Jasmyne Tea

Sky Phoenix & Becasse Bakery, Sydney CBD

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I always savour the time I get to spend with my fiance. Stephen and I have very different schedules: I work 4 ten-hour shifts a week, whereas Stephen works 3 shifts a week and spends 4 days teaching or working at Hawkesbury UWS. Normally we only get a couple of hours a day to see each other, but this summer Stephen has taken some time off uni, and we now have Tuesdays together.

We normally make the most of our Tuesdays, playing tennis with friends, going shopping or seeing a movie. One Tuesday we were craving Yum Cha, and found ourselves at the Westfield's impressive food court in the city; there sat Sky Phoenix like a harbour of hope for our hungry bellies.

Fried Noodles

The service here is impeccable, as we're greeted from the entrance and led through the clean and spacious restaurant to a table promptly. We were given our pot of tea, and before we could even finish pouring, our first trolley had arrived. When I saw they had fried noodles, I picked them out quick smart.

Probably my favourite Yum Cha dish of all time, the noodles are firm, thin, with excellent resistance when bitten. Lightly flavoured with soy sauce, they also include bean sprouts, spring onion, and sesame seeds. Simple, yes, but also delicious.

BBQ Pork Buns

These, on the other hand, are Stephen's favourite dish. These specimen consisted of soft, fluffy bun dough that stuck a little with each chew, and the pork was shredded roughly, tender morsels cooked in a thick, sweet sauce.

Prawn Spring Rolls

The prawns in this dish were SO fresh, plump and juicy. The pastry was super-crisp, and the sesame seeds lent their own nutty flavour whilst adding to the texture. They were served with a rather generic sweet and sour sauce.

Braised Duck

The duck fell apart with nary a touch, excellent considering the fact that we were using chopsticks. A soy based sauce lent some salt, and although the skin wasn't crisp (which is how I prefer it), at least it wasn't laden with a layer of fat.

Green Beans

These were ordered in a fit of guilt, but they were a good call. The beans were crisp and fresh, and lightly stir-fried in soy sauce.

Football Dumplings!

I STILL have no idea what these are called, but they were possibly the best ones I've had so far, probably due to superior ingredients and freshness. The minced pork burst with flavour, the mushroom had a beautiful texture, and the casing was chewy and crunchy at once.

Mango Pudding

This mango pudding was excellent, with mango chunks mixed in, giving it a more interesting texture than just plain, uniform  pudding. As always, it was covered in the obligatory layer of condensed milk.

As usual, I have trouble with the little stamps they put on the order sheet for food, so I'll just say that the total for the meal was $74.90.

After finishing our delicious  lunch, we went for a walk around Westfields. After a couple of hours we went for coffee and cake at Becasse Bakery.

Petite Carrot, Orange and Sultana Cake - $3.00

The carrot cake was teeny-tiny, about the diameter of a 50c coin at the base, but it was packed with flavour. Orange was the most prevalent, followed by the sweetness of the carrot and sultana. A generous piping of cream cheese frosting and the strategic placement of a walnut were both  lovely finishing touches.


Banana & Salted Peanut Brittle Tartlet - $6.95

 GOD, this was good. They definitely didn't skimp on the salted peanut brittle, which was amazing and crunchy without being too crunchy, if you know what I mean - I didn't chip a tooth. A banana custard supported the brittle, and a thin pastry crust encased the whole thing; delicious madness!

Zokoko Chocolate Jaffa Tartlet - $7.95

Stephen's jaffa tartlet was quite enjoyable - he enjoys a richer chocolate taste, which this dessert certainly provided. The chocolate jaffa ganache was encased in a gorgeous chocolate biscuit, and topped with a perfect disc of dark chocolate. This was topped by candied orange peel, and the dessert as a whole was divinely decadent.

Sky Phoenix

Level 6, Shop 6001
Westfield Sydney,
NSW 2000

http://www.phoenixrestaurants.com.au

Becasse

Level 5, Shop 5019
Westfield Sydney,
NSW 2000

Cafe Du Monde & The French Markets, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

In the short time I was there, the French Quarter of New Orleans became one of my favourite places in the world. Located in the South-East of Louisiana along the Mississippi River, the French Quarter has a wonderfully rich cultural diversity that is steeped in history.

New Orleans was founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville of the French Mississippi Company in 1718 and named for Phillipe d'Orleans, Duke of Orleans. This French colony was then given to Spain as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, then was taken back by France in 1801. Napoleon sold New Orleans to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which led to an influx of American, French, Creole, Irish, German, Haitian and African immigration, both voluntary and involuntary. This melting pot of cultures has made the architecture, cuisine and even the language and diction of New Orleans unique.

New Orleans is a city defined by the hardships they endure. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina tore a devestating path through the city when the federal flood protection system failed. 80% of the city was left flooded, and many citizens took shelter in the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Morial Convention Centre, but these shelters had little food and less water, and over 1500 people died - some are still unaccounted for. Despite this and other natural disasters, both long past and recent, New Orleans is still a city bustling with life and energy - a city that prides itself on it's ability to bounce back and recover again and again.

When Stephen and I visited, we were lucky enough to be staying right on Royal Street, in the heart of the French Quarter. I knew for certain I wanted to check out the famous French Markets, but Stephen wanted breakfast first, so we stopped by Cafe Du Monde nearby.

Cafe Du Monde is an institution by its own right. It opened in 1862 on Decatur Street, and for over a century has been supplying New Orleans with beignets and cafe au lait.

The dining room is scattered with photos of the cafe in all its previous incarnations, and the staff all wear little paper hats and bowties straight out of the 50's. The menu is very limited; in the way of food, only beignets are sold, and there are only a few different kinds of coffee. We ordered, and our server joined a line of other servers in a canteen-like fashion to pick up our coffee.

Cafe Au Lait - US$2.42

Cafe Du Monde is famous for cafe au lait, which is served in a way unique to New Orleans: the coffee is spiked with chicory and the milk is scalded. Its bitter flavour is iconic to this cafe, and is a great foil for the sweetness of the beignets.

Iced Cafe Au Lait US$3.87

The iced version is like a cafe au lait slushy, and comes in a more generous size. I, personally, prefer the original - everytime I took a sip of the iced coffee I kept expecting something sweet.

Beignets - US$2.42

The beignets were deep-fried square pillows of choux pastry, with a deliciously crispy outer, yet fluffy on the inside. Mountains of icing sugar topped them - apparently it's customary for first timers to blow the icing sugar off the top and make a wish, but we refrained.

So much icing sugar!

We moved on further down Decatur Street to the French Markets. Established in 1791, it's 6 blocks full of enclosed and outdoor shopping (which of course I took full advantage of), but there's about a block of food stalls that we were really interested in, and we found it to be a great introduction to the cuisine of New Orleans.

Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of New Orleans. It's made with a large, round loaf of bread similar to a foccacia in texture, and almost always consists of olive spread, provolone, ham, pepperoni, coppa and salami.

Hot Chocolate - $3.00

We tried a spiced hot chocolate, which was warm with notes of cinnamon and chilli and perfect for the icy weather we were having.

Egg Nog - $3.00

I had never tried egg nog before, and was quite keen. Beneath the cinnamon, nutmeg and custard flavours I was surprised to taste a trace of rum - I had forgotten that it was legal (and even normal practise - my ID wasn't even asked for) to drink in public.

6" Pulled Pork Po' Boy - US$8.00

A Po' Boy is a type of sandwich made with New Orleans French bread. We were sampling lot of dishes, so we ordered a 6" or a "shorty" between us. The pulled pork was soft and tender, cooked in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce until it fell apart. It was served with sharp green tomatoes and salty pickles.

Dirty Banana - US$8.00

In another display of public drinking, we went to The Organic Banana stand and ordered a cocktail. This icy concoction of fresh banana, amaretto, coffee liqueur and chocolate syrup was sweet and fresh, a great way to end a marathon of eating.

New Orleans was extraordinary. The atmosphere was fun and carefree, the shopping excellent and the food even better. There were many more places we visited, but I found the French Markets and Cafe Du Monde to be quintessential experiences of the French Quarter.

French Market District

On Decatur Street
Between St Peters Street & Barracks Street

http://www.frenchmarket.org

Chicken Roulade with Ragout & Pumpkin Puree

Since Stephen left for America, I haven't really been putting much effort into my meals. Cooking for another person is part of the joy of cooking for me, so when I'm by myself my dinners usually consist of very basic elements; mostly raw vegetables with dip or cheese, things I can eat easily while talking to Stephen on Skype.

There was one occasion in which a lot of effort was put into a meal - my father-in-law's birthday. His daughter Melissa, wife Rosie and I all pitched in to make his dinner one to remember, and I think we did quite well. It was made up of three separate elements: A tender chicken and leek roulade, a sweet pumpkin puree, and a tasty vegetable ragout.

Chicken Roulade with Ragout & Pumpkin Puree
Adapted from Australian Good Food Guide

Chicken Roulade

INGREDIENTS

4 small chicken breasts
200g chicken mince
3 leeks, white part only, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 brown onion, finely diced
30ml olive oil

1. Saute the leek, garlic and onion in olive oil until softened. Allow to cool in a separate bowl, then add the chicken mince, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Butterfly the chicken breasts, then lay the chicken on a bench top and hammer with a meat mallet until roughly double in size.

3. Lay lengths of clingfilm (about 50cm long) side by side so that they are overlapping slightly. Place chicken breasts lengthways (10cm from the bottom of the plastic) also overlapping slightly.

4. Place mince evenly along the middle of the chicken breasts for the length of each piece. Holding the bottom of the gladwrap, gently roll the chicken over until a roll is formed. Roll tightly and tie off both ends of the gladwrap, then roll again in foil.

5. Poach in boiling water for 20 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, allow to set in a refrigerator for at least an hour.

6. Gently remove the foil and gladwrap, and slice the roulade in 2-3cm wide pieces. Once sliced, reheat the rounds in a hot pan, browning both sides.

Ragout

INGREDIENTS

1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 stalk rosemary, leaves stripped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 aubergine (eggplant), finely diced
2 courgettes (zucchinis), finely diced
2 410g cans of diced tomato

1. Sauté onion, garlic and rosemary in a large pot until softened.
2. Add all the vegetables and canned tomato and cook on a low heat until vegetables have softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Puree

INGREDIENTS

400g butternut pumpkin, cut into 3cm pieces
1 brown onion
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk rosemary

1. Roast pumpkin for 20 minutes or until completely soft. Allow to cool.
2. Finely dice onion and garlic, and sauté until golden in colour, adding in chopped rosemary.
3. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly

Place two rounds of the chicken roulade on top of the ragout, adding a teaspoon of the pumpkin puree on top.

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche is one of those things I never liked until I was an adult. You know, like coffee, wine, and artichoke; for me, a teen who thought heavily-buttered toast was a healthy dinner, it was an acquired taste. Quiche is full of delicious savoury ingredients, like spring onion, ham and cheese, that I just wasn't into as a youngster.

This particular recipe is one of the first that Stephen made for me, and I fell in love with it at first bite.  Firstly, I was just impressed to discover that Stephen could follow a recipe, but I was also enamoured of the play of flavours: the mild, eggy innards supporting the savoury, tasty cheese, the fresh onion and the slightly salty ham pieces. I know it's a fairly simple recipe, but I thought one of the dishes that set me on my culinary adventure was worth documenting.

Quiche Lorraine

INGREDIENTS

- 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
- 4-5 green shallots, thinly sliced
- 125g ham, thinly sliced/shredded
- 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated (I just use a whole 125g block)
- 6-8 eggs, lightly beaten

 

1 - Preheat oven to 180

2 - Place one sheet of puff pastry over the other, and roll out the sheets to fit your tart tin (the size can be variable, we usually use a 23cm one.  Otherwise you can make mini-quiche, excellent for a finger food for a party, in this case do not roll sheets over eachother). Fit the pastry to your tin and trim accordingly.

3 - Combine the shallots, ham and cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine.

4 - Lay the shallot/ham/cheese mixture evenly into your tin and pour over the mixture in the tin (I usually start with 6 eggs and if more are require just continue adding them, you just need to completely cover, but not drown, the mixture).

5 - Bake for 45 to50 minutes until cooked and lightly golden brown.

6 - Serve warm or cold.

Leek & Feta Tartlets

I really miss Stephen. When he went to Europe in 2008 we had only been together for 8 months, and so our relationship was relatively new - I reveled in the sensation and drama of having someone to miss, a first for me as I had been 17 at the time. This time, Stephen's gone to University of California, Irvine, for a workshop and his research, and the last 3 weeks have been the longest of my life. We've spent virtually no time apart since that first time, and I'm so used to having him there that I sort of feel like a limb is missing. I can't sleep and can't get as much done as I used to, and cooking for one is a drag!

One of the last things Stephen and I cooked together before he left was this leek and feta tart. The base was a crisp, buttery puff-pastry, and it was filled with a delectably creamy leek concoction and topped with smooth, slightly salty Danish feta. We paired it with a salad of baby spinach, baby beet, orange and macadamia nuts. As delicious as this tart was, it's no substitute, and I'm grateful that I'm going over to the States in 3 weeks time :)

Leek & Feta Tartlets

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
40g unsalted butter
1 leek, white part finely sliced
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon dry white wine
2 tablespoons vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tbs thickened cream
Danish feta to serve

1. Divide thawed puff pastry into four, and press into 4 small, shallow tart cases. Prick holes in the base with a fork, then rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

2. Heat butter in a frying pan over a high heat, then add the leek and garlic and cook for approx. 8 minutes, stirring constantly until tender. Add the stock and simmer for 2 minutes, and then add the wine and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then leave mixture to cool completely.

3. Blind bake the pastry for approximately 5 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius. Mix the eggs and cream into the cooled leek mixture, then spoon into the puff pastry cases. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until set, then take out of the oven and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve with salad of choice.

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

Courtney's Brasserie, Parramatta

Firstly, Stephen and I are going to be jointly writing this post as we both enjoyed dining here so much. Stephen's words will be italicised.

Secondly, HAPPY 4TH ANNIVERSARY TO STEPHEN, MY SWEETNESS. It feels like only yesterday we were working together at KFC, while you were cracking on to me like a sleezy boss. I'm glad I didn't file a sexual harrasment claim. <3

~

We weren't really planning on blogging this restaurant. Stephen normally doesn't like me to whip out the camera on our anniversary, preferring instead to spend some actual quality time together without people staring at us like we'd just sprouted a second head. But then I saw the place, and I pulled out the camera I had stashed away just in case, siting the fact that it wasn't REALLY our anniversary (we were celebrating early) and so I could take all the photos I wanted.

Courtney's Brasserie has been operating for 27 years in this historic cottage, but for the last two years its focus has been on organic, sustainable produce, and almost every ingredient is bought directly from farmers within a 200km radius of the restaurant. This place is definitely low profile, and the only way I'd even heard about it was when Miss Piggy suggested it on Twitter.

The restaurant is off Church St, which is probably why a lot of people don't know about it, hiding about 10 minutes down Phillip St.

The decor in this restaurant was very traditional, in keeping with the outside of the cottage, but the neutral tones and clean lines gave it a modern edge. We were welcomed in by our host, who was lovely and friendly, and given menus.

 
Our host told us that the menu changes daily depending on what ingredients they're able to procure, and pointed out a chalkboard that wrapped around the back walls of the room. They depicted the journey that the food we were eating that night had taken.


Tomato Prosciutto & Basil Bruschetta - $3.90 (Per Portion)

This bruschetta was unlike any other I've had before. There was the usual, a lightly toasted slice of bread topped with tomato, basil, spanish onion and balsamic vinegar, but the slices of prusciutto added a new dimension to the simple dish.

Willobrae Goat's Cheese & Balsamic Roasted Beetroot Tart with Honey Hazelnuts

We were pleasantly surprised with a complimetary taste of the Goat's Cheese & Beetroot Tart that had been sent out by the chef. The beetroot was roasted in balsamic vinegar, giving it a deliciously caramelised flavour and just a hint of tartness. The goat's cheese was ridiculously smooth and creamy, and the honeyed hazelnuts went beautifully. Also special mention for the casing, it was light and crisp and suited the dish perfectly.

Courtney's Own Organic Chicken Sausage with Ricotta Gnocchi & Sage Nut Butter - $18.90

The gnocchi were amazingly smooth and light, not offering the knife any resistance as they were cut in half. The combination of the gnocchi, parmesan cheese and sage nut butter was divine. As for the the sausage, I did not know what to expect. I've never ordered a sausage from a restuarant before (besides the odd German). The casing enclosed succulant ground chicken that was perfectly seasoned.

Wild Mudgee Rabbit Tasting Plate - $18.90

I was tossing up between a few entrees, when Stephen pointed out that I might as well have the rabbit, since he'd never let me bring that meat into our house (bad experiences, poor lad). I've never had rabbit in this manner before, normally my dad would trap one and then roast it whole. The rib was so tiny, it was amazing, but the morsel of rabbit meat on the end was big on flavour. The loin was wrapped in salty prosciutto and cooked with the sous vide method, so it was deliciously falling apart, and the roasted ballotine leg didn't let me down either.

