Lamb jus

June 3, 2016 11:36 am / 4 Comments /

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I needed to make a lamb jus for a group combi steam oven cooking class this week.  See the review from Jen about the class here.  Instead of cooking it on the cooktop as I normally do I decided to utilise the fact that I had to roast the bones in the combi first so I may as well switch modes to steam and finish cooking my stock in there.

Soups and stocks are one thing that I haven’t done yet in the steam oven.  No reason, just haven’t got around to it.  I did buy a deeper stainless steel solid tray that I can use which will be perfect for this occasion.  Certainly an easy way to make a stock as you don’t have to be watching it on the cooktop and you can even leave it unattended (apart from having to refill the water container).  Check your manufacturers information to see how long your water container will last before it needs a refill.

Whilst the whole process took a long time it was worth it!

Ingredients:

2kg lamb bones & meat such as neck chops.  I also used two large veal osso bucco bones.
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 stick celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
few black peppercorns
Water to cover
(Plus extra ingredients listed below)

Method:

  1. If you are using lamb chops then trim of any excess, visible fat.
  2. In a deep dish roast all the bones & chops in the combi on Fan forced @ 180°C for 30-45 minutes until well browned.  If you are using just bones then they should be well browned too.
  3. Add all other ingredients.  Don’t worry about removing the fat we will deal with that later. Just cover meat & vegetables with water and switch combi to steam only 100°C and cook for 3 hours.  Make sure that your dish isn’t too full as the steam oven will add more liquid over the cooking time.  This will actually dilute the stock a little so keep the liquid to a minimum.  Just covering the meat and vegetables is fine.  Interesting, but for some reason there didn’t appear to be any scum to skim off the top as you normally get when cooking a stock.
  4. Stain into a large bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight to let the fat rise to the top.  Remove. You should have a rich, jellied stock.
  5. Next day pour into a large saucepan add the following:-
    4 cloves garlic, sliced
    handful of fresh rosemary and thyme
    2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
    200ml good white wine
    1 tbsp orange marmalade
  6. Boil to reduce by half.  Season to taste with a dash of thick Malaysian ‘caramel’ soy sauce which will darken it up, sea salt and black pepper.
  7. Strain again and set aside to cool.

You should have a thick, delicious jus 🙂

Note:  If it is not thick enough then mix a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornflour with a little water and stir in over the heat.  Bring to the boil to cook off the flour for one minute and it should bring it together.  Do not over-thicken otherwise you will have gravy…..

Posted in: Combi Steamer, Steam Oven, Stocks & Sauces

Passionfruit souffle

May 22, 2016 4:59 pm / Leave a Comment /

Passionfruit souffle

This has to be my favourite, easiest and most fool-proof soufflé.  It is always delicious, you can make it ahead of time up to beating the egg whites and it is also the perfect soufflé recipe to test your oven!  I mention that because you need a very even and accurate thermostat to cook a soufflé perfectly and you also need a Conventional, not Fan forced oven that won’t ‘blow’ the soufflé around.

This picture was taken at an in-home cooking class I did in Kim’s beautiful kitchen in Mosman.  You can see that the soufflés are well risen and evenly browned.  We actually cooked them in her combination oven and microwave.  She was very happy, we had a very successful class where she learnt to use her new appliances.  See my page here about how you can have a cooking class with me in your own home in Sydney too where you can also read Kim’s feedback.

Ingredients:  Serves 5 large or 8 small ramekins

3 egg yolks.  I use 70-80g eggs
5 tbsp castor sugar
5 Passionfruit (you need 4tbsp of passionfruit liquid)
5 egg whites (at room temp)

Method:

  1. Strain the pips from the passionfruit and set aside liquid, see note above.
  2. Beat egg yolks with 3 tbsp castor sugar until pale and thick.
  3. Grease 5 soufflé dishes with melted butter.
  4. Preheat oven to Conventional 200°C with baking tray in place.
  5. Whisk the 5 egg whites in a large, clean, dry bowl with a pinch of table or cooking salt until half beaten (this can be done with an electric mixer but not a food processor)
  6. Continue beating by hand adding the remaining sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.
  7. Fold passionfruit liquid into egg yolk mixture and carefully fold in half the egg whites then the remaining.
  8. Spoon into prepared dishes and bake on a hot tray for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.  Delicious with whipped cream served on the side.

Hint:  Serve on folded napkins on plates to take to the table.  The napkin will keep the souffle warm on the plate to protect it from dropping.

Posted in: Cooking classes, Desserts

Little baby cheesecakes

April 21, 2016 2:05 pm / 10 Comments /

Little baby cheesecakes

I found this new baby cheesecake tin in my local kitchenware shop and had to try a quick and simple cheesecake version in my steam oven.  Pretty easy to produce a baked cheesecake in 15 minutes, the steam oven is excellent for this type of baking due to its low and even temperature.

You can basically use any biscuits you have on hand and add any flavourings you like.  I have gone for simple lemon, topped with toasted almonds.  They were really delicious served with my steamed pears here.  Stone fruits or fresh berries would also be great made into a little sauce.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients:  Makes 12 baby size or 6 small muffin size

¾ cup crushed sweet biscuits.  I used Butternut snaps
50g butter melted
¼ tsp cinnamon

Filling:
125g full fat cream cheese at room temperature
125g smooth ricotta
1/3 cup castor sugar
¼ cup cream
2 eggs
rind ½ lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cornflour
¼ cup toasted, slivered almonds

Method:

  1. Brush tins all over with melted butter.  If your not using pans with removable bases then add little circles of baking paper.
  2. Combine biscuit crumbs, cinnamon & melted butter together.
  3. Press into bases and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
  4. In a bowl or jug with a spout for pouring, beat together the room temperature cream cheese, ricotta, cream, sugar and lemon rind until smooth.
  5. Now all all the other ingredients and mix well.
  6. Pour carefully into tiny tins over the biscuit base.  If you are using the removable bases make sure you sit it in a solid steamer tray as the butter will escape.
  7. Cover with foil and steam baby size @ 100°C for 15 minutes.  Larger muffin tins may take up to twice the cooking time.
  8. Uncover and cool.  They will firm up and sink a little on cooling but should be just set.
  9. Chill until required.  I actually like the texture better at room temperature.

Top with a dollop of cream, toasted almonds and fruit in season.

Posted in: Desserts, Party Food, Steam Oven

Caramalised onion & goats cheese quiche

March 29, 2016 11:21 am / Leave a Comment /

Caramalised onion and goats cheese quiche

As my daughter said “it’s been ages since we had a decent quiche!”.

Not something I cook a lot, I guess it is not on the low fat radar and still considered a bit of a treat in our house.  There is nothing like a decent quiche with delicious, short pastry and a melt in the mouth filling.

This one was particularly delicious for Easter with a side salad.

Ingredients:

Pastry:
250g plain flour
125g butter
60ml iced water

Filling:
5 large onions, sliced thinly
Olive oil
6 eggs
½ cup cream
pinch salt
115g soft goats cheese or goats curd
fresh thyme leaves

Ingredients:

  1. For the caramalised onion, heat olive oil in a large, heavy based, non-stick frypan and saute onions.  Start on a medium heat until they start to break down and then drop to a lower temperature.  Cook until they turn a light, golden brown and all the sugars are released from the onions.  This can take up to an hour and a half.  Stir frequently so they don’t catch on the base of the pan.  This can be done up to two days before and stored in a covered container in the fridge.
  2. For the pastry, blend the flour with the cold, cubed butter in a food processor until the flour looks like breadcrumbs.  With the motor running add the cold water through the feed tube until the dough just starts to come together.  You may need a couple of teaspoons more water.  Remove from the processor and knead lightly together.   The dough should be soft but not sticky and just come together.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  3. To assemble the quiche:  Roll out the pastry thinly.  This quantity made 2 x 35x10mm rectangle tins or one large round quiche.
  4. Line the pastry with baking paper and rice or baking weights.  Bake on Fan forced @ 160°C for 15 minutes.  Remove paper and weights and return to the oven for about another 10 minutes until the pastry is cooked, lightly browned and shrinking from the edges of the tin.
  5. In a large jug whisk the eggs, cream and seasonings together.  Spread the cold, caramalised onion onto the pastry base.  Add a reasonable amount, you don’t have to use it all but make sure there is enough for a generous layer.  Pour over the egg mixture, break the goats cheese evenly over the top, sprinkle with thyme leaves and bake Fan forced @ 160°C until the filling is set, about 15-20 minutes.  If you have one deeper quiche use Conventional oven without the fan as it is a more gentle heat.

