Breakfast Around The Tan And A Giveaway

This morning, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event 'Breakfast around the Tan' by the Mushroom Lovers Club.

This progressive breakfast around Melbourne's beautiful Tan Track, around the Botanic Gardens, was sponsored by Diabetes Australia - Victoria. The 5 stations of food were created by Healthy Byte, the healthy eating catering company of Bright Young Things. To keep recipes healthy and appropriate for those living with diabetes, all dishes were created with the input of Scoop Nutrition. The Mushroom Lovers Club were one of the sponsors and a highlight for the kids was meeting Mighty Mushroom. I couldn't resist a selfie with him either!

Unfortunately the weather in Melbourne this morning was rather cold, so it wasn't the glorious Autumn walk I was hoping for! Rugged up in jackets, with the kids on their bikes, it was still a lovely way to spend the morning.

We started with Acqua Panna water and a pear at the first stop. A hot coffee probably would have been a much better idea to warm up!

Next, a beautiful tub of Jalna Greek yoghurt and Goodness Superfoods Barley Clusters. This was delicious and one of my favourite courses. For a non-breakfast eater, this was right up my alley.

Next up was the only hot dish on the menu - Boston baked beans with balsamic mushrooms. The beans were warming and filling and the mushrooms added some acidity. This was a great, hearty dish, and being hot, was perfect on a cold morning. I'm certainly going to look up the recipe for the beans from the Healthy Byte website to make at home. Served with La Madre sourdough, it was a meal in itself.

The fourth course was a lovely sweet potato and ricotta frittata. Unfortunately this was served cold too, as it would have been much nicer hot. The sweet potato was beautiful and soft and matched really well with the slightly salty cheese. This would be a winner if served warm with some baby spinach and smoked salmon. Now there's a brunch idea for you! We also received a small bottle of Rauch ACE juice, which was delicious.

The final course was a barley wrap with omelette, avocado, baby spinach and tomato. Again this was served cold and on a hot day, would be fine. On a cold and grey morning, a bit of warmth and toastiness would have been fantastic. The flavours were still great and it was easy to eat on the go.

To finish off the 4.2km walk, we were given a glass of the Maggie Beer Ruby Cabernet non-alcoholic sparkling. It was slightly sweet, but with a nice acidity and bubble to it. The perfect refresher at the end of a long walk.

All in all, it was a lovely morning. You can't do much about the weather and Melbourne really is so fickle at this time of year. Yesterday was 30 degrees after all!

Healthy Byte did a wonderful job catering for so many people. At least 700 people were fed over the course of the morning. It would have been nice to have a few more hot dishes, given the cold weather, but I understand that the logistics of this can be difficult. Hot tea and coffee around the track would have gone down a treat too!

Thanks to the fantastic people at the Mushroom Lovers Club, I have a giveaway for you. Yippee!

The pack consists of a Mushroom Lovers bag, apron and a copy of the cookbook Mushrooms - The Great All Rounder.

To enter, all you have to do is comment below with your favourite way to enjoy mushrooms. Easy!

Competition starts now and closes on Sunday March 22 at 10pm. Open to Australian residents only.

Get your thinking (mushroom) caps on and get entering!!

Mushroom And Goat's Cheese Crepes

I'm a bit slow with getting this post up and running, but better late than never!

Tuesday this week was Pancake Day, so I wanted to cook pancakes of some sort to celebrate. The kids had an early morning pancake breakfast at school, so dinner was going to be the meal of the day that we got to eat them together. Not being much of a sweet person, I thought I'd go along the savoury route.

Mushroom and goat's cheese are a match made in heaven, and for a vegetarian dinner option, these were delicious!

This pancake recipe is the one that my Mum uses. We always grew up with thin pancakes, more in the style of crepes, rather than thick American ones. I find them much too doughy and heavy. Adding the soda water at the end helps to thin the batter and make the crepes nice and light. If you don't have any soda and don't want to open a new bottle, just use regular water.

Because you are rolling up these crepes with a filling, it doesn't matter if they are a bit wonky! Given I only make pancakes once or twice a year, mine are never particularly round. You can also make the crepes the day before you are going to eat them, as they store well in the fridge. Anything I can do to make dinner time a bit quicker and easier is always a winner!

Savoury crepes really are so versatile and you can fill them with anything you like. Chicken and mushroom in a white sauce, spinach and feta, roasted vegetables.............The options are endless! Experiment and find a combination that you like.

Mushroom And Goat's Cheese Crepes

For the crepes

1 1/4 cups plain flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup soda water or regular water

Butter or oil spray for frying

Combine flour, eggs and milk into a smooth batter using a whisk. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Just before cooking, add the soda water and stir to combine.

Heat a crepe pan or frying pan over medium heat and brush with butter or spray lightly with oil.

Pour 1/3 cup mixture into the pan and swirl to coat the base evenly. You want crepes that are about 15-17cm in diameter and nice and thin.

When bubbles start to appear on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook the other side until lightly golden. Remove from the pan to a plate.

Repeat with the remaining mixture. You should get about 12 crepes.

Set aside to cool.

