Brain injury can change parts of the brain that regulate or control emotional behaviour and feelings

Emotional lability refers to rapid, often exaggerated changes in mood, where strong emotions or feelings (uncontrollable laughing or crying, or heightened irritability or temper) occur. These very strong emotions are sometimes expressed in a way that is not related to the person’s emotional state.

What causes emotional lability?

Emotional lability occurs because of damage to parts of the brain that control:

• Awareness of emotions (ours and others)
• Ability to control how emotions are expressed, so ability to inhibit or stop emotions emerging

When a person is emotionally labile emotions can be out of proportion to the situation or environment the person is in. For example, a person may cry, even when they are not unhappy – they may cry just in response to strong emotions or feelings, or it may happen “out of the blue” without warning.

A person may have little control over the expression of these strong emotions, and they may not be connected to any specific event or person.

Following a brain injury an individual may also lose emotional awareness and sensitivity to their own and others emotions, and therefore their capacity to control their emotional behaviour may also be reduced.

They may overreact to people or events around them – conversations about particular topics, sad or funny movies or stories. Weaker emotional control and lower frustration tolerance, particularly with fatigue and stress can also result in more extreme changes in emotional responses.

The person may express their emotions in situations where previously they would have been able to control (in quiet situations, in church, listening to a concert).

These behaviours can be confusing, embarrassing, and difficult to understand for the person with brain injury and for others.

Emotional responses after Acquired Brain Injury - become aware of triggers

• Be aware of triggers for emotional lability and try to avoid these when you can. Triggers can include: excessive fatigue or tiredness
• Stress, worry or anxiety
• High stimulation (too demanding, too noisy, too many people) and too much pressure
• Strong emotions and demands from others
• Very sad or funny situation (such as jokes, movies, certain stories or books)
• Discussing certain topics (e.g. driving, loss of job, relationships, death of a family member)
• Speaking on the telephone or in front of a group or where a person feels under pressure.

Have a break

Have a short break away from the situation so the person can regain control of emotions, and to give the opportunity for emotions to settle.

Sometimes a break for a few minutes or longer period is enough to regain control of emotions – taking a short walk, doing a different activity all can help to cope with these strong emotions.

Ignore the behaviour

Try to ignore the emotional lability as much as possible. Try to get others to ignore it too and continue on with the conversation or task.

Focussing on the lability, or giving the person too much attention when it is happening, can reinforce the problem. It is important that other people don’t laugh too, as this will also reinforce and increase the behaviour.

Change the topic or task

Changing the topic or activity (redirection and distraction) can reduce stimulation or stress (particularly if the topic was a trigger). Try to distract or divert the person’s attention by engaging them in a different activity or task.

Provide information and education

Uncontrolled crying or laughing can be upsetting frightening or confusing for other people if they don’t understand so:

Provide simple explanations of information to other people about the lability e.g. “I cry a lot since I had my stroke….don’t worry about it” or “Sometimes when I am nervous I get the giggles”.

Tell people what they should do e.g. just ignore me and it will stop”.

Plan ahead

When there is severe emotional lability, one-to-one, brief and fun activities in a quiet environment will be better. Try to avoid putting the person in stressful situations or environments e.g. noisy, busy, high levels of activity or a too demanding.

Plan activities that are within the person’s ability, and plan more demanding activities or appointments after rests, or when the person has the most energy. Plan for rests between activities.

Use cognitive techniques

Some simple cognitive strategies can also assist in managing emotional lability:

• Relaxation and breathing exercises to reduce tension and stress
• Use distraction e.g. thinking of something else, imagining a peaceful image or picture, counting
• Do an activity (going for a walk)
• Discuss cognitive and behavioural strategies (e.g. ‘thought stopping’|) with a psychologist.

Counselling and support

Sometimes a person has had many losses and changes to cope with after the brain injury – loss of work, ability to drive, independence, changes in relationships or finances, and lower quality of life. These changes can happen suddenly with little chance to prepare for them.

These feelings of sadness, grief, anger, frustration, disappointment, jealousy or depression after an injury are common and may be difficult to cope with.

If there are other emotional adjustment and coping issues, referral to a councillor such as a psychologist, social worker or psychiatrist may be helpful. Families (parents, siblings, partners, children), friends and carers may also benefit from support and care to help them understand and to cope with these changes.

