Kamis, 22 Juni 2006
Spaghetti & Meatballs
This simple pasta dish is made using leftover meatballs from the previous entry. I used purchased bolognese sauce which turned out to be rather salty :(. Note to self: must make some bolognese sauce and freeze it for emergency use.
Rabu, 14 Juni 2006
Swedish Meatballs
This is my trusted recipe that brings success everytime I use. If you find the meat mixture too dry, add more liquid (water/stock) and if it is too wet, adding more breadcrumbs or plain flour will help in shaping the meatballs.
Ingredients:
150 ml cream
2 cubes of beef stock, mix with 100 ml water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500g beef mince (or 250gr beef mince + 250gr pork mince)
5 tbsp breadcrumbs (approx)
1/2 onion, chopped (abt 2-3 tbsp)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
butter + oil for frying
400ml beef stock for gravy (or use Gravox)
Method:
Mix together cream, egg and beef stock in a medium bowl, add the breadcrumb and mix evenly.
Season with salt and pepper, then add the onion and beef mince.
Shape the mixture into meatballs using wet hands. You can also coat the meatballs in plain flour (and shake off the excess) before frying.
Melt the butter with some oil, fry the meatballs turning once until brown and nicely seal.
Transfer the meatballs onto a baking tray and bake at medium heat.
To make the gravy:
In a small saucepan, mix together 400ml stock to the leftover oil from frying. Bring it to the boil and stir evenly.
On another saucepan or frying pan, heat up 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp plain flour. Add the stock mixture little by little while continue stirring to ensure no lumps formed. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the meatballs with the gravy with steamed/boiled vegetable on the side, and cranberry jelly if desired.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
150 ml cream
2 cubes of beef stock, mix with 100 ml water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500g beef mince (or 250gr beef mince + 250gr pork mince)
5 tbsp breadcrumbs (approx)
1/2 onion, chopped (abt 2-3 tbsp)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
butter + oil for frying
400ml beef stock for gravy (or use Gravox)
Method:
Mix together cream, egg and beef stock in a medium bowl, add the breadcrumb and mix evenly.
Season with salt and pepper, then add the onion and beef mince.
Shape the mixture into meatballs using wet hands. You can also coat the meatballs in plain flour (and shake off the excess) before frying.
Melt the butter with some oil, fry the meatballs turning once until brown and nicely seal.
Transfer the meatballs onto a baking tray and bake at medium heat.
To make the gravy:
In a small saucepan, mix together 400ml stock to the leftover oil from frying. Bring it to the boil and stir evenly.
On another saucepan or frying pan, heat up 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp plain flour. Add the stock mixture little by little while continue stirring to ensure no lumps formed. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the meatballs with the gravy with steamed/boiled vegetable on the side, and cranberry jelly if desired.
Serves 3-4
Sabtu, 22 April 2006
Bread & Butter Pudding
When the weather is cold, the thought of warm desserts is very comforting. Bread and butter pudding is one of such desserts my hubby craves for in winter. It is an old fashion sweet that is so easy to make. I didn't actually plan to make it, but since I lost the recipe book at the supermarket (it has ALL the recipes I wanted to cook for the week, and I have shopped for groceries based on it) - I was looking for something else I can make using what I had on hand. So, here it is:
Ingredients:
6 slices of fruit loaf (approx)
2 tbsp mixed peel
3 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup cream (single/pouring)
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
mixed spices (optional)
Method:
Grease a deep (5-6 cm) baking dish. Preheat the oven to 160C
Lightly toast the bread, then cut into triangle. Line the baking dish with the bread, making sure there are no gaps in between slices. Sprinkle with mixed peel (or mixed dried fruit) if using.
Mix eggs, sugar, milk, cream and vanilla extract together. If preferred, sprinkle with abt 1 tsp mixed spices or bumbu spekkoek.
Pour the egg mixture on the bread and let it soak for 15 minutes until the custard is absorbed. Add more bread if needed.
Bake on 160C oven for about 45 minutes.
Served warm with some cream and jam.
Ingredients:
6 slices of fruit loaf (approx)
2 tbsp mixed peel
3 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup cream (single/pouring)
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
mixed spices (optional)
Method:
Grease a deep (5-6 cm) baking dish. Preheat the oven to 160C
Lightly toast the bread, then cut into triangle. Line the baking dish with the bread, making sure there are no gaps in between slices. Sprinkle with mixed peel (or mixed dried fruit) if using.