For the filling

20g butter

5 large field mushrooms, diced into medium sized pieces

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

125g soft goat's cheese (I used the herbed one, but you could use a plain one too)

A handful of fresh thyme, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large frypan on medium heat and add butter until it melts and starts to bubble.

Add onion, garlic and mushrooms and fry until the onion is lightly golden and the mushrooms have released their juices and are soft.

Add the thyme and season to taste. Continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated. You don't want soggy crepes!

Set aside to cool.

To put together

Lay all the crepes out on a work surface. You might not need all of them, but it's easier to be prepared.

Lightly grease a large baking dish that will fit the rolled crepes.

Place a couple of spoonfuls of the mushroom mixture along the centre of each crepe, using up all the mixture. You want to be reasonably generous with the filling, but not so much that you can't roll them up.

Break the goat's cheese up into small pieces and scatter over the top of the mushroom mixture. Use as much or little as you like, making sure you keep some aside to put on the top when you bake them.

Roll each of the crepes up with the filling and place them seam side down in the baking dish.

Dot the top with the remaining goat's cheese.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Bake the crepes for 15 to 20 minutes to just heat through and brown the edges of the crepes and the goat's cheese.

Serve with a light salad or vegies.

Enjoy!

And To Drink....

Slow cooked mushrooms match perfectly with a lovely Pinot Noir. All that beautiful funky flavour in the mushrooms complements the funky, but fruity, characters in the wine.

I must admit that I haven't really had many New Zealand Pinot Noir's and this one had been sitting in our cellar for a while. About time we opened it, I think!

A 2007 Ra Nui Pinot Noir from Marlborough on the South Island, this wine had a beautiful roundness and complexity to it. It was still beautiful and fruity with lots of cherry and black plum flavours, with a touch of spice. Being aged, it had lovely soft tannins and was nice and smooth. The fruit paired nicely with the mushrooms and the acidity in the goat's cheese. It really was a fantastic match.

Ra Nui make their wines organically and one of their vineyards has even been certified biodynamic. They use minimal intervention wine making, hand picking the grapes and whole bunch pressing.

In the more premium Estate grown Ra Nui range, they make a Pinot Noir, Gwurtztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  They also make a very unique sounding Rosè, called Sexy Rexy, which is made from Syrah and Pinot Gris. In exceptional vintages Ra Nui also produce a limited edition single vineyard range. Currently a 2009 Syrah is available.

Now that I've tried their wines, I'll certainly be looking  out for them. The Rosè particularly sounds interesting. 

New Zealand really makes some wonderful wines and they certainly go far beyond the usual Sauvignon Blanc. It's time to explore more of the wines across the Tasman!

Brie And Mushroom Pie

This week for meat-free Monday I'm revisiting a favourite of mine.

Tonight we've been invited by some friends to a French wine tasting and I was asked to bring some food to share.  The wines are all going to be reds from Bordeaux, Burgundy, St Emillon, so I needed to come up with a food match that would compliment the wines, but also be portable.

Mushrooms are a wonderful 'meaty' vegetable and go so well with the wines from Burgundy, made from Pinot Noir. Combined with sweet caramelised onion and creamy brie, what more could you want?

This dish is also great for a dinner party because you can do all the preparation earlier in the day, leaving the baking until just before you are planning to serve. Tonight I'll take the pie uncooked and then just pop it in the oven when I get to my friend's house. Twenty minutes or so later, we'll have a beautiful, golden pastry filled with melted brie and soft onion and mushroom. Perfect with a couple of drinks and great company!

Because the filling and pastry of this pie are so rich, a simple salad is perfect as a side dish. Crisp and refreshing rocket, pear and parmesan is a favourite of mine, but you could serve with any salad you like.

Brie And Mushroom Pie

2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
A couple of drizzles of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp honey
400g button mushrooms, sliced
120g brie cheese, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves picked
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Salt and pepper to taste
egg wash to brush

Place onions in a bowl, cover with damp paper towel and microwave for 3-4 minutes, or until soft.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until lightly golden and soft.
Add the honey and cook for a further 2 minutes or until caramelised. Set aside to cool.
In a separate frying pan, heat another drizzle of oil and fry the mushrooms for about 5 minutes until tender and they have released their juices. Season to taste.
When cool, mix the mushrooms and onion together and stir through parsley, thyme and cheese.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Place one sheet of pastry on a baking try lined with baking paper.
Heap the filling into the middle of the pastry square, leaving at least 1cm around the entire edge.
Use the egg wash to brush around the edge and cover with the second sheet of pastry. Try to push out any air in the parcel and gently press the edges of the pastry together to seal.
Cut a couple of holes in the top of the pastry to let steam escape and then brush with the egg wash.

Bake for about 20-25 mins, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, cut into large pieces and serve with a simple rocket, pear and parmesan salad.

Enjoy!

Caramelised Onion And Mushroom Tarte Tatin

I made this dish last week for one of our vegetarian meals and it was delicious. Sorry it's taken me so long to get around to writing about it.

The onions took a little while to caramelise, but once the filling was prepared the rest of the cooking didn't take too long at all. Using frozen puff pastry made it really quick and really quite light. If you had the time, you could make your own pastry, which would make it a bit more special and a bit richer.

I used my gorgeous red Emile Henry tarte tatin dish, but you could use any ovenproof frypan or even a round cake tin if you didn't have anything else suitable to put in the oven.

