Pie + raw mix

Shepherd’s pie with celeriac, cauliflower and potato mash

With the temperature finally dropping in Brisbane’s narrow window of winter, I thought it was time to break out the comfort food. I was shopping at The Standard Market and saw these lovely little pre-made wagyu beef shepherd’s pie ramekins which spurred me to go home and make up my own dish. I strayed a little from the traditional recipe by adding celeriac and cauliflower to the topping. There’s nothing wrong with sticking with plain potato but if you’re looking for something a little lighter yet still satisfying I recommend you give this dish a whirl! It would easily serve 6 people.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 brown onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 carrot, 2 celery sticks, 8 cup mushrooms, 500g beef mince, 500g lamb mince, 3 tablespoons tomato puree, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 200mL chicken stock, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, 1 celeriac, 1 cauliflower, 2 potatoes, milk, parmesan cheese and salt & pepper.

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 200°C;
2. Sauté onion and garlic until soft, add diced carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook until soft;
3. Add meat, using wooden spoon to break it up and cook until nice and brown;
4. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary and thyme;
5. Add tomato puree, stock, can of tomatoes, salt & pepper and simmer for 30 minutes;
6. Whilst the meat is simmering, steam the celeriac, cauliflower and potato until cooked through;
7. Blend with stick blender or mash, adding a dash of milk and a healthy grating of parmesan. I also added a little extra thyme and rosemary.
8. Pour meat into a large baking tray and top with mash and an extra grating of parmesan.
9. Bake for 30 minutes until golden on top.

I served it with steamed broccolini and tomato relish (plus a glass of red wine; optional, but highly recommended).

Raw Mix

My lovely friend Brea has been concocting and selling these pre-made jars of healthy mixes of dried fruit, nuts and seeds at markets in Sydney, and very kindly brought me one to try when she was last in Brisbane. I sampled the “Crown”: a nut free variety composed of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, cacao & chia seeds.

The concept is both easy and clever. Simply blend ingredients in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. It’s suggested to shape them into balls or a slice. I went for slice option and have been enjoying these delightful little morsels as a nutritious afternoon treat ever since.

Beef Capital sans Beef

For the Queen’s birthday long weekend Robbie and I took the quick flight up to Rockhampton to visit my parents. As you might imagine, we’ve got food all sorted at the Grahams’; Dad is in charge of the savoury delights, plus stocking the fridge with ample beer, wine and champagne. Mum, a terrific baker, looks after our sweet tooth and had whipped up a fruitcake, bread and butter pudding and my absolute favourite: a zucchini and hazelnut loaf.

Quiche Lorraine

For my arrival I had requested an oldie but a goodie – quiche Lorraine. Mum kept it traditional and used a Margaret Fulton recipe from the cookbook she won as the year 10 book prize in 1971 (complete with its $3.95 price tag still on the cover!). I took great delight in flicking through the old book; Margaret Fulton was well ahead of her time with many of the recipes now back in vogue. The quiche did not disappoint, with perfect pastry complementing the deliciously airy bacon, egg, swiss cheese and cream filling.

Chilli Crab

We hit the jackpot for our Saturday night dinner. Dad and his bridge/fishing/food-loving side-kick Mike Duggan had been crabbing at Port Alma and returned with a very commendable 7 good sized mud crabs. Having been to Singapore for our honeymoon last November, we were keen to re-create their specialty chilli mud crab. Paired with fried rice, Asian greens and a lovely Riesling, it turned out a real treat. Dad cleaned and prepared the crabs during the day (while we went out shopping) and he and I cooked up a storm using a Pete Evans recipe. The result? A finger (and forearm)-licking good meal.

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/1010/chilli-crab

I thought I’d provide the link as the recipe has a tonne of ingredients!

Salmon Rillettes

For Sunday lunch I decided to put together some simple and delicious salmon rillettes, served with olive bread, a garden salad, leftover quiche Lorraine and a crisp rosé. It was the perfect lunch that segued nicely into a delightful afternoon nap! The salmon; herby, lemony and a little salty, was right up my ally and I’ll definitely be making it again soon!

Ingredients: 300g hot smoked salmon, ½ lemon, ½ cup crème fraiche, 1tbspn tarragon, 2 tbspn chives, 1 tbspn dill, 1 tbspn capers, salt and pepper.

Method:

1. Flake salmon into bowl.
2. Add all other ingredients and mix well.
3. Spoon into individual ramekins. Refrigerate.

Baba ghanoush

It may sound bizzare, but I enjoy looking in people’s kitchen cupboards and checking out their fruit and veg supply. I like to see what other people keep as staples and think how I could use their ingredients, much like a “mystery box” on Masterchef, but minus the time pressures and nationally televised humiliation when things don’t go to plan! Dad had a large eggplant, which inspired me to make one of my favourite dips – baba ghanoush. I was delighted with the outcome; it had a great smoky flavour and just the right amount of spice to give it some interest. It made me re-think the value in the $6.99 tub I usually buy.

