Jasmyne Tea

Compost Cookies

Momofuku Milk Bar was definitely on my to-visit list when I went to New York, but unfortunately we just weren't able to go. There was so much other cool stuff to do (like shopping, eating bagels and watching shows on Broadway) that we  just didn't make it there.

So I bought the book! In one fell swoop, I combined my love of internet shopping and food, and in no time at all my copy of Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi was in my hands.

I knew immediately that I wanted to make the Compost Cookies - I mean come on, big, chewy cookies filled with all of the junk food I love? I put ground coffee, potato chips, Tim Tams and mini pretzels in those bad boys, and seriously? I wish I'd put more ingredients in, because it really is a case of 'the more, the merrier'. I did skip the graham cracker crust mixture because I didn't have the ingredients, but it still worked out in the end. Give them a go, because this just might be the best cookie you ever have.

Compost Cookies
Adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi

INGREDIENTS

225g unsalted butter at room temp
200g castor sugar
150g light brown sugar
50g glucose syrup
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
225g flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
150g mini choc chips
40g rolled oats
2 1/2 tsp ground coffee
50g potato chips, roughly crushed
50g mini pretzels, roughly crushed
4 tim tams, roughly crushed

1.  Combine the butter, sugars, and glucose in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon for about 3 - 4 minutes until light and creamy (if you have a kitchen-aid, by all means use it: medium high for 2 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla, then mix until fully incorperated, at least 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until the dough starts to come together - this should take about 1 - 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERMIX. Add the chocolate chips, oats, and coffee, and mix until just incorperated, about 30 seconds. Add the potato chips (we used Red Rock Deli), pretzels and tim tams, then gently stir until just mixed in.

3. Use an ice-cream scoop to portion out the dough onto baking-paper lined trays. Your cookies  will need a LOT of space, so leave about 10 cm between each one. Slightly flatten the tops, cover the trays with cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

4. Heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius, and bake the cookies for 15 - 20 minutes, checking at 12 mins. They should be light brown on the edges but still yellow in the middle. Cool completely before removing from trays.

A Fond Farewell to Cotton Duck, Surry Hills

Alas, all good things must come to an end.

When I heard that Cotton Duck was closing its doors on the 31st of March, I quickly made a reservation. I brought Stephen and our work friend Nha, and we all decided beforehand to go for the 6-course degustation ($80). I chose to order matching wines as well ($110), the plan being that Stephen and I would share because he was driving; therefore I felt justified ordering a cocktail to begin.

I felt less justified at the end of the night when I bumped my head getting into the car with Stephen: I was raging drunk. Oh well. It was a send off, after all! (Because I became intoxicated I can't read the notes I made afterwards, and the menu has been taken off the website, so unfortunately I have no idea what the wines were).

As we walked into the restaurant, we came face-to-face with the greenery and designer ceiling sculpture that the place is so famous for. We were seated in a quiet section of the restaurant and plied with menus and drinks.

Cucumber Drink

Stephen started with a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink that consisted of aloe vera and shreds of cucumber.

Lychee Cocktail

Nha chose a more tropical lychee cocktail, which she said was quite strong on the alcohol.

Blackcurrent Cocktail

My cocktail was sweet and fruity, with a slight alcoholic bite. A twist of lime balanced the sweetness perfectly.

Chickpea Puree with Flatbread

We started with an appetiser of flatbread, which was fluffy and light with little pockets of crispiness, and a chickpea puree that was thick in texture, but went beautifully with the bread.  The wine was quite dry and tart, and was the only glass I didn't finish.

Roasted Prawns, Poached Leek, Garum and Caviar Lentils

Our first course was a two-parter. The first plate that came out as a linear masterpiece: small, plump roasted prawns were scattered across a baton of poached leek, along with perfectly cooked caviar lentils. All this was accentuated with garum, a type of fermented fish sauce common in ancient Greece and Rome.

Pork, Cucumber, Beetroot

The pork was diced into incredibly small pieces, and then prepared in a way that sort of made it taste preserved. The cucumber was arranged into a neat stack, and a couple of slices of pickled beetroot graced the plate as well. The wine I was given here was slightly less dry, but could not be called sweet by any means.

Soft Corn & Polenta Pudding

This polenta pudding was wrapped in a net of soft, gooey tilsit cheese and served over a little pile of grilled corn. It was definitely interesting to cut into the cheese and receive a dolop of wobbly pudding!

