Gingerbread

Gingerbread

125gm unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 egg yolk

2 and 1/2 cups plain flour

1tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until thick.
• Beat in syrup and yolk, then use a spoon to fold in flour, ginger, spice and soda until a smooth dough forms.
• Form dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Bring dough back to room temperature, then divide into 2 pieces. Roll dough out between two sheets of baking paper to about 5mm thick. 
• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then space out on baking tray (you may need to do a few batches).
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
• Cool on wire racks.

Decorate with a stiff icing (eg. 1 cup icing sugar to 2 tbsp warm water) and piping bag or, if are lazy like me, get some icing pens from the supermarket and use these as an easy, mess free alternative.

xx

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

We are blessed to have so many amazing friends in our life, and at Christmas it is nice to be able to show those people how much they mean to us. Unfortunately, with starting a new business and a new baby on the way, we need to find some resourceful ways of making gifts.
This is the third Christmas I've made this jam, and I love how beautiful and festive it looks in the jars. I collect the jars during the year, so come Christmas I have enough to do a few batches.
This recipe is delicious, as the lemon juice and the rhubarb cut the sweetness a little. I particularly love it on a croissant Christmas morning.

Christmas Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

1kg white sugar

1kg strawberries, hulled, quartered

2 cups (250gm) coarsely chopped rhubarb

1/3 cup lemon juice

50g packet jamsetta

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan forced). Spread sugar in a shallow baking dish, warm in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. This will help the sugar dissolve quickly, giving a clear conserve/ jam.
2. Meanwhile, combine strawberries, rhubarb and lemon juice in a large saucepan (fruit and sugar mixture should not be more than 5cm deep). 
3. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the fruit is soft, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add jamsetta and sugar, stirring until dissolved.
5. Bring conserve to the boil; boil vigorously, uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until mixture jells, stirring occasionally. When mixture falls heavily from the spoon test if it is ready by placing a spoonful on a clean plate in the freezer for 1 minute; if it wrinkles when pushed with a finger, it is ready.
6. Skim any scum from the surface.
7. Pour conserve into hot sterilised jars; seal while hot.
8. Decorate lids with fabric and ribbon if giving as gifts.

This amount generally makes about 5 jars of jam.

(Australian Women's Weekly, 'Christmas & Holiday Entertaining', 2007)

For sterilising the jars, I wash them in warm soapy water then dry in the oven for 15 minutes at about 110°. Metals lids are fine to go in the oven too.

For more information on sterilising jars see: www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/572/how+to+sterilise+jars+and+bottles 

Happy holidays xx 

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas

I adore Christmas. I love it when December 1st rolls around, and I can crank the carols, put up my tree and start baking. I think I have inherited this obsession with all things festive from my mother, and so many of the things I love to do and cook this time of year are from her, and from the things she has traditionally cooked in our family home.
Without fail, one of the most beloved of Christmas treats are Jen's Russian teacakes. Buttery, sugary, short bread balls with a subtle crunch of walnuts. These are always a favourite among family and friends alike.

Jen's Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients:

250gm butter, softened

1/2 cup icing sugar (sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 and 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Additional icing sugar for coating

Recipe:

• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
• Blend in sifted flour and salt
• Stir in walnuts
• Chill dough in the fridge for 1 hour (at least)
• Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on paper lined baking trays (should make about 50)
• Bake at 170 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set but not brown
• Roll once in icing sugar while still warm, then cool on wire rack. When completely cool roll in icing sugar again.
• Store in airtight container.

I hope they are as enjoyed at your Christmas as they are at ours xx

Home grown

My husband has a green thumb and I, unfortunately, do not. He loves his little veggie garden made up of a collection of veggie boxes he potters about in, and an assortment of pots and baskets, growing a variety of treats from beetroot to basil. The beauty of our situation is that what he loves to grow I get to cook. He does, however, occasionally throw a spanner in the works by growing a few things I either don't particularly like or don't know what to do with. Enter the broad bean. I've had these as tasty little morsels, and also as bitter little misfortunes depending on how they've been treated. We currently have them in a bit of abundance so I decided to make them into a dip, and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.  

The down side of broad beans is to get them tasty you have to get them first out of their pod, then out of their outer skin. This is best achieved by boiling them for 5-10 minutes or until they swell, then soaking them in cold water until the outer skin shrivels, then just peel it off.

The cheese in this dip gives it a nice creaminess, and the lemon and herbs give a fresh finish. The quantities below are approximate, so adjust them all to taste. It makes quite a lot of dip too so halve it if you just want a small amount.

For the dip:

• Philadelphia cream cheese (1/2 a cup)
• Danish feta (1/2 a cup)
• 2 cups cooked, peeled broad beans
• 2-3 segments preserved lemon, finely diced 
• 3 tbs mint basil finely chopped
• Olive oil

1. In a large bowl, mix together about the feta and cream cheese

2. With a stick blender or in a food processor pulse the broad beans, preserved lemon, and mint basil with a good splash of olive oil until combined (leave as chunky as you like, I like it quite smooth). Add a few tbs of chicken stock or some more oil if it looks a bit dry.

3. Stir the bean mix in with the cheese mix and season with salt and pepper. 

Spanish Paella

My very special husband was deserving of a very special birthday dinner of late, and with the homecoming of some old friends and the recent nuptials of some others, a little dinner party seemed in order.
I do love a themed dinner so Spanish was the call of the day. Cheese croquettes to begin with all oozy and creamy on the inside and crispy crunchy on the outside, an enormous paella for mains, and a nice (non-alcoholic) Sangria to wash it all down with.
I have made paella only once before, and on that occasion I had three different recipes and my culinary whiz mother, Jen, to guide me. This time, I used the recipe that Jen and I devised on our last attempt, and the results were just as delicious.

Holly and Jen's Paella Recipe (serves 6-8 as a main)

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, chopped
• 3 chorizo sausages, sliced
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups paella rice (I think arborio would probably work also)
• 7 cups chicken stock (infused with a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of saffron), kept warm
• 1 cup of green peas 
• 15 large green prawns (I prefer to use the cutlets/ shelled version)
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• Additional pinch of saffron

Recipe:

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large paella pan (this one was about 40cm diameter)

2. Brown chorizo, then set aside.

3. Brown chicken in same pan, then set aside.

4. Add a little more oil and cook onion, garlic and capsicum until the onion is translucent.

5. Add tomatoes and paprika, and season well with salt and pepper.

6. Put the chorizo and chicken back in and stir to combine.

7. Add the rice and allow to cook until translucent.

8. Add the warm stock and additional pinch of saffron, and cook at a slight boil for 10-20 minutes (do not stir after the first 5 min, just let it sit... it's OK if it goes crunchy on the bottom, that's the way they have it traditionally).

9. Add peas and prawns on top (4 minute each side for the prawns).

10. When the rice is al dente, remove from the heat and cover completely with tin foil and leave for 15-20 minutes - Do not uncover!

11. After 20 minutes, remove foil and serve from whole pan at the table. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired, and serve with crusty bread.

I also made a smaller vegetarian version (adding extra green capsicum, using vegetable stock, and asparagus on top in place of prawns), and just did a third of the quantities shown in this recipe and it worked really well, so if you have less people, or a smaller pot adjust the amounts accordingly.

I hope you can enjoy this in your homes as much as we did in ours!

xx

Sweet dreams are made of these

With my own father out of the country, this Father's Day allowed us to lavish our affections solely on my husband's dad. How do I lavish affection? Mostly with hugs, but secondly with food. Taking inspiration (and direction) from the September edition of 'Delicious', these chocolate meringues were just devine. I had never made meringues before (I've since made these twice), but they were surprisingly easy. 

I think the killer here is the butterscotch sauce. While ultimately a delight to the taste buds, for me it was just a little too much (Aaron wholeheartedly disagreed with me on this one). 

I made these again last weekend, for my own parents home coming, and they were just as good with just the cream, strawberries and blueberries but with no sauce. They were also delightful with lunch the next day with ice cream, strawberries and a little strawberry syrup. A great all rounder, and I'm sure they will be a permanent feature in my repertoire.

Returning to the kitchen

I will need to apologise for my blogging silence the last few months. In response to a slightly exhausting first trimester of pregnancy, I have struggled for both the motivation and inspiration to cook or eat much of any real interest, and I somehow doubt that all the crumpets with cheese, or bowls of tinned peaches, would make for very stimulating reading.
However, I now feel we're coming out the other side and my appetite for being in the kitchen is returning and, after several weeks of blandness, I felt that we all were well in need of a veggie fix.
This spaghetti is a favourite that my mum has made before, and when I can justify creamy pasta to myself I love it. I have also cooked it when I've made gnocchi and it's a great combination.
Zucchini, snow peas, green peas, broccoli, and mushrooms in a sauce of cream, chicken stock, Parmesan and basil (I used mint basil this time as we had some fresh here and it was a great addition). The little gem here lies in the tomato garnish. Vine ripened cherry tomatoes, lightly cooked in oil, garlic and parsley, until they just burst open a little, provide a burst of flavour and freshness that works really well with the creamy sauce. I love those little guys.

For the love of local produce

Last Saturday was one of those amazing late August mornings... the sun was shining, the air was crisp, and everywhere you looked Spring was right there waiting to burst through. We are blessed on the Surf Coast to have a pretty sweet little farmers market run every Saturday. So off we strolled, bags in hand, to see what treats we could find.
Though Aaron was hard pressed to get me passed my new best friend (the quite attractive Frenchman selling homemade macaroons - I can't decide which were more delicious the man or the biscuits), but we came home with a pretty good bounty.

Dinner tonight was a plate full of local: broccoli and potatoes from a friendly local lad, zucchini, carrots and mushrooms from 'The Organics Box', and two beautiful Otway Prime scotch fillet steaks (clearly not a weekday vegetarian today). There's just something about fresh produce that makes you feel good, like you've given yourself a little present.

The other thing you should know about this meal, is this is my first attempt at cooking steak. I know, I know. How can a food loving gal of 30 never have cooked a steak? It's just one of those things I palm off to someone else. But not today. Today a cooked a pretty damn good medium rare steak (needed about 3 min each side as they were fatties), nicely rested (about 15min). I was well pleased with myself.

So now I have one less thing I can't do. Now if I can just learn to drive a manual car and attempt boiling an egg I'll be doing well.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

This was a little creation of my own.

Ingredients:

• Pastry sheet (optional)
• olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, cruches or finely chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 10 button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 small zucchini, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• Handful of green beans, cut into inch pieces
• Can of chopped tomatoes (I like the one with garlic and basil)
• tomato paste
• Worchester sauce
• bay leaves
• rosemary
• Red wine
• a few handfuls dried red lentils
• 2/12 cups of stock (I used chicken stock)

Topping:

• Pumpkin (I think about 350gm) peeled and cut into pieces
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• wholegrain mustard
• tasty cheese, grated
• parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)

1. Chop up peeled pumpkin and potato, and place in a medium size saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil until soft and mashable.

2. Meanwhile, heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan, then cook onion and garlic until soft. 

3. Throw in the zucchini, mushrooms, carrot, and beans, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick.

4. Add tomatoes, a good splash of Worchester sauce, about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, a cup of red wine, and 2 +1/2 cups of stock. 

5. Stir in a teaspoon or so of rosemary, 4 bay leaves and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if required.

6. Stir through about 4 handfuls of dry red lentils (maybe a cup or so) These will soak up a lot of the liquid.

6. Simmer until thickened or until the potato and pumpkin have finished cooking in the other pot.

7. Drain the potato and pumpkin and mash well with a fork. Add a little butter if you so fancy, then mix in 1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard, and the grated cheeses to taste (maybe a handful of each) and season well with salt and pepper. Add egg and stir well (I've made something similar before and my mash turned to mush in the oven, however the egg just seems to bind it, and help it keep it's form).

8. If you like, lightly grease a pie dish and line with a sheet of pastry then top with the lentil mix and then the mash. If you want a lighter version, forget the pastry and just pop it in a casserole dish and top with mash. My dish was about 25cm square and maybe 6cm deep so you can gauge the size.

9. Bake in the oven until golden on top and pastry is cooked (if using it).

10. Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine and some warm crusty bread. Quite a nice, easy winter warmer.

xx

Roast vegetable and polenta stack

When Aaron said to me a year ago "I'm going to be a weekday vegetarian" I was a little taken aback. Being the one who cooks most of the meals it meant that I was, by default, a weekday vegetarian also. I think we both quite like this dietary change for both the physical and the environmental benefits. This change has also helped me to expand my repertoire of vego friendly meals. Here is my latest effort.

Oven roasted mushrooms, zucchini, capsicum, onion and cherry tomatoes sandwiched between layers of polenta.
I was surprisingly happy with how this turned out, particularly as this was my first attempt at cooking polenta, and the recipe I used didn't actually include a recipe for the polenta just called for '1 portion creamy polenta'. So I used a recipe I'd seen elsewhere:

• 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 cup stock (I used chicken) and 1 1/2 cups water brought to the boil
• 1 cup of polenta stirred in over the heat until soft (3 minutes for me as I used instant polenta)
• 1 cup parmesan stirred in at the end with a little salt and pepper 

Once cooked, spread the polenta mix on a lined baking tray and refrigerate until firm (which took about as long as it did to roast the veggies). It was easier to handle than I expected when cooled, so I could easily slice the polenta sheet into three sections.
The first layer went onto a lined baking tray then was spread with basil pesto, some ricotta cheese and half the veggies. Repeat with the next layer, then top with the final polenta strip and grated parmesan, then back in the oven for about 20 minutes.
I was really pleased with how this turned out, especially the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
xx

Complete comfort food

Not only do I love cooking but, thankfully, my husband loves it too.  Aaron has been incredibly supportive of my starting this blog and pursuing a future in something foodie, though what they may be is still unclear to us both. He also likes to flex his culinary muscles every now and then by stepping into the kitchen. We've had some ups and downs, like the year he put oyster sauce in everything which was a steep learning curve, but over the years Az has realised his real flare lies in pies. To my delight he whipped up this lamb and veggie number last Friday.

 Big, juicy chunks of lamb in a thick gravy flavoured with rosemary and a touch of sweetness from a little port. The real hero of this one was the pastry. Regular puff, but he cooked it in our 'microstoven' dish and the pastry was super crispy all over. Served with a truffle mash I felt ridiculously spoilt for a Friday evening in.
As far as husband's go I may just have the best, not that I am at all biased.
xx

My perfect Saturday afternoon

One of my most favourite, guilty pleasures: home on my own on a sunny Saturday afternoon with freshly baked cookies, a pot of tea, a new 'Delicious' magazine, and the perfect harmonies of 'Seeker, Lover, Keeper' whispering softly to me alone.
My own little piece of heaven.
xx

'Apricot and coconut choc cookies' recipe available here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3308/apricot+coconut+choc+cookies 

In search of truffles, Daylesford

It was a crisp and windy Saturday morning as Mum and I drove out to Blakeville, about 10 minutes out of Daylesford, Victoria. Our mission: to witness the uncovering of the first truffles to be grown in the area. This is the second year this event has run, but this would be the first year to produce truffles.

As we listened intently to Tim Terry, pioneer Australian truffle grower from Truffles Australis in Tasmania, explain the process of growing truffles, our anticipation began to rise. 

The plantation we were fortunate to be visiting has been there about 4 years and rumour had it today was the day for finding their very first truffle. A few minutes later, with the help of a trusty canine, cheers erupted from the 50 or so of us present. They had found one!

The perfume of the truffle was instantly detectable. The earthy, smokey, unique aroma wafted around on the morning breeze, and became quite enticing.

Following our little truffle search, we headed in to 'Sault' restaurant in Daylesford. I have dined at 'Sault' before, so I knew the food would be incredible, and we were very excited for our first taste of truffle. One look at the menu was enough to know we were in for a treat.

My first taste of truffle left me wanting more. The perfume is so intense, that I was surprised by the subtly of the flavour. But despite being so subtle, there was a definite lingering of flavour on my palate long after I has finished each dish. The taste itself, is indescribable. Being so unique in flavour it is beyond comparison to anything I've tasted before. My favourite dish was the entree. Beautifully cooked scallops, complimented by the earthy truffles, and balanced with the sweetness of the pear and amazing creamy celeriac puree. Still makes my mouth water thinking of it.

This was a lovely way to spend a Saturday, particularly with the winter sun streaming in our corner window, the great company, and fabulous food. And what did Jen think...

Braised Lamb Shanks

This was my first attempt at Lamb shanks, and was meant to be the virgin voyage of my new slow cooker. You can imagine my dismay when I arose bright and early last Sunday morning, recipe in hand, only to find my sweet little slow cooker won't fit six lamb shanks. My poor husband has learned that I do not cope well with unexpected change, particularly in the kitchen. However, with the aid of Google, my trusty Scanpan, and the 'All Recipes' application on my I-phone, we managed to rustle up this dish.
Being that this was to be the birthday dinner for my new father-in-law, I wanted them to be great. I think the outcome was pretty successful. I cooked them at about 150 degrees (Celsius) for about 6 hours, and they resulted in juicy, tender meat that literally was falling off the bones. The gravy was not too rich, but really well flavoured with wine, tomato, stock, and fresh herbs. Served with creamy, buttery mash and steamed green beans, I will definitely be cooking these again.  

Dinner at 'Scorched', Torquay

I have been dying to go to 'Scorched' for months and, thanks to a very generous wedding gift, I finally got the chance last Friday night. This is a fab little restaurant overlooking the Torquay beach. The service was impeccable, friendly yet sophisticated, and thoroughly on the ball.
I think I have mentioned before my love of all foods shared, so the 'grazing' style menu was a perfect option for us. So while enjoying some delicious local sourdough bread sticks with olive oil and house-made dukkah we perused the menu.
Our final selections were as follows:

Grated beetroot, with pistachios and goats cheese - a really fresh dish, with hints of lemon juice and dill, and complimented beautifully by the creamy cheese.

Crispy fried school prawns with chilli salt and lemon (shown above) - we loved these little guys. Crispy and salty and just popped straight in your mouth... divine.

Salt cod fritters with aioli - always a hero, these were no exception.

Fried black pudding with orange and date salad - I was definitely dubious of this one, having the aversion to sweet with salty, and also having had some not so flash black pudding in the past, this one was a real surprise. The pudding was quite nice (not at all gritty), but when eaten with the date and orange salad it gave it a real subtlety, and the sweetness complemented the dish so well, I may be a changed woman.

Little rabbit pies with sweet cinnamon - again with the sweet and salty, these were really good. The meat was juicy and tender, and not that dissimilar form our guinea pig experience, but the cinnamon mix just lifted all the flavours and made these little filo parcels taste quite exotic.

Potatoes, chorizo and garlic - an old tapas faithful, but with some fabulous chorizo with just the right amount of spice to it.

While there were definitely a few challenges for my 'no sweet with salty' I have to admit everything was amazing, and I was really enlightened by some of the combinations.
Of course, what is a dinner out without dessert? Well, being both unbelievably indecisive we shared the dessert board: Chocolate and pear torte, baklava, Turkish delight, honeycomb ice-cream and Persian fairy floss - all good enough to almost put us into a diabetic coma.

'Scorched' has definitely lived up to my expectations; please go there if you get the chance xx

Persian orange syrup cake

I really needed a win in the baking stakes this week, something to lift me from the shame of the uncooked brownie fiasco of last Saturday, and I am quietly chuffed with this little beauty. This gluten free delight is all moist in the middle and covered in a sweet and zesty orange syrup. I should have read the recipe before starting this at 7.30pm last night, as I find it takes a while to boil whole oranges 3 times over, however following that it was a pretty nifty little recipe available here:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/25079/gluten+free+persian+orange+and+almond+cake

Enjoy xx

Spiced chickpeas with haloumi...A little something of my own

I will whole heartedly admit that in the 4 weeks we've been home I have allowed myself to slip into a lazy post-holiday slump, completely neglecting my poor blog. Somewhere amongst all the friends having babies (all boys), getting back into work, and catching up with family and friends I have had plenty to relish, and selfishly shared nought with you. In the vain hope you won't abandon me completely, and so you know I like to cook as well as eat, here is a little something we rustled up last night. 

This was my first cooking experience with dried legumes (as we are trying to cut down on our rubbush following a film night put on by my ecowarrior husband's gang at Surf Coast Energy Group), and while they required a little more cooking than their tinned friends, I was pleasanlty surprised.

Here you see garlic and onion sauteed until soft, then mixed with cumin, turmeric, chopped tomato, chickpeas and some fresh spinach wilted in at the end. Served with pan fried haloumi, and some crusty Turkish bread it was a delish  and speedy little Tuesday night dinner.   

Ode to the empanada

The British have their pasties, the Italian's their calzones, and South America have the empanada. These tasty morsels have a thick, smooth, pastry wrapped around a variety of fillings. The pastry is quite dense, not flakey or crumbly, and works beautifully to absorb the juices and flavours from the ingredients within. Generally savoury, the selection of fillings is endless: traditional 'carne' (or meat), 'pollo' (chicken), 'queso' (cheese), seafood, crab, ham and cheese, the list goes on. Flavours vary slightly in different regions also. We had amazing prawn and tuna empanadas on Easter Island, an incredibly juicy chicken version in Bolivia (so good I had juice running down my arm), and a variety called Caprese in Argentina containing tomato, basil and mozzarella. Baked or fried, I adore these things. They are delicious, in a wicked way, and are largely responsible for the tightening I have noticed around the waist of my jeans of late. So naughty, but so irresistible.

Dulce de leche

This is just a jar of trouble. This little delight originated when a housemaid left sweetened milk heating on the stove, resulting in this gooey, caramel spread. Served with bread, pancakes, cookies, chocolates, ice cream and flan this is delicious at any time. I'm partial to a spoon or two straight from the jar.

Matè

Throughout Argentina this a common sight. Matè is the national beverage, and many locals never leave home without their favourite matè and a thermos. The drink it self is quite a bitter herb tea, but the best part about matè is the ritual. Matè is for sharing. The tea (yerba) is packed tightly into the cup, and a little water added to begin with. The metal straw is put in and the cup filled with water. This generally allows a few sips from the cup before it is refilled and passed to the next person. It is a really social and comforting practice.

Asado

The asado, or barbecue, is a proud Argentinian tradition, and the way many friends and family spend their weekends. We were very lucky to go to a friends farm in Mar del Plata for this amazing spread. The asado is grilled for a good while over hot coals, in this instance the fire was next to the grill and the coals tea ferret across) and results in tender and juicy meat.
The meal begins with 'picadas' a selection of meat, cheese, salami, nuts and bread.
Next comes - chorizos (sausages), chinchunlines (intestines), kidneys and morcilla (black pudding). This first course was greatly anticipated, and we were closely observed as we tried everything. The sausages were served in a little piece of fresh baguette (chori pan) the chinchunlines are generally cooked to crispy, but mine was a little chewy and just a bit too strange for me. The kidneys were quite tender and tasty however, but pushing my food boundaries a little. This part of the meal can often include other treats, such as glands, if they are available.
Then came the 'asado' itself. Beautifully cooked, we were treated to some amazing beef, and pork cooked with lemon. Amazing. And if all this wasn't enough, there were also side dishes of
And if all tha wasn't enough, there was potato and sweet potato cooked on the grill, salad, bread, and capsicums cooked with an egg inside. All this, accompanied by some great Argentinian red wine made for an truly enjoyable Saturday afternoon in the country.

Rogel at El Condor coffee shop, Mar del Plata

Oh my God. This may just be the naughtiest thing I have ever eaten. My 'rogel' cake was constructed of, dare I say, 4 layers of thin, cripsy pastry layered with dulce de leche, topped with a good few centimetres of light, fluffy merengue. I had a sugar headache immediately after this one. However, I have finally realised how Argentinian's manage to stay out so late at night - have one of these and a good coffee about 6pm, dinner at 10, then you're good to keep going til the early hours of the morning, 

Aaron's chocolate concoction there at the back had a layer of chocolate ckae, deluce de leche, a creamy mousse, then topped with chocolate ganache. Too rich for me though... 

Almeurzo a casa de Mariano

Following the delicious Milanesa's, we had some typical Argentinian sweets. A thick slice of semi soft cheese, served with (on the far left) what I think was Argentine quince paste. In the centre, the orange one, is 'dulce de batata' a jelly made with sweet potato. I was dubious about this one when Lucas first told me about it, but having seen it (and been served it) I gave it a go. It was actually very nice. Similar texture to the quince past, but a little smoother, and eaten with the cheese.

We were so lucky to have made such generous friends to invite us into their homes and share food with us. This was a lovely lunch together.

Almeurzo a casa de Mariano (lunch at Mariano's house)- Milanesa

We have been so fortunate as to make some lovely new frineds in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Mariano graciously invited us for lunch at his home today to share a typical Argentinian meal - Milanesa's. Milanesa's are similar to the dish we know as schnitzel. These tender little beef fillets were cooked covered in herbs and breadcrumbs and fried. Here they were served with mached potato, pumpkin and sweet potato, plus salad. They were really delieious. 

In the background of this photo is the remnants of a cheese dish served with grissini which was a soft cheese, similar to cream cheese, covered with black and white sesame seeds and soy sauce. Also very tasty. 

Joaquina's torta de compleanos

While in Argentina we have had the great pleasure of attending our dear friend, Lucas, niece Joaquina's 3rd birthday dinner. After some delicious nibbles (mentioned below) came Joaqi's calls for 'torta, torta' and to the sounds of the well known tune 'que los cumplas feliz' (happy birthday) in came this amazing lemon pie made by Joaqi's beautiful mum, Mercedes.

Mercede's delicious tortas

Not only did Mercedes make the incredible lemon meringue pie, but this amazing chocolate concoction. This 'torta dulce de leche con chocolate' had a thin crisp crust, then a middle layer of creamy, rich caramely dulce de leche, and topped with chocolate mousse. This one had been frozen, so the mousse layer was like ice cream, yet the caramel was still all oozy and delicious.
I had so much trouble deciding whether to taste this or my all time favorite, lemon pie, that I was so relieved when Mercedes said "Have both... I always have to have both". Both were amazing.

Colita de cuadril sandwiches

Joaquina's birthday dinner included these amazing little morsels. Sandwiches in small fresh buns with these tender slices of beef, called colita de cuadril, fresh tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise.
I love communal eating. Sharing of food, everyone helping themselves and, even with a slight language barrier in this case, the joy and comfort of this meal was clearly shared by all.

Alfajores

Oh the Alfajores, the reason my jeans seem to be getting tighter by the second. I am not usually a sweet tooth, much more a savoury girl, but these little treats are just too good to pass up on. This version of the national cookie originated here in Mar del Plata, and is sold widely in the country and overseas now. The alfajored is two biscuits, sandwiched together with dulce de leche (caramel), and covered with a thin layer of merengue (as shown) or dark chocolate. Both exceptionally good, however after some extensive research, I have decided I prefer the merengue coated version. 

I have been informed that the alfajores change slightly varying on which region you are in in Argentia. In Salta, in the North of the country, the biscuits were quite short tasting, I think there they are made with corn flour there, so are quite light and crumbly, and generally oated with icing sugar. The Havanna version here the biscuits are a little darker, and denser. So good it's bad.

Lomitos

Typical sandwiches eaten throughout the country, Lomitos are Argentina's version of the steak sandwich. These ones we had in Mar del Plata had very thin beef (lomo) steaks, ham, cheese, tomato and a fried egg (which I went without). They were delicious. They steak was really tender, the buns fresh, but they were enormous and we all needed a nap after.

Tacos de trucha, Copacabana

These little tacos where a real delight. Fresh trout for Lake Titicaca, cooked with vegetables and some mild spices (I think oregano, onion, garlic) wrapped in fresh tortillas and served with homemade guacamole and picante sauce of tomatoes and chilli. Delicious washed down with an icy cold local beer.

Treats of the Inca Trail

I have to admit I was a little concerned about the food we would encounter during the Inca Trail trek. I know now I needn´t have worried. The food was good, and in abundance. Our days started with pancakes, toast, porridge (quinoa and oatmeal), and coca tea. Lunch was a banquet including soup, then rice, a meat dish, chicken or fish, poatoes and salad. Always a few types of potatoes, always at least one thing battered and fried, always plenty for everyone. Lunch included a sweet of the likes of banana with dulce de leche, or a choclate soup one day (a bit weird, but good). 

We´d be greeted in the evening by hot chocolate or more coca tea, and mountains of popcorn and cookies, before repeating the a similar lunch time feast again for dinner. I haven´t seen so many types of potato dishes since I lived in Ireland.

All the food was well prepared, no one got sick, and somehow the porters managed to cart all the stuff up there for us. Amazing experience, and possibly the only 4 day hike I´ve ever done where I think I actually gained weight!

Chicha morale

I was a little dubious when our land lady, Gloria, produced this little concoction for lunch one day. Juice made from purple corn. However, it was delicious. Heavilt ladened with sugar and cinnamon, and smelling like my Mum´s house at Christmas. It didn´t even taste like corn.

There are other versions of Chicha around in Peru, but those versions are alcoholic that is a bit like a homebrew made and served for locals (I didn´t try that one however, as the versions we saw were kind of pink and fermented looking, sitting in gallon drums on the side on the Inca trail so we let that one go).

Ricotto Relleno (stuffed peppers)

Ingredients:

Diced onion

Minced beef

Garlic

Diced vegetables (peas, carrots, beans etc)

Flour

1 egg

Water

Oil

1. To prepare peppers, slice down one side only and remove seeds. Rinse for 1 minute in cold water then allow to dry fully on paper towel. 

2. Cook onion and garlic in some vegetable oil  until softened, then add beef and brown.

3. In a seperate bowl, combine about 1 cup of flour with one egg, then add small amounts of water until a thick batter has been formed (maybe about 1/4 cup in all). Season well with salt and set aside.

4. When beef is browned, add vegetables, season well, and cook for a further 2 minutes.

5. When filling in ready, spoon into peppers (they will loof like they have burst open but that is all part of the plan).

6. Heat a few centimetres of vegetable oil in frying.

7. When oil is ready, spoon the batter over the side of the pepper with the opening, and fry batter side down for 3-5minutes or until batter has become golden. Then turn and fry for a further few minutes.

8. Drain on paper towel, and then enjoy.

Note: This recipe came froma cooking class in Spanish, so quantities and direct ingredients are estimated.

The 'cuy' experience

Indulging in our guinea pig and alpaca dinner.

The 'cuy' experience

Cuy is a local delicacy in Peru, that we were keen to taste in our time here. I was initially apprehensive due largely to the fact that ´cuy´ is guinea pig. After a recommendation from our Spanish school, Amauta School in Cusco, we went to a great little restaurant ´Kusi Cuy´ and ordered the house special - roast cuy. It took 45min to prepare, and was then delivered to our table in all the grandeur you see above. They then whisked it away, and returned it in more attackable pieces with the advice ¨Cuy is best eaten with your hands¨. And the verdict? Muy rico (very delicious). The meat (what there was of it) was juicy and tender. It tasted and looked a bit like a cross between rabbit and chicken, not really light but not really dark meat. It has been stuffed with selection of herbs which added a subtle flavour to the meat. It was really, really good, and served with tamale (cornmeal steamed in a corn husk) and some sort other fried treat that was doughy on the outside and stuffed with meat, spices and vegetables, a little like a Peruvian version of the pork bun perhaps.

We didn´t stop there and, as we were sharing the cuy, we also ordered a serve of the alpaca kebabs, which came as skewered slices of alpaca marinated in something amazing and cooked to perfection, slightly oink and really tender. All round a completely pleasant surprise.  

La comida tipica Chilena

La comida tipica Chilena - the food typical of Chile. We went to stay in Santa Cruz, in the Colchagua Valley wine region about 3 hours from Santiago. Finally what I had been waiting for, some real Chilean food. We had been searching high and low, and small a diner called ´El Rancho`delivered. Pictured here are ´humitas´in the foreground and ´pastel de choclo´in the background. ´Humitas´are cornmeal dough mixed with meat and spices then steamed or baked in corn husks (aka tamales). These little morsels were steamed and very tasty.

´Pastel de choclo´is a maize casserole, with beef or chicken inside. Generally there is the casserole underneath and the corn layer on top all nice and crunchy, however this version had been microwaved, so was a little soggy on top, but tasted pretty good. It had both chicken and beef, and hard boiled eggs, which also come in pastel de choclo but I wasn´t aware before hand. You should probably know, I have a weird thing about food with funny textures eg. eggs, sashimi, custard, anything too gelatinous or mushy. So I dodged the eggs, and the rest was quite yummy. with the chicken falling off the bone in a onion gravy. Aaron had another version in Santiago, which had the delicios crunchy top, but the corn part was really, really sweet which goes against my other food aversion - sweet food with salty food together.

