Silverwood's Baaalog

Star grass.

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 03:21:00 GMT

My first introduction to star grass happened at 'Westfield" 23 years ago. I was going out with Andrew and was visiting him and his family for the weekend. Andrew's Mum was collecting a crisp, fairy floss type of seed head from out of the garden. They are the seed head of a type of grass commonly known as star grass because the seed heads look a bit like a star. In a good season like this one the seed heads are abundant and when they are ripe they are blown from the parent plant and scatter with the winds.

The star grass blows everywhere and can often be seen 20 to 30 meters in the air spiralling with the whirly winds. My mother - in - law was collecting them from inside the garden fence and crunching them into tight balls and then she would make a bon fire with them. They are so light that I was surprised at the fierceness of the fire, the flames were instantaneous and burned very quickly. It was all over in a few seconds, but it was evidence of how bush fires could spread so quickly in a good season.

Andrew went to fight a bush fire on his brothers property last week. It was started by a lightening strike. I could see the smoke billowing on my drive home from town. It took about a dozen vehicles with about 20 neighbours, until 11pm that night to put the fire out. The fire burnt about 1500 acres mostly on Andrew's brothers' place, a small corner of "Silverwood" also burnt but luckily some storm rain fell on "Silverwood" that afternoon so it was too wet to continue burning.

I do love the effect that the star grass creates when it builds up on the fence posts as seen in these 2 photographs.

Family Ties

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 03:27:00 GMT

Andrew is lucky coming from a large family. The youngest of 5 children and fourth generation to graze "Westfield". There are often times when Andrew requires more than my help with the stock work. I am quite capable helping with drafting and yard work, however if it is a job requiring more muscle power then Andrew relies on the help of his Father John and Brother Jim, and this year (in his gap year) nephew Richard. This help is reciprocated if Jim needs an extra pair of hands. Photo below shows the three generations.

Gone are the days when properties employed a couple of young jackeroos, a nanny or governess and maybe a handyman/gardener. Family properties now rely on themselves and maybe contract workers for the busy stockwork periods. The negative side to this is that Andrew works long hours and can become overwhelmed with the number of tasks needing to be completed. The positive side is that we don;t have anyone else living with us and therefore providing meals for. Watching my Mother-in-law feeding workers alerted me to the fact that this was nearly a full time job. If I still had to do that it would be impossible for me to spend the time running the website side of Silverwood Organics. We still stick with the tradition of tasty smokos whenever the family come to lend a hand. Andrew gets quite excited at the prospect of sausage rolls, a cake or warm muffins. Compared to the cost of contract workers, a couple of freshly cooked smokos is a small price to pay.

Possum Magic

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:26:00 GMT

Our resident shearing shed possum was very cooperative the other day and posed for some photos. This little possum has been living in the shearing shed for the past few months. We haven't seen possums on our properties for a very long time. Her pouch looked quite dirty so I am hoping that there is a young one close by that has just left the pouch.

The wild life, both native and feral, has exploded in the wet season. Little brown frogs and green tree frogs are in plague proportions. They are lovely to see outside, however I am over removing them from the toilets and showers! I am in charge of de-frogging, can you believe that my big strong husband hates the feeling of frogs and refuses to touch them. We are also on the look out as we have seen two dead rats on our driveway (13 km long) in the past week. I have never seen a rat here (20 years) Andrew's father has experienced 2 rat plagues out here in his lifetime and both were after good seasons. I am definitely not the rat catcher, hopfully puss will keep them at bay.

Secret Chef Tip.

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:50:00 GMT

Simon cooked our rare fillet of Lamb by first wrapping tightly in Glad wrap so that the fillet keeps it's nice round shape, and then vacuum sealing it. Some people now have home vacuum sealers but I am sure if you took it to a local supermarket they would vacuum seal it for you. Then the sealed fillet is cooked Sous Vide for 18 minutes at 61.5 degrees celsius. Sous Vide is a french for "under vacuum" It is a method of cooking food in air tight plastic bags in a water bath, at an accurately determined temperature usually much lower than normally used for cooking in order to maintain the integrity of the ingredients.

After the fillet has cooked for 18 min remove from plastic and it is optional to sear in a hot pan to brown the outside then rest for 10 min and slice thinly.

Home cooks are also able to use ziplock bags instead of vacuum sealing and a slow cooker with water in heated to the correct temperature using a thermometer will also work very well. It is critical to keep watch on the temperature.

Click on this link to watch a chef on utube cooking Sous-vide method.

Secret Recipe from Simon McAllister of Brett's Wharf!

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:22:00 GMT

We really enjoyed meeting lots of customers at our Lamb and wine evening at Brett's Wharf. The canapes were really delicious, my two personal favorites were the Braised lamb spinach and feta Borek, and the seared lamb fillet with burnt carrot, labneh on toasted brioche. Simon McAllister has kindly let me coerce the recipes from him. Braised lamb, spinach and feta Borek recipe now on the website.

The Lamb inside the borek has been braised for 12 hours and I think is what really makes this canape. I think you could make much larger serving sizes of this and have as an entre or main.

The seared lamb is a real chef tip. The fillet has been wrapped in gladwrap to keep it's shape during part of the cooking process.

No kids holiday program here, Tennis anyone?

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:54:00 GMT

School holidays in the country are very much looked forward to. High school teenagers are home from boarding school, Mothers are free from either lunches and bus runs, or actually teaching their primary school age children on the Distance Education system. Routines wind down and families get to spend time together. The first few days of school holidays the kids usually laze around and catch up on sleep and food and have time to just be. Then Andrew will find a few lambs to mark or some stock work to do and the kids either help with the stock or help me in the kitchen. After about a week they are always keen to start socialising with their friends in the district who are also away at boarding schools.

The country tennis party is very much alive and well, someone always has a tennis day during school holidays and the whole family love them. Catch up with friends, play some tennis, teenagers socialise and play tennis, younger ones roam around the place playing and exploring. The Day usually finishes off with a BBQ and a few more social beverages. We have been including netball on the sporting activities here at 'Westfield for the past 5 year, with 3 daughters who are avid netball fans we decided to play some mixed netball. The kids love it, everyone mixes in together, the girls enjoy being more skillful than the boys for a change and the adults love watching. We did have an adults game a couple of times, loads of laughs but the bodies are a little less willing lately. The photos are from the tennis/netball day we had here in the September holidays.

The only drawback is that the old 'ant bed' (type of clay) court requires maintenance. The court has to be rolled by pulling a very heavy roller over the surface after rain. Only bonus is that it burns more calories than the tennis!

The Queensland Chef showcases Silverwood Organic Lamb!

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 08:03:00 GMT

We have had two wonderful recipes showcasing Silverwood Organic Lamb published in the last couple of weeks. The Queensalnd Chef, David Pugh, of Restaurant II in Brisbane, has posted a recipe and photos of Silverwood Organic Rack of Lamb with vegetables and Lamb sauce. Have a look, The Queensland Chef Blog spot. It looks delicious. Leave a comment if you decide to try the recipe.

Restaurant II chef Glen Barret also used Silverwood Organic lamb to cook a delicious Butterflied leg of lamb with Warren Bolland on 612 ABC radio. The Lamb is served with Potato Salad, home made mayonaise and Restaurant II's mint sauce which is one of it's most requested recipes. Have a look - Butterflied leg of lamb.

Photo by Rob Minshall local ABC

Blue Tongue Exhibitionist.

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 07:24:00 GMT

A large Blue tongue Lizard has taken up residence in one of our old outdoor storage sheds. He gave me quite a fright the other day when I nearly trod on him. I obviously frightened him too, as I have never seen one display his tongue so readily. I can see how it frightens preditors away, as the shock of the dark blue does give you a fright. He was very co-operative to keep displaying his tongue after I ran back upstairs to fetch my camera.

Thristy Bearded Dragon.

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:08:00 GMT

We had a light shower of rain on the weekend, which left a few small puddles on our stone path at the back door. To our surprise we found a large bearded dragon having a drink and then a bath. After it finished drinking it lay flat in the water and spun around on its stomach a couple of times. Hamish thought it was very funny!

Vegie Patch Tomato explosion.

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:33:00 GMT

There is always an explosion of tomatoes in the vegie patch this time of year. I thought I would share with you my all time favourite Spicy tomato chutney recipe. The recipe belongs to some dear family friends who my family used to go camping with every school Holidays. There is an indian flavour to this chutney. It is fantastic on cheese, as a side for meat dishes, as an additive to marinades and bastes.

Volbon's Spicy Tomato Chutney.