Thank you to The Brain Injury Association of Queensland for the article in Synapse Bridge Magazine the official journal of BIAQ. This article was first printed from the ABIOS fact sheets available at www.health.qld.gov.au/abios.

We are currently looking for StrokeSafe Ambassadors in the Sydney area to apply www.strokefoundation.com.au.

The StrokeSafe Ambassador program is a Stroke Foundation initiative where stroke survivors, carers and health professionals spare their time to participate in community-based stroke awareness and education talks.

Our volunteer speakers, who are trained by Stroke Foundation staff to deliver their message, speak to a variety of people in a broad range of community settings.

We have found this program to be extremely well-received and participants have passed on feedback that shows the stroke prevention messages are being heard. Here is some recent feedback sent to us after StrokeSafe Ambassador, stroke survivor and Stroke Foundation supporter Karen Bayly volunteered her time to speak at the Melbourne War Widows’ guild:

“Last year I organised for Karen Bayly, StrokeSafe Ambassador, to address a meeting of members from the Melbourne War Widows’ Guild. Karen’s talk was educational, informative and inspiring but most importantly it was effective.

One of the attendees was at home late in December when she experienced the signs of stroke. Because she was aware of the FAST message she acted quickly and this in turn minimised the impact of her stroke. The member regained speech within days and had one month of rehabilitation to restore muscle strength before returning home.

We live in a world full of acronyms and abbreviations however not many of them can be accredited with preventing the severity of a stroke or indeed perhaps the saving of a life. I congratulate the National Stroke Foundation, its ambassadors and all connected with the FAST campaign.”

Jill Wilmott, War Widows’ Guild of Australia – Victoria. Karen says: “We all like to think that every time we speak we might save a life or assist in preventing dependent disability.

“I spoke to a community group of about 20 women in their 70s and 80s. The organiser of this talk contacted the NSF to let us know that a lady who heard me talk had a stroke a few months after hearing my presentation.

“The good news is, because of the strokesafe Ambassador presentation, she recognised the signs of stroke, called 000 and has made a strong recovery.

“The key thing I’ve been reminded of is that every life is important. The quality of life of every stroke survivor matters. Stroke recovery is a difficult and lonely journey for all stroke survivors and those close to them, regardless of age”.

“I have had so much help from so many people I want to give back to others.”

If you take the 86 tram out of Melbourne CBD you will soon find yourself in the eclectic area of Northcote. Think cute little coffee shops, artisan bakeries, crafty boutiques, a bar named after a shoe store and you have painted the charming picture. You would be amiss however not to include Scott Pickett and Ryan Flaherty’s latest venture in this vision. We are talking about their beautiful Art Deco designed restaurant aptly named the Estelle Bar & Kitchen that is comfortably nestled in the hub of High Street. Their delectable degustation menu at the restaurant matches the delicate décor. It is a space that cultivates Scott’s food philosophy of creating simple dishes that are executed exquisitely.

This is the second year that Scott has brought his exceptional international experience to the Food for Thought table and we are very excited to taste the delights he will dish up this year.

To give you some idea of Scott’s extraordinary experience he was Executive Chef at Albert Park’s The Point, when the restaurant was awarded Two Chef Hats. Prior to this he worked at leading restaurants around Melbourne (Brasserie by Phillipe Mouchel, Ondine, and Matteo’s to name a few) and spent three years at The Square in Mayfair London.

Scott took some time to chat with us about; why he supports the National Stroke Foundation, the Estelle Bar & Kitchen, the produce he likes to cook with and the song he loves to cook to. He has also kindly shared his delicious sounding recipe for Tomahawk of Cape Grim, Gratin Potatoes & Pine Mushrooms.

How did you become involved in the National Stroke Foundation?

My Grandfather had a stroke and I found him when I was about four or five. I support the National Stroke Foundation because of my Grandfather and what he has personally lived through. It really affected my family and I suppose it still does in a way. For twenty years it was there, it was tangible and we dealt with it; Mum, my sisters and I. It is important to educate others about what stroke actually is and how to recognise the signs of stroke. I feel this mainly because it was only a couple of years ago that I realised how people can suffer strokes across the board, from children and teenagers and all the way through to the elderly. Actually, where it hits in the community is so vast. It’s just a randomness of things that is just so unfortunate.

Northcote is such a great spot for a restaurant…

It’s booming! I have always liked this area and I was living in Collingwood and Fitzroy in my early twenties. It seems that everyone who was living in those areas in the ‘90’s have moved up a couple of postcodes to Northcote. The area on the whole a bit alternative and hip but with people who have set themselves up a bit more. I am at that stage in my life. So it’s a really good fit and gel for our restaurant. Plus it is really close to town.

You have a lovely outdoor area (think beautiful light-filled brick courtyard with lots of herbs)…

I built this outdoor area myself and this is where I spend my Monday and Tuesday mornings. Gardening, building and painting, it’s great. I wanted to make are area where we can all go for inspiration. Plus we have herbs and that fits in with what we do with our whole organic thing. It’s a lovely place to hang out. These wooden tables are only three weeks old. We got them built by a local guy that lives in the back alley. Since these have arrived it has lifted the whole garden to the next level.

Type of food you like to cook with?

I am a meat man more than anything else. Sauces, meat, game birds, beef. You know game bird season has started now, so guinea fouls, pheasants, venison….

Anything you would like to add about the Food for Thought event?

I just think it is brilliant that we can get such a great group of boys in Melbourne together and have a sell-out event where we all have a bit of fun and enjoy the night. Helping to improve the exposure of stroke is great. It is a big and important thing.

A song that inspires your cooking…

Best of You by the Foo Fighters

Estelle Bar & Kitchen
243 High Street, Northcote
(03) 9489 4609
enquiries@estellebarkitchen.com.au
www.estellebarkitchen.com.au

Tomahawk of Cape Grim, Gratin Potatoes & Pine Mushrooms

1 Tomahawk steak, approx 1 Kilo
Olive oil
Sea salt
Butter
1 kilo of potatoes
250 ml cream
1 head of garlic
Thyme
Bay leaf
1 kilo of pine mushrooms
Parsley
Chervil
White wine

For steak:
Season tomahawk with sea salt & pepper. Seal steak in a hot pan until golden on both sides. Cook in a pre heated oven at 160 C for approx 30-45min. Remove from oven and rest for half the cooking time.

For gratin potatoes:
Peel and slice your potatoes. In a heavy based pan sweat off garlic in a little butter
add cream and sliced potatoes. Cook For 4-5mins. Season with salt and pepper.
Add some thyme, bay leaf and transfer to a heavy oven baking tray. Cook for 45-60 mins or until golden brown.

For pine mushrooms:
Brush pine mushrooms with a pastry brush to clean and remove needles. Slice into nice large pieces. Sauté in a hot pan with olive oil, garlic and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of white wine. Finish with freshly chopped herbs.

To Serve:
Slice tomahawk in 8/9 pieces, arrange on platter, garnish with pine mushrooms,
gratin potatoes on the side. Eat with mustard, béarnaise or peppercorn sauce.

Equipment List:
Choping board
Nice heavy large pan to seal steak
Platter to serve meat and mushrooms on
Oven baking dish for potatoes
Nice plates/bowls for herbs, pots etc
Second pan to cook mushrooms (like a heavy based skillet)
Med/large double handled pot to cook gratin
Cream jug
Pastry brush

Think that’s about it…Scotty

Boroondara Stroke Support Group founding member Jenny Cheng started her group in October 2002 with five members. In 2012, as they get ready to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Jenny’s members number 80. The group draws its members from 11 suburbs in the inner-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

The group meets twice a month and Jenny says key to its success has been the many and varied activities on offer. Year-round programs include lawn bowls, woodwork, gardening, singing, art and gym. This year they are introducing a Mahjong program.

All activities are offered once or twice a month and encourage exercise and socialising, as well as learning new skills. The programs are catered to the particular needs of the members where they need to be. For example, Jenny says it is very hard for stroke survivors to manage a gym, for fear, for example, of falling off a treadmill.

To overcome this, Jenny managed the local YMCA gym to make its facilities available to the group exclusively an hour every month.

“The recreational program really encourages people to get out and get involved,” Jenny says.

