St Lucia saffron cake

I adore saffron. Sometime back I decided to play around and add saffron to a cake and came up with this recipe.

As it turns out, just today I read that saffron is used to make a traditional Christmas cake in Sweden for St Lucia Day, which is celebrated on 13th December. Legend has it that Lucia as a young girl, about to be a bride, gave her entire dowry to the poor of her village and admitted that she had become a Christian. She was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake on December 13th, 304 A.D. (She is also the patron saint for Italian fisherman, and is said to guide them through a storm).

I've read that in all the Scandanavian countries, on St Lucia Day, breakfast is served at dawn, and is celebrated with saffron buns and gingerbread.

My homage to St Lucia is this cake. Why not try serving it dusted with icing sugar to represent the white gown usually associated with the Italian medieval saint. And, in Australian summer of December 13th, seasonal fresh berries can provide the red sash that usually adorns the gown.

St Lucia Saffron Cake

generous pinch of saffron threads
3/4 cup milk
4oz (125g) butter
3 eggs
1 cup castor sugar
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
pinch of salt

Place saffron in milk, and bring to scalding but do not boil. Remove from heat and allow to infuse. Add cubed butter to the milk; heat slowly until the butter has melted and remove from heat. (Do not boil) Bring back to room temperature.

Grease 8" (20cm) square pan and line base with baking paper. In a large bowl, whisk whole eggs and gradually add the castor sugar, making sure the sugar dissolves between each addition. Alternatively add sifted flour, and butter mixture, (1/4 each time) to the eggs and sugar base. Whisk until light.

Pour into prepared tin. Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes. Allow to stand a few minutes, before turning out to cool.

Serve when cold, dredged with sifted icing sugar, and adorned with fresh red berries (or macerated red fruits).

From Garden to Plate LUNAR DINNER

I'm quite delighted by idea of the monthly Lunar Dinners at Sydney's Universal restaurant. This month the Lunar Dinner was aligned with the Spring Equinox. That's an important landmark in the gardening year for those who follow biodynamic planting by the phases of the moon. So, it was quite fitting that the September Lunar Dinner was 'From Garden to Plate' with guest chef for the evening Stefano Manfredi.

A highlight of the event was definitely the freshness of the produce, much of which was grown at the restaurant garden of Bells at Killcare. Stefano had earlier described the menu as 'vegetables as the hero without being vegetarian". It was not only low in 'food miles' but seasonal and at optimum same day just picked freshness. We'd been treated with pictures of the produce still growing in the garden, in the lead up to the event. For me, this provided a marvellous extra level of anticipation.

At my table of eight friends, the night, the food, the company were all perfect. None of us could isolate a favourite dish. We loved them all!

Stefano told me that while guesting at such an event is not always easy, this night went as planned and he found working with Christine Mansfield and the Universal team was excellent. My group were delighted because not only was the food sensational but also because Stefano was a most charming host. Stefano, grazie!

For those who didnt get to 'this' event, here's a peek at what you missed:

UNIVERSAL LUNAR DINNER

Stefano Manfredi 22nd September 2009

Baccalà balls

Crostini with vitellone tonnato

Salad from Bells’ garden: broad beans, Italian white radish, baby artichokes, radicchio and mustard cress with pecorino and walnut salsa

Prawn, leek and barley stew

Wild weed raviolini: borage, nettles and cime di rapa with sugo pomodoro

Grilled lamb shoulder “roman style” with cavolo nero gratinato, salsa dragoncello

Panettone pudding with balsamic strawberries

Caffè served with crostoli

If Pigs Could Fly

Yesterday I took a jaunt to Sydney's newest (and oldest) retail butcher. I knew something was different as soon as I saw the window in Queen Street Woollahra. Paintly boldly is the motto: "If Pigs Could Fly". In the window is a small whole pig with wings and in the base of the display a bed of white feathers. This is no ordinary butchers. Father and son, Vic and Anthony Puharich are suppliers to many of Sydney's finest restaurants. "The Churchill's Butchery site has been a butcher shop since 1876, so it seemed only appropriate that we opened our flagship shop there" say Anthony Puharich, CEO of Vic's Premium Quality Meat.

Anthony was kind enough to take time out of a busy Saturday to proudly yet humbly show me around the store. There's a fine range of goodies, including charcuterie, traiteur and rotisserie. Not sure if the secret's out yet but my favourite mustards and salts are also stocked there. There's even dessert.

While we were there chef and charcutier, Romeo Baudouin was producing (natural skin) sausages on the premises including Pork Toulouse.