Ingredients: 1 large eggplant, ¼ cup tahini, 3 garlic cloves minced, ½ lemon, 1 tspn cumin, 1 tblspn EVOO, 2 tblspn flat-leaf parsley.

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. Place it on the flame of the stove (using tongs!) for a few minutes until the skin starts to blister (this step is not essential so don’t worry if you don’t have a gas stove!).
3. Cut the eggplant in half. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for approximately 45mins or until the inside it mushy.
4. Remove from the oven, let cool a little and peel off the skin.
5. Place the flesh in a bowl. Make into a paste with a hand-held blitzer.
6. Add the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, parsley and salt. Mix well.
7. Serve with a drizzle of EVOO, a little paprika for colour and taste, chargrilled capsicum and crackers.

We had it alongside a cheese platter (truffle pecorino being the standout) and lamb cutlets expertly cooked on Dad’s wood stove by my pyromaniac husband. An easy, simple supper.

Special mention – Custard and Apple Tea Cake

Before we headed back to Brisbane we made a quick stop for afternoon tea at my cousin’s house to check out their renovations. She had taken the time to bake a lovely cake, complete with homemade custard, only for it to slide directly from the non-stick pan onto the (luckily clean!) floor. The poor thing was obviously heartbroken that her hard work had gone south so to speak, but no one was perturbed and we all attacked the “structurally altered” cake with vigour. In a testament to her baking, it was still delicious despite the mishap, with most of us going back for seconds.

 

Beccofino

Beccofino (Teneriffe)

Another failsafe date night venue, it’s our favourite local Italian. With a no reservation policy, we wandered down at 6pm on a Friday night and the restaurant was already ¾ full. We were looking for some familiar comforts, and thus couldn’t look past our menu staples with a couple of glasses of prosecco and a vino bianchi from Veneto. On the menu – fried baby calamari on a bed of rocket for entree, pappardelle with a duck and tomato ragu and a fusilli with mixed mushroom ragu and buffalo milk ricotta for our mains. In my opinion, the calamari is hands down the best you can find in Brisbane. The tender little morsels are what keep me going back! Plus they serve complimentary crusty bread with olive oil to start, which is always a nice touch. I often wonder why more Australian restaurants can’t adopt the European way of making bread a part of every meal and not a privilege you have to pay for!

           

Shout Out

I’d like to give a quick shout out to a few of my blog readers. Over the past few months, I’ve been extremely flattered to receive pictures from people who have given my recipes a try, and I thought it was worth sharing some of their creations with you.

Chicken and veg rogan josh by the food-loving traveller Amy:

ANZAC biscuits by Laura our favourite Brazilian/almost Aussie living in London:

Burrito bowls by the lovely sign language/tap-dancing aficionado Kate:

Happy Cooking!

Bri x

Succulent breasts

Prosciutto wrapped stuffed chicken breasts

If you’re looking for a new way to jazz up chicken breasts with minimal fuss for maximum flavour, then this recipe is for you. It’s easy to put together, looks great on the plate and tastes even better!

Ingredients: 100g spinach, 200g fresh ricotta (from the deli), 2 tablespoons capers, handful of flat leaf parsley, lemon juice, 4 chicken breasts, 8 slices of prosciutto and toothpicks.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Wilt spinach in the microwave, this should take around 20-30 seconds. Squeeze out excess liquid.
2. Combine spinach, ricotta, capers, chopped parsley and lemon juice in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Butterfly chicken breast with a sharp knife and lie out flat. Spoon the ricotta mixture over one side and fold to close.
4. Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with two slices of prosciutto and secure with toothpicks.
5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

I served it with roasted Roma tomatoes, asparagus and a sweet potato and cauliflower mash. This really is a dead simple and totally delicious way to enjoy the humble chicken breast. I hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy it as much as we did!

Coconut Intense

Dark choc & coconut biscuits

Robbie’s birthday fell the week of my sister’s wedding, so my time for spoiling him with food was limited. Despite the time constraints, and inspired by a block of coconut Lindt chocolate we had in the fridge, I made a batch of dark chocolate and coconut biscuits to mark the occasion.

Every time I make biscuits I remember how simple they are. The best part is that this simplicity in no way reflects the sheer deliciousness of a fresh-from-the-oven, oozy chocolate biscuit. Usually I’d make a double batch to freeze for future biscuit emergencies, but this time I had to make do with somewhat limited supplies.

