Roasted Pumpkin & Eggplant Salad with Miso Dressing

As the sun starts shining and plans for easing restrictions here in parts of Australia are shared picnics have hit the agenda. Yep they are actually on the list of eased restrictions. I actually love an outdoor get together and I love a fancy salad. One with a bit of substance and flavour and that leaves you satisfied. This salad came to me craving vegies and dreaming of a dish I love from a local café that’s quite different but first got me hooked on this unusual flavour combo that really hits the spot for me. The sweetness of pumpkin with all the different textures bound in the miso dressing is a unique and tasty blend that pairs well with white meat and seafood me. You can serve it warm or cold and as such you can transport or store the roasted veg separately and assemble everything on location or when you’re ready to serve.

I hope you enjoy it and you can add it to your picnic repertoire for the coming summer.

Ingredients:

3 C cubed pumpkin

3 C cubed eggplant (chopped slightly larger than the pumpkin)

2 handuls of baby spinach leaves

1 small can of chickpeas (or pulse of your choice, lentils and white beans work well)

2 Tbs sliced or slivered almonds

Dressing;

1 Tbs white miso

1 tbs mirin

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water (or enough to loosen the dressing to a thick pouring consistency)

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c.

Cut eggplant into generous sized cubes and soak in a mix of 1 litre of water and 1 generous pinch of salt. This is a Japanese method that has magical powers to soften the flavour of the eggplant and, in my opinion softens the skin and maintains the texture of the vegetable. I now use every time I’m roasting eggplant. Leave this for up to half an hour while you potter about getting everything else ready

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar shake well, refrigerate.

Cut up the pumpkin in slightly smaller cubes. This will help them cook for the same time.

Drain and dry the eggplant toss and together with a good glug of olive oil and spread out on a shallow tray. Bake for 30 mins tossing half way through.

When veg is cooked remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while you assemble.

Drain and rinse chickpeas.

Starting with a layer of spinach spread out on your plate a layer of top with half the veg and chickpeas. Repeat first layer, drizzle over the dressing to taste and sprinkle over the almonds and a good grind of fresh black pepper.

Notes:

As listed the salad serves 4 as a side on its own, 6 with other sides or 2-3 as a main.

If pulses aren’t your thing just increase the eggplant and pumpkin. It’s still delicious without them.

You can really use whatever pulse is your favourite.

Drizzle the dressing lightly to start. It can be rich for some and you can always add more but cant subtract.

If you’re taking this to a picnic you can easily assemble on location. Don’t dress until ready to serve.

Express Paella

Try though I may to be organised I’m resigned to the fact menu planning is not my forte. I’m more often than not driven by what I feel like on the day, what time allows and what’s in the fridge. Now before you stop me, I know…it’s chicken and egg. If I planned, the fridge would be full of the ingredients I need. But if I did that I might not feel like what’s on the menu…See my dilemma.

It’s from this laissez faire approach to the second half of the day that many of my recipes are born. I frequently have a craving for things that aren’t last minute friendly such as Paella. I mean it’s just rice and a few tasty things right? How time consuming can that be? Well it would seem quite consuming in the late arvo when you’re clearing the bench of laundry folding trying to figure out how to come up with something different and tasty. But my friends, my Express Paella is actually pretty easy to pull together without too much fuss. Now full disclaimer I don’t for a moment pretend that this is an authentic version of the Spanish classic and may indeed make the toes curl of any Spanish readers but I do promise it will satisfy the craving and you’ll feel pretty fancy pulling something together on a week night that you may normally overlook at the end of a busy day. A pan of this is a brilliant side to anything straight off the BBQ, especially chicken or sausages and can be adapted to include seafood easily just like the more time consuming traditional version.

Ok let’s get started!

Ingredients:

1 Spanish Onion finely sliced (because that’s quicker than chopping but if you prefer chopped go for it)

2 Cloves of garlic finely diced or crushed (again keep it simple)

½ tsp smoked sweet paprika

Pinch of saffron

1 Red capsicum chopped into large chunks

½ tsp of finely chopped chilli or to taste.

1 C Calasparra rice or Abrorio. Whatever is available.

1 Tb each of butter and extra virgin olive oil

1 400 gm Can of Cherry tom (or whatever’s in the pantry)

2 C chicken stock (I buy premade in long life cartons. I get through it in a week and it tastes just a little better, however stock powder made up into two cups is also fine)

1 C frozen peas

1 Spring Onion (shallot) sliced

1 handful continental parsley chopped roughly

Lemon wedges to serve

 Method:

On a medium to low heat saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent not browned. Add the capsicum and cook until just starting to soften but not as much as the onion. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Melt the butter, then add the rice and saffron to the pan and swish around to coat with the butter and oil like you would for a risotto. Stir through tomatoes and stock and distributing everything evenly. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer (low heat) and cover, cook for 15 minutes. No stirring or peeking! Without disturbing the rice, sprinkle over the peas and cook, replace lid and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle over parsley and spring onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Variations:

~Pop some mussels on top with the peas to steam and open for the last five minutes.

~Slice and fry off 1 chorizo with the onion.

~BBQ some prawns to sprinkle on top with the parsley and spring onion.

Brown Butter Chai Cake

Simple butter, sugar and vanilla mingling together really are the very best of friends and often keeping it simple and letting these three ingredients shine in baking makes the best of comfort foods. But we all know there’s an encyclopaedic collection of variations on that theme right?  I mean seriously we could fill a whole internet on the many ways to combine these three key elements and methods by which to create that squishy goodness. One of my favourites is the classic melt and mix. Its quick, easy and always your best friend when you’re in a rush to feed hungry hoards. It’s also a brilliant base to work from. My favourite is Brown Butter Chai Cake. Now I concede browning the butter is adding a step and taking half a step back from easy. If the mere suggestion of browning butter has you rolling your eyes fear not you could skip this step and the cake will still be delicious, but I do urge to try just once. I won’t bore you with the how when it comes to browning butter but you can watch this if you need some help with that. My favourite Chai is from Grounded Pleasures. You can check out their full range here. 

Adding the sweet spicy concoction of good quality chai creates a rich hearty variation.

Simple butter, sugar and vanilla mingling together really are the very best of friends and often keeping it simple and letting these three ingredients shine in baking makes the best of comfort foods. But we all know there’s an encyclopaedic collection of variations on that theme right?  I mean seriously we could fill a whole internet on the many ways to combine these three key elements and methods by which to create that squishy goodness. One of my favourites is the classic melt and mix. Its quick, easy and always your best friend when you’re in a rush to feed hungry hoards. It’s also a brilliant base to work from. My favourite is Brown Butter Chai Cake. Now I concede browning the butter is adding a step and taking half a step back from easy. If the mere suggestion of browning butter has you rolling your eyes fear not you could skip this step and the cake will still be delicious, but I do urge to try just once. If  I won’t bore you with the 'how' when it comes to browning butter but you can check how here if you need some help with that. My favourite Chai is from Grounded Pleasures. You can browse out their full range here.

Ingredients:
150 gm butter melted and browned
1 1/2 (225) C self raising flour
200 gm golden caster sugar *
1 vanilla bean scraped pod discarded or 1 Tsp extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs lightly beaten
2/3 cup buttermilk **
2 Tb chai powder ( I use Grounded Pleasures)

Spiced Sugar:
1/4 C icing sugar (powder sugar)
1/4 tsp  each of ginger and cinnamon or your own faves such as a pinch of cardamon or allspice.

Method:
Preheat oven to 180c, grease and line a loaf or 20cm round spring form pan.

Brown butter and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a mixer bowl combine all dry ingredients and give a quick stir with a whisk to ensure everything is evenly mixed through. 
Add all wet ingredients and mix in stand mixer on low-medium until combing then in creased speed to high and mix for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy and lighter in colour. Pour into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in tin for five minutes then turn out or release from springform and cool on rack.

I've served with a spiced sugar to keep things simple but you might like a simple orange flavoured icing or even a cream cheese frosting.


*I've used paneela sugar from Grounded Pleasures here (I may or may not have had a little shopping spree and had lots to play with  not sponsored). Golden CS adds an extra caramel characteristic however if you only have white that will work just fine.
**If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by adding half a tsp of lemon to the 2/3 C of regular milk and allow it to sit while you get organised.

What’s Your Thing?

There’s a bazillion articles online about women and mums carving out time and space for themselves. They’re all true and someone’s truth, perhaps even yours and mine in parts or indeed as a whole. One thing rings true through all and is a common thread…the importance of finding that thing that drives you, honouring that thing and making time for your thing and therefore yourself.

Now we all have a ‘thing’ and some of us have a few ‘things’ and some of us are on a search for our thing but one thing is ultimately true, we all need a thing. A ‘thing’ drives you, it gives you passion and provides a metaphorical space for you to inhabit when you’re practicing your thing. What is a thing I hear you say? It’s that hobby or interest that you crave time for, that distracts you when you think about it, that creates inner ambitions that secretly, or not so secretly, hide within you. Sometimes they’re the thing that helps you get out of bed in the morning, that balance the mundane and sometimes they’re the thing that you covet, that are your dreams of a different day to day.

I’ve always loved having hobbies, some have been fleeting and some have been lifelong passions. The two driving passions, or ‘things’ that inhabit me daily, are cooking and photography. I’m always dreaming of or dreaming up my next meal and always imagining different images I want to create. My two loves offer me opportunities to escape, thrive and have some me time….aside from the daily cooking though, even that is rarely mundane. Combining the two has brought me great joy and ambition and as with many fields of endeavour, names and people I admire and who inspire me. One of whom is Sophie Hansen and her beautiful blog Local is Lovely. Sophie also runs workshops and courses at her online business My Open Kitchen, workshops I’d coveted and dreamt of attending in her hometown of Orange NSW. I’d promised myself if the stars ever aligned I would swoop in and seize the opportunity to attend. I’d thought I’d missed the boat with Sophie’s in person gatherings when she announced a hiatus to work on her second glorious book, A Basket by the Door. But then just like a Christmas miracle at the end of 2018 Sophie announced a dream team gathering, Tessa Kiros, Emiko Davies, Luisa Brimble and of course her gorgeous self. with my bags and camera packed I journeyed to the Central West with a small group of interesting fabulous women all pursuing their own passion and dreams. It’s here with these gorgeous souls we inhaled all the knowledge and creativity offered and drew on each others stories to build our own.

It's as I launch my website and reflect on that weekend through the lens of the crazy year that 2020 has been I’m inspired by the women I met there, both participants and presenters. So with a life’s too short attitude I look forward to where I hope my ‘thing’ will take me.