Winter warmers for Christmas in July

It’s 42 degrees in the shade, the parking at the supermarket is deadly, there’s a dried fruit pudding steaming up the kitchen, and the air conditioner has just carked it…

WHAT’S THAT? IT’S CHRISTMAS! BUT IT’S ONLY JULY?

While the Northern Hemisphere celebrates their festive season with mulled wine as they roast giant birds, we’re sweating it out with the blowflies and the backyard cricket. But two can play at this game and our winter is perfect for delicious baked apples, slow braised dishes, and simmering soups. So why not get more use out of the tinsel? Sing Winter Wonderland in your head as you prepare the egg nog and make chilly nights worth it. Here’s a couple of winter recipes to get you inspired.

Toffee Apples

crossed with Sticky Date Pudding

(my version of Brandied Apple Candy)

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 6 PEOPLE) :

● 6 medium sized Granny Smith apples ● 2 tblspns currants, soaked in 2 tblspns brandy ● Zest and juice of one lemon ● ½ cup brown sugar ● 1 cup crushed gingernut biscuits ● 6 Medjool dates, roughly chopped ● 60 gms butter

METHOD:

Mix together currants, lemon juice and zest, the brown sugar, crushed gingernuts and chopped dates to make a crumbly mix. Core the apples, but leave the peel on (for shape while they are cooking, plus it’s healthier for you anyway). Place cored apples into a lightly buttered glass or ceramic oven dish with a lid. Spoon the fruit crumble mix into the cored centre of each apple. Dot each apple with the remaining butter, cover with a lid, or use greaseproof paper and foil. Bake for 40 mins at 160C, cool slightly, and serve with ice cream, custard, or cream. Spoon over the remaining juices in the bottom of the pan.

Bern’s Cheeks (beef cheeks that is :)

My absolute favourite beef dish at this time of year is braised beef cheeks. I’m famous for these in the ski resort town of Falls Creek, Victoria. I cook these with stout (but you can use Guinness or red wine). I find the stout gives a delicious chocolatey looking sauce with mellow bitterness to keep it from being too rich, and it matches so well with a parsnip and carrot puree.

INGREDIENTS:

● 12 trimmed beef cheeks – approximately 4 kilos ● 3 large brown onions, diced ● 4 large sticks celery, diced ● 4 large carrots, diced ● 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half, leave peel on ● 1 bunch rosemary, 1 bunch sage, 1 bunch thyme ● 2 bunches Italian parsley – pick the leaves and keep for finishing sauce, keep the stalks for braising ● 2 bay leaves, 1 tspn peppercorns, 2 tspns cooking salt ● 200 ml olive oil ● 6 stubbies Coopers stout ● 100 gms Dijon mustard ● 100 gms unsalted butter for finishing sauce ● Sea salt, fresh ground pepper

METHOD:

Smear the base of the braising dish with the mustard. In a pan, sauté the onion with 50 ml of the olive oil, stirring/ shaking regularly for approx. 7 minutes. Add the celery and carrot, caramelising to golden brown. Seal the beef cheeks in a heavy based pan with the remaining olive oil, seasoning with salt as you go. Without crowding the pan, layer them into a braising deep dish, or a ceramic slow cooker. Layer each level with the vegetables, garlic, generous springs of rosemary, sage, thyme and parsley stalks, peppercorns and bay leaves. Pour all the stout onto the beef and cover with two layers of glad bake, then one of foil, or a tight-fitting lid. Place into an oven at 140 degrees for 6 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for one hour. Very gently spoon out the meat into a fresh serving dish, cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid, simmer to reduce to a silky chocolatey sauce, season with sea salt and more fresh ground black pepper. Whisk in the butter, add all the roughly chopped parsley leaves, pour back over the cheeks and serve. Works well with parsnip carrot puree, potato mash, lemon polenta, baby beans, brussel sprouts or broccolini.

Bern the Chef is a local caterer who has been in the Lane Cove area for over 15 years. She has worked in many corporate catering positions as well as operating a small business. Bern loves catering and the freedom that clients give her to do what she does best. Cooking is her forte and Bern loves the classics as well as keeping up to date with the latest food trends. www.bernthechef.com.au

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