Seasonal Eats- The Winter Edition

Posted on June 4, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

The eggplant and basil have slowly slipped away and been replaced with potatoes, brussel sprouts and beetroot. Meals are being planned around pumpkin, mandarins are being snacked on and kale? Well kale is fairly consistently there.

I’ve said it before, but I will say it again. I feel that we are incredibly lucky living in an area that has such abundance in food varieties, despite the different seasons. The cooler seasons where in some parts of the world, the eating would start getting incredibly restrictive, here just gives us a different array of colours, tastes and still we get to keep it relatively local. That right there, is pretty damn wonderful.

no more eggplant

Some delicious things to look out for coming into the winter season

beetroot (roasted and turned into dip)

broccoli (served olive oil and awesome salt)

cabbage (sauerkraut yes please)

cauliflower

daikon (pickled)

kale (sausage rolls yes indeed, recipe to come for that one)

leek (leek and potato soup)

potatoes

carrots

limes

mandarins

quince

***************

What’s cooking in your kitchen at the moment? Is it now the beginnings of Winter or Summer for you?

If by chance you live in Sydney and you would like to try out a seasonal-delivered to your door fruit/vegetable box- OOOOBY is offering any readers $15 off your first box if you type in CITYHIPPYFARMGIRL as a referral code.

Best Ever Chocolate Muffins

Posted on May 14, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

“Mama these are the BEST EVER CHOCOLATE MUFFINS!”

The pint sized food critique didn’t have a whole lot of chocolate muffin eating experience to go on, but I ran with her bold statement and have therefore named these, one egg- not crazy chocolatey- not super rich- easy peasy- lunch box muffins to be….the Best Ever Chocolate Muffins (some things in life you don’t need to argue about.)

Arguing against licking the spoon is also pointless, it’s a birth right for who ever is home with me when cakey kind of good things are being made.

Best Ever Chocolate Muffins

1 egg

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

100mls grape seed oil

2 tsp vanilla

3 tbls cocoa powder

1/2 cup natural full fat yogurt

1/3 cup milk

300g (2 cups) self raising flour

In a mixer add egg and sugar. (If using an Assistent Original, medium speed for four minutes.) While mixing slowly drizzle the grape seed oil. Add vanilla, cocoa, yogurt and milk (low speed for one minute.) Add self raising flour and gently fold in.

Divide mixture into muffin trays and bake at 180C for approximately 25 minutes.

Eat with enthusiasm.

When you need to make a Chocolate Caramel Almond Tart

Posted on April 26, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

There was a birthday coming up and the order had been put in. Something chocolatey. It was a loose request that held lots of possibilities. Cake? Nah. I still hold some reservations on the old chocolate cake front, if I can avoid making one I certainly do.

Now this particular birthday request just had to involve chocolate somewhere along the lines of the dessert. Surely I could put something on the table that could be used in a celebratory, I’ve just turned another wonderful year older kind of thing.

I had a coffee, (it’s when I do my best thinking) and came up with a chocolate caramel tart. Doable, certainly doable I thought. Then I promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward several weeks and the day in question arrived. For lots of reasons I was a little distracted in the lead up to it and didn’t plan it in my usual military precision birthday sugary goodness celebratory fashion. Instead it was a little like… oh what’s in the fridge/cupboard, and can I whack it in to build up this tart?

And so that’s how almond meal ended up in there, (toasted mind you, I’m not a complete hack.) Tart got a thumbs up verdict and there were scrambles for the last tiny wedge.

Seems the unplanned Chocolate Caramel Almond Tart was ok.

Chocolate Caramel Almond Tart

Pastry

150gms softened butter

2 cups plain flour

2 tsp vanilla

1 egg yolk

* if you want your pastry sweet as well add 50gs of icing sugar, I thought there would be enough sugar in the caramel and chocolate layers.

In a processor add flour and butter, process until resembles bread crumbs. Tip mixture out to a bowl and add vanilla and egg yolk. Bring together and give a quick knead until it’s smooth. Roll between two pieces of baking paper, and roll out to about 5mm. Carefully place pastry in greased tart base and bake blind for approximately 25 minutes at 180C. Remove beads (or whatever you used to bake blind with and pop back into the oven for another 5 or so minutes or until golden.

Almond Caramel

1 cup condensed milk

1 knob of butter

2 tbls brown sugar

Put these three ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat, until it turns to caramel. Don’t leave it, continually stir, should take about 4 minutes. (If you let it get too thick it will be harder to manage.)