Slice into generous pieces and serve warm with a side salad.

Posted in: Baking, Dinner parties, Easter, Eggs, Party Food, Pastry, Traditional Ovens, Vegetarian

Need help choosing your appliances?

March 20, 2016 11:45 am / 2 Comments /
Appliances

“So many brands, it’s so difficult to know what to buy!”

I am excited to announce that I am now assisting customers with choosing their appliances!

Just like an Interior Designer helps customers with selecting furnishings I am an Independent Home Economist who knows and understands the many appliance brands, models, types and functions of appliances that are available today.  To be honest it can all be very confusing if you don’t know what you are looking for, have the pressure of dealing with various sales people then ultimately the time pressure to get your appliances selected in time for the final check measure.

There are SO many factors to consider, many which the average sales person will not even ask or tell you about.  Mostly this is due to the time factor or having not qualified you adequately.  It is difficult for sales people to really understand what you need, how you cook and entertain plus what you ultimately want your dream kitchen to look like!  Whether or not you intend to purchase your appliances in-store or online you still need advice.  This is probably the most expensive and important room in the house.  Many of my old customers spent tens of thousands of dollars on these appliances so they must be the right ones!

If you would like some independent help selecting your appliances please contact me.  We can talk about what you need, how you cook and entertain and really get an understanding of the entire kitchen package.  This includes vitally important cleaning zones, dishwasher, rangehood and refrigeration.  I can then meet you in-store* when the time is right to guide you easily through the selection process.

I am not paid commission by anyone and like an Interior Designer I will have an hourly fee that will be a worthwhile investment in your renovation budget.  After all, if you intend to remain in this property for some years this kitchen has to last probably up to 20 years.  It is SO important that you buy the right appliances that YOU will be happy with.

Give me a call for a quote.

Trudy Smith

0416 030 167

cookwise@hotmail.com

*In-store means an Appliance Retailer of your choice that stocks and sells a wide variety of brands in the Sydney Metropolitan area.  Areas out of the Metropolitan zone can also be discussed.

 

Posted in: Appliances, Kitchen design, Traditional Ovens

Black sticky rice with coconut milk

March 6, 2016 8:08 pm / Leave a Comment /

Black sticky rice

One of my all time favourite Asian desserts.  This classic is also excellent served as part of a brunch or in tiny individual bowls or glasses at the end of a cocktail party.

Yet another rice dish that is fantastic cooked in the steam oven.  I use to cook this in my old Le Creuset pot that was lined in a pale coloured enamel.  A great pot but not for sticky rice as it use to turn it purple.  Easier to cook and wash up in the solid steamer tray.  Half quantity is a generous serving for four.

Result was delicious, just as good as before but without the messy pot!

