FAVOURITE LOOKS FROM MEN’S WEEK SS10

LAST NIGHT I COOKED FAST CHICKEN POT PIES WITH PEAS AND CORN.

AS A GUIDE, I AM GOING TO RATE THE RECIPES THAT I POST UP HERE.

LAST WEEK’S CANNELLONI = 8.5 / 10
THIS WEEK’S CHICKEN PIES = 7 / 10

THIS RECIPE IS FOR SIX SINGLE SERVE PIES.

WE HAD A GREAT CHICKEN SOUP THE NIGHT BEFORE WHICH WE REMOVED THE MEAT FROM BEFORE SERVING. SO I USED THIS MEAT FOR SOME PIES THE FOLLOWING NIGHT.

INGREDIENTS AS FOLLOWS

FILLING
- 1 WHOLE CHICKEN [ROASTED OR COOKED IN SOUP] [BONES REMOVED]
- 2 TBLS OF BUTTER
- 3 CLOVES OF GALIC [CHOPPED]
- 300 GRAMS OF MUSHROOMS [SLICED]
- 2 MEDIUM SIZE LEEKS [CHOPPED QUITE FINE]
- 1 STICK OF CELERY [CHOPPED]
- 1.5 CUPS OF STOCK [CHICKEN]
- 3 LARGE DESERT SPOONS OF NATURAL CORN FLOUR OR PLAIN FLOUR
- 1 GOOD HANDFUL OF FRESH DILL [CHOPPED FINE]
- 1 GOOD HANDFUL OF FRESH BASIL [CHOPPED FINE]
- 1.5 CUPS OF PEAS [FROZEN ARE GOOD]
- 2 CUPS OF CORN KERNELS [FROZEN ARE GOOD]
- GOOD DASH OF PURE CREAM
- 1 TBLS DIJON MUSTARD [DRIED OR PREPARED]

- PUFF PASTRY – 1 SHEET PER SMALL PIE [2 IF LINING DISH]

- GOOD OIL
- GOOD SALT
- GOOD GROUND BLACK PEPPER

START WITH A DASH OF OIL AND THE BUTTER IN A LARGE PAN OVER HIGH HEAT [THE OIL STOPS THE BUTTER BURNING]. ADD THE GARLIC AND LEEKS.

WHEN FRAGRANT AND COLOURED, ADD THE MUSHROOMS AND CELERY. COVER WITH LID. WHEN THESE VEGIES DROP WATER, ADD THE HERBS AND SEASON WELL.

ADD THE FLOUR AND MUSTARD AND STIR IN WELL. AT THIS POINT THE MIX WILL DRY UP ALOT AND MAYBE BECOME LUMPY. TURN THE HEAT DOWN A LITTLE AND COOK FOR A FURTHER 5 MINS, STIRRING REGULARLY [COOKING THE FLOUR]. THEN ADD THE STOCK AND CHICKEN MEAT [OUR CHICKEN HAD STOCK WITH IT FROM THE SOUP]. ADD ENOUGH STOCK TO KEEP THE MIX WET.

WHEN HEATED THROUGH, ADD THE PEAS AND CORN. THESE WILL DROP MORE WATER. ADD THE CREAM. SIMMER LOW FOR ABOUT 25 MINS. CHECK SEASONING.

YOU CAN EITHER LINE THE PIES DISHES WITH PASTRY OR JUST LEAVE BOTTOMLESS AS I DID [IF LINING WITH PASTRY, BRUSH DISHES WITH BUTTER FIRST]. THEN FILL WITH MIX AND COVER WITH A LID OF THE PUFF PASTRY. ADD CUT SHAPES IF WANT. MAKE AIR HOLE IN TOP. BRUSH WITH MILK.

PLACE ON TRAY AND PLACE INTO OVEN AT 180 C FOR 20 – 25 MINUTES [UNTIL GOLDEN].

DAMN HE WAS GOOD!
HERE ARE SOME IMAGES FROM THE HISTORY WORLD TOUR SHOW GUIDE.
I WAS 9 YEARS OLD GOING TO BURSWOOD DOME.
I REMEMBER HIM BURSTING THROUGH THE STAGE IN A BIG ROCKET.
AND I WAS JEALOUS OF THE KIDS THAT GOT TO GO ON STAGE.
I WAS PRETTY KEEN ON MICHAEL JACKSON.

OK, IM GOING TO TRY DOING THIS AS A REGULAR ENTRY. A TUESDAY POST ON MONDAY’S DINNER. RECIPE WITH PICTURES.

THIS WEEK IT WAS SILVERBEET AND RICOTTA FILLED CANNELLONI WITH A NEAPOLITAN SAUCE WITH PEAS.

RECIPE IS FOR A HARRY FAMILY OF 4 OR STANDARD PORTIONS = 8
QUANTITY OF ALL INGREDIENTS CAN BE HALVED

AS IS THE CASE WITH ALOT OF COOKING, THE AMOUNTS BELOW ARE ONLY APPROXIMATIONS SO THERE IS NO NEED TO BE STRICT IN FOLLOWING.

INGREDIENTS AS FOLLOWS

- 500 G OF CANNELLONI SHELLS

FILLING
- 3 BUNCHES OF SILVERBEET [WASHED AND STALKS REMOVED] [CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR ENGLISH SPINACH OR TATSOY HOWEVER USING SOME SILVERBEET ADDS ALOT OF FLAVOR]
- 2 CLOVES OF GARLIC [CHOPPED]
- 1 KG OF GOOD RICOTTA [DRAINED OF EXCESS WATER]
- 2/3 CUP OF PARMESAN [GRATED]
- 1 NUTMEG NUT [GRATED]
- 3 EGGS

SAUCE
- 2 CLOVES OF GARLIC [CHOPPED]
- 1.4 L [OR THERE ABOUT] OF TOMATO PUREE
- 1 TSP OREGANO [DRIED IS OK]
- 3 BAY LEAVES
- BIG HANDFUL OF BASIL LEAVES [CHOPPED]
- 2 TO 3 CUPS OF PEAS [FROZEN ARE GOOD]

- GOOD OLIVE OIL
- GOOD SALT
- GOOD GROUND BLACK PEPPER

FIRSTLY THE SAUCE NEEDS TO BE PUT ON. HEAT OIL AND PUT IN GARLIC. ONCE THIS STARTS TO BECOME AROMATIC POUR IN THE TOMATO. FILL THE ONE OF THE SAUCE JARS WITH ANOTHER 500 ML OF WATER AND ADD TO PAN TOO. STIR AND BRING TO THE SIMMER. ADD OREGANO, BAY LEAVES AND A DECENT PINCH OF SALT AND OF PEPPER. LET IT SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 MINS THEN ADD PEAS. STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. CONTINUE TO SIMMER.

ONCE THE SAUCE IS ON, COOK THE SILVERBEET. HEAT OIL IN PAN AND ADD GARLIC. ONCE AROMATIC, ADD THE SILVERBEET AND SEASON WELL. COVER AND REDUCE UNTIL WILTED. REMOVE LID AND LET SOME OF THE WATER EVAPORATE. THEN REMOVE FROM HEAT AND PUT INTO A STRAINER. SQUEEZE WATER OUT OF SILVERBEET. THIS GREEN WATER CAN BE ADDED TO THE TOMATO SAUCE.

TO COMPLETE THE FILLING, CHOP THE COOKED GREENS FAIRLY FINELY. THEN IN A LARGE BOWL ADD THE RICOTTA, PARMESAN, NUTMEG, EGGS AND SALT AND PEPPER. MIX THOROUGHLY.

WHEN THE TOMATO SAUCE HAS REDUCED AND DARKENED SLIGHTLY [I COOK FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 1 HOUR] TURN OFF. PUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF THIS INTO THE BOTTON OF A BAKING DISH OR TRAY.

USE FINGERS TO FILL THE CANNELLONI SHELLS WITH THIS MIX. AND PLACE INTO BAKING DISH IN ROWS.

PUT SOME SAUCE BETWEEN LAYERS. TOP WITH REMAINING SAUCE. AND MORE GRATED PARMESAN.

COVER WITH ALUMINIUM FOIL AND PLACE IN PREHEATED OVEN [150 C] FOR ABOUT 25 MINS OR UNTIL CANNELLONI SHELLS FEEL SOFT.

THE OTHER DAY I BOUGHT:

KEITH MITNICK’S BOOK, ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. A NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF ABSTRACTION, IMMEDIACY AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL FICTIONS.

MITNICK MANAGES TO GO AGAINST CONVENTIONAL ARCHITECTURAL CRITIQUE AND SPEAKS ABOUT CONCEPTS IN A NARRATIVE MANNER. HE TELLS OF HIS OWN LIFE EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO OFFER METAPHORS TO SOME COMMONLY OVER-THEORISED ARCHITECTURAL TERMS AND SCENARIOS. THIS BOOK IS FULL OF BEAUTIFUL AND RARELY NOTICED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR INDIVIDUALLY EMOTIONAL CONTEXTS AND OUR READINGS OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDING US.

AUTHENTICITY / AFFECT / ABSTRACTION / FAKENESS

[ALL IMAGES - ORIGINALS BY KEITH MITNICK]

“IT IS THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG THINGS – RATHER THAN THE THINGS THEMSELVES – THAT GIVE OBJECTS THEIR IDENTITIES.”

BYE BYE HAVE ALL GOOD THINGS

WELLINGTON PROJECTS THE OTHER NIGHT

FINISHED DEGREE TODAY !