Three Courses; Caramelised Onion and Brie Tart; Salt and Pepper Squid; Pumpkin Pie

Today on this Sunday, it wasn’t dad and I cooking, it was mum and I! One thing I notice cooking with mum compared to when I have cooked with dad, is there is far less tension in the air. Mum has been the chef of our house as I grew up and is a wonderful cook and I often ask her how to do things and want her reassurance on what I am doing. This is the major difference between cooking with mum compared to dad. And you look to those that you draw your inspiration from for guidance, as I have always enjoyed my mums cooking growing up I feel as though she knows so much about everything so I look to her to help. Its fun to cook with someone who can teach me and we can work together with our shared knowledge.

So mum and I ended up cooking as dad went out for a hit of golf. This was after my workout with Kieran (aka Mr Australasia) Todays workout was chest, and it showed me a little how I am progressing, with finding some of the exercises a bit easier (soon to be made harder by Kieran upping my weights!) It is now 10pm tonight and as I lay in bed i can notice the soreness in my chest slowly increasing, this makes me very happy!

The Chest Workout

courtesy of Kieran – may be modified to what was actually done due to my lack of memory

Pec Dec butterflies – 3sets 10 slow 10 fast reps

Pec Dec butterflies – 2 sets 5 slow 10 fast reps

Incline bench press on the Smith Machine – 3 sets – drop sets – start at 15-12 reps for first set

Incline bench press on smith machine – 1 set of 1 and 1/4 reps 10 times.

triple set – incline bench dumbbell flies with tricep dips with push ups. – 2 sets of the rotation. 15 flies, 6-8 dips, 10 pushups

abdominal – 25 hanging knee raises with 1 minute planks – complete 3-4times.

Now the above workout is the reason I think I can reward myself with this three course dinner! That and as I’m sure our discovering it’s become somewhat of a tradition to be doing these cooks most weekends.

tonight’s Menu

entrée; Caramelised Onion and Brie Tart

Main; Salt and Pepper Calamari with an asian soy dressing

Dessert; Spiced Pumpkin Pie

The inspiration for tonight’s dinner? Well the entrée came as a choice as it was something simple, and an easy crowd pleaser. The Creaminess and saltness of the Brie is set off my the sweetness of the onion with no flavour to overpowering, with a nice side salad of rocket and balsamic is was a perfect lite starter. Easily converted to a main by doubling the recipe! The main was determined by myself. Since starting competitions, I do not allow myself to eat this food on a regular basis, as said before it is all a treat! A few years ago mum made this very recipe, and it was amazing and all I remember was going up for seconds and thirds as I couldn’t get enough. Now, after every comp I have asked mum to make this same recipe, only to have had failed attempts each time. The first failed attempt dad made it with too much ginger forcing it nearly inedible. he second mum made the wrong recipe convinced it was the one I meant, until this time, I oversaw it was the correct one and was careful on my ingredient lists! Tonight, I think it was perfect! Finally Dessert; Pumpkin Pie, All I can think of when I eat this is both Christmas and America. When I went to America for Christmas last year they have pumpkin pie everywhere, and it is creamy, sweet and full of spices and just perfect. this is what I hoped to recreate, and I think I got pretty close!

The recipes;

Caramelised Onion and Brie Tart

Caramelised onion and Brie tart

1 large tart tin

2 sheets of short crust pastry

50g butter

3 medium brown onions

1tbsp brown sugar

pinch salt

150g brie

1/2c cream

3 eggs

1tsp nutmeg

balsamic vinegar and rocket to serve

1. preheat the over to 180 degrees celsius and blond bake your tart tine for 12 minutes (make sure you fill with pastry balls or rice as a weight for the baking)  Remove and set aside till ready to use,

2. heat your butter in a pot over medium to high heat and once hot add sliced onions. cook stirring for 10minutes till softened, add your brown sugar and cook stirring occasionally for another 12 minutes or until caramelised. Allow onion mix to cool, stir through nutmeg.

3. Slice your Brie and place evenly on the base of the tart case, add your onion to the tart case, place evenly between the brie.

4. combine your eggs and cream and pour this over the brie and onion. Place into the oven for 20 minutes of until set int he middle. once cooked remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes,

5. serve with a small side salad of rocket and balsamic vinegar.

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Salt and pepper calamari

7 squid tubes – large – scored

2 kiwi fruit

400ml milk

8tbsp SR flour

8tbsp rice flour

4tbsp pink salt

4tbsp Szechuan pepper

8tsp ginger powder

8tsp garlic powder

8tsp onion powder

peanut oil for frying.

100ml sweet soy sauce

2tsp sesame oil

5g crushed ginger or fresh grated

1. if you haven’t scored your squid do this prior to marinating.

2. to marinate mash your kiwi fruit and combine with milk, pour this over your squid. marinate for 2 hrs or overnight. This helps to tenderise the meat and make it ‘melt in your mouth’

3. combine the salt, pepper, garlic, onion, ginger and flours in a bowl.

4. heat your oil for frying.

5. coat your squid in the flour mix prior to frying, add to your hot oil and cook until golden

6. place onto some paper towel first to allow to drain. Combine your soy, sesame oil and ginger (fresh) in a bowl and warm up in the microwave – this is your dipping sauce.

7. serve with a side salad, some baked potatoes or chips and your dipping sauce.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie

400g cooked pumpkin

brown sugar

tbsp cinnamon

tsp ginger ground

1/2tsp cloves

1/2tsp nutmeg

2tbsp corn flour

2 eggs

2tbsp golden syrup

pinch salt

1/2c cream

2tbsp olive oil

can condensed milk

short crust pastry

1. Bake your pumpkin by dicing, and sprinkling over some brown sugar as it bakes in a 180degree oven. set aside and allow to cool.

      2. place all your ingredients (except pastry) into a blender and whizz until well combined.

3. set aside and blind bake your pastry for 15 minutes – this means placing your pastry in your tart case and putting it in the oven weighted down by pastry weights or dry rice.

4. pour your filling into your pastry case and bake for 30 minutes or until centre ceases to wiggle.

5. remove from oven and allow to cool before serving with ice-cream and cream.

you can check out the ice-cream recipe here;

A three course reward meal – oysters, ribs and apple pie