Saturday 16th June 2012

Lisa invited me over for lunch today. She made a gorgeous salad with capsicums she'd roasted herself and bocconcini.

BENOIT'S PIZZA NIGHT
The kitchen was warm and full of the lovely smells of homecooking when I arrived. We poured the wine and gathered around for the first of Benoit's creations.

Fish & Chips Pizza
O.M.G. This was the pizza of the night! The little pieces of fish (I think it was barramundi) were battered and deep fried before being added to the pizza where there were already very thinly sliced potato 'chips'. A squeeze of fresh lime and it was absolute heaven!

Peking Duck Pizza
This pizza was also delicious! We were focusing on eating the gorgeous toppings and discarding the turkish bread so that we could have room for the third pizza!

I think this was a Chicken & Mushroom Pizza


With lots of cheese!
We had a clear winner tonight. The FISH AND CHIP PIZZA!
Princess Cake...

...and Apple Strudel for dessert!

Saturday 26th June 2010

BENOIT READY STEADY COOK!
That's right, we all gathered around to watch Benoit work magic in the kitchen.

On tonight's menu:

PEKING DUCK PANCAKES
&
DUCK SAN CHOI BAO

Ivy bought a big juicy roasted duck from a chinese restaurant in Northbridge.
Yes, we were all a bit miffed that Benoit wasn't actually cooking the duck himself. That would have been spectacular to watch.

While watching Benoit carve up the duck,
we pigged out on the roasted pork that Ivy also bought.

Long also showed us his knife skills.

I got to nibble on the duck's neck.
Lots of crispy skin and juicy bits of meat to gnaw through.
Look at all the meat!

Benoit's dad made us some cheesy toast.

We eagerly (and hungrily) sat down to eat!

Juicy duck drumsticks and legs.

Taking a crepe that Benoit made, we spread on hoi sin sauce, then add a strip of cucumber, spring onion and a piece of the crispy duck skin. The duck skin was baked in the oven for a short time to crisp it up.


Benoit sauteed the various chopped vegetables with the duck meat that he had cubed. Bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, shitake mushrooms and spring onions.

With the duck meat, we ate it with the
fresh lettuce leaves as san choi bao.


For dessert, I rummaged around at home and came up with these three ingredients:

Lindt Dark Chocolate

1 sheet of Pampas Puff Pastry

2 Bananas

I cut the puff pastry into squares and baked them in the oven until they were golden brown. I sliced up the bananas and arranage three slices on each piece of puff pastry. Ivy melted the dark chocolate over a pot of simmering water and I drizzled this over the bananas.

Banana & Chocolate Squares

Sunday 6th June 2010

Aiyaiyai! Too much tequila and absynth for this senorita last night! I got up about midday and spent the rest of the day on the couch at Benoit and Ivy's place nursing a hangover infront of the TV. Benoit's dad made a massive pot of congee. At about 6pm, it was the first bit of food I had that day.

Richard's Congee with Century Egg

We had a really lazy day, but we went out in the evening.

We stopped by at IGA to pick up some ingredients for dessert.

1 can of mango halves

2 sheets of frozen shortcrust pastry

1 carton of premade custard


At Kenny and Jeanette's place, we set to work. It was a team collaboration making this tart. I blind baked the pastry, Benoit worked on the filling, I reduced the syrup that the mangoes came in with some sugar to make a sauce, Ivy took photos and helped with the pastry work, I sliced the tart up, Benoit plated up, Kenny dusted with icing sugar, and we all ate it!

Wednesday 23rd Jul '08

BENOIT'S READY STEADY COOK - ROUND 3
Today I headed out in the stormy weather to get some groceries from a few places before arriving at Ben and Ivy's place for another 'ready, steady, cook' night. First, I went to Mondo's in Inglewood. I was so eager to find some game meat, particularly crocodile, as I had just watched them cooking with it on 'Ready, Steady, Cook' on TV before leaving home. I was disappointed to find that a package of frozen crocodile meat was about $60. I'll have a look around elsewhere before getting it from there. I don't know how much to expect to pay for crocodile meat, but I would love to try cooking it at least once. I've eaten it before when I was younger and don't remember much of it. On the bright side, I found a spatchcock! I bought one so perhaps I will do a roast on the weekend for myself. I was disapointed when I got home and went to put it in the freezer - they had charged me $8 when the printed price on the label is clearly $7.50 - argh!!

From there I travelled further down the road to go to Charlie's, Bayswater. I stocked up on cold sliced meats, grated pecorino, provolone, goats cheese, and splurged on some marinated olives and baby octopus. Now I'll have to find a nice bottle of red to accompany them. I also bought some ingredients for dinner.

At Ben and Ivy's place, I had to sort out my own groceries from the ones I had bought for Ben to work his culinary magic on.

red capsicum
spinach
broccolini
potatoes
chicken drumsticks - not pictured

I also bought a paif of pig trotters to see if Ben could do anything with them. Alas, he freaked out at the sight of them! muahaha I ended up taking them home with me.

We were famished, so I quickly put together a little platter with the cold meats and cheeses. We also made a roll with some some of the meat, butter and cheese and polished those off before Ben got stuck into cooking dinner.


Ben started by having me peel some potatoes while he removed the bones and skin from all the drumsticks. Ivy and I were amused, since it would have just been easier to cook them as they were! But no, Chef Benoit wanted to remove the skin, cut the meat off the bone and dice it up. He used most of the chicken to make a delicious curry, and the rest of the chicken he used to make fresh spring rolls.


Chicken Curry with potato,
broccolini and capsicum
served with Roti

Fresh Spring Rolls with Vietnamese spring roll wrappers
stuffed with chicken, spinach,
broccolini, rice noodles
served with a dipping sauce

Ivy and I spent the rest of the night watching TV while the boys tried to set up Ben's new computer. Who wants to cook next!?

Thursday 20th Mar '08

BENOIT - READY, STEADY...COOK!
We gathered at Ben & Ivy's house tonight for another 'Ready, Steady, Cook!' Night with Chef Benoit.
The Ingredients:

Lamb Chops
Zucchini
Potatoes
Spinach
Ben knows his place and set to work in the kitchen while the rest of us caught up, fed the fish, and watched TV.

Dinner is served!

Lamb Chops served with Mashed Potato & Wilted Spinach,
drizzled with a Red Wine & Mushroom Jus,
garnished with Sweet Potato Slices

Wednesday 24th Oct '07

BENOIT'S READY STEADY COOK - ROUND 2
This is our second 'Ready Steady Cook' night at Ben's house.

I brought the following ingredients:

Mushrooms
Dutch Carrots
Zucchini
Mandarins
Pork Belly

The finished dishes...

Roasted Vegetables with Pork Belly marinated in Soy & Honey
Parmesan Toast
Pork Belly in an Asian Style Soy Glaze

Bon Apetit!