In another pot over medium heat add 100g of almond meal, gently toast it. Stirring continuously until light golden. Add this to the caramel.

Add the almond caramel to slightly cooled tart pastry.

Ganache

300mls cream

300g dark chocolate

Bring the cream to a boil and then turn off heat. Drop broken chocolate into the cream and stir until melted through. Allow ganache to cool slightly and then pour over caramel tart. Allow to sit for a few hours before serving.

chocolate caramel almond tart || cityhippyfarmgirl

Assistent Original- the Grain Mill

Posted on April 16, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

A couple of years ago I invested in an invaluable piece of kitchen gear. I bought this machinery of wonderfulness- an Assistent Original.

I researched and researched my options on a kitchen mixer that would hold up to my regular and large amounts of bread making. (If you are interested that research post can be found here.) I decided on the Assistent as it was the one machine that kept coming up while ticking all my requirement boxes. I then did a post on how the machine was faring six months after buying it, (which can be found here.)

I’m recapping a few details here, as it’s been nearly 2.5 years since I bought it and some people have asked do I still stand by it?

In a nutshell…YES! A big beautiful yes. I use the Assistent several times a week, I make several kilos of dough at a time (it can take up to 5 kilos) and it has never given me the slightest hiccup when it comes to bread mixing. For a baker enthusiast that isn’t at commercial levels but bakes more than the average home cook I would highly recommend it. Actually I do, for everyone!

assistent original || cityhippyfarmgirl

After sticking with the basic package, last year I decided I wanted to give a few of the other attachments a go. With the meat mincer, cookie attachment and grain mill now adorning my bench top what do I think about them?

Grain Mill

Well hands down the grain mill is a winner in my book. I go through a fair chunk of grains in this household. Linseed, and sunflower seeds being used the most. I buy in bulk as it’s cheaper, that way I can make sure it’s grown locally and/or organic. By using the grain mill I can also make sure it’s kept at its freshest.

So how does it work?

The machine goes on its side, attachments on and grain or seeds in at the top. I adjust the consistency I want of the grain or seeds to be ground at, put the timer on and walk away. It looks a little odd, with the machine lying on its side, but it works beautifully, attaches easily, isn’t noisy and doesn’t make a mess.

The cookie attachment and meat mincer I haven’t used as much to give a conclusive assessment at this stage. I would say the cookie attachment is best for larger amounts of cookie dough, (which really isn’t much of a problem in this household!) At this stage I spend more time cleaning this attachment up then benefiting from it properly- so this one will be continued. As for the meat mincer, (as she hangs head in shame, not used at all yet.)

The grain mill though? Yes! A big triumphant yes. And the Assistent Original as a machine for the home cook? 100 times yes. I love it just as much as I did when I first got it two and a half years ago, and would recommend it in a heart beat.

The Crumpet Trumpet

Posted on April 12, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Talk of crumpets and it usually leads to other words like buttery fingers, dripping honey and piping hot cups of tea.

Crispy on the bottom, soft in the middle. There was something about the humble crumpet that most certainly appealed.

When I started making sourdough crumpets, (now not to blow my own crumpet trumpet here) well that appeal went through the roof.

The fact that they are dead easy, tasted good AND so much easier on the tummy being sourdough…well the requests started to pile up.

It seems everyone else in the family wanted in on the crumpet action as well. There really was quite a loud trumpet for crumpets.

Buttery fingers, dripping honey and piping hot cups of tea? Seems it really is the only way to eat crumpets.

Sourdough Crumpets

1 cup of sourdough starter

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

extra melted butter

You’ll need a whisk, egg rings and a frying pan to cook them in.

Top Tips for Sourdough Crumpets

* Your starter doesn’t need to be refreshed for this to work. Straight from the fridge is fine, just leave it on the bench for a little to bring it back to room temp.

* Work on a fairly liquidy starter, if it looks to thick, just add a little extra water. You should see bubbles within the egg ring when you cook them. If it’s too thick you won’t see this.

* If you like the big holes, divide your starter mixture in half before adding the bicarb and salt, stagger the timing and add the second lot just before you start to cook them.

* Use a whisk when adding the salt and bicarb.

* When cooking them, pour the batter into the egg rings- gently rub some melted butter round the edges so the batter doesn’t stick.

