Poached Pears

It looks like the weekend is going to be cold and wet – winter has arrived! So instead of heading out and having to bare it all, why not entertain at home! And I’ve got the perfect recipe to finish a warming meal using seasonal pears, which are just coming in for winter and can be incorporated into all kinds of meals these coming months.

This one is thanks to our good friends at the Monday Morning Cooking Club. The classic poached pear, with familiar flavours like vanilla – just perfect for this chilly weather!

I tweaked it ever so slightly by halving the amount of sugar in the recipe and it was still delicious! Makes it a little more guilt-free for dessert so you can add a dollop of ice cream (of course!), or good enough to top on your morning muesli.

You’ll need:

• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of white wine
• 5 fried bay leaves
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 6 Beurre Bosc brown pears, peeled and left whole

Combine all the ingredients, except the pears, in a saucepan large enough to fit all the pears standing upright in a single layer. Bring to the boil. Add the pears, ensuring they are all submerged. It is useful to cover them with baking paper and place a plate on top that won’t squash the pears, but will gently keep them submerged. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer on a very low heat (the lowest setting possible) for 3 hours until the juices reduce to a syrupy caramel, basting the pears carefully from time to time. The pears can also be cooked in the oven on 150°C for 3 hours after the first hour on the stovetop.

Serve with ice-cream or crème fraichè for a warm wintery dessert, or add slices to the top of your morning bowl of oats or muesli and yogurt.

Enjoy & stay warm this weekend!

Pomegranate & Brown Rice salad

Delicious pomegranates! Sparkling ruby jewels of the fruit world… Vibrant red seeds full of nutrition – antioxidant rich, high in fibre and Vitamin C. May marks their last month in season – but there are still plenty available this week, so grab a couple when you’re at the grocer before they’re gone for the year.

I love using them wherever I can… They are the perfect finish to the top of a pav, and are a great addition to savoury dishes as they give such a great contrasting taste & texture. They can also dazzle up a simple glass of sparkling water. Just drop a few seeds in and watch them dance amongst the bubbles!

Because they are such a winner in salads, I’ve included them in this wholesome recipe which combines them with brown rice, roasted veges and fresh herbs – it’s really the perfect kind of salad for this time of year. Serve as a side dish or devoure on it’s own!

You’ll need –

For the salad:

2 cups of red quinoa, cooked

1 cup of brown rice, cooked

2 punnets of cherry tomatoes, slow roasted

1 bunch of chives, chopped

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

1 bunch of mint, chopped

1/2 bunch of coriander, chopped

The seeds of 2 pomegranates

250g of pistachios, toasted

3 cups of largely cubed pumpkin, roasted

A few blobs of marinated goats curd ( optional)

For the dressing:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 teaspoons of sumac

2 cloves of garlic

The juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup (or to taste) of Pomegranate molasses

Salt and pepper to season

Simply mix all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl (except for the goats cheese). Then in a separate bowl, mix ingredients for the dressing until well combined, pour over the salad and toss until everything is well coated. Add your pieces of goats cheese on top to finish and that’s it! A really yummy, and healthy way to use the last pomegranates of the season – enjoy!

Hummus Dip

Hummus – a delicious and high nutrient rich dip! It’s the arabic word for chick peas – a staple ingredient that has been cultivated through the Middle East for thousands of years. Originating in Ancient Eygpt, this classic dip is now a staple in many households around the world and often seen incorporated in dishes across many cafes and restaurant menus.

You can’t go past a weekend cocktail paired with freshly made hummus. And with World Hummus Day on Friday, what better way to pay homage than to make a batch to share with friends this weekend!

The key to a soft of light hummus is a fresh tahini like Yalla – use it to dip a crisp cracker into, as a butter substitute, or to liven up a salad. Our recipe is fail-proof – you’ll have perfect hummus, every time!

You’ll need:
600g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. If you prefer a lighter hummus, then gradually add a little warm water into your blended mix.
Serve with crackers or crudité, your favourite weekend beverage and enjoy!

