cooking

Boiling Eggs in an air fryer

/ John Bartels / Leave a comment
Photo by Klaus Nielsen on Pexels.com

Here is what ChatGPT says: Using an air fryer to boil eggs is a great method that can produce consistent results. Here are some tips to help you get perfectly cooked eggs using your air fryer:

  1. Temperature and Timing: Set your air fryer to 270°F (132°C). For soft-boiled eggs, cook for about 9-10 minutes. For medium-boiled eggs, 12 minutes works well, and for hard-boiled eggs, aim for around 15 minutes.
  2. No Water Needed: Unlike traditional boiling, you do not need to add water to the air fryer. The eggs cook through the circulating hot air.
  3. Preparation: Place the eggs in the air fryer basket. You don’t need to use a rack unless you are cooking a large batch and need to stack the eggs. If stacking, ensure there is space between the eggs for air circulation.
  4. Cooking in Batches: If you’re cooking more than one egg, make sure not to overcrowd the basket. This allows the hot air to circulate evenly around each egg.
  5. Cooling Down: Once the eggs are done, place them in a bowl of ice water for about 5 minutes. This stops the cooking process and makes peeling easier.
  6. Peeling: Tap the eggs gently to crack the shell and peel under running water. The water helps to slip off the shell smoothly.

These tips should help you achieve perfectly “boiled” eggs in your air fryer. Adjust the cooking times slightly based on your specific air fryer model and the number of eggs you are cooking.

The Tastiest Pie in the World?

/ John Bartels / 1 Comment

Where? Australia. Sydney. Queen Victoria Building. Enter through the George Street entrance. Ground floor. When you recover from the spectacularly beautiful interior, turn left. Walk about 40m. In the centre of the mall is the “Royal Bakery” with tables and chairs. I (John) chose a Steak and Mushroom pie. The pie is full of tender steak, mushrooms and delicious gravy. WARNING: Take care when you cut into the pie or take your first bite! Suddenly out will flow plenty of gravy. And the pastry? Wait until you taste it! Is it the tastiest pie in the world? Most probably! But decide for yourself! See 3 PICTURES below. June 2022.

Waiting to order the pie
The menu

The pies

To get there? The Queen Victoria Building (the “QVB”is a few minutes by tram from Circular Quay. Don’t forget to tap on and tap off with your Opal Card. Enjoy.

Roast lamb on a portable gas Cobb

/ John Bartels / Leave a comment

Here is how:

  • Use a portable gas Cobb.
  • Roast the deboned lamb on the Cobb in an oven bag for a short while.
  • Remove the partially roasted lamb.
  • Pour red wine into the moat of the Cobb
  • Place the lamb on the Cobb and complete the roasting.
  • Carve
  • Enjoy

Here are some pictures including a video that tell the story. The video is below.

  • Wine in moat
  • Ready for final roast
Roasting with lid on Cobb

https://videopress.com/v/Y4kCUf8y?preloadContent=metadata

Lock Down Pumpkin And Potato Rossties

/ John Bartels / 1 Comment

Here is how to make this delicious lock down meal. Thanks to two great lock down cooks in freezing London, February 2021.

Scroll down. Very short videos and pictures. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water!

https://videopress.com/v/Qm4ye4x8?preloadContent=metadata
https://videopress.com/v/FJrPngPT?preloadContent=metadata
https://videopress.com/v/Swtg2oQ7?preloadContent=metadata

Cooking Pots, Guns and Kitchen Safety

/ John Bartels / Leave a comment

What do guns and cooking pots have in common when it comes to kitchen safety? As it turns out, plenty. Growing up half a century ago as a young boy in a beautiful country in Africa, it was drummed into me by my amazing hunting grandmother that you never point a gun at a person even if the gun is not loaded. Break that rule, get the unloaded assumption wrong. and you are heading for tragedy.

I think the rule should apply to toy guns as well.

The same rule applies to cooking pots. Always put cooking pots on genuine heat resistant surfaces, even when the pots are cold. It is a good habit to get into. Never assume that the pot is not hot . Have a look at the picture to see what happens if you get the assumption wrong!

See? Guns and cooking pots have plenty to teach us.

John

Sandwich Toaster Cleaning Tip

/ John Bartels / Leave a comment

This really works. Tear off two sheets of kitchen paper toweling. Fold it double. Saturate it with water. As soon as you take the toasted sandwich out of the snackwich maker, put in the saturated towel. Shut the lid. There will be all sorts of hissing and steaming noises. A short while later when you remove the paper, it will leave the snackwich maker very clean/

John

Toasted Cheese Sandwich Tip

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The secret is to start with toast. Toast two pieces of bread. Cover 100% of one side of both pieces of toast with butter. Cover the unbuttered side of one piece of toast with plenty of chutney. On top of the chutney put a generous amount of grated cheese. Place the other piece of toast, unbuttered side down, on top of the cheese. The sandwich is ready to go into the hot sandwich toaster. Remember, the butter is on the outside – top and bottom. Toast the sandwich and enjoy.

Why does it taste so good? If you like fried bread I don’t have to tell you why!

John

Patricia’s Mouth Watering Crisp, Crunchy “Roast” Potatoes

/ John Bartels / 1 Comment

On your phone? Scroll down. There are 3 photos. Thanks.

Here is how my wife made crisp, crunchy “roast” potatoes for our 2021 New Year’s Day roast lamb lunch.

First she peeled some potatoes, cut them in half and par boiled them in salt water (Don’t let them get too soft). Next she poured the potatoes into a colander and let them stand for a few minutes. Then, she lightly scuffed the potatoes with a fork so that they were not too smooth and sprinkled coarse sea salt over the potatoes. (Scuffing the potatoes makes them come out really crisp and crunchy!). Finally, she fried the potatoes in a pan. She used Canola oil. Quite deep.

Look at the results. No need to say more!