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Alone

February 7, 2010 by trissalicious

Smoked Salmon "Tartare" ... for one

Smoked Salmon Tartare adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook

December and January were extremely busy months.  Between trying to spend as much time with my parents who were here on holiday, trying to finish work commitments and catching up with friends for the holidays, I still don’t know how I managed to get out a number of posts as well!  Then I spent last week away for work in Hong Kong and it was the perfect opportunity as well to meet up with the Blog Monster and my sisters and my Aunt for some long over due bonding.   I can’t remember the last time all the “girls” in the family went away together.   On the weekend we arrived for instance, we started at 10 am when the stores were just opening, spent most of the day in the malls around Central and Kowloon.  We’d break two or three times during the day for meals and gorged on roast goose at Yung Kee and dim sum at the Metropol restaurant.  At the end of our trip we were such familiar faces at Yung Kee that when I went there on my last day to meet the Blog Monster, I  thought they had not yet arrived so I asked for a table for four and the lady at the reception area told me “ah, your family is already seated upstairs!”

At night we’d have dinner, usually at a Chinese restaurant and then hit the night markets and come home close to midnight.    Both The Geisha and The Blog Monster had to put band aids to protect their feet from all the blisters that were forming from all the walking.  My arms were so sore from carrying so many bags that someone thought I had broken out in hives (I said it wasn’t hives, it was just the marks the shopping bags had made on my arms!).

As usual, the Blog Monster was hilarious as she tried to haggle with the shop keepers at the night markets.

“How much for the chinese tea pot?” she asked.

“120″ the shop keeper replied.

I thought, “A bargain!” and was ready to pull out my wallet.

“120? Ahhh tooo expensive!  I’ll pay you 50 for it!” The Blog Monster said.

And back and forth went the Blog Monster and the Shop Keeper for at least 10 minutes.

“She’ll never get away with it!” I thought to myself.

But somehow, she managed to get me the tea pot for 50 HKD plus a ceramic brush for free!

So you can imagine, coming home on Saturday was pretty strange.  After more than two months of a constant stream of guests, parties and get togethers, I found myself… alone.

Smoked Salmon "Tartare" adapted from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Cookbook

While I do love the companionship of my husband, family and friends, I sometimes relish the thought of having my own quiet time.  Where there is no need to align my schedule to anyone else’s.   There is no need to worry that what I make for dinner will not be to everyone’s liking.   No need to share the box of my favourite mint chocolates with anyone else.

My husband had gone on a business trip to the US the same time I left and is due back mid this week.  So for now, it’s just me and of course the dogs, Baci and Bizou.    Times like this reminds me of the period in my life when my husband was studying his MBA in New York.  I was in the Philippines living with my parents but they would be away for months at a time visiting my family in Australia.   So very often I would find myself preparing dinner for one – myself.  One of the dinners I used to often have was a smoked salmon sandwich.  On a toasted baguette, with cream cheese, capers, red onions and some rocket – a simple and satisfying meal.

Salmon "Tartare"

Of course dinner for one doesn’t have to be boring.  In fact, one of the things I enjoy most is taking the time prepare a beautiful meal.  For once there is no one in the background saying “hurry up and stop trying to style our dinner, we’re hungry!” In fact, when I have the time, the ritual of preparing the meal is as enjoyable as eating it!

This Smoked Salmon “Tartare” was adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook.  As you can see, it’s not really a tartare (as I did not chop the salmon finely as a tartare should be done) but it has all the makings otherwise.  The recipe below is for one serving (of course!) but since this makes a very pretty starter, feel free to increase quantities if you are making it for guests.

Recipe

  • 50 grams smoked salmon
  • 1 hard boiled egg, white and yolk separated and finely chopped
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chives, finely chopped
  • a few capers, rinsed, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sour cream (or creme fraiche which is what is used in the Bouchon cookbook)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Smoked Salmon "Tartare"

  1. Lay the salmon on a large plate.  Use a sharp knife to cut the salmon into a circular shape, leaving at least 3 cm between the salmon and the rim of the plate.
  2. In a little bowl, mix the shallots and the chives together, add some olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Now lay the chopped egg yolks around the smoked salmon.
  4. Next lay half of the shallot and chive mix after the yolks.
  5. Add the egg whites around the shallot and chive mix and then finally another layer of the shallot and chive mix after the egg whites.
  6. Finally, lay a quenelle of sour cream over the smoked salmon.

