Food with friends xo

I always having people around for dinner.  I love impromptu dinner even more.  Mexican is a great way to appease everyone you know!  You can have any assortment of fillings - beans, vegetables, rice, salad, meat, tofu, pretty much anything you want to stuff into a taco or wrap in a tortilla.  The beauty of mexican is also it can be gluten free, and vegan!  I don't have a good recipe for any meat fillings - so if you have any you want to share - please do!  I'm sure you all know how to make some sort of delicious mince filling!
My easy favourites are a slow cooked bean filling, a sweet salad, veggies and condiments galore.  Chop some red capsicum and cook this down with a red onion in a splash of olive oil and the first shake of your herb of choice. -  (my secret ingredient is dill!)  When these are soft and the capsicum is nice and juicy.  Add some tinned beans - (any ones you want, but I usually like to use soft beans like kidney or butter) chuck in a few chopped fresh tomatoes,   a few chillies, some red onion, a splash of red wine - you will probably have to pour yourself a glass or two to aid the preparation ... another shake of herb of choice and chuck in a couple more chopped fresh tomatoes,
With this spicy bean dish a fresh sweeter dish matches the flavours really well.  I know that raw corn might be an acquired taste, an if you dont like it chopped cucumber woud do just as well.  If you do like raw corn - chop the corn of a cob with a sharp knife (it woks best with a sharpy) add it to half a chopped red onion, a couple of generous handfuls of italian parsley, dash o salt and pepper and a slug of oliver oil.  Mix it, add it to the table!
Sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, stir fired tofu, roasted capsicums (slice them, put them on a sheet of oil, drizzle a little olive oil, wrap the foil like a parcel.  You can then put the whole parcel on a hot frypan (or if you happen to have fired the barbie this is also a delicious option).  Whatever other filling you feel like.  I always have chopped lettuce, fresh tomato, jalepanos, sour cream grated cheese home made guacamole  and that delicious taco sauce that comes in shiny bottles.
Put everything on a table when you've zapped desired taco shells, tortillas or corn chips. Dig in.

Hopefully you've have an excellent friend also making these -  Sian melted lindt 85% cocoa chocolate (we chose this as it was vegan - but you can use anything) and melted it and covered the strawberries - she ten sprinkled some chilli powder over some as a treat for us chili addicts :)

Gluten Free Vegan Veggie Rissoles

I couldn't resist posting this photo of some home grown thyme, basil and chillies from my garden before I put them in some veggie rissoles.
An excellent alternative to the age old 'mushroom on the barbie'. # whichimgettingsickof!

Gather -
1 Carrot
1 Zucchini
1 Potato
I capsicum
Bunch of Thyme
A handful of basil - or coriander if you prefer.
Fresh Chilli - as much or as little as you desire!
2 Free Range Eggs (beaten)
Salt'n'pepper
1 Cup quinoa flour
A little olive oil for cooking - See also garden produce oil.

Grate the vegetables together in large bowl.
Finely chop the capsicum, add it to the grated veggies.
Chop the herbs and chilli all together in one big bunch, add them plus the salt'n'pepper and the eggs to the mix.  Mix well.
Drain excess liquid by putting mixture in a sieve or colander and squueze out.
Roll into balls the coat in the quinoa flour.
Fry in the olive oil in a pan on medium heat (quinoa flour burns quite easily as it so fine, so even though you will want to -don't turn up the heat!)
Serve with whatever else is on offer at the bbq, or a simple tomato salad.

Garden Produce Oil!

 Here is the chilli oil I lovingly made with home grown basi chilli and garlic (though I must confess my mother grew the garlic....)    

I will give it a few days to all soak together in that subtly oily way, then will cook something simple and let you all know how the flavour turns out.

My garden!

My Garden!

Recently I was lucky enough to acquire a raised garden bed.  It is filled with worms, and compost and fertilizer and delicious soil.
I am so excited about the prospect of it all over the coming months, so I can cook delicious fresh meals with its fruits of labour.
In it I have tomato and carrot seeds coming up, asparagus, eggplant, capsicum, thyme, parsley, lettuce, beetroot, basil, established tomatoes and marigolds (for colour and companion planting).  In pots just next to it I also have trow types of chilli, and onion and potato and soon will have garlic anf ginger.
I love growing things, and I especially like growing food I know I always use in cooking and will be fresh and tasty and so satisfying.  Nothing compares with being able to go into your garden and pick something right off the vine or bush, or yanking it from the ground ceremoniously.  I will try and get some cosmos this weekend to attract some lady bugs into my garden so I can keep the nasties at bay. 
A good deal of my chillies also need something doing with them.  So I plan on harvesting a little basil, and lots of chillies and making flavoured olive oil. 
Pics to come!

