Afternoon Tea - The Royal Wedding

Master  Henry

Yesterday I looked forward to watching this Royal wedding, and also I looked forward to having master Henry’s visit.  I prepared a beautiful and elegant afternoon tea.  It was indeed a treat for the adults, but master Henry did not eat much; however he enjoyed the strawberries, the topping of the strawberry shortcake.  He loves fruit, especially berries.

We had early dinner; I cooked (singgang ayam, my style).  It is a roast chicken-cut in halves with rosemary and garlic, garnished with red cabbages dressed in avocado dressing and served with white steamed rice.  I am so lucky that master Henry had some, and he loved it. After that, we spent more time with him until he had his bath soon after, Melanie - his mother put him to sleep.  It ‘s okay, we can relax, and I knew that we would have a great evening.  So we had.

Afternoon Tea with Master Henry

I watched this Royal wedding on TV full of attention.  I could see the crowd from everywhere.  I love to see beautiful people in beautiful dresses.  This wedding took place at the Westminster Abbey; I have been there for one-hour for a divine office when Rayner - my husband - and I visited London for the second time.  For some reason, the inside of the church looked different, it was dark, I thought, even though it has a very high ceiling. I did enjoy the choir at the divine office.  This time the inside of the church looks so bright, grand and opulent.  The wedding ceremony was traditional of the royalty, and yet so calm, relaxed and solemn.  The bride - Kate - was so beautiful and serene, in her gorgeous dress and the groom - Prince William - was so handsome in his uniform.  They looked so perfect together.  I wish them well and full of happiness. 

I did enjoy the evening, mainly; I could share my time with Melanie - master Henry’s mother.  It is a rare occasion.   Melanie had a good time too.  I am a proud, nana; I call my grandsons ‘masters.’

Delightful  Afternoon  Tea:  Savouries  to Sweets

Mini wedges poached prawns in zucchini.

Light carrot and cheese bread with pine nuts

Sliced served with avocado

Strawberry Short Cake

With homemade Jam and Strawberries for my garden

Mini Cheese Cake

Poor Man Caviar

Eggplants

I cooked a lot of dishes out of eggplants.  This time I made a special dish to go with biscuits or flatbreads.  It is very tasty, so delicious.
I roasted a few eggplants, one red onion for at least 45 minutes until they are cooked and very soft.
Let them cool, then scoop the inside out, place them in a blender together with the onion.
Add in about two tablespoons of olive oil, salt to taste.  Work the blender to make a smooth puree.
This smooth pure is known as Poor Man Caviar.  Serve as a dip. 
Have plenty of flatbreads; cut into wedges or dry biscuits, enjoy with ‘the dip’.

Eggplant Dip - Poor Man Caviar

Roasted Eggplants and a Red Onion

Halved and Cool Roasted Eggplants and Onion

They are ready to be pureed

The Poor Man Caviar

(Puree of Roasted Eggplants and Onion)

Country Cooking

Potato and Celeriac

Potatoes are the most versatile vegetable.  Variety of cooking potatoes: boiled, fried, baked etc

I got this celeriac from the market the other day, and I cooked mashed potato with it.

The flavour of celeriac goes very well with the potato, the texture may be not as smooth, but I like it that way.  It is a delightful dish friendly and easy to prepare.

Recipe to share:  Mashed Potato and Celeriac

Celeriac

Red Potato

Mashed Potato and Celeriac

Mashed Potato and Celeriac served with Meat and Gravy.

Mashed Potatoes and Celeriac

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

475 gr potatoes, peeled
210 g celeriac, peeled
25 g unsalted butter
25 ml hot milk
Salt to taste

Method
Chopped the celeriac into cubes, put in a saucepan add water, enough to cover them
Cook over the stove on medium heat, bring to boil, cook for a few minutes (5)
Add in chopped potatoes, bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes until soft.
Take it off the stove, strain the water and put in a bowl
While still hot, mash the potato, celeriac and the butter aa together, until smooth
Stir in the warm milk, mix gently and quickly; add salt to taste.

To serve:  Serve hot with meat dishes and gravy.


Happy Cooking!

Cutting Vegetables

Julienne, chiffonade etc

To Julienne              -            French cooking

To cut into Julienne is to cut into skinny strips.  A julienne is aesthetically very pleasing and very lovely as a garnish for soups, fish, meat etc.

