There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. – Aristotle
Monthly Archives: June 2014
Chef Shumpty: Sweet potato, miso and wasabi soup
It is winter and that means soup season. Tonight I tried a recipe I saw on dailylife.com.au during the week which I adapted to my own taste.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
2 French eschallots, peeled, sliced
500g sweet potato, peeled, roughly chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 ½ tablespoons miso paste
1 tablespoon ginger pickling liquid (the juice in the jar of pickled ginger)
wasabi paste to taste
Topping
¼ sheet seaweed, finely sliced
¼ cup coriander leaves, broken up roughly
A few slices of pickled ginger (optional)
Method
Place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the grapeseed oil and sweat the sliced eschallots until soft. Add the sweet potato and toss to coat and cook for one minute until the edges are beginning to caramelize slightly. Add the stock and, after slowly raising the heat to a medium heat, simmer for 25 minutes, stirring regularly to break up the sweet potato, until the stock has reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and whisk through the miso paste and ginger pickling liquid. Add the wasabi to taste whilst continuing to whisk (I like a fair bit of wasabi but be careful not to just make the soup about the wasabi).
Add to a blender and blitz until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, loosen with some milk or additional stock.
Add the topping ingredients to a small bowl and toss to combine.
Pour the soup into serving bowls, top with a generous pinch of the topping and serve warm.
Here is the result:
I loved this soup tonight on a chilly night in Brisbane, however next time out I will use some fresh ginger in place of the pickled ginger juice and soften it at the same time as the eschallots.
Enjoy!!!!
Quote of the Day
Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless. – Jamie Paolinetti
Ipswich Cup Day: Best Bets
The biggest sporting event in Australia today is not a game a soccer or rugby: it is the Ipswich Cup. The jewel of the winter carnival coming from the Ipswich Race Course just a stones throw from my childhood home, this is one of the greatest days on the sporting calendar.
I have been to many an excellent day of racing at Ipswich on Cup day and whilst it is always a difficult day for the punter there is always, also, some value to be found.
My brother-in-law has a theory when it comes to races on Ipswich Cup Day: just back any horse with Jim Byrne on its back. Normally I laugh off this theory but, as you will see from my tips, I have a feeling it is going to be a big day for Byrne at Ipswich.
Best Bets:
Race 1: Number 9 La Tikka Rosa
Race 4: Number 5 Tax Rebate
Race 5: Number 5 Jazz Song
Race 6: Number 1 Alma’s Fury
Race 7: Number 3 Brave Ali
Race 8: Number 3 L’entrecote
As always:
1. Please gamble responsibly.
2. All care is taken with these tips but no responsibility for losses incurred.
Quote of the Day
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius
Quote of the Day
“Duty is the sublimest word in the language. You can never do more than your duty. You should never wish to do less.”
Robert E Lee
