Recipes

Recipes blog posts

Legume soup

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

It’s a cool, overcast Saturday during Easter. Good Friday was spectacular. I attended a most moving church service in the morning. In the evening, I enjoyed a piece of ribeye steak. 

Today, I’m grateful to Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella for this recipe. I’ve modified it by using a pressure cooker, because unlike Lorraine, my cooking is more about “speed and power”.

Legume soup

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 50 mL olive oil
  • One stalk celery 
  • A diced carrot 
  • One small onion, chopped 
  • One clove of garlic, chopped 
  • 200 g canned Borlotti beans 
  • 200 g canned lentils 
  • 750 mL vegetable stock 
  • 100 g crushed canned tomatoes 
  • Fresh rosemary, to taste 
  • 2–3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste 
  • Salt to taste 

Instructions 

  1. Add the oil into a high-sided saucepan, then add the chopped celery, carrot, onion and garlic clove.
  2. Sauté together over medium heat. When the onion has become translucent, add in the curry powder and rosemary leaves.
  3. Pour in a little stock to remove the fond from the saucepan and then decant to the pressure cooker.
  4. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  5. To add some extra kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid.
  6. Cook under pressure for about 30 minutes. 
  7. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally and open the lid.
  8. Spoon into a bowl. 
  9. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  10. Eat with a spoon and some buttered bread. I use Bürgen 85% lower carbohydrate, high protein, whole grain and whole seed bread spread with Flora ProActiv® spread.  

Thoughts on the meal

I anticipate this will become a favourite soup. It’s delicious and easy to make. I also expect my bowel microbiota will benefit too, especially those bacteria which produce gas from glucose and the lactose fermenters. Lactose fermentation isn’t so much about milk and dairy products, but lactose is a common energy source in agar plates used diagnostic bacteriology. The end result is carbon dioxide and methane and other gases.

What I’ve been reading and listening to lately

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d started listening to a new book series, viz., Monroe Doctrine. I’m currently in volume VI and World War III is in its advanced stages with the final push to defeat the People’s Republic of China and liberate the Republic of China. The amount of technical detail in this book series is tremendous, especially the descriptions of how artificial intelligence is being exploited to overcome obstacles and supercede the limitations of human capabilities. In volume VI, there is a strong Australian component as part of a NATO force used to assist the US Marine Expeditionary Force in its mission to liberate ROC from PRC.

In terms of podcasts I’m in a rich seam of listening to two well regarded evangelical pastors who are both well known for their teaching and preaching. I’m currently listening to Dr David Martyn Lloyd-Jones preach through Ephesians 6:10–14, and Dr Tim Keller getting through a series rooted in the period of lent.

What else have I been doing?

I’ve been thinking about replacing my non-stick cookware with alternatives. I have a couple of stainless steel frying pans and saucepans, but my daily frying pan is a nonstick Pyrolux fry pan. I’ve also got one cast iron fry pan which is useful for searing steak. While the cast iron pan is nicely seasoned, it’s a bit small in diameter for my daily requirements. While the Pyrolux fry pan has been good and relatively long lasting, I know it will not keep a nonstick surface forever. The beauty of a carbon steel pan is the development of a polymerised oil layer which provides a “natural” nonstick surface. A good quality carbon steel pan will outlive me.

I was watching an American Test Kitchen video on YouTube and took note of a review they did on carbon steel cookware. I decided to buy a Matfer sheet pan. It was pretty easy to initially season with potato peels, salt, and oil. I’ll use this pan every morning for my egg and spinach breakfast.

Carbon steel seasoning with potato peels, salt, and oil
Matfer pan
Instructions for seasoning Matfer pan
Carbon Steel Seasoned

Photographs

Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup

My first time with a whole duck

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

I find myself in Brisbane for personal business. I cooked a whole duck while here. I’ve never done a whole duck before—bits of a duck, yes; a whole one, no. 

The duck had sat in a freezer for months. A home freezer means some temperature fluctuations, and being poultry, I’m thinking salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. 

To overcome this concern, I’m using a meat thermometer to ensure I reach an internal temperature of 76 °C in the thigh. 

The duck took two days to defrost. After defrosting, I dried the skin with a paper towel. I then hung it by its neck over the kitchen sink for a while to get as much blood out as possible. Unfortunately, a new white shirt is now a wearing-at-home shirt. 

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Meat thermometer 

Ingredients 

  • Duck 
  • Salt 
  • Ginger marmalade 
  • French onion soup mix (low sodium) 
  • Cabbage 
  • Broccoli 

Instructions 

  1. Defrost the duck and make sure it’s properly defrosted. Cooking partly frozen poultry is a point of failure regarding the risk of food-borne infection. 
  2. Dry the skin and hang it to let the blood and juices drain away. 
  3. Salt the skin so you are dry brining the duck. Do this the night before you plan to cook it. 
  4. Refrigerate the uncovered duck. 
  5. Turn the oven on and set it to 190 °C (fan-forced). 
  6. Place the meat thermometer into the thigh and put the duck on the middle rack. 
  7. Cook the bird until the internal temperature has reached 76 °C. 
  8. Rest the bird for at least 20 minutes before carving it. 
  9. While the duck was in the oven, make the marmalade and French onion soup sauce. 
  10. Boil a litre of water in a saucepan and add the soup mix. 
  11. Add a couple of tablespoons of ginger marmalade to the soup and gently boil until it reduces and thickens to a loose syrup. 
  12. Cut the cabbage and broccoli into small pieces and parboil for a few minutes. 
  13. Sauté the cabbage and broccoli in a frying pan. Help the process with some wine and maybe a teaspoon of marmalade. Cook these vegetables to the desired firmness or tenderness. I like my cabbage and broccoli firm in my mouth, but others like them mushy. I was cooking for some people with poor dentition, so we went with a softer version. 
  14. Carve the duck with a sharp knife and plate up. Drizzle some of the sauce over the duck and the cabbage. 
  15. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  16. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Thoughts on the meal 

I like eating duck. I like the fatty, oily, and gamey tastes and feel in my mouth. I also like eating the odd bits. I enjoy the uropygium and pygostyle of poultry. The uropygium is the fleshy protuberance, visible at the posterior end. It looks swollen because it contains the uropygial gland that produces preen oil. I also like eating the neck and dissecting out the œsophagus and trachea. Because of the limitations of available tools and photographic equipment, I couldn’t undertake the dissection on my plate like I have done previously.

The skin was crisp, and the meat was succulent. The marmalade and French onion soup reduction sauce accompanied the duck well. My dinner compatriots were pleased and I received 👍👍

Photographs

Whole duck. half price
Whole duck. half price
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Raw duck after dry brining overnight
Raw duck
Raw duck waiting to enter the oven
Roast duck
Roast duck
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. My plate with uropygium prominently on display and the severed neck.
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. Drumstick and thigh along with some air fried potatoes.

Pork meat for the week

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

I hope you have enjoyed a peaceful and trouble-free week. 

Tonight, I’m cooking a simple pork dish to set up this coming week with leftover meat. 

I had initially thought I might cook beef short ribs and have pulled beef, but the supermarket didn’t have any short ribs to my liking. 

I’m also making a reduction sauce from marmalade and French onion soup mix to keep the meat moist and succulent. 

On pork, a paper from the journal, Antibiotics made headlines this week in the media that I focus on professionally. A group looked for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in poultry and pork in Kenya. High quantities of bacteria contaminated 98.4% of pork and 96.6% poultry from the 393 samples collected. From 611 bacterial isolates, 38.5% were multi-drug resistant. It is worrying that supermarket poultry and pork in Kenya contain bacteria resistant to antimicrobials used for humans and livestock.[1]

The selection of pork in the meat display at Coles is reasonable. I was looking for a shoulder roll but then saw porchetta. 

I know there is a traditional way of cooking porchetta. I am choosing the Yummy Lummy approach. Most people would dry the rind overnight in the refrigerator and slowly cook it in a low oven. 

I wasn’t interested in all that faffing about. I went with speed and power. 

I confessed my food crime to a dear friend who is Italian. She has shared recipes for lasagne and eggplant parmigiana with me. She sent me a laughing emoji, so I didn’t feel bad. 

Cooking pork, as I did, also reduces the risk of urinary tract infection.[2] 

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 

Ingredients 

  • Porchetta 
  • Marmalade – I elected to use Bundaberg ginger marmalade. 
  • French onion soup mix – I chose the low-sodium product. 
  • White peach 
  • Navel orange 
  • Red cabbage 
  • Broccoli 

Instructions 

  1. Put the porchetta into the pressure cooker cooking vessel. 
  2. Boil a kettle and mix the French onion soup to about 2 L. 
  3. Stir through two tablespoons of marmalade. 
  4. Pour the marmalade and soup mix over the pork. 
  5. Cook under high pressure for 1 hour. 
  6. Put the pork into a plastic container, and refrigerate. 
  7. Sieve the cooking liquor and slowly boil it to reduce it to a sweet sauce. 
  8. Par boil the cabbage and broccoli. 
  9. Quarter the peach and orange. 
  10. Cut a slice of pork and arrange all the food on a plate. 
  11. Drizzle the marmalade and French onion soup sauce over the pork. 
  12. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  13. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Thoughts on the meal

I found this meal satisfactory for my purposes. It’s an adequate meal for one person. 

I now have enough meat to get me through the week. 

Final thoughts

Would you consider what I did to the porchetta a food crime? 

Would you cook porchetta in a pressure cooker? 

Photographs

Porchetta
Porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.

References

1.         Muinde, P., et al., Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens Detected in Raw Pork and Poultry Meat in Retailing Outlets in Kenya. Antibiotics, 2023. 12(3): p. 613.

2.         Liu, C.M., et al., Using source-associated mobile genetic elements to identify zoonotic extraintestinal E. coli infections. One Health, 2023: p. 100518.

Duck breast and slaw

Posted by Gary

Avoid the palaver and jump to the recipe.

Dear Reader, 

I hope you have enjoyed your week. If you haven’t, I hope the coming week is better. 

I had a disrupted week. A few matters developed into problems requiring more intense attention. As a result, I redirected my focus. I exercised less and got off target with my health goals. It’s the weekend, so I’m eating better and moving more. 

A few weeks ago, I started listening to a new book series while exercising at night. 

The book series is called “Monroe Doctrine“. It combines cyber warfare, biological warfare, and conventional war-fighting with aggression, starting with the People’s Republic of China. The scenarios involve advanced artificial intelligence, deep fakes, synthetic biology and gain of function, plus upgraded conventional weapon platforms. Without spoiling the plot, it is contemporary and takes advantage of COVID-19 as a plot device. 

The Monroe Doctrine is a fundamental set of principles espoused by President James Monroe in the mid-1800s. 

Canberra is experiencing a warm few days, which is odd because by the middle of March, for as long as I can remember, Autumn’s cool would have already established itself. I’m not complaining; this may be the last weekend of shorts and a T-shirt wearing. 

Depending on which application I look at, tomorrow’s forecast will be either 35 or 37 °C. 

Recipe

Equipment

  • Water heater and circulator 
  • Water bath 
  • Vacuum chamber 

Ingredients 

  • Duck breasts 
  • Salt 
  • Pepper 
  • Garlic powder 
  • Red cabbage 
  • Red onion 
  • Carrot 
  • Spring onion 
  • Red chilli 
  • Sultanas 
  • Dried cranberries 
  • Honey 
  • White peach 
  • Low-fat whole egg mayonnaise 
  • Unsalted mixed nuts 

