Bolognese

·         Your choice of Pasta

·         400g passata

·         1 onion, finely chopped

·         1 carrot, finely chopped

·         1 celery stick, finely chopped

·         2 garlic clove, crushed

·         1.5 cups of good quality red wine

·         100g finely chopped Italian Pancetta

·         500g turkey mince

·         2bay leaves

·         15 basil leaves, torn

·         Extra Virgin Olive oil

·         Rock salt, for pasta water

·         Salt and pepper

Method

1.       In a large casserole pot, cook the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and pancetta in a little oil.

2.       Once golden, add the turkey and cook making sure there are no lumps, then add wine and allow to evaporate.

3.       Add the passata and bring to a simmer

4.       Add the bay leaves and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

5.       Add the pasta to plenty of salted boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the box. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss it with the sauce and cook for a further minute.

6.       Remove from the heat and serve with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil and parmesan

Notes: Preparation time: 20 min              

Cooking time: 20 min

* Can use veal instead of turkey if you prefer

*Image taken from http://gratineeblog.com/2009/10/a-true-bolognese/

Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

·         400g can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans

·         1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas

·         3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)

·         1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

·         2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

·         Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

·         Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

·         Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetizerssnacks/r/hummusbitahini.htm

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Ingredients

·         1 large eggplant (see note)

·         2 garlic cloves, skin on

·         1/2 lemon, juiced

·         2 tablespoons tahini

·         1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         4 green onions, finely chopped

Method

1.       Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place eggplant and garlic on tray. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until eggplant is soft. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

2.       Cut eggplant in half lengthways. Using a metal spoon, scoop out flesh onto a chopping board. Roughly chop. Transfer to a bowl.

3.        Squeeze flesh from garlic into a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until well combined. Stir into eggplant with three-quarters of the green onion. Transfer to an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4.       Spoon dip into a bowl. Drizzle with remaining oil. Sprinkle with remaining green onion.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/506/roasted+eggplant+dip

Corn Fritters with Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese

Ingredients

·         1 cup Self-Raising Flour

·         1/2 cup buttermilk

·         2 eggs

·         420g can corn kernels, drained

·         310g can creamed corn

·         1/4 cup finely chopped chives

·         olive oil cooking spray

·         chopped chives, to serve

·         Smoked Salmon and cream cheese to servce

Method

1.       Sift flour into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Make a well in the centre.

2.       Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a jug. Add to flour mixture with corn kernels, creamed corn and chives. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold ingredients together until combined (don't overmix).

3.       Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, remove from heat. Spray with oil. Return frying pan to heat. Add heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture, 3 at a time. Use a knife to spread to 8cm (diameter) rounds.

4.       Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface. Turn. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until fritters are firm to the touch. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters. Place onto plates. Top with chives, Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese.

Recipe inspired by http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/8044/corn+fritters

Peggy's Baby Shower - The Perfect Spread

The Menu:

No of Guests: 10

Cupcakes By Hollie
Mini Cheesecakes by Jacki
Choc Chip Cookies by JP
Rocky Road by me
Homemade Roast Eggplant Dip with Carrot & Celery to dip with by me
Homemade Hummus with Carrot & Celery to dip with by me
Corn Fritters with Smoked Salmon by me
Quiche by Mum

And ... the most amazing looking ans tasting Baby Shower cake handmade by Jacki

Review - Pino's Ristorante Pizzeria - Crows Nest

I've only been here twice and both times I had the chicken parmigiana. I know that doesn't sound very adventurous given its a great Italian restaurant and there I am ordering a "parmi" (as I've heard it referred to before - *cringe*) but why fight it when it tastes this good. On this occasion my partner had the gnocchi and that was great too. The bill was $80 and this got us a beer, 2 wines, garlic bread and 2 mains. 

Sent from my iPhone

Review - Otto Ristorante - Woolloomooloo

We went to Otto Ristorante for a casual Anniversary lunch and it did not disappoint. The food, as always was spectacular in freshness, taste and presentation. The day was beautiful and sunny so we also had the great view. I had the fish and my husband ordered the duck and I ordered 3 sides (sugar snaps, chat potatoes and salad) as, from experience, the dishes are usually literally the protein. When the dishes arrived my husband was glad I’d ordered the sides as, at first glance, he felt his duck leg was tiny. After the main my husband was surprised he wasn’t still hungry so he skipped dessert but I couldn’t resist the hazelnut mousse. It was absolutely incredible. My only gripe was that every time one of the waiters walked behind me, she’d accidently bump my chair which makes it hard to totally relax and enjoy your anniversary when every 5 minutes (pretty much without fail) you feel a bump and hear “oh sorry” once is fine, but wouldn’t you figure out another path when you’re being repeatedly this disruptive to your patrons? The bill was $190 and that covered a beer + spirit + wine, 2 mains, 3 sides, one dessert. 

