Baked brie with Caramelised pear and figs

Well - It was Ozfiredancers hens party last weekend, and I thought I would spoil the girls with something a bit spesh...

Ive been sitting on the base of this recipe for over 3 years now waiting for an excuse to make it.

Its not healthy - it is definitely not healthy. Its not cheap either - but what it is ( I hope...) is delicious, divine and well worth a special occasion.

All in all, this "entree" will cost around $40 to make - you can make it smaller to suit the occasion. I made a big one to make sure everyone got a bit! (as it turns out - even the boys got a bit when they came home in the morning. Between 9 girls, several more dishes and 2 cocktail slushie machines, we just could not finish it off!!)


Baked Brie with Caramelised Pears and Figs

1kg wheel of brie or camembert
3 packham pears - sliced fine
2 figs - sliced
2tbs butter
2tsp honey
1tbs brown sugar
3 cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a small sprig of rosemary

2 baguettes to serve.

Slice the pears (not too thickly). Melt 2tbs butter in a frypan. Add 2tsp honey and 1tbs brown sugar. Mix well. Add cinnamon and cloves. When bubbling, add the pears and mix thoroughly so that all the pear is covered with caramel.
Let it get all lovely and bubbly and jubbly till the pears have started to go a bit transparent and are soft - like the photo below.

While the pears are caramelising - Cut the top off your brie. Try to get most of the mould off - this allows the caramel to cook into the cheese when it is baked.


Once your pears have cooked, layer them over the brie, allowing for a little overlapping. Try keep as much of the caramel sauce in the pan as possible. Arrange sliced figs on top and drizzle the whole thing with the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the rosemary on top.

Bake in a 180 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the figs are soft. Serve with crusty baguettes and dont be scared to get your hands dirty - because you will be licking delicious goopy cheese off your fingers - there is no other way to eat it!


The luscious picnic spread we devoured in Ozfiredancer's living room:


Ozfiredancer being cheeky and taking a photo of the photographer with her fancy picture machine, and Chelsaur enjoying what was possibly the strongest fruit tingle cocktail on the planet.


Lots of love to all my girls - I know you will have a fantastic weddening and rest-of-your-life Ozfiredancer :D

Fancy Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

You know how KFC has those little tubs of Potato and Gravy? When I was a kid the Potato and Gravy used to be my favourite - the potato was so creamy and smooth and the gravy was just silky and delicious...

Of course, having been vego for the past 16 years generally precluded me from eating KFC potato and gravy. My sister on the other hand, ate it a few times since and remarked that it was a dish most foul!!

Today - I had a craving for potato and gravy, and I had an idea for a vegetarian version -
a FANCY vegetarian version. A fancy Japanese version!

It worked. I had to stop myself from eating more than a bowlful. My craving has been sated!!

Fancy Shmancy Vego Potato and Gravy
(serves 2-3 if you can control yourself...)


2kg brushed potatoes - peeled and quatered
3/4 pack HOT Java Curry sauce mix (Golden Curry or Kokumaro will work too) - this is about 4 cubes.
2tbs Gravox Pepper gravy powder
3/4 green capsicum, chunky chopped
2 carrots, chunky chopped
1 medium onion, chunky chopped
2tbs minced garlic
2tbs butter
a splash of milk or soy

Boil potatoes till soft to a fork. Drain, add butter and splash of milk. Mash well.

Put Java Curry, Gravox, capsicum, carrot, onion, garlic in a pot and add enough water to almost cover the veges. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If gravy is too thick, add more water. Cook till carrots are done.

Serve gravy over mashed potatoes. YUM!!!

Beetroot Bake

HUZZAH!!! I have a kitchen island/trolley! Here I am modeling it in a dashing green top and some fantastically well worn jeans - yay for all the extra chopping and preparing space! (what a kitchen dork I am!!)


I had leftover pumpkin and potatoes that I needed to use up - I also found about 5 beetroots that I had forgotten in the crisper! They were still good - so I thought I would use them up.
But what to do?

Why not a bake?

This is more reminiscent of a shepherds pie than a bake - but who cares - its tasty and its filling - and PINK!


Beetroot Bake

5 small beetroots, peeled, sliced and then halved.
1/3 small pumpkin - diced
3 shallots - chopped about 1.5cm long
4 heads of garlic - roasted
6 desiree potatoes - chopped and boiled with skin on
1tbs garlic butter
1 small tub of low-fat sour cream
1/2 small block of fetta - crumbled chunky.
salt and pepper to taste
dried mint
sprinkling of grated cheddar


Chop 1/4 tops off the heads of garlic - place on top of the bottom part - put into the oven at 200 celcius for about 10 minutes until soft.

Boil the potatoes, add garlic butter and 2tsp of sour cream. Mash thoroughly with a fork.

Place the beetroot, pumpkin and shallots into a bowl. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl (they will be hot and delicious - try not to eat them!)


Crumble in the fetta. Add the rest of the tub of sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well till all is coated with the sour cream. Place into the baking dish.

Put mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle with mint and cheese.


Bake for 1 hour or until beetroots are soft enough to eat.