tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43987085905051186742024-02-20T00:21:43.864+13:00Cooking with CarinaCooking with CarinaCarinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-46153557994430900502013-08-11T21:16:00.000+12:002013-08-11T21:16:17.567+12:00My take on Singapore Rice Noodles - Easy, quick and delicious dinners - part 1My little brother has just started his first job out of uni and is enjoying that time in your life when you find yourself adjusting to 'adult' life following your comparatively relaxed uni days.That wonderful time when all you feel is tired and the weekend cannot come fast enough. Your evenings just seem to disappear and the last thing you feel like at the end of your working days is cooking dinner for the flatties. You long for those carefree uni days.<br />
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Further, it turns out, working folk want better food than back in your uni days. They have a bit more cash to spend and mince five days per week (on toast, bolognese, meatloaf, nachos and pie) just does not cut it anymore.<br />
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So, my brother asked for some quick and easy dinner ideas to add to his repertoire. He is a reasonable cook already, he cooked me a tasty chicken carbonara last time I was home. He just wanted a few more tasty meal ideas.<br />
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This is the first post for him and any others looking for quick and easy dinners, full of vege and deliciousness. My take on Singapore rice noodles. It might look like a lot of ingredients, but you literally whack everything in and cook it all up.<br />
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Ingredients<br />
Stir fry vege (such as broccoli, carrots, carrots, onion, capsicum) - at least 1/2 cup per person chopped into bite-sized pieces<br />
Chicken, prawns or pork, cut into thin slices - approx 100g per person, or more if you're a big meat eater<br />
1/2 egg per person (round it up - 3 people = 2 eggs), beaten<br />
1 tsp ground ginger<br />
1 tsp ground garlic<br />
1 tsp diced chilli<br />
2 T soy sauce<br />
2 T curry powder<br />
1 T turmeric powder<br />
1/2 cup chicken or vege stock (or water if you're desperate)<br />
Fresh coriander<br />
Vermicelli noodles (or thin rice noodles) - a handful per person<br />
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Boil the jug. Put the noodles in a bow and pour over the boiling water. Leave it for 5 mins and drain. Set aside.<br />
Put some oil in a hot frypan, and quickly cook the eggs (like scrambled eggs). Remove and put aside.<br />
Put a dash more oil in the pan and fry the garlic, ginger, chilli, curry powder and turmeric (probably only 1 min max). Before the spices burn, add the vege and quickly stir fry until almost cooked. If you have another frying pan and room, cook the meat. If not (like me), remove the vege, let the pan heat up and cook the meat in a little oil. <br />
Put everything - noodles, eggs, vege, meat, stock and coriander back in the frying pan and quickly toss.<br />
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You're good to go! Dinner done, enjoy!<br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-42703932249085119852013-04-14T16:11:00.001+12:002013-04-14T16:11:13.395+12:00How to shuck a scallop OK, I know that scallop season is over. But, I didn't get around to doing this during summer so here it is now. Come 15 July the season will be open again down in Wellington anyway. That's only three months away, oh yea!<br />
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I love scallops. Like, seriously love them. Fried with butter and garlic. In a mornay. Seared with a creamed corn sauce. And always, always with a crispy glass of white wine on the side. Ah, bliss.<br />
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As well as eating them, I love collecting scallops, they are super fun to 'catch'. I say 'catch' because there is not a lot of catching going on, more 'picking up'. They sit nestled in the sand, hiding away. You need to be beady-eyed, searching them out.<br />
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Anyway, once you have your (legal) haul of scallops you need you get the little parcels of deliciousness out of their shells. Now, there are plenty of different ways to do this. Below is a step-by-step guide to doing it <i>my </i>way, or more correctly, the way my family does it. You might find that your uncle's neighbour's son does it differently, that's fine. There is no 'correct' way, but you want to make sure you end up with a nice neat scallop and you're not wasting any of the precious meat by leaving it on the shell. We find this way works well, but feel free to modify if another way suits you better.<br />
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You will need a blunt pairing knife, or a bread and butter knife and some sea water to rinse them (please, please ever don't rinse fresh seafood in fresh water unless you absolutely have to, it really does destroy the flavour). <br />
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First you will need to lie your scallops out belly-down so they open up. We leave them to open while we are rinsing our dive gear - by the time we are done they are good to go.<br />
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Hold the scallop in your hand, belly-down. You need to be pretty speedy on the first step, if you're too slow they will close up and you will have to set them aside and wait for them to open again.<br />
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Quickly slice the knife in under the belly, releasing the muscle from the shell. You want to make sure you get right under it so you don't leave any of the muscle on the shell.<br />
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Once the muscle is released, the whole thing will relax and you will be able to open the scallop right up.<br />
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This will leave you with the scallop on the flat side of the shell.<br />
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Cut the black belly of the scallop off.<br />
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You should now be able to pull the scallop away cleanly from the shell, leaving behind the 'gunk' that you don't want.<br />
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All done! Pop your scallop into a bowl of sea water while you are shucking the rest and give them a gentle swirl - this will make sure they are nice and clean. Drain on a paper towel and cook them up that day! Delicious!<br />
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Many thanks to my brother for his expert demonstration :-)Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-80325333824689222952013-04-12T19:26:00.000+12:002013-04-12T19:26:25.457+12:00Fruit Bread French Toast <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the final installment of my Easter weekend breakfast bonanza, I present Fruit Bread French Toast with caramalised bananas! Yes, it's as delicious as it sounds. <br />
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This is basically the sweet version of your traditional French Toast. Fruity, sweet, tasty.<br />
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Come next Easter, you could totally do this with hot cross buns. I'd flatten them a bit, just with your hand, and then just follow the directions below.<br />
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I slathered my french toast with maple syrup (the real stuff, not the imitation - it's a bit more expensive, but totally worth it) and topped it with whipped cream cheese. If whipped cream is your thing, a dollop of whipped cream would also be fantastic.<br />
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To make this mouth-watering breakfast for two you will need:<br />
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4 slices fruit bread toast (I use Vogels gluten free)<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
4 tablespoons milk<br />
2 bananas, sliced (on a diagonal is pretty)<br />
Butter<br />
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Beat the eggs, cinnamon and milk together, make sure it's well mixed.<br />
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Heat about a teaspoon of butter in a non-stick frypan over a gentle heat (you don't want the butter to burn).<br />
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Quickly dunk your bread in this mixture (you have to be quick here, push it into the egg mixture for about 2 seconds max), flip and dunk the other side and then hold it above the egg to let it drain well.<br />
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Pop it in the hot frypan and fry until brown and the egg is set. Flip and cook the other side. Remove from the heat, add some more butter and crank up the heat. Fry the banana slices until caramalised and soft - it won't take very long so watch it closely.<br />
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Serve up your Fruit Bread French Toast with lashings of maple syrup and your bananas. <br />
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<span id="goog_1357679676"></span><span id="goog_1357679677"></span><br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-69785491697851395242013-04-06T22:13:00.001+13:002013-04-06T22:13:21.236+13:00Mexican Eggs <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My eggs with chorizo, capsicum and tomato was another part of my Easter breakfast bonanza - a delicious, decadent breakfast every day of Easter, yum. This was actually day one. And it was a good start.</div>
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I have called this Mexican eggs as the flavours remind me of Mexican-inspired food. I have never been to Mexico (although I hope to one day) so I have no idea how authentic this is. But Mexican eggs is easy to remember, so there you go. </div>
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This is super easy to make, and pretty quick too. It's a fabulous weekend breakfast as you can afford to be super lazy. It's not one of those recipes you need to watch like a hawk - not something you want to be doing blurry-eyed first thing on the weekend! Weekends are for relaxing and unwinding and de-stressing. This will do the trick. </div>
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I don't eat onions, but if you do I would totally recommend adding them to this dish. But, you don't have to. I didn't and it was still delicious. I cooked us two eggs each because we were feeling greedy. If you served this with toast, you could easily have one egg per person for a filling breakfast. </div>
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You need:</div>
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1 large capsicum, sliced thinly</div>
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2-4 cloves of garlic crushed (depending on how much you love garlic)</div>
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1 stick of chorizo, sliced</div>
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1 tsp paprika</div>
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3 tomatoes, chopped</div>
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1 tablespoon chopped parsley</div>
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4 eggs</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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Heat a dash of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and turn your oven on to grill at a high heat (about 200 degrees). </div>
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Put the chorizo, capsicums and garlic (and onions if you're using them) in the frying pan and cook until the capsicums are soft. Add the paprika, tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper and cook until the tomatoes are soft, about five minutes. </div>
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Make four dents in the capsicum mixture and crack an egg into each one. Cook for two minutes and then pop under the grill for another two to three minutes until the eggs are just cooked. You still want the yolks runny when you serve it (unless you don't like runny yolks - by all means cook the eggs to your liking). </div>
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Serve immediately - yum! Enjoy your weekend, sit back and relax. </div>
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-73757109963169132422013-04-04T19:41:00.000+13:002013-04-04T19:41:58.075+13:00Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies (gluten free) I love peanut butter. Seriously love it. I'm pretty sure just about everything tastes better with peanut butter. Well, perhaps I am exaggerating a little... But only a little. Cookies definitely taste better with peanut butter!<br />
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Here is my recipe for delicious peanut butter Nutella cookies. The best thing is they have no flour! If you want more of a peanut butter kick, replace the Nutella with peanut butter. Yum!<br />
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1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth - you choose)<br />
1/2 cup Nutella<br />
1 cup of caster sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
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Preheat you oven to 170 degrees and line a tray with baking paper. Beat everything together until well mixed. Drop spoonfuls onto the tray (the mixture will be quite sticky), make sure you don't place them too close. Bake for 10 minutes for a chewy cookie, 12-15 minutes for a crunchy cookie.<br />
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If you're a chocolate fan, chocolate chips added to the batter would be delicious. But, they are pretty good just as they are!<br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-26977559031644767322013-04-02T20:44:00.002+13:002013-04-02T20:44:39.655+13:00Pavlova Stack with Boozy Berry Sauce <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a delicious lamb roast cooked for us for our Easter Sunday lunch, with carrots and potatoes from the garden. Spoilt! It was so, so yummy. I was responsible for dessert to conclude this delicious lunch. It was a hard act to follow! You can't beat a good roast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was browsing my latest copy of Food magazine, and spied a recipe for a Meringue Stack and decided that would be a tasty end to our meal. I decided to make a berry sauce to go with it. It was a special occasion, so decided the addition of a little booze wouldn't go amiss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pavlova Stack</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 egg whites, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 and 1/2 cups of sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 teaspoons cornflour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pinch of salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. Line three oven trays with baking paper and draw a 20cm circle on each sheet of paper (flip this upside down so the pen is on the underside). Now check your oven, make sure you can fit three trays in there! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place the egg whites and salt in a bowl and whisk with an electric beater until they reach soft peaks. Continue to beat and add the sugar a spoonful at a time. The meringue will be thick and glossy. Mix in the cornflour and water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Divide between the three trays and spread the mixture into a disk into the edges of the circle. Bake them for 90 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave them to cool completely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To assemble, layer the meringue disks with cream. I added lemon curd to may layers, but chocolate or even the berry sauce would be delicious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boozy Berry Sauce </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup berry jam (I used my homemade boysenberry jam and some raspberry jam)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons booze or orange juice (I used brandy and port)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gently heat everything in a pot until you have a gorgeous syrupy sauce. Add more water (or booze!) if you want it a bit more runny. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-30531471746334259722013-03-31T11:25:00.000+13:002013-03-31T11:25:06.048+13:00Corn Fritters (gluten free)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love long weekends. I particularly love extra long weekends! I also love breakfast. During my working week breakfast is fast and dirty as I fly out the door to make it to the train on time. Toast, perhaps a smoothie if I am feeling particularly energetic. (My favourite smoothie - one banana, a handful each of frozen berries and spinach, and about half a cup of coconut water or enough to make it a consistency you're happy with. Delicious!)</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So long weekends give me the opportunity to indulge in breakfast. And this long Easter weekend, indulge I did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started with corn fritters. I love corn fritters. I read an article by a well-known chef the other day who said that you wouldn't really serve corn fritters to adults, they are really a dish for children. Hmm, well this adult disagrees. So it seems do all the cafes that serve corn fritters! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the brilliant things is the variety of condiments you can serve with corn fritters! As kids we always, always had corn fritters with Worcestershire sau<span style="line-height: 13.328125px;">ce. That's what my parents did, so that's what we did. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worcestersh</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ire is a delicious accompaniment, something about the salty, tangy zing it adds. But, so many other things also work, right down to good old tomato sauce. My favourites are a spicy chilli sauce, fruity chutney and plum sauce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, here is my recipe for gluten free corn fritters. If you don't want or need them gluten free, just substitute the flour for regular flour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 can whole kernel corn, drained</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 eggs, separated</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 - 3/4 cup gluten free flour (I used a mixture of tapioca flour, corn flour and corn starch) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp gluten free baking powder </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salt and pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until they are stiff. Put the egg yolks, corn and baking powder in another bowl and mix. While you are stirring the corn mixture, gradually add the milk and flour to make a thick batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir through half the egg whites until well mixed, then add the remaining egg whites. You should end up with a smooth, pourable batter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat oil in a frying pan on a gentle heat and cook spoonfuls of the mixture until the fritters are golden brown, flip and cook until golden on the other side. Don't let the pan get too hot, you want to make sure the mixture cooks right through. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve with you favourite sauce, sit back, relax and enjoy the long weekend! </span></div>
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-249171464121818012013-02-23T19:10:00.001+13:002013-02-23T19:10:13.330+13:00Quick and easy dinnersYou know those nights when you need something nourishing quick - either you can't be bothered or you're coming or going from the gym or a meeting. You need dinner and you need it fast. This week I had two of those nights. I had the added issue that we have not been shopping for a while so our cupboards are looking rather bare. Here are two of my quick and easy dinners.<br />
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First, my <i>Throw it all in the pot pasta. </i>The title says it all and I make this quite often. Whatever I can dredge up from the bottom of my fridge's vege drawer goes in. Pasta like this can be a bit boring, so it's important to make sure it has a flavour punch. I did this by whizzing up a quick pesto - I use basil, cashews, chilli, parmesan, garlic and olive oil. If you can't be bothered making pesto, other flavour punches can simply be added by using chilli, garlic and lots of fresh herbs such as parsley.<br />
