Thermomix Varoma Steamed Dumplings

This is part of the recipe that I had prepared last year, and then forgot to put on the blog!!

The basic recipe can be altered with different fillings.

Chicken and Pistachio Dumplings in the Varoma

makes 20


80 g unsalted pistachio nuts
1 clove garlic
300 g chicken thighs cut into 2cm chunks,
and partly frozen
2 tablespoons mint
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt

20 round gow gee dumpling or wonton wrappers

sauce
1 small onion, quartered
1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons dry white wine
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)


Place the pistachios in the TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7. Add garlic and chop for another 5 seconds on speed 7. Add chicken, mint, lemon zest, allspice, cinnamon, Tabasco, black pepper and some salt to TM bowl. Chop and combine the chicken by hitting Turbo 4 or 5 times. It should still have some texture and not look like a paste.

Line the Varoma dish and tray with some baking paper and punch with holes. Spoon the mixture into the centre of the gow gee wrappers and bring the edges up around the filling, pleating as you go to encase the filling (leave the top open). Place the dumplings in a single layer on top and cover with the lid. Leave aside while preparing the sauce.

Place the onion, chilli and garlic in the TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7. Add oil and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the wine, tomatoes, cinnamon and Tabasco, if using, set the TM for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on reverse and speed 1. Place the Varoma on top and allow the dumplings to steam while the sauce is cooking.

You may need to check after about 10 minutes and move some of the dumplings from the main Varoma dish to the tray and vice versa to ensure even cooking. If the dumplings start to dry out during cooking, brush generously with water.

After the dumplings have cooked, remove the Varoma and leave aside covered to keep the dumplings warm. Open the TM lid and remove the cinnamon stick. Place the MC back in lid and slowly bring the speed up to speed 9 and blend for 40 seconds, or until smooth, then season well.

To serve, spoon the sauce onto serving plates and place the dumplings on top, or arrange the dumplings on a platter and use the sauce for dipping.

Thermomix Beetroot and Chocolate Custards

A dish using the combination of chocolate and beetroot in a sweet custrad that cooks well in the Varoma. So you only need the Thermomix to prepare these little delights

Sweet Beetroot and Chocolate Custards


Ingredients:

rind of half an orange
100g sugar
300g beetroot, unpeeled, cut into chunks
1 MC (100ml) orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
90g dark chocolate, Melts or broken
roughly into chunks
3 eggs
6 greased dariole moulds
600g water

Method:

Place orange rind and sugar into TM bowl and chop for 30 seconds on Speed 7.

Add beetroot to TM bowl and grate for 20 - 30 seconds on Speed 8. The pieces should be similar in size to rice grains. Add orange juice and salt and cook for 20 - 30 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1 with the MC in place.

Add chocolate and blend for 10 seconds on Speed 5.

Add eggs and blend for 10 seconds on Speed 4.

Place mixture into greased dariole moulds and position in the Varoma. Place the 600g water into the TM bowl (no need to clean) and set for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Serve with whipped cream, yoghurt, yoghurt ice cream, ice cream, ….

Thermomix Cauliflower and Almond Soup

Well, another cauliflower soup - just for a change. One that uses the Thermomix to firstly grind the almonds to speed up cooking and then cooks the soup and finally blitzs it to a smooth velvety finish.






Cauliflower and Almond Soup

Ingredients:

few saffron threads
1/2 MC (50ml) water
100g almonds
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
500g cauliflower, cut into chunks
1000g stock, chicken or vegetable
freshly ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
100ml cream


Method:

Place saffron threads into the water and keep aside.

Place almonds into TM bowl and grind for 30 seconds on Speed 9. Remove and set aside.

Place onion into TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 5. Add oil and sauté for 4 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1.

Add cauliflower to TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 5.

Add stock, nutmeg, salt and pepper to TM bowl and cook for 15 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1. Add almonds and saffron in water to TM bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 90°C on Speed 2.

Make sure the MC is in place and slowly increase the Speed up to 9 for 30 seconds. Add the cream and blend for 20 seconds on Speed 4.

Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with more cream over the top.

Thermomix Carrot & White Chocolate Custards

Well, following on from the cake, it seemed natural to try a custard cooked in the Varoma.

It has a delicious flavour and wonderful texture with the carrot and white chocolate.



Carrot and White Chocolate Custards


Ingredients:

rind of half an orange
50g sugar
300g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 MC (50ml) orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
100g white chocolate, Melts or broken
roughly into chunks
3 eggs
6 greased dariole moulds
600g water

Method:

Place orange rind and sugar into TM bowl and chop for 30 seconds on Speed 7.

Add carrot to TM bowl and grate for 20 - 30 seconds on Speed 8. The pieces should be smaller than rice grains. Add orange juice and salt and cook for 15 - 20 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1 with the MC in place.

Add chocolate and blend for 10 seconds on Speed 5.

Add eggs and blend for 10 seconds on Speed 4.

Place mixture into greased dariole moulds and position in the Varoma. Place the 600g water into the TM bowl (no need to clean) and set for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Serve with whipped cream, cream mixed with melted white chocolate, ….

Thermomix Carrot and White Chocolate Cake

The idea for this recipe came from a dish that I ate in Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. It was a carrot and white chocolate sorbet, served as a palate cleanser.

I had seen a recipe for carrots and white chocolate in an American book, by Robert Lambert (1990) and decided to try making a cake with the combination.

It would be great served with white chocolate and cream cheese icing.



Carrot and White Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
300g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
200g white chocolate, Melts or broken
roughly into chunks
100g almonds
100g sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g Self-Raising flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced)

Place carrot in TM bowl and chop for 20 seconds on Speed 7. Remove and place in separate bowl.

Place chocolate in TM bowl and chop for 10 - 20 seconds on Speed 7. Remove and add to bowl with carrots.

Place almonds in TM bowl and chop for 10 - 20 seconds on Speed 7. Remove and add to bowl with carrots and chocolate.

Add sugar to TM bowl and grind for 5 seconds on Speed 9. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds on Speed 5.

Add carrot, chocolate and almond mix and blend for 30 seconds on Speed 5.

Add remaining ingredients (flour, bicarb and salt) and blend for 20 seconds on Speed 6.

Place mixture into greased cake tin and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, testing after 1 hour to see if skewer comes out clean.

Can be iced with white chocolate and cream cheese topping for an extra chocolate hit.

Thermomix ChocBeet Cream

This came from a week of developing recipes with beetroot and chocolate.

It not only looks delicious, tastes good and is full of healthy beetroot (and not so healthy chocolate and cream)

Simple, but yummy.

Thermomix ChocBeet Cream

Ingredients:

400 g beetroot, cut into chunks
(don’t bother peeling,
just wash and remove top and root tip)
50 g orange juice
pinch salt
100 g milk or dark chocolate
200 ml cream (35%)


Method:

Place the beetroot in the TM bowl and chop for 20 seconds on speed 8.

Add orange juice and salt and cook for 25 minutes at 90°C on speed 1.

Add chocolate to TM bowl and blend for 15 seconds on speed 8.

Remove mixture to a bowl and allow to cool while cleaning TM bowl.

Make sure the bowl is clean and dry. Place Butterfly on blades and place cream into TM bowl. Whip for 30 - 40 seconds on Speed 4, until the cream is holding shape.

Add beetroot and chocolate mixture and whip for 10 -15 seconds on Speed 3 until mixed well.

Serve as is, or cool in fridge before serving.

Thermomix for "Poaching" Eggs

I first saw Tony Tan demonstrate this technique a few years ago, and then saw Dario Barrio, from Dassa Bassa restaurant in Madrid, demonstrate the same idea in his version of an English Breakfast at Alambique cooking school.

























The eggs take on an interesting shape and it makes for a very easy method of "poaching" by wrapping the eggs in plastic wrap before "poaching"



"Poached" Eggs in the Thermomix

6 eggs
dariole moulds or small cups
plastic wrap
oil to grease
rubber bands
500g water

Method:

The plastic wrap is placed inside a dariole mould or cup so that the egg can be broken into it. I find it easier to grease the wrap before placing the eggs into the wrap and the parcels are then tied using a rubber band to seal it without air.

The little packages are then placed into the Thermomix basket.

Place the water into the TM bowl and cook for 6 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Place the basket with egg parcels into the TM bowl and "poach" for 4-6 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Season with S & P and serve immediately with toast soldiers.