daddy diddums

I just wanted to say that today is the 61st birthday of my wonderful father. He is a great cook and, just like his own father, is more than happy to get into the kitchen and create a feast.

As a kid some of my favourites were chilli con carne, sloppy joes, fluffy American pancakes and sauerkraut & pork chops (a family legacy).

I'll never forget the time (I was about 5yrs old) when he showed me how Vikings ate by tearing the meat from a lamb chop with his teeth then throwing the bones over his shoulder onto the kitchen floor. Mum was not impressed but I thought it was fantastic.

Needless to say I'm glad my own Viking is a little more well-mannered, and not so keen on meat.

As an adult, nothing beats a lazy afternoon in Dad's backyard as he fires up the BBQ and grills long racks of pork ribs that he marinated in huge vats of his own "rib sauce". Everyone gets their own tea towel and we tuck in greedily, getting sauce from ear to ear. When we've nibbled the meat from each rib bone, we have competitions throwing the bones into plastic bins from great distances.

Happy Birthday Dad!

recipe carousel #8 - bread

My first two Recipe Carousels didn’t have weekly themes so I was worried that some of the excellent recipes I promoted then would get lost. I’ve decided that if some of those first fourteen recipes fit into any of the future themes I will include them again. One of them is tucked away in this group.

This week’s Recipe Carousel is a bread extravaganza.

I have to admit that I’m not a huge bread fan. It’s not that I’m against carbohydrates in any way (I adore pasta and potatoes) it’s just that more often than not bread is boring. It takes up the space of all the good stuff. When eating a sandwich I’d be much happier getting twice as much filling and forgoing the bread. At dinner, I’d rather eat double the soup or two serves of pasta.

So why am I blogging about bread recipes? Because these are the recipes I’ve found in the blogging realm that actually inspire me to give bread a go. No mean feat.

Enjoy this week’s seven blogger recipes!

Aloo Palak Parathas look absolutely delicious and are the product of patient preparations from Saffron in the USA (Saffron Hut). Saffron sneaks vegetables into this seemingly innocent Indian bread snack (aloo = potatoes, palak = spinach) to provide “health by stealth”. Cottage cheese is used to bind a spinach dough that’s filled with seasoned potatoes. Saffron provides step by step instructions and photos so this is a recipe not to miss! Photo courtesy of Saffron.


Blueberry Banana Bread is the contribution from Cheryl in Canada (Free Range Living). She spent all day harvesting pods to end up with a couple of cups of peas and then made a few loaves of this moist banana and blueberry treat. Photo courtesy of Cheryl.


Navajo Fry Bread. This recipe comes from Barbara in the USA (Tiger & Strawberries) who learnt to make this Native American comfort food for her daughter. Barbara is of Cherokee descent and tells the story of how this bread became part of the American Indian diet and then part of their ethnic identity. Barbara flavours hers with whole wheat flour and honey to create the perfect bread: fluffy and light on the inside, chewy and crisp on the outside. Photo courtesy of Barbara.


Pistachio Lemon Bread is an interesting recipe I found on the blog of *kel in Spain (Green Olive Tree). This recipe isn’t too sweet so the final product is somewhere between a cake and a bread and *kel tells us it’s a party favourite both in Barcelona and Michigan. Photo courtesy of *kel.


Bread Rolls w Sundried Tomatoes & Walnuts are a great savoury option from Isil in Turkey(Veggie Way). Isil and her partner are vegans who recently discovered that Isil is pregnant – congrats! In this recipe Isil creates her own savoury bread rolls flavoured with pungent sundried tomatoes and walnuts. Photo courtesy of Isil.


Chocolate Cherry Bread comes from Pavani in the USA (Cook's Hideout). She bought organic cherries, chocolate chips and cocoa powder to create this sweet, fruity goodness. Photo courtesy of Pavani.


Dill Bread. This recipe from Christa in the USA (Calendula & Concrete) was part of my first ever Recipe Carousel. This soft, moist looking bread is flavoured with onions, dill and cream cheese and seems to be based on a Swedish recipe, since dill is a favourite herb in Sweden. Photo courtesy of Christa.

Anna's Bread
The only bread-like recipe that I’ve blogged so far is the Torta del Garbanzo which was a cake-bread hybrid made out of chickpeas/garbanzo. It was a delicious sweet loaf that was totally gluten free.

Add your own recipe!
If you want to link in your own bread recipe and share the love around, just leave the link in the comments section. You didn’t have to invent the recipe yourself, just make it and post it on your site. The whole idea of Recipe Carousel is that good recipes are shared with people who love to cook.
Note: Usual comments are more than welcome but all html links must be bread recipe related.

Check out other Recipe Carousel themes: seafood mains, ice cream, soup, chocolate and drinks.

rhubarb crumble cake for poppa

Yesterday my Poppa passed away. It wasn’t unexpected, but it’s always sad.

The biggest comfort was that he lived a long life, survived two open heart surgeries, asbestosis and emphysema and finally passed away from a long case of pneumonia. For someone who smoked almost all his life, he had a brilliant run.

Darcy Frederick Miller was born 1 March 1922 and died 5 August 2006, aged 84. His grandfather had been part of the Danish nobility yet Poppa grew up a total Aussie and even got teased by his grandfather “I used to play with princes in palaces, you play in the dirt!”

The early childhood dirt might have turned out to be a blessing because he grew up to be an excellent gardener and most of the food he and Nan ate came from their well-tended backyard. Beans, spinach, carrots, tomatoes and more – it was delicious and always appreciated by my mum who used to happily take home a green grocer’s load every time she’d visit.

He also used to grow rhubarb and so this Weekend Herb Blogging will be my own little tribute.

This recipe was devised after phone-administered cooking guidance from Sandra (who incidently makes the world's best rhubarb and apple crumble).

For all the other recipes from around the globe, check out Christa's recap at Calendula & Concrete.

Rhubarb Crumble Cake
Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 8.
Ingredients
Stewed Rhubarb
1 bunch of rhubarb (1.5 kg.)
¼ cup castor sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crumble
250g plain flour
280g unsalted butter cut into cubes and chilled
160g dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Method:
1. Preheat oven 180’C. Grease springform cake tin and line with baking paper.
2. Clean and trim rhubarb. String if necessary. Cut into chunks then place in saucepan with castor sugar, orange juice, orange zest and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stew until rhubarb is soft and beginning to break down.
3. Take crumble ingredients and, using fingertips, mix together until a breadcrumb consistency is formed.
4. Press half of the crumble mixture into the base of the baking tin. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
5. Top with stewed rhubarb mixture and more crumble mixture and then bake for another 15-20 minutes, until crumble has a crispy, brown top. Be careful not to burn.
6. Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or cream.


I got some great facts on rhubarb from the Rhubarb Compendium.
The first record of rhubarb cultivation was in China in 2700 BC where it was used for medicinal purposes. Marco Polo was so enamoured with rhubarb that he waxed lyrical at every opportunity and this led to Chinese rhubarb becoming widely used in European medicine, although the first recorded planting was noted in 1608. Europeans loved the stuff but in 1759 the Qianlong emperor of China forbade any export of tea or rhubarb to the West after border conflicts with Russia. In 1778, rhubarb was first recorded as a food plant in Europe where it was a filling for tarts and pies. Sometime between 1790 and 1800 an unidentified Maine farmer brought rhubarb seed to America and by 1822 it was for sale in Massachusetts produce markets.

Rhubarb is a tart plant and needs sweeteners to be added. It can be stored in sealed plastic bags in the fridge for two to three weeks. It’s easy to grow and is a wonderful harvest for hungry grandkids.

Take care Poppa. We’ll miss you.

paua shells out the goods

Paua
555 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
T: +61 2 9319 2976
www.paua.com.au

I toyed with the idea of organising another “girls’ night out” for a few months. Back in November 2005 I promised a newly found friend that I’d organise one soon. It only took 8 months. Oopps.

What is the “girls’ night out” you may ask? Well it’s an occasion where I invite along a bunch of girls who either don’t know each other well or who have never met before, I arrange a dinner location and we get together and eat, drink and chat. Basically it's an opportunity to meet new people in a welcoming environment.

The first was co-hosted with my sister back in 2004 at the GPO's Post Cocktail Bar and then another in 2005 at a wonderful South-East Asian restaurant, RQ, in Surry Hills.

Finally last Wednesday I hosted the first 2006 girls’ night out at Paua, also in Surry Hills.

Owner, Alice Hyde, patiently emailed me back and forth while I kept swapping dates and even extended their set price menu to our larger group ($35 for 2 courses, $45 for 3 courses).

Alice was very accommodating put me at ease, although the chopping and changing on my part did mean some people were chomping at the bit to try the restaurant out.

The restaurant window was covered intriguingly with a dark fuchsia curtain and the pink theme ran throughout the restaurant and even the website. Cute little menus were stuck together with tiny clips decorated with paua shell, the restaurant namesake.

Some felt the New Zealand name, seafood mascot and pink interior did not suit the modern Mediterranean food that the owners were aiming for. It's a valid point and something I'd missed since I rarely drill down further than the surface level of decor and design.

Our table was arranged in an excellent square shape that fit two people per side, allowing everyone eye contact with each other. It was a perfect set-up for conversation and made the evening flow.

Hyde, a former Chef de Partie at Smiths of Smithfield (London), was in the kitchen and service came in the form of a sweet and unobtrusive waiter who was very kind and eager to please.

Unfortunately he did make a few small blunders. For instance the menu included an escabeche of quail which he described as a North African dish, and while it is true that escabeches are served in North Africa, the dish originates in Spain. Oh, I know I’m being pedantic. I’m a big wanker.

My order of soup entrée and duck main were confused for a duck liver pate entrée and the Spanish stew main, a small error which should sit squarely on my shoulders for procrastinating the decision, asking too many questions and ordering out of course sequence. The waiter fixed the confusion and delivered my correct entrée almost instantaneously, which impressed me.

It was clear that nothing was too much trouble for them and this attitude and willingness pleased us all.

Another small blunder came later in the night when the chef dropped one of the desserts just before serving. The person who missed out was given a freebie in the meantime, which made up for the accident in our books.

Overall I rate the service well even if we all noticed it was a little green. The waiter was very accommodating and went out of his way to make our night enjoyable. Unfortunately we were the only diners in the restaurant all night, which was surprising given how much coverage this restaurant has received, included solid reviews two years running in the Sydney Good Food Guide. Maybe it was just a slow night?

So, what did we order?

Entrée ($16)
1 x Jerusalem Artichoke Brulee w Caramelised Beetroots
1 x Provencal Fish Soup w Rouille & Croutons
2 x Rabbit Bisteeya - rabbit spiced w saffron & cinnamon and enriched w egg in filo pastry

Main ($25)
3 x Duck Leg Confit w Radicchio, French Beans & Cumquat Compote
2 x Pork Belly w mashed potatoes
3 x Zarzuela - Catalan seafood stew of fish, prawns and tomato

Dessert ($12)
1 x Warm Golden Pudding w Creme Anglaise
4 x Chocolate Fondant w Chocolate Ice cream
1 x Cheese w Chilli Figs & Lavoche
1 x Creme Brulee

$35 for 2 courses
$45 for 3 courses

My entrée of Provencal Fish Soup was very dark and had the texture of a thick pumpkin soup. It was heavily accented by the flavour of shellfish which I suspect were blended through it (shells, heads and all). I enjoyed it, but it was almost borderline – the saltiness, pungency could easily have been too overpowering and I imagine it could have been off-putting for some people. The accompanying rouille was lovely and spiced heavily with chilli.

My main of duck leg confit had a good flavour, but was unfortunately a little dry. Pairing the sweet duck with bitter radicchio was an excellent combination and was topped off perfectly with candied cumquat compote.

Chocolate fondant was deliciously rich and cakey, although the centre did not have the typical runny centre I prefer. I suspect it had been cooked a little too long, but that didn’t effect the bittersweet flavour. Chocolate ice cream was deliciously light and cut through the richness perfectly.

After coveting the potential of dining at Paua for so long, I was a little disappointed with the food (as were others that had anticipated this outing) but overall, I was pleased with the experience. I felt Paua did an excellent job of serving our group. I also got the feeling that the food I ate might not be typical of Paua’s potential so I would be willing to try it again. Value for money is great, especially for this level of comfort on Crown Street.

Of the six other girls that dined with me, two others volunteered their input too:

Frankie

Having taken a week off work, a little Wednesday night sojourn with six other nice girls (I'm not quite ready to be called a lady) sounded very good. Given my holiday status, I was probably the main consumer of the red wine, so perhaps you should take my review a little less seriously than the others...

All in all, I'd say it was absolutely delicious and a great friendly restaurant where nothing was too much trouble. I went for the three courses and started with a little rabbit pastry number. Crisp filo combined with aromatic cinnamon all complemented the rabbit meat.

Most foodies would probably argue against ordering game for entrée and main, but my theory is go for whatever you don't cook at home! So it was on to duck confit for main. Duck is always a favourite, but I've never before had it on a bed of radicchio. Usually I find duck accompanied by mash potatoes or something stodgy, and the crisp slightly bitter radicchio perfectly complemented the richness of the meat. I really enjoyed this dish, and it left me feeling satisfied but not "stuffed"! Just lucky, as I was on to the golden syrup pudding for dessert.

I don't know why, but around lunch time that day I'd had a sudden craving for one of my mum's traditional English golden syrup puddings. I haven't had one of these puddings in years, and I can't tell you what made me think about it, so imagine my delight to find it on the menu! And not just any old pudding, but a delicious saucy rich treat! Oh yes, this one was good and there was certainly no holding back on the syrup. I was suitably impressed!

I'm already planning my next visit to Paua, so thank you to Anna for introducing me to the restaurant. Honest prices, quality food, cosy atmosphere. A great recipe for a good night.


Kath

For a cold and dreary midweek mid winter catch up, Paua provided the perfect setting. Nestled behind the curtain, seated amongst the tea lights and bright canvases, the deliberations began: two courses or three…? Entrée and main or main and dessert...? As a pescatarian w a penchant for ice cream my decision was easy. For the carnivores the decision making process took a little a longer. Fortunately our waiter was friendly and helpful, water and wine glasses were refilled without asking and he was keen to answer all our (many) menu queries.

My zarzuela (Catalan seafood stew) was tasty although a little lacking in zing and much to my delight, unlike the majority of fish stews, I managed to discover more than one king prawn. I think I got three or four in total, no mean feat considering servings were an average size.

Dessert was delicious, fairly small portions but perfect for that little bit of sweetness to end the evening. Chocolate fondant was slightly soft in the middle without being too gooey and the scoop of chocolate ice cream provided a delicious compliment.

All in all a wonderful night! Good company, delicious food and wine and attentive wait staff who aren't eager to kick you out the door as soon as the last morsel leaves your plate.

recipe carousel #7 - seafood mains

In honour of the wonderful trout dinner I enjoyed last weekend, this week’s Recipe Carousel is going to be all about the Seafood Main Course. Having said “seafood” however, only one recipe uses something other than fish. Sorry for the lack of range, but these are the ones that really caught my eye.

The seven recipes for this week are:

Hot Tea Smoked Salmon. Anthony in Australia (spiceblog) improvised a mixture of rice, sugar and tea then smoked this combination with fish in an outdoor oven. The result was a perfectly robust vermilion-fleshed fish. Photo courtesy of Anthony.


Cajun Blacked Fish w Tomato & Corn Salsa is the contribution from boo_licious in Malaysia (Masak-Masak). Cajun spice seems to be very popular around the blogging world at the moment and boo_licious shows us how to use it well with a tangy tomato and corn salsa flavoured with lime and coriander. The recipe comes from an Australian Women’s Weekly, which just goes to show how the world really is one big recipe carousel. Photo courtesy of boo_licious.


Piri-Piri Spiked Snapper in Tomatoes & Spring Onions. Mae from the Channel Islands (Rice and Noodles) has been featuring quite a lot on Recipe Carousel, but when you see her exquisite presentation and the way she turns complicated creations into simplistic dreams you can understand why I keep on coming back to her. This recipe is Mae’s take on the Philippino dish sarsiyadong isda, fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. Photo courtesy of Mae.


Salmon w New Potatoes. This entry is from Vintage Wine in Sweden (Vintage Wine Design). It’s amazingly simple but that’s why I love it. I’ve only been to Sweden once but having a Swedish partner means I get a good sense of the country. This dish, served with the quintessential new potatoes and dill, seems like a perfect Swedish summer meal to me. Vintage Wine adds a contemporary twist with a lime and ginger butter for the fish. Photo courtesy of Vintage Wine.


Whole Fish Fried in Tumeric. Austin in Thailand (Real Thai) blogged this recipe for plaa thot khamin, including step by step photos. Garlic, flour and tumeric are pounded in a mortar and pestle and coat the fish. Any remaining mix is deep fried to provide a crispy garnish. This post also comes with a bonus recipe for mullet in tumeric broth. Enjoy. Photo courtesy of Austin.


Stuffed Calamari was on the Christmas table of Mia in Germany (Nosh). Calamari tubes were filled with breadcrumbs flavoured with garlic, lemon and herbs and then they were cooked in a tomato based sauce and served with pasta. This post also comes with a few bonus recipes such as fried cardunes, flounder with fresh oregano and a shrimp cocktail. Photo courtesy of Mia.


Coconut Fish Curry is the final recipe for this week and it comes from Meena in Canada (Hooked on Heat). Meena’s eclectic cultural background – Malay mummy, Indian daddy, Middle Eastern upbringing – has led to some of the most wonderful creations on her blog. This recipe uses coconut milk, cherry tomatoes, fenugreek seeds and chilli to produce a quick and delicious looking curry. Photo courtesy of Meena.

Anna’s seafood recipes posted so far:
Broccoli & Anchovy Pasta Soup
Octopus in Red Wine
Sardines en Escabèche
Spaghetti alle Vongole
Trout w Salsa Verde

Add your own recipe!
If you want to contribute your own seafood experience and share the love around, just leave the link to your recipe in the comments section. It doesn't need to be your invention – just make a meal and post it on your site. The whole idea of Recipe Carousel is that good recipes are shared with people who love to cook.
Note: any spam or non-seafood recipe links will be deleted.

Previous Recipe Carousel themes include: drinks, chocolate, soup and ice cream.

trout from my own backyard

Well, technically the fish didn't come from my garden, but since there were fresh food markets in the square under my apartment block it kind of counts.

Last Sunday I was scanning the available selections when I spotted the Cowra Smokehouse selling various smoked delicacies such as eel, walnuts, quail, salmon and even fresh line-caught rainbow trout.

I was irresistibly drawn to the portable glass trolley filled with ice and fresh fish and after much encouragement from Jonas I decided to buy one. I’m glad I did because it turned out to be one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten at home.

When I got back to the apartment, I stared at the fat trout and thought it was just too pretty to eat. Then I got over that.

I decided I wanted to cook it with as little embellishment as possible. It was so fresh that I thought simple was best.

Leafing through Rick Stein’s My Favourite Seafood Recipes, I found a few trout recipes but none stood out to me as a whole. Instead I took his cooking technique from one recipe and combined it with a fresh herb sauce from another recipe.

Rick says he found the recipe for this herb sauce in an old recipe book from 1820 and it was entitled “housekeeper’s recipe”. If I’d had a housekeeper that had made this for me, I would have been a happy little vegemite.

Pan-fried Rainbow Trout w Salsa Verde
Anna’s muddling of Rick Stein’s recipes. Serves 1 hungry girl.
Ingredients:
Trout
1 whole trout, scaled and cleaned
Butter, for frying
Olive oil, for frying
Flour, for dusting
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
Salsa Verde
½ tablespoon mint leaves
Small bunch of chives
1½ tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained and rinsed
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Method:
1. For the salsa verde, combine all ingredients on a chopping board and chop finely until a paste is formed. Scrape into a bowl and add Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Stir to combine then set aside.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan large enough to hold the fish.
3. Season the fish, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Dust lightly in flour, shaking off excess flour.
4. Fry fish for 5 minutes on each side.
5. Arrange fish on plate and serve with salsa verde.

I simply adored this salsa verde and will use it again and again with anything I possibly can. This whole meal was incredible and I was a very content diner afterwards.

I made the salsa verde while Jonas fried the fish. For some reason I hate to fry fish and chicken because I never seem to cook them right. It either comes out dry or raw. Despite being a vegetarian, Jonas is a frying fiend so I left this task to the household expert. It was perfect.

So Pan-fried Rainbow Trout w Salsa Verde is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by its creator, Kalyn from Kalyn’s Kitchen. Check out the recap if you get the chance. The pool of entries is growing by the week!

moscato d'asti morning

A breakfast with Moscato d’Asti is a glorious, glorious thing.

Last weekend my sister, Jo (aka Shamu), was visiting Sydney with her boyfriend, Tom. She flew in Friday night so that we could spend Saturday morning catching up over breakfast before her whirlwind day of visiting friends and family.

I decided to make something special that we could all enjoy and, given that I was going out to dinner the night beforehand, something that could be cooked in advance.

I decided on baked eggs & beans, then pears poached in passionfruit juice accompanied by numerous glasses of Moscato d’Asti.

Baked Eggs and Beans
I have to admit that this particular version of this recipe is mine, but the idea is certainly not. Back in summer an old friend of mine, Library Spice, invited Jonas and I over for breakfast to meet her man. They cooked us a meal that we have since repeated over and over again. A huge baking dish of beans was topped with eggs and then the whole pot was put into the oven until the eggs set. Brilliant!

Even though we got sunburnt in the park when he kicked our butts at Scrabble (forcing us to accept rime, as in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, over a triple word score), how could we not love the new man when he cooked us this?

I replicated my own version, which I suspect it’s identical to his.

Baked Eggs & Beans
Anna’s take on Craig’s recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
480g canned cannellini beans
350ml passata
4 eggs
½ dried chilli, chopped finely (seed included)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180’C.
2. Heat olive oil. Sauté onion, garlic and chilli until onion is soft.
3. Add passata. Season with salt and pepper. Stir then cover and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
4. Add beans. Stir and simmer for another 5 – 10 minutes.
5. Spoon into four individual baking dishes or one large dish.
6. Make four wells in the beans, being careful to keep a layer on the base of the dish, then crack an egg into each well. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Bake in oven until set. Can take anything from 15 – 30 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper then sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Pears Poached in Passionfruit Juice
Next we had pears which I had poached in passionfruit juice (it usually comes with a percentage of apple juice and has no seeds). I was trying to find a light yet sweet dish that would compliment the light floral tones of the Moscato d’Asti and I thought passionfruit would be nice. I served it with my favourite yoghurt of all time, King Island Dairy’s Cinnamon and Honey Yoghurt.

It’s effectively the same recipe as my pears in spiced red wine.

Pears Poached in Passionfruit Juice
Anna's very own recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
4 beurre bosc pears - peeled, cored and quartered
1 litre passionfruit juice
1½ cups sugar
300g good quality yoghurt
Method:
1. Put juice and sugar into a large saucepan and dissolve sugar over medium heat, constantly stirring.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, covered, until a syrupy consistency forms.
3. Add pears and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until pears are firm but soft to cut. Be careful not to cook too long or they will disintegrate.
4. Remove pears and continue to reduce syrup to thicker consistency, approx. 5-10 minutes.
6. Serve warmed with yoghurt and drizzle with passionfruit syrup.

This dish worked wonderfully with the Tosti Moscato d’Asti (photo from their website).

Made from Moscato grapes, this Italian wine is considered a ‘frizzante’ dessert wine, although it’s very light (not at all sticky) and has fragrant floral aroma of fresh grapes.

It’s said that the moscato grape was mentioned in records of the region in the 13th century and now Asti is a DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), which means the region is classified with specific winemaking techniques, grape varietals and an international reputation.

Asti, in Piemonte, turns the wonderful Moscato grapes into this gorgeous wine with a light spritz, subtle sweet flavour and wonderful floral fragrance. I can’t recommend this wine enough, as either a light summer aperitif or a dessert wine accompanying anything elegant or fruity.

Champagne breakfasts are good, but those enjoyed with Moscato d’Asti are even better.

Buonissima!

This is my entry into Saffron Trail's Weekend Breakfast Blogging, an event in its second episode. Check out Nandita's round-up here for a wide range of breakfasts from around the world and a lot of great Indian goodies.

malaysian lunch joint

Jimmy's Recipe Malaysia
Ground Floor, Galeries Victoria
500 George Street, Sydney

In 2002, I was brought to this diner style laksa house by two Malaysian friends who were missing home cooked meals.

It doesn't look nice, the service is pushy but the food is good. It's a home away from home for many Malays and a great lunch venue for those of us working in the city.

Jimmy's is where I first discovered assam laksa – a wonderful sour soup flavoured with mackerel and tamarind. Unlike most laksas, and to my delight, there was no coconut milk and so the broth was clear and fragrant. Filled out with rice noodles, the surface of the soup floats with fish pieces, cucumber, pineapple, red onion and half a boiled egg. I adore this light broth and devour the noodles with chopsticks smothered in sambal oelek.

