Random Recipes: Ham and Leek Pie and Ice Cream Christmas Pudding from “Family Circle: Tastes of Christmas”

After the complications of the last random recipes, it was a relief that this book was selected by the normal/unplanned method.  While it is not Christmas, in Australia we often celebrate Christmas in July by eating food that are traditionally associated with Christmas such as roasts.  This is mainly because heavy meals are not always welcome in the heat of Summer. (Yes, it is August but July was busy).  This in yet another book which has a place on the book shelf, no matter the result of this trial.  One day the Champagne Jellies will set! (I keep trying but perhaps the amount of gelatine needs to be increased.)

Yarralumla Turkish Halal Pide House. August, 2016.

We promised Kebab reviews and finally, after much hesitation and attempts to delay, here it is.  The delay was due to some people wishing to return and try the food from this place again, just to make sure they remembered the kebabs correctly.  Certain people may suspect these urrr, ‘pure’ motives.

Random Recipes: Hummus, Baba Ghannouj (Turkish Eggplant Dip) Felafel, Kiymali Pide (Turkish Flatbread) and Kibbeh Bil Sanieh (Layered Lamb and burghul) from Tastes of the Mediterranean (Bay Books).

It is a coincidence that this cookbook was randomly chosen at the time we are planning the review kebab restaurants.  (Please do not start a discussion about nothing being a coincidence etc.)

Sometimes the decision is to be ambitious and try many recipes from one cookbook does not work.  To be honest not all the dishes were cooked on the same day and it took nearly two days to eat the food.

Making the decision to use dried chickpeas and broad beans made the experience interesting as we had a variety of bowls dotter around the kitchen containing soaking legumes and burghul.  Shopping for the ingredients meant visits to specialty shops and at planning was essential due to the 48 hours required for soaking the broad beans.

I love a good felafel.  The best felafel I’ve ever tasted was in Jerusalem, Israel.  The second best in Newtown, Sydney but finding a good felafel in Canberra has been difficult.  The same is true of trying to find a good kibbeh.  The few past attempts to make a felafel have ended in disappointment but a new recipe, a new attempt.  Hope and optimism sometimes affects decisions as does despair and despondency, but this is getting a bit too deep for a food blog.

Como Restaurant, Blaxland. July, 2016.

In our last review we stated we would review kebab restaurants but then tragedy struck and we went to a fantastic restaurant at Blaxland in the Blue Mountains with some family members.

Lindsay took pictures in order to remember the meal and Alexi took pictures to show off the food to friends.  We did not plan to write a blog about this restaurant but the food was so good we decided to share the pictures with the world.

Como has two menus and we chose the one which had three snacks, two entrees, two mains and two desserts, plus petit fours.  ($130.00 pp)

If you plan to go to Como, make certain you have ample time to enjoy the food.

When we arrived we were warmly greeted and quickly seated.  Como is situated at Blaxland shops and has a comfortable ambience. The menu was explained and it took whole seconds for all of us to agree to the same menu.  With one of us abstaining from fish/seafood we were assured that this could be easily accommodated.

Random Recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms and Scotch Eggs from Dick Emery’s Cookbook

I can hear many people asking:

• Who is Dick Emery and why does he have a cookbook?
• Why do you have a cookbook by some forgotten British Comedian?
• Are you making fairy dreams with unicorn sprinkles?

Dick Emery, apparently, was a comedian from the 1970’s, who created different ‘characters’ including a biker type (Ton-Up Boy), Clarence (who was simply fabulous) and possibly meant to be homosexual, a woman (Mandy) and an old age pensioner (Lampwick) who disapproved of the modern culture of the 1970’s.  The cookbook is divided by character and the recipes they like (possibly).  The two recipes are from Clarence (Stuffed Mushrooms) and Ton-Up Boy (Scotch Eggs).

Why is this cookbook on the shelf?  It has the best recipe for Citrus (really mandarin) Cheesecake I’ve encountered and an easy recipe so cooks may enjoy the delights of Hassleback potatoes.  It has been in the cookbook collection for a long time and may have been purchased in a remainder sale, Op shop or even received as a gift. It is remaining, even if the recipes are written in a rather silly manner.

If anyone has a recipe for fairy dreams with unicorn sprinkles which is actually feasible, I will endeavor to make it.