tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79010809392581960962023-11-17T05:01:32.638+11:00The Hasty GastronomeA collection of favourite recipes for your dining pleasureNatashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-18678889844604878642013-04-22T21:28:00.002+10:002013-04-22T21:28:23.099+10:00Pine mushrooms, pasta and not much else<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is less a recipe and more a brag about where I've just been. After a slow and sumptuous long weekend in Victoria's North East Alpine/gourmet/Twin Peaks country, we arrived home with a few little morsels of local produce. And the pick of the litter? Pine mushrooms. Big, orange and beefy. I get very excited when I can get these. It means we're on the wintery side of Autumn. It means I'm shopping somewhere far more rewarding than the local shithouse supermarkets. It means dinner is going to be delicious.</div>
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When I can get pine mushrooms, I prefer to do very little to them. In this case we also had beautiful handmade spinach pasta, and stunning Myrtleford butter with French herbs. And half a bottle of incredible Nebbiolo. Don't add that to the dish. Just drink it while you're cooking...</div>
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If you don't have handmade pasta and herbed butter you could add one or two of: garlic, blue cheese, truffle oil, parmesan, hazlenuts or just salt and pepper. But remember, less is more.</div>
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<i>Ingredients:</i></div>
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<li><i>Pine mushrooms</i></li>
<li><i>Pasta</i></li>
<li><i>Herbed butter</i></li>
<li><i>Salt and pepper</i></li>
<li><i>Parmesan</i></li>
<li><i>A dash of olive oil</i></li>
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Boil and salt your pasta water and add your pasta. Wash and slice the mushrooms. Then heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and throw in the mushrooms. </div>
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Scoop a small spoonful of the butter and ogle it a little. Then add it to the mushrooms. Season with a little salt and a liberal amount of pepper. </div>
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Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the frying pan and plop in a second spoon of butter. Toss through and serve with a small garnish of parmesan. Drink wine throughout.<br />
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Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-71994385887578113712013-04-15T21:33:00.002+10:002013-04-15T21:33:42.695+10:00Farro, Barley, Spinach and Pomegranate Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This salad has several features that are likely to recur in the next little while: it can be fed to a seven month old baby (more or less) and it can be prepared in advance (eg while said baby has his afternoon nap). It is also crammed full of nutritious ingredients and is surprisingly more-ish. You could use any grains you have to hand to make it. The star ingredient is the pomegranate molasses. Without this, it would be pretty dull. With it, it's sour and tangy and sensational.</div>
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<i>Ingredients:</i></div>
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<li><i>1 onion</i></li>
<li><i>1 clove garlic</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons fennel seeds</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons cumin seeds</i></li>
<li><i>pearl barley (I used half a cup)</i></li>
<li><i>farro (I used a cup and a half)</i></li>
<li><i>1 bunch spinach</i></li>
<li><i>pomegranate molasses (a big long pour - about half a cup)</i></li>
<li><i>1 pomegranate</i></li>
<li><i>about 1 cup almonds (you could use any nut or pepitas)</i></li>
<li><i>4 1/2 cups boiling water</i></li>
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Finely chop the onion and garlic and sautee in olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the fennel and cumin seeds and fry in the oil until fragrant. Add the barley and toss through the oil, then add boiling water (3:1 water to barley)*. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Then add the farro and more hot water (2:1 water to farro). Simmer for about 30 minutes or until almost all the liquid is absorped, stirring regularly to prevent burning. </div>
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Meanwhile, roughly chop the almonds and toast them in a dry pan.</div>
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Shred the spinach, rinse and stir through the grains**. Then add the pomegranate molasses and stir until the moisture is absorbed. Stir the nuts through, reserving a few for garnish. Cut the pomegranate in half and bang the seeds into the pot through your fingers, catching the white pith, again reserving some. </div>
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Serve with the remaining almonds and pomegranate on top. Eat it with lemon baked chicken, or spicy fish, or simply on its own. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Here is an<a href="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Cooking-Tips--Techniques-642/grain-cooking-chart.aspx" target="_blank"> incredibly useful chart </a>I stumbled upon for cooking times for various grains.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">** If feeding to a baby, stop here. I took some out, then kept right on going.</span></div>
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Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-56354323079922532362013-04-15T16:41:00.003+10:002013-04-15T16:41:39.085+10:00So this happened...<script type="text/javascript">
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Oh yeah, and I wrote a thesis (albeit just a little one).</div>
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And there has been much cooking - almost all of it harried and utilitarian and much of it done by my partner while I've sat on a couch with a hungry baby attached. So here we are, eight months since my last post. </div>
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I went for a run this morning. I am so so close to being able to do up my skinny jeans.</div>
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I think my hiatus is just about over...</div>
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Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-15450775478298929442012-08-09T19:57:00.006+10:002012-08-09T21:12:24.772+10:00Caramelised onion and sweet potato tart<br />
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You know when you have to 'bring a plate' to your last antenatal class and you forgot about it until that day and you have spent your weekly budget, and you're not sure what to do? But then you discover that you have an onion, and a sweet potato, and a little bit of left over mozzarella and parmesan from the weekend's lasagne. And there's some puff pastry in the freezer. And it's the depths of winter and you're supposed to be writing your thesis and you can think of nothing better than having an excuse to put the oven on?<br />
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Well, I'm sure we've all been there. Or at least somewhere entirely dissimilar to there. Fortunately, this tart is the solution to all manner of crises. It's pauper ingredients gussied up as fancy French business. It's pretty easy. And it's really scrummy. It would work with all different kinds of cheese, and using this template I'm pretty sure you could do good work with potatoes, mushrooms, and all manner of other seasonal veg.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1/2 a large sweet potato</i></li>
<li><i>1 brown onion</i></li>
<li><i>1 clove garlic</i></li>
<li><i>50 grams butter </i></li>
<li><i>splash of sherry vinegar </i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1 big handful of grated mozzarella</i></li>
<li><i>1 tablespoon grated parmesan</i></li>
<li><i>2 sheets frozen puff pastry</i></li>
<li><i>salt and pepper to season </i></li>
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Finely slice your onions, the thinner the better. Heat the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat, and add the onions. Soften then for about 10 minutes until they are golden and then add the splash of vinegar and brown sugar and continue to sweat the onions for another 5 minutes.<br />
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While the onions are cooking, finely slice your sweet potato, then add it to the pan. Sautee the potato for about five minutes until it starts to soften. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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Grate the cheese and toss half of it through the mixture, reserving half for the top.<br />
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Take your two sheets of puff pastry which should be properly thawed by now. Because this is Australia puff pastry only seems to come in squares, which is the wrong shape and thickness for this tart. So scrunch them into a ball, and roll them out again into a vaguely circular shape about 2 millimeters thick. Don't worry about it being neat, you can pass any wonkiness of as 'rustic'. <br />
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Tip the onions and sweet potato mixture into the centre, leaving a 2 cm border. Fold the pastry border in and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Brush the pastry edges with a little milk and cook in a hot oven (220 C) for about 18 minutes.<br />
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When you remove the tart from the oven it will have puffed up into a glorious golden pouffie thing. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing it. Da na!<br />
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<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-42367643640674452832012-07-22T20:20:00.000+10:002012-08-09T21:14:23.666+10:00Chewy ginger biscuits<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I've had a bit of an absence from posting here which I feel I should acknowledge, before I tell you about these biscuits. It is probably enough to say that I am now eight months pregnant, still working full time and frantically trying to complete my masters thesis. Many exciting and wonderful things have been happening, but this site is not my journal and so I won't go into all that here. Let it just be said that if you like food and you like to travel, then get ye to Penang in Malaysia where there are the most wonderful culinary and other adventures to be had if you're willing to just walk and explore.</div>
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But enough of such pleasant reminiscences. To the biscuits! My favourite thing about these biscuits - apart from the fact that they are just cooling on a rack right next to me and I've already shoved three warm ones in my face - is how sparkly they are. They're coated in raw sugar which gives them an excellent ghetto bling aesthetic, and a lip-smacking crust to boot. Chewy and soft, they are the essence of wintery comfort.</div>
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I've adapted this recipe from one I found on <a href="http://allrecipes.com/" target="_blank">All Recipes</a>. Like everything with ginger and spice in it, it did not have enough, so I've corrected some of the amounts here, and subbed in golden syrup instead of molasses, just because I didn't have any molasses. </div>
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>2 1/4 cups plain flour</i></li>
<li>4 teaspoons ground ginger</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon cloves</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>180g butter</li>
<li>1 cup caster sugar</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/4 cup golden syrup</li>
<li>1 tablespoon water</li>
<li>raw sugar for coating</li>
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Heat the oven to 180 degrees C and line two trays with baking paper. </div>
