Is there anyone that doesn’t like them?

The mere sighting of this word on a menu can bring instant ”comfort” to an individual’s ear.

Where would ”bangers” be without their mash? (a bit like Cagney without Lacey!).

You wouldn’t dream of serving up a hearty meatloaf and NOT enjoying it with a side of mashed potatoes.

Today though, I wanted to veer off the traditional path and showcase some alternatives.

Don’t get me wrong. I like my regular mash but it’s nice to know there are other veggies out there that can compete with the humble spud.

I touched on this briefly a few years ago when I made a carrot and dill mash.

Let’s explore the possibilities.

Preparing Sweet Potato Mash

This has become a new favourite for me.  I’m not sure if I’m late to the party with this but my kumara purchases have skyrocketed!

Simply peel a sweet potato, chop it up into even sized chunks and boil it for fifteen minutes.

Finish it off with a good knob of butter, a little cream, salt and pepper and voila! Next time you make a shepherds pie try using this as your topping.

Preparing Pea Mash

If you have a bag of frozen peas on hand this one is a no brainer.

Microwave or blanch two cups of peas, place them in a food processor and add jazz them up with whatever you like.

Some suggestions:

• Greek yoghurt and garlic
• Sour cream and dill
• A little cream, butter and fresh mint.

Once you’ve whizzed the peas up serve them with a good steak or a piece of grilled salmon.

Preparing Cauliflower Mash

I always get the impression that cauliflower is seen as more of a ”supporting” vegetable than an actual ”star”.

I prefer to steam my cauliflower rather than boil it. I find it keeps its shape and does not get too limp or soggy.

Prepare one head of cauliflower by chopping it into even pieces. I use a steamer insert for this on a pot and check it at ten minutes. (It’s usually ready between the ten to fifteen minute mark).

To ”mash” it I use a food processor and add two cloves of garlic, a good ”splash” of olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a good dash of nutmeg too.

Which brings me to the fish pie.

This is my first time making a fish pie and I have to say I loved it. I read like a million recipes online and all talked about using potatoes as a topping and making a white sauce for the filling.

Whilst all that sounded delicious, I was after comfort food without the heaviness. Yes, the dish has a little pouring cream stirred through the filling but it actually keeps it light.

There’s also a little Dijon, dill and lemon juice.

The fish pie is topped with the cauliflower mash and for a little ”naughtiness” topped with some good grated Cheddar cheese (not the fake yellow, plastic stuff thanks!).

If you’re starting to feel the cold, this fish pie will definitely warm up the insides. It won’t win any awards for prettiness and presentation but it will win in the comfort stakes.

]]> http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/fish-pie/feed 8 http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/anzac-biscuits-recipe http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/anzac-biscuits-recipe#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:01:57 +0000 Peter G http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/?p=5860

April 25th marks ANZAC Day here in Australia and New Zealand.

If you’re reading this from overseas and you’re not familiar with the term, the word is an acronym. It stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

It’s Australia’s day of commemoration.

Traditionally, it honours the lives of soldiers who fought in the First World War.

But in recent times, it has also taken on to remember the men and women who served in the various conflicts Australia has participated in.

The Importance of The Anzac Biscuit

You’re probably wondering “what on earth do these biscuits have to do with all of this?”.

These biscuits are a tradition stemming from the First World War. They were made and sent to the soldiers because of their shelf life.

As you can imagine, any food that was sent via ship in those days spoilt very quickly. The wives and mothers of the soldiers (who were in Australia) came up with a recipe that would not spoil. There are no eggs used in Anzac biscuits.

It’s the golden syrup that gives them their binding power. The Anzac biscuits were stored in metal tins and remained crisp for their long journey over the seas.

Brilliant right?

Apart from being a clever recipe they are DELICIOUS. And completely addictive. And for the cliched part of the post-”Try stopping at one!”.

As a youngster I indulged in making these simple yet tasty biscuits. They really are very easy to put together. And I’m sure most of you have these ingredients in your pantry.

My favourite part is biting into these and tasting the shredded coconut and the dark caramel flavours of the golden syrup.

Over the years I’ve seen people tweak the original recipe by adding nuts and other goodies but they don’t really need it, in my opinion.

And it doesn’t have to be Anzac Day to make these. Make them any time of the year. However, I think it’s important to remember what they stand for.

Lest We Forget

I’m sure you’ve had a ”perfect” idea only to find out later that perhaps some things should never be attempted.

Let’s back track.

I like living in my ”small-ish” inner city pad.  But hate the fact that the balcony is enclosed.

Just before the recent blog dramas, I decided to make barbecued ribs.

I had gotten one of those tiny barbecues that suit the inner city apartment dweller.

The cravings for smoky, chargrilled barbecued ribs were driving my taste buds insane. Call it umami withdrawals.

Even with the windows wide open the smoke made its way inside. Ok. It wasn’t thick, black ”burning down the house” kind of smoke. 

But it was “intense”. 

And then the fire alarm went off. And I’m sure you can figure out the rest. 

My face was redder than the marinade!

Part two of my barbecued rib experiment relied on using the oven. I know my oven. I love my oven. I trust my oven.

It’s what I should have done in the first place.

So how do you go about making “barbecued” style ribs in the oven?

The ribs you need to use for this are pork baby back ribs. They are sometimes referred to as ”American style” ribs. 

Boil the ribs for about five minutes before marinating them. It removes any impurities and makes the cooking time quicker too.

For the ever important marinade, I used my favourite ingredient in this. Petimezi. A nice Greek touch don’t you think?

Petimezi is absolutely the perfect partner for this dish. It’s naturally sweet and plays well with other ingredients too.

The longer the you marinate the ribs the more intense the flavour will be. Overnight achieves the best results.

And make sure your oven is smokin’ hot (ok bad choice of words). A hot oven will allow the ribs to caramelise and cook quickly.

No smoke.. No dramas. And no firemen…

*A note about the recipe.  I used 2 smaller racks of ribs.  Perfect for a couple. Any larger ribs will require the marinade to be adjusted and baked for a little longer*

Another big Greek word and another Greek dish.

Don’t let the unpronounceable name of this dish put you off. If you have excess zucchini laying around make them immediately!

”keftedes” are the Greek word for meatballs however there is no meat in today’s recipe. For simplicity’s sake let’s just call them zucchini fritters.

I’ll be completely honest here and say that I have never made these zucchini fritters before. I enjoyed them a few times growing up and mostly ordered them at restaurants when I was visiting Greece.

I’m happy to say I’ve made these twice now and I’m delighted at how they turned out.

When I was researching kolokithokeftedes I came across Peter from Kalofagas’s recipe on Google. I was specifically drawn to his recipe because he baked these in the oven rather than lightly fry them on the stovetop.

I must admit, initially I was skeptical that these would hold their shape. However, these turned out fantastic! Thank you Peter!

Making Zucchini Fritters Gluten Free

I’ve modified the recipe a little in that I did not use any breadcrumbs in the mixture. I wanted to make these zucchini fritters gluten free (for my friend-remember these almond pancakes?) and substituted almond meal or almond flour. Again, they held their shape beautifully.  (the dough was slighlty “wetter” but still good).

If you plan on making these zucchini fritters, don’t skimp on the herbs. Going by the recipe I used fresh parsley, dill and mint. I added a little extra dill because I love dill. I encourage you to play around with the ratios and find the right combination that suits your palate.

The feta gives them that wonderful cheesy, salty goodness. Use the good stuff If you you can!

I accompanied our little soirée with a tomato and feta salad, dressed in olive oil and dried Greek oregano and served the zucchini fritters with a ”herby” Greek yoghurt mixture.

Brunch, lunch or dinner-you’ve got to make these!

Baked Zucchini Fritters Kolokithokeftedes

Recipe Type: Appetiser
Serves: 16

A baked version of the traditional Greek zucchini fritter

Ingredients

• 3 medium to large zucchini, grated and squeezed of excess water
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped dill
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 3/4-1 cup of almond meal
• 100 grams of feta cheese, crumbled
• 50 grams of grated Pecorino
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre heat your oven to 200 deg C.
2. In a small pan, saute the finely diced onion and garlic in a little olive oil until it becomes translucent. Set aside to cool.
3. Once the onion/garlic mixture has cooled add it with ALL THE INGREDIENTS in a large bowl.
4. Using your hands combine the fritters mixture thoroughly. If you find that it’s still a little wet add 1/4 cup extra almond meal. (Don’t be tempted to add too much)
5. Form the mixture into small patties (grab a little in your hand and then flatten them out slightly) and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. Brush the tops of the fritters with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Take them out and using a spatula, carefully flip them over, brush the tops again with olive oil and finish cooking them for another 10 minutes.
7. Once cooked allow them to cool slightly and serve them with a salad and some Greek yoghurt or tzatziki.

