Food

[[image:P3280025.JPG width="208" height="168" align="right"]]
For all who love pizza...

A basic pizza dough.

Ingredients
400ml warm water 14g fresh yeast or 1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast 15g caster sugar 700g flour, plus extra for dusting 30g gluten flour, optional 30g table salt 60ml extra virgin olive oil 50ml milk

Method

 * Step 1:** Add 2 tablespoons of the water to the yeast and massage it into a paste with your fingers. Add the remaining water and the sugar and stir to combine.


 * Step 2:** Tip flour, gluten if using, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached. Turn mixer onto low speed and add yeast mixture. Let it mix for 2 minutes until the dough comes together. Add oil and milk and mix for another 4 minutes until smooth and elastic.


 * Step 3:** Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Remove dough from the mixer, scraping the dough hooks. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes, dusting with more flour when necessary. Shape the dough into a ball.


 * Step 4:** Lightly dust a clean chopping board or baking sheet with flour. Place the dough on the board and cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 10-15 minutes.


 * Step 5:** Cut the dough into portions and roll into balls. Cover with the tea towel and set aside on the floured board to rise for a further 30 minutes or doubled in size.

This a MasterChef Recipe. I think this is a cool thing as everyone should love pizza. At my house we make this dough and have a "make your own pizza night" were you put on your own toppings. So if you don't like something on the pizza-your fault!

American Waldorf Salad

Ingredients
5 granny smith apples, quartered, cored 2 lemons, juiced 2 gold-strength gelatine leaves 1 large onion, finely diced 1/3 cup caster sugar 125ml cider vinegar ¼ cup walnuts 40g frisee lettuce leaves, trimmed 24 nasturtium leaves 1 celery heart, trimmed 1 baby cos lettuce heart, trimmed
 * Salad**

1 egg 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbs white balsamic vinegar 1 cup olive oil
 * Mayonnaise**

Method

 * Step 1:** Combine the apples and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside 8 quarters to serve. Soak gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes until softened.


 * Step 2:** Juice the remaining apple quarters in a juicer. Heat 100ml of the juice with the gelatine leaves in a small saucepan over low heat until warm and dissolved (for every 250ml apple juice, use 2 gelatine leaves). Remove from the heat. Add the warmed gelatine mixture to the remaining apple juice and strain through a fine sieve into a small, shallow dish where the jelly will set 1 ½ cm up the sides. Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until set.


 * Step 3:** Place onion, ¼ cup of the sugar and the cider vinegar in a small frying pan, over medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and onions are golden, stirring regularly. Set aside to cool.


 * Step 4:** For the mayonnaise, process eggs, mustard, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a small food processor until creamy. Add 1/4 of the oil to the egg mixture and process until slightly thicker. Add the remaining oil in batches until the mayonnaise is thick and creamy. Set aside.


 * Step 5:** Heat walnuts, remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until walnuts are lightly toasted and caramelised. Set aside.


 * Step 6:** Stir 3 heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise into the onion mixture in a bowl until well combined.


 * Step 7:** To serve, smear mayonnaise on a plate. Thinly slice the reserved apple quarters. Arrange around the plate slightly overlapping like a fan. Scatter the leaves, celery and cos heart pieces around the plate with the walnuts. Finish with a few spoonfuls of apple jelly.

This a MasterChef Recipe I haven't eaten a Waldorf Salad but I want to. If you do this is the recipe you should try. Thanks Geroge! The Waldorf Salad was invented at The Waldorf Hotel in New York. I always thourgth it had grapes. "Apples, Celery, Walnuts, Grapes in mayonnaise!"

For Chocolate fans...

Chocolate Delice with Salted Caramel

Ingredients
250g plain flour 150g unsalted butter 100g caster sugar Pinch salt 1 egg
 * Biscuit Base**

375g thickened cream 135mls milk 2 vanilla beans, scraped 7 egg yolks 1 whole egg 60g caster sugar
 * Crème brulee**

190g thickened cream 190g boiling water 60g cocoa powder 150g white chocolate 125g dark chocolate 15g gelatine leaf
 * Chocolate cream**

340g dark chocolate 230mls thickened cream 165g glucose syrup 30mls water � cup flaked almonds 200g white chocolate
 * Chocolate glaze**

250g caster sugar 50mls water 150mls thickened cream 150g unsalted butter Sea salt flakes
 * Salted caramel**

Method
1. Preheat the oven to180C.

2. **For the biscuit base,** place the flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor and process to a breadcrumb consistency. Add the egg and process again to combine. Tip out onto a clean flat surface and roll into a smooth dough, wrap in cling film and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Once rested use a rolling pin to roll into a 1cm thick rectangle shape; place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool then using a circular cutter cut out biscuit bases, set aside.

3. **For the crème brulee,** combine the cream, milk and vanilla beans in a saucepan and place over a medium heat, bring to the boil then remove from heat. Strain into a clean saucepan. Place the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar into a bowl and using an electric hand beater whisk until thick and pale, pour half the heated milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk continuously. Pour the mixture into the saucepan of remaining milk and place over a low heat, cook for 3-5 minutes stirring continuously. Pour into a jug and cool slightly. Place the biscuit bases on a baking tray lined with baking paper, place a ring mould onto the bases and pour the crème brulee into the moulds, place in the refrigerator until set.

4. **For the chocolate cream,** pour the cream into a saucepan and place over a medium heat, bring to the boil, whisk the cocoa in the boiling water and add to the cream, continue to whisk, add the white chocolate and stir until melted, add the dark chocolate and continue to stir until chocolate has melted, bring the mixture to the boil then remove from heat. Place the gelatine sheet in a small bowl of cold water to soak for a few minutes, using hands squeeze out all moisture, add to the warm chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

5. **For the chocolate glaze,** pour the cream into a saucepan and place over a medium heat, bring to the boil, reduce heat and add the chocolate, glucose syrup and water, whisk continuously until chocolate has melted and a smooth sauce is created.

6. Place the almonds on a baking tray and place in the oven until lightly golden.

7. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Place the white chocolate in a bowl, place the bowl over the water and melt the chocolate, spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag.

8. **For the salted caramel,** place the sugar and water in a saucepan and place over a medium heat, stir until the sugar has melted then allow to simmer until caramel has formed. Whisk in the cream then continue to whisk in the butter, whisk to a thick glossy sauce.

9. **To prepare the delice,** pour the chocolate cream over the set brulee and allow to set. Remove the moulds and pour over the chocolate glaze. Allow glaze to set. Place toasted almonds around the edges of each delice. Drizzle the white chocolate in stripes over the delice.

10 **To serve,** spoon caramel sauce onto a serving plate and sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt, top with the delice to serve.

A MasterChef Recipe This is from Celebrity MasterChef. It was created by Eamon Sullivan. All I can say is yum... Does any one know what a Creme Brulee is? Well I do and it is a classic French desert!

An English style pie Pheasant Pie with Radicchio and Jus

Ingredients
//For the pheasant marinade// 1 x 900g – 1.2kg pheasant 1/2 cup olive oil 1 orange, zest pared into strips, and juiced 8 sprigs of thyme 4 bay leaves 1 tbs crushed juniper berries

//For the sour cream pastry// 200g chilled unsalted butter 250g plain flour 135g sour cream

//For the pie filling// 60ml verjuice 60g butter 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbs chopped rosemary 350g Portabella mushrooms sliced extra virgin olive oil, for frying 30g plain flour 250ml chicken stock 40g creme fraiche 40g walnuts, roasted and rubbedmedia type="custom" key="6325497" width="282" height="257" align="right" 1 lemon, zested 2 tbs fresh oregano

//For the pheasant jus// 750ml golden chicken stock 25ml verjuice butter, optional

//Glaze// 1 egg yolk 2 tsp milk

//For the braised radicchio// 125g radicchio 50g black pig bacon, cut into 2cm pieces 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped ¼ cup extra virgin oil olive oil 15g currants 2 tbs verjuice 1 tbs vino cotto, or more to taste ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped

Method

 * 1.** Preheat oven to 220°C.


 * 2.** To prepare the pheasant, cut the end of wing off with a sharp knife, then make a small cut on each side in between the leg and the breast. Dislocate each leg, then bend to break the back, twist the legs 180° (so the skin of the pheasant legs are facing up), then cut through the backbone to remove the legs from the body. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a large shallow dish and mix well. Place the pheasants in the marinade for at least 10 minutes.


 * 3. To make the sour cream pastry**, pulse butter and flour in a food processor until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to incorporate into a ball. Using your hands, shape pastry in a rectangle. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 10 minutes.


 * 4.** Roll the pastry out to 3mm thick, cutting 1 circle for the base at 28cm in diameter and 1 for the lid at 23cm in diameter. Rest in refrigerator.


 * 5.** Season the pheasant well with salt and freshly ground pepper and place the two separate pieces onto a flat baking tray, skin-side up and place into the oven.


 * 6.** Roast the pheasant for 10 minutes then turn over the legs and the breast. The legs will take a further 3-5 minutes and the breast will take a further 8-10 minutes. If unsure, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the breast to check if the juices run clear. Once legs have been removed from the oven, splash verjuice.


 * 7.** To rest, turn the pheasant so that the breast is facing upside down in the roasting pan with the legs, and splash the pheasant breast with remaining verjuice whilst the bird rests. Rest for 15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Increase the oven to 230°C.


 * 8. To make the pie filling**, place a frying pan over high heat, melt butter, fry off garlic and rosemary then add the mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are soft and have reduced by half in size. You may need to add some extra virgin olive oil for frying. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt while mushrooms are sautéing. Add the flour to the pan and cook out for 3 minutes, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, then stir in the crème fraiche and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture for 15 minutes, check the seasoning, then allow to cool in the refrigerator.


 * 9. To de-bone the pheasants**, remove the drumsticks from the thighs, removing the bone from the thigh. To remove the breast meat, cut away by following the carcass down to the wing joint. Slice off the plump pieces of meat. Carve the breast and leg into bite-sized pieces. You will need at least 400g for the pie. If the orange zest in the pheasant has not burned, chop and fold along with the meat, walnuts, lemon zest and oregano into the cooked mushroom mixture.


 * 10. Make the glaze** by mixing the egg yolk and milk together with a good pinch of salt. Take pastry from the fridge and spoon the cooked pheasant mixture into the base and cover with pastry top. Crimp and seal the edges. Brush glaze and make a pattern if desired. If pastry warms too much, put back into the fridge for 5 minutes.


 * 11.** Remove from the fridge and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 220°C and cook for a further 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. For an even colouring of the lid, turn the pie half way through cooking, if necessary.


 * 12. To make the braised radicchio**, cut the radicchio stems off, then slice across 2cm thick. Place the currants and verjuice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside.
 * 13.** Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, and dry cook the bacon, remove and leave aside. Add a splash of oil and cook rosemary for 1 minute, then add radicchio and season with salt. Cook for 4 minutes until the radicchio has wilted. Add the currants and verjuice (that the currants are soaked in) and reduce to low heat. Cook for a further few minutes. Add the vino cotto and cook for about 2 minutes until syrupy. Stir through chopped parsley. Check seasoning, set aside and keep warm.


 * 14. For the pheasant jus**, add the resting juices from the pheasant to the golden stock and verjuice and reduce to a sauce-like consistency. You can whisk in cubes of butter for a velvety sauce, if desired.


 * 15.** Remove pie from the oven, allow to rest slightly. Serve up on a large platter with radicchio braise and sauce in a gravy boat. Cut a serving of pie onto individual plates, add sauce, and braise.

This a MasterChef/Maggie Beer Recipe

I am not a big fan of pheasant but I put this on because when I saw it on MasterChef I knew I had to put this on!

A basic Italian Recipe

Pesto

Ingredients
2 small garlic cloves 50g pine nuts, toasted 3 cups basil leaves, chopped 40g parmesan, finely grated 1 cup olive oil

Method
Pound garlic, pine nuts and a pinch of sea salt in a mortar and pestle. Remove the mixture and set aside. Add the basil and pound until chopped. Return the ground pine nuts and add the parmesan to the mixture. Gradually add the oil, gently pounding and stirring to combine. Season to taste with sea salt.

I LOVE BASIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Classic Mexican Food

Chicken Taco with jalapeno and green capsicum granita.

Ingredients
Jalapeno and green capsicum granita 8 jalapenos 3 green capsicums 1 gold strength gelatine leaf Taco Filling 2 jalapenos, seeds removed 4 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tbs lemon juice 1 tsp Tabasco sauce 1 handful of coriander leaves 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced into strips

The tortilla 3 cups plain flour 1 tbs olive oil

Guacamole mousse 2 avocados, peeled, seed removed 1/3 cup lemon juice ½ tsp Tabasco sauce 1 tbs coriander, finely sliced ½ tsp ground cumin

Tomato salsa 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced 1 tbs coriander, sliced ¼ tsp cumin 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp Tabasco sauce

Method

 * Step 1: For the jalapeno and green capsicum granita,** preheat grill to high. Place the jalapenos and capsicums on a baking tray and grill for 10-15 minutes until the skins have blistered, turning regularly. Seal chillies and capsicums in a plastic bag for 10 minutes for the skins to loosen. Cut each jalapeno and capsicum in half and remove seeds and skin. Place in a blender with 100ml of water and blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve lined with damp muslin into a bowl. Divide liquid into 2 parts, reserving half for the reduction. Season the other half to taste. Soak gelatine leaf in cold water for 5 minutes, squeezing out any excess liquid. Place soaked leaf in a heat-proof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water and stir until dissolved. Place melted gelatine into seasoned jalapeno liquid and stir to combine. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a small, deep baking tray. Place in the fridge for 2 hours until set.


 * Step 2: For the jalapeno and green capsicum reduction,** place reserved liquid in a small saucepan over high heat and reduce 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


 * Step 3: For the taco filling,** combine all ingredients except for the chicken in a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine 2/3 of the mixture with the chicken strips in a bowl to marinate. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Add the remaining mixture to a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then gently simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return to a clean saucepan, set over low heat. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Heat a char grill pan over high heat, sear the chicken pieces for about 1 minute until cooked through. Remove from the heat and keep warm.


 * Step 4: For the tortilla,** combine flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Gradually add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water until mixture clumps. Remove dough from the processor and knead on a lightly floured surface until elastic. Wrap in cling film and rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough to about 3mm thick. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the dough for about 4-5 minutes each side until lightly golden. Using pastry cutters cut 8cm rounds.


 * Step 5: For the guacamole mousse,** add avocados and lemon juice to a blender and process until smooth. Add Tabasco, coriander and cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of pepper to the blender and process until combined. Season to taste.


 * Step 6: For the tomato salsa,** combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.


 * Step 7: To serve,** smear some of the reduction on each plate. Place tortilla round in centre, top with some guacamole mousse and a few pieces of chicken. Spoon over some sauce, tomato salsa and a heaped tablespoon of the granita.

I like Mexican food and I hope you try this recipe.

Why did America drop a bomb om Japan?