Bacon and Egg Mini Pies

We have a lot of BBQ's here in Singapore - it's permanently summer and everyone's apartments are too small for a gathering of more than six people.  Last night's BBQ was for our social netball team's end of season wrap-up and instead of the ubiquitous sausages I decided to make bacon and egg pie.

Ladies, A Plate has the classic New Zealand recipe, and rightly points out the mine-field of B&E pie options - short crust or flaky pastry, parsley and/or cream, added cheese and (always controversial) to pea or not to pea?  The beauty of a simple classic is the room to personalise or to stay true to form - play it by ear and go with whatever you fancy at the time.  My variation was in form rather than ingredients driven by a choice between a too-large dish or a muffin tray.  I chose the muffin tray.


Classic Bacon & Egg Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 sheets filo pastry
• 225g lean bacon
• 12 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Finely chopped parsley (as much as you like)

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200 deg C and lightly grease muffin tin moulds.

Chop filo pastry into small squares to fit the size of the muffin moulds with a slight overlap.

With scissors, cut bacon into bits and distribute amongst muffin moulds.  Do the same with the parsley.

 

Crack an egg into a bowl and gently pour into muffin mould.  Repeat for all moulds.

With a fork, pierce the yolk and slightly mix with yolk and other ingredients.  Dip a pastry brush into the yolk and brush the exposed filo pastry lightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pop into the oven for 15 minutes (or less if you want slightly softer yolk).

Cooks Notes:

Ladies, A Plate recommends placing the dish on a ceramic tile or heavy baking paper to brown the bottom of the pie.  I didn't do this because I don't have either, and the bottoms of my pies were very pale.  Maybe I could sneak a ceramic tile into the house disguised as a pizza stone?

Venison Two Ways in Two Days

What a feast we've been having!  The venison roast we brought back from New Zealand was certainly too much for two people - if we'd attempted to polish the whole thing off in one sitting it would have meant a food coma for sure.  Instead we paced ourselves and enjoyed two delicious, nutritious and quick meals.



Roast Venison

This is the recipe I modified from epicurious (best cooking app/website ever)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pound Denver roast of venison, cut into 6- by 3-inch pieces
• 2 heads garlic, cloves separated and smashed
• 1/2 cup savory or thyme leaves, lightly crushed  (I'm very confident they don't mean 1/2C!! - must be a typo)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, slightly cracked
• 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

METHOD

Toss venison with garlic, savory, wine, allspice, peppercorns, and 1/4 cup oil in a sealable bag. Marinate, chilled, turning bag occasionally, at least 8 hours.

Bring venison to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 230°C with rack in middle.

Discard marinade and pat meat dry. Sprinkle on all sides with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a shallow baking pan.

Roast until venison registers 50°C on an instant-read thermometer (inserted 2 inches horizontally into meat) for rare, 5 to 8 minutes (depending on thickness of meat). Let stand on a cutting board 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.

Epicurious Cooks' Notes:

• Venison can be marinated up to 24 hours.
• You can substitute a 3-pound trimmed and tied center-cut beef tenderloin roast for the venison (do not cut into pieces). Follow recipe above, roasting until beef registers 120°F, 25 to 30 minutes for medium-rare.

My Notes:

• I used a roast and definitely not 1/2C of thyme (about 2t perhaps?)
• I didn't have allspice so used mixed spice instead
• I had my roast in the oven for 30 mins and then rested for 10 mins - it was still very rare (still kicking) so it went back in the oven for another 10 mins.

Served with roasted eggplant strips, couscous and a red wine and mustard sauce

The following night was even better.


Roast Venison WrapsINGREDIENTS

• Cold roast venison, sliced thinly
• Hummus (homemade, roast garlic - yum!)
• Roasted eggplant strips (left overs)
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Burrito wraps

METHOD

There is no method - throw it all together in what ever quantity you prefer and enjoy!  Sander wrapped his, I had mine in lettuce cups (didn't have enough burritos in the pantry).

Breakfast Quinoa

I love breakfast - I get up a bit earlier in the morning so I can sit on my little balcony with breakfast and a coffee and leisurely catch up on the news. Quite often I find that breakfast doesn't quite take me through to lunch time (around four hours) if I don't include enough protein. The simple poached egg is my usual go-to, but I'm always looking for alternatives.

