Beef Bourgignon is a braised dish

Braising is commonly used to cook meat and poultry but vegetables can also be braised. Popular dishes that employ this method of cooking include beef bourguignon, osso bucco, braised lamb shanks and coq au vin.

Here are the basic steps to braising:

1. Heat some oil in a heavy pot or pan with a well-fitting lid.

2. Season the meat (or vegetables) if desired then cook in the pot on a medium-high heat until brown.

3. Add the cooking liquid – this could be water, stock, wine, juice or a combination. The liquid should just cover the main ingredient.

4. Cover and bring the liquid to the boil, then either turn down the heat on the stove to low, or place the pot in a preheated low-moderate oven. The liquid should simmer gently – small amounts of tiny bubbles will occasionally rise to the surface.

5. Cook until the food is completely tender. This can range from 1 hour to 6 hours, depending on what you are cooking.

6. Optional step: You may then strain the food out of the liquid, remove the excess fat floating on top, and then reduce the sauce to desired thickness by cooking it over a low heat until it thickens.

Braising is the ideal way to cook lamb shanks

How to: braising is a post from: entertaining made easy

When shopping for electronic scales, check what the incremental measurements are. Ideally look for 1-gram increments, particularly important if you enjoy baking.

Also, look for a set of scales that has a “tare” function that allows you to zero the scales after each ingredient addition. This will allow you to measure multiple ingredients quickly and accurately, and save on washing up too!

Another feature to look for is dual imperial and metric display, which allows you to use it for recipes from around the world.

life’s a feast uses and recommends The Chefs Toolbox Electronic Scales. What I love about them is that in addition to including all of the above features, they also boast a sleek, easy-to-store design and a handy conversion and temperature reference chart on the platform. They are also easy to clean, with just a quick wipe-down required. My students love using them in our cooking classes.

The Chefs Toolbox Electronic Scales, not available from retail stores, can be purchased from The Chefs Toolbox website (you’ll find them under “Chefs Tools”). 

Kitchen Tool of the Month: Electronic Scales is a post from: entertaining made easy

Friends enjoying themselves at a Fondue Party

So many people associate entertaining at home with stress, hard work and very little reward.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. The key to successful entertaining is planning and organisation. Lists, checklists, and advance preparation will ensure your occasion is seamless and will allow you to feel like a guest at your own party, instead of a kitchen slave.

A good place to start is to ask yourself the following questions:

Why do you want to entertain? The reason may be to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or occasion, or just an excuse to catch up with some friends. This will play a part in the style and degree of formality of your party or gathering.

How much is your budget? How much time do you have to prepare the food? These criteria will influence the type of food you will serve and the number of guests you will invite.

When will you hold your party or gathering? Both the date and the time may be influenced by the time of the year.

Who will you invite and how many? The number of people will depend on your budget as well as your confidence with cooking and entertaining. Your guest list will determine many aspects of your event, including food, ambiance, location, etc.

Where will it take place – around the dining table, buffet-style seated randomly around the home, outside on the verandah?

What style is the occasion and will there be a theme? Will it be a formal three course dinner, a relaxed al fresco barbeque, a stand-up cocktail party with finger food? What type of food will you eat?

Once you have a clear picture of the type of event you will be hosting, it’s time to start making lists and get organised!

Start with the guest list. Extend the invitations, making sure to ask of any dietary restrictions. As your guests reply, tick them off the list, noting their ability / inability to attend.

Decide upon your menu based on the responses of the guest list, your budget and in keeping with the type and style of occasion. Know your limitations (cooking skills and available time) and keep it balanced (flavours, texture, colour). Choose dishes that can be prepared ahead of time as much as possible and avoid those that require complicated or time consuming last minute preparations.

Choose dishes like this Strawberry Ricotta Cheesecake which require minimal last minute preparation

Make your shopping list, remembering to adjust the recipe quantities for the required number of guests. Don’t forget to check your pantry and refrigerator to determine what you already have.

Do an inventory of glassware, tableware, cutlery, serving ware, table linen and equipment. Make a list of what you need to hire, borrow or buy if necessary.

Make a timeline of all the things you need to do prior to your party. For example, purchase the groceries, press the linen, select the music, clean the house, set the table, chill the wine, buy some fresh flowers, etc.

Determine approximately how long the food preparation will take (many recipes give an indication of preparation time) and make a list of the order you will prepare the dishes, noting any dishes that can be prepared a day or two ahead. Always read each recipe in its entirely first so you know if some foods require advance preparation such as marinating. Remember to factor in time for clearing up between each recipe.

Always read the recipe in advance!

Make a running sheet of everything that needs to be done once your guests arrive, including times. For example, pre-heat the oven at 7:00pm, put the potatoes in the oven at 7:15pm for 30 minutes, etc. This way you will know exactly what needs to be done and when, and everything will run smoothly. It is also a useful reminder if you have enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine!

Finally, be a gracious host and enjoy yourself, even if things don’t go exactly according to plan. The attitude of the host dictates the atmosphere of the occasion. Entertaining should be an enjoyable and stress-free experience, and a relaxed host is the key to the best party.

A relaxed host is the key to a great party

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please vote for me on Project Food Blog, a competition for food bloggers. Voting takes place between September 20th and September 23rd 2010.

The Elements of Entertaining is a post from: entertaining made easy

Silicon bakeware is made from food-grade silicon, which makes it 100% safe for use in the kitchen. Unlike metal bakeware which is susceptible to oven “hot spots” which can result in overcooked areas of a cake or biscuits, with silicon heat is evenly distributed, resulting in uniformly cooked foods.

Due to its non-stick finish and unlike metal bakeware, food won’t stick; in most cases, it doesn’t even need to be greased. It’s also a lot easier to clean than its metal counterparts, as well as being dishwasher safe.

As a result of its flexibility, food is easily removed, even without greasing. An added benefit is that silicon bakeware can be folded for easy storage.

Silicon bakeware can be used in the oven, microwave and freezer, making it extremely versatile.

My recommended brand for silicon bakeware is The Chefs Toolbox. Having used an inferior brand of silicone bakeware previously, I can honestly say that all silicone is not equal. The Chefs Toolbox silicone products are of excellent quality and durability, and they provide an excellent range including (but not limited to):

- 12-cup muffin
- 24-cup mini-muffin
- 12-cup friand
- 9 inch round cake
- Loaf
- Tartlets x 12
- Slice pan
- Kugelhopf
- Heart

These products, not available from retail stores, can be purchased from The Chefs Toolbox website.

Happy baking!

Kitchen Tool of the Month: Silicone Bakeware is a post from: entertaining made easy

Despite the dizzying array of pastas available, there are two main ingredient categories – flour-and-water, and egg-and-flour. Understanding the characteristics of each will help you choose a compatible sauce.

Flour-and-water pastas mainly include dried packeted varieties such as spaghetti and macaroni. These are sturdy pastas and are best suited to highly flavoured olive oil-based sauces.

Egg-and-flour pastas generally refer to the fresh or homemade types. Because egg pasta is more easily able to absorb sauces than flour-and-water pastas, it is better suited to cream and butter sauces with a milder flavour. Egg pasta absorbs oil, so serving it with a sauce with a high oil content would result in a sticky, tacky pasta.

Try these suggested combinations:

Spaghetti (dried)
One of the most versatile pastas, spaghetti pairs with most sauces. Try Aglio e Olio (garlic and olive oil), Pesto (basil and garlic), Carbonara (eggs and pancetta) or vongole (clams).

Fettuccine (fresh)
As stated above, fresh egg pasta works really well with cream-based sauces, so try Alfredo (butter and cream) or Primavera (spring vegetables and cream).

Tagliatelle (fresh or dried)
Slightly wider than fettuccine, the classic match with this pasta is Ragu (meat Bolognese).

Penne (dried)
This tubular pasta is available smooth or with ridges. Good with chunky or heavy sauces, such as chicken or sausage.

Orecchiette (fresh or dried)
Meaning “little ears” and a specialty of south-eastern Italy, a popular match for this pasta is a broccoli and anchovy sauce.

Conchiglie (dried)
This shell-shaped pasta is available in a variety of sizes and can hold a chunky sauce of either meat or vegetables.

Ravioli (fresh)
The sauce should complement the filling of the Ravioli, but as is an egg-based pasta, butter and cream sauces work best. Try a burnt sage butter or a simple cream sauce.

Which sauce with which pasta? is a post from: entertaining made easy

Australian recipes use the following measurements:

1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 20ml (4 teaspoons)
1 cup = 250ml

When using American and British cookbooks, recipes use different measurements, so you will need to adjust the quantities as follows:

American:
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml (3 teaspoons)
1 cup = 237ml

British:
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml (3 teaspoons)
1 cup = 284ml

Measuring Cups usually come in sets of ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup and 1 cup. Measuring Spoons come in sets of ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon. You can purchase these in most kitchenware shops and the kitchenware section of Department Stores. The Chefs Toolbox sells a funky set of Australian standard measuring cups and spoons, with the cups collapsing for easy storage. To purchase this product, visit The Chefs Toolbox (you’ll find it under “Chefs Tools”).

Another useful addition to your kitchen is a pyrex measuring jug. These can be purchased at kitchenware and department stores.

Kitchen Tool of the Month: Measuring Cups & Spoons is a post from: entertaining made easy

Of course not every parent has the time, inclination or confidence to produce a cake that is going to make a statement. So when my neighbour asked me to put together a cake for her daughter’s ninth birthday party, I was a little hesitant in my ability to fulfil the task. Sure, I can bake a cake that tastes good, but to have it looking like an animal, castle or fairy?

Always one to rise to a challenge, I accepted the task and did what every resourceful cook does – did a google search. The theme was fairly broad, as long as it started with the letter “P” (but it couldn’t be a Pig).  Being my first kids cake, I wanted to find something that was not too intricate. After visiting various websites, I came up with the idea of a Panda Cake. I found a great concept for a Panda Cake on the Betty Crocker website which looked good and appeared to be not too complicated.

