orange butter brussels sprouts, sugared pecan crumble

Brussels sprouts. Some think they are the work of the devil. Others sing their praises to high heaven. Me? I don't mind them at all, and can, in fact, be quite fond of them when they are done right. I often cook my Brussels sprouts in a broth over medium-low heat until they're tender and infused with flavours - I find that this keeps them from turning bitter, and brings out their gentler side.

I made these orangey, buttery, nutty Brussels sprouts as a side for lunch recently, and while I don't regard it as my best work, the dish definitely passed the I-can-easily-eat-it-all test, so I am fairly content. Simon liked it even more - he ardently pronounced it delicious. Our enthusiasm for the same dish can often vary, and hey, I certainly do not complain when he's more keen on my dishes than I am - it can be a nice boost for the ego, and serves as a nice reminder that taste is a personal thing.

Without further ado, here's the recipe!

brussels sprouts dressed up with orange butter and sugared pecan crumble

orange butter brussels sprouts with sugared pecan crumble

200g Brussels sprouts
1 small orange
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water or vegetable stock
salt and black pepper, to taste

Halve or quarter the Brussels sprouts lengthwise, depending on their size.
Zest and juice the orange.
In a pan, lightly toast the pecans until fragrant. Grind together with sugar and half of the orange zest with a mortar and pestle until it takes on a coarse sandy appearance. Set aside.
In a saucepan, gently fry Brussels sprouts in butter for 1 minute, turning and tossing them around. Add in orange juice (approximately 1/4 cup), the remaining orange zest, and water or vegetable stock. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until just tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with zesty sugared pecan crumble.

orange butter brussels sprouts with sugared pecan crumble

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story in a cup, south yarra

Winter is finally leaving us. A few more days, and it will be springtime... I look forward to everything being a little bit greener, a little bit brighter. I also anticipate a spike in the quantity of the frozen treats I consume.

I recently visited Story in a Cup (Shop 4, 9 Yarra St, South Yarra), a frozen yoghurt cafe I've been meaning to visit ever since I spied it a few months ago on Urbanspoon with positive reviews.

a generous selection of potential yoghurt toppings at Story in a Cup.

It may be the liberal self-serve mix-and-match concept with a vibrant selection of ingredients, it may be the warm and friendly staff who work there, it may be the knowledge that a percentage of the profits is donated to a cause. But whatever it is, I left feeling good and, with the weather getting warmer, I can see myself coming back for more - particularly as they also do smoothies and hot waffles!

Story in a Cup rotate their yoghurt flavours on a regular basis and I tried all six they had available that day - Original, Mango, Strawberry, French Cookies and Cream, Cafe Mocha and Hazelnut. Being 98% fat-free, they do lack the rich creamy taste that I adore, but they were still pleasant to eat - light, mildly sweet and tangy. I probably liked the strawberry flavour the best, but you might have to ask me again after I've been there a few more times.

What made everything really fun, though, is that I got to create my very own story in a cup. So not only did I opt for a squeeze of all the six yoghurt flavours, churning them out myself slurpee-style, I also darted around scooping up different (and perhaps rather random) toppings to go with them - peanuts, passionfruit coulis, raspberries, boysenberries, honey almond granola and Reese's peanut butter cups.

The end result is then weighed and priced. The story I created in my cup came to $7.15, and it proved to be a satiating late-afternoon snack. I experimented with each bite and while some of my combinations were not quite perfect, most worked out well. I particularly enjoyed the passionfruit coulis paired with the original and fruity yoghurt flavours.

my story in a cup!

I visited Story in a Cup about half an hour before closing time, and chose to eat in. It was fairly quiet, with some stray customers occasionally wandering in, of which a few were clearly regulars. An appreciative shout out to staff member Sandy, who struck up a nice conversation with me and provided some great company while I ate my yoghurt dessert!



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passionfruit and honey ice cubes

honey and passionfruit ice cube.

Just a quick one today... passionfruit and honey ice cubes!

Spoon some passionfruit pulp into ice cube trays, let it freeze until semi-firm, then top up with a generously sweet water-and-honey solution.

Easy to make, pretty to look at, and with its refreshing blend of sweet and tart, I even have them just on their own as an icy snack!
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blackstrap molasses panna cotta, ginger syrup, salted peanut crumble

There are three components to this dessert.

Normally, that's two components too many for me.

But I had this idea and I wanted to try it... so here we are.

You will be pleased to know, however, that all three components are super easy to create, and the assembling takes only seconds. It also looks reasonably fancy for something that doesn't require a lot of effort or technique, and delicious enough that I've got my friend asking for the recipe, and craving panna cotta for the rest of the evening. Is this a win? Oh yes, I do believe so.

blackstrap molasses panna cotta with ginger syrup and salted peanut crumble

blackstrap molasses panna cotta with ginger syrup and salted peanut crumble 
(serves 4)

blackstrap molasses panna cotta

300ml cream (10oz)
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatine powder
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons hot water

In a bowl, sprinkle gelatine powder into cold water and whisk well. Let it stand for 6 minutes. Slowly add freshly boiled hot water, stirring until all granules are dissolved. Add blackstrap molasses into the mixture and stir until all dissolved.

In a saucepan, cook the cream over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring constantly and taking care not to let it boil, then add in the liquid blackstrap molasses and gelatine mixture. Continue stirring until well-combined.

Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Pour into small dariole moulds if you have them (I didn't, so I improvised with teacups instead!) and refrigerate for 6 hours or until firm. Some of the blackstrap molasses will sink and create thin, dark layer - this is perfectly normal, and creates a cool visual effect!

ginger syrup

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup raw sugar
5cm (2 inches) ginger, thinly sliced

To make ginger syrup, combine water and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add sugar, stir till dissolved, and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside until ready to use.

salted peanut crumble

3 tablespoons peanuts
1/2 tablespoon raw sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Lightly toast peanuts in a pan until golden brown and fragrant.
With a mortar and pestle, grind peanuts, sugar and salt until the peanuts break down into small crumbly bits. Keep in an airtight container until ready to use.

To assemble:

To extract panna cotta, briefly sit the moulds in some warm water to loosen it up, and, if necessary, run a knife inside the edges of the panna cotta before turning it onto a serving plate. Spoon over ginger syrup and salted peanut crumble.

blackstrap molasses panna cotta, ginger syrup, salted peanut crumble

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lemonade fruit

a lemonade fruit.

I like a good old-fashioned lemonade. You know, the one you make at home with freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, water, ice and lots of love - it's definitely one of life's simple pleasures. So when I spied lemonade fruits - apparently a cross between a lemon and a mandarin - at Ripe Organics in Prahran Market last Friday, I was quite intrigued.

"Are they sour like lemon?" I asked the store assistant.
"No, they taste like lemonade! You can eat them just like that." He says cheerily.

Sold.

Once I got home, I sliced up my lemonade like an orange and tasted it. And it does taste like lemonade. Yes, that familiar hint of lemony acidity is there, but it's gentle on the tastebuds, and comes with a little wave of sweetness that goes down easily. I can just imagine how refreshing they would be juiced and served icy-cold.

Lemonades have a short season in Australia - so if you're interested, keep an eye out for them, get in quick, and share your experiences with me...

sliced lemonade... sweet, sour, juicy.

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sichuan-inspired dan-dan congee

It has been awhile since I last signed up for one of the always fun, and always challenging International Incident Parties hosted by the lovely Penny at Addictive and Consuming. This month's theme? Sichuan cuisine. Bang!

sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies.

I love my food hot, I love it spicy. But I've never attempted to cook Sichuan food. I immediately turned to an impulse purchase I made several months ago - a cookbook by Iron Chef Chen Kenichi, titled Iron Chef Chen's Knockout Chinese. I rarely use cookbooks, and I've never used this one, but who better to take as a guide other than Iron Chef Chen, the sage of Sichuan cuisine?

iron chef chen's knockout chinese!

Iron Chef Chen's Knockout Chinese doesn't actually feature many traditional Sichuan dishes. However, I did find one for dan-dan noodles. I tweaked a few of the ingredients, swapped noodles for rice, and came up with... an Iron-Chef-inspired dan-dan congee.

zha cai (chinese preserved vegetables)

sichuan-inspired, iron-chef-adapted: vegan dan-dan congee (serves 2)

for the congee:

3/4 cup rice
6 cups water

Wash, rinse and drain rice a few times. Bring rice and water to boil in a pot, then simmer, partly covered, for about 45 minutes or until it reaches your ideal texture and consistency. During this time, stir regularly and add more water if necessary.

for the sichuan-style dan-dan congee topping*:

2 tablespoons peanut oil, or other vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon finely chopped dried chilli, or chilli flakes
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used a mix of light and dark)
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped zha cai (Chinese preserved vegetables) + more to garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions (aka scallions) + more to garnish

Heat up peanut oil in a pan, then throw in Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilli and ginger. Let it cook gently for 2 minutes or until ingredients are starting to turn brown and the oil takes on colour and flavour.
Strain the oil, and whisk with the rest of the ingredients until well-combined.
Drizzle onto congee and scatter with more spring onions and preserved vegetables.

*You should be able to find all these ingredients in a comprehensive Asian grocery store. I've never bought zha cai before but I picked up a brand called Yuquan, which comes in a green packet, and I think it worked nicely. If you can't find Chinese sesame paste, you can try mixing 3 parts tahini or peanut butter with 1 part Chinese sesame oil.

I was pleased with the dan-dan sauce - full of sass and flavour, it was a perfect pairing to plain congee. The fragrant Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies imparted a gently numbing heat; the zha cai was salty and pungent. The nuttiness of the sesame paste was lightly offset by the acidity of the rice vinegar. Everything worked together, and they worked with the congee to create a humble, warmly inviting dish that added a little perk to my day. A satisfying success!

my sichuan-inspired dan-dan congee.

go get your spice on!

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smoked salmon pasta salad with grapefruit yoghurt, almonds and coriander

Some food bloggers out there have great stories that come with their recipes. Idyllic musings inspired by exotic locales. Nostalgic memories about grandmothers who made the best apple pies. Beautiful, poetic stories that just reach out, and bring about a wistful, collective sigh amongst their readers.

From trash to treasure... smoked salmon pasta salad with grapefruit yoghurt, almonds and coriander.

Reflecting upon that, I wish I could give this tangy, creamy smoked salmon pasta salad a nicer story. Alas, it really only came about because there were a number of ingredients in the fridge that needed to be used up quickly before they went off.

Me: Simon, how long has this smoked salmon been sitting in the fridge?

Simon: Um, I dunno... a few days?

Me: I think you're supposed to eat these things within two days of opening. Besides, I thought you don't even like salmon. Why did you buy it?

Simon: I don't. And I didn't. Kelvin brought nibbles the other night when he came over to hang out, and these are leftovers.

Hell-bent on not wasting the pitifully neglected smoked salmon, I rummage through the fridge, and I found half a tub of Greek yoghurt that was also on the verge of expiry. I found grapefruit that Simon's housemate gave him before she went travelling. I found coriander that was starting to look just a little tired. I also found penne lisce and slivered almonds in the pantry - these were, happily, in considerably better condition than their refrigerated friends.

I put them all together to dish up this surprisingly delectable smoked salmon pasta salad with grapefruit yoghurt, almonds and coriander.

Crisis averted. Lunch created. Mission accomplished.

I guess it's not such a bad story after all.

Healthy and delicious! Smoked salmon pasta salad with grapefruit yoghurt, almonds and coriander.

smoked salmon pasta salad with grapefruit yoghurt, almonds and coriander
(serves 2 - 4)

2 cups penne lisce (smooth-sided penne)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup greek yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
100g smoked salmon, roughly torn
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh coriander
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to packet directions until al dente, then rinse under cold running water and drain well. Set aside.
Lightly toast slivered almonds by gently frying in a pan until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine yoghurt, minced garlic, grapefruit juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Stir through smoked salmon, coriander and toasted almond slivers.
Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Add the cooked pasta and mix well, then re-adjust seasoning if desired. Serve.

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cinnamon apple muffin cake

Life has been hectic lately. Work, extracurricular activities and social commitments swirl madly through my days, and inevitably, some things fall by the wayside.

This blog post is one such example. I tend to write a rough draft of my recipe ideas first, then do the fine-tuning as I trial them in the kitchen, updating my notes as I go; a method that usually works well. For this particular blog post, however, all I could find was my original recipe draft, so I've had to piece that together with my memories of the afternoon to recollect the ingredients and steps I added along the way... so you can see how this could, in fact, turn out to be not a recipe for cinnamon apple muffin cake, but rather a recipe for disaster. However, with a bit of work, I'm pretty sure I've finally got this right. Yes!

Folding in the sweet, buttery, cinnamon-spiced apple cubes.

This cinnamon apple muffin cake is yet another one of my simple mini loaf creations. I created it especially for my friend Kelvin's housewarming party, where, to my delight, it was enthusiastically finished by the guests in no time at all.

The secret? I lovingly cooked the apple cubes in a lush, sigh-inducing mix of butter, sugar and cinnamon before folding them to the batter. Yeah, it was hard to go wrong from there onwards...

mini cinnamon apple muffin cake
(mini loaf pan dimensions: 18cm (l) x 10cm (w) x 5.5cm (h) exterior, 15 x 8 x 5.5cm interior.)

for the cake:

1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1.5cm/0.5 inch cubes
1/4 cup butter, plus more for greasing
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup self raising flour (or 1 cup flour + 1.5 teaspoons baking powder)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat oven to 180C fan-forced, or 200C regular.
Simmer apple cubes, butter, sugar, cinnamon together over a low medium heat for 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and set aside to let it cool slightly.
Place self raising flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
In another bowl, lightly whisk egg, then add milk and salt. Continue whisking till well combined.
Pour eggy milk mixture into the centre of the bowl with the self-raising flour and stir through gently a few times until just combined.
Pour in the apple mixture. Again, stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
Grease the loaf tin with butter. Pour the batter in and smooth the top.
Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is a lovely golden brown.
(Note: You may also bake the batter in muffin moulds, and if so, they should be done in 20 - 25 minutes.)
Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then lightly run a knife along the edges of the tin and tip the cake out onto a serving plate.

for the cinnamon syrup glaze:

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons raw sugar
3 tablespoons water

Combine cinnamon, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for another minute.
If you're planning on keeping this cinnamon apple muffin cake for later, brush cinnamon syrup liberally all over the cake and let it absorb before storing. Alternatively, if you're planning to eat the cake while it's still warm, just slice and serve with a drizzle of the syrup.

Enjoy!

my cinnamon apple muffin cake, waiting to be turned out, glazed, and enjoyed with friends...

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