I also enjoy their nasi lemak, a plate of rice cooked in coconut milk and served on a tray with little individual compartments for achar (pickled vegetable chutney), ikan bilis sambal (chilli and dried anchovy sauce), fried peanuts, a boiled egg, fresh cucumber and curry (usually Rendang).

Another reliable dish from Jimmy's is the Hainanese Chicken Rice. Glistening rice that has been cooked in chicken stock is served with your choice of drumstick or breast, accompanied by a light chicken broth with herbs. A brilliant red chilli sauce and murky, yet delicious, ginger sauce complete the meal.

Roti Canai is the favourite of one pal who orders two flat roti and a small bowl of curry for dipping: chicken or lamb. Other friends prefer Har Mee (prawn noodle soup) or the Beef Laksa, usually on special.

hello "candy blog"

Maybe I am completely behind the times, but I just discovered a great site called Candy Blog and – yes, you guessed it – it's all about candy.

Candy is a very American word, but I must admit that it's a word I use all the time. Sorry, but it can't be helped when I have an American father and a Swedish fiancé.

Swedes call them godis (goodies), Aussies call them lollies, Brits call them sweets, but in the USA it's candy, candy, candy.

Candy Blog is a great database of wonderful sugar based goodies from around the globe, written up and reviewed by Cybele.

I am impressed with the range of candy flavours she tries and love the great table rating system she has developed. The whole layout of this blog is brilliant, easy to read and visually appealing. You get the sense that this is the place to come to investigate sugar produce.

I am also pleased to see a lot of candy and chocolates from around the world as well. Although there are a lot of American features, she’s pretty even handed considering the US produces so much of the world’s candy. With the range of information available on this site, I am completely inspired to go out there and try more candy myself (oh, great - more things for me to eat when I'm supposed to be on a wedding diet).

There are other blogs out there that focus completely on candy as well as and non-food related blogs that record the obscure confectionary that exists. Take for instance Floating World Views: Suzy, an Australian living in Japan, can’t help but notice the weird and wacky Kit Kat flavours that appear regularly in Japan (wine, cherry blossom, fruit parfait, green tea etc).

Anyway, Cybele's blog has really excited and invigorated me. It's just so interesting to read.

Yes, I am truly a blogging nerd.

recipe carousel #6 - ice cream

i scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

Since so many of my fellow bloggers live in the northern hemisphere and are experiencing an amazingly hot summer, I thought this week’s Recipe Carousel should be about ice cream!

There are some brilliant ice cream recipes out there, but I scoured the blogosphere and pulled out seven of my favourites for you.

Seven chilly treats for seven steamy northern hemisphere days.


Strawberry, Rhubarb & Almond Ice Lollies. Keiko in the UK (Nordljus) has produced another elegant dessert from her amazing repertoire. On this occasion individual shot glasses are filled with layers of stewed fruit and yoghurt based ice cream. Yum! Photo courtesy of Keiko.

Caramelised Oatmeal Ice Cream. Santos in Guam (The Scent of Green Bananas) shows her soft spot for Scottish fare with this modern take on the traditional Scottish dessert cranachan. Vanilla ice cream is mixed with caramelised oatmeal and whisky, then served with a raspberry sauce. Photo courtesy of Santos.


Blueberry Ice Cream. This classic berry is turned into a divine frozen cream by Mae in the Channel Island of Jersey (Rice and Noodles). Mae’s summer addiction to blueberries and the arrival of an ice cream machine meant we all can revel in this gorgeous creation. Photo courtesy of Mae.

Singapore Ice Cream. Flavoured with chilli, black peppercorns, candied ginger and pistachio, I am totally entranced by this delicious sounding, spicy ice cream. Tea in the USA (Tea and Cookies) devised her own version of tis exotic, delightful ice cream created by Alice B. Toklas. Ms Toklas wrote a cookbook in 1954, describing meals she shared with her pals, such as Picasso and Hemingway, during her life in Spain, France and the US. Photo courtesy of Tea.

Guinness Ice Cream. Using this indigenous Irish brew, Kieran in Ireland (Ice Cream Ireland) came up with this great recipe which combines Guinness, cream and choc chips. This ice cream might sound strange but it's a successful flavour for sale at Kieran’s own ice cream shops, Murphy’s, in Dingle and Killarney (Kerry, Ireland). Photo courtesy of Kieran.

