Bonus is that little baby is now big enough to help pick the crop, maybe next year she can stir the paste.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Long time between blogs ... we got caught up with off-line activities. In the era of facebook and twitter it feels exhiliarating and slightly rebelious to just do stuff without blogging about it. Since the last blog we have planted 50 citrus trees, opened a restaurant, oh and had a baby! Time stands still when you breath in the ancient aroma of ripe quince. All set for a few glorious months of picking, poaching, stuffing, drying, pickling, stirring for paste, setting jelly and jam. My favourite quince dish remains the simplest of all, halve the quinces and core, then drizzle with honey and bake until tender. Served with thick cream it is tantalizing. With our own restaurant on the farm it adds excitement to harvest and we are creating beautiful quince dishes - we have headed to the Middle East for inspiration.
Bonus is that little baby is now big enough to help pick the crop, maybe next year she can stir the paste.
Bonus is that little baby is now big enough to help pick the crop, maybe next year she can stir the paste.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Spring Lunch
Balmy Spring days are perfect for alfresco dining. The taste of Spring is light and fresh … sweet peas, tender asparagus, silverbeet, parsley, new potatoes, Spring milk cheeses, golden eggs, new season’s olive oil and strawberries.
Freshly plucked greens, eggs and new season’s oil are my favourite Spring ingredients. Following a Winter of free-ranging on lush grass and juicy bugs, our chooks produce their richest yolks. To really appreciate golden yolks you’ll need freshly laid free range eggs cooked simply – maybe lightly poached and spilling onto toasted sour dough with a few flakes of salt.
The sensational pungency of early pressed extra virgin olive oil is Spring in a bottle - ready to pour onto and into just about everything. Swirl oil into spring vegetable soup, pour onto herb salads and pasta, drizzle over vegetables, add to bread and cakes, and use just a slick for pan frying fish.
To celebrate the start of Spring enjoy a lunch of garden greens frittata with lightly cooked asparagus, followed by goat’s curd topped with strawberries and new season’s honey.
Spring Green Frittata (this is seriously good)
Ingredients:
• 1 kilo of garden green leaves (silverbeet, spinach, or any seasonal greens)
• 1 cup of seasonal herbs (parsley) finely chopped
• ½ cup of fresh peas, podded & blanched
• 8 free range eggs
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• new season’s extra virgin olive oil
• 150g grated parmesan
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 230C. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add a good pinch of salt, the garlic and then the leaves, cook for 5 minutes, then drain well and squeeze out all the water. Chop finely and mix well, season with salt & pepper and half the parmesan.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, season with salt & pepper, and beat. Mix in the greens mixture, add herbs and peas, stir to combine.
Coat the base of a heavy based frying pan with olive oil and bring to a medium heat, then pour in the egg & greens mixture, leaving to cook until only just set. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan, drizzle with olive oil and place in the heated oven for a few minutes, or until the frittata is well browned on top.
Slice and serve straight from the pan or on a wooden board.
Spring Asparagus
• 20 almonds – skin on
• 20 freshly picked asparagus spears (adjust cooking time to thickness, you want them to retain some firmness)
• 2 tbspn new season’s extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbspn tarragon leaves
• salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper
Put almonds into a heavy pan over medium heat for a few minutes, toast gently, remove from the heat and set aside. When the almonds are cool, slice them lengthways into slithers.
Fill a saucepan with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Trim the woody bases of the asparagus and drop the spears into the boiling water, blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, drain in a colander and run under lots of cold water until completely cool, then pat them dry on kitchen paper.
Put the spears into a bowl and mix with the other ingredients, toss well, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Freshly plucked greens, eggs and new season’s oil are my favourite Spring ingredients. Following a Winter of free-ranging on lush grass and juicy bugs, our chooks produce their richest yolks. To really appreciate golden yolks you’ll need freshly laid free range eggs cooked simply – maybe lightly poached and spilling onto toasted sour dough with a few flakes of salt.
The sensational pungency of early pressed extra virgin olive oil is Spring in a bottle - ready to pour onto and into just about everything. Swirl oil into spring vegetable soup, pour onto herb salads and pasta, drizzle over vegetables, add to bread and cakes, and use just a slick for pan frying fish.
To celebrate the start of Spring enjoy a lunch of garden greens frittata with lightly cooked asparagus, followed by goat’s curd topped with strawberries and new season’s honey.
Spring Green Frittata (this is seriously good)
Ingredients:
• 1 kilo of garden green leaves (silverbeet, spinach, or any seasonal greens)
• 1 cup of seasonal herbs (parsley) finely chopped
• ½ cup of fresh peas, podded & blanched
• 8 free range eggs
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• new season’s extra virgin olive oil
• 150g grated parmesan
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 230C. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add a good pinch of salt, the garlic and then the leaves, cook for 5 minutes, then drain well and squeeze out all the water. Chop finely and mix well, season with salt & pepper and half the parmesan.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, season with salt & pepper, and beat. Mix in the greens mixture, add herbs and peas, stir to combine.
