Jasmyne Tea

Breakfast at Efendy, Balmain

Last year in November the Run4Fun was held at Olympic Park. A few of my work mates participated, along with over 6000 other participants, altogether raising over $114,000 for organisations across the country, including The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network and the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

My friends Mary and Paul and I, of course, had every intention of participating, until we discovered we'd have to wake up at 5am to get there on time.

HELL NO. On a Sunday?

Wild Orchid Salep Smoothie - $7.00

Of course, we still participated in the celebratory breakfast at Efendy. Our athletes arrived tired, worn-out and thirsty, so we ordered drinks straight away. The wild orchard powder in this drink had a sweet, earthy flavour that was emphasised by the nutmeg and cinnamon, and the salep ice-cream gave some body to the drink.

Sour Cherry Iced Coffee - $7.00

This iced coffee had a weaker coffee taste than I'm used to, but the inclusion of crushed sour cherries injected their own unique flavour to the drink.

Turkish Delight Salep Smoothie - $7.00

My Turkish Delight smoothie was awesome! Salep icecream was blended with rose syrup, small bits of chewy Turkish Delight, and almond flakes to create a cool, sweet drink with a silky texture.

Pide - $3.00 each

We ordered a board full of pide to go with our meals. They're made in house, and have a sort of authentic, rustic look to them. Apparently what we normally call pide is actually called "lahmacun"; the pide we received was what we'd call Turkish bread, and had a solid, wood-fired base and a dense interior.

Pastirma and Kashar Cheese Borek - $10.00

These were quickly gobbled up, and with good reason: the pastirma (air-dried beef) reminded me of prosciutto, except a bit less salty and more tender; the kashar cheese (a hard, sheep's milk cheese) melted beautifully, lending its ripe flavour. These were fried in parcels of filo pastry until golden brown.

Gozleme - $14.00

The gozleme were big, chunky triangles of thick dough filled to the brim with spinach and feta. They were supported by a little pot of olive tapenade and wedges of tomato and lemon to freshen the flavour up a bit.

Kallavi - $17.00

Also known as the "Big Breakfast", this dish includes a choice of eggs (we all chose scrambled), perfectly sauteed mushrooms, sucuk-merguez sausage (a dry sausage spiced with cumin, garlic and sumac), pastirma and tomato. It was filling and well executed, and the breakfast of choice for the poeple who ran the race.

Menemen - $14.00

We ordered this because it was described as a traditional Turkish breakfast . Gorgeous, fluffy scrambled eggs were cooked with juicy tomato and banana pepper, fresh red onion and parsely, and I much prefered this dish over the others.

After our visit I could definitely see why Efendy is so famous for their breakfasts. Every dish was beautifully presented, packed with flavour and immensly satisfying. It was definitely the place to go after running the Run 4 Fun - if there's one next year that starts after 10 o'clock, I'll be sure to participate, if only to partake of such a breakfast again ;)

The bill, presented in a Turkish comic book.

Efendy Turkish Restaurant

79 Elliot St
Balmain, NSW
2041

Phone: 02 9810 5466

http://www.efendy.com.au

Al Aseel, Greenacre

The weekend before I left for the States, EVERYONE wanted to take me out to a restaurant to say farewell and Bon Voyage. Almost every meal of Friday, Saturday and Sunday was assigned to someone, and it didn't leave much time for packing or getting my affairs in order.

The Sunday morning I had set aside for some of my work friends, who had been planning for months to take me out for a traditional Lebanese breakfast at Al Aseel. The girls are legendary for their abilities to cancel - this was actually attempt 4 to meet, and the fact that we managed it at all was worthy of a celebratory meal itself!

The girls are regulars, so we used their connections and parked underneath the building, and walked through the back door. We found seats straight away as it was pretty quiet, and looked through the spiral-bound menu. I had NO idea what I was doing, so we all let our friend Yasmin order for us, and I have to say, she did an excellent job.

Food started arriving almost immediately, and we soon ran out of table space. Massive stacks of Lebanese bread were served to us as an accompaniment to the dishes. The waiters were fleeting visions - they came and put the food down, then disappeared. Drinks were obtained by heading up to the four massive fridges by the main counter and making a selection from the dozens of different brands.

Fatteh

The fatteh was outstanding - a creamy concoction of chickpea, yoghurt, and torn flat bread, topped with crunchy pine nuts and melted, clarified butter.

Foul

This dish was a chunky mixture of filling fava beans, garlic, onion, and topped with flavoursome olive oil and lemon juice.

Labneh

The labneh, a cheese made by removing the whey from yoghurt, was wonderfully creamy and smooth, and slightly salty. It was served with chips of crispy fried bread, and the contrast between the two really made this simple dish special.

Hommos

The hommos was good, predictable yet comforting with the nutty flavour of chickpea and olive oil.

Fattoush

This is the best fattoush I've ever had! Diced pieces of fresh lettuce, parsely, cucumber and onion were delicately flavoured with sumac and garlic. Fried pieces of flat bread were broken into chunks and tossed in, and seriously, 15 minutes later the bread (even though it had been left to soak in the dressing) was STILL crisp.

Tabouli

The tabouli was beautiful and fresh, full of good things like parsely and tomato, and olive oil and lemon juice. It's never been my favourite dish, but this was definitely one of the better ones I've tried.

Shanglish

My friend Fatat told me to try this dish especially. The crumbly, cheesy substance was sharp and tangy on the tongue, and little pieces of tomato and spanish onion broke it up quite nicely. When I asked what Shanglish translated to, she told me it was "rotten cheese", which made me cringe a bit, but later on I found out it's actually dried yoghurt - still not so delicious-sounding, but a bit better for my state of mind.

Grilled Chicken

I found the idea of chicken for breakfast a tad off-putting, but I tried some anyway. I found it to be dry, and very much in need of the little bowl of toum (garlic sauce) to lend a bit of moisture.

Scrambled Eggs

These scrambled eggs were made to be eaten with the complimentary lebanese bread - they were so light and fluffy and gorgeous that I found it hard to share this plate around. Definitely a highlight of the meal.

Al Aseel is the local hang-out, the cheap-and-cheerful - it ain't fancy, but it's full of a brightness and an energy that is difficult to replicate. The food is, for the most part, outstanding. The girls wouldn't let me see the bill, but I estimate that the bill was roughly $120 based on what everyone put in (there were 6 of us). Fantastic price for what we received!

Al Aseel

4/173 Waterloo Road
Greenacre, NSW
2190

Phone: (02) 9758 6744

Hardware Societe, Melbourne CBD

Melbourne was not what I expected. When Roxy and I visited over the Labour long weekend, I'll admit I was expecting a city the size of Sydney but with all the idiosyncrasies of Melbourne that I've heard of, but I was dead wrong: Melbourne is a completely different place in terms of atmosphere, architecture, and culture, and is much smaller.

An example of Melbournesque eccentricities

During our stay, we walked all the main streets and most of the alleyways of Melbourne in an attempt to get to know this fair city. We also went searching for some iconic graffiti that Melbourne is so famous for.

I noticed the main theme of the streets of Melbourne is juxtaposition - there is often stark contrast between the old and the new, elegant and edgy, the barren and charming that completely works for this city. This also carries into many of the stores and restaurants here, and I found this true for the decor of Hardware Societe.

The restaurant was long and narrow and full of communal tables, but Roxy and I managed to snag a table to ourselves outside. Our waiter was very friendly and casual, which suited the vibe of the restaurant perfectly. We ordered, and in next to no time we had our food.

Liquorice Tea - $4.50

We started with a lovely pot of liquorice tea because Roxy was enamoured of the crocheted tea cosies. The tea had a lovely aniseed and mint flavour, and was quite strong. It came with a cute little cinnamon doughtnut on the side of the cup.

Baked Eggs with Brie, Slow Roasted Tomato and Sauce Verte - $14

When the waiter brought out my dish I grinned in glee - the cutest little black casserole dish was sitting there, waiting for me to open it up and unveil its treasures. Inside nestled two baked eggs with gooey yolks, decadently juicy roasted tomatoes, creamy little chunks of brie, and a lovely herby sauce. Three crispy slices of white bread were drizzled in garlic and herb olive oil and served on the side.

Bircher Muesli - $11

Roxy's Bircher Muesli was served with pears poached in a vanilla and rosewater syrup, and served with soft, juicy raspberries and crunchy macadamia nuts.

I loved my experience at Hardware Societe - it's definitely going to be something I think about when I think 'Melbourne'. The tables were miniscule and it was hard to fit all of our food on at once, but the chairs were comfortable, the food excellent and the service impeccable.

Hardware Societe

120 Hardware St
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Phone: 03 9078 5992

Apple Hotcakes with Cinnamon Crème Fraiche and Poached Rhubarb

Stephen doesn't deserve me.

Instead of catching up on hours and hours of sleep on my day off, I lovingly woke up at 6:30am while it was still kind of dark just to cook Stephen a hearty breakfast before sending him on his way to teach the dunderheads at Parramatta UWS (not his words, I was just channeling my love for Professor Snape).

Ok, so I might have also wanted to try cooking this dish that was inspired by the apple hotcakes I sampled at Ripples at Milson's Point a couple of years ago. But don't tell him, because I'm enjoying the guilt trip...

The hotcakes are light and have a subtle apple taste, which I enhanced by using a little bit of apple juice concentrate along with the apple puree. The cinnamon creme fraiche goes with the apple flavour like an overly used food analogy, and because there is no refined sugar in the first two components, the sugar in the poached rhubarb lends some necessary sweetness.

Apple Hotcakes with Cinnamon Creme Fraiche & Poached Rhubarb

*Hotcake recipe adapted from "The Thrifty Kitchen" by Suzanne Gibbs and Kate Gibbs

INGREDIENTS

Hotcakes

1 cup ricotta cheese
140g apple puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup milk

Creme Fraiche

150 g creme fraiche
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Poached Rhubarb

1 stalk of rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup cold water

 

    1. For the hotcakes, whisk the ricotta, apple sauce, apple juice concentrate and egg in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, and then the flour until just combined. Combine the creme fraiche and cinnamon in a bowl and keep aside.

    2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine the water, sugar, cinnamon and rhubarb over a low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat up and let the mixture boil until it thickens, approximately 2 - 5 minutes.

    3. Place the rhubarb in a single layer in a small baking tray, and add the liquid. Cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 160 degrees celcius.



    4. Meanwhile, melt some butter in a large frying pan. Pour 1/4 cup measures of hotcake mixture into the pan, then use the back of a spoon to spread  them to about 10 cm in size. Cook for a couple of minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface, then turn over and cook the other side. Repeat in batches until the batter is used up.

    5. Arrange the hotcakes on a plate, top with poached rhubarb, then with the cinnamon creme fraiche. Spoon some of the liquid from the rhubarb on top, and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Apple & Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

A lot of the time on days I have to work, I skip breakfast. I know, I know, it's bad for me, most important meal, but I just get so bored with the quick options available to me. Banana, Weetbix, Vegemite on toast, repeat.

Well, the other day my friend Roxy told me that it would be a good idea to make healthy muffins in advance, and then freeze them as needed. I can't believe I didn't think of it! I immediately thought of apple and cinnamon, as I love apples and any opportunity to get Stephen to eat them (as he loathes apples). The result was a moist, fruity muffin, spiced with the warmth of cinnamon, and very filling with the addition of whole wheat flour.

Apple and Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup of low-fat milk (or soy-milk)

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

2 apples (I used a granny smith and a pink lady), grated

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons bicarb soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 

    1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Butter a 6 hole (large) muffin tin. In a large bowl whisk together the brown sugar, egg, oil and milk.

    2. Sift the flours, bicarb soda and the cinnamon into the bowl and mix, along with the grated apples, until just combined.

    3. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes until risen (if so inclined, feel free to use a bit of the apple to decorate the top of your muffin).

    4. Remove muffins from oven and leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Makes 6.

Egg In Hell

In the first season of MasterChef, Chris was my favourite contestant. He created innovative recipes that made even offal look appetising, and provided a nice change from some of the more traditional or generic dishes that were shown.

One of my favourite recipes of his was the Egg in Hell, a unique take on the traditional Bacon and Eggs breakfast. The tomatoes, onion and garlic lent an aromatic dimension to the eggs, and a more robust flavour. The tobasco also gave the dish a nice kick. This is Stephen's take on the dish (with a little input from me!), but if you want to make it faithful to the original, I'm pretty sure it's in the MasterChef Australia Cookbook, Volume 1.

Egg In Hell

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion (1/2 large onion)
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
splash of tabasco
1 egg
1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon of chives
2-3 rashers of bacon
1 2cm thick slice of brioche, cut into fingers

 

    1. Finely dice onion and crush garlic. Heat oil in frying pan and fry onion and garlic until translucent. Add tomatoes cook until skin starts to soften, and seperate from flesh. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in tabasco to taste.

    2. Place mixture into a heat-proof ramekin, and make a slight depression in the centre. Crack the egg into the centre, sprinkle chives over egg, and spread grated cheese over the top.

    3. Grill egg and tomato for 2-5 minutes, until egg white is firm and cheese is golden (to check, jiggle the ramekin - if the mixture moves too much, grill a little longer). Meanwhile, cut bread into fingers. Fry bacon and bread in same frying pan that was used for tomatoes until crisp. Serve immediately.

This dish is very hearty and warming, not to mention delicious. The chives add a note of freshness that cuts the tartness of the tomato, and the bread fingers are great for soaking the egg yolk and tomato juice up. Fantastic for a Sunday (or in this case, Monday) brunch!