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RISOTTO WITH BACON AND BRUSSEL SPROUTS Serves 4

Annie uses baby sprouts from her garden, but she suggests that if you are
using larger "commercial" sprouts it is best to cut them into four or six
pieces and blanch them first.
I did this and as I had no bacon I substituted smoked ham and this worked
well. And, as I do with so many dishes,at the last minute I added a small
handful of chopped Italian parsley....

11 litre chicken stock
275ml cold water
1 tablespoon olive oil
40gr butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
4 rindless rashers of bacon,cut into strips
400gr Arborio rice
250gr small brussel sprouts
40gr finely grated Parmesan
black pepper

Place stock and water into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over
medium high heat.

Meantime, heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over
medium heat. Add onion and bacon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until
onion is soft. Add rice and stir to coat the grains. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add one ladle of the stock mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all
liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, then
Stir in brussel sprouts and half the Parmesan with the last of the stock.
At this stage, the rice should be tender but firm in the centre and the
risotto creamy in texture.

Spoon risotto into bowls, top with the remaining Parmesan and season to
taste with pepper.

Thanks to Annie for allowing us to share this recipe.

(ANNIE'S GARDEN TO TABLE by Annie Smithers. Published by Penguin Group
Australia)

---------------------------------

One of our favourite occasional guests is foodie Pauline Leonard, who specialises in Italian cooking, hosts tours around Italy, conducts cooking classes etc etc. Pauline has a Christmas recipe on her website this month and has generously agreed that I can pinch it to share with you! She will be with us in the studio early in the new year to tell us about her upcoming cooking classes and next year's tour (2012).

John, are you able to download this recipe from Pauline Leonard onto the newsletter? http://www.cookingtheitalianway.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Shortbread-Stars.pdf If not, I'll type it up and send it through separately.

Thanks, John,
Ann

Shortbread Stars

Ingredients

Vanilla Shortbread
125g butter
50g Caster sugar
180g plain flour
Vanilla

Chocolate Shortbread
125g butter
50g Caster sugar
170g plain flour
1 tblspn dutch cocoa

Method (for both the vanilla and chocolate shortbread) :
 Set the oven to 170C
 Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
 Work in the butter, keeping it in one piece as much as possible
 Knead lightly and roll the dough out to 1 cm thickness.
 Cut out large stars and place on a tray lined with baking paper.
 With a smaller star cutter, cut the centre out of each star and place the small chocolate stars into the centre of the vanilla stars and the vanilla centres into the chocolate stars.
 Bake for 10 minutes or until firm.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

John, you will see from my copy that I have heard from an old friend who has a house in Provence where they stay for several months each year. I have included her description of it in my column and also asked her for a recipe. To save me having to type it o t, could you please cut and paste it (whatever that means) into my column.

Thanks, John.
ACC - 29/7/11

------ Forwarded Message
From: Bev Touzel <bev.touzel@yahoo.com.au>
Reply-To: Bev Touzel <bev.touzel@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:35:21 -0700 (PDT)
To: Ann Creber <innisfree@bluedandenongs.com.au>
Subject: Recipe from Provence

Ann,
As requested, a quick 'en famille' recipe of my 'Terrine Touzel'. This sounds much better than meat loaf! Our family had this often. I often made it the night before so that in between full-time work at RCH and uni ant night, basketball practice for four children etc we had something for dinner. No-one ever complained so they either really liked it or were just happy to have something ready for dinner! The main thing is to keep it simple with ingredients available.
It can also be 'poshed up' with very nice fruit or other chutney (beetroot goes well) or a ' Coulis de Tomate' placed artfully on the plate with a little mesclum
I hope this is helpful. We are packing up today and leave Velleron this weekend. We are cycling to L'Isle sur la Sorgue this morning to buy an olive wood cheese board. I have been searching for the perfect one. I then go on to Beijing and Rod returns home to work.
Love
Bev

Terrine Touzel

Ingredients

750 gms minced pork and veal

1 onion chopped finely

clove garlic mined ( optional)

salt and pepper to taste

chopped herbs sage, parsley or whatever you have in the garden

1 egg beaten

6-8 prunes stoned.These can be soaked beforehand in brandy or whatever you have or leave as is

pistachio nuts- a few peeled

small bread roll soaked in approx 100mls milk for a couple of hours. with a little grated nutmeg.

Bay leaf and prunes to decorate

Method

Mix meat s&p,herbs,onion and milk mix and egg

Layer half meat mixture into terrine or casserole dish. I use a lovely old stoneware one

Layer a line of prunes along centre

Can decorate top with bay leaf ,peppercorns or whatever you feel like

Stand casserole dish in baking pan of warm water and bake at 180 degrees for a couple of hours until firm on top.Cooking time will vary.

If you feel like it you can put something on top to press it down .The French way. I don't always bother.

Cool and serve warm or cold with fruit chutney. We prefer it cold.

Tip

Add whatever you like such as pistachio nuts,orange peel.juniper berries,spices to personal taste.

Bon appetite!

Ann Creber's Westinghouse Pressure Cooker recipes

PEARS IN SPICED RED WINE Serves 6

Choose well-shaped pears, ripe but firm,and if necessary trim the base so
they stand upright in the Pressure Cooker. This can be an elegant dessert
for a dinner party or a family dessert ...alcohol evaporates when it reaches
boiling point.

6 pears, peeled but with stems left intact
2 cups "soft" red wine (such as merlot)*
2 cups water*
3/4 - 1 cup white sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 thick slice of orange
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)
shredded zest of 1 orange (optional)

Prepare pears. In the Pressure Cooker mix together wine and water*
(sufficient to reach the Minimum level mark on the Pressure Cooker when
pears are added), add the sugar, spices, orange slice and place over medium
high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add the pears in upright position,
fit lid in place, set at No. 1 Pressure, When high pressure is reached,
reduce heat to ensure a steady steam release and cook for approximately 10
minutes. (Timing will vary slightly according to firmness of the pears.)

Allow to cool, open Pressure Cooker and pierce pears with a satay stick to
ensure they are cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Bring
the liquid to a steady simmer and reduce to a slight syrupy consistency.
(For a dinner party, I like to add a couple of tablespoons of Grand Marnier
and some julienned orange zest.) Pour over the pears, chill until ready to
serve.

Serve with wine syrup, cream and a crisp biscuit, garnished with a mint
sprig. Pears will keep well in the refrigerator for at least a week.

.........

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP Serves 6

After you have eaten this delicious, but so easy, home-made version, you
will never be tempted to buy packet soup again!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
1 cup thin pasta, such as vermicelli
5 cups well-flavoured chicken stock
1 chicken breast or 3 chicken thigh fillets, skinned & trimmed
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup dry white wine OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves OR 1/2 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
Additional chopped parsley

Heat oil in Westinghouse Pressure Cooker, without lid, add the onion and
cook for a couple of minutes. Add the vermicelli (broken into short
lengths) and cook for about 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, chicken fillet or
thighs, celery, wine or lemon juice, salt and pepper, parsley and herbs.
Stir lightly.
Fit lid and set to No.11. Bring to high pressure over heat, when full
pressure is reached, reduce heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, allow to cool until you are able to remove lid. Using
tongs, remove chicken and cut into dice or shreds and return to the soup.
Stir in the parsley, then serve at once.

...........

SAVOURY BEEF POT ROAST Serves 5 - 6

This is a satisfying and economical meal. Any leftover meat will be
succulent and is ideal for sandwiches or to be served with a salad next day.
Lamb may be substituted for beef.

1 1/2 kg beef roast
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 carrot, diced or thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced or thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 cups rich beef stock
1/2 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional)
Pepper and salt to taste
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato-based pasta sauce

Heat the oil in Westinghouse Pressure Cooker without the lid, place in the
roast and lightly brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.Add the garlic,
Carrot, onion and mushrooms and saute until slightly softened. Add the
herbs, seasoning, stock, wine and tomato puree or sauce and mix. Return the
meat to the Pressure Cooker, check to ensure liquid reaches specified
Minimum level. Seal lid in place, set to No II and bring to full pressure
over heat. When high pressure is reached, reduce heat to a steady steam
outlet and cook for 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes, depending on the cut of
beef. Allow to cool and remove lid. If gravy is too thin, remove meat and
thicken juices with a beurre manie. (i.e. 1 1/2 tablespoons flour mashed
with same quantity of butter} Bring the liquid to a simmer and drop in the
mixture in small portions, stirring well after each addition. This will act
as an effective thickening agent.

............

HUNGARIAN GOULASH Serves 4 - 5

There are literally dozens of versions of this traditional recipe, so you
can be very flexible in the ingredients you choose! The basics include beef
or veal, capsicum, paprika and, usually, sour cream or yoghurt.

2 rashes bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or oil
750gr beef, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped or sliced
2 red capsicums, sliced or chopped
1 - 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
Pepper to taste
1 x 400gr can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup tomato puree or pasta sauce
1/2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 cup sour cream
Caraway seeds or chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil in Pressure Cooker over medium heat , without the lid, add the
bacon and saute util lightly cooked. Add the meat, onions and capsicum and
stir until meat is sealed.

Mix together paprika, pepper, tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, wine (if using)
and bay leaves, and stir into meat and vegetables. (If necessary, add a
little more stock to ensure Minimum Level is reached.)

Seal Pressure Cooker, set on No.II and place over heat until high pressure
is reached. Reduce heat to a steady steam release and cook for 20 - 25
minutes.* When sufficiently cool, remove lid and stir in sour cream.

Serve with steamed rice or noodles, sprinkle lightly with caraway seeds sor
chopped dill.

NOTE: Freeze any left-over sauce in small containers to add to casseroles
etc.
* Time variation depends on cuts of meat used.

..........

ROGAN JOSH ( KASHMIRI CURRY)

Mutton is traditionally used in this dish but lamb or beef may be
substituted. The traditional preparation using a variety of herbs and
spices is very time-consuming, so a commercially prepared Rogan Josh sauce
is a very acceptable alternative. If you prefer it to be hotter, add a
little crushed dry chilli (or fresh chilli) to taste.

750gr lamb, diced
3 tablespoons light oil or ghee
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup celery slices
1 carrot, diced
1 1/2 cups Rogan Josh Sauce (Medium Hot)
1 1/2 - 2 cups beef stock

Heat the oil or ghee in Pressure Cooker without the lid. Add the meat and
lightly seal, add onions, garlic, celery and carrot and saute for a few
minutes, stirring often. Add Rogan Josh Sauce and beef stock (add a little
more stock if necessary to bring to Minimum Level) and stir well.

Seal Pressure Cooker, set at No. II and bring to full pressure. Reduce
heat to moderate and allow to cook at steady steam release for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, check after this time and if necessary return to heat for
another 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and a bowl of yoghurt mixed with diced cucumber and
chopped parsley. Serve naan or paratha breads to mop up the delicious sauce.

For a stronger curry flavour, use 2 cups of Rogan Josh and 1 1/2 cups of
stock.

Mitsuno-mushroom recipe

Entree’

Wagyu beef carpaccio with grilled enoki, button mushrrom and shiso salad

Ingredients

for 4 people

Thinly sliced wagyu beef 16 slices
Enoki 1 punnet slightly grilled
Small button mushroom 1 punnet finely sliced and mixed with lime juice
Micro herb Shiso(Japanese herb) handful

Dressing
Salt 1tsp
White balsamic vinegar 2tbsp
Olive oil 1tbsp
Macadamia oil 1tsp

A pinch of black pepper
1. Mix enoki, button mushroom and shiso.
2. Pour the dressing over the mixed mushroom and mix well.
3. Place the wagyu slice on the plate and mushroom salad on top.

Tsutsumiyaki (Chicken and mushroom parcel)
Ingredients
Chicken breast 400gram sliced thinly
3 or 4 kind of local mushroom
A pinch of salt
Cooking sake 4 tbsp
Sauce
Spring onion infused oil 50cc
Minced garlic 1tsp
Soy 50cc
Rice vinegar 25cc
Japanese mushroom rice
Short grain rice 1cup
Water 180cc
Shiitake mushroom 1 pannet
Japanese dashi powder 2tsp
Soy 2tbsp
Mirin 1tbsp

1,Brush olive oil on cooking paper. Place chicken and mushroom on the paper.
2, Sprinkle salt and sake over chicken and mushroom. Wrap them tightly.
3, put in the oven (200 ℃) for 10minutes.
4, For the sauce, mix all ingredients and put aside.
5, Wash rice and place in a pan with all ingredients. Put aid on and cook in medium heat and then turn down to low heat when rice comes to boil.
6, When all liquid evaporates and rice became tender, turn off the heat and leave it for another 10minute with the lid on.
7, Serve chicken and mushroom parcel on a plate with the sauce in a small glass and mushroom rice ball on the side.