Coat the base of a heavy based frying pan with olive oil and bring to a medium heat, then pour in the egg & greens mixture, leaving to cook until only just set. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan, drizzle with olive oil and place in the heated oven for a few minutes, or until the frittata is well browned on top.
Slice and serve straight from the pan or on a wooden board.
Spring Asparagus
• 20 almonds – skin on
• 20 freshly picked asparagus spears (adjust cooking time to thickness, you want them to retain some firmness)
• 2 tbspn new season’s extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbspn tarragon leaves
• salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper
Put almonds into a heavy pan over medium heat for a few minutes, toast gently, remove from the heat and set aside. When the almonds are cool, slice them lengthways into slithers.
Fill a saucepan with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Trim the woody bases of the asparagus and drop the spears into the boiling water, blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, drain in a colander and run under lots of cold water until completely cool, then pat them dry on kitchen paper.
Put the spears into a bowl and mix with the other ingredients, toss well, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Good Bread
Really good bread takes time
‘It is a chemistry made of passion, patience, timing and skill. And to have that touch and understanding’ my friend and neighbour Andy Clappis (Artisan Breadmaker Willunga) shares what it takes to be a great breadmaker
Bread-making has deep cultural roots across the world. From the flat breads Chapati of India and Mexican Tortilla to the quintessential leavened French Baguette, Italian Ciabatta, or the Dark Rye Sourdough of Finland.
The bread lovers’ pilgrimage is to the boulangeries of France swooning over the fresh baked loaves lovingly displayed in every shape, size and golden hue. Mouth-watering long crusty baguettes, rustic pain de campagne, delicately patterned leaves, round boules, braids, some flavoured with seeds, others filled with cheese.
The desire for good bread in Australia has been rewarded by the emergence of artisan bakers making loaves with good ingredients, skill and passion. Andy Clappis, Artisan Bread-maker Willunga, says that it is this local support that continues to inspire him. Andy sells his Italian style bread at the Willunga Farmers Market along with numerous other bakers including the internationally renowned sour dough specialist John Downes. I admit I'm also addicted to Emily's sourdough and rye available from Blessed Cheese on the Main Street of McLaren Vale on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Making your own bread is a primitive pleasure from the deeply satisfying ritual of kneading to the comforting scent of freshly baked bread.
It is simple to make everyday fresh bread at home and yet we enthusiasts will spend a lifetime trying to master the technique for a perfect crust and crumb.
The ‘secret’ of good bread is using good ingredients. Start with good flour such as Lauke’s organic bread flour, or you could buy whole grains and grind your own fresh.
Then add good yeast - that wonderful organism that turns grape juice into wine and flour into bread. Fresh yeast offers the best flavour but readily available supermarket instant granules also do a decent job.
The best tip I’ve had from the finest bakers is ‘practice’, let your hands take over and learn to feel your way. Pile your ingredients on a surface, make a well in the centre, work in the liquid a bit at a time with your fingers. You want an elastic piece of dough. Recipes are only a guide, use your sense of touch to decide if the dough is too sticky then add more flour, when too dry try oiling or wetting your hands then work the dough again. Kneading is pure pleasure, the more you enjoy - the finer your texture!
When you have a smooth mass, cover your dough with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size. Shape into a loaf by gently pressing the air out of the risen dough then fold on itself to create a smooth loaf.
For a good crust, make sure the oven is very hot before baking, slip your loaf onto a hot tray and spray some water around.
When your kitchen is full of the heady aroma of freshly baked bread – your loaf is ready to share.
Pizza Bread
Popular Pizza is a versatile, quick and simple every day bread base perfect for any topping you like.
INGREDIENTS (Guide)
2 Cups Flour
¼ Tspn Salt
¼ Tspn Sugar
1 ¼ Tspn Dried Yeast Granules
½ Tblspn Olive Oil
1 Cup Warm Water
METHOD
1. Heat Oven to high, 250 degrees Celcius, place Oven Tray on shelf to heat up.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (or on surface) 2 Cups Flour and ¼ tspn Salt, ¼ tspn Sugar and 1 ¼ tspn Yeast
3. Mixing - Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and gradually add liquid (1 cup water at body temperature and ½ tablespoon of Olive Oil) mix in with your fingers in a circular motion, pulling the flour into the liquid and gradually mix to form dough.
4. Knead the dough - thoroughly for 10 minutes until it feels elastic.
5. Rise - Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea-towel, leave in a warm spot allow to rest and prove for at least 15 minutes.
6. Knock Back - Tip dough onto surface, knock back and gently knead again for 5 minutes.
7. Shape Dough – Dust with flour and roll flat to approximately 3-5mm thickness.
8. Bake - Brush edges with oil and add topping (fresh ingredients from the garden – tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, basil) slide onto the hot baking tray in oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes – crispy base, browned edges.
If you'd rather buy some 'home made' bases - Anna and Andy Clappis sell the best you'll find at Willunga Farmers Market every Saturday Morning....
