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Senin, 31 Januari 2011

Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Cayenne Glaze



Since discovering sweet potato fries, I've become a bit obsessed with them. If they are ever offered at a restaurant, I have to order them, it's a compulsion, I don't have a choice.


A few months ago, I went to a fun and different restaurant in New Hampshire called The Friendly Toast. They had a great menu, full of items that would satisfy the carnivore and vegan alike. But the first thing that caught my eye was their sweet potato fries glazed in a spicy honey. They were to die for! I took the majority of my sandwich home in a box, but there was not a fry to speak of by the time I was done with them.

A few weeks later I did my best to recreate them. I'll never make sweet potato fries as good as restaurants can, simply because I can't bring myself to fry them. However, the honey glaze was just as good. A sprinkle of cayenne in about two tablespoons of honey, and you have yourself a different and delicious way to eat sweet potatoes. Give it a try!

Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Cayenne Glaze

Ingredients

2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and sliced into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper
2-4 tablespoons honey
1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how hot you want it

Directions

Toss sweet potato wedges, olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Roast on a cookie sheet at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until soft and browned. Mix honey and cayenne pepper. Plate serving of fries on a plate and drizzle with desired amount of honey.

Serves 4

Minggu, 30 Januari 2011

Chiba

Who would have thought that sushi would have become such a populist food in Australia!  Walking around Highpoint you can see many a squished sushi roll clutched in a toddler's fist (quite often that of my own kids).  What's not to love - sushi rolls are healthy, cheap and delicious.  It is important, though, to every so often remember that there is so much more to Japanese food than a chicken tempura hand roll and a fish-shaped soy sauce squirter.

Chiba exterior

Thank you then for the tip that led me to Chiba, a fabulous Japanese restaurant in Moonee Ponds!  I have come across a Japanese restaurant. Japanese-owned, serving AUTHENTIC, delicious food. Arguably one of the best in Melbourne... Chiba Japanese Restaurant, Moonee Ponds. Really worth the visit! said an anonymous reader.

Chiba 002

Monday night, Christmas/New Year holidays - it will be dead, I thought.  Thank God we booked anyway as it was packed, with tables constantly turning over.  Complimentary edamame or fresh soybeans were delicious to start.  I know why these are the Hollywood starlets' snack of choice - they are so healthy yet tasty, much "meatier" than regular beans.

Chiba 003
Osuimono, $5 and oskinko, $4.50

We bypassed the more ubiquitous miso to try something different, osuimono or "fish and tofu clear soup".  The soup was fantastic - a bright, clean, zingy stock base, I think made with dashi, a stock unique to Japan made by carefully boiling dried tuna flakes and a type of kelp (seaweed).  Inside the amber liquid floated juicy pieces of tofu, shiitake mushroom and white fish.  Between sips we crunched on a selection of pickles including purple, tangy and slightly sweet umeboshi or plums, sweet, fluorescent yellow pickled daikon or radish, and a dark green, salty and acidic gherkin-style pickle.

Chiba 008
Entree sashimi plate, $13.50

Look at this plate of utter perfection.  The fish is the colour of delicate underwater coral, seemingly nestling between wavy fronds of green and white seaweed.  We mixed the wasabi with soy in our bowls and dipped each slice.  If there is anyone out there who has not discovered how good raw fish is, Chiba would be a great place to start.  While cooked fish has a not at all unpleasant flaky texture, the flesh separating in petals or threads, raw fish is more solid, more gelatinous perhaps - similar to rare steak.  The taste is actually much less strong than cooked fish.  Ah, New Year's resolutions - they are easy when you are dining on sublime, Zen-like Japanese food!

Chiba 004
Nasu dengaku, $7

My favourite Japanese dish, fried eggplant spread with a smooth, sweet, white miso paste.  This eggplant was scored into diamonds, fried and then drizzled with sweet, nutty miso sauce.  With a bowl of gohan or short-grain white rice, it was divine.

Chiba 009
Whiting tempura (entree), $10

Baby whiting fillets in that classic, ruffled tempura batter.  Good tempura batter is a mere whisper of crispness, merely clinging to the fish or vegetable.  These came with a "radish dipping sauce" that was very light and sweet.

Chiba have a lunchtime menu of noodle soups and rice dishes (which include a miso soup) that is exceptional value from $9.00 to $10.50.  There's an extra discount for takeaway.  A perfect coffee afterwards from Nabiha opposite would be just the icing on the cake.

Chiba Japanese on Urbanspoon

Chiba
Address:  19 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds (map)
Phone:  9326 0248
Hours:  Mon-Sat 11.30am - 3pm, Sun - Thurs 5.30pm - 10.30pm, Fri & Sat 5.30pm - 11pm

Wheelchair
Small step to enter.


Tau Sar Pau from Forty Hands ...... Best Tau Sar Pau in Singapore?

This the 'Best Tau Sar Pau in Singapore' as claimed by the 8 Days magazine. 40 Hands Tau Sar Pau is made flatter than the typical Tau Sar Pau. It's S$2.50 a piece. I missed having this bun the last time and I'm glad that I got the last one in the shop this time.

This Tau Sar Pau has a very soft bun and fine tau sar (red bean paste).  An American friend once asked me a question, "Would you eat SH!! that smells good and taste delicious or food that smell and taste like SH!!?". I didn't know how to answer him then. I was someone who disliked eating tau sar and would associate tau sar to ..... If I would have eaten Forty Hands Tau Sar Pau then, I would have answered him immediately, "If SH!! tasted this good, I'll rather eat SH!!". 


By the way, I've learnt to like tau sar, rather, Azuki, the hard way. While I was in Japan the last few years, no matter which pastry or bun that I chose from the shelves, I was lucky enough to choose Azuki filled ones. Urgh! So many times that I've become a convert ever since.
*Photos with my iPhone 3GS


My previous post on Forty Hands.

Jumat, 28 Januari 2011

Another Great Oatmeal Cookie made with BACON FAT

i know...you might be over all this bacon fat overload, BUT this is definitely another WINNER.  people raved about it...begged for another.  these are quite different than the other cookie i posted about called the Depression Era Oatmeal Cookie.  that one is crunchy and hearty, while this one is the perfect balance of crunchy outside and chewy inside...great for sandwiching with some yummy maple frosting
i found this incredible recipe while searching for uses for all the bacon fat i have accumulated.  it's at Serious Eats, posted by Amanda Clark.  please check out the original post HERE.  she talks about how she came up with the idea for this unbelievable cookie creation.  she played around with it alot and came up with the perfect ingredient combo for the bacon flavors to really shine while keeping the crunchy outside-chewy inside texture of the classic lunch-box cookie.  my hat's off to Amanda for this one, for sure!

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES made with BACON FAT !!!
i adapted the recipe slightly, but the original is found at

1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp bacon fat room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract...i added 1/2 tsp maple extract with 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 tsp molasses
4 1/2 tsp honey
 1 1/2 cups AP flour...i used white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash powdered ginger
and a few grates of fresh nutmeg
3 cups oats...i use old fashion oats
1 1/2 cups bacon...approx 1 regular package
1 cup raisins, choc. chips or nuts...i use mini choc. chips.   2nd batch was toasted pecans
preheat oven to 325 F.  
mix fat and sugar until creamy and light...(this will not get quite as creamy as butter)
NOTE...as i stated in my other bacon fat cookie post, i like to refrigerate the fat after cooking the bacon so that it solidifies...then let it sit out for a bit before creaming with sugar.
add eggs one at a time, beating after each.  add vanilla, molasses and honey and beat to incorporate.
in a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients...flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  add dry mixture to wet mixture slowly until just Incorporated.
now...add the oats, bacon chunks and what ever extra goodie you choose and mix until just distributed evenly...don't over mix.
drop the dough by heaping Tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving 1 1/2 - 2 inches for cookies to spread.  bake for 10 - 12 minutes, rotating tray if necessary.



Fontal Polenta with Mushroom Saute



Okay, I think that's it. I think that's the last of the mushroom posts...for now anyway...bwaAAHAHAHAHAHA!

(Forgive me, we've had quite a few snow days and the cabin fever is making me a bit crazy.)


This is a really good recipe if you're making polenta for the first time. I adore polenta, I love it's creamy, smooth, yet nutty texture. It's so filling and rich and is the perfect palate for so many toppings and mix ins. This particular version is full of melty, creamy fontina cheese, and then topped with a gorgeous mixture of sauteed mushrooms. So filling, and great for your meatless Mondays. It also gave me an excuse to use my French Onion Soup bowls again!


Fontal Polenta with Mushroom Saute
Cooking Light December 2010

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (4-ounce) packages exotic mushroom blend, chopped
1 (8-ounce) package presliced cremini mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup organic vegetable broth
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
3/4 cup instant polenta
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontal or fontina cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Add herbs and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup broth, juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

2. Bring milk and 1 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Stir in polenta; cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in half of cheese and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Divide polenta among 4 gratin dishes; top with remaining cheese. Broil 5 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 cup mushrooms.

Per Serving:
CALORIES 377 ; FAT 18g (sat 7.9g,mono 8.1g,poly 1.3g); CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 322mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.5g; SODIUM 784mg; PROTEIN 16.9g; FIBER 4.6g; IRON 1.2mg

Rabu, 26 Januari 2011

Quang Vinh

Tra Vinh and Quang Vinh 001

I love Footscray and always will, but I am far from monogamous.  A rumour of warm, golden-brown burek or the seductive whisper of properly frothed milk for coffee is enough to send me hurtling down Ballarat Road in either direction.  St Albans, 20 minutes' drive from Footscray, is my latest indulgence.  Unlike in Footscray, here a Balkan influence pervades, along with several enticing Vietnamese restaurants.  Quang Vinh in Alfrieda Street beckoned for a quick, weeknight dinner.

Tra Vinh and Quang Vinh 003
Salt & pepper chicken ribs, $15.80

These are sooo good.  Chicken ribs are a fantastic cut of chicken that is not often available in butchers (they are in Footscray Market, though).  They are almost like lollipops, with just one long central bone and lots of juicy meat around them, with no cartilage or stringy bits - far superior to more ubiquitous (though cheaper) drummettes and wingettes.  "Salt and pepper" mean the meat will be deep-fried in a very crunchy, zingy coating and sprinkled with a totally delicious mix of lightly cooked garlic, chilli and spring onion.  The grabbable nature of the ribs means the are very kid friendly, although arguably as nutritious as KFC!

Tra Vinh and Quang Vinh 002
Mixed vegetables, $12.80

I love this style of mixed vegetables.  Literally within three minutes of ordering this, it was on our table.  The vegies are so lightly cooked and retain all of their fresh qualities of flavour, colour and crunch.  With steamed rice and a little chilli oil from the bowl on every table, these alone would be a great meal.

Tra Vinh and Quang Vinh 004

I really like this restaurant - the staff are very friendly, service is efficient and the food is really tasty and fresh.  Their specialty is hu tieu mi noodle dishes, or dishes of egg and/or rice noodles with vegies and various meats, served either in a soup or 'dry' with a small bowl of soup on the side.  For vegetarians, they also have "monk's vegetables" or "Buddha's delight", a dish of lotus root and various fresh and dried vegies traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year.  Make sure you book if you are not going early - it is deservedly very popular!

Quang Vinh on Urbanspoon

Quang Vinh
66 Alfrieda St, St Albans (map)
Phone: 9366 4147
Hours:  7 days

Wheelchair Accessibility
Access:  Flat level to enter
Layout:  Somewhat squishy

Sausage, Tomato, and Arugula Fettuccine



This dish helped me to make a very important discovery.

I love arugula.

I don't know what it is about this leaf. It's got flavor that so unlike regular lettuce. It's sharp, slightly bitter, and fragrant. It's especially good in dishes like this, partially wilted, coating the whole meal in an earthy, green flavor. After I made this pasta, I had a bunch of arugula left, which lasted for about a day because I was looking for any excuse to eat it. I do believe that arugula will be a permanent staple in our house.

This was a DELICIOUS pasta. It's pretty much ready as soon as that pasta is cooked, and the flavors are incredible. My whole family loved it, and even the leftovers disappeared quickly, always a good sign!

Sausage, Arugula and Tomato Fettuccine
Cooking Light December 2010

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine (I just used dried, I wasn't in THAT big a hurry)
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces Italian turkey sausage
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula leaves
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved, mine was shredded

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2/3 cup cooking liquid.

2. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Break sausage into bite-sized pieces and add to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently to crumble. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper; cover and cook 2 minutes. Mash tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up. Cover pan; reduce heat to low, and cook 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add pasta, reserved 2/3 cup cooking liquid, and arugula; toss well. Sprinkle with pecorino Romano.


Per 1 1/3 cup
: CALORIES 356 ; FAT 13g (sat 4.2g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.4g); CHOLESTEROL 92mg; CALCIUM 168mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.3g; SODIUM 706mg; PROTEIN 19.8g; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 3mg

Selasa, 25 Januari 2011

HEAD TO TOE POZOLE ROJO


mmmmm...POZOLE

this is a rich porky-meaty stew that is hearty, savory, and playful.  i say "playful" because you're eatin' along enjoying every bite, but you don't really know what bite of the pig you are enjoying....could it be an EAR?...a SNOUT?...a CHEEK? ...the BUTT?....or is it that TROTTER that really sends it over the top?....what ever part it might be i guarantee you'll love every bite...slurp and spoonful.


as far as i can tell, authentic POZOLE is made from a whole pig's head.  it's boiled and stewed for hours, then picked apart and every edible morsel is thrown back into the broth along with a few spices, onions, chilies and hominy.  although there was a whole pig's head available at my favorite Mexican market (Northgate in Santa Ana) i had to pass.  instead i went for the Pozole blend...small ready cut parts of a pig's head...it's a blend of cuts that seemed to be calling for my attempt at Authentic Pozole. don't know what seems scarier...the whole head?... or the grab bag i went for.  i recognized the ear and the snout and i think some tongue, but the other bits i'm not so sure...i went for it anyway.  to go along with that i bought some shoulder butt and scouted out the freshest trotters i could find.  i also had a terrine in mind for trotters so i needed a few.  the terrine came out FABULOUS!...i'll post about it soon.





straight up?...don't be afraid of this soup because of it's weird bits and pieces.  you can easily substitute with good pork shoulder-butt or any cut that works well for a stew.

a while back i made a CHICKEN POZOLE VERDE.  although it turned out fabulous and so very delicious, i was ever so gently informed that it was not "real Pozole".  a few of my Latino friends kind of giggled and looked at me funny when i said i had made Pozole.   the Pozole they had grown up knowing was deep red with the whole head simmering all day.  mine was made with Chicken and it was green???...well, i had to right my wrong and go for the real thing...or as close as i could possibly get here in Newport Beach.


my version of POZOLE ROJO

1 lb. of Pozole mix of meats from a Mexican market or Carniceria aka Mexican Meat Market
(this includes all the bits and pieces from the head of a pig)
OR...if you're daring you can just go ahead and purchase 2 ears, a snout and some tongue.
1 lb. pork shoulder/butt nice and fatty cut into large cubes the same size as your Pozole mix.
what ever you buy 2 lbs should be about enough
 AND 1-2 trotters (pig feet)...they usually come split in half

NOTE...when buying pig parts you need to do 2 important things.
1st....go over every inch and make sure there are no short little hairs that were missed by the butcher.  you can sear these off with a lighter or shave them with a razor...i know it's weird, but it's gotta be done.
2nd...put all the parts in a big pot and bring to a boil.  boil for about 10-15 mins to remove any impurities that might be there.  drain pot, discard water, clean the pot and wash off the pig parts.  this is just for food safety...we're talking ears, snouts and feet here, understand?

now, everybody back in the pool.

in a large pot put all the meats, 1 large onion (quartered), 4-5 smashed garlic cloves, 2-3 halved jalapenos, a few cut up celery stalks, 1 heaping Tbsp dried Mexican oregano, 1-2bay leaves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp Mexican chili powder.  cover with 1 box low sodium chicken broth and the rest with water.  bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer for about 3-3 1/2 hours.  check your water levels every now and then.  remove when meats are fork tender...i mean REALLY fork tender.  if using trotters they take the longest...your other meats might be done in 2 to 2 1/2 hours...poke 'em...how do you really know when an ear is done if you've never done it before?...

while this is cooking make your RED SAUCE.  this red sauce is good for everything. 
this post is getting long so here's a link to the red sauce i make all the time.
note for the red sauce...take the extra time to strain the sauce...some recipes say it's not necessary, but it's much better strained.

remove from heat and strain the broth.  cheese cloth in a strainer works well or i try to completely separate the fat.  remove your meat and let cool to the touch.  remove all bones and hard bits from the trotters.  cut everything in uniform size pieces..

everybody back in the pool....

(in the washed out stock pot)...with 1 can of good hominy...Juanita's is best 
2-3 chilies in adobo sauce (from the can) diced
optional...1 med. onion diced and sauteed
add your red sauce...should be about a cup
add broth.  i liked mine thick...you can always add more broth to thin it out
check for seasoning...might need salt
might need cumin
heat everything and gently stir a few times for about 20-25 mins.  this is one of those things that gets better as it sits and all the flavors meld together

whew!!! almost done.  garnish with any or all of these....cilantro, radish, shredded cabbage, diced jalapeno, queso fresco and chiccarones (fried pork skin) 

sorry this was long.  if you really want to make this and my instructions are to sketchy, check out these few links that i used to make my first try at "real Pozole".  i had fun making my own version and it turned out FABULOUS.  if you have any questions let me know.

And This Little Piggy Went to Mercantile...


Last week Doug, Kendra and I went out to dinner. It was kind of spontaneous as I thought I was going to just throw together something from my kitchen and had pretty much planned to do so in my sweats. But, at the Eleventh hour, we decided to go out. Something chill.

Our go-to in this situation is Cheebo. I have an affinity for their chopped salad. But their bar doesn’t cater well to three (it doesn’t have a corner) and I am not wild about the dining room experience there. I threw out a few suggestions and we ended up settling on Mercantile. I had a really nice lunch there a couple of weeks prior (excellent chestnut apple soup, celery root soup and the Frenchy sandwich) and a few glasses of wine (specifically a rosé I was particularly fond of) back closer to when they first opened - these two visits left me curious for a dinner. Plus, they have a corner at the bar.



I think Mercantile is very cute. It’s rustic with wood ceilings, antique wallpaper and jelly jar glasses. It’s both a café and a gourmet market, selling everything from small tins of mustard seeds to wine. It is also the latest addition to George Abou-Daoud’s Hollywood imperium (the Bowery, Delancey, the Mission Cantina). Unbelievably, chef Kevin Napier serves up his international comfort dishes in one of the smallest, most pared down kitchens I’ve seen in a while. I’m talking about two hot plates and a salamander. In his gnomic kitchen he manages to pump out brunch, lunch and dinner, serving up omelettes, biscuits and gravy, lovely soups, foie gras terrine, a badass duck confit salad, a yummy Cuban sandwich, beef shortrib and mac n’cheese.



In addition to a simple and well-priced wine list (sold by the glass, carafe and bottle), they also offer beer and liquor.

This recent evening we split a bottle of red and started things off with a cheese plate ($14 for three cheeses). I appreciate the descriptions of the cheeses with words like stinky and gooey, or earthy and hard, or musty and semi-hard. We went with one of each; a couple of sheep’s milk cheeses and the third with sheep, cow and goat’s milk.



We ate every ounce of our cheeses – we even had to request more bread on which to smear them.

We followed this with a salad of broccoli, burrata and pine nuts. I really fancied the flavors and temperature of this warm salad. I would have preferred a slightly charred broccolini to the steamed broccoli – but that’s just me.



Doug opted for the BLT for his main course. This was bacon, lettuce and tomatillo jam with charred jalapeño goat cheese and pickled red onion on toasty sourdough bread with an accompaniment of mixed greens ($11.50). Although Doug seemed a little thrown by the lack of the traditional T, he thought it was a cool twist.



Kendra ordered the salad of Fennel-Crusted Albacore with potato salad, haricot vert, soft-cooked quail egg, olive tapenade and arugula ($13). All three of us found this dish to be superlative. The tuna was seared to perfection with just the right amount of dressing, the potato salad was surprising and a great touch and the quail egg was beautiful.



I went for the Mushroom Soup ($6); a dairy-free puree topped with a dollop of crème fraiche and chives. I found the soup delicate and rounded. I was actually surprised it wasn’t finished with cream. I also had the Roasted Chicken Salad: butter lettuce, avocado, bacon, cherry tomatoes, chicken crispies, onion rings and tobasco ranch ($13.50). I’ll be honest, I ordered it solely because they used the words chicken crispies in the description. I liked my salad just fine. But I can leave it at that. It was just fine. It was slightly under-dressed with an enormous amount of the lettuce. The crispies were a little overly fried – a little overly crispied. 



During the course of our meal, we were entertained by both the music and our bartender/server (whose iPod was playing said music). After Kendra and Doug left I lingered for a while to try a few other wines and chatted with our DJ/bartender/server, Kyle. Good man.



I was also pleased to discover that they remain open until midnight. I also suggest checking out the cheeses, charcuterie, fresh pastries and ice cream in the case.

The Mercantile on Urbanspoon

The Mercantile in Los Angeles on Fooddigger

Senin, 24 Januari 2011

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing



I'm a bit of a salad dressing hoarder. It drives my husband crazy. At one time I've been known to have up to ten dressings in our fridge. The problem is, I always want a light dressing, but it's usually rare that I actually like it enough to eat it again and again. So I finally decided to make my own.

Enter angels, or a great white light, or whatever it is that signifies a life changing moment.

Seriously, after all these years, I've finally found a light dressing that makes me excited to eat a salad again, and they're so easy! I only have to look as far as what's already in my fridge or pantry, and it's not as full of all the chemicals and preservatives that might be in regular dressing.

I made this after having a nice hunk of Stilton left in my fridge from Christmas. The great thing about having such a strong flavored cheese is that a little goes a long way, and did it ever. This dressing had the wonderful pungency of blue cheese, as well as the nice tang you get in a dressing. It was chunky, it was creamy, and you would never guess that you were eating something light. Give it a try, you might never buy it out of a bottle again!



Blue Cheese Dressing

America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1/4 cup crumbled strongly flavored blue cheese, such as Roquefort or Stilton
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup lowfat sour cream
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Mash the blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork in a bowl until the mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in the remaining ingredients until well combined.

Per 2 Tablespoons: 45cal, 3g fat, 1g carb, 1g prot, 0g fiber

Minggu, 23 Januari 2011

Eat Pizza

Pizza or pizze?  Matchstick ham or prosciutto?  Tap washer olives or unpitted kalamatas?  Pizza in Melbourne has two fairly distinct incarnations, the Australianised version with "classic" toppings like Aussie (bacon & egg) or Meatlovers, versus the more authentic Italian style with little cheese and interesting toppings like zucchini flowers.  Both styles of pizza have their place for me, though.  The challenge is trying to find a decent Aussie-style, Friday night-takeaway, cold-in-the-fridge-for-breakfast-the-next-day pizza.

Eat Pizza

Eat Pizza is at the far edge of the City of Maribyrnong before you hit Ascot Vale.  It looks like the average pizza place but its menu reveals a real treasure trove.  As well as classic and "gourmet" pizzas, they do wholemeal bases, homemade gluten-free bases and vegan toppings such as vegan salami and vegan cheese!  They offer an option of Virginia ham instead of the typical shredded style as well as sujuk which is a halal salami-style sausage.

December 2010 010
Vegetarian, $11

Pretty much the perfect Aussie-style vegetarian pizza.  Well-cooked green capsicum, onion, thinly-sliced mushroom and whole (pitted) olives on a base that was neither thick nor thin.  Most vegetarian pizzas suffer from a lack of salt but this was well-seasoned.

Mexican
Mexican, $11

Super generous on the jalapenos!  The salami was spicy and had gone deliciously crisp on the edges.  Another winner.

December 2010 021

If the well-made pizzas are my number one reason to go to Eat Pizza, it's very closely followed by their excellent pick-up deal, two large traditional pizzas, a salad and a bottle of soft drink for $21.90.  The salad is just a simple mix of baby salad leaves, a wedge or two of tomato and a slice of cucumber but it does the job.

December 2010 022

The Baklover family is divided, though - Mr Baklover thinks Eat Pizza are all right, nothing special.  Coming from the pizza capital of the United States, he is hard to impress.  I think it's the best local option for this style of pizza and best of all, it's perfect cold the next day for breakfast - if it lasts that long!

UPDATE!  Now coming to the old Godfather's Pizza at cnr Gordon Street and Ballarat Roads, Footscray!

Eat Pizza
44 Raleigh Road, Maribyrnong (map)
Phone: 9317 7977
NB parking behind the restaurant

Wheelchair Accessibility
Step to enter