Monday, September 6, 2010

What's cooking in your kitchen?

We all love to talk about what's cooking in our kitchens, so thought I would start this post to keep us occupied until the new forum is revealed.

Today, I am making braised lamb shanks (kind of asian style) in my new Dutch Oven, which was a real bargain at only $AUD79, instead of the usual $200. It is a Raco, so not a lovely Le Creuset but still comes with a lifetime guarantee!

55 comments:

  1. how long is a lifetime BB?LOL it is very beautiful.You know in all my marrieed life I have never cooked a casserole in the oven.Always on the stove top. My mum said it cost less gas.......:-))

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  2. I will have to check the fine print but I am not too fussed as it was so cheap. I am sure there is fine print ;)

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  3. Oh that's lovely - I think I actually prefer the 'roundedness' of that the the LC ones!

    MIL bought me a huge stockpot yesterday from the local outlet village (YAY!) but I don't have enough room for it in any of my cupboards (BOO!!!)

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  4. I don't feel too well so I fried an egg, had a slice of ham and ate two pieces of choc caramel slice. It's a man thing. Happy cooking.

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  5. And how did you feel after that Australiaman? :)

    cucinaitaliana - thanks for the compliment on the 'roundness' of my Raco dutch oven. You must think about an alternative spot for your pot. I got a big one recently from Ikea but I haven't used it yet and it is right at the back of my pot cupboard.

    I just had some sourdough bread toast and decided that I needed to experiment between the merits of Nutella or butter on the toast. Once slice of each, the Nutella won!

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  6. Australiaman - were they low-carb choc caramel slices?? Hope you're feeling better soon.

    Love that Dutch oven BB!

    Just deciding what I'll be cooking later on, and thinking about Bill Granger linguine with peas, lemon and cream, mmm...

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  7. V.nice Dutch oven! I'd love a LC but my kitchen is crowded with stuff.

    I'm making a KITCHEN recipe today involving pasta and pesto. Also made cookies from NK. Amazing.

    LovingFood.

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  8. I've been wondering about the Raco too - nice to see one in 'action':) Other colours too?

    I cooked a Diana Henry recipe last night. Greek-style Roasted Leg of Lamb with Spinach and Rice. I underseasoned the rice though (was allowing for the feta to go on after) so not an entirely successful meal. Delicious idea though:)

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  9. Coby, I think it is just available in this colour. I got it from Peters of Kensington online. For the price, I figured who cares about colour :)

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  10. LOL True (about the colour). I have a few different colours, I'd once thought I only wanted the blue in Le Creuset, but now I have found that Le Chasseur is as good and cheaper (not as good as Raco for price) I have a cream, pink and blue collection......sometimes a striking orange is perfect for the mood too:D I always think Spanish for some reason???

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  11. I've been using my jamie oliver tefal caserole pot more often these days, its a love lime green, so heavy though, so don't bother to take it off the stove top (except to clean it ofcourse ;)) since its in action practically everyday. I got it for $79 reduced from 200 from vicoria basement. does anyone else have this one? :)

    coby, I could get into colours too, lol, but they're so heavy to wash aren't they? :)

    LF, now I really can't wait to get kitchen, what should I make first you reckon? :)

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  12. Coby, mine is redder than it looks in the picture. I quite like it, it's kind of a happy colour. But ideally I love the darker blue in either Le Creuset or Le Chasseur...but I read all the specifications and Le Creuset says oven safe to 180 degrees whereas Chasseur is to I think 250 degrees celcius. That worried me about Le Creuset a bit. I told hubby next time we go to Europe (years away!) I am travelling light and buying one over there to bring back.

    Is it normal for them to get stained inside on the enamel though, as what I made last night was tomato based and now is a bit stained...or is there a special way to clean that off? Any ideas people?

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  13. BB, I am sure Le Ch is as oven safe as Le Cr. I use it to make Jim Lahey's bread and that's at full bore (260? on my oven). Even the handle is still in tact where I know the Le Cr has had handle issues for other people making this bread.

