hot pot shots

As heard on FBI Radio

Each culture around the world has it's signature when it comes food. Derivation is often hotly contested, for example, the Chinese claim that modern Italian pasta originated from their noodles. While some of these claims are based in fact and others wildly accusatory, parallels do exist across cuisines.



Take the hot-pot for example. The concept of taking ingredients and dipping them in a boiling stock or mixture at the centre of a communal table can be found from Japan to Vietnam and even Switzerland and Sweden. And best thing is they're perfect for winter feasts with friends. Here are three bubbling examples to try around Sydney:

Eiger Swiss Restaurant

552 Parramatta Rd
Petersham NSW 2049
Phone (02) 9564 1160

Fondue has such a great retro sensibility about it. And if you're a table of two or more, this is one 70's hangover you'll want to share.

A bubbling pot of cheese and a small mountain of bread is plonked on the table along with a water-filled recycled lemonade bottle, masquerading as water carafe. Clearly, it's no frills here, but the food is hearty and you may get a story or two from owner Alain; a transplant from Straussberg.

The traditional terracotta pot full of lava-like molten cheese is a combination of raclette, gruyere and emmentale cheese, combined with garlic and dry white wine and the idea is to take the crusty bread cubes, swirl them in the cheese and pop it in your cake hole. Mind your tongue - it is boiling cheese after all.

"While you're down there": Try the smoked ham hock with potato rosti and sauerkraut. The hock is fall-apart tender, fragrantly smoky and the rosti/sauerkraut combo wins for 'best supporting side dish in a Swiss and/or Czech restaurant.'

Si Chuan Restaurant

246-248 Burwood Rd,
Burwood, NSW

Some like it hot...The term, when it comes to Sichuan food is 'ma la' - the 'ma' part refers to the numbing/tingling sensation you get from sichuan peppercorns and the 'la' part refers to the chilli-heat.

A steaming ying yang looking hot pot - split in two, half the stock is mild and the other is laced with nuclear-strength chilli and covered with a thick slick of chilli oil.

A variety of meats, dumplings and vegetables are supplied to you, so all that's left for you to do is choose your combo and dunk away - unlike fondue, you should let the ingredients bathe, jacuzzi-style in the stock before eating - and by the end, the stock has taken on all the flavour from the meat and vegetables, creating a richer broth.

$25 per person


"While you're down there": Be prepared to sweat it out - Si Chuan food puts the 'hot' in 'hot pot'.

JuJu Japanese Restaurant

Shop 320, Bayswater Rd
Kings Cross NSW 2011
Phone (02) 9357 7100

According to the Japanese, 'shabu shabu' is the sound one makes when swirling the ingredients around in the hot pot. It's shoes off and sunken tables; head to Ju Ju's for:

- The friendly, often rowdy Japanese pub-style atmosphere

- Karoke

- Shabu Shabu (as opposed to Shamu Shamu...though the Japanese'd eat him too)

Ju Ju's shabu shabu is a solid example of the classic Japanese dish: The stock is clear and mild, ingredients are a bouquet of fresh, lively colours, accompanied by bowls of thick, white udon noodles and thinly sliced raw beef, fanned out on plates.

Unlike the Si Chuan hot pot, the stock is a gentler affair and the fun is in taking a shot of sake each time someone says 'shabu shabu' during the evening.

"While you're down there": The plus side is that while you're waiting for your food to cook, you can sip plum wine or sake and belt out your favourite Pat Benetar or Tom Jones track on the karoke system.

forbes & burton - sunday roast

(as published in Time Out Sydney)

252 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst 2000
(02 9356 8788). Licensed, around $30pp

What’s it like? A chilled spot during the week to sit with a croque monsieur, latte and the paper, Sundays at Forbes and Burton bring a bustling melting pot of the Sydney scene to Darlo. From well-heeled Paddington shoppers to chicly dishevelled neighbours, it’s an even playing field with everyone jostling to get a table at this sandstone-lined-heritage meets perspex-accented-mod cafe. With an all day breakfast plus the lunch line up, there’s heaps on offer, but if you’ve come for the roast, get in early to stake your claim.

What to eat The Sunday roast rotates from week to week, so expect anything from roasted pork belly with asparagus and parsnip to generous slices of sumac and garlic crusted leg’o’lamb with broccolini and toothsome gravy. Whatever the flavour of the week, the mash is almost always present and for good reason; it’s a total winner. Simple, smooth and made with plenty of cream and butter, it’s so good you’ll be tempted to lick the plate. Service is a combination of brief words and flurried movements, and if they forget to introduce the blackboard, check it out for weekly dessert specials geared for the season.

