With winter well and truly here, spending time in the kitchen does well to keep you warm. We asked a few of Adelaide’s much-loved chefs what they cook when it gets chilly out. Here’s what they had to say.
LA FLAME // Beef on Toast
Jarrah Gardener of La Flame foodtruck shares his hearty take on toast, and a taste of some of the heat that goes on when he’s about the kitchen.
“It’s a good one if you want something quick and easy. Make it as simple as you like, it still holds up. For me, it’s good comfort food because I usually have it when I order too many burgers for the foodtruck and am left wondering what went wrong and how I’m going to get rid of all this mince.
// Makes 4 //
INGREDIENTS
- 4 thick slices of bread
- 400g, beef mince (50/50 chuck & brisket if you can get it)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Few anchovies, chopped
- Bouquet garni
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- Good lug of worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Splash of red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Dijon/horseradish
- 2 eggs
- Pickled shallots/onion
- Handful of cress or similar
- Squeeze of lemon
- Tabasco to taste
METHOD
- In a large pan or pot, sweat onion and garlic in a generous amount of olive oil. Add anchovies and mince, breaking up until browned. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes, then add your tomato paste and worcestershire. Cook out for a minute.
- Deglaze with a decent splash of red wine, give it a moment to reduce, then go in with the chicken stock and bouquet garni. Let simmer on low/med heat until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
- Meanwhile, soft boil the eggs for 6 minutes, give them an ice bath to stop the cooking & peel.
- Once the mince is almost ready, heat a pan, splash some oil on your bread and fry till golden.
- To assemble, spread dijon/horseradish on the toast, spoon on your mince, a handful of cress, pickled shallots, lemon, quartered eggs, salt, pepper, a splash of olive oil and some tabasco for those who like.
FAMILIAR // Patate in Tecia
Joel Tisato, Kevin Te, and Hugh Mitchell of chef collective Familiar share a new take on an Italian classic, and one that does well to warm both your belly and soul.
“Patate in Tecia is a winter staple from Trieste, Italy. Literally meaning ‘potatoes in the cast iron pan’ and in Nonna’s house it was typically just made with fried onions and potatoes. Here is Familiar’s take on il classico with some extra warmth and greens. Here’s to you Nonna.
// Serves 4 //
INGREDIENTS
- 1kg of steamed cocktail potatoes
- 1 bunch of cavolo nero
- 1/2 brown onion sliced thinly
- 100g diced pancetta
- 80g grated parmesan
- Fermented chilli (or your favourite chilli condiment)
- Flake salt
- White pepper
METHOD
- Line your pan with baking paper and bring to a medium to high heat. Drop in your pancetta and lower the temperature. Listen for little sizzles. Slowly render your pancetta until the fat starts to turn translucent and your meat browns slightly on its edges.
- Drop in your sliced onion and add a small pinch of flake salt. Turn up the heat slightly to deglaze your pan with your onions and caramelise.
- When your onions are starting to colour, sprinkle your parmesan in and add your potatoes straight away crushing them with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, just enough to break your potatoes, leave them chunky.
- Press them into the pan. Hit your potatoes with a good pinch of flake salt and a good crack of white pepper. Make sure the flesh of your potatoes are flat and frying in all of the goodness.
- Add your cavolo nero leaves, removing any really thick stems, on top of your potatoes. Hit your greens with a touch more salt and white pepper and cover your pan. If you don’t have a lid put in the oven at 160 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan and turn your sticky, crunchy, potato mess onto a plate. Grate some more parmesan, crack some more pepper and give it a lick of your favourite chilli.
Made By Mandy // Italian Spiced Chocolate and Walnut Cake
Keeping with the Italian theme, dietitian and cook Amanda Maiorano shares a recipe that balances rich chocolate with warm spices and makes for a comforting dessert.
“Italian Spiced Chocolate and Walnut Cake is perfect for your next afternoon tea spread or after dinner treat. Enjoy with a tea or coffee and some good company.
// Serves 8-10 / Gluten Free / Dairy Free //
INGREDIENTS
- 250g walnuts
- 215g brown sugar
- 250g dark chocolate
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1/4 tsp salt
- zest of 1 orange
- 100g mixed peel
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees, and grease or line a 20cm cake tin.
- Place walnuts, brown sugar and chocolate in a food processor and pulse 5 to 6 times, or until the walnuts and chocolate are crushed, but not a powder.
- Transfer to a bowl and add cinnamon, clove, salt, orange zest, mixed peel, and eggs. Mix to combine.
- Pour into the baking tin and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewers comes out clean. Once baked, stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar.
Note: to save on washing up, feel free to mix everything in the food processor instead of transferring to a bowl.