Ingredients: 125g butter at room temperature, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 egg, 2 cups plain flour, ½ cup desiccated coconut, 200g Lindt Coconut Intense chocolate roughly chopped (2 blocks) and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.

(I like to use blocks of chocolate, chopped roughly to give a more rustic/homemade touch, however you could easily use chocolate chips if you prefer)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add vanilla essence & egg, beating well.
3. Sift flour into butter and sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate and desiccated coconut.
4. Evenly space generous teaspoonfuls on baking trays (allow room for spreading). Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Chewy and moreish, these really are just like a Bounty in biscuit form!

 

Winter Comforts

Chicken and Vegetable Rogan Josh 

I must premise this next instalment with the fact that I only very loosely followed a recipe. When I make a big vegetable curry I am only too happy to play around with quantities. As long as you’ve got an extra tin of crushed tomatoes in the cupboard to add liquid if necessary, you can’t really go wrong. I was making this for 7 people so the quantities are quite large, however any excess can always be popped in the freezer if you can’t get through it all. The beauty there, of course, is that you will have plenty of curry goodness at your fingertips for whenever your culinary inspiration cannot extend past pressing “defrost” on your microwave.

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 1 large red onion (sliced), 2 tablespoons rogan josh curry paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 medium sized sweet potato (cubed), 1 zucchini (sliced), 1 capsicum (diced), ½ eggplant (cubed), ½ cauliflower in florets, 2 cans chickpeas, 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 200g spinach leaves, 1 cup of frozen peas, 2 shredded chicken breasts and 1 can light coconut milk.

Method:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy based saucepan. Cook onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add rogan josh curry paste and garam masala and cook until fragrant and the onion is well coated.
2. Add sweet potato, zucchini, capsicum, eggplant & cauliflower. Stir until coated.
3. Add chickpeas and crushed tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are tender. This will take at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Just before serving, add in shredded chicken breast, can of coconut milk for creaminess, spinach leaves and frozen peas for freshness.

I served the curry with fragrant steamed rice (basmati + peas, mint and coriander), homemade raita (natural yoghurt, mint, coriander, cucumber and garam masala), poppadums and roti.

         

This curry is ALWAYS a hit, and makes for a great mid-week curry feast!

Shanks and Cheese

On returning from their honeymoon, my sister and my brand new brother-in-law cooked us a delicious dinner to keep the celebrations going. On the menu were slow-cooked lamb shanks (Jamie Oliver recipe) with mash and greens and a glorious cheese platter, which also included a large sprinkling of macadamia chocolate and strawberries. The cheese, olive bread, chocolate and strawberries were all sourced from the Eumundi markets and were out of this world. I haven’t been to the markets in quite a few years but feel I should put it on my list of things to do, if the quality of this produce was anything to go by! The honeymooners also scored some gloriously fragrant basil, which gave lightness to the shanks and the mashed potato a fragrant note.

 

Let’s hope the weather drops about 10 degrees so we can truly appreciate these winter warmers!

Bri xx

 

Wedding Fuel

I’ve had a busy couple of weeks since returning from Japan. My sister, Kirsty, was married last weekend which meant plenty of family mealtimes in the lead up to the day. Below are the pick of the bunch:

Campos (Gasworks, Newstead)

A thick and wholesome Bircher muesli packed with dried apricots and figs was a great way to refuel after some pre-wedding morning exercise with my sisters. Campos’ display cabinet is packed full of inviting goodies, ranging from fresh sandwiches, salads, rolls and cakes, to gorgeous pastries and muffins. As a post-wedding treat, I sampled a poppy seed, berry and dark chocolate muffin which more than satisfied my muffin fetish, at least for this week.

Pearl Cafe (Woolloongabba)

A breakfast favourite when we’re venturing out of our hood, I had never been to Pearl for an evening meal, and it is where my sister chose to have her final dinner as a single woman. The well fit out cafe transforms into a lovely, dimly lit and ambient restaurant by night. Our food offerings were varied and all of them flavour-packed, including a pate with fresh figs and pumpkin bread, a mushroom pithivier, a lovely pan-seared kingfish on wilted greens and a succulent confit chicken.

A solid recommendation for any date night.

Lure on Latrobe (Paddington)

We arrived early on the Saturday (D-Day) morning to find this bustling cafe already packed. After a short wait for a table we were treated to some efficient service and a delicious breakfast. Menu highlights were a coconut and quiona bread served with butter and jam, zucchini and haloumi  fritters with poached eggs and bacon, and a dense Bircher muesli adorned with strawberries, flaked almonds and honey.

The Gresham (Brisbane City)

The wedding went off like an absolute frog in a sock. My sister and her now husband Denis had planned the perfect combination of great food, superb drinks and jumping live music. Highlights included the oyster shucking station and their epic end of night cheese platters.