Eggs Part I

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Women are born with all the eggs, or oocytes they will ever have throughout their lifetime. Our egg fate is sealed before we ever leave the safety of our mother's womb, having been predetermined during our foetal development. Unlike our male counterparts, we cannot generate more sex cells (gametes) during our lifetime, we cannot pause their release, nor can we reproduce at the ripe age of eighty.

Time it would seem is against us ladies from the very beginning. In my case, time has been against me even prior to me noticing those peculiar feelings of attraction towards another person. Then there was the time when it wasn't the right time and so I went about my daily life, living, experiencing and loving. I dated, I traveled, I cooked and drank and laughed and wept as my biological clock silently ticked from within me. I fell in and out of love a small handful of times before I met someone who made me desire something extraordinary with them and so we decided after lengthy discussions over hot tea, movies, dinner, drives through the countryside and even whilst floating on our surfboards at the back of the breakers that we wanted to become parents.

Initially we wanted to adopt and if I'm being honest, I still want to but there is another feeling that begins somewhere from within my body that gently urges me to want to try to make a miracle happen. To grow and nurture, to sing to and nourish a little being inside me; the perfect mixture of a beautiful Malaysian man and a gentle Australian woman. I wish it were as simple as doing everything right and it will happen but for a select few of us, it's not that easy.

There's an old saying that goes, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket'. We women have two baskets, our ovaries and in my case, one of these baskets is broken, destroying all of the eggs within. Through no choice of my own, all of my remaining eggs are in one basket, which is rotten luck and yet my story does not end here...

Bella xx

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Sarawak Laksa

Miri is Byron's hometown, it's located in the state of Sarawak on the coast of East Malaysia and one of this region's famous dishes is the traditional Sarawak Laksa.

Sarawak laksa, in contrast to curry laksa is actually made using a fermented fried or toasted shrimp paste known as Sambal belacan. The 'curry' is then made by pounding the shrimp paste and fresh chillis together with a pestle and mortar to which coconut milk, sugar, lime juice, ginger (galangal- blue ginger), lemongrass root, garlic, sour tamarind and salt are added.

In our version, the curry was then ladled over cooked thin rice noodles and topped with shredded chicken, plump prawns and impossibly thin ribbons of egg made from a sliced omelette. A generous squeeze of a small Malaysian lime greatly enhanced the spicy Sarawak laksa and I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the small lime's juice tasted.

Best eaten with the company of new and old friends and a must try if you ever venture to Sarawak. Fresh, crunchy bean sprouts and coriander may also enhance the Sarawak laksa, though to be honest I don't believe the dish requires any 'dressing-up' as it definitely holds it's own very proudly around a crowded table.

Not surprisingly, it was difficult to stop at one bowl.

Bella xx

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Creamy Roasted Potato Salad with Chorizo Avocado and Egg

Do you recall the picnic day I shared with one of my best friend's and her gorgeous daughter a little while ago? It was such a beautiful day, with scrumptious food... Oh how I wish the weather was warm enough to venture outside again to enjoy another one of those lazy days.

Sadly, the Winter chill appears to have arrived early with Autumn (figures as much- We barely caught a glimpse of Summer during her brief visit) and though I planned to go on another picnic, this time with B, I had to change my plans as I managed to develop a bit of a cough and I had to take a raincheck to avoid the cool wind.

What I had planned to make was my creamy roasted potato salad with chorizo, avocado and egg, which I realised is a delicious comfort-food regardless of where I enjoyed it so I decided to make it today anyway.

Comfort foods are the BEST! If you or someone at home is feeling a little bit fuzzy, then I recommend this simple, tasty warm salad. It's a snap to prepare and the aroma of golden roasted potatoes is sure to make even the sookiest family member wonder what's for lunch or dinner.

Served by istelf, it can be a little too much as it is very creamy and rich in flavour, so I would suggest you make it a side dish to either a meat dish, such as grilled scotch fillet or perhaps roast chicken or lamb cutlets.

The following recipe will yield enough warm potato salad for 4-5 sides.

