Good Quality Cocoa

Okay, it's time to let people know that they no longer have to rely on Cadbury's cocoa for their chocolate-y needs. Perhaps it was my time in Germany, where they use the real stuff, or my Dutch heritage, but I cannot buy anything other than German or Dutch cocoa now. It is as dark as real chocolate, is smooth, smells divine and is almost oily, from the amount of cocoa solids in it. Any other cocoa powder is a pale imitation!

There are a number of brands you can try. The latest one I bought was Blooker (Dutch I think)from IGA Milton, for $5.99, but the deli at Cat and Fiddle was selling a different one, same number of grams, for $16.00. You work it out. Schmidt (German) is awesome and The Rosalie Deli used to sell it but doesn't seem to anymore. Jocelyn's Provision's at New Farm was selling 1kg bags of cocoa, the quality looked pretty good, but I couldn't find a price.

The best thing about this cocoa is the results you get from using it. The Sunday Afternoon Chocolate Cake is just a melt and mix recipe I learnt at school, but using good quality cocoa means you don't have to put real chocolate in the mix and it still comes out rich as anything. Also this sort of cocoa makes a lovely rich hot chocolate - give up on those fake 'hot chocolate' drinks and try the real stuff.

Jules

Annalisa Canned Tomatoes

These are purely a personal favourite. Canned tomatoes are generally an excellent staple to have in the pantry as so many evening meals can be created around them, crossing many cultural boundaries. As with fresh tomatoes, the quality of the actual tomato can affect the entire dish. These are from Italy and every can I have ever used has been tasty and sweet, unlike other brands that are bland and tasteless.
For some bizarre reason, Coles stocks other products in the Annalisa brand, but not these diced tomatoes - you have to go to Woolworths. Give old Annalisa a go - I also love the packaging!

Jules

Maldon Sea Salt

This is a tremendous ingredient to have on hand. The salt is in flake form and can be crushed easily with the fingers into food as you are cooking or to season at the end. The natural process that is still used to produce the salt means it is cleaner and has a purer, stronger flavour. As a result, you don't need to use as much Maldon Sea Salt as you would a normal table salt. Salt, like butter, is used not only to flavour foods, but to draw out their natural flavour. Tomatoes sprinkled with some of this stuff have the sweetest taste.In Brisbane it is getting much easier to find Maldon Sea Salt. It sells for around $10 a packet and I find it at IGA Milton, Rosalie Deli, Tognini's Deli and Coles Toowong.

Jules

Chicken Goujons with Lime Cherry Tomato Relish

I found a recipe for 'Blackened Blue-eye with sweet tomato relish' in an AWW recipe book, but wasn't that into fish and had some chicken in the fridge so used that instead. This is a delicious main meal served with steamed green beans and cuscus, but the last time I made this, I adapted it to a party palate, and served the chicken with individual relish pots. The relish is absolutely divine and could be used with any meat.

400g chicken tenderloins, cut in half
2 tbsp Cajun spices
2 punnets cherry tomatoes
1 ½ cups water
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp grated lime rind
Juice of one lime
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

Combine halved chicken tenderloins and Cajun spices in enamel bowl or dish, allow flavours to develop.
In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients and allow to simmer for approximately 30 minutes or significantly reduced in volume. Keep a close eye on the relish, stirring occasionally to ensure the heat is not too high and burning the bottom.
Fry goujons in a small amount of oil in fry pan (or alternatively oven bake), spear with a toothpick and serve with relish.

Source: Jules, relish adapted from WWW BBQ Seafood

Gourmet Chicken Sausage Rolls

I wanted to do fancy party food recently, but wanted to use old fashioned favourites at the same time. So I adapted Mum's traditional sausage roll recipe and added some chicken mince and other goodies. Feel free to add any herbs you love, semi-dried tomatoes would be great, as would olives in the mixture.

4 sheets of puff pastry, each divided into six rectangles
500g chicken mince
175g sausage mince
4 small rashers streaky bacon, chopped
6 large button mushrooms, chopped
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
2 eggs
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Saute bacon and mushrooms in fry pan over medium heat until bacon is crispy and mushrooms are soft. Allow to cool.
Defrost four sheets of pastry.
Combine chicken and sausage mince in bowl with parsley, 1 egg and sauces. Add cooled, cooked mixture and use hands to ensure mixture is well combined.
Divide mince mixture between 24 small rectangles of pastry, roll up from the short side and place on oven trays covered in baking parchment.
Break an egg into a bowl and lightly beat. Brush sausage rolls with egg wash and place in hot oven (200+) for at least twenty minutes. You may need to swap trays over halfway through cooking. Pastry should be golden brown when done.
Serve on a platter with tomato ketchup.

Source: Jules

Gourmet Home-made Pizzas

Pizza Base:
1 tsp of instant dried yeast
300 ml of luke warm water
500g of unbleached strong flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil

Method:
Combine the yeast and warm water and allow to froth. Place the flour onto a clean benchtop and create a crater-like shape. Pour the yeast mixture into the center of the crater and the olive oil and salt. Combine slowly as in the video. Once fully combined (add more water if necessary) begin kneading the mixture on the floured benchtop for about 8 - 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. See the second video. Place the pizza dough in an oiled saucepan, closing the lid , leave for about 3 hours. The dough should triple in volume. Knock back the dough by kneading it agin and then separate into about 3 portions.




Toppings: Use good quality tomato paste and put most of the mozarella next, then add the toppings...the fewer the better. Combinations could be...

• pumpkin, blue cheese and walnuts (thanks Tori)
  
• spinach, garlic, green olives and cherry tomatoes
• bocconcini, tomato, basil (and toasted pine nuts)
• prosciutto, potato, rosemary
• pesto and smoked salmon

Carrot Cake

I love a slice of carrot cake in the afternoon with a coffee. I think it is the cream cheese icing that I really love or perhaps the carrots make me feel less guilty about eating this one. Considering the amount of oil and sugar this should be cooked with caution. The recipe makes a very large cake.

4 eggs, lightly beaten

250 g caster sugar

185 ml light olive oil (I use less)

300 g of plain four

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp of ground cinnamon

400 grams of carrots (3 large) , grated

55 g of chopped walnuts

Icing

180 g of butter, softened

250 g (2 cups) of icing sugar

180 g of cream cheese

3 drops of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a 24 cm cake tin with baking paper.

Whip together the eggs and sugar until creamy, then whisk in the oil. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate and cinnamon. Add to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add the grated carrots and walnuts and mix quickly using beaters to make sure it is all properly combined. Bake for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. The cake should rise up impressively high. Cool a little before turning out onto plate.

To make the icing, whip together the butter and icing sugar, mashing it together at first. Quickly beat in the softened cream cheese and vanilla to just combine.

Ice the cake thickly and roughly (don't smooth) once it has cooled.

Seves: 10

Source: Tara from Falling Cloudberries

Fattoush

This would have to be my favourite salad. I first tried it at Mecca Bar in Fortitude Valley and ever since I have been obsessed with sumac. This salad is fresh, colourful and aromatic. It is always a hit and I make it at least once a week!

1/4 loaf of turkish bread
2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
500 g of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 lebanese cucumbers, finely chopped
1.5 cups of parsley
1.5 cups of mint (can substitute coriander)
4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
5 shallots or 1 small red onion
1 red capsicum (optional - I prefer it without)
2 chopped avocadoes (optional - I prefer it with)
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tbs sumac

To make the croutons, tear up the turkish bread into small pieces. Place these on a baking tray and drizzle with combined olive oil and crushed garlic. Bake in the oven turning once for about 5 - 10 minutes on 180 degrees. It is easy to burn these so keep and eye on them. Once the turkish bread pieces are golden remove them from the oven and allow them to cool and get crunchy.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint, radishes, shallots, (capsicum and avocado). Dress the salad with red wine vinegar, sumac and salt to your liking. Add the croutons at the last minute.
Note: Do not add the croutons until you are ready to eat as these are best still crunchy.

Serves: 4

Source: Tara's adaptation of a recipe from Gourmet Traveller - Modern Salads

Roast Pumpkin and Couscous Salad

I have made this often. I love it as side to lamb or chicken. The yoghurt dressing is especially delicious and the salad itself is surprisingly very filling.

500 g of pumpkin
olive oil
salt
1 cup of couscous
1 cup of boiling vegtable stock
125 g of snow peas
1/3 cup of mint leaves
1/2 cup of natural yoghurt
2 tsp of cumin
2 tbl of chopped mint
1 tbs honey

Slice pumpkin into large slithers and coat with olive oil and salt. Bake in a pre-heated oven 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
Place couscous in a bowl and pour over boiling stock and cover for 5 minutes. Blanch the snow peas and drain and cool.
Combine the pumpkin, snow peas, coucous and mint and toss. To make the dressing combine the yogurt , cumin, mint and honey and then pour over salad.

Serves: 4

Source: Adapted from Marie Claire Cooking

Caramelised Onion and Goat’s Cheese Tarts

I have a recipe already on the blog for a salad using the same ingredients, but this one tells you how to make the caramelised onion. I made up a batch and kept it in the fridge in a jar for about two weeks. It is great for any toasted cafe-style sandwich or burger, and can also be added to a gravy for added oomph.

2 puff pastry sheets, each divided into 16 squares
100g fresh goat’s cheese
100g rocket
Caramelised onion
6 large brown onions, sliced thickly
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white vinegar

A few hours ahead of time, prepare caramelised onion. Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat, add onions. Sweat for ten to fifteen minutes, but do not allow onions to brown. Add sugar and vinegar and reduce heat. Place lid on saucepan and simmer mixture for approximately 20 minutes or until shiny and slightly sticky. Allow to cool.
Place 16 pastry squares on an oven tray lined with parchment paper.
Place a teaspoonful of onion of each pastry square, top with a small amount of goat’s cheese. Do all 32 squares with each ingredient to ensure you are even handed.
Bake in a hot oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until pastry is lovely and golden. You might want to swap the trays ten minutes in to ensure they are receiving an even heat in your oven.
Arrange tarts on platter and top each with a small amount of rocket.

Source: Jules

Pork Spring Rolls with Trio of Dipping Sauces

This is a very old recipe of mine from when I was living out in Ispwich in my first year as a teacher. I had just discovered Thai food and was playing around with the essential flavours that you will find in the mince mixture. This is a fun one to prepare with your friends or family.

20 spring roll wrappers
600g pork mince
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 lime, juice of
½ carrot, julienne
2 spring onions, julienne
20 medium sized bok choy or choy sum leaves
200g bean sprouts
100g rice vermicelli
1L cooking oil
Dipping sauces
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Thai satay sauce
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce

Gently sauté pork mince with garlic and ginger till cooked. Add sweet chilli, fish and soy sauces, sugar and lime juice. Set aside to cool.
Place noodles in a large noodle bowl and pour enough boiling water in to cover noodles. Place a lid or side plate on top to keep in the steam. Leave for approximately ten minutes, or until noodles are tender. Drain and put aside.
On your work surface, arrange pork and noodles in bowls, sheets of spring roll pastry under a dampened tea towel and the julienned carrot, spring onion, bok choy and bean sprouts on a divided platter.
Gently peel off a spring roll wrapper and place one bok choy leaf on the bottom left hand corner. Place a dessertspoon of mince mixture on leaf and then layer a small amount of the rest of the ingredients on top. Roll short corner of pastry over filling, bring in either sides and roll up. Repeat for rest of wrappers and ingredients.
Heat oil in a large wok til a square of white bread turns a golden brown when dipped in. Cook spring rolls in batches of three to four, drain on absorbent paper.
Arrange spring rolls on a platter with trio of dipping sauces.

Source: Jules

Variations: feel free to use chicken mince or prawns as an alternative to the pork. You can also add any other vegetable to the filling mixture. If you are feeling super adventurous, home made satay sauce is so much better than the bought stuff. Will endeavour to find my recipe.

Tri-colour Salad

This has always been a favourite of mine at parties because it is so easy to prepare and is so delicious. You can also use larger balls of fresh mozzarella and vine ripened tomatoes, sliced and served as a side salad with meat.

175g small bocconcini
1 punnet ripe, small tomatoes
Basil leaves
Best olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Maldon sea salt, cracked black pepper

Slice each bocconcini and cherry tomato in half, place a basil leaf between them and secure with a toothpick. Repeat.
Arrange salad on a platter and drizzle with your best olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Season. Allow salad to sit for at least half an hour for flavours to develop.

Source: Italy?

Glazed Meatloaf

Okay, I am aware that meatloaf wouldn't cut it in a fine dining restaurant, but I made this for the last State of Origin this year, following a theme of Mum's of casual food. It was an absolute hit, the glaze is the key I think. Serve with mashed potato and steamed greens.

750g premium mince

375g sausage mince

1 egg, lighly beaten

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, grated

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

3 tsp worchestershire sauce

2 tsp mustard

1 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Glaze

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/3 cup worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp malt vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

40g butter

3 tbsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients for meatloaf in large bowl, use your hands!

Use a large piece of baking sheet and flatten mixture over it in a large rectangle (to fit your roasting tray). Roll up as for a swiss roll or piece of sushi. As you roll, pull the paper away. Place in tray, seam side down. (If this is too fiddly, you can simply bake in a loaf pan, and the glaze will sit on top.)

Bake uncovered in a moderate oven for 30 minutes; remove from oven, pour off excess fat and discard. Pour glaze over meatloaf and bake, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes or until firm and cooked through, brushing occasionally with glaze. Serve hot or cold.

Glaze: combine all ingredients in a jug and microwave in one minute bursts for about five minutes, are until all ingredients are cohesive.

Serves 8-10

Source: Jules, AWW Picnics

Sambal Oelek

Sambal Oelek is a staple in Malaysian and Thai cooking. Oelek means grinding so sambal oelek means ground chilli sambal! This can also be frozen. We froze this in small batches of about 4 tbs each and have simply fried prawns, added the sambal oelek and then served over brown rice. It was delish and an excellent entree.

450 g red chilies
150 g garlic, peeled and chopped
150 g tender young ginger, peeled and chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced (white part only)
180 ml vinegar
225 g sugar
Salt, to taste
15 ml lime zest, chopped


1. Blend the chillies, garlic, ginger and lemon grass in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
2. While processing gradually add the vinegar.
3. Place the pureed mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
6. Add the salt and lime zest. Remove from the heat, cool and bottle in sterilised jars.

Source: Scott made this from a recipe he found on the internet.