Caramelised Onion and Fennel Seed Tart

I'm not sure how many of you look forward to Saturdays for the same reasons I do. You see, Saturdays are market days. They're bustling with basket wielding, trolley pushing folk, searching for the freshest and cheapest produce. On the other side of the stalls are the producers - ready to talk about their wares and the best ways to use them. They are beekeepers, market gardeners, charcutiers, hobby farmers, bakers, and wine and cheesemakers.

Cheese is a definite weakness for me. Rich, sticky triple cream brie, a sturdy Gouda, an amber hued Leicester and a smooth and creamy Chevre L Ail make a cheese board fit for royalty. The weekend markets are teaming with fresh products to pair with cheese. Homemade relishes, fresh and dried figs, raw honey, cured meats, crusty bubbly sour dough and crisp pears. One thing I haven't found at the markets is a worthy pastry item to serve alongside the award winning cheeses from the local cheese makers - Witches Chase Cheese Co. Until last night...

Last night when the kitchen, and surrounding neighbourhood were taken hostage by the sweet heady aroma of sweet onions and the fennel seeds which remind me of proper Middle Eastern curries.

Now I want fennel seeds in my caramelised onions all the time, and I'll stamp my feet if I don't get them! *Ahem*, so... moving on (and behaving like an adult now), I used a simple pizza dough for the base, but you could easily use a butter puff pastry sheet. Which I will definitely do next time. There aren't many things that aren't made better by adding puff pastry. And watch the temperature of your oven - I turned it up for the pizza base, but should have reduced it a bit after the first few minutes. Those onions laden with natural sugars developed over 5 hours of slow cooking are prone to pushing past the point of caramelisation very quickly.

Served alongside a well-dressed bitter green salad, a cheeseboard and a glass of vino or cider = perfect. long. afternoon. bliss.

Caramelised Onion and Fennel Seed Tart

2 sheets butter puff pastry, or enough pizza dough for 2 pizzas
6 large brown or spanish (or both) onion, sliced finely
2 tsp whole fennel seeds
60g butter
60ml olive oil
4 tabs wholegrain mustard
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Over a medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil and toast the fennel seeds until they change colour slightly. Add the sliced onions and reduce heat to the lowest setting. I cooked these for almost 5 hours because I never wanted that smell to end (4 hours with the lid on), but about an hour with the lid off will work as well. They should be very soft and an even pale brown colour. I had to taste about 8 times just to make sure they were right. ;o)

Over the base, spread the mustard evenly, then the cooled onions, and top with the grated cheese. From here you'll need to follow the directions for the base - but watch them after the first 10 minutes and adjust temperature to prevent them from burning.

Please make these onions - even if it doesn't make it to the tart stage. I could have eaten all of this just on its own, and almost did. Jar it up, freeze it, schmear it on sour dough or spoon it on some cheese. So good.

Tight A$$ Tuesdays: Homemade Pizza Dough and Pizza Bianca

Homemade pizza dough is one of those things - once you try it - no other pizza will do, and once you learn how easy it is - you'll be doing it with your eyes shut. When someone suggests ordering pizza for dinner, I dive for the bread flour and rolling pin just to spare myself from the soggy bases, and over-salted, plastic cheese toppings from the local pizzeria. Some people, in childish bouts of spite, will even challenge unsuspecting family members to get their soggy shop made pizza before the pretty homemade pizza is out of the oven. Trust me, they'll lose. I just know these things...

So, with the mercury dropping, get in there and knead some dough. Between the bingo wings workout and a roaring hot oven, you'll be as warm as toast in no time. The lower temperatures are also great for slow yeast development - you'll get so much more flavour if you can let the dough rise slowly. If you don't have the hours required for that, plonk the dough in a warm spot and watch it rise.

The smell of pizza dough is immediately soothing. A sprinkle of dried oregano combined with the fermenting yeast gives off an aroma to ease the mind. If you have the energy, make a double batch and freeze some of the dough before rising, or par-bake the rolled out base for a super quick meal or snack. If you freeze the dough, thaw it out in the fridge overnight in a greased bowl, letting it rise as it thaws.

