Hooray for winter! Enough of this dilly-dallying around with 25 degree days and sea water as warm as a bath… it’s time for jackets and scarves & slow-cooked meaty stuff at home*! Finally the cool weather veggies are having the opportunity to grow and we can get excited about a new season of cooking…
So, the first recipes up are new ones for us. We’ve been playing with ready-bought puff pastry in the Turnip tops & silverbeet, herb and ricotta tart – sure to be repeated again with different arrays of leafy veg – and then Risi e bisi, the Venetian take on a soupy risotto, using 3 types of peas… Also we’ve been explaining the importance of delicate leaf handling with our Green salad of baby rocket, spinach, lettuces and pea shoots and a beautiful apple cider vinegar and honey dressing… and we reinvigorated Yotam’s hummus – always a winner – with hand-rolled Rosemary and thyme grissini to mop it all up. And washed down with a curative cup of steaming Lemongrass and lemon balm (also known as Melissa Officinalis he he) tisane, or herbal tea… Wonderful!
One more week of usual classes (looking forward to seeing you finally Mr Forbes and 4F!) and then we’re bringing the Year 1 kidlets in for a play… So see you next term – unless I see you in Vacation Care Cooking first!
Cheers, Melissa x
* Feather and Bone Sunday Night Lamb Shoulder Braise
Brown seasoned shoulder, set aside. Caramelise 2 chopped leeks, half a dozen peeled brown shallots and a head of garlic, peeled, in a heavy-based pot, then bung in browned lamb shoulder (on the bone) meat-side down along with 6 anchovies, a handful of thyme sprigs, some chopped rosemary and a spot of mustard and tomato paste. Add about 2 cups chook stock & same of white wine to come ¾ way up the meat. Cook at 150C for three or four hours. Stir in cooked peas right at the end. Serve with mash or gnocchi!
The Bondi Cook 