sprouts !

So, tonight was the night ! Tonight was the night that I re-visited the brussel sprout for the first time in my adult life.


Like many others of my generation, I was served boiled brussel sprouts when I was a kid. This is, clearly, not the way to eat brussel sprouts. In fact, it should be completely BANNED -  it can onnnly end in bitter disaster.


During dinner at Orto recently (new local), I enjoyed their side of brussel sprouts, carrot puree + other things. Without a hint of the acridity that I remembered of the brussel sprouts of my childhood, I really enjoyed the freshness of the vegetable + felt like this could be a new taste of autumn.


I thought I would share what I did with the sprouts tonight  -  it was simple, tasty + made for a quick (and v seasonal!) midweek meal.


If you're a market go-er, try and get the little green gems at the markets over the coming weeks - direct from the farmer, they are so fresh + have often been so delicately handled, they are a complete delight.


sprouts with parsnip mash
(this would, of course, also work with a buttery potato mash.)


Slice leek + soften in the pan with olive oil. Place halved brussel sprouts in pan, cut-side down. Place lid on and allow sprouts to soften. After a few minutes, take off lid and leave on low-med heat to allow to caramelise. Increase heat and add sliced smoked ham (or similar) and toss. After a minute or so, add pieces of (FRESH) walnuts + toss. Keep on heat for a few more minutes to allow flavours to mingle. Check for seasoning.


The mash is completely based on Maggie's mash that was in the first MasterChef masterclass. 
Grate the parsnip + put in a pan with some butter + a little salt. Put on lid and cook on medium heat until soft. Add small amount of water, replace lid + continue to cook until parsnip starts to break down + is very soft. Check for seasoning + stir through small cubes of (beurre bosc!) pear.


Take out your (pre-warmed) favourite wintry comfort food bowl, add hot parsnip mash + a generous spoonful of the sprouts over the top. 


Leeks should be verrry sweet, embracing all the other autumnal delights in a delicious celebration of the humble sprout ! Makes for cosy eating - enjoy. 

flash in the pan

So, I've recently had an experience only shared by 49 other people in this country. In some form or another, the experience continues for some of those 49; and, at different times and in various ways, it has ended for others. 


Yep - I somehow ended up in the Top 50 of series 3 of the Australian MasterChef. After a spectacular brain-flip, I managed a gloriously early exit. However, what a wonderful time it was, whilst I was there. 


Food-love seems to attract a certain type of person, I think. What I really didn't expect from the experience, was to meet just SO MANY delightful and like-minded people. In attempting to explain this to people afterwards, I figured: if you really enjoy cooking and cook often, it's unlikely that your 'joy' in cooking comes from simply cooking delicious things just for yourself over and over. Rather, I think that there is some element of human GENEROSITY inherent to a love of cooking. The most JOY in cooking is derived from cooking for others - sharing the fruits of, sometimes, hours and hours of 'labour' with family and friends - old and new ! Then, of course, there is the AESTHETIC element. A food-lover delights in all the delicious flavours, colours, shapes, textures and even sounds ! Not to mention the CREATIVITY required to elegantly draw these elements together. I used to say that my favourite thing about cooking was the amazing creative process it represented - from conception through preparation, to presentation and enjoyment - the whole process is such a relatively short one ! Before you know it, you're sitting down to a glass of wine and your delicious meal with friends, who are dutifully and very happily enjoying the output of your work !


So, if the majority of MasterChef contestants are marked by generosity, aesthetic appreciation and creativity... that's probably not a bad group of people to meet. Even more so, if you're about to share with them the most surreal (or hyper-real), unpredictable, stressful but FUN week you're likely to have... 


The things you do... !