Tasty Tapas!

Don’t know what to cook? And want a variety of dishes to serve everyone’s tastes? Why not try Spanish tapas?

Spanish tapas are dishes that are served in snack sizes and can be both cold and hot. A combination of dishes can be made to create a full meal. What I love about tapas is that it encourages social interaction through the sharing of dishes rather than each guest eating a meal set only for themselves.

So what do you need to prepare for a tapas night? I have collated some of my favourite tapas for you. Here they are:

Garlic Prawns 

These are very tasty and quick to cook! What do you need?
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- chili (to desired strength)
-1.5 kg of medium king prawns (peeled, cleaned and with tail still intact)
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- Thick, toasted crusty bread to dip into the garlic-prawn oil!

Method:
1. Combine oil, chili, garlic and paprika in pan on medium heat until garlic starts browning.
2. Add prawns, cook for 2-3 minutes on high. Stirring regularly until prawns turn pink in colour.
3. Mix through parsely after removed from heat.

Patatas Bravas 
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- Chili (to desired strength)
- 1.5kg of tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- 500 grams of diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup of chopped parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar

Method:
Heat oil in pan at medium temperature. Add onion and stir fry until soft. Then add the garlic, tomatoes, paprika, chilli, salt, and a pinch of sugar. Once combined, add cornstarch to thicken sauce, stirring the mixture until dissolved. Keep simmering sauce until potatoes are cooked.

Cut potatoes into small bite-sized cubes and fry in saucepan with oil and seasoning (salt and pepper) until golden brown and crispy. Once cooked place in plate and drizzle sauce. Sprinkle parsley to garnish.

Churros
To finish off your night in Spain, there is nothing better than making homemade churros! All you need to do is combine 500 grams of plain flour and 500 ml of salted boiling water. Ensure that the water is boiled and not just warm. Mix with wooden spoon and place into churro machine (can be purchased from here). Turn handle to push through mixture and there you have it, a churro! place churro in very hot oil and fry until golden brown. 

Hope you enjoy these lovely dishes as much as I do! Leave a comment below if you have any questions about preparing any of these meals.

- Liana Fasanella

THE PERFECT LATE SUMMER'S PICNIC

Winters are just around the corner and those long hot summer days are now getting shorter, cooler, breezier and perfect for a day outdoors.  Why not utilise this opportunity to spend a nice, calm and laid back Saturday with the ones you love at a beach, lake or even at your local Park? The kids will love it and it’s a nice way to escape from the hustling and bustling city life. Here are some ideas and recipes to help you plan a perfect Saturday with your family and friends.

What to take?

The most difficult part of planning a picnic is to remember the items you need to take with you. It is always handy to maintain a standard picnic check list to help you pack all the things you require and adding new things in the list as you start remembering. Some common things everyone should have on their list include the following:

·         The most important item for any picnic is a first aid box. If you have kids there are great chances of you requiring this.

·         A nice and soft water blanket for everyone to sit on. It is always better to have a water proof blanket as the ground may often be wet and water proof blankets will provide you with a dry place to sit.

·         A reasonable sized tent is always a good thing to keep and is quite useful for picnics if you have kids. After all that playing and running kids require a bit of nap and the tent offers a nice and comfortable mosquito free environment for your kids to sleep in.

·         Don’t forget to plan out some activities for yourself and the kids. Take two or three kinds of sports e.g. badminton, cricket, baseball etc. A ball for the kids is a must as it keeps the kids engaged. Board games and cards are also great activities when everyone is tired and wants to sit and have fun. If you are going to the beach don’t forget buckets and spades for the kids to build sand castles. Books are also a good way of enjoying a peaceful day outdoors.

·         For parents with kids it is always good to be proactive and keep an extra set of clothes just in case they get really dirty.

·         Napkins and paper towels are always a must for all the spills and messes.

·         A picnic basket is a great way to keep all the utensils, disposable cutlery & crockery as well as the foods and sauces in one place. A cooler is also a must have to keep all the drinks cool and store all the perishables.

·         Take plenty of drinks. Since it can still get really hot on some days it is good to keep plenty of drinks to keep everyone hydrated throughout the day. 

Food Ideas:

Here are a few food recipes I have selected for you so that you can enjoy the perfect late-summer picnic. Hope you like them.

Chicken schnitzel and tomato salsa sandwich: 

Sandwiches are a great option for a picnic. They are easy to make and can be eaten on the go. The chicken schnitzel and tomatoes salsa sandwich is a perfect selection for summer picnics. The sandwiches take only fifteen minutes to make and they are light, fresh and scrumptious making them perfect to consume in warm weather. The sandwiches are nutritionally rich as they contain a balance of carbohydrates, proteins as well as vitamins and minerals. To view the recipe click here.

Mango and chilli chopped salad:

Salads are a fulfilling and healthy option for picnics. They are an intelligent way to fill up your stomach without consuming too many calories and a plus point is their delicious taste. The mango and chilli chopped salad is a sweet, sour and fresh salad with a hint of spice. The mangoes are rich in vitamin C and their sweetness combined with the sour dressing works wonders. The salad incorporates summer produces and is a great way to say farewell to summers. There are no hard and fast rules, you can always play around with the recipe and add your favourite summer produce to the salad as well.  Click here to view the recipe.

Summer fruit sticks with Milo swirl yoghurt:

The fruit sticks are a must have for every picnic if you are taking kids along with you. These fruit sticks are delicious, healthy and fun at the same time. The kids will love it and you will be satisfied that your kids are eating healthy. What better way to incorporate fruits, chocolate and cream in a healthy and fun way? Click here to view this exciting and easy to make recipe.

Berry ricotta muffins:

Indulge yourself in the river of sweetness and tang of the berry muffins. This recipe is the perfect dessert for a picnic as it requires no icing or decoration of any sort and can be eaten with great ease.  Click here for the recipe.

 By Mahnum Tariq

                                                                                                               

How to make a delicious Tiramisu!

So what does one do after attending the Dawn Service for the ANZACs and returning home at 7:30am with the whole day to spare? Make Tiramisu for the family!

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that is widely popular throughout the world. It is a simple and easy dessert to make so it’s a perfect handmade dessert to bring to the family BBQ. The traditional Tiramisu is made of a mixture of mascarpone cheese, egg and sugar in between savoiardi (Italian sponge fingers) layers which are soaked in coffee and liquor.

How to make a Tiramisu

Ingredients 

• 2 Cups of espresso coffee
• 100mL of Kahlua or Tia Maria
• 6 Eggs
• 6 Tablespoons of sugar
• 500g of Mascarpone cheese
• 1 large packet of savoiardi (sponge fingers)
• Cocoa or grated chocolate flakes

Method

Step 1: Separate the egg yolks from the egg white and place into two separate bowls. Tip: I personally like to crack the egg on the side of the bowl (enough so that you can open it up with your hands) then use the egg shells to separate the egg yolk from the egg white by moving the contents from one half shell to the other.

Step 2: Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with a mix master or by using electronic beaters until pale and thick.

Step 3: Fold in the mascarpone cheese until just combined.

Step 4: Put some espresso coffee to cook. (I like to cook the coffee at this time as it will become warm when ready to soak the savoiardi).

Step 5: Pour coffee and liquor into a shallow, flat dish and set aside to cool.

Step 6: Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl with a mix master or electronic beaters until soft peaks form. Once done, fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture.

Step 7: Put a thin layer of mascarpone mixture at the bottom of your dish. Then dip enough savoiardi into the coffee mixture so that you can cover the base of your dish. (I like to place the savoiardi in the dish as I go so I know exactly how many to soak. I also like to break them in half to fill any gaps). Cover the savoiardi with a layer of the mascarpone mixture and repeat the process a few times ending with cream at the top.

The cream layers can be made to your preference. I prefer less cream and more savoiardi biscuits so my cream layers are about 0.75cm thick.

Step 8: Dust gently with cocoa or grated chocolate flakes, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Extra Tips:

• If the coffee is warm/hot the savoiardi soak up the coffee much faster.
• Make sure you don't soak the savoiardi for too long as this will make it too soggy and vice versa, soaking too quickly will make it too dry. It takes a bit of practices so don't stress if your first Tiramisu doesn't turn out!
• Make sure you advise that the Tiramisu contains alcohol to those who you are serving the Tiramisu.

ENJOY!

- Liana Fasanella