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Sift all the dry ingredients except the sugar. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and beat in. Add the water and golden syrup to the wet mix and stir through with a wooden spoon. Then stir in the dry ingredients in two batches until mixed through.</div>
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Pour some raw sugar in a bowl, then roll the biscuit dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in the sugar until it's evenly coated. Then place on the trays and flatten each ball slightly with your hands. The dough is very soft so work it gently. </div>
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Bake for 8 minutes (10 if you have a slow oven). Then cool and scoff. </div>
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When your unborn child kicks you as you eat them, it's surely a sign of approval, no?</div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-59324701525320535392012-05-14T21:58:00.000+10:002012-08-09T21:14:55.889+10:00Chocolate, pine nut and orange tart in a ginger crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This weekend I had dinner with my friends Lucy (check out her <a href="http://aluceaffiliation.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">morsels of reflection here</a>) and Jason. Whenever they've cooked for me in the past I have been a bit awed by how yummy everything is - and they tend to cook meals I rarely make myself, making them all the more enjoyable. So when I offered to bring dessert, and Lucy kindly asserted that I needn't feel I had to make anything too fancy, I kind of knew I was going to make something that was at least a<i> bit</i> fancy. Also, I probably should have been studying on Saturday afternoon, so the idea of making some pastry from scratch was all the more appealing.<br />
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This tart is one I've made before. It's all about contrasts. The chocolate is divinely rich, but in small proportion compared with the tang of the orange and ginger. The ganachey-custard is so incredibly smooth whereas the pine nuts add a lovely crunch, while the pastry is all buttery crumbliness. And the nuts and zest themselves crispen to form a fragile sugary crust over the whole thing. Best of all, the pastry recipe is very easy. Oh goodness, I do endorse this tart.<br />
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I found the recipe for this tart online, from chef Antoine Bouterin. However adding the ginger to the pastry is my own addition, for that extra kick.<br />
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<i>Ingredients - for the pastry:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>70 grams butter</i></li>
<li><i>1/3 cup caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>2 egg yolks</i></li>
<li><i>1 1/14 cup flour</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons ground ginger </i></li>
<li><i>splash of iced water </i></li>
</ul>
<i>For the filling:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1/2 cup cream</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>180g dark chocolate pieces</i></li>
<li><i>3/4 cup pine nuts</i></li>
<li><i>zest of one orange</i></li>
</ul>
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While it's not tricky, you need to start a little ahead of time if you want to make your own pastry. For shortcrust pastry I really recommend doing it yourself, as the result is always so lovely and fresh and buttery. When making pastry, I tend to cheat. I put all the ingredients in my mixer and turn it on until it's a crumbly mix. Then I tip it into my greased and floured tart tin (about 9 inches across).<br />
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Press the mix with the heel of your hand until it evenly covers the tin,
making sure you smoosh enough over the sides to form the lovely
corrugated edges. Once it's evenly covered, place in the fridge for
about 30 minutes.<br />
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Now it's time to pre-bake the tart case. Heat the oven to 180 C. Prick your tart case with a fork all over the bottom, and line it with tin foil, pressing the foil firmly against the pastry all the way around. Now bake for about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10. When you remove the pastry from the oven, if it looks like it's raising up from the base of the tin a little, just gently push it back down.<br />
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Now add your filling. Mix the cream, sugar and egg with a fork or whisk and pour into the tart case. It will form a very shallow layer. Scatter over the chocolate pieces, making sure they're evenly distributed. Next, add the pine nuts. And finally, sprinkle over the orange zest.<br />
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Place the whole lot in the oven at a 175 C and cook for 20-25 minutes.<br />
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Serve in delicate wedges with whipped cream. Oh yes indeedy.<br />
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<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-49705351559900552162012-05-07T21:30:00.000+10:002012-05-07T21:30:01.203+10:00Spinach and cheese crepes<br />
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Time for another gorgeous retro flashback. This meal was another end-of-the-fortnight classic, courtesy of my mother in the 80s. But I thought it was the most delicious treat of a meal. Crepes! For mains! And rolled up and everything. I imagine my mother thought of this as a cunning way to get a heap of spinach into small children.<br />
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I have also trotted this out as a 'fancy' entree in times gone by, as you can easily prepare this dish and reheat when you want to serve. In the 90s, when I was 19 years old, I served this to five friends at a How To Host a Murder Party. Remember those! Hee! Anyway, I was pretty sure it was the height of glamour.<br />
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So I heartily recommend this if you need a cheap filling meal, some wonderful comfort food, or just the desire to travel back in time gastronomically. Obviously, this can be made vegetarian by leaving out the bacon, in which case I'd suggest adding mushrooms and some extra salt.<br />
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And of course the bonus perk is that if you have any spare crepes (which I strongly suggest you should do), a little lemon and sugar and you have dessert as well. Brilliant. <br />
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<i>Ingredients - Crepes:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1 1/2 cups flour</i></li>
<li><i>1 3/4 cups milk</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg</i></li>
<li><i>pinch of salt</i></li>
<li><i>butter to cook </i></li>
</ul>
<i>Filling:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1/2 bunch fresh spinach</i></li>
<li><i>2 rashers bacon</i></li>
<li><i>1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese</i></li>
<li><i>80g butter</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cup flour</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup milk</i></li>
<li><i>salt</i></li>
<li><i>pepper</i></li>
<li><i>nutmeg</i></li>
</ul>
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Start by preparing your crepe batter. If you haven't made crepes before, the batter is really just a loose version of pancakes. Mix all the ingredients, blend with a whisk until there are no lumps, and leave to sit while you prepare the filling.<br />
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The filling is just a white sauce with extras bits. First prepare your extra bits. Chop your spinach, bacon and grate your cheese. Fry up your bacon in a non-stick pan, then once crunchy, remove to cool.<br />
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Start your roux, melting the butter in a saucepan and scatter the flour through it, rubbing it in with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.<br />
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Then add the milk and cheese, then the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir through. If the mixture feels too thick add more milk; if too thin then add cheese. Finally, toss through your spinach and bacon. Remove from the heat and cover to keep the heat.<br />
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Now cook your crepes. Heat a non-stick saucepan to medium-hot. For each crepe, start by dropping in a small (half a teaspoons worth) dollop of butter, and disperse over the pan. Pour in a saucer size amount of batter and swirl around the pan until it covers roughly double the original surface. You want to spread it thinly to create the lovely laced, crispy edges that make crepes so lovely. Stand watch over the crepes as you go, they'll cook fast. Keep your crepes under a tea towel to reserve the warmth until the whole batch is ready.<br />
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Once you've cooked all your crepes, fill them with a line of spinach mix down the centre, and roll them up. Yummo!<br />
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<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-70348111340560649342012-05-06T21:19:00.002+10:002012-05-06T21:27:56.558+10:00Yo yos: reblogged<script type="text/javascript">
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<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I
think these are my all-time favourite biscuits. Which is really saying
something, because they don't have any chocolate in them or anything. But
they're so buttery and tangy and smooth and sweet. And they are stupidly easy
to make. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This
was one of my very first posts on this blog, and I decided it needed
revisiting; this time with photos. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">So without further ado, I give you:<b><a href="http://thehastygastronome.blogspot.com.au/2009/08/yo-yos.html" target="_blank"> yo yos</a></b>... again.</span></div>
</div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-75042881226566617382012-04-30T20:31:00.001+10:002012-08-09T21:15:31.039+10:00Wholesome oatey choc chip and walnut biscuits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I am always short of work snacks. Which is not to imply that I'm not taking plenty of them to work. But I eat them all by midday*. Couple my all-consuming consumption, and our frugal budget, and I got home from work tonight (Monday night) resolved to bake some sweet, wholesome, filling, slightly nutritious biscuits to fill the gaping few hours in the afternoon that I am without snacks. These are eating-for-cheap biscuits. And you can make them between getting home and dinner if you're on top of your game.<br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1 cup flour</i></li>
<li><i>3/4 cup rolled oats</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>150g butter</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg</i></li>
<li><i>vanilla essence</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup walnuts, chopped</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup chocolate chips, chopped</i><i> </i></li>
</ul>
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Follow the unwavering template of biscuit making. Heat the oven to 160 degrees.<br />
<i> </i><br />
Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla with a hand mixer. Add the egg and beat through. Add the flour and repeat until mixed.<br />
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Now you must turn from your mixer to your trusty wooden spoon. Add the oats, walnuts and chocolate and stir through. It takes elbow grease, but it only takes about 30 seconds to combine.<br />
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<br />
