In Melbourne we are now seeing the gloriousness of Autumn (FINALLY!!) arrive.
That means crunchingly crisp mornings and a desire for comfort food.
Days like this just leave me wanting to cook all day long & then sit around the fire enjoying the final result.
It's easily my favourite time of year.
So yesterday I had a couple of fillets of fresh fish and a large and hungry brood to feed. Pies are always a great way to extend out food and can be a seriously great way to save on your food budget.
Pies are also a great way to introduce fish to people who are little sceptical about eating or cooking fish.
My version involves a LOT of green veg and a LOT of fresh green herbs- both of which our family are very big fans of.
And an all in one pot number- how good?!
EASY LOTSA PEASY FISH PIE: We are massive fans of green veg at our house. There are regularly fights for the last of the salad or the Brussel sprouts, so I fill out this pie with LOADS of peas and broccoli. The trick is to not cook it too long so the broccoli is still bright green and has some crunch. This pie was big enough to feed 6 hungry adults. WHAT YOU NEED:
300g firm fish fillet, diced into large chunks
50g butter
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
500g frozen peas
3 heads of broccoli, cut into very small bite size pieces, stem included
loads of fresh herbs- I used chives and fresh basil (probably a good packed cup of herbs)
6 large mashing spuds
50g butter
3/4 cup milk (maybe more)
2 spring onions chopped finely
1 cup grated cheese
S & P
METHOD:
Heat oven to 175C.
Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and cook potatoes.
Once cooked through, drain and add butter. Stir through till melted. Add milk & mash.
Whip the mash with a large stirring spoon to add lots of air and make it super light.
Now add spring onion and cheese and stir through into well combined.
Set aside.
In a large oven-proof pan sauce the onion gently in butter until translucent.
Add garlic and peas and broccoli.
Saute until the peas have defrosted. Add garlic, fish and fresh herbs.
Stir through.
Dust over the flour and stir through for a minute.
Now add the milk and stir until thickened.
Add a generous amount of black pepper and some salt.
Now top with the Mashed Spuds and spread evenly over the top of the pie filling.
You can of course transfer to a pie dish if you like!
Place into preheated oven for 25 minutes or until brown.
Serve piping hot.
this is the song getting the most airplay at our place at the moment.
SO SO GREAT.
A great tune to turn up loud and dance in the kitchen to!
When it is school holidays we tend to roll out a few easy faves here. My kids EAT and EAT and EAT. But I love to do some lunches that feel like a bit of a special treat. Holiday food if you will.
These Beef & Plum sauce sausage rolls are my eldest lads absolute fave thing in all the land.
I have posted a couple of other Sausage roll recipes previously- A Pork & Chorizo one and also a Spinach and Cheese one. You can find them both by clicking here.
I love making variations on Sausage rolls and when I made these about 6 months ago for the first time my eldest pronounced eagerly that these were his favourite thing ever!
You can make them and see for yourself!
BEEF & PLUM SAUCE SAUSAGE ROLLS: Really anything wrapped in Puff pastry is going to be delish isn't it? Well in my world that is true..... These are no exception. And can be made in large batches and frozen- we never have any left over to do that! The key here (like anything you make!) is to use the very best ingredients you can. Homemade Plum sauce will make this even more scrumptious. What you will need:
1kg Organic beef mince
1 cup Plum sauce + some extra for dipping
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch knob of Ginger, grated.
1/2 bunch fresh coriander, chopped finely
4 sheets of puff pastry
egg wash
sesame seeds
METHOD: Preheat oven to 175C
It is as easy as mooshing the mince with the Plum sauce, chopped coriander, garlic & Ginger. It will be very smooshy- don't worry.
I slice each puff pastry into two halves and lay the mince mix in a line along one side of the puff, roll over and brush with egg wash.
Slice into desired size and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Lay on some baking paper on an oven tray- repeat until all mix done.
Place into oven and cook for 25mins or until nicely brown.
Let cool and dip into Plum sauce.
Here is his pick of tunes for you to listen to. My kids love Jazz and my eldest is a Jazz drummer- hence the interest. This track is from some ace Australian Jazz musicians. Enjoy!
It's been months' since I wrote in this space. 2015 got the better of me for many reasons & in many ways. I will share more on that another time. It's safe to say that a little break from here did me the world of good but it's lovely to be back. I have made some very big and very difficult decisions in order to reclaim myself and to make this year a better one.
I am hoping I *may* have a little more time to write some more here- I have missed writing.
So- thanks for sticking around if you are still here & WELCOME if you are new! The way things work is that each post varies- some have recipes, some have thoughts and a recipe, some just have thoughts- but ALL have a music video at the end. Music is interwtined into every little ounce of my being (and now my children's too) and so I feel it is important to share that part of me here too.
I hope 2016 is a better one! I know it is March but I feel as though I am only just feeling as though the changes I have made are starting to have their desired impact for me so it feels like a kind of beginning.
This is a good thing. I missed being able to be me.
In the meantime come over and hang at my place. Last year the Design Files did a feature on our house and I totally forgot to share it with you here! Sorry about that- how rude! You can check out the entire feature via this link.
Coffee or Tea? Milk? Sugar? And cake is a given
xx
Today I am sharing a fave Calexico track. We took our big 3 to see them play live at Hamer Hall last week- it was their Xmas gift that they have been patiently waiting for. It was so brilliant to see our Music loving kids come away even more excited about playing music. That is why going to live music is so so good.
I woke craving Enchiladas yesterday.
When I have a hankering like that it generally becomes dinner.
I'm not good at letting cravings go by unnoticed.
I need to sate them.
When I mentioned it to my kids at the breakfast table they replied with "What are Enchiladas?'
I was kind of gobsmacked.
How was it that all these years have gone by and I haven't made them Enchys?!
As I set about sating my craving by heading out with the kids to get the ingredients, I felt like mixing it up a little.
I didn't really want a tomato based sauce so I made up a sauce that I felt would work.
It worked really well and I am pretty sure that I will be making this again- my kids LOVED it.
I am not one to stick to the rules and this dish shows that- I use recipes and flavours as a base and then let what I have in the pantry or what flavours I crave be my guide from there. Although having said that, there is a time to follow rules in the kitchen, and even I do it sometimes!
I think it is one of the reasons I love cooking so much.
Once you get a few good skills and the knowledge of flavours under your belt you can be free to experiment.
Although I do get into trouble for it here (my Cornish Pasties was one of those......soooo many emails about how they were not actually proper Cornish pasties).
The internet can be a strange strange place.
Let it be known that I never said I was a traditionalist.......And I never said that my way is the only way OR the right way.
It is just my way.
Take it or leave it.
I only know how to be me after all.
And me is what you will get here.
x
Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas with Cumin and Jalapeño sauce. This recipe uses Black Turtle beans which are a very common ingredient in Mexican food. If you are vegetarian these Enchiladas would be equally delicious just using the Black beans- I have added instructions for the Vego version in the recipe also. I find them easiest to find in Asian grocery stores- I know this seems a little strange but they are used a bit on Vietnamese cuisine also and so can be found there (usually amongst the lentils etc) INGREDIENTS:
500g Chicken things, sliced finely
200g black Turtle beans soaked (or boiled until soft)
1 large onion, diced
1 cob of corn, charred over gas flame and kernels sliced off
6 cloves garlic
2 heaped tablespoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons sliced jalapeño
4 soft tortillas (we used organic Quinoa wraps as that was what I had in the cupboard- they were delicious)
oil
50g butter
1/4 cup flour
S & P
3 cups milk
1 cup grated cheese (or more if you like it super cheesy!)
1 cup chicken/vegie stock.
large bunch fresh coriander, rinsed well and chopped (set stems aside separately, chopped finely)
lime
METHOD:
Pre-Heat oven to 175C.
Place the Jalapeños and garlic and a few salt flakes into a Mortar and Pestle and grind to a paste. Set aside one heaped tablespoon of this paste for the sauce- the rest will be used in the chicken & Black bean mix.
In a large saucepan, heat a good glug of oil to medium high and add the onion. Fry gently til translucent. Now add the sliced chicken and turn up heat to high (omit this step if making vego version). Cook till brown. Add the cumin & jalapeño paste. Stir well. Add the Paprika and Oregano & fresh Coriander stems. Stir to coat all of the chicken. Now add the black beans and the corn & finally the stock. Bring to boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 10- 15 minutes.
While the bean mix is cooking, make the Cumin & Jalapeño sauce by melting butter in a separate saucepan. Once butter is melted add flour and stir for a minute to cook flour. Add the reserved tablespoon of cumin & jalapeño paste (add a few more slices of jalapeño if you wish- I added lots as we love it spicy!) Add milk and bring heat to high. Stir the entire time with a whisk, to prevent lumps, until the mix has thickened nicely.
Take a large rectangular oven dish and lay the tortilla flat. Spread some of the chicken bean mix across the middle, roll the sides over and lay so folds are at the bottom (this prevents the enchiladas opening as they cook). Repeat for all enchiladas. Now pour over the Cumin & Jalapeño sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place into oven for 20 minutes or until the top looks deliciously brown and the cheese is gooey and scrumptious!
I served ours with lots of cubed avocadoes, red onion, coriander, sour cream, extra jalapeños, and lime juice and also with a delicious Slaw. Sooooooo good!
At the end of today I will have two whole weeks holiday.
YEE HAH!!!!
Well it will be holidays in so far as the alarms will be turned off.
What does holidays mean for me?
Well it means having to manage a business while having 5 kids at home.
That bit is hard. And not much of a holiday.
But - the not being woken by alarms is just about my favourite thing ever!
Now THAT is a holiday.
This holidays I am going to get a cooking roster on the go and allocate a day to each of the kids to cook dinner.
Well actually that was Mr Girlfriend's idea. He suggested they all use my recipe cards- WIN.
We'll see how that pans out.....
The other thing I am hoping to do more of is my Ceramics making. I am hoping that my online store, so that you can purchase my wares, is not too far away. I have another batch of wares in the kiln today.
If you want to have a little peek at the kinds of things that I am making you can look here at my GG Clay adventures. Watch this space!
I have already had the bigs home for this week- they have an a extra weeks holidays this term and oh boy do they need it. We/They have never been so busy in our whole life.
Taking a breather is oh so necessary.
So during the week there has been a lot of extra baking going on to cater for their ridiculously large appetites.
The lads love a good Choc Chip cookie- who doesn't?
But for me the winning biscuit is a good ol fashioned GINGERSNAP.
I love the tins of thin crunchy ones from Ikea but nothing beats a homemade one with a big chunk of real ginger dolloped in the centre.
I had a hankering yesterday and so it had to be.......
GINGERSNAP BISCUITS: These are rich and delicious and with the addition of the big chunk of real ginger on top they are the ultimate Ginger biscuit. Perfect with a large bowl of coffee. These are dangerously easy & delicious.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
2 cups plain flour
170g butter (melted)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup treacle
1 egg
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1 tspn cinnamon
2 tspns baking soda
chunks of candied ginger
METHOD: Preheat oven to 175C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine well.
Roll in your palm into ping pong size balls. Place on baking tray and place a chunk of ginger into the centre. Bake for 12 mins.
Remove and let sit on tray for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling tray.
And I am a big fan of Rosemary and orange together.
Both Oranges and Rosemary are abundant in Winter. I have made recipes with this marriage before.
Savoury & Sweet.
Heady with perfume and a little zing from the citrus. To me it is one of the perfect kitchen marriages.
The rosemary is in flower and it's fragrant lavender coloured blossom looks so beautiful against the deep Green.
Nature at it's best.
This cake is sticky, fragrant & absolutely delectable.
ROSEMARY & ORANGE SYRUP CAKE: I make this cake in a slab so it can be cut into slice pieces. You can easily substitute it into a regular cake tin if you like. I like it as a slab so I can cut it into slice style pieces and wrap it nicely to give as little gifts. What you will need:
225g butter
zest of 2 large oranges
230g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
155g SR flour
250g plain Greek style yoghurt
for the syrup:
juice of 2 oranges
125ml water
230g caster sugar
2 large sprigs rosemary
zest of 2 oranges
METHOD: Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 16x26cm baking tin. Beat butter, orange zest & sugar until pale & creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until combined. Gently add the flour and yoghurt half at a time and beat until just combined. Spread into the tin. Use a spatula to evenly spread it across the tin. Place into oven for 30-35 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Meanwhile add all syrup ingredients into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer, reduce and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove cake from oven and skewer small holes evenly across the top. Pour syrup evenly across the cake and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Remove cake from tin & slice into evenly sized rectangles.
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt - or wrap nicely to give as a gift to a friend you love. xx
Terrines are for me one of the most delightful things in the world.
What looks like a rectangular block of 'not much' when it first arrives at the table, is sliced to reveal the most glorious array of colours and textures within.
And oh my - the flavours!
A perfect picnic food. And one of those things that gets better after a day or two when the flavours are able to develop.
I love using Ham Hocks and often have at least one on my fridge.
I think most people use them only for soups but I like to use them in a few ways.
Slow roasting is a fave- leaving melt in your mouth chunks of delicious ham.
HAM HOCK & CHICKEN TERRINE: This is a SUPER EASY recipe but requires a little planning ahead. This terrine needs to be started the day ahead as it needs to set in the fridge overnight otherwise a very easy recipe. I grind my own chicken (thigh meat) into mince by pulsing it- I like to do this so the texture is not all the same, however using pre-minced chicken is ok too. WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Line a terrine dish with bacon rashers - leave some over hanging to fold over the top of your terrine.
Grind the allspice, fennel seeds & garlic in a mortar and pestle to a paste. In a large bowl add the chicken mince, garlic paste, chopped parsley, peas, egg and the chunks of ham hock. Add a generous amount of S & P. Mix together very well.
Now press down the meat mix into the terrine dish firmly and fold the rashers over the top and neatly tuck in. Pop the lid on the terrine dish. (If you don't have a terrine dish- a loaf tin will suffice and cover with alfoil )
Place the terrine dish into a deep roasting dish and pour enough boiling water in so that it comes about half way up the side of the Terrine dish. Place into oven and bake for an hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the dish.
Remove and pour out excess liquid. Leave Terrine in the dish and cover with kitchen wrap. Put some weight on to the terrine (I use a well wrapped brick as it fits perfectly!) and place into the refrigerator overnight.
Now unwrap and slice heartily! Serve alongside some really good Sourdough, some zingy pickles and some extra tasty crumbly cheese. Will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge- but ours never lasts that long!
I have always LOVED Bundt cakes. There is something super special and exotic about them. There is definitely something majestic in the shapes- which are many and varied!
Recently, Mr Girlfriend had a weeks leave and we spent the entire week filling our day time with trips to cafes, galleries, a bit of shopping & junk shop scavenging and lots of getting little jobs done that we never find the time to do. It was one of the best weeks ever and felt so much more indulgent as the kids were all at school and WE. WERE. ALONE. It was the actual BEST.
On one of these outings I found the most exquisite new Bundt tin at this shop. I ummed and aaahed as to whether I should buy it. But I am SOOOO glad I did. I have already had so much joy out of it!
I don't think Bundt cakes will ever lose their WOW factor for me.
My understanding of these cakes is that they originated in Europe- Austria, Germany & Poland. In Austria the cakes are known as Guglhupf- but are also known in other places as BundKuchen. The Bund in this word referring to Community. These cakes were cooked in cast iron or ceramic shaped baking vessels. The name Bundt was actually coined by an American kitchenware company in the 50's. The owner invented a lightweight aluminium version of these shaped cake tins, added a 'T' to Bund and trademarked the name & that is what most of us know them to be now. No doubt the internet will jump to the opportunity of sharing it's knowledge about Bundt cakes here also.
Have you ever made one or perhaps you have been too scared? I'm here to teach you Bundt Success! Oh yes siree!
There is a trick to getting a Bundt cake to turn out of it's tin without the tear-inducing disaster of it sticking. Spray oil carefully around all of the tin and dust with flour (or cocoa powder if a chocolate cake). Tap out any excess and then pour batter in as usual.
Make sure you also leave the cake in the tin for at least 15 minutes once it has come out of the oven before turning on to a cooling rack.
This recipe is SUPER EASY and is deliciously moist & chocolatey. It would make a super great SPECIAL OCCASION cake- for like......Sunday Breakfast for instance. Well that may just be us but I really encourage you to be naughty and do the very same. It will fill your heart with joy- i PROMISE! Imagine having this made for your birthday! You would totally feel like a Queen, or a King, or just like you were totally LOVED at the very least!
BEST EVER CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE: This recipe will also go into a regular 30cm cake tin (bake 35-40 mins) or make great cupcakes (about 20-25mins)- but please always check with a skewer as all ovens vary dramatically. WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups plain flour
3/4 cup Cocoa powder (best quality you can afford)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons bi-carb soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup rice bran oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
for the glaze
3 tablespoons Cocoa powder
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons boiling water
METHOD: Heat oven to 175C.
In a large bowl stir together sifted flour, cocoa, baking powder, bi-carb, sugar & salt. Add eggs, milk, vanilla & oil. Mix together well for 2 minutes. Now stir in the boiling water. The batter will be runnier than you are used to- this is ok. Pour the batter into the oiled & dusted Bundt tin (as described in the post above). Place into oven for 50-55 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning out on to a cake rack to let completely cool before applying the glaze.
For the glaze: Melt butter completely, stir in cocoa and icing sugar. Mix well to remove all lumps before adding the boiling water. Stir & then drizzle over the top of the cool Bundt cake.
Have you guys heard of Green Goddess dressing?
It's one of those food things that does the rounds every now and then.
A really moreish & versatile dressing that is a bit like a mix of Salsa Verde & mayonnaise & Sour Cream.
You can read more about it here.
I had one of those lovely school holiday days yesterday where the lads & I were busy doing fun activities and totally lost track of time.
You can have a look at what we were up to here. SO FUN!
but all of a sudden it was 6 and I had 5 hungry lads wanting dinner.
AAAAARGH!
Luckily over the weekend we had a large Mexican feast to feed one of our lads and his friends to celebrate his birthday, so I had a fridge filled with delicious Mexican leftovers.
I like to transform the leftovers into something different so we don't just eat the same thing over & over.
I used inspiration from Green Goddess dressing to invent a Mexican flavoured one.
We ended up having delicious zingy Nachos using the leftover pulled pork & the Corn & toasted almond salad spread through delicious Organic unflavoured Corn chips which I drizzled with the sauce I invented.
I named the sauce after everyone's favourite Mexican Goddess- FRIDA KAHLO- of course!
It will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge after making and can be used for all manner of things- on Potato salads, drizzled on iceberg, on Sweet Potato fries, on top of Nachos, over Tacos, over gilled fish - ENDLESS possibilities........
FRIDA SAUCE: I used the Green Goddess sauce as inspiration- however I wanted to omit the mayonnaise component and so I substituted that with a whole avocado and added some of my Taco seasoning for flavouring. If you are vego you can easily omit the anchovies- you may need to add a bit of extra salt.
METHOD:
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz to a paste.
Check seasoning and add S & P if necessary.
Place in an airtight jar. Will keep in fridge for up to 3 days.
I agreed to sharing it with you guys as I thought it would be of great interest to you all.
Hannah has already written another novel 'The Colour of Tea', which also weaves food into the storytelling.
When she is not writing books Hannah also writes a food blog (along with her friend Ria) aptly titled Fork & Fiction.
Hannah found me through our mutual friend Beth.
I promised I would share her book with you guys after I had read it (sorry it has taken so long! - crazy busy life & then the flu got in the way!! Once I did start it I couldn't put it down.....)
Hannah has also VERY generously given me a copy of Season of Salt & Honey to giveaway to one lucky reader. To be eligible just leave a comment below letting us know the strongest food memory you have that relates to family (good or bad!) A winner will be chosen randomly. Entries close Friday 19th June 5pm. Entries must be Australian residents.
'Season of Salt & Honey' is a novel about a period on the life of Frankie, whose life is turned upside down with the unexpected death of her fiancé. Frankie escapes her own overbearing Italian-American family by fleeing to a forest cabin belonging to Alex's (the fiancé) parents.
Peppered throughout the book are gorgeous authentic recipes that are woven into the story. The story is about food, love, grief, recovery, connection to nature & the complexities of human relationships.
I LOVE the way the recipes are such a strong part of the storytelling & help paint a picture of how food is such a big part of the way we remember events in our lives. Hannah also gives us historical information about the recipes too.
Rather than spending a lot of time talking about her book, I thought it would be cool to do a little interview with Hannah so you could learn a little more about the gal behind the words.
I interviewed Hannah a few weeks ago- fulfilling my long held dream of pretending to be Jennifer Byrne from the Book Show.
Here is the transcript of that interview:
Ruth:
Can you tell us all a little about where you live?
Hannah: Sure! I currently live in Auckland, NZ. I grew up here but have done a lot of travelling, including living overseas, over the recent years. Before moving back to NZ I lived in Vancouver, Sydney and Macau. Before that it was London, Melbourne and a campervan called Fred (for a few months travelling around Western Europe
Ruth: Was it work that took you away from Auckland? or your heart?
Hannah: Great question! Originally it was a scorching desire for adventure that lead me away from NZ. Then, eventually, once I had done a lot of adventuring, I could not wait to get back to NZ to make a life here. I love raising my kids and living in this little pocket of the world. My husband is an Aussie (from Sydney) and I am a Kiwi and we often talk about having "the best plan B in the world" (i.e. to return Downunder). I think this plan B is what makes Kiwis and Aussies such enthusiastic intrepid travellers.
Ruth: In your travels you must have eaten some great food!
Can you share us about your favourite food memory during your travels? Hannah: Oh man, that is a TOUGH question! One very cold Autumn day in Kyoto my husband and I stumbled across a tiny, family run tempura restaurant. It was freezing outside but inside the restaurant was small and cosy; we were the only ones in it! The food was so good. In fact, ALL the food we ate in Japan was incredible and served with such care and calmness. I'm in a bit of a hurry to get back there, I loved Japan.
*runner up favourite meals include a feast in rural Thailand after a long day of trekking, siu long bao in Shanghai and sticky kouign amann from a market in Brittany... hmmmm....drool... Ruth: That Japanese meal DOES sound very special indeed.
A memory that involves more than the food- the very best kind of food experience.
And can you share your most challenging food experience of your travels with us?
Perhaps it was the ingredient or the situation that made it challenging? Hannah: I'll eat just about anything so I can't think of many ingredients that put me off (I am such an omnivore, it's not funny!) The food experiences that have been the most challenging are the times when, due to illness, I haven't been able to eat what I like (aka EVERYTHING.) This past Christmas I got sick during travels to Whistler and Hawaii and everything tasted dreadful. I was absolutely devastated. Food = Joy. Am I right? *wink emoticon* Ruth: No argument from me!
Can you tell us a little about how a 'Day in the life of Hannah' looks? Hannah: Briefly? Wake up grumpy, drink tea (feel better), grab something to eat, procrastinate, write, wrangle small children, chores, chores, chores, forget something, instagram something, eat!, more procrastination, more wrangling, think about all the things I should have gotten done, eat something, worry that I am eating too many somethings or the wrong somethings, send emails, read, chat to husband a bit, sleep. Ruth: How many children do you have? And what ages are they? Hannah: I have two beautiful, exasperating, cheeky, wonderful daughters. My eldest is five, my youngest is three. Ruth: Is writing something you have always felt intrinsically compelled to do? Hannah: This shouldn't be a hard question but strangely I find it really hard to answer! The truth is - yes and no. I loved books as a kid and I loved writing too, but i never thought of it as an "option", you know? As a real proper career choice? For me? Writing was something I kept very close to my heart, hardly ever actually doing it, in case I failed, which would shatter me. Preferring instead to try my hand at things I was less in love with and less attached to. Because failing at those things would be less heart-breaking. Finally one day, due to life circumstances (I'd become burnt out in my job in Human Resources, had quit and was living in Macau, China) I was provided time and an opportunity to finally be vulnerable and a bit brave and give it a try. I had the sense that if I didn't try then, in that moment, I might never try. So I did. Ruth: Being vulnerable is the most courageous act of all I think.
I'm glad for you it brought the bounty of success.
I think that a lot of us have inner secret things we want to try but are scared of failure.
A very wise friend of mine once said to me- the only failure is not giving it a go.
When did your interest in food begin? Hannah: You are so right - vulnerability IS the most courageous act of all! have you listened to or watched Brene Brown? She is amazing.
Anyway, I digress...
Ah, food, well...always?? Aside from the food = joy equation, I believe food is love too. It's our first experience of love, as babies, from our mothers / carers, so I'm convinced our fascination is biological. It's essential, it brings us together, it celebrates, it affirms. I'm also a very sensual person (that sounds wrong, bear with me) - I love beautiful art, colours, scents and music. And food is such a wonderful sensory experience... what's not to love? Ruth: Yes I agree with you.
I think there is a commonality amongst food lovers & art lovers.
A process of wonderment at the beauty in our world & things that can be shared- especially love.
What gave you the idea to combine your fiction writing with real life-recipes? Hannah: Good question and I cannot claim credit there. My wonderful US editor, Miya Kumangai, suggested adding recipes to the manuscript after I submitted it and at first I was a bit dubious. For two reasons - a) I am not a chef and b) I didn't want them to seem gimmicky or distract from the story. In the end I selected recipes that were already mentioned in the manuscript (not a single one was slotted in just for the purpose of adding a recipe!) and made, tested and adapted recipes. It was great fun and I learnt a lot about Sicilian cooking and culture in particular. The recipes are a good mix of easy / hard, vegetarian / including meat, American / Sicilian. A lot of the food references are symbolic and therefore have or add extra meaning too. I'm really proud of the end result. I think I owe Miya a drink. Next time I am in New York..! Ruth: I have just two more questions to ask you- I am conscious of taking your time!
Can you tell us your favourite cookbook & why & also what is your favourite music to cook to? Hannah: Sounds good, this has been really fun! Okay - favourite cookbook...
Okay, may I have three?? The first is by Sophie Dahl and is called 'Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights' I love it because the recipes are simple and delicious and organised into seasons,and because she writes about food truthfully and lovingly and because she is the star of The BFG. The second is 'Little and Friday: Celebrations" because the food is decadent and feast-y and Little and Friday is my favourite cafe and second home. The third is not a cookbook per se but my friend Beth's website, BabyMac. I make her lasagne and chocolate cake all the time. She is very funny and frank and her recipes are great. *smile emoticon* Ruth: And your favourite music to cook to?
Hannah: Eeek, I don't cook with music generally! Too many things to concentrate on to involve music in the muddle and chaos. BUT, in saying that, if I do cook with music it has to be duets by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Old school, I know. 'April in Paris' makes me feel oh so happy.
Ruth: Wonderful.
Thankyou so much for sharing with us today.
xx Hannah: Thank you so much for 'having me over'!! Cheers! x
We are now well into Soup & Braise cooking territory in Melbourne. The chill has set in & in our house the lurgies are amongst us too.
SOUP SOUP , ALL the SOUP! That's what the doctor ordered.
"BEAUTIFUL Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in a hot tureen! Who for such dainties would not stoop? Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Soo- oop of the e- e- evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup!
Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish, Game, or any other dish? Who would not give all else for two Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup? Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup?
Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Soo- oop of the e- e- evening, Beautiful, beauti- FUL SOUP!"
Lewis Carroll
SAUSAGE, SPINACH & POTATO SOUP:
I don't know about you but I tend to trot out similar soups time & time again- delicious nonetheless but it was time for a change. This was the result. It relies on VERY GOOD quality all-meat sausages - sausages with fillers and other stabilisers just won't do, so if you don't have great quality sausages replace them with Chorizo or bacon. I use sausage this way in pasta often- an old Italian method but have never used it in soup before. it worked well.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
4 Pork & Fennel sausages (see notes above) If replacing sausages, use 3 coarsely chopped rashers bacon or 1 chorizo sausage in their place.
4 large waxy potatoes, skin on & chopped into large cubes
300g washed & drained spinach
1 bunch Parsley, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 onion, cubed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 litre chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
S & P.
olive oil
METHOD:
Heat a large fry pan and add a small dollop of Olive oil. Gently squeeze the sausage out of the casing so it falls into the fry pan in small meatball shapes.
Continue with this until all sausages are browned.
Remove from pan and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.
Now place a large saucepan on the stove and heat to medium heat. Use a glug of fresh olive oil and add the onion, garlic & bay leaf. Cook until Onion is translucent and the garlic fragrant. Add the cubed potato, chopped parsley & the reserved browned sausage. Stir. Now add chicken stock, increase heat and bring to boil. Immediately reduce heat to simmer and cook until spuds are soft. Now add cream and bring back to simmer. Check seasoning (i think this soup is best with a VERY generous amount of black pepper). And just before serving add the rinsed Spinach and stir until just wilted - this keeps the spinach's nutritious goodness and also keeps it's glorious GREEN! Serve with extra chopped parsley & some Sourdough & Chorizo crumb.
"Children are capable of so much more than we give them credit for." This sentence is one I have used time & time again in my writing on this blog over the years.
Reading this article on the NY times today I found myself nodding in agreement. We don't and have never paid our children to do chores either. I see them as a must-do part of living communally & not as something my children should be fiscally rewarded for. But rather as a way of teaching my children to recognise that we notice there are other people around us and we care about them. It's also about self care. I see my job as helping prepare my kids to be independent functioning members of society. These tasks are part of a normal functioning life. Learning how to cook good nutritious food is also part of that. Somewhere along the way we have lost the understanding of how to cook. We lean on 'quick' packaged options filled with nasties instead of maybe boiling an egg or whipping up a 10 minute pasta instead. We have lost sight of the fact that nutritious and delicious food can be quicker than lots of the packets out there. We choose these because of a lack of simple skill sets. I want to see this turned around. I see it as URGENT. We have a health crisis looming. One that will affect every single one of us. And we all need to be a a part of the solution. And I believe it starts in our very own kitchen.
Getting this generation of kids in the kitchen is also one of the biggest motivating factors behind why I designed my Kool Kids Cooking pack. Encouraging our kids into the kitchen at a young age is so so good for them- and for us. Teaching basic skills in the kitchen is the key to changing the disastrous health crisis hovering over us. This health crisis is all of our responsibility. We all need to be part of the solution. We are in this together. Learning how to make a pancake or biscuits develops into skills that will enable them to eventually be capable and confident enough to make an entire meal for the family.ON. THEIR. OWN.
From now until the end of June I want to see you getting your Kids in the Kitchen. It will be messy. It will be chaotic. You may tear your hair out- but...... It will be an opportunity to spend focussed time with your children. It will be an opportunity for you to teach your child new & important skills. It will be an opportunity for you to start conversations about food and where it comes from. It will be an opportunity for you to gift your child with a growing knowledge of independent and healthy living. It will be FUN & It will be AWESOME.
Join me in a hashtag on Instagram with #ggkoolkidsinthekitchen. If you are not on Instagram then you can email me your contributions at gourmetgirlfriend (at) me (dot) com. Get your kids cooking. Cooking biscuits, cooking pancakes, cooking cakes, rolling pasta, baking veggies, cooking dinner! Just get them in the kitchen cooking REAL food from SCRATCH. I am going to be giving away 4 of my Kool Kids packs (valued at $45.00 each) to 4 young people who take part in this activity (packs to be sent out at the end of June.)
These Noodles are one of my fave quick eats.
I could quite happily live on Noodles forever and ever.
If you look through my recipes you will find more than a smattering of Noodle based dishes.
I especially love having Noodles for Breakfast.
This dish is made with things I always have in the cupboard and is ready in minutes.
They are delicious any time of the day and can be eaten hot or cold.
BREAKFAST NOODLES: I add Chiu Chow Chilli oil & Fresh coriander to mine. You can add many other things too- tofu, green veg etc. Use the dressing as a base & go from there! The amount given below is for one- multiply the ingredients for more. Mix the dressing while the Noodles cook. What you will need:
100g cooked noodles (I often use dried soba as they are always in my pantry but other noodles will do. Cook them according to the instructions.)
1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese Black Vinegar
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method:
In a large bowl (the bowl you will eat them from is perfect) mix together the sauces & the sesame seeds so they are well combined. Once noodles are cooked, drain and add to the bowl with the dressing. Use chopsticks to stir well so all noodles are coated. Add any extras you may wish- I love adding Chilli oil & fresh coriander. Enjoy!
That being the general disaster of Mt Washmore in my home. At. ALL. times.
LAUNDRY.
It never ends. Constant cries of "Where are my Undies?'
I mean it never ends in any house but can you imagine it here?
My washing pile is more like Mt Everest than Mt Washmore. Except it is spread all over the house like a vast desert.....and me deliriously looking for that elusive Oasis.
The thing is there are a LOT of humans that live in this space.
And we wear clothes every single day. And then they need to be washed godddamn it.
And until last year it was me who did it all.
Until I cracked it.
Enough already.
Something had to give.
So, much like the way I gave up worrying about what my little kids ate for dinner (well more correctly it was giving up worrying about what they were NOT eating for dinner) I decided to give up doing their Laundry.
I came up with a plan.
I couldn't believe it had taken me SO long to work this out- but eventually I got there.
I gave the three eldest children (12, 14 & 16) their own designated Laundry basket in their bathroom.
The rules were read to them like this:
I no longer do any of your laundry. EVER.
If I find any of your clothes on the bathroom floor and NOT in the basket, you will find them IN THE BIN.
Don't ever tell me you can't find your clothes or ask me where anything is. From now on it is your responsibility.
If you are about not being smelly, then you can wash your clothes. If you want to find them, then fold them & put them in your wardrobe.
After the rules we had a lesson in how to turn on the machine, separating colours & whites etc etc.
Here we are 5 months after the beginning of the new Laundry system & I can tell you it is an UNBELIEVABLE success.
I can't believe I didn't do it before.
My boys know to NEVER complain to me about not being able to find socks or underwear because they know it is their responsibility & they wouldn't DARE ask me now "Where are my Undies?".
And more than anything they have worked out the hard way HOW big a job it is to fit just their own laundry into a day.
It is only through making them do it that they can see that it was just not viable for me to be doing EVERYONE's in between all the other things that have to be done.