Bang for buck Moderate- $22.50 but very generously proportioned. A glass of Aussie vino for an extra $5 seals the deal.

Inside knowledge Make your Sunday a chilled one – book a table and mention you’re there to roast. That way, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is whether you can fit in a helping of creamy vanilla rice with “sexy” pears for dessert.

haute chocolate

(as heard on FBI Radio)

Sydney weather really is turning on the romance of late; crisp air and blue skies lends well to rare wardrobe opportunities involving scarves, gloves and coats. And with that extra padding, nobody will notice if you put on a kg or two from consuming indulgent hot chocolate concoctions (how else will you stay warm?).

 What makes a good hot chocolate: 


 1. Real chocolate. Sounds like a no-brainer but your average cafe hot chocolate is a bit of chocolate syrup, cocoa powder and frothed milk. Hardly hardcore enough for most chocolate lovers.

 2. Normally, a thicker consistency than 'hot milk with cocoa'. Think the consistency of a thin custard. It is said that a truly good hot chocolate isn't good unless it's so thick, you can stand your spoon in it. Here's a hit list of three to try this winter:

 1. Boon Chocolates 251 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst Creamy, luxurious, unctuous. This 'lil chocolate shop might be relatively new on the scene, but they certainly know about all things chocolate. Choose from dark, milk or mocha options.

 The damage: At $7.50 it isn't the cheapest of the bunch, but the quality of the chocolate really shines through.

 2. Lindt Cafe 104 - 105 Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney NSW and 53 Martin Place, Sydney NSW One of the most popular hot chocolates in Sydney, according to the Twittersphere. Aside from the extra chocolate shavings, there is the added bonus of having a great macaron, cake and chocolate selection at your fingertips (and tastebuds).

 The damage: $6.50 dine in, $5.00 takeaway (large) $4.50 (regular)

 3. Our Place 225 Darling Street, Balmain Perhaps a little smaller than you're used to seeing hot chocolate served, it's because good things often do come in small packages. Super concentrated and silky on the palate, Owner Mario uses imported Italian chocolate, giving inner westies a taste la dolce vita.

The damage: Just $4.00

A recipe to try:

(serves 2)

Ingredients: 


1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon arrowroot
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), chopped 2 to 4 strips orange zest for garnish 

Preparation: 

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of milk with the arrowroot, whisking until smooth.
2. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. When the half-and-half begins to bubble around the edges, whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture until the mixture thickens slightly, usually less than a minute.
3. Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the chocolate until smooth.
4. Pour into cups, top each with a piece of orange zest, and serve immediately. For a variation with kick, when heating the milk, drop in half a chilli, de-seeded.

 Recipe courtesy of Epicurious. Image from Live Certified Organic

lamb shanks with celeriac and artichoke mash

I was recently reminded of a story my editor at Time Out Sydney - Myffy Rigby wrote early on in her time at the mag. It was titled 'Shanks for the Mammaries' and was an exposé on food in strip clubs and dancing joints around our fair town.

Whilst not nearly as risque, this lambshank does have one thing in common with the mainstream perception of strippers - they're easy as, bro.

Ingredients

1-2 lambshanks per person, depending on the size and your appetite
1 large carrot
1 medium sized brown onion
1 cup of veal stock
1 1/2 cups of red wine
1 celeriac
1 dutch cream potato
2 artichokes
1/4 cup milk
A generous splash of thickened cream
1 nob of butter
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig lemon thyme

Method

Sweat diced onion and carrot on a medium heat until the onions are translucent and everything is generally softened. Do this in a lidded pot that will hapily hang out in the oven and you've saved yourself a heap of washing up.

In an oiled, hot fry pan, place seasoned lamb shanks and brown all over.

Place lamb shanks in the pot, on top of the carrots and onions.

Add stock and wine and bring to a simmer.

Blanch the herbs and chop the rosemary and thyme. Add all herbs to the simmering lamb shanks.

Give everything a prod and put it in a preheated oven at 250 degrees.

After 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 100 and cook for a further hour. If you really want the meat to fall off the bone, turn it down to 80 and let the lamb sweat it out for 3 hours.

Whilst this is bubbling away, peel, chop and boil the celeriac, potato and artichoke. Don't forget to core the artichoke, otherwise things can get really 'hairy'. Sorry. That was lame.

Once all vegetables are tender, drain, leaving a small amount of liquid. Add butter, cream and milk along with white pepper and salt to season. Using an immersion blender (bamix), puree the crap out of it until it resembles a fine, silky puree.