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So, to make the pasta I got my frying pan going with some oil and fried some chilli and garlic. In went mushrooms, corn, peas and broccoli heads. To speed up the cooking time I threw the broccoli stalks in with my boiling pasta. When the pasta was done, I simply drained the whole lot and threw it in with the rest of the veges. I had some leftover chicken, so in that went too. I mixed the whole lot together with most of the pesto and some of the pasta cooking water to make it a bit saucy. I topped it off with some pesto and, in true Jamie Oliver style, "olive oil drizzled from a height". Done. <br />
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Although it's a bit of a funny colour, don't be put off because this next dish tastes amazing. This is my version of Tom Yum Soup. Note I say my version, I have no idea what authentic Tom Yum Soup tastes like, but this does the trick for me. It's super quick, easy and only uses one pot!<br />
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You will need: ginger (chopped finely), lemongrass, a tomato, mushrooms, green veges, capsicum, Nam Prick Pao (a Thai chilli paste that you can pick up from an Asian grocery store), fish sauce, lemon juice, corriander and prawns.<br />
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Put 3 cups of water into a pot. Add a 2 teaspoons each of the ginger and lemongrass and bring to the boil. Add a chopped tomato, a handful of chopped mushrooms, some chopped beans (or whatever green veges you have), half a chopped capsicum and 4 tablespoons of Nam Prick Pao. Let that bubble away for about 10 minutes and then add a handful of rice vermicelli noodles. When the noodles are almost done, add about 200g of prawns. Boil until the prawns are cooked, or warmed through if they are precooked. Don't overcook your prawns! Remove from the heat and one tablespoon of fish sauce, some chopped corriander and the juice of a lemon. <span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #535353; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><br />
This will serve two for a hearty dinner. You won't be disappointed.<br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-89694841199605663442013-02-20T20:14:00.000+13:002013-02-20T20:16:21.547+13:00Sticky date pudding with caramel rum sauce My darling partner often has to watch as I whip up some baking and trot off somewhere with it (usually work), only to return with crumbs. So when I was musing about what I could bake on a relaxing Sunday afternoon and he suggested sticky date pudding, I couldn't disagree. I had a craving for caramel and wanted to experiment with making rum caramel. And what goes more perfectly with sticky date pudding than caramel sauce! <br />
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I have a gorgeous sticky date pudding recipe, it really is the best. Never fail, deliciously moist and moreish. It's one of those fantastic recipes that I have cut out of a newspaper many years ago and sellotaped into a recipe notebook. I return to it time and again. <br />
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I like making them as little individual cakes - using a giant muffin tin. <br />
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1 cup of pitted dates, chopped<br />
1 cup hot water<br />
50g butter<br />
1 cup self raising flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp mixed spice<br />
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
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Pop the dates and water into a microwave bowl and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter and set aside.<br />
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Sift the flour, baking soda and spices into a bowl and stir in the brown sugar. <br />
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Add the eggs to the cooled date mixture and mix well. Fold in the dry mixture. <br />
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Pour into muffin tins or a 23cm cake tin and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes for the muffins or 30 minutes for the cake. Leave them to stand for 5 minutes or so before you turn them out - this helps them keep their shape. They are best served warm - they will heat beautifully in the microwave. <br />
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This time I made it as a cake, just cos.<br />
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I smothered it in rum caramel sauce, mmmm. I just made a simple caramel (a cheat's caramel, not a melt sugar and make sure you don't burn it caramel) and added a good slosh of rum. I love rum. There are tons of recipes online for easy caramel sauce, I would recommend on like <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-easy-caramel-sauce-or-ice-cream-topping-78088" target="_blank">this.</a><br />
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You could add sultanas to this recipe if they are your thing, just use a few less dates and make sure you soak them or you will end up with a dry cake.<br />
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YummoCarinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-54516226457185141172013-01-15T21:11:00.001+13:002013-01-15T21:11:45.357+13:00Quinoa I discovered today that 2013 is the United Nations International Year of Quinoa. I am amused that the UN has declared this, but there you go. <br />
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Anyway, Quinoa is amazing. However, not everyone knows what quinoa is, let alone how delicious it is. I need to fix that, everyone should be able to share in this deliciousness! As an added bonus quinoa is also ridiculously good for you! It's packed full of important nutrients (fiber, iron, calcium and protein) and gluten free. In my opinion, it can do no wrong! <br />
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You can buy it from the supermarket, or the bulk bins at Bin Inn and Common Sense Organics in Wellington also sells it. In the supermarket I usually find it either in the gluten free section, or the organic/'other' section. I think the supermarkets are still trying to find a real home for it. <br />
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Quinoa looks a bit like couscous, but the grains are a bit smaller, and a bit more uniformally round. It comes brown, red or black. Brown is much more common, and usually the cheapest I have found. <br />
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It is super easy to cook. You simply put two parts liquid (water or stock) to one part quinoa, bring it to the boil and then simmer. Done. As simple as that! I usually allow a 1/4 cup per person of dried qunioa. However I always cook more as it is perfect for lunch the next day. <br />
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Adding stock gives the quinoa flavour - like couscous, quinoa has very little flavour on its own, it's up to you to pack it full of tastiness. <br />
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This is a mixture of cooked red, black and brown quinoa. <br />
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With this lot I made a scrumptious salad for dinner the other night. I cooked the qunioa in chicken stock and then while it was still warm I added a whole bunch of chopped vege and herbs - fresh sweetcorn, beans, celery, capsicum, mint and parsley. I dressed my salad with lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Simple and delicious. <br />
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I served it still slightly warm, but it was still delicious for lunch two days later.<br />
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I seriously recommend you try quinoa. You won't regret it. My workmate just gave me a book of 365 days of qunioa, so I hope to be able to share more quinoa ideas with you shortly. <br />
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-34778629095744582312012-12-11T19:02:00.001+13:002012-12-11T19:02:05.658+13:00Barbie Cake I made a cake the other day for a 5th birthday party. The birthday girl loves Barbie and the colour purple, so her Mum asked for a purple Barbie cake :-)<br />
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I made a chocolate cake and sandwiched the layers together with raspberry jam. <br />
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I made the yellow 'flowers' that I used to decorate the cake, and I sprinkled over lots of edible glitter to make Barbie sparkle. <br />
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Apparently the birthday girl loved it, so I was thrilled. Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-60985022026331254892012-12-09T20:51:00.002+13:002012-12-09T20:51:29.401+13:00Courtney's Wedding Cake My very good friend Courtney got married recently and I was honoured to be asked to make her cake. Courtney's theme was red and yellow and she wanted cupcakes, and a cake. I thought I would go through my process for making the cake (for simplicity, I'm calling it a "cake") as it was a precision mission! <br />
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Firstly, flavours. Courtney's husband-to-be loves banana cake, so that was the cake flavour sorted. I suggested a lemon cream cheese icing as I think that's a great combination. For the cupcakes, chocolate with a buttercream icing, half yellow and half red. There were around 100 people at the wedding, so we decided on 60 cupcakes and two banana cakes. As I made a cutting cake for display, the banana cakes were just left out the back and were cut up at dessert time. <br />
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I sat down with my recipes and worked out the quantities I would need. Turned out I needed over 11kg of ingredients!<br />
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To make things easier for me, and to speed everything up on baking day, I measured everything out into individual quantities and bagged it all up. It took about an hour, but it was well worth the effort. It meant I could go through and make sure I had enough of everything and that I didn't miss anything out (easy to forget something crucial like baking powder when you are a bit stressed - and I knew I would be feeling a little under pressure - wedding cakes are a big deal!) <br />
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Because of all the prep I had done, baking was actually very stress-free and everything went to plan. I certainly had a production line going! <br />
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My next challenge was to transport everything two hours away to the wedding venue! I was so paranoid about someone rear-ending me! <br />
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Courtney had arranged for a couple of figurines to be made for the top of the display cake (reflecting the occupations of the bride and groom) - they were pretty cute! These were put on top of the cutting cake - a banana cake that I covered with white fondant and attached a ribbon to. <br />
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I was so pleased with how everything turned out, and most importantly, so was the bride! She didn't see the finished result until she walked into the reception venue, so I must admit I was nervously awaiting her arrival! <br />
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One of the biggest thrills for me was watching people take photos of my cake! The temptation on the faces of the children present was pretty funny - I guess the bright cupcakes looked pretty enticing if you're only 3!<br />
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All in all, I am calling this one a success! The cake looked great and the wedding was wonderful.<br />
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-45200006593029109662012-11-03T11:28:00.000+13:002012-11-03T11:28:00.734+13:00Chicken soupI have been feeling very sorry for myself these last few days, suffering from some sort of nasty cold. The only thing I felt like eating on Thursday was chicken soup. I'm not sure why, but that's all my head felt that my stomach could handle. <br />
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Naturally I had few of the ingredients necessary to make chicken soup in my house (most importantly, chicken). Luckily, I have a wonderfully obliging partner who called in to the supermarket on his way home from work armed with a list of ingredients needed. <br />
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My chicken soup was a raging success, if I do say so myself. It hit the spot, and I credit it with my speedy recovery (although resting and drinking lots of fluids may also have something to do with it). <br />
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So, here's how to make my chicken soup. This made enough for dinner and lunch the next day for the two of us. You will need:<br />
Garlic - I used about five chopped cloves as I wanted it super-garlic infused<br />
A finely diced carrot (plus another half a carrot I had lounging about in the fridge)<br />
A tin of whole kernel corn (or fresh corn if it's in season)<br />
1L of chick stock<br />
Three bone-in chicken thighs (skin removed)<br />
Frozen peas (I didn't measure them - probably about half a cup)<br />
Two handfuls of dried rice noodles broken into small bits<br />
Salt, pepper, parsley, thyme <br />
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What to do:<br />
Gently fry the carrots and garlic until softened. Add the chicken thighs and just give them a quick fry to give them some colour. Add the stock and herbs. The liquid should cover the meat - if not, just add a bit of water. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 40 minutes - until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken onto a plate and let it cool a bit. While it's cooling, add your corn, peas and rice noodles. Shred all your chicken off the bone, and add the meat back to the pot with some more fresh herbs. Taste and season to your liking. <br />
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Some notes: If you don't like thigh meat, or bones, you could use chicken breast. Although, I think thigh meat gives much better flavour and is less likely to dry out. <br />
I don't eat onion, but if you do, I'd throw a finely diced onion in there too. Finely diced celery would also be a tasty addition. <br />
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Ahhh, how good does that look. Deliciously comforting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZM7xYqAyrgF3Y9KJPODH3sGxE4FRVsMlHw0igrFqYIXt0dosjkzWIo_e-isuk72in7Emj6evDxRlplf3khpvahX3O7m5qP5wmWbaNPn8rStPD1RezCxZ6D9Da5SqYfYHNOZOElONm80g/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="367" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZM7xYqAyrgF3Y9KJPODH3sGxE4FRVsMlHw0igrFqYIXt0dosjkzWIo_e-isuk72in7Emj6evDxRlplf3khpvahX3O7m5qP5wmWbaNPn8rStPD1RezCxZ6D9Da5SqYfYHNOZOElONm80g/s400/033.JPG" /></a></div>Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-8607590321655846672012-10-06T18:16:00.000+13:002012-10-06T18:16:22.231+13:00Chocolate sauce - my wayWhen I feel like really indulging, I make chocolate sauce. It's so easy to make and it keeps well if you don't quite eat it all (but let's be honest, how often does that happen!). <br />
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The beauty of my chocolate sauce is its versatility. Really, the only thing you really must have is chocolate! <br />
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So, my ultimate chocolate sauce recipie would be the following:<br />
Dark chocolate (as a rule, I use Whittakers, 70%, but if you wanted a less intense sauce, you could use milk chocolate)<br />
Cream<br />
Marshmallows<br />
Rum/brandy<br />
Vanilla<br />
Butter<br />
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Now, you're going to ask, how much of everything? Good question. I generally make it up as I go, but because I knew I would be asked, I measured everything out (kind of). Again, this is so flexible, you won't go wrong with adding a bit more or a bit less. <br />
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You want about 200g chocolate, 1/2 cup cream (if you want your sauce thinner, add more), a handful of marshmallows (the more you add the more gooey it will be - delicious), about one tablespoon each of alcohol/liqueur and vanilla, 50g butter. <br />
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I cook my chocolate sauce over a water bath (a bowl on top of a pot of simmering water). I plonk everything in, and just gently melt it all together. Make sure you give it a good stir as it melts. <br />
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When it has all melted together, lather it over ice cream, brownie, or whatever takes your fancy really. <br />
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Triple chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce? Don't mind if I do! <br />
Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-65651513057433253372012-10-01T20:41:00.000+13:002012-10-01T20:41:17.529+13:00Venison saladWith my freezer full of delicious venison, I get to start having some fun with it - cooking it! <br />
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Tonight I cooked a beautiful back steak. Back steak is delicious and tender and requires very little cooking. In fact, if you over cook it, it will be dry and tough and reasonably unpleasant to eat. You want it still pink in the middle. <br />
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I'm a huge fan of fruit with meat, particularly with venison. Venison loves to soak up the flavours of a delicious sharp fruit such as blackberry or cherry. So, I made a tasty, tasty cherry sauce. I used the following ingredients, you can adjust it to suit. <br />
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1 large heaped tablespoon of cherry jam<br />
a small handful of dried cherries<br />
1 cinnamon stick <br />
3 bay leaves<br />
2 small dried chillies<br />
one orange, juice plus pulp<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1/2 cup of port/red wine (I used a mixture of both)<br />
2 tablespoons brandy<br />
1 tsp honey<br />
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I boiled everything in a small pot, reduced to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the sauce reduced and thickened. It will go beautifully glossy and syrupy. Strain before serving and add the cherries back into the sauce. <br />
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I wanted to keep it simple, so I made a lovely green salad with capsicum, grapes and carrot. <br />
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I added some roasted kumara and yams.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPieYVdoWNiGkZ_ODD_SXlxWcWGC5ST9bfzl_T5k1DYoTdxxBBI1bXIf4XjbIb3He8tUqJpGlSFZZLCOysYri3uxVIOXyvMvxwsy74HIh0AdL7ZC7egW65PvsNndoNVmnNjG48rqfqAVD/s1600/Sept+2012+403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="367" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPieYVdoWNiGkZ_ODD_SXlxWcWGC5ST9bfzl_T5k1DYoTdxxBBI1bXIf4XjbIb3He8tUqJpGlSFZZLCOysYri3uxVIOXyvMvxwsy74HIh0AdL7ZC7egW65PvsNndoNVmnNjG48rqfqAVD/s400/Sept+2012+403.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Now to cook my lovely back steak. I cooked it for four minutes per side. For a great tip (and crucial to perfect venison-cooking) turn on the timer so you don't overcook it! Because this was a whole steak, I cooked it for a bit longer than I would for a standard steak. Normally I have a two minute per side rule. <br />
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Then, time to rest it for at least five minutes, before slicing it up. <br />
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I piled the venison on top of my salad and drizzled over my sauce - just like a bought one!! :-)<br />
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Talk about delicious. I seriously could eat this every night. Best dinner in a long time I reckon!!! <br />
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-69080663826640842802012-09-02T17:48:00.002+12:002012-09-02T17:48:56.400+12:00The day I butchered a deerYes, that's right, a deer. As in Bambi. I butchered one. In my kitchen. The kitchen in my <i>apartment</i>. Why? How? <i>What??</i> All fair questions. Let me explain. <br />
