Hello! Welcome to Food Fossicker. A blog about everyday, accessible food.
My initial blog roll is a sample of the types of stories I hope to bring you as my blog evolves over the coming months.
Your feedback is welcomed as is your participation in following me on my journey. Food is to be shared and enjoyed! And here's an opportunity to do just that.
Let's get Fossicking!!!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Passato! Passato! Passato!
Sounds more punchy than Tomato Pureed ! Tomato Pureed ! Tomato Pureed ! doesn't it!?
My recent visit to Mediterranean Wholesale Supermarket, during which I discovered smoked fish, was actually a visit to find tinned tomatoes. And this warehouse style shop has every Italian staple you could expect, plus more.
The isle of tomato based products needed some time to navigate my way through and it seems that tomato puree is just as important to your Italian cooking supplies as tinned tomatoes. The beauty of passato is that all the hard work is done for you and you have a ready made tomato product that doesn't need straining or any additional assistance. Sometimes tinned tomatoes are great for pasta sauces as the whole tomatoes when broken up still provide texture to your dish.
Needless to say, I walked out with passato instead of tinned tomatoes.
Pureed tomato, as the name suggests are smooth, almost like a soup. Passato suits a range of dishes, not just pasta sauces. In fact, my friend Jen and I went to the Queen Vic Markets this morning and on her shopping list were ingredients for making a duck ragout (which included the addition of passato). I've also used it in soups, risottos and casserole type dishes. Here's a fabulous soup recipe, just in time for the cooler months ahead!
Very Addictive Chilli Bean and Chickpea Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cummin
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large red pepper, diced
3 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1.5 litres passato
1/4 cup burghul
1 x 420g tin of chickpeas, drained
1 x 420g tin of kidney beans, not drained
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Measure ALL ingredients first. The list is quite long so getting this out of the way first up is the best place to start.
Warm the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden, around 8 minutes
Scoop in the tomato paste and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and thyme and coat with wet mixture.
Mix in ALL remaining ingredients and bring the mixure to the boil.
Stir occasionally so the burghul doesn't stick. Reduce the heat and simmer/boil for 30 minutes.
Now you are ready to rock n' roll. Serve with yoghurt, crusty bread and maybe some smoked paprika on the top! YUM!!
My recent visit to Mediterranean Wholesale Supermarket, during which I discovered smoked fish, was actually a visit to find tinned tomatoes. And this warehouse style shop has every Italian staple you could expect, plus more.
The isle of tomato based products needed some time to navigate my way through and it seems that tomato puree is just as important to your Italian cooking supplies as tinned tomatoes. The beauty of passato is that all the hard work is done for you and you have a ready made tomato product that doesn't need straining or any additional assistance. Sometimes tinned tomatoes are great for pasta sauces as the whole tomatoes when broken up still provide texture to your dish.
Needless to say, I walked out with passato instead of tinned tomatoes.
Pureed tomato, as the name suggests are smooth, almost like a soup. Passato suits a range of dishes, not just pasta sauces. In fact, my friend Jen and I went to the Queen Vic Markets this morning and on her shopping list were ingredients for making a duck ragout (which included the addition of passato). I've also used it in soups, risottos and casserole type dishes. Here's a fabulous soup recipe, just in time for the cooler months ahead!
Very Addictive Chilli Bean and Chickpea Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cummin
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large red pepper, diced
3 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1.5 litres passato
1/4 cup burghul
1 x 420g tin of chickpeas, drained
1 x 420g tin of kidney beans, not drained
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Measure ALL ingredients first. The list is quite long so getting this out of the way first up is the best place to start.
Warm the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden, around 8 minutes
Scoop in the tomato paste and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and thyme and coat with wet mixture.
Mix in ALL remaining ingredients and bring the mixure to the boil.
Stir occasionally so the burghul doesn't stick. Reduce the heat and simmer/boil for 30 minutes.
Now you are ready to rock n' roll. Serve with yoghurt, crusty bread and maybe some smoked paprika on the top! YUM!!
