades. I have used a fragrant and warming middle eastern inspired spice mix to flavour frenched lamb cutlets, and added to this beautiful seasonal roasted vegetables, fresh herbs and seeds from one of my favourite fruits, the pomegranate. To top it off, a perfectly balanced sweet and slightly piquant dressing.

This dish is also my first experiement with using quinoa, that superfood favoured by the Incas and popping up on menus everywhere these days. It really seems to be the ingredient de jour, particularly amongst my vegetarian mates. I decided it was about time I gave it a try, so I included it in my lamb dish in place of the cracked wheat or cous cous I would normally use. I really loved the slight chewiness to the grain and the nutty taste. By all accounts it is also incredibly good for you - there is a reason the Incas called it the "mother of all grain"

This dish is really big on flavour, and although there are a few components, it is actually really easy. It really is worth hunting down fresh pomegranate if you can find it - the little bursts of juicy jewel coloured seeds are just beautiful, as well as looking fabulous on the plate.

There are potentially heaps of variations you could try with this recipe - try whatever veges are in season that you like - eggplant, squash, asparagus, sweet potato would all be great. If you are a vego, leave out the lamb and make the vegetable component as a dish in itself, along with the dressing. I was also thinking that chicken thighs or even fish or prawns would work well too. Toasted almonds or pistachios would also add another texture and flavour dimension.

This dish would be lovely served on a big platter as part of a shared, buffet style meal, even at a BBQ. You will fall in love with the middle eastern influenced flavours and the delightfully varied textures.


 

Middle Eastern Lamb Cutlets

with quinoa, roasted vegetables and fresh pomegranate

You will need:
(For the lamb) 6-8 Frenched lamb cutlets, 1 teaspoon sumac, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, pinch cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon mild paprika, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon warm water, salt and pepper.

(For the vegetables) 2 cups cooked quinoa, about 6 cups assorted raw vegetables cut into chunks about 3cm square (I used red capsicum, pumpkin, zucchini, red onion), 1 cup sliced cooked green beans,1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/2 cup deseeded sliced olives, salt and pepper.

(For the dressing) 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon pomegranate balsamic (use plain balsamic if you can't find this), 1 clove minced fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon warm water, generous pinch of salt, pepper.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 220C.

Combine the sumac, coriander, paprika, olive oil, cayenne, water and salt and pepper to make a paste. Rub the paste into the lamb cutlets and set aside to marinate.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside at room temperature until you are ready to serve.

Combine the chunks of vegetables with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on a baking tray and bake for around 30 minutes, until they are well cooked.

Heat a grill pan (or BBQ) and cook the lamb cutlets - they will not take very long (about 5 minutes), so keep an eye on them so that they are not overcooked. Ideally, they should be a little pink in the middle. Set the cutlets aside to rest.

While the cutlets are resting, gently mix the quinoa, roasted vegetables, green beans, parsely, olives and half of the pomegranate seeds all together in a large bowl.

To serve, place a few generous spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture on the plate, top with the cutlets and then drizzle over a little of the dressing. Add the remaining pomegranate seeds and serve.

Serves 2 - 4 People

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Making the Connection

We have been enjoying the beautiful chemical free, sustainable produce from Food Connect over the last few weeks. These guys source produce direct from the farmers and it is picked only a day or so before it is delivered to you. The food is all local and seasonal, so you are not only getting the best quality, you are also getting the best nutrition and ensuring that the farmers are paid a fair price for their product. Everybody wins. We have been really impressed by the quality of the fruit and vegetables we have been receiving - and it has been so inspiring to plan menus around what we get in our box each week.

There is something very special about actually knowing the farmers who are growing our food via regular newsletters and updates on the Food Connect website. You know their stories, what they are up to that week, even what they look like! The farmers receive between 40 and 45 cents in the dollar for their produce - to give you an idea, the big supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths can pay their producers as little as 5 cents in the dollar, while they pocket the profits. I know where I would rather my money went....

One of the goals of Food Connect is also to minimise how far the food travels, both to ensure quality and to aim for a lower carbon footprint. On average, the furthest any of the food we have received so far has travelled is between 50 and 80 kilometers.

I wholeheartedly recommend that you check out their website and see if they operate where you live. As well as fruit and veges, they also do a range of dry goods, bakery items and fresh free range eggs that you can also order as part of your delivery. They operate in Queensland as well as New South Wales and you will find all the info about them here: http://sydney.foodconnect.com.au/

This week when our Food Connect box arrived I saw we had some lovely fresh eggplant, pumpkin and zucchini, so this became the basis for a yummy Summery BBQ meal with a bit of a mediterranean flavour. I added fresh herbs from our garden, a rack of lamb and a tangy Tzatziki sauce to create today's recipe. It is very easy to make, and the fresh flavours are wonderful - a great way to showcase those super fresh, chemical free vegetables.

Herbed BBQ Lamb

with char grilled vegetables and Tzatziki

You will need: 1 frenched rack of lamb (I used an 8 point/cutlet rack), 1 cup continental parsley, handful each of fresh oregano and basil, 2 large cloves garlic, salt & pepper, squeeze of lemon, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

For the vegetables: 1 red capsicum seeded and sliced into thick strips, 1 eggplant cut into strips, 2 zucchini cut into strips, 6 slices pumpkin cut into strips. (the strips should be about 1cm thick) olive oil, salt.

For the Tzatziki:1 cup thick Greek style yoghurt, 1 large clove garlic, 1/2 cup finely diced continental cucumber, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped continental parsley, pinch cayenne pepper, squeeze of lemon, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint, salt and pepper.

Method: Combine the parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and either blend in a good processor or pound in a mortar and pestle until it makes a paste/marinade. Brush all over the lamb rack and allow it to marinate for an hour or so (overnight would be fine too)

Brush all of the veges with a little olive oil and season well. Set Aside.

Combine the tzatziki ingredients, mix well and refrigerate until needed.

Before cooking the lamb, remove it from the fridge about 40mins before cooking it. For best results, meat should not be too cold when you place it on the heat. Taking it out a little before you are ready to cook it will result in a more succulent and tender result.

Heat a Weber or covered BBQ. Cook the lamb for about 30 minutes, basting with any extra marinade as you go. Remove the lamb and allow it to rest while you cook the vegetables.

Add the vegetables to the BBQ and cook until lightly charred and tender.

To serve, pile a serving plate with the veges and drizzle with tzatziki. Carve the lamb and arrange on top of the veges.

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New Year's Day Lunch

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to 2012 here in the Gourmet Goddess kitchen! It is hard to believe that it is well over two and a half years since I first tentitively put my first post out there, with the intention of just posting recipes and reviews for friends to read. Since that first day, I have been blown away by the response to Gourmet Goddess and how many people from all over the world are now reading it on a regular basis. Thank you all for inspiring me to continue to share my love for creating new dishes, revisiting old ones and exploring the wonderful world of culinary adventures.

To kick off the new year, I decided to create a New Year's Day lunch that included a few ideas that I have had buzzing around my head during this holiday season. The main course and the dessert were dishes that I had decided on before the actual day of the lunch, however the starter just kind of popped into my head as I was doing the prep work for the dessert and noticed that I had a pack of Haloumi cheese in the fridge when I opened it to get the cream out! Inspiration struck and I used other ingredients I had on hand as well as herbs from my garden to make this delicious vegetarian starter. I was so happy with the result, I will be adding it to the permanent Gourmet Goddess repetoire.

The first course used a pack of Haloumi cheese, a handful of pine nuts, some roma tomatoes, black olives, a cucumber and freshly cut herbs. I cut the tomatoes into quarters, seasoned them and roasted them slowly in the oven for about an hour, then let them cool. I combined the cooled tomatoes with a handful of chopped balck olives, diced de-seeded lebanese cucumber, a handful of flat leaf parsley and a handful of mint. I then seasoned it all with salt and pepper, drizzled over a little olive oil and a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice.

Just before serving I pan fried the Haloumi in a touch of olive oil and then layered the ingredients on a serving plate (in this case one of my favourite green dishes from the wonderful Dinosaur Designs - a wedding gift from the lovely Matthew) I topped the lot with a few pine nuts, which I had toasted in a dry pan until they were golden - this gave them a particularly nutty taste and aroma. The result was a very simple but really delicious Summer starter that would be great as a side dish but also a wonderful vegetarian main course. I will definitely be making this again!

Haloumi and slow roasted tomato salad

with mint and pinenuts

For the main course, I decided on a rack of lamb, with a bit of a twist on the popular herb crust technique. I thought a combination of hazelnuts and lemon was worth trying, so I mixed together some fresh breadcrumbs with lemon rind, garlic, fresh parsley, hazelnut meal (I made this by blending roasted whole hazelnuts in the food processor) salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

To prepare the lamb, I seared it first in a pan, then covered the bones with foil to prevent them charring during cooking. I then brushed a generous amount of Dijon mustard over the skin. I carefully pressed the crust mixture on to the top of the lamb rack (I used an 8 cutlet or "point" rack) and then cooked it on the Weber over coals, with the lid on for about 30 minutes. After removing it from the heat, I covered it loosely in foil and rested the meat for 20 minutes before removing the foil and carving it. We enjoyed our lamb with sauteed asparagus and creamy potato mash that was tarted up with liberal amounts of butter and Tetsuya's Truffle Salt (drool!)

Hazelnut and Lemon Crusted Lamb

with truffle mash and sauteed asparagus

The result was a delicious, quite decadent dish, with that lovely hazelnut crunch and the refreshing tang of the lemon for that bit of zing. This variation on the classic herb crusted lamb was a hit with my fellow diners, who relished every bite and resorted to grabbing the bones and gnawing every last bit of succulent meat off them! Like the starter, this dish is very simple but is something you would happily serve at a dinner party.

Tetsuya's Truffle Salt

If you want to purchase some of Tetsuya's Truffle Salt (of course you do!! It's fabulous!) you will find it at David Jones' Food Hall, good gourmet stores or from Tetsuya via his website. http://www.tetsuyas.com/page/products.html  This salt is perfect for sprinkling on soft poached eggs, grilled vegetables or for use in sauces. If you do buy some, be sure to keep it in an airtight container, unless you want everything in your whole pantry to smell like truffles! It is sold in 100g jars and keeps for a couple of years.

When I was in Perth just before Christmas, my mother served me her gorgeous old fashioned trifle one night. I haven't eaten this since I was a kid and it was just delicious. Just one bite was a total nostalgia trip and I wondered why we don't really see trifles much any more. Who could resist that luscious combo of sponge, jelly, fruit, custard and cream? I decided I would make one when I returned home, but got to thinking about a new way to serve trifle, that would work as a dinner party dish. Taking advantage of lovely seasonal fruit, and tweaking the flavours, I came up with my own version of trifle. My trifle is based on the old school dessert, Peach Melba. I always loved the pairing of peaches, raspberries and cream and used this as inspiration for my trifle, which is served in individual portions. You can of course just make a large one if you aren't keen on having to assemble one person serves.

Peach Melba Trifle

with Rose Cream

Although there are quite a few elements to this dessert, it can all be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you are ready to serve, so don't be put off by all of the steps involved. So, how did I do it?

The night before, I made up a good old fashioned batch of raspberry jelly and left it to set overnight. A few hours before my guests arrived, I then created the components for the various layers. I had everything ready to go and then just assembled the trifles, covering them with clingfilm and chilling for a couple of hours.

Layer 1 - Sponge. Did I make a sponge? Nope. I cut 10 Italian Savioardi sponge biscuits into small chunks and drizzled over some strawberry liqueur to moisten them slightly. You could use rasbperry or peach liqueur if you wanted to.

Layer 2 - Peaches. I took four ripe peaches, blanched them in boiling water for 10 minutes and removed the skins. Then I sliced them into pieces.

Layer 3 - Custard. In a bowl, I whisked together half a cup of sugar, 3 egg yolks and a  tablespoon of cornflour until smooth and creamy. In a pan, I heated 2 cups of full cream milk with half a vanilla pod (I scraped the seeds out and mixed them all through for maximum vanilla deliciousness) When the milk was almost at the boil, I poured in a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. I kept doing this until half of the milk was mixed in. Then I poured the whole lot back into the saucepan and whisked well, before putting on a medium to low heat and whisking until thickened. I let the custard cool before using it.

Layer 4 - Raspberries. I mixed together 2 cups of raspberries with a splash of the strawberry liqueur and a couple of teaspoons of sugar. There were no decent raspberries at the shop, so I used frozen ones, which worked a treat.

Layer 5 - Jelly. I diced the raspberry jelly I made the night before into small pieces.

Layer 6 - Rose Cream. I beat a carton of thickened cream with half a teaspoon of rosewater and a dessert spoon of caster sugar, until thick.

Topping - Grated white chocolate (optional)

Be sure to have everthing ready before you start assembling your trifle and make sure that your custard has cooled down - it can be warm, but not hot. This dessert is really worth the effort - the combination of the peaches and raspberries with the sponge, fragrant vanilla custard and rose scented cream is to die for.

So, that was our first meal of 2012. Hope that you all come back and visit Gourmet Goddess during the year to share in new recipes, reviews and culinary adventures. I have ideas brewing already, so stay tuned!

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Get me to the Greek!

Eggplant has been around for a long time - apparently it has been grown in various forms since pre-history and is a member of the nightshade family, closely related to the potato and the tomato. It is a technically a fruit and comes in a large variety of shapes, colours and sizes - black, purple, white and green or even lilac.They can be almost as big as your head, or as small as a baby pea. Eggplant will soak up any other flavours that you put with it, so it is great in curries, stews or coated in a marinade.

Eggplant is in season right now so they have the advantage of being inexpensive and also of a really great quality. Always buy eggplant that are firm and glossy - the skin should not be soft, dull or puckered. The green stem should be green and firm. The most common question about eggplant is - to salt? or not to salt? If I am using very young eggplant, or the long slender lebanese style eggplant, I don't bother. However larger eggplant (like the one I am using in today's recipe) benefit from being salted before cooking to remove any excess bitterness from the fruit. I have included instructions for this in my recipe.

Eggplant is very popular in Greek cuisine and this is where I got the inspiration for today's recipe - a hearty lamb and eggplant dish that is loaded with flavour - add olives and fetta and fresh herbs and you have something delicious that takes advantage of the wonderful eggplant that is in season right now. Serve it with crusty bread and a beautiful green salad and even those who aren't crazy about eggplantwill be coming back for seconds.

Lamb, Eggplant & Fetta Rolls

You will need: 2 large eggplant, salt, 500g minced lamb, 1 large chopped onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons crumbled fetta cheese, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon fresh mint, 1 egg, a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper, 3 cups nepolitana sauce (or passata), 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped deseeded Kalamata olives, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Method: Slice the eggplant into pieces about 1cm thick, lengthways. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Drain off all of the dark liquid and pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels.

Heat a pan or grill and brush it with olive oil. Cook the eggplant slices in batches until slightly browned on each side. Set aside.

In a frypan, add a splash of oil and the chopped onion and garlic. Cook on a medium heat until the onion is soft.

In a large bowl, combine the minced lamb,oregano, paprika, mint, egg, cayenne pepper, parsley. Mix well with your hands. Now add the cooked onion and the crumbled fetta cheese. Season with a little pepper and mix well.

To make the rolls, lay a slice of eggplant flat and place about a tablespoon full of the mince mixture in a sausage shape across the middle of the slice, one third of the way down. Roll up the eggplant to encase the mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Repeat until all of the rolls are completed.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Pour the nepolitana sauce (or passata) over the rolls and top with the chopped olives. Bake for about 45 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and a salad, or rice.

Serves 4-6 People.

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Scrumptious Sunday Sensations

Summer isn't usually when we think about cooking a roast, but I have a favourite that is just perfect for a lazy Summer Sunday like today. Who doesn't like a roast dinner with piles of beautiful baked veges and a lip smacking gravy? Love it. But when the temperature is steamy you want something lighter right? Well, one of my favourite summer meals is slow cooked shoulder of lamb, served not with the usual roast accompaniments but with the delicious rustic Italian salad Panazella. This dish is so easy to throw together, and a great way to use up day old crusty bread that you may have left over. It is a very earthy, peasant dish popping with loads of flavour, colour and texture.

Panazella is a salad made mainly of tomatoes and chunks of crispy bread. Make sure you use the very best tomatoes - and the trick is to ensure that they are at room temperature for maximum flavour. Also try to use a variety of tomatoes for this dish - different colours and sizes look and taste fantastic. I used yellow pear tomatoes from our garden, along with romas, kumatos (the gorgeous dark fleshed variety) and a couple of heirloom varieties. The result was a riot of colour and wonderful vibrant tomato flavours.

What about the lamb? Well the lamb is ridiculously simple to cook (seriously, if you are the type of person who burns water, then you could still pull off this recipe!) and the prep work takes about 15 minutes. Then comes the "slow" part (I did say it was slow cooked). It takes about 4 hours to cook - which is why it is a perfect Sunday dish. You put it in the oven, then enjoy the rest of the day - watch a movie or read a book or have a snooze and the oven does the rest. It requires very minimal supervision and the result is spectacular. If you want the lamb to be ready for lunch, put it on when you get up in the morning and and it will be succulent and gorgeous in time for lunchtime. If you plan on making it you dinner, then put it in the oven just after lunch.

When you are buying lamb shoulder, make sure that it is on the bone - not the rolled boneless shoulder of lamb that you will also see in the butcher shop window. If you can't see lamb shoulder with the bone in, ask the butcher - they will be sure to have some out the back and can cut it for you. It is a cheap cut of meat, so if you are on a budget it is a great substitute for the more expensive leg of lamb. The catch though, is that it needs very long, slow, loving cooking to be just right. The end result is so tender you don't even really require a knife to cut it - it will just come away from the bone in juicy morsels.

So, tonight's dinner consisted of the lamb that had been cooking all afternoon and the beautiful Panazella salad and it was a big hit. So tasty and lip smacking was this combination, that we actually abandoned cutlery all together and ate the whole meal with our hands, tearing the meat off the bone and licking our fingers. Uncouth? Sure. But lots more fun. I did say it was a peasant dish, didn't I? Anyway, food always tastes better when it's eaten with your hands I say. Here was the dish before it was devoured....

Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with Panazella

So, how do you make this lovely rustic creation? Well, for the slow cooked shoulder of lamb, firstly preheat the oven to 220C. Then take the lamb shoulder and pierce a few small cuts into the meat, filling them with halved garlic cloves, lemon rind and rosemary. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and season very well with salt and pepper. Heat a frypan and cook the lamb on a high heat for a few minutes each side, until it is golden.

Place the lamb in a baking dish. To the frypan, add about 1/3 cup verjuice (I love the Maggie Beer one, available from delis, gourmet stores and some supermarkets). If you don't have verjuice, you can substitute white wine. Now add 4 cups of chicken stock to the verjuice in the pan. Stir over the heat for about a minute, then tip the liquid into the roasting pan.

Cook the lamb for 30mins on 220C, the reduce the heat to 190C and allow it to cook for a further 3 and a half hours. Check the meat every hour or so and top the pan up with water if it looks like all of the liquid is evaporating - you want there to always be at least 1cm of liquid in the pan at all times.

Once the cooking time is up, remove the lamb from the oven, wrap loosely in foil and allow it to rest for at least 20 mins. When you are ready to serve the lamb, the meat will be buttery and tender. You may not even want to use a knife to cut it - just pull it from the bone with a pair of tongs. Bliss.


For the Panazella, first tear up some good quality Italian crusty bread into bite sized chunks. Don't even consider using soft sandwich loaf or something similar - you need proper old school bread that has a decent crust and substance to it, or the dish just won't work. I used white Italian bread, but you could use grainy or wholemeal for the extra rustic touch. Put the pieces of bread on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook them in a moderate oven until they dry out - they should be dry but not browned.

In a bowl, combine chunks of cucumber,red and green peppers or capsicum, thinly sliced red onion, black olives, a couple of tablespoons of roughly chopped continental parsley, and a selection of roughly chopped tomatoes, preferably a few different colours or varieties. Season generously with salt and pepper. Just before serving, drizzle a couple of teaspoons of white balsamic (use white wine vinegar if you don't have the balsamic) and a generous slurp of good quality olive oil over the mixture. Add the dried bread and quickly toss through. Serve immediately. Easy!

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Moroccan Lamb Loveliness

I love the rich aromas that cooking a Moroccan inspired dish creates and today's delight is full of spices that will stimulate your taste buds and make your kitchen smell like a spice market. This dish uses delicious Australian lamb, warm, aromatic spices, salty fetta cheese and fresh herbs as a filling for flaky filo rolls. As always, the spice amounts are only a guide. You may want to add a truckload of chilli or just a touch. You may not be a fan of fresh coriander - then substitute some continental parsley. Just taste as you go until you get a flavour balance you are happy with.

The lamb mixture should be cold when you make your rolls, or the pastry will melt and fall apart and it will be a big hassle to handle. I recommend making the mixture well ahead (even the day before) to ensure that you get the best results. These rolls (uncooked) will freeze well - just put a layer of baking paper between them if you are stacking them in layers into containers. Although I used filo pastry, you could substitute puff pastry if filo is hard for you to get hold of.

These are very moreish and tasty, so give them a try.....

You will need: 1 pack Filo pastry, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds,1/2 cup melted butter, 500g lamb mince, 1 large finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup finely diced celery, 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, 2 cups diced cooked pumpkin (cooked until just soft, not too mushy), 1 cup crumbled fetta cheese, 1/2 cup chopped mint, 1 bunch fresh coriander, 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli, 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, a pinch of cinnamon, pepper, salt, a splash of olive oil.

Method: Add a splash of olive oil to a pan and cook the onion, garlic and celery until soft. Add the chilli, coriander powder, paprika, cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon and cook for about a minute. Add the lamb mince and cook it until browned. When it is done, remove from the heat.

Allow the lamb mixture to cool, then stir through the pumpkin, fetta, fresh mint and fresh coriander. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Once the lamb mixture is completely cold, it is ready to use to make you filo rolls/parcels.

Unroll your packet of filo and cut it in half. Each roll will take 3-4 individual sheets. Brush each sheet with a little butter until you have a few layers, place a tablespoon of the lamb mixture onto the pastry and roll up to form a parcel.

When you are done, place the rolls on a greased or lined baking tray. Beat together the 2 eggs and a couple of teaspoons of water. Brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle with the poppyseeds.

Bake in a moderate oven for 20-30 mins, until golden brown.

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Food! Glorious food! - London

Tea with the Queen??

Me outside Buckingham Palace -

HRH was in residence and I didn't even get so much as an Iced Vo-Vo!

When I announced that I was going to spend a few days in London on the way up to Scotland, and that I was looking forward to checking out the food there, a lot of people gasped, clutched their pearls and warned me of the supposed horrors of British cuisine. Lots of people seemed to have tales of either how hideous the food was, or how expensive - or both - and I was regaled with lurid stories of "Chippies" (purveyors of all things fried) , vats of rancid cooking oil, stodgy, bland gluey concoctions, grey mince and soggy cabbage. I certainly arrived in Old Blighty with low expectations. Whilst I had no intention of hitting the posh end of town and sampling the really high end establishments (budget was a factor, so there were definitely no Michelin stars on my horizon!) being a first time visitor I didn't know what lay between a degustation menu at Claridges and a deep fried Mars Bar at the local Chippie. I have to say that I was delighted to find a whole range of well priced, frankly delicious options.

The myth of British food being mad, bad and dangerous to know was blown out of the water for this culinary traveller. I didn't eat a bad meal the whole time and was impressed with the range of fresh ingredients available and the accessability of good quality food at reasonable cost. Like anywhere, the second you find yourself amongst the tourist traps, you know that your chances of finding anything decent to eat drop dramatically. In my opinion, if you eat at a place less than a couple of kilometers away from a famous landmark/monument/tourist spot , you get what you deserve - which will in all probability be something mass produced, overpriced and disappointing. My top foodie travel tip would be - observe where the tourists are heading and then set your course in the opposite direction.

Admittedly, I had a little inside foodie information in the form of my gracious hosts, Mark and Francis - who pointed me in the right direction of what I might like and who also kindly allowed me to stay in their gorgeous home in Stoke Newington. Thanks boys , your hospitality was treasured and I felt very spoiled, having somewhere to really call home during my visit. I was also treated to delicious home cooked Nigerian cuisine, courtesy of Francis' lovely mother (who was also visting) who cooked enough goat, creamed yams, baked fish, spiced fried chicken and delicious vegetable stews to feed the EU. All lip smackingly good I might add - her oxtail braise was to die for! (Even if that second serving required a little lie down afterwards - I ate FAR too much!)

