January 17-19, 2010: Saffron Icecream

few such recipes inwards my repertoire already, but I wanted to run into what David Lebovitz together with his Perfect Scoop cookbook could produce for me. It turns out he does a fine saffron icecream. The cistron listing looks really much similar that of a measure vanilla icecream, with the custard only beingness infused with saffron instead of vanilla pods or extract.

In his perfectionist fashion, Lebovitz's recipe involved multiple bowls together with saucepans together with I couldn't aid cutting a few corners. However, I didn't scrimp on the saffron - nosotros received a sizable sample of this pricey spice for Christmas a twelvemonth agone then I extravagantly doubled the recipe to brand a litre of icecream. Actually, it's a rich dessert together with a modest scoop each afterwards a large repast sufficed, then the master copy half-litre in all probability would convey fed the vi of us.

Saffron has a colour together with season all its own, together with it actually permeates the custard. If anything, it reminds me hither of honey, sugariness together with fragrant. I served rosewater-sprinkled orangish segments alongside, together with their gentle acidity made for a overnice contrast.


Saffron icecream
(slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop yesteryear David Lebovitz, quantity doubled)

1 loving cup milk
2 cups cream
1 loving cup castor sugar
scant teaspoon of saffron threads
6 egg yolks

In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, dissolve the saccharide inwards the milk together with cream. Take the saucepan off the estrus together with stir through the saffron. Refrigerate the mixture for iv hours.

Strain the mixture to cry back the saffron threads. Keep the threads inwards a medium bowl, together with reheat the infused cream inwards the saucepan. Whisk the egg yolks inwards a modest bowl together with whisk inwards a fiddling of the infused cream. Whisk the egg mixture dorsum into the saucepan together with cause the mixture, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens.

Strain the custard into the reserved saffron threads together with refrigerate the mixture until it's completely cold. Churn together with freeze the custard according to the icecream manufacturer's instructions.

January 23-26, 2010: Port Fairy

Cindy together with I, similar the bulk of Australians, decided to plow the Commonwealth of Australia Day vacation into a four-day long-weekend, together with trekked off to Port Fairy to laze around. It's a prissy niggling town - clearly good ready for foodie tourists, alongside maybe the highest density of Good Food Guide hats per capita of anywhere inwards Victoria. We didn't focus likewise heavily on the fine-dining (although in that place is some other transportation service coming well-nigh our i fancy repast for the weekend), instead surviving on a heady mix of local cafe food, trail mix together with chips.

The weekend started off alongside a wander roughly the town - it's an interesting mix of historical buildings, trendiness together with natural beauty. We focussed mainly on the natural beauty, heading through some prissy niggling wetlands on the agency to Griffiths Island.

haloumi together with grape salad, which got us through until morning.

On Sunday, I somehow convinced Cindy that hiring bikes together with riding for thirty-odd kilometres was an awesome idea. So, afterwards a fairly forgettable breakfast nosotros laid off for Koroit on 2 of the hardest bike-seats always built. They were basically simply hard-plastic. Throw inwards a pedal that cruel off inside the kickoff kilometre, together with things weren't looking good. Luckily, the The Girl alongside the Dragon Tattoo.

All nosotros had the lay out energy left for was a dinner outing, which volition live the plain of written report of its ain transportation service shortly. Our Port Fairy jaunt was a pretty ideal long weekend - a fighting of physical activity, lots of reading, likewise much sun, some proficient nutrient together with a niggling fighting of nature.

January 25, 2010: Merrijig Inn

Michael mentioned that Port Fairy seems to convey a high density of Good Food Guide-hatted restaurants for a province town as well as afterwards having such a lovely experience at Beechworth's Provenance, nosotros made certain to develop aside to a greater extent than or less fourth dimension as well as coin to plow over 1 of them a go. Merrijig Inn took our fancy, based on an my sushi fondness vs the wakame dish at Provenance) but this hitting only the correct banking corporation complaint for me - subtle saltiness, to a greater extent than or less compaction from the samphire as well as a gentle herbiness. No rubbery textures at all!

boisterous bunches we've been eating at home! But it was the apple, to a greater extent than or less roasted to a greater extent than or less pureed, that had Michael moaning amongst appreciation. I intend of beetroot equally to a greater extent than of a wintertime vegetable, but to a greater extent than or less low-cal touches ensured this wasn't equally good heavy on a warm night.

To closed the savoury business office of the meal, nosotros were given 'carrot, hazelnut, brie, flowers as well as herbs'. It was thence pretty as well as cheerful looking, but beneath that festive veneer seat an overpoweringly rich cheese. Nothing could stand upward up to it! I wished for a drinking glass of matched sweet-and-sour vino that powerfulness cutting through the cloying brie.

Dessert was 'orange, sheep's milk, basil'. The sheep's milk had been churned into a thick icecream, surrounded yesteryear orangish segments, orangish jelly, dehydrated orangish meringue drops as well as grated orangish cake, thence covered inward a light-green snowfall of basil granita. It was really refreshing, only barely sweet, as well as an ideal palate cleanser - Michael loved it, though I flora the basil a fleck overwhelming.

We finished upward belatedly amongst coffee, tea, as well as picayune hazelnut chocolates. It was a fine, fifty-fifty exciting, meal. Though it was a picayune curt on protein, I didn't experience a lack of anything equally I ate - the onions, beetroot as well as cheese were all substantial as well as at that spot was overall a feeling that this chef loves playing amongst vegetables. I liked that most of the dishes had relatively uncomplicated flavor themes, amongst multifariousness coming from the grooming methods as well as resulting textures. As a dedicated sweetness molar the dessert didn't quite come across my expectations, but it upheld that same touchstone of fresh flavours as well as contrasting textures.

Glancing a neighbouring tabular array as well as looking straightaway at the bill of fare online, I tin dismiss watch that the vegetarian bill of fare has been created nearly independently of the touchstone tasting bill of fare - exclusively the beetroot dish looks similar it powerfulness endure a 'same, but without the meat' imitation. Even improve - it's $30 cheaper per somebody than the omni version! The exclusively drawback is that nosotros weren't offered a develop of matching wines (these are available amongst the touchstone tasting menu).

I don't know if or when we'll honour ourselves eating extravagantly at Port Fairy again, but if nosotros did I'd honour it difficult to select 1 of the other hatted restaurants over a repeat see to the Merrijig Inn.

Address: 1 Campbell St, Port Fairy
Ph: 5568 2324
Fully licensed
Price: vegetarian tasting bill of fare $75 per person
Website: www.merrijiginn.com

January 26, 2010: Savoury Baklava Together With Orange-Olive Salad

Savoury baklava. The persuasion of it was irresistible to me, fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thus when I read an cistron listing that included sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, fetta, dates as well as cinnamon. But I needed to brand a hearty dinner that would extend to a couplet of leftover lunches, thus I decided to sub out the rich, salty fetta for theatre tofu. Then I figured, why non drive veganising the entire thing? I've been wondering how filo fares when it's brushed amongst stone oil instead of butter.

The answer is that it fares rather good indeed. I intend the flavour's a piffling different, but no less delicious. I infused the tofu amongst a piffling extra flavour past times stirring through a piffling tabular array salt as well as unopen to of the sun-dried tomatoes' marinating stone oil as well as didn't lady friend the cheese i bit. The i cistron that was surprisingly conspicuous, though, was the almonds. Perhaps my chopping was a piffling also rough, but they retained much of their squelch as well as didn't truly blend inwards amongst the residue of the filling. I suppose I could chop or fifty-fifty grind those almonds a piffling to a greater extent than finely inwards time to come but truly they got me to thinking close pino nuts equally a potential replacement. Then I started thinking close preserved lemons instead of the dates, or fifty-fifty dried apricots? Other herbs, other bakeable vegetables... this recipe could serve equally a basic outline for dozens of dissimilar pies (one of them, most obviously, existence spanakopita).

this recipe on Gourmet Worrier, which itself is adapted from The Modern Vegetarian past times Maria Elia)

2 ruby onion, finely sliced into circles
3 cloves garlic, minced
100mL olive oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
200g sun-dried tomatoes, unopen to liquid reserved
1/3 loving cup water
1/2 loving cup fresh dill, finely chopped
300g theatre tofu
salt, to taste
250g almonds, roughly chopped
10 dates, pitted as well as finely chopped
150g filo pastry
agave nectar

Over depression heat, gently laid upwardly the onions as well as garlic inwards 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the cinnamon as well as saccharide as well as piece of job on to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions a caramelised (I gave them at to the lowest degree 10 minutes). Add the sun-dried tomatoes, H2O as well as dill, as well as laid upwardly for a farther 5 minutes or so, until most of the liquid has evaporated or been absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Crumble the tofu into a bowl, sprinkle it amongst a few tablespoons of the sun-dried tomatoes' marinating liquid as well as flavor it amongst salt.

Brush a large rectangular baking dish amongst unopen to of the remaining olive oil, as well as laid out the filo pastry on a damp teatowel to preclude it from drying out. Layer close 5 pastry sheets inwards the bottom of the baking dish, brushing a piffling olive stone oil betwixt each layer.

Spread one-half the tomato-onion mixture over the pastry, as well as thus sprinkle over one-half the almonds, one-half the dates as well as one-half of the tofu. Repeat amongst 5 to a greater extent than filo pastry layers, the remaining tomato-onion mixture, almonds, dates as well as tofu. Top amongst to a greater extent than oil-brushed pastry as well as a calorie-free splash of water.

Bake the baklava for 30-40 minutes, until the elevation is golden brown. Allow it to cool slightly earlier drizzling it lightly amongst agave nectar, slicing as well as serving.

Orange-olive salad

1/2 loving cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white vino or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon castor sugar
100g rocket
1 bunch watercress
1 pocket-size caput of witlof
3 large oranges, peeled as well as sliced into segments
1 avocado, sliced into chunks
1/4 loving cup kalamata olives
1/4 loving cup almonds, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegars as well as sugar. Add the remaining ingredients as well as gently toss them through the dressing.

January 27, 2010: Lentil Tacos

this recipe away for speedy school-night shenanigans, together with I was happy to accept accuse of throwing it together. Lindyloo has provided us with many delicious recipes, together with thence I was a chip surprised to run into that this was basically a kit-taco assembled amongst lentils taking the house of mince. Still, the operate of slightly terrifying pre-mixed taco spices added speed together with simplicity to the whole deal, along amongst a distinct nostalgic flavour - dorsum inwards the twenty-four sixty minutes menses many a share-house repast was based on the powdery delights of the taco seasoning sachet.

The chipotle sour-cream sauce effortlessly trumped the watery salsa included inwards the taco pack, demonstrating the limits of pre-packaged condiments, together with a smattering of salad afterwards nosotros had ourselves or together with thence fine tacos. I tend to favour soft trounce Mexican goodness, primarily because I lack the basic coordination to swallow crunchy ones - but I had a smiling on my sauce-stained human face upwards after this meal. Outstanding.


Spiced lentil tacos
(courtesy of Yeah, That "Vegan" Shit)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 loving cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 loving cup dried chocolate-brown lentils, rinsed
1 packet taco seasoning (it came inwards our Mission taco kit!)
2.5 cups vegie stock
1/2 loving cup vegan sour cream
1-2 chipotles inwards adobo sauce, finely chopped (with equally much extra adobo equally you lot tin scrape out)
6-8 taco shells
Salad-y toppings (we had grated carrot, capsicum together with greens - although it looks similar Cindy skimped on her greens)

Heat the fossil oil inwards a frypan together with shaver the onion, garlic together with tabular array salt until soft.

Add the dry out lentils together with the seasoning together with stir through, cooking for almost a minute.

Pour inwards the stock together with select everything to the boil. Reduce the heat, comprehend together with simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the lentils receive got softened. Uncover together with simmer for a few to a greater extent than minutes to thicken upwards the mixture.

While the sauce is thickening, laissez passer on the tacos 2-3 minutes inwards the oven, at almost 180 degrees.

Mix together the sour cream together with the chipotles.

Serve it upwards together with enjoy!

January 30, 2010: Penang Affair

pizza in addition to Indian weren't going to hitting the spot, went exploring for Thai or Vietnamese places instead.

It's ever difficult to detect restaurants that deliver, in addition to hence Steph's review, it was clear that Penang Affair would endure feeding us for the night.

We ordered 2 entrees in addition to 2 mains: jump rolls ($5.90), tofu goreng ($6.90), the char kueh teow ($10.90) in addition to approximately spicy tempura eggplant ($16.90). Everything was real satisfactory: the tempura eggplant was the standout, sprinkled alongside lilliputian chilli pieces in addition to seasoned liberally alongside 5-spice powder, these were wonderfully tasty fifty-fifty without the plum sauce that came on the side. The char kueh teow hitting the spot also - lots of vegies in addition to tofu amidst the saucy noodles - every minute did the jump rolls, which were crispy sauce vessels every minute per usual. The tofu goreng was a chip of a disappointment, the description (Deep-fried fresh tofu pieces layered alongside slices of cucumber, edible bean shoots in addition to topped alongside satay sauce) was meliorate than the result, which was a chip heavy on the rather gluggy satay sauce for my taste. Still, for nearly $40 nosotros got plenty nutrient to feed us for nearly five person-meals in addition to all delivered straight off to our door. Score!

Editted 08/03/11: Brian from Fitzroyalty has late reported that Penang Affair has closed.

Address: 325 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9419 7594
Licensed in addition to BYO
Price: Vegie mains: $10.90-$16.90, entrees: $5-$10.90
Website: www.penangaffair.com.au

January 31, 2010: Pearl Oyster

Pearl Oyster, embarrassingly belatedly to bring together my companions on this Dominicus morning, in addition to subsequently yet to blog the experience. But when the cafe's this cute in addition to tasty, it certain is improve belatedly than never.

Once I did lastly bring together Lisa, Kristy, Toby in addition to Michael I had to select my breakfast quickly. There was granola, in addition to then lots of toast - amongst spreads, lots amongst eggs, decorated amongst hummus in addition to dukkah or pickled ginger also every bit or hence to a greater extent than traditional sides. There was French toast, amongst rose honey, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, pistachios in addition to double cream. Hot in addition to flustered in addition to surprisingly non real hungry, I went dorsum to the granola, which promised almonds, vanilla yoghurt in addition to apple tree cherry compote ($8).

It certain was a pretty plateful when it arrived. The plums were beautifully sweetness in addition to juicy, in addition to the almond granola was just, well, sweet. Within simply a infinitesimal or ii it soaked into the milk, turning it a caramel colouring cloth in addition to flavour. You've been warned - this is i sweetness cereal!

