Show us your Mussels!

This week I managed to get my hands on some beautiful fresh "blue" mussels and was all set to cook them as I always do -  in a basic Nepolitana sauce with a little chilli, and a side serve of crusty bread - when I was reminded of the delicious Belgian style mussels that you find in many a Belgian Beer Café. Cooked simply in wine or cider, and served with frites (chips) and mayonnaise, they are delicious - and a change from the way I tend to cook my mussels.

My husband Andrew (aka Mr Smith) spent part of his childhood living in Belgium and was keen for me to recreate and serve up this dish that he ate as kid. A little research and I discovered that the ingredients were very simple and I was more than willing to give it a go. I even did a batch of frites and served them with some garlic mayo on the side to make the dish even more authentic. The result was a fragrant, tasty dish that was so quick and easy to prepare. It would be an ideal fast after work meal, or great to serve guests as a no hassle entrée or main course.

As with any produce, ensure that your mussels are super fresh - they should smell like the sea and not "fishy". To prepare them, scrub off any seaweed or dirt from the outside with cold water and de-beard them if necessary (pull out any tendrils of seaweed sticking out of the mussels) I used cider for my recipe, but many versions use white wine. I just happened to have cider in the house, so that's what went in. I also saw some versions of this dish that added a little cream to the sauce, to create a richer taste - feel free to add this if you want to.

I remember eating mussels cooked in this style many times in France, where they are also served with frites (French Fries). Despite the fact that they are known by this name over much of the world, the origin of the thinly cut fried potatoes that we call French Fries is actually Flemish, originating from Belgium. The earliest written account of people eating potatoes cooked in this style comes from the Meuese Valley, Belgium in 1680. They were eaten by fishermen and their families along with whole fried fish. So I guess you could say that fish and chips originated in Belgium too! Regardless of where they come from, they taste good and are the perfect accompaniment for a bowl of mussels.

This dish would be an ideal one to try if you are a bit unsure about cooking seafood, because it is very easy to do. The only thing you need to be aware of is to avoid overcooking the mussels. Once the shells have popped open, they are done and you are good to go. Mussels are a good choice if you aim to eat seafood in a sustainable way, and have the added bonus of being cheap and great for you.

Belgian Style Mussels

with Frites and Mayonnaise

You will need:
1-2kg fresh, cleaned mussels, 1 cup cider (I used a pear based cider, but apple is good too),1 white or brown onion finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salted butter, salt & pepper.

Note: 1kg of mussels will serve two people as a main course or four people as an entrée.

Method: Heat the olive oil to a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent.

Add the cider, a few pinches of salt and half of the parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes or so.

Add the butter and stir until well combined. Add the mussels and stir them so that they are all covered in the sauce.

Put the lid on the pot and allow the mussels to steam for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring gently now and then. The mussels are cooked when the shells open.

As soon as the shells are open, remove the pot from the heat (avoid overcooking, or your mussels will be tough). Season with some salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Serve in bowls with some of the sauce/pan juices spooned over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the parsley over the mussels and serve right away with crusty bread, or frites and mayonnaise.

*******

Tasmanian Travels Part 2

It's well over a week since we returned from our Tasmania trip and I thought I would share a few more snippets of food related highlights with you all,  before resuming standard post holiday transmissions.

One of the most exciting and pleasurable parts of the trip for us was heading to Longley, up in the mountains just out of Hobart to meet artisan knife maker and blacksmith John Hounslow-Robinson. We discovered John whilst watching a documentary on Chef Tetsuya Wakuda and were blown away by the beautiful handmade Damascus steel knives that he was making for the chef. My metal obsessed husband did some research and managed to track him down and we commissioned John to make us two knives - a chef's knife and a slightly bulkier Bushman's knife.

We were absolutely thrilled with the result, all handmade by John from found, local materials. The chef's knife has an almost luminous Huon Pine handle with beautiful striped grain - reminds me of  a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) pelt. The Bushman's knife was made with a deer antler handle with a natural curve that makes the knife feel so great in your hand. John collects old metal, fallen wood and bones, antler and other material from road kill - which unfortunately you see so much of in Tasmania. I think it makes absolute sense not to waste these precious materials, and John turns them into objects of such practicality and great beauty.

Damascus steel, hand forged knives

made by John Hounslow-Robinson

 

When we arrived at John's house in the bush, he was in the process of smoking his own free range bacon and local salmon in a home made smokehouse he had constructed. We soon discovered that as well a passion and talent for metal work, he is also a cook who loves good food. We even left with a few recommendations for places to eat in Tasmania as well as a gift of 1.5kg of his raw bush honey - the bees had been particularly busy in his neck of the woods!

 

 

John's House in the bush

-The smoke on the right is from the smokehouse.

 

Andrew and I were both so grateful to have had the chance to meet John and spend some time with this remarkable person. As well as a talented artisan, he was a storyteller, and a warm, generous and gracious host. It makes me so happy that in a world of mass production and disposable everything, that John  is up in his mountain home creating such lasting beauty with what he finds around him. To own two examples of his amazing work is such a privilege.

 

 

John Hounslow - Robinson

Longley Tasmania

 

 

Back in town, walking around Salamanca Market in Hobart on Saturday morning, I loved seeing all of the fresh winter produce being sold direct from the farmer to the public. Everything was so vibrant and fresh, particularly the winter root crops. So many ideas for dishes were swimming around my head when I spied all of these beauties......

 

Winter Root Vegetables @Salamanca

 

Such beautiful jewel coloured produce

@ Salamanca

 

Any of you who are fans of the wonderful Gourmet Farmer on SBS will recognise A Common Ground - the tiny shop under the stairs in Salamanca that sells produce from Fat Pig Farm, as well as other small Tasmanian producers. It is the brainchild of Matthew Evans and Nick Haddow who wanted to showcase the very best of Tasmanian food in one place. They stock Bruny Island Cheese,(including Australia's only raw milk cheese -  C2 - made on Bruny) charcuterie, free range pork, small batch artisan wine, whiskey and ciders and all sorts of other gourmet treats made from Tasmanian ingredients, with a focus on sustainability. You can now order from them online, but it was great to be able to visit in person. Check out their website or on Facebook for more information - they really are something special.  http://acommonground.com.au/

 

The shop under the stairs

A Common Ground

 

I'm not much of a drinker these days, but there were a couple of alcoholic treasures that I discovered on our trip. The first was a bit of a fluke - a while ago I had tried to order a bottle of the small batch Sloe Gin that I had seen them make on Gourmet Farmer from the Common Ground website, but it sold out so fast that I missed out. Sloe Gin is made from ripe blackthorn fruit (related to plums) and this gives the gin an extra herbal and fruity character, as well as a lovely pinkish/purplish blush. I had forgotten about it until I got to the shop but the subject came up with the lovely Common Ground lady as she was putting together a dinner hamper for us. We really hit it off with her and the end result was that once the shop was empty and there was no one but us about, she revealed there had been a mix up with an order and because of this she had the very last bottle under the counter - would we like it? HELL YEAH! I am considering having a go at curing salmon with some of the Sloe Gin, as well as drinking it.

 

Another boozy highlight was the discovery of the delicious locally made Pagan Cider. I rather like ciders, and this one is a beauty. Made from a mixture of local apples and cherries I was initially concerned it might be too sweet for me - I'm not a fan of sweet alcohol - but it was perfectly balanced and not overly sweet at all. It comes in two varieties which have different amounts of cherry in it. The one pictured below has the most cherry, but I still didn't find it overly sweet, despite the rich colour. I brought home 4 bottles with me and think I will have to do some research to see if I can buy it online and have it shipped. It really is delicious. The label is pretty too.

 

Pagan Cider

Made from Tasmanian Apples & Cherries

Driving through the countryside around the Huon Valley and Cygnet, many of the apple trees had the last apples of the season still on the branches. They made for a pretty splash of red in the winter landscape. Apples and apple juice was for sale everywhere, at un-staffed roadside stands where you just take what you would like and leave the money in the tin. Love that.