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On Thursday morning my little brother rang me. He would be coming through Wellington at lunchtime, and had a deer for me. Could I meet him to pick it up? Vension! Yum! I'll be there. <br />
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I arrived to find, not the venison I had been imagining, but a deer. A whole deer. Fur and all. Hmmm, interesting. My brother had a grin as wide as his face, he was so stoked to have bagged himself a deer. I'm not sure he had really thought about what I was going to do with a <i>whole </i>deer, he was just so proud of himself. And I'm proud of him too, and very, very thankful for free venison, but I still had a whole deer. <br />
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So, we drove the deer back to my place, which I need to point out is an apartment on the first and second story. No backyard. No grass. We do have a deck, but it's a shared deck, with another apartment. So, we left the deer on my varnished wooden floor and I went back to work to ponder what I was going to do with it. Luckily it's winter and my apartment is cold. I'm not sure what I would have done had it been summer. <br />
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Never one to shy away from a challenge, I arrived home after work that evening with a plan. I have butchered a sheep before, surely a deer can't be that different? I talked to my Dad who had some good tips, and off we went to Mitre 10 to get a saw. Here, I must give a shout out to Mitre 10 in Petone, those guys and girls are so cool. The staff are always so helpful, and Thursday evening was no exception. The man in the saws department didn't bat an eyelid when I said I needed a saw to cut up a deer. He just recommended one and off I went. Next I needed some plastic to put down on my kitchen floor. Feeling very Dexter-like, I went out to the trade section to find some plastic. The guy behind the counter wanted to know how much plastic I needed, when I said only two metres, he just lopped me off some Mitre 10-branded orange plastic and sent me on my way, free of charge. What a great guy. Off home I went to tackle my deer. <br />
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Here is my deer, in the kitchen, on the Mitre 10 plastic, all ready to go! (My brother had chopped off the hind legs earlier in the day, to make it easier to carry and work with). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM2UiqbV2Z58Gdbf5dnDBmakwNiiM2WFJXr4uaGWPxksKc8Uhpbr8EcYTYCsBo-cUAFG1xN9jkY6uzD3GKcjs-Z11t4CmpqQECsvhQ9IWNLpiLueUq-9GEsxOHkknzK4rOEnvA_6dmw_R/s1600/Deer+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="467" width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuM2UiqbV2Z58Gdbf5dnDBmakwNiiM2WFJXr4uaGWPxksKc8Uhpbr8EcYTYCsBo-cUAFG1xN9jkY6uzD3GKcjs-Z11t4CmpqQECsvhQ9IWNLpiLueUq-9GEsxOHkknzK4rOEnvA_6dmw_R/s400/Deer+001.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Paul stood the deer upright, and off I went. Turns out skinning a deer is a bit like skinning a sheep, so it wasn't too hard. The only problem was the deer's hair! It went <i>everywhere</i>. Good thing we had the plastic! No photos, as it was a two person job. But, this is what it looked like after I had finished. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttJDZYNgWQyTTBWEpdZmthzky5nzXa3NXq0EdklrPpgBbn3myZrHk6N_xenoyTPGqiujD4orilNTBOZ0lnDVtU8WZoz5WL126na3AT9hgJXh28jtyNnENnNxREBt9jjSx_7o0FBJemG9p/s1600/Deer+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="467" width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttJDZYNgWQyTTBWEpdZmthzky5nzXa3NXq0EdklrPpgBbn3myZrHk6N_xenoyTPGqiujD4orilNTBOZ0lnDVtU8WZoz5WL126na3AT9hgJXh28jtyNnENnNxREBt9jjSx_7o0FBJemG9p/s400/Deer+003.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Right about now the reinforcements arrived. Paul rang his brother-in-law, who, like me, grew up on a farm and has butchered the odd sheep or two. He also bought with him his super-duper sharp knives. Excellent. So, we set to work taking it apart piece by piece. <br />
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We concentrated on the good bits first (and the bits that I knew) - back steaks, rump, shoulder and fillets. Then we attacked the rest. We didn't leave a scrap of meat on that carcass - I'm a big believer in using everything. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4YyEs173m7yeZVQcVo7VafkQ8g92dJfHL776vkhR4QAmFkvAEnYxe4xJYkXVs6Aw_zeVnPsARLpYuhU-PWkNJLfhs8fkZZ9ifWQ4kiAzyowPi5HmYWRPcg4dLrVKpbUuoCCFyHxq6cfy/s1600/Deer+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="467" width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4YyEs173m7yeZVQcVo7VafkQ8g92dJfHL776vkhR4QAmFkvAEnYxe4xJYkXVs6Aw_zeVnPsARLpYuhU-PWkNJLfhs8fkZZ9ifWQ4kiAzyowPi5HmYWRPcg4dLrVKpbUuoCCFyHxq6cfy/s400/Deer+013.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2K7HAQYlbcP7jd2nuDNCQn1r2ZS3rak2lKf3Hz5K75yCcYkbk2BcMNqrkwLs3_qMNfmM4kQtwFI9S1gPj-V9C4Su4mLKgtINd8Pibm9JFYgw8K9nJFDs8quTOE5q9SbxtgOzRM6F6L4hm/s1600/Deer+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="467" width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2K7HAQYlbcP7jd2nuDNCQn1r2ZS3rak2lKf3Hz5K75yCcYkbk2BcMNqrkwLs3_qMNfmM4kQtwFI9S1gPj-V9C4Su4mLKgtINd8Pibm9JFYgw8K9nJFDs8quTOE5q9SbxtgOzRM6F6L4hm/s400/Deer+016.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Two and a half hours later, we had finished! What a great feeling. Again, I forgot to take a photo of the carcass, as we were just so pleased to be done! I also forgot to take a photo of all the meat bagged up, it was a massive pile! But, I did get this photo showing about 1/3 of the bagged meat, and all the "mystery meat" - the bits and pieces such as the flaps and the neck meat. Once I had cleaned up all the mystery meat I had 2kg of beautiful stewing meat. Delicious. I have some simmering away now, what out for a post in the coming days. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny0g7jLmDwwljV6mRjULK5-3vaLnqQDgEWVROiGXAT-VKiXq3Ndkg1ppSs6BliR9ObgcuyLtcxfgWqwV9JY08jJmm0lC4bDg6o34ERiYZW-YmVXFIHrCXeLjTqOB1RxlP-UDdiznLSqxM/s1600/Bagged+deer+meat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="600" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny0g7jLmDwwljV6mRjULK5-3vaLnqQDgEWVROiGXAT-VKiXq3Ndkg1ppSs6BliR9ObgcuyLtcxfgWqwV9JY08jJmm0lC4bDg6o34ERiYZW-YmVXFIHrCXeLjTqOB1RxlP-UDdiznLSqxM/s400/Bagged+deer+meat.jpg" /></a></div><br />
You might be wondering why I didn't butcher it into chops, or use the ribs. Basically, it was too much of a hassle. We only had a tiny kitchen bench to work on and a $5 saw. Every time we had to saw through a bone I had a heart attack imagining how I was going to explain to the landlord why there was a massive gouge out of the bench! Thankfully the only mishap we had was me getting my finger in the way of a knife, and that was right at the end. We did bone out the rump and one shoulder, they will be beautiful. <br />
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I had a great time, and Paul and I must give a massive thanks to Rodney who did a sterling job! <br />
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-59604259659343962432012-08-26T17:56:00.000+12:002012-08-26T17:56:52.154+12:00Too easy and so deliciousI just have to share my newest creation. I had an amazing smoothie/juice the other day at <a href="http://www.cafe-reka.co.nz/">Reka </a> in the Dowse. I forget what was in it, other then cranberries and mint. Anyway, I decided that I would have a go at creating my own delicious smoothie. <br />
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I hauled my blender out of it's hiding place in the back of my cupboard and got creating. I had some mixed berries in the freezer, so in went a good cup full of frozen berries. Next, a good slug of orange juice (I imagine you could use any type of juice you liked - pineapple would be super tasty). I went and raided my mint plant and added two good sprigs of mint (maybe 6-8 big leaves) as well as half a lemon (just the flesh, not the skin). <br />
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After a thorough blend, I was left with a wonderful, cold, delicious smoothie. Not too sweet, and with a refreshing kick from the mint. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixReL0ddkLyIkq_yXHFoBaj_dXAGQokGuOTKek8Cl11XdR2xl2tE5ABmGQWOltOe8fwrrYTpRbRuxihZl59MNkboM1WeS3CkZJp2KJzF_MKoUH7XL7dIuZirpVXyGix0b6AULGJJNLNY_R/s1600/August+2012+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="500" width="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixReL0ddkLyIkq_yXHFoBaj_dXAGQokGuOTKek8Cl11XdR2xl2tE5ABmGQWOltOe8fwrrYTpRbRuxihZl59MNkboM1WeS3CkZJp2KJzF_MKoUH7XL7dIuZirpVXyGix0b6AULGJJNLNY_R/s400/August+2012+053.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I like my smoothies much thicker than Paul, this is easily fixed. I made the smoothie to the thickness I like, then added extra juice to Paul's to thin it out. Done! Usually smoothies are full of dairy (yoghurt and/or milk) and banana, but this is a great alternative for those who can't/won't eat much dairy, and don't like banana. <br />
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You could totally use any mixture of berries, juice and other fruit. Ice cubes would make it cold and add thickness if you didn't have frozen fruit. <br />
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And the best news of all - it's super healthy! Bonus! Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-38790821016493416432012-08-22T20:45:00.001+12:002012-08-22T20:45:37.516+12:00Wellington on a Plate - Gusto Part two of Wellington on a Plate saw us head off to <a href="http://gustobistro.co.nz/">Gusto Bistro</a> in Petone. <br />
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Gusto's blurb advises us, "<i>Inspired by the ingredients, techniques and wines of the Mediterranean region, Gusto Bistro's menu is littered with classic dishes and some more contemporary interpretations</i>".<br />
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The Wellington on a Plate menu was as follows:<br />
<br />
Three courses with matched wines for $60. For full serve wine matches, $80.<br />
<i>Starter</i><br />
Wairarapa onion soup with Kingsmeade Opaki manchego cheese crouton<br />
or<br />
Lighthouse Gin-soaked Salmon gravlax with Prana baby leaves and Zany Zeus smoked yoghurt<br />
<br />
<i>Main</i><br />
Market fish with Te Horo Jerusalem artichoke purée, sunflower seeds and Lot Eight citrus oil<br />
or<br />
Braised PrimeStar osso bucco with Greytown Gold saffron risotto and parsley gremolata<br />
<br />
<i>Dessert</i><br />
Whittaker's chocolate mousse with Stanmore Farms blackberry sorbet, jelly, jam and powder<br />
or<br />
Wairarapa apple and Zorganic panna cotta with Crooked Cider and Pinnacle Grove walnuts<br />
<br />
Seven of us were dining at Gusto, on a Tuesday night. Gusto is full of nooks and smaller rooms and we were fortunate to be in our own little room - quite nice for a larger group, we could be as raucous as we liked. We all decided on the Wellington on a Plate menu. I went for the salmon gravlax, fish, then the chocolate mousse. <br />
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Our first wine match was served up - a delicious chardonnay with the salmon, and interestingly, a sherry with the onion soup. <br />
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While we waited for our starters, we were delivered a morsel of smoked snapper wrapped in courgette. Although tiny (the size of my little finger) it packed a punch of flavour and deliciousness. Yum. It left me wanting more. <br />
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Unfortunately, we were left wanting and waiting. After 40 minutes of waiting, we had all almost polished off our wine and out starters were finally served. I actually think I am being generous with the 40 minute wait, Paul reckons it was closer to an hour of waiting. Anyway, it was a long time, and we were hungry by the time our starters finally arrived. <br />
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Our starters were nice. However, I really can't see how they took so long to arrive, nothing required any cooking as such. And on top of all that, Paul's soup was warm, not hot. My dish was a cold dish (salmon with some foam and a smear of the smoked yoghurt, which really was delicious), so I'm not sure how the soup could possibly not have been piping hot. We had managed to save a mouthful of wine, and we agreed that the wine match was lovely, really well done. <br />
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Another wait for the main ensued, but thankfully this was not as long as the starter wait. My fish was beautifully cooked and the puree was tasty. Although, here I have another gripe. Almost all of us ordered the fish, and the size of each portion of fish varied massively. Size might vary between tables, and if you don't know it's happening you can't get grumpy about it, that's fine. But, when one person gets a piece of fish almost three times the size of another and they are sitting next to each other, well, you're going to notice. The same thing happened with our wine, massively inconsistent pours. Now, I know this is picky and a bit miserable of me, but when you are all paying the same, you expect consistency, or close to it. If it was close enough I wouldn't have noticed, and wouldn't be moaning about it. But, the difference was enough for us all to notice, and more importantly, to comment about it. <br />
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Dessert was the highlight of the meal. We all chose the chocolate mousse, and it was an excellent choice. All the components of the dish were incredible. The mousse was chocolatey and rich, the sorbet was the right mix of sweet and tart, and the jelly, jam and powder rounded it off beautifully. The wine match with the dessert was also a winner. Again, it was another sherry, but this one was totally different to the first. It was like drinking raisins. Sweet, sticky, moreish, we savoured every mouthful. <br />
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While dessert was amazing, I'm not hanging out to return to Gusto. I think overall I would rate it perhaps a 6, helped mostly by the faultless dessert. I think my overall impression was that Gusto takes itself a bit seriously, and perhaps tries a bit hard. It let itself down with extremely slow service, almost-cold soup, and uneven portions. <br />
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Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-89233621477972682952012-08-18T23:12:00.001+12:002012-08-18T23:12:27.464+12:00Wellington on a Plate - Caucus It's <a href="http://www.wellingtononaplate.com/">Wellington on a Plate</a> time again, and I am in foodie heaven. Like last year, this year I am using WOAP as a fantastic excuse to try as many new places to eat as possible. Restaurants put on special menus and deals, and it's a great opportunity to step out of the tried and true comfort zone of my favourite places to eat, and to also try places where I would normally steer clear of due to the price. <br />
<br />
On Thursday we went along at the invitation of a friend to Caucus restaurant in the Novotel Hotel on the Terrace. Like many restaurants participating in WOAP, Caucus has a set menu plus glass of wine deal. <br />
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Paul and I arrived early, so we had a drink while waiting for our friend to arrive. Pleasantly, while we were sitting with our drinks, the staff served us a small bowl of nacho chips. This was just what we felt like - a little something to nibble on to stave those after-work cravings. Good stuff. <br />
<br />
The Caucus deal is as follows:<br />
Choose any two courses plus a glass of regional Wellington wine for $35<br />
<i>Starter</i><br />
Fried Ōtaki potato and thyme gnocchi with mizuna and feta–tomato fondue<br />
<i>Main</i><br />
Roast Kapiti pork sirloin with Granny Smith purée, potato and kūmara mash and mustard jus<br />
or<br />
Wagyu beef sirloin with blue cheese, potato croquette, spinach and red wine jus<br />
<i>Dessert</i><br />
Waikanae raspberry and white chocolate crème brûlée.<br />
<br />
The three of us dining all chose the same from the set menu. Gnocchi plus the wagyu beef. It was a shame that we didn't get to see the pork, but not to worry. While we were waiting for our entrees to arrive, we were each served a bread roll and butter; another nice touch. <br />
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The gnocchi was interesting. It was fried, which I have not had before. I thought it was quite tasty. It was served surrounding a bit of tomato sauce and a salad. We all felt we needed more sauce. I wanted way more sauce actually. I felt I needed to carefully ration my sauce with each piece of gnocchi, and I'm not a fan of having to ration. As a rule gnocchi is pretty dry, it craves sauce to soak up and compliment it. Give me more sauce than I need, rather than less. It wasn't like it was truffle or something else scarily expensive, it was a tomato sauce, plain and simple. But, on balance, it was a satisfactory starter. <br />
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On to the main where we all chose the steak. I ordered my steak medium-rare, leaning more towards the rare than the medium (this is word-for-word how I ordered my steak). I don't like a well-cooked steak. My two companions ordered their steak medium-rare and medium. <br />
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Our steaks arrived and they were all well overcooked. My steak was bordering on medium-well done, as was the other medium-rare steak. The medium steak was well-done. Not a spot of red to been seen on any of our steaks. That was a shame, as the flavour of the steak was otherwise very nice. <br />
<br />
It turns out there is a mistake on the menu, and the steak was served with the <i>blue potato croquette</i> rather than <i>blue cheese</i> and a <i>potato croquette</i>. Also, and no where to be seen on the menu, the steak was served on a bed of long mung bean sprouts. Tasty, but totally unexpected. <br />
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The waitress came over (as she did during our entree course) to ask how our main meals were. I commented that our steaks were all well overcooked. In response, she looked distinctly uncomfortable and said she was sorry to hear that and retreated rapidly from our table. I thought this was a strange reaction. Why bother to ask how our meals are if you don't intend to do anything if we say we're not happy? Either don't ask, or, if you do ask and something's wrong, offer a remedy. <br />
<br />
I do understand if one steak happens to be overcooked. These things happen. But to have all three of us unhappy with how our steaks were cooked was pretty poor I felt. <br />
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On to dessert. We all decided that we would like to try dessert on top of our set menu selection. And I'm glad we did. Dessert was the highlight of the meal for me. I ordered a white chocolate and raspberry creme brulee and it was fantastic. A thick layer of brulee that cracked satisfyingly when I whacked my spoon on it. Underneath was a delicious custard laced with raspberries. I am a very harsh critic when it comes to creme brulee - the best I have ever had was in a restaurant in Paris. Every one I have eaten since, I have compared to Paris. Everyone who has been to Paris knows that anything struggles when compared to Paris! <br />
<br />
Anyway, I would be happy to eat this creme brulee any time, any where. It was sensational. My friends ordered a chocolate tart, and an orange cheesecake. Both reported these dishes were also delicious. <br />
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Overall, I gave Caucus a 6.5 out of 10. The food was ok, but the steak was a real let down. It was overcooked, and the menu didn't represent what was actually served up on my plate. Dessert made up for things though. Following a straw poll, my friends both gave a 7 out of 10. In the spirit of the recently ended Olympics, I'll remove the top and bottom scores, leaving a solid 7 out of 10. On balance, I think this score is a little generous, but that's what we went with, so that's what will have to stand. <br />
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I'm report on some more WOAP dinners in the next little while. <br />
Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-32063623048188814432012-07-29T20:11:00.000+12:002012-07-29T20:11:09.884+12:00Some cakes and a competitionI went along with two friends to a cake competition and exhibition at the New Dowse in Lower Hutt last weekend. I had seen this advertised along the main street of the suburb I live in, so decided to check it out. <br />
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The Wellington Regional Sugarcraft Guilds hosted this event, and if you're interested you can find out more information <a href="http://www.nzcakeguild.org.nz/upcoming%20events/Wellington%20Competition/schedule%202012.pdf">here</a>. But, I thought I would try and give a quick run down. <br />
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There were lots of different categories - the ones I expected such as wedding cake, celebration cake and novelty cake; and others I wasn't expecting such as bonsai tree (I'll explain soon), miniature cake, and floral spray. <br />
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Overall, the cakes on show were not really to my taste. They were a bit, well, old fashioned. While I don't argue that an awful lot of skill and love has gone into them, they are something that I'm sure my 80-something year old Nan would appreciate but they are not very appealing to me. I took lots of photos of the cakes I really liked and will talk about a few of them here. <br />
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We got to vote for our favourite cake, and this was mine. I loved the simplicity and the colour, although I would ditch the terrible vase and flowers on top. <br />
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It was closely followed by this cake. How adorable! The figures were just so well done. <br />
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These were my favourites from the floral spray category. Although again, I'm not sure how relevant these are in 2012. But still very clever bearing mind it's pretty much all edible sugar work. <br />
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Now onto the bonsai tree. Everything but the container had to be edible, and the tree could not be deciduous, i.e. it had to have leaves. None of this bare twigs business with the excuse that it's winter! Why there is a bonsai category in a cake decorating competition I couldn't quite figure out, but they were pretty cool nevertheless. Remember, everything is edible. <br />
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In celebration of the Year of the Dragon, there was a mini cake category. I loved the scales on the first dragon. <br />
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There was another random floral arrangement category. Again, random but very well done. <br />
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Finally, I just had to share this cake. Is it a cake or is it something else? Half cake, half light show. Again, random. But a cool random. The icing was so well done. Perfectly smooth, not a hint of a crinkle, and so clean. <br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-71971895317094467152012-07-27T21:07:00.002+12:002012-07-27T21:07:48.867+12:00Engagement cupcakesEngagement cupcakes? What on earth are engagement cupcakes? Well, this is my take on an engagement cupcake.<br />
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I wanted to celebrate four engagements over the last week. (Four!) What better way than with cupcakes, especially when only one couple lives in the same city as me! Congratulations to those four happy couples, I'm so pleased for you! These cupcakes are for you. <br />
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Nothing says romance better than chocolate, so I made a delicious chocolate cupcake from the Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Book (I admired this cookbook <a href="http://cookingwithcarina.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/french-toast-inspired-cupcakes.html">here</a>). The recipe has a tablespoon of instant coffee in it - I'm a real fan of coffee in chocolate cake/cupcakes, it really brings out the intensity of the chocolate. You can't taste the coffee at all - believe me, I think coffee is yuck, so I wouldn't put it in there if you could taste it.<br />
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Anyway, the star of these cupcakes was the icing. Sticking with my theme, the icing needed to be something special, not your ordinary icing. With that in mind, I decided to do a bit of experimenting. A while ago I purchased some Fresh As freeze-dried powdered raspberries, and I have been thinking about different ways to use it. (It's amazing mixed with a chocolate ganache to make truffles). <br />
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There are lots of different yummy flavours - blackcurrant, mango, passionfruit, pineapple, plum, strawberry; as well as freeze-dried chunks of feijoa, lychee, mandarin, pineapple and blueberry. Yummo. In Wellington you can buy it from Moore Wilson; outside Wellington from the <a href="http://kiwicakes.co.nz/kiwi/index.php">Kiwicakes website.</a> (Kiwicakes is Whangarei-based, therefore close to my heart. I totally recommend you check out the website, you could spend hours trawling through all the goodies). <br />
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Back to my icing. I made a standard buttercream icing and added a couple of spoonfuls of the raspberry powder. This gave my buttercream an incredibly intense, zingy, wonderful raspberry flavour. As well as a beautiful pink colour. This icing was delicious, I was so pleased with how it turned out. <br />
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But, I'm biased, so I needed an independent opinion. Or 24. I took the cupcakes to work for taste-testing (one half of one of the four happy couples is my workmate, so it was only fitting). Unfortunately my workmate was away (should have checked that!) Not to worry, everyone else happily obliged!<br />
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Apparently the cupcakes were a winner, the icing especially!! A touch of glitter topped off the cupcakes. I'm off to Moore Wilson this weekend to buy some more flavours! <br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-2356793002881764552012-07-21T21:13:00.001+12:002012-07-21T21:13:06.775+12:00Wild pork roastMy Dad went on a hunting trip to the South Island recently. On his way back through Wellington he stopped to drop off some wild pork. Lucky me! <br />
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My poor, poor freezer though! I had to resort to carefully stacking everything in until there wasn't a speck of space left, and then quickly slamming the door shut to hold everything in there. This worked well until my partner opened the door to get something out, only to have half the contents of the freezer collapse on him. Oops. (Of course, it was his fault for opening the freezer - what was he thinking? He he).<br />
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Anyway, a giant leg roast was taking up the most room, so it had to go. And by go, I mean it was time for dinner. <br />
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As with all wild meats, wild pork needs to be treated carefully. It generally has little fat on it, so you can easily wreck it by drying it out. You skin a wild pig, so wild pork does not have that protective layer of skin and fat that supermarket pork has. <br />
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I made my roast a nice little bed of veges to sit on - apples, yams and garlic as well as some rosemary, salt and pepper. <br />
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Into the tray I poured some wine, water and pineapple juice. All of these things I thought would give the pork a lovely flavour and tenderness. <br />
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I covered this tightly with tinfoil and put it into a really hot oven (250 degrees) and immediately turned it down to 150 degrees for about three and a half hours. <br />
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Now, I was so excited about how my roast turned out, that I forgot to take photos! Mind you, as delicious as it was, it just looked like a big hunk of cooked meat, so you're not missing out on too much! <br />
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As I carved the meat, I spooned over some of the juices left over in the pan - this helps to ensure it stays lovely and tender as you serve it. <br />
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There are only two of us to feed, and despite me piling our plates high - pork is such a treat as I rarely buy supermarket pork (and only ever free-range) - we had a lot left over. So, I thought I would share my ideas for the leftovers. <br />
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On the first night of leftovers we had pork fried noodles with Chinese-inspired flavours - I used a marinade of sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chilli, rice wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. (As an aside, worcestershire is the most ridiculously hard word to spell!! Not to mention that you don't pronounce it anything like it looks, but don't get me started on that one).<br />
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I quickly stir-fried some carrot, broccoli and mushrooms, and added the pork as it only needed to be heated through. Some more sauce plus the cooked rice noodles, and dinner was done!<br />
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The next night we had tacos - this time I didn't flavour the pork directly, but added a delicious chilli salsa to the pork and salad on the tacos. The meat was still so tender and delicious, yum, yum, yum.<br />
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There was even enough left over for lunch the next day! <br />
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So, thanks very much Dad!!! <br />
<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-24051305378336022302012-07-18T21:09:00.004+12:002012-07-18T21:09:44.232+12:00The Quest for the Perfect Fudge, part 2I'm on a mission to find the perfect fudge. <a href="http://cookingwithcarina.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/quest-for-perfect-fudge-part-1.html">Part 1</a> was not so successful. Oh well, on to part 2. <br />
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Following my request for fudge recipes, my wonderful cousin Kelli sent me a recipe to try. And try I did. The result? Yum! <br />
