Good food 1 september 2012

mackay’s

goodfood A supplement of

Issue 1 | September 2012

MACARON

madness

How to whip up the latest sweet sensation Page 5

MEN WHO CAN COOK

Page 23

Clean Eating

The trend fit foodies are raving about Pages 14-15

Mackay engineer shares his pizza recipes and top kitchen tips

Chef Ryan Hawkins brings you fish with an Asian twist

Fish with Grunt Page 10

What’s Inside What food is hot right now in Season Fresh

page 4

Sumptuous macarons are our Food in Vogue

page 5

We road test the Coffee Club in Food in Review

page 6

Find out a chef’s must haves in Bare Essentials

page 8

Get inspired by our Flavour of the Month

page 9

Meet our Kitchen Hawk, Ryan Hawkins

Discover a fine drop in Beaut Bevvies

welcome We’re brimming with good food in our first edition

page 10

page 11

We’re firing up the barbecue in That’s Entertainment pages 12-13 Food for the body conscious in Clean Eating pages 14-15 Our top 20 kitchen tips to good food

page 16

A divine panna cotta dish in Treat Me Sweetly

page 17

WELCOME to the very first edition of The Mackay Telegraph’s Good Food magazine.

What better month to kick things off – September is a month that brings glorious weather and inspires delicious salads and refreshing desserts.

In this first edition we are brimming with tantalising ideas that are sure to have you racing down to your closest supermarket to collect ingredients to whip-up a few of the yummy ideas we have on offer.

Our recipes this month include an amazing Asian style Gunter recipe brought to us by our main-man Ryan Hawkins, the executive chef at Souths Leagues Club.

We were also lucky enough to have Ryan teamup with the crew at IGA to bring us a drool-worthy parfait inspired by the delicious Ben and Jerry’s ice creams.

We also have a magnificent sweetened sour cream and vanilla bean panna cotta with balsamic

Are you a whizz in the kitchen?

FREE delicious chocolate-coated goodness…

The best kitchen gadgets going around

page 18

What’s On the Menu at Blue Lagoons Café

page 20

Mackay Men Who Can Cook

page 23

2

mackay’s

goodfood

SEPTEMBER 2012

N

ow that I have your attention, I’d like to send a call out to home chefs to send us your favourite recipes.

Let us know about your divine dishes whether they be sweet, savoury, barbecued, boiled, roasted, grilled, candied or steamed.

We are interested to see what you like to cook at home for your family and friends and we will feature one recipe each month in Mackay’s only foodie magazine.

Please submit your recipe, a photo and your contact details to newsroom@mackaytelegraph.com and show everyone in the region your most prized dish.

and mint strawberries recipe created by the head chef at the Coffee Club riverfront restaurant, Joel Riddell.

In our Food in Vogue section, we discuss one of the biggest food trends going around – macaroons.

Kristy Borg from Romeo and Juliet’s restaurant has a real passion for good food and was more than happy to talk with us about this sweet treat which she loves.

The team at the Mackay Telegraph are very excited to bringing our community this sumptuous new product. We will be mixing things up from month to month and will feature current food trends, seasonal produce and prominent people in their very own kitchens.

I genuinely hope you enjoy our first edition of Mackay’s Good Food.

Until next month, Petra

contributors

Introducing our contributors

M

EET the three head chefs and a produce manager who have helped bring you Mackay’s Good Food.

Each month, we will feature four people from our foodie community who have helped us put to-

Kristy Borg

Romeo & Juliet’s Restaurant Hi, I am 24 years old and the head chef at Romeo & Juliet’s Restaurant, Mackay. I have a complete passion for what I do. I absolutely live, love and breathe food and everything that comes with it cooking, eating, and enjoying a beautiful glass of wine with beautiful people.

It is in my blood. The feeling I get when thinking about the places I have had the privilege to dine at and the chefs that I have met makes my heart skip a beat and gives me a feeling that nothing else could ever come close to.

One of the recent privileges that I have had was going to the 2012 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. My week was packed full of seminars, lunches and dinners. I met some incredible chefs and ate so much spectacular food. The standout style for me was the amazing Spanish tapas restaurants. Because of this inspiration, I have incorporated some Spanish style dishes in my new menu at Romeo & Juliet’s Restaurant, which I hope you will enjoy.

As head chef at Romeo & Juliet’s Restaurant, I aim to continuously produce a spectacular modern, fine dining experience. I place a huge emphasis on fresh, quality produce and I believe this shines through in my dishes.

This, coupled with the beautiful ambience of the restaurant and our amazing service record, means any visit to Romeo & Juliet’s is sure to be memorable.

Sometimes I don’t know what makes me happier – utilising my passion to cook for people or actually going to an amazing restaurant and experiencing it for myself. That is what I am trying to do here, to bring my passion to life in my home town, Mackay.

It is a win for all of us involved; I get to cook the things that drive and challenge me, and you get to taste the results of my obsession.

gether our ultimate guide to the region’s good food.

These people will be mavens in their fields – whether they are chefs, fresh produce experts, beer and wine specialists, pastry or dessert chefs or coffee baristas.

This month, we are lucky enough to have a great mix

Joel Riddell

Coffee Club Riverfront Restaurant

Paul Gibbs

of professionals who have shared their love of food with us. Please feel free to send any cooking or food related questions you may have to newsroom@mackaytelegraph.com and we will get one of our experts to help you out.

