Hi,

Australia Day came and went so fast as did last week, I think having a public holiday on Tuesday confused everyone. I've been spending a lot of time upgrading the Outback Chef site, it's starting to look good, although it's a bit like house-keeping, the job is never done, you always see something new. But if you do have any ideas or suggestions for improvement, please let me know.

I got a heap of Mountain Pepper leaf in a few days back, the fantastic smell seems to overpower everything else. The pic in this blog is mountain pepper leaf growing in Tasmania.

There won't be any more pepperberries available until next season now, which will be towards the end of April. If you need any let me know and I'll put it on back order.

Have a great week,

Here's a simple bush food idea to try..........

I had a customer tell me the other day he had tried Outback Chef's mountain pepper leaf on a mash of sweet potato and it was fantastic.

Mountain Pepper is a shrub that grows in the wet areas of SE Australia. The pepper leaf is dried and can be used in the same way as any other pepper would be used. The pepper berries from this plant can be added to a pepper mill and again used in the same way as you'd grind the black pepper. It's really hot and also has a slight eucalyptus flavour which adds to the enjoyment.

Take one Coral Trout or any fish that you fancy

Stuff fish with Vegetables, whatever you like, zucchini, mushroom, pumpkin, onion, carrot, etc sprinkle with mountain pepper, murray river salt and lemon myrtle to taste, you could also use aniseed myrtle here instead of lemon myrtle, this herb goes fantastically well with any seafood.

I usually use of good sprinkling.  For this fish I used a heaped dessertspoon of lemon myrtle.

Now peel some paperbark of a paper bark tree, wash it and soak for about 5 minutes in water, use wet, then wrap fish in it...

I also wrap it all in foil, as it not only keeps the paperbark in place, but also stops coals and stuff getting into the food. 

The paperbark gives a lovely smokey flavour.  Onto to the BBQ for about 40 minutes, check after 30 minutes, just depending on the heat of your fire and also the size of the fish, little pieces or smaller fish obviously take less time ...now it's time to sit down, enjoy a drink....and have fun

I had an unusual request a few weeks back, Rachel Sims a student at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales  was doing a design project on Bush Tucker, she asked for a lot of different seeds, herbs and spices to complete the work.  She kindly sent the finished project to me to take a look and I was blown away, it is fantastic. 

"The aim of the project to establish new behaviours and attitudes towards Australia's native cuisine. The intent is to educate urban dwellers, redirecting their practice and broadening their knowledge of native food consumption" quote from Rachel's project

After being involved in Aboriginal art and culture for many years it has been a bit of an uphill battle to get non indigenous Australians to take the time to reflect on the paintings or try bush food.  After seeing a project like Rachel's it really gives me much joy to realize that the message has not ony got thru as to the importance of this land and what it produces, but also, that the message is understood.

"The quintessence of the project is to objectify bush tucker being an essential part of urban and rural Australia" quote from Rachel's project

Art reflects the emotions of the people at the time, it always has and always will.....Australian Aboriginal Art is now recognized as a world-wide art movement and as Australians we embrace it in every way, from the gifts that we give to overseas visitors to large companies like Qantas and at events such as our Olympic Games, proudly displaying Aboriginal icons and motifs.

The bush food industry is still in it's early days, but I am hopeful that within the next few years each Australian kitchen cupboard will have some food that is a native to this land and be able to incorporate it into their own every-day cooking with confidence. 

Rachel has kindly let me put a link thru to her project, please take the time to reflect on it and enjoy, not only the work that she's put into it, but also the valuable message.

Project 'Bush Tucker Taste Tradition'

WATTLESEED ICE-CREAM

250ml full cream milk

600 ml thickened cream

100g sugar

pinch salt

2 teaspoons roasted wattle seed

LEMON MYRTLE & COCONUT ICE CREAM

250 mul full cream milk

300 mil thickened cream

300 ml coconut cream

100g sugar

pinch salt

1 tsp ground lemon myrtle (can add more if you want it stronger)

DAVIDSON PLUM ICE-CREAM

375g Davidson Plum puree

300 ml thickened cream

100g caster sugar

Note:  this one is quite tangy as the Davidson Plum is tart, more sugar can be added if you want it sweeter.

METHOD FOR THE THREE ICE-CREAMS

Mix all ingredients together, heat in saucepan

Chill, churn in ice-cream maker and freeze

or if making by hand, put in freezer and take out and beat by hand during freezing process

PEPPERBERRY & LEMON SORBET

200 ml lemon juice (approx 3 lemons)

450 ml cold water

200g caster sugar

2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

0.5g freeze dried ground pepperberry

METHOD

Combine sugar and water stirring over heat until dissolved

Boil for 5-10 mins until light syrup (110C)

Cool and add juice

Chill, churn in ice-cream maker, add pepperberry (it will then go bright pink)

Add egg whites when sorbet has started freezing

If doing by hand, beat egg whites until stiff add to mixture after juice and add pepperberry

So what's bush tucker about this soup you might say???  My main aim is to educate you into using our wonderful herbs and spices as part of day to day cooking...this recipe is very easy and quick to make and utilizes Australian salt and pepper......

INGREDIANTS

1 brown onion

1 desertspoon of white miso (you can purchase this sometimes in the supermarket and also at  grocery shops)

1 bunch of asparagus

1 bunch of bok choy

Murray River Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon Tasmanian pepperleaf

2 cups of water

METHOD

Chop onion and brown in saucepan with a little oil, add chopped asparagus (save a couple of asparagus tips to decorate if you wish)

Add desertspoon of white miso paste

Add 2 cups of water

Add chopped bok choy

Add 1/2 tspn of Tasmanian pepperleaf

Cook until tender, taste .....and then add the salt to taste

Put in a food processor or barmix together until smooth....serve

Serves 2 people in fairly decent sized bowls

This Bushfood Combo is a hands-on bushfood kit designed to get things happening in the kitchen.  If you are interested in bushfood, but when it comes down to it don't know where to go in everyday cooking.  This kit is available at a special price, it incluces favourite bushfoods as well as fact sheets and how the Aboriginal people used them in their everyday cooking as well as easy to follow recipes and all the latest information on the health aspects of bushfood.  If you havn't yet tried any bushfood I can recommend this kit and am offering it at great value to entice you along the way a bit.

This flavour wheel (see below) and descriptions has been produced by RIRDC in conjunction the Queensland Government

Fruits and Berries

Davidson plum (Davidsonia jerseyana)

An earthy aroma like fresh beetroot with a slight pickled note.

Davidson plum (Davidsonia pruriens)

Aroma of rosella jam and stewed rhubarb;  some musk and lolly notes.

Finger lime (citrus australasica)

Aroma of fresh zesty citrus with a hint of cooked citrus.

Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana)

Aroma of stewed apples and pears; some cooked citrus, pickled and fermented notes.

Lemon aspen (Acronychia acidula)

A fresh citrus aroma, confier leafs and some chemical notes.

Muntries (Kunzia pomifera)

Aroma of moist fruit mince, spice, bush honey and butter

Quandong (Santaluum acuminatum)

Aroma of dry lentils; some earthy and fermented notes

Riberry (Syzygium leuhmanii)

A sweet, spiced tea aroma with musk, bush honey and resinous notes.

HERB, SPICE, SEED

Anise myrtle (Syzgium anisatum)

Aroma of aniseed, menthol and herbs.

Lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)

A lemon lolly aroma, perfumed with some menthol notes.

Cut leaf mint (Prostanthera incisa)

A herbal aroma, bush scrub and menthol.

Bush tomato or "Kutjera" (Solanum centrale)

The savoury caramelised aroma of carob; some cereal notes.

Tasmanian pepper berry (Tasmannia lanceolata)

Aroma of bush scrub with perfumed, fruity lolly notes.  Lingering heat on the palate.

Tasmanian pepper leaf (Tasmannia lanceolata)

Aroma of Australian bushland, dry paperbark and herbs.  Developing heat on the palate.

Wattle seed (Acacia victoriae)

Aroma of toasted coffee grounds, sweet spice, raisin and chocolate.

For more information contact the Department of
Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
on 13 25 23 or visit www.deedi.qld.gov.au

© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment,
Economic Development and Innovation, 2010.

 See previous blog to work in conjunction with this Flavour wheel, compiled by; RIRDC in conjunction with the Queensland Government
 

For more information contact the Department of
Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
on 13 25 23 or visit www.deedi.qld.gov.au
© The State of Queensland, Department of Employment,
Economic Development and Innovation, 2010.

For a larger (readable) view of this wheel

To all those that have been waiting, this book is now back in stock.  From roasts to rissoles and everything in between this outback bush cookbook is a lot of fun.

The Tumut Region is holding a Harmony Day, if you want to celebrate and learn more about indigenous culture, then a visit to Tumut and the National Park is well worth it. See the menu below....

 
For more information regarding the  events, please
contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre on 
02) 6947 7025, or Cooee Cottage on 02) 6947 3362.
tumutrvc@environment.nsw.gov.au
www.tumutregion.com.au

NPWS Aboriginal Discovery Programs Tumut in partnership with Cooee Cottage, the Brungle and Tumut Community Working Party and the Tumut Shire Council will be hosting three community activities in Tumut on the 4th, 6th and 8th of October finishing with a Community Harmony day being held at Cooee Cottage in Tumut from 11am to 3pm.

NPWS Aboriginal Discovery Program

NAIDOC Harmony Day Menu

Saturday 8^th October 2011

Bush Tucker Fusion Menu

Main Tucker

Kangaroo Stew with Mountain Pepper and Bush Tomatoes

Tender diced Kangaroo served in a thick and tasty sauce

of bush tomato and mountain peppers.

Emu Curry

Emu fillets slowly cooked in an Australian Yellow Curry with Lemon myrtle.

Bush Tomato Sausages

Locally made sausages mildly spiced with bush tomato.

Native Fish Skewers with Lemon Pepper Rub

Fish fillets tossed lightly in a tangy lemon myrtle and mountain pepper rub

cooked on the BBQ

Bush Treats in Bush Tomato Rub

A grubby little morsel for those who are game served with

a strawberry gum, chilli and native lime dipping sauce.

Bush Dampers served with a selection of Australian Native Jams

Desserts

Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake

Served with fresh cream and rainforest plum coulis.

Chocolate and Wattleseed Cheesecake

Served with Chocolate Grande Marnier Sauce

Quandong and Mixed Berry Pie

Beverages

A selection of Native Teas and Wattle Seed Coffee

If you are interested in stocking Outback Chef products please let me know......

VICTORIA

PROVINICIAL GOURMET FOOD & GIFTS, Doncaster Shoppingtown, Doncaster

THREE DUCKS GLUTEN FREE, Burnley Street, Richmond

KURANGA NATIVE NURSERY, Croydon

SOMETHING AUSSIE, North Melbourne

TREEHOUSE GALLERY,  Birregurra

LEO'S FINE FOOD & WINE, Heidelberg

LEO'S FINE FOOD & WINE, Kew

LEO'S FINE FOOD & WINE, Hartwell

MAXI STORES. Ferntree Gully

MAXI FOODS, Blackburn North

MAXI SUPERMARKET, East Ringwood

IGA, Fairfield

JEFFRIES FAMILY SUPERMARKET, IGA, Croydon

GATEWAY ESTATE, Coldstream

AUMAN FAMIL ORCHARD, Warrandyte

YERING STATION, Yering

YARRA VALLEY DAIRY, Yering

WARBURTON PANTRY, Warburton

TULLY'S CORNER PRODUCE STORE, Mornington

OLD TEA SHOPPE, Warburton

THE SANSCTARY, Healesville

DARWILLIFARM, Canterbury & Brighton

NSW

TUMUT VISITORS CENTRE, Tumut

YAAMA GANU CENTRE, Moree

TALI GALLERY, Rozelle

NGUNYA JARJUM, Casino

QLD

REDLANDS INDISCAPES CENTRE, Capalaba

DREAMTIME KULLILLA, Redcliffe

WA

YEUN WING GENERAL STORE, Broome

REEVES ON CAMPBELL, Albany

IGA, Denmark