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    Sunday, August 25, 2013

    Delicious Pork Chop - Pinching Ideas from Jamie

    A couple of Posts ago, was one in my series, 'Taking on Jamie'  the Golden Chicken with Braised Greens and Potato Gratin. Whoops that's a bit arrogant, calling it My Series but
    I am working my way though his 15 minute Meal Idea.
    Haven't been that successful with completing the meals in 15 minutes... but there has been some very yummy meals out of this exercise

    I decided to adapt the technique of cooking  the chicken breast, a la Golden Chicken, to a pork chop.
    It worked very well

    All it takes is a Good Pork Chop, per person
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    10-12 sage leaves chopped
    Olive oil

    Lemon juice

    Accompany this with Oven Fried Chips
    and a favourite, Peas

    Of course you could cook the Braised greens and Potato Gratin. 
    Check that out.

    Pre-heat oven to 180C

    First score some notches in the skin side of the pork chop with a sharp knife
    This helps the fat to cook in the fairly short time it takes to cook the chop
    Don't salt the meat until just about to cook as it will extract juice from the meat.
    The aim of this dish is to keep that Pork Chop really juicy and delicious

    Lay a piece of baking paper on the bench
    Drizzle over some olive oil
    Grind some pepper and sprinkle with sage leaves 
    Place the chop on top and turn over so the whole chop is smothered with the tasty oil

    Cover with the other side of the paper and let sit for about an hour or so just to let the flavours meld

    Heat an oven proof pan to medium to hot
    Season the chop with sea salt
    Add to pan
    Cook about 2 -3 minutes to get a nice colour

    Turn and place in oven for about 4 minutes

    Remove and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes

    The chop should be just cooked and beautiful and juicy
    Add juice of a lemon to the pan to make a little gravy
    Pour over the cooked chop
    Serve with whatever you like
    Mashed potatoes and peas would be good but the chips and peas went down very well in our house


    Tuesday, August 20, 2013

    Decadent Date and Ginger Chocolate Slice - Divine


    I remember when as a kid we made homemade chocolate, which consisted of melting Kremalta
    (vegetable shortening) with cocoa and sugar
    Mix with Rice Bubbles and you got Chocolate Crackles

    Children's Dream

    My friend Elsje gave me this recipe... I'm not sure where it came from, but I just had to share it

    So here is a grown up version. Absolutely Decadent,
    Flavoured with soft date and ginger
    Crunchy with the cornflakes
    Instead of Cocoa and sugar you use the best Drinking Chocolate
    That makes the most delightful Chocolate Topping
    You must make this.


    The Base
    155 gm pitted dates sliced
    125 gm unsalted butter
    1/3 cup sugar
    60 gm preserved ginger chopped
    3 cups cornflakes



    Line a Swiss roll tin with baking paper

    Add to a saucepan
    Dates, butter, sugar and chopped ginger  in saucepan ,
    Stir over low heat until dates soft
    Add cornflakes
    Press into prepared tin

    Chocolate Topping
    240 gm Kremelta
    2 cups Best Drinking Chocolate Powder


    Melt Kremelta over low heat 
    Add Drinking Chocolate
    Turn into bowl

    Place in Fridge until it reaches soft spreading consistency .
    Spread
    Set

    Tidy up the edges.
    Cooks treat!
    Cut into squares
    Eat

    I made this for an afternnon tea that I was invited to
    out int he country

    What a spread, Just a close up of my contribution

    One piece should be enough as it is so rich
    But I have forced down 2 pieces and I wasn't sick!!!
    Just Divine

    Wednesday, August 14, 2013

    Taking On Jamie - #5 - Golden Chicken with Braised Greens and Potato Gratin


     I liked this dish so much, I made it for friends that came for dinner last week
    As seen above
    It appears to be very rich, but really there is only 100 mls cream and 30 gms cheese

    Of course it took a lot longer cooking for 9, I didn’t race the clock then
    Didn't time it

    But it seems when I did it for 4, the "15 minute" version
    15 minutes was too hard



