Foodie Friday - Chocolate, Bacon & Maple Syrup Cupcakes

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it

Last weekend, I was sitting around having a few beers with the Safari boys, when Mentor started (jokingly) lamenting the fact I never bake any more. 

At the start of my PhD, when I was working full time in hospitality (5 nights, with double shifts Fri-Sat) and studying part time (2-3 days a week), I used to have one blessed day a week off. Tuesdays were the one day I could sleep in, do my laundry, go to the shops, and finish my chores. It was the weekly Safari poker game. And it was baking. Usually it was cupcakes, because they're easy to make, easy to share, and easy to eat. My lemon cupcakes recipe is the most read post on this blog! Anyway, I'd bake them in the early afternoon, ice them early evening, and appear at the poker game with a box in hand. I remember one game where I was actually using the boys' kitchen to bake ginger cookies, rolling them while playing several hands. We had a new guy, who questioned my being allowed to play, let alone play while baking, only to be slapped upside the head and told to never question the method, "the cookies just appear!".

Other than the occasional birthday cake or lab meeting, I haven't really stretched my baking legs in the kitchen for 18 months, and I've missed it. So when Mentor started joking about it, I figured now was as good a time as any. A bit of discussion followed, and I decided to have another crack at the bacon/maple syrup/pancake theme. My original attempt involved pancake mixture with bacon mixed through poured into muffin tins, topped with maple icing and maple-tossed bacon pieces. While you got the idea, they weren't really cupcakey. Switch pancake for chocolate, and you get...

Chocolate, Bacon & Maple Syrup Cupcakes

(Because everything is better with bacon)

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 cups sugar
• Pinch salt
•  2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavour
• 150g dark chocolate (70% or higher)
• 50g unsalted butter

Topping

•  Around 50:50 butter & cream cheese (I use 1/2 block Philadelphia)
• Icing sugar
• Bacon
• Maple syrup

Preheat your oven to 180C, and line a muffin/cupcake tin as desired.
Melt your butter and chocolate together in a non-stick pan over very low heat. Chocolate will help at blood temperature, so use your lowest setting). Meanwhile, pop all the other cupcake ingredients into a bowl and mix with a hand mixer to about 30 seconds, or until combined. Scrape down your bowl, and mix again for about 2 minutes, by which point your batter should be super smooth and your chocolate melted. Let the chocolate cool slightly, then add it to your bowl and give it another good mix until evenly distributed. Your batter should vaguely resemble slightly runny chocolate mousse.

 Spoon/pour your batter into your lined tray, 2/3 filling each well. Into the oven for about 20mins, or until the spring back when lightly touched (or you can use the clean bamboo skewer method). Let them rest for 5 minutes, then remove from tin and allow to cool fully on a wire rack.

While your cupcakes are cooling, place your bacon onto a wire rack over a baking tray, and put it in the oven. The aim is super crispy bacon with as little fat remaining as possible, thus the rack. When it's starting to look golden brown, pull it out, and place on some paper towel to absorb any remaining grease. Don't worry if your rashers seem a bit pliable when fresh out the oven, they will go crisp after a few moments. Once cool, chop/break into small pieces.

On to the key part of this whole recipe: the maple syrup icing. Icing measurements are tricky, as they will vary depending on where you are. I generally start with a half-half mix of unsalted butter and Philly cheese, around 125g of each, a tablespoon of maple syrup (not the fake maple flavoured syrup) and beat using a hand mixer. Once combined, I gradually add icing sugar (not icing mixture, which contains extra starch) until I get the firmness of icing I'm after. You may want to give it a brief mix with a spatula, just to make sure there's no lumps of sugar, then put in the fridge to set slightly.

Once your cupcakes are cooled, add enough maple syrup to your bacon pieces to just coat. You don't want them soaked, otherwise you get soggy bacon pieces! Use a piping bag or butter knife to apply your icing, top with a sprinkle of bacon, et voila! Now try not to eat them all in one hit.

• I always cook more bacon than I think I'll need, because invariably a few pieces go missing before they make it onto the cupcakes.
• You can cut corners on some things, but try for good maple syrup. It will reduce the amount you need to use, and is what makes this unusual recipe really work. The most common comment from people when I make anything with this icing is that they would have been happy to ditch the cake and just eat the icing, and that's down to good syrup.
• BurgerMary posted a recipe for Bacon Praline yesterday. Haven't tried it yet, but could see it going very well on top of these instead of the maple-tossed bacon.

 
Enjoy! 

Neysa xo

Odyssey Tavern presents Mornington Peninsula Brewery Beer Degustation

A well thought menu, complete with tasting
notes from both brewer and chef!

Last Wednesday night (2^nd August), I had the opportunity to attend the Geelong region’s first Beer Degustation, held at Odyssey Tavern in Mt Duneed. The brews featured on the night were all from the Mornington Peninsula Brewery (MPB), with six beers matched to six courses by the chefs from Odyssey.

Grant and the crew have been operating the Surf Coast craft-beer mecca that is Odyssey Tavern since March 2012, giving the region a much needed opportunity to sink its teeth into the boutique brews that the mainstream invariably forces out in set-in-its-ways Gee-troit. With over 80 beers from Australia and New Zealand, 8 taps of continuously changing guest pours, and a menu that caters to pretty much everyone, it is rapidly becoming a favourite in the area. You won’t find a Carlton Draught, a VB, or (heaven forbid) a Corona in the place, but what you will find are passionate staff who are happy to guide you on your first steps along the path to malty, hoppy enlightenment.

Lots of speculation about the upcoming pairings
(Photo courtesy Odyssey T&B)

After a weekend at Splendour in the Grass, subject to mid-strength beers and foot-deep mud, I was eager to get out to Odyssey for what was shaping up to be a great occasion. So eager that while on the bus, I missed my stop, and ended up in Torquay. Look, it was dark, and it’s the Surf Coast Highway. After hitching a ride back to Whites Road with an off-duty bus-driver, I was met by the warm glow and happy buzz of pre-drinks, with attendees mingling around the two long tables and, of course, bar. I started with the MPB Sorachi Kolsch, a clean, light, refreshing brew, with a nice lemongrass hit on the tongue, most likely from the Japanese Sorachi Ace hop. Would be perfect for a few in the hammock come summer, and was a great way to start the night.

After finding our seats (well, everyone really just sat where they were and got to talking to the people around them), and a brief welcome by Grant, he handed over the floor to the guys from Mornington, Head Brewer Andrew Gow and Michael “the sales guy”. It was fantastic to have these guys introduce each of the beers, talking about the ideas and influences, the process, answering every question thrown at them, and with a good dose of humour. Their passion was contagious, and really took the appreciation of the beers to another level.

Smoked Salmon Wonton w/ MPB Witbier

First up was the MPB Witbier, matched with a smoked salmon wonton stack, with wasabi mayo and balsamic reduction, served with roast pear and pickled ginger. Now, I’m not usually a huge fan of witbiers. I find them quite confronting, with a sense of umami that I’d sooner associate with cured meat, vegemite, or sushi than a beverage. However, paired with this dish, I found a certain appreciation, and the witbier and I made a tenuous truce. The beer has a real coriander element, with citrusy overtones, which worked wonderfully well to create a sweet and sour sensation with the soft pear, spicy ginger, and gentle warmth of the wasabi. It also cut well through the richness of the smoked salmon, and the whole dish was lightened by the crunch of the crispy wontons. One of my top two matches of the night!

Herb-crusted lamb w/ MPB English Special Bitter

The second entrée was a herb crusted lamb backstrap on citrus couscous with a quince jus, matched to the MPB English Special Bitter. It was a beautiful deep orange colour, would be perfect around autumn harvest with big sweet raspberry notes, and a bit of earthy brown-sugar toffee. Something a bit fruity as well, almost reminding me of trail mix, or Christmas cake. The lamb and quince worked really well with this beer, bringing out some of the more complex flavours, but consensus at our end of the table was the summery couscous was a little out of place. Whilst delicious, and working very well with the lamb, the bitter really felt like it needed something a bit more earthy, like sweet potato, or a parsnip mash, to really complement the autumn characteristics of the beer. 

Poached Rockling w/ MPB IPA

It was then on to the MPB American-style IPA, matched with a delicate poached rockling, scalloped chat potatoes, and a baby caper, thyme and verjuice sauce. The chef was not kidding when in his notes he said it was “something a little left of centre”, but it worked! The IPA was beautifully malty, quite bitter, and a little on the alcoholic side (~6.2%), with subtle nectarine/peachy flavours. From memory, this is attributed to the three types of hops, Citra, Centennial and Simcoe (correct me if I’m wrong!). The creamy sauce played down some of the bitterness, though the bite from the red onion gave a bit of the punch I’d associate with IPA’s usual spicy pairings.

Too tasty to last (Pork & White peppercorn sauce)

The final main was pork medallions, with blue cheese and green peppercorn sauce, topped with some leafy green salad, and matched with the MPB Brown Ale. One of the few brown ales available at the moment, this was the beer highlight for me, a really nutty, warming beer, very malty. Really reminded me of rum & raisin chocolate. While this paired really well with the pork (chocolate and pork are always a winning combination in my book), the thick, creamy sauce got in the way a bit, bringing out all of the pepper, and drowning any more subtle flavours that the lighter white meat would have brought forward.

 

Sex on a plate: Vanilla pannacotta w/ MPB Porter

Dessert one was the highlight of my night. The MPB Porter, paired to a vanilla pannacotta with burnt orange syrup and roasted pinenut toffee. There are those moments in your life where something just works. I flushed, I giggled, and I melted into a pool of dessert ecstasy. The porter is beautiful and rich, with big, bitter dark chocolate and coffee flavours, with a subtle thread of vanilla to round it out. Combine that with the luscious, perfectly set pannacotta, which really brought out the vanilla in the porter, the bitter orange caressing the chocolately notes, and the way that the bright pinenut toffee brought out the brown-sugar notes of the beer were amazing. I could have died a very happy woman there and then. The guys opposite me at the table were asking if I needed a moment to recover. If Odyssey does not make this combination a permanent fixture, they are missing a beautiful opportunity.

Chocolate Pikelets w/ MPB Imperial Stout

The final course was a super-rich stack of dark chocolate pikelets, with white chocolate and honeycomb filling, served with a mulled wine syrup, and matched to the MPB Imperial Stout. It was a great match, the chocolatey stout adding another chocaholic layer to this decedent end to the night. A touch of liquorice, and something reminiscent of cherries in the beer was enhanced by the syrup, which I could happily have drunk on its own. It was the prefect winter dessert, matched with a brilliant winter stout (at 9.5%, it’s a real warmer). Coming at the end of what had been a huge meal, it was perhaps a slightly heavy note to finish on, but a tasty one none the less. I did manage to resist the urge to curl up under the table and go to sleep afterwards!

After dinner, it was great fun to hang around, meet some of the beer aficionados of the region, and sample a few more of MPB stable, including their delectable Imperial Amber (figgy caramel goodness), and the ol’ faithful Pale Ale (My original introduction to the world of beer!). Whilst the beer was the star on the night, the food was beautifully presented, and every course was delicious. I will certainly be back for more. This was an absolutely wonderful event, and I express my whole-hearted thanks to everyone that was involved in making it such a memorably experience. May it be the first of many (official) beer appreciation sessions!

Neysa xo

Cottage Pie à la Soup-Mix

Introduction
Today’s recipe is real clean-out-the-cupboard material. I have rows of jars full of dried legumes, peas, and seeds, and brown paper bags of potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and garlic. Even though the solstice has passed, and the days are getting longer, it’s still pretty cold hereabouts, and I’m still all about the comfort food. Before the weekend, I’d soaked a heap of my pulses, and strung them up to sprout for a few days, and it was high time they were used. Originally, this was a big-ass stuff-up. The plan was lentil burgers. Unfortunately, after cooking and mashing the potato base, I added them straight to the still-raw pulse mix. Rather than despair, I threw it all into a baking dish, and aimed for potato bake. The result was more like cottage pie, and it was delicious! This recipe is from the second attempt, which was just as good, if better planned!
Declarations: Today’s post structure inspired by @dr_krystal. If you’re on twitter, she’s the science bomb!

Reagents
•    4-6 large potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
•    1 onion, finely diced
•    Two cloves garlic, finely chopped
•    1 ½ cups soaked & sprouted soup mix (Pearl barley, lentils, split peas)
•    1 cup soaked & sprouted chickpeas
•    1 ¼ cup full-cream milk or alt-milk
•    2 tablespoons gluten-free plain flour
•    1 tablespoon butter
•    A Pinch Garam masala spice blend (or any combination of your favourite spices)
•    A Pinch of chilli powder
•    ½ - 1 cup grated cheese (I used a combination of tasty + pecorino)
•    Salt & Pepper to taste

Methods
Pre-heat your oven to 180C, and lightly grease a baking dish big enough to hold all that delicious goodness!
Place the potatoes into a large pot of cold water, and bring to the boil over medium-to-high heat. Allow the potatoes to boil until par-cooked/al dente, then strain, and roughly mash (lumps are ok!). Set aside ¼ of the mash to top the pie later.
In a large bowl, combine the soup mix, chickpeas, potato, onion, garlic, and spices. Tip it into your pre-greased dish. In a small bowl, whisk your flour into the milk, and pour over the top of the lentil mix. If you’re lazy (or cleaning out the cupboard!), grab a packet of that instant potato-bake stuff, like Maggi potato-bake mix, mix it up, and pour it over. If you want it super cheesy, sprinkle a bit of your cheese over the top now! Place your baking dish in the oven and bake, giving it a good mix occasionally, until the lentils and chickpeas are al dente. Pull out of the oven, evenly spread the last of the mashed potato in an even layer, and top with your grated cheese. Replace in the oven, and cook until the cheese is melted and golden-brown.
Serve hot, with a side of steamed broccoli/asparagus/, or a tasty salad.
 
Results & Discussion
Omnomnom.
This is a recipie that may require a bit of tweeking if you try it at home. I’ve not made this three times. The first two, at home, worked exactly how I wanted them, with the lentils and chickpeas developing a beautiful, meaty flavor, despite complete lack of meat. However, when I made it the third time, in someone else’s kitchen, no luck. I’m not sure if it was the amount of soaking/sprouting, the oven, or the other ingredients. Future studies are required to resolve this dilemma.
Also, in case anyone is wondering, I soak and sprout a lot of my grains, pulses, etc. I’ll admit, no references, it’s just something I’ve picked up through word of mouth, and some experimentation. Germination activates/deactivates some enzymes, whist the soaking is supposed to aid digestion, and remove toxins from things like beans. Basically, I place the dried peas/grains/seeds/etc. in a bowl, and cover with cold clean water, which is drained, rinsed, and changed every 6-8 hours for approx. 24 hours. They are then placed into a plain, homemade, muslin/cheesecloth bag, and strung up in a warm place (I use our laundry so they’re out of the way) for a few days in order for them to germinate. I also give them an additional rinse in clean cold water each morning and evening to keep them moist. When the sprouts have grown to your desired length (I usually leave them to 1cm), eat them in whatever manner takes your fancy.

References
My kitchen cupboards!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I know cupcakes are all the rage at the moment, but can you blame them? Sweet, delicate, melt-in-your-mouth morsels. One of my favourites is Red Velvet -  beautiful chocolate and buttermilk flavours, with a natural reddish tinge, and a delicious cream cheese icing. The reddish colour of the cake comes from a reaction between the low-refined cocoa and the acid in the buttermilk, so no food colouring needed! I’ve heard of people using all sorts to get a really deep red, food colour, beet juice, cranberry juice, but really, I think they’re beautiful as is. The time I made these, I got a bit carried away, as we were having people over for dinner, so I garnished with a few fresh blueberries and strawberries, which added a nice tart element, which cut through some of the sweet of the sugary icing. A huge hit with the family, and they go great when made with gluten-free flour.

Mmmm

Red Velvet Cupcakes
•    2 ½ cups plain flour
•    1tsp baking powder
•    Pinch salt
•    2 tbsp low-refined cocoa
•    ½ cup butter
•    2 eggs
•    1 tsp vanilla essence
•    1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 20ml apple cider vinegar)
•    1tsp white or apple cider vinegar
•    1tsp baking soda


Preheat your oven to 180C, and line a cupcake tray with papers.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a large, separate bowl, cream together the sugar and butter, then beat in the eggs, add the vanilla and cocoa, and mix until well combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mix, and half of the buttermilk, mix until combined, then repeat until all of the flour and buttermilk has been incorporated. Mix the vinegar and baking soda, and add to the batter. Divide amoungst the wells in your tray, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle.

Once the cupcakes are out of the oven and cooling, combine equal parts cream cheese and unsalted butter with icing sugar and a drop or two of vanilla essence, and work until there are no lumps. The ratios will vary depending on everything from the weather to the cheese you use, but I usual start with 125g each of cream cheese and butter, then add the icing sugar slowly until it is the consistency I’m after. If you’re using a piping bag, so go a touch stiffer than you think you’ll need, as the heat from your hands will cause the icing to soften. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle, and apply with as much artistic flourish as you deem necessary. Once finished, you can leave them as it, add a dusting of cocoa, or a few berries. Enjoy with a creamy hot chocolate and a good friend.

Red Velvet & Berry goodness!

Midwinter Musings & Pasta Lunches

Midwinter, when the days are short, the mornings chill, the sun’s first light glinting from a thin layer of frost on the cables strung between buildings. The wind blows cold from the south, faces burrow into colourful scarves, hands warmed around cups of takeaway coffee, sheltered from the chill by delightfully thick coats, when layers become a necessity, rather than merely fashion. I really love winter. I love curling up under piles of blankets, waking up to misty streets, the initial thrill of cold feet when Matt climbs into bed, and all the delicious, rich, warm food that keeps us sustained through the winter months.
Unfortunately, cold weather means many more hours spent indoors, so to pass the time, I’ve decided to play catch-up with a few of the things that have been going on in my kitchen that I never got around to posting. First up, this delicious number from a few weeks ago. Typical cupboard raid stuff that proves that you can make something delicious in the time it takes to cook your pasta!

Fridge/pantry raid!

Pastalicious lunch

On the board

• Olive Oil (I promise it's not really vodka in that bottle!)
• 2 serves of short pasta
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• ½ spicy chorizo, diced
• ½ eggplant, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2-4 marinated artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
• Balsamic vinegar
• Baby Spinach
• Fresh parmesan or goats chevre to serve

Bring a pot of water on to boil, and add your pasta of choice. A short pasta, such as fusilli or penne, works well for this sort of dish. In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil on medium to high, and sauté some finely diced red onion. You don’t need a lot of oil, as the chorizo will provide more than enough! Once the onions are glassy, add half a spicy chorizo sausage, diced, and toss frequently until it has released some of its beautiful juices, and is starting to cook through. Add a generous handful or two of diced eggplant, two diced tomatoes, roughly chopped artichoke hearts (drained), and a good slosh of balsamic vinegar (about a tablespoon?), then mix thoroughly. By the time the pasta has finished cooking, the tomatoes should have started to break down over the heat, and create a bit of sauce. Drain the pasta well, add to the frying pan with a good handful of baby spinach, and toss both through the sauce. Serve with a grate of fresh parmesan, or some crumbled goats chevre, and enjoy!

Ready to serve, delicious!

Chocolate and Persimmon Goodness

The only photo I managed to get before the demolition!

Our trip to Sydney was hugely successful. The time Matt and I spent together was some of the best we’ve had (at least I think so), and seeing my dad’s family was good too. Then the meeting! While I’m not really allowed to say anything about what happened, let’s just say I was very happy with the outcome in terms of helping along my research into cancer cachexia.

Now, however, it’s back to the cold, hard reality of life, no more jet-setting around for a few weeks. But how can I be sad when persimmons just came back in to season? Autumn has always been one of my favourite times of year, both for the weather and the food. A few months ago, I read this guest post by G0lubka on Green Kitchen Stories for their wonderful chocolate and persimmon tart. It was love at first sight, speaking to all the things I wanted in my diet at the time (eating raw, moving away from all the meat in my diet, less sugary, no preservatives), and was visually just so appealing. I mean, look at that tart and tell me you don’t just want to gobble it up! Unfortunately, it was coming in to summer, and of course the star ingredient was out of season, and it went on to the ‘maybe later’ pile. So when I went to the grocer a few days ago, and saw them literally just taking the first boxes of this season’s persimmons off of the truck, this recipe immediately came to mind, and a picked a few up.

Now, with our allergy-rich household, I knew this could be a tricky piece of cooking. My housemate and best-friend Kimmy is allergic to every nut except almonds, not to mention a myriad of other random foods, and having never had persimmons, we honestly didn’t know if she would take a bite and be convulsing on the floor. She was quite brave, and said she’d give it a crack, after all, we all know where the epi-pen is! The issue of informed consent out of the way, I set to Kimmyfying the rest of the ingredients. (I also don’t have a dehydrator, but that’s less of a big deal =P)

I approached this dessert as a challenge. I wanted to prove to myself that I could make something not only delicious, but visually stunning, all from scratch. So after a bit of shopping to pick up the few things that weren’t in my cupboard (coconut, coconut oil, dates and agave syrup), I set to the task at hand. I always have a kilo bag of almonds in my cupboard to snack on, so I decided to make the almond meal and almond butter from scratch. Almond meal was no biggy, but let me tell you that making nut butter from scratch takes a LONG time, especially if all you have is a stick-processor! Pretty sure that took me longer than anything else. My opening of the young coconut also became a source of entertainment for all, especially when we discovered the thing bounced if we threw it at the floor. Four knives and a hammer later, the water was sweet, and the flesh almost too good to save for the tart!

Not having a dehydrator for the casing was always going to be an issue. I ended up using a loose-bottomed cake tin instead of a tart dish, and put it in the oven on 110C for about 20 minutes, then turned off the heat and left it for a few hours, which worked brilliantly, though I’m sure is not quite the same. Thankfully my mini-processor held up to the task well, something that halfway through I was honestly not expecting. I was also quite concerned that substituting the cashews for almonds in the cream would overpower the whole dish, but other than it turning out a little grainer than I was expecting (most likely due to the differences in texture of the nuts), this was the perfect dessert!

A small note of warning, this is not a recipe that you can simply slap together in a few minutes, and serve. It requires effort and love to pull it off with any level of success. Doing everything from scratch meant that it took me all night, which was not helped by the lack of a normal sized food processor, but the end result was so rewarding that I would do it all over again tomorrow. Plan ahead! The result was greatly enjoyed by both my housemates (and was allergy-incident free!), and Matt (who usually dislikes sweets). Success!!!

Chocolate Persimmon Tart (adapted from G0lubka & Green Kitchen Stories)
Chocolate Crust

• 1 cup oat flour 
• 1 cup almond flour 
• 3 1/2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder 
• 1/2 cup raw almond butter (If making yourself, try this tutorial) 
• 1/4 cup date paste (Soak dates for an hour or so in water, drain, then process into a paste, adding some of the soaking fluid if needed) 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used less than the original recipe, but that’s just personal preference) 
• The original also called for maple syrup powder, but was very hard to come by, so I added 1 tablespoon golden syrup, which I had on hand. 

Sift together all the dry ingredients. Add the almond butter and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine the date paste, water and vanilla extract (+ golden syrup). Add the wet to the dry and mix well. Line a pan with foil. Press the dough into the pan evenly, place in oven at 110C for 15-30 mins, then turn off oven and leave crust IN THE OVEN until the oven fully cools (The original calls for the crust to be dehydrated for 8-10 hours, I found this produced a similar result).

Chocolate Cream

• Fresh meat of 1 young Thai coconut 
• 1 cup soaked almonds (original called for cashews) 
• 1/2 cup fresh water of young Thai coconut OR purified water 
• 1/2 cup coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup raw agave syrup 
• 5 tablespoons raw cocoa powder 

In a high speed blender, mix all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Let set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Persimmons Soaked in Vanilla Agave

• Ripe persimmons 
• Agave syrup mixed with a few drops of vanilla extract 

Slice persimmons into rounds, pour vanilla agave over the slices and let soak for 2-3 hours.

Assembly
Spoon the chocolate cream into the crust evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Arrange the agave soaked persimmon slices on top of the cream. G0lubka garnished with pistachios, but as that was out of the question, I covered the whole top with the fruit. Yummy!

Jam packed week with Rhubarb Jam

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks at the Observatory! For a start, my birthday was on the 4th, and aside from a massive pub crawl the night before, the highlight was the party, in which we sat on the roof drinking, cooked up a mass of steak, and generally got rowdy, not to mention the amazing mouse cake that my amazing friend Liesa made! Seriously, the woman is talented, she’ll be dragged in to make every novelty kids cake my future offspring ask for! IN addition to the birthday shenanngians, I’ve spent this week in Sydney with Matt. Whilst officially I was here for a two day Palliative Care meeting, we went up two days early, spent Tuesday running around the city, catching the ferry, spending hours getting lost in the Botanic Gardens, and generally having a great time. We stayed in a small hotel in Potts Point, just down from Kings Cross. That night, we had an amazing dinner at a small pasta place in Darlinghurst (well worth a look if you’re ever in town!), had a few beverages at The Sugar Mill whilst listening to a table of guys singing karaoke, then discovered the gem that is Goldfish. The guys there were great, and even though it was quite busy, took the time out to discuss their cocktails, make suggestions, debate benefits of certain alterations, and generally deserved a much bigger tip than I could afford that night. The Mika is highly recommended!

Wednesday saw Matt being incredibly brave, and meeting my father’s side of the family. After breakfast in the Cross, it was off to the nursing home to see my Nana, who we took out for a lovely lunch. Unfortunately completely forgot to take photos, as we were having such a great time talking. Hard to believe she’s turning 90 in less than 3 weeks, she’s so on the ball, and if it wasn’t for a bad hip operation, would probably get around town better than me! Then it was off to The Rocks with Matt and dad for a bit of exploration (read: pint @ the Irish pub), back to Paddington for a wander around the old strip (my Nana used to live just off of Oxford St), and another pub visit before dinner with Dad, his wife, and my half-sister at the most amazing backstreet pub (500g NY steak, bleu, with pepper sauce? YUM!). The night was topped off with delicious ice cream from the strip, before collapsing in to bed and instantly falling asleep. Apparently Matt was all geared up to go out, and was trying to convince me to get up again, oops. Probably just as well, with my 7.30am train trip to the airport for the meeting that started today. Matt goes back on the last plane tonight, while I’m still here for another meeting fun-filled day on my own!

Since doing all this trekking around, all I wanted for breakfast this morning was toast with rhubarb jam, but couldn’t get the toast, let alone the rhubarb! I love rhubarb, it really just screams summer for me. I used to hate it as a kid, but my matured palate can’t get enough of the stuff. I had two big bunches the other day, and rather than see it go to waste waiting to be eaten, I decided to make a batch of jam. I do this every year, and it lasts me for ages, mostly because of forgetting it stashed up the back of the fridge! Whilst sweet, I don’t tend to use much sugar (relatively), and it has quite a tart bite to it, which is divine. Mmm, first thing going in my belly when I get back Saturday morning.



Rhubarb Jam

What you’re going to need

• 2 bunches fresh rhubarb 
• Sugar (I use raw or similarly low refined sugar) 
• Apple cider vinegar 
• Spices (I use cinnamon, ginger, star anise and all spice) 

Wash your rhubarb, and trim off the tough ends and leaves, leaving you with the stalks only. Chop these up into 1cm lengths, and place into a heavy-based saucepan that holds them comfortably.

Sprinkle some sugar over the top, I usually find ¼ cup works well at this stage. Throw in your spices (I leave the cinnamon quills and star anise whole, and grind any other spices I use), and give it all a good mix. Cover, and leave on the bench overnight to macerate. You shouldn’t have to add any more liquid, and by the next morning, there should be a nice syrup starting to form.

Add a few splashes of vinegar to the mix, to preserve the beautiful pinky-purple colour of the rhubarb, then place the pan over low heat. Keep an eye on the pan, mixing occasionally until the fruit is stewed down to your desired consistency. I like mine to be a little bit chunky, but still spreadable. I highly recommend tasting along the way, and adjusting your spice and sugar levels if needed. If the cooked mix just resembles stewed fruit, and has little syrup, you may need to add more sugar.

While your jam is cooking, sterilize some clean jars by filling and surrounding them with boiling water, then popping them into a warm oven to dry and stay warm. Once your jam is ready and still hot, pull out any large bits of cinnamon or star anise*, then transfer it into the hot jars, trying to ensure as few air bubbles as possible. Put the lids on their jars, then turn them upside-down, and leave them on the bench to cool. I label each jar, and then keep them in the fridge, mostly because I don’t have a whole lot of cupboard space, and partially from habit of living in a crazy hot climate.

Enjoy with some toasted sourdough and goats cheese, added to a cocktail, on your morning muesli, straight from the jar with a spoon…




* If you’re like me, and forget to pull out the chunky bits, never fear, the flavours of the spices will just continue to infuse in the jar, and you may have to watch out for sudden crunchy, flavourful surprises when sucking the spoon. I have a jar that tastes more like licorice than rhubarb =/

Physio and Pizza

I seriously forgot how much work physiotherapy can be. This morning I had my second appointment in 3 days, with another scheduled for Thursday, and whilst I am already seeing the benefits in terms of an expedited recovery, I would not want to be doing it if I wasn't working from home this week! Every two hours, I have to lie down with a rolled towel along my spine, arms stretched out, and ice packed around my shoulder for 15 minutes. On top of that, I'm doing a number of isometric exercises, and some other fun things involving a pulley and using my own body as a counterweight. Time to do anything other than physio – approaching zero.


It's not so bad. I have actually managed to be rather productive today aside from that. Grant writing and eye checks for the win! I also tried getting a bit acquainted with the Nike+ application/gadgetry I've had sitting around since I got my Macbook Pro back in December. Hooray for pre-Christmas deals! Basically it's two parts – the receiver, that plugs into your iPod, and a sensor that goes in your shoe. I've heard good things, and figure once I start running (waiting for the green light from the physio), it won't hurt to have a decent way of keeping track of workouts. If anyone has had any experience, I would love some feedback on how you use it.


And on the food front – amazing pizza for dinner today.

How can you say no to something like that? I feel a bit guilty for buying the base, when I already had the stuff to make one at home, but I was being impatient, and didn't want to wait for dough to prove. Tomato paste base, chorizo, mushrooms, sliced fresh tomato, kalamata olives, topped with the epic cheese combo of tasty, pecorino and bocconcini, and torn fresh basil. Mmmm, heavenly. Of course when Matt finds out I didn't make the base, I'll be hearing all about it. His pizzas are always outstanding, mostly because he wouldn't be caught dead buying a base, and gets amazing, crispy crusts on his pizza stone. For that dedication to the pizzariffic cause!

Right, off to ice my shoulder and have dreams of pizza.



Love Neysa xo

Shoulders, Sumac Salmon and Salad

Strapping tape + hot weather

So I've blown my shoulder.

No idea how, as seems to be the case with every single one of my major injuries in recent years. Physiotherapist can neither confirm nor deny the possibility that it was a subluxation (partial dislocation) that caused the damage, all we know is that it's painful, I'm lacking movement, and I'm not allowed to start the training regime I had all figured out. Boo. Hopefully time, rest and physio will solve all my problems, but in the mean time...

After discovering him on FoodBuzz, I've been reading The Kitchen of A Runner, though blogger Matt has recently started up a new blog, The Athlete's Plate. He's one of the few bloggers I still follow religiously (And I promise it's not just cause his name is Matt!). Reading his blog over the past several months has really inspired me to take up the fitness mantle, especially the way he seems to manage to balance uni, work, family and his training, something I'm still trying to get a handle on. I also really enjoy his style of blogging, and his use of the medium to record workouts, interesting food, and all that good stuff. I was hoping to do something similar when I started training properly (instead of just the occasional swim or jog), but we'll see how long the shoulder takes to heal. However, while we're waiting for that situation to run its course, I can maintain the yummy foody side of things!

When my boyfriend came home from Thailand/Malaysia this week, I was rather keen to have him around for dinner. I seriously miss cooking for two people, and food is a great way to rebond. He'd not been terribly happy with the lack of vegetables during his stay in Malaysia, so when he got home, I wanted to make something healthy and green. While he was away, about 3 weeks, I had seriously cut back on my meat-based proteins (other than fish, only had meat 3 times in 3 weeks!), and had been eating a lot of raw food, and I wanted to stay true to that form as well. Enter this yummy number!

Sumac-crusted Salmon with Summer Salad

I've been making lots of trips to the green grocer and farmers markets lately, trying to avoid supermarkets and maintain healthy eating. Salads usually consist of whatever is on offer, which when you're buying from these sorts of places, tends to be more seasonal, and better for you! This super salad had the following:

• 3 large radishes, thinly sliced
• 3 medium sized tomatos, diced
• 1 lebanese cucumber, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3-4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• A generous handful of kalamata olives and alfalfa sprouts

This was all thrown in a bowl, and then had a simple vinaigrette tossed through: a few tablespoons olive oil, 15-30ml apple cider vinegar, one chopped red chilli, two tablespoons passionfruit pulp, put in a jar, and shaken till well combined. Yum! I'm a bit weird, I like my salads better the next day, once all the flavours have had time to meld, but the greens are still fresh.

For the fish, I had two pieces of fresh Tasmanian Atlantic salmon, boneless but with the skins still on. Heat a pan over high heat, and lightly spray with a little bit of olive oil (you won't need much). Pour some sumac onto a flat surface, such as a plate, and then coat the skin-free side/s of your fish. Once the pan in hot, place the fish skin down until it goes nice and crispy, then sear the other sides. I prefer my salmon quite rare, so I find an inch-thick piece will be fine with about 20-30 seconds a side. The sumac should turn a very dark red, almost black. Allow to rest for about a minute, then serve alongside salad.

• Sumac is a red/purple spice from the Middle East and Mediterranean, slightly tangy with citrus notes. And we all know anything red or purple is good for you thanks to all those antioxidants like anthocyanins and resveratrol. Mmmm.
  
• I'll admit that I borrowed the sumac-crust idea from work's menu. At Mr Hyde, we have a sumac-rubbed tuna served on a white anchovy and caper dressing with micro-herbs to garnish. Salmon, tuna and lamb cutlets are all amazing with sumac, and it just gets better if you pop them on the BBQ!
• If you're just after salad, but want something a bit more substantial, I've recently been making the same basic salad, then adding things such as grilled sweet potato, Meredith goats chevre, or shaved pecorino. Use what's local and fresh, and you can't really go wrong!

So where's the photo?
Oops. I started writing this before Matt arrived for dinner, and was so excited to see him I promptly forgot the camera. Bad habit I must break! Will update soon. In the mean time, would love to hear about other people's experimentation with sumac!

