Kitchen Wench — Page 43

Come on over, we’re firing up the barbie

April 25, 2007 | 463 views

in Cheese & Dairy,Desserts,Fruit Flavour

Though I am fiercly proud of my Korean heritage, I have always maintained that my home is Australia, and that I cannot envisage living anywhere else in the world. Tucked away in our own little corner of the world, this country is about as extreme as you could get – wet leafy rainforests, tall alpine ranges, beautiful golden beaches and blistering red deserts, if you’re looking for contrasts then Australia has it in spades.

One thing that any tourist who has been to Australia will tell you is that we’re a friendly bunch. Despite Sydneys reputation for being ever so slightly snobby, or Melbournians being misconceived as a surly bunch who wear nothing but black and drink coffee, we love to get together with neighbours, friends and family and kick back, possibly with a beer in hand and the barbie (Aussie slang for a barbeque) fired up with a couple of snags, chops, kebabs and steaks chucked on to feed the troops once all the socializing has fuelled their appetites.

Despite our immense love of food, there are few dishes I know of that are regarded as being absolutely Australian as the humble pavlova. Though there is ongoing debate as to whether it was actually created in Australia or New Zealand, it is a dessert that very few Australians would fail to recognize once in front of them and in summertime it will make repeated appearances on many kitchen tables across the country. Named after Russian prima ballerina, Anna Matveyevna Pavlova (1881-1931), this meringue-based cake was given her name because of Anna’s own lightfootedness when dancing onstage.

The typical pavlova consists of a large meringue that is the base to this dish, lathered in freshly whipped cream which is then topped with a variety of fruits, usually sliced strawberries and kiwis, though you should feel free to use any variety of warmer climate fruits – I’ve seen pavs with mangoes, pink guava and passionfruit as well as berries, cherries and grapes. I’d steer clear of using hard fruits like apple though as the firmness of the flesh tends to detract from the experience of this soft, cloud-like dessert.

Though my pav has a brown crust, pavlova purists declare that a true pav should be white, making sure to remove it from the oven before it started to brown.

The recipe I used for this post is a slight step away from the traditional, by the famed Aussie chef Bill Granger from his cookbook ‘Every Day‘. The resulting dessert is light and airy, and the yoghurt cream is delightfully fluffy with just a slight tang as to help balance the sweetness of the meringue and berries. If you’re going to a barbeque and looking for a dessert to bring, I urge you to give this a try as I guarantee that it will be a hit with young and old Ah heck, even if you have no barbeque to go to, give it a try – I dare you to make it last longer than a day in your kitchen

Pavlova with yoghurt cream and strawberries
(recipe from ‘Every Day‘ by Bill Granger)

Ingredients
6 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g caster sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp arrowroot
2 tsp white vinegar

To serve
250mL thickened cream, whipped
125mL natural yoghurt, lightly whipped with a fork
250g strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
1 tbsp pure icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Draw a circle approx. 20cm in diameter on the baking paper and set it aside for now.

2. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla extract into a clean, dry bowl till stiff peaks form. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition, then continue to beat till the meringue is thick, glossy and fairly firm. Beat in the cornflour, arrowroot and vinegar.

3. Pile the meringue onto the baking paper inside the drawn circle, slightly smooth into shape then put it in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120 degrees C. Bake the pave for 1 hr and 20 mins, or till the outside is firm but not browned.

4. Once cooked, turn off the oven, prop open the door with a wooden spoon and leave till the pav has completely cooled.

5. Gently fold together the whipped cream and yoghurt, then spoon on top of the cooled pav. Toss the strawberries in the icing sugar and gently arrange on top and serve

This post was put together as this week’s entry to Bee’s ‘Postcards‘ series at Jugalbandi. Head on over to see what other virtual postcards they’ve received for this ongoing event!

[tags]pavlova, antipodean, desserts, sweets, cakes, Australian cuisine, recipes[/tags]

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Sugar beware, I’m armed and dangerous

April 23, 2007 | 612 views

in Cheese & Dairy,Desserts

Halfway through last year, a few months after starting this blog, I decided that I should take the jump and buy myself a little kitchen blow torch. My custard-loving sister is always desirous of new desserts that elevate the humble custard beyond it’s status as yellow goop, and therefore Creme Bruleewas something that I wanted to make for her to see if it would win her over.

So, once I’d made the decision that I was going to make the financial investment into a blow torch, I immediately jumped up and headed for my local kitchen goods store. After a brief conversation with the rather unfriendly salesperson and forking over $50, I happily headed home with my new purchase clutched in my hands like some long-lost treasure, eager to give it a whirl. Once I got home, I ripped apart the packet and may or may not have given it a brief cuddle before pulling out the instruction sheet to read how exactly I was meant to operate my new toy.

It needed butane gas to fuel it to burny deliciousness, so I pulled out the gas cylinder from our portable stove, turned the torch upside down and rammed it’s top into the little insert at the base. And then screamed like a panicked little girly girl as gas proceeded to spill out all over the blowtorch and my hands. I dropped both the torch and gas cylinder, bolted inside to wash my hands, then reread the instructions. I was doing everything right, but why wasn’t it working?! Attempt after attempt, the gas refused to enter the cylinder of the blowtorch, till I eventually gave up at the rather insistant yelling of my mother (if you can call her repeated screams of “PUT THAT THING AWAY BEFORE YOU BLOW US ALL UP!” insistant, that is).

Yes, I really do draw this badly…

So, I sadly packed away the blowtorch and resigned myself to the thought that I may have just blown $50 on a utensil that I would not get to use even once. And yet, I couldn’t give up on the dream – I continued to be haunted by dreams of creme brulees, their caramelized tops dancing through my mind, the burnt sugar glistening like gold. A few weeks ago, I couldn’t take it anymore and ended up wailing to a friend of mine “Why? Why does the brulee-y goodness hate me? Why won’t it work? WHYYYYY?”. After answering his many questions, he finally said that I should just go to my local smoke-store (store that sells cigarettes, cigars and various smoking paraphernalia) and buy a little gas cylinder of the kind that is used to fill reuseable lighters, stating that perhaps the top of my camping-stove gas cylinder was the wrong type for this kitchen implement. I initially pooh-poohed this idea, but thought that it would be worth a try if it meant I could use my blowtorch, and then completely forgot about it.

Till last Friday, that is.

Walking down Elizabeth St towards the office, I walked past a store that bore the label of Smoke Mart and stopped dead in my tracks. A smoke store? But…that would mean that they have gas cylinders! I trembled slightly with anticipation, then quickly did an about turn and dashed into the store as fast as my little legs could carry me. I was greeted by the friendly sales assistant but had no time for pleasantries as I burst out “Gas cylinder. Lighter. Please”. She cautiously handed over the little gas cylinder and I eagerly grabbed it from her hands and popped the lid, and sighed. The top was indeed different from my gas cylinders at home. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and I felt gloriously happy in the knowledge that finally, finally, I would be able to join the ranks of those who could brulee their creme!

As you can see by the photo, I’m yet to refine my blowtorching skills, but trust me when I say that there’s nothing that can stop me now! MU-HA-HA-HA!

P.S. Yes, I’m aware that you can brulee using the grill, but I was dead-set on using the blowtorch that I’d bought, and was not going to settle for this grilling business

Creme Brulee(from ‘My Vue‘ by Shannon Bennett)

Ingredients
300mL double cream
200mL milk
100g caster sugar
8 egg yolks
2 vanilla beans, split lengthways and seeds scraped
100g soft brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees C.

2. Mix the cream, milk, caster sugar, egg yolks and vanilla together till just incorporated. Do NOT use a whisk as having any bubbles will ruin the silky smoothness of the custard.

3. Pour the custard into 4x ramekins with approx 1 cup capacity each. Place a folded tea towel onto the bottom of a baking tray, then place the custards on top, this will stop the bottom of the custard from overheating and causing bubbles to form in your custard. Fill the baking tray with boiling water till it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then cover lightly with foil.

4. Bake the custards in the oven for about 35 mins, or till they have just set but are still wobbly in the middle. Remove from the oven and place in the fridge for about 30 mins to cool down.

5. Once completely cool, sprinkle a light layer of brown sugar on top and use a blowtorch or (if you’re not as obsessive as me) a preheated grill/broiler to glaze the top of each custard till the sugar is melted and turns a lovely amber colour. Repeat once or twice more if you want a thicker layer of caramel, then serve and sit back and listen to the sound of cracking caramel as everyone dives in

[tags] creme brulee, french cuisine, custard, sweets, dessert, recipes, shannon bennett, caramel[/tags]

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No bananarama here, just banana-love

April 21, 2007 | 844 views

in Cakes & Brownies,Fruit Flavour,Nuts & Seeds

I have a confession.

I don’t like bananas.

It’s a bit strange really – I adore banana in things that utilize the flavour (tarts, cakes, smoothies etc) but I cannot bring myself to grab a ‘nana, peel back the yellow skin and take a bite. There’s something about that thick, sticky texture that makes me think that it’s akin to eating a mouthful of clag paste.

* Note for international readers – clag paste is this horrid non-toxic glueing paste often found in kindergarden and primary school classrooms to be used for crafting projects. For some reason, kids seem to like the idea of eating this glue for fun, and so the phrase “like eating clag” is one that most Australians will comprehend.

Now, since I adore bananas but cannot eat them as is, I’m always on the lookout for new recipes that I can use them in so I can enjoy that slightly cloying sweetness and rich scent. When I came across this post by my fellow Australian food blogger Jules of Stone Soup, I knew that it was one I had to try.

This cake really is everything that you’d hope for in something that’s meant to celebrate this most interesting of fruit. Dense, moist and soft, when it’s baking it fills the kitchen with the most heavenly banana-y aroma, and you’ll fall in love from the first bite. Mind you, when the recipe says supermoist, it’s not kidding, so be prepared for it and don’t think that just because it’s a very wet cake, that it’s undercooked (only assume that if your cake refuses to hold it’s shape and falls apart when you’ve pulled it out of the tin!).

This is also another recipe for those of you whom cook for coeliacs can bookmark, as it doesn’t have a single smidge of flour and relies instead on almond meal to hold it together – though you’ll have to make sure that any banana-lovers aren’t nearby or you could very well have a battle royale on your hands, with the cake stuck in the middle!

Because I rarely leave well enough as it is, I’ve made a few amendments to the recipe that I think slightly enhance the banana-ness of the cake, hopefully the banana lovers among you will love it as much as my brother and me

Super Moist Banana & Almond Cake (adapted from here)

Ingredients
250g almond meal
2 eggs
50g brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
250g overripe bananas, peeled (approx 3 medium-sized fruit)
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Icing sugar, to serve
Natural yoghurt or creme fraiche, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. Grease a 22cm fluted tart tin with removable base. Take a large square of baking paper and moisten (give the whole thing a quick dip in some water, then carefully wring it out), then use it to line the tart tin (base and sides).

2. Beat eggs and sugar for 10 mins or until pale and fluffy, then stir through the ground almonds and baking powder. Use a fork to mash the bananas, then stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour this into the almond mixture then stir to just combine.

3. Pour into tin and sprinkle over sliced almonds to cover the surface. Bake 45 mins to an hour or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave in tin on a wire rack till completely cooled.

4. Just before serving, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with creme fraiche (if you want to be naughty) or natural yoghurt (if you want to be good) or just enjoy as is

[tags]bananas, coeliacs, celiacs, fruit, cake, recipes, sweets, dessert, baking[/tags]

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Moussin’ about (and happy blog-iversary?)

April 17, 2007 | 848 views

in Cheese & Dairy,Chocolate,Desserts

When Helen announced the theme for this month’s HHDD event, my ears perked up. Whilst I’ve tried my hand at most desserts, the humble mousse was completely unknown to me, and therefore it was a challenge that I was totally raring to go for! After all, what’s not to like about a nice, creamy, light-as-air dessert that melts in your mouth, hrm? This also gave me an opportunity to try a new cookbook that I’d received from my lovely coworkers as a goodbye present – ‘Bittersweet’ by Alice Medrich. Now, let me pause for a moment to gush about this book. You are not a true chocaholic unless you possess it. From the very first page, Alice shares memories and recipes and takes you through what chocolate is all about – from the distinction between different kinds of chocolate and how they should be used, to chocolate storage and even ‘chocolate notes’ that explain why certain chocolatey products give a particular outcome. For example, have you ever wondered why some brownie recipes give a product that has a crust? Alice has…and she explains why she’s found this is so

Alice covers a few different mousse recipes in the book, but I concentrated on two of the lighter ones because I knew that my family wouldn’t have a bar of them if they were too rich. The milk and white chocolate layers of my triple chocolate mousse were made with an egg-less and gelatin-free recipe which boggled my mind a bit, but the end result was still deliciously light and smooth. As for the dark chocolate layer…well, it’s the first mousse recipe that I’ve ever come across that has involved cooking the eggs, but I have to say that Alice knows exactly what she’s doing! These recipes are laid out in perfect detail and lay out what needs to be done step by ste, so as long as you know how to read, there’s very little chance of stuffing up

Besides the striking difference of colour between the layers, the difference in texture also makes the triple chocolate mousse more interesting to eat. The white (top) and milk (bottom) layers are both a lot less airy than the dark mousse, and as a result they’re smoother in texture, almost like whipped cream. The dark mousse is far richer, more aerated and heavier, so provides for a pleasant contrast. I think next time I make these (and trust me, there will definitely be a next time), I’ll try some of the variations that are offered…such as infusing fruits and herbs into the chocolate!

The little decorations were a spur of the moment thing – the mousses had set by about 6pm and the sun was setting quick which gave me very little time to shoot…and as soon as I started taking the photos, I realized that the tops looked a little bare! So, I quickly melted some sugar to make some sugar strands, and used the remaining chocolate to create a sheet of decorated chocolate that I snapped to insert into mousses. I guess my ma was right when she drummed into me that food presentation counts, as when I’d started cooking my sister had wrinkled her nose at the mention of mousse (“naaaaaah, I’m not gonna have any, I don’t like chocolate mousse!”) but by the time they were set and decorated, she nabbed the one with spun sugar without a moment’s hesitation!

The deadline for Hay Hay it’s Donna Day isn’t till the 20th April, so if you haven’t submitted an entry yet then there’s still time Make sure to head over to Tartlette for the round-up on the 24th, and place your vote for who you think should win this month’s mousse edition!

I’ve also realized that this blog’s one year blog-anniversary has come and gone! I’ve been so absolutely flat-out busy that it passed me by…but it’s interesting to look at the first few posts from the infancy of this blog to realize just how far I’ve come Let’s just hope that I don’t forget the anniversary next year

Albert’s Mousse (from “Bittersweet” by Alice Medrich)

Ingredients
170 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup water, coffee or milk, or 1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs at room temperature
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp caster sugar

1. Place chocolate and 1/4 cup of water (or coffee, milk or 1/2 cup cream) into a medium heatproof bowl and put over a wide skillet/saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently till the chocolate is nearly melted, then remove and stir till completely liquid (this is important – any unmelted chocolate will ruin the velvety smoothness of your mousse!)

2. In another medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs with 3 tbsp water and sugar till well blended (use a fork! You do not want it frothy at this stage!). Set this bowl over the skillet of water that is not even simmering (this is very important – if it is simmering it will start to solidify the egg proteins, and you do not want this to happen) and stir constantly over the heat till they reach 70 degrees C, then beat with an electric mixer till they have the texture of softly whipped cream (should be about 3-4 minutes on the highest setting).

3. Fold 1/4 of the eggs into the chocolate to lighten the mixture, then scrape the egg-chocolate mix into the remaining eggs and fold till just evenly incorporated. Divide into cups/ramekins and chill for at least 2 hrs before serving.

White or Milk Chocolate Mousse (from “Bittersweet” by Alice Medrich)

Ingredients
225 grams white or milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Place the chocolate and water into a medium heatproof bowl. Place about water in a saucepan till 5cm deep, the bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, wait for a few seconds then set the bowl on the water and stir vigorously till the chocolate is melted and smooth.

2. Whip the cream till it is thickened and just beginning to hold shape (when you tilt the bowl, it should slowly flow to one side, fluffy but still pourable and not stiff). Check the temperature of the chocolate – it should be around 25 – 30 degrees C, if it’s any cooler then heat it slightly over some hot water. If the chocolate has the right temperature, then scrape the cream into the chocolate and quickly but carefully fold the two together. Don’t worry if it seems far too liquidy and soft – it will set and firm up later.

