Due to my holiday hiatus, I will be O/D-ing on food posts.
Boyfriend and I went to the Vic market on Sunday and loaded up on fresh vegies and seafood (tonight I'm making prawn fettuccine) , but due to the power outage on monday - our salmon has been rejected to the garbage can. We went out with the in-laws for dinner at Wabi Sabi Salon, which I have previously posted about. So Wednesdays' dinner (dry night so didn't venture the nite market) was fashioned around the red capsicum, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms grey pumpkin, zucchini and eggplant in the fridge. After pondering our options we decided on a shallot and cherry tomato risotto with roasted vegies.
Boyfriend roasted the vegies up nicely... using salt to dry out the eggplant. We've been enjoying a yummy trick for the mushrooms lately, which is perfect for salads and sides etc, remove stalks and coat mushrooms in olive oil, salt an pepper. Pop in a heavy baking tray and coat with red wine vinegar, once the tops are nice and brown turn over and cook until the vinegar is completely absorbed - delish!
Tomato and shallot risotto:
Shopping trolley:
4 garlic cloves minced
6 shallots sliced
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
fresh herbs: basil, chives, parsley etc.
chilli flakes to taste
risotto rice
parmesan for garnish
chicken/ vege stock - 3 cups
1. Sautee shallots and garlic until nice and soft. Raise heat and add desired quantity of rice (about 2 cups will serve four-six people), stir continuesly for a few minutes taking care not to burn shallots.
2. Lower heat right down and add a ladle of stock, stirring. Add whole cherry tomatoes Once absorbed add enough stock to just cover rice. Bring to a steady simmer, stirring every few minutes.
3. On a steady heat (not boiling) add a cup of stock at a time until risotto is just cooked through (i hate crunchy rice). Stand for a few minutes. Stir through herbs just before serving.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Charcoal Lane
A friend recently went to Charcoal Lane, which reminded me that I never actually posted about my lunch experience from December.
Alas, I have no photos, as it was a work lunch - so i felt a bit too self-conscious to whip out my camera/iphone.
Anyway I'd been busting to try Charcoal Lane since I very first heard of it when it opened. But that menu seemed a bit pricey, which got me saving for a special occasion. I'd spoken to a few colleagues about Charcoal Lane and we all agreed it would be a very fitting place forour Christmas party!
Wel, finally the day arrived and it certainly was a day of firsts, as I got to try the new Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee (at 11am!???) and it was yum.
If you haven't heard about Charcoal Lane here is a paste from the website:
Alas, I have no photos, as it was a work lunch - so i felt a bit too self-conscious to whip out my camera/iphone.
Anyway I'd been busting to try Charcoal Lane since I very first heard of it when it opened. But that menu seemed a bit pricey, which got me saving for a special occasion. I'd spoken to a few colleagues about Charcoal Lane and we all agreed it would be a very fitting place forour Christmas party!
Wel, finally the day arrived and it certainly was a day of firsts, as I got to try the new Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee (at 11am!???) and it was yum.
If you haven't heard about Charcoal Lane here is a paste from the website:
As a high quality restaurant, Charcoal Lane provides the best work experience, hospitality training and supportive environment to enable Aboriginal and disadvantaged young people to transition to mainstream employment.
Charcoal Lane’s apprentices and trainees will be able to move into career in hospitality and other industries as a result of their invaluable experience at Charcoal Lane and their work with our valued corporate partners.
Through contemporary Aboriginal art, Aboriginal stories entwined within the restaurant and aboriginal flavours fused into modern cuisine, customers are invited to experience and engage with contemporary Aboriginal cultures. Charcoal Lane apprentices and trainees interact with customers and add to this engaging dining experience.
We see this as “reconciliation through dining”.
I don't often comment on the interior design of a restaurant, but i think it is particularly important with Charcoal Lane. There is little, if any 'traditional' Aboriginal Art, the walls a crisp white offset with black trimmings and soft wood furniture. I could imagine that some might be surprised expecting to be eating surrouded by dot paintings! I thought it was really thoughful- my interpretation; cleverly and silently banishing pre and misconceptions of what 'Aboriginal Culture' is or isn't represented.
Anyway back to the food...As a really interesting and unique dining experience new to Melbourne (apart from Fifteen) I was really interested to see hoe good the food was. I ordered the grilled Salmon with artichoke chips and tomato relish - which was delicious! I did find the menu a little inconsistent however, as ordering from the same menu some dishes were so tiny it would hardly satisfy a lunch time belly, while others were quite big. This seemed to be the general trend with the vegetarian/seafood options - quite small in comparision to the red meat or poultry. I think it's sorta interesting - when you order a gnocci and you end up with five pieces- quite comic really sitting nibbling, pondering how you're going to pace yourself while your table neighbour devours the massive kangaroo fillet! I mean I know it's sustainable but come on!
So thankfully for us, lunch was all paid for so we ordered heaps of sides - wild mushrooms, salads, french fries (omg amazing!) as well as a couple of dessert trays. The dessert had to be the highpoint - delicate rich samples from the dessert menu including rasberry cannelloni, compressed melon balls, blood orange pudding.... was awesome and completely absorbing.
At the time we went, back in December, Charcoal Lane was a dry restaurant, honouring Indigenous Australia's history of alcoholism, interestingly though, this policy has since changed, if the website's wine munu is anthing to go by.
SO yes. I recommend it, especially if you're a big fan of kangaroo!
Charcoal Lane
136 Gertrude Street,
Fitzroy
3065
Tel: 03 9418 3400
Fax: 03 9418 3411
Email: eat@charcoallane.com.au
Opening hours:
Breakfast: Saturday – Sunday 9am to 11.30am
Lunch: Tuesday – Sunday 12noon to 3pm
Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday 6pm to 10.30pm
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
OMFG Coda
I don't have the self-control to write a full post up on Coda. All I will say is that it is effing amazing. Not cheap. Great drinks. Amazing food. Can someone take me back please!?
Just go.. go now....
Open Tuesday-Sunday Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday Lunch.
Basement 141 Flinders Lane (Cnr Oliver Lane) Melbourne 3003
Telephone +613 9650 3155 Facsimile +613 9650 5127
Just go.. go now....
Open Tuesday-Sunday Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday Lunch.
Basement 141 Flinders Lane (Cnr Oliver Lane) Melbourne 3003
Telephone +613 9650 3155 Facsimile +613 9650 5127
Ahem, Proud Mary, thankyou very much.
I've been meaning to get down to Proud Mary since it opened a few months ago, but moving further west has made it more than just a quick bike ride away....
After a besties spa date in Glen Waverley over the most recent weeken, V and I decided to go to Proud Mary for breakfast. Dropped May off at work by 9.30, bleary eyed I conquered the eastern freeway and rewarded myself with a a Proud Mary coffee.
V ordered the Ricotta hot cakes with a roasted apricot, maple syrup and vanilla bean icecream while I ordered the crispy hash - smoked salmon and dill creme freiche served over a hashbrown topped with sauteed spinach and a poached egg.
My analysis:
The coffee was certainly delicious and very strong, but perhaps a little burnt. Service was great, ambiance wasn't nearly as 'so so' as I'd imagined (due to all the hype!)... I really enjoyed the atmosphere actually, everyone seemed friendly and relaxed (maybe because it was 10am on a sunday morning!?)
Anyway, both the meals were great and huge!
Poor V couldn't even get through the second of her three hotcakes! I was able to make myself finish my whole plate - for the sake of food guilt... and was happy with my breakfast but thought the hash could have been cooked longer, or made thinner. The massive wad of potato, wasn't as flavoured as I would have liked and seemed to drown out the fresh flavors of the accompaniedments. Again, with V's hotcakes - coulda been cooked a bit longer, they were quite doughy as they were, making it understandable as to why she couldn't finish them. That combined with the rich sweet gooeyness is a task I was glad not to attempt.
Overall it was great food made from quality ingredients, I would venture back but suggest they downsize their breakkie servings, otherwise with my food guilt I'll become obese!
Proud Mary @
Stanley Street & Oxford Street
Collingwood
After a besties spa date in Glen Waverley over the most recent weeken, V and I decided to go to Proud Mary for breakfast. Dropped May off at work by 9.30, bleary eyed I conquered the eastern freeway and rewarded myself with a a Proud Mary coffee.
V ordered the Ricotta hot cakes with a roasted apricot, maple syrup and vanilla bean icecream while I ordered the crispy hash - smoked salmon and dill creme freiche served over a hashbrown topped with sauteed spinach and a poached egg.
My analysis:
The coffee was certainly delicious and very strong, but perhaps a little burnt. Service was great, ambiance wasn't nearly as 'so so' as I'd imagined (due to all the hype!)... I really enjoyed the atmosphere actually, everyone seemed friendly and relaxed (maybe because it was 10am on a sunday morning!?)
Anyway, both the meals were great and huge!
Poor V couldn't even get through the second of her three hotcakes! I was able to make myself finish my whole plate - for the sake of food guilt... and was happy with my breakfast but thought the hash could have been cooked longer, or made thinner. The massive wad of potato, wasn't as flavoured as I would have liked and seemed to drown out the fresh flavors of the accompaniedments. Again, with V's hotcakes - coulda been cooked a bit longer, they were quite doughy as they were, making it understandable as to why she couldn't finish them. That combined with the rich sweet gooeyness is a task I was glad not to attempt.
Overall it was great food made from quality ingredients, I would venture back but suggest they downsize their breakkie servings, otherwise with my food guilt I'll become obese!
Proud Mary @
Stanley Street & Oxford Street
Collingwood
The year that started it all...
2009. Oh what a year. I had so much invested in 2009 and honestly believed that everything would turn around. What exactly I was hoping for I don't know... but Jess Ho has inspired me.
So I am writing.
I've been so insanely busy not doing any study. I've been particularly crafty of late and enjoying it immensely. It has, however, gotten a bit too hot in our little study/craft room to be sowing so lazing in front of the tv has been the procrastination method of choice.
I did make some lovely home made vegetarian 'sausage' rolls for tea on sunday night. We're trying to do this new thing where we eat all the vegies in the fridge, instead of letting our cravings dictate our recipes.
Shopping trolley.
1 Big onion grated
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato sauce (more for pastry too)
Puff pastry sheets
3 cups TVP mixed with the same of boiling water, set aside 5 minutes
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 mushrooms roughly chopped
3/4 cup raw peanuts (roughly blended, pummeled etc)
1 cup breadcrumbs
mixed fresh herbs roughly chopped (i used chives, basil, sage, mint)
1. In a large saucepan softly saute onion and garlic. Once cooked through add the mushrooms, chilli flakes and peaunut mix. Saute until mushrooms are cooked through. Let rest on low heat.
2. Mix the prepared TVP with tomato paste, tomato sauce and season to taste. Add breadcrumbs to create a nice mushy texture.
3. Combine the two mixtures with the herbs and season to taste.
4. Cut thawed pastry into four squares. Spread a small line of tomato sauce 1 inch from edge closest to you and spread a cylinder type shape of sausage mix on top, making sure to spread to the edge, if overflowing, you can squash it back in later. Using your thumb and fingers, pick up pastry edges and roll away from you. Set aside until all are finished. Mix should make about 12 rolls.
5. Brush each roll with milk and coat with sesame seeds, using fingers to flatten the roll a bit. Cook in hot oven (200D) until nice and golden brown.
Serve with lots of sauce!
So I am writing.
I've been so insanely busy not doing any study. I've been particularly crafty of late and enjoying it immensely. It has, however, gotten a bit too hot in our little study/craft room to be sowing so lazing in front of the tv has been the procrastination method of choice.
I did make some lovely home made vegetarian 'sausage' rolls for tea on sunday night. We're trying to do this new thing where we eat all the vegies in the fridge, instead of letting our cravings dictate our recipes.
Shopping trolley.
1 Big onion grated
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato sauce (more for pastry too)
Puff pastry sheets
3 cups TVP mixed with the same of boiling water, set aside 5 minutes
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 mushrooms roughly chopped
3/4 cup raw peanuts (roughly blended, pummeled etc)
1 cup breadcrumbs
mixed fresh herbs roughly chopped (i used chives, basil, sage, mint)
1. In a large saucepan softly saute onion and garlic. Once cooked through add the mushrooms, chilli flakes and peaunut mix. Saute until mushrooms are cooked through. Let rest on low heat.
2. Mix the prepared TVP with tomato paste, tomato sauce and season to taste. Add breadcrumbs to create a nice mushy texture.
3. Combine the two mixtures with the herbs and season to taste.
4. Cut thawed pastry into four squares. Spread a small line of tomato sauce 1 inch from edge closest to you and spread a cylinder type shape of sausage mix on top, making sure to spread to the edge, if overflowing, you can squash it back in later. Using your thumb and fingers, pick up pastry edges and roll away from you. Set aside until all are finished. Mix should make about 12 rolls.
5. Brush each roll with milk and coat with sesame seeds, using fingers to flatten the roll a bit. Cook in hot oven (200D) until nice and golden brown.
Serve with lots of sauce!
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