Just a note

Dropping a line to say I haven't forgotten about my blog and my followers- but I have been, and will be offline for a short while due to the passing of my nan. Rest in peace my gorgeous Nan Doreen.
We'll meet again.

Mushroom and Goats Cheese Tartlets

There's just something sweet about High Tea isn't there? And it's not just because of all the sweets you are surrounded by, but for me it's the sense of being taken back to a time where everything was quite elegant. You've probably heard me mention it in the past, my obsession with the 'olden days' when girls would wear skirts, and men would open the door for you. It's a place I find myself drifting off to on long afternoons when I'm caught day dreaming. There's just something so sweet about it, and High Tea takes me to that place.

I was recently asked to be a guest at a charity event, and the theme was of course, High Tea. Perfect. My only problem is that I don't have the biggest sweet tooth, so ideas of the traditional cucumber finger sandwiches and mini quiches began tumbling around in my head. But I thought I'd try something new. A fan for using anything I can find in my fridge, I set out to create this new little number. I had loads of mushies left over from a recent function, along with gorgeous goats cheese- yum! Surely this was the setting for something delicious- and it was.

Once served at the High Tea (on the most elegant stand don't you think?),  the hoards went diving for these little numbers and not the sweets.  I also made those salmon tarts you can see here, and a not so traditional High Tea appearance, Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The feedback however was all regarding the little mushroom numbers. People wanted the recipe there and then- but of course I had to share it with all my blog followers as well. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

On another note- I must say I had the best scones ever this day! They were so fluffy, light and addictive... I think I may have had three. It turned out it was Erin's (event organiser) grandmother who made them. I of course went straight up to talk to her about them. She was the sweetest woman (yes she grew up in the era I adore), and to my surprise handed her secrets over straight away, but I'll save that scone chapter for another day...

I'm happy to report that the event raised an amazing $1082 for the Global Vaddo Charity which provides assistance to the local communities and underprivileged children in Goa. Erin has been doing a fantastic job raising the awareness here in Hobart. To find out more or to make a donation click here.

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2 onions

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil
500g button mushrooms
25g butter

100g goats cheese in oil

1 teaspoon truffle oil

Salt and Pepper

Pastry bases*

Creme fraiche (or sour cream)

Snow pea sprouts

*(I will be including a recipe in the near future for simple pastry bases, but on this occasion I went with the cheats version and bought pre-made ones from my local supermarket)

Cook Now

Add olive oil to a hot pan and add finely diced onions and garlic. Saute until translucent.

Gradually add mushrooms that have been roughly chopped. Mix to coat them in the onion mixture and let this cook down until the mushrooms have substantially reduced in size, approximately 5 minutes. Add the butter and season. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Add mushrooms to a small food processor or blender. Add a teaspoon of the oil in which the goats cheese sits in and blitz. Add the goats cheese and blitz again. Taste and season accordingly. Remember the goats cheese will add some bite, so don't go overboard with the seasoning until you taste it.

Lastly add the truffle oil. Be careful- you don't need a lot of this, it is very strong, but by far will set this dish apart from other tarts you may have tried. Blitz once more to ensure a smooth mixture. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place tart shells on your platter. Top with a teaspoon of mushroom mixture, top with a tiny dollop of creme fraiche and garnish with a snow pea sprout.

Serve and watch as they disappear.

This mixture will make enough for about 20-25 tartlets

Blue Eye Trevalla with the most delicious Pepperonata

This has to be the most delicious dish ever! I love it. I have been inspired to share this dish with you all now, as I have an abundance of home grown tomatoes that needed to be used quickly. They are slowly taking over my kitchen.

Yes that's right, here in Hobart my home grown tomatoes have only just turned red! I did plant them a little later than show day (all Hobartians know that tomatoes are due to go in the ground at show time, which falls around the second week in October). However when talking with guys in my office, they have all shared that their tomatoes were all late bloomers this year as well. Maybe it's because we didn't really get a great summer this year?

                           

                          

Either way- all I know is that I have heaps of gorgeous tomatoes that I do not want to go to waste. And I'm not really in the mood for chutney either- still getting through it from last year!

So... this recipe is the perfect answer for using them all up! As you will see from my photos, I have a very mixed bag. I have successfully grown beautiful Cherry tomatoes as well as Romas, Ox Hearts and some other round variety.

 
                           

        

This dish has incredible health benefits for you- mainly due to the tomatoes. Like most of you may know, tomatoes have fantastic anti-cancer properties in them. Tomatoes are full of carotenoids, mainly lycopene which is known to be a potent cancer fighting nutrient. What you may not know- is that by cooking tomatoes, it releases up to 3 times more lycopene for your body to use. Great news!

This pepperonata is most certainly inspired from my Italian Nonna. I have watched her for years make this dish which is so more-ish that it never lasts long in the fridge. I remember having it for breakfast spread on toast- yum! Although inspired by Nonna, I'm going to call this one my own as I have mixed it up a little with the addition of olives and capers. She would probably shun me if she knew. Or maybe not? Italians are always inventing new things depending on whats in the fridge.

The olives and capers certainly lift the dish and add that extra zing! They are quite salty, so you won't need to add too much salt. I guess this dish is a bit like a cross between a caponata and pepperonata. I've taken the best bits from both.

If you're not like me, and don't have access to wonderful fresh tomatoes- then buy the vine-ripened or you can even use tinned tomatoes.

As there is so much flavour in the pepperonata, I have teamed it with an uncomplicated piece of crispy skin Blue Eye Trevalla. This has to be one of my favourite fish to eat. It tastes unreal when cooked in its simplest form- like I have here.

One last thing- make sure you have a wonderful fresh loaf of crusty bread! No Italian meal is complete without it. You especially need it with this dish to mop up the gorgeous sauce. I've opted for a delicious ciabatta which is baked at Smolt in Salamanca.

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Variety of vine ripened tomatoes (about 650g) or 1 tin tomatoes

2 onions

2 red capsicums

2 cloves garlic

1 zucchini

80g kalamata olives, pitted

1 tablespoon capers

Extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

4x 200g fillets Blue-Eye Trevalla

Basil leaves to garnish

Crusty bread to serve

Remove Trevalla from the fridge. Place on a plate, and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt flakes. Leave to rest.

Place tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and place in a hot over (220 degrees) for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Remove skins and roughly chop. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure to reserve the cooking liquid in the tray. Leave the oven on, but reduce heat to 200 degrees.

Meanwhile heat a non-stick fry pan over high heat. Add a good glug of olive oil, thinly sliced onions and crushed garlic. Cook for a minute and then add finely sliced capsicum and zucchini strips. You want these vegetables to be similar in size. Cook for 5 minutes and then add olives and capers.

Add tomatoes, their cooking liquid, quarter cup of water and balsamin vinegar to the capsicum mixture. Stir, reduce heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Taste and season accordingly.

Whilst the pepperonata finishes cooking, you can cook the fish.

Heat a non-stick pan over high heat. Add the Trevalla skin side down and leave for 3 minutes. You shouldn't need to add extra oil, as there should be enough on it. Flip the fish, and check that the skin is nice and crispy. Place fry pan in the oven and leave for 3-4 minutes. You don't want to overcook the fish. You want it to be a little firm, but still quite moist inside.

Everything should now be complete. Use lovely big bowls to plate up. Spoon equal amounts of pepperonata in each bowl, top with a piece of Trevalla. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with baby basil leaves. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4

Corn and coriander fritters, smoked salmon and avocado

It's Mother's Day tomorrow, and in reading the Mother's Day cards today I got thinking how much my mum really means to me. Yes I'm sure I think about it every day- but lately mum has been a real rock for me. She deserves a lot from me this mothers day. She is the most important person in my life, as I'm sure all your mums are to you too. She is constantly busy, running around for everyone and doing selfless acts, and yet she still has time to look after her daughter too. How do mums manage it?!

Well Mother's Day is meant to be the day they get to kick back and be treated by us- their children! So with that in mind I've created the ultimate brunch indulgence. Instead of heading out to a cafe, stay in and cook mum this gorgeous dish while she puts her feet up. My mum absolutely adores corn fritters, so I have jazzed them up a bit here with the addition of coriander blitzed through the batter.

Once cooked I have topped them with wonderful Tassal smoked salmon and a little avocado, coriander and lime salsa. Yum! Lime and avocado work so so well together, it's completely moreish!

I apologise for not getting this post up sooner- but it's been such a hectic week, and just now I've found myself polishing off these fritters I've cooked... instead of typing... I wasn't able to resist. I don't think you, or your mum will be able to either! Make sure to serve with a cheek of lime to moisten the dish a little. And remember- don't just spoil mum tomorrow- pull this recipe out every few months to remind her how special she is.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there!

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2 corn cobs

1/2 bunch coriander

50g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red chili sliced

100g smoked salmon

1 medium avocado

1 teaspoon finely diced red onion

1 lime

Salt and pepper

Cook Now

Cut the corn from the cobs and place half in a small food processor. Add 3/4 of the coriander including the roots, flour, baking paper, half of the chili and the egg. Blitz until combined and smooth. Place into a bowl and add the remaining corn kernels and season well with salt and pepper.

Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add  oil and then place a heaped tablespoon full of the batter into the pan. Cook until golden (about 1 minute) and flip. Cook for a further 2 minutes and remove and sit on paper towel. Continue with remaining batter. It should make 4 large fritters.

While fritters are cooking, prepare the salsa by mixing the remaining coriander, half the avocado, onion and juice of half a lime. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To plate up- place two fritters in the center of your plate. Top with slices of rolled salmon, coriander salsa and slices of avocado. Garnish with chili and a lime cheek. Eat.

Serves 2

Silverbeet, chickpeas and sumac

Easter came and went like a whirlwind this year. It was over before I knew it, but unfortunately it always takes its toll doesn't it? Two family lunches, bags of Easter eggs, and countless hot cross buns. Oh my! A week later and I'm still feeling the aftershocks of Easter. What makes us over-eat on occasions like these? Is it because we are surrounded by family and our friends can't see us. Or is it because you can write off the guilty pleasures and say... 'well it's the holidays'. Whatever it is- it's not healthy- and I'm so glad the holiday's don't come often.

So its time to get my healthy eating routine back on track- it's time for good food.

Hands down this has to be my favourite throw together healthy meal for when your body is just calling out for its saving. Silverbeet aka Swiss chard or spinach is such a fantastic vegetable. Steam, boil, saute- whatever you do to it it tastes great- and maybe its because as you're eating it you know how good it is for you. Silverbeet is extremely high in iron, B-vitamins, vitamin C, dietary fibre, folate, zinc, magnesium... I could keep going- seriously. It's one of those true feel good foods!

In this recipe, I added a few other favourites of mine for the perfect guilt free lunch. For a more substantial meal, add a steamed salmon fillet and an extra squeeze of lemon. You'll wake up glowing.

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1 bunch silverbeet
1 can organic chick peas
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons sumac
2 lemons
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper


Cook Now
Wash the silverbeet then chop- quite chunky. Add to a steamer and steam until wilted, about 4 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl. Drain chickpeas and add to the silverbeet. In the same bowl add crushed garlic, sumac, olive oil and the juice from the 2 lemons. Stir to combine while the silverbeet is still warm. Season to taste. Serve when cool. Yum!

Flinders Island- living a past era

This summer just gone I was set on ensuring that a 'summer road trip' was had. Summers seem to come and go so quickly these days, and for some reason just aren't as 'summery' as they used to be. I'm sure the long hours spent in the work office has something to do with this... as opposed to the once two month long holiday we'd get.

Everyone was in. The plan was, to officially make a plan for a trip away- even if it was for just a long weekend. What a great plan!

Alas- it never happened.

So when reading an article a few weeks back in Hobart's local newspaper about a 'long lunch' to be held on Flinders Island- I knew there and then that I would be sitting at that long table. Could it be more perfect? I'd get my summer holiday (although delayed) and I'd get a 10 course degustation lunch on pristine Flinders Island!

The first hurdle was of course the tiny plane. Yup- there is just one airline who fly to Flinders Island, and just one tiny plane. But to my surprise, Flinders Island situated to the North East of Tasmania, takes just 30 minutes to reach from Launceston airport. I could cope with that.

I arrived on the Friday morning and already had a list of things I wanted to do in the coming days. Meet the locals, buy some Flinders produce, try some Flinders produce, meet a farmer, meet a cow, go for a walk- without getting lost, find the local abattoir, get to the north of the island, check out the pub, and of course do a wine tasting.

I soon learnt that everyone on the island waves to each other when they pass you on the road. I initially thought everyone simply knew each other- but apparently even though only having a population of 800-1000, this is not so. It's customary to wave and if someone doesn't, then they are presumed to be a tourist. So away I went, and as silly as I felt, I waved at the first car I passed. But they didn't wave back. I think my jaw dropped, possibly I blushed a little, and then I just laughed. Typical! From then on, every other driver waved at me, and I soon felt like a local.

Another thing on Flinders, no-one locks their car. In fact they leave their keys in the ignition. Does that not take you back to an ideal of the 1930's where girls only wear dresses, and men ask you to dance?! I just got a grin on my face when I heard this- it took me back to an era I've never experienced.

I stayed in Whitemark- the main town on the island. It consists of a few streets, two which are lined with shops- newsagent, grocery store, gift shop, bakery, cafe, butcher and pub. It's impossible to get lost. I headed straight to Freckles cafe. Of course. One wallaby burger straight up. Flinders Island Wallaby meat is very popular I would soon learn. It was delicious!

I then headed to the bakery for some fresh baked hot cross buns- how did they know I was coming? From there I walked another few meters to the local butcher. The meat all looked amazing! So fresh, and well, it was. All local meat- but no chicken or pork. Neither are farmed on the island. The thing that stood out there was again the wallaby. It was bright red- it looked enticing. The butcher told me all the wallaby is from the island. They marinate it in red wine and garlic. I had to get some!

That afternoon I took a drive to the South of the island. There you will find a town called Cape Barron. This town is really beautiful and set on the water. A few houses had white picket fences to set the scene. There is a local tavern here- and from what I've been told they do great meals. I got to try their sticky date pudding and it passed the test.

Also down this end of the island is Mount Strzelecki. You can't miss it! If you get time go for a hike. The sign states it's a 5 hour return. I would've loved to head up it- but time just wasn't on my side.

That night I headed to the Whitemark pub. Wow. 1930's eat your heart out. It's everything you want an island pub to be- although I'm sure in the 1930's there never used to be Tas Keno. The hallways were painted antique green, there were high skirting boards, ornate ceilings and light fittings. It even had that 'smell'. You know the smell your nan's house normally has. The bar however just smelt like a bar.

The place was packed to the limits. It felt like everyone on the island was there. After all it was a Friday night. I ordered a few drinks and Tasmania being Tasmania, I ran into someone I knew and managed to squeeze on their table for dinner- which was lucky as the restaurant was fully booked!

Wallaby again made an appearance on the menu, and although tempted, I opted for the chicken parmigiana. I don't normally let myself eat such deep fried food- but when you're on holidays you're allowed to kick your heels up! So I did!

Whilst waiting for our meals I couldn't believe how many were being pumped out of the kitchen. The lady serving them must've been the owner, but I can't be sure. She had the most wonderful red lipstick on, and I instantly admired her. She was run off her feet all night, but upheld that femininity and poise. When our meals came out, I wasn't disappointed and can recommend the parma to anyone who visits!

After a good sleep I got up early and headed off to Emita beach, about 20 minutes drive North of Whitemark. From here there's a 7km return walk to Castle Rock- a huge rock on the coast.

The walk takes you along the beaches and through some scrub areas. It seemed short enough, which was manageable for the time I had before the lunch. There was a guide post with an orange triangle which led the way- so off I set, camera in hand.

15 minutes into the walk I found myself on the edge of a cliff. Suddenly I began thinking this was something my mum wouldn't manage- yet I was sure the walk description was 'level 2'. I must be lost. That'd be right. A bit of friendly bush bashing and cliff climbing and I found myself on a beach. Let me just say this was the start of many more wrong turns to come! I ended up having words with Flinders tourism- this track needs a re-do!

Castle rock was pretty amazing when I finally got to lay eyes on it- and the weather couldn't have been better! The beach was so pristine and there was no sign of any man made thing. This was the summer getaway I wanted- a few degrees warmer and I would've been in!

The afternoon was most definitely my highlight! It was time for lunch- albeit I was already running behind time! The lunch was at Partridge Farm and held by 'A Common Ground' a group founded by three Hobart foodies- the guys from the Gourmet Farmer. The day was so perfectly organised and the principles behind it were fantastic. Only food sourced from the island was able to be used for lunch. I sat with and met the islands wine maker, the farmers, and the guys from the abattoir. It was just an amazing long afternoon. I do plan to post a separate entry about the food enjoyed at this event, so watch this space.

My last day on Flinders was spent in the North. I made the trip up to Killiecrankie after meeting the owners of the local cafe JJ's on the Bay. Their location is prime realty! The cafe overlooks the bay and the mountain looming above. If you're lucky, grab a stool on the deck and sit gazing out at it all while you enjoy your lunch. Sitting here you will totally forget that you'll be back in the office the next day...

As soon as I walked in I felt welcomed by the owners who were both working behind the counter. My attention then went straight to the menu- which you guessed it, featured wallaby again. And yup, I was ready to give it a go again. I am really quite fond of eating wallaby for many reasons. Wallaby along with kangaroo is a really great red meat alternative for both your health and the environment. Wallaby and roo are extremely high in protein and very low in fat. Gym junkies love the stuff. Wallaby also produces far less methane than cattle.

Looking at the menu I couldn't decide between two items- so I ordered them both. One was the wallaby terrine. Wow. I'd never ever heard of such a thing. Wrapped in bacon and filled with pistachios, it looked like any other terrine, and it tasted fantastic! Secondly I ordered the lasagna- but no ordinary lasagna, it was, yup you guessed it, a wallaby lasagna. Equally as delicious, and just what I needed for my wine inflicted headache! Both were served with a garden salad- and even though I forgot to ask them, I could swear the vegetables came out of a local garden. The tomatoes and cucumbers were so sweet and so delicious!

Back on the road, I had the 45 minute journey back to Whitemark. Wave to the drivers passed, pack my bags, wash the car and leave it at the airport with the keys in it of course. Somehow successfully smuggled on excess baggage- all local produce of course- Flinders Island beef, honey and figs off a local old tree I found.

I slept the whole way back to Launceston. The small plane didn't seem to phase me second time around. What a fully loaded weekend. I successfully ticked off all the things on my list and the weekend exceeded all my expectations! 

Although I found myself in the 1930's most of this trip, the local people were far from it. I found many have chosen to make the 'sea change' to Flinders for health and happiness, escaping the city life. I can see why. Flinders Island is a MUST visit for everyone!

The simplest and best strawberry syrup ever!

I found myself at Salamanca market a few Saturdays ago, as I do most Saturdays. It's a place that I can just get lost in. There is a buzz of people, locals and tourists, old and young, conventional and somewhat not. There's an enormity of shopping, antiques, books, jewellery and crafts. But the thing that keeps bringing me back is the food! It is a foodies heaven. Wonderful Tasmanian produce and producers at every turn!

I never go to Salamanca with a shopping list, I just get inspired by what I find. And this week I was excited to see these strawberries! Two punnets for $3. What? Did I read that right? These punnets are twice the size of the supermarket, and they want to give me two of them for just $3? Sold! There's always a catch however- and I knew what it was. These babies must be nearing the end of their season and although they look amazing, they were close to their expiration date and had to be eaten in the coming days. How would I get through them all?

Easy! This is a recipe my dad taught me- I actually don't even know if you can call it a recipe, it's that simple! Dad would always do the same thing and buy in bulk when the prices were right. Our fridge shelves would be full of this syrup, and it would be a treat for the weeks ahead! I used to think he was magic! How could he create something so good with little to no effort at all? Lucky I'm here to now fill you in on the secret.

I must say this recipe does involve a lot of sugar, but the health benefits must surely outweigh that right? Well lets see- Did you know strawberries are full of age-defying nutrients? They are packed full of Vitamin C which is essential for the manufacture of collagen which helps maintain the structure of our skin. And lets be frank- everyone wants to look younger for longer!

As soon as I got home from the market, and before taking off to work, I prepared these strawberries- it must've taken me all of 20 minutes to clean and cut them up. Then you just cover them with sugar and let the fridge do the rest of the work as you put your feet up (or in my case, go to work).

Now don't touch! Don't you dare do any more work for this dish! In a few days your strawberry syrup will be complete.

It's a great idea for dinner parties with no fuss. The syrup will keep for up to a week and the strawberries will shrink up and become so concentrated with flavour it's not funny! Simply served with ice cream it's a treat everyone will love! The trick... serve in elegant glassware to impress.

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2 punnets of strawberries (standard punnet size is fine)

3/4 cup white sugar

Cook now

Clean, wash and remove the leaves from all your strawberries. Cut them into a mix of quarters and halves.

Place strawberries into two tall glasses, only filling halfway up. Top with a half the sugar. Fill with remaining strawberries and top with remaining sugar.

Places glasses in the fridge and forget about them for at least 2-3days.

Remove from fridge and serve equal amounts of strawberries and syrup over your dessert- I suggest two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.