Dinner for one...

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A Berry Nice Berry Mousse

January 28, 2010 by trissalicious

Berries and Cream

Did I tell you the Blog Monster went back home?  Last Sunday.  It’s been almost a week since she left and while I can tell you I am missing her… my kitchen must be missing her much more.  Gone are the days when the refrigerator was so full that an actual free space was more coveted that Hong Kong  prime real estate.  Today, I opened it, and it was almost empty.  Now I don’t need to fight with anyone for kitchen space – but somehow I miss having to compete over kitchen time.

There  was none of the usual tears when she left though.  The reason being I knew I was going to see her in a two days!  That’s right – there’s going to be a Blog Monster reunion this Saturday!  Not only that – my two other sisters will also be joining us.  It’s been ages since the “girls” had a week away.  Shopping, eating, and shopping some more… It’s going to be fabulous!

So while I say good-bye for a bit (see you back in early February!!) – I will be enjoying the company of the Blog Monster once again!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a treat which was inspired by a dessert I had when I took my Mum to Quay Restaurant a few days before she left.

Berries with a Vanilla Mousse

How could I let my Mom leave without trying Quay restaurant?  She’s probably the only one in my family willing (and wanting) to sit down for more than three hours enjoying the food of one of Sydney’s best restaurants.  The dessert I had at Quay was called Cherries and Berries.  It was a plated dessert of various coloured cherries, assorted berries, a sorbet and what seemed like their vanilla mousse.  This is the super simplified version – but when you have berries as good as what we’ve got nowadays, you just really have to let the berries talk!

Berry Berry Nice!

Recipe – adapted from Quay Restaurant (original post here)

  • 250 ml milk
  • 50 grams caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 1 1/2 sheets titanium gelatine (7.5 grams) soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
  • 250 ml cream
  • 70 ml egg whites ( about 2 eggs from 55 gram eggs)
  • 125 grams caster sugar
  • Berries in season (I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries)
  1. Heat the milk, 50 grams sugar and vanilla bean until just simmering.
  2. Squeeze water from the gelatine and whisk into the milk until dissolved.  Cool slightly (15 to 20 minutes), strain into a bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggwhites, gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form.
  5. Fold the cream and meringue gently through the cooled milk mixture.
  6. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until set (around 6 hours)
  7. Top with your choice of berries

Berries and Vanilla Mousse

Oh and, by the way, a big thank you to everyone who has left a comment for the Blog Monster.  I feel like you all know her already.  I wanted to give you an idea of how she looked like as well as show you some of the “friends” she met while she was in Australia.  Enjoy!

The Blog Monster & Friends (Margaret Fulton, Tetsuya Wakuda & Tony Bilson)

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Oyster and Scallop Tartare with Ginger Dressing

January 25, 2010 by trissalicious

Tartare of Oysters, Scallops and Salmon with Ginger Dressing

Awhile back I told my husband – “You must have fed me something!”

“What do you mean?”  He asked.

“Well, you know I never used to like you…” I told him.

And I’m still scratching my head thinking about what aphrodisiac he must have fed me to make me fall in love.  Could it have been the daily belgian waffles he sent to my office? Or was Cupid’s arrow laced with the triple chocolate layered cake that he would drop off at my home after work?  Whatever his recipe was, it worked!

With Valentine’s a few weeks away, here’s a recipe has the three key ingredients to make  a sure fire aphrodisiac – oysters, caviar and champagne (vinegar that is!).  I have adapted this from one of my favourite cafes in Paris called Cafe Constant.   It is owned by Christian Constant who owns several restaurants on the Rue Saint Dominique.

