In the mood for Mexican? Try out this recipe for an agave glazed halloumi, created by head chef of St. Alma Freshwater, Tim Christensen.
Agave glazed halloumi
Halloumi
3 50g slices
Agave Glaze
200 ml agave
100 ml white wine vinegar
1 long red chilli (deseeded if less heat preferred)
Nut Salsa
50 g walnuts
50 g coconut flakes
50 g almonds
Halloumi
Slice halloumi into pieces around 1cm thick.
Coat with a little bit of olive oil and throw in some fresh thyme. Leave to marinate.
Agave glaze
Combine 200ml of the agave syrup and 100ml of the vinegar in a hard based pot, and throw in the chilli.
Reduce until the syrup is slightlybrown and reduced by about 1/4.
Nut Salsa
Toast the nuts with a pinch of salt.
Transfer to a food processor and blitz for 2-3 seconds, keeping nuts chunky. If not using food processor, chop with knife or beat with rolling pin while wrapped in a towel.
Cooking and combining
Heat up a non-stick pan and add a bit of oil, just below smoking point.
Fry the halloumi, pouring the in the thyme and marinade. Aim for a good colour on both sides.
Transfer to a plate, and combine with agave glaze and nut salsa.
Always try to find a Halloumi made in Cyprus with a mixture of goats and sheep’s milk. Halloumi has a protected destination of origin in the EU and although this has not completely carried over into Australia, you will generally find markings on products from Cyprus. You can find some nice Australian made artisanal halloumi in high quality fromageries and markets. As a general rule, halloumi made locally in Australia is made from 100% cow’s milk and has a different taste and texture.
You can have too much of a good thing, but not when it comes to avocados or guacamole, if you ask me! Today, we’re celebrating the fact hass avocados are back in season by bringing you not one but three ways with guac; a trio of guac if you will. What’s not to like?!
Avocado-edamame guacamole with rice crisps
This twist on the classic guac is full of excellent Japanese flavours – think ginger and sesame, with the requisite heat in the form of togarashi, a type of Japanese chilli powder. If you don’t feel like making the rice crisps, you could serve with another store-bought cracker for dipping instead. Serves 4-6 as a snack.
1 cup frozen podded edamame, thawed
2 ripe Hass avocadoes, halved, stones removed, flesh scooped out and coarsely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 spring onion, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Togarashi or chilli powder, to taste
Rice crisps
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
6 small rice paper rounds (see note)
Togarashi, to season
To make the rice crisps, heat 3-4cm oil in a medium saucepan to 180°C – if you don’t have a thermometer, you can check the temperature by heating the oil until it begins to shimmer, then drop a small piece of rice paper into the oil. If it bubbles up and rises to the surface, the oil is ready. Shallow-fry rice paper rounds, one at a time, for 30 seconds until puffed and crisp. Remove with tongs and drain on a tray lined with paper towels. Season to taste with salt and togarashi. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Blanch edamame in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute until just tender, drain and refresh under cold running water. Shake off any excess water, then combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Coarsely crush with a fork to mix and combine and season to taste with sea salt and togarashi. Transfer to a serving bowl, scatter with spring onion, sesame seeds and extra togarashi and serve with rice crisps.
Note: the rice paper used here is the same you’d use for Vietnamese rice paper rolls. You can find them in the Asian section of most supermarkets, and from specialist Asian grocers.
Classic Mexican guacamole
Who doesn’t love guac? The key to success is to allow the flavours to absorb a little, then adjust the seasoning – it may take more lime juice, chilli and salt than you think. Corn chips are the classic dipping accompaniment, but you could also serve with lengths of cucumber, carrot and celery to dip into it too. Serves 4-6.
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, stones removed
1 small ripe tomato, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
Juice of 2 limes, or to taste
½ cup coarsely chopped coriander, plus extra to serve
Corn chips, to serve
Scoop the Hass avocado flesh into a large bowl, add tomato, onion, garlic, chilli, lime juice, 1 tsp sea salt and season with black pepper. Mash together roughly with a fork. Stand for 5 minutes for the flavours to develop and absorb, then check for seasoning again, adding extra chilli, lime juice or salt if required. Stir in coriander, scatter with extra coriander and serve with corn chips.
Minty Indian-style guacamole
Try this spicy, minty-fragrant take on guacamole for a change – the pappadams are perfect for scooping. We’ve shallow-fried the pappadams, but if you prefer you could cook them in the microwave. Serves 4-6.