Greening your Life!
If you are like me, you watch what you eat, live a little to excess occasionally and then try and get back on track to make up for life's indulgences.
I recently became aware of the acid/alkaline make up of food and was surprised to learn how many foods we eat, that we think are good for us are in actual fact turned to acidic content within our body. For example, lemons are alkaline to our systems and yet milk is acidic! It's almost to the point where you can actually be too obsessed with what you eat for fear of doing the wrong thing by your body. The addition of so many food additives these days is another area for concern but we will leave that alone for the moment.
Browsing through a health food store, not looking for anything in particular, I came across a supplement that could be making the difference to my life. Lately I have been very well (all things considered), I haven't had a cold for well over a year, I've stopped drinking coffee which means I'm relying on my body's natural ability to 'wake up', and I'm sleeping much better.
So, what's different in my life? Called simple Alkaline Super Foods, I've been taking this fine, green powder which is made up of certified organic barley grass, wheat grass and alfalfa leaf. A power punch of nature's green eatible goodness!!!!!
The nutritional information section on the jar reads more like the credits at the end of the movie. Everything is covered!!!! It's quite amazing....vitamins, minerals, amino acids - the list is comprehensive.
Designed to boost your immune system, offer enhanced energy levels and have you feeling fabulous, this fully Australian product is definitely worth having a look at. Unlike many supplements, it's actually quite pleasant to take (I add it to juice in the morning) and reminds me of cut grass - not that I have even eaten cut grass.....
I don't have it, but you can also purchase an alkaline focused cookbook from the same company. Some great and simple recipes that look tasty and filling.
I recently became aware of the acid/alkaline make up of food and was surprised to learn how many foods we eat, that we think are good for us are in actual fact turned to acidic content within our body. For example, lemons are alkaline to our systems and yet milk is acidic! It's almost to the point where you can actually be too obsessed with what you eat for fear of doing the wrong thing by your body. The addition of so many food additives these days is another area for concern but we will leave that alone for the moment.
Browsing through a health food store, not looking for anything in particular, I came across a supplement that could be making the difference to my life. Lately I have been very well (all things considered), I haven't had a cold for well over a year, I've stopped drinking coffee which means I'm relying on my body's natural ability to 'wake up', and I'm sleeping much better.
So, what's different in my life? Called simple Alkaline Super Foods, I've been taking this fine, green powder which is made up of certified organic barley grass, wheat grass and alfalfa leaf. A power punch of nature's green eatible goodness!!!!!
The nutritional information section on the jar reads more like the credits at the end of the movie. Everything is covered!!!! It's quite amazing....vitamins, minerals, amino acids - the list is comprehensive.
Designed to boost your immune system, offer enhanced energy levels and have you feeling fabulous, this fully Australian product is definitely worth having a look at. Unlike many supplements, it's actually quite pleasant to take (I add it to juice in the morning) and reminds me of cut grass - not that I have even eaten cut grass.....
I don't have it, but you can also purchase an alkaline focused cookbook from the same company. Some great and simple recipes that look tasty and filling.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Live a little, like Princess Mary
We all fell in love with Denmark when our own Mary became the Crown Princess to the Danish Monarch. Denmark forms part of Scandinavia, and this Nordic part of the world conjers up images of rather attractive looking men, cyprus trees, fjords, open spaces and lots of snow.
From a culinary perspective, Scandinavian food is poised to be the next big thing on our plates if we follow the trends coming out of the UK. In fact, the Danish restauarant Noma recently was named best restaurant in the world!
Traditional staples such as smoked fish are becoming more widely available so now is the perfect time to start experimenting. In fact, my fossicking today found me in the Mediterranean Wholesale Supermarket on Sydney Road, Brunswick. What a place that is! More about it soon. At the back of the shop I found freshly smoked herring and baccala which is simply dried cod. So, it's true. Northern Europe is infiltrating our culinary ways.
