Page 62 - Tropic Magazine Issue 15

LIFESTYLE • FOOD

TRY SOMETHING REALLY
DIFFERENT

Buy a breadfruit from Rusty’s Markets
and ripen until soft and squishy.
Go troppo Usually breadfruit are used underripe
as a starch, but when ripe the flesh is
Tropic columnist Nicky Jurd sweet and decadently custard-like.
Bake it into a pie just like you might
shows how you can add some make an American pumpkin pie.
tropical flavours to your It’s incredible! An excellent festive
menu this festive season. season dessert.

Many of our traditional Aussie festive
foods have a distinctive European ori-
gin. We think it’s high time to change
that, particularly given our abundance
of local produce and foodie delights.
Here are some ideas to give your festive
season a tropical makeover and incor-
porate some of our local delicacies.
Soursops are hitting the markets and
Mango straddles the sweet make a refreshing palate-cleansing
and savoury realms sorbet. You just need to combine the
flesh with some simple syrup and pop
Go to any market in summer in it in the freezer.
Cairns, and it’s difficult to avoid the
heady fragrance of ripe mangoes.
Unlike the fickle short seasons of
lychees and cherries, mangoes stay
with us all the way into Autumn.
Add green mango to coleslaw for
extra zing
Puree ripe mango and add to
glasses of bubbly
Combine with lime, capsicum and
red onion for an epic salsa that If you let a plantain ripen they taste
goes with everything amazing in large chunky slices fried
With avo and passionfruit, mango with butter. I usually finish with a
makes the best prawn cocktail, bit of golden syrup for a ridiculously
ever! Add some local flavour moreish quick dessert.
Slice it onto your Christmas
pavlova Rainforest Bounty’s Ooray Plum Spicy
Blend with sherry vinegar and Sauce is an incredible ham glaze.
olive oil for an incredible salad The ooray (or Davidson’s) plum has
dressing a unique sour note and the mild heat
is a perfect match for the richness of
the Christmas ham. The sauce also is
excellent with pineapple, a win-win for
the ham on your table.
Replace cranberry sauce with Sunset
Ridge’s Davidson Plum Jam. Similar
to cranberry, it has a tart element, and piquant lemon/lime flavour without needing
goes well with turkey, ham, pork and to add any liquid. That citrus tang is an espe-
chicken. A good all-rounder with lots of cially good match for herbaceous stuffings.
versatility on hot or cold meats. When you’re making gravy, add a good gen-
If you’re fond of stuffing your chicken erous splash of Fang’s Chilli Sauce toward
or turkey, add some of Lemon Aspen the end of the gravy-making process. It adds
Powder from Rainforest Heart. It has a a fantastic zing and a mild warmth.

62 • Tropic • Issue 15