The Restaurant & Café on the Lagoon

Samantha Watson

Produce Manager at Hatties Supa IGA

I’ve been the head chef at The Restaurant and Café on the Lagoon for just over 18 months.

I’m passionate about Australian and local produce and love to create dishes that are a bit unusual.

I also love plating up my creations. In fact, plating up is a form of art.

My career started when I went in to help out a chef friend in a pub in Victoria. At the time, I was a dishwasher and I quickly became addicted to the buzz that comes with a busy kitchen.

At the age of 14, with my parents’ permission, I began my cooking apprenticeship.

The rest, as they say, is history.

In this edition of Mackay’s Good Food you can check out my restaurant and one of my favourite wines.

I got into cooking because of a love of food from a young age, cooking on Sunday afternoons with friends, family and extended family.

I’m currently the head chef at the Coffee Club Riverfront restaurant and in the past I’ve worked at a number of eateries around the region.

I’ve been qualified for eight years now. I completed two years of my apprenticeship on Hamilton Island and I became qualified while working at the Clarion Hotel.

I was sous chef at Coral Cay for two years and then became the head chef of Satchmos at the Reef. I was at Satchmos for five years and won speciality cuisine awards four years running for North Queensland before the owner sadly closed the doors.

I’ve been part of a number of events, competitions and judged hospitality competitions in Mackay for younger level chefs and my peers.

When it comes to my favourite food and inspirations, it’s totally French. It’s by far my favourite style of cooking with technical and traditional techniques.

I thoroughly enjoy cooking at home for my partner and sharing my cooking knowledge with friends and peers – and now you.

I’m passionate about quality and I pride myself on keeping my department stocked with the best range of seasonal produce at the best market price.

I also like supporting the many local produce growers which ensures Mackay shoppers are provided with the best choices when it comes to filling their trolley.

I joined the Hattie’s Supa IGA team this year. I’m formerly from the Brisbane area and I’ve worked within the IGA group for four years.

I’m always sourcing new and exciting products, allowing the finest chefs in Mackay to access and incredible range of delicious culinary produce.

I’m always keen to hear any special requests and I’ve got a great BULK order system set-up for those after something in particular.

Be sure to pop into Hatties for your produce needs and the ingredients of the recipes featured here, in Mackay’s Good Food.

season fresh

Make your own bratwurst - with Samantha Watson, produce manager at Hatties Supa IGA Ingredients n 1 large onion n 1 ½ tbs. olive oil n 1 tbs. butter n 8 cups chicken stock n 2 small Granny Smith apples n 1kg Bratwurst n ½ small green or Savoy cabbage head n ½ tsp. caraway seeds n Salt & pepper to taste Method Chop the onion into chunks. Peel and core apples and then cut into eighths.

Brown the bratwurst for 10 minutes or so and cut into big pieces.

Chop or shred the cabbage.

In a large pan, cook the onions in the oil and butter over medium heat until browned, for about 7 to 8 minutes. Add 2 cups of the stock and cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes or so.

Add the apples and cook, stirring gently, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock along with the bratwurst, cabbage and caraway seeds. Cook until the sausage is heated through and apples are tender, for 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

food in vogue

It’s macaron madness

T

HE macaron is one of the latest trends going around – the small sweet sensation is taking over food magazines, foodies can’t stop talking about them, home cooks are making them and patisseries have them in their shops.

In fact, everybody is in a macaron madness and I am too.

I am obsessed with these sweet delectable pillows of almond joy.

Most of us know them from when Adriano Zumbo made his macaron tower on Masterchef.

I guess for everybody that’s when the hype first started,

Kristy’s Tips

n Exact temperature is important. Purchase a quality thermometer, digital if possible, as the sugar syrup needs to be at 118-121 degrees Celsius. n If colouring shells, use a gel food dye or powder, and add this to the sugar syrup. n Do not over mix your batter, this will cause it to be too loose. It needs to be thick and lava like. n If the crust hasn’t formed after 30 minutes, (the weather will play part in that factor), just leave it till it does. The crust provides the foot (height) of your macaron.

Basic Macaron recipe n 2 ground almonds, 200g n Icing sugar, 200g n Water, 75ml n Caster sugar, 200g n Egg whites, 2 x 80g n 1 vanilla bean Almond butter cream n Softened butter, 250g n Icing sugar, 140g n Ground almonds, 160g

although macarons have been around since the 1800s and originated in France.

For those of you that don’t know what the macaron is, you first must not be confused with a macaroon (a small meringue biscuit typically made from coconut and often dipped in chocolate).

A macaron is a small round biscuit made of egg whites and almond meal, is hard to touch with a chewy interior and sandwiched between is a filling of ganache, buttercream or a jam.

My obsession of the macaron had led me to study them as I always heard they were not an easy thing to make.

I researched them on the net, read cookbooks and went to Melbourne to do a class and met Adriano Zumbo himself at a high tea and cooking demonstration.

I was also privileged to eat the macaron that he made in front of us – that was a highlight of my life.

And so my obsession remains making macarons which is now a daily job for me at Romeo & Juliet’s. I adore making them almost as much as I enjoy eating them and I hope you do too.

The macarons 1. In a bowl carefully sift the ground almonds and icing sugar, set aside. 2. In a saucepan, bring the water and caster sugar to the boil. Without stirring, make sure the temperature of the resulting syrup doesn’t go above 121oC. 3. Gently beat 80g of egg white to soft peak (electric mixer works best), then increase the speed when the temperature of the syrup passes 105oC. When the syrup reaches 118oC remove the saucepan from the heat and pour in a thin stream into the beaten egg whites, continue to beat the meringue for about 10 minutes, so that it cools. 4. Combine the sifted almond and sugar and the remaining egg white, making a smooth almond paste. 5. Scrape the vanilla bean and incorporate a few seeds into the almond paste. 6. Using a spatula, incorporate about a third of the meringue into the almond paste to loosen the mixture a little and then add the rest of the meringue, working the batter carefully.

(You want the mix to be thick and lava like. Do not over mix). 7. Fill a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe small, regular and well – spaced rounds, lightly tap the bottom of the trays and allow the macarons to form a crust at room temperature for 30 minutes. 8.

Preheat the oven to 150oC. 9. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

The butter cream 1. Beat the softened butter vigorously using a whisk or electric beater, to give it a smooth and creamy texture. Add the icing sugar and beat again. 2. Finally incorporate the ground almonds and whisk again for a few minutes to aerate the cream and give it lightness.

The assembly Using a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle, generously fill half the shells with butter cream, then assemble the macarons with the remaining shells. Place in the fridge for about an hour.

food review

Dish: Grilled Salmon Location: C offee Club Riverfront restaurant Reviewer: M elissa Grant

Salmon’s best with a bit of zest The Mackay Telegraph’s Melissa Grant tucks into the Coffee Club Riverfront restaurant’s grilled salmon dish.

Photo Amanda Balmer

This mouth watering grilled salmon dish certainly proved that cafe food doesn’t have to be boring. Photo Amanda Balmer

S

ALMON with hollandaise sauce – it’s a dish that’s sure to please plenty of palates.

But having said that, getting it right is a bit of an art.

Potentially, it’s a dish that can be too rich. Bathe it in hollandaise and it becomes too much. And it goes without saying that you need to cook the salmon right.

I must confess that salmon dribbled in hollandaise sauce is quite possibly my favourite meal.

So you can imagine my delight when it was put in front of me to review at the Coffee Club’s Riverfront Restaurant at Caneland Central.

To put it simply, the dish was plated to perfection –

mackay’s

goodfood

salmon topped with basil pesto and hollandaise sauce, with a chunk of slightly caramelised lime for a bit of zest, served alongside perfectly cut chips and a well presented fresh garden salad.

The basil pesto was indeed an interesting twist but it certainly made for a flavoursome fusion.

Head chef Joel Riddell explained the grilled salmon dish was intended to be creamy but light – and he certainly did everything right.

He also said it was a meal which targeted the restaurant’s night-time trade.

Sorry Joel, but I’m pretty sure you can serve me your grilled salmon anytime.

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bare essentials Kristy’s bare essentials:

Thermomix: “I love my Thermomix. It’s this crazy machine that can do so much, it’s multi-function and really helps us out in the kitchen. The Thermomix is a total time saver.”

Kitchen Aide Mixer: “My Kitchen Aide is also a great time saving tool and I also love the way it looks. Mine is red and it really makes my kitchen pop. I use it all the time for my cakes mixes.”

Salt: “I couldn’t be a chef without salt – it makes everything taste so good.”

Romeo and Juliet’s Restaurant head chef Kristy Borg with her five essential items for the kitchen. Photo Amanda Balmer

Kristy’s kitchen must-haves W

HAT are your bare essentials in the kitchen?

It may include items like an egg flip, a fry pan, a whizz bang appliance or even a coffee machine.

But what do the professionals keep in their kitchens?

To find out, keep reading Mackay’s Good Food magazi-

mackay’s

goodfood

ne. Each month, we will be asking local chefs “what are five things you can’t live without?”

Our first contributor for the Bare Essentials page of the Mackay Telegraph’s Good Food lift-out is Kristy Borg from Romeo and Juliet’s Restaurant.

Kristy has taken us into her kitchen and shared the items she says helps her out on a daily basis.

Olive oil: “I have an Italian background, so we use olive oil on everything. It’s so delicious smothered on breads and just all over food in general.”

Gourmet Traveller Guide: “This is a great magazine for so many reasons. I always read it for the reviews on where to eat when I travel.”

flavour of the month

A parfait not for the faint hearted

I

f you haven’t heard of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, you haven’t truly experienced ice cream.

Each tub of Ben and Jerry’s contains so much amazing, ice creamy deliciousness that one mouthful will have you hooked.

This month, our main man Ryan Hawkins has teamed up with our Ben and Jerry’s supplier, Hatties IGA, to create a sublime parfait.

Be warned: This dessert dish is not for the faint hearted.

Get the October edition of Mackay’s Good Food to see Ryan’s next Ben and Jerry’s creation.

Ben and Jerry’s Triple Caramel Chunk ice cream parfait with smashed honeycomb, chocolate ganache and chocolate shards Chocolate ganache n 1 cup cream n 1 cup dark chocolate buttons (or equal amounts of both) Lightly melt on very low heat until it turns into a sauce Honeycomb n 4 tablespoons golden syrup n 1 tablespoon water n 1 cup white sugar n 3 teaspoons bicarb soda Preparation method 1. Grease a 20cm square cake tin or slice tray.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the golden syrup and sugar together, bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Cooking time will vary, but test it by dropping a little syrup into water – it should become brittle when ready. Watch it doesn’t burn.

3. Remove pot from heat and add the bicarbonate soda. Quickly mix it in because the mixture will foam up instantly. Pour immediately into the cake tin.

Once the honeycomb sets, smash and sprinkle it onto the parfait.

Chocolate shards Over a double boiler, melt dark chocolate down. Once it is velvety smooth put over grease proof paper. Wait until its set and then break up into little pieces.

Ryan Hawkins’ amazing parfait is sure to impress.

Finishing the dish Spoon ice cream in glass and layer with ganache, chocolate and honeycomb and make sure you create the height with all of these sticking out the top.

mackay’s

goodfood

kitchen hawk

Fish with an Asian twist Asian Crusted Grunter with vegetable parcels Serves 4 Ingredients n 1kg local grunter or reef fish Seasoning: n Lemon myrtle n Sesame seeds n Dried chilli n Desiccated coconut n Salt + Pepper n Lemongrass Dressing: n 4 garlic cloves n ½ knob fresh ginger n 1 long green chilli (deseeded) n 1 tbsp. sesame oil n 4 tbsp. grated palm sugar n Pinch salt + Pepper n Juice of 2 limes n ¼ bunch fresh coriander n ¼ long radish Vegetable Parcel: n 1 carrot n 15 snow peas n ½ yellow cappa n ½ red cappa n 1 pkt vermicelli noodles n ½ wombok

M

ACKAY’S Good Food celebrity chef – Ryan Hawkins – kicks off his monthly Kitchen Hawk feature with a recipe that’s sure to tantalise the tastebuds. It is reef fish with an Asian twist – a sumptuous seafood dish for the spring.

Ryan’s Grunter recipe is easy enough to whip up at home. Simply follow the recipe here or scan the QR code using your smartphone to see Ryan give a step by step demonstration for the dish.

10

mackay’s

goodfood

SEPTEMBER 2012

Method Fish: Cut the lemon grass into 4-5cm skewers. Cut the fish into strips and then skewer the fish onto the lemongrass (I recommend watching good food on the internet to get this technique).

After you’ve done this, lightly coat the fish in your seasoning then set aside in the refrigerator.

Dressing: Dice up the garlic, ginger, chilli, radish and palm sugar. Add this mix to the mortar & pestle and bash it up or use food processor and blitz. Add the lime juice, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Bash or blitz again. Dice the coriander and add to your sauce right at the end. Save a few uncut leaves for the garnish.

Parcel: Heat one large pot of water (preferably with a steam attachment).

Blanch off your noodles in boiling water until soft. Then cool down in cold water to stop the cooking process. Slice the base of the wombok off and then pull the leaves off whole. Then repeat the same process as the noodles. Slice all your vegetables up Julianne style (thin strips). Steam them until soft, toss the vegetable through a small amount of the dressing and set aside to cool down. Then combine with the noodles.

Layout the wombok leaves then place roughly 100g of your noodle and veg mix onto each one and then roll up like a spring roll, placing each one into your steamer. Then set aside.

(I also recommend watching Mackay’s Good Food on the internet to get this technique. Scan the QR code to go directly to the video) Spray your fish with some aerosol oil and then lightly grill on a preheated barbecue or non-stick pan until golden brown. At the same time, put your parcels on to be steamed – they should take about 5-6 minutes (just enough to heat them right through).

beaut bevvies

Red Emperor a soft fruity seduction - with Paul Gibbs, The Restaurant and Café on the Lagoon

N

The Red Emporer is a seductive drop and a great match with a variety of meats.

o other wine will prepare you for the sublime quality of the Red Emperor.

It will surprise with its ultimate soft fruity finesse and tannins that support delicate flavours of the Davidson plum.

The Davidson plum is a little known bush tucker fruit found in the North Queensland tropical regions.

Nothing can restrain the fistfuls of fruit that are crammed into every bottle. It has a sensuous elegance on the palate and a smooth seductiveness that leads to a lingering finish.

Red Emperor tenderises and enhances the flavours of roasted red meats and the traditional Aussie steak on the barbecue.

It will deliver a unique flavour to any pasta dish, or a hearty winter stew and will complement all Asian stir fries.

It’s the perfect partner with Red Emperor, kangaroo, wild pig, chicken or any other native meats.

Red Emperor wine is available in two varieties, dry and medium sweet. *If you would like to sample the Red Emperor varieties of wine, drop in and see Paul Gibbs and his friendly crew at The Restaurant and Café on the Lagoon.

mackay’s

goodfood

that’s entertainment

Beefeater family welcomes new addition U

S Aussies are known for our love of barbecuing and now that the weather is warming up, it’s a perfect time to fire up the barbecue.

And you should look no further than the new range of Beefeater barbies.

The BUGG is one of the latest editions to the Beefeater family. Its Beefeater’s universal gas grill which means it will suit a range of barbecue lover’s needs.

Born in Australia, the Beefeater BUGG is a new species of gas barbecue that’s so much more than ever imagined.

Imagine the world’s best portable barbecue, then make it more compact, give it more power and more control, make it better looking and better cooking – and you’ve got the Beefeater BUGG.

You can do the old hood up for traditional crispy cooking, and hood down for convection style cooking. The Beefeater BUGG promises better cooking than anything in its class. The BUGG has been developed and engineered by Beefeater in Australia. Couple this with the reputation for being at the forefront of consumer trends, and the fact that they distribute worldwide, and you get an outstanding product.

Years in the making, the BUGG is solid, robust, engineered to produce a predictable barbecue outcome every time, year after year, fuss free. *The new Beefeater BUGG is available at Mackay Leisuretime Furniture.

So if your mouth is watering at the thought of a delicious barbecued steak, then drop in and see the friendly team at Shop 7, Heaths Rd, North Mackay.

