Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Tacos

I have a love/hate relationship with my slow cooker. There have been some hits and some glorious misses! I'm a kitchen control freak (you should see my face when my husband wants to have a go at stirring!) so putting all my trust in an appliance to cook my food properly takes some getting used to. 

I'm not a big fan of pan fried chicken thighs so that's how this recipe came to be. 'Pulled' is basically meat cooked until it is so soft and tender that you can just shred (pull) it apart rather than cutting. You could apply this idea to many secondary cuts of meat. Lamb shoulder marinated in Moroccan spices would work a treat and pulled pork is very popular too. I love making this on a day I know will be busy. You put on the chicken in the morning then just before dinner it's a simple case of making the guacamole and warming the tortillas. Easy peasy. 

 Here is what you will need.....

- 12 six inch corn tortillas
- Homemade guacamole (I used Mamasita's own recipe which you can find here)
- Sour cream

For the pulled chicken:

- 500g free range chicken thighs
- 1 medium red capsicum sliced
- 1 large red onion sliced
- 1 lime quartered 
- 1 large red chilli thinly sliced (remove pith and seeds if you want a milder flavour)
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 tbs smoked paprika (has to be smoked!)
- 1 tbs cumin
- 2 tbs toasted coriander seeds 
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander
- small bag of baby spinach

Put everything except the coriander and baby spinach into the slow cooker, squeeze the juice from limes into the pot before throwing them in. Toss until the mixture is well combined. Pop on lid and cook on slow for 6-8 hours depending on your slow cooker, the result will be a juicy, spicy delicious mess. When you can shred the chicken easily with 2 forks it is done.

Once you're satisfied the chicken is ready turn off the slow cooker, remove the lime quarters and discard then shred up the chicken. Add the baby spinach and coriander, give it a stir through then pop lid back on so the spinach can wilt while you make the guacamole and warm the tortillas. I like putting the tortillas in grill pan rather than the oven so they get a bit of char. 

Then you're ready to go. I like to eat mine like this (below) but you could assemble them any way you like.

Beware the chicken is super juicy to keep some napkins on hand. Best served with a cold beer or margarita!

Flourless Orange Cake

I'm not much of a baker. Separating eggs, making wells...there are too many steps! I prefer to throw things in a pot and hope for the best! So when I do get the rare urge to bake it's usually something pretty simple.

This recipe for Flourless Orange Cake is no exception. It has 5 ingredients and once you have cooked the oranges it takes all of 15 minutes to put together. It's a great cake to make for someone on a gluten free diet and it can also be dairy free if you grease the cake tin with oil instead of butter.

Sometimes I add some cardamom pods and orange flower water to the sugar syrup to give it a slightly Middle Eastern flavour, however the cake is so moist on it's own you could even leave the syrup out all together.

Find the recipe here:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14822/flourless+orange+cake

Cobb Loaf Dip

Is there is a dish you love that's a little bit daggy? Prawn cocktail? Ham steaks with pineapple slices? Cobb loaf dip probably falls into that category but who cares! It's delicious, simple to make and great when you have visitors. 

I've filled this one with bacon, corn and spring onion but you could use anything that takes your fancy. 

Ingredients:

3 rashers of good quality bacon, finely diced

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tin of corn

1 tub of Philadelphia cream cheese

Small tub of sour cream

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (optional)

Salt and pepper

Fresh thyme

Hollow out the loaf and break the scooped out bread into bite sized pieces. Pop everything in a pre heated oven until nicely toasted.

Fry off bacon and when it's cooked through reduce the heat and add corn, cream cheese, grated cheese and sour cream, stir until everything is nicely combined and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste (keeping in mind the bacon will be quite salty).

Pour dip into hollowed out bread, sprinkle on thyme and serve immediately, it's best eaten hot!

Orange Mustard Chicken with Couscous

Don't you hate when you pull something out of the freezer for dinner then draw a complete mental blank when deciding what to do with it? This happened to me the other day with some chicken fillets. After a bit of googling this is what I came up with and my was it good! Quick and simple too; the perfect weekday dinner.

