Homemade breadsticks are such a grown-up move. Only the most organized adult takes the time to add homemade breadsticks to an already jam-packed dinner party menu. More importantly, only an adult can resist eating all the breadsticks. Aussie breadsticks do not apologize for their allure. These brash wands of dough smirk from their buttery throne – glistening with parmesan and Vegemite – daring you to show restraint before the main course arrives. Once you succumb? You’ll be too full for prime rib, too sleepy for Pavlova. Forget about fitting into anything but elastic. Unless, of course, you’re one of those adults who can take one trim nibble, lay down the breadstick and casually carry on a conversation for 20 minutes without the Medial Forebrain Bundle (that’s the pleasure seeking part of the brain for those who don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy) going into full on panic mode. I’ve always envied people with such restraint. Those are the real grown-ups. I’m 36 years old and still waiting. My husband and daughter? They don’t stand a chance. What is an Aussie breadstick? Aussie …
Read More
Throwing together a Down Under lunch requires just a few fun ingredients. My kindergartner loves a good cheese sandwich (don’t we all!?) so this week I smeared her sandwich bread with sticky, salty yeast extract like they do in Australia and New Zealand (I couldn’t find Aussie’s preferred version, Vegemite, so I used Marmite, the version preferred in Britain and New Zealand). Let the record state: ooey gooey cheese paninis with yeast extract are also grand! The salty smack goes a long, long way; don’t overdo it! Next, leftovers came to the rescue. On the side are leftover sweet potatoes drizzled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. In New Zealand and parts of Australia they call sweet potatoes “kumara.” The shining star of the meal came from the fruit basket: one shiny Granny Smith apple. These green beauties were first cultivated in Australia in 1868. What an easy, authentic addition to the lunch box. The container came back empty, so I’d say her lunch “down under” was a success! Tips & Tricks: Ava’s lunch is vegetarian but others might enjoy tossing the sweet potatoes …
Read More
This is meal #9 in my personal challenge to eat one meal from every country in the world. “What’s wrong?” I asked. For the third time Keith waved his hand over $50 dollars worth of kangaroo meat to feel the grill. “I don’t know why the grill isn’t hot,” he muttered, “It’s just warm. It won’t get hot. The grill should be hot. I think it’s out of gas.” I looked over at our friends who were expecting their first taste of kangaroo any minute. A few glanced back at me. I felt my neck get hot and repressed the urge to get mad. The grill had not even been on 10 minutes. The irony? For the last three days Keith and I had this exact conversation at least five times: Me: “Do we have enough gas for the grill?” Keith: “I don’t know.” Me: “We’re having 15 people over. We’re going to use a lot of gas.” Keith: “Yeah.” Me: “You don’t think we need any gas?” Keith: “Yeah. Maybe.” Hosting tip of the …
Read More
Serves 8 We had great fun with the Aussie Burger at our barbecue. Follow my tips to help you if you are expecting a big group of people. The pickled beetroot is a lot like pickle, so don’t be shy! Ingredients: 8 hamburger buns 8 beef patties (or turkey) Toppings (all to taste): cooked bacon sliced cheddar cheese red onion, sliced thin into rings tomato, sliced thin pickled beetroot (beet), sliced thin lettuce pineapple rings 8 fried eggs, sunny side up Method: 1. Grill beef patties on a hot grill until done to your preference. A minute or two before taking the meat off of the grill, top burgers with bacon and cheese. Toast buns on the grill. 2. Assemble burger in the order given, starting with bacon and ending with eggs. Enjoy! TIPS: How to make fried eggs for a crowd Oil a sheet pan or cookie sheet. Heat an oiled griddle over medium high and crack eggs on it. Cook until white is set on the bottom, but top is still translucent. Move eggs …
Read More
Serves 10 The longer kangaroo ages, the stronger the flavor. If you like less gamey meat, purchase frozen kangaroo. To keep the meat moist and tender, marinate overnight and don’t cook too long. This recipe produced meat that tasted a lot like steak (to me). Ingredients: 2.5 pounds kangaroo loin, cut into 1″ cubes skewers – about 20 1 large mango 1/2 pineapple cubed or pineapple tidbits Mango marinade: 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt 1 cup mango juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Pineapple marinade: 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt 1 cup pineapple juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Method: 1. Divide kangaroo between 2 containers. I made more mango than pineapple, but you can do whatever works for your family. 2. Make the two marinades. Add one marinade to each container. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for about 8 hours. 3. Soak wooden skewers a few hours before grilling for as long as you want but at least an …
Read More
Serves 8-10 This dense frontier bread is traditionally cooked in hot campfire embers. Enjoy plain, with jam and butter, or dunked in chicken noodle soup. This recipe can safely be halved. Ingredients: 8 cups flour 1 Tbsp salt 1/4 cup baking powder 1/4 cup sugar 2.5 cups milk, plus more as needed Method: 1. Preheat oven to 425F. Grease a lasagna pan with butter or vegetable oil. 2. Add salt, baking powder, and sugar to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. In a large bowl, whisk together flour with the other dry ingredients until evenly distributed. Add milk and stir with a wooden spoon to form a stiff dough. Some extra milk may be needed, but take care not to make it too wet. 3. Press evenly into pan. Cut lines 1/4″ into the dough with a sharp knife. 4. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve hot or room temperature. Australian Damper Bread Votes: 2 Rating: 3 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe This dense frontier bread is traditionally cooked in hot campfire …
Read More
See how to make kangaroo plus other dishes… these guys have several episodes of Aussie cooking on YouTube. And listen to that famous, oh so cool, Aboriginal music – played with the Didgeridoo.
Read More
WHAT’s SO GREAT ABOUT AUSSIE BARBIES? 1. They make the word “barbie” a whole lot manlier. You’ve all heard it before. There’s nothing manlier than throwing hunks of meat on roaring flames, while sipping beer. Even calling barbecue a “barbie” doesn’t make it any less manly. After all, in Australia, barbecue is (generally) men’s work. You have to love that an entire country of men love playing with their Barbies. And, by that, I mean adjusting the flame… of course! Thank you Australia, for making a much better definition of the word “barbie.” 2. Beer is required, as illustrated by this old Australian saying: When hosting a barbecue, a knock on the door should never be answered as it means the guest isn’t carrying the required case of beer. (One should only answer a kick on the door.) 3. Speaking of beer, in 1954 Bob Hawke (from Australia) downed 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds, granting him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. He then became Prime Minister. What’s the correlation to Barbies?? …
Read More
Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d utter: “There are 2.5 pounds of kangaroo loin in my deep freeze.” Yippee! I’m very much looking forward to cooking the kangaroo but, at $19.99 a pound I want to be sure and cook the meat properly. Plus, I figured you were curious, too! What I found out: Kangaroo meat is dark, like beef, and lean. Very lean. With only 2% fat, proper preparation and cooking is critical to kangaroo. Step 1: An overnight marinade is ideal. This will tenderize the tough meat. Mix and match the following ingredients, per your taste: Mango juice, pineapple juice, soy sauce, mirin, plum sauce, orange juice, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, cayenne, paprika, oregano, etc. Immerse kangaroo in marinade and refrigerate. Thaw frozen kangaroo in the marinade. Step 2: Let meat come to room temperature while preheating the grill to VERY hot. Step 3: Oil the grill and cook kangaroo a few minutes per side. Step 4: Let kangaroo meat rest before cutting into it. If you cut too soon, the juices will leach …
Read More
This weekend will be the biggest Global Table party yet. We’re opening our home to 15 motorcycle buddies (plus their kids). We’ve chosen to have a classic Aussie Pot Luck Barbie – otherwise known as a barbecue – for our adventure. I’ll be making a combination of modern and traditional favorites for the barbie: Snags (Bratwurst Sausage) This sausage is popular at Aussie BBQs. Cook on a hot grill for about 25 minutes or until done. Kangaroo Loin Bites with Fresh Mango & Pineapple [Recipe] (Yes, I managed to find Kangaroo in Tulsa, Oklahoma) Lean kangaroo meat benefits from a long marinade in mango puree. Aussie Burgers [Recipe] Hamburger topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickled beets, pineapple, and a fried egg Damper Bread [Recipe] Old fashioned campfire bread made with milk and sugar. In the spirit of a pot luck, my guests brought Lamingtons (cake rolled in chocolate frosting and coconut), Bacon Wrapped Baked Potatoes, Deviled Eggs, Pavlova, Asparagus with Hollandaise, Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese, Fosters Beer, Yellow Tail Wine, biscuits (cookies), and more! We …
Read More
Let’s play a little game. Imagine the United States. Cut out about 20% of the land. Now, say goodbye to 93% of the population. Everyone vanishes except the people of New York State. That’s Australia. A massive country with very few people. *** 1. Australia is one of the world’s greatest melting pots. Around 1/3 of this great nation is sand and wind. A literal melting pot, the scorching desert pushes almost 90% of the population to urban centers like Sidney and Melbourne where they frequent cafes, markets, and pubs. And who are these Australians? Nearly 25% of Australia’s population was born in the U.K., Italy, China, Vietnam, North Africa, or the Middle East (Countries of the World, Kate Turner). When so many diverse cultures mix in urban settings, looking for great food, the result is fusion. 2. Traditional Bush Tucker comes from the Outback Bush Tucker is food that can be found while living off the land, in the sizzling hot Outback. Not many Australians eat off the land any more (most of them are in …
Read More
