Japanese Omelette

I love eggs because they are so versatile. You can create so many unique flavours with eggs from holandaise sauce to lemon tart to meat loaf. Eggs are a key ingredient in most cuisines, and definitely you should have the stocked in your fridge at all times!

We have probably all had a Japanese omelette before, we just didn't know what it was called! For anyone who has been to a sushi bar that is. I'm sure you would recall the kind of sweet egg sushi roll that you enjoyed! Well, the good news is that you recreate that omelette as a side dish or an appetiser at home. Or like me, if you like to eat simply at times, then you can have this omelette with some sauteed vegetables and rice for dinner by itself.

Japanese Omelette

Ingredients

4 eggs

3 1/2 tbsn of chicken stock (I add 1/4 of a chicken stock cube to hot water to make sure it is really strong in flavour)

3/4 tbsn white win

1 tbsn sugar

dash of soy sauce

Method

Whisk the eggs lightly and strain them into a bowl. Dissolve the sugar and chicken stock and add togeher with the wine and the soy sauce. Mix and pour 1/3 into a hot frying pan (I use the small size - the ones that fit 2 eggs only when frying). Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture spread evenly to form a layer at the bottom of the pan. And leave it there. The original recipe advises not to the let the omelette brown but I always do because I like it that way. I then remove the omelette onto a separate plate and roll it up. Then I put another 1/3 of mixture and repeat the process. When I remove from the pan I lay it flat and then roll it around the first omelette so it forms a layer around the outside. I repeat this for the third layer. If you are wanting an authentic japanese omelette you would then place the egg roll inside a bamboo mat when you are finished. I don't because I like the oval shape. I also brush it with soy sauce to make it look more 'glazed'.

The result is an impressive egg dish that is served luke-warm or cold. Try it - the taste will surprise you, and you'll be amazed at how delicate yet delicious it is ...

Bon Appetit!

The Good ol' Aussie Meat Pie ...

Any Aussie away from home seems to long for meat pies, and I am no different. I loved stopping at the local pie shop on the way home from the Sunday soccer game, and then collapsing into my bed and sleeping the rest of the afternoon (particularly when we were playing in 5 degrees celcius)!

Even now when I go back to Australia I will endevour to buy a meat pie as soon as I can (unfortunately I am also bitterly disappointed by the quality of pies these days! Poor quality meat and terrible pastry). Anyway, tonight, since it was cold and wet by Manila standards - and definitely 'stay indoors' weather, I decided it was time to bake a classic mince and onion pie. I also used a simple recipe for short crust pastry. (Pre-prepared pastry is not readily available in the Philipines - I did however find pre-prepared filo and puff pastry at Santis.). I really do NOT enjoy making pastry but I have little choice. Well, it's taken many failed attempts to get it right (finally) and the only piece of advice I would give is ....

'don't touch the dough with your hands for very long - always use cold instruments to mix, and make sure the butter is really, really cold to begin with. '

The end result was a great meat pie. The only addition from me was that I replaced Worcestershire sauce with Honey and Teriyake marinade, and also added 1 teaspoon of curry powder to the mince - as well as cracked pepper.

Ingredients

3 medium onions

2 carrots

2 sticks of celery

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

olive oil

2 bay leaves

500g of good-quality minced beaf (from Rustans)

1 teaspoon of English mustard (I used hot mustard)

I tbsp of Worchestire sauce (very english, I used teriyake marinade)

2 tsp of flour

1 beef stock cube

500g of shortcrust pastry

1 large egg

To Make the Mince Filling

Roughly chop onions, carrots and celery. In a large casserole type pan or crockery pot add olive oil and the vegetables and rosemary. Stir for around 10 mins until vege has softened. Add minced beef. Add mustard, sauce, and flour. Dissolve beef stock in 2 litres of boiling water and add to mixture. Bring to boil and simmer for an hour. (I simmered for more than an hour because I wanted the mixture to be less runny). Stir now and again.

To Make the Pie

Fill a baking dish with mince and allow to cool down. Make the shortcrust pastry (takes up to 15 mins) and roll it out. (when you roll out pastry with a rolling pin you have to do it quickly because the longer it takes the more the butter will melt and your pastry turn into a gluggy mess). When you get the pastry large enough for your serving dish place it on top of the serving dish. Cut off any excess pastry and use it to plug up any other areas. Using a fork press down around the edge of the pastry dish to 'crimp'. Make a hole in the middle of the pastry using the tip of the knife. Brush the top of the pastry with a beaten egg (you need a pastry brush for this ...) And pop into an oven 180 degrees celcius for about 20 mins or until the pastry is brown on top.

Bon Appetit!

Banana and Choc Chip Muffins

I love muffins as anyone can make them. They are simple, quick and very satisfying. And you can be sure your own muffins will be far better than the floury, dry and sometimes fruitless muffins you buy from Starbucks or the Muffin Shop! Also, it's hard to find a better combination than bananas and choc chip - particularly in a muffin! The moistness of the bananas combined with the rich luxurious taste of chocolate is definitely a mixture made in heaven!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups SR flour (or if using plain flour then add about four teaspoons of baking powder)
  
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I use organic free trade sugar from Rustans)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (bought from Santis)
• 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas (about 3 lrge and very ripe bananas)
• 2/3 cup of buttermilk (or add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to milk and let sit for 5 mins)
• 2 eggs
• I tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup of extra light olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to moderately hot 200 degrees (normal) or 180 degrees (fan forced) celcius. Grease the 12 hole muffin pan.

Sift flour and sugar into large bowl. Stir in choc chips and mashed banana then combine buttermilk, eggs, vanilla essence and oil. (I use an electric dough mixer). Put mixture in holes of muffin pan (as this mixture is so dense it won't rise very much so you can fill right to the top of each hole). The muffin pan I use is the kind that doesn't need buttering - I bought it from the Home Shop in High Street, Fort Bonifacio. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 20 mins (when they start going brown on the top).

Bon Appetit!