Week 11: Pastry, Bread and Yeastgoods

Viennese Biscuits

A picture is worth a thousand words they say. Well then, how about valuing a single taste – be it a smidgen of hazelnut cream licked off your forefinger as your wipe the nozzle of your piping bag clean, or a single bite from a freshly baked croissant, or the tiniest morsel of sponge cake straight out the oven, peeled from the crumbled, imperfect edges?

Simple, the value of the most powerful sense – taste – in the smallest trace amount is absolutely priceless, especially when you are using nothing but four of the most simple ingredients that are invariably stocked in the most basic of kitchens. Butter, flour, water and eggs combined with specific quantities and unwavering precision can create (notice I use the word CAN instead of will/does, because with baking, be pastry work or yeast goods there is absolutely NO guarantee of a fabulous end result) the most delicate, flaky puff pastry that justifies your whole existence or the most succulent and moist Savarin that gives you a new lease on life!

Savarins and Babas with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, kiwi fruit and mint

White Bread Rolls with Sprinkled Poppy and Sesame Seeds

The beginnings of forming croissants - cutting the dough into measured triangles

Rolling the triangles over into the traditional croissant shape

All, perfectly risen croissants by Chef Bill Caulderbank

And my sad, pathetic attempt. My yeast died on me. The result - deflated pastry and morale.

Russian Buckwheat flour Blinis with Sour Cream, Smoked Salmon, Chives and Kalamata Olives

Cooking out the choux pastry

Piping the choux pastry onto the baking sheet

Choux buns and eclairs straight out the oven

Hazelnut Cream pipped into little rosettes on the Paris Brest rings

Eclairs get a pipping of whipped cream

My choux pastry sitting pretty

A labour of pure dedication, hard-work and perseverance.
Who said love had anything to do with making good Puff Pastry?

Putting the puff pastry to use. Task one, a traditional French pastry: Pithiver.

A Pithiver is Puff Pastry rolled out into a circle, a tiny spoon of Frangapani (almond filling) and another circle placed on top. Then it is designed to look pretty, egg washed and baked.
Sounds simple. It's not. I've skipped about 12 steps or more!

But the final result is undeniably gorgeous!

Step one of making apple strudel. Roll out the dough into a big rectangle.

Generously brush with butter and sprinkle with sponge cake crumbs cooked off in more butter.
Sorry, did I just put you off strudel forever. Not my intention.
It is no fallacy that where there is butter there is undeniably fantastic flavour.

And finally the chunks of apple come to rest atop the cake crumbs with a sprinkle of
cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar for good measure.

Roll the dough into a long snaky-strudel

Manipulate it into a shape that fits onto a bakers tray to ensure even cooking and will not
bend with the intense heat of the oven (in this case a horse shoe).
Glaze with egg wash and pop into the oven, keeping a close watch.
When its crispy and lightly starting to get golden brown - it's ready!

Plate it up prettily and serve with a little Sauce Anglaise! Bellisimo!

Pasrty can be savoury too. There's pizza ofcourse!
Here we have a Snapper and Kalamata Olive Pizza with Tomato and Torn Basil

Week 10: Butchery

I regret to inform that my meticulous documentation of my time at cooking school, all the learning thru the various modules has been disrupted by an unforeseen, unfortunate circumstance. Last week while I was busy, in the midst of one of my usual action packed day in the Regency kitchens my house all the way over in Glenunga was being robbed. The result of which cost me my trusty pink Dell laptop, USB internet modem and handy-fits-everything red croc Guess bag, needless to say it has left me emotionally and mentally drained, officially unplugged, unhooked, cut off, severed from any, correction ALL ties to the outside world. There has never been such a defining moment as there is now for me at this juncture in my life – where the adage “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” has resounded with intense impact and truth.

Losing my computer has made me feel naked. Suddenly estranged from the world I am without a portal to the outer universe. Be it email, facebook, sykpe, I am without the tools that I require to express myself – Microsoft office with all its wonderful programs is something I have grown up with and taken for granted, belonging to Gen Y. All evidence of my last 1.5 years in Australia has disintegrated into thin air, my pictures, my thoughts jotted on word docs, my past assignments in all their many glorious versions, my recipes – disappeared forever. Without a backup I am lost and feel cheated. The worst part though is learning how to live without this magic gadget – the laptop – that I have come to take for granted. My pink Dell saw me thru happy times, sad times, times of leisure, times of marathon research findings and of course it saw my thru the completion of my Masters thesis. I never even got to say goodbye to my old friend – so now I take this opportunity to bid him farewell. As for me and my continual state of dispair and disconnect – I continue to work on a long term soluation. Since I relied on it for writing and uploading my pictures and all blog content, it is my blog that is ultimately going to suffer. For now I post from Uni Adelaide. But it is all too cumbersome!

What is most upsetting is that the butchery module is what I had been looking forward to since the start of the course. So when week 10 rolled around and it was time to take out the fillet knife and sharpen it up, learn how to use a saw to hack through brittle, thick beef, pork and lamb bone I had my camera on video mode ready to document the ground-breaking information I was about to witness. After a week of careful documentation of breaking down whole carcasses including a side of lamb, an argentine of beef, a forequarter of pork and a whole rabbit into primary, secondary and restaurant cuts I had the privilege of learning everything from anatomy to where and how to find the most tender cuts, how to utilise and make the most of cheaper, tougher cuts and most importantly to be able to recognise meat in all its glorious forms and decipher butcher scams like disguising the silverside eye fillet as tenderloin fillet for example!

While I have no pictures to entice you with and no proof that I did in fact spend a week butchering animals into respectable restaurant cuts, I can say this – getting in touch with the beast in its entirety is a beautiful thing and is a must for any gourmand that enjoys a good chateaubriand, pork chop or crown of rabbit. Today we are so far removed from where our meat comes from that most people are disgusted, shocked and turned off when they find that mince meat actually comes from a shin of an animal for example. There is a missing understanding and appreciation for meat and the animal by and large today which is really unfortunate.

So what did I ultimately learn? To be a first class butcher – No Way. Chef’s are not butchers and do not pretend to posess those skills. The butchery component is a part of the course because knowing your meat, the cuts, being able to identify and deal with it to the best of your abilities improves innovation, as well as cuts down wastage. This makes it an economical and is why butchery in its basic form must be part of any ‘real’ chef’s repertoire. So while we cut racks of lamb from the ribloin and Frenched them, (and with all that manual sawing they were far, far from anything respectable - far from industry standards) it was not that learning those skill is what is expected by chefs, but rather that chefs are able to know what to look for and what they can demand/ request from butchers. In order for innovation in any field – one must know the produce dealt with inside-out. Without this information you and your work will ultimately suffer. Stay tuned as coming up in the following week is pastries, and this will be in full on vivid colour with glossy pictures.

Four continents in two weekends = one happy stomach

Often I find myself in catch twenty-two situations contemplating what to put into to my stomach and what not to waste stomach space on. At the beginning of the night I am usually carefully eliminating options, and by the end of the night I am wishing I was a cow, after all they do have three stomachs, damn, what I wouldn’t give to have an extra stomach every now and again!

Food is central to tradition and culture, moreover for migrants and those living overseas for long periods of time. This usually abounds from a longing for home and the yearning for the foodways of one’s childhood, namely the spices, smells, memories and tastes of our childhoods. This I have encountered and observed firsthand on several occasions over the last 18 months spent living, studying and eating at various friends homes in and around Adelaide.

The past two weekends in particular have been especially multicultural in terms of the meals I have enjoyed with foodways being celebrated as the core pillar and foundation of inherent identity. Last weekend I attended a friend’s 21st birthday, enjoying an array of finger-foods including samosas, curry puffs, pakodas, vadas, iddiappams with potato curry, fried rice and sausages with ketchup – a spread that symbolised her Malay-Indian roots amalgamated with her Australian upbringing. What can be said was that it was undoubtedly an eclectic buffet that made evident their interpretation of a local community’s adaptation of its foodways that can perhaps be said to have evolved.

This was not my first 21st birthday celebration in Australia, nor my first run in with what I refer to as fusion-confusion. About four months ago I got a taste of what the Greek community in Adelaide today recognise as being their cuisine. Sadly it is very much a generic Aussie-Greek hybrid mish-mash of potato and pasta salads doused with an overload of mayonnaise, camouflaged with shredded carrot, chaffing trays loaded with dried out grilled chickens and piles of shaved souvlaki meat accompanied by platters of bastardised creamy, dairyfied hummus, tzakaki and roasted bell peppers.

Although I tend to be conservative when it comes to maintaining traditions and foodways, extremely pro-active about saving and resurrecting ‘the way in which we used to eat’ and protecting the future of our recipes and food-culture, I can understand how along the way foodways become watered down and thus take on different undertones and direction. This I can appreciate, since through it new cuisines, interpretations, styles of cooking and techniques are born.

However at times, this swings quite in the opposite way where the migrants foodways are changed or monopolise, imposed on such a dramatic scale by the local food culture that the initial foodways are high-jacked and overpowered into diluted nothingness. In this case we witness the sad demise of a migrant cultures foodways and the prospect of that culminating into something bright, beautiful or even strange, special.

Getting back to my recent multicultural food experiences, last Sunday contrasted both 21st birthday celebrations by way of ‘authenticity’. Now I know this can be a sticky word, and be using it here, by default I have invited criticism, however, Fan Hong my host for that evening is fresh from Beijing , China. In fact she has been in Australia for less than five months, so if this does not make her cooking authentic, I don’t know what does (her food is unparalleled to anything you can get your hands on Gouger or Moota Street). Cooking from the heart using simple, rustic methods and techniques she has honed over the years the result was a sensationally satisfying authentic Beijing meal. We started with crunchy green beans lightly stir fried and topped with minced pork with soy sauce followed by drums of heaven – chicken drumsticks that I have a sneaky feeling were rubbed with Chinese five spice powder prior to being fried golden-brown and crispy. Then we went on to relish (and I actually mean devour because it was so unbelievably amazing) a whole deep fried Barramundi enveloped in a wet, spicy yet subtly sweet sauce made of finely sliced spring onions, garlic and red chilli fragrant with stinky-sour tell-tale scent of fish sauce that caught me by surprise (I was under the impression that it was only the Thai and Vietnamese mainly that used it, and never the Chinese). However, it could have been a variation of oyster sauce that has a stronger, fishier pong than I am used to. Last but not least was a clear broth, its surface clotted with fat globules and at the bottom lardons of pork, thickly framed by jiggling rind glistened and gyrated. This particular dish conjured up images of a Chinese sage proffering a healing bowl of broth ensured to render good health and fortune. However, no matter how youthful or agile that soup could possibly make me I would not be able to stomach it – the fat was just far too much, congealing my upper palate.

This Friday night took me all the way to Mexico, with American couple Tim and Mariah from Colorado hosting a Mexican themed evening. While this does not reflect North American foodways per say, it speaks of the principal pretext of human nature – seeking out foods one misses and craves from home (in Australia Mexican food is pretty much alien territory). I got not only taste homemade, hand-rolled tortillas but also get a free demo! All the other usual suspects were in attendance – guacamole, sour cream, salsa, corn and pepper mix and enchiladas.

Saturday we travelled to the suburb of Camden Town to enjoy a South African Barbecue or as they like to call it in Cape Town – Braai, or so our hosts Eddie and Elba informed me. The SA version of a barbie typically involves freshly poached game meat thrown onto the grill, however given the nature of the Aussie bush we substituted with a side of silverside beef cut into thick, juicy steaks and corn on the cob thrown onto the grill.


All of which were generously seasoned with Marina Sea Salt Braai BBQ Seasoning (screaming with heady notes of cracked black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds, allspice and nutmeg) as well as Mrs. Ball’s Original Recipe Chutney – a piquant combo of vinegar, salt, apricot and peaches.

Although I have a long standing love-hate relationship with globalisation one thing can be said for sure - when it comes to gastronomy and the widespread availability of everything from paneer to dolmades at your neighbourhood grocerry store, to the diverse and endless array of ethnic restaurants most metropolitian cities offer, the sharing of different cultures through foodways makes life worth living. For me, my time in Australia has allowed me a rollercoaster ride of gastronomic food advetnures. Cheers to all the people that have hosted me so far and to all the meals in the future here in the land Down Under.

Jaime's Wild Mushroom and Venison Stroganoff

Jaime Oliver, from his early Naked Chef days won my heart over instantaneously thanks to his witt and his down-to-earth simplicity. From his silly little lisp, blond baby curls that frame his face to his enthusiasm for life and celebration of food he is a personality that is incredibly infectious and absolutely impossible to ignore.

Apart from resonating vivacious character and imparting a sense of culinary adventure in his viewers world-wide, knitting together people from Birmingham to Bombay, his simple yet brilliant recipes are easy to follow, reliable and oh-so-good!

While mushrooms and stroganoff are synonymous with each other, venison being a game meat, and mushrooms predominantly growing on the forest floor, the substitution of beef fillet with venison loin takes the satisfaction of a good dish to being great, no correction - to a higher plane of superior awesomeness!

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced; 300g venison loin, fat and sinews removed, trimmed and sliced into finger-sized pieces; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon paprika; 250g mixed exciting and robust mushrooms, wiped clean, torn into bite-sized pieces; Bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped, stalks finely chopped; Knob of butter; Good splash of brandy; Zest of 1/2 a lemon; 150ml crème fraîche or soured cream; Few little gherkins, sliced

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Method: Heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and pour in a glug of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until softened and golden. Remove from the heat and spoon the onions and garlic out of the pan on to a plate. Keep to one side.

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Season the meat well with salt, pepper and paprika. Rub and massage these flavourings into the meat. Place the frying pan back on a high heat and pour in some more olive oil. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until they start to brown. Then add the meat and fry for a minute or two before adding the parsley stalks (you can do this in two pans or in batches if your pan is not big enough) and the cooked onion and garlic.

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Toss and add the butter and brandy. You don’t have to set light to the hot brandy, but flaming does give an interesting flavour so I always like to do this. Once the flames die down, or after a couple of minutes of simmering, stir in the lemon zest and all but 1 tablespoon of the crème fraîche and season to taste. Continue simmering for a few minutes. Any longer than this and the meat will toughen up – it doesn’t need long as it’s been cut up so small.

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Serve your fluffy rice on one big plate and your stroganoff on another. Simply spoon the remaining crème fraîche over the stroganoff, then sprinkle over the sliced gherkins and parsley leaves. Eat at once!

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More Venison Recipes?

Try my Roast Venison Blade, Quince Chuntney and Red Wine Sauce

Week 9: Select, Prepare and Cook Poultry

Cleaned and prepped poultry: Supreme`, Marylands, Skin and Frenched Thigh

If an animal has feathers and a beak it is classified as being a bird – duh! In eating terms this converts into the broad poultry classification. Although personally speaking chicken is the most boring, bland meat of them all, it is chicken that springs to mind for majority of the world in conjunction to the word poultry, defaulted by its widespread popularity both in the East and the West.

Classical French Chicken Stew: Coq au Vin

Chicken’s popularity and its huge fan following can basically be blamed and summed up by three main factors. One, that today chicken is the cheapest meat to buy both cooked and uncooked. Two, chicken production is on such a mass scale it has managed to attain a manufactured standardised quality reminiscent of a processed, packaged food, thus its characteristic institutionalised flavour is hardly a surprise.
Three, chicken is largely sold in prepped, cut and trimmed pre-packaged pieces, whole chickens prepped, trussed and ready for roasting or boneless strips and dice – all of which feeds into the 21st century mechanical and sterile mindset – one where we are so far removed with the fact that we are in fact consuming an animal, that we rather pretend meat comes from a packet rather than what was not long ago a living, breathing animal.

Sesame Chicken Tenderlions with Corriander-Tomato Salsa

Although today many people would be surprised to learn the poultry extends far beyond the sterile, bland production line chooks (Aussie term for chickens) encompassing ducks, pheasants, poussins (young chickens about 4-6 weeks old), quails, pigeons as well as wild or game birds such as emu, ostrich and guinea fowl.

Roasted Poussin seasoned with sage and bacon, Jus Lie, roast pumpkin, zuchini and fondant potato

Pan-seared quail dressed with balsamic vinegar, watercress, tomato, finsished with green peppercorns and olive oil

Chicken is always cooked until well done – completely through to 75 degrees C, while on the contrary duck and quail breasts may be served medium-rare so the interior is moist and pink. The tougher legs resultant from the development of thicker, developed muscles however is always served well done as in the case of chicken.

Pan-Seared Duck Rose, steamed Brocollini and Bok Choy with Confit Citrus Zest and Orange Segments

Confit Duck

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Confit Duck with Buttered French Blue-Eyed Lentils

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In this module we learned how to identify fresh birds, check if they had been thawed and re-frozen by looking for signs of freezer-burn, pools of water in bags etc as well as breaking down the carcass into restaurant pieces/cuts, frenching bones into smooth presentable tips, skinning poultry and of course employing several traditional as well as contemporary cooking methods and techniques to achieve a range of dishes and options.

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Cajun Spiced Blackened Turkey on Grilled Pineapple and Beurre Blanc

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Ironically, while my days were busily spent skinning, boning, trussing, filleting, roasting, frying and baking chicken, my evenings were filled with the reading of Jeffrey Steingarten’s, It Must Have Been Something I Ate, specifically the chapter entitled Birds of a Feather. The following is an interesting excerpt that deals directly with the lessons I learned and the far reaching implications of globalisation, one of my favourite subjects.

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Stuffing and sewing a balottine of chicken
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“Its name is Turkducken, and it is a creation of the Cajun people of southern Louisiana, who take a chicken, a duck, and a turkey, remove most of the bones and then stuff the chicken into the duck, and the duck into the turkey, and tuck savoury stuffing’s in between. The entire thing is roasted for quite some time – as long as 13 hours. Then, being boneless, it is simply sliced crosswise, each slice revealing six concentric rings of juicy goodness…. So, what is an authentic Turkducken and when did they do it? Who made the first Turkducken and when did they do it?

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… I will admit I had already formulated a theory. The Cajuns descended from French settlers who in 1604 had immigrated to the maritime provinces of Canada, which they called Acadie, or Acadia in English. During and after the French and Indian Wars the victorious British expelled the Acadians, many of who were drawn to Louisiana, still largely French….

Pan-fried Ballottine with rice and Jus Lie
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…. So here is my theory: The French have many recipes in which fowl are boned or skinned, stuffed with their own meat or that of other creatures, and roasted or boiled. These are called galantines and ballottines. Are they the ancestors of the Turkducken? Did the Cajuns bring the recipe for galantines from southern France to the New World?”

Galantine of Chicken - roasted Nori, Chicken farce and tenderloin served with Watercress and pickles

Indian Prawn Curry

Most people find it strange that being from India, Indian food is not second nature to me – I seldom eat nor cook Indian food. Part of the reason is that growing up in a household dominated by my Anglo-Indian mother, majority of home-cooking were non-descript Anglicised Curries – be it Chicken Curry, Liver and Heart Curry, Vindaloo, Mulagtwani to a series of British-Americanised comfort classics like Mixed Grill Dinners, Shepherd’s Pie, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Mac & Cheese and Fish n Chips. Because of this amalgamation of ‘mixed-cuisines’ that I was brought up on, Indian food is very much a dining out cuisine, that I relished on visits to restaurants or friends houses. While my mother is a fantastic cook, her Indian food leaves a lot to be desired and said (let’s just leave it at that!).

Living in Australia the last year and a half, has made me aware of my foodways, because of curious friends as well as a response to identify, associate and align oneself in a sense. In fact so much so that it propelled an investigation into the nuances of regional cuisine of India. Recently I made use of the talent of Arya, a Tandoor Chef and fellow classmate who studies with me at Regency, TAFE Cooking School. He helped me whip up several kinds of kebabs, (appetiser bites of chicken, vegetables and minced each flavoured with several different spices), biriyani (layers of fluffy white, Basmati rice and mutton spiced with a fragrant, robust and pungent masala) and bengan saalan (spicy eggplant curry).

Eight weeks in the commercial kitchen whipping up classical French cuisine day in and day out I figured it was time to try my hand at something Desi. So here it is my first attempt at Indian with a little recipe guidance by Alfred Prasad, Head Chef of Tamarind, London's only Michelin starred Indian restaurant. Robust flavours meld together to create an overall mellow masala. Neither too hard to follow nor top spicy to handle, this step-by-step recipe yields a satisfyingly piquant prawn curry.

Ingredients: 600 g prawns, shelled and de-veined, (I like to leave the tails on for presentation); 2 medium onions, finely diced; 4 medium tomatoes, finely diced; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 cardamom pods; 4 cloves; 2 green chillies, finely chopped; 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste; salt to taste; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tbsp cumin powder; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 cups (500ml) hot water; ½ tsp garam masala powder; ½ bunch coriander leaves

Method: Put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add 3 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 4 cardamom pods and 4 cloves. Fry for about 30 seconds, stirring continually. Add the onions and green chillies to the pan, and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions are a light golden brown. Stir frequently to stop the onions burning.

Add 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste. Stir well for a couple of minutes. Add in the spices: ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp coriander powder; ½ tsp garam masala and fry for 5 minutes over a low heat, stirring frequently.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes followed by 1 tablespoon of cumin powder. Then stir. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir it in. Add a cup of water and keep stirring until the water is absorbed. Turn the heat down, put the lid on, and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the oil separates from the dish and rises to the top.

Turn the heat back up to high and add the prawns to the pan. Then stir in a generous pinch of salt. Stir, then put the lid on and bring the heat down. Leave for about 10 minutes or until the prawns are cooked. check occasionally. The prawns are done when they turn pink and opaque. When they are ready, turn the heat off.

Finely chop the coriander and save a couple of good leaves to garnish. Now stir in the coriander to finish the dish. Lay the coriander leaves onto the curry, and serve.

Week 8: Seafood: Fish, Molluscs and Crustaceans

Seafood Cleaned and Prepped, ready for cooking

This seafood module went above and beyond simply learning how to cook with seafood, but into the nitty-gritty of how to purchase fresh, quality produce including storage – from freezing to thawing.

Whole Barramundi and Plaice

Fresh South Aussie Oysters with Shucking Knife

Given that Australia is home to a diverse array of sea creatures, as well as fabulous markets where they can be sourced fresh, paired with my adventurous spirit the varieties of seafood we used in the kitchen last week were far from strangers to me.

Seafood Salad with Thai Inspired Sweet-Sour-Chilli Dressing

Barramundi, the quintessential Australian eating fish made several appearances throughout the week – since it is an extremely versatile specimen – a fleshy round, white fish.

Delice of Barramundi with Oysters and Sauce Vin Blanc

Fillet of Barramundi, Prawns doused with Sauce Americana

Salmon, Ling, Leatherjackets, Gummy Shark and Plaice were also used. Apart from fish per say, we got well acquainted with squid, mussels, scallops, prawns and oysters in terms of their culinary uses and applications, learning about their unique tastes and their varying textures that can be induced via particular cooking methods.

Crispy Deep-fried Leatherjackets in robust Thai Green Curry

Fish 'n' Chips with Fries, Garden Greens and Tartar Sauce

Fillet of Australian Salmon with Cucumber Noodles, Carrot and Fennel Stack avec Beurre Blanc

The basic foundation for this one week hands on practical learning session about fish entailed scaling, skinning and filleting a whole fish, that is both flat and round, white and oily flesh fish, depending on the diameters of the fish and the cooking demands, extending to molluscs and crustaceans.

Barramundi, Sauteed Onion, Red Pepper Brochette with Steamed Rice, Crispy Skin and Beurre Blanc

Barramundi Meuniere with Nut Brown Butter Sauce and Lemon Segments

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Meyer Lemons and Green Olives

A soulfully satisfying quick-fix apt for a rich, robust Sunday dinner minus all the fuss, this chicken scented with turmeric, thyme and preserved lemon dish literally requires less than 30 minutes preparation, whilst filling your home with the irresistible, exotic scents of Morocco. This dish is guaranteed to transport you on a colourful, flavourful fiesta replacing the usual, been-there-done-that weekend roast with pizazz and panache. Don't take my word .... try it to believe it!

Serves: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min

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Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken legs (can use breasts if you prefer); 2 tblsp olive oil; 2 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Bunch fresh thyme; 8 pieces preserved Meyer Lemons; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 16 pitted green olives, halved; 2 tblsp coarsely chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Method: Pat chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Cook onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add turmeric and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Scrape pulp from preserved lemon, reserving for another use. Cut rind into thin strips and add to onions with broth, wine, and olives.

Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet. Braise, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve sprinkled with coriander (optional).

If you like this recipe try:

Moroccan Braised Hogget Leg, Sundried Black Geneo Figs, Preserved Lemon served with Toasted Almonds, Pine Nuts, Flat Leaf Parsley & Mint Couscous

Spanish Seafood and Chorizo Stew

Inspired by the flavours of Spain, this stew is a hearty rendition of the zesty, bold, fresh coastal flavours characteristic of seaside towns like Malaga and Andalusia. A concoction of mussels and Atlantic clams sauteed with flavourful sliced chorizos is enhanced with tangy tinned tomatoes, passata, fava, kidney and cannelli beans, garnished with chopped parsley and coriander and served on a generous swirl of spinach fettuccine.

Ingredients: 500 g Clams and Mussels together; 2-3 Chorizos, sliced at an angle; 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tin tomatoes; 1/2 cup passata; Good splash of red wine; 1 tin mixed beans or equal amounts of fava, cannelli and kidney beans; 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped; 1/2 bunch coriander, coarsely chopped

Method: In a hot wok or a large saute pan, heat a little bit of olive oil and fry garlic off until golden brown, add the chorizo and extract flavour, add in the tinned tomato, passata, red wine, beans and allow to soften for 5- 8 minutes with lid on. Add mussels and clams to the pan and re-cover for another 5 minutes or until all the shells have opened. Any un-open shells must be discarded. Season with salt and pepper, squeeze with lemon juice and garnish with parsley and coriander before serving on spinach fettuccine along with a big bowl of garden greens.

The Corner Bistrot

It is no secret that I am a complete Francophile when it comes to fancy-pancy gastro-celebrations. For my birthday last year I hit the jackpot – three of my most lovely and talented friends prepared a fabulously, mind-blowing meal a` la Françoise. Peruvian chica Amy Grey, Cordon Bleu Chef and Cari Sanchez, expert home-cook and gastro-enthusiast, half White-American from Ohio, and half Argentinean fought over who should take charge at the helm, not so much in terms of control but disputing details down to the nitty-gritty of sautéing of onions and the possible colour effects that the addition of mushrooms could have in the Lobster Bisque appetiser. Jackie Singh expert home cook, mother, wife and gastro-cult/ celeb-chef groupie lent her knife skills and put together a mean Potato Dauphenoise to accompany the main course of Fillet Mignon avec Poivre Sauce, Sauteed Haricot-Verts and Turned Glazed Carrots. To finish of the grand meal we feasted on fluffy, creamy Paris Brest.

As I reminisced last year’s birthday dinner the flavours were and continue to be fresh in my memory and are probably indelible forevermore. But more than the extravagantly perfect meal in itself it was the friends (Cari and Amy) that were back in the America’s in the other side of the world that made me long for another extraordinary French meal fabricated by their own hands. With this in mind I dismissed the long list of suggestions given to me by gastro-gals Marion and Jackie, (the list included Concubine on Gouger Street, Panacea on Hutt Street and The Wine Underground) and went with a suggestion from a waiter at Vincenzo’s (will be posting this review soon) – The Corner Bistrot on Leigh Street.

Quaint, cute, cosy and charming all at the same time, The Corner Bistrot is utterly and completely drenched with romanticism. The place loves up to its name since from the moment you walk in you feel like you’ve been transported to a Parisian sidewalk ‘corner bistro’.

The setting is intimate, with just a handful of tables sprinkled over two floors, faint yellow lighting giving a warm welcoming hue, little wooden tables and petite salon style chairs completing the old world European feel. For a mid-week meal the first floor was running almost completely full, with a good mix of local Australian couples, French speaking couples and a single French gentleman dining alone – seeking out flavours of his home come hell or high water – the true mark of a good French establishment in my opinion!


The wine list is a compact, comprehensive mix of French and domestic Aussie wines. To kick-start birthday celebrations we had to of course slurp down a customary glass of French bubbles.



We enjoyed an appetiser of classic escargot (French snails) done with a contemporary modern twist – out of the shell, pan-fried in butter and garlic with bacon, walnuts, parsley and served with sautéed spinach. My grouse with the escargot was the fact that the spinach seemed to be leaching out a lot of water that thus watered down the richness of the garlic-butter sauce for one, and the bacon was not crisp enough, lacking the justified crunch and textural contrast it could have otherwise brought to the dish. The walnuts however worked in perfect unison, creamy, nutty and complimentary allowing the snails to dominate the dish’s flavour, merely propping it up with an added taste profile.


I had been eying the Bavette avec Vin Rouge – skirt steak with shallots and red wine sauce from the day before, (I looked over the menu over the internet) and opted for a bottle of the Elderton Shiraz. By the time the steak came out my expectations and eagerness had soared high along with my appetite, however unfortunately I was far from ecstatic about my plat principal. While skirt steak is known to be a flavourful cut that is rather tough, if cooked properly it can be tender and delicious. This can be achieved much like the cooking of squid or octopus, by quickly grilling or slow cooking – stuffed, rolled and braised. Devoid of its characteristic juicy flavour the steak failed to impress, sinking further because of the disappointing lacklustre red wine sauce that was runny and diluted, lacking substance and characteristic shine, gloss, viscosity of a French glaze. This I say with the expertise having had several weeks of hands on practice making demi-glace and several of its derivative sauces, including vin rouge.


My partner wisely opted for the fillet of pork with prunes and brandy – a symphony of flavours that melded together effortlessly. The meat yielded to the fork with ease, tender and sweet thanks to the fruit and alcohol.



The Tarte de la Maison sounded intriguing and caught my fancy, especially after having made my first tarte tatin at cooking school that very week. Lemon tart was the special of the day and came out as a single slice on a crumbled cheesecake like biscuit base instead of the luxurious puff pastry base I was anticipating.



All in all it was an experience to cherish on the grounds of the fantastic ambience, the feeling of jetting off to Paris for the evening, even if the food wasn’t spot on. The service is tip-top and the prices mild on the whole, serving up set menus at $30, $35, $48 and $60.

Flashbacks of Week 6 & 7: Vegetables, Fruit, Eggs and Farinaceous

Two weeks of intensive basic methods of cookery entailed getting comfortable with principal techniques such as frying (shallow, pan and deep), baking, roasting, braising, grilling/ broiling, barbecuing, steaming, poaching (shallow and complete). To gain a firm grasp of these cooking methods a variety of vegetable, poultry, meats and fish were used to create the much needed step off point. Exploring the versatility of cooking, we experimented with everything from poaching salmon, grilling steaks to stewing meat.

Rolled chicken breasts stuffed with ham and melted Gruyere in deliciously flaky, buttery Filo Pastry with demi-glace, garnished with shredded sauteed carrots and leeks

Roasted Whole Poussin or Gawler River Quails, Bacon Bits and Jus Lie served with Turned Potatoes

Rare Sirloin of Beef on Rosti Potato with Maitre d'hotel Compound Butter and Watercress

Above: Trussed pork neck ready for roasting

Below: Carved Pork Neck, Jus, Pilaf Rice, Ratatouille and Turned Potatoes

Classic French Stew: Navarin of Lamb with Turned Carrot and Potato

Broiled Whole Tommy Ruff served over Chargrilled Eggplant, Zuchinni and Red Peppers with Balsamic Glaze

A Perfect Hollandaise Sauce

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After several failed attempts at making Hollandaise Sauce, finally I managed to make one without overbeating it until the ghee split from the eggs into complete ruination. This was an enormous high for me!

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Moving forward to week six: vegeatbles and fruits, but mainly it was eggs, eggs and more eggs on the menu as well as everything containing high levels of starch came into play and by this I mean farinaceous foods like pasta, rice, bread, potatoes and flour.

Above: Oueffs Benedict, Below: Scrambled Eggs on Garlic Toast with a Smoked Salmon Rosette

Spanish Omlette loaded with red onion, mushroom, red pepper, paprika and topped with Kalamata Olives, grilled sliced tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese

Tarte Tatin - Open Faced Upside Down Classic French Apple Tart

Rice Pudding with Spiced Prune and Apricot Compote, Flaked Almonds

Tomatoes filled with Duxelles, Glazed Turned Carrot and Turnips and Harricot-Verts Lyonnaise

Poached Salmon with Asparagus, Lemon Slices and Beurre Blanc

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It was exciting making my very own pasta from scratch – a personal first. Using durum wheat flour, water, olive oil and salt we made up the dough and passed it through the pasta roller several times before slicing them into fine noodles and boiling them briefly.

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Making my own pasta from scratch

Pesto Papardelle with Parmesan

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Meat Pies

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We also learned gnocchi basics – I was shocked at the effort required to make these perfectly shaped silk worms, the patience and the delicate disposition of your fingers and above all the sheer determination it requires. Undoubtedly it is an art that must be mastered over time. While gnocchi seemed a depressingly daunting task to me, it was heartening to receive full marks for the practical test for the week from Italian lecturer and chef Antonio Pianadossi who thought my risotto a’la funghi was the best risotto of the day – spot on in terms of “soupy consistency” and bang on in terms of flavour as well.

Above: Grilled Polenta and Swiss Brown Mushrooms with Spanish Chirizo

Below: Rissoto a' la Funghi

Gnocchi with Sage, Nut Brown Butter

Crepes Suzette: Classic French Dessert with Brandied Orange Sauce

Botanic Bar

I find that often when I anticipate something with great gusto it turns out to be quite the disappointment – uninspiring and overall far from the images conjured up in my mind. This is especially with regard to movies and meals. To avoid setting myself up for a fall, lately I have been setting the bar low and checking my expectations at the door. This is in no way easy for me since I the pleasure I derive from perusing online menus goes unparalleled, drooling over dishes and meditating over what to order far in advance.

After spotting a positive review in a local Adelaidian “newspaper” for the Botanic Bar raving about the place serving up extraordinary $6 “gourmet” pizzas, I decided I had to investigate for myself to ascertain what all the fuss was really about. Instead of the expected colonial style building and English pub décor reminiscent of The British on Finnis Street or The Exeter on Rundell Street that I was expecting –notoriously packed with boozy teenage hooligans, the Botanic Bar is a breath of fresh air. A regal, somewhat sophisticated aura is complimented by character and rich personality that are ingrained in the walls, cluttered with framed copies of renaissance watercolour and oil paintings. Plush, royal purple velveteen sofas and dark leather ottomans frame round tables that seat groups of two to six. The entrance welcome you with a long bar, with a blackboard overhead scrawled with pizza and cocktail specials and it folds out into two further areas, one framing a shingled pool table and thereon extending to a private enclosure resembling a smoking room.



While the wine list is far from exhaustive it is extremely comprehensive, the mere single A4 page covering a stellar wine in each type and category. The choice for the evening was straight up and simple – a bottle of 2007, Deviation Road, Adelaide Hills – a local favourite that made for easy drinking while supplying full-bodied flavour and a tannic blackcurrant aroma. Unusual for Adelaide the beverage menu dedicates two whole pages to mixology – something I will definitely be returning to try in the near future.

As for the pizza menu it features about eight kinds of thin crust wood-fire pizzas including a Turkish Pizza with lamb, yoghurt and mint, Tandoori Pizza with chicken tikka, Four cheese pizza, Italian salami with basil, a Prawn with Pesto, sweet cherry tomatoes and olives (which I tried and was excellent) and one with Meredith’s goat cheese, thyme and brocollini (delicate flavours working together fantastically) and to finish a dessert pizza topped with poached apple slices, cinnamon and mascarpone that is absolutely sublime.

All in all the Botanic Bar is a true blue winner deserving faithful patronage. There is no doubt I will be back soon for more delicious pizza and to take in the charming atmosphere.

Mustard & Thyme Crusted Rack of Lamb with Parmesan Crusted Brussel Sprouts

This rack of lamb recipe calls for searing the lamb before roasting it. Meats are seared for several reasons: to add flavour, texture and colour. Contrary to popular belief, searing does not seal in the juices - food science has disproved this myth several times.

Brussel Sprouts are in season now, and are best lightly pan-fried with Parmesan cheese so they develop a crunchy, crispy golden crust that is simply irresistible. Totally beats the stodgy version most of us grew up on – Brussel Sprouts that had the be-jesus boiled out of them!

Ingredients: 1 rack of lamb; 2 ½ tblsp of Dijon mustard; 5 minced cloves of garlic; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; ½ cup of breadcrumbs; 1 tblsp grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tsp dried thyme; Vegetable oil for frying; 250 g Brussel Sprouts

Method: Preheat oven to 230 degrees F. Rub the racks of lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over high heat with vegetable oil. When the oil is very hot, brown the lamb racks on all sides. Place the lamb aside on a plate to cool. Once the lamb is cool to the touch, spread a thin coating of mustard on all sides of the lamb. Then, spread the garlic onto the lamb. Mix the breadcrumbs, thyme, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and then coat the lamb with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a roasting pan with a rack. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until 125 degrees for rare or 145 for medium.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil and quickly pan-fry brussel sprouts with Parmesan cheese for no more than 4-6 minutes until it becomes crusty and golden.

Love Lamb?

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Try my Tarragon Cream and Almond Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gruyere Rosti Potatoes

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or my Double-Lamb Pesto Cutlets with Smoked Pumkin Risone

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and my Moroccan Braised Leg of Hogget, Sundried Black Geneo Figs, Preserved Lemon with Toasted Pine Nuts, Almonds, Flat Leaf Parsley and Mint Couscous

Date, Almond and Chocolate Cherry Ganache Tart

This adapted recipe by Alison Anton is from Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking requires absolutely no cooking and is full of natures goodness and full on fruity-cocoa flavour. Anton is a nutritional chef and food writer based in California, USA.



Ingredients:

For Date-Almond Tart Base: 1 ¼ cup raw almonds; 1 cup plump mejdool dates; Pinch salt
Tsp vanilla extract; Handful of cocoa nibs

For Nut Ganache Mousse: ½ cup mix of Macadamia and Cashew nuts, soaked in water for half an hour; Handful of dates, soaked in water; Dash of vanilla; Salt; 3-4 tblsp raw cocoa powder
Cherries;

For Chocolate Sauce: 1 tblsp Raw Cocoa Powder; 2 – 3 tblsp Agave Nectar or Unfiltered Honey; tblsp water



Method: Put the tart base ingredients into food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds, until you achieve a rough crumble. When you press the mixture together with your fingers it should start to stick – you want that kind of texture so it comes together as a crust.

Use a tart pan with a removable bottom, so it is easy to remove later. Put the date mixture on the base of the pan and press it into the pan with your fingers. Keep a bowl of water handy to keep the mixture from sticking to your fingers and ensure you press and spread it evenly.



Add all the nut ganache mousse ingredients gradually, and a little soaking liquid so it all becomes a smooth texture, completely blended with an even consistency. Using a spatula spread the ganache mousse onto the tart crust evenly. Then place the cherries over the top of the ganache mousse. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the tart to harden.

Mix all the chocolate sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Drizzle on top of cherries once it has been refrigerated for two hours and just before you serve.

Pan-Fried Ling with Eggplant Caponata

Caponata is a Sicillian delight that has spread in popularity throughout the Italian Peninsula. This is an adapted recipe by my good friend and fellow gastronome Cari Sanchez that is guaranteed to blow your mind. Her recipe called for Swordfish, a firm white fish, and since I couldn't find any available over the weekend I opted for Ling. The name ling refers to its elongated body, since it is a slim, long-bodied fish with small scales. Although it belongs to the cod family it looks more like an eel. Ling is found in deep northern waters near Iceland, the British Isles and Scandinavia. Two types exist pink ling that swims in deeper waters and are pinkish-orangish colour with irregular markings weighing up to 20 kgs and 1.5 m in length, while the rock ling are found closer to the coast in underwater caves reaching 9 kgs and growing to about 1 meter long.

This caponata recipe is a winner - it will have you licking your fingers and wondering how it exudes such a powerfully rich, meaty flavour. I added a whole zucchini, diced for an added twist since it works wonderfully with eggplant breaking down into soft chunks giving a characteristic sweet flavour.



Ingredients: 1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil; 4 anchovies, bones removed and rinsed well; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 medium size eggplants, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 large onion, minced; 1 tsp red chilli flakes; 3 medium ripe whole tomatoes, peeled and seeded; ½ cup black olives, pitted and quartered; 3 tblsp capers, rinsed and drained; ½ cup raisins; ¼ cup pine nuts; 2 tblsp sugar; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; 1 cup tomato sauce; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 4 x 200 g fillets Ling fish, skin and bloodlines removed; 2 lemons, juiced; 1 handful fresh basil leaves

Method: In a large sauté pan, heat 3/4 cup of olive oil over a medium flame. Add the anchovies and garlic to the hot oil. Using a wooden spoon, press the anchovies to break them up. They will appear to dissolve in the oil. Toss in the eggplant and cook until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the eggplant from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Pour the excess oil from the pan and discard. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining olive oil to the pan and heat over a medium flame. Toss in the onion and chilli flakes and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Hand-crush the tomatoes into the pan and stir well. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes and then return the eggplant to the pan.


Add the black olives, capers, raisins, and pine nuts to the pan, stir well, and sprinkle with the sugar and vinegar. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir; taste and then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer until ready to serve (at least 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, coat the swordfish fillets in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, and basil. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Heat a pan over a medium flame, and brush with oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Season the fish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and then place in the pan. Sear on both sides for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through. Serve immediately on a bed of caponata.

Cha Chi's Mexican Cantina

Glen Osmond is home to an eclectic mix of eateries from fast food giants McDonalds, KFC, Wok in a Box and Subway, contrasted by a range of more gourmet options – a cosy, little bakery cum breakfast café whose name I can’t for the life of me recall, Kublai Khan - a Mongolian BBQ restaurant that has caught my eye several times, two Chinese restaurants - Rice and Pagoda, a fish and chippie called Fisherman's Basket, Akropolis - a Yiros chop shop, The Ark at the Arkaba - notorious for serving up pub meals with a contemporary Aussie “twist”, Sabatini – a Greek Café and of course Cha Chi’s Mexican Cantina. Cha Chi’s has never failed to pique me curiosity every single day on my way home from the city and finally after months of contemplation and wonder I made it over.

More often than not themed restaurants and clichéd stereotypes come across as over-kill elements that kill my dining experience, period. Be it Balinese maître’ds with the ten inch golden fingernails welcoming you to an Indonesian restaurant or an overweight belly dancing dodging tables set close together and cluttered precariously with mezze platters to create an Arabian Nights feel in the twenty first century it all seems a little corny – been there, done that, give me something new, or simply cut to the chase and surprise my palate with something divine, put the effort on the plate rather in the circus routine. Adelaide however is an exception to this personal grudge. Why, you may ask? I simply put it down to the fact that the city has so little diversity to offer by way of brazen colour, showmanship, vivacity and quirky eccentricities. Thus local architecture, music, drama and the food scene lacks a zesty, bing, bang, boom attitude – barren of global pizzazz missing the treacle effect of the silly and overdone that plagues cosmopolitan capital cities the world over.

Walking in to Cha Chi’s you are immediately enveloped by the loud, festive ambience – brightly hued woven ponchos spread over the walls and screens with more than a dozen mixed sombreros – embellished and otherwise thrown in for good measure with heavy handed gay abandon. Ironically, the aesthetically carefree and vivacious atmosphere is hard at work while the lack of music – vibrant Latina beats or otherwise is sorely missed – a dimension that would definitely enhance the décor and illuminate that sense of it being a ‘Cantina’.

All set for a red hot night, I was on the edge of my seat excitedly anticipating my Margarita. Turns out we were advised not to bother ordering by the pitcher and instead opt by the glass for more value for money (the glass sizes play a big part here I believe) – Oh Australia!

The strawberry Margarita is halfway decent as is the lime at $AU 7 each. Having arrived at 8.30 and with last orders for the night being processed (the place shuts hop by 9.30 which means a night with the amigos must commence early and wrap up soon, or be shifted elsewhere relatively pre-maturely) we opted for a four way platter (complete scam since this sufficed for two, or I just have an incredibly mean appetite –not a question, but perhaps it is a fact).

First things first I said hola to four slabs of baby back ribs each containing four 3 inch ribs of questionable prior cooking since they were slightly dried out. The loaded potato skins had been boiled and simply finished in the oven resulting in squeezy, mashed potato texture that is not customary after having bit into the golden-brown crunchy skin crust – not what I was expecting. The quesadillas were deep fried and stuffed with a thin layer of tasteless, incognito cheese that made guessing what and where it was from an unsolved mystery.

Mini chimichunga cigar rolls feigning deep-fried spring roll pastry filled with chicken were tasty but somewhat out of place in its role as a Mexican ‘food’ on the platter. Somehow with all the chaos and incoherencies of the platter, it came into its own context along with the other could-be, would-be should-be treats reminiscent of something a la Mexican. The platter came with a bowl of runny, sloppy over chopped watered-down salsa (I could make better with my eyes closed) and an Aussie mixed green garden salad with a dollop of sour cream and olives.

All in all, Cha Chi’s serves up food that is vaguely Mexican, yet lacks the tell-tale punchy, robust flavours that belong to the dusty arid, region south of the border.

Monday and Tuesday nights are all you can eat nachos, burritos, and enchiladas – although rumour has it the service can be torturous.

Week Four: Methods of Cookery

Fish (Whitting) and Chips with Green Garden Salad and Tartar Sauce

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Cooking is classified into two categories: wet and dry cooking methods that are used on a daily basis in our kitchens at homes without being given much thought.

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Stir Fried Vegetables in Oyster Sauce

Frying (sautéing, pan frying, shallow frying + deep frying) are commonly used as well as boiling and simmering, while poaching (shallow + total immersion) and steaming (pressure + atmospheric) are healthier options that aren’t as common as the former options. All of these are wet methods of cooking that are used to turn out favourites like fish and chips, stir fry’s to steamed puddings.

Vanilla-Sultana Steamed Pudding

The oven is very much an invention of the west, and its usage as I have recently learned continues to be predominantly restricted to America, Europe and Australia. While the majority of Indian city homes are fitted out with ovens, they are usually only used to bake cakes and very rarely employed in the preparation of roasts or braises. In China, the oven is almost non-existent since their do not have much of a cake-eating culture to begin with and their cuisine calls for no requirement of an oven in any way, shape or form.

Above Chef Jimmys Beef with Turned Potatoes, Baby Carrots, Demi-Glace with Fried Shredded Leeks. Below, my version - a long way to go

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Trussed and Roasted Chicken... Before and After Shot

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Personally I love using the oven, particularly because everything that goes in either comes out tender, soft and scrumptious, or crispy, crunchy and caramelised – both flavour and texture combinations to-die-for. Baking and roasting are considered dry methods of cooking. Last week I did a beautiful slow braised leg of hogget – it was cooked for five hours at about 160 degrees C, and was infused with Moroccan flavours – black Genoa figs and homemade preserved lemons. This is my favourite way to spend my Sunday, getting laundry and household chores in the day while keeping a watchful eye on my oven. In the end – falling off the bone, tender meat as a reward for all the slow cooking and infinite patience. A handsome reward I reckon!

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Pork Piccante with Pasta Milanese

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Crumbed Chicken Breast on Rosti Potato, Corriander-Tomato Salsa & Lemon Vinegrette

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In commercial kitchens, majority of dishes are prepared or rather “started” on the stove top and “finished” in the oven, to allow for multi-tasking, effective time-management and a quality finished product. Steaks, snitzels and crumbed fillets are more often than not prepared this way.

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Poached Kingfish on Bok Choy with Hollandaise Sauce

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This week I learned what will perhaps prove to be one of the most important lessons for life – how to truss meat – an entire chicken and beef sirloin of fillet mignon. And with my super sharp Victorinox knives and carving fork, slicing the meat away in beautiful slices is beyond easy!

Counter to all the Francophile kitchen creations, Chef Jimmy whipped up a batch of finger-licking sweet-sour Chinese style Pork that had our class buzzing, and before I could say “delicious” the week was over!

Enjoying Sweet-Sour Chinese Style Pork

Moroccan Braised Hogget Leg, Sundried Black Genoa Figs, Preserved Lemon served with Toasted Almonds, Pine Nuts, Flat Leaf Parsley & Mint Couscous

This Sunday I made my first-ever trip up to the Adelaidian suburb of Goodwood to experience the much talked about Waverly Market for myself. I simply hopped on a tram from the city (Corner of King William St and Currie) and within ten minutes I arrived at Goodwood, from which the show grounds are just a 5 minute walk from. The trip is well worth it whether you’re looking to stock your fridge with veggies and meat for the week, to score the perfect Sunday roast, simply enjoy a lazy brekkie – hot coffee and a pastry, catch a live cooking demo or merely while away some time perusing the various interesting gastro-stalls. Waverly truly offers an enjoyable atmosphere and a unique experience for one and all.



The market is a gastronomic delight with fresh local produce representing a fair share of Adelaide’s various bordering settlements with an impressive range of products from artisanal breads made in Willunga to game meats from Hahndorf. With a pitter-patter of rain, gusty gales billowing and nothing but my Moroccan inspired dinner on my mind, I was on a hunt specifically for a pair of beautiful lamb shanks. Although extremely disappointed to learn that my 11 0’clock arrival was in fact too late in comparison to Waverly’s regular market goers that flood the gates at 9 am (although the market only closes at 1 pm, the choicest cakes and cuts of meat sell out quickly), I was pleasantly surprised with an alternative option – a leg of Hogget from North Marola. Technically speaking, hogget is meat from an ovine that is one to two years old, characteristically therefore it has a more intense flavour than lamb with low to medium, internal and external fat. It requires longer cooking time than lamb and thus it makes for the ideal roasting, stewing and braising meat.

