Destressing Pumpkin Soup

When you're buried six feet under in a pile of book-rubble thanks to the oh-so-exciting end of semester exams, you often find yourself sprouting creative ideas (aka. procrastination) from all orifices on your body.

The brainchild of my uber-ultra-uhhh-productivity is this super destressing pumpkin soup! Why destressing? Because it takes about half a brain to make. Even Amus* could make it. It also makes you feel productive -- you are technically doing something useful...just perhaps not studying.

For those who are living in Sydney, let's ignore for a minute the amount of sun we've been getting in the past few days and rewind back about a week or two or so.

Rain. Remember that kids? Yes. Well this soup is perfect for those days...and books, if you must.

I didn't originally plan on posting about this soup, but my test guinea pig decided that it was safe enough to share with the world and encouraged me to post it.

So here it is folks!

* Chicago reference, in case you're giving me the eyebrow

Destressing Pumpkin Soup
Serves: 3

To buy:
1/2 Butternut Pumpkin
4 cups Chicken Stock (always have more on standby, though)
1/2 tbsp Dried Parsley
1 onion, roughly sliced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cream (optional)

To cook:

1. Cut pumpkin into 2cm cubes. Roughly.
2. Add oil to a deep pot and saute onions until transparent
3. Add pumpkin and gently stir around to initiate cooking process
4. Add stock and bring to boil. Put on lid and bring down to simmer
5. Sprinkle dried parsley. Season with salt and pepper
   
6. Simmer for about 20-30mins until pumpkins are soft enough to break with a fork.
7. Blend content either with handheld mixer, or in batches** in a blender.
8. Return to low heat and stir around content until even.
9. Add cream if desired
10. Serve with buttered toast/soldiers/whatever you fancy.
    

** If you're using a blender, make sure you leave the middle opening slightly ajar so that the lid of the jug does not fly off (i.e. to have the blender exploding on you). It gets messy. I'm pretty sure you don't want that happening.

Cheers.

King Mushroom and Shallot Omelette

Why? Because Sunday's are just much more fun when you wake up to an awesome breakfast.

And also because I just had to get away from the pile of uni work that I'm buried under at the moment. You may have noticed the shortage of posts this month, but it's because it's that time in the semester where all your tests, quizzes and assignment come together and give you one helluva SHAZAMM!

Putting that aside...

Much to my delight, as I rummaged through my almost empty fridge, I found a packet of the most scrumpdiddlyumptious babies in the world. KING MUSHROOMS!

These beasts kick all other mushrooms in the backside anyday. They're meaty, flavoursome and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Field mushrooms ain't got a thang on these thugs.

Oh and mum, if you're reading this. WE'RE STARVING over here! Our fridge is empty.

We call these Chicken Drumstick Mushrooms in Mandarin. Funnily enough, I do see the resemblance. Uncanny isn't it?

Start with one of these and just slice in half, and then some. You don't want them too thin or you'll lose the meaty texture of the mushrooms once they start sweating in the pan.

If you feel like more, feel free to slice up another one. The world is your oyster.

You'll also need about half a sprig of spring onion, finely diced.

Can you tell I've been practising with my camera?


You'll also need about 40g of grated tasty cheese. I simply julienned my COON slices - it won't make a difference because you'll be needing to melt the cheese later anyway.

I also use light cheese...just in case you wanted to turn me into the Heart Foundation for some serious lessons on how to not kill myself with what I eat.


Freshly grated parmesan will also help. 1/4 cup.

And no, it most definitely must be fresh. Ah-a-a-, no buts.

Whisk 3 eggs up. 4 if you feel like something quite cafe-sized, but promise me you'll share. 4 eggs in a day just isn't healthy. Neither is 2, but it's still better than 4. Less is more.

Melt some butter in a shallow frying pan. Feel free to use olive oil, but personally I always use butter with mushrooms as they provide a nicer colour and flavour.

Oh, and a grill-proof/ovenproof frying pan would be ideal. We'll be needing the grill later.

Throw in your sliced mushrooms and a sprinkle of salt.


Toss the mushrooms around until they a golden brown. These ones don't sweat all that much compared to the likes of button and field mushrooms, but you still need to sweat them in the pan properly before adding the egg.

