COUSCOUS......North African

A simple pasta.......made from fine semolina mixed with a little water to form a dry dough and then grated in to small grains , which are then coated with fine wheat flour and dried.

Couscous is also the name of a dish , where boiling water has been added to the dried grains and allowed to swell aided with the steam .

 It is served heaped on a plate covered with vegetables, chicken , mutton , possibly  mixed with chick peas.

SERVE THIS AS A SIDE  OR  SIMPLE MAIN COURSE

Preheat a pan on the stove .

Add a good drop of rice bran oil

4 sliced red onions

3 cloves of garlic sliced

1. small red chilli  ( optional )

Cook till onion and garlic are softened, aromatic and lightly colouring.

Gently add a mix of 2 dsp of honey and  2 tsp of balsamic vinegar

Turn down the heat to low.

Prepare the couscous ......

Place 1. cup couscous in a bowl along with

1. cup of boiling water or vegetable stock

Cover the bowl and let stand for 3 minutes.

Remove the cover and add a little oil and fluff the couscous with a fork.

Place in serving bowls and top with onion and garlic mix .

Enjoy,

WEEKLY MENU .. CASTLE GARDEN ...JAN 13TH,,,,,,,,,JAN 17TH

MONDAY 13 TH JAN

Black rice , Prawn and Asparagus Stir fry.....pg 54  Taste Magazine Sept 2013

TUESDAY 14TH JAN

Chicken with Bulgar and Greek Yoghurt.....Pg 62  My Mediterranean  Kitchen

WEDNESDAY 15TH JAN

Wine Braised Lentils with Kangaroo Sausages and Fig Balsamic Glaze...Pg 74  Easy Gourmet

THURSDAY 16TH JAN

Bean and Pea Tabouli with Char Grilled Sumac Salmon....Pg 38 Taste Mag  Oct  2013.

FRIDAY 17 TH JAN

Mongolian Kangaroo Fillet.....Pg 269 Fresh Food Fast


 

kaalvan MAHARASHTRAIN SALMON CURRY......from RECIPES FROM AN INDIAN KITCHEN.

FOR PAUL MERSEY  from P.M.WINDOW DESIGNS
SHANE MAXWELL from THE CELLAR , St KILDA.

Heat 4 tbs of oil in a fry pan add 4 fillets of salmon 2 minutes max on each side.
Turn off heat...set aside.

Prepare a rice  ( black, red or basmati )...steamed or boiled , the ratio being 1 cup of rice  to 2 cups of water. Get the rice cooking before you start the next step.

In a bowl mix together

 1 dsp of cornflour , 1 tsp of chilli powder, 1. tsp of paprika , 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp of groung coriander , 2 tsp of cumin , 2 tsp salt. 1. dsp tamarind paste..1. 400 ml can or as close too of coconut milk and I and 1/2 cups of water.

Now add this to the pan with the fillets , slowly bring to the boil , now cover with a loose fitting film of foil , reduce heat and cook gently for 12 minutes...sauce will thicken slightly....
You are now ready to serve a drop dead delicious , authentic salmon curry with black rice , red rice or basmati rice.. ( your choice )
Enjoy.

GROSSI FLORENTINO

Our Grossi  Florentino experience was amazing....

The service was excellent and we were served our courses by Guy Grossi and his staff .
 Grossi himself was unassuming and left us to enjoy the occasion and ambience of the traditionally adorned Italian restaurant. Not a checkered tablecloth in sight .

The wine pairings and vintage were excellent.

Eleven courses followed......

1.Crostini sticks, small olives in oil, and fish croquettes
2.Bread rolls with garlic butter
3.Veal tongue lollipops.....
4.Montecoppe Parmigiano Reggiano with balsamic syrup
5. Yellowfin  tuna
6.White Bass fish broth
7 Linguine in a parmesan sauce with black truffle.
8.Roasted partridge , beetroot on a buckwheat bed
9.Wafer topped  lemon sorbet on a biscotti crumble
10.Chocolate soufflé and hazelnut ice cream with chocolate sauce
11. Petite fours and coffee.

It is not a place to dine if your credit card is already bulging .
We were happy to pay the bill feeling totally satisfied with the meal , there was nothing to fault , food , service , ambience and setting.
We will definitely return.
BUONISSIMO.

INTRODUCTION

Hello Diane ....

Let me introduce myself , I am Noelene Marchwicki .
I am keen to get  involved with the GEST program . Since my return to the Valley from Masterchef , I have spoken to many people who are involved with getting people to eat healthier , and spent 5 weeks in the Jamie Oliver  Food Van.
The Jamie Oliver Van was a great initiative , but it totally missed the groups who needed it most.
I live in Churchill and would love to set  up a GEST style community kitchen café  in the  vacant Glendonald shop in Churinga drive , Churchill.
We seem to miss the point when it comes to disadvantaged groups , we should be about empowering people to change not telling them that everything they do is wrong.
The community of food is about sharing , getting together  , interchange , listening to stories of food will enable  people to begin to change and  believe in themselves , being part of a program where people make food  to share , even getting a sense of growing their own herbs or a vegetable which will be part of a salad.....
Getting  people to use pots and pans and not a salmon fillet in sight  ! How refreshing would that be ?
I love every aspect of food and I seriously want to spread the word , and would love to be involved in the GEST café .
There is no way I can disguise my enthusiasm , not everyone will have the opportunities I have experienced , but I can share my knowledge and ability to give people a sense of worth through food.
Please help me , to help others.

2 MORE SLEEPS........

Counting down the days  .
I  am dining at Grossi  Florentino restaurant Saturday night.
Cooking is a continuing education in cultures , I have travelled the world with the insight given by my aquaintances, recipes , and the stories scattered throughout very personal accounts and recipes written in cooking books.
I have spent many years working alongside health practitioners with heritages from all over the world...
Sonia.Romm......Russian
Paul .Salloum...Syrian
Paris.Deliyannis.....Greek
Tran .Nguyen....Vietnamese
Anastase Kalamovrakis.....Greek
Leonidas.Vlahakis......Greek
Ross Mc Dowell.....Australian

(and not one of them a Collingwood supporter)

Through the community of food , stories of harvesting and food celebrations , photos of families gathered around tables  I have visited their villages , sat at their tables and  tasted their tradional fare, always generous, simple with flavour filled produce.

The journey will continue on Saturday night , when I enter Grossi Florentino , Burke St Melbourne

My favourite cuisine  is Italian.

Polpettone....
Arancini Di Riso Allo Zafferano....
Bianchetti Fritti
Osso Buco
Trippa Con Pomodoro E Fagioli
Spaghetti Con Passata
Pizza Margherita
Risotto Con Asparagi E Fontina

My favourite all time  is Salmon Ripieno, it is all about  salmon , scallops and the terrine like preparation of this dish..

Italian made ...enjoy

All recipes can be found in' Recipes From My Mother`s Kitchen" by Guy Grossi
Thank you Paul and Shane for giving me the opportunity to continue my journey to Italy.

TEA WAS DELICIOUS and so was DESSERT

 The sweet potato gnocchi  was a winner .

 But so was  dessert.......

 

CARAMELISED STRAWBERRY CAKE........

Wash and drain  500gm of fresh strawberries, roll the strawberries in 1/2 cup of caster sugar coating

lightly.

Cook the strawberries in an oven tray coated with cooking spray in an oven heated to 200deg, till the sugar is dissolved .

Remove strawberries from the baking tray and  set aside . Cook the remaining syrup for another  2 minutes .

Place slices of swiss  jam roll onto individual serving plates and top with warm strawberries  and serve with whipped cream or ice cream , drizzle with syrup from the pan...serve immediately.