Polpette - Italian meatballs

After having the most magnificant spaghetti and meatballs at the University Cafe, Lygon St, Carlton, I went in search of an italian meatball recipe that recreated, the soft juicy flavourfull meatballs I had there.

Having discovered the secret to soft meatballs is that they are not pan fried, but simmered in a tomato passata instead, I went looking for recipes.  The following one is my adaptation of the Food.com recipe:

Polpette

- 1kg pork and veal mince (or mixture pork and beef)

- 2 eggs

- 1 cup breadcrumbs (fresh)

- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

- 1 tsp oregano

- 1 garlic clove crushed

- 1/2 small onion chopped finely

- tbspn shredded fresh basil leaves

- salt and pepper

- spaghetti sauce (or passata) enough to cover meatballs

Mix all ingredients together, form into meatball the size of golfballs.

Pour sauce in a large saucepan and drop meatballs in.  Simmer on low heat for 1 - 1.5 hours

Pesto prawns on the BBQ

These prawns turned out really well, and according to Finney (prawn aficionado), they didn't overwhelm the flavour of the prawn, and were perfect on the barbeque.

Basil Pesto

1 bunch basil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted pinenuts
1/3 cup grated strong italian hard cheese - parmigianno or asiago
good pinch salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup good olive oil

Whiz all but olive oil in the food processor into a chunky paste then gradually add olive oil until combined.

Pesto can be used as a dip, fold through cooked pasta or as a marinade for fish, chicken or prawns.

For the prawns, I used 500g green prawn cutlets (ie peeled, cleaned but tail still on) and used about 2/3 of the above pesto to marinate for a couple of hours. Add a glug or two extra olive oil if needed.

BBQ until prawns are cooked. Voila

Rrrraspberry Crrrreme Crrrrrush aka Raspberrry Meringue Trifle

I had to come up with a kid friendly summer dessert so decided to invent a triffly-like pudding (everyone like trifle right?) with meringue and raspberry. 

Was pretty happy with the result and let Jack and Mali have naming rights. They collectively settled on 'Raspberry Creme Crush' with rolled 'rrrr's' of course.  They gave this creation 11/10 in Masterchef rating style.

Jelly layer - bottom of bowl
2 x pkts raspberry jelly made up with 2/3 amount water
1 1/2 cups raspberries added

Set in fridge

Creme layers
2 x pkts Weight watchers strawberry pudding - made to instructions
250 ml thickened cream with 1 tbs icing sugar - whipped to soft peaks
1 1/2 cups raspberries

1. Make up pudding to instructions and add to top of set jelly
2. Top with raspberries
3. Top with whipped cream

Meringue layer
I went back to my 'Cookery the Australian Way' bible for the meringue recipe, but the following is fine:

2 egg whites
pinch salt
pinch creme of tartar
1/2 cup caster sugar
Couple drops red/pink food colouring

1. Beat egg whites with salt and tartar still peaks form
2. Gradually beat in sugar until thick and glossy
3. Beat in food colouring for a pale pink meringue
4. Put spoonfuls of mixture on a lined baking tray and bake at 120 degrees C for 2 hours (then leave in turned off oven for a few hours until dry)
5. Crumble meringues over trifle.
6. Refridgerate until needed - Voila

Cocktails

Here are two cocktail recipes, just for you Daxuan.

Sex on The Beach
20 ml Chambord
15 ml Midori
90ml pineapple juice
60 ml cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients together with heaps of ice.


Absolut Cracker..Makes 2
4 large strawberries,
2 tsp sugar
1 lemon juiced
60ml prepared earl gey or ladt grey tea, cooled
90ml Absolut Vanilla vodka
30ml Chambord, or other berry liquer

Muddle strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in glasses.
Place all ingredients in cocktail shaker half filled with ice.
Shake well and pour.
Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Pedro ximenez and grand marnier

Pedro ximenez and grand marnier is a great flavor combo. Either on ice, stirred together with a cinnamon stick or added to .......