Some of the in-store range that took my eye were Duck Confit, Veal Sweetbreads, Black Pudding, Celeriac Remoulade and Spring Lamb Navarin (recipe from Romeo Baudouin follows):

Lamb Navarin

Ragout of Lamb with mixed seasonal vegetables. Navarin comes from the French word "navet" meaning turnip. In France this lamb dish is mainly served with turnips.

1.2kg boneless lamb shoulder

2 tomatoes diced

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspon plain flour

1 Bouquet Garni

2 bunches baby carrots

200g baby turnips

1 bunch baby onions

200g French geans

300g green peas

300g baby potatoes

25g butter

1 litre chicken stock

salt

pepper

nutmeg

1. Dice the lamb

2. Finely chop the garlic

3. Heat oil in a casserole dish and brown the lamb. Remove meat and drain excess fat from the meat.

4. Put meat back in the casserole dish, add flour, salt, pepper and cook for a couple of minutes.

5. Add diced tomatoes, garlic, bouquet garni and the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for approximately 1.5 hours on a slow heat.

6. Prepare all the vegetables, peel and blanch them separately and refresh with cold water before adding to the casserole dish.

7. Add the baby potatoes, then 5 minutes later add the turnips, carrot, onion and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the French beans and green peas at the end.

8. Serve hot in a casserole dish with fresh sourdough bread.

Victor Churchill

132 Queen Street

Woollahra NSW 2025

61 2 9328 0402

KILLCARE COINCIDENCE

This might not be what you'd expect from a food post, or a restaurant review, or an interview with a chef. As it turns out, although I'd always very much enjoyed the food of Stefano Manfredi, my journey to Bells At Killcare and my stay at Pretty Beach House, was so much more than I had expected.


You see, it was a full moon last Saturday night. I had dropped off my things at the Pretty Beach House accommodation, then I trotted up the road for Stefano to show me around Bells' kitchen garden while there was still afternoon light. My dinner started at 7.30pm and for my primo (first course) I had selected the above-pictured white radish: with the fresh Bells' farm eggs, asparagus and salsa verde. Next came Sand Flathead one of the day's specials. Stefano explained that Italians make the most of flavours with simple cookery. This whole fish with lemon was the materialisation of his explanation. And, then it happened. Tears welled up in my eyes. So many emotions and yet none (I was not sad at all). I put it down to the full moon.


Brian Barry (host and proprietor) had another theory. Like flavour and Italian cookery, Brian explained that there was a simple explanation. He announced that it was Killcare Coincidence. According to Barry it's a well known phenomenom. There certainly is a spiritual air to the place. And even the restaurant has its own Killcare Coincidence story.


Originally Brian and Karina Barry had come to Killcare for a three month assignment to complete a business case. Once in Killcare, they knew they had to stay. In the meantime, they were in rented holiday accommodation for the three month period. As they worked a plan to bring a high profile chef to the properties, they considered their options. Stefano was one of a number they were considering to approach. And then the coincidence. Brian related the tale of how as he finished his coffee and considered which chef, he looked down and in the bottom of the cup the Manfredi name was displayed before him. The Barry's opened the kitchen cupboard which was stocked with Manfredi coffee.


Unknown to Brian and Stefano, I had my own coincidence, well more than one. The visit came at the pinnacle of a major change in my life. And, the tears, well, while the visit certainly invoked many wonderful memories of Manfredi restaurants in Sydney, it was also the Father's Day weekend. That perfect fish was just the same as the one I caught on my first fishing expedition at six years of age, and was cooked just the way I remembered my dad cooking that first catch. Simply! Perfect!


There were also other connections, coincidence, with the women of this weekend, but ... that's another story ...

Cruising with Aussie Chef Luke Mangan

I've been known to eat out a bit (quite a bit), and I love good food. Anyone who knows me (and even some that don't) know that it's true!

And I also love to travel. And though I've never been on a cruise, I might just be persuaded now that one of my favourite Sydney chefs is taking his signature dishes to the seas.

"I want to create an intimate restaurant which passengers will enjoy so much it'll be one of the highlights of their holiday experience", says Aussie Chef Luke Mangan. From December, he will be taking some of my favourite food from Glass Restaurant Sydney to the seas on Salt Grill by Luke Mangan on P&O Cruises Pacific Jewel. Did I heard a rumour, that Luke will be on that maiden voyage? Three more restaurants on three more P&O ships will follow.

As an Aussie, what's also exciting is that "this is the first time an Australian chef has been brought onboard a cruise ship" joining the ranks of cruising chefs Gary Rhodes and Marco Pierre White.

Do you want a peek at a selection from the menu?

