What's Your Passion?

What's Your Passion?

I attended a networking breakfast recently where a guest presenter asked the group - What are you passionate about? of course so early in the morning (7.30am) he didn't get much response around the table. So he asked who has a job they are passionate about? No-one put their hand up.
He then proceeded to tell us that only 20% of people are passionate about their work. That means four out of five people are working in a job they are not passionate about. Those that are highly successful are clear on their top five passions, they must be the 20%.
We then did a simple exercise from a book called, The Passion Test. A simple yet powerful exercise designed to help you identify and prioritise your life passions. A very interesting exercise to do first thing in the morning with a bunch of strangers in 15 minutes. I had done some of this thought process whilst I have been on my sabbatical. Write down 10 things that would make your life and work ideal cover all areas: career, finances, health, relationships, environment, spiritual, fun.

For me of course food was one of my 10 things, both eating and cooking great food. I have certainly become more passionate about it as I have learnt new skills and spent more time exploring, reading, testing, shopping for and of course eating. Just as well I am equally as passionate about staying fit and healthy!
Not long after this breakfast a friend of mine asked how the cooking classes had been going, and how the job hunting was going. She suggested I should change careers and move into the food industry given my strong interest in cooking. I thought for a moment and said No... I like to eat food other people cook, and cook my food for only a few. I didn't think I was up for such a huge career change. I also thought if I am cooking all the time I would be afraid I'd loose the interest and passion to even do the cooking I do now. But it was an interesting question to ponder.

Perhaps my pushback on changing to the food industry is influenced by a book I am currently reading. The Sorcerer's Apprentices. It is written by Lisa Abend who was one of 30 hand selected experienced chefs who spent 6 months working for free, or just for the experience of working at elBulli restaurant with Ferran Adria in Spain. Ferran is the most famous chef in the world, his elBulli holds three Michelin stars and is a five times winner of the title Best Restaurant in the World. Ferran Adrian is like a rock star of the food industry. An amazing inventive, creative chef who has an amazing passion for food and the whole emotional experience that eating has become.  He sets a high benchmark for himself and others every year. 

He opens his restaurant only for 6 months of the year. Each day of the 6 months he caters to a maximum of 120 diners with a 30 course extravaganza. There is no menu as he designs the 30 courses around each table.  Bookings for the 6 months opening season dissappear in one day. Somewhere between 500,000 and 2 million people apply. His admirers and his detractors frequently refer to Adria as a magician or a sorcerer. Someone who performs alchemy with even the humblest of ingredients.

The chefs, or stagiarires (apprentices in Spanish) work 14 hour days with only a 30 minute break and one meal. They stand still for practically 7 hours a day preparing the best food and learning from the worlds best team.  To be able to put this 6 months stage at elBulli on your CV is a right of passage.

Unfortunately Ferran has now closed his restaurant for up to 2 years to reinvent it.
If you'd like to read a first hand account from some diners at elBulli here is a great blog here from last year. http://www.thecriticalcouple.com/4/post/2010/10/before-the-meal.html

I certainly get the passion of Ferran and his apprentices. I admire their creatively and inventiveness with humble every day ingredients.  I love to experience tasting amazing food, and trying to figure out how they did that.  I certainly do spend more time these days preparing food just so I can eat it, or share it with family and friends.  What I am sure is that I don't want to this to be my work or career.  Perhaps in my next life!

What are your top 10 things you're passionate about?
And what are you doing to make them happen every day?

Enjoy.

Narelle.

Written by Narelle Beurle. To read more - go to: http://firstpour.blogspot.com/

Freekeh?? The New Grain

So What's new in the food world this week that has taken my fancy.

FREEKEH.  What? I hear you say.  Yes this is a new hip grain that some of Melbourne's top restaurants are serving in their versions of a 'ancient grain salad'.  Its unusual and very tasty.

This is a new product on the market, grown and produced in Australia. It is made from unripe wheat and you can cook it like rice, pasta or potatoes. The wheat grains are harvested when they’re soft and green, and then are ‘burnt’ in a specific (and secret) way to preserve the nutritional value and maintain the taste of the grain when it’s green. Freekeh is an outstanding grain and a nutritional powerhouse. It is high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals and although not yet proven, some believe it to be suitable for gluten-free diets as the gluten is denatured due to the high temperature burning process.

CUMULIS have it as a salad on their menu with preserved lemon and barberries.



Hellenic Repulic have it as a Cypriot Grain Salad which is delicious also.
Ingredients listed below for those who would like to make it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cypriot Grain Salad

1 bunch coriander shredded
½ bunch parsley shredded
½ red onion finely diced
1 cup freekah (or cracked wheat) cooked
½ cup puy lentils - cooked
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp baby capers
½ cup currants
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive
Sea salt to taste
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
1 tsp cumin seeds toasted and ground
1 tbsp honey

ST.KATHERINES Ancient Grain Salad


Capers, slivered almonds, puy lentils, sunflower seeds, freekah, red onions, currants, pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander and parsley are dressed in a zesty mustard and red wine vinaigrette. A dollop of cumin yoghurt rounds out the textural balance of crunch, bite and creamy softness.

I've recereated two of these dishes and enjoyed with chicken, lamb, beef and fish.

Enjoy!!!

Written by Narelle Beurle. To read more - go to: http://firstpour.blogspot.com/

Changing Seasons

Happy first day of Spring!After a short hibernation... I'm back blogging.
For those of you who know me well will know that I get bored easily and am always looking for a few changes or something new. So with the change in season I'm changing my blogg to be more of a focus on new and interesting food topics.  Either new cooking techniques, a new ingredient, a new place to eat, a new chef or anything I'm up for sharing.  So come along for the ride.  Of course if you want to opt out, just let me know.

Changing Seasons
For those of you in Melbourne, you would know that we have had one of the warmest August's in 150 years... we've had many days around the 20 degrees or more which has been excellent.

I've been enjoying the hours of sunshine as much as possible bike riding, walking, reading outside in my courtyard, doing a bit of gardening (well triming the small amount I have), potting up new herbs and of course continuing to experiment and learn new cooking skills.

It's been great to take the time and watch nature do it's thing as the seasons change from Winter to Spring.  I have a huge deciduous tree outside my home office window in my neighbors front nature strip.  Watching the tree sprout new growth as the sun was shining on it, and after only a matter of 2-3 weeks and the tree is lush and full of its delicate green leaves. 

Having lived in Singapore for 5 years with only one season, really hot and humid, or hotter and more humid, I realise how much I missed with the change of seasons and just being part of nature.  Of course the other benefits of seasons are being able to shed the layers and change the wardrobe into Spring clothes.  Oh by changing wardrobe I mean moving some of the Winter clothes to the spare room cupboard and transfering the Spring/Summer clothes.  I am refraining from shopping for the latest new season trends, at least for the moment.

August was another month of cooking classes.
This time both classes were hands on, which I much prefer.
Fish and seafood was a fun class where I learnt how to fillet fish. I was amazed how easy it is really. If you know where and how to cut and have a very sharp knife. Pin boning was also easy too.  Other techniques I learnt were how to make a spice rub for the fish fillet then how to cold smoke and dry grill it, finishing off with gentle steam with a small quantity of fish stock and covering with a cartouche to keep the moisture in.  The fish was absolutely delicious. Such a simple and healthy way to cook fish fillets. This method would also be great for chicken fillets.

The next class was The Whole Beast.... (pig)  The Chef was Ian Curley who was on TV this year on a program called Conviction Kitchen if you remember.  Ian took a bunch of people who had gone down the wrong path in life and ended up in prison.  He taught them how to cook and run a restaurant.
Ian, who is English is a bit of a joker but a great chef and his passion for food and teaching was extraordinary.  He made the class loads of fun and very informative. He's a bit of a flirt with the ladies too..

We cooked from the nose to the tail of the pig!  literally.  Pigs head terrine, pork belly, shoulder chops, rack, ribs and pigs tail croquettes.  Ian demonstrated making each of the dishes, then we broke into groups of 3 and made each of the dishes moving around as and when we chose.
We then cooked the dishes and sat down and ate small portions of each dish with local wines.  It was a great class.  My favourites were the pigs head terrine, the pork belly wrapped in brik pastry, and the pigs tail croquettes.  I will definately be trying these ones.

To ensure I practiced some of these new skills I brough a fresh whole snapper on Saturday from the Prahran market and then filleted it, made a spice rub with smoked paprika, fennel seeds, cumin, coriander ground, seseame seeds, salt, pepper, and fresh chill chopped finely. I then cold smoked the fish fillets with my new 'smoking gun' kitchen gadget.

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/the-smoking-gun.php

I served the fish as a taco in a soft tortilla wrap with tomato salsa, smashed avocado, shredded napa/chinese cabbage mixed with oregano and lemon juice. Wow this was probably the best fish taco I've ever eaten. The smokey taste of the fish with the crunch of the salsa and cabbage.  Yumm!
I've also done the same method with a chicken fillet pounded out.

What's your favourite new foodie thing? and how are you enjoying the change of seasons?

Narelle.
Written by Narelle Beurle. To read more - go to: http://firstpour.blogspot.com/