Campion & Curtis Newsletter - May - June 2007
Welcome to the latest Campion and Curtis newsletter. Firstly thanks to all those who took the time to provide ideas for foodie places in Far North Queensland.
It was a great trip and fascinating to see how that beautiful piece of Australia has evolved since last visiting 20 years ago. A few highlights are included here.
There's also information on travels around Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas in recent weeks, dining in and around Melbourne, plus lots of late autumn shopping
and cooking. There's also news of the 10th birthday celebration of a Melbourne food icon, plus a new'ish bakery venture which needs some assistance. Read on!
Visit the Campion and Curtis home page
Campion & Curtis Cooking classes
All upcoming cooking classes are now posted on the Campion & Curtis website. This includes Favourites of the season, excerpts from the Seasonal Produce Diary,
A class dedicated to Duck, a Shop and Cook Tour to the Queen Victoria Market and One Pot Wonders Cooking.
Full details on the Campion and Curtis home page.
Foodies' Tours of Melbourne
Dates have been set for public tours up to Christmas 2007 - there is also a page dedicated to tours for school students.
Book now for the next Foodies Foodies' Bus Tour of Melbourne on Saturday 8th September 2007
Those keen to get a sneak preview can view photos from
journalist Ed Charles' recent trip on a Foodies Bus Tour of Melbourne here.
Autumn produce
There is no doubt that this time of year is a wonderful one for those who love to cook. Recent visits to produce markets and farmers' markets have
provided beautiful quinces, wild pine mushrooms, field mushrooms, baby leeks, medlars, chestnuts, walnuts, olives, rhubarb, beetroot, fennel, carrots and potatoes. This is also a terrific time to enjoy
slightly richer meats such as rabbit, quail and duck, and to accompany them with rich polenta, cheesy risotto and lashings of roast vegetables.
Recipes are included this month which put these ingredients to good use - Troffiette with chestnuts and smoked ham hock, Rabbit, mushroom and olive casserole,
Spiced pumpkin wedges and a fantastic Sherry-soaked raisin and almond cake.
Food News
Wildflour Bakery is without a doubt one of the rising stars of the Melbourne baking scene. Head baker Tony Rees creates dark,
crusty loaves with fantastic full flavours.
After just one year in business at their George Street premises (Fitzroy) they are under threat from the local council who say they have a permit to operate a cafe,
but not a bakery. And so are trying to close them down.
What Tony and partner Belinda Ross need in the short term is a space where they can continue to bake. And in the longer term any bread-loving law aficionado
who can offer assistance. It would be a terrible pity if a compromise couldn't be worked out for this fantastic duo and their business. In a city which values
good bread, lets hope someone out there can offer a lifeline. Tony Rees can be contacted on 0404 729 458.
Absolute legends
The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is done for 2007, but news of their awards of legends seems to have passed by without much notice. So to put this right
Tony Bilson, Cheong Liew & Jimmy Shu became the first ever interstate legends to be inducted for their contribution to the Melbourne Food & Wine Industry.
Two stalwarts of the Prahran Market were also inducted - Michael Mow (MJ Mow Potatoes) and Damien Pike (Damien Pike Wild Mushrooms).
Viticulturalist George Kerridge (CSIRO) was also inducted. A posthumous award was also given to Dr John Middleton of Mt Mary Estate Vineyard (Yarra Valley).
The Great Barrier Feast
For those keen to get away for a long weekend of good food, wine and sunshine (who wouldn't really) The Great Barrier Feast is on again over the
Queen's Birthday weekend at Hamilton Island. Guests include Curtis Stone (Surfing the Menu TV series), Tobie Puttock of Fifteen Restaurant, Jimmy Shu, Frank Camorra
(MoVida) Geoff Jansz, Lyndey Milan and many more. Expect amazing dinner, classes, discussions and tastings. Visit The Great Barrier Feast.
Foodies' Travels - Metropolitan Melbourne
Koko Black has been in serious expansion mode in Melbourne in recent months. No sooner had they opened the new Camberwell store when their second CBD salon was
opened in a beautiful site at 52 Collins Street. Thers's also good news for Canberra residents with the first non-Melbourne Koko Black due to open in June.
Besides the excellent chocolate products Koko Black also make a seriously good hot chocolate. Not to be missed now that some cooler weather is here!
Visit the Koko Black website here.
Fifteen Melbourne
The team at fifteen restaurant really seem to be hitting their straps. After hosting many of the trainees on a Foodies' Walking Tour of Melbourne they replied with
an invitation for lunch. Fifteen is in the old Momo restaurant site, just off Collins Street. The kitchen is incredibly open, so diners get to see the entire team in
action. The menu changes daily and has a strong seasonal-Italian'ish approach. Loved the oozy white polenta with sautéed forest mushrooms and shaved parmesan.
And the roast Berkshire pork with fennel seeds and rosemary, cavalo nero, lentils, jus and salsa verde was fantastic. Dessert is a must too with a beautifully creamy
panna cotta with stewed rhubarb and sugared puff pastry twirls to top it off. Excellent service, gutsy flavours and ample portions also add to the overall result.
The first apprentices will soon be completing their year of training here, so book in to see this crew in action. Visit the fifteen website.
Melbourne's Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder recently celebrated its 10th anniversary - and what a lot there was to celebrate. RHC&L has led the way in providing beautiful cheese in the best possible way
with a dedicated cheese room, stunning breakfasts and of course the great products from co-founder Stephanie Alexander. It's a compliment to the current management team that they
have kept the original vision alive and well, even after all of the original partners have moved onto new projects. The cheese room was lit by candles on the night and
looked a real treat while speeches were delivered by Stephanie, Tony Tan and Will Studd (via satellite from Corsica where he is filming a new TV series).
Well done to all involved, it was a terrific celebration - and we look forward to the 21st party! Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder website.
Foodies' Travels - regional Victoria
The last few weeks have brought lots of opportunities to get out and about across regional Victoria and the Melbourne CBD as our Foodies Guide 2008 is compiled.
These are a few of the foodie highlights we think you should know about and keep in mind for visiting yourself.
The Red Hill Kitchen is a beaut new farm based business where foodies get the opportunity to buy baked goods and provisions directly from the
farm. A simple A-frame sign leads visitors down Prossers Lane to a daily changing seasonal selection. Here visitors can purchase beautiful mini
fruit tarts (quince and berry in autumn) plus cherry or raspberry jam, made from ingredients in the garden. There's also bread baked fresh each day and moist, amazing
chocolate brownies. The single-serve tarts are excellent too in flavours like potato, goat's cheese and onion. This is a country kitchen that all should visit!
69 Prossers Lane, Red Hill. 5931 0186. Fri-Sun 10am-5pm.
Athelstane House has grown into one of the premier food and wine destinations on the Bellarine Peninsula. Dinner is a real highlight with
seasonal produce used extensively. Portarlington mussels, local skate, tomatoes, eye fillet and quinces abound. Relaxing breakfasts served on the terrace are wonderful
too. Try Athelstane's toasted muesli with fruit compote and yoghurt, or soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers. 4 Hobson Street, Queenscliff; 5258 1024.
Visit the Athelstane House website here.
McKenzie Ebbels Food Store is one of the newest stores in Queenscliff and is an offshoot of the popular Athelstane House Boutique Hotel.
The best raw materials used in Athelstane are also offered here to food-loving customers. This includes the local olive oil, free-range eggs, local goat's cheese and
fresh herbs, as well as fresh lettuces and tomatoes from Lonsdale Hydroponics. The wine selection offers a top selection of red, white and sparkling either by the bottle
or by the glass to enjoy in store. Preserves are also created in the Athelstane kitchens using the best seasonal produce. You can even pick up dinner-to-go if time is tight or you want something beautiful to reheat back at the holiday house. There's a select range of cookbooks and regional food guides too. It's quite a place, so don't miss it!
4/44 Hobson Street Queenscliff 5258 4829.
Foodies' Travels - Far North Queensland
While the main focus of a recent trip to Cairns and surrounds was to visit family, naturally there was some terrific food experiences to be enjoyed along the way.
Overall the change in climate from Melbourne to Cairns was fantastic. Loved the daily downpours, warm weather and outdoor lifestyle. The big highlights for visitors
continue to be Daintree Forest and The Great Barrier Reef. Both offer a fantastic expereince and look into an amazing world so different from those of us to live in
SE Australia. The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park is a must visit, as is the Kuranda Skyrail and breakfast with the birds at Rainforest Habitat, near Port Douglas.
Visited Cape Tribulation and Daintree Rainforest with Billy Tea Safaris. The foodie highlight of the day was a tropical fruit
tasting where soursop, breadfruit,
mangosteen, lady finger bananas, custard apples, rambutan and lots more were offered. The flavours and textures were really outstanding, and to think they were all grown
within a few kilometers of where we were standing was encouraging too. Also had an opportunity to visit the Jaques Coffee Plantation in the Atherton Tablelands behind
Cairns. This is a family run operation and is a great insight into coffee cultivation and the process required to get the tiny red coffee berries converted into a latte.
They offer a bus trip around the plantation, a history of the project and the opportunity to enjoy a coffee after your tour. They've also created a very good coffee
liqueur which is well worth a try.
Dining well was another feature of this trip - thanks to Aideen and Charlie for wonderful home cooking! Also got out and about to a few places. The Pier
Bar offers great viewing out over the Cairns waterfront and good quality meals too. Nothing too expensive here with wood fired pizzas, good burgers and a
reasonable kids menu. Also headed to Coolum's at Holloway's Beach for great tropical dining and views over the beach to the Coral Sea. The setting is quite tropical with outdoor dining,
lots of twinkling lights and a menu which has something for everyone. Corner Hibiscus Lane & Oleander Street, Holloway Beach 07 4055 9200.
May - June recipes
These are a couple of recipes which use seasonal ingredient and are perfect for this cool and wet time of year.
Troffiette with chestnuts and smoked ham hock
We're big fans of this corkscrew-shaped pasta, which is a speciality of Liguria in northern Italy. It keeps its shape when cooked, picks up other flavours beautifully and retains its texture. This dish is perfect in autumn and early winter when fresh chestnuts are available.
1 x 500 g ham hock
12 large chestnuts (375 g)
400 g dried troffiette pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small red chilli, de-seeded and diced
125 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
125 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200 g baby spinach leaves
Grated parmigiano
Place the ham hock in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour, or until tender.
Remove ham hock from water and allow to cool.
Peel and discard the skin, then remove the ham from the bone and chop into 1 cm dice. Refrigerate until needed.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Meanwhile, cut a slit in the bottom of each chestnut.
Add the chestnuts to the boiling water, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
Remove from heat and, while still warm (it's easier), peel the hard shell and the inner skin from each chestnut. Roughly chop the cooked chestnuts.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over a high heat. Add a good pinch of salt.
Add the pasta and stir until the water has returned to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook the pasta at a fast simmer for 8 minutes.
Heat a frypan over a medium heat and add the oil, butter and onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onion softens.
Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half.
Add ham, chestnuts and stock and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
Check seasoning. Add the spinach leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes, until they wilt.
Drain the pasta and toss with the ham sauce. Serve with grated parmigiano.
Serves 4-6.
Rabbit, mushroom and olive casserole
This is the type of dish we usually get to eat only once each winter, so we always search out some top-quality farmed rabbits. It takes a bit of work to get it cooking. But, like all good casseroles, once it's in the oven your work is done.
2 rabbits, skinned, cleaned and jointed
Seasoned flour for dusting Olive oil for cooking
1 carrot, finely diced
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
150 g Swiss brown mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, peeled
250 ml (1 cup) verjuice
12 shallots or small pickling onions, peeled
1-2 bay leaves
2-3 thyme sprigs
250 ml (1 cup) tomato sugo
500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 g (3/4 cup) black olives
Chopped parsley to serve
Heat a large heavy-based casserole over a medium-high heat. Dust rabbit pieces with seasoned flour.
Add a splash of oil to casserole and cook rabbit pieces, in batches if necessary, until golden. Remove and set aside.
Add more oil if required and cook carrot, leeks, celery and mushrooms until soft, about 6-8 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Return frypan to heat, add verjuice and onions and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until onions soften
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Add rear legs and saddle pieces to the onions to casserole along with vegetables, herbs, sugo and stock.
Season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and cook in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Remove casserole from the oven and add the remaining rabbit pieces and olives.
Season to taste, cover and return to the oven for a further 40 minutes.
Check to see whether rabbit is tender. If not, cook for a further 10 minutes and try again. Check seasoning.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve dish at the table allowing everyone to help themselves.
Serves 6
Spiced pumpkin wedges
A trio of spices adds flavour to these wedges of pumpkin, then a little pomegranate syrup is drizzled over them to add a sweet-sour finish. If needed, balsamic vinegar can be substituted for the pomegranate syrup.
1 kg pumpkin
Oil for cooking
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp pomegranate syrup
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cut the pumpkin into thick wedges. Remove the seeds but leave the skin on each wedge.
Heat a heavy-based frypan over a medium-high heat and add a splash of oil.
Leave the skin on the pumpkin wedges and cook them on each side until golden brown. Place on a baking tray.
Combine the cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the spices over the wedges and cook them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Drizzle with pomegranate syrup and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Sherry-soaked raisin and almond cake
We've been making almond cakes for many years now and they always go down a treat. In this variation, raisins soaked in sherry add richness to the cake,
which also makes a great dessert when served with thick cream.
170 g (1 cup) raisins
60 ml (1/4 cup) sweet sherry
125 g soft butter
220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
125 g (1 1/4 cups) ground almonds
225 g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
250 g (1 cup) natural yoghurt
1 tsp almond essence
Icing sugar to serve
Soak the raisins in sherry overnight.
If time is tight, microwave on high for 1 minute or place in a small saucepan and warm through for a few minutes. Cool before using.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Butter a 22 cm springform cake tin, line the sides and bottom with greaseproof paper and butter lightly.
Cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one by one, allowing the first to be incorporated before adding the second. Fold in the almonds, flour, yoghurt and almond essence.
Spoon the mix into the prepared cake tin and bake in the preheated oven.
Test the cake after 35 minutes by inserting a skewer.
If it comes out clean, the cake is ready; if it doesn't, cook for a further 5 minutes and test again.
When cool, dust the cake with icing sugar and serve.
Serves 6-8.
Recipe from Every Day Cooking (RRP $39.95) and The Seasonal Produce Diary 2007 ($29.95) by Allan Campion and Michele Curtis.
Both books are available to order on the Campion and Curtis website.