 Winter Apple Fall

Cygnet, Tasmania

 

Dining out wise, here are some of the things I particularly enjoyed.

We visited The Source at MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) to experience Michelin starred chef Phillipe Leban's food. We chose a seven course degustation menu and loved the local ingredients served with technical flair and creativity. We really rated our meal there, particularly the Scallop Gnocchi which was knockout - such a beautiful texture and pure scallop flavour.

 Tasmanian Scallop Gnocchi with Yuzu Foam

@ The Source

The roasted duck course took those rich, robust winter flavours and gave them a light touch. All of the flavour was there, without the heaviness. I really enjoyed this one.

Roasted Duck with Daikon and Winter Cabbage

@ The Source

 

I love the flavour of green tea (yes, I know it can be a bit of an acquired taste) so the green tea dessert was right up my alley. An edible receptacle of green tea "glass" was filled with a creamy, punchy lime mousse that you had to crack open to get to. Great contrasting texture of the creamy mousse and the crackly green tea covering. Served with a Sencha green tea sponge and a sweet and sticky black sesame paste, this was a winner. Only thing I wasn't fussed about was the chocolate drizzle on the sponge - seemed a bit random and not really necessary. The rest of the flavours though were to die for.

 

 

 Green Tea Crust, Lime Mousse, Sencha Cake and Black Sesame

@ The Source

The following night we visited Smolt, a restaurant in Hobart that I had been reading very good things about and was keen to try. (If you are wondering about the name - a smolt is baby salmon)Unfortunately the place was quite dark so I can't share the photos of some of the best dishes - they just don't do the food justice. Although they have an A-La-Carte menu, we wanted to try lots of things - so we asked them if they could possibly do a degustation menu for us with smaller tasting serves. They were happy to oblige and the result was our best meal of the trip! Like The Source, they are very focused on Tasmanian produce but using them in a more rustic, free form way. The menu had a very Italian/Mediterranean influence and the flavours were robust and generous. We started the meal with ultra fresh Tasmanian oysters which I can't get enough of.

 Tassie Oysters @ Smolt

 

A simple salad of winter apples, locally produced prosciutto and salad leaves showed that the very best dishes are those that let the superior produce speak for themselves. We had 7 courses in all - all savoury (we asked them not to do desserts as we aren't huge dessert fans) The dishes were all generous and colourful and full of flavour. Slow cooked pork, dishes of richly roasted vegetables, local creamy goat cheese, perfectly cooked seafood - all delicious.

 

 

Rustic Winter Apple & Prosciutto Salad

@ Smolt

 

The Tassie Cheese Arancini  was decadent and rich, with a creamy, stretchy risotto and cheese centre, but a super crisp shell. Just heavenly. As well as a fantastic meal, the service was very good, relaxed and friendly but efficient. The other big plus was that it was moderately priced and brilliant value for a top notch menu, great service and lovely surroundings. If you are visiting Hobart it is really worth a visit. They apparently do fantastic breakfasts and are open for lunch too.

 

Tasmanian 3 Cheese Arancini

@ Smolt

 

 

For more information, opening hours and sample menus for these restaurants, visit their websites - I've posted the links below. I would recommend both of them. Completely different styles of food, but each do what they do brilliantly. 

 

As to my own cooking - well the weather is wintry and rainy and I have a rostered day off today so I am heading to the warmth of the kitchen in a moment to cook up a big batch of proper Bolognaise sauce (a mixture of half free range pork, half organic beef mince). I plan to freeze some but a lot of it will be destined for a tray of Lasagne for the weekend. This chilly weather makes me want comfort food and Lasagne is comfort personified I reckon. Also thinking that a batch of walnut muffins might be in order.

 

Until next time - stay warm and eat something delicious!

 

The Source  http://www.mona.net.au/mona/restaurant

Smolt  http://www.smolt.com.au/

 

******

 

Tasmanian Travelbug

Greetings from the gorgeous southern island state of Tasmania! I thought I would give you all a brief progress report on what we have been up to food wise, in this place that seems to have stunning produce and food experiences at every turn. It has been wonderful returning to Tasmania in the winter - the last time we were here the landscape and the seasonal food for sale was very much in Spring mode. Now at the beginning of the cold season, the landscape and the weather looks very different from when we were here in November. Still beautiful and wild, but harsher and less forgiving. Everyone is rugged up for the new conditions, and as you drive around you see tendrils of smoke drifting from farmhouse (and urban house) chimneys as everyone lights their fire to create a cosy respite from the winter cold.

The morning we arrived we dumped our bags at the hotel and headed straight down to Salamanca Market (my favourite market in the country) to explore and grab some lunch. The market is bursting with fresh local produce, hand made items of wood and metal and wool, sweet treats, fresh flowers, vintage goods and all kinds of treasures. As we wandered around we couldn't resist the delicious aroma of wood fired pizza cooking. A portable wood fired oven was cranking out hand made pizza made from all local ingredients - including scallops, Huon Valley mushrooms, organic beetroot and local goat's cheese. We grabbed a couple of slices to munch on as we strolled around the market - the delicious roasted pumpkin and feta was a standout.

 

Wood Fired Pizza

- with great local produce on the menu.

Those of you who have been watching Gourmet Farmer on SBS would be familiar with their small gourmet shop under the stairs at Salamanca Arts Centre - A Common Ground. We dropped in to see if their eagerly awaited raw milk saffron cheese had arrived yet - but alas there is still a few weeks before it will be available. This means we will have to purchase it by mail order and have it shipped to Sydney when the time comes! We did however buy some beautiful free range ham, raw milk cheese and pickled cherries to take home with us. The biggest score though was managing to procure a rare bottle of their small batch sloe gin. Although technically sold out, (I had already tried to buy it online) we got chatting to the delightful Common Ground lady and in the process ended up with the very last sneaky bottle from under the counter as the result of an order mix up. Score!! I'm thinking that I may use the sloe gin as a component in a dish when I get home.

Just down the hill from our accommodation, we found a brilliant European old style bakery - Daci & Daci - that is choc full of the most delectable breads, pies and pastries to suit every taste. We have ended up there for breakfast a few times so far. This place pretty much sets the standard for baked goods, and to be honest I thought it was even better than a lot of the bakeries we have visited overseas - even France where they have such a big reputation for patisseries. As well as breakfast, we have been getting treats to take away when we have been road tripping around. They have a huge variety to choose from, and so far everything we have tasted has been exceptional.

Freshly Baked

-Treats from Daci & Daci

 

 Daci & Daci
Just one of the counters full of delicious things

A few days ago we took a drive to Port Arthur, site of one of the most notorious prison colonies in Australia. The day was suitably sombre and grey for such a sombre place. A lot of the buildings are now ruins, but the Commandant's convict built house is still complete. They have turned this into a museum, showing a bit of how the ruling classes lived there - including the original kitchen. I thought it was rather lovely to look at, but you can imagine it would have been less than lovely for the servants who had to work with this very basic arrangement - carting water and keeping fires going and managing on supplies brought in by ship. I'm always intrigued by historical kitchens - they tell you so much about how people lived.

The Commandant's Kitchen

Port Arthur

We could not visit Tasmania without crossing the water to one of our favourite places - the wild and lovely Bruny Island. This island is the source of a whole lot of amazing produce and there are lots of folks making really exceptional products there. If you love oysters, then you are in for a treat. They have what are easily the best oysters I have ever eaten. The day we went, we actually ate them for breakfast - shucked while we waited, sitting under a tree at the oyster farm. They taste so clean and fresh, with that gorgeous salty brine of the sea. I love the taste of oysters and seafood from very cold waters - they have a pristine character about them that warm water varieties just don't have for me.