Many people love to garden and it can provide gentle to strenuous exercise for all fitness levels depending on how you go about it. Returning to everyday activities and hobbies, like gardening, after a stroke can be difficult but it is possible to modify the way you go about it so you can still get some enjoyment out of your favourite pastime – whether you tend to plants indoors or if you have an outside garden that needs care.

Gardening can also support your rehabilitation after a stroke. Thirty minutes a day is excellent but remember you can break that down into three 10-minute sessions. Always stop and rest if you feel tired or breathless.

The Better Health Channel website offers some tips on how to garden when you are living with a disability - remember gardening equipment can be modified but look for lightweight tools.

Other tips:
• raise garden beds for easier access,
• use a table to pot if you are in a wheelchair,
• use containers with wheels so they can be moved around easily,
• have a supply of water close by,
• wear hats and sunscreen when working outside, and
• vertical gardens, which make use of walls, can be more accessible than plants at ground level.

www.betterhealthchannel.vic.gov.au

Some terrific ideas and fact sheets on gardening, written especially for people who have heart disease or have had a stroke, are available from a UK website called Thrive. Their resources can be downloaded for free and include step-bystep how-to guides and pictures to support the text.

The resource, called Gardening for Hearts and Minds, covers getting started in the garden; planting and pruning; weeding and maintenance and tips and tools.

www.thrive.org.uk

If you wander along quiet, leafy Drummond Street Carlton you will find the elegant, unassuming and award winning restaurant Embrasse. Embrasse is a French term that literally means ‘embrace’. This meaning perfectly sums up the way in which head chef and co-owner Nicolas Poelaert approaches his profession, with modest love, dedication and passion.

Nicolas’ experience as a chef is ridiculously impressive having worked in some of the world’s best restaurants in France, Scotland, London and Australia. This includes time at Michel Bras’ Three Michelin Star restaurant in southern France, Laguiole (be sure to Google Laguiole when you have a moment for some beautiful visuals!)

Nicolas will be creating the all important final course of the evening at Food for Thought - dessert! Nicolas kindly took some time to chat with us about his; career, love of foraging for edible wild flowers and herbs and his personal connection to stroke. He has also shared his father’s onion soup recipe with us. It is very simple to make and looks to be the perfect dish to warm our cockles during the winter weather.

Why did you decide to participate in Food for Thought?

It is very hard to make a choice about which charity to support as there are so many different causes in the world to be involved in. I think that a stroke is really one of those things that can happen to anyone, young or old. It can happen to me. It can happen to my wife and my son. It can happen to anyone. When I first started in Australia I had a very close friend who suffered a stroke. We also had a young chef when I was working in the south of France with Michel Bras who had a stroke while he was swimming at the beach. He ended up as a paraplegic as he was taken away with the water and hauled over the rocks. It is all so very unfortunate.

How have you found opening your own restaurant?

I had been a chef for the last fifteen or sixteen years. When you are just a chef all you need to concentrate on is cooking. When you are an owner you have to look after your staff because you really can’t do anything without staff. Looking after your customers is an important thing too. You also have to make sure that there is toilet paper; that the delivery of cheese arrived; that the delivery of fish arrived and of course the wine. It is not just about cooking. It is everything.

Is there a particular moment that you decided you wanted to be a chef?

I still think about being a chef. I still think every day that I want to be a chef. If I am plating up a dish and I know it is really good beef; and I know it is really good pork; and I know it is really good carrot; and I know it is a really good herb; I just know this is good. It is an honest and humble dish. I know it is good and I get butterflies. That is pretty much all I can do as a chef. I still love it.

Are there any particular ingredients that you like to use in your cooking?

Yes vegetables are a big part of who we are and what we do, herbs and flowers in particular. We work with different farms, different spaces in Victoria where they grow organic or non-organic produce. We don’t have one particular vegetable supplier. Farmers call us and say what they have and that helps us to determine our menu. We also go to the market about three of four times a week. We grow some herbs and flowers ourselves. I also go foraging every morning before work and pick a lot of wild herbs and flowers when they are around. We work closely with the seasons and Mother Nature.

Do you take much inspiration from all of the places you have lived?