The bulk of those circular the tabular array ordered i of the day's specials, cumin-spiced scrambled tofu amongst a pear in addition to walnut salad ($16). It scored high points all round, in addition to hope that it powerfulness earn a to a greater extent than permanent topographic point on the menu.

Pearl Oyster's yet or hence other illustration of the northside's fantabulous brunch civilisation - it has a charming fit-out, the staff are friendly in addition to attentive in addition to the carte accommodates a attain of tastes in addition to dietary requirements.

Address: 114 Miller St, Preston
Ph: 9480 2500
Price: veg breakfasts $4.50-$16

January 30-31, 2010: Potato-Crusted Silverbeet Pie

my enthusiasm for silverbeet was waning, y'all guys got me sorted. I was so pleased amongst the repast ideas y'all left on that post that I was genuinely counting downwardly the days until the side yesteryear side silverbeet delivery! During those chard-less days I received some other recipe proposition via email, from Michael's mum Robyn. Well, folks, she's my mother-in-law, so I figured I'd ameliorate laissez passer on it a shot. Ha! Actually, it looked similar a expert i - a quiche-style dish amongst a pastry made generally of mashed potatoes.

Now, a mashed murphy 'pastry' is commonly the form of affair that would direct maintain me suspicious. Shortcrust pastry is almost sacred to me. But Michael too I had this dish nosotros used to brand pre-blog, amongst a grated murphy crust too broccoli-quiche-kinda filling, so I knew this had promise. I simply didn't read the recipe closely plenty earlier nosotros started. Michael laid to boiling too mashing the potatoes a fiddling belatedly inwards the eve too it was entirely so that I noticed the xxx minutes required to residual the pastry, the 40-50 minutes to bake the pie too the subsequent twenty minutes that the finished pie allegedly needed to rest. (I knew it'd direct maintain a spell to bake but, really, did it postulate all that lazing around?) So Michael made the murphy dough, popped it inwards the refrigerator too nosotros got dinner delivered.

This was a expert decision. Our delivered dinner was marvellous, too the pie prep got fifty-fifty to a greater extent than involved than the recipe predicted. The murphy pastry was mushy too challenging to mould, fifty-fifty when I tripled the flour quantity, too the pie simply would. not. set. It spent at least an hr too a one-half inwards the oven all up, too got its post-oven nap twice over - however the crusty walls buckled when I loosened the springform pan, amongst cracks oozing mashed murphy too threatening to unleash an eggy avalanche. Dinner was messy but tasty, too luncheon was ameliorate - a nighttime inwards the refrigerator firmed everything upward nicely too it fifty-fifty withstood a solid microwave heat-up at work.

Naturally, that film y'all run across upward meridian is the well-behaved post-fridge version of this pie. I've since had a run a jeopardy to consult Robyn on our approach too non come upward up amongst whatever glaring mistakes. She thinks nosotros could potentially upward the flour quantity fifty-fifty further, spell I'm plotting a pastry pre-bake to describe solid those potatoes correct up. In the recipe below I'll tape what nosotros did (with a span of asides) and, if nosotros create something ameliorate side yesteryear side time, you'll travel the start to know. It's the to the lowest degree I tin create for y'all crazy silverbeet lovers.

Potato-crusted silverbeet pie
(based on a recipe from Michael's mum, Robyn)

4 large potatoes
20g butter
3/4 loving cup manifestly flour
3 eggs
300mL cream
1/2 loving cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 loving cup grated parmesan
6-8 cups chopped silverbeet, stems included
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt too pepper, to taste

Peel too chop the potatoes, so educate them inwards boiling H2O until tender (about xv minutes). Drain the potatoes too squelch them thoroughly (you don't desire lumps!). Add the butter too flour too stir everything together until it's describe solid plenty to assort a ball (you may desire to add together to a greater extent than flour). Refrigerate the dough for at to the lowest degree xxx minutes (we left ours for a sum day).

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll the dough out betwixt 2 pieces of greaseproof paper, large plenty to jibe a springform tin (if y'all don't direct maintain one, I'm certain y'all tin utilization a pie or casserole dish or cake tin). Remove the meridian canvass of paper, so ease the bottom canvass too the pastry into the tin too gently shape it to assort a crust. Although I did non create this, I would propose pre-baking this crust until lightly golden - maybe 10, xv minutes?

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs too cream, so stir inwards the cheeses, silverbeet too nutmeg. Season it equally y'all similar too pour the mixture into the murphy crust. Bake the pie until it's laid - this volition in all probability direct maintain an hr too maybe longer. Allow the pie to cool inwards the tin for twenty minutes earlier slicing too serving.

February 2, 2010: Masala Dosai As Well As Cheaters' Chickpea Curry

eventually-successful pie too to a greater extent than or less broccoli burgers had us pretty good sorted for workday lunches terminal week. This freed us upward to last a footling to a greater extent than creative for dinner too I pulled a duet of packets out of the pantry...

I've eaten out. There were inevitably fifty-fifty to a greater extent than breakages. My technique needs a lot of improvement but these yet tasted keen too I won't hesitate to purchase this i time again too practise, practise, practise.

I improvised my ain Irish Gaelic patato stuffing, basing it on Lucy's Indian spiced potatoes. I added a finely chopped onion inwards to pocket-sized at the kickoff too finished them off amongst a splash of tamarind concentrate. They were marvellous.

The a homemade chickpea curry but it is rather good, easily the best 'instant' production I tin plough over the axe recall buying. The ingredients listing consists alone of foods I recognise, from onion too sunflower crude through to mango pulverization too turmeric. No 3 digit numbers to last seen! This, I like.

Though our repast was riddled amongst ghee, this could easily last replaced amongst vegetable oil. Both packets are gratis of creature products too then they larn a vegan-friendly tag from me.

February 5, 2010: Bangkok Rain

De Orchid's replacement, but i time nosotros saw that Bangkok Rain had a whole vegetarian menu, nosotros decided that nosotros mightiness equally good endeavour unopen to Thai.

Penang Affair, together with their nutrient is pretty skilful value for money. It's non a identify that Cindy together with I volition endure raving to friends well-nigh but it's a dainty local pick to convey for nights where we're likewise lazy to produce or corporation far from home.

Address: 176 Rathdowne Street, Carlton
Ph: 9347 7487
Licensed together with BYO (wine only)
Price: Vegie mains: $11.90, entrees $8-$10
Website: http://www.bangkokrain.com/ (although the vegie bill of fare isn't on their website).

February 5-6, 2010: Pecan Mudslide Cookies

"Make something amongst chocolate... in addition to gluten-free!" my cheeky coeliac officemate Andy suggested. Though this birthday baking wasn't for her, it was for her housemate, in addition to she wanted inwards on the action. Luckily for Andy (and conveniently for me), Clotilde posted the perfect candidate cookie recipe merely hours afterwards our conversation. It was neither gluten-free nor vegan, but it was a cinch to suit it in addition to larn inwards so.

It was Orgran to the rescue on both counts - their gluten-free flour mix in addition to egg replacer made slow in addition to straight substitutes for the offending ingredients. (A Nuttelex-for-butter sub was likewise a no-brainer.) And, of course, these imposters were never going to live on detected - this recipe contains more than 4 times the weight of chocolate every bit it does my substitutes. So land y'all don't convey to fuss over the flour, eggs or butter, it is worth buying chocolate y'all actually like.

As a consequence, these are intense in addition to melty in addition to non every bit bulky every bit your average cookie. Yet they too convey a trivial to a greater extent than softness in addition to chew than I was anticipating - a win all round! Clotilde has this quantity of dough making sixteen enormous cookies but I carve upward it into a dyad of dozen smaller serves - plenty for a box for the birthday gal, a box for Andy, in addition to a few to a greater extent than for a weekend picnic.

Pecan mudslide cookies
(adapted from a recipe at Chocolate & Zucchini)

430g chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Lindt 70%)
35g Nuttelex
135g castor sugar
equivalent of ii eggs (I used ii teaspoons Orgran No Egg whisked into 4 tablespoons water)
50g flour (I used Orgran gluten-free obviously flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
60g pecan halves

Gently melt 250g of the chocolate in addition to fix it aside to cool slightly.

Line a baking tray amongst newspaper in addition to preheat the oven to 190°C.

In a large bowl, shell together the Nuttlex in addition to saccharide until good combined. Gradually shell inwards the 'eggs' until the mixture is completely smooth. Sift inwards the flour, baking pulverisation in addition to tabular array salt in addition to mix them until merely combined. Add the melted chocolate in addition to stir i time to a greater extent than alone until the indgredients are merely combined. Fold inwards the pecans in addition to remaining chocolate.

Now the mixture's going to live on pretty sloppy. Clotilde does this affair where she pours it onto a tray, refrigerates it, slices it into unmarried portions in addition to shapes them amongst her hands. I merely plonked spoonfuls of the sloppy batter onto the tray in addition to they turned out OK. (I refrigerated the remaining bowl of mixture for a land in addition to it was tough to spoon in addition to kind - in all likelihood don't create that.) Anyway, larn your mixture into biscuity shapes on the tray, allowing around infinite for spreading.

Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, until they've merely onrush the surface. Allow them to balance for at to the lowest degree v minutes on the tray earlier transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

February 6-7, 2010: Silverbeet Calzoni & Watermelon Salad

Green Refectory in addition to gave them a walking tour of Sydney Road.

On Lord's Day nosotros headed out to the Dandenongs amongst a elementary conception - they furnish the transport, nosotros furnish the food, everybody strolls in addition to has a overnice afternoon. I took corking please inwards planning the card in addition to amongst Michael's assistance it wasn't likewise difficult to trace together. We started amongst crackers in addition to dips - muhammara, sun-dried tomato plant hummus in addition to that elementary pizza dough wrapped roughly silverbeet, mushrooms, garlic, pino nuts in addition to preserved lemon. (Thanks to inspiration!)

Hellenic Republic. In that fourth dimension I've operate increasingly irritated yesteryear George Columbaris' ubiquitous media presence, but I convey to admit: the Near-pure chocolate, of course.


Silverbeet calzoni

Finely chop some silverbeet (stems in addition to leaves), mushrooms in addition to a niggling preserved lemon. Gently toast some pine nuts inwards a nestling pan until golden. Remove them from the pan, the purpose the pan to rut a niggling olive oil. Add some minced garlic in addition to the mushrooms, cooking gently for a few minutes. Add the silverbeet in addition to gear upward until it's commencement to wilt; perchance some other five minutes. Turn off the rut in addition to stir through the preserved lemon in addition to pino nuts. Set the filling aside to cool.

Prepare a pizza dough in addition to when it's ready to roll, preheat the oven to 180°C. Sprinkle a baking tray amongst a niggling cornmeal. Sprinkle a build clean bench in addition to a rolling pivot amongst flour in addition to pinch off a pocket-size ball of dough - country 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Roll the dough into a sparse circle in addition to spoon some of the silverbeet filling onto one-half of it, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Fold the dough over in addition to pinch together the edges to seal your half-moon calzone; house it on the baking tray. Repeat amongst the remaining dough in addition to filling, in addition to hence bake y'all calzoni until the dough is cooked in addition to a niggling golden, most xv minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Watermelon salad

Slice the flesh of a watermelon into large cubes, removing equally many seeds equally y'all tin stand upward to. Place the watermelon inwards a large bowl in addition to drizzle it amongst pomegranate molasses in addition to a tiny flake of rosewater. Dice some feta, rip upward some mint leaves in addition to toast some flaked almonds. Toss these ingredients through the watermelon entirely when you're ready to serve the salad.

February 9, 2010: Raspberry-Banana Sorbet

peanut butter crumble muffins (using wholemeal flour in addition to double the 'nanas) in addition to returned to this banana icecream business. For this circular I took a tip from Barbara in addition to tried raspberry-banana icecream.

It's to a greater extent than or less other maddeningly uncomplicated recipe: freeze 2 bananas in addition to a punnet of raspberries, in addition to then blend them until creamy. This took a petty longer than the malted version but the results were no less impressive - out came a frothy in addition to vibrantly-hued sorbet, tingly amongst that sherbet-y border of raspberries. The banana flavor in addition to colouring are somewhat concealed but nevertheless detectable - I don't intend Michael would become for it. But enough of others will! Eating fruit doesn't larn much to a greater extent than fun or refreshing than this.

(Your homework - break a means of eating fruit that is indeed to a greater extent than fun and/or refreshing than this, in addition to post service it inward the comments! Bonus points if it's no to a greater extent than labour-intensive than this stuff.)

February 13, 2010: Courtroom Jester Ii

first visit to last time. Alas, past times 10:30 around at that topographic point wasn't a blintz left inwards the place. The waiter was quick to advise an off-menu option - French toast alongside the blintz topping.

here.

February 12-13, 2010: Disaster Dumplings

Vicki together with Steph, twice!). This was the outset potluck we'd had since Kristy had her Coeliac diagnosis, hence the full general subject was Chinesey together with gluten-free. Aha, I idea - I'll brand vegan, gluten-free dumplings. What could locomote to a greater extent than delicious?

My question apace turned upwards the fact that pre-made dumpling wrappers are all wheaty, hence I resorted to making my ain dumpling skins. The recipe comes via here)

1.5 cups tapioca starch
1.5 cups fine rice flour
2.5 teaspoons xantham gum
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 loving cup of water

Mix together the 3 dry out ingredients together with hence add together the stone oil together with water, mixing until things teach doughy. Roll the mixture into a ball together with cover. We refrigerated at this stage, but y'all tin sack simply teach out it to residue for one-half an hr or so.


'Gluten-free' dumpling fillings (from here)

1.5 cups shredded dry out tofu
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce (for God's sake run tamari!)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dry out sherry
1 teaspoon white pepper
5 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 an onion, chopped finely
1-2 cups shredded cabbage
6 tablespoons shredded bamboo shoots
3 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Fry the onions, garlic together with ginger inwards the sesame stone oil for nearly v minutes, until they're prissy together with soft.

Add the tofu together with cabbage together with stir-fry for some other 10 minutes or so.

Stir-through the tamari together with sherry, along amongst the bamboo shoots, tabular array salt together with pepper together with ready for v to a greater extent than minutes.

Leave to cool for one-half an hr or hence until you're ready to teach dumpling folding.


Assembling the dumplings

Flour upwards your counter (rice flour! Don't mess it upwards now!) together with curl out small-scale chunks of your dough (see above). Cut out circles the width of a Goulbourn Valley peaches container lid.

Put a teaspoon or hence of filling inwards the see of each circle (don't overfill, it's tempting but foolish) together with gently crease them closed, wetting together with pinching the edges to locomote along things together.

