Stir Fried Beef Rice Noodles

If you've ever wondered how to achieve that soft, tender meat that you get from your local Chinese restaurant at home, then wonder no more. The Chinese method of tenderising meat is to marinate thinly sliced meat with baking soda! I've used fillet steak for the following recipe, however you can use a cheaper cut of meat when using this form of marinating since it will tenderise the meat so much, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference! Great tip for home cooks especially when watching the budget :)

Ingredients

600g beef eye fillet, thinly sliced
2 tsp baking soda
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced
1kg flat rice noodles, strands loosened
100g bean sprouts
2 shallots, cut into 2.5cm lengths
Sesame seeds, as garnish

Seasoning

2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (Shao Hsing wine)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Sauce

3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoon light soy sauce


Method

Marinate the beef with the baking soda for 20 minutes and then rinse the beef thoroughly (make sure that the beef is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda). Pat the beef dry with paper towels and then marinate with the rest of the seasoning ingredients for at least 2 hours.

Heat the wok over high heat and add 2 tbsp oil. Stir fry the beef in several batches for 20 seconds then set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in the wok then add the onions and stir fry until they are lightly browned.

Toss noodles in and stir gently until heated through. Add combined soy sauces and stir fry until well mixed.

Return beef slices to the noodles, add bean sprouts and shallots then stir fry until heated through and all ingredients are mixed together well. Dish out and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top as a garnish, if desired.

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

4 eggs, at room temperature
4 English muffins, split
20g baby spinach leaves
100g smoked salmon

Hollandaise Sauce

1 tablespoon water
3 egg yolks
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Method

To make hollandaise sauce: process water and egg yolks in a food processor until creamy. With motor running, slowly add butter in a thin stream. This should take 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover surface with cling film.

To make poached eggs (the way professionals do it): Tear a square of cling film. Drizzle with oil, and spread with your fingers to evenly grease. Lay into a small cup or bowl, overhanging the sides. Break the egg into the cling film and pull the plastic up to gather it around the egg.

Expel all the air around the egg, and twist the cling film to shape the egg. Tie the plastic, sliding the knot down close to the egg to preserve the shape. Place into a pan of simmering water and poach for 5 minutes, until the white has set but the yolk is still runny.

Meanwhile, toast muffins. Top muffin base with spinach leaves and smoked salmon.

Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, place on top of the smoked salmon and using scissors, carefully cut the cling film below the knot. Gently peel away the cling film.

Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and season well. Serve.

Notes & Tips

Hollandaise sauce is a simple emulsion of butter, egg yolks and lemon juice. It is made easily in a blender or food processor and can be kept warm in a bowl sitting over warm water, the surface covered with cling film to stop a skin forming.

Musashi Japanese Restaurant

Hubby and I went to see Mary Poppins in Capitol Theatre and just before watching the show we thought we'd have dinner at a nearby restaurant. So I had a look at the Capitol Theatre website to see what restaurants were suggested and noticed Musashi Japanese Restaurant which is conveniently located next door to Capitol Theatre. Great!

When we arrived we noticed immediately that it was a popular place to eat. The restaurant was packed and looked very busy so we had to wait outside the restaurant (they apparantly don't take bookings). 15 minutes later we got a table inside the restaurant and immediately upon walking in, all the wait staff and sushi chefs greeted us in Japanese (I think they were saying welcome or hello??)

We kicked off with an entrée of soft shell crab- one of my favourite dishes. This soft shell crab was nice and crispy with just the right hint of spiciness. Presentation of this dish is beautiful and vibrant looking.

Mushashi Bento $24.80

Whilst waiting to order our food, I could see what some of the other tables had ordered and the nice displays of sushi and sashimi on their plates/platters. Since hubby and I didn't have a lot of time to sit down to a three course meal we decided to order a Mushashi bento box each so that we could get to try a bit of everything- sashimi, sushi, teriyaki chicken, tempura etc.

When our bento boxes arrived it looked so well presented and appetizing. The sashimi was very fresh and well prepared and the sushi delicately moulded. The tempura had a nice and crispy batter and did not taste oily and the teriyaki chicken was tender and not overly sweet.
Overall, the bento box contained good quality food with lots of variety and tasted absolutely delicious. The only disappointment with the bento box is that it didn't come with miso soup or rice. I had to pay extra for my miso soup ($2.80) but I'm just nit picking here.