Anyway, I thought I would share a few of my favourite meals from my time in London with you all. Bear in mind that all of these selections are from cafe style establishments, pubs or high street venues - I did not do any fine dining at all. As you will see, there were some great dishes - some that would give a few fine dining restaurants I've visited a run for their money. Here are my top 7 tasty London treats....

Scallops are my very favourite seafood, so I jumped at this delicious entree from a pub on Church Street, Stoke Newington. The black pudding and the scallops together were a match made in heaven - rich and delicious - and the fresh tasting pea puree balanced the dish perfectly and stopped it from becoming too cloying. I really wished they did this as a main course - just three scallops and black pud slices just weren't enough - so moreish!

Hand dived scallops with black pudding and pea puree

The next dish also came from a pub - their house made piccallili relish was perfect with the sweet and salty pork terrine. I love a terrine of any kind and this one was just delicious. The pork was lean and lovely and full of flavour and the different textures - the cruch of the sourdough, the tang and creaminess of the piccalilli and the bite of the terrine made this dish a real delight.

Free range pork terrine with sourdough toast and house made piccallili relish

Who remembers when lamb shanks were the bits that you gave to the dog and that butchers would often give you for free? Well, now we know better than to give this flavour packed cut of meat away gratis and some folks, like the fine people at The Three Crowns Hotel on the Stoke Newington High Street know how to treat their shanks right. And oh my..... do they do it right. Slow cooked meat that literally falls from the bone at a touch, moist, full of aromatics. Lip smacking, unctuous goodness served with a superb cassuolet in a fetching copper serving pot. Pure heaven.

Slow braised lamb shanks with cassuolet

For something a little lighter, this beautiful fresh salad really hit the spot - the spatchcock was so moist and beautifully cooked. It just melted in your mouth.Teamed with the citrus, watercress and fennel, it just screamed "welcome spring!" (which it is in England right now) and it was just lovely.

Roasted spatchcock salad with orange, fennel and watercress

How could I go to England and not have pork sausages at least once? Well, I had them more than once I admit, they were so damn good - and what is it about English bacon? So much better than any bacon I've eaten anywhere! Anyway, I digress - this delicious specimen came from Banger Brothers on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, who specialise in free range, english pork sausages. They don't try and tart them up too much - it is just a first class free range banger in a freshly baked roll with plenty of yummy condiments and a side order of freshly cooked chips with salt and a good dose of vinegar. Very old school and just what I needed to build up my strength for shopping at the Portobello Road Market. Banger Brothers of Notting Hill, we salute you.

Free range British pork sausages with dijon mustard/ chips and vinegar

I love crab meat, and I love it even more when I don't have to spend precious eating time picking out all that sweet, succulent flesh from the shell myself. These crab cakes that I enjoyed not only saved me that pesky and fiddly task, but also delivered the fresh crab meat in a lovely light, crunchy shell of its own. Teamed with a house made pickled cucumber and poppyseed salad, a beautiful saffron aoili on the side and a wedge of lime, it was crabby heaven.

Crab cake with pickled cucumber and saffron aoili

Who would have thought that I would experience the best huevos rancheros I've ever eaten on a blustery grey morning in Shoreditch, London? "Foodhall" in Old Street, Shoreditch is a specialty food store that includes a little cafe at the back and a cheese room 'round the side. It is a also a veritable treasure trove of foodie delights - organic bread, baked goods and milk, a great selection of oils, glazes, wine, spices and dry goods. They also serve the best coffee I had in London. What's not to like? Their huevos rancheros was served with slivers of spicy chorizo, avocado and a char grilled chilli and it was just so, so good! All future forays into huevos rancheros territory will be forever judged by this one. I used to think that my own interpretation of this classic dish was pretty good, (spicy, warming, all those lovely textures) but the "Foodhall" version just blows it out of the water.

Huevos rancheros

So, as you can see, London yielded up lots of culinary treasures and I didn't have to resort to the horrors of a "Chippie" once. Nor did I spend wads of cash to get delicious food. It was all there if you knew where to look. A couple of other delights that deserve a mention (but alas I have no pictures of!) are the spectacular bagels from the 24hour bagel shop "Beigel Bake" at 159 Brick Lane (also in Shoreditch). The constant queue out the door tells you that these people know how to bake a bagel! I enjoyed a freshly baked bagel filled with warm, tender salted beef (We call it corned beef in Australia) and a creamy mustard sauce that literally had me sighing with pleasure. The price will blow you away too - bagels range from about 15 pence to one pound fifty depending on the fillings you choose.

My final recommendation is reserved for what is reputedly the best kebab shop in London (and conveniently located a five minute walk from where I was staying in Stoke Newington) And yes, the store is literally called "The Best Kebab" and you will find it at number 125 on the Stoke Newington High Street. Again, the queue out the door will give you a hint that their kebabs are indeed the best. Frequented by chefs and punters alike (Ainsley Harriot is a regular) this no frills establishment serves up a range of beef, lamb and chicken kebabs cooked to order and served with fresh salads and delicious pickled cabbage that is so delicious. I sampled both the beef and the lamb during my stay. I decided on the lamb option as my last meal in London, and it was a worthy send off. (They even have their own Facebook group full of fans, which I have of course joined)

I will be very excited to explore more food options on my return to London (and yes, I certainly will be returning - particularly to concentrate on some of the great looking food stalls I saw along the canal in Camden, that I didn't get the time to try. And who knows, next time I might also go a bit upmarket and visit some of the swankier food establishments) But let's just clear up once and for all that myth that English food is all heart attack inducing fry ups and stodge. As you can see, I had some fantastic food and didn't have to pay a fortune for it either. Rule Brittania!

*****

Gourmet Goddess does takeaway

I love a kebab. Even those dodgy ones that you find yourself scoffing in the street as you stagger home after  lingering a little too long at the pub. (Oh come on! - we have all done it) My very favourite kind though, is one that includes lovingly cooked, beautifuly seasoned lamb (preferably from the leg), crunchy salad, soft freshly baked flatbread and then drizzled with thick, garlic laden Tzatziki. Definitely a cut above the "midnight kebab" style offering.

I had a small piece of lamb leg leftover from another recipe, (actually, it was the shank end that I had to cut off because the leg wouldn't fit in the pot that I wanted to cook it in) so I decided to roast it with a truckload of garlic, a touch of oregano and olive oil. I made a simple salad of vine ripened tomatoes and parsley (seasoned with lemon juice, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and lots of salt and pepper) and warmed up some pitta bread (made just around the corner from me in Marrickville)

To finish, I made a batch of homemade Tzatziki and served the whole lot on a platter so that we could just help ourselves and create our own kebabs. Of course I added some hot chilli sauce to mine - would you have expected anything else from me? The result was a delicious, easy to throw together and suprisingly healthy dinner. Here it is before we demolished it in front of the television.....

Gourmet Goddess Kebabs with Tzatziki

To make Tzatziki you will need: 2 cups thick, full fat continental yoghurt. (I like an organic Greek style one), 4 cloves minced garlic (feel free to use less, or a whole lot more depending on your pechant for garlic), 1 large continental cucumber, a couple of teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plenty of salt and pepper to taste.

Method: Slice the cucumber down the middle and scoop out all of the seeds (I just use a teaspoon to do this) Then, finely dice the cucumber. Mix with all of the other ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Tzatziki makes a great dip or a sauce for grilled chicken or seafood.

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Luscious Lamb

Today's dish is a simple but delicious salad that makes a great weeknight meal. You can throw it all together in about 20 minutes and it is full of flavour and a lovely contrast of textures. I created this just out of what I had in the fridge, along with some beautiful saltbush lamb rump that I had purchased from the Addison Road Organic Market the weekend before. (See the bottom of this post for more information on saltbush lamb - if you have never tried it, I highly reccomend it!)  

I think that this recipe would work really well with beef or even pork if you aren't that keen on lamb. It would also make a nice shared salad for a buffet or BBQ - just place it on a big platter and let people help themselves. We ate our salad with some warmed flatbread, which was ideal for wrapping around the filling and also mopping up all the delicious juices from the meat and the dressing. Yummo!

I used organic cow's milk fetta and tiny black wild olives from South Australia for this dish, but use whatever olives or fetta you like - I also think that this would work with a touch of goat cheese, mozzerella or even some nice fresh ricotta in place of the fetta. This salad has quite bold flavours, so it calls for quite robust salad leaves, which is why I chose lovely crunchy Cos lettuce (which is also my favourite variety) I would avoid any greens that are too flimsy or delicate.

This recipe serves two people.

Saltbush lamb salad with pumpkin, fetta, mint and pomegranate

You will need:
(For the salad) 2 lamb steaks, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon olive oil, cracked pepper, 1 baby cos lettuce (use a few handfuls of fully grown cos lettuce if you can't buy the baby version) 1/4 thinly sliced red onion, 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves, 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, 1 cup diced, cooked pumpkin (I just microwaved mine until soft), 1 tablespoon olives (I used tiny black, wild olives from South Australia), 1/2 cup cubed fetta cheese.

(For the dressing) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons white balsamic (you can use the dark balsamic if you can't get the white one), 1 tablespoon maple syrup, generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Method:
Combine the lamb steaks, teaspoon of olive oil, paprika and a generous grind of black pepper. Mix well and set aside. (You can do this a few hours ahead if you have the time)

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if required. Feel free to also add more balsamic if you want the dressing to be particularly tangy. Set aside.

Heat a pan and cook your lamb steaks to your liking - I like my lamb pretty rare but obviously go with whatever makes you happy. When the steaks are cooked, put on a plate, cover with foil and allow them to rest while you assemble the salad ingredients.

Using all of the salad ingredients - except the dressing, assemble your salad. Slice your lamb steaks (across the grain) into pieces. Add to the salad.

Tip any juices from the plate that the lamb has been resting on into the dressing and whisk together.
Drizzle over the salad. Serve right away.

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About Saltbush Lamb

I source my lamb from Drover's Choice, based in Coonamble NSW. The lamb grazes on saltbush, a native plant which gives them a rich source of minerals and nutrients not readily available from other sources. Because it is a deep rooted perennial plant, it assists with sustainable land management as it helps to prevent salinity. Saltbush requires very little water to grow, so it does not need irrigation or watering by the farmers. It also allows native wildlife to co-exist with the flocks, which means it is more environmentally sustainable. And finally, saltbush gives the lamb a spectacular flavour, so both your tastebuds and the environment win.

To find out more, or to get a list of locations where you can purchase saltbush lamb, check out the Drover's Choice website:  http://www.saltbushmeats.com.au/

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Shopping & Cooking - Sunday Organic Market

I have lived in Marrickville for quite a few years and can't count the number of times I have passed the badly written sign at the Addison Road/Victoria Road intersection advertising the Addison Road Organic Sunday Market. A few times I have thought "Hmmm...must check that out one Sunday" - but never actually got my act together to go (despite it being only a 15 minute walk away from my house - pathetic, isn't it?) I also think that the sign was so crappy and amateur that I had visions that the said organic market would comprise of a few hippies selling some dodgy produce from a sarong draped card table. Well, on Sunday I woke up to a beautiful autumn morning and I needed to buy some supplies anyway, so I thought I would get out in the sunshine and pay the market a visit. The market is situated at 142 Addison Road in Marrickville, New South Wales - which is part of the Addison Road Centre - apparently the largest community centre in Australia. It houses a number of not for profit organisations and community groups, as well as hosting the market from 9am to 2pm each Sunday.

Fresh from the farm

We arrived right on 9am, and already there were groups of people heading down the driveway entrance with kids, dogs and shopping bags. A band was setting up under the trees and the aroma of coffee was completely seductive. I imagine that as the morning wears on, it could get quite busy, so I recommend an early start to ensure ease of shopping, and that you get your pick of the best stuff. The market is lovely to walk around being surrounded by trees and away from the main road. It is also the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast outside in the fresh air, which is what we did.

Actually, I confess to indulging in not one breakfast but two. (Degustation brekky anyone?) I could not resist the lure of beautiful, flaky, stretchy Roti Canai, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roti_canai) served with a mildly spicy dahl to dip it into. Memories of breakfasts in Singapore came flooding back. The stall that sold these also had a beautiful selection of mostly Malaysian curries and treats - all of which smelt and looked amazing. I'm definitely going to pay them a visit again.  Breakfast number two was from a stall selling a variety of traditional German Sausages - we chose bratwurst that we devoured with saurkraut, onions, mustard and sauce served in a lovely fresh roll. Delicious. There are lots of other breakfast options, including fresh fruit juices, steamed dumplings, bacon and egg rolls, vegetarian treats and a few choices of coffee stalls (including Fairtrade) I plan on working my way around to all of them!

The first stall that caught our eye was Brasserie Breads - a Botany based artisan breadmaker that offered a stunning selection of organic savoury and sweet sourdoughs, pastries and other baked treats. After sampling a number of the breads on offer (and a deliciously aromatic sliver of freshly baked hot cross bun) we settled on a large traditional sourdough loaf, and a garlic loaf studded with masses of beautiful, gooey caramelised garlic. It smelt so good, I wanted to rip into it with my teeth right there! I managed to control myself and explored the rest of the market.

I love mushrooms so a stall specialising in mushrooms got my attention - I have never seen such a range of varieties for sale in one place. I was particularly interested in the lovely orangey, saffron coloured wild pine mushrooms. The lovely bloke running the stall told me that due to the recent rain, the pine mushroom harvest was particularly good. I couldn't leave without buying some of course!

Pretty mushies

Wandering through the stalls, I also picked up some gorgeous Tuscan cabbage (kale), fresh herbs, organic black figs (which I hope to turn into something delicious in the coming days), organic fetta cheese and some duck fat for those times when I want to feel all French and indulgent.

Another great stall I discovered was one specialising in various varieties of potatoes and garlic. I was very excited to see some types I didn't recognise and chose the deliciously named Dutch Cream variety to take home. I decided that those potatoes had a date to keep with my newly purchased duck fat later that evening...

From the potato/garlic man - I chose the Dutch Cream variety

As well as a good selection of fruit and vegetable stalls, the market has much more on offer - fresh flowers, organic cheeses, homemade preserves, herbs, eggs, honey, cakes and pies. There are also some plant stalls, second hand clothing, jewellery and bric a brac for those who like to fossick. The fun and relaxed atmosphere of the market made for a really enjoyable morning. It would be very easy to just sit under those trees drinking coffee, listening to the music and watching the eclectic passing parade all day if you wanted to. All shopping should be this enjoyable. I was impressed by the pricing of the produce on offer at Addison Road - sometimes choosing organic can be insanely expensive, but I felt that it was all pretty reasonable. Some of the trendier organic markets I have visited make choosing organic cost prohibitive for many of us, but this market seems to be more aimed at the local community and was a lot more reasonable. Certainly worth checking out  - even just as a pleasant Sunday morning breakfast excursion if nothing else.

What I bought on Sunday

I had already decided to try the Dutch Cream potatoes cooked in duck fat for dinner on Sunday evening and I teamed these with a salad of organic baby rocket (another market purchase), the organic fetta cheese, grape tomatoes and olives which I just drizzled with some olive oil and balsamic. I also slow cooked a leg of lamb with garlic, olive oil, a touch of white wine, lemon and rosemary (5 hours in my favourite cast iron/enamel pot at 190C) and added some of the gorgeous sticky garlic bread from Brasserie Breads for good measure.

What I cooked on Sunday

Sunday dinner was delicious - and there was plenty of left over lamb which I am already dreaming up plans for. I always like finding ways to create new dishes from leftovers - I'm notorious for over catering so it is a skill I'm trying to work on! I imagine you will see the lamb in some other incarnation in the coming days. The potatoes were a knockout - crispy on the outside and creamy and fluffy in the middle. I scored them all over with knife before I cooked them to maximise the surface area and to allow all that gorgeous duck fat to permeate through the potato. I used a tablespoon of the duck fat, which was plenty and just seasoned them with some sea salt and pepper. The potatoes had great flavour but weren't in the least greasy. If you see Dutch Cream potatoes for sale, give them a try - they are beautiful.

*****

The taste of Spring - Lamb

As you all know, I purchased some beautiful Mirrool Creek lamb shanks at the Eveleigh Farmer's Market on the weekend. On Sunday I took advantage of the fact that I was at home all day to treat myself to the delight that is slow cooked lamb shanks. To go with the Spring theme, I decided to serve the shanks with some crispy sliced potatoes and a fresh watercress, Kalamata olive and blood orange salad, drizzled with a small amount of good extra virgin olive oil.

I flavoured the shanks with the rind from the organic blood oranges I bought from the market, garlic and fresh rosemary. The result was absolutely delicious. The meat was meltingly tender and the flavour of the orange and the rosemary was perfect with the sweetness of the lamb. This dish was so, so simple to put together, with very few ingredients. It is the long, slow cooking that really allows all of the flavours to shine and makes this dish special. It is worth the wait, believe me!

Slow cooked lamb shanks with rosemary and orange

You will need: 4 Frenched (trimmed) lamb shanks, 3 x pieces of orange rind about 6 cm long (remove as much of the white pith as you can so that it does not make the dish bitter) 1 large brown onion cut into medium sized pieces, 4 sliced cloves garlic, 1 x sprig fresh rosemary about 6 cm long, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup water, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon paprika.

Method: Ideally, you should use a casserole dish for this that can go from the stovetop to the oven- a heavy cast iron dish is perfect. If you do not have one of these, you will need to do the first step in a frypan and then transfer the shanks to lidded casserole dish for the oven cooking part of the process.

Mix the flour, paprika and some pepper in a plastic bag. Add the shanks and dust them with the flour. Heat the oil in a pan on the stove and sear the shanks until they are browned. Add the onion and garlic and let these cook for about 5 mintues. Add the water, orange rind and rosemary and combine well.

Put the lid on the dish and transfer the shanks to the oven. Cook covered, on a low/medium heat for 2 hours. From time to time check the shanks and turn them, also give the onions a stir, adding a little more water if they start to dry out. There should be about a 1cm layer of liquid in the pan at all times. Eventually the onions and orange rind will break down to a puree-like consistency. This will form the sauce to spoon over the meat.