I think so. But really I still source a lot of inspiration from the first place I worked as an apprentice, in the north of France. The restaurant was called La Meunerie. I also take inspiration from Michel Bras. It is all about the philosophy of the dish that is important. It’s the purity and the freshness of the dish. It’s the approach to the vegetables, herbs and flowers. We often design a dish as we are coming back from the market. In the past I have worked next to a dishwasher which was inspiring. When someone dropped a dirty plate I would get ideas from looking at all the pretty colours on the finished dish.

A song that inspires your cooking…

Anything by the Kings of Leon. I particularly like their last album.

Embrasse
312 Drummond St, Carlton, Victoria, 3053
03 9347 3312
www.embrasserestaurant.com.au

My father’s onion soup

We have used this soup recipe many times at Embrasse especially on our Sunday lunch menu. This soup has always been a favourite of my and reminds me of my childhood.

You can make a large batch of this recipe and freeze it for at least 6 months.

4 to 6 portions.
Put a large soup pot on a very low gas.

Start peeling and slicing 15 large brown onion, 6 medium size potatoes, 1 garlic glove.

Start browning the onion in the hot pot with a little olive oil and a table spoon of caster sugar. Do not cover.
Cooked slowly until brown, this process may take a while, the onions will start melting slowly and their natural juice will evaporate.

When the onions juices have completely evaporated, keep stirring regularly until their colour change to a nice golden colour.

Add the potatoes, the garlic and a spring of thyme, cover with water or chicken stock and cook on a low gas for 40 mins.

When the potatoes are cooked, switch off the gas and start blitz the soup with a hand blender until a smooth texture.

The soup will always taste better the next day.

Back at home, my mum and dad will always served this soup with gruyere cheese and crispy sourdough bread.

The Heart Foundation and National Stroke Foundation today called for the Australian Government to abolish duty-free cigarette sales in the Federal Budget announcement, arguing the revenue could pay for a broad range of vital cardiovascular health initiatives.

The move would provide around $200 million a year to the Government, comfortably covering the $160 million cost of crucial proposals which the Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation argue are vital to tackle heart disease and stroke.

“Duty-free cigarettes currently cost the Government $200 million a year in lost revenue, which could be paying for crucial programs to fight heart disease and stroke, the two biggest killers of Australians,” said Dr Lyn Roberts, National CEO of the Heart Foundation.

“Stopping duty-free cigarette sales would also help to cut the huge death toll caused by smoking in Australia every year and put an end to what is in effect a government subsidy for the tobacco industry,” she said.
The joint 2012-13 Budget Submission from the Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation outlined 16 proposals (costing $157.9 million), including:

1. Health checks in general practice to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease
2. Funding support for Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation campaigns to raise awareness of heart attack and stroke warning signs
3. Reduction of salt and saturated fat levels in commonly eaten foods thorough an expansion of the Australian Government’s Food and Health Dialogue
4. Active travel strategy to encourage walking, cycling and public transport use
5. Funding to better connect stroke survivors to vital community services following discharge from hospital

“Cardiovascular disease accounts for the greatest direct health system expenditure at $6 billion a year, but we still don’t have a funded national action plan to tackle it,” National Stroke Foundation CEO, Dr Erin Lalor, said.

“Our joint proposals cover the patient journey by identifying people at risk, reducing hospital admissions and providing better care for survivors. And it can all be funded by ending duty-free cigarette sales,” she added.

An estimated 320 million duty-free cigarettes are sold in Australia every year. In addition to the Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation, the Henry Tax Review and the National Preventative Health Taskforce have also recommended ending the sale of duty-free cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Cententarian Stroke Survivor Lilly

The Australian Government has announced a 10-year plan, beginning 1 July 2012, to change key aspects of the aged care system. The package of proposed changes is known as Living Longer Living Better.  Many of these proposed changes will benefit many stroke survivors, their carers and families. Some key points are:

A Better Coordinated System

Many stroke survivors and their carers find it difficult to navigate the aged care system and find out what their options and entitlements are. The Australian Government is planning to introduce, from 2013, a new website called My Aged Care that will put together all the different information stroke survivors and carers need. There will also be a national call centre so individual questions can be answered.