(tip: Adding a potato to a celeriac puree removes the graininess celeriac can present, giving the puree a smoother consistency.)

Serve the shanks atop the puree - taste the jus and adjust the seasoning if required.

Seriously easy, tasty and perfect for the cool weather while we still have it.

Bon Apetito!

the results: adriano zumbo charity auction

The phrase "going like hotcakes" may have vague roots in reality, but the proof of yesterday's charity cake auction for The Children's Hospital at Westmead at Adriano Zumbo Cafe Chocolat is in the selling.



With the help of Tom Tilly, radio journalist, auctioneer and one time dater of Poh from the Masterchef competition, Zumbo raised over $1000 from the sales of his sweet Masterchef creations including:

Suspect number 1: Croquembouche



Consisting of around 100 profiteroles, spun sugar and violets from Zumbo's own garden patch, this baby was sold to Michael Azrak of Bass Hill for $400. Michael's plan was reportedly to give each family member a fork and count down from 10.

Suspect number 2: Tonka bean pannacotta with passionfruit slick and macarons



Sold for a boob-wobbling $55, topped with gold leaf and resplendent in golden passionfruit slick - it was consumed on the spot (though in not quite the same fashion as the boys from Jonah's Whale Beach would have you do it - consumed in one mouthful.)



look ma, no hands! Taste of Sydney festival, 2009

Suspect number 3: Chocolate Mousse Cake

Touted as one of the most difficult pressure tests of the entire Masterchef Australia series, the mousse cake was divided and sold as slices, allowing more than one fan to sample the 7-layered monster.



The most expensive slice went for a cool $125, to Ana Yiannikas from Balmain, who told fooderati that she jumped on the Masterchef website as soon as the show finished to see how she could, ah, get a slice of the action.



Another happy customer, winner Trissa with Lorraine from NotQuiteNigella.

Whilst it hasn't been confirmed if the Children's Hospital at Westmead plan to allocate this donation to the new childhood obesity and dietry ward, media officer and Masterchef fan Julie Law assures fooderati that the donation is gladly accepted and will go to good use.

adriano zumbo charity auction

If you want your chance to taste those incredible creations Adriano Zumbo created for the Masterchef Australia show, here's your chance.

This little bird tells me at 4.15pm tomorrow, the 18th of July at Zumbo's cafe in Balmain (shop 5, 308 Darling Street Balmain) - that amazing croquembouche, the vanilla pannacotta AND the impossible 7 layered chocolate mousse cake (auctioned in 8 slices so more people get a chance to 'get a slice of the action') will be up for grabs. And the best part is that all proceeds will go to The Children's Hospital at Westmead.

...you heard it here first!

adriano zumbo radio interview

With Masterchef Australia taking the ratings game by storm, everyone seems to be going Adriano Zumbo crazy.



Last night's challenge, an impossible chocolate mousse cake with 7 different layers consisting of:

1. mousse
2. salted caramel
3. jaconde
4. mousse
5. apple tatin
6. jaconde
7. mousse

Click here for an exclusive interview with Adriano, thanks to ABC Queensland on how he came up with the recipe, his personal tips and tricks for those of you brave enough to try it at home (here's the recipe link)

Bon Apetit!

(image reference: Masterchef.com.au)

kirin and suntory merge

Yes, that alcohol brand featured heavily in Lost in Translation has finally confirmed merger rumours with Kirin.

According to Associated Press, Suntory and Kirin posted combined sales of beer, soft drinks and foods of about $41 billion last year, pipping AB In-bev, the world's largest brewer at the post.



So what implications does this have on the global brewery and beverage market at large? Well aside from Bill Murray having more YouTube hits in the next few weeks, it also means the brewery and beverage giant, (who also own full control of our own Lion Nathan Ltd and half of the Philippine's San Miguel) will strengthen its global presence, in a bid to counteract the effects of a saturated domestic market and an ageing Japanese population.

A better variety of beers in Australia? Maybe. Cheaper imported beers? Perhaps. While Suntory and Kirin have been dubbed 'a good fit' by business analysts - will it be mean a tight squeeze on smaller boutique operations?

broad beans

If you haven't noticed, broad beans are in season.




Don't forget to double peel 'em if they're not brilliant green.

Try them in:

Stews and slow roasted braises to lift the colour and flavour of rich, winter food.

As a replacement for peas in a salad or pasta.

Bon Apetit!

pocket bar

13 Burton st
Sydney NSW 2010
(02)9380 7002
http://www.pocketbar.com.au/



If you're heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times. Sydney. Not enough small, cool bars. Got it.