    Nads, I have some Tefal JO frying pans and they are GORG, yes heavy, but heavy duty too:)

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  14. So, I made up a pretty delicious dessert tonight.

    I had puff pastry shells in freezer about to 'expire' and a few granny smith apples looking kinda sad. So, I chopped up the apples and mixed them with a touch of brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla powder. Threw them in a pan of bubbling butter and then reduced with a touch of apple cider. Roasted some walnuts then mixed all together and added some oats. After shells were baked, I layered pastry with apples and fresh spiced whipped cream and then another pastry layer.

    Apple crumble deconstructed, maybe? :) either way it was absolutely delicious.

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  15. Sounds so good Tart:) WOW, way to invent! What name have you given it? Surely you'll want to make it again??

    Btw, on the apple and cider trail; Calvados? What section of the liquor shop would it be please? I asked about it and the girl gave me a blank stare and took me to green apple vodka! **HELP**

    Especially any Aussies, can you help me help the liquor shop attendant help me? I am sure they must have calvados - it's a Safeway (Woolworths) if that helps? I have a lovely Diana Henry recipe I'd like to try....

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  16. oh, Coby...not calvados...literally just plain ol' apple cider. and boy, did it make the apples and spices POP!

    on my side of the pond, i think it would be with all the brandies? and the liquers? but....not sure how it works in your part of the world ;)

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  17. Sorry Tart, I know you didn't use Calvados, but your cider and apples reminded me I need it:) Good, thank-you, I suggested brandy - lol curious to think that I, who knows so little about booze should know more than the girl behind the counter though! Btw, was your cider a sweet or dry?

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  18. It is sweet cider. We actually got it at a farm not too far from here!!

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  19. Ohh better than anything I could buy I'm sure:D Lovely - farm door shopping:):)

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  20. BB, bicarb, maybe letting it soak for a while then some elbow grease :)

    coby, I've been dying to bake bread in my JO caserole pot, but haven't had the guts, do you think the knob on the lid will be fine? its a lovely oval shape, I'd love to bake JL bread in there! thanks :)

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  21. Oh Nads, I'm not sure. You know Jim suggests removing lid's handle where possible because HE has heard of them disintegrating under the high heats;) I guess unless they are made of the same material as the rest of the pan, they can become brittle over time.

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  22. Oh Cobes and BB, I just spent 20min at Kitchenwaredirect.com looking at every colour of Le Ch and Le CR casserole pots deciding which one I will get one day, if I'm lucky... (bad influences you two are haha). Very hard to choose, they are all so gorgeous.

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  23. SelenaJayne, there is one gorgeous 'tropical blue' (for want of a better and official description) in the Le Cr that I have lusted after for ages. I really fancy that one:) Personally, considering your new position as recipe-author-in-print you surely are most deserving of a new kitchen piece:)

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  24. Hmmm, unfortunately the household budget does not recognise my 5 seconds of fame :( However I do get a Cuisinart prize package for being a finalist so I have been dreaming of the potential appliances I may receive. I am loving their new brightly coloured Ice Cream maker...here's hoping that's in the prize pack :)

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  25. Last night I made low fat cauliflower cheese with sausages (proper ones from the butchers) and roasted new pots. Made too much cauli so will have that tonight. I used skimmed milk and the lighter Cathedral City cheese which someone (CAL?) had recommended on the 'old' site. Works really well and melts beautifully. I've also used it in macaroni cheese.

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  26. I am sure the choc caramel slice was "full carb". Woke up "cured" but just paid for it now. I think I am gradually weakening. All this food talk is making me hungry. Good to read the banter on this forum. Happy cooking

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  27. SelenaJayne I have a cuisinart ice cream maker and it works a treat. Hope it is in your prize pack.

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  28. Nads: I really think you should try the chocolate chip cookies first. They gave me everything I wanted from a cookie really, chewy and crumbly at the same time. Chocolate... lol. I think I'll make the choc banana muffins today, the bananas are starting to smell...:S

    Eating loads of fruit these days. British plums have just arrived in the shops. Love them!

    I think I'm gonna make the mac 'n cheese from Jamie's Dinners tonight. We've been having so much meat lately (except for yesterday) and I feel like a 'detox'. So have to forget the no-cheese dinners on a weekday rule I invented some time back lol.

    All this talk about pots and pans is making me wanting to invest lol. Really had my eyes set on LC cassis, but didnt know they could only take 180'C.

    Australiaman: Is your low carb diet a forever life change, or are you just trying it out? I've tried but I am such a carb junkie and it just wouldnt work. But have cut down by having fruit and berry smoothie for breakfast. So basically I just have fruit and liquid before 12. Does help me get my 5 + a day. Apparently the real number of fruit and veg we should be having a day is more like 10! Or so says the health freaks in my family.

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  29. Ok...I think this is now working... (me think...full of hope)
    I quick comment mostly to see if I can actually contribute to this forum... technically speaking!! ehheeheh

    I haven't read all the comments, sorry... but today in my kitchen a batch of 5kg prune jam was happily bubbling away! :)
    It came out delicious!!
    ..feeling really good about myself! :)

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  30. I was going to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies today but we had visitors turn up before 11am.

    Yesterday I made Mushroom Soup, a recipe of Mum's I finally was able to squeeze out of her. It met her approval so ... phew! Today, I'm going to prepare Nigel Slater's Oat Plum Crumble as I have a punnet of plums. Tomato/Pepper Sauce is defrosting to have with Pasta and grated Cheese.

    Btw jumping in, we love LC kitchenware and have had the orange one for ages. I was recently told by one of my practice nurses that I should be eating not 5-a-day but 8!!!

    So nice to see everyone here, hello!

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  31. Tubbs: Do make the cookies! I made the muffins today, they were OK but I think I prefer banana and chocolate separate rather than mixed. It was a bit like having a muffin that looked like an amazing chocolate muffin and then biting into it and it tasted banana. lol.

    Love the plums in the shop at the moment.

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  32. LF: I definitely will make the cookies and report back. I did the Banana Choc Muffins last week and did think they were nice but with a hint of banana.

    We have a plum tree at the bottom of the garden but we're a bit scared to go there as we have a family of three pesky foxes causing havoc!

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  33. LF, I am not sure about this 180C business. As I mentioned I use mine all the time at 260C without issue. Also think about the fact they are fine for direct flame heat - much hotter than 180. I suspect the warning has to do with the handle on the lid - and that is the same as Le Ch. Check out the info on Le Ch lids if in doubt:)

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  34. LF, I agree with you on the cookies! They are just gorgeous. I've found my go to choc chip cookie recipe :-)

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  35. Enjoy your pot BB. It looks well. I had a red Buckingham I picked up for £25 in TKMax. It died the other day. Big bubble on the enamel inside broke up so one dead pot. I used and used that pot. I am going to graduate to Le creuset. At least I had a good test run to see if I would use a pot like this. Mind you on Buckingham's website they are over £80. I would have been very cross if I'd paid that. I have never heard of Raco. Is it Australian?

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  36. Raco is made by Meyer. I think Meyer is available in the UK but not sure if they do Dutch Ovens there. I miss TK Maxx, I used to live around the corner from the one in Clapham Junction. Oooh getting London(home)-sick. I lived in London for a total of 5 years and I get hit by huge bouts of missing it quite regularly. We had to come back to Australia though as our now 2 year old was sick for the year we lived there from 9 months of age. The doctors were not sure if it was asthma (too young to test), a reaction to viruses or just a reaction to extreme cold. It all started when the really cold weather hit that last winter. She would cough in the middle of the night for an hour until she vomited everywhere. It was so distressing. She was put on an asthma pump twice a day and that helped but didn't completely get rid of the problem. But since we have been back, and going through a Melbourne winter, she has had no further problems at all. So we think it was environmental in some way; moulds or air quality in London, but who knows. Just know we have done the right thing by moving back for her health.

