the food dept.

Sunday, 23 June 2013

SUGAR - the food dept.'s Sally Courtney revamps the humble doughnut and creates a variety of different recipes for every sweet tooth. Not to name any names, but our food photographer adores doughnuts and you will too!

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Cinnamon sugar churros with a bitter sweet chocolate sauce

Traditionally served for breakfast these Spanish doughnuts are served with a bitter sweet chocolate sauce.

Makes approximately 30.

• 1¼ cups water

• 125g butter

• 1¼ cups plain flour

• 4 eggs

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• 1 cup caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place the water and butter into a saucepan and heat over a low heat until the butter melts.

2. Increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil, add the flour and stir continuously until the batter comes away from the saucepan and becomes to a ball. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Turn the dough into the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool for a few minutes while you break the eggs into a jug and whisk. With the mixer running gradually add the eggs in 4 lots and beat well between each addition.

4. Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star pipe and set aside.

5. Combine the caster sugar and cinnamon on a tray and toss to combine, set aside.

6. Heat the oil to 180 C (360F). Hold the piping bag over the hot oil and pipe 10cm lengths of dough into the oil. Cut the dough from the piping bag with a pair of scissors, being careful to not let the dough fall from a height and splash the oil. Cook 3-4 churros at a time, for 3-4 minutes until golden. Gently roll around in the oil to make sure they are golden on all sides.

7. Using a slotted spoon lift the churros from the hot oil, drain on absorbent paper and then while still hot toss in the cinnamon sugar.

8. Serve hot with the Bittersweet chocolate sauce.

Bittersweet chocolate sauce

Makes 1½ cups.

• 100g bitter sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

• 200ml double cream

• 2 tablespoons liquid glucose

1. Place the chocolate in a bowl and set aside

2. Combine the cream and glucose in a small saucepan and heat over a medium heat until simmering. Pour over the chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted. Serve warm with churros.

Mini pecan crumble doughnuts with lemon glaze

You will need an uber cute doughnut mould for this recipe. This recipe uses a simple cake/muffin style batter that you can pipe on top of the crumble mixture, then bake and drizzle with lemon glaze. Yum!!!

• ½ cup pecans, finely chopped

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 40g chilled butter, cut into a small dice

• 1¾ cups self-raising flour

• ¼ cup raw sugar

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 1 free range egg, lightly beaten

• extra, 125g butter, melted

• ½ cup buttermilk

• ½ cup icing sugar

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (360F). Combine the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a mixing bowl and rub together with your fingertips to make the pecan crumble.

2. Sprinkle approximately 1 teaspoon of the crumble mixture into the base of the greased doughnut moulds.

3. Combine flour, sugar and mixed spice in a bowl.

4. Combine the egg, extra butter and buttermilk in a jug and gently fold into the dry ingredients, do not over mix, a few small lumps are ok. Carefully spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle.

5. Pipe the batter into each doughnut mould until 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked when tested.

6. Place the icing sugar into a small mixing bowl, add the lemon juice and mix until smooth. It should be the consistency of pouring cream. If needed add more icing sugar or lemon juice to get it to the right consistency.

7. Once cooked remove the doughnuts from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out. Turn the doughnuts over so the crumble is on the top and drizzle while warm with the lemon glaze.

From the otherside of the world, this doughnut can be found across Europe as well as parts of the USA. Cruller meaning ‘to curl’ can be formed into sticks or rings, by hand or piped. This recipes uses a choux pastry that is piped into rings, topped with almonds and then fried until golden and light, then dipped in a fragrant orange blossom glaze.

Makes approximately 20.

• 1¼ cups water

• 125g butter

• 1¼ cups flour

• 4 eggs

• ½ cup slivered almonds

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• 1 quantity Orange blossom glaze

1. Place the water and butter into a saucepan and heat over a low heat until the butter melts.

2. Increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil, add the flour and stir continuously until the batter comes away from the saucepan and becomes a ball. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Turn the dough into the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool for a few minutes while you break the eggs into a jug and whisk.

With the mixer running gradually add the eggs in 4 lots and beat well between each addition, until the dough is glossy.

4. Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star pipe and set aside.

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Pipe a ring of dough approximately 10cm across, sprinkle with the slivered almonds and place into the freezer for 30 minutes. This makes the dough firm and easy to handle.

5. Heat the vegetable oil to 180 C (360F). Carefully lower the crullers into the oil, almond side down, cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side and then turn and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden.

6. Drain on absorbent paper. While still warm dip the crullers into the glaze and drain on a cake cooler.

Serve once icing has set, these are best eaten the day they are made.

Orange blossom glaze

• 2½ cups icing sugar, sifted

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1½ tablespoons orange blossom water

1. Place the sifted icing sugar into a bowl and set aside.

2. Combine the milk and orange blossom water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.

3. Pour into the icing sugar and whisk to combine. The glaze should be a drizzling consistency. Use as required.

Chocolate molten doughnut balls

Are you a chocoholic? Then this is the doughnut for you, they are chocolate heaven.

Makes approximately 12-14 balls.

• 1¾ cups plain flour

• ½ cup cocoa

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup raw sugar

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1 free range egg

• 100 bitter sweet chocolate, cut into ½ cm cubes

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• extra, ¼ cup cocoa powder

• ¼ cup icing sugar

1. Place the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer, mix to combine.

2. Add the milk, butter and egg and beat until it just comes together into a ball. Roll out the dough between lightly floured baking paper until 1cm thick.

3. Using a 6cm cutter, cut rounds. Reroll the dough and continue to cut rounds.

4. Place a cube of chocolate into the centre of each round of dough and pinch together to enclose the chocolate, roll into a ball shape and place onto a lined tray until ready to fry.

5. Heat oil in a large open pot or wok to 180C (360F). Carefully lower a few of the balls at a time into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning so that the doughnuts cook evenly.

6. Using a slotted spoon lift the doughnuts from the hot oil and drain on absorbent paper.

7. Combine the extra cocoa and icing sugar in a bowl and toss the warm doughnut balls in the icing sugar mixture and serve immediately.

Thank you!
If you liked the plates and bowls in this feature you will love the http://www.thefortynine.com.au,
the food dept. would like to thank the gang for supplying us with their Flip Flop ceramics for our shoot. Please check out the forty nine website and stay tuned for the launch of their shop.

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

TOMATOES - More tomato recipes from our shoot for delicious magazine

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Ricotta & Balsamic Tart with Heirloom Tomatoes
Fresh, fabulous, flavours, need we say more? Images.
Serves 6-8

• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 30g unsalted butter
• 4 spring onions, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 100g ricotta
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125ml) pure (thin) cream
• 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated pecorino
• 500g heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

1. Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed tart pan.
2. Cut one pastry sheet into thirds. Place the pastry strips along 3 edges of the full sheet, overlapping slightly, to make one large piece of pastry. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and gently press along the edges to join. Use to line the base and sides of the pan, trimming any excess. Prick base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
3. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line pastry case with baking paper and baking weights. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove the weights and paper, and return to the oven for a further 5-7 minutes until golden and dry. Remove from the oven and cool.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a frypan over medium heat, add spring onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden. Add balsamic and sugar, then cook, stirring, for a further 1 minute until sugar has dissolved and balsamic has reduced.
5. Transfer onion mixture to the pastry case and top with dollops of ricotta. Whisk eggs, cream and pecorino, then season and pour into the pastry shell.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is just set. Stand in the pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer tart to a plate. Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with basil leaves.
7. Drizzle with oil and serve.

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The Food Dept.'s Tomato Passata
Have your own homemade fresh tomato sauce available well after the sweetest summer tomatoes have gone. Images.
Makes 3L

• 5kg very ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves

1. Place the tomato in a large saucepan or stockpot with the garlic and 2 teaspoons of salt.
2. Using kitchen string, tie herbs and bay leaves into a bundle, then add to the pan.
3. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and become pulpy. Cool slightly.
4. Remove from the heat and discard the herb bundle. Pass the tomato mixture through a food mill (mouli) and return to a clean saucepan. (You can whiz the mixture in a food processor, then strain to remove the seeds and skin, but the passata will turn orange in colour – it will still taste great.)
5. Preheat the oven to 120ºC. Place six 500g preserving jars and lids on a baking tray, then place in the oven for 30 minutes to sterilise. Meanwhile, return the saucepan of passata to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened.
6. Ladle the hot passata into the hot jars, filling to the top, and seal with the lids.
7. To preserve the passsata, wrap the jars in newspaper and pack, standing up, into a large saucepan or stockpot. Fill the pan with water, making sure the jars are submerged, and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour to vacuum seal the jars, topping up with boiling water to ensure the jars are always submerged. Allow jars to cool completely in the water.
8. Once you’ve done this you can store the passata in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

food dept. fact: Opened jars of passata will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

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Spaghetti with italian sausage, ligurian olives and oregano
If you have made friends with a flavoursome sausage, then you will be cooking this quick pasta every week. However if you are still looking for the perfect sausage, then go for an Italian, they really are very reliable in the kitchen.
Serves 4

• 500g thick Italian pork sausages
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
• 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine
• 3 cups (750ml) tomato passata (recipe above, or use store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons oregano leaves, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
• 1/2 cup Ligurian olives or other small, black olives
• 400g spaghetti
• Crumbled parmesan, to serve

1. Squeeze the sausage meat from casings and break up any lumps. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and golden.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage meat. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Add the chilli flakes and fennel seeds, then cook for a further 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Pour over the wine and allow to bubble until almost evaporated, then add the passata, oregano and olives. Season, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a pan of boiling, salted water according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain.
5. To serve, divide spaghetti among 4 serving plates and top with the sauce.
Garnish with parmesan and extra oregano.

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Crispy white anchovy fillets with tomato & vincotto salsa
Little bites of salty goodiness plucked straight from the sea with a tangy tomato salsa.
Makes 40-45

• 200g marinated white anchovy fillets in oil
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour, seasoned
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
• 4 cups (280g) fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Sunflower oil, to deep-fry
• Tomato & vincotto salsa (recipe follows), to serve

1. Place the anchovies in a bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Coat anchovies in flour, shaking off any excess. Whisk together eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan and zest in a separate shallow bowl and season. Dip each anchovy first in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture, then repeat dipping again in the egg and breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking tray.
4. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
5. Heat 3cm oil in a large saucepan over medium-high
heat and heat to 190°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when oil is hot enough). In batches, carefully slip anchovies into the oil and deep-fry for 1-2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towel and keep warm in oven while you repeat.
6. Serve immediately with salsa.

food dept. fact: Marinated white anchovy fillets (from delis) have a more mild taste than regular anchovies.

Tomato & vincotto salsa
Makes 2 cups

• 6 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons vincotto or balsamic vinegar
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

food dept. fact: Vincotto is a condiment made from cooked grape must or figs and is available at delis and gourmet food shops.

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Slow-roast leg of lamb with tomato & garlic crust
This is the easiest dish to prepare in advance, pop it into the oven and 4 hours later you have a wonderful soft shredded lamb. The juicy tomatoes make a glorious rich sauce to pour over the lamb when serving. Accompainments such as our best ever roast potatoes and Egyptian carrot salad with pita, almonds and olives work well with lamb. They are both from TFD's underground food feature
Serves 4-6

• 2kg leg of lamb, trimmed
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated (unpeeled)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 11/2 cups (375ml) verjuice or white wine vinegar
• 500g kumatos, halved
• 500g vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• Handful fresh bay leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Place the lamb in a large flameproof roasting pan.
2. Peel 2 garlic cloves and crush. Combine with tomato paste and oil, then season and brush over lamb. Pour verjuice into the pan around the lamb. Cover pan with a sheet of baking paper, then cover with 2 sheets of foil, sealing the edges so the steam doesn’t escape during cooking. Place in the oven and roast for 4 hours.
3. Remove the foil and baking paper, then arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, around the lamb. Sprinkle over the herbs, bay leaves and remaining garlic cloves. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and season.
4. Return the pan to the oven and roast, uncovered, for a further 1 hour or until the tomatoes have softened and the lamb is tender and falling off the bone.
5. Transfer the lamb and tomatoes to a plate and keep warm. Skim any fat from the juices in the roasting pan, then place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until reduced. Pull the lamb from the bone and serve with tomatoes, garlic and pan juices.

food dept. fact: Fresh bay leaves are available from selected greengrocers.Verjuice
is unripe grape juice and is found at delis and gourmet food shops.

the food dept would like to thank Moratis bros for supplying an abundant fresh supply of tomatoes and kumatoes.