Off the hook

So the MBBS is finally over - 231 students and about 70 - 80 patients brought in each day for the long and short cases over the weekend. This year's MBBS was particularly challenging as the number of students we had to take had doubled. We had to coopt a tonne of new examiners and also work them really hard. The senior examiners literally had 3 long case students and 16 short case students to test each day. Thank God, the weather held - last year we had no-shows because of the weather, and this year, only 2 patients didn't turn up. Poor patients who came for the short cases had about 8 students examining them each. They were real troopers and the parents were amazing. Coordinating was no joke, hopefully this will be my last year. I literally had to run around 2 hospitals, plan the 2 days to the minute for an army of helpers ranging from clerical staff, doctors, nurses, housekeepers...my other coordinator called me a control freak - he's probably right, but at least it ran smoothly.

Anyway, had SUCH an urge to cook this whole traumatic weekend - as always, I need to cook when I feel stressed but had absolutely NO time. This evening, came home and made some brittle. The kids loved it and I think it looks kind of cute in significant other's el cheepo wine glass.

Here's the recipe for Quick Almond Brittle (for brittle moods!).

Ingredients
1. Blanched slivered almonds (about 2 tbsp)
2. 2/3 cup sugar
3. 1/2 cup water

Method
1. Mix sugar and water in a non-stick pot and bring to boil. DO NOT STIR.
2. Keep boiling (about 10 min or so) over a moderate flame. The sugar will caramelize and change colour. Swirl the pot occasionally to mix gently. Dip a fork into the mixture and drop a little on a kitchen towel. It should be a golden colour.
3. Pour on a non-stick silicon mat and sprinkle almonds on the surface.
4. When cool, break the hardened caramel into large pieces and serve.

Thoughts from a headless chicken

Have been running around like a headless chicken. MBBS cases, and miscellaneous other things that clog off my day. Notice that a headless chicken is not expected to think - sums up my current state. On the topic of chicken, made Ayam Buah Keluak again, this time used Shermay's recipe and it turned out pretty good too. A little on the sweet side, but that may be my enthusiastic table-spooning. Poor maid cut her finger trying to get shell off. Next time I will buy the frozen Buah Keluak meat since I have tons of shells.

Happy thoughts now. In the midst of all the confusion, the Atkins plus running plus Lynette's UZAP seems to work. 5 kg in the past month. Wheee!

Simple Osso Buco

Okay, I admit it. After the depredations of Christmas and Chinese New Year, I've had to get back onto a low carb type lifestyle again, and I can't keep eating eggs since they are horrendous for my blood vessels. This Saturday, I decided to pop down to the Swiss Butchery at Greenwood Avenue to check out their meats. They had these lovely cuts of free range veal shank (and were kind enough to label it for osso buco!). Tried out this recipe, that turned out very well, except that significant other disappeared to go and play golf, so he didn't get to eat it fresh - tant pis! Of course, Osso Buco is best with soft polenta, but since it was just the kids and me (off carbs), I decided to pair it with tortellini for the kids, since Steffi doesn't eat meat and can live on love, fresh air and pasta.

So here is the recipe, for all it's worth. The next time, I will probably add 1 - 2 tbsp of tomato paste, since I think it lacks a little zing.

Osso Buco Recipe
Ingredients
4 pieces of veal shank
1/2 cup of flour, seasoned with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large onions, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of beef stock
3 tbsp marsala wine
several sprigs of thyme and/or marjoram

Method
1. Dredge veal pieces in the flour and shake off excess.
2. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a medium frying pan. When oil is smoking, put in the veal, and fry about 3 minutes to brown all over.
3. Take veal out and put in casserole/baking dish.
4. Fry onions, carrots and celery (in that order) and fry about 5 - 8 minutes.
5. Add wine, then simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes till liquid halved.
6. Add beef stock and chopped thyme (save some fresh sprigs for garnishing later).
7. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then take off the stove and add to casserole dish with veal.
8. Put in oven at 175 deg C for 1 1/2 hours.
9. Put back on the stove and stir in marsala wine and some thyme and marjoram leaves.

whipped to perfection!

Busy busy busy - MBBS round the corner and providing cases for 240 students is a logistical nightmare. Anyway, since I've neglected the blog for every so long, have to make a little note (culinary wise) about my attempts at whipping cream.

My previous experience with trying to whip cream in Singapore had been a disaster because of our weather and my micro-sized sauna-type kitchen. This time, we couldn't find Coolwhip for the dessert and good old significant other bought me like a liter of whipping cream to compensate. So here is my method to ensure success:

2 metal bowls, the larger one filled with ice and the smaller one placed on top (like a Bain Marie). Pop whipping cream into freezer for 3 min (along with metal beaters). Whip the cream in an air-conditioned room using a mixer at moderate speed.

It worked! Nice texture, absolutely unbelievable considering my previous experience trying to ice my brother's tiramisu cake.

BTW, here is a little recipe on whipped cream that will go on nicely on pies, coffee, and the like.

Pie topping recipe:
Ingredients
250 ml whipping cream
3 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste (nicer than regular essence - can see little vanilla pod bits in it)

Method
Whip together in as cold an environment as possible for about 3 - 5 minutes.