Benah: food

Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

12:00 pm

KITCHEN | From the Kitchen by Sarah Tuck

SUNDAY NIGHT PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SOUP

WITH GRUYERE & ONION JAM TOASTIES

Our new favourite blog for a range of different recipes is Sarah Tuck's From the Kitchen.

From her Rhubarb and Raspberry Tart to her 'Fabulous Fish Pie' and 'Devil Salad', Sarah's blog offers a beautifully presented selection of recipes, that not only inspires amateur cooks but offers some fantastic ideas for plating and presentation.

Here is one of her delicious creations from her 'Winter' recipes to enjoy with a snuggly jumper and a glass of red.

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KITCHEN | Winter favourite: Banana Cake

Banana cake is an old faithful, and we love this faultless recipe by Adelaide-based food blogger Rachael of Polka Bakes. With a thick spread of cream cheese icing on top, this recipe is a true crowd pleaser.

Rachael says: This recipe is basically bulletproof! Do as you will with it. Serve it smothered with cream cheese icing or cut in half and sandwiched with whipped cream. Cover it with toasted walnuts or just enjoy it simply as it is, with a dusting of icing sugar over the top. I’ve decided to stick to tradition and serve it with vanilla buttercream and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

125g butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup (100g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 overripe bananas (about 100g each), mashed
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 ½ cups (225g) self raising flour, sifted
½ cup (125ml) full cream milk

For the vanilla buttercream:

1 ½ cups (225g) soft icing sugar mixture
60g butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon full cream milk

Prep | Rachel Linke | Polka Bakes

Method:

Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until fluffy and light in colour. Gradually add eggs, a little at a time, beating well between additions (the mixture will look a little curdled, but worry not- it will come back together with the addition of the flour!)

Add mashed bananas to the mixture and use a plastic spatula to fold through.

Add baking soda to milk and stir to combine. Set aside.

Using the spatula, gently fold in in one third of the sifted flour, followed by one third of the milk. Repeat, alternating between milk and flour until the mixture is just combined.

Pour cake mixture into prepared cake tin. Bake in conventional oven at 170 degrees for approximately 50-55 minutes, depending on your oven. The cake should be golden in colour and spring back when lightly pressed on top (if unsure, test for 'doneness' by inserting a skewer slightly off centre- it should come out clean).

Leave cake to cool in tin 10-20 minutes before turning out, top side up, onto a wire rack, leaving the baking paper on the cake. Place a large upturned plastic container over the top of the cake and leave to cool completely (this helps the cake to stay super moist).

To make the icing, beat butter, sugar, milk and vanilla with electric beaters until smooth and fluffy.

Remove baking paper from cake. Transfer to serving plate. Spread vanilla buttercream over cake and serve.

The cake will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Alternatively, cut into portions and freeze.

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1:55 pm

KITCHEN | Roasted Pineapple + Fennel Toast

Grace has a beautiful blog, a keen eye and a way with words. Her blog A Penchant sums up exactly what we love about food right now: simple, effortless and delicious. When we asked her for a recipe for our site she came back with this, an ode to Sydney's endless summer and a chance to revel in something a little out of the ordinary come breakfast time.

KITCHEN | Roasted Pineapple + Fennel Toast | A Penchant

All photos | Grace Doughty A Penchant

For a long time I worked in a gelateria. It was here that I learnt to be more adventurous with flavours and to experiment with my palette. As a cook I have always been inspired by fresh ingredients, so learning to infuse seasonal fruit and veg with interesting flavours has become my favourite way to cook.

This dish is a little bit quirky but quietly delicious. The pineapple's sweetness is balanced nicely with the tartness of the yoghurt with the fennel seeds giving a nice crunch of spice. Don't frown though if yoghurt and toast doesn't seem like it will take your fancy, it provides a nice wholesome base and absorbs the flavours really well.

Ingredients: 4 good size pieces of pineapple, cut into cubes

1/4 cup chopped macadamias

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1/2 cup good quality yoghurt

2cslice s ciabatta

1 atablespoon of a gave to finish

Method: In a small bowl mix together yoghurt and 1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds.

In a small saucepan on low heat add pineapple and a squeeze of lemon juice. Lightly fry until pineapple looks golden.

Pop some ciabatta in the toaster and get all your ingredients ready to assemble.

When the toast is done, top with your yoghurt, pineapple, nuts and remaining fennel seeds. Drizzle with some agave and enjoy!

