Tag Archives: Sweet corn

Another night, another avocado with chicken


Skinless chicken thigh with Reed avocado, cabbage and sweet corn.

Skinless chicken thigh with Reed avocado, cabbage and sweet corn.

I also reduced a little cream and Dijon mustard and flavoured the cabbage.

Reed avocado. My verdict.


In yesterday’s post I wrote about buying a Reed avocado for the first time. After a day of ripening with a banana I tried my first Reed avocado. When I picked it up it was still firm to hard. As I sliced through to the seed it didn’t feel green and felt like a just ripe avocado should. On cracking it open though the flesh is very light and creamy. There was also a milky substance which oozed between the skin and flesh. I had been warned of this by Instagram and Twitter friends.

The avocado accompanied a piece of skinless chicken thigh which had been in a moderate oven for forty minutes, a cob of sweet corn which had been oven cooked with the chicken too. The chicken sat on a bed of mashed potato which I had prepared through a ricer and had a little light cream and olive oil spread added.

Chicken with Reed avocado | I like my potato ‘mashed’ with a ricer, that said, I like it having a slightly rustic and rough look.

Chicken with Reed avocado | The avocado looks like it isn’t ripe, yet it is soft and creamy. I was so happy it wasn’t stringy which is what I really feared.

 

 

The flesh was soft and creamy, it didn’t have a strong flavour of avocado so this may suit some people who don’t like a strong flavour. It wasn’t stringy which was a big plus for me. The flesh itself tasted nice with the corn and potato.

I have another Reed avocado which I will use tomorrow night. We’ll see how that goes. At the moment, the Hass avocado remains the variety of choice for me.

Chong Co Thai Bar and Restaurant | Sanur’s Balinese Restaurant | @Bron99 ‘s amazing birthday cake


After being away last week in Ottawa it was good to see and catch up with Bron. On Thursday night we had a night out at Chong Co Thai Bar and Restaurant and then to Max Brenner for some chocolate. Yesterday was Bron’s birthday and a few of us went to dinner and then had dessert at a friend’s place.

On Thursday night we didn’t really need to scan the menu. We knew what we wanted and shared some Thai fish cakes for an entrée. These were nice and full of flavour but a little rubbery. For a main course Bron chose the barbecue chicken (marinated skin on chicken with served with sweet chilli sauce) and I chose the barbecue lamb which Bron had the last time we were here.

Chong Co Thai fish cakes (iPhone)

Chong Co Barbecue chicken (iPhone) Served with sweet chilli sauce

Chong Co Barbecue lamb cutlets (iPhone)

The chicken and lamb were delicious. I would highly recommend these two dishes for a main course meal.

After the main course we walked to Max Brenner for a little chocolate.

I had a white chocolat and an exploding chocolate shot. The hot chocolate drinks are served in hug mugs which look like toilet bowls.

Max Brenner white chocolat in a hug mug (iPhone)

Exploding chocolate shot is popping candy over melted chocolate served with gummy bears (iPhone)

The popping candy is fun. It’s a pity the venue is very noisy, it would be good to eat this in a quiet room.

Friday was a pretty full on day but our Friday’s are always made better with a Mavi Breakfast wrap and coffee. This is a deal done at Mavi.

Mavi Breakfast wrap contains a hash brown, egg, bacon, mushrooms and barbecue sauce. (iPhone)

On Friday evening I didn’t get to Bron’s until late (don’t ask, it was a long day at work). Bron prepared a lovely Chicken thigh roasted with lemon, garlic and shallots served with lemon risotto and broccoli. This was accompanied later with a Flourless toffee date hazelnut chocolate muffin with cream. The meal was delicious.

Chicken thigh roasted with lemon, garlic and shallots served with lemon risotto and broccoli (iPhone).

Flourless toffee date hazelnut chocolate muffin with cream (iPhone)

Saturday was Bron’s birthday. We went to the EPIC markets at Exhibition Park early in the morning. Bron bought a heap of produce including some truffles and cultured butter. I bought a vanilla slice.

