More Soup

It is ok to use canned crab meat, many people have an aversion to using crab meat that comes from a can. Regardless this is a variation from a chicken soup. Hopefully you have an already created stock from chicken bones. You should also use already cooked chicken meat either brought from your local takeaway or left overs from previous dinner.
Chicken Crab and Leek soup

• 2L Chicken stock
• 1L Water
• 3 finely chopped leeks
• 2 cups roasted chicken
• 2 cans crab meat
• 1 finely diced onions
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 2 Teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Cup Sweet sherry

Combine vegetables in a large pot and sauté for a few minutes, add sherry and stir. Allow for vegetables and sherry to combine, salt/pepper/fish sauce and then you can add the rest of liquid. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours. When ready to serve stir the beaten egg into the soup and garnish with coriander.

The quest for a new Italy experience

Ok seriously, how long will you wait for food? Already by nature I am impatient; throw in the fact that I now how much time is required to cook things and the fact that am critical of every new restaurant I venture into. The question remains “how long should you wait for food”. So Saturday I am in Haberfield in the mood for Italian and ready to go a massive plate for pasta or a massive pizza.Regardless we sit down at a great little Italian place that I have eaten at once a very long time ago. But since I can not longer eat at Il Galoso since it has closed I am on a quest to find my next favourite Italian place. While I love Bar Italia in Leichhardt I hate the lines and I hate waiting. Its excellent food cooked by Asians but its long lines dissuades me from attending regularly. I like my service, I like my tables reserved and I like the fact that I don’t have to go up and get my own water and drinks.

Another place I adore is Mario’s but price wise it’s a little out of its league, its very expensive but its fantastic food. But not fantastic enough to warrant the price tag. While it has many return customers and is doing very well it rarely gets my business as the prices for the produce is really over priced and I refuse to be cheated. Once in a while I do venture in that area and do pick up a very taste four cheese pizza but besides that I tend to shy away and resist.

So what makes a great Italian restaurant? What I loved about Il Galoso was that simple fact that it was a family restaurant. The service was decent and very friendly. The atmosphere was very relaxed and you never felt pressured to be quick or quite. The price was moderate with mains fewer than a 20 with a few sneaking up to the 30s. The food was consistent the seafood fresh most of the time and the deserts home made.

So regardless I was at Napoli in Bocca Restaurant in Haberfield and it took from the time of ordering to delivery of food 40 minutes. 40 minutes for 2 mains, a salad and an entrée that was to be delivered with the mains. And the most annoying thing is, the food was all seafood which takes no time cooking time. Spaghetti Vongole (clams), Spaghetti Marinara, Italian green salad and Mussels in a Napoli sauce.

Thou to give this store credit, Jo (date) and I both agreed that if we had arrived early or a little later we would have received the food much quicker as it would have been directly before or after some very large parties. Regardless of those 40 minutes of waiting it was horrendous for 3 seafood dishes that take next to nothing to make and should have been away 20 minutes into the service. The big thing for this restaurant was the food and the red checkered tablecloth.

Regardless we are still looking for a new Italian restaurant any suggestions?

Soups for winter series

Winter is really a time for soups and while I have many soup recipes I really enjoy making this easy to master vegetables soup. It’s a wonderfully rich soup with plenty of easy to source ingredients and its vegetarian friendly.

Vegetable soup

• 4L cups Water
• 2L cups Vegetables stock
• 3 cups chopped celery with leaves
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 2 finely chopped potatoes
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 finely chopped roasted capsicums
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tea bag
• 1 bunch finely chopped parsley
• 1 bunch finely chopped mint
• 50gs finely chopped ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon five spices
• 5g crushed coriander seeds
• 4 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients except for liquid on a medium heat and sauté for a few minutes still soft. All ingredients should finely diced/chopped so it should be fairly quick. Add stock and water and bring to boil, lower to a low heat and simmer. Simmer for 3-4 hours till reduced to half liquid. Add chilli’s if you want to add some heat to the soup. Take the tea bag out half way into the reduction.