Roasted Beef Fillet with Baby Lentils - $29.90

I'll start off with saying that my deepest regret of the night was ordering the steak medium. In saying that, it was still extraordinarily tender, and cooked perfectly to the request - if only I had chosen medium-rare.  The lentils and pea puree added a wonderful contrast and accompanied the steak well.  I'm not particularly a fan of mushrooms (a long childhood nightmare that's not appropriate to be discussed whilst food is the topic), however, I was eating these unaccompanied with no problem, they were excellent. The combination of all aspects, meat, lentils, mushrooms, pea puree and jus, resulted in a mouth explosion of texture and tantalising flavour (and I'm now salivating).

Pork Belly with Mashed Potato, Sauteed Cabbage, Caramelised Apple and Crackling - $27.90

I NEVER order pork belly at a restaurant, simply because I'm more attracted to other dishes on the menu, but this time I decided to go for it. The tender, almost-pink slices of pork were nestled on a bed of just crunchy cabbage, and the potato was pureed to perfection. The caramelised apple lent a sweet angle to this dish, and the crackling was a pleasure to eat - they could hear me from the other side of the restaurant.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Parfait - $13.90

The host brought out a dessert list; we were incredibly full, so we decided to share this parfait.  The chef kindly portioned the dish for the two of us. The macaroons had a hard and crunchy shell with a slightly chewy interior and coupled with some parfait went down well. The parfait alone was firm, yet creamy and the taste of chocolate and hazelnut was well balanced. The glass tuille was brittle and sweet and added contrast and texture to the dish. 

It was such a shame that only 3 couples came in that night for dinner (it was a Tuesday) - this place should definitely be more well known, because the food is the best in Parramatta in our humble opinions, and they deserve much more recognition than they receive right now. Stephen was hoping that we could hold our reception here (yes, the wedding plans have started), but alas, they're courtyard was too small. We left full, happy, and feeling very welcome to come back. It's exactly the right kind of dining experience for our anniversary dinner.

I also thought I should add after a short discussion with the host on the way out, the chef is able to cater for food requirements (i.e. Gluten intolerance) with sufficient notice, I'll definitely be bringing some of my research colleagues here.

Courtney's Brasserie

70 Phillip St
Parramatta, NSW
2150

Phone: 9635 3288

Orange Blossom Panna Cotta

When I first found a bottle of orange blossom water, I was ecstatic. I was making lists of things I could make with it, I was telling all of my friends about it, and I was looking forward to the myriad of posts I would write about it. Fast forward to 6 months later, and I had done absolutely nothing with orange blossom. That little bottle got lost in the pantry beneath jars of jam, packets of coffee beans, and tins of chickpeas. My dreams of orange blossom glory had been swept to the wayside in a flurry of real life activity.

Luckily, Stephen found time to resurrect said dreams in the form of an Orange Blossom Panna Cotta recipe from Masterchef Vol. 2. The panna cotta is accompanied by blood orange syrup and pain perdu (French toast), and we swapped the katalfi pastry in the original recipe for orange blossom pashmak (Persian fairy floss). Our panna cotta didn't turn out to be quite the same shape, but it was still thick and luscious and creamy. The pain perdu was crisp on the edges and nice and gooey towards the middle, and the tangy blood orange syrup cut through the sweetness of the rest of the dish.

Orange Blossom Panna Cotta with Pain Perdu & Blood Orange Syrup
*Adapted from Masterchef Australia Vol. 2

1 packet orange blossom pashmak

Panna Cotta
200mL milk
55g caster sugar
3 1/2 leaves gold-strength gelatine
200 mL pouring cream
3 tsp orange blossom water

Blood Orange Syrup
180mL freshly squeezed blood orange juice
55g caster sugar

Paid Perdu
16mL milk
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
160mL pouring cream
3 eggs yolks
2 tbs caster sugar
4 thick slices brioche

1. For the panna cotta, combine the milk and sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir for a couple of minutes until sugar has dissolved. Meanwhile, place the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 3 minutes, then squeeze out the water and add to the pan. Stir to dissolve. Add the cream and orange blossom water and stir, then take off the heat and pour into four moulds. Refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours until set.

2. For the syrup, mix the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat (without boiling) and mix until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and reduce for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until liquid is thicker.

3. To make the pain perdu, mix the milk, vanilla, and cream in a small saucepan. Over a low heat bring it to a simmer, then take it off the heat and remove the vanilla bean. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until thick, then pour the hot cream mixture into the egg, whisking constantly.

4. Soak the brioche slices for 10 - 30 seconds in the custard mixture, then just before serving, melt some butter in a pan over a medium heat and fry on each side for two minutes until golden brown.

5. To assemble, pour the syrup into 4 shallow dishes. Place the pain perdu in the middle of each bowl, then turn the panna cotta out onto the top. Finish with a pinch of pashmak.

Beef Pithivier with Truffle-Oil Mash

Stephen here.

My mouth salivates as I write this post.  While we were living away from our apartment I've been very restricted in regards to culinary adventure due to limited time, since at the same time that we were living away from home my supervisor had gone to the US so I had to look after some of his students.

We found this recipe in the Masterchef Vol. 1 cookbook.  It is disguised as a rather simple looking and innocent pastry, however, upon just cutting it in half there is no resistance for the knife and perched comfortably inside is a filling of succulent and perfectly tender beef and a thick mixture of carrot, leek and celery.  This recipe is amazingly simple, however produces something that I can't get enough of.  Luckily for me this recipe yields 6 pastries, therefore, I have two sitting in the freezer awaiting the next day I'm home for lunch.  The recipe has been modified slightly from the original to suit the ingredients that I have accessible.

Beef Pithivier
(Serves 6)

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 450g beef eye fillet, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 small brown onion, thinly diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500mL beef stock
- 1 small carrot, thinly diced
- 1 leek, white section halved and thinly sliced
- 1 celery stick, trimmed, pealed and thinly diced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 thawed sheets rolled puff pastry
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Truffle-oil mash to serve (1.5 medium-sized potatoes per person, unsalted butter, full-cream milk, truffle-infused oil)

METHOD

1 - Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the beef until browned.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.  Add the stock, carrot, leek, celery and thyme, and bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer.  Leave uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the mixture has thickened.  Season accordingly.  Cool the mixture, I covered it and put it in a the fridge for about 20 minutes.

2 - Cut six 8cm and 6cm rounds from the thawed pastry.  Place the smaller circles onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Brush the tops of the rounds with the egg wash and mound the meat mixture (approx. 2 tbs worth), leaving a border around the edge.  Cover with the large rounds and lightly press down to seal the edges.  Brush the top with the egg wash and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3 - Press down on the edges of the pastries with a pairing knife or the back of a spoon to completely seal.  Score the tops of the pastries as desired to decorate (I experimented here a little).  Brush the tops with egg wash and refrigerate until required.

4 - To cook, preheat the oven to 170°C. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry has puffed and is golden brown.  Serve immediately.

- To make the truffle-oil mash, simply peel and dice the potatoes. Cook in salted boiling water and then mash.  Add a 1/2 tbs of butter and 1 tbs milk per serve.  Mix well and then add the truffle-infused oil to taste.

Beef Daube with Rosé

I'm upset. Winter is ending - let the uncomfortable heat, unattractive body parts in short-shorts and short tempers commence.  My temper during the summer is legendary; I HATE being hot and sweaty, and if I'm frustrated enough, I take it out on the people around me. Luckily, Stephen has learned how to make himself immune by cooking for me. On an unusually warm day a couple of weeks ago, he made one of my favourite dishes from Bill's Basics:

Beef Daube with Rosé
*Adapted from Bill's Basics by Bill Granger

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons plain flour
1.5 kg beef rump, in 2.5cm cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
400g diced red tomatoes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped thickly
4 sprigs of thyme
juice and zest of one orange
2 cups sparkling rosé
2 cups beef stock
500g tagliatelle
300g baby spinach
30g butter

    1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Coat the beef with the flour and some salt and pepper, then put the beef, oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, thyme, orange, rosé, and beef stock all together into a large casserole dish and bring to the boil on the stovetop.

    2. Season with salt and pepper, cover the surface of the stew with some crumpled baking paper and a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 3 hours.

    3. Remove the stew from the oven, take off the lid and leave to cool slightly.

    4. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in salted, boiling water until al dente, drain and return to the pan. Stir in the spinach, butter and about a cup of broth from the stew. Season and serve with the stew.

Serves 6.