Yes that great showcase for the food of our region, and simply great day out under the trees of the Bangalow Showgrounds, is on again this weekend – if you are anywhere near the Northern Rivers on Saturday 13 September, make sure you head to Sample with many hungry friends.<\/p>\n
All the information you need is here<\/a>, including a downloadable programme.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But the most important event at Sample this year is the launch of Anthea’s cookbook, a collection of favourites called : Passion – organic vegan recipes to live for. \u00a0And if you think all that sounds too healthy to be fun, you haven’t tried her food, so check out the sample recipes below, or taste what she is making on stage on Saturday – the Northern Rivers Food Cooking Stage, 2 pm.<\/p>\n You can also contact Anthea and see where to get the cookbooks at www.organicpassioncatering.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n WILD RICE, BROAD BEAN AND ARTICHOKE HEART SALAD\u00a0– by Anthea Amore <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Ingredients Directions <\/p>\n Pea & mint risotto with toasted pinenuts – by Anthea Amore<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Artichoke heart and roasted fennel partner well with most Italian herbs and\/or lemon zest. Using citrus zest, green or black olives, chilli, sun-dried tomatoes or capers can take a simple risotto to a whole other level.<\/p>\n I also use brown rice instead of traditional arborio purely for nutritional reasons. It may take a bit longer to cook than arborio but the health benefits far outweigh the extra time and the end result is nutritious, creamy and delicious!<\/p>\n Note If you have leftover brown rice, then you can make this meal in 20 minutes.<\/p>\n Ingredients Directions <\/p>\n \u00a0CREPES WITH CECILE CHARRUE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Never again will I be able to make crepes without the image of Cecile’s mother’s bum going round and round as she beat the crepe batter for the kids every weekend – and I’ve never even met her!<\/p>\n![\"Wild](\"http:\/\/www.belly.net.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Wild-Rice-Broad-Bean-and-Artichoke-salad-300x225.jpg\")
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\nThis healthy and nutritious salad is a meal in itself. It\u2019s got the wonderful earthy flavour of the wild rice, the waxy broad beans, the soft artichokes, and the crunch of the snow peas. My classic favourite flavor combination sings a sweet melody in this dish: lemon and lime with salt and olive oil Don\u2019t be fooled by the simplicity as it works with everything else going on in this dish. I just love the fluoro green colour of the
\nbroad beans contrasting with the black of the wild rice. Visually this salad is gorgeous.
\nBrown rice is underestimated as a wonderful health food. Brown and white rice have similar number of calories, carbohydrates and protein. The differences lie in processing and nutritional content. When only the outermost layer of a grain of rice (the husk) is removed, brown rice is produced. For white rice, the next layers underneath the husk (the bran layer and the germ) are removed also, leaving mostly the starchy endosperm. Several vitamins and dietary minerals are lost in this removal and the subsequent polishing process. One cup (195g) of cooked long-grain brown rice contains 84mg of magnesium while one cup of white rice contains 19mg.<\/p>\n
\nServes 4 people as main
\n1 cup long-grain brown rice
\n1\/4 cup wild rice
\n2 cups filtered water
\n2 cups broad beans (40 pods) you can use
\nedamame beans (fresh soya beans)
\n2 cups snow peas, sliced
\n1\/2 cup pinenuts, toasted or raw
\n10 artichoke hearts, sliced into quarters or
\nsixths
\nDressing
\n2 lemons, juiced (approx 1\/2 cup)
\n2 limes, juiced (approx 1\/4 cup)
\n1\u20132 tsp good salt, to taste
\n1\/2 olive oil<\/p>\n
\nCombine brown and wild rice with the water and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat
\nand simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off and allow to \u2018steep\u2019 for a further 5 minutes. When
\ncooked, cool with cold water, strain and place aside. Meanwhile, shell the broad beans
\nand steam for 1\u20132 minutes (no longer) until they are fluoro green! Cool in water. Once
\ncool, peel the outer (tough) skin off. Split at one end and \u2018pop\u2019 the bright green bean
\nout.
\nSteam the snowpeas for 1\u20132 minutes or until bright green and crunchy.
\nCool in water, drain, then slice on an angle into thin strips.
\nCombine ingredients for the dressing in a jar and mix thoroughly.
\nToss all ingredients in a bowl with the dressing and serve.<\/p>\n![\"L1010876\"](\"http:\/\/www.belly.net.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/L1010876-300x230.jpg\")
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\nFor a vegan or vegetarian, eating out can be an uninspiring event with little choice on a menu. Risotto is often one of those choices. A vegetarian or vegan risotto done well is lovely, creamy and full of flavour, but that\u2019s not always the case! Creating flavour is actually easy. Vegetable stocks and fresh herbs can make up the basis of the flavour. I always use olive oil to add richness to a risotto. Garlic, onion or leek, slowly caramelised, also add to the flavour and body of a good risotto. Spices like nutmeg go beautifully with pumpkin or broccoli. Fresh thyme or sage or any of the Italian herbs pair well with red wine and mushroom.<\/p>\n
\nServes 4-6 as main
\n1 cup brown rice (short grain rice is more
\nglutinous than long grain rice but you can use
\neither)
\nFiltered water or stock
\n1 medium onion, finely diced
\n2 cloves garlic, finely minced
\n1 cup shelled peas, keep shells for making pea
\nstock
\nFreshly cracked pepper
\n1\u20132 tsp good salt, to taste
\n1\/4 cup finely shredded mint (roughly 1\/2 a
\nbunch)
\n200g spinach, washed
\n3 tbs olive oil
\n1 tsp vegan stock powder (optional)
\n2 dsp lemon juice
\n1\/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
\n1\/4 cup coconut milk (optional)
\nGarnish
\n1\/4 cup peas
\n1 small garlic clove, sliced
\nolive oil, drizzle
\n2 tbs pine nuts, toasted
\nA little shredded mint
\nLemon or lime zest<\/p>\n
\nCooking the risotto
\nPlace the rice in a medium to large saucepan with 2 cups of filtered water and bring
\nto the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a medium heat and simmer until all the water has
\nevaporated. Add more water or vegetable stock if you have some (see recipe below
\nfor a basic vegetable stock). Start by adding half a cup and once again evaporate and
\ncook the rice further. You\u2019ll notice the rice grain swelling and softening as it continues
\nto drink up the water or stock. The trick to risotto is to allow the rice grain to slowly
\nabsorb the liquid. Too much water and it may become too runny; not enough water
\nand it may become dry and stiff. So it is best to add a little, stir, and allow it to fully
\nabsorb the liquid. Keep doing this until the rice is creamy and soft.
\nMeanwhile, prepare the pea and onion mixture. Saut\u00e9 the onion on a medium heat
\nwith a little olive oil, bringing out its sweet caramelised flavour. Add the garlic and
\ngently brown but do not burn it. Add the peas and some freshly cracked pepper and
\na pinch of salt. Roughly mash half the mixture with a potato masher, to bring out some
\nflavours. Set aside.
\nOnce the rice is all creamy and soft, spoon the pea and onion mixture into the rice
\nand stir. Add the remaining ingredients, including the spinach, and allow all the
\nflavours to mingle on a low to medium heat. Once the spinach has wilted, taste for
\nseasoning and re-season if need be.
\nPea and\/or basic vegetable stock
\nUsing the pea shells to make some vegetable stock is a great way to intensify the pea
\nflavour. You can add any vegetable scraps you may have. The leaves and inner heart
\nof celery is great as well as carrot peelings or tops, parsley or other fresh herb stalks,
\nand pretty much anything else except beetroot for obvious reasons! While you are
\ncooking the rice or before, if you have the time, place the water, vegetable scraps and
\npea shells into a pot and bring to the boil. Then reduce heat to a medium simmer. Use
\nwarm stock water when the recipe requires, see above.
\nNote The longer you cook the vegetables in the water the richer and more
\nfull-flavoured it will be.
\nGarnish
\nLightly stir-fry the peas in a frying pan with a splash of water to slightly steam them.
\nAs the water evaporates, add the garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and saut\u00e9 gently for
\na further minute. Add salt and pepper to season and set aside. When ready to serve,
\nscatter a spoonful or two of garnish on top of the risotto, sprinkle on some shredded
\nmint, freshly zested lemon or lime, and pine nuts. Delicious!<\/p>\n