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    Thursday, June 27, 2013

    Taking on Jamie - # Four - Green Tea Salmon with Coconut Rice

    Back trying to compete with Jamie on the 15 minute Meals
    So we didn't do quite so well this time on the timing
    The coconut rice took a lot longer to cook nearly 20 minutes, so that stuffed that up

    Plus the wine was flowing so maybe not quite as co-ordinated as could be
     Mind you a great dish, nevertheless. Thank you Jamie

    Salmon Steaks seasoned with S & P and Green Tea
    Sitting on a bed of Coconut Citrusy Rice
    Garnished with some fresh chili and coriander leaves

    Served with a side of Green Vege with a Spicy Miso Sauce
    It really was delightful and, there was enough left over for lunch for 1, the next day
    You can buy the Miso and Green Tea from the supermarket...so no specialty shopping necessary

    For 4 people
    4 Salmon Steaks Skin on
    Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
    2 teabags of green tea
    Little olive oil

    1 can coconut milk
    Same amount of Basmati Rice
    1 can boiling water

    1/2 lemon end cut off so it can stand on its base

    Miso Sauce
    2 x Packets Miso into blender
    1/2 chili chopped
    1/2 bunch Coriander stalks and all break them up
    1 tablespoon Honey
    Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
    Juice 1/2 lemon
    2-3 tbs soy sauce
    Splash hot water


    Vege You can work out the amounts required
    Asparagus if in season or

    I used Green Beans
    Tender stem Broccoli
    Snow peas
    Garnish 

    Finelt sliced Chili
    Coriander leaves and may some lemon wedges

    So, with the 15 minute cooking programme, you do need to do some prep
    Have all of your ingredients ready to go on the bench
    Jug of water boiling
    Pans, hot on the stove


    Also when making the sauce, pays to chop the chili and ginger before adding to the blender
    or they will take ages to blend down


    Season salmon with S & P and Green Tea
    Pat down well into fish
    Into med hot pan with a little oil
    Skin side down
    Turn heat down to medium
    Cook for about 4-5 minutes
    This will help to crisp up the skin

    Meanwhile
    Start Rice
    Place Coconut milk into hot pan. 
    Fill the empty can with rice
    Add to pan, then
    Fill can with Boiling water
    Good pinch Salt
    Stir
    Push 1/2 lemon end off into rice
    Cover and simmer 10 minutes (if you are lucky)

    Now onto the Miso sauce
    Put all the ingredients into a blender and whiz.
    This will take at least a minute to blend properly

    Make sure you have a pot of salted boiling water ready on the stove for the vege

    Meanwhile back to the Fish
    Turn Fish when nearly cooked
    and the skin crispy
    Remove  from pan, take skin off the filets and
    Put skin. back into hot pan on soft side about 30 secs
    for final crisping,



    Put all of the vege into the boiling water stalks down first
    Squash down with a lid and cook for about 3 -4 minutes

    Drain Vege
    Pour Miso dressing on platter
    Add Vege on top

    When Rice is cooked take the cooked lemon out with tongs
    and squeeze over the top over the rice
    Mix
    Taste and check seasoning. It will probably need more salt
    Onto a serving dish
    Put Flaked Salmon on top
    Garnish with chili and coriander leaves and broken up crispy skin
    And there's a customer waiting already

    Yum but as you can see it took a lot longer. The rice just wasn't ready in time. I could blame the wine as well but if the rice had been ready. I reckon it would have taken 20 minutes

    Here's a little movie 28 minutes condensed to 1 minute.
    It's very funny We've popped it on youtube  Had trouble loading it on here, so here is the link
    http://youtu.be/cyghxxDIf2I
    Copy it and paste in into search bar and have a laugh


    Tuesday, June 18, 2013

    Taking On Jamie -Dish 3 - Sizzling Beef

    So back on track, Taking On Jamie.
    An Asian style dish. Great flavours and we did this one in just over 15 minutes
    As usual I got everything ready. All utensils and ingredients lined up and Pans on stove
    Plus a jug of boiling water ready to cook the Noodles
    Be aware All this preparation actually adds 5 minutes or so to the time
    But we did well I think
    My Grandson Joseph loved it, in fact it has been requested for Grandma's Dinner next week
    For 4 people

    Handful cashews
    Same amount of sesame seeds
    2 pieces Sirloin steak, fat removed for speed
    Salt and Pepper
    2 tablespoons 5 spice powder
    Sesame oil

    250 gms mushrooms, broken up

    Egg noodles, 4 nests
    1 red chili chopped
    Thumb size piece of peeled ginger, chopped
    1/2 bunch coriander


    100 gms fresh prawns peeled and tailed
    2 cloves garlic peeled and fine chopped

    Bean sprouts

    3 Heaped tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
    2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

    Juice of a lime

    Crunchy Lettuce leaves
    Couple of Radishes
    Some slices of cucumber
    Coriander leaves for garnish


    So
    Everybody ready
    Get Set
    Go
    Add a little Sesame oil to a hot pan
    Add nuts and seeds and toss around and let toast for 2-3 minutes
    Place steak on board
    Season S & P and 5 spice  both sides
    Rub around the board to pick up any spare seasoning

    Little Sesame oil into another hot pan
    Add steak

    2 minutes
    Turn
    Break up mushrooms and add to steak pan
    Shake
    Cook another 2 minutes and remove steak from pan and set aside

    Remove nuts and set aside

    Meanwhile lets get onto the Noodles
    First make the base for the noodles
    Add the chili, ginger and coriander to the food processor and whiz
    till makes a nice paste
    Add noodles to a pot and cover with boiling water
    Simmer for 2-3 minutes till they are soft

    Take steaks out, leave mushrooms to continue cooking

    In the pan you used for the nuts
    Add a little more Sesame Oil
    Add blitzed sauce
    Shake about
    Throw in the Prawns
    Add couple cloves chopped garlic for added flavour

    Toss
    Add Bean sprouts
    Mix
    Then the real Asian flavour
    Add
    Hoisin sauce 
    Soy sauce

    Toss around

    Squeeze over Juice of the lime
    Pick off some Coriander leaves from your garnish and add

    Drag the noodles out of the water and place into sauce
    Toss well

    Distribute into serving bowls
    Now just add the crunchy salad ingredients

    Sprinkle mushrooms on top

    Slice the steak and add
    Pop the toasted nuts on top
    Have some lime wedges and chopped chilli for people to add
    There ya go 

    Here's Jamie's Version Mine looking pretty good I reckon