Hot Latin Lothario Tuna Wraps

Not so long ago, I attended weekly zumba classes with a friend who would travel 40 mins from the other side of town to partake of this vigorous pursuit.  There were at least dozens of zumba venues en route.  But this dear friend, a classically trained dancer, insisted that the choreography was flawless, the instructor's choice of music and his flair for simplifying the most complex dance maneouvres were unsurpassed.  I maintained that my regular attendance was motivated by the venue; a former discotheque with subdued lighting,  mirrored panels, revolving disco balls and flashing strobe lights.  It reminded  me of my halcyon days where dancing with abandon was a thrice weekly event.

But maybe, just maybe, the youthful, olive skinned Latin lothario with shamelessly exposed musculature instructing from a uber-elevated platform was the reason for our assiduous attendance....He was hot!  And so are these tuna creations made using hot paprika and chilli flakes.  Makes about  5.

2 tins of 185g tuna, unflavoured
1 tbs olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped finely
6 spring onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
large bunch of parsley chopped coarsely
salt and pepper to taste
lemon quarters
5 tortilla wraps

In a frypan, saute onions and garlic on medium heat, in olive oil till soft and golden.  Add other carrots,zucchini and spices and continue frying till softened and caramelised, probably another 10 mins.  Add the tuna breaking it up in the frypan with a fork  before scattering over a handful of parsley.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Turn off heat.

In meantime, in separate frypan or stovetop grill lightly coat surface with olive oil and heat tortilla  on both sides till browned and puffed.  Spread one-fifth of filling onto one side of tortilla, scatter some more fresh parsley and generous squeeze of lemon and roll up.  Serve hot with a glass of mojito with the strains of a latin score playing in the background.

Feta and Spinach Gozleme

I'm forever on the prowl for simple, delicious vegetarian recipes. This recipe for a type of spinach and cheese pastry is of Turkish origin, and is lighter than the traditional baked variety which is saturated in butter and oil (which I hasten to add is very moorish). This is just as moorish as it's cooked on a hot charcoal plate or in a frypan after being caressed with a slick of olive oil. There are gozleme stalls at street markets in Melbourne and I marvel at how the women roll out the pastry till it's almost transparent. My mum is very adept at that and uses a long piece of dowel and she rotates the ever enlarging circle as she rolls. And as it gets thinner, she coils it round the dowel and with a swift flick of her wrists it unravels into a fine circular pastry. One needs to see it being done and practice, practice, practice!  And experimentation with the filling is endorsed.  When zucchini is in season and it's plentiful, use 2 grated medium zucchini instead of the spinach.
 
Another asset of this fine recipe is that it is portable.  Great for picnics!   This recipe is from Janelle Bloom's fast, fresh and fabulous. Makes 4 large gozlemes.

 3^1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

2 tsp salt

^1/3 cup olive oil

360ml lukewarm water

Olive oil to brush over

Lemon wedges, to serve

 
Filling

1 tbs olive oil

1 large brown onion

2 large garlic cloves

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 tbs chopped mint

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Grinding or two of pepper

120g spinach leaves

200g feta, crumbled

50g extra tasty cheese

 

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.  Combine the oil and water and pour into the flour. Use a flat bladed knife to stir until combined.  Turn onto a well-floured surface and knead until it forms into a smooth and elastic ball.  Place in plastic freezer bag and set aside to rest for 20 mins.

For the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  And onions and garlic and cook 3 – 5 mins till softened and golden.  And spinach and herbs and spices and cover briefly till wilted.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheeses.  Let cool.

Preheat a barbecue plate on high until hot.  Roll one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 3mm thick, 20 – 30cm rectangle.  Spread one quarter of the filling onto half of the dough.  Fold over the dough and press lightly to seal.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Brush the top with olive oil.  Reduce bbq heat to medium-low.  Place two gozlemes oil side down onto bbq plate and cook for 3 -4 mins until golden.  Brush with oil, turn over and barbecue a further 3 – 5 mins until golden. Cut into wedges and serve with lemon quarters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wright's peach, coconut and chocolate parfait

I like to start the day with a poem. Poetry enriches the soul, excites the spirit, quietens anxieties...anyway that is what I try to instill in my children as they sit at the breakfast table fidgeting and playing with their Weetbix. One of my favourite poets is Judith Wright - her poetry is infused with an extraordinary lyrical elegance which reveals her intimate connection to humanity and the earth. She was an ardent conservationist and supporter of indigenous rights up until her death at age 85 in 2000. It is worth further delving into her bio as she is a truly marvellous artist from our history. Anyway, the poem 'South of my days' haunted me today. It contains the beautiful lines,

"Seventy years of stories he clutches round his bones.

Seventy years of summers are hived in him like old honey..."

The sweetness of honey inspired me to create this dessert when our wonderful friends Eva and John visited. It's made up of a coconut cake, tinned peaches, whipped cream and chocolate almond biscotti. The coconut cake was supposed to be baked in a Gugelhopf tin to make it look pretty, but I didn't have one of those. I baked it in a large square tin and so when I bought it to be laid on the dessert table of a large family event, probably 100 guests, only a couple took a slice. And they were my husband and my mother-in-law! It really didn't look very appealing. But it was very coconutty and it is perfect with a cup of tea...or cut up and used as a base for a parfait in a martini glass. The coconut cake recipe is from Janelle Bloom's "fast, fresh and fabulous".  She also makes a passionfruit glaze which of course, coupled with being baked in a Gugelhopf, would only augment it’s pulchritude!

Happy New Year dear readers, may it be a year filled with many honey-like moments….

Coconut cake   serves 10
2^1/3 cups desiccated coconut
1 ^2/3 cups caster sugar
2 ½ cups SR flour
2 ^2/3 cups coconut milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 170⁰.  Grease a 2 – litre Gugelhopf pan or very large square tin.

Combine coconut, sugar and flour in a large bowl.  In another large bowl, beat coconut milk eggs and vanilla.  Stir into the dry ingredients.  Spoon mixture into prepared tin, smoothing the top. 

Bake cake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Stand for 10 mins before turning onto a wire rake to cool.

At this point it can be iced with your favourite glaze.  Save about a quarter for the parfait.
…
To assemble parfait for 6
300ml whipped cream
Large tin of peaches in syrup
4 chocolate almond biscotti, crumbled coursely
Chocolate sauce (heat over gentle heat 200 g of milk and dark chocolate with 200ml of cream until melted)
A wedge of coconut cake

Cut up the coconut cake into 5 cm squares and place at the base of 6 martini glasses.  Pour some syrup from the peach tin over to soak.  Place about 5 peach slices over the soaked coconut cake then a huge dollop or two of whipped cream for each glass. 

Place in fridge till ready to serve.  Just before serving sprinkle over the biscotti.  With sweet abandon, pour over hot chocolate sauce.