Duck Ravioli

We weren't really impressed with this dish. While the duck was tender and the parcels full to capacity with it, the broth was flavourless and the ravioli wrappers a little tough.

Ratatouille

This was the Cotton Duck version of ratatouille, a chilled, roasted vegetable soup with cherry tomato halves and a good slice of Persian feta. I liked the slick of balsamic vinegar, but overall i found this dish a little lackluster. I distinctly remember enjoying the rosé it came with though - it was light, sweet and refreshing.

Cape Grim Sporalli Dorsai

This was a spectacular cut of meat. Our waitress told us Sporalli Dorsai is a cut of meat above the sirloin, and it was cooked to medium rare perfection. Served with garlic chips, red onion and a jus, it was an ode to the perfectly cooked cut of beef, and the red it was served with was an excellent match.

The steak was served as a share platter with roasted new potatoes and crispy beans and peas.

Sheeps Milk Yoghurt, Wild Fennel Sherbert & Organic Blueberry Meringue

The pre-dessert was extremely interesting, a play on textures and flavours that was a lot of fun to eat. The fennel sherbert fizzed a little on the tongue, while the whipped sheep's milk yoghurt was slightly tangy and melted in the mouth. Little drops of blueberry meringue completed the airiness of this dish. I was given a honey-mead for this course, which was really sweet without being cloying, and was perfectly tailored to suit.

Sugar Plum Tart

Our final course was a sugar plum tart to share between the three of us. The plums were whole, de-seeded and wondrously warm and juicy with cooking. The crust left a little to be desired, being a little over-cooked, but that was made all better by the drizzle of fresh cream over the top.

Our evening at  Cotton Duck was full of good times and gastronomical adventure, and it's sad to see this one go. Despite the quality of this restaurant and many other like it, the competition is just too fierce in Surry Hills and it's very hard to continue to provide this level of service and quality at prices people like us will pay. However, there is still Danks Street Depo to look forward to, and I very much look forward to trying their Rueben sandwich with wagyu.

Cotton Duck (Closed)

Formerly at 50 Holt St,
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

 

Zucchini & Tomato Muffins

At the moment it's raining buckets, and Stephen's been bitch-slapped by that harsh mistress known as Escherichia Coli. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, I've gone on another baking spree.

These muffins were simple, easy to make and tasty. I did my best to make them healthy too, by using wholemeal spelt flour. You can't taste the zucchini, but the ham lends its slight saltiness to the muffin, and the slice of tomato on top keeps the whole thing moist. Serve it with a schnitzel and veggies, or take a couple for lunch.

Zucchini & Tomato Muffins
*Adapted from The Thrifty Kitchen by Suzanne & Kate Gibbs

INGREDIENTS

4 coarsely grated zucchini
100 grams of ham, coarsley chopped
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated colby cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan.

2. Combine all of the ingredients except for the tomato in a bowl, and season to taste. Spoon into the prepared tin and top each muffin with a slice of tomato.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, checking with a skewer to make sure it is cooked through (it may take an extra 5 - 10 minutes). Leave to cool completely in the tin. Makes 12 large muffins.

La Tratt, Fairfield - A Second Serving

You can't take Stephen's dad anywhere. George is great, don't get me wrong, but he has a sense of humour that strangers don't seem to understand, and is an incorrigable flirt, especially when his wife is with him. People come away from conversations slightly confused and not quite sure if they should be offended.

When we went to La Tratt for Stephen's birthday, a certain waitress there (who I went to school with) was the unfortunate victim of George's attention. Luckily that didn't affect the quality of the food or the service (and really, I wouldn't have blamed her if it did, lol), and we had an excellent experience here, just as good as the first time.

Arrancini

We started with the arrancini, deep-fried, golden balls of arborio rice and gooey cheese. They were so flavoursome that we ordered more (George tried to score freebies by being charming at this point, but it didn't work. I wonder why).

Fig & Prosciutto Special

This was a special, but I was so glad I ordered it. Beautiful, fresh figs were wrapped in salty prosciutto and pan-fried. The sauce reminded me of hollandaise, creamy and light and perfectly seasoned. The toasted bread went well with the figs, but I wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't there.

Filetto Di Manzo - $42.00

Anthony ordered the Filetto Di Manzo, a Tagima wagyu sirloin with a score of 6. The steak was tender, juicy, and barely needed the knife he was given, and the puddle of red wine butter emphasised the flavour of the meat without overpowering it. It was served on a confit garlic puree, with oyster mushrooms and a long potato croquette.

Insalata Salubre - $9.90

This salad was ordered as a side, but I could have happily ordered it as my main. Crisp cabbage, crunchy walnuts, sharp parmesan and plump raisins were all combined with a chardonnay aioli.

Spinachi E Ricotta Lasagne Funghi - $25.00

Melissa ordered the lasagne, and said it was one of the best lasagne's she's had in a restaurant. Paper thin squares of pasta were layered with spinach, ricotta and wild mushroom. It was served with a sage nut brown butter sauce and chestnuts.

Porcellino Al Forno - $79.00

Finally, the main event arrived. This beautiful mess that adorned a rustic wooden block was the suckling pig that we had come for, only available Fridays and Saturdays. Four large chunks of pork were oven roasted to perfection, with crackling I still dream of. This was served with Marchetti cotechino sausage, a sausage made mostly from the gelatinous parts of the pig. It was tender and a little spicy.

Salsa Verde, Poached Spiced Pears, Mustard Fruits

These were served with the suckling pig, although I think there was enough flavour there as it was. The salsa verde was a little thin, but still full of flavour. The poached pears and mustard fruits were interesting accompaniments, but so tasty I could have eaten them solo.

Complimentary Vegetables

Finally, we tried the complimentary veggies that were served to us. The carrot, asparagus and beans were smothered in butter, salt and pepper, which most of the table seemed to like. I prefer my vegetables with nothing on them, but to each their own.

We didn't order dessert this time as we had a cake to go home to, but we were sorely tempted after we saw what was on offer. The standout food and service is what makes us repeat customers here - that, and also how close La Tratt is from home.

La Tratt

At the Fairfield RSL
14 Anzac Pde
Fairfield
NSW 2165

Phone: 9727 5000

www.fairfieldrsl.com.au

Cajun Cabin, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

You learn a lot about your partner when you go on holiday together. Our trip to America was our first holiday together in the 4 years we'd been an item, and arguably it was the longest amount of time we'd continuously spent together.

The Mississippi River

I learned that Stephen likes to go to bed early and wake up at the crack of dawn when on holiday. On the other hand, I prefer to stay out late and check out the local night-life, then wake up just in time for brunch.

St Louis Cathedral

I learned not to EVER follow Stephen's directions, and to bring a map.

Jackson Square

Stephen learned that I get really frustrated and verbally abusive towards pedestrians who stop in the middle of the footpath unexpectedly to take a photo or look at a map, making me walk into them. I learned that Stephen is one of those pedestrians.

The Cabildo

I discovered that Stephen has a gentlemanly habit of slowing down his walking pace for me (he has loooooong legs and it's hard for him to walk at a normal human pace).

The Natchez, last paddleboat on the Mississippi

I also learned that Stephen is able to keep a cool head in tense situations, like the time we were almost robbed by the river (that was crazy).

Bourbon Street

And finally, we both learned that we have a similar passion for trying food that is traditional and authentic to an area. In the interest of trying some traditional Cajun dishes, we decided to have dinner at Cajun Cabin.

Cajun Cabin is located on Bourbon Street, a prime location. It has a huge bar to the side with an amazing array of alcohol, and two false trees right in the middle of the restaurant, seemingly growing from the wooden floor. We were seated promptly as it was early and not so busy, then went to work ordering.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (Cup) - $5.95

I REALLY REALLY wanted to try a good Gumbo while I was in the South, and this cup fit the bill. A strong, flavoursome stock was thickened with roux and simmered down with small chunks of tender chicken and andouille sausage. It was served with a spoon-full of white rice, and crackers on the side.

Fried Green Tomato Remoulade - $7.95

Another New Orleans classic; succulent, chilled prawns were smothered in a red remoulade sauce redolent with paprika and pickles, and were served on top of battered and fried green tomatoes.

The Gator - $12.95

Stephen's Gator burger contained a mildly spicy, gamey aligator meat patty topped with pickles and served on a slightly chewy bun. The fries were a little overdone, but we liked them that way - the crispier the better!

Beef Brisket Sandwich - $12.95

My burger was piled high with tender, juicy beef brisket smothered in smokey barbeque sauce. It was served with tomato, lettuce and pickles on a squashy sesame seed bun, and with a generous serve of crispy fries.

By this time we were too full for dessert, so we waddled off to explore the wonder that is Bourbon Street at night. If we ever come back to New Orleans (and I really hope we do!), I'll be coming back for the gumbo.

Cajun Cabin

503 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, Louisina
70130

Phone: 504-529-4256