    By the way 
    This is a great way to cook chicken breasts
    You know how easily they dry out
    Well they were tender and moist  
     In fact I liked the method of seasoning and bashing so much,
     I carried through this prep and bread crumbed the breasts and the Children had a wonderful Chicken and Chips dinner on Tuesday
    They loved it
    As I don’t have any fresh herbs on hand, 
    I used the tube of Rosemary Paste, 
    warning this has wheat in it so not Gluten Free, so to be Gluten free use fresh herbs



    Gather your ingredients

    Olive Oil
    Sea salt
    Freshly ground black pepper
    Large Sheet Baking paper



    200 gms Frozen Peas
    1 x Leek washed and sliced
    200 gms Baby Spinach


    4 x 120 gm  Skinless Chicken breasts
    Few sprigs of fresh Rosemary or Rosemary paste
    2 rashers of middle Bacon


    8oo gms Potatoes  sliced
    3 Onions  peeled and sliced
    1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
    1/2 bunch sage leaves
    100 mls cream
    30 gms grated parmesan


    For the “15 minutes” version
    Get everything ready

    Kettle filled with boiling water
    Oven Grill on high
    Food Processor (thin slicer ) rearing to go
    Medium lidded pot on high heat

    Larger High sided roasting  pan on high heat
    Large frying pan on high heat

    Let’s go
    Put the potatoes through the slicer
    Throw into hot pot
    Pour over boiling water from kettle
    Add salt
    Lid on and bring to boil, let simmer



    Slice onions
    Into roasting pan add 2 tablespoon olive oil
    Throw in onions
    Season with S & P
    Tear in sage leaves
    Stir regularly adding a little water if they start to catch


    Lay out baking paper
    Toss the chicken with S & P and rosemary
    Fold the paper over and bash the chicken with a rolling pin till flattened about 1.5 cms
    Cook in frying pan with 1 tablespoon oil
    Turning after 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through
    Remove and set aside
    Add chopped bacon and toss around till cooked

    Drain potatoes which should be fork tender in colander
    Add to onions in pan
    Spread into a flat layer
    Pour cream over
    And sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top
    Into oven under grill
    Grill till golden about 4-5 minutes

    Meanwhile in the empty potato pan
    Still on high heat
    Add 1 tablespoon olive oil
    Throw in prepared leeks
    Toss around till just tender
    Add peas and spinach
    Stir till spinach wilted and peas tender

    Pile on platter

    Place Chicken breast and bacon on top


    Remove Potatoes from oven

    Serve
    Delicious Food
     

    Friday, August 02, 2013

    Swinging Sydney- Certainly Turns on Great Food and Good Times

    Swinging Sydney is a bit of an old fashioned term...probably showing my age. But this City does Rock.
    It has turned on lovely sunny days the whole time we have been here.
    Dale and his friend Paz take advantage of the sun

    Bit chilly morning and night, but our place os residence is very warm and cosy. As are our hosts. Yvonne and Stu.

    We have been well spoilt.
    Yvonne made a spectacular dinner for us and our friends Neil and Glenys
    Even the table setting is superb
     Filet of Beef with Stuffed Mushrooms and Lots of Fresh Herbs and Lemon Zest
    Accompanied by a Cous Cous ball stuffed with Salad
    Quite the Centrepiece
    Here is the cross section, You can't say Cous Cous is boring when presented like that
    Yum
    The next day we went to The Balmoral Boat House for lunch
    Dale and Stu strolling up to meet us

    Great food
    Dale and Stu had Fish and Chips
    I had the BBQ Prawn and Salad Stuffed Brioche
    Yvonne had the Smoked Trout Platter
    All washed down with some Excellent Aussie Wine
    Below: Our Hosts
    And of course. Your Truly and Spouse

    Highly recommended to Visitors to Sydney
    Situated on Balmoral Beach

    In the Mosman Village there are some great Cafes and Restaurants
    Of course Il Perugino mentioned in my previous post. All set up and ready for Service
    Next door is The Classic Cupcake, They did a Special Red White and Blue Cake for  the New Prince George
    We have Taken Out
    And eaten in.
    AND next door to that Testoni, specialising in Italian Sandwiches and Pastries etc
    Had a go at that one too

    But back to the Home Cooking
    Ms Yvonne presented us with a delightful Roast Chook and Vege

    Who wants to eat out after that?