POLENTA PARTY

I know I have said here before (as quoted by a friend) that silverbeet is one of the great underrated, but how about you stop and think about the same thing I was the other day..... how many times do you go to a cafe or restaurant and see polenta on the menu? Not very often, is the answer I am assuming you will say.

And why not? It's very inexpensive (hello, profit margins), filling, delicious, and a perfectly refreshing change from old fashioned potato mash.  I am hooked.  And when this girl finds a new favourite it gets done to death.

Cue possibly the most indulgent polenta ever made, including my biggest vice of all - cheese.

rare grilled scotch fillet with mascarpone & blue cheese polenta and tomato relish
  1 scotch fillet steak (per person)
  700ml vegetable stock
  700ml full cream milk
  250g fine polenta
  200g mascarpone
  100g blue cheese
  1/3 cup olive oil
  1/2tsp chilli flakes
  1 cinnamon stick
  2 star anise
  1tbsp garlic, crushed
  125ml red wine
  600g tinned tomatoes, crushed
  1/2 cup caster sugar
  italian parsley, shredded
  salt and pepper, to taste

make relish
Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add chilli flakes, cinnamon, star anise and garlic.  Gently fry, stirring, until garlic turns light brown.  Add red wine, tomatoes and sugar consecutively.  Reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes or until mixture is thick and glossy.  Season as necessary, remove from heat and set aside.

make polenta
Heat vegetable stock and milk in a large saucepan until lightly boiling.  Using a vessel with a spout, pour the polenta into the saucepan in a steady, slow stream while continuously whisking.  Turn down the heat to low.  As the mixture thickens, use a wooden spoon to stir for a few minutes.  Add the mascarpone and crumble the blue cheese into the polenta, ensuring it is melted and thoroughly stirred through.  Season with salt and pepper.

make steak
Heat a cast iron pan over high heat (or normal frypan will suffice).  Ensure fillet is slightly warmed from the fridge and season with oil, salt and pepper.  Fry until your liking (I like mine blue so will not offer ANY advice here).  Remove from pan and let stand for a couple of minutes.  Slice into diagonal strips.

plate up
Polenta, steak, relish then parsley. Devour and try not to have seconds (after all, there is 300g of cheese in that heavenly grain).

STRAYA EVE

Living in a country you emigrated to and being thrown into mass national pride before a public holiday is a strange feeling. Australia Day traditions, to me, seem to involve barbeques, cricket (or any sport for that matter), lamb, temporary tattoos bearing the Southern Cross and lots of beer.  

Well, this household decided to throw their own cultural celebrations on the eve of Australia Day.  An 8 hour day working 'for the man' crammed full of work to compensate for the well-deserved day off, I left  feeling very drained and very hungry. Almost deciding to chuck in the towel and get gourmet pizza from the very brief walk home from the train station, my saviour came in the form of a text message from the housemate declaring that night, of all nights, was destined for a gourmet feast.

What a feast it was - so delicious I simply must share it with you.  Let me take this opportunity to add a  disclaimer that the culinary work below is courtesy of the flatmate. But I did help prepare like an eager 7 year old child. I even seeded the pomegranate.

harissa crusted lamb rack with jewelled israeli couscous

  1 lamb rack (approx. 10 cutlets), whole

  2tbsp harissa paste

  250g Israeli couscous

  200g fetta, crumbled

  100g dates, pitted and diced

  zest from 1 lemon (finely chopped preserved lemon peel would also work well)

  1 cup mint, shredded

  2 red chillies, seeded and sliced

  2tbsp lemon juice

  3tbsp olive oil

  60g almond flakes

  40g sundried apricots

  1/2 pomegranate, seeded

  1 handful coriander, chopped

Preheat oven and dish to 200 degrees.  Massage harissa paste over lamb rack and leave to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes (the more time you have, the better).  Bake for 20 minutes (we did for 20 minutes, this will produce a rare, juicy rack - however cook according to your oven and your liking).

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add couscous.  Boil for approximately 7 minutes (this cooks the same way as pasta - boil until al dente).  Drain, rinse until cold water and drain again.  Set aside.

Place couscous in a large bowl and add fetta, dates, lemon zest and juice, chillies, olive oil, almond flakes, apricots, pomegranate and coriander and gently stir to combine.

Serve the couscous and with the lamb sliced into cutlets and be prepared to want more than you need - as this dish is bloody delicious.

NAMASKARA

I swear it's not laziness, but this post also includes copious amounts of silverbeet.  The contentious issue of its oversupply in the garden warrants as many cooking ideas as possible - especially when my friend recently recited to me "silverbeet, one of the great underrated". Very poetic.

For those that think a curry isn't filling unless it has meat in it - think again. Foods such as potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, kumara and spinach can help fill the hunger gap and add delicious dimensions to a curry.  I am not going to kid you, this recipe was completely fabricated in my head while peering into the abyss of the spice cupboard. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be delicious and I not only had seconds and thirds, but fourths as well (quite the normal thing for this girl to do really).  This is one of dishes you can chop and change as you please - add to, subtract from, intensify or even dull down (for those friends of yours that have an uneducated palate).

curry from the spice abyss

  1 medium sweet potato, cubed

  5 silverbeet leaves, washed and sliced

  400g tin crushed tomatoes

  400g tin chickpeas, drained and washed

  400ml vegetable stock

  2tsp (heap) garam masala

  1tsp (heap) ground coriander

  1tsp (heap) ground cumin

  1tsp (heap) smoked paprika

  1tsp ground chilli

  1tsp (heap) tumeric

  3 garlic cloves, crushed

  4tbsp olive oil

  20g butter

  sea salt

Heat oil and butter in a wok and fry garlic until softened.  Add garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika and chilli and heat until spices and oil form a paste and become fragrant.

Add tomatoes, sweet potato, chickpeas, stock and salt and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sweet potato is cooked and softened.  If curry becomes too thick add water as needed.

Add silverbeet and stir through until wilted.

Serve with brown rice and a dollop of natural unsweetened yoghurt.

EAT YOUR GREENS

There is a slight problem in the household of too much silverbeet growing in the garden. Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff, however unless you really take a long hard think not many creative ideas to cook with it spring to mind.

Fearful of boiled, slimy silverbeet flashbacks from my youth I got inventive when I saw some huge, delicious portobello mushrooms in the organic vegetable section of the supermarket.  Cue herb-roasted mushroom and silverbeet pasta idea.

herb-roasted mushroom pasta with wilted silverbeet and fetta

  5 large silverbeet leaves, washed

  3 large/6 medium portobello mushrooms, cleaned

  400g penne pasta

  250g greek fetta, crumbled

  1/3 handful lemon thyme, chopped

  1/3 handful rosemary, chopped

  1/3 handful oregano, chopped

  2tbsp balsamic vinegar

  4tbsp olive oil

  salt and pepper

Prepare by heating the oven to 180 degrees and boiling a large saucepan of water for the pasta.  

Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms by placing them in a roasting tray with the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Shake until coated with the oil and herbs and roast, stalks facing upwards for 20 minutes or until soft and glossy.  Once ready, remove from oven, slice and set aside.  Reserve juices and herbs from the pan.

Remove stalks from silverbeet and discard.  Roll the leaves up to resemble swiss rolls and slice into thin strips - this is the easiest way!  

Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water according to instructions (but should be around the 8 minute mark).   Drain and set aside, keeping the saucepan on the heat.  Place the reserved juices, herbs, fetta, balsamic vinegar and cooked pasta in the saucepan over a low heat and stir gently until pasta is coated.  Place mushrooms and silverbeet in saucepan and stir through until wilted.

Serve and enjoy!

QUE VOLA

How can I not share my tried and true de-stress method for post-work blues? Especially when it's in liquid form.  A refreshing cocktail originating from Cuba, Mojitos are made up of five main ingredients - white rum, sugar, mint, lime and soda.  Mine are especially delicious as I usually pour a double.

borracho mojito

  1 shot Havana Club Anejo Blanco (2 shots if you're anything like me)

  12 whole mint leaves

  1/2 lime, cut into wedges

  15ml sugar syrup *

  1/2 glass crushed ice

  soda water, to top up

Place mint leaves, lime and sugar syrup into a tall glass. Muddle with a pestle (alternatively, the end of a rolling pin).  Add rum, crushed ice and soda to top up glass and stir well.

Garnish with mint leaves and serve.  I dare you to try and drink this slowly.  It just can't be done.

sugar syrup

  2 cups caster sugar

  2 cups water

Place sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes clear.  Place saucepan in a bowl of iced water, allowing the syrup to cool completely.  Transfer to a bottle and refrigerate for use.  Makes 750ml.

AHLAN

Sometimes, in life, you get inspiration from the most unlikely places.  Sometimes, you also get unusual food cravings such as chickpeas.  If you are creative enough you can combine these thoughts and turn them into a yummy, cheap and inexpensive dinner idea - such as a Moroccan-inspired spiced rice and chickpea soup.  Vegetarian glory in a bowl.

moroccan spiced rice and chickpea soup

  2tsbp olive oil

  1 onion, chopped

  3 cloves garlic, crushed

  2tsp ground coriander

  2tsp ground cumin

  1/2 cup arborio rice

  800g tin italian tomatoes, crushed

  1.5L vegetable stock

  400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  4 silverbeet leaves, sliced

  1 handful coriander, chopped

  natural yoghurt (to serve)

  pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened.

Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for a further 1 minute.  Add the arborio rice, tomatoes and stock and cook for 25 minutes or until the rice is al dente.

Add the chickpeas, silverbeet and coriander and cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes until silverbeet is wilted.

Serve soup with a dollop of natural yoghurt, fresh coriander and pepper. 

If you're not a carb hater, a tasty side for this soup is sliced turkish pide that has been drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and grilled until golden.

SALVE

When you live in Melbourne you are prepared for multiple seasons in one day. Today was no exception - wind in the morning, hail during lunch and sunshine in the afternoon.

The unsettling weather had me craving some serious comfort food for two reasons - warmth and salvation. With a craving like this it was only fitting to make some hearty Italian meatballs for dinner. I believe that everybody (who eats meat) should master the art of a good meatball dish. The trick is slow, low heat cooking (and cooking them from the heart!)

meatballs like nonna used to make

  250g pork mince

  250g veal mince

  800g baby cherry tomatoes, roughly crushed

  250ml vegetable stock

  3 garlic cloves, crushed

  1 red chilli, diced

  1/4 handful lemon thyme, chopped

  1/4 handful oregano, chopped

  1/4 handful basil, chopped

  1/4 handful parsley, chopped

  1/3 cup pecorino cheese

  1 egg

  breadcrumbs, to bind

  salt and pepper to taste

  4tbsp olive oil, for frying
  4tbsp butter, for frying

  4tbsp flour

Combine mince, thyme, oregano, egg, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add breadcrumbs until mixture comes together (and will hold into a rolled ball).  Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls, roll lightly in flour and set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large frypan. Place meatballs in pan and fry on a low heat for 10 minutes or until browned all over.  Set aside.

With oil and juices still in pan, fry chilli, basil and parsley for 1-2 minutes to release aroma.  Add tomatoes and stock and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until reduced into a thickened sauce.  Add meatballs and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes.

Once ready, dish those babies up with some spaghettini cooked al dente and lashings of pecorino and/or parmesan cheese. And don't forget the robust Italian red wine...

Bella cibo!

GARDEN LOVE

It's a beautiful thing when you are lucky enough to have your own home-grown vegetables. Not only are they free, but they taste so much better when they are grown with love.

Not necessarily an international dish, but this quick salad made up of 70% of produce from the backyard was too good not to share. Delicious, guilt free dinner for two.

a handful of garden love salad

  1/3 cooked sweet potato, sliced thinly and sauteed until golden

  1 handful rocket, torn

  1 handful silverbeet, shredded

  1 handful endive, torn

  1 handful red lettuce, torn

  1 handful baby spinach

  1/2 handful basil, torn

  1 handful french beans, blanched

  1/2 handful mint leaves

  1/2 handful italian parsley

  1 tomato, chopped

  1 tin lentils, drained and rinsed

  1/2 red capsicum, finely diced

  1 small lebanese cucumber, sliced

  1 tin baby beetroot, rinsed and halved

  1/2 handful spring onion, sliced

  1/4 free-range organic mediterranean chicken, shredded

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon). How easy is this!

SHALOM

Waking up on a beautiful day after a nice sleep in warrants making a delicious brunch. After a stroll to the local markets to pick up some fresh produce (and an atomic-grade coffee), the nearly 1kg of tomatoes and I made our way back home to cook the popular Israeli breakfast dish, Shakshouka. Put simply, a dish of simmered tomatoes, capsicum and spices with eggs poached atop.

And what a revelation. This dish is divine, however it's not one to make in a hurry. Simmering of the diced tomato and capsicum took nearly 30 minutes - but the wait is most definitely worth it. The ground cumin, paprika and garlic make it something far more special than just 'eggs with tomato'.

shakshouka

  4tbsp olive oil - plus extra to drizzle

  1 chopped onion (I used 2 spring onion - also works great)

  5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  1 long red chilli, finely chopped

  1 red capsicum, finely chopped

  800g ripe tomatoes, chopped

  1tsp ground smoked sweet paprika

  1tsp ground cumin

  8 large eggs

Heat oil in a large frying pan (ensure it is large enough for both tomato mixture and eggs) over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, chilli and capsicum and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until onions are golden.  Stir in tomatoes and spices and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 25 minutes or until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.  Make small indentations in the mixture and crack an egg into each one.  Cover and cook for a further 6-8 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your liking.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve with crusty bread.

Simply delicious = brunch love on a plate.

WELKOMMEN

If you hadn't already gathered, I love food.  I'm here to share the love and to receive. So if there are any recipes or ideas you'd like to see on here, don't be shy. I don't bite. It's a two way street, baby.