Overall I had an enjoyable experience at Musashi. The food was delicious and was at a reasonable price. The service was polite despite the dinner rush and the waiters and waitresses rushed off their feet the entire time we were there.
Walking out, I hear the wait staff and sushi chefs shout out something in Japanese to us, maybe they're saying thank you for coming???

I must come back to try their desserts and their mocktails- I saw on their dessert menu they had tofu pannacotta and green tea creme brulee. Yum!

Pasta with Tuna, Chilli, Lemon and Thai Basil

Ingredients

300g dried ribbon pasta
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
425g can of tuna in brine, drained
3 eschalots, finely chopped
2 long red chillies, halved lengthwise, seeded, finely chopped
1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked

Method

1. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. 
2. To make lemon oil: place oil in a large frying pan. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly peel rind from lemons over the pan. Place pan over low heat and wait for the mixture to sizzle. Cook for a further minute, then remove from the heat. Remove lemon rind from oil and chop finely.
3. Meanwhile reheat the lemon oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook eschalots for 5 minutes or until soft. 
4. Add the lemon rind, pasta, tuna, chillies, basil and the juice of 1 lemon to the pan. Toss gently to combine and warm through. Serve.

Mock Vegetarian Meat Stir Fry in Bean Sauce

This recipe is keeping in the tradition of strict (Buddhist) vegetarians of not using onion, shallots, garlic or ginger, however if you're not strict with your food practices, feel free to add it into the recipe.

Ingredients

300g mock vegetarian meat pieces
1 small green capsicum, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 small red capsicum, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 long red chilli, chopped
1 small eggplant
100g mushroom, sliced
Thai basil a few sprigs
2 tsp lemongrass
4 tbsp of oil
2 tsp sesame oil
100ml of water
1 tsp of corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp of water
vegetable oil

For the stir-fry seasoning sauce:

2 tbsp crushed/ground yellow bean sauce
2 tsp of light soy sauce
1 tsp of dark soy sauce
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of Shaoxing wine/Chinese rice wine

Method

1. Mix together all the stir fry seasoning sauce ingredients in a small jug and set aside.
2. Heat up some oil in a wok over medium heat and pan fry eggplant, set aside on paper lined plates.
3. Heat up some more oil in a wok and stir-fry lemon grass and chilli at low heat until fragrant and aromatic.
4. Add in mock meat pieces, capsicum, eggplant, mushroom and stir-fry at high heat for 30 seconds.
5. Add in water and cover wok with tight lid for 30 seconds at high heat.
6. Add in stir fry seasoning sauce and Thai basil leaves. Stir fry for a further 30 seconds then serve with rice

Mushroom & Tomato Frittata

Frittatas are great. They're easy to make and with your own imagination, can be packed full of most staples or leftovers in your pantry and fridge. You can substitute the ingredients in this recipe with whatever you have on hand, use garlic butter instead of butter, substitute parsley with baby spinach or other herbs, add parmesan instead of cheddar etc. Whatever suits you and your family!

Ingredients

30g unsalted butter
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
2-3 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 eggs
50g cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat the grill to high.  
2. Melt 20g of the butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and tomato wedges, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until tomato is just softened. 
3. Lightly beat eggs with 1½ tablespoon water in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Melt remaining butter in the frypan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, stir briefly, then cook for 5-6 minutes until golden underneath and nearly set. Place pan under hot grill for 3-4 minutes or until just set and top is golden. Slide onto a board, cut in half.

Notes & Tips

Serve frittata with salad leaves

Hazelnut & Espresso Macarons

I'm not a big fan of macarons. I'm not a big fan of meringues either but somehow I don't mind pavlova...
Feeling inspired after watching Adriano Zumbo make macarons on his TV show the other day, I decided to give it a go.

Not bad for a first attempt I must say! Would I ever make them again? Probably not. It was way too time consuming- probably took me a few hours to make and prepare and not even a minute to eat!

Recipe from The Dairy Kitchen Cookbook, page 19

Makes 16
Ingredients

1¼ cups pure icing sugar
125g hazelnut meal
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup thickened cream
1 teaspoon freshly ground coffee beans
1 teaspoon coffee essence (optional)
200g good quality white chocolate

Method

For the macarons, process icing sugar and nut meal in a food processor until very finely ground. Sift the mixture, discarding any leftovers.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, beating well between additions until sugar has dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Gently fold in nut mixture in batches. The mixture should run slowly down the sides of the bowl when tilted. If the mixture is too firm, add a little more runny egg white.