So now you know a little more about Chilean food, and a little more about me. We have just arrived in Cusco, Peru, where local delicacies include Alpaca and ´cuy´which is guniea pig, so stay tuned for the good, the bad and the pushing of boundaries. xx

The delights of Rapa Nui... In pictures

The most insanely delicious tuna empandas.

The delights of Rapa Nui... In pictures

The delights of Rapa Nui... In pictures

Prawns, wrapped in tuna, in tempura batter.

Also pictured are the fresh rolls, served with a little mix of tomato, onion, coriander and chilli that they served everywhere in Chile.

The gastronimic delights of Rapa Nui

I have remained quite silent thus far on our travels as I have been, quite frankly, unispired with the food we have eaten in South America (accepting of course the multiple empanadas we have indulged in, however they will require a more dedicated description at a later date). So when we arrived in Easter Island, my expectations were not very high about the quality we might encounter. And then we indulged in one of the most delicious meals I´ve eaten.
We started our dinner at the Aloha Bar with Equatorian prawns wrapped in fresh tuna, dipped in a light tempura  and served with oyster sauce. They were so amazing, my mouth just watered at the rememberance of them. The prawns were fresh, the tuna locally caught, the batter light and crunchy, and the oyster sauce surprising subtle as a dipping sauce. They were incredible.
We followed this with Toremo, the local fish, it was maybe grilled or lightly pan fried, but was cooked beautifully. Toremo has a light coloured flesh, but with a similar texture to tuna and was just delicious. This was served with taro mashed with cheese and coriander, and a salad on lettuce, tomato and palm hearts (kind of similar to artichokes).
All in all one of the best meals I´ve ever eaten. So good in fact, that we returned there the next night as the god´s had delayed our flight back to Santiago for some reason, I am sure it was to give us a second go at Aloha.
This time, the tuna empanadas so begin with. Nice chunks of fresh tuna, onion, and herbs wrapped in thick crunchy pastry. Devine.We then had the toremo again, but this time rolled up, stuffed with spinach and bacon, and served on ratatouille style vegetables with a creamy prawn sauce. The sauce was quite rich, and with an obvious lack of prawns, however still very tasty. A fantastic way to cap off our stay on the Island.
(Photos to follow due to some current technical issues) xx

Parrilla at La Dorita

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In the beginning, there was meat...

So we finally arrived in Buenos Aires, after 28 hours travelling, 1 near missed flight, 1 "we don't have a seat for you", and many "lo siento,no enspanol"s we have managed to outrun the jet lag and survive day 1. We also had our first 'parrilla' experience... The Argentinian grill. Dinner tonight was at La Dorita in Palermo. An old school grill restaurant that got fuller and fuller as the night went on, as did we. Our menu: tres carnes (3 meats)- beef sirloin, pork something or other, and possibly both beef and pork flank (we aren't entirely sure). It was pretty good, though some cuts were a little fatty and some a little overcooked. The sirloin was best in both our opinions. My favorite morsel was probably the side dish of a buttery, fluffy mashed potato with fresh spinach mixed through, a dish I will definitely replicate at home. The Grilled mixed veggies (pumpkin, peppers, ? Ocra, more potato, eggplant) were also very good, as was the botella vino tinto we washed it all down with. A very pleasant beginning to our trip.
Until next time, happy eating!
Holl

To Relish...

Relish: 1. Enjoyment of food or other things; a liking for; zest.
            2. sauce or other appetizer (The Pocket Oxford Dictionary).
What you should probably know about me before reading on, is I relish many things and I love a little double entendre now and again.
I had intended to start this blog with my first attempt at re-creating my Mum's amazing tomato relish. However somewhere between our wedding in Feb, and planning our upcoming honeymoon to South America my best intentions were waylaid (you should also probably know this is not unusual for me). Instead, I am starting this blog at the eleventh hour, 2 days before we depart... not unusual for me either. I thought instead perhaps I could make something delicious using mum's chutney, however when I found it nestled in the fridge, to my despair the jar was bare.

So here is my story.  I am a 30 year old nurse who relishes many things - my family, my friends, cooking, travel, camping, and wine among them. We are about to embark on what will be the trip of a lifetime for me and my new husband. We are off for 8 weeks travelling through Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia and are currently full of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, stress and a little exhaustion.
While we are planning a great mix of hiking, sightseeing, exploring and adventure, what I am secretly longing for is the food.
I really love food. I love to cook it, to eat it, to look at it, to talk about it. I relish it.
My plan is to share with you the culinary delicacies and disasters our adventure has in store for us. I can not promise to be consistent, but I will endeavour to be honest and colourful in my musings regarding our degustations abroad.

I hope you will share them with me. 

                                           The remnants of Jen's chutney
Holly x