Brunch/Lunch #2: Corn Fritters w/ Bacon and Avocado

As previously mentioned, given my lack of enthusiasm for eggs in their purest form, Corn Fritters are my benchmark brunch. The thing I will naturally gravitate towards when deciding whether a venue warrants making it into the breakfast 'rotation policy'. The best I've found are from Replete in Kew, and that's due in no small part to the accompaniments - avocado and crispy Istra bacon (ohhh yeah), as well as a home-made tomato chutney and sour cream. I've had other versions with slow-roasted tomatoes, ratatouille, and I may have even seen some with smoked salmon.

My own interpretation (one of my absolute favourite recipes) is based on that in Bill Granger's Sydney Food, with the addition of some creamed corn in place of a little of the milk, which I think means you can taste the sweetcorn better right through the fritter. [You can of course puree some of the fresh corn and milk together before adding to the mix for much the same effect]. Personally, I like my fritters to be crispy, but not too egg-y.

Strangely, I was slightly disappointed in the dish itself when I actually ate it at bills in Sydney, but again, that could have just been the accompaniments. Definitely the worst example I've ever had (at a place in Manly, clearly something about Sydney and this dish) fell into this trap, and looked more like an omelette than anything else...

INGREDIENTS

(makes 12 medium-sized fritters, served 4 people)

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

200ml creamed corn
Kernels from 1 large corn-on-the=cob

1/2 cup diced red pepper (capsicum)
1/2 cup sliced spring onions (white and green parts)
1/4 cup chopped coriander and parsley
4 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt and Black Pepper

To accompany

Crispy Bacon

1 diced ripe avocado

Sour Cream

Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

METHOD

• Sift flour, baking powder, salt and paprika into a large bowl, stir in sugar and make a well in the centre.
• In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk.
• Gradually add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter will be quite stiff.

• Place corn, capsicum, spring onions and herbs in a mixing bowl and add just enough batter to lightly bind them (about 3/4 cup).
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a non-stick fying pan on medium heat, then drop in 2 tablespoons of batter or oil per fritter and cook 3 or 4 fritters at a time.
• Cook for 2 minutes, or until the underside of each fritter is golden.
• Turn over and cook fritters on the other side.
• Transfer to a plate and keep warm while cooking the remaining batter.

ASSEMBLY

• Drizzle sweet chilli sauce onto plate.
• Layer fritters with half rashers of bacon, and top with diced avocado, a teaspoon of sour cream, and another half rasher of bacon.
• Scatter with chopped fresh parsley.

Notes from Bill: The fritter batter can be kept for up to 3 days, but do not mix the batter with the vegetables more than an hour before you're ready to cook, or the fritters will be soggy.

Passionate about Food: The Early Years

Food is a very important part of my life. It is far more than just fuel, more something to be enjoyed at all stages of interaction with it - growing it (if you have the set-up to do so), shopping for it, cooking it and eating it. I struggle to understand those who don't take pleasure in it, those who claim that they are 'too busy' to take an interest, and those who think it's all just too much of a chore. (I wish I had my copy of Bad Food Britain with me in Australia so that I could quote some stats).

I remember being taught how to bake simple things (Rock Cakes, Scones, Shortbread) at Primary School at around 5/6 years old. From memory, it was a rotating collective of Mothers who would take groups of us, help us mix the ingredients, and load our efforts into a small oven. I can remember feeling very proud when I brought home the fruits of my labour to my family at the end of the day, and angry if my biscuits burnt. There was also trips to both sets of grandparents (thats me in the middle with Nanna Vi on the left, and Nanny Joan on the right), where there always being some kind of baked goods on offer. And as I learnt recipes at school, I'd recreate them at my Nanna's on the weekend, with my cheese scones being a particular specialty (and Colmans Mustard Powder the secret ingredient.). And I always had good role models - my paternal grandfather did all the cooking after my Nan had a heart attack at 50 because he didn't want her to push herself into another, and my Dad and brother are both keen cooks.

At Secondary School, we had a choice of which 'technology' subject to study at GSCE, with the options being CDT (Woodwork, Metalwork and the like), Art, Graphics, Textiles or Food Technology (aka a modernised Home Economics). Having inherited absolutely zero of my (Mechanical Engineer) Dad's manual dexterity , and not being able to draw for shit, I went for the later. From memory, there were three or four boys in a class of just over twenty. We entered the 'Challenge Colmans' contest, making, creating, and marketing a brand new product (ours was a tomato salsa called "It's Hot!" back in 1994 [before Old El Paso had really taken off]), and made up new chocolate bars (mine was remarkably like the Cadbury's Fuse Bar, again, before it launched in 1996). I like to think I was ahead of the curve, and that someone was secretly watching our class and stealing our ideas....