‘It is a chemistry made of passion, patience, timing and skill. And to have that touch and understanding’ my friend and neighbour Andy Clappis (Artisan Breadmaker Willunga) shares what it takes to be a great breadmaker
Bread-making has deep cultural roots across the world. From the flat breads Chapati of India and Mexican Tortilla to the quintessential leavened French Baguette, Italian Ciabatta, or the Dark Rye Sourdough of Finland.
The bread lovers’ pilgrimage is to the boulangeries of France swooning over the fresh baked loaves lovingly displayed in every shape, size and golden hue. Mouth-watering long crusty baguettes, rustic pain de campagne, delicately patterned leaves, round boules, braids, some flavoured with seeds, others filled with cheese.
The desire for good bread in Australia has been rewarded by the emergence of artisan bakers making loaves with good ingredients, skill and passion. Andy Clappis, Artisan Bread-maker Willunga, says that it is this local support that continues to inspire him. Andy sells his Italian style bread at the Willunga Farmers Market along with numerous other bakers including the internationally renowned sour dough specialist John Downes. I admit I'm also addicted to Emily's sourdough and rye available from Blessed Cheese on the Main Street of McLaren Vale on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Making your own bread is a primitive pleasure from the deeply satisfying ritual of kneading to the comforting scent of freshly baked bread.
It is simple to make everyday fresh bread at home and yet we enthusiasts will spend a lifetime trying to master the technique for a perfect crust and crumb.
The ‘secret’ of good bread is using good ingredients. Start with good flour such as Lauke’s organic bread flour, or you could buy whole grains and grind your own fresh.
Then add good yeast - that wonderful organism that turns grape juice into wine and flour into bread. Fresh yeast offers the best flavour but readily available supermarket instant granules also do a decent job.
The best tip I’ve had from the finest bakers is ‘practice’, let your hands take over and learn to feel your way. Pile your ingredients on a surface, make a well in the centre, work in the liquid a bit at a time with your fingers. You want an elastic piece of dough. Recipes are only a guide, use your sense of touch to decide if the dough is too sticky then add more flour, when too dry try oiling or wetting your hands then work the dough again. Kneading is pure pleasure, the more you enjoy - the finer your texture!
When you have a smooth mass, cover your dough with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size. Shape into a loaf by gently pressing the air out of the risen dough then fold on itself to create a smooth loaf.
For a good crust, make sure the oven is very hot before baking, slip your loaf onto a hot tray and spray some water around.
When your kitchen is full of the heady aroma of freshly baked bread – your loaf is ready to share.
Pizza Bread
Popular Pizza is a versatile, quick and simple every day bread base perfect for any topping you like.
INGREDIENTS (Guide)
2 Cups Flour
¼ Tspn Salt
¼ Tspn Sugar
1 ¼ Tspn Dried Yeast Granules
½ Tblspn Olive Oil
1 Cup Warm Water
METHOD
1. Heat Oven to high, 250 degrees Celcius, place Oven Tray on shelf to heat up.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (or on surface) 2 Cups Flour and ¼ tspn Salt, ¼ tspn Sugar and 1 ¼ tspn Yeast
3. Mixing - Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and gradually add liquid (1 cup water at body temperature and ½ tablespoon of Olive Oil) mix in with your fingers in a circular motion, pulling the flour into the liquid and gradually mix to form dough.
4. Knead the dough - thoroughly for 10 minutes until it feels elastic.
5. Rise - Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea-towel, leave in a warm spot allow to rest and prove for at least 15 minutes.
6. Knock Back - Tip dough onto surface, knock back and gently knead again for 5 minutes.
7. Shape Dough – Dust with flour and roll flat to approximately 3-5mm thickness.
8. Bake - Brush edges with oil and add topping (fresh ingredients from the garden – tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, basil) slide onto the hot baking tray in oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes – crispy base, browned edges.
If you'd rather buy some 'home made' bases - Anna and Andy Clappis sell the best you'll find at Willunga Farmers Market every Saturday Morning....
Italian Inspiration
At the end of Summer preserve the last crop of juicy tomatoes and glut of zucchinis with some Italian inspiration.
We have many Italian neighbours and friends here in the Vale - a never ending resource for good food ideas. Italian style preserving uses simple methods and the best quality ingredients - extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt - to bring out the natural flavour of vegetables.
Dried tomatoes are perfect for salads, pizza, pasta and tarts. Pickled zucchini, eggplant, artichoke, peppers and fennel are great for picnics, and create the ideal appetiser … classic antipasti! Versatile bottled tomatoes make an excellent addition to the pantry as instant pasta topping, filling for ravioli or lasagne and for use in the countless recipes calling for tinned tomatoes. Homemade Passata is the best tomato base for soups, stews and sauces.
Oven Dried tomatoes
Scoop out the tomato seeds, place the halves cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper, sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the tray in a preheated oven 100 degrees Celcius for 12 hours, adjust the temperature depending on how quickly they are drying out.
When the tomatoes are dry and cooled pack into a sterilized jar, add some garlic slivers, cover with olive oil and seal. Store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 3 months, refrigerate once the jar is opened.
