In celebration of my first official food entry, I decided to cook up a storm! well considering the circumstances,
- a week night
- a WORKING week night
- & a mentally challenging day at work
I think I've done pretty well!
I started off with a salad of Rocket leaves with marinated goats cheese and toasted pine nuts. Upon recommendation from Kit Kat, I've recently become obsessed with this particular brand of goats cheese, Meredith Dairy. Creamy in texture but still firm. It comes marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic which you can use as part of the dressing for the salad. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt well.
The salad was accompanied with a simple omelette of sweet potato and chicken. Jazzed up with ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika. & not forgetting fresh coriander leaves! i LOVE fresh coriander!!
I reckon making this dish is not only versatile but also quick and easy. Its flexibility makes it a great week night meal. Some ingredients that you may be interested to add to your next omelette:
- pumpkin
- asparagus
- bacon/ salami/ chorizo
- a variety of different potatoes
- left over roast chicken (like i have)
- fresh/ frozen prawns
- zucchinis
- fresh sweet corn
- frozen baby peas
- caramelized onions
- various cheeses
- cherry tomatoes
- spinach leaves
Finally! DESSERT! i just had to... its a matter of principal! Something sweet to cap everything off. No excuses, even if I have to go to the gym at 6am the next morning! ( i did, at 7am though) its always worth it. So there you go, my sweet tooth obsession...
This is my Fig & Frangipane Tart! I happen to chance upon some lovely looking figs over the weekend & this is the outcome!
Fig & Frangipane Tart
approximately 8-10 fresh figs, sliced
warmed honey
Pastry (taken from gourmet traveller october'04)
75g icing sugar, sifted
125g cold unsalted butter, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
250g plain flour, sifted
Frangipane (TSTR's own recipe)
150g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
150g almond meal
125g cold unsalted butter, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
250g plain flour, sifted
Frangipane (TSTR's own recipe)
150g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
150g almond meal
- sift icing sugar over work bench, using your fingers to rub the butter into the sugar until combined. add the egg yolks and mix till just combined. gradually add sifted flour, followed by a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of cold water. shape into a rectangle, cover in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- roll pastry out onto floured surface and line a tart tin with a removable base ( i used a 19 x 27cm tin). cover & refrigerate for 1 hour.
- blind bake (line with baking paper & fill with dried beans or uncooked rice) tart in 180C for 10 mins. remove paper & beans/rice and bake for a further 10 mins, till dry & golden. cool.
- for Frangipane, cream butter and sugar till pale & fluffy. split vanilla bean and scrape seeds using a sharp knife. add vanilla beans to mixture. add eggs one at a time & mix well between each addition. fold in almond meal.
- spread Frangipane mixture unto cool tart shell, do not over fill as mixture will rise whilst baking. neatly arrange sliced figs over the top.
- bake at 180C for 40mins. skewer should come out clean. cool.
- you may wish to brush warm honey over the top of tart. brush sparingly to avoid over sweetness. serve with double cream!
if figs aren't your "thing", try other fruits such as: pears, apples or mixed berries. your options are open. be creative! flavour your Frangipane mixture with: vanilla beans/ extract, rosewater, rum or marsala. Don't be afraid to EX - periment!
