Thank goodness today is another calm, sunny Autumn day! After the manic weather we need to regroup and getting some serious food on our tables.  As usual I get to sample, create, cook and sample once again some of our regions best products.  Todays menu is jam-packed full of flavour!

The market and I have created some fantastic recipes to share with you all. I have budgeted around $15 for a family of 5, showcasing that you can eat well with market products, keep the nutrients high and of course the taste will speak for itself.  Today with the help of our local butcher, Leckies Butchery have a great deal on mince beef and with a bit of this and that you have a fantastic dish made and ready to eat!

I have silverbeet back on the menu and as it is not quite winter I am still keeping food as light and stress free as possible. Rosedale Orchards have fresh corn for sale and I will be showing my favourite way to eat corn and that is with lime salt!! Nectarines are just right for the eating at the moment so my little nectarine and poppyseed cakes are delightful to share with others. 

See you at the mobile kitchen where of course I get to talk food for many hours without anyone getting bored!! And of course we get to sample the best our region has to offer.  See you soon...

NECTARINE AND POPPYSEED CAKES

I love to bake and I often like to offer ‘baby’ sized cakes for a change. This recipe will easily adapt with other seasonal fruit to pull you through the year!

Makes 12 muffins sized cakes or 24 smaller

Ingredients

2 Tbsp yoghurt, plain or peach

1 ½ Tbsp poppy seeds

120g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

150g caster sugar, plus 1 Tbsp for topping

2 large eggs, beaten

170g self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

3 fresh ripe nectarines, halved and stone the nectarines, cut into thin wedges.

2 Tbsp runny honey

Method

Begin by mixing the yoghurt and poppy seeds together at least 1-2 hours before you start and ideally overnight as this softens the poppy seeds. This is will soften the poppy seeds (it’s not essential but helps)

Preheat the oven 180C

Grease a 12-muffin tin lightly with butter.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time mixing well between each addition.

Sift over the flour and salt, add the yogurt and poppy seed mixture and fold together until combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tins, dividing it evenly and levelling the surfaces.

Place 3 slices of nectarine on top of each cake (but do not press them in).

Bake the cakes in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until well-risen and golden brown. Test with a skewer if comes out clean then cooked if not return to oven for a further 5 minutes or so.

Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack.

Warm the honey and drizzle over the cakes, sprinkle with remaining sugar

Enjoy!

 

SPICY BEEF WITH FRIED EGG ($15 MEALS)

This dish is the perfect crowd pleaser, if cooking for children I just remove the chilli or not add as much. It can be served with crisp lettuce also if desired.

Serves 5

ingredients

4 garlic cloves

1-2 chillies, finely chopped

Good pinch of salt

3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil

5 eggs

500 g minced beef, pork or lamb

About 2 Tbsp fish sauce

Large pinch of white sugar

¼ cup stock or water

2 large handfuls of holy (thai) basil leaves

To serve: 1 Tbsp lime juice (optional) Good pinch of chopped coriander per bowl

Method

Begin by soaking the rice in cold water. Set aside.

Drain the rice and rinse many time so the water runs clear. Just cover the rice once again with cold water so that the water is about 2 cm above the top of the rice. Add a pinch of salt and cover. Bring the rice to the boil, then immediately reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until rice is just cooked. Turn off the heat and let stand for another 5-10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork before serving.

In a large fry pan or wok heat to hot, then reduce the temperature slightly.

Add 3 tablespoons oil.

Chop the garlic with the chillies and salt and add cook without colouring (30 minute) add the minced meat and stir-fry for a minute or two, season to taste with the fish sauce and sugar.

Add the stock or water and cook for a further minute. Add the basil and as soon it wilts, remove from the heat. The mince should have quite an intense flavour combining the hot, salty and spicy flavours created.

To fry the eggs – add 1-2 Tbsp oil to t fry pan and heat to moderate temperature. Carefully break in the eggs on at a time and cook until just cooked.

To serve – spoon desired amount of rice into each bowl, cover with minced meat and finish with a fried egg on top, squeeze of lime (optional) and sprinkle of coriander.

 

FRESH CORN WITH LIME SALT

This combination has changed my life – corn with lime salt, where have I been hiding? Again this is one of those simple combinations that works so well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cobs of fresh corn, shucked – peeled

4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces at room temperature

¼ cup salt flakes

Grated zest of 1 lime (use a microplane)

2 Tbsp fresh chives

Method

Bring a large pot of well-salted to the boil.

Cut the corn in half or desired size and add to boiling water, cook for 5-7 minutes or until the corn is tender.

To make lime salt -If you have a mortar and pestle add the salt to the bowl and grate in the lime zest and mash until the salt turns a wonderful, fragrant green.  If you don’t have mortar and pestle add the lime juice and zest to a bowl and blend carefully with the end of a rolling pin something similar so that the salt blends and turns green and fragrant like above. Set aside.

Meanwhile, take 2 tablespoons of the cooking water out of the pot and add to a heatproof bowl.  Add the butter and swirl the bowl over the heat to emulsify.  Add lime salt to taste, swirling the bowl to maintain the emulsification (thickening effect). Set aside in a warm place until corn is cooked.

Drain the corn well and add to the butter.  Sprinkle in the chives.  Swirl the bowl to coat the corn evenly and sprinkle with a little more lime salt, and serve the remaining salt on the side.

 

SILVERBEET BRUSHETTA

Such a simple yet delicious way to each silverbeet, by dressing it up a little and serving it on grilled bread you will be delighted with the results.

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g silverbeet

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, 1 sliced thinly, 1 cut in half

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 thick slices good quality sourdough bread

Lemon wedges for serving

Method

Remove the stalks from the silverbeet, and wash the leaves, drain well. Cut the stems in small slices and blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes until tender, add the leaves and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Drain the silverbeet and cool down on a tray lined with a clean cloth.  Once cool squeeze out excess water.

Heat up a fry pan and add a drizzle of olive oil, add the thinly sliced garlic and cook gently until it goes a light golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma (about 30 seconds). Add the cooked silverbeet (stalks and leaves), and toss together for about a minute. Remove from the heat, season lightly with sea salt flakes and cracked pepper.

Lightly toast the bread, and rub with the cut garlic. Toss the silverbeet with the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Spread over toast.

 

 

Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their outstanding products

WILLOWBROOK ORCHARD – nectarines

LECKIES BUTCHERY – minced meat

AGREEABLE NATURE PATSTURE EGGS – healthy free range eggs

JANEFIELD HYDROPONICS – thai basil

GILBERTS FINE FOODS – otaki sourdough

KAKANUI PRODUCE – chillies

HANGI TAKEAWAYS – hangi pies and savouries

ROSEDALE ORCHARDS – fresh corn and marrow

BRYDONE ORGANICS – silverbeet and red onions