Wee Jasper Special

Cooking dinner over wine, sort of mandatory in our family

The Dude made a short visit a couple of weeks back and over a few glasses of wine, we hung out, cooked and and photographed using The Dude's excellent camera. The results of the evening are the awesome shots that follow, as well as a delicious dinner.

We had initially 'umm-ed' and 'ahh-ed' about going out to eat, but The Dude made an excellent suggestion about making the Wee Jasper Special. Wee Jasper is a tiny town where The Dude used to work, and the following dinner is an adaptation on the, well, special they had in the town's only restaurant/pub. It's comfort food at it's best: steak, potato and salad.

Well, perhaps I over simplify. The star the dish is the Danish Potato - cheesy, gooey and delicious. There is a little prep involved, but it's well worth it.

Danish Potatoes
(Serves 3)

6 medium potatoes, whole, unpeeled, washed thoroughly
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar)
2 tbs parsley (dried is specified in the original recipe, but we used fresh)
1 tbs marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the over to 180 degrees C.
2. Pierce the washed potatoes all over with a fork.
3. Place the potatoes, in one layer, into a microwave safe dish. Cook on High for 10 mins.
4. Allow the potatoes to cool for about 5 minutes, then cut in half length ways.
5. Scoop out the fleshy potato into a bowl, taking care not to rip the skins as you will be using them later
6. Set the skins aside to an oven proof dish.
7. To the scooped out potato, add the cheese, parsley and marjoram and mash until quite smooth and well combined. Season as required.
8. Spoon the mixture back into the reserved skins, filling them all the way to the top.
9. Place the potatoes into the oven, and bake until golden brown and the insides warmed through, about 10-15 mins.
10. When ready, serve alongside steak and salad.

Optional - if you want extra cheesiness, sprinkle more cheese on top of the potatoes before popping them into the oven. That's what we did this time around, hence why the spuds are super golden, and the specks of herbs aren't showing through.

There's nothing like a Wee Jasper Special to remind you of family and good times

And there you have it, the Wee Jasper Special. Yum. Oh, and should you happen to have leftovers, the Danish Potato keeps quite well. Warm up the next day (microwave is fine), and if you're into it, eat with ketchup (Heinz Tomato Ketchup being a personal favourite of The Dude and I).

Lambsicum

For some time now, The B and I have been cutting back on carbs. We’re eating a lot more salads and meat, which is fine and tasty… but it does leave one predicament. It can get tiresome eating lamb cutlets (the B’s favourite) and steaks all the time. So, I try and come up with something a little more exciting.

I was thinking about ways of serving up more vegies and meat and remembered stuffed capsicums. I came across this recipe which became the base for tonight's dinner. A very loose base, I might add, because although I had read it before I went to the shop, I forgot to buy half of the required ingredients. And also, when I was cooking, I cut out a few steps. The result was still pretty great.

Like a pie but not. At all.

Stuffed Capsicums - My Way

(serves 4)

500g lamb mince
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs tomato paste
3 shakes of paprika
3 shakes of rosemary
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used basil, parsley and chives)
2 medium capsicums, washed, deseeded and halved length ways
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined (it’s very tricky, this recipe!).
3. Spoon the meat mixture evenly between the 4 capsicum halves.
4. Place on a baking tray, then into the oven for about 20-25 mins. I determined doneness when the middle was clear of pink).
5. Serve up nice and hot with a salad (ours was mixed leaves, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts and bacon with Paul Newman’s Caesar dressing. The dressing deserves a post of it’s own, so stay tuned).

Toasting the town...

I have a huge liking for food and eating - I'm not sure if something that you need to do every, single day can be a hobby, but food is my hobby. I read and write about it, talk about it, dream about it and have fun with it.

I often think about what 'direction' this blog should be taking. Over time, I've realised that I'm not huge on getting my camera out in a restaurant, asking everyone to stop eating and then trying to take notes (mental or otherwise) about what everyone ordered, how it tasted etc. Once I've read the menu and decided what to eat, I'm far more interested in the company and conversation, and in most cases the wine and beer, than worrying about taking numerous pictures.

For me it's all about the experience, rather than the minute details. And honestly, I feel much more comfortable taking photos in the comfort of home (mine or yours).