The Panda Cake comprised of two round cakes, one slightly larger than the other, that were joined together to form the Panda body.  To ensure the cake had a home-made taste, I baked the cake from scratch (rather than used a packet mix as was suggested by Betty Crocker) - a tried, tested and true recipe for a family chocolate cake. I also used home-made vanilla butter cream icing (rather than a pre-made product). I used separated Oreo biscuits to make the paws, ears, eyes, and mouth of the panda and M & M’s for the nose and eyeballs (together with marshmallows). Desiccated coconut was sprinkled on the bottom half of the body to create a “furry” effect and cocoa was mixed in with some of the coconut to define the area around the legs and the bottom portion of the body.

From start to finish it took me about 3 hours hands-on time in the kitchen. You could save some time by buying ready-made cakes or using a packet cake mix. All in all I was happy with my first attempt to make a child’s birthday cake and I had a lot of fun putting it together. Judging by the photos (kindly given to me by the Mum), it was a hit with both kids and parents alike. 

The Making of a Panda Cake is a post from: entertaining made easy

Each month I will feature a kitchen tool that I consider is a useful addition to the kitchen. This month’s featured kitchen tool is the digital thermometer.

Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measure the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your food is cooked perfectly.

Variables such as shape, thickness, size, temperature of the meat prior to cooking and oven temperatures all influence cooking times, so using a thermometer is by far the most effective way to determine when your meat is cooked to the way you like it.

To use a meat thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the meat, being careful to avoid touching any bone (which will give you a false reading).  If the piece of meat is large or irregular in shape, get a number of readings by inserting the thermometer in several places.

Remember that the temperature of the cooked meat will continue to rise for a little while after resting, so remove the meat from the oven just short of the desired internal temperature, about 3°C.

Use the following internal temperature guide to ensure your meat is cooked to perfection:

Beef and Lamb
Rare  60°C (140°F)
Medium 65°C (149°F)
Well Done 70-75°C (158-167°F)

Pork
Medium 65°C (149°F)
Well Done 75°C (167°F)

Chicken 
Minimum    75°C (167°F)

Using a cooking thermometer on the barbeque

Many cooking thermometers can also be used for other purposes, such as making jam and toffee.

My personal recommendation is the Digital Thermometer / Timer from The Chef’s Toolbox.  It measures temperatures from 0-300°C (32-572°F) and it also doubles up as a useful timer and clock as well as having a strong magnet so it can be attached to the fridge. One of the great things about this easy-to-use digital thermometer is that once you have programmed it for the desired temperature, a loud alarm will sound when your meat or other food is ready. There really are no excuses for over or undercooking the roast! It can also be used for a myriad of other purposes, including jam and yoghurt making and even sterilising babies’ bottles, and can be used in the kitchen or outside on the barbeque. And at only AUS $39, it is one of the best kitchenware bargains around.  To purchase this product, click here (you’ll find it under “Chefs Tools”).

Kitchen Tool of the Month: Cooking Thermometer is a post from: entertaining made easy

Figs have a rich history: the fig tree was the Tree of Life to the ancient Egyptians, and in the Bible they were said to grow in the Garden of Eden and their leaves were allegedly used to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness.

Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fibre, and also contain potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and antioxidants.

When selecting figs, choose clean, dry fruit with unblemished skin. The colour of the skins is of little indication of ripeness, so give them a gentle squeeze – there should be a little “give”. Ripe figs are quite delicate, so handle with care! As figs are easily perishable, consume as soon as possible after buying. Ripe figs will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days however serve at room temperature to enjoy the full flavour. Unripe figs can be left at room temperature for a day or two until the flesh softens.

Remove the stems before eating. The entire fig including the skin can be eaten, although some people prefer to peel them if the skins are thick. Figs can be enjoyed in either sweet or savoury dishes.

Here are five ways to enjoy figs:

1. Grill halved figs with honey and serve with mascarpone or fresh ricotta.
2. Add sliced figs to a salad of rocket, walnuts and blue cheese.
3. Wrap halved figs with thinly sliced prosciutto and drizzle with caramelised balsamic.
4. Include quartered figs as part of a cheese platter.
5. If you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree or access to an abundance of fresh figs, make fig jam.

fruit of the month: figs is a post from: entertaining made easy

Grapes are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium, and contain more natural sugar than any other fruit.

Grapes do not ripen further after picking, so it’s important to try before you buy. Choose grapes with fresh green stems and plump fruit that’s firmly attached to the stalks. Avoid bunches with soft or wrinkled fruit, or grapes that are brown around the stem.

Store unwashed grapes in an airtight container or a sealed plastic bag in the fridge, where they will keep for about 3-4 days. Only wash grapes when you intend to eat them, as washing before storing will shorten their shelf life.

Here are five ways to enjoy grapes:

1. Include grapes as part of a cheese platter.
2. Include grapes in a fruit salad.
3. Add halved seedless grapes to a salad.
4. Grapes pair well with chicken, so add a handful to a chicken casserole.
5. Add grapes to a homemade jelly.

fruit of the month: grapes is a post from: entertaining made easy