Notes
it’s important to squeeze the excess water out of the grated zucchini-once grated you can sprinkle it with sea salt and leave it for a few hours. If you’re short on time- just grate it and squeeze as much as you can

What is it with taste buds?

Do they suddenly decide at a certain age to change their tactics and alter your preferences for different foods?

My taste bud ”changes” happened around the age of fifteen. It was the humble pickle that would set my taste buds on this new ”sour and salty” romance.

I don’t know what possessed me to actually try one (really try one-not just a little bite!) but the moment I did, I was in love.

I loved the fresh crunch of the crisp cucumber.
I loved the saltiness of the whole pickle.
I loved the dill aroma.
I tell you I was in love!

Up until now, it’s been quite say to walk into a supermarket or specialised delicatessen and pick up a jar of pickled cucumbers. My preference is for the miniature, whole pickles first and the slices second.

It’s been a hit and miss affair finding a commercial pickle I like. There’s just too much added sugar in some of the varieties I’ve tried.  And I don’t know why I’ve never made them at home. I just think the whole preserving thing can seem a little scary.

So when I saw these tiny cucumbers on sale at the local fruit and veg shop, I just had to give the whole home made pickles thing a go!

These are very similar to the technique I use to make my quick jams. I make them up and consume them in a very short period (usually 5-7 days).

You can flavour your pickles with anything you like but I decided to go with the traditional dill. I’ve also added a little garlic, salt and pepper. White vinegar makes up the rest of the solution.

It’s quite simple really. I fill the sterilized jars with the small cucumbers, add the spices and then fill up the remaining space with white vinegar. Pop it in the fridge and in four hours you’ll be biting into home made dill pickles.

For best results try them the next day but please eat them within a five day period.

]]> http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/home-made-pickles-recipe/feed 22 http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/lemon-infused-olive-oil http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/lemon-infused-olive-oil#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:00:30 +0000 Peter G http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/?p=5625 It all started with that  picture.

That’s how this blog post begins.

As you’re aware I’ve shopped up big on lemons and limes.

The apartment is beginning to smell like a citrus orchard (not that that’s a bad thing).

I was bored earlier today and thought it would be a good exercise to shoot some still life images of the abundant produce.

After that was done I was still faced with the dilemma of what to do with it all.

I thought about whipping up a lime, yoghurt and olive oil cake but I just wasn’t in a baking mood-yet.

The only other abundant product that I ALWAYS have in the house is olive oil. It’s been with me “like forever”. LOL!

I am very lucky that I have it sent from Greece. I get a shipment every few years and enjoy it quite a bit in many of the Greek and Greek inspired recipes I make.

I’d actually been thinking for quite a while now to make some sort of infused olive oil concoction as the commercial ones are very expensive and frankly not worth it.

In the end I decided to make a batch of lemon infused olive oil.

The process was quite simple actually. The oil needs to be gently simmered with a little lemon peel for about ten to fifteen minutes. Once it cools, strain it and seal your bottle, before storing it in a cool, dark place.

I’ll let you know how the flavours develop over time. It will definitely need a few weeks to do this.

LEMON INFUSED OLIVE OIL RECIPE

• 1 cup, extra virgin olive oil
• Peel from 1 or 2 lemons

1. Scrub your lemons quite thoroughly before peeling them.
2. Peel your lemons avoiding any of the white pith.
3. Place the lemon peel with the olive oil in a sauce pan and cook over a very low heat for 10-15 mins. (make sure the mixture does not boil. We want to the flavours to infuse nice and slowly)
4. Remove from the heat and allow the olive oil to cool down completely.
5. Remove the peel and pour the oil in a glass bottle or jar.
6. Store in a cool, dark place to allow the flavours to develop.

There I said it. Is that a bad thing?

Don’t get me wrong.

In my Greek household growing up, the only cheesecake I saw was a packet of Sara Lee.

And I used to think it was exotic because it was from New York!

My young taste buds, which knew no boundaries, thought it was creamy and luscious.

My current taste buds still think it’s creamy and luscious but know to stop at one slice!

So back to the figs from my last post. Along with them I found a bag of limes for two bucks! And you know how much I adore limes! (I still don’t get it…the prices of limes are just insane in the winter months. Think three dollars each!)

I was attending a small gathering for a going away party and told the hostess I would bring dessert. Perfect opportunity for me to use up the limes and the figs.

I have to admit I was stuck for ideas. I finally found a recipe online that came from an original Women’s Weekly recipe.

I changed it up a bit and added the limes instead of lemon and topped the cheesecake with some lightly poached figs. (I poached the figs very quickly in a little vanilla and honey).

They were a perfect complement to the baked lime cheesecake.

A few notes for “baked cheesecake virgins”.

• Use a baking tin appropriate for the amount. Mine turned a little thin and resembled more of a tart because my springform tin was larger by 2cm.
• Keep your temperature to 160 deg Celsius for baking. (This is a slightly moderate temperature).  If you use a fan forced oven drop the temperature by 20 deg C.
• Once the cheesecake cooks, turn off the oven and let it rest for one hour with the door slightly ajar. This prevents the cake from developing cracks on top.

BAKED LIME CHEESECAKE RECIPE

• 175 grams of digestive biscuits, crushed in the food processor
• 75 grams butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 500 grams cream cheese, softened
• grated rind and juice of two limes

1. Pre heat your oven to 160 deg C (not fan forced-if using a fan forced oven drop the temperature by 20 deg C)
2. Lightly grease a 20cm springform tin
3. Combine the crushed digestive biscuits with the butter and press this crumb mixture over the base of the tin. Place it in the refrigerator whilst you make the filling.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until the mixture becomes pale and creamy (this should take ten minutes).
5. Add the cheese, rind and lime juice and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
6. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. (check the mixture at 40 minutes and go from there-feel the top to see if it’s cooked through).
7. Once cooked, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with door ajar for one hour.
8. Refrigerate cheesecake for few hours before serving with the fig salsa.

FIG SALSA RECIPE
(I’m using approximates here)

• 5-6 fresh figs quartered
• 1/2 cup honey
• one tablespoon vanilla extract
• a “splash” of muscat (optional)

1. Heat the honey, vanilla and muscat in a pot until the mixture begins to bubble.
2. Remove from the stovetop and add your figs.
3. Toss gently to coat the figs.
4. Allow to cool before serving with cheesecake.

My latest kitchen experiments have me feeling more like a mad scientist than your average home cook.

After discovering the joys of making raspberry vegan ice cream, I was forced to up the personal ante a little more.

I had planned a small brunch in my already cramped apartment for a few people.

In my head, I envisioned a “buffet style” menu.

Fruit salads, muffins, pancakes, scrambled eggs and mini chipolatas would be taking centre stage.

Then the came the phone call from a good friend, informing me that she had been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance.

She had taken the news quite well, knowing that it was not the end of the world. Her eating choices would need to be modified but as I explained, there was a whole new world of gluten free cooking to discover! (or being the good friend “who cooks” I would discover!).

There was a lot of research on my behalf. I have to say it right now, I’m not familiar with a lot of the pre packaged flours sold as “gluten free”.

I’m also not familiar with all the different starches and other goodies that make up the base for a lot of baked gluten free goods.

I love my friend and I really wanted her to enjoy my brunch and not feel like she was “missing out”. Especially the pancakes!

I googled a few recipes and realised that there was a whole lot of almond meal love associated with gluten free cooking. I was comfortable with almond meal. My “intense” orange and almond cake uses it as a base for this delicious desert. And I often have it in the pantry…so it was a no brainer.

So after a few days of trial and error, I settled on an almond pancake recipe that incorporates the humble banana, an egg and some almond meal.

These  almond pancakes will not be like your typical “fluffed up” and “bloated” pancakes. These will be a lot lighter in texture and taste. (Think of them as more of a bulked up omelette!).

I was amazed at how good they looked and tasted.  (ok they’re not going to replicate my blueberry pikelets in any hurry but even I was impressed). I added blueberries to the pancake batter for a bit of bulk and scattered a few more on top.

Just a word of warning. If you plan on making these be wary about the cooking temperature. My initial pancakes had to be thrown away because my cooking temperature was too high.

Keep the heat at a low/medium setting for best results. Don’t spread your batter too thick. Otherwise the top will take forever to cook and the bottom will be burnt.  And it’s ok to flip them when the batter is a little wet.  (don’t expect to see the holes form like you do on regular pancakes).

ALMOND MEAL GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES RECIPE

Adapted from here

Makes 3 “average” sized pancakes

• 1 ripe banana mashed
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp of almond meal
• 1 tbsp of almond butter

optional extras:

• a splash of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• fruit of your choice i.e. blueberries, strawberries

1. Mix the banana, egg, almond meal and almond butter in a medium sized bowl.  (add any extras you wish at this point)
2. Allow to rest for 10 mins.
3. Heat up a griddle pan with a little olive oil or butter.
4. Spoon in pancake batter and allow the underside to cook on a low/medium heat for 3-4 mins.  Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute.
5. Serve with fruit and maple syrup.

If you had told me a few months ago that you could make ice cream using frozen bananas and an avocado (of all things!) I would have laughed in your face! And probably dismissed you in the process. 

Now it’s me who has egg (or should I say ice cream) on my face!

When I read JJ’s recipe for chocolate vegan ice cream I was intrigued. “Intrigued” is a term I often use when I see a new technique or process in cooking.

Again, I had to ask myself “how could it be that a few frozen bananas and a humble avocado can make that delicious looking ice cream?”

Yes, I may be late to the party with certain things but I’m definitely no party pooper!

Then I saw Kristina from “The Hungry Australian” whip up a batch of the same vegan ice cream but instead of chocolate she used strawberries.  Her vegan ice cream recipe looked fantastic!

“Ok..I have to make this. The signs are there”.

So instead of fluffing about with custards and eggs, I whizzed up the ingredients in my food processor, added a few frozen raspberries and let the magic happen.

And boy was it magical! My taste buds were doing a happy dance for a few days.

It scooped like ice cream. It tasted like ice cream. Except there was no cream! I love this vegan ice cream recipe!

I can honestly say that this is how I will be making all my ice cream in the near future. It’s just so easy!

Yes, there is a slight banana taste but it’s nothing over powering.

Next on the list is chocolate and cinnamon.

Thank you JJ for the inspiration!

RASPBERRY VEGAN ICE CREAM RECIPE

• 3 medium sized bananas, peeled, chopped and frozen
• 1 ripe avocado
• 250 grams frozen raspberries
• A “splash” of petimezi (a.k.a. grape molasses.  substitute pomegranate molasses)

1. Blend the bananas,avocado, the molasses of your choice and raspberries in a food processor until the mixture is well combined.
2. Pour the mixture into a container, cover and freeze. ( I used a little enamel pot that came with a lid).
3. At this stage you could churn the mixture in an ice cream maker and let the magic happen that way. I opted to freeze the ice cream and then scrape the edges with a fork and mix it again. I did this every half hour for two hours.
4. Freeze for a minimum of six hours and let it come to room temperature (about 15 mins) before scooping it up and serving.

I’m not really a follower of this day although I have nothing against others who wish to celebrate it. Whatever floats your boat. (I still think it’s fun to cook heart shaped food though!)

In my later teens, I remember picking up the newspaper on the 14th of February and reading all the messages of unrequited and declared love.

“Tammy, you make my world. Love you forever. Your tiger, Barry” was an example of such messages.

I often wonder if Barry and Tammy are still together. LOL!

So there I was recently, doing a spot of prop shopping when I noticed these cute heart shaped doughnut pans. These are exactly the same moulds I used to make my baked cake doughnuts, except these have been blessed by Cupid and shaped liked hearts.

I know. I couldn’t resist. Shameful really!

It was a whole lot of fun putting these baked cake doughnuts together. And quite messy too. But that’s what made this whole process fun!

I topped them with an icing made from icing sugar and raspberry coulis and dipped them in shredded coconut. I had to ice them three times to get a decent icing on them.  How can your loved one say no to that combination?

If you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day with your beloved, enjoy! If you don’t, then remember you still have the remainder of the year to say “I LOVE YOU” with these heart shaped doughnuts.