Author Archives: melhm

Fish-free salad Nicoise

Posted on November 22, 2012 by melhm

Hugh says, ‘Without any tuna or anchovies, I guess you might upset the good people of Nice a bit with this one, but it is an exceptionally delicious and substantial salad – with plenty going on.’

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: new potatoes, green beans, eggs, small lettuce leaves, olives, basil, garlic
Recipe source: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Veg Every Day
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Scales
  • Chopping board & knife
  • Saucepans – med, small
  • Colander
  • Small jar & lid
  • Measures: tablespoon, teaspoon
  • Salad spinner
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • 500g new (baby) potatoes
  • 200g green beans
  • 8 large eggs at room temperature
  • A small handful baby lettuce leaves
  • A handful small black olives
  • About 12 basil leaves
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

For the dressing:

  • ½ small garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • A pinch of sugar

 What to do:

  • Wash the beans and potatoes – do not peel them! Tail the beans & chop into 3cm lengths.
  • You can cook small new potatoes whole, but cut any larger ones in half or smaller, so they’re all roughly the same size. Cover with cold water in the medium saucepan, add salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-12 minutes until tender, adding the beans for the last 4 minutes. Drain, tip into a bowl and leave to cool.
  • To cook the eggs, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs, return to a simmer, then cook for 7 minutes. Lightly crack the shells and run the eggs under cold water for a minute or two to stop the cooking, then leave to cool. Peel and quarter the eggs.
  • To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a screw-topped jar, seasoning with salt and pepper, and shake until emulsified.
  • Halve, quarter or thickly slice the cooked potatoes. Put them back with the beans, add some of the dressing and toss gently together.
  • Wash the lettuce & basil leaves in several changes of water. Spin-dry and then gently toss in a bowl with a little of the dressing.
  • Arrange the lettuce, potatoes, and beans on your serving plates and distribute the olives and eggs over the salad. Scatter with torn basil leaves, trickle over the remainingdressing and grind over some pepper. Serve straight away.

Notes: What does emulsified mean? What does the adjective Niçoise mean?

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Kitchen News – 22nd November 2012

Posted on November 22, 2012 by melhm

Ladies and gentlemen, we’re starting our descent into Christmas. Buckle your seat belts and stow your meal trays, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…! Every year I usually get so excited at this time of year, especially with two young children around, but this year – because the decorations have been up in shopping centres since before Halloween – I don’t get that same thrill of planning, decorating & boiling puddings… I’m hoping that last-few-weeks-itis will soon kick in at school and propel me forward into the land of gaudy baubles and fake long beards…

Meanwhile back at the ranch it’s been business as usual preparing the most yummy spring dishes. I’ve got to say it really is amazing to watch our Bondi children at work over their chopping boards, slicing with precision and peeling, stirring, measuring, weighing, clearing, washing up and working in teams – and especially trying new foods (like the artichokes – what a hit they were!) to the point of licking the bowls! I even had a gorgeous chap from 2B come to me after yesterday’s class to say that he thought the meal & class was ‘superb’. Bless!

ourkitchengarden.net

And here’s what he ate: Hugh’s fish-free Niçoise salad; Alice’s broad bean puree (yep those plants are still going!); Hugh’s garlicky flatbreads; Frank’s oat pancakes with roasted strawberries; and my carrot and fennel soup… yes I admit I’ve been going a bit crazy on Hugh F-W’s Veg Every Day but the latest addition to the household is Yotam’s Jerusalem (thank you Emma & Grace!) so expect some exotica here soon!

ourkitchengarden.net

PS I’m almost up to date with all the recipes, hooray!

PPS the day dawned bright and clear for the first Makers & Growers market last week – it was a quiet soft opening but the produce was fab & atmosphere lovely… come down if you’re up & about early, I’ll be there with my organic sizzle & chilli jams and will also be supporting the school in selling the cookbook, Flourish bags and festive wrapping paper on my stall xx

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We’re at the Makers & Growers Market at Bondi PS (Wellington St, Bondi)

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

We’re at the market each and every Saturday from 8am at Bondi Public School, 5 Wellington St! Come and make our early mornings worthwhile by saying hi and picking up one of our fabulous posh sausage sizzles!

ourkitchengarden.net

On the blackboard menu this week: Farm Panaroma (Sean’s farm at Bilpin) beef and barley – organic, preservative-free – snag with our own Jam Girls tomato chilli jam, rocket and Iggy’s roll… need we say more?

ourkitchengarden.net

 

Oh yep, sorry! $7 gets you all that!

And you can also pick up your own jar or two of our award winning chilli jam to take home, as well as our roasted beetroot jam and onion jam too… and we’re also the place to pick up some Bondi Public School goodies: we’ve got copies of the ‘A Year In The Kitchen Garden’ cookbook, some of the fab ‘Flourish’ bags designed by the children – great for shopping and/or beach – and some limited edition Bondi PS Xmas wrapping paper… Grab it while you can!

See you on Saturday x

 

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Rocket, fennel and lentil salad

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

I love every recipe from this book, there’s so much inspiration! I love it almost as much as our book!

ourkitchengarden.net

From the garden: rocket, fennel, parsley, onion, lemon
Recipe source: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in Veg Every Day
Serves: 4 at home or 20 tastes

Equipment:

  • 1 small saucepan & lid
  • Colander or sieve
  • Chopping board & knife
  • Citrus juicer
  • Jar with lid
  • Bowls – large, med, small
  • Measures – jug, teaspoon
  • Salad spinner
  • Serving bowls
 Ingredients:

  • 125g little green lentils
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ small onion
  • A few parsley stalks
  • A large fennel bulb
  • About 75g rocket

For the dressing

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • A lemon
  • 120ml olive oil
  • A pinch of sugar
  • Flaked salt & black pepper

 

 What to do:

  • Put the lentils in the saucepan and add plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute only, then drain. Return the lentils to the pan and pour on just enough water to cover them. Add the bay leaf, onion and parsley stalks. Bring back to a very gentle simmer, and cook slowly for about half an hour, until tender but not mushy.
  • Meanwhile, to make the dressing: zest the lemon and then cut in half and juice. Add these and the rest of the dressing ingredients to the jar, put the lid on and shake until emulsified.
  • When the lentils are done, drain them well and discard the herbs and onion. While still warm, combine with a good half of the dressing. Leave until cooled, then taste and adjust the seasoning; you could add a little more salt, sugar, pepper or lemon juice if needed.
  • Trim the fennel, removing the tough outer layer (unless they are young and very fresh). Halve the bulb vertically, then slice as thinly as you can, tip to base.
  • Wash and spin dry the rocket, then pile about two-thirds of the lentils into wide serving bowls. Scatter over the rocket and fennel and trickle over the rest of the dressing. Scatter over the remaining lentils and serve.

Notes:What does emulsified mean? What other sort of lentils are there? What does fennel smell like?

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Lettuce, silverbeet and parsley soup

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

This is a great way to use up an abundance of spring lettuces – and an especially good way of using up sprouting ones that may be a bit bitter as cooking them softens their flavour as well as texture!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: lettuce, silverbeet, parsley, potatoes, spring onions, bay
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Chopping board
  • Large knife
  • Salad spinner
  • Potato peelers
  • Bowls – 2 large, 2 medium
  • Garlic press
  • Large stockpot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Handheld mixer
  • Ladle
  • Serving bowls
 Ingredients:

  • 4 spring onions
  • 1kg waxy potatoes
  • 1 big bunch lettuce, such as curly endive or sprouting cos
  • 1 big bunch silverbeet
  • 1 handful parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 litres water
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:

  • Wash and trim spring onions, removing & discarding the tough outer layer. Slice into 1cm bits.
  • Wash and scrub potatoes, peel & cut into 2cm cubes.
  • Wash the lettuce leaves & parsley in several changes of water and spin dry. Chop finely.
  • Wash the silverbeet in several changes of water & shake dry. Remove & chop up the stems & the leaves but keep separate.
  • Peel and press garlic cloves.
  • Melt butter in the large stockpot over medium heat and sauté spring onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
  • Add potato and bay leaves and turn so that the potato sweats in the butter. Stir with the wooden spoon.
  • Add the water, bring to a simmer over medium heat then cover and cook gently over low heat for 10 minutes, then add the sliced silverbeet stalks.
  • After 2 minutes check that the potato is tender, then stir in lettuce, parsley and silverbeet leaves, increase heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and turn heat off, adding salt to taste and 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 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’?

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Soft polenta with broad beans and spring onions

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

This dish makes for a great little lunch! Feel free to shave a little parmesan over too if you want…

ourkitchengarden.net

From the garden: broad beans, onions, spring onions, parsley, lemon, garlic, sweetcorn
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 at home or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Chopping board & knife
  • Small paring knife
  • Garlic press
  • Scales
  • Bowls – large, med, small
  • 1 heavy-based saucepan& lid
  • 1 small saucepan & lid
  • Colander
  • Measuring jug
  • Wooden spoon
  • Non-stick frying pan & lid
  • Serving bowls
 Ingredients:

  • 1 corn cob
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 100g coarse polenta
  • 1kg broad beans in shell
  • 1 onion
  • 6 spring onions
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small bunch parsley
  • ½ tablespoon vegetable bouillon
  • 100ml boiling water
  • A lemon
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:

  • Peel the husks from the corn, then slice the corn from the cob. Peel and crush 2 cloves of the garlic with the garlic press. Add the corn and garlic to the heavy based saucepan with 500ml water and bring to the boil over a moderate flame.
  • Measure the polenta & then rain it in to the corn water, stirring. Cover & reduce to a mere simmer 15 mins, stirring every few minutes.
  • Meanwhile fill the small saucepan with water & set to boil on high heat.
  • Pod the broad beans, discarding the outer shell into the compost, and add beans to the boiling water. Fill a large bowl with cold water and have ready.
  • Boil the broad beans for 3 minutes, drain and then immediately refresh in the bowl of cold water for 30 seconds. Drain again and double-pod by slipping the outer shell off into the compost. Reserve beans.
  • Place the bouillon in to the measuring jug and carefully add 300ml boiling water, stir.
  • Peel the brown onion and finely chop. Wash the spring onions and chop into 1cm lengths. Peel the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and finely slice. Wash and spin the parsley dry, pick and chop. Zest the lemon and then cut in half and squeeze one half.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the frying pan and begin to cook the chopped brown onion for 3-4 minutes over a medium to high heat until lightly golden, then add the garlic and cook gently for a further minute.
  • Now add the podded broad beans, the chopped spring onion and the hot stock and place a lid on the pan. Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
  • Take the lid off and increase the heat to medium. Continue to simmer till the liquid has reduced and become slightly syrupy – about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the parsley and lemon zest, add lemon juice to taste, and stir to incorporate.
  • When the polenta is ready, remove the lid and season well. Spoon onto serving bowls, and then add the broad beans with the juices poured over.
  • ourkitchengarden.net
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Fine herb omelette

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

This appears to be an easy recipe but many top chefs are judged by their ability to execute the perfect omelette! At home you can insert a little gruyere cheese or sliced ham, but we like it simply adorned with some beautifully fragrant herbs.

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: eggs, chives, oregano, parsley, marjoram
Recipe source: Melissa
Makes: 4 omelettes

Equipment:

  • Salad spinner
  • Bowls – 1 large, 1 small
  • Mezzaluna or scissors
  • Fork, butter knife
  • 2 x 23cm non-stick  frying pan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs, at room temperature
  • A large handful mixed herbs: chives, oregano, parsley and marjoram
  • Flaked salt & black pepper
  • 60g butter

 What to do:

  • Wash and carefully dry the herbs, picking off the leaves and discarding the stalks.
  • Using the mezzaluna or scissors, gently & carefully chop the herbs without mashing them.
  • We are going to cook the omelettes two at a time, using 2 eggs for each.
  • Break the first two eggs into the small bowl and whisk lightly with a fork.
  • Add the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper.
  • Weigh the butter & cut off a quarter.
  • Heat that quarter of the butter in the 1st frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Once the foam dies down, pour in the egg mixture and gently rotate the pan to distribute. Cook for 20 seconds or so, until it begins to bubble, then draw the egg into the centre with the wooden spoon and rotate the pan again to redistribute the uncooked egg.
  • Break the next two eggs into the bowl and continue as for the first lot.
  • The omelettes are cooked when the base is set, but are still slightly runny in the middle.
  • Remove the pans from the heat and fold 2 sides of each omelette into the middle and slide out onto your serving plate. Repeat.

Notes: What does redistribute mean? Why do we leave the omelette slightly runny in the middle? Where does the word omelette come from?

 

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Globe artichokes with lemon vinaigrette

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

Artichokes are such a prehistoric-looking plant, with huge leaves and forbidding-looking flower buds… but they are truly delicious once you know what to do with them!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: artichokes, lemon, thyme, lemon thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Stainless steel stockpot & lid
  • Measuring tablespoon
  • Mortar & pestle
  • Measuring 1/3 cup
  • Lemon juicer
  • Balloon whisk
  • Teaspoon
  • Chopping board & knife
  • Tongs & colander
  • Soup plates to serve
 Ingredients:

  • 4 globe artichokes
  • A couple of sprigs of thyme or lemon thyme
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Cooking salt
  • Flaked salt & black pepper

 

What to do:

  • Fill the stockpot with water & set to boil on high heat.
  • One by one, hold each artichoke on the edge of the counter with the stem overhanging, and quickly snap it off the head. Pull the straggly & older leaves off and check that the artichoke will sit up straight, trimming the base if needed.
  • Add a tablespoon of cooking salt to the water when boiling and add the artichokes. Wash your hands to remove the bitterness!
  • Cook for about 10 minutes (a little longer for the big ones) and then check the base with a skewer to see if tender. Remove when done using the tongs and drain upside-down in the colander.
  • Meanwhile, peel the garlic clove and put it in the mortar with a large pinch of salt. Pound to a paste. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the mortar (without pips) then stir the lot with the teaspoon and scrape it into the large bowl. Stir in the oil and grind some pepper, then whisk the dressing lightly.
  • Wash, dry and pick the thyme leaves and then add to the vinaigrette.
  • Place each artichoke in the centre of each soup plate and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top.To eat, pull each leaf away from the artichoke and dab in the vinaigrette. Scrape the bottom part between your teeth, and then discard the leaf. Once you near the middle and the super-tender leaves, you can remove them in a clump to expose the ‘choke’ – scrape this off carefully with a teaspoon and discard to reveal the best of all – the heart, soaked in all the left-over juices! Yum yum. 

Notes: What sort of plant is this? How else could you eat it? Why don’t you eat the choke? What makes your hands bitter? What else can be made from artichokes?

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Kitchen News – 8th November 2012

Posted on November 21, 2012 by melhm

ourkitchengarden.net

Week 5 already and the fete and the launch are behind us – what a huge few weeks they were! First up: the fete! We had a successful day at the SAKGP stall selling the beautiful new book alongside hand-crafted chutneys, pickles and bouillons with blood orange marmalade and chilli jam too*! Thanks to Emma & Grace for their work (and skills in packing away the canopy…!)

Next: the book launch! We had around 75 children and 27 adults contributing their time and skills to the relentless roster of prepping, cooking, serving and shepherding – the atmosphere in the cottage was akin to a harmonious 5-star hotel kitchen (with chefs of a diminutive stature) and helpers up to their eyeballs in instructions… I need to say another MASSIVE thanks to all the helpers, and especially to Rosa and Phillip who gave not only bricks and mortar but also time and sweat in the midday sun to contribute to our success! All our VIP guests & press loved everything and the day was fantastic.

ourkitchengarden.net

Ok, this week’s menu: the big hit is the return of our globe artichokes with lemon vinaigrette; also starring is soft polenta with broad beans and spring onions; a salad of wild rocket, fennel and green lentils; curly endive, silverbeet and parsley soup; and a quick-flipped fine herb omelette. Superyummy – the feathered girls are getting nary a look in!

Recipes will be up here anon!

*The Bondi Makers and Growers market starts at our school next Saturday 17th November –come along and see me there: I’ll be there sizzling organic, preservative-free sausages and selling more jars of chilli jam! Nom nom. See you there!

ourkitchengarden.net

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‘A Year In The Kitchen Garden’ book launch October 2012

Posted on November 20, 2012 by melhm

ourkitchengarden.netHooray – our beautiful book ‘A Year In The Kitchen Garden‘ has arrived! After much, much work, blood, sweat and tears, Emma & Grace – parents at the school – proudly delivered their bouncing baby: ‘A Year In The Kitchen Garden’… a thick and tactile beauty chock full of wonderful photos of our kitchen garden, delicious recipes gleaned from prominent chefs and the school community (some with great illustrations from the children!) and also our day-to-day recipes prepared in the cottage… The most amazing parts of the book detail the process of setting up the program from scratch – what the parents did with the blank canvas of the school playground and how they transformed the cottage, organised the grants and motivated the workers. The story is truly inspirational & a must-have for any schools trying to start the program on their own – as well as being a great Chrissie gift for anyone remotely interested in food! Well done ladies!

ourkitchengarden.net

So I was greatly honoured to be asked to organise the book launch – Wednesday 31st October, a sit-down lunch for about 30 people. I had about a month to organise the roster and menu –  notwithstanding preparing and bottling for the school fete held the weekend before – and eventually ended up galvanising 76 children and 27 adult helpers into action over 2 days of prepping, chopping, stirring, cooking, labelling, starting, finishing and serving! It was a massive job and results were gratifying.

ourkitchengarden.net

We also had the benefit of our new pizza oven in action too – Phillip and his mama Rosa came to help stoke the wood fire all morning and prepare bread for the lunch as well as cook our asparagus, the crispy kale, the grissini and the two different sorts of pizza…!

ourkitchengarden.net

The day was a fabulous success, the children were absolutely wonderful in everything that they did, and were especially efficient and gracious waiters, and the VIP guests that attended (Kylie Kwong & Janni Kyritsis among the stars) were all suitably blown away by the professionalism!

ourkitchengarden.net

The food was so delicious, we made heaps and it all got eaten!

ourkitchengarden.net

And the children helped set the tables, and Elliot decorated the menus for each place setting…

ourkitchengarden.net

So here below, some more photos and links. Salute!

ourkitchengarden.net

ourkitchengarden.net

ourkitchengarden.net

The Sydney Morning Herald article on the launch, with a great photo!
http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-diary/salad-days-for-greenfingered-schoolies-20121031-28k8u.html

And also see our Bondi kids in action on Channel 9’s Today show:
http://today.ninemsn.com.au/videoindex.aspx

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