Recipe

Bruschetta with broad bean and parmesan mash

Posted on October 30, 2012 by melhm

Broad beans are our veggie equivalent of blood oranges… Super-seasonal and only available at this time of year, so we just have to jump at the chance! We just love them and eat as many of them, and in as many ways as possible, in springtime!

Fresh from the garden:broad beans, rocket, garlic, lemon thyme
Recipe source: Melissa, kitchen specialist at Bondi PS

Equipment:

Saucepan& lid
Bowls – big, med, small
Microplane zester & citrus juicer
Chopping board& bread knife
Measures – tablespoon
Scales
Grill trays
Colander
Mortar & pestle
Butter knife
Serving plates

Ingredients:

1kg broad beans
Great sourdough bread (like Iggy’s)
50g parmesan
3 tablespoons E-V olive oil
A lemon
Cooking salt
Flaked salt & black pepper
2 garlic cloves
5 sprigs thyme

What to do:

Fill the saucepan with water & set to boil with the lid on. Heat the grill.
Slice the bread thickly and place on grill trays, ready for grilling.
Pod the broad beans into the medium bowl and put the outer shells into the compost.
Zest the lemon and then cut it in half and juice one half only.
Wash and dry the thyme and pick from stems, and finely chop.
Grate the cheese into the small bowl.
When the water is boiling, drop all the broad beans in with a teaspoon of cooking salt. Put the lid back on to bring back to the boil quickly, and boil for 2 minutes. Fill the big bowl with cold water.
After 2 minutes, drain the broad beans into the colander & then immediately refresh in the bowl of cold water. Drain again & wipe the big bowl dry.
Double-pod the broad beans into the big bowl, discarding the outer skin into the compost.
Pound the broad beans with the pestle in the mortar with the olive oil & a pinch of salt (you may have to do this in 2 batches) until smooth – a few beanie lumps are fine!
Into the broad bean mixture stir the lemon zest and juice bit by bit, tasting as you go – and then the grated pecorino and herbs with a grind of pepper. Taste again for seasoning.
Slide the bread into the oven to grill & lightly toast, turning when needed & watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.
When ready bring toast out from the grill. Cut the end off the garlic cloves and rub each cut-side down on the toast a few times.
Spread a little broad bean paste onto each slice of toast (cut in half if large) & arrange onto serving plates with a good grind of pepper.

Notes: What does ‘double-pod’ mean? Why do we do this to the broad beans? What other name are broad beans known by?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: broad beans, children, cooking, kids, school, sourdough, vegetarian | Leave a comment

Linguine with broad beans, lemon and garden herbs

Posted on October 15, 2012 by melhm

Our Kitchen Garden students love making pasta – and this recipe sings of spring! It includes the dough mixture as well as instructions on how to use a pasta machine.

Fresh from the garden: eggs, rocket, broad beans, lemon, marjoram, parsley, coriander, thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 at home or 24 tastes

Equipment:

Salad spinner
Pasta machine
Scales, garlic press
Measures – teaspoon
Food processor
Plastic wrap
Chopping board & knife
Pastry brush, grater
Large stock pot & saucepan
Tongs, large & small bowls
Serving bowls

Ingredients:

500g plain flour
5 free-range eggs
Salt
1kg broad beans in pod
A large handful of herbs
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
A lemon
4 garlic cloves
Flaked salt & black pepper
50g parmesan

What to do:

To make the pasta:

Weigh the flour, then combine it with a teaspoon of salt in the large bowl.
Crack the eggs carefully into the small bowl, discarding any shell, then add them to the flour. Mix thoroughly, then tip the dough onto a clean, dry workbench.
Knead the dough for a few minutes, then wrap it in plastic film and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

_________________________________________________________________

Fill the large stockpot and the saucepan with water and set to boil on high with the lids on.
Fix the pasta machine to a suitable bench or table – if the surface is not thick enough you may need to place a thick book under the machine. Screw the clamp very tightly.
Clear a large space on the workbench alongside the pasta machine. All surfaces must be clean and dry. Press or roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 cm wide.
Set the rollers on the pasta machine to the widest setting and pass the dough through. The dough will probably look quite ragged at this stage. Fold it in 3, turn it 90 degrees and roll it through again. Go to the next-thickest setting and pass the dough through 3-4 times.
Continue in this manner (changing the settings and passing the dough through) until the dough has passed through the second thinnest setting. Don’t use the very thinnest setting, as the dough gets too fine and is hard to manage. If the dough gets too long to handle comfortably, cut it into 2-3 pieces using the large knife, and roll each piece separately.
Lay the pasta strips on a lightly floured surface & dust with a little more flour. Attach the pasta cutter to the machine and pass through the largest rollers, draping it in your hands to catch.
Carefully separate each strip and hang over a pole to dry.
Clean the pasta machine by brushing it with a dry, wide pastry brush & putting back in its box.

To finish the dish:

Check that the stockpot & saucepan have been filled with water and are set on high to boil.
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. Drain again and double-pod by slipping the outer shell off into the compost. Put the beans into the big bowl.
Wash and dry the lemon and zest it. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze its juice into the big bowl too.
Peel the garlic cloves and squeeze them through the garlic press into the bowl too.
Measure the parmesan and grate what you need. Wash and spin dry the herbs and strip their leaves, chopping with the mezzaluna, then add them into the garlicky broad bean bowl.
Measure 1/3 cup of olive oil into the bowl and sprinkle on a few pinches of flaked salt and toss to incorporate.
When the stockpot has started a fast boil, gather your drying pasta on a large baking tray. Add a tablespoon of cooking salt and then the pasta to the pot, stir once and quickly put the lid back on.
As soon as the pot begins to boil again, take the lid off. The pasta should only take 1 or 2 minutes to cook from boiling. Taste to check – it’s important that the pasta remains al dente and is not overcooked!
Using tongs, carefully pull the pasta (and some of its cooking liquid) out and into the big lemony bowl, sprinkle half the parmesan on and toss thoroughly to incorporate.
Divide into serving bowls, sprinkle the remaining parmesan on and eat immediately!

Notes: Never wash the pasta machine – it will rust! Just brush down with a strong brush to remove the leftover dough.

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: broad beans, children, cooking, dough, eggs, Herbs, kids, linguine, pasta, spring, vegetarian | Leave a comment

Orange and cardamom cakes with cream cheese icing

Posted on October 15, 2012 by melhm

Orange and cardamom is such a fantastic combination and we use it a lot in cakes, but these two flavours can also be found in savoury dishes from places like Morocco and India.

Fresh from the garden: oranges, eggs
Recipe source: adapted from Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Cooking for Kids
Makes: 12 large or 24 small cupcakes

Equipment:

Cupcake cases
Scales
Measures: ½ cup, ¼ cup, teaspoon
12-hole cupcake tin
Chopping board & knife
Food processor
Citrus juicer
Bowls – 1 big, 2 medium
Grater, whisk, sifter
Wooden spoon, zester, spatula
2 dessert spoons
Wire rack, skewer
Serving plates

Ingredients:

125g butter at room temperature
3/4 cups caster sugar
2 large oranges
2 eggs
125g self-raising flour
2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Cream cheese icing

50g pure icing sugar
50g cream cheese
25g butter

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Drop one of the paper cases into each hole of the cupcake tin.
Chop the butter into small cubes and drop into the food processor. Add the sugar and mix for 1 minute.
While this is being done grate the zest from the oranges and place in a medium bowl.
Juice the oranges and add to the zest.
Crack eggs into the orange mixture and lightly whisk to combine.
In a separate medium bowl sift the flour and ground cardamom together.
Add the egg and orange mixture and the sifted flour alternately to the butter mixture. Process until smooth and creamy.
Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake tins until about 2/3 full and bake for about 15 minutes until cooked. Check by piercing one cake with a skewer & if clean, they’re ready! Carefully remove them from the oven and cool on the wire rack.
While the cake is cooking make the icing: Wash & dry the bowl & blade of the food processor.
Sift the icing sugar into the bowl and then mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Once cakes are cool use the spatula to spread a little icing on each cake, and then arrange on serving plates. Eat!

Notes: What other spice and fruit combinations can you think of?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: Baking, Cake, children, cooking, cupcakes, eggs, kids | Leave a comment

Asparagus, feta and sweet potato frittate

Posted on October 15, 2012 by melhm

You can also use pumpkin in this recipe instead of sweet potato: either works well. You can also cook one big frittata in a frying pan over heat and then finish it under the grill, but we pour ours into muffin pans to oven-bake… and add some of our lovely Bondi herbs for an aromatic twist.

Fresh from the garden: eggs, asparagus, sweet potato, marjoram, thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Makes: 12 large or 24 mini fritatte

Equipment:

Pastry brush
12-hole cupcake tin
Chopping board & knives
Potato peelers, scissors
Salad spinner
Large frying pan
Grater, scales
Wooden spoon
Bowls – large, med, small
Tongs, whisk
Serving plates

Ingredients:

Half a large sweet potato
Half a bunch of asparagus spears
Small handful marjoram and thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Flaked salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g feta cheese
10g parmesan
6 large eggs

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 180C.
With the pastry brush, paint a little olive oil into each hole of the cupcake tins to grease.
Peel the sweet potato and carefully chop into 1cm cubes.
Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and then chop or snip into 1cm pieces.
Wash the herbs and spin them dry. Strip the leaves from the stalks & reserve.
Heat the frying pan with the oil and toss in the sweet potato. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 4 minutes over medium heat until the cubes are just tender and lightly golden at the sides.
Meanwhile, cut the feta into small cubes and grate the parmesan.
Stir the asparagus into the sweet potato and cook for 2 minutes until just tender.
Then add the cubed feta and gently stir to mix in.
In the large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the herbs, parmesan, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
Divide the sweet potato mixture evenly into the cupcake holes, spoon the egg mixture over and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until cooked.

Notes: Why is the name of this recipe frittate, ending in e? What other vegetables could you use in the recipe? What animals’ milk makes feta?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: Baking, children, coeliac, cooking, eggs, gluten-free, Herbs, kids, school, vegetarian | Leave a comment

Our spring salad with strawberries and flowers

Posted on October 9, 2012 by melhm

This is a lovely salad to pair with heavily flavoured dishes and is fun to prepare – try not to gobble all the strawberries first!

Fresh from the garden: Beetroot, lettuces, rocket, strawberries, edible flowers, lemon, parsley, marjoram, thyme, coriander, oregano
Recipe source: Melissa

Equipment:

Medium saucepan
Bowls – 2 large
2 salad spinners
Tea towel
Kitchen paper
Chopping board & knife
Mortar & pestle
Measure – 1/3 cup
Citrus juicer
Mezzaluna, teaspoon
Serving bowls, little tongs

Ingredients:

A bunch of baby beetroot
A large handful salad leaves
A few garnishing flowers
A handful of strawberries

Herby vinaigrette dressing

1 small garlic clove
Flaked salt & black pepper
1 lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
A small handful mixed herbs:
parsley, marjoram, thyme, coriander, oregano, chives

What to do:

Chop off the beetroot leaves, keeping any small leaves. Scrub the beets and place them whole into the medium saucepan and fill with cold water. Set to boil for about 20 minutes.
Fill up the 2 big bowls with cold water & wash the salad leaves, gently dunking them a handful at a time into the water, then pulling out to see if any dirt is left behind. Repeat in fresh water until no dirt remains. Spin the leaves dry and then wipe the bowls dry.
Wash the flowers separately and drain on a piece of paper towel. Keep the flowers reserved, picking off the petals to use.
Wash and spin dry the herbs, and pick off the leaves. Wash and hull the strawberries and slice.
Lay out the tea towel and line it with kitchen paper. Spread the salad leaves over the paper and roll the whole lot up like a log. Keep the rolled parcel of leaves in the fridge until needed.
When the beetroot are tender, drain them and place under running cold water until cool. Slip the skins off with your fingers and slice up.

To make the dressing:

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 the pips) then stir the lot with the teaspoon and scrape it into a large bowl.
Stir in the olive oil and grind a little pepper, then whisk the dressing lightly. Add the herbs, chopping any large leaves in the mezzaluna if needed. Add to the dressing in the large bowl.

To assemble:

Unwrap the parcel of salad leaves & tip them into the bowl with the flower petals, herbs, strawberries, beetroot and the dressing. Gently turn the leaves in the dressing using your hands or tongs.
Transfer the salad to the serving bowls and serve immediately with little tongs.

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: beetroot, children, cooking, gluten-free, Herbs, kids, Mortar and pestle, salad, spring, strawberries, vegetarian | Leave a comment

Rocket linguine with broad beans, lemon and marjoram

Posted on October 8, 2012 by melhm

Our Kitchen Garden students love making pasta – and this recipe sings of spring! It includes the dough mixture as well as instructions on how to use a pasta machine.

Fresh from the garden: eggs, rocket, broad beans, lemon, marjoram
Recipe source: Melissa

Equipment:

Salad spinner
Pasta machine
Scales, garlic press
Measures – teaspoon
Food processor
Plastic wrap
Chopping board & knife
Pastry brush, grater
Large stock pot & saucepan
Tongs, large bowls
Serving bowls

Ingredients:

500g plain ‘00’ flour
5 free-range eggs
Salt
2 handfuls of rocket
500g broad beans in pod
A handful of marjoram sprigs
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
A lemon
3 garlic cloves
Flaked salt & black pepper
50g parmesan

What to do:

To make the pasta:

Wash a handful of rocket thoroughly and spin dry. Discard any tough stalks and chop roughly.
Weigh the flour, then combine it with 1½ teaspoons of salt in the bowl of the food processor. With the motor running, add the eggs and the chopped rocket. Process for a few minutes until the dough clings together and feels quite springy.
Tip the dough onto a clean, dry workbench. Knead the dough for a few minutes, then wrap it in plastic film and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

_________________________________________________________________

Fill the large stockpot and the saucepan with water and set to boil on high with the lids on.
Fix the pasta machine to a suitable bench or table – if the surface is not thick enough you may need to place a thick book under the machine. Screw the clamp very tightly.
Clear a large space on the workbench alongside the pasta machine. All surfaces must be clean and dry. Press or roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 cm wide.
Set the rollers on the pasta machine to the widest setting and pass the dough through. The dough will probably look quite ragged at this stage. Fold it in 3, turn it 90 degrees and roll it through again. Go to the next-thickest setting and pass the dough through 3-4 times.
Continue in this manner (changing the settings and passing the dough through) until the dough has passed through the second thinnest setting. Don’t use the very thinnest setting, as the dough gets too fine and is hard to manage. If the dough gets too long to handle comfortably, cut it into 2-3 pieces using the large knife, and roll each piece separately.
Lay the pasta strips on a lightly floured surface & dust with a little more flour. Attach the pasta cutter to the machine and pass through the largest rollers, draping it in your hands to catch.
Carefully separate each strip and hang over a pole to dry.
Clean the pasta machine by brushing it with a dry, wide pastry brush & putting back in its box.

To finish the dish:

Check that the stockpot & saucepan have been filled with water and are set on high to boil.
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. Drain again and double-pod by slipping the outer shell off into the compost. Put the beans into the big bowl.
Wash and dry the lemon and zest it. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze its juice into the beans.
Peel the garlic cloves and squeeze them into the bowl too.
Measure the parmesan and grate what you need. Wash and spin dry the marjoram and strip leaves into the garlicky broad beans.
Wash and spin the remaining rocket dry and add that to the bowl.
Measure 1/3 cup of olive oil into the bowl and sprinkle on a few pinches of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper and toss to incorporate.
When the stockpot has started a fast boil, gather your drying pasta on a large baking tray. Add a tablespoon of cooking salt and then the pasta to the pot, stir once and quickly put the lid back on.
As soon as the pot begins to boil again, take the lid off. The pasta should only take 2 minutes or so to cook from boiling. Taste to check – it’s important that the pasta remains al dente and is not overcooked!
Using tongs, carefully pull the pasta (and some of its cooking liquid) out and into the big lemony rocket bowl and toss to thoroughly incorporate.
Divide into serving bowls, sprinkle the parmesan on and eat immediately!

Notes: Never wash the pasta machine – it will rust! Just brush down with a strong brush to remove the leftover dough.

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: broad beans, children, cooking, dough, Herbs, kids, Marjoram, Olive oil, pasta, pasta machine, rocket | Leave a comment

Herbal tisane

Posted on October 8, 2012 by melhm

Alice says, ‘A tisane is a fresh tea, an infusion of fragrant herbs, or flowers or spices, in boiling water. It is a soothing a refreshing finish to a meal, is complementary to most desserts, and offers a mild alternative to coffee. Tisane can be made from such flavourings as lemon verbena, mint, lemon thyme, lemon balm, hyssop, chamomile, citrus rind and ginger – alone and in combination. The one I make most is a combination of mint and lemon verbena. It is very beautiful made in a glass teapot so you can see the brilliant green leaves… I like to use small clear tea glasses, as they do in Morocco, so the lovely pale green colour is visible.’

Fresh from the garden: your choice of fresh herbs – English mint, spearmint, peppermint, lemon verbena, chamomile flowers, lemon thyme – orange, cumquat or lemon rind – ginger, cinnamon

Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Alice Waters in The Art of Simple Food

Equipment:

Measuring jug
Saucepan with lid
Chopping board & knife
Ladle
Tea cups or glasses

Ingredients:

A large handful of herb stalks, leaves and/or flowers
A thumb-sized knob of ginger or a stick of two of cinnamon or cassia bark
2 litres of water

What to do:

Measure the water into the saucepan and heat on high to boil.
Wash the herbs in several changes of water and shake dry.
Rinse the ginger, if using, and chop into thin slices, skin on.
When the water in the saucepan is boiling, carefully drop in the herbs and pieces of ginger.
Turn the heat off and let the tisane steep for several minutes.
Ladle into cups or glasses to serve.

Notes: What is a tisane? What other herbal combinations can you think of?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: Alice Waters, cinnamon, citrus, flowers, ginger, Herbal tea, Herbs, lemongrass, mint, tea, thyme, tisane | Leave a comment

Strawberry & mint muffins

Posted on October 8, 2012 by melhm

There are a few different procedures here so lots for young chefs to do! You can use any berries but we love the juicy strawberries ripening in our garden right now… and we love the crazy herb combination!

Fresh from the garden: strawberries, mint, eggs
Recipe source: Melissa
Makes: 24

Equipment:

2 x 12-hole large cupcake tins
Paper muffin cases
Bowls – large, medium
Colander
Stick blender & bowl
Chopping board and small knife
Measures – cup, ½ cup, 1/3 cup
Stand mixer & bowl
Whisk
Spatula
Skewer
Serving plates

Ingredients:

500g strawberries
A small bunch mint
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups self-raising flour
1 cup caster sugar plus 2 tablespoons
4 eggs
400g plain yoghurt
100ml milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Line the muffin tin with the muffin cases.
Wash the strawberries and hull them, discarding the leaves into the compost. Divide strawberries into 2 lots.
Take one lot of strawberries and chop each into eight and add to a large bowl.
Wash the mint and strip off the leaves, discarding the stem. Tear or chop up the leaves into small pieces and add to the chopped strawberries with one tablespoon of caster sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Gently mix together and leave to soak.
Take the remaining berries and add them to the stick blender bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon caster onto them and then blitz to puree.
Measure out the flour and sugar into the bowl of the stand mixer and turn on for a minute to mix.
Whisk the eggs in the medium bowl and then add with the yoghurt, oil and milk to the mixer. Add the strawberry puree and mix again until well combined.
Remove the bowl from the stand and using the spatula, gently fold through the chopped strawberries.
Spoon into the muffin cases evenly.
Carefully slide into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
Divide among serving plates and eat!

Notes: What other herbs go well with strawberries? Why do we leave the strawberries to soak? Why should the skewer come out clean when the muffins are cooked?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: Baking, children, cooking, dessert, eggs, Herbs, kids, mint, muffins, strawberries | Leave a comment

Bocconcini, garden herb, rocket and red onion pizza

Posted on September 13, 2012 by melhm

We love the whole gamut of pizza qualities! Making the dough is great fun (and very therapeutic…!) and we love using our big muscles to roll out the bases… We wash and spin and chop our herbs, and simmer up our own garlicky tomato sauce – with fresh tomatoes in summer and tinned toms out of season – and compile our toppings based on what’s growing… this week it’s loads of sweet onion, marjoram, rocket and curly parsley… We grate and tear and zest, and we LOVE the smell as the pizza bakes… But most of all, we adore devouring the pizza. Mmmmm.

Fresh from the garden: rocket, red & brown onions, thyme, marjoram, parsley
Recipe source: Melissa, kitchen specialist at Bondi PS

Equipment:For the pizza dough

Bowls – 1 small, 1 large
- Fork
- Scales
- Measures: cup, tablespoon, teaspoon
- Stand mixer with a dough hook
- Pastry brush
- 2 rolling pins
- 2 baking or pizza trays
- wide egg lifter

For the pizza topping:

Chopping board & knife
Medium frying pan
- Measures: ¼ cup, tablespoon
Wooden spoon
- Grater, tongs
Kitchen towel
Large bowl
Salad spinner
Large board for cutting pizza
Pizza cutters
Serving plates

Ingredients:For the pizza dough

1 cup lukewarm water
3 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
400g plain flour, plus extra for flouring
2 teaspoons salt

For the pizza topping:

1 tub bocconcini
1 large red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Small handful marjoram, parsley and thyme
A small handful rocket
30g parmesan

Tomato sauce:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 can chopped tomatoes
Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:
To make the dough:

Place the water, yeast and sugar in the small bowl. Mix with the fork and leave for 5–10 minutes until the mixture looks frothy.
Add the 2 teaspoons of oil to the yeast mixture and mix well.
Place the flour and salt and yeast mixture in the bowl of the electric mixer and beat for at least 8 minutes, until the dough looks smooth.
Brush the inside of a large bowl with a little of the extra virgin olive oil, using the pastry brush.
Turn the pizza dough into the oiled bowl. Cover with a clean, dry tea towel and put in a draught-free place until the dough has doubled in size. This process, which is called ‘proving’, will take at least 1 hour.
After an hour, tip the risen dough onto the workbench and knead briefly, then shape it into a round ball and return it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with the tea towel and leave again, this time for at least 20 minutes.

What to do:

Start of lesson:

Preheat the oven to maximum. You can prepare the topping now while you wait for the oven to heat up.
Scatter some flour on the workbench, divide the pizza dough in two and roll to form two thin rectangles to fit the baking trays.
Assemble the pizzas directly onto the trays, flouring the trays a little first.

For the tomato sauce:

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
Heat the olive oil in the frying pan & gently cook the onion and garlic until translucent but not brown.
Open the tin of tomato and add to the frying pan with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until quite reduced.

For the topping:

Peel the red onion, cut in half and finely slice into rings
Wash and carefully dry the herb sprigs – pick the leaves, discarding the stalks. Finely chop all the herbs.
Wash the rocket and spin it dry. Leaving small leaves whole, chop large leaves into ribbons.
Peel the onion, cut in half and finely slice into rings.
Open the tub of bocconcini and cut or tear each ball into 3 or 4 pieces.
Grate the parmesan.

Assembling the pizza:

Using a metal spoon, swirl a couple of spoonfuls of tomato sauce onto the pizza bases, spreading so that they become totally covered.
Layer the onion slices on top and then lay on the bocconcini. Season well.
Drizzle the pizzas with the last of the oil, then slide them into the oven.

Baking the pizza:

Bake the pizzas for 12 minutes or until the edges are very crusty and the cheese is bubbling.
At this stage you can make the dough for the next class.
Once the pizzas are done, transfer them to a board using the wide egg lifter. Cut the pizzas crossways into small squares, and lift onto serving plates.
Sprinkle with the herbs and the grated parmesan and finish with the rocket.
Serve and eat!

Notes: What other sort of vegetables could you use in a pizza? What sort of other pizza could we make?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: Baking, children, cooking, Herbs, kids, Marjoram, parsley, pizza, red onion, rocket | 1 Comment

Spinach soup with sour cream and crunchy croutons

Posted on September 13, 2012 by melhm

This is such a lovely spring soup, verdant and vibrant! And made even more delicious by the addition of sour cream and crunchy croutons at the end.

Fresh from the garden: potatoes, spinach, onions
Recipe source: Melissa, kitchen specialist at Bondi PS

Equipment:

Small saucepan
Chopping board & knife
Baking sheet
Scales
Bowls – 2 large, med
Garlic press
Potato peelers
Small stockpot
Wooden spoon
Measuring: jug,1/2 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, ½ teaspoon
Stick blender
Ladle
Teaspoons
Serving bowls

Ingredients:For the croutons

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Half a loaf sourdough of bread
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1kg all-purpose potatoes
2 bunches spinach
Flaked salt & black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 200C.
Wash the spinach in several changes of water and shake dry. Trim the stems and then slice stems and leaves into pieces 2cm wide.
Peel, halve and coarsely chop the onion. Squeeze the garlic through the garlic press. Wash and peel the potatoes and chop into 2cm cubes.
Heat the oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
Increase heat to high. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Add potato and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until potato is tender.
Meanwhile, carefully melt the butter in the small saucepan.
Remove the crust from the half-loaf of bread and then slice the bread into cubes.
Combine the melted butter and tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Add the cubes of bread, and toss until coated. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; toss until evenly coated. Spread the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until croutons are golden, about 10 minutes.
Add spinach to the soup and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach wilts.
Using the stick blender, whizz the soup until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup among serving bowls. Top with half a teaspoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of croutons.

Notes: What is an all-purpose potato? What does cumin smell like?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: children, cooking, kids, potatoes, soup, Spinach | Leave a comment

Recipe

Bruschetta with broad bean and parmesan mash

Linguine with broad beans, lemon and garden herbs

Orange and cardamom cakes with cream cheese icing

Asparagus, feta and sweet potato frittate

Our spring salad with strawberries and flowers

Rocket linguine with broad beans, lemon and marjoram

Herbal tisane

Strawberry & mint muffins

Bocconcini, garden herb, rocket and red onion pizza

Spinach soup with sour cream and crunchy croutons

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