Having said that, this post is about one of my last nights in Sydney, which was at the Bangkok Sidewalk in Kirribilli.

Jodie and I discovered the restaurant completely by chance one night on our way to the theatre. That evening we ate in a hurry, just before the show.

For our second visit however, we allowed plenty of time. After a few drinks a pub nearby, we were ready. For entree, we decided on spring rolls and corn and tofu fritters. Both were delicious - the spring rolls in particular, as they were different to the squat cabbage and carrot filled numbers you would normally expect. These were delicate, thin and flavoursome.

Entree - corn and tofu fritters and spring rolls

Ordering mains was a no brainer. Jodie thought back to the melt-in-your-mouth Massamun Lamb Shanks she had the first time. The portion was huge (more than enough to share) and come with loads of sauce and delectable, thai roti for soaking it up with. The sauce and roti combo is unbelievable.

Massamun Lamb Shanks - super tender meat, fantastic sauce, love the roti.

The shanks were accompanied by a clear sauce served in a bowl with chopped chillies, finely diced red onion and cucumber and a full clove of garlic. We still haven't worked out where it fits in... but it sure is pretty and from the finger dip taste test - sweet!

A pretty, clear sauce with no clear purpose.

I didn't think twice about the Pad Thai. I know - not very adventurous but here, I really liked the way it was presented. The noodles are encased in a thin 'net' of egg. And as far as Pad Thai goes, this one is great - just enough sour, sweet and salty.

Pad Thai - that's an egg noodle 'nest' they're enclosed in.

Of course, this wasn't enough (it really was, but we were having too much fun) so we also ordered the King Prawns with green vegetables. Again, a generous serve. The grilled king prawns, skin on and the green vegies are stir fried with oyster sauce.

King Prawns + Green Vegies = no room at the table. Or for dessert.

At this point the small table was groaning under all the food and we were borrowing stools from tables nearby, so as not to place our wine on the floor. But not a thing went to waste - we sat in the restaurant until we finished every morsel and staff started closing the restaurant around us.

Full and satisfied, a walk was in order. We headed towards the harbour and found a great little spot with a bench near the water's edge. The bridge was directly above, the Opera House twinkled from across the way and the ships and ferries sailed past. It was the perfect spot to soak in Sydney and with wine left over from dinner, to toast the town and say farewell.

Bye for now...

When one thing leads to another...

I had all the ingredients (and a craving) for a beef strog at home, but one thing lead to another and I ended up with the recipe that follows.

These types of dinners happen often and particularly on a Wednesday.

Moroccan Beef/Lamb with Couscous
(serves 2)

400g beef or lamb steaks, thinly sliced
1/4 red capsicum, sliced
1/2 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large or 1 small onion, sliced
1 tbs sour cream
A few shakes of moroccan seasoning
1 cup of couscous, cooked

1. Saute the onion in olive oil until tender.
2. Add the meat and seasoning, and cook until brown.
3. Add the mushrooms and capsicum.
4. Once cooked through, add 1/2 cup of stock, and stir through sour cream. Heat through on a low heat.
5. Prepare coucous (I really like instant).
6. Spoon couscous into a bowl, and top with the meat and sauce.
7. Enjoy!

Not quite strog but no less tasty!

Fit Food

Earlier this year, Miss Nug and I made a commitment to get fitter and healthier - for our own good, but more importantly for Miss Nug's upcoming wedding!

We make our way to the gym after work, which means getting home later in the evening and the need for a quick - but healthy - dinner. These are a couple dinners I had made a while back.

The first is chicken in a creamy sauce (possibly made with Boursin cheese) with chopped spinach, fresh tomato on wild mushroom rice (pre-packed I admit, but not too bad a shortcut). It was one of those dishes I threw together with stuff I already had in the pantry and fridge.

Chicken with Spinach, Tomato and Rice

The same week, I was given dried oregano (picked by hand in Greece!) by a friend from work. Straight away, I had cravings for fresh tomato, feta and olives. I had some lamb steaks which I pan fried and had along with a Greek salad (not strictly traditional with my avocado).

You might not be able to tell from the picture, but the lamb was quite pink inside - just the way I like it.