Green Apple Sorbet. This verdant ice comes from Béa in the USA (La Tartine Gourmande). It is a simple recipe using Granny Smiths, lemon juice and sugar syrup and it keeps Béa cool during summers without air conditioning. Photo courtesy of Béa.

Honey Yoghurt & Pistachio Ice Cream. Nicky & Oliver in Germany (Delicious Days) came up with this great ice cream based on breakfast ingredients. Honey adds an extra sweetness to tangy Greek yoghurt and the pistachio nuts seem to add texture. Drizzle with extra honey (or if you’re like Oliver – extra, extra honey). Photo courtesy of Nicki & Oliver.

That’s all seven recipes for the week, but if you’re on an ice cream kick I suggest you check out a once off blogging event that was hosted by Sam at sweet pleasure : plaisir sucré where bloggers from around the globe contributed an array ice cream recipes. Flavours included: buttered pecan; butternut squash; Chambord (black raspberry liqueur); cherry blossom; chestnut; chocolate; coconut matcha; Dom Perignon; edamame (soy beans); elderflower; gianduia (choc-hazelnut); gooseberry & elderflower; lemon; Limoncello; mango; mojito; orange & honey caramel; pear; pistachio; prune frozen yoghurt; red finger millet (ragi); roasted cinnamon; strawberry; strawberry crème fraîche; Thai ice tea; three berry custard; vodka watermelon; and white peach!!!

If you want to catch any of my previous Recipe Carousels, here are links to posts on drinks, chocolate and soups.

Add your own recipe!
If you want to link in your own ice cream recipe and share the love around, just leave the link in the comments section. You didn’t have to invent the recipe yourself, just make it and post it on your site. The whole idea of Recipe Carousel is that good recipes are shared with people who love to cook.
Note: any spam or non-ice cream recipe links will be deleted.

silverbeet & feta pie

One day I was planning to make my mum's recipe for spanakopita (the Greek spinach and feta pie) but our green grocer was out of spinach.

I decided to try the deep, dark green leaves of the silverbeet instead. I was in heaven!!!

Silverbeet, also known as Swiss chard, has the same common ancestor as beetroot and sugar beets. It’s flavour is slightly bitter and also slightly salty, but very delicious.

The pretty leaves are such a beautiful green and wrinkled, like a Savoy cabbage. The stalks are thick and white, but some kinds of chards can have red stalks too.

According to the World’s Healthiest Foods, chard has very high concentrations of “vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fibre. Swiss chard also emerges as a very good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorous, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid.”

Various health studies claim silverbeet can provide the vitamins and minerals that help prevent cataracts, digestive cancers, skin cancers, bone decay, high blood pressure, migraine headaches and muscle spasms (including cramps, tension, soreness, fatigue and even heart muscle spasms and asthma).

And I just love the flavour of silverbeet. It’s full of iron goodness and provides a nice kick to the tangy lemon and strong fetta in this pie.

We switched to using puff pastry for this no fuss, (fairly) healthy and delicious dinner. Leftovers are eaten for lunch the next day.

Silverbeet & Feta Pie
Anna & Jonas' very own recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 bunch of silverbeet (or spinach)
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
300g feta
Juice of 2 lemons
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180'C.
2. Remove stalks from silverbeet. Slice leaves into shreds. Wash thoroughly. Steam:
a) use the microwave – put a little water and some silverbeet in a microwave dish and microwave until wilted.
b) use the stove – put a metal colander on top of a pot with a little boiling water. Place batches of silverbeet in colander and cover with pot lid. Steam until wilted.
3. Squeeze excess liquid from silverbeet and chop finely.
4. Begin thawing puff pastry.
5. In a bowl, mash together with fork the feta, lemon juice, pepper and silverbeet until combined and smooth.
6. Divide mixture in two, spread evenly over pastry sheets leaving 2cm border. Fold pastry into log shape, sealing edges together.
7. Beat egg in bowl with milk. Brush pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Line baking tray with baking paper. Place rolls on tray. Bake in over until pastry puffs and turns golden, about 15 – 20 minutes.Check out the recap of all the other Weekend Herb Blogging from around the world. This week it's hosted by Paz from The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz.