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.

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

Also known as the desert raisin as it's dried appearance does resemble one.  It is a scrambling bush that grows in the desert areas of Australia.  Although I did see one the other day in Melbourne, just growing on the side of the road, surrounded by weed and frost!!...the plant is hardy.  Aboriginal people would only use them after they have dried on the bush, this reduces the harmful alkaloids in the unripened fruit.  To preserve they would mix them with tree resins, roll into a ball and put up in the trees to dry.  When needed they would be ground into a powder.

Bush tomato can be added to any of your favourite tomato dishes, pastas, soups and casseroles to give a spicy flavour.  They also act as a thickener, great if you're trying to avoid wheat based products.  Remember they are a spice not a direct substitute for fresh tomatoes.

As a health benefit they are high in folate and anti oxidant.

Always interested to hear from you and your favourite way to use bush tomatoes, if you go to my recipe site there are also ways to use bush tomato, not all that hard to do either.

This pics show unripe bush tomato on the bush and also the dried berriers ready to grind for use.

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

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

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.

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.

This native Australian vegetable was eaten by the early European settlers, Captain Cook also gave it to his men to eat to fight scurvy and many of the early convicts owed their lives to this spinach like plant.  Joseph Banks, the famous botanist, took it back to England and it was grown, and probably still is, in many English gardens.

Cook and use as you would spinach, but before eating blanch the leaves in hot water for about 3 mintues, then rinse in cold water before using them in salads or to cook, this removes the toxic oxates which can be harmful if eaten in large quantities.

If you want to grow Warrigal Greens or more info <http://www.outbackchef.com.au/shopping/leaves-greens/34/1>

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.

The weather was great for the opening of the Jilamara Art Centre, after all the cyclone warnings and turburlance we got busy and prepared a feast for the opening of the Jilamara Art Centre.  About 300 people came to the opening and the kids from Tiwi college helped in preparing the food.

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 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......