Oysters, Scallops and Salmon

Recipe (Serves 4) – Adapted from Christian Constant

  • 12 fresh oysters, cleaned, shells reserved
  • 8 sashimi grade scallops, roe removed
  • 40 grams Sashimi grade Salmon
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
  • 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • Juice of 1/4 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • Caviar, for topping

Seafood Tartare of Christian Constant

  1. Finely chop the oysters, scallops and salmon and set aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Mix the ginger, lemon  juice, champagne vinegar, chives, and olive oil in a separate bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. When ready to serve (not any sooner!), mix the seafood with the dressing and place on top of the reserved oyster shells.
  4. Top with caviar.

Tartare Recipe adapted from Christian Constant

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Chicken Adobo – “Momofuku Style”

January 24, 2010 by trissalicious

Momofuku Style Chicken Adobo

This month, the Kulinarya Cooking Club decided to feature Adobo!  To many, this is considered our national dish.  Ask any Filipino and they will tell you that they have the “best” adobo recipe.  It’s no wonder that there are so many variations of this dish.  But I tell you – I think I have discovered THE BEST EVER recipe for chicken adobo.  (I can already see many Filipinos raising their hands in protest!).  But I stand by my statement!

Traditionally, in our home we simmer a combination of pork and chicken in a marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, black peppers and garlic.  Once done, the meat is removed from the sauce and pan fried separately while the sauce is simmered further to obtain a rich and thicker sauce.  Before serving, the meat is once again reunited with the thickened sauce.  Many filipinos will insist that adobo be served with a bowl of rice (either garlic fried or steamed) but other than that, “the day after adobo” is excellent as a sandwich filling (in our house we usually lather it with tons of mayonnaise).

I wanted to try something different with the adobo this month so I experimented with David Chang’s Fried Chicken with Octo-vin recipe.  I’ve had a lot of success with the Momofuku cookbook – the Chicken and Egg recipe can be found here and the Fried Chicken with the Octo-Vin has been previously featured in Almost Bourdain’s site here.

Reading through the recipe for the Fried Chicken, I thought it would be an interesting twist to use David Chang’s technique for his fried chicken.  First he brines the chicken for several hours, then steams it, lets in dry in the refrigerator and finally pan fries the chicken.  It is then served with a sauce he refers to as Octo-Vin.

Chicken Adobo - Momofuku Style

So for my version, I pretty much stuck to the Momofuku tecnique but  my brine solution was the adobo marinade.  I also changed the octo-vin by cooking it in a saucepan and adapted the ingredients so that the adobo flavours came out.  To be completely honest I was a bit hesitant to use Philippine white vinegar instead of the rice wine vinegar in the original recipe but I was amazed at the resulting sauce – very intense and the flavours blended beautifully.   I like to call it the Pinoy Octo-Vin.  Yes there is a lot of work to this recipe but I promise you – the results are worth it.

Recipe for the Fried Chicken (serves 4)

  • 6 chicken thigh cutlets (I deboned mine)
  • 4 cups lukewarm water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar (Philippine brand preferably)
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • a few peppercorns, left whole
  • Canola or grapeseed oil for frying
  1. Combine the water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic,  bay leaves and peppercorns in a container and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add the chicken and cover.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and no more than 6 hours.
  2. Set up a steamer on the stove.  Drain the chicken and place the brine on the bottom of the steamer (this is your steaming liquid).  Put the chicken in the steamer basket and cover.  Steam the chicken for 40 minutes on medium high heat.  When done, remove it from the steamer and put in on a cooling rack to cool.  Chill it in the refrigerator on the rack at least 2 hours (or overnight).
  3. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 3o minutes before you cook it.
  4. In a deep skillet, heat enough oil for the chicken (I only pan fried the chicken).  Fry the chicken in batches until the skin is deep brown and crisp.  Around 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Pinoy Octo-Vin (Filipino Style Octo Vinaigrette)

For the Octo-Vinaigrette

  • 2 garlic cloves, (I used confit garlic cloves but plain garlic will suffice)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar (Philippine brand is preferable)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 to 6 peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over low for 10 minutes.  Serve on top of the Fried Chicken.

Kulinarya was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colourful cuisine.

Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love

for Filipino Food as we do.

If you’re interested in joining our Kulinarya Cooking Club, please feel free to drop by our foodblogs and leave a comment – we would love to

hear from you!

Trissa, Kath and Trish

http://sugarlace.com

http://www.acupcakeortwo.com/

Welcome new Kulinarya Members (if I have missed anyone out PLEASE email me!)

Olive http://www.latestrecipes.net/

Caroline http://whenadobometfeijoada.blogspot.com/

Peachy http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/

Althea http://www.busogsarap.com/

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In Search of Perfection… Lychee Perfection

January 22, 2010 by trissalicious

Lychee Perfection

In my younger years, perfection meant a number to me. For example:

4 – was the dress size I strove to become and so I ran every morning,  joined a gym and forced myself to eat oatmeal (although I hated it) for breakfast.

5 feet 5 inches was the height I thought was ideal for a size 4 – and so I took to wearing three inch heels everyday – even if  they hurt like hell.

10 was the number of guitar pieces that I wanted to know by heart – so that I could at least say that I could confidently play a whole set if asked.

28 was the age I wanted to get married.

And so my search for perfection went…

Lychees, rosewater, and cream jelly

As years passed and interestingly enough -  I didn’t feel the expected joy when some of these numbers I met and I didn’t feel as bad as I expected to when many of the numbers I didn’t achieve.  I’m not sure why – maybe I enjoyed the ride more than I did actually arriving at my destination.

And while I hate to admit it – I am still searching for perfection – although some of the things that mattered to me years ago – either I couldn’t care less about today, or have been adjusted to a more realistic number.  And then also, other numbers have taken priority.  You know what I mean?

That 4 dress size I so desperately wanted to achieve, well I’d be happy to fit into an 8 now!

I wear 2 inch heels instead of 3 now.

I’ve forgotten all the guitar pieces I know but no one ever asked me to play a full set anyway.

I did get married at 28!

And last night nothing pleased me more than to spend time with the Blog Monster as we searched for that 1 perfect lychee dessert.

Lychee Perfection

This dessert is really called Lychee Perfection.  It is a two layer jelly/mousse that is in my Grandmother’s cookbook.  I have adapted it by the addition of rosewater to the top layer.  Lychees are in season now and we are getting the most juicy and plump fruits you can imagine.  This is one of the best ways to celebrate them.  Don’t fret though if you can’t find fresh lychees – the canned ones are fine to use too.

Recipe

Bottom Layer

  • 1 envelope unflavoured powdered gelatin (7 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 can condensed milk (395 grams)
  • 200 grams cream, whipped

Top Layer

  • 1 envelope (7 grams) unflavoured powdered gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water plus 1 cup boiling water
  • 10 lychees peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater
  • pinch of rose food colouring

Lychee Perfection

  1. For the bottom layer, mix the boiling water and the gelatin in a container and set aside.
  2. In a double boiler, mix together the condensed milk and the gelatin mixture.
  3. Mix the gelatin mixture and continue cooking over the double boiler until the mixture thickens, around 5 minutes.
  4. Allow the condensed milk mixture to cool.
  5. Once the mixture has cooled, whip the cream until stiff peaks and fold the cream into the condensed milk mixture.
  6. Pour into individual glass containers and allow to set.
  7. For the top layer, mix the boiling water and the gelatin in a contained and set aside.
  8. Place the water, lychees, rosewater and sugar in a sauce pan.  Add the gelatin and bring to a boil.
  9. Remove from heat, strain the liquid into a bowl and set the bowl over another bowl of iced water and allow to cool.  As the mixture cools, add a tiny pinch of rose food colouring.
  10. Cut the lychees into pieces and place them over the cream jelly.
  11. Pour the rosewater mixture over the lychees and allow to set.