Pickled Vegetables
A common Italian method for pickling vegetables such as eggplants, peppers, zucchinis, artichokes and fennel, is to salt the vegetables first. Salting draws out moisture, bitterness and helps the vegetable to take up the vinegar for better preservation. This can be done by sprinkling the vegetables with salt and leaving to absorb for a few hours, or lightly blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water, then cool. Place the prepared salted vegetables in sterilised jars and fully submerge in vinegar, then top with olive oil, seal, store in a cook dark place, refrigerate after opening.
• Preparing the vegetables for pickling: cut to your preferred size then cook until slightly soft, for example: you only need to lightly blanch fennel; boil eggplant for a few minutes; zucchinis are good when oven roasted for a deeper flavour; peppers are best skinned and deseeded; leave artichokes whole but peel off any tough outer leaves and trim the bottom then rub with lemon juice.
• Pickling vinegars are flavoured to taste. Some popular choices are peppercorns, lemon rind, sugar, chillies, bay leaves and herbs. Boil the vinegar with your chosen flavours, reduce, cool and pour over the vegetables.
Bottled tomatoes
With a sharp knife, make a cross at the base of each tomato, then plunge into boiling water for ten seconds, remove and peel, the skin will slip off easily.
Pack the peeled tomatoes into jars, put a tablespoon of brine in the bottom of the jar then top up with tomato juice. Make your own juice by blitzing a batch of tomatoes in a food processor, sieve and use the watery juice for covering your bottled tomatoes saving the pulp to start your Passata.
Preserving –
• If you have a preserving kit, follow the instructions. First placing sealing rings on preserving jars, add the tomatoes filling to the rim, press down firmly and fill with tomato juice, fasten the lids with clips and process.
• If you don’t have a kit, fill sterilised screw top jars and place in a large saucepan with a rack at the base, the jars shouldn’t touch each other, bring slowly to the boil for around an hour and keep boiling for around 25 minutes, let stand for an hour to cool in the water, then remove and sit on a wooden surface for 48 hours.
• Store in a cool dark spot for up to 2 years.
Passata
Passata is a tomato sauce made in a wide range of styles from the complex flavours of a slow cooked sauce to a light fresh uncooked pulp.
The version I make is simply blitzed fresh tomatoes that can be used right away or preserved. Store some in the fridge for a few weeks, freeze a batch and then bottle more for a year round supply.
Slit the base of the tomatoes and boil briefly to loosen the skins, then peel and process in a food processor. Or my preferred method is to soak the tomatoes in hot water to loosen the skin, then push through a hand food mill, this separates most of the skin and seeds from the pulp and makes a chunky sauce, you could run through a sieve if you prefer a smoother finish.
• Bottle Passata using the same method described for bottled tomatoes.
We have many Italian neighbours and friends here in the Vale - a never ending resource for good food ideas. Italian style preserving uses simple methods and the best quality ingredients - extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt - to bring out the natural flavour of vegetables.
Dried tomatoes are perfect for salads, pizza, pasta and tarts. Pickled zucchini, eggplant, artichoke, peppers and fennel are great for picnics, and create the ideal appetiser … classic antipasti! Versatile bottled tomatoes make an excellent addition to the pantry as instant pasta topping, filling for ravioli or lasagne and for use in the countless recipes calling for tinned tomatoes. Homemade Passata is the best tomato base for soups, stews and sauces.
Oven Dried tomatoes
Scoop out the tomato seeds, place the halves cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper, sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the tray in a preheated oven 100 degrees Celcius for 12 hours, adjust the temperature depending on how quickly they are drying out.
When the tomatoes are dry and cooled pack into a sterilized jar, add some garlic slivers, cover with olive oil and seal. Store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 3 months, refrigerate once the jar is opened.
Pickled Vegetables
A common Italian method for pickling vegetables such as eggplants, peppers, zucchinis, artichokes and fennel, is to salt the vegetables first. Salting draws out moisture, bitterness and helps the vegetable to take up the vinegar for better preservation. This can be done by sprinkling the vegetables with salt and leaving to absorb for a few hours, or lightly blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water, then cool. Place the prepared salted vegetables in sterilised jars and fully submerge in vinegar, then top with olive oil, seal, store in a cook dark place, refrigerate after opening.
• Preparing the vegetables for pickling: cut to your preferred size then cook until slightly soft, for example: you only need to lightly blanch fennel; boil eggplant for a few minutes; zucchinis are good when oven roasted for a deeper flavour; peppers are best skinned and deseeded; leave artichokes whole but peel off any tough outer leaves and trim the bottom then rub with lemon juice.
• Pickling vinegars are flavoured to taste. Some popular choices are peppercorns, lemon rind, sugar, chillies, bay leaves and herbs. Boil the vinegar with your chosen flavours, reduce, cool and pour over the vegetables.
Bottled tomatoes
With a sharp knife, make a cross at the base of each tomato, then plunge into boiling water for ten seconds, remove and peel, the skin will slip off easily.
