Mapo

Stack of Beef Bulgogi

Mapo maybe considered the “best Korean restaurant in the city”, but then again to my knowledge there are only two Korean restaurants anyways, that is if the other a grubby, canteen looking establishment qualifies as a restaurant. What I do know is that it serves up traditional Korean delicacies at half the price, more on that in another review, another time.

Known for its traditional dishes that come spruced up with contemporary garnishing and plated up with nouvelle snobbery (aka large white plates and tiny portions), Mapo offers what Adelaide’s online restaurant reviewing community refers to as a “swanky dining atmosphere”. I beg to differ since at 8.30 pm on a Saturday night I was stuffed in the back end, amidst tables cluttered with remnants of an earlier round of service. The wait staff are by far the worse I have ever come across, even by Adelaide’s somewhat atrocious standards! At first we were pressured to order drinks, without having been seated for five minutes. And then when we were ready, signally a waiter was a task in itself. Following which, having picked out a bottle of Tyrell’s Sparkling red that caught my interest, we waited, and waited – ten minutes went by then I enquired about our drinks and the possibility of table water. Another five minutes later, our waiter looks flustered attending to a party of ten, another couple and my table (just two of us). Now, twenty minutes of being seated, no water, no wine, no service and no sign anything is improving either. I’m begin to get agitated. I manage to flag down our waiter who then blurts out that Tyrell’s Sparkling is not available! I look at him with a quizzically at first then my face starts to heat up with frustration. Deep breathes, I pick up the menu opt for the house sparkling and shrug off the twenty minute wait that was in vain.

I resigned myself to an evening of mediocrity and seemingly undeserving prices, sipped on the peppery, fizzy wine to try to sedate my nerves. I ordered the Beef Bulgogi Bi Bim Bap, that comes in a stoneware sizzler still cooking.

Bi Bim Bap is basically a deconstructed Korean rice dish. White rice, a number of vegetables (usually carrots, cooked spinach, bean sprouts and others) and a portion of meat, in this case the bulgogi. Bulgogi is eaten both as an appetizer or piled on rice, as it is with the Bi Bim Bap, however traditionally this dish is served wrapped in sesame leaves. The basic technique is to marinate the meat in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil and green onions and because the marinade contains sugar a close eye on the meat while grilling is required. The meat is grilled hot and fast and served pretty quickly as it can get tough if it’s left too long. In food courts across South East Asia you will see it being served similarly to a Japanese Tepanyaki Bar.

With the Bi Bim Bap, the mixture of rice, veggies and meat is usually topped with a fried egg, which you are supposed to break over the whole thing. It all gets mixed together and is served with a sweet and spicy red sauce to make this rice dish into an entire meal. And at this point I must interject. The little pot of brownish-red sauce that was placed on my table at the time of our mains being served, was whipped off the table ten minutes into our meal by another waitresses, without so much as a single word! After requesting our waiter bring us a new one, we spotted the waitress pulling a pot of sauce off another table, the reddish-brown condiment dribbling from the side. Just the thought of a used pot of sauce made me queasy! I use a simple rule of thumb: if what you can see in terms of service makes your tummy turn, then imagine the scene in the kitchen. So this brazen I don’t give a shit attitude had my imagination running wild!
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After sitting through a single ordeal at the Gouger Street restaurant I believe I need an award, and I have to contest the online food reviewing community and wonder, what the hell are these people thinking!
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While overall the food was pretty good paralleled by horrible service to say the least, my mind is made up – next time I’m craving Bi Bim Bap – to th the dingy, Korean place next door I will go!

113 Gouger Street, ADELAIDE
Ph: 08 8211 6042

Korean Bi Bim Bap with Beef Bulgogi

Pea and Ham Soup

Australia's official Head of State is the Monarch of the Commonwealth Realms, currently Queen Elizabeth II. Although her official birthday is April 26, 1926 it is celebrated on a range of dates in the different countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, in most of Australia, her birthday is officially celebrated on the second Monday in June enabling a long weekend which the Aussies love dearly. This year the 'Queen's Birthday' falls on on June 8.

I decided what better way to celebrate the day than to whip up a quintessential Brit favourite. The first thing that came to mind was Pea and Ham Soup, which honestly I must admit I have never actually eaten.

With a couple of clicks I landed on The Times Online Food and Drink, UK and found Heston Blumenthal of Fat Duck fame's very own recipe. In fact the recipe he says is on the menu at his recently launched gastro-pub, Hind's Head.

Blumenthal famous for his use of molecular gastronomy at the Fat Duck - a process whereby ingredients are matched according to their chemical makeup is responsible for unusual pairings, his tasting menu features interesting delights, namely snail porridge, salmon poached in liquorice and egg and bacon ice-cream. Personally speaking the thought of molecular gastronomy - taking food out of the kitchen and into the lab - test tubes and bunson burners replacing mixing bowls and cook tops - well, my attention begins to wane. However, I cannot say it does not peak my curiosity. So if like me you manage to muster the courage, you'll be hard pressed for a table owing to the fact that the place is booked out for months in advance and then there is the matter of the cost, £125 for their tasting menu!

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Now back to the soup. Warm and satisfying I recommend this soup be served as a hearty helping that requires nothing before, after or along side. It is simply marvellous on its own resonating depth in flavour and aroma, making for a rich, robust companion on a winters day.

In Blumenthal's own words, "If it were possible to pick peas from the pod and cook them within a matter of hours, then I would insist that everyone used fresh peas, but the so-called fresh peas that are available to us in the supermarket are less fresh than the frozen variety. This is because the latter are frozen within minutes of being picked, preserving the intensity of the fresh flavour."

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Serves 6

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Ingredients

For the ham-hock stock: 1 small onion, cut in half; 1 large carrot, cut in half; 1 celery stick, cut in half; 1 large leek (white part only), cut in half; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 bay leaf; 4-6 sprigs of thyme; 4 black peppercorns; 1 ham hock; 2 litres water

For the soup: 50g butter; 200g shallots, sliced; 75g pancetta, chopped; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 500g frozen peas, defrosted; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To finish: 2 smoked bacon rashers, cut into 1cm dice; 180g frozen peas

Method: Combine all the ingredients for the stock in a large, heavy-based pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Skim any scum from the surface, reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours until the ham hock is cooked. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then strain the stock through a fine sieve, reserving the ham hock on one side.

For the soup, heat the butter in a large pan, add the sliced shallots, pancetta and garlic, then sweat for 10-15 minutes until the shallots are tender. Add the stock, bring to the boil and skim any scum from the top. Add the peas and return to the boil, then purée in a liquidiser. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan, bring back to the boil and correct the seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add a little water until the desired consistency is achieved.


Shortly before serving, fry the smoked bacon cubes in a hot pan until crisp. Flake the meat from the ham hock. Cook the frozen peas in boiling salted water until tender, then drain. Divide the peas and ham between 6 soup bowls, pour the soup on top, then scatter over the bacon and drizzle over a little of the bacon fat from the pan.

La Trattoria

This third generation family owned Italian restaurant was born in 1975 and having survived decades of change has made it somewhat of an indelible landmark in the city of Adelaide. The place prides itself on its "traditional old school service", replete with Italian cronies. Perhaps a little too old school, given that most are 55 years +, agility, precision and timing are therefore obvious setbacks, as well defunct hearing, ears that are possibly out of commission - making hand signals and frantic waving mandatory at La Tratt.

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Acclaimed for its award-winning pizzas, sadly most of my dinner companions (self included) were in a pasta mood and missed out on sampling a slice of their much talked about pie.

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The menu splattered with the usual Italian suspects: a good offering of pizza's - regular and 'gourmet', as well as pastas and meatier options (steak, veal schnitzels and chicken) offers a substantial variety.

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We started off our meal with a rather overwhelming salad slathered in blue cheese salad and a bottle of red before diving head first into out mains.

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Roquefort Salad, Grant Burge Cab Sav - Barossa Valley, SA

Spinach Gnocchi with Sundried Tomato & Marscapone Cheese

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I opted for the gnocchi cooked with garlic, sliced bacon, sundried tomato, basil, black pepper, Parmesan cheese and virgin olive oil and was impressed by the flavours of the dish but after a couple of bites realised that the pasta could have been fluffier and lighter without as much potato making that made the dish heavy and a tad bit stodgy.

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Spaghetti Marinara with scallops, fresh large prawns, calamari & mussels

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Jackie opted for the Marinara which was good, but to be honest I am never one to award this dish much acclaim at a restaurant since it is an Italian classic that requires little skill or flair but rather impeccably fresh ingredients: quality seafood, a decent dash of white wine and a generous garnish of aromatic herbs to make the magic happen.

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On the whole La Tratt serves up hearty, home style Italian fare that has pronounced accents of globalisation marring its 'authenticity'. However, I must add after a year of living in Adelaide I have now learned that at mid level restaurant (Entrees: $15 - 20, Mains: $ 20 -30) expect to go home full, sated with a big meal and usually mediocre service, rather than walking away from a culinary experience that makes your heart skip a beat and your mind wander to the streets of Florence!

Chilli Mussels

Mussels are possibly one my favourite shellfish - I enjoy cooking it at home because they require only a few minutes of cooking paired with a few carefully selected complementary flavours and a good bottle of white wine to bring it to life. I have to admit though, that I often order mussels when out at a restaurant as well. Usually easy dishes (or things I can make myself at home) are those I avoid ordering. Mussels are diverse, they can be served up in so many different ways along with fish or other types shellfish as well as making the perfect partner for spiced pork sausage or a shoulder of ham.

This recipe is simple to prepare and a sure fire crowd pleaser - a hearty tomato and white wine base is punched up with saffron, chili flakes and Italian parsley.

Serves 4

Ingredients: 2 kg black mussels, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 15 saffron threads, 1 kg tinned peeled tomatoes, 3 tblsp tomato puree, 185 ml white wine, 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method: Scrub the mussels and remove the beards. Rinse well in cold water and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the chili, garlic and saffron for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up as you stir. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes. Bring to the boil and add the mussels. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened, discarding any that don’t.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove the mussels to four warmed bowls. Add the white wine to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the white wine to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes before ladling the hot liquid over the mussels. Garnish with the parsley and serve with warm crusty bread.

Lemon Semolina Cake

The sweet-sour taste of citrus combined with sugar always makes for a knock-out dessert. This cake uses 2/3 cup of semolina which gives the cake a lovely textural feel, since semolina, the heart of the durum wheat kernel, separated during processing is made up of tiny coarse grains. Most good-quality pasta, gnocchi and couscous are made from semolina and as I have recently discovered it is popularly used in puddings, cakes, porridge, pancakes and desserts as well.

Not heavy nor dry, accentuated with lemon syrup this cake is simply lemon-icious!

