Laughing Chef

Be Kind to yourself

2014-04-03T01:59:00.001+11:00

It has been a while since I have blogged for many reasons one being I upload a majority of my recipes and delicious foodies treats to facebook and Instagram. However I do love blogging so thought I would continue and my cooking has gone back to doing what I love.

I have always had a passion for baking/ cooking a dish however making it really healthy and creating a recipe so delicious that the person eating it has no knowledge of it.
For me bringing health into cooking is just amazing it means I can have my fav meals but without the additives, chemicals or processed ingredients.
Another reason I am being kind to myself and to many others is because my beloved Aunty Jessie died last year of Multiple Myeloma ( a form of blood cancer). I did some research and MM has now increased and it seems one in every 5 people are getting it.I did some more research and found the food we are eating now is very different to that of 30 or 40 years ago. So my mission is to strip back to shop for organic, to buy food or items that do not contain chemicals and preservatives or processed harsh toxins. This ranges from cleaning agents/(yes you can buy cleaning agents that don't have harsh chemicals in it). Make up products and of course cooking ingredients.
We can always choose better some of us just need to be educated on the topic.
(The top picture is a strawberry and almond cake - dairy and sugar free and that will be in the next blog).

Most of my recipes will be based on a raw organic diet but I promise they will be delicious and you will start thinking "this is so easy".

Sugar Free . Dairy free .

Try my amazing chocolate truffles

Amazeballs Chocolate Truffles
1 cup dates
1 cup almonds
2 tablespoons vanilla extract ...
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil - melted
1 cup desiccated coconut

Put dates and almonds in food processor till combined. Add rest of ingredients (use half the coconut the other half is to roll the truffles in).
The mixture should be firm enough to roll balls. If not add a teaspoon or two of cold water.
Roll each chocolate ball in the coconut.
Place truffles in fridge and you have your guilt free treat.
Enjoy.

Iced Coffee Smoothie -
I try and stay away from Dairy as much as I can I honestly do not miss it. Please try some coconut water next time you want a smoothie or "milkshake" .
Dairy Free with a added kick of protein.
Add 1 cup Coconut water, vanilla protein powder, organic instant coffee powder (I mix it with a dash of hot water first) 1 teaspoon stevia. Blend ... Enjoy.

I am researching some main courses and of course the amazing Hot Cross Bun recipe will be up thgis will be GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE. YAY!

Until next time know what you are eating and be kind to yourself.

It's cold outside ...I think I'll bake...

2013-06-30T21:48:00.002+10:00

Winter has truly arrived with it's crisp chilly mornings and nights filled with blankets and the need to keep warm. I actually love Winter. Really? You say....Yes really. I love the fruit and vegetable available in winter.
Delicious pumpkins and beets arriving, along with different types of beans. Going on to my favourite the citrus fruits are everywhere...Mandarins, oranges, and lets not forget the delicious and sweet Pears (my favourite are the Packenham Pears and the small and sweet Corella Pears are my absolute must have).
I have also been researching and coming up with healthy treats and ways to nourish our bodies and the first way is to LOVE it right now and the second is to restore it with healthy fruits and vegetables...one way is with Kale. Kale is so amazing and is packed with iron and protein and if you are like me and don't really eat that much red meat then this baby is for you.

I tend to make a shake with Kale and some other yummy stuff.
I have been emailing a lot of my Facebook followers about yeast and "why didn't my bread/dough rise"? I will be answering those questions here too.

HEALTHY "KEEP ON MOVING" KALE SHAKE

4 stalks kale

4 celery stems

1 cucumber

1 pear

1/2″ ginger grated

Cold water (optional, to help items blend together more smoothly)

Blend the items together in a heavy duty blender and enjoy.

I have a sweet tooth there I said it...But fear not there are days when I crave chocolate but I like to be able to have a treat without the added flavorings or the additives etc. I like an easy recipe, one that is delicious and that hidden under the chocolate is a healthy cookie.

You have to try these cookies these are so chewy and YUM !!!

Ren's Healthy Oat, Banana & Dark Chocolate Cookie

2 bananas - soft and mashed
1 cup oats - you can use the quick oats I used regular Oats
1/4 cup Dark chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 180c.
Mash banana and add oats and choc bits mix well and form into balls. Drop into a tray.
Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until lovely golden brown.

"My dough didn't rise"?

I have heard this so often and here are my tips on why your bread or dough isn't rising.

TIP 1 - Usually at the start of any baking you will need to introduce the yeast to a warm liquid . Make sure here that your liquid is WARM not hot or cold. If the liquid is hot you will "retard" the yeast and the yeast stops working and if the liquid is too cold then the yeast has nothing to help it grow. The liquid must be warm.

TIP 2 - Check the use by date on the yeast you are using if it's off then throw it out. You should always have fresh yeast when baking (dry or fresh).

TIP 3 - One of the most important steps is proving. Proving is when you allow your dough to rest and this is when the yeast goes to work. So for example half a dough in one hour should double in size if it doesn't just wait. Baking is all about being patient.

TIP 4- Check the weather, yes weather... If it's a cold chilly day like in Winter then you will want a warm environment to prove your day all of these things make for a beautiful dough. If it is cold make sure you have everything warm and nothing is cold that is added to the dough.

One thing I really love about Winter is the ability to LOVE a big bowl of Minestrone soup. I use whatever I have available and like feel free to play around with the recipe . This is delicious and keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

MINESTRONE "old school"

Ingredients

1 onion - diced

2 cloves garlic - crushed

3 rashers bacon diced (vegetarian leave out)

2 carrots diced

1/2 red capsicum diced

2 celery stalks diced

2 zucchinis sliced

1 cup of frozen Peas

Half a cauliflower cut into small florets

1 can of Kidney beans - washed and drained

1/2 cup of soup mix - found in the soup aisle

1 cup of small Italian pasta (I use mini pasta shells)

1 litre Vegetable stock

1 bottle of Tomato sauce or 2 cans crushed tomatoes

Salt / Pepper

HOW TO

Heat pan with little oil and add garlic, onion and bacon stir till onions appear clear.

Add carrot, capsicum, celery and stir.

Add the rest of the vegetables and soup mix and stir.

Add stock till it covers all the vegetables and bring to the boil. (You want to cook all the vegetables here).

Add Kidney beans, tomato sauce and pasta and stir. Taste to see if it needs seasoning.

Bring to the boil then turn it on low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir and serve with fresh bread.

Be sure to check out my Facebook page - Laughing Chef for regular updates on all things cooking.

Keep on cooking and watch out for some Laughing Chef news coming your way!!

Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue and FUN!

2013-05-13T17:31:00.003+10:00

I wanted to let you know that I post regularly to Laughing Chef on Facebook and don't really have the time to post on my blog but better late than never.
However if you want regular recipe ideas etc go to Laughing Chef on Facebook and "like" the page.

My "little" sister Natalie got married on the 13th April.... after so many wedding "get togethers" and discussions of the wedding dress, bridesmaids and maid of honor dress, flowers, wedding.... wedding..... wedding it was here.

Natalie asked me to be Maid of Honor and it was "a honor" indeed. The day came and went so quickly and to be perfectly honest it was one of the best weddings I have been to. I think because everyone was there to celebrate LOVE and have fun!!

I don't like to say or pick favourite parts of the day but I am going to, my favourite part of the wedding was seeing my sister Natalie walking towards her soon to be husband JD (James). I literally felt like I was holding my breath and then I thought "It's not me".

My next Favourite part and there are a lot but I will keep it short, was when my now brother in law James made his speech and went through each groomsmen and said something about them and then went through each bridesmaid and myself and said something about the ladies. It wasn't until he got to me and said "You were a hard one to crack" and "If it wasn't for you Natalie and I wouldn't have been here". It really made me feel special. Nice one James.
Apart from the crazy dance moves I remember doing and laughing so much my face hurt I can honestly say ... It was fun a room definitely full of love !

My sister Natalie was the perfect princess looking Bride I have ever seen. So beautiful her dream dress, dream day and dream man. (Oh and I caught the bouquet).

Now this should be about food and recipes etc well my sister ordered a Double chocolate mud cake (below) as her wedding cake ...Yum.

Here is my version for a quick and easy Chocolate Mud Cake.

Easy Peasy Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients

Melted butter, for greasing

200g butter, chopped

100g good-quality dark cooking chocolate (like Plaistowe Cooking Chocolate), chopped

60mls (1/4 cup) water

30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder, sifted

2 tbs espresso instant coffee powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

115g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour, sifted

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a deep 22cm round cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Combine butter, chocolate, water, cocoa, coffee and vanilla essence in a medium saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, over low heat for 6-8 minutes or until smooth and well combined. (See microwave tip 1.) Remove from heat and stand for 10 minutes or until mixture is lukewarm.

Meanwhile: use electric beaters to whisk sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl until pale and creamy. Whisk in the chocolate mixture until well combined. Add the flour and whisk until combined.

Pour the mixture into prepared cake pan and bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake. (Do not be concerned if the surface cracks a little).

Remove from the oven and stand in the pan for 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Spread icing (see related recipe) over the cooled cake. Leave to stand for 30 minutes or until the icing is firm. Cut the cake with a warm knife to prevent the icing from cracking.

I have had a few people email me asking "pretty please" for some healthy breakfast ideas....Well here is one that is so quick and super healthy and delicious.

Hot crunchy Toast with sweet ricotta topped with juicy strawberries drizzled in ...honey.....Healthy and quick.
This is dedicated to my sister Natalie who has always had her own cool language....

Nat's Berry Berry Good Toast

2 slices raisin toast
40g fresh ricotta
1/2 tsp caster sugar
a pinch of ground cinnamon
4 strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
honey, to serve

Method

Step 1
Toast raisin toast. Combine ricotta, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the toast. Arrange strawberries on top of the ricotta mixture. Drizzle over honey and serve immediately.
Note : If you do not like strawberries replace with your favourite berry.

Make sure you head to Laughing Chef on Facebook for regular posts. Until next time get in that kitchen and get cooking!!!

PS. Just had to share how cool my mum is she made her own Lavender layered Chiffon Dress and Jacket for my sister's wedding.... Talented ...Tick.

Gina's Love

2013-03-14T22:11:00.002+11:00

Yes it has been a while since my last blog post and to be honest I haven't really thought that much about it. January was the most chaotic month I have ever had as I am writing I am may as well describe the chaotic madness that was January.

Ok so first up my Aunty Gina passed away she was extremely ill but that didn't make it easier to say goodbye. I constantly think about her and what makes me smile is her disposition. She was always so happy and she had very little she never asked for much and still this amazing lady would smile. I think a lot more people need to be like her.

Gina and I would chat a lot when she was in hospital and she would tell me about her sons Danny and Sean and how she was happy we were close and then she would go onto saying "Could you be there for both of my boys". This totally threw me off as I thought 'how and what could I do for her two sons'...and then when she passed I realized ....unconditional support and love with nothing in return that's what she meant.
Rest in peace Gina. Miss you more than you will ever know...x

The next chaotic event that occurred was my Aunty Bub went into hospital prior to the passing of my aunty Gina but she was having tests and my mum would usually go with her but the third even occurred and that is my Dad went into hospital for quadruple bypass..... So that meant I was going to see both my aunty's and then my dad in all separate hospitals and then the same day my dad went into hospital my sister Eloise gave birth...... Yes that all happened.....Crazy stuff!!
But you know what I focus on one thing at a time ...My aunty Gina is at peace now, My dad now has a brand new heart....My aunty Bub had the relevant tests she needed and is out and about and my sister Eloise had the most beautiful baby girl. So as much as it was a crazy month it was a life changing month..

Ok I need to write this as I wasn't aware when a patient has heart surgery ( I am talking heart out on a table for 7 hours) well your brain goes into shock. Therefore you say some pretty weird things... My family and I laugh about it now but in the hospital my Dad was freaking me out. The first thing he said was "where is Robin hood"? ..... The next was in answer to a question "what year is it Charlie"? " .... My dad replied, "uh 1977"? Say what....But this only lasted three freaky days and happy to report my Dad is doing so well.

My sisters little girl is so beautiful she named her Blythe Mary Tonkin and it is so precious holding her.

Alright so this is a food blog.... one recipe that I have been asked over and over for yet is SO simple is granola....you can crunch it up and put in yoghurt or simply pop it in a jar and give it as a gift......or just eat it as a snack. It is so easy ......

Good-for-you granola

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
125ml maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
... 300g rolled oats
50g sunflower seeds
4 tbsp sesame seeds
50g pumpkin seeds
100g flaked almonds
100g dried cranberries
50g coconuts flakes or desiccated coconut

Heat oven to 150C/fan . Mix the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla in a large bowl. Tip in all the remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit and coconut, and mix well.
Tip the granola onto two baking sheets and spread evenly. Bake for 15 mins, then mix in the coconut and dried fruit, and bake for 10-15 mins more. Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool. Serve with cold milk or yogurt. The granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.

I will be compiling a list of some yummy healthy recipes for EASTER and will post those next blog....which will be start of next week.
Includes the easiest Hot Cross Bun recipe, a muffin recipe that you wished you knew ages ago and my delicious frittata recipe.

Keep on cooking and smiling in the Kitchen!

.

Mum,are we going to the show?

2012-10-16T19:09:00.004+11:00

Every year from the age of about 5 I guess...I would ask my parents( my mum mainly) if we were going to the Royal Melbourne Show. The answer would always be "we'll see", which I hated as I wanted a definite YES!

The show back then for me as a kid was about obtaining a Barbie showbag and a Bertie Beetle showbag of course,a kewpie doll on a stick and stuffing your face with Fairy Floss.
My childhood was revisited when my mum and I went to the show this year together. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect sunny day.

Looking at the gorgeous animals, the people walking around with balloons and showbags,big kids and little kids screaming from the "Pirate Ship" ride.. ..I was still excited.
This year however something that really made me excited was going to the Craft and Cookery events. My mum loves sewing and anything that involves a needle so she loved the Crafe Hall.

I watched the 2012 Fruit Cake being judged, a well groomed lady stood with gloves on, carefully slicing up a fruit cake and chewing slowly while she either nodded approvingly or said into her microphone, " this one was cooked too long".

My mum and I had a coffee and we tried the Award winning fruit cake(pic below) with a fruit cake recipe card (above) and we both looked at each other and said "we can do this"...The award winning fruit cake was yum though.

There was a Food Hall where I tried "Espresso ice cream" it was really yum and Karen Martini was right beside me buying ice cream.
I am not going to lie the Show bag Hall still had me giggling and 'Oohing and aahing' like a kid...
The whole ambience of being able to travel back in time by being at the show was so much fun.
I did buy showbags which was the Bertie beetle show bags which are still the same price $5... and I brought pink, fluffy and every so sweet Fairy Floss on a stick (below)and then we found this cute little stall that sold cheap cookie cutters so I was in my element there.

Mum brought me a Kewpie doll on a stick as whenever I went as a kid my Dad would get my sisters and I one. Although back in the 80s my kewpie never had glitter on her head.. ...I was very content with my new kewpie Doll.

Being at the show got me thinking of fruit cake and making my own so I will be testing out a few recipes and posting my fav next blog.

I have been getting into Baking bread recently and two items that were a hit at my place were "Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia and Olive bread rolls". The thing with baking bread is patience you can't rush this...You need to wait for the yeast to prove (activate) and knead the dough and then let it rest and then bake it and you have the most amazing smelling house..... Well a bakery really.

Focaccia is my favourite type of Italian bread.It’s really easy to make I have gone with the traditional Garlic and Rosemary but you can add tomato and basil or whatever topping you desire.

GARLIC AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

Ingredients

• 1kg strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

625ml water, at room temperature

3 x 7g sachets dried yeast

2 tablespoons raw sugar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

1 bulb garlic

a few sprigs of fresh rosemary

METHOD

• Tip your flour into a large bowl
• Pile it nice and high, then make a well in the middle to hold all the other ingredients
• Pour half the water into the well then tip in 3 sachets of yeast

To make your dough

• Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of sea salt to the well
• Use a fork to gradually bring in the flour from the outside
• Once you get a stodgy, porridge consistency in the well, add the rest of the water and gradually incorporate the flour to make a smooth dough

To knead your dough

• Dust a clean work surface and your hands with flour, then knead the dough, pushing and pulling it for about 5 minutes until it’s silky, springy and elastic
• Make the dough into a flat round shape and pop into a floured bowl
• Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size

To make your bread

• Knock the air out of your bread using your fist then lightly flour your surface and knead it again until smooth
• Grease a baking tin (approximately 25cm by 30cm) well with olive oil and dust it lightly with flour (I use a deep baking tray).
• Roll or stretch the dough out until it’s the right size for the baking tin and put it in the tin

• Break the garlic bulb apart or you can mince it , leaving the skins on, then squash each one with the back of a knife
• Strip the leaves off your sprigs of rosemary
• Drizzle the garlic cloves and rosemary leaves with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix

• Scatter the garlic and rosemary over the dough then use your fingers to push the flavours in and make little dimples on the surface
• Drizzle the dough with olive oil, cover with a tea towel then place the tray somewhere warm and leave for 1 hour, or until doubled in size
• Preheat your oven to 220ºC

• Poke the bread all over with your fingers again to give it great texture
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper
• Bake in the hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden with a crunchy surface

I will be tesitng out fruit cake recipes as well as baking Christmas Gingerbread and I am also trying out a tea inspired recipe I have in my head so until next time get into that kitchen and bake away!!

Recipes to make your hips and you smile....

2012-09-03T21:26:00.000+10:00

Who says that eating healthy has to be all about cardboard cereal and boring food ....Not true!!
I am on a super health kick and I thought why not use my cookery knowledge to come up with some yummy dessert and savoury snack recipes.

The recipe below is a take on the delicious cheesecake recipe...(This is would be for a treat day as it does contain cream and cream cheese . So it's perfect for a special day and one glass is filling)

PINEAPPLE NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS:
For the Crust
3/4 cup Arnotts Marie biscuit crumbs
...

1 tablespoon icing sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling
250 grams package light cream cheese, softened ( leave out at room temperature)
3 tablespoons caster sugar
250 grams fresh pineapple, pureed
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
250 mls whipped cream

For the Garnish
whipped cream
fresh pineapple chopped

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the biscuit crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in pureed pineapple and vanilla and stir - mix to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream until well combined.

3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into prepared individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

4. Garnish with additional whipped cream and fresh chopped pineapple.

The next recipe is for snack time so when you are wanting to lose some weight or basically want to eat healthy. Then having protein as a snack is what you want to be doing. These babies below are so delicious and SO easy to make.

BACON EGG BITES

5 eggs beaten
4 rashers bacon chopped
1/2 cup light milk
salt / pepper to season
Parsley chopped
Parmaesan cheese - grated
Canola spray - for greasing muffin tin

Method:
Heat oven to 180c.
Add eggs to bowl and beat and milk and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Add bacon, cheese and parsley. MIx well.
Spray a muffin tin with canola oil spray and place tablespoons of mixture in tray.
Bake for 20 minutes or until fluffy and golden brown.

My sister Eloise told me about these cookies she had at work and how easy they were to make not to mention they were gluten free and super healthy ...So here they are!!
Perfect for breakfast with a protein smoothie or for an afternoon sn...

ack.

BANANA OAT COOKIES
3 ripe bananas
2 cups (185g) rolled oats
1 cup (155g) currants pitted and chopped or you can use Dried Apricots or Dates
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla Extract

Preparation
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes
1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2.In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dates, oil, and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking tray.
3.Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown.

Next post will be about Baking bread and yeasty good stuff and yes it's all healthy everything in moderation I say.

Keep on cooking !!!!

Sugar , Spice and all things sweet and YUM !!

2012-08-14T21:16:00.002+10:00

For those that don't know yes I am a qualified chef but ever since I can remember I loved baking....Baking cookies, cakes anything sweet really.

So it wasn't until about 2 months ago I delved into my cookery passion and realised I love cooking anything sweet and this is what I want to do for a long long time to come. Don't get me wrong I love cooking savoury in all it's forms I just seem to gravitate towards baking sweet stuff alot....alot.

Now baking anything sweet doesn't have to be really unhealthy as I have had this brought to my attention. I have made some delicious recipes that taste so good but are good on your waist line. Like my apricot and coconut raw balls (recipe to come) and my delicious Vanilla custard (recipe to come).
For me it's all about measuring the ingredients, going out and buying the equipment and above all cooking it. I just love it.

I made some scary chocolate cupcakes for my nephew Addison's 5th birthday in June. These were a really easy chcocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and a scary green buttercream. Then the artist in me came out (well not really I just brought teeth lollies and went for it). It was so much fun and the kids and my nephew especially loved them.
These would have to be the perfect cupcake to make with kids as it's fun and they can be as creative as like wish.
I also made chocolate cupcakes for my sister Michelle's 40th Birthday with a rich white buttercream and a pink buttercream. So easy and simple and I decorated them with a dusting of clear glitter and silver cachous.

My beautiful sister Natalie got engaged so I put my hand up to make her cupcake engagement tower. Her colour theme was gold and mauve so I came up with mini chocolate cupcakes with white butter cream and chocolate butter cream. A mauve fondant heart was placed on top of each cupcake sprinkled with mauve edidble glitter.

My sister Natalie and her partner James loved them! Congratulation's again to Nat and JD!! xx

I was out shopping the other day and I stumbled upon this Barbie it has to be mine.
Panackae Making Barkie....

Next blog I will be including recipes for the easiest No bake cheesecake so quick and delicious and a must know recipe for your baking needs.

Until next time keep on cooking !!

Ren meets Burger and some other stuff

2012-04-23T21:54:00.000+10:00

I am all about finding out the best foodie haunts and a couple of friends asked me where to get the best pizza...Well I have said it once and I will say it again...My pick would be iCarusi. So you want Pizza? I am talking real Pizza non of that call this number for a free large pizza with cheese in the crust. If so then you have to check out iCarusi located on Holmes street Brunswick.
I've been a couple of times and everytime I tell myself to leave room for the chocolate "I am going to melt in your mouth" pizza. But I am always full, but there is always next time.

Anyway I know the owner / pizzaiola extradonaire Tristan Care (pictured above) and asked him a few questions about his amazing and successful pizza shop iCarusi.

1. What made you enter Hospitality?
Probably growing up working at my dads cafe

2. What is the most talked about pizza at iCarusi ?
Pizza for a friend(fiore di latte, pumpkin, pine nuts, rocket & goats cheese), also the mixed chocolate and strawberry calzoncino .... ( ahhh it's a sign I have to go and order it).

3. What is your favorite pizza topping?
Good sauce and sopressa (sopressa is an Italian aged salami, produced with pork, lard, salt, pepper, spices and sometimes garlic).

4. Must haves in the kitchen?
Sharp knives :) (I totally agree).

5. Any advice for people that want to work in the gourmet pizza trade?
Source out good fresh produce suppliers. And treat your staff well, they are the face of your business.

Make sure you check out iCarusi 46 Holmes Street Brunswick, I am so ordering that chocolate and strawberry calzon next time.

For those of you that follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LaughingchefCookeryschool will know that recently I consumed my first burger in 3 years (maybe a little longer).

The reason I stopped was for health reasons and environmental and well I didn't want to eat a cow. However I've always had a soft spot for the burger and thought I'd give myself another go.. (Bearing in mind that the meat is organic and of high quality).
So 2 days ago I ate the best burger ever!!! ...Was it the herb mayonnaise? Or the soft bun? Or maybe the complete beef burger package and the memories of walking to Danny 's burger joint in Fitzroy with my sisters and cousins. Whatever it was I may have another one. ( for those that are vegetarian don't worry I'll be posting the most delicious and easy Vegi burger below).

Danny's Burgers is located 358/360 St Georges Road Fitzroy North VIC 3068
(03) 9481 5847 and another amazing burger place that I am yet to try but have been hearing some
amazing news about is called "Huxtaburger" (picture above) located on Smith street Collingwood.

" Ren Meets Burger"
500g organic high quality beef mince
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 carrots, grated
2 eggs
½ cup breadcrumbs
Salt & ground black pepper

Method
1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Divide mixture into 12 portions and roll into patties.

3. BBQ burgers on a grill on medium heat for 7-8 minutes on both sides and serve on toasted buns with sliced tomato, beetroot and rocket , mayonnaise and pretty much anything your heart desires!!!

"Be good to yourself” Vegi Burger (pictured above)

Ingredients (serves 4)
•1/2 cup (130g) mayonnaise
•1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice
•1 clove garlic, crushed
* Celery, finely diced
... * 1 small radish finely diced
•¼ cup of Parsley, Dill chopped
•Salt and pepper

•1 cup cold mashed potato
•1 onion finely diced
•400g canned brown lentils, rinsed, drained
•400g canned chick pea , rinsed, drained
•3 tbs tomato chutney ( if you can’t find tomato chutney sweet chilli sauce works well).
•1 tbs mild Indian curry paste
•1 egg
•¼ cup of fresh parsley , chopped
•1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
•1 tbs vegetable oil
•Salt and pepper

Method
1.To make the dressing, place the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic celery, radish,and herbs in bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2.Place the mashed potato, onion, lentils, tomato chutney, curry paste, parsley, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to bring the mixture together.
3.Divide the mixture into 4 patties, using additional breadcrumbs to help shape the patties.
4.Heat the oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and warmed through.
5.Serve on burger bun with mayonnaise dressing and your favorite trimmings…YUM!!

The one thing I love apart from cooking is inspiring people to cook my recipes...I love it. I guess I hope my passion transends to that person when they cook...maybe!
Anyway I posted a delicious recipe of a Vanilla Pomegranate Cake. Pomegranate's are in season. so really worthwhile getting out and using some it is a superb fruit and so verstaile not only in the recipe below but with plain yohurt as a topping and SO delicious in whipped cream with crushed vanilla meringues.

Desiree Larner who follows me on facebook and who I worked with at Optus made this amazing cake that I posted on my Laughing Chef Cookery School Facebook Page. She also took some really beautiful photo's. The reason I love her photo's is you can actually see the passion she has for A. Cooking and B.Photography Thanks Desiree really beautiful pictures.(picture below Desiree Larner with Husband Ben and beautiful girls Aurelia right and Isabella left).

Vanilla & Pomegranate cake
Ingredients
200g butter (at room temperature)
... 200g caster sugar
3 eggs
zest 1 lemon plus juice of ½
140g self-raising flour
100g plain flour
½ tsp Good Quality vanilla extract

FOR THE SYRUP
juice ½ lemon (use the other ½ of the one for the cake)
2 pomegranates , juice of one, seeds of one (or 100ml pomegranate juice, 110g pack pomegranate seeds)
85g caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract

1.Heat oven to 160C/140C fan. Grease and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract. Fold in the flours with a metal spoon until well mixed. Transfer to the cake tin, smooth the top, then bake for 50 mins until risen and golden.
2. To make the syrup, mix the lemon juice with the pomegranate juice, caster sugar and vanilla, then heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and reduce slightly until syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool slightly, then tip in the pomegranate seeds.
3. Remove the cake from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before poking holes all over it with a skewer and pouring over the pomegranate syrup. Enjoy warm ...Yum!!!

Don't ask me how she had the time to take these amazing photographs of the Pomergrante cake as well as making the cake. (She has 2 little girls ;Aurelia and Isabella) runs her own business called Unique Effects. Just goes to show you that anything is possible!!!

Check out Desiree's business ..Unique effects on Facebook you will find these absolutely stunning Brooch Bouquet that are all hand made. (pictured below).

Next time it will be all about what to cook for the kids....As I have 2 nephews and 1 neice I love hearing the stories my sister's tell of meal times . I will also be adding some recipes and favourite dishes from other mum's on successful meal times.

Until next time get in that kitchen and have fun!!

One a penny Two a penny Hot Cross Bun....

2012-04-06T20:31:00.002+10:00

Easter has come so quickly …which is great as that means I can bake Hot cross buns and eat the Cadbury mini eggs. YUM!!!!
Although my sister Eloise stated “you can eat a Hot cross bun whenever”. True, but in all it’s Easter Tradition I make Hot Cross Buns and usually hand them out freshly baked.

My girlfriend Nadia knows how much I love all things "foodie related" so she took a picture at work of these amazing Easter Eggs from France ...Umm Nadia where is mine ? :) But thank you for the picture.

Now if you are not that crazy with fruit or currants etc in your Hot Cross Buns then don’t worry just omit them and add your favourite chocolate chips. Yum!!!

The below recipe is also great for lovers of DAIRY FREE recipes .

HOT CROSS BUN or as my nephew Remy calls them "HOT BOT BUN" (Remy pictured above enjoying a Hot Cross Bun).

Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk (Dairy free use Rice Milk as I find it works better).
•2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
•1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
•60g butter, melted (Nuttelex dairy free spread)
•1 egg, lightly whisked
•4 1/2 cups (675g) plain flour
•1 tsp salt
•3 tsp mixed spice / cinnamon
•1/4 cup (45g) currants
•1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
•1/2 cup (170g) apricot jam

Method
1.Combine the milk, yeast and 1 tbs of sugar in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2.Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg in a jug and whisk to combine. Combine 4 cups (600g) of flour, salt, mixed spice and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add the sultanas, currants and mixed peel and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together.
3.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4.Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking tray . Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm.
5.Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and widthways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base).
6.Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.

Well Daylight savings has well and truly ended and I am happy that the sun will be up at 6:30am and with these cold chilly mornings come cold chilly nights. But there is a bonus to that as well as there is nothing better on a chilly night than something warm and delicious to eat. In saying this I went around to my good friend Michelle’s house and she was cooking up a storm. (Michelle pictured above).

Now most people hate cooking for me it is mainly due to the fact that I am a chef; but honestly I love it. I love the passion when someone cooks for me and above anything else the story behind the meal.

Michelle made me Stuffed Zucchini's which had rice and meat inside and was delicious. The thing I love about eating home cooking is I love where the recipe oringates from and the pleasure it brings to the cook making it. But above all of that I love the taste.

Michelle use white rice and added several herbs tomato paste to a serving of cooking mince meat with onions . Michelle then goes about stuffing each Zucchini with the filling after she had carefully removed the inside from each.

Each juicy zucchini is plugged up with a tomato so the filling doesn't leak out (which I thought was genius) then immersed in a large pot with water and tomato paste and they are ready when the rice is cooked.

Michelle brought me over a bowl and what I loved was the liquid that the zucchini had been cooking in turned into a thickish sort of soup ...absolutely delicious. Thank you Michelle it was absolutely delicious!!!.

(Full recipe to come)

If you follow me on Facebook Laughingchefcookeryschool then you will know I have been wanting Madagascar Vanilla Paste at $36 for a 118ml glass bottle for a while now.

Well on Thursday I went to pick up my sister Natalie from work and she said "I have a pressie for you"! I replied in a high pitch voice , "What is it?"... It turned out my little Sis follows me on facebook (of course) and knew about my love for the Vanilla paste and went out and brought it for me. I am so excited to use this, for those that are not aware Madagascar is one of many forms of the Vanilla Bean Family and when cooking with it you experience the true taste of the Vanilla Bean. Thanks Nat cannot wait to make, Biscotti, Ricotta and Lemon cakes and my favourite Italian Fluffy Meringue.

Also thank you to my beautiful Nephew Addison who is 4 years of age who said "Renee I have a surprise for you"! He then produced this Lego Chef below which I am in love. with .. it is the little things in life that make you smile.

My girlfriend Daniela went to Perth for a weddding last weekend and she took some pics of the scenery and one just reminded me of my childhood as I have a love for Ferris Wheels (and Fairy Floss).

Next blog I will be putting up some Hearty dishes to cook which are super easy as well as some really easy bread recipe (do not fear yeast it is your friend), and a cinnamon and Blueberry scroll recipe.

Have a safe and Happy Easter or Buona Pasqua a Tutti.

When the going gets tough the tough bake a cake.....

2012-03-25T23:45:00.000+11:00

When Christmas and Easter lure their heads I always get emotional thinking about my Nonna(pictured below)mainly due to the fact that she was the one behind all the family get together’s …the Chef!.

Now as Easter is approaching I think of my beautiful Grandmother preparing Easter biscuits, making delicious meals that would hit you right in the face when you entered her home. But above all I remember my “Nonna Palma” always smiling and always being in the kitchen cooking. I didn’t start cooking because of my Nonna as I actually didn’t find out until a couple of years ago that she too was a chef and a lover of all things cooking. But I do definitely keep cooking because of her and whenever I have a “bad” day and question my cookery skills she is always with me guiding me to cook from the heart. So in saying that I wanted to share the below recipe dedicated to my Nonna she would always make Easter Biscuits slightly sweet dough which I couldn’t get enough of as a kid (and I loved the fact that she made every person a biscuit).

Ciaramicola

This bread/ cake is called Ciaramicola and is traditionally baked at Easter. Ciaramicola is a traditional cake from Perugia, Umbria’s capital city. In a past when things were simple, young women made it for their fiancé as a gift for Easter. The cake is highly symbolic: an immaculate meringue hides a red-hot heart( the sponge inside)

Recipe

I make the dough as a cake, not as a sweet bread:

§ 450 gr. ( 4 and 1/2 cups) cake flour
§ 2 whole eggs
§ 2 egg yolks
§ 250 gr sugar
§ 170 gr butter
§ grated zest of one lemon
§ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

§ 3 tablespoon alkermes or dessert wine

§ 4 tablespoon milk

16 gr (4 teaspoons) baking powder

Using a food processor, mix first dry ingredients with butter, then add all liquid ingredients. Transfer in a buttered bundt pan and bake in preheated oven at 180° C until set, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile make the meringue as explained below. Remove from the oven, switch off heat, but keep the oven warm as you will need it to dry the meringue. Remove the cake from the cake mold as soon as it is cool enough to handle.

for the meringue topping:

§ 110 gr. Caster sugar
§ 2 egg whites at room temperature
§ 2 tablespoon lemon juice

To make a classic Italian meringue, combine the ingredients in a metal bowl. Place over a saucepan of gently simmering water and beat with an electric mixer until very thick, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the bowl from heat and beat off the heat until light and fluffy.

Assemble the ciaramicola:
Cover the cake above and around the sides with a thick layer of meringue. Sprinkle with multicolor confetti if you like. Transfer in the warm oven and leave to dry for several hours or until the next day. Enjoy with a glass of sweet wine like Moscato or Vin Santo.

Now with Easter coming up if you are having friends/ family over a great canape to serve are my amazing Corn Fritters. I usually serve them with creme friache(sour cream) and a sprinkling of chopped chives. However I was thinking before I drift off to sleep the other night as I often do and I came up with a "low carb" burger and I have named it after my boxing buddy Daniela as well we have had our fair share of not consuming carbs. But feel free to add a bread bun I just totally love the fact that the corn fritter takes the place ...literally!

"Dani's Corn Fritter Burger ..Low carb"

1 cup Self-Raising Flour

1/2 cup Milk
2 eggs
420g can corn kernels, drained

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

olive oil cooking spray

Avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion etc for assembling burger

Method

Sift flour into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Make a well in the centre.
Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a jug. Add to flour mixture with corn kernels, creamed corn and chives. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold ingredients together until combined (don't overmix).
Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, remove from heat. Spray with oil. Return frying pan to heat. Add heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture, 3 at a time. Use a knife to spread to 8cm (diameter) rounds.
Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface. Turn. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until fritters are firm to the touch. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters. Place onto plates. Top with chives.
Now for the burger slice up an avocado and place on top of a corn fritter . Slice tomato, red onion, grill some bacon, toss in some lettuce. Top with a 2nd corn fritter. Yummm your very own Corn fritter burger.

My sister Eloise got engaged last week so a HUGE congratulation's to Eloise and Daniel !!!
I am already thinking of what I can wear and really what I can make for their bonbonniere :)

Easter is 2 weeks away so I am busy preparing ; I will be making freshly made Hot Cross Buns so stay tuned for super easy recipe. Until I write again keep on cooking and loving life!!!

All you need is love.....& some really great Vanilla extract!

2012-02-27T16:54:00.000+11:00

Ah Valentine's day a day to tell that special person you love them or like me a day of love for everyone. I was actually thinking about Valentine's day all week until that very day it slipped my mind .
So thinking there has to be others in the same prediciment I came up with a really simple and delicious Valentine dessert below. I was also reminded of the day when my gorgeous 2 year old nephew Remy visited me and had painted me a Valentine picture...ahhh love. (Remy's masterpiece below).

"Strawberry love"

Wash strawberries set aside, Chop silvered almonds, Melt dark chocolate.
Dip each strawberry in dark chocolate and then roll into almonds. Leave to set on a tray with greaseproof paper. Arrange on plate and enjoy with Champagne!

However let's back track a little as on February 4th my Neice Amaya turned 1 (pic below). My sister Michelle wanted a lollipop , pretty them for the party which was really great. Michelle had lollipops in vases with jelly beans .

I made cupcakes but not any cupcakes these were Dairy free. To be honest there is this misconception that if it's Dairy free it will taste funny...so I made Rich Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with a smooth Pink "Butter" cream and was determined to win everyone over and it worked.

Dairy free Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 ¾ cups white flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 ½ cups Nuttelex spread or any soy spread
2 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ cup rice or almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup
2 T. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180c . Prepare cupcake tray with patty pans set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer at a high speed setting, cream the shortening with the sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each addition. Add the rice milk, maple syrup and vanilla, beating until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir the dry ingredients into the wet in several additions until just combined.
4. Pour the cake batter into patty pans and bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when you touch them. ( rotating half-way through, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. )Allow cakes to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting

My easy "Butter" cream!!

500 grams - Nuttelex spread non diary
500 grams - Icing sugar
2 tablespooons - Good Quality Vanilla Extract
2 drops of any organic food colouring

Preparation:
In a bowl mix butter with electric mixer add Vanilla Extract until creamy and light in colour.
Add Icing sugar and mix on high till smooth and creamy add colouring and spread on each cooled cupcake.

In several recipes you will see I call for a "Good Quality" Vanilla Extract, it basically means that it is pure Vanilla and not a essence which is a processed form of Vanilla. I am obsessed with a great Quality Vanilla extract.
There are different types of pure vanilla extract. There is Mexican vanilla extract, Bourbon vanilla extract, Indonesian vanilla and Tahitian vanilla.
The Mexican vanilla bean is a thicker and darker bean that has a smooth, strong, rich fragrance and flavor. Some say they are the best. The one problem is that some manufacturers of vanilla products in Mexico add coumarin, which is ba...nned because it can cause liver and kidney damage. So make sure you always buy Mexican vanilla products from a reputable supplier.
Tahitian vanilla beans are the thickest of the three and almost black in color. They are not as flavorful as the other two but are very aromatic, with complex floral aromas, which make them popular in making perfumes.
Vanilla is sold in different forms: extract and essence, pods (beans), powdered, and vanilla sugar.
Get your hands on some wonderfully fragrant Vanilla extract today!! There are some great Australian made Vanilla Extract products one from the "Essential Ingredient" located in Prahran. Go out and experiement with Vanilla Extract and the pods today.

Well Easter is around the corner and I always know that when Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday has passed. So in saying that I am so looking forward to making Fresh Home made Hot cross Buns and my delicious Gingerbread and of course some other yummy treats. I will also be addng some delicious recipes that have all the protein minus the carbohydrate so stay tuned.

Until next time ...Keep cooking !!!

Festive Season came and went so quickly!!!

2012-01-24T22:37:00.000+11:00

Gosh I love Christmas if I could I would leave my decorations up all year...

Ok maybe not all year but I love the colours of Christmas and the feeling of love that everyone (well most people) carry around with them in the Festive Season. I love everywhere you look there is food being prepared, cooked and this year my sister Michelle made the most delicoious Trifle with moist sponge and port wine jelly followed by a creamy custard and lashings of whipped cream. I say Michelle this is now a reoccuring this!! ( Full recipe for Michelle's Magical Trifle next post).

I love love Christmas decorations and if you know me well enough I love making Gingerbread.

This year I took some time out to make Gingerbread with my nephews Addison and Remy (pictured below). It was more of a cutting out and decorating class and boy did they enjoy it.

The thing with the kids cooking is that it teaches them all about how their favourite cookies are made and well bascially let's face it , it's fun. It also gave my two sisters Michelle and Eloise a breather and a chance to have a cuppa. (Addison below centre and Remy below right). Thank you to Eloise for the beautiful cooking lesson photographs.

Summer has been fabulous this year with a warm days rolling into each other I always find it hard to eat something hot in the morning on a warm day so I thought of this Raspberry & Oatmeal Swirl. It is basically oatmeal and raspberries layered in a glass with some delicious organic yoghurt.

Next time you have people over for brunch on a warm day whip some of these up chill in the fridge for about 5 mins and your quests will be asking for more.

Raspberry and Oatmeal Swirls

Ingredients

2 cups frozen raspberries (you can use fresh)
4 teaspoons icing sugar
2 heaping cups Organic Natural Yoghurt
1/2 cup Anzac oatmeal cookie crumbs

Directions
Put the frozen raspberries into a blender with the sugar, and puree. You may have to be patient as they will be difficult to blitz at first since they are extremely hard when frozen.

Arrange glasses on a tray. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the raspberry puree into each glass, top with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt and sprinkle a layer of cookie crumbs on top.

Cover the crumbs with 1 more layer of yogurt, then raspberry puree and finally cookie crumbs again.

These can be prepared the night before, in which case don't sprinkle the final layer of cookie crumbs until you are ready to eat the swirls but leave the glasses with the yogurt on top, covered with glad wrap.

I met and caught up with a lot of amazing people in 2011 and when asked "What do you do"? I always get the same questions in conversations so I thought I would share this with you all.

Question 1: Do you ever get sick of cooking?

Answer : No, I never get sick of cooking. About 7 years ago I left the Hospitality and literally hung up my apron then about 3 years ago my hunger and passion for cooking and everything food related came flooding back. So thankfully for that "time out" I was able to clearly see what I was meant to be doing and that is cooking 24/7. I love it I will cook morning till night !

Question 2: What is your favourite cusine to cook/ eat?

Answer: Well I was trained in French Classical menu planning and dishes so I would say that but I also love simple, fresh delicious meals.

My favourite cusine to eat is a tie with Japanese and Mexican .

Question 3: Has a Chef ever thrown anything at you?

Answer: Yes from a knife to a hot pan you name it ...It gets pretty damn hot in the Kitchen and some Chefs can't handle it so to speak.

Question 4: Who is your favourite Chef?

Answer: Gosh I love this question but seriously there are so many amazing Chefs coming up and around in Melbourne and on a International Level.

For those of you who know me know I will say Adrian Richardson this man is just amazing from training apprentices and his love of food I am so happy I had the chance to work with him in my apprenticeship and so happy he is recognised as a fabulous Chef.

Another Chef I love love at the moment is David Chang founder and owner of Momofuku in New York. This man takes asian cuisine and dining to another leve. I love that he is constantly thinking outside the cookery box.

My sister Eloise brought me "Momofuku Milk bar" cookery book for Christmas; which is the bakery he opened and appointed a female to run the show. Love it!!

There are always things a Chef wants or desires and one of my desires since 1995 was the Kitchen Aid.I met the Red Kitchen Aid in the Kitchens of Winbar 2 in Carlton and used the machine at least 5 times a day. I loved how I could whip up a pudding mix while I was doing 3 other things. It was from this moment I fell in love.But alas at $799 my love didn't last so I would admire from a distance whenever I would pass a cookery shop window.

Then about 2 weeks ago I walked into my dining room and my sister Michelle said "Here Ren this is for you so you finally have one now". She said something else but I lost hearing and all I saw was a white huge box on the table and I said, "Nooooo way". Yes way my family (Steve, Michelle, Eloise, Daniel, Natalie, James, Mum and Dad) all put in to buy me the Limited Edition Blue Kitchen Aid I had been dreaming of for an early Birthday/ Christmas present. Only now it isn't a dream it is all mine....

THANK YOU to the most amazing family !!!

Easter is coming up and boy am I excited I am already writing down lists of what to cook. There will be of course Hot cross buns and Gingerbread cookies and something else delicious. But Australia Day is before and my sister Natalie's birthday is on Oz Day and I am making a Lemon Tart for her birthday and she has requested a map of Australia cake covered in Lemon Buttercream for her party day so I better get cooking.

Until next time ... follow your dreams and heart and keep on cooking!!!

A sponge by any other name would still taste as sweet

2011-07-22T21:18:00.000+10:00

The Victoria sponge cake was named after Queen Victoria, who favoured a slice of the sponge cake with her afternoon tea. It is often referred to simply as sponge cake, though it contains additional fat. A traditional Victoria sponge consists of raspberry jam and whipped double cream or vanilla cream, just jam is referred to as a 'jam sponge' and most certainly not a Victoria sponge. The jam and cream are sandwiched between two sponge cakes; the top of the cake is not iced or decorated.

A typical sponge cake is made by beating the eggs with sugar until they are light and creamy, then carefully sieving and folding in the flour (depending on the recipe, the flour may be mixed with a small amount of baking powder, though some recipes use only the air incorporated into the egg mixture, relying on the denaturing of the egg proteins and the thermal expansion of the air to provide leavening). Sometimes, the yolks are beaten with the sugar first while the whites are beaten separately to a meringue-like foam, to be gently folded in later. The mixture is then poured into the chosen cake tin and baked. Both methods take great care to incorporate air in the beating, whisking and sieving stages. This makes a very light product, but it is easy to lose the air by removing the cake before it has finished in the oven.

There are some tricks to making a sponge however and they are below for you.

) Mix the butter with the eggs thoroughly – they should be pale and fluffy, this could take 5 mins or more, even when using a mixer.
2) Make sure your oven is at the correct temperature, it is important to check your oven with a thermometer to be sure it is at the correct temperature as this can effect the rising of the cake.
3) Use eggs & butter at room temperature
4) Use a metal spoon to fold the sifted flour into the eggs, as this cuts through the mixture better.
5) Don't for whatever reason open the oven door till at least ¾ through the cooking time, as the cold air entering the oven will change the temperature and effect the cake from rising.
7) If the mixture is curdling when you are adding the eggs, add a tablespoon of flour. The cake will still taste just the same, but it may have a slightly denser texture.
8) Be gentle with the cake, using a light but quick hand when beating as this will help keep the bubbles in the cake which means it will rise better in the oven.
9) Leave the cake in its baking pan/tin for about 5 mins when you first take it out of the oven before turning it out onto a wire rack.

Sponge

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/3 cup (50g) cornflour
• 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
• 1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour
• 4 x eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

Method

1. Grease 2 x deep, 20cm round cake tins (or different tins, as directed in individual recipes) and line bases with baking paper. Sift flours and 1/4 tsp salt together three times to aerate.

2. Preheat oven to 180C. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed for 6 minutes, or until mixture is thick, pale and tripled in volume.

3. Gradually sift flour mixture over egg mixture while simultaneously folding in with a large metal spoon until just combined. Divide mixture between prepared tins. To level batter, gently spin tins on kitchen counter. Bake for 20 minutes (or as directed in individual recipes), or until cakes have shrunk away from the sides slightly and spring back when gently touched.

4. Turn out on to baking paper-lined wire racks. Carefully peel away baking paper, then leave to cool.

Stablized Cream (Thick sweet cream)

Ever added thickened cream to a cake and then found once you retrieved it from the fridge the cream had gone runny well fear no more. Stablized cream is delicious and so easy to make it is basically an easy thickened custard mixture with cornflour and then pouring that mixtrure slowly into whipped cream…one word….DIVINE.
Many people have reported that this recipes has saved their lives!

I made a Vanilla Sponge with lashings of thick whipped cream and strawberries for my cousin's fiance, Maria. Maria had trouble trying to locate a bakery in Melbourne that made a Vanilla Sponge cake with Whipped cream and sliced strawberries so I was so wrapt to learn that it reminded her of her childhood and was even more wrapt when I made it for her and she then sent me this picture of her looking "cake happy" on her special day. Happy Birthday Maria !!!

How to make Stablizied Whipped Cream

For 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, use 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of corn flour and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Refrigerate the mixing bowl and (preferably whisk) beater for at least 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan place the powdered sugar and cornflour and gradually stir in 1/4 cup of the cream.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for just a few seconds (until the liquid is thickened).

Scrape into a small bowl and cool completely to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla extract (Now this right here is the quickest custard you have ever tasted).

Beat the remaining 3/4 cup cream just until traces of beater marks begin to show distinctly.

Add the cooled cornflour mixture in a steady stream, beating constantly. Beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.

Then spread on layers of your cooled sponge cake.

PLACES TO CHECK OUT

Andrew McConnell’s first solo venture, Golden Fields, opened in St Kilda in May 2011.

Modern Asian’ may be the take, but it could also simply be termed ‘Andrew McConnell’s food’, as the chef - who is executive chef (and co-owner of Cumulus Inc. and Cutler & Co.) has drawn broadly from Asian cuisines mixed with his own heritage and training to produce a new version of his own fingerprint.

Sea urchin and crisp lardo on flatbread (above); pork dumplings, fat with steamed dough reminiscent of steamed pork buns; a hot buttered roll filled with crayfish and Kewpi mayonnaise lead the way to poached chicken with sesame paste, housemade rice noodles and chilli and beef brisket with wasabi butter and garlic shoots.

Golden Fields
157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
(03) 9525 4488

http://goldenfields.com.au/

Café vue at Heide

Café Vue at Heide offers a diverse range of delicious and affordable meals. Boasting a menu that comprises dishes suited to a casual lunch with friends from the amazing and talented Shannon Bennet (Below on left )who currently owns Vue De Monde.

The menu is diverse and offers a range for adults and children with a “Vue de Monde” twist.

CHEFS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Andrew mcconnell

Andrew McConnell is an artistic chef, the kind who prides the creativity of his craft and the diversity of influences in his culinary environment. Perhaps there’s no better location for him, professionally speaking, than his native Melbourne. McConnell was born and raised in the city and he’s worked his way through some of its many kitchens.

Three, One, Two., his previous restaurant, was named 2007 Best New Restaurant according to both Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine and The Age Good Food Guide. Andrew was honoured as ‘Chef of the Year’ by The Age Good Food Guide 2007. Andrew was awarded ‘Chef of the Year’ for the second time in the 2010 guide.

Andrew was Executive Chef at Circa, the Prince from 2004 to 2008. At the same time, he was Executive Chef and co-owner of Mrs Jones, a bistro on the site of what became Three, One, Two. Andrew’s first independent venture was diningroom 211. He was awarded two hats in The Age Good Food Guide in every year of its operation. Andrew shared the ‘Young Chef of the Year’ prize with his brother Matthew, in 2002.

Andrew McConnell has worked abroad, in Europe and China, feasting his professional curiosity on the grand and varied traditions that inform global cuisine. But throughout his culinary journey, McConnell’s own developing style has exhibited a purity of focus as well as a deft hand at juxtaposing simple elements – the great local products grown and bred on his native land – in powerful ways.

Andrew is currently running Golden fields and owns Cumulus Inc and Cutler and Co.

Shane Delia

Opening his first restaurant MAHA , in February 2008, is a testament to his heritage and passion. Shane has excited diners with his fresh Mediterranean approach to Middle Eastern cuisine.

Shane prides himself on his original culinary style that stems from the eclectic influences that have surrounded him both personally and professionally.
Shane grew up in a large Maltese family where food was more than just a meal, it was a chance for them to gather around a shared meal table and eat with the comfort and history shared by his family.

Shane Delia currently runs and operates Maha Bar and Grill and St Katherines with George Colombaris.

A good friend of mine left Melbourne for Adelaide -- farewell Matt Kelly and his partner Fraser McEachern.
Matt Kelly has set his horizons on opening his new business called Amity Apparel. It is a Online destination for resort and beach wear. When you get a minute check out http://www.amityapparel.com/
I wish you all the best Matt I miss you !!!

Until next time go treat yourself by whipping up a sponge. Next blog will be about making fresh dips such as Avocado and chilli, Smoked Eggplant and lime & Garlic Bean Dip. Oh and there will be a very easy recipe on the popular Pretzel yes "these pretzels are making me thirsty"!!!!

Baby it's cold outside!

2011-07-07T21:50:00.001+10:00

As it is rather chilly these days I have gathered some new and fabulous places to visit this winter.Ok so let's get started.

The first place to go and visit is Geoff Lindsay’s new love “Dandelion”. Geoff Lindsay owned and operated Pearl restaurant and Pearl Cafe in Richmond and its catering business were sold to entrepreneur Chris Lucas in October last year.

Geoff Lindsay took some time out after he sold Pearl to refocus and after six months of hard work and planning has made an inspired return with the much-anticipated opening of Dandelion in Ormond Road Elwood.

Geoff Lindsay is the man behind one of Melbourne's finest and was named Chef of the Year 2005 by "The Age Good Food Guide".

Dandelion showcases Vietnamese Cuisine.. A rich and diverse cuisine that exhibits a wonderfully intoxicating combination of the raw and the cooked, the hot and the cold, the sweet and sour. Light, fresh and healthy, dishes to be savoured and dishes to be shared

http://dandelion.ws/

Sizzling coconut pancake with crab and BBQ pork and bean sprouts (below)

Now the next palce to venture to see and gasp at has to be “Burch and Purchese” located in South Yarra.

You may have seen the amazing desert that was recreated on Masterchef last season.(below right ) Unbelievable stuff!

The Studio is a multi sensory retail space specialising in sweet creations perfect for spontaneous indulgent moments through to that very special dessert extravaganza.

Formally from the UK, pastry chef co-owners Burch & Purchese (below ) have built a reputation worldwide for their dessert wizardry; they fuse science with sweetness to create an exciting array of delicious tastes and textures.

Walking into Sweet Studio is unlike anywhere else you've been, a place where you can always expect the unexpected. You may find edible bubbles, a chocolate flower garden, a half chocolate and half jam spread, exaggerated raspberries or rich smoked chocolate, not to mention a magnificent selection of seasonal individual desserts or larger cakes all designed to take home for that special night in.

B&P’s signature cakes are things to behold. No, these ain’t your normal sponge cake with cream . Expect the likes of a raspberry, lychee, white chocolate and Champagne cake, or maybe a chocolate, mandarin and Murray River salted caramel creation, featuring high-reaching ingredients like St Clements marmalade and aerated chocolate shortbread.

Burch & Purchese is less of a store and more like “Heston Blumenthal” meets the sweets paradise in the Willy Wonka movies… so hold your breath, make a wish, and count to three....................come with me or go and see this place for yourself.

Where: 647 Chapel St, South Yarra

Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6.30pm

Phone: (03) 9827 7060 (03) 9827 7060

Details: burchandpurchese.com.au

PLACES OPENING SOON

* Melbourne Chef Philippa Sibley, who has a new book and a new gig to celebrate. Sibley will join two veterans of the hospitality industry, Stuart Brookshaw and Ruth Giffney, at a new Brunswick venture later this year as executive chef. Although best known as a desserts specialist (the subject of her forthcoming book, PS Desserts), Sibley will be across all aspects of food at Albert St Food & Wine when it opens in November. I cannot wait for this one. (You may be familiar with Phillipa’s cookies, bisects and breads).
The Brunswick venture will be a bar, restaurant, cafe and produce store.

* Rumi's (Lygon street Brunswick) Joseph Abboud (below) had a cult following for his Lebanese pizzas at next-door bar The Alderman.

Soon you'll be able to find them again at his new Thornbury pizzeria, “The Moor's Head”, in a warehouse behind High Street. YAY!

The Moor's Head (named for the head of the arak still) will have a simple menu of pizza, salads and antipasti.

Traditionally eaten as a breakfast or lunch snack in the Middle East, they will be bumped up in size. Aboud hopes to open in a couple of months.

GET TO KNOW THIS CHEF!

Philippa Sibley

She has been described as ‘legendary’ and a ‘pastry maestro’. Fittingly, Philippa Sibley has earned a reputation as one of the country’s finest dessert and pastry chefs.

Although Philippa’s passion for pastry emerged early on, it was during a stint in England and France that her fate was sealed. Having secured positions at the renowned Le Gavroche, Est, Quaglino’s and Harvey’s in London, Philippa was then appointed Chef de Partie at France’s three-starred La Cote Saint Jacques restaurant.

After arriving back on Australian soil in 1996, it wasn’t long before Philippa had opened the acclaimed est est est restaurant in Melbourne. Luxe followed in 1998, before Philippa moved to Ondine in 2001.

All three restaurants collected three hats in The Age Good Food Guide, and est est est and Ondine the coveted Best New Restaurant award. It was for her work at Ondine that earnt Philippa The Age Good Food Guide Chef of the Year Award 2004.

Philippa was appointed Head Pastry Chef at Circa, The Prince, in 2005. In 2009, after three years impressing critics and Circa patrons alike, Philippa took the reins at Bistro Guillaume, where her creations were described as ‘timeless things of beauty’.

Check out her website now …. http://www.philippasibley.com/

RECIPE TIME

As the winter chill is definitely setting in how about whipping up a Croque Monsieur one night ..it is Easy, delicious so much fancier than a toasted sandwich. This is dedicated to my girlfriend Lara.

A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese (gruyere cheese ) grilled sandwich. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés.

Croque Monsieur Ham and Cheese Sandwich Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• A pinch each of salt, freshly ground pepper, nutmeg, or more to taste
• 4 slices Gruyère or swiss cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed)
• 2 slices of French or Italian loaf bread
• 4 slices of champagne ham, sliced
• Dijon mustard

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 200 c.

2 Make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.

3 Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor you can spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want.

4 Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices.

5 Spoon on the béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Place on tray .Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the griller and grill for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame. :)

A BIG Happy Birthday to my nephew Addison who turned 4 on the 20th June. Addison asked me if I could make his cake.(I recall his mother asking me). Addison wanted a Batman cake.

Next blog is all Scones, some recipe's about all that is sponge, knowing the art of making great pastry cream and all things afternoon tea .

Until next time get in the kitchen and cook !!!

Tools of the Trade.

2011-05-06T21:45:00.063+10:00

Easter came and went ...how quick was that.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and got your year full of chocolate in. I recieved 2 huge Milk chocolate Lindt bunnines ..so as a true fan to the chocolate I had to eat it. But to be honest I only ate the ears which are the best as they are so thick...yum. However I found a "Humpty Dumpty" Chocolate egg (below ) you can judge by the photo what happened to it.

Other than the chocolate I inspired some people to "bake" their own hot cross buns which was fantastic. One lady said to me "Yeast always scares me, as soon as I read 'yeast' and 'prove' in a recipe I don't bother". So with an easy recipe from me she made the yummiest Hot cross buns. Well Done !

I even make these buns with diffrent spices and add chocolate, currants and cranberries and have these for a winter treat. Check out the full recipe on the Laughing Chef facebook page -If you are not a member just go the Laughingchef page in Facebook and "like" it to view recipes -

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=574142573&ref=ts#!/topic.php?uid=114932292338&topic=15058

So as promised I advised I would be writing about Cookery Knives...Now before I start there are so many knives to choose from ..brands, price,size, and the type of knife you are after. I will set out a few brands I have come across and the knives that MUST be in your kitchen.

The first brand I would recommend is GLOBAL knives.
Compared to conventional European knives such as J. A. Henckels or Wusthof, Global knives are made from a significantly harder alloy of steel and are ground to a narrower angle. This produces an extremely sharp knife which keeps its edge longer and allows for more accurate work, but takes longer to sharpen when it becomes dull. Because of this, the manufacturer recommends using whetstones and ceramic sharpening rods as opposed to the European sharpening steel. In addition, Global knives are renowned for their surprisingly light weight and even balance, a trait achieved by hollowing out the handle during production.

The next brand is WÜSTHOF Trident , precision forged knives are goods of only the highest quality. Painstakingly manufactured these knives are pure fun to work with and will turn even the preparation of a dish into a culinary pleasure.

Each one of the WÜSTHOF knife series has a different ergonomic handle design which offers a comfortable feeling for all different likings.

My very first knife was a Mundial Knife however after using a Trident Cooks knife I didn't look back. I went out and purchased my own 26 cm Cooks knife; which I used for all food preparation and used every day as a Chef. I purchased the Trident Cooks knife when I was a 2nd year apprenticeship and didn't look back. This cooks knife travelled throughout my cookery apprenticehship and I still have it today (my baby).

Some of the knives that I believe MUST be in your kitchen to make your cookery tasks easier are below.

* Cooks Knife - Used for all food prepartion * Pairing Knife- A paring knife has a short blade (2 to 4 inches) and a tip that can be either straight or that curves up to the point. This knife is good for peeling apples and other fruits or vegetables, mincing small items like shallots and garlic, or trimming herbs and scallions .

* Boning Knife - A boning knife is a type of kitchen knife with a sharp point and narrow blade. It is used in food preparation for removing the bones of poultry, meat, and fish.

* Bread Knife - Serrated knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it; but can be used for cutting other items that are fragile or to be left in their original form. Such as slicing through tomatoes, meringue, nougat.

Well that's my MUST have knife list for you and you can purchase these knives online or at Cookery speciality stores. I have listed some stores below.

http://www.kingofknives.com/

http://chefshat.shopau.info/catalog/

With Mother's day upon us I hope you are all cooking a treat for the special ladies in your life ...I have thought a special treat would be "Laughing Chefs Lemon Melting Moments ". So easy to make and trust me the mother in your life will adore these melthing in your mouth treats.

LEMON MELTING MOMENTS

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup custard powder
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• filling (see Step 3)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Line base of a baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add yolks and vanilla. Mix well.
2. Sift together custard powder and flours and add to butter mixture. Combine well. Shape tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on tray and lightly flatten with a fork. Bake 12 min, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sandwich together biscuits with a small amount of filling. Dust with icing sugar, to serve.
3. To make filling, place 40g softened butter into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup icing sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest and juice of one whole lemon and mix well, adding extra icing sugar, if needed if mixture is too runny.

HOSPITALITY NEWS

St Katherine's
26 Cotham Road, Kew

Tel +61 (3) 9207 7477 +61 (3) 9207 7477

Shane Delia and George Calombaris are thrilled to be working together on a new restaurant, St Katherine's, which is scheduled to open in Kew in early 2011.

St Katherine's will be a bustling and varied venue; with a mezze and wine bar downstairs, slick cocktail lounge and an upstairs restaurant where Shane and George will come together to share all their favourite family style dishes.

Diners will note that while the cuisine and style differs, the hospitality is the same. Guests are welcomed into our venues with a feeling of warmth and excitement, by knowledgeable staff and will be treated to some of the best food in Melbourne.

St Katherine’s will embrace a contemporary sharing style menu, with a melding of Modern Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cultures and food. Defined by its custom made Turkish grill and a wood fired oven, St Katherine’s guarantees a dining experience that is fresh, healthy and filled with flavoursome and affordable food that leaves you craving more.

Set to open in May 2011, there are front of house and chef positions now available check out SEEK for positions.

BIRTHDAY NEWS

Laughing Chef would like to send a HUGE Happy 1st Birthday to Sofia Cabrera...seems like only yesterday you were born. Happy Birthday gorgeous.

The Mother's day Classic is on again this Sunday for a great cause ... So donate or even better get your shoes on and support a great cause http://mothersdayclassic.com.au/

Next blog I will meeting up with fellow Chef/ foodie lover and owner of 'Toby's Estate' in Brunswick , Richard Pavlov. I will be talking to him about his new venture and all things Middle Eastern. So stay tuned for that.

Until next time.. Happy Mother's Day.... Keep on cooking !

It's getting "Chilli"

2011-03-27T12:38:00.004+11:00

As it is getting cooler and the nights are getting chilly I thought why not share some delicious chilli inspired recipes.
So sit back and get your note book to write notes or even better get an apron on and go and have a chilli cooking night with friends.

My first Chilli recipe is this amazing chilli chutney the great thing about this is you can serve it with a piece of grilled chiclen in a burger or with some pan seared fish or bottle it in cute little jars and give away as gifts….Love that.

Cheeky chilli-pepper chutney

If you want your chutney to last for a while, make sure you have some small sterilized jars .Place your chillies and peppers over a hot barbecue, in a griddle pan or on a tray under a hot grill, turning them now and then until blackened and blistered all over. Carefully lift the hot peppers and chillies into a bowl (the smaller chillies won’t take as long as the peppers so remove them first) and cover tightly with cling film. As they cool down, they’ll cook gently in their own steam. By the time they’re cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to peel the skin off easily.
When you’ve got rid of most of the skin, trimmed off the stalks and scooped out the seeds, you’ll be left with a pile of nice tasty peppers and chillies. Finely chop by hand or put in a food processor and whiz up. Then put to one side.
Ingredients
8-10 fresh red chillies

• 8 ripe red peppers
• olive oil
• 2 medium red onions, peeled and chopped
a sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• a 5cm piece of cinnamon stick
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g brown sugar
150ml balsamic vinegar

MethodHeat a saucepan and pour in a splash of olive oil. Add the onions, rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook very slowly for about 20 minutes or so, until the onions become rich, golden and sticky.

Add the chopped peppers and chillies, the sugar and the vinegar to the onions and keep cooking. When the liquid reduces and you’re left with a lovely thick sticky chutney, season well to taste. Remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves. Either spoon into the sterilized jars and put them in a cool dark place, or keep in the fridge and use right away. In sterilized jars, the chutney should keep for a couple of months.

For a quick and easy recipe that can be served on a platter for a dinner party or even just for one for dinner try this amazing Thai chicken recipe.

Thai-style grilled chicken (Gai yang)

Serves 8
Ingredients

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger (about 20gm)
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander root (about 2)
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped
2 kg small chicken drumsticks
250 ml (1 cup) light soy sauce
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp white sugar

Sweet chilli sauce
80 gm white sugar
50 ml white vinegar
4 long red chillies, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Pound ginger, coriander root, garlic and lemongrass in a mortar and pestle, or process in a small food processor, until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix well to coat chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.

2 For sweet chilli sauce, combine sugar, vinegar and 125ml water in a saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the simmer, add chilli and garlic, cook until syrupy (5-6 minutes). Season to taste with salt, cook for another minute, cool slightly, process in a food processor until smooth. Cool.

3 Preheat a char-grill or barbecue to low heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through (10-15 minutes). Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.

The recipe below does have Tortillas in it and for those ( like myself) that are intersted in making their very own Tortialla please follow the recipe below and I have added a YOU tube clip on the cooking of a Tortilla.

Fried egg, avocado and chilli Tortillas

Ingredients
80 ml (1/3 cup) canola oil
16 eggs
1 quantity tortillas (recipe below)
4 ripe avocados, sliced
1 cup (firmly packed) coriander, coarsely torn
6 spring onions (green part only), finely chopped
8 small red chillies, finely chopped

To serve: hot sauce and quartered limes

Optional: crumbled feta, crushed fried pork rind (chicharrón), crushed peanuts, chopped kimchi(japanese dried plum), slivers of fried chorizo, sautéed prawns, sliced pickled shallot

Method
1 Heat 20ml oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 eggs, fry until cooked to your liking (2-2½ minutes for soft yolk), season to taste, set aside and keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and eggs.

2 Place eggs on tortillas, top with avocado, coriander, spring onion and chilli and enjoy.

How To Make a Tortillas

A really good soft tortilla, any purist will tell you, is made from corn which has been boiled and steeped in a solution of lime (calcium hydroxide, that is, not the citrus) to loosen the skin, washed and then ground to form a dough known as masa.

It’s very much worth making your own, because it’s dead easy, and because there’s a world of difference between a freshly made tortilla and the sort you buy in shops. A fresh tortilla needs only some fried eggs, hot sauce, avocado, spring onion, chilli and lime to make a meal, but also provides the perfect vessel for barbecued seafood, thinly sliced steak, or slow-cooked pork, greens, or whatever else your stomach desires.

The keys to tortilla perfection are getting the consistency of your dough right, then letting it sit, cooking it right and, crucially, letting the tortillas steam, wrapped in a towel, in their own heat at the table.

Tortilla making : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Yx-auWEdM&feature=fvwrel

Tortillas

Serves 16
Cooking Time Prep time 20 mins, cook 15 mins (plus resting)

360 gm (2 cups) masa flour (see note)

Method
1 Place flour in a bowl with a pinch of salt, then add 250ml warm water.

2 Mix with your hands to a soft pliable dough (2 minutes), adding more water or flour if necessary.

3 Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and rest for at least 20 minutes.

4 Divide dough into 16 and roll each piece into a ball.

5 Line a tortilla press (see note) with two squares of baking paper, cut to fit.

6 Working with one ball at a time, press gently but firmly in press to form a thin disc, then set aside on paper.

7 Heat a dry comal or pan over medium-high heat, peel baking paper from tortilla (be careful, it’s fragile) and cook tortilla, turning twice, until lightly browned (30 seconds on each side). Repeat with remaining tortillas.

8 Stack cooked tortillas in a basket lined with a tea towel as you go and rest to steam gently and soften slightly (3 minutes).

Note :Masa flour is available from Asian and other select grocers and The Essential Ingredient located in Prahran Market. Tortilla presses and comal griddles are available online from Monterey Mexican Foods

Something Sweet

Churro pastry is choux pastry without the eggs, with oil in place of butter. When you’re making this type of pastry, there’s a fine line between superb and mediocre.

The difference between the Spanish Churro and the Mexican Churro is that the Mexican Churro are piped with a flat piping nozzle as opposed to the ridge effect and the Mexican churro are usually eaten with a hot chocolate for breakfast.

Either way they both sound great to me.

Churros with Chilli Chocolate

Serves 6
325 gm plain flour
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
For deep-frying: vegetable oil
2 tspns Cayenne Pepper

250 grams Dark Chocolate

For dusting:
caster sugar

Method
1 Sift flour and a pinch of salt into a heatproof bowl.

2 Combine oil and 450ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Pour over flour and beat quickly with a wooden spoon to combine.

3 Transfer mixture to an electric mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until a very smooth dough forms (2-3 minutes). If you do not have an electric mixer mixer works just as well with a wooden spoon but put some muscle into it.

4 Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle and push down to remove any air bubbles in bag. Refrigerate to rest and chill (30 minutes).

5 Heat oil in a deep-fryer or deep-sided frying pan to 180C. Pipe long lengths of mixture (about 15-20cm) into hot oil, creating a swirl, and cut with scissors. Be careful as oil is hot and may spit.

6 Fry churros in batches, turning occasionally with a spider, until golden (3-5 minutes), then remove with a spider and drain on absorbent paper. Toss in a bowl with caster sugar, shaking off excess,.

In a separate bowl melt Dark chocolate and once chococolate is melted add Cayenne pepper and stir till mixed in . Go to a secluded spot in your home and dip each soft warm Churro into the chilli chocolate and devour!!!

Laughing Chef’s Favourite local business’ of the week

Now I have already written about both of these business' before but I cannot stress enough how great they. So when you get a minute go and visit them...

Jackson Dodds
Where:

611 Gilbert Rd, West Preston (at the end of the Gilbert Road tramstop)
When:
Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat-Sun 8am-4pm
Contact:
9471 1900

My favoiurite place this week is Jackson Dodds. Jackson Dodds is the new venture from "Small Block" alumni Cameron Willis and his wife Jackie. Initially anxious there would be no demand in West Preston for the kind of café that serves organic OJ and dukkah eggs, the pair have found the locals keen. Cameron makes a mean soy Chai Latte.
Go and check out Jackson Dodds...the Ricotta Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Bacon are to "die for", )pic below)

Pope Joan Cafe
Where:

79 Nicholson St, East Brunswick
When:
Daily 7am-4pm
Contact:
9388 8858

I love Pope Joan is it the fact that you know the food is going to be great or even the coffee for that matter or is because of the cute porcelain items on every table. Whatever your reason for visiting Pope Joan Ben Foster and former Circa chef Matt Wilkinson won't judge you. The menu at Pope Joan uses whatever fresh produce and is reasonable priced. Right now that involves doing all sorts of delicious things with eggs and makes a creamy just right Latte.
An array of sweets including "Chocolate Brownie with berry compote" and "Mandarin and Poppyseed Cake" (pic below).
I was advised the Menu and specials can and will change depending on what is in season..gotta love that.

Next blog will be about knives and what to buy and what are essentially the best...and EASTER stuff... Until then keep on Cooking !!!

Chef Super Star !!

2011-03-07T22:23:00.001+11:00

To be a an amazing chef these days is somewhat of a “super star” and after doing that apprenticeship so it should be. I have had the opportunity to met and work with some of the most talented and amazing chefs the others I admire I have admired from a distance.

I met Adrian Richardson (left) in 1997 when I was a 3rd year apprentice chef and he came into the kitchen as my Head Chef Emm Millar went to a trip to Paris to learn about bread. As an apprentice I pretty much did what I was told and kept my work area clean. The day Adrian arrived I remember he always had a smile on his face and went on a tour with my Head Chef. I worked mainly dinner shifts with Adrian and what I can remember is that he has the ability to “not stress” , there was an incident where the restaurant had a full house and a waiter said to him ‘how long Chef” Adrian replied “Give them a couple of magazine’ and he chuckled. I absolutely loved that as it gave me the ability to cook and not stress out even more than I was, but to take pride in what I was doing.

Adrian gave me full responsibility on creating a dessert (which is the best moment as an apprentice) so I created the Passionfruit Mousse from the Christine Mansfield cookbook. It was a passionfruit jelly on the bottom and creamy passionfruit mousse on top and then the end result was turning it out so the jelly was on top like a dome. However my jelly didn’t set and Adrian walked over to inspect he said “Ohhh what happened it didn’t work” he then proceeded to taste my mousse and he said “Now that tastes great just keep them in the glasses and serve them like that”. This experience made me realise how great a chef he was how he saw the good in the bad really and that he was constantly on your side .

Adrian Richardson then went went on to open La Luna Bistro in Rathdowne street Carlton and I went several times to say hello and breakfast was a favourite with the girls (Lara,Daniela, Nadia & Uyen). I continued to rave about the palce to everyone how great the food was the service and more importantly the chef.
Since the opening Adrian has redecorated La Luna and has shared his passion for meat through his acclaimed book "MEAT" (below left) published by Hardie Grant which was nominated for the best designed cookbook at the Australian Publishers Assoc Design Awards for 2008 and was included in Melbourne's Herald Sun "Best Books of 2008" feature. MEAT was given a face-lift and re-released in September 2009 and Adrian's second book is due out March 2011.

Adrian Richardson is in his element at the moment, after 11 successful years of owning and operating his Award Winning La Luna Bistro, a new book launched in late 2008, co-hosting the hit series “Boys Weekend”, which now airs in over 100 countries worldwide, and finishing his first solo TV series “Secret Meat Business”, he is having the time of his life. Adrian also appeared in a Guest Chef Challenge and Finale episodes of the extraordinarily successful series “Master Chef Australia”. In addition to Adrian's other TV credits, he is also a regular guest on Channel Ten's “9am with David & Kim” and was a regular Chef on Ten's hit TV series “Ready Steady Cook”, for the first three seasons. In 2006 he appeared alongside Tobie Puttock in “Jamie's Kitchen Australia”. Adrian's restaurant La Luna Bistro, even received a personal endorsement from Jamie Oliver himself in front of a live audience of 6000 people, in Melbourne during Jamie's live tour (Sept 2006). Adrian can now be seen on “Good Chef Bad Chef” channel 10.

This is one Chef that deserves the “super star” label and so much more!!! Good on you Adrian!

Go check out La Luna amazing food and the crème Brulee as my brother in law would say “is the best”. http://www.lalunabistro.com.au/

Adriano Zumbo is hitting the “super star” level with his new tv series on ABC ; pastries and desserts that are out of this world. This country boy’s first taste of the sweet life was raiding the lollies and cake mix from his parent’s Coonamble supermarket. In his pursuit of mastering the art of pastry, he has trained and worked both in Australia and France with Australian culinary greats such as Neil Perry and international heavyweights Ramon Morato and Pierre Herme.

Inspired by the world around him, his desserts tell a story or take on the personality of their namesakes. Whether it’s Lukas Rides the Tube or Escape From a Columbian Rainforest, Adriano’s fertile mind, exceptional skill and natural curiosity for unlikely ingredients are his biggest assets.

Master patissier Adriano Zumbo, maestro of the macaron and guest star on Ten’s Masterchef, has landed his own SBS series, Zumbo, which began on the 10th February 2011 at 7.30pm.

Check out adrianozumbo.com

Another chef that deserves a mention is Christine Mansfield, Christine pretty much opended up the door to paramount cooking. I remember buying Christine’s dessert cookbook called “Desserts” and I was obsessed with it, still am. You may have seen Christine's vast array of pesto, Harissa, and other delicious products.

Christine is a highly regarded Australian chef, author, food writer, food manufacturer, presenter, teacher and gastronomic traveller whose culinary work draws on the exciting tastes and flavours of many cultures, whose passion and commitment to culinary excellence are world renowned.

Since closing the celebrated Paramount Restaurant in Sydney in December 2000, Christine has continued to expand her knowledge and expertise, regularly travelling internationally as a culinary ambassador for Australia’s gastronomy.

Christine relocated to London in October 2003 to open East @ West in Covent Garden to instant critical acclaim. It was awarded Best New Restaurant by the 2004 London Tatler Restaurant Guide plus the Catey’s Award for Best UK Menu 2004. It closed in early 2005 when the property was sold by the owners. Christine returned to Sydney and opened Universal Restaurant in August 2007 to an enthusiastic audience and instant critical acclaim.

To date she has published five acclaimed and award-winning books with Penguin Books Australia: Stir, Spice, Christine Manfield Originals and Christine Manfield Desserts preceded her most recent book Fire – A World of Flavour released in October 2008. She is currently researching and completing her sixth book.

For more information on Christine Mansfield check out http://www.christinemanfield.com/

I need to shout out a massive THANK YOU to Emm Millar who was my Head Chef at Wine Bar 2 (Walters Wine bar) in Carlton . Thank you for being the amazing chef that you were and still are …a workaholic she was called, but to me she was my Head Chef who would tell you if something was not good and then show you how to fix it, would have me in tears of laughter at 12pm after a split shift (9 am– 11pm). Emm thank you for absorbing me into the cookery world and leading me along the way… I will always remember making the 36 egg yolk crème patisserie (custard ) in the hot kitchen and the roasted ducks and so much more French cooking. THANK YOU Emm !!!

Ok so as promised here is my version of the ever so delicious bread and Butter pudding . Now someone said to me “Renee I hate sultanas” …Don’t worry leave them out or add diced apricots, or cranberries. Cooking is all about imagination and really comes down to what you like so explore…

Bread and butter pudding

Serves 6

Cooking Time Prep time 10 mins, cook 40 mins (plus standing)

85 gm (½ cup) sultanas (or diced apricot, cranberries or currants)
5 eggs
2 tbsp Brandy ( optional)
300 ml pouring cream
300 ml milk
55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 orange, finely grated rind only (optional)
1 vanilla bean, seeds only
½ tsp ground cinnamon
8 1.5cm-thick slices of day-old white bread
60 gm soft butter, plus extra for greasing
1 tbsp demerara sugar
To serve: icing sugar and vanilla ice-cream or cream

Method:
1 Combine sultanas and brandy in a small bowl and set aside to cool.

2 Combine eggs, cream, milk, caster sugar, orange rind, vanilla seeds and cinnamon in a jug. Whisk vigorously to combine and set aside.

3 Spread both sides of bread slices with butter and halve lengthways. Scatter one third of the brandied sultanas into a lightly greased 1-litre capacity ovenproof dish. Trim bread slices to fit dish and layer, scattering remaining brandied sultanas between each layer. Pour cream mixture evenly over bread slices and stand until bread has completely absorbed cream mixture (about 1 hour).

4 Preheat oven to 180C. Scatter demerara sugar over pudding and bake until golden and custard is firm (30-40 minutes). Serve immediately or at room temperature, lightly dusted with icing sugar, and with fresh berries. Yummm!!

Now if you didn’t know it is Pancake Tuesday and I am the Pancake Chef tomorrow night in my household. Pancake or Shrove Tuesday is the day in which the wives would use up all their ingreidents in preparation for Lent which leads to Easter . It’s a great excuse to have a night of pancakes.Pancakes are the perfect vehicle for all manner of accompaniments. It could be as simple as a drizzle of honey and some sliced banana, or a dollop of yoghurt, a handful of berries and a glug of maple syrup – the real deal please, this is no time for substitutes. Or you could use the maple syrup as a poaching medium for wedges of perfectly firm, ripe pear . As the pears cook, they become fragrantly, lusciously glazed. You can do the pears ahead of time if you like and gently warm them in a pan just before serving. A simple spiced ricotta offsets the sticky sweetness.

Pancakes

Serves 6

Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 30 mins

180 gm butter, coarsely chopped
450 ml buttermilk
3 eggs, separated
300 gm (2 cups) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method:
1 Melt 60gm butter in a small saucepan over low heat, cool slightly, then combine in a large bowl with buttermilk and egg yolks and whisk until smooth.

2 Sift over flour, bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp fine salt, mix until smooth and combined (do not overwork).

3 Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt in a separate large bowl until firm peaks form (2-3 minutes), then fold into flour mixture.

4 Melt 10gm butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat, add ¼-cupfuls of pancake batter, allowing room for it to spread. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and edges are golden (1-2 minutes).

5 Turn with a wide spatula and cook until pancake is firm and base is golden (1-2 minutes), transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven. Wipe pan with absorbent paper between batches and repeat with remaining butter and batter.

Next blog I will be discussing yeasty baked goods as well as my very own recipe for the “Healthy chocolate cake” and some savoury dishes too.

LAUGHING CHEF is loving ....

Local Business of the week to look out for is called Coco Moloko it is a childrens label based in Melbourne and managed by the talented Nadia Neil. If you get a chance click on the link below and have a look at the beautiful hand made clothing or even better support a local business and buy Australian & hand made clothing.

http://cocomoloko.com.au/

Until next time keep on laughing and get into that Kitchen and start exploring.

Aloha Time

2011-02-22T00:11:00.061+11:00

“I saw you in my dreams
We were walking hand in hand
On a white, sandy beach of Hawaii
We were playing in the sun
We were having so much fun
On a white, sandy beach of Hawaii”…… This song from Israel Kamakawiwo'ole reminds me of the beautiful Island of Hawaii.

I went to Hawaii for the 3rd time last year in October and what an amazing time I had. Yes there are palm trees, the sweet smell of frangipani trees down the streets and the ever so touristy “ Hawaii” merchandise. But as it was my 3rd trip to Hawaii I felt laid back and saw a different Hawaii . I saw some really beautiful sites and tasted some amazing meals and I wanted to share it with you all.

Hawaii to me is just magical in the day time you can be mesmerised by the turquoise waters at Hanuama Bay(pic below ) ,(magnificent bay that was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park in 1967). It was on this day that I let my fears escape me and with goggles in hand swam to meet the fishies of the sea an absolute must for keen divers or lovers of marine life.

Night time in Hawaii is just as beautiful with the the warm night air carrying the sweet smell of frangipani flowers down the main street. It was on this night that (and many other nights) that my friends and I ate out. I realised that burgers and fries were popular of course but salads were huge...I mean literally huge but Yum!

One of my favourite meals was at the “Cheesecake Factory” I know weird name for a place that sells absolutely everything and yes it does sell cheesecake’s too. I ordered the “Santa Fe” (above) salad with crispy wonton shells and it was amazing you can tell from the photo. It had ice berg lettuce, tomatoes, cashew nuts, corn and a bean salad in there as well and finished with shredded carrot and as you can see the wonton sqauares layered the salad in 3s. Yummm.

I noticed on the cheesecake factory menu is the low calorie meals or healthy planned meals as well as appropriately labelled cakes. Now don’t get me wrong I could of easily gone for a strawberry cheesescake with marinated strawberries and thick cream but instead my friends and I shared a low calorie cheesecake(pic below) and it wasn’t too bad at all.

Check out http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/.

The next favourite snack I will call it ,was at a cute little bakery called “Panya bakery” located in Kakaako centre. Panya Bakery has two locations one at the amazing Ala Moana Centre which seats 45 people and the other is where I visited.

Panya bakery sells delicious pastries, bread rolls and cute little biscuts packaged.

On this particular warm morning my girlfriend and I were waiting anxiously for 8:30am to arrive so we could eat ……and we did eat. We both brought 2 cheese puffs similar to bread with melted cheese on top (below left) and then we both bit into a cream cheese doughnut (below right)….this was divine and I remember thinking I want another one. You must check this bakery out whne you visit Hawaii ..it’s open for breakfast and lunch.
http://panyabakery.com/

Gosh there were so many deliciously amazing restaurants if you looked for them and on the ocean front you knew you were in for a good meal.

I had heard about the restaurant Ocean House on my recent trips to Hawaii and knew it was a 5 star menu and place. My girlfriends and I discussed where to eat and as the place next door was advising us to "grill our own chicken", and that it would be fun .....we decided that didn’t sound fun at all and moved into Ocean House. Oh my goodness this restaurant was amazing from the staff’s impeccable service to the layout of the restaurant ( ocean view frontage), white table clothes with wooden fans spinning over head , to the beautifully laid out menu.

I ordered the Grilled chicken breast with porcini mushroom sauce and Maui mashed potatoes and I pretty much licked the plate clean..so unlady like but I couldn’t help it and my girlfriend Daniela ordered the seafood plate which looked divine.

Dessert is always my favourite and when I am ordering I always offer and say,“you can have some of mine” however I ordered the bread and butter pudding with a Vanilla bean ice cream (pic below) and when the plate was placed in front of me and the spoon full of sweet custard goodness was in my mouth …there was no sharing taking place.

In between the meals I ordered a Pina Colada which is my favourite drink and then for the main dish I thought something light so I ordered a Mai Tai ..and you be the judge from the photo below I was quite happy.

Check out http://oceanhousewaikiki.com

Nearing the end of my trip I remember walking back to the Hotel and did a double take at a stunning picture in a shop window I instantly thought “I want that” and went inside.

The shop is called “ Green Room” (pic below) is an international establishment committed to the celebration of Hawaiian surf culture and lifestyle through collaborations with artists and a series of community centered cultural events. Established in Japan in 2005, Greenroom has gained considerable momentum since its humble beginning as a small group of enthusiasts looking to share their love of surf. In three short years, it has flourished into a thriving organization that includes art galleries and boutiques featuring surf inspired artwork and Asia’s largest surf culture festival attracting forty thousand people to Tokyo annually.

I remember walking in that night and spotting the print I saw it was of two Hawaiian ladies (pic is at top of blog)and it was just beautiful. The shop owner advised you can buy the original which was out of my budget for that trip but I am definitely buying one soon so I opted for two amazing prints one was of the Hawaiian Girls.

I was ecstatic with my purchases as I had been looking to buy something that when I looked at it, it would remind me of Hawaii and how special qualites of Hawaii and these prints did evoke that feeling for me . I then saw a signature on the print and it read “Kat Reeder” so when I arrived home I looked up Kat Reeder and was delighted to see her pictures they really bring a smile to your face.

Kat Reeder is an illustrator and designer living on Oahu’s western shore. Her artistic sensibilities are deeply rooted in her Latin-American heritage. Her use of color and texture are directly influenced by her love of the Hawaiian islands as you can tell when you view her work.Kat Reeder’s work is characterized by striking retro-inspired visuals that combine conversational drawing, photography and digital media. Her themes range from Hawaiian to vibrant coquettes bursting with light and color. Kat draw inspiration from commercial art and packing from 70s and 80s.

Kat Reeder’s work is simply beautiful check out her web page you can order online and I know I will be, as the Hawaiin Girls original print as well as several others will be mine.

Thank you Kat Reeder for your amazing, beautiful artwork which not only sends me back to the shores of Hawaii but puts a smile on my face. Mahalo.

Check out www.greenroomhawaii.com and www.katreeder.com is a must see.

Now to end my Hawaiian adventure I will leave you this …Now everyone has seen the movie "BIG",right??? You know where the young boy goes to the Zoltar machine and wishes he was Big. Well on my last night in Hawaii I saw the machine (except it was called Swami, pic below ) but it was the same thing you put a coin in and made your wish and then out came out a card.

I made my wish and I wished to come back to Hawaii very soon and stay longer and the card popped out and it read “your wish is granted”. :) Woo Hoo

Next blog I will have the best low calorie cookie recipes and my version of the quickest and yummiest Bread and Butter pudding as well as amazing Chefs to read about.

Until next time Keep laughing and baking !!

Do you want your house to smell like a Bakery?

2010-09-17T23:52:00.000+10:00

Doesn't everything seem better after you smell a freshly baked yeasty bun that has been retrieved from the oven? Well it does for me .
I love the smell that the house starts to accomodate this yeast, sweet aroma...ohhh goodness.!! (Note the pic on the left is not meant to represent me I just love the artist, I mean how cute...plus cupcakes don't move...do they?)
I also love experimenting and strongly recommend you do the same when you are in the kitchen. With a recipe for a blueberry sticky bun I then tweeked it a bit and made Milk chocolate and Currant sticky buns...Aren't currants the coolest I totally think that sultana's are overated and that currants are getting the back seat, try them in this recipe delish.
Now it was 11pm when I got my baked yeasty goods out of the oven and I couldn't stop smelling them, sweet cinnamon.....yeast..... yum!
I am working tomorrow at 8:30am and I just might take some in for Anna and Michelle to smell and devour.
I mean I could of accomplished several things tonight I could have watched Collingwood thrash Geelong (my mum is one happy camper) , or I could of straightened my hair for work tomorrow (yes I have "fool curl" it is half curl half straight very deceiving) or I could have vacumed. So many lovely options but I always choose baking yeasty sweet treats when I have the chance.
Especially seeing the weather is not really spring like so have a ponder over the recipes below I thought you would enjoy making; if not for your mates and family then for yourself...to smell ...admire and turn your house into sweet bakery heaven ....oh and then eat them of course!!! Yum!

The below recipe is without a doubt ....easy...please do not let the writing in the recipe put you off. It basically is making dough...setting it aside to let it rise(prove)...then making the sugary filling.. ( yum!!! )and then spreading the filling with blueberries rolling it all up ..cutting it and popping it in a muffin tin.The beauty with this recipe is that you can pop it all ready to go in a muffin tin and then put in the fridge ready to bake off for breakfast ( or if you sleep in on Sundays like me, brunch).

Blueberry Sticky Buns (Scrolls)

Ingredients
Dough
2 tsp dry yeast
4 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 x egg room temperature
2 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature

Filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I use frozen they are amazing)
Method
Filling
1. Combine butter, sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon. Spoon a tablespoonful of filling into bottom of each cup of a greased 12-cup muffin tin
Dough
1. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, dissolve yeast in water and allow to sit for 5 minutes. (If you don’t have a mixer a bowl and spoon is fine)
2. Add milk, egg and sugar and blend. Add flour, salt and nutmeg and mix for 1 minute to combine. Add butter and cream cheese and knead for 5 minutes on medium speed.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rest 1 hour in a draught-free place.
4. Preheat oven to 180c

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle 1/2- inch thick. Spread remaining filling over the dough(the other filling put a teaspoon into each muffin hole in a greased muffin tray), sprinkle with blueberries and roll up lengthwise. Slice dough into 12 equal portions and arrange them in muffin tin.

6. Allow to rise for 1/2 hour. Bake 30 minutes, and turn out onto a plate while still warm and EAT!!!

Next yeasty goodness is Milk chocolate and Currant Buns, now if you really don't like currants well just leave them out but go on give them a go!

Milk Chocolate & Currant Buns of Goodness

Ingredients

4 cups plain flour
4 teaspoons dried yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice or cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups currants
1 1/2 cups of milk chocolate buttons
40g butter
300ml milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Glaze

1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, mixed spice, salt and currants in a large bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add milk. Heat for 1 minute, or until lukewarm. Add warm milk mixture and eggs to currant mixture. Use a flat-bladed knife to mix until dough almost comes together. Use clean hands to finish mixing to form a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Place into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until dough doubles in size.

Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper or rub vegetable oil over it. Punch dough down to its original size and add chocolate and currants to dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide into 12 even portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place balls onto lined tray, about 1cm apart. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes, or until buns double in size. Preheat oven to 190°C.

Make glaze: Place water and sugar into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Brush warm glaze over warm buns. Serve warm or at room temperature or with a cuppa or when ever you want a delicious treat !!

Ok next time it will be about chocolate the best of course Callebaut chocolate and ganache and tempering I am getting excited !!! .. I am off to make a cuppa and have a bun or two .....

Happy Cooking !!!

Cook Like a Chef -- Order up!

2010-09-12T23:08:00.003+10:00

I know I am writing again after a month.... Oops. I recently got a Casual job just for the weekends so I can afford to purchase the ingredients to keep on cooking and I have no more excuses excpet to say I will no longer make promises . I will however promise to write you with passion and deliver a fantastic blog piece every time that will make you want to grab an apron and cook away. Deal? Deal!!

So in saying that I have been meaning to write a menu for you to conjure up and show off to your loved ones. But after speaking to several foodie lovers I thought not only can I produce an amazing interchangeable menu that each recipe can be adapted and changed to suit you. But I thought about adding the “Laughing Chef Gotta Know” stuff which is basically easy to follow recipes that you and other foodie lovers have come up to me or emailed me asking me “how to make”. So read on and once your done have a try whipping up something, cooking shouldn’t be a chore it should be a treat and something fun. So instead of cooking something you are told to do or don’t know what you are even cooking why not cook something you acutally want to cook.

For example my sister Michelle went to Noosa Queensland with her partner Steve and they ordered Eggs Benedict (poached eggs on muffin with ham and hollandaise sauce) at Aroma Café in Hasting Street. Now this was Michelle’s first time in meeting Hollandaise sauce and Eggs Benedict and ever since Michelle goes on and on about Hollandaise Sauce and how great it is…. But do you guys know how easy it is to whip it up to then dollop on your freshly poached eggs. It is easy trust me please. So for your next brunch event why not invite your mates over or family and impress them with Poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce….. (Directions to poach an egg are below as well). Michelle I hope you make this for Steve.

Hollandaise Sauce

3 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tbs water
175g unsalted butter, cut into 1.5cm cubes, at room temperature
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
Salt

Place a heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan that is quarter-filled with water. The bowl should fit snugly into the pan without touching the water (lift the bowl to check and remove some water if it does).

** It is important that the water is barely simmering while making the sauce - if it is too hot, the egg yolks will cook too much and the sauce will curdle.

Place the egg yolks and the 2 tbs water in the heatproof bowl and place over the pan. Use a whisk to whisk the mixture constantly for 3 minutes or until it is thick and pale, has doubled in volume and a ribbon trail forms when the whisk is lifted.

Add the butter little bits at a time whisking constantly and adding bits of butter when the previous one is incorporated completely. (It should take about 10 minutes to add it all.) If butter is added too quickly, it won't mix easily with the egg yolks or the sauce may lose volume. At the same time, it is important that the butter is at room temperature and added a cube at a time, so that it doesn't take too long to be incorporated - if the sauce cooks for too long, it can curdle.

The sauce will begin to thin when you start adding the butter. However, once the emulsion is established (all butter has been added) it will begin to thicken again. It will continue to thicken as the remaining butter is added.

Remove the bowl from the pan .The cooked sauce should have the consistency of very lightly whisked thickened cream. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over poached eggs.

Note: Now splitting your Hollandaise can happen trust me I had an order for 25 plates whilst working as a chef at the Windsor Hotel and we cooked our hollandaise on the spot and my Hollandaise split as the flame was too high and well I basically cooked it for too long. However a beautiful Sous Chef walked past and told me to add hot water and whisk… Guess what it works.So if your hollandaise splits you will see it splits as it look grainy…add 2 -3 tablespoons of boiling hot water and whisk.

Poached eggs a la Renee style

Free Range Eggs- Room temperature
Water
White wine Vinegar

Working with 1 egg at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl . Fill a wide saucepan with water until half full. Add vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium - water should be just simmering, with small bubbles rising from the base of pan and small ripples across the top of the water.

Using a wooden spoon or whisk, stir simmering water in one direction to create a whirlpool (this will help to give your poached eggs a neat shape).

Get a bowl of cold water ready for when the poached eggs are cooked.
Slide egg from bowl into centre of whirlpool, as close to water as possible. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a semi-soft yolk or 3-4 minutes for a firm-set yolk, without stirring.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer egg to a bowl of cold water (this stops the cooking process). Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. During and between cooking eggs, use slotted spoon to skim any foam from water surface. Repeat with remaining eggs. To reheat eggs, bring a clean pan of water to the boil then remove from heat. Add eggs. Stand, covered, for 1 minute. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Serve eggs on bagel or for Eggs Benedict toast muffin or thick slices of toast, Ham and poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce garnish with chopped chives and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes
Tips for perfect poaching: Adding vinegar or lemon juice to the water when poaching helps eggwhites to set quickly, keeping them attached to the yolks; Eggs purchased from the supermarket generally have a 4-week shelf life - look for those with the furthest away use-by date; Bring eggs to room temperature before poaching as cold eggs will lower the temperature of the water.

Another recipe must know is Mayonnaise so many people are purchasing Kraft full of addvitives mayonnaise why when you can make your very own delicious mayonnaise and you can add your own flavours by adding garlic, basil, chilli ..yum!!

Laughing Chefs Famous Mayonnaise

4 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
400 mls Olive oil
white pepper and salt to season

1. Place egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of Vinegar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Process until mixture just starts to thicken. (If you don’t have a food processor fear not you can use a bowl and whisk away!!!)

2. With the processor motor running, add oil mixture in a thin, steady stream, scraping bowl with a spatula occasionally, until mixture is thick and creamy. Add remaining Vinegar .Season with white pepper . Process to combine.

3. Transfer mayonnaise to a small, airtight container. Place plastic wrap on the mayonnaise surface to prevent a skin forming. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

• For garlic Aoli , add 1 to 2 crushed garlic cloves with egg yolks in step 1 of basic mayonnaise. Add in crunchy baguettes or use as a dressing for potato salad.

The next must know is something I always used to make when I was an apprentice chef and now I know why. It tastes amazing and you make tasty delicious savoury treats with it. The recipe is Caramelised onions perfect in a puff pastry in a fetta and olive tart or delicious as a garnish in salads or atop of chicken and fish for your main course. Actually my sister Michelle made a great point she was asking me how to make this and then she said “sometimes you get a recipe and it doesn’t make sense as it is not in beginners language”.

Michelle got me thinking there are so many levels there are the people that can cook but just go by the book and don’t embellish the recipe , people that do not know how to cook and literally go by the recipe and don’t taste the food or season and people that can cook but do it as a chore or the people that can cook but start out great and then rush their cooking process to get finished . I am here to tell you it’s ok as long as you follow a recipe and yeah you might fail but the difference between the people that can cook and those that cannot is the ones that can cook keep cooking the dishes they get wrong until they are right…. So get slicing and cooking have fun.

Caramelised onions.

2 tbs olive oil
3 large brown onions, sliced
2 tbs brown sugar
1-2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Salt and Black pepper to season.

Heat oil in a large frypan over low heat. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and cook very slowly for 15-20 minutes,( you add salt as salt brings the moisture out of the onions and helps them soften) stirring occasionally to prevent them from catching. Don't be tempted to turn the heat up, as you don't want the onions to burn.

When onions are softened and tinged golden, add sugar and balsamic - this will start the caramelisation process. Cook onion over LOW heat for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sticky and caramelised. Use immediately, or store in the fridge, in a sterilised jar or plastic container, and use when required.

Laughing Chef tip for Caramelised Onions

• Cut a small round out of good quality puff Pastry (Careme Pastry) then make a an indent with a smaller circle inside of the circle with a knife (don’t cut through the pastry). Then top with the caramelised onions olive and pop into a 180c oven for 10 – 15 mins until they have puffed up.

• Crumble fresh fetta cheese over each once they out of the oven and drizzle with olive oil and eat (pic below) ….Yum!!!

My local business of the week to promote is called “Aquariam Bakery Café” located 382 High St
Northcote.
One thing that is a bit different is the open plan design that has incorporated a walk-through to a Rare vinyl /Book/ CD/DVD supplier and take my word for it, there are some very interesting bits to be added to your collection.

Aquarium Bakery café kitchen is run by Head Chef Richard Pavlov and it is a refreshing change to find poached eggs cooked to perfection and delicious sandwiches with fresh ingredients and yummy toasties as well as fresh bread on display …amazing coffee as well.

The Aquarium also offers all your usual menu favourites with an early breakfast available and light lunches to satisfy the fussiest of eaters. If you just want to spoil yourself with a morning tea the deli case is brimming with freshly baked loaves of bread to mouth watering cakes, biscuits and muffins - you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice. The staff are friendly and with great facilities for the bubba - you’ll be making the Aquarium Bakery Cafe one of your favourite local places to visit.

Laughing Chef Kitchen Must Haves !!!

“Breaking the piggy bank” – Limoges Tea cups $139.95 each

Now for those of you that know me personally you know I love my tea. I love winding up after a busy day with a cup of hot tea and what better way in one of these gorgeous tea cups.. I have my eye on the blue and the green but hey I can take them all.

Limoges porcelain is created exclusively in Limoges, France from porcelain paste made with a subtle mixture of kaolin, feldspath and quartz. The range includes Teapots, Cups and Saucers, Mugs, Creamers, Sugar Bowls, Bread and Butter Plates, Deep Bowls, Egg Cups, Butter Dish and Heart shapes Gift Box in beautiful colours including: Parma, Ice Blue, Rose Petal, Pastel Yellow, Pastel Grey, Pastel Green, Old Rose and Ivory.

"Gotta get" -- Olive Wood Board 29 x 14cm - $39.95

I prefer wood chopping boards any day over plastic and the awful glass chopping boards…if you have one don’t worry I won’t tell…just throw it out and buy an Olive Wood board now.

Traditionally olive wood pieces were produced using only the centre 30% of the tree. Berard uses a greater portion which provides not only an ecological advantage but also ensures a stronger piece at a more reasonable price , each with beautiful unique grains. No two pieces are exactly alike.
Contrary to some belief microbiologists have determined through tests* on a variety of tree species that wood is infact more hygienic than plastic. They have discovered that bacteria such as salmonella and listeria will perish in under three minutes on wood but still survive on plastic.

For next time I will be coming up with some more Laughing Chefs must knows and must haves in the kitchen and checking out some groovy cafes and meeting the chefs to discuss the passion that goes on the kitchen.

Until Next time .....Happy Cooking !!!

Photo taken from "itsallaboutthephotos.blogspot.com.

Le quatorze juillet - Happy Bastille Day

2010-07-28T00:26:00.003+10:00

Bastille Day is the French national holiday which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale (The National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July.

When I was a chef in the hospitality industry there was always a set menu for Bastille day and everyone was always excited about it . French treats, dishes and bread were prepared for the long weekly feast. Some of the food we would prepare would be apricot filled brioche, orange crepes, croissants and a menu fit with matching wines from the Bordeaux region.( Bakery in Paris below)

I would like to share some tasty french treats with you that will take you half the time to do and will taste just as good. So get your aprons on.

The first French treat is called “Pain au chocolat “ or “Chocolate croissants”. Now don’t get worried these are simple to make and as soon as you pop these into your oven,your kitchen will transform into a gastronomic French day dream and your visitors will be so impressed.

Ok so normally you would make your own puff pastry which isn’t hard to do it is just extremely time consuming as you roll out dough and add squares of room temperature butter, fold the dough roll and repeat the process (see below). The rolling and process creates the multiple layers of puff but if you are keen on making your own Puff Pastry , that’s great !!!

However for those that are under time restrictions then by all means buy a packet of ready made Puff Pastry. Ok yes I know you are probably thinking “is that ok”… and the reason it is ok is because the Puff Pastry I am referring you all to purchase is called “Carême Pastry ” . This is the best pastry by far and is amazing to bake with .Carême Pastry is owned and operated by William and Claire Wood. Carême Pastry is located in Tanunda in the Barossa Valley South Australia.

Careme Pastry established in 2005 with a clear vision - to provide a range of the finest, hand- crafted pastry products made using traditional methods from natural ingredients, free from additives, preservatives and colourings. Unlike commercial manufacturers they do not use stabilizers, relaxants or any other additives commonly used in mass production. Their products are genuinely hand-made in order to maintain the highest quality.

Carême is named in recognition of the great Master Chef and Pâtissier, Antonin Carême (1783-1833), an orphan of the French revolution and self-educated he became the most celebrated chef of his time. Revered for his skill and ingenuity he likened the art of pastry to that of architecture and the Pâtissier to a master builder. His legacy can be found in the finest European pâtisseries and in the Carême range of traditional pastry.

I strongly urge you all to go out and buy a packet the Puff pastry is divine as well as the vanilla bean sweet shortcrust pastry in a 435gram packet please see website below.

http://www.caremepastry.com/

Pain Au Chocolat – Chocolate Croissants

Ingredients
1 packet ready rolled butter puff pastry( I use Careme puff pastry )
100-gram dark chocolate - (use good quality chocolate eg: Plasitowe Nestle, Callebaut)
1 egg beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Unfurl the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 6 squares.
Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles (they will appear quite small). Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.
Break off small pieces of chocolate (approx.1cm/half inch) to place about 2cm/3/4-inch up from the wide end nearest you.(see pic below).

Then carefully roll from that chocolate loaded end towards the point of the triangle.
You should now have something resembling a straight croissant, seal it slightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.
Place the chocolate croissants on a lined baking tray and paint with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy and exuberantly, if miniature, croissant-like. (See pic below)

A really quick French treat which will have people begging you to make more is called "French Chocolate Bark", smooth dark chcolate with apricots, nuts and cranberries. The reason it is called French Bark is because in Paris the French scatter the fruit and nuts over the choclate rather than mixing it in.

Renee's Really Easy French Chocolate Bark

250 gram good quality dark chocolate -
Apricots - chopped
Cashews - salted for that amazing contrast with sweet and salty
Dried Cranberries- can use currants also or sultanas

Melt Chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water, stir till it melts.
Lay greaseproof paper on a tray and spread chocolate in a rectangle shape with a spatula and then scatter fruits and nuts all over chocolate.
Set it aside and let it harden and once you are able to touch it (about 2 hours) cut it up and pass this treat around. Perfect for having with coffee after dessert.

Another really easy French treat to make is a Puff Pastry Fruit Galette. This is very french and usually eaten in the morning with a coffee in Paris.

French Fruit Galette

These galettes work with a variety of fruit, you could also use peaches, apples, pears or nectarines.

375g carême butter puff pastry
½ kilo apricots or ½ kilo cherries (fresh cherries can be substituted for good quality pitted morello cherries)
400g quark style cheese (if you cannot find quark then use cottage cheese)
pulp from half a vanilla bean
50g (or to taste) castor sugar
zest half lemon
1egg beaten
3 tbsp apricot jam for glazing

Directions
1. Pre heat oven to 200ºC.
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Unroll pastry (do not attempt whilst still frozen this will cause the pastry to crack). Lightly flour the pastry and work surface. Gently roll out the pastry to give you approx an extra 4cm all round or to around 2mm thick.
3. Using a 10cm pastry cutter, cut out 8 discs and place on the baking tray, place this in the refrigerator while you prepare the topping.
4. Mix the cheese, vanilla bean pulp, castor sugar, lemon zest and egg together.
5. Prepare the fruit: halve and remove the stone from apricots, if large cut into quarters. Remove pip from cherries if using fresh.
6. Remove pastry from fridge and top each disc with 2 teaspoons of the gruth mixture leaving a 1cm border. Top each disc with either 5 pieces of apricot or approx. 5 – 8 cherries depending on size.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 200ºC, reduce temperature to 170ºC and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
8. While the pastries are baking warm through the apricot jam either on the stove or in the microwave. If the jam is chunky pass through a sieve.
9. Remove pastries from the oven and glaze the fruit and pastry with apricot jam whilst still warm.(Galette pic below).

Fruit galettes can be served warm or cold, to re heat place in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes at 160ºC.

Now as this blog is all about all things French, I wanted to include some of my favorite places as well. When you want to swept away by the Eiffel Tower or feel as though you are walking down the “Champs-Elysées “ then have a browse through some of my favorite Frenchy places below.

1. La Parisienne Pates

290 Lygon Street
Carlton VIC 3053

The first Frenchy place you have to visit is called “La Parisienne Pates” it is located in Carlton and as soon as you walk in the door you are jetted off to France. From their amazing meat / deli selections to their French mustards, jams and chocolate you just cannot walk out this store without buying something. For 10 years it was a small shop hidden down a laneway. With a new home, this French delicatessen is turning heads, Parisienne style. In Carlton's La Parisienne Pates restaurant, Australia’s only charcuterie, the smallgoods made by Stephane Langlois are sheer delight. There are game pies made from duck with rosemary jus, rabbit and prune, and venison with mushrooms.

My favourite items was Dijon mustard (below right ) in a gorgeous tin and fruity French lollipops for $1

2. Le Petit Gateau
458 Little Collins St
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9944 8893

Le Petit Gâteau’s irresistible cakes and tarts are very indulgent and especially designed to impress the most discerning cake lover.. Conveniently located in the heart of the Melbourne CBD at 458 Little Collins Street at the rear of the stylish RACV Club, ideal for catering for inner-city businesses.

This is the place to go to impress or just to sit and have a coffee and indulgle in one of Pierrick Boyer’s many French inspired pastry creations.

Le Petit Gateau’s Head Pastry Chef, Pierrick Boyer (below), has a wealth of international experience, gained in many of the world’s most prestigious venues, and has worked alongside some of the most internationally renowned chefs including Alain Ducasse, Christophe Michalak, Pierre Marcolini and Stephane Leroux.(Amazing Pastry chefs).

Pierrick has received many awards for his outstanding creations and now you can waltz in down to Le Petiti Gateau and see just all of these mouth watering desserts.

The most popular cake sold at Le Petit Gateau is called the Brownie cake pictured below left and with the arrival of Bastille Day Pierrick and his Pastry team worked wonders and produced these babies on the right , "Blue, White & Red macaron Parisien, filled with vanilla butter cream and home made soft raspberry jam"...yum!
Check out http://www.lepetitgateau.com.au/

Ok so now I am heading towards the French restaurant scene where you and your loved one (mon ami) or your friends and family can go and indulge in a fancy French restaurant and you don’t even need to leave Melbourne.

Aux Batifolles - French Brasserie
400 Nicholson St
Fitzroy North 3068 VIC

Batifoler means 'to romp or to lark about; to flirt'- appropriate descriptors of this cheerful suburban bistro. Quality, well-priced Gallic classics are prepared and served by an all-French staff, encouraging diners to pull out their dodgy high school French in order to completely capture the French experience. The dishes have a predominantly hearty provincial flavour, with occasional Mediterranean notes from France's southern neighbours , Head Chef is Chef: Stephane Pettier among the other amazing Kitchen staff.

So when you are next in North Fitzroy check out this delightful French foodie delight.

Website: http://www.auxbatifolles.com.au/

Libertine Dining
500 Victoria St, North Melbourne, VIC 3051

Libertine is owned and run by Nick Creswick and Zoë Ladyman, a young couple dedicated to their craft of providing not only a superb meal, but an indulgent service experience. They love classic and traditional French cuisine (pic of dessert below left) and remain steadfast in their intentions to bring back an old-fashioned style of respectful and responsive service. Libertine proudly supports produce suppliers that are quality driven and strive to use the best game, seafood and vegetables available each season. The wines on offer in the restaurant form a small eclectic collection from around the world, always of exceptional quality at every price point, catering for those just starting their exploration of wine, as well as those wanting a very special or rare bottle.

Libertine opened September 2005 with immediate success and acclaim from both local diners and the press. The restaurant was renovated to open the first floor dining room October 2006.

Check out Libertine Dining experience at http://www.libertinedining.com.au/ and have a listen to the “oh so Frenchy” music .

Now before we end out French journey I wanted to let you all in on a love that I have had since I was a 2nd year apprentice. The love is my love for the “Roux Brothers” and their amazing, brillant pastry work.

The Roux Brothers are legends in the Patissere world and The name is a culinary legend. Michel with his older brother Albert arrived in England in 1971 to open the original Le Gavroche Restaurant in Lower Sloane Street. The address was imprinted immediately onto the gourmets and gourmands across the country. By 1972 when they opened The Waterside Inn, they had another 3 restaurants in London, each a landmark in a city not then known for fine dining. Between them they have trained over 800 young chefs many of whom are now also legendary. Since 1984 the Roux Scholarship is undoubtedly considered the ultimate British competition for chefs.

If you are like me and are remotely passionate about cooking/ pastry and bread making etc then you must get a copy of “The Roux Brothers on Patissere” ..outstanding book and every recipe is spot on and will lead you to a perfect dish.

For more information on “The Roux Fmaily” check out http://www.waterside-inn.co.uk/

As promised here is my local business for the week ,one local business that I am loving and hope that you all try and venture out is called “Pope Joan café” in East Brunswick. I am loving the fact that around the corner from my sisters house there is a groovy café that serves amazing meals ..simple but delicious.

Pope Joan cafe is a new venture between Ben Foster (long-serving general manager of North Carlton's Kent Hotel and husband of The Age restaurant critic Larissa Dubecki) and Matthew Wilkinson (executive chef of Circa, the Prince).
Located at 77 – 79 Nicholson street East Brunswick , Pope Joan finally opened it’s doors on the 2nd of July 2010 by owners Ben Foster and Matt Wilkinson. Pope Joan is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week and hope to be opening for dinner mid week soon. A small selection of local beverages of the alcoholic variety are now also available.

'We are hoping to achieve a fresh and eclectic take on a modern cafe. The premises will (hopefully) be licensed and seat around 60 people. Matt's approach to the food will be about making the most of whats on offer, produce driven and certainly drawing on his British heritage and Circa experience. The aim is to create a cafe which is relaxed yet service oriented with a unique take on your standard cafe fare. We'll try to use sustainable, seasonal food sourced locally, with a small Victorian wine and beer list.” Ben Foster”.

So go for a Sunday stroll and get a bite and support your local business, check out http://www.popejoan.com.au/

Next blog I will be devising a 3 course restaurant quality menu for you all to try and it will be so simple you will be rushing to put your aprons on.

Until next time…………Happy Cooking or "Bon Apetit" !!!!

Supporting Local Business Owners !!!

2010-07-12T23:38:00.000+10:00

Since starting Laughing Chef ..(technically it was started last December with the launch of the Laughing Chef Christmas treats), I have been on the look out for business owners. I have found myself walking into local Organic stores and chatting to the owners about where and how they started, I always leave feeling like I am part of a club now the “small business owners club” and it is a great feeling.

So in saying that I have listed some amazing business' and each blog I will include some more local business’ to look out for.

The first business I came across mainly because it is where I received my Remedial massages from and was referred by a friend is called Synergy massage located in Reservoir Victoria. Owned and Operated by Melanie Creek , this is one business lady that deserves to be known.

Melanie is a master at her craft and knows exactly what she is doing and offers all clients a professional and warm yet friendly manner.

I remember the first time I went to get a Remedial Massage and met Melanie and wasn’t sure how good the massage was going to be ( I was a sceptic and still hadn’t had a great remedial massage that made me ohh with “you got the spot”) . However one hour of Melanie working her magic on my back and I can seriously say I have never looked back !!. You can really tell Melanie absolutely loves what she does and this shows as sometimes she can be booked out for weeks so get in quick.

Synergy massage offer therapies, treatments and classes for the mind, body, soul and skin, clients have all of their health and beauty needs met under one roof in a quiet and tranquil setting. Synergy Massage is dedicated to providing all clients with a high standard of professional service, ethics and quality treatment.

Open 4 Days. Closed Sunday, Monday & Tuesday .

Do yourself a favour and get pampered or better yet get a voucher for a friend they will seriously love you for it.

Click on the link to read more about the product and services offered -http://www.synergymbss.com.au/

The next local business I came across is called Elgaar Farm Dairy. I actually came across this last November as I was desperately looking for Milk in a glass bottle. (Remember the days when the horse and carriage would clop around delivering milk …ooops showing my age ).

Established in 1986, Elgaar Farm are now recognised as one of Australia’s foremost organic dairy companies.

Situated in the valleys of Tasmania's fertile north, their care for the earth is all part of our philosophy of supplying the freshest, tastiest and healthiest food available. Elgaar Farm’s range includes fresh organic milk (packaged in returnable glass bottles), natural yoghurt, cream, cheese and butter.

Elgaar Farm firmly believe that organic farming principles not only take care of the environment, but also produce healthier and tastier food. Skills of true natural farming, with no need for artificial inputs of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals are highly valued on Elgaar Farm. Elgaar Farm products are manufactured using only time honoured methods using only the absolute freshest and best ingredients.

The difference with Elgaar Dairies products is that the they include the packaging in the price in the form of a deposit. This means that once you have finished the product, you can simply return the bottle or jar to the place of purchase, and get 20c or 40c cash back! We then wash, sterilise and refill the bottles and jars our customers return. Each bottle and jar averages nine "cycles". Amazing!

Not only do you not pay for something that you would only dispose of, but you end up with a better tasting product, and also help reduce packaging waste.

The deposit for Elgaar Dairies glass containers is 20c for jars and 40c for bottles (milk).

Among the various products one of my favourites is the Elgaar Milk(pic right) which is as fresh and pure as milk can be. Freshly milked every morning, pasteurized, chilled and packaged in glass bottles and hastily sent on its way to you. Elgaar Farm milk is not homogenised, which means that our with full cream milk the cream will rise naturally to the top.

So next time you go to your local supermarket or Organic Store keep an eye out for Elgaar Farm.
http://www.elgaarfarm.com.au

Ok the last business I will talk about before including a delicious recipe for you is called DTU Management . DTU Management and Victoria University have combined to create the International Sport Education Program providing students and athletes from around the world the opportunity to study and experience culture in Australia whilst training under the guidance of internationally acclaimed sports coaches which is called ISEP - International Student Education Program.

I caught up with the man behind it all Daniel Trenton (3rd from left) who won the Silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in Taekwondo, was appointed Taekwondo Head Coach for the 2004 Athens Olympics and is now currently running DTU Management - ISEP with the involvement of Victoria University.

Now being a Red Belt in Taekwondo myself I was intrigued at the business concept and chatted with Daniel Trenton before he jetted off to China for DTU -ISEP business to find out exactly what ISEP was all about.

Daniel advised me that ISEP was about Providing supreme quality, guidance, and support as we offer students and athletes from around the world the best in sport specific education and athletic direction. Students will have a unique opportunity to realise their academic, career and sporting dreams.

ISEP sports specific pathway program caters for Taekwondo students worldwide, including applicants from Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China and many more.

Daniel added that “ Victoria University has expert lecturers and coaches providing the cutting edge of sports education and training for Taekwondo students-athletes. Students will gain access to high performance preparation and coaching in an intensive daily training environment in the lead up to events run by the NSO, University Games and ISEP.”

The comprehensive athletic and education program caters for students from all parts of globe. There have been over 50 Taekwondo students enter the program originating from Korea and Australia with increasing applications from Taiwan, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and Oceania Countries.

Ending our meeting Daniel mentioned that, “The objective of ISEP is to provide access to the high quality courses that specializes in sports education, training and competition. The course develops students to become effective elite international coaches, efficient and organized sports administrators, successful entrepreneurs and elite sports athletes”

So ISEP delivers a balanced program of education within one of Australia’s leading University’s, training in an intensive daily training environment, and competitions amongst world leading athletes in Olympic style Taekwondo, Poomsae(patterns) and Demonstration.

I mean it cannot get any better than dealing with an Olympic athlete’s and the way Daniel Trenton (pic below) speaks highly of the sport, the people it is a given this business is going only up and beyond. Daniel's Taekwondo training methods are proven for success. You can instantly see the passion when Trenton speaks and this is evident as his business is only getting stronger.

For information on DTU- ISEP click on the link below.

http://www.vutaekwondo.com

So you all know that Bastille Day is coming up this Wednesday …I love Bastille day. Actually it reminds me of cooking all day start shift at 8am till 12am and cooking a French feast including pain au chocolat, Brioche, Beef bourguignon and of course the amazing Soufflé.

Next blog I will not only be adding local business’ to check out but it will all about Bastille day and everything French. There will be recipes, French restaurants to check out as well some yummy things I have whipped up!!

So until next time Happy Baking from Laughing Chef !

I will leave you with this recipe it is called a “Tarte au Tantin” I learnt this recipe when I was a 3rd apprentice and loved it then and still do. So easy to make I promise so make it for a pre Bastille day dessert 

TARTE AU TANTIN

Tarte tatin is an absolute classic, created in 1889 at a French hotel run by the sisters Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. This spectacular upside-down tart is rumoured to have been created accidentally by Caroline when she was making an apple pie. Finding that the pan of apples cooking in butter and sugar were beginning to burn, she quickly covered them with pastry and placed the whole thing in the oven. Turning it out once the pasty was cooked, she found to her surprise that the tart was a huge success with the guests. It then became the signature dish of the hotel. Tarte tatin can be made with other fruits such as pears but I love Apple served with Double Crème.

APPLE TARTE TATIN

 1 x quantity puff pastry

 4 eating apples (Granny Smith is very good or Golden Delicious you will need about 6 apples)

 125g caster sugar

 100ml water

 25g butter

 1 egg, beaten

 Whipped cream, ice cream or whipped cream with a little icing sugar and cinnamon or Calvados, to serve

1. Make the pastry and allow to chill.

2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC

3. To prepare the apples, peel them with a peeler to keep them in a nice rounded shape, then cut into quarters. Remove the core from each quarter and set aside. Don’t worry if they go brown, and don’t cover in water or they will be too wet.

4. Place the sugar and water in an ovenproof saucepan (20–22cm/8–81/2in diameter ovenproof saucepan) set over a low-medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil the syrup until it starts to caramelise around the edges - about 5 minutes. Do not stir once it has come to the boil otherwise the syrup will crystallise. Once the syrup starts to turn golden, you may need to swirl the pan slightly to even out the caramelisation.

5. Once the syrup is a golden caramel in colour, add the butter and swirl the pan again to distribute it through the caramel.

6. Remove the pan from the heat, and place the apple quarters in a concentric circle around the outside and any remaining pieces in the centre, keeping in mind that the tart will be flipped over when serving. The apples must completely cover the base of the pan; you may need an extra apple!

7. Place the pan back over a medium heat and cook for 10 minutes to slightly caramelise the apples, while you roll out the pastry.

8. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to a round about 2cm (3/4 in) wider in diameter than the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and place the pastry on top of the almost cooked apples. Using the base of a spoon or a fork, tuck the pastry in around the edges of the apples. Brush the pastry with beaten egg then, using a skewer or fork, prick a few holes in the pastry.

9. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the apples feel cooked when you insert a skewer through the centre.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for just a few minutes before placing a plate on top of the pan and carefully (it is hot!) but quickly flipping it out. Use a plate with a slight lip to catch the delicious juices. Cut into slices to serve. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or whipped cream with a little icing sugar and cinnamon or Calvados mixed in.

New Life and all things Yum!!

2010-06-28T23:27:00.000+10:00

Ok firstly I apologise for the lack of creative writing on my behalf but the excuse is great. Do you want to hear it? Ok well I have been busy catering . YAY! But from now on I will continue to update my cookery blog every week.

Well I guess the last time I was going to write was at Easter and Laughing chef made delicious hot cross buns(below right) my Dad loved them and milk free sugar cookies in the shape of bunnies and gingerbread in the shape of Easter eggs (below left) I had an amazing time cooking up Easter treats and thank you to those that supported Laughing chef .

Throughout Easter I thought about the next phase what else can I write about and it dawned on me great food, just write about great food and new and upcoming chefs on the scene as well as new and exciting cafes, restaurants and foodie haunts .So that is my Laughing Chef misson for you all.

After Easter came the birth of Sofia Elisea Cabrera who is the daughter of my girlfriend Lara and Husband Kent. I have known Lara since Kindergarten (so just a few years ) and can I just say among other things Lara is a great cook growing up in a Italian family running a restaurant in Carlton she was surrounded by fragrant , amazing smells and wonderful dishes . Lara knows her foodie stuff and she also makes an amazing chicken( Recipe to come)
Lara had her 1st daughter named Isabella and God daughter to me and my two other girlfriends (we are called the Fairy god mothers) about 2 years ago and then she gave birth to her 2nd child this year in May. Isabella loves her little siste Sofia ( below left)
I watched Lara as she was in Hospital with her 2nd baby and I was transfixed at how much love she had for her children and husband (below right) and saw how happy she was and is.

I witnessed a miracle one weekend in May as pretty much 3 days after giving birth Lara attended the church ceremony . Lara advised her sister Erica of my cookery business and then I was offered to make the Bonbonniere (see below left ). The ceremony was the wedding of her sister Erica and partner Daivd’s wedding (pic of the beautiful bride and groom below). Yes that’s right make up and all high heels and dress and baby in a blanket my girlfriend Lara held back the hormones and tears for one day and did something so selfless that I am blessed to know you Lara.

You’re an amazing mum Lara and I look forward to many more laughs and stories with you.

Lara’s Delicious Addictive LGGS Chicken
Lemongrass 2 stalks
Garlic 4 crushed
Ginger Grated 1 whole Bulb grated
Sweet Soy – Ketchup manis enough to coat thighs and make marinade
Chicken thighs cleaned

Grate ginger, crush garlic, crush and slice lemongrass, add to bowl .
Add ketchup manis / sweet soy, mix marinade.
Add chicken thighs (thighs are the best to use as they stay tender and juicy).
Marinate for 2 hours or even better overnight in the fridge.
Grill pieces of chicken and serve with salad or just eat the chicken trust me you will not stop.

My sister Eloise and her partner Daniel welcomed a baby in December 09 and named him Remy so this is nephew number 2 for me and my other nephew Addison absolutely loves Remy and holding him (left)

I love Remy (Remy and I right) he is such a great baby and such a happy baby and Eloise is a wonderful mum (below with Remy). Sometimes I look at my sister and think “oh yeah that’s right you are a mum”. It doesn’t change them it just defines them more and their world does change I mean she now has this baby to play with among other things.

Anyway so Remy is now nearly 7 months and I can honestly say I love watching him grow he know can squeal at an high octave similar to Mariah Carey ,and he loves to grab things and shove them in his mouth.

I noticed what an important role food makes in people’s lives and I mean delicious food. When Eloise had Remy she was sleep deprived and I saw smiles from her. I handed her a piece of my Dark chocolate couverture brownie, Dark chocolate and walnut cookie. Or my delicous warm hot cross buns at Easter when the smell of freshly baked yeasty goodness would fill the house. Eloise would pop over with Remy I would make her a “cuppa” and her face went into sheer enjoyment and happiness. This is a huge reason why I cook I love making people happy and I love them enjoying great food that is made from natural local ingredients .

I have seen that sometimes mums get swept away with having a baby and taking care of them they forget how amazing of a mum they are so this is for you Eloise. Remy is a lucky boy to have a wonderful mum like you and a loving Dad like Daniel.

To all the mums who are bombarded with breastfeeding, no sleep and doing washing (as the babies dirty every outfit.) You are amazing!

Ok so I am in love with baking , and anything yeasty and of course chocolate so recently came across a patisserie to watch out for his name is Adriano Zumbo he was on MasterChef for a bit doing a Chocolate mousse cake.

Check out Adriano Zumbo's website http://adrianozumbo.com/ and if you are in Sydney go visit his store. This man is so talented and has studied in France amongst the best in the patisserie world.

Well coming up is Bastille Day on July 14th and in the next blog I will be writing about the most amazing and sought after recipes from the Roux Brothers as well as attempting to make pain au chocolate (chocolate croissants) so stay tuned and until next time go find a recipe and give it a whirl.

Happy baking from Laughing Chef.

Where it all began ?

2010-02-15T00:37:00.000+11:00

So I guess most of you are wondering when my love and passion for cooking came about well I would say the age of 8. I remember standing at my Nonna Palma Ienco's (Nonna means grandmother, pictured below left ) kitchen table and watching her make gnocchi among various other dishes and she would lovingly give me a fork to roll a piece of dough off to produce the lovely gnocchi groove. This never happened it always resulted in a mush of potato dough but she would say "try again ,like this". My Nonna was a Chef and a mighty fine one if I might say so myself. I mean not a day went by when if I opened her front door I would be swept away with the smells of garlic and onions frying with peppers and potatoes...yum!
I really miss my Nonna and think about her all the time but I know in some "John Edward" way (my grandmother passed away on my 16th birthday) that she is always around me telling me to continue my culinary journey so hence why I quit my computer job at Optus last year and opened the once locked hospitality door. I am so happy I did it!

Ok so my Nonna's cooking creations is another blog story entirely; what I was starting off with saying is that I remember loving food and being intrigued by it all at the age of 8 but my mum says it was the age of 3. Yes 3 years old.

The story begins like this, I grew up in a gorgeous Victorian house in North Fitzroy in the late 70's in Melbourne and my parents were having the side wood fence built and I was in the backyard playing I am told with my mum and there was several work men "working". Anyway my mum said she told the work man to watch me for one second as she went inside the next thing she knew Renee had disappeared..... My mum re tells this story saying she was screaming, " I have lost my little girl", as she was pregnant with my younger sister she couldn't exactly do a David Hassellhoff and start running so she sent out a search party as there was a creek near my house and I guess her thoughts went straight there.
She frantically told a friend across the road named Anthony what had happend and he went looking and guess where Renee was? Can you guess?
Renee was at the corner store buying lollies. Yes that's right at the age of 3 i walked across a road,up another street entered the corner shop (as mum said we would walk to the shop every night so i knew how to get there). I looked at the lovely shop owner named Isella and said "Lollies"... and she gave me a bag of lollies. No i didnt have any money but my mum and dad knew the owners and my family was there every night so my mum told me Isella thought we were out the front and I had walked in.

So long story trying to be short they did find me with my bag of lollies and I was quite happy and my mum was so relieved.
But to me that was the day it all started, my day of knowing yeah I love food and i am going to try and get and find it. So the shop owner didn't fade away; no in fact she had a daughter named Daniela who I grew up with and went to school with and sang "New Kids on the Block" songs with,who was my best friend and still is to this day.
I laugh about it now as I can't even remember the day of my escape and my sister Michelle (pictured below right with Addison) sits down at bed time and tells my 2 year old nephew Addison the story of how a little girl walked away from her mummy and went to the corner shop to buy lollies,. She calls the story "Runaway Renee" and how Renee was very naughty. Michelle was telling me how she looked at Addison and said ,"what did you learn from that", he said, "to get lollies" .... My point exactly Addison!!!

I frequently try and visit Isella when I can and I did recently and she taught me the " amazing pea" recipe this recipe is amazing. Now I asked my girlfriend Daniela the other night "what did you have for dinner"? She said , "Chicken and peas"; I thought to myself , uhh yeah that's not enough. But now after having a cooking class with Isella and tasting the amazing pea recipe I get it. It is rich and thick and so delicious and I have made it about 6 times now :) Yum!!! Thank you Isella for the lesson and Daniela for getting me hooked :)

Check out the recipe below and pictures.

Isella's Amazing Peas --
Frozen or fresh peas.. I use frozen x 3 cups
Olive oil
Fennel Stalk
Onion Chopped
Garlic Choped
Roma Tomatoes    x 2 cut into quarters
Water
Salt for seasoning

Method
Chop onion and garlic and add to oil with fennel stalk and pinch of salt (salt    draws out the moisture from the onions so they dont burn and you get an amzing flavour ). Stir well.

Then add the Roma tomatoes and sqaush with the back of the wooden spoon so all the delcious juices come out. Stir until the onions are now a reddish hue and proceed to add the peas and cover with water.(pic below left)
Simmer and stir occasionally you will see when the peas are cooked and have absorbed all the aromatic flavours as they will have decreased in size.
Take off the heat and eat straight from pot or as I do eat it with a char grilled organic chicken breast or piece of grilled garlic and lemon fish . Yummmm!!! Enjoy this home style simple delicious and easy dish.

As most of you will know I am extremely passionate about organic produce and buying locally grown products where I can. Yes it can be a bit more exspensice but with the amount of disgusting chemicals that are being inflicted on our food and meat etc isnt it worth it? I say a huge YES.

So I thought you would be interested in checking what Laughing Chef loves aside from cooking :)

The first shop I love is called Organic Gertrude in Melbourne it has some amaizng organic produce supporting organic producers by stocking an exhaustive range of organic, biodynamic and in-conversion items sourced locally and further a field. and the website is pretty cool I am going to check out the cafe so I will post some pics when I do.

One great thing that Organic Gertrude is introducing a new label to indicate whether an item has been sourced in Victoria. A green label will differentiate local produce from those further afield. You can do your bit to keep food miles down. This is just amazing and I love hearing this !!

Go to http://www.organicgertrude.com.au/

The next thing I love is Belmore Meats , I do not eat red meat and haven't done so in 3 years now. But this is my journey and I believe you do not need to eat red meat to be fit and healthy but hey I am not a red meat hater and in saying that I came acorss Belmore meats at Christmas time as my family is Italian / Australian and they do eat red meat and pork at Christmas time. I wanted to educate them on if you are going to be spending money on meat why not buy organic meat that has not had copious amounts of hormones injected into the meat.

My brother in Law Steve went to Belmore and yes after spending a few hundred dollars on organic pork, lamb and chicken he came home and my family were talking about how it is better and the way to go if you are a meat eater. Everyone loved the meat on Christmas day but I think more importantly everyone loved knowing that the animals were not cruely treated and that the meat was and is certified and chemial free.

Belmore meats are exceptional in quality and flavour.They source from certified Bio-Dynamic farms who employ the strictest standards thus ensuring a chemical free product, whilst advocating environmentally sustainable farming practices. :)

Check out their website and maybe something to think about next time you tuck into your rib eye.

Check out Belmore meats at http://www.belmoremeats.com.au/

Currently I am getting orders ready for Easter, some amazing treats are coming and the packaging is going to be great as well. Laughing Chef is now adding to their orders dairy free and healthy options.The little healthy treats are so delicioous you will think you are being "naughty" but I have have worked out less sugar, soy products which are so much better than dairy for you and NO you cannot taste the soy!! I am also working on some amazing and so scrumptious vegan recipes!!!

So stay tuned for my amazing journey where I will be going to new groovy cafe's in Melbourne for a chit chat with the Chef's and writing about it and my delicious Easter treats and healthly options if anyone would like an order form please email me (Renee) at Laughingchef@bigpond.com and I will send you a form . Keep on laughing :)

I still call Australia home !!

2010-01-17T00:46:00.000+11:00

"I've been to cities that never close down From Athens and Rome to Hawaii Town
But no matter how far
Or how wide I roam
I still call Australia home".
Okay so maybe these aren't the actual words to the famous Peter Allen song but I am going to New York this year but that's another foodie story. :)
But this song prompted me to remember how amazing we have it in Australia as diverse and multicutral as we are Australia really does have it all.
I especially love running into shops that bring back smells and aromas from my overseas european adventures even better I love knowing that it took me only 20 minutes to get re capture that same smell or taste that amazing coffee.
One of my favouirite "makes me smile like a kid on Christmas morning",shops to visit is Essential Ingredient located in Prahan Market. If you are a foodie and a lover of anything associated with food like myself you have to check this shop out.

This has been a love of mine since I was an apprentice chef so I had to share the food love. When you walk in the door you are greeted by a family of several different Balsamic Vinegars you then walk on and make friends with Chocolate brigade. Now this is no ordinary chocolate the chocolate range here is top quality and is what I used when I was a chef.My favoirite is Callebaut Milk chocolate(pictured below left ) Callebaut also make creamy to die for Strawberry chocolate and an amazing "I can't believe it's orange" chocolate. Unbelieveably great coverture chocolate and reuseable containers...Bonus!!!
This shop also has equipment, baking goods and you can even locate organic and australian and local produced products which is something I am so passionate about eg: Maggie Beer's amazing stuff.(Picutred below right.)

Let's not forget the amazing cook books on display and I nearly fainted as my favourite cook book and the pastry book on any great pastry chefs shelf is, "The Roux Brothers" by Albert and Michel Roux( for those that do not know The Roux brothers are God's to the pastry world) it was signed by the author.I kept looking at it in it's sealed jacket and whispered to it "I will be back". (I already have one at home).
So if you have a Saturday free and wondering what to do wake up early and head to the Prahan market and wander around Essential Ingredient and then even get a cafe latte at Rumble cafe just as you walk in.

Before skipping to Essential Ingredient with my two lovely girlfriends Daniela and Nadia we decided to have Brunch at Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder located on Bridge Road in Richmond obviously.
I remember this cafe opened when I was an apprentice chef and we were all advised or should I write told to go by our Head Chefs as it was founded by the great Stephanie Alexander.
One of the many things I love about the Richmond Hill cafe and Larder not only is it close to the city but it houses some of the most amazing locally produced and Australian owned products and ingredients and has an amazing cheese and bread and chutney family. I think all foodies and anyone in general that loves food should go visit this place as it has beautiful fresh ingredients and the menu is update to reflect this. So jump on a tram or go for a walk and check out "Richmond Hill cafe and Larder".
My girlfriends and I an no strangers to breakfast we are regulars when it comes to going out for our poached eggs, so today we all opted for something different and yum.
I ordered the scrambled herb eggs with mushrooms (below left) this was so delicious it tasted like the mushrooms were cooked in a stock or seasoned just enough; nothing worse than food that isn't seasoned.

My girlfriend Nadia got the beans in a clay pot (pictured right) which of course I dug in when she asked "have a taste" ...they were scrumptious, tomatoe with a hint of cumin and cheese ...divine. My other girlfriend Daniela ordered the vegetarian breakfast . Now before I go on any futher my girlfriends know me so well they know I look at everyone's meal before I start my own just so I can see where there chef was at whilst cooking eg: organised and calm when he cooked all these meals as A. No one had burnt toast, B. The eggs are cooked and C. The meals looked appealing .

So the vegetartian breakfast (below left) consisted of pached eggs (they were perfect as they should be slighty hard and then smooth and flowing on the inside, then there was spinach and delcious tomoatoes and of course my best friend the mushrooms beside them.

Now to top of a meal or during I love a good cappucino and I got a creamy,perfecto one and this is just what I needed to compliment my meal .
There are my suggestions; being a chef I can tell crappy food, I can walk past a fish n chip shop and smell reused oil and I know if a poached egg is cooked or not. So check out this places Essential Ingredient which is an amazing resource for Chefs and foodies and then go and have a scrumptious meal or buy a loaf of bread at Richmond Hill cafe and Larder.

Remember to get out and see Melbourne's amazing cafe's and resutarnts and foodie haunts .

I am so looking forward to the Melbourrne food and wine festival coming up -12-23 March 2010 when you get a minute check out the website... http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/

Coming up -- Laughing Chef Valentines treats - truffle making photo's as well as photo's of a delicious cooking class.

Lastly One of the many things I am passionate about is educating people on organic products eg: oils, cheeses, meats fruit and vegetables to name a few ;as well as helping to support Australian products & supporting local business' ; like the song lyrics say, "no matter how wide or how far I roam I still call Australia home'.....

Happy Australia Day from Laughing Chef & Happy 30th Birthday as well to my gorgeous sister Natalie !!!

That was then ( Natalie in pic bottom right)........

That is now!!!