tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120901742024-03-07T20:55:30.944+11:00The Chronicles of a Dirty Flamingo in the KitchenA Vegetarian Girl. A Kitchen. Martinis. Rather Uncensored.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-31551801669443497052007-09-20T13:47:00.000+10:002007-09-20T13:54:50.823+10:00Winding Down...Geez. I haven't written in this thing since the dead of winter! My food blog will continue to hybernate until I've finished with my studies and have done my time at my place of employment.<br /><br />Winter-Spring update:<br /><br /><ol><li>I've got 8 weeks left of cookery school, then I'm out! I'm doing work experience right now at the Langham Hotel in Southbank.</li><li>I've also got about 8 more weeks of working at the vegetarian restaurant. Thank goodness!</li><li>In 10 weeks I jet off to Hawaii for a week, San Franscico for a week, St. Louis for a few days, Miami for a few days and will spend Christmas with the inlaws on the East Coast (of America, that is).</li><li>My timetable is filled 7 days a week again, so I don't really spend as much time coming up with novel recipes, photographing the finished result and them blogging about them as I used to earlier in the year.</li><li>I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of November.</li></ol>Zest,<br />The dirtiest flamingo of them all...Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-30559907837432640872007-07-18T19:32:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:44.304+11:00Cleaning out the Fridge: Eggs, Pasta and Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFkQldwcQj6JuzcQbZq9clTKI6JMzR0VZh-dCgELG5fNiC9Qy9Z7mQWVk0s7i9YSLyixOsNG9TcxA89ocWrCBPfRkCi7T3Ij8Rn4VOtVKybOqWr4Md2VjWNrRz909cQVPGTAS/s1600-h/DSC03830.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFkQldwcQj6JuzcQbZq9clTKI6JMzR0VZh-dCgELG5fNiC9Qy9Z7mQWVk0s7i9YSLyixOsNG9TcxA89ocWrCBPfRkCi7T3Ij8Rn4VOtVKybOqWr4Md2VjWNrRz909cQVPGTAS/s320/DSC03830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088486033141782226" border="0" /></a><br />Today was one of those days where I was debating going out into the rain to pick up some ingredients at the supermarket or see what I could whip up with just what I had in my kitchen. I chose the latter. Carrots and macaroni left over from the cookery club meeting turned into Huevos a la Flamenca (Spanish baked eggs) with fresh goats' cheese over macaroni and Carrot, Onion, Potato and Sage soup -- both a success if I might say so myself.<br /><br />I recently rediscovered some smoked paprika in my cupboard, so I thought that would give the baked dish a nice hint of smokiness to replace the chorizo that traditionally goes into it. It was also a perfect excuse to use some of my stark white bakeware I never seem to get around to using.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Huevos a la Flamenca with fresh goats' cheese over macaroni --serves 2--</span><br />200 g cooked macaroni shaped pasta (about 100g to 130 g uncooked)<br />200 g passata, Italian cooking tomato sauce<br />1 tsp olive oil<br />1/8 tsp of smoked paprika<br />1/4 tsp powdered cumin<br />1/4 tsp powdered coriander<br />2 eggs, Free Range<br />20 g soft goats' cheese<br />salt and pepper, to taste<br /><br />Preheat oven to 220º C. Combine spices with passata then stir in pasta until thoroughly combined. Spoon pasta into two oven proof mini casseroles and make a well in the centre of each. Crack 1 egg into each well. Divide the goat's cheese into two portions, then break into smaller pieces and arrange around the egg yolk. Season, cover with baking paper followed by foil and place into your hot oven. Bake until the yolks are set, about 20-25 minutes. To serve use a knife to make a criss-cross on the yolk, crack some pepper over the top and enjoy!Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-44119254552739736612007-07-06T23:14:00.000+10:002007-07-06T23:51:32.869+10:00My View: Bistro VueI thought that when I moved back to Melbourne I'd get to see my friends more often than I do, so we've set up a monthly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">meet up</span> where one of us chooses a restaurant and we do the catch up thing. This month's choice: Shannon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bennet's</span> Bistro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Vue</span><br /><br />We <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">accidental</span>ly walked in the wrong way and consequently had to be lead through <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Vue</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">du</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Monde</span> to get to the cheaper, more affordable sister <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Bisro</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Vue</span>. The inside of this little French -inspired treasure is exactly what I imagine a little countryside town bistro to look like. Antique wooden furniture and chairs to match, mismatched crockery, floral designs galore. The atmosphere was an experience in itself, all very perfectly planned. The toilets are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">reminiscent</span> of what you'd find in a trendy, shabby chic Paris night spot.<br /><br />I'll go ahead and say straight off that Bistro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Vue</span> is not very vegetarian-friendly (let alone vegan) and the only vegetarian entree available was lacking in the imagination department despite how tasty it is. You can never really go wrong with vegetables neatly tucked away in a crisp, flaky parcel of puff pastry, but really, how many restaurants do I have to go to and eat puff pastry with vegetables while my non-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">vego</span> friends are chowing down amazing sounding things like braised, stuffed trotters or Dory "<span style="font-style: italic;">a la <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">meuniere</span></span>"? Call it what you like guys and gals, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">pithivier</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">gallette</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">tarte</span>, parcel, stack, etc -- it's still essentially puff pastry with vegetables. I ordered the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Provençal</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">pithivier</span> with tomato <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">jus</span> ($18), and it was tasty. One of the girls ordered a side of curried spinach and I'll be honest, I'm not sure I've ever had spinach that tasted so good (let's hope it wasn't made with chicken or beef stock). The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">pomme</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">frites</span> are cooked in goose fat, which is interesting, but from the one chip I sampled it didn't taste any different.<br /><br />The sweet finale to the meal was definitely the highlight to the meal. We settled on the pear <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">tarte</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">tatin</span> with creme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">anglais</span> ($24 for 2 persons, it huge and could definitely be split with 5 or 6 persons) and the pistachio souffle with pistachio <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">ice c</span>ream and chocolate sauce ($12). The July issue of the Australian Gourmet Traveller is dealing with all things French this month and the recipe for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">tarte</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">tatin</span> is in it. Again, puff pastry. You can't go wrong with it, especially if you add butter, sugar and slow cooked fruit. Every bite of the tart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">tatin</span> was rich with vanilla bean and clove flavours and worth every calorie in every bite. The souffle was also lovely, but the presentation far exceeded the actual taste satisfaction factor. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">ice cream</span> tasted like pistachios (yum), the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">souffle</span> tasted like eggs, sugar and pistachios (interesting and delicate) and the chocolate sauce, well, it was chocolate sauce.<br /><br />I'd go back just to have another bite of that tart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">tatin</span> and a pot of tea served to me by the very attentive and knowledgeable staff. They make the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">tatin</span> to order, so it's great to enjoy tea or coffee while you wait.<br /><br />Even though the vegetarian entree was surprisingly good with each (and every) bite, the name of the dish was the only imaginative thing about it.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Bistro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Vue</span><br /></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Normanby</span> Chambers<br />430 Little Collins St (Entry via New Chancery Lane)Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-67723425994140127882007-06-27T18:59:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:44.495+11:00The Savoury Addition: Jamaican-style Lentils and Rice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjS-Tyg3z31giC1qW_ME7hf0WIAiyidKFuJHquBfbXo17TxFpq8en-OX-unBKiwS-Z_qY0sv9du0d3ub-KyLBC7FD1b-2Vi4MJwILMY8M1pVGbAp8WXzmQ6RfKqP5MkBAhIPc9/s1600-h/DSC03777.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjS-Tyg3z31giC1qW_ME7hf0WIAiyidKFuJHquBfbXo17TxFpq8en-OX-unBKiwS-Z_qY0sv9du0d3ub-KyLBC7FD1b-2Vi4MJwILMY8M1pVGbAp8WXzmQ6RfKqP5MkBAhIPc9/s320/DSC03777.