Katriina Mueller, Author at Finding Feasts

Warm Thai Style Beef Noodle Salad w/ Poached Egg

Warm Thai Style Beef Noodle Salad w/ Poached Egg came about with the influx of meat that hubby was winning at the Sunday meat raffle over the Christmas period.

So how do you make sure none of it goes to waste? Prep it first! I love preparing the meat in appropriate meal sizes and in different marinades and pastes prior to freezing, this way you can pull out a baggy in the morning and leave it to defrost while you are at work. It’s then ready to be cooked up at dinner time. Just keep some basics in your pantry like different types of noodles and some nice pre made dressings if need be, combine with fresh vegetables and leaves and you have a quick, healthy dinner.

Tip: Write the ingredients on the bag so you remember which marinade is which – I like to start with a base such as soy and honey for example and then divide that into 3, adding different ingredients to each batch.

Enjoy the ease! Blondie 🙂

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Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu

Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu… As with my below post – Teriyaki Mustard Chicken, this is the second dish, Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu I’ve made as part of my New Year’s resolution… that being, that any cookbook or magazine that enters my house during 2014 will have a recipe made from it.

This is from Feast magazine No.28 Moroccan Fish – Chut b’chi zyu

It’s a lightly spiced fish dish, which is gorgeous served over simple steamed rice…I did puree half of the ingredients and sliced the rest just to add a bit more oomph but it’s basically as written in the magazine. Oh and I added baby spinach, only because I like baby spinach – and I need to build up my iron stores so anything with vitamin c (carrots, capsicum) I add greenery.

Blondie 🙂

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Teriyaki Mustard Chicken

Teriyaki Mustard Chicken… My New Year’s resolution for 2014 is to make at least one recipe from each cookbook or magazine that enters my house. It is a simple enough resolution you would think but I seriously have so many come through that I think this will make me more productive with them. This includes books borrowed from family and loaned from the library… anything that enters through my door!

My first two recipes are from Feast magazine No.28 and Ross Dobson‘s book, Fired Up. First up is Ross Dobson’s chicken recipe of Teriyaki Mustard Chicken and I have to say that this will now be my go to recipe for preparing chicken, this marinade is truly heaven, no exaggeration! I will be now adding the rest of Ross Dobson’s books to my cookbook library.

Fired Up is a book on ‘no nonsense barbecuing’ but each recipe can certainly be used on either a stove top or in an oven easily enough (I know there are lots of people who don’t like straying from a recipe) Other changes were…

Chicken thighs – I used a whole chicken and butterflied it – It was all I had at the time and it was only butterflied because it was getting late.

Japanese soy sauce – I used half and half kecap manis and a light soy – again all I had at the time.

Ross has two restaurants in Penrith, Western Sydney… think I will need to get out there shortly.

Happy New Year! Blondie

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Mushroom Foraging in Oberon w/ Lyndey Milan

In March 2013, FinSki’s was asked to do a segment on Lyndey Milan’s new tv show, Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia… how amazing is that?? Needless to say, we dropped everything and took Lyndey to our favourite mushrooming spot in Oberon. Here is our behind the scenes…

Here we are with the lovely Lyndey Milan

Love the line up of cars in such a secluded location

Let shooting begin, Bella and Lyndey discussing mushrooms

Imogen and Seb occupying time digging up crystals Continue reading “Mushroom Foraging in Oberon w/ Lyndey Milan” →

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Best Ever Christmas Fruit Mince Pies – Egg Free

My objective for this year is to make the perfect fruit mince pie.

Best Ever Christmas Fruit Mince Pies – Egg Free… For me, the most essential element to the perfect fruit mince pie is the pastry. It must have a buttery, fine crumb and be of the correct thickness (4mm) – this is very important as it needs to break apart in large enough chunks so as to get the perfect mouthful of fruit and pastry. It is vital that it maintains it’s structural integrity! There also needs to be a sweetness included in the pastry that sugar alone will not do… I thought I would be making at least three different recipes to come to the right one, but no, got it one! The fact that it’s egg free is just a bonus to those who have allergies but is in no way an intentional omission… just a happy coincidence.

Here is a small excerpt from Australian Gourmet Traveller about water and egg in shortcrust pastry… “Egg yolks and water also affect pastry. Egg yolks contain fat and act as an extra shortening agent but are used more to add colour and richness to the pastry. When you’re adding water to pastry, be careful to add only enough to bring the mixture from a crumbly dough to one that can be kneaded and rolled easily. Too much water in the mix means the pastry will steam as it cooks, making for a flimsy result, so add small amounts gradually until you have achieved the right texture.”

There is alot of butter in these pies so they need to be chilled; at room temperature the pastry becomes too fine a crumb, but with a slight chill the pastry holds firm and then each mouthful is a cacophony of cool and crumbly pastry, buttery, sweet and fruity flavours that marry and melt in the mouth…. too much? Nah, each bite is poetry!

Oh, I forgot to mention the hint of cardamon, this adds a mellow flavour that’s complimented by the fruit filling.

For the filling I used Robertson’s Traditional Fruit Mince, which is actually really good. It has the right texture and spice, but next year I will definitely work on my own filling – one step at a time!

Ho Ho Ho and a bottle of rum! (oh, is that Christmas?) Blondie

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Karjalan Paisti – Karelian Stew or Hotpot

Karjalan Paisti – Karelian Stew or Hotpot is another traditional dish from that well fought-over area of Finland, Karelia. This would definitely have been a meal that fed an army.

My grandpa fought in both the Winter War and and Continuation War, both devastating Finland. He died 10 years ago and after a tragedy in the family last year, nana pulled out his photo album. A large, well worn album documenting his and the Finnish army’s effort during those times…

Katriina Mueller — The Continuation War: Grandpa – 2nd from the left, back row

Grandpa 2nd from the left — The Winter War: Grandpa – 2nd from the left

The finns burned their bridges and land in an effort to stop Russia - this is one of nan's favourite photos. — The Finns burned their bridges and land in an effort to stop Russia – this is one of nana’s favourite photos.

It’s hearty, like any other stew and incredibly basic with it’s ingredients. This dish really does rely on the quality of the meats you choose to cook with as you can’t hide behind a series of spices, herbs or vegetables.

Blondie

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Lanttulaatikko – Swede Casserole

Lanttulaatikko aka Swede Casserole — Click image for recipe

Lanttulaatikko – Swede Casserole is just one of four traditional Finnish casseroles served at Christmas time. The other three are carrot, potato and liver, all unique and equally as important as the roast meats.

Mum makes this every year along with the potato and carrot casseroles, although it’s been many years since we have had the liver casserole. But don’t fret, I will be making it this year… oh yes, I will!

This casserole has a slight bitterness, which is offset by the golden syrup and is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dinner… plus makes excellent sandwiches with all the leftovers!

Hyvää Joulua, Blondie 🙂

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