Welcome to my new A-Z …World Cuisines…where I will be looking at the countries of the world, their food and national dish or their most popular dish around the world…by this I mean some dishes are eaten in many countries as their fame has spread around the world…I have Chel to thank for giving me some ideas from which this one took shape…Thank you Chel x

Today I am looking at the cuisine of Australia…

Located below and south of the equator, Australia, the Island Continent, is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east, south of the countries of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and west of New Zealand…it is the land of Kangaroos, sunshine, beautiful beaches and stunning scenery…

Australia…The food culture is born from the fact that over the centuries Australia has seen large scale immigration from around the world…indeed I remember years ago the 10-pound fare with the promise of a new life in Australia and indeed my own parents looked at that option.

Known for the BBQ indeed many public places have BBQs that you can use as long as you clean after yourselves…A typical BBQ will consist of sausages, burgers, steak, fresh seafood, bread and tomato or barbecue sauce, they sometimes include salad but it’s mainly about the meat and fish and of course a few stubbies – that’s the beer to the non-Australians.

Outdoor eating is a huge part of the culture…the cuisine is drawn from around the world including the UK, Europe, Asia and Middle Eastern…

Typical Aussie Food…

Let’s start with the “Vegemite”…Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from various vegetables, yeast extract and spice additives. It’s a bit like marmite( which) is the best to us Brits which has the famous love it or hate it advert as they acknowledged that it’s not to everyone’s taste…so I’m guessing “Vegemite ” is something similar I will hasten to add that I’m a die-hard Marmite lover and haven’t touched “Vegemite”

Like me, the most popular way to eat it is on bread or toast with butter… Australians also eat it with avocado, melted cheese or tomato…

DO you think of Kangaroos and Emu’s when you picture Australia or if indeed like me you have been lucky to visit this lovely country I couldn’t wait to visit The Roos..They can be found on the meat counter as Kangeroo like chicken in the Uk is very popular meat as is Emu …

The Meat Pie…

Aussies love their meat pies as much as the Brits do… Eating the pies is traditional with tomato ketchup the way to go in Oz whereas I prefer mine with gravy…

The best in 2021 went to...A chunky steak pie from a little-known bakery has been crowned the best in Australia after beating more than 1,500 pastries. Pinjarra Bakery, about 82km from Perth in Western Australia, has claimed the coveted prize after being named the maker of the “best plain meat pie” at the 2021 Great Aussie Pie Competition.

Aussie Burgers…

Something I learnt about the Aussie Burger when we had our restaurant…was a burger isn’t complete unless it contains beetroot…I love beets and they are regular in my kitchen and wonderful in Beetroot and orange smoothie…but in a burger… yes I was taught about an Aussie Burger by an Aussie that it was either a slice of beetroot or beetroot chutney in an Aussie Burger…it was soon a regular on the menu at Sugar Reef to the delight of our regulars as was the chutney which flew off the shelf…

Beetroot Chutney:

Ingredients:

• 1.5k Beetroot.
• 3 Brown Onions.
• 3 Apples (Granny Smiths)
• 450ml Balsamic vinegar.
• 80ml Fresh Orange Juice.
• 350gm raw sugar.
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves.
• 2 large sprigs of Rosemary.

Let’s Cook!

Set oven to 200c. Wrap beetroot in foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Chop Onions and Apples finely, chop cooled Beetroot and put in a large pan.

Add remainder of ingredients except for the Rosemary.

Stir until the sugar dissolves, add the Rosemary, reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hr or until mixture thickens slightly. When ready, remove Rosemary and spoon into sterilised Jars.

Store in a cool, dark place and once open refrigerate…Can be added to your burger or eaten with cold meats…

Fish and Chips…

The most common fish and chips fish after basa in Australia is New Zealand Hoki. More Hoki is caught in New Zealand each year than Australia’s total annual fish catchment.

Surrounded by water seafood is bountiful and very popular all over Australia…Barramundi or Barra as its often called is a very popular white fish and Asin Sea Bass…is native to Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Barramundi is Aboriginal for “large-scaled silver fish” and is internationally renowned for its deliciousness and versatility…in a delicious seafood stew, griddled on the barbie it can take the spices…a beautiful fish.

Australia is also known for its native ingredients…for 10’s thousands of years, indigenous peoples like Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander communities have been foraging and harvesting native Australian ingredients…I have been pleased to note that many of these are being recognised and more and more top chefs and restaurants are using these ingredients and they are being seen more and more on Farmers Markets and the larger fresh produce markets…

This is an interesting video and shows the commitment of the Australian government…I am heartened that it is not just here but happening around the world…where it is being recognised that indigenous peoples know the land and how to work it…Again it is a long video that I had running in the background but worth a listen to hear the passion for food and the land.

Native fruits and vegetables which are now being used in many kitchens across Australia and around the world you may even have used them yourself…

Saltbush…

Saltbush seems to feature on all the cooking and in many recipes today its popularity is booming in my world…With its lovely silvery-green leaves it grows wild across most of Australia…Traditionally eaten by indigenous communities the leaves were used to heal wounds and the fruit and seeds eaten…Saltbush has been used as grazing fodder for sheep and cattle by both natives and settlers.

Today, the national park service in New South Wales considers Saltbush a threatened species due to trampling, invasive weeds and excessive clearing…which is such a shame when this happens to native plants lets hope that plans are in place to protect the Saltbush from extinction.

Lemon Myrtle…

Again Lemon Myrtle leaves have traditionally been used by the Aboriginal peoples as a healing salve because of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties…with its citrusy flavour its makes a lovely tea and gives a nice citrus zing to bakery products.

Wattleseed…

Acacia (wattle trees) grow in abundance in Australia and most have edible seeds. Aboriginal communities have traditionally eaten these seeds raw or the seeds have been ground to make the traditional Damper(bread) Today the Wattleseeds are becoming increasingly popular and are still ground and used as flavourings for cakes, biscuits and bread.

Quandong…

Generally found growing on arid land these beautiful vibrant reddish-pink berries are quite tart in taste are known for their immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamin C. The tart flesh is often turned into jams and chutneys, while the nuts are roasted. ..this is bush tucker has for many, many years been held in high regard by the Aboriginals communities for their versatility and healing properties.

Green Ants…

Plentiful and high in protein, insects are eaten the world over, and green tree ants in Australia are no exception. Recognised by their vibrant green bellies, these endemic creatures are found in trees and shrubs across Queensland and the Northern Territories and have been eaten by Indigenous communities there for centuries. They’re extremely tasty, delivering a hit of lemon to foods and drinks they flavour…

I haven’t even mentioned desserts, Pavlova, Lamingtons, Tim-Tams, Fairy Bread and Anzac Biscuits…

I love a nice Pavlova and can’t remember the last time I ate ‘Pav” as Aussies call it, Lamingtons I tried when we were in OZ…Fairy bread has sprinkles so I guess its a party food…I do love an Anzac Biscuit though…and caramel slices are good…

That’s it for today …I look forward to your comments…Next week is the start of the letter B…Have a good week…x

 

 

 

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