Category: Certain Someone

Not Quite Australian Meat Pies and How I Met Certain Someone


Who is this Woman and what does she have to do with Certain Someone?
Why this woman would be a Gabi, my dear Australian friend who is responsible for this blog and how and how I met Certain Someone. Gabi is from Australia, Adelaide to be exact. And she introduced me to world of blogging. After a dinner at my house she sat down at my computer started blogging and I was hooked. My first blog Diary of a Shop girl morphed into Coco Cooks.
So what does she have to do with Certain Someone? Well I had a disastrous affair with an Australian man, one of those bad boy phases every woman must go through before she finds that Mr. Right.That man was a good friend and colleague of Gabi’s. The man and I parted ways, but I gained a good friend in Gabi. Gabi had other friends too, a whole expat community in Chicago, and through them at a dinner party I met him. Certain Someone. A tarot card reader was at the table to even confirm it ‘was him’.So you see everything and everyone in your life has a purpose, no matter how short the time.
Gabi moved back home to Australia this month. Her father, a regular and somewhat quiet reader of Coco Cooks has been suggesting to me from the beginning to make some Aussie food. Real stick to your bones type of food. I always think of modern Australian food as a melting pot with heavy Asian and Greek influences due to the current populations.And lets not forget the incredible wines! But pure Australian food would conjure up vision of meat pies,pavlovas,lamingtons, lamb and such. I could take the meat pie even further and float it on split pea soup. Gabi was quick to say Australians do not” throw shrimps on the barbie, drink Yellowtail, or Fosters”. That’s some American stereotypes perpetuated by Crocodile Dundee and Outback Steakhouse. Although they do eat Kangaroo and Moreton Bay Bugs ( delicious if you get some by chance). So hopefully one day Certain Someone will take me to this fascinating Continent and country. In the meanwhile I leave with my version of meat pie which is more Jamaican meat patty than Australian. Those African roots keep slipping through my cooking. Australians use puff pastry on top and short crust on bottom. I wanted more of a hand pie so I used a short crust and colored it with with some Turmeric. I also used some Palm oil( another African ingredient) and some red lentils for the filling with the beef. Australian meat pies have beef and gravy fillings and are served with a squeeze of ketchup on top. Look and see most places on this each have a version of meat pies. Empanadas for Latin America, Jamaican meat patties, Cornish pasties, samosas,etc. All good stuff.

Coco’s Not Quite Australian Meat Pies



Short Crust
1 cup /100 grams all purpose flour
1/2 cup/50 grams Atora( suet) or butter or shortening
3 tbsp cold water
1 tsp turmeric
pinch of salt
1 egg beaten with milk for wash before baking
In a stand mixer mix flour, Atora, turmeric,salt and water until combined. Form into a disc, wrap ,and chill for a few hours.

Filling
1 lb ground beef
2 onions chopped fine
2 tbsp Palm Oil or regular vegetable oil
1 tsp curry
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste* I used Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning blend/Spicy Blend
1 tomato chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup red lentils
water
In a skillet brown ground beef with onions in Palm oil. Drain any excess oil.Add curry and cumin, salt, pepper. Add tomato and tomato sauce. Let simmer. Add red lentils and bit more liquid( ie: water if needed). Cover and let simmer until red lentils are done. 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Take out pastry dough. Roll out on floured surface and cut into circles based on your size preference. I made small ones . Brush edge with egg wash and fill with meat filling. Turn over close and seal with a fork or crimper. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each pie with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 or until golden. Serve with ketchup if you like( Aussie style).We used German curry ketchup.


For a printable version click here.
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Check out my latest post on EbonyJet.com about my latest travel adventure in the Pacific Northwest ( Vancouver and Seattle).

How to Cook Skate Wing Two Ways…Tea Smoked and Parmesan Crusted

I fell in love with Skate wing about 7 years ago. While shopping at Fox and Obel, the fish monger showed me this fan shaped wing and told me how to cook it for a dinner I was giving.A simple coat of flour and fry it up in lots of butter. I wowed my guests with the exception of one bitchy comment , who said I cook with to much butter and should watch it. Like I always cooked like that. She was the type of person who ordered plain poached salmon wherever she went. Not a daring food adventurer at all. I digress…