Whilst the trickle down effect of the small bars licensing in NSW may be hampered by GFC-near-escape nervousness, Pocket Bar has bravely stepped out, opening its own brand of cafe cum bar cum fucking cool hang-out.

Pocket's Karl and Kristoff have successfully gotten away with quickly creating that lived-in, graffiti-walled, chicly scungy vibe that takes most establishments years (and several OD's) to create. They've also made great use of local vintage furniture stores and next door neighbour Outre Gallery's kinky, left-of-centre artwork to complete the picture.



As a cafe, Pocket makes a great sun trap at the front, in which to sip a latte (skillfully cranked out by Mr. Johnny Lahood, ex-Adriano Zumbo) and an all-day selection of crepes, salads and panini. But back to the crepes, a solid selection of combos, perfect pancake thickness - not so thin that the fillings spill out and not too thick that you might as well be eating a sponge; Aix Creperie, eat your heart out.

When night falls, the chill factor winds down, replaced by a cooler-than-cool bar vibe, with the music and people to match. Surry Hills hipsters and Darlo divas aside, the pretention factor is minimal and they make a pretty good dirty martini.

So with all this in mind, what I'm about to say next will come as no surprise: Sydney needs more places like this (duh). Thankfully though, all signs point towards the fact that, ever so slowly, the landscape is changing for the better.

wedding lunch at restaurant atelier

22 Glebe Point Rd
Glebe NSW 2037
(02) 9566 2112

Everyone loves a wedding. All that love and sentiment in a public forum for friends and family to tear up over...it's a beautiful thing. And what better way to add to a beautiful thing but celebrating with great food and wine, I say.

When the bride and groom asked me to organise an intimate family lunch for 11, the pressure to deliver was overwhelming...on a Friday for lunch, Marque is booked out until November, Assiette in a similar predicament...great news for the effect their recession lunches have had on business, but no dice for fooderati. The pressure builds...

Fortunately Darren and Bernadette Templeman from Restaurant Atelier come to the rescue, not only opening especially for the wedding party, but arranging a most indulgent wedding menu.

Guests were treated to entrees of horseradish-cured New Zealand king salmon with earthy beetroot sorbet and richly flavoured veal & Madeira consomme with plump seared scallops, beef tortellini and bone marrow.

The hits kept rolling with the daube of New Zealand Wagyu short rib, parnip puree, salsify and confit eschallots, caramelised witlof, a study in how to treat Wagyu the right way, resulting in a meltingly rich, flake-with-your-fork tender piece of moo.

The poached fillet of John Dory greobloise, with celeriac and confit potatoes offered a more gentle contrast to the Wagyu, showcasing Templeman's deft hand at more subtle art.

Sweet tooths who haven't tried Atelier's vanilla and chocolate fudge souffle with malt chocolate ice cream and malt milkshake haven't truly lived. A dessert that comes with instructions doesn't deter the fun factor involved in punching a hole in the admirably lofty souffle, to pour half the milkshake into it. Nor is there any less pleasure from sipping the rest of the milkshake with the chocolate straw.

Not to be outshone, the tonka bean creme brulee with balsamic strawberries and vanilla ice cream is subtle, balanced and light.

The food certainly didn't last long, but the marriage will - and while Danny and Ros head back to Scotland, I reckon there'll be a few trips back to Atelier to relive their first meal as a married couple..Mazeltov.

white rabbit launch

www.whiterabbitbeer.com.au

Product launches conjure up images of pr girls in black dresses, guest lists, whoo ha and pretention...and often the product doesn't necessarily live up to the hype.



The guys from Little Creatures would probably look awful in a LBD, but they do know how to bring it, when it comes to the product in question. White Rabbit - LC's dark ale has just landed and at the risk of this sounding like a puff piece (I assure you, no 'beer for bragging' debacles here), the ale is actually good. The label also looks a little like Where The Wild Things Are, and that's not a bad thing either.



I'm told there is still a little tweaking to be had with the final taste, but it's malty and aromatic with a pleasing bitter edge that makes it a match for food - cutting through the fat and cleansing the palate. The Australian Heritage Hotel, the Rocks offered up some of its famous pizzas and though I'm still unsure about how I feel on the topic of Peking duck pizza (Ok. I think it's wrong), the slow cooked Morrocan lamb as well as the chorizo and olive numbers were a good thing.

It's sad that Sydney still doesn't have a Little Creatures ale house just yet, but I have a feeling this little ditty might tie us over a little while longer.