Asian street food, in Noosa

 

I have been to a handful of Asian countries in my time, but one thing I haven’t experienced is ordering food from a

Leigh Darlington and Sophie Brown cooking up a storm at their street stall

street stall. I don’t really know why I’ve never done this, I certainly have always tasted the local cuisine, but it’s usually in a restaurant, with table service and wine! So when Leigh Darlington asked me to visit his Asian Street Food stall at the Eumundi Markets, I was eager to pay him a visit, if not to taste some of his delicious meals, but to learn more about Asian street food. Leigh and his girlfriend Sophie Brown have over 27 years’ experience as chefs between them, and run the stall each Wednesday and Saturday, as well as providing private catering. Each year the duo takes off on an Asian adventure, where they hunt down the best flavours to bring home and replicate, from Thailand to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. When they find something they like, they taste it to pick out the flavours and ingredients, as most street stall conveners don’t really speak a lot of English. Their market menu is short, but with variety, and is ever changing, and the flavours are what you would expect of a five-star restaurant, without the hefty price tag or a week-in-advance booking. Sophie and Leigh source just about all their ingredients locally, and even make most of their condiments, like the sweet chilli sauce, themselves.

Traditional Laab Gai

While I was there I tasted the Laab Gai with Sticky Rice, a traditional Laos dish, which had a wonderfully vibrant flavour, colour and texture. Other menu items include crispy braised pork, Vietnamese omelette, vegetable and vermicelli spring rolls (they’re huge!) and more, prices start at $4, or are no more than $10.50. If you want to book them for a private function, they have a whole range of other items to choose from. They must love what they do, because it is obviously time consuming and involves a lot of hard work, taking them at least a couple of hours just to set up their stall equipment. If you would like to learn more about Leigh and Sophie’s food, visit them at the Eumundi Markets, or go online to www.asianstreetfood.com.au

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Hospitality at Noosa Hospital

 

TEAMWORK: Karen Gopurenko and Julie McKenzie

For entrée tonight you can enjoy French onion soup, Moroccan fish with grilled tomato for main and tiramisu with coffee cream for dessert. That is, if you’re dining at Noosa Hospital.

I was recently brainstorming ideas for my food column on twitter, when Noosa Hospital’s chief executive office and avid twitter user Oli Steele tweeted me to suggest I visit Noosa Hospital to learn the ‘ins and outs’ of hospital catering.

It’s no secret people whinge about hospital food, but I wonder if they would if they knew the effort and science behind it. And really, when you’re talking baked Moroccan fish and tiramisu – is it really that bad?

Along with Oli, I met catering manager Karen Gopurenko and dietician Julie McKenzie, who have both worked at the hospital for well over a decade. They work very closely to ensure their patients receive nutritious food, and it’s almost as if they cater to their every whim.

It’s obvious Karen and Julie care about their patients, going above and beyond to provide not only the necessities, but a range of choices – gone are the days of ‘get what your given’ in hospital.

About 11 catering staff prepare anywhere between 450 and just over 900 meals a day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon teas, plus supper. Karen says it is usually about 700 meals a day.

On top of catering for a variety of different tastes, celiacs, vegetarians and diabetics, Julie and Karen must consider the needs of people who have had operations and those with limited appetite. Julie said they even cater for some medications, including antibiotics, which affect taste buds, plus loss of appetites from things like shortness of breath.

Do they need a high protein diet, or high calorie? Have they had a wound repair, do they have a high temperature? What if they’ve had part of their bowel or stomach removed? How do you get nutrition into soft food?

Could you imagine having to think about this for 13 hours a day? I’ve worked with some chefs who’ve complained if a customer asks for no tomato on their BLT and I’m afraid they could not hack it in a hospital kitchen. It takes someone who cares, someone who wants to learn and constantly update their skills, and someone who is easy to get along with and Karen and Julie are the perfect example of this.

So next time you want to complain about hospital food, perhaps you should think about what it took to get it in front of you.

Outrigger is a Sunday lunch oasis

In the last few week’s I’ve started to feel as though Sunday’s aren’t as relaxing as they used to be. Well at least the mornings, now that my son Jahman

Outrigger’s seafood platter for two

has started nippers, I’ve said good-bye to my traditional Sunday sleep in and hello to Sunshine Beach at 7.45am! I don’t mind though, because what better way to start the day then to enjoy it at the beach? I’ve found starting early on a Sunday actually makes the weekend longer and more enjoyable, especially when you spoil yourself for a Sunday lunch.

I was recently invited to spend my afternoon lounging around on Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort and Spa’s low-rise lounges, soaking in the stunning views (we were blessed with a gorgeous day), while enjoying a seafood lunch.

Over the warmer months View on Little Hastings Restaurant will cook up a fresh seafood storm with their Sunday Seafood and Sauvignon lunch.

I have a lot to say about this lunch, but most importantly is the unbelievable value – it’s $129 for two people to enjoy hot and cold seafood over three courses, plus a bottle of sauvignon blanc.

Often hot and cold seafood platters feature more hot food, than cold, and it’s usually deep-fried, which is occasionally nice, but I really love it when chefs put in a little more effort, which you will find here.

Not a piece of battered fish in sight! Hoorah! Their version of prawns, was skewed and wrapped in pancetta and the scallops came with hazelnut butter, and the only thing that appeared to be deep fried was some beautiful prawn and calamari pakora, plus the soft shell crab. The cold part included kingfish sashimi and freshly shucked oysters. There oysters were beautiful, and while I know they are often served on salt at a warmer temperature, but I prefer mine to be served on ice and very cold – and if that is the only gripe I have, they’ve done pretty well, and I know many people prefer them like that.

This was followed with perfectly cooked steamed mussels with basil and white wine and Moreton Bay bugs – both perfectly cooked and delicious.

Needless to say I didn’t eat dinner that night!

This menu is subject to change, but our hostess Heather said executive chef Michael Jenkins prides himself on offering something a little different.

Picture perfect pizza joint

One thing (among many) Noosa does well is pizza. From Zachery’s, to Sirocco, our chefs know how to make a good pizza. So, to be honest when I heard another pizza joint was opening in town I was a little wary. Could they be as good Fratalini’s, or Café Le Monde, and how are their menu items going to set them apart from every other pizza in Noosa?

RACV‘s new woodfired pizza oven is a crowd pleaser

Dazza’s is set in RACV Noosa Resort, and I know sometimes locals often forget these restaurants in resorts, but I’m baffled as to why.

It was the middle of the school holidays when I went to experience Dazza’s, and the place was a buzz with all sorts of people, from kids playing in the pool, to couples enjoying a romantic dinner in the restaurant. It made me feel like I was on holidays, even if it was just a couple of hours.

If you get there just before sunset you can enjoy one of the best sunset views in town. It’s stunning.

The beauty of Dazza’s is that you can order off the restaurant’s menu, which is ideal if you’re dining with someone who is not so keen on pizza.

We started with the share platter from the restaurant menu. It came with tempura soft shell crab, king prawn, duck wontons and mushroom arancini, sweet soy and chilli dipping sauces. It was all enjoyable, and while a few of the items were deep fried (which always makes me feel a little over indulged), the duck wontons were the perfect accompaniment, nice and light and the sweet soy sauce set them off.

For main we had pizza, of course, and as the woodfired pizza oven is set on the deck, among all the tables, I loved being able watch my food being cooked.

My friend ordered the marinated tandoori chicken, capsicum, spring onion, tomato, cucumber pickle and mint yoghurt dressing and I had the confit duck and chilli, shredded duck leg, chilli, spring onion, goats cheese and fresh coriander. We both enjoyed our meals, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the duck pizza became a signature dish. The base was the right size for me, not to thick and not to thin – just right.

They have a range of pizzas to choose from, and you can even have a gluten free base.

I highly recommend having a glass of the 2008 Red Claw Heathcote Shiraz to complement the pizza.

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The fruits of spring and summer

Cherries – one of my favourite summer fruits

Last Monday I was delighted to find a first season mango at my local IGA. I love summer fruits – and even though my favourite fruits are around from now until early next year, it just reminds me of Christmas (there – I said it, after all it’s only 80 days away).

I do like apples, bananas and all those other boring fruits you can get at any time of year, but I love what we’re about to receive with the warmer weather.

Over the coming months we’ll see our local fruit and vegetable stores selling (or prices coming down on) blood oranges, paw paw, mango, cherries, lychees, apricots, peaches, plums and more – oh, I am drooling!

Christmas day at my Mum and Dad’s always involves some sort of salad with mango, and a big bowl of cherries and plums. When we escape to Rainbow Beach to visit my mother-in-law at Christmas, you’re greeted with a bowl of stone fruits and fresh nuts to crack. It’s enjoyable, memorable and for me, what Christmas is really about.

When I saw the mango at the IGA I decided on the spot we were having fruit salad for dessert, so I grabbed some seedless green grapes, a punnet of strawberries and some passionfruit to go with the ripe kiwi fruit I already had at home.

I returned home to rain, wind, thunder and lightening, which added to the excitement of purchasing the mango – I love a good storm.

By the time I was ready to make the fruit salad I could still hear rolling thunder in the distance and this, married with the fragrant smell of the mango, made me excited to think it was just the beginning of spring and I had so much great fruit to come!

 

Emily’s Fruit Salad Dessert

My fruit salad is so easy, and you can mix it up any way you please – it works well with most fruits, even apple, banana or pineapple.

 

Ingredients (serves four for dessert)

• 2 x kiwi fruit
• 1 x mango
• 1 x punnet of strawberries
• A good handful of seedless green grapes
• 2 x passionfruit
• Vanilla ice-cream to serve

 

Method

Peel the kiwi fruit and mango. Dice the kiwi fruit, mango and strawberries. Put the diced fruit and seedless grapes together in a bowl. Cut the passionfruit in half and scoop out the centre into the bowl. Mix the ingredients together gently then divide into four bowls with a generous scoop of ice-cream.

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Savouring the award flavour

Sirocco – winners are grinners!

When it comes to food in Noosa, we’re spoilt for choice. Whether it’s our little delis and gourmet grocers, or our casual cafes and fine dining restaurants – the choices are seemingly endless.

And it isn’t just the locals who know it. It seems every second week you’re hearing about one of them, if not many, winning an award.

The latest swagger of acknowledgements to come rolling in was for the

2012 Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering Awards.

Restaurant and catering businesses from across southeast Queensland, including Brisbane, Darling Downs, plus the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, were recognised at a gala ceremony on September 10.

Judges anonymously visit venues to determine the winners of the awards and Sirocco Noosa was a winner, taking out the Consumer Choice category.

Co-owner Andy Slavin said this particular award meant a lot to them as the “wonderful people” who keep them in business voted it.

“If it wasn’t for their support we wouldn’t be here right now,” he said.

“A lot of their support is contributed to our wonderful staff who we are complimented on so often.”

Sirocco also received an honourable mention as Café Restaurant and was a finalist in Breakfast Restaurant category.

Lindoni’s Ristorante Italiano won the Italian Restaurant Category and Noosa’s pizzerias were certainly in the spotlight with Zachary’s Noosa Heads and Peregian Beach both finalists in the Pizza Restaurant section, and Bertoni’s Pizza and Pasta won.

Pitchfork Restaurant at Peregian Beach won the BYO Restaurant category, and Rock Salt at Noosa Sound was a finalist.

Benchmark Restaurant at Peregian Springs was a finalist in the Contemporary Australian Restaurant category, which Harvest Restaurant at Coolum Beach won.

Taking home Honourable mentions were Wasabi Restaurant & Bar for Asian Restaurant; Rococo Noosa for European Restaurant; The Burger Bar for Specialty Restaurant and The Surf Club Restaurant and Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club for Restaurant in a Pub/Club/Tavern.

Magic of India and Raj Indian Restaurant were finalists in the Indian/Sub-Continent Restaurant and Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort was a finalist in the Function/Convention Centre Caterer section.

 

 

Fresh is best for kids

As the school holidays approach I thought I’d touch on a topic that I am often asked about on my Facebook page, and that is cooking for children.

Fruit – Mother Nature’s snack

I recently had a friend stay at my house who said: “Emily, you have no food in the house, we need to get something for the kids to eat.” To which I replied: “I have plenty of food in the house, Jahman eats what we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and if he’s hungry in between he has fruit or yoghurt.”

From the moment my son started eating solid foods I started encouraging him to eat what we eat. I do not cook him a separate meal and the only time he eats something different if I’ve cooked something spicy (and even then I encourage him to have a go), or if we’re having a big slab of meat – which we don’t do very often anyway.

This method is good for their body and their mind; I know I look forward to enjoying a meal with my son and my husband and talking about our day.

I think some parents these days just fuss too much about how to get their children to eat. I don’t remember my Mum putting up such a fuss. When I was growing up you had to eat what you were given and if you didn’t you either went to bed hungry, or you sat at the table until every last bit was eaten. Although, there were a few stand-offs with brussels sprouts, which I still don’t have time for today.

The moment you start pandering to your child’s ‘wants’ (not ‘needs’) is when you start to breed unhealthy eating habits.

Not only is it expensive to buy all that packaged food, it is mostly full of artificial colours and flavours – you don’t know what is in it.

Please don’t think I am nasty and never let my son eat anything fun, we do treat him when he has been good (it’s usually with a doughnut from Donut King at Noosa Civic), but it’s exactly that – a treat, not part of his everyday diet.

If you are looking for help on how to keep your child’s diet healthy, there are loads of websites that give you information for free! One of my favourites is www.freshforkids.com, which also has some fabulous lunch box ideas for school.

For cooking tips or more, like Eating with Emily at facebook.com/eatingwithemily.

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