Recently I managed to win a free ticket to Taste of Sydney thanks to Efendy chef and owner, Somer Sivrioglu. At last year’s event, Efendy took out the inaugural Best in Taste award for their Ali Nazik, a traditionally-made kebab with veal backstrap, leg of lamb and lamb tail fat.
I made this up today, inspired by my recent success with amazingly simple and delicious zucchini and haloumi fritters. These are low in sugar and carbs and are of course low GI as well.
The texture of these is lovely, light and slightly crisp; somewhere between a pikelet, an omelette and a fritter. I recommend serving simply with a squeeze of lemon, or some crispy bacon and tomato chutney for something more substantial. Continue reading
Growing up, my dad used cooking sherry in many dishes including my favourite honey soy chicken wings. Consequently I now adore the fragrance of sherry and love experimenting with using it in a variety of dishes. Pedro Ximenez is a type of grape traditionally used to make sweet, rich sherry. I recently also bought a vinegar made from the PX sherry. I absolutely love the flavour and use it whenever I can! Continue reading
Like the humble lamb shank, and osso buco before that, beef cheeks have suddenly experienced a revival. They’ve leapt onto the plates of diners who are paying top dollar for what was once considered an offcut.
Earlier this week we returned to The Eathouse Diner in Redfern, where our very fantastic and talented friend Kieran Day is a chef. The menu is dominated by American-style offerings such as delicious southern fried spatchcock with creamed corn and “slaw”, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese with taleggio, cheddar and grana padano (as good as it sounds) and the beautifully simple okra fritters with tomato and lime salsa. Continue reading
Sometimes, just occasionally, I like to indulge myself. Today I brought home a very indulgent bounty from my local markets on Addison Road in Marrickville: a bag of beautiful mixed brown mushrooms, Pepe Saya butter and some delicious chèvre. Oh, the possibilities!
Recently, we saw Michael Pollan talk at the Opera House. He was awesome.
The things he spoke of were not new to me. Ideas about eating locally grown produce; not eating too many refined “white” foods; avoiding foods so artificial that our grandmothers wouldn’t recognise them as food… But there was one line which stuck with me above all others: Continue reading
There are few things more delicious than the fragrance of simmering lamb and cinnamon. This breakfast tagine, inspired by the amazeballs one at Kazbah in Balmain (also in Darling Harbour and Top Ryde), makes breakfast worth getting out of bed for.
Cereal? Pah! Toast? Pish! Continue reading
It’s a mouthful I know, but the beauty of this dish is in the combination of all elements. The soup is sweet, clean and slightly smoky, the crispy sage adds earthiness, and the goats cheese toast provides a hit of salt as well as a contrasting texture. Continue reading
I got some lovely lamb shanks at the Addison Road Markets today and was feeling indecisive about how to flavour them. Preserved lemon? Red wine and bay leaves? Lemongrass and star anise? Continue reading
Scoff & Quaff 