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10:00 am

THIS IS MY CITY | Madeleine Mikhail's Sydney

Sydney is our home, and we love looking at it from fresh eyes. The last pair we had were our friend Dee's, and now we've called on Madeleine, behind cookie and muesli company Luke Avenue. You can find her treats in some of the best cafes around Sydney, and we knew that she would know all the best spots. This is Sydney, by Madeleine.

Best thing about Sydney? Are that the streets are full of swagger without the pompous attitudes. Get to any suburb and you'll instantly know how its people operate. Surry Hills for instance is full of laid back successful creatives with the luxury of taking there work to the park or cafe. Could be a good reason why we're so chilled. Also I love how you can go to a place like Marrickville and have six vietnamese restaurants next to each other that offer the same menu and all be pumping with people. This is a perfect example of why I never stress about business. my mum has always said “there's plenty of business for everyone”. Its true “look to the cookie” - Seinfeld

Worst thing about Sydney? Oxford Street Paddington. Its a shameful view into how unsupportive the big guys are. On weekdays you can fire a gun and not hit anyone. There are rules, don't piss in the wind, don't tug on super man's cap and don’t rent on oxford street.

Favourite secret spot? The Bar at the End of the Wharf. Gosh it’s beautiful in every way. Usually occupied by Cate Blanchett's talented crew this place is a great escape. Its a mix of Old Australia with the original industrial interiors and sweet ocean million dollar views. Both rain and shine complements the menu and easy going vibe.

Favourite everyone-knows-it-but-it's-still-good spot? Camperdown Oval on a sunny day. The dead end street allows for minimal traffic and just the happy noise of people gathering. You can lie in the grass and escape from the the craziness of the city with the sun in your face. Make an order at store espresso before you lay and they’ll bring it over to you while you siesta.

Lobo Plantation | Source

Where is the best place for.... morning coffee/pick-me-up? meal with friends? romantic rendez-vous? late night drink? even later-night boogie? There is a constant influx of new cafes opening but unfortunately not always good coffee follows. My suggestion for guarantee good coffee fix is The Baron and Three Williams. They both know what you need to get you through the next two hours and pride themselves on doing just that. Not to mention their menus are outstanding. At Three Williams go for the beef Nannie or Kale salad with sweet potato and chicken, trust me. At the baron my gosh the breakfast egg and bacon roll is amazing!!!

Where are Sydney's style spots? Where is the best shopping? Redfern. Wouldn't think it but some of the best stylist and fashion houses have moved in recently in the last couple of years. People around here just don't care what you think when it comes to shopping around here and that's what gives them that street je ne sais quoi. Casual wear with nikes and your hair all done up beauty queen style? They were rolling like this circa 1990 Bondi.

Read more in our This Is My City series here.

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10:00 am

IN CONVERSATION | Amanda Bechara

Bread & Circus in Alexandria is the best place. It's a wholefoods canteen without any of the pretentiousness or ridiculousness of other organic eateries, it's a place to linger over lunch, it's a place to bring the whole family, it's a place to treat yourself. It has a freshness, a newness and a uniqueness that is all its own. We love the pink decor, the Mariah Carey soundtrack and the famous lemongrass and ginger chai. Bread & Circus' inimitable founder - Amanda Bechara - has just moved to New York with her fiance and her dog, and has settled in Brooklyn. She's about to start the scouting search for cafe locations in the big city, and we asked her to do a Proust Questionnaire for us. You can read her answers below.

Bread & Circus | 21 Fountain St, Alexandria | All photos by Rachel Kara

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A well made cup of tea. Kyoto.

What is your greatest fear?
That something’s wrong.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
That I am always thinking about what I don’t like in myself.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Hypocrisy, small mindedness.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Augustus Caesar (how embarrassing)

What is your greatest extravagance?
Most things.

What is your current state of mind?
Lets see…

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Friendliness, it never tells you anything about anyone.

Which living person do you most admire?Danny Goldstein.

What is your favorite color and flower?
Dark Dark Blue/Indigo. I like succulents.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Woah. Again, embarrassing.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Depth.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Depth.

When and where were you happiest?
I had this really epic sleep once.

Which talent would you most like to have?
Being able to ride a bike.

What is your most treasured possession?
My dog!

Who are your heroes in real life?
Me.

Where would you like to live?
Not Alexandria.

What is your favorite song?
At the moment – dreamlover.

What do you value most in your friends?
That they are genuine.

Who are your favorite writers?
Finally! Henry James times ten. Vikram Seth. And Orhan Pamuk – but just for the museum of innocence. Also, Tacitus.

Who are your favorite painters?
I think I like Klimt, but I couldn’t have answered this question last week.

Who are your heroines of world history?
Maybe Queen Elizabeth - but when Cate’s playing her is what I mean.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Fiction is where all of the best people live: Count Laszlo de Almasy, Katherine Cliffton, Catherine Sloper, Muriel Heslop.

What is your motto?
Earl Grey.

Read more in our in conversation series here.

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10:00 am

KITCHEN | Hummingbird Cake

We know we've been sharing quite a few cake recipes over the past couple of weeks (The Caker's Rhubarb and Maple Cream Cheese and My Darling Lemon Thyme's Rhubarb and Lemon flourless number). Maybe we're just in a cake kind of mood. We're working on some mouth-watering (non cake) recipes for you over the coming weeks. But how could we say no to this one, a light-as-a-feather, fruity and just a little bit naughty Hummingbird Cake. It's a recipe by Sunday Folk, one of our favourite food bloggers (her instagram is pretty great, too). We love Bianca's happy, heartfelt approach to vegan and vegetarian cooking - and this cake is no exception. We hope you have a warm, baking-filled week.

KITCHEN | Hummingbird Cake | Sunday Folk

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten * egg replacer can be used.
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups crushed pineapple, undrained * More can be added if needed
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped bananas
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.)

Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas. Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cake tins.

Bake at 175°C for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
1 container cream cheese, softened – Philadelphia regular cream cheese is perfect.
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 small package icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Read more from our Kitchen recipe series here.

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8:15 pm

KITCHEN | Rhubarb + Cinnamon Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Jordan Rondel is The Caker, a gorgeous cake-bakin' babe based in Auckland New Zealand, where she makes mouth-watering, truly gorgeous cakes from her kitchen (with a neon sign out the front) on the K'Rd. We love that her cakes are simple, with high quality ingredients and unfussy finishings, letting the flavours do all the talking. Jordan shared with us her recipe for a not-too-sweet, not-too-spicy cake with a rich maple icing, perfect for all the rhubarb that has been showing up in stores recently.

Jordan Rondel | The Caker | Undone Journal

KITCHEN | Rhubarb + Cinnamon Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing | The Caker

In this moist cinnamony cake, the seasonal rhubarb lends both a sweetness and tartness, which is surprisingly harmonious.

Ingredients: 8 stalks of rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into 2cm chunks
2 tbspn maple syrup
150g butter, softened 150g unrefined golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 organic eggs
150g spelt flour
50g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup Greek yogurt

Icing: 200g cream cheese
½ lime juice
3 tbsp maple syrup

Method: Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan bake. Grease and line a 22cm diameter cake tin.
Poach the rhubarb by simmering it in 1/2 cup water along with the maple syrup until soft, approximately 5 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and cinnamon, and then add the yogurt. Stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined, do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the tin and dot the cooked rhubarb into it, pressing the fruit down lightly with a spoon. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Once the cake is completely cool, ice with a generous amount of the icing. Decorate with some more cooked rhubarb along with its syrup.

Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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10:00 am

KITCHEN | Flourless Rhubarb + Lemon Cake

My Darling Lemon Thyme is the creation of Emma Galloway. A mother, chef, photographer and old friend (previously she has written a pretty delicious chocolate and date slice recipe for us, one of our favourite posts of all time).

Her food blog has captured the attention of many, winning awards and accolades. Listed as one of the top 10 food blogs in Babbles 100 Best Bloggers 2013, Emma has been featured on Epicurious, Taste.com.au, The Guardian, and was a finalist in the 2013 Pedestrian Blogster Awards. But her biggest prize may be just around the corner as right now she is winging her way to Las Vegas to compete in the Academy Awards of food blogs; The Saveur Best Food Blogs Awards.

As a finalist in the Best Original Recipes category, a top selling book now available in stores and international recognition abound; success could not have come to a more deserving person. We are so excited to see her images and world come to life in print and can't wait to see what's up next for Emma.

