Classic Tuna Mornay

INGREDIENTS

250g short pasta, (we used Tortiglioni)
40g butter
3 tablespoons plain flour
1½ cups milk
1 cup cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten, optional
salt and pinch of white pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated gruyere or tasty cheese
425g tuna in brine or spring-water, drained
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
juice of half a lemon
1 cup breadcrumbs
30g butter, melted
1/3 cup grated parmesan

METHOD

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 1.5 litre capacity dish.

Melt butter in a medium sized heavy based saucepan. Sprinkle over flour, and cook for about 1 minute or until the flour has lost its raw smell and smells a bit nutty. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and quickly beat in the eggs, if using. Season with salt and white pepper and stir though the onion, gruyere or tasty cheese, the drained tuna, pasta, parsley, nutmeg, and lemon juice.

Pour into prepared dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and pour over melted butter. Sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Beef Soup

I run out of recipe to make this soup - but fortunately I found a cookbook "secrets of the red lantern" and decide to try the recipe but i did change a few stuff here and there.

4 beef shin bones
some pork bones (it work with this - probably the same as using chicken bones)
2 tablespoon salt
350g dried ginger (did not use this)
50g cinnamon stick
12 star anise
6 cloves
230g caster sugar
160g rock salt
300ml fish sauce
ginger(cut in half and chargrilled - did not do this)
4 large onions (chargrilled in skin -did not do this)
carrots

place meat in large saucepan and cover cold water then add salt and leave 2 hours. discard water after 2 hrs. seal the beef shin on pan.
add meat to saucepan and add 1.5 l water add dried ginger, cinnamon,star anise and cloves and bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 1 hr ... add sugar,rock salt and fish sauce and simmer for 2 hr then remove beef shins ...
refridge soup overnite and add ginger and onions cook 2 hours ...(did not do this)

slice beef shin and add colainder , chili and lime - taste quite close to authentic vietnam