Ginger and fig pudding

I'm always on the lookout for quick, simple but yet stunning recipes to add to my collection of tried and true. I'm also trying to step outside my comfort zone and cook things I haven't cooked before. This little gem is a "Sammy and Bella" recipe, sourced from the same New Idea as the capsicum dip. Gooey, moist and surprising light. This is definitely worth making for your next dinner party.

Ginger and fig pudding

Ingredients


 Pudding
125g dried figs, chopped roughly (actually chop them, don't cut them in 6ths like I did...a little too chunky and rustic for polite company, although it doesn't change the taste!)
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
180ml water
65g dairy free spread, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg
130g plain flour

Syrup
160ml golden syrup
1cm fresh ginger, finely grated

Place figs, soda and water in a saucepan and simmer until figs soften and break down a little.
Combine dairy-free spread, sugar and salt and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
Slowly fold in the flour and fig mixture alternating 1/3 the mixture at a time until all combined.
Place in greased muffin tins and bake at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through when tested with a skewer. Remove from tins and allow to cool slightly while making the syrup.

Gently heat golden syrup and ginger in a saucepan, then strain and pour half the syrup over the puddings. Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve with remaining syrup and cream/icecream.

(confession time - I didn't realise I didn't have golden syrup in the pantry. I used 1/2 cup brown sugar and the same of water as a substitute. Tastes pretty good too if you are as unorganised as I am :-) And I also couldn't be bothered straining it...coz I quite like ginger)

I got impatient to taste it :-) It is good, by the way :-)

Bon appetit!

A weekend of gastronomic delights

There is nothing better than good food and good company. I had the absolute pleasure of having both this weekend when I went to visit my family down the coast. Mountains of delectable delights were consumed and it was just wonderful to have a relaxing weekend with the people I love most in the world.

Saturday.

Breakfast at the Sunset Bar at the Marina Mirage was light, beautifully presented and tasted as good as it looked. An easy unpretentious meal served by friendly, easygoing staff. It was just a pleasant experience all round. I had mushrooms and a poached egg on toast. My dad had an omlette and my mum had eggs benedict (a firm favourite).

My mushrooms...tres bien.

Omlette with feta, spinach and smoked salmon

Eggs benedict with fresh asparagus

Sunday.

Lunch at Vie Restaurant at Palazzio Versace. The only bad thing about the entire experience was trying to decide which heavenly sounding meal I was going to have! I aquiesed and had THREE courses. I know. I'm still surprised. I loved every mouthful though. Well worth it I say. Although I really did need to be rolled out of there.

The view at the Vie...nice. Was too windy to sit outside and have an unobstructed view of the broadwater unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

My entree - confeit duck with grapefruit, pistachio puree and puffed grains.

The popular barramundi main. I didn't partake of this however it looks awesome.

The 'other' entree - grilled haloumi on compressed watermelon.

Refreshments - lemon lime and bitters all round!

My main - Shallot tart with goats cheese and candied walnuts. So good it is scary.

The dukkah and olive oil/balsamic starter.

Grilled nectarine with basil sorbet. Amazingly good. Quite refreshing!

The standout dish of the day - coconut parfait with lime granita, lime syrup and pastry sheet. Oh. My. Goodness. So Good.

 
If you get a chance you should try them sometime.

xxx

Roast capsicum dip

I'm obviously attracted to the dip culture - I've blogged about my amazing roast cauliflower dip, and I have a love affair with hummus. This caught my attention as I was flicking through a previous New Idea mag (shh...don't tell anyone!!). Regardless of its origin, it is dreamily good. It is also vegan, healthy and super simple to make. A winning combo. Snack anyone???

Roast Capsicum dip

 

Ingredients
2-4 red capsicums (or red peppers if you prefer the american nomenclature)
1 tin chickpeas
2 tablespoons tahini
juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
a pinch of chilli flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil ( I used rice bran oil but you could just as easily use good quality extra virgin olive oil)
1 tablespoons water

Wash and deseed capsicums and quarter lengthways. Roast under a hot grill skin side up until skin is blackened and blistered. Place in a snaplock bag and let cool. Once capsicum is cool you can easily remove the skin and retain the soft flesh.

Add capsicum flesh to a food processor with remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
Serve with crusty bread, vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, cauliflower, brocoli, etc) or crackers.

Enjoy!

xxx

Summer paradise

I'm sitting here with a ridiculous big grin on my face, just listening to this song so I had to share it with you.I heard it on my way home from work - and it is just so happy, bright and energetic..I just can't help feel good when I hear it!So, listen and enjoy, and hope it makes you feel as happy as it made me.

I'm also missing summer...Autumn is well and truly here.
Stay warm!

Summer Paradise by Simple Plan

xxx

Pumpkin and leek tart

What does one do with a magnificent piece of pumpkin like this? Make pumpkin tart...thats what!

 Well, it is a pumpkin and leek tart actually, with fromage le chevre (goats cheese)...just a little bit schmancy. The original recipe is from the Delicious cookbook More Please but has been modified to cater for non-dairy consumers.

Pumpkin and leek tart

Ingredients
  
Savory short crust pastry
1 2/3 cups plain flour
180g dairy free spread
1-3 tablespoons iced water
1 egg yolk

Tart filling
700g pumpkin
1-2 leeks, white only, chopped finely
1/4 cup vegetable stock (or white wine)
4 garlic cloves
300ml soy milk (or pouring cream for the believers)
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
1/4-1 cup cheese (I used goats cheese, you can use whatever you like, original recipe calls for gruyere, would likely be fabulous with that)
herbs - the original recipe calls for thyme and parsley, I only had mixed Italian herbs
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Make the pastry by processing all ingredients until a dough is formed. Chill for 30 minutes before rolling out. Place in a tart dish and chill for another 15 minutes prior to baking for 10 minutes (with weights). Remove weights and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden and dry.

Meanwhile:
Cut the pumpkin into 1cm thick slices and place on a baking tray with the garlic cloves still in their paper and roast until soft (25-40 minutes depending on your oven and the pumpkin).
Finely slice leeks and roasted garlic and soften over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add stock/wine and reduce until liquid is almost gone. Cool.
Place pumpkin and leek mix in the food processor along with the milk, eggs, cheese, herbs and salt/pepper. Process until smooth. Pour into tart shell and bake for 40 minutes until firm and golden.

Serve with salad or sauted mushrooms.
Above all, Bon appetit!

Plum tart

Not sure how to fancy the name up...it is what it is. I could francois it up I suppose...maybe...tarte aux prune, although I"m not sure I've translated that correctly. Whatever you wish to call it, it is yummy.

Plum tart

Ingredients

Sweet shortcut pastry
1 2/3 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 egg white
180g dairy free spread
vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Tart filling
5 plums
(water, vanilla, castor sugar for syrup)
1 tin coconut cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup caster sugar
blueberries

Grease a part tan and preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Make pastry - process all ingredients until a dough forms. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.
Roll out pastry and bake with pastry weights for 10 minutes. Remove weights and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until pale golden.

Meanwhile halve and deseed the plums. Blanch in syrup for 1 minute.
Make the custard - heat coconut cream and vanilla until almost boiling. Whip eggs and sugar together and then add the warm cream into the egg mixture.

Place plums, cut side down, into the tart case. Add blueberries and then gently pour in the custard.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until custard is set.

It is best eaten chilled. With vanilla icecream. Everything is great with icecream :-)

Bon appetit!

Haystacks

I'm not talking about the structures made of straw. Haystacks happen to be a gastronomic delight of all things yummy. Tantilisingly healthy (well at least I tell myself this when I have them), they are fabulous for a lazy Saturday evening dinner for one, an impromptu movie dinner for vegetarian (or omnivorous) friends, or an easy way to feed multitudes at a Sabbath lunch picnic. The versitility of the dish is refreshing. In what other dish can you literally pick whatever salad ingredients you have in the fridge, chop them up, and then put them with the fail-safe ingredient of corn chips (whatever flavour you fancy) and voila, a healthy, no fuss meal.

There are endless versions, all revolving around the central core structure - cornchips, beans, salad, toppers. Substitute what you wish - some people serve it with rice instead of chips, others do both. I prefer the sans rice variety myself, but each to their own.

The original version I had involved a dairy feast - guacamole, sour cream and cheese, and it is truly a delight to eat it like this. Since going dairy free however, I've improvised, and to tell you the truth, I don't miss the dairy in haystacks. More power to the haystack!!!! I add chopped avocado if I have it, and put hummus on top. Delish!

Haystacks

Ingredients

Cornchips - I chose salted, but you can have anything your heart desires

Beans - I vary this depending on what I have in the cupboard, mix it all together in a saucepan to have nice hot bean mix
- refried beans
- kidney beans
- baked beans
- butter beans
- taco flavoring, tomato paste, tinned tomatos etc
+/- salsa
+/- mince if you so felt like it...although I must say I've never had a meat version

Salad ingredients - chopped up into easy to eat pieces
- green salad - lettuce, spinach, I even had watercress and sprouts today, and rocket is great too
- cucumber
- tomato
- capcisum
- carrot, grated
- mushrooms
- avocado or guacamole
- whatever else you wish for - gerkins, olives, capers etc etc

Toppings
- grated cheese (goes on top of the hot bean mix)
- sour cream
- hummus (my preferred topping)

Stack it yourself...that way you can create the haystack you desire. I prefer to start with the chips and layer on top of them, others like to have them in little piles over the plate. That is the joy of haystacks, you can really do whatever you want with them, they still taste mighty fine.

Chips + beans + cheese (if you are a believer) + salad (I tend to do the leafy greens first and then stack all the other chopped salad ingredients on top of that) + hummus (or topping of your choice)

Oh, and a word to the wise...these seem to take on a life of their own. Only add a small amount of each salad ingredient or you will end up with a mountain of food on your plate!!

Bon appetit!

So cute!!!

This little guy/gal is sitting on my carpet at the moment...First gecko I've seen inside here actually. But he/she is adorable!!!

xxx

le fromage chevre

Here's to new experiences.

A new cafe. A new breakfast favourite.
For all you Brisbaneits, if you haven't checked out Anouk in Paddington yet, you must. Even Jamie Oliver has :-)

The cafe itself was open yet cosy. New and exciting yet familiar. Bright and airy yet inviting. The staff were friendly and knowlegable. The menu, captivating. The service, impecable. The food, amazing. I can't wait to go back and try something new and different - maybe the mushrooms? or risotto? or maybe something completely different.

I had avocado, roast mushrooms and rocket with dukkah and goats cheese on toasted sourdough.
SO. SO. GOOD. I finished my plate. Go try it for yourself.

Phone pic of my scrumptious breakfast!

...and after I demolished it.

It was so good I had to go try it for myself...not actually a fan of goats cheese (or goat anything...it generally tastes like I"m licking a goat...ugh)...THIS cheese here is really nice. Tres tres bien.

It's the real deal - authentique francais

And it goes beautifully with poached egg, rocket and olive sourdough too...in case you were wondering :-)

Try something new today. Who knows, it might just change your life!

Bon appetit!