“Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.”  Jim Davis

Hi Everyone!

Well, I’ve been lucky this week because my son-in-law made the dessert.  A yummy apple crumble with a salted caramel sauce.  I mention the dessert first this week because secretly I always want to mention it first.  When I go to restaurants I look at the dessert menu before anything else.  I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.  My daughter-in-law has been known to order the dessert first, eat that and then have the main.  I think with food anything goes, as long as you enjoy it.

Ragu!  Even the word sounds delicious.  This is cooking for beginners really – it’s that easy.  Once you have browned the meat and fried up the garlic and onion you simply add all the other bits and pieces then throw it in the oven for three hours.  When you take it out the meat will just fall apart between two forks and then you mush it around in the sauce to keep it warm.

Brisket Ragu with Mushrooms and Parmesan Mash

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1.5 kg beef brisket trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
• sea salt & black pepper
• 1 brown onion sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced
• 1 ltr beef stock
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 c dried porcini mushrooms chopped
• 200 g swiss brown mushrooms sliced
• 100 g chestnut mushrooms
• 800 g starchy potatoes peeled & roughly chopped
• 50 g unsalted butter softened
• 1 c single pouring cream
• 2 c finely grated parmesan

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 180°c. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-based oven proof saucepan over high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and cook, in batches, for 3-4 mins each side or until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 mins or until the onion is softened. Add the stock, tomatoes, bay leaves, tomato paste and dried porcini and stir to combine. return the beef to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2½ hrs - 3 hrs or until tender. Remove the beef from the pan and shred the meat using two forks, discarding any fat. Return the meat to the sauce, set aside and keep warm.
3. To make the parmesan mash, place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 mins or until tender. Drain, return to the saucepan and mash until smooth. Add the butter, cream, parmesan, salt and pepper and mash to combine. Set aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the Swiss brown and chestnut mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until golden.

Notes

Source: Donna Hay

Salted Caramel sauce

Caramel may splatter so be careful

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 c granulated sugar you could use brown sugar also
• 6 tbsp salted butter at room temp, cut into pieces
• 1/2 c heavy cream at room temp
• 1 tsp salt

Method

 

1. Heat sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-coloured liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
2. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again.
3. After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelised sugar, cook for 1 minute without stirring.
4. Very slowly stir in ½ cup of heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
6. Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.

Notes

Source: Guest chef - Craig Townley