# 14 Roast Chicken, Mash and Slaw with lessons from a failed Cheese Cake
I should have learnt from my locked in a toilet restaurant experience, that even though I may not understand the instructions does not mean I should ignore them. I was in my twenties and some youthful arrogance might have been in play, but I distinctly remember that I did not what to follow the "don't lock the toilet door" sign and possibly be interrupted by another person when attending to nature's business. So lock I did. This ended badly with myself not able to get out of the toilet cubicle and the restaurant owner having to come and rescue me - in which he popped his head over the wall exclaiming something about don't I read instructions!
So fast forward 20 odd years or so, when I read the cheesecake instructions that stated after baking the biscuit base to "set aside to cool" - not understanding why I continued on pouring on the filling. I complained to daughter that I hate when there are instructions I don't understand the rationale for. Of course, she could tell me exactly why... because if the biscuit base isn't cooled it will float up into the mixture. Bugger!
Lesson #1: When you are a novice and there are instructions but lack of rationale ignore at your peril or work out why before outrightly dismissing.
The baked vanilla cheesecake with strawberries from Kevin Hopgood in Nelson, looked delicious in the photo on page 309 in "The Great NZ Cookbook" I really love a good vanilla cheesecake so was keen to bake one. Strawberries were sourced and I had all the ingredients at the ready. There were a few early warning signs that I was not completely comfortable with this recipe. One was the fact that this was a serving for 8 people and required a 25cm square baking tin. That can't be right I thought extracting ruler and even consulting family for their opinion. In the end, I do believe that the smaller size that I used did prove correct.
Lesson #2: Risk taking can have its benefits.
You know that feeling, often a sinking one, that this isn't quite right, but you have already committed to a path that you for some reason you don't want to steer away from as there is a fundamental belief in yourself or something. So when I measured out 20g cream to add to the filling I felt, but did not act on the feeling, of that seems a really pitiful amount of cream. This lack of action contributed to the fail of the cheesecake. What I had done was read the 20g cream for the topping instead of the 250g cream for the filling. So when I returned the cheesecake back into the oven over 3 times the recommended cooking time I knew I was doomed.
Lesson #3: Listen and be mindful of your inner self that is screaming out to you.
I let go the option of adding the topping to the failed cheesecake and instead presented the slosh as is. The fresh strawberries made a great side. Despite the lack of setting, the family still proceeded to eat slosh.
Lesson #4: Family will always see you through
Good news is that the Roast Chicken, Mash and Slaw provided by Simon Gault was perfect. I highly recommend the madeira sauce that you pour over the mash and around the chicken. To make:
- heat a saucepan and pour in 150ml madeira, bring to the boil and reduce by 1/2
- in a bowl mix 150ml water and 1tbsp beef stock and 2tsp cornflour
- pour mixture into pan and stir while bringing to the boil, then whisk in 1 tbsp butter, remove from heat and finish with cracked pepper
... don't forget ... follow the instructions!
So fast forward 20 odd years or so, when I read the cheesecake instructions that stated after baking the biscuit base to "set aside to cool" - not understanding why I continued on pouring on the filling. I complained to daughter that I hate when there are instructions I don't understand the rationale for. Of course, she could tell me exactly why... because if the biscuit base isn't cooled it will float up into the mixture. Bugger!
Lesson #1: When you are a novice and there are instructions but lack of rationale ignore at your peril or work out why before outrightly dismissing.
The baked vanilla cheesecake with strawberries from Kevin Hopgood in Nelson, looked delicious in the photo on page 309 in "The Great NZ Cookbook" I really love a good vanilla cheesecake so was keen to bake one. Strawberries were sourced and I had all the ingredients at the ready. There were a few early warning signs that I was not completely comfortable with this recipe. One was the fact that this was a serving for 8 people and required a 25cm square baking tin. That can't be right I thought extracting ruler and even consulting family for their opinion. In the end, I do believe that the smaller size that I used did prove correct.
Lesson #2: Risk taking can have its benefits.
You know that feeling, often a sinking one, that this isn't quite right, but you have already committed to a path that you for some reason you don't want to steer away from as there is a fundamental belief in yourself or something. So when I measured out 20g cream to add to the filling I felt, but did not act on the feeling, of that seems a really pitiful amount of cream. This lack of action contributed to the fail of the cheesecake. What I had done was read the 20g cream for the topping instead of the 250g cream for the filling. So when I returned the cheesecake back into the oven over 3 times the recommended cooking time I knew I was doomed.
Lesson #3: Listen and be mindful of your inner self that is screaming out to you.
I let go the option of adding the topping to the failed cheesecake and instead presented the slosh as is. The fresh strawberries made a great side. Despite the lack of setting, the family still proceeded to eat slosh.
Lesson #4: Family will always see you through
Good news is that the Roast Chicken, Mash and Slaw provided by Simon Gault was perfect. I highly recommend the madeira sauce that you pour over the mash and around the chicken. To make:
- heat a saucepan and pour in 150ml madeira, bring to the boil and reduce by 1/2
- in a bowl mix 150ml water and 1tbsp beef stock and 2tsp cornflour
- pour mixture into pan and stir while bringing to the boil, then whisk in 1 tbsp butter, remove from heat and finish with cracked pepper
... don't forget ... follow the instructions!
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