Just look at these colours. This is the bounty I collected from the farmer’s market this fine autumnal morning. I love autumn. I love the dappled sunlight. I love the falling golden leaves and the crunchy sound they make when you walk in them. I love that I get the taste for red wine again.
Walking past the Aesop shop in Collingwood the other day my breath was taken away by a sight to behold. The shop window, and the entire store no less, were covered in a mass of autumnal leaves. I so wish that idea was mine.
Walking past the Aesop shop in Collingwood the other day my breath was taken away by a sight to behold. The shop window, and the entire store no less, were covered in a mass of autumnal leaves. I so wish that idea was mine.
Many a time I’ve bored my friends with complaints about Melbourne’s bad weather. But I concede, it does autumn very well. The light on sunny days (of which there seem to be more than any other time of the year) is life-affirming. And then there’s the produce which is the whole point of the post, right? On the menu tonight are Swiss brown mushrooms, pink lady apples, pink fir apple potatoes, kale and walnuts.
The occasion this time is dinner with my cousin Patti and her husband Simon. She’s a great cook and by her own admission has a pretty mean sweet tooth. It’s such a pleasure cooking for foodies.
The evening was cold and rainy - perfect weather for staying in. With drinks we had fresh walnuts and kale chips. Roast the walnuts in the oven to really bring out their flavour (wish I'd thought of this on the actual night). This was followed by Parmesan-Crumbed Mushrooms for entree. I served them on a big plate for everyone to help themselves. The mushrooms were happily consumed by even the non-mushroom fans at the table. Can't go wrong with deep-frying. I replaced the aioli in the original recipe with a rocket pesto. Not a true pesto, more like a dipping sauce. A sauce needs to be big on flavour though, so good quality extra virgin olive oil is key. So is garlic (a lot of it) and a very generous pinch of sea salt.
The Cider Roasted Chicken recipe also came from Gourmet Traveller. The speck-wrapped, thyme-sprinkled chicken pieces were laid on top of wedges of roasting potatoes, apples and red onion. Cider and chicken stock were added in the later stage of roasting and a splash of cider vinegar finished things off. The chicken took a lot longer to cook than the recipe said but the other ingredients didn't seem to mind a little extra roasting action.
I also served baby carrots, which were braised in butter, a small amount of water, sugar and salt until the liquid evaporated. I got this recipe from Poh's Kitchen but added the juice of an orange and used mint instead of parsley. Leave the lid off while you simmer, or there will be too much liquid to evaporate. I also served a green salad with a dressing made of hazelnut oil, sherry vinegar, a hint of garlic and sea salt.
The Chocolate-Caramel Tart was made the night before. It's made with a sweet pastry, and under the chocolate ganache there is a layer of oozing, finger-licking caramel goodness. Pastry is not one of my favourite things to make. I can always smell the whiff of failure lingering around the kitchen but happily, this one turned out okay.
Once the pastry is baked, the fun really begins. Now, I am well and truly of an age where I should know better than to surrender to childish impulses like licking hot caramel from a spoon. But anyway, I did. And I have the tongue scarring to prove it.
The recipe says it serves 16. Sixteen highly disciplined people who are not prone to gluttonous impulses I would suggest. For the rest of us, it probably serves 6-8.
I don't really like that I rate my own efforts at the end of a dinner party, but I do. Let's see - the carrots were a little overcooked and the chicken was a little undercooked and had to be returned to the oven, and I broke my own rule of not serving too large portions. But still, I enjoyed the process from the crafting of the menu, the gathering of the produce and the execution of each dish. Most of all though, it was great to spend an evening with Patti and Simon, we drank some nice wine and had some fun. So overall: success!
Once the pastry is baked, the fun really begins. Now, I am well and truly of an age where I should know better than to surrender to childish impulses like licking hot caramel from a spoon. But anyway, I did. And I have the tongue scarring to prove it.
(Can you tell I'm besotted by this tart?)
The recipe says it serves 16. Sixteen highly disciplined people who are not prone to gluttonous impulses I would suggest. For the rest of us, it probably serves 6-8.
I don't really like that I rate my own efforts at the end of a dinner party, but I do. Let's see - the carrots were a little overcooked and the chicken was a little undercooked and had to be returned to the oven, and I broke my own rule of not serving too large portions. But still, I enjoyed the process from the crafting of the menu, the gathering of the produce and the execution of each dish. Most of all though, it was great to spend an evening with Patti and Simon, we drank some nice wine and had some fun. So overall: success!
Menu
Kale chips and fresh walnuts
Parmesan-Crumbed Mushrooms with rocket pesto
Cider Roasted Chicken with Speck, Apple and Potato
Green salad with hazelnut oil dressing
Braised orange carrots
Chocolate-Caramel Tart
Wine
SQL 08 Pinot Noir, from the Yarra Valley
Wine
SQL 08 Pinot Noir, from the Yarra Valley
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