Fun food festivals

It all begins with a gathering of passion, flair and a whole lot of determination. A chance for producers, wine makers, distillers, restauranteurs and chefs to show case their talents in a fun community event. A time for people to taste, learn and experience the wonders of their culinary flair. Having the chance to personally ask a chef how a dish comes together, learn the secrets behind it, is a darn lot better than any cooking show. There are so many chefs who want to share their knowledge and passion for food and it’s at these festivals people have the chance to explore and be involved in this. Yes, the stall holders and the organisers who are willing and able to light the first flame, but then it has to have the support to keep the flame alight. Without the support from the community, food festivals would never come to life.

Determination comes to mind again, so to explain where I’m coming from. How did the Noosa Food & Wine festival, Melbourne Food & Wine happen?  How about the Galway Oyster Festival, the La Tomatina in Spain, MAD Symposium in Denmark, International White Truffle in Italy and my god does the list go on? Do you think these happen overnight? Instant success, of course not.  Passion, determination, amazing produce, and a love for celebration. To share, learn and showcase what you have grown, produced, created and sell, even sharing the love for the company that employs you. Being part of what you believe in.

It all makes my heart skip a beat. These amazing gatherings have put a lot of these place on the foodie map and that is my dream to do this, here in Airlie Beach.

Last month I had the pleasure of participating in two amazing food and wine festivals. One hosted for the “Clipper Cup” and the other, “Great Australian Bites”. To be a part of the “Clipper Cup” was a true honour. We had a pop up restaurant at Abell Point Marina, Lure Restaurant, for the duration of there stay and a food stall on the Saturday, showcasing fresh local Bowen tiger prawns and Local Spanish mackerel, beer battered with chips. A chance to try the other stall holder’s delights was a special treat, yum. The food stall, with the marina behind and the line-up of these magnificent boats was breath taking. So hope we are a port of call for their next Clipper race, just amazing.

The following Sunday Great Australian Bites came to town. Well to start with, talk about dam excited, for us to being given the opportunity to host such an event in Airlie Beach! These have been held in Brisbane and Port Douglas, two already known foodie destinations. And then us, I mean, WOW. It was an amazing fun community spirited day. The organisers did a fantastic job along with all that participated. We showcased the same menu as it was so well received at the Clipper Festival, I mean really fresh prawns and good old fish and chips, when it so fresh you can’t go wrong.

I also had a slot at the chefs table, along with some other passionate chefs, to do a cooking demonstration. Prawn and pea risotto scented with local lemon. How much fun was that? After it was made guests had the opportunity to have a taste and with quite a few coming up for seconds, it’s a priceless complement. Being told that you have inspired someone, they take my recipe and fact sheet and they are going to make it themselves, once again priceless. So hope it will returns and we have the chance to host again making it bigger and better.

So this is the big picture. We must, no matter where in the world support such events and make them grow. It’s up to us as a community, Whitsunday community to put us on the foodie map. We tick all the boxes. Amazing local producers, suppliers that give a shit, chefs with more passion then a lot of places I have been and restaurants that shine. We have hospitality staff that smile, who want to be here in the Whitsundays and share that with our visitors.  We also have Council, Chamber of Commerce, WMDL and Queensland Tourism support. With all these ingredients in the recipe, measured and weighed it’s up to us to give it a dam good stir and cook it off to perfection.

Can we do it?  Hell yeah!

So start spreading the word, tell one and all about how fantastic it was. Use social media, in conversations with friends, family, anyone, social groups. Even send an old fashion post card. Whatever it takes, it’s up to us. We more than cover all the other holiday requirements. The Whitsundays is stunning.

Time to show Australia; the world, that Airlie Beach is not only ready, but it must be put on the foodie map. No longer should people miss out on the culinary delights that we have to offer. Time to spread the word and festivals like this will help make that happen.

Come and have a taste of the Whitsundays!

A taste of fine English pub fare.

It’s a hot and steamy Sunday night in tropical Queensland, around 31° and still sitting at 75% humidity. We are inside with the air conditioners pumped. Only a small house but what the hell, we have the two air-cons going, hot enough to justify it. Thoughts of dinner come to mind and well what can I say?  You can take the man out of England but never the Englishman out of the man. Knowing he has some of Don the Butcher’s (aka, The Sausage king’s) thick pork sausages in the fridge, “toad in the hole” is requested. Maybe I should turn one of the air conditioners off, was it too chilled for him? I mean really. No way is the oven going on, not for any, feed the stomach love the man blah blah blah quotes, I’ve ever heard.

Then again I can hardly be called a Food Junkie and turn a challenge down, can’t let it lie, my mind starts to ponder. To make a good toad in the hole, or any Yorkshire batter dish, heat is the main key.

Hot, hot, hot. As the batter is poured in to the dish it must be smoking hot.

So the junkie mind pings and BBQ comes to mind. It is the answer. Everyone wins, as I do love toad in the hole too. The BBQ will not only give me the initial heat required but the lid creates the oven to retain heat and finish it off. All this can be achieved with our little house remaining at the temperature that one does really require, on a night like this.

To set up I remove the open grill grate from the BBQ and place the hot plate in the centre. Turn on all jets and place a small tray you wish to cook the toad in on the hot plate. I used a small cake tin 12.5 cm.  Add a little oil, I happened to use duck fat, had some on hand, mmmmmmm. Oil or fat is essential to create a crust on the batter.

Now cook the sausages in the dish till approximately ¾ done. Turning regularly so not to burn any sides. Leaving the sausages juices amalgamating with the oil used is just going to give you more flavour and that’s never a bad thing. As any chef will tell you fat does mean flavour.  Now create an oven by lifting the sausage pan onto another small baking dish, turned upside down. Photos will explain what I mean by this. Shut the lid and just get the heat back to temp. In about 5 mins lift the lid and pour batter over the sausages into the pan, shut the lid and turn off the 2 centre jets.

It’s now time to let the magic happen and try not to have a sneak peek….do I? Well of course. Just be bloody quick as losing heat will affect the result you are after.  You want there to be crisp golden batter around the edges with juicy sausages baked in a sponge like batter in the centre. Depending on pan and sausage size takes around 20 mins. It is truly a divine dish any time of the year. Then simply serve with peas and gravy. A true old classic that has well and truly stood the test of time. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

Toad in the hole

Ingredients

3-4 thick pork sausages

1 tbsp. oil or duck fat works a treat

1 whole egg, once again I used a duck egg, had some on hand. If not free range, please

200 mls milk

100gm plain flour

½ tsp salt

Pinch ground white pepper

To serve peas and gravy

Method

Firstly make the batter by whisking the egg and milk together. Then add the salt and flour and whisk till a smooth batter. Let rest for at least ½ an hour for the gluten in the flour to relax. If you don’t the gluten will still be activated and the result will be tough and chewy. This goes for all flour batters, let them rest.

Then as described earlier follow the instruction. Make your BBQ oven set up. Turn on and get ready. Par cook sausages, rearrange BBQ oven. Pour over batter and let the magic happen.

Meanwhile heat the peas and gravy. Suggested condiments. French or English mustard or horseradish. Personally nothing else turns me on but if it does for you, go for it!

So yes one can have a touch of English heritage cuisine in the tropics. It is a dish worth trying if you haven’t already.

           Simplicity at its best.

These dishes do not stand the test of time if they aren’t bloody yummy.   Enjoy

The old leftover Christmas ideas

Well I had too didn’t I? So what do you do? I imagine nobody has any leftover seafood, if there was it would have been munched away on Boxing Day. Nine times out of ten the left overs come from the bird, the big bird or a ham. This year I went for a goose, delicious as it was and I rekindle the same meal on Boxing Day, Goose roast and all the trimmings. Said it was good but yes, I do have a bit of meat left over.

Well as I taught in the “Street Food” Masterclass, empanadas are a delicious was to use up any leftover roast, bird or beast. I will post my recipe below. One I designed using a store bought roast chicken for this exact reason.  The flavours in the empanada mix take the roast in a completely different taste direction. Left over ham, hell yes, just watch the seasoning. It’s a saltier meat.

Another left over roast idea and one I use often is rice paper rolls. This is my plan tomorrow and I’m excited.  Shredded roast meat, coriander, crunchy carrot, Japanese mayonnaise, crushed peanuts (use salted), cucumber, spring onions and bean sprouts with a sweet chilli dipping sauce (homemade) You can’t go wrong. Any ham, once again works a treat, these salty meats and rice paper rolls are really good buddies.

How to make rice paper rolls. Watch this space for Masterclass “A taste of Vietnam”. Or google. They are easy. My one tip is to roll on a brand new clean chux wipe. It will soak up any excess water from the softening process. Rice paper rolls need to be dipped briefly in warm water, but they do not like to be wet. Trust me.

Other quick fix ideas in my book are as pizza toppings and tacos, always a winner. The pumpkin filo pastries in the basil brush blog will welcome any leftovers with open pastry sheets. Soup is another great idea especially with the left over bird. I have a weakness for Chinese style chicken and corn. Use creamed corn and kernels, stock and the meat, shredded. Thicken when it comes to the boil with a whisked egg, stirring fast to create the thin egg ribbons in this classic soup. Any questions, ASK ME

Most of all do not throw the bones away. Roasted bone stock is a must and really rocks. Pre roasted bones add a wicked flavour.  Add the bones, brown onion, skin and all. Roughly chopped carrot and celery. Add parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf and a little salt. Cover with water and bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 1 hour. Cool to room temp, then chill in the fridge. This will allow the fat to sit at the top so you can remove it.  It freezes so well. Defrost and use as you wish. Absolutely knock your socks off hearty stock.

Once again any questions please, please feel free to ask. Always happy to discuss the amazing delights of our culinary world.

Empanadas

1. Ingredients
2. ·         2 legs and 1 breast of roasted chicken with stuffing
3. ·         2 finely diced onions
4. ·         1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
5. ·         ½ teaspoon each of cumin, ground ginger and cinnamon
6. ·         ½ cup chopped coriander
7. ·         ½ cup toasted pine nuts
8. ·         ½ cup currants
9. ·         1 teaspoon salt
10. ·         ½ teaspoon pepper to taste
11. ·         2 ½ tbsp.. pomegranate molasses
12. ·         1 tbsp.  lemon zest
13. ·         1 packet puff pastry
14. ·         1 egg and 100mls milk (if baking)
15. ·         2 litres vegetable oil (if frying) this can be strained and reused

Method

Toast pinenuts to release their flavour

Remove chicken meat and stuffing from the bones. Reserve bones for stock, roasted bones make beautiful stock. Roughly chop chicken and pull apart stuffing into small bits.

Gently fry onions till transparent, no colour. Add spices, currants and pinenuts.

Stir in chicken and add pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper. Zest in lemon, little at a time, taste and if required add more.

Mix all ingredients well. Chill. Taste When mix is cold roll into pastry. I choose puff. If baking oven brush with egg and milk mix (egg wash)

If deep frying you are ready to go.
Now enjoy. YUM!

Pineapple anc coconut sorbet

So, as promised the recipe for pineapple and coconut sorbet. These two ingredients are always great buddies and this is delicious as is, or I have added a few flavor extras at the bottom. Try them and experiment. As I mentioned in the ice cream and sorbet masterclass, make the mix then freeze a small portion. Don't worry about the whole blend thing, this is just for a taste, check you have your mix right. If it tastes right, go ahead. If it doesn't fix it. Not sure how. ASK ME :)

Tropical Pineapple and coconut sorbet

Ingredients

½ cup light coconut milk

1 pineapple

½ cup caster sugar

2 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

Method

Place coconut milk and sugar into a saucepan and gently heat to dissolve the sugar. Put aside when sugar is dissolved to cool

Skin and core the pineapple and cut into chunks. Place pineapple, coconut milk and lime juice into a blender or food processor and blend till smooth and creamy. At this stage you can either strain or leave the pineapple flesh in the mix. Totally up to you, smooth or a bit of pineapple texture.  Both are fabulous. Now you can either place mix into an ice cream machine and follow the manufactures instructions or place mix into the freezer and leave till frozen.

Take out, cut into chunks, blend and return to the freezer with plastic cling film cover and lidded (this stops from going icy) I think this process repeated again works a treat, but as all blenders, pineapples and coconut milks can give different results, it will depend. Repeat process till you are happy with the texture.

Store in the freezer with the cling film placed on top and lidded till you are ready to serve.

Added flavors

If you like the texture thing some fresh grated coconut is divine. For this recipe add ¼ cup after blending. Just mix it through.

Angostura bitters (and use Angostura, not the imitations), will bring this sorbet combo to a new level. I go around 10 drops but you can add as little or as much as you like. Yummy

A touch of ginger will also be an amazing addition. Add ½ teaspoon to the coconut and sugar pan, heat, then strain before chilling.

If serving for a dessert top with a sprinkle of popping candy, talk about fun. Don’t tell the guests, let it be a surprise.

A touch of mint lightens this amazing already light combo. Add a few bruised leaves, say 5-8 depending on how minty you want to go, to the coconut milk and sugar mix before heating. Strain when finished and cool

So you have a few serves of the sorbet left over and not sure what to do with it? Put it back in the freezer?…Hell no. Blend with a shot of Angostura Reserva, white rum from Trinidad and enjoy a cheeky cocktail, well why not J

Same recipe, just swapped pineapple for 2 mango's

Basil Brush

The herb of summer, basil. The vibrant green leaves just sing summer, sun and outdoor living. Perfect buddies with tomato, pasta, eggplant, charcuterie, lemon, pineapple, chillies and the list goes on. It’s just an all-rounder good guy who can turn something a bit bland in to bloody yummy. The big green glossy leaves, will, as a garnish, bring any dish alive. So you buy a bunch of basil, then what? 

First thing that come into my mind is pesto. So versatile, from a dish of pasta to cheese toasties. If made correctly, which isn’t hard at all (makes me wonder how so many chefs can bugger it up though, generally it’s just not seasoned enough) so I’ve put my recipe down.

Don't be scared of salt and pepper, they enhance the flavour, bring the basil, garlic and cheese to party together. As they should, get down and basily

Another idea for basil and to keep it through the winter months, is to dry it. Hang upside down in a cool draft free place and let the moisture naturally disappear. Store when completely dried in an airtight jar.  This is great for dry spice blends, my new food porn.  Personally though, I like to freeze, as dried basil it's ok in some recipes but just sometimes doesn’t pack the punch required in others. 

To freeze basil. Dip in and out of boiling water, in and out, seconds, then straight into and iced water bath to refresh. Dry completely on paper towel. To Freeze, place leaves on tray and freeze. When frozen they can be placed in zip lock bags. Won’t be garnish basil but for cooking will do the trick.  

Grab some basil from the market, start creating and preserving. Any questions just ask.

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Classic basil pesto

Pesto has so many uses. Pasta and toasties as mentioned before but the list goes on. Mix with mayonnaise for coleslaw with a twist, smear it on a pizza base, or use as a marinade. Add to gravy for richer roast, mix with breadcrumbs, lemon zest and some caramelized onions for a chicken stuffing. Yes, the list goes on. 

Ingredients 

1 1/2cups of picked, washed and dried basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup nuts, pine-nuts are tradition but almonds, peeled or macadamia nuts are fab
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Method

In food processor start with nuts, ½ the oil and garlic. Basil bruises very easily, so it’s best to blend these ingredients up before adding it to the mix. Then add other ingredients, except oil and pulse blend whilst adding oil. Try not to over blend or it will go dark quickly.  TASTE, check seasoning. Store in the fridge with a slight film of oil on top, this will stop discolouration. Will keep for a couple of weeks.

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Basil, pumpkin and feta filos

Basil, pumpkin and feta cheese are a really good combo, whether on a pizza, cannelloni or as this recipe shows in filo triangles. Filo is easy to work with once you get to know each other. Never buy frozen, asking for trouble. Do use a damp cloth to keep from drying out, see pictures, but only damp. If too wet it will make the pastry soggy. Same with the filling, nothing too wet. These can also be rolled any way. Bigger rectangles, cigar shape. Have a play, become friends and even if looking for the healthier option, milk can be used instead of butter. Will it taste as good? Well think about it!

Ingredients

1kg pumpkin
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 brown onion
1/2 block of feta cheese
1 packet filo pastry
25 ish 2cm basil leaves
100g butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste, add at the end as feta is salty

Optional: fried bacon, salami, chorizo, even roast chicken can all be added for little extra zing.  If the pumpkin isn’t a sweetie, a little brown sugar won’t go astray. TASTE IT!

Method

Peel, seed and chop pumpkin into chunks, same size to cook evenly is best. Place on tray, spray with a little oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Rub to coat and roast till just tender.

Whilst waiting finely dice onion and fry till transparent. If using one of the meat options, add now whilst frying.

When pumpkin and onion is cool mix together with feta, TASTE, season. Taste after feta as it's a bit salty.

Now let’s get rolling. If you haven’t played with filo before I suggest adding some chopped basil to the mix, get to know filo then give this a try.

Place 2 sheets filo on a chopping board or bench. Cover the rest with a slightly damp cloth. Now cut through the filo, 5-6 times, evenly spaced to form long wide strips. Go 5 if not to confident. Bigger strip easier to handle.  Place approx. 2 good teaspoons at the bottom, lightly butter strip and fold to make a triangle. See photos.

As you get to the end, fold just one of the sheets, pop in basil, little more butter and continue to roll and fold. Seal end with little more butter. The photos should best explain this. Wrap left over filo in glad wrap and store in the fridge. Try not to leave it to long as will start to go brittle.  Bake at 180 for 14 mins till golden and crispy. Enjoy.

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Basil and pineapple pops

These are a very easy summer time icy pop. Fresh, tasty and zingy. Basil and mint can be varied to taste.

Ingredients

2 cups of chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 teaspoon coconut sugar (optional, depending on sweetness of pineapple)

Method

Wash and dry herbs. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend till pineapple is nearly smooth, little texture isn’t a bad thing. Pour into firm paper card muffin cups that are on a tray that will fit in your freezer. Or pop them in where you have room. Let mixture start to freeze then pop in icy pole sticks. Freeze completely. Any leftovers can be store in the freezer in plastic zip lock bag. 

Golden taste of Queensland

The summer season

With summer just around the corner we are coming into prime tropical fruit season, one of my favourite times of year. No better way to start the day then a bowl of delicious fresh tropical fruit salad. But why stop at fruit salad. I mean, one can only eat so much fruit salad, right?  Over the coming weeks I will be checking out what’s available at our amazing Prickly Pineapple, our local fruit and vegie supplier, and the local market and bring some ideas to you with recipes and fun funky fact sheets. Looking outside the box, making it a bit different.

As I have said before this is one little piggy who loves to go to market, so watch this space for some new ideas with the seasonal produce.

So in honour of Jamie, Jen and the team at Prickly Pineapple let’s start with this amazing sweet juicy fruit.

“Let’s get Prickly. Grab yourself green green top spiked yellow golden jewel. Make some fruit salad then give some of these ideas a go.”

Pineapple aioli

This is fantastic as a potato or coleslaw salad dressing as it’s a bit runnier than your average aioli. One of my favourite is to generously coat roasted potatoes or chips in a blend of smoked paprika and smoked Cyprus salt, then have this aioli as

a dipping sauce on the side, heaven. Smokey potato pineapple goodness.

Ingredients

1/2 medium size onion

1 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple

2 cups Japanese or whole egg mayo

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 table spoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

Roughly chop onion and slice garlic. Sautee in olive oil till transparent. Place cooled onion mix and all other ingredients I food processor and blend till combined.

Pineapple Pico

Mexican salsa is summer. Salsa is summer. This is a taste of summer. A touch of sweetness, touch of chilli and refreshing lime and fragrant coriander. Goes with seafood, chicken and pork. Pop in your next taco. My delight is on some sour dough toast with smashed avocado, breakfast done!

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup coriander

1 teaspoon finely diced pickled jalapeño chillies

1 large tomato, seeded and diced

1 cup diced pineapple

2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 minced teaspoon garlic

Method

Make sure onion, tomato and pineapple are diced the same. Stir through mince garlic, chopped coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If too tart for your liking stir through 1 teaspoon caster sugar. Let sit for flavours to blend and sugar to dissolve.

Pineapple vinaigrette

My take on making your next garden salad zing. Divine topped with crispy pancetta. Drizzle over any salad were you would normally use a vinaigrette. Heirloom tomatoes, bocconcini and sautéed pepperoni is a bloody winner.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pineapple

1 tablespoons seeded mustard

1 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon honey

Method

Place pineapple, mustard, vinegar, garlic and honey in food processor. Blend together and slowly add oil. Pulse in chopped parsley and ready to go.

Enjoy :)

For the love of cheese

Cheese, cheese, cheese, YES I love it all. From the full flavoured sharp hard body to the soft oozy creamy cheese that coats the cracker with ease. Round shiny waxed giant jewels to the stamped, labelled, sealed logs and matte yellow boulder discs. The veins of blue running through a Roquefort or Stilton, fresh shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano lacing my pasta bowl. The melted raclette, a bubbling melting heaven smothering my crispy fried potatoes.  Soft ricotta, warm with a sprinkle of sugar, grilled saganaki, a glistening slab of feta atop a Greek salad or the breaking of burrata on my summer Caprese.

“I just love them. cooking, eating, looking, making, buying, storing and sharing in these dairy culinary delights is an experience I always enjoy.
A must have.”

I admit I have been spoilt over the years with a taste of many cheeses from around the world. Living in England for many years working and holidays in Europe, cheese was always high on the hit list. A crusty baguette, bottle of wine and a selection of cheese anywhere in France is a divine meal in itself. So many to try.

Australia has come a long way in its artisan production with many a cheese maker putting in the time, effort and love to produce some fine cheeses. We are very lucky, along with the promise of even better selections to come.  Too damn good.

The creamier, softer, whiter cheeses are my weakness. Don’t get me wrong an aged cheddar, Dutch firm pale goats cheese and of course any type of Parmesan can make my day complete. But the smelly, over ripe, softened cheese will turn my day around. The soft fluffy cloud like mould that coats and encompasses this sensation you are about to indulge in, makes me go weak at the knees.  Over ripe, YES. Hint, buy your cheese, store it till it is well ripe, bring to room temperature and enjoy.

This country has unfortunately put to many restrictions on cheese consumption, hence not teaching us to experience it at its best. Along with not letting producers produce at its best, bloody health and safety restrictions. We have been making cheese without all these restrictions for 100’s of years and it has been OK. I mean, we have grown as a species, haven’t we. What’s their problem?? Anyway stop ranting. Do yourself a favour and buy quick sale and eat out of date.

“Rule of thumb. In any food situation, if it doesn’t taste right DON’T EAT IT!!!!”

My baked Camembert and Brie

Coming into the warmer months, entertaining, balmy outdoor evenings and late night snacks or excellent for the picnic hamper, my recipe for baked Camembert or brie is a winner. It turns what I feel an average, OK, cheap and cheerful cheese into a damn fine cheese dish. Here it is.

 Recipe

Baked Camembert

Ingredients

Besides a Camembert or Brie small wheel cheese there are no set ingredients/ rules in this one. What you like, what you’ve got, combos that tickle your fancy is what it’s gonna be.

My favourites are...

Chorizo, roasted red pepper and caramelized onions

Smoked salmon, horseradish and sautéed leeks

Smoked leg ham, chives and pineapple (fresh) an Aussie combo fav

Honey roasted pumpkin, toasted pinenuts and spring onions

Salami, wilted spinach and sundried tomato

Roasted garlic, sautéed mushrooms and sage

Delicious for afters.. Brandy soaked apricots, sliced almonds and cranberries

Sliced pears, thyme and walnuts

And the list goes on……

“If your not sure, ask me. That’s what this is all about.”

Method

Take a small Camembert or Brie and slice in ½. Keep chilled till ready to fill, easier to handle cold.

Whatever the filling you choose dice small so as when the cheese is scooped up, you get a bit of everything. Then layer the fillings on one half, then top.

Lightly spray a piece of grease proof paper, pop cheese in the centre and wrap. Then encase in foil.

Place in the oven, microwave or even the warm summer sun and let melt, ooze and create magic. Approx.10-15 mins in 180 depending on your oozy requirements. Rind will be tender and cheese soft inside.

Serve with crackers, toasted crusty bread, crudities or grissini.

Note these cheesy delights freeze really well. Great to have on hand for the last minute cheese hit. Place the greaseproof papered cheese in cling film and freeze.

Other ideas.

To vamp up this divine treat

This cheese is stunning when served in a wooden cheese box. Personally I eat these cheeses as is. I feel with this recipe, adding so much flavour you don’t need the fancy box cheese. I keep a couple of empty boxes on hand.

To serve, top with fresh herbs, maybe a drizzle of honey, sprinkle of roasted nuts. Let the imagination flow, amazing. Not sure, ASK ME, again, that’s what this is all about.

Another serving suggestion is to wrap the cheese in prosciutto . Looks amazing. Place un-wrapped cheese on grease proof lined tray and bake till prosciutto a little crisp.

For a true culinary show stopper, place the filled cheese in puff pastry, egg wash and bake. Talk about looking fancy and as for taste, well think about it.

Summary

Buy a couple of cheap cheese rounds, stuff em, bake em and eat em. Let me know how you go. Most of all enjoy.

Kitchen confidential

Behind the swinging doors in a commercial kitchen is another world. A world some love some, some loathe.  A world where the personal boundaries are different, work college’s standards are different and friendships are different.  Why? Pressure, heat, danger, timing, frantic speed, stress and most of all more pressure. When the love is there and it’s got to be bloody love, it’s is then a hectic high, an adrenaline rush and a food junkie’s maximum hit. What a buzz of sheer pleasure from the start of service to the just wicked moment when the remanding last dockets are spiked.

With this all in mind it’s easy to understand the language chefs often speak can be crude, offending and even just dam wrong to the outside world.  As I have said before a commercial kitchen is not for the light hearted.  It’s a hot ‘n’ greasy, fast paced, high stress, dangerous environment. We count on each other to bring it together, make it happen. But at the same time take the piss, humour each other and see past the small talk. What goes on behind those doors stays behind those doors.

Maybe its years of handling, cutting and pulling apart an array of dead animals or the holy hell stress of making it through a busy service, maybe it’s the late nights and weird sleep patterns, maybe it’s the knock off beer that turns into more than one. Whatever it is, it happens all over the world. Trust me!

Yes there is a strong love, an admiration for your fellow team mates. We need to flow together, cook together and push those dockets through. Sending out table after table of perfectly cooked cuisine. This united determination brings us together in a 3 hour service of absolute mayhem. Body parts, privates and all are bumped, rubbed, pushed, poked, cut, burnt and scored. The small place, the line-up, where all the meals come together, our ballet is performed. It’s inevitable you are going to come in contact with each other. Mentally, spiritually and verbally and defiantly not very politely.    I have many scars from many burns to prove this.

Another team mate, another chef, can take the Mickey out of you to almost tears, tell jokes that will make you squirm and scar you for life and it’s all just another day in the office. It’s just the way we roll.

To me we are a team. A very strong team, all as important as each other. From the Head chef to the dishwasher, we are all needed to perform our own ballet to unite us as one. Hard-core and rude but it’s a family rude, kitchen family rude, in a strange way lovable, acceptable rude. Acceptable scars, acceptable crudeness, acceptable family love. It’s just who we are.

A chef family, my chef family and I love them all.

The smiles of men in Dubai market

The gorgeous smiles from the men in Dubai as I took photos of the lamb’s heads and hoofs, their ocean catch and truly amazing beautiful produce. The culinary delights from the surrounding oceans, both fresh and dried. The known, the curious and the wouldn’t have a clue of their daily fare produce. The selection and taste of the dates still rings sweet in my mouth and the friendly smiling reception will be forever in my heart.

Think the smiles and laughter was the humour they found in my fascination for the market produce. From the seafood, fruits and slaughtered animals, hanging animals. Don’t expect they get many western women wandering around for hours, taking so many pictures.  So many heads and hoofs, it got me thinking what do they do with them? Surely not just for stocks and soups, way to many. I have herd of a few head dishes, the Italian Easter delicacy Capuzzelle- lamb’s head alla barese and of course Fergus Henderson highly recommends a head dish or two.

So me, being me, my hunt began. It was only a short stop over so I didn’t have a lot of time. Where, when and how would I find the Dubai version of this delicacy. Well, talk about pure luck, our last evening I found a little café around from the hotel in the old part of town, had to stay near the market, old town, for me the best of Dubai . There it was on the breakfast menu. Head and foot stew. Back to the hotel after dinner my mind was so excited for the breakfast that I was to wake to.

It’s a food junkie thing!

Morning arrived and off to indulge. The café was filled military, emergency services and local business men alike.  No other tourists. The essential vibe I found vigarating. I was about to try this dish that had been on my mind for many hours, very excited. Not to mention the array of chilli sauces on the breakfast table, my kind of setting. Dining where the locals go, you know it’s going to be the real deal, not reinvented dish for the tourist. I did receive a strange glance of are you sure from the waiter then I ordered. Ok I understand this kind of dish is not everyone’s cup of tea, but god it mine. It was delicious, soft tender slow cook meat on the bone giving it the mouth coating a gelatinous meat of these cuts will do. Seasoning was stunning and yes may be a weirdo, but got a case of the giggles when I came across the tooth/nail, not to sure. Funny what turns you on. I highly recommend giving it a go. You would eat the lamb rack or leg roast without any hesitation. Why not just try. You never know till you give it a go.

 Often with chefs, the strange and unusual dishes excites us as we have cooked so many of the others, so many time before. The unusual, the offal, the how the hell it that going to work come together dishes is what we require. When dinning out I want to be surprised, delighted, learn something and have a good old sticky beak as to their take on food trends. Markets and market cafes are a promised place for these desires. Local produce cooked the authentic way. Basic really, when you think about it.

These dishes have been cooked for so many years, why?
BECAUSE THEY TASTE GOOD.    Get it !!