The Cook Book

Never use fillets for a curry.
But what I was after was something NEW.

For curry, you could try slicing the fillets into strips...and then add a few shrimp just before serving.


Can you get tinned Cream-Of-Something soups?  If so, then put the fillets in to a baking dish.  Add salt, pepper and other preferred seasonings to your taste and liking.  Carefully spoon the "Cream-Of" (mushroom is best, but celery or onion or tomato will work, too) over them.  Bake at about 400* for 50 mins.  Serve with rice/noodles (pasta) and vegs.  Yummm!

Tinned cream of soups? Oh those were the days.

PM me your address .....miracles can still happen!   










AND I have two extra sets of food colourings....Hint, Hint, 'Shroomy

Make your own, store in freezer.  Yoghurt, cream or milk plus broth of your choice (I like vegetable best when I'm storing for future unknown use), plus whatever seasonings you like the most - always garlic, onions and herbs for me - can add spices later if required.  Add blended mushrooms, corn, whatever, reduce and save.   

It's made to your taste and you know what is in it. No dodgy preservatives.

Nice idea, LE, but my freezer isn't big enough for this.....it's already (over)full of other foods.  The tinned stuff takes less space.  And much less effort, too!

I think LE was talking to AJ, Bunny.  As for the food color, unless the mail is going out tomorrow, I'm worried it will be waylaid by the Spring Holiday and lost when I move in the middle of the holiday.  Do you want this week's address, or March's address?  You don't have to hit me over the head twice. 

I think LE was talking to AJ, Bunny. 

I knew that.  But I suspect that others may have the same problem.

As for the food color, unless the mail is going out tomorrow, I'm worried it will be waylaid by the Spring Holiday and lost when I move in the middle of the holiday.  Do you want this week's address, or March's address? 

Which would be easiest for you.  I can send it tomorrow (Tuesday) by Airmail, or wait until Feb/March, so that you won't have to be put to the bother of (re)packing it.  Either way works for me.

Chinese freezers can be small.  I have to push aside TimTams and coffee beans to get anything into mine. (Of course when I really desperately want to freeze something I force myself to eat a packet of TimTams).

But I guess it all depends on how much you want to eat something what you save/cook etc.

Noles, I developped liking for one type of tofu. No stress. I just don't feel like eating meat nowadays.

Chinese freezers can be small.  I have to push aside TimTams and coffee beans to get anything into mine.

I have to say that as an American, I had no idea what Tim Tams were until a colleague from Oz turned me on to them a couple of years ago. She gave me a box as a Christmas gift and taught me the proper way to sip coffee through a Tim Tam. Now I am hooked and always stock up on them when I'm at a City Shops in Shanghai.

Double Fudge Tim Tams: Best. Cookie. Ever.

Chill Choc Fling.   Ummm.....

And the alcohol filled ones - Kahlua is my favourite.

It's a cook book - so TimTam recipes for you:

TIM TAM HEAVEN
Crush 3 Tim Tams up into a dessert bowl, pour 1 shot glass of Port or Muskat over them, top with sweetened cream and chocolate sprinkles.

TIM TAMS WITH BERRIES & ICECREAM
Tim Tams served with strawberry and vanilla icecream sprinkled with some fresh berries.

TIM TAM CHEESECAKE
Make your favourite cheese cake however use crushed Tim Tam biscuits and butter to make the crust.

TIM TAM SLAM
Also known as the TIM TAM Suck or TIM TAM Bomb. Grab a Tim Tam and a warm drink (coffee, milo or tea). Nibble both ends off the biscuit and use it as a straw for your drink. When its saturated, quickly SLAM it in your mouth before it falls apart.

TIM TAM CHOCOLATE SUNDAE
Get 4 Tim Tam Chocolate Biscuits (roughly chopped), add extra creamy Ice Cream, then 2 tablespoons Hot Fudge Chocolate and sprinkle on some Toppings to taste.

TIM TAM CHEWY CARAMEL EXPLOSION
Get 1 pack Chewy Caramel Tim Tams roughly chopped, 8 generous scoops Vanilla Ice-cream & 8 tbs Caramel Topping with Chocolate sprinkles to garnish.

TIM TAM THICKSHAKE
Mix a packet of Tim Tams, 8 scoops of vanilla icecream & 400ml milk in a blender.

TIM TAM CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Get 2 packets Instant Chocolate Mousse (Mocha flavour works well), 1 packet Arnott's Tim Tam biscuits and 2 tbs Baileys. Method: Make up Chocolate Mousse according to packet details. Place the Tim Tams into a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Stir into mousse mix, and add Baileys. Stir gently. Allow to chill (as per mousse packet details).

TIM TAM MARTINI
Make the Tim Tam Thickshake (above) but add nip of Baileys (Irish Cream Liquor), Frangelico (Hazelnut Liquor), Kahlua (Coffee Liquor) or Creme de Menth (Mint Liquor) to it.

But the best chocolate biscuits in the world really don't need this.  Straight is FINE!
 

You can do the same things with Oreos - cookie crunch ice cream, Oreo pie crusts, etc. I can only imagine how much better they'd be with Tim Tams.

Haagen Dazs uses Oreos in their Cookie Dough ice cream. (Interseting story Haagen Dazs - a New Jersey company but the guy wanted it to sound vaguely European so he created the name.)

Oh, and there's a Suzhou connection to this thread, too. Nabisco (Oreos) has a plant in the Suzhou Industrial Park, from whence, I believe, Oreos in China are made.

Someone ought to talk to Arnotts about setting up Tim Tams factory in China and Hogan D'Oz franchises all around making Tim Tam and Ice Cream drinks and treats. (I claim first rights on the trade name Hogan D'Oz!)

Go the Tim Tams!

Here's a recipe from China Grooves. I made it yesterday and it was pretty damned good.

Water Spinach Soup kong1 xin1 cai4 tang1

8 ounce of fish fillets
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste
1tsp cornflour
1/2 bunch of fresh water spinach
1 peice of fresh ginger
1 large spring onion
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup of water
1tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the fish dillets into chunks. Combine the slat, pepper and cornflour with the fish and let stand while preparing the other ingredients.

Wash the water spinach and cut off the roots and roughly chop into 1 inch pieces.

Finely chop the ginger and the spring onion.

In a large saucepan bring the chiken stock and water to the boil. Stir in the sugar and the ginger. Let simmer for a minute and the stir in the fish.

Bring back to a boil, then add the water spinach and the spring onion. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

This is a great soup recipe which was given to me by that queen of the kitchen, AMonk. I made it for lunch today and it went down very easily indeed.

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

Butter for frying
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 kg(1/2 lb) mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
2x15ml(2 tablespoons) flour
1.1/4l(2 pints) chicken stock
salt and (fresh ground) black pepper
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add Onion and Mushrooms.  Cook gently for 5 minutes.  Stir in Flour and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Gradually add the Chicken Stock and bring to the boil, stirring.  Add the Seasonings.  Lower the heat, half cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning.

Stir in 150-300ml(1/4-1/2 pint) fresh single cream to taste and top each bowl with good sprinkling of chopped parsley.


I modified the last bit and instead of chopped parsley and fresh cream which cost the equivalent of gold flakes here I made bacon croutons and cooked a little extra milk with corn flour to thicken it up. 

I'm on a cooking spree here. Cheesecakes. Not baked.( Have no oven) Pure cream cheese cake. Any ideas?