Picture That: Illustrators on food 2: Beattie Alvarez

Today, I'm featuring gorgeous illustrations and a yummy easy recipe by Beattie Alvarez, young multi-talented illustrator, author, editor, toymaker, mother of two lively children--and passionate reader! She is also one of the team at Christmas Press Picture Books and at the gorgeous toyshop, Granny Fi's Toy Cupboard.

Mi Goreng for the busy reader

by Beattie Alvarez

Too busy reading a book to do the shopping? Just got to the exciting part and don’t want to stop for long, but your tummy is grumbling? Want something hot, simple, and delicious to eat while you’re reading your book?

I have the perfect recipe for you!

Mi Goreng!

Most people have had this delicious noodle concoction, a favourite with students and people on a budget. They’re cheap, quick, and yummy. Most people have also gone to the cupboard in their hour of hunger only to discover that they have RUN OUT! Oh, the horror!

This happened to me yesterday.

It was a quiet afternoon and I was happily reading Harry Potter in the sun when I realised that I was drooling on it as I read about the fantastic feasts. NOT GOOD. Being the day before payday, my pantry was looking sad. What could I make that was warm and cosy and QUICK? I didn’t want to put down Harry for too long.

I found two sad looking spring onions, half a Spanish onion, tomato sauce, and manis (sweet soy sauce). And a ten pack of dry two-minute noodles.

Five minutes later (I kid you not!) Harry was safely tucked under the edge of my bowl as I wolfed down my meal. To be fair, mi goreng is not ideal for eating with Harry Potter. What you need with Harry are pies and puddings, cakes and sweets, hot chocolate, baked potatoes, and all those other fabulously English things. However, my meal was perfectly adequate and (with the right book) would have been perfect! 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (manis – available from most supermarkets in the Asian food aisle).

1 tbsp tomato sauce

pepper – I used a lot, but some people would prefer less. Start with half a teaspoon and go from there.

Onions of some description

3 packets of dry noodles

soy sauce to taste

oil

egg (optional)

Method:

1.      Pick your favourite book. Get it ready for later.

2.      Mix tomato sauce, pepper, and sweet soy sauce in a bowl.

3.      Boil and drain your noodles

4.      Finely chop, and then fry your onions in the oil until they are nice and crispy, but not burnt.

5.      (optional) poach or fry your egg

6.      Turn the heat off, throw everything into the frying pan and mix, adding soy sauce to taste.

7.      (optional, but advised) transfer to plate or bowl.

8.      Open your book and read while eating.

9.      Go back for seconds if necessary.

 NB. All quantities are approximate and to my taste. I don’t like things very saucy (read want you will into that statement!), so I used three packets of noodles. Some people would only use two. I also like quite sweet savoury dishes. If you prefer salty, then add more soy sauce or lessen the amounts of Manis and tomato sauce. And if you aren’t kissing someone later, fried garlic works well too. 

Picture That: Illustrators on food: 1: Trish Donald

A couple of years ago, I ran a series featuring the favourite recipes of authors. This time, I'm inaugurating a new series, Picture That, which features illustrators talking about food and giving us a favourite recipe, but also showcasing favourite new illustrations. Picture That will be running from time to time over the next couple of months, but today is the first of the series, and it features the fabulous illustrator Trish Donald.

Trish usually paints landscapes using acrylics but in recent years she has been shifting focus toward character design where she likes to blend natural with digital medium. Her latest exhibition, in November 2014, contained works created through  a combination of pen drawings, collages, and digital drawings. Trish spent many years working as a graphic designer after which she spent 14 years teaching graphic design at TAFE. She currently works in Industry at the University of New England. Trish runs creative workshops at NERAM, in Armidale and the New England Writers' Centre teaching others how to develop characters, use colour, or use mixed media.  Most recently, she had a short story and illustration published in Once Upon A Christmas (edited by Beattie Alvarez, published by Christmas Press, 2014) and she looks forward to future creative endeavours.

Trish presents here a favourite recipe: Portuguese Marinated Carrots.

When I make these for friends they are always impressed and absolutely love them so I am going to share it with you too.

Cenouras De Conserva - Marinated Carrots

(a Portuguese aperitif)

Ingredients:

4-5 carrots

1 Cup water (from cooking the carrots)

Pinch of salt

1-2 cloves garlic

Parsley - Continental

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (virgin)

2-3 tsp white vinegar

1tsp red paprika (not hot)

Toothpicks – for serving

Instructions:

Peeled and slice carrots into thick circles.

Put carrots in pot, cover with water and add some salt.

Boil for 3-5 minutes depending on tenderness – you want them to be soft but firm so they don’t fall apart.

Strain and put aside some of the carrot water (if you do not have enough carrot water you can just add water from the tap)

Put carrots in the fridge

Chop the garlic finely

Chop the parsley finely

In a cup combine the olive oil, vinegar, paprika and carrot water.

Pour this mixture over the carrots and stir through, put back in fridge.

Taste mixture and add vinegar or oil according to taste.

Traditionally the carrots are a little bit on the vinegar side.

If you have added too much vinegar add more water and stir through.

Put on a shallow dish and supply toothpicks when serving.

Your guests will not be disappointed!

Crisp-fried sage leaves

I love these crisp-fried sage leaves--so simple, pretty, tasty and unsual with the crisp outside and the lovely herby flavour as you crunch through! The recipe is Italian in origin and I first read about it in Silvia Colloca's lovely book, Silvia's Cucina, but I've adapted it. You can use them in all sorts of ways: as edible decoration for meat(especially pork and chicken) or egg main dishes; as a delicious accompaniment to fried stuffed zucchini flowers; as a pretty garnish for entrées and salads, especially tomato salads; as an apéritif snack to have with a little glass of something--or however you like, really!
They are super easy to make--just carefully cut several fresh sage leaves(making sure you keep the stalk)--the exact number is up to you. Crack an egg into a bowl, and beat it well with a fork. Put some plain flour in a bowl, and add salt and pepper. Heat some oil(sunflower or canola) in a frying pan. Dip each leaf first in the egg, then into the flour, making sure the leaf and stalk are well-coated. Fry for a few seconds till the coating is golden. Eat within half an hour of making. Enjoy!

Chicken breasts with tarragon and Tokay sauce, on a bed of fresh sweet corn

A very tasty and satisfying dish of my own invention, which makes a fantastic summer meal and is very quick and easy to make. And with that tarragon and Tokay flavour, unusual and intriguing too! For those who don't know Tokay, it is an excellent fortified wine usually served as an aperitif. Originally from Hungary, it's made in lots of other places too now, including Australia, where Buller in Victoria make a very good version of it--you should be able to buy it in big wine shops such as Dan Murphy's, or others.
For two people, you need: two corn-fed chicken breasts, breadcrumbs, one beaten egg, chopped French tarragon, 1/4 cup Tokay, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 teaspoon flour, some chopped onion, couple garlic cloves, two cobs sweet corn, a little salted butter, salt, pepper, some water, vegetable oil for frying.
First, crumb the chicken breasts--dipping first in the beaten egg, then rolling in breadcrumbs(to which salt and pepper have been added) till well-covered.Heat a frying pan and when the oil is hot, put in the chicken breasts. Cook till completely done(test with a fork to make sure no pink juices come out). Meanwhile take the two raw corn cobs and cut off all the kernels, slicing down with a knife. Place the kernels in a pan together with some salted butter, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of water. Cover and cook over a gentle heat for around 1-2 minutes. (The corn takes hardly any time to cook).
When chicken breasts are done, them them out of the pan and keep warm while you make the sauce in the same pan. To the cooking juices, add the teaspoon flour, then the Tokay, stir till thick. Add the sour cream, and around 1 tablespoon water. Stir and season with salt and pepper, then add tarragon. Take the sauce off the heat. Put the corn in the serving dish then on top place the chicken breasts and pour the sauce on top. Bon appétit!

Red wine vinegar barramundi ceviche with beetroot salad

A delicious summer entree, with a barramundi ceviche of my own invention, and fresh young summer vegetables.
The ceviche is made ahead of time--at least 6 hours, or even overnight.
For up to 4 people, you need: one medium-size fillet barramundi, half a cup red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, herbs, half a chopped red onion, chopped garlic chives, one small young beetroot, and sliced fresh tomatoes. As well, a seasoning for the beetroot made of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar of your choice(I used white balsamic, but others can be used), and Dijon mustard.
First, hours before you are going to eat it, you cut the barramundi into pieces. Lay it in a container, grind sea salt and pepper over it then add the red wine vinegar. It should cover the pieces of fish. Cover and put in fridge for several hours or overnight.
To serve, first prepare the beetroot salad by peeling then grating the beetroot. Mix it with some chopped garlic chives, and the oil and vinegar and mustard dressing. Chop the red onion into small pieces, slice the tomatoes. Lay the beetroot salad on an entree plate, arrange pieces of the fish on top , then top with chopped onion and chopped garlic chives. Arrange the sliced tomatoes around it.
Enjoy!

Colourful summer salad

A simple and colourful summer salad, made of fresh young home-grown sweet corn kernels(only very lightly steamed for a few seconds, then cooled); pomegranate seeds; and a sprig of mint for decoration, as well as taste! Dressing is made of virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. And that's it!

Christmas spreads

A picture collection of meals over Christmas.

Christmas Eve--duck foie gras from Victor Hugo markets in Toulouse, ham glazed in pineapple and star anise sauce, potato and egg salad, green salad

Christmas Day--roast turducken(turkey, duck and chicken roll with fig and pistachio stuffing); nectarine, basil and boccocini salad, fresh beetroot salad, steamed new potatoes with herbs, mango and chilli salsa

Christmas Day entree: prawn cocktail with tiger prawns, avocado, shredded lettuce and home-made Mary Rose sauce

Christmas Day table

Christmas log

Boxing Day: ham glazed with sour cherry and creme de cassis sauce; home-grown Puy lentil and herb salad; home-grown potato salad; green salad; couscous and pomegranate salad

Boxing Day dessert: pavlova

Post-Christmas soup: ham stock, home-grown onions and herbs and garlic with a pesto made from chopped cashews, herbs, garlic, chilli

Post-Christmas lunch: smoked trout with mustard and sour cream sauce, truffle salami, dolmades, cheeses,home-made pickled plums,  home-made brioche, scones, bread rolls