Yummy Lummy

A blog about food and me

Author: Gary

  • Local lamb chops with potato gems, and blue vein cheese sauce

    Local lamb chops with potato gems, and blue vein cheese sauce


    I’ve been eating a lot of beef lately. I had a craving for some lamb. My butcher sells local lamb.

    Today I’ve consumed more carbohydrates than I’ve eaten in a long time, so I thought I may as well have some potato gems too.

    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Lamb chops
    • Potato gems
    • Beef fat
    • Lemon zest
    • Pomegranate arils
    • Butter
    • Pure pouring cream (no thickeners)
    • Cream cheese
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Dijon mustard
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Freshly cracked black better

    Equipment

    • Weber Q+ barbecue grill
    • Cast iron grill pan
    • Saucepan
    • Wooden chopstick
    • Micro plane
    • Gas torch

    Instructions

    1. Dry-brine the lamb chops.
    2. Ignite the gas in the Weber Q+ and close the lid. Allow it to heat for 10 minutes.
    3. Cook the potato gems in beef fat in the Weber Q+.
    4. Cook the lamb chops atop the heated cast-iron grill pan with the Weber Q+ lid down.
    5. Melt some butter in a small saucepan and then add a dash of cream. Stir in a dollop of cream cheese and then crumble in the blue vein cheese. Stir the sauce with the chopsticks and add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Turn off the gas and keep stirring while the sauce thickens. Add some freshly cracked pepper.
    6. Place the lamb chops and potato gems on a dinner plate. Spoon over the sauce. Place pomegranate arils onto the sauce and then some lemon zest.
    7. Grate some Parmesan cheese with a micro plane over the potato gems and quickly melt with a gas torch.

    Photographs

    Select an image and then scroll through them.

    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.

    Thoughts on the meal.

    Lamb chops cooked outside on a barbecue grill on a lovely sunny day are fantastic. The crunchy potato gems are great for mouthfeel. The savoury umami of the blue cheese combined perfectly with the sour lemon zest and sweet crunch of the pomegranate arils. This was a terrific meal. It can be eaten alone, and I’m sure it could be shared.

    Custard hunting

    Custard Hunter meme

    Perryman’s Artisan Bakery

    54 Tynte Street, North Adelaide

    A few friends at work recommended the bee sting bun from Perryman’s Bakery as a fantastic example of a South Australian bee sting bun. This morning, I wanted to go custard hunting and decided to pay a visit. The display showcased so many of my favourite pastries that I couldn’t resist buying an apple turnover and a vanilla slice as well.

    The apple turnover ($5.70) is one of the best I’ve eaten. On picking it up, it was heavy with apple filling. The pastry was light and crispy. The cream was delicious; it wasn’t overly sweet, yet it was light and had substance. I’d rate the apple turnover I tried at 10/10.

    The bee sting bun ($5.70) is the best I’ve eaten (certainly better than the ones I’ve eaten in Victoria). The filling was luscious on my tongue and lips. The bread had dried fruit for an extra treat. The almond flakes were crisp and not bitter, unlike some that can be. I was grateful that when I entered the shop, there were none on display, and when I asked, a fresh bee sting bun was made for me. I’d rate the bee sting bun I tried at 10/10.

    The vanilla slice ($5.80) was good. The vanilla custard was firm but not a stiff gelatinous block of snot like many I’ve eaten in Victoria. The icing was sweet but not sickly. The pastry was on the soft side. I’d rate the vanilla slice I tried at 7.5/10.

    As I was looking around, I could see the bread looked fantastic, and I may come back another day to try the sourdough bread.

    The service was friendly and helpful, and if Australia were a tipping economy, I’d leave money for the person who served me.

    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
  • Beef congee

    Beef congee


    From time to time, I’m adding some starches to my diet. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten any rice. Having just spent a weekend with many Asians, an innate fondness for rice and chopsticks welled up to the surface. I often cook with chopsticks, e.g., when I make blue vein cheese sauce, wooden chopsticks are my go-to tool for stirring and mixing.

