Prawn, chorizo and okra stew

Is there a dish or food that you've never ever eaten or tried because of some personal reasons?  Like it's wierd or disgusting?  Maybe you've seen balut? - the duck embryo that is a usual street food in the Philippines and  some parts of Asia?   How about frog legs which is a delicacy in Cantonese cuisine?  And lamb brains?  Ok, so as foodies, are we all supposed to be open to eating and trying anything and everything that is served us or is on offer when we travel ala Anthony Bourdain who has shown us in his TV series No Reservations where he tries fermented shark in Iceland (S1, Ep2), some nasty bits of sheep (S2-Ep1), and how we proclaimed the famou Cebu lechon in the Philippines (roast suckling pig) as the "best pig ever" (S5-Ep7). 

There are few that I don't eat because they are slimy (okra) and bitter (ampalaya or bitter gourd).  Hubby on the other hand, loves these two.  I usually buy them when available and then cook it, for him.  With okra, it is simply boiled then served as a side with some shrimp paste or fish sauce.  He loves them, and most any Filo I know as well.  Until recently, when I found a simple recipe on Food52 and thought why not expand his okra horizon. And also, start a long needed relationship with okra.  

And OMG!  Slimy!  But OMG!  Yum! So I'm hooked.  I love them, slime and all.  The soft texture when cooked complimented by the smoky chorizo and the fresh prawns was magical to the senses.  At first mouthful, I forgot all about the okra's fault (it's sliminess) and just fell in love.  I can't believe what I've been missing all those years!  So now, okra is my lobster (now that's not from Mr. Bourdain but from Phoebe Buffay from Friends S2, Ep14).

And oh, I forgot to mention no offense to anyone, but Vegemite is another one of those I least like.  One of those things we need to work on, learning to be Australian.

Inspired by the recipe from Food52, here's my simple version of 5 basic ingredients:

Ingredients

1 cup sliced chorizo

250g okra, sliced

2 tomatoes, quartered

2 cloves garlic, minced

500g fresh peeled prawns

dried chillies or flakes (optional)

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a heavy based skillet, heat some olive oil covering the base

Add the chorizo and stir to cook, rendering the fat.

Add the sliced okra, season with salt and pepper and stir to cook the okra until soft and the strings from the okra begin to be visible.

Add the garlic, tomatoes and prawns and continue to cook on medium heat.

Turn off heat and add the chilli flakes if using.

Serve with steamed jasmine rice. 

Tips and tricks:

* You can add thyme while cooking for extra lemony taste. 

* I have used lemon rind and added it in the last minute of cooking.

* Add chopped parlsey for garnish.

* The recipe is a take off from the classic gumbo from southern Louisiana but will less ingredients to suit our preference.

Simple apple pie

Recently, I've been scouring op shops and council clean ups for some old items.  Yep.  Seriously.  I'm slowly getting addicted to vintage items and props and food photography and styling.  Although I've had this blog for awhile, I've never really taken any real effort to style and prop and focus on the photographs until fairly recently (and but that I mean about a year now).  I've bought books on food styling, taken workshops on food photography and admired magazines and other blogs but have never really taken a keen interest into these things until now. Why now?  Not really sure? I guess the exposure to so many media outlets can get one really inspired and into it. From Instagram alone, the creativity is just endless and photography always stunning.  I follow a few bloggers and food photographers and always, always get mesmerized.  Food is amazing.  And food photographers (and stylists) are the magicians!  

 
And so in my own little world (my blog) I replicate these creative geniuses - I style and prop and capture my own food creations.  And I'm learning. 

Now back to this simple apple pie.   This was originally my post for the June SABH but the tropical blood in me shone through and a buko (coconut) pie just had to be.   But we've made these several times now and each time it just comes out perfect.   For weekend afternoon, for work and recently, for a 4th-of-July themed birthday tea.

It is a simple recipe as you don't have to pre-cook the apples for the filling.  All you need is a good basic recipe for pate sucre (sweet paste) and bake you go!

To make this apple pie, recipes were adapted from a 2 sources.   I've used the pastry recipe learned from last term's module at Ryde TAFE - Pastry, Yeast and  Baked Goods.  The filling from Flo Braker's flag-raising-apple-pie from the recipe book The Simple Art of Perfect Baking.   You will need a rolling pin and a clean counter top to prepare the crust and topping.

Sweet paste

(enough to use for one 8-in pie plate)

400g plain flour, sifted

200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

100g caster sugar

1/2 lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg

In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg with the vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large bowl using your hands, rub the flour and butter together until it resembles fine crumbs (may take a few minutes).   The butter does not have to be at room temperature but it works best when they are cut into cubes.  

Add the caster sugar and zest and work lightly.

 Add the egg and vanilla mixture and work quickly using you form a soft dough.

Wrap in plastic cling and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

*While the pastry is resting, prepare your apple pie filling.* 

Prepare your pie plate/pan/tin by spraying with oil or coating with butter.

Once the pastry has rested, cut half and set aside.

Prepare a cup of flour for dusting the counter and working with the dough.

Splash some flour onto the counter and some on your rolling pin before working with the pastry.

Work with the first half of the pastry on a clean counter and using a rolling pin, roll the pastry until you get about 3-4mm thin (thicker if desired as long as you have enough to cover the base of your pie pan/tin).

Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry onto your prepare pie pan/tin.  Press gently onto the bottom and sides of the pan.  Trim excess and combine with the other half of the pastry.

Pour the apple filling onto your pastry and set aside.

Work with the second half of the pastry with a rolling pin, same way with the crust - working with a bit of flour on the counter top.

Roll until you get 3-4mm thin (or your desired thickness).  Lift this with the rolling pin and place on top of your pie.  

Gently press the pasty onto the filling.

Trim the sides and pinch or indent with a fork.

Work with the pastry off cuts and cut our leaves or other shapes you want to decorate the top of your pie.  (I've always cut out leaves :D)

Decorate your pie with the leaves/shapes and prick parts of the pie with a fork. 

(This is to let steam escape while the pie is cooking.)

Brush the top with some egg wash (a combination of 1 egg lightly whisk with a tablespoon of water).

The egg wash creates that shiny glossy finish when the pie is baked.

Bake at 180*C for 45 minutes or until golden.

Useful tip - when working with the pastry, I usually spread the cling wrap/film on the counter (which was used to wrap the pastry) to avoid sticking on the counter.  You can do this too or just sprinkle some flour on the bench.

Apple pie filling

42g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

50g (1/4 cup) dark brown sugar, packed

50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar

3 and 1/2 tablespoon unsifted plain flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 (medium-large) Granny Smith apples

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, mix the sugars, flour and spices.

Peel, core and slice the apples thinly.  Pour into a large mixing bowl.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients (flour, sugar & spices) and toss gently using a spatula.

Drizzle the lemon juice and melted butter and toss to coat the apples and combine.

Flo Braker's flag-raising-apple-pie included a base pie crust and a streusel topping, which I've opted not to use.  This is a simple apple pie recipe.   A pie crust that tastes just like shortbread and an apple filling that smells so good with just the right hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Everyone who's tasted this asked for the recipe.  Served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  A truly simple and filling treat.  

Go ahead and make it!  I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did. 

PS - that cake in the photo with the red, white and blue layers?  I did not make that.  A friend of mine created that 4th-of-July themed cake for her son's birthday.  Awesome isn't it!  The red, white and blue pom poms we made inspired Martha Stewart DIY crafts.

Corn dogs!

Classic corn dogs in BW !

We had a sci-fi-villain-super hero-themed Halloween weekend party with some friends and had alien grub for our spread!  And corn dogs was part of the alien feast!  This is a take off from PW's post on the classic corn dog!  And I must say all the aliens and super-hero guests just could not stop munching on these classics!  Definitely not Australian, but was welcomed by all aliens, villains and superheroes from different planets and agencies (talking about DC Comics, Pixar and Disney here).    These were made using a waffle-mix recipe (from scratch as we don't have the American pancake mixes around these parts, and the Oz brands sad to say, are just not the same) with that added secret ingredient - polenta (or corn meal in most other planets).  What originally was a waffle mix turned into a classic nutty corn dog!  

The basic waffle mix with corn meal:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 and 3/4 cups milk

125ml or 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 - 2 cups polenta (corn meal)

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar 3 times into a large mixing bowl. 

In another bowl, using a wire whisk beat egg yolks until frothy, stir in milk and oil and mix until thorougly combined.  Pour into the flour mixture and whisk (or beat with a hand held mixer) until smooth.

Using a hand-held mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into the batter.

Add the polenta (corn meal) and mix until you get a thick and grainy texture/consistency.

Classic corn dogs in full colour!

To make the classic corn dogs:

1 pack Hans American Hotdogs , cut into half

bamboo barbeque skewers

1-2 cups flour

vegetable oil

Prepare and heat a deep medium-large saucepan on the stove (or use an electronic deep fryer) and add the vegetable oil.  (The oil is hot and ready when smoking and bubbling. Or you can check by placing a small piece of bread and it browns instantly.)

Skewer the hotdogs using the bamboo sticks (or as per Pioneer Woman, use chopsticks!).

Coat the hotdogs with the flour and set on a plate.

Dip the flour-coated hotdogs in the corn-dog-batter one by one.  Then slowly dip the battered hotdog -  stick and all,  into the very hot oil and cook until golden in colour.

Serve with some catsup (tomato sauce in Oz parlance) and mustard! 

Then stand back and watch your family and friends enjoy a classic American treat! 

alien grub

The BW photo is making its way to The Well Seasoned Cook's B&W Wednesday!  As always, big thanks to Susan for organising this weekly culinary photo event!  XX