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  37. Some people move from Melbourne to (say) Cairns for the change of weather Jutta, you don't think you'll need to do that? I am glad for you that the 'cure' might have been that....simple (not easy I imagine). Would you still be in the UK then if not for your precious little girl's health being challenged?

    As a Melbourne-born-and-bred girl it's never felt all that cold here to me (I'm in short sleeves all winter) but obviously I know we're cooler than up north!

    Granny, do you have a colour preference for your new addition? I think there is a greater colour range of Le Cr o/s than there is here in Aus.

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  38. Coby, I don't think we could move to a muggy climate, by hubby does not cope well in humid conditions - it really makes him grumpy and unbearable. But as the Melbourne conditions seem to suit Miss 2 well, we can stay here. Although I am strangely starting to get drawn to the country again, which when I left it as a 19 year old I said I would always be a city gal. I guess having kids has changed my perspective and priorities a bit. But for a few years yet I am sure we will be in the city as my hubby is a project planner and the city is where the jobs and good career prospects are.

    Not sure if we could have stayed in the UK anyway as the financial downturn made it harder to get work and a good income. Australia is much better for my hubby in this regard. I really miss the nursery school that Miss 3 attended in London though (that's like kindergarten). She went 5 mornings a week, there were 5 classes by age group, and the classes had 8 kids in them, 1 teacher and an assistant for each group. Each day they also had a particular activity like cooking, dancing, music, football (soccer). It was great! I am currently struggling to adjust to public kindergarten here. It is making me a bit sad actually. So glad I have this project to keep me busy. Sorry I got so off-topic people, ahh the sense of freedom!

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  39. I think we should treasure the freedom and use it wisely. Wouuld hate the new forum to be sterile. Good to hear things are better for you in Oz BakingBunny. As for my low carb diet, well I know I can't maintain it forever as I just love carbs. I have lost the weight I really needed to and could lose a little more. However, I can't get too compulsive about it. My goal was to fit back into my suit and I have achieved that. I do like to have the odd low carb chocolate and caramel slice, chocolate cake, pasta etc.(that is called lashing out) Happy cooking.

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  40. australiaman Congrats on the weight loss. That takes willpower. You've done very well. Hmmm, maybe I should go to the gym tonight. I made cherry pie today and it is in my humble opinion absolutely amazing!!!

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  41. Cherry pie...oh my. With quality vanilla ice cream...oh my. That is what I love about this group...food...food, lovley images of food. Happy cooking.

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  42. My barista at my cafe in my street (how self-centric does that sound ROFL) asked for some in a half joking manner, so I took enough of the cherry pie down to the cafe for the 3 staff to have afternoon tea when they shut at 4. They were so happy, impressed and a little embarrassed but I got a free coffee and lots of gratitude. The owner/chef had a look at it and said it looked fantastic. I was super excited to get such a compliment from a chef. They make their own muffins, cupcakes, tarts etc there so they have their own high standards so I feel very proud.

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  43. Making halloumi and zucchini (courgette) fritters for dinner, yummy!

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  44. Australiaman - I would really love your recipe for low carb caramel slice please... ;)
    Misslili

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  45. Misslili I will share the secret recipe.

    Low Carb Chocolate Caramel Slice

    Base: low carb butter, low carb flour and low carb sugar with a dash of dessicated coconut. Melt butter and mix all together.

    Caramel, low carb sweetened condensed milk, cooked on the stovetop until turned to a darkened caramel. Pour onto set base.

    For the topping, low carb dark chocolate with some copha (here we go with the copha talk).

    Assemble in layers and refrigerate. If you do not have low carb ingredients, then use 'full carb' but state to yourself that they are actually low carb. Perception is everything.

