Honey Pannacotta

From what I have read in my many books of Northern Italian cuisine, Pannacotta (literally cooked cream) is a fairly modern dessert, created sometime during the 20th century. I really like the smooth rich texture of this dessert and it marries well with any fruit. I like to play around with the flavours depending on the fruit it will be served with. I have added some Christmas cheer to this recipe, instead of the more usual vanilla flavouring (actually, I forgot to buy vanilla beans so I changed my plan).
I like to make this just a few hours before I intend to serve it, so it is only just set and really soft and voluptuous.


Ingredients
600ml cream (35% milk fat)
½ cup good quality honey
2 tsp of gelatine
30ml fortified wine (sherry, brandy etc)

Method
Oil 6 125ml capacity dariole moulds.
Over a low heat, bring the cream and honey to a simmer. Turn off the heat.
Heat your chosen alcoholic flavouring separately. I do this in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot spirit. Stir to dissolve and combine.
Add this mix to cream and stir to make sure everything is well amalgamated.
Pour through a strainer into the prepared moulds.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or until just set.
Unmold when you are ready to serve.
The turned pannacottas will begin to lose their shape a few minutes after serving, but I think they are perfect at this consistency. Serve with fresh berries.

Anchovy, Caper and Sage Marinated Scallops

I am only going to write this once (or I will try). I HATE SUMMER. It is almost 40c as I write this, and there is nothing glamorous about it (shorts, sweat, body ordour, greasy skin, bad hair) People who enjoy these suffocating weather conditions are freaks. (I am sorry if I have offended, but the heat makes me bitchy)
On a positive note, summery food is the only thing that will keep me from slashing my wrists and these scallops are delicious. They only require a couple of minutes of cooking, so if you are precious like moi, you wont get too hot in the kitchen…

Ingredients
300g scallops, cleaned weight (with the coral still attached)
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tsp of salt preserved capers, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped sage (fresh is best)
Lots of fresh black pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil
30g butter
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method
Combine the anchovy, capers and sage with the olive oil.
Toss with scallops.
Grind over a generous amount of black pepper and toss again.
Cover and refrigerate.
When you are ready to cook, heat the butter in a wide pan over a high heat.
Add the scallops and sear for about 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Turn them over.
Another minute (or less) and they will be ready.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
This goes well with borlotti beans, artichokes and rocket leaves tossed with tarragon vinegar and olive oil.

Enough for 2.

Summery Roast Fish

I love the idea of “one pan cooking”. It is practical and does not require much effort and you get a fantastic exchange of flavours throughout the final dish. It is good too, because there is only one dish to wash after (not that I do the washing around here!)
Because it is Summer now, I am using summery flavours, and this combination works really well. But you could use any herbs or vegetables. Use whatever is in season or whatever looks good. The best fish for roasting are the oily ones. You could use cutlets, fillets or whole fish. The thicker the fish, the longer the cooking time-adjust accordingly.
For a vegetarian version, just leave out the fish altogether, it will still taste delicious.

Ingredients
400g fish fillets
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
200g kipfler potatoes, or other small waxy potato
200g ripe cherry tomatoes
200g small onions
200g olives, black and green
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled but separated into cloves
Zest of 1 lemon, finely julienned
Fresh thyme, left on the branch
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
50ml white wine

Method
Marinate the fish with the first 6 ingredients. Leave for as long as you like, covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature, before roasting.
Place all the remaining ingredients, except the wine, in a roasting pan. It should all fit snugly, so choose an appropriate size pan. Give it a light mix, so everything is slicked with a bit of oil and bake at 180c for 1 hour. From time to time check the pan is not burning. Add a touch of water if it seems to be drying out.
Remove the pan from the oven, and leave for a while. Turn the oven to 230c and allow it to heat for a few minutes.
Lay the fish fillets over the roasted veggies and splash over the white wine.
Roast for another 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
Serve straight from the pan with lots of crunchy bread. This will serve 2 people, but this recipe will double or triple very easily. Cooking times will be the same (give or take).

