Ya-Ya Superstar!!!

My luscious step-daughter, AKA Ya-Ya Superstar, is considering a career in photography. As such, I've been talking to her about food porn. She gets it... So, without further ado, may I present the next Ashley Makevekius, MY STEP-D, Ya-Ya's photos.

Please comment and tell her how utterly fab she is, and remind her how truly magnifincent her step-mum is, too!!!

Neurotic Psycho Food Nazi strikes again

**sigh**

It's hard being a food obsessional... really it is. People just don't GET it.

Take Furry.

I love him more than mis en place, more than truffle-infused OO, but he just doesn't "get" the food thing. The symbiotic relationship that I have with food. My food is ME. It's my soul. It's the way I love you, nurture you, spoil you.

It's the wog in me, I know, but I define myself by by cooking.

Bad food= Bad PG.

Look, at least I know that I am weird and neurotic, I have fully processed my neurosis, and I am completely comfortable with it. I am perfectly happy being weird about food.

So, to last night...

Furry and I just installed a Eurolec double oven...

http://agoddessinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/thats-right-in-few-hours-im-gonna.html

And I cooked in it for the first time last night.

I was So FREAKING excited, I was doing 2 rotisserie chooks and a huge tray of veggies. I planned to put the veggies underneath the chooks, to baste in the juices.

First problem, even though the rotisserie has space for 2 chooks on each rod, the motor just couldn't deal with it.. 2 chooks was too heavy and it wouldn't turn. We made sure they were trusssed, centred and balanced, but nup... no turn-ee.

So we turned off the rotisserie motor and left them to cook on the rod, suspended over the vegies.

After 45 mins on 200, the tops of the chooks had browned up, but the underneath was still cool... I mean, I could reach in and touch them...


So we physically turned the chooks over and cranked up the power to 220.

It was another 45 mins before we heard an sizzle....

it was ANOTHER hour before it even looked like it was done.

And when we pulled the food out, the veggies had burnt on the base... and the chicken was STILL uncooked in spots.

It's like there is an enormous cool spot right in the centre of the oven.

In the end we tossed the veggies, put on some wedges and cut up the chickens into pieces and returned them in a tray to the oven.

Total cooking time: OVER THREE HOURS!!!

The Teenzilla's were voraciously hungry.

I don't want to admit it, but I don't think I like my hot little Italian very much...

And all the while I am getting more and more stressed, and more and more anxious.. Hell it's freaking roast chicken and veggies, right?? Not a molecular gastronomical amuse bouche, here.

So I am getting all tense, and Furry's getting tense at my tense-ness and I am yelling "I want that thing GOT RID OF, IT DOESN'T WORK" and Furry's not getting it more and say the line that tips me over the edge...

"You ARE NOT WHAT YOU COOK"

**gulp**

Instantly my head starts spinning on my neck..

I look like this....



I react in a suitably adult and mature fashion by grabbing my keys and walking out, driving in the sleeting wind and rain, all the way back to GW in tears......



So WHY do I feel so inept??

Why do I feel like I didn't look after my family??

Why did an oven that is clearly not working, make ME feel like a bad person?

Why did I feel PERSONALLY, like an utter failure??

Why??.... I'll tell you why!!!

BECAUSE I"M A NEUROTIC FOOD OBSESSIVE AND PROUD OF IT!!!!

Wat virgin no more!!!

Man, I just have to wax lyrical for a mo about the suburb where I work.

Springvale, in Melbourne's south.

It is a veritable melting pot of cultures. It's nothing to see women in full hijabs buying rambutams from a Viet grocer and Somali women if full, bright colourful regalia taking kids wearing Reeboks to school

We have the best of everything here, we really do. Last week I had fresh Pad Thai from a little shop called "Hungry Kebab".. the name is a legacy from the previous owners, who really DID make the best kebabs in town... At Hungry Kebab, you can get Massamun beef, papaya salad, Pad Thai and a selection of other stuff for $8 a serve.. and it's all freshly made there in front of you.

Further up in the shopping centre, you can get pho from the myriad of Viet Noodle shops and every bakery (and there are plenty) sells a different variation on banh mi.

If you're not keen on that, you can pick up a serve of chickens feet or braised duck, add in a darn tart or two and still walk away with change from $10.

And then there's Breadtop for lotus buns and green tea scones.

The latest offering is from Bella Africa (across the road from Breadtop). I have been meaning to try it since it opened a month or so ago, but today I made the effort to avoid the idiot drives, fight for a park and sally forth.

I was initially worried when I got to the counter and saw the special of the day was "egg and bocon (sic) on toast with mushrooms" and they had a fine range of fish and chips or hamburgers. (no-one in Springvale easts hamburgers ANYWHERE other that Hippo's, a bit further up the road, BTW)

The lovely African guy behind the jump must have sensed my confusion, as he asked if he could help and I told him I wanted "African food".

His eye lit up and he led me out the back to a bain marie full of new and delectable treats.

He explained that they've just started out and there isn't a lot of call for Ethiopian foods just yet, so they mainly sell fish and chips and **gulp** deep fried Mars Bars, until they get established.

What he was showing me was wat... the typical Ethiopian stew. I have to confess I was getting all a bit unnecessary as I have only read about Ethiopian food in Wilbur Smith novels and on Food Lovers Guide to Australia...

I asked him if the wat came with injera and he nearly doubled over with glee, that a white Aussie woman would even KNOW what injera is!!!

Apparently his wife makes it from traditional keff (sp) just like back home.

So back to work I came with some beef wat, some chicken wat, some injera and some Ethiopian vegies, prepared to take my wat virginity!!!

O.

M.

G.

I can't tell you how good this stuff is...it's like nothing I've ever had before.. It looks like Indian, but tastes like.... ummm... NOT indian.... There is a slightly sour note to the veggies... a good sour that is, and there seems to be some sort of lentils in there, maybe some cinnamon with a vinegar sour... It's really REALLY good.

The wat is rich and tomatoe-y without being anything like anything I've ever tried before.

The injera's are huge... and bubbly... like enormous flat crumpets, and they have a noticabley sour flavour that compliments everything. The look like big, flat tripes!!!

So, there you have it... lunch today.

Next week, I think I'll go Laotian!!!

Rainbow Baked Ricotta...

My camera is down Chez Fur, so I grabbed this image off Always Fresh, the makers of my new obsession, tapenades... I used some Basil and Parmesan a couple of weeks ago and it was beyond divine!!! Imagine my excitement when I discovered they have three more flavours!!! I made this recipe over the weekend for friends, and it turned out JUST LIKE IN THE PICS!!!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe..

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 1¼ cups (250g) low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten lightly
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons each Always Fresh Fusions Tapenade Tomato, Basil and Parmesan and Black Olive

Method:

Preheat oven to hot (220°C/200°C fan-forced). Lightly oil four holes of a six-hole, 1/3-cup (80ml) muffin/friand pan.

Heat half of the oil in a medium frying pan; cook pine nuts and garlic until fragrant. Add spinach; stir until wilted. Cool.

Combine spinach mixture in a medium bowl with cheese, egg and chives; Add 2 tablespoons desired tapenade to each muffin hole. Divide the cheese mixture among prepared holes. Bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes or until browned.

Serve baked ricotta with grissini and/or garlic ciabatta.

**from the Always Fresh Web Site**

Want a free cook book AND Help charity???

Barilla Aust are donating $1 for every download of their PDF recipe book (35 pages) to

Children's Food Education Foundation

The Children’s Food Education Foundation is a charity established to promote an understanding of food, health, nutrition and healthy food choices by children and young people. Our goals encompass all Australian children and young people, however our main focus is directed toward those with chronic illness, disabilities, mental disorders and those who provide care for themselves or others. We believe gaining food expertise and knowledge can enhance a child’s wellbeing and life experience.

Here's the link for the download.

FREE BARILLA PASTA COOK BOOK

Good Karma and all of that.

Enjoy!!

~pg~

Oh, and I recently used the Barilla Pomodoro e Ricotta sauce. And while I am not usually a fan or an advocate of prepared sauces, this one was a stand out sensation. The ricotta was creamy and pronounced, really well enhanced but not overwhelmed by the tomatoes. For a pre-packed sauce the don't come much better than this!!! I served it warmed, with pan fried field mushrooms and dill over penne and then also used it as a base for some pizzas with asparagus and walnuts. (pics next week!!!)

Sensational!!!

Perfectly cooked steak.

Tip one: BUY GOOD STEAK. If you want a good end product, you have to start with good quality ingredients. Ok, this is a pic of Wagu steak, and not everybody can afford that, but go and talk to your Butcher. Develop a relationship with him/her. You can't buy 2.99kg oyster blade and expect to come out with a good end product.

My fave steak is a T-Bone. They've got a good ratio of fat to meat, the bone makes for a nice handle and I am just partial to them as they were a huge feature of the BBQ's of my childhood. The Pier Street butchers in Dromana has locally fed , raised and slaughtered meat and smells like a Butcher should. In town, we use Kerrie Road Butchers and the boys down there are always happy to help with advice and cooking time and special cuts.



As you can see from the pic, a good steak has a good ratio of fat marbling, and I must confess that I do like the nice crust of fat, seared to perfection that you get with a T-bone.

Now... the first trick is to let the steak come to room temp. If we're having a grilled steak, I like to buy it from the Butchers that day... defrosting steak, IMHO changes the structure of the muscle.

So get your steak and allow it to come to room temp. Do not rush it, just leave it on a plate, on the bench. Cooking a steak at room temp minimizes shrinkage, so you won't end up with a dry, tough tiny bit of leather. If you've paid good money for your meat, you want to do the best by it.