A vegetable julienne such as carrots, celery, is usually blanched and finished by being cooked a few minutes with fish, veal or whatever it will be served with.  Being cut so thin, it cooks very fast.  (Jacques Pepin)

Other vegetables cut into Julienne: cabbage, celeriac, mushrooms, and beetroots.

Vegetables to cut into – chiffonade: lettuce, sorrel, chervil.

A soup dish

Consomme a l’ecossaise – Pear barley cooked in consommé, garnished with a julienne of carrot, celery and leek lightly fried in butter and chervil leaves.

 Cut vegetable finely   -            Javanese cooking

In Javanese cooking, there are no regulations or rules for cutting vegetables.  Carrots: to slice carrots finely or thinly for particular cooking; such as a filling of spring rolls, or to make ‘acar’ (pickled vegetables) also salads.

 Acar Segar (fresh pickled vegetables Javanese style)
Cut finely, carrots, cucumber and shallot add vinegar, salt and sugar.

Finely Cut Carrots and Spring Onions

Pictures Julienne of carrots and celery

Peeled carrot and Peeled celery (top fibre is removed)

Julienne of Carrots    And    Julienne of Celery

I will post how to do the consomme sometime in May.

Salads Night

Celeriac  to  Mushroom

Sometimes it is good to omit the meat for our dinner, we do not need to eat it every day.   Last weekend my family had a big feast.  We had a lot of fatty food.  From rice to a roast and cakes also brioches, we had.  Tonight I prepared a few salad dishes for dinner.  The family enjoyed it thoroughly.   Recipe to share is the mushroom and Carrot Salad

Portobello Mushroom and Carrot Salad

Mushroom and Carrot Salad

Ingredients:
1 large flat Portobello mushroom
4 tablespoons grated carrots
1 lime
¼ cup oil
Lettuce-Lamb lettuce
1teaspoon full pine nuts
Salt to taste

Method

Rub the mushroom with some oil and sprinkle some salt.
In a frying pan, pan fry the mushroom with some oil for 3 minutes
Turn it over and keep on cooking for another 2 minutes.
Take it out, and place it on a plate, let it cool.

To serve

Place the lamb lettuce on a serving plate, arrange beautifully
Put the mushroom on the bed of the lamb lettuce; add the grated carrots
Scattered the pine nuts over the top of the carrots, garnish with the lime.
(You can add some oil, drizzle over it if you wish)

Serve: as an entrée, or as a vegetarian dish to garnish any crusty bread.

Also, it can be a garnish of meat dishes (beef or lamb)

The ingredients of the Mushroom and Carrot Salad

Grated carrot, lime, Portobello mushroom, and some lamb lettuce

 Other Salads are Pictured

Top left: Celeriac Salad    Top right:  Salad dumplings with ice berg lettuce

Bottom:  The P.mushroom salad with carrot

Enjoy cooking!

Easter Cakes

Our Easter Cakes Pictures

Our Easter Cake 2011

Our Easter Cake 2010

Easter 2009 and The Easter Cake

Easter Monday

Eileen

I am having a quiet time today and pleased that my family had a lovely Easter.  I thought that I have enough rest, so I decided to invite my neighbour-Eileen to have afternoon tea.  She comes with a gem scone tin for me.  She remembered that I was so curious about it.  I had a lovely catch up with her. She said that she had a great Easter too.  She spent her Easter with her family and the extended family.

I shared with her a slice of the Easter Crown to take home, I think she will like it.   She loves my cooking.  Thanks, Eileen for the tin, I must find a good recipe for it.
I am looking forward to using it.  Another baking day soon!

A gem scone from Eileen

A slice of Easter Crown Bread

Easter Sunday

Easter Breakfast

The Easter Crown worked out very well.  We sat together to have the Easter Breakfast.  The grandkids did not like a hard-boiled egg, so they had scrambled eggs instead. They had a taste of the Easter Crown bread, I think they liked it.  The Easter Crown Bread was made from the brioche dough that I prepared a few days ago.

I wish you all a very Happy Easter.

Our Easter Crown Bread

(made from the brioche dough)

Aphorisms

Brillat-Savarin

The mistress of the house must always make sure that her coffee is excellent, and the master of the house that his wines are choice. (New Larousse Gastronomique)

To invite someone is to take charge of his happiness during the time he spends under your roof. (New Larousse Gastronomique)

The doily from Jane

Drinking Water with The Doily

Apple Sliced Cakes

Ayam Bumbu Rujak (Javanese Chicken Curry)

The Grand Kids: Thomas & Baby Henry (the visitors)

Mary Rose-The Grand Daughter

E a s t e r - T i m e

Chocolate  Cake    And    Small Gifts

Chocolate Mocha Cake

Lyn's Chocolate Date Muffins

Muffins with Chocolate Choc Chips

Savouries Muffins

Chocolate Easter Crown Cake  2011

A n e c d o t e s

A Few Gourmands

Louis the XV, he loved to make his own coffee and invented an omelette of asparagus tips for Mme du Barry.  (New Larousse Gastronomique)

 Renan -  Invited one day to a house where the hostess desired that each guest, in turn, should contribute to the conversation, Renan persistently tried to intervene during the meal.  At last, the mistress of the house turned to him and said, ‘Now, Master Renan, it is your turn.’  “Oh, Madame,” said Renan, “all I wanted was a second helping of peas.”  (New Larousse Gastronomique)

Left: Herbs for European cooking          Right: Kaffir limes, chillies for Asian cooking

Easter Week

Easter Crown

In my religion, Good Friday is the day of fasting; to abstain from food, and to resist anything that you love. It is a time to deny the great temptations in any forms, to reflect within and to be thankful.

No recipes to share today but a sneak peek what my family are going to have for breakfast on Easter Sunday Celebration.

Brioche Dough

Easter Crown Bread is in Progress

White - Serene Camellia Sasanqua Setsugekka

The Red Ruby Colour

Quinces

Quinces to poach, to braise, and pot-roasted, I do that every year, when they are in season, It is almost a ritual for me.  However I have missed a few occasions because quinces are not readily available in the shop, and my friends who live on a farm forgot to share their quinces with me.  This year I am so lucky that a young friend of mine; gave me a surprise. On a morning Rayner-my husband found this whole bag full of quinces at the front door.  Thanks, Nicole!  Today I decided to cook five of the quinces.  I am amazed by this fruit.  Such a humble looking fruit, from the colour of yellowish green, when they are raw, can change to become vibrant red colour after a few hours of cooking.  It took me five hours to cook to get the deep vibrant red ruby colour.  It is worth it.

Fresh Quinces

The First Stage of Cooking the Quinces

Second Stage of Cooking - Orange colour

Third Stage of Cooking - Reddish Colour

Fourth Stage of Cooking- Rich Ruby Colour

Very Rich Red Ruby Colour

Absolutely Gorgeous

Bread To Brioche

Olive Bread

Today I am baking olive bread, and thinking to do some brioche dough as well.  The autumn weather is kind to enjoy freshly baked bread to go with a salad.  The brioche dough is for this coming Easter.

The olive bread's baked beautifully, it has a lovely hard crust.  The brioche dough is still in progress.  I have to put the brioche dough in the refrigerator for overnight. I will continue to the next step/process tomorrow.  It has been fun to do bread making.

Recipe to share is the olive bread.  I made use of my very own preserved olives from last year.

Olive Bread

( my own preserved olives from our garden)

The crusty olive bread

Olives and Feta salad

Home preserved olives

Olive Bread

Ingredients

3 cups plain flour

7 g dried yeast
150 mil, warm water

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

1tablespoon oil

Some olives (20 olives and chopped)

Some flour for dusting

Method

Place the plain flour in a mixing bowl; add in the yeast, salt, sugar and put in the middle

Pour the warm water right to the centre, stir and mix, put the machine on (I am using the mix master)

With the dough hook on, knead the mixture into a smooth dough and very elastic (about 10 minutes)

Take the dough out, place the dough to a clean bowl and leave it in a warm room for 1 hour or more

When the dough is doubled in bulk, punch the dough down, add the chopped olives, mix and knead lightly

Shape the dough in a circle or an oval, then place the dough in a warm place again to proof.

When the dough rises up again/almost double, then bake in very hot oven-200 degree C, for 3o-35 minutes.

The bread is cooked, when you tap the loaf, it should sound hollow.

To serve

Serve with a salad or to complement a soup

The ingredients of the olive bread

Freshly baked the olive bread.