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080667056639292498" border="0" /></a><br />I'm always dubious when I see things like "Mexican stew", "Cajun chicken", mostly because I always imagine people using their pair of kitchen scissors to snip the corner off of a spice packet, empty it into whatever they're cooking consequently allowing their taste buds to instantly be transported to the streets of New Orleans or the Mexican countryside. One of the specials at my restaurant this week is Jamaican stew, I haven't tasted it, but I have seen it. It looks a whole lot like a Thai curry -- light, creamy and delicious. That 2 second visual experience inspired tomorrow's lunch, Jamaican-style Lentils & Rice. I say Jamaican-style because I really couldn't be bothered with facing the drab weather outside today.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jamaican-style Lentils & Rice - adapted from </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.jamaicans.com/cooking/meat/stewpeas.shtml">here</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - serves 4</span><br /><br />200g dried lentils<br />15o g brown rice<br />2 cloves of garlic, bruised (mashed)<br />1/2 tsp allspice<br />1/2 tsp crushed chili flakes<br />1/2 tsp dried thyme<br />2 g fresh ginger<br />6 tsp powdered coconut milk<br />salt and pepper, to taste<br />1 litre + water<br /><br />**Combine lentils, water, rice, garlic and ginger in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes or until rice is tender and lentils have lost their bite. In final minutes of cooking remove garlic and ginger and add remaining spices. Season to taste and serve with fresh chopped parsley.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-54063309024266920822007-06-27T15:22:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:45.477+11:00Vegan Sweets: Cooking with or without?I went to bed last night determined to cook up a storm today. I regularly have Wednesdays off from work now so I like to use these free days to test whatever recipes have been floating around in my head for the past few days. I had some guava puree that was just screaming to have something done with it, Stephanie Alexander featured some sweet rhubarb recipes in this week's Epicure and I've had a few limes lingering around the depths of my fruit bowl, so I went ahead and tried to base today's cooking around those items. Alas, it has been raining all day, so I've been confined to using items I had on hand: limes and guava puree. I already knew I'd be satisfying my sweet tooth today so I also whipped up <span style="font-style: italic;">Espinacas con Garbanzos</span> (spiced spinach and chickpeas), a typical dish from southern Spain, to counteract the massive amounts of sugar about to enter my body. I somehow ended up baking two vegan pastries: Citrus Tea Cake and Guava-Cinnamon Scrolls. Both taste nearly as good as heaven would taste if it were built from sugar, I reckon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhJhL3RFZAyNtUGdCtrbeYb_a7zJycFJ04Bh1eVVgTF0jrf0_qBhY4-2cJh6KJzmb9wJtjDAbSZOYVM-vVOPFVJcLPQm0Vr1mGRixE7xO9mQGdH5_1ok6xbl76Cx1cun_0Fv2/s1600-h/DSC03746.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhJhL3RFZAyNtUGdCtrbeYb_a7zJycFJ04Bh1eVVgTF0jrf0_qBhY4-2cJh6KJzmb9wJtjDAbSZOYVM-vVOPFVJcLPQm0Vr1mGRixE7xO9mQGdH5_1ok6xbl76Cx1cun_0Fv2/s320/DSC03746.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623166368494562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">the fermentation batter</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnmTrLG3X71GqP9-_YRDxWVpuQwcsvR0dqSHhPtSl_EtsauIlADCJ6UCTw3YphIEHOdm9w1gNm2rGxpXq9blzEKdMhEIvp60hHS9h7lEBatzxgJqSOaBO1Lfh3Lv3R6Ywu6XI/s1600-h/DSC03748.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnmTrLG3X71GqP9-_YRDxWVpuQwcsvR0dqSHhPtSl_EtsauIlADCJ6UCTw3YphIEHOdm9w1gNm2rGxpXq9blzEKdMhEIvp60hHS9h7lEBatzxgJqSOaBO1Lfh3Lv3R6Ywu6XI/s320/DSC03748.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623174958429170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rolling out the dough</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD8uPkuqTWQKxTMLZKQ_QHBPeR-LMP8rtdK0pmrRiKwgNP8U6wrSXS_EJjyRZQC8phsaxxsvdA_rGvTl_gwRDHr5TrtfS23OMD145WIACghclB0r-t24gLWsYmIrJPXCK617B/s1600-h/DSC03751.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD8uPkuqTWQKxTMLZKQ_QHBPeR-LMP8rtdK0pmrRiKwgNP8U6wrSXS_EJjyRZQC8phsaxxsvdA_rGvTl_gwRDHr5TrtfS23OMD145WIACghclB0r-t24gLWsYmIrJPXCK617B/s320/DSC03751.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623179253396482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Spreading the guava</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VDk-P9sqTiHka7CuEDKb2H0pIHMikHzk_PQP6eRMbSFSqCTCXL2tvwAsMos-tnjIXZOE3JBWmcwBXvFbWSBursypzNrZO4vH08KJv4miI1sgTET5os9bPnqwdwKuV4jj8JkN/s1600-h/DSC03752.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VDk-P9sqTiHka7CuEDKb2H0pIHMikHzk_PQP6eRMbSFSqCTCXL2tvwAsMos-tnjIXZOE3JBWmcwBXvFbWSBursypzNrZO4vH08KJv4miI1sgTET5os9bPnqwdwKuV4jj8JkN/s320/DSC03752.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623183548363794" border="0" /></a><br />Making the "sausage"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_MYpM-eXW8-53eBfYlwdBFX4PfCaaYRrAmAXYWWrLmjPyySNCozdZOZ3hHF_8Wmg5OPDqo7iI6CRd4YcJTjMnG39k0OGHW2qF24jX3dsNggSNgIIgzLOljfZiiPimghN71eq/s1600-h/DSC03754.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_MYpM-eXW8-53eBfYlwdBFX4PfCaaYRrAmAXYWWrLmjPyySNCozdZOZ3hHF_8Wmg5OPDqo7iI6CRd4YcJTjMnG39k0OGHW2qF24jX3dsNggSNgIIgzLOljfZiiPimghN71eq/s320/DSC03754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623192138298402" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Resting scrolls</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinW1LXthK_-avKTN8Fst_Yp2dCLNOVQGF94Hn4WXcXPIdSSUHrWNVBtd9akTyys6FEEyZFwROqsMbSESS4Vxbk6YmCdNVUxmB42qn0csPiNjU9KP3SUArJxwPrr9V_K8OvZsYI/s1600-h/DSC03758_1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinW1LXthK_-avKTN8Fst_Yp2dCLNOVQGF94Hn4WXcXPIdSSUHrWNVBtd9akTyys6FEEyZFwROqsMbSESS4Vxbk6YmCdNVUxmB42qn0csPiNjU9KP3SUArJxwPrr9V_K8OvZsYI/s320/DSC03758_1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080623484196074546" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The finished product</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Guava and Cinnamon Scrolls -- makes 8 scrolls</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">fermentation batter --</span><br />6 g active dry yeast<br />125 ml water at 38º C (it should feel slightly warmer than your body)<br />50 g plain white flour or bakers flour<br />10 g sugar<br />**Dissolve the yeast in the water, then add the sugar until dissolved. Sieve the flour over the mixture, cover and allow to ferment for 25-30 minutes until frothy and collapsed.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">the scroll dough--</span><br />100 g plain white flour or bakers flour<br />100 g plain wholemeal flour (substitute white flour if preferred)<br />2 g salt<br />30 g Nuttelex or other vegan margarine<br />20 g sugar<br />the filling--<br />40 g raw sugar<br />30 g Nuttelex or other vegan margarine, melted<br />ground cinnamon<br /><a href="http://beforeitallbegan.blogspot.com/2007/06/digging-up-my-roots-cuban-pastelitos-de.html">160 g guava puree (optional)</a><br />**Combine all dry ingredients and sieve into a bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles grains of sand. Make a well in the centre and pour the fermentation batter in it. Using a spatula, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the fermentation batter until thoroughly mixed. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Allow to rise in a warm, draught free place covered with plastic wrap or a moist tea towel for 40 minutes. Knock the dough back to its original size after 40 minutes, then allow to rise for an additional 20. Preheat oven to 210º C.<br />** Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle until dough is 1cm in thickness. Brush melted butter on surface, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Using a circular motion, use the back of a spoon to spread the guava paste over the entire surface. Roll the rectangle into a sausage from the shortest side and press the edge closed. Cut the roll into 5 cm slices with a serrated knife or a sharp knife and place onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper leaving 1-2 cm between each slice. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes then back for 10-15 minutes until the surface in light golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before dusting with pure icing sugar.<br />**In place of pure icing sugar, mix 1/2 cup of pure icing sugar with 1 tbs of soy milk and drizzle over the scrolls. The scrolls are equally as tasty without the guava filling, just sprinkle slightly more sugar over the dough.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-39002850006968322952007-06-25T21:42:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:45.651+11:00Off To Mecca We Went<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvO5U8ntgQ0WCHY7_UtYggO7u4e9_6C7oENK-iM1PPgdQF_YrHSCzXscQkHmuU00yJogDxENb4CEbZdYQ8WMYGi1rbdVu7_FaboHPZwIlZVTdM22u79wb9ufIcWgnxIDoQuwB/s1600-h/pizza2b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvO5U8ntgQ0WCHY7_UtYggO7u4e9_6C7oENK-iM1PPgdQF_YrHSCzXscQkHmuU00yJogDxENb4CEbZdYQ8WMYGi1rbdVu7_FaboHPZwIlZVTdM22u79wb9ufIcWgnxIDoQuwB/s320/pizza2b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079970988755994594" border="0" /></a><br />Our 3 day hiatus from responsibility proved successful. Will and I took a mini holiday, rented a car and went (and ate and drank) where ever our hearts desired. We shopped 'til we dropped at Chadstone, boozed our way through the Mornington Peninsula, dined at the Docklands and nearly bought half of Dan Murphy's. I really feel rested enough to make it through to my next holiday from school in September, but not quite rested enough to download photos and such.<br /><br />I was set of having Middle Eastern food for some reason so we headed off to Mecca Bah at Melbourne's up and coming boardwalk area, New Quay at Docklands. It'd been ages since I'd been down to the area to eat, but the yum cha places I ate at seems to have since closed...<br /><br />Mecca Bah kind of lacks the individual character and personality that the majority of Melbourne restaurants seem to have, but the interior is sleek, trendy and popular with diners of all ages. You have a great view from anywhere you choose to sit, the waitstaff is attentive, the kitchen seems to run efficiently and the menu is comfortably 'arabesque'. The menu as a whole isn't that vegetarian friendly, but the silverbeet rolls (which were unavailable) and fatoush are well worth trying. For entrees we settled on the dips and Turkish bread, which included hummus, tatziki and babaganoush. Nothing spectacular, but the the smokiness and creaminess of the babaganoush was enough to keep me spreading lashings of it the Turkish bread until my main came. For vegetarians, there were only two options: tagine or Turkish pizza. I don't think the tagine at Mecca Bah could have topped what I had in Morocco, so I opted for the roast pumpkin, feta, chili and pomegranate jam pizza.<br /><br />I still have visions of pomegranate dancing around in my head; the pizza was that good. It was shaped like a miniature gondola topped with a bit of rocket splashed with balsamic vinegar. The size of it just about sparked a conversation on the ever increasing portion sizes in contemporary eating establishments until I discovered that the base is nearly paper-thin. Every topping was just the right bite-size and eat mouthful was just as good as the last. The slight tartness of the pomegranate jam blew me away with the way it went so well with the saltiness of the feta and the sweetness of the roasted pumpkin. At $15 for the dish, I'd go back again just to have another bite of vegetarian deliciousness.<br /><br />Thumbs for a fantastic vegetarian option that doesn't include mushrooms, risotto or a stack of vegetables.<br /><br />Mecca Bah<br />55a Newquay Promenade<br />Docklands, Melbourne (next to Livebait)Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-70731279985501802512007-06-21T11:24:00.000+10:002007-06-21T11:34:56.894+10:00Eating in the UndergroundOver at <a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/">Chocolate & Zucchini</a> I read an interesting entry on underground dinning and the thought stayed with me throughout the night and it still pestering me as I write this. I did some research on the topic and apparently we have our own underground kitchen right in our very own backyard -- <a href="http://www.zingaracucina.com/">Zingara Cucina</a>.<br /><br />According to an article that was published in the Herald Sun last month, Zingara Cucina is the most difficult restaurant to get into. Supposedly it's in Melbourne and the only way to actually get in is by refferal. How cool is that?!Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-78213853271932009282007-06-15T20:29:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:45.769+11:00One Pot Wonder: Jambalaya<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLkfeLjUifFZtn1CkXe1j503HrHgbtgGFM_CcYZAtr4rO5wJVBmh3lbkp_qf4MwRUmuqIIAyf01xLKvILDb_A72OW_OPP1Xuz4M74O1U0elatA2WEsDpr5K425POQog36xMDt/s1600-h/DSC03676.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLkfeLjUifFZtn1CkXe1j503HrHgbtgGFM_CcYZAtr4rO5wJVBmh3lbkp_qf4MwRUmuqIIAyf01xLKvILDb_A72OW_OPP1Xuz4M74O1U0elatA2WEsDpr5K425POQog36xMDt/s320/DSC03676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076242033725097938" border="0" /></a><br />I just happened to pick up the July issue of <a href="http://www.superfoodideas.com.au/">Super Food Ideas</a> today and found a recipe for Jambalaya. I've cooked Jambalaya only once in my life as a home cook and remember it being a rather satisfying dish. As soon as I flipped thought the magazine, I forgot about the Jambalaya and instead focused on what sort of sweets I should bake. I fiddle about the kitchen a bit and then found myself gathering ingredients for a Jambalaya inspired dish based on Spanish rice and Mexican rice. Jambalaya is typically cooked with different types of shellfish and meats, much like a paella, so I added some red beans as a protein substitute. The result was essentially a rather tasty Creole-style Jambalaya. A hearty dish like this one perfectly suits a day like today: cold, foggy and perfectly bleak.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jambalaya -- adapted from Super Food Ideas, July Issue</span><br />100 g brown rice<br />200 g canned red beans, rinsed and drained<br />45 g onion, finely diced<br />1 garlic, minced<br />120 g red capsicum, cut into 4 cm strips<br />2 tsp tomato puree<br />1 tsp olive oil<br />1/4 tsp ground cumin<br />1/4 sweet paprika<br />1 Massel Chicken-style stock cube<br />500 ml water<br /><br />1. Saute the onion and garlic over low heat in the olive oil until lightly browned. Add the rice and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add water, capsicum, beans, tomato puree and spices along with the stock cube and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.<br />2. Check water levels after 20 minutes and adjust accordingly. Stir infrequently. When the rice is cooked, adjust seasonings. The end result should be like a "dry" soup.<br />3. Garnish with parsley chiffonade and eat away!Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-8030460008839147052007-06-14T16:15:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:45.987+11:00Digging up my roots: Cuban pastelitos de guayaba<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBsczn1w70jtrYijIEpOogiW7d9WmPgqdho923FrVS9dJ_xknJb7-zT9la_sB4dHdyPR_-Z1w-37JAADXsaEevETWJ39h7w7nmp_vCAiIOz8VWUUbvmvQsiALQYHEGAou-3i1/s1600-h/221078814_1770b54010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBsczn1w70jtrYijIEpOogiW7d9WmPgqdho923FrVS9dJ_xknJb7-zT9la_sB4dHdyPR_-Z1w-37JAADXsaEevETWJ39h7w7nmp_vCAiIOz8VWUUbvmvQsiALQYHEGAou-3i1/s320/221078814_1770b54010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076175384422598594" border="0" /></a><br />Lately I've been feeling a bit like something <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">in between</span> homesickness and nostalgic. I don't really have a home -- a place I can go to year after year to visit family and feel a sense of belonging even after years of absences -- nor is is nostalgia because I definitely didn't even <span style="font-style: italic;">want</span> to be there when I <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> live there. I'm speaking mostly about Miami (in America, of course). I only lived there for 2 years of my 25, but each time I go back I find that I miss it a bit more each time I visit. I spent most summers there. As a child Miami meant <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pastelitos</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">guayaba</span></span>, coconut <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ice cream</span>, sweet <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">biscuits</span> with rainbow sprinkles that tasted a bit much like chemical raising agents, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Cuban</span> bread...Miami meant food, sweets and going to our favourite park.<br /><br />On my last visit in Miami I indulged in many of my childhood favourites, including scarfing down nearly an entire box of pasta <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">guayaba</span> (guava paste, pictured above) that has a layer of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">crema</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">leche</span> as well. Yesterday I suddenly began craving <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">pastelitos</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">guayaba</span> </span>or guava puff pastries and was determined to have some! Unfortunately I ate them before they could be chased down by the paparazzi to be photographed, but I do have the recipe left behind. Once I took a bite I was instantly transported back to those uncomfortable visits to my aunt's house where she always greeted us with a box of pastries from the bakery. So. Yum.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Pastelitos</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Guayaba</span><br /><br />1 can of pink guava fruit<br />1 tsp lemon juice<br />100 g <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Castor</span> sugar<br />100 ml water<br />5-6 sheets of puff pastry, defrosted<br />1 egg, for egg washing<br /><br />Preheat your oven to 190º C. Open your can of guava fruit and remove the seeds and pulp. Save half of the liquid. Using a food processor or immersion hand blender, blend the fruit shells with the lemon juice and half of the can syrup until you've got a smooth paste. Place the paste into a saucepan and simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat or until the paste has reduced a bit. Allow to cool slightly. Divide each sheet of puff pastry into 3 long strips. Smear a strip of guava paste down the center of one strip leaving space along all edges, moisten the 4 edges and place another strip over the first strip. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Lightly</span> press the edges and smooth them out making sure not to squeeze any of the paste out. Repeat the process until you've used up all of your puff pastry strips.<br /><br />Place your strips on a lightly oiled tray, brush with some beaten egg and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">bake</span> for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. While the pastries are baking, combing the sugar and water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">minuets</span> to create a simple sugar syrup.<br /><br />When your pastries are golden brown, brush their surfaces with the simple sugar syrup and bake for an additional 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">slightly</span>. Slice each strip into 4 squares and enjoy! As a side note the pastries would definitely benefit from using a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">commercially</span> prepared guava paste or by reducing your canned guava paste down to a thicker <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">consistency</span> to intensify the flavour.<br /><br />It's needless to say that during my next trip to Miami I'll be buying everyone Cuban cooking product I can get my hands on, as this time around my suitcases were already too full with my life's belongings.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-73734111301768141192007-06-14T13:08:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:46.087+11:00Soups for Winter: Asian Vegetable and Noodle Broth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgS5bpW3fB57OyUh_fGvrEIPYxzYwhNhr6JjMtbkVEYUbhv9_dn2oLd05g5H-4klErc4QxwrUElhKRkkrd3N00JYxhwO_jUm2b-NCawRW8k4Lwp529eyb-f-Ng9HWDa4HqT0un/s1600-h/DSC03671.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgS5bpW3fB57OyUh_fGvrEIPYxzYwhNhr6JjMtbkVEYUbhv9_dn2oLd05g5H-4klErc4QxwrUElhKRkkrd3N00JYxhwO_jUm2b-NCawRW8k4Lwp529eyb-f-Ng9HWDa4HqT0un/s320/DSC03671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076164685659064242" border="0" /></a><br />The arrival of winter means soups, pies and other warm, hearty foods, well, provided you don't live in the tropics. To fill up before heading off to work with grease laden food at my favourite place of employment I whipped up this clean tasting Asian-style broth -- hopefully it'll keep me from scarfing down chips at the end of my shift!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Asian Vegetable & Noodle Broth -- serves 1<br /><br /></span>500 ml water<br />2 cm chunk of fresh ginger<br />the juice of 1/4 of a lime<br />2-3 springs of fresh coriander, picked, no stems<br />120 g bok choy, chiffonade (thinly sliced)<br />60 g of firm tofu, 1 cm cubes<br />4 g of Asian rice seasoning (Furikake -- for rice balls, inari, etc-- a mixture of shredded seaweed, sesame seeds, etc.)<br />22 g rice stick noodles<br />10 ml light soy sauce<br />2 ml kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)<br />1 spring onion, cut into 3 portions<br /><br />Bring the water to a boil along with the ginger root, rice noodles, rice seasoning, soy sauce and kecap manis. Turn down to a simmer and add the tofu, bok choy. Simmer until the noodles are soft and bok choy is tender. Before serving remove spring onion and ginger root. Garnish with fresh coriander and add a squeeze of lime. After finishing the broth you'll find crunchy toasted sesame seeds and shredded nori at the bottom of your bowl for added texture and interest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>108 calories/3.3 g fat/9.1 g protein/98mg calciumDirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-69689772174280811692007-06-13T11:02:00.000+10:002007-06-13T14:32:19.720+10:00A Proper Vegetarian Brekkie: A Lesson in Vegetarian Nutrition<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">"If beef is your idea of "real food for real people", you'd better live real close to a real good hospital."</span></i></b><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/WxForecasting/Images/fruits&veggies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/WxForecasting/Images/fruits&veggies.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Today is my day off, so I woke up early (9am) and cooked up a storm for breakfast for Will and myself. In school at the moment, we're studying seafood and preparing food according to special diets and cultural requirements and it's had really got me asking myself this question, "How healthy am I?". As a personal exercise, I'm keeping track of every single thing I put into my body. I've recently been worried about not eating enough protein, but yesterday I consumed 57 grams, when the minimum I need is 40 grams, which includes 13 grams of vanilla flavoured protein I add to my Weetbix in the morning. Unfortunately I didn't consume nearly as much fibre as I needed, but something surprising was the amount of fibre present in Jols Sugar-Free Pastilles (Forrest Berry flavour). It has 9.5 grams!<br /><br />You can't get fibre from animal products, so today I vowed to get more serves of fruits and vegetables to see if I can make the 30 gram fibre mark without exceeding my calorie allowance of 1300 calories.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Menu:</span><br />1 grilled Roma tomato with fresh coriander, parsley and fresh pepper<br />1 small potato, sliced and grilled with rosemary, sea salt, pepper and olive oil<br />steam wilted spinach with sea salt and pepper (no oil)<br />pan-grilled capsicum (no oil)<br />1 egg, pan "fried" with non-stick cooking spray<br />1 slice of wholemeal toast with vegan margarine<br />1 soy chai latte<br /><br />Our "Big Vego Brekkie" provided us with 464 calories, 22 grams of protein, 9 grams of fibre<br />and 20 grams of fat. A bit high for fat due to the 1 egg and the olive oil and vegan margarine, but double the calories I usually consume for breakfast.<br /><br />My average breakfast of tea, weetbix, soy milk and vanilla-flavoured protein is just 227 calories, 2 grams of fat, 19.5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre.<br /><br />It's needless to say that I probably won't be hungry until well into the afternoon. It always makes me laugh when I see the results of studies that say that eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the way to keep your weight in control and lead a long, healthy life. All you have to do is is have a few vegetables, fruits and proteins (legumes, tofu, tempeh, eggs) at each meal, which keeps your energy levels up with proteins and carbs and you insides squeaky clean with the fibre.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lesson of the day:</span> eat your fruits and vegetables!Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-8935335970211862322007-06-11T22:30:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:46.201+11:00Brunch At Caffe Cortilé<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49HRFOUWpX9ii984iiDWLLItVD5FtrQ3Z8w-4yFdA47q8H3cLr0Olu1IawcTkdyE4EAYDprjvU3eBJqmhTs-w7LkV7bpLiCXX89s59LBdXKZrYnsPD_7bdlFfk9cNCbgLWK2-/s1600-h/footer_image.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49HRFOUWpX9ii984iiDWLLItVD5FtrQ3Z8w-4yFdA47q8H3cLr0Olu1IawcTkdyE4EAYDprjvU3eBJqmhTs-w7LkV7bpLiCXX89s59LBdXKZrYnsPD_7bdlFfk9cNCbgLWK2-/s320/footer_image.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074785691919402914" border="0" /></a><br />I'd been looking forward to the Queen's Birthday, practically as if it were my very own. The last Monday I had off from school was Easter Monday and I agreed to go into work that day. This time I declined and started the day off with a lovely brunch in the city with Will, our couple friends and another couple that we have recently added to our list of "people we can do social things with". I had planned on checking out <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/restaurant-reviews/pushka-espresso-bar/2005/11/22/1132421638964.html">Pushka</a>, but being that it was a proper holiday and all, this little mystery will be kept a mystery until further notices because it was closed. Instead, we headed over to my backup -- Caffe Cortilé-- which turned out to be one of the couple's favourite brunch spots.<br /><br />Caffe Cortilé is snuggled between other cafes on Place Place in the Block Arcade off Little Collins. The place was packed when we walked in, but surprisingly enough when we told the waitress that we were a party of six she led us to the back where there just happened to be an open table for six. As soon as we sat down we were given two carafes of water to sip on while we browsed the menu. Everyone seemed to have ordered more or less the same thing: 3 soy chai lattes for the vegetarians and 3 lattes for the non-vegos and 4 vegetarian breakfasts, 1 eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine sans the hollandaise.<br /><br />The soy chai latte came with a rather nice layer of foam. It didn't taste like powder, but I couldn't be sure they didn't take the syrup route like Gloria Jeans and Starbucks. It was one tasty chai, though. The vegetarian meal was different that the Melbourne standard, which usually tends to have mushrooms, a poached egg, spinach, avocado and a potato cooked in one form or another. Cortilé's vego breakfast came nicely presented and showed some imagination on the kitchen's behalf. Half of an avocado stuffed with feta and lashings of a sweet tomato relish came on bed of "seared" spinach (read: practically raw) perched on mixed seed toast.<br /><br />Since I work in a kitchen myself and hate it when people make changes to dishes on the menu to suit their own tastes, I hesitated to ask them to hold the mushrooms and replace it with spinach. But I did and they complied with my request. I think mushrooms are an overused vegetable in vegetarian dishes and I don't like them, so I just HAD to ask them to replace them.<br /><br />Personally, I think the vegetarian dish could have used an egg or beans or cheese to add some protein the dish. It was quite fatty, although tasty, with cheese stuffed avocado. Either way, the saltiness of the fetta cheese, the sweetness of the relish and the buttery fruity blandness of the avocado went quite well together.<br /><br />The atmosphere is conducive to having good conversations, they have a great selection of sweets and the inside is chic and trendy. My biggest complaint? The service was really, really slow. But, apparently the food always takes a long time to arrive according to our couple friend who goes there for brunch often. I probably won't be going back on a regular basis simply because they don't have Eggs Florentine on the menu, they serve their spinach raw instead of sauteed and the only vegetable in the vegetarian breakfast is mushrooms -- I nearly hate mushrooms. I do give them extra points for the creative vegetarian option though.<br /><br />Caffé Cortilé<br />30 Block Place<br />Melbourne (CBD), VictoriaDirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-66508061536433032622007-06-01T23:22:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:46.362+11:00The European: No Trash in Sight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKiHe5iReysG7ceLuYoUyS1Gv3T4piOndsQVptBV7VjA_jGPChZXmpxu3GHvL1NVdek045Gx9TbmtG_7DssIyl7ZMJGuL-Y9VkX5CxNSGRlFsSTJOcS9zKCFlKokyUH-sL5vW/s1600-h/56693_55890_european.