We checked out some of the beautiful smoked trout and salmon from the Bruny Island Smokehouse, as well as smoked wallaby (you will commonly find wallaby on the menu in Tasmania) and free range smoked ham. We came away with some of the ham, their award winning trout pate and the delicious buttery tasting salmon pate too. Next stop was the Bruny Island Cheese Company for second breakfast - a simple wood fired pizza topped simply with tomato and their stunning cheeses. They also bake excellent rustic wood fired bread, so we came away with a loaf which ended up being dinner that night, along with their excellent cheese - particularly the delicious C2 raw milk cheese which is a favourite in our house.

Bruny Island Smokehouse, Get Shucked Oyster Farm,

Bruny Island Cheese Company.

Yesterday we drove out to Cygnet, an area we really love and where we hope to live eventually. As well as exploring, we had lunch at The Red Velvet Lounge, a local cafe/meeting place that I had read about recently. I was surprised to find a quite large, but very cosy and welcoming place that seems to be a hub for locals as well as visitors. We had a delicious comfort food style lunch in front of the fire there, and was really impressed by the very simple, but beautifully prepared food. I chose a slow cooked lamb shoulder with roasted potatoes and salad. This was served with a little jug of lamb jus and a great punchy salsa verde - all local ingredients and just delicious.

Lamb Shoulder

- served with Lamb Jus and Salsa verde

As you all know, I'm not a big dessert fan - but my very favourite sweet treat in the world is a simple sponge cake with cream. The Red Velvet Lounge version of this looked so beautiful, we had to share a slice. Old school, just like your Nanna would make sponge was sandwiched between whipped cream and fresh local berries. Just perfect. And proof that simplicity and excellent ingredients rule!

The Red Velvet Lounge Sponge Cake

- with cream and local berries

All of the food we have been enjoying so far has been rustic and quite simple, but tonight we will change gear somewhat for a fine dining degustation menu at The Source. Located at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Michelin star winning chef Phillipe Leban creates dishes with all Tasmanian ingredients, but with a French influence. We are really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for us this evening. I will report back, so watch this space.

*******

Lovely Linguini

Today's menu combines my love of fresh seafood and pasta in a delicious, fresh tasting and easy to put together dish. I have used lovely new seasons local mussels and fresh prawns and teamed them with vine ripened tomatoes, a hint of chilli, crisp flat leaf parsley and the tang of lime. Finished off with a little butter at the last minute, it is rich tasting without being too heavy. You could of course us any seafood you like - scallops, clams, fish and calamari would work really well too. Add other herbs if you want to - dill, lemon thyme or chives would be a nice addition.

I made this dish for dinner last night and it took about half an hour from start to finish, including the cleaning of the prawns and mussels, so it is an ideal midweek dinner. It is also good looking and special enough to serve up to guests. As always, make sure that the seafood you have selected is absolutely fresh - anything less than first rate seafood will result in a second rate dish. This dish is not suitable to make ahead or freeze.

A note about the mussels - I prefer to use the black, local mussels - although it seems that the large, green lipped variety from New Zealand are more popular. Our local mussels are smaller, but they are also beautifully sweet and I find the flesh more delicate tasting. I will choose the local product over imports every time. A few years ago when I was visiting the South Island of New Zealand I ate their green lipped mussels and they were stunning, but shipping them thousands of kilometers from New Zealand to eat them in Australia really loses something taste wise - as well as the environmental impact of transporting them.

I am actually off to New Zealand for work next week (North Island this time) and I'm hoping to sample some of the beautiful produce they have to offer while I'm there. If the quaility is anything like the last time I visited, I will be in for a treat. Stay tuned for a report on what I find there and some pretty pics.

In the meantime, enjoy this lovely simple seafood pasta. Bon Appetit!

Mussel and prawn linguini with chilli and lime

 

You will need: About 150g dry linguini or pasta per person, 5 mussels per person, 5 whole raw prawns per person, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon minced chilli, 1 clove minced or finely grated garlic, grated rind of 1 lime, juice of 1 lime, 1 cup chopped continental parsley, 2 large tomatoes with the seeds removed and diced finely, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, pinch of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, extra olive oil.