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de Leche is a Latin American sweet spread. It is basically caramelized milk, cooked until thick and sticky. This divinely sweet treat has many uses. The most common way, is to have it on buttered toast for breakfast, with a cup of café con leche (milky coffee). Pastry cooks also like to use it in cakes and pastries. My grandmother uses it to fill crepes. She used to also make ice cream with it. I just like to have it around so I can attack it with a spoon and stuff it straight into my mouth, whenever I need sweetness and comfort.
A commercial product is available from South Amreican delis, but in my opinion is not as good, and it is better to make your own. Some people prefer, for convinience to boil unopened cans of condensed milk until it turns into a product which is similar. Why? I ask. It does not cost much less or take less time than the traditional method, so why bother? All that is involved in the traditional way, is to simmer milk and sugar, until the right consistency has been reached. It is not rocket science, and far safer than boiling unopened cans. I have heard freakish horror stories of hot caramel explosions in peoples kitchens. There is nothing glamorous or convenient about scrapping caramel from the kitchen ceiling and curtains. And I guess you would not be needing that laser peel anymore, after the hot caramel has burnt your face off!
Call me old fashioned, but I am sticking to tradition here.


Ingredients
1 litre of milk (I use goats milk, but cow is fine)
300g sugar
1 scant tsp of baking soda
1 fresh vanilla bean

Method
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and baking soda.
Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to the lowest setting.
Cook very, very gently for about 2 hours, stirring every now and then. You can lay a wooden spoon across the saucepan to prevent the mix from spilling over.
It is ready when it is thick and brown, like caramel fudge. Remove from the heat.
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the “dulce”.
It will keep indefinitely in the fridge. I like to store mine in a sterilized jar, but a plastic container will do just as well. Makes about 1 cup.

Chilled Green Tea Noodles with Asian Herbs & Salmon Roe

The Japanese have a tradition of serving chilled noodles in the summer. The first time I came across this was about 7 years ago, when I worked at Nudel Bar on Bourke St in Melbourne. Nudel Bars specialty is (surprise surprise) noodles! They serve noodles from all over the world, and their menu is sure to please the fussiest of eaters and those who are just after a cheap and cheerful bite. One of the more popular dishes is Cold Green Tea noodles with a Lemon and Soy Dressing, created by chef John Mckay- a wonderful and refreshing combination served with avocado or with smoked salmon.
Yesterday was a hot day and as summery as it gets here in Melbourne. My feisty nature does not appreciate the heat, but I did enjoy this curious noodle dish. Not exactly how it is done at Nudle Bar, but I think my interpretation was pleasant and refreshing. And that is how summer food should be.

Ingredients
200g Japanese green tea noodles (cha soba)
1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
2 tsp of light soy
A touch of wasabi paste
Zest of 1 lemon, finely julienned
Juice of half a lemon or to taste
Fresh black pepper
Lots of Asian herbs (Thai basil, Vietnamese mint and coriander)
Salmon roe (I use Russian)
Pickled ginger

Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook until they are done. Al dente is not the idea here. Asian noodles are cooked to a more soft stage, than Italian pasta. Rinse them immediately in cold water to arrest the cooking and remove all the surface starch. Allow them to drain for a few minutes and then toss with a bit of oil, so the noodles do not clump together as they chill, covered in the fridge.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, soy and wasabi.
Toss the noodles with this dressing, followed by the lemon zest, lemon juice to taste and as many herbs as you desire.
Serve on individual plates immediately, topped with salmon roe and with a small bowl of pickled ginger on the side. Serves 3.
Note-Japanese noodles are available from Asian food stores. I have also seen them in supermarkets

Korean Chicken and Corn Soup

You have all heard of Jewish penicillin, this is the Korean version.

My dear friend Danniel Ahn taught me to make this restorative and very tasty broth a few years ago. It was very good back then after partying, helping to fortify our vacant minds, fragile bodies and depleted souls. Of course I am older and wiser these days (so too is Danniel) and I prefer have this soup when I am of poor health, rather than when suffering from self inflicated fatigue, Lindsay Lohan style.

