Flashback Friday

This week has been unexpectedly busy. I did miss last week's flashback, so this week's post is inclusive of two weeks meals. I did not cook as much as I would like to, but I am really glad being able to produce new dishes. I made braised red cabbage and I loved it so much from trying it the first time that I have been wanting to cook and eat it again for a while. Well, cravings have been filled. 

Happy weekend. 

Pan-fried baramundi fish, grilled asparagus, deepfried seafood and hollandaise sauce

Beef steak wih asparagus, sauteed mushroom and spinach, and mushroom sauce

Minestone soup

Herbal chicken soup with sauteed lettuce

Lamb cottage pie with braised cabbage, cucumber and carrot

Fried rice with braised cabbage

Bacon, mushroom, pea and zucchini risotto

Sweet/ Dessert Round

This week has been unpredictably busy and I have not been able to post regularly. I originally planned to catch up on a few posts, but will have to keep it simple. I have to learn to juggle with 'my list to do', especially when things seem to pop out of nowhere. Anyway, I still managed to cook and produce some sweet treats. I made taro balls, pandan cake and chocolate brownie - three of my favourites.

Fruit post with Kiwi berry

I thought of making yet another fruit post since I love eating them so much. It's funny how when you thought you tried so many fruits already, there are always some new additions. This month I tried my first kiwi berry, which is essentially a miniature version of a kiwi fruit. It is much sweeter and can basically be eaten whole, which is why it is probably call a berry. I think they are perfect addition to salads, for some sweet/tangy flavour. 

I also came across several plum varieties. I did not even know we had so many- I counted five. I'm slightly sad because we are going into winter, which means that I shall enjoy few of the last nectarines and peaches for the season.  However, I shall soon indulge into mandarins. 

I managed to grab some passion fruits and figs. They are probably my favourite fruit, but so hard to get hold of, which makes them extra special. 

This post will not be filled without a snap of this week's fruit baskets ;)

No-bake Lemon Cheesecake (Recipe)

I have been hoarding so many cookbooks lately and it really kept me busy. I love going through the colourful pages and getting inspired. This time I went for an easy classic- lemon cheesecake. I have come across many no-bake cheesecake recipes and tried one myself before with gelatine. However, I also stumbled across a few with condensed milk. I never really gave it a though until I saw the recipe in June Holm's book 'The Classics'. This book is rich in classic recipes from roast to pasta and desserts. The cover looked quite antique and special, just like a book passed down from generations. 

I decided to try the cheesecake and I am glad I did since it was delightful. It requires a few ingredients, no oven and also sets without any gelatine. This cake is definitely a winner. It is deliciously creamy and not overly sweet. I also like the lemony and orangy twist. 

Recipe (adapted from  'The Classics' by June Holm):

Ingredients:

200g sweet biscuits (I used digestive biscuits)

125g butter, melted

225g cream cheese, softened

75ml (1/3 cup) lemon juice (I alternated with some freshly squeezed orange juice)

400g condensed milk

Lemon/ Orange zest to garnish

Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Process biscuits in a food processor and then add melted butter.

2. Place in a 24 spring-form pan and press to make the base. Put in fridge to set.

3. Mash cream cheese. Add lemon and condensed milk.

4. Beat until smooth and pour on base.

5. Let to set in fridge for minimum of 4 hours.

6. When ready to serve, pipe whipped cream and garnish with lemon/orange zest.

Teatime with T2

We are heading towards winter already. Where did the time go? It is going to be cold I'm afraid. One of the best way to warm myself during cold weather is to drink plenty of hot tea. I love green tea and I have recently been introduced to T2. My bro brought me some from Melbourne, only to notice that we already have several T2 stores in Perth. 

Anyway I have tried their gorgeous geisha- a blend of loose green tea leaves with strawberry- so far, and I really enjoy it. It smells amazing and it reminds me of summery weather with tropical fruits. The green tea is quite light, but definitely fruity and fragrant. 

The tea comes in loose packet and there is also a booklet which contain some drink recipes and facts. Well, happy tea time. Cheers. 

For more information, visit their website:
http://www.t2tea.com/
 

Flashback Friday

This has been a long week, as usual. I managed to cook over the weekend and I should do even better this coming week. It's been rather cold over the past few days. I guess winter is coming, brrr. Well, one good thing is the warm soups that I shall indulge into soon. Yes for soups and warm blankets. Oh and let's not forget about the tea. Plenty of tea time ahead. 

As always, this is a brief recap of this week's meals and dishes I prepared.

Potato leek soup and Cream of mushroom soup

Beef capsicum and mushroom stir fry

Cauliflower soup

Sardines, avo and medley tomato with toast

How to maximise kitchen drawer space

I came across this video on Facebook the other day and this gave me the well-needed incentive to get my own drawers re-arranged. My kitchen drawers were, I must admit, pretty messy and cluttered. I got rid of unwanted and rusty utensils, and replaced a few other tools. I wiped the surfaces and managed to fit all the items that I often used. I separated the big utensils from the smaller ones, using a small cereal box.It looks much better now and it feels nice to open an organised drawer. No  more struggles and definitely a time saver. 

Roast Pork Shoulder

I managed to finally cook roast pork over the long Easter weekend. It seemed pretty straight forward. Simply let the oven do the job. You have to be patient as well and cross your fingers that it is cooked all the way through, after resting time. Well, it is a long process with checking the temperature and not knowing if it is ready or not. However, it was worth the wait, since the crackling was amazing and the meat tender. 

I made a vegetable trivet for the pork and then slightly scored the skin. Firstly, I roasted the meat on high (220c) for about 30 minutes and then reduce to 180c for another 1.5 hours. After making sure the internal temperature is reached, I took it out of the oven and let rest for around 15 minutes. 

I was so happy to see the meat cooked throughout, after carving it all. It was a real delight to produce such a hearty meal. I paired the dish with some roast pumpkin, and some greens. 

Bacon Peas Mushroom Quiche

For Easter lunch last Sunday, I decided to make a quiche.This was, believe it or not, my first time baking a savoury tart. I have, in the past, made quite a few frangipane tarts and what else. This was certainly in my to-do list. I'm glad I chose to make it on this particular feast day because we all enjoyed ourselves.

For my filling, I went for bacon, peas and mushrooms. I made my shortcrust pastry from scratched the night before. I believe what makes a good tart is most importantly the pastry- I want a nice light, crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth texture. For this I always follow the rules of thumb- 1 part butter, 2 parts flour and a couple drops of ice-cold water. This time I also added an egg yolk, since I had in on hand. I firstly blind-baked my tart shell. I then cooked my filling and prepared my egg-cream custard (3 eggs and 200 ml cream). Once the pastry is baked, I laid my cooled filling and poured the cream mix over. To finish off my tart, I grated some cheddar cheese and put it in the oven until I have a nice golden brown surface. This was definitely tasty and suited for a perfect lunch. You should, of course, pair the tart slice with some greens or salad, to balance it all out. 

Happy Weekend. It's been sunny so far- great weather!