Author Archives: sister T

belly 12 July 2010 – tender herbs and starfruit

This was Sister Tess’s first show after a trip to the North and South extremities of Europe, Finland (where they have porridge for lunch) and Sicily (where they have icecream in a bun for breakfast). More about those two fascinating places soon. During this show Sisters T and B talked about the wonderful carambola or starfruit, a delicious and beautiful golden fruit that grows well in our area. And sister T played an interview recorded at the Byron Bay Herb Nursery with Debbie Shortis, the fabulous belly herbologist. Deb talked about ways to use herbs in mixes. The traditional bouquet garni , woody herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, bay, tied together so they can be easily removed at the end of cooking. Herbes fines, or tender herbs like chervil, tarragon, parsley, fennel tops, dill, that are great chopped together and added at the very end of cooking to zest up winter dishes : soups, mashes, casseroles. And her own invention, an Asian bouquet garni to tie together,add to curries and remove, choosing from kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, cinnamon, ginger, curry leaf, coriander root or horseradish root.

These are a couple of recipes that get Deb’s fresh and herbal seal of approval. The crepe is inspired by one on “The Cook and the Chef” ABC TV show.

HERB CREPE
Serves 4
(To go in any soup)
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
3-4 tablespoons milk
Salt and pepper
‘fines herbes’- 1 tablespoon each of parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil and dill frond,
all chopped very finely.
Put flour in a bowl, stir in the eggs and then gradually beat in the milk to make a thin batter. Season, add herbs and let rest for 30 mins. This crepe is about the herbs more than it is about the crepe. The batter is just a boat to carry the herbs upon the soup.
Heat a heavy pan and brush lightly with both a little oil and butter. Add crepe mix and swirl around the pan to form a thin crepe. Cook on very low heat without adding much colour, flip and set aside. Roll the crepe and cut into thin strips.
Place a few strands of crepe ribbon in the bottom of each serving bowl before adding the soup of your choice.

CARROT AND CHERVIL SOUP
50gms butter
275grams chopped carrots
50gms plain flour
1ltre chicken stock
½ cup of chopped chervil
Salt and pepper
Melt butter in saucepan and gently sauté the carrots for 5 mins. Stir in the flour, then stock and seasoning. Bring soup to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 30mins. Allow to cool slightly then purée the soup in a blender. Return to pan add the chervil and gently bring back to the boil. Serve hot or chilled with a swirl of cream or yogurt and a chervil garnish.
(recipe from “ The Complete Book of Herbs” by Lesley Bremness 1990)

For lots more recipes and herb information, go to the Byron Bay Herb Nursery site
www.byronherbs.com.au

FROM THE BELLY LAB : MUSSELS WITH TENDER HERBS by sister T

I made this the night before the interview, inspired by Deb’s enthusiasm for mixing up lots of fresh green things. I just went around the garden and picked lots of whatever was looking good, parsley and chervil and chives, a little nasturtium and a few mustard leaves. There was at least a loosely packed cup of chopped greens. I opened the mussels in a big pot with chopped garlic, butter and a glass of wine (one for the pot, one for the cook), and just tossed the herbs in at the end. Much nicer than plain old parsley moules marinieres.

starfruit photo by Pratheep P S, www.pratheep.com

STAR FRUIT OR CARAMBOLA

The star fruit has been grown in parts of Asia for hundreds of years— it may have originated in Sri Lanka and Indonesian Moluccas.
They are best consumed when ripe, when they are yellow with a light shade of green. It will also have brown ridges at the five edges and feel firm. An overripe fruit will be yellow with brown spots (so the sources say – we still like them that ripe, obviously minus the brown bits).

The fruit is entirely edible, including the slightly waxy skin. It is sweet yet tart, a complex tropical flavour, and extremely juicy.

Carambola is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C , you may need to be careful of overconsumption if you have liver problems possibly cos of their oxalic acid content.

– To grow : tropical, sub tropical small tree, full sun,water, good drainage, fertilise 3 x year, can propagate by air layering – wrap soil around a branch and wait for roots. If you grow them from seed they may bear sour fruit.

– To prepare : wash, remove ends and ridges and seeds

– To cook :
fruit salads – the main way you will see starfruit, but there is so much more you can do! In China and India unripe fruit is used cooked as a veg.
Spicy thai salads (even rosepetal with chicken and prawn http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/rosepetalsalad.htm) they introduce a sweet/sour element.
Juices, drink decoration, cake topping eg pavlova, upside down cake, muffins – substitute in pineapple recipes, the star slices hold their shape if you are a bit gentle.
Salsas with eg cucumber, mint, chilli to put on fish or chicken
Raita – the yogurt side dish, serve with curry, instead of cucumber raita
Pickle whole

food labelling review

The Council of Australian Governments and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council are undertaking a comprehensive review of food labelling law and policy. They are looking at a lot of issues, from confusing country of origin labelling, to health claims on labels, health warnings, disclosure of ingredients of concern to customers, such as genetically modified components, legibility, enforcement of rules. Pretty much anything to do with food labelling.
Public consultation has just started, and will be open until the 14th of May for written comments. There are also some public meetings in capital cities.

This is the official site of the review, with a lot of information about what they are considering and contact details.

Please leave a comment with your opinion on anything to do with this topic, if you wish we will forward them to the people making decisions by the May 2010 deadline, or post it to this page, or discuss it on air – up to you.

UPDATE – this is a media release sent to bayfm on May 21,2010, on a related topic

Food Allergy Awareness is everybody’s business
The NSW Food Authority has thrown its support behind Food Allergy Awareness Week, 16-22 May, in an effort to remind consumers and industry of the importance of understanding the role of food labels in protecting against allergic reaction.
NSW Food Authority CEO Mr Alan Coutts said the State Government’s food safety body works tirelessly in an effort to protect the consumers of NSW.
“The NSW Food Authority has an important role in trying to make sure food labels comply with national standards so consumers can safely choose products that will not impact their health,” Mr Coutts said.
“Knowledge is power and the consumers of NSW have every right to make their food choices safe in the knowledge they are labelled truthfully and correctly.
“The Food Act and Food Standards Code also requires all food businesses in NSW, including cafes and restaurants, to provide information about the ingredients contained in their food.”
Food businesses are required to display information about allergens next to food provided for sale or provide information about food allergens contained in food if requested by a customer.
“While many people are aware of food allergies, they may not have an understanding of just how devastating and far reaching the impact of food allergies can be,” Mr Coutts said.
“Allergic reactions can range from mild to extreme, and in the worst instance can lead to death. It is vital for people living with food allergies to be able to rely on food labels to accurately assess the risk.”
There are eight food groups that account for up to 90 per cent of all allergic reactions to food, these include:
•       Peanuts and peanut products
•       Tree nuts and tree nut products
•       Egg and egg products
•       Milk and milk products
•       Fish and fish products
•       Crustacea and their products
•       Sesame seeds and their products
•       Soybeans and their products
Mr Coutts said NSW food businesses needed to understand that mislabelling of food would not be tolerated.