The recipe came from a mushroom cookbook called 'Mushrooms - The Great All-Rounder' which was put out by the Australian Mushroom Growers Association. This recipe book contains lots of great recipes using mushrooms as one of the main ingredients. Some recipes are vegetarian, others have a meat component. The one thing in common is that they are all quite easy and look delicious!

This tarte tatin was lovely as a light meal with a rocket, pear and parmesan salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. Next time I make it, I think I'll dot a bit of soft goat's curd or thin slices of brie over the top of the tarte when I turn it out. I think that the extra creaminess and acidity would be perfect.

Give this recipe a try. It looks great and tastes even better!

Caramelised Onion and Mushroom Tarte Tatin

4 onions, halved and thinly sliced

50g butter

1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp brown sugar

300g swiss brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 Tbs thyme leaves

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

50g goat's curd or brie (optional)

Rocket, pear and parmesan salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.

Place onions in a large bowl, cover loosely with a lid and microwave for 3 minutes, or until softened.

Heat the butter and oil in a tarte tatin dish or large oven proof frypan until bubbling.

Add the onions and sugar and cook until lightly golden.

Add the mushrooms, thyme and vinegar and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the onions are soft.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Evenly spread the onion and mushroom mixture over the base of the pan and gently lay the pastry over the top, tucking the edges in.

Place the dish or frypan in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden and the filling bubbling.

Carefully turn the tarte onto a large serving plate and serve to the table whole.

If you are using the cheese, place blobs of the goat's curd or thin slices of the brie over the hot tarte to slightly melt with the remaining heat.

To serve, cut the tarte into generous wedges and serve with the salad.

Enjoy!

And To Drink....

Mushrooms and pinot go together like a horse and carriage, so this is an obvious match. I'm sure we drank a pinot with this dish, but I completely forgot to take a picture of it! Oops!

Choose a pinot from the Yarra Valley or Mornigton Peninsula that is young and fruity with just a little bit of funkiness. The sweetness of the onions overpowers the earthiness of the mushrooms to some extent, so you don't really want a wine that has too much of the forest floor characteristics.

If you make this dish, let me know what you choose to drink with it and how it matches. :-)

Haloumi and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

It's meat-free Monday again and I couldn't go two weeks in a row without using haloumi in my recipe! If that makes me a bit boring, well then so be it. Instead of just frying up the haloumi in slices, I did grate it and stuff mushrooms, so I was a bit creative!

The haloumi went all oozy in the oven and mixed with some herbs it tasted delicious with the juicy mushrooms. To top it off, a homemade red capsicum and cashew pesto made a dressing of sorts. A nice light vego meal to start the week.

Haloumi and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms With Red Capsicum Pesto

1 medium sized red capsicum

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup toasted cashews

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1-2 Tbs olive oil

4 large field mushrooms

180 g haloumi, grated

A few sprigs each of oregano, thyme and parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

A few handfuls of baby spinach

To make the pesto, cut the capsicum in half and remove the stem, seeds and membranes. 

Place skin side up on a sheet of foil under the grill and grill until the skin is charred and blistered.

Wrap the capsicum up in the foil and set aside for 10 minutes to make the skin easier to remove.

When cool enough to handle, peel the blackened skin off.

Place the capsicum, cashews, garlic, oil to taste and lemon juice in a small food processor and blitz until combined but still a bit chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more oil if it seems too thick.

Set aside until you are ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Place mushrooms on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until starting to soften and release their juices.

Meanwhile, combine the grated haloumi and finely chopped herbs.

Take the mushrooms out of the oven and pile the cheese and herb mixture on top. Grind some pepper on the top and then return to the oven.

Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the haloumi is golden.

To serve, toss the baby spinach with some of the pesto and pile on to plates. Top with two mushrooms each and another few blobs of pesto.

Enjoy!

World Whisky Day - May 17

World Whisky Day was on Saturday and while I can't stand whisky, I thought I'd cook up a whisky themed dinner for my husband. I don't mind the general honey, smokey flavour of whisky, but I don't like that alcoholic burn you get when having it neat. In fact, I don't really like any spirits neat. Give me a good wine any day!

I wanted to create a meal that really complemented the flavours of the whisky. In the end I used two different sorts. The Talisker 47 degrees North from the Isle of Skye was more smokey and peaty and matched perfectly with the lamb marinade and the chocolate dessert. The Amrut Indian single malt whisky had more honey and molasses characters and went with the mushrooms. I was surprised by how well the flavours turned out.

The sweetness and honey characters really came through into the meat and the alcohol was burnt off in the cooking. Because of the sugar in the marinade, it caramelised nicely on the lamb and gave a beautiful charred flavour. Make sure your pan isn't too hot when you cook it or the marinade will burn before the lamb is cooked through.

Even though the chocolate creams weren't cooked, the dark chocolate was rich enough that it masked the alcoholic taste. You could always add the whisky to the boiling water to remove the alcohol, before you added it to the melted chocolate. This was a seriously rich dessert, so a small serve was more than enough. The roasted hazelnuts and sesame snaps gave a beautiful texture to it.

