When I grow up......

To be continued...................

Don't be so Bitter

I don't know how many times I've been to the markets and walked past this little critter, always intrigued, always fascinated. I don't know why this trip to the Footscray market was any different? Yes I do...I've started a Blog and now I'm giving myself a bit more of a kick up the arse to try new things (even more so when I was in my cheffing days). So without further ado...may I present....

The Bitter Melon
(Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd)

Now I know you're sitting there going...well Der! But I was quite excited, this is one cool looking fruit.
So now all I had to do was find a recipe,  a quick Google and Voila!!!

STUFFED BITTER MELON

1) Soak Shitake mushrooms in boiling water until hydrated (roughly 25mins)
2) Slice your bitter melon into 1 inch thick slices
3) Either scoop out the seeds with a spoon or very carefully use a small paring knife to cut out.
4) Blanch the bitter melon in boiling water for 2 minutes and then refresh in a bowl of ice cold water ( I would salt my boiling water, i'll explain why later)

Make up you stuffing, I used Pork mince and green prawns, add your chopped mushrooms, light soy, pepper, rice wine and cornflour. Mix well, then fill your melons (be sure to overfill the melons as the stuffing will shrink during the cooking process)

 

Place stuffed melons in a steamer and steam away for 15 - 20 mins. Start your sauce in either a wok or large flat pan, place the stuffed melons in the sauce and simmer for an extra couple of minutes

Serve with rice and topped with spring onions. For full Recipe please see below.

Now for the funny part of this post.....

 I cooked this dish with absolute confidence that is was gonna be an absolute cracker, great ingredients and it smelled great!  The only problem is...I now realise I really really dont like Bitter Melon...yuk!  When someone many moons ago gave this pimply green vegetable a name...They weren't kidding!!

And now you're wondering why the hell did I even bother posting this and for my first recipe post...? Well..the truth is this blog is a cooking journey and I must post the bad as well as the good.

On the bright side though (Yes I do believe there is one)  My very clever partner Jake suggested  that instead of using Bitter Melon, we use ZUCCHINI!!!! Brilliant! My boy is a genius! Why didn't I think of that?

So if you do enjoy Bitter Melon by all means go ahead it is a great tasting dish, If It's not really your thing, and I do sympathise, give Zucchini or even Cucumber a go. I know I will, and make sure i'll let you know how I go.

Stuffed Bitter Melon

For Stuffing

• Large pinch of white pepper
• 3 shiitake mushrooms, re-hydrated and chopped finely
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 4 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 bitter melon ( or Zucchini or Cucumber )
• 450 grams minced pork, or half pork half raw prawn
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine

For Sauce

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp cornflour, slaked
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 2½ tbsp fermented black beans, chopped and mashed
• 1 inch of ginger, chopped finely

Process

Add prawns or pork, Shaoxing wine, shiitake mushrooms, cornflour, white pepper and soy sauce to a bowl and mix well. Now slice the melon into 1 inch slices, remove the seeded spongy part. Once you are done with this, blanch the melon slices in salted water and refresh. When done, stuff the slices with pork mixture, stuff as much as possible as the stuffing will shrink. Steam the stuffed melons for about 15-20 minutes, in two batches. Now keep that aside and heat up a wok. When it is properly heated, add vegetable oil to it, swirl it around. Now add garlic and ginger, mix until light browned and then add stock, black beans and sugar. Mix well and add the melon rings and simmer for about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, take out Melons and place on your serving plate. Now to your sauce add slaked cornflour and simmer further, until thickened. Season with spring onions and serve with rice

After The Tears

What better way to Celebrate 4 close friends birthdays than to Eat! Rather than spend money on a present, spend it on lots of yummy food! LZ had heard a couple of reviews from friends, and wanting to get over the bridge for the night we decided on After The Tears in Elsternwick

 

After the tears is a restuarant and a Vodka Bar, they proudly mention there list of over 100 Vodkas. Wasn't I glad I did stick my hand up for designated driver he he he.

Inside the restaurant it had a lovely warm feel, and was decorated nicely. We sat down and were given our menus straight away, I quickly thumbed throught the Vodka pages ( but i'll be back though) to find those illustrious little Pierogis.

There were 3 varieties of Pieorgi;

-> Beef & Chicken, served with bacon and raspberry vinegar porcini

-> Mushroom & Sauerkraut, served with brown butter, sage & cranberry reduction

-> Potato & Cheese, served with sour cream and caramelised onion

 

We ordered a main serve of the Potato & Cheese Pierogis to share (6 for $20.50 )

They were good, really good. Topped off with the creamy sour cream and sweetness of the caramalised onions. Good flavour, soft and not stodgey like I was expecting.

 

Our other Entree was the home made Chicken Meatballs (3 for $13)

They consisted of chicken mince and diced vegetables in a hearty tomato sauce laced with paprika and herbs, it was served with rye bread. This dish was great but a lot harder to share 3 meatballs between 4 people but we did 'politely' as we could. I did find the sauce quite salty, lucky i'm quite the salt fiend, but people not big on salt may not enjoy it. 

We all agreed we could order another plate of the Pierogis and Meatballs and be really happy.

But we would push on with the mains, as trying new things is what it is all about.

I order the Veal Goulash $22. It came incased in a deliciously crispy potato pancake and topped with a 'zingy' white radish and red onion salad. I enjoyed this. The meat was beautifully tender and the potato pancake was great to sop up the rich sauce ( unfortunately pancake was hidden under the radish salad) The salad was a refreshing change to the meal and cut through the rich paprika sauce.

As per usual I had food envy of my partner Jj's meal. He ordered the Polish Sauages

 

 The Polish Sausages $22. A char grilled Kransky and a white Polish Sausage on a bed of roasted garlic and olive oil mash potato & braised red cabbage, caramelised onions and Jus.

Jj enjoyed this and wasn't to keen on my fork flying in on his plate space. The Mash was great, but I am a sucker for creamy mash ( I promise i did leave him some) this was definetly a great comfort food dish, but i guess I could really say that about the whole menu

 Paella con Pollo $24

Now is it just me or does anyone else think having a Paella on a Polish menu Bizarro...? Anywho LZ was really after the seafood. This was okay, it did have a generous amount of seafood and plump chicken pieces although i think the large semi sun-dried tomatoes were a bit of overkill.

I missed out on getting a photo of Mr S's meal, he ordered the Lamb Ragout off the snack menu and nearly polished it off by the time i was ready to take a snap. Mr S said it was great his only complaint was he wished it came in a main size which the waiter said they could not do (hmmmmmmm)

An honourable mention goes out to "Bohemian Lover" a shot of 1/2 Absinth and 1/2 wormwood liqueur vodka. It was gorgeous and warmed you all the way down with every sip

I'll definetly go back to After the Tears and will make a point of trying their brother restaurant in Chapel Street, Borsch, Vodka and Tears

After the Tears

9b Gordon st
Elsternwick 3185
Victoria
Australia


tram: 67
bus: 246
sandringham train to
elsternwick station

Double Rainbow Cake - All the Way

It was my good friend Tony's Birthday, and I decided to make his birthday cake. I had been searching for a idea on Tastespotting.com when a came across the "perfect cake"
For weeks Tony had been driving me nuts with the that bloody "Double Rainbow Song" on You Tube

Unfortunately I had run out of Red colouring, hence why my red part of the rainbow is clearly pink.

Now time to Decorate........

Yes, I did put on those M&M's one at a time.

Happy Birthday Tony. Yes it was "So Bright, So Vivid."

Ahem...testing 1,2,3

I dont know how this blog will turn out. I am so very far from being a literary genius ( I dont write real good..!!) I don't take amazing photos either ( Wow Courts, way to sell yourself Ha!) But I do love Food & Cooking. I spend most of my nights in front of the TV before bed, with Laptop on..well....my lap, reading and researching food, recipes, restaurants and food blogs.

Firstly this Blog is for me, secondly for my gorgeous partner Jake ( the best kitchen hand/ apprentice & market trolley pusher a girl could ask for) and my amazing family and friends.

I'm new at this so if can get past my spelling mistakes & typos, then hopefully it can be a place of cooking and eating inspiration. Welcome to La Cookaracha where we cook/create/sing and dance in the kitchen.