However, for me, the thing that I remember most was recreating a supermarket microwave meal using ingredients from scratch (mine being some kind of cream-based pasta dish), and then doing a taste test. Of course, the homecooked dish won virtually every time for everyone in the class, and I think it was this that made an indelible mark on me.

Years on, we've seen Jamie Oliver attempt to overhaul School Dinners, and teach basic cookery skills to those who think heating up a plastic tray of slop is "making dinner". And now we have the supposed resurgence (in Australia) of Home Cooking, no doubt led in part by households cutting back on eating out in economically challenging times, and spurred on by the phenomenon that is Masterchef Australia and it's assorted imitators. And all of a sudden, we're starting to hear of children wanting to get involved, so much so that Channel 10 are to launch a kids version of the show. I'm curious as to exactly how this will pan out in reality, and whether it'll just be full of precocious little brats from wealthy inner-suburban backgrounds messing around with wagyu, or whether it'll represent an wider spectrum and thus have a greater potential to have a greater social impact (I can but dream). Because it's the influences around us that shape our views on food...the grandparents who let us help make biscuits when we're kids, the trips to the supermarket with your parents, and the shows we see on TV...

Melbourne vs Sydney

Melbourne. You know I love you. Some would say it's unhealthy how much I rave about you, like I've joined some kind of cult. And don't get me started about Sydney, because although it's undeniably a beautiful, spectacular city, it's just not 'me'. Melbourne is, and others have come up with much better analogies as to why. I don't need to say any more than that.

But I'm come to realise that whilst Melburnians operate with one eye on Sydney, constantly trying to assert themselves via various differential points (sport, culture, food, coffee etc), I really don't think Sydneysiders give a toss the other way. It's the classic Little Brother Syndrome, even though in pure population terms, there isn't much difference. Melbourne likes to look at Sydney as being a shallow, flashy, attention seeker, and yet can't resist the urge to try and score points in a similar vein. In a way, it derides Sydney for being how it is, and then sometimes acts like an attention-seeking brat, throwing a tantrum that visitors get seduced by the Harbour City.

Case in point, an article in todays Age, reporting a study commissioned by the Victorian Government (therefore hardly likely to be the most objective), of which the summary is "look at all these things people think Melbourne is better than Sydney for". To me, this just seems like petty points scoring on the part of politicians, and The Age has come along for the ride. Flicking through today's paper, I saw at least two or three other occasions where the writer could not pass up on the opportunity to have another sly dig at their 'competitor' over the border in New South Wales.

I like to paint Sydney as the pantomime villain, as do most others down here. Hell, when in Sydney, I even have a habit of keeping score out loud as to why I prefer Melbourne. It's fun. But maybe Melbourne needs to be more comfortable in its own skin and stop looking over the border at Sydney.

Lunch #2 - Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta with Red Onion Hummus

Another tried-and-tested lunch option that is also perfect to take on picnics. It's also another of those recipes that I can't help but change slightly every time I make it. Sometimes it's to substitute the Red Onions for Aubergine (or Eggplant) in the hummus, or maybe just to change the spices slightly.

This entry is dedicated to someone who I apparently "terrify" by having a (predominately) food blog...

INGREDIENTS

Hummus Base

1 can drained chickpeas
3 or 4 tbs Tahini
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
3 red onions

fresh thyme

drizzle of honey

drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Loads of olive oil to get to the right consistency
a good shake/squeeze of Tabasco, harissa or some other chilli sauce

pinch of cumin

Roasted Vegetables

2 courgettes, in large dice

1 large red pepper (capsicum) or 2 smaller ones, cut to same size as courgettes

1 large green pepper (capsicum) or 2 smaller ones, cut to same size as courgettes

1 small aubergine/eggplant

3 ripe tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

glug of olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

Freshly chopped flat parsley and lemon juice to garnish

METHOD

1. First, cut the red onion for the hummous into smallish wedges. Drizzle with oil, honey, balsamic vinegar and thyme and roast in a low over for approximately 30 mins until caramelised. Leave to cool.

2. Add all other hummus ingredients into a food processor, and blend until smooth, gradually adding olive oil until the right consistency is reached.

3. Add the cooled roasted onions and process again until smooth. Set to one side in the frigde.

4. For the roasted vegetables, dice all ingredients into similar sized pieces, drizzle with oil and roast at 180c for approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

5. When cooked, scatter with flat parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

6. For bruschetta, cut slices of ciabatta or other similar bread and rub with a cut clove of garlic. Spray lightly with olive oil, and chargrill until slightly toasted.

ASSEMBLY

1. Spread toasted bread lightly with a tablespoon of hummus. Top with large spoonful of vegetables, and a small dollop of hummus. Scatter with more parsley if desired.