Come and say "hi!"

Come and say "hi" at Blim Market, Heritage Hall, Main & 15th, 

on Sunday March 27, 12noon - 5pm

I'll have piping hot pasties fresh off the griddle and stuffed focaccia.

Also, I'll be introducing an all natural filled loaf which is gluten free

and doesn't use weird gums to immitate wheat. 

Great Guacamole with a simple Flat Bread

 This great guacamole comes from Gourmet Fury http://www.gourmetfury.com/2011/03/best-guacamole-recipe/ it was deliciously creamy yet tangy and oniony. We enjoyed it with some smoked chorizo, sometimes called dry chorizo, a simple green salad and a very easy flat bread.

Whole wheat flour, chickpea flour, kosher salt, water, red onion and fresh rosemary, olive oil, that's it!

Thank you Mark Bittman http://content.markbittman.com/node/174

Crust at Blim Market - Sunday March 27, 2011

BLIM Market, 12noon - 5pm Heritage Hall (Main St & 15th)

I'm so looking forward to seeing you all again for lunch on Sunday.
Crust will be whetting your appetite with old favourites and a couple of newbies to tickle your fancy:

Piadina Pasty (served hot off the griddle)
- curried chickpeas, feta, peas
- ricotta, olives, capers, lemon, chili

Focaccia stuffed with mushrooms, arugula, garlic

Chestnut Loaf with tomato and basil pesto (gluten free)

Focaccini with apple, red onion & oregano

See you Sunday!

quick recipe #8 Lamb Kibbe with Mango Salsa, Sour Avocado Sauce & Brown Basmati Rice

Well, changing the clocks for that extra day light at the end of the day certainly brought an end to lusting after heavy comfort food. Walking home last night I found myself thinking of all things light and fresh and I drifted off to the Middle East.

Serves 2 with a few kibbe leftover:

To make the kibbe:
Process to a fine crumb half cup of unsalted pistachio nuts, quater cup pine nuts and 1 tsp course sea salt. Place in bowl.
Process until finely chopped half a medium onion and 2 small carrots. Add to the bowl with the nuts. Add 1lb ground lamb, 2 tsp heaped cumin, 1 tsp heaped all spice, 1 tbsp olive oil and a good twist of black pepper. Mix together with wet hands until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Cook 1 cup brown basmati rice with 4 whole cloves in 2 cups water.

While the rice is cooking dice 1 lge ataulfo mango, 1 lge tomato, 1 serrano chile (seeds removed), 1.5 roasted red peppers and toss well with the juice of one lemon.

Mashed the flesh of 1 avocado with 1 cup of thick sour cream (not fat-free) and 3 crushed cloves of garlic. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy frying pan. Form the kibbe with wet hands, taking a large walnut of lamb, rolling into a ball then flattening slightly. You should have 12-14 kibbe. Cook in the hot oil until heavily browned on both sides.

While the kibbe are cooking julienne a large handful of fresh basil and stir through the salsa.

Serve the kibbe on top of the rice with avocado sauce and salsa alongside.
 

Fresh Fougasse

3 fougasse just out of the oven...looking forward to lunch!

quick recipe #7 A Simple Mid-week Stew

This stew is a direct descendant of the stews my mum, Audrey Robinson, used to make every week throughout the winter when I was a child.  They were, without question my favourite dinner of the week and are probably the reason why to this day I love wet food more than any other. If ever posed with one of those morbid last meal type questions I can't think of anything other than stews, casseroles or shepherds pie (which isn't so wet, but still in the same vein). Mum usually served this stew with either mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes, which I would mash down into the gravy with the back of my fork, delicious. Sometimes, at the end I'd use a slice of white bread to soak up any remaining gravy, also delicious.

This stew, is full of flavour and doesn't require hours of slow cooking. It's a cozy mid week dinner for cold wintery nights.

serves 4-6, freeze leftover stew for another night

Brown 1.5lb extra lean minced (ground) beef in a little sunflower oil in a large pot. While the meat is browning roughly chop 1 medium onion, 1 large carrot & 2 sticks of celery. When the juices from the meat have almost fully reduced stir in the chopped vegetables with lots of fresh ground white pepper, a pinch of salt and a tsp of dried chili flakes. When the onion is starting to soften add 2.5 pints of hot chicken stock, the juice only from a large can of tomatoes and a large sprig of fresh oregano (use a tsp of dried, if fresh is not available). Bring to a gentle simmer and partially cover.

Now peel 4 large potatoes and cut each one into about 16 even sized chunks. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 - 20 mins until cooked through.

While the potatoes are cooking add 1 can of sweet corn, rinsed, to the stew with 1 can of peas and their water and 1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce.

Peel and crush 4 or 5 large cloves of garlic and add to the stew.

Drain and mash the potatoes with a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter, a good splash of milk and a generous amount of white pepper.

Remove the sprig of oregano from the stew and discard. Finely chop 1.5 tbsp of fresh oregano and stir through the stew.

Serve in deep bowls, potatoes in first with the stew around the sides.

What are your favourite stew memories?