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Posted in Cook, El Comedor | Tagged , , , | 37 Comments »

The Beach House Banana Bread

January 18, 2010 by trissalicious

The Beach House - Opossum Bay

The beach house was tucked away in a sleepy suburb 45 minutes away from the city center. At first, no one seemed to mind the trek to what would be our home for the next four days. We were all excited about the prospects of an extended weekend, a long overdue family vacation. My first impression was that the house itself was almost like a secret that was too good to be true. It felt like this house had exclusive access to the pristine beach front situated right in front of it. I couldn’t believe how lucky we were NOT to be sharing such a wonderful view with anyone (or at least it seemed that way!).

The Beach

Might as well be upfront and let you know that sometimes vacations sounds more idyllic when you’re thinking about them – than actually going on them. Especially when you are a group of four families, with each family having at least one representative who is very outspoken and stubborn about getting their way. In fact, my brother in law, commented one day after an hour of healthy debate, that it was easier to organize the European Union than it was to organize our family lunch. But somehow, we always managed to resolve things quickly.  The easiest way, we found, was to separate during the day – one group would explore the various surrounding towns, driving to the markets and searching for Tasmania’s famous scallop pies.  The rest would stay in the beach house, go for a swim, build sandcastles and pass the time playing computer games.   When we got back, we’d trade stories about the day’s adventures.  We were all very impressed when my nephew found a beautiful seashell which he was planning to keep for a souvenir.

Ben's Seashell

At night however, we’d gather around the lounge room and reminisce – funnily enough – about our old holidays! We’d talk about how we’d go to Baguio, one of the popular holiday destinations in the Philippines every Christmas time. We’d talk about the games we used to play to pass the time (hours and hours of monopoly), the neighbors we used to hang around with. And of course, the dishes we used to eat – the first meal would always be adobo, and lumpia. So one night, in honour of the olden days, we had adobo.

The Blog Monster's Adobo

And then there was the Banana Bread.  I had no intention of baking or cooking this weekend. But somehow all resolve vanished when I saw in the general store we passed on the way to the house, a box full of brown, overripe bananas just waiting to be baked. Some people may have turned their nose up at the produce, but I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to get them for 50 cents!

The Beach House Banana Bread

And so, I baked a homely and delicious banana bread made from the goodies I could find from the general store.  Chocolate chips, walnuts, dates and of course the 50 cent bananas.  As a testament to how good it was (that and of course, as a testament to how many bananas I actually bought!), I made two batches.  The first one using white sugar, and the second one using more dates and brown sugar I managed to find in the cupboard.  I’m sharing with you the second recipe – which I personally enjoyed more.

I never got to find out if Ben took the seashell… oh well – at least we will always have memories of this great vacation and of course…the banana bread…

Recipe

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark/semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup dates, steeped in hot water for 5 minutes and chopped
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 100 grams melted butter, cooled (I didn’t have a scale so I just eyeballed it)
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed

Beach House Banana Bread

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, butter, bananas, chocolate chips, walnuts and dates
  3. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and pour into a brownie pan or a loaf pan that has been buttered
  4. Bake in a 20cm by 20 cm brownie pan (or a loaf pan if you’ve got it) in a pre-heated fan forced oven at 180c for 30 to 40 minutes until you can pierce the batter with a knife and it comes out clean.

Beach House Banana Bread

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Chicken in Orange Sauce (Pollo a la Naranja)

January 14, 2010 by trissalicious

Pollo a la Naranja

We’re off! To Tasmania, that is! The whole clan is headed for a weekend trip and it’s going to be a blast! So if you don’t hear from me for a few days – you now know why! In the meantime, I’ll leave you with The Blog Monster’s quick and easy weekday meal. Pollo a la Naranja, literally translated, means Chicken in Orange Sauce.

When the Blog Monster is around (she stays in my house when she is on holiday), one of our nightly rituals is to sit down and discuss “what’s for dinner tomorrow”. Sometimes, as you can imagine, there is a long debate that ensues. We look through cookbooks, reminisce about recent meals in wonderful restaurants or talk about fine dishes we’ve had in the past. Sometimes, we nominate an ingredient and go over numerous variations before deciding on “the one”.