Serves 10

Ingredients: 125g unsalted butter, softened, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind, 1 cup caster sugar, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup semolina, 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted, 1/2 cup milk

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Lemon syrup: 1 cup caster sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, strained, 1 small lemon, thinly sliced

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Method: Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm round (base) springform cake pan. Line base and side with 2 layers of baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, lemon rind and sugar on high speed until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating between each addition. Stir in semolina, flour and milk. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make lemon syrup: Place sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon slices. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Transfer lemon slices to a plate. Pour half the syrup over cake. Stand for 15 minutes. Turn out on to a plate. Arrange lemon slices over cake. Serve with remaining syrup.

Sweet Pork and Citrus Scallop Dim Sums

Satisfying, healthy and surprisingly straightforward, making your own dim sums at home are made super easy with ready made wonton wrappers. Throw a bit of fun into mid-week meals with a bamboo steamer basket, a couple pairs of chopsticks and make sure you have a couple of dipping sauces like hoisin, soy and sweet chili on hand to relish them with. These also make for the perfect party appetisers, presenting prettily on platters.

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Sweet Pork Dim Sums

Makes 24

Ingredients: 300 g minced pork, ½ tsp sea salt, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tblsp Chinese rice wine, 3 finely sliced scallions, ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder, 1 tsp finely grated ginger

Method: Stir to combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Put one square wonton wrapper on a clean surface and moisten the edges with a little water. Put one heaped teaspoon of the filling mixture in the centre of the wrapper and then fold the four corners together, sealing the sides. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Put the wontons on a tray lined with baking paper. Steam in wooden baskets over boiling water for 15 – 20 minutes.

Citrus Scallop Dim Sums

Makes 30

Ingredients: 300 g white scallop meat diced (I love the pinkish roe in the sack attached to the top of some scallops and left them on, so it's really up to you), ½ tsp grated orange zest, 3 tblsp finely chopped coriander, 3 tblsp finely chopped scallions, ¼ tsp sesame oil, 1 seeded and finely chopped red chilli, 1 tsp fish sauced, 1 finely shredded kaffir lime leaf, ¼ tsp finely grated ginger, 2 tblsp flour

Method: Stir to combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then sprinkle over flour and stir again. Put one round wonton wrapper on a clean surface and moisten the edges with water. Put one tsp of the filling in the centre of the wrapper, then fold over the wrapper to form a semi-circle and use a fork to join the edges. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Lay the wontons on a tray lined with baking paper. Steam in wooden baskets over boiling water for 15 minutes.

Bamboo steamer baskets with dim sums over boiling water

Cinnamon-Apple Muffins

Anneka Manning's recipe makes wonderfully light and airy muffins in no time.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Makes 12

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Ingredients: Melted butter or margarine (optional), for greasing, 300g (2 cups) plain flour
1 tbs baking powder, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 150g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar, 2 medium (about 375g) Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, chopped, 125g (3/4 cup) seedless raisins, 125g butter or margarine, melted, cooled, 2 eggs, lightly whisked, 185mls (3/4 cup) milk

Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare your ingredients. You will need 12 medium (125mls/ 1/2 cup) muffin pans. They are available in trays of either 6 or 12. Non-stick muffin pans are wonderful to use as they don't need greasing. If you aren't using non-stick pans, brush the pans with the melted butter or margarine to lightly grease. Alternatively, line the pans with paper muffin cases.

Sift the plain flour, baking powder and cinnamon together into a large bowl. The baking powder acts as a raising agent and will help give the muffins a light texture. Stir in the brown sugar, apples and raisins until well combined.

Whisk together the butter or margarine, eggs and milk until well combined. Blending the wet ingredients before adding them to the flour mixture makes it easier to evenly combine the two.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a large metal spoon until just combined. It is important that the ingredients are only just combined. If the mixture is over-mixed, the cooked muffins will have a tough texture.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin pans. Bake the muffins in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. To test if they are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of one - if it comes out clean, it is ready If not, cook for a little longer before testing again. When cooked, remove from oven and stand for 2-3 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Letting them stand makes them easier to remove from the pans. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Russell's Pizza

Russell’s Pizza in Willunga is rumoured to serve spectacular wood-fire pizza. For over a year now I have been curious about the actual existence of the place and lacking the conveyance to get to Willunga, a historic township on the edge of McLaren Vale, about 47 km south of Adelaide it made my quest all the more impossible. Sydney-sider Heather, a fellow gastro-girl equipped with her Hyundai Hybrid offered Kristina, a Canadian with Estonian heritage (a new student also pursuing gastronomy at Cordon Blue, Adelaide) and me to be the designated driver on a gastro-adventure, all of us keen to investigate the actuality of the infamous pizza parlour in the middle of nowhere.

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In the quest of handmade thin crust pizza we set out on our trip. After two hours of driving out of Adelaide we hit picturesque Victor Harbour, stopping at a lookout point to get a feel of the coastline and stretch out feet. Victor Harbour is home to fresh seafood and a number of bistros and cafes that are supposed to churn out notable dining experiences. At some point I hope to return to sample the fare and perhaps even swim with the tuna before it hits your plate as I have been told one can do out in the pristine blue waters.

Port Elliot, is a seaside village close to Victor Harbour. With cafes and antique shops along the strand it offers both relaxation at the Horseshoe Bay, with a large beach and safe swimming conditions that are popular with families as well as action, the surfing fraternity well accommodated at Boomer Beach, which lies on the western edge of the town. Heather mentioned the Cockle Train that goes up to nearby Goolwa or Victor Harbour allowing for night viewing of the penguin parade. I’m afraid my to-do on my list keeps growing.