And for me- well yes it is hard seeing the baskets full & wondering when they intend to do some washing. But ultimately I will do them no favours at all in life if I always do those things for them silently in the background.
Resolving their problems for them is not teaching them anything at all.
Guiding them in how they work out their problems independently is what I see as my job.
Just like seeing them lose a race or feel the sting of disappointment at a lower than expected mark for something they worked hard on- working out how to do the mundane jobs of normal every day life is a part of teaching them how to be a balanced & functioning member of society.
The good bits come with the mundane.
I run a small business and I work very hard at that along with my primary job as a caregiver to many.
I do a lot of the jobs that a traditional stay at home mum does. But I think it is a big mistake to assume that along with that comes an assumption that I do everything for everyone.
I most certainly don't. And nor should I.
Mr Abbott did you neglect to notice that the clock has ticked over several times from 1953 and that we are now in 2015?
I would feel like a total failure if I raised children who thought that it was someone else's job to do their laundry (amongst many other chores).
More over it is the teaching of gratitude & an awareness of hard work in our every day life that I feel is important to impart.
And despite Mr Abbott's declarations that women all over Australia are at home washing and ironing happily- I in fact want my children to know that there are COUNTLESS things I would rather do with my time before I do their laundry.
And as for the Iron- well that is safe in my husbands hands. The Iron and I are not acquainted.
I call this project a success in every way.
It has taught my lads a fundamental lesson in awareness & gratitude and if that is what they take away from this, then I am happy that the baskets are overflowing.
We are really lucky to live nearby to a really amazing Middle Eastern grocery store.
One of the first discoveries we made there many many years ago now is a dish called Mujadarra.
It is a traditional Middle eastern dish that varies from country to country but is essentially a dish of Lentils & Rice. YUM.
Comfort in a bowl.
One of my boys in particular would happily eat this dish for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
And very often does.
There is a lot to be said for the Middle Eastern diet- it is heavily based on eating grains & plants and some meat every now & then.
Super nutritious & very filling.
And BOY do they know how to flavour dishes.
Middle Eastern food is amongst my very fave style of food.
Simple good produce flavoured well with spices & loads of fresh herbs.
You cant really go wrong I don't think.
It is delicious hot or cold & makes a great basis for salads or as a side dish for roast dinners or BBQ meats.
We love it topped with a crispy edged fried egg or some pan fried chicken.
Or if you are my son- straight from it's container in the fridge!
PEARL BARLEY MUJADARRA: I have a bit of an obsession with Pearl Barley. I can not get enough of it. I started substituting the rice in Mujadarra when I had no rice & I preferred the slightly nutty firm texture so haven't looked back. Feel free to substitute the pearl barley for Brown Rice. WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
2 cups cooked Pearl Barley (or Brown Rice)
1 cup cooked French Green lentils
4 large brown onions, sliced as finely as possible
1 cup good quality chicken stock
3 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon rice bran oil
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Sumac
loads of fresh coriander, mint or parsley (or all)
METHOD:
Pre-cook all the grains as per instructions, drain & set aside.
In a large fry pan heat oil & butter (these are mixed together so the butter does not burn) until it melts. Heat to high & add finely sliced onions. Once translucent, reduce the temperature & continue to fry until the onions are browned- this may take up to twenty minutes. Right at the end add the cumin seeds and cook through for another minute or so until the cumin is fragrant.
Set some of the cooked onion aside to top your dish.
Add the pre-cooked grains into the remaining pan and stir well. Add a cup of boiling chicken stock and stir well until the stock is soaked into the grains. Finally add fresh herbs, stir through & serve with some of the reserved Golden Onions & sprinkle the Sumac over the top. YUM.
I always look like this when I rollerskate. Do you?
It is getting cold enough to pack Hot Lunches for the kids here in Melbourne.
The brisk days demand comfort food for lunch to keep our kids tummies filled all day long.
This easy peasy, nutritious & hearty soup is perfect for packing into a Thermos.
CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP: Use the very best ingredients you can afford to take this soup from good to outstanding! Make sure you pre-cook the noodles and add them after to avoid a gluggy soup. WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
4 chicken thigh fillets, diced into 2cm cubes
2 rashers bacon, dicd into 2cm cubes
3 bay leaves
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 leek, washed well, trimmed and chopped finely
3 large carrots, diced
4 large waxy potatoes, scrubbed & diced (leave skin on)
300g pre cooked noodles (you can just cook spaghetti that you have broken into small pieces.
3-4 cups good quality chicken stock.
a handful of parsley, chopped roughly S& P
4 tablespoons good quality cream
olive oil
METHOD:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion, garlic, leek, bacon & bay leaves and saute until translucent. Add diced chicken thighs & cook for 3- 4 minutes, stirring. Add diced carrots & potatoes & the chicken stock. Bring to a boil & immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile cook your noodles in plenty of salted water. Drain and set aside. After 20 minutes add the pre-cooked noodles and the cream and taste. Season & serve with Toast.
Have you listened to Blur's new Album yet? EXCITING! This is a super cute little vid:
