Tonight I breaded (crumbed here in Australia) a nice pork cutlet. Instead of combining the potato and sweet potato I kept them separate and separated them physically in the tower with wilted spinach, mushrooms and spring onions. I also topped the dish with a little asparagus and broccolini. I deglased the pan with a little white wine and reduced some honey and soy sauce to drizzle on the potato tower.
Sorry I didn’t quite have the cutlet completely covered. The image looks a bit untidy. It was incredibly delicious though. I loved it.
Miss15 bought me a couple of food tubes this weekend. I was up in Brisbane visiting my daughters and we went shopping and Miss15 asked if I wanted anything for the fathers day just past a few weeks ago. We were in kitchenware shop looking at cake decorating stuff and I saw a couple of food tubes.
Click on the images to reveal higher resolution views
I seared some Atlantic salmon and mashed some potato and sweet potato in my ricer. I put it into the food tube and created a mash tower in the centre of the plate. I topped this with spring onions. I made a thickish honey soy sauce (it had caramelised and become sticky) to drizzle on the mash stack and vegetables.
And to prove I could do it again, this is from Monday night.
Maybe I’ve overplayed the title, but here goes…Oddly enough it’s not about chocolate or dessert.
Today was busy, not insanely busy and not crazy stupid make me angry busy. It was busy enough to give me a headache though.
I found myself this afternoon thinking about what to cook for dinner. I settled on some Atlantic salmon (from Tasmania), some mashed potato, broccolini, asparagus and carrot. There would also be parsley and spring onion and some honey soy deliciousness.
Okay so what caused the explosion of happiness? It resulted from laziness and some miscalculation. I made the mashed potato with my ricer and added spring onions, some grated ginger and parsley. I also added a little butter from the refrigerator. I used it as a bed for the salmon and roughly mashed it with a fork. I like my potatoes looking rustic so it wasn’t a thorough mashing. As I was eating the last of the salmon and mash, a few of the portions of mashed potato still had a little solid butter in them and when I put that with some salmon in my mouth there a small explosion of buttery goodness in my mouth. My headache went away and I felt at one with the universe.
It’s the little things in life that keep me smiling.
This weekend I visited my daughters in Brisbane. Miss14 was competing in the QueenslandWomen’s Artistic Gymnastics championships for 2012. It also included the trials for the state team to compete at the national titles in June in Sydney. Miss14 is Level 9. On Saturday she came third overall in Queensland. She freely admits her vault lets her down. Her routine is not as difficult as the others in the competition. When I asked why, she simply said she’s uncoordinated. That is the biggest understatement of her life. Compared to the rest of us in the family she’s amazing. So today as I was returning to Canberra Miss14 was competing to make a place in the Queensland team. She got in and received an award for her floor routine. I recorded her routine from yesterday which was ranked second.
On Friday I had lunch with some work mates and also some colleagues from another agency. We ate at the Hellenic Club. The Hellenic Club is a fantastic Canberra institution. It has a range of restaurants including a pretty good Chinese restaurant which is a nice touch for a Greek establishment. I love the Hellenic Club’s bistro. It does a really good steak with pepper sauce and chips (which is what I had) while others had chicken breast schnitzel or a roast dinner.
Hellenic Club's pepper steak (rib eye fillet) and chips (iPhone)
After a very squishy flight to Brisbane and then discovering I had rented a General Motors Barina (beep beep) I got to my parent’s place and enjoyed some time with the kids. Let me digress and discuss the rental car. I rent through Hertz and normally I get a small compact like a Toyota Yaris or Ford Focus. Both are good small manual transmission cars that I don’t find uncomfortable. I should declare that after Chrysler left Australia I switched my allegiance to Ford. For non-Australian readers, in the main, if you’re a bloke, you’re either Ford or Holden (GM). There’s not debate. The Barina, even if Ford produced it would have been and remains a lemon. For someone who is only 170 cm (short arsed), it’s hard to believe that leg room posed such a problem. I would NEVER purchase a General Motors Barina.
In the morning we had a light breakfast. By light I mean toast. I don’t mean warm bread either. I like toast that has a good amount of colour. Not burnt, but at least browned. I also like Vegemite. For non-Australians, Vegemite is a yeast extract and it is a salty dark paste the consistency of cream cheese. It is an acquired taste. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. I don’t get how some Australians go on and on about it. It’s good. Just don’t carry on about it.
Toast with a smear of Vegemite (iPhone)
For lunch I had a sausage roll and chips (no photograph). Most of the day was spent driving between Chermside, Clayfield and Chandler (Sleeman Sports Complex). The competition was at the Sleeman Sports Complex while Miss11 had to also train at Clayfield. I had Miss16 to keep me company
I also had fudge that Miss14 had cooked the day before. This is GOOD fudge.
