Looks as though it maybe a cold start to the day....But hey who cares when there is a lot of delicious food to cook and eat!  See you soon.

Nigel from Brydone

Just like to thank Nigel from Brydone Organics for his outstanding Agria potatoes and his exceptionally fresh fennel.  If it wasn't for your truly magnificent produce i wouldn't of been able to cook such beautiful food!

FENNEL – Whether you are eating it raw in salads, slow cooked in milk and butter or stir-fried with ginger you will find the fresh, crisp aniseed flavour a refreshing addition to any autumnal meal.


FENNEL WITH BUTTER AND MILKServes 6

Ingredients                                                              

4 Large fennel bulbs cut lengthways            
70g butter
500ml milk
30g Parmesan or Pecorino, finely grated

Method

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over high-heat. Add the half the fennel and coat with the butter, cook until just golden (5-7minutes). Remove the cooked fennel from the pan and repeat with the remaining fennel, once they have gone golden add the milk and 80 ml water, cook until the fennel is tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened. Sprinkle over the parmesan cheese and let sit for a minute or two.

Fennel is the perfect partner with pork or fish.

HOMEMADE CHIPS

Not much beats a home-made chip! But you do need a good potato!

Serves 4

4 Large floury potatoes (agria, red rascal), peeled, cut into ½ - 1 cm thick chips
Vegetable oil for frying

Topping options:
Homemade Aioli or Mayonnaise
Homemade Tomato Ketchup
Garlic and parsley – 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced and a handful of chopped parsley
Grated parmesan

Method

When frying safety comes first! Never leave the fryer unattended and keep children away from the oil.

Wash the potatoes to remove some of the starch. Drain well and pat dry. It is so important that there is no water on the chips as it can be very dangerous when mixed with hot oil.

To cook chips so they are light and crispy you need to cook them twice!

The first stage of cooking a great chip

- Put a deep large pot 2/3 full of vegetable oil on a medium heat (145 C) to check the oil, place one chip into the oil to test the temperature. It should bubble instantly and the chip should float. Remember that this stage is about pre-cooking the potato until they are just cooked and pale in colour (3-6 minutes). Carefully remove the chips, drain well and place onto a tray layered with paper towels. Continue until all the chips are cooked.

The final stage of cooking your chips

- Turn the heat up on your stove and wait until the oil heats to 180 C. Once again to test the oil carefully put a chip in and if it fries and bubbles vigorously then it is ready to begin to fry off the chips.

- Cook the chips in batches so the pot doesn’t get overcrowded and the oil doesn’t cool down too much.

- Once the chips go golden and crisp, carefully remove from the oil. Drain well, sprinkle with good quality sea salt flakes and a little cracked pepper if desired. Toss to coat and serve immediately with your favourite dipping sauce.

LECKIES BUTCHERY LTD (thanks for the super value venison mince)

VENISON, CRACKED WHEAT AND BEETROOT BURGERS

Serves 4

500g minced venison
½ medium onion, grated
½ cup cracked wheat soaked until tender
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
2-3 beetroot, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 free-range egg

In a large bowl add the mince, grated beetroot, onion and rosemary. Using your hands squeeze out any excess moisture from the cracked wheat, add to your beetroot mixture season well with salt and pepper.

Using your hand mix all the ingredients together really well if the mixture needs some binding add the egg and mix well.

Using slightly damp hands mould four even size patties and put onto a plate and chill until required.

When ready to cook, heat up a good size fry pan with enough oil to just cover the base of the pan. When almost smoking add the patties and turn the heat down to medium, cook on both sides so they are golden brown and ruby red, they should take around 5 minutes either side (depending on the thickness).

Serve immediately, they are great wrapped in a crunchy lettuce leaf with perhaps a tangy little relish or yoghurt dressing.

A very reasonable and very filling supper!


BAKED APPLES WITH GOLDEN SYRUP

1 Large Cooking Apple Per Person            

Golden syrup for serving
Cream for serving (if desired

Method

Sam Young Ltd Thank you Linda for the amazing food (stir fried celery and beef)

Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their beautiful produce