Pack the peeled tomatoes into jars, put a tablespoon of brine in the bottom of the jar then top up with tomato juice. Make your own juice by blitzing a batch of tomatoes in a food processor, sieve and use the watery juice for covering your bottled tomatoes saving the pulp to start your Passata.
Preserving –
• If you have a preserving kit, follow the instructions. First placing sealing rings on preserving jars, add the tomatoes filling to the rim, press down firmly and fill with tomato juice, fasten the lids with clips and process.
• If you don’t have a kit, fill sterilised screw top jars and place in a large saucepan with a rack at the base, the jars shouldn’t touch each other, bring slowly to the boil for around an hour and keep boiling for around 25 minutes, let stand for an hour to cool in the water, then remove and sit on a wooden surface for 48 hours.
• Store in a cool dark spot for up to 2 years.
Passata
Passata is a tomato sauce made in a wide range of styles from the complex flavours of a slow cooked sauce to a light fresh uncooked pulp.
The version I make is simply blitzed fresh tomatoes that can be used right away or preserved. Store some in the fridge for a few weeks, freeze a batch and then bottle more for a year round supply.
Slit the base of the tomatoes and boil briefly to loosen the skins, then peel and process in a food processor. Or my preferred method is to soak the tomatoes in hot water to loosen the skin, then push through a hand food mill, this separates most of the skin and seeds from the pulp and makes a chunky sauce, you could run through a sieve if you prefer a smoother finish.
• Bottle Passata using the same method described for bottled tomatoes.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
sour grapes - home made vinegar
High quality vinegar is hard to find on the shelves yet easy to make at home, and it’s a great way to use up leftover bottles of red.
The best hand-crafted vinegars have all the complexity of great wines. You can make wonderful robust vinegar to your taste by starting with good wine. You only need a few drops of our full strength Shiraz vinegar to wake up your taste buds. The sour acid hit brightens sauces and salads, adding piquancy to both sweet and savoury dishes.
Vinegar can occur naturally when wine is exposed to oxygen, but if you want to kick start the transition add a bit of vinegar that has an active Mother.
For guaranteed success it’s best to start with low alcohol wine, around 5 per cent, you can use a bottle of 14 per cent Shiraz just dilute with a couple of bottles of water.
Half fill a jar with your red wine, allowing plenty of air space; then add the wine-vinegar at a ratio of about 5 to 1. Cover the jar lightly allowing ventilation while keeping out insects, just a few loose layers of cheesecloth, Chux, wax paper, or tin foil will do the job.
Let the bugs go to work, a lively colony of Acetobacter convert alcohol into acetic acid, that’s your vinegar.
Use a clear jar so you can see the Mother growing, it’s mesmerising to watch as one layer forms and gently drops to the bottom, then another layer forms. First thing you’ll see the wine mixture becoming hazy, then after a few weeks a thick glutinous skin will gradually develop on the surface, this is ‘the mother of vinegar’ a fascinatingly slimy smooth mass of cellulose that develops the distinctive flavour characteristics.
Store the jar in a warm position, roughly 25 degrees Celsius away from sunlight, for a few months. We keep ours in a tin shed, far away from where we make wine.
Just how long the conversion takes depends on conditions such as strength of alcohol, active mother and temperature. We’ve had cider vinegar turn in a month while red wine sat lingering over six months before reaching the vinegar stage. Taste as you go, it’s ready when you have a clean distinctive vinegar aroma and flavour. Now your batch is ready to strain and bottle. Keep the Mother for starting your next batch. Avoid spoilage by keeping everything clean during the process, and when bottling either pasteurise or fill the bottles very full to avoid an air gap.
Once you’re in the swing of it, you can keep making vinegar easily by adding some of your active vinegar mixture to any leftover wines. As you become addicted to the full flavour of your own home made brew, you’ll want to experiment with different wine varieties, strengths, blends, and maybe start some white wine, cider and sherry vinegars.
Store your vinegar like wine in a cool dark spot, and like a good wine it will improve with aging, mellowing and rounding out the flavours after six months or so in the bottle.
latest of the Do It Yourself at home Sumptuous articles ..
The best hand-crafted vinegars have all the complexity of great wines. You can make wonderful robust vinegar to your taste by starting with good wine. You only need a few drops of our full strength Shiraz vinegar to wake up your taste buds. The sour acid hit brightens sauces and salads, adding piquancy to both sweet and savoury dishes.
Vinegar can occur naturally when wine is exposed to oxygen, but if you want to kick start the transition add a bit of vinegar that has an active Mother.
For guaranteed success it’s best to start with low alcohol wine, around 5 per cent, you can use a bottle of 14 per cent Shiraz just dilute with a couple of bottles of water.
Half fill a jar with your red wine, allowing plenty of air space; then add the wine-vinegar at a ratio of about 5 to 1. Cover the jar lightly allowing ventilation while keeping out insects, just a few loose layers of cheesecloth, Chux, wax paper, or tin foil will do the job.
Let the bugs go to work, a lively colony of Acetobacter convert alcohol into acetic acid, that’s your vinegar.
Use a clear jar so you can see the Mother growing, it’s mesmerising to watch as one layer forms and gently drops to the bottom, then another layer forms. First thing you’ll see the wine mixture becoming hazy, then after a few weeks a thick glutinous skin will gradually develop on the surface, this is ‘the mother of vinegar’ a fascinatingly slimy smooth mass of cellulose that develops the distinctive flavour characteristics.
Store the jar in a warm position, roughly 25 degrees Celsius away from sunlight, for a few months. We keep ours in a tin shed, far away from where we make wine.
Just how long the conversion takes depends on conditions such as strength of alcohol, active mother and temperature. We’ve had cider vinegar turn in a month while red wine sat lingering over six months before reaching the vinegar stage. Taste as you go, it’s ready when you have a clean distinctive vinegar aroma and flavour. Now your batch is ready to strain and bottle. Keep the Mother for starting your next batch. Avoid spoilage by keeping everything clean during the process, and when bottling either pasteurise or fill the bottles very full to avoid an air gap.
Once you’re in the swing of it, you can keep making vinegar easily by adding some of your active vinegar mixture to any leftover wines. As you become addicted to the full flavour of your own home made brew, you’ll want to experiment with different wine varieties, strengths, blends, and maybe start some white wine, cider and sherry vinegars.
Store your vinegar like wine in a cool dark spot, and like a good wine it will improve with aging, mellowing and rounding out the flavours after six months or so in the bottle.
latest of the Do It Yourself at home Sumptuous articles ..
Citrus preserving
We're just finishing the last of the Citrus preserving.
A seasonal luxury is picking oranges amongst the heavenly scent of blossom then squeezing the fresh sweet-acid juice for breakfast, naturally chilled from crisp morning air.
The aromatic skin, tangy juice and flesh of citrus are essential ingredients in our kitchen. Our grove of Grapefruit; Navel, Valencia, Seville, Poor Man’s and Blood Oranges; Lisbon, Eureka and Meyer Lemons; Pomelo; Mandarin; Kaffir, Tahitian, West Indian and Native Finger Limes and the grand Citron offer an endless variety of bitter-sweetness.
Every part of the fruit is useful including the leaves, flowers and peel - freshly grated, dried or candied.
If I could have only one citrus tree it would be the versatile Lemon.
We use Lemon everyday - a squeeze of Lemon juice adds the finishing touch, accentuating flavours. Finely grated Lemon zest adds a delicate taste to both savoury and sweet dishes.
In South Australia’s favourable climate, most of us are able to grow a citrus tree in our yard or pot. Plant in late early Autumn or mid-Spring selecting rootstock matched to your soil. For the best results, take a sample of your soil to a specialist, such as Perry’s in McLaren Vale, for advice on planting.
With excess Lemons you may be inspired to make old fashioned true Lemonade, classic curd, traditional cordial, salty preserved Lemons or sweet candied peel.
Lemonade
Lemons, Water and Sugar to taste makes Lemonade. Remove the peel and cover with water, heat gently to release the flavour, remove before the water boils and strain the water, adding Lemon juice and sugar to your taste.
Lemon Curd
4 large Lemons
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs beaten
Zest the Lemon rind, squeeze the Lemons and strain the juice, melt the butter over a double boiler, add the Lemon zest and juice, sugar and beaten eggs. Cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes whisking occasionally until smooth and creamy. Ladle into warm jars and seal.
Lemon Syrup / Cordial
2.5 cups Lemon juice
1.5 kilos sugar
1.5 cups water
½ tsp tartaric acid
½ tsp citric acid
Put zest, water and sugar into a pan, stir over heat until sugar is dissolved, add Lemon juice & acids, strain and bottle. Drink as a cordial 1 part syrup to 5 parts water.
Preserved Lemons
Preserved Lemon rind is ideal for soups, tagines, salads and stuffings. Cut the Lemons into quarters and rub all over with salt. Then pack the Lemons tightly into a jar, squeezing out the juice as you go, adding more salt between each layer, finish with salt and pour over Lemon juice and seal.
Candied Peel
3 Lemons (or any citrus – orange, grapefruit and ancient Citron work especially well)
2 cups caster sugar
4 litres water
1 cup water extra
Ø Cut the fruit in half and squeeze the juice (reserve for drinking or making syrup).
Ø Place the peel into a pan with 2 litres of water and bring to the boil, drain and add fresh water, boil again and simmer gently until the rind is tender, approximately ten minutes.
Ø Let the peel cool, then scoop out the flesh.
Ø Slice the halves into ‘leaves’.
Ø Mix sugar and water (at a ratio of 2:1), stir until the sugar is dissolved and then bring to the boil slowly without stirring, add the peel and simmer until it is translucent (depending on the peel, approx 30 min) then leave the peel to rest in the sugar syrup for another 30 minutes before placing on a rack to drain for a day, or several days, until dry. Store packed in sugar or dusted with sugar between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, cool cupboard or the fridge. Lasts for 12 months or more, for using in cakes, biscuits or delicious served alone with a strong black coffee.
A seasonal luxury is picking oranges amongst the heavenly scent of blossom then squeezing the fresh sweet-acid juice for breakfast, naturally chilled from crisp morning air.
The aromatic skin, tangy juice and flesh of citrus are essential ingredients in our kitchen. Our grove of Grapefruit; Navel, Valencia, Seville, Poor Man’s and Blood Oranges; Lisbon, Eureka and Meyer Lemons; Pomelo; Mandarin; Kaffir, Tahitian, West Indian and Native Finger Limes and the grand Citron offer an endless variety of bitter-sweetness.
Every part of the fruit is useful including the leaves, flowers and peel - freshly grated, dried or candied.
If I could have only one citrus tree it would be the versatile Lemon.
We use Lemon everyday - a squeeze of Lemon juice adds the finishing touch, accentuating flavours. Finely grated Lemon zest adds a delicate taste to both savoury and sweet dishes.
In South Australia’s favourable climate, most of us are able to grow a citrus tree in our yard or pot. Plant in late early Autumn or mid-Spring selecting rootstock matched to your soil. For the best results, take a sample of your soil to a specialist, such as Perry’s in McLaren Vale, for advice on planting.
With excess Lemons you may be inspired to make old fashioned true Lemonade, classic curd, traditional cordial, salty preserved Lemons or sweet candied peel.
Lemonade
Lemons, Water and Sugar to taste makes Lemonade. Remove the peel and cover with water, heat gently to release the flavour, remove before the water boils and strain the water, adding Lemon juice and sugar to your taste.
Lemon Curd
4 large Lemons
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs beaten
Zest the Lemon rind, squeeze the Lemons and strain the juice, melt the butter over a double boiler, add the Lemon zest and juice, sugar and beaten eggs. Cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes whisking occasionally until smooth and creamy. Ladle into warm jars and seal.
Lemon Syrup / Cordial
2.5 cups Lemon juice
1.5 kilos sugar
1.5 cups water
½ tsp tartaric acid
½ tsp citric acid
Put zest, water and sugar into a pan, stir over heat until sugar is dissolved, add Lemon juice & acids, strain and bottle. Drink as a cordial 1 part syrup to 5 parts water.
Preserved Lemons
Preserved Lemon rind is ideal for soups, tagines, salads and stuffings. Cut the Lemons into quarters and rub all over with salt. Then pack the Lemons tightly into a jar, squeezing out the juice as you go, adding more salt between each layer, finish with salt and pour over Lemon juice and seal.
Candied Peel
3 Lemons (or any citrus – orange, grapefruit and ancient Citron work especially well)
2 cups caster sugar
4 litres water
1 cup water extra
Ø Cut the fruit in half and squeeze the juice (reserve for drinking or making syrup).
Ø Place the peel into a pan with 2 litres of water and bring to the boil, drain and add fresh water, boil again and simmer gently until the rind is tender, approximately ten minutes.
Ø Let the peel cool, then scoop out the flesh.
Ø Slice the halves into ‘leaves’.
Ø Mix sugar and water (at a ratio of 2:1), stir until the sugar is dissolved and then bring to the boil slowly without stirring, add the peel and simmer until it is translucent (depending on the peel, approx 30 min) then leave the peel to rest in the sugar syrup for another 30 minutes before placing on a rack to drain for a day, or several days, until dry. Store packed in sugar or dusted with sugar between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, cool cupboard or the fridge. Lasts for 12 months or more, for using in cakes, biscuits or delicious served alone with a strong black coffee.
Butter
Thank you to Georgie asking for the butter 'recipe' - this is the Sumptuous Butter article, hope it gets you churning....
As the weather cools and pastures green, I’m drawn to butter. That irreplaceable melt-in-your-mouth flavour thickly spread onto crusty bread, melting into baked potatoes or a creamy risotto, butter makes the dish. Cooks love butter for the natural flavour, texture, and shine. And that wonderful alchemy of butter creamed with sugar, essential for a delicate cake crumb.
Though thankful for convenient commercial butter at the supermarket, whenever I find treasures of artisan butter in dairy regions I’m reminded this is worth the hunt. These small batches show seasonal differences in texture, taste and colour from the creamy white winter to the yellows of spring.
One of the finest pairings is that of butter with garlic. For a sensational Garlic Bread start with locally grown, organic, new season’s garlic thinly sliced and mixed into fresh butter, add chopped herbs, a dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Spread thickly between slices of crusty baguette, wrap in alfoil, and bake in a medium oven until the crust is browned and the aroma irresistible.
For making butter using the ancient technique of hand whipping, all you need is cream. You could use a whisk, but you would miss the miraculous feeling of cream turning to butter in your hand.
HAND-MADE COW’S MILK BUTTER
Ingredients
Cream
· Visit a dairy region or Farmers Market to source a good quality pure cream with high flavoursome fat content, 30 per cent or more.
· For a tangy ‘cultured’ butter leave the cream at room temperature for a day to sour slightly, if you prefer a sweet butter use fresh cream.
Equipment
Two bowls, colander, cloth, grease proof paper and cling wrap, whisk if using.
Process
· Line a colander with cheese cloth (a folded clean ‘chux’ works well) and set inside one of the bowls.
· Pour the cream into the other bowl and whip with your hand, keep fingers spread and wrist relaxed (or use a whisk).
· Firstly you will make whipped cream (the speed of your whipping will determine how quickly the butterfat reaches peak stage).
· After five to ten minutes the butterfat forms small lumps as it separates from the buttermilk (liquid portion of cream); continue whipping until the butterfat comes together as large yellow lumps.
· Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the cloth-lined strainer and let the mixture drain for several minutes.
· Squeeze the butter in its cloth to extract as much liquid as possible, then unwrap the butter from the cloth (save the buttermilk for making biscuits, cakes, scones and pancakes).
· Pour cool water over the butter and rinse, squeezing and folding the lump of butter until the water runs clear. Make sure it runs really clear or your butter will go rancid quickly.
· Knead the butter mass on a cold surface (marble is ideal) for a few minutes to aerate creating a smooth texture, (if you are adding salt or flavourings this is the time to add them) some additional liquid will seep out as you knead.
· Finally place the butter onto grease-proof paper and roll into a log; or make a brick, or wrap into individual serves. Wrap the butter in its grease-proof paper with a layer of cling wrap.
· Storage – Refrigerated, your butter will last for about three weeks, frozen it will keep for a few months.
· To Use - Slice off butter pats from your frozen log and leave at room temperature if using that day, or refrigerate for later.
· Salt - We make unsalted butter as it is most versatile for pastries, cakes and sauces, adding salt separately to the dishes. When we want salted butter for the table we roll the butter in salt to serve.
As the weather cools and pastures green, I’m drawn to butter. That irreplaceable melt-in-your-mouth flavour thickly spread onto crusty bread, melting into baked potatoes or a creamy risotto, butter makes the dish. Cooks love butter for the natural flavour, texture, and shine. And that wonderful alchemy of butter creamed with sugar, essential for a delicate cake crumb.
Though thankful for convenient commercial butter at the supermarket, whenever I find treasures of artisan butter in dairy regions I’m reminded this is worth the hunt. These small batches show seasonal differences in texture, taste and colour from the creamy white winter to the yellows of spring.
One of the finest pairings is that of butter with garlic. For a sensational Garlic Bread start with locally grown, organic, new season’s garlic thinly sliced and mixed into fresh butter, add chopped herbs, a dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Spread thickly between slices of crusty baguette, wrap in alfoil, and bake in a medium oven until the crust is browned and the aroma irresistible.
For making butter using the ancient technique of hand whipping, all you need is cream. You could use a whisk, but you would miss the miraculous feeling of cream turning to butter in your hand.
HAND-MADE COW’S MILK BUTTER
Ingredients
Cream
· Visit a dairy region or Farmers Market to source a good quality pure cream with high flavoursome fat content, 30 per cent or more.
· For a tangy ‘cultured’ butter leave the cream at room temperature for a day to sour slightly, if you prefer a sweet butter use fresh cream.
Equipment
Two bowls, colander, cloth, grease proof paper and cling wrap, whisk if using.
Process
· Line a colander with cheese cloth (a folded clean ‘chux’ works well) and set inside one of the bowls.
· Pour the cream into the other bowl and whip with your hand, keep fingers spread and wrist relaxed (or use a whisk).
· Firstly you will make whipped cream (the speed of your whipping will determine how quickly the butterfat reaches peak stage).
· After five to ten minutes the butterfat forms small lumps as it separates from the buttermilk (liquid portion of cream); continue whipping until the butterfat comes together as large yellow lumps.
· Pour the entire contents of the bowl into the cloth-lined strainer and let the mixture drain for several minutes.
· Squeeze the butter in its cloth to extract as much liquid as possible, then unwrap the butter from the cloth (save the buttermilk for making biscuits, cakes, scones and pancakes).
· Pour cool water over the butter and rinse, squeezing and folding the lump of butter until the water runs clear. Make sure it runs really clear or your butter will go rancid quickly.
· Knead the butter mass on a cold surface (marble is ideal) for a few minutes to aerate creating a smooth texture, (if you are adding salt or flavourings this is the time to add them) some additional liquid will seep out as you knead.
· Finally place the butter onto grease-proof paper and roll into a log; or make a brick, or wrap into individual serves. Wrap the butter in its grease-proof paper with a layer of cling wrap.
· Storage – Refrigerated, your butter will last for about three weeks, frozen it will keep for a few months.
· To Use - Slice off butter pats from your frozen log and leave at room temperature if using that day, or refrigerate for later.
· Salt - We make unsalted butter as it is most versatile for pastries, cakes and sauces, adding salt separately to the dishes. When we want salted butter for the table we roll the butter in salt to serve.
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