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKiHe5iReysG7ceLuYoUyS1Gv3T4piOndsQVptBV7VjA_jGPChZXmpxu3GHvL1NVdek045Gx9TbmtG_7DssIyl7ZMJGuL-Y9VkX5CxNSGRlFsSTJOcS9zKCFlKokyUH-sL5vW/s320/56693_55890_european.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071087322345881426" border="0" /></a><br />I could have easily been cosily seated in any tapas bar or restaurant in Madrid on a winter night, but I wasn't. In fact, I didn't even have to leave Melbourne to experience a bit of Europe. I'm not talking Gross Florentino or Vue du Monde -- I'm talking about the European.<br /><br />Tucked away on Spring street just around the corner from Bourke street you'll find a neat little euro-style bistro called the European. The interior is designed like most domestic kitchens you'll find in most apartments across Spain: long and narrow. As soon as we were all seated and chose a glass of wine -- I decided on a red blend from France -- our crisp linen serviettes were snapped open and laid on our laps in the most fashionably un-intrusive manner one could imagine. Being a European bistro and all I wasn't expecting much to be vegetarian, which there wasn't, but I decided upon the only thing I could short of a salad. I happily ordered the "rotolo of beetroot, pine nuts and goat's cheese". At last, a main without mushrooms! While we waited for our order, four serves of fresh sourdough bread and aioli were delivered to our table to share while we chatted. We ordered a serve of pomme frittes to share, which were perfectly tiny julienne strips of potato. They weren't french fries or chips, they were proper pomme frittes.<br /><br />When my rotolo came, it was immediate eye candy, even in the dimly lit dinning room. It was a roulade of sorts with a thin, almost strudel-like pastry crust wrapped around rolled layers of goats' cheese, toasted pine nuts, beetroot puree, its leaves blanched to perfection and --guess what-- tiny morsels of an unidentifiable type of mushroom. It was garnished with a lovely herb butter sauce and delicate sprouts. I enjoyed every bit of it and ate the the mushrooms because a)they didn't taste half bad drenched in butter and b)I wasn't paying for my meal with my pocket money.<br /><br />We finished off the meal with two desserts to share, which were a proper Tiramasu with coffee scented macaroons and a chocolate tart with a serve of curiously orange-flavoured ice cream. A piece of heaven in every bit, really.<br /><br />One fourth of an entree of pommes frittes to share, a vegetarian main, a glass of wine and half of a dessert came to a total of $40. Not bad considering the service was impeccable, the vegetarian main showed some imagination on the chef's part and the wine list was impressively long and full of wines from every corner of Europe. Not bad, at all on a student budget. I'll be anxiously awaiting my next chance to eat beetroot.<br /><br /><div id="address"> 161 Spring St<br /> Melbourne 3000 VIC <!-- <a href="http://www.whereis.com.au/mapping/renderMapAddress.do?name=&streetNumber=&street=&streetType=&suburb=&state=&latitude=-37.810958&longitude=144.97273&navId=$010040162082R$&brandId=2&requiredZoomLevel=2">[map]</a> --> </div> Phone: (03) 9654 0811Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-79043788075767713962007-05-30T00:52:00.000+10:002007-05-30T01:05:28.723+10:00Back to Blogging...I've officially <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">neglected</span> my little food blog! I'm here tonight to say that I'm back...I'm back to blogging.<br /><ul><li>I still work at the vegetarian restaurant, although one could say I've moved up the "ranks"</li><li>I'm starting a cookery club at my college, which I'm ecstatic about</li><li>I've acquire numerous new cookbooks on vegetarian cookery, in hopes that one of them will hold the secret to success</li><li>I've had 3 Wednesdays off from work in a row and I am coming to the stark realisation that having days off is a luxury I can't permit myself to have unless the day off falls on a public holiday that also happens to fall on a school day. I have the Queen's Birthday off from school, and no, I will not be asking for an extra shift at work.</li><li>The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">short lived</span> Dirty Tuesdays are ceasing to exist. I simply don't have the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">energy</span> to create exciting food for the rest of the week after coming home from 6-7 hours of cooking at school.</li><li>We're going to Hawaii in November. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Woohoo</span>!<br /></li></ul>Tomorrow's mission...a trip to the up and coming foodie <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">precinct</span> -- Sydney Road.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-75419164905834321912007-04-18T19:59:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:47.081+11:00Weeknight Dinner: Good Vegetarian<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxpZQhi68hUVgEFpS9CTgvMwknAD4kNwBbrpF7FSQVo7RKOAw9h0xoQ_hRelqAbgEnmr7Pyxn2zofdY7KdNJX2t1S71CSH-kCB7JmOLowL18xBRGpsoLsmonRBH3jDsMojpF3/s1600-h/DSC03644.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxpZQhi68hUVgEFpS9CTgvMwknAD4kNwBbrpF7FSQVo7RKOAw9h0xoQ_hRelqAbgEnmr7Pyxn2zofdY7KdNJX2t1S71CSH-kCB7JmOLowL18xBRGpsoLsmonRBH3jDsMojpF3/s320/DSC03644.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054707579798721106" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Roast Fennel and Orange Salad with a citrus vinaigrette</span><br />(it tastes way better than it looks)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYAmBWUnwoeiWELrrgNZUn5LMu2eWvZej3kPbM_QkzznigRr8R_ujMZxEeoryjjNAt_yZUsjO71bjNbzx4p3PVEHX9bZOq6-OKJer0f9Bny9tiHhjyeYVNsh64vVCx7UhZm5g/s1600-h/DSC03641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYAmBWUnwoeiWELrrgNZUn5LMu2eWvZej3kPbM_QkzznigRr8R_ujMZxEeoryjjNAt_yZUsjO71bjNbzx4p3PVEHX9bZOq6-OKJer0f9Bny9tiHhjyeYVNsh64vVCx7UhZm5g/s320/DSC03641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054707588388655714" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zucchini batons with a polenta-herb crumb served with a saffron aïoli dipping sauce</span><br /><br /></div>Everyone knows that anything, well, almost anything fried is delicious so it's without saying that dinner was absolutely fabulous tonight. I don't think Will and I have actually sat down and had dinner together since January or February so on my unexpected day off I organised 5-course meal: Zucchini Batons with Saffron-Aïoli (adapted from a dish a chef once made for me because I was vegetarian), Roast Fennel and Orange Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette (adapted <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Vegie Food</span>), Pumpkin and Mint Ravioli (a disaster due to temperamental store bought pasta dough), a cheese plate with Maggie Beer's quince paste, a Pont L'Eveque and fresh Asiago with savoury biscuits and sliced baguette, and finally a white chocolate pudding cake -- which is waiting to be baked as I type. To wash everything down neatly, we opened a bottle of Peter Lehman Semillon.<br /><br />The zucchini batons and the salad were by far the best parts of the meal, but the salad from <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Vegie Food</span> was outstanding. The faint hint of aniseed from the fennel and the refreshing burst of citrus from the chilled orange segments was a surprisingly tasty combination:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roasted Fennel and Orange Salad (serves 2)</span><br /><br />4 baby fennel bulbs<br />2.5 tablespoons olive oil<br />1 orange<br />1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<br />1 tablespoon of roughly chopped mint, no stems<br />1/2 tablespoons of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley<br /><br />1. Trim the fronds (the frilly green leaves) from the top of the fennel and set aside. Remove the stalks and cut a slice off the base of each fennel by 5 mm. Slice each bulb in half lengthwise, then slice each half into three. Arrange on a baking tray, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to evenly coat them with oil and seasoning. Grill the fennel until caramelised, turning twice during cooking. Allow to cool and toss through the mint and parsley.<br /><br />2. <a href="http://beyondsalmon.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-section-orange.html">Segment the orange</a> over a bowl to catch any juices. Squeeze any juice remaining in the "membranes" into the bowl as well. Whisk 2 tablespoons of oil together with the orange and lemon juice until more or less emulsified. Season with a bit of salt to taste.<br /><br />3. To assemble the salad on each plate, place the fennel in the center of each plate to form a small mound. Arrange the orange segments over the mound. Spoon the dressing around the edges of the plate and drizzle a bit over the salad. Use a few of the reserved fronds to garnish.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-36634287745597343682007-04-17T12:46:00.000+10:002007-04-17T13:16:35.468+10:001 Day: So many possibilitiesMy day off tomorrow is actually a blessing in disguise. Is is going to be the first time that I actually get to prepare and enjoy a sit-down dinner at home with Will since, well, for months! It's funny how I look forward to and even dream about having a day off from everything where I can just do nothing, but when the day actually comes I want to take advantage of it and do EVERYTHING!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To Do List:</span><br /><ol><li>Go to Vic Market and do weekly shopping. Try a new cheese.</li><li>Return cookbooks to city library and get more!</li><li>Read the current issue of Vegetarian Times from cover to cover.</li><li>Cook a gourmet style dinner with a rediculous amount of courses. Roasted capsicum sorbet anyone?</li><li>Visit cookery supply shop on Elizabeth street. They might as well know me by name there.</li><li>Visit Books for Cooks on Gertrude street.</li><li>Open a bottle of Semillon. Maybe it's good.