The understated pizza above is the beauty known as Pizza Bianca. The toppings are nothing more than extra virgin olive oil, a good sea salt and fresh rosemary massaged into the base. I know, I know, it sounds so boring and plain, but think of pretzels, plain potato chips, or fresh focaccia. You can't argue with how those snacks rate in the moreish stakes.

The second pizza is as simple as smearing some fresh pesto over the base, layering some super thinly sliced potatos and some good streaky bacon. I got to use the last of my King Valley Free Range bacon. A quick flourish of grated parmesan and into the oven to crisp and brown. Seriously, that's about 2 minutes worth of effort.

Homemade Pizza Dough
(Makes 2 large pizzas)

3 cups plain flour (bread flour if you have it)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast
1 cup water, at blood temp
1 tab dried oregano (optional)

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and bring together into a loose mass. If you have a mixer with a dough hook attachment, get it going on a low speed for about 7-10 minutes. If kneading by hand, you'll need to knead for about 10 minutes. If the dough doesn't come together, add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Dough should form a smooth, elastic ball, leaving the sides of the bowl clean. Press the dough with your finger to see if its ready. It will spring back quickly when it's done.

Take dough out of the bowl and drizzle in a little olive oil. Put the dough back in and turn to coat the ball evenly. Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm spot for 2 hours or so, until doubled in size. The time it takes will depend on the temperature of your room.

Heat oven to highest heat setting. Punch the dough down and roll out to about 5mm. (It's proper to try to stretch the dough, rather than roll it - I usually roll it to the basic shape and then push it out with my fingertips to reach the edges of the tray.) At this point you can let it rise again (another hour), for a fuller flavoured dough, or you can put your toppings on and cook right away.

Cook for 5 minutes at full heat, then reduce to 190c for remainder of cooking time. About 12 minutes, or until browned and dough is cooked through in the centre.

Tight A$$ Tuesdays: Potato and Leek Soup & a Special Gift From a Friend

I feel a bit guilty putting one of the components of this dish in a tight-a$$ recipe. But, with the amount you need, it is still a cheap meal. I'd planned all day to make Potato and Leek Soup, with some little parmesan crisps and crunchy bacon. About the bacon...

Not 2 hours into my day and I had a knock at the door, with my postie holding out a package for me. Under layers of bubble wrap, ice-packs and a plastic container, were 5 (!!) packages of different bacon from E at King Valley Free Range Pork. Different cuts, different cures and smokes, all the way from Victoria, all for me!

I was pacing the kitchen, I was Googling, I was filtering through my favorite food blogs for inspiration. This was special, and getting my hands on this pork has been on my wishlist for years! The recipe had to allow it to be the main event! There were streaky bacon wrapped asparagus spears, wrapped figs, carbonaras, pies, and breakfasts dishes. All great options, but... I think the soup I'd planned on making all day, carried the flavour perfectly. The flavour permeates quickly with just a quick stir. I even had enough sweet, smokey fat render out for a little drizzle on each bowl.

Potato and Leek Soup
Serves 6


3 large leeks, roughly chopped
100g butter
1kg potatoes, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2L chicken stock
salt and pepper
100g butter, extra
200ml cream
200g streaky bacon, cut into strips
parmesan crisps

Sweat the leeks and butter over a low heat for around 10 minutes, or until soft but not coloured. Add in the potatoes, garlic, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Cook for approx 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft. In this time, fry off the bacon until coloured and crispy. With a stick blender, puree soup until smooth. If it is too thick, thin down with milk. Serve up into hot bowls, and sprinkle bacon and parmesan crisps.

To make parmesan crisps, pile a tablespoon of finely grated parmesan on a lined baking tray, and gently pat out into rounds. Bake in a moderate oven until melted and golden brown. Gently peel off with a spatula and allow to cool.

If you are lucky enough to live in Victoria, you can find the King Valley Free Range Pork, made from heritage breed, black pigs and cured using traditional artisan methods at markets all around Victoria. Join the Facebook group to keep up to date, or check out the King Valley Free Range Pork website for markets dates and times.

Fine Roasted Fowl with Duck Fat Potatoes

If you're wondering why there are no photos of this Fine Roasted Fowl all plated up alongside those ridiculous potatoes with crispy shells and mashy centres, it's because it pretty much got inhaled before it even got to see a plate. Fairly certain I was in some kind of trance and only snapped out of it when my plate was shiny and fingers licked clean.

The potatoes are par-boiled, roughed up in the pot, then roasted with a little duck fat. The chicken is infused from the inside with rosemary, and sage butter is pushed between the skin and the breast for sure fire crispy skin and succulent meat. There is no trussing, no stuffing or fussing.

I'm not kidding about this. I had a mental blank on how to make another roast chicken recipe sound like it was worth trying before I had dinner, but now I would go on for pages if the internet wasn't already dotted with suave swooning over Sunday roasts. Just make it. Please?

Edited to add: I'm not sure I have explained this clearly enough. The potatoes. Duck fat. Perfection. The insides are somehow even softer and fluffier than creamy mashed potato. The outside forms a kind of shell that is crisp but chewy and light. And that's just the potatoes...

The rosemary in the cavity of the chicken almost steams the breast from the inside, steeping it delicately but noticeably with its flavour. Somewhere inside the breast, this meets up with the sagey butter coming down from underneath the skin. There are layers people.... And like all yummy dishes there is a contrasting texture. Crisp, translucent, salty skin. I told you I could go on... *sigh*

Fine Roasted Fowl with Duck Fat Potatoes

1 whole free range chicken
handful of sage & rosemary
2 tabs butter
salt and pepper

1kg baby potatoes, chopped, skin on
500g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
6 tabs duck fat
salt & pepper


Dry the outside of the chicken with paper towel. Push your finger in between the skin and the breast from the cavity end to create two little pockets either side of the breastbone. Push in half of the butter and 2 sage leaves into each pocket. Rub a little butter over the skin and season well with salt and pepper. Put the handful of herbs into the cavity. Roast at around 190c for around an hour. Around 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, take the chicken out and lift to pour out the juices from the cavity. Finish cooking until the thigh pulls away from the carcass easily and the juices are clear.

While the chicken is cooking, parboil the potato and sweet potato for about 10 minutes. Drain and rough them up with a fork in the pot. Melt the duck fat in the roasting tray over the stove and add the vegetables and shake around to coat with the fat. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven to brown and crisp up.

Dish it up alongside some steamed greens and drizzled with gravy made from the pan juices. Remember to keep the carcass to make stock. I use the Aldi Free Range Chickens. They have a great flavour without being gamey, and never need much more than a little salt and pepper to be transcendent.

Tight A$$ Tuesdays: Slow Cooked Osso Bucco

You know as soon as you combine hours of low-heat cooking and a cut of meat with a high bone to meat ratio, you're going to end up with meltingly tender meat and a sauce that becomes rich and creamy from the dissolved connective tissue and marrow.

That's exactly what happens with this dish. It takes around 5 minutes to prepare, and then you get to sit down with a warm Milo and a book for a couple of hours while you take in the smells that will inevitably filter through the house. It's cheap as chips to make, probably using around $7 worth of meat and will feed around 6 people with a side of mash, risotto or couscous. You can use the shank bones for traditional osso bucco, or apply the same method to chops, necks or any cut really. A handful of fresh herbs and lemon zest added at the end brings it to life and freshens it all up.

Slow Cooked Osso Bucco

1kg osso bucco
800g diced fresh or canned tomatoes
400g tomato puree or passata
2 onions, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stick celery, diced
big slurp of red or white wine (about 2 cups)
Handful of fresh herbs - i used parlsey, thyme, oregano and some chives
salt and pepper

Brown off the meat in batches and put in the bottom of a baking dish. Sweat the onions, carrot and celery until slightly browned, pour in over the meat. Add the tomatoes, passata, wine and herbs to the meat. Cook for 2-3 hours at 160c until meat is falling off the bone. Check the seasoning. Serve over couscous, risotto or a creamy mash.

Tight A$$ Tuesdays: Comfy Bacon Bone Soup

Mum used to make this continuously as soon as the temperature dropped below "sweltering" and then sometimes even when it didn't. Monday to Sunday - that's what we got. Although it was rather monotonous during those months, it was very good. This is yummy-for-my-tummy ultimate well-being food.

This little dude got caught in the act of eating my oregano. He escaped the pot but promptly became chook food. Out of the pan into the fire?

And bonus, you can make it with your eyes shut in a matter of minutes, it makes enough to feed several small countries, it's healthy and costs just a few dollars for countless meals. It gloops up considerably upon cooling, so you can thin it down with stock or water to make even more. I kid you not, the fridge will be full, the freezer packed and your belly distended once you give this a whirl. And, seriously, give this a go.

Bacon Bone Soup
(This makes enough to almost fill my 14L stockpot)

2 large onions, diced
4 carrots, diced
4 celery stems, diced
4 potatoes, diced
1.5kg bacon bones or smoked hocks
500g dried split peas, soup mix, barley, dried grains or whatever

In your stockpot, saute the onions, carrots, celery and potatoes over a low heat until lightly coloured and softened. Add the bacon bones and dried grains and enough water to completely cover all the bones or fill your pot to about 3/4, whichever is more. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally so it doesn't catch on the bottom. After a couple of hours, the meat should be falling off the bones, and the liquid thickened and rich. Season with salt and pepper and get into it with some buttered fresh bread or toast.

Notes: There is no strict recipe, if you don't eat pork, use some browned beef or chicken bones. Use any vegetables in any proportions, clear out the fridge and put it all in. Pasta and rice are good substitutes for the soup mix. Frozen peas etc are great additions to put in at the end. Try putting it all in your slow-cooker and forget about it for the day. You'll come home to dinner all done and the house smelling... soupy.

Tight A$$ Tuesdays: Spaghetti Carbonara

This is the meal I turn out when there is no food in the house, no cash in the bank, or no energy left in my tank. Cheap. Fast. Easy. The ingredients are basic pantry/fridge/freezer items, and the sauce can be whipped up in the time it takes the pasta to cook. Remember to keep your vegetable trimmings to make stock.

But don't let that devalue your idea of this dish! If this was served up to me as a Carbonara (it's not really a carbonara) in a restaurant, I wouldn't complain. I'd even pay for it, and order it again. This gets dished up to unexpected visitors, suddenly starving 3 year olds and boys with seemingly hollow legs. Even the removal guys who made the 18 hour trek from Victoria to Queensland with my kitchen gear were rewarded for not breaking anything with this.

I know it's not a true carbonara, no pasta puritan would 'spoil' this classic with cream, cheap wine (goon), onion, ordinary bacon (as opposed to the traditional guanciale - cured pork cheek), mushrooms, dried pasta and garlic. This disrespectful brat would though. Perhaps it should just be renamed... Anyway, here it is, and it's good.

Spaghetti not quite alla Carbonara
Serves 4

500g pasta (spaghetti and fettuccine are standards)
600ml cream
3 eggs
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g bacon, diced
200g mushrooms, sliced
250ml dry white wine
handful of fresh herbs - chives or parsley work well
salt and pepper
parmesan or pecorino to serve

In a large pot, bring enough salted water to the boil to allow all the pasta to move freely. Cook the pasta according to packet directions.

While pasta is cooking, whisk the egg and cream together and season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked pepper. In a pan, saute onion, garlic, mushrooms and bacon until lightly browned. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and cook until most of the wine has reduced.

Drain the pasta, and add the bacon mixture to the pasta, followed by the egg mixture and fresh herbs. Toss the sauce through with tongs to evenly coat all of the pasta. The heat of the pasta should be enough to thicken the sauce and cook the egg, if not, return to a very low heat for a few seconds. It wont be thick, but will be enough to coat the pasta. Grate in as much or as little parmesan or pecorino as you like. Chow down straight away!


What else you could do:
Of course, make your own pasta! Obviously it wont be so fast, but it is SO worth it.
Use UHT cream or evaporated milk.
Add other veges - beans, peas, spring onions or whatever you have lurking in the fridge or garden.
Include some diced chicken breast or thigh, cook off in batches before the onion/bacon mix.
Double or halve the recipe to suit your family.

Note: This doesn't reheat too well. If you must reheat it, don't be tempted to use the microwave. The sauce will split and you'll have oily lumpy pasta. Blergh. Heat in a saucepan, veeeery slowly, and don't boil it.