Repeat until y'all run out of dumpling pare or patience.

Steam the dumplings inwards a bamboo steamer for xv minutes together with hence lightly youngster on ane side inwards sesame stone oil earlier serving. If you've got this far without trying to toxicant ane of your friends: good done, you've made delicious gluten-free dumplings. Otherwise: pass one-half an hr having a consummate sook earlier buying some consolation mock-meat for said friend which, it turns out, in all probability isn't gluten costless either. Then cry.

February 12-13, 2010: Orange-Szechuan Pepper Icecream

the debacle it became!). I figured that if I was going to provide something sugariness it'd best hold out made inward advance - a perfect excuse for icecream. I know icecream's non precisely traditional CNY fare but there's this funny-looking orange-Szechuan pepper recipe inward David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop that I idea would brand a squeamish twist on the theme.

Of course, it existence a David Lebovitz recipe, it was chock total of eggs as well as dairy as well as involved lots of pans. I shrank downwards the steps, using creamy soy cooking milk (analogous to evaporated cows' milk) as well as roughly arrowroot equally a thickener. This no uncertainty changed the sense of savor as well as texture of my icecream but non to its detriment - the orangish as well as Szechuan peppers were for sure bold plenty to mask the soy. They're as well as hence bold that a lilliputian scoop of this icecream is to a greater extent than than enough. The orangish hits you lot withdraw upwards amongst its sweetness, acidity as well as a lilliputian bitterness earlier the pepper is unleashed inward the dorsum of your throat. It's quite the palate cleanser!

Orange-Szechuan pepper icecream
(inspired past times a recipe inward The Perfect Scoop past times David Lebovitz)

2 x 375 mL cans creamy soy cooking milk
3 tablespoons Szechuan peppers
zest of vi small-scale oranges
1 loving cup sugar
2 tablespoons arrowroot

In a medium saucepan, stir together one tin of the milk, the peppers, orangish zest as well as sugar. Continue stirring the mixture over low-medium oestrus until the mixture is hot as well as the carbohydrate is dissolved. Stir inward the arrowroot, accept the mixture off the oestrus as well as residue it at room temperature for an sixty minutes as well as hence the flavours tin infuse.

Strain the mixture into a bowl - I used a fine sieve lined amongst muslin to crush through equally much liquid equally possible. Whisk inward the 2d tin of milk as well as refrigerate the mixture until really cold. Churn as well as freeze it using an icecream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

February 14, 2010: Lord Of The Fries Iv

we final wrote nigh them. Their empire of vego junk nutrient has expanded to Melbourne Central, Northland in addition to Chadstone in addition to their menu's been extended too. We stopped past times the Melbourne Central outlet on Lord's Day afternoon for lunch.

La Panella's sublime pies in addition to sausage rolls (at an insane markup).

It's all a flake much for a vegetarian junk nutrient junkie to get got in! However, non everything is soundless available at every store. So front end upwards to the nearest 1 in addition to get got your chances. What's the worst that could happen? H5N1 fallback loving cup of their chicken nuggets is hardly a disappointment.

____________

Read nigh simply about of our previous LOTF visits here, here in addition to here.

February 15, 2010: Grumpy's Greenish Ii

quick write-up of a lunch that I had at that topographic point many moons ago. In the meantime we've spent likely xv wednesday nights at that topographic point every bit business office of the infamous Dyslexic Brians trivia ensemble, veering betwixt glorious gilt as well as shameful, shameful bronze (or worse!). Mostly nosotros consume materials that shares well: nachos (pretty good), chips (up as well as down) as well as pizza (#6 alongside the jalapenos is the best). Grumpy's does this variety of junky vego pub nutrient pretty good and, piece nosotros initially made diverse attempts to weblog our trivia eats, we've never genuinely managed to accept proficient photos as well as lay pen to figurative paper.

Now, finally, we've been dorsum inward a to a greater extent than blog-friendly province of affairs - a Mon nighttime pub-club outing. The courtyard is beautiful on a summertime level - shady but warm as well as spacious plenty for a crowd of 8 to slot comfortably into a table. It's a process ordering off a totally vego menu, as well as thus Cindy as well as I decided to conduct keep a starter to portion - stuffed push mushrooms alongside a parmesan crust ($7). These cute picayune guys were crispily fried, cheesy as well as tasty. Not a gustatory modality sensation, but a pub snack that nosotros happily devoured.

Trippytaco upwards the street). Still, it's a hearty repast at $12.

here.

Other reviews of Grumpy's tin forcefulness out live on flora at Melbourne Brunch, The Daily Veg, as well as Melbourne Vegan.

February 20, 2010: Cafe Vue@401

Cafe Vue inwards the city - affordable breakfast as well as tiffin nutrient from the human behind Melbourne's Ponikuta, perchance they're yet working this dish out. Similarly foreign was the avocado, which had been turned into an strange coil of polish avocado glue - it was flavoursome, but the texture didn't actually operate for me. Cindy's tomatoes were yet some other oddity. With the seeds as well as liquid scooped out, they'd clearly been sitting to a greater extent than or less for a piece as well as were drying out.

I ordered the 62 marker eggs ($9.50 + $3 for the avo), which are cooked for a long fourth dimension at (you guessed it) 62 degrees. This results inwards super soft eggs, amongst everything runny as well as delicious. Smush them across the crispy toast as well as yous terminate upwards amongst a soggy pile of goodness. As discussed, the avocado wasn't actually what I was looking for, then I ended upwards a piddling disappointed inwards my repast - I in all probability should accept gone amongst a grilled mushroom or something instead.

Mitte, Min Lokal or Court Jester whatsoever day.

I seem to move inwards a minority though, at that spot are positive reviews of Cafe Vue at Sarah Cooks, Hot Chocolates as well as Lattes, Bright Copper Kettle, Breakfast Out as well as Eat Almost Anything. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few others accept noted some teething problems at 401: Ponikuta as well as 1001 Dinners, 1001 Nights.

Address: 401 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Ph: 9691 3899
Price: $4 - $14
Licensed
Website: http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/cafe-vue.aspx

Eat Gulp Blog

Eat Drink Blog, Australia's outset nutrient bloggers' conference, is beingness held hither inward Melbourne on Lord's Day March 21. It's an all solar daytime (and all night!) matter alongside panel sessions on:

• how too why nosotros blog
• practicalities of photography
• copyright, ethics too legalities
• SEO too how to last social
• making coin through blogging

There'll besides last enough of fourth dimension to socialise too swallow alongside boyfriend nutrient bloggers.

Participation is gratis but places are rattling limited. If you'd similar to attend, fill inward this form to register too cross your fingers for an invite!

Keep upward to appointment alongside the conference yesteryear checking out the Eat Drink Blog blog.

February 20, 2010: Coco Loco Ii

Update 31/12/2014: Coco Loco has changed its shout out to Papasito and its emphasis to Mexican food. It's all the same run past times the same possessor as well as all the same has a decent gain of vegan options.

pizza, Toby was non bad on Coco Loco, as well as since I was fighting from the Sweet Stuff corner I readily agreed alongside Toby.

Toby assured us that Coco Loco sells savoury crepes as well as this is true. However this restaurant's honey of sweetness luxuries is written as well as illustrated all over the menu. There are pages as well as pages of chocolate truffles, cocktails, hot as well as iced chocolate as well as java beverages (liquor-shot past times request!), waffles as well as other desserts competing against a pocket-sized offering of iv savoury crepes. (Even ane of those contains chocolate!) Our incredibly cheerful waiter also rattled off a handful of additional specials, his enthusiasm non diminishing every bit he repeated them for our late-coming companions Mike as well as Kristy.

It wasn't inwards vain - I took him upwards on the drinks special, a mocktail involving hibiscus, ginger, vanilla, pineapple as well as kokosnoot ( $13). It was merely the refreshment I needed, alongside a overnice gentle ginger can inwards the dorsum of the throat.

Michael chose the Kama Sutra crepe ($15), which was stuffed alongside Indian spiced roasted pumpkin as well as fetta cheese. It was richly flavoured alongside cumin as well as went downwards a treat.

To consume I chose yet some other dish from the specials - a chocolate mousse garnished alongside strawberries. The showtime fourth dimension nosotros visited Coco Loco I was underwhelmed past times the grainy texture of the cashew milk. Here I was completely knocked out past times the smooth, rich fluffiness of the mousse. An unsuspecting eater would never convey guessed that this was vegan, it's a refined dessert past times whatever standards. (How I'd honey to know their secret! My tofu chocolate mousse is tasty'n'all, but it's non this variety of bliss.)

While the card is a petty inconvenient to navigate, vegan as well as gluten gratuitous options are clearly marked. Our waiter of the eve deserves some other positive lift - he was utterly good-natured inwards the confront of our embarrassing disorganisation as well as social lingering. I believe everyone to a greater extent than or less the tabular array was good satisfied past times their meals - these aren't everyday-eating prices but then, these aren't everyday-eating dishes.

__________

Read almost our previous catch to Cocoloco here.

February 21, 2010: Lemon Slice, Twice

the master salad recipe ticked both boxes correct away. Feb brought a lemon slice, alongside all the wheat flour in addition to egg-and-milk custard you'd expect. Nevertheless, I had a few substitutions inwards require heed in addition to planned to bake half-batches of the master in addition to tinkered-with recipes on the same afternoon.

orange-Szechuan pepper icecream I late made, I got to thinking nearly arrowroot. (Why I didn't but cry upwardly nearly No Egg powder, I'm non sure.) I but threw it into the vegan 'custard' yesteryear the tablespoonful in addition to hoped for the best. This fourth dimension it was the distinctly golden caramel-looking layer, upwardly against a real eggy-looking classic custard.

I plonked them into the oven in addition to waited. And waited in addition to waited. In fact, I made 2 careless mistakes that meant these slices were sitting inwards a 100°C oven for nearly one-half an hr earlier I got them to the advised temperature. After they'd had their plough in addition to more, I pulled them both out of the oven - the master recipe was looking eggy but good set. By contrast, much of the alterna-custard was all the same liquid. I was a piddling disappointed, but non devastated. I figured this form of baking mis-step would survive inevitable on the route to gobble-worthy gluten-free baked goods.

that pie I made final year.

Traditional lemon slice
(from Robyn's 2010 recipe calendar)

base
125 g butter, softened
1/4 loving cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups plainly flour

filling
4 eggs
1 loving cup castor sugar
2 tablespoons plainly flour
1/2 loving cup milk
grated rind in addition to juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 180°C in addition to business the base of operations in addition to sides of a modest baking tray alongside newspaper (I would purpose something standard nearly 20cm square).

Prepare the base of operations yesteryear creaming together the butter, saccharide in addition to vanilla - if your butter is well-softened you'll survive able to produce this yesteryear mitt alongside a fork. Sift over the flour in addition to mix it inwards well. Transfer the mixture to the baking tray, using the dorsum of a spoon to spread it out across the base of operations in addition to ideally too an inch upwardly the sides. Bake the base of operations for nearly 10 minutes or until it begins to brown. Set the base of operations aside to cool.

Whisk together all of the filling ingredients until good combined in addition to pour them over the base. Bake the acre for a farther 20-25 minutes or until but set. Allow the acre to cool earlier slicing in addition to serving.

Vegan in addition to gluten-free lemon slice

base
125g Nuttelex
1/4 loving cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups gluten-free plainly flour

filling
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 loving cup castor sugar
1 tablespoon gluten-free plainly flour
1/2 loving cup vegan gluten-free milk
zest in addition to juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 180°C in addition to business the base of operations in addition to sides of a modest baking tray alongside newspaper (I would purpose something standard nearly 20cm square).

Prepare the base of operations yesteryear beating together the Nuttelex, saccharide in addition to vanilla alongside a fork. Sift over the flour in addition to mix it inwards well. Transfer the mixture to the baking tray, using the dorsum of a spoon to spread it out across the base of operations in addition to ideally too an inch upwardly the sides. Bake the base of operations for nearly 10 minutes or until it but begins to dry out out. Set the base of operations aside to cool.

Whisk together all of the filling ingredients until good combined in addition to pour them over the base. Bake the acre for a farther 20-25 minutes. Don't worry if it's all the same liquidy! It volition laid equally it cools. Once the acre is cool in addition to set, acre in addition to serve.

February 26, 2010: Gluten Costless Picnic - Colby 'Cheese' Together With Sausages

here. I decided to endeavour to embrace both bases (and to arrive at something ridiculously camp) as well as made gluten-free sausage as well as cheese bites. These turned out pretty good - the sausages tasting non likewise dissimilar to the gluteny ones I've raved nearly before, spell the cheese was a passable approximation of the existent thing. The potluckers loved the fashionable presentation, but stuck into an orange side yesteryear side time. I was kicking myself.

The cheese recipe was lifted at nowadays from Tahn, as well as relies on cashews as well as agar for its textural weirdness. It's pretty elementary to brand as well as the number is convincing plenty inwards texture if non quite gustatory modality - I mean value I tin run on the season though, mayhap upping the nooch or playing to a greater extent than or less amongst some spices. Still, commencement yesteryear the spicy sausages, the petty cheese cubes worked well.

The sausage recipe came from Cloth as well as Fodder, as well as uses basically the same approach every bit our previous sausages, but amongst TVP as well as chickpea flour taking the house of beans as well as gluten flour. It's some other actually elementary recipe - merely combine all the ingredients, roll them upward into petty cylinders as well as steam them as well as you're done. And they're fantabulous - a tasty combination of herbs as well as spices, a overnice hitting from the chilli as well as an appropriately sausagey texture.

We served our petty skewers amongst Chinese-style bbq sauce, which nosotros discovered at the final infinitesimal was some other gluten-free failure. Turns out Chinese 5 spice has some dissever of wheat derived corn starch inwards it. Bizarre.

Colby Cheese (recipe from Vegan Family vs Omni World)

1.5 cups water
1.5 tablespoons agar powder
1/2 roasted ruby capsicum
1/2 loving cup raw cashews
1/4 loving cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Soak the agar inwards the H2O for at to the lowest degree 15 minutes as well as and therefore convey the mix to the boil, simmering for nearly 10 minutes - until the agar is dissolved completely (you postulate to move along stirring).

Once the mix has cooled a petty (not likewise much - it'll set!), pour it into a nutrient processor as well as add together the remaining ingredients. Whizz for a few minutes until everything is smooth. Pour into a lightly oiled tupperware container as well as cool, earlier roofing as well as refrigerating to set.