The other night we nominated chicken. It felt a bit like a game show where The Blog Monster would rattle off one dish that she thought would be great to make using the chicken and I would counter with another dish. The winner, would be the one who came up with the best dish.

“Chicken Imperial” (she said)

“Roast Chicken” (me)

“Chicken in Garlic Sauce (her turn)

“Fried Chicken” (mine)

…. and on and on… until she said “Pollo a la Naranja” and it just clicked!

When you try this dish you will understand why this was the winner. A deliciously braised chicken dish finished off with some white wine and the juice and rind of a few oranges. And of course, honey to give the sauce a richer flavour!

Chicken in Orange Sauce

Recipe (serves 4 to 6)

  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced finely
  • 2 oranges
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
  2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the chicken pieces until golden. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  3. In the same pan fry the onions over medium heat until translucent. Add the chicken back into the pan.
  4. Add the white wine into the pan and reduce until you have half the liquid
  5. Remove some orange rind and juice the oranges.
  6. Add the orange juice and simmer until the chicken is cooked and tender, around 20 minutes.
  7. If the sauce isn’t enough at this point feel free to add some chicken stock (maybe half a cup or so) Add the orange rind and honey and simmer a little longer until the sauce thickens.
  8. Test for seasoning before serving

Pollo a la Naranja

Posted in Cook, El Comedor | Tagged , , , | 36 Comments »

The Blog Monster Strikes Again – Mango Jubilee!

January 12, 2010 by trissalicious

The Blog Monster Strikes Again - Mango Jubilee

Just a quick note to let you know I’ve been banned from my own kitchen as the Blog Monster has officially taken over kitchen duties.  “Trissa, you watch and take pictures while I cook” she told me.  As many of you would probably agree, being prohibited from cooking in your own kitchen is cause for distress and a major protest!  However, when the Blog Monster said she was making Mango Jubilee… I gladly caved in.

The Blog Monster's Mango Jubilee

This deliciously simply dessert consists of a scoop of ice cream topped with a mango-caramel like sauce, and finally flamed with some brandy.  Imagine spoonfuls of creamy and cold ice cream topped with a warm mango sauce – if Blog Monster made desserts like this every day – I would gladly give up my kitchen for it!

Also, an apology before the recipe.  There’s been a big heatwave that hit Sydney this week.  With temperatures hitting as high as 35c (around 95F), it’s been impossible to photograph the mango jubilee “properly”.  There were five servings of this mango jubilee that were made before we could take a half decent picture.  Luckily, there was no shortage of takers for the servings that were “un-fit” for the photo!

Mango Jubilee

Recipe

  • 2 ripe mangoes
  • 5 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • splash of brandy
  • 2 scoops of best quality vanilla ice cream
  1. Slice the mango in the middle of the flat seed so you have two halves.  Scoop out the flesh using a melon baller.
  2. When you can’t make any more balls, scoop out the rest of the flesh with a spoon and it up using a fork or a hand blender.
  3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the sugar.  Cook until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the pureed mango and cook for another 2 minutes over a low heat.  Add the mango balls and cook another 2 minutes.  Set aside.
  4. Place a scoop of ice cream in a heat proof container and add the mango puree and balls.
  5. Place your brandy in a metal soup laddle and heat over a gas stove top.  When the flame has ignited, carefully pour the flame over the mango mixture.

Ripe mangoes, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and brandy - definitely cause to celebrate!

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“Huevos Rotos” (Broken Eggs)

January 10, 2010 by trissalicious

"Huevos Rotos" literally "Broken Eggs"

Tapas, Chorizo, Fried Egg, Jamon Serrano

I have to admit things were not going smoothly Saturday morning as my Mum and I prepared breakfast.  There was some debate with the Blog Monster as to how this dish was really made.

“Jamon.” I said.

“Chorizo!” She answered

“Jamon!!” I replied

“Chorizo! This is what we used to do in the restaurant” she countered.

