Barramundi Burgers

A simple but tasty Australia Day lunch. I decided to crumb and pan fry outside on the wok burner attached to my BBQ.

To make about 24 mini burgers, you will need the following:

1 kg of barramundi fillets
2 dozen mini rolls - I used 2 types, soft white, and torpedo
3 avacados
bunch of lettuce
left over bread to make crumbs
couple of eggs
flour

homemade aioli or tartare (recipes to folllow)

I cut each of the fillets in half to make them about the size of the rolls. Then lightly flour, egg and coat in crumbs. Put in the fridge for about an hour.

About half centimetre of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a fry pan until hot, then fry about 4 at a time. Plate up on the mini rolls, with avacado, lettuce, aioli or tartare and fresh cracked pepper and salt. Delicious.

Smoked Salmon Pikelets

Smoked salmon pikelets
(Was supposed to be blini, but couldn’t buy buckwheat flour anywhere, so it was pikelets instead.)

Cream has:
- Crème Fraiche
- Tablespoon of lemon juice
- Horseradish cream
- Dill
- Salt and Pepper

Enjoy
Tony

Red Wine Jus

Goes very nicely with a grain-fed rib-eye cutlet from the gourmet butcher. Just start a saucepan over a low head with a large glass of red wine. Pour yourself a large glass also. Chuck in a couple of whole cloves of garlic and a sprig of rosemary.

Let the wine reduce to about 1/3 the original amount for about 20 mins until slightly thickened. Strain or remove the garlic and rosemary with some tongs. At this point I added about 1/2 cup of beef stock.

Continue to reduce and when ready to serve add a nob of butter to thicken and make the sauce shine. Taste and season as required. I also added a teaspoon of sugar as it was a little bitter. It will be quite rich, so don't need much on each steak.

Enjoy

Fresh Mussels

So so easy.  Anyone can cook these - really and in just minutes - and they are cheap!  1kg of mussels for the two of us cost $6 add 1 fresh tomato, fresh garlic, 1 onion, 1/3 bottle of white and loads of fresh herbs served with some crusty bread to soak up all the sauce (or soup).

Smoked Salmon Benedict on Potato Rosti

My sister living in London just asked me for an easy recipe for Hollandaise so thought I would share another of my favourite sunday brekkie or brunch recipes. Have made this one many many times, once for a pre-christmas family get together for 10. Just as easy for 10 as it is for 2. Its also a good one for gluten free breakfasts using the potato rather than using gluten free bread. (Just leave out the flour). Don't be put off by the length of this post. Its all easy - takes a bit of time, but it is so so worth it. You can make it at home for 4 for about the cost of one serving out at a cafe.

To serve 4 with an egg each you will need 3 potatoes, 2 tbsp of horseradish cream, a bit of flour, 4 eggs, butter, extra virgin olive oil, smoked salmon and some fresh rocket or spinich for on the side.

While of course some may say the hollandaise is easier to do in a food processor, why bother - its just as easy with a whisk over a hot pan of water it can be fun and you will have a more satisified feeling.

For the sauce place 2 egg yolks and 2 tbsp water in a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water (not touching). Whisk until creamy and increased in volume. Remove from the heat and slowly add while whisking 225g grams of melted butter until thickened, whisk in juice of half lemon and seasoning. Keep over the pan of hot water to keep warm while you prepare the rest.

If you really want to do it in a food processor put the eggs, lemon and water in the machine, and slowly add the melted butter while the machine is running. Once thickened add the seasoning.

Boil the spuds until just cooked. Not like for a mash, a little less. Drain and cool, roughly grate mix with horseradish cream and salt and pepper and shape into 4 patties. Dust lightly with flour, or don't if you want it gluten free. If you cover and put in the fridge they hold together a bit better in the pan.

Put some butter and EVOO in the pan and fry the rosti until golden on each side. Take care as they will break apart a bit which doesn't matter (It's not sloppy - its rustic). Keep warm in the oven or leave in the pan while you make the eggs and sauce.

