Dance the Achacha!

The wonderfully named Achacha is an exotic tropical fruit related to the mangosteen. It has a sweet, tart white flesh similar to that of sorbet, a soft seed and a thick protective skin.

A native of the Amazon Basin in Bolivia, it had not been grown anywhere else until seeds were planted in North Queensland eight years ago.

The season runs from December through to early March.

Achacha is excellent to use in icecream, sorbet, jams, sauces, drinks and salads.

Visit http://www.achacha.com.au/

View the Achacha ad on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbwDH70Mhok

If you'd like to try an Achacha visit the Farmers Market in Brisbane's CBD. Wholesale enquiries can be directed to Romeos at the Brisbane Market, Rocklea.

Fish & Tips

If I had to choose my last meal, Barramundi with a simple salad would see me off perfectly!

Every February fishers from the Gulf of Carpentaria and down the east coast of Queensland look forward to the opening of the Barramundi season. It is an iconic Queensland fish and provides thousands of jobs in mainly small regional communities. Barra as most people call it, is extremely good value for money and is also very versatile in the way it can be cooked.

Chefs tips:
Buy from a busy fishmonger or supermarket as they have a high turnover and fresher product
Ask questions - good places will always give good advice and service
Buy for that day or night and take an insulated bag with a frozen pad
Barra should not smell strong - it should smell sweet and feel firm

Where to buy?

On the Northside - Sammie's Girl
On the Southside - Ahoy Seafoods

With the recent summer rain, Barra will be in plentiful supply - so spoil yourself and buy some for a Sunday BBQ.

Barramundi fillets baked in foil
Serves 6

Ingredients
6 fillets barramundi
6 sprigs of dill
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tbs dry vermouth or white wine
3 tbs olive oil
120g butter
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
1 salad onion, finely sliced
1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced
6 lemon wedges
2 cups jasmine rice
salt and pepper
6 pieces of aluminium foil, 20cm squares

Method
Preheat oven to 230 degrees.
Lay out foil and place barramundi fillets on top, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place a mixture of salad onion, carrot, leek, fennel and shallot on each fillet. Add the dill sprig.
Drizzle in olive oil and then splash with vermouth. Dot with butter.
Fold foil to enclose fish and vegetables.
Place on a baking tray and bake in oven for 8 minutes. Boil rice in salted water.
Remove fish from the oven and place a fillet on each plate.
Serve with rice and lemon.

Fillets of barramundi with Indian spices and tomato kasundi
Serves 6

Tomato Kasundi Ingredients
50g ginger, peeled
25g garlic, peeled
1 green chilli, sliced in half, seeds removed
3/4 cup malt vinegar
1/4 cup safflower oil
1 dessertspoon tumeric
1 tbs ground cumin
1 dessertspoon chilli powder
1 tbs mustard seeds, ground
500g ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 tbs salt

Method
Puree garlic, ginger and chilli with a little of the vinegar. Heat safflower oil in a heavy based pot.
Add spices and fry until very aromatic. Add garlic, ginger, chilli powder, tomatoes and the rest of the vinegar, sugar and salt.
Cook for 1 - 1.5 hours on low heat. Spoon into sterilized jars while hot and put a little oil on the top. Seal jar by steaming for 20 minutes. Remove and store in a cool place. Leave for 1-2 weeks to mature before using.

Ingredients
6 x 150g fillets of barramundi
6 lime cheeks
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbs garlic, crushed
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp garam marsala
1/2 tsp powdered tumeric
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Method
Combine lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub onto fish fillets. Cover and place in fridge for 1 hour. Combine cream, Dijon mustard, garam marsala, tumeric and ginger. Massage lightly into fish fillets. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place fillets onto a roasting tray and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Divide evenly between plates and serve with tomato kasundi, steamed chickpeas, naan bread, lime cheeks and a bowl of salad leaves.

Crustacean sensation

Ocean king prawns from Hervey Bay are a special treat at this time of year. They are sensational when it comes to flavour, but they're also low in fat and calories.

Simply grilled, barbecued or poached, prawns make grown men salivate at a mere mention of their name. So throw another one on the barbie! (excerpt from Brisbane News 13 Jan 2010)

Visit http://www.brisbanenews.com.au/.

Barbecued ocean king prawns with nam jim
Serves 6

Marinade
1 lime, zest and juice
30 ml ketjap manis*
5 tsp roasted sesame oil
100 ml vegetable oil
3 coriander roots, finely chopped
3 garlice cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
24 large ocean king prawn cutlets
6 lime cheeks

Nam Jim
3 red chillies, finely diced
20 ml lime juice
1/2 tbs palm or brown sugar
1 coriander root, finely chopped
pinch of sea salt
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped

Salad
100g rice noodles, soaked in cold water
1 cup sugar loaf cabbage, finely shredded
1 dessertspoon pickled ginger, finely sliced
1 small salad onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup snow pea sprouts, cut in 6cm lengths
1/2 cup bean sprouts, picked
12 mint leaves, torn
12 coriander leaves, torn
1 lebanese cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely sliced
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Method
Mix marinade ingredients and pour over prawn cutlets.
Marinate in fridge for 2-4 hours.
Combine nam jim ingredients. Before serving, toss salad ingredients and nam jim together in a large bowl. Divide between 6 plates.
Garnish with lime cheek. Remove prawns from marinade and pat dry.
Preheat bbq and grill prawns for 40 seconds each side.
Remove and leave to rest for a few minutes in a warm place.
Place prawns around salad.

*ketjap manis - a very dark brown, syrupy-thick Indonesian sauce similar to, but sweeter and more complex in flavour than soy sauce.

Cherries and chocolate for Christmas

Cherries from the Granite Belt are plentiful at Christmas... here is something cool and sweet for a hot summer's day.

Chocolate pannacotta with cherries and raspberries

Ingredients

200ml milk

375ml cream

2 tbsp castor sugar

100 g dark couvertures, chopped small

2 leaves gelatine

4 cardamom pods

1 dessertspoon coffee beans

150g cherries

150g raspberries

Method

In a heavy based saucepan, warm the milk, cream, castor sugar, cardamom pods and coffee beans.

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 2 minutes to soften. Remove and add to milk mixture along with the chocolate.

Stir to dissolve and strain out coffee beans and cardamom pods into a bowl over ice.

Stir continuously until mix starts to cool and pour into moulds or martini glasses and let set whilst covered over night.

Turn out onto plates and decorate with cherries and raspberries.

Add a scoop of your favourite icecream.

Queensland wine match:2005 Ballandean Estate, Sylvaner

Christmas in Queensland

Christmas Day in many households in Queensland starts off planned as a day of festive cheer. It quickly turns into a week of torture as we organise for family and friends to celebrate with each other at this special time. This year, break the mould - get your partner more involved, do your preparations early and don't be a slave to tradition or the kitchen!

Buy some beautiful fresh vegetables and fruit, in particular delicious berries and stone fruit from Stanthorpe, but of course keep it simple. For those visiting, what better present than Queensland prawns, oysters and mudcrabs.

Order your produce for the festive season in advance to secure the best ham, turkey or prawns.

Salad of shaved ham, fetta and figs

Ingredients

420 g shaved ham

9 purple figs, ripe

180 g Kingaroy fetta

2 bunches of rocket, trimmed and washed

large basil leaves

150 g fresh peas, podded

1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts

extra virgin olive oil

aged balsamic vinegar

Method

Place shaved ham to cover the outside of the plate.

Cut figs in half and place 3 halves per plate.

Follow with rocket leaves dressed with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Scatter with peas and hazelnuts and finish with Kingaroy fetta.

Queensland Wine Match: 2009 Witches Falls Fiano