My husband gave this dinner a big thumbs up, so I suppose a World Whisky Day dinner is going to become an annual event in our house. Now to find the next alcoholic beverage theme day to have a go at!

Honey And Whisky Lamb With Braised Spinach, Buttery Whisky Mushrooms And Mash

400g lamb fillet, cut into two pieces

1Tbs whisky

1Tbs honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine whisky and honey in a dish. Season to taste.

Add lamb and allow to marinate for a couple of hours.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Remove lamb from the marinade and drain slightly. Fry for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Rest for a couple of minutes.
Drain any meat juices from resting into the reserved marinade and bring to the boil. Simmer for a minute until thickened.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Tbs butter

1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook until soft, then drain.
Return potatoes to the saucepan and mash with the butter. Add the milk and stir to combine. Season to taste.

1Tbs butter

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1Tbs whisky

A handful each of parsley, oregano and thyme, finely chopped

Heat a frypan on medium heat and add butter until starting to foam.

Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and releasing their juices. Continue cooking until slightly browned. 

Season to taste, add whisky and allow the alcohol to cook off.

At the last minute, stir through the chopped herbs.


Half a bunch of fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped
A drizzle of olive oil

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
When hot, add the spinach and toss to coat in the oil and allow it to soften and wilt. Season to taste.


To serve, place spinach on the plate and top with a piece of lamb. Spoon over the remaining marinade sauce. Place a spoonful of mushrooms over the top of the lamb. Serve the mash to the side.

Enjoy!

Whisky And Chocolate Creams

100g dark chocolate, chopped

30ml boiling water

15ml whisky

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

Sesame snaps and roasted hazelnuts, to serve

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring each time so that it doesn't burn.
When melted, slowly add the boiling water, stirring constantly to make a smooth mixture.
Add the whisky, sugar, vanilla and milk and stir gently to combine. It should be nice and smooth.
Spoon carefully into small glasses or pots and set in the fridge for 4 hours.

To serve, place the glasses on plates, put a handful of chopped roasted hazelnuts on top and a couple of sesame snaps on the side for dipping.

Enjoy this decadent dessert!

And To Drink....

Even though whisky was the theme of this dinner, there was no way I was going to be drinking whisky with it!

To go with the sweetness of the marinade on the lamb, I wanted a big red with lots of red and black fruit and complexity.  The 2007 ACJ from Pirramimma in McLaren Vale ticked all the boxes. Made with Shiraz, Petit Verdot and Cabernet there was plenty of ripe fruit, plum and cherry and a smooth richness, which was delicious. A bit of lingering spice and vanilla from the French oak made it a perfect match.

It complemented the sweet, charred lamb and the buttery mushrooms perfectly. The last few sips also went wonderfully with the rich chocolate dessert. Red wine and dark chocolate really are a match made in heaven!

Pirramimma was founded in 1892 and has been a family run winery since. Located in the beautiful McLaren Vale, just south of Adelaide in South Australia, it has a mediterranean climate. They produce some wonderful reds and whites, from quaffers to special drops. The ACJ, only made in exceptional years, was one of their special wines.

Roasted Cauliflower And Mushroom Soup

Soup really is such a comforting meal, isn't it? It's like being wrapped up in a warm blanket when you're cold or sick and makes you feel so much better.

When the weather gets cold, I love to make all sorts of types of soups. Chunky, hearty ones with lots of meat and vegetables, or smooth pureed soups with a touch of cream. Either way, you need some beautiful fresh bread or toast to go with it to mop up the last dregs of deliciousness!

This week I was inspired to make a roasted cauliflower and mushroom soup. Normally I wouldn't bother pre-roasting the vegetables, but it does bring out so much more flavour in the vegetables. If you have the time, it really is worth the effort. While you're roasting the vegetables, throw a few  hazelnuts on to roast for the topping too. They add a nice crunch when you're eating the soup and the infused oil adds an extra nuttiness. If you don't want to add the nuts, you don't have to, but I like the extra dimension it adds to the smooth soup.

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Soup

1/2 cauliflower, outer leaves removed, cut into florets
4  large swiss brown mushrooms
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 whole cloves of garlic
A good drizzle of olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cream

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
Place cauliflower, mushrooms, onion and garlic on a baking tray.
Drizzle generously with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 30 mins or until the cauliflower is soft and the edges are slightly charred. Set aside to cool a little.
Place hazelnuts on a separate tray and roast for 10 minutes or until the skins start to split.
Immediately tip onto a clean tea towel and rub to remove the skins.
Place hazelnuts and 1/4 cup oil in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and allow the oil to infuse for 1 hour.

Heat vegetable stock in a large saucepan until simmering.
Add the roasted vegetables and bring back to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes for the flavour to infuse.
Cool slightly, then puree with a stick blender. Season to taste, adding extra stock if you find it too thick.
Just before serving, stir through the cream.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and then top with a spoonful of the roasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of the infused oil.

Enjoy!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Every year I like to make a special dinner to celebrate Chinese New Year, not because I have a Chinese background at all, but just because I like to eat and cook new foods.

This year, my birthday fell on the same day, so what better way than to celebrate with a feast!

A few years ago I made prawn toast using Neil Perry's recipe and it was seriously the best, but naughtiest, thing I've ever eaten. Deep fried prawny goodness! When planning the menu for six adults, I couldn't go past making these again. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo before they were all gobbled up by the family, so you won't get to see them in their glory. They are a bit fiddly and messy with the deep frying, but they are definitely worth it. Everyone was suitably impressed!

The satay mushrooms were my own invention. I wanted to have something to start off the night that was small and tasty, whetting appetites for the rest of the meal. The sauce was rich and thick, but matched perfectly with the earthiness of the mushrooms. I used small mushrooms as I wanted to serve them as a single mushroom on a spoon with a little of the sauce, but you could also serve them on rice to make a full meal. There was quite a bit of the satay sauce left over, so I plan to make some chicken or beef skewers in the next few days and use the rest of the sauce then.

Peking duck is essential in my books for any Chinese celebration and I just happened to have a duck in the freezer that needed using up. I have never been able to get that really crispy skin on a duck because I don't really have anywhere I can safely hang a duck overnight to let it dry out. This time I thought I'd try a trick that I'd read about on the internet and it worked a treat. Once the skin had been basted with a honey and water solution four times and dried somewhat in the fridge, I then got out my trusty hairdryer and used it to further dry the skin. It ended up looking like paper and crisped up into a golden brown shell. It was perfect! Now to learn how to carve a duck properly.

San choy bau is another Chinese classic and I wanted to add a bit of freshness to the meal with the lettuce cups. I have made this many times before and I essentially followed the same recipe as I used last time. See it here. To add an extra bit of crunch, I also used chopped water chestnuts, diced red capsicum and sliced sugar snap peas. The extra vegetables gave it a beautiful colour and additional sweetness.

The Chinese aren't really known for their desserts, so this was probably the hardest course to decide on. Being my birthday, I wanted something that could be served like a cake with a candle in it, rather than being individual serves. Previously I had made a mango and coconut ice-cream, so thought that something cold and refreshing might be the way to go. I ended up going with pineapple and coconut. The sweetness and acidity of the pineapple perfectly combined with the creamy coconut milk. Studding the top were shards of chilli toffee, which gave additional sweetness with a bit of bite. It was a nice, light end to a rich meal on a hot night. Unfortunately it did freeze quite hard, rather than being nice and creamy, but without an ice cream machine, I'm not sure how to overcome this. It still tasted pretty good, so I don't mind too much. Leaving it for 5 or 10 minutes to soften before you serve is probably a good idea.  If you didn't want to use pineapple, mango would also work well. If you didn't mind the colour bleeding in to the coconut, you could use berries too. In fact, a pinky/purple swirl would look lovely.

Satay Mushrooms

20 small button mushrooms

A drizzle of olive oil

1/2 a small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1-2 Tbs soy sauce (to taste)

1 cup coconut cream

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms over medium heat until starting to brown and soften. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In another saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil and fry onion on medium heat until it starts to soften, but not brown.

Add the peanut butter and stir until it softens and melts.

Gently stir through the soy sauce to taste.

Gradually add the coconut cream while stirring, to incorporate without lumps.

Continue to stir until smooth, then add the mushrooms back into the sauce to reheat.

Serve the mushrooms individually on spoons, or with rice as a main meal.

 Neil Perry's Prawn Toast

500g raw prawns, shells removed and cleaned

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

3cm piece of ginger, skin removed and chopped

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg white

1 tsp sesame oil

4 spring onions, finely chopped

9 slices of white bread, crusts removed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup panko crumps

Oil for deep frying

Sweet chilli sauce to serve

Combine prawns, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, egg white and sesame oil in a food processor and whiz until smooth. Stir through the spring onions.

Cut each bread square into two triangles.

Spread a good tablespoon of prawn mixture over the top of each piece, making sure it goes right to the edges. You might need to use your finger for this. Having them slightly damp helps.

Brush the sides of the bread and the top of the prawn mixture lightly with egg wash.

Sprinkle the tops lightly with panko crumbs and press gently to stick.

Heal about 5cm of oil in the base of a large saucepan to 180 degrees on a thermometer or until a wooden skewer starts to bubble when placed in the oil.

Deep fry the toasts in batches of 3 or 4 until golden, turning to ensure both sides are cooked.

Drain on paper towel and keep warm while you are cooking the rest.

Serve on a platter with sweet chilli sauce for dipping and plenty of serviettes.

Pineapple and Coconut Terrine With Chilli Toffee

300g fresh pineapple, skin removed and diced

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 tin coconut cream

2/3 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Place pineapple and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar has become liquid and the fruit has softened.

Turn the heat off and allow to cool.

Stir the coconut cream through the pineapple mixture to combine and then pour into a plastic wrap lined loaf tin or individual moulds.

Place in the freezer overnight, or until frozen.

For the toffee, combine the sugar and chilli in a small saucepan. 

Heat over low heat, swirling occasionally to help the sugar to melt and combine. Do not stir this mixture or the toffee will not work.

You need to watch this like a hawk as a 2 second look away can result in burnt toffee!

Once the sugar has melted and reached a golden brown, pour it on to a baking paper lined tray, tipping as you go to create a thin sheet of toffee.

Set aside in a cool place to set.

