Food styling assistant

Hi all,
I’m looking for an assistant to help me out on a job on Tuesday the 16.12.14 in melbourne. Let me know if your interested.
Thanks!
Caitlin.

Hi Guys

Hi Guys,

I hope you have all been well!

I have been unbelievably busy with work but thought I would share some photos I have taken recently. I will post recipes soon (the cupcakes were soooo good!)

Love The Food Seamstress.

Roast Carrot, Chermoula and Hazelnut Soup

Hi guys, I know I have been horrible at posting the last few weeks and I apologise. But I’m back in full winter force with this soul warming carrot soup. For those of you in Melbourne I know you’ll appreciate the need for warming food right now, but I think it’s important to remember that we can still eat light and simple food. The Chermoula in the soup adds an amazing lemony, smokey flavour and melds perfectly with the sweetness from the carrots.

 

Ingredients

2kg          Carrots

1Tbsp      Chermoula

3Tbsp     Hazelnut oil

2               Onions

2 cloves  Garlic

2 Lt          Vegetable stock

1               Lemon (juiced)

Salt and pepper

 

To serve

Yoghurt

Hazelnuts (roasted)

Smoked salt (optional)

 

 

Peel carrots and chop into small pieces (around 3 cm).

Place the carrots in a roasting pan with 2 Tbsp of hazelnut oil and the chermoula. Toss to coat.

Roast the carrots for about 30 mins or until starting to char in places.

In a large saucepan sauté the onions in the remaining 1 Tbsp of hazelnut oil

Once the onions are soft add the garlic and cook for a further minute

Add the roasted carrots to the onions and cover with stock.

Cook until the carrots are soft.

Season with salt and pepper

Place soup in a blender and add the lemon juice

Blend until smooth.

 

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt, hazelnuts and smoked salt.

 

White Bean Puree, Parsley And Lemon

 

This recipe was inspired by Diana Henry and her book A Change Of Appetite. It has really got me thinking about how we eat.

When did coconut oil start to rule our cupboards and we all suddenly became afraid of olive oil and butter? I think that I had briefly become lost in the sugar free, butter free world of diet cookbooks, but I have seen the light now.

A Change Of Appetite really highlighted for me that we all need to invest a little time in to intelligent eating. Let food be simple once again and lets eat with the seasons as was intended.

 

White Bean Puree

Serves 4

2 cans       Cannellini Beans (rinsed)

1                 Onion

2 cloves    Garlic

1Tbsp        Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup     Vegetable stock

juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

parsley and lemon zest to serve

 

In a saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft

add the beans and stock and cook for 4 minutes.

add the lemon juice and using a blender, blend until smooth.

season

top with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

 

I served the puree with lamb cutlets which I cooked for 1 minute each side (medium rare) and snow pea tendrils.

Hot Toddy

The Hot Toddy hardly needs an introduction or a recipe but seeing as everyone seems to be a little under the weather at the moment (including myself) I thought id use this week as a little reminder that just a few humble ingredients can create a throat and soul soothing remedy.

 

Ingredients 

This is how I like mine but you can add more or less depending on your taste.

 

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp honey

1 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp whisky

500ml water

 

 

 

Method

Place the water and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and bring to the boil

Divide the rest of the ingredients between 2 cups

Discard the cinnamon stick and pour the water into the cups mixing well.

 

Best drunk just before bed.

 

 

Chocolate, Coconut And Goji Berry Bites

 

 

My very dear friend Christina made me these chocolates recently and I knew that I had to share the recipe with you!

She originally found the recipe on the beautiful blog and now book “My Darling Lemon Thyme” but added the Goji berries which I think adds a really great texture and colour to them.

 

Ingredients

3 cups             Desiccated coconut

1/2 cup           Goji Berries, plus 2 Tbsp extra chopped to decorate

3 Tbsp             Maple syrup

1/4 cup           Coconut oil, melted

250g               Dark chocolate

 

Method

• Mix together the Coconut Oil, Coconut, Maple Syrup and Goji Berries together until combined.
• Press the mixture firmly into chocolate moulds or ice cube trays making sure there are no gaps.
• Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Twist the moulds to release the coconut bites.
• Melt the chocolate and using 2 forks dip each coconut bite into the chocolate, coating evenly.
• Using the forks transfer each chocolate coated bite onto a tray lined with baking paper.
• Sprinkle the chopped Goji Berries on top of each bite.
• Leave the chocolate to set or place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Spiced Coconut Millet & Honey Roasted Figs.

 

Autumn really is such a beautiful time of year. Leaves litter the streets like jewels, the days are still light and warm but the nights cool enough to rock out the flannel sheets. And a glass of red becomes a necessity. but one of my favourite things has to be the abundance of beautiful figs. They turn deep purple and jammy and can be used in just about anything.

I have been working on a recipe for millet porridge for a while now as its such an interesting grain. It’s gluten free and super high in magnesium to help keep your heart healthy. I tend to eat this porridge for breakfast but call it a pudding and it can become a dessert fit for any cold Autumn night.

 

figs

4               figs

1 tbsp      honey

Preheat the oven to 180’C Cut the figs in half and place on a baking tray cut side up. drizzle the honey over the figs and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until soft and the honey has started to caramelise.

 

 

 

Porridge

Serves 4

1 cup            Millet, rinsed

2 1/2 cups     water

200ml            light coconut milk

1 tsp              ground cinnamon

1tsp               vanilla extract

1 tbsp            honey

zest of 1        lemon

 

In a saucepan bring the water to the boil and pour in the millet. turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for around 25 minutes. The millet should become fluffy like rice. Once cooked uncover and add the coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon and honey and cook for a further 2 minutes. Serve in a bowl topped with the figs and an extra drizzle of honey.

 

 

Laksa

 

This has to be one of my favourite week day dinners. It’s super quick, tasty and just makes me feel so god damn good when i eat it.

Now I’m here to tell you that i have spent many years searching for the perfect laksa paste and its official i have found it!!! “Chilliez Laksa Paste”. I buy it from “In The Pantry” on Commercial Road in South Yarra but I’m sure it’s available at most Asian supermarkets.

 

 

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

1 pack             “Chilliez” Laksa paste

2                      shallots finely sliced

4 heads            bok choy

3                     chicken breast diced (3cm)

1                     broccoli cut into florets

2 cans             light coconut milk

1/2 can          water

2 handfulls    bean sprouts

1 bunch          coriander

2                     red chillies finely sliced (optional)

4 bunches      rice noodles cooked to packet instructions

1 tbsp             fish sauce

salt

fried shallots

 

 

In a large sauce pan sauté off the shallots until soft then add the chicken and brown

Add the paste and fry for a minute

add the coconut milk and water and bring to a simmer

add the broccoli  and once it it almost cooked add the bok choy and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the bok choy is cooked

add the fish sauce and season with salt

place the rice noodles in the bottom of each bowl and top with bean shoots

spoon over the laksa and top with coriander, chilli and fried shallots.

WARNING: White tee shirts are not recommended to be worn.

 

Spiced Pumpkin And Tahini Yoghurt Salad

 

It’s getting cold in Melbourne so its time to add some pimping warm salads to the repertoire. Cold weather doesn’t have to mean heavy food, the spices in this pumpkin salad will warm up your soul! But the best bit.. Pumpkin is full of the immune-boosting provitamin beta-carotene and will help keep the flu away.  

I tend to eat this salad as a meal but would be equally as lovely as a side to some beautiful lamb cutlets.

Spiced pumpkin

 

1           butternut pumpkin 

1tsp      chilli flakes

1tsp      harissa paste

1/2 tsp  ground cumin seeds

salt and pepper

 

Tahini Yoghurt

1/2 cup natural yoghurt

juice of half a lemon

2 tsp    Tahini

salt and pepper

 

Flat leaf parsley

 

• Preheat the oven to 180’C
• Cut the pumpkin into 1cm slices and mix with spices and salt and pepper.
• place on an oven tray and into the oven for about 1/2 an hour or until pumpkin is cooked and slightly golden.
• Mix the yoghurt with the tahini, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
• lay the spiced pumpkin on a plate, spoon the tahini yoghurt over and finish with the parsley. 

 

 

Granola

For me breakfast has always been one of those pain in the arse meals that I know I should eat but always seems like a bit much effort. Well I am a changed lady as of late. I have been working on some amazing recipes that not only am I excited to eat and share but actually have more time in the morning because of. I know I’m probably a bit late to the party here, but people it’s all about prepping the night before!!

 

Here is a fabulous granola recipe that is going to get you going for the day, and keep you full until lunchtime.

Ingredients

 

 

You can use any nuts, seeds and dried fruits for this recipe. These are just the ones I happened to have in the cupboard. As dried fruits are quite full of natural sugars you will need to add them around halfway through the cooking process as they caramelize quite quickly.

 

300g               rolled oats

1/4 cup          sunflower seeds

1/4 cup          pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup          slivered almonds

1/4 cup          chopped walnuts

1/3 cup          dried apricots

1/3 cup          dried prunes

1/3 cup          currants

100ml             maple syrup

20ml               coconut oil

 

• Pre-heat oven to 180’C
• Line a baking tray with baking paper
• Mix together all ingredients except the dried fruits
• Spread out on the baking tray and bake for 15 mins
• Pull the baking tray out of the oven, add the dried fruits and give everything a mix
• Return to the oven for a further 10 mins
• Once cool break up and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

 

I serve my granola with natural yoghurt and berries but you could use milk or anything else you would like.