Recipes & More
Zucchisagne
Serves 6 Ingredients for the bolognese; 500g Lean mince beef 2 onions diced 3 stalks of celery 250g mushrooms sliced 1/2 red capsicum diced Can of crushed tomatoes 400g Sachet of salt reduced tomato paste Empty can of boiling water 1tsp of powdered beef stock 1tbl of worchestershire sauce 1tbk of dark soy Teaspoon 1 tsp mixed herbs 1/2 tsp Rosemary 1 tsp oregano 1/2 cup of red wine Rest of ingredients; 8 small zucchini 400g low fat ricotta 1/2 cup of skim milk 250gs…
Slow Cooked Minty Lamb Stew
Slow Cooked Minty Lamb Stew Serves 2 Ingredients; 2 lamb shanks Bunch of fresh mint Tsp of dried rosemary I can of chopped tomatoes Tablespoon on chicken stock powder Sliced mushrooms Two onions quartered Water – fill up empty tomatoes can 1 1/2 Salt and pepper Method; Place everything in the slow cooker and cook according to your cookers settings, mine took a good 4 hours on high. Once the meat is falling off the bone take out the meat and bones and a cup…
Beef Bulgogi
Beef Bulgogi Serves 4 Ingredients; 500 grams beef – either a nice piece of steak that you can slice finely (if you put your steak in the freezer until it starts to nearly freeze you can slice it really easily) or beef strips are fine. 1 pear ½ tsp minced garlic 1 tsp ginger 1 tbsp Soy sauce ½ tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar 4 x Spring onions finely sliced 1 pinch of chilli flakes Salt and pepper Method; Peel and grate pear into glass bowl…
Recent Blogs
Pablo Honey
Pablo Honey, St Kilda’s coolest spot where tequila is king and there is a $2,500 bottle where your $250 shot will get your name on the board and add you to a very exclusive list of tequila legends! The guys invited us down to try out some of their great cocktails and sample the crazy good menu they have going on. So you have to try the cocktails, there were some boys in on a company credit card that were trying ALL the cocktails but…
Hercules Morse
It’s always a good night at Hercules Morse and there is always a good wine recommendation. Ash will match your wine to your palette or mood or he will whip up a cocktail to help soothe the day away! The food is fantastic and you can see it all coming together in the open plan kitchen – you won’t believe the flavours that come out of that little space!! It’s a tapas style menu with plenty of different styles of food to suit all, we…
Bludso’s San Antone BBQ
Everyone is loving their American BBQ these days and straight out of Compton is Kevin Bludso’s San Antone BBQ, a third-generation pit master who learnt the skill of classic Texan barbecue in his family’s hometown of Corsicana, Texas, where they’ve been barbecuing for over a century. In 2008, he opened Bludso’s BBQ in Compton, just outside of L.A. and now he is here in Melbourne. How did that happen? Well potentially they told him he could make a whole lot more selling BBQ out of…
Third Wave
It’s cold, you’re tired and you can’t muster the energy to make dinner….. who are you goona call?! Well order on your phone?! I am a big fan of Menulog and they have so many places to choose from now (this was not sponsored or paid for by Menulog!!) and there are a few places on my re-order but tonight hubby wanted burgers, really good burgers. We have eaten at Third Wave before but now they come to us! Hurrah!! It’s all about meat burgers,…
Solarino
Lacking a bit of the Italian hospitality, Solarino was pretty quiet and there was no greeting when we walked in, so we stood a bit awkwardly and then decided to take a table, hoping someone would realise and come and see us! Eventually they did and we got some water and menus. The vibe was definitely a bit cold and for a Saturday lunchtime there were only two other tables….. I had that moment of hesitation where you think you should maybe just get up…
Sons of Mary
My family have recently introduced ‘Winthursday’ where every Thursday throughout Winter they go out and try somewhere new and sometimes I tag along! The other week we ended up in Brighton at Sons of Mary, a cosy looking bistro just off the Nepean and surprisingly busy for a Thursday evening, they don’t take bookings so we waited in the little seated area for a table to come up. It didn’t take too long and guys brought us drinks in between so we were pretty happy,…
Curry Vault
