07 Oct Seasonal Update 7th October, 2016

Call Elizabeth on 0419505438 to enroll to join us for next week’s Cookery Class in one of Melbourne’s finest Cookery Schools.

UPCOMING CLASSES

Kitchen Confidence 101: Everyone Loves a Roast!

Wednesday 12th October 1030 – 1.30pm – Meredith St, Elwood

Roast Chicken – Thomas Keller style is an absolute must for every home cook’s repertoire.  Learn this no-fuss way to get a cook a chicken and how to make a delicious Tarragon Cream Sauce to serve with it.  We will also bake a tray of heirloom vegetables, carefully selected from this week’s farmers market in Elwood.  An open fruit tart is a perfect way to end such a simple but perfectly delicious meal.

Call Elizabeth on 0419 505 438 to join us in this small hands on class : $165 / person

In Season in October:

Fruit

Look for berries – blackberries and strawberries are delicious; Citrus is still holding its own with grapefruit, lemons, limes and Imperial mandarins.  Delicious made into curd or combined into carefully made fruit salads to garnish cakes.

Vegetables

Artichokes if you are clever enough – cook them whole, deep-fried as in Rome; New season asparagus not to be missed and heaven with a perfectly poached egg or a Hollandaise Sauce once you know how; Broad beans are a valuable contribution to an hors d’ouvres selection.  Ask everyone to peel their own and just dip them in a little salt; Beans, beetroots, and broccoli; Kale, carrots and cauliflower mean that you will always have a vegetable dish to hand; Delicious new lettuces, onions, peas and onions combine for perfect garden salads. Leeks, silver beet, rainbow chard, and zucchini mean that there is always a wonderful soup only a heart beat away.

 Herbs

I cannot imagine not growing my own herbs – impossibly inconvenient to not have my own supply. I see that my Bay tree now has lovely tender new leaves, the parsley is flourishing and the mint that struggles throughout the summer has taken off after all this rain; I don’t have enough room for celery plants but the leaves and fine stalks are perfect when used instead in most dishes demanding celery. The chives are just beginning; Sage and watercress and thyme are excellent and impatiently I await my tarragon and chervil; It is far too early for basil, but we already have plenty of other bits for now!

Accredited Farmers’ Markets in Victoria

For detailed information visit the Farmers Markets of Victoria

Saturday 8th October: Melbourne Markets:

Coburg, 8am – 1pm

Collingwood, 8am – 1pm

Elwood, 8.30am – 1pm

Saturday 8th October: Country Victoria

Bendigo, 9am – 1pm

Berwick, 8am – 1230pm

Korumburra, 8am – 1230pm

Kyneton, 8am – 1pm

Mornington, 9am – 1pm

Wangaratta, 8am – 12.pm

Sunday 9th October: Melbourne Markets

Bonbeach, 9am – 1pm

Eastland, 9am – 2pm

Eltham, 9am – 1pm

Eynesbury, 9.30am – 2.30pm

Flemington, 9am – 1pm

Dining In

Flowering Kale – now that is a thing. Perfectly delicious, and a snap to make

Sautee of Flowering Kale

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Serving Size: 3

Flowering kale is delicious and only needs to be lightly cooked.  It looks similar to broccolini. Broccolini can be used when flowering kale is unavailable.

Flowering kale is readily available in the spring time from Farmer’s Markets and specialty Fruit and Vegetable stores.

The Pork Sausage is optional additional seasoning, you could use a slice or two of bacon or a handful of turkey or chicken mince, whatever is to hand.  If you prefer to make this a vegetarian dish, exclude the meat altogether and be sure to season the dish well before serving.

This is an excellent topping for home made pizza.  Cover a pizza base with a light smear of tomato puree.  Grate parmesan cheese over the tomato.  Add the cooked flowering kale and sausage.  Sprinkle mozzarella on top.  Place in a very hot oven to cook for about 10 mins.

Ingredients:

1 bunch flowering kale

1 tablespoon exta virgin olive oil

1 onion

1 clove garlic – optional

1 pure pork sausage

100ml water or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Trim and rinse the kale in cold water.

Set aside to drain in a colander

2. Peel and dice the onion.

Peel the garlic, keep whole

3. Place a pan over moderate heat, add the olive oil and once this is heated, add the onion. 

Saute the onion gently until it is clear and transluscent – this may take up to 10 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add the whole clove of garlic

4. While the onion is sauteing, skin the sausage and break the meat up into pieces using a metal spoon or knife

5. Add the sausage to the onion and garlic, breaking it up as much as you can with a metal spoon.

Allow the sausage to cook through – this will take another 5 minutes or so

6. Once the sausage is cooked add the drained kale.  Add the water or stock to moisten all of the ingredients. Stir well.

Cover the pan and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes until the kale is cooked to your liking.

7. Check the seasoning of salt and pepper and serve, warm or at room temperature with a squeeze of lemon

Gardens To Visit

Diggers announced in a recent newsletter the Botanic and Rare Plant Fair to be held at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Birdwood Ave, South Yarra, the weekend of 22nd October.  Get in early I say and see you there!

The Diggers Club, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Inc. 

Wineries

On the first Sunday of the month, Craiglee Wineries in Sunbury open their cellar door from 11 am.  We were there last Sunday sampled their delicious Chardonnay, Viognier, Shiraz and Shiraz Viognier blend.  The 2012 Shiraz was the hands down winner in my mind.  Lovely balanced, spicy fruits.  My favourite type of Shiraz.  We promised to return later in the day after family lunch to pick up our order but failed to make it on time.  The delivery duly arrived at my kitchen door 2 days later. 

http://www.craigleevineyard.com/

In the Garden:

Well, the front garden has had a good tidy and a rake, the weeds removed and the City of Port Phillip have a standing order these days to collect our green waste each week.  They don’t provide bins but they do manage this very good service I must say.

The blooms of the flowering azalea have all been removed, the bush gave a good haircut and the roots a gorgeous feed of home made compost.

The espaliered bougainvillea on the upstairs, east facing terrace is the only self-respecting specimen up there amongst the vegetable beds. There is a lot of sorting out to be done up there to prepare for the tomatoes to be planted by the end of this month.  I will have to remove the weeds that have grown out of hand amongst the garlic and the leeks, and the herbs that are reasserting themselves now.  I am sure that duck poo must have been full of weed seed.  At any rate, I am still finding an interesting assortment of bits for green salads.

Upcoming Masterclass:

Slow Ferment Sourdough Bread making Masterclass with Greg Dee of Elwood Bread. 

Book now for Saturday 22nd October 10 am to 1 pm.

Everyone gets to take home a cooked loaf, dough ready for shaping and to pop in your own oven and some mother of your own in a jar. Not to be missed!  $90 per person.

Weekly Christmas workshop classes are proposed from 15th November – some of these classes will be repeated on a Saturday.

For more information, bookings and inquiries, text, message or email Elizabeth: 0419505438 or info@elizabethpeddey.com.au

Gift Vouchers:
A cookery class in Melbourne’s leafy Elwood is the perfect wedding gift, also ideal for someone moving out of home. Don’t forget birthdays and Christmas too.   Call Elizabeth on 0419505438 for a gift for someone you love.