Wednesday 30 April 2014

The Weekend Review: Massive Wieners, Prahran



I have to confess, on occasion I have the maturity of a 12 year old boy, which can be a little embarrassing considering I'm a 26 year old mother, wife and supposed adult. I was drawn in purely by the brightly lit sign proclaiming "Massive Wieners"on eclectic Chapel Street. I had driven past it several times, snickering to myself and wondering how many other immature people wandered these streets in their grown-up disguises.



Eventually my curiosity got the better of me and we wandered in to see what provocative menu items awaited us. Hot dogs, milkshakes and fries abound. It's not gourmet or innovative, but they've found their niche and they do it well. The hot dogs are generously topped, the buns are soft with a tender chewiness and the fries are crisp. Serving sizes are adequate and the prices are fair. Not to mention I garner quite a bit of delight in ordering a "Little Pecker".



 The staff are friendly and helpful but the wait for our meal was agonisingly long. The customers are varied. I watch bouncers, families, hungover teens and everything in between delight in the simple joy of a good hot dog. The decor is sparse, peculiar and more than a little intriguing. The walls are scuffed, the floors are far from pristine, and I can't help but wonder what's going on in the hidden kitchen.


I'm dubiously devoted to Massive Wieners. I'll admit it's not for everyone. It has it's faults, but I love the lack of pretentiousness, the wicked sense of fun and it doesn't hurt that they do a mean vegetarian hot dog.



Massive Wieners on Urbanspoon

Sunday 20 April 2014

Pan Fried Gnocchi with Lemon, Basil & Chilli


Are you a gnocchi fan? I love those peculiar, starchy morsels. They call out for rich and indulgent sauces. I try to save my heavy, creamy sauces for gnocchi. Additionally, I prefer to lavish my bowl of gnocchi with a sky high pile of freshly shaved, quality cheese. I give up all hope of it being a healthy meal and I relish in all that flavour and fat.


Sadly, this recipe isn't creamy but I make up for that with a decent chunk of butter. It's got a bit of zing and bite thanks to the chilli and lemon, which cuts through the richness just enough. It's quick, simple and has a reassuringly short ingredient list. Perfect for a hurried midweek dinner!



Pan Fried Gnocchi with Lemon, Basil & Chilli

Recipe by A Rhubarb Rhapsody
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients: 
  • 500g gnocchi
  • 75g butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 chillies (add more if you'd like it spicy), seeds removed and finely diced
  • 1/2 lemon, zest removed and juiced
  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, finely sliced
  • shaved pecorino cheese for serving 

Method:
  1. Cook gnocchi in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Cover and set aside.
  2. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook until light golden brown, stirring occasionally to ensure they're cooked evenly.
  3. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute or two.
  4. Add the lemon zest, juice and basil. Stir through and heat for one minute.
  5. Season and serve topped with freshly shaved pecorino.

Sunday 6 April 2014

A Return To Form & A Little Bit Of Happiness.

And now, lets get back on track shall we? I've just had a cautious peek at the backlog of blog posts that have built up while I've been away. I have 647 new posts to read. Haven't you all been busy?! I'm pretty sure that will take me a further week just to catch up!

I've been frustratingly ill as of late and am still recovering today, so instead of cooking up a storm I'm half-heartedly chewing on left overs and contemplating crawling back into my freshly made bed. In light of this, I thought I'd share a few photos of things that have brought me some happiness recently.

First up, leaves. My husband Keith has been caring for me the last few days, a large portion of which entails distracting our son. When I'm sick in bed Oscar tends to think I'm onto a real winner of an idea and decides he too wants to stay in bed, make demands for treats and watch cartoons (I wonder where he learnt that from? ;) ). Yesterday afternoon Keith and Oscar headed to the park and brought me back these leaves from their favourite 'hiding tree'. I kept them by my bedside to cheer me up.


Next up, pizza! Glorious, mouth-watering pizza. I have been to Assaggi Italiani in Malvern 3 times in the last week and a half. If you live in Melbourne, you really need to give their outstanding food a go. I've tried their pizzas and pasta (and tiramisu) and I can't wait to go back again!


Do you have a veggie garden? I used to be one of those people that could kill a cactus with the greatest of ease but over the years I've developed a little bit of a green thumb. We live in a terrace house with a teeny tiny courtyard, which I've heavily adorned with pots of herbs, berries and veggies. I love spending time out there and it's so satisfying cooking with produce you've grown from seed.


Finally, lets finish on a sweet note. Chocolate! Haigh's is a local sweet-tooth institution. Their store's are refined and elegant and their chocolate creations are admired by young and old. We wandered in there, hungrily last weekend. I was trying to justify that a $130 chocolate hamper was a wise choice but instead we settled on a bag of chocolate covered mixed nuts which I've been rationing out for the last week.


What simple things have made you happy in the last week and what makes you feel a bit better when you're stuck in bed sick?