A Taste Of Eat Local Month: Mini Recipe Book

The recipes contained in this book are taken from Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim Volumes 1 and 2 . Filled from cover to cover with delicious recipes that celebrate wholesome local ingredients, Eat Local is written by Brenda Fawdon and Christine Sharp. Each cookbook is inspired by the farmers, growers and makers of the Scenic Rim and documents the authors’ candid conversations with producers and their families.

Brenda Fawdon is a restaurateur, chef, author, cooking school teacher, presenter, recipe developer and start-up business visionary. She is also a food ambassador for the Scenic Rim region. Brenda and business partner Sonja Drexler own and run North Stores at North Tamborine in the Scenic Rim. The precinct houses shops and spaces, including Picnic Real Food Bar, and art and ceramics studios. Brenda and Sonja co-owned award-winning Brisbane institution Mondo Organics restaurant, cooking school and catering business, and they founded Real Food Farm Gate, a farm-gate-to-farmers’ market business, which they sold to a local farming family in 2021. Brenda is the co-author of Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim Volume 1 (2016) and Volume 2 (2018). Her

first cookbook, Wholehearted Food, was published by UQP in 2013, and she was honoured to be invited as the only female guest chef to contribute to QAGOMA’s awardwinning book, Harvest, published in 2014.

Christine Sharp is an author and artist working across the literary, visual and performing arts. Her practice comprises writing, painting, illustration, photography and book design. Christine’s books include three children’s books, published by UQP, and she is the co-author of Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim. She has designed and edited numerous books for publishers. Christine lives on Tamborine Mountain in the Scenic Rim and works from her Studio + Stockroom at North Stores.

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Feast your way through the Scenic Rim with this beautiful book that champions local farmers and real food. Over 60 wholesome recipes, candid conversations and stunning imagery. To buy the book or to find out more, visit eatlocalmonth.com.au

CARROT, RED ONION & FETA TART

Towri’s award-winning farmhouse artisan sheep milk cheeses are made with the freshest sheep milk. Carolyn’s cheeses are best eaten with quality sourdough bread and accompaniments. Here, however, I have added just a few small chunks of feta to this savoury tart recipe and it makes all the difference. Serve the tart warm with salad.

INGREDIENTS

3 carrots, cut into 4 cm batons widthwise

3 small red onions, peeled

3 free-range eggs

100 ml pure cream

100 ml double cream or crème friache

12 sprigs thyme, leaves picked

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground

100 g sheep milk feta, broken into chunks

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

120 g salted butter, cut into 3 cm cubes

200 g organic white spelt or plain flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons iced water

METHOD

To make the pastry, place the cubes of butter in a plastic container and place in the freezer for 5–10 minutes. Place the flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse. Add the butter and pulse several times until the butter flecks resemble almond flakes. Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl, and add the egg yolk and water. Using a curved-edge pastry scraper, cut the pastry together. Roll the pastry onto a lightly floured bench and work into a ball with your hands. If the pastry is dry, add a little extra iced water. Form the pastry into a 3 cm thick disc, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To make the filling, preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the top and bottom off each onion to create 3 x 4 cm-deep onion discs. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the onions and carrot batons on the sheet, standing with cutsides up. Drizzle with oil, season lightly and roast for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside to cool.

To blind bake the tart, lightly grease a 20 cm fluted tart tin with oil. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench to 3 mm thick, roll the pastry over the rolling pin and line the tin. Cut away excess pastry. Chill the pastry shell in the fridge for 10 minutes. Line the base of the pastry shell with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and paper, and bake for 5 minutes or until the shell is golden. Remove and set aside to cool.

To make the tart, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the eggs, cream, thyme and seasoning in a bowl, and whisk together. Place the onion and carrot discs in the tart shell with space between them, standing with cut-sides up. Dot the cheese in the gaps and then pour the cream mix between the vegetables. Bake for 40 minutes or until the custard has set. Remove from the oven and serve warm with garden salad.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

FRIED ONION RINGS

It’s best to make these at the beginning of the onion season in late spring because onions are sweeter at that time. If you make onion rings in cooler months, you might like to soak them in buttermilk or milk for 30 minutes to tame the strong onion flavour. Serve onion rings as a side dish with a good burger or enjoy as a treat on their own. Fried onion rings have that satisfying crunch factor by the bucket load, and they are not bad washed down with a Fortitude Brewing Company golden ale.

INGREDIENTS

2–3 brown onions, peeled and cut into 1 cm thick discs widthwise

extra chickpea flour

300 ml grapeseed oil

mayonnaise

lime cheeks

sea salt

CHICKPEA BATTER

100 g chickpea flour (besan flour)

75 g rice flour

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground chilli

½ teaspoon bicarb

½ teaspoon sea salt

250 ml ice-cold water

4–6 small ice cubes

METHOD

To make the chickpea batter, place the flour, spice, bicarb and salt in a mixing bowl, and whisk in the water and ice cubes to make a smooth batter. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based skillet to 170°C. Break the onion discs into rings and coat with flour. Dip the rings in the batter and shake off the excess. Drop 4–5 rings into the oil at a time. Don’t overload the fryer. Fry until golden and crispy, for about 3 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper then serve with mayonnaise, lime cheeks and a sprinkle of sea salt.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

DEEP-TIN SPINACH & FETA TART

This deep-tin tart is jam-packed with nourishing greens. If you like, you can replace the spinach in this recipe with kale, silverbeet or use a mixture of leaves — as long as you’re eating your greens!

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches spinach

1 bunch green onions (shallots), cleaned and thinly sliced

300 g feta, crumbled into chunks

2 lemons, zest only

½ nutmeg pod, finely grated, or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

10 eggs

250 ml cream

WHOLEMEAL SHORTCRUST PASTRY

2 cups plain or spelt wholemeal flour

2 tablespoons black (or white) sesame seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

100 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 egg, chilled

a little iced water, if required

METHOD

To make the pastry, place the flour, sesame seeds and salt in a food processor and process for a minute. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is flaked through the flour. Add the egg and pulse until the pastry just comes together. Add a little iced water if the pastry is too dry. Continue to process to bring the pastry together. Shape the pastry into a disc and wrap in biodegradable cling wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until required.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 24 cm springform cake tin. Half-fill a stockpot with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Submerge the spinach leaves in the water and blanch for 2–3 minutes. Drain the leaves into a colander and run cold water over them. When cool enough to handle, tightly squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove the excess water. Thinly slice the spinach and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the green onions, feta, zest, spice and seasoning. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and cream.

Remove the pastry from the fridge. It may take 5–10 minutes to soften enough to roll out. Cut the pastry in half. Lightly flour a bench and roll out half of the pastry for the base to 3 mm thick. When the pastry is rolled out, place the base of the spring-form tin on the pastry and cut around it with the point of a paring knife. Place the pastry into the base of the tin. Roll out the remaining pastry half and cut 6 cm wide strips to fit the sides of the tin. Press the strips into the tin side, overlap slightly and press together. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes or until the pastry has firmed up, if you have the time.

Scrape the egg mixture into the spinach mixture and thoroughly mix together. Place the spinach filling into the pastry-lined tin and bake for 40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve slices of tart with your favourite salad.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

HEIRLOOM BEETROOT SALAD WITH GRILLED HALOUMI

Eat Local Volume 1

Heirloom beetroot are earthy and sweet. They marry exceptionally well with the tart taste of rhubarb, the saltiness of grilled haloumi, and the pop of a scattering of juicy pomegranate seeds. Serve this festive salad as a starter or as part of a celebratory banquet — it is not only fresh and delectable, it is a beautiful addition to the table.

INGREDIENTS

3 golden beetroot, leaves removed and scrubbed

3 purple beetroot, leaves removed and scrubbed

3 target (candy stripe) beetroot, leaves removed and scrubbed

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

white pepper, freshly ground

2 stems rhubarb, leaves removed

1 teaspoon golden castor sugar

1 lettuce, washed and dried

200 g haloumi, sliced and grilled until golden

1 large pomegranate, cut in half widthwise

ORANGE DRESSING

zest and 1⁄2 the juice from 1 orange

5 ml orange blossom water (optional)

1 teaspoon local honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a jar, secure the lid and shake like mad. Refrigerate until required.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut one of each variety of beetroot into quarters, place on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season and roast for 30 minutes, or until caramelised and tender. Set aside. Thinly slice the remaining beetroot using a mandolin (use the guard and watch those fingers!)

Place sliced beetroot into three small bowls, using a different bowl for each variety. Cover with iced water and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut the rhubarb into 5 cm batons and place on the tray in a tight row. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper, and bake for 10–12 minutes or until just-soft. Check with the tip of a knife. Remove and cool.

Arrange the salad on a large platter. Before serving, tap the pomegranate seeds over the salad, and finish by spooning the orange dressing to taste.

Note: Orange blossom water can be purchased from most supermarkets and delis.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

MACADAMIA CAKE, HONEY CREAM & ORANGE SYRUP

Eat Local Volume 1

Many nut lovers describe the macadamia nut as the best nut in the world. Paul and Robyn Lee from Greenlee Farm produce the best macadamia nuts I’ve ever tasted — more-ish, crunchy and buttery. Of course, macadamia trees come with beehives, so Paul and Robyn also produce and sell raw honey.

INGREDIENTS

3 free-range eggs, separated

100 g unsalted butter

80 g raw honey

200 g dry roasted macadamia nuts

50 g organic white spelt or plain flour

pinch of sea salt

zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

handful of dry roasted macadamia nuts, sliced

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 11 cm x 22 cm bar cake tin with baking paper. Place the nuts, flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse until coarse — be careful not to pulse too long or you’ll end up with butter. Whisk the egg whites in an electric stand mixer on a medium speed until soft peaks form, then set aside.

Place the butter and honey in the bowl of the mixer, and beat until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking for a minute after each addition. Fold the ground nuts, flour, salt, zest and juice, and spice into the butter mix. Using a metal kitchen spoon, gently fold a third of the egg whites into the paste to loosen the mix. Fold the remaining egg white into the batter. The batter should be light and creamy. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through. Insert a wooden skewer into the cake and if it

HONEY CREAM

200 g double cream

50 g sour cream

1 vanilla bean, seeded and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 teaspoons raw honey

ORANGE SYRUP

2 teaspoons raw honey

ribbon zest and juice of 1 orange

6 cardamom pods (optional)

comes away clean, the cake is ready. If the cake starts to darken on top before it’s cooked, place a sheet of alfoil on top of the cake while it bakes.

To make the honey cream, place all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to firm peaks. Cover and refrigerate until required.

To make the orange syrup, place all ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a syrup consistency. Strain and keep the long strips of zest aside. Set aside the syrup, and don’t refrigerate.

To finish the cake, ice with honey cream, and scatter orange strips and sliced macadamia nuts on top, and spoon orange syrup over the cake.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

NEW POTATOES, GREEN BEANS, PEAS & PESTO

Eat Local Volume 1

New potatoes aren’t a variety of potato; rather, they are potatoes dug early in the season. They are waxy and have a thin papery skin — perfect for steaming or mashing. New potatoes squeak and squeal of spring. Tossed with spring vegies, herbs and a pesto dressing, this salad is tasty served with barbecued meat or fresh seafood.

INGREDIENTS

½ bunch basil, leaves picked

½ bunch mint, leaves picked

2 cloves garlic

80 g pine nuts or roasted blanched almonds

50 g pecorino cheese, finely grated

zest and juice from one lemon

50 ml extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

black pepper, freshly ground

600 g new potatoes, cut in halves or thirds

200 g stringless green beans, diagonally cut in half widthwise

150 g fresh peas (frozen okay)

extra virgin olive oil

20 g extra pecorino cheese

METHOD

Place herbs, garlic, nuts, cheese, zest, lemon, oil and seasoning in a food processor, process to a puree consistency and refrigerate.

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. Bring another saucepan of water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for 3 minutes, then remove and chill in iced water. Set aside. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes, chill in iced water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the potatoes, beans, peas and pesto dressing. Drizzle with olive oil and finely grate a little pecorino cheese on top.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

RHUBARB FRANGIPANE TART

Rhubarb thrives in the cooler climate of Tamborine Mountain and is available most of the year. Firm bunches of ruby stalks are fastened with thick rubber bands and sold at roadside stalls across the mountain and at The Green Shed growers’ market on Sunday mornings.

INGREDIENTS

75 g unsalted butter

100 g rapadura or golden castor sugar

70 g almond meal

40 g organic wholegrain spelt or wholegrain plain flour

5 ml rosewater

2 free-range eggs

5 rhubarb stalks

1 tablespoon rapadura or golden castor sugar

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

160 g organic wholegrain spelt or wholegrain plain flour

80 g rapadura or brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

pinch of sea salt

80 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 free-range egg

METHOD

To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, and blitz to combine. Add the butter and pulse several times until the butter flecks resemble almond flakes. Lightly beat the egg, then drizzle into the processor and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Add a little iced water if you need to, just enough to bring the dough together. Remove the pastry from the processor and gently knead into a ball. Press into a disc shape, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the frangipane, place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed for 6 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Add the almond meal, flour and rosewater, and mix on a low speed until just incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and refrigerate until required.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 36 x 12 cm loosebased rectangular tart tin.

To bake the tart, remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured bench to a thickness of 3 mm. Line the tin with pastry and prick the base with a fork. Place the lined tin back into the fridge to harden for 20 minutes. Remove and place a rectangle of baking paper on the base, and weigh it down with pastry weights or beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes and then remove the paper and weights, and bake for a further 3 minutes to brown the base. Remove from the oven and cool.

Turn down the oven to 160°C. Pipe the frangipane into the pastry case, and don’t worry if it’s not perfect as the frangipane will spread as it cooks. Top the frangipane with the rhubarb stalks cut to lengths to fit the tin lengthwise, side by side. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool, and then remove the tart from its tin. Serve with whipped cream.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

ROASTED PORK BELLY, FENNEL & APPLE SALAD WITH VIOGNIER DRESSING

Witches Falls Wild Ferment Viognier is a fresh white wine with aromas of melon, citrus and tropical fruit. Here, we’ve used the wine to add a little oomph to this quick and easy salad dressing. Viognier pairs beautifully with crispy roasted pork belly.

INGREDIENTS

2.5 kg pork belly, skin-on and scored (ask your butcher to do this)

2 teaspoons white peppercorns

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

1 lemon, zest only

1 orange, zest only

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

light olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

FENNEL AND APPLE SALAD

1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (reserve fronds to serve with salad)

½ bunch celery, use the tender inner stems, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

4 red radishes, thinly sliced

2 pink lady apples, thinly sliced widthways

1 unwaxed lemon, skin peeled without the pith and sliced thinly lengthways

30 ml lemon juice

VIOGNIER DRESSING

60 ml Witches Falls Wild Ferment

Viognier

30 ml lemon juice

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon raw honey

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

METHOD

To prepare the pork, place the pork into a large roasting tray and pour over enough boiling water to cover the belly. Leave for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the peppercorns, fennel and mustard seeds in a heavy-based skillet over a medium heat, and toast for 3 minutes, or until the mustard pops and the spice is toasted. Place the spice in a mortar, and grind and pound until course. Blitz in a spice grinder if you prefer. Place the spice in a bowl and add the zest, garlic and ginger. Place the pork skin-side up in a large roasting tray and rub the paste into the skin and into the incisions. Refrigerate the pork overnight, uncovered.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Remove the pork from the fridge and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Rub or spray with oil and sprinkle salt over the skin, and roast for

1–1½ hours or until tender. Increase the heat to 200°C and roast for a further 10 minutes, or until the skin is crispy.

To make the salad, use a mandolin and guard to slice wafer-thin slices of the vegetables and apple. Half-fill a large bowl with iced water and add a few ice cubes. Place the vegetables, apple, lemon skin and juice in the bowl, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar and shake. Refrigerate until chilled. The dressing will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Just before serving the pork, drain the salad ingredients and dry in a clean tea towel or salad spinner. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl, dress and toss well. Serve the roasted pork belly with extra Dijon mustard and salad garnished with fennel fronds. Don’t forget to open a chilled bottle of Witches Falls Wild Ferment Viogner.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au

SLOW-COOKED BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH WINTER SLAW

Eat Local Volume 1

SERVES

Beef short ribs are underrated. Not only are they lip smacking, they are inexpensive and easy to prepare. All you need is a few hours in the oven on a cold day and you’ll warm your home at the same time. This one ticks all the boxes for a family lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS

grapeseed oil

2 kg beef short ribs, cut into single ribs

800 g tomatoes, blanched, peeled and cooled

1 x 375 ml bottle ginger beer

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon local honey

3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 tablespoon grated ginger

3 long red chillies, cut in half, seeds and membrane removed, and roughly chopped

6 anchovies, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

WINTER SLAW

1 small red cabbage, finely sliced

2 carrots, finely julienned

2 purple carrots, finely julienned

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

sea salt

white pepper, freshly ground

To make the ribs, preheat the oven to 160˚C. Heat a little grapeseed oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and brown the ribs on both sides in batches. In a large baking tray (or two small trays), combine all ingredients using your hands. Squash the tomatoes and ensure the ribs are coated with the marinade. Spread the ribs across the base of the baking tray and cover tightly with two sheets of alfoil. Place the ribs in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables for the slaw, place in a bowl and refrigerate. Dress with mayonnaise just before serving.

To serve the ribs, remove the baking tray from the oven. Put aside and keep warm. Pour the sauce through a fine sieve into a small saucepan and place on a medium heat. Reduce sauce until thick and glossy. Serve ribs with sauce and slaw.

This recipe is from EAT LOCAL: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim by Brenda Fawdon & Christine Sharp. To buy the book, or to find out more, visit:eatlocalmonth.com.au