Move over Martha...

A very industrious bug bit me yesterday, and quite frankly I'd be very happy to be at home today still being bit that by that bug and churning out jams and chutneys and whatever 'homely' things I can get my hands onto.

It all started on Sunday when I did a quick once-over the fridge to see what was needed in the grocery shopping. There, stuck at the back of the fridge was the bag of kiwifruit that Marty had sworn black and blue he was going to eat and enjoy! They were on special, 8 for $2 - bargain, and although I'll eat the odd one here and there, I'm not the world's greatest fan. But a week on, there they sat taunting me with their 'uneatenness'. So, I reached up onto the shelf for the Edmond's Cookbook for a kiwifruit chutney or jam recipe. It seemed an obvious starting point, and they certainly didn't disappoint. AND, it was easy!

My 8 kiwifruit were peeled and chopped, I even had a couple of old apples in the fridge that got used up in the recipe. However, presumption is the mother of all f%#k ups, and I presumed there was malt vinegar in the pantry. There wasn't and chutney-making was halted until Marty got home. I did have red wine vinegar, but learning my previous lesson with presumptions, I didn't presume that it would be a perfectly apt substitute. I couldn't get hold of the expert at the time, so back to waiting. As a good housewife I used this time productively to hang out washing, wash dishes and prepare the meat for dinner. And then rewarded my good behaviour with a glass of red! On his arrival, he informed me that yes red or white wine vinegar would have been fine and that malt vinegar was just what was 'in' at the time of the recipe. Good to know.

Chutney making resumed. The base of ingredients - spices, onions, apples, vinegar - were set to a gentle boil until they thickened and soften and then the kiwifruit was added. After an hour of cooking, it was set aside to cool, and I must admit that it tasted pretty good when I sampled a little before it went into the jar. I will definitely give a teaspoon a go tonight with my dinner, and we have a jar of it that will be a nice accompaniment to cheeses, or even a curry.

All this industry has got my fingers itching and I'm looking forward to the next fruit or vegetable that comes in excess. I'm hoping for some peppers and chillies so I can give Jamie's Cheeky Chili Chutney a go, and I can't wait to get the tomato plants into the garden so that next year we can make some more sun dried tomatoes, but also some tomato chutneys and sauces.

Now I'm going to spend the afternoon looking up other interesting things to preserve and make, and maybe another visit to the supermarket to get some more kiwifruit if it tastes good. Would love to try it with the white wine vinegar so that the actual chutney can retain some of the green of the kiwifruit, as opposed to it all turning a darker shade of brown. I'll explore the options before I succumb to green food colouring!

Ciao
xoxo

It's been a while my friends...

While experiencing some downtime in Christchurch, I thought I'd take a little time to add some much needed updates. We have still been working our way through Jamie's book, and once I hit Melbourne again I'll let you know some awesomely easy recipes to whip up at home. We've done a great Chicken and Avo dip pita, an amazing Courgette and rice dish - perfect for veggies or as a side dish, and I'll definitely be telling you about the Moroccan dessert we had for Christmas.

Most importantly I can't wait to tell you about our 'Preservation Factory' we've started. Sun dried Tomatoes fresh from the vine, Basil oil and Garlic oil, and by now the lemons must be preserved! Hopefully our amazingly abundant Roma tomato tree will still be producing and maybe we'll make some chutneys. This is where I'd love to hear from you all - do you have a family fave, a special jam or relish recipe that you think is awesome and we can make. We're on the hunt for exciting things to do, and interesting vessels to preserve them in! I'll pop up photos when we have some on our shelves I need to clear.
Looking forward to hearing those suggestions!

The Chicken and Avo wrap...

xoxo

Venetian steaks and Spanish Patatas Bravas!

So it was about a month ago since this particular meal, so I hope I can recall all the details! I do remember that I had been to the gym for a very strenuous workout, hadn't eaten well all day and by the time we needed to hit the supermarket, I was particularily 'hangry' (hungry + angry! Good phrase!!). The need for food and soon outweighed the lengthy discussions that would normally take place and with some beautiful ribeye on special - decision made! Now the recipe isn't online because it is 'dead simple' to quote Mr Oliver. Steak, olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and some fresh rosemary rubbed over the steak. Pop it onto a grill/bbq/braai or a good grill pan on the stove and cook to your specifications! If you'd like to infuse the meat with loads more flavours, rub the meat with all the above, and put it all together and covered in the fridge for 5-6 hours.

From Jamie - some guidelines to cooking your steak: "As a general guideline, cooking the steak for 10 to 12 minutes will give you a blue to rare meat. 15 to 17 miuntes will give you rare to medium rare, and around 20 to 22 minutes will give you medium...Once cooked to your liking transfer to a plate for 5 miuntes to rest."

Now to make this dish Venetian Style it is best served with a great little salsa! What you'll need for the salsa is:
1 Fresh chilli
8 cherry tomatoes - I used fresh tomatoes from our tree and the pecorino ones you buy. the combination was good
1 clove of garlic, peeled
a smalll bunch of free flat-leaf parsley
a small bunch of basil - again from the garden:)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
50g ricotta or feta cheese. I used feta.

I'm using 'I' because Marty was making the potatoes at this stage, and I whipped up the salsa. Seasoning a la Ainsley, and lugging in the olive oil, my instincts kicked in and the taste was good! A bit of practice before I made my avocado dip the following weekend!

And now onto the potatoes! Well, these feisty little potatoes actually translate to 'fierce potatoes'. Kinda the way we were feeling having not eaten all day! Now, no matter where you go for tapas you will find these babies on the menu. A particular favourite that I've just had was at Hairy Canary on Little Collins St, a must for anyone that likes tapas! Now the recipe is alluding me and sleep is calling me so I'll update it fully tomorrow for you when I tell you about the fabulous chicken and avo wraps we did!

 2 stunning pieces of meat from the local butcher!

 These potatoes can be used as a great side dish for most meals as well, and we'll definitely be doing them with our next bbq!

The finished product!

Ciao xx