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Category Archives: Vivienne

A BANKING STORY

12 Sunday Sep 2021

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Vivienne

≈ 10 Comments

100th anniversary of the opening of the Bank of NSW in Wodonga – Mayor Stone and original stone laying party

In which Viv takes on the vicissitudes of the retail finance industry

Five years ago I wanted to transfer a large sum of money to my daughter for her wedding.  I went to my local branch and must have picked a day where I got the thickest person possible.  This is what happened when I told her what I wanted to do:

Bank woman: Do you have internet banking?

Me:  no.   (Me, thinks to herself, well der, if I did why would I fucking come here to do a transfer)

Bank woman: $30 fee to do transfer

Bank woman:  or $12 to do a bank cheque.  

Me – I wanted it done electronically.  I can write a cheque out anytime.

Bank woman:   I could give you $ CASH and you could walk over and up to ANZ bank in Lavington.

Me:   I might get mugged.

Me:  here is the account number and BSB details

Bank:    we need the address of the bank

Me:  somewhere in Wodonga

Bank:   have to have the street address.     I could give you cash ….. blah blah

Me:  I think I’ll just give my daughter a cheque after all.

(I now have internet banking.)

POSSUMS ARE CONTORTIONISTS AND ACROBATS*

26 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Vivienne

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Possum eviction

Story by Vivienne

Early this year my family of possums abandoned their tree homes (which we’d planted for them) and took to living in the ceiling of my home.  For some months I puzzled as to how they were getting in.  They took to fighting or mating just above my bedroom and another was doing the same at the opposite end of the house.  I had thumps and bumps and hissing and growling going on when they were heading out for the night and coming back in for sleep.  Then about two months ago I finally woke up to how they were getting in at one end.  Above the roller door.

I enlisted help of son in law and together we dismantled a wooden bed using the wooden slats as timber to cover up the hole.  Yay, peace at one end for one night and then they were back.  The buggers had chewed off chunks of timber and squeezed themselves back in.  So, piss on my car and poo on the floor continued at a pace. 

I then enlisted help of neighbour John.  He’s very handy and has tools.  (Also, in and out of lockdown meant son in law couldn’t cross the border.)  John inspected and agreed with my diagnosis.  One continuous piece of timber instead of six slats (three for each roller door – it’s a big garage, six squares).  This would give them less opportunity to find a grip.  The timber was beautifully stained to match the surrounding timber of the house.  Yay, peace again – but only for one night.  The buggers still managed to chew a gap out of the new timber.  Unbelievable.

John also had a better look at the east end of the house and found one corner where there was a gap that they could squeeze through.

Now, the big problem with all this is blocking up the entry points while the possums are outside.  The garage door was okay as I could leave it open a bit and then close it when I knew possums were out.  Not so the east end of the house.   John decided a heap of non-grip metal sheeting would stop them getting back in.  He did a beautiful job.  But that night there was so much kerfuffle going on in the roof I wondered if they couldn’t get out.  John came up with a long piece of 2 x 4 and put it there as a ladder.  Of course once I was sure they were out I had to remove the ‘ladder’.

Meanwhile we’re thinking about the garage end.  Metal, metal all the way.  John had scrap bits of long metal and we completely closed off one door and left a gap in the other.  The darn lock stuck out a bit and so it had to have a gap left.  This should do the trick, we thought.  Next day I do the morning inspection.  The whole roller door is covered in piss and the possums have squeezed in. After a lot of cleaning I called John to come and see what happened. Decided to move the metal in a little bit.  A little bit in this case was only a centimetre.  More unscrewing and screwing.  Next day it is a big yay.

This still left the matter of blocking up the east end hole.  So dear John agreed to come up at 7.30 pm in the damp and cold and do the job.  Down came the metal sheeting and in went a piece of wood which he’d mentally calculated the perfect width and length.  Nailed in.

Next day it is a big yay. 

But in their grumpiness the possums had a go at the other side of the east end and knocked out two bricks (put there to block entry to birds).  John fixed that with another piece of timber.

So, now one week later I have no possums in the garage or squeezed into the ceiling.  Bliss.  No more fighting or fucking, hissing or running around at 3.30 to 4.30 am.

John lives in the farm about 500 metres down our little road.  We’ve known each other for about 35 years.  He’s lent us his ram to service our ewes and made new fittings for the gully trap, shared Christmas gatherings with us and another neighbour (since moved north).  He’s a fitter and turner as well as a farmer.  I’m 71 and he’s 72 (happily married to second wife).  I was his assistant.  Beating the possums at their own game was a bit of a marathon.

The possums occasionally express their displeasure by doing a few laps on the roof.

Fur-clad miscreant

I managed to get this photograph when I saw him on the verandah – I shot up and put the outdoor light on and caught him frozen on the rafter pretending he wasn’t there.

When you see the size of one of my possums it is hard to image that they can get in a gap which is about 4 x 8 centimetres.  Piece of cake apparently.  Roller access was also improved by their ability to push the door in (it’s actually flexible).  One also has to be a contortionist and an acrobat.

Vivienne’s story August 2021

* Editors Translation – Bastards who are not protected in New Zealand and who make good insulation when their fur is spun into merino wool and made into jumpers.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE BEING A CARER

20 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Vivienne

≈ 3 Comments

Simulated picture of a Live-in Carer and patient

(As long as you don’t mind dealing with a lot of shit)

or…….

How to be a Carer of a person with multiple problems arising from cancer treatment.

Keep calm and have patience in abundance.

Remember that a woman can do anything.  Men probably can too when it comes to the crunch.

Have a strong stomach for icky stuff.

Do a lot of research.

Never accept anything without questioning it.

Remember your gut feeling is usually right.

Be tech savvy because programable nutrition pumping machines don’t come with instructions and are not logical.

Keep important phone numbers at hand at home and on your mobile phone.

Makes notes every day.  You’ll be amazed at questions doctors ask because they don’t have any notes passed on to them by other doctors or nursing staff especially when you’re dealing with three different hospitals.  Type notes up on your computer and run an up-to-date copy off for every major event.

Observe the patient’s reactions and changes which may be related to changes in medications or new medications.

If you’re calling the ambulance at night put all house lights on – inside and outside – because there’s no street lighting in non town/village areas (our house is 200 metres from the gravel road).

If patient has collapsed at home, keep very calm even if they look like death warmed up.

Buy twice as many PJs as you think are needed and don’t be surprised at how hard it is to buy summer ones during the summer, especially ones the right size. You can’t be choosey about the colour either.

Be lucky to have a good small ceramic mortar and pestle for turning to powder pills which have to be administered via a feeding tube.  Getting them in is another thing because they don’t really dissolve and quickly like to form a sediment.

Be good at making baby food and transitioning to moist grown up food.

Have lots of rolls of paper towels and big and thick tissues.

Don’t mind doing repetitive rather boring stuff.  

Get a pee bottle.

Be excellent at timetabling and shopping with very limited time.

Be good at filling in very lengthy forms.

If possible, have private top hospital health insurance.  Out of pocket expenses have been inconsequential.

Be lucky at getting a park at the hospital carpark (good luck with that indeed).

Try not to forget to feed yourself and keep on enjoying a wine or two or three.

Note: this is an extremely short version of my experiences over last thirteen months.  There are some details which no one really needs to know – like what really bad constipation is like when your bladder has gone to sleep after an operation (who knew that could happen and why weren’t we warned?) and why they demand half your teeth have to be pulled (well that did cost a small fortune). The good news is that the patient is close to being back to normal.

By Vivienne

Biltong – sort of !

31 Sunday Dec 2017

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in The Dining Room, Vivienne

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Biltong, Vivienne

 

images

Vivienne patiently waits for her biltong

 

Recipe from our Chef du Jour Vivienne

Make this on the day you want to eat it.  Great as a pre-dinner/bbq/party nibble.

