I often miss the quiet of the country.
The ease and grace at which it feels
life happens.
The way a days work outside
can make you feel.
The way carrots and dirt smell.
And the way the barnyard comes to life
nearing spring.
Don’t get me wrong,
it’s been some time since
I lived on farm.
A long time since I mucked a stall
or fed animals at dawn.
A long time since roosters broke my sleep.
But even still,
there are some days I miss it.
In part though,
these are the reasons
I began following Rohan’s blog.
If a place on the internet can make you feel
even a fraction of what the wild and the farm can,
Whole Larder Love is the place.
And so, with the first savoury pie
in my FOR THE LOVE OF PIE series,
Rohan Anderson and his TWO DAY KANGAROO PIE!
Rohan is an author, (his book, Whole Larder Love is available now at Anthropologie)
he is a hunter, a family man and an all-round talented dude.
Find more about him and his recipe below.
xo, N
photos: rohan anderson
WHO:
Rohan Anderson of Whole Larder Love
WHAT:
Two Day Kangaroo Pie with Dunking Chips
WHERE:
Currently living in rural Victoria, Australia in the Central Highlands. I really hope to stay here for sometime, but life is never predictable. I lived my childhood in the country, but then moved to the city, tired of that lifestyle and just had to get back out where I felt at home.
Meat pies are almost the cornerstone of the Australian male diet, a staple if you will. For me though they are a treat, something that I prefer to make myself, in fact I even source the meat with these two hands. I hunt for my meat, and kangaroo is sometimes available, it makes a fresh change from eating rabbit or hare. For most people it’s a meat that can be purchased at a butcher. It’s a great red meat in terms of it’s environmental credentials as it’s evolved to live in tune with it’s environment. When the season is poor and the resources are limited a kangaroo pauses it’s breeding until conditions improve. A female kangaroo can even halt or discharge a pregnancy if things get tough, it’s a harsh country after all.
In regards to flavor, it’s a cracker. Tasting not dissimilar to beef, although cooking it requires more attention than a beef steak, but if you can’t get kangaroo you could use chuck steak.
This is a pie to fill the rumbling tummies on a bleak day. When the fire is roaring, Chet Barker on the stereo and glass or two of pinot. It not only quenches an appetite, it has a comforting effect on the soul.
WHY:
Wile meat is on my menu at home because I hunt all my meat excluding our home raised poultry. I left buying food behind as I did the city. Now I work harder for my meat, as as cliche as it may appear, it is true that a meal you’ve worked hard for by sourcing the ingredients yourself, pays dividends in the satisfaction department.
BEST SERVED WITH:
Pinot Noir and good company. And plenty of both.
ONE OR TWO THINGS:
I love the simple life. It’s been a long journey to live with less, but each day I seem to find one thing to make me smile. I have very little money, not real material ‘assets’ but I’m content. I find love in useful items, tools and skills that can benefit my D.I.Y. approach to living. My family, my home, my garden and my love of cooking with real food. It’s all I desire.
TWO DAY KANGAROO PIE WITH DIPPING CHIPS (make the sauce & pastry one day ahead & refrigerate overnight)
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 1.5 kg kangaroo meat, diced (I used leg) [or chuck steak]
- 750 ml passata
- 1 bottle pinot noir
- 6 onions
- 4 carrots, diced
- 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- flour (for dusting)
- fresh thyme
- olive oil
- water
- salt
Method
- Place the meat in a mixing bowl and toss with a handful of flour to coat. Set aside.
- In a large oven pot heat some olive oil on medium and sweat out the onions and carrots for about ten minutes until soft and the onion is translucent.
- While the veg is cooking, heat some olive oil on high in a large frypan and brown the meat chunks to seal. You don't want to cook it too much, it's just a matter of sealing the meat. When you've finished, transfer it into the large pot with the cooked vegetables.
- Deglaze the meat frypan with half cup of the red wine, transfer the juice into the large oven pot.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush the black pepper and cloves until fine, then add into the pot with the passata, cherry tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves to the pot. If the meat isn't toallty covered add some water. Bring to the boil.
- Pre heat the oven to 100°C, and when the liquid is bubbling transfer the oven pot with the lid on into the oven for 9-10 hours. Check after 5 hours, add water if needed.
- When the meat collapses when pushed with a fork and it's texture is soft then remove pot from the oven. Add the fresh thyme, stir through then using a wooden spoon push down on all the meat almost separating its form itself to make a more consistent sauce without chunks. Allow to cool and transfer into refrigerating safe containers and store for another day.
- To make the pie, spoon out the cold kangaroo sauce into ramekins and cover with a SHORT CRUST PASTRY pastry and bake 180-190°C fan forced until the pastry is brown and crisp.
- Serve with CRUNCHY OVEN ROASTED POTATO WEDGES, perfect as cutlery when the pastry has been demolished!
-
- Will serve 6 hungry men.
2.2
photos + recipe: rohan anderson
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I often wish I lived someplace warmer.
Or more specifically, a place where orange trees grow.
I can imagine the scent of the blossoms in spring.
And the way walking
through a grove,
heavy with citrus, might feel.
In Italy, this past October
we stood on our tiptoes to see oranges over walls.
And in California a couple months later
we slowed the car for lemon trees.
But I’ve never actually been to a citrus farm.
I’ve never seen them picked
and processed and ready for market.
I haven’t seen rows and rows of orange fruit
or short grass between the trunks.
But it is something
I’ve always wanted to do.
For now I’m sticking to cake.
And this Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Cakes & Ale
for Bon Appétit
is especially good.
xo, N
this shop
these onions
these
this kettle
this photo
why weight? (via)
these food illustrations
these numbers
this looks like a fun place to be
photos & styling: michael graydon + nikole herriott
Cream Cheese Pound Cake - by Cakes & Ale - for Bon Appetit
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup cream cheese (5 ounces), room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Method
CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat loaf pan generously with nonstick spray; line bottom and long sides with parchment paper, leaving about 1 1/2-inch overhang. Coat paper with nonstick spray.
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium bowl; set aside. Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and all zest in another medium bowl; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar mixture; beat on high speed until very light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. (Make sure mixture is completely incorporated so flour won't clump when added.) With mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to blend (do not overmix or cake will become tough). Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved for lemon syrup.
- Using parchment-paper overhang as an aid, remove cake from pan; peel off and discard paper. Place cake top side up on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Using a skewer, pierce top of cake all over, inserting skewer about halfway through cake (this helps the lemon syrup to soak in).
- Using a pastry brush, baste with lemon syrup. Use all of syrup plus any that may have dripped onto baking sheet. Let cake cool completely.
GLAZE
- Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl; strain, if desired. Pour over cake. Scoop up any glaze that may have dripped into sheet and spread over top and sides of cake. Let cake stand at room tempera-ture until icing is set, about 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
- Cut cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
2.2
We went to Muskoka this past weekend.
It snowed big beautiful flakes for near two straight days.
Those ones that just seem to hover there.
The kind that remind you that winter
is still at least a little bit,
magic.
The kind
that make you
crave crackling fires and wool socks.
That make you think of homemade bread
and bowls of soup.
We saw wild turkeys,
and waterfalls that had turned to ice.
We walked on frozen lakes,
on snowy paths
and
saw fishing huts lined up in a long straight row.
It was nice.
The photos you see here are unrelated
but beautiful I think.
They’re from a day I spent with Martine & John
almost two years ago now.
Amazing how time passes.
xo, N
PS:
this image
these sandals
this necklace
this table
this bird
these are back in stock
AND:
Photos: John Cullen
Props: Martine Blackhurst
Food: Nikole Herriott
If you don’t know Tim from his blog
you may know him from Instagram.
And if you don’t know him from either,
I think maybe you should.
He’s just one of those guys whose photos
bring a smile to your face.
We’ve not met in person,
but I’ve always sorta assumed we’ll pull up a chair someday.
Probably on an old veranda someplace
with biscuits and sweet tea
and the company of Tara O’Brady.
xo, N
‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹
FOR THE LOVE OF PIE — a series that celebrates the simple things.
Today, Tim Robison and his French Silk Pie.
Tim lives in Asheville, NC with his fiancé Amanda.
He’s an illustrator, photographer
and a regular contributor to Kinfolk Magazine.
———————-
WHO?
Tim Robison
WHERE?
Ashville, NC
WHAT KIND?
French silk pie with pecan shortbread crust. The original recipe calls for a standard pie crust. I found that a shortbread crust works much better. We also switch it up sometimes and divide the pie into 4 small tarts. To me it’s chocolate in its finest form. Rich, dense, smooth with a subtle salty bite at the end. It’s the best.
BEST SERVED WITH?
I enjoy it best on its own with a good strong cup of coffee. However, a dollop of fresh whipped cream wouldn’t hurt.
ONE OR TWO THINGS?
Good people and good food! (preferably together)
French Silk Pie by Tim Robison
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 sticks (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup PURE maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter--room temperature
- 3oz unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- 1-1/2 teaspoons good vanilla extract.
- 3 eggs
Method
For the crust:
- Mix together butter, sugar and maple syrup until well blended. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing entirely after each cup is added. Stir in salt and pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press dough evenly to 1/4" thick into a prepared 7"-9" pie tin (or four 4" tart shells) Remove any excess dough around edges of tin (depending on your pans, you may have extra batter left over --bake those as you would a standard shortbread cookie). Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Set aside and let crust cool completely. Dough freezes well or can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
For the filling:
- Using a steel blade food processor, process sugar and butter until very smooth and light in color (about 5 minutes on high). Slowly add chocolate while processing. Process for a few minutes more, scraping sides often. Add vanilla and then eggs one at a time. Process on high until incredibly smooth (another 5 minutes). Pour filling into cooled pie crust and chill over night.
- *Note -- You want to process the filling longer than you think. Check it often to make sure it achieves its 'silky' like consistency. If not processed long enough the pie will feel grainy when served.
-
Keep refrigerated. Serve cool or at room temperature.
2.2
I was surprised when I first arrived in Puglia.
I’d taken the train there,
a near full day whizzing past
small towns, long fields
and the Adriatic Sea.
Eight or so hours of inspiration from my seat.
But still, I hadn’t expected the south to look that way.
I hadn’t dreamt of the stark whites
and beautiful creams.
Nor, the light sandy beige.
I hadn’t considered
that a short moss might grow
beneath the olive trees.
I hadn’t expected
the flat, pale, beauty of it all.
The lack of rolling hills
and terracota soil.
I don’t know what it was I’d expected.
It’s almost as though I hadn’t dreamt big enough.
I’d heard how wonderful the food was.
How different the tomatoes taste,
and how fresh the cheese.
But I wasn’t prepared for
backyards of oranges,
roadsides of arugula
or gardens tucked amidst olive groves.
I hadn’t thought of the seafood.
Somehow I’d kinda forgotten
just how extraordinary travel can be.
xo, N
PS: find a little more from our trip, here.
Photos: Michael Graydon
It’s been a while.
Hello, happy belated 2013.
I hope its start has been good to you.
Things are great here.
We’re officially into our new studio
and while it’s still piled high with boxes
it’s pretty great.
The sink is on the floor
and there is tape on the walls
where the kitchen goes.
I bought a dead stock faucet
that makes my heart sing
and I’ve been looking at ranges
for quite some time now.
I’m kinda almost (but not quite) speechless
about how it all makes me feel.
It’s just a space,
but it’s exciting nonetheless.
Anyway, I’ve got lots more to tell you
but first things first,
our birthday winner is KATHLEEN B!
Kathleen, please email us your contact details & we’ll pop your package in the post!
And if you’re wondering about the photos.
I made sticky toffee pudding countless times in 2012.
And one day, Michael and I decided
to shoot our favourite, Jamie Oliver’s.
It’s sweet but not overly so
and perfect served with
unsweetened whipped cream alongside.
Also, I really love that it calls for Ovaltine.
For my version I add a little salt and vanilla to the mix.
I also skip the toffee sauce and replace with a dark golden caramel.
Plus, these photos show the dates a little chunky, but they’re best puréed a little more.
Sticky Toffee Pudding (Jamie Oliver)
Ingredients
- 225 g fresh dates, stoned
- 200 ml boiling water
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 85 g unsalted butter, softened
- 170 g caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 170 g self-raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons Ovaltine
- 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
- For the toffee sauce
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 115 g light muscovado sugar
- 140 ml double cream
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and cover with 200ml/7fl oz of boiling water. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes to soften, then drain. Whiz the dates in a food processor until you have a purée. Meanwhile, cream your butter and sugar until pale using a wooden spoon, and add the eggs, flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and Ovaltine. Mix together well, then fold in the yoghurt and your puréed dates. Pour into a buttered, ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in colour. To serve, spoon out the pudding at the table and pour over the toffee sauce.
2.2
xo, N.
Photos: Michael Graydon
Styling: Nikole Herriott
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