Fudge after a bite (iPhone)
Miss14′s competition ran late, very late. We didn’t leave until nearly 2000 AEST. When we got back to my parent’s place, Mum and Dad had cooked a roast dinner. We had roast chicken, stuffing, roast potato, roast sweet potato, roast pumpkin, broccoli and beans. Mum also made gravy from scratch. I love Mum’s roast chicken with gravy and stuffing.
Roast chicken (Nikon D90) Click on the image for a more detailed view.
May is a big month for birthdays in our family and it’s not clear if I can visit in May so Mum made a cake. Miss14 and Miss16 become Miss15 and Miss17 on the same day in May. I turn 47 in May. My Dad also has a birthday in May.
Birthday sponge cake with almond chocolate (iPhone)
This morning we were in a rush but that didn’t stop Mum cooking us some snags, scrambled eggs and mushrooms. Mums and Dads are like that and I love my Mum and Dad for being like that.
It doesn’t look all that flash but it tasted great.
Sausages, eggs and mushrooms for breakfast on a plastic picnic plate. Classy (iPhone)
At the airport I sat in front of a container of macaroons. I will not say if I had any or not.
Macaroons (iPhone)
This afternoon after arriving back in Canberra I bought some baby spinach leaves, salmon and a tomato. Dinner was inspired by breakfast and I had the last of the very fresh free range eggs to cook. I cooked the scrambled eggs with cream, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. I also added a little blue cheese for flavour.
Atlantic salmon and fresh free range eggs (Nikon D90) Click on the image for a more detailed view.
Look at how yellow and creamy the folds of egg are. They were amazing.
All in all it’s been a good weekend. Miss14 made the Queensland team. I hope Miss16 is watching the Brisbane Roar win the A-league soccer grand final tonight. Miss11 did an awesome job cheering today and being an all round great kid.
This rack was placed in a low oven (120 °C) for an hour along with some grated sweet potato and blue cheese and cream. The potato was seasoned with curry powder and pepper.
Then after carving the sloppy sweet potato was added. I ended up eating the cutlets with my fingers and using the sweet potato as a dipping sauce. It tasted so good.
Plated up lamb and sweet potato with cream and cheese
To be honest, the lamb was a little over cooked. It was, however, very tender and juicy.
Today Bron invited me to a picnic lunch at Yerra Beach on Lake Ginninderra. There’s not much better than homemade sandwiches at a picnic or at the beach. To be honest, they’re always better on a sandy beach where there is surf. I’m sorry if I sound like a snob, I really do prefer surf beaches.
The weather was a little cool so I was wearing a hoodie and a pair of shorts. Bron had bought some nice crusty rolls, French onion dip, hummus, pesto, carrot sticks, brie, tasty cheddar, ham, salad leaves and tomatoes. We were able to assemble sandwiches at the Lake. After lunch we had Weston’s Wagon Wheels.
Yerra Beach. TAMS needs to come and cut the grass. The grass seeds had my allergies going.
Another view. The grass is lush.
There's playground stuff too.
And here is the sandwich. Bread smeared with French onion dip and filled with ham, brie, baby spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber.
Tonight I had some sweet potato and thought I’d do fritters again. I mentioned to Bron I still had puff pastry from last night and she suggested sausage rolls. I went and bought some pork mince, a pear and an onion. I still had some diced prunes from last night.
I made a potato and sweet potato bake with some Gruyere cheese and cream. The sausage rolls were simply the pork mince, onion, pear, prunes, some chilli flakes, pepper and an egg to bind.
Lots of ingredients to make sausage rolls and a potato bake.
The potato and sweet potato bake with Gruyere cheese.
This looks disgusting but it was full of goodness.
Sausage rolls ready for the oven.
The potato and sweet potato bake out of the oven.
Side by side. My main dishes for tonight.
Two hot logs of goodness.
Plated up.
On my dining table.
This was a pretty filling meal. I’ll have left overs tomorrow night.
Monday nights mean Man v Food on 7mate. I’ve only just discovered this show and some of my twitter friends watch and tweet along the way.
Tonight I went into overboard indulgence on ghastly food (well according to those close to me). The dish was centred on a 326 g can of New Zealand corned beef. This is premium quality meat and I am so happy to have found it at CostCo.
One of my favourite things from New Zealand
I used a 200 × 160 mm Pyrex dish and laid out two pieces of bread on the base to absorb all the oily flavour. I sauteed a finely chopped medium onion and three cloves of garlic in a non-stick wok. Once they softened I added a little white wine and the 326 g of corned beef. After the beef softened I added Clive of India curry powder, mixed dried herbs and some Worcestershire sauce. To this I added some coconut cream for flavour.