Roasted Potato Salad with Chorizo and Avocado

5 medium sized washed potatoes, roughly chopped (skin on)
I chose Dutch Cream potatoes beacuse their flavour is buttery.
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 Spanish chorizo, sliced and fried or grilled (I grilled mine)
1 red capscium, chopped into rough squares
1 small avocado, chopped roughly (or in my case: 1/2 a giant, round, ripe Reed avocado)
80 g Greek feta, diced into small cubes, or crumbled if you pick a crumbly variety
Salt and pepper
4 free range eggs, soft-medium boiled (ensure the yolks retain their shape when cut, however a little bit of orange oozy yolk is ok)
3-4 Tbs whole egg mayonnaise (estimate based on individual taste)
1-2 Tbs pure cream*

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius, using your fingers, evenly coat the chopped potatoes with oil, oregano and crack some rock salt over the top. Roast the potatoes for aproximately 15 minutes, turn the potatoes with a wooden spoon then continue to roast until they are slightly golden in colour, and a little crunchy (Ahh the perfect roasted tater). Grill the Spanish chorizo and red capsicum until the colour of the chorizo darkens slightly and the roasted capsicum skin has started to wrinkle a little. Add the roasted potatoes, chorizo, capsicum, avocado and feta to a large bowl (I used the glass deep pie dish that I baked my potatoes in- You can serve your salad in the same dish. Less washing up + more time to eat = awesome).

Dollop your lovely rich whole egg mayonnaise on top, then pour in your cream. Carefully stir until the creamy mayonnaise has coated the ingredients evenly, season with salt and pepper, then add your delicate eggs last (stir just until the eggs are coated with the creamy mayo). I usually omit mixing the eggs into the salad so that they stand out.
If you can't see the eggs in my pictures (you'd be correct), it is because I added them last so that I could enjoy them the way they were designed to be eaten- warm.

If you prefer, you can soft boil your eggs, then peel away the shells and slowly break open the warm, soft eggs over the top. Your yolks will ooze over the salad, and down the creamy crevices of the miniature potato mountain.

A decent crack of pepper will perfectly complete your dish. I wish I had oozing egg yolks in hindsight, but let's face it, this won't be the last time I make this salad so don't be surprised if you happen to stumble upon a post in the future about a roast chicken and see an oozy yolk potato salad boldly standing next to the chook, brimming with creamy pride.

*I used cream in addition to the mayonnaise to ensure the flavour of the mayonnaise was not too overpowering.

Enjoy warm or cold, depending on what you plan to serve it with. This salad is rustic-looking, full of flavour and extremely comforting.

Mr Segue:

Ahh now some of you may have noticed a kind of blog hiatus in recent days and this is solely due to the fact that I have a silly old cold (darn you, you confounded rhinovirus!).. I'm pleased to report that I am on the mend, and not a moment too soon because I will be flying to Malaysia in one week...ONE WEEK! OH MY GOODNESS! That's right around the corner!

I have no idea what to expect, apart from the increase in temperature, humidity and friendly Malaysian people. Care to share any culinary highlights from this fair country? I'll make every effort to try as many dishes as possible and blog about all of them if I can, scouts honour (ha ha I was a Brownie, then a Girl Guide in my youth, not a Girl Scout, but it's pretty much the same thing...)!

Prepare yourselves for the daily countdown to Malaysia, where I attempt to use every perishable item in my fridge before we leave....

Bella xx

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Poached Ocean Trout with Crispy Skin, Honey Soy Mayo Dressing and Edamame Beans

I work Sundays.

Not always, though usually.

What picks me up when I'm exhausted? Coming home and relaxing with Byron over dinner and lately he has been cooking for us.

Tonight B made me the following mouth-watering salad... This is how you turn a dreary hospital drone shift into a relaxing Sunday chill-fest.

Poached Ocean Trout with Crispy Skin, Honey Soy Mayo Dressing and Edamame Beans

One fillet of Ocean Trout (skin on)
Traditional mayonnaise
Organic Tamari Soy Sauce
Manuka honey
Edamame beans (seeds only) ~50g
Mixed leaf lettuce
One soft boiled egg

Remove skin from ocean trout. Lightly coat skin with olive oil and rub with salt. Heat non-stick frying pan without oil and cook, skin side first until golden-brown. Turn skin and brown other side. Check the crispiness before removing from heat, roughly cut the skin into pieces and set aside to cool, skin-side up.

Poach the ocean trout in shallow slightly bubbling water (slightly cooler than simmering) until cooked, but still soft in the middle.
Remove from water, flake fillet into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

To make the dressing, mix a decent glug or two of mayo with a slow pour of Tamari soy sauce until the thick glossy mixture turns a light brown. Add honey to taste (be careful not to make it too sweet!).

Place a handful of mixed lettuce leaves into each serving bowl, top with the delicious poached trout and thinly sliced egg and then drizzle with the delectable honey soy mayo.
To finish, scatter a few glossy steamed edamame beans and pieces of crispy trout skin.

Serves 2

Mmmmm.....

Enjoy with a crisp, chilled white. We enjoyed a sem sauv blanc, but only because we had it chilling in the fridge from last night and never got around to drinking it then. That was fortunate!

Comments?

Bella
xx

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