<br /></li></ol>Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-81428107859563720932007-04-05T13:02:00.000+10:002007-04-05T13:41:48.912+10:00Dirty Tuesday: Asian Super StoresA new urban-sleek-chic Asian supermarket opened up in Melbourne Central, which is great it you happened to be at Coles and need tofu puffs. However, if you happen to be shopping at Safeway in the QV and need tofu puffs, look no further than Laguna on the second level. It's not sleek and doesn't smell like flowers, but it's rather comprehensive as far as my limited knowledge of Asian products go. I can't read the labels on half of the things in there but I managed to find: tamarind puree (for marinating my tempeh), agar agar (for vodka jelly shots), square rice noodles for kuay tieow-inspired (<span style="font-style: italic;">pronounced: koy-tiao</span>) stir fries and a very authentic tasting pad thai sauce with very bad translations on the label.<br /><br />I've recently become a fan of tempeh after fashioning a tempeh wrap at work for dinner. The key to making tempeh palatable is marinating it, like tofu, which is what I did for this week's stir fry: Pad Thai-style Kuay Tieow with tamarind-soy tempeh (square rice noodles, vegetables flavoured with pad thai sauce and sauteed tempeh marinated in soy sauce and tamarind puree).<br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on this week's menu...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Honey-Roasted Eggplant and Leek Salad </span>with orzo, sun dried tomatoes and parsley<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Channa Dahl</span> with Brown Rice and plenty of fresh coriander<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Macaroni Gratinate</span> with a Roasted Red Capsicum Sauce, spinach and Feta<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-size:-1;"><b></b></span>Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-78212547817750059322007-04-04T13:00:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:47.473+11:00A Tribute to All Things Moorish, etc.I fell in love with the unique taste of olive oil in Spain, but only at the every end of my 3 years in Spain. I remember my father always had it drizzled over his salad with a bit of white vinegar. I tasted it once, in secret of course, and I wanted nothing to do with it. One of the first few days in my off-campus (university-owned) apartment, I was set up in the kitchen, ravenously hungry from who knows what and about to cook myself some potato product that looked charmingly round ("Oh look, globe-shaped potato product, let's eat this for lunch", I said to myself in the supermarket). Upon extracting the potato balls from the oil and letting them sit on a pile of kitchen towels, I popped on into my mouth and just as quickly spit it out. I had mistakenly purchased olive oil instead of standard vegetable oil and found the new flavour quite unpleasant on my poor undeveloped palate.<br /><br />It was my first year away from home and my first year cooking food for myself as new vegetarian. I'll be honest, I lived on cheese sandwiches, tortilla (española) sandwiches, chips, candy and pasta for the first two years in Spain. That sounds absolutely horrendous to me know, but back then I never dreamt of buying a cookbook or eating tapas in the bars. Every time I browsed over the selection of tapas in the bars I could never decipher one greasy pool of food from the one sitting right next to it, plus, most of it didn't look vegetarian, which is why I lived mostly on potatoes. It wasn't until I left Spain at the end of two years and spent a year and a half in America, that I learnt about Spanish cooking and began to cook with olive oil and never looked back.<br /><br />I've been back to Spain twice since then and it was during my time living in the southern tip of Spain, Seville to be exact, that I began to appreciate the vegetarian-unfriendliness of Spain and how to work around it to get what I wanted. I went out for tapas, drank sangria by the litre, dowsed myself with tinto de verano when it was hot -- I was like everyone else, for once. There was no longer a need to stuff my face with hot chips.<br /><br />Some weeks ago I borrowed a book titled <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shaha: A Chef's Journey through Lebanon and Syria</span> along with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Moro</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cookbook</span>. The cuisines of the Muslim- Mediterranean all share so much in common. For some reason, I like to throw Italy in there as well -- there is a focus on simply cooked food and good ingredients.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKMTnk8nx352AP_6B4EPbMfudVrpwYtzcPXJfro0evTTcHD30ivAFIu1m-S-LhFYetaCSil8utO_6c5qRDIVeS04NAbwTWadEP-_9ySpSuo-9ryVcqwIsoi6g0oTyk4x4kuCc/s1600-h/DSC03580.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKMTnk8nx352AP_6B4EPbMfudVrpwYtzcPXJfro0evTTcHD30ivAFIu1m-S-LhFYetaCSil8utO_6c5qRDIVeS04NAbwTWadEP-_9ySpSuo-9ryVcqwIsoi6g0oTyk4x4kuCc/s320/DSC03580.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049402722310484786" border="0" /></a><br />On a previous Dirty Tuesday I posted photos of Manoushi Bread, which is a Syrian/Lebanese bread similar Italian pizza, but with chewier tendencies and an all-together different vibe. It's typically not loaded up with toppings and sent to the oven to cook until crisp. These fantastic little rounds of bread cook up in about 3 minutes and taste best just out of the oven, although they can be reheated under the grill for a minute or two.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Manoushi Bread (makes 12 rounds) </span><span style="font-style: italic;">adapted from Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria<br /><br /></span>355 g plain white flour<br />1 tsp instant yeast<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />3/4 tsp sugar<br />175 ml - 200 ml warm water<br /><br />1. Sift the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl. Dissolve the sugar in the water.<br />2. Slowly add the water while using one hand to mix. The dough should be on the stickier side, but you should be able to form a ball and knead it until smooth. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes.<br />3. Roll the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rise for 2 hours. While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings for your bread. Less is more in this case as the bread itself imparts it's own delicious flavours.<br />4. Divide dough into 12 pieces and form into balls on a lightly floured surface. Preheat oven to highest temperature if you're using a baking stone or 230-40º C if using a baking tray and set balls aside until ready to use. Roll out the balls into rounds and top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Try caramelised onions and feta or minced sun dried tomatoes and Granda Padana cheese (or a proper Parmesan if you're not <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> strict with your vegetarian diet)<br />5. Bake for 3 minutes, cool only slightly and enjoy.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-21209224726091356402007-04-02T12:18:00.000+10:002007-06-25T22:20:47.143+10:00Tofu International: In the Mood for TofuWill and I finally made it out to Macro Wholefoods in Richmond. It was nice, but definitely not like the Wholefoods I came to love in America. It's the only type of supermarket I actually <span style="font-style: italic;">like</span> being the size of small town. I found most products to be unaffordably expensive; I think I'll just stick to the Vic Market -- it's closer. While we were in Richmond, we stopped by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tofu International</span>, which was a place I considered seeking employment during my stint of unemployment back in January. I'd never actually been to Bridge Road in Richmond, so seeing this little shop was actually quite comforting.<br /><br />This food establishment is a bit on the cozy side and offers food options that are all vegetarian. The range of food wasn't extensive nor was it particularly mind-blowing. It was exactly what I expected from a food shop named Tofu International. It's a neat little place to get some healthy vegetarian fare while shopping in the area and people watch whilst doing so. There are 3 options: small, regular and large plates. The small portion is a typical tapa-sized bowl and the medium is perfect for a hungry stomach or to satisfy two "I'm not really hungry, but I could eat" stomachs. The medium plate was $13.00 and with each size plate one can choose any of the dishes available behind the counter. We settled on a Chinese tofu dish, an apricot-flavoured cous cous salad, saffron roasted potatoes and a broccoli and mushroom option. The tofu dish was by far the best served with a light ginger-soy consomme, although, one can never really go wrong with roasted potatoes, especially if they are to be enjoyed with lashings of a mysteriously flavoured tofu dip. There are also various souvlaki options available.<br /><br />At $13.00 a plate I probably wouldn't make this place a "favourite", but it's definitely worth giving this little relaxed environment a shot when you're ravenously hungry after outlet shopping.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Tofu International</span><br /> 78 Bridge Rd<br /> Richmond 3121 VICDirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-81870210007144819352007-04-02T12:15:00.000+10:002007-04-03T13:01:22.255+10:00The Wonders of Simplicity<h2 style="font-weight: normal;" class="norm"><span style="font-size:100%;">It's been a lazy morning. This is my first Monday off since November and it feels so luxurious to be able to wake up late and not really have much to do during the day. Will requested French Toast for breakfast; I was going to make eggs Florentine. I thought about making pancakes, but later decided on the French Toast as it didn't require going to the supermarket to get the eggs and lemon required for the eggs Florentine. Once again, tofu has surprised me with it's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">versatility</span>. This is simply the best recipe for French Toast...and it's vegan:</span></h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Monday French Toast</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />1 pkg of silken firm tofu<br />15 ml vanilla extract<br />pinch of nutmeg<br />pinch of cinnamon<br />1/2 pinch of salt<br />1 tsp olive oil, or any other oil you have on hand<br />100-150 ml of vanilla soy milk<br />6 slices wholemeal bread (I used soy and linseed for texture<br /><br />1. Toast your bread. Set aside.<br />2. Blend all of the ingredients in a blender and transfer to a bowl.<br />3. Heat an oiled fry pan over medium heat and dip your toast into the batter ensuring that both sides are covered.<br />4. Place in the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" style="font-size:100%;">fry pan</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> and cook each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.<br />5. Keep warm in an 180ºC oven until ready to eat. Enjoy with icing sugar and/or honey.</span>Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-35511033482583401532007-03-31T17:37:00.000+10:002007-04-01T11:31:43.791+10:00An Addictoion of SortsMy current read is a brilliant book by the name of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Australian Chefs</span> by Mietta O'Donnell and Tony Knox. Perhaps it's a bit lame, but I figure I'm going to become a chef in this country I might as well figure out how the great chefs came to be. I originally hired the book from the library because I recognised some of the names from participating in the Master Class at the Langham Hotel last week. The book features a biography of sorts, a bit out how they got to where they are at the moment and a few of their feature recipes. The recipes are just fascinating; they're a peak into the mysterious world of fine dinning. The authors have a bias towards Victoria, Melbourne specifically, so there are many Victorian chefs featured in the book -- many of whom I caught a sneak peak at the Langham Hotel but was too embarrassed to actually go up and speak to them. Sometimes my North American accent embarrasses me...stupid, I know.<br /><br />On the days when I have class, if I have enough time, I sneak off to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cuisine World</span> on Elizabeth Street to see what new gadgets I can add to tiny kitchen. It's becoming a bit of an addiction, really! I might as well know the shop workers by name and vice versa. Every time I complete a new unit, a strange contraption that my eyes had previously settled on without any particular message being produced in my brain instantaneously takes on a whole new meaning. And almost as instantly, a little voice inside me says, "I NEED that!". Valley Girl and Sports Girl used to be my favourite shop at Melbourne Central, but now that clothes shopping is out of the question, <span style="font-weight: bold;">General Traders</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">House</span> have become my favourite places in the world -- where else can you buy something useful for yourself for under $6? A silicon whisk? An icing sugar shaker? A ravioli press? I needed it all.<br /><br />I have three days off this week where I have nothing school-related to do. My mission for tomorrow is to go check out <span style="font-weight: bold;">Macro Wholefoods</span> in Richmond and make home-made pasta. Tune in next time, same place, same time for for juicy loops on cookery and modern-day addictions.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-33333071002109622242007-03-30T20:26:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:47.675+11:00Things This Sweet Should Be Against the Law<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvnM8tHXG-mpLLTETDe5KNht6pVZi86QEXydbbL4gbUqWMS9s4oWdwhlm6d77BOUyVCL88cqiBcwWJ9Gp5iQL3MXFhFKvhluCOYTz5I-GWFocyIyo95xNndwiuijfQTUaDVHH/s1600-h/DSC03629.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvnM8tHXG-mpLLTETDe5KNht6pVZi86QEXydbbL4gbUqWMS9s4oWdwhlm6d77BOUyVCL88cqiBcwWJ9Gp5iQL3MXFhFKvhluCOYTz5I-GWFocyIyo95xNndwiuijfQTUaDVHH/s320/DSC03629.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047672193994292546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQkELlwDpdLfiQZ5r0EzCrcQdxFCVXYPXaf1WfQ3d29U5jIlt3H2Z1oGvrC2xDAp1rFt-C8JvJZWrhjlV9Gt-xYvcjhFQ-0Oq0EjmpXOKoM9EF90uqy_cgHKdEnOjJgZWRMsp/s1600-h/DSC03620.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQkELlwDpdLfiQZ5r0EzCrcQdxFCVXYPXaf1WfQ3d29U5jIlt3H2Z1oGvrC2xDAp1rFt-C8JvJZWrhjlV9Gt-xYvcjhFQ-0Oq0EjmpXOKoM9EF90uqy_cgHKdEnOjJgZWRMsp/s320/DSC03620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047672189699325234" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Cakes this large should really be against the law. I'm not really sure what it was that possessed me to double the recipe and almost send myself into cardiac arrest due cake overload. The slices from this little monster are what you'd expect at that cafe around the corner that sells generous slices of your favourite butter cake to go with that generous cup of coffee -- totalling nearly $10. Oh but wait, you get to read the paper while you enjoy you dose of sugar and caffeine for the day all while following your vegan diet.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Yes dear readers, this cake is vegan. It's a vegan vanilla pound cake with a lime glaze to be exact -- courtesy of the April issue of <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times</a>.<br /><br />Upon close inspection we can observe the golden crust that forms a ring around the entire loaf, that golden crust is what I used to save for last when I was a child (that dark spot in the centre is just my big head casting a shadow). I was so excited when it was cool enough to eat that I served myself a very generous cafe-style slice (which was followed by a much thinner waist-line conscious slice). Mistake. This cake is to be enjoyed slowly, perhaps with a bit of green tea or other herbal tea. It's sweet, it's moist and it's just darn good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake with Lime Glaze -- adapted from Vegetarian Times</span><br />(all ingredients are measured using a scale; half this recipe for a smaller cake)<br />280 g silken firm tofu<br />200 ml vanilla soy milk<br />165 ml canola oil<br />250 g raw sugar<br />20 ml vanilla extract<br />450 g plain flour<br />10 g baking soda<br />12 g baking powder<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 180º C. Combine tofu, soy milk, oil, vanilla extract and sugar; beat or blend until smooth.<br />2. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and mix thoroughly. Fold the tofu mix into the flour mix.<br />3. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 180º C for 30 minutes, then cover with grease-proof paper and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.<br />4. To make the glaze combine the juice of 1 lime with enough icing sugar to create a white paste with enough consistency to coat the back of a spoon rather thickly. It should also be able to run off the spoon more or less freely.<br />5. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes then remove from pan and allow to cool for a further 5 minutes on a cooling rack before drizzling the glaze. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving to allow the glaze to fully set.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-80494849552755443412007-03-27T11:49:00.000+10:002008-11-13T20:49:48.623+11:00Dirty Tuesdays: Fresh Herbs<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAFRJFZJQ8N2AHlZDqXADBGcpeDd3HshAsEtAv5j-zGb_rBbXX6JZAs9qGRRBnwlNWwxT8kDP8ZOY7wKbrgThWtvbYRYWfOna0sl9SyTtBmp80FjRNo57ZqxnZOWSjUD0qkSt/s1600-h/DSC03615.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAFRJFZJQ8N2AHlZDqXADBGcpeDd3HshAsEtAv5j-zGb_rBbXX6JZAs9qGRRBnwlNWwxT8kDP8ZOY7wKbrgThWtvbYRYWfOna0sl9SyTtBmp80FjRNo57ZqxnZOWSjUD0qkSt/s200/DSC03615.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046422327104144578" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLY2IxGFIVjTW4dx-T_9MAyHxl70SUFEiZaR-Qm9H-H2K7aIWnfPWzq192QvxcRLtoYOmVAsYNdzUEyrBGm1qFGUER34Cr4DFC915L2MLIq0FKjr0Pr6OEIU2GFt7hY2ZvzqR7/s1600-h/DSC03609.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLY2IxGFIVjTW4dx-T_9MAyHxl70SUFEiZaR-Qm9H-H2K7aIWnfPWzq192QvxcRLtoYOmVAsYNdzUEyrBGm1qFGUER34Cr4DFC915L2MLIq0FKjr0Pr6OEIU2GFt7hY2ZvzqR7/s200/DSC03609.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046422318514209970" border="0" /></a></div><br />Ever since I started doing the dinner service at work I've come to know which dishes I like plating up, which ones I don't and what sort of qualities things need to have in order to make service easier. My favourite dish to make is the house salad because the end result is a very impressive, vertical looking salad. I don't make the salads, but some of them look unappealing. I will wait until I've been there for more time before making suggestions.<br /><br />In light of this little discovery, I've been experimenting with salads each week for Hey-Hey Tuesdays.<br /><br />This week's little gems in a <span style="font-style: italic;">rosemary roasted-potato salad with roasted onions, lentils, parsley and brown rice</span> (left) and <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>(right). The latter dish was really meant to have a sort of sauce with it, but I really had about zero energy left by the time I got to finishing the less-than- spectacular sweet potato gnocchi.<br /><br />Yesterday I had my assessment for stocks, soups and sauces and while everything I made was acceptable, none of it was exceptional. Not to make up excuses or anything, but how about having enough equipment for everyone to use!<br /><br />Boy, am I glad the vegan challenge is over! I really didn't have nearly as much time as I would have liked! It was more of a chore than a fun project.