One whole skirt steak (which makes the quantity shown on the tray ready for the oven).

Usually too long, so cut in half and then cut into strips starting from what was the side – that is, you cut with the grain, not across it.  Where meat is thicker, tip strip on to side and cut in half again.

Cutting Biltong

In a glass bowl mix:

  • biltong mixing2 teaspoons of ground ginger
  • 2 minced cloves of garlic (I’ve use fresh and the jar stuff, either are fine)
  • Half a cup of brown sugar (not the dark stuff)
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce  (although I think I used more like a dessert spoon)
  • 3 tablespoons of kepjac manis
  • 3 tablespoons of regular soy
  • Salt – about 1 level teaspoon
  • Some pepper

Add the meat and ensure well coated.

Marinate for minimum of 1 hour but no more than 1 and a half hours – no need to put in fridge as is best at room temperature in your house.

Place on racks on a tray.  Close together.

biltong tray

Preheat oven to 140c and cook at least 1 and a half hours (up to no more than 2 hrs) – this depends on your oven (they do vary).  My oven is not fan forced.

Biltong Eat

Cool a little.  Eat

 

 

 

Nurse Barbara – Gravel Rock meets SAVLON

19 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by Mark in Mark, Vivienne

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Foodge, Mark, Nurse Barbara, Savlon, Vivienne

nurse03

Written by HOO aka Mark

“Why don’t people in these stories ever answer their phones, isn’t that why they were created” says Nurse Barbara to herself, odd seeing she actually is alone and no one is actually answering the phone. Sandy won’t answer, Gordon is watching TV and the Bish is smoking in his den. My bet is they’re down the pub. I’d tell the Bishop but he’ll just say lets bring it up at the meeting and then has any one ordered the pizza’s yet, a true leader as her thoughts waft to anchovy and olive pizza, hmm.

Anyhoo, down at the pub Foodge was feeling a little edgy till a Little Edgy moved away from Foodge to the end of the bar. See Little Edgy was a girls only kind of guy and didn’t like Foodge feeling him but lets face who would want to feel a Little Edgy all the time. Hmm.

“What’s with you Foodge?” asks Merv noticing Foodge, looking like he was a Little Edgy, given the few pints or so he had for breakfast and focusing postprandial is never a good time for Merv.

“Well Sandy won’t get out of bed. Now I have to take Nurse Barbara out to the farm, somethings happened” bemoans Foodge.

“I’ll take my bloody self” says Nurse Barbara as she strides into the bar. “Pass me the phone thingy on the counter Merv, I’m ringing Viv and she can come with me. None of you layabouts are any good to me” asserts Barbara.

“It’s Saturday afternoon for Gordon sake, every one will be on the grog or just about to” informs Merv in his laconic rasp.

“Not us nurses mate, never off duty” says Nurse Barbara.

The phone rings out on the farm. Viv’s Husband answers the phone “Hello, Hollow MagpiesHollow here, Viv’s Husband speaking” says Viv’s Husband surprisingly.

“Viv” continues Viv’s husband, as my fingers wish I had thought of shorter name to call him “It’s the telephone, you know with the wires and stuff, like the tin cans with strings, like in the good old days, it’s Nurse Barbara” laments you know who.

“Yes Nurse Barbara” Viv states as she marvels at the technology built into these tales, how quaint  “come over now and pick me up or at worst follow the script. It’s the girls, they’re into this new fad, gravel rock it’s called, No Through Road is the album they just all must have” continues Viv in concern for her two daughters DeeOne and DeeTwo, phew says my fingers.

“What’s the name of the band?” asks Nurse Barbara as she orders a pint at the bar. Bloody smokes, she thinks must give them up one day, next we will know that they’re harmful, can’t have that now can we.

“Boom Crash Opera or Severe Tonsillitis, something like that” says Viv thinking back to the good old days of gramophone records and that dinner music band, hmm, ACDC.

“I’ll be there straight away” says Nurse Barbara downing her pint and butting her fag out.

nev blond walk away survillanceNurse Barbara arrives at the farm and is greeted by Viv along with DeeOne and DeeTwo.

“Now it’s good to see that you girls are alright after that gravel rock, knock, knock, crying sort of stuff, music as you loosely describe it but it can causing bleeding and permanent damage” says Nurse Barbara.

“Oh, look Nurse Barbara” cries Viv, “My husbands toe has just dropped off” as the astonishment builds so much here it’s almost palpable, palpable a nice word used to describe something that barely has a pulse.

“Damn” says Viv’s Husband “was going to work on the lawn but looks like I might have to put up what remains of my feet and watch the cricket, cheery oh” as he strides to the lounge room  via the fridge to get a beer. Now that’s a man.

“See girls” says Nurse Barbara as she shakes her head at the waste of it all

Tacit pause while all players readjust their priorities. Usually happens after an event like this, a debrief so to speak, yes folks, gravel rock can ruin your life unless you have SAVLON(Super Anti Vaccine Lancomycin On NetGel), yes an acronym, finally, you all say.

savlon“No Barb it’s not wasted” says Viv as the typing gets harder “what you need is SAVLON see up and to the left of screen, yeah that will fix any girls desire for gravel rock, or boom crash crying whatever” talks Viv, as seen on TV, “even tipped some in hubby’s port, hasn’t had a drink since”

“But…” interjects Nurse Barbara  as her hit count drops.

“Barb, I’m telling you, this will stop sheep’s guts from going rotten, seen it myself  I did, own two eyes, yep, sheep lived long enough to make it to market, er, um, to, er, be, um….” says Viv

“Sheet Viv, sheet” is all Barbara could muster, eyes widened as the authors BGL levels diminish.

 

 

 

 

 

Nurse Barbara – Are you Serious?

19 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by Mark in Mark, Vivienne

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Beechworth, Mark, Nurse Barbara, Viv, Vivienne

Written by Mark. True stories by Vivienne.

If you haven’t read the first part go here

Nurse Barbara Bees Lips Misses Finger

After all this time writing here and elsewhere I have rarely written anything serious or should I say real or factual. This will be different for us both. No pictures but stick with me, I think this is important.

I have recently had some conversations with Vivienne asking if she could provide some snippets about Nurse Barbara, as you know Vivienne and Nurse Barbara are the same person. Vivienne sent half a dozen snippets or so and gave me editorial control of that information to use here at the Arms.

I used humour on some of the ones that had ready to go material in them but the real story is quite different. It shows a multiple skill set application used by someone who lives somewhat isolated. That skill set develops over time and often comes from events. Mainly these events are urgent  however you usually have to do something or you know that something bad is going to happen. So you do something. This needs to be recognised.

Now the dog was bitten on the lip by a bee, Viv’ husband called out to her that the dog didn’t look right and Nurse Barbara better come and attend.  Nurse Barbara removed the sting and applied Beechworth honey to the wound. The dog recovered half an hour later. The name Nurse Barbara has stuck ever since.

The said friend did have his finger saved by Nurse Barbara and the gag about the finger going the wrong way came from Viv or one of her family going to hospital and being asked why they thought their finger was broken to which they replied “well, it’s pointing in the opposite direction for a start…”

All what we would call the nursing process, assess, plan, implement and review.

Now here’s a first, well at the Arms any way. Here’s the next episode of Nurse Barbara but the truth first, Dr HOO’s version will come second. I’m combining these two snippets in to one story but I want you to hear the real ones first, unedited.

