Cooking with Iain 'Huey' Hewitson | Chef

Cooking with Iain 'Huey' Hewitson

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25.01.2022 WHAT'S FRESH TODAY? One of my mates once told me that, before you even think of venturing out to buy any seafood, you must first of all stand in front of the mirror and recite "What's fresh today?" Then, and only then, are you allowed to go in any fishmonger's place of business. And, he's not wrong. Far too often we walk into the purveyor of seafood with preconceived ideas, when we should be instead using his or her knowledge of what is at its very best today. Also, if it's f...ish you're after, where possible buy a whole fish and ask to have a look at it before they then fillet it for you. Go on - don't be shy! Have a good look - the fish should be bright in color, particularly around the gills, have sparkling bulging eyes and its body should be firm. And, while the other customers may think you're barking mad, give it a good sniff, keeping in mind this quote from Oscar Gizelt from New York's famed Seafood Restaurant, Delmonica's: "Fish should smell like the tide, once they smell like fish it's too late." Last, but not least, seafood - any seafood - should be bought from a specialist fishmonger. I know that some supermarkets are trying to improve the quality of their piscatorial delights (the jury is still out on the success of these efforts). But, guys, the local Fish & Chippery is not the answer. And, keeping in mind that seafood does not have a prolonged shelf life, only ever buy what is needed for today's meal and always, always immediately place it in the esky, which is of course strategically placed in the boot of your car for the trip home. #freshfish #fish #perfectfish #seafood #whatsfreshtoday? #smelllikethesea See more

24.01.2022 Another great, well deserved article about my sadly departed brother, Don

23.01.2022 SPAG BOG - AUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL DISH? I was, to say the least, gobsmacked by the results in a Sydney newspaper survey concerning Australia's National Dish. And the winner - you better believe it - Spaghetti Bolognese. (I should have been relieved that it wasn't Parma.) Actually, I am reminded of the time when I presented Spag. Bog. on "Healthy, Wealthy & Wise". I mentioned an article I had read which said that every man should be able to perform three essential household chor...es - programming the washing machine, changing the doona cover and whipping up a half-decent Spaghetti Bolognese. I, of course, pointed out that I was a mean hand with the latter, but useless when it came to the other two, which I invariably left to my wife. To cut a long story short, the audience response was scathing about the fact that I didn't help out with such household tasks. It didn't even help when I pointed out that I did all the cooking at home (a downright lie!) and took on all the kitchen cleanup/dishwashing duties (that is true). So, I just shut up and vowed to be a bit more careful about what I shared with my beloved viewers in future. And, speaking of the National Dish, don't you dare mention that New Zealand creation 'the Pavlova', because I reckon the reason that you Aussies try to claim it as your own is in compensation for Kiwis foisting Bjelke-Peterson on you. TRUE BLUE SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE (6-8) Heat a little olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot and gently saute 2 finely chopped onions, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 medium diced carrots, 3 diced celery stalks and 3 diced rindless bacon rashers until tender. Add 750 gm lean beef mince with 6 cleaned & finely chopped chicken livers and cook, mashing thoroughly until the meat changes colour. Then add 1 cup dry white wine, 800 gm canned tomato puree, 2 cups low-salt packet beef stock, 2 bay leaves and seasonings. Turn the heat down and simmer, continuing to mash until thick and fragrant, adding a little more tomato if the tomato flavour is not strong enough. Cook 600 gm spaghetti (or another pasta) in boiling water al dente, drain well and toss with some freshly grated Reggiano or Grana Padana Parmesan. Mound the pasta on individual plates and top with a generous amount of the sauce and more Parmesan. #spagbog #spaghettibolognese #bolognesesauce #pasta #winterwarmer #australia #nationaldish #no.1 #numberone