Poach your eggs, however you normally do. If you don't normally poach eggs try these tips to keep the eggs holding together. Gentle simmer of water, rather than a rough boil. Always use the freshest eggs possbile. Add a splash of white vinegar to the water somehow helps too. Or you can break each egg into a bowl lined with a small square of cling wrap then bring the corners together and hold together with an elastic band. This is good if you are doing a lot as you can have them all ready, and drop into a pan at the same time. Then just cut the top of the wrap off and slide the egg onto plate.

Assemble the dish. Place a rosti on each plate, top with smoked salmon, a poached egg and spoon over some delicous hollandaise. On the side serve some rocket or baby spinich lightly dressed with lemon juice and seasoning.

Enjoy !

Wine Barrel Herb Patch

Found a couple of these wine barrels in the back yard of our rental property full of mud and sand. Not really anything growing, so thought I could make better use of them. We have a large paved area out the side of the house, and like to have my herbs in pots.

From Bunnings - 4 x 50kg rotating castors ($4 each), packet of roofing screws with hex head ($3), 3 x 20L bags of decent potting mix ($10 each). (They also sell these wine barrels if you don't have a nearby winery who wants to get rid of barrels).

From landscape supplier - 3 x 20kg bags of blue metal gravel ($4.50 each).

From the toolshed - cordless drill.

Total cost: About $70 plus the barrels if you don't have any.



1. Clean out the barrel and set upside down.
2. Drill a number of large holes with your largest drill bit to allow for drainage.
3. Drill pilot holes for the roofing screws (4 in each castor).
4. Attach the castors with the roofing screws.
5. Invert and fill with 3 bags of blue metal.
6. Layer newspaper, or flyscreen, mesh whatever over the gravel.
7. Top with potting mix.
8. Water and allow to settle before planting herbs.

Enjoy fresh herbs with each meal, and use as a garnish for just about everything!

I now have basil, chillies, parsley, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, rocket and mint growing in the two of these.

Insadong Korean Charcoal BBQ

Eastwood is full of Korean, Japanese and Chinese restaurants. This one in particular is a stand out for us. Have tried a few of the Korean there but this one is always a hit. Unlike some restaurants where cooking your own food is a bit of a novelty, and going again you realise the food is not that great Insadong always satisfies.



The seafood pancake and tofu entries are excellent. Even though the head chef gets frustrated making the pancakes as they are so difficult. The service is great and the owner is always on hand to tell us the traditional way to eat or cook a certain food. Licensed but offer a few types of Korean and Aussie beers.


I recommend ordering BBQ and cooking yourself. You will also receive at least 5 side dishes always including Kim Chee to accompany the BBQ. Most of the time this is what we have done, but the regular mains are also great. The Bi Bim Bap (with vegetarian option) is great. I don't think anyone that has come with us has been disappointed.

Paul's Smoked Salmon Linguine

From Food

From our favourite italian chef and great friend Paul. I watched him make it a couple of times when our work was only a block from the restaurant. We ordered from here often.

1/2 packet linguine or spaghetti - serves 2
200g smoked salmon - about 50-100g per person
Butter - a knob, Garlic - 1 clove
2 tomatoes - really red and fresh
Olive oil & salt and pepper

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling water lightly salted.
While pasta is cooking, start the sauce in a pan. If possible use a pan big enough to fit all the pasta in once cooked.
Throw in some butter, and lightly saute some garlic and finely chopped onions. Pan medium heat so as not to burn the butter.
When onions are transparent, throw in some diced fresh tomatoes. Continue cooking until tomatoes are soft for as long as the pasta takesto cook. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
At this stage you can optionally throw in a few shakes of chilli flakes as I always asked Paul for a touch of chilli.
When pasta is al-dente (soft but still with a bite in the centre) draina nd toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Add half a bottle of cream to the tomato sauce maybe more, and mix -should be a nice pink colour. Add some smoked salmon, either strips cutfrom slices, or use a piece that you can flake in the pan. When salmonand cream is hot add pasta back into pan and mix thourougly to coatpasta.
Serve with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsely, lots of ground pepperand parmesan cheese (even though many say you should never use cheese onpasta with seafood, I don't agree).

I Love Lamb