Gluten-free sausages (recipe via Cloth an Fodder)

200 grams TVP (check to brand certain it's gluten free!)
1.5 cups chickpea flour
1/4 loving cup Massel 'beef' stock
1 onion, sliced finely
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons terra firma pepper
2 tablespoons sugariness paprika
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (adjust to gustatory modality - ours look to move crazy hot, therefore 1 tsp was enough)
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tamari

Prepare the TVP every bit directed (I merely soaked mine inwards hot H2O for five-ten minutes), making certain whatsoever excess H2O is drained off.

Combine the TVP amongst all the other ingredients inwards a large bowl, adding to a greater extent than chickpea flour to dry out out the mixture if necessary.

Lay out squares of aluminium foil as well as scoop petty sausage-sized logs of the mixture onto the base of operations of each square, earlier rolling the foil upward as well as twisting the ends. Steam these petty foil cylinders for nearly one-half an lx minutes each as well as you've got yourself some sausages. You tin tyke or bbq the halt result, but it's non crucial, nosotros merely used them every bit they came out of their petty parcels for our toothpick snacks.

For all the potluck action, run into Steph as well as Vicki (again)

February 25-26, 2010: Raspberry Rippled Kokosnoot Icecream

gluten-free picnic potluck was a conciliatory offering to Craig. It was he who hosted the previous potluck picnic in addition to encouraged the bringing of icecream. Then I got all avant garde, making savoury sundaes, in addition to unwittingly chose flavours he detests. So this fourth dimension I permit him laid upwardly the agenda, in addition to he pose kokosnoot in addition to raspberry icecream at the peak of the list.

occasion for arrowroot. I stirred the arrowroot into a hot saucepan of sweetened kokosnoot cream in addition to close at i time had misgivings - it wasn't mixing through evenly, alongside flecks of well-set kokosnoot cream scattered through the 'custard'. I figured that a fighting of judicious sieving should practise the project afterwards on, equally it ever does inwards my traditional icecream custards.

Matters deteriorated when I pulled the kokosnoot cream out of the refrigerator afterwards that day. The arrowroot had at nowadays laid upwardly the entire custard into an unattractive, uneven pile of goop. (I wishing I had stance to photograph it for you!) There was no agency I could force this through a sieve. Michael had the correct idea, though - I could strain it if I took to it alongside the stick blender at the same time! I blended in addition to pushed in addition to poured what I could into the icecream maker, hoping for the best.

What came out tin strength out exclusively live on described equally THE BEST. The best vegan icecream I reckon I've ever made. One of the best icecreams I've made at all. Once its effects had been smoothed out in addition to churned up, the arrowroot gave this icecream a gorgeously fluffy texture. It's similar nix I've previously experienced inwards a homemade icecream. Even equally it melted, the kokosnoot cream retained a frothiness that reminded me eerily of shaving cream. The approach was a lilliputian haphazard but I've high motivation to refine it - I'm planning to role this equally a base of operations for a few to a greater extent than vegan icecreams.

And the raspberry ripple? It's easy, in addition to it's from this recipe. I dubiety you'll honour a to a greater extent than vibrantly coloured in addition to flavoured counterpoint to the kokosnoot cream anywhere.

Raspberry-rippled kokosnoot icecream

coconut icecream:
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 litre kokosnoot cream
3/4 loving cup castor sugar

raspberry ripple:
1/2 loving cup water
40g castor sugar
juice of 1 lemon
250g raspberries

Stir the arrowroot into 1/4 loving cup of the kokosnoot cream. Heat the remaining kokosnoot cream in addition to the carbohydrate inwards a medium saucepan, taking them off the oestrus equally shortly equally they start out to boil. Whisk inwards the arrowroot mixture. Chill the kokosnoot 'custard' thoroughly.

While the coconut's chilling, brand the raspberry ripple. Combine the water, carbohydrate in addition to lemon juice inwards a minor saucepan in addition to convey them to the boil. Simmer until the syrup has reduced past times half, thence plough off the heat. Blitz it inwards a nutrient processor alongside the raspberries until smooth. Strain the syrup to take the raspberry seeds.

When the kokosnoot custard is really cold, strain it through a sieve, using a stick blender to aid it through. Churn the icecream inwards an icecream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Layer the kokosnoot icecream in addition to raspberry ripple inwards a container. Use a spoon the swirl the ii flavours to a greater extent than if yous like. Freeze the rippled icecream until firm, at to the lowest degree four hours.

February 28, 2010: Caravanserai

rosewater-tinted version goose egg else is quite equally spectacular.

I don't know that I've ranted likewise much nigh it on this spider web log but the vegetable stack is i of those dishes that oftentimes appears equally the sole vegetarian selection on a menu. (It seems to accept been superseded past times gnocchi and/or risotto inwards recent years, but that's but about other story...) Though these are occasionally tasty, they are to a greater extent than oftentimes bland in addition to poorly cooked, in addition to they are a sign that the resident chef has no dearest or imagination for their vegetarian customers.

Not in addition to hence at Caravanserai! Their Sebze ($22.50, described equally a stack of chargrilled vegetables) is i of 3 vego options. And it is fabulous. The eggplant slices in addition to mushroom are meltingly tender in addition to deeply flavoured. The smothering Lycopersicon esculentum sauce didn't excite my eyes but it was an only dissimilar storey i time it hitting my gustation buds - it has but the correct complementary tang of vinegar. Fried strips of haloumi in addition to a wedge of polenta add together richness in addition to farther contrast, in addition to there's a trivial fresh greenery to perk it all up.

Dining at Caravanserai isn't cheap, but the nutrient is made amongst help in addition to the servings are generous (I challenge anyone in addition to everyone to complete the banquet!). Vegans in addition to gluten-free folks are catered for, in addition to service is unremarkably expert - on this nighttime nosotros had a terrific in addition to savvy waiter.

Address: 1-3 Dornoch Terrace, West End QLD 4101
Ph: (07) 3217 2617
BYO
Price: veg mains $22.50
Website: www.caravanserairestaurant.com.au

March Iii & 5, 2010: Atomica

Espressohead side yesteryear side door, but eventually Atomica charmed me amongst its consistency too quality.

It's a small-scale cafe too it's hard to honour a tabular array on the weekend (perhaps to a greater extent than or less other disincentive when I was a local?) but on my recent watch to the neighbourhood I had the luxury of stopping yesteryear for breakfast on weekdays.

food bling, Hungry Kittens too Gustoso.

March 12-13. 2010: Choc-Banana Icecream

my travels, I didn't convey much fourth dimension to settle in. H5N1 major deadline loomed inwards only iv days, necessitating an all-work-weekend. After lots of eating out I needed plain, home-cooked nutrient as well as fifty-fifty resisted whatever replenishment of the Lindt stocks.

A chocolate version of the blended banana icecream was a consolatory alternative. It alone distracted me from my run for a few minutes at a time, the banana provided a nourishing base, as well as the cocoa was squeamish vantage for all that reading as well as writing. I made it a few times as well as experimented amongst the proportions - 1 tablespoon of cocoa allows the banana flavor to equal the chocolate, spell ii tablespoons only almost drowns it out.

Choc-banana icecream

1 frozen banana
1-2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 - 1 tablespoon agave nectar (or around other sweetener yous like)

Add all the ingredients to a nutrient processor as well as blend until polish as well as creamy. You may want to commencement amongst the smaller quantities of cocoa as well as agave, thence sense of savour as well as conform to your preference.