You see we were trying to cook up a tapas dish called “Huevos Rotos” – which literally means “Broken Eggs.” Imagine a fried egg presented over a bed of pan fried potatoes, garlic, chorizo (or Jamon Serrano depending on who was making the dish).  The egg is then broken and scattered all over the rest of the dish.  It’s wonderful with a piece of warm bread.  And, while we were having it for breakfast,  you can have it any time of the day.

I first tried a variation of this dish in a Madrid Restaurant called Casa Lucio.  They call it “Huevos Estrellados” and they are acclaimed worldwide for it.  When I first saw it served to me, I said to myself  “they’re just french fries with a fried egg on top”… but I have to admit – it was out of this world.  If you want to be extra indulgent, pay a little more and you get a some Jamon on the side.

You can imagine, two stubborn cooks in one little kitchen disagreeing about how to make a simple tapas dish.  Each of us was insisting that our own version was correct.

Huevos Rotos

In the end, we decided to put both… and it was amazing!

Recipe – Serves 2

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 chorizo, diced
  • 1 large potato, cut into 1 1/2 cm dice
  • 3 slices, Jamon Serrano, torn up
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and and the potatoes, cook on medium high until browned, around 10 minutes or until you can pierce the potato with a fork without resistance.
  2. Remove the potatoes from the pan and now add the chorizo pieces and fry until nicely browned.
  3. Remove the chorizo and add the garlic and lightly fry until there is some colour on the garlic chips.
  4. Remove the garlic and use the same pan to fry and egg.
  5. To assemble, lay the potatoes, chorizo and garlic on a plate, top with the fried egg and lay some torn pieces of Jamon Serrano on the side.   Serve with toasted bread.

Fried Potatoes, Chorizo, Garlic Chips, Jamon Serrano and a Fried Egg

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The Blog Monster’s Sombrero Pie

January 7, 2010 by trissalicious

"Sombrero" Pie

I think I may have created a blog monster.  Ever since I posted my Mum’s Canelones recipe and taught her to comment, she’s been very enthusiastic to say the least, about this little hobby of mine.  Take for instance the comment she left on this blog:

Triss,

It was great doing the step by step canalones with you…. More to come folks. I m here for another 18 days just hold on…. Mom

Then this afternoon, at work,  I get a cryptic voicemail from her saying “come home soon”.  Straight after work I found her hovering over the stove with three pots of ground meat.  Apparently, the meat was on special (you know how crazy Mum’s can get when something goes on sale!) and she said she would teach me three different dishes using the ground meat.  Chili con Carne, Ragu Sauce and Sombrero Pie.

Of all these dishes, my favourite would have to be the Sombrero Pie.    In her version, she layers mashed potatoes, ground meat, creamed corn and tops it with grated cheese.  In fact, it was a recipe featured in the cookbook she wrote with my sister.  In the cookbook they go on to say that it was named “sombrero”, because it looks like one of those Mexican hats.

She told me she would love to share it with you all… Enjoy!

Layer with mashed potatoes, ground meat, creamed corn and cheese

Recipe

  • 4 large starchy potatoes
  • 125 grams butter
  • 125 ml milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 250 grams ground pork
  • 250 gram ground beef (otherwise, use 500 grams beef and omit the pork)
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 400 grams creamed corn
  • 1 1/2 cups of tasty cheese
  1. To make the mashed potatoes, peel and quarter the potatoes and then boil until you are able to pierce through the potato with a knife.  Drain the water from the pan and put the pan back on the heat to “dry” the potatoes out – this should take around 30 seconds.
  2. Mash the potatoes with the butter and the milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside
  3. Saute the onions until transparent and then follow with the garlic until fragrant.  Turn the heat to high and add the ground meat.  There will be liquid that is released from the meat and cook until this liquid is evaporated.
  4. Add the tomato paste and cook for around 3 to 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  5. To assemble, use a round container, measuring around 25 cm in diameter and around 5 cm in height.  First layer the mashed potatoes, then the beef, spread the creamed corn on top of the beef and finally the cheese.
  6. Bake in a fan forced oven for 35 minutes at 180 c fan forced.

Mum's Sombrero Pie

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