http://www.ottoristorante.com.au/

Review - Honey Rider - Neutral Bay

4 of us went for pre dinner drinks on a Saturday night. Arriving at 7:30 we had no problem getting a seat, so we took the lounge area. The interior is retro grunge and the decor provides some talking points, the background music is a bit jazzy and the bar has a lot to chose from. There's also bar snacks on offer and I think I saw they're on special on Tuesday nights? We ordered the fresh apple juice mixers for starters which was their signature drink for the day then we moved into the wine list which has plenty of choices. The prices and the service were both great. We went away for dinner but actually came back after and again, no issues getting a seat. We left at about 10:30 and it did look like it was getting busier. Some awesome looking cocktails were being made around that time and I did notice the cocktail menu had a lot of thought put into it. Will be back for sure.

Recipe - Mid Week Easy Thai Fish Cakes

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 650g snapper fillets, skin and bones removed (see tip)
• 2 tbs red curry paste
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 egg white
• 4 snake beans, trimmed
• 2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 limes, halved
• 1 cup steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the fish and place in a food processor, process until finely chopped. Add curry paste, cornflour and sugar and pulse to combine. Add egg white and pulse until well combine. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Thinly slice 4 snake beans and add to fish with coriander, mix well.
2. Using 2 tbs of mixture per fish cake, roll into balls using damp hands. Place onto a tray lined with baking paper and flatten slightly. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes if time permits.Preheat oven and baking tray 210°C fan forced. Lightly spray both sides fish cakes with oil. Remove hot tray from oven and line with baking paper. Working quickly place fish cakes and lime halves, cut side down onto the hot tray. Return to the oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until fish cakes are light golden and cooked through.
3. Serve with roasted lime and steamed rice.

Source

Recipe - Algerian Spiced Chicken with Dates, Couscous & Currants

I saw this recipe on TV and had to cook it that same day. I did and I loved it. Would happily make this if I was having friends over for a casual dinner. Note I did the recipe with rice instead of CPUs CPUs for today.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

Olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp grated turmeric

1 carrot, sliced

1 cinnamon quill

11/2 tspn cumin powder

2 cloves

4 cardamom pods

Olive oil

2 breast of chicken with the skin on/ or Maryland

1 orange

1 lemon

1 cup dates, seed removed

¼ cup flaked almonds

¼ cup pistachio nuts

1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped

½ bunch parsley

1-litre chicken stock

1 cup tomato passata

 

Couscous

250g Couscous

250ml Boiling water

2 tbls olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

pine nuts

currants

Method

Add onion and carrot with some olive oil to a pot and allow to fry. Also add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin powder. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Slice some orange peel, remove the pith and add to the pot.

Once the carrots have softened a little, add the chicken stock and the tomato passata, allowing it all to come to the boil. Add the dates and half of the coriander to the pot.

Slice the chicken into strips and stir it through the pot. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the pot from the heat and add the rest of the coriander, the almonds and pistachios and the juice of half and orange and the juice of half a lemon.

Give it a good stir and it's ready to eat

Couscous

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl

Cover with cling film, let stand for 8 minutes

Run a fork through to break up.

http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/245

Sent from my iPhone

Felix's 2nd Birthday Cake

My very talented friend Jo created the below bear cake for my darling godson's 2nd birthday.

I had nothing to do with this at all (except eating) and it was too good not to share.

The recipe is from http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/

• Baby's First Birthday Cake (Carrot Cake adapted from What to Expect)) 
• (Makes 1 double-layer 9-inch square cake) 
•  2 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots -  2 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate (may 
• use slightly less) - 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (may use Graham or all-purpose unbleached as well)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil -  2 whole eggs -  4 egg whites 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract - 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ - 2 Tbsp low sodium baking powder 
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon – 1 Tsp ground Ginger 
• Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two 9 inch square cake pans with waxed paper and spray the paper with vegetable spray/shortening.

1. Combine the carrots with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the juice concentrate in a medium size saucepan. 
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender,15 to 20 mins. Purée in a blender of food processor until smooth – add pinch of brown sugar and dash of cinnamon as you purée then add the raisins and process until finely chopped. Let mixture cool. 
3. Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups juice concentrate, the oil, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; beat just until well mixed. Fold in the carrot puree and applesauce. Pour the batter intothe prepared cake pans. 
4. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 mins. Cool briefly in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. When cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Recipe - Carrot Cake

-       4 eggs, lightly beaten

-       11/2 cups lightly packed brown sugar

-       ¾ cup vegetable oil

-       1/3 cup golden syrup

-       1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

-       1 cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

-       1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarbonate)