To serve, tip the terrine out on to a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Break the toffee into shards and stick into the top of the terrine. Cut into slices to serve.

Green Pizza

Pizza is a fairly common dinner in our house because it is just so quick, easy and tasty. It's one meal that I can guarantee the kids will eat and it doesn't take long to whip up. I'll often make a double recipe of the base, so that there is one prepared and in the freezer, ready to use when I don't have the time or energy to make one from scratch.

The kids love ham and pineapple, but I like to be a bit more adventurous with my toppings. Sometimes it is just salami, olives, cheese and tomato, other times smoked salmon, ricotta and rocket with garlic oil. Pizza is a great way to use up all those forlorn looking bits and pieces in the fridge too.

The topping for this pizza was inspired by a recipe I found in a Donna Hay magazine. What better way to add some greens into your diet than atop a pizza! Mixed with some panfried mushrooms, chilli, lemon and ricotta, it was delicious. The topping was simple to make too and very healthy. I had some of the mixture left over, which was great for lunch the next day. Cooked on the pizza, the kale went all crispy. You can have your (kale) chips with your pizza and not feel guilty!

If you're not sure about the kale topping on a pizza, make it to serve as a vegetable with chicken, lamb or steak. I think I'll definitely be making this one again. Even the meat-loving husband gave it the thumbs up!

I'm still trying to find the perfect pizza base, but this one wasn't bad. Next time I'd roll it a little thinner, to make the base more crispy. If you like a thicker, more doughy base, then this one would be great for you. It was also really easy and quick to make. No need to wait for the yeast to rise and simple enough to leave to mix away in the mixer while you prepare the topping.

Pizza Dough

3/4 cup warm water

1x8g sachet instant dried yeast

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp caster sugar

2 Tbs olive oil

2 cups plain flour

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer with a dough hook.

Mix on slow speed to combine, then increase the speed to medium and knead for about 10 minutes, or until elastic. You might need to add a little more water if it looks too dry.

If you don't have a mixer, you can do this by hand, but will just need a bit more elbow grease!

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of your pizza tray. 

If you like it thick, it will make one base, if you prefer a thinner base, it will make two.

Kale Pizza Topping

A good drizzle of olive oil

250g swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced

4 stalks of kale

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 cup fresh ricotta

Grated parmesan to serve

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a frypan on medium heat.

Add the mushroom slices and fry until soft and beginning to brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the mushrooms are cooking, cut the kale leaves away from the stalks and tear into pieces.

Place the kale in a large bowl with the chilli flakes and lemon rind.

Add the hot mushrooms and mix to combine and slightly soften the kale.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Place rolled out pizza dough on your desired tray.

Spread thickly with the ricotta cheese, right to the edges of the dough.

Top with the mushroom and kale mixture. You might have some left over, depending how thick you like it.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the base is golden and crispy.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle with grated parmesan to taste and serve.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms a Winner!

There has been some serious eating and drinking going on in the eat quaff laugh household recently and it doesn't look like settling down any time soon!  A charity dinner tomorrow night, a dinner party on Saturday, plus another one next week, it's going to be a busy lead up to Christmas.

After a weekend away to celebrate my nephews first birthday, catching up with family and friends who I haven't seen in a while, eating and drinking lots of fancy meals, it's time for something a bit healthier.

After being exhausted following the busy weekend and flying solo with the kids, I knew that something simple was going to be needed for dinner. I had a few bits and pieces left over in the fridge, but after a quick dash to the shops, decided a vego meal was in order.

Stuffed mushrooms are such an easy meal, whether it be for lunch or dinner, and you can more or less fill them with anything you like. It's a great way to use up those little bits and pieces that are in the fridge or cupboard as you want the flavours to all meld together to create something yummy.

I picked up a couple of big swiss brown mushrooms and some sweet corn that was on special from the fruit and veg shop to create the base for this meal. With some stale bread, a piece of feta, tomatoes and fresh herbs, I quickly whipped up something delicious. Even though this was a last minute meal, it will become a regular in our house, especially when we need a night off from heavy, rich food.

To go with the mushies, I wanted a nice fresh salad, and that's where the corn came into it. I love the combination of corn and feta and have made this salad many times before. What made tonight's version a little bit more special was the dressing. Given to me by my Mother in Law after a trip to Tasmania, this Ashbolt dressing was divine.  Made with extra virgin olive oil, elderflower concentrate, vinegar and mustard, it was a little bit different to your standard dressing. With a bit of sweetness and a bit of acidity, it was the perfect match to the sweet corn. Definitely one worth looking out for, as it was beautiful!

Stuffed Mushrooms

2 large swiss brown or portabello mushrooms
1 slice of slightly stale bread, cut into small cubes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
A handful of baby spinach leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Prepare the mushrooms by cutting away the stalk at the base to make a nice cup for holding the filling.
Place mushrooms on a lightly greased oven tray and drizzle with a little oil.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften and release their juices.
While the mushies are cooking, prepare the filling.

Finely chop the mushroom stalks and combine in a bowl with the chopped bread, tomatoes, garlic, spinach and a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the mushrooms out of the oven and carefully pile the filling into them. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the bread cubes are crusty.
Serve with the corn and feta salad.

Corn And Feta Salad

4 cobs of corn, husk and silks removed
100g feta, cut into cubes
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Ashbolt salad dressing, or dressing of your choice

Wash corn cobs to remove any grit and remaining silks, then boil in a saucepan of salted water for about 4 minutes, or until the kernels are plumped and soft.
Drain and allow to cool.
When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cobs using a sharp knife.
Place the kernals in a bowl with the chopped feta and parsley, and combine.
Dress the salad with your favourite dressing and serve.

Magic Mushrooms

As most of you probably know by now, I love a good mushroom dish. Whether they be raw in a salad, roasted in the oven, char-grilled on the BBQ or cooked up in some delicious casserole or stirfry, they are always wonderful.

Not only do mushrooms taste great, but they are so healthy for you. For vegetarians they provide so many of the nutrients that you might otherwise get from meat and they really help to make a meal filling.

Did you know that just 100g of mushrooms provide up to 36% of your daily needs of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and biotin. That's a pretty big bang for your buck in the vitamin and mineral stakes. They are also low fat, low cholesterol and high in vitamin D. An outright winner in the vegie department!

I was lucky enough to be given a copy of the 'Mushrooms - The Great All-Rounder' cookbook by the Australian Mushroom Growers Association and have been drooling over the amazing looking recipes all week. This is the first dish that I've made out of the book, but you can guarantee that there will be plenty more to come.

My husband and I are trying to eat one or two vegetarian meals each week, and mushrooms often feature heavily in these meals. Tonight I wanted something vego, but which was a bit different and really full of flavour. This strudel ticked all the boxes. Full of caramelised onions, slow cooked mushrooms and creamy brie, what more could you want?

The filling was really easy to prepare and the pie itself only took about 20 minutes to cook in a hot oven. Really you only needed to cook the pastry as the filling was more or less pre-cooked. I'll definitely be making this one again! I have made a couple of changes to the original recipe to suit our tastes, but the main flavours are the same. Served with a simple rocket, pear and parmesan salad to counteract the richness of the filling, this was a perfect mid-week dinner.

Brie And Mushroom Strudel

2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
A couple of drizzles of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp honey
400g button mushrooms, sliced
120g brie cheese, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves picked
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Salt and pepper to taste
egg wash to brush

Place onions in a bowl, cover with damp paper towel and microwave for 3-4 minutes, or until soft.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Add the honey and cook for a further 2 minutes or until caramelised. Set aside to cool.
In a separate frying pan, heat another drizzle of oil and fry the mushrooms for about 5 minutes until tender and they have released their juices. Season to taste.
When cool, mix the mushrooms and onion together and stir through parsley, thyme and cheese.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Place one sheet of pastry on a baking try lined with baking paper.
Heap the filling into the middle of the pastry square, leaving at least 1cm around the entire edge.
Use the egg wash to brush around the edge and cover with the second sheet of pastry. Try to push out any air in the parcel and gently press the edges of the pastry together to seal.
Cut a couple of holes in the top of the pastry to let steam escape and then brush with the egg wash.

Bake for about 20-25 mins, or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

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Sensational Sides

Not everything we eat in the eat quaff laugh household is super fancy. Sometimes we like to keep it simple and just have steak, chicken or pork with salad or vegies. For me, what really makes a meal is the quality of the meat, but also the side dish that you serve with it. It doesn't necessarily need to be anything complicated. Sometimes the best dishes are those that use fresh produce straight out of the garden or from the market, prepared simply. You want the hero of the dish to be the beautiful vegetables.

Here are a few of my favourite side dishes to go with a variety of meals. I guarantee they will zhush up your dinner time!

Asparagus 

 

Now that Australian asparagus is back in season, we've been eating it at least once or twice a week. It would have to be one of my favourite vegetables and is best served simply. I love to just blanch the asparagus spears, so that they retain a bit of crunch and then drizzle with a lemon infused olive oil, a grinding of salt and pepper and some finely grated lemon rind. Delish!

Alternatively, find a good quality aioli from the supermarket or deli and drizzle over the blanched spears. If you have the time and energy, make your own Hollandaise. I recently discovered an amazing fresh parsley and cracked black pepper aioli from Fifya. It was delicious slightly warmed and spooned over the hot spears. A perfect match with any sort of meat.

To blanch the asparagus, simply snap off the woody ends, place in a heatproof dish and pour over boiling water from the kettle. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. If the spears are really thick, you might need to do this twice. You can also cook them in the microwave by putting the spears in a container with a lid and covering with a small amount of water. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes, then drain.

Broccolini

Broccolini is another green veg which is available most of the year round and is a great side vegetable. It is so underrated! Broccolini is also best served simply, and similar to asparagus, doesn't need much done to it.

If you don't like broccoli, then give it's more tender cousin a go. You can eat the whole thing, including the stalks. I think they're the best bit! 

Simply trim the ends and blanch the broccolini in the same way as asparagus. You can either pour boiling water over the stalks and let it sit for 5 minutes, or microwave with a light covering of water for 2-3 minutes. The thicker the stalks, the longer it will take to cook. You want it to be just tender, not soft and soggy!

I like to toss the cooked broccolini with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, finely grated lemon rind and some toasted pine nuts. The nuttiness of the pine nuts really goes well with the flavour of the greens.