Instructions

  1. Weigh the duck breasts to ensure each portion is <150 grams. 
  2. Season the duck breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I will use a small amount of iodised salt to minimise my sodium intake. I prefer to grind whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar just before using them to maximise the flavour hit. 
  3. Place the seasoned breasts into plastic vacuum bags and seal them in a vacuum chamber. 
  4. Cook the duck for 2 hours at 55 °C. 
  5. Place the bagged duck breasts into the refrigerator. 
  6. Remove a duck breast at dinner and dry the surface with an absorbent paper towel. 
  7. Sear the surfaces of the breast in a hot frying pan. 
  8. Allow the meat to rest. 
  9. Grate the cabbage and carrot using a coarse grater. 
  10. Slice the spring onion, including the green and white parts. 
  11. Slice red onion and chilli. 
  12. Dice the peach into small pieces. 
  13. Put all the salad ingredients together, stir through a teaspoon of mayonnaise, and then drizzle over a bit of honey. 
  14. Slice the duck and keep some aside for another meal. 
  15. Serve everything on a plate. 
  16. Thank the Lord. 
  17. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Photographs

A photograph of the sous vide duck breast and a fancy slaw
A photograph of the sous vide duck breast and a fancy slaw
A photograph of the sous vide duck breast and a fancy slaw
A photograph of the sous vide duck breast and a fancy slaw.

Thoughts on the meal

There’s nothing exceptional about this meal. It’s a bit of duck and some salad. I find blogging relaxing, and even though I’m busy, I want to write this post and get it up and out. 

Final thoughts 

I hope you have a great week and enjoy some good eating. 

Thanks, also, to readers who commented on last week’s congee post. I wasn’t impressed, but the congee is pretty good after a few days in the refrigerator. 

Diet update

A photograph of me on Saturday, 20230318. I'm wearing a maroon polo shirt and a pair of shorts. I'm wearing my glasses.

“French” quinoa “congee”

Posted by Gary

If you don’t want to wade through my rambling, click here to jump to the recipe.

“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.

Dear Reader,

I hope you are well and have enjoyed a blissful and joy-filled week. I’ve had a fabulous week and feel happy. I feel lighter from weight loss and the lifting of some other burdens. It’s been good to speak with friends this week about a few matters and have problems resolved.

Monday is a gazetted holiday in the Australian Capital Territory; it’s also a long weekend in a few other jurisdictions in Australia. I’m looking forward to a day at home on Monday.

Because it’s Autumn and Winter is approaching, I’m thinking about some recipes for the colder weather. My favourite food is congee (also known as jook).

I’ve been thinking of variations and trying to enjoy congee while I’m in the CSIRO TWD program. I’ll start with 2 L of water and ½ cup of brown rice, and ½ cup of quinoa.

I’ve posted many congee recipes here; the most recent was in November 2022.

After using a packet of low-sodium French onion soup mix to form a cooking liquor last week, I considered French onion soup a flavouring for congee rather than relying on meat and bones. I also thought I’d mix some brown rice and quinoa while at it.

On the topic of low sodium, you may be interested in a WHO report released this week [1]. I also read an interesting article on a paradigm shift in thinking about sodium regulation [2]. Of course, there is an argument to be salty (English Standard Version, 2012, Mark 9:50) [3].

I’m still going well with the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet.

Rugby league

Last week I mentioned it was round one of the National Rugby League competition. It was the first game in the NRL of my new number-one team, the Dolphins. They won. All four Queensland NRL teams enjoyed victories in their round one matches, viz., the Brisbane Broncos, the North Queensland Cowboys, the Gold Coast Titans, and the Dolphins. It was joyous. I was ecstatic. My father and brothers were all happy as we texted each other during the games.

The defeated teams, though, will bounce back in round two and make for better competition. A season has victories and defeats, and it all helps build the excitement of the competition. It is, after all, just a game. That said, in the end, rugby league just gets better.

I tweeted this last week for the DolphinsNRL first-ever game in the NRL.

This week, the Dolphins are playing the Canberra Raiders. Many of my Canberra friends are fans and members of the Canberra Raiders club. I look forward to conversations about the game next week.