Spoon into balls and place on baking sheet-lined trays. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This mad hunger and incessant eating is easily the big winner of pregnancy thus far. That and the impending baby, of course.</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh, but the eating! The shame-free adolescent-style cramming! I'm into it.</span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-31325844479371369892012-04-22T16:36:00.000+10:002012-04-22T21:26:42.885+10:00Anzacs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<br />
I do love a food-based holiday.<br />
<br />
I guess some might suggest that ANZAC day isn't food based, it's more about honouring those fallen in war and stuff. But since I don't have much time for anything that attempts to glorify war, I prefer to focus on the biscuit element of ANZAC day.<br />
<br />
So to make an Australian classic, I turned to another Australian classic. The Woman's Weekly Classic Cookbook. It's old, it's crusty and it's damn reliable.<br />
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The most important thing about Anzacs is their syrupy, buttery, oatey goodness. Soooooo tasty. <br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul>
<li><i>1 cup flour</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup oats</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>3/4 cup shredded coconut </i></li>
<li><i>125g butter </i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons golden syrup</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons bicarb soda</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons boiling water</i></li>
</ul>
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Mix the flour, oats, sugar and coconut, leaving a well in the centre.<br />
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Melt the butter and golden syrup over a low flame. Add the bicarb to the boiled water and add to the butter mixture. Then pour into the dry ingredients and mix the lot through.<br />
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Spoon into walnut-sized balls and place a fair way apart on greased trays in a 160 degree oven for about 18 minutes.<br />
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Cool. Chew. Crunch.<br />
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<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0Melbourne VIC, Australia-37.8136111 144.9630556-37.838699600000005 144.9235736 -37.7885226 145.00253759999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-1958102608466746502012-04-15T10:54:00.000+10:002012-04-15T10:54:40.319+10:00Self-saucing Chocolate Pudding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja31Gtez8iH09Gfma-8M6vHQ8OS0MAYb-AV7jIZICb6sZXQTYmLdQ2Mk-IYmy8YYoXQjgi-tH3u5Vh6qmhmziwZVqcpuWkKPeKzij8O9H8M4o7mt_EbKHzXa1xwIweIkIZKSYuExkjdz8i/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja31Gtez8iH09Gfma-8M6vHQ8OS0MAYb-AV7jIZICb6sZXQTYmLdQ2Mk-IYmy8YYoXQjgi-tH3u5Vh6qmhmziwZVqcpuWkKPeKzij8O9H8M4o7mt_EbKHzXa1xwIweIkIZKSYuExkjdz8i/s320/IMG_1030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I am seriously getting a kick out of the turn of the seasons, and snuggling about at home in the evenings with slippers on and comfort food. Also, given that I'm not drinking at the moment, I have a lot of spare calories to ingest. This generally means dessert. Never once a huge dessert eater, I am rocking them with regularity at the moment.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The king of the meals this week was the steak and oven chips with salad Leith put together on Wednesday night, followed by this here chocolate pudding. Now the Thomas family apparently inherited a pudding recipe with near-magical qualities, the likes of which other puddings can't compare. This recipe has since been lost, and so ever since we've been meandering through various recipes*. And this Wednesday, I made one worthy of a post. Dense, chocolatey, with a fudgy sauce. Fudginess is just so, so important in a self-saucing pudding. Wouldn't you agree? And easy peasy to make. I know all about those recipes that involve melted chocolate and cooled liquid butter and goodness knows what else. But as far as I'm concerned, if a recipe for self-saucing pudding isn't unbelievably easy to make, then it's dead to me. Dead, I tells ya. I want to know that I will have all the ingredients without having to get off the couch to look. I want to cook it in the same dish I mix it so there's minimal dishes. I want to eat it no more than 30 minutes after I think of it. In those terms, this recipe can deliver...<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>1 cup self-raising flour </i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>3 tablespoons cocoa </i></li>
<li><i>80 grams butter</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup milk</i></li>
<li><i>splash vanilla essence</i></li>
</ul><i>Sauce</i><br />
<ul><li><i>1/2 cup brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>4 heaped tablespoons cocoa</i></li>
<li><i>2 cups boiling water</i></li>
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Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Boil the kettle. Take out your pudding dish. This may or may not be a much loved hand-me-down Corningware dish from which you ate pudding as a child.<br />
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In a heavy casserole dish, mix the flour, sugar and cocoa. Melt the butter and add this to the dish, with the milk and vanilla. Stir.<br />
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Mix the extra brown sugar and cocoa and sprinkle evenly over the pudding batter. Pour over two cups of boiling water (pour the water over the back of a spoon so that it doesn't disturb the surface of the pudding too much).<br />
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Put in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove. Eat**.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*I want you guys to know that I'm talking about over a couple of years here. Not every night or anything. We're not <i>that</i> out of control. Yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">**Look, I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but if you're wooing someone or generally want to express love for somebody and maybe who knows? also hoping to get some action,... make this pudding for them. Because, let's face it, anyone who can create an incredible, hot, chocolatey dessert that comes with its own goddam sauce in 30 minutes is looking pretty good. Amirite? Alright.</span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-4911967366815548962012-04-11T21:13:00.000+10:002012-04-11T21:13:14.225+10:00Hot Cross Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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This post is late. But then, my large thesis proposal is finished, and my tummy is full. You can't win them all.<br />
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Still, given that here in the Antipodes it's the beginning of the colder season, I don't much care that Easter is behind us. I plan to keep making spicy, fruity buns for the next little while. Like most bread making, this kind of baking is far less work than most people suppose. The flip-side, however, is you need to be pretty housebound to keep track of the rises and the kneading - you need to start these puppies the night before and they need about 24 hours in total. Do you have a thesis or some other large manuscript to write too? Snap. Let's bake!<br />
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I hadn't made hot cross buns before, but through Leith's brother Ian, I was given the Thomas Family Recipe. Now the Thomas family are formidable bakers, so it was with great confidence that I knuckled down to these buns. I did, with some trepidation, alter the recipe slightly (by adding MOAR SPICE AND FRUIT because as you all know by now, I like spice) and while I don't know what the original would have been like, I can tell you that these were scrumptious.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast</i></li>
<li><i>1 1/4 cup warm water</i></li>
<li><i>1 teaspoon salt</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>4 cups plain flour</i></li>
<li><i>3 teaspoons allspice</i></li>
<li><i>2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons oil </i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup sultanas</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup currants</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cup mixed peel</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup extra flour and 4 tablespoons water for crosses </i></li>
<li><i>Golden syrup or treacle and chilli powder to glaze</i></li>
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Before you go to bed, mix 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Leave for 10 minutes until it starts to look good and foamy. <br />
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In the meantime, mix 2 cups of the flour with the remaining dry ingredients and fruit in a bowl, and leave a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture with the oil to your dry ingredients and stir all together with a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and leave out overnight.<br />
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The next day, the mixture should have more or less doubled in size. As Ian most wisely suggested, the longer you leave it the tastier it will become. At about 2pm my yearning for buns got the better of me and I came back to it.<br />
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Mix the remaining 2 teaspoons of yeast with the 1/4 cup warm water, and leave for 10 minutes. Then add this liquid to the mixture, and the 2 remaining cups of flour to the mixture. At this point you'll need to tip the whole lot onto a clean surface and knead the mixture thoroughly to incorporate all the flour. Keep going until the dough is smooth and forms a lovely large ball. This took me about 20 minutes or a little more. It is a stiff dough and the kneading is hard work, but this is the only really hard part about the whole process. Also, this kind of thing can lead to <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&authuser=0&biw=1207&bih=621&tbm=isch&tbnid=PkeMQpo9qwaCPM:&imgrefurl=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_hamilton/&docid=aZa7vO5DFdEouM&imgurl=http://content7.flixster.com/photo/77/09/89/7709897_ori.jpg&w=462&h=347&ei=t1GFT76rEqeSiAeDvrC7Bw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=733&vpy=216&dur=105&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=122&ty=117&sig=104526557381956678177&page=1&tbnh=112&tbnw=149&start=0&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0,i:166" target="_blank">Linda Hamilton arms</a>. So there's an upside.<br />
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Heat the oven to 200 degrees and lightly dust with flour a low, rectangular baking tray (like a lamington tray). Divide your dough into 12 equal parts and roll into balls with your hands. Place them side by side in the tray. You want them to nestle up against each other a little, so that when they rise they'll push each other up rather than spreading out. Cover and leave on top of the heating oven for another 45 minute rise.<br />
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When they're ready, mix the extra flour and water to a thick paste and using a piping bag with a narrow nose (or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off), draw your crosses (or customised initials if you happen to know an awesome 6 year old, which I do).<br />
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Bake for 20 minutes. <br />
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While they are cooling in the tray, mix a big spoon of golden syrup with a shake of chilli powder (or skip the chilli if you're so inclined) and a little hot water. Using a brush, generously glaze the tops of the buns while they're still hot. <br />