Method: First, clean and debeard the mussels, then remove the heads and shells of the prawns (I leave the tails on for flavour and presentation) Don't forget to devein the prawns - no one likes to have a delicious dish ruined by having the gritty digestive tract left in!

Combine the paprika, a splash of olive oil, chilli, salt, garlic, lime rind and half of the lime juice in a bowl. Add the prawns and allow to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

In a seperate bowl, combine the tablespoon of olive oil, parsley, tomato, cayenne, the rest of the lime juice, parsley and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook your pasta until it is al dente - don't overcook it - it should by slightly firm to the touch. Drain the pasta and set it aside while you quickly finish the dish.

Put the empty pasta pan back on the heat and turn it up high. Add a splash of olive oil and when it is smoking add the prawns. Quickly cook the prawns (this should only take a minute) and then remove them from the pan. Turn down the heat a little. Add the mussels and put the lid on. Cook the mussels for a minute or so, until they steam open. Remove them from the pan and disgard any that do not open.

Return the cooked pasta to the pan and add the butter. Toss through until the butter is melted. Add the tomato mixtutre and all of the seafood. Mix gently until combined and season with salt and pepper.
Serve right away.

******

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.

*****

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/

*****

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.

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Go-Go-Gourmet Gadgets

When it comes to kitchen gadgets/machines, I believe that most of the time "less is more". I'm always wary of cramming my storage space with gadgets that may only be used once or twice a year, or that are designed to do only one thing. How many people have bulky popcorn machines, pancake,bread or fairy floss makers etc taking up cupboard space? A couple of years ago I did a ruthless cull of any kitchen equipment/cookware that was past it's prime or that I never really used, giving some away to friends and donating the rest to a charity shop. Not only did it free up my cupboard space but it also made me realise how little you actually need, even if you cook as much as I do. It make me think about generations of cooks before us who produced wonderful dishes with the most humble of kitchen tools. I'm not advocating that we all throw out our food processors or the tools that really make our cooking lives simpler, just that for me, having a hard look at what I owned and didn't actually use or need led me being more conscious and to consuming/purchasing less. Now, instead of being seduced by every cookware store I see I am a lot more pragmatic - Do I really need this? How much will I actually use it? Does it require lots of space/cleaning? Do I already have the tools to do the same job?

Don't rule out recycled cooking gear if you need to add to your tools - I have bought some great quality equipment over the last few years - vintage mixing bowls, serving platters, glassware, chopping boards, tablecloths and other goodies, all from secondhand stores or charity shops. Give everything an extra thorough clean and away you go. As well as saving you lots of money, you are also recycling and being more enviromentally responsible, which can only be a good thing.

Of course I do have my own favourite kitchen must-haves - good knives, my heavy mortar and pestle big and deep enough to hold a large batch of spice paste and to crush nuts/spices without half of them ending up on the floor or on the bench, my trusty hand blender, a microplane (one of my best purchases ever), stainless steel mixing bowls (that do double duty as a double boiler when placed over a pot of boiling water), decent sized chopping boards, my favourite pan which was a birthday gift from Michael last year(I use it almost every day) Obviously your must haves are going to depend on what you tend to cook - I don't have a lot of cake tins/baking stuff, because I rarely bake, but if you are always cooking cakes and biscuits, then that equipment is going to be a priority for you.

I do occasionally add to my cooking tools - I recently bought a grill pan (found at a discount cooking store reduced from $130 to $35!) I have already used it quite a lot, so it was a good purchase. I was also interested in trying the silicone poaching "pods" that I have seen popping up in cookware stores lately. My egg poaching skills have always been a bit hit and miss (invariably they fail when I have guests, don't you hate that??) so I bought myself a pair of poaching pods and I was really happy with the results......