Using a piping bag with a small plain nozzle, pipe 4cm circles of the mixture onto baking paper lined trays. Stand trays at room temperature for at least 2 hours or until a dry glossy crust forms. Bake at 140°C for 15-17 minutes, until just firm but not coloured. Cool completely before using a metal spatula to carefully remove from trays.

For the ganache filling, heat the cream and coffee in a small saucepan until just simmering, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until smooth and glossy. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thick. Sandwhich macaron shells together with piped ganache.

Notes & Tips

Assembled macarons will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container.

For dark chocolate espresso macarons, substitute dark chocolate in the ganache and lightly dust ground coffee over macaron shells before baking.

Salmon with mango & chilli salsa

This low-fat and easy recipe is bursting with omega 3 fatty acids and fuses sweet fruit with fresh vegies - perfect for a warm summer day or evening.

I normally add coriander to the salsa but since my husband doesn't like it I left it out. I also left in the chilli seeds since we both like a bit of heat :)

 
Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
4 (about 220g each) salmon fillets
2 ripe mangoes, cheeks removed, peeled, finely chopped
1 long fresh red chilli, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
1 avocado, peeled, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1-2 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
Lime wedges, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste


Method

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of salmon fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Place the salmon, skin-side down in the pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (for medium rare).
3. Meanwhile, combine the mango, chilli, coriander and lime juice in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.  
4. Cook the asparagus in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. 
5. Divide the salmon among serving plates. Top with asparagus and salsa and serve with lime wedges.

Lamb Rissoles with Mashed Potato and Rosemary Gravy

 Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Kid's Cooking book, page 50

Ingredients

500g lamb mince
1 large brown onion, grated coarsely
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
500g potatoes
20g butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 cup (250ml) beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
250g cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Using hands, combine lamb, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Shape lamb mixture into eight patties.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; cook rissoles both sides, four at a time, about 15 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper; cover with foil to keep warm. Reserve pan with rissole drippings.
3. Meanwhile, boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender; drain. Mash potatoes in medium bowl with potato masher; stir in butter.
4. Cook flour in rissole pan, stirring, until mixture browns and bubbles. Gradually stir in stock; stir until gravy boils and thickens. Strain gravy; stir in rosemary.
5. Meanwhile, cook tomatoes, stirring, in heated small frying pan about 2 minutes or until split and just softened.
6. Divide potatoes among serving plates, top with rissoles then with rosemary gravy and tomatoes.

Notes & Tips

If you're feeling lazy and don't want to use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes, try using a hand mixer. A friend of mine provided me with this useful tip and to my surprise, the potatoes turned out really nice and fluffy. Start off with the low setting initially to break the potatoes up then increase the speed to combine the butter and potatoes together. Be careful to not mix them for too long or you might run the risk of turning your mashed potato into sticky, wallpaper paste!

Creme Caramel

There are few desserts I find more satisfying than a Crème Caramel. Smooth, sweet and creamy, it’s a taste sensation. Creme Caramel put simply is a baked custard sitting on a syrup sauce...... as opposed to creme brulee, which is custard with a hard caramel top.

Recipe from Woman's Day magazine, Issue 3: January 17 2011, page 55

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups caster sugar
¼ cup water
300ml carton cream
1 cup milk
3 eggs
3 egg yolks

Method

Preheat oven to moderately slow, 150°C

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cold water. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, brushing down sides of pan occasionally with a wet pastry brush, for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is a deep golden caramel colour.

Pour caramel toffee mixture evenly between 8 x ½ cup ramekins, swirling each so that it comes about 2cm up the sides of the ramekins. Place in a baking dish. Set aside to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk and remaining sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat. Cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg-yolks together.
(In this photo it looks like I have 8 egg yolks but 2 of the eggs that I used just so happened to have twin yolks!)

Whisk in milk mixture. Pour custard into ramekins and add enough hot water to baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The hot water creates an even distribution of heat, which helps the custard to set gently and evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes until set. Remove from pan and cool completely. Chill overnight. Dip ramekins in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen. Turn out onto a serving plate to serve.







Notes & Tips

Pour the custard through a strainer when adding it to the ramekins, to remove any sediment. This will make the custard silky smooth.


Variation

To make coconut crème caramel, substitute the milk with light coconut milk and add 1 teaspoon coconut essence. Garnish with toasted shredded coconut and lime rind