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Serve the buns with lashings of good butter and cup of tea. With the tree leaves turning golden and the mornings increasingly crisp, they also make the breakfast of champions. Mmmmm. Spending the long weekend studying doesn't have to be quite such a bummer after all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8y0T2xvr833rzDuxfhi4WiT6HZrLbVJUmTWXnoj0HdWl9HdVrozvY5n-wBqoSbo8ZmY77y2i6ONvtbjtyFawzg2VT4XKbp_WDePOZEYaZpyoNEHf9hPhbj3Q2Ki8sH_QzCioDaJK2Rmp/s1600/IMG_1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8y0T2xvr833rzDuxfhi4WiT6HZrLbVJUmTWXnoj0HdWl9HdVrozvY5n-wBqoSbo8ZmY77y2i6ONvtbjtyFawzg2VT4XKbp_WDePOZEYaZpyoNEHf9hPhbj3Q2Ki8sH_QzCioDaJK2Rmp/s320/IMG_1017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-23969690882326181982012-03-24T18:48:00.003+11:002012-03-24T18:58:31.091+11:00Spinach dip in a cobb loaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzmWyBsQiOW-tLM-M11D24CvXUClWUDBt_Rf6gyL3hjvHP_XvtM7oo2tgwZudkB4IWXUBI50VR1uDGP3kPnr26kTP44lQYZ6OQo4ueuck9whQUCqFUvyfISTJhdthIMZwgA_2h9hoOgeZ/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzmWyBsQiOW-tLM-M11D24CvXUClWUDBt_Rf6gyL3hjvHP_XvtM7oo2tgwZudkB4IWXUBI50VR1uDGP3kPnr26kTP44lQYZ6OQo4ueuck9whQUCqFUvyfISTJhdthIMZwgA_2h9hoOgeZ/s320/IMG_0969.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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I don't know whether this has anything to do with my own creeping state of motherhood, but lately I've been fantasising about some of the kitsch, 80s dinner party fare that meant in my childhood that shit was getting fancy. I'm talking about little tuna and cheese pastry parcels (we called them tuna savouries), chocolate-peppermint cheesecake, and anything that could be prepared in a microwave.<br />
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So when I was invited to a pot luck dinner tonight, where considerations like wanting to cater to vegetarians in case there were any, and wanting to bring something that was easy to prepare and easy to share, I knew instantly that I would make spinach dip in a cobb loaf.<br />
<br />
As a child, I thought that this was the poshest thing that could possibly be done with food. The bread is the bowl, you guys! In seeking out recipes, I've also realised that ingredients-wise, this is true to form retro Australian cuisine. I didn't want to vary the original intent of the dish too greatly, but I did make a couple of tweaks, particularly in the form of nutmeg, which frankly should be paired with spinach whenever and wherever possible. It also takes about 10 minutes to make. I am keenly anticipate a mixture of delight and mirth when I rock up with this tonight.<br />
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Here it is in all its glory.<br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>1 cobb loaf </i></li>
<li><i>1 packet frozen spinach</i></li>
<li><i>handful of spring onions </i></li>
<li><i>1 tub of sour cream (approx 250ml)</i></li>
<li><i>1 tub of cream cheese </i><i>(approx 250ml)</i> </li>
<li><i>2 heaped tablespoons of mayo</i></li>
<li><i>1 packet spring vegetable soup (or some other innocuous flavour)</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 teaspoon nutmeg</i></li>
<li><i>cracked pepper</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tyGz9Pw7-W9SYCFiSRDeGwhPhkQ2NtpkdwWpQkASZPrF2P47UoErPRUsuqV1riG0ajFls1Mpgy-00hSpWF1-zQnBC5FjnhHE8MV9MIBAXIHqfZMS07fEQTpTsvQ1S-LAummrPzXvp81u/s1600/IMG_0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tyGz9Pw7-W9SYCFiSRDeGwhPhkQ2NtpkdwWpQkASZPrF2P47UoErPRUsuqV1riG0ajFls1Mpgy-00hSpWF1-zQnBC5FjnhHE8MV9MIBAXIHqfZMS07fEQTpTsvQ1S-LAummrPzXvp81u/s320/IMG_0954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Okay, so you can make this dip in four simple steps:<br />
<br />
1. Chop the spring onions<br />
2.Thaw the spinach and squeeze all the water out of it<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXlfRRDdKrirpRO0rcHMNaqLbcECe-mba0XlPbrLewMNB9BITZz2gP0YGzadbu0_4YkW1geQ0f1B1B_e6n_RTiV3tZRI_QdTMKmuNXBByBs3J6PEqx8vL41U3iYjYoRtSL-16s9OZ0yZz/s1600/IMG_0958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXlfRRDdKrirpRO0rcHMNaqLbcECe-mba0XlPbrLewMNB9BITZz2gP0YGzadbu0_4YkW1geQ0f1B1B_e6n_RTiV3tZRI_QdTMKmuNXBByBs3J6PEqx8vL41U3iYjYoRtSL-16s9OZ0yZz/s320/IMG_0958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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3. Put everything in a big bowl<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUuYaeO-Vhxpc25rdiV4I8U5uhXbbyu9zpnI3FdHhRS-6-jiVeLg2GykSHYFHEC35__3BizMaYXaUIU8mDzNcL23tCsRO0jtvr9cPq8ehevunaYdrqR-PMHo8-V-Huo1wJixdSFv5zSjc/s1600/IMG_0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUuYaeO-Vhxpc25rdiV4I8U5uhXbbyu9zpnI3FdHhRS-6-jiVeLg2GykSHYFHEC35__3BizMaYXaUIU8mDzNcL23tCsRO0jtvr9cPq8ehevunaYdrqR-PMHo8-V-Huo1wJixdSFv5zSjc/s320/IMG_0956.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsff_3avlM9Y2ZsDKMf2cM0aXJIn3_NRnjlUTINXZQANyIJ8fC8wujuoCyIbQR74GuIbJnA3L491Eiy7VVY4tHbrEIecvqcrkb522XnMUCRsd71tELrNWh41cNWwVX8wzFrabNU98fF1f/s1600/IMG_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsff_3avlM9Y2ZsDKMf2cM0aXJIn3_NRnjlUTINXZQANyIJ8fC8wujuoCyIbQR74GuIbJnA3L491Eiy7VVY4tHbrEIecvqcrkb522XnMUCRsd71tELrNWh41cNWwVX8wzFrabNU98fF1f/s320/IMG_0961.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4. Mix<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CPL4f9tjGR8eexWYiPEG4LtX0I-sJzd8ohq-tY3UsCW9DfLLIFgwz3hqkTQBdIQHKUG_-DBpHddB67ISOyGpJIHv1PGTcn_3g_iOCKPa6-D6rRV6IhiTPtPyZBL1cQ31UX37U58NqkLo/s1600/IMG_0963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CPL4f9tjGR8eexWYiPEG4LtX0I-sJzd8ohq-tY3UsCW9DfLLIFgwz3hqkTQBdIQHKUG_-DBpHddB67ISOyGpJIHv1PGTcn_3g_iOCKPa6-D6rRV6IhiTPtPyZBL1cQ31UX37U58NqkLo/s320/IMG_0963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once you've got your dip prepared, prepare your bread bowl. First slice the top of the loaf, about one third down. Then hollow out the centre.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZWTbcNkwSCRcpMBcpU5V-vGtLUQrZBxIW4ZRI0W1Gix6a7qZ3DulXG6moB7KCcNseQzhazkRNksNetu0KsxUGrW8SC-p-ElsErevAQMKncExG_Ww6UDv_ZqjeOdZ4WuLjkVvzEDcYRCC/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZWTbcNkwSCRcpMBcpU5V-vGtLUQrZBxIW4ZRI0W1Gix6a7qZ3DulXG6moB7KCcNseQzhazkRNksNetu0KsxUGrW8SC-p-ElsErevAQMKncExG_Ww6UDv_ZqjeOdZ4WuLjkVvzEDcYRCC/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Fill the emptied belly of the cobb with the dip. Then replace the lid. 'Whala', as <a href="http://wildyoungunderwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">A Wild Young Under Whimsy</a> would say. You have dip in a bread bowl! To an unsuspecting person, it just looks like bread. Ingenious, huh.<br />
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Warm the whole lot in a slow oven (approx 150 degrees C) for about 30 minutes. Finally, break the extra bits of bread for the centre and place them around the loaf to serve.<br />
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Mmmmm. Tastes just like 1983.Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-75865259995872812102012-03-18T21:23:00.000+11:002012-03-18T21:23:24.627+11:00Peach and yoghurt muffins with spicy crumble tops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85EvV6TDBSs2faeDY6gSpTfh0hGMlK76iLkLO2GIYtgpotXRZv9Fuc8_duUPtQYvHZ856kLyjXiPags21hFYzEOuuX5C8m_8AL47EUufXVW2EOzBm1ih-RAiuRh53F-m7MTAu3GWMEnqI/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85EvV6TDBSs2faeDY6gSpTfh0hGMlK76iLkLO2GIYtgpotXRZv9Fuc8_duUPtQYvHZ856kLyjXiPags21hFYzEOuuX5C8m_8AL47EUufXVW2EOzBm1ih-RAiuRh53F-m7MTAu3GWMEnqI/s320/IMG_0952.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So my wonderful BF has requested that I refrain from baking entire cakes given that we're a household of two, he works from home, and has something of a mad sweet tooth. But similarly, in light of said sweet tooth, he does look awfully sad when I bake things and then take them to work and he doesn't get any. So in receiving a bag of fresh peaches from his Mum's tree, I had a dilemma. I dilemma I solved with muffins.<br />
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I don't care what illusion about muffins being healthy anyone tries to delude themselves with: muffins are tiny cakes. Incredible tiny cakes. I also do not endorse those giant cafe sized muffins that are the size of a baby's head. They are just bigger cakes. I like muffins to be a bit wholesome, full of fruit, sweet, moist and just big enough to stave of the urge to eat lunch at 11am. They also allow me to leave a few at home for Leith, and still supply baked goods for the Monday WIP, thus earning double kudos.<br />
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The other wonderful thing about this recipe is that peaches can be interchanged for pretty much any other kind of fruit you have to hand. Banana would be excellent. Pineapple would be amazing. Berries, apple, pear. You name it, you nom it.<br />
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In baking these muffins, one must invoke several of my fundamental rules of baking. This is a good thing. Namely:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ol><li>Bake with yoghurt wherever possible.</li>
<li>Use your hands.</li>
<li>No matter how much spice a recipe recommends, always use more. I don't know why so many recipes are spice shy but I call bullshit on it. If you're anything like me, use, like, three times as much, probably.*<br />
</li>
<li>Lick your fingers. <br />
</li>
<li>Don't measure any ingredients in crumble topping. If in doubt, add more sugar.</li>
</ol><br />
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>1 1/2 cups flour</i></li>
<li><i>1 1/4 cup oats</i></li>
<li><i>1/3 cup packed brown sugar </i></li>
<li><i>1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons cinnamon</i></li>
<li><i>2 teaspoons allspice</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg white</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</i></li>
<li><i>1 heaped cup yoghurt</i></li>
<li><i>1/3 cup honey</i></li>
<li><i>1 teaspoon vanilla</i></li>
<li><i>5 peaches</i></li>
</ul><i>Crumble topping:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>Butter</i></li>
<li><i>Flour</i></li>
<li><i>Brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>Oats </i></li>
<li><i>Finely chopped walnuts</i></li>
<li><i>All spice</i></li>
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Preheat the oven to 200 C, and grease a 12 cup muffin tray well. <br />
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Mix the flour, oats, baking powder, sugar and spices in a bowl. In a second bowl, whisk your wet ingredients.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAznOd3fl44r712LTEnbjlEX0EIosnzQE0xaSPpHzZv46WSaWNw66oCzIhVCRvkcZnfKMxOeoTQ_5Uphk6xPKuEA0GMdYROpLPUZRJBu85HzvPqlRUQmbod2U985F4Eot89x-au67JNRo/s1600/IMG_0929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAznOd3fl44r712LTEnbjlEX0EIosnzQE0xaSPpHzZv46WSaWNw66oCzIhVCRvkcZnfKMxOeoTQ_5Uphk6xPKuEA0GMdYROpLPUZRJBu85HzvPqlRUQmbod2U985F4Eot89x-au67JNRo/s320/IMG_0929.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxY6jraN1FAq8t5KC-s6sqrAk8kOqx1hv7CoitLKLAHT85LTTS11E1lyk7l2pEcsaZnLYJlaF9b1AoAIz0fJzwwpodOl6RQjVjg4drnU08s4oJ6rKa1YVl1ujZqNW5WagG18S11l4WByW/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxY6jraN1FAq8t5KC-s6sqrAk8kOqx1hv7CoitLKLAHT85LTTS11E1lyk7l2pEcsaZnLYJlaF9b1AoAIz0fJzwwpodOl6RQjVjg4drnU08s4oJ6rKa1YVl1ujZqNW5WagG18S11l4WByW/s320/IMG_0932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qtO0RETIlQj0QvzGV2AxhZiae-0SiJGNB2nOvsVqP_Dex16civueMeG325L3fA_f-XmAbqsEzY462Q0cZg8S4FGBcp3Lgxw2fpHPMfCZ6_NqJoDCTiTGFSdW6c51TDb3zXt6I3RuPeCF/s1600/IMG_0933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qtO0RETIlQj0QvzGV2AxhZiae-0SiJGNB2nOvsVqP_Dex16civueMeG325L3fA_f-XmAbqsEzY462Q0cZg8S4FGBcp3Lgxw2fpHPMfCZ6_NqJoDCTiTGFSdW6c51TDb3zXt6I3RuPeCF/s320/IMG_0933.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Peel and dice your peaches and stir them through your wet ingredients. Stir in the dry ingredients.<br />
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Spoon into your muffin pan. Don't overfill them because you are going to add crumble topping to that business!<br />
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Rub your crumble topping together with your fingers. Don't bother measure anything, just use roughly equal proportions of all the dry ingredients (except the allspice) and mix. If it's too dry, add butter. If too wet, add more flour and sugar. Sprinkle generously over the muffins and gently press in. <br />
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Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then on a wire rack.<br />
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</div>Take to work in a cane basket lined with a gingham teatowel. For real.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Unless your using one of my recipes, in which case I have already amped up the spices hugely. Then again, go harder than me. I will only respect you. </span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-28657873745836025542012-03-03T17:14:00.001+11:002012-03-03T17:27:58.910+11:00Zucchini flowers with goats curd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>We've been getting to the Farmer's Market a more frequently. I'm not sure whether it's nesting, budgeting, or just better organisation, but it's been brilliant to have an abundance of gorgeous fruit in the house. And last week we came home with zucchini flowers! Delicate, baby zucchini flowers.<br />
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And here's the thing. When you're pregnant there's this endless list of stuff you're not supposed to eat. Like soft cheeses. SOFT CHEESE I TELLS YA! Unless, that is, they're cooked. So being a resourceful woman, one starts concocting all kinds of reasons for heating up cheese. Reasons like zucchini flowers...<br />
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We got ourselves some Meredith goat's curd (and can I just say: Holy Crapballs is THAT stuff good!). And we already have a supply of black truffle salt. Yeah, you heard. And then we fried.<br />
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I'd never cooked these before so had no idea really what I was doing, and it didn't matter because it turns out that it was pretty simple. The baby zucchinis are sweet and succulent, and all the batter fried cheese is goes 'pouffe' in your mouth in a way that is so seriously good that you'll wolf them all before you know what's happened.<br />
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So next time you need to impress guests or pregnant ladies, look no further than this recipe. For real.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>4 Baby zucchini flowers</i></li>
<li><i>4 teaspoons goat's curd</i></li>
<li><i>Truffle salt (or regular salt, for the prols)</i></li>
<li><i>Canola or vegetable oil for frying </i></li>
</ul><i> For the batter:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>3/4 cup of flour</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup water </i></li>
</ul><i></i><br />
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Start by preparing your batter. Whisk together the ingredients to form a loose paste, adding more flour or water as needed.<br />
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Gently rinse and pat dry the zucchini flowers, and split open the tops to about two thirds of the way down. Then it all gets a bit Sapphic, as you need to pinch the stamen inside and gently twist to remove it, without disturbing the surrounding petals. Rest the flowers on a tea towel.<br />
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Mix a pinch of truffle salt into the goats curd and spoon a small amount into each zucchini flower, using your finger to push it down inside. Then pinch together the petals to seal the flower. Heat your oil.<br />
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Dip the flowers in batter and fry until golden brown, then drain on paper towel.<br />
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If you have left over goats curd that you simply HAVE to cook, then roll it into balls, roll in bread crumbs and then dunk in the batter and fry in the oil until they form crunchy, cheesy nobbins of amazingness. Drain these along side your zucchini flowers and drizzle with Tobasco or some other spicy sauce.<br />
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Eat the lot with a fresh, tangy heirloom tomato and basil salad. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2EzuxOtNHtcmkiqT_8bSb72dcl4wv68pFz20qnvRfIeGbEgogC49_BhDFYLSrSIPZSxvusRQg4RzRscSkmBLZ1TbYhRdImsrdY-dc0Cm_sqjCjxMZC4NR7-Kjm5l49ULwfbLLOBoJnhF/s1600/IMG_0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2EzuxOtNHtcmkiqT_8bSb72dcl4wv68pFz20qnvRfIeGbEgogC49_BhDFYLSrSIPZSxvusRQg4RzRscSkmBLZ1TbYhRdImsrdY-dc0Cm_sqjCjxMZC4NR7-Kjm5l49ULwfbLLOBoJnhF/s320/IMG_0885.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-53492949041994145742012-02-26T20:21:00.000+11:002012-02-26T20:21:31.071+11:00Orange and Beetroot Quinoa Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmLdcCUaxaWlRLD26nGSjE1WdUdehCZNIatXaekSVAjAr9jUYjy9fd7ThoutekOL5pbyX3drPVPKr5d2YeC7NOnvsDTrtZosILao1rXrXA7zdm_thEojI0rjx4prE5OW6x-PXwXlfldwd/s1600/IMG_0860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmLdcCUaxaWlRLD26nGSjE1WdUdehCZNIatXaekSVAjAr9jUYjy9fd7ThoutekOL5pbyX3drPVPKr5d2YeC7NOnvsDTrtZosILao1rXrXA7zdm_thEojI0rjx4prE5OW6x-PXwXlfldwd/s320/IMG_0860.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It's been one of those stifling Melbourne weekends where all I seem to be able to manage is lying in a puddle on the floor when I should really be writing a thesis and going for runs and other things of that nature. At least this weekend I managed to eat well. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This salad works hot or cold, but if it's been 38 degrees then I'd go with cold. It's refreshing, tangy with little crunchy almond surprises scattered throughout. I have also been telling myself it's full of nutritional value, which makes that potato cake I had before seem all okay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ingredients:</i></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>1 cup quinoa</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>2 oranges</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>1 beetroot plus leaves</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>1 cup almonds</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i> teaspoon cinnamon</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>good olive oil </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>salt and pepper for seasoning </i></span></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXDhu0grvGXpfJ8ofbDO58zv_Uu42-mAT3PGhGPgmy7wzzYxZPq9ZZB8ZQkGJXetQvjYRdLP37b8Uv_6DGTbdbjqhxthOC8bqsduOtCdRaPzeLEGSbcI5oU1tDKdH3CyP_yVnngf5eGP7/s1600/IMG_0848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXDhu0grvGXpfJ8ofbDO58zv_Uu42-mAT3PGhGPgmy7wzzYxZPq9ZZB8ZQkGJXetQvjYRdLP37b8Uv_6DGTbdbjqhxthOC8bqsduOtCdRaPzeLEGSbcI5oU1tDKdH3CyP_yVnngf5eGP7/s320/IMG_0848.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Cook the quinoa in 1.5 cups liquid made up of the juice of one orange and the rest boiling water.* While it's cooking prepare you're other ingredients.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OGwKgy2Sd3piy2GBBnUk9hN0UBMDwuSYl4Qoarm6x-daS4fr6QzIC8zjvE6Gh2pw13-BRsm7ww0nKArA_C4RJOJCULl6nvJgJwukZfGCROFhWsYrnK21C7RKI1Vyw9w6Iq3FQSGlG-8B/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OGwKgy2Sd3piy2GBBnUk9hN0UBMDwuSYl4Qoarm6x-daS4fr6QzIC8zjvE6Gh2pw13-BRsm7ww0nKArA_C4RJOJCULl6nvJgJwukZfGCROFhWsYrnK21C7RKI1Vyw9w6Iq3FQSGlG-8B/s320/IMG_0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Strip the beetroot of its leaves and reserve them. Peel the beetroot and grate. Rinse the leaves and finely shred. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Halve the remaining orange, remove the pith and peel from one half and chop into small pieces. Juice the other half of the orange and reserve for the dressing.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfapEQinEQq4DWmb2vuLY7IR2sWZo9ZT6lPBpbYYWPFwyDKWSdZg1LK94WGBZRFFb2SFCeVX-n8dhhpEXMXgSYh4bsDYeJCSujYzOh3wEeI8cEnIqj__hXVKyE9zuNIEEKWALx67TAs4I/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfapEQinEQq4DWmb2vuLY7IR2sWZo9ZT6lPBpbYYWPFwyDKWSdZg1LK94WGBZRFFb2SFCeVX-n8dhhpEXMXgSYh4bsDYeJCSujYzOh3wEeI8cEnIqj__hXVKyE9zuNIEEKWALx67TAs4I/s320/IMG_0856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Roughly hew the almonds and toast in a dry pan until beginning to brown.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPH-fnFucLvPqCOQjr3Si-pLZW1k5gcqMOEDwh5ndf5lG0zn-rkzx7tUC43lKT8wfoTpBumyIrvGNYDipS3WjQNyQwYz-5oKcjcHvBNTxMxW46OL4kKs3Tf8mC7vb1xXQOoDUWFGoWeAT/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPH-fnFucLvPqCOQjr3Si-pLZW1k5gcqMOEDwh5ndf5lG0zn-rkzx7tUC43lKT8wfoTpBumyIrvGNYDipS3WjQNyQwYz-5oKcjcHvBNTxMxW46OL4kKs3Tf8mC7vb1xXQOoDUWFGoWeAT/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7unl8LadrVNMNNaPuyYvEhX1vMGFnUtyTH6SvLa-OY6msBwLqZs-LkC2pgs5dyWaxxBU9yu5sYoKBGLHBdIR6mLPjEdaONuciEvk8UCRoSaFJDru9U4aM80tRQ1n1BZPL116fQgc_bFHZ/s1600/IMG_0855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7unl8LadrVNMNNaPuyYvEhX1vMGFnUtyTH6SvLa-OY6msBwLqZs-LkC2pgs5dyWaxxBU9yu5sYoKBGLHBdIR6mLPjEdaONuciEvk8UCRoSaFJDru9U4aM80tRQ1n1BZPL116fQgc_bFHZ/s320/IMG_0855.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">Once the quinoa is done add the orange, beetroot, leaves and almonds and toss through. Dress the salad with the remaining orange juice, a drizzle of olive oil, the cinnamon and a little salt and pepper. Delicious.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*</i>If you've never cooked quinoa, a basic method involves placing it in 1.5 times the quantity of boiling water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then with the lid still on take off the heat and rest for another five minutes.</span></span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-73719680378088994152012-02-16T20:45:00.001+11:002012-02-16T20:51:08.055+11:00Sticky sesame chicken wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCB_ByvPp3_N8Ovd71iChjOcH6d_pP4ezIXIaYhnjOv8CrtsTGUtFwwwCsCoyke77rDHPzl0unxU-9wPnZ0Djjz0EAvzIayRr9LPzG8vE3437RfyQRmSW0A8bWeYSx42Y1icEtKNxNcN3/s1600/IMG_0833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCB_ByvPp3_N8Ovd71iChjOcH6d_pP4ezIXIaYhnjOv8CrtsTGUtFwwwCsCoyke77rDHPzl0unxU-9wPnZ0Djjz0EAvzIayRr9LPzG8vE3437RfyQRmSW0A8bWeYSx42Y1icEtKNxNcN3/s320/IMG_0833.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Do you remember how when you you were little, and it was getting close to your parent's pay day and you would have those cheap meals that could feed a family for a few dollars (you only figured this out retrospectively)? In my family these meals included fried rice, spinach pancakes and lentil rissoles. Also, chicken wings. Mum would do these in a way so that they were coated with crunchy sesame seeds.<br />
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In my quest to eat protein and not spend too much money, I decided to cook chicken wings for the first time in my adult life (I know, shame on me). It should be said that they were hella cheap. And I decided to recreate my Mum's recipe to the best of my knowledge and with what is in the house. This is now sincerely one of my staple, cheap healthy, super fast and easy recipes. So here it is:<br />
<br />
<i>Ingredients:*</i> <br />
<ul><li>Chicken wings (I had eight)</li>
<li>1/2 cup soy sauce</li>
<li>1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce</li>
<li>1 tablespoon sesame oil</li>
<li>knob of ginger, finely chopped</li>
<li>shitloads of sesame seeds</li>
</ul><br />
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Mix together the soy, sweet chilli, oil and ginger and mix with a spoon into a paste. Place your chicken wings in a baking tray and spoon the marinade over them all. Then turn the wings over and over until they're thoroughly coated in the sauce. Pour the sesame seeds over the wings until both sides are good and coated.<br />
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Place in the fridge for at least an hour (preferably two) and turn the chicken through the marinade approximately every 30 minutes. Then place in a 180 degree oven for 45 minute or until they're looking crispy on the pointy bits, and brown everywhere else. Turn them at about the 30 minute mark.<br />
