Iron Chef Shellie: The Cookbook Challenge

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Week 34 - The Cookbook Challenge: Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Comments (6) | Thursday, July 8, 2010

Week 34

Theme: Soups
Cookbook Used: Home Cooked

Author: Australian Women's Weekly

It came to "insect" week in the cookbook challenge, and I was insane packing mode. I couldn't find anything I wanted to make that wouldn't take up too much time. Then it kinda all just fell apart from there. But spending a day bonding with my new kitchen, I thought I'd try a whole range of recipes from various cookbooks.

I decided to check out what themes I'd missed that I need to catch up on whilst everything was simmering away, and bingo! Soup was one of them. So whilst it isn't the most creative take on the soup theme (I did want to make a caesar salad soup), it's still a post!

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

40g butter

1 large brown onion, chopped coarsely

3 bacon rashers, chopped coarsely

1.5kg pumpkin (or butternut squash), chopped coarsely

2 large potatoes, chopped coarsely

1.25 litres chicken stock

1/2 cup double cream

1. Melt butter in large saucepan; cook onion and bacon, stirring, until onion softens. Stir in pumpkin and potato.

2. Stir in stock, bring to the boil; simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.

3. Blend or process soup, in batches, until smooth. Return soup to same cleaned pan, add cream; stir until heated through.

Serves 6.

Week 26 - The Cookbook Challenge: Pistachio, White Chocolate and Honey French Macaroons

Comments (15) | Thursday, May 13, 2010

Week 26

Theme: Green
Cookbook Used: Afternoon Tea

Author: Australian Women's Weekly

Hope you like the new layout! Bare with me as I'm still tweaking it and getting it to out I want it.

I thought I was stumped for green week. I had two soups as possible ideas but then remembered things like green curry, green tea and then of course; pisatchios. I am still working my way through my massive bag of pistachios I got from Costco. Looking at the expiry date on it, I better use more pistachios before July!

I've tried making macarons before (the Australian Women's Weekly spells them macaroOns... don't ask me why). The last batch was pretty woeful. Whilst they tasted good they didn't really look like a macaron the day after as the ganache had made them all soggy. This batch was my most successful batch. Whilst they looked browner than the picture in the cookbook, possibly from a slight overcooking; the macarons had feet and stayed together overnight. I was rather chuffed to actually have something that looked like a proper macaron!

Biting in, the marshmallowy centre was slightly overcooked, but all flavours worked well together. My ganache was still fairly runny by the time I used it. Perhaps putting it in the fridge might have helped it set a bit more. Next time I won't leave them in the oven for so long!

Pistachio, White Chocolate and Honey French Macaroons
The Australian Women's Weekly

Get your hands on:
1/3 cup (45g) unsalted, roasted, shelled pistachios
3 egg whites

1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

green food colouring

1 1/4 cups (200g) icing sugar

3/4 cup (90g) ground almonds

Honey white chocolate ganache

1/4 cup (60ml) (single) cream

155g (5 ounces) white eating chocolate, chopped coarsley

2 teaspoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease oven trays; line with baking paper. (I would do this after you have finished making the macaroons as they have to set for 30 minutes before you put them in the oven)

2. Process nuts until finely ground.

3. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar and few drops colouring, beat until sugar dissolves; transfer mixture to large bowl. Fold in 1/4 cup of the ground pistachios, sifted icing sugar and ground almonds in two batches.

4. Spoon mixture into piping bag fitting with 1cm (1/2 inch) plain tube. Pipe 4cm (1 1/2 inch) rounds about 2.5cm (1 inch) apart onto trays. Tap trays on bench so macaroons spread slightly. Sprinkle macaroons with remaining ground pistachios; stand 30 minutes.

5. Bake macaroons about 20 minutes, cool on trays.

6. Make the honeyed white chocolate ganache: bring cream to the boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat; pour over chocolate and honey in small bowl; stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature until spreadable.

7. Sandwich macaroons with ganache.

Makes 16.

Week 25 - The Cookbook Challenge: Blender Chocolate Mousse

Comments (15) | Saturday, May 8, 2010

Week 25

Theme: Silky

Cookbook Used: Faking It

Author: Valli Little

Right folks, the move out of home is getting closer, cookbooks are being packed and I'm only doing simple recipes for a while until I'm settled. I even got my KitchenAid this week and it's still snug in the box. I did crack open the lid to make sure it was in there and the correct colour! Can't wait to start using it.

I was going to do a different chocolate mousse recipe from another of Valli Little's books, but that involved an oven and a lot more steps. That will be done another day, when I have time to faff around in the kitchen.

Thursday turned out to be a day when the universe was against me, and to top it all off; I came home to find that my chocolate mousse had split. And to confirm my fears of the mousse not going to set, due to the lack of setting agent or whipping the eggwhites and cream; it was in fact runny when you put your spoon into it. It wasn't a complete disaster though, we all mixed through the whipped cream on top and I then renamed it 'chocolate soup'. It had a lovely flavour to it, and it was like eating melted ice-cream.

If you are going to do this recipe, I suggest whipping the cream, and beating your eggwhites until stiff peaks form, instead of following step 4 of the recipe.

Blender Chocolate Mousse
Valli Little

Get your hands on:
1 cup (100g) finely chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons brandy
3 eggwhites
3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream

Serve it with:
Whipped cream
Dark chocolate shavings

1.Place the finely chopped chocolate in a blender.

2. Place the sugar, coffee, brandy and 3/4 cup (180ml) water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and coffee.

3. With the blender motor running, carefully pour in the hot liquid through the feed tube, blending until the chocolate has melted.

4. Add the eggwhites and cream and pulse the blender several times to just combine.

5. Pour the mousse into 4 serving glasses and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Sever topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Serves 4.

Week 24 - The Cookbook Challenge - Chicken with Chilli Chocolate

Comments (16) | Sunday, May 2, 2010

Week 24

Theme: Chocolate

Cookbook Used: Faking It

Author: Valli Little

For chocolate week, I could have just done a chocolate cake, souffle, mousse... anything sweet really. But I decided I'd go for something different again and do a savory dish. Teaming chocolate with chicken is definitely something I would not have thought to do, but the Mexicans have been doing it for years, so I thought it was worth a try.

I left the plating up to mum whilst I went to photograph the dish. I came back to the table to find Hamsley having a little taste of the dish. Worried he was going to tell me he didn't like it, I didn't say anything. To my surprise, he turned to me and said it was really good. In fact, one of the most favorite meals I've ever cooked!

I could smell the chocolate as it cooked on the stove. I could also taste the chocolate in the first few bites. It was a delicious dish that I would definitely make again. The corn chips add a different texture to the dish, and also add a nice saltiness that is required. Although, I would definitely serve it with more avocado next time, and maybe a margarita.

Chicken  with Chilli Chocolate

Valli Little

Get your hands on: 

1  tablespoon olive oil

20g unsalted butter

4  chicken breast fillets

100g pancetta, cut into strips

2  celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, sliced

2  garlic cloves, finely chopped

150ml dry red wine

400ml  chicken stock

400g can chopped tomatoes

50g  chilli chocolate, borken into small pieces

300g  can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

Serve it with:

Steamed  rice

Sliced red chilli

Coriander  leaves (optional)

Corn chips

Avocado  wedges

1. Preheat the oven to  180°C.

2. Heat the oil and  butter in a casserole pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for  2-3 minutes each side until golden, then remove and set aside. Add the  pancetta, celery and onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until  vegetables soften. Add the garlic and win and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the stock, tomato and chocolate, then return chicken to the pan.  Cover and transfer to the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is  cooked through.

3. Remove chicken from  the pan, cover loosely with foil and set aside in a warm place. Return  the pan to the stove over medium-high heat, add the beans and simmer for  4-5 minutes until thickened. Slice the chicken and serve on steamed  rice, with the sauce, chilli, and coriander if desired. Serve with corn  chips and avocado.

Serves 4.

Week 23 - The Cookbook Challenge - Ham Salad with Peach and Pecan

Comments (10) | Sunday, April 25, 2010

Week 23

Theme: Leaf

Cookbook Used: Marie Claire Fresh + Fast

Author: Michele Cranston

Thank Hamsley again this week for this recipe. He must have still been motivated from red week, he was looking through cookbooks for a leaf recipe. We originally were going to do caesar salad, but found this recipe in a book I've actually never used before.

We had a bit of an adventure through Oakleigh getting all the ingredients for the dish. Hamsley's goal was to get everything we needed without going into the supermarket chains. In doing this, we discovered the Oakleigh fresh food market, and the lovely shop keepers running them.

Given that we missed the season for fresh peaches, we substituted for the good old canned variety. It turned out well as they added a nice sweetness to the salad. The nuts added a nice crunch and all the flavours seemed to mix well together.

Ham Salad with Peach and Pecan

Michele Cranston

Get your hands on:

4 small ripe peaches

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 buffalo mozzarella cheese

100g baby rocket leaves

250g leg ham, sliced off the bone

40g pecans, roughly chopped

1. Halve the peaches and remove the skin before slicing them into a bowl. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and toss to combine. Season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Tear the mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the rocket on a serving platter and top with the leg ham and mozzarella. Add the peaches and pecans and drizzle with any remaining dressing.

Serves 4.

Week 22 - The Cookbook Challenge: Beef Strips in Tomato Cream Sauce

Comments (14) | Sunday, April 18, 2010

Week 22

Theme: Red

Cookbook Used: Margaret Fulton's Kitchen

Author: Margaret Fulton

This week's cookbook challenge almost didn't happen. Hamsley and I have been busy looking at places to live, and buying stuff for the move. This week was full of pushy real estate agents and it all became very draining; I just wasn't in the mood for cooking. I then decided I'd just do something simple to get my obligatory blog post for the week done, but Hamsley wasn't too happy with that, so he raided my book shelf and flicked through trying to find something to suit the red theme.

I must admit, it was nice of him to be so enthusiastic, and seeing him drowning in cookbooks brought a smile to my face after such a hectic week. It was a toss up between soup, beef and red wine pies, or this dish. This dish ended up winning and we cooked it up today for lunch after checking out the local trash and treasure market.

It was relatively easy to make. Hamsley helped cut everything up and we watched the calzone episode of Seinfeld whilst it simmered away. This was meant to be served with parsley rice but I served it with pasta instead. It was quite like a beef stroganoff but with tomato.
Hint: Don't season the dish until after you have added the sour cream.

The move will be happening next month, hence why I have not been blogging so much, and whilst I won't be until I'm all settled in. I need to reply to comments left by gorgeous people such as yourself, but I'll see you again next week for the cookbook challenge... and maybe a review of my birthday dinner which will be happening on Tuesday. I'll be turning a quarter of a century!

Thanks to Hamsley for making this week's cookbook challenge happen!

Beef Strips in Tomato Cream Sauce 

Adapted from Margaret Fulton's recipe

Get your hands on: 

1kg round steak

1/2 cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

60g butter

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 green capsicum, diced

500g button mushrooms, sliced

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1. Coat the beef strips with seasoned flour. Heat half the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and saute the meat in 3 or 4 batched until brown. Add the remaining butter and oil when required. Set aside.

2. Add the onions, garlic and capsicum to the frying pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Return the beef to the pan, add mushrooms, tomatoes, water and Worcestershire sauce. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Replace over low heat, stirring until mixutre is hot, without letting it boil. Taste and check for seasoning. Serve with rice or pasta.

Serves 4.

Week 21 - The Cookbook Challenge: Thai Red Duck Curry

Comments (16) | Saturday, April 10, 2010

Week 21

Theme: Thai

Cookbook Used: Margaret Fulton's Kitchen

Author: Margaret Fulton

After seeing Margaret Fulton on Masterchef Australia, I wondered why I didn't own one of her cookbooks. As you can imagine, her books were scarce on the shelf at bookstores after her appearance on the hit show, so I waited till they restocked.

The lovely thing about this book is the short story she writes before each recipe. For this recipe she writes:

I can't resist buying a barbecued duck whenever I go to Chinatown. The Chinese are experts at cooking it. Thai red duck curry, or Kaeng Phed Ped Yang, is traditionally served in Thailand at family celebrations such as weddings and the New Year. This is a tasty, simple recipe and a fabulous way of using ready-made Thai curry paste.

I had been looking forward to Thai week since week 1, as I knew I was going to make this. The picture looked so mouth watering; and the combination of lychees (yum), pineapple (yum), duck (oh yum yum), all in a Thai red curry sauce was bound to be good.

It was so easy to make too for a curry. Given that the meat is already cooked most likely had something to do with it. I served it with some steamed rice and there were no complaints. I was worried Hamsley might not be too keen on this one, but as I was cooking it he said it smelt like penang curry (one of his favorites) and was really looking forward to it. Turns out he loved it, so looks like I'll be making it again!

The tomatoes don't really work however. So if you are making this, I'd suggest leaving them out. Perhaps it's the acidity of the tomato that just doesn't go with the sweetness of the lychees and pineapple. I'm not too sure... just leave them out!

Thai Red Duck Curry

Margaret Fulton 

Get your hands on:

1 Chinese barbecued duck

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 1/3 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup water or chicken stock

1 x 560g can rambutan or lychees, drained

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (I used canned and it was fine)

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 tablespoons fish sauce

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, very thinly sliced

10 cherry tomatoes (I'd personally leave these out)

Thai basil leaves, to garnish

Serve it with:

Steamed rice  

1. Use a sharp knife to cut the large portions of duck flesh off the carcass, leaving skin on; or get the people at the Chinese restaurant to do it for you. Cut into 2cm slices and set aside.

2. Heat a wok or large saucepan on high. Add curry paste and half of the coconut milk. Cook, stirring; for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk, water or stock, rambutan or lychees, pineapple, peas, fish sauce and lime leaves. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Add duck slices and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with Thai basil leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Serves 4.

Week 20 - The Cookbook Challenge: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Comments (24) | Friday, April 2, 2010

Week 20

Theme: Tangy

Cookbook Used: Faking It

Author: Valli Little

So for tangy week, I thought I'd try something that I thought sounded gross the first time I read it; chocolate mayonnaise cake. The picture in the cookbook is a chocolate cake with white icing and decorated with nuts. My first thoughts were, "Oh my gawd, this is a chocolate cake with mayonnaise icing!!".... but this was not the case. The mayonnaise is used inside the cake instead of using eggs.

My mother, aunty and I sat down to have a taste test. Because we all knew there was mayonnaise inside the cake, we could taste it. I fed a slice to my dad without telling him anything. After he finished it I asked him how the cake was. He said it was alright, and seemed pleased with what he had just eaten. I then followed up with the question: "Could you taste the mayonnaise?"..... surprised he said "MAYONNAISE?!?!.....*pause*.... nup..."

I don't think I'd make this one again unless I REALLY wanted chocolate cake and didn't have any eggs. Once you get over the mayonnaise taste within the first bite, it's really just like a chocolate cake. But let me tell you, the only substitute for eggs.... is eggs.

*NB. I did use whole egg mayonnaise, not cheap or tangy mayo you'd put in your salad roll.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Valli Little

Get your hands on:

1 2/3 cups (250g) self-raising flour

60g cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

200g caster sugar

3/4 cup (225g) whole-egg mayonnaise

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g cream cheese

1 2/3 cups (250g) pure icing sugar, sifted

1 shot (30ml) Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)

Hazelnuts half-dipped in melted chocolate, to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake pan.

2. Place the flour, cocoa, baking powder, caster sugar, mayonnaise and 2 teaspoon of the vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with 200ml warm water and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the icing. Process the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and Kahlua in a food processor until smooth. Spread over the cooled cake and decorate with nuts.

Serves 6-8.

Week 19 - The Cookbook Challenge: BLT Risotto

Comments (12) | Thursday, April 1, 2010

Week 19

Theme: Rice

Cookbook Used: 5 Nights A Week

Author: Valli Little

So last week was just absolutely bonkers, I didn’t end up having time to do the cookbook challenge. So this week I’m making up for it.

I had a quick flick through some cookbooks on Monday night, and came across the recipe for BLT risotto.

Mum and Dad liked the risotto, Hamsley said it wasn't his favourite dish I've cooked him, and I'm still on the fence about it. Maybe I should have cut the leeks finer than I did, maybe I should have read the recipe and stirred the parmesan cheese.... I don't know. If you make it, let me know what you think about it.

BLT Risotto

Valli Little

Get your hands on:

8 bacon rashers

1L (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1 leek (white part only), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 cups (300g) arborio rice

1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine

400g vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

80g grated parmesan, plus shaved parmesan to serve

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsely

40g unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

1. Remove the tail ends of the bacon rashers, roll up and secure with a toothpick. Place in the fridge until needed. Dice the remaining bacon.

2.Preheat the oven to 200°C.

3. Place the stock in a pan over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.

4. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Stir in the leek and diced bacon for 2-3 minutes, or until the leek and bacon starts to colour. Add the garlic and rice, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed between additions, until the rice is cooked but still firm to the bite(this should take about 15-20 minutes).

5. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes and bacon curls on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season the tomatoes. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are just soft and the bacon is crisp. Set a few tomatoes aside. Remove the stalks from the remaining tomatoes and stir into the risotto with grated parmesan and parsley, then season. Serve the risotto topped with butter and garnish with the tomatoes, bacon curls and shaved parmesan.