With Mardi Gras coming up, let Mother CPRII of The Order of the Perpetual Indulgence give you a lesson in sensual cooking.
To impress a love interest what would you cook?
Winter – Self-saucing chocolate pudding with creme anglais, every mouthful a blissful indulgence. Summer – Betty Crocker Dutch Chocolate icing, 1.5cm thick, on double coat Tim Tams, same reason.
What’s the most erotic dish you’ve ever eaten?
A blonde body builder from LA I met at my Daddies’ party in San Francisco, delish! (BTW the apostrophe is in the right place).
What sort of food should be avoided for a first date?
Anything that stains. I tend to eat like it is the night of the living dead played by cro-magnons.
How important is sharing and enjoying food together in a relationship?
Incredibly important. Eating and drinking are two of our most fundamental and necessary actions. They can easily be two of the most sensuous and pleasing as well. We always say that every meal cooked in our home is done with a whole heap of love. Conversly declining to break bread with anyone immediately identifies them as on the outer.
If you and your partner don’t like the same foods is it ever going to work out?
Love and friendship rely on qualities far beyond food favouratism. We are both chocoholics, that helps. Vegans marry carnivors and many other permutations get together and figure out their dietary hard boundaries and where compromise is acceptable and where new flavours may be entertained.
What’s your favourite food to indulge in?
See above and guess! Actually, chocolate souffle gets me every time. I do like a good glass of bubbles too. My absolute favourite is corned beef with a slight mustard white sauce with creamy mashed potatoes. Great, I’m drooling on my wimple!
Can you discuss any cooking tips you might have?
Don’t cook naked, at the very least don footwear and a neck-to-below-pink-bits apron. Don’t overplan. The best meal you will ever have is the one you crave right then and there. Listen to you body and indulge your craving. It may be as simple as a cup of tea to a complex muti-course affair but if it doesn’t grab your imagination, don’t bother.
Go on a history walk with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and re-discover the Inner West as part of 2016 Mardi Gras, Sunday 21st February,10.00am, Newtown. Go to www.universaljoy.com.au for more info.
Mother CPRII’s quick and easy Zucchini, Cheddar and Ham Snacks
Ingredients:
• 500g coarsely grated zucchini
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 200g diced leg ham
• 1 finely chopped brown onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 180g grated cheddar
• 200g self-raising flour
• 2 handfuls roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 eggs
• Sea salt & black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced
2. Squeeze grated zucchini in a clean cloth to remove excess liquid.
3. Place oil in a large frying pan and fry ham until lightly browned, then add onion and garlic and sweat for 3 minutes.
4. Tip mixture into a bowl and add zucchini, cheese, flour and parsley.
5. Lightly whisk eggs and add to the mix, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Prepare a 12-hole medium muffin tray with butter (or cooking spray), or line with muffin cases or baking paper.
7. Pour mix into prepared mould and bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
