Month: June 2017

Winter is the perfect time to bunker down with comfort food that warms the body and soothes the soul. Chef Josh De Haas from Chopping Board Catering shares his recipe for a hearty coq au vin pie and parsnip puree.

to make the pie (serves 4)

Method: Part 1

Marinate:

• 5 Chicken Marylands (cut in half: leg and thigh)
• 100 millilitres olive oil
• 3 shallots (thinly sliced)
• 100 grams sliced pancetta
• 1 leek
• 2 carrots
• 1⁄2 bunch thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1⁄4 bunch oregano
• 6 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 litre of red wine
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 litre of chicken stock

1.

Sauté herbs, vegetables, pancetta and spices in olive oil. Deglaze with red wine, bring to boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Pour mix over chicken and marinate for 24 hours.

2.

Place chicken, vegetables, herbs and marinade in an oven tray and add chicken stock. Cover tray with foil and slowly braise at 150°c for 1 hour.

3.

Remove meat from liquid. Let meat cool then shred from bones. Retain cooking liquid.

Method: Part 2

• Shredded chicken (from Part 1)

• 1 large brown onion (‘brunoise’ i.e. diced)

• 5 cloves roasted garlic

• 1 tablespoon rosemary

• 2 tablespoon oregano

• 200 grams flat pancetta (diced into small pieces)

• 500 grams button mushrooms (cut into quarters and pan-fried until caramelised)

• 1 cup sparkling shiraz

• 750 millilitres cooking liquid (from Part 1)

• 500 millilitres cream

• 1⁄2 bunch soft herbs (e.g. chives, parsley, tarragon)

• Salt and pepper to season (if required)

1.

Add shredded chicken and deglaze with sparkling shiraz.

2.

Add cooking liquid and cream. Simmer until sauce thickens. Tip: add a small amount of cornflour to thicken if needed. Season with salt and pepper and add soft herbs to finish.

3.

Fill a dish with mixture and cover with puff pastry. Cook at 180 degrees for 15 – 18 minutes until golden brown.

to make the parsnip puree (serves 4)

• 800 grams cored and cleaned parsnips (boiled until soft)
• 150 grams chopped onions
• 125 grams unsalted butter
• 800 millilitres cream
• 2 teaspoons salt
• A pinch white pepper

1.

Sauté onions and butter on low heat until the onions are tender. Add parsnip and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

2.

Season with salt and pepper.Puree and then pass through a fine conical sieve (‘chinoix’). Serve with pie.

Learn more about local Chopping Board Catering events, promotions and grazing box delivery at choppingboardcatering.com.au

0417 816 604

Norwood Green Interior Designer Antonietta Sofia shares her insights on what makes a house a home and the easy decor updates you can make right now that are on trend and on budget.

q: What are the interior trends for 2020?

a: Tranquil dusty colours such as blue, pink and green are proving popular. One of our favourites right now is Dulux Spanish Olive: a dusty grey green colour. I think these colours help create calm spaces and havens where we can leave the hustle and bustle of our busy lives behind.

q: What are some simple and effective interior updates people can make right now?

a: An easy update is to add plants: they introduce tranquillity to a space and clean the air. Plants bring the outside in and provide good ‘bang for your buck’. Painting walls with textured paint that looks like polished plaster also adds texture and interest and is cost-effective

q: Are you noticing any changes in the products people are purchasing?

a: People are starting to think about where products have been made and how they are sourced. The desire to support local businesses and artists is growing. People are more interested in products with ‘back stories’ too such as rugs made from recycled plastic bottles. I think the rise of stores reselling other peoples homewares has, and will, keep increasing too.

q: Where are some of your favourite places to shop in Norwood?

a: Twopairs is great for unusual pieces. Heyne’s Nursery has an amazing indoor and outdoor plant range. Local hardware stores like Mitre 10 are also good places for plants and pots. Abbode Interiors has stunning wallpapers and soft furnishings too.

q: What design philosophies inspired the interior design for Norwood Green?

a: We embraced timeless, ‘non-fussy’ design that enables buyers to use our interiors as a foil to add their own personal effects regardless of their style – and without being too much of a blank canvas. We’ve added interest to spaces by selecting benchtops and tiles with natural textures and tones instead of colour; which can be personal. We’ve also purposefully selected honest materials like undyed woollen carpets and unpolished timber floorboards where imperfections are seen as positive aspects – and not defects.

q: What makes a home ‘home’ to you?

a: I believe every room needs a ‘hero piece’: something that adds an element of surprise and makes an impact. This could be a piece of furniture, an artwork or an unusual item collected on holiday. It is an item you fell in love with the moment you saw it. These are the items that suddenly turn spaces into homes: personal and one of a kind.