* If your crumpets don’t have the bubbles you are after, take the heat up a smidge in the initial cooking period, then turn it down a little.

* After a few minutes of cooking gently jiggle the ring off and leave the crumpet to continue to cook. You can either flip it over to cook the top a little or once the crumpet is 75% cooked, add a lid and steam the last bit of the crumpet. This is purely to keep your holes completely intact so you are not squashing them.

* These can easily be frozen and toasted again later (once cooked the first time of course.)

* Great camping food.

* Also good for kiddo’s to do on the weekend.

****************

If you don’t have a sourdough starter and you are keen to give it a crack. This tutorial here will get you started.

sourdough crumpets || cityhippyfarmgirl

When the Feast ends

Posted on April 8, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Feast magazine was one of the first foodie magazines that I got really excited about. It was ‘real’ food. It was beautifully photographed and it was food that I wanted to cook. These days I don’t really buy any food related magazines but when I heard that Feast magazine would be turning their last page, well it seemed a bit rude not to buy the last edition.

It is, (was) a beautifully put together drool worthy magazine. Kitchen benches and dinner tables will be the lesser for this magazine not being around.

This is my tribute to a wonderful magazine. Dark Gingerbread Cake, gorgeous recipe, that if you are super quick you might still be able to buy in a newsagent or get the recipe online right here.

Fairtrade Chocolate….still just as important as last year

Posted on April 2, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

It seems we are heading into the chocolatey part of the year. The time of year when if you peruse supermarket aisles you might see a sea of mass produced, overly packaged chocolate all at really accessable prices.

Now how do these chocolates manage to stay at these comfortable prices? Well, there is a good chance it will be made of compound chocolate- which means it could well have palm oil in it. Food miles are a given. And the work in order to harvest the cocoa? Well it wouldn’t be surprising if it was done under child labour conditions.

So how do we not buy into that whole rather dirty circle? Well, simply put, don’t. Vote with your dollar. Buy fair trade and consider what you’re buying before you do so. What you are really buying into?

Fair trade chocolate. Still just as important as last year.

**************

Spencer Cocoa– Single plantation chocolate, grown in Vanuatu and made in Mudgee. (pictured above, this chocolate is divine!)

World Vision Fair Trade Chocolate Guide (Australian based- but many of these brands are available internationally, so would still be relevant.)

Tribes and Nations– stockists of Fair trade easter eggs.

Chocolatier– does Fair trade options for Easter.

Passata Day 2015

Posted on March 29, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

Last years Passata Day with Milkwood was a highlight for me, a big highlight. When the horizon was promising another gorgeous tomato infused day, well I was glad to get a chance to be there again.

Coming together as a community with a group of like minded souls. Wonderful conversations accompanying wonderful food…well this is a highlight of life surely. Simple living at it’s beautiful, delicious best.

Trolleyd cocktails and mocktails using local, foraged, sustainable and organic goodness.

Passata… the making, the bottling

and importantly, the eating.

Passata Day 2015… you were delicious!

For more Passata Day goodness check out Rachael’s stunning pictures here.

Organiser- Milkwood

Tomatoes- locally grown and organic

Cocktails- Trolley’d

Pasta- Pasta Emelia

Wine- Rosnay

Bread- Bread and Butter Project

Butter- Pepe Saya

Seasonal Eating and Earth Hour

Posted on March 26, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

It’s Autumn here and while I’m still waiting to feel any big seasonal shifts in the weather, there has been a slight change in what’s gracing my kitchen bench. Seasonal changes in our food are one of the things that get me really excited. I love having things in abundance, eat them in everything and just when I really don’t want to eat them any longer, the season changes and voila! A new vegetable to embrace.

Others who are also embracing all things food and farm related is Earth Hour this year. It’s on again this Saturday, and this time they are focusing in on farmers and how environmental changes are impacting Australian farmers and our food they grow. (They’ve also put out a cookbook to go along with it- with all proceeds going back to Earth Hour’s work.)

How about you? Are you doing anything particular for Earth Hour this year? Or enjoying eating any particular seasonal or local foods?

*****************

OOOOBY– a super easy way to get some seasonal goodness delivered to your doorstep if you live in Sydney. If you have been thinking about signing up but haven’t quite done it yet. OOOOBY is offering $15 off your first box if you type in CITYHIPPYFARMGIRL as a referral code.