Ingredients:  Serves 8-10

2 cups black glutenous rice
2½ cups water
2 Pandan leaves, cut to fit length of solid tray and spit down spine

Syrup:
125g palm sugar
¾ cup water

1 cup coconut milk
pinch sea salt to taste (it can be slightly over salted as the rice doesn’t contain any salt and it will balance out all the flavours)

Method:

  1. Wash black glutenous rice well in a sieve under cold running water.
  2. Soak overnight in cold water.
  3. Drain, rinse again and place into the solid steamer tray with the Pandan leaves flattened, ripped into strips down the spine to release the flavour and pushed under the water.
  4. Cook at 100°C steam for 30 minutes.  Open the steam oven half way through the cooking time to push the leaves into the liquid a little more.
  5. Remove from steam oven and immediately cover with a piece of aluminum foil.  The rice should be cooked but still have a ‘bite’ to it.  This process helps to extract all the flavour from the Pandan leaves.
  6. Let it go cold with the foil over until ready to serve or refrigerate for later*.
  7. In the meantime melt the palm sugar and water together in a small saucepan and set aside.  This can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator until required.
  8. When the rice has cooled (about 20 minutes) uncover, remove the Pandan leaves and discard.  You will need to scrape all the rice from the leaves.
  9. Stir in as much of the palm sugar syrup as you like to sweeten*.  It should be sweet but not sickly.
  10. Serve slightly warm* with coconut milk drizzled over the top and fresh, ripe mango for that tropical hit 🙂

Note:  *You can make this a few days before and reheat in the steam oven @ 100°C for 4 minutes.  If you are doing this don’t add the syrup until you are ready to serve.  In fact I never add the syrup until serving time when the rice is warm.  Let your guests add a little more if they like it sweeter.

Posted in: Breakfast/Brunch, Desserts, Gluten free, Steam Oven, Thai

In-home cooking classes!

March 3, 2016 8:03 pm / 7 Comments /

Don’t know how to use your oven?  Spent heaps of money on all those appliances but can’t even work out how to use the main oven let alone your steam oven or combi steam oven?

I am happy to announce that I am now offering in-home cooking classes in the Sydney metropolitan area!

I will come to your home  and give you an overview demonstration cooking class on how to use your products plus I will prepare you a delicious lunch using those appliances!

For more information please see my cooking classes page here.

In-home cooking classes

Posted in: Appliances, Combi Steamer, Cooking classes, Steam Oven, Traditional Ovens

Galette Des Rois

January 1, 2016 6:00 pm / Leave a Comment /

Galette Des Rois

When my daughter was living in France on exchange she was delighted to learn that the French serve this delicious galette on the 6th January as part of their New Year celebration.

It is not at all difficult to make, basically just puff pastry and ground almonds like a frangipani tart.  This recipe is from the lovely book ‘Pies & tarts’ by Stephane Reynaud that I received for my birthday.

When cooking this use the combi if you have one, otherwise use Fan Forced or ‘Supercook’ as some brands call it.  Refer to my function chart here.  As I mentioned in my curry puff recipe, nothing makes puff pastry ‘puff’ like a combi!  Be sure to preheat the oven tray for this.  If you have a combi that also has bottom element only you could do a further stage with 10 minutes bottom element as part of the cooking time.  This will ensure you have a beautiful cooked base.  Or, even better, if your combi (or oven) has a function with the fan and bottom element then use that for the complete baking time. You cannot ‘blind’ bake this galette.

Ingredients:

375g puff pastry
180g blanched almonds
180g castor sugar
180g unsalted butter
4 eggs

Method:

  1. Preheat combi oven with the flat tray @ 180°C
  2. Grease and flour a 20cm tart tin.  I used the traditional French ‘ring’ that doesn’t have a base but a normal tin is fine but try using it without its base (so with baking paper on the bottom only.  See step 6).  This really does help brown and cook the base.
  3. Process the almonds with the sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.
  4. Melt the butter, add it to the almond-sugar mix then incorporate 3 eggs.
  5. Set aside the yolk of the remaining egg.
  6. Roll out two thirds of the pastry to 3mm thick.  Tear off a piece of baking paper large enough for the tin to place your galette on.  As the tin is preheating in the oven, assemble the galette on the paper.  Place the pastry in the tin, allowing the edges to hang over.
  7. Fill with the almond cream.
  8. Glaze the edges with the reserved egg yolk.
  9. Roll out remaining pastry and cover the pie, pressing the edges to seal.
  10. Draw a rosette pattern on top using the tip of a knife.
  11. Brush with egg wash.
  12. Slide the galette on its paper onto the hot oven tray.  Place back into the oven and bake on Combination mode 180°C + 30% steam for 30-45 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

Posted in: Combi Steamer, Desserts

Pearl barley risotto

November 24, 2015 4:22 pm / 2 Comments /

Barley risotto

I have been wanting to try cooking pearl barley in the steam oven for sometime.  Such an under-rated grain and sometimes passed off as only being for soups, pearl barley has had a revamp as one of the new, healthy grains suitable for all sorts of dishes.  Although it does contain gluten in its current form I believe that the CSIRO have developed a gluten free barley grain that is currently being grown and marketed for commercial sale.  Keep an eye out for this 🙂

Cooking pearl barley in the steam oven is similar to that of brown rice.  It needs washing and picking over and the same amount of liquid as brown rice for cooking (1 to 1.25).  So much easier to cook this all in one pan.  I chose the base of my Le Creuset flat casserole but any cooktop to oven dish that will fit into your steam oven will do.  Great for serving in and less washing up.

I have added fennel and roasted pumpkin to this risotto but play around and change the flavours to suit what you have on hand.  Cooking in the steam oven retained the shape and texture of the grain which is perfect for risotto or salads.  I served it with crumbled fetta which gave it that little extra flavour and another texture.  Would be excellent served under any fish for a more substantial main course.

Fantastic the next day as a salad served at room temperature with rocket, quartered freshly cooked beetroot, goats cheese and a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients:  Serves 6

1½ cups pearl barley, washed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small or ½ large fennel, thinly sliced
splash white wine (optional)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
pinch sea salt & ground black pepper
½ small butternut pumpkin, roasted prior
handful of fresh parsley or dill chopped
fetta cheese to serve

Method:

  1. Roast pumpkin, cubed with a splash of olive oil @ 200°C Fan forced for 15-20 minutes until browned.  Set aside.
  2. If your using your combi oven open it to cool down while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  3. In a deep, flat pan that will fit into the steam oven saute the onion & garlic in a splash of olive oil.
  4. Add drained pearl barley and very thinly sliced fennel and stir until coated with the oil and onion mixture.
  5. Add a splash of white wine and let it bubble away the alcohol for a couple of minutes.
  6. Add the stock.  It should just cover the vegetables and barley and cook @ 100°C steam for 40 minutes, stirring after 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from steam oven, taste for seasoning (I needed a pinch of salt even though I used commercial stock for this).
  8. Add the roast pumpkin, herbs and seasoning and stir well.
  9. Cover pan with lid and let it rest for 5 minutes.  This will warm the pumpkin through.
  10. Serve with crumbled fetta cheese if desired.
Posted in: Combi Steamer, Healthy eating, Main Courses, Steam Oven, Vegetarian

Best ever Christmas pudding

October 25, 2015 10:22 am / 22 Comments /

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Time to make the Christmas pudding!

A couple of years ago I discovered this pudding recipe somewhere and scribbled the ingredients down onto a post-it-note.  Apologies to anyone who created it as I don’t remember where I found it but I changed it a little from the alcohol perspective and used an old cherry brandy that I kept for Christmas cooking.  You can also just use regular brandy as I did last year and it was still wonderful.

Christmas pudding is always a traditional one in our family.  None of this ice-cream sort, trifle or pavlova.  My daughter said it’s the best thing about Christmas!  I will never forget we drove 13 hours to have Christmas with my parents once and my mother produced a ‘home brand’ pudding.  Shock – horror, I don’t think she recovered for weeks!  So the pudding last year was said to be the best pudding I had ever made (and that’s saying something!!) so I thought I would share it on the blog for you all to try to make nice and early this year.

Don’t make it the week before Christmas, it needs time to mature and more time for the extra brandy to be lovingly brushed over the top from time to time 🙂

Below are both steam oven and traditional stove top cooking options.  This is where the steam oven really comes into play.  In 6 hours you will need to re-fill the water container several times but that is SO much easier than attending to a pot on the stove.  You can also attend to other things knowing that you have a good 90 minutes of cooking time in each full water bottle (depending upon which brand of steam oven you own.  Please check your instruction book to see how long your water container will last before needing a refill).  You can get a lot done in 90 minutes can’t you?  Most brands will tell you when the container needs more water which is just so convenient.  Overall it was incredibly easy to cook this pudding in the steam oven.

*Over the years I have had lots of comments on this post.  Until now (November, 2016) I didn’t think that it was possible to cook the pudding in a ‘cloth’ in the steam oven.  I always have used the basin method and any puddings I have eaten that have been boiled in a cloth had quite a thick outer almost ‘skin’ which I always thought came from immersing it in boiling water.  Tonight I witnessed Maggie Beer cook her Christmas cloth pudding in her steam oven!  Certainly a first to my knowledge for TV viewers.  So, apparently you can, so prepare your cloth in the usual way, fill the pudding, tie securely and cook for the same time as you would on the stove.  Her recipe looked about a small 3 cup size and took 2½ hours.  If you use my recipe which was very similar to Maggie’s then it will make two puddings in cloths, place them both on the large solid steamer tray and cook at 100°C for 3 hours.  Remember to be present to top up the water tank if you don’t own the plumbed in model.

Ingredients: Makes 1 large 8 cup pudding

250g butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
750g mixed fruit
1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped
3/4 cup dates, chopped
1 cup brandy
1½ cups Plain flour, sifted
1teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon bicarb-soda
½ cup slivered almonds
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Method:

  1. Soak the fruit in the brandy overnight. A couple of days won’t hurt.
  2. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with a mixer until pale.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.   It may curdle but that’s OK. Remove beaters.
  4. Now in a big bowl fold through the fruit, brandy and then sifted dry ingredients, almonds and breadcrumbs
  5. Mix really well.
  6. Grease an 8 cup pudding basin or ceramic bowl well.  Line the base with a baking paper circle and pour in mixture.  Level out the top.
  7. Cover with 2 layers of baking paper that have a ‘pleat’ on the top to allow for rising.  Tie securely with string around the rim of the basin.  If you are using two small, metal steamers then you can just grease the inside of the lid and use that.
  8. Steam in steam oven @ 100°C for 6 hours.  Because it will take a bit more time to go back to temperature after each water refill I ended up removing it about 20 minutes before the end of cooking time.  Let it rest for about 15 minutes then run a knife around the sides and turn out onto fresh baking paper and foil.  I prefer to remove it from the basin while it is hot so it wont stick.  Wrap securely and when cold place in a plastic bag in a cool place until Christmas.  In Sydney I think it’s better to store in the refrigerator just in case it is humid.  This way I can open it up easily and brush with a little more brandy 🙂
  9. Bring your pudding back to room temperature a few hours before reheating, unwrap and return to the basin.  Cover with foil and secure with string again.  Reheat whole pudding, covered in basin for 2 hours @ 100°C.  Line the basin with strips of baking paper you can use as ‘handles’ to get it out easily.  You can do individual slices for approx. 10 minutes each, just uncovered in the solid steamer tray.  This is what I do as it is really quick, I do four slices for about 20 minutes in total.

OR bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Test that the water comes half way up the sides of the pudding and steam for 6 hours being sure to top up the water so it doesn’t boil dry.  You will need to watch it carefully and do this a few times.  If you are cooking in a pot I would also cover with a layer of aluminium foil.

See comment above here * for a traditional ‘cloth’ pudding method.

Serve with your favourite sauce, cream and fresh berries.  Our favourite sauce is an old traditional Ballarat recipe that only one person I know uses.  It is more like a ‘Brandy cream’ and you can find the recipe here.

Note:  To cook two smaller pudding basins, say 5 cup capacity each cook for 4 hours.  For individual 1/2 cup ramekins cook for 1 hour.

 

 

 

Posted in: Christmas cookery, Steam Oven