FoodieChat

Just read a very helpful article from SMH on how to cut down on carbs.

http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/tabletalk/jilldupleix/2009/06/10/itspostcarbworld.html

Some very good ideas I totally agree with. I just had a vege soup for lunch to which I added lentils and a tiny bit of pasta to create that full feeling.  And I certainly was full!  But since it’s just been SO COLD lately - as soon as I stepped outside for a walk - I immediately imagined myself to be hungry. I don’t think it’s possible to deny a body’s craving for more calories to burn to stay warm!  But I definitely like the idea of having the carbs in moderation and having them at lunch.  Thanks alot to Dr Atkins for creating the solution to weight gain, but no thanks for making my favourite comfort food group the baddie!

I must admit I’ve heard mixed reviews about Hurricanes, and hence it’s taken me so long to get there.  Mostly bad wraps about the service. But the only reason I can think of why that is, is that this place is SO POPULAR!!  Several times we’ve tried to rock up on various nights, only to find already big crowds waiting over drinks for a table, no doubt working up a huge appetite in the meantime!  Hurricanes is best known for its ribs, and they did not disappoint.  At only $33 for a full rack of pork ribs with your choice of baked potato or chips,

or the same price for lamb ribs:

you are guaranteed a long silence over dinner as your party licks their fingers and sucks the juicy saucy goodness out of those ribs.  Bibs are free of course! And so were the fireworks that night as we sat on the balcony overlooking Cockle Bay at the Darling Harbour restaurant - warm with the outdoor heaters enough for winter!   For those who can’t decide, the ribs and steak combo ($39) offers a 250g steak and a half rack.

For the accountants among us, we decided that it was actually better value if you wanted the chicken and ribs combo, to order a half chicken ($26) as well as a full rack ($33) and share between two than to order the combo for $39! Read the rest of this entry »

Check out this cute toaster by Tefal for the time poor or perfect for students/bachelors who have no time to cook!

 http://www.petersofkensington.com.au/Product/ProductInfo.aspx?code=635268

What will they think of next?!

Do you love fresh crab meat but can’t be bothered picking it yourself from the shells? Well, hope you’ve got more than spare change because at the fish markets, pre-picked crab meat is $20 for 200g! That’s very expensive compared to DIY-ing. The best crab to get is blue swimmer because it’s the cheapest, easiest to handle and I find that its flesh comes out the easiest.  At $18 a kg, one crab is about 1/3 of a kg, and has enough meat for a generous portion for one - 100g on the one I bought. That’s significantly cheaper!  Here’s how you do it.

Buy the numbers of crab you need (1 per person) - this recipe will be for one.  Then place in a steamer - improvised by using a metal dish on a rack in a wok filled with 5cm deep hot water.  Steam crab for 20 mins.  When cool, peel the bottom shell off, and peel off all the gills and guts. It’s not that bad actually! Then break off the hard top shell, and break the crab in half.  Using a crab picker, a bread knife or your clean fingers, pluck out the meat and into a bowl.

Boil your spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Finely chop 1 clove of garlic, half a small birds eye chilli and some parsley.  Heat up a frypan with a lug of olive oil, and heat up the garlic until softened, but not burnt.  Then add the chilli, and finally, toss through the crab meat and the spaghetti with a bit of the spaghetti water to loosen.  Scatter with parsley and serve.  Crab linguine with chilli garlic and parsley for $6!

This is my interpretation of a pumpkin and leek lasagna from Australian Good Taste magazine.  I never would have thought that something with no meat could be SO tasty, such that I even relished leftovers!  It makes a great work lunch too.

Ingredients

• A wedge of pumpkin, chopped into 1.5cm cubes
• 250g of baby spinach
• Clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 free range eggs
• 200g sliced mushrooms.
• 1/3 cup of cream
• 1 handful of chopped mixed fresh herbs (I used parsley, basil and oregano)
• A handful of vintage cheddar cheese, grated

Read the rest of this entry »