Something is cooking!
Stir it up!
Stir it up!
Ingredient: Kaffir Lime
I was so lucky to receive the fragrant leaves and fruit fresh from a friend's tree today. Immediately, I thought how wonderful they would be imbibing their sunshine-y unique flavour into a seafood curry and I was amazed at how much more potent and layered the flavour imparted was from a super fresh leaf. I'm now inspired to grow my own, which i have just read will grow happily in a pot and will bear fruit in warmer climates!
Review: Brew
A sweet spot in the city to muse over the day ahead and steady yourself with a great coffee can be hard to find. Well, stop looking and bound down the lane (Lower Burnett Lane) just past rocking horse records and you'll find yourself at Brew. Great coffee, friendly service, a basic but sweet breakfast menu all wrapped up in an atmosphere that makes you smile. Go to here!
And for the thirsty among us, Brew is a neat place for a beer in the afternoon.
Providores: Sourced Grocer
EatMe is very excited to welcome Sourced Grocer to the neighbourhood. Nestled in Florence St, Teneriffe you will find a feast for your eyes and tummy. Sourced creates a perfect shopping experience for that essential ingredient and the fit out is just magnificent, think open wooden warehouse brimming with organic fresh produce and my favourite part; a walk in cold room brimming with artisan meats, cheese and fruits and vege.
I'm particularly thrilled to see that they stock a great range of Eumundi Smokehouse goods- looking forward to noming the natural smoked bacon I picked up yesterday
There is also a cafe attached to the site that sells delightful bread.
Well Done guys.
Recipe: Mushroom Risotto in the Oven!
Well, well , well, risotto in an oven, "no way" i hear you say.
This was also my reaction when i first stumbled upon the basic recipe on Donna Hay's excellent website. I have adapted it to celebrate the mushroom and provide warm fuggy comfort on the table on what is a very chilly evening. Cheers to mushrooms, cheers to the oven and cheers to you!
Mushroomy, Leeky Risotto Oven Magic
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and leeks
• a brown bag full of mushies, chopped
• 30g Dried french forest mushrooms
• ¾ cup (150g) arborio rice
• 2 ¼ cups (560ml) vegetable stock
• parsely
• ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
• 20g butter
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F). Heat the butter in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5 minutes or until browned.Meanwhile, soak the dried forest mushrooms in sub-boiling water for 15 mins and drain (reserve some of the glorious liquid for the stock). Place mushies and leeks in a 5 cup-capacity (1.25L) ovenproof dish with the rice and stock and stir to combine. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until most of the stock is absorbed and rice is al dente. Stir through the spinach, parmesan, butter, salt and pepper. Serves 2.
Don't forget to have wine! Tonight I'm having it with the D'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz..mmmm warming and enjoy the revolution of a no stir oven awesome risotto!
Review: Archive Beer Boutique
I love the concept here at Archive; great beers from both independent micro brewers and the larger boutique beer houses enjoyed in a relaxed, retro industrial atmosphere.
We pulled up sofa on Friday afternoon for a schooner and some chippies. We were happy to find out that on Fridays they set up a traditional hand pump attached to a keg and pull beer the old-fashioned way- three pumps to a schooner. This particular Friday, Little Creature's Pale Ale was the keg attached to the hand pump. The result, a deeper bodied, muskier and all round smoother beer. The hand pumping results in finer bubbles that are way less fizzy.
Chips were super tasty- beer battered and delightfully crispy. This is such a great pub.
Hot Cross Buns
No doubt these represent to you all that is good about Easter; warm, fuggy goodness.
I was particularly interested to read that the humble hot cross bun pre dates christianity and were made and eaten in honour of the saxon goddess Eostre (Easter!) who was the custodian of the dawn in saxon lore. Interestingly the four sectors formed by the cross are reported by some to symbolise the four quarters of the moon. Kooky and yay to have a sweet bun eaten in honour of you.
So why not make some to celebrate the goddess in your family. I found this recipe below from Gourmet Traveller. I reckon a dash of cointreau would be very welcome in this too.
Hot cross buns
Serves 16
INGREDIENTS
Buns
750 gm (5 cups) plain flour, sifted
55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar
2 tsp (14 gm )dried yeast
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
250 gm (1½ cups) sultanas
100 gm candied orange peel, coarsely chopped
1 orange, finely grated rind only
300 ml milk
100 gm unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
1 egg
Glaze
55 gm (¼ cup)caster sugar
¼ tsp mixed spice
METHOD
1
Combine 700 gm flour, sugar, yeast, spices, sultanas, orange peel and rind and 1 tsp sea salt in a bowl. Gently warm milk and butter over a low heat until butter melts and mixture is tepid. Add egg to milk mixture and whisk. Make a well in the centre of flour mixture, add milk mixture and stir. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Knock back dough and cut into 16 equal pieces. Knead each piece into a ball, place in a lightly greased 22cm-square cake pan, cover with a damp tea towel and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
2
Preheat oven to 220C. Combine remaining flour and ¼ cup water and stir to a smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle. Pipe lines down each row to form crosses. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 200C and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden. (They’re ready when they sound hollow when tapped).
3
For glaze, combine ingredients with ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Brush glaze over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool
