Home grown tomatoes

We have just spent a lazy weekend of not too much except a nice dinner out on Saturday and lots of cricket .

Nick took me to dinner at a local vineyard Restaurant called Racine at La Colline http://www.racinerestaurant.com.au/ just a few K’s up the road on Saturday night. 
I enjoy cooking very much but there is something very special about being taken to a restaurant that shows spectacularly the talent and dedication of someone that has trained for years, honed their skills and opened a restaurant that producers something traditional (French) but with a great twist of their own, needless to say we had a wonderful evening…bliss.

So my taste buds were working overtime on Sunday wanting something not to match but definitely to satisfy like Saturdays dinner.  I had a big help from the weekend food magazine and took a leaf out of Neil Perry’s suggestion this weekend of a simply marinated fillet of chicken, served with a Rice Pilaf and some vine ripened tomatoes.  For me the highlight really was the tomatoes which I picked that afternoon.

The tomatoes served simply chopped with a little salt and pepper, olive oil and a sprinkle of red wine vinegar, popped the chicken on top and served it alongside the following pilaf.  Fabulous….check out our tomatoes…..they taste just like tomatoes!!!!

Rice Pilaf serves 4

60g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons of Olive oil

2 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons currants

¼ cup shelled pistachios

300g basmati rice, soaked in water for 1 hour

500 ml chicken stock or water

Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan with a lid, large enough to fit the rice when cooked.  When the butter foams add the cinnamon and salt, then onion.  Fry over a medium heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.  Add the cardamom, turmeric, currants and pistachios and cook gently for 10 minutes until the onion is golden brown.

Drain the rice and add to the pan, stirring 1-2 minutes then pour in the stock, cook on high for 5 minutes then reduce, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, rest for 5 – 10 minutes and serve.

Love Mary