Once mushrooms are done, turn the heat right down to low and pour in the egg. Go make yourself a cup of coffee or something while you give it a minute or two to just set on the bottom.

Sprinkle the tasty and parmesan cheeses. You may want to start the grill on about 250°C .

The cheese will begin melting, but it won't colour. Once the egg looks like its started to cook on the top, sprinkle the spring onions over the top of the omelette.


Next, pop the entire pan into the grill.

Once upon a time (say, when I was still in primary school), I remember the grill and oven used to be separate compartments underneath the stove. I also remember that when you used the oven, you had to remember to close the door (seemed kinda silly if you didn't), but when you used the grilling device, you had to leave the door open.

So when our new oven arrived post-renovation, I flicked through the instruction manual hoping to find instructions on what you should do with the oven door when you switch to the grilling element on the combined grill/oven system.

The manual gave me nothing. Zero, zilch, nothing.

It wasn't until my trip to the Blue Mountains that AL finally enlightened me that we are to leave the door ajar even on the combined system. Seems kind of dangerous doesn't it?

Oh well, so that's pretty much the way I've been doing things since. It makes better photography anyway. This post with the picture of marinated vegies grilling is still one of my favourites all time.

Pull the pan out once the cheese is golden brown on top. It would have puffed up quite a bit, but will sit back down before you manage to find your coffee.

Give us a moment as we admire the mushroom poking out of the omelette.

Finally, serve with a slice of buttered toast and a mug of (soy) coffee. Sundays just couldn't start in a better fashion could it?


King Mushroom and Shallot Omelette
Serves 2

Buy:
40g Cheddar/Tasty cheese, grated
1/2 Spring onion, finely diced
1~2 King Mushrooms, sliced thickly
3 Eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Butter, for frying
Salt, to taste

Make:

1. Melt butter in an ovenproof/grillproof frying pan
2. Brown mushrooms in pan until golden brown
3. Turn the heat to low, and gently pour in beaten eggs. Do not stir and allow to cook for a minute
   
4. Sprinkle cheese over the top then allow it to melt into the eggs
5. Turn grill to 250°C
6. Once the top of the eggs look like it is starting to set, sprinkle spring onions over the top
7. Place pan underneath the grill and allow cheese to brown
8. Remove from grill and transfer to plate
9. Serve with buttered toast
   

Shrimp Paste Fried Rice

I love shrimp paste.

I love shrimp paste.

I love shrimp paste.


And I think I've made my point. I'll get on with the rest of the post now.

Oh, and before I start:SHRIMP PASTE!

When I was young I used to hate shrimp paste. I blame it on the fact that my mother used it as liberally as any child would with Nutella.

Anyone who has ever come anywhere near shrimp paste would know that it was NEVER meant to be spread like Nutella. I think if it weren't for my rebellish side and my perchant to throw out anything I disliked in my lunchbox, my innards would have been well and truly cured by now.

Luckily I fell in love with shrimp paste fried rice, credits to the overabundance of Thai food around Sydney. Not that I'm complaining.

It's a wonderfully versatile dish, especially good if you're scratching your brains as to what to do with leftover rice. Or if you're like me, then you just deliberately cook to much rice the previous night so that you get an excuse to use the shrimp paste sitting in the fridge.

Apart from the day-old rice, the cast of characters involves eggs, spring onions and coriander.And any meat available (I sliced some braised pork belly that my father made, but could just use any sort of marinade meat).


And ginger. Just a little.And then some peas and corns.

And some diced pineapples. I love pineapples. If you have the fresh stuff, good for you. But I didn't, so I used canned. Forgive me.

Fry up the shrimp paste with a little oil and ginger until fragrant. Take a big whiff and enjoy the fishy goodness.

Some people would run a mile just to get away from this smell. Others would just get high off it. I think I belong in the latter category.

Add the rice and meat and give it a good toss around. Don't beat the rice up too much or you'll break the grains. If your meat is raw then cook the meat first before throwing it in.
Add the egg and peas, and give it a good toss around once again.