My friend Soph (check out her blog here) suggested trying quinoa, so when I stumbled across this recipe in a book review I thought I'd try it out.

Quinoa and Sweet Spice Oatmeal

Serves 1 generously

Ingredients:

·         1/4 cup quinoa, well-rinsed

·         3/4 cup milk of your choice

·         3/4 cup water

·         2 teaspoons dried blueberries, cranberries, or raisins

·         1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 star anise (optional)

·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/2 teaspoon citrus zest

·         Sweetener to taste

·         1-2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds (or sunflower)

Combine quinoa, milk, and water in a small pan. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add the dried fruit, spices, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Cook for another 15 minutes.

Once the quinoa is soft, adjust the consistency to your liking by evaporating excess liquid over high heat or adding a splash more water. Sweeten to taste and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.

If using soy milk cook quinoa in water for the first 20 minutes then add soy milk for the later stage.

My Notes:

Due to pantry insufficiency, I used prunes and mixed spice (instead of star anise and cinnamon) and left out the citrus all together.  

I didn't use any sweetener at all because I don't like my breakfasts too sweet, and I stirred some rolled oats in at the end to absorb the extra cooking liquid rather than drain it out (love oats).

I made enough for five breakfasts and I serve it with all bran, natural yoghurt and banana, and then sprinkle a few seeds and some LSA on top.

The Verdict:

I love it - the quinoa has a slightly nutty taste and chewy texture.  Next time I think I'll leave out the star anise and make sure I have some citrus handy.  Some honey drizzled on top would hit the spot for those with a sweet tooth.

Breakfast of champions

Lamb-tastic

Dinner tonight was courtesy of Singapore's leniency for foodstuffs importation.  Accompanying us back from our NZ trip was a chilli-bin full of the best New Zealand lamb and venison - all from the farm.  Because

Singapore doesn't have much in the way of a local industry to protect, you can pretty much bring in small amounts of practically anything (anything legal - illegal, and you face mandatory death sentence!).

So what shall we have for dinner tonight? Lamb chops? Yes please! And the best part was that Sander did all the cooking!  It was so tasty I just had to share it.

A taste of home

Rosemary Lamb Chops on Couscous

Ingredients:

·         Lamb chops (2 per person)

·         Rosemary

·         Garlic

·         Salt

·         Pepper

·         Olive oil

·         Couscous (1/2 C dry per person)

·         Water/stock (1/2 C per person)

·         Small handful of raisins

·         Half a small handful of mixed seeds

Method:

1.       Marinate lamb chops in a mixture of garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, rosemary.

2.       Grill, turning once until both sides are golden.

3.       While grilling lamb, bring a mixture of water and stock to the boil (any stock, any proportion).   Add couscous and raisins cook over a low heat until liquid is absorbed. 

4.       Fluff couscous with a fork and stir through seeds.

Serve with a simple green salad, and don't forget to get your fingers messy chewing the bones!

Simple and Satisfying

It's so hot in Singapore - hotter than the usual 32 °C.  This morning walking home from brunch I was seized by a sudden craving for an icy banana smoothie.  Cool, sweet, creamy and healthy.

Conveniently I was walking passed Starbucks so I nipped in, purloined two straws and stepped up the pace in anticipation (of being chased by Starbucks employees and of the smoothie).

I'm not sure if this even qualifies as a recipe - it's so simple.  But I had to share it because it was so so good.


Creamy Frozen Banana Smoothie

In a whizz, blend two frozen bananas, a few drops of vanilla essence, a couple of good shakes of cinnamon and two or three good hand fulls of ice.

Savor through a contraband straw.

Note: I would use the above quantities for one person usually, but today I was willing to share (must have been in a very pliable mood) with Sander.


I'll be putting straws on my shopping list for this afternoon.

Ladies Who Brunch: Hatched and Dispatched

The quest for Singapore's best brunch spot continues with Hatched on Evans Road

First thought, "I've driven passed this place so many times - why haven't I noticed it?"  It's tucked within a building at 26 Evans Road, easy to miss I guess, if you're not looking out for it.

Pro's

• Cute interior - black chalk board walls, lots of egg paraphernalia around
• Menu looks great
• Coffee is definitely above the normal Singapore standard.  Not quite as good as Loysel's Toy, but good enough
• Service extremely prompt and friendly
• Very reasonable prices - especially for Singapore (two poached eggs on ciabatta with tomato ~$10)

Cons

• Not quick enough on the water refill (although got better once we asked for it)
• Too much choice on the menu (a pro for many, a con for me - I get paralyzed with too many options!)
• My side dish of baked whole tomato with basil pesto (yum!) was a bit cold

I'm definitely interested in returning to sample a few items from their very interesting selection of boutique beer from around the world - brunch just didn't seem the appropriate moment.

As a side note, it baffles me a little that serving staff have to check whether it's 'ok' to substitute one item on the menu for another.  For example, Laura didn't want a creamy-eggy side with her pancakes and so requested yoghurt instead - the waiter had to check whether this was ok.  In the end she had to pay extra for the yoghurt, even though she didn't get any of her creamy-eggy condiment.  This happens all the time and I find it really annoying as a customer.

Kuching - Kaching

Just the name Borneo sounds jungle-y and exotic to me. Apparently Kuching doesn't have the same ring to it to some Malaysians - Sander's colleague said blankly "why are you going there? There's nothing."

So, mixed expectations...

Balkenbrij - Balken What?

During our trip back home Sander decided to share a small part of his family Christmas ritual with mine and treat everyone to balkenbrij.

"What's that?" you may ask. Good question!

Well, I'd say that it is a pork hock and liver meatloaf, but then you'd probably be put off and wouldn't try it. So I'm going to say that it is a rather unusual but delicious Dutch food and share it with you.

This is not a recipe that you whip up quickly after work mid-week. If your pantry and fridge are diverse enough to contain pork liver, pork hock, buckwheat flour and a mincer then you are only half way there.

Balkenbrij op Huninkse Wijze (Balkenbrij – Hunink Style)

INGREDIENTS:

·         Pork hock (500 gr)

·         Pork liver (500 gr)

·         Buckwheat flour (500 gr)

·         All spice (2 tbl sp)

·         Salt (1 tbl sp)

·         Pepper (1 tbl sp)

METHOD:

In a large pot simmer the pork hock for around three hours, with an onion, carrot, and bay leaf. Reserve the liquid. In another pot, simmer the pork liver for approx 30 minutes.

Mince all meat and return to large pot.

In the large pot over a low heat mix in buckwheat flour, salt, pepper, all spice and enough stock to make it a boiling and bubbling broth.

Stir constantly for at least a minute while flour cooks (muscle and elbow grease required). The mixture should look like a Rotorua geyser except thicker (ie bubbling/plopping and grey).  If the mixture becomes too thick add some hock cooking liquid.  The mixture should let go from the pot and stick to itself.

Serious elbow grease required - or someone
else to hold the pot while you stir

Transfer the mixture in a loaf tin (dampen sides with water first), and push down the mixture to flatten it out.  Cover and leave to set in the fridge for 24 hours.

Before cooking slice the loaf into 5mm slices.

Heat butter in a frying pan and fry slices, turning so golden on each side.

Eat as soon as the slice cools enough so you don't burn your tongue (it's about right when you don't burn your fingers trying to pick it up).

Yum!

Diary of a (Not So) Serious Duck Hunter

"Two families, both alike in dignity,

In fair Akitio where we lay our scene..."

As far back as I can remember, the first Saturday in May has been the excuse for an annual pilgrimage down to the farm.  More an excuse for a riotous social occasion than anything else, the opening weekend of the duck hunting season has it's fair share of traditions faithfully adhered to by each participating generation.

This year was one of the least involved I have ever been, largely due to the distraction of sleeping in and discussing plans for an up-coming wedding for which I'm a bridesmaid (my first official role, yay!).

So here's how it panned out.

0500:

• Boys and Girls - all's quiet on the Eastern Front

Running Total

Ducks: 0

Rabbits: 0

Crayfish: 1 – From Friday’s activities

0515:

• Boys - alarm goes off, slip out of bed slightly foggy from indiscriminate wine/whisky self-medication
• Girls - alarm goes off, slightly foggy from indiscriminate wine/whisky self-medication, roll over and go back to sleep

0520:

• Boys - two cups of strong coffee and a piece of toast, collect guns and ammo, hit the track on the motorbike
• Girls - activity level zero

0700:

• Boys - back to the house for breakfast, pick up the Senior Boys, off to stalk more dams (and a motorbike tour of the farm)
• Girls - activity level zero

Running Total

Ducks: 1

Rabbits: 0

Crayfish: 1

0900:

• Boys - motorbike tour of the farm, stalk a few dams
• Girls - emerge from bed, relaxed reading in front of the fire wrapped in a duvet

1100:

• Boys - still out the back
• Girls - breakfast like kings: poached egg on toast with grilled tomato, stewed rhubarb, feijoa and apple with yoghurt on Mum's muesli, good strong coffee

Running Total

Ducks: 3

Rabbits: 0

Crayfish: 1

1200:

• Boys - still out the back
• Girls - more girls arrive with two bottles of bubbles (Opening Day ritual stretching back many years)

1400:

• Boys - Covered in mud, dusty wind-blown hair sticking up like Sonic the Hedgehog.  Return to the house to check on the girls before heading back out
• Girls - walk down to the beach for some fresh air and a stretch of the legs

Running Total

Ducks: 5

Rabbits: 0

Crayfish: 1

Boys - covered in mud

Girls - walk along the beach



1600:

• Boys - out the back sitting on the edge of a dam waiting for ducks to fly in for the evening
• Girls - Must be time for a chardonnay surely?

1900:

• Boys - spotlighting for rabbits on the way home
• Girls - full relaxation mode, vino in hand

2000:

• Boys and Girls reunite for dinner

Grand Total

Ducks: 7

Rabbits: 8

Crayfish: 1

But to be honest the grand total has absolutely no bearing on the degree of success of the weekend.

I'm looking forward to next year already!



Home, sweet home



A Few Things...

... I'm loving about being home.

Aside from the clear highlight of being reunited with friends and family, being back home after more than a year away is fabulous. Here are a few highlights:

Crisp autumn afternoons

Is it just me, or is the light different in New Zealand? Somehow clearer, colours brighter? Living in the tropics is one big steamy season, so the golden autumn colours are looking even more beautiful in contrast to the lush green.

Beautiful autumn colours

Feijoas

Feijoas are among my favourite fruit, but outside of New Zealand (or even outside the North Island) many people haven't even heard of them let alone tasted their delicious goodness. And you know what? That's fine by me. The fewer feijoa-lovers there are in the world, the more feijoas there are for me.

Feijoas are best eaten by the bucket-full, sitting on the kitchen bench with a teaspoon in one hand and small knife in the other. Cut, spoon out, enjoy.

One scoop and you're in

They're fabulous with yoghurt and muesli for breakfast or as dessert with custard in an apple crumble (with cold leftovers the next day for breakfast of course!).

Secret green goodness keepers

Being highly seasonal, feijoas are around fleetingly and so I've never feel guilty when completely stuffing myself. This year will be no exception, especially as feijoas aren't available back home. Use it or lose it.



Honesty boxes

Rural New Zealand is a special place. One of the unique gems is the Honesty Box.

Avocados for sale, Gisborne-style

Fresh produce stacked in baskets with attached price tags in an elevated box on the roadside. Inside is a small lock-box with a slot in the top. Pick what you want, pay what you owe, off you go.

You can't really see it, but the lock-box has a "24-hour security camera" tag. Really?

Bluff oysters

Oysters are a fairly polarizing bite - I've never met anyone who thinks "they're ok". It's a love-hate relationship.

I'm in the former group - slippery, salty, perfect with a squeeze of lemon and a twist of pepper. Don't give me any if those fancy ingredients, oysters are best enjoyed naked.

Good coffee

Last, but certainly not least. I love how a small-town New Zealand cafe serves a significantly higher quality coffee than almost everywhere in Singapore.

A cappuccino is as it should be - one third espresso, one third foam, one third milk.  Coffee is strong, well roasted and doesn't cost $6 a cup.



Oh dear... Going back will be tough...