“Just last month the NSW Food Authority fined a company almost $10,000 for falsely labelling food that contained peanuts,” Mr Coutts said.
“The law requires the main eight food allergens be declared on the food label and we will continue to enforce that requirement.”
Anyone with a concern about food labelling is urged to contact the NSW Food Authority Helpline on 1300 552 406.
Media contact: Rebecca Bowman 0400 400 859

31 May 2010 radio show – wild fermentation

yes it was a hubble bubble show when we talked about harnessing the wild things in the air to make our food more delicious and healthier. Our wonderful new bellysister Andrew gave us a quick introduction to permaculture, it sounds like you can adapt its principles to gardens large and small, wild and messy or neat and contained. And he has a fermentation fetish! (His words I promise) We love a boy with a fetish on belly. This intro will drive the search engines crazy I reckon. Sister T

GUEST : Andrew Carter, permaculture, sustainable living and delicious fermented things educator

Introduction to wild fermentation – by Andrew

My approach to pickles and ferments is inspired by living in Korea several years ago. Also Sandor Katz has been a huge inspiration. He wrote a great Wild Fermentation Book which you can get from the wild fermentation website www.wildfermentation.com The book’s called Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods (Chelsea Green, 2003). It’s the best and most accessible book on fermentation. Sandor is a long-time HIV survivor living in the States and boosts his natural immunity with a range of ferments that he makes (from miso, to sourdough to sauerkraut and much more). Sandor has earned the nickname “Sandorkraut” for his love of sauerkraut.

There is a wide range of scientific evidence that traditional fermentation techniques like these create healthy, disease preventing foods. But for me it’s also about the unique tastes that fermentation creates, no two ferments are ever the same.

Some people worry about germs and contamination which is understandable given the social emphasis against germs, bacteria etc. We forget that we have co-evolved with microorganisms and need them for optimum nutrition. Anyone not into yogurt these days. In the war on germs, we forget that some bacteria are highly desirable to add nutrients, assist in preserving, and removing toxins. Further, presence of many probiotic, healthy lacto-bacteria displace other unwanted ones. I believe we should take precautions against spreading disease and contamination but I sometimes think our society’s obsession with sterile conditions is linked to our state of chronic disease.

For both of the following recipes you need some equipment that can compress the pickle contents. Different cultures use different strategies. I find it easiest to use a wide mouthed, round food grade container and then find something that fits snuggly inside to weight down the ingredients. Use either food grade plastic (a honey container), glass jar or ceramic crock that easily fits your ingredients (with room to spare). The size depends on the quantity but for these recipes 1-3 litre capacity should be fine. This technique helps the material ferment and also protects against contamination. You will find that the salt draws liquid out of the ingredients which rises above the other contents – this is what you want. You can use a saucer weighted down by a glass jar full of water, or just use a glass jar which fit inside the mouth of your chosen fermentation vessel. You will also need a muslin cheesecloth to cover the ferment to keep out flies.

Organic ingredients work best and have healthier bacteria. Also don’t use iodised salt. Iodine is anti-bacterial and will compromise your fermentation, sea salt is best. Use clean equipment and clean hands at all times.

RECIPES :

DELICIOUS GUEST RECIPES FROM ANDREW CARTER

Andrew says this is a great way to use the abundance of papayas we have in this area – practically weeds, we see them popping out everywhere, laden with fruit. That’s the bellysisters idea of a good street tree!

PAPAYA PICKLE

Equipment

Glass, ceramic or plastic crock
Another jar (or saucer) that fits snuggly inside the mouth of the jar
Muslin or cheesecloth or tea towel

Ingredients

1 or 2 green papayas skin and seeds removed (total weight approx 500 grams)
I clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of ginger (grated)
Two teaspoons of salt (or to taste – should be on the salty side but not too much)

Method

Chop or grate papaya, finely or coarsely, however you like it.
Add papaya to your container, and sprinkle salt on as you go. The salt pulls water out of the papaya (through osmosis), and this creates the brine in which the pickle can ferment and sour without rotting. The salt also has the effect of keeping the papaya crunchy, by inhibiting organisms and enzymes that soften it. You might need to experiement with the amount of salt. I use more salt in summer, less in winter. For larger quantities 2 kilos of ingredients will need 2 tablespoons of salt.
Mix ingredients together and pack into jar. Pack just a bit into the jar at a time. This packs the ingredients tight and helps force water out.
Cover papaya with a plate or some other lid that fits snugly inside the jar. Place a clean weight (a glass jug filled with water) on the cover. This weight is to force water out of the ingredients and then keep the ingredients submerged under the brine. Cover the whole thing with a cloth to keep dust and flies out.
Press down on the weight to add pressure and help force water out of it. Continue doing this periodically (as often as you think of it, every few hours), until the brine rises above the cover. This can take up to about 24 hours, as the salt draws water out of the ingredients. Some veggies, particularly if old, simply contain less water. If the brine does not rise above the plate level by the next day, add enough salt water to bring the brine level above the plate. Add about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water and stir until it’s completely dissolved.
Leave the container to ferment. I generally store the jar in an unobtrusive corner of the kitchen where I won’t forget about it, but where it won’t be in anybody’s way.
Check the pickle every day or two and taste it. Generally it starts to be tangy after a few days, and the taste gets stronger as time passes. A minimum of 2-3 days should have it tasting great. In the cool temperatures of winter, kraut can keep improving for a longer period (5-10 days perhaps). In the summer or in a heated room, its life cycle is more rapid and it may taste less pleasant sooner. Trust your senses about whether it’s okay.
Enjoy. I generally place the finished pickle in a jar in the fridge and eat as a condiment with meals.

BLOODY BEETROOT

Equipment
as above

Ingredients

3-4 fresh beetroots peeled (500 grams)
1 tablespoon Caraway seeds
2 teaspoons of salt

Process

Follow same process as for papaya pickle. Watch the brilliant crimson liquid doesn’t escape from the jar and make a mess. Beetroots can exude a lot of liquid – hence the name.

YOGURT

Andrew tells me there is a word “to yog” meaning to make yogurt – so follow his recipe and advice for happy yogging.
Equipment:

Saucepan
Thermometer
Insulated cooler
Storage Jars

Ingredients: (for 2 litres)
2 litres whole milk
2 tablespoons/30 millilitres fresh live-culture plain yogurt for starter

Directions:
Preheat jars and insulated cooler with hot water so the yogurt stays warm to ferment.
Gently heat milk to 82o stirring frequently to avoid burning the milk (heating the milk results in a thicker yogurt)
Cool the milk to 43o or as close to body temperature as you can (+/- 4o is okay as the culture is pretty robust)
Add the starter mixing it thoroughly into the milk.
Pour the mixture into the sterilised preheated jars and seal.
Place the sealed jars in the insulated cooler and place towels or bottles of hot water in with them to ensure a warm temperature is maintained.
Place the insulated cooler in a warm spot where it will not be disturbed.
Check yogurt after 8 to 12 hours – it should have a tangy flavour and some thinckness.
If your happy with the flavour and the thickness remove from insulated cooler and place in the fridge ready to be consumed.

Things to remember:
It takes 8 to 24 hours to make yogurt.
Starter Culture – you can buy specialised cultures for this or use any commercial live-culture yogurt make sure it says “contains live-cultures” on the label.
When cooling the milk to 43oc don’t let it get to cool as the yogurt cultures are most active in the above body temperature range.
With the starter less is more: The bacillus, if crowded, gives a sour, watery product however if the culture has sufficient Lebensraum (German for ‘room to live’) it will be rich, mild and creamy.
If after 8 hours the yogurt isn’t thick then it hasn’t “yoged” if this happens warm it up again by filling up the insulated cooler with hot water around the jars of yogurt, adding more starter and leaving it for 4 to 8 more hours.
You can leave the yogurt to ferment longer if you wish, if you do it will become more sour more of the milk’s lactose is converted into lactic acid.
A longer fermentation period can often make yogurt digestible even for lactose-intolerant individual.
Yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks, though its flavour will become more sour over time.
Save some of your yogurt to use as starter for the next batch.

yogurt being incubated in a recycled veggie box

BELLY LAB RECIPE BY SISTER T

PICKLED CHOKO

This is not fermented sorry, just a quick easy pickle for a tasty snack, but you can eat it while drinking something fermented, and chokos are the very definition of abundance.

Peel your chokos, slice them, put them in sterile jars with garlic cloves, coriander seeds, peppercorns, fresh tarragon sprigs, or any flavours that take your fancy.

Bring to the boil 1/2 cup white wine or cider vinegar and a cup of water with 2/3 tbs salt, dissolve the salt. If you have a lot of chokos of course multiply these amounts.Fill the jars and wait 10 days if you can.

FRESH REPORT

*garlic lovers’ alert, local almost all finished, get some now
*chokos, still some, throw one at the fence to plant them is choko grower Craig’s advice, make choko pickle so you won’t miss them when they finish
*lots of green leafy things & rooty things like turnips, if you find fresh and local roots you can eat the tops of many, blanch in salty boiling water, squeeze and chop in spinach recipes, or on pasta with the steamed root – you can do this with beetroot, some turnips, also try them with Japanese miso dressing and make like a Buddhist monk
*lots of local citruses, great with sharp leafy things in salads: lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, pink grapefruit – make marmalade, experiment with flourless cake and muffin recipes because there are new season local nuts too, pecans and macadamias, try nuts in short pastry bases or biscuits or in jams
*pineapples, passionfruit, they seem all wrong to me in this cold weather, but still in local markets
*plant some chervil – Debbie the belly herbologist, says now is the time to plant herbs that like rain and cool weather, divide gingers/galangal, and harvest them

BELLY BULLETIN

Di , one of the many wonderful bayfm listeners is doing a fundraiser in Suffolk Park this Friday June 4 for the breast cancer foundation. This is part of the Cancer Council’s biggest morning teas, if you missed one of the others in May – cake and tea at the Suffolk park centre 9.30 to 12, ring Di to pick up raffle tickets or donate a cake, she is near the Suffolk shops, 6685 9970, the raffle prize is a great painting by local artist Alexandra Spiratos, – so go to Suffolk eat cake and do some good.

Tuesday June 1 is the screening of The Future of Food, a fundraiser organised by Seed Sowers Organic, to raise funds for school gardens at the Byron Services Club [at 4 pm and 6 pm]

The first 200 people at this event will be invited to participate in the installation of a school garden,at which time Seed Sowers Organic and friends will conduct free workshops related to Gardening, Fermentation, and Raw Food Preparation.
More details at http://lifechangingdocos.com/northernnsw/blog

And Byron Council is running mini composting workshops at New Brighton and Mullumbimby farmers markets, and selling cheap compost bins and worm farms.

EDIBLE QUOTE

Rick Stein, a travelling food presenter that doesn’t completely ignore the dark side of the places he visits – he says, no matter where you are: “Food is all about good times even if there are terrible things going on all around you”. Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey – ABC1

CONTACTS/LINKS:

Andrew Carter , thegardenteacher@gmail.com 0432 406 228

www.wildfermentation.com

www.byroncollege.org.au – to enquire about Andrew’s courses or other sustainable living courses

radio show 24 May 2010 : veggie warriors, geminis and chestnuts

…yes a bit of an odd mix when you put it like that. It’s a bit hard to explain what Kieran is doing in 2 words, go to the fundraiser and let him explain. Today’s topics were the dangers of industrial food and seed production and some grass (or veggie patch) roots solutions, the deliciousness of chestnuts, and Lilith is cooking with the stars for Gemini. And at least one famous Gemini chef, Jamie Oliver, is a bit of a veggie patch warrior too.

GUESTS : Kieran Weston, organic heirloom seedling grower
Lilith, astrogourmet

KIERAN’S SCHOOL/NURSING HOME PROJECT :

“Seed Sowers Organic Seedlings with Life Changing Documentaries is hosting a fund raising movie night at the Byron Services Club on the 1/6/2010 [at 4 pm and 6 pm]
The not for profit event is focused on raising awareness of major issues that confront our local and global communities along with future generations.
Proceeds from the evening are intended to fund the installation of Organic Gardens in Schools, and assist in the formation of community cooperative programs, which are hoped to foster a closer community.
The first 200 people to register online for this event will be invited to participate in the installation of the garden at the school,at which time Seed Sowers Organic and friends will conduct free workshops related to Gardening, Fermentation, and Raw Food Preparation.
Seed Sowers Organic would welcome expressions of interest on the night from schools retirement villages and other community groups that feel they would like to be involved. ”
[see contacts/links below]

Seed Sowers last school garden workshop...

...and the flourishing vegetable garden

GUEST RECIPES :

SOME HEALTHY SMOOTHIES FROM KIERAN :

Abundant Vegetable Smoothie

2 roma tomatoes
1 small carrot
1 small zucchini
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon onion
2 stalks celery
1 red bell pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 cups water
1 Avocado
Blend all ingredients together until creamy.

Contributed by: Brenda Cobb (www.LivingFoodsInstitute.com)

“When I Eat This, Life is Bliss” Smoothie

3 bananas
1 cup raspberries
2 golden delicious apples
2 big handfuls of spinach
½ – 1 cup of water

Blend and indulge!
(best if your blender is 800 watts or more for the ultimate consistency)

ESPRESSO GRANITA SPIKED WITH COFFEE VODKA – from LILITH

like Geminis it’s light, but it’s got bite

Ingredients: 2 cups brewed espresso, sugar to taste, coffee vodka.
Garnish: Dark chocolate curls, fresh pomegranate, Italian cats tongue biscotti, up
to you…

Directions: Combine espresso and sugar in a bowl and stir till sugar is
dissolved. Pour into shallow dish and freeze till ice granules start to

form around the edges, about 1 hour, then stir with a fork to break up
granules. Refreeze and restir every 20 minutes till the mix becomes an icy
slush, about 2 hours.

To Serve: Spoon crystals into goblets, pour coffee vodka over, garnish as
you fancy.

Australia's groovy chestnut mascot : Mr Chesty!

FROM THE BELLY LAB – by sister Tess

BOILED CHESTNUTS:

choose fat, shiny chestnuts, with skin that feels tight and full, make a small cut on each so they don’t explode

boil in plenty of water with a few few fennel fronds or a good pinch of fennel seed, and a pinch of salt, until the inside is soft

cut one open to check

eat warm or cold after peeling off both the outer and the inner skin, they keep for 2-3 days in their skins
or peel and use in various recipes (labour of love)

LILITH IS COOKING WITH THE STARS : GEMINI

Today we’re wishing happy birthday to all the Shire’s busy Geminis, for whom constant change and variety are the spice of life, and who just love eating with others: they adore the stimulating buzz of gossip over plutonic coffee while snacking on interesting nibbles at the latest nook with the look, or doing lunch at the newest smart little eatery serving tiny portions for high prices to celebs.

So it’s no surprise that Gemini celebrity chef Delia Smith baked the cake on the cover of the Rolling Stones album Let It Bleed, and received an OBE last year for her contribution to British cooking. She shot to fame with Delias How To Cook TV series which actually taught Brits how to boil an egg, a show which led to a 10% rise in egg sales. From bread machines to pasta makers to panini grills, Geminis love their gadgets, and Smith’s use of particular kitchen utensils caused overnight sell-outs a phenomenon which came to be known as the Delia Effect, and that phrase is now in common use to describe a run on a product as a result of a high profile media recommendation.

Gemini chefs also tend to be ultra moderns who love coming up with novel combinations and techniques like Gemini kitchen chemist Heston Blumenthal whose signature dishes include snail porridge, parsnip cereal and bacon-and-egg ice cream (must have an Aquarian ascendant). Famous for his scientific approach to cooking, culinary alchemist and molecular gastronomist Blumenthal promotes the use of vacuum jar cooking, cooking in sealed bags and low temperature, ultraslow cooking of meat that doesn’t melt fat or release juices, keeping the meat so moist it doesn’t need sauce.

His Fat Duck restaurant was voted best in the UK and best in the world, and his TV program Heston’s Feasts recreate Victorian, Medieval, Tudor and Roman themed dinner banquets with celebrity guests all very Gemini. The Edwardian feast was based on the last meal
eaten on the Titanic and the Christmas feast included dormouse, hot ice cream and a dish made from gold, frankincense and myrrh.

While they’re the zodiac’s people people, Gemini chefs aren’t all celebrity showponies turning out moreish little morsels of elegant party tucker and Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, restaurateur and frequently outspoken media personality, has been awarded an MBE, voted Most Inspiring Political Figure of 2005 for lobbying the British government about British kids being served junk school lunches, and for creating a foundation which takes 15young adults a year from disadvantaged backgrounds, and trains them in the restaurant business. Another cheffy success story who left school at 16 with no qualifications, his TV series continually emphasize fresh organic produce and interesting low joule cuisine, and campaign to change poor cooking habits andunhealthy diets.

Sophie Grigson is another Gemini cookand author who’s a keen supporter of organic local food suppliers andadvocate for healthy children’s food.

by Lilith

radio hula pic by KK - just to prove that Lilith really does wonderful hula performances while us bellysisters vainly try to keep the show on the rails

EDIBLE QUOTE :

“For any chef, supermarkets are like a factory. I buy from specialist growers, organic suppliers and farmers”.

by Jamie Oliver, who got into a bit of trouble for saying this because he does ads for UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s

CONTACTS/LINKS:

http://lifechangingdocos.com/northernnsw/blog – to book for the Future of Food screening in Byron Bay

Seed Sowers Organic seedlings are at several markets and farmers markets around the Northern Rivers, including Byron Bay and Mullumbimby

http://www.chestnutsaustralia.com.au/recipes.html – oodles of chestnut recipes aand tips and the fabulous Mr Chesty

a few links to the attempted Jamie Oliver US conquest:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/

http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/25/jamie-oliver-us-healthy-eating – worth clicking just to see him dressed as a pea

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/west-virginia-eats-jamie-oliver-for-breakfast-1925393.html – good article on the uphill battle Jamie is facing in the US

some more healthy veggies planted in by the student volunteers and Seed Sowers at a local school

17 May 2010 radio show : lemons, pears and jerusalem artichokes

just like diamonds, can be forever if you play your cards right. During this show, Melissa shared some favourite flavours from her New Zealand childhood, including the famed Edmond’s cookbook, and ones she has picked up as a professional cook in tropical Queensland. As well as cooking at the Yum Yum Tree Cafe in New Brighton, and looking after her 2 and 1/4 children, she loves to preserve in season fruit.The bellysisters also talked about the wonderful Jerusalem artichokes, and lots of foodie news and events.

PRESENTERS : sister T and sister B of the Preserve Paradise
GUEST : Melissa Kitto, New Zealand born cook and talented preservist

GUEST RECIPES : by Melissa

LIMONCELLO

1 litre of pure Alcohol (or vodka)
10-12 lemons (unblemished skins) using the zest only
[during the show Melissa recommended thin skinned lemons such as Meyer, currently in season]

Soak the zest of the lemons in the litre of alcohol for 14 days.

When 14 days have passed………….
Measure 2 litres of water into a large pot, add 2 cups of sugar and stir
over medium heat until dissolved and the water is clear. Remove from heat and
let cool.
Next strain the lemon peels from the alcohol and discard.
Mix the alcohol with the cooled sugar water and bottle in sterilised glass containers, you now have Limoncello.

YumYum

OLD FASHIONED SPICY PEAR CHUTNEY

3 kg pears de-seeded and chopped
1 kg sultanas
750 g. dates
1 kg brown sugar
1 tbs salt
4 tbs fresh ginger grated
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 litres cider vinegar

Place ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil, reduce heat
so a rolling boil is maintained for 2 ½ – 3 hours or until brown and
thick, stirring to prevent it sticking to bottom of pot.

Pour into sterilised jars, makes about 8 medium jars.

OLIVE RECIPE

do you have a good one? share it with the bellysisters please, it’s olive season

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

Easy to grow, they can even become a pest. Maybe try them in a big pot in our area, adding organic fertiliser after each season.

They should look like plump, healthy roots. Wash, scrub, maybe peel.

Great in soup with potatoes or leeks, or raw, sliced very fine into a salad. Or boiled or steamed, then in a salad with potatoes and herbs like parsley, chervil, dill. Or with mustardy leaves or watercress or spinach.

See link below for more info.

EDIBLE QUOTE:
by fish-loving visionary and ex-president of the USA George W. Bush:

‘I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully’

CONTACTS/LINKS :

“the Edmonds” NZ cookbook bible – http://www.edmondscooking.co.nz/ : lots of recipes from the book that has shaped generations of NZ cooks

‘The End of the Line’ documentary about overfishing :

http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/news-and-events/events/EndoftheLine-130410 – film info, Australian screeenings

http://www.greenpeace.org.au/blog/?p=2005 – interview with Charles Clover, who wrote the book “The end of the line”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Jcrk6jGfo – Bush’s fish-lovin quote

www.gunnawannabe.com or ring Mick or Thelma on (02) 6622 7094 for bush food classes

www.casinobeefweek.com.au – beef week this year runs from Saturday 22 May to Monday 1 June

www.surveymonkey.com/compostbyron – direct link to Byron Council’s composting, food and garden waste survey

www.byroncollege.org.au – all the cooking courses and sustainable food growing courses you could wish for

http://permaculture.org.au/2008/12/30/jerusalem-artichokes-like-diamonds-are-forever/ – good information on growing and cooking Jerusalem artichokes

belly radio show April 26 – war and food special and cooking with Taurus

a housewife takes aim - wall image from the Imperial War Museum, London, Ministry of Food exhibition

TOPICS

Lilith is cooking with the stars – this week : Taurus

Anzac day war and food special : internees, soldiers’ rations, rationing in Australia and UK, Napoleon’s favourite battle snack, spam sushi, victory gardens, expensive cooks and the downfall of the Roman Empire

GUEST : Lilith, belly astrogourmet and hula queen

GUEST RECIPE : by Lilith

BEEF WELLINGTON WITH MADEIRA AND BLACK TRUFFLE JUS

This special occasion dish was named for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of
Wellington, created to satisfy his love of beef, truffles, mushrooms,
Madeira wine, and pâté – its time consuming, but most of it can be prepared
in advance.

INGREDIENTS to serve 8

1.35 kg of beef tenderloin fillet
2 tablespoons olive oil
30g unsalted butter
175g foie gras or whatever pate
you can afford
1 beaten egg
450g puff pastry

Mushroom Stuffing
55g unsalted butter
small onion, finely chopped
220g flat black mushrooms,
finely chopped
3 tablespoons heavy double cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Madeira and truffle jus
3/4 cup Madeira wine – you can use red if that’s what
you have
3/4 cup beef stock, knob of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped black truffles (optional)
watercress to garnish

METHOD

First the stuffing: Heat butter in a frying pan, and saute chopped onion a
few minutes till soft and golden. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté till
moisture evaporates. Add cream, season with salt and fresh black pepper,
cook over a low heat till reduced to a thick pureé. Remove from heat, mix
in chopped parsley, allow to cool and refrigerate till needed.

Then the beef: Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan. Season beef with
salt and black pepper, brown on all sides over a high heat for a few
minutes. Remove from pan and let it cool, reserving any juices. On a
floured surface, roll out the puff pastry 3mm thick to an oblong big enough
to fit your piece of beef. Spread the pâté across centre of the pastry,
same width as the beef. Spread the mushroom stuffing over the pâté.
Place the beef on top of the stuffing and gently settle it into the mix. Cut
away the middle of the pastry ends and brush all edges with beaten egg.
Carefully fold the pastry up to completely envelope the beef, tucking in the
ends and very carefully turn the parcel over onto a large buttered baking
tray. With a sharp knife make a few small incisions in the pastry, decorate
the top with pastry leaves cut out of the leftovers and refrigerate
uncovered for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 450F/230C/gas mark 8. Brush wellington all over with
beaten egg and bake at high heat for 10 minutes. Then turn it down to
375F/190C/gas mark 5 for a further 20-25 minutes till pastry¹s golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes.

While its baking, do the jus. Simmer reserved juices from the beef pan with
the wine and beef stock till reduced by half. Add finely chopped truffles
(if using them), and simmer another 2 minutes. Take pan off the heat, add a
knob of butter, let it melt to give a shine to the sauce and season to
taste.

TO SERVE: Cut wellington into thick slices and arrange on warm plates. Pour
over some Jus, garnish with fresh watercress.

This is a very rich complex recipe, so keep accompaniments simple: new
potatoes, green beans, an orange and watercress salad.

If this all sounds a bit too gouty, our local chef Nadine Abensur has a
gorgeous recipe for Mushroom Wellington which I personally prefer.

COOKING WITH TAURUS

Taurans, the earthiest earth sign, are often described as touchy, feely,
hungry and horny and it’s true they engage with life through their senses.
This is not the sign of dieting, lean cuisine, small portions or fussy
little canapes. Taurans like big servings, especially smorgasbords where
they can graze at leisure and heap up their plates with their favorite nosh:
which tends to be solid, satisfying and usually fleshy. Apologies to any
Tauran vegetarians out there, but a salad just won’t cut it for these hearty
eaters who love nothing better than a no-nonsense roast followed by a good
pud all washed down with a full-bodied red.

Tauran favourites may include the Bullshot – beef consomme, tabasco, lemon juice, ice and vodka from the freezer, and robust, uncomplicated flavours like steak and kidney pie with garlic mash,roast beef with carrot and parsnip puree,and mixed grills with crumbed brains and spicy sausages.

SOME TAURUS CHEFS

Matt Moran of ARIA, one of Sydney’s premier restaurants overlooking the Opera House a country boy from Tamworth who was told by a teacher he was a loser who’d never amount to anything, Matt left school at 15 to become an apprentice chef. A true Tauran, he describes his kitchen style as hands on.

Gary Rhodes, English celebrity chef who became famous reviving
British classics like braised oxtails, bread and butter pudding and faggots
– meatballs made from leftovers.

these are faggots - photo taken by sister T at the Brixton farmers market, London

Anthony Worral-Thompson, whose godfather was Richard Burton, had his recipe for Snickers Pie nominated by an independent
food watchdog as one of the most unhealthy recipes ever invented – being
Snickers bars, marscapone, sugar and eggs in puff pastry, and weighing in at
1,250 calories a slice, its no mystery why the ever-charming Gordon Ramsay
once called Worral the Teletubby chef. [in Adelaide right now for Taste Australia]

Epitomizing Taurans’ love of the good life, the Dean of American Cuisine
James Beard was a great big man of large appetites – an endearing teacher
who loved people, loved gossip, loved food and loved a good time.
Bedridden with malaria at the age of three, he grew to love the food prepared by his mother and their Chinese cook, resulting in a life time mission to defend good cooking with fresh
ingredients against, quoting James: the assault of the Jell-O-mold and
domestic scientists. Expelled from college for being gay, Beard started his
own gourmet catering business and became star of the first American TV
cooking show titled, with typical Tauran subtlety: I Love To Eat. His legacy
lives on in twenty books, the Citymeals On Wheels he founded to feed New
York’s home-bound elderly and The James Beard Foundation which provides
scholarships, champions American fine dining and honours industry
professionals with annual awards for best chefs, restaurants, journalists
and cookbook authors.

Alice Louise Waters is another American restaurateur whose edible education
ideas have been introduced into the Berkeley school system to try and combat
the current crisis in childhood obesity. Waters advocates seasonal local
produce, believing the international shipment of mass-produced food harms
the environment and gives consumers an inferior product.

In case I make them sound too boofy, Taurans are ruled by Venus so they’re
lovers of beauty and Taurus wild boy of art Salvador Dali published the
extraordinary cookbook Les Diners de Gala a sumptuously illustrated
gastro-aethetic feast for eyes, mind and palate featuring exotic recipes for
frogs, snails and aphrodisiacs things like ” Pierced Heart” and “Ox Snouts
in Pastry Shells” – all lavish, fattening and expensive, though to be fair
he does kick off with the Tauran warning: “Do not look for dietetic formulas
here.” It’s a collector’s item now, but I once owned it and remember
attempting the Eels in Tequila recipe (what was I thinking).

Lilith

FROM THE BELLY LAB :

CHICKEN MARENGO

adapted from the many versions of this historical recipe by sister Tess

Napoleon definitely won the battle of Marengo, a place in Italy near my grandmother’s hometown of Alessandria in southern Piemonte, Italy. He beat the Austrian army and then he was hungry, so he ate a chicken dish which is said to have become a great favourite of his because either it reminded him of the victory, or he was like a sportsperson who always wears the lucky underpants on the day of a big match – it was his lucky dish.

He was separated from his food wagons (for a great fictional account of being Nap’s cook, read Jeannette Winterson’s “The Passion”), and either his French chef stole some chickens and a few bits and pieces to rustle up a quick meal (say the French texts), or they went to a simple local restaurant and ordered the cook to snap to it (say many Italian versions). The only thing that is definitely in chicken Marengo is chicken – there may also be fried eggs, mushrooms, freshwater prawns, croutons, brandy, tomatoes, wine – or not. I have translated and adapted one of the simplest versions, in an Italian cookbook that is well over 100 years old, by Pellegrino Artusi, called “Science in the Kitchen and the art of eating well”.

for 4 people (or 2 x 2)

1 small young free-range chicken, about 1kg or the smallest you can find – I used a size 13, which is a 1.3 Kg chook

flour
100 mL/1 glass white wine
flat leaf parsley, chopped, about 1/2 cup
stock (chicken or veg)
stale good bread, sliced
1 lemon
butter, olive oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg
opt. – 2-3 mushrooms per person

Rinse, dry and cut the chicken into large pieces, about 8-12 depending on size. Dust with flour.
Lightly brown in a little oil and butter, a few pieces at a time, seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg as you go. When all the chicken pieces are browned, put them together and add the wine, when it is absorbed add 1-2 cups of stock and cover to finish cooking over a gentle heat. If you find that you’ve added too much stock, just leave the cover off towards the end.
Just before serving, brush the mushrooms with olive oil and cook in a dry pan. Keep warm while you add a little more oil to the pan to toast the slices of bread.
Add the parsley to the chicken, and lemon juice to taste, stir and turn the heat off.
Serve surrounded by mushrooms and toast.

You could go the full I-just-conquered-another-great-big-piece-of-the-map and fry an egg each in oil, steam a few prawns in the white wine, and serve those too.

I tried making a thin plain omelette and serving it cut in strips with the chicken. It was ok, but it didn’t really add anything. But the chook/toast/mushroom combo was delicious and very simple to make.

We were only two eating this, so the next day I added fresh peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes to the chicken while it was re-heating, as most recipes for chicken Marengo include tomato. It was ok, but there are much better recipes for tomatoey chicken around, and probably not what Napoleon ate, as it took a long time for tomatoes to conquer Europe after they came from America.

EDIBLE QUOTE

Today’s quote is by the Roman historian Livy, he was writing about Roman soldiers in the days when Romans were rough and tough and simple people, going off to conquer the Greeks and other softer and more civilised people in Asia, and coming home with souvenirs and bad habits

“The beginnings of foreign luxury were brought to Rome by the army of Asia. .. Harp girls and other festive amusements became features of dinner parties. The feasts themselves began to be arranged with greater meticulousness and expense. The cook,cheapest and most despised of slaves in our fore father’s times, increased in price. His work, once seen as servile, was now considered an Art. These, scarcely noticed by contemporaries, were the seeds of corruption” Livy writing about a time around 200 bc – and all downhill from there

THE MINISTRY OF FOOD EXHIBITION AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON

In the kitchen a housewife checks the size of a slice of bread against a chart supplied by the Wartime Social Survey, a government fact-finding organisation set up in April 1940. There was no bread rationing during the war, but it had to be introduced on 21st July 1946. It remained in force for exactly two years. © Imperial War Museum

I’ve got a sticker that says “make chocolate not war” on the car. Us bellysisters are peace loving, sybaritic souls. So I don’t normally visit museums dedicated to guns and co. But I thoroughly enjoyed the current exhibition at the IWM. It’s quite amazing how many of the preoccupations of wartime Britain are again very topical.

We Want Your Kitchen Waste, John M Gilroy, IWM PST 14742 © Imperial War Museum

From eat more veggies to grow your own, to avoiding food that needs long range transport (because of German subs not food miles), to recycling and using underused land for small scale food production. The reasons may be different, but the messages are the same. And often these days we are told to look to wartime methods and values to avoid environmental catastrophy, or just to have access to better, healthier food. The first major Slow Food event in San Francisco last year, for example, included a temporary but very lush “Victory Garden” in the centre of the city.

So it makes sense to go along and see how the British Government, and people, very successfully not only increased domestic food production war, but ended up with a healthier, better fed population – in the middle of a war!

Grow Your Own Food, Abram Games, 1942, IWM PST 2893 © Imperial War Museum

There are propaganda videos, songs and radio programs, lots of posters and

Use Spades Not Ships Grow Your Own Food and Supply Your Own Cookhouse, Abram Games, IWM PST 2916 © Imperial War Museum

photos, and recreations of a kitchen, shop and greenhouse. Design students would get a lot out of it too, such great posters they used to do.

And all sorts of media were used to communicate techniques and tips on all sorts of subjects from nutrition to cooking methods to gardening.

I particularly like this way of telling a good bug from a bad bug.

And while most of us are probably aware that rationing existed, this show explains some of the less obvious aspects.
Rationing was meant to ensure that both rich and poor had access to scarce food, and that as much as possible was left for the troops. There was a big supply web between Britain and us colonials. Many merchant sailors died transporting food, and many people in Australia endured rationing to supply food to Britain and the various armed forces.

IWM cafe food

The one thing that is really hard to take is the supposed recreation of wartime cooking in the Museum cafe. One of the sponsors is responsible for this, and the whole museum smells pretty unappetising. As one of the people serving it up said to me : “I think they had better food during the war”.

¨Food Chart Eat Something From Each Group Every Day, © Imperial War Museum In 1944, the Ministry of Food Public Relations Division spent £600,000 on posters and other forms of publicity.

However, see this wartime nutrition chart – we are all familiar with eating from all the food groups. If you could get hold of them, you could follow this dietary advice by eating just butter, cheese, and potatoes. Ahh, those were the days. But then you could work it all off digging and dancing.

If you can’t get to London, check out the videos available on the net – I posted a list below.

Carrots Keep You Healthy and Help You See in the Blackout, IWM PST 6015 © Imperial War Museum

LINKS :

The Kitchen Sisters story on US public radio, about American Japanese internees during WW2 – anyone with 1/16th of Japanese blood – and the odd new foods they learned to love, like spam – recipes and audio, including that fab spam sushi recipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_aldlRKzvQ&feature=related – the BBC US army ration story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKyO84pYy0c&feature=related – this one is silent, so not in the radio show, but lovely historical images of soldiers with those ever-present tins!

http://www.6thcorpsmusic.us/ – lots more music like the tracks I played on the show, thanks to the US IV Army Corps Combat Engineers

give us this day – the full version of the Australian rationing ad – this website is a wonderful archive of Australian film

http://london.iwm.org.uk/server/show/conEvent.3167 – the Ministry of Food exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, London

Dig for Victory ad

Dig For Victory, 1942, IWM PST 0059 © Imperial War Museum The Dig For Victory campaign was launched in October 1939 by the Minister of Agriculture Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith.

this is the one I call “Mrs White sees the Minister” – love a talking chicken!

and a couple of rationing films that I didn’t have time to play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaSJCtmt7c&feature=related – the announcement of rationing in the UK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2evv45stEHw&feature=related – 2 cooks and a cabbage

but there are so many more great wartime clips on youtube! we just don’t do propaganda like we used to. If you follow the links above you will find many more, including a whole heap of soldiers just opening up and heating army rations, to show exactly what they look like – no words usually, just preserved food bubbling away on camp stoves – very odd.

and for a dark, distopian and disturbingly likely future of rationing, National Meat loaf and veggie gardens, read Fay Weldon’s 2009 novel “Chalcot Crescent”

belly radio show April 19,2010 – petty crime to head chef, with lamingtons

TOPICS :

young chef Matthew McKenzie aka Outback Mattie talks about turning his life around, from a tough childhood, to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Melbourne program, to a cooking and TV career, and reveals the origin of the lamington!
Mad cook Dr Siggi Fried gives a cooking demonstration as her family demands edible food.
The bellysisters tell stories of fish fondling, paying your restaurant bills by cycling, and the ash cloud that will soon keep asparagus and pre-packed lettuce mixes off British tables

GUEST RECIPE : from Matthew

Bruschetta of Grilled Honey Seeded Mustard Haloumi Cheese with Roasted Vine Ripened Cherry Tomatoes

This is the perfect recipe for a quick afternoon snack or for those unexpected guests. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare and cook. The best bit is you get that delicious sweet & salty flavour from the haloumi cheese, & those mouth watering bursts from the cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients: for 2 people

100gr Haloumi Cheese
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Seeded Mustard

12 Vine Ripened Cherry Tomatoes
1/4 Bunch of Basil

1 Loaf of Ciabatta bread
1 Garlic Clove

1 tbsp Good Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a oven tray place your cherry tomatoes, drizzle with good olive oil, season with sea salt & cracked black pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until skin starts to split away. Remove from oven.

2. Slice your haloumi cheese 1cm thick (4 pieces), spread a layer of seeded mustard, drizzle with honey. Now in a pan on a medium heat cook both sides for 1 minute until golden brown in colour.

3. Slice your ciabatta bread thinly and toast. Once toasted cut your garlic clove in half and rub the garlic clove hard against the crispy toasted bread (garlic bread).

4. To assemble the dish; tear some basil on the base of the toast, next lay the haloumi cheese, tear some more basil, finish by topping with roasted vine ripened cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of good olive oil. Enjoy!

RESTAURANTS that Matthew recommends in Brisbane and the Gold Coast:

Old Government House, Aria, Restaurant Two, or for cheaper options The Thai Bar, or Italian or Asian restaurants in the South Bank area, and Absynthe on the Gold Coast

EDIBLE QUOTE :

By the Greek philosopher Diogenes the Cynic (I think he was the one who lived in a barrel) – If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.

CONTACTS :

www.belly.net.au – please get in touch with the bellysisters

www.matthewmckenzie.com.au – see videos of Matthew, hear his life story, get lots of recipes

including:

http://www.matthewmckenzie.com.au/lamington.html – the original lamington recipe

invented at Matthew’s restaurant, Old Government House in Brisbane – also a bit of history to settle the great lamington controversy, and the revelation that (shock horror) “the lamington was first whipped up in a hurry to disguise the staleness of the sponge”

radio show 12 April 2010 – market kids

This was the first time sister Rasela took the belly mike on excursion, and she had a wonderful time.

"The Ocean Shores Public School children and their headmaster Chris Horitz welcomed a bit of Belly along to their 
New Brighton Farmers Market excursion on a bright Tuesday morning in March. 

I met up with just one of the lucky classes from the school, recording and witnessing the excitement as they shopped 
happily amongst the stalls, sampling, tasting and purchasing fresh produce to take back to the school to prepare for 
lunch in a programme that teaches the children the nutritional benefits of fresh, locally grown, quality produce and 
how to budget and prepare a delicious and nutritious meal.

During the interview with the headmaster, he pointed out the growing relationship between the individual classes that 
attend the markets weekly and the generous growers who also provide seedlings for the school garden project. 

This was a wonderfully rewarding day for the school, the stallholders and myself alike as the true community spirit 
and good intention for the future generation shone brightly and was evident in the sparkle of the childrens eyes."

radio show 5 April 2010 – markets,fat ladies,Aries and pineapples

TOPICS : markets, in season April, cooking with the stars – Aries, choosing pineapples

GUEST : Lilith, astrogourmet and hula queen

PRESENTERS : sister T and sister B

FARMER’S TIP : PINEAPPLE TRICKS

A second generation pineapple farmer at the local market told sister T that – shock horror – the famous pull-the-leaf-out-to-see-if-the-pineapple-is-ripe trick is all a lie. He remembers a pineapple ad when he was a child recommending this, and his pineapple farmer father scoffing : “Rubbish!”. Apparently they just come out when the pineapple has been picked for 1 to 2 weeks. Or it gets sick of getting its leaves pulled I suppose, and lets go.
Pineapples should be picked ripe, they don’t ripen after picking as they have no starches to convert into sugars, they just soften.
So – smell your fruit, should smell ripe but not fermenting.
And look at the base, where it was cut from the plant : moist and clean means cut ripe within a day of getting to you, dark or mottled with a little fungal growth means cut ripe within 2-3 days. Totally dry and clean means cut unripe.
Straight from the farmer’s mouth – may your pineapples be always sweet and juicy.

GUEST RECIPE : an Aries recommendation by Lilith

Speedy Aries are fond of no fuss meals they can whip up in minutes, but
fast needn’t mean nasty. So in the spirit of their love for red, hot,
quick, raw and politically unpc food in this anti-cattle, semi-vegetarian
community, I have a recipe for Steak Tartare – raw beef – as taught to me by
a Belgian boyfriend.

TARTARE STEAK

Ingredients:

Best quality eye fillet beef
1 egg per person
red onion, finely chopped
capers
flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped
paprika, fine salt crystals, cracked black pepper
Worcester sauce, Tabasco, Dijon mustard, home made mayonnaise
Optional: anchovy fillets

Method:

Mince beef as finely as you can by hand, never in a mincer, and mound each
portion in centre of a plate.
Break an egg in half, separate whites and retain yolk in the half shell.
Place eggshell in centre of the meat mound.
Surround central mound with smaller mounds of red onion, capers, parsley,
paprika, black pepper, salt crystals (mortar and pestled if they’re too
coarse), mustard, mayo and if you like them, anchovy fillets.
Serve with Worcester, Tabasco, pommes frites with lashings more mayo and
because there’s nothing like blood, heat and alcohol to excite an Aries,
plenty of chilled chili vodka.

FROM THE BELLY LAB

Sister T loves to play with raw meat too, but in the slightly more mellow form of carpaccios – an Italian classic that is easily adapted and improvised.

CLASSIC CARPACCIO

is just thinly sliced beef fillet or rump – as thin as you can get it, easier if the meat is slightly frozen. You lay the slices on a plate and dress with salt, pepper, good olive oil and lemon juice at the last minute. On top you can add slivers of Parmesan and/or some rocket leaves.

NEO-CLASSIC CARPACCIO

Carpaccios are popular in restaurants because they are so easy to do at the last minute, and to change. They can be a light and flavourful entree, or a light main with green leaves (or more of those pommes frites)

You can play with different herbs and dressings, but don’t let them sit on the meat and cook it. Or you can use a slab of thinly sliced fish like tuna or salmon, or sear the meat or fish on the outside before slicing.

EDIBLE QUOTES :

“Delicious, despite its vegetarian overtones”
“That’s what I like to see, a whole jug of double cream!”

both by Jennifer Paterson, of the Two Fat Ladies cooking show

CONTACTS :

belly@belly.net.au – get in touch with the bellysisters

Renee Searles cd launch – at the Drill Hall, Mullum, April 16
tickets from bruns hds health foods…yummy homemade chai and cakes….7pm…$20
Renee Searles PO Box 27 Brunswick Heads NSW 2483 Phone: 02 6685 0223
Email: renee@divineshe.com www.divineshe.com
farmers markets and weekend markets links and info – see markets page of
www.belly.net.au

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9EwIRp-76U&feature=related – video of the “Two fat ladies” at the Cotswold pony club
lots more 2FL on youtube

belly 29 March 2010 – travels with seedsavers, wild harvest, easter chocolate

TOPICS : Seedsavers catch up – travels, wild harvesting, autumn recipes; chocolate and more chocolate

GUEST : Jude Fanton, director of the Seedsavers Foundation

PRESENTER : sister T

JUDE AND MICHEL’S LATEST TRAVELS:

August – we were three weeks in Vanuatu to film for Centre for
International Research into Agriculture and Development (CIRAD) based in
Montpelier, with a long term programme in Vanuatu. We filmed in remote villages
(one 70km from roads – went in by canoe) a film called “Our Roots” that will be
out in a month. It covers the re-diversification of root crops (yam, taro,
cassava and sweet potato) through seed reproduction.

October – a three week speaking and filming tour for Biodiversity Network
in Japan.

Mid November to mid January – in Rajasthan and then a month in Malaysia to
mid Feb. We were filming agricultural biodiversity and resilience and trialling
the running of Seed Savers from afar. Thanks to iPhone and excellent mobile
phone coverage and wifi connectivity in both countries we were constantly
connected and could field emails and update our website.

Autumn is a good time for fruit harvests; beginning of
citrus; acerola; guavas of all types, e.g., cherry and strawberry guavas; Ceylon
hill berry; bananas; pomegranate.

Wild harvesting
Guavas – we have found two types on side of road.
Mushrooms though it does not seem a big season this year.
Pecans – story of tree in neighbouring lane cut down.
Mangoes – story of huge old trees cut down in three public carparks. We have
several seedlings of each growing in our gardens here as a rescue operation.

During the show Jude and sister T were throwing around ideas for saving fruit trees and vines that are on public land, before they suddenly disappear due to development or old age.

Possibilities :
* a map/register of fruit bearing plants so they aren’t wasted/annoy landowners/council with fallen fruit
* a course as part of the ACE sustainability series on how to take cuttings/seeds/graft
* Jude will look at putting info on seedsavers site/through local seed network
* cuttings/fruit should be taken for propagation from plants that you know give great fruit, well before they are at risk
* us bellysisters would be happy to collate information on the www.belly.net.au site if you send it in, or link to any info
* please comment!

GUEST RECIPES – from Jude

GUAVA JELLY

Cut up guavas roughly. Put them in a thick bottomed saucepan and add enough water to fill to one quarter the height of the guavas.
Boil twenty minutes to soften and bring out their juices.
Pour all this mush (don’t mush it) into a muslin bag or pillow case or bank bag and hang with a shoestring (!) over a bowl to allow juice to drip out overnight.
Do not squeeze, cajole or in any other way interfere with the dripping process, or the juice will go murky.
Weigh the juice and pour into the same saucepan as before. Add equal (or less, say two thirds) weight in sugar.
Boil slowly until setting point. Ah ha! How is that achieved? How judged? The jam and jelly makers’ dilemma!
It takes any time from 20 mins to an hour. It will take less time if you have put in a lot of sugar, and if you add pectin in the form of apple pips or Jamsetta.
It will take more time if you put in a lot of water in the first process, or little sugar in the second.
To test when you have reached setting point, take a cold plate and drip a bit of jelly on it. Let it cool and observe whether it is set by tipping it sideways.
Be careful at this point as setting point is reached fairly quickly.

VEGAN PALAK PANEER

Take any edible leaf that you normally use as spinach (i.e., cooked), such as
spinach, chicory (I used the prolific perennial spreading monk’s beard chicory),
dandelion, Brazilian spinach, farmers’ friends, other edible weeds – all called
horta in real Greek spanikopita. Boil in plenty of water for a few minutes,
drain and chop.
Fry chopped eschallots, or if you have to, onions in olive oil or similar. And
garlic if you like.
Add more oil and some flour to make a roux.
Add ground nuts (food processors do a good job) such as cashews, hazelnuts,
macadamias or almonds.
Add soya milk and/ or water, stirring til smooth and cook a few minutes.
Add salt and pepper and/ or nutmeg. I then blend it all with a bamix.

Recipe, or rather a treatment, for NON-TRADITIONAL PESTO

Use any herb such as coriander, oregano (with others as it is a bit strong),
parsley or fennel.
Use any nut such as cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias or almonds ground in food
processor.
Use any tree oil, such as olive or macadamia.
No need for parmesan cheese, garlic optional.

CHOCOLATE FOR EASTER:

Easter is named after Eostre, a version of Astarte/Kali, the goddess of fertility and birth, worshipped at the spring equinox. Of course Easter is spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Christian missionaries often adopted pagan events as Christian holidays to increase acceptance of their god.

Eggs are ancient symbols of fertility. In an Orphic myth, the goddess gave birth to a world egg – the 2 halves are heaven and earth, from the egg comes the god Eros – the bisexual god of love, the first ever surprise from an Easter egg – should keep everyone happy! The ancient Persians, the Chinese, many ancient cultures were also into eggs as a symbol of the new year starting in the spring.. And they were a forbidden food during Lent, so good reason to eat them when Lent is over. There are many Easter rituals associated with eggs, decorating, throwing, rolling or hiding them for kids to find.

The Easter bunny or rabbit comes from the hare, another ancient, pre-Christian symbol of fertility associated with spring & the goddess. In one story the goddess Eostara changed her pet bird into a rabbit to entertain a group of children, and the rabbit laid brightly coloured eggs for them.

And why are all these rabbits, eggs, chickens and bilbies now made of chocolate? Well, if you can make something out of chocolate – why wouldn’t you? This delicious development came much later though, in the 18th and 19th century when European confectionery geniuses were experimenting with their craft in many ways.

Easter is also a great time for chocoholics to stage their own war on drugs by converting all their addictions to chocolate.

Chocolate contains a variety of wonderful substances. So if you are hooked on:

CAFFEINE – chocolate can provide theobromine, chemically similar to caffeine.
POT – chocolate has anandamide – a cannabinoid which is also naturally produced in the human brain.
ECSTASY – party happy with tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is a precursor to Serotonin, an important neurotransmitter involved in regulating moods. This is the same way an E works.
SPEED – in chocolate there is phenylethylamine,a neurotransmitter from which amphetamine is derived. Often described as a ‘love chemical’. The wonderful wikipedia, to which I owe the rigorous scientific research, says that “it is quickly metabolised by monoamine oxidase, so it has no effect on the central nervous system”. Well we know the answer to that problem don’t we? Eat more chocolate, faster.

And remember, dark chocolate good for you – especially your circulation.

The 12-step chocoholics program:
NEVER BE MORE THAN 12 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOCOLATE!
get the t-shirt if you like this motto, at virtualchocolate, you will find lots of chocolate dipped quotes there too – many of these seem to have been copy/pasted all over the chocoweb, but you’ll see why, they are delicious [maybe chocoholics can’t resist the instant gratification of grabbing these]:

Twill make Old Women Young and Fresh; Create New Motions of the Flesh. And cause them long for you know what, If they but taste of chocolate.
from “A History of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate”, James Wadworth (1768-1844)

Put “eat chocolate” at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.

Don’t wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn’t like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good. Lora Brody, author of Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet

Life without chocolate is like a beach without water.

“Las cosas claras y el chocolate espeso.” (Ideas/things should be clear and chocolate thick.) Spanish proverb – and they should know, they have the best hot chocolate in the world – and churros, fried sugared dough to dip in bitter chocolate – perfect – good reason to visit the Spanish part of town

Forget love– I’d rather fall in chocolate!!!

If it ain’t chocolate, it ain’t breakfast!

Money talks. Chocolate sings!

If chocolate is the answer, the question is irrelevant.

Once you consume chocolate, chocolate will consume you.

“Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it I wash my mouth out with chocolate.” ~ Charles M. Schultz peanuts cartoon

Save the Earth! (It’s the only planet with chocolate.)

CONTACTS :

your bellysisters would love to hear from you – please leave a comment or send an email to belly@belly.net.au

Seedsavers (also in the local phonebook) :

PO Box 975, Byron Bay, NSW 2481, Australia,Tel (61) 02 6685 7560. Mobile 0432 549 825
02 6685 6624 is no longer in use.
See Seed Savers’ extensive and interactive website: www.seedsavers.net

Michel Fanton receives emails at michel@seedsavers.net

General enquiries should be sent to info@seedsavers.net

www.virtualchocolate.com – chocolate quotes, and chocoholic t-shirt