Master Chef - Take 2

Three dishes for Messrs Preston, Calombaris and Mehigan at MasterChef audition - day 2.

White gazpacho served Martini style with a toothpick of grapes.

Cannelini beans cooked with saffron, chorizo and thyme.

White witlof layered with aioli, marinated red peppers and white anchovies.

The food stood up apparently. The personality didn't. Advice from the judges: "More footy, less yoga, yeah?" Ha, thanks George.

No photos (cameras weren't allowed during filming) but MasterChef begins on Channel 10 in April/May and Global Gobbler may show up if the 'character' making spherical peas doesn't hog all the air time ; )

Master Chef - First Take

A success. Soft pappardelle. Pungent pesto. Sweet confit tomatoes. And creamy labna with toasted pine nuts.

Through to round 2 of MasterChef...

Master Chef - First Take

First and only course

Homemade pappardelle tossed with freshly made basil pesto and topped with confit Roma tomatoes and homemade labna (yogurt cheese) coated in roasted pine nuts and thyme.

Basil and tomatoes from the garden (c/o JB's Vegie Patch - installing vegie patches across Melbourne. For enquiries call Joel or Jesse on 0438 329 218 or 0407 712 921. Marketing plug ends.)

Pasta from my Marcato pasta machine.

Labna made from Greek yogurt.

Global Gobbler takes on the masses.

Pasta - 1st attempt - the review

Smiling happy people - review enough I think. A great group of people with many hidden talents.

-Jesse for pulling off the Don Burke beard.

-MJ for her photographer's eye.

-Jess for being most photogenic.

-Sarah for turning vinegar into wine.

-Jordan for his sense of justice.

-Annalise for seeing through Jordan's sense of justice.

These talents combined to produce an unforgettable game of Pictionary. The highlights being 'Pearl necklace', 'Pamela Anderson' and 'Psychiatrist'.

Pasta II is already taking shape...

Pasta - 1st attempt - post-mortem

Loved the prawns with sidekicks of crispy sage and hazelnut salt.

Sourdough with honey and balsamic feta was ok - bread needed a good soaking in oil though.

Anchovy, almond and orange zest 'arrangement' was interesting - in a bad way...

Nice way to kick off the night - a plate full of prawns would have broadened smiles around the table.


Home-made spaghetti. The taste is almost fruity rather than simply a plate of carbs. The walnut, tomato and roasted pepper sauce was luckily subtle and the buffalo mozzerella with basil lifted the whole dish.

Pomegranate, zucchini ribbon and parmesan was an experiement that worked. Sweet, creamy and sharp.

Almost a shame to put anything on the pasta - some extra virgin, garlic, salt and pepper. Love match.

A sharp, almost too sharp, lime curd - overdid the lime juice a little I think... And if you can't decide between sour cream, yogurt, mascaporne or cream - give quark a try. Whipped with vanilla bean and topped with lime zest.

The food was good, the people were better.

On the night I fell in love with my Marcato pasta machine.

Pasta - 1st attempt

A pasta machine lay waiting for some attention. The first weekend without plaster on my recently-broken arm presented the perfect opportunity to test it out on friends who would either enjoy the food, or drink enough that it would appear they enjoyed the food...

No real theme behind the menu - pasta was the star.

E

Rye sourdough topped with feta and crushed walnuts marinated in honey, olive oil, thyme and balsamic vinegar and topped with fresh sliced cherry tomatoes.

King prawns marinated in sauvignon blanc, lemon juice, sage and olive oil then pan fried and served on wild rocked and sprinkled with hazelnut salt and crispy sage.

M

Fresh spaghetti dressed in olive oil and served with a walnut, garlic, tomato and red pepper sauce and topped with buffalo mozzerella and shredded basil.

Zucchini ribbon salad with mint, pomegranate seeds, shaved parmesan, olive oil and lime juice.

D

Baked lime curd topped with vanilla bean infused quark, topped with caramelised lime wedge, lime zest and fresh raspberries.

Global Gobbler guest #15 - A cast of 4

L to R: (Princess Jasmine, Mt Everest, JennaAlyce © and a random, malnourished skinhead)

A night in Chad was enjoyed by a full-time fairy, a Casanova, a fashionista and sailor who survives on cod and cereal.

An eclectic group who survived a journey to the heart of Africa

And the stellar review can be viewed below although I am not sure if the meal deserved such generosity - particularly my failed attempt to cook a soft-boiled egg!

Until next time. Stay Global and keep Gobbling.

(click to enlarge)

RIP Chomping on Chad - 18 October 2008

E
A great way to start the feast on a cold Melbourne night. Piping hot shards of crunchy bread matched the curry butter and the honey and mint balanced the spicy flavour. Making the bread a little softer would have allowed the butter mix to soak through the bread and given the teeth a break.



















S
Are soups just a ‘course filler’? The flavour was interesting – three was a crowd though – needed to match peanuts with either tomato or sweet corn. And definitely overdid the garnishing – the squash gave the dish a sweetness but the cashews were a mistake and nigella seeds were simply wrong. Maybe I don’t like soups because you lose the individual flavours?
















M
Easily my favourite for the night. The subtle flavour of millet combined perfectly with the mix of spices, fresh sage and sweet currants. Salty silverbeet drenched in olive oil was the perfect base and lemon yogurt gave the palate a break from the mild heat. Onto the egg…not too hard to cook a soft-boiled egg right? Sadly yes, two minutes too long yielded a tasty, yet decidedly firm egg….tail firmly between the legs.

















D
Never quite worked this out in my head. Would it be a cold/hot/creamy/crunchy dessert? And the lack of clarity showed – the pistachio, clove and honey slice had an intense flavour and would work somewhere else – but not with the pear and mint and definitely not with frozen mandarin yogurt (which was ok alone). Joel + dessert in Chad = FAIL. No good having components that work if they don’t sing together.




A great crew was on hand for some traditional Chadian cuisine – as always, the company made up for gaps in taste. I promise to make it to Chad one day to test out the melting egg idea with the locals.



What next for Global Gobbler? Perhaps another journey to the Mediterranean… stay tuned. GG

Chomping on Chad

E
Shards of millet, poppy and sesame seed sour bread served with curry and date butter, torn mint and drizzled honey.

S

Tomato, peanut, sweet corn and coriander soup served with floating grilled squash, circled with nigella seeds, roasted cashews and chives.

M
Castle of millet with sage, currants, sage, ras-el-hanout inspired spices filled with a melting yogurt egg and served on salted silverbeet and lashings of olive oil.

D
Grilled pistachio, pecan, walnut, clove and honey slice served with stewed brown pear, mint and lemon zest and frozen mandarin yogurt.

Time to hit the great continent of Africa up for some inspiration. And a chance for millet to make an authentic appearance at the table. I have heard good things about Chad - maybe a stop over next trip overseas. And I was best friends with a Chad in high school.

Global Gobbler guests #14 - Josh, Meryn and Annie

L to R: (Josh, Meryn, Annie)

A vet and a couple of auditors - awesome guests and plenty of passion for lycra and fairways.

Thanks for review - improvement opportunities a plenty and plenty of positive reinforcement - that's what you pay consultants for...

RIP China - Year of the Rat - 30 August 2008

Shot of lychee blended with vodka, lime, mint and sugar syrup.

Chef Notes
Not too sure about this one. Sadly not in lychee season - teach me for not following the 100 mile rule – and it was too early for shot glasses anyway. Vodka, lime juice, mint, sugar syrup and pureed lychees – mix with crushed ice and soda water once lychee season is here.



Rice vermicelli, shaved daikon, broccolini, garlic shoots, red peppers, shitake mushrooms, coconut omlette, red onion and black sesame seeds with a sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, chilli and lime dressing.

Chef Notes
Lack of experience with rice vermicelli shone through – don’t think I hit it with enough heat, marinade, and chilli (for my tastebuds anyway). Serving the vermicelli and stir-fry separately didn’t work – what happened to a steaming ‘out-of-the-wok’ experience I had in mind… Less palm sugar, more lime and bok choy - and a rethink on the coconut omlette.

San Choy Bao of black rice star anise, lime, cinnamon, ginger, soy and honey and encased in wombok wrappers and steamed and served on crushed roasted peanuts.

Chef Notes
Star anise and black rice – competing for flavour rather than complementing - should have gone with barley as initially planned. It wasn’t delicate but it did challenge the palate. Presentation worked after the swift insertion of rice paper rolls. I think more lime, honey and soy and less star anise will make this dish – roasted peanuts gave it a crunch but could have played a bigger role. Wombok was the star.


Crispy fried spring rolls filled with caramelised oyster mushrooms, roasted cashews, chilli, toasted sweet corn, water chestnuts, spring onion, and red peppers and served with a soy sauce, Chinese chive and sesame oil dipping sauce.

Chef Notes
Spring rolls fried in coconut oil – made for a fresher result than the deep fried version. The filling was a hit – toasted corn, cashews and creamy oyster mushrooms worked together and the tangy soy, lime and sesame dressing provided the required salt. Perhaps lacking the addition of an animal…

Dumplings of sweet potato, red bean paste and Chinese five-spice rolled in coconut and served with coconut custard.

Chef Notes
Another first time experience – red bean paste…surely food science can create something a little less bland? Chinese spices lifted the overall result but the sweet indistinct red bean flavour remained. Coconut custard made with egg yolk and agar-agar wasn’t quite right – possibly firmer and definitely warmer. Flavour also needed a boost – Vanilla? Dates? Alcohol?! As noted by one of the astute guests – “Could have done with some salt.”



Thanks Annie, Meryn and Josh! I know I was a week late for the closing ceremony...

Heading into the depths of Africa next - Sudan, Nepal, Mali or the powerhouse that is Chad?? African menu will be unveiled shortly - if you want to score a corruption-free invitation, email globalgobbler@gmail.com for details. GG

China - Year of the Rat

E
Rice vermicelli, shaved cucumber, daikon radish, bitter melon, broccolini, shaved mushrooms, sweet omlette and black sesame seeds with a sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and lime dressing and served with lotus root broth.

S
Crispy fried spring rolls filled with caramelised oyster mushrooms, celery, roasted cashews, chilli, water chestnuts, spring onion, bamboo shoots and roasted yellow peppers and served with a palm sugar, soy sauce, Chinese chive and sesame oil dipping sauce.

M
San Choy Bao of barley, shitake mushrooms and peanuts slow cooked in a star anise, citrus, ginger, soy and honey glaze and served in steamed wombok wrappers

D
Dumplings of sweet potato, red bean paste and Chinese five-spice served with coconut and cardamom custard and fresh lime.


China has been a while in the making - I think the Games of the XXIX Olympiad provided the inspiration. I expect the review to contain some reference to Juan Anotonio Samaranch, maybe "the best meal ever"...? Any feedback on the menu or to recieve an invite to the dinner - globalgobbler@gmail.com

同一个世界 同一个梦想

Global Gobbler guests #13 - Grace, Meg and Amy

L to R: (Amy, Grace and Meg)

20-something trend hunters coming to a mobile near you soon.

Style to burn and ideas a-plenty.

A love for the flavours of Asia. Indian butter chicken, Vietnamese spring rolls, Japanese sushi. How would these distinct and delicate tastes go up against the untested and potentially over-bearning flavours of Argentina?

The Review
Setting a new benchmark for reviews - I was in awe after watching this. Wouldn't it be great if this formed part of a series designed for a mobile platform...?!

Check out the video above for the 'review' (doesn't do it justice!)

Thanks Amy and Meg and Grace for coming along. Glad you liked the food and hope to see you around some day.

And news just in - Chinese menu is on the verge of completion - stay tuned. GG

Next menu - China

Dumplings? Dim Sum? Wontons? Spring roll?

What will it be?

Stay tuned for a pre-Olympics MSG-free menu - only at Global Gobbler.

RIP Aiming for Argentina - 5 July 2008

I think this may have been more Mexican than Argentinean… Great colours though and once again, presentation using the shells of ingredients worked. Yogurt pip anyone? Polenta chips could have done with a touch more queso but flavours seemed to blend well – with the required kick from the dried (a surprisingly different flavour to fresh) chilli salsa.







A personal achievement – being able to use molasses in an edible dish – the tomatoes had a rich ketchup-like flavour which tasted better than it sounds. The cannelini beans with green olives and oregano had a nice clean flavour but just didn’t quite fit with the rest of the meal – too flat and not enough colour/heat.







The empanadas didn’t turn out quite as planned – not enough elasticity with spelt flour (or maybe I just need to invest in a rolling pin rather than relying on a half-full bottle of wine) – chickpea or buckwheat flour might be better substitutes. The filling was interesting and the flavour was difficult to place but it didn’t combine into the taste I imagined. Maybe the potatoes absorbed the flavour or perhaps some chilli was required. Chimichurri was refreshing and gave the dish some colour but I need to think of a new presentation method rather than relying on the pour-over.