    The rice in the congee[i] is problematic. The starch constitutes carbohydrates I do not need. I can partially ameliorate the problem by freezing the cooked rice and converting it to resistant starch to lower the glycaemic index.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Rice
    • Beef broth
    • Beef short ribs
    • Beef chuck steak
    • Water
    • Salt

    Equipment

    • Fast/slow cooker

    Instructions

    1. Wash a cup of uncooked rice and then add it to the slow cooker.
    2. Add a cup of beef broth and enough water to cover the rice by one distal phalange.
    3. Add the beef short ribs and beef chuck.
    4. Add some salt.
    5. Cook for 8 hours.
    6. At the end of 8 hours, add the optional sterilisation by steam under pressure in the pressure cooker. I sometimes do this if I’m using beef broth that has been in the refrigerator for a week or more. While the risk of bacterial contamination is low because of the hygiene precautions I take, this step is belt and braces.
    7. If you use a fast/slow cooker (or similar device), this can be achieved without changing cooking vessels.
    8. Transfer the contents into a large bowl and start to pull the meat and mix it with the rice gruel.
    9. Remove the rib bones.
    10. Refrigerate the congee overnight so the rice develops resistant starch.
    11. Aliquots can now be taken and reheated for small meals, like lunch.

    Reheating

    1. Divide the refrigerated congee into six portions.
    2. Add the portions to vacuum bags and seal the bags.
    3. Reheat the contents in water bath at 80 °C for 45 minutes. The solidified beef fat will melt, and the rice and meat with break up and become softer.
    4. Pour the hot congee into a bowl.
    5. Serve the reheated congee, which has now developed resistant starch, in a bowl and eat with a spoon.
    6. You can add shredded pork and lettuce.

    Photographs

    Select an image and scroll through.

    Thoughts on the meal

    My mother makes my favourite congee. It is chicken congee, and she uses a pressure cooker. She would always use a whole chicken and basic white long-grain rice. Mum would add soy sauce and other Chinese herbs and spices. In serving, we’d have shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded ham, plus extra soy sauce. We’d eat the jook (that’s what we called congee) for an evening meal most of the time in winter. It would keep us warm. If there was any leftover, we may get some reheated for lunch.

    My version of this recipe is a significant departure from my mother’s version. I’m incorporating some of my preferences. There is no soy sauce, no seed oils, no herbs and spices. The flavours come from salt and the meat, and the rib bones, which were in the slow cooker. This congee or jook is also laden with beef fat, gloriously unctuous[ii] beef fat.

    Nutrient values for rice.

    NutrientPer 1 Cup (≈186 g)Per 100 g% Daily Value (1 Cup)
    Calories242 kcal130 kcal~12%
    Carbohydrates53 g28.5 g~18%
    Protein4.4 g2.4 g~9%
    Fat0.4 g0.2 g~1%
    Fibre0.8 g0.4 g~3%
    Sugars0.2 g0.1 g—

    Walking Photographs

    Select an image and scroll through.

    [i] noun [mass noun] (in Chinese cooking) broth or porridge made from rice.

    [ii] adjective (of food or drink) having a pleasingly rich taste

  • A long weekend in Maleny

    A long weekend in Maleny


    I spent the recent weekend in Queensland for a family event.

    A couple of nights were spent in Maleny, specifically the Maleny Terrace Cottages. I was with my parents, and we needed access for a wheelchair and a walker. I fortunately had my favourite nephew with me. He is training to be a registered nurse and works in a residential care facility. His assistance was instrumental in the weekend’s success.

    The accommodation was perfect. The kitchen was ideal for a couple of nights away. The gas stove was large, and the refrigerator was enough for a large family.

    The toilet seat reminded me of a toilet seat I saw on Daydream Island many years ago.

    Maleny Hotel

    The first night there, we had a large dinner for about 30 people who were family and friends. We ate at the Maleny Hotel. I went with surf and turf. I ate the steak and prawns, some of the salad, and none of the chips.

    I went exploring for coffee and breakfast the next day.

    Mountain View Café

    Google Maps review I wrote.

