Christmas holiday cooking

My sister (my whole family) loves looking at food and what I've been cooking up so here's what I've been cooking in our little kitchen that gets no rest... (esp since I've acquired these two babies in addition to my Jamie's America as Christmas gifts)

Bourke Street Bakery Cookbook from Dave + pearl necklace

Masterchef Cookbook from Mark & Winnie


Have yet to start on stuff from both the new books but I've made two dishes from Jamie's America

1st up: Chilli con carne

Some of the spices and used: Fresh oregano from my balcony herb garden, cinnamon, garlic, fresh chili and dried bay leaves.

Other ingredients: chopped onions, rump steak (cubed +minced), ground cumin, paprika, tinned chopped tomatoes, tin of borlotti beans( I ran out of kidney beans), red capsicum.


And this: "Is that soy-sauce?" Dave asked when he saw this...

"Nope, just dried chilli hydrated in coffee" ..." interesting..."
Apparently when Jamie Oliver learned the recipe, the cowboys he was with added their coffee to it as a source of liquid to keep the temperature down as they cooked it over an open fire.

First time using this ingredient

Ok... doesn't look that great but the taste really packs a punch, Dave even felt that I could have added more chilli to it. Once again Jamie Oliver's recipe impresses. Adding coffee imparted a different flavour to it. Tastes even better the next day!


And we had it with avocado + sweet corn and some steamed rice.

2nd: Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing

Only took pictures when the cupcakes came out, was in a rush so forgot shots with cream cheese but they were yummy.

Ok... now to attempt making my own sweet shortcrust pastry for tomorrow's bourbon pecan pie.

Summer project

Very very happy with the weekend purchase of new cookbook Jamie's America, have been watching his series on tele this past month, been so inspired, esp when he was making Tamales, using exotic ingredients like cactus and alligator.. was also drooling over the gumbo he was whipping up and when we went to "South" last week and had the best pecan pie, I knew I had to open a new chapter in my cooking adventures at home.

Some dishes I tried at "South" that I'm going to attempt

Chili con carne with cornbread

Buffalo wings, southern ribs, blue cheese sauce
& my favourite dessert of all time

PECAN Pie..

Fish Bee Hoon Soup

Comfort food, just suited for a day when life seems so uncertain and when I miss home, though I was meeting Dad & Mum in a few hours. The weekend came and went so fast and now they are on their way home.

This is how Mum would make it, but I had to dig around for ingredients in my fridge, unfortunately not as plentiful as Mum's. (hers would have prawns, mince meatballs & choy sum). I had to make do with the deep sea perch & eggs.

Its so simple and so delicious. Soup was made from frying some minced garlic and when it nice and brown, splash some water in and cover immediately to "lock in" the smokey scent.
I then added some chinese rice wine and my fish slices to cook, a splash of fish sauce & white pepper.
Then I threw in the softened beehoon. Ladel it all up and garnish with fried omelette, spring onions and chili padi.. yumyum

PhD?

This week has been a bunch of nerves for me everytime I open the mailbox.

The verdict of whether Dave & I stay in Sydney or go back to Singapore next year depends on these two letters from Usyd.

This afternoon I got one: I have been admitted for candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Score now stands as Sydney 1: Singapore 0

Letter for scholarship is now pending I've got until mid December to find out.