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'm not sure how many of you think about what you actually feed your dog or cat. 

Although I've always fed my dog scraps and a mixture of dog food and fresh food plus some dried food, it came home to me a while back when Barney wouldn't stop scratching.  I checked for fleas, but there wasn't any and it occurred to me that he had a little more dried food than he usually does.  Even though it was supposedly a quality one it's still got a lot of preservatives in it.  When I stopped the dried food and went onto raw and natural food the scratching stopped!  Havn't been back to it and he hasn't scratched. 

I was talking to a farmer from a cattle property who has a lot of kelpies, he was saying that a good dog used to last for 20 years, nowadays they go from 10 to 15 years because of the change in diet to tinned and dried food.  Interesting isn't it......I then had a talk to another acquaintance who trains dogs, has been with the army dogs and also trained police dogs, he said much the same as the farmer, also he felt that a lot of the cancers that dogs are now getting relate back to the prepared food that they are fed....keep the bulk of the food that you feed your dog fresh eg kangaroo, chicken necks etc.  Barney loves roo tails that I freeze (they have been chopped into sections) I give him one a couple of times a week, his teeth never get scale on them and since the dried food episode, no more scratching.  I must admit I also put some fresh garlic in with his food which is also good for their skin.  Good old kangaroo meat, raw, low in fat and the dogs love it.  Go to your butcher and check out what they've got, ask what's in it.  It's better a pay a bit more, your dog will require less and mix it with vegetables, rice, cereal whatever....it's not only better for your pet, but also much cheaper.

Everything in Melbourne now seems to be either in bud, blossom or about to shoot...Spring is a great time of the year.  Time to get out in the garden and start gardening and time to consider your bush food garden.  There are three methods used for propogating most plants, either start by planting seedlings, use cuttings or dividing plants or else by grafting.

Unless you have cuttings in your garden or are dividing existing plants or share with friends seeds are the cheapest way to get plants.  You often create the most hardy plants as they are grown from the start in your garden and weather to your garden's individual specifications.  If using rainforest plants  plant them as soon as you can, as they often won't germinate if left in storage for long periods of time.  For temperate and alpine plants store in the refridgerator or similar cool, wet temperatue for weeks to simulate winter or else plant at the beinning of winter to germinate in the Spring.  Scratch the hard-coated seeds eg wattles to stimulate germination.

Something like Native Thyme (Ocimum tenuiflorum), pictured, are great seeds for your garden, grows from arid to tropical, it is common throughout Australia, plant in full/part-sun, provide a little extra water to get started but is drought tolerant once established.

Leaves of the Native Thyme can be used in salads, sauces and soups.  Leaves can be used fresh or dried, they make a refreshing tea.

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'

Also called Watery Rose Apple and Water Cherry, these small red, bell-shaped fruit are crunchy and acid-sweet.  I've just got some in from Atherton Tableland from the grower and I must admit I'm also looking forward to doing some cooking with them.  The tree can reach from 3 - 10 metres and has a short, crooked trunk branching close to the ground.  It's flowers are fragrant and are pale-yellow.  The tree is only suited to low altitudes in the tropics and areas where there is rainfall fairly well spaced throughout the year.

It is also known in Malaysia, Indonesia and India.  It is grown for its edible fruits, its hard wood; which is used to make tools  and also its bark which is said to have theraputic benefits.  A decoction of the astringent bark is a local application on thrush.

In Indonesia the water apple is loved by children who eat it to relieve thirst.  The fruits are sold in markets skewered onto bamboo sticks, also served in salads which can be a ceremonial dish for new mothers.

According to research done by RIRDC, (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation)

The antioxidant activity of fresh and dried plant extracts of the Syzygium aqueum were studied using beta-carotene bleaching and the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation assay. The percentage of antioxidant activity for all extract samples using both assays was between 58 and 80%. The fresh samples had higher antioxidant activity than the dried samples. The results of the beta-carotene bleaching assay were correlated (R(2) = 0.9849) with those of the ABTS assay.

A fungal disease know as Myrtle Rust was found on a property in north NSW in April 2010.   The NSW Department of Industry and Investment is leading the activities to supress the outbreak.  This potentially a very threatening problem and is classified as Category 1, meaning that if it is detected and reported it will be acted on straight away.

The fungus that causes Myrtle rust has not been found before in Australia. It belongs to a group of fungi known as the ‘guava rust complex’. Myrtle rust can affect plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae a large family which includes many Australian native species, such as Eucalyptus species.

The rust has been identified as Myrtle rust based on the host range seen so far in Australia and the structure of its spores. Information is continuing to be gathered on its host range under Australian environmental conditions through surveillance activities, and laboratory-based host testing of a range of important commercial and ecological species of Myrtaceae.

The fungus causes spots on leaves and stems that develop masses of orange to yellow powdery spores. The disease most often affects young shoots and the growing tips of plants causing leaves to become curled and distorted. More information, along with photographs of host plants can be found on the Department of Industry & Investment NSW website.

This myrtle rust could potentially have widesspread effect on the natural environment and also have a serious effect on the commercial aspects of the native flower industry.  The majority of sites found to have the rust are retail and commercial nurseries in NSW, but be beware....if you have a lemon myrtle tree please inspect it for potentail rust infectation, and if you do find something, don't break off the leaves and throw away report them

National Exotic Plant Pest Hotline for reporting sightings: 1800 084 881

State contacts:

• South Australia: 1300 666 010
• Tasmania: 03 6233 3352
• Western Australia: 08 9334 1800
• Victoria: 13 61 86
• Queensland: 13 25 23
• Northern Territory: 08 8999 2118
• NSW: contact the Quarantine Domestic Hotline 1800 084 881

Picture of the rust can be found on

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/plant/myrtle-rust

This complex of diseases is native to South America and is also present in the USA (Florida and Hawaii) and Mexico. It is not known how this disease entered Australia, however, rust fungi produce microscopic spores which are easily carried on the wind, on people’s clothing or on goods that are shipped around the world.

Australian Aboriginal Bush Tucker - Bush Food for thousands of years the aboriginal people have lived off the land, eating well when food was plentiful and conserving in times of drought.  This food is called bushfood or bushtucker it's our native cuisine.  Today bushfood is modern, contemporary and fun, it can be used in all our favourite recipes or create new and exciting ones.

Healthy eating program Taste It, Do It, Live It   

See SBS story on the opening of the Jilamara Art Centre

Outback Chef's Red Curry Cauliflower Soup, one of the dishes that I made with the students for the opening of the Tiwi College new library.  If you would like the recipe it's on the inside of the Australian Red Curry pack

I had a wonderful day with my Outback Chef market stall at the Art & Soul Festival at Phillip Island on Saturday and met up with a lot of friends as well as made some great new friends.   It was also a great chance to try out my new Spicey Bush Tomato marinade as well as Outback Five Spice and my Glace Riberries.....got thumbs up all round so I'm very happy to get such good and positive comments.

Below is some of the FAQ regarding Myrtle rust....the information below is from the AQIS website (see link below)

What is Myrtle Rust?

Myrtle Rust (Uredo rangelii) is a newly described fungus that is closely related to the Eucalyptus/Guava rusts. These rusts are serious pathogens which affect plants belonging to the family Myrtaceae including many iconic Australian natives.

What is the host range of Myrtle Rust?

The full host range of Myrtle Rust is not known.

List of known hosts

Myrtle Rust also infects Myrtus communis (common myrtle) but has not yet been recorded on this host in Australia.

Why is it called Myrtle Rust?

Myrtle Rust was initially identified to cause disease on common myrtle (Myrtus communis). Myrtus communis does not occur naturally in Australia.

Is it different to Eucalyptus/Guava (Puccinia psidii) Rust?

Eucalyptus/Guava rust (Puccinia psidii) is not one single species of rust fungus. It is a family of very similar species, each with a slightly different lifestyle. Myrtle Rust is one of these species. Its physical appearance (shape and spore size) distinguishes it from other rusts in the Eucalyptus/Guava rust family. Its full host range in Australia is largely unknown. We must assume that it could have severe impacts on Australian flora and the cut flower, nursery and garden industries. We are therefore taking every measure available to eradicate it as quickly as possible.

How can I help? What should I do if I suspect Myrtle Rust?

Be alert! Know the symptoms! Report any suspect cases to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881!

How do I minimise the risk of spreading Myrtle Rust to my property?

Good hygiene is vital when working with plants. Steps you can take in managing Myrtle Rust are:

• Become aware and familiar with the symptoms of Myrtle Rust.
• Undertake weekly monitoring/surveillance of host plants (commercial and property plants) for Myrtle Rust.
• Develop and practise good hygiene for people and equipment on the property.
• Provide a designated visitor area and opportunity to decontaminate workers, visitors, vehicles, raw material and equipment using disinfecting products and procedures. One example of what you can do is to change and launder clothing when entering or leaving another property.
• Use clean, pest-free and preferably certified nursery inputs, inspect inputs on arrival and monitor their performance before they are placed with your established nursery stock.
• Report anything unusual to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline - 1800 084 881.

I've heard that there is a Quarantine Area encompassing the Gosford and Wyong council areas. What does this mean for me?

The Quarantine Area encompassing the Gosford and Wyong Local Government Areas, and related Certification Assurance Arrangements, are currently under review as NSW moves from a system of regulation imposed by Government to self-regulation by industry, the community and individuals. See further information on movement restrictions and management zones.

Will Myrtle Rust hurt my family or my pets?

Myrtle Rust is a plant disease. Fungi which cause rust diseases are not known to affect the health of people or animals. However, people and animals can spread rust spores on skin, clothing or tools from one susceptible plant to another so it is always important to use good hygiene in the garden.

How can I get regular updates on the Myrtle Rust campaign?

Subscribe to our NSW Myrtle Rust weekly update email list to get regular reports.

Further Q&As (AQIS website)

See further Questions & Answers on the AQIS website.

NOTE

The information above has been taken from the www.industry.nsw.gov.au/info/myrtlerust. for more information please go to the website.

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

Davidson's Plum can be used in the same way as blood plums when stewing fruits or jam making;  but remember they are a lot more tangy than blood plums with a high acidic taste.  You can also mix the two together and add sweetners to get the required taste.

A really quick and easy way to make JAM is with CSR's special jam sugar.....I usually buy it in my local IGA supermarket, it's in a brown coloured bag marked Jam Making Sugar.  Follow the instructions on the side of the packet, but in short it's equal parts fruit to sugar ie 1kg fruit to 1kg jam sugar, boil for 4 minutes and then bottle, it really is that easy.

Botanical name Davidsonia pruriens, Aboriginal name: Ooray.  Tim Low call's this plum "the Queen of Australian rainforest plums". 

The plum looks like a blood plum, but is very sour in taste. It has two flat seeds that are about the same size as the blood plum's.  It is a small, narrow rainforest tree.  The varieties found in North Queensland are different from those in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW.  The plums that Outback Chef sells are from Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland.  It is an importnt fruit in the modern bushfood industry.

According to research done by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) a division of the Australian Government

A high level of lutein, a carotenoil compound that plays an important role in eye health was detected in Davidson's Plum, possessing higher levels than avocado.  Lutein improves visual function and symptions in atrophic age-related macular degeneration this is the leading cause of vision loss in aging Western societies.  Lutein protects the retina from damage by inhibiting inflammation.

There is also relatively high antioxidant activity detected in the lipophilic fractions, which unlike hydrophilic antioxidants, which do not accumulate in the body and are excreted in urine, lipophilic antioxidants penetrate the lipoprotein cell membrane more easily and therefore reach a higher level of bioavailability.  The presence of anitoxidant compounds that are active in both the hydrophilic and the lipophilic environment, within the same food source, may provide more comprehensive protection for oxidative stress.  Subsequently this may result in higher levels of protection and possibly more pronounced health benefits.  In this aspect, Davidson's plum exceeds the quality of the Blueberry control and other traditionally consumed fruits.

for more information

The flesh of Davidson's plum has a high level of anthocyanins, a potent antioxidant with a range of health benefits. Anti-diabetic effects and reduction of obesity have been reported arising from their consumption.  A possible good source of a natural food colour with health-enhancing properties for a wide application in beverages and confectionery might be considered.

Cooking tips using Davidson's Plum

If you want to learn more about our environment and also the heritage of this wonderful park why don't you go on a Discovery Tour.  There are a variety of tours on offer that gives a "hands-on" environmental experience for school groups and people of any age.  From 1/2 day to a whole day you can learn to be a bush detective, make your own bush jewellery, weave baskets, mae traditional bush tools...or if you want to just sit, talk or listen....perhaps going on an Aboriginal cultural tag-along tour is more for you.  So if you're in the Tumut, N.S.W. area visit the centre and enjoy a Riverglade Wetlands Walk, a Cave cultural tour or go night stalking, did you know that 80% of Australia's native animals are noctural....there's something for everyone.  For more information contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre for an order form on 02 6947 7025 or email tumutrvc@environment.nsw.gov.au

"Plant me I'm special" If you want to send a message, as in the written one or give a gift and need a tag.....why not make a GREEN statement.   I now have hand-made, recycled A4 paper and gift tags available impregnated with Australian native seeds.  Even if you want to send out a company message, make it a green one.   This paper can be planted and after about 10 days the little seedlings will appear, I have used Swan River Daisy, a pretty little mauve flower that is a native to Western Australia.  The paper acts as mulch then disintegrates and the flowers grow.  These are new to site and more cards are to be added to the page -  for more info

Wattle Seed wild harvested.........Botanical name....Acacia victoriae.....Common names  ....Elegant wattle, Prickly wattle, Gundabluey, Bramble wattle, Elegant acacia.
 
Traditional Aboriginals used A. victoriae in arid regions of Australia as a food source. Occuring in all main land states.

Women would collect seed pods from the trees when ripe, separate seed 'yandy' clean in a wirra. Parch by fire, pound and ground into a flour. Mix water with flour to make a dough, then place in fire coals/ash to get a "jonny cake."

Green pods fully formed were also lightly roasted and the seed eaten.

In plentiful times seed could be stored away, it has a very hard seed coat. From the legumaceae family it has a pea flavour. Having a high protein level approx 17%, carbohydrate 41%, fibre 29%,fat 3 % (Brand&Cherikoff 1985) and a low Gi average 1480+270 KJ /100gms (Brand &Maggire  1992).

 
Most of todays  uses are based around  making a roasted  hazel-nutty flavour from the seed. By roasting the raw wattle seed until it pops (similar to pop corn). This new unique flavour has many uses in coffee like beverages(caffine free), essences, beer, baking, confectionary, dairy and marinades.

Over the past few years even the pod/husk of A. victoriae have been researched for its medical properties in the fight against cancer.

Current situation

Myrtle rust has been confirmed in a public parkland area at Noosaville.  Biosecurity Queensland is working with the council to determine the source of the infected plants.  To date the plant disease has been confimred on 19 sites.  The infected properties include production and retail nurseries, one queensland Government property and now a public parkland area.

Current operations

Nationally, the decision has been made that it is not feasible to eradicate this disease from Australia.  Biosecurity Queensland is continuing to work with industry to develop ongoing management options.  The focus of surveillance to date has been on production, retail nurseries,  and any bushland surrounding  the infected areas. 

Spreading the word

Biosecurity Queensland is now on Twitter and Facebook.  Get updates and images by following on Twitter: @Biosecurity Qld and Facebook: Biosecurity Queensland.

website  www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au.

The emerging native food industry will have benefits to all;  from the growers to the end users. 

Today my focus is on Aniseed myrtle "Backhousia anisata", an aniseed flavoured herb with a fresh eucalypt after taste.

It is related to the ever-popular lemon myrtle and is grown in the rainforest areas of eastern Australia.  The leaf is used either fresh or dried, the latter being ground to a fine powder.

Tests done in September 2009 by RIRDC (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation) a division of the Australian government have found that aniseed myrtle has a superior antioxidant capacity, which gives us protection from oxidative stress and helps in the anti-aging process.

High in Vitamin C, E and folate, also chlorophyll a and b;  which is the major pigment present in plants, also plays a vital role in reducing oxidative stress in the human body.

It has high levels of lutein, a compound important in the role of eye health.  It contains high levels of zinc, calcium and evaluated as very high in magnesium.  The samples of aniseed myrtle were evaluated in dried form.

So how to use this in your cooking....below is an extremely simple recipe I use to put on salad greens.....the comments that I get are positive and I've had a number of people say to me what's in it"  Whilst they don't detect the aniseed taste in the first instance they do make the comment that there is something "soft" in it....and go back for more...this is a subtle entry to the world of using aniseed myrtle.  Use it instead of Star Anise or fennel in your cooking.

Aniseed myrtle salad dressing

1 teaspoon Aniseed Myrtle

2 tablespoons of sweet and sour sauce

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

Mix all together and mix into your salad

SPECIAL OFFER....receive a 10g sample bag FREE (that's about  tablespoon full) if you sign on for my "very newsworthy" newsletter and also send me an email requesting the aniseed myrtle offer.  If you've already signed on just send me an email requesting the sample.

for more information on the health benefits of our native foods, including Aniseed myrtle, go to

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

Doesn't it bug you when you look at the scales and find that your weight has snuck up to an undesirable level!!!  No more muffins and chocolate...well for a while anyway....While I'm going to cut out and cut back on some things, not on the great abundance of vegetable, herbs and spices that we have at our disposable, so with that in mind I've created this great soup....just the thing for a Sunday night dinner, maybe with a dim sim or two!!  No cream in this one, but a wonderful creamy texture.

Because of the diversity of population and the geographical location Australian cooking covers a wide spectrum.....my job at Outback Chef is to encourage you to use some of our fantastic herbs and spices in your day to day cooking.....soooo here is a recipe that is good for you, tastes great and has our own Murray River Salt and Tasmanian Mountain pepper in it....not to mention it's easy and quick to make....using white miso, which is a favourite ingrediant of mine plus bok choy and asparagus....Bok Choy and Asparagus soup with Mountain Pepper

It has been known since the 12th Century that the aniseed flavoured herb fennel is good for eyesight.  Hildegard of Bingen who was a herbalist of that time said that fennel strengthened the eyes, brain and hearing.  The poet, Longfellow wote " above the lower plants it towers, the fennel with it's yellow flowers, and in an earlier age than ours, was gifted with the wondrous powers, lost vision to restore"  So what's that got to do with Anise myrtle? a lot they both have that same aromatic aniseed flavour and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation has been doing extensive research on Anise myrtle and found that it is not only high in Vitamin E but also lutein, a carotenoid compound that plays an important role in eye health. 

Chlorophyll a and b have also been identified, this is implicated in the reduction of oxidative stress in the human body, which is linked with the prevention of chronic diseases.

Anise myrtle (Backhousia anisata) is a medium-sized tree grown int he rainforest areas of eastern Australia and is related to the lemon myrtle.

To use in cooking it can be substituted for Stan Anise, Pernod or even fennel to give that great aniseed flavour.   Use with fish or chicken or what I often do it  put some in when I'm baking vegetables, just mix Anise myrtle with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and add.

I had a wonderful email during the week from USA asking for some recipe advice using Australian native bushfoods.  On following up on the website that was given to me I found that "City Green" is a community based garden teaching kids how to grow healthy food.......part of their garden was an Australian themed bush garden grown muntries, warragul greens, mountain pepper and bush tomato.  Amonst other things on a very interesting website was the comment "Third, fourth and fifth grade students that participated in school gardening activities scored significantly higher on science achievement tests compared to students that did not experience garden-based learning activities" (Klemmer, C.D., Waliczek, T.M. & Zajicek, J.J.; 2005)  Food for thought!!!  Not only that gardens and growing your own food is fun....it really is....

Now is the time to consider planting muntries, a native of South Australia to west Victoria, these great little berries have four times the anti oxidant as blueberries and a component in them that is great for your skin.  This Australian native food is also known as native cranberries or emu apples as they have a spicy apple flavour.  They are a low growing shrub that is practical to grow on a trellis for easy picking.  If anyone has a favourite Muntrie recipe that you don't mind sharing I'd love to hear from you....there were muntrie recipes in some of the older CWA cookbooks, as they were a favourite with the early settlers who made jams and jellies out of them....kids love them for the crunchy apple-like flavour and texture.  I 'll check on some of my old cookbooks (when I locate them) and advise.  Will be getting fresh (as in frozen) muntries on site shortly and I am keen to do some trial and error cooking with them.....will keep you informed.....

for muntrie seeds http://www.outbackchef.com.au/products/muntries-munthari-kunzea-pomifera/119/1

When Queen Victoria gave royal assent to the Australian Constitution on 9 July 1900, our nation was created. 9 July is now recognised as Constitution Day.  To celebrate in style, the National Archives commissioned culinary legend Maggie Beer to prepare a Constitution Cake. 

Outback Chef was very proud to supply the bush fruits for this fabulous cake and the recipe is as follows, thanks to the National Archives of Australia for making this recipe available <http://www.naa.gov.au>

Constitution Cake recipe

375ml verjuice
180g davidson's plums (defrosted, sliced and seed removed)*
120g muntries (defrosted)*
120g quandongs (dried)
120g dried currants
60g almonds, whole
50g caster sugar
120g dark-brown sugar
180g unsalted butter, chopped
4 eggs
180g self-raising flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
120g candied mixed peel
finely grated rind of 1 lemon

nut paste
120g macadamia nuts
100g icing sugar
1 egg yolk

* Available from specialist native food suppliers.

Reconstitute dried quandongs by soaking in 375ml of verjuice and 50g caster sugar for 30 minutes, then boil for 5 minutes. Turn off, add currants, leave to soften for 1 hour. Drain and reserve syrup.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC and grease and line a 20cm round spring-form cake tin with baking paper.

Dry-roast 120g macadamia nuts and 60g almonds (keeping them separate) on a baking tray for 6–8 minutes, then set aside to cool. Reset the oven to 170ºC.

To make the nut paste, blend the roasted macadamias in a food processor, then add the icing sugar and egg yolk and pulse to form a stiff paste. Set aside.

In the cake mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture curdles.

Fold in the flour, spices, currants, quandongs, sliced davidson's plums (seed removed), whole muntries, almonds and candied peel. Stir in the grated lemon zest and the reserved syrup, to give a soft batter.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared tin, then spread the nut paste over the mixture and top it with the remaining batter.

Bake for 2.5 hours (or until a fine skewer comes out clean). If the top colours too quickly, cover with foil for the last hour. Leave the cake to cool a little in the tin before turning it out.

"I was thrilled to be asked to make a cake for this exciting day and immediately thought to bring as much history into the recipe as I could.

For many reasons it had to be fruit cake, but something very different and special. It's a cake that gets better with age, as long as it's been made with the best of ingredients and cooked with love.

This recipe marries the rich Aboriginal food culture so few Australians know much about with that of our first settlers.

Davidson plums, a native plum with great colour and flavour and quandongs, so revered by our Aboriginal community, add a defining taste to the cake. Muntries too, a berry hardly used. And, of course, I had to use macadamia, that king of all nuts we should be proud of being native to Australia. In recognition of the mix of cultures in Australia, currants and almonds are included.

The final recipe, I hope, shows the depth of our food culture with a footnote to the wealth of flavour to be found in our native ingredients that are truly unique."

Maggie Beer
9 July 2010

I had a wonderful time talking to nearly 100 kindergarten teachers from Knox city in Melbourne.  It's fantastic to see such a lot of interest in creating bushfood gardens where the children can see some of our native plants grow and also be able to cook and eat them.  We made wattleseed ice-cream which was a real winner and an easy recipe to make, as well as that a bush tomato sauce with lemon myrtle pasta.  Keep up the good work.

This magazine is a great read about those who are involved in Australia's new rural industries.  Their passion for their particular industry.   It features profiles on individuals and their businesses....this month it has included Outback Chef and the native food industry in it's profile.  Passion to Profit magazine has been selling in the newsagents but is now available on site and will be in the future.  Click to read magazine.

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

I've written a lot about myrtle rust, until last year it was relatively unknown.  It still surprises me that many who are involved in the plant industry don't know much about it.  It was introduced possibly via Hawaii from the USA where it was used as a biological control against myrtaceae that is a weed there.  Our native animal such as koalas are already becoming stressed by invasion and destruction of habitat.  More information Biosecurity Queensland 13 25 23 or go to www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au

Aboriginal people over many thousands of years have identified natural resources on their traditional lands and seas.  Traditional laws, customs and practices determine how they are gathered and shared amongst their people.  Many of the plants and animals described are important traditional sources of food for the people of Wunambal Gaambera  Country and are described in this book.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Aboriginal plants and animals.  There is also a glossary with English to Wunambal Gaambera translations.  A valuable resource.   More info about this book....

This sequel to Womat Stew, a favourite with so many children, Wombat Stew Cookbook is just the thing to inspire the inner chef.  It's full of really good-fun recipes and the illustrations are sensational.  With recipes such as Bandicoot Ginger Biscuits, Possum Peanut butter Balls and Dingo damper the fun goes on and on.  I really recommend this book as one that I'm sure will not only delight your children but also bring out the inner "child" spirit in any adult.

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

HARMONY DAY
Saturday the 8th of October, 11am - 3pm
Cooee Cottage

This event is for the whole community to come along and
experience first hand our local Aboriginal Culture and enjoy the
many traditional aspects of our local Aboriginal community.

 Sample some tasty treats of the Australian bush and
discover the many great flavors you can use to cook with.

 See cultural demonstrations.

 Sit by the fire, chat with a local Elder or listen to stories
from the Dream Time.

 Try your hand at making traditional tools, bush jewellery or
learn to throw a Boomerang painted by you.

For more information regarding the  events, please
contact the Tumut Region Visitors Centre on 
02) 6947 7025, or Cooee Cottage on 02) 6947 3362.

www.tumutregion.com.au

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

It has been estimated that there are at least 5,000 different native food species that were gathered and hunted by the Aboriginal population.  This unique food has been just about forgotten since the arrival of the European settlers.  The loss of traditional land and the loss the of knowledge that was handed down from generation to generation amongst the Aboriginal population meant that Australia's native food was not developed as part of our day to day diet.

I'ts now great to see the emergence of native food amongst non Indigenous  people.  It just makes sense to make the most of what grows naturally in this country.  It has developed naturally with Australia's environment;  resistant to the extremes of climate as well as many of the pests that prove problems with the introduced species.

Ingrediants

40g Outback Chef Lemon Pepper

150g roasted macadamia nuts

80g sesame seeds

50g roasted pine nuts

2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

Method

Grind nuts coarsely in food processor

Mix together with other ingrediants

Serve with bread and a good Australian olive oil

SHELF LIFE EXTENSION OF KANGAROO MEAT USING NATURAL ANTIMICROBIALS

The following information is from research that was done by Dr Yasmina Sultanbawa at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland.

The harvesting of kangaroos for human and pet food consumption has become a significant domestic and export industry in Australia.

At present the pet food industry uses sulphites as a chemical preservative to extend the shelf-life of chilled kangaroo meat.

Sulphites cause thiamine deficiency in low body weight animals (including cats and dogs) and the ffects are exacerbated when the animals are exculsively fed a diet containing high concentrations of sulphite preservatives.

There is a consumer demand for additive free food and the trend is to use natural antimicrobils such as plant extracts as preservatives.  Certain plant extracts are also a rich source of antioxidants which can extend the freshness of the product by preventing oxidation.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the potential of using natural antimicrobils such as plant extracts and organic acids in extending the storage life of chilled kangaroo meat and as an alternative to sulphites as a chemical preservative.

METHODS

Freeze dried water extracts of kakadu and Queensland Davidson plum, lactic acid and citric acid were screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using a mictotitre assay and the minimum inbigitory concentration was determined.

Different mixtures of natural antimicrobials both in-house and commercial blends were incorporated into kangaroo mince using vacuum and MAP packaging conditions and shelf life was determined over a chilled storage period of 29 days.

Samples from each treatment were taken on storage days 1, 4, 11, 15, 20, 25 and 29 and tested for microbiological, colour, gas chromatography mass spectrometry and sensory analysis.

FINDINGS

Screening of antimicrobial efficacy of kakadu and Queensland Davidson plum with organic acids completed inhibited S. aureus and E. coli.

It retained redness during the storage period and was comparable with the fresh kangaroo mince.  The highest reduction in redness was observed in treatments with 0.2% Oregano essential oil and 0.1% Queensland Davidson plum + 0.1% kakadu plum + 0.25% lactic acid over the 29 day storage period for vacuum packed products.

The most effective treatments observed were with a combination of Queensland Davidson plum + kakadu plum + lactic acid with vacuum packaging at day 20.

GCMS results revealed an increase in alkenes, aldehydes, ketones and alcohols in all treatments in comparison to the fresh kangaroo mince sample.  The highest off-flavour volatiles are present in the control sample without any treatment, indicating that the quality deterioration in the control was the most rapid at chilled storage.

CONCLUSION

Natural antimicrobial blends, both produced in-house and commercially sourced, were effective in extending the shelf-life of fresh kangaroo mince meat at chilled storage temperatures.  Vacuum packaging was more effective in maintaining the quality of fresh kangaroo meat than MAP.  Even though the aerobic bacteria were within the critical microbiological limits the sensory quality of most treatments was not acceptable after 29 days of storage.

I'm really looking forward to returning to Melville Island, part of the Tiwi Islands and cooking for the miners at the Matilda Zircon Mine.  They are in for a great bushfood treat with a menu that I've designed with Adam Clarke chef with Morris Catering.  We will both be working alongside some of the students of Tiwi College....should be a lot of fun.

If you want to try something a little different, why not give Bush Tomato Popcorn a go.  I got this recipe idea from Australia on a Silver Platter....

"We used the ordinary popcorn (not the microwave one) and popped it in a deep pot with macademia oil and crushed garlic.  when ready, we added generously butter and ground bush tomato.  Gourmet popcorn for the adults too!"

It's always interesting to hear the various and inventive ideas that people come up with using Australian native food.  If you've got any I'd love to hear from you and don't mind sharing them on line.

I think this popcorn would really how the "wow" factor if it was served with guests.....most people love popcorn, once you start eating it you can't stop, so be sure to give this recipe a go.

The Jilamara Art Centre on Melville Island had it's opening on 15th May 2012.  I headed off from Melbourne on the 6.05 am flight on the 14th March to get to Melville that evening to start and prepare the food for the opening on the 15th.  Unfortunately the weather got in the way of the plans so over-nighted in Darwin on the 14th, got to the airport at 6.15 next morning and finally left at 10.45am for Melville Island.  The opening that day was from 11.am until 2.00pm. 

Adam, chef with Morris Catering, plus me and 16 Tiwi College students had over 300 people to cater for....fortunately Tiwi time can be flexible, so whilst we were ready for action as soon as we arrived, the discovery that 15kg of barramundi fillets hadn't been taken from the freezer to the chiller the night before and the 20kg of buffalo mince had been put into the freezer did cause us to catch out breaths!!....but some quick work with the defrosting and fortunately there were no flies about (that I saw anyway) we quickly applied the lemon myrtle and mountain pepper rub to the frozen fillets and laid them out to defrost with a couple of kids on watch duty.  The buffalo mince then went into tubs of water to encourage defrosting.  Many hands make light work and in this case the kids did a fantastic job.

So onto the BBQ went the kangaroo stew with vegetables (that should have been prepared the night before), but worked out OK...the barra fillets that defrosted in record time and buffalo burgers with my Outback Bush Curry were made up very quickly with a lot of little hands in action.  Salads were arranged and fruit boxes put out, hamburger buns cut in haf and we were ready for the queue of hungry guests.  The kids served the food and agreed it was the best fun ever.

The Tiwi kids were great, they have been working on a healty eating program, learning to prepare and cook healthy food as well as using native ingredients.  This BBQ and the opening of the centre proved that they have learnt a lot.  They were all very proud to be preparing food for their community and guests and worked really hard with a lot of enthusiasm and energy to get the food ready.  Overall the day was a great success and the new art centre was opened with great gusto.

The covers of these books tell it all......

I'm really happy to be able to offer these 4 new bushfood and bush medicine books on site.  They are full of information on recognizing bushtucker and bush medicine plants, written by the experts, the aboriginal people.  The books come from different areas of outback Australia, with great pictures and would be a valuable learning tool for any teacher or a wonderful additon to your bushfood library.  For more information on the bushtucker books......