    Enjoy low carb treat. Happy cooking.

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  46. you forgot the almonds for the top Aussieman!!!!!

    much nicer that a rotten green salad.LOL

    cakes ( have a good weekend! 0

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  47. never thought of almonds on top...chocolate cake just out of the oven. To ice or not to ice, that is the question. At this point planning to just serve with cream. Good to hear the floods are going down in Victoria. Happy cooking.

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  48. My copy of Kitchen just arrived on my doorstep moments ago...can't wait to flick through it and report back when the forum is up and running :)

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  49. My Kitchen has arrived as well. I will flick later. I have holidays in a week, so will get into it then. Happy cooking.

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  50. hi all, was going to ask aussies if you've received your copies yet? I haven't. mine's coming from the uk, book depository? how bout evryone else? I really can't wait. I feel like its coming soon....:)

    today I spent longer trying to decide what to cook, than actually cooking. my friend gave me the idea, and ended up cooking, mince with green beans, onion, garlic, spices, with rice and yoghurt on the side. yum, though kids weren't too keen!

    LF, choc chip cookies yum! hope you had a lovely eid :)

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  51. I ordered mine from AmazonUK. You will probably receive it today. Happy cooking.

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  52. nads, mine came from bookdepository.uk so yours should not be far off. I just made the marmite/vegemite pasta from the book for lunch, and you know what, it's actually pretty good. The more grated cheese the better but not bad for a standby, ultra quick meal. I must add the Sunday Night Pasta from Feast is better though if one was to compare.

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  53. I made the risotto bolognese last night. Had high hopes for it. Liked it, didnt love it. But defo liked it. I cant get my hands on any halal veal stock so I made my own chicken and veg stock. I can imagine it's better with veal stock. Also used chorizo instead of bacon as we dont eat pork.

    Made the brownies from Feast for Eid - wow! Used spelt instead of wheat. Also made cheese cake. Used the choc cheese cake recipe from Feast as a basic, but added lemon juice instead of choc and made a syrup from raspberries and blueberries for the topping. Was very nice. But the middle was less 'creamy' than the outer part, which was perfect.

    Nads: Had a lovely Eid! Hope you did too. Bet it was nice to have hubby back home. Baby LF is taking a keen interest in the computer so I havent had the chance to write you back yet. She keeps pulling the plugs out. Right now she is busy 'sorting out' the dvds. Bless her. lol. Hope you get your book soon!

    SelenaJayne: Was wondering about that marmite pasta, seemed so easy. Havent made the one from feast... does it have bacon in perhaps.. it could be the reason why.

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  54. hi everyone, thank you you all got me excited I felt the book was coming yesterday and guess what it had come the day before even, but I had no idea! see my sis ordered copies for both herself and I as eid prezzies and she wanted to surprise me when I came over and she has it all wrapped up even, I told her, well if you'd told me it arrived, you'd hav seen me sooner, lol!

    thanks selena jane, can't wait to get my hands on it and have a look through! hope all is going well with you with your comp, been wanting to go to woolies just to get that issue you're in, is it out yet?


    LF, thank you, Eid was lovely esp for the kids, they had a nice festival with camel rides and pony rides and lots of other fun rides, they were so cute, but now they're asking for eid everyday, lol! your brownies sound yum, haven't tried those yet! so far planning on trying the choc chip cookies first on your reccomendation :) lol, Baby LF sounds adorable, having a good time, eventhough it drives you nuts with all the clutter they can make in two secs! kids have been keeping me busy too, so nice to have a bit of internet time while theyre at daycare.

    I loved the mortadella pasta from NE. I've been meaning to try gnocchi with a bolognese sauce or a creamy mushroom sauce.

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  55. Hi can someone help we have a self sown Almond tree with alot of fruit we didnt know what they were to start with !! so does anyone know when do you harvest them and at what stage ?

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