23.01.2022 A BOWL OF DEAD EASY SOUP While many of us are getting into the kitchen and cooking up a storm (like my wife!) during these difficult times, there are still days when we can't be bothered and just want to whip up something with a minimum of fuss. Sure, you can open a can or a packet (if you must) but, instead, I thought I would share with you the simplest of soup recipes using the most basic of ingredients, along with a number of variations on the theme. And, while I must admi...t I'm a little biased - the soup, in any of it's forms, is not only delicious, but dead easy to boot! THE BASE - peel and roughly chop 3 large potatoes, 4 large onions & 3 well washed, cleaned leeks. Put in a large pot, add whatever other vegies you fancy and cover with either packet vegie or chicken stock (or water plus a couple of good tablespoons stock powder). Season and boil until very tender. Then add a few good slurps cream and process or blend. Check seasoning. ADDITIONS Sweet Potato - 4 or 5 large sweet spuds, peeled & chopped* Cream of Carrot - 6 or so large carrots, peeled & chopped* Pumpkin - 1/4 Queensland Blue or JAP pumpkin, peeled & chopped* *In the above cases, I add a few good dollops butter to the mix when cooked Parsnip - 10 or so parsnips plus 1 tbsp curry powder Swede - 6 or 8 largish swedes, peeled & chopped plus 1 tbsp curry powder Cauliflower - 1 large cauli, chopped plus 1 tbsp curry powder Sugar Pea - a few big handfuls sugar peas, topped & tailed, added to the base soup once vegies are soft. Then puree the second it comes back to the boil. Frozen Peas - as above Leftovers - use any raw or cooked vegies as the addition Roasted Tomato & Basil - halve tomatoes and roast until they begin to collapse. Then slip off the skins and add to cooked base soup. Add fresh basil and whiz up. NOTE - Make a decent amount and freeze excess in individual take away containers - The base soup can be served as is (but still with cream). When hot it is Potage Parmentier and when cold it is Vichyssiose. #soup #deadeasysoups #covid-19 #simplerecipes #winterwarmers #vegetarianmagic #vegiesoups

23.01.2022 A PRESENT FOR THE 'PETROL HEAD' WHO HAS EVERYTHING Because Aussies are rather keen on their coffee, I feel that every 'petrol head' should consider this addition to their car gadgets. It seems that Spanish car manufacturer SEAT is offering a portable French-made Handpresso coffee machine, which is designed to be part of the car's options. So, forget popping into the local McDonald's driveway when you are desperate for a cup of the beloved elixir. Now, you can just plug your m...achine into the cigarette lighter, fill it up with your bottle of spring water, insert a coffee pod and set and the machine going. According to motoring writer John Connolly, the noise it makes is similar to the tyre pumps at a F1 pit stop and he also reports that, at a mere $300, it is a steal for those of us who are both 'petrol' and 'coffee heads'. #coffee #coffeemachine #SEAT #spain #espresso #french #coffeelover See more

22.01.2022 #Savehospitalityandtourism #melbourne #unlocknow #unlockhospitality #itstime

20.01.2022 If you have a spare half hour, this is a bit of fun

20.01.2022 One of my favourite St Kilda bars is 'going live' this weekend. Check out great local Melbourne bands like the fabulous Large No. 12's and The Peptides, etc.

20.01.2022 A SPUD ON EVERY PLATE I remember when I filmed in Ireland, a number of years ago, one of Dublin's leading chefs told me that if he didn't put at least 2 or 3 variations of potato on every plate he would get the sack. I must admit that I thought this was a tad harsh but, as he explained, it had little to do with the bosses - it was actually the customers who deemed that a dish was not a dish unless it involved lots of spuds. Actually, I (and the rest of the world) have always ...realised that the Irish were rather keen on the humble spud, but even I was amazed by a Breakfast in Dublin which involved 4 different potato preparations (along with bacon, sausage, egg, mushies, as well as Black & White Pudding). And, this was not a recent aberration, because it was the Irish who first came up with the plan to sprinkle Holy Water over their potato crops to negate the Church's insistence that the spud was not acceptable, because it didn't rate a mention in the Bible. But, let us also not forget that by the 1880's, they had become so dependent on the blessed spud that, when blight hit their crops, more than a million people died (and many more left for distant lands). To be fair, potatoes had a rather checkered early career. First introduced to Europe from South America by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th Century, the spud was basically treated with disdain. Church leaders, as mentioned before, were not keen, the French insisted potatoes caused leprosy, the Spanish deemed them to be a member of the deadly Nightshade family and, therefore, unsuitable for human consumption. Overall, the spud, purely and simply, wasn't a hit. Fortunately, Frenchman Antoine-Augustin Parmentier took up the cause and eventually convinced France that the spud was pretty bloody delicious. He even, as a PR exercise, persuaded the Queen (Marie Antoinette) to wear a bouquet of potato flowers in her lapel. Actually, to this day, many potato dishes are still named after this pioneer, ie. Potage Parmentier - a leek & potato soup (which, out of interest, Chef Louis Diat served chilled and renamed it Vichyssoise). The rest of the world eventually followed and the spud hit the world's tables. Although, sadly, I have to report that the French Fry was neither created by Parmentier or in fact the French (or even McDonalds), but was supposedly first seen in Belgium's Meuse Valley, which was famous for its crisp fried baby fish. When the rivers were frozen over, the locals began substituting long strips of potato for the fish and 'voila' the French (or Flemish) Fry was let loose on the world. #frenchfries #parmentier #belgium #meusevalley #potatoes #ireland #dublin #frenchfry See more

19.01.2022 OH YIPPEE! CHEESE FONDUE IS STILL ON THE MENU We all know how fastidious the Swiss are about anything pertaining to their health and wellbeing. So, I was not surprised when I noticed that the Swiss Public Office of Health had been inundated by enquiries about whether that Swiss favourite - the Cheese Fondue - was safe to eat in these days of a worldwide pandemic. You will be pleased to know that, because of the temperature at which Fondue is served, the virus will not survive... or incubate. But, it was pointed out that social distancing of participants must still apply, with guests being at least 1.5 metres apart and only one of those guests, at a time, should dip their cubes of bread into the bubbling mass. And, just out of interest, that bread should be immersed for a count of at least 20 to ensure that it is also immune to Covid-19. Fine in principal, but from past experience, by this stage the bloody bread would be decidedly soggy and falling off the fork/prong. So, may I suggest a spoon is kept nearby with which to scoop up the soggy bread and accompanying fondue (keeping in mind that the spoon can't be reused, so a large number of spoons and, for that matter of fact, a large number of forks would also be essential for any Fondue party). Consequently, one would presume that only the Swiss would be bothered with such a kerfuffle to simply dunk a piece of bread in melted cheese. PS. Still on Covid-19, to all of you who watch my YouTube videos and have been concerned about the expansion of my facial hair, it is not because of laziness on my part and the fact that I have been 'locked up'. Actually, it is due to the fact that a recent survey of 8500 women in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology showed that almost without exception every respondent said that men with beards were far more sexy. Unfortunately, according to my wife Ruth, I am the exception to the rule, because in my case it ain't working #fondue #cheesefondue #swiss #covid #beards #facialhair #socialdistancing See more

19.01.2022 DON'T YOU DARE BAN THE BANGER I have always been a fan of good old snags - not fancy ones like the Peking Duck numbers, which I notice had recently won a sausage competition - just the good old fashioned versions that are moist (not wet), cut well and are full of flavour. Well, I'm now told that, because they are supposedly bad for us (Isn't everything that tastes good seemingly bad for us?), we should be paying extra for the privilege of eating them. The reason for that char...ge - a new report points out that the supposed extra healthcare costs associated with eating processed meats should be borne by the eater. And, those researchers stated that a global tax of 110% on such meats would cut deaths by up to 220,000. As Zoe Strimpel in The Age recently stated: "I can see it now. The rise of special designated sausage eating areas, where those dedicated enough to pay the massively hiked prices for their porkers will be made to go and consume them there. After all, the second hand aromas from a sausage sizzle could be dangerous to others." But, it's not just the bangers themselves that are being attacked. Because some careless buggar slipped on the onions from a Bunnings snag in the bun, the Department of Occupational Health & Safety has advised that, in future, the onion must be placed underneath the snag - not on top. I presume that, as has become the norm, officers will be out in force ready to fine anyone that does not comply. And, just out of interest, 'Bangers' are so named, because after World War 2 there was such a shortage of meat in England that sausages were loaded with water and breadcrumbs to make up the quantity. A mixture which meant that when the sausages hit the pan, they often popped and spluttered, which was said to be akin to rifle fire - hence the nickname 'Bangers'. #bangers #sausages #sausagesizzle #bunnings #zoestrimpel #theage See more

18.01.2022 CHEF WANNA BE'S In this day and age, when every chef seems to want to be regarded as a celebrity, here is a quote for all you wanna be's from American Chef Patricia Yeo: "Chefs are not supposed to be celebrities. They smell bad, they're adrenaline junkies and they invariably have strange social habits." Actually, talking of wanna be's, I in more recent times noticed that, when interviewing young people for kitchen jobs, my traditional question: "Why do you want to work in a kitchen?" was more and more likely to get the response: "Because I want to be like Jamie Oliver." Eventually, I tired of this and gave this advice to one kid: "If you want this job, maybe you should have said: 'I want to be like Huey.'" He didn't have the faintest idea what I was talking about! #celebritychef #juliachild #patriciayeo #americanchef #chef #jamieoliver

16.01.2022 A TALE OF SPONGES, RAMEN & PERFECT PORRIDGE Do you remember when almost every country town had an Agricultural Show of some sort or other? The highlight of the year, it not only involved sideshows and rides of all shapes and sizes (my favourite was always the Dodgem cars), but competitions that involved everything from the fattest pig to the largest pumpkin and, in NZ anyway, the fastest and most efficient sheep shearers. Of course, the Country Women’s Associations always ran... the culinary side of things and awarded prizes to the best sponges, jams, preserves and the like. (At the Levin Show, my mother always won the Best Sponge gong, but my father was invariably pipped at the post by Mr Easton’s monstrous pumpkins. In hindsight, I reckon he fed them steroids, because boy were they huge!) Anyway, I was reminded of such endeavours by an article concerning a couple of culinary competitions from overseas, which in a similar vein to our Agricultural Shows inspired a ridiculous number of people to spend every waking hour worrying about the awarding of a rosette that no one else in the world paid much attention to. The first was the Tokyo Ramen Show, which attracts an audience of upwards of 3 million foodies per year all intent on deciding which region produces the crème de la crème of Ramens (keeping in mind that no two are the same). Traditionally based around soy sauce, miso and pork bones, the true aficionado will taste each and every one (30-40) and will then offer up their judgement, which I’m told rarely coincide with that of the specialist judges. Actually, I wonder if a similar vein to wine judges, they taste and spit? One can only hope so. Another competition that took my fancy (being of Scottish heritage) was the World Porridge Making Competition, which was conducted in Cambridge in Bonny Scotland. The Scots were mortified (as were my Scottish rellies) when Swedes took out the Golden Spurtle title. I feel that, if Scotland had a Navy, they would have declared war. Anyway, for your edification, the Traditional category had to be made using a wooden spurtle (spoon) and could only involve untreated pinhead oatmeal, salt and water none of those bloody rolled oats or instant rubbish. The Specialty category, which the Swedes also won, allowed a lot more leeway think Sticky Toffee or Salted Caramel Porridge (sounds great), Blueberry Chia Jam (not sure) or Spinach and Mustard (sounds revolting). But, as my father would say: No matter the flavour, any bowl of porridge at any time of the day should always be accompanied by a wee dram of Scotland’s finest whisky, that is. Which is maybe why our mother always refused to serve porridge to us kids. #agriculturalshows #localproduce #tokyoramenshow #tokyo #japan #newzealand #australia #worldporridgemakingcompetition #porridge #pumpkin #ramen

16.01.2022 A KILLER 'KILLY' I remember when I was first asked to prepare Oysters Kilpatrick. It was in the late '60's in a New Zealand kitchen and it consisted of roughly chopped bacon with a generous slurp of decidedly ordinary Worcestershire sauce on top (no Lea & Perrins here). It was then bunged under the grill and it was ready when the bacon was burnt around the edges. It didn't take me long to work out there was something wrong with this picture, but my attempts at keeping the bac...on (and the oysters) under cooked were not appreciated by the Kiwis, who obviously had a liking for burnt offerings. Interestingly, the late great Anders Ousback, noted gourmet and restaurateur, always insisted that the correct name for this dish was Oysters Kirkpatrick and it was supposedly named after a former Mayor of San Francisco in 1908. I often wondered if Anders had ever partaken of a 'Killy' - it didn't quite seem his speed. But, in our house and in most Aussie restaurants, it's always been Kilpatrick, so Kilpatrick it will stay. MY OYSTERS KILPATRICK (for 4) Heat a little olive oil in a pan and saute 1 small finely chopped red onion and 6 finely diced rindless bacon rashers until tender. Put in a bowl and mix in 100 ml good Worcestershire and a few good splashes Tabasco. Spread a layer of salt on a baking sheet or tray (to stop the oysters from toppling). Then put a good spoonful of the mix on each of 2-4 dozen freshly shucked oysters and place carefully on the salt. Cook under an overhead grill until the oysters just begin to curl and the bacon begins to crisp. Serve with simply buttered white sandwich bread, crusts removed. #oysters #oysterskilpatrick #seafood #entree #appetiser #greatwithdrinks #andersousback #worcestershire

16.01.2022 Thought you'd be interested in reading this feature article that appeared in @Haveagonews ithis week. Thanks guys! https://www.haveagonews.com.au/featur/for-the-love-of-food/

14.01.2022 Well done Paul Dimattina from Lamaro's! I have just watched him on Fox News and finally a Restaurateur is saying how it is. Calling out Chairman Dan for blaming all Victorians for the problems facing us, it was refreshing to see someone in the business standing up for all those small operators who will go to the wall and, instead, laying the blame fairly and squarely at the Premier's feet for, amongst other things, allowing the huge protests to go ahead and the absolute deba...cle of the so-called hotel isolation exercise. Of course, it's the Government's fault. But, as is Dan's normal practice, if you throw enough mud at everyone else, some of it will stick and you will come out smelling of roses. Well, not this time. For once, admit that you stuffed up and, as Paul emphatically suggested, accept it, stop playing the blame game and RESIGN. And, on another note, isn't it obscene that the upper echelon in Parliament, while many are struggling to make ends meet, have just got a 4.8% pay rise, which is on top of the 7% they awarded themselves back in September. My suggestion - give it back you greedy bastards! #pauldimattina #lamaros #foxnews #victoria #chairmandan #danielandrews #covid19 #lockdown #isolation #whosnext? See more

09.01.2022 THE BIRTH OF THE MICROWAVE I was reminded just the other day of when microwave ovens were an absolute no-no in commercial kitchens. Presumably because, when customers heard the distinctive bell, they thought the food was being pre-cooked and just reheated in those bloody machines. So when at my restaurant Fleurie we decided to present hot towels in the Asian style at the beginning of the meal (wetting them and bunging them in the microwave works well), I got the retailer to r...emove the bell, so our customers wouldn't hear that distinctive tinkle. I thought I was being rather clever, but as a mate pointed out: "I don't know why you bothered - we could see the bloody machine on our way to the toilet anyway." And, out of interest, the microwave came about in 1945 when an American engineer, Percy le Baron Spencer was standing next to a Magnetron (a piece of equipment that drives radar) when a chocolate bar in his pocket began to melt. After subsequent experimentation, he realised that microwave radio signals could cook food and, under the name Radarange, he created the first experimental machine which was 6 feet tall and weighed 700 pounds. #microwave #firstmicrowave #percyspencer #radarange #radar #magnetron #raytheon #fleurie See more

08.01.2022 WELL DONE JIMMY! Congratulations to my dear mate on his cooking show "Jimmy Shu's Taste of the Territory". What a terrific effort - well produced, full of the most wonderful ingredients (and people) and, above all, jam packed with recipes that you just want to cook. And Jimmy, who is definitely one of the best cooks around, proves to be an engaging, interested host, who is keen to share both his and his guests' knowledge. #jimmyshu #sbs #sbsfood #darwin #australia #tvshow #tvchef #jimmyshu'stasteoftheterritory

06.01.2022 SYBIL HEWITSON'S DELIGHT As a man who has received a fair amount of publicity in his life, I rarely get upset when I'm not asked to participate in an article or the like, which I feel would have suited me down to the ground. Although, I do still feel that Peter Russell-Clarke and I (as I suggested in a letter to The Age) would have been perfect guest judges for Masterchef with inspired segments such as 'The Chiko Roll Challenge' - to be also judged by those denizens of good t...aste - the customers in the Front Bar. (Sadly, I think this horse has bolted, because I'm still waiting by the phone with braces in hand. Peter is, of course, in a similar position, but with a carton of eggs under his arm.) But, as usual, I digress. I actually was a little disappointed when - as a man who has many years on TV often presented recipes from both my Mother and Grandmother's cookery journals - I wasn't invited to be part of the Weekend Australian's "Eating History", which featured celebrity foodies and their mother's recipes. Obviously, this was just a mistake and my invite ended up on the cutting floor. (Do they still have these?) Anyway, I won't take this snub to heart and, instead, share with you one of my Mother's favourites to which, I must admit, I've added Grand Marnier - a liqueur which I don't think was ever to be found in Dad's booze cabinet. SYBIL'S GOLDEN SYRUP & ORANGE PARFAIT Put 200 gm caster sugar, 175 ml water, 1 split vanilla bean and the grated zest of 1 orange in a pot and bring to the boil. Turn off heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins. Bring back to the boil and cook for a few minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean. Beat 3 egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Continue beating, adding the hot syrup little by little until the mixture is shiny and firm. Whip 300 ml thickened cream with 4 tbsp Grand Marnier until fairly thick. Then gently fold into the above. Line a bowl with clingwrap and spoon in the mixture. Drizzle 3-4 tbsp Golden Syrup on top and, using a plastic spatula, gently swirl into the mix (don't over mix). Freeze overnight and serve topped with a mixture of fresh berries. #sybilhewitson #peterrussellclarke #masterchef #chikoroll #weekendaustralian #theaustralian #eatinghistory #mothersrecipes #goldensyrupparfait #dessert #classicrecipe #memum #theage

02.01.2022 TIME TO GIVE AUSTRALIA'S DREADFUL NATIONAL ANTHEM THE FLICK I was pleased to recently see that the admirable Australian newspaper columnist Phillip Adams was giving the national anthem a bit of stick. Not even mentioning the ridiculous "girt by sea", his overall feel was that we should be ashamed of attempting to sing this bloody awful dirge (and, just out of interest), a mate suggested that if the country ever wanted to cut back on immigration, all they needed do was add a q...uestion about that 'girt' nonsense to the questionnaire). Anyway, as usual, I digress. Yes, I do feel that "Waltzing Matilda" would be a good choice, but I do accept that there is a fair amount of opposition to this, because of its subject matter. But, sitting in the wings is a wonderful alternative "I am Australian" - co-written by Dobe Newton from The Bushwackers and the admirable Seekers' founder Bruce Woodley. This to me is the perfect choice. And I'm not the only one who thinks so, because I notice that Jeff Kennett (admittedly in 2011) proposed it as an alternative and it is noticeable that it has turned up on our screens since then on a reasonably regular basis. Still, don't just take my word for it. Can I share with you one of the verses and, if this doesn't bring a tear to your eye when you hear it at your next sports event or Olympic Games, then you definitely have little or no national fervor. "We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we came We'll share a dream and sing with one voice I am, you are, we are Australian." #newnationalanthem #australia #nationalanthem #brucewoodley #theseekers #dobenewton #thebushwackers #girtbysea #waltzingmatilda #jeffkennett See more

02.01.2022 GUINNESS GETS IT WRONG While Dunedin - in New Zealand's far south - doesn't have a lot going for it (it is no longer even NZ's 4th largest city), I notice that the Guinness Book of Records has had to reverse it's decision to award the title of the World's Steepest Street to Ffordd Pen Llech in Wales. Kiwi's appealed the decision and,following much measuring of the three dimensional shapes of both streets (whatever that means?), the judges admitted they were wrong and the honor has returned to Dunedin's Baldwin Street. #Guinnessbookofrecords #newzealand #dunedin #worldssteepeststreet #notinwales #baldwinstreet #Guinness