Product: Silicone Poaching Pods

Price: Mine were $19.95 (a pair)

Where do I get them?: Specialist cookware stores

How they work: You simply oil the pods lightly (makes the eggs slip out very easily) and then break an egg into each of them. You place them in a pan of boiling water and put a lid on the pan. The eggs float on the water and poach perfectly. You slide the eggs out of the pods and voila! No more dodgy/broken/sodden poached eggs!

You'll love them if: Your track record with poaching eggs is as bad as mine!

Gourmet Goddess gadget rating: 9/10 - simple to use, easy to clean and very effective.

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Something fishy.....and being sustainable

One of my workmates (and ex-chef) Ben very generously gave me a jar of his own homemade hot chilli jam this morning, made with chillies grown in his own garden. I decided I was going to use it somehow in dinner tonight and I had also been craving seafood, so on the way home from work I stopped at the fishmonger to see what looked good.

I picked up a few prawns, a couple of scallops and a small piece of Blue-Eye Cod. I had some of the braised leek/tomato mixture from last night in the fridge, so I added a cup of vegetable stock to it, a handful of black olives and a spoon full of Ben's chilli jam and made a spicy broth. (Full marks on the chilli jam by the way Ben - it had a lot of heat and also a beautiful flavour with just the right acidity. Yum!) For the seafood, I mixed a tablespoon of flour and a teaspoon of paprika together, dusted the seafood lightly in it and then cooked the fish , prawns and scallops in a pan with a touch of olive oil till golden. The whole process literally took 15mins from start to finish and it definitely satisfied my desire for seafood and chilli tonight. The seafood was super fresh and the dish was full of flavour.

So, here it is, Pan fried seafood in leek, olive and tomato broth (featuring Ben's chilli jam) .....

Living my childhood on the coast of Western Australia, I grew up with seafood, and I have not lost my love for it as I have gotten older. I have memories of stiflingly hot nights in the 70's on the banks of The Swan River, waiting expectantly for the return of the prawn nets, hearing them dragged through the dark water full of school prawns that flicked you with their spiky tails and made us squeal and drop them on the sand. If you were lucky, the haul would also include vibrantly coloured Blue Manna, Blue Swimmer Crabs or glossy black river mussels, all of which would later be devoured at the kitchen table, still steaming from the pot, eaten with vinegary fingers, crusty white bread and lashings of butter. It was the simplest but most delicious of feasts.

Sadly, in 2009 we see fish stocks around the world seriously depleted, with many species being threatened or wiped out due to destruction of habitat or overfishing. In recent years I have become very aware of the impact my consumer choices have on this situation and I have consciously been trying to make better choices, avoiding species that are overfished or in danger of being so. The Australian Marine Conservation Society are a great source of information on the subject. For more info, go to http://www.amcs.org.au/default2.asp?active_page_id=137

For quick reference, here is a list to help you choose wisely, but it is by no means a complete list, just a starting point. I have included alternative names for some of the species.

Fish/Seafood to avoid: Blue Warehou, Black Trevally, Sea Bream, Hake, Silver Kingfish, Redfish, Red Snapper, Southern Bluefin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Shark, Flake, Silver Trevally, Silver/White Trevally, Sea Perch, Orange Roughy, Swordfish, rainbow Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Tiger Prawn, Rock Lobster, Coral Crayfish, Sea Cucumber, Tasmanian Scallop, King Scallop, Baby Octopus (Thailand)

More sustainable choices: Hoki, Blue Grenadier, Barramundi, Blue Eye Cod, Deep Sea Trevalla, Blue Eye Trevalla, Bream, Yellowfin Tuna, Flathead, King George Whiting (but avoid whiting from Western Australia as the fishery is closed), Trumpeter, Sand Whiting, Mackarel, Mullet, Yellow Eye, Ling, Rock Ling, Snapper, Red Bream,Tailor, Blufish, Skipjack, Coral Trout, Balmain/Moreton Bay Bugs, Western Rock Lobster, Calamari, Cuttlefish, Squid, Octopus, Blue Mussel, Green Mussel, BlueSwimmer Crab.

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