Sheperds In Jackets

Sheperd's Pie Stuffed Potatoes

(recipe and photo from www.rachelrayshow.com)

I was watching the Rachel Ray Show this morning and saw her cooking this dish. It looked interesting and delicious.

Ingredients

4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Salt

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 pound ground sirloin or ground turkey

1/2 pound button quartered

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese, for sprinkling on top

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400oF. On a baking sheet, toss the potatoes with a hearty drizzle EVOO and some salt. Bake in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Let cool. Turn the off oven and pre-heat the broiler.

2. While the potatoes are cooling, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the bell pepper and half of the onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper, then cook until the veggies are tender, 5-6 minutes. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl.

3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice lengthwise off of the top to expose the inside. Scoop out the potato flesh, taking care not to pierce the wall of the potato, and transfer to the bowl with the veggies (reserve the potato shells). Add the sour cream and paprika to the bowl and mash. Reserve warm.

4. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the ground sirloin or ground turkey to the pan and cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they start to turn golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

5. Add the remaining onion and garlic to the pan and cook until all the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes more. Push all of the ingredients to the edge of the pan and add the butter to the skillet. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock, mustard, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and some salt and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Bring up to a bubble and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes.

6. Fill the potato shells with the beef and mushroom mixture, then top each of them with the reserved mashed potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cheese. Pop the potatoes under the broiler until the cheese is melted and tops are golden brown.

Fourplay feat. Chaka Khan "Between The Sheets"

This is a great song originally by the Isley Brothers and this version is even better with Fourplay and Chaka Khan .

Las Vacas

Today I had the most fantastic steak at this little restaurant in Kelana Jaya called Las Vacas. Actually it's not even a restaurant but rather a butcher's shop that also does dine in for their customers. What you do is pick out the steak from the butchery and they will cook it for you. It's nothing fancy just the steak served with a salad and a slice of ciabatta garlic bread. No gravy, no sauce and no potatoes. The steaks were of such good quality that you didn't need the other stuff. It literally melted in your mouth. They even had wagyu steaks at a fraction of the price you'd pay in Prime, hubby had a rather large one for only RM136. The owner recommended that I try the grain fed ribeye and it was so so good. To me it tasted better then the wagyu and only cost RM45 (well it was a smaller piece).

If you're a steak lover, this place is a must try. The owner mentioned that they were going to open another branch in Mont Kiara .... yeay nearer home !

Las Vacas Meat Shop

No.23, Jalan SS 5A/11, Kelana Jaya

47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 03 78740711 Fax: 03 78740655

closed on Mondays

London Calling

It's been a while since I last bloged, put it down to sheer laziness !

Last February I paid a visit to one of my favourite cities in the world, London. Actually my last visit was April 2009 but I never get tired of London as it's full of memories of my time as a student there. Yea I know it's often cold, rainy and miserable but somehow being in London brings back the good times of when I was young and carefree.

Fortunately London Bridge did not fall down !

Being February it was of course freezing but that didn't stop me from making my way to Oxford Street everyday for the obligatory window shopping ! For the days when the weather was extra horrible, Westfield at Shepard's Bush was the answer.

Somewhere near the London Eye where the que was endless

This time we were there for two weeks and because there were many of us we decided to stay in a short lease apartment. The apartment was in a great location, Lancaster Gate and it was literally 30 steps to the tube station. Great or what ! It was also right in front of Hyde Park not that we went there alot. I think throughout the stay I went across once.

Fountain House

A walk in Hyde Park

We also went to Oxford and it was even colder then London. We stayed in a B&B which was so so. Of course no visit to Oxford would be complete without going to Bicester Village the outlet centre. It's not as big as the outlets in US but I just loved all the European brands available there. Celine, Tods, Burberry, Furla, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo, Dior, Anya Hindmarch, Gucci ... you name it !

Total damage done was only a bag from Celine & Tods, while hubby got himself a Tumi computer bag.

Can't remember the name of the B&B

Bicester Village the "before" picture, after that I was too busy to pose :P

After Oxford the shopping continued in London where I got myself another Mulberry bag at Selfridges. Visted Harrods once to have the fantastic ice cream and encountered a celebrity. It was Brian May of Queen and he was looking at a Versace handbag with a lady friend (well maybe it was his daughter).

Mango Swirl Cheesecake

Mango Swirl Cheesecake

(recipe from www.kraft.com.au)

For the base:

1 1/4 cups digestive biscuit crumbs

80g melted butter

For the filling:

500g Philadephia cream cheese soften

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

3 teaspoons gelatine dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup cream lightly whipped

2 large mangoes chopped

1. Combine biscuit crumbs and butter and press into the base of a greased 22cm springform pan.

2. Beat the Philly* and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice, rind and gelatine mixture until well combined. Fold in the cream and 3/4 of the mango.

3. Pour mixture over prepared base. Puree remaining mango, drizzle over the cheesecake, then using the tip of a knife gently swirl into the cheesecake. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set.