Salted Caramel Macarons

Here are some delicious salted caramel macarons that Sian and I made.  Our quest to make the perfect macarons has been an ongoing one.  First we used the wrong sugar (an innocent first time mistake) and making the shells too flat!
But finally, FINALLY! We succeeded!  These were perfect.  The outer shell was crunchy, the inside was moist - but not too moist, and the filling was just divine.   Our next flavour (now that we are macaron rockstars!) will be our beloved coffee.
So wait for those!

Hot and Sour Tomato and Lemongrass soup (courtesy of Simon Bryant)

I probably should make this clear that this is a Simon Bryant recipe, (and so I won't include exact measurements - but it is in the 'summer' chapter of his book 'Simon Bryant's Vegies) I did not invent it!
But it was really really delicious and it ticks so many boxes!  Gluten free, dairy free, vegan and it is really good for you!
Basically you chuck in bruised lemongrass, smashed garlic, tomatoes (I used a large punnet of heirloom cherry ones and about 5 whole ones quartered) tamarind paste, a few eschallots,  a bunch of coriander, a bit of salt, a tiny bit of sugar, into a litre of water and boil for ten minutes.  Then you pour it onto some chilli (smashed up in your mortar and pestle)  a bit more coriander and give it a bit of a stir.  Whack on some ground white pepper and let everyone help themselves!
Of course you can have bread with it, but it is delicious all on it's own!
Can't wait until I get to eat the leftovers at lunch.

Roasted Pumpkin, Kale and Mushrooms on Polenta

 This recipe is gluten free, can be dairy free (see options)

The other night I found kale on special - so I bought lots of it (as any normal person would).  With one bunch I made some pesto (Walnuts, garlic, olive oil, a little chilli) and promptly put it in the freezer for future use.  Kale is so good for you, and makes great chunky pesto that is great to have on hand for those days you need a quick dinner - or when you have spent your last $5 on a cheeky vino and have to eat what you have in your cupboard!
With the other kale, I decided to put it on a bed of polenta. 
First I put some pumpkin covered in dried thyme leaves, olive oil, salt'n'pepper -  in the oven to roast with some garlic.  While this was roasting I was making my pesto, so by the time it was done I could grab the garlic straight away and squeeze it in a large saucepan with some grated ginger, chilli, olive oil, salt and pepper, and a dash of lime juice (I had some left over from something else I thought I'd better use).  I cooked the kale down with these flavour hits until it was soft - but not soggy ( I hate soggy Vegies - don't you?!)
While this was cooking I started on the Polenta - now I added a bit of grated parmesan to my polenta but you really don't have to, as I live with a vegan and have a dairy 'issue' (well, my sinuses are the ones with the issue really) we have Nuttelex in our fridge instead of butter.  This is an excellent addition to Polenta with a bit of salt and pepper, and I often add a bit of chilli.  Of course you can add butter and whatever cheese you fancy.  Once the polenta was done (half a cup of polenta to 1.3/4 cups of water is enough for a meal and leftovers for lunch the next day) I spread it out on a thin layer of olive oil on a baking tray and put in the oven on the lowest heat setting.  While this was happening my kale was cooking nicely, and I was ready to start the mushrooms which I dry fried (only do this if you have a great pan).  Finally the mushrooms were done!  I spread the kale out on the warm polenta, topped it with the pumpkin and mushrooms, and I must confess I added a little bit of mozzarella on top as well - this has been in my freezer since a joint pizza making adventure and once again it seemed a shame to let it sit there but it is no means a vital ingredient,  If you wanted to top it with something tahini would work, or if your a vegan cheese fan this would also work.  there really is enough flavours in the meal already but i do understand the attraction of a little 'topper'.  Back in the overn it goes, just long enough for everything to heat through and for your toppings to melt. 
Serves 2-3.  I always like to make a little more than just dinner so I have some lunch the next day, and if you were wondering this dish really does keep!  I even think the few extra days really helped the flavours to compliment each other.

The beginning of my much talked about, much procrastinated about, much food for everyone - and I do mean everyone!
Here is a delicious picture of some Rose macarons my very dear friend Sian and I made awhile ago.  Don't be fooled by the simplicity - there will be gastronomical delights to make the stomachs rumble of those with  even the most bland of appetites.
Back tomorrow with a proper post!
How exciting!