Hello there… how are you all? It is seriously groundhog day here. I feel like I have done pretty well over the past 5 months. I have been happy and just cook cook cooking but that seems to be wearing thin. So this is what the past 5 months looked like: I have been to Tennant Creek, then to the Barkly Homestead, I have been to Mt Isa 1.5 times (because can you really count a quick trip in with Tom’s broken arm as an actual outing???) and then I have also been over to see my lovely friend and neighbour, Shelly, a few times, camping in the middle of nowhere twice and to her house twice. Oh hang on we did also go down to our other neighbour’s for a sports day. I am pretty sure that is the extent of my social activity over the past 5 months – no wonder I am finally starting to feel a little flat. Sweet baby cheeses. I just want to see my friends!!!!
Ok rant over, time to pull myself together for another week of cooking – same shit different week. Yep it really is isn’t it. Here is my menu, I reckon you could almost guess what is on offer this week:
I am definitely looking forward to burgers and fries, last time we had homemade burgers they were SO GOOD!!!!! I enjoyed every single mouthful. So I just make homemade rissole type patties, but I make them quite thin and flat. You could use my “oven baked rissoles” recipe which is here on the blog and also on page 77 of my cookbook – Miss Chardy’s Guide to Station Cooking. I use my pie maker cutter as a guide for the patty and squish the rissole mixture in there and flatten it, you only want it about 1-2cm in thickness. You could also use an egg ring. Last time we had burgers I ordered fresh salad rolls from Woolies but they obviously didn’t have any as they sent me Tip Top Hamburger Rolls. I can definitely recommend them – they were the business, so yummy, soft and fresh and just perfect for the burgers. They will be my go-to hamburger buns from now on.
Once I cook the patties on the hotplate or in a frying pan I pop them on a tray and then I put a couple of slices of cheese on top of each patty and put them in the bain marie – they are perfectly melted and ready to go at dinner time. Too easy.
The McCains Superfries from your local supermarket are unreal and just like the fries from Macca’s. I cook mine in the deep fryer and sprinkle some chicken salt on top once they are done. So good!
As you can tell, I am passionate about my burgers and fries. I offer a selection of fillings: bacon, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, onion, beetroot, special sauce & aioli. Yummo! Bring on Friday!!!
I have also started a new sourdough starter – this one is the real thing, just flour and water and should be ready to make a loaf on Wednesday… now I just need to keep it alive and feed it everyday for the rest of my life. I don’t have high hopes for it.
I would love any hot tips for sourdough – is there anything I need to know? About the starter or the actual art of making the loaf.
Have a great week. Got anything exciting planned?
Your starter is looking great Danielle. I’ve been making sourdough for over 10 years and it never gets tired. If you like I can email you instructions on looking after your starter that I have developed for people I’ve taught….you will be pleased to hear that there is no need to feed it daily!
Hi Emma, gosh I am a little slack at reading these comments aren’t I…. I would absolutely love some help with my starter. Any advice welcome. I will send you an email.
Well done on making your own starter Dan! I did likewise a few months ago and bake about every 3 days (there are only 2 of us but it disappears fast). I’ve found it takes 24 hours to produce a loaf. The process I follow is:
Morning: put 1/2 cup of starter into a bowl, feed with 1 cup of tepid water and 1 cup of flour, cover and leave in bowl for several hours
Early afternoon: return half the starter to the ‘mother’; add flour to the rest, knead and leave to rise
Last thing at night: punch down, roll into a ball, invert into a colander lined with a floured tea towel, cover with a damp tea towel
Next morning: turn out onto lined tray, cut a cross in the top, bake. (Say a prayer as you make the cross if you like!)
Most recipes I’ve seen tell you to throw out half your starter at step 2. But by adding it back to the mother you are feeding it and keeping it alive. If you start to end up with too much, use some to make savoury pancakes by adding in some ham, shallots, cheese, whatever you have.
You’ll get into your own flow with it Dan, so proceed with confidence.
Oh this is so fantastic, thanks so much Jo!!!! Really appreciate it. I still haven’t attempted a second loaf but definitely will. Will let you know how I go.