By Alana Richards
JANET CLAYTON, MANAGING DIRECTOR: CHEESELINKS AT LARA
FB: How would you rate your cooking skills?
JC: I like to use fresh ingredients when I cook – I experiment a little and I would probably describe my efforts as passionate but pretty basic.
FB: What is your signature dish?
JC: I don’t think I have a real signature dish, but I make a mean baked camembert with caramelised onion jam and my bruschetta with fetta and rocket is pretty good too.
FB: If you could only have one more meal, what would it be?
JC: I love Asian food so I would have to say a full Chinese banquet with all the courses and trimmings – and deep fried ice cream to top it off. We often ate at the Empress of China years ago and back then Ken Louey’s banquets were the best!
FB: What is your favourite TV food show and who is your favourite TV food person?
JC: I’m a tragic fan of My Kitchen Rules and although I like Manu and Pete, my favourite TV foodies are female – Donna Hay and Nigella Lawson win.
FB: What is your favourite food?
JC: Anything with an Asian twist and that someone else has cooked for me.
FB: What is your favourite drink?
JC: Everyone who knows me will know I love a good chardonnay.
FB: Which five people would you most like to invite to dinner?
JC: Nelson Mandela, Billy Connolly, Freddie Mercury, Michelle Obama and Ahn Do
FB: Do you have a kitchen tip for us?
JC: I love to entertain and my tip when entertaining is be organised, keep it simple and stay calm.
To find out how easy it is to make your own cheese, head to www.cheeselinks.com.au
CHIPPING IN
As the fellow in the famous TV commercial once assured us: Oils ain’t oils. Well, I’ve got news … chips ain’t chips. At least, they’re not just the deep fried potato variety any more. Chips (or fries, as some prefer to call them) come in all varieties these days, and I don’t just mean crinkle cut, shoestring and beer battered. Oven baked sweet potato fries are now a widely available supermarket option for those of us wanting our chip fix, but with a healthier twist. Then there’s polenta chips, haloumi chips and – wait for it – avocado fries. You heard correctly … crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, oven baked and super easy to prepare. What’s not to love?
AVOCADO FRIES
2 large avocados, sliced
Juice of half a lime (optional)
¼ cup plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon of oil on a baking dish; set aside. Squeeze lime juice on avocado slices. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in flour then dip in egg and coat well in panko breadcrumbs. Place in a single layer on the greased dish. Drizzle with the remaining oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until the fries are crispy and golden. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice … chipotle, ranch or a nice garlic aioli could be the go! Thanks to Delicious for this easy version of avocado fries.