 

Buying organic

Knowing your recipes and cooking them can be great fun. But short of sounding like a girl, my favourite thing about cooking is finding the right ingredients. I love searching for the right produce. Great food is not totally about great recipes but great produce.

Find great produce is not hard in Sydney, in fact its as easy as going around the corner or as hard as taking a drive into areas you know a packed out with farmers.

Farmers’ markets are a great way to get all kinds of fresh organic. Road side stores in around these areas also provide delightful (crap I am not sounding like myself today) source of inspiration and excellent produce.

My favourite place to drive to find great produce is the small suburb of Galston. Its a large country like area just north east of Sydney. It is packed full of growers and also has its own small farmers markets on the weekends.

IMO the best strawberries and honeycomb come from Galston.

Regardless here a few markets I frequent in the Sydney area besides Galston.

Good Living Growers’ Market
Pyrmont Day Park
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Every 1st Saturday
7am – 11am

Hawkesbury Farmers’ Market
Castle Hill Showgrounds
Showground Road
Castle Hill NSW 2153
Every 2nd Saturday
8am – 12pm

Leichhardt Organic Market
Orange Grove School
Cnr Perry Street and Balmain Road
Leichhardt NSW 2040
Every Saturday
8am – 1pm

Marrickville Organic Food Market
142 Addison Road
Marrickville NSW 2204
Every Sunday
8:30 – 2pm

North Ryde Organic Farmers’ Market
Eden Gardens
Cnr Land Cove Road and Fontenoy Road
North Ryde NSW 2113

Warwick Farm Market
Warrick Farm Racecourse
Governor Macquarie Drive
Warwick Farm NSW 2170

Camden Farmers’ Market
Lower John Street
Camden NSW 2577
Every 2nd and 4th Saturday
7am – 12pm

While these are clear winners that i have frequent, places like Flemington markets, Parklea markets and Paddy’s Market in Chinatown. These three locations are the easiest places to find inspiration and excellent produce to feed your foodie appetite.

Next week i hope to go to markets to pick up some artichoke as I have been missing the unusual vegetable and I would like the chance to officially cook with one.

Post inspired by http://www.buyorganic.com.au/

kiwi fruit

I love the kiwi fruit, it is a fantastic fruit that is under used throughout cooking. It has been reduced to a mere fruit eaten with a spoon, a rare topping for ice cream and a meat tenderizer. But there are so many things that can be done with this awesome fruit.

Firstly the fruit originated from china and was used sparely as a tonic for young children and for women post birth. The fruit in itself is a berry and is high in vitamin A, C, E, while the skin is a good source fiber and antioxidants.

My favourite way to eat kiwi fruit is to simply wash the fruit and bite into it skin and all. A perfectly rise fruit will be sweet on the inside and a little sour on the skin. A lot of people don’t eat the skin and its a waste.

It is one of my favourite berries and this weekend i plan to do a few things with in cooking so stay tuned.

Happy eating

3 course recipe

1. Pan fried Scallops w Daikon, Snow Pea sprouts and Lemon aioli

• 5-6 Scallops per person
• 100g Snow pea sprouts
• 1 large daikon radish
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup cold press olive oil
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt/Pepper
• White wine vinegar

Salt and pepper your scallops, make sure you coat the scallops and also dress them in olive oil. Leave aside for 10-30 minutes before cooking. Remember that when you cook your scallops you will not need to serve them hot, infact you should serve them warm. Many a time have i served scallops with other recipes they taste under cooked if they have come just off the pan. Resting also lets the heat cook the scallop through.

Peel the Daikon, cut the daikon finely in strips of 4cms. don’t be afraid to really finely chop them, the thinner the better. Now the hard part about daikon, make sure you soak them in white wine vinegar or just plain vinegar. If you don’t when you serve it will be nice and bitter and no one wants that. So soak them!

