Rucola, Grapes & Parmesan Salad

This salad is so simple to make and yet oh-so-delicious! No surprises that the 3 ingredients just go so well together, like a happy threesome with a mouthful of sensation - sweet, tangy, bitter and sharp! Tossed it with some Balsamic Mustard Honey dressing, it is a perfect accompaniment to a hot meal - seafood or meat. I served this for a friend's birthday lunch with some Smoked Salmon, Prawns & Oven roasted tomatoes Spaghetti in cream sauce.

Rucola, Grapes & Parmesan Salad

Bunch of Rucola/ Rocket
Seedless crunchy grapes (we used the Aussie SL grapes), cut into halves
Parmesan, shaved

Dressing:
1/3 balsamic
2/3 EVOL (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
Toss everything in with the dressing just before serving!

How to Creme Caramel?

Ever wondered the origin of this classic dessert? A search on the internet said it's French but the popularity of this dish has spread across Europe and since then all over the world. In Spanish-speaking countries, this custard dish is referred to as flan.

Our good friend, an Argentinean is inviting us over for dinner tomorrow and he quite like his "flan". So this was made specially for him. And as you know, creme caramels are best made in advance so that it can be served cold so here I am just taking it out from the oven at 10pm...


Here's a picture of it before it's been inverted. Not sure if I'll remember to take another picture (probably not!) when it's been inverted. But beats having no pictures at all!

Creme Caramel
(serves 4)

Caramel:
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup water
Custard:
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup single cream
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 150C. Place the sugar and water over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for 10-15 minutes or until the syrup is a deep golden colour. Pour into 4 x 3/4 cup (30ml) capacity ramekins or approximately 180ml capacity dish. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow caramel to set.

To make the custard, place the milk and cream in a saucepan and heat until warm. Place the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until combined. Pour this into the warm milk mixture and whisk constantly to combine. Strain and pour over caramel.

Place the ramekins in a baking tray and pour hot water to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 minutes or until custard is set. Remove from the tray and refrigerate until its cold. To serve, dip the base of each ramekin into hot water for 10 seconds then invert and serve!

A funny qoute...

Our 21 month old daughter was looking in the mirror, brushing her hair when she remarked, "Look at me Mummy, I'm a woman!". Refraining from a giggle, I replied, "Almost baby, you're almost a woman."

20 minute Oaty Anzac Bikkies!

Yes. I was kidnapped by time - only 20 minutes to bake between baby M's nap and feed. And we did it! Oaty wafts of golden baked cookies filled the air. Here's some quick 1 second pictures of the cookies and below the recipe from Donna Hay (gosh, I love this recipe book to death!!).


Oaty Anzac Biscuits

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons golden syrup
125g butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon hot water

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the oats, flour, sugar & coconut in a bowl, mix well. Place the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan over low heat and allow to melt. Mix the baking soda with the water and add to the butter mixture. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients, mix well.

Place tablespoons of the mixture on baking trays lined with non-stick paper, allowing room for biscuits to spread, and flatten slightly (looks like mine is not flat enough!). Bake for 10 minutes (8 minutes in my oven) or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Madeira Cake with Honey Citron Tea Syrup

I wasn't joking when I said I was in a baking frenzy. However, I haven't gone to a shop to get oats and apricot so there's been a slight diversion! Today's attempt was a Madeira Cake, recipe also taken from Donna Hay's Modern Classic 2. I had all the ingredients it required. The only personal alteration I did was adding poppy seed and a Honey Citron Tea Syrup on it.


The Honey Citron Tea was a gift from a friend who returned from Korea on a business trip. An interesting concoction, you're supposed to stir a tablespoon of it in hot water, and you'll end up with a marmalade honey tea. There's even visible rinds in them. The honey gave it an earthy woody taste, you can even use it as a spread.

So my creativity today resulted in mixing 2 tablespoon of these lovely sweet molasses with some lemon juice and icing sugar. Drenched over the madeira slices, the end result was a wicked and sticky cake!


Madeira Cake
(adapted from Danna Hay Modern Classics 2)

170g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
3 eggs
1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup almond meal

Syrup
2 tablespoon marmalade / honey citron tea
1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon icing sugar
3 tablespoon water

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Place the butter, sugar and lemon rind in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.
2. Gradually add the eggs and the lemon juice, beating well.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture, fold though with the almond meal.
4. Grease a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Spoon in the mixture and bake for 45 mins (30 minutes in my oven) or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
5. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn onto a rack.
6. If you're adding the syrup, heat the marmalade, lemon juice, water and icing sugar on the stove. Stir until all melted and thickens. Prick the top of the cake with a fork, pour the syrup over the top and let it soak into the cake for at least 30 mins before serving.

Slice Manic!

I'm not very good at waiting around. Especially "patiently" for our imminent arrival. Just got to do something to take the mind off. So baking was it!!

I went "slice manic"! Browsed my faithful old Donna Hay Modern Classics 2 and made 2 slice recipes from there. One was a yummy tangy Lemon Slice and yesterday, Strawberry Slice. Next when I get hold of some dried apricots and rolled oats, I'll make the Apricot Oat Slice. Of course, I'd hope to do it before our little one decides she's had enough of her cramp space in my tummy!

Loved how both the Lemon Slice and Strawberry Slice turned out. They both have different bases, but so apt for their individual toppings. I am not a big fan of desiccated coconut but mixed with egg and sugar and caramelized, the taste is sublime. Didn't take any pictures of the lemon slice, they vanished too quickly but managed to get a shot of the Strawberry Slice (adapted from the Raspberry Slice recipe).



Strawberry Jam Slice
(adapted from Donna Hay's Modern Classics 2)

125g butter, softened
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 cup plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup strawberry jam (or any other flavoured jam)
topping
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup desiccated coconut

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Process the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder in a food processor until combined. Add egg yolk and process until mixture forms a soft dough.
2. Press into a 20cm x 30cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper.
3. Bake for 12 - 15 mins or until the base is golden brown.
4. Allow to cool then spread with jam.
5. To make the topping, combine sugar, egg and coconut. Sprinkle over the jam, bake for 25 mins or until golden. Cool in the tin. Cut into slices. Makes 24 slices.

Squid Ink Paella

My parents were in town a couple of weeks ago and requested for a Squid Ink Seafood Paella. Always up for a challenge, I agreed. Cooking the paella will be easy, since I've done it numerous times, its just harvesting the squid ink that I've not done before.

As usual, a couple of word search on google, I came across this website - step by step instructions! And soon, we all sat down to a momentous Squid Ink Paella, although I wasn't completely happy with the end result. More squid ink would have made it taste even better, so I would have to remember to tune that up next time! I served the rice with some crispy roast pork belly on the side.

Numerous attempts trying to create the best crackling skin roast pork, I've gathered a couple of new tips that will help. One of them being "par-boiling" the piece of pork first. I think this helps in drying out the skin and keeping the pork tender while it cooks. Whatever it is, the end result was a big slab of irresistible crackling sensation!


More tips:

1. Parboil the pork in boiling water for about 10 mins. Then pat dry with paper towel and keep in fridge with exposed skin to dry out further. 2. Preheat oven to 220C, roast for about 20 mins or until all the skin has popped. Then bring temperate down to 180C.

Besides the above 2 tips, follow the recipe here for the rest of the steps. Enjoy!