Lamb Steaks and Greek Salad

On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese...

I have been craving meatballs lately and motivated to cook on Tuesday, I set about cooking a batch. Initially, I thought it would be a time-intensive meal, but actually the result was surprisingly quick, my recipe (or improv!) made loads, and the result was quite tasty.

Essentially I threw together about 60og of beef and veal mince, along with a handful of fresh parsley and basil, a raw egg, a handful of breadcrumbs, 2 crushed garlic cloves, an onion, some romano cheese as well as salt and pepper. Then, I mixed it all together until it was well combined (I started by using a spoon, but this proved far more difficult and plus, I love playing with food).

My mid-week cheat for the sauce was Napoletana (700mls) from the supermarket. I started heating it through while I rolled tablespoons of the mince mixture. Once the meatballs were ready and the sauce was nice and hot, I added them straight to the hot sauce. While they were cooking (about 30 mins... I think), I cooked spaghetti and prepared a garden salad.

The end result?

Meal One: Spaghetti and Meatballs

As I've said, my recipe made quite a few serves. There was enough for seconds for The B and I, as well as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Actually, there was also enough for another dinner, but I figured a bit of sprucing was required. So the next day, I heated the meatballs, added risoni and some V8. The addition of the vegetable juice might sound a tad strange but I needed more liquid (for the pasta to cook properly) but I also didn't want to thin the flavour of the tomatoes, which had gotten better overnight. V8 is just tomato juice after all and a much better alternative to water in this case. Once the pasta cooked through, in went in 1/3 of Boursin (garlic and herb), which made the sauce creamy and a bit thicker. Mmmmm.

I fished out the meatballs, and served them along with a salad of mixed leaves, tomato and avocado dressed with white balsamic, olive oil and a dash of soy.

Meal 2: Meatballs and Risoni in Creamy Tomato Sauce

There was still some sauce remaining after the meatballs were well gone - enough for yet another lunch. But this time, for something completely different, I sliced up smoked chicken breast to have along with the sauce. I didn't mix it through the tomato, so as not to add too much smokey flavour to the pasta sauce.

At work, I heated the sauce and risoni, added the chicken on top. Was really good.

Meal 3: Risoni, Tomato with Smoked Chicken

Cousin Dinner | American

The Cousins got together for dinner again Saturday, and American was the theme. Following the tradition, preparation of meals was divided amongst the group. And the menu was:

Entree | Pilgrim Pumpkin Pie (Nat)

Beautiful golden pie.

Nat' craving for Pie set the theme for Dinner this time around. None of us had had it before, so we were surprised by the texture and sweetness. It was tasty, and quite spicy from the nutmeg. The Pie was pretty sweet too, especially with a huge dollop of...

Whipping cream the old fashioned way is hard work.

Whipped cream! Specifically made for the Pie, Nat mixed it with nutmeg, ginger and honey.

Overall, I think we all agreed that for our tastes, the Pie was perhaps a little sweet as an entree. And in the end, we came up with a version: the Pumpkin and Bacon Pie, which appealed to our savoury palates.

Soup | Clam Chowder (Goo)

I heart Chowdah... Chowdah!

Goo made a HUGE pot of Clam Chowder (using mussels). Taking no shortcuts, it was made with fresh, home made fish stock, and contained goodies like potato, carrot, onion and lots of cream. Once ready, it was pureed and the meat added; each portion was then garnished with a whole shell and sprinkled with parsley.

It was delicious... and definitely worthy of seconds (which I had. I would've had thirds, but it was all gone by that stage!).

Main | Cherokee Chicken with Roast Potatoes (The Dude)

Main Event in the making. Only another... 25 mins. Hmm.

Everyone helps out.

Cousin Dinners are notorious for two things: the main taking a while but always being worthwhile and dessert being served after midnight.

On Saturday, we waited (admittedly, not that long) for the Cherokee Chicken. This was pan fried meat with green capsicums, garlic, onion and cranberries (which had previously had a great time soaking in vermouth). It was perfect. Crispy skin, juicy chicken. Mmmm.

Crunchy, roast potatoes sprinkled with chilli kept the chicken company (at least for a few moments).

Sides | Cobb Salad and Corn Bread (Me)

Pretty colours at the table.

I opted for Cobb Salad for my contribution. Made up of cos lettuce, bacon, boiled egg, tomato, avocado, watercress, parsley and chives, all the elements are laid in lines on the cos lettuce. The salad is then served with a blue cheese dressing. I was pleased with the result and will be making the salad again.

The cornbread came about from hearing about in on possibly every American TV show I had ever watched. Made with polenta, cheese, chilli it was a good side - light and tasty. The addition of sugar (as we had in every meal) added a bit of sweetness, but it wasn't overbearing.

Dessert | Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownies (Net)

'All I need now is a glass of milk, and someone to rub my tummy while I fall asleep".

Net's been baking a lot lately - and this is a good thing, as her baked goods are fantastic. Despite the problem of using an old gas oven, the brownies were as they should be: cracked and forming their own icing at top, soft and moist on the inside. With chunks of white chocolate and hazelnuts, it was the best way to end the evening.

Oh and for the record, the first brownie photo was taken at 12.51 am :)

Drinks | Old Fashioned Lemonade (Nic), Sangria (Me)

I'd pay 5 cents for a cup.

Nic came prepared with real lemonade. I didn't end up asking how many lemons went into it, but it was sour, sweet, fizzy and delicious. Ok, and maybe, just maybe, we added vodka to it.

Just like juice - only happier.

Admittedly not American, I like sangria so brought enough for a couple of jugs. My version is made using Tarrango (Brown Brothers wines), vodka, sugar, lemon, lime and orange.

And there you have, American theme checked off. During dinner, we talked about the next theme... nothing's been decided but some if the ideas we tossed up included:

• Lebanese
• Spanish
• Medieval
• Three course Fondue (cheese, oil, chocolate).

I'll let you know what we decide.

Birthday Month and Other Happenings...

I know, I know - many weeks have passed without an entry. Rather than skipping a whole month, I thought I'd do a summary of events... it was after all, Birthday Month and there were a few captured opportunities for feasting and celebrating. There were also a few undocumented moments, but I'll list them below anyway (I'm still getting used to photographing everything I eat - I often remember about the camera when I see the crumbs on a plate!).

Anyway, let's begin.

A few days before my birthday, I caught up with an old work mate, for a laksa and a movie. I ordered my usual combination laksa and Ian ordered his usual, the seafood. Of course, we couldn't have laksa without the obligatory can of Coke... and just because sometimes you can't have enough food - we also had a spring roll and dim sim each. Yum.

Laksa Spread - mine in the foreground, Ian's in the background

For the movie (The Simpsons), I got a massive Coke (cause I loved the Donut shaped lid on the cup) and a bucket (literally) of popcorn. And lollies. Ian and I made a small dent in the popcorn... there was so much of it, and after dinner it was difficult to fit in any more.

As a birthday celebration, I had organised a bit of a 'girl's night out' with Nat, Net, Goo and Miss Nug. We went to King St Wharf, to La Cita (chosen after a recommendation from Nat's friend from work).

It was Spanish food - and not too bad either. I particularly liked the mixed entree platter, which included chorizo, which I had been craving for some time and a scallop ceviche.

The tasting platter of good things... that's the scallop ceviche at the bottom left.

Chilli and cheese bread... warm. And cheesy.


My lamb cutlets with rice, which had mushrooms and other roasted veggies. Yum.

Goo's Chicken Fajitas. Net's Beef and Chicken Fajitas in the background.


Miss Nug's Chicken with veggies and potato gratin


Nat's Vegetable Fajitas in the making...

So, the company was great, and although the sangria was a little weak, it was a fun night.

The night after my birthday, was a quiet night in - I had ordered in from a new pizzeria in Lane Cove. I like anchovies on a pizza, and the Supreme did not disappoint. The Caesar I had ordered was a little different from the standard, as it was made with mixed salad leaves, but the bacon bits, dressing and croutons (made from pizza dough) were decent.

Mmm, pizza with anchovies, and an interesting take on a Caesar. Washed down with a sauv blanc.

