Mum bought down two of these bottles, which we opened on Tuesday night - great wine! Very smooth Shiraz with loads of flavour. Apparently its about $15 a bottle which makes it a bargain! Another great find from an often overlooked wine region.
http://www.bulga.com/index.asp
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Breakfast pizza - an amazing combination
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| From Recently Updated |
I just finished eating something I had been thinking about making for a while - breakfast pizza! I could eat this every day and not get sick of it. I had been battling in my mind for a while over whether to go with a bread base, or a pastry base. I went with pastry and was extremely happy with the results. I guess maybe it's not technically a pizza, more of a tart, but what the hell, breakfast pizza sounds much better than breakfast tart. Kinda sounds like the one night stand that is only in it for the breakfast!
Anyway, this is how it goes:
Sam's Breakfast Pizza
Preheat oven to 180deg c.
Take 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, and thaw. Chop some Monterey jack cheese into matchsticks, and line these up about 5mm from the edge of the pastry, on each side. Fold the edge of the pastry over the cheese and press down. There is your cheesy crust! I'm pretty sure most of mine just leaked out, I will have to experiment with a different type of cheese. I also brushed the crust with some beaten egg.
Fry or grill half a dozen pieces of bacon until they are about 5 minutes away from how you would regularly cook your bacon - remember this is going to spend some time in the oven.
Smear the inside of your pizza with a few tablespoons of sour cream (as you would with your tomato-based sauce for a regular pizza. Sprinkle this liberally with grated tasty cheese. Top with thinly sliced chorizo, and now add your bacon (after draining on paper towel), and place in the oven for 5-6 minutes. The cheese/sour cream should be starting to bubble and cook a little bit. Crack 2 or 3 eggs carefully on top, add a few thin slices of tomato, and sprinkle some shaved parmesan over the lot. Chuck back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
At this stage i turned the oven down and turned the grill on, to cook the eggs on top of the pizza a bit more.
Slice up and serve with guacamole (recipe to come), some parsley to make it look pretty, and mum's awesome home-made relish! I tossed around the idea of more sour cream, or even marscapone on top, but I didn't feel like a heart attack today. You could go crazy and even bake on some crumbled fetta or mozzerella if you wanted.
K and I were extremely happy with the pizza, and although we said we were only going to have one piece, we polished off half of the pizza in no time! The crispy, flaky pastry around the outside was the perfect foil for the creamy, cheesy goodness on the inside. And the browned bacon and chorizo added a great smokiness to the pizza. And when you cut into the egg and the yolk was still that tiny bit oozy (is that a word??) - amazing!
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| From Recently Updated |
Next challenge - a strawberry breakfast pizza!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
I love driving home from work around 7pm....
That seems to be when the are 'making' vegemite at the Port Melbourne Kraft factory! The car fills up with the smell of the salty, yeasty goodness!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Dhaba at the Mill - Kyneton
Just go there. No really, just do it. It may be around an hour from Melbs, but it is so worth it!
The love affair started when my sister grabbed some take-away from there late last year (before you could actually dine in). There had been a bit of a buzz about this place, but I was a bit skeptical - a good indian restaurant in Kyneton??? Man was I wrong, everything about this restaurant is spot on! Rustic fitout (while still cosy), friendly, personal service, and great food.
I visited for about the third time last week, for yet another birthday dinner with the family. The restaurant have a no bookings policy, however we got there about half past six and got a table without any problem.
We started with a samosa and the obligatory indian beer (steered clear of Kingfisher though). The samosa had a perfectly crunchy outside, with some very tasty soft vegetables inside.
It's so hard to know which curry to order here, as it all sounds so good (and is so good)! We had to go for the butter chicken - tender chicken pieces in the most amazing curry! Beef Vindaloo and Lamb korma were also amazing, as was the lighter, but still tasty yellow dahl. The dishes are fairly mild (for all you spice wimps out there) but you can order a spicier version if you like. A highlight is the parantha (flat bread) which is delightfully soft, but at the same time has some blackened char-grilled areas and a great flavour from the grill.
I did not indulge in any wine that night, however the restaurant has a couple of great local wines on offer, as well as some indian beers and beers from the macedon ranges region.
To finish off a great meal, Jessi bought out a special dessert, after finding out it was my birthday! The name escapes me now, however it was a small bowl of buckwheat noodles (cooked somewhat like rice pudding), topped with a little ball made from evaporated milk, and delicately spiced - delicious! I think it may have been called gulab jamun.
I believe the menu changes quite often, if you go look out for the cardamom chicken curry which I had another time, it was fantastic!
http://www.dhabaatthemill.com.au
The love affair started when my sister grabbed some take-away from there late last year (before you could actually dine in). There had been a bit of a buzz about this place, but I was a bit skeptical - a good indian restaurant in Kyneton??? Man was I wrong, everything about this restaurant is spot on! Rustic fitout (while still cosy), friendly, personal service, and great food.
I visited for about the third time last week, for yet another birthday dinner with the family. The restaurant have a no bookings policy, however we got there about half past six and got a table without any problem.
We started with a samosa and the obligatory indian beer (steered clear of Kingfisher though). The samosa had a perfectly crunchy outside, with some very tasty soft vegetables inside.
It's so hard to know which curry to order here, as it all sounds so good (and is so good)! We had to go for the butter chicken - tender chicken pieces in the most amazing curry! Beef Vindaloo and Lamb korma were also amazing, as was the lighter, but still tasty yellow dahl. The dishes are fairly mild (for all you spice wimps out there) but you can order a spicier version if you like. A highlight is the parantha (flat bread) which is delightfully soft, but at the same time has some blackened char-grilled areas and a great flavour from the grill.
I did not indulge in any wine that night, however the restaurant has a couple of great local wines on offer, as well as some indian beers and beers from the macedon ranges region.
To finish off a great meal, Jessi bought out a special dessert, after finding out it was my birthday! The name escapes me now, however it was a small bowl of buckwheat noodles (cooked somewhat like rice pudding), topped with a little ball made from evaporated milk, and delicately spiced - delicious! I think it may have been called gulab jamun.
I believe the menu changes quite often, if you go look out for the cardamom chicken curry which I had another time, it was fantastic!
http://www.dhabaatthemill.com.au
Little Creatures Dining Hall
My new favourite place to eat/drink in Melbourne! I have been to this venue quite a few times, and every time I have been impressed by the great fitout, the friendly staff, the huge range of beers available, and of course the amazing food.
I visited again a few weeks ago, and was not let down. They even catered for a 3yo, which I was surprised about. A high chair was offered, and she was even brought her own little blackboard and chalk to scribble with!
We actually chose to meet at little creatures, with no firm plans of where to actually eat that night. I knew that I wanted to go there for the fresh little creatures pale ale on tap, and the incredible chips. These would have to be some of the best chips and aoli in melbourne. They are hand cut, a little of the skin still on, and cooked perfectly. The aoli is light and creamy, and I can only guess, but it seems like it is lightened with the addition of cream, or egg whites - whatever they do, it's amazing!
So after settling in for a few pints, some chips, and an overdue catchup we decided to eat there. Very much a 'sharing' type menu, there is heaps to choose from. We went first for a delicious pork belly confit - crispy on top, and melt in your mouth material underneath. We also chose a calamari salad, perfectly barbecued, served on top of a mandarin salad. I could eat this every night! The potato and chorizo pizza was incredibly tasty, as was the beetroot dip and char-grilled bread. The highlight though was the lamb 'cigars'. I can't remember what the cut was that they used, but it was something like slow cooked shoulder, cooked in a rich sauce and shredded, then placed inside filo cigars, served with some of the sauce and sour cream. Delicious!
Little Creatures Dining Hall
222 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Highly recommended, not just for the great beer! Thanks to Trent for the great service!
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| From Food |
I visited again a few weeks ago, and was not let down. They even catered for a 3yo, which I was surprised about. A high chair was offered, and she was even brought her own little blackboard and chalk to scribble with!
We actually chose to meet at little creatures, with no firm plans of where to actually eat that night. I knew that I wanted to go there for the fresh little creatures pale ale on tap, and the incredible chips. These would have to be some of the best chips and aoli in melbourne. They are hand cut, a little of the skin still on, and cooked perfectly. The aoli is light and creamy, and I can only guess, but it seems like it is lightened with the addition of cream, or egg whites - whatever they do, it's amazing!
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| From Food |
So after settling in for a few pints, some chips, and an overdue catchup we decided to eat there. Very much a 'sharing' type menu, there is heaps to choose from. We went first for a delicious pork belly confit - crispy on top, and melt in your mouth material underneath. We also chose a calamari salad, perfectly barbecued, served on top of a mandarin salad. I could eat this every night! The potato and chorizo pizza was incredibly tasty, as was the beetroot dip and char-grilled bread. The highlight though was the lamb 'cigars'. I can't remember what the cut was that they used, but it was something like slow cooked shoulder, cooked in a rich sauce and shredded, then placed inside filo cigars, served with some of the sauce and sour cream. Delicious!
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| From tastes like yum |
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| From tastes like yum |
Little Creatures Dining Hall
222 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Highly recommended, not just for the great beer! Thanks to Trent for the great service!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Imperia pasta machine (and resulting mushrooms and fettucine)
Kara bought me a fantastic pasta machine for my birthday which was just what I wanted. We tried it out for the first time tonight and it worked beautifully!
When I unwrapped it, I thought that I must have been bad and that she had given me a housebrick or something because this thing weighs a ton! It feels so solidly made that I think I will have it forever! You would not want to drop this machine on your toe - the machine would be fine, but your toe, not so crash hot.
All you have to do is bolt it to the bench, plug the handle in, and voila - ready to make pasta.
For the dough I mixed 3 eggs with 30mL of olive oil, and 300g of pasta flour (a mix of durum semolina and strong flour) until it came together into a smooth dough. I let this rest for 15 minutes in glad wrap (in the fridge) and then started making pasta!
After rolling the pasta through the machine as per the instructions, and fiddling with the width between the rollers a bit, it was surprisingly easy to make fettucine with the attached pasta cutter. I really cannot believe how easy it is - goodbye san remo and barilla dried pasta forever! No more dried out lasagne sheets either from now on.
While the pasta was boiling in salted water, we gently cooked some sliced garlic in olive oil, and added a good couple of handfuls of sliced swiss brown mushrooms. I had wanted pine mushrooms, but every time I go to the black forest farm shop they have already sold out for the day! We sauteed these, added 1 tsp thyme and deglazed the pan with a glass of white wine. We let this cook off, and then served on top of the pasta, topped with grated parmigiano reggiano. All up the cooking process took about five minutes, and it was such a quick and tasty after work dinner.
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| From tastes like yum |
Recipe inspired by Guy Gross on Food Safari Italian.
http://www.imperia.com/chi_siamo.php - link to pasta machine manufacturer
death cake!
side by side comparison of birthday cakes cooked by James and Dad - both equally deathly due to large amounts of cream or cream cheese!
You decide which one looks yummer! They both tasted pretty good.
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| From tastes like yum |
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| From tastes like yum |
You decide which one looks yummer! They both tasted pretty good.
mmmm... chocolate
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| From tastes like yum |
This is the lovely present I received off my lovely sister, and wow this chocolate is amazing! The chocolate flakes made a fantastic hot chocolate, and the dark chocolate with cocoa beans was surprisingly yummy! The beans added a nice crunch to the chocolate. I am yet to try the dulce de leche but it looks awesome. Thanks Gab!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
taco bill giant burrito
Another eating challenge to add to the list of giant plate sized hamburger and 1kg steak - now we have a 2.5kg burrito!
Could you really eat a 2.5kg of mexican goodness in under 35 minutes?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Enchiladas Nuevo Mexico (for Bryony!)
Inspired by my love of Mexican food, this dish has become the one asked for most often by my wife, Kara. It's richness is created by the addition of a secret ingredient – cocoa. It makes all the difference to this dish – just don’t add too much.
There is only really one match for this dish, and that is of course the margarita! However for those who would prefer a beer, you really cannot go past Dos Equis Amber ale.
Enchiladas Nuevo Mexico
Preheat oven to 180C. Brown a chopped onion and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves in a heavy based dutch oven over a gentle heat with the oil. Add the 1kg beef (skirt steak, rump steak, chuck steak) and brown in batches. Add 1 tsp beef stock powder and deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of tequila. Add 4tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp smokey paprika, 1 red chili (finely chopped), the juice of 1 lime, and a scant 1tsp cocoa. Add water to cover the meat and bring to the boil.
Place the lid on the pot, and place in oven. Cook for 3 hours, checking every now and again and stirring any well cooked pieces from around the outside of the pot.
Once that is in the oven begin the red sauce. In a saucepan sweat the garlic and onion for a few minutes. Add 1 tin crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp chili paste, sliced roasted capsicum (if using), 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp vege stock and 1 tsp cumin. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pulse in a food processor until you have a smooth sauce.
Once the beef has finished cooking, remove from pot and shred with 2 forks (if you even need to!)
Prepare the rice by cooking 1 cup rice and 1 onion (finely chopped) in 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Stir to coat the rice with oil. Add water and chicken stock to cover. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer. After 20 minutes add corn, tomato, capsicum or any other vegetables you like, or even some sliced chorizo. Reduce to a low heat and cook until all the liquid has gone.
Assembly
Preheat grill. If using packet tortillas, microwave according to packet instructions. Spoon a few tablespoons of meat filling down the middle of each tortilla. Roll up, and place on plate with the join on the bottom. Add another enchilada if desired. Spoon the red sauce liberally over the top, and sprinkle with a handful of grated cheese. Place a serve of frijoles (refried beans) on the plate alongside enchiladas. Carefully slide a fried egg (sunny side up!) on top of the enchiladas, and place under the grill until cheese is melty and starting to brown. Remove from grill, add some sliced, crunchy iceberg lettuce, and some salsa and cheese on top of the frijoles. Enjoy!
There is only really one match for this dish, and that is of course the margarita! However for those who would prefer a beer, you really cannot go past Dos Equis Amber ale.
Enchiladas Nuevo Mexico
Preheat oven to 180C. Brown a chopped onion and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves in a heavy based dutch oven over a gentle heat with the oil. Add the 1kg beef (skirt steak, rump steak, chuck steak) and brown in batches. Add 1 tsp beef stock powder and deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of tequila. Add 4tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp smokey paprika, 1 red chili (finely chopped), the juice of 1 lime, and a scant 1tsp cocoa. Add water to cover the meat and bring to the boil.
Place the lid on the pot, and place in oven. Cook for 3 hours, checking every now and again and stirring any well cooked pieces from around the outside of the pot.
Once that is in the oven begin the red sauce. In a saucepan sweat the garlic and onion for a few minutes. Add 1 tin crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp chili paste, sliced roasted capsicum (if using), 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp vege stock and 1 tsp cumin. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pulse in a food processor until you have a smooth sauce.
Once the beef has finished cooking, remove from pot and shred with 2 forks (if you even need to!)
Prepare the rice by cooking 1 cup rice and 1 onion (finely chopped) in 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Stir to coat the rice with oil. Add water and chicken stock to cover. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer. After 20 minutes add corn, tomato, capsicum or any other vegetables you like, or even some sliced chorizo. Reduce to a low heat and cook until all the liquid has gone.
Assembly
Preheat grill. If using packet tortillas, microwave according to packet instructions. Spoon a few tablespoons of meat filling down the middle of each tortilla. Roll up, and place on plate with the join on the bottom. Add another enchilada if desired. Spoon the red sauce liberally over the top, and sprinkle with a handful of grated cheese. Place a serve of frijoles (refried beans) on the plate alongside enchiladas. Carefully slide a fried egg (sunny side up!) on top of the enchiladas, and place under the grill until cheese is melty and starting to brown. Remove from grill, add some sliced, crunchy iceberg lettuce, and some salsa and cheese on top of the frijoles. Enjoy!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
wonton soup
I really felt like something light for tea, and have been craving dumplings or wontons for a while now, so I came to the only logical conclusion. This was the first time I had cooked dumplings in soup, and I was pleased with the results.
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| From tastes like yum |
My recipe for chicken wontons
1 pack of wonton wrappers
2 chicken breast fillets, minced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp sherry (I used sweet, not sure if it would matter much)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 egg
1 tsp ginger
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped water chestnuts
4 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
cracked pepper
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until combined.
Lay the wrappers out on the bench and place 1 tsp of mixture into the centre of each. Brush the edges of each wrapper with water, and bring 2 diagonal corners together, and then the other two corners. Sort of squish it all up however you like, as long as all the edges are sealed.
For the soup:
Soak a handful of dried chinese mushrooms in water 15 minutes before starting.
In a large saucepan add 1L chicken stock, 1tsp and ginger and 1 cup white wine and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the mushrooms (sans water) and 1 buk choy (broken apart). Add the wontons and boil until they come to the surface. Boil for another couple of minutes.
Serve topped with chopped spring onion. Mmmmmm I'm getting hungry again just writing this!
This soup was so fresh and fragrant. And the left over wontons were fantastic the next day fried and served with soy sauce!
hellenic republic, brunswick east
I visited this restaurant recently, for a birthday celebration with Kara, my Mum, my brother, and my 3 year old daughter Ella. Again I was extremely impressed with every aspect of this restaurant. My only complaint would be the fact that the waitress forgot to bring some textas to the table for Ella!
The fitout provides a great sense of theatre as you walk down the long dining room, past the large group table surrounded by drawers full of spices, past the bar, and past the open kitchen's prep bench and grill. You feel like you are actually in the kitchen as you walk past and feel the heat and hear the sizzle coming from the grill, and you watch the chefs slicing and dicing not one foot away from you. We were seated at the end of the room, right next to a cabinet full of tasty looking smoked meats (which I tried last time and were spectacular).
Our waitress was extremely friendly and helpful (as were all the staff) and nothing was too much trouble. She took the time to explain the menu, and the concept of ordering sharing plates or the banquet option (can't remember the name of this now). We opted for making our own selections and were not disappointed. We started with kefalograviera topped with a sharp, acidic, but still sweet spoonful of stewed figs, which was amazing! We also tried the classic spanakopita (i'll stop here and say that I have no idea how to spell some of these dishes but i'm sure you'll get the picture), tzatziki and skordalia, along with the obligatory pita bread, and chicken and lamb straight off the spit (which you can sit right in front of in the outdoor area). The meat was fantastic, great flavours and an awesome smokiness from being roasted slowly over coals. Just the right amount of crispiness from the outer pieces, along with some tender and juicy pieces of meat from the inside. Went down a treat on some pita, and topped with one of the dips. We also ordered some very simple but extremely tasty mushrooms cooked with parsley and garlic, and some hand cut chips. The plates appeared small at first but we were soon all extremely full, and very pleased with the great value. That's not to say there was anything leftover at the end, I think every last morsel had been scraped off the plates! Desserts sounded tempting, but we all needed a bit of time, and churros at chocolateria san churro is Ella's new favourite treat, so we headed there later in the afternoon.
I would go back there in a heartbeat, and think it would be a fantastic place to go with a big group of people, as this style of food is perfectly suited to sharing with friends.
Hellenic Republic
434 Lygon St
Brunswick East
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