The breakfast of leftovers

3 week old eggs, 2 week old cherry tomatoes and week old celery and carrots.

Made into tomato cheese omelette and morning vegetable juice with assist from rye bread and grated Parmesan.

My omelette ( ala jacque pepin ) shape is a little ragged. I've only been able to get good shape on my first try some months ago. 

Sunday night dinner

Dinner on Sunday (quickie one) with, 

A. Tomato Orange pork stew from Tuesday, refreshed with green peas and my missing mushrooms (tasted much better with the mushrooms).

B. Mashed Potatoes made simply with a tab of butter and some hot milk and salt (consistency not quite right, but it was done quickly so I guess I deserve it).

C. Salad - with walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, croutons made from stale bread and a bean combo bought from cold storage. Dressing a sweetish one from olive oil, honey, salt and a little lemon juice.

Goes with sake (normal or ume).

Tomato and orange pork stew

Based on the recipe posted below (and used pork instead of veal).

Tastes all right except sauce was a bit too tart tasting (meat was good). Partly because I keh kiang and added half a lemon worth of juice and partly because its missing the mushrooms! When I opened the mushrooms bought 2 days ago, they were slimy (shame on you cold storage!).  I had to substitute with carrots.

Should do ok with a neutral carb such as rice. I feel this can be improved. May try again - the meat itself tastes good

Steamboat craze

This is the 6th steamboat dinner in 3 weeks! Assembled in 15 mins or less with the stock (as per "quick and dirty steamboat stock") boiled in rice cooker via timer.

This is Ume sake sparking wine. Mw likes it. I find it tastes ok, but somewhat too sweet for me.

Orange Liqueur - Limoncello Style

I'm making a Orange Liqueur, using a Limoncello recipe (i.e. Orange zest instead of Lemons). I'm hoping to use it in another chocolate cake.

I'm using a canning jar. Put in about 250ml of vodka.

Was supposed to zest without the white pith. Unfortunately I used mandarin oranges with very thin skin.

Finally did it with some large oranges with thicker skins. I still had to run my knife over the remaining pith on the zest though.

Now to wait one week. To be continued.

Slightly more than 1 week later. Boiled a cup of water with 3/4 cup sugar for 15 mins then added to the vodka (strained) after cooling. 

Now to wait another 2 weeks.

Vietnamese beef dish - Bo Tai Chanh

Nice. Will try it some time. I think it is worthwhile to use good beef.

A recipe that seems suitable: Bo Tai Chanh

Quick and dirty steamboat stock

Makes decent tasting stock quickly (such as for a weekday meal).

1.5 to 2 times water to 1 volume of good chicken stock (in this case 500ml of stock).
1 tomato sliced.
small handful of dried mushrooms
1 aromatic such as a stalk of spring onion bruised.
4-5 slices of ginger.
1 small piece of dried cuttlefish or something similar.
A little salt.

Boil the whole lot together at high heat for 20 to 30 mins. Decant through a sieve to remove the solids. Voila steamboat stock.