Requests! Dessert Burger

When I asked for requests, I never imagined it would be something like this.  Meg, thank you for making my brain hurt - I have never even considered dessert burgers as a food option, so this put me firmly outside my comfort zone!  (I don't even flinch at dessert pizza though - must remember to share that one at a later date!)


One question played on my mind for some time: what defines a burger?  I decided, on my own authority, that it had to be stuff in a bun.  Preferably layers of stuff, and preferably a bread-based bun.
The other thing that leapt to mind was size.  If this burger was going to be dessert, it couldn't be full-size.  I like my desserts small, and of course sweet.


With those important points out of the way, the rest materialised pretty quickly:  this is my S'more Slider.




I made small, soft, sweet bread rolls (a cinnamon tea cake recipe, these are about 20g each - or two mouthfuls) and added a dark chocolate ganache "pattie", toasted marshmallows, and jam (a burger needs sauce!)


..and I have to say, it was delicious!

Requests please!

Just over a year ago, I responded to a series of requests - and really enjoyed the challenge of cooking what other people wanted, rather than what I felt like!  I had to think, and plan, and it was a welcome change of pace.


Bircher muesli for Kerryn
Beef Wellington for Emma
and Non-dairy ravioli fillings, also for Kerryn 


I've had a couple of similar challenges in real life recently, which I will add here, but thought I'd make it official:
 
Challenge me to make something, ask me for ideas, or tell me what you've always wanted to try.   

I'll see what I can do, but reserve the right to pass if I don't like it, or exercise artistic license and do it "my way"!! 


..and while I wait for you to inspire me, here are some beautiful photos of a blue swimmer crab.  I didn't like the pasta sauce I made with him (and his friends), but the photos are too good not to share! 





 

Truffle at Home

After a couple of great eating out experiences in mid-July (including the truffle tasting dinner, and a big birthday dinner), we decided to try this ourselves.
I mentioned previously that a pop-up truffle shop (Madame Truffles) opened a few blocks from here, so we called in to see what they had - and were thrilled that they had stock, as the previous weekend had sold out! 





We took home an affordable 33g NSW - and found this was plenty to share with two friends over risotto, with a little left for breakfast the next day!


I made mushroom risotto - following the basic technique, with beef stock and several large handfuls of shimeji, oyster, and button mushrooms - with both shiitake and porcini adde to the stock - and parmagiano reggiano.  While it was delicious, the truffle could have stood on its own with nothing other than fresh pasta and extra-virgin olive oil. 
The real stars of the show were the eggs.. but I'll come back to that.  

When I got the truffle home, it looked like this:





Great things come in simple packaging.   I love the logo, connecting farm with indulgence.  A simple glass jar and paper towel hide the beautiful, fragrant truffle.




I've been told many times how to truffle eggs, and never tried it.  Quite simply, you pop a couple of eggs - shell intact - into a small airtight container with your truffle.  Store in the fridge overnight, or for at least 12 hours.  Use the truffle as you had intended - on risotto, pasta, or as your heart desires.  Then cook and eat the eggs, and be astounded at how they have taken on the truffle smell and flavour.  (I just poached them, and served on potato roesti - simple.)
We tried a "normal" egg alongside for comparison, and the difference is quite remarkable.  I'm reluctant to ever eat plain eggs again - but will have to of course, or we'll go broke (or miss out on eating eggs).
 

Ode to Truffles

For Mum and Dad, who are going to find truffles in the paddock at the bottom of the hill any day now (and for Leo who is trying his hardest!)..

We were fortunate enough to get a couple of seats at the latest Fringe Food Festival event this week - a truffle tasting dinner!  Very disappointed to miss the first one, and just so excited that they ran a second night!

Why so excited?
About 8 years ago I helped Mum and Dad to plant a few trees in the bottom paddock of the farm in NZ.  Small sticks which were barely visible except for the stakes holding them up, we didn't really care if they grew tall or straight - we were more concerned about the roots, which hold the perigord truffle fungus.
Any day now Leo, the world's coolest sniffer dog, is going to stop in the middle of his daily walk, and point at a patch of ground, and show us where the goods are hiding.  And Dad will probably have a heart attack.

These things are black gold.



And I'm a little embarrassed to say, I'd only tried them once before last night's dinner!

Dinner started fresh, and lively:



Boneless chicken wings (I have no idea how, but they were worth any effort required!) with a kick of lime, NSW truffle and squid-ink.

The next course was rich, warm, and wintery:



Soft polenta on buerre blanc, with a poached egg, a  hint of parmesan, and Tasmanian truffle.



(This was my favourite.  I'm drooling just looking at the pictures!)

And then the height of simplicity:



Hand-cut pappardelle, with king brown mushroom and butter, topped with Western Australian - you guessed it - truffle.

The objective was to see if we could pick the regional differences, so to finish we were given three plates of scrambled egg, with each of the three truffles, to see if we could pick them.



The differences were surprising - though I'm not sure I could pick these if they were not side-by-side.

Thanks to St Ali for hosting us (and for being a very comfortable couple of blocks walk from home!) Ed of Tomato blog for letting his many readers know about the event, part of the "Fringe Food Festival".  Scott Pickett cooked up a storm, and did a great job of putting the focus on Madame Truffles  We also had the pleasure of sampling Crittenden Estate's Los Hermanos Tributa a galicia, and The Zumma pinot noir (recently awarded 94 points by Gourmet Traveller and ranked the fourth best pinot noir in Australia).


Thanks to the lovely folks we shared a table with, for making it a memorable evening:



Now, no pressure Leo - but we're waiting...

Chicken with pomegranate dressing

For Cath, who shared the original recipe.





This has been sitting on a shelf in the living room since it was handed to me in summer - and is intended as a summer recipe, cooked on a barbeque hotplate.  It is neither summery nor barbeque weather, so I modified this to make an oven casserole, and it is outstanding.  Thanks, Cath!


Pomegranates are in season in the Southern hemisphere from March until May - but we are still seeing them in the markets as they refrigerate well.  Grab one, and try this immediately!





To get the beautiful 'jewels' from a pomegranate, score the skin and tear it apart with your fingers.  Either whack the hard outer skin with a wooden spoon to get the jewels to pop out, or gently tease them out with your fingers.
Be warned: the juice stains, so try not to drop these on the carpet, and don't wear white in the kitchen.


To make the marinade for the chicken, mix the following in a small bowl:
2-3 tsp ground cardamom
about 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard





Add the zest and juice of one orange (or a few mandarins work well too)











This is sufficient for up to 2kg of chicken pieces, or 2 butterflied whole chickens (for the barbeque).  Throw it all in a big zip-lock bag, with the chicken, and pop it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
I've used chicken maryland (whole leg/quarter chicken), allowing a generous one per person, and cut slices into the flesh to let the flavour in.






You could bake this on its own, or on the barbeque, but I felt like rice.  To make saffron rice:
Gently toast a pinch of saffron threads in a small (dry) pan.  Crush to a powder.
Add to a large casserole dish with 1 cup of basmati rice, and 2 cups of chicken stock.

I seared the chicken in a hot frypan, and added straight to the casserole dish, on top of the rice.
Cover, and cook for 1 hour at 180C.  The rice will swell up around the chicken, and the steam will keep the chicken beautifully moist and tender.





While the chicken is cooking, make the dressing.  This is best if it sits for a few minutes - I made it straight after the chicken went in the oven so I didn't forget!


Mix the following in a small bowl:
seeds from 1 pomegranate
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped (preferably vine ripened.  you want rich flavour)


Serve with the dressing drizzled over the top.





Yum

Okonomiyaki: Japanese egg pancake

Many years ago, when alphamatrix returned from a year in Japan (her first visit), I remember her cooking something which she said she really missed, and just had to have.  When she explained what it was, I didn't get it.  Clearly, the Japanese are crazy.  An egg pancake with cabbage in it is just not right. 
When we visited Japan just over a year ago, we stumbled upon a great local spot and tried this okonomiyake we had heard so much about.  And I was so wrong.  Don't knock it til you've tried it.  
This has become one of those foods that I dream about for days if someone mentions it and I can't make it straight away!



I've heard this described variously as Japanese pancake, Japanese omelet, and Japanese pizza, but none of these does it justice.  This is a thick, eggy pancake, filled with delicious chicken, leek and bacon (you can put all sorts of things in it, but I keep coming back to these as my favourites), and cabbage - there's always cabbage.  Really, though, it's about the sauce, and the crazy bonito flakes - and these two ingredients are well worth tracking down so you can try this.  Trust me.



Okonomi sauce is something I've tried to substitute for, but it really is unique, and essential.  You can hunt for the word "okonomi" or cheat like I do, and look for a bottle with a picture of okonomiyaki (and the unmistakeable mayonaisse criss-cross)!
I also believe bonito flakes are essential - and I wouldn't have dreamt of outting these near food before I visited Japan.  I've found a brand with individual 3g sachets, which stay fresh and are perfect as I don't make this that often.


Rather than buy okonomiyaki mix, I read the English translation on the back and have come up with an easy batter which tastes the same to me.




Take two eggs, and mix with about 1/2 cup of plain flour and 1 tsp of white sugar.
Add a couple of tablespoons of cold water until you get a thin consistency, like this:





Stir-fry your main ingredients: I typically use slices of chicken thigh, leek, and bacon - but also use sliced mushrooms, and onion regularly.




Add thinly sliced cabbage, and stir until just warmed through (this will cook further when the batter is in)





Now, pour the batter over, cover, turn the heat to low, and let sit for a couple of minutes.





Carefully flip when the batter starts to set on top.  You want the batter cooked through, and only lightly browned.





Transfer to a plate, cover with okonomi sauce, draw pretty pictures with mayonnaise (purists insist on kewpie mayo, but I find standard store-bought is just fine).  Sprinkle generous helpings of bonito flakes, and dig in!

Risotto. Another winter favourite.

Thanks to alphamatrix/Tadpole (who introduced the subject back in October), I’ve been obsessed with risotto for the past year..  I’ve discovered a few variations that I’m absolutely in love with, and will share them all here at some point in the near future.

Basic risotto can be a one-saucepan meal, which was a big help when that was exactly what I had to work with.  Now that I have my full kitchen again, I can play with a few more variations.  For now, though, I’ll share what I’ve learnt since alphamatrix showed us chicken and leek risotto.

I read recipe books and blogs as inspiration, but rarely follow recipes as they stand.  If I were hankering for risotto, I might do a quick search, read through a handful of promising examples, and get a feel for the general technique.. then I pretty much just do my own thing!

In this case, the basics are as follows:  You need 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice.  Toast the rice then temper with wine.  Add stock gradually, and pre-heat it for a more creamy risotto.  Add other ingredients as you see fit!
 
My version of leek and chicken to start with:





I used chicken sausages.  These are oregano, lemon, and chicken sausages from a stall at my local market (South Melbourne).  I think they deserve a photo of their own, as thyey are fantastic:









One large leek, or three baby ones.  Slice, rinse, and toss in a little oil until they start to soften.
Set aside, and make the basic risotto: I used an onion, a clove of garlic, and chicken stock.

Add the chicken (the pre-cooked sausages you saw earlier), and the leek.



Serve hot.