Recipe & Images by Emma Galloway | My Darling Lemon Thyme

Flourless Rhubarb + Lemon Cake When baking I use unrefined raw sugar that I've blended in my upright blender until powdered. You can also use caster sugar if preferred.
Serves 8-10

250g rhubarb (about 4 decent stalks/2 cups finely sliced), sliced into 1cm pieces
2 1/2 cups (275g) almond meal (ground almonds)
150g soft butter
3/4 cup (150g) blended unrefined raw sugar* see headnotes
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
the finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
blended unrefined raw sugar or pure icing sugar (confectioners), to dust, optional

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line the base and sides of a 9 inch/23cm cake tin with baking paper.Combine the rhubarb and almond meal in a large bowl, mixing well to evenly coat the rhubarb in almond meal (this will prevent the rhubarb from sinking to the bottom of the cake during cooking). In another bowl combine soft butter, sugar and extract and beat with an electric beater or wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add zest and one egg at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the wet mixture to the almond meal and stir to combine. Pour into the cake tin, smooth off the top with a spatula and bake for 60-65 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean when pressed into the centre of the cake. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes before removing the tin and transferring to a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with icing sugar. Will keep 3 days airtight, or refrigerated for longer.

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12:30 pm

THAT FEELING | Incu

See some people wandering down Pitt Street yesterday carrying bunches of balloons and armfuls of mirror balls? That was probably us, en route to the recently renovated Incu stores in The Galeries, where we were installing our window. Starring a custom neon sign emblazoned with the slogan 'That Feeling', the windows also feature white balloons and six very funky mirror balls. It's all about celebration, kicking up your heels and having a little fun. To celebrate, we asked Incu womens buyer Laeticia Masselos what were five things giving her that feeling right now. Here are her answers:

My upcoming buying trip to Paris next month. (aside from being excited about seeing all the new collections, I can’t wait to get my Rose Bakery fix!)
Upcoming European summer holiday to France, Italy & Greece.
Perfecting recipes from new cookbooks (‘My Darling Lemon Thyme’, ‘The Green Kitchen’ & ‘Amalfi Coast Recipes’)
Fresh flowers
Banjo Bears – a recent discovery & new obsession

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10:02 am

THIS IS MY CITY | Alicia's Seoul

Alicia Chon is the mind behind The Raw Book, a website that delivers a journal of unique conversations that Alicia herself curates. Residing in Philadelphia, Alicia has chosen to share with us her experience of Seoul. A beautiful city, steeped in history and also contemporary ways of live, there is much to learn about this city, and thanks to Instagram (you can follow Alicia herself on @aliciajchon) we can catch a glimpse of it! Here is Seoul, by Alicia.

Best thing about your city?
Bingsoo, which is “shaved ice dessert”. My dad introduced me to a cafe that serves sujeonggwa bingsoo, which is flavored with persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger. It’s as good as it sounds.

Worst thing about your city?
The subways stop running around midnight.

What is the best place for morning coffee?
I’ve never drank coffee in my life, but this past winter, my friend Charles introduced me to a great tea house called Osulloc. It’s located in Myeongdong, which many refer to as the Times Square of Seoul. There are tea sommeliers and you can watch fresh tea leaves being roasted in a large cauldron.

A meal with friends?
There’s always something delicious to eat in Gangnam.

A romantic rendezvous?
You’re asking the wrong girl. I only went on one date in Seoul and wouldn’t categorize it “romantic” by any means.

A late night drink?
Bunker or Help Me in Apgujeong Rodeo.

An even later dance?
Ellui, Octagon, Answer, or Monkey Beach 2.

Where is the best secret spot?
It wouldn’t be a secret if I shared.

And where is the everybody-knows-about-this-but-it’s-still-good spot?
The Han River for running.

What’s one new thing you’ve discovered about your city?
I was at the Leeum Museum to check out the Hiroshi Sugimoto exhibit when I stumbled across the Comme des Garçons store in Itaewon. It is seven floors, contains five enclosed sloping tunnels, and carried everything from the PLAY collection to the CDGxBeatles collaboration pieces. The mirrors and white walls were also really nice.

What is one of your favorite locations in the city?
I enjoy the more historical and cultural aspects of Korea, so I always make an effort to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. After I took a Modern Korean History course at Yonsei University in Seoul this past summer, I became fascinated by the architecture of each hall and quarter within the royal palace.

Where is the best shopping?
My mom and I always dedicate a day to Doota in Dongdaemun Market. They carry Korean designers rather than typical chains. There, I picked up one of my favorite navy jackets from General Idea, which is designed by Bumsuk Choi. It happens to be a men’s coat, but I haven’t met anyone in the states with the same piece.