Australia has some of the best seafood in the world so why not indulge in some smoked trout the next time you are thinking fish. Smoked trout is readily available and can be experienced as a dip or works particularly well as an addition to salads. Perhaps try a smoked trout nicoise salad. Or if something warm is more your liking, this angel hair pasta recipe combines rocket, chilli and lemon. A great combo!
Scandinavia is a 'must see' region of the world! Check out this amazing food inspired journey to Denmark, Norway and Sweden being hosted by Food and Wine Travel.
From a culinary perspective, Scandinavian food is poised to be the next big thing on our plates if we follow the trends coming out of the UK. In fact, the Danish restauarant Noma recently was named best restaurant in the world!
Traditional staples such as smoked fish are becoming more widely available so now is the perfect time to start experimenting. In fact, my fossicking today found me in the Mediterranean Wholesale Supermarket on Sydney Road, Brunswick. What a place that is! More about it soon. At the back of the shop I found freshly smoked herring and baccala which is simply dried cod. So, it's true. Northern Europe is infiltrating our culinary ways.
Australia has some of the best seafood in the world so why not indulge in some smoked trout the next time you are thinking fish. Smoked trout is readily available and can be experienced as a dip or works particularly well as an addition to salads. Perhaps try a smoked trout nicoise salad. Or if something warm is more your liking, this angel hair pasta recipe combines rocket, chilli and lemon. A great combo!
Scandinavia is a 'must see' region of the world! Check out this amazing food inspired journey to Denmark, Norway and Sweden being hosted by Food and Wine Travel.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Lemon Verbena and Mint - my new drink of choice.
Trying to wean oneself off coffee can be a challening feat! In Melbourne, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to coffee roasters with such a variety of blends available, including organic, fair trade and single origin. I am sure this applies to most parts of Australia - we have become a caffeine driven society.
So, the challenge for me is to find something that I enjoy drinking that is a variation to green tea which sometimes just doesn't hit the spot.
I visited Pope Joan on the weekend, a cafe in East Brunswick that is a fairly new edition to the scene in Melbourne. I was excited to see, to complete the offering of standard teas and coffees, the inclusion of lemon verbena and mint so my tastebuds ordered without much to do.
What a lovely, sublte, lemon flavour and well complemented by the mint! And unlike lemongrass (and ginger) tea, lemon verbena tends to hold its flavour when heated so it is well suited to a range of kitchen delights, not just a warm drink.
So, the challenge for me is to find something that I enjoy drinking that is a variation to green tea which sometimes just doesn't hit the spot.
I visited Pope Joan on the weekend, a cafe in East Brunswick that is a fairly new edition to the scene in Melbourne. I was excited to see, to complete the offering of standard teas and coffees, the inclusion of lemon verbena and mint so my tastebuds ordered without much to do.
What a lovely, sublte, lemon flavour and well complemented by the mint! And unlike lemongrass (and ginger) tea, lemon verbena tends to hold its flavour when heated so it is well suited to a range of kitchen delights, not just a warm drink.
Because lemon verbena is a deciduous plant (with origins in South America) it is at its best during the warmer months. However, the leaves can be dried, not dissimilar to normal tea leaves which means there's no risk of a lack of supply during the cooler months, when a warm cuppa really hits the spot.
Check out the herb and vegetable section of your local nursery and start growing this marvellous plant that offers an attractive and perfumed addition to your garden or pot plant collection.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Figs, Golden Shallots and Tomatoes - what a combination!!!
The first local flush of the heavenly fig is upon us now, a teaser for the main and some say better harvest, which should occur in March. Even more than other fruit, figs need to be picked ripe and are particularly delicate, prone to damage from birds, rain and handling, hence the price tag they command. Pair with good quality local prosciutto (as mentioned in my article on rocket), ricotta or goat curd and honey for luscious simplicity. The fig is so versatile, it can be eaten as an entree or as a dessert.
Don’t overlook the chance of trying golden shallots. They’re slightly sweet and yet still pungent and flavoursome. Being small in size has the advantage of minimising waste. A classic onion tart is an ideal use for the allium; soups, salads, potato dishes, roasts and casseroles are also enhanced by golden shallots.
