Tag Archives: starter

Asparagus on Lake Como

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Some years ago we spent a few days in Varenna, on Lake Como in northern Italy.  We stayed in a small family-run hotel called the Olivedo we had read about in a travel forum.

Having read some of the comments on this forum we came to the conclusion that this was an Italian hotel run along the lines of Fawlty Towers.  In true Aussie spirit we decided to give it a go, hoping that the stunning views and home cooking would compensate for the eccentricities of the staff. Anyone who hasn’t heard of Fawlty Towers, just look on Wikipedia.

Unless it’s changed hands, the Olivedo is run by a middle-aged single lady called Laura and her mother, who does the cooking. On our first day Laura told us that dinner would be served at 7.30 pm, on the dot, and she meant it.  Late-comers have to go without as we witnessed one evening when a Belgian couple arrived at 7.50 pm and were sent away.  It’s a fixed menu with no choice, but fortunately it was all very good.  Halfway through our first evening meal we commented on how fit and slim Laura was, despite all the excellent food cooked by her mother. Before you could say Jack Robinson, or Bob’s your Uncle she fell to the floor and did 20 push ups, just to prove the point.

We were sitting in the bar enjoying a cup of tea one afternoon when an American hotel guest walked in.  She asked Laura if she could buy an ice cream from the freezer which was located there.  Laura tapped her watch and replied very sternly  “No, you can’t have an ice cream, it’s too late, it will spoil your dinner.” And that was that.

One day we were enjoying a pre-lunch aperitif on the front terrace when a very large group of German tourists arrived. They said they wanted lunch, so Laura said they could sit anywhere on the terrace. It was a cool and rather damp day and the average age of the group was over 80, so the tour leader not unreasonably asked if they could sit inside.  “No” Laura replied emphatically “Today we are eating lunch outside.  If you want to eat inside you will have to go somewhere else.”  So they did.

We stayed on Lake Como for six days. When I say that it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world I should add that during our stay it rained almost constantly. Anywhere that’s beautiful in the pouring rain is really beautiful!  The Olivedo was right up our alley. Give me a small unconventional family-run hotel any day rather than a boring five star chain hotel.

One night we were served grilled wild asparagus with parmesan cheese. Asparagus probably grows wild here, if only I knew where to go and pick it, but I had never seen it for sale until the other day when I found some in an Organic shop. Well maybe it was cultivated wild asparagus, but it certainly looked like the wild version, which is pencil thin. Here is my version of the Olivedo dish.

Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

1-2 bunches asparagus (wild if possible)
50-75g grated Parmesan
good quality olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Trim asparagus and steam till al dente.  Dry well with paper towels then place in a greased shallow dish, sprinkle with the cheese, drizzle generously with olive oil, then place under a very hot grill until browned and bubbly.  Grind some black pepper over then serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2-4

Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Salad

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Beetroot is an excellent source of antioxidants and nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, sodium and Vitamin C.  The Olympic athletes in London this year drank concentrated beetroot energy drinks in little shot bottles and as you can imagine the company which makes them is going from strength to strength.

I don’t much like canned beetroot, but I’ve always been a fan of fresh beetroot.  Until a few years ago I only knew how to boil it and serve it in salads, doused with a little vinegar. Now I prefer to roast it with some olive oil.

This is another recipe from the November issue of Delicious which I halved to serve two and adapted a bit to speed things up.

Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Salad

2-3 small beetroots
1 Tbs olive oil
1 head of endive (witlof) trimmed and leaves separated)
1 stalk rhubarb
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs water
1 cup home-made croutons (use sourdough or French baguette)
120g soft goat’s cheese (I used small log-shaped packet) sliced
Some pea shoots or cress to garnish
Extra virgin olive oil to serve

Wine dressing:
½ cup red wine
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
4 pickling onions or shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
freshly ground black pepper

Turn oven to 180°C.  Peel beetroots, cut in halves, then cut each half into four, so you have 8 wedges from each beetroot.  Place in a baking dish, drizzle with oil, mix then bake for about 30 mins or until just tender.  Halfway through cooking time remove from the oven and stir. When cooked remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile trim rhubarb, cut into 6cm lengths, then slice thinly lengthwise.  Heat water, sugar and lemon juice and when boiling and sugar has dissolved add rhubarb.  Let it come to the boil again then turn off heat – the sticks should maintain their shape so don’t overcook.  Drain rhubarb and keep the liquid in the pan.  To this liquid add all the ingredients for the wine sauce. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10-12 mins or until syrupy. Remove onions and separate them into petals.  Discard star anise.

To serve, drizzle some of the wine sauce on two serving plates, then mix the rest with the beetroot.  Arrange about five endive (witlof) leaves on each plate, then the beetroot wedges, croutons, goats cheese, rhubarb, shallots and pea shoots.  Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 2

Twice-Baked Blue Cheese Soufflés

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Last year the American supermarket chain Costco opened stores in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. It costs $60 for an annual membership, but it’s well worth it.  A good addition to the Canberra shopping scene. Some people are put off joining, because they think they’re going to have to buy huge quantities of everything, which is not the case.  You do however have to buy a kilo of most fresh things, such as meat and cheese.  You can buy almost anything in Costco, from diamond rings to car tyres.  However, someone told me there are two things they aren’t allowed to sell in Australia which they sell in the USA – coffins and guns.  I’m not sure if this is true, but it makes a good story!

About a month ago I wanted to make a pear, walnut and blue cheese quiche and remembered having seen a kilo of Italian Gorgonzola for under $16 at Costco, which is much cheaper than anywhere else.  Now a kilo of blue cheese is rather a lot for two people, but I reckoned at that price it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I ended up throwing some out.  However, to be honest my War Mentality, inherited from my mother, means I don’t throw food away unless I really have to.  We have a compost heap and I often wish I kept chickens, then I wouldn’t have to throw anything away.

Located near Canberra airport, it’s also a long way to go to buy a kilo of Gorgonzola, but of course I ended up buying a few more things.  My brother David who lives in Vancouver, and first introduced me to Costco over there, calls it the $100 shop, because it’s impossible to get out without spending at least $100.

The quiche was delicious and over the past month we’ve continued to eat our way through the Gorgonzola – with crackers, in a broccoli and blue cheese soup, in a dip mixed with cream cheese and chopped walnuts, but there was still about half a kilo left!

Last week my friend Marilyn took me for a delicious lunch at Flint in the Vines in Murrumbateman, just outside Canberra.  Inspired by their twice-baked goat’s cheese soufflé I came up with this dish.  It’s something you could make at the weekend (up to the first baking stage) and keep in the fridge to whip out and serve during the week as a light supper.

Twice-Baked Blue Cheese Soufflés

80g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
450ml (just under 2 cups) milk
shake of ground nutmeg
100g blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Stilton or whatever you have)
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
About 250ml cream
To serve:
Mixed leaf or rocket salad or some micro-herbs

Set oven to 180°C and oil 8 half cup or 4 one cup souffle dishes.  Place them in a baking tray or dish you can use as a bain marie.  In a non-stick pan heat butter and when melted add flour.  Stir for 2-3 minutes until the flour is cooked but not coloured, then gradually add the milk, mixing to incorporate before you add more.  When sauce is thick and smooth add nutmeg, cheese and season to taste.

Remove pan from heat and add the egg yolks one by one, placing the whites in a large mixing bowl.  Beat the whites until soft peaks form, using electric beaters.  Add some of the cheese sauce to the whites and mix well, then add the rest and mix thoroughly using a plastic spatula.  Divide mixture between the soufflé dishes and pour boiling water into the baking dish to come halfway up them.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until risen and light golden brown. The larger sized dishes will take about 20-25 mins. If liked serve the souffles immediately and skip stage two. But if you’re going to do the twice-baked method, remove souffles from the oven and leave to cool then refrigerate, covered till serving time – up to 2-3 days.

To serve set oven to 200°C. Line a biscuit/cookie tray with baking paper. Run a knife round each souffle to loosen, then tip them out and arrange them all, or as many as you want to serve, on the paper with a space between each.  Pour a little cream over each soufflé, then bake for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.  Big ones will taker longer than small ones. Remove with a fish slice to serving plates and garnish with the salad.

Serves 8 as a starter or 4 as a light lunch or dinner

Variations:

  • use goat’s cheese instead of blue cheese and in addition to the cream, sprinkle each soufflé with a little grated Parmesan cheese before final baking
  • use a can of drained salmon or tuna instead of blue cheese
  • add some finely chopped fresh herbs
  • A few pecan nuts, quickly caramelised in a frying pan with a drop of honey or maple syrup, are a nice addition to the rocket salad.

Prawn Pancakes with Green Shallot Dressing

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For Valentine’s Day we had a fantastic dinner at a new restaurant in Canberra called Soju Girl.  In fact it was so good that we’ve booked to go again with 3 other couples so we can have the banquet, which they only do for a minimum of eight.

Inspired by the presentation of one of their dishes I came up with this recipe which makes a delicious starter or canapé.

Prawn Pancakes with Green Shallot Dressing

Pancake batter:
2 eggs
4 heaped Tbs plain flour
2 Tbs vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
½ cup water
Filling:
500g peeled cooked prawns
½ cup mayonnaise (preferably home-made)
Juice and grated rind of 1 lime or half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs snipped chives
Green Shallot Dressing:
½ cup vegetable oil
2-3 green shallots (spring onions), green part only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch sugar
lemon juice or white vinegar to taste
To serve:
Extra chives
Some salmon roe (not shown in photo) would look nice too

Place all ingredients for pancakes in food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides.  Add a little more water if necessary to make a thin batter which coats the back of a spoon.  Heat a small non-stick omelette pan and use about 3 Tbs batter to make thin pancakes, stacking them in a pile as you make them.  You won’t need to oil the pan as the batter contains oil.  Pancakes should be light golden and will take only 30 seconds or so to cook on each side.

