Even with Summer coming to an end, we’ve been getting some steaming hot weather in Brisbane this last week. I thought I would try to get one more summery dish in, as a bit of a farewell to the season.  I’ve been experimenting with desserts of the frozen nature, an wanted to share 2 in particular with you. Quick, have a go at these before the weather turns cool!  This passionfruit semifreddo was my January special.  It was so popular, I think I knocked it out about 3 times in 1 week! It is so light and subtle.  And it’s hard to go wrong with beautiful passionfruit.

On our week off in Byron, I went right into cooking mode. With loads of limes to enjoy from the lime tree in beautiful Newrybar, I didn’t want them to become just the garnish for Josh’s Coronas.   Jamie came to the rescue with a recipe for lemon sherbet in the pages of Jamie’s Italy. In contrast to the semifreddo, the sherbet was very sweet and sharp, and more refreshing.  I made 2 lots, one with just lemons, and one with a combination of lemons and limes. The lemon lime combo was the winner…and disappeared too quickly for me to get a photo, but here’s the lemon sherbet.

passionfruit semifreddo
enough for 6

6 egg yolks
180g castor sugar
14 passionfruit
juice of 1 lime
seeds of 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
225gm double cream
115ml pouring cream

method

Whisk egg yolk in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Place sugar, passionfruit and vanilla seeds in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy.  Begin to whisk the yolks again, adding the syrup and lime juice until mixture is cold. In a separate bowl, combine the 2 creams and whisk until soft peaks form.  Fold in the passionfruit mixture and spoon into a lunchbox or cake tin lined with baking paper.  Freeze for at least 8hrs.  Turn out to serve as a semifreddo ‘loaf’ and serve in slices, or scoop out of the container.

xanadu lime & lemon sherbet
enough for 6

1 cup caster sugar
1 cup water
zest of 1 lime and 1 lemon
100ml freshly squeezed lime juice
150ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon mascarpone

method

Bring the water and caster sugar to the boil in a saucepan and then reduce to a simmer.  Remove after about 5 minutes, once syrupy and allow to cool for 15 minutes.  Add the juices and mascarpone and whisk until there are no lumps of mascarpone.  Taste for the right balance of lemony vs sugar and adjust.  Pour into a shallow dish and place in the freezer. After an hour, check to see if there are any frozen bits – use a fork to break it up.  Repeat every hour for the first 3 hours. Allow to freeze another hour or 2 and then it will be ready to scoop out.

I’m not quite sure what has brought on the sudden obsession with Mexican cuisine in Brisbane. It seems to be the flavour of the moment, with numerous restaurants like Guzman y Gomez and the Burrito Bar popping up left, right and centre. But whatever the reason, we’ve embraced the Mexican fever at home and have started a bi-weekly tradition of Mexican feasts.  Although, there are only so many tacos and burritos a person can take, so I have extended my repertoire, and in the process, have discovered some fresh Mexican flavours.  One dish that I really enjoyed was sopa de lima which translates to lime soup – a Yucatan specialty. Like burritos or tacos, you can still get everyone involved in the dish, by placing the bits and pieces in bowls, the soup or stock in a large jug, and have everyone assemble their own creations at the table.  It’s a very light, fresh soup, which I think is much better suited to summer than winter.   The soup, or broth rather, is based on the chicken stock that you have to make first. The avocado, corn chips, coriander, chilli, lime and feta give it great contrasting elements which really make the dish.  The great thing is, you can keep some of the chicken aside, and serve it with burritos or tacos afterwards if you just can’t get enough of the Mexican favourites… it’s great panfried with some cumin and garlic.

ingredients
enough for 6

1 whole, free range chicken
2 onions
14 garlic cloves
1 carrot chopped into large cubes
6 allspice
6 cloves
1 cinnamon quill
1 bunch coriander – washed thoroughly
3 limes
1 avocado, diced
1 packet salted/plain corn chips
1 block feta
1 red chilli

method

Pat the chicken dry all over before placing in a large saucepan.  Throw in 1 onion quartered, 4 garlic cloves, the chopped carrot, spices, 1 tbsp salt and the coriander stems and roots (keep the leaves aside). Cover with just enough water, bring to the boil, reduce heat and cover.  Allow to simmer for 1 hour.

In the last 15 minutes, turn the oven on to the grill setting at a high temperature. Quarter the remaining onion and place on the tray with the remaining 10 garlic cloves. Grill for about 8 minutes or until soft. Once cooled, squeeze the garlic into a food processor (or in a bowl that allows you to blend the contents with a hand processor), throw in the onion, and add a cup of the chicken broth.  Process until smooth.

Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside.  Strain the stock into a large, clean saucepan, discarding the solids.  Ideally, you want about 9 cups of liquid to start with (based on 6 people).  If there is more liquid than this, set it aside.  Pour the garlic and onion puree into the saucepan and combine with the stock.  Squeeze 1-2 limes (to taste) into the broth, salt and pepper and taste for flavour.  Don’t expect anything overpowering, it is supposed to be subtle, and remember, the other ingredients that are added at the end, will contribute much of the flavour.  If it’s quite strong, then you can afford to add more of the liquid.

Keep warm on a low heat while preparing the condiments for the table; shred the chicken (set half aside for use in burritos if desired), dice the avocado, wash and separate the coriander leaves, crumble the feta, slice the chilli finely, slice the extra lime into wedges and lightly crush the corn chips.  Place in bowls on the table for everyone to help themselves.  Set flat soup bowls on the table.  When ready to go, pour the broth into a large jug and serve.

]]> http://mybitchinkitchen.com.au/savoury/sopa-de-lima-a-summer-soup/feed 1 http://mybitchinkitchen.com.au/mains/homemade-pappardelle-fresh-basil-oven-roasted-cherry-tomato-chorizo?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=homemade-pappardelle-fresh-basil-oven-roasted-cherry-tomato-chorizo http://mybitchinkitchen.com.au/mains/homemade-pappardelle-fresh-basil-oven-roasted-cherry-tomato-chorizo#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:11:16 +0000 Holly http://mybitchinkitchen.com.au/?p=1154  

Homemade pasta is a breeze. There are just 2 things to remember; ‘many hands make light work’ and ‘go hard or go home’. Invite friends over and put them to work. Get a production line happening, hand them a glass of red for their troubles and you’ll be laughing.  After having the right ratio of flour to eggs (which you will after you read this recipe), the next most important step is in the kneading and working of the dough.  You need to be prepared to give it some good elbow grease and body heat to develop the gluten, as this is what makes the end product springy and al dente. You want the texture of the dough to be silky smooth. You’ll soon see that it really isn’t hard at all to have perfectly al dente, fresh, home made pasta everytime you feel the urge for a bit of I-talian.

In making great pasta, it’s also important to use Tipo 00 flour. This refers to how finely the pasta is milled, and Tipo 00 is the finest durum wheat flour available. Containing high levels of gluten and protein, it’s perfect for pasta making (and pizza too).  You can get it at most supermarkets these days.

As for the accompanying sauce or flavours, the key is; less is best. After you’ve gone to the effort of making fresh pasta, you want it to be the hero, and the additional flavours to complement, not overpower. My favourite pasta is fat pappardelle because it’s big enough that there’s still loads of texture if cooked to perfection. My favourite accompaniments are chorizo for its saltiness, spiciness and meatiness, basil for its beautiful flavour and the colour it adds to the dish, lemon for its freshness and the way it makes everything taste that little bit healthier, mozzarella for its subtlety, parmesan for its savouriness and bite, and olive oil – but only the best.

ingredients for pasta
makes enough for 4-6 (4 starving people or 6 petit eaters)

pasta maker/machine or a rolling pin & a big, sturdy, clean work surface
600g type 00 flour
6 eggs

ingredients for the accompanying sauce
enough for 4

2 chorizo, thickly sliced on an angle
2 trays of truss tomatoes (a total of at least 25 toms), rinsed
bunch of fresh basil, rinsed and leaves picked
250g bocconcini or a whole mozzarella to grate (perfect italiano style)
block of parmesan, ready to grate
1 whole lemon
good quality olive oil
s&p

method

Pour the flour onto a large, clean surface in a mountain, and make a well in the centre. Drop the eggs in the centre.  Using your fingertips (or your friends’) incorporate the flour with the eggs until combined.  Before this next step, make sure the work station surfaces are well floured. Once it resembles a lump, split it in 2 and share them around and get everyone kneading, stretching, pulling, pushing, rolling and squashing the dough (not specifically in that order!).  It can take 15-20 minutes… take turns if your guests are pansies. You know it’s ready when the pasta is less floury and more silky smooth.  Cover the 2 mounds in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Have a celebratory drink – you are half way there!

Setup your pasta machine and put the lasagne maker on the widest setting. Split the dough so you now have 4 balls. Start with 1 of the balls and on a floured surface, press it out flat, but not too wide (it has to fit the width of the pasta maker).  Roll it through the pasta maker.  Fold the pasta in half, an run it through again. Click the pasta maker down to the next thinnest setting, and roll it through again. If the pasta is sticking at all, dust it in a bit more flour.  Alternate between these two settings a few times (when going up to the wider setting, fold the pasta in half again… this helps to work the pasta for a great texture.)  After repeating on the lower of the 2 settings, start rolling through, moving down the settings… as it gets longer, you’ll need to start catching it out the other side, and dust it every time with a bit more flour. Stop at setting number 7 for pappardelle.  Dust the work surface, lay out the lasagne sheet and dust the top side of the pasta sheet. Start rolling it up, making folds every 2 inches or so. It’s important not to be stingy on the dusting here, as otherwise, you won’t be able to unravel them when it’s time for cooking it.  With a sharp knife, cut the pasta into about 1 inch thick strips (don’t cut the wrong way or you will end up with lots of little strips instead of beautiful long pappardelle strands).  Spread out over a plate or cutting board (yes, you guessed it, make sure it’s floured!), and if it’s a hot climate, place in the fridge, or at least away from intense heat.

Now it’s time to prepare your accompanying sauce or flavours.  Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Pan fry the chorizo on high heat in a non stick pan until browned. Place the tomatoes (still on their trusses) on a large oven tray, drizzle with some olive oil, and pour over the chorizo with the juices.  Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are juicy and a little wrinkled (see picture above).  Have all the other ingredients ready to go out on the bench with a grater handy.

Once you’ve got the sauce ready to go, bring large pot of water to the boil with half a handful of salt and a generous swig of olive oil. Have a large bowl and a colander ready too.  The pappardelle will need no more than 1 – 2 minutes cooking time so be on the ready. Test out the cooking time with just one strand, make sure to completely unravel before dropping it in.  Remember that it will cook a bit more once you take it out, so allow for this when testing the al dente-ness.  Do the rest in batches. Once you are sure of the cooking time, start to unravel all the pasta, and drop it in.  Once cooked, use tongs to gently pull out the pasta, place it in the colander over the sink. Transfer to the bowl and cover in a swig of olive oil.  Serve onto plates, top with the tomato and chorizo, a few basil leaves, dress with a tablespoon of the tomato/chorizo oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a grate of lemon rind, parmesan and mozzarella (either some torn bocconcini balls or a grate of the whole mozzarella).

Chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, egg, bacon & potato…. it sounds so boring. It sounds so American. But while I’m confident Aristotle did not intend for the phrase to be used in this way, when it comes to a cobb salad, if prepared in good taste, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

This is a fun salad – it is colourful, fresh & summery. It has a little bit of something for everyone, and everyone has their own adaptation. In my version, I use prosciutto instead, and rather than having everything cut to minuscule, identical cubic portions, everything is still identifiable. Because all my guests still have their teeth. Let’s call it rustic.

ingredients

makes enough for 4

6 chat potatoes
3 chicken breasts
100g marinated feta
8 leaves of cos lettuce, washed
8 slices of prosciutto or parma ham
2 cobs of corn
handful of fresh parsley or dill, chopped
3 big sprigs of rosemary
2 garlic cloves
tablespoon wholegrain mustard
1 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
3-4 eggs
1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1 lime
fresh loaf of sourdough

dressing

1/2 cup olive oil
tablespoon honey
1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1/2 tablespoon balsamic

method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Start with the chicken breasts – cut each breast in half to make two long, thinner halves.  smother in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard, salt and pepper.  Refrigerate for 1hr, or while prepping the other ingredients.

Once the oven is heated, lay the prosciutto on a tray lined with baking paper and place in the oven until crisp – about 5 minutes (but varies from oven to oven, so keep an eye on it).

On the stove, bring a pot of water to the boil, preferably one with a fitted colander.  Boil the whole potatoes in the water until tender. Meanwhile, steam the corn cobs in the colander above. Remove the corn and potatoes but keep the water for the eggs.  Boil the eggs for 2 minutes for soft boiled.  Immediately peel the shells off under cool water (they seem to come off easily this way).  Slice the corn from the cobs, and quarter the potatoes.

Heat a griddle on the stove to high, or light up the barbecue.  Grill the chicken – 4 minutes each side (this works every time, as long as you have the heat on high). At an angle, slice each breast into about 4 pieces each.

In a small container or jar, shake the dressing ingredients together.

Lastly, wash the salad leaves and tomatoes and slice the avocado.

When ready to serve, start with the potatoes.  Place the potatoes to one side of a large platter, and scatter with feta and parsley or chives. Chop roughly to combine. Arrange the remaining ingredients on the platter, don’t forget a few lemon or lime wedges!   Find a spot on the platter for the jug/bowl of  honey mustard dressing.  Serve with crusty warmed bread if desired.

Macarons are one of those indulgent treats that you only have once every so often. For me, this is just because they aren’t available on every street corner like they are in paris. But now that I have the perfect recipe, this never has to be a problem again! Macarons are a parisian specialty, famous for their thin, crisp outer layer (similar to a meringue, but a little drier) which crumbles when bitten into, revealing a soft and  slightly chewy centre with a beautiful, subtle, sweet almond flavour.  Once you have the basic recipe, you can experiment with the flavours until your heart’s content. I used the recipe from ‘ottolenghi the cookbook’, but substituted the flavours to better suit my tastebuds. The flavours in the cookbook are lime with basil filling, and salty peanut with caramel filling I”m going to try this one next time). I have made chocolate with pistachio filling, and pandanus with coconut filling. Thanks to Louise, Josh’s mother, who had a beautiful chocolate cake topped with macarons at her 50th, which inspired me to post this recipe.

ingredients

chocolate macarons

110g icing sugar
50g ground almonds
12g cocoa powder
2 free range egg whites (60g)
40g castor sugar

pistachio filling

100g unsalted butter
45g icing sugar
50g finely chopped roasted pistachios
2 tsps vanilla essence

method

Heat oven to 170 degrees celcius. using a fine sieve, sift the icing sugar, cocoa and ground almonds into a bowl. Place the egg whites and castor sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and start whisking on full speed until the whites are a thick and aerated meringue like texture – firm but not too dry. Remove the bowl and take a third of the egg white and fold it gently into the sifted almond and sugar mix. once incorporated, add another third, follow the same process until all the egg white has been added, and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Stick a piece of baking paper on a baking tray with a dot of the macaron mixture on each corner. Use a piping bag to create uniform shallow discs about the size of the 50 cent coins about 2 cm apart from each other.  Alternatively, you can dip your hands in icing sugar and roll balls of the mixture to form a similar shape. Now tap the bottom of the tray on the bench lightly to help smooth out the macarons. Leave the tray sit for 15 minutes before baking for abou 12 minutes (depending on the oven). When ready, they will come freely off the paper with a palette knife. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling as follows. Place the butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a spatula until pale in colour and light in texture. Add the pistachio and essence, and beat until incorporated.

To assemble, use a piping bag or small spoon to place a pea sized amount of filling on the flat side of a macaron. Gently sandwich together with another macaron half and leave to set somewhere cool (preferably not the fridge as they shouldn’t be served cold).

ingredients

pandanus macarons

120g icing sugar
60g ground almonds
2 free range egg whites (60g)
40g castor sugar
2 teaspoons pandanus flavouring

coconut filling

100g unsalted butter
45g icing sugar
50g dessicated coconut
2 tsp vanilla essence

method

Heat oven to 170 degrees celcius. Using a fine sieve, sift the icing sugar, cocoa and ground almonds into a bowl. Place the egg whites, pandanus flavouring and castor sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and start whisking on full speed until the whites are a thick and aerated meringue like texture – firm but not too dry. Remove the bowl and take a third of the egg white and fold it gently into the sifted almond and sugar mix. Once incorporated, add another third, follow the same process until all the egg white has been added, and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Stick a piece of baking paper on a baking tray with a dot of the macaron mixture on each corner. Use a piping bag to create uniform shallow discs about the size of the 50 cent coins about 2 cm apart from each other.  Alternatively, you can dip your hands in icing sugar and roll balls of the mixture to form a similar shape. Now tap the bottom of the tray on the bench lightly to help smooth out the macarons. Leave the tray sit for 15 minutes before baking for abou 12 minutes (depending on the oven). When ready, they will come freely off the paper with a palette knife. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling as follows. Place the butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a spatula until pale in colour and light in texture. Add the coconut and essence, and beat until incorporated.

To assemble, use a piping bag or small spoon to place a pea sized amount of filling on the flat side of a macaron. Gently sandwich together with another macaron half and leave to set somewhere cool (preferably not in the fridge as they shouldn’t be served cold).

other combinations I hope to try…

chocolate with rosewater filling
peanut with caramel filling
chocolate with chocolate and sea salt ganache
mint with raspberry jam butter cream

A friend who we visited while in New York told us; ‘you will find the best and worst of everything in New York’. This proved to be true in every sense, and food and coffee are no exception to this rule.

There are over 18,000 restaurants/cafes/eateries in NYC.  Adjusted for all the Starbucks, McDonalds, Donut Kings and Subways, there is still only about 1 great find to every 100 terrible ones.  Not to say that I would want to change this… it’s how you know when you have really found a gem! And while I think it is a good idea to have an idea of where you hope to eat/drink, otherwise you could end up overwhelmed, sometimes the best finds are the ones you just happen upon.  This is exactly how we came across Caffe Falai, our favourite food experience of the trip.

Here are the gems we found…

uptown – mainly west side

Central Park to Hudson River & West 59th Street to West 125th Street

the boathouse
114 East 60th Street

There are a few dining options on offer at the boathouse. My suggestion would be to sit out and lap up the sun alongside the lake, with a drink and light snack from the canteen.  We had the roast beef burger and chili (con carne)  which was canteen  not too bad, although i wouldn’t have minded a few nachos to accompany the chili instead of the strange, salty little fish shaped crackers that were served with it. But the cold Coronas and the great lakeside location are what it’s all about here. Alternatively, if you want something a little more formal, the restaurant itself offers fine dining.

the hudson
356 West 58th Street

This bold, urban designer hotel is a magnet for young professionals and anyone with an eye for style.  With a number of spots to indulge in a drink and a bite to eat, all contrastingly designed, there is something to suit your every mood. The ‘private park’ is a little slice of central park just off the hotel lobby. Brick walls are sprawling with ivy and the place is decked out with moroccan inspired outdoor furniture. Don’t forget to check out the ‘library lounge’ and the amazing interior of the ‘hudson bar’ which has to be seen to be believed.

le pain quotidient

60 West 65th Street
While it might be a chain, each store makes their beautiful loaves and pastries in store, and the rustic environment created by french farmhouse style decor and furniture made from reclaimed wood, makes each store feel unique and boutique. It is a far cry from the traditional sterile feel you get from a standard restaurant chain. The bakery/eatery was started by a belgian artisan baker whose methods are traditional, using only stone ground flour, salt and water to create his bread. The idea of the communal table is to remind people that even in a big city like New York, there is still a community.  The menu is fresh, simple and organic where possible.  Tartines are their signature offering, with toppings like hummus and curried cauliflower with diced cucumber, tomatoes and basil pesto.  Paired with homestyle lemonades and other delightful fizzy drinks, the fresh offerings here make for a great accompaniment to a hot sunny summers day.

shake shack
366 Columbus Avenue

An institution in NYC, at first we weren’t completely sold. The contents of the burger didn’t let us down, but like most burgers we had come across in the big apple,  the buns seemed unimpressive, white, soft, processed and lifeless.  But as explained by new york locals, it’s where people go to taste the roadhouse burgers of their youth. Its about recreating and reliving a burger from their childhoods, not perfecting or replacing it.   The burgers they pump out are a little piece of nostalgia between two pieces of soft, lifeless bun.  When put like that, I would say that shake shack is worth a visit if not for the burger buns, then at least for sentimentality’s sake. They also get 2 thumbs up for being conscientious when it comes to the environment? Their operations are carbon neutral, they practice composting onsite, their cooking oil is recycled into bio-diesel fuel and sustainable materials are being used in the construction of every newly opened shake shack.

things to see on the upper west side…

central park

american museum of natural history & hayden planetarium

the dakota – the apartment building on 72nd street and central park west where musician john lennon was murdered in 1980… yoko ono still lives there

columbus circle

the mad museum (museum of modern art, 2 columbus circle) – very cool design stuff here

the cute little central park resident we spotted on our cycle

on the lake in central park

midtown

Between 14th Street and 59th Street, from the Hudson River to the East River

cafe grumpy
224 West 20th Street

Australian founded cafe grumpy was the first of our boutique coffee discoveries on our coffee tour of New York. Hidden in amongst residential apartments in Chelsea, this nook like spot is not particularly obvious or standout. The signage is an iron oval shape with a grumpy face cut out, hanging above the door.  Don’t come here for breakfast, their food offerings are minimal to non existent as the main event is the coffee roasted in house at their Brooklyn roastery and cafe, served in brightly coloured ACF cups.

culture espresso
72 West 38th Street

The place to get your coffee fix on the upper side of midtown. Another haunt with alternative coffee crazed freaks behind the counter, a funly decorated space complete with hanging chandelier and a hint of grunge. Every coffee lover’s dream haven and escape from the hustle and bustle that is New York City. Again there are pastries and sandwiches but no substantial food menu.

stumptown
20 West 29th Street

Stumptown is an arm off the ace hotel – it became our favourite coffee joint. The indie coffee haus and chain of three roasts its own coffee. This joint in particualr is the proud owner of 2 x synesso’s operated by some talented baristas. And you know the coffee is good before you taste it, because  there is always a line out the door.  Although this could also be partly the fault of the extremely slow baristas, all of whom don grandpa hats…fitting really!

the breslin
16 West 29th Street

Housed in the chic ‘ace’ hotel in midtown, the breslin was the best breakfast spot we came across in our travels. So good infact that we went back twice more to sample the delights of this dark, bristish pub-like bistro. Our favourite meal on the menu was curried lentils with poached eggs, coriander and roasted garlic slices. I have since attempted this recipe at home myself (recipe to come).  Please don’t miss this place.

eataly
200 Fifth Avenue

This was another WOW moment of our trip. Eataly is everything good about italy’s cuisine, in one, indoor, overflowing marketplace of italian goodness, in the middle of the big apple. The idea is to showcase the best quality produce, and to make it accessible for everyone.  Their tagline explains it well ‘we sell what we cook & we cook what we sell’.  The marketplace showcases each type of produce with their own little shopfronts – fresh meat, cured meat, fish, pasta, pizza, sweets, coffee, wines, beers, breads, fresh fruit and veg, gelati… the list goes on. Each one of these shopfronts then has an accompanying restaurant or cafe, an opportunity to taste the food that they sell.  I have an inkling that alot of people come here to taste the food, not buy the products, becuase they do such a damn good job of it, anything you would attempt at home would just be second rate! They also have cooking classes available.  We chose to dine at the pasta restaurant, and we weren’t disappointed. We were served warm bread in a cute brown paper package (no string) with delicious olive oil (availble to buy ofcourse). We ordered a beautiful salad to start; shaved asparagus with broad beans and shaved parmesan; so simple, so Italian! Josh’s pasta was spaghetti in a simple butter and lemon sauce with loads of pepper. The pasta was the hero so didn’t need much else; freshly made, chunky and al dente. I had orrechiette with pork and fennel sausage, brocollini and a thick lemon sauce.

230 fifth
230 Fifth Avenue

The chillest (made up word I know) pool party in town, without the pool. Pina coladas, cold beers, calamari and yellow and white striped umbrellas; I feel like i am in LA or Miami, not NYC, except for the fact that i have an unobstructed view of the empire state building. did I mention this place has spectacular views? On the rooftop of 230 Fifth Avenue is a vibrant, buzzing garden and lounge bar. The food is fun with tasty American and Asian inspired morsels, great cocktails, and if it is a hot day like it was when we were there, each table has its own battery operated fan that sprays water… NYC thinks of everything! And I just found out that in winter, they heat the rooftop, and supply cozy fleece hooded red robes and oversized blankets!

things to see, midtown

visit times square to soak up the lights and buzzing energy, or to take in a broadway musical

5th ave shopping

cooking class at eataly

take in the view from the rockefeller centre

view the works at moma

curried lentils and poached eggs at the breslin

midtown coffee culture

yes, that’s a lamp made out of pasta – you’ll find one of everything at eataly

the view from 230 fifth

 lower manhattan / chelsea / meatpacking district

mostly south of 14th Street

caffe falai
265 Lafayette Street (nolita)

Looking through the window, the restaurant looks a stark yet welcoming wash of white, white walls, tiny white tiles, white benchtops, white chairs, white decor. the food is modern italian served in perfect portions. We were served surprise bellinis to start. And then had an avocado and micro herb salad with a truffle dressing – just beautiful. I ordered gnudi and Josh ordered a lamb ragout pasta dish, accompanied by a glass of crisp white wine, it was just magical. (or perhaps that was the bellini doing it’s thing!) We walked away grinning from ear to ear. This is what New York dining is about, pleasant  surprises hidden amidst general averageness, just waiting to be discovered and savored.

chipotle
Locations all over Manhattan

Some good, fresh mexican with a side of corona and lime. Yes, it’s a chain, but one that i endorse because it is healthy as far as chain food goes. And tastes damn good.  And it’s about the burritos not the nachos. And it’s more traditional mexican than something like taco bell or montezuma’s. And they support local farms that are sustainable and respect the animals. And I wish someone would open one in Brisbane, to give fast food mexican a good name. I think it would take off.

the standard
848 Washington Street

Towering over the popular highline in the fashionable meatpacking district, the standard is the place to be.  This unique building near the Hudson river houses a stylish, boutique hotel complete with gourmet hotspot restaurants and bars. Visit the biergarten and try the chicken wurst and spicy pork wurst, served with sauerkraut, relish and a tasty german breadstick – the best! Make your way up to the rooftop bar for fantastic views, fake grass, a frech crepe, and perhaps even a warm spa. Enjoy live djs in the living room any night of the week, or dine in the award winning the standard grill – the options are endless!

the chelsea market
75 9th Avenue

After being miserably disappointed with what was on offer at the Quincy markets in Boston, I was pleasantly surprised with the Chelsea markets…a fantastic indoor, chic (what isn’t in Chelesa?) market place with an array of eats to choose from. You can tell that every store holder is completely passionate about what they are producing, and the result is amazing, fresh and original products from beautiful, intricately decorated cakes and biscuits to artisanal breads, crepes, organic iceblocks, coffee, wines and much more. There are also a number of social, low key style restaurants/eateries that are worth a visit. One I wish I had known about before chowing down on 2 crepes and an ice block, is Friedman’s Lunch – a bustling little restaurant serving American style home food from fresh market produce.

the spotted pig
314 West 11th Street

I would go back here simply for the old-school party bites on offer including devils on horseback and deviled eggs… and for the best chips ever (I never thought I would say that about slices of deep fried potatoes..but seriously). I’m talking a massive pile of delicous potato shards which have been deep fried with garlic slices and rosemary leaves. Josh loved what I like to refer to as a bit of wank on a burger bun (that’s roquefort with a wagyu beef patty). It wasn’t that it was bad, and almost every table had atleast one of these on it, but again, the bun itself tasted lifeless and over-processed. But i guess that’s the way the Americans like their buns. There are also some other great, hearty english pub style meals on offer.  Also, just a note, you can’t reserve tables, and you can wait 45 minutes on a tuesday night at 11:30pm…atleast that is what we did!  They’re obviously doing something right.

things to do in the area

shopping along bleecker st – my favourite for boutique stores

eating a cupcake from the famous magnolia bakery (bleecker st)

sunning it up on the highline – beautiful man made, green public space that tunnels through the standard

visiting the apple store buying yourself some nic nacs (not the main apple store, but still pretty unbelievable)

take the free ferry across to staten island to get some good shots of lady liberty… go to the lower deck – nobody goes there

cheeky monkeys at the chelsea markets

 caffe falai on a perfect summer’s day

the standard rooftop bar – perfect on a sunny day

other buroughs of ny…mainly, brooklyn

Brooklyn is where all the cool kids hang out. Its like a small, sohobo (like it? i just made it up), Chic community of young creatives, and I like it. We tried to fit in by buying skateboards and rolling with the homies, but we stood out like a sore thumb. Oh well, it was fun anyway.

williamsburg ‘smorgasburg’ green food market – brooklyn – saturday
East river waterfront (btw. North 6 and 7 Streets)

If you have a chance to visit Brooklyn on a saturday, don’t miss these great organic markets. Less about selling raw organic produce and more about vendors selling food and drink made from organic produce, this is a great place to go for lunch. Do me a favour and head straight to ‘porchetta’ selling the most moist, melt in your mouth roast pork on a wholesome, to die for bun you have ever had – no condiments or anything else are required – the herby pork juices and fats just soak into the bread. I’m not a massive pork head, but this is just amazing, and what all pork should taste like. Finish off with a refreshing organic juice or iceblock.

the bedford cheese shop
229 Bedford Avenue

Cheese, cheese and more cheese. And bread. Beautiful old fashioned cheese shop which sources cheese from around the world.  It has a better range than anything we found in Manhattan.

things to do in brooklyn

walk over the brooklyn bridge from downtown manhattan

walk the streets of williamsburg/dumbo and discover the boutique shops and stores

soak up the sun and enjoy beautiful views of manhattan from eastriver state park on the waterfront

 can you spot the brooklyn outcasts?

the bedford cheese shop

a day out in brooklyn

This recipe will definitely spruce up your morning with a bit of tang from the limes, accompanied by some bite from the jalapeños. The idea is adapted slightly from a recipe in 2010 Gourmet Traveller Annual Cookbook.  The original recipe refers to the coriander dressing as relish, but it is not nearly as thick and no cooking is involved.  Not to say that this isn’t as good, if not better, but it is much fresher than a relish. Let’s call it a dressing. The tangy-ness of the dressing cuts the sweetness of the creamed corn, and adds an oriental touch to the dish. Delicious.

ingredients

makes enough creamed corn and relish for days (yum)… eggs and bread for 4

accompaniments

8 fresh, large eggs
8 slices grainy bread / walnut bread / sourdough
2 tbsp white vinegar

creamed corn

corn sliced from 4 corn cobs
1 spanish onion chopped finely
1 garlic clove
2 cups milk
rind of 2 limes
1/2 – 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (to taste)
30gm butter

spicy coriander dressing

50ml olive oil
1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1-2 tablespoons of pickled jalapenos (usually come sliced into rings…1 -2 tbsps depending on desired ‘hot’ factor) coarsley chopped
1/2 garlic clove finely chopped
1 shallot sliced finely
2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander
salt & pepper to taste

method

Melt the butter in a deep sided fry pan or pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes before adding the corn kernels, milk, salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Cover with a lid and simmer until the kernels are tender – about 12 minutes. Strain but set set the milk aside. Pour a little of the milk back in with the kernels and use a hand held mixer or blender to chop up the corn – you don’t want it to be mush or turn to baby food, but you want a combination of corn kernels and creamy goodness.  Set aside.

In a jar, place all the ingredients for the dressing and shake to combine.

For the poached eggs, heat a medium sized saucepan of water on the stove until simmering. Reduce to barely simmering. Add the white vinegar and use a spoon to stir the water, creating a gentle whirlpool effect.  Crack 2 eggs gently into the water.  Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes depending on how you like your eggs. Remove gently with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel. Repeat for remaining eggs. Meanwhile, prepare the toast.

On each plate, arrange the creamed corn on slices of toast, and top with 2 poached eggs. Shake the dressing before drizzling about 1 tablespoon over the eggs.

Here is an idea for leftovers (which you will have lots of):

I have tried to be a little more creative with my more recent rediscovery of iceblocks… but you be the judge. The original ice block holders were much simpler… i wish i still had them.

The photos are a mish mash of a few different varieties i tried …some are of the strawberry, yoghurt and honey variety. I drizzled honey around the iceblock moulds before pouring the mixture in, but this really only works if you use frozen berries, otherwise the honey just sinks to the bottom of the mould. Others are of the berry and yoghurt variety.  My favourite so far has been the watermelon, ginger beer and frozen blueberry iceblock (no photos of this one sorry).

I don’t really think this one needs  a recipe,  just take whatever fruit and flavours you think might work well together, blend them in a bowl, pour into moulds and freeze. And if you make too much, well, just freeze it in a tray, stirring occasionally until you make  sorbet. Ao instead, here are a few suggestions for tasty combinations…

When ready to serve, just run the moulds under a hot tap for a few seconds to release the iceblocks. Some of these ideas would also work well as an alcoholic ice block…something for your next summer Christmas party – just add vodka / white rum and you’re set (pun intended).

/ watermelon and ginger beer blended, pour into the mould and add blueberries

/ lemon juice, grated ginger and a little soda/sparkling water blended, add finely sliced lime pieces and fresh mint leaves to the mould

/ ginger beer, raspberries, mint and finely sliced lime pieces (no blending required)

/ apple juice with finely sliced apple pieces (no blending required)

/  natural yoghurt, strawberries and honey blended

/ natural yoghurt, honey and fresh mango blended

/ frozen berries, natural yoghurt and honey blended, add frozen berries to the mould

/frozen bellini – champagne/sparkling wine and peach juice (stirred not blended)

/ creme anglaise, chocolate chips and raspberries (no blending required) – not the most healthy of suggestions, but damn good!

ps. Please visit my toughest critics page as there is a new addition.