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-51674444686043190682007-03-22T20:15:00.000+11:002008-11-13T20:49:49.218+11:00Behind the Scenes: A Vegetarian on a Mission<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaQcnh7IEF9SU_pYKd8BzGW8pUZXXmAV6ulJTRTxFhO2G3GYbShbNux2ZqtqjaScxpLrZcIKKCjwdMwxKzFt-ryIuyQmV6DfemU-5HHjisRnAav-adXw_g0s-YuJPyL86lJjs/s1600-h/DSC03599.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaQcnh7IEF9SU_pYKd8BzGW8pUZXXmAV6ulJTRTxFhO2G3GYbShbNux2ZqtqjaScxpLrZcIKKCjwdMwxKzFt-ryIuyQmV6DfemU-5HHjisRnAav-adXw_g0s-YuJPyL86lJjs/s200/DSC03599.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045444888017748930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYjfaI61GUg4q4qeTEKNk9TJJuCFsyQNzwaHveWnGtZtKmxxRj5EMAuD_eh3SARNUiXu51Q84nHuU0rG-vJI713wqAutWO3qVBPXSaDpsqWBYZyhTNdzq3nGDvi00Xfilu2ye/s1600-h/DSC03591.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYjfaI61GUg4q4qeTEKNk9TJJuCFsyQNzwaHveWnGtZtKmxxRj5EMAuD_eh3SARNUiXu51Q84nHuU0rG-vJI713wqAutWO3qVBPXSaDpsqWBYZyhTNdzq3nGDvi00Xfilu2ye/s200/DSC03591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045444857952977794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf6VAMUiubBfHznObpL2i6Ucidm608FZ0CzS49klC6PTtPp1QSe3rB5c7LewFziXStX-BXwG6kAgOaeBqlTuldi5k0yVZ206LUq8mHgePAU5vgmOn_bC4p3-gy0XANpQEomqH/s1600-h/DSC03593.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJf6VAMUiubBfHznObpL2i6Ucidm608FZ0CzS49klC6PTtPp1QSe3rB5c7LewFziXStX-BXwG6kAgOaeBqlTuldi5k0yVZ206LUq8mHgePAU5vgmOn_bC4p3-gy0XANpQEomqH/s200/DSC03593.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045444870837879698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiXtM5lsfd9oSaKgw6yBl-b1kq4dvXOpuExWuOB0K3kBdXhDwajP5CftH4qjSH8jQObeJO6DENxuWkhpupZ2UwDooAzBv4wT3BBxAV9_DdtNdUfEZ52HLiLZC8KtI-BrbtHQe/s1600-h/DSC03594.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiXtM5lsfd9oSaKgw6yBl-b1kq4dvXOpuExWuOB0K3kBdXhDwajP5CftH4qjSH8jQObeJO6DENxuWkhpupZ2UwDooAzBv4wT3BBxAV9_DdtNdUfEZ52HLiLZC8KtI-BrbtHQe/s200/DSC03594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045444875132847010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5e78z8WGtpMLP1EH-2CKEXVRgCvRgUy-BWVzQrmPVZ__ozTHJO6W4eQPN3Fos75kMDLEy-Dx83lDmY38Hdx-ozIb2JH7FdjZEKxLtRIix1rVYurjPPsOi471UCdOeQ9cVjOk/s1600-h/DSC03597.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5e78z8WGtpMLP1EH-2CKEXVRgCvRgUy-BWVzQrmPVZ__ozTHJO6W4eQPN3Fos75kMDLEy-Dx83lDmY38Hdx-ozIb2JH7FdjZEKxLtRIix1rVYurjPPsOi471UCdOeQ9cVjOk/s200/DSC03597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045444879427814322" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />And just like that, my experience working with world-renowned chefs was over. With 4 full days under my belt working in someone else's kitchen --Anthony Ross' kitchen to be exact (executive chef of the Southbank Langham Hotel)-- using skills I've learnt both in school and at my current job I feel like I new person on a mission. This hotel kitchen (kitchen-s, actually) is larger than any other kitchen I've set foot in; it can really only work efficiently by working under the brigade system. Most of the chefs were approachable and will answer my questions, while others instill a sense of fear in my bones just by mere eye contact. However, being the little cook-in-training from the hospitality college with no name that I am, I couldn't muster up the courage to actually go an speak to any of the <span style="font-style: italic;">celebrities</span>, if you will.<br /><br />I have more positive than negative things to say about my experience during these past four days. I had rather high expectations, perhaps delusional illusions of grandeur to be exact, about what preparing fore this master class even would entail. A few of my college mates weren't as lucky as they was an spent more time than I care to mention in the cold larder kitchen where, apparently much magic happens, but all I witness was magic pertaining to sandwich preparation. I could have cared less if the sandwiches were going to be served to the Queen of England, really. I didn't agree to only half a paycheck this week to make sandwiches.<br /><br />I noticed that at the end of the my 4 days that the students from other more well-known training institutions (Holmesglen Institute of TAFE and Fifteen, to be exact) were preferred over myself and my classmate to do the more exciting preparations. While I did learn how to properly peel an onion and how to pick herbs, I really don't see why the trainees from Jaime Oliver's Fifteen restaurant or the students from Holmesglen were any more capable at blanching spinach or sweating onions and celery for the soup base of a ribolita soup. In general, the trainees from Fifteen, Jaime Oliver's restaurant, were delegated the best tasks while preparing for London's River Café event. <span style="font-style: italic;">They</span> got to saute the potatoes, <span style="font-style: italic;">they</span> got to carve the meat for the final plate up...even though they had quickly gained a reputation for "unreliable".<br /><br />The most positive thing I gained from my time at the Langham is a clearer idea of where I want to see myself next year after I finish my course. I making the cross over and will be actively searching for employment in fine dinning early next year. I had originally planned on working exclusively vegetarian establishments, but being that Melbourne is unfortunately devoid of a wide choice of them, I'd actually be doing a disservice to myself and vegetarian foodies across Australia. Watching the Fifteen trainees dash about the kitchen with their well-developed knowledge of Italian food made me feel a bit juvenile for not only working in a vegetarian restaurant (trendy or not) but for also thinking that I was learning going to learn something about cuisine in general at my current place of employment. I'm actually learning heaps at my current job, but nothing in the way of...erm...fine dinning.<br /><br />I go the library every few weeks and take home every vegetarian cookery book I can find, including a few non-vegetarian ones. After 1 day at the Langham I went to the library, paid my over-due fees and grabbed every book I could find on prominent Australian chefs and food writers -- I've vowed to learn more about the Australian food scene. I'm hungry and thirsty for knowledge or all sorts and my mission won't only stop at the books, but will continue in my classes by being more assertive (do I really care if anyone in my class thinks I'm bossy?) and will be carried on at my place of employment by asking for more responsibility.<br /><br />In the end, I was chosen to participate in the master class for a reason -- because someone believes I have potential. Before I start getting too sentimental and have to reach for a martini, I'll end on this note.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12090174.post-73972699055254342902007-03-21T20:35:00.000+11:002007-03-21T20:55:08.240+11:00The New Gossip: The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/46AAE887-0AED-4D2C-A965-3E1CA812BECF/2208/MFWF_logo_180x251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/46AAE887-0AED-4D2C-A965-3E1CA812BECF/2208/MFWF_logo_180x251.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />When I found out that the Food & Wine Festival was coming to Melbourne I got really excited, I almost felt a chill shake its way down my spine. I then had a look around the website and concluded, "Yeah. Right. Like I can afford to drop $150 on a meal, just for myself". That was weeks ago. Then this <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">happened</span>.<br /><br />I was at my college last week on my way back from the kitchen getting my usual cup of tea in the morning and I noticed a new set of papers along the wall. I picked up one up and it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">happened</span> to be a notice inviting 12 students from the college to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">participate</span> for 4 days in the master class being held at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Langham</span> Hotel for the Food and Wine Festival. When I read it I somehow felt that I deserved to be one of those 12 students; these sorts of demanding feelings never really happen to me. I clutched the notice in one hand and my cup of green tea in another and took the stairs (two at a time) to go drag some information out of my chef-instructor. "Do you know anything about this?" I practically demanded. One thing led to another and yesterday I found out that I was one of 12 students out of the entire college chosen to participate in the event.<br /><br />Today was my first day and, boy, was it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">exhilarating</span>. I will spend the next 4 days helping prepare for the master class, which will showcase the hottest chefs from all over the world. who will be giving lectures and demonstrations on their own cuisine. I was having a chat to the chef and apparently the chef from Spain speaks zero English and I was told that I'd be paired with this chef to help prepare for the master class. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Andoni</span> Luis <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Aduriz</span> is one <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">of</span> the hottest Spanish chefs in Europe, closely following <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferran_Adria"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ferran Adriá</span></a> in his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_gastronomy">molecular gastronomy</a> footsteps. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Adriá </span>is basically one of my chef idols. Both of their creations are like edible works of abstract art on plates. Art + Edible + Food = the best idea ever<br /><br />These guys inspire me to push vegetarian cookery to it's limits, although I find I have little time to actually pursue such inspirations these days. With each passing day I spend frying away entrees at my restaurant, I become increasingly vocal about what I think vegetarian food should be and taste like.Dirty Flamingohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05794652931888476540noreply@blogger.com2