Roasted Capsicum and Chargrilled Zucchini with Persian Fetta

This is one of my all time favourite summer salads. Roasted red capsicum is so easy to make and tastes much better than the stuff from the supermarket. There are so many uses for the capsicum, but this salad is easy and super tasty.

1 red capsicum
1 zucchini
A handful of mint or basil leaves
Persian fetta or soft goats curd

All you need to do is cut a red capsicum in half, remove the stalk, seeds and membranes and place cut side down on a piece of foil under the grill. Grill on high until the skin in blistered and blackened. The blacker the better! Wrap the foil around the capsicum like a little parcel and leave for about 10 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle. The skin should then easily peel away from the flesh, leaving you with sweet, beautiful roasted capsicum and some amazing juice.

For the zucchini, slice lengthways into 1/2cm thick slices, spray lightly with oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Heat a chargrill pan on high and grill the slices on each side until the zucchini softens and you can see grill marks on the cut sides. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the salad, alternately layer zucchini, capsicum, torn fresh mint or basil and feta. You might get two or three layers, depending on how big the capsicum and zucchini are. Season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and any of the juices that came out of the capsicum when it was resting.

This is best served at room temperature to really appreciate the flavour.

Mushrooms

 

I love mushrooms of all shapes and sizes and would eat them every day if I could.  They are great as a vegetarian meal, stuffed with all sorts of goodness, or used as a side dish. Again, I love to keep it simple. 

Thickly slice whatever type of mushroom you prefer and fry up in a pan with a knob of butter and a drizzle of olive oil. You want to cook them until they start to release their own juices and become soft and soak up the butter and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, throw in a handful of chopped thyme leaves and a clove of crushed garlic and continue to cook until fragrant.

Mushies cooked this way are great served over a piece of steak as a simple mushroom sauce. You could also toast thick slices of ciabatta or sourdough and pile up with the mushroom mix, bruschetta style. Add a few slices of bocconcini or shavings of parmesan, if you like. What could be more tasty for a quick lunch or light dinner?

Boozey Chicken With Mushrooms

As the weather starts warming up and the days get progressively longer, it's nice to start thinking about all those dishes that go nicely with a crisp glass of white wine. Riesling would have to be one of my favourites. Perfect to drink on its own on a sunny day, sitting outside with a good book or foodie magazine, or to match with something tasty to eat.

This morning started off cold and gloomy, but turned into a beautiful sunny day. Perfect for wining and dining! The nights are still pretty chilly at the moment, so a warming dish is on the cards.
After flicking through some cook books during the week, I thought that a boozy chicken casserole was in order. Full of flavour, but light enough that when the weather is a little bit nicer, you don't feel too full.

Riesling and chicken are a perfect match. Add to that the flavour of slow cooked bacon, onion and mushrooms and you have a wonderful spring meal on the last night before daylight savings begins.

I currently have a fascination with green peas and ricotta, so this had to be paired with the chicken as a side dish. A simple combo of peas, ricotta, lemon rind and olive oil. Perfect to cut through the richness of the cream in the casserole. The only thing to make it better, a fresh baguette to mop up the sauce!

Chicken with Riesling and Mushrooms

4 skinless, boneless chicken marylands (or 8 thigh fillets)
A couple of drizzles of olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
100g bacon, diced
200g swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
3 sprigs of thyme
1 cup Riesling (or other dry white wine)
1 cup chicken stock
150ml cream
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of chopped parsley
A crusty baguette to serve

Trim chicken of obvious fat and cut into large chunks, roughly 3cm pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large saucepan and brown chicken in batches until seared on all sides. You don't want to crowd the pan, otherwise the chicken will stew, not brown.
Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan and fry bacon and onion at a low heat until just beginning to soften. Add garlic for about a minute, until it is fragrant.
Add sliced mushrooms and thyme to the same pan and cook over moderate heat until the mushrooms start to release their juices.
Pour the wine in and let it sizzle away. Add the stock, stir to remove all the bits from the bottom of the pan, then return the chicken and any juices.
Cover, bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 mins.
After 30 mins remove the lid and cook for another 20 mins, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate.
Just before serving, stir through the cream, parsley and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
Serve with the crusty baguette and a glass or two of the Riesling :-)

 

Minty Ricotta Peas

150g frozen peas
50g ricotta
5 mint leaves, finely chopped
Finely grated rind of half a lemon
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook peas in boiling water for 2 minutes until soft. Drain.
Place in a bowl with crumbled ricotta, lemon rind and mint.
Drizzle over as much oil as you like and season with salt and pepper.
Done!

And To Drink....

 

The Riesling we had tonight is not one I am particularly familiar with. We were given it by a friend some time ago and it's been sitting in the wine rack looking sad and forlorn!
It's a Dinny Goonan 2011 Riesling from the Otway Coast in Southern Victoria. Having absolutely no idea what it was going to be like, I was surprised that it was so crisp and clean with a nice acidity, but also some sweetness. Amazing green apple on the nose, but a taste of stone fruits and honeysuckle.
It was delicious!
The wine matched perfectly with the chicken, the acidity cutting through the creaminess of the sauce. Definitely one I will be looking out for again and again!