JACQUES REYMOND DEGUSTATION MENU

DINNER

Field mushrooms

in carpaccio with Hervey Bay scallops

******

Shitake mushrooms

poached in sake and mirin with sesame, marinated Coorong mullet,

smoked eel and dashi jelly

******

King brown mushrooms

as a lasagne with spanner crab, a crustacean sauce

******

Wild mushrooms

like a cappuccino with truffle juice

******

Button mushroom

In barigoule with snails and stinging nettle,

pâté chaud of wild farmed rabbit

******

Exotic mushrooms

wok of enoke, shemeje and coral mushrooms,

peking duck and natural cooking juices

******

Swiss brown mushroom

In papillotte with parmesan, hazelnuts and wild thyme, arborio rice

******

Fresh black Australian truffle, tuber monosporum

truffled chicken thigh with sauce vin jaune, truffled home made pappardelle

******

Chocolate millefeuilles

******

Coffee and petits fours

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RECIPES : "Valentine’s Day Dinner”

www.cookingtheitalianway.com ..... Pauline Leonard Mob : 0417 59 55 33

Recipes

Antipasta :
Figs with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola

Pasta:
Squid Ink Linguine with poached Salmon and capers

Main :
Saltimbocca with Buttered Spinach and
Sugar Snap Peas
Potatoes baked with Lemon and Pepper

Dessert :
Vanilla Bean Pannacotta served with strawberries and warm dark chocolate.

Suggested wines (both available from Dan Murphy) :

• Prosecco di Congliano
• Chianti Classico, Pieve di Spaltenna 2005

To be served with fine china, linen napkins, long stem glasses, candles, romantic music and a warm heart.

Figs with Prosciutto
_____________________________________________________________

Ingredients
4 x ripe, but firm figs
4 x slices of proscuitto
50g Gorgonzola,
1/3 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch of watercress
Olive oil

Method

 Set the oven to 190°C
 With a sharp knife, cut off the stem of the fig and trim the base so it will stand upright.
 Make two incisions across the top of the fig in the shape of an ‘X’
 Make the incisions deep enough to be able to gently pull the fig open a little and place a small piece of gorgonzola (about the size of a thumbnail) inside.
 Gently press the top of the fig together and wrap the slice of prosciutto neatly around each one.
 Place the figs in a small oven proof dish and pour the wine around the figs. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes or until the gorgonzola has melted.
 Serve warm or at room temperature with a small side salad of rocket dressed in olive oil and lemon juice and grate over a little black pepper.

Salmon and caper sauce
_____________________________________________________________
Ingredients
2 Atlantic Salmon cutlets
1 x bulb baby fennel, finely sliced and chopped
1 x Spanish onion, chopped
1 x leek, washed and finely sliced
200ml white wine
200ml stock
1 x tablespoon tiny capers
Olive oil
Paprika
Salt and pepper
Fresh Squid Ink Linguine

Method

 Pan fry the salmon cutlets in a small amount of olive oil until just cooked through and then remove from the pan.
 When the cutlets are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and break the fish into chunks.
 Heat 3 tblspns olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions, fennel and leeks until soft, but not coloured.
 Add the wine, stock and paprika and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
 Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
 Add the capers and paprika and gently fold through the salmon pieces. Heat through again gently stirring for 3 minutes.
 In the meantime have a large saucepan of boiling salted water ready and add the fresh pasta. Cook only until the water returns to the boil and then drain.
 Serve hot over the Squid Ink Linguine and sprinkle a few fennel leaves over the top.

Saltimbocca – veal rolls with sage and proscuitto
_____________________________________________________________

Ingredients

4 slices veal schnitzel
4 fresh sage leaves
2 slices prosciutto
flour, salt and pepper
75 grams butter
Olive oil
75 ml white wine or dry sherry
Marsala
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Method

 With a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the meat slices until they thin.
 On each piece of meat place a slice of prosciutto, which has been cut to the same size of the meat. Place a sage leaves on top of the prosciutto.
 Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
 Fold the meat over in half and secure with a toothpick and toss each piece in a little flour.
 Melt the butter and a little oil in a frying pan and when hot, add the meat and brown on both sides.
 Remove the meat, cover and keep warm.
 Discard most of the butter and oil from the frying pan and add the wine or sherry and a little marsala.
 Bring to the boil, scraping the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
 Return the meat the pan and gently heat for 1 minute.
 Serve the meat on warmed plates and pour over the sauce.

Buttered Spinach & Sugar Snap Peas
_______________________________________________________________________

Ingredients
2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach
100g sugar snap peas
75g butter
Salt and pepper
Method

 Cook the sugar snap peas in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes and drain.
 Melt the butter in a saucepan, over low heat.
 Add the peas to the saucepan and gently stir in the butter.
 Add the spinach and stir until it just begins to wilt.
 Add salt the freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Potatoes roasted with lemon and pepper
___________________________________________________________

Ingredients
6 large desiree potatoes
1/3 cup Olive oil
Grated rind of 1 x lemon
2 tablespoons of chopped Continental parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method

 Set oven to 200.
 Oil a small baking tray with olive oil.
 Cut potatoes into slices about 10cm in thickness and place into a the baking tray with the slices slightly overlapping
 Combine olive oil, lemon rind, parsley and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well
 Pour olive oil mixture over the potatoes and cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
 Bake for 50 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Vanilla Bean Pannacotta

(quantity for 6 individual serves)

Ingredients

500ml x Cream
1 x Vanilla bean (split and scraped)
5g gelatin leaves
50ml milk, at room temperature
1/2 x cup caster sugar
Rind of 1 x lemon thinly pared
150g good quality dark chocolate, melted
1 x punnet strawberries, washed and dried

Method
 Lightly grease 6 x heart shaped moulds (or small ramekins or cups) with a very small amount of oil.
 Soak the gelatin leaves in the milk to soften for 5 minutes and remove from the milk, squeezing out the moisture.
 Mix sugar, cream, lemon rind, vanilla bean seeds and pod in a saucepan and bring to just under the boil, then remove from the heat.
 Warm the milk and add the gelatin leaves, stirring to dissolve.
 Add the gelatin and milk to the hot cream and stir gently until well combined.
 Strain the cream through a fine sieve and pour into the moulds.
 Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

To serve :
 With a sharp knife, loosen the edges of the pannacotta and invert each onto a serving plate.
 Surround the pannacotta with the strawberries.
 Pour the melted chocolate into espresso cups or tiny dishes and serve alongside the pannacotta, so use as a sauce or for dipping the strawbrerries.

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GRILLED ATLANTIC CUTLETS WITH TOMATO & BASIL SALSA Serves 4

This is one of the recipes I have developed for the Nuggetty Creek website. New ones will be added each month. You can also check out monthly recipes on the website of our sponsor Salton (Australia) Pty. Ltd on www.salton.com.au

GRILLED ATLANTIC CUTLETS WITH TOMATO & BASIL SALSA Serves 4

4 Atlantic salmon cutlets
1/4 cup Nuggetty Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Coarsely ground pepper or seasoned pepper

TOMATO & BASIL SALSA

2 - 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons Nuggetty Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons torn or shredded basil leaves
1 teaspoon lime or lemon zest
6 Kalamata olives, slivered
generous pinch of chilli flakes
Pepper
Little sea salt
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

In a shallow dish mix together 1/4 cup of oil, add the citrus juice with a little pepper. Place the cutlets into the marinade, leave for about 30 minutes, turning the cutlets once or twice.

Meantime, make up the Salsa by placing into a bowl diced tomatoes, torn basil leaves, olive oil, citrus zest, slivered olives, chilli, pepper and salt. Lightly mix together and leave to allow flavours to blend.

To serve, grill or panfry cutlets until just cooked through (George Foreman Grill is great for this!) Transfer to warmed plates, spoon over the salsa, garnish with a basil sprig and serve at once.

Serve with bread for mopping up the juices - a glass of wine goes well, too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Weeks
Spectrum FM Radio - Australia
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Co-Producer of the upcoming Australian movie The Julian Paradox
www.thejulianparadox.com

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