Chili Con Carne Con Chocolate

Ingredients
2 large onions, cut into thick rings
1 tbs olive oil
500g lean beef mince
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 fresh chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 x 425g red kidney beans
1 x 425g canned tomato
1 tb tomato paste
4 squares chocolate
2 tbs chopped parsley
2 tbs chopped basil
black pepper

method:
In a large heavy pan over low hea, soften the onion rings in olive oil. When it has become transparent (after 3 or 4 minutes), increase heat, stir in minced beef and keep stirring while it cooks for three or four minutes. When meat loses its red colour, add cinnamon, cumin, chilis, chipped tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste and the chocolate.
Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring form time to time, until the meat sauce has a thick consistency.

From Ian Parmenter's Consuming Passions Season 3 Cookbook

comments: would have like it with more of a bite....thinking of adding garlic and more chili the next time. As with stews and tomato based dishes, this dish improves with keeping. The addition of chocolate imparts a deeper flavour?? But no one could tell though it had chocolate though... :)

Farewell Strawberry Sorbet!!

The night before I let for Hobart, Qin invited me over to her place. I thought it was going to be a quiet dinner and didn’t even bother brushing my hair before leaving the house. In fact, when she called, I was actually having a nap and I literally rolled out of bed, took the strawberry sorbet i had made earlier out of the freezer and sleep-walked the 100 metres to her to place.
When the door was opened, I realised that the entire hallway was filled with friends who had gathered for my farewell party!!??!!(not exactly farewelll..just in tassie for a 7 week placement!! hee!)

The party was truly fantastic!! Everyone whom I wanted to see was there and I was really amazed at how well they had kept the secret!! I had met some of these people earlier and they have all sincerely said goodbyes to me..or so I thought!!

Thank you - Rachel, Mao, Lydea, Sara jean, Simon, Alsen, Jasmine, Emi, Soxi, Kaoru, Jilian, Max, Sik Yin, Louisa, Michelle, Aira, Ayaka Jean, Adelia, George, for coming, for taking the time to make the delicious food (it was a massive spread!!!) and thank you Weiqin and Jasmine for coordinating the event~~~Weiqin, you are such a lovely little sister!!!!

And after the party, Adelia, Sik Yin and Jean even came over to help me pack my luggage.

I am grateful beyond words.

Thank you all. :)

And the strawberry sorbet?? Fortunately it was a huge batch so there was plenty to go around!

Strawberry Sorbet
Ingredients:
3X 375g punnets frozen strawberries
dash of rice milk (optional)
3/4 cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 cup (240ml) water

Method:
place the sugar and water in a saucepan over a low heat and stir without boiling until sugar is dissolved.
Increase the heat and bring to the boil for one minute. Set aside to cool.
blend strawberries in a food processor, add sugar syrup and lemon juice, blend again. Put in freezer and blend 2 times more at hourly intervals.
Note: you don’t really have to freeze the strawberries first but it would decrease freezing time.
I think it would work too if some frozen bananas were used in lieu of the sugar syrup. Oh and to freeze strawberries, just wash, pluck off the green tops, pat dry and put it in the freezer. They can last up to a year and are great for smoothies and jellies.

the mapo tofu that wasn't...

nice.


;_;

cooked this last night based on this recipe...

Anyone knows of a tried and true recipe???

Spinach roulade with smoked salmon, horseradish and dill

Saw this at the farmer's market last weekend...and bought one cos they look like swiss rolls but obviously weren't sweet..

and the verdict???

SUPER SUPER yummy...!!!! I think the italian lady who makes it is really passionate and she uses the best ingredients generously.. it's in one of the stalls inside the hall..i think it's site no. 16...next to 'Worth the truffle'..

Now i have made it my personal mission to try something from her offerings everything I go to the market..support local businesses!! hehe...

A special treat from a fellow foodie..

I met up with Suzer over the weekend and look what she gave me!!!


Absolutely addictive coconut lime curd bars! 

The recipe can be found here.

thanks Susan- Qin n I really enjoyed them!!!!!!

Secret Recipe!!!!!

I'm in the midst of doing a food service placement as part of my course..and so far it's been a blast!!!!
Love love love hanging out in the kitchen and it's so fun to just watch the chefs at work!!! The site that my partner and I are attached to provide meals for 600 residents in aged care facilities all over Adelaide and we are analyzing their lacto ovo pisco vegetarian menu (vegetarians who eat eggs, dairy and fish) to make sure that it meets the nutritional requirements of the residents..and other than collecting all the recipes on the menu, we get to spend time in the kitchen helping out..

and cos i spend so much time talking to the chef about cooking and baking, he decided to give me a recipe!!!

It's for an eclair (same thing as choux pastry)....i thought nothing much about it until when i left the kitchen and the receptionist and we had the following exchange:

Bev: He gave you a recipe??!!!
me: Yes.
Bev: Can I have a look?!!
me: erm, but my handwriting is really messy. Shall I email you instead?
Bev: No...I m sure I can read it!
me: *shrug* ok.

She then promptly makes a photocopy of the recipe and folds it neatly and hides it in her drawer.

I was somewhere taken aback at her behaviour, so I asked, "Doesn't he share his recipes usually?"

Bev: *looks at me with wide open eyes and shakes her head*

So you see...this recipe is really special....or at least it makes me feel really special!! hehe!!!

And now i will share it with you....:) try it soon and hope it makes your day too!!!

Chef's Emilio Eclair

Ingredients:
1 cup water
125g butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220 C.
Combine water and butter in a pot and heat till the butter melts.
2. Add flour and mix till it comes away from the sides of the pot.
3. Transfer to a bowl and cool for 2-3 mins.
4. Using a hand mixer on low speed, add an egg at a time, incorporating into the mixture till it is all mixed.
5. Oil a baking sheet, put mixture into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe lengths of around 10cm.
6. Bake for 15 mins.
7. Reduce to 150 C and bake for another 15- 20 mins.
8. Fill with fresh cream.

Thanks Chef!!

Miso Rigatoni with Poached egg

supper from last night..

didn't wan to make too much noise in the kitchen as it was past midnight..had a nap in the afternoon and slept well past dinner time!!
I just like the looks of this pasta...taste-wise, it is only average...

just a teaspoon of white miso and a teaspoon of chili bean sauce for seasoning (too salty ...had to top up with water and make it into a soupy dish..) on hindsight perhaps some corn kernels would be good...and maybe some sesame oil..