You can find the recipe here: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/food/8376096/orange-mustard-chicken-with-couscous

I used honey instead of marmalade (because really...who under the age of 65 has marmalade in their house?) and added some sunflower seeds to the couscous for extra crunch.

Moroccan Chicken Soup

I love soup! Seeing as the wintery weather is creeping in I thought it would be apt to share my favourite soup recipe. It's a Morroccan style chicken soup and is always a big hit with my family. The broth is quite delicate in flavour despite the spices and the addition of couscous makes it quite a hearty dinner on a cold night.

I like this recipe as it utilises the entire chicken (poached in water to make broth then meat shredded into soup), it's also great when you're feeling a little under the weather. It has a nice chilli hit which is bound to blow any cold out! While the prep is a little time consuming, the end result is completely worth it.

Here is what you will need....

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion, finely diced

1 long red chilli, finely chopped (discard seeds if you like it mild)

1 heaped tbs fresh mint, finely chopped

2 tbsp paprika, you can use smoked or sweet

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp raw sugar 

1/2 cup tomato puree

150g couscous

fresh coriander finely chopped to garnish

For the broth:

1 whole chicken, I use free range. Happy chickens= better tasting soup!

1 bunch parsley stalks

1 large brown onion cut into quarters

1 whole lemon cut in half

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbs corriander seeds

 

Place all the broth ingredients in a large stock pot and add enough water to just cover chicken. Bring to the boil then lower heat and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, 45-60mins depending on the size of your chicken.

Once chicken is cooked, remove and place in a separate bowl to cool. Continue to simmer broth on low heat for 10-15 mins until it has reduced a little. Season with salt and pepper then strain broth into a large bowl/jug and discard all the other bits and pieces. Once chicken is cool shred meat into bite sized strips.

Next heat oil in the same (now empty) pot and add onions and chilli, cook over medium heat for a few minutes until they begin to colour. Then add cumin, paprika, sugar, mint and tomato puree, stir to combine and then add sieved broth back to pot. Bring to the boil then add couscous. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat then add shredded chicken, check seasoning and simmer for a further 5 minutes. 

Now this is terribly unauthentic but I add a bag of baby spinach to the soup at the end along with the chicken. It adds a bit of colour and makes me feel healthy!

Serve soup in wide shallow bowls with coriander garnish.

Gumbo Kitchen

Authentic New Orleans cuisine: it's not something you come across often in ole Melbourne town. However things are about to change.

I introduce to you, Gumbo Kitchen. The newest gourmet food van on the scene, bringing their deep south favourites to the masses.

The main attractions at Gumbo Kitchen are gumbo (der) and a little delight known as the Po'Boy sandwich.

For those who are unfamiliar with New Orleans fare, let me elaborate. Gumbo is a spiced thick soup/stew often made with chicken/seafood and vegetables, usually served with rice. A Po'Boy is the Louisiana equivalent of Subway. Gumbo Kitchen do theirs with deep fried crumbed shrimp or beef 'debris' (shredded roast beef in a rich gravy) in a soft white sub roll dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and pickles. A decadent and tasty 'sometimes' food.

I had the pleasure of finally sampling Gumbo Kitchen's wares at a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Event at Dandenong Market not long ago. They mainly trundle around similar areas to the other food vans (Brunswick, Northcote etc) but recently have been branching out a little to other parts of Melbourne as well. Needless to say I was very jealous when my husband announced Gumbo Kitchen was outside his workplace in Abbotsford one afternoon!

After much agonising I decided on a shrimp Po'Boy and a serving of chicken and sausage gumbo. Also on offer that day was a sweetcorn gumbo with fried green tomatoes and something called 'The Don', a generous serving of chips smothered in beef debris.

As you can see gumbo ain't pretty but my is it delicious. There were some nice chunks of chicken and smoky, spicy sausage, good value at $11. It's the perfect winter dish and something I'd definitely go back for.

The Po'Boy came with a VERY generous serving of shrimp, in fact I took half of it out to eat separately! The shrimp was a tad overcooked, which was a little disappointing but the crumb was nice and the salad combination went well with the shrimp. My toddler certainly approved, he ate a whole half! $12 might sound a bit steep for a sandwich but considering the amount of shrimp in there, I'd say it was very good value. Had the shrimp not been dry it would have been total ripper.

So a big thumbs up for Gumbo Kitchen, it's a great concept and serves up good, honest comfort food. I've noticed they're now adding a few other items to the menu such as catfish or deep fried oyster Po'Boys and some desserts as well (bread pudding with bourbon sauce...hello!).  So next time you feel like trying something a little different, give them a crack!

Follow Gumbo Kitchen on Twitter: @GumboKitchen

Heirloom Carrot Salad

Heirloom seems to be all the rage in restaurants of late. I didn't really take much notice until I was wandering around Boroondara Farmer's Market one weekend and came across some cheerful bunches of organic heirloom carrots at one of the stalls. So I decided to see what all the fuss was about. After much agonising I ended up roasting them and chucking them in a salad. Here's what I used.

heirloom carrots (I had one purple bunch and one of cream/orange)
- roast these in the oven until soft with some olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, paprika and a bit of salt. Leave to cool.
bunch of watercress
pomegranate seeds
good quality goats cheese crumbled
fresh mint leaves torn
toasted pine nuts
lemon zest grated


dress with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt
 

Beer DeLuxe

When you want an apple you go to the greengrocer; when you crave some fresh bread you head to the bakery... and when you want a memorable beer, make your way to Beer DeLuxe.

Tucked in next to the National Gallery in Federation Square, Beer DeLuxe is not so much a single venue but an entire complex (salon, cafe, hamburger bar, beer garden & restaurant) devoted to exposing the everyday beer lover to a wide and varied selection of great brews. It's a place that prides itself on bringing the world's best beer to one place. From local microbrews to quality imports, here beer is the religion and you, the dedicated worshipper. You won't find a pot of VB here.


The 'Beer Salon' is where we found ourselves late one Saturday night, a large split level space which features long beer-hall style tables and a collection of quirky light fittings across the ceiling. A large blackboard feature wall adorned with witty, beer related musings provides plenty of chuckles amongst punters.

The aptly named 'Beer Bible' is an enormous selection of bottled beers, divided into 12 different styles, from breweries as local as Richmond to far flung corners of Europe and Asia. The glossary is a great addition (especially to beer newbies as myself) to decipher the detailed descriptions of each beer style.

The bar staff are friendly and extremely knowledgeable about their products. It is obvious they are passionate beer drinkers themselves and were happy to answer all the nerdy questions my beer nut drinking partner had. For non-believers there is also a fully stocked spirits bar, short wine list and a thoughtful selection of boutique ciders.

While beer is the main focus, the Salon also offers a generous menu of tasty tapas style morsels, designed to perfectly pair with your drink. Also on offer are pizza, pasta and salads at average Melbourne CBD prices.

Outside the beer garden features its own separate bar with cheery red umbrellas and dark timber benches in an attempt brighten up the stark cement and geometry that is Fed Square. However a lack of foliage, bar a few spindly trees makes it feel a little bare and it lacks the character and friendliness of a great beer garden.

During the week the Beer DeLuxe is abuzz with the lunchtime and after work business crowd. It's suits a plenty with a smattering of uni students and the odd tourist. Weekends are a quieter affair with most choosing it as a meeting point for a few drinks before heading elsewhere.

Beer DeLuxe is the beer equivalent of fine dining. It is pricey but the experience of trying some new and exciting is well worth it. With an ever changing selection of beers, it's the sort of place you can keep coming back to and always be pleasantly surprised. Even the sceptics will leave converted.

Fonda Mexican & The Taco Truck

There's a Mexican fever sweeping through Melbourne and I've caught it.

Before my late night jaunt to Mamasita I had never tried decent Mexican fare (Old el Paso and Taco Bill take note), now I can't get enough! I've recently indulged in two more of Melbourne's Mexican offerings, the famous roving 'Taco Truck" (twice) and the relatively new, Fonda Mexican in Richmond.

For those of you that haven't heard of it, the Taco Truck is a food van that cruises around the inner north of Melbourne (mainly Brunswick and Northcote), utilising social media to let punters know of its locations for lunch and dinner. The menu is simple (3 types of taco or tortilla crisps with guacamole) and the food is fantastic; fresh, unpretentious and flavorsome. My first experience was at Meredith 2011 and I have since driven all the way to East Brunswick from outer south east Melbourne (a good hours drive) for another fix. Yes they are that good.  If you buy two, they'll throw in some crispy tortilla chips for free, at $6 a pop you really can't go wrong.

Both times the same tacos have been on offer: chicken, fish and potato.

The first thing I noticed was the tortillas are made from corn and pleasingly chewy, nothing like those scarily pale and sad looking ones from the supermarket. The chicken includes flavoursome pieces of grilled chicken, fresh corn, baby spinach and a smoky chipotle mayo. The fish is cooked to order in the van so retains that glorious crunch in the taco and comes with shredded cabbage and poppyseed mayo. While the fish taco doesn't have the same flavour hit of the chicken it's still very tasty and easily my favourite (which is pretty good coming from someone who turns her nose up at most finned foodstuffs). I'm yet to try the potato but have heard it is rather smashing.

Food out of vans has always conjured up bad images of grease and food poisoning in my mind but thankfully there is a small band of people trying to change that in Melbourne (Taco Truck mastermind Raph Rashid also runs gourmet burger van Beatbox Kitchen), delivering honest and tasty fresh food. Vive le Taco Truck!

.............

Now having been blown away by the quality of food from both the Taco Truck and Mamasita, I had high hopes for Fonda Mexican, unfortunately it fell a little short.

My husband and I wandered in on Labor Day in search of an early lunch. Being the first ones there we were invited to sit anywhere we liked and chose outside on the street (I later discovered there is also a small outdoor area out the back). The space is cheerful, painted in retro colours of lemon, orange and green. The decor is minimalistic but fun, old tequila bottles for water, drinks come in jars and awesome old school, red and white paper straws.

The menu is short but doesn't lack choice, snacks, salad, tacos, quesadillas and burritos. There is also a decent drinks list which includes several Mexican beers and soft drink. We ordered two kinds of taco (fish and pork) and a kangaroo burrito. The fish taco was similar to the Taco Truck with a slaw and mayo combination, however the deep fried fish (couldn't figure out what kind) was dusted in polenta rather than battered which added a nice textual dimension to the dish and was presented in meaty chunks rather than a single piece. I enjoyed it and could happily eat a few more given the chance.

My second taco, the pork and pineapple was a major disappointment. I think a lot of this had to do with the fact the pork and pineapple taco at Mamasita is amazing so in comparison this one just did not meet my expectations. It came with shredded slow cooked pork, white onion, pineapple pieces, coriander and an interesting sprinkle of crispy pork scratchings (deep fried flakes of pork crackling). The pulled pork lacked the flavour punch of its superior cousin and was too watery (yes watery, not juicy), the pineapple was a little unripe and lacked that sweet burst of flavour. I thought the amount of pork in the taco was too much, making it difficult to eat and on further inspection discovered most of the filling consisted of a large piece of fatty, slimy skin which I had to pull out. That kind of put me off and I noticed somebody on Fonda's Facebook page complaining of the same thing. I did like the pork scratchings idea though, it added an extra element to the dish and provided some crunch.

Pork and pineapple taco (left) and half eaten fish taco

The kangaroo burrito was also pretty average, generous in size but overfilled with quinoa and very wet. Also the kangaroo fillet was so blue it was still hopping, but that being said it didn't have that unpleasant raw taste so just looked unappealing. We don't mind our meat quite rare but I think it would be a total turn off to some people. The burrito also came with some chunks of sweet potato, avocado, coriander and 'smoky relish'. That being said I really like the concept of a kangaroo burrito and with a few tweaks, perhaps a spice rub and some nice char flavour on the roo it could be a hit.

Kangaroo burrito

The main downside with the food I found was an obvious lack of seasoning, something the aforementioned fellow Mexican eateries do so well. However the service and atmosphere is great and I like that they support the use of seasonal produce and local ingredients (the burrito wraps are made fresh at Abbotsford Convent Bakery). I think it's a given that all new eateries will suffer from teething problems and this place shows a lot of potential. I'd definitely return to eat the fish tacos if I was in the area and perhaps try a whole bowl of those funky pork scratchings but would I bother ordering a pork taco or roo burrito again? Probably not.

Follow the Taco Truck on Twitter: @tacotruckmelb

Fonda Mexican

248 Swan St, Richmond

Mamasita

No Reservations.

It's becoming an increasingly popular term in Melbourne and I don't think I like it. Being a daggy suburbanite, driving all the way to town to take my chances somewhere I may or may not get a table isn't really my idea of fun night out. But naturally my curiosity was aroused when I first read about a hip new (and authentic) Mexican eatery, whose long queues are just as famous as the tacos. I finally got the chance to check it out a couple of weeks ago when my husband and I acquired a case of the post-gig munchies.

Situated up a discreet stairwell at the Paris end of Collins St it is the perfect place for a late night snack (it's open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights), away from the raging night spots and accompanying drunken louts. Given Mamasita's popularity I was half expecting a line when we arrived at 12.30am, thankfully there wasn't because I was starving. In fact it was half empty which put me at ease knowing I wouldn't have to rush through my meal to free up the table.

The decor is simple yet hip taking inspiration from the taquerias of Mexico with a dash of Melbourne style. While I can imagine it being slightly chaotic at dinner time, at this late hour the vibe was relaxed, with dimmed lights and chilled grooves on the sound system, giving it the air of a funky supper club cum tequila bar rather than a busy eatery. While going late bypasses the queue the downside is past 11pm only half the menu (starters, tacos and quesadillas) is available. While the limited menu has the perfect selection of tidbits to hit the spot after a night out, I am definitely going to have to return during the day to sample the tempting tostaditas and mains.

The impressive drinks list has been carefully selected to compliment the Mexican cuisine and includes an extensive range of tequilas (ranging from 9 to 95 dollars), Spanish Wines and several obscure Mexican beers. I chose a Mojito granita from the cocktail menu and my partner a Negra Modelo beer which was recommended to him by our knowledgeable waitress. The mojito was a little too limey for my tastes, enough to make my mouth pucker for the first few sips but the double shot of Mt Gay rum certainly got me rather merry by the end of our meal.

We started with two tacos an 'al Pastor' (brasied pork, pineapple, corinader and white onion) and a 'de Chorizo' (chorizo, cabbage, chipotle, coriander, onion). The al Pastor was faultless; a mouth watering blend of caramelised shredded lean pork (similar to pulled pork) which was complemented by the sweet hit of chopped up pineapple. The de Chorizo was a little hit and miss due to the chipotle being unevenly distibuted around the filling (I assume it was sprinkled over the top rather than mixed into the meat) which caused some mouthfuls to be searingly hot and others with no chilli at all. Although I enjoyed the dry, smokey heat of the chipotle it was a little too hot for my tastes, thankfully I had the icy granita to cool my mouth!

We also had 2 quesadillas, a 'de Pollo' (chargrilled chicken with 'pico de gallo', coriander and queso fresco) and a superb lamb and mint one (of which I forgot to take down the proper name). The queso fresco, a mild cows milk cheese with a feta like consistency was a subtle addition to the chicken quesadilla and a nice change from the mountains of tasty cheddar you come across in other so called 'Mexican' eateries. The lamb quesadilla was juicy and tender and came with a pleasing swirl of fresh mint paste on top, always the winning combination.

Along with the food came a few complimentary accompaniments, two bottles of habanero chilli sauce, in lurid green or red and a small dish of extra pico de gallo which was a salsa of finely diced cucumber, lemon, coriander, chilli and oil. This little concoction was the unexpected highlight of the meal. So very simple but incredibly delicious. I would have happily eaten on its own with a spoon if I didn't have to share!

So I can happily say that the food at Mamasita certainly lives up to the hype. It's not the kind of place you go for exemplary table service or presentation, it's just a good place for a quick in and out kind of meal. You get what you pay for but in this case the food doesn't come off second best. So next time you're wandering around the city in search of late night bite to eat give it a whirl, you won't be disappointed!

Mamasita- 1/11 Collins St, Melbourne CBD

Circa, The Prince.

Circa Restaurant in The Prince of Wales Hotel, St Kilda is a longtime Melbourne institution. Many great Melbourne chefs including Andrew Mc Connell, Matt Wilkinson and dessert queen Philippa Sibley cut their teeth here before moving on with their own successful ventures.

The restaurant underwent a much needed facelift in mid 2009 and the menu was reinvented with a rustic, garden to kitchen aesthetic and a distinct emphasis on organic, locally sourced, seasonal produce. The end result is a refreshingly modern space, lots of timber, luxurious fabric and a nifty glassed in courtyard dining area. The vibe is less formal, the food is friendly and accessible but the service and experience remains at a two hat standard.

So it was my turn to choose a dinner venue for our wedding anniversary. We wanted to go somewhere 'nice' but not too nice and where the food wouldn't be *too* weird. The idea of spending a romantic night out navigating our way through sea urchin or pig's trotter wasn't particularly appealing.

After a stickybeak at the menu online, Circa seemed to fit the bill. Classy but not exorbitantly expensive with focus on simple yet clever food. Perfect.

The hustle and bustle of busy Fitzroy St was quickly left behind the instant we stepped into the foyer. Subdued lighting, chilled grooves playing on the soundsystem and the dull hum of conversation. Effortless sophistication. It was hard to believe only moments ago we had walked past a raucous bunch of punters, drinking in the Prince Bandroom who waiting for Imelda May to start.

We were seated in a private little pocket off the main dining room which was ideal for our romantic evening, however it was a bit dark so I missed out on taking photos of our meals.

We bypassed the wine list, hubby opted for a locally brewed Mountain Goat Steam Ale and I had a Bellini ($16). It included a dollop of peach sorbet which was a satisfying update to the classic cocktail. The menus are printed on thick paper and the wait staff wear well tailored outfits in earthy tones all keeping in with the modern and casual theme.

Being a lover of all things meaty I couldn't go past the Charcuterie board ($28) for entree. I was treated to Wagyu bresaola, a salty hit of jamon serrano, smooth and creamy duck liver parfait, an excellent pork and pistachio terrine and slices of almost bacony tasting char grilled ox tongue. The board was accompanied with an olive jam, quince romesco and grilled bread. Heart attack on a timber board but completely delicious. My other half chose the Rabbit Raviolo with Jerusalem artichoke and milk sauce ($25). Neither of us had tried rabbit before and we were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it is. Soft pasta, smoky rabbit, creamy artichoke and a smattering of microherbs which cut through the richness of the dish. This was definitely the stand out of our night.

Along with the tidy list of mains, Circa also offers a number of 'To Share' choices designed for two people. Since it was our anniversary and all we chose the Char-grilled, dry aged strip loin on the bone ($90) from the sharing menu. With it came an amazing caramelised onion tart, horseradish cream and a rich meaty jus all on a funky wooden board (naturally). We chose sides of chat potatoes roasted in duck fat with rosemary and garlic and char-grilled zucchini with flat beans and air dried tomatoes.  I have to say I was a little disappointed with the steak, it was a tad underdone and had that unappealing smell of raw meat. I guess this could have a lot to do with the aging process which perhaps simply didn't suit our tastes. It was ok, but not fantastic. All the accompanying dishes were great though, especially the moreish jus and onion tart which I have since successfully recreated at home. It was a wholesome dish with a few restaurant twists, the kind that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The desert menu didn't grab us so after another beer (Coopers this time) and Bellini (yum!) we ended our night at Circa. Overall our experience was quite enjoyable. The service was slick and attentive but not overbearing, although I found one female staffer to be a little cold. I would certainly consider coming back in the future, the Sunday Lunch menu looks quite appealing.

Circa, The Prince of Wales Hotel                                                            

2 Acland St, St Kilda