3 ripe Hass avocados, halved, stones removed, flesh scooped out and coarsely chopped
½ cup Greek-style natural yoghurt
½ cup mint leaves, plus extra to serve
Juice of 2 limes, or to taste
1 long green chilli, coarsely chopped, plus extra thinly sliced, to serve
2 tsp ground cumin, plus extra to serve
Cumin-spiced pappadams
½ tsp each ground cumin and chilli powder
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
10 small pappadams
To make the cumin-spiced pappadums, combine cumin, chilli powder and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl. Heat 3-4cm oil in a medium saucepan to 180°C – if you don’t have a thermometer, you can check the temperature by heating the oil until it begins to shimmer, then drop a small piece of pappadam into the oil. If it bubbles up and rises to the surface, the oil is ready. Shallow-fry pappadams, one at a time, for 20-30 seconds until puffed and crisp. Remove with tongs and drain on a tray lined with paper towels. Season to taste with the cumin salt. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Combine Hass avocado, yoghurt, mint, lime juice, chilli, cumin and 1 tsp sea salt in a blender or food processor and blend until silky smooth. Stand for 5 minutes for flavours to absorb and develop, then check seasoning and adjust with extra chilli, lime juice or salt if required. Blend again to combine. Serve topped with extra mint leaves, sliced chilli and a little of the seasoning mixture from the pappadams, with cumin-spiced pappadams for dipping and scooping.
AVO TIP TIME: For the perfect ripe Hass, gently press near the top of the fruit. If it’s ripe the avocado will give a little. If it’s not quite ready leave on the bench for 1-3 days. To keep a ripe avocado that bit longer, store the whole avocado in the fridge to maintain optimum ripeness for 2-3 days. A cut avocado can also be sprinkled with lemon or lime juice and sealed in cling/beeswax wrap, or a sealed container, to prevent the flesh from browning.
This fantastic, filling and wholesome recipe will give you a delicious balance of nutrients to help fuel your day. Your body will love the healthy fats from avocados, the slow burning carbohydrates from the sweet potato and the gorgeous fibre hit from the chilli. The best bit is that it’s ready to eat in just 15 minutes. It was created by dietitian Lyndi Cohen for Australian Avocados.
Serves 4 | Prep 5 minutes | Cook time 10 minutes
Ingredients
2-3 avocados (If your avocado is firm, it will be ready in a couple of days. To ripen, store in the fruit bowl and then pop in the fridge to keep at the perfect ripeness for two to three days. You can speed up ripening by popping it in a paper bag with a banana.)
4 small sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Mexican taco spice
1 tin (400g) black beans (drained)
1 tin (400g) lentils (drained)
1 tin (400g) corn kernels (drained)
1 tin (400g) diced tomato
200mL water
1 lime, to serve
Method
Add olive oil, black beans, lentils, corn, tomatoes, water and spice mix to a large saucepan and cook on medium-high for 10 minutes or until reduced.
Meanwhile, puncture the sides of the sweet potato six times with a fork. Place in the microwave for 8-10 minutes or until soft. The sweet potato can also be baked – place on a sheet pan, cover with foil and bake at 180C for 1 hour or until tender.
To serve, cut open the sweet potatoes. Fill with chilli and top with avocados. Serve with lime (optional).
Note: This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. This recipe is vegetarian friendly.
Everybody loves taco night! This lip-smacking recipe from Williams-Sonoma is a mash-up of Asian and Latin American cuisines; a fresh, crunchy slaw is paired with tender short ribs and a slightly spicy sauce. Don’t be intimidated by the varied list of ingredients – once you marinate the short ribs overnight, the slaw comes together in no time!
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the short ribs:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake or water
3 tbsp dark sesame oil
6 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 white onion, cut into large chunks
1 ripe pear, cored and shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
750 g boneless beef short ribs, thinly sliced
For the dressing:
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
3 green onions
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
For the slaw:
2 cups shredded cos lettuce
2 cups shredded red cabbage
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh coriander, tough stems removed
2 green onions, white and tender green parts only
For the sriracha cream:
1 tsp sriracha
3 tbsp sour cream
12-to-14 flour or corn tortillas, warmed
Method
To make the marinade, in a large bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sake (or water), sesame oil, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, white onion, pear and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.
Add the beef to the bowl and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
When you are ready to cook, remove the beef from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the barbecue or a grill pan on high.
While the barbecue is heating, make the dressing for the slaw. In a food processor, combine the coriander, green onions, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey and salt. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and process until well blended. Set aside.
Coat the barbecue grate lightly with cooking spray. Using tongs, arrange the beef on the grate directly over the heat and cook, turning once, until nicely grill-marked and cooked to the desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Using the tongs, transfer the white onion from the bowl to the grate directly over the heat and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until soft. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. (Discard the marinade.)
To make the slaw, in a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cabbage, radishes and coriander. Chop the green onions coarsely and toss them into the bowl. Add the dressing to the slaw to taste; toss to combine, tasting as you go.
In a separate small bowl, make the sriracha cream by stirring together the sriracha and sour cream. Stir half of the sriracha cream into the slaw.
To assemble, fill the tortillas with the beef and onion, and top with a few big pinches of the slaw. Serve immediately. Pass the extra sriracha cream at the table for drizzling.
–Adapted from Williams-Sonoma’s Taco Night, by Kate McMillan.
This recipe comes from food stylist & nutritional medicine student Rosie, from The Rosedog Blog.
“Eggs are a great protein and potassium fix which is great for recovery after sport, they fill you up and help repair damaged tissues and cells and to maintain a healthy immune system. Chickpeas are a nutritional powerhouse. Full to the brim of protein, fibre, B-vitamins, iron, potassium and are also low in fat. They can help support healthy digestion, and have slow release energy thanks to their low GI (great for people suffering from diabetes). Cooked tomatoes are high in the phytonutrient lycopene which helps fight heart disease. Overall, a nutritiously balanced brekkie. Get sharing it with your buddies. They’ll love you for it.”
Ingredients
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
½ Tsp turmeric powder
½ Tsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2 chillis, finely chopped
1 Tin chickpeas, drained and washed
1 tin diced tomatoes
½ tin water
1 Tbsp honey
Sea salt & pepper
4 Eggs
¼ cup parmesan
½ cup torn basil leaves (to serve)
1 cup Greek yoghurt (to serve)
Method
Preheat oven to 180c. Have an oven proof roasting tray ready to go. Grab a large frying pan, heat coconut oil. Add onions and fry until soft and fragrant. Add red capsicum and let it fry for 5 minutes to soften.
Add turmeric, cumin and paprika powder and toss. Before adding chilli and garlic. Let all of the flavours amalgamate for 5 or so minutes.
Add chickpeas, tomatoes, water and honey and bring to the boil they let it simmer.
Season to taste this with salt and pepper and a little more honey if its too tart.
Pour tomato mix into oven proof roasting tin. Make 4 holes for the 4 eggs. Carefully crack each egg into each hole. Finish off with good grating of parmesan and pepper.
Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with torn basil leaves on top, cooling Greek yoghurt and some sourdough toast, or guacamole to bulk out the dish.
Have you ever fried an avocado? Thought not! What better time to try it than on Foodie FRIEDay? Ok so we’re feeling a little silly here today – maybe it’s the sizzling heat, or maybe it’s just this delicious-looking recipe from Williams-Sonoma.
Every cook worth their weight will tell you to avoid cooking avocados, as they can become bitter. But somehow, the panko coating and the fast pan-frying overcome this problem here. And seriously, how delicious do these golden-crumbed slices look? This recipe offers a great meat-free taco option, and makes the perfect summertime treat.
Australian Hass avocados are wonderful right now – look for skin that is almost purple-black, and fruit that is tender at the stem end (but not too soft all over). Panko crumbs are Japan’s answer to breadcrumbs (but crunchier and more delicious) and are readily available from most good supermarkets and Asian grocers. Of course you can use coarse dried breadcrumbs in their place.
STYLING TIPHere’s a handy tip for tacos: lay the tortillas out flat, on a large board, and top with the filling and salad, drizzle with the dressing and scatter over extra herbs and chilli slices for a beautiful, mouthwatering presentation. Then everybody can fold their own as they lift it from the board – and eat without delay (no problems there). Do you have an avocado-addict in your life? This handy tool http://www.williams-sonoma.com.au/stainless-steel-avocado-tool makes a great stocking-stuffer and is the perfect size to take to the office for those classic avo-on-toast desk breakfasts, too.
Ingredients
For the salad:
3 tsp olive oil
1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 cups (350 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the rest:
2 eggs
1/4 cup (40 g) plain flour
1 cup (125 g) panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 firm but ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup (160 g) sour cream
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
8 to 10 flour or corn tortillas, warmed
Method
To make the salad, in a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp of the olive oil. Add the jalapeño and sauté just until soft, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, add the tomatoes and drizzle in the remaining 1 tsp olive oil. Add the coriander, season with salt and pepper, and toss to mix well. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
To fry the avocados, set up an assembly line: In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Put the flour in a second shallow bowl next to the eggs and season well with salt and pepper. Put the panko in a third bowl next to the flour. Dip an avocado wedge into the egg, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Next, dredge the avocado in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Finally, coat the avocado in the panko, making sure to cover on all sides. (Pat the coating gently to help it adhere, if needed.) Transfer to a plate. Repeat to coat the remaining avocado wedges.
In a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches as needed to avoid crowding, fry the avocados, carefully turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
In a bowl, stir together the sour cream and lemon juice and season with salt. To assemble, fill the tortillas with the avocados, dividing them evenly, and top with a scoop of the tomato salad. Serve immediately, passing the lemony sour cream at the table for drizzling.
Serves 4.
—Head to Williams-Sonoma for lots more inspiration, or book a cooking class in their Sydney Cooking School – it makes the perfect Christmas gift for your favourite foodie.
The Mexican trend seems to be in no way slowing down. From the cactus on your desk to the pineapple cushion on your bed, the interiors world has most definitely gone loco for Mexico! So to celebrate, Typo have launched a fun, fiesta-inspired range that is perfect for your home and office.
The range includes Mexican tile desk mats, bright paper lanterns, faux-cacti and textured enamel crockery that will bring your taco-fuelled feast to life. While Mexican tile wall hangers, chevron-printed journals, mixed in with pom pom-clad pencil cases and faceted green ceramic pen holders, will revamp your workspace. Last but certainly not least, faux ram skulls, Aztec cushions, stacked hex shadow boxes and brightly coloured photo frames will be the ideal choice to liven up your lounge room.
Typo’s Desk Fiesta range is available now with prices starting at $4.95.
There really is something for everyone in the latest range from Have You Met Miss Jones with several key trends covered off. “We have created this new collection from inspiration around the world,” says creative director Jen Sampson. “We always try and offer a diverse and global perspective to our ranges, taking cues from the simplest of materials like wood carving and clay pottery; artisanal handicrafts that are as old as time and applying these to today’s trends and colour palettes.
“The ability to create new and unique looks from across our portfolio of products is what gives the team here at HYMMJ the biggest thrill. We love pulling together existing pieces and adding chic new items, creating a whole updated story that is collected and curated, just like our customers do at home.”
Using the fun and colourful Mexican Fiesta as a leaping off point, they played with saturated reds, pinks and yellows. The Mexican look includes an Otomi and Aztec print series that have been popular and a new skull lamp which is flying off the shelves.
Then kinfolk trend sees earthy tones of wood, browns, green, faux bois, bone china and a new metal range of copper and enamel boxes. “The copper range is selling out as fast as we can re-stock it!”
Jen says they always like to have some kind of nautical presence in their ranges as it’s a key look within Australia and reflects our casual lifestyle. “This season, we have added a popular anchor vase and whale lamp which people are loving. We have played with new materials and developed a rope cage lamp that can be hung or knotted on a surface. It imbues a casual industrial luxe which is always trending.”
This range will be available from mid September with the rope lights available from November.
A fusion of modern ideas with a traditional hand crafted finish; Viva La Franki is the culmination of Australian designs developed in association with Mexican artisans.
Having honed their craft in the villages of Mexico and South America for many centuries, the ancient skills of these local artisans have been given a modern twist and transformed into beautiful pieces that can be used for everyday living.
Viva La Franki’s 2014 range has been inspired by the colours of Mexico, and captures what it means to live in Mexico through a colourful array of furniture, skulls, crosses, and glassware. Every single item has been developed with the type of passion that only comes from Latin America, and will bring a certain Viva feeling (the Spanish word for alive) to your decor.
Founded by Ben Lafranchi after a trip to Mexico in 2012, the store has come a long way from its first pop up store in October 2013, now wholesaling to boutiques across Australia and selling online.
From interiors to food, Mexico is the country of the moment, but these days it’s less pineapple motifs and Tex-Mex and more authenticity and warmth.
Technē Architecture + Interior Design have created an interior that meets just this brief, designing new Mexican restaurant Fonda, in Flinders Lane, Melbourne. The new location is the third to join the Fonda family (alongside Windsor and Richmond), with the restaurant featuring bold, playful colours next to graphics by Luke Henley of Wild Hen Design, emphasising the festive Mexican vibe.
With a previous string of failed hospitality businesses in the existing space, Technē’s approach was to break down the large, 400 square metre tenancy, into more intimate spaces. Through a variety of dining experiences, like custom-made booths, banquettes and tables, this intimacy has been successfully created.
There is also a focus on authenticity, with the lighting scheme reflecting the power line compositions of suburban Mexico, as well as the rectangular pattern found in the original windows on levels two and three of the heritage site, similar to vernacular Mexican patterns found in buildings.
All of these components work together to enhance the feeling of being in a traditional Mexican Fonda; a Mexican home kitchen which sells food to the public. With this in mind, the end result of a casual, friendly space is a perfect match for the words behind the restaurant.
From the tropical beaches to the historically rich landmarks, Mexico has everything you would want in a holiday destination. The only problem, it’s on the other side of the world. So save yourself the airfare and bring Mexico to you!
Source: A Designer Spot
The Mexican interior design trend is all about glow, colour and heat. From a mix of earthy shades to vibrants, it is the handmade weaves, ceramic accessories and wrought iron ornaments that make the Mexican trend so well known. Icons are equally important, think the infamous Day of the Dead, native fruit and animal designs and the traditional floral patterns.
Below is a mix of Mexican imports and Mexican-inspired homewares that will transform your home.
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