Love, Neysa xo

Foodie Friday – Yummy Sprouts

This week, I did a massive fresh veg shop, and came across super cheap fresh brussel sprouts. I don't know about anyone else, but when I was a kid, I used to hate the things. We used to get them at Grandma's, and they came out of the freezer, went in to salted water, and were boiled until they were grey and kind of slimy. Probably zero nutritional value by the time they reached your plate. It's a shame, because brussel sprouts are high in many of our essential vitamins and minerals. Figuring that sprouts are pretty much just tiny cabbages, I decided to have a crack at cooking them the way my mum cooked cabbage for us as kids. Thankfully, huge success, and a hit at our family dinner last night! Unfortunately, in between all the talking, eating and laughing, I forgot to take photos, but I have some sprouts still in the fridge, so there will be one coming!

Tossed with penne makes a delicious dinner

Wok-tossed Brussel Sprouts

Serves 3 as a side dish

The Line Up

12 fresh brussel sprouts
2 rashers middle bacon, roughly chopped with rinds removed
1 onion, diced finely (I used 1 half Spanish, 1 half brown for some colour)
1 clove minced garlic

The Game Plan

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok or frying pan, then add the garlic, stir for 10-15 seconds, then add the diced onion. Stir fry until the onion just starts to turn glassey, then add the bacon. Continue to stir regularly until cooked.
2. Meanwhile, cut the tough bottoms off of the sprouts, and remove the out layer of leaves. Depending on the size of your sprouts half or quarter them, and then add them to the wok with your onion and bacon. Stir the greens through, and continue to toss until they become just tender. Don't worry if they break up a little bit, adds to the asthetic! When they are ready, the sprouts should still be a bright green colour, but slightly tender.
3. Serve immediately, alongside just about anything!

The Interchange

• I haven't really experimented with this one yet, and am interested to see how it goes without the bacon, though I feel it would need something in addition to the onion & garlic to have the same impact.
• Sprouts are ridiculously good for you, even containing anti-cancer properties*. This is especially true when raw, stir-fried or lightly steamed. I've used them in place of baby spinach on toasted sandwiches, as an addition to my easy chicken stirfry, or even raw with some sort of dippy type thing (Cream cheese with sweet chilli sauce? Yummo!). Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!
  

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,

Love, Neysa xo

*maybe, a little bit... look, I lost the reference and can't find it, mmmk?

Foodie Friday – Lemon Cupcakes

After sharing my homemade limoncello recipe last week, I thought I'd share its most common use in my house, other than the drinking of course. Recently I've been baking one batch of cupcakes a week, and these have proven to be quite popular. Cupcakes are making a huge comeback, with many dedicated bakeries turning up in practically place I've been in the last 2 years. However, the humble cupcake has come a long way from the crazy kiddy creations seen at many a childhood party, finding themselves thrust into the spotlight as alternatives to a traditional wedding cake, or as a delicious accompaniment to your morning tea break in between city errands. My cupcake batter is always quite thick, rather than the runny stuff we used to make with mum as kids, but they still turn out to be moist, slightly fluffy, but very dense in flavour. The limoncello gives these a great boost, with the end result being a fresh, zingy, sweet treat.

Lemon Cupcakes

Number depends on your tray size, I usually get 12 large.

The Line Up

1 ½ cups plain flour
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter (softened)
2 eggs (separated)
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsps baking powder
Pinch salt
½ cup lemon juice
Lemon rind, grated
Limoncello

For Icing
¾ cup Icing sugar
½ cup Butter
½ cup Cream cheese
Lemon rind, grated
Dash of Limoncello

 
The Game Plan

1. Preheat oven to 180^oC/350^oF. Line a cupcake tray with paper liners.
2. Place butter, egg yolks and sugar into a large bowl, and mix well until creamy. Add vanilla essence and combine well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, then add baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture, adding a little lemon juice each time until all ingredients are combined. Add a goog glug of limoncello with the last of the flour.
4. Beat the egg whites and fold into the mixture, then spoon the batter into the cupcake liners until they are about 2/3 full. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. When ready, they should still be soft on top, but spring back after being touched. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the cupcakes are baking and filling your kitchen with that heavenly lemony scent, place all the icing ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined and lump free. It should stiffen slightly while you're waiting for the cupcakes to cool, but if it is too runny, add some more sugar. If it's too stiff, add a little limoncello or lemon juice. Once your cupcakes have cooled completely, transfer your icing to a piping bag, and make fancy swirly mountains of lemon cream cheese icing goodness atop your delicate morsels.

The Interchange

• I usually don't add more decoration (I have enough trouble saving them from being devoured before the icing goes on!), but try topping with some extra grated rind, or strips of candied lemon peel. I stumbled across Brown Eyed Baker's insanely beautiful limoncello cupcake creation, where not only were they beautifully presented with a slice of lemon and a raspberry, but they had lemon curd filling! Can see some experimentation coming on!
• Try adding some poppy seeds to the batter before adding the egg white for some visual interest.
• The alcohol in the batter will cook off during baking, but consider omitting the limoncello from the icing if cooking with munchkins in mind.