Thurs, 31st Jan 2008

For those who are coming for dinner, please do not read further!

Tomorrow night I am having a few special people round for dinner. I was a busy bee this afternoon and I've made the main course (which I won't post any pictures of just yet but it improves in taste overnight, trust me) and this:

I hope this will be enough for everyone to have seconds or thirds.


Some vegetables.

And I've set the table too.

And an individual setting - there are 2 glasses; one is for water, the other juice.

Lobster Bisque

Here is my first attempt at making Lobster Bisque.

I started by reducing the stock which I had made earlier by half - that did the trick to intensify the flavours - then I added in lots of lobster meat, and kept aside the best parts for the garnish (you only see two pieces here as the rest sank)!! If the soup had been thickened, I think the meat would have stayed on the top for better presentation.

Overall - not bad for a first effort - if I were to make it again, I would thicken it slightly using a roux but it was pretty good - very lobstery and t.a.s.t.y.....

And this is how it all began.

I spent quite a long time cleaning the shells, removing icky bits from inside the head,

rinsing and cutting the shells into smaller pieces.

Next, I sauteed some carrots and onions in a pan with olive oil - I should have added celery and maybe leek but I didn't have any so I had to make to with 2 ingredients to make the mire poix. I added quite a selection of herbs such as thyme, marjoram, tarragon, parsley and some pepper and 2 bay leaves.

The shells were then added when all the ingredients were thoroughly mixed, I added half a cup of brandy. After the alcohol had evaporated, I added water (fish stock should have been added at this point).

Boil, boil, boil; strain and keep.

Next the soup was reduced and I added some heavy cream and a bit more pepper. Garnish with cream, some green and tiny chopped carrots.

Serve!

The Simpur Bloggies

Well, only one day left to nominate your favourite blog/s for Best Speciality Category (my blog falls within this, ahem!)...

If you still wish to nominate please do so but before 10 am tomorrow 30th Jan. The address to send your nomination to is:

dstmm.content@simpur.net.bn

G o o d l u c k e v e r y o n e !

And for those who have already nominated my little blog detailing my cooking and eating adventures, thank you!

And Pablo, I appreciate your support!!! AWESOME.

Lobster Bisque

Remember my lobster shells? Well I've made the stock and strained it, and the lobster legs yielded a lot of meat which is being kept covered in the fridge.

Tomorrow I will reduce it slightly, and add cream and top with lobster meat. I wonder how it will turn out? I really wonder. I may have to thicken with some roux but I was told to reduce further to achieve a thicker consistency soup. Hmm, we'll see, we'll see tomorrow.

If it's good, I'll put up the recipe; an adaptation from my CIA The Professional Chef's cookbook and some quick searches on the internet.

Spaghettini's at Empire Hotel - Mon, 28th Jan 2008

It was Mum's birthday yesterday so we trooped off to Spaghettini's to have a celebratory meal. We had all our usual favourites, such as:

Antipasti (a fantastic selection of about 24? types of starters) - I chose my favourites such as cold slices of roast beef, mixed lettuce, grilled baby squid, mushrooms, parmesan crisp, asparagus and roma tomatoes with a drizzle of Italian dressing over the plate).

Spaghetti and Fettucine Carbonara

DUCK CONFIT RISOTTO (My favourite - it was absolutely beautiful, al dente rice cooked in a rich flavourful meat broth, with generous shreds of home-made duck confit - eat with some black pepper and you are instantly transported to ? Yup, paradise!..)

My main course is again my firm favourite - 2 little perfectly done tenderloins with a rich jus, served with spinach and kipfler potatoes.

Yums right?

KF had parpadelle with a lamb ragout

and for desserts we had ice-cream, 2 orders warm chocolate tart, 2 orders of tiramisu and Chef surprised us with a panna cotta with raspberry sauce.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MUM!!!! (and many more....)..

After dinner activities - the usual pizza dough shaping and playing on the gorgeous piano.

With many thanks to Chef Frianto and his crew (AhJoy/Jeremy and everyone in the kitchen) for cooking our food so beautifully, and of course Jenna and her team for the great service.

How to make your cousin smile for the camera

Advance with determined purpose.

Pounce.

Put hand on cheeks.

Pull. And pull somemore.

There, he's smiling.

Repeat when/wherever necessary.

These two might just end up on the cover of Teen Vogue one day with their confidence in front of the camera and, ok, I'm going to say it, beauty.

Thursday, 24th Jan 2008

The children's grandpa celebrated his 80th at a restaurant in Seria last week. Here is what we had, in choronological order:

When we were seated, there were plates of red hardboiled eggs on the table so almost everyone helped themselves to one. Followed by some noodles to signify longevity.

Followed by a lobster salad and double boiled black chicken with sharksfin.

Followed by steamed fish and Peking duck

Followed by braised Chinese cabbage with dried scallops and the meat from the Peking duck

Ending with pork chops done in a black pepper sauce and a kind of sweet/sour sauce. (Are you still with me as we have come to the end of the dinner - hehe).

Finally, the birthday cake - I brought a 3 kg Fresh Mango Cream Cake from the Sheraton - it was very good and everyone asked for seconds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR CC, AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS.