Monthly Archives: June 2012

Rocket & coriander soup

Posted on June 4, 2012 by melhm

Winter has hit with force… I juggle the washing line with obsessive compulsion, trying to dodge the showers and sprinkles and hoping for a ray or two of sun to dry the tea towels and aprons. And sit at this computer with a thick scarf double-draped around my neck, and dream of soup… this recipe has been slurped up greedily in the last two weeks and is a cinch to make. Soup on!

Fresh from the garden: rocket, potatoes, spring onions, coriander, bay leaves

Recipe source: Melissa, kitchen specialist at Bondi PS

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Soups have always been a popular dish for the students at Bondi Public – no matter how green they are (the soups, not the kids!) And it’s fun to prepare, with many different procedures and fun equipment.

Equipment:

  • Salad spinner
  • Bowls – large and medium
  • Potato peelers
  • Chopping board & knife
  • Garlic press
  • Large stockpot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Handheld mixer
  • Ladle
  • Serving bowls
 Ingredients:

  • 4 spring onions
  • 1kg waxy potatoes
  • 1 big bunch rocket
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Small bunch of coriander
  • 1.5lt water
  • Cooking salt
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:

  • Wash and trim the spring onions, removing & discarding the tough outer layer. Slice into 1cm bits.
  • Peel potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes.
  • Peel and squeeze the garlic cloves through the garlic press.
  • Wash the rocket in several changes of water, spin dry and remove & chop into ribbons.
  • Melt butter in the large stockpot over medium heat and sauté spring onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
  • Add the potato cubes, a teaspoon of cooking salt and the bay leaves and stir a few times with the wooden spoon so that the potato sweats in the butter.
  • Add the water, bring to a simmer over medium heat then cover and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile wash and spin dry the coriander and then chop the stalks & leaves really finely.
  • After 2 minutes check that the potato is tender, then stir in the chopped rocket, increase heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and turn heat off, adding a good grind of pepper.
  • With dry hands, plug in the handheld mixer and carefully whizz the soup until it is silky smooth.
  • Taste for correct seasoning, sprinkle in the coriander and ladle into bowls to serve.

Notes: What other vegetables can be used for soup? How many different procedures are there in this recipe? Why do we want the potato to ‘sweat’? Why do we take out the bay leaves?

 

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Schiacciata con l’uva

Posted on June 4, 2012 by melhm

This recipe was a great hit last week – at school and at home! We rarely cook sweet dishes but when we do, the children obviously love it…  I changed the original recipe calling for plain flour and butter to gluten-free flour and olive oil so that our coeliac and lactose-intolerant friends could also enjoy some baked goodies for a change. I hope you enjoy it too… happy baking!

Schiacciata con l’uva (sweet grape focaccia)

Fresh from the garden: grapes, eggs

Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Jill Dupleix

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‘This is part shortbread & part cake, and is a very rustic, simple way to enjoy the last grapes of the season.’ And is also dairy and gluten-free!

Equipment:

  • Scales
  • Small saucepan
  • Sieve or sifter
  • Bowl – large, small
  • Table knife & fork
  • Plastic wrap & baking paper
  • Baking sheet
  • Measures – tablespoon
  • Rolling pin
  • Chopping board & small knife
  • Skewer
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • 250g gluten-free plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 125g caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 75ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 160g mixed green and red grapes

What to do:

  • Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl and mix in 125g caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
  • Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil, stirring with the knife to gradually draw in the flour.
  • Lightly beat one egg at a time and add to dough, stirring until mixed. Shape into a ball (if too soft, add an extra tablespoon of sifted flour), wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for one hour to help firm it up.

At the start of the lesson:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  • Use a floured rolling pin to lightly roll out the dough or just pat it out with floured hands into a rough oval shape on a sheet of baking paper, then transfer, on the paper, to a baking tray.
  • Wash and de-stem the grapes and cut in half lengthways. Scatter the grapes on top, half of them cut-side up, half cut-side down, pressing in lightly.
  • Scatter with remaining sugar and bake for 15 minutes until golden, and a thin skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
  • Turn out onto a wooden chopping board and cut into small squares or slices and place on serving plates.
  • While the schiacciata is cooking you can make the dough for the next class before cleaning up!

Notes: How many different procedures are there in this recipe? What other foreign language recipe names can you think of? Why do we use a knife to mix the dough?

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