When the meat is done, let it rest out of the oven with the lid on for 15mins before serving.
Serve with crispy potatoes and a salad. Serves 4.


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To Market, To Market....

This morning I finally got around to checking out the Eveleigh Farmer's Market @ Carriageworks. There seems to more and more small farmer's markets popping up around Sydney, and I have to admit that there is a real appeal to buying produce direct from the producers. I also love a market atmosphere. To me , a market environment inspires me and encourages me to try new things. I love the interactions with the stallholders, the opportunity to taste and touch ingredients and the "buzz" that a market always seems to have.

Although the Eveleigh Farmer's Market is pretty small, I really loved what was on offer. Organic fruit and vegetables, artisan breads, organic meat, poultry and smallgoods, freerange eggs, organic milk and dairy products, flowers, stalls selling homemade cakes, jams, confectionery. There is a stall that sells the gorgeous Toby's Estate coffee, as well as food stalls selling pastries, pies and other treats if you haven't got around to having breakfast yet. This morning, I was starving by the time I walked to the market, so I was definitely up for some brekky. I sampled a delicious bacon and egg roll, cooked while you wait with organic bacon, freerange organic eggs and organic bread, topped with homemade BBQ sauce. Yummo!

So, what did I buy? Well, a few things caught my eye, and you will be seeing some of these ingredients in the coming days as I turn them into various dishes. Here they are.....

Today's selection was a bunch of golden beetroot, which you rarely see in your average greengrocer, so just I had to bring home a bunch! The beautiful blue tinged Kale (Tuscan Cabbage), Blood Oranges, A loaf of stone ground organic "La Tartine" sesame/sourdough bread, organic Pecorino cheese from Highland Organics in Picton, a tub of organic salted Jersey Butter, lovely vine ripened Conchita Tomatoes (sold by the delightful Sorbello family, who also sell a range of heirloom tomatoes and zucchini), fresh Rosemary and a massive bunch of Rununculi flowers to pretty up the house.

On the meat/smallgoods front, I tried a truly outstanding spicy goat sausage from Eumundi Smokehouse (made just a few suburbs away in Dulwich Hill) but it was their stunning Chorizo, robust with plenty of chilli and red wine, that won me over. I'm already regretting that I only bought one! I was also rather taken with the lamb on sale from "Mirrool Creek" (a farm near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales) I ended up bringing home 4 frenched lamb shanks from them (not pictured) which I think I will cook tomorrow. They also had lovely looking legs of lamb, shoulder, cutlets, rumps and minced lamb.

The Eveleigh Farmer's Market is only open from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays and is located on the corner of Wilson and Codrington Streets, Eveleigh. It operates rain or shine, as it is undercover. For more info, check out their website: http://www.eveleighmarket.com.au/farmers.html

I really enjoyed my first visit to the market this morning and I will definitely be going back. It is a nice way to start the weekend with good coffee, a delicious breakfast and surrounded by flower stalls and all that wonderful seasonal produce. A helpful hint though, most stalls only take cash, and there is no ATM on the premises, so come cashed up. I got caught out this morning and had to make a detour to the pub in the next street who did have an ATM. If you are someone who loves fresh flowers in the house like I do, this market had a beautiful selection, with really great prices and good quality. I picked up 3 bunches of Rununculi for $15, which is really good value. Generally, I thought the prices were reasonable, considering the quality of what was on offer. Almost all of the produce was organic and all of it is seasonal and direct from the producers. A visit to this little inner city gem is recommended.

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Ispirazione Italiana!

My inspiration for the flavours of this rack of lamb is the famous Italian pasta dish, Spaghetti Puttanesca (Whore's spaghetti) which traditionally uses capers, chilli and anchovies. I have used these ingredients as part of a marinade for the lamb, resulting in a salty, slightly spicy taste that goes beautifully with the meat. If you are (god forbid!!) an anchovy hater, don't be put off. The anchovies add a beautiful piquant element to the dish that isn't remotely fishy. It may even convert you to the merits of anchovies in cooking. I personally think that no pasta sauce is complete without a few of those salty lil' fishies, but that's for another day and another recipe :)

To go with the lamb I have chosen Risoni - small, rice shaped pasta flavoured with mushrooms and pumpkin. You will find Risoni in the dry pasta section of most supermarkets. If you have trouble finding it, continental delis or food stores will stock it. It may also be called Risi, or if you happen to be buying it from a Greek food store like I did, it will be called Orzo. Regardless of the name, you will recognise it by its rice shape. It may come in a few different sizes too - choose whatever takes your fancy. Obviously the smaller they are, the quicker they will cook.

Over to you - inizi a cucinare! (that's Italian for start cooking!)

Rack of Lamb
with Pumpkin and Mushroom Risoni

For the lamb......

You will need: 2 x trimmed racks of lamb (4 cutlets on each rack), 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 3 teaspoons finely chopped capers, 1 teaspoon very finely chopped red chilli (less if you aren't a chilli fan), 3 minced or very finely chopped anchovies, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper,a couple of pinches of salt.

For the risoni......

You will need: 300g risoni (orso), 1 large diced brown onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cups cooked pumpkin cut into small cubes (it should be slightly firm and not overcooked), 2 cups thinly sliced button mushrooms, 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms, 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, 2 tablespoons chopped continental parsley, 1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

Method (lamb): Combine all of the ingredients to form a marinade. Place in a bowl with the lamb, mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is even better.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the lamb in a baking dish and cook to your liking (20 minutes for rare, 30 minutes for medium) Loosely cover the lamb in foil and allow it to rest for 10mins before carving.

Method (risoni): Soak the porcini in warm water until soft. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the liquid. Drain porcini and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion starts to turn transparent. Add the button mushrooms and the porcini and sautee for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin, stock and porcini liquid and allow to simmer until the liquid reduces by about half. Set aside.

Cook the risoni in salted boiling water until tender (around 8-10 mins) Drain thoroughly and add to the vegetable mixture along with the butter, parmesan and parsley. Combine well and taste for seasoning. Adjust seasoning as required. Serve with the carved rack of lamb.

Serves 4

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