Culinary – Page 5 – CONVENT AND CHAPEL

Yum Yum

Published on June 10, 2013June 25, 2013 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

One of my favourite places for Yum Cha – and that includes Sydney – is 28 Nine 99 – an unexpected Yum Cha delight in Rylstone.

My favourite - black sticky rice with coconut — My favourite – black sticky rice with coconut

Nestled in the charmingly restored historic Bridgeview Inn is what initially appears to be a small shop with delightful gifts, including exotic scarves and enticing Chinese teapots and cups. It houses a wonderful Yum Cha house owned by the equally wonderful and delightful Na Lan. Forget laden trolleys lurching around piled high with bamboo steamers. Here you get to select from a broad variety of dumplings. My friends and I usually opt for the selection of 8 mixed with an additional ‘special’ piece which for me is always the Black Sticky Rice with Coconut. There’s also a pot of tea from a wide choice but I never go past the Oolong.

The shop can cater for a surprising number of people with a back courtyard, the gallery and even tables in the Community Garden out the back where you can wander to examine the locally grown veg. I’d encourage you to book before going, particularly for Sunday lunch.

For a great review, read Not Quite Nigella

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2012/04/05/the-art-of-dumplings-29-nine-99-rylstone/

Contact details are

88 Louee Street, Rylstone NSW 2849
Tel: +61 (02) 6379 1984

Basic Convent Potato and Rosemary Pizza

Published on May 5, 2013May 20, 2013 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

Getting the potato recipes ready for the harvest.

Ingredients

Flour
Yeast
sugar (just a teaspoon)
salt – table as well as rock/sea salt
olive oil
potatoes – waxy work best
Rosemary
Mozzarella cheese

Steps

Make Pizza dough. I use this recipe with quantities of one third for a single (but generous) pizza.
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14433/pizza+dough
Whilst dough is resting, preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Grate or slice Mozzarella.
Peel and slice potatoes thinly.
Roll out pizza dough to desired thickness, place on tray covered in baking paper and brush/wipe with Olive Oil.
Put Mozarella on base, holding a little back. Spread potatoes out on base, sprinkle with Rosemary leaves and sea salt. Add some more Mozarella, drizzle with Olive Oil.
Place in oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes.

In a Pickle

Published on February 20, 2013June 25, 2013 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

One of the common challenges faced with veggie gardens is when veggies ripen, you have lots of that variety at once. Preserving or pickling comes in handy and can be fun to try different combinations. I haven’t pickled, jammed or preserved since my early days of being a perfect wife and prefer to do this with produce I’ve grown myself – somehow it feels more authentic. After watching “The Road”, I’m also mindful that come Zombie Day, it might be all we have to survive on. At least I’d have something to offer Viggo.

Faced with a mini glut (well, more than my immediate neighbours and I could eat), I had a surplus of zucchinis and tomatoes. The zukes turned into pickled zucchinis and zucchini pickle. There is a subtle difference – pickled zucchinis are in a spiced vinegar and zucchini pickle is more of a curry relish. I think the latter was not my finest moment and will pluck up the courage to try one day. Perhaps when we again win the meat tray at the RSL and score some corned silverside.

I grew lots of lovely mixed mini tomatoes – different shapes and colours – which worked well cooked as semi-dried tomatoes in the oven with home-grown basil. I’m tossing up whether to put a selection in the local Show. The larger tomatoes found their way into a pasta sauce.

Not how good they are, but they were fun and part of being a gardener/home producer.

Pea and Mint Risotto

Published on February 18, 2013February 18, 2013 by conventandchapelLeave a comment

It’s particularly rewarding when you can put a meal together using ingredients you have grown yourself.

Last night’s dinner was an experimental Pea and Mint Risotto. I’ve avoided cooking Risotto’s mostly as I get a bit bored with the stirring, however the little crop of peas was too temping. Add some homegrown mint as well as salads all from the garden and it was a satisfying meal.

Recipe sourced from http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/pea_and_mint_risotto.htm