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Eat them with your fingers with corn and potatoes. Trust me. Do it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Since I don't ever really measure anything unless I'm doing something fancy-pants like baking, these amounts are just a rough estimate. If in doubt about quantities, use more.</span><br />
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</script>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-71057618463802010682012-02-12T20:43:00.000+11:002012-02-12T20:43:29.155+11:00Polenta crusted calamari<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq69brlK_3-HZTPVH6SpWmxDmEXPzhwXpXm8mF0vqE5hGpPMuKR9a5mEq41lTEOXmomechBXLq3hte6LDEFunRPhUesmyO9emGpeeKsqVHpBb5JZDgM-xZ0m71mccz5JCnInFTW3b1ak6/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq69brlK_3-HZTPVH6SpWmxDmEXPzhwXpXm8mF0vqE5hGpPMuKR9a5mEq41lTEOXmomechBXLq3hte6LDEFunRPhUesmyO9emGpeeKsqVHpBb5JZDgM-xZ0m71mccz5JCnInFTW3b1ak6/s320/IMG_0824.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Sunday's have somehow become seafood day. The combination of a very-full time work week plus some study on top typically means that the only food purchasing available to me during the week is either Coles or Woolworths (which I detest, both ideologically and practically as their fresh food is rubbish). So weekends is the only time I can get to a decent green grocer, butcher and fishmonger. And since I don't like freezing seafood I often mind myself cooking it on a Sunday night. Last week it was salmon steak with brussel sprouts and quinoa salad (don't even get me started. I'll post the sprouts sometime, I promise. They were killer.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this week it's calamari. Did you know that calamari is one of the most sustainable types of seafood you can eat? Seriously, <a href="http://www.sustainableseafood.org.au/Sustainable-Seafood-Guide.asp?Keyword=calamari&active_page_id=695&FirstLetter=&ClassificationID=&ProvenanceID=&SearchButton=Search" target="_blank">check this out</a>. And what better way to eat it than super crispy with my two favourite flavours: Salt and Pepper. It takes 10 mins from start to finish and is almost completely healthy if you overlook the frying bit, and eat it with salad.</div><br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>Fresh, local calamari rings</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup flour</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup milk</i></li>
<li><i> 1 cup polenta</i></li>
<li><i>Lots and lot of salt and pepper</i></li>
<li><i>Oil for frying</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM5tZo6b86EHN8K6OuRTR7W9K1_LVhCSxXMd0b7XkO7-8bNhOK3dFJhzQLXV6ri6hWLPMIBA9Iu-N89Ay4pxz1UaZiZaKv-Ds_H96qKxvi2tXCIqPKALD-sEuBGdSV6ebs4oKO1pIYz36/s1600/IMG_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYM5tZo6b86EHN8K6OuRTR7W9K1_LVhCSxXMd0b7XkO7-8bNhOK3dFJhzQLXV6ri6hWLPMIBA9Iu-N89Ay4pxz1UaZiZaKv-Ds_H96qKxvi2tXCIqPKALD-sEuBGdSV6ebs4oKO1pIYz36/s320/IMG_0817.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rinse the calamari and shake off the excess water. Prepare your flour, and polenta on plates for coating and your milk in a bowl for dipping. Add salt and pepper to the polenta mix, as much as you'd like. I prefer to use LOTS. In fact, I have a ready made mix of cracked black pepper, szechuan pepper crushed in the mortar and pestle, and sea salt for just such occasions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIBd0ciMtrJrYCre0Hb6JMa35U6mabWYaGzKl7YdRVkvY66RNaAetumw-iVWxpGYD0TF8Pn3RPwWb8RdA_TLgMi-OZdrQGF8nGTq3g9qNaozSbGdVKTknW_S84abzKehe3vJNstNZynkC/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIBd0ciMtrJrYCre0Hb6JMa35U6mabWYaGzKl7YdRVkvY66RNaAetumw-iVWxpGYD0TF8Pn3RPwWb8RdA_TLgMi-OZdrQGF8nGTq3g9qNaozSbGdVKTknW_S84abzKehe3vJNstNZynkC/s320/IMG_0818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgIz0zMNl2VJRmwN3RpUNqYjYCgvR7kY6q51dNwcbkMy1eTUwr8xOHs4wJu7k0e729PwxCI251Rhx2xOgnWip3pIvgjIfocSV0jZS29PDQkomcr0muNyluQlj-X862sqBYYxN2GVugUt/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgIz0zMNl2VJRmwN3RpUNqYjYCgvR7kY6q51dNwcbkMy1eTUwr8xOHs4wJu7k0e729PwxCI251Rhx2xOgnWip3pIvgjIfocSV0jZS29PDQkomcr0muNyluQlj-X862sqBYYxN2GVugUt/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1TqN0rU5DpvLsUIxZkq164R5FgdqsDpk3dIcbZ8i4Vv26HT3rq6ZBFkMSCfJopshNfkK8nRUTaEsvoiRHWKwV0_z-q-63n0-Kx7etYe6HqtRfizngA65VseqQGfTRYSUN_C6lCCAKOGW/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1TqN0rU5DpvLsUIxZkq164R5FgdqsDpk3dIcbZ8i4Vv26HT3rq6ZBFkMSCfJopshNfkK8nRUTaEsvoiRHWKwV0_z-q-63n0-Kx7etYe6HqtRfizngA65VseqQGfTRYSUN_C6lCCAKOGW/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">So get your calamari ready as follows: Flour. Milk. Polenta. Flour. Milk. Polenta. Just like that, until you've coated them all. Then heat about an inch of your oil in a pan.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIhS43Kl-M895rs4GDMnSHNWxBXIAuetnRWgCXrCJjNF5XHpj2WVnJ9Xpf6-1h40RT1DffnG_1Ix9W1usT48mOW209zEm6wIWCtzyyn2OnYgja-uOgeW8jznlRB4EEr6S2TZ_IsP1VNxK/s1600/IMG_0822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIhS43Kl-M895rs4GDMnSHNWxBXIAuetnRWgCXrCJjNF5XHpj2WVnJ9Xpf6-1h40RT1DffnG_1Ix9W1usT48mOW209zEm6wIWCtzyyn2OnYgja-uOgeW8jznlRB4EEr6S2TZ_IsP1VNxK/s320/IMG_0822.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once it's hot, fry your rings for a minute or two, but no longer! If you over cook them, they become tough and chewy and you don't want that. Drain them on a paper towel.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgIz0zMNl2VJRmwN3RpUNqYjYCgvR7kY6q51dNwcbkMy1eTUwr8xOHs4wJu7k0e729PwxCI251Rhx2xOgnWip3pIvgjIfocSV0jZS29PDQkomcr0muNyluQlj-X862sqBYYxN2GVugUt/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIgIz0zMNl2VJRmwN3RpUNqYjYCgvR7kY6q51dNwcbkMy1eTUwr8xOHs4wJu7k0e729PwxCI251Rhx2xOgnWip3pIvgjIfocSV0jZS29PDQkomcr0muNyluQlj-X862sqBYYxN2GVugUt/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1TqN0rU5DpvLsUIxZkq164R5FgdqsDpk3dIcbZ8i4Vv26HT3rq6ZBFkMSCfJopshNfkK8nRUTaEsvoiRHWKwV0_z-q-63n0-Kx7etYe6HqtRfizngA65VseqQGfTRYSUN_C6lCCAKOGW/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1TqN0rU5DpvLsUIxZkq164R5FgdqsDpk3dIcbZ8i4Vv26HT3rq6ZBFkMSCfJopshNfkK8nRUTaEsvoiRHWKwV0_z-q-63n0-Kx7etYe6HqtRfizngA65VseqQGfTRYSUN_C6lCCAKOGW/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the calamari are frying, whip up a quick green salad. Mine had cos lettuce, cucumber, and two kinds of tomatoes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Place the calamari on top of the salad and squeeze lemon juice over the lot. Done.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-32784962687808770632012-01-28T11:22:00.000+11:002012-01-28T11:22:06.815+11:00Sweet Mango Sticky Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DEfJD_mPYHdYQciD4R-OietEVJhXQnEA1GyEyuUIqYJTupWfLUep5fOIQPtwmciWNOPpfogu0dpZMCXEI6e4EgfFo62p5QfppiU1jExUu0n92VuvZXXToemdinwcc_lb_KmHExwGgEeH/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DEfJD_mPYHdYQciD4R-OietEVJhXQnEA1GyEyuUIqYJTupWfLUep5fOIQPtwmciWNOPpfogu0dpZMCXEI6e4EgfFo62p5QfppiU1jExUu0n92VuvZXXToemdinwcc_lb_KmHExwGgEeH/s320/IMG_0770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The return to work has happened and the new year's for healthy work snacks has also taken place. And my brother recently bragged to me about having made what sounds like a pretty amazingly delicious savoury sticky rice, which got me thinking.<br />
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And THEN I discovered the local Asian grocers has a steady stock of frozen banana leaves. This sealed the deal. Although I was not interested in savoury sticky rice as a work snack. I was interested in sweet and fruity sticky rice for the 4pm slump. And since it's Summer here in Melbourne and mangoes are in season, there was really no need to consider any other fruits, what with mangoes being king of the fruits.<br />
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So this sticky rice is remarkably easy. You need to start it a day in advance, but apart from that it's a breeze. I now have a stash of single serve parcels in my freezer that I'm chomping through at my leisure. And because it's <i>sticky</i> rice, you can microwave it to defrost and warm, and it only gets stickier and more delicious.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>2 cups medium grain rice</i></li>
<li><i> 2 cups coconut milk</i></li>
<li><i>2/3 cup palm sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1 mango</i></li>
<li><i>chia seeds </i></li>
<li><i>banana leaves</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX7xmkgtS1q4vaVpk0DVCwVKc5-csYNcYOlPeaw74s4WSdMcuTxLDzMNI2nmngfe0Ufy_-czzyeAWV-47NoaRv3kdsAf71q8PZ9Tc6-DlR0IB-Vb2rAnMv45ap6rPTgFqwjyNAx1ekuHb/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKX7xmkgtS1q4vaVpk0DVCwVKc5-csYNcYOlPeaw74s4WSdMcuTxLDzMNI2nmngfe0Ufy_-czzyeAWV-47NoaRv3kdsAf71q8PZ9Tc6-DlR0IB-Vb2rAnMv45ap6rPTgFqwjyNAx1ekuHb/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
One day ahead of time, soak the rice in cold water and leave overnight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiN3Jf5Co2Gx_FALjnFxX5nPpV6Q-nWw7IOFMF0B9TI-TWUaalVWF_6Y4YcSOk2iK23Te8J5dfPrRaRDdvwPgvDmanXAYoOFeslvknYFnVflmqY3fxHIBf9n-Yv-YrI7PeMtD3EcLTSF5/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiN3Jf5Co2Gx_FALjnFxX5nPpV6Q-nWw7IOFMF0B9TI-TWUaalVWF_6Y4YcSOk2iK23Te8J5dfPrRaRDdvwPgvDmanXAYoOFeslvknYFnVflmqY3fxHIBf9n-Yv-YrI7PeMtD3EcLTSF5/s320/IMG_0726.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
The following day, drain the water off the rice and place in a large pot. Add the coconut milk and sugar and bring to a medium heat. Stir the rice over the heat so it doesn't stick and burn, while it absorbs the coconut milk, as though you are making a sweet, sticky risotto. Once it is thick and very risotto like, turn off the heat and leave to cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6fQaQkHTyjGeKsEgRdaQXCQ7YpCecZAN8aWeK1W2HxCXnXoa23oxFqy6QvZpD13KholI4pBM3a-gGYQveSjrnqhy7G_DX_Xr2Od36yTmxhRRy8a9XVDGKTUPV9duJ-B-SIXN1t4QWcGR/s1600/IMG_0736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6fQaQkHTyjGeKsEgRdaQXCQ7YpCecZAN8aWeK1W2HxCXnXoa23oxFqy6QvZpD13KholI4pBM3a-gGYQveSjrnqhy7G_DX_Xr2Od36yTmxhRRy8a9XVDGKTUPV9duJ-B-SIXN1t4QWcGR/s320/IMG_0736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgHpL3WSgsvkyI7XDVv-pRjc7zyWSiTy9uaLfge30CZ4Jsf7zcfi4yJOfmpOwG1QbEWb3AkCjl9SKgnNA3vZ9FgTJ565_xBOxcFoKq3BTXDYakTpPPZl9hDQoNdq5uqpb1b17SLzr_OlP/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgHpL3WSgsvkyI7XDVv-pRjc7zyWSiTy9uaLfge30CZ4Jsf7zcfi4yJOfmpOwG1QbEWb3AkCjl9SKgnNA3vZ9FgTJ565_xBOxcFoKq3BTXDYakTpPPZl9hDQoNdq5uqpb1b17SLzr_OlP/s320/IMG_0737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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At this point the rice won't be cooked through yet, but that's ok. We're not done yet!<br />
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While the rice cools, slice the mango into long thin strips.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCu1h9SZj0KbDrpYT0ZA2tAadzY5akiCI1NLGZ2XcD7_g_2a-4pZLutM2BhXNzDFYTeJDCOPp_OJDKZdO1LDkqO-VyGOsdTJNLQ3Js3Lp2XdbOdf_zAWMcI7EZsOxgc14PiLBfUysHXM5/s1600/IMG_0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCu1h9SZj0KbDrpYT0ZA2tAadzY5akiCI1NLGZ2XcD7_g_2a-4pZLutM2BhXNzDFYTeJDCOPp_OJDKZdO1LDkqO-VyGOsdTJNLQ3Js3Lp2XdbOdf_zAWMcI7EZsOxgc14PiLBfUysHXM5/s320/IMG_0750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Prepare your banana leaves (which are enormous) by cutting them into roughly A4 sized pieces, trimming any manky edges and washing them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PMCngBKU_i8p0XqpM9HdRdcd0LJdC5RaKDaGLHbLpqY-fMhO5zWEQjH-qcC5ZRXnN6ZwmG4yuJXON8l5QlygNxlUtpSQNCqAGnh9qIAjJ8579xekYDxe0ObrPqmQ8zFnWVaD1f2ZSLrg/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PMCngBKU_i8p0XqpM9HdRdcd0LJdC5RaKDaGLHbLpqY-fMhO5zWEQjH-qcC5ZRXnN6ZwmG4yuJXON8l5QlygNxlUtpSQNCqAGnh9qIAjJ8579xekYDxe0ObrPqmQ8zFnWVaD1f2ZSLrg/s320/IMG_0756.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8AZSBDF9Do2oTGiMX21raKcA30Y8ZopEIIB16sKZCY3FtxisBnZQtHIWahNGcAhRJR6Er0GiG_g3m-zbwVAu0O1sojqOppXn-7NTDSVd0BxjBcsNR3T-DC5YtaWVs718hpp72eIaoiVg/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8AZSBDF9Do2oTGiMX21raKcA30Y8ZopEIIB16sKZCY3FtxisBnZQtHIWahNGcAhRJR6Er0GiG_g3m-zbwVAu0O1sojqOppXn-7NTDSVd0BxjBcsNR3T-DC5YtaWVs718hpp72eIaoiVg/s320/IMG_0758.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Then prepare you sticky rice parcels.<br />
