Very ugly gluten free cookies

Very ugly and soft not hard.

But tastes ok. Good enough for a gluten free night snack.

Soft milk bread

It seems easier to do soft breads than the chewy ("artisan") kind esp with my new mixing machine. This one is pretty nice. I tried to infuse some pandan flavor but I think I chickened out and too little and too dilute (but still tastes good only very little pandan).

The sizes are mismatched got I only have a big and a small tin.

Coconut jam

I'll call it coconut jam. Was actually attempting a easy to do kaya (just mix ingredients in a jar and water bath).!

Too much coconut cream. It tastes ok but just not kaya.

Gradually improving baguettes

This latest batch looks good. Nice looking crust with good scoring. Nice rise and hollow sounding.

Can't wait to try it.

I read one guy took a year to get baguettes he was satisfied with!

A different woking method

I tried doing the equivalent of stir frying without a wok. The rationale being a easier clean on a weekday night.

I used a happy call pot. Very light and with a very slick non stick ceramic surface. I cut all my ingredients very small. Then I stir fried over as high a heat as I can get on my stove. To simulate the tossing action, I donned oven mitts, took the handles of the pot and proceeded to toss the ingredients over the high heat. 

Result. Not quite wok hei, but gets within shouting distance. I think the lacking ingredient may be the gas fire (home gas doesn't quite cut it). The one I tested before with a real wok in a real kitchen was I think the equal of 6 gas hobs. So super hot that if you left food lying in the wok for several seconds it would get burnt.

 

Gluten free cookies

First time baking cookies and gluten free as well (rice flour, rolled oats, brandied dry raspberries, cinnamon powder, dash of vanilla essence, eggs for binding, butter and milk with a little xanthum gum.

Taste was decent. But texture is soft, almost cake like. I have no basis for comparison as to whether gluten free cookies are like that or not. But I've seen some internet chatter on difficulties with texture.

Beef barley soup

Pretty beefy tasting beef barley soup. 

Used frozen beef mince and frozen beef cubes (ie cheap stuff) and a half and half mix of beef stock and water.

Browned the beef first in the skillet and transferred to the pot. Fried a basic mirepoix with garlic and ginger added over that. Then cooked 20 mins (adding some whole cherry tomatoes and whole garlic) in pressure cooker. After that add potatoes, carrots and barley and cooked another 10. 

Tastes beefy and nice. Carrots and potatoes a little too soft (will cook beef longer in first step and less longer in second step the next time).

Accompanying rice...

First bread with mixer

Gave in to temptation and bought a mixer. This is my first bread with it - Rosemary cheese. Texture was pretty good so I guess my hand kneading needed work 8-)

Taste was pretty good (maybe a tad too much Rosemary) and acceptable to mum and parents in law.

Vegetable stir fry for breakfast

I had some supplies to use up before we left Pemberton, so I did a vegetable stir fry for breakfast. 

Surprisingly tasty. Cut up broccoli, finely shredded carrot. Stir fry with butter. Then add Chardonnay (what else! I'm in wine country!) and boil till done and wine slightly reduced.

Yet another way to have steak

During my perth/pemberton trip, I just had to have steak. So here goes another variation, not too bad.

Get a good quality steak, at least 3cm. Brine for about an hour in your favorite brine recipe.

Get the pan very hot, then sear it on one side (I seared it dry coz I didn't have regular oil, only butter which would burn. Turn it over and lower heat to medium, then add generous sticks of butter and a bunch of sliced mushrooms. Let the butter melt and mushrooms cook through for a few mins. Then add a generous dollop of red white (used Pinot Noir) to cover then pan and mushrooms. Bring briefly to a boil and then lower heat to minimum (transferring to another hob if necessary). Take your time and cook your steak to done ness desired at low heat (thermometer is essential here). When done, take out steak, let it rest, then increase heat and reduce sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour mushrooms and gravy over steak.

Done in a proper kitchen with proper supplies, I might have added Dijon mustard.

Anyway, tasted nice. The mushrooms were nicely crusted (prob from the wine).

Rhubarb time

During my recent short trip to Pemberton (near Perth), I saw rhubarb in the supermarket. I had to try it.

First, I made a dessert, then I made a jam. Both with a similar method except that for the jam, I diced smaller, had more sugar, and stewed it longer.

Carramalise some brown sugar, add a little butter and rhubarb dice at the same time. Stir well to coat for a couple of mins. Then add a splash of white wine and cook it down. 

Result? Goes nicely with a sesame wafer. Not too bad, but not earth shattering either. Interesting experience.