Don't start me on how real Asians don't add peas and corn in their fried rice. This is my cooking, I add what I like. Feel free to do it your own way. That's part of the joy of cooking!

Next add the pineapple. Feel free to caramelise it in another pan before adding it to the fried rice. I was in a rush so I skipped that part.

Please add pineapple. Shrimp paste and pineapples generate R rated results. Failproof.

Next, turn the heat down completely and throw in the coriander and spring onions and toss through. Turn off heat and serve.

Shoo! Now go make this and enjoy it!

Shrimp Paste Fried Rice
Serves: 1

Buy:
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp Chicken Powder
5 sprigs Coriander, finely chopped
1/2 stalk Spring Onion, finely chopped
4 thin juliennes Ginger
1/4 cup frozen Peas and Corn
2 slices Pineapple, diced
1 tsp Shrimp Paste
1/4 cup Pork, chopped
1 bowl Leftover rice. (Just add however much you can eat)

Cook:

1. Beat eggs with chicken powder and fry in a pan until just cooked. Set aside.
2. Grill or fry pineapple pieces until caramelised, set aside
   
3. Add oil to pan and fry shrimp paste with ginger, until fragrant
4. If you have raw pork, then add raw pork and fry until cooked. Otherwise add rice and cooked pork together and toss until rice is well coated with paste
5. Add peas and corn and fried eggs and break up egg through the rice
6. Add pineapple and toss through rice.
7. Turn heat to low and add spring onions and coriander. Toss through and turn off heat.
8. Serve in a bowl topped with more spring onions and coriander.
9. Do yourself a favour and make yourself some pina colada while you're at it.
10. Cheers.
    

When Penne and Italian Sausages Have Fun

I did two unthinkable things today...
*twiddles thumbs*



...I used bottled sauce...


...and I used pecorino!

Now please allow me to explain.

First, is that there is this wonderful Italian Deli up in Cox's Road in East Ryde and I've been wanting to buy out that store for quite some time now. I am also a regular feaster of their lasagna.

Today, I had a squiz at their selection of pasta sauces on the shelves, and picked out Siena Homestyle Mediterranean Sauce. The original plan was to do a Chorizo and black olives dish, so I thought the sauce to be just perfect for the occasion, but to my shock horror the store was out of chorizo and I ended up having to pick up a couple of Italian Sausages instead.

Now would it not be appropriate of me to end that paragraph with "FML"?

Above is the cast of this pasta. Wouldn't I would be terribly out of character if I remembered everything when I took the picture?

It's missing the garlic and these babies:

Slice up the sundried tomatoes into strips. I'm still torn as to whether I prefer semi-dried or sundried.

First I fried up the Italian Sausages so that I could cut them up into smaller pieces. The smell was really quite divine at this point.

Next the onions, garlic and bacon were sauteed in a saucepan until the onions turned transparent.

Don't you just love the smell of this? It makes me salivate everytime.

After the onions are transparent, I poured in the bottled sauce and black olives, along with sundried tomatoes and the chopped up bits of sausage.

Just let it simmer for a bit on the side while you prepare the prawns.

Use a grill for this if you have one, but panfrying will do just fine. Whatever you do, just don't overcook it. Flip it as soon as the prawn colours.

Next, I grated pecorino. I hate grating things, but I really can't bear to use pre-grated stuff.

Toss the prawns into the sauce and sprinkle with a little pecorino. There's about a tonne in that photo above, and the stuff is really quite strong (stinky). Seeing it was the first time I used the stuff, I sprinkled it quite cautiously.

Mmm cheeeeeeeese.

Forgive me, I love cheese. Just give me a moment here.

Ok, done.

Next, combine the sauce and the cooked pasta. I always like to cook the two together in a pan separately just before serving so that the sauce sticks to the pasta a little better. It also helps when your pasta is drying out because you mistimed the cooking process like I did today.

I also burnt my sauce today and had to change pots. But you don't know that.

Hopefully by the end you should get insanity in a pot. Feel free to demolish half the pan before it even makes it to the table. You will be forgiven.