We made a pit-stop at Port Elliot Bakery eager to sample some of the local offerings and warm up with a hot latte. I was intrigued by their enormous version of the German Bienenstich or Bee Sting Cake, a buttery brioche that derives its name from the glazing of honey onto the top of the cake just before baking. A textural delight, the moist cake is sliced into two, inch and half thick slices and stuffed with sweet, yellow custard, the top half crusted with crisp almond flakes, crunchy rolled oats, a delicate sprinkling coconut flakes (ubiquitous on most Australian desserts – it seems to be an obsession Down Under) and the glaze of honey that seals all the crispy, crunchy goodness into place. As you bite into it, snap, the contrasting textures are an absolute adventure for your mouth and the sweetness of the custard just right unlike the sickly sweet confectioners cream stuffed between the sugar doughnut cream-pie Kristina opted for.

From Port Elliot we drove into Willunga and were looking out for a suitable watering hole to enjoy a pre-dinner drink and kill the forty-five minutes we had to spare before our 6.30 pm booking at Russell’s. We stumbled upon the Alma Hotel an institute within the area having been established back in 1856. After all the driving I immediately located the ladies room before making my way back into the pub to re-join my friends who by that time had found a table and grabbed their drink from the bar. In the midst of deciding whether to opt for a glass of sparkling white or a delicious sounding pinot gris by the glass I was interrupted by a scraggly, grey bearded Alaskan nomadic explorer look-a-like with a sun-baked, leathery face topped with a hobo looking beanie with a surf brand scrawled across the front, a tatty parker, scruffy jeans and worn out all terrain boots begins recommending that I try his friend Trevor’s Riesling for $5 by the glass. After small chit chat about Indian curries and gastroenterology as most conversations with know-it all wierdos go and five minutes of arguing with the bar tender to send the ‘regular’ waitress to take his order he finally got it through his thick, greasy beanie and into his brain that they were either out of Trevor’s vintage or his elaborate story was bullshit. I ended up going with the pinot, paying for it and turning to leave to join my friends when he asked if he could join us. Before we knew it, the Arctic freak wanderer was sitting down with us telling us how he was a winemaker, surfer living ‘down in the scrub near Aldinga’. Well by this time Heather, the no-nonsense mid 60 year old nutritionist, and mother of two full grown daughters was beginning to lose her patience, looking at her watch, weaving a story of having to drive into town ASAP to throw ‘the strange bum,’ off our scent and avoid any potential danger. We downed our drinks and left promptly but not before scrubby arctic wanderer gave us tips on how to mow our way down the freeway using our rubber bumpers or cattle guards and simply removing license plates to avoid chargers, should the express way be closed. Handy tips from the local pub lunatic are always pearls of wisdom eh?

The one and only 'sign' that mentions Russell

While I tucked that information into the back of my mind in the event of a freeway emergency, the three of us turned our attention back to the reason for our adventurous trip, trading premonitions of what the pizza experience would entail, preparing ourselves for the meal we were about to partake of. With no signs whatsoever, Russell’s pizza place is a hidden gem that is booked out months together and requires a strategic plan in order to secure a booking. Further to that a navman and a guide sense of direction is mandatory to ensure you reach the place. We entered the unmarked entrance, the number 13 is the only confirmation you are at the right place.

Fairy lights faintly illuminating darkness welcomes you, rickety chairs and wooden benches surrounding stone hearths breathing bright fires warmed huddled groups. It seemed like we were entering a mysterious, secret world, the setting almost reminiscent of the movie set of End of Days were the few remnants of humanity gather around canisters and open fires, the mood almost solemn. The air of sobriety however is a mood that hovers between 6.30 pm and quarter past seven. After 7.30 the place is infiltrated by large groups armed with eski’s (drink coolers on wheels) since the place is BYO, offering only a house red and white and a raucous crowd takes over the joint. Upon arrival we walked straight into what I assumed was the kitchen, politely asking if I could enter eager to catch the pizza process in action. But in fact it is an ’open kitchen’ cum front office to place your orders, customers reading the menu that swirls around in colourful, artwork upon a blackboard above the wood-fire oven.

Pizza dough is being rolled in one corner, Napolitano sauce smothered on bases in another corner, and assembled with toppings, long paddles shift bases and cooked pizza’s back and forth over and around staff and customers that gaze at the colourful swirl of a menu, hard-pressed to make a decision. The atmosphere is alive and the pizza looks amazing, I am ecstatic about the meal I am about to receive as we make out way to our table outside.

Usually I am fussy about seating outside, (ok, I have to admit I am fussy and uptight about most things when it comes to food) particularly when it is the onset of winter and 10 degrees C. But tucking my sweater over the palms of my hands and doubled over trying to retain optimum body warmth envisioning the pizza it felt like an adventure, having to earn my feed. We opted to go with the two courses, starter and main for $37 per head.



Out comes a anti-pasti platter of crusty sour-dough bread, roasted veggies: red peppers, carrot, green beans, Kalamata olives, three lumps of feta cheese, liquid gold – a luscious straw hued olive oil with a peppery kick, dukkah with pistachio hints and toasted almonds that were unlike anything I have tasted anywhere else – bursting with flavour.

Having cleared every morsel of the starter platter we sipped on house red taking the place in. Next up three succulent lamb koftas with a fresh mint-yoghurt (could have been punchier with more mint, but hey).

We decided to do one large and one small pizza. The large we did two ways, one half with generous torn basil, Italian herbs, buffalo mozzarella and the other half with fresh, tender king prawns, perfectly cooked squid legs and a single oyster. It came out on a unfolded cardboard box, no cutlery, no plates and we dug in, enjoyed it thoroughly and only realised the former were missing halfway through relishing the squares of pizza and wiping tomato sauce and crumbs from around our mouths. Sometimes going back to the basics makes for a real treat.

The smaller pizza was distributed with chunks of grilled lamb with Mediterranean-Indian flavours cucumber and tomatoes raita adorning the top. Although perhaps the most drastic pizza topping I have ever sampled, and perhaps not a personal choice it was interesting and absolutely delicious.

Having enjoyed Russell’s pizza I can now put the rumours to rest, it is alive and kicking – truly offering a unique experience with top notch wood-fire pizzas. I officially stamp it South Australia’s best place for pizza pie!

Crispy Chicken stuffed with Brie and Apple with Braised Caraway Spiced Cabbage and Apple

A trilogy of creamy brie, tart Granny Smith apple and thyme stuffed under chicken skin and baked until golden are a deliciously different departure from bland poultry. The apples sautéed with onions contrast the rich, creamy Australian King Island Triple Cream Brie I used. The stuffed crispy skinned chicken is served with braised cabbage and ample chunks of gala apples, seasoned with caraway seeds that lace this Germanic side dish with a light liquorice flavour. All in all this dish makes for a simple and straightforward celebration of fall.

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Australians, obsessed with ‘lean meat’, obsessing over 100 per cent fat free poultry and meat made finding chicken breasts with the skin on virtually impossible. However, I found plump chicken thighs and legs with the skin on, and would you believe it - half the price, so I grabbed those instead. Personally I prefer the thigh when it comes to poultry so it was an easy decision making process. While skinless chicken breasts can be stuffed by cutting a slit at the top of the breast and creating a pocket to fill, without the crisp skin to complement the tender, succulent flesh and contrast the sweet and savoury braised cabbage the dish would simply lose its pizazz.

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Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, chopped (fennel would work wonderfully here as well), 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and coarsely chopped, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 cup apple cider, 110 g Brie cheese, cut into slices, 4 chicken breast halves/ thighs (1 kg approx)

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Method: Heat oil in a medium sized non-stick skillet over medium heat, add onion; cook until very tender, about 8 minutes. Add apples, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 cup cider; cook until apple is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Divide stuffing into 4 equal portions and slice the brie. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Run fingers under chicken skin to separate from flesh. Dividing equally, insert stuffing and brie slices under skin of each piece. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake in heated 200-degree C oven 35 minutes or until chicken skin is golden brown. Meanwhile prepare cabbage (see recipe below).

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Remove chicken to a platter; keep warm. Skim fat from baking dish. Scrape drippings into a small saucepan. Add remaining 1/2 cup apple cider, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook over medium heat to reduce by half. Spoon over chicken.

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Braised Carraway Spiced Cabbage and Apple
This is a recipe from Epicurious, by Ian Knauer

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Makes 4 to 6 side dish servings
Active time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min

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Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, smashed, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 lb red cabbage, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, 1 Gala or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider, 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, 2 whole allspice (optional), crushed, 1 1/2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

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Method: Cook garlic in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add cabbage, apple, cider, caraway, allspice (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
Add vinegar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Crab and Squid a la Pesto Risone

This is a simple recipe that I created myself that showcases quality ingredients from the sea, illustrating how freshness and simplicity construct the essence of a tasty dish - you don't always need expensive ingredients and fancy technique. Squid rings and crab meat are infused with basil and lemon. So easy to make, it’s almost quicker to eat than it is to prepare.

When buying squid, a personal tip is to opt for the entire hooded squid, slice it at home yourself, rather than pre-cut rings that while easier, saving time at home often have membranes and spine remaining, the result of fish mongers in a rush! The result awful stringy, chewy bits that remain on the pre-cut squid rings. Cleaning and slicing your own squid rings is simple and eliminates this completely.

Ingredients: 200 g squid rings, 200 g steamed crab flesh, 500 g risone, 200 g pesto*, Olive oil for frying, salt and pepper for seasoning

* Pesto: 125 g (1 bunch) basil leaves, 1 handful flat leaf parsley, 100 g Parmesan, 85 g toasted pine nuts,1 garlic clove, 170 g olive oil, splash white wine, 2 cloves garlic minced, half a lemon/ 1 tsp lemon juice

Method: Bowl the risone in a pot of water with salt, allow approximately 12 minutes to cook completely. Meanwhile prepare the pesto. Then, add a splash of olive oil to a hot wok, throw in the minced garlic, allowing to turn golden before adding the squid that needs to cook through for 5 minutes. Just before taking it off the stove, add a splash of white wine.

For the pesto, blend all the ingredients in a food processor, or use a mortar and pestle, adding the olive oil gradually in a steady stream until you have a spoonable consistency.

Drain the risone to a big bowl. Toss it with the pesto and add in the squid and crab meat, squeeze the lemon juice over and seasoning it with salt and pepper before serving.

Sticky Date Pudding drizzled with Butterscotch Sauce

It's simple pleasures that make life worth living. A thick slice of indulgent sticky date pudding drizzled with sweet butterscotch glaze is the perfect ending to any meal. Sweet treats are something I have come to look forward to increasingly, especially during Adelaide's cold, wintry months - the lack of heating facilities in most homes insufficient. A cup of strong, hot coffee and a plate of steaming pudding or cake sliced straight out of the oven is best enjoyed in bed, feet toasty and snugly under the covers, it seems too good to be true!

Dates contain a high amount of natural sugar that make them a healthy energy source. The dates combined with a modest amount of brown sugar make for a pudding that is subtly sweet, therefore I highly recommend serving it with the butterscotch sauce as it lifts the dessert adding a rich, velvety sweet lusciousness, as well as moistening the pudding that can be a tad bit dense if eaten alone.

Serves 4
Active time: 20 mins
Total time: I hour

Ingredients: 150 g pitted, finely chopped dates, 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate soda, 150 ml boiling water, 2 ½ tblsp unsalted butter, 125 g soft brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp finely slices glace ginger, 125 g sifted self-raising flour, butterscotch sauce*

*For the butterscotch sauce: 4 tbsp cream, 70 g soft brown sugar, 1 ½ tblsp unsalted butter

Method: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter four 300 ml ramekins. (I used a Pyrex dish instead, since I wanted to cut thin slices.) Put the dates in a bowl, sprinkle over the bicarbonate soda and then pour the boiling water over and set aside for 10 minutes. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, whisk in the eggs, the vanilla extract and the glace ginger. Finally add the flour, lighly fold it through the batter. Fold the date mixture through the flour batter thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the ramekins or the baking dish. If using ramekins, place them on a baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the puddings are firm.

Meanwhile make the butterscotch sauce by combining the cream, sugar and butter in a small heavy-based saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and whisk to combine. Remove from the heat and cool.

When the puddings are cooked, remove from the oven and allow cooling for 5-10 minutes before pouring over the butterscotch sauce. Serve immediately, as it best enjoyed warm.

Vietnamese Cold Rolls - Nem Nuong with Nuoc Cham

Nem Nuong are flavourful grilled meatballs made out of minced pork and infused with garlic, fish sauce, sugar and coriander. This recipe is a heavily adapted version of Jill Dupliex that was published in the Sydney Sunday Morning Herald.

“The defining characteristic of Vietnamese cooking is the presence of basket-loads of fresh herbs and salad greens”. These little meatballs are traditionally eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves or rice paper rolls with herbs and rice noodles or put into soups for pork ball broth.

Nuoc Cham is an aromatic traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce paired with cold rolls in particular. The sauce combines contrasting, yet carefully balanced sweet, sour and spicy flavours that Oriental cuisines such as Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese rely on, using the complex flavours to complement and boast delicate won tons, dim sums and cold rolls. Fresh mint is set off by fiery red chilli and the sweetness of sugar takes the edge of the tart acidity of zesty lemon, the fish sauce and the vinegar add a sharp astringent quality that pulls the flavours together. I also added a serving of kimchee that went well with the cold rolls.

Ingredients

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For Nem Nuong: 500g minced pork, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tsp caster sugar, 2 tbsp torn coriander leaves
For Nuoc Cham Sauce:1 tsp caster sugar, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp vinegar/ rice wine, 1 fresh red chilli, sliced, handful mint leaves chopped finely.

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For the Cold Rolls: Pack of cold roll wrappers, kettle of boiling water, medium sized heat-proof bowl, 200g dried bean-thread vermicelli, 2 handful of picked mint leaves, 2 handful baby spinach (optional), side plate.

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Method

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For Nem Nuong: Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a baking tray (with sides) with aluminium foil. Combine the minced pork, garlic, salt, pepper, fish sauce, sugar, coriander and knead until well mixed. With wet hands, roll the pork mixture into balls the size of a walnut and place in rows on the lined baking tray. Once all the balls have been formed, place the tray in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown. Half way through, remove from oven and turn with tongs.

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For the Nuoc Cham: To make the dressing, mix the sugar and lime juice, then add the fish sauce and chilli. Toss the drained noodles and torn mint and coriander leaves in the dressing.
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Assembling the cold rolls: Fill the medium sized bowl with the vermicelli and cover with boiling water. It needs only 2 to 3 minutes to soften, then remove from the bowl, drain and set aside. Re-fresh the bowl halfway with boiling water from the kettle. Take a single cold roll wrapper, dip it into the bowl of boiling water carefully. Slide each side in to the middle so it is damp, but pull it out within 10 seconds to avoid it getting soggy. Shake out the wrapper and place on the side plate, smoothing it out completely. In the middle of the wrapper, arrange 3-4 mint leaves and baby spinach leaves if using, place three meatballs on top, enough vermicelli to cover the meatballs. Pull the wrapper tightly across the meatballs and vermicelli stuffing and wrap lengthwise first, and then pull the sides in tightly, it will fuse with the rice paper at the centre. Lay on a serving platter and complete the rest of the rolls. Serve with Nouc Cham dipping sauce.

Cucumber Kimchee

Raised in Dayton, Ohio Ming Tsai of cooking show Simply Ming spent hours cooking alongside his parents at their family-owned restaurant, Mandarin Kitchen. His passion for food was forged in those early years - gaining valuable experience in both front (house kitchen) and back (restaurant kitchen).

Koreans serve kimchee, a sweet and spicy pickle with almost every meal. Traditionally made with fermented cabbage or turnip and stored in a tightly sealed jar, it lasts forever. I must say that I have tasted cucumber versions of the same at several Korean and Chinese restaurants, and my mother makes her very own kind as well. Tsai’s cucumber kimchi is sweet and spicy with a slight tart pull at the end, thanks to the vinegar and the flourish of fresh ginger. The traditional method involves burying the kimchee to ferment it. With this recipe however you won’t have to dig up the kitchen, since vinegar is used to do the same job.

While Tsai asks for traditional Korean chilli called kucho karu, regular red pepper flakescan be used as substitute, using amounts you are comfortable with. Note: Be very careful about putting unprotected fingers into the mixture, as you can too easily rub your eyes with them, instead, use clean tongs or chopsticks to serve or transfer the kimchee.