The following recipe is just a guideline. I did not really bother to measure anything because honestly, I am not feeling well. I have used a lot of garlic and ginger because of their health restoring properties. If you are making this purely for culinary reasons, then you probably will not want as much, so adjust accordingly. But I need as much fortification as I can get right now…

Ingredients
1 whole organic chicken
1 large onion, unpeeled and halved
1 large carrot, unpeeled and cut into chunks
1 large piece of ginger, sliced
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled and sliced in half horizontally
1 tbsp of black peppercorns (optional)
The stalks from a bunch of coriander (optional)
Stock powder
Fish sauce, to taste
Cornflour, to thicken
400g can creamy corn
400g can corn kernels, drained and rinsed
3 eggs, free range
Sliced spring onion (optional)
Asian herbs (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)

Method
Wash the chicken to remove any surface impurities.
Place into a large stockpot with the onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and coriander stalks. Cover with water and bring to a simmer slowly. Do not boil.
Cook until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a plate and be careful to not burn yourself removing the chicken from the pot, like I did.
Allow the chicken to cool a bit, then remove all the meat from the carcass. Reserve the meat.
Throw the bones and skin back into the stock and continue to simmer.
This entire process will take about 3 hours, or until you have a well flavoured stock. Strain, and discard all the veggies and bones.
Now, add the two types of corn to the stock, some stock powder to boost the chicken flavour, and plenty of fish sauce to season. Use the fish sauce in place of salt. I used about 150ml, which is nothing compared to the amount Danniel used. He would use the whole bottle!
Thicken with some cornflour, by mixing an amount of cornflour in a small bowl with a bit of stock and then pouring it back into the saucepan and bringing to a simmer.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes to remove the raw flavour of the fish sauce.
Add the shredded chicken meat and heat through.
Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl.
Turn of the heat and stirring the pot slowly, drop in the egg, so it forms long threads on contact with the hot soup.
Serve in deep bowls, sprinkled with some sesame oil, spring onions and herbs if you wish. Makes approximately 6 large servings.

Wild Pigeon Ragu

Last nights dinner was a moment of culinary perfection in my kitchen, and at my table. Eating food like this makes you realize why Italians love their food so much and, in my view, excuses their chauvinist behaviour. This is the best dish I have cooked all year.


Ingredients
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive
1 wild squab pigeon (you can used farmed, of course)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used spring garlic)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
200 ml fortified wine (Sherry, Marsala, Madeira etc)
400g can Italian tomatoes, chopped
200ml reduced stock (I used pigeon)
Sugar
Sea salt
Fresh black Pepper

Method
Check around the wing joint for any stray plumage and remove with tweezers.
Chop of the head, if still attached. Wash the bird under running water, to remove all traces blood. Pat the pigeon dry with a kitchen towel.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the bird lightly all over. This will only take a few minutes. Remove the bird to a plate.
Over a low heat, sauté the garlic and sage, just until the garlic turns white. Do not allow the garlic to colour in any way.
Deglaze the pan with your chosen wine and reduce until syrupy.
Add the tomatoes, stock and pigeon.
Add water until the bird is 2/3 submerged.
Cover the pot and simmer gently, turning the bird every 30 minutes or so, until the bird is tender and the leg pulls away easily from the body. Mine took 2 ½ hours to reach this point. The older the bird, the longer the cooking time. I do not mind in the slightest, being held hostage in the kitchen by these birds as they braise. It is well worth the end result. From time to time, you will need to add water to the pot to prevent the braising liquid reducing too quickly.
Allow to cool.
Remove all the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin.
Throw the meat back into the sauce. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. Add a touch of sugar to balance the acidity level, and reduce until you are satisfied with the depth of flavour and consistency.
Toss this divine sauce with the freshest and best quality tagliatelle and some butter. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.
This amount of sauce should be enough to coat about 300-400g fresh tagliatelle.