    I searched on Google for breakfast close by. Mountain View Café (148 Mountain View Rd, Maleny, Queensland 4552) was at the top of the list.

    When I arrived, it wasn’t busy, which is sometimes a sign that the quality may not be up to par. I had nothing to fear.

    I picked up a menu, secured a table, and looked through the breakfast options.

    I knew the day would be long, and I would deny myself canapés to focus on an evening dinner at the wedding.

    Eggs Benedict was an obvious choice, along with an extra serve of bacon.

    I also asked for a cappuccino in a mug.

    The coffee arrived quickly. It tasted great. I’d happily drink coffee there again. I’d only had a few sips, and the Eggs Benedict arrived. Each muffin half was layered with finely wilted spinach, bacon, a perfectly poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce.

    The muffin was soft and had soaked up the liquid from the spinach. I know some may object to this, but the buttery, moist and soft muffin was delightful. The knife provided was adequate. I didn’t need a sharp steak knife to cut the muffin.

    The bacon was cooked exactly the way I like it. It was well-cooked but not crispy. It wasn’t greasy, and it was streaky bacon, so the amount of fat was spot on for me. I don’t like bacon, which has had the fat trimmed off.

    The eggs were still warm, and the yolk was soft and creamy, not runny.

    The Hollandaise sauce had a nice tangy flavour.

    I’d happily rate this Eggs Benedict highly.

    All up, it was a perfect breakfast. The service was fast and friendly.

    We went for a drive to reconnoitre the venue (The Old Dairy) for the evening’s gathering.

    While there, we were told about the Maleny Bakery Cafe.

    Maleny Bakery Cafe

    Google Maps review I wrote.

    I had the opportunity to sample two notable vanilla slice varieties. These offerings are of comparable quality to those from my favoured establishments like Gumnut Patisserie (Bowral), Dobinsons Bakery (Canberra), and several amazing bakeries in South Australia, including Fat Beagle on Kangaroo Island, The Village Baker (Adelaide), and St Peters Bakehouse and Coffee Shop (Adelaide).

    The Maleny Bakery Cafe (9 Maple St, Maleny, QLD, Australia, Queensland) selections—a classic version and a Dutch variant featuring an additional layer of piped cream and jam—are distinguished by their crisp pastry and creamy, smooth vanilla custard. The top layer is finished with a dusting of icing sugar rather than traditional icing, which perfectly marries the custard and pastry. While I adore passionfruit icing (or fudge as offered by The Village Baker), I found that the classic vanilla slice from Maleny Bakery exceeded my expectations.

    I was with family. We’d purchased three of the classic and three Dutch vanilla slices. I used a serrated bread knife to cut them by turning them on their sides and gently cutting. This worked without causing the fillings to squelch out between the crispy pastry layers.

    I think the Dutch vanilla slice was $7.60 and the classic was $6.80.

    Classic and Dutch vanilla slices from the Maleny Bakery. These were exceptional.

    The Old Dairy

    Dinner at The Old Dairy.

    Other meals from the weekend.

    🤤 lamb liver
    🤤 lamb liver
  • Everyday beef brisket

    Everyday beef brisket


    The cost of living is getting higher. How many times a day do we hear or read that in the news and on social media?

    The majority of posts on this blog feature expensive cuts of meat.

    With the cost of food rising, I need to increase my consumption of more economical cuts. I will limit buying the more expensive cuts of meat.

    Most days, lunch is supermarket bought beef mince (ground beef for North American readers).

    To break up the monotony, other “economical” cuts include chuck and brisket.

    This beef brisket cost about $AUD30 for about 1.8 kg. That’s roughly $AUD17/kg.

    Most of the scotch fillet steak or rump steak I buy is more expensive than that. This is particularly true if the meat is Coorong Black Angus beef.

    This piece of brisket will give me with eight serves ($AUD3.75).

    Recipe

    Tonight I prepared some beef brisket meat with a creamy sauce, some broccolini, and sourdough bread.

    Ingredients

    • Brisket — Initially cooked in a slow cooker for 8 hours. It was then refrigerated. For this meal, the brisket is finely diced.
    • Sourdough bread — organic sourdough bread frozen to develop resistant starch, and then thawed and toasted.
    • Broccolini
    • Swiss brown mushrooms
    • Cream cheese
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Pure pouring cream
    • Beef fat — the fat separated from the cooking liquor from the slow cooker.
    • Beef broth — the cooking liquor from the slow cooker.
    • Butter

    Equipment

    • Frypan
    • Kettle

    Instructions

    1. Add the diced beef, beef broth, and beef fat to the frypan. Gently heat the contents until the liquid has evaporated. Continue heating until the meat has softened. Set the reheated brisket aside.
    2. Sauté the mushrooms in butter. The mushrooms will soften when they have absorbed the water from the butter. Then, add crumbled blue vein cheese and the cream cheese. Stir slowly and thoroughly. Finish with a dash of pure pouring cream and season with freshly cracked black peppercorns.
    3. Parboil the broccolini with boiling water from the kettle.
    4. Place the toasted sourdough bread on a dinner plate. Place the broccolini on the toast. Spoon the brisket next to the bread. Spoon the sauce over the broccolini and bread and let the rest settle next to the meat.

    Thoughts on the meal

    While beef short rib meat is more unctuous, as a cheaper cut, brisket is pretty good.

    Beef and blue vein cheese go well together and combine well on the toast which adds a crunchy mouthfeel.

    The broccolini adds some colour to the dish.

    Photographs

    These are photographs of the meal. Select one and then scroll through the rest.

    Questions

    • What is your favourite “cheap” cut of beef?
    • Do you like brisket? How do you cook it?
    • Do you eat leftovers for lunch?

    Some of the other meals from this brisket

    Other photographs

    Some other photographs from this week.


    Beef brisket. Slowly cooked beef brisket reheated in a frypan with beef fat and beef broth. Served on sourdough bread, which had been frozen to develop resistant starch. The photograph features a Dolphins NRL plate.

  • Creamed spinach with blue vein cheese and mushrooms

    Creamed spinach with blue vein cheese and mushrooms


    Today began with strange dreams. I know I tossed and turned a lot. My dreams involved family members in unusual predicaments. Friends’ faces appeared randomly. There were no clear actions in the dreams.

    This morning, I went for a walk along the beach and enjoyed the early sunrise. I expect to continue relishing this until October, when daylight saving time begins, which may affect my mood. Many people prefer walking later in the day. Daylight saving times makes this choice easier. I treasure walking in early morning light and sunshine.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Butter
    • Spinach leaves
    • Swiss brown mushrooms
    • Cream cheese (softened)
    • Cream
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper

    Method

    1. Roughly cut some Swiss brown mushrooms.
    2. Place a frypan over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt (but not brown).
    3. Sauté the mushrooms.
    4. Increase the heat to medium–high and add the spinach in batches, stirring each handful until just wilted before adding more.
    5. Once all the spinach is wilted, reduce the heat to medium. Stir through the cream cheese and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
    6. Crumble in the blue vein cheese. Remember to stir constantly. Continue to cook for 2–3 minutes. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    7. Season with salt and pepper.

    Make ahead and “safe” storage.

    • This dish can be prepared up to a day in advance.
    • Cool completely, cover and refrigerate.
    • To reheat, gently warm in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
    • Enjoy with steak, roast chicken or simply on its own for a luscious side.

    Photographs

    This is a gallery of photographs. Select one and scroll through the rest of the images.

    Thoughts on the meal

    • Sometimes, I enjoy eating spinach leaves. I used to have steamed spinach leaves every morning with some cheese and a steamed egg. Later, I read about some issues related to eating too much spinach.
    • I had the creamed spinach as a side dish with a rump cap steak. The steak and creamed spinach go well together.
    • I enjoyed the meal. It was delicious.

    Questions

    • Do you dream a lot?
    • Do you remember your dreams?
    • How do you feel about daylight saving time?
    • Do you enjoy eating spinach leaves?

    Morning photographs

    ISO 280, focal length 24 mm, shutter speed 1/250th second, and aperture f8.