Hiragana wrote:

Fish bliss.

*sagenod*

To think it took me so long to `speriment because I was afraid of the unknown (Australian fish). I now need to try the rest *grin* - any suggestions?

Kingfish and ocean trout. Awesome! Positively awesome!

-X

Kingfish is good raw, frilled or fried. It steams alright as well.

The ocean trout is awesome smoked or grilled.

-X

Now I'm hungry!

:P

-X

We have a planning session for a new menu tomorrow, so I thought I would throw up some ideas here to contribute (detract? :P) to the sum of human knowledge.

So far I am thinking of king prawns sauted in butter with a citrus cous cous, which has pinenuts, orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit in it. (I've made it before. Its nummy!)

A vanilla bavois (splelink?) which has a thick-ish raspberry jelly/syrup thingy in the middle of it, complete with little bits of raspberry. Tres awesomo.

Hiragana said some word I didn't know the other night. 'Rasama'. I like that kind of thing so that's on the cards as a starter methinks.

And I'll probably hit the books tomorrow.

-X

Hiragana wrote:

The King Prawns sound yum.

Rasam? Yes, that's a favorite of mine - how are you making it?

Don't know yet. Thinking about a tamrind and tomato one, that sounds nummy.

The chef I work under is pretty knowledgeable about asian food so she should be able to give a few pointers.

You got any secrets? :P

-X

Last wednesday a friend and I wanted to make Bananamuffins and by "improvising" (means "being to lazy to go shopping for missing ingredients") we came up with this very delicious recipe:

Mix 150 g of sun flower oil with 150 g sugar, vanilla, a bit salt and three eggs. Add three mashed, very ripe (the riper, the better) bananas. Mix 350 g of flour with backing powder and 100g ground almonds, then add it to the banana-oil-sugar mixture. Add half a cup of milk, stir and then put the dough into muffin-forms. Unfortunately I don't know how long it has to be in the oven, because the original recipe is for a cake and I forgot to look on the clock... (oh, and the recommended temperature is 170 degree Celsius)

Last edited by Hekate (2008-02-29 01:27:39)

Gonna Cook Dinner for some frinds tonight and this being Texas and all I decided Chili would be a good way to go so I hit up a buddy of mine for suggestions for the accompanying meal and it mostly semeed to consist of; Onionsd, Cheese, Crackers and Beer. Possibly with some Hotdogs on the side, I think I'm-a gonna add in some dinner rolls and probably some Blue Bell Vanilla icecream for dessert! Course I needed a good Recipe and he passed me one a mutual friend gave him that he now uses excusively.
Figured I might share it for all and sundry, especially for our overseas friends who have never had the pleasure of a good Bowl o Chili. Mind you this is not a Bowel-Meltingly-Spicy Recipe, just a good one from what I'm told...and very, very MEATY and very Beery...8)
I'll be cutting this in half as I want it to cook faster than 4 hours...8P

MONA's TEXAS CHILI:

Ingredients:
2lbs. Beef Stew Meat
2lbs. Chili Grind beef
Salt & Pepper (amounts will vary on your tastes)
1x 2oz. Package of Chili Powder
1oz of Cumin
1x or 2x Can's Rotel Tomatoes (optional)
3-4 Cans of Beer (see below - replaces any water ingredient)
2-3 tbsps Masa Harina (Corn Starch)

Optional:
1x Can Bush's Original Baked Beans

Directions:
Brown 2lbs. Stew Meat then add 2lbs. Chili Grind Beef cook until Beef is brown

Add Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder and a half Package of Cumino cook for a minute or two.

Add enough beer to cover and cook over low flame until meat is tender enough to cut with a spoon. Cooking time may be up to 4 hours. Use more beer for additional liquid if needed. Check Seasoning when meat is tender enough for you.

When meat is at desired tenderness you can eat as is or thicken with slury of Masa Harina and Water. If adding then add a little at a time and bring chili back to a Boil until desired thickness is acheieved.

Note: Mona also suggest you can thicken by cooking more of the liquid out but it conecentrates the salt and she lieks the flavor Masa adds.

- Enjoy!

Last edited by Ren (2008-04-22 10:31:21)

Ren. that sounds delish! But a quick note: it won't cook faster just by halving the ingredients -- because it's not about volume, but about enough time for the beef to tenderize.

Using stew meat and chili-ground meat, you're getting a tougher cut of beef that needs long slow heat to break up the connective tissue and tenderize. Too short a cooking time will just turn out a tough-to-chew product. Four hours may be a bit long -- the fact that the beef is cut up into smaller pieces will help a little bit -- but you very well could need all of 3 to 4 hours to get the beef tender. Also, chili (and stews for that matter) are much better when cooked longer -- in fact, often taste even better the next day, if you can wait that long! (we never can) Also, cooking at a higher heat to "speed things up" won't help either.

best advice: start early and cook long & slow. The recipe (and menu!) sounds like a hit. Good luck!

Ah, thanks. Not something found here then (the chili grind), but easily done by grinding the beef at home in a food processor (I know, not quite the same, but I don't have an actual grinder).

That does sound very yum, Ren!

The chilli I eat comes from a can ;)

Some would call you a heathen for putting ground beef in your chili, Ren. It does sound delish.

What brand of Chili Powder do you use?

Update the Chili Recipe with a new addition I found I liked after some modification; the addition of a can of Bush's Baked Beans. Now I doubt my European friends can get their hands on Bush's and I don't knwo what the equivlaent is but basically it's red beans in some kind of semi-sweet sauce. Between the beer and the beans it adds a very nice and tangy flavor.

Next time I may try cooking the meat in a soy/peanut sauce micture first...*ponder*

Chicken, stir-fried with lemon grass and oyster sauce

(all found at the blog for those who know)

Last edited by Hiragana (2008-09-24 08:28:10)