B

Barbecue need to know

arbecues are part of our beloved Aussie culture – it could be said you aren’t a dinky-di Australian if you don’t own one.

The art of barbecuing is just that, an art. It takes a little practice to get that steak cooked perfectly on the old barbie.

Here are some tips that may help you out at your next weekend gathering.

What you need in preparation to cook the perfect barbecue steak Equipment: n A charcoal or gas barbecue for cooking the steak. n Long-handled tongs for turning your steak. This keeps your hands a safe distance away from the grill, hotplate or exposed flames. n An oil bowl and a pastry brush for brushing your steak with oil before placing it on the barbecue. n A large plate for resting the cooked steak before serving. n Cleaning tools, such as a stiff wire brush or barbecue scraper for cleaning your barbecue after use so it’s ready for next time.

How to barbecue steak

Follow these steps for cooking steak on the barbecue and the end result will be a juicy steak every time.

Step 1: Preheat a barbecue grill on medium-high. Brush both sides of the steak with olive oil to prevent it from sticking to the barbecue.

This is better method than brushing the barbecue, as it prevents the oil from burning. Excess oil can create smoke and cause flare-ups on the barbecue.

Step 2: Wait until just before cooking to season your steak, as salt draws out the flavoursome juices from the meat, making it tough. Season one side with salt and pepper, then cook the steak, seasoned-side down first, to seal in the flavour. Season the other side just before turning over.

Step 3: Cook the steak on the barbecue, using long-handled tongs to turn the steak, until cooked to your liking. Cooking times vary depending on the thickness of the meat. You should only turn the steak once only during cooking. If you flip it more the juices will escape, which can make the steak chewy.

Step 4: After cooking, transfer the steak to a plate and cover with foil.

Let it rest for 5 minutes. Resting it after cooking allows the meat to

relax and the juices then distribute evenly throughout the steak, making it succulent and tender.

How to know when your steak is done The time needed to cook a steak varies depending on its thickness, and how you like it – from rare to well done. Don’t be tempted to cut into a steak to see if it’s ready. This allows the precious juices to escape, making the meat tough. Instead, press the centre of the steak with the back of your tongs - if it’s medium the meat will spring back.

Use this guide for cooking times and to tell when it’s ready.

How long to cook

For steak 1.5cm-thick Rare: 1- 1.5 minutes each side Medium: 2-3 minutes each side Well done: 3-4 minutes each side For steak 2-3cm-thick: Rare: 2-3 minutes each side Medium: 4-5 minutes each side Well done: 5-6 minutes each side Tongs test Rare: Soft Medium: Slightly firmer and springy Well done: Very firm with no spring Best barbecue cuts n The best cuts of beef steak to use for barbecuing are fillet, scotch fillet, porterhouse, T-bone, rump, round and blade. Look for cuts with a little fat marbled through the meat, as this helps to keep the steak moist. n For some added punch, add one of these marinades to your steak.

Soy, chilli & ginger marinade n 80ml (⅓ cup) dark soy sauce n 1 large fresh red chilli (deseeded) n 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves n 2 tsp. crushed grated fresh ginger n ½ tsp. Chinese five spice. Marinate this mix for 4 hours or overnight Oregano & lemon marinade n 80ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil n 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves (crushed) n 1 tsp. dried oregano n 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves. Marinate this for up to 2 hours Indian korma curry marinade n 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil n 2 tbsp. mild korma curry paste n 2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander. This needs to be marinated for 2-4 hours.

clean eating

What is clean eating?

W

e’ve heard it all before – you can’t achieve your fitness goals without first cleaning up your diet.

Having the willpower to change your diet is one of the biggest challenges people face when trying to improve their health.

Many people’s diets contain highly processed foods and separating themselves from these products can be difficult.

The positive thing about clean eating is that once you make it a habit it simply just becomes part of your life.

To put it simply, clean eating is a practice of consuming whole and natural foods – products like fruit, vegetables and lean proteins. It’s the foods that come straight, or close enough, from the land.

By eating clean, you avoid manmade sugars, bad fats, preservatives, white bread or anything that contains manufactured ingredients.

An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: “If man made it, don’t eat it”.

If you are thinking about taking up clean eating – or already have – then don’t miss Mackay’s Good Food. Each month we will have hints and tips on how to stay ‘clean’ and clean eating recipes.

A person who eats cleanly generally practices the following: n Eliminates refined sugar n Cooks healthy rounded meals contain fresh produce, meat and complex carbohydrates n Packs healthy meals, so they don’t get caught out eating ‘convenience’ food n Makes healthy choices when dining out n Drinks a lot of water, generally 2.5 litres or more a day n Eats five to six small meals per day, eating every two to three hours n Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it) n Always eats breakfast n Eating clean can be a major transition for a majority of people due to addictions to sugar, white bread and fast food. It takes discipline in order to make eating clean a habit but it is possible and has so many long-term health benefits

clean eating

Martinique swaps fast food for a clean diet

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ike most of us, Martinique Aprile leads a busy life. She is a full-time pharmacist at the Sydney Street Healthpoint Day and Night Chemist which occupies a lot of her time.

Recently, Martinique stumbled over a clean eating diet plan on the internet and decided she wanted to make some changes to her lifestyle.

“I was already working out six days a week, but snacking on quick convenient foods,” Martinique said. “Weekends were the worst for me, and generally consisted of eating fast food like McDonald’s.”

Martinique purchased the plan and commenced her new clean eating lifestyle on 27 August.

“Over the next 12 weeks I hope to tone up and drop a dress size. I also plan on adding two, one hour walking sessions into my exercise routine,” Martinique said.

We will follow Martinique and her new clean eating plan in the coming months.

We will see how she copes with eating

clean on trips away. She will also give us some hints and tips on what supplements should be taken when choosing to make this kind of lifestyle change.

Keep reading Mackay’s Good Food to keep tabs on Martinque’s progress as she kicks the fast food habit and swaps it for a fresher, cleaner lifestyle.

A healthy chocolate snack

Clean chocolate protein balls Ingredients: n 1 cup double chocolate protein powder n 2 tbls seed mix n 4 tbls crunchy peanut butter n 4 tbls coconut (desiccated) n 2 tbls almond meal n 3 tbls oats (quick) n ¼ cup water n Extra desiccated coconut (for coating) Martinique has made a major lifestyle change by swapping junk food for clean food and is hoping she will see results.

E

ating clean doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of all the yummy things in life.

Give this protein ball recipe a try – it’s a delicious and healthy quick snack you can eat anywhere.

Method: Mix all dry ingredients together then add peanut butter and water mix into a paste.

Roll tsp size balls into extra desiccated coconut Refrigerate overnight and enjoy!

(Makes approx 22 balls) Why eat these protein balls? n Low GI n High protein n No added sugar n Good fats n High fibre n Lactose free

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GoodFood tips – just put all the ingredients in a sealed container and shake.

5. Instead of placing a chicken on a roasting rack, cut thick slices of onion, put them in an oiled pan and then place the chicken on top. The onion will absorb the chicken juices. After roasting, let the chicken rest while you make a sauce with the onions by adding a little stock or water to the pan and cooking it for about three minutes on high heat.

C

ooking is a true science and it can be said that you can never learn too much about the skill.

Here are a few tips to make your time in front of the stove a little easier.

1. Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavour.

2. After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odour.

3. For rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt.

4. Homemade vinaigrettes have fewer ingredients and taste better than bottled ones. No need to whisk them

kitchen tips to get good food 6. After cutting corn off the cob, use the back side of a knife (not the blade side) to scrape the cob again to extract the sweet milk left behind. This milk adds flavour and body to any corn dish.

7. Recipes are only a guideline, not the Bible. Feel comfortable replacing ingredients with similar ingredients that you like. If you like oregano but not thyme, use oregano.

8. Taste as you go.

9. Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta. It will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta.

10. A cast-iron pan is a valuable kitchen ally. It offers an even cooking surface and is a breeze to clean.

11. Plunge vegetables in ice water after blanching (boiling) them so they maintain a bright colour.

12. Fresh basil keeps much better and longer at room temperature with the stems in water.

13. If you’re cooking cauliflower, add a bit of milk to the water with salt to keep the cauliflower bright white.

Shock it in cold water to stop the cooking and then serve.

14. When you grill, pull your steaks out of the refrigerator one hour ahead of time, so they can come to room temperature.

15. To optimise the juice you get from a lemon or lime, roll it hard under your palm for a minute before juicing.

16. Don’t be too hard on yourself — mistakes make some of the best recipes! Keep it simple.

17. Prolong the lifespan of greens by wrapping them loosely in a damp paper towel and placing in a resealable plastic bag.

18. Want to know if your oil is hot enough for frying?

Here’s a tip: Stick a wooden skewer or spoon in the oil.

If bubbles form around the wood, then you are good to go.

19. Don’t dress the salad when having a big party. Leave it on the side and let your guests do it themselves.

20. Don’t be afraid to ask the butcher or fishmonger to see the products up close and to smell for freshness.

Fish should never smell fishy.

treat me sweetly

A panna cotta dessert sure to please A delightful dessert - sweetened sour cream and vanilla bean panna cotta with balsamic and mint strawberries.

I

f you’ve got a sweet tooth then this panna cotta dessert is sure to suffice and the best thing is you can easily whip it up at home.

For our first edition of The Mackay Telegraphs’s Good Food guide, head chef at the Coffee Club Riverfront restaurant, Joel Riddell, has contributed his amazing sweetened sour cream and vanilla bean panna cotta with balsamic and mint strawberries recipe.

Joel encourages you, the at home chef, to give this perfect summer recipe a try in your own kitchen.

Sweetened sour cream and vanilla bean panna cotta with balsamic and mint strawberries INGREDIENTS Panna cotta: n 240mls full cream milk n 10gms of powdered gelatine n 100gms caster sugar n 240mls thickened cream n 240mls light sour cream n 1 vanilla bean Balsamic Strawberries: n 10mls balsamic vinegar n 100gms caster sugar n 30mls water n ½ vanilla bean n 1 punnet strawberries n Picked mint leaves

Coffee Club Riverfront restaurant head chef Joel Riddell.

METHOD Panna cotta: 1. Place 240mls of full cream milk and 10gms of powdered gelatine into a saucepan and allow to rest for 5 minutes away from heat 2. Once milk and gelatine has rested, place onto a medium heat the split vanilla bean and add vanilla seeds and 100gms of caster sugar to the milk mixture and gently bring to a simmer, stirring gently until sugar has dissolved . Do not let it boil.

3. Once sugar is dissolved, stir in 240mls of thickened cream and 240mls of light sour cream. Whisk gently until combined, 4. Carefully pour into plastic dariole moulds and allow to set in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours It’s very important not to allow panna cotta mix to come to the boil. Do not allow panna cotta mix to exceed boiling temperature of 100’C as the mix can overheat and separate in moulds.

Balsamic strawberries: 1. Place 100gms caster sugar, 30mls of water, 10mls balsamic vinegar and vanilla seeds from half a vanilla bean into a saucepan.

2. Allow to come to the boil and cook until sugar has dissolved, making a light balsamic glaze.

3. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.

4. Remove the hulls from the strawberries (the green leafy parts) and dice into desired sizes.

5. Place diced strawberries in a small bowl, lightly coat with balsamic glaze and add desired amount of chiffonnade mint leaves (chiffonnade is a French cut which means to shred or thinly slice).

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goodfood

kitchen gadgets

Go gadget go to make food preparation a breeze T here are plenty of time saving kitchen gadgets on the market these days.

Some make everyday chores a little easier, while others can add to the daily stress and strain.

If you don’t have the time to find out which ones actually work and which ones deserve a life in the bin, then check out these nifty kitchen tools.

Homeworks, located at the Mount Pleasant Shopping Centre, have shared some of their best gadgets with Mackay’s Good Food.

Take the KLEVA Sharp Knife Sharpener, for example.

KLEVA Sharp works on virtually any knife, including expensive hardened steel knives and even some serrated blades (like bread knives and hunting knives), making it unlike any knife sharpener. It’s a definite must for any kitchen.

Another handy gadget is the Touch and Go battery operated can opener, which opens almost any can including ring pulls. It is safe, fast, easy and hygienic.

There is a huge range of clever and useable tools out there to make life easier in the kitchen.

Here’s some of Homeworks’ best:

KLEVA Sharp Knife Sharpener: KLEVA Sharp works on virtually any knife, including expensive hardened steel knives and even some serrated blades (like bread knives and hunting knives), making it unlike any knife sharpener.

The unique, patented KLEVA SHARP uses tungsten carbide technology to extend the life of almost any knife.

The KLEVA SHARP secret is the power grip suction base.

It’s safe as your hands never go near the knife and the tungsten carbide tooling sharpens your blades like a pro.

You get around 10,000 sharpens from your KLEVA SHARP knife sharpener.

The KLEVA Sharp’s unique feature is its PowerGrip suction cup base, which attaches securely to any smooth surface or worktop without the need for any tools. In fact, it will attach to any smooth surface anywhere.

Touch and Go battery operated can opener: The Touch and Go can opener, opens almost any can, including ring pulls. It is safe, fast, easy and hygienic.

The Touch and Go Battery Operated Can Opener leaves no sharp edges. It takes no effort and is no hassle to use.

The Touch and Go Battery Operated can opener truly is a hands-free way to open cans.

Simply place the Touch and Go opener on a can, position the edge of can between the gear and the blade and press the button one time to start – it’s that easy.

The opener also has a built-in magnet to lift the lid off the can to help avoid spills.

It opens almost any can and can do more than 100 cans per set of batteries (requires 4 x AA batteries).

The Kleva Sharp is a top knife sharpener.

You can even use it on a vertical surface like a tiled wall.

With a totally blunt knife, KLEVA Sharp will hone it to a perfect angle, and remove excess metal rapidly the first time you use it. Once sharp, better results are gained by using only light pressure, and only microscopic amounts of metal are shed.

It’s so easy you can sharpen any knife with just two fingers, works with all your knives – even some serrated blades.

It sharpens knives, bread knives, garden shears, blender blades, pocket knives and more

The handy Touch and Go can opener

on the menu

A wild treat in the heart of Mackay’s botanic gardens

MENU HIGHLIGHTS

Restaurant and Cafe on the Lagoon features a relaxed cafe style menu.

The classic chicken Ceasar salad with rocket and cos lettuce, aged parmesan and crunchy herbed croutons, finished with quail eggs and grilled prosciutto.

Paul Gibbs, head chef at Restaurant & Café on the Lagoon, is serving up some wild dishes. Photo Amanda Balmer

I

f you’re looking for a dining experience that offers something that’s a little bit special with a difference, the Restaurant and Café on the Lagoon should be your next culinary stop.

The Restaurant & Café on the Lagoons is Mackay’s newest Australian cuisine restaurant specialising in the wild flavours of Australia and is located at the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens.

The restaurant’s menu incorporates ingredients from Australia’s bountiful countryside, oceans and rivers and has combined them with native herbs, spices and berries to produce a true taste of Australia.

While the café style menu is more relaxed, it is still using our imagination with the wild flavours of Australia and the relaxed atmosphere of the gardens to give you

20

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SEPTEMBER 2012

the complete package. Let’s admit it, who doesn’t love an all-day breakfast menu? That’s another feature of the café’s menu, along with a sumptuous lunch menu, delectable special functions menu and a delicate high tea menu which include a range of handmade desserts.

The Restaurant and Café on the Lagoons is located just three kilometres from the Mackay CBD, making is easy and assessable for any function or event you may have planned.

There are so many delicious items on the restaurant’s menu – there really is something to entice everyone. To read the full menu options, visit www.the restaurantcafe. com.au or drop in and see the friendly team today and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and some marvellous food.

The lamb burger made with bush mint, goat s cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion and finished with a garlic and mint yoghurt.

The mini reef and beef a mini eye fillet served on damper crouton with mashed potato laced with garlic and pepperberry, topped with local fresh prawns.

INTRODUCING

t s a l e h t d e ! h t Publish n o m e h t Saturday of GOOD FOOD’S GREAT!

d o o f d goo mackay’s

of A supplement

Linked to website - featuring live cooking demonstrations Featuring Mackay Chef ‘Ryan Hawkins’

er 2012

Issue 1 | Septemb

RATES

ON ARd MACm a ne ss

Full Page - 330mm deep x 243mm wide $795 ex GST

the How to whip upnsation latest sweet se

Half Page - 165mm deep x 243mm wide $595 ex GST

Page 5

MEN WHO CAN COOK

Strip - 85mm deep x 243mm wide $395 ex GST

Mackay engineer shares his pizza recipes and top kitchen tips

Page 23

ng Clean Eati

The trend fit foodies are raving about

Chef Ryan Hawkins brings you fish with an ist twis sian tw Asi

Fiswith h Grunt

Pages 14-15

dFood ackay’s Goo M to e id u g tober Get your ph on 27 Oc ra g le e T y a in The Mack

1 aggee 10 PPaag

DEADLINE 2nd last Friday of each month

WHAT’S COOKING FOR THE NEXT EDITION...

It’s a Singaporean feast as we road test Kevin’s Place .

Coffee Club Riverfront restaurant head chef Joel Riddell shares his five kitchen must-haves.

We check out what’s on the menu at Romeo & Juliet’s restaurant.

And our main man Ryan Hawkins shares his best pizza recipes.

To advertise in our OCTOBER ISSUE please call one of our sales team on (07) 4951 3210 “Your Voice...

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mackay men who can cook Ross’ pizzas Entree pizza

L

Ross loves getting his hands dirty in the kitchen

ONG gone are the days when women were the only gender tied to the kitchen stove.

Cooking, like all household chores, are now shared between the man and woman of the house.

Ross Bannerman, engineer for Worley Parsons, is happy to don his apron and get down and dirty in the kitchen.

Mackay’s Good Food’s Petra Baumgart chatted with Ross about his love of cooking and favourite culinary delights.

out of the fridge and whatever is left in the cupboard. I lived with a vegetarian for 10 years, so I learnt how to cook yummy stir fries and how to use tofu. I also love to cook seafood and pasta. In summer, we do delicious warm salads with barbecued beef or chicken.

Why or how did you get into cooking?

Out of necessity really, I’m an engineer so I like to sit down and work out how I can get a delicious and healthy meal on the table in the quickest amount of time. A lot of the food I prepare is fast, fresh and healthy.

You haven’t mentioned any sweet dishes, don’t you have a sweet tooth?

I love desserts too and my dessert pizza is pretty good.

The latest amazing creation was mango and passionfruit sauce with kiwi fruit and strawberries and small bits of dark Belgian chocolate broken up over the top.

What do you think the best meal you make is?

My seafood pasta with garlic, tomatoes, chilli, oil and some fresh seafood.

What dishes do you find yourself cooking most?

In winter I do a lot of soups, using all the left over vegies

What would your three staple ingredients be?

A good brand of tinned diced tomatoes as they are great for pastas, a good olive oil and dried chilli. Also seasonal vegetables.

What advice would you give any chefs at home?

Don’t be afraid to eat vegetables raw, some raw corn from the cob thrown through a salad of some broccoli cut up into small pieces is delicious and adds that little bit of crunch.

Base: n Mission Wraps (I prefer Spinach and Herb) n Any commercially available tomato pizza base (3 tbsp.) n Minced garlic (1 tsp.) n Sprinkle of chilli flakes (about 1 tsp. to taste) n Baby boccochini (12, tear into half chunks) Method: n Sprinkle sparingly with parmesan cheese n Assemble your pizza and have fun! Remember to check the tips and tricks. n Cook in a moderate oven at 175-180C, for 5-6 minutes n When the edges are brown – it’s ready

Main Pizza Base: n Mission Wraps n Any commercially available tomato pizza base (3 tbsp. – smeared all over) n Other ingredients as you dare. n We have used: Thin strips of avocado, capsicum n Mushrooms, quartered Method: n Chicken, torn into bite sized pieces n Feta, sheep or goat feta is superb. Gently crumble over pizza.

Other options: n Corn (cut straight from the cob – not tinned) n Marina mix, sparsely arranged throughout, don’t go overboard. This can wet your pizza. n Prosciutto or short cut bacon, cut into strips n Olives n Broccoli in mini pieces (go on – try it!) n Cook at 175-180C for 8 minutes.

Dessert Pizza n Use any quality dessert sauce – I’ve used mango and passionfruit (about 3 tbsp) n 1-2 Kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced n Strawberries, washed and cut in half n Quality Belgian dark chocolate – you’ll notice the difference. 85% is a fabulous contrast for the sweetness of the base. Finely chopped/broken and spread over the top Method: n Arrange on the base, and remember not to overload the pizza n Cook in 175-180C oven for 6 minutes n This one should not be as crispy as the entree or main

A few tips and tricks from our man who cooks:

n Use a cake cooling tray to cook. Solid trays don’t allow the heat to cook and dry the base. n Leave your pizza for 3 minutes on the cooling tray after it comes out of the oven. This allows the base to dry and crisp and avoids it sweating. n Ease up on the cheese. Just a small sprinkle of cheese with taste like parmesan is perfect n Choose ingredients that are inherently dry. This will keep your pizza from becoming soggy. n Use commercially available wraps as the base. They come in a range of flavours and give you a very thin base which is crispy and doesn’t fill you up. n Avoid fatty meats like salami and chorizo

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