A Sweet Reward for making the Sunday Market: Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Cream Cheese Frosting and Walnuts

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To compliment my Moroccan Hoggett dish, I was on the lookout for dried mature tasting fruit. Although I was keen on prunes or dates I couldn’t spot any, so instead I was tempted by apricots as well as raisins, but my love for all things figgy got the best of me and so the Black Sundried Genoa Figs won. In the last week of July I preserved a couple of lemons in anticipation and craving of a homemade Moroccan Feast. Almost a month later, the lemons were coated in thick syrupy lemon juice and the skins were soft and pickled – perfect for my braised dish.
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Since the hogget has a characteristic mature, meaty flavour and paired with two unique flavour profiles – the figs and the preserved lemon I wanted to serve it with a simple staple that would complement the braise without stealing the show. With this in mind I settled on serving it with a fluffy, steamed couscous with toasted pine nuts, and almonds, chopped flat leaf parsley and mint, finished with a good squeeze of lemon and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and I must say the combination was sheer genius! A memorable meal to say the least…

Ingredients: 6 lamb shanks, trimmed; salt and pepper; ¼ cup olive oil

Whole spice mix: 1 tblsp whole cumin seed; 2 tsp whole fennel seed; 12 whole peppercorns; 6 whole green cardamom pods; 1 3-inch cinnamon stick; 6 whole allspice berries

Ground spices: 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp cayenne; ¼ tsp mace; ½ tsp grated nutmeg

Aromatics: 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp lavender; 1 tsp ground ginger

Mirepoix: 1 large onion, chopped; 3 carrots, chopped; 3 ribs celery, chopped; large pinch salt; large pinch sugar

Miscellaneous: 2-3 tblsp tomato paste; 6 whole cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled; 150 g Sun Dried Black Genoa Figs; 2 preserved lemon rinds, cleaned, rinsed and chopped; ½ tsp saffron threads, dissolved in ½ cup warm water; 2 cups dry red wine; 1 cup dry white wine; 2 cups meat stock

For couscous: 250g instant couscous; 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped; 1 bunch fresh mint; 75 g toasted pine nuts; 50g toasted almonds flaked; 2-3 tblsp lemon juice; 4-5 Black Genoa Sundried Figs, finely sliced; salt and pepper to taste; extra virgin olive oil to finish

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Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C, set rack to lowest or second-lowest level. Generously season hogget with salt and ground pepper. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven medium heat. Add meat and brown well. Set aside. Spoon out all but 3 tblsp fat from the pot, return to heat. Add whole spices and fry for 2-4 minutes until lightly fragrant. Immediately add mirepoix, salt and sugar and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat vegetables and spices until soft and well-caramelized. Add tomato paste, ground spices and aromatics, stir to combine and cook on medium until tomato paste and spices begin to fry in the oil. Pour in red wine, deglaze and simmer until it is reduced by half. Add white wine, saffron and stock. Return hogget to the pot, add figs, garlic and preserved lemon. Cover tightly, with a cartouche or aluminium foil under the lid, to keep the moisture inside and bake for 2 – 4 hours. Turn meat over to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides.

If cooking for 2 hours or less, for the last 30 minutes, increase the heat to 200 degrees C and bake uncovered so the top surface of the hogget is nicely browned. Meat should be fall-off-the-bone tender at this point. Remove from oven, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.In the meanwhile prepare the couscous. Bring a pot of water to the boil, line a colander with cheesecloth or a dampened light tea-towel filling it with the couscous and allowing it to cook by steaming it for about 10-15 minutes. Check to see the grains have absorbed steam and are plumping up and flick with a spoon to ensure it is fluffy. In a bowl drizzle the couscous with olive oil once cooked, adding the chopped herbs, toasted nuts, sliced figs, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, tossing lightly to maintain its light, fluffy texture.
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To serve, spoon the couscous onto the serving plate, slice the hogget in 2 cm thick pieces and arrange on the bed of couscous, with figs, preserved lemon bits and gravy caressing the plate and couscous appropriately. Extra gravy can be served in a sauceboat.

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Liked this recipe?
Try Tarragon Cream and Almond Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gruyere Rosti Potatoes
Roast Venison Blade with Quince Chutney and Red Wine Sauce
Pesto Double Lamb Cutlets with Pumpkin Risone

Salads, Sandwiches and Hors d'oeuvres

Classic Caeser Salad with Croutons, Crispy Bacon and Anchovies topped with an easy-over Poached Egg

Third week into the course and I have already made major progress moving from stocks, soups and sauces, learning to put together classical salads, compound salads also known as mixed salads and composed salads - where the salad is deconstructed and elements plated seperately without being tossed or dressed together.

Nicoise Salad served up as a composed salad - Grilled Tuna Steak with Mayonnaise over rings of boiled egg and red onion, latice of split haricot verts, finished with Kalamata Olives, Yellow Grape Tomatoes and Red Wine Vinegrette Dressing

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The week entailed making favourite sandwiches like the Club Sandwich and Pullman Sandwiches as well as an array of cocktail appetisers and canapes.

Tuna-Cream Cheese and Asparagus Pinwheel Sandwiches and Rye Open-Faced Sandwich with Chive Butter, Romaine Lettuce, Pastrami and Potato Salad

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese topped with Caper Flowers



Ham and Olives with Cream Cheese

Roast Duck with Confit Orange Zest and Blackcurrant Jelly, garnished with Chevril

Cocktail Platter - Smoked Salmon Sushi, Spinach, Feta and Ham Filo Triangles, Scrambled Egg and Smoked Salmon Puffs, Curry Puffs, Spring Rolls, Grilled Meat Balls, Fried Pork and Prawn Wontons
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I am lucky to have a Vietnamese Chef that teaches my class as this means that while we are learning classical French cuisine - the basics of culinary arts we are also previed to interesting South East Asian conconctions and delcacies. We tried Chef Jimmy's take on Chinese 100 year old eggs, Tom Yam Soup and most recently a refreshing tangy, sweet and sour seafood salad with chunks of grapefruit through it.

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Chef Jimmy whips up a South East Asian Inspired Salad

Seafood Salad with Grapefruit and Mint

Beetroot and Black Russian Tomato Soup with Feta

Beetroot is not only a rich source of carbohydrates, but has no fat and is a great source of fibre, as well as said to have anti-carcinogenic properties in the red colouring matter. It is also one of the many vegetables with a range of antioxidants which help to fight various diseases as well as being a source of folic acid. Black Russians on the other hand are rich, dark mahogany-brown tomatoes a little bigger than cherry tomatoes, that have a delicious blend of sugar and acid with a distinctive, complex. It is raved as being one of the best-tasting tomatoes because of its luscious sweetness. The beetroot and black Russians meld together to form a uniquely robust soup that is given a salty tinge and creamy texture via the addition of crumbled feta garnished atop the soup. Best served with crusty white bread.

This is an adapted recipe by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall the 'talented British writer, broadcaster and campaigner widely known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food.'

Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients: 3 to 4 medium, apple-sized beetroots, (500-600g), grated coarsely, or choped into small dice; 500 g ripe Black Russian tomatoes; 1 clove garlic, chopped roughly; 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped; 2 tbsp olive; 500ml good strong stock (beef is best, but chicken or vegetable will do); salt and freshly ground black pepper; 125 g Greek feta cheese
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Method: Place the beetroot in an ovenproof dish, fairly hot oven (190 degrees C). Roast for about half an hour, then add the halved tomatoes, throw over the garlic and drizzle over half the olive oil. Roast for another 25-30 minutes, until soft and pulpy. Rub tomatoes through a sieve to remove the skin and pips.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sweat the onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the stock, tomato puree, beetroot and simmer gently for 7-10 minutes until the beetroot is tender. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the soup to a blender and process until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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To serve cold, chill the soup in the fridge, then divide between six bowls. Using your fingers, crumble a little feta into each bowl. A sprinkling of grated raw beetroot makes a good garnish for the cold version.

To serve hot, reheat the soup until thoroughly hot but not boiling. Divide between warm bowls and crumble over a little feta into each bowl. Serve with crusty bread.