Penne with Italian Sausages, Prawn and Sundried Tomatoes
Serves: the family

Buy:
3 Italian Sausages
100g Black Kalamata Olives, pitted and sliced in half
10 slices of sundried tomatoes (feel free to use more/less)
1/2 cup Pecorino, grated
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
12 Prawns, peeled (I don't measure prawns by weight. I don't think people would care how much prawn they were getting by weight)
840mL Siena Homestyle Mediterranean Pasta Sauce
2 rashers Short Cut Bacon, sliced
As much pasta as you think you can finish, depending on your pasta-to-sauce ratio
Olive Oil
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Cook:

1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Set aside
2. Pan fry Italian sausages until cooked. Cut into 1.5cm pieces. Set aside
   
3. In a saucepan, saute onions, garlic, and bacon until onions are transparent
4. Pour bottled sauce and bring to simmer
5. Add sundried tomatoes, black olives and Italian sausages. Cover and simmer for 10 mins.
6. Meanwhile, panfry or grill prawns until just cooked
7. Toss prawns into the pot with grated pecorino and stir gently until prawns are coated in sauce. Turn off heat (Optional: add black pepper to taste)
8. Before serving, in a shallow pan, toss sauce with pasta over heat. Serve with extra grated pecorino on top
   

Back from the dead: Sweet Soy Chicken Drumsticks

Exams are FINALLY drawing to a close - which means I can FINALLY resume blogging about the stuff I actually care about in my life.

Note the "drawing to a close" part - I'm not quite done.

Nevertheless, I made this delectable chicken dish for myself during my period of burying myself beneath mountains of textbooks. As time slowly passed by, and I was ever edging closer to my exam dates, I realised that time was indeed precious, and I could really not afford to spend hours preparing meals or watching over the stove just so I could feed myself.

Funny thing is (and to make things worse), come exam time, your stomach turns itself into this neverending pit perpetually starved of food.

That's when I resorted to learning how to use the oven.

The preparation of this dish seriously took less than 5 minutes. Seriously.

Honey, soy and a bit of garlic. Let it marinate anywhere between 30mins and overnight. I made mine a day ahead. I knew I'd be home the next day to make it anyway. My textbooks weren't going to let me out of my room anytime soon anyway.

Next, just pop it in the oven and go read a book or watch MasterChef or whatever for 40 minutes, and come back to to find yourself salivating at the sight of these babies:

Looking at the leftover marinade, I decided it was too good to waste and instead of pouring it down the sink. So I spooned a little out into a pot and decided to braise a bit of chinese cabbage while I rested the drumsticks.
I also happened to find a bit of coriander in my vegie tray, so I popped that in too. In retrospect, I thought that was a brilliant decision. *Self Hi-5*

Serve the chicken drumsticks on a bed of braised cabbage, and feel free to reduce the sauce a little more before drizzling it over the dish. I just skipped that part because the smell of the chicken was already driving me nuts.

Good food seems to have that straaange effect on me.

Sweet Soy Chicken Drumstick served on a bed of Braised Chinese Cabbage
Serves 2.5 people

Buy:
5 Chicken Drumsticks
1/2 cup Mushroom Dark Soy
2 tblsp Regular Dark Soy
1 tblsp Honey
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 tsp Mirin
2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 small bunch Coriander, chopped finely
3 large leaves of Chinese Cabbage, chopped roughly
Coriander leaves, to garnish

Cook:

1. In a large bowl, combine dark soy, honey, garlic, mirin and sesame altogether to form a sauce. Honey should be well mixed in.
2. Add chicken and coat thoroughly in sauce.
   
3. Wrap with cling film and refridgerate for at least 20minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
5. Line a shallow dish with foil, and place drumsticks neatly on dish. Keep leftover marinade
   
6. Place dish in oven for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with leftover marinade after 20minutes.
7. After thirty minutes, grill chicken at 200 degrees for 7-10minutes. Remove and set aside to rest
8. In a pot spoon out leftover marinade and bring to simmer.
9. Add chinese cabbage and cook with lid on.
10. Remove from heat once cabbage is wilted and stalk is soft and semi-transparent.
11. Stir through chopped coriander
12. Serve drumsticks on the bed of chinese cabbage. Reduce remaining sauce over heat if desired and spoon sauce over the chicken.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves