Basil

*

Basil

Fresh

home grown basil

Bountiful

Beautiful

Tasty...

 

Basil Pods

 

Basil Boat

 

Basil

cherry tomato

and

fetta

stacks

drizzled

with olive oil,

speckled with

freshly ground

peppercorns

and

rocksalt

 

Basil betwixt

briny fetta

and

blessed

tomato

I am besotted

by

Basil

*

Breakfast like a King...

*

An old proverb
suggests that we eat:


Breakfast like a king
Lunch like a prince
and
Dinner like a pauper




After 8-12 hours
without food
our blood sugar
is at rock bottom


25% of our day's calories
need to be consumed at breakfast
to keep us going until lunchtime


The brain needs constant glucose
to function properly
and therefore
breakfast is very important
and not only that,
studies tell us
that those who eat breakfast
are happier people


Protein in the morning
gives you energy
and brain food,
whereas starch
makes you feel calm
serene and happy


We require most of our energy
at the beginning of the day
and least at the end....

So let me tell you
about my breakfast...

I make muesli
by gathering together
sunflower seeds
pepitas
and craisins

bran and puffed rice











baked honey coated rolled oats

lots of walnuts

and crunchy almonds

at other times











I add various dried fruits
I have in stock
like Goji Berries

I make a lowfat yogurt
from a package
of organic milk and
yogurt culture mix

which sets
in the container overnight

and add juice
of the day

today it is orange-mango
but my favourite is apple-pear

and voila,
served with fresh red pawpaw
we have


Breakfast for a king...






*

Peach Melba

*

Peach Melba and Nellie...

Peach Melba
is an extremely simple
little dessert
but quite yummy

However it is the origins
of that dessert
that are fascinating


Dame Nellie Melba
1861-1931
was an opera soprano singer
from Australia
and one of the most famous singers
of the late Victorian era
and the twentieth century

Nellie was born Helen Porter Mitchell
but took the stage name Nellie Melba,
a contraction of her hometown
of Melbourne

She was the first Australian
to receive recognition
as a classical vocalist

Despite an angelic voice
she was a demanding,
temperamental
diva personna

Dame Nellie Melba
made so many final concerts in Australia
that a phrase was coined
in the Australian vernacular,
"more farewells than Nellie Melba"










She travelled to Europe in 1886
to launch her career
and whilst singing Wagner's Lohengrin
at Covent Garden
a dessert was invented in her honour
by French chef Auguste Escoffier,
of the Savoy Hotel London,
for a dinner party
given by the Duke of Orleans


The original Peach Melba
was presented
on an ice sculpture of a swan
from the opera,
and featured peaches
topped with spun sugar



A second version
was later devised
by Escoffier,

very simply the dessert
layers peach halves
on vanilla icecream
with has a drizzling
of raspberry puree

The Melba sauce of raspberries
can be substituted
with melted red currant jelly

The dish above
is a little more interesting
although equally as simple:

Grilled Ginger Peach Melba

2 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon Ginger, Ground
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted

DIRECTIONS

1. Gently toss raspberries with granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve. Mix butter, brown sugar, orange juice, ginger and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl. Add peach halves; toss gently to coat well.

2. Fold the edges of a sheet of heavy duty foil to form a shallow baking pan.
Place on grill over medium heat. Arrange peaches, cut-side down, on foil.
Cover with second sheet of foil. Grill peaches about 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and caramelized around edges, turning once.

3. To serve, place 2 peach halves on each dessert plate. Top each with 1/3 cup raspberries. Serve immediately.

Delicious




*

Chutney at Lola's Place

*

Making Green Tomato Chutney...







Today
I'm over at Lola's
making Green Tomato Chutney

so come on over
and join us
and have a sample
of my chutney
on a cracker...

see you at Lola's place






*

Okonomiyaki - Japanese Pancake

*

Okonomiyaki
Australian Style...

I first ate okonomiyaki
in Osaka, Japan
where it is particularly popular



Okonomi = as you like it
yaki = cooked




is a pan fried dish that consists
of a batter
plus cabbage, octopus, shrimp, pork
and vegetables
whatever you prefer...


really you choose it
as you like it...

sometimes it is served
on a hot griddle
where the curling bonito flakes
waft savoury aromas
to the hungry diner


I have tried a number of times
to replicate okonomiyaki at home
and each time
the resulting pancake
has been like a heavy ring of rubber
and equally as unappetising













so I have improvised...

tonight
I need to clear these vegetables
from my market produce
laden fridge


so I slice and nuke the potatoes
for a few minutes

saute the leeks

add some chopped brocolli
and a few mushrooms
that had seen better days
and let them soften











nibble a few wasabi peas
to keep in context

add the shredded silver beet
and allow to wilt

meanwhile whisk 6 eggs
with a teaspoon of dashi stock
and about one tablespoon of water
and one tablespoon of flour

remove the vegetables
from the pan temporarily
oil and line the bottom of the pan
with your potato slices
and return the vegetable medley
pouring over the egg mixture
and season


and sit the pan on low to set
I usually place the pan
under the griller
to complete the last few minutes
of cooking

Have on hand
your Tonkatsu sauce
and mayonnaise

and some shaved bonito flakes

create alternate zigzags
of tonkatsu sauce
and mayonnaise

and sprinkle with bonito flakes





Delicious...



*

Sweet Potato Soup

*

Sweet Potato Soup

Today being Sunday
was Farmers' Market day
and that means
over abundance day
Today we have an excess
of sweet potato...

What shall we make...
Sweet potato with Bacon Soup?

or another variety
of sweet potato soup?

let's allow the pantry
and the fridge to decide

First let's saute two onions
a large clove of garlic
and chop up the sweet potato

with some celery

and then add
the sweet potato and the celery
to the pot
for a few minutes
to coat with olive oil
and begin the cooking process

then we can add
the coconut mik
some stock
and seasoning,
in this case nutmeg
with ground pepper


and leave to simmer
for 20 minutes...

meanwhile,
we can have
a little cleanup

slice some fresh sour dough bread

and take a little
slow wander outside
to check on the laundry
decorously draped
over the outdoor furniture
in the sun...

and look to see
what is happening
on the river today...

we have time to notice
a few lemons
on a rather wild
and unkempt lemon bush
in the corner
underneath the palms

talk to
the tiny tomatoes

and pick some stalks of
continental parsley
for garnishing

as we return to the kitchen
you can admire the flowers
I bought this morning
at the market

while I smile
as I look at the pre-invitation,
tucked behind the frame,
that my son and partner
sent out to family and friends
announcing their wedding
in advance
to allow for planning
and bookings to be made

and come back in time
to blend the soup ingredients
adjust the seasoning

and serve a hearty plate

to carry to the nest
for lunch...

yum
Sweet Potato Soup



Delicious...

Sweet Potato Soup

3 medium sweet potatoes
1 large clove garlic
2 onions
3 stalks of celery
about 4 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of coconut milk or light coconut cream
pinch of nutmeg
salt and ground pepper


Saute onions and garlic until transparent
Add celery and sweet potato for a few minutes
Almost cover with stock and coconut milk/cream
Add nutmeg and ground pepper
Simmer for 20 minutes

Blend and check the seasoning
Serve with a parsley garnish



*