Homemade Pasta Sauce

Once again, I find my self burdened by too many tomatoes. The tomato seeds from my compost that sow themselves in my kitchen garden, have a knack for fruiting all at the same time. This time I have decided to deal with the 'problem' by making a simple pasta sauce from the surplus fruit.

With temperatures here falling particularly low, I have found myself craving more soup and casserole style meals that need to be eaten from a bowl rather than a plate. This recipe is no different; perfect when served in huge portions with a glass of fruity red such as a Barbera, or perhaps something more full bodied to warm you up like a Cabernet/ Merlot blend.

Pasta Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes (as many as you can get rid of)
• Sugar
• Salt
• Rich, Woody Herbs (e.g.: basil, oregano, rosemary, etc)

Method:

1. Blanch tomatoes in near-boiling water until skins split. Remove from water, drain, peel and core (the seeds can be removed for a smoother sauce).
2. Place tomatoes in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Add sugar, salt and herbs as desired. Blend until mixed.

To serve, add to sauteed onion, garlic and diced chicken breast and mix through cooked pasta. Surplus sauce can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to six months.

Nuncheons: Coconut Cake

Nuncheon (or nuntion) dates back to the era spanning from the Middle Ages to Shakespeare and refers to the extra meal eaten between dinner and supper. During these times, peasants were often promised nuncheons of ale and bread after a hard days work in the field.

Today, I like to call this little spell afternoon tea. While ale and bread do sound somewhat appealing, I'm much more partial to the idea of tea and cake. This afternoon I'll be indulging in this dense coconut cake (recipe below), which is heavy enough to keep me going until dinner time, but light enough to not ruin my appetite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125g butter
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line baking tin with paper.
   
2. Rub butter into flour and baking powder to resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in sugar and coconut.
4. Gradually stir in eggs and milk.
5. Turn out into tin and bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until firm to touch and golden.
6. Cool on wire rack.
   

Coconut cake.p."

Winter's Eve Chocolate Pudding

Last night, in my opinion, was one of the coldest that South East Queensland has had this year. To aptly finish off a warm Winter style meal of boeuf bourguignon, I decided to go for this decadent self-saucing chocolate pudding (recipe below).

Ingredients:

Pudding:

• 3/4 cup S.R. flour
• 2 tbl spoons cocoa
• 1 tbl spoon instant coffee
• 125g butter
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 2 tbl spoon milk

Sauce:

• 1 tbl spoon cocoa
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup hot water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
   
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, instant coffee.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light, gradually add eggs and vanilla and then the flour mixture, followed by the milk.
4. Spoon mixture into a buttered oven-proof dish.
5. In a small bowl mix together cocoa and brown sugar (for the sauce).
6. Stir in the hot water until sugar dissolves.
7. Pour the sauce mixture over the pudding mixture. Bake for 40 minutes.
8. Serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.
   

All that remained.

Lavender lunch with a view

This Easter Monday I had the pleasure of spending lunch in exceptionally good company at the Kooroomba Vineyards and Lavender Farm on Mt Alford, just outside of Boonah.

If the drive out wasn't scenic enough; the mountain ranges and lavender farm that surround the restaurant and cellar door was surely a sufficient view through the floor to ceiling windows. The inner decor screamed style through rustically esthetic colours of browns and greys with open fireplaces scattered around, confirming suspicions of how cold this little hide away is sure to become during the bitter Winter months.

The Autumn Menu boasts anti pasta platters featuring locally sourced olives, pates, chutneys and other condiments as well as an incredible 'mushroom cappuccino.' The mains menu includes venison, Black Angus sirloin, salmon and home made sausages. Most appropriately, many of the desserts are lavender based or inspired, including an Assiert of Lavender as well as a lavender sorbet.

Now to the wines. Over the lunch period, we downed three bottles between us, all from Kooroomba's own cellar door which is esthetically impressive with it's wall to ceiling shelves and a sturdy bar that curves around the impressive wine display. Tasting are available for a very small fee, which is automatically refunded with the purchase of any bottle. The abundance of variety with Kooroomba's wine list ensures that every one's tastes will be catered for and that a perfect match can be found for any of the meals on the impressive menu.

A man-sized meal

From the Brazilian churrasco to the Meurav Yarushalmi of Jarusalem, the asado of South America or simply the English mixed grill. There's no denying that it requires a certain amount of courage to take on one of these hearty mountains of protein. However different their names, these various versions of the dish all have one thing in common: meat.

The array of various cuts can consist of anything thing from lamb chops to gammon steaks, beef and pork sausages or rissoles or even barbecued chicken. The possibilities are endless, especially considering that fact that offal is by no means forgotten.

Popular in English and South American mixed grills are all time favorite lamb kidneys while the Meurav Yarushlmi doesn't go without chicken hearts, livers or lamb spleens.

While the mixed grill can often be interpreted as a gleaming pile of grease and fat, the Italian version is an altogether different story with choice cuts often marinated in olive oil, garlic, lemon and rosemary; something of a gourmet take on an ageless tradition.

Almost as equally important are the ever present adornments. These may include grilled tomato, egg or mushroom. In the case of chicken or mutton tikka (the South Asian rendition of the mixed grill) roti and chutney are the essential accompaniments.

While it is easy to claim how unhealthy and unnecessary such a meal- or should I say feast- really is, there is simply no denying the feelings of utter accomplishment and superiority on completion of a good ol' pub style mixed grill.

The humble egg

I have always loved eggs; a love which I believe stemmed from the excitement associated with my family's traditional Sunday morning fry up. Since the addition of six chooks to our backyard about a year ago, I have been granted the pleasure of a daily delivery of fresh eggs.



With around six eggs per day, I no longer feel guilty about using six egg yolks for one batch of crème brûlées or a mixture of creamy hollandaise sauce; which will inevitably be poured over freshly poached eggs for a nice Benedict breakfast or brunch. The remaining whites can always be beaten to soft peaks with caster sugar to make meringues.

Eggs have been eaten by humans for thousands of years and are sourced from a number of animals. Although chickens are the most common providers of eggs for human consumption, other animals include quail and duck as well as fish eggs in the form of roe or caviar; a recognised luxury food an many countries.



The next time you're thinking about cooking with eggs, investigate the various varieties available in your local area. Duck eggs can be used in Asian cooking from regions such as The Philippines and Cambodia while quail eggs are great for individual quiches. Caviar can be found in most supermarkets and is a great, salty addition to a herby angel hair pasta dish.

See also: A golden box with no lid or key...

Pumpkin Pie, Oh My!

I have recently discovered how extraordinarily well pumpkin works in sweet dishes. The natural sugars within the fruit provide a syrupy base that is so versatile it can be used in a variety of sweet dishes. Boiling roasted, mashed pumpkin in a simple sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and water) yields an excellent condiment that can be poured over anything from decadent cakes to ice-cream.

The suitableness of the pumpkin also goes incredibly well with strong, earthy spices such as clove, cinnamon and ginger, to achieve a rich, aromatic flavour that is perfect for the Autumn season as it holds slightly richer flavours than Summer foods without expressing the heaviness of Winter dishes.

Below is a recipe of a sweet pumpkin pie. This rendition is perfect for sharing with coffee and friends as morning or afternoon tea. It can also be served with double or clotted cream as a post dinner dessert.


Pumpkin Pie:

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1/4 cups plain flour
• 100g butter, chopped
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 4 tblsp chilled water
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten and mixed with 1 tblsp of milk (for glazing)

Filling:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup soft brown sugar
• 500 g pumpkin, roasted, mashed and cooled
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 tblsp brandy
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
  

Method:

1. Rub butter into flour until fine and crumbly. Stir in caster sugar. Add almost all liquid and mix to a firm dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth.
2. Roll out pastry and line base and sides of pastry dish. Roll out excess pastry, cut into leaf shapes. Refrigerate leaves and base for at least 20 mins.
   
3. Blind bake pie base for 10 mins at 180 degrees Celsius. Remove from oven and bake uncovered for a further 10 mins. Mean while, place pastry leaves on baking try lined with paper, brush with egg glaze and bake for 10-15 mins; set aside to cool.
4. Filling: Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Add cooled pumpkin, cream, brandy and spices. Stir until combined. Pour mixture into pastry shell, smooth surface with the back of a spoon and bake for 40 mins at 180 degrees or until set. Allow pie to cool before arranging leaves on top.