SEAFOOD BAR

Oysters - Natural / Six Ways / Tempura

Kingfish Carpaccio, fetta rocket and ginger and shallot

Tuna tartar with ruby grape fruit, wasabi, lotus chips

Salmon gravalax, shaved fennel, crispy onion rings, lemon olive oil dressing

Citrus tempura prawns, wasabi dressing

Chilled prawns with mango salsa

Lobster sashimi, changes daily

SALAD AND THINGS

Rocket, pear, walnut and blue cheese, verjuice dressing

Salt salad: seasonal vegetable salad; slow cooked hen's egg, and truffle dressing

Lobster soup, tortellini of lobster, pickled mushrooms and basil

Glass Sydney crab omelette, miso mustard broth

Seared sea scallops, blue cheese polenta, truffle

Artichoke ravioli, mushroom ragout, asparagus

And yes, I'm delightfully lucky, as we did get to taste some of these treats at tonight's launch at Glass Sydney.

You can also find @LukeWMangan on Twitter, at Salt Tokyo, World Wine Bar Tokyo and South Food + Wine Bar San Francisco.

Boeuf Bourguignon (inspired by Julia Child)

This week was an exciting moment in the food blogging world as the movie Julie & Julia opened. (here in Australia we've still got a couple of months to wait though ... and my fingers are tapping the kitchen table impatiently). The movie features two stories: the memoirs of Julia Child and the story of food blogger Julie Powell cooking her way through Julia's recipes.

One of the things I'm delighted about with the movie is that it features some of my French (classic) favourites. They've never gone out of style with me. They are the dishes I taught myself as a teenager and have been cooking ever since. Every winter since I first cooked this recipe, I've warmed family and friends with Boeuf Bourguignon. Here's my adaptation using mustard, not flour, for thickening. Where possible, for added depth of flavour, I prepare a day ahead of eating, and start preparations with the marinade the day before that.

Boeuf Bourguignon

1.5 kg (3 1/2 lbs) casserole beef (shoulder or shin) cubed

60g (2oz) butter

5 tablespoons olive oil

sprigs of fresh thyme

3 carrots

3 onions

button mushrooms

125g (1/4 lb) fresh bacon

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 bottle good red wine

salt and pepper

Trim and cube beef. Peel carrots, halve lengthwise and slice thickly. Halve onions, peel, then halve lengthwise and slice thinly.

Marinade the beef, together with sprigs of fresh thyme, carrots and onions, in the wine and leave to marinate overnight. (I've omitted this at times to cook the same day, but it really is worth the effort if you can plan ahead).

Remove the meat from the marinade and pat the meat dry. (reserve the marinade for later use in the recipe). Put a large pan on the stovetop over medium heat, and add and heat olive oil and brown the meat a batch at a time; remove to another dish off the heat after each batch.

Trim bacon and slice into lardons (thick julienne). Reheat the pan and fry the bacon, again in batches. Set the bacon to one side.

Clean the pan removing excess fat.

Return the pan to the stovetop on a lower heat, add butter and return all the cubed beef to the pan. Add the dijon mustard (with thanks to Gary Rhodes for inspiring this addition, in place of flour, for thickening) and stir. Add the bacon, mushrooms and the marinade (fresh thyme, carrots and onions) and cook on a low heat for two hours. Where time permits I leave the casserole to sit overnight. (then you can skim any excess fat from the top, pick out the thyme if the sprigs have remained intact, and you can replace with fresh thyme again before gently reheating).

Check the seasoning; add salt and pepper as required. Check the thickness of the sauce and, if necessary, add some beurre manié (butter and flour.) The red wine should have reduced, and the mustard provided some natural thickening that most likely the beurre manie will not be required. Some recommend that the cooking can be finished in the oven in a covered casserole. Most usually I serve as it is on the day of cooking, or reheat on the stovetop. Bon appetit!

CSIPETKE (Hungarian Pinched Noodles)

I love sharing food with friends, and cooking for them, and there is no greater honour than being invited into a friend's home and having them cook in a labour of love to share with me.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a leisurely Sunday lunch in the home of my friends Georgie and Janos. That day they treated me to homestyle Hungarian fare. I've never made Csipetke, and they've been kind enough to give me a lesson, shared here with you. They even took the photo.

Csipetke: home made pasta for soups

80g continental flour
1 small egg
salt

Mix flour with egg and knead until firm dough forms.

Sift a little flour on a hard surface and roll dough with a rolling pin until it is 1mm thick. Dip your fingers into flour and pinch small pieces from the dough (about 5mm x 5mm).

Add small pieces of dough to boiling soup (such as gulyas soup) or boiling salty water. It is cooked when it comes to the surface (about 2 - 3 minutes).

If we're lucky maybe they'll share their recipe for Gulyas (Goulash) some day soon ...