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First lay your banana leaf down. Then place a sprinkling of chia seeds in a 5cm line down the centre.<br />
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Place a spoon of the rice over the chia seeds, followed by a sliver of mango, then another spoon of rice.<br />
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Then fold the banana leaf over the rice, pressing it together firmly, fold the sides in and roll over until sealed.<br />
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Repeat this for all your parcels, then place them in steaming baskets and steam over water for 40 minutes.<br />
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Yum yum yum yum yum.<br />
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<span id="goog_909535174"></span><span id="goog_909535175"></span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-32029987850873625382012-01-22T19:14:00.000+11:002012-01-22T19:14:48.222+11:00Chocolate, ricotta and blueberry cake with chocolate-yoghurt icing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4_uJnspBGVd5N3cYoRHNnupQTVAal4Sy8E8s7Y7xkwphwA86nwlbibP7UFfNSnMtKBzcBB10Qe5ql6bxsPiTedtPtO0bChBsWu0jLzraGtec7sYfWw_us459Mbe7qWUbJ3A_0NBmhwVq/s1600/IMG_0754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4_uJnspBGVd5N3cYoRHNnupQTVAal4Sy8E8s7Y7xkwphwA86nwlbibP7UFfNSnMtKBzcBB10Qe5ql6bxsPiTedtPtO0bChBsWu0jLzraGtec7sYfWw_us459Mbe7qWUbJ3A_0NBmhwVq/s320/IMG_0754.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was in Brisbane last week when my boss arrived home from his overseas trip and emailed my office to say there were fancy chocolates in the kitchen for whoever wanted them. I wanted them! But I was in stupid Brisbane. So I email-bribed my workmates with the promise of baking, and lo, they saved me some chocolates. So today I am making good and baking a cake for Monday afternoon. <br />
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Because it is my cake and my decision, the cake had to involve chocolate. But I didn't want it to be too sweet, nor too dense. So I looked up cakes with fruit. I was hoping to find something involving peaches, but then I <a href="http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Chocolate-and-Blueberry-Ricotta-Cake-L6871.html" target="_blank">stumbled upon a recipe</a> involving blueberries and ricotta and my decision was made. However, the original said to dust with icing sugar, and I knew I could do better than that. So I added a ganache-like icing made with yoghurt for some extra tang.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>2 cups SR flour</i></li>
<li><i> 1 cup castor sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cup cocoa</i></li>
<li><i>250g ricotta</i></li>
<li><i>100g butter</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup hot water</i></li>
<li><i>2 punnets blueberries</i></li>
</ul><i>Chocolate yoghurt icing</i><br />
<ul><li><i>1 cup dark cooking chocolate pieces</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cup greek yoghurt</i></li>
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Grease a 22cm cake tin and heat the oven to 160. Sift your flour, sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. Melt the butter (I do this in the microwave, being careful not to have it explode) and add with the water and ricotta to the dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are mixed through, especially the ricotta. Then fold in one cup of the blueberries, reserving the rest for decorating the finished cake.<br />
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Place in the oven for an hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (if your oven isn't fan forced you may want to cook it for an extra 15 to 20 minutes). Once cooked, cool in the pan for 5 minutes then on a rack.<br />
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Prepare the icing by melting the chocolate and stirring through the yoghurt. Smooth over the cake while pliable and glossy, then place in the fridge to set. <br />
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Top with the remaining blueberries to serve.<br />
<br />
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Very impressive for such an easy cake. <br />
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<br />
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</script>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-88725452676668746672012-01-09T18:11:00.001+11:002012-01-09T18:13:32.244+11:00Tortes de Acietes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBI903izN_G7gKEQG-ZU6XLSG4iU3JGZ-tJ5zUcrMfClcVOgK_njBjbrDB9j_tuVrol7LRtRzZyrR2_5S8MO9r-jrN82h8Vj1by_LWp6VrSTH-l-Hh8A-bxOT2yMhrftbefDNfzJ4mU7Px/s1600/IMG_0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBI903izN_G7gKEQG-ZU6XLSG4iU3JGZ-tJ5zUcrMfClcVOgK_njBjbrDB9j_tuVrol7LRtRzZyrR2_5S8MO9r-jrN82h8Vj1by_LWp6VrSTH-l-Hh8A-bxOT2yMhrftbefDNfzJ4mU7Px/s320/IMG_0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My (super talented/gorgeous) friend Leanne put me onto the most glorious Spanish olive oil biscuits a few years ago. Called Tortes de Acietes (cakes of oil!) they are made in a factory in a town in southern Spain according to the same recipe first used by a lady named <a href="http://www.inesrosales.com/" target="_blank">Ines Rosales</a> over 100 years ago. In Melbourne, you can buy them at Casa Iberica, the Spanish grocers on Johnston St in Fitzroy for the cost of $8 for 6 biscuits. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The thing to know about these biscuits is: they are so so simple. Their incredibleness lies in the way they ABSOLUTELY NAIL the key elements of their simplicity.</div><br />
<ol><li>Texture - they have this <i>snap</i> when you bite into them. Flaky, crunchy, light yet with substance. The snap is very important indeed.</li>
<li>Just a hint of sweetness - They are extremely plain but dusted with sugar so that you get a hint of sweetness that isn't in anyway overpowering. So you can eat heaps.</li>
<li>Fennel seed - I may have mentioned elsewhere on this blog my devotion to fennel and fennel-related things, with their subtle, aromotic aniseed. </li>
<li>They are JUST BRILLIANT with a cup of tea.</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1-G6txEZfSPeFc6wDNLoGOs0sirPP4IwJthNGjItWmf9Atie-qVz3HWv6EV8q2jHC_aYn56A9QmU9NzlqnW24CQWBz_7gdxBiHaAg0EENvlXl-s3UkiwHvmRLV7eEW_CzahizTT0xJfO/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1-G6txEZfSPeFc6wDNLoGOs0sirPP4IwJthNGjItWmf9Atie-qVz3HWv6EV8q2jHC_aYn56A9QmU9NzlqnW24CQWBz_7gdxBiHaAg0EENvlXl-s3UkiwHvmRLV7eEW_CzahizTT0xJfO/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today being my last day of holidays, I decided I need some to get me through my re-insertion to working life. So I rode my bike to Casa Iberica. But when I got there the man said they didn't have any deliveries over the holidays. Needless to say, I was totes devo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I decided to attempt them. This was no easy task, as there are few recipes around on the internets, and the original Ines Rosales recipe is fiercely guarded by those Spanish pixies who continue to work her magic. After scouring various other bloggers' attempts, I found one I liked the look of and tweaked it very slightly. And it more or less worked! Oh, fabrous day! I have texted Leanne. There shall be cups of tea aplenty.</div><br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>2 cups strong baking flour</i></li>
<li><i> 3 tablespoons caster sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1 teaspoon baking powder</i></li>
<li><i>pinch salt</i></li>
<li><i>100 ml extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for brushing on the tortes)</i></li>
<li><i>100ml orange juice (pulp free or strained through a sieve)</i></li>
<li><i>orange rind</i></li>
<li><i>fennel seeds</i></li>
<li><i>raw sugar</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCxtd7s682OAoEu_YUGhM5nIng7OIGo3bmLpXqLq8dk8Q_fzEm-R28w6e0EaOii9TYqtWQ2hZODNfGlQP19JZqaBhonu_Sep2XYiI-7B6snjQwVxdZUorc_qi7_ukW_gLzYzpnDLhKahd/s1600/IMG_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCxtd7s682OAoEu_YUGhM5nIng7OIGo3bmLpXqLq8dk8Q_fzEm-R28w6e0EaOii9TYqtWQ2hZODNfGlQP19JZqaBhonu_Sep2XYiI-7B6snjQwVxdZUorc_qi7_ukW_gLzYzpnDLhKahd/s320/IMG_0695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Heat the oil over a low heat with the orange rind. This will allow the orange oil to infuse in the oil. Once the rind starts to brown remove it immediately, and turn off the heat. Crush a teaspoon of the fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle and add to the cooling oil. Once cool, add the orange juice to the mix.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the oil is heating, sieve the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Then add the wet mixture and mix into a dough. Form into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave for 30 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZrYYq7V1ompfWxzibb_pgYFrignkRlKEefXZ0nRM5gbnjGnuTRmB1ejU3iVjMbLuyCgAiE5zLvx32mQkO8rZN4PRssG2CWkpOvzEaM3CCzyuCTozo7qQxmeHdC12sPxfZ48bIzw4uHP0/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZrYYq7V1ompfWxzibb_pgYFrignkRlKEefXZ0nRM5gbnjGnuTRmB1ejU3iVjMbLuyCgAiE5zLvx32mQkO8rZN4PRssG2CWkpOvzEaM3CCzyuCTozo7qQxmeHdC12sPxfZ48bIzw4uHP0/s320/IMG_0701.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>Heat the oven to 225 degrees C. On a lightly floured surface, take a small ball of the dough (about a walnut size) and press down. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll out until extremely thin (a millimetre or less). Brush liberally with olive oil, sprinkle thoroughly with raw sugar and add a few fennel seeds. Then place on a tray lined with baking paper and put in the oven.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1QQEkHgQ_H_bN0qPji69X5UdyWzrlOtB6f6nTqfGbm47D0MTPvN7hOHgbcjQ0EcPDuqWjoY89BoL6tHCvzdARJXmVuo90sKxkausUB04eIoLc4cb9caBVdxMRKJn48lQtQ0Eg3G0QDhc/s1600/IMG_0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1QQEkHgQ_H_bN0qPji69X5UdyWzrlOtB6f6nTqfGbm47D0MTPvN7hOHgbcjQ0EcPDuqWjoY89BoL6tHCvzdARJXmVuo90sKxkausUB04eIoLc4cb9caBVdxMRKJn48lQtQ0Eg3G0QDhc/s320/IMG_0706.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBQ8fPDQng7LDPBkeHcTX53wOUPkQ9jpPNRRyY5WdaLK1l30lFlieeIe3HyEnv1hzUELu3fflIY-C7DzUcaLmO_lKu5exDpyNfqus8hz26qNuTVjPMC6K5ey2d2VI-E6xLczVS2R8e-WJ/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBQ8fPDQng7LDPBkeHcTX53wOUPkQ9jpPNRRyY5WdaLK1l30lFlieeIe3HyEnv1hzUELu3fflIY-C7DzUcaLmO_lKu5exDpyNfqus8hz26qNuTVjPMC6K5ey2d2VI-E6xLczVS2R8e-WJ/s320/IMG_0708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiVd6c4Kp1dWqJ0scXb0NEKBXcq7czYqkI_uYS_q9MbRbYq39S0c7lvJilBDk4akBCBS1kaviEUFXStkes1kdslKwhngq3F_1ksfgQYvXZ0zWf2uVhbYOWVUkjm9Jrz1g0Jr8SUjT2nMz/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiVd6c4Kp1dWqJ0scXb0NEKBXcq7czYqkI_uYS_q9MbRbYq39S0c7lvJilBDk4akBCBS1kaviEUFXStkes1kdslKwhngq3F_1ksfgQYvXZ0zWf2uVhbYOWVUkjm9Jrz1g0Jr8SUjT2nMz/s320/IMG_0707.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These only need to bake for five or six minutes before they will start to brown at the edges and burning is around the corner, so stay vigilant! I discovered that the time to roll out three more tortes was the amount of time needed to bake one round.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Leave them to cool - this is when they will harden into that wonderful, cracking, snapping morsel you have been dreaming of all day. Then eat them, one after the other, incessantly, because of how delicious they are and how greedy you are and it's the last day of holidays and you don't care what anyone thinks of you! You're free! FREE TO EAT TORTES!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</script></div>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-89287844850609484802011-12-12T19:30:00.000+11:002011-12-12T19:30:55.380+11:00Chocolate-dipped cherries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR4a7nBVWp9F7jkVgatP0jkdeJ_AVh8BJ5EA0dgdc-KjhAHvVlo45u9ElmwwkDuNbeNtGye-RODkKhooeJPfRVregd0ow5zirhXbiM8N4A0OFgWOB9XPhTmRPnIPPkLQ6r37JeFVmjHtl/s1600/IMG_0666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR4a7nBVWp9F7jkVgatP0jkdeJ_AVh8BJ5EA0dgdc-KjhAHvVlo45u9ElmwwkDuNbeNtGye-RODkKhooeJPfRVregd0ow5zirhXbiM8N4A0OFgWOB9XPhTmRPnIPPkLQ6r37JeFVmjHtl/s320/IMG_0666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>What do you do when your Mum is a highly successful consultant and receives hampers filled with cherries as Christmas presents, and then gives you heaps of cherries and then you get home and your boyfriend says he doesn't really eat cherries?<br />
