Bull’s eye
Long before we met, when my partner Jac was in her early twenties and still at university, one of her jobs included short-order cooking – skills and experience she puts to good use to this day. You can see the evidence (and I love to watch) when she takes control of a fully loaded barbecue.
One of the dishes Jac cooked all those years ago was a bull’s eye – a hamburger pattie and fried onions on toast topped with a sunny-side up fried egg, usually served with a side of chips.
But now at home, Jac’s always trying to sneak vegetables into my meals, so this evening when she cