It's a big, fatty, food day.

I had arranged to load off some of the hot cross buns that I made the other day. The receiving soul would be Claire and +39 was the decided venue. Even though I hadn't eaten the sausages that I was part of this morning, I felt like I had.

Maybe it was because despite showering, I still smell like meat.

Or maybe it is the phantom smell of meat following me around, like...a...bad...smell.

Yeah, that didn't work out quite as well as I would have hoped.

Whatever, we split these, in true I-want-to-taste-everything style and there was no shame in taking out a camera and admitting a possible doubling up of posts. The only advantage here is that I don't have to go to work until 6, and I guess Claire is working until 6.

The pizzas are $10 each. This has eggplant, cherry tomatoes and breadcrumbs. In the ways of DOC, thin, crisp bases you fold together to eat like a sandwich. Very simple, light and flavoursome ingredients that still manage to hold their own textures.

But the clincher, (I love sharing food, you never get food envy) the Burratta, $16. A perfectly creamy and salty ball of cheese torn over penne in napoli with a mellow clove of garlic and basil leaves. Welcome to flavour country.

Perfect with the Peroni.

+39
362 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone 03 9642 0440

Before the Aftermath

So, tonight is strange. Stories and stories and stories, told and told and told.

So, it is only fitting that I murdered vegetables tonight.


Remember that stock you made yesterday? Well, heat it up and strain out the vegetables. Keep it hot.



This is kind of almost the mise en place. Here, there is diced garlic, and onion as well as risotto rice and Girgar butter.


And yes, I like to drink while cooking.


Melt the butter in a low heated pan with olive oil.


Add the onions and garlic and sweat.


Oh, and check it. Wrinkly beetroots that have been roasted in an oven for three hours at 160, wrapped in foil.


I peeled them. MURDER!!! Just look at the hands.


By now, the onions and garlic would have sweat. Add the Carnaroli rice and toss till it goes translucent.


Dice the beetroot. Yes, it is still bloody hot and burn-worthy.


RICE


ABSORBING


LIQUID


Add the beetroot when it is almost ready.


Grate some parmesan. You can see here that I got over the little ones and just started grating on the 'normal' size because it was going to melt anyways.


Add the butter and the parmesan.


Look, Dill...


Chop it finely.


Squeeze the juice of half a lemon


Over some washed rocket.


Add the dill to some yogurt and mix.



And, finally, plate it all up with the rocket and some lemon juice over the top, some of the dill yogurt and a few shaves of parmesan.
Usually this is redder, so it feels a bit weird.
Anywho, mix it all together and as my housemates say, eat the shit out of it.