Posts Tagged With: brunch

Cheese and spring onion souffles

Posted on May 19, 2014 by melhm

This classic comfort food recipe has appeared on this blog in a slightly different version of two cheeses souffle – but this version with spring onions has gone down a treat, even if we do say so ourselves…

Fresh from the garden: eggs, spring onion
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe on bbcgoodfood.com
Serves: 5 at home or 25 tastes

ourkitchengarden.net

Equipment:

  • 5 x 250ml ramekins or soufflé dishes
  • Baking paper & string
  • Scissors
  • Baking tray
  • Scales
  • Paper towel, pot holders
  • Bowls – 1 large, 5 small
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Stand mixer and bowl
  • Metal spoon
  • 4 under-plates to serve
 Ingredients:

  • 25g butter plus extra to grease the ramekins
  • 100g feta cheese
  • 100g parmesan
  • 2 or 3 spring onions
  • 5 eggs
  • 25g flour
  • 250ml milk
  • Flaked salt & black pepper

What to do:

  • Heat the oven to 200C. Butter the ramekins.
  • Make a collar for each ramekin by tearing a 40cm length of baking paper, folding it into thirds, and buttering one side. Then roll it around the ramekin, buttered side in, and tying with string to secure. Place them on the baking tray when done.
  • Measure the parmesan, then grate it. Crumble the feta cheese.
  • Wash the spring onions and pat dry with paper towel. Strip off the tough outer layer and trim the roots and tops. Finely chop them into thin discs to yield about 2 tablespoons.
  • Carefully separate each of the eggs, putting the whites into the very clean and dry bowl of the stand mixer, and reserving the yolks in a small bowl.
  • Melt 25g butter in the saucepan, stir in the flour and gently cook on a low heat for a minute or so. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time to make a thick sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes to cook out the flour.
  • Stir in the cheeses and spring onions then add 4 of the egg yolks, season generously and mix well.
  • Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and form soft peaks.
  • Using a metal spoon, start folding the egg whites into the cheese mixture carefully – begin by using about 1/3 of the whites first and then adding the rest once combined – and pour into the buttered soufflé dishes.
  • Cook for 12–15 minutes until the soufflés are risen and golden.
  • Using pot holders, carefully place a soufflé on to an lined underplate and serve TOUT SUITE!

Notes: What is a ramekin? Why do we separate the egg yolks and whites? Why do we need to cook out the flour? Where does the word soufflé come from?

ourkitchengarden.net

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The best mushrooms on toast!

Posted on August 22, 2013 by melhm

We received our first boxes of ‘live’ mushrooms last week and the children are already harvesting! What’s the best & easiest dish ever? Why, luxury mushrooms on toast!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: mushrooms, garlic, thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Recipe source: 6 at home or 24 tastes 

Equipment:

  • Paper towel
  • Non-stick frying pan
  • Knives – bread, small
  • Chopping board
  • Grill trays
  • Tongs
  • Oven mitts, spoons
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • A good few handfuls of mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • A sprig or 3 of thyme
  • 25g butter
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flaked salt
  • A loaf of great sourdough bread

 What to do:

  • Heat the grill on high.
  • Using a piece of paper towel, wipe the soil from the mushrooms. Never wash mushrooms!
  • Cut into fine slices, keeping a mushroom shape.
  • Peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash and spin-dry the thyme, leaving whole.
  • Heat the butter and tablespoon or two of olive oil in the non-stick pan until sizzling, and add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme stalks and a pinch or two of salt.
  • Toss or stir every minute or so for about 5-6 minutes. You want the mushrooms browned but lovely and soft.
  • Meanwhile, carefully slice the bread – you may find it easier to ask an adult to slice the loaf down the middle lengthways first, and cut each half separately – and place on grill trays.
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil and slide the bread into the oven to lightly grill, and turn over when needed – watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.
  • When ready bring the toast out from the grill using the oven mitts and divide among serving plates.
  • Spoon the garlicky, herby mushrooms over the bruschetta and grind over a little pepper if needed.
  • Eat at once!

 Notes: Why shouldn’t we wash mushrooms? How long do they take to mature? What do the mushrooms look like after one day – three days – five days? What else could you cook with a mushroom?

ourkitchengarden.net

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Rhubarb and pear compote with vanilla yoghurt

Posted on April 25, 2013 by melhm

This recipe is a goody for Mothers’ Day coming up – imagine your mama waking up to the smell of this bubbling away on the stovetop, just in time for a lazy breakfast-in-bed?! You’ll have brownie points at least for the rest of the day!

ourkitchengarden.net

Rhubarb and pear compote, vanilla yoghurt

Fresh from the garden: orange, rhubarb, pears
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Tracy Rutherford in Australian Good Taste
Serves: 6 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Paper towel
  • Microplane zester
  • Chopping board & knives
  • Bowls – large, medium, small
  • Measures – ¼ cup, tablespoon
  • Peelers
  • Large saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Colander
  • Spatula
  • Small sauce bowls
  • Serving bowls & plates
 Ingredients:

  • 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 bunch (about 700g) rhubarb
  • 4 ripe pears
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Vanilla yoghurt

  • 200ml Greek yoghurt
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar

 What to do:

  • Wash and wipe the orange dry. Zest into a small bowl, then cut the orange in half and then juice to yield ¼ cup.
  • Trim the rhubarb, discarding the leaves into the rubbish (not the compost). Wash well, then chop into 3cm lengths.
  • Wash the pears and peel. Slice into quarters and then cut out the core. Slice the wedges in half again.
  • Place the orange juice and sugar in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
  • Add the rhubarb, pear, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for a further 5 minutes or until fruit is tender and liquid thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to cool.
  • Meanwhile prepare the yoghurt: halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds from inside each half. Mix these into the yoghurt with the tablespoon of white caster sugar, and divide into small sauce bowls. Chill until ready to serve.
  • When the compote is ready, divide it among your serving bowls. Place them on a serving plate with the small yoghurt bowl and serve!

Notes: Why do we discard the rhubarb leaves into the rubbish?  What is Greek yoghurt? What could you sprinkle on to this dish to make it even yummier? What is a compote?

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Oat pancakes with roasted strawberries

Posted on November 22, 2012 by melhm

Frank says, ‘If you have children, as I do, it’s great to get them involved adding flour and milk and cracking eggs; sure, the odd egg hits the floor, or milk spills on the bench, but that’s half the fun.’ We say, ‘!!!’

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: strawberries
Recipe source: Frank Camorra in the Sydney Morning Herald
Serves: 8 or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Measures – jug, cup, ½ cup, tablespoon, teaspoon
  • Small roasting tray
  • Sifter or sieve
  • Bowls – large, medium
  • Fork, metal spoon
  • Scales
  • Non-stick frying pan
  • Ladle, tea towel
  • Plate & paper towel
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

Pancakes:

  • 1½ cups milk
  • 1½ cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Strawberries:

  • 2 punnets strawberries
  • 100g raw sugar
  • 100ml Canadian maple syrup

What to do:

  • Preheat oven to 200C. Pour the milk over oats and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
  • Wash strawberries and carefully hull them with a small knife. Mix them with the raw sugar and syrup. Pour into a small roasting tray and roast in oven for 15 minutes, until soft and juice starts to come out of strawberries.
  • After the 10 minutes for the oats is up, add sugar, oil and egg and beat with a fork. Sift in remaining dry ingredients and stir to form a smooth batter. If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin mixture.
  • Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add a couple of separate large ladlefuls of the mixture and cook for 2 minutes each side, turning once, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm with the folded tea towel. You may need to wipe the frying pan out a few times with paper towel and re-oil.
  • When all pancakes are cooked, divide among serving plates. Remove the strawberries from the oven and spoon over the pancakes.

Notes: What other fruits could be roasted this way? What is maple syrup?

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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