1kg Schnitzel Challenge

As mentioned in a previous post, myself and some friends went to The Austrian Schnitzelhaus in Erina. As well as a friendly get together, the main point of the night was to watch the boys attempt the 1kg Schnitzel Challenge; a monstrous 1kg of crumbed schnitty, chips and 1 litre of beer.

The rules were simple; finish it all in 1 hour. Sounds easy? Think again. I had high expectations that the 4 boys we were dining with would finish the challenge. However when the meal came out served on a platter, I was not so sure. An hour passed and all the boys had given the challenge a good go, but hadn't come anywhere close to finishing the food on their plates, and left feeling disappointed and 5kg heavier.

I ordered the Vienna Schnitzel; crumbed schnitzel with wedges of lemon, and a side order of Mushroom sauce. I was surprised at how delicious the meal was. The rich mushroom sauce was a winner with the schnitzel, and I left feeling satisfied. I enjoyed the vibe and interior of the restaurant, which really made you feel like you were dining in Austria. All in all a fun experience!

Paella

I love the Spanish dish Paella. It ticks all my boxes in what a fantastic meal should be; easy to throw together, versatile, tasty and heart warming, and it is ideal for the cooler months. I also love the fact that you can add pretty much anything you want to the combination of white rice and vegetables. I often add chicken to the pot, and once saffron and olive oil are added, a delicious aroma instantly fills the kitchen.

It's quite rare that I cook a Paella, so when I went out for lunch recently at the Caves Beachside Hotel and spotted a lady cooking up a massive pot of the steamy meal, I couldn't resist the temptation to order the dish. And I couldn't have been more happier with my decision. It was served up with a generous amount of seafood; large juicy prawns, squid, mussels and pieces of fish. It was absolutely delicious, and would have been perfect with a glass of white wine.

I've found a paella recipe from taste.com.au (which is one of my all time favourite websites for new recipes and inspirations), and I know it won't disappoint.

Seafood Paela

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 cups fish stock

1 teaspoon saffron threads

2 tablespoons olive oil

250g firm fish fillets (such as blue eye), cut into 2cm pieces

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups arborio rice

2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, diced

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

500g medium green king prawns, peeled, deveined

150g baby squid, cleaned, cut into 1cm-thick rings

12 mussels, scrubbed, debearded

2/3 cup frozen peas

1. Combine stock, 1 cup cold water and saffron in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Keep at a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 24cm (base) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook for 1 minute each side or until light golden. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add rice, tomatoes and paprika. Stir to combine. Using a spoon, spread mixture evenly over base of pan.
3. Add half the stock mixture to frying pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Shake pan to spread mixture across pan (do not stir). Reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until stock is absorbed.
4. Add prawns, squid and mussels, pressing into rice mixture. Add 1/2 cup stock mixture and cook until all liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, adding fish and peas with the last 1/2 cup stock (this will take 15 to 20 minutes). Remove from heat. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Season with pepper. Serve.

Succulent Seafood

With my parents travelling around Europe, I've had the opportunity to cook more dishes. Seafood is one of my favorite cuisines, it's so delicious and fresh and it's a lovely and healthy treat every once in awhile.

I had some spare time on my hands over the weekend and decided to cook an entree of Oysters Kilpatrick. I am sometimes a little iffy about eating raw oysters, I think it's the slimy mouth texture that gets me. But I adore cooked oysters, with Kilpatricks being on top of my list.

I purchased a dozen of these beautiful delights, and cooked up the dish which was a perfect start to the night. The combination of the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice provide the ultimate accompaniment to the cooked oyster and bacon slices. The parsley adds an element of freshness and completes the dish. Serve with extra lemon slices and you are in Heaven!

My Nanna invited myself and Jayce over for dinner last night and it was lovely to enjoy a home cooked Greek meal. She is so talented and her cooking is always unbelievable. For entree she cooked up fresh Garlic Prawns that melted in your mouth; olive oil, chilli, parsley, garlic and crusty bread.. sensational!

The Quest for the Perfect Eggs Benny

I absolutely love lazy Sunday mornings; sleeping in and relaxing, before heading to a nice cafe for a late breakfast. It has almost become a ritual for Jayce and myself, and as they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Since this weekly special date has taken off, we've both become obsessed with ordering Eggs Benedict and order it 95 percent of the time. There is something about those beautifully cooked runny eggs and the creamy hollandaise sauce that I die for. I prefer the smoked salmon over the ham, whereas Jayce is the opposite.

Our obsession with Eggs Benny has become almost dangerous as our expectations for the perfect dish have meant that we are often let down. On our endeavours, I have found the bee's knee's of Benedict - a beautiful cafe on Darby Street in Cooks Hill, Newcastle called Goldbergs Coffee House.  A generous serving of two toasted sourdough muffins topped with poached eggs and drizzled with a generous amount of sweet, tangy hollandaise sauce that melts in your mouth. Grilled tomatoes are an added extra to the plate, and this dish never fails to impress, I've brought my girlfriends along and they couldn't agree more.

We decided to save money one weekend and attempt cooking the dish ourselves, which turned out delicious (image beneath). I must admit it isn't easy achieving the combination of the perfect runny yet cooked egg, although it is good fun to give it a go!

Comfort Food

With Winter fast approaching, nothing beats a nice home cooked hearty meal to dig into after a hard day's work. I decided to surprise my boyfriend Jayce and cook him a lovely dinner, something I enjoy doing every so often when I get the chance.

Being of an Italian background, I'm used to growing up eating different varieties of pastas, and find that they are so easy to throw together yet the end experience is so rewarding. Almost anything in the pantry can be put into a saucepan to make a yummy sauce.

I decided to make a pasta with chorizo sausage, one of my favorites. When it comes to pasta, I prefer to not follow any recipes but rather include what I feel it needs. To the pan I added a few tins of diced tomatos, chilli flakes, black olives, chorizo sausage, eggplant and threw in some spinach leaves and parmesan towards the end. The aroma of the sauce cooking was mouth-watering, and the end result was a tasty and heart-warming pasta with just a little bit of a kick from the chilli.

The pasta sure did hit the spot, and although we were full as googs, I went ahead and made dessert as planned. What better end to the night then a home-made hot chocolate fudge sundae? I went all out with the contents of the sundae, and to the below recipe I added slices of warm banana, chocolate bits, and wafer biscuits. Food coma??!

Hot chocolate fudge sundae

• 2 1/2 tbs (50ml) chocolate sauce, plus extra to decorate the glass (see related recipe)
• 1 tbs chopped peanuts, plus extra to decorate the glass
• 2 small scoops chocolate ice-cream
• 2 small scoops vanilla ice-cream

Dip the rim of the sundae glass in the chocolate sauce, then dip in the chopped nuts. Place 1 scoop of each ice-cream into the glass, then add 1 tablespoon each of chocolate sauce and peanut butter sauce. Sprinkle over half the nuts, then repeat layers. Drizzle with the remaining chocolate and peanut sauces, top with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate flakes

ENJOY!

Schnitzel Madness

Nothing beats a good schnitzel. I've always been a massive fan of schnitty, it's such a versatile meal with never ending options for all tastebuds; grilled schnitzel, crumbed schnitzel, schnitzel with mushroom sauce, tomato sauce, eggplant parmiciana schnitzel, the list goes on. Throw it on a plate with salad, veggies or chips and Voila!, you've got the perfect meal for both Summer and Winter.

My personal favorite is crumbed schnitzel with freshly squeezed lemon juice poured over the top. Something about that tangy, warm, cripsy meat that melts in your mouth. It's always been a long tradition that Mum cooks up this delicious treat every so often, and pub schnitty's never seem to compare!

This evening I am going to The Austrian Schnitzelhaus in Erina (Sydney), with some friends and my boyfriend. The boys are taking part in the Schnitzel Challenge - 1kg of GIANT schnitzel with chips and a whopping 1kg of beer, all for $55. If the entire meal is completed within the hour, winners receive a free dessert (not that they'd have room to fit that in!), a t-shirt, and their photo put up on the 'Champions Wall of Fame'.

For the girls, there is a wide range of different schnitzel options. Some I have never heard of include the 'Cordon Bleu' schnitzel, which is stuffed with ham and swiss cheese, crumbed and shallow fried. I like the sound of the 'Italian Schnitzel', where the schnitzel is dipped into flour, egg and Parmesan cheese, pan fried and topped with a homemade Neopolitan sauce. Yum!

I think I'm going to stick with the healthier option and my all time favorite - the 'Vienna Schnitzel' - crumbed meat pan fried and served with lemon wedges, or I may go the 'Natural Schnitzel', which comes topped with Garlic & herb butter or Red wine sauce. Too many choices if you ask me!

Can't wait to see who finishes the challenges, who throws it all up, as well as try authentic Austrian Cuisine!