Instagram post with my new DolphinsNRL keyring.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • Brown rice (½ cup [100 g], uncooked)
  • Tri-colour quinoa (½ cup [100 g], uncooked)
  • French onion soup mix (low sodium)
  • Tap water (8 cups [2 L])
  • Freshly pounded and ground black peppercorns
  • Spring onions
  • Red chilli flakes (1 tablespoon)

Instructions

  • Wash the rice and quinoa until the water runs clear. Did you know the water draining from the bowl as you clean rice looks like the faeces of patients with cholera? Hence the description, “rice water stool.”
  • Add the rice, quinoa, pepper, soup mix, and water to the pressure cooker.
  • Cook under pressure for 30 minutes and allow 15 minutes for a natural release.
  • Stir the rice gruel and keep heating to the desired thickness.
  • Season to taste (I know I’m trying to lower my sodium intake, so do this carefully).
  • Add and stir through chilli to taste.
  • Transfer everything to a large serving bowl
  • Transfer congee to individual bowls
  • Give thanks to the Lord.
  • Serve with spring onions, shredded cabbage, and soy sauce (low sodium if you have it).

Thoughts on the meal

It’s not often I go meat-free, but tonight I did.

Given a choice, I’d go with the traditional congee using arborio rice and some meat, like chicken or some fatty pork. One tablespoon of red hot chilli flakes is also a bit much. The mucosa of my throat is on fire.

The mass of the food before cooking was 2200 g. The mass of the food after cooking was 1720 g. I’m figuring if I have a cup full of congee it’ll be roughly a tenth of the nutritional value (detailed table of all values) of the total.

It was a bit soupy but I’ve got heaps of time to get it right before winter really hits. I think I may reduce the ratio of quinoa because it really is quite nutty in flavour.

Because I’m lazy and do not like mathematics:

ElementValue per cup
Kilojoules300
Protein2.3 g
Total fat1 g
Total carbohydrates14 g
Sugar
Fibre0.7 g
Sodium17 g
Nutritional values (approximations only)

Final thoughts

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Are you doing anything exciting? Let me know in the comments.

Photographs

Brown rice and tri-colour quinoa
Brown rice
Tri-colour quinoa
Spring onion, red cabbage, and red chilli
“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
“French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.

Nutrition information

Brown riceQuinoaFrench onion soup (Sodium reduced)
 Nutrition per 100 gNutrition per 100 gNutrition per 100 mL
Kilojoules1450158055
Calories34737613
Protein7.9 g15.2 g0.3 g
Total fat3.1 g7.3 g<0.1 g
Saturated fat0.5 g1 g<0.1 g
Total carbohydrates69.1 g68.4 g3.0 g
Total sugars1.1 g5.2 g0.5 g
Fibre3.5 g10.6 g0.1 g
Sodium2 mg5 mg160 mg
Alcohol0 g0 g 
Beta carotene equivalent0 μg8 μg 
Caffeine0 mg0 mg 
Calcium7 mg40.8 mg 
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg 
Folate36.8 μg183.1 μg 
Iodine20.4 μg0.5 μg 
Iron0.8 mg4.9 mg 
Magnesium118.4 mg167.2 mg 
Monounsaturated Fat1 g2 g 
Niacin5.8 mg0 mg 
Niacin equivalent7.5 mg2.8 mg 
Omega 3 Fat0 mg48.7 mg 
Phosphorus312.4 mg375.1 mg 
Polyunsaturated Fat1.1 g3.4 g 
Potassium230 mg560.2 mg45 mg
Retinol0 μg0 μg 
Retinol equivalent0 μg1 μg 
Riboflavin0 mg0 mg 
Selenium13.9 μg0 μg 
Starch and dextrin67.7 g49 g 
Thiamine0.4 mg0.3 mg 
Trans Fat0 g0 g 
Vitamin B120 μg0 μg 
Vitamin B60.2 mg0.3 mg 
Vitamin C0 mg0 mg 
Water13.9 g12.3 g 
Zinc1.7 mg3.6 mg 
Nutrition information

References

1.         World Health Organization. WHO global report on sodium intake reduction. 2023  [cited 2023 20230311]; Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240069985.

2.         Kirabo, A., A new paradigm of sodium regulation in inflammation and hypertension. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2017. 313(6): p. R706-r710.

3.         Collins Anglicised ESV Bibles, Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV) Anglicised Edition. 2012: HarperCollins Publishers.