 

Road gravel and broken wrist

“Viv’s daughters were riding their bikes one Saturday afternoon. The road was safe, a gravel no through road. It was good as daughter No.2 had just recovered from a severe bout of tonsillitis. A lovely spring day too. Then knock knock and crying could be heard. Viv opened door to the sight of daughter No.1 covered in blood and crying in pain and panic. Daughter No.2 was okay but they were both exhausted. They’d crashed into each other. One hit the gravel badly. Nurse Barbara went into action. Where was the source of the blood. To the bathroom and a lot of gentle washing and picking out of gravel from chin and knees and hands. Then finally – oh dear, broken wrist. Panadol first, then phone off duty doctor. Drive to town. Doc wants an X-ray. Off to hospital –what a bugger. Back to doc who confirms what Nurse Barbara said – broken wrist (really!). Finally back home. The next day hubby cut off his big toe in ride-on mower accident. This time Nurse Barbara called the ambulance. She then hosed the blood off the verandah. Next day she fixed the mower so it automatically cut out the mower when no one on it. Then ensued three months of nursing. The toe did not grow back.”

That’s a busy weekend and when I read it, I could strongly identify with most of the aspects of the work. One of my nursing roles was, you’re it, look after anyone that comes through that door.

The other issue here is outcome. Injury and illness cause consequence. At many stages on our journey through life the truth tells us what those consequences really mean. Humour can but won’t necessarily do all of that for us. Again this requires recognition.

Now I am going to tie all this in with this gem. Excellent work here by Nurse Barbara.

The Mauled Lamb

“Savlon to the rescue. The lamb’s stomach was ripped open. Nurse Barbara – we have to save it says hubby as he pours himself a port. Do something! All I’ve got is Savlon and a sheet. Squeezed whole contents of tube of Savlon into open wound, cuts up sheet, winds it around lamb’s body, put lamb into laundry with a Hessian sack covering whole body. Next day – it was alive and got up and took off to join the other sheep. It recovered – sheet gradually unravelled after a few days. Got top money at market a year later.”

Clever work for certain. Now the Dr HOO version isn’t written yet but it will be soon as the writing bug continues. Nurse Barbara will have to go herself because Sandy won’t want to get out of bed, Gordon is busy watching TV and the Bish is in the den smoking. Can’t wait.

Cheers

Mark

 

 

 

 

Nurse Barbara – Bee’s Lips Misses Finger

18 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by Mark in Vivienne

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Nurse Barbara, Viv

tiny microbus

The 4WD

Based on trues stories by Vivienne

Hi all, Sandy here from Inner Cyberia. The Bish wants me to investigate this amazing, well actually incredibly amazing story that a bee’s lips misses someone’s finger and here I am in the four wheel drive heading way back out the back of out there somewhere, hmm.

Anyhoo I have brought along with me Nurse Barbara. “Say hello Barbara”

“Hello Barbara” says Nurse Barbara “been wantin’ to that one for years. Got any cigarettes, hidden stash, bottle, cash?” asks Barbara “Nah, didn’t think so, don’t seem the type.”

“I hope you can fix this poor person” I inform “it’s a lady called Viv, but it’s not Viv” I ramble.

“So, you purse carrying nancy boy, you are dragging me out here to see someone who was called Viv but then it changed and then it became Viv again! Crikey you have a nerve” completes Nurse Barbara.

“It’s Viv’s husband, not Viv.” I say.

“What’s his name ?”asks Nurse Barbara.

“Viv’s Husband, er, um, yeah that’s right, it’s Viv’s Husband for certain, yes his bee’s lips have missed someones finger” I confabulate wonderfully.

“Turn in here” points Nurse Barbara. Waiting at the gate is Viv and we pull over and get out and meet her.

“That bloody husband of mine let that bloody dog in the back yard and yelled ‘Nurse Barbara’ so we thought it must have been yours” says Viv.

“Nah not mine” says Nurse Barbara with typical nurse authority, “Oh and what happened to all of those things in the title, see read it at the top of the screen. It says Bee’s Lips Misses Finger.”

008

So cute

“That’s true, guess we got Nurse Barbara bit so far then it says ‘Bee’s Lips’. That’s right the script goes, well I looked at the dog, the dog wasn’t right, or left for that matter and her mouth was swollen bigger than big, right” continues Viv.

“Sit, stay” says Nurse Barbara to the cute little dog who is simulated on the right, opened up her magnificent and world famous chest and with her best and finest tweezers and skilfully removed a bee sting from the dogs lip.

