I love my grill

My oven has a really hot grill. I love it. Use it all the time.

Tonight for supper, I up turned a couple of large portobello mushrooms,  laid a slice of tomato in the cavity and filled the top with Parmesan cheese. I then grilled it in the oven. Nice supper with some leftover Chardonnay I had the the fridge.

Cioppino - seafood soup - dinner

I first had one in Seattle a few years ago and I enjoyed it very much. Here's my attempt

Based roughly on http://www.grouprecipes.com/84621/my-cioppino-italian-seafood-stew.html

Fish stock made from Saito fish bones, prawn and crayfish heads with the obligatory mirepoix.
Had to filter twice but still looks black (prob because the bones had blood and the prawns/crayfish as well.

This is basically western style tomato soup but with a fish stock and 2 anchovies fried into the oil at the start.

The same soup but blended in the blender. Tastes quite nice at this point by itself.

The seafood. I cut the crayfish down the middle, chopped off the head for stock, but left the split tail on.

The mussels. Not very good (bought in Chinatown mkt). Not fresh testing and rather tasteless.

Finished product with wan sui on top.

Bread with extra virgin olive oil and shredded parmesean grilled in the oven.

Ze crayfish tail

Side dish. Fry thin slices of Chinese Salted ham, then a bit of garlic, then quickly stir fry the veg.
Just before it is done, pour some boiling chicken stock on top and mix.

The completed side dish.

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.