Out & About: Collingwood People's Market

Something exciting has been brewing for at the end of my street for some time now, and on Friday night the Collingwood People's Market was finally unveiled! Well, kind of. The official grand opening was actually held on Saturday, but they decided to do a bit of a trial run on the Friday night and I happened to catch wind of it. Anything described as 'big ass' has to be worth a look, right? 

Previously this space was a nothing but a big, dirty eyesore of a car park, but has since been transformed into a spacious and inviting community area which will play host to a variety of food, drink, live music, local artists and much much more. 

Friday night was pretty light on with what was available, but it was only a test run, and I can already tell this is going to be THE place to hang this summer. Highly suggest you head on down to Collingwood and check it out!

The market will be open Thursday through Sunday until April 2013. More details on opening hours and events can be found at www.peoplesmarket.com.au

Stuffed Chicken Breasts in Chunky Vegetable Sauce

Sometimes I find it's really difficult to continually come up with new recipe ideas, which are not only tasty but also good for you. And then other times it seems I can just take a glance in the fridge and be instantly inspired.

This recipe was one of the 'instant inspiration' kinds, as I had quite a lot of veggies hanging around that needed using up.

I started off by preparing a chunky vegetable base; cooking off onion, garlic, red and green capsicums, fresh tomato, carrot, halved brussel sprouts and chick peas, then added passata and seasoned with salt and pepper and some fresh oregano.

While that simmered away, I butterflied two skinless chicken breasts, and stuffed with a mix of low fat cottage cheese, fresh parsley and lemon zest, then rolled them up and secured with toothpicks. It was then into the fry pan for a couple of minutes to get some colour going, and finally into an oven dish nestled in the sauce. I let the them bake at 180 degrees for around 30 minutes, and was rewarded with the most tender, juicy chicken, and a beautiful stew-like base of delicious healthy veg. 

I think this one definitely proves that healthy food doesn't have to be boring!  

Slow Roast Sunday

Cooking on a Sunday should be a leisurely affair, and whilst I love having people over for dinner, I don't want the pressure that comes with preparing a full-fledged dinner party. That said, I still want something special, just without a whole lot of effort. 

Roast lamb is always a winner, and slow-cooking the meat pretty much takes all the stress out of the preparation and cooking processes - leaving you plenty of time to relax before your guests arrive.

I tend to go with a leg, but a shoulder cut will work just as well. Preferably on the bone for extra flavour. Simply trim any excess fat, make a few incisions and slip in some garlic slices, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Throw in a few rosemary sprigs for good measure. 

Place the meat into a casserole dish, then pour in about 1/2 a cup of chicken stock and 1/2 a cup of red wine. Pop it in the oven at 140 degrees, and set your timer for 5 hours. (If you don't have a casserole dish just cover a roasting pan with foil). The meat juices combined with the stock and wine after the long cooking time will form the most incredible sauce to accompany your meal.

 

Perfect roast meat of course requires the perfect accompaniments - but don't go getting all carried away - you're meant to be relaxing on your Sunday, right? And we all know simple is often the best. 

This particular time around I went with classic roast potatoes (see my method here), and an easy salad of rocket, roast pumpkin, feta and caramelised spanish onions. Dressed simply with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, it was an absolute winner.

Happy Sunday everyone! 

Out & About: Fortnightly Round-up

I can't believe it's already been a fortnight since my last round-up, yet here I am again with another series of mouth-watering pics to get you out and about in Melbourne town, sampling all the tasty treats this great city has to offer. Get amongst it!

 Mexican eggs & Dukkah eggs @ Bluebird Espresso

Coffee, Parmesan eggs & Big Breakfast @ Three Bags Full

Charred corn, Beef tacos and various sides @ Fonda Mexican

Vegan laksa @ Loving Hut

Steak sandwich & Bolognaise @ The Gertrude Hotel

Roti omelette & Chicken stir-fry @ Tom Phat

Raw Beetroot Salad with Goats Cheese and Rocket

Raw beets have got to be one of the most underrated vegetables, and I'm really not sure why. Sure, they can be a bit messy to handle, but isn't that why latex gloves were invented? Maybe people just aren't quite sure how to use them? Or have been put off by too many tinned beetroot slices? Who knows. 

Personally I am a huge fan of their raw earthy flavour and intense colouring, and after picking up a nice fresh bunch at the market the other weekend, was immediately inspired to showcase the beet! The combination of flavours in this salad was pretty spectacular (if I do say so myself), and once paired with some char-grilled lamb cutlets made for a truly awesome mid-week dinner.

4 medium beets, peeled and julienned

Handful or two of fresh rocket

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

50g goats cheese, crumbled

Sea salt & cracked black pepper

Splash of red wine vinegar & olive oil to dress

Simply combine your julienned beetroots in a large serving bowl with the rocket and crumble over the goats cheese. Season well with salt and pepper, then dress well with a robust olive oil and a good splash of red wine vinegar. Toss through the toasted almonds and seeds just prior to serving to maintain their crunch.

Note: It's a good idea to wear latex gloves whilst handling the beets to avoid pink hands, and I also like to cover my chopping board with baking paper to prevent it from staining.

Out & About: Fortnightly Round-Up

It's come to my attention that I eat out far too often to be writing individual posts about each and every place that's good (which is most, go Melbourne), so I've decided instead to do a fortnightly round-up of places I've visited and recommend you try. Much easier for everyone involved I feel. Yes? 

  Scrambled eggs w/ goats cheese & truffle oil @ South of Johnston

 Poached eggs w/ mushrooms & avocado (and incredible coffee) @ Proud Mary

 

Chicken udon noodle soup @ Original Sushi

 

Vegetarian & Beef Combination Pho @ I Love Pho

 

Badabing pizza & crispy roast potatoes @ Ladro

 

Pinto bean & Chicken tacos at Paco's Tacos

Filthy B.East & El Polo Loco burgers @ B. East

Happy exploring everybody! And if you know of somewhere I should try next, please let me know - I'm always keen for something new.