My favourite of the night and the one dish which returned completely empty plates (doggy-bag included). It took a while to create the yolky dulce de leche but the end result was unique – “glue”-like was one description… But the flavour worked and the roasted almond biscuit was the perfect base although slightly thinner next time. The chocolate shots tasted amazing (although 82% cocoa only tastes amazing to certain people I guess...) with the hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla – I certainly didn’t expect them to be referred to as “refreshing?!” Lemon chaser was tequilla-inspired and...amusing


A challenging cuisine and plenty to work on next time but a few keepers – still no match for the several kgs of Argentinean flesh. Thankyou Amy, Grace and Meg for being very cool guests and for the very classy and authentic Argentine wall-hanging…

Next menu on the way – China – pre-approved by the Chairman Mao and the cultural revolution. GG

Aiming for Argentina

E
Roasted sweet corn, queso and polenta chips coated in paprika and served with citrus yogurt and guacamole filled avocado shell and a roasted capsicum, dried chilli and lime salsa.

S
Oregano, green olive and Argentine onion flavoured cannelini beans served with baby spinach and slow cooked paprika and molasses spiced tomatoes.

M
Spelt empanadas brushed with a paprika egg yolk glaze and filled with roasted hazelnuts, crispy paprika roasted potato skins, red and green peppers, mushrooms, oregano, cinnamon and clove powder and served with chimichurri dipping sauce.

D
Roasted almond biscuit filled with Dulce de Leche and garnished with lime zest. Served with a shot of spiced bitter chocolate and lemon wedge chaser.

Argentina, the European capital of South America - tango, steak and football. A menu with no meat - surely not? Global Gobbler - making the impossible possible. Email globalgobbler@gmail.com for details.

Global Gobbler guests #12 - Renae and Sansy

Name: Renae
Age: 19
Occupation: In the court room by day - treading the boards by night.
Favourite food: choc gelato
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: Innovative car-parking techniques deserve reward…

Name: Sansy
Age: 19
Occupation: Ripping it up at St Js
Favourite food: a double strength latte
Why she deserves the Global Gobbler experience: She wears her boyfriend's shirt to dinner - hard to beat.

The Verdict (John Lethlean eat your heart out...)

(Entree - Sides
Main - Dessert)

RIP Crazy for Caribbean - 21 June 2008

Chef Notes
Too sweet was my first impression and getting through two of these was an effort. Definitely not enough contrast between the two elements – the carrot flavour was right but needed something sour/bitter/neutral – pistachio? Steaming was a hit – with the right flavour mix this one will be a keeper.







Chef Notes
What does okra taste like? Well, okra. A completely unique flavour closely linked to a traditional Caribbean dish with the refreshing addition of lemon and coconut. Combined with the sweet corn and tomato elicited plenty of confused palates. Fried okra gave it away in fine style.






Chef Notes
Black bean-pumpkin-buckwheat ratio was a little out (too many black beans) but the lemon grass cut through it all. The last minute fry in palm sugar and coconut oil gave it a caramel-like crust and the ‘heavy’ taste was knocked out by the spicy daikon, coconut and chilli dressing. Some finessing needed but fundamentals are there.







Chef Notes
Presentation let me down – the rich pineapple flavour combined with creamy coconut and palm sugar was perfect but once it was served over the pineapple arch it resembled a steak of salmon. A smooth and sweet way to finish though. Passionfruit liqueur soaked raisins and toasted coconut – what were they? A distraction.


A review from the guests will follow shortly - albeit in a slightly different format... Thanks for some great company Sansy and Renae – plenty to live up to for the next reviewer!

Next menu on the way – Argentina – without using meat! GG

Crazy for Caribbean

E
Medjool dates filled with grated carrot sautéed with bay leaf, cumin and poppy seed then steamed and served with cos dressed in olive oil and cumin.

S
Okra, roasted tomato and sweet corn soup cooked with brown onion, lemon juice, lime zest and coconut cream then topped with salt and pepper fried okra.

M
Caribbean style pumpkin, black bean and buckwheat cakes flavoured with lemon grass and turmeric and rolled in polenta and crushed coriander seeds then fried in coconut oil and palm sugar and laid to rest on shaved fennel. Topped with a daikon radish, coconut cream, lemon zest and red chilli dressing and fresh coriander garnish.

D
Pineapple arches slow baked in coconut cream, palm sugar, mint, lime zest and cinnamon and served with pineapple spikes filled with passionfruit liqueur soaked raisins and dusted with toasted coconut.

Feeling loco? If you are crazy for Caribbean send me an email with your name, age and favourite food and an invite to dinner may follow. GG

Menus on the way...

The next dinner will be on the 28th of July so get your name down for one of these creations pronto. Stay Global and keep Gobbling.