Earth Hour

An excellent local drop…Krinklewood

That Sugar Film

Posted on March 19, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

I watched this film last week and attended a Q & A. I’m still reeling a little from it all. I don’t even eat like this and I’m reeling. Seriously…this sugary world we live in is quite something to think about. While I’m not about to quit sugar and and go paleo any time soon. I do know when my body is at it’s best…and unfortunately it’s not with a jumbo juice and monster muffin by my side.

That Sugar Film… watch the trailer at the very least. Please.

There is also a book which backs up the movie but is also great in it’s own right. I tell you, I’m left with a big taste for kale and buckwheat that’s for sure. (And just quietly even more determined to rejig those ‘healthy’ doughnuts from the weekend.)

The not really sourdough doughnuts

Posted on March 15, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

I made some grand bold statements before Christmas on making sourdough doughnuts. I really was. I was going to do it. Really and truly, cross my heart and all that.

Then I looked at a few recipes and my figurative doughnut balloon? Well it slowly deflated.

I don’t know. All that deep frying, sugar, needing of an extra special cutter or doughnut maker thingy stuff. All that extra, well everything. It just took the wind out of my doughy-nut sails. I didn’t want to buy another contraption and I didn’t want to fry them all in lots of oil. Actually when I thought about it, I didn’t really want to cover them in oodles of sugar either.

Well why on earth would I be thinking about making doughnuts then, I hear you ask?

Rather good question really. You see, it started here…I blame them entirely for turning my world upside down with the deliciousness of their baked goods. It was because of them that I had lofty dreams of making sourdough doughnuts in the first place. Having the heady smell of cinnamon and sugar wafting around my kitchen. The decadent bite down into that amazingly heady mix of sugar and fat. Yes it sounded good, and my kids well they were more than keen, (they also had tasted those doughnuts you see.)

I paused. Had a little think and a then a little reassess. Maybe I would try a slightly healthier version? Could it be done? Would it pass the family taste test?

I decided to give it a crack. The first ones were completely edible, the kids inhaled them so there was no loss there. BUT, they really and truly weren’t doughnuts. They were rolls. Plain and simple. So what did I need to do to take them up to doughnut status?

I could try to make a little hole in them perhaps? And maybe up the sugar a smidge?

Second go. Doughnuts, they shouted! As I quietly plonked them on the table in front of them.

Now to the die hard doughnut fans of this world, there will probably be a brief muttering of no, that ain’t no doughnut lady. (I’ll spare you on all the corners I cut.)

Third go. Actually third go, didn’t even warrant a picture. Edible sure, but over proved and really bordering on a little burnt around the edges. (Actually maybe I wasn’t cut out to be a baker of doughnuts after all?)

Fourth go? It nearly didn’t happen, I was a bit over them, but there seemed to be this incessant whisper, one morrrre goooo….and so I did and they were the best ones yet. Were they technically sourdough doughnuts? Well, I’m not sure about that. What I do know is that I’ve locked myself into developing this recipe a little further and in the mean time? I hear they make excellent ones in Byron Bay and Hobart, lucky for me, two of my favourite places to go and visit!

************

How about you? Have you tried making sourdough doughnuts?

Lemon Ricotta and Almond Cake

Posted on March 1, 2015 by cityhippyfarmgirl

If I’m lucky enough to get to 85 years old I’ll probably eat cake for breakfast.

Straight up. A big chunk of cake on my favourite plate and a extra large cup of chai on the side.

I was certainly encouraging for my grandmother to eat cake for breakfast on her birthday recently. Not just any cake but this one that I made for her. It’s got almonds, ricotta and low in sugar, with some careful thinking I would say this cake ticks quite a few boxes for a slight woman in her eighties and the first meal of the day.

It also happily ticked a few birthday cake boxes. The requirements were gluten free, low sugar, not chocolatey and not ‘eggy’. With the satisfying soft scent of lemon billowing done the hall, I’d say this simple cake was done and dusted, (and dusted with icing sugar that is.)

Lemon Almond and Ricotta Cake

150g softened butter

2/3 cup sugar

3 beaten eggs

zest of two lemons

200g almond meal

250g ricotta

icing sugar

Cream butter and sugar together. Add beaten eggs and zest of two lemons. Fold through almond meal and ricotta. Pour into a greased and lined springform pan. Bake at 180C for about 45-50 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

cityhippyfarmgirl

simple connected living, city style

Category Archives: Food Glorious Food