Month: February 2010

A weekend in food

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So, from my last few posts, you’ll have noticed that I was a bit busy in the kitchen last weekend. I made won ton soup for Saturday lunch, chawanmushi and dobinmushi for Saturday dinner and we went completely mad for sunday dinner (and our Valentine’s day feast) by making a 3 course meal of baked Camembert fondue starter, t-bone steak with mushroom sauce and baked potato entrée and a dark chocolate tart for pudding. Calories be damned, we needed it.

The food was good but the health was bad. I had a horrible throat for most of last week and now it’s moved upwards to my ears. I think I have some sort of ear infection because my left ear was completely blocked yesterday and every time I coughed or hiccuped, it felt like I had a rusty nail shoved in my lughole. Yay, fun times!

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[Recipe] Baked Camembert

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Based on a recipe from Nigel Slater. Pure indulgence, this. As the Camembert bakes, the cheese underneath the crust becomes a hot, creamy, sticky, smelly, bubbling pool.

Ingredients:

a whole small Camembert in it’s wooden box
a little white wine

Method:

Take the cheese from it’s wooden box and remove the paper wrapping. Push the cheese back into the box.

Make half a dozen tiny holes in the rind and drizzle a little white wine into them. Just a few drops. Replace the lid. Bake in an oven preheated to 200ºC for twenty-five or until hot and bubbling.

While the cheese is cooking put the potatoes on to boil in salted water. Serve the melted cheese in its box, dipping in the spuds or some gherkins, or simply a chunk or two of very crusty bread.

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[Recipe] Won ton soup

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The name won ton means swallowing a cloud, and the wonton floating in this popular soup are thought to resemble clouds. This recipe for Won ton soup serves 4. You can get most of the ingredients in a good asian supermarket. Get frozen won ton wrappers, they cost next to nothing and will save you a lot of hassle.

won ton wrappers
1/2 pound boneless lean pork, chopped finely
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, mirin or rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 green onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 dashes of pepper
1 small knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Lay one won ton skin in front of you. Cover the remaining won ton skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying out.

Filling the won tons:

Moisten all the edges of the won ton wrapper with water. Place a heaping teaspoon of won ton filling in the center. Fold the won ton wrapper in half lengthwise, making sure the ends meet. Press down firmly on the ends to seal.

wonton1

Use thumbs to push down on the edges of the filling to center it.

wonton2

Keeping thumbs in place, fold over the won ton wrapper one more time.

wonton3

Push the corners up and hold in place between your thumb and index finger.

wonton4

Wet the corners with your fingers. Bring the two ends together so that they overlap. Press to seal.

wonton5

The finished product should resemble a nurse’s cap.

wonton6

Repeat with remaining won tons.

Here’s a video with a similar way to fold won tons:

Boiling the won tons:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the won tons, making sure there is enough room for them to move about freely. Let the won tons boil for 5 – 8 minutes, until they rise to the top and the filling is cooked through. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.

To make the soup:

Bring the 1L of chicken stock to a boil. Add the won tons and bring the soup back to a boil. Add the green onion, remove the pot from the heat. Ladle into soup bowls, allowing 6 won tons per person.

Optionally, you can also add sliced bok choi and thinly sliced red pepper to the stock.

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[Recipe] Dashi, Chawan mushi and Dobin mushi

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Note: I really wanted to trying my hand at the recipes I found online on the Steamy Kitchen blog. I’ve copied some of the pictures for the Dashi Stock in case that particular entry goes away.

Dashi Stock

4 cups water
6-inch piece kombu or kelp (I had to improvise with the materials at hand and used 4 kelp knots)
2 handfuls of katsuobushi or bonito flakes (about 2 cups loosely packed)

To make dashi, use large bonito flakes or katsuobushi. They come in a big package at the Asian market. Look for the big flakes. The little flakes are for garnishing. Big flakes should be the size of a cornflake.

You’ll also need a 6-inch piece of dried kelp (seaweed) or kombu for dashi. They usually come long, folded and then dried. You’ll only need 6-inches and just a single layer, so break it apart.

Do not soak the kelp or even rinse it. Just take a damp cloth and wipe it down to clean any dirt off the seaweed. Add the kelp to water and turn the heat to medium-low.

Just before it comes to a boil, add two big handfuls of bonito flakes, stir and turn off the heat immediately.

Leave it to seep until the bonito flakes start to fall to the bottom of the pan, then strain.

The stock can be used now or frozen (use within one month).

Chawan mushi

I first had this in a Japanese restaurant in London and it was bloody marvellous. It’s a very light and silky steamed egg custard that is traditionally served in a lidded cup but can just easily as well be done in a ramekin.

This recipe serves 2 or 3, depending on the size of the cup/ramekin being used.

2 eggs
1.5 cups dashi stock
1 tablespoon light colored Japanese style soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin
1 sliced shiitake mushroom
2-3 asparagus spears, sliced into pieces about 2 inches long.
2-3 shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Combine egg, dashi stock, soy sauce and mirin in a bowl and with smooth strokes, gently beat with chopsticks. Try not to create too much froth, because you don’t want a lot of air bubbles in your custard. Strain egg mixture through cheesecloth or strainer.

Divide egg mixture among the chawan mushi cups.

Add a few slices of mushroom, one shrimp, and an asparagus piece (using an end piece that includes the pointy tip looks best) to each cup. Cover with lids if using chawan mushi cups, or cover with foil if using the ramekins or teacups.

Place cups into steamer basket. Steam on high heat for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low for another 10-12 minutes.

Test the surface with toothpick or skewer to check doneness…some clear liquid should form on top when prodded. Custard should be smooth and soft but not super firm. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look completely gelled, it is supposed to be a silken consistency. If it looks underdone, just keep on the steamer and re-cover, checking back at 1-2 minute intervals until it reaches the desired consistency.

chawanmushi

Dobin mushi

Dobin mushi is a soup that is cooked and served in a teapot. You should first pour out and drink the broth while enjoying the bits left in the pot.

For two people:

2 tiger prawns, cleaned and deveined
2 king scallops, without roe, cut in halves
2ounces of white fish, cut into thin slices (I had cod)
1/2 carrot, sliced thinly
2 asparagus, sliced in 2 inch lengths
2 mushrooms, cut into slices.
1 tbsp soy sauce

Matsutake mushrooms are very traditional in this dish, but they cost a small fortune and aren’t that easy to get a hold of. I used some shiitake mushrooms and it came out quite nicely.

Place all the ingredients into the teapot. Ladle in some dashi stock (enough to cover) and add the soy sauce and a sliver of lime peel.

dobinmushi

Steam for 8-10 minutes (longer if you have chicken or other meats that require longer to fully cook).

Serve immediately. You can add a twist of yuzu or lime if you want to add a zing of freshness.

dobinmushi

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[Recipe] Chocolate tart

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This recipe comes from the Rachel Allen ‘Bake’ book. It originally calls for a 9″ sweet pastry case but I cheated and used two 6″ pre-cooked tart shells from Tesco.

For the tart:

175 ml (6 fl oz) double cream
125 ml (4 fl oz) milk
125g (4 -1/2 oz) milk chocolate, chopped
175g (6 oz) good quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs, well beaten
250g (9 oz) sugar-coated chocolate eggs, to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan to boiling point then immediately take off the heat and stir in the chocolate to melt. Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes, then stir in the beaten eggs.

3. Pour the chocolate mixture into the baked pastry case and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until just softly set.

4. Allow the tart to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tin.

5. Decorate with sugar-coated chocolate eggs.

chocolate tart

A few notes for future reference. I used Green&Blacks milk and 70% dark in the quantities described in the recipe. It came out a bit too dark chocolaty for my taste, but I think that’s because the G&B milk has a higher cocoa level than traditional milk chocolate. Next time, if I use G&B again, I’ll go half-and-half.

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Things to see and do in Cambridge

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Just cause I was asked to do it for somebody and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to put in online for future reference.

Things to do in Cambridge

Cambridge is an ancient university town and it’s not so much a question of finding things to do in Cambridge as deciding which of the things you’re not going to do in Cambridge.

An absolutely essential thing to do in Cambridge is to go river punting on the Cam. There is a definite technique to this and you’re well advised to watch how other people do it before venturing out on a punt yourself. You can hire someone else to do the punting for you, whilst you and your friends sit back and relax – however, it’s no where near as much fun as doing it yourself.

Cambridge has many attractions to suit just about all ages and tastes. The university colleges are a sights to see. Unless you are a student at the university, most colleges charge a small fee to let you see what life for a Cambridge student is like – living in an old and possibly historic building. Some of the bigger and better known colleges do also offer full-blown tours at pre-determined times. Most colleges close completely to visits during mid-May to mid-June; the main university examination period.

The oldest college in Cambridge and, therefore, an inevitable attraction is Peterhouse College which was founded in 1284. Attractions to see at Peterhouse include the 17th century chapel and a restored 13th century hall. Trinity College is probably the de facto Cambridge College attraction. Built by Henry VIII the brick gateway is the original structure from 1535. The Great Court is the largest of its kind anywhere and reputedly the place where an apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton’s head.

Quite rightly describing itself as “ … one of the iconic buildings in Cambridge” is Kings College, founded in 1441 by Henry VI. The Kings College Chapel is a worthy sight in itself and often hosts choir concerts.

Cambridge is a delightful place just to walk around. A classic walk is along ‘The Backs’ – this is the area literally at the back of some of the colleges, most notably Trinity, Claire, Kings, Queens and Peterhouse. It is a parkland area with the River Cam running through it. A walk through The Backs is attractive at any time of year but the autumn sees it at its best. Of the many bridges in The Backs one of the best is the one at Clare College. Quite famous, it is very ornate with decorative balls and is the oldest of the bridges on The Backs dating back to 1639.

Museum aficionados will enjoy the The Fitzwilliam museum, one of Britain’s earliest public museums and described as “the finest small museum in Europe”. The original building was designed by George Basevi, and opened in 1848.

The present collections contain: Western European paintings ranging from the 14th Century to the present day; Egyptian, Western Asiatic, Greek and Roman antiquities; and the applied arts of Western Europe and Asia including sculpture, ceramics, furniture, coins and medals. There are also illuminated musical and literary manuscripts and rare private books. The whole collection now forms one of the most important provincial museums in the country. A wide range of temporary exhibitions are also on offer, as well as an annually-changing display of contemporary sculpture in the Museum’s grounds.

Eating out in Cambridge.

Midsummer House – not surprisingly on Midsummer Common- is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant that is smart and sophisticated with both food and wines that can thrill any palate. The menu mainly presents French Mediterranean cuisine. You’re advised to book at least two weeks in advance as despite being expensive it is enormously popular. La Mimosa, on Thompsons Lane, is a nice and cozy italian eatery right next to the river, with reasonable prices and a good selection of fish and seafood. Alimentum, on Hills road, is an up-and-coming restaurant with a reputation built around providing affordable, ethical, award-winning food. The Alimentum Jazz Club is a highly acclaimed weekly music and supper club featuring rising stars and the cream of the UK jazz circuit.

Drinking in Cambridge.

Drinking is always an option in Cambridge. Historically, Cambridge has been well served with pubs. In 1597 there were 80 ale houses, although this was reduced to 50 because too much corn was being used for ale instead of bread! By 1749 the number had risen to 156 inns and pubs, serving a population of 10000. Today, the 110 pubs serve a population of around 125000, an average of 1136 people per pub. Visit http://www.cambridge-pubs.co.uk/ for a complete list and description of the pubs, as well as suggested pub-crawl itineraries.

An option here is to find one of the pubs in Cambridge that back on to the River Cam, which also hire out punts. These pubs and bars often have a good mix of tourists, locals and students/academics in them; with the added attraction of being a convenient place to hire a punt from. Well known ‘punting pubs’ are the Granta on Newnham Road, the Fort St George on Midsummer Common and, inevitably, the Boathouse on Chesterton Road. The Fort St George is also the oldest pub in Cambridge, dating back to the 16th century.

If you’re off out in Cambridge for a drinking session then the Eagle on Benet’s Street is a good bar to go to. Apart from selling the great session beer, Greene King IPA – this was the favourite haunt of Crick & Watson during their unravelling of DNAs structure in the 1950s. Legend has it that they spent as much time in the pub as in the labs! Look up at the ceiling in the bar where you’ll see many signatures of US airmen, who were at bases in Cambridgeshire during the Second World War.

Various sources: University of Cambridge, Wikipedia, Cambridge Pubs, VisitCambridge.org

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New update, now with 100% more content!

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It would seem that I have been lax with my blogging in the past few weeks. Besides one or two events, there hasn’t been lots happening (which might have explained my silence. Or maybe I’m just lazy and/or addicted to Farmville).

My mom came for a week to visit us. And by us I mean the beastie. She basically threw us out of the house one day so she could have him all to herself. Katy and I were able to have a nice pub meal at the Red Lion and go see a movie (though it would now appear that I’ve forgotten what we went to see – this is me getting old). I do remember that Katy really, really, really enjoyed her bacon double cheeseburger from Burger King :) Pictures will be up as soon as I can get them converted and properly formatted.

My mom had asked for a nice roast and some profiteroles for her birthday, so I happily obliged. The roast rolled shoulder of pork took 6 hours to roast, but damn if it wasn’t nice :) The in-laws and Stu came over for the day to say hello. It was a nice day. The weather was rather unimpressive so we weren’t really able to give my mom a proper tour of Saffron Walden, though she did like the weekend market (and especially the sausage burgers from the Giggly Pig). I did manage to use the power of the for-sale list at work to snag my mom a cheap ipod and load it up with her favourite music for cheap. That reminds me that I need to ask her if she’s using it or not.

Speaking of which, I’m saddened to say that my trusty Shure E3C earphones finally died a death. I had to buy myself another pair of earphones. I got S-Jays and they do live up to their potential. Still, they’re nowhere near as good or comfy as my Shure. Having said that, they’re a fifth of the price so, you know, there is that to consider. Still, I will mourn my old faithful buds.

Things have been brewing with Katy’s employers and we’re investigating options on that front. I don’t want to say a lot more because I’ll start swearing at them again. Bastards and fucktards, the lot of ’em (well, most of ’em anyway). Katy’s looking into other avenues, but returns on investments haven’t been all that good. Still, there’s no harm in sending feelers out.

The staff association at work organized a group jaunt to go see Varekai at the Royal Albert Hall last weekend, so Mel and Pam came down to look after the beastie. It was the first time that somebody else than us put him down for the night. Mostly, they did a good job save for a few details and something that bugged me a bit but… meh. No harm no foul, but still a silly thing to do and leave it at that.

The beastie’s been a handful for a few days now. He’s caught a cold and is now a snot monster. He’d been coughing a bit for a few days now but it really went full-blown over the weekend. He’s not been too bad, sleep-wise, in the last night or so so we’re hopeful that it’s not going to last too long. He’s really getting mobile now and can take one or two tottering steps before falling face-first on something or someone.

Katy got some maternity back-pay so we were able to pay off the last of the xmas credit card. We still have a bit left over and we’re itching to buy stuff :) Katy wants to get a Wii and Wii Fit but they seem to be out of stock everywhere I look. I bought a NAS for home backups (mostly because I realized that all of my MP3s, documents and the digital pictures from the last 5 years only exist on the home laptop and a few scattered CDs or DVDs).

I’d like to get a new phone (I’m lusting after the googlephone), a new camera, a camcorder. Thing is, I already have stuff that covers those roles and most of it still works perfectly fine so I can’t really justify the expense. Katy wants a Tassimo and a KitchenAid. The KitchenAid is something that we’ve both been lusting aftet for years now, but it also means that we’d be cooking more cakes and pastries and that’s really not a good plan at this point in time. I’ve put on a helluva lot of weight in the last year and I need to start shifting it before bad things happen.

Besides that, not a lot. Work is work. I’ve reviewed two papers and submitted one. Barring any incident, I should have another first author paper and a few more associated author papers to add to my CV. I received notification that I need to have my end-of-contract review meeting with the powers that be before the end of April. I’ve already fixed a nasty bug in the PRIDE mapping job and I’m in the process of testing code that I wrote before going on holiday that will hopefully make the current PRIDE webapp more responsive. Florian’s buggered off to Costa Rica for a month (not that I blame him) so that means a lot of work’s been dumped on me. The good news is that we have a new team member starting in a few weeks and we’re holding interviews for another position in the coming week. So, busy busy busy but good busy.

Rui from work bought me some japanese cooking supplies from an asian shop on Mill Road so I’ll be able to start playing around making chawanmushi and dobinmushi, as well as wonton soup and spring rolls. Watch this space.

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I like being proven correct

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I was having a lunch discussion about something I’d overheard while watching QI. Steven Fry had commented that 1 in 9 black adults in the US is currently in jail. This was met with lots of comments that it could not be so. Well, it is. According to Wikipedia and as reported by the NY Times, the Washington Post and the Independent:

The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. The USA also has the highest total documented prison and jail population in the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS): “In 2008, over 7.3 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole at yearend — 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents or 1 in every 31 adults.”

Incarceration rates are even higher for some groups. One in 36 Hispanic adults is behind bars, based on Justice Department figures for 2006. One in 15 black adults is, too, as is one in nine black men between the ages of 20 and 34.

Still, shocking news from the Land of the Free… The US locks up more of its citizens than China, which has 4 times the overall population. Impressive.

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Actual phone conversation

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– Ring! Ring!
– Proteomic Services, Richard speaking. How can I help you?
– Hi. Is XXX there?
– No, he’s not in today, can I take a message?
– It’s YYY from purchasing. He asked us to order some software for him and I need to know if it’s for Mac or Windows.
– Well, if you tell me what the software is, I can probably answer that.
– Can you? oh good. It’s a copy of Windows 7 Professional.
– [very loud silence] That’s probably for Windows…
– It would be, wouldn’t it?

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