Marinade it, by all means, a bit of garlic and red wine, a splash of Worcestershire sauce.. whatever you like, but personally... for a good quality steak, I am all for letting the meat speak for itself. The key here is, even if you marinate it, let it come to room temp first.

Wipe the steak dry if you've marinated it before cooking.

Now.. if you're cooking inside, be prepared to have someone on hand with a long handled wooden spoon to turn off the smoke alarms. It's going to get smoky.

The option is, of course, cooking outside. It's pretty much up to you.

I use a cast iron skillet that is about 20 years old and very well seasoned. The key is to getting the pan SMOKING hot. I really mean it.

I don't usually add any oil or butter because my pan is so well seasoned, but you might like to give it a light wipe with olive oil.

Heat the skillet over the gas ring until it's smoking. Add the meat, one piece at a time and stand back.

Do not overcrowd the pan by trying to add more than one piece, especially if you're using a larger cut like a T-bone.

Now, if you're anything like Furry here's the important part....

RESIST THE IMPULSE TO POKE THE STEAK!!!

Seriously.. just leave the damn thing alone.! At about a minute into the cooking, grab your mitt and give the pan a shake to loosen it from the skillet..and then leave the bugger be!!

I am a bit of a purist when it comes to steaks, and I like mine blue. That means nice and caramelized on the outside and bloody (but warmed thru) in the middle. (actually, I like it still moo-ing, but that's me)



Furry and I have negotiated and he no longer asks for his steak well done, and I don't threaten to put a pillow over his head while he's asleep. He does like it done a little more than mine.. probably med rare. So his steak gets 6 mins a side and mine gets 3.

The key to this is the heat.. I can't stress it enough. What you are after is a Maillard reaction which is a fancy name for the caramelization of the starches in the meat, which gives it that lovely brown caramelized crust. The same chemical reaction is what turns ordinary onions into sweet, delectable caramelized morsels of heavenly splendor.

So back to the meat.

AS I have said, 3 mins for blue, 6 for med rare... turn the steak and give the pan a wiggle to stop it sticking. At this point, I like to position the fatty edge of the steak against the side of the skillet, with the skillet itself off centre over the gas ring. This ensures that the lovely fatty edges comes in contact with a point of high heat and gets a heft dose of the ol' Maillard reaction. Apart from that, BACK AWAY FROM THE PAN. Do not go poking it.... ignore everything you've seen you hubbie/boyfriend/father do at a BBQ, poking every bloody bit of dead animal with his tongs.... just leave it alone for the required time.

Once it has cooked to your liking, remove the steak from the pan and here's the next important bit.

Let the meat rest. Use this time to top up your cab sav, whack a few salad greens on a plate, dollop some spuds with sour creme and chives... whatever, but leave the bloody steaks alone for at least 10 minutes. This allows the muscle to relax and to re-absorb any juices that may have leaked out.



I am not a huge one for sauces, like a marinade, I believe a good, well cooked piece of meat can stand up on it's own (that's figuratively, guys.. not literally).

Serve with mashed spuds, or boiled new potatoes with butter and parsley, a bit of salad greens and any pan juices poured back over the steak.

Seared Salmon with wasabi mayo and wilted Asian greens

Seared Salmon with wasabi mayo and wilted Asian greens.

Fish. It's good for what ails you. Brain food and all of that.Omega 3's.

BUT, a lot of people are put off by it. here's an easy peasy recipe that any doofus can do and look like a pro.

First, buy the best quality, sashimi grade tuna or salmon fillets you can get you hands on. You can pay up to $10 a fillet, but believe me, it's worth it. Marinate in some light soy and some fried shallots (available in big buckets for next to nothing from an Asian gocer.



In a random bowl, mix some good quality mayo (I use Hellmans', Best Food's or Thomy.. as long as it's a good quality egg yolk mayo) and a goodly squirt of wasabi. Allow this to sit in the fridge for at least an hour, while your fish marinates...



While you're waiting, prep your greens. Today I used some baby bok and some snow pea sprouts and something that looked like broccolini.



Buy more greens than you think you need. They wilt down to almost nothing.

Add a goodly splash of sesame oil to your wok and get it smokin'.

Add the fish skin side down.



Fry off until the colour juuuuuust appears 1/2 way up the sides of the fillet. Flip.

Fry on this side for only a minute or two.

Set aside to rest.

Add a splash more sesame oil and re heat to smokin'

add greens and a good splash of soy or terriaki marinade.



Toss until wilted.... here's an action shot!!!


See... they wilt down to pretty much nothing in a few seconds...



run a packet of udon noodles under hot water in a colander. drain well and add to wok.

toss to combine...



Pile greens on plate.. top with salmon, dollop on wasabi..



enjoy!!!