Years went by and skate wing barely bliped on my radar. Then one afternoon I had a hankering for a mackerel. Certain Someone had just come back from a weekend in the Pacific Northwest and I had the most incredible pan seared mackerel at Palace Kitchen . Unfortunately not a piece of fresh mackerel was to be found, but I did go back to Fox and Obel and saw the Skate Wing o display. I purchased two wings to cook up.I made this last month and cant seem to find a my notes. However looking at the pictures I can give you these quick recipes.
Parmesan Crusted Skate Wing Mediterranean Style
I didn’t want to fry this up in tons of butter but wanted flavor. A simple dusting of Parmesan cheese and rice flour did the trick with a topping of diced heirloom tomatoes , minced, onion, balsamic, and capers.
1 part Parmesan Cheese
1 part Rice Flour
Skate Wing
Olive Oil to coat pan and fry
1Tomato
1/4 small minced onion
2 tbsp balsamic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp capers
oregano
Dredge your skate wings in the parm/ rice flour mixture. Heat pan with olive oil. Add skate wings and brown on each side a few minutes until golden and crisp. Remove form pan.
In a glass bowl add your chopped tomato, onion, Balsamic vinegar, olive oil,capers, and oregano.Toss and serve atop skate wing.
Tea Smoked Skate Wings

I borrowed this technique from a book I reviewed a while back , 50 Great Appetizers by Pamela Sheldon Johns. Rather than use her chicken wings, I figured Skate wings would be amazing smoked with tea.

Aromatics for smoker
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1/4 cup brown sugar
Peel of 1 orange
1/4 cup black tea leaves
a few star anise pods
Sauce
1/4 cup Ponzu soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1- 2 cloves minced garlic to taste
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp chili oil
Line a wok type pan with heavy aluminum foil. Leave several inches of foil as a excess collar. Line foil with rice, sugar, orange peel, tea, and star anise. Take a rack or bamboo steamer that fits within wok, and place atop the wok and tea mixture with foil collar on the outside of steamer. Brush steamer or rack with oil and place skate wings. I chopped mine up into manageable pieces.. Place cover on steamer and seal the gap between wok and steamer with the foil.Foil should seal in the whole side of steamer .
Turn on heat to midway and start smoking for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and remove. Let the wok stand for another 15 minutes undisturbed. Carefully open the steamer and remove fish.
In a glass bowl mix all ingredients for dipping sauce and serve with Skate wing.

Real Housewives Cocktail Contest…The Countess’ Cherry Lime Gin Rickey


If I had to relate to anyone on Bravos Real Housewives franchise it would be the Countess. What can I say, she’s great, Like a tall glass of lemonade that keeps going even when life throws some merde her way and her cast mates aren’t always the most gracious. LuAnn gets a lot of flack in democratic America for supposedly flaunting her title. But come on, most people would. Some old Glamah lore is that I hung around a few titled folks in my Paris school days, and the allure is there no matter how nonchalant you try to be. Its fascinating when one can trace their families achievements and scandals for hundreds, even thousands of years.The Countess earned that title being the consummate wife while her Count was off wheeling and dealing for the most part. Another aspect I relate to heavily as Certain Someone spends a great amount of time away for his work.
I chose to make a Gin Based drink with the Countess as my muse.Gin has been produced commercially for over 400 years and goes well with fruit.When I think of Gin I think of Old Line, Class, and another era. Naturally I used Gordon’s which is by Appointment to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth , the grandest title of them all.I made the drink more fun and common with the addition of lime juice and cherries. I can see The Countess drinking this while watching the polo at Bridgehampton or even sitting by her pool as she plots out the next chapters of her life without the lowdown Count.So raise you glass to the housewife with the most class.
There is still time darlings to enter The Real Housewives Cocktail Contest. You have until June 20th!
(Absolutely no affiliation with Bravo TV, just good ole food blogging fun).

The Countess’ Cherry Lime Gin Rickey
*thanks to Kayce for the inspiration and advice
6 organic cherries pitted
Juice of 1 organic lime
1 shot glass of Gordon’s Gin
2 tablespoons of simple syrup
Crushed ice
Club Soda or Seltzer Water
Muddle the cherries, lime and simple syrup in a tall glass. Top with Crushed ice.Pour in Gin and top off with Club Soda. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Historical Trivia on the origin of the Countess title.

Pytt I Panna ( A Swedish Hash) with Marx Foods Elk Sausage


I love Marx Foods offerings and contests. Recently they asked for all bloggers to leave a comment on what they would do with their game sausage sampler. They would pick 11 lucky people and ship them a sausage variety from the sampler to create a recipe by June 5. Then the polls would open and the votes begin. I was hoping for the boar variety to make a timbale or sartu ,but I got the Elk with Pears and Port Wine. When I think of Elk, I think of Sweden where the consumption is huge. Elk is low in fat and cholesterol and perfect alternative for red meat eaters who need to watch those things.
My Certain Someone ,as most of regular readers know has a house in Sweden. One of his favorite dishes to make for his boys on Poker night is Pytt I Panna( Swedish Hash), which literally translates to” small things in a pan”.Of course he uses the frozen variety. Both the Swedes and Danes have their versions and there are really no rules for Pytt I Panna, except that it contains leftover meats, cubed potatoes, onion, and bacon. Pytt I Panna is then topped with a fried egg and garnished with pickled beets and gherkins. It may not look like much, but its good and hits the spot. A lot of people use the ready made frozen variety but I wanted to make mine from scratch and more home style. The Elk sausage, while not a traditional meat for this dish, was really good. Certain Someone would have liked my potatoes smaller, but really loved the sausage and his plate was cleaned. So whether you want a quick brunch, hangover cure, or simple meal at home with your friend and loved ones with lack of pretension, try this humble dish and enjoy.The Elk sausage really raises it up a level.

Home style Pytt I Panna with Elk Sausage
serves 4
3/4 lbs chopped smoked bacon( slab cut)
2 3/4 cups chopped onion or approx 1 &1/2 onion
4 Elk Sausage with Pear and Port wine, sliced in to 1 inch pieces
6 medium potatoes boiled with skin , and chopped small
salt and pepper to taste

Parsley chopped
4 eggs fried to garnish
Picked beets for garnish
Gherkins for garnish

In a large skillet, brown bacon . When bacon is halfway done, but not golden, add elk sausage and brown. Bacon and sausage will continue to cook until golden and done. Remove meats from the pan and set aside. At this point you want to save the oils from the sausage and bacon and leave in pan. Add the onions to the hot oil and start to saute. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Toss and stir occasionally to cook evenly and brown a bit. When potatoes and onions are soft and well mixed , add the meats( bacon and elk sausage) and continue to cook to brown.
I an separate fry pan fry up your eggs for each serving. Plate the Pytt I Panna and top each serving with a friend egg. Garnish with beets and gherkins.

Garafalo Pasta… Roasted Balsamic Vegetables and Penne

Garafalo contacted me last month and offered me some samples to try. Who am I to say no? What I didn’t realize upon delivery was that I have been using this product for the past few years. Their packaging is distinct, but the small script label never registered with me. Certain Someone and I always stock up on Garafalo while shopping at Costco. In these lean times it can stretch a meal and provide me lunch at work. So I guess this cant be called a review because the product has been in repertoire for some some time. Not only did they send me Penne, but Spaghettini as well. Garafalo has 21 Signature Neapolitan pasta offerings . Costco normally mixes up a few in their multi packs.
I have made some changes to my diet on doctors orders. I’m pre hypertensive and need to control my salt intake. As a result I am using balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Non salt blends in my cooking. In less than 2 weeks my taste buds have become accustomed to the natural flavors of food. Tricks like roasting really coax out the goodness of vegetable and more than make up for the lack of salt. When tasting processed or prepared food now, I can taste the excessive salt. So its good that I’m adjusting.
One of my favorite ways with pasta is a simple toss of pasta and my roasted balsamic vegetables. Certain Someone is more of a meat and heavy cream man. But I like it on the light side.

Penne with Roasted Balsamic Vegetables
1 head Cauliflower
1 zucchini
1 pint mushrooms
Green or Red Peppers
1 large Onion
1 carrot
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Dried herbs of your choice ( oregano, thyme,basil)
Garlic minced
Cracked Black Pepper
1 package Garafalo Penne

Clean , seed,and chop, or slice vegetables into pieces. In a large glass bowl toss vegetables, herbs, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.Let rest for at least 1/2 hour.
Preheat oven to 375F. Boil water for pasta. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
In a roasting pan or cast iron skillet place the vegetables. Roast for 40 minutes or until caramelized and soft .
Toss the pasta in the pan with the vegetables until well Incorporated and coated . At this pint you can add your salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a shaving of Parmesan cheese.

Thanks for all the entries for the Military Wives Cookbook. I drew a name out of a hat…and the winner is Junie Moon! Congrats!