Makes 6 cups
Lasts 2 weeks, refrigerated

Ingredients: 6 medium cucumbers, halved lengthwise, and seeded, Kosher salt, 6 cups rice wine vinegar (I substituted with white wine vinegar that I had on hand), 2 cups sugar, 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 1/4 cup fresh ginger matchsticks, 3 medium red onions, halved and cut into 18-inch slices, 1 cup shredded carrots, 4 tbls Korean chilli flakes (kucho karu), or 2 tblsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

Method: Place the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink. Sprinkle the cut side of the cucumbers generously with the salt. Allow to rest at room temperature until the cucumbers have exuded liquid, about 2 hours. Rinse the cucumbers, dry them well, and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick half moons. Set aside. (I preferred cutting the cucumbers into thin, long strips which were prettier in terms of presentation.)

In a large, nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions, bring to a simmer, and remove immediately from the heat.

In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the cucumbers and carrots. Pour the vinegar mixture over them, add the chilli flakes and fish sauce, and toss well.

Correct the seasoning with salt. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap. With a paring knife, punch a few holes in the plastic wrap and place the bowl in a cool, dark place. Let the mixture pickle for 24 hours. Transfer the kimchee to a tall glass jar or jars and seal tightly. Use or refrigerate.

The Tale of Despereaux

Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick and Emma Watson have lent their voices to the three central characters, and Sigourney Weaver as the narrator seems to reveals too much, too soon.

If you haven’t seen the film, you’re probably wondering why I am discussing an animated film on my food blog. Well, the story unfolds with soup, in the not so magical kingdom of D’or that celebrates Soup Day in a big way. An unfortunate incident lands friendly rat Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman) in hot soup and a series of nasty things follow – the King bans soup, rats and manages to make the sun disappear as well as the rain. More details and information on the annual soup festival in Lille, France are included at the end.

When it comes to rats and cooking, comparisons with the brilliant Ratatouille immediately spring to mind. While The Tale of Despereaux is enjoyable it lacks punch, wit and humour of the well scripted plot and narration of the former to even deserve to be mentioned in the same breathe.

On the whole the ingredients for this cinematic soup are far from cohesive, the attempt to fuse humour, fantasy and drama together far from effortless. On the whole, the film is ‘cute’, failing to cross the barrier from a feel good, forget fast flick to one that deserves acclaim by delivering a tasty treat.

The Golden Ladle Soup Festival takes place at Wazemmes, Lille, France as an annual event. The next one is scheduled in May 2010. Lille's Golden Ladle Soup Festival (La Louche d'Or) brings soup connoisseurs together each year in the Wazemmes quarter of the city. The marketplace and bistros are the focus, with local bands performing and cooks rustling up delicious soups all day.

Lille Tourist Office:

Palais Rihour,

BP 205, 59002

Lille Phone: +33 (0) 3 59 57 94 00

Fax: +33 (0) 3 59 57 94 14

Beef Goulash with Champ

Goulash is a traditional Hungarian stew, with origins dating back to the 9th century and the Magyar shepherds. The stew was prepared as a portable stock of food by slowly cooking cut-up meats with onions until the liquids had been absorbed and then dried in the sun and packed into bags made of sheep’s stomachs. At mealtime, water was added to a portion of the meat to reconstitute it into a soup or stew.

Champ is an Irish side dish, traditionally consisting mashed potatoes mixed with scallions, peas, nowadays given way to variations of root veggies such as turnips, parsnips, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and carrots as well as cabbage and kale. During the historical periods of financial struggle, champ became the champion Irish dish – cheap, nutritious and filling.

Most European countries rely on potatoes as a main starch or staple, and have some variation of the same, the English with their world-famous potato mash, Dutch with their stamppot boerenkool and Danish with their parsillia kartoffel mousse.

I have used Tara Harris’ winning recipe from UK TV reality show, Chefs and the City, it makes a fiery stew that is sure to warm you up, champ the perfect winter companion, the combination of desiree potatoes, carrots and parsnips makes for an extremely creamy mash.




Serves: 6
Prep: 25 min Cook: 1 hr 20 min

Ingredients

For the goulash: 500g beef skirt steak, cut into cubes, 500g beef brisket, cut into cubes, 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned, 4 tbsp Olive oil, 2 large Onions, 2 red chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped, 2 tsp Paprika, 1/2 tsp Chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 5 cloves Garlic, 2 tsp tomato purée, 400g tin chopped Tomatoes, 500ml beef stock, 2 Bay leaves, 2 sprigs Oregano, 2 sprigs Thyme, 1 x 330ml can Beer, 3 red Peppers (Roasted red peppers add an extra depth of flavour, and I highly recommend doing this.)

For the carrot, turnip and potato champ: 6-8 Potatoes, 4 Carrots, 1 Turnips, (I substituted with 5 slim parsnips instead) drizzle Olive oil

To serve: Sour cream, to taste, finely chopped Thyme and to taste


Method

For the goulash: dust the cubed meat in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions until they’re softened and just beginning to brown. Add the cubed meat and fry until the meat is starting to brown on all sides. Sprinkle the chopped chillies, paprika, chilli powder and nutmeg into the pan. Stir to coat the meat in all the spices. Add the garlic, tomato purée, tinned tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and beer to the pan. Simmer for 1 hour over a low heat. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas. Put the whole red peppers on a roasting tray and transfer the tray to the oven. Cook until the peppers are blackened. Once the peppers are black, remove them from the oven and cover with cling film. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, discard the cling film and peel off the pepper skins. Remove and discard the seeds, as well as the skin, slice the flesh and add the slices to the goulash.