“I’ll put Beechworth honey on those lips and they’ll be fine in half an hour. Fancy a sherry Nurse Barbara?” asks Viv. “The men can sit out side and scratch their nuts, lets face it, that’s all they are good at aren’t they, oh that and the reproductive organ” laughed the girls as they strolled arm in arm up to the veranda in the shade.

“Now what about Misses Finger?” asks Nurse Barbara reading the rest of the story title.

“Oh Mrs Finger, she lived down the road and round the corner. Moved on ages ago anyhoo a friend, who shall remain nameless, was doing a little chainsaw work for her.  Due to a lack of attention said friend sawed off the said side of his right said forefinger.” say Viv, totally ignoring tense due to “said” overuse in the last sentence. Thankfully at this moment her cat and keyboard are no where in sight.

my kinda santa

Nurse Barbara

What would Nurse Barbara do, hmm thinks Viv– I don’t have a big enough bandaid. “Please sit down while I drive to town for some supplies.”  Can’t you just hear the Benny Hill Theme Song playing here. At the chemist Viv found just the ticket – a couple of metres of continuous fine medical material, gloves and an internal applicator (with instructions and gel!). Hmm.

“Every day Nurse Barbara” says Viv now returning to tense and sense “I re-bandaged the finger until it had healed. Miraculously the finger also grew back.”

“You’re saint Viv, me and you are like minded” gushes Nurse Barbara.

“Well there is only one tiny little problem” fesses Viv “Well I put the finger on the wrong way…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holly’s Pork Dumplings

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Vivienne

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Pork Dumplings

Vivs pork dumplings 

Vivienne’s Daughter Can Cook Too – and please note that they are gluten free.

Filling:

  • 500g pork
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp finely diced ginger
  • 4 medium sized spring onion sliced finely
  • 2 tblsp of finely chopped coriander leaves, stem and root (give them a good rinse first)
  • 1 tsp Korean chilli powder
  • 2 tsp Soy Sauce (MegaChef brand)
  • 1 tblsp Shaoxing Rice Wine
  • 1 tsp Fish Sauce (Megachef brand)
  • 2 tsp Ketjap Manis
  • Pepper

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl mixing thoroughly so all ingredients are evenly blended through the mince. Have a good smell and it should have a nice sweet, sour and salty smell to it. You will be able to smell the Shaoxing wine mostly – however this will settle once cooked and it ensures the mince is beautifully seasoned.

Sit this in the fridge for a couple of hours or even over night if convenient. Just make sure it is well covered so the mince doesn’t dry out.

Wrappers

  • ¾ cup of Potato flour
  • ¾ cup of Besan flour (chickpea flour)
  • 2 tblsp Tapioca Starch
  • ¾ tsp Xanthum Gum
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ to ¾ water

Mix all ingredients together well (there is no need to sift the flours as they are so fine). Boil a kettle of water. While the water is still really, really hot, pour in a bit at a time while stirring the flour vigorously.

You may only need ½ cup to ¾ cup of hot water to combine – you will notice that while you stir it will come together and the potato flour will almost cook. Do not add too much water as the dough wont have the right texture.  It may take a couple of goes to start to understand the dough which reacts very differently to a normal dough (it took me a few goes!).

Once it has come together sprinkle with a little more potato flour and knead until the outside becomes lovely and silky smooth. Set aside to cool before use.

Viv Dumnpling 2

To make the dumplings:

Break off a 20 cent sized ball of dough and on a floured board (use potato flour or rice flour for the board) roll out thinly.  You want it quite thin (the same as shop bought wonton wrappers).

Then make the pork mixture into small balls and place into the middle of the wrapper and pinch the edges up around the sides of the pork mixture but leave the top exposed – this just makes it easier to tell when they are cooked (and it looks more authentically ‘dim sum’).

To cook, place in a steamer on top of some non stick baking paper.  Steam for about 5 minutes, not much longer- they actually cook very quickly.

Serve on their own, with a dipping sauce of your choice and or in a lovely warming broth of your choice.

