Crepes in the classroom!

Year 11 students today applied their skills to create lacy thin crepes. With various results and a few initial disasters they did all eventually toss at least two good crepes. The secret to perfect crepes is a thin batter the consistency of cream. A well seasoned pan that may require sacrificing the first attempt to the bin god! For some reason the first crepe sticks. A well greased pan that is well heated before the thin stream of batter goes into the crepe pan in a swirl to coat the base..not too thick and just the right amount! It should cook to a golden colour and have a lacy effectonce cooked. Toss it over cook brieflyon the other side and then keep warm until ready for use.
Today students made caramel banana crepes and strawbery crepes (we use orange juice but some grand marnier could also be added at home!)
 Recipes & images below!

CREPES-

·         Strawberry

·         Banana & caramel walnut

Crepe batter:

½ cup plain flour

Pinch salt

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

Method:

Sift dry ingredients into bowl, add eggs, stir until mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

Gradually add milk mixing to make a smooth batter using a balloon whisk.

Allow to stand 30minutes.

Heat pan, grease well. From a small jug pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into pan swirling mixture evenly around base.

Cook over medium heat until lightly golden brown.

Toss or turn pancake and cook on other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 6-8 crepes.

Strawberry:

½ punnet strawberries, washed and hulled and halved

1/3 cup sugar

1 orange squeezed

Whipped cream

Combines juice and sugar in small saucepan and heat to dissolve. Boil for 1 minute then add strawberries. Stir until coated. Place crepe onto plate top with strawberry sauce. Roll up. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

 

Banana caramel walnut:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp butter

¼ cup cream

1 banana, sliced

¼ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Combine brown sugar, cream and butter in small saucepan and heat to dissolve. Boil for 1 minute to thicken, add sliced banana and nuts. Place crepe onto plate top with banana caramel sauce. Roll up. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

VCE Chicken Filo prac class & Memories of Bali!

My 2013 Year 11 Food Technology class in 50 minutes created delicious chicken filo parcels with avocado & chilli salsa! This recipe though simple used filo pastry and required precision cutting skills and great kitchen management and organisation that they all displayed on Monday 11 Feb! Well done team!

 

To make this dish at home you will need for 2 serves:

Chicken Filo Parcels with Avocado Chilli Salsa

2 lots of 3 sheets filo pastry brushed with melted butter lightly then place your chicken fillet at one end, top with sliced mushrooms, ham and grated cheese (can add other ingredients too!)
Roll it into a parcel, a bit like a spring roll but remember to brush butter in between. Glaze with some butter and sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you wish then bake at 200 C for 15-20min. Serve with avocado salsa (can add mango!) Use 1 avocado diced, 1/2 diced red onion, i chilli chopped and 1 lime or lemon squeezed. Season to taste! Then enjoy!

Now for some more delicious food ideas from my recent trip to Bali!
Fabulous restaurants i visited included- Chandi & Sardines in Seminyak, Ronjik at Blanco Museum in Ubud, Finns Beach Club at Nusa Dua to name a few!

Bali Food Memories!!!

 Crispy duck served on banana leaf with rice


Sambals- spicy curry pastes and accompaniments

 Pannacotta with blood orange syrup

 Calabrese pizza at Finns Beach club

 Chicken scallopine with salad

 Salt pepper calamari

 Rice paper rolls with dipping sauce

 Pork belly on spicy mash

Prawn  curry laksa

 Anomali coffee the best espresso in Bali!

 Cooking School banquet dinner i cooked!

Home style cooking in the village! My friend Rasti's chilli chicken!

Now something you can try at home!
Here is a Balinese recipe by well know Bali Chef Janet De Neefe for you to try!

This golden curry focuses on a refreshing blend of ginger, galangal, lemongrass and other aromatics. It is vital, piquant and deeply satisfying, belonging to the category of no-frills Balinese home cooking that is full of comfort and integrity.

Janet De Neefe’s Balinese Chicken Curry

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and tied together in loose knot
3 kafir lime leaves
2 salam leaves
600 g chicken thigh fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces
250 ml water
2 teaspoons wet tamarind pulp
Sea salt
250 ml coconut milk
Steamed rice, to serve
Fried Shallots, to garnish

Spice Paste

4 candlenuts
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
6 red shallots, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
6 long red chillies, seeded and roughly chopped
3 small red chillies, roughly chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons chopped galangal
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1½ tablespoons chopped turmeric
1 – 2 tablespoons grated palm sugar

Method

Put the spice paste ingredients into a large mortar and pound to smooth paste. (Alternatively use a blender or food processor, adding a splash of water to get the mixture moving if needed).
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat and add spice paste. Fry for 20 seconds, then add the lemongrass, lime leaves and salam leaves and fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant and glossy. Add chicken and toss for two minutes until sealed all over. Add the water, tamarind and some salt and simmer until chicken is cooked (about 10 minutes).
Add the coconut milk and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve with steamed rice, topped with the fried shallots.
Serves 4 – 6

GREEN SCHOOL BALI

Hello again!

I would like to take this opportunity to say a BIG thankyou to the staff and students who hosted me at the amazing Green School in Bali in January!

 

Thanks to Glenn, Nuan, Margot & Andy! I was luckt to have taught two classes where i did integrated units combining food, nutrition, art and global studies. In Glenn Chickering's Year 7 class we explored the sustainability, origins of food and basic nutrition principles as well as food models and then in small groups students designed and created their own food model that incorporated nutrition as well as principles relating to sustainability and creating a healthier planet. Studenst were engaged and  a delight to teach!

In Ibu Margot's grade 6,7,8 Art class i taught students portrait drawing and we discussed the health benefits of organic, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables. I introduced them to Archimbaldi a C19th Italian artist who painted portraits of people as fruit/ vegetables! This inspired them to create their own self portraits and the results were fabulous and very creative and original!

Green School offers students an amazing educational experience . An education at Green School is preparation for Green Leadership of tomorrow. Its students will be the confident generation that wants to, and can, make a difference to creating a healthier planet.

 

Green School has a few simple rules in mind: be local, let your environment inform your decisions, and think about how future generations might be influenced by your decisions today! So promote recycling, conserve water and energy, buy and eat local and seasonal fruit & vegetables and even try to grow your own!

At Green School students care for their organic vegetable gardens and animals they keep!

 

And lucky Green School staff and students have wholesome hot meals provided each day using fresh produce from their organic gardens!!! Check out my lunch below! 

2013 BALI FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!

Well hello 2013 and fellow foodies!!!

Have been off the radar for a few weeks because i hve been holidaying in beautiful Bali and experiencing the most amazing food, markets, restaurants and visiting the inspirational and incredible GREEN SCHOOL!
Here are just a few things i did! Went to Ubud market early in the morning around 6am to buy my fave snack payek but the hustle and bustle and colour of it all and lack of tourists at that hour is what i most enjoy the most!

Cafe Wayan runbs this fabulous cooking school where i learnt to make Nasi goreng, Prawns in smabal, Black sticy rice pudding as well as heaps more tasty Balinese dishes!

I also went to a coffee plantation and tried roasting coffee beans as well as sampling ginger tea, real cocoa and bali coffee! No that's not me below!

On the way back from the volcano at Kintamani i sample fresh, organic, local tropical fruit!!!! Ever tried durian, rambutan or mangosteen?

Bali has some world class restaurants! Next blog i will review a few that i visited so stay posted! Coming up also is progress of my year 11 Food Technology class of 2013. What a great bunch of kids and budding cooks! Look forward to our next lesson. You all aced the chicken parcels with avocado chilli salsa! How did it taste? Pics to follow next blog!

Selamat tingal everyone!