Increased Care at Home

Central to the plan are initiatives designed to better support carers and help stroke survivors to receive care in their own homes. These include:
•    An increase in the number of Home Care packages from 59,876 to close to 100,000 over the next five years
•    From 1 July 2012 there will be more support for respite and counselling services for survivors and their families and carers

New Income Testing Arrangements

Home Care
•    New means-testing arrangements for Home Care packages, which will include the introduction of a consistent income test from 1 July 2014.
•    No charge for people receiving the full pension
•    The family home will remain exempt from the new means test and people currently receiving a home care package will not be subject to the new arrangements
•    An indexed annual cap of $5000 for single people on an income less than $43,000, and up to $10,000 for self-funded retirees, will apply to care fees.

Residential Care

•    More choice will be available for people to pay for their residential care to avoid an emergency fire sale of family property. Payment can be made in a lump sum, periodically, or a combination of both methods
•    A new cooling off period will be introduced so decisions on methods of payment do not have to be made until they have entered care
•    From 1 July 2014 means testing for residential care will be changed and the current income and assets tests will be combined into one test but the treatment of the family home in this calculation will not change from what it is today
•    From 1 July 2014, Residential Aged Care providers will receive an increase in to the daily fee they receive from government when people are unable to meet the costs of their residential care. It will increase from about $32 a day to about $53 a day
•    The number of aged care places are expected to rise from 91,522 to 221,103
There will be a lifetime cap of $60,000. This means you will not be expected to pay more than $60,000 for both in home and residential care.

Increased Dementia Funding

Planned new dementia care funding will also have significant benefits for stroke survivors, their families and carers, as vascular dementia is a common complication of stroke.  A new plan called the Dementia Supplement is expected to include:
•    An extra $164.3 million to be available to those already receiving financial assistance through Home care packages and those who qualify for assistance in residential care
•    Increased support  for fast dementia diagnosis and more focus on people with younger onset dementia
The National Stroke Foundation supports these proposed changes. CEO Dr Erin Lalor said the reforms announced to Australia’s aged care system would provide welcome relief to hundreds of thousands of stroke survivors and their families. She said: “The National Stroke Foundation looks forward to working with the federal Government on their implementation and ensuring they meet the needs of the community.”

More information and detailed fact sheets are available.

Dave and Lorraine Renton were travelling in Tasmania in June, 2000 when Lorraine had a left-sided stroke. She was admitted to the local hospital at Burnie and two months later was transferred for rehabilitation to a centre in Geelong, close to their home in Ocean Grove, Victoria.

Dave spent his time while Lorraine was in rehab learning the ins and outs of her therapies to use when they eventually went home. The stroke affected Lorraine’s right side and left her with speech difficulties. She used a motorised wheelchair to get around but was restricted because the couple had no way to transport it.

“We didn’t go anywhere for 12 months, we were sort of stuck,” Dave says.

A year later a moment of genius struck Dave at 2am - black lead pencil in hand he wrote the basic plans for the disabled wheelchair he would call Carryit. Within a week, with the help a local engineering firm, it was built and they were off on holiday to a respite house in Merimbula. They could travel again at last.

The Carryit is a type of platform, like a big bike rack, that sits on the back of the car. The idea is simple, as good designs often are, and makes use of gravity and the weight of the wheelchair. The Carryit has a tilting ramp which the chair reverses up. The weight of the chair pushes the Carryit to a horizontal position and the ramp separates, tilts back on itself and is then secured by bolts.

The Carryit has “no electrics, no hydraulics,” says Dave. “It gravity-tilts and is loaded in 15 seconds.” Its checker plate aluminium manufacture means it is light weight and “there’s no maintenance and nothing to rust.”

It uses a Hayman Reese towbar (the square peg in square hole type) and can be fitted to almost any car. At the moment Dave has it fitted to his four- cylinder X-Trail and previously to his Commodore. The Carryit is wired for regulation tail lights and stop lights and requires registration in Victoria. Vicroads were unsure how to classify it.

“They hadn’t had anything like it before,’’ he says. “They eventually decided to call it a ‘tow-bar accessory’”. It requires a number plate and a once-only registration fee of $15.

The disabled wheelchair Carryit runs on a notfor- profit basis. Dave, along other volunteers, has supplied and fitted over 100 units for people with mobility limitation, including to caravans.

Dave, who has been a carer for over 10 years now, has this advice for other carers: “Take some time out doing something special, just for the carer. Carers need to take time out for themselves because it’s a tough job, it can be very stressful and depressing”.

Dave does this through the Surf Life Saving Club at Ocean Grove. He has been a member since 1966 and has never missed a patrol. A life member since 1984, he now rides the club’s surf skis (like a slim line kayak) and helps out with the children’s Nippers program. He is also involved in Disabled Surfers - which Lorraine has boldly tried!

For Carryit enquiries ring Dave Renton 0418 575 880 or visit www.disabledsurfers.org

Alison Bakker is a stroke survivor and sometime writer. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children, and works part-time as a registered nurse

Michael Fox is a busy chef. Having exceptional local and international experience he has recently commenced his first Head Chef role at Paul Mathis’ hot new restaurant, Henry & the Fox. Michael also happens to be the winner of The Age Good Food Guide Young Chef of the Year Award (2010) which is testament to his talent.

Michael took some time out of his busy schedule to tell us a bit about his cooking and his involvement with Food for Thought. He has also kindly shared a unique and intricate recipe that he has entered into his next challenge, the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Awards.

This is the second year that you have chosen to support Food for Thought.
It was really good last year. It was great. I think all the chefs really loved it and it’s for a good cause. I try and do at least two charity events a year and stroke is very much a worthwhile cause. I lost my Grandma and my Poppa to stroke and on my Mum’s side her Grandma also passed away. Stroke is just horrendous, for example there are so many young people that are suffering from strokes and people don’t even know about it. So events like this are obviously beneficial.

What produce do you like to work with?
Probably seafood for me is good, especially given that Australia is surrounded by sea. Why not use the best of what we have got? In saying that, we definitely do the menu as per the season. We are starting to get that little bit cooler weather so more comfort food. We have just come out of summer with stuff that is really light; tomato and zucchini and the like. So our menu is definitely evolving and nothing is set in stone. We have a few signature dishes, one of which I will be doing on the night, which is a rabbit terrine. It’s not the sort of thing where at the start of spring we do a spring menu. It’s just how things come in. Like mushrooms came in the other week and we put them on the menu. So we change the menu regularly.

Is there a particular reason that you chose a rabbit dish?
Probably not my generation but the generation before got scarred by eating rabbit. You know; tough, chewy, bootleg rabbit that was cooked for five hours and still wasn’t nice. But I think these days we are producing lovely farmed rabbit and it is so tender. I think it definitely represents where I have come from and where I am going. Rabbit terrines and terrines in general: French cooking. But I think in this instance we are making it really jazzy. We have rhubarb compote and a rhubarb jelly. We are bringing a modern element to a classical dish.

You won The Age Good Food Guide Young Chef of the Year Award in 2010…
The springboard that the award has given me has been massive. It has been a crazy time and I am about to enter into Electrolux too which is a huge, huge thing. You go to state finals, then international finals in Italy… (See a recipe Michael has entered into the competition below)

When I am cooking I like to listen to songs like…
I Love It by Hilltop Hoods.

Henry & The Fox
525 Little Collins St, Melbourne
(03) 9614 3277
www.henryandthefox.com.au

Recipe: Spatchcock, veal sweetbread, celeriac, broccoli, chicken jus Serves 4

For the sauce
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
2kg chicken wings, chopped
3lt water
2 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
5 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
10 white peppercorns

Method
Place the chicken wings in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, skim away any impurities that come to the surface. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add all the other ingredients. Continue to skim the surface on a constant basis to remove any fat that rises to the top. Simmer for 6 hours. Strain and refrigerate until required.

Brown Chicken Jus
Ingredients
500g chicken wings, chopped
100ml olive oil
2 shallots
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
5 white peppercorns
2lt chicken stock

Method
Place a large frying pan on a high heat. Add the olive oil, once it is near smoking point, add the chicken wings. Don’t over crowd the pan, as it will reduce the temperature. Do in two batches if necessary. Once the wings have caramelised, turn and continue the progress. Strain the fat and the place the wings along with the remaining ingredients in a small stockpot. Bring to the boil, skim the stock, and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a fine strainer and reduce to a sauce consistency.

Veal sweetbread and confit spatchcock sausage

Chicken mousse
Ingredients
250g chicken breast, cleaned and diced
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
150ml cream

Method
Place the bowl of the food processor in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will help the mousse not to split
To make the mousse, blitz the chicken and the salt in the chilled food processor. Add the egg yolk followed by the whole egg, pulsing in-between. Add the cream in a steady stream. It should now be smooth and combined. Place into a bowl, cover with cling film and reserve in the fridge.

Confit Spatchcock leg
Ingredients
4 spatchcock legs
1 tbsp salt
5 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
5 white peppercorns
250g duck fat, melted

Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Place all ingredients (except the duck fat) in a bowl and mix together. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes so that the salt can start to penetrate into the legs. Place the legs into a small roasting tray, pour over the duck fat and cover with foil. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until the meat flakes away from the bone. Once cooked, remove the legs from the fat, and flake the meat into a bowl. Reserve in the fridge until required.

Assembling the sausage

Ingredients
100g veal sweetbreads, cleaned of sinew
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken mousse recipe
4 confit spatchcock leg meat
1 tbsp parsley chopped
1 egg, lightly whisked
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

Method
Place a large frying pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and panfry the sweetbreads until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Once cooled, dice into ½cm pieces. In a bowl, mix together the chicken mousse, diced sweetbreads, leg meat, and chopped parsley. Lay out some cling film on the bench and spoon some of the mixture onto it. Roll the mixture up in the cling film like a sausage and tie both ends. Repeat until all the mixture is use up. Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a low simmer (85°C). Place the sausages in the water and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the water, place on a tray, and place it in the fridge. Once the sausages have cooled, remove from the cling film. In three separate bowls, place the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Roll the sausages in the flour, followed by the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Place in the fridge.

For the Spatchcock Breast

4 Spatchcock Breast, skin removed and reserved
Salt (for seasoning)
250ml olive oil

Method
Place the olive oil in a small saucepan and heat over a low flame. With a thermometer, check the temperature of the oil (63°C is the perfect temperature). Once this is achieved, sprinkle the salt over the breast and place into the olive oil. Cook for 14 minutes. Remove from the heat, and place to the side.

For the chicken salt

The skin from the spatchcock breasts
½ tsp sea salt

Method
Preheat oven to 150°C. On a baking tray, lay out the skin so that it is flat. Place another baking tray over the top and cook in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Remove from the oven, and place onto some paper towel to absorb the excess fat. In a mortar and pestle, place the drained skin and the sea salt. Pound until a powder is formed.

Broccoli Cous Cous

Ingredients
1 broccoli, Stem removed and reserved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp currants
50ml port
1 orange, zested
1 tbsp pinenuts, toasted

Method
In a food processor, pulse the broccoli florets until in resemble coarse breadcrumbs then place to the side. In a small saucepan, bring the port to the boil and add the currants. Turn the heat off. Place a frying pan on a high heat; add the olive oil, then the broccoli crumbs and quickly sauté for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and place into a bowl. Mix in the strained currants, zest, and pine nuts. Season with salt.

Celeriac Puree

Ingredient
1 celeriac, peeled, roughly diced
250ml milk
50ml pouring cream

In a small saucepan, place the celeriac and the milk, and cook over a low heat until the celeriac is tender. Once cooked, strain the celeriac and place into a food processor. Add the cream and blitz until smooth. Season with salt.

Garnish Preparation

Broccoli stem, thinly sliced
Baby turnips
Olive oil
Sea salt
Baby red sorrel, cut (for presentation only)

Method

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Add the baby turnips and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Strain and place into ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel the skin with a small knife and cut into quarters.
Take the broccoli stem and place into boiling water to cook for 20 seconds. Strain and place into ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, strain the ice water and mix the stem with the baby turnips. Drizzle with olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt.

Presentation

Preheat a deep fryer to 180°C. Deep fry the sausage until golden brown and cut into small bite size pieces.
Slice each of the poached spatchcock breasts into 4 pieces.
Spoon some broccoli cous cous on the plate and arrange the sliced breast and sausage on top. Spoon some of the celeriac puree and chicken jus around the plate, sprinkle some chicken salt over the breast. Finally garnish with the baby turnips, broccoli stem, and freshly cut baby red sorrel.