Aioli is easy to make if you have some patience and some good wrists. First separate all four eggs and in this I mean, split the yolk from the whites, save the whites if you have someone that does not eat scallops. You can make a nice protein rich omelet for them instead.

First start to slowly whisk your egg yokes, slowly add your cold pressed olive oil while slowly whisking, make sure that your always moving your yokes and cold press oil. You will see that your mixture will slowly evolve into a paste. Once all oil is combined, add zest and juice of lime and combine. Your mixture will loosen slightly to a sauce consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. I used fish sauce instead and it worked a freaking treat, please refer to two posts early for an explanation.

Time to cook your scallops, now the secret to cooking great scallops is a non stick pan, if you don’t have one like me (I’m young but I’m old school) you can use a stainless steel pan. just make sure you use a low heat and either ghee or butter as your cooking medium, don’t use oil as oil requires a little more heat to cook. Regardless cook them one side one minute, flip to finish one minute, to make sure they are cooked by pressing down on them with your finger. They are cooked you feel resistance and they pop right back up. Of course as chef your allowed to taste. They should be firm to the bite but not rubbery.

To serve, sauce the plate and decorate with daikon. Place your scallops around your plate and garnish with snow pea sprouts. Top with sauce and your done. Don’t forget the egg whites for the person that does not eat scallops.

2. Pan seared Yellow Fin Tuna w Spanish onions, Scallions and White wine vinaigrette

This can be served as a main if you increase the proportions, but usually three 1cm x 4cm strips of the stuff will quite satisfy your guests.

Recipe for 4

• 400g Yellow Fin tuna steaks. Usually this is 2 steaks, good ones are pale – light red, do not get dark dark red pieces that look like they are bleeding.
• Soy sauce
• 2 Spanish onions
• 2 Scallions aka spring onions
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup cold pressed oil
• Fish sauce (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• Chili if your into the heat

This is the easiest entree/starter that you will ever put together. Firstly, you get your tuna and you splash soy sauce all over it, seal with cling wrap in a bowl and place in fridge.

Finely slice your Spanish onions into fine fingers. Finely slice your scallions at an angle and add to onions. Combine with your vinegars and oil, salt and pepper to taste and finely add a dash of fish sauce (yes i love the stuff). Now chili if your into it, tobacco or hot English mustard if your really into it.

So go play games, read stuff, play with the kid or just do something useful. let your creation flavour itself.

Pan sear your tuna using a non-stick pan, do no cook it through, when i say sear i mean sear. Coat all sides of your tuna in white. A quick tip is to sear the tuna by holding on to it with your fingers and doing the sides, then you can sear the flats and use a spatula to make the final turn. Slice your tuna to size to serve.

Use your clean fingers to plate the food. Start with the onions in a neat pile, and add your slices of tuna. Then spoon the vinaigrette over pile, serve!

3. Venison w Asparagus, Snow Pea Sprouts and Red Wine Chocolate Sauce

• 250g Venison each person
• 3 Stalks Asparagus each person
• Snow Pea sprouts
• 200ml red wine
• 100g Dark chocolate
• Salt and Pepper

Salt and pepper venison, pan fry and brown each side, sweat that meat. People say seal your meat, but thats bullshit, your sweating your meat once you put it the pan and your taking the water out of it, but who cares its going to taste good anyhow. Once all the meat is brown, place in preheated 180º oven for 8 minutes, add 1 minute for each additional steak. You will know the meat is done when its firm to the touch and it still bleeds when your pierce it.

Blanch asparagus for 2 minutes 30 seconds if they are large stalks, 2 minutes if there small stalks. Do them in batches. Set aside to cool and for serving.

For the sauce your going to need your pan that you cooked your meat in. Of course you set it aside with all the juices so you can make your sauce. If you have any brown sauce (refer to previous post about sauces) then you can use a cube here. Add red wine and heat to a simmer, add chocolate and reduce heat. Stir till dissolved and salt and pepper to taste.

To plate is easy, start with your stalks of asparagus garnish with snow pea sprouts, top with your sliced venison and sauce. Congratulations your done, enjoy.

Your welcome!

3 course meal

So I have been cooking for the family every week experimenting with different ingredients.

This week on the menu

1. Pan fried Scallops w Daikon, Snow Pea sprouts and Lemon aioli

2. Pan seared Yellow Fin Tuna w Spanish onions, Scallions and White wine vinaigrette

3. Venison w Asparagus, Snow Pea Sprouts and Red Wine Chocolate Sauce

Pictures links below

http://www.guild-tbg.net/download/pictures/Scallops.jpg

http://www.guild-tbg.net/download/pictures/Tuna.jpg

http://www.guild-tbg.net/download/pictures/Venison.jpg

The Scallops was excellent, the aioli went so well with the sweet scallops it was a match to remember for the next time i work with scallops. The tuna was perfect as usual, i have done this dish before so it was not hard to replicate. Finally, the venison was overcooked and was a bit chewy, it was a complete failure because i let it rest for way to long. NOTE To self venison can not be served well done, it must be eaten red, straight out of the F oven. (Yes, as you see I am quite pissed about wasting venison)

fish sauce

so while at dinner a few nights back with the family, mum tells me of this chef in the US that won a cooking competition with the special use of fish sauce. while i have tried to unsuccessfully google this new story, i have wondered at the power of fish sauce.

this saturday i’m going to try this theory and use it to season a new dish that i am going to try. fish sauce is a staple for asian cooking especially in south east asian cooking. thai, vietnamese, lao and philippine food feature fish sauce in alot of their dishes. sometimes blending its strong flavour with others to make extraordinary broths, soups, sauces and seasoning to meats and seafood. there are limitless potential as i think about it and i am determined to combine fish sauce with western cooking. alot of people are scared of fish sauce as its flavour is intense when used incorrectly. i see fish sauce as an alternative to salt and proper use with gravy and soups will produce fantastic results.

fish sauce is a liquid derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment, while it suggest fish has been used to create the sauce often there have been many things added to create its subtle flavour. herbs, fish, salt and water are usually the most common ingredients. but many fish sauce feature raw fish, fish blood, shell fish, cuttlefish as alternatives to the base of the sauce.

regardless ill be trying my hands with fish sauce this weekend and ill see what the results are. fish sauce in a gravy for red mean, sounds interesting.

laters

sauces

so i was doing bit of research on sauces and its quite amazing the lengths that chef’s have in the past and in the present gone to make sauces. its amazing the level of detail and process that go into making some sauces. while some sauces are as easy as making gravy from the residue left on the pan there are those that require reductions of stock which can be frozen and preserved for uses after they are made.

these concentrates are sometimes called mother sauces and are the bases for other sauces, particularly in french cuisine you will see a common theme.

• béchamel – white sauce
• espagnole – brown sauce
  
• hollandaise – egg and oil based
• tomato sauce – tamato based but not similar to a pasta base sauce
• velouté – a confusing one, a clearer stock thickened, similar to a espognole but lighter.

Its hard to understand these bases esp for a self taught cook like myself, but i can understand the stock they put in having a good base for a sauce. so i decided that i wanted to try make one of these mother sauces to use at a later date.

what i found was there where quite a few alternative ways to making these sauces and a lot of substitutes. i had decided on a brown sauce that i could make and reduce to a heavy concentrate to add to gravy and sauces for meat dishes. instead of making it the traditional way i made it with the concepts in mind but i wanted to make it as cheap as possible.

with a brown sauce, a lot of the bones and meat are roasted before hand to make a dark brown and luxuriously smoky mother sauce. so in the past few weeks iv been collecting roast bones and also going to the butcher to get ox tail bones when they are in supply. i also picked up almost expired vegetables for the initial stock. regardless here is my list of things i put in to my stock so you can attempt to make your own.

• beef bones
• ox tail
• bones from lamb shanks
• 1/2 kg onions finely chopped
• 1/2 kg carrots finely chopped
• 1/2 kg turnips finely chopped
• 1/2 kg celery finely chopped
• 3 star anise
• 50g crushed coriander seeds
• 250 g finely chopped ginger
• 8 cloves garlic
• 4 Bay leaves

There are many more things you can add it actually all depends on what you want from your reduction. i wanted a very earthy and smoky base for my gravy and sauces. normally one would brown the bones in an oven but i decided instead to smoke the bones using maple chips. i smoked the bones for about two hours or till all the meat on the bones was cooked. put the smoked bones in a pot and cover with 1.5L water, add all the chop vegetables, the garlic and ginger. roughly crush all the herbs together and wrap in a muslin bag and drop into the stock. boil then reduce to simmer, while doing these initial step i actually was thinking of a youtube video i saw awhile ago. for you to enjoy clickly

Regardless while you are simmering and reducing you will need to skim the top of your stock for the fat, you should simmer for about 2-3 hours depending on how much liquid you need. while your reducing your sauce, add chopped cherry tomatoes in the last hour. you should be able to reduce this liquid to 1/2 and strain. when straining making sure you push all the vegetables and bits of mean into the sieve so as to thicken your basic brown sauce. you can now store this liquid like a stock or freeze them into cubes so you can easily use them in proper proportions.

a simple way to use this brown sauce or concentrate is to combine with a gravy, or combine with veal stock or beef stock in a 2:1 or 1:1 mixture. just using it to flavor your favorite sauces will enhance its richness and taste. just remember that the sauce is pretty salty in itself. i forgot and wasted a whole batch of sauce because i was following my usual gravy recipe.

happy saucing

barramundi in a pepper sauce w fennel, rocket

barramundi white flesh is delicate, mild-flavoured, and relatively boneless. its my favourite fish to cook with as it can be flavoured easily, is quite hardy and practically boneless.

you can buy fillets or the full fish and fillet yourself, each fish will give you enough for 4 if you get a large fish. any decent fish monger should have decent quality barramundi, make sure you get them with the skin. regardless here is my recipe.

• 1 green yellow and red capsicum (3 in total) finely chopped
• 2 white onion
• 1 shallot
• 2 star anise
• hand full of basil leaves
• white wine
• chilli
• 4 barramundi fillets with skin left on
• 3 fennel (finely chopped)
• rocket leaves
• zest of one lime and lemon

score your fish in 5mm intervals along the skin, salt, pepper and zest the gaps, don’t be stingy. leave aside to rest while you make your sauce.

heat your pan to a high head and add peppers, star anise, onions and garlic all together. sweat the veges for about 5 minutes. turn the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup white wine, add basil leaves whole and further reduce. add 1 cup water and further reduce. reducing keeps the peppers moist and enhances the flavours, it allows all the spices you have put in with the peppers to combine yet not over power. once you have reduced most of the liquid remove from heat and add to blender. blend till you get a nice consistent sauce texture. add olive oil and blend again till mixed. your sauce is now done

in a clean pan, add finely chopped fennel, 1 finely chopped onion and 1 crushed garlic. salt and pepper and saute till fennel is tender (lost its crunch). take off heat, add chopped basil, finely chopped chili and your fresh rocket. leave in pan but not on heat.

you should cook your fish last as its so much more tasty when it just comes off the pan. plate each fillet immediately. regardless, oil the pan, high heat and place the fillet skin down first, watch the sides. once you see from the side that fillet is 50%-60% white then you can turn over. doing the fillets one after another and plating will enable you to serve the fillets hot.

plate the dish with a heap of salad in the middle, fillet on top and pepper sauce on the side. make it looks nice you can do that! finish with a wedge of lime or lemon. served with a chilled white.

enjoy

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