3. While the mix is still soft, spoon into glasses/ramekins and leave to set for at least 2 hrs before serving.

[tags] alice medrich, chocolate, mousse, HHDD, blog event, dessert, sweets[/tags]

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Oodles of noodles

April 15, 2007 | 831 views

in Beef,Rice, Noodles, Pasta & Grains,Stews, Soups & Salads

This colourful dish is one of my favourite Korean noodle dishes, warming, refreshing and filling at the same time!

Korean cuisine has many brothy dishes, and the many that I love have a peculiar quality in that drinking them always makes me feel warm and refreshed at the same time. I can’t say exactly what it is, but these meals always leave me feeling cleansed and content, and as a result are a great meal to have if you’ve been out for a night on the town the day before.

This particular dish goes by the name of “mool gooksu” (water noodles), and is very simply thin wheat noodles in this restorative broth with a variety of elements placed on top and mixed in just before consuming. The additional ingredients can vary and you certainly don’t have to include anything you don’t like, so this element also makes this a wonderfully versatile dish that can easily be altered to suit a family of fussy eaters. The only down side (though I don’t see it as much of a problem) is that there’s a little bit of work required, so if you’re wanting to sit down to a meal in 15 minutes then this isn’t the one you should choose.

This is a dish that has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The stock for this is quite a simple one made with just kombu/dashima, dried shiitake mushrooms, onion and dried anchovies, yet the initial creation makes quite a strong smell that fills the kitchen with it’s warmth. Though no one memory rides on this dish, there have been many lunches and dinners where I’ve inhaled the smell of the cooking broth and listened to the sizzle of the frying pan as my ma prepared each component of this dish. Every time this is served, I can’t wait to sit down to this bowl with all it’s colours, all the vegetables cut into thin strips by my ma, neat enough to rival any mandolin slicer.

Though this dish is rarely seen in the hot summer months, the mercury has been dropping lately as we progress further into the cooler seasons, and soon, when it’s cold and miserable and raining outside, I know that I’ll smell this dish being cooked. And, when I sit down to share it with my family, for those moments the world will seem like a warmer, more comforting place.

Mool Gooksu (Korean mixed noodles in anchovy broth)

Ingredients (to serve 4)
About 10 dried ‘soup anchovies‘
2-3 large pieces of dashima/kombu
6 dried shiitake mushrooms
4L water
1 large pk thin wheat soba noodles
2 medium onions
1 medium carrot
1 medium zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sheets of toasted nori/gim
Oil, for frying
200g beef mince/thinly sliced beef tenderloin (must be sliced almost paper thin!)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil

1. Mix together the soy sauce, caster sugar, ginger, garlic and sesame oil, then massage the mixture into the beef. Set aside for now. Soak 4 of the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water and also set aside.

2. Heat the anchovies in the microwave for about 15 seconds and quarter one of the onions, then throw them both into a hot pot along with 2 shiitake mushrooms and the dashima/kombu. Do not add any oil and fry them together for a few seconds before adding the water. Bring this to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for about 20-30 minutes, till the soup is well flavoured and taken on a very faint milky tint. Remove the anchovies, mushrooms and dashima.

3. Finely slice the onion, julienne the carrot and the zucchini. Put the zucchini in a bowl, add the salt and toss through to evenly coat and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the carrot and the onion seperately in a little oil, till they have softened a bit, then set aside.

4. Squeeze some of the liquid out of the salted zucchini, then fry them till softened and also set aside. Pour the beaten eggs into the frying pan and fry till golden on both sides. Remove this ‘egg sheet’ and finely slice into little strips the same size as your carrot strips. Cut up the nori sheets into pieces the same size and set aside.

5. Remove the soaked shiitake mushrooms from the water, squeeze out any excess water and finely slice them to roughly the same width as the carrot and egg strips. Fry up the marinated beef and set aside for now.

6. Boil the noodles, drain them and then put into each of the bowls. Ladle some broth over the top of the noodles, then arrange some carrot, zucchini, mushroom, beef, onion and egg around the bowl, and some strips of toasted nori in the centre.

7. Serve, and enjoy with some kimchi on the side

Definitely not the quickest dish, but the tastiness is certainly worth the effort! Next time you know you’re in for a spot of cold weather and want a nice, tasty and filling noodle soup, give this one a try!

[tags]korean cuisine, korean, noodles, soup, broth, asian, recipe[/tags]

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