Free-form fig pie

Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe and lovingly baked for tonight's dinner party with the gorgeous K - a fellow fig lover - this pie is dead easy, delicious, and the fruit makes it seem semi-healthy. 

Free-form fig pie

In a food processor, put two cups of plain flour and 185g cold chopped butter.  Process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then with the motor still running, slowly add approx 2 tbs iced water until the mixture just comes together as a dough.  Take the shortcrust pastry out of the processor, knead briefly until it forms a ball, then wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.

In the meantime, combine 3/4 cup almond meal, 1/4 cup caster sugar, and enough melted butter to form a spreadable paste.  Roll out dough in a circle, to 3mm thickness.  Spread paste around middle, leaving approx one inch around the outside.  Arrange four finely sliced figs over the paste, then fold in the dough around the outside to hold the contents in.  Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake in a 180deg oven for approx 20-30mins until lightly browned around the edges.  Serve as is, or with cream/icecream.  Some suggestions for future pies around tonight's dinner table included peaches, apples, raspberries, nectarines, or strawberries!

Old Man Jordie

This entry was supposed to be about Anzac Day and the classic foodie tribute to our fallen heroes, the Anzac biscuit.  But at dawn this morning, my husband and I awoke to our old puss, Jordie, in extremely poor shape.  Sick, lethargic, eyes downcast, not even a hint of a purr and a total lack of appetite signalled that there was something horribly wrong.  We cancelled our roadtrip plans and instead took him to the vet.  The news was grim: Jordie's system was shutting down, fast, and with no obvious signs of the cause (apart from a moderate heart murmer), there were limited options.  We made the most difficult decision a pet owner must inevitably face - to end his suffering and put him to sleep. 

Jordie was a 12 year old, fluffy, cuddly, "big boned" domestic cat.  I adopted him five years ago from a couple who were moving to a place where they could not keep pets - a favour to friends of a friend.  He took no time at all to settle himself in to my home; the first night, he self-righteously pushed his way under the doona and curled up against the small of my back, taking advantage of my warmth.  Since then, his aggressively affectionate nature has appealed to house guests (mooching figure eights around their feet), small children (amiably going all "rag-doll" like when small arms would struggle to lift his 8.5 kilogram frame), and even supposed cat-haters (my father, who begrudgingly would scratch his chin after Jordie muscled his way onto his lap). 

I know he was "just a cat".  I've owned pets who've lived and died; stroking fur as the vet injects the green dream, a small soft body going limp in my arms.  Or back on the farm, where countless pets met an untimely end - too many times to count, all in my childhood years.  But he was still my furry friend; my "snuglepuss", my old man Jordie.  Always there when I walked in the door, with his slightly arthritic limp and gutteral hungry miaow.  Yesterday afternoon I had a long nap, and he curled up in the crook of my arm for two whole hours - he must have been so hot under the sheets - reluctantly, gently, creeping out of bed as I slowly awoke.  I will miss lovingly cursing him, as I pick white hair out of my clothes.

Quinoa Anzac Biscuits

Ingredients

2 tbs golden syrup
2 tbs water
150g butter
1 1/2 cups quinoa flakes (or rolled oats)
1 cup SR flour
1 cup dessicated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

Method

Heat oven to 180deg; line two baking trays with non stick paper.  Melt butter in a small pan with golden syrup and water.  Sift flour into a large bowl; add quinoa flakes, coconut and sugar, and stir.  Add golden syrup and butter mix, add to dry ingredients and stir until it all comes together in a dough.  Roll into golf ball sized balls, place on tray and press down slightly with the back of a fork.  Cook in oven for 12 minutes, let cool on tray before removing gently.

"Lest we forget"

Sticky Date Pud with Salted Toffee Sauce

When asked what their favourite comfort food is, people will give a variety of answers.  Chocolate features high up on the most common responses, as do roast dinners.  Inmates on death row, similarly, have wishlists which span from the mundane (a big mac and fries) to magnificent (foie gras).  Personally, nothing says "curl up under a warm doona and forget about the world outside" quite like a good pud.

Ingredients (serves 4):

100g pitted and roughly chopped dried dates
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp bi carb soda
50g unsalted butter
80g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup SR flour (sifted)

Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream
50g salted butter
1 tsp sea salt flakes

Method:

Preheat oven to 180deg, lightly grease 4 ramekins.

Combine dates and water in saucepan, bring to boil and remove from heat, add bi carb and let cool to room temp.  Beat butter and sugar with electric beaters in small bowl until creamy, slowly add egg and vanilla while beating.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl and fold in flour and dates plus water mix until just combined (don't over do it!).  Spoon mix into ramekins, place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown and cooked through.

For the sauce, put sugar, cream, butter and salt into a pan and bring to boil.  Simmer for a few mins, stirring, until butter and cream dissolve and combine.  Reduce heat, simmer for another minute.  Pour hot sauce over inidividual puds and serve immediately - either on its own (classic) or with some cream and seasonal fruits (posh).

The results are in - Chocolate Lover's Competition

Thanks to all the entrants who took the time to join the Good Food = Happy Life blog, and submitted their favourite chocolate experiences.

The winner is... "Anonymous" (osands@optusnet) - congratulations Olly, your story was a wonderful account of how chocolate can so easily say "I love you". 

Keep coming back, you never know when the next competition will be!

Chocolate Lovers Competition!

Listen up foodies; I have some exciting news for chocoholics.  Suzie over at Melbourne's Chocoholic Tours has very generously donated TWO FREE TICKETS for one of her famous Chocolate Tours, and I'm giving YOU the chance to win them!  The prize is worth $70 and is a gift voucher, which means you can take the tour whenever you like (vouchers are valid for six months).

Competition Details

To win, all you need to do is:

1. Join the Good Food = Happy Life blog (click on "follow" at the top of the page); THEN
2. Write a comment under this article, about your "All Time Best Chocolate Experience" (in 100 words or less) - it can be anything at all, just as long as it involves chocolate in some form!  Please remember to include your email address.

Entries must be submitted before midnight, (AEST) Wednesday 21st April 2010; the winning entry will be judged by blog author of Good Food = Happy Life and will be announced the following Friday.  Extra points will be given for creativity.  The winner will be contacted by email.  Sorry, this competition is open to Victorian (Australia) residents only.

Oysters and Mussels from Queen Vic

I've posted before that my husband is not a fan of certain foodstuffs; whereas I'm more your "I'll eat anything" kinda girl.  So when I find myself home alone or in restaurants, I indulge.  Saturday morning - slightly the worse for wear after a big night out - I found myself unusually close to the city and in need of a vitamin kick.  Omega 3's, here I come!

Mussels in White Wine

If you're a mussel lover like me, this will serve one - however if you're a normal person, this will provide two quite generous serves.

Scrub and de-beard 1 kilo of fresh mussels, set aside.  In a medium heated pan, saute four chopped spring onions and two crushed garlic cloves until transparent and fragrant.  Add half a cup of dry white wine ( I used a Sword's Pinot Gris ) and half a cup of fish stock, simmer until slightly reduced.  Add the mussels, put on the lid and cook for approx 10 mins or until the mussels open.  Take the mussels out of the pan as they open (discard the ones that stay closed), set aside, covered with foil to keep warm.  Strain the stock into a bowl using a fine sieve (I used a regular colander lined with a clean chux); tip it back into the pan and simmer for five minutes.  Turn heat down and whisk in 2 tbs cream and 1 tbs butter, until thickened slightly.  Pour over the mussels, serve immediately with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Oysters with sesame dressing

Take a dozen freshly opened oysters ( I used coffin bay ) and prop up on a plate (use rock salt if they won't stand up on their own).  Combine two finely chopped spring onions, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbs rice wine vinegar and 1 tbs light soy sauce - whisk together with a fork then spoon over the oysters.  Serve immediately.

Beery Scones

Another recipe using beer; resulting in the most beautifully light fluffy scones I've had in a long time. I served them up straight out of the oven - to my husband as he was about to leave on a long-ish solo car trip - topped with my mum's blackberry jelly and thick cream.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup beer (I choose a Cascade Blonde)
1 cup cream
pinch salt

Method

Stir ingredients together and knead on a floured board until it just forms a dough. Form into a large rectangular shape and cut into desired shapes. Bake in 200C oven for about 10-15 mins or until risen and golden.