Mix eggs, sugar, milk, cream and vanilla extract together. If preferred, sprinkle with abt 1 tsp mixed spices or bumbu spekkoek.
Pour the egg mixture on the bread and let it soak for 15 minutes until the custard is absorbed. Add more bread if needed.
Bake on 160C oven for about 45 minutes.
Served warm with some cream and jam.
Selasa, 07 Maret 2006
Pasta with Tuna Slices
I am not a fan of tuna, but since I found these new John West tuna slices in the supermarket shelves, I have been stocking my pantry with them. They are so versatile; you can use them for sandwiches or cooked sushi, or in salad and pasta like what I did here. For this pasta dish, I used the tuna slices with capers, bay leaf, thyme & lemon in olive oil blend. Just imagine the flavour and aroma! And it ook next to no time to prepare.
Senin, 27 Februari 2006
Mushrom Green Tea Soba Soup
I had never been tempted to order Soba whenever I ate out in Japanese restaurants, that is until my friend Mag who was visiting at that time persuaded me to share hers. The first experience was a bit wierd as I was not accustomed to eating cold noodle.
Now that Australia has grown its own buckwheat and produced its own soba noodles, there is no reason why we don't eat it more. I was so glad to find the much cheaper Australian's own Hakubaku organic soba noodles. The green tea variety that I used only cost $2.40 for 200g, which is much more cheaper than the Japanese made one. Soba is normally eaten cold, even in winter. The noodle is serve on an iced serving plate, and to eat it, you pick up the noodle with chopsticks and dip it in the dipping sauce. However, if you don't like the idea of eating cold noodle, you can try it with warm broth. And don't forget to slupr loudly as dictated by the correct Japanese etiquette of warm soba eating ;)
As I didn't have all the fancy ingredients suggested by most recipe (including one from Australian Gourmet Traveller that I would sure try next time), I used the recipe printed at the back of the soba packet, with a little modification. Not bad, I would say.
Ingredients:
1 packet (200g) organic green tea (cha) soba
3-4 pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup soya sauce
1/2 cup white wine (I replaced with mirin)
2 tbsp sugar (reduce if you use mirin, since it is sweet already)
Ginger root, peeled, grated
Spring (green) onion, chopped
Method:
Add the shiitake mushroom to 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add soy sauce, white wine and sugar, cook at medium heat for 5 minutes.
Remove shiitake mushrooms, cut into small pieces and add back to the soup.
Cook the soba noodle in rapid boiling water for 6 minutes or until tender.
Drain, then rinse well with cold water, drain again and put into a bowl and top with the soup. Serve with finely grated ginger and chopped green onion.
Serves 3
Now that Australia has grown its own buckwheat and produced its own soba noodles, there is no reason why we don't eat it more. I was so glad to find the much cheaper Australian's own Hakubaku organic soba noodles. The green tea variety that I used only cost $2.40 for 200g, which is much more cheaper than the Japanese made one. Soba is normally eaten cold, even in winter. The noodle is serve on an iced serving plate, and to eat it, you pick up the noodle with chopsticks and dip it in the dipping sauce. However, if you don't like the idea of eating cold noodle, you can try it with warm broth. And don't forget to slupr loudly as dictated by the correct Japanese etiquette of warm soba eating ;)
As I didn't have all the fancy ingredients suggested by most recipe (including one from Australian Gourmet Traveller that I would sure try next time), I used the recipe printed at the back of the soba packet, with a little modification. Not bad, I would say.
Ingredients:
1 packet (200g) organic green tea (cha) soba
3-4 pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup soya sauce
1/2 cup white wine (I replaced with mirin)
2 tbsp sugar (reduce if you use mirin, since it is sweet already)
Ginger root, peeled, grated
Spring (green) onion, chopped
Method:
Add the shiitake mushroom to 2 cups of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add soy sauce, white wine and sugar, cook at medium heat for 5 minutes.
Remove shiitake mushrooms, cut into small pieces and add back to the soup.
Cook the soba noodle in rapid boiling water for 6 minutes or until tender.
Drain, then rinse well with cold water, drain again and put into a bowl and top with the soup. Serve with finely grated ginger and chopped green onion.
Serves 3
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