Somewhere on the South Coast

Every now and then I just have to cut out and head to a quiet place close to the ocean where I can sleep, cook, eat, drink, and breathe in a whole lot of fresh sea scented air.

I jumped in the car with my fishing rods, tackle box, and a case of beautiful wine and headed south about 5hrs from Sydney.

The reason for why I'm being so cagey about the location of this spot is because my newfound fishing friends are very protective of their special spot. They made me promise only to refer to this place as somewhere on the south coast. This place is true paradise……

It was around magic hour when I crossed an old rickety timber bridge with sandy flat waterways on each side. Bird life and fisherman abundant, I knew this place was for me.

When I spotted the little beach house, which was going to be my home for a week, feelings from my childhood stirred. This was the archetypal fibro beach house, just like the one I spent my holidays in when I was a kid. Those days are truly my fondest memories growing up.

Salty air, wet sandy dogs, the smell of stinky bait and diesel, bare feet, curly sun beached hair, sunburn, and fish & chips. All this represents holidays and relaxation - that is what I needed and that is what I got.

I woke the next day to sunshine and the most beautiful white sandy beach. This was paradise. I ventured to the fisherman's wharf to make some new friends and see what possibilities there were for dinner.

I met Alan… he has the only licence to dredge for clams on this part of the coast and I marvelled at his great catch that day. I bought two kilos of his prize flame clams to cook up that night for dinner, straight off the wharf. Couldn't get fresher than that!

I had so many questions for Alan. I was just so excited to see these glistening nets of freshness being heaved onto the wharf. He explained how he only brings in one size, throwing the little ones back so they can grow into big ones and through the big ones back 'cause they make the little ones… sweet!!! I love how fishermen are looking after the sustainability of our ocean these days. He doesn't throw the empty shells back, which he brings up from the ocean floor. Instead he tips them on his driveway at home…. 800 metres of it evidently!!!

My clams with garlic, white wine and tomato… heaven!

The next day my new fishing buddy Rainer took me out on his boat. We trawled off the beach for kingfish and then went out further hoping for flathead. We came home with both.

That night I prepared sashimi with the kingfish and we cooked the sweet flathead tails up on the barbie bumped up alongside a very yummy potato salad.

Each night as the clock struck six I mixed a cocktail with gin, elderflower, and the piquant and mouth-popping finger limes.

Sadly, my week seemed to pass too quickly as most holidays do, and on my last day as I drove out of my new favourite place in the universe, I dropped into their farmers market. Could it have been any more perfect..? No!!!!

I purchased a beautiful big bunch of organic beetroot, a kilo of local honey, and a bucket of the sweetest and reddest little cherry tomatoes, which I roasted.

Slow roasted cherry tomatoes… great folded through piping hot spaghetti with olives, basil, and goats cheese.

Whoops…!

Happy fishing,
Simmone x

The Simple Things In Life Are Often The Best

Another gorgeous weekend at the beach soaking up the sunshine and filling up with fresh beautiful food was just what the soul was searching for. So on the way down we dropped into the fish market to fill the esky with salty delights!

 



Winding the car window down as we approached to take in a gulp of sea scented air got the taste buds hankering for freshly cooked harbour prawns shoved into crusty white rolls with lashings of my dill and lemon mayonnaise.

The simple things in life are often the best!

 

I love picking a bunch of Nasturtiums on the secret path from the beach up to the house.

Besides livening up a crisp and piquant green salad, they look simply divine on an old wooden side board in the kitchen.

Tanja, my friend's doggy, loves it at the beach too!

Fresh prawn rolls with dill and lemon mayonnaise are available at both my Double Bay and Cammeray stores every Saturday and Sunday morning. Don't be late or you may miss out!

Happy weekends,
Simmone x

Grilled Rock Lobster with Butter, Basil and Lemon Zest

Only yesterday, towards the end of my holiday at the beach, with a hankering for fresh shellfish, I rigged up my cray pot and lugged it up the rocky beach to my special spot.

With a lucky feeling in my belly I hung an old salmon head into the cage and wired a few chittins in there for good measure and lowered it down into the hole in the rocks which has rarely let me down.

A few little friends came for the adventure so with hand on heart they repeated after me and pledged not to tell, not even their bestest bestie, where the spot is....

Last night we ate like kings and queens as the average size of the beauties excitedly pulled from the ocean was 350g.

We popped them into the frezer for a while (the most humane way of dispatching them) before splitting them down the center, dotting with butter, basil and lemon zest and grilling them to perfection for just under 10mins.

Doesn't get any better than that!

Happy fishing,
Simmone x

Best served with a lovely fruity Riesling!

It was my first day off in a couple of weeks. After a long soak in the tub and a walk along the coast to my local cafe for some caffeine, my thoughts drifted to lunch.

With the sun beaming down hard and the ocean glistening with blue and green, it was a perfect day for a glass of fruity wine and my barbequed chicken and fresh mint salad with Thai dressing and roasted peanuts.

This salad is a no brainer as all you need to do is shred the chicken, snip the salad bags, drizzle with dressing, top with a sprinkle of the toasted peanuts and there! You have lunch sorted!

You will need......

1 barbequed chicken (or, in my case, last night's leftover roast chicken)
1 bag of mixed leaves
2 cups white cabbage, roughly shredded
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1 handful peanuts, roasted and roughly chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 bottle Simmone Logue Thai dressing
(served 6)

Gently toss all ingredients together except for the peanuts and lime. Drizzle with the Thai dressing and sprinkle with the peanuts. Serve with a generous squeeze of lime and dive in!!

NB. I like to source out the garden variety of mint for this salad rather than spearmint. It reminds me of hot summer days in our backyard as kids playing around the garden tap.... there was always an abundance of that fleshy green and gloriously pungent mint!

Happy cooking,
Simmone x

Easter Fun

How great was the weather this Easter?? Normally this time of the year we are lighting the fire.

This year we took long walks on the beach at dusk, did our daily walk to the local coffee shop for lattes and newspapers, explored our local vintage stores, and of course we had so much fun in the kitchen....

I had my close friends from elementsilove.com staying with me which is always lots of fun. They helped me clean paint off and wax an old favourite piece of furniture I've had for years under the house. We knocked it up in under an hour - it was really quite amazing to watch!



On Good Friday I poached a nice big side of trout and pumped a bowl of boiled baby chats with fresh chives along the side. Adding a lovely fresh rocket salad with spikey lime and dill mayo hit the spot for a luxurious and easy Friday night dinner.



Saturday my friend, Brooke, roasted spatchcock in the oven with cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and caramelised garlic...... what an absolute treat!!! Isn't it funny how food always tastes better when somebody else prepares it for you?

Monday we had a big bake off. My pork and fennel sausage rolls were a hit and while the oven was hot we banged out a batch of the best Anzac biscuits I think I've ever tasted!



Lots of cups of tea and a good old girly chinwag saw a great weekend come to a close, but not before one more misty and contemplative walk in the sand......


Anzac Biscuits

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the rolled oats, brown sugar, and coconut and mix well.
2. In a second bowl melt the butter and add the golden syrup, water, and bicarb soda. Then add to the dry ingredients bowl and mix well.
3. Place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto a lined baking tray. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees for 20 minutes. Store in an air tight container.

My Anzacs will be available for the month of April at both the Simmone Logue stores and at the new Elements I Love store in Surry Hills.

Simmone x

Summer Lovin'

I've spent a large part of January down at our little shack on the beach with my family and special friends. Over the month our table was set for four to twenty four on any given lunch or dinner so I had to be quite creative at times.






















Every morning when I opened my eyes I would start to plan the day deciding on what beautiful food I would cook for them. There is no better pleasure I know, really, than to spoil those I love and adore with fresh, wholesome and tasty treats as we laze around and bask in the summer sun.























It was funny though because whenever I put their options to a vote they would jump up and down like frenzied gastronomes requesting my fresh Vietnamese rice paper rolls. This was certainly a great option as they are quick and easy, and it also meant that I could make the most of leftovers from the night before.














I used barbequed chicken, poached or barbequed fish, leftover fillet steak and yummy little sweet school prawns pulled in by my best fishing friend, Marty.














A pot of fresh mint at the back door kept up with us over the four weeks too!













Another great thing is you can rope in your buddies into helping with the rolling!!!!

















Simmone's Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

1 packet rice paper (10")
1 packet rice sticks or vermicelli, cooked and refreshed in cold water and roughly chopped
Salad leaves, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 knob ginger, grated
2 large carrots, grated
1/4 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup toasted shallots
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bottle Simmone Logue Thai Dressing, or your favourite dipping sauce

1. Combine all ingredients except for the rice paper, dipping sauce and salad leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Fill a 10" bowl with hot water. Let it cool enough to put your hands in.
3. Place ten rice papers one at a time into the hot water and leave them for one minute or two. Gently retrieve in one bunch from the water and give them a squeeze. Place the pile out on a clean, dry bench and as quickly as possible take one at a time and lay them out.
4. Place a small amount of salad leaves 1/4 of the way down from the top of the rice paper and then place a small handful of the mix over the leaves. Add a small amount of chicken, prawn or fish to top.
5. Take the bottom of the rice paper and place over the top of your filling. Bring in each side, crossing over slightly and then roll!
6. Serve with the dipping sauce, cheeks of fresh lime and fresh flowers from your garden.
   

It's that easy! Why not check out the Simmone Logue website for my catering menu? I can roll them for you for your next cocktail party or casual get together!

My Vietnamese rolls are rolled fresh just before lunch in both of my retail stores. Grab a bottle of Simmone Logue Thai Dressing from Simmone Logue stores, or from all Thomas Dux Grocer and David Jones stores nationally.

Enjoy!

Simmone x