Finally,
After a very late start to the season, tomatoes are starting to appear in markets. While some local growers have lost crops, others may benefit from the longer ripening with a deeper complexity of flavour. Salsas, salads, sandwiches, bruschetta, paella, jams, chutneys, relishes, passata, ketchup ... the possibilities are endless.
Don’t overlook the chance of trying golden shallots. They’re slightly sweet and yet still pungent and flavoursome. Being small in size has the advantage of minimising waste. A classic onion tart is an ideal use for the allium; soups, salads, potato dishes, roasts and casseroles are also enhanced by golden shallots.
Finally,
After a very late start to the season, tomatoes are starting to appear in markets. While some local growers have lost crops, others may benefit from the longer ripening with a deeper complexity of flavour. Salsas, salads, sandwiches, bruschetta, paella, jams, chutneys, relishes, passata, ketchup ... the possibilities are endless.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
What is Rocket?
Well, it's actually spelt roquette which would make you think that it perhaps has French origins.
But, for the purposes of keeping our tastebuds entertained, rocket is a peppery alternative to lettuce and contains a variety of flavours, textures and colours. Quite a refreshing combination!
Wild Roquette has been around since Roman times and was considered an aphrodisiac! Quick, get me a bag of the stuff!!!!
It has a nutty and aromatic flavour with a little heat to finish. Wild Rocket is rich in Vitamin C and Iron and could be used in Pesto or for a pizza topping as well as a flavoured addition to salad. The interesting thing about rocket, unlike lettuce, is that is can be wilted down in such things as risottos and still retain and flavour and enjoyment.
One of my favourite recipes with rocket is to serve it with fresh figs (stuffed with goats chevre & wrapped in procuitto) that have been gently heated in the oven for around 20 minutes. The rocket acts as a side accompaniment and is drizzled with a balsamic and olive oil dressing. This is really quite heavenly and with figs almost in season (at a reasonable price), there's no excuse for not trying....
Wild Roquette has been around since Roman times and was considered an aphrodisiac! Quick, get me a bag of the stuff!!!!
It has a nutty and aromatic flavour with a little heat to finish. Wild Rocket is rich in Vitamin C and Iron and could be used in Pesto or for a pizza topping as well as a flavoured addition to salad. The interesting thing about rocket, unlike lettuce, is that is can be wilted down in such things as risottos and still retain and flavour and enjoyment.
One of my favourite recipes with rocket is to serve it with fresh figs (stuffed with goats chevre & wrapped in procuitto) that have been gently heated in the oven for around 20 minutes. The rocket acts as a side accompaniment and is drizzled with a balsamic and olive oil dressing. This is really quite heavenly and with figs almost in season (at a reasonable price), there's no excuse for not trying....
Sunday, February 6, 2011
What I did on the weekend......
After the torrential rain on Friday night, Melbourne woken a little soggy on Saturday morning with the air quite cool given we are in summer!
Weather like this reminds me of days when I was young when you were stuck inside and a little bored. The thought of pikelets with golden syrup was on my mind so I got cookin’ and whipped up a batch.
Half were gone in a flash and boy, they hit the spot. A little trick that I always remember from Mum’s recipe book was to add a teaspoon or so of vinegar to the milk which turns it into ‘make believe’ buttermilk. I used organic apple cider vinegar because of its positive values on the body, although I’m sure the actual feast of pikelets negated this! Anyway, my craving has been happily fulfilled and I get to share this with you.
Here’s the recipe:
1 egg
1 tablespoon of sugar
(Whisk these two together)
1 cup of SR flour
1/2 cup of milk (with a teaspoon of vinegar, of your choice)
(Add these two ingredients to the egg/sugar mix and whisk together)
1 tablespoon of butter (melted)
(Now add this to the batter for a lovely rich and smooth texture)
Cook in a little butter over low/medium heat
EAT WARM!!!!!
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