-       1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-       2 1/2 cups firmly packed grated carrot

-       1/2 cup drained crushed canned pineapple

-       1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

-        

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C
2. Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 in) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is frothy.
4. Stir in the oil and golden syrup and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth
5.  Sift both flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cinnamon into the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
6. Stir in the carrot, pineapple and pecans or walnuts.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the top.
8. Bake for 1-1/4 hours, or until golden and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
9. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely
10. Serve dusted with icing (confectioners') sugar. Alternatively, spread with cream chees e icing

Cream Cheese Icing

-       30 g butter

-       80g packaged cream cheese, softened

-       1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

-       1 tablespoon lemon juice

-       1 ½ cups icing sugar, sifted

1. Beat butter cream cheese, rind, juice in small bowl with electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar.

Review - Red Onion - Karon Beach - Phuket

This is one of the best restaurants in Phuket for a quick authentic eat. Usually, I don't go to the same place twice when I travel but we returned here 3 times. Tasty dishes, delicious cocktails and never once did we pay more than $10/head for entrees, mains and cocktails. While all other restaurants we're half full, we always had to line up for Red Onion but never more than 15mins. The staff aren't as cheery here, especially the male/female who won't crack a smile regardless of how hard you try but who cares - the food/price overrules the customer service. I highly recommend the grilled seafood plate, garlic pepper prawns and chicken in leaves. Also get anything and everything duck - duck is super cheap in Phuket!!!

Review - El Gaucho - Karon Beach - Phuket

For extended version see my travel blog ... http://diariesofzrk.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/thailand-2012-phuket-day-4.html

El Gaucho Brazilian BBQ is on Karon Beach in Phuket and you can order off the BBQ menu or their Thai menu. We ordered off the Thai menu. It was one of the best meals I've ever had, anywhere in the world. We started with cocktails from their signature menu which were so delicious then shared a mixed Asian entree and rice paper roles amongst us - all of which were the best I have ever had. For mains Peggy had Pad Thai, JP had the seafood fried rice, John had the beef stir fry and they all said their meals were outstanding. My whole grouper with curry sauce, steamed vegetables and rice was nothing short of incredible. So fresh with such simple flavours - I can't emphasize enough how wonderful it was. We all had dessert - mine was fried bananas with honey which was so wonderful. The restaurant was the most expensive at 3,700 baht but that's $120ish for entrees, mains, desserts and cocktails for four so 'expensive' restaurants here aren't expensive by Australian standards at all.

Review - Oscillate Wildly - Newtown

We were a party of 3 the night we went to Oscillate Wildly. We were really impressed by the professionalism of the wait staff – small and weird thing to get excited by but I loved that they took and hung my winter coat and took my small travel bag. Having come from a work interstate day trip, it was nice to not sit swamped with jackets and bags. 2 of us ordered the standard degustation menu and A had the upgraded truffle menu. We forego the matching wines to get a bottle as we had driving to factor in. The wait staff were flawless with their wine knowledge and pronunciation – the perfect wine was selected.

What’s great is there are also little surprises here and there in terms of nibbles and how they present a hand towel (spoiler alert!!!). They literally have thought of everything.

My only complaints were: we had to go outside through the cold to an outback ‘dunny’ which was so strange that the restaurant is so chic yet the toilet is so classless. Also, the second last course was served at midnight - we left really late after I was ready to crash.  

Here’s some of the menu we had:

Foie Gras, Scallop, Hazelnut.

Amazing I have never has fois gras so light.

OMG I can’t remember what the second dish was!!!

Beetroot in a horseradish leaf

I really shouldn’t pretend I know what I’m talking about here as I’m good with food but what Oscillate Wildly creates and presents out of this world ... but I found going from the warmth of the previous dish to this very cold dish almost the wrong way round. Also being winter ... it was colder than what made sense to me. But I’ll shut up as I have no right to speak when I couldn’t do even one of Oscillate Wildly’s dishes.

Blue Eye, Pea, Hops

This was cooked to perfection – slight crisp to the skin but moist juicy fish and the peas were so flavoursome.

The Duck

Usually I don’t like duck breast when it hasn’t been slow cooked but this was great.

Scallops

Again, amazing – one of the most beautifully merchandised dishes ive ever seen

Dessert with Grapefruit and Puréed Celery

What a great combo of taste and textures!

Pandan, Rye, Milk Jam

While I appreciate the genius of the milk jam sitting in the burnt milk crust – I am not too keen on diary so I didn’t really touch mine. I tasted it but it didn’t work for me. I didn't really eat this one.

Review - Via Napoli Pizzeria - Lane Cove

Really enjoyed here! We went on a Monday night and it really filled up quickly so note to self to book next time. The menu is great - we went for pizza and there are lots of delicious options it was hard to decide. Its such a shame they don't do half/half on the 30cm pizzas. They do multiple toppings on the half meter and meter pizza - on that note must came back with a group as a meter pizza would be a bit o a novelty.