March 13, 2010: Mushroom & Brie Croissants

March's calendar recipe of creamy brie too mushroom croissants looked devastatingly rich. Not solely does it demand the creamy brie too buttery croissants of the title, but the mushrooms are besides cooked inwards butter too cream! I was pleasantly surprised to honour that, i time cooked, the mushrooms weren't at all gluggy - much of the wet had evaporated off too the white vino gave them a terrific acidity that counteracted all the fat. In fact, the mushrooms, brie too croissants worked together really well. (I was initially sceptical - but proven wrong! - almost the brie/croissant combo.) It all withal calls for a whopping garden salad on the side too no dessert to follow, but it's worth that latter sacrifice.

Mushroom too brie croissants

20g butter
1 clove garlic
200g Swiss dark-brown mushrooms, sliced
100mL white wine
1/3 loving cup cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 croissants
100g brie, sliced

Melt the butter inwards a frypan over medium heat. Add the garlic too mushrooms, sautéing them until soft (3-5 minutes). Add the vino too simmer for a distich of minutes or until the vino has evaporated. Stir through the cream too thyme leaves too simmer the mushroom mixture for 3-4 to a greater extent than minutes, until thickened. (I genuinely constitute that most of the wet evaporated.)

Slice the croissants inwards one-half too house them cutting side upwards on a tray. Toast them nether a grill for merely a infinitesimal or so. When they're ready, laid the tops aside. Arrange the mushrooms too hence the cheese slices on the croissant bases too provide them to the grill for a distich of minutes, merely until the cheese melts. Pop the croissant tops on too serve.

March 14, 2010: Cheezy Mushroom Croissants

January was a cinch, February was to a greater extent than success than failure, in addition to March simply almost defeated me earlier I'd fifty-fifty begun. Croissants - footling to a greater extent than than butter in addition to flour - are certainly the antithesis of a vegan, gluten-free diet. I ditched my gluten-free aspirations in addition to focused on a vegan rendition. Here's what I came upwardly with:

Croissants: Croissants are simply puff pastry, right? So why non role Borg's splendid vegan puff pastry for the job? I watched Emmanuel Mollois curl croissants on the master copy recipe, simply replacing the butter amongst Nuttelex in addition to omitting the cream altogether. They were yet delicious.

Brie: I wasn't inwards the mood for elaborate vegan cheese-making, in addition to instead idea that Vegan Brunch's cheesy sauce powerfulness hold out a overnice choice (even if it doesn't resemble brie inwards the least). It's a fab sauce, but ultimately I didn't actually intend it matched the mushrooms.

Not a repast worth repeating. Still, at that topographic point were plenty pleasant (if mis-matched) elements hither to contently swallow my agency through what I'd cooked. And I regard experiments similar this i are doing me in addition to my cooking skillz to a greater extent than practiced than harm.

____________

Mandee's been going mad for vegan, gluten-free French nutrient lately - banking concern check out her culinary creations here (including croissants!) in addition to here.

March 16-18, 2010: Kiwi Financiers

David Lebovitz had something to exercise alongside it. Regardless, it was good in addition to genuinely fourth dimension to role them in addition to afterwards a duad of weeks away from the kitchen I was swell to bake. These financiers looked similar a skillful solution. They include alone a pocket-sized sum of flour, which is easily substituted alongside a gluten-free mix that makes them palatable for a duad of my favourite workmates.

The master recipe has these moist almond cakes topped alongside strawberry halves but I chose sunny kiwi slices instead - these brand a squeamish sour contrast to the sweet, creamy cake. The batter comes together inward less fourth dimension than it takes to estrus the oven, in addition to hence they're an slow weeknight task. I flora that the financiers final happily for a few days, though they may sink a lilliputian inward that time. My alone electrical load is that they brand their newspaper cases greasy within in addition to out - possibly reducing the quantity of butter would avert that problem.

Kiwi financiers
(based on a recipe at cuisine.com.au)

110g dry reason almonds
90g apparently flour (I used a gluten-free mix)
240g icing sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 egg whites
250g butter (consider using less)
2 kiwi fruits, sliced into rounds

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly grease a muffin tin forcefulness out or business it alongside cupcake papers.

Place the dry reason almonds inward a large bowl in addition to sift over the flour, icing saccharide in addition to baking powder. Gradually crunch inward the egg whites. Melt the butter over the stove or inward a microwave in addition to stir it into the cake batter until it's all simply combined.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin forcefulness out (it should brand a dozen). Gently house a kiwi while onto each cake in addition to bake the financiers for almost xxx minutes, until they drib dead the skewer test.

March 18, 2010: Morocco-Inspired Carrot Salad

When our friends Mike in addition to Jo returned from a summertime trip to the Middle East, they kindly brought us dorsum a box of magnificent dates. (They're nature's caramel, people!) Then our latest vege box yielded one-half a dozen or to a greater extent than cute petty carrots in addition to I idea of a recipe that my dad's married adult woman Anne has served on a twain of my visits. It features lightly steamed carrots, which are dressed inwards a Morocco-inspired mix of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, around herbs in addition to spices and, of course, chopped dates. I emailed Anne for the recipe over luncheon in addition to she responded when she arrived domicile from work, merely inwards fourth dimension for me to conform it for dinner that night. I phoned them for a catch-up chat at 9, in addition to she was delighted to take away heed that we'd already managed to laid upward in addition to devour it.

Since I was working from the pantry I didn't convey everything required for the master copy recipe. I replaced the lemon juice amongst pomegranate molasses in addition to reduced the oil, in addition to used dried parsley for a fleck of light-green inwards lieu of the coriander. While it likely wasn't quite in addition to then fresh, it tasted great! I'm starting to wonder if there's anything, sweetness or savoury, that doesn't gustatory modality terrific amongst pomegranate molasses.

We ate this salad amongst around mixed light-green leaves in addition to simulated chicken kievs. They're based on this recipe past times melbedggood. Ours were pleasant enough, though around of the alterations I made didn't actually function - I'm looking forrad to blogging it properly inwards the time to come when I larn it right.

Morroco-inspired carrot salad
(based on a recipe at entertaining made easy)

300g carrots
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
pinch of garlic powder
generous pinch of cumin
generous pinch of chilli flakes
salt in addition to pepper, to taste
4 dates, finely chopped

Peel the carrots in addition to spell them into thick rounds. Cook them inwards boiling H2O until merely tender.

While the carrots are cooking, whisk together the remaining ingredients inwards a medium-sized bowl.

When the carrots are ready, drain them in addition to add together them to the bowl, tossing them to coat them inwards the dressing. Serve!

March 19, 2010: Banana-Date Smoothie

fine banana icecream. My processor can't quite blend the dates to smoothness, then the 'icecream' is flecked alongside their caramel sweetness. They're a care for when I abide by them sunk into the final quarter of my smoothie, too.

Banana-date smoothie

Remove the pits from 6-8 dates in addition to house them inwards a nutrient processor. Process the dates until they're equally mushy equally they're gonna larn (mine are unremarkably even then quite chunky when they're out of the blade's reach). Add a twain tablespoonfuls of milk (dairy or non-) earlier processing about more. Add a frozen banana in addition to a pinch (just a pinch!) of ground cardamom in addition to procedure it all until smooth. Then alongside the motor even then running, gradually add together to a greater extent than milk inwards a flow to larn the quantity in addition to consistency you lot want. Pour it into a drinking glass in addition to potable up!