<br />
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You dip them in chocolate and serve them to guests, that's what!<br />
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Calling this a recipe feels like a cop-out, but sometimes it's all too easy to forget how good dipping fruit in chocolate can be. Let this be your reminder.<br />
<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>dark chocolate</i></li>
<li><i> cherries</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEn970Zywri0NTuPztGwveiZiG6tM911cHyaKq9RMBwdktnH-uXTWLqWDPXhJY_O-7_2Uh3EzLOI4X2tsgNKNTiVtxqpkodg4GGRo9ZNDvzCEm_QDOf-Wu3NFTRfCd5xSAksjjBnFjWjl/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEn970Zywri0NTuPztGwveiZiG6tM911cHyaKq9RMBwdktnH-uXTWLqWDPXhJY_O-7_2Uh3EzLOI4X2tsgNKNTiVtxqpkodg4GGRo9ZNDvzCEm_QDOf-Wu3NFTRfCd5xSAksjjBnFjWjl/s320/IMG_0646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in 20 second batches. When it's about two thirds melted, remove it and stir until it completely melts (this will prevent burning and keep the chocolate lovely and glossy.<br />
<br />
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</div> Line a plate with foil. Dip your cherries and place on the plate. Then put them in the fridge. <br />
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<br />
Pull them out to impress guests during the festive season. And have a few yourself every now and then, just to continue the spirit of the things, and make a contribution.<br />
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</script>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-91647340944280844512011-12-11T19:16:00.001+11:002011-12-11T19:34:50.543+11:00Potato, tomato and onion pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezzZhqXxxyUjs6i3GDX_X8v0EF9w5sx426IPV4QxtRg39BcaR1qn5NHNpDlBSC44EFE18Sv0emYxNsF8bETmPowFbTWY_aDGNYFnm6oPN6QrALrHvuwVmk3WDqPqiQB7TH3OZjIujL7_6/s1600/IMG_0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezzZhqXxxyUjs6i3GDX_X8v0EF9w5sx426IPV4QxtRg39BcaR1qn5NHNpDlBSC44EFE18Sv0emYxNsF8bETmPowFbTWY_aDGNYFnm6oPN6QrALrHvuwVmk3WDqPqiQB7TH3OZjIujL7_6/s320/IMG_0659.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> How do you define a pie? Because frankly, this dish is very possibly not one. But look, shut up okay, it's full of potato and what more do you want? So it's kind of a casserole, layered like a lasagne, but in a pie dish, and crunchy on top. It's classic peasant/student fare, and given the December Austerity Measures this should free up enough coin to subsidise the high quality cooking chocolate I need for all my Christmassy treats and not at all for gnawing on after dinner.<br />
<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>2 potatoes</i></li>
<li><i>3 tomatoes</i></li>
<li><i>1 onion</i></li>
<li><i>1 teaspoon wholeseed mustard</i></li>
<li><i>slice of butter</i></li>
<li><i>olive oil </i></li>
<li><i>salt and pepper </i> </li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiF9h4hBeORT8YbAbKYtc_xKkzOWm4uINCGCImL5jmnBKH-TNczZ7LM2bLYKpaUHOJgy6VMFS_SlB2CsB3hZVcfd8J124Ytk-3YNbDOYnqOfpj6WcAXO6VDbBlvxHcggEqK-UqLHs3gbg/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiF9h4hBeORT8YbAbKYtc_xKkzOWm4uINCGCImL5jmnBKH-TNczZ7LM2bLYKpaUHOJgy6VMFS_SlB2CsB3hZVcfd8J124Ytk-3YNbDOYnqOfpj6WcAXO6VDbBlvxHcggEqK-UqLHs3gbg/s320/IMG_0632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Brush a pie dish with olive oil and turn the oven on to 180 C. Melt the butter with the mustard and add salt and pepper. Then finely slice everything.<br />
<br />
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Line the pie dish first with a layer of potatoes, then onion, then tomato. Add half the mustardy butter mixture. Repeat. <br />
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Top with potato and brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt if you know what's good for you.<br />
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Cover with foil and put in the oven. After 30 minutes remove the foil and turn the oven up to 190. Remove after another 30 minutes.<br />
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Consume.<br />
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</script>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-25258106347032749182011-11-22T22:00:00.000+11:002011-11-22T22:00:32.224+11:00Lemongrass and Ginger Beef Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y4qYNJ5a7D7FmtfoJ4hqgV1E-MoyFobCPzckFtzopplMpLXpysmxt_nkLlUDairg9U4XbChyphenhyphen3aFYK1oMRtd9xejUliJoLIOJgcnopVUwefCncWA_I7_YFnSgv_tsS-Rnc-t0zgSZe_dm/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y4qYNJ5a7D7FmtfoJ4hqgV1E-MoyFobCPzckFtzopplMpLXpysmxt_nkLlUDairg9U4XbChyphenhyphen3aFYK1oMRtd9xejUliJoLIOJgcnopVUwefCncWA_I7_YFnSgv_tsS-Rnc-t0zgSZe_dm/s320/IMG_0623.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
I happen to have a little insight into one of my Christmas presents this year. It involves Vietnamese street food and recipes and is a book. Yup. And just knowing this got me all excited about Vietnamese food. Also, I had a craving for fresh salady things. So I did a little squirreling around the internet and mashed a few different things I'd seen together to make this wonderful, fresh and very spicy salad. The spicy lemongrass and ginger paste softens the beef to it's super tender, and the pickled carrots... well they'll be featuring a lot in my tummy from now on, that's for sure.<br />
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<i>Ingredients (serves 4):</i><br />
<ul><li><i>500g beef sliced into strips</i></li>
<li><i>half an iceberg lettuce</i></li>
<li><i>1 Lebanese cucumber </i></li>
<li><i>1 carrot</i></li>
<li><i>1 bunch each mint, coriander, basil</i></li>
<li><i>1 stalk lemongrass (white part only)</i></li>
<li><i>1 walnut sized knob of ginger </i></li>
<li><i>2 birds eye chilies</i></li>
<li><i>1 clove garlic</i></li>
<li><i>1/2 cup rice wine vinegar</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cup sugar</i></li>
<li><i>1 teaspoon salt</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons fish sauce</i></li>
<li><i>Juice of half a lemon</i></li>
<li><i>1 shallot</i></li>
<li><i>Fried rice noodles</i></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYobRBnHAECSG3WftgC8b3DOuvS60glJPQp-OUADaX3cN3_A1Yepcby8f0cYSPhVTr3R5_g-EQg7ev1Q5LEEPSGgZJu7bxrdH1JnUZgxVWPkPvKCPxCGM2qjzyv29E6_cPIMZBcN6jv4K5/s1600/IMG_0600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYobRBnHAECSG3WftgC8b3DOuvS60glJPQp-OUADaX3cN3_A1Yepcby8f0cYSPhVTr3R5_g-EQg7ev1Q5LEEPSGgZJu7bxrdH1JnUZgxVWPkPvKCPxCGM2qjzyv29E6_cPIMZBcN6jv4K5/s320/IMG_0600.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Take the spices and smash them up in a mortar and pestle. Add the fish sauce and lemon juice and continue to grind them until they form a thick paste.<br />
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Then place your beef strips in a bowl and smear the paste over them, massaging it in with your hands. Place the beef back in the fridge and marinate in the spices for at least an hour.<br />
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Next, prepare the pickled carrots. Finely slice the carrots. Then mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt, and cover the carrots with the liquid. Also place in the fridge for 45 minute to an hour (the pickled carrots will keep for up to several weeks).<br />
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Prepare the fried shallots. Finely slice them and sizzle them in about 1cm vegetable oil in the bottom of your wok. Watch them closely, as they will take a while, and then turn from pinkish to brown to black within moments. Be ready to remove them as soon as they start to darken. Drain on a board.<br />
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About 50 minutes later, take the lettuce and finely shred about half. Julienne the cucumber, and finely chop the herbs.<br />
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Prepare the wok with a fine sheen of sesame oil, and fry the beef until browned. <br />
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Finally, arrange the lettuce, cucumber, herbs and carrots in your bowl. Add a serve of the beef. Lastly, sprinkle some of the noodles and fried shallots on top. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's healthy, insanely tasty, and has the most wonderful mix of flavours. If you have a sensitive stomach maybe go easy on the chili. I didn't do this. I have no regrets.Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594050501372910995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901080939258196096.post-43779186580321401742011-11-20T19:58:00.002+11:002011-11-20T20:09:35.109+11:00Double chocolate biscuits with crunchy pepita tops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhYjAv1zyzCFaG4zcwfuCvENMC4UZExFxUJr_UtBsSrnAdMOxCnBf5lTB3-t-I0vOGyt64ajQRggJz8uBo1N2tBKC5xhKp-GvJpPHXLi-CdbE93mSqOOO_jyO7sJ8deAZr_ppxTj4Txpp/s1600/IMG_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhYjAv1zyzCFaG4zcwfuCvENMC4UZExFxUJr_UtBsSrnAdMOxCnBf5lTB3-t-I0vOGyt64ajQRggJz8uBo1N2tBKC5xhKp-GvJpPHXLi-CdbE93mSqOOO_jyO7sJ8deAZr_ppxTj4Txpp/s320/IMG_0597.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
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In a bid to be economical, we are attempting to not buy lunch at all this week, and to cook all the fresh food in the house before doing something reckless like going out for laksa. So, for purely financial reasons I felt compelled to bake us a supply of biscuits to provide sweet sweet sustenance throughout the work week.<br />
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But because it's Sunday and I'm feeling pretty lazy, I decided I couldn't be arsed with recipes. And I figured, biscuits, how hard can they be, right? So I made some. Just like that. I didn't really know what I was doing so I didn't bother with any measurements that weren't bleedingly obvious. And they've turned out to be pretty darn alright. I am feeling mighty chuffed right this moment.<br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<ul><li><i>125g, or half a stick, unsalted butter</i></li>
<li><i> 1 cup brown sugar</i></li>
<li><i>vanilla essence</i></li>
<li><i>1 egg </i></li>
<li><i>1 1/2 cups plain flour</i></li>
<li><i>nutmeg</i></li>
<li><i>2 tablespoons cocoa</i></li>
<li><i>50g couverture chocolate</i></li>
<li><i>pepitas (aka little green seeds)</i></li>
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Make them the way you'd make any biscuits. Heat the oven to 160 degrees (or 170 if your oven isn't fan-forced). Cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg and continue to beat. Add the flour, nutmeg and cocoa and beat.<br />
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Take the square of chocolate and hack it into shards. If it's good quality chocolate it will shatter nicely. Stir it into the biscuit dough.<br />
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Line two trays with baking paper. Scoop the dough into walnut sized balls and press the tops slightly with your fingers. Then press them gently into the pepitas and place them on the trays.<br />
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Bake for 15 minutes. While baking, paint your nails. Cool them on a rack. Poke them with your finger. Check they're not poisoned. Check again, you'd really hate to be poisoning people accidentally.<br />
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Then sit down properly like a civilised lady and have two more with a cup of rooibos chai. <br />
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