Whip up your version and share it with us on Instagram this weekend – tag us @Katering 

Caviar, a new everyday gourmet

Caviar! Often associated with fancy fares and special occasions, the once highly priced delicacy is now much more affordable and easier to buy, making it a treat that’s much more at reach for those more ordinary occasions.

So it’s more affordable, and more attainable, not to mention full of healthy minerals (45 in fact!) – but the best ways to eat it? Well there are the classics, but also a few other modern ideas which can help take your caviar experience to the next level!

Classically, it is best accompanied with an elegant glass of champagne or topped on a platter of blinis. It turns a simple piece of white toasted brioche into something special, and the combination of a delicate quail egg with caviar is the perfect match. We find any excuse to add caviar as the finishing touch to our dishes, especially our en croutes!

Marron en croute with caviar

Cauliflower pannacotta en croute with caviar

After something a little different to have with your caviar? Well, Lisa from Simon Johnson has seen chefs combine it with the likes of fried chicken, dehydrated fish skin and even rolled in ham fat! Think contrasting textures and flavours that are subtle and will let the caviar shine!

And the best way to prepare and serve your caviar? Follow Lisa’s tips below:

• Until it’s time to devour, keep your caviar cold. Keeping it cool will mean that the oils don’t escape until you eat it.
• Use a spoon that isn’t made with an active metal – think mother of pearl, horn or even a plastic spoon is better than a metal which can oxidise the caviar and change the taste completely.
• Spoon the caviar onto the flat part of your hand, between the thumb and fore finger. This will bring the caviar up to a warmer temperature, which is the perfect way to eat it.
• Lick it off your hand and let it settle on the palette – good caviar will melt away on the tongue, not pop as you bite it.
• And of course, go back for seconds!

Click here to listen to my chat with Lisa Downs, Caviar Ambassador at Simon Johnson and find out more about the history of this fine food!

Mardi Gras Coconut & Lime Syrup Sparkle Cupcakes

It’s Mardi Gras weekend here in Sydney, and what better way to shimmy into it than with a dazzling gold dusted Coconut & Lime Syrup Sparkle Cupcake in hand!

For the coconut cupcake

4 eggs

340g (1 ½ cups) castor sugar

Zest of 2 limes

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

160ml pure cream

195g (1 ¼ cups) plain flour, sifted

¾ teaspoon baking powder, sifted

85g (1 cup) desiccated coconut

25g (1/4 cup) almond meal

80ml lime juice

100g butter, melted

For the lime syrup

100ml lime juice

120g (1/2 cups) caster sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

Zest of 1 lime

For the Italian buttercream

175g (3/4 cup) caster sugar

75g (approx. 3) egg whites – this helps create a delicious creamy white and fluffy icing!

Pinch of cream of tartare

220g cold butter, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Edible gold glitter, of course!

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line ½ cup muffin tins with 12 x cupcake cases.

Place eggs, sugar and lime in the bowl of an electric beater and beat until pale and fluffy. Add salt and vanilla.  Place flour, baking powder, coconut and almond meal in a medium bowl. Set aside. Fold in cream until well combined. Fold in flour mixture until well combined. Fold in lime juice until well combined. Fold in butter until just combined. Spoon into cupcake cases and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the lime syrup, place lime juice, sugar, zest and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Strain into a small jug and allow to cool. Pour syrup over warm cupcakes. Allow to cool.

To make the buttercream, place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for approx. 2 minutes or until the liquid forms a soft thread when dripped from a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl and whisk until just frothy. Gradually pour in the sugar syrup until well combined. Continue to beat for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture is cold. Add cubes of butter one at a time and whisk until well combined and glossy. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle and pipe onto cup cakes. Dust with gold glitter.

And there it is, done and gold dusted!

Now dance, Happy Mardi Gras Sydney!

Post your own Mardi Gras Coconut & Lime Syrup Cupcakes on Instagram, and hashtag #momentum so we can take a look at your fabulous creations.