The salad we shared to start was a great mix of fresh ingredients: tomato, basil and buffalo mozzarella. The eggplant pizza tasted great although a little burnt in some places as shown in the pic. Also the base wasn't crispy - when you picked it up, it went flaccid but obviously this didn't affect the flavour (just thought I'd mention this incase crispy is what you're after). Dessert was sinfully great - a nutella filled donut. It's rich so I'm glad we shared it.

Ill definitely be back - really keen to try the rest of the menu. Bill was $73 for 2 for the 3 courses and a bottle of prosecco.

Chicken and Mushroom Tagine

This dish started off being named "Chicken Surprise" as I had friends for dinner on a weeknight so threw the ingredients in a pan and prayed ... had no idea how it would turn out.  But, this turned out really well and I would cook it for a dinner party.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         250 ml chicken stock

·         8 x chicken thing cutlets (or could do skinless chicken lovely legs or cutlets trimmed)

·         3 tbs Moroccan spice mix

·         1 brown onion sliced

·         3 garlic cloves

·         1/3 cup sultana's or raisons

·         400g button mushrooms, sliced

·         ½  lemon thinly sliced

·         ¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted

·         Couscous, to serve

Method:

1.       Toss chicken with half the spice mix and set aside for 5 minutes.

2.       Heat a deep large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add half the oil to the hot pan and cook the chicken, in batches, for 2-3 minutes each side or until light golden. Remove to plate.

3.       Reduce heat to medium; add the remaining oil with onion, garlic and remaining spice mix, cook, stirring often for 3 minutes until onion has softened. Add the mushrooms, cook, shaking the pan occasionally for 5 minutes until mushrooms are just tender.

4.       Return the chicken to the pan, add the lemon, sultanas and 250ml of stock to pan, cover and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, adding more stock if required or until chicken is cooked through.

5.       Scatter over the almonds and serve with couscous.

Review - Cafe Pavilion Abbotsford

What a great breakfast/brunch find and better still ... parking is so easy! The menu has a decent variety to it so 
whether you're a sweet breakfast person or a savoury you'll find something. I asked if I could make some changes 
to the breakfast I ordered and they were happy to oblige. The service really was very friendly and gave the 
impression that's it's family-run. Only disappointment was the banana milkshake that arrived as a caramel one, 
with massive chunks of semi blended ice cream that made it hard to get liquid up the straw but it wasn't a big deal. 
Check out the pics of what we ordered. We'll be back for sure!

Sent from my iPhone

Review - Kurtosh, Randwick

What a great find! I don't think I've seen this concept in Australia before? What I love is that you can choose exactly what you want of each dessert - no having to have standard sizes, if you want a bite sized amount - just order that. So, the 3 of us sampled 5 sweets as pictured below. This, and a chai tea was $26.00

Peanut Ganache - Nice and rich. More peanut butter than peanut.

Oreo slice - too sweet and sugary for me but the others loved it.

Peanut slice - I loved this one! Simplicity and flavorsome at its finest

Coconut mouse with Raspberry Coulis - I haven't had this elsewhere and it was delicious. Highly Recommend.

Baked Cheesecake - almost as good as mine ;)

http://www.kurtosh.com.au/

Turkey Meatballs in a Tomato Sauce

Turkey Meatballs

-          1 onion

-          ½ stalk celery (optional)

-          500g turkey mince

-          ½ cup bread crumbs

-          1 egg

-          1 ½ tsp soy sauce

-          1 ½ tsp Worsteshire Sauce

-          2 tsp tomato chutney

-          1 tsp tomato paste

-          ½ tsp salt

 

Sauce

-          300mls tomato passata

-          ½ onion

-          2 cloves garlic

-          1 tsp tomato paste

-          1 tsp stock paste

-          ½ bunch parsley

 

Method

1.       Preheat oven and baking dish to 180

2.       Place the peeled onion and celery into a mini food processor and process to very finely chopped

3.       Transfer onion/celery to a bowl, add the remainder of the turkey meatball ingredients and stir to combine. Mix well

4.       Roll into walnut size balls

5.       Add a little oil to the baking tray and add the meatballs. Add to oven and set your timer for 30 minutes

6.       In the meantime, add a little oil to a small saucepan, cook onion and garlic until soft then add the passata. Stir through the remainder of the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer

7.       10 minutes should have passed so take the meatballs out of the oven (that should be sealed on the outside), pour over sauce and return to oven.

8.       When the timer goes to signify 30 minutes, check the meatballs. They will probably only need 10 mins more. Before returning, them to the oven turn each ball over.