Do you think it’s big enough? (iPhone)

After the markets we had breakfast at Ricardo’s Cafe in Jamison. This is an amazing place for pastries. Just click on the link to see. I had a coffee and big breakfast.

This was very filling (iPhone) You can see Bron’s Eggs Benedict in the background.

On Saturday night we went to dinner with some friends to Sanur’s Balinese Restaurant in Belconnen. We’d been there before but that was years ago. The menu is full of delicious choices and I’m reminded of a review from T1 of In The Taratory fame. Bron and I shared a couple of entrées, viz., the Bakwan Jagung ($9.9 buys you Sweetcorn patties with prawns and shallots served with sweet chili dipping (3 pieces)) and the Udang Goreng Tepung ($10.9 buys you King prawns in spiced, crispy coconut batter served with cucumber relish (4 pieces)). For a main I had a whole deep fried fish (a little fish) Ikan Balado ($28.90 buys you deep fried of whole fish or prawns or calamari served with padangnese style mild chili sauce). I like fish like this and was happy to head the eyes.

Bakwan Jagung Sweetcorn patties with prawns & shallots served with sweet chili dipping (iPhone)

Udang Goreng King prawns in spiced, crispy coconut batter served with cucumber relish (iPhone)

Ikan Balado Deep fried of whole fish or prawns or calamari served with padangnese style mild chili sauce (iPhone)

Ikan Balado Deep fried of whole fish or prawns or calamari served with padangnese style mild chili sauce sans flesh and eyes (iPhone)

After dinner we went to Tanya’s place for dessert. Meredith had given Bron a Dutch pancake maker for her birthday and we needed to try it out. In addition Tanya had been busy making a cake or awesome proportions.

Dutch pancakes with maple syrup and ice cream. (iPhone)

The balls are cake encased in white chocolate. The balls are decorated with icing and the green grass is also green dyed chocolate. This was amazing and tasted so good (iPhone).

I was so relaxed after dessert I fell asleep and put a show with my snoring :-)

This morning Bron prepared scrambled eggs with the cultured buttered infused with the truffles she bought at the markets.

Truffled scrambled eggs (iPhone)

Seeking redemption after last night’s transgression


Last night I made a dinner which I thought was fit for Man v Food. It was based in tinned meat, potato and cheese. I received mixed reactions today from friends. Mostly negative reactions but at least one positive. The positive reaction was from a friend whose husband loves Man v Food and who is keen on a visit to the USA to do a Man v Food eating tour. Most reactions were dismay that I would eat meat from a tin. What I didn’t say was how much I really like tinned corned beef as much for the fat content as well as connective tissue content like big arteries and veins.

My biggest regret about last night was the amount of garlic I used and the fact that all day I could taste and smell garlic. I thought for dinner tonight I would do something unexpected but in keeping with my style.

Surprise surprise, tonight’s meal contains no meat, not even bacon pieces. I prepared sweet potato fritters and salad for dinner.

Sweet potato fritter

Grate sweet potato and cheddar cheese. Crumb a slice of bread. Bind with an egg. I added seasoning to taste. I made a few fritters and baked in an oven for 45 minutes. I added no oil.

Yes, I know they are uneven :-)

My salad

Tonight I had some avocado, peaches, sweet corn, and cherry tomatoes tossed in a little lime juice and balsamic vinegar.

Plated up. Sweet potato cake and salad.

New years eve dinner


Last night we were invited to a dinner party. Good friends through work. The same friends who hosted high tea a month ago. There were six adults. Bron had been thinking of a chocolate and strawberry creation based in part on the base via Donna Hay and the rest her own creative juices.

Before the main course we were treated to some gorgeous food in terms of olives, Turkish dips and a really nice Persian Feta cheese.

The main meal was a jerk chicken with sweet corn, haloumi salad and rice. This was an incredibly tasty meal. Fortunately there was enough for me to have seconds.

Jerk chicken, sweet corn, haloumi salad and rice

This image is taken before we left Bron’s place. The icing sugar is still obvious.

Bitter chocolate and strawberry tart

I ended up having two slices.

Bitter chocolate strawberry tart

It was a great night of sharing funny stories and eating good food. A great way to spend new years eve.