Relish the moment - beetroot edition

Whilst I am on a festive roll I think it’s time we had a chat about beetroot relish. Its a failsafe part of my Yule arsenal. I have given it numerous times as gifts to great accolades and have found it a saviour to have on hand to jolly up any summer entertaining efforts.

The flamboyant red flesh is sublime in a meaty hamburger or it can add an intriguing twist to a cheese plate or bbq. I have even added it with equal parts sour cream to make a luridly pink dip.

The only tricky part is grating and preparing the largish quantity of beetroot. Thankfully beetroot does not need to be peeled, just give it a good soak and scrub then away you go. As for the grating, I tend not to rely on gadgets, but a food processor makes this chore an absolute doddle. If you are going down the path of using a simple box grater, my advice would be to pop on a latex glove. Stained fingers aside, a sacrificial layer of skin when dealing with knuckle loving blades is always a good thing.

The quantity given is on the high side, generally it tends to make 4 large jars, which is rarely an issue given the long shelf life and general deliciousness of the preserve.

It truly is as simple as popping all of the ingredients into a big cauldron and boiling like mad. The time taken to boil into a thick mass is quite variable- the best indication of readiness is when your can swipe along the base of the pan and see a clear line that does not instantly fill with liquid. Most of the juices should be evaporated or become soaked up by the beets, err on the side of extra cooking if things are looking on the flimsy side.

It does make your house smell like a pickling factory, but I quite like that, its just another little sensory reminder that happy summer days are not far away.

Beetroot relish

The lively combination of beetroot, orange and fennel seed combine to make this gloriously coloured relish.  It makes a wonderful accompaniment to festive cold meat and is marvellous to have on hand for summer entertaining.

1.5 kg raw beetroot coarsely grated

3 onions sliced

3 granny smith apples peeled and grated  

Zest and juice of 3 oranges

2 Tbs mustard seeds

1 Tbs fennel seeds

1Tbs ground cloves

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

700 ml red wine vinegar

700 g brown sugar.

 

1.     In a preserving pan or your largest saucepan, mix together all the ingredients well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender.

2.     While the relish is cooking, prepare your jars by running through a short hot wash in your dishwasher. Or wash thoroughly by hand, and then put in a hot oven to sterilize for 10-15 mins.

3.     Once the relish is ready, let it settle for 10 mins, then carefully spoon into the jars and seal while still hot. You can eat it straight away but it will be even better after a week or two.

4.     Will keep for up to 6 months in a cool dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and eat within 2 months.

The quantity given makes 4 large jars, the recipe can easily be halved to yield a more modest amount.

King of the Kingstons

 

Fighting with your siblings is a rite of passage. It instils such fine attributes as a sense of passion and the ability to make sure you are not duped. And let’s face it a dash of guile and cunning is an essential life skill, one might as well learn it young.

So let it go on public record that The Kingston biscuit, nestled in amongst its mediocre fellow Arnott’s assorted, was a prize worth fighting for. Perhaps it was the presence of chocolate, or the fact that there were only 4 of them but 8 crappy old Monte Carlos per packet, but the Kingston gave the greedy kids of Australia a lesson in tactics.

There was the quality over quantity trade option; one Kingston for 3 custard creams would always conquer my brother and his Labrador pup approach to food. Then there was the Red Riding hood esq going solo to visit Grandma routine, which always resulted in a non competitive dip in the bickie barrel. However my greatest manoeuvre was the biscuit by stealth option, which set me up for a lifetime of thinking that if no one sees you eat it then the calories don’t count.

Not so long ago I got the chance to nibble on a Kingston(which I didn’t have to endure a dead leg for) and frankly it was a great dissapointment. How could it be that the token of victory from my youth was way too sweet and miserably small?

I have taken it upon myself to reinstate some glory to this fallen hero. Hence the following recipe is not completely accurate, but it does capture the best nostalgic highlights of coconut and chocolate to great effect.

It is gluten free but that is merely a happy coincidence of this simple recipe. The absence of any flour or binding agent creates a beautiful light airy biscuit which gives an almost toffee like crunch. I just wodged mine together with some chocolate icing I had hanging around in the freezer, the Achilles heel of this plan is that not everyone has bits of surplus icing on hand. Happily I can report they are remarkably good with a glop of nutella as a substitute, or you could go the whole hog and whip up a chocolate ganache if you were really being fancy.

But whichever route you take with the filling, be sure to make sufficient to go round – as some people think that there is little dignity in fighting for biscuits.

Coconut Kingstons

These yummy biscuit sandwiches are a cinch to make, the trick is to try and keep the size of each biscuit small and dainty.

55g butter, softened
115g white sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
150g desiccated coconut

Nutella or chocolate icing

Pre-heat oven to160 degrees and line 2 trays with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Mix in the egg and the vanilla. Using a spoon, stir through the coconut.

Place small teaspoonfuls of dough onto trays lined with baking paper, leaving space for spreading, and flatten slightly with a wet fork. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until golden, and cool the biscuits on the paper on a wire rack.

Sandwich together using a teaspoon of Nutella (or if you are a purist melt 150 g of chocolate with a Tbs of butter over a low heat to make a shiny mixture)

Cooking Joyfully and Beautifully

 

One of my all time favourite gadgets would have to be my mandolin slicer. Whist the actual mechanics of the device cannot be faulted it is the kooky packaging that thrills me most.

Long lost sisters perhaps?

It promises that puffed sleeves and a wealth of shaved vegetable matter could be your ticket to kitchen harmony. Look closer and you will see turnips; cabbage, radish and onions also seem to be part of the equation. Mercifully there is a word of caution to: thrust slowly with great care of your fingertips.

It may be a lethal weapon but it has broad appeal, boldly declaring it’s self to be ideal for everyone from professional cooks to housewives. Phew, glad I qualify. 

It’s a big call that food cut from the samurai blade will be both beautiful AND joyful, but being a sloppy old harridan most of the time I am prepared to give anything a go.

 I suppose you could always try this salad with a plain old knife. That being the case, chop along with one eye closed to up the zen quotient and keep the thrill of chopping off your fingers a greater possibility than normal.  

Crunchy apple salad

3 fat juicy apples apples

½ bulb of fennel

2 radishes

A handful of chopped parsley

A handful of pistachios

 Dressing

Juice and zest of one lemon

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

A decent pinch of salt, pepper, castor sugar and dill.

 

1.       Very finely slice apple radish and fennel,

2.       Combine salad dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake vigorously to combine.

3.       Pour dressing over sliced vegetables

4.       Moosh everything together and artistically sprinkle with parsley and nuts.

Best made close to serving.

Bursting with goodness

 

One can feel virtuous just looking at this salad. Perhaps it’s the birdseed esq quinoa, or the vivid green silver beet, but it is hard to deny that fork full’s of this salad could only be good for you.

If quinoa isn’t your thing, you could just as easily substitute weensy green lentils, or cooked pearl barley, but I why wouldn’t you hop onboard the Bolivian super food bandwagon?  It’s super easy to cook and so danm healthy.

Much like rice, cooking quinoa involves a gentle steamy simmer with precisely the right amount of liquid to plump up each individual grain to a tender state.  Generally the ratio is 1.5 units of liquid to 1 unit quinoa and I can attest that too much liquid results in a wet mass that is difficult to resurrect. 

It adds a crunchy charm to any main meal and is surprisingly filling. With the added delight of nuts, sweet pops of currents and a zingy dressing, this salad is a keeper!

 

Quinoa and silver beet salad.

3/4 cup quinoa, (I used red for dramatic effect)
1 cup water
Juice and zest of one lemon

2 Tbs olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 small bunch of silver beet leaves

A handful of: slivered almonds, currents, and feta cheese.

Make the quinoa by bringing water to the boil, add the quinoa then cover and simmer for 10 mins until tender and plump, leave to cool whilst you prep the colourful bits!

Make the dressing by combining the lemon juice, oil, sumac, salt and pepper.

Toss the dressing, silverbeet , nuts, currents and cheese through the cool quinoa to make a lovely speckled salad.

MMMMMM Beef!!!

Ohh goody; here is another thing to add to the ever expanding list of favourite things to nosh up on a lazy weekend. This fragrant Asian inspired braise is rich and flavoursome. Using shin beef requires slow and patient cooking, but the results are stickily sweet and toothsome. Serve with mountains of fluffy white rice and a crunchy green side dish- and a cheeky crisp sav Blanc.  

 

Yes it is every bit as delicious as it looks, here is the lowdown:

Luscious Beef and Ginger Stew

1.7 beef shin

6 garlic cloves

2 thumb size pieces of ginger

6 cardamon pods

1 quill of cinnamon

2 star anise

1 teaspoon crack black pepper

4 slices of orange rind

Juice of 2 oranges (top up with water to make up 200ml liquid)

1 Tbs honey

2 Tbs vinegar (rice wine for preference)

125 ml soy sauce

In a frypan sear the beef in batches to get a bit of colour going on and add some texture, transfer to large cast iron pot. Deglaze the pan with the honey, soy and aromatics, and then pop in with the meat, add any remaining ingredients.

Cover with a tight fitting lid, or some advanced tin foil origami, then bung it in to a 180 oven then turn it down to 120 and let it simmer away for 3 hours or until meltingly tender.

For preference I like to make this a day or two in advance to give the flavours and chance to brew and ripen in the fridge. Reheat on stove top.