For the carrot, turnip and potato champ: peel potatoes, carrots and turnips, cut into cubes and add to a pan of boiling salted water over a medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the vegetables and tip them back into the pan. Place the pan back over the heat to remove any excess moisture. Add a drizzle of olive oil and mash the vegetables with a masher or ricer until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve the goulash and mash with soured cream on the side and sprinkle over finely chopped fresh thyme and oregano, to taste.

Sweet-Potato Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Seduce your senses with the sweetness of the yam stuffed ravioli, juxtaposed with the subtle and elegant herbaceous sage butter sauce. At the risk of sounding horribly cliched, the combination of sweet-potato, sage and shallots are a match made in heaven. This recipe from Bon Apetit is sure to knock your socks off as it did mine. While the recipe calls for a couple of cumbersome steps, this dish is absolutely spectacular, making the dicing, slicing, pulsing, sauteing and assembling that is requires well worth it.
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This recipe uses wonton skins as a substitute for the ravioli - which is a clever idea that worked wonderfully. However, watching an episode of Masterchef Australia on television last week where ravioli was prepared from scratch, it did not seem all that daunting. Unfortunately, currently lacking a pasta rolling machine, my pasta making days will have to be put on hold until further investments are made.
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Ingredients

For the ravioli: 500 g red-skinned sweet potatoes, 2 tblsp golden brown sugar, 2 tblsp (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature, 340 g wonton wrappers, 1 large egg, beaten to blend
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For the fried shallots and sauce: 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 large shallots, cut crosswise into thin rounds, separated into rings, 6 tblsp (3/4 stick) butter, 8 large fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Method

For the ravioli: Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil rimmed baking sheet. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes; cool. Scoop potato pulp out of skins into small bowl. Spoon pulp into medium bowl, add sugar and butter; mash well. Season filling with salt and pepper.

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place wonton wrappers on work surface. Using pastry brush, brush wrappers with beaten egg. Place 1/2 tablespoon sweet-potato filling in center of each. Fold each wrapper diagonally over filling, forming triangle. Seal edges. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature while preparing fried shallots and sauce. (Can be made up to 5 days ahead. Freeze, then cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before cooking.)

For fried shallots and sauce: Heat vegetable oil in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, fry shallots until crisp and dark brown, roughly for 3 - 5 minutes on medium heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Cook butter in large pot over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sage and red pepper.

Meanwhile, working in batches, cook ravioli in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add ravioli to pot with butter sauce; toss to coat. Transfer to plates, drizzling any sauce from pot over ravioli. Top with fried shallots and pine nuts; serve immediately.

Mrs. Hockmeyer's Banana Bread

Perfect as a tea-time or after school snack for the kids, this is a deliciously easy recipe for fantastic springy Banana Bread. The only change I have made to this recipe is the addition of cinnamon powder. I feel that it added a little spunk to the the overall taste. Next time I will try throwing in a handful of chopped walnuts as well, as that would give it a lovely nutty flavour and add contrasting texture.



Ingredients: 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup), 1 egg, beaten, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method: There is no need to use an electrical mixer for this recipe as that will put too much air into the mixture and make the batter heavy and tougher once it cooks instead use a wooden spoon . Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl and add melted butter to the bananas. Mix in the sugar, egg, cinnamon powder and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

T-Chow

Perhaps Adelaide's most popular Chinese restaurant, T-Chow specialises particularly in Chuichow cuisine. Their menu is extensive and has three banquet dinners that one can choose from, each consisting several courses. Specials are sprawled over colourful posters on the walls in a combination of English and Chinese characters. Where value for money is concerned this place offers sizable portions, fuss free food and you are sure to leave sated with a full belly as well as satisfied with the bill.

This one outing though, my dearest friend Jackie treated me to a mother's day banquet. (Lucky me!) We started off with a big platter of deep-fried Chinese finger foods.

Spring rolls, fried won tons and dumplings

Lightly sauteed prawns in a oyster sauce

Fried rice with egg, pork and prawns

Delicately honey-ginger infused tender strips of chicken with crispy, deep fried spinach

Serving of soy-flavoured duck and honey-ginger chicken over fried rice

Salt and pepper squid

We also enjoyed Morton Bay Bugs, which unfortunately I have no picture of.

The best dish of the entire meal - pork ribs in a sweet, thick Chinese barbecue style glaze with hakka noodles

Sweet endings are customary - banana fritters with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce - surprisingly good

Or the Ice-cream sundae, very popular with the kiddies!

On the whole, after a year in Adelaide, having eaten at Ding How, Mongkok (both located on Gouger Street) and T-Chow on repeat visits I have to draw a comparison of the general grade of Chinese food served up at these Chinese institutes to the popular fusion creation of Indian-Chinese cuisine. Three characteristics of Aussie-Chinese and Indian-Chinese are commonalities - heavy use of deep-frying, an affinity for thick sauces coating meat dishes and menu card featuring a regimental two to three sweet and sour dishes as well as lemon chicken.

Of all the Chinese restaurants in Adelaide, Ying Chow (also located on Gouger Street) offers Chinese food that tastes most 'authentic' to me. Having yet to visit China (this is one culinary destination I can't wait to pack me bags for), my perception of authenticity is based on interpretations of Chinese food served in restaurants in Singapore since the Chinese influence has a strong tie historically, translating into culinary heritage. This is further compounded by the calibre of restaurant authenticity in the city of the Merlion considered both on a personal scale as well as critically acclaimed as 'reliable' authentic.