Hmmmm I love a good curry and a good hot curry is even better some days! Curry Vault is down a little cobbled street just off the main drag of Collins and on a cold, wet night we scarpered past a good looking local pub and down into the lovely Curry Vault. It’s a nice space, not to fancy, not to unfancy… just right! Service is polite and friendly and the curry was thoroughly enjoyable. Onion bhajis with shredded onion in a lightly spiced chick-pea…
Pretty Mama
It’s a funny location in the top left corner of town but if you know it’s there you are going to want to go all of the time. There aren’t too many Caribbean restaurants around and I would say this was my favourite of the few we have been too. They take bookings, the space is cool, the staff are lovely, you can see the guys cooking up a storm in the kitchen and they do really, really good food! Along with your imported Big…
Misuzu’s
It couldn’t be beaten by fire and it won’t be beaten on taste! Love this place and it’s a perfect place for a weekday lunch with a girlfriend, little wine and some really lovely Japanese food. The service is always great here, they will bring you as much food and wine as you like but will also leave you to get on with it when you are taking more than looking at the menu! The chicken yakatori skewers were great with good quality chicken cooked…
Alice Nivens
Let’s go on a little adventure, I said. Let’s go and find Alice in Wonderland… or Melbourne! Alice Nivens is the cutest little café, snuggled in an arcade opposite Flinders Street Station, they know how to take a boring space and brighten it up. Past the sushi and stamp shops and a rather impressive looking cake decorator shop is a very pretty seating area, outside the main shop but fenced in so that you could be anywhere with rabbits on the table and the smell…
On It Burgers
We love a good burger and we have wanted to get to On It Burgers for ages so when an Ikea trip is required on a dreary Sunday I totally combined it with a bit of burger research! Amongst the bustling of Victoria Street with is many Vietnamese and Asian restaurants is a little burger diner doing a great job with all your favourite burgers, fries, shakes and rings. I’m a pretty ‘safe’ burger girl but you can get pretty much anything here with burgers…
Pelican
Not many relationships last 10 years, never mind when it’s with a restaurant but Pelican has been a family favourite since we first had brunch there more than 10 years ago but sadly it’s starting to age and this was the first time it didn’t feel a magical as it always had. If anything it just seemed a bit tired, the menus haven’t really changed in that time and the content doesn’t need to – I still order the same things every time but the…
Cookbooks
Bill’s Italian Food
September’s cookbook – Bill’s Italian Food from the lovely Bill Granger. Mr G is fast becoming a favourite go too for quick and delicious recipes! Across his selection of books (apparently there are eleven… I am missing some!) I have favourite recipes in each that I know I can pull out and rustle up a feast without a big fuss or cost. Bill’s Italian Food is the latest installment to my collection and throughout September we are enjoying the recipes inspired by his travels across…
Tony May – Italian Cuisine
Possibly my go to traditional Italian failsafe, this is such a great book and… there are no pictures!! SO no pictures in my blog either!! This is THE book I cook my classics from, it’s straight from the Nonnas and the flavour profiles are simple, Italian elegance. Recipe 1 – Fettuccine alla Carbonara Has just seven ingredients and not one of them is cream!! This is pancetta, egg yolks and olive oil to create a creaminess and richness. I have a tendency to want to…
Cookbook – Sophie Dahl Miss Dahls Voluptous Delights
Recipe 2 – Pear & Ginger Muffins Had a bit of rhubarb lying around so that went in too! Substituted spelt flour for wholemeal flour and oat bran and they are a bit dense but super tasty!! ******************************************************************************************* Last published 21st July 2012 The 2012 Cookbook Challenge – at least one recipe from one book, every week, for the whole year! Wk 26 / Bk 26 – Sophie Dahl Miss Dahls Voluptous Delights Click here to see the adventures so far! 2012 Cookbook Challenge :-…