When i have too many of these…

…because banana bread tastes better than the real thing.  Well, maybe not. But better than the real, overripe thing.

I found this recipe while baking in louise’s kitchen, as brisbane flooded around us… for all the hard workers to enjoy on their tea break.

It’s a recipe that produces dense, moist banana bread; a recipe which contains more bananas and less added sugar than many of the other recipes I have tried for banana bread. Many banana ‘bread’ recipes are more cake-like. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t an exception, but at least it sticks together when you pop it in the toaster like a piece of bread. That is enough similarity for me to justify eating it for breakfast anyway.

I didn’t have any walnuts this time, but they are a really good addition.

ingredients

125g SALTED butter (salt makes everything better)

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cap full vanilla extract

pinch of cinnamon

1.5 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of salt

handful walnuts roughly chopped / or not chopped / whatever you prefer

method

Melt the butter and preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Line a loaf tin with baking paper.

Mash the bananas in a bowl and stir in the the butter, sugars, egg, cinnamon & vanilla.

Sift  in the flour, baking powder and salt until combined.

Pour into the lined tin and top with walnuts.

Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and has cracked a little.

Remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Eat slices warm with butter or you could toast a few slices once cooled a little more. Raspberry jam goes well with it too.

This might be the last thing you were wanting to see/read about after the last few days, but it has to be done…

I have a kilo of left over ham in the fridge, my mum has another kilo in her fridge and I am pretty sure just about everyone who celebrates Christmas does too. Christmas ham is almost a celebration in itself, yet by the time christmas is over, nobody can stand the sight of it…until of course another year goes by and christmas rolls around again.  I have stuffed myself silly with it and can not bring myself to to eat another piece of sliced ham. I could however be persuaded if it was disguised as something else… if it was not so blatant as a slab on a plate with a dollop of mustard.

Here are some ways to enjoy the last of your ham…

Click on the below links to take you to the recipes.

ham and pea risotto

croque monsieur

potato, leek and ham soup

broccoli, sage and bacon quiche <—  just replace the bacon with christmas ham

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ham and pea risotto

ingredients

makes enough for 4

3 celery sticks, sliced finely

1 brown onion, diced

2 cups arborio rice

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

75g butter

tablespoon olive oil

300g thickly chopped christmas ham

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

juice and rind of half a lemon

2 handfuls of fresh mint leaves, rinsed

1 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup pouring cream or mascarpone

salt & pepper to taste

method

Melt 20g butter in a frypan on high heat.  Once melted, pan fry the ham until browned. Set ham aside.

Bring the stock to boil in a saucepan, and reduce to simmer. Meanwhile, melt 50g butter in a large pot and cook the celery and onion on a medium heat until the celery loses its colour.  Add rice and olive oil to the pot of onion and celery, and cook until the rice turns almost transparent (do not brown).

This is the part where you cannot leave the stove. Pour the white wine into the pot of rice and stir until almost all the liquid has evaporated.  Spoon 1 to 2 ladles of stock into the rice and stir.  You may have to adjust the heat – the liquid should not be evaporating or sizzling immediately, but you should be able to work with it for about 1 – 2 minutes before the rice looks dry and thirsty again.  Once you get to this point, add another ladle or so and continue stirring.  Continue this process until the stock is used up, or the rice becomes quite creamy and is almost cooked through – the rice should have a bit of a bite in the centre at this stage. (You might find that there is a little stock left over which is fine.  or you might need a bit more – just add warm water.) Reduce the heat.

Throw in the ham and peas, the lemon juice and rind, the cream/mascarpone, and half the parmesan.  Stir until the cheese has melted.  Stir in half the mint at the last minute, and serve with the remaining parmesan and mint on top.

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croque monsieur

ingredients – makes 2 sandwiches

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

3/4 cup milk

pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper

3/4 cup or 100g gruyere or emmental cheese

4 slices of fresh french loaf bread

2 slices of christmas ham

handful of parmesan cheese, grated

dijon (or your favourite) mustard

butter for spreading

method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add flour and stir until a smooth paste forms. Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously. Remove from heat once thickened. Stir in parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Spread the bread slices with butter, and toast in the oven until lightly toasted. Spread 2 slices of bread with mustard, top with ham, half the gruyere/emmental (keep a handful for the top) and the other bread slice. Spoon over the bechamel sauce and remaining gruyere/emmental. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn to grill for 2-3 minutes or until browned on top.

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potato, leek and ham soup

ingredients

2 tbsp butter

1 whole garlic bulb

4 leeks thinly sliced

2 litres chicken or vegie stock

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

2 cups diced christmas ham

1/4 cup cream

handful each fresh thyme and chives

salt and pepper to taste

method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. roast garlic bulb for 30 minutes and set aside to cool.

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Pan fry ham until browned and set aside. Re-use the pot to cook the leeks until soft. Add the stock and potato and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the potato is cooked through.

Remove half of the potatoes, set aside while blending the potato and leek stock with the cream. Return remaining potatoes along with the ham and half of the herbs. Season to taste, and serve with remaining herbs sprinkled over the top.