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This fudge was a winner! Creamy, no grainy texture at all and a beautiful colour too. And so easy to make! Bung everything in a bowl and zap it in the microwave, stirring now and then. <br />
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The recipe called for the fudge to be cooked on medium-high, but my microwave, like my stovetop, has one temperature - scalding hot. So, I adapted and only cooked it for one minute at a time. This seemed to work just fine. I also halved the recipe - with my track record of fudge-making, I didn't trust myself to make a full recipe and run the risk of ruining it all.<br />
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Even half a batch made enough for me and my Paul to take to work. An all-round great recipe! <br />
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At work, the general consensus was that it was smooth and creamy, and that you could taste the chocolate. I guess my only critisism was that it was quite hard to cut - it tended to crumble rather than cut smoothly. To be fair though, I didn't put it in the fridge as the recipe instructed. <br />
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Bring on part 3!!<br />
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Creamy Caramel Fudge<br />
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2x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk<br />
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar<br />
250g butter, chopped<br />
1/3 cup liquid glucose<br />
1/4 cup golden syrup<br />
400g good-quality white chocolate, chopped<br />
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1. Grease a 3.5cm deep, 16.5cm x 26cm (base) slab pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at both long ends. <br />
2. Place condensed milk, sugar, butter, glucose and golden syrup in a large (14-cup capacity), heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring with a balloon whisk every 2 minutes, or until mixture comes to the boil. <br />
3. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for a further 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every minute with a wooden spoon, or until thick and golden. <br />
4. Place bowl on a board. Stand for 2 minutes or until bubbles subside. Add white chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Pour hot fudge mixture into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Stand at room temperature for 3 hours. Refrigerate until firm. Lift out onto a board. Cut into squares.<br />
Notes<br />
• Note: You can make fudge ahead, wrap it in wax paper and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-26362403782652765752012-07-14T17:23:00.000+12:002012-07-14T17:23:05.683+12:00Pan De Muerto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8ko0O6YIRVCFWglzBAUwsLJ3Xzr3DMeamoQJ021sCxwbdAVj2z-D7OMogSaO_0hLMehOtTY_vqC6lvTVQPCxozFk2Eh-COrzKNmKJl_-8H3QoXaNbcgzcBejSI29iYFwFoCifLRg46pv/s1600/logo-pan-de-muerto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="115" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8ko0O6YIRVCFWglzBAUwsLJ3Xzr3DMeamoQJ021sCxwbdAVj2z-D7OMogSaO_0hLMehOtTY_vqC6lvTVQPCxozFk2Eh-COrzKNmKJl_-8H3QoXaNbcgzcBejSI29iYFwFoCifLRg46pv/s400/logo-pan-de-muerto.png" /></a></div><br />
<i>"It is written in ancient Mexican legend, obscured by the mists of time, that amongst us will dwell the "shadow-walker". A man who can freely pass between the living & the realm of the dead.<br />
...<br />
Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead) is that gift, & through it you can now taste the afterlife, and partake of the celebration of the dead...<br />
So enjoy your food, and take time to thank and remember those who have passed before us... and don't forget to "live like you’re dead"!!!"<br />
</i><br />
These are the words that greet you when you enter <a href="http://pandemuerto.co.nz/page/home.aspx">Pan De Muerto</a> in Kent Terrace. Six of us went there for dinner on Thursday, so as something new I thought I would share my thoughts. <br />
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The atmosphere inside is strange, but somehow it all fits. We couldn't quite work out how the fairy angel pained on the wall fitted next to the skeleton, but hey, it provided us with a discussion point at the very least.<br />
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The menu had loads of gluten free options which was awesome - meant that there was lots of choice. Further, all the gluten free options were clearly labelled. There were also a number of vegetarian options. <br />
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For a starter we went for a tasting platter. Probably the highlight of the platter (at least for me) were the jalapenos rellenos, which were tasty little jalapeno chillis stuffed with something cheesy and delicious, crumbed and then deep fried. They were exactly the right balance of cheesy, chilli and spice. Delicious, I could have eaten them all night. <br />
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The rest of the platter was pretty good - some nacho chips, dip, meatballs, and some quesdillas, all tasty. <br />
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For my main I had fish tacos. The soft tacos came with a bowl of black beans, some very tasty rice, and salsa. While everything was very delicious, I couldn't really taste my fish, it was more "generic protein". By itself the fish was well cooked, and well flavoured. It just got overpowered by the strong flavours of the rest of the dish. <br />
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Probably the only disappointment of the meal was the margarita jug. <i>Jug</i> being the word to focus on here. Turns out our margarita jug was not a jug at all but a glass carafe. Hmmm. We all managed a couple of yummy mouthfulls.<br />
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Overall, Pan De Muerto provided us with a fun, delicious and filling meal. I would certainly go back. There is a lot more on the menu to work my way through! <br />
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<br />Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4398708590505118674.post-63156269615807404032012-07-10T20:13:00.000+12:002012-07-10T20:13:02.423+12:00Lamb shanks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipb6swmpdzPhhEuSfCzj4hQikyC4l_ZAifzuP40658s1U8wouSNPVacGg0TX0ZGR1s_cQBd9kZLVfqPL3Cs7n6I0CrZPSxle-Vomg4YIyrH6wDK-Ujyt4L0DZIo-mwHx6yTcXs-auu3tje/s1600/Photos+from+June+2012+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="367" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipb6swmpdzPhhEuSfCzj4hQikyC4l_ZAifzuP40658s1U8wouSNPVacGg0TX0ZGR1s_cQBd9kZLVfqPL3Cs7n6I0CrZPSxle-Vomg4YIyrH6wDK-Ujyt4L0DZIo-mwHx6yTcXs-auu3tje/s400/Photos+from+June+2012+002.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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I don't often buy lamb. It's fair to say I'm a bit of a lamb snob. I'll admit it. <br />
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I'm a farm girl - I grew up helping Dad kill and butcher our own sheep. I unknowingly became accustomed to eating the best lamb, and I find that supermarket lamb just does not cut it. It's not as tender, it's not as tasty, it does not look as good (I'm often skeptical whether "lamb" in the supermarket is actually lamb). <br />
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Whenever I go home my Dad makes sure I head back with a suitcase full of delicious homegrown and home killed lamb. (Fitting it in my miniature freezer is always a challenge but I have found that, where there is a will, there is a way).<br />
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The other day I had a real treat - lamb shanks. Yum. <br />
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I wanted to try something different, so I asked Google for some ideas. I found <a href="http://tvnz.co.nz/masterchef-new-zealand/lamb-shanks-4032799">this recipe</a> from Jax Hamilton (of MasterChef fame). <br />
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Naturally I changed it a bit, so here's my adaptation of the recipe, and what I did. <br />
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2 lamb shanks <br />
Flour for dusting, seasoned with salt and pepper <br />
1 T olive oil <br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped <br />
4 springs of rosemary, picked, chopped <br />
160ml red wine <br />
120ml balsamic vinegar <br />
2 T brown sugar<br />
salt and freshly ground black pepper <br />
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Preheat the oven to 180C. Dust the lamb shanks with the seasoned flour. <br />
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Fry the lamb shanks in the olive oil until they are well browned. Remove and add the garlic and rosemary for a couple of minutes. <br />
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Put everything into a casserole dish. Cover with a lid or tinfoil. <br />
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Cook for about one and a half hours. Check the lamb shanks - they should be falling off the bone and beautifully tender. <br />
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I served my shanks with mashed carrot and pumpkin, peas and blanched spinach. (I love lamb and spinach, I think they are such great friends). <br />
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It's fair to say, the result was delicious. The right balance of sweet and savoury. Meaty and tasty. Everything you want out of a winter time meal. Topped off with a hearty glass of red wine, it was wonderful. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq09GGUwMwfmIucrIiSzE26CBg32xujtIjLRSOZXfby1oR6WLEM_4Qx6d7LL1CgqPQDXQvJwqSOuRJnivNE8E5D-yiKFsj0y-8TVKoJS2VAamb4_D_7hzlDX6J_uLk8ky3lvyt5aQUH9VB/s1600/Photos+from+June+2012+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="367" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq09GGUwMwfmIucrIiSzE26CBg32xujtIjLRSOZXfby1oR6WLEM_4Qx6d7LL1CgqPQDXQvJwqSOuRJnivNE8E5D-yiKFsj0y-8TVKoJS2VAamb4_D_7hzlDX6J_uLk8ky3lvyt5aQUH9VB/s400/Photos+from+June+2012+019.JPG" /></a></div>Carinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16737836062568526716noreply@blogger.com0