Winter is here…….

Today is the first day of winter and I have decided it is soup and steamed pudding month! I am going to try at least one new soup and one new steamed pudding each week, to share with you. I already have a head start with Trudy’s Parsnip Snoup and the Banana and Toffee Steamed Puddings, so I thought I’d keep going.

On the menu will be the family favourite; Daddy’s Pumpkin Soup, as well as Potato, Leek & Bacon, Cream of Spinach and Onion and Cider Soup.

For the steamed puddings we have, Lemon and Almond, Raspberry and Coconut, Maple and Pecan and Almond and Pear.

If you can’t wait for those, you could always try the Roasted Tomato Soup with Parmesan Meatballs or the Pear, Almond and Chocolate Pudding.

Yum, I am salivating just thinking about them. All I need to do now is get rid of this dang virus and get cooking. It’s been nearly a week with a constant headache and cough, so I am hoping I must be nearly out the other side.

Anyway, challenge is set, so I best get cooking!

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Goat Curry

By the power of Twitter I stumbled upon Aproneers, a local deli selling all manner of Tassie produce AND they were having their soft opening that day. I had a look at their fare online and noticed they had goat on offer and was inspired to try a goat curry for dinner. After googling an appropriate recipe, I made a list and ventured out to purchase the required fresh veges, herbs and goat meat.

I have based this recipe on the Ulitmate Goat Curry recipe. Due to not having all the ingredients to hand, I have improvised and it is still a damn fine curry  (if I don’t say so myself), a little mild so I will try a little more curry powder next time and adjust the recipe accordingly when I do. We served it with rice and the Darling Boyfriend’s (DB) roti canai.

Ingredients:

600g goat, cubed
pinch salt
dash black pepper
½ medium onion sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed or diced finely
1 sprig thyme
½ tomato sliced
¼ chili pepper
1 spring omion, sliced
½ teaspoon Madras curry powder (for seasoning the meat)
1 ½ tablespoon Madras curry powder (for cooking)
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon Trinidad green seasoning (substitute chopped coriander leaves and roots)
½ teaspoon tomato paste
3 tablespoon oil
1 ½ cups water

Method:

Season the goat meat with everything listed above except the water, oil, onion, garlic, chilli and 1 ½ tablespoons of Madras curry powder. Mix well, cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hrs. Take it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before cooking so it gets back to room temperature.

In a heavy based pot put the oil to heat on medium/high, then add the onion and garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the chilli pepper and curry powder to the onion and garlic. Cook until it starts to stick or go really thick. Add a ¼ cup of water and allow this to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Continue to stir.

Once the mixture has reduced and the colour has become darker, Increase the heat and add pieces of seasoned meat a few at a time. Stir between each addition. Allow this to cook for about 25 minutes on a gentle simmer. Add the 3 cups of water left from the ingredient list to the bowl that had the seasoned pieces of meat and then transfer into the meat. 

At this point I transferred everything to the slow cooker and cooked for 4 hours on high. If you have the time, cook for 7 – 8 hours on low.

Transfer everything back into the heavy based saucepan, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered until reduced.

Serve on rice with flat bread if desired

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Banana Toffee Steamed Pudding

There is nothing better for comfort food on a winters night, than a sticky, steamed pudding. I had a couple of bananas that were almost past their use by date and this was the perfect choice for them. Serve with double cream or ice cream.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

225 g unsalted butter
100 g dark brown sugar
2 bananas
125 g raw caster sugar
3 eggs
1 cup self raising flour
75 g  fresh bread crumbs
juice of 1 lemon

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC.

Combine 100 g butter and the dark brown sugar in a bowl and stir until combined. divide equally between 6 x 200ml ramekins and brush the mixture over the base and ¾ way up the sides of the moulds.

cut several slices of banana and put a few slices in the base of each ramekin. (After the fact, I thought some crushed walnuts or pecans might be nice as well).

Mash the remaining banana in a bowl and mix with the raw caster sugar and remaining butter. Mix well. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture evenly between the ramekins.

Fold baking paper to form a pleat and then cover over the tops of the ramekins and secure (with string or silicon ties). Place in a deep baking dish and cover half way up the sides of the ramekins with boiling water.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove baking paper and gently lift the pudding away from the sides of the ramekin with a knife.

Invert the puddings onto individual serving plates and serve immediately with double cream or ice cream.

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Trudy’s Parsnip Snoup

I was visiting some work colleagues the other day and the lovely Lady Trudy mentioned the parsnip snoup she had cooked the day before and happily shared the recipe. Now here it is immortalised in blog for everyone to share. Thank you Trudy!
Yes, I know soup doesn’t have an “n” in it, but this one does, get over it…….

Ingredients:

2 tbs Olive Oil
330g Parsnip (about 2 medium), peeled & chopped
130g Potato (1 medium), peeled & chopped
90g Carrot (1 medium), peeled & chopped
1 Onion, chopped
2 tsp Tikka Curry Paste
750ml / 3 cups Vegetable Stock
100ml Cream

Method:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped veg & onion and cook for 5 mins.
Pour in 500ml / 2 cups stock and add the tikka paste.
Cover, bring to boil, then simmer for 20mins until tender.

Cool slightly and blend until smooth in food processor.

Return to saucepan, stir in remaining stock and the cream.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot with crusty bread

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The Chookens have delivered on the goods

Finally after 7 months of waiting, the Chookens have presented us with their first egg.

How very exciting!

Not only do we now have the chookens laying, I received a hot house for my birthday and after an afternoon of constructing, we now have somewhere safe from possums for the plants to grow. YAY, finally fresh coriander, basil and parsley. Isn’t it a beautiful thing?

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