recipe: polenta chips

Potato is so last year*, corn is the way of the future. Ditch your spuds and embrace the versatile world of polenta. Serve it soft as a creamy mash substitute, or crisp up some firm slices for crunchy golden chips, as we have done here.

You will need:
1 cup polenta
3 cups water or stock
100g crumbled fetta or grated parmesan (optional but delicious)
oil for baking/frying
salt

First, bring your stock or water to a simmer, and slowly pour in the polenta, stirring all the while to avoid nasty lumps. It will begin to thicken immediately, but don’t get excited - it will need to cook for at least five minutes, and you will need to keep stirring. Be prepared for a full arm work out.

When you start to see the polenta come away from the sides of the saucepan, you’ll know it’s just about done. Have a little taste to make sure there are no crunchy bits left. At this point, take it off the heat and stir in your cheese and salt if you need it. Turn it out onto a flat surface (a chopping board or baking tray will do the trick) and spread it out evenly so it’s around 2cm thick. You’ll find the back of a wet spoon is ideal for spreading. Now pop this in the fridge for an hour or two, until the polenta is completely cooled.

While your polenta is cooling, grease up a baking tray and preheat your oven to 200c.

Now, slice some fancy looking chip size pieces out of your polenta, and place them on the baking tray, leaving a small space between. Brush liberally with oil and bake until golden and awesome – around 30-40 minutes.

*Just kidding, potatoes, I still love you.

recipe, polenta chips

guilt-free giveaway

Let’s take a stab in the dark and say that one of your new year’s resolutions was to eat better? You did well for a while, but now it’s a couple of weeks in and you’re craving some takeaway?

Fear not, there is an option. Sydney’s favourite taqueria Guzman y Gomez can make the proud claim that their menu is healthy as well as tasty. Because they use super fresh ingredients, you can have a guilt-free burrito experience.

To help you stick to your goals, we have four $20 Guzman y Gomez gift vouchers to give away.

To be in the running simply follow the instructions below. Already signed up? No problem, just convince a friend to let you subscribe them too (include name their name and email address in the body of the email).

To enter simply email info@kluster.com.au with the subject: Go GYG!

Entries close 17.02.2010.

guzman y gomez, competitions, mexican

my coffee cup has a face on it... does yours?

Sonya Gee is a woman on a mission. This Sydney-based artist and journalist is touching the lives of strangers with her newest project - hand-decorated coffee cups. There are six unique characters to be collected and cherished. Race over to Cafe Giulia before they all get snapped up.

Art that finds its way into everyday life can often leave much more of an impression that something you'd find hanging in a gallery. Furthering this idea that was behind the Matchbox Project, Sonya continues to add a little sparkle to our lives.

sonya gee, coffee art, cafe guilia, chippendale

we scream for gelato

Anyone that's ever tasted the treats that come out of the Gelato Messina kitchen in Darlinghurst, Sydney know that there's some supreme goodness involved. This stuff is a cut above because it's all made from scratch. All of it. Mint leaves are painstakingly infused in milk, apples are baked with cinnamon, hazelnuts are roasted, smashed, pureed and then deliciously integrated with chocolate. Just to bring you your sugar fix.

And to up the ante, Gelato Messina have hired their very own chef, Donato Toce, to help keep those inventive flavours coming. So far he's added Pecan Pie and Persian Saffron & Pistachio Praline to the menu, with hints of a Christmas cake flavour in the works.

Follow the guys on Twitter and they will let you know what's fresh out of the churner each day, and give you the scoop (tee hee) on brand new flavours. This week: Black Forest and White Peach & Amaretto. Now that's a lot of love.

MasterChef judge and cravat wearer Matt Preston was in the store for a photo shoot this week and swears by the Cherry Sorbet. Who are we to argue?

Gelato Messina is at 1/241 Victoria St, Darlinghurst.

gelato messina, matt preston

spring fling: ocean room sydney

The Overseas Passenger Terminal at Sydney's Circular Quay was abuzz on Tuesday night, with the reopening of the renovated and completely revamped Ocean Room.

A dramatic new interior greeted guests as they entered: a stunning bamboo ceiling and chandelier from acclaimed designer Yasumichi Morita. And the Japanese theme continued throughout the night, with kimono-clad waitresses serving canapés such as teriyaki kingfish, waygu beef and sake jelly bar cod.

The highlight of the night, however, was the arrival of a 56kg tuna, which was sliced up before a crowd by sword-wielding head chef Raita Noda before being added to the trays of canapés.

Beg, steal or borrow your way to a dinner at Ocean Room, or at the very least, drop in for a drink and admire the view, inside and out.

ocean room, sydney

the healthy choice

This weekend, Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton goes green for the 2009 Organic Expo. With more than 200 exhibitors flaunting their wares, it’s a chance for visitors to learn more about organic products and, of course, sample the goodies on offer.

This year’s highlights include cooking demonstrations from celeb chefs Tobbie Puttock and Kylie Kwong, who will show you what to with all this lovely organic produce. There’s also a vineyard where you can sample award-winning organic wines and the chance to win an electric bike. Cool!

Tickets are $15 at the door or $12.50 online, and include a free showbag.