Place prawns in food processor and blitz until chunky.  Tip into a bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Lay pancakes out on the bench top and use about 3 heaped tablespoons of filling for each pancake.  Place the filling in a fat sausage shape along one side, then roll up tightly.  Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.  You may run out of filling and have pancakes left which can be used for something else.

Place dressing ingredients in food processor and blitz until chunky-smooth.  Place in a bottle with a squirty top if you have one.

To serve, cut the ragged ends off each pancake then slice evenly into three.  Arrange three little chimneys on each serving plate and surround with some of the dressing.  If liked, garnish with extra chives as shown in the photo.

To serve as finger food with drinks, cut the pancakes into thinner slices, arrange on a platter and serve the sauce in a separate dish so people can dunk them in.

Makes about 8 pancakes

Variations:

  • to bulk up the filling and make it go further you could add a diced firm avocado and perhaps a touch of finely chopped fresh red chilli.
  • use crab meat instead of prawns
  • add some Asian flavours to the prawn/mayo mix such as grated ginger, chilli, Fish Sauce

Tomato and Mozzarella Tian with Pesto

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I’ve always been passionate about food and have a huge collection of recipes, so I thought it was time to share my culinary thoughts with anyone who might be interested.  Given the number of great food blogs I’ve seen online, starting my own is somewhat daunting, but here goes. The name Cafe Cat comes from my nickname within the family of Cat or Mrs Cat. I can’t remember how I ended up with with this name, but somehow it stuck.

I thought I would launch this blog with a favourite summer recipe, Tomato and Mozzarella Tian with Pesto. Impressive but simple, it makes a great starter or light lunch. A friend recently made a video of me making this recipe.  It was the first time I had been filmed cooking and the first time she had filmed anyone cooking. All of this shows in the slightly wobbly results, but hopefully we’ll get better! Once you have some stacking rings you can invent all sorts of stacked combinations using seafood, smoked salmon and even desserts.

Tomato & Mozzarella Tian with Pesto

Pesto
2 cups basil leaves
2-3 cloves garlic, depending on size
¾ cup pine nuts
70g Parmesan cheese, grated
pinch of salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, more or less

Tomato Salad
4-6 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4-6 semi dried tomato halves chopped (optional)
1-2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch sugar

To finish
4-6 mozzarella balls, thinly sliced (or boconcini balls)
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic glaze

Pesto: toast pine nuts by stirring in a dry frying pan over moderate heat till lightly golden. Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Process until finely chopped, then gradually add the oil through the feed chute with the motor running, until you have a thick but chunky paste.

Tomato Salad: Mix tomatoes, basil, seasonings and oil. Leave to macerate for a few minutes, then drain in a sieve to remove excess liquid. This recipe is best in summer when tomatoes are at their best. When they’re not, add some semi-dried tomatoes, to add more tomato flavour.

To finish: Place a 7-8cm diameter, 4cm deep stacking ring on serving plate. Place a layer of mozzarella slices to cover the bottom of the ring, then a layer of tomato salad, another layer of mozzarella slices and finally cover the top with a layer of pesto, pressing down lightly with the back of the spoon.

Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of balsamic glaze around the edge of the plate, remove the stacking ring and serve immediately. It’s easier if you have enough rings for everyone, then you can whip them off just before taking the dishes to the table. Don’t leave them too long, or the juice from the tomatoes will start to ooze out, requiring a quick clean up with a paper towel!

Note: if you can’t find mozzarella balls (those big fat white ones sold in liquid) you can use the smaller balls called bocconcini or substitute ricotta or feta cheese.

Quantities of mozzarella and tomatoes are slightly vague as it depends on the size of your stacking rings and the size of the tomatoes.

Serves 4

Tian of Smoked Salmon & Crab with Celeriac Remoulade & Green Shallot Dressing

1 large celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated or shredded on a fine julienne cutter
juice 1 lemon
¾ cup mayonnaise, preferably home made
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
200g chunky crab meat, lightly seasoned
300g smoked salmon (approximately)

Green Shallot Dressing:
½ cup vegetable oil
2-3 green shallots (spring onions), green part only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch sugar
lemon juice or white vinegar to taste

Garnish:
Salmon roe (optional)

Make dressing by whizzing oil and spring onion tops in food processor, adding S and P, pinch sugar and lemon juice or vinegar to taste. Tip into a jar. Mix celeriac with lemon juice, mayonnaise and mustard, adjust seasoning if necessary,then refrigerate. Prepare crab leaving it in large chunky pieces. Can be prepared ahead to this point.

To serve place a stacking ring on six entree plates. Place a tablespoon of celeriac remoulade in each ring, spreading evenly, then divide the crab between the rings, then another layer of remoulade and finally a layer of smoked salmon. You may have some remoulade left over. Drizzle a little dressing around each salad, place a little salmon roe on top of each then remove rings and serve.