el toro espanol …

hola! como estas? bien, gracias. y usted? (hello! how are you? fine, thanks, and you?)

last month we, tempting palates, decided to feast on all foods spanish. the place? el toro espanol which is located on semaphore road, semaphore – a north western seaside suburb of adelaide.

el toro espanol states that “spanish tapas is at the very heart of the espanol lifestyle and culture.”

and

“tapas really means socialability, friends and family.”

i was a tad excited as i was looking forward to trying their paella. back in 2002 i ate paella for the first time – in barcelona. you can’t get any more authentic than that, hey? anyways, i loved it. it was a mixed paella and it was simply divine.

when you first walk into el toro you immediately notice how small the place is. it’s the size of a small cafe. we discovered later that there was another area at the back.

(photo courtesy of el toro espanal website)

being a party of eight, and based on the staff’s recommendations, we ordered 8 different tapas dishes (including 2 tortilla dishes) and 2 mixed paellas.

salud!

buen apetito!

pulpol al ajillo – chargrilled octopus in a garlic, chilli and paprika sauce >>

chorizos fritos – lightly fried chorizo sauce with paprika and olive oil >>

pork belly – slow cooked pork marinated with sherry, garlic and paprika >>

vegetarian tortilla >>

bbq rare beef – served in olive oil, fresh garlic and parsley >>

pollo al ajillo – tender pan fried chicken pieces in a garlic, chilli and paprika sauce >>

albondigas – meatballs slow cooked in a rich paprika sauce >>

and last, but not least, the mixed paella >>

i found some of the tapas dishes to be really tasty. nice flavours for such simple foods. a few of the tapas dishes had such delicious sauces that we had to dip our bread into them. be rest assured that there was no double dipping involved! el toro claim that they have “the small plates with the big flavour”. with some dishes they certainly do.

the paella. sigh. i was disappointed. it looked great. but there was something missing. it just didn’t do it for me.

p.s. we had a lovely waitress serve us. very friendly. always smiling. however she made the mistake of asking if we wanted the dessert menu. absolutely!

churros – spanish style donuts served with sherry chocolate ganache >>

crema catalana – a classic catalana custard with a toffee sugar crust >>

balsamic strawberries – marinated strawberries in a balsamic reduction with cream and sugar >>

the churros were crunchy and, thankfully, cooked on the inside. the brulee crema catalana was nice. i do like hearing the cracking sound when you break the sugar crust :) the strawberries. what on earth was going on here? can’t describe the flavour. at least i can say i tried them. i’m sure that there will be some people who will enjoy this dessert.

a few in the group tried the cafe bombon – spanish coffee – a coffee with a combination of equal parts espresso and condensed milk. interesting. and pleasing to the eye. can you say that about coffee?

la comida estuvo deliciosa. (that was a very good meal.)

the el toro espanol experience was a cosy casual dining experience.

i would like to go there again. in daylight. just to take better photos ;) no seriously, i would go again – to try the other tapas dishes, enjoy a glass of sangria (or two) and drink the condensed milk cafe bombon ;)

que pase un buen dia! (have a good day!)

“barriga llena, corazon contento” ~ a full belly and a happy heart.

 

gluten free lemonade scones …

a very basic quick mix recipe this week! we can’t be making fancy shmancy picture perfect desserts all the time.

i think the last time i made scones was when i did home economics in high school! and i’m pretty certain i would’ve used more ingredients than what this recipe calls for.

ingredients

3 cups gluten free self raising flour

250ml thickened cream

250ml lemonade

extra gluten free self raising flour
2 tablespoons milk

method
1) preheat oven to 220c.
2) combine all ingredients using a butter knife, cutting through the mixture until just combined.

3) knead dough with palms until smooth, but do not over knead. (the dough was a bit sticky so i added more flour until i got the consistency that i wanted.)

4) use a floured rolling pin and roll out dough until about 2cm thick.
5) dip a round scone cutter in flour and cut out scones.
6) place on baking tray and brush tops with milk.

7) bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

the scones didn’t rise as much as i thought they would but they still tasted delicious. and i would make them again.

two words >> soft. fluffy.

you cannot fail with this recipe. if you do, well then i have no words for you.

the scones are best eaten whilst they’re still warm.

“i was in the lounge, i heard you drowning, i finished my tea and scones and came immediately!” ~ woody allen, ‘scoop’

peanut marshmallow tart …

this little beauty of a recipe popped up on facebook. (anytime i see peanut butter i’m in!) i don’t remember who posted it but the recipe was via taste. it was good timing because the family was getting together for a joint birthday celebration for my mum and sister-in-law. seeing as my other sister-in-law was making the gluten free birthday cake so i decided to make the ‘normal’ (ha!) cake.

ingredients
250g packet choc ripple biscuits
125g butter, melted
32 vanilla marshmallows (1/2 x 250g packet marshmallows)
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
300ml thickened cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

method
1) place biscuits in a food processor.

2) process until finely chopped.

3) add butter and process until just combined.
4) press into base and side of a 3cm deep 23cm (base) loose-based round fluted flan tin. refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

5) place marshmallows, milk and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. [ yes, a few rogue pink marshmallows found their way into the recipe ;) ]

6) cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until melted and smooth.

7) transfer to a bowl. stand for 5 minutes to cool.
8) using an electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.
9) add 1/4 cream to marshmallow mixture. stir to combine. fold through remaining cream.

10) spoon mixture into prepared case.

11) sprinkle with peanuts.

12) refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until set.

13) serve.

this tart was very easy to make! when there’s no baking involved of course it is! it is very sweet and a tad rich. delicious …

crunchy chocolate base + smooth peanut filling = winner!

“no heartbreak has grieved me as much to discover the calorie content of my peanut butter.” ~ coco j ginger

anzac day 2013 …

april 25 – anzac day – australia’s most important national day. anzac day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by australian and new zealand forces during the first world war. it marks the anniversary of the landing of troops from australia and new zealand on the gallipoli peninsula, turkey, in ww1 on april 25, 1915.

it is our day of national remembrance and it is on this day that we remember the fallen soldiers (along with the sacrifices they made) and those that are currently serving.

this morning i attended the dawn service at the salisbury rsl (returned and services league) memorial. it was pleasing to see so many – young and old – pay their respects. as always, the service took an emotional turn when the ode of remembrance was recited and the last post was played.

“they shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
at the going down of the sun and in the morning
we will remember them.”

[taken from the poem 'for the fallen' ~ laurence binyon (1869–1943)]

* photos taken mid-morning after the conclusion of the service *

the salisbury war memorial commemorates all australians who have served in wars, conflicts and peace operations since the boer war.

i met a woman at the memorial who was wearing, rather proudly, her father’s medals and her husband’s medals.

and she had her own medals – she was a junior in the air force. she mentioned that her friend couldn’t come along because she would have gotten very emotional.

during the dawn service there were many wreaths laid.

one was on behalf of my old high school, thomas more college -

and another on behalf of my mum’s primary school, st augustine’s parish school -

“it was on this day that australia’s identity was forged. it is the anzac spirit that shows us not who we intrinsically are, but who we want to be.”

*photo source unknown

lest we forget …

upside down pineapple polenta cakes …

last thursday night i needed a quick and easy recipe (isn’t that always the case!) to make some sweets for my mum’s quilting class which she was teaching the next morning. knowing that she wouldn’t have the time i volunteered to make something for her.

using the same book that i used for the last recipe (gluten free choc rough nut slices) i saw a recipe for upside down pineapple polenta cakes. or rather i saw the photo. perfect!

what the recipe says > “polenta is the key ingredient in these little cakes, giving it a grainy texture that contrasts beautifully with the moist pineapple topping.”

a word of warning – read the recipe fully before you begin! silly me made the mistake of not doing that.

little did i know that part of the recipe called for 3-4 hours refrigeration time (or even overnight refrigeration if you had the time to do that) before going to the next part of the recipe. i won’t tell you what time i started the recipe and what time i finished. it’s not like i could have done the second part of the recipe the next morning because i had to go to work. let that be a lesson to me! i guess i got seduced by the photo in the book.

ingredients

150g low-fat gluten free vanilla yoghurt
80g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 cup polenta *
65g fine rice flour
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional) ** (i didn’t have any)
1 cup tinned crushed pineapple, drained

* polenta – coarsely ground yellow corn meal and is a staple of northern italy.

** xanthan gum – functions similarly to gelatin in recipes with regards to stabilizing suspensions, but it is completely vegan and great for cooking and baking for persons with food allergies and restrictions, especially for those who are omitting dairy, eggs and soy from their diet.

method
1) combine the yoghurt, butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until well combined.

2) add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.
3) stir in the polenta, mixing well to ensure it is well combined. cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.

4) preheat the oven to 180c and grease a 12-hole standard muffin tin.
5) whisk the flour, coconut, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum (if using) in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
6) add half the dry ingredients to the polenta mixture and beat with electric beaters on low speed until well combined. add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
7) place 1 tablespoon of pineapple in each muffin hole, then spoon in the batter until two thirds full.

8) bake for 18-20 minutes or until firm to touch. (a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean).

9) cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

10) serve pineapple side up.

i have to say that this was a hit with everyone. the cakes were light, very moist with an unusual texture (thanks to the polenta) and had the right amount of sweetness. wonderful delicious mini treats.

“pineapple juice doesn’t come in a can – it comes in a hard, spiky shell called a pineapple.” ~ jarod kintz

the abyssinian …

last month the tempting palates group ventured out to 126 henley beach road at torrensville (2km west of the adelaide cbd) to wine and dine ethiopian style at a restaurant called abyssinian.

ethiopian cuisine is all about breads, stews, grains and spices. and not using utensils.

because it was a friday night and i was observing lent in the lead up to easter (which means no meat on fridays) i chose the seafood dish – marinara tibs – a mix of mussels, cuttlefish, squid, clams and shrimp sauteed in five spices. i love seafood so i had no complaints about the dish. the bonus was the bread. injera bread. a sourdough type flat bread. whilst a few in the group didn’t like the taste of the injera bread i actually liked it.

injera bread is part of every meal. the bread serves as a ‘scoop’ for the food. you break off pieces of the injera bread and use it to scoop up the mains. yep, you are encouraged to eat with your hands. an interesting experience to say the least.

one of the others in the group was on a gluten free eating plan so she chose not to partake in the banquet and had a lamb dish. she was able to have the bread as the injera bread is made from teff flour which is a gluten free flour.

the rest of the group decided to share the dishes and had a mix of meat and vegetable dishes.

one thing i do have to say about abyssinian is that the service is very laid back – i.e. slow :)

the decor of the place is nothing to write home about. and then there’s the fluoro lighting – inside and outside. kinda adds to the experience.

if you’re after a casual dining experience and cheap meals (it is good value for money) with authentic flavours and you don’t mind waiting then the abyssinian is the place for you. i’d like to go back to try the meat and vegetarian dishes that i missed out on (and to have more of that yummy bread!).

“eat when the food is ready; speak when the time is right” ~ ethiopian proverb

gluten free choc rough nut slice …

when you are time poor and need to make some sweet treats, you cannot go past this recipe. the recipe is from sue shepherd’s book titled ‘the gluten-free kitchen’.

note: dr sue shepherd is an accredited practising dietitian, who also has coeliac disease. sue is regarded as an international expert in the dietary management of coeliac disease and irritable bowel syndrome (ibs) , and is the founder of the low-fodmap diet, which has revolutionised the management of ibs. sue heads australia’s most experienced dietitian practice, shepherd works, consulting to people throughout australia and the world on all aspects of gastrointestinal nutrition.

to quote sue > “this slice is so easy to make, and is a real crowd pleaser. i like to add the rum for a subtle flavour twist, but it is optional.”

ingredients
200g dark chocolate >>

50g butter

1/2 cup peanuts >>

1/2 cup desiccated coconut >>

1/2 cup sultanas >>

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk >>

2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

method
1) line an 18cm square baking tin with baking paper.
2) melt the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

3) remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
4) stir in the sultanas, nuts, coconut, condensed milk and rum (if using).

5) spoon the mixture into the lined tin and refrigerate until firm.

6) cut into small slices to serve.

so simple. so easy to prepare. and so wickedly sweet. that is all.

“after i was diagnosed with celiac disease, I said yes to food, with great enthusiasm … i vowed to taste everything I could eat, rather than focusing on what I could not.” ~ shauna james ahern

tasmania: day 7 – from launceston to freycinet …

today was all about the drive along the east coast of tasmania. we were going to cover some serious kilometres on this drive – at least 280 kilometres.

but first – one last look around tamar valley.

as with any long drive, you must take breaks along the way. our first stop, after travelling 46 kilometres, was the sideling lookout. this was our opportunity to stretch our legs and admire the scenery. we got a wonderful view of north east tasmania.

next stop – scottsdale – a 17 kilometres into the drive. coffee and a mid-morning snack was very much needed.

oh gosh! nothing beats the flavour of home baked scones – fresh from the oven served with strawberry jam and cream.

scottsdale is the major town in north-east tasmania and is a service town for the surrounding agricultural and forestry areas. note the palm trees lining the tasman highway :)

100+ kilometres and a little under 2 hours later we landed in binalong bay – a very popular coastal town. if i happen to win the lottery anytime soon this place would be one of the first that i’d consider retiring to.

binalong bay is at the southern end of the bay of fires. the bay of fires is a region of white beaches, blue water and orange-hued granite. it is such a beautiful place. it is a must-see place.

fyi, the bay of fires were named the world’s “hottest” travel destination for 2009 by lonely planet.

“white beaches of hourglass-fine sand, bombay sapphire sea, an azure sky – and nobody,” the guide says.

“this is the secret edge of tasmania, laid out like a pirate’s treasure map of perfect beach after sheltered cove, all fringed with forest.”

not ready for this photo >

ready >

and relax ;)

stopping to see the bicheno blowhole was next. bicheno, a seaside village, is north of the freycinet peninsula so we knew we were close to our final destination.

now each of us did our best to get the perfect photo of the blowhole. karyn got close.

teresa shot from a safer distance.

you have to be patient -

and wait for -

that spray of water.

our final stop was the freycinet lodge. hallelujah we made it. the best thing about this place was that we were staying inside the freycinet national park so our cabin was nestled amongst the trees.  how’s that for being at one with nature? :)

once we settled into the cabin, we went to have a look around the place before getting some dinner and retiring for the night.

picturesque, stunning, beautiful – there aren’t enough superlatives to describe the places and things we saw today. what a day!

“once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life” ~ michael palin

apple cinnamon custard cake …

armed with granny smith apples, from my garden, i had no choice but to make an apple cake this week.

(they’re not the best looking apples but guess what? they’re home grown, chemical free and they taste great.)

if i had turned to the world wide web i’m sure there would have been many apple dessert recipes to choose from. as luck would have it, one of last week’s junk mail shopping catalogues had an apple recipe in it. what are the chances?

ingredients
20g unsalted butter
500g – 550g (about 3) granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, then cut into 1/2 cm thick slices
2 tablespoons grand marnier, or other orange liqueur
1¼ cups plain flour, plus 2 tablespoons extra
1 cup caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup canola oil (i used vegetable oil. next time i’ll use rice bran oil)
1 cup full cream milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon icing sugar, sifted

whipped cream – 1 cup thickened cream and 1 tablespoon sifted icing sugar

method
1) position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 180c or 160c fan. grease a 23cm springform pan with the 20g of butter.
2) in a medium bowl, toss the apples with grand marnier to coat, and set aside.

3) in another medium bowl, whisk together the 1¼ cups of flour, 1 cup of caster sugar, baking powder, salt and ¼ tsp of the cinnamon.
4) in a large bowl, whisk together oil, milk, whole eggs, orange zest and vanilla to blend.
5) whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to form a smooth batter. be careful not to over mix.
6) transfer 1 cup of the batter to a small bowl and mix in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour; set aside.

(here a bowl, there a bowl, everywhere a bowl bowl … )

7) whisk egg yolks into remaining batter in the large bowl just to blend. stir in the apples. transfer the apple batter to prepared pan and, using a crank-handled spatula, spread batter into an even layer and press the apples in to submerge them.
8) pour the reserved batter evenly over the apple batter.
9) in a small bowl, whisk the remaining caster sugar and cinnamon to blend, and then sprinkle it evenly over the batter.
10) bake for 50 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the top is golden brown. transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 mins. run a knife around the sides of the cake and release the pan sides. cool cake for about 30 mins to serve warm, or cool completely.

dust with icing sugar.

11) to make whipped cream, in a medium bowl, whisk cream and icing sugar until thick. to serve, cut cake into wedges and serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

what a simple recipe for a wonderful dessert!

the family had their taste of the cake earlier tonight. because the cake had been in the fridge all day, i warmed up each slice and, if they so desired, they added (drizzled) cream over it. they said it wasn’t too sweet. very light. yep, yep, they liked it.

seriously, how can you resist this cake? this cake would be perfect during winter. hot, deliciously spicy and super moist all at the same time.

thank you coles and curtis stone – drooling – over curtis … not the cake ;)

“even if i knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, i would still plant my apple tree.” ~ martin luther king

panettone bread and butter pudding …

** update ** since the post i’ve made this dessert two more times :) it’s been a hit. it definitely is easy to make.  just make sure you can get your hands on some colomba or panettone. happy baking!

this easter some people will be celebrating with a dove-shaped italian easter bread called colomba di pasqua (easter dove).

um … some of us still have panettone (the colomba’s cousin) left over from last christmas!

panettone is the traditional italian christmas bread.

so how many of you still have a panettone (or two) left over from last christmas? yeah, me too. coz they last forever and you can only eat so much of it.

this recipe, courtesy of taste.com.au, is perfect for using those leftover panettones.

ingredients
700g panettone, cut into slices 1 cm thick
40g unsalted butter, softened
50ml dark rum
50ml dry marsala
600ml milk
600ml thickened cream
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon, rind grated
4 eggs
125g caster sugar
icing sugar, to dust

method
1) reheat the oven to 170c. lightly grease a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. (i used a 2 litre dish.)
2) lightly butter each slice of panettone, lay slices, slightly overlapping, to fill the dish.

3) combine the rum and marsala and pour over the panettone. i didn’t have any rum or marsala so i used orange juice and triple-sec (orange flavoured liqueur).
4) place the milk, cream, cinnamon and rind in a large saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.

5) remove from heat, remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
6) whisk eggs and sugar until pale.

7) pour the hot milk over the egg mixture and whisk to combine.

8) strain over the panettone, pushing the slices down until covered by custard.

9) place the dish in a large baking tray, pour boiling water into the tray to halfway up the sides.

10) bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and custard is just set. to serve, dust with icing sugar.

this was made in no time and very easy to make. and it serves plenty.

i would highly recommend this recipe especially when you get flooded with 5 million panettones during christmas …

i made the pudding last night and, because the family dinner was tonight, the pudding was left to cool down and then put in the fridge. the family ate the panettone pudding served cold. it was very moist, light and not overly sweet.

#definitelymakingthisagain.

buona pasqua (happy easter) everyone! wishing you peace, love and happiness. enjoy the moments with your family and friends.

“natale con i tuoi, pasqua con chi vuoi / christmas with your family, easter with who you want.”