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.
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