Suggested dipping sauce:

Soy sauce with a dash of sesame oil and a glug of ketjap manis, stir well.

Enjoy!

Holly’s Korean Style Barbecue Steak

26 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Entertainment Upstairs, Vivienne

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

Holly, Korean Barbecue Steak, Vivienne

Vivs Daughters Recipe

VIVIENNE’s Daughter Can Cook Too

Recipe for one hungry person!

  • 1 good quality scotch fillet steak

Marinade

Holly Pic 2

  • Korean BBQ marinading sauce (see photo)
  • 1 glove garlic crushed
  • 1 tsp ginger diced very finely
  • 1 tblsp good quality soy sauce (I recommend the MegaChef brand)
  • 2 tsp good quality fish sauce (I recommend the MegaChef brand).

Accompaniments

Holly Pic 3

  • Kim Chi – available at your Asian grocer or Asian food market. Cabbage Kim Chi is most suitable.
  • Blanched julienne carrot (as much as you like)
  • Blanched julienne zucchini (as much as you like)
  • Blanched bean sprouts  (as much as you like)
  • White bean paste (see photo) (just a small ‘dollop’)
  • 1 small bowl of steamed jasmine rice (cooked in water with plenty of salt)

Method:

Slice steak into thin strips then mix in with the Marinade ingredients for at least ½ hour. No need to marinate for longer than an hour.

Heat a heavy based pan.  You can add a small amount of oil if you wish but if you know your pan can handle it, just leave it dry.  Once the pan is almost smoking hot, add the marinated steak and cook until well done, aromatic and caramelised.

Take half of the blanched zucchini and half the blanched bean sprouts and place in a small bowl with some Japanese style mayonnaise and a good squeeze of lemon. Mix together. This goes well with the plain crunchy vegetables.

Place the cooked beef on a suitable plate and add the side dishes but keep your rice bowl separate so you can have each mouthful as the perfect bite- a little bit of everything. You might like to use a nice big spoon and then with chopsticks put a bit of everything on the spoon and then shove it in your gob! Yummy!

VIVIENNE’s Back on the BBQ

23 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by Therese Trouserzoff in Vivienne

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

barbecue, chicken skewers, leg of lamb, Vivienne's recipes

butterflied-lamb

One boned leg of lamb

The marinade is from Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion (1st edition). I first used it to marinate a boned leg of lamb in the late 90s.

Mix together –

  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon light soy
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary leaves
  • Ground black pepper

Stephanie omitted recommending how long to marinate but experience says a good four hours. It is more like a paste so spread it over a butterflied leg of lamb having trimmed excess fat.   Because the lamb is butterflied it does not take long to cook and cooking time depends on the level of preferred pinkness. Please do not overcook. Best cooked on the hot plate. Serve sliced up with salads or whatever takes your fancy.

Chicken skewers

finalchicken

Marinate 2cm cubes of chicken thighs in the following mixture. (This would do at least 1 kg of chicken.)

  • Juice and grated rind of a whole lemon
  • Crushed garlic – about 5 standard cloves
  • Handful of chopped fresh Oregano
  • Salt (preferably Murray River flakes)
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • A finely chopped fresh red chilli and a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Olive oil to combine all together and enough to coat the chicken

I recommend tasting the marinade to see if it is to your liking. You may wish to adjust things a little. A couple of hours marinating is all that is needed. Skewer up and cook on the BBQ grill.

You might like to make this rice salad – it is rather delicious.

Brown rice salad

Cook one cup of brown rice, allow to drain well and completely cool. Then add the following dressing and vegetables.

Dressing –

  • Juice of a whole lemon
  • Teaspoon of crushed garlic
  • 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of peanut oil/vegetable oil

Add 3 sticks celery chopped up; half a large red capsicum chopped up; small can of corn; currants (handful) and 3 spring onions sliced. Mix altogether. Then add couple handfuls of roughly chopped cashews dry toasted in pan (add salt if they are unsalted).

—ooo—

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