Other memorable though visually undocumented happenings in August:

• With The B away overseas, I spent a few nights at mum and dad's who treated me to a dinner out at a Chinese place in Eastwood (we had san choy bau, dumplings, Mermaid Tresses (lightly fried Chinese cabbage) amongst other treats
  
  
• They then had me back a few days later for a home cooked roast pork with mashed potatoes
  
  
• I had a farewell pizza night with Miss Nug prior to her 6-week trip of Europe
  
  
• For what I thought was the last night prior to The B coming home, I went out for dinner... by myself... I went to the Sushi Train (couldn't go all out at my first try). It was ok... but I definitely prefer company!
  
  
• Once The B was back home, we had mum and dad over for dinner, and I made pork scotch fillets with a tomato and basil sauce, mashed potatoes, a salad with red wine vinegar dressing and pine nuts and for dessert... Carrot Cake! Was quite delicious, even if I say so myself!

And that's about it for August...

The Cousin Dinner

Busy, busy, busy at this end hence lack of posts... mind you, this hasn't stopped me from eating out... there's just not much photographic evidence. But don't fear - it's Birthday Season! So lots of celebrations (and posts) ahead.

Anyhoo, part of the busyness was a writing course I had been doing, and before you all think I've given up on Spoon Fork Knife, I thought I'd post a piece of writing I did. Here goes:

The history of the Cousin Dinner is not all that old, perhaps three years, but in it's time, it has seen important milestones in the lives of my brother, my four cousins (all from our mother's side of the family) and I: a pregnancy, an engagement, an 18th, the completion of high school and university and work promotions. Our Dinners have a helped to mend lost friendships, and been a way for us to say farewell.

We meet together every 6 months - prior to each occasion we brainstorm to decide a culinary theme for the evening. Over the years, we've impressed each other with dishes based on the flavours of Italy, and influences of our mothers' cooking. Most recently, French cookbooks and friends were consulted for recipes. Our more memorable effort however, was the Australian themed dinner we held in December 2005 – a theme selected especially, as this Dinner was going to the last for us as a 'complete' set. One of the cousins, was following her heart (and sense of adventure) to Poland after 20 years of living in Australia. Knowing that the produce that is so readily available, and often taken for granted here, may be hard to come by in Poland, we all set about creating dishes that would showcase what Australia had to offer.

As with most dinners, as soon as we got together that evening, wine was poured and the conversation started to flow – the events of the past few months, and the upcoming departure quickly filled the room. We snacked on dolmades, and stuffed baby capsicums, as well as tomato, boccocini and basil skewers. Together, we set the table, and tried to take sneak peeks of what else was to come.

My brother's seafood barbeque was the highlight of the evening. As always, there was no doubt of the effort he had gone to. The feast consisted of 12 variations on seafood: we began with barbequed prawns, scallops and baby octopus. These were followed by heavenly fishcakes, which were flavoured with chilli and coconut. We finished with fish fillets wrapped in banana leaf.

Silence never quite descends as we eat, though instead of conversation came compliments and sounds of happiness. At this point of the night, feeling comfortable and happy, the talk also turned to who will be driving home...

The finale to the Feast was a traditional pavlova, laden with cream, strawberries, kiwi and passionfruit. As is the custom of the Cousin Dinner, it was served well after midnight and provided the much needed sugar hit to keep the night rolling along, and this was proved by the dancing that began.

There are not many of my cousins living in Australia – now only three remain after the departure, but we continue to hold the Cousin Dinners. It's our way of showing our effort, care and attention for each other – after all, it's what food – and family are all about.

The next Cousin Dinner has been pencilled in for September 15. The theme is American (and no, this doesn't mean greasy burgers, fries or mac 'n' cheese).

Quavers

When my friend AP came back to Australia, she had told me of a treat she enjoyed each afternoon while working in London. Knowing that I had a soft spot for salty snacks, AP brought back a packet of Quavers for me.

Feeling nostalgic, with AP back in the UK, I recently enjoyed my packet... in the afternoon... at work.

Though the packet described them as 'the Light Potato Snack', I wasn't sure what to expect... They certainly were light - a bit like prawn crackers (in fact, I later found out that there is Prawn flavour available) but Quavers are thinner and lighter. I had the Cheese flavour pack, and the Quavers were tasty, though not very potato-ey.

I managed a photo of the packet, but, um... I ate all the Quavers before I could take a photo to show you!