The topping consisted of two grated potatoes which I ‘dried’ with a salad spinner. I kept the potato water to thicken the beef. To the potato I added 100 g of Parmesan cheese plus a few crushed garlic cloves and an egg to bind it. I laid the beef on the bread and spread it out. I then added the potato and cheese topping. I grated a little more cheese on top and then popped into a moderate oven for 45 minutes.
When it came out it was nicely browned and cooked through.
Corned beef heaven
The bread did the job and soaked up all the oily goodness and a lot of flavour.
Plated up with avocado.
So this is what my plate looked like. What you didn’t see is that I polished off the entire dish in true Man v Food style. It was awesome. I fear every pore will emit garlic tomorrow. I will stay pretty much to myself except for a big meeting in the afternoon. Oops.
Today was pretty good. I woke up without a headache although I didn’t sleep that well. My day at work was full but not out of control. Oddly enough my e-mail inbox and paperwork intray were in control.
I got out of work with a full task list of things to do so I needed something quick and easy for dinner. I had a little left over roast lamb, some vegetables and rice. With a few spices I had a curry of sorts.
I got back into Canberra this morning at about 0930 AEDT. I’m very grateful to Bron for coming and picking me up and dropping me off at my place. I had an invitation to share calamari with her this evening but this afternoon I started coming down with rhinorrhoea and pharyngitis. The plan tonight is early to bed and hopefully I’ll have a reasonable sleep.
On Wednesday night in Washington I did not sleep at all. Not a wink. I ended up watching American television in all its glory. I think I watched alligator catchers, barehanded catfish catchers (noodling), a guy in Colorado who has more guns and flame throwers than anyone else in the world, a show comparing the AK-47 against other assault rifles and loads of cooking programs.
On Thursday morning, I had a free session so I walked >12 km around all the museums and monuments in Washington DC. So on the flight home my thighs were really aching. It all meant though I slept on the flight between LAX and SYD. A little over six hours straight. That is remarkable for me. There was also a screaming baby next to me as well. That said, when I woke up, there were no smiles. I figure my snoring kept everyone else awake. No one was brave enough to nudge me, or if they did I was so out of it I didn’t stir at all.
Today all I’ve done is wash clothes and towels and put stuff away. I wasn’t sure what to prepare for dinner. Before I go away I usually clean out my refrigerator and throw old stuff away. When I was a kid we come home to a failed freezer and I’ve never forgotten the rancid putrefying odours. I had a small piece of pork in the freezer and a sweet potato in the pantry. I went and did a little grocery shopping and bought a small tub of sour cream, some chives and some extra vegetables.
I really could not be bothered slow roasting the pork. I was too tired and not in the mood. I pulled out my pressure cooker and put the pork in that. I added some celery, carrot and potato along with onion and baby leeks. I had the pressure cooker go for about 45 minutes. As I was releasing the pressure I cooked some sweet potato in boiling water and then pureed it with my Bamix™ after adding a little butter and sour cream. I also cooked some baby broccoli too.
Mashed sweet potato made with sour cream, butter and chives
This was nice and rustic with good texture.
Boiled pork with mash and broccoli
I plated this in a large white bowl.
Okay, it’s time to wash the dishes and get ready for bed or maybe a soak in the bath tub.
Following my friend’s advice I laid down a bed of garlic and rosemary and overlaid that with lamb. On top I put in more garlic and rosemary and then covered snugly with aluminium foil. I placed the tray in a hot oven 240 °C for 30 minutes and then turned it down to 150 °C for a few hours. When it was ready I pulled the tray out and allowed the meat to cool enough for me to pick the meat from the bones and then put on my dinner plate.
These were cheap as at Coles.
There was lots of garlic. I pity friends who sit near me tomorrow.
The smashed potatoes were made by boiling a few spuds until just tender, allowing them to cool, ‘smashing’ them with your hand and then covering with salt, pepper, herbs and butter.
After boiling and smashing, in the tray.
The spuds should be boiled to just soft enough to smash with the heel of your hand.
Cover with salt, pepper and your herbs of choice. I chose oregano.
The potatoes need to be seasoned well.
Butter is also important.
As I’ve said before butter (like bacon) makes everything taste better.
The bones came out with the meat soft enough to pull away.
It is always a feeling of accomplishment when meat is cooked the way you like.
Plated up lamb and potatoes.
I should have made some gravy, but in truth it wasn’t necessary.
Poh does a nice rendition of this which can be found at the ABC website.
For alternative guidance on smashed potatoes here’s a youtube video to assist.
The images were captured with Lumix point and shoot AVCHD Lite.