1 kg tomato blanched peeled and chopped
450ml vinegar
2 onions chopped
1 tblsp salt
350g brown sugar
5 cm piece of ginger finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic crushed
4 hot chillies deseeded and chopped or 2 tspns powder
12 whole cloves
2 pieces cinamon bark
1/2 tspn crushed cardamon seeds
50 ml vege oil
1 tblsp mustard seeds

I usually double or triple this recipe. Place all ingredients (except for the oil and mustard seeds) in large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and summer for 5 hours stiring occasionally or until thick.

Heat oil in saucepan with a lid. Add mustard seeds, cover and heat until they pop. Add to the cooked chutney. Fill jars that have been sterilised in boiling water and seal will last for months.

Eagle chick update

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:49:00 GMT

Can you beleive only 2 weeks since the last photos. Holly went to visit the eagle nest today and couldn't beleive how much the lone eagle chick has grown. The other chick has disappeared which is normal usually only 1 chick fledges. Holly took the photos on her phone so they aren't as clear as the previous ones. Holly says the chick was about 30 cm tall and when we saw it 2 weeks ago it would have only been about 10 - 15cm tall.

Expedition Eagle Chicks

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:14:00 GMT

My Brother-in-law and Nephew came across a Wedge Tailed Eagle's nest in one of their paddocks last week. The Wedge tailed eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey. They have a wing span of up to 2.3 metres and can weigh up to 5kg. When ever we see one up close, usually when they are disturbed on the side of the road while eating kangaroo carcasses, it always amazes me how large they are.

The nest was unusually low, eagle's nests are usually perched in as high a vantage point as the eagle pair can find. It was low enough that if they stood on the side of the crate on the back of the toyota they could see in the nest. To their amazement they startled the sitting eagle and she flew off and revealed 2 fluffy white chicks.

Seeing as all of our collective children are home from boarding school for the holidays, we decided to visit them and have a look at the eagle chicks. We all piled into the back of the toyota. Kids, cousins and visiting school friends, and Grandfather pulled up under the nest and took turns climbing up to have a look in the nest. We were amazed when we looked in to see the 2 healthy little fluffy white chicks with dangerous looking beaks already, and a half eaten piglet! The parents were circling off in the distance not looking too bothered about all of the fuss. Underneath the nest there was the front and back legs of a small kangaroo, so they are being fed well.

The Old Meat house

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 05:41:00 GMT

We are spoilt today with the advantages of refrigeration. The old meat house still standing at the back of the 'Westfield' homestead is a piece of living history. My Father-in-law recalls the vital role the meat house played in the lives of country people prior to refrigeration. The sheep or beast was killed in the slaughter yard and then hung up overnight in the meat house. The meat house has internal walls and ceiling of gauze to keep out the flies, and a large meat hook suspended from the ceiling. The animal was hung overnight in the meat house and then cut up the next day. This was the first job of the morning in summer so that the meat did not spoil. There would be a fresh roast that night and the day after, a few pieces were placed in a kerosene fridge and the rest of the carcass was placed on salting racks in the meat house. The meat was pierced and rubbed with a liberal amount of salt then left to cure. The brine solution would drip through the racks onto the meat house floor. Part of a beef carcass was also placed in a brine barrel. The sheep carcass was eaten usually within a week, however the 'Salt Beef' would last up to a month in the meat house without refrigeration. My Father-in-law did make comment that it was not a particularly tasty way to eat beef, but it was definitely waste not want not then.

Once the station was moderised with the addition of a large cold room in the 1950s the meat house was not used quite so much as the sheep would be hung in the cold room instead. We are very spoilt now and our butcher who processes out lambs for our customers also kills and cuts up our lambs. It is so nice having our lamb butchered into individual cuts as it was only Roasts, chops and briskets prior to this. My Mother-in-law was so skillful in using every bit of lamb and nothing went to waste. I remember her making a corned brisket terrine which was a lovely cold dish for lunch on a hot day. She would corn the brisket in a large pot with various flavourings and cook until the meat was falling of the ribs and then pick the meat off and press into a mould. Much to the horror of my city girl friends the shanks have always been considered dog meat in the country. We are just coming around to appreciating them as a lovely slow cooked cut now!

The meat house used to also contain the cream separator an old meat safe which was obviously quite large as my Father-in-law remembers locking his cousin in it whenever they were visiting.

Silverwood in the Spotlight

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:32:00 GMT

We have our fingers crossed that this week is not our 5 minutes of fame and that we can keep our profile bubbling along. Since the official announcement that Silverwood Organics are National Finalists in the Delicious magazine 2010 produce awards, we have been featured in the media this week which is so exciting as all small businesses would know media exposure is the most challenging part of growing any type of business.

So far this week I have done a live interview on local ABC radio (very nerve wracking). The Courier Mail has mentioned us in it's Taste liftout on Tuesday, and we have been mentioned on a Brisbane Food Blogger's post. All fantastic ways of reaching more people to let them know about our tasty organic lamb.

We didn't find out about the Courier Mail until last night when I was perusing the Tuesday paper in front of the State of Origin. I bought the Tuesday and Wednesday paper home from town that evening. Longreach papers don't arrive in town until 1 pm each day, so daily paper reading usually is an evening activity. If you are out of town like us, the 2 papers I buy each week on my trips to town last 3 days each, I usually read a section a day so that the reading material will last. Yes I know there is the internet, but it's not as relaxing as having the paper and a coffee in front of you.

We are also very excited about being mentioned in a popular Brisbane Food Blogger's post. 'Chocolate, cheese and chips.. my adventures with food." by Mel Kettle. We have been on a steep learning curve with social netwoking sites such as twitter, facebook and blogging for the last 6 weeks and are finding the interaction very interesting and rewarding. I feel like I know what is going on in Brisbane and I think people living the city life are interested in our daily activities here so it seems to be a win win situation all around.

We are heading to Brisbane next week to attend the 2010 Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show Branded Lamb Awards Presentation. So fingers crossed we can extend that 5 minutes to 15 minutes of fame!!

Best Braised Lamb Recipe

Wed, 26 May 2010 02:28:00 GMT

I came accross a braised lamb recipe last week that will be added to the King family favourites. I am always searching for new and interesting ways to cook our organic lamb. This recipe calls for a boned out shoulder of lamb which is perfect because all I have to do is cut off the string holding the Silverwood Organics rolled shoulder together. I found this recipe in the new MasterCef magazine by Curtis Stone. It would be a fantastic Main course for a Winter Dinner party. The preparation and cooking time is quite long but I think you could stagger the steps over 2 days and it would be very managable. The flavour of this dish is fantastic and the texture of the braised lamb is quite different to my usual methods of slow cooking or slow roasting of lamb shoulders. Andrew ate the leftovers 2 days in a row which is very unusual for him. The leftover braised shoulder would also make a fantastic pie just add a layer of puff pastry.

Braised Lamb with Mushroom Ragout and Vegetable Mash

by Curtis Stone from Issue 1 of MasterChef Magazine.

Boned, trimmed shoulder of lamb
2 tblsp olive oil
1 onion roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1.5 L veal stock (I used beef)
1 sprig fresh thyme

Mushroom Ragout-
100ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
400g swiss brown mushrooms quartered
400g button mushrooms quartered
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
2 tblsp flat parsley
2 tblspn chopped chives

Vegetable Mash-
1 orange sweet potato peeled and chopped
900 g celeriac peeled and chopped
2 parsnips, 2 carrots, 2 turnips peeled and chopped
1 tblsp olive oil

1. Season Lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tblspn oil in a large dish or pan over high heat. Add lamb and cook for 2 1/2 minutes each side or until browned, then transfer to a bowl(I did mine in a covered baking dish) Drain fat from pan, then return to heat. Add remaining 1 tblspn oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add wine and cook until almost evaporated. Add lamb stock and thyme, and bring to a simmer.   Cover with a lid and cook over low- medium heat for 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is very tender. Set aside to cool. (I simmered without the lamb and then poured the stock mixture over the lamb in the baking dish and covered with a lid and cooked in the oven at 170 degrees for 3 1/2 hours as our shoulders are larger than the size stated in the recipe.) I think you could leave this stage of the recipe to refrigerate overnight then you could remove the fat from the liquid stock before going to step 2.
2. Remove lamb from cooking liquid and transfer to bowl. Break into chunks, discarding any fat. Strain cooking liquid into a large saucepan, discarding cooked vegetables. Simmer liquid over high heat for 30 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
3.Meanwhile to make Ragout, heat 2 tblsp oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add half the garlic and Swiss browns, and cook, tossing frequently, for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and light golden. Remove from pan and repeat with button mushrooms. Remove from pan. Add remaining oil and onions, celery and carrots, and cook 10 minutes or until soft.
4. Add vegetable mixture, mushrooms, lamb and chopped herbs to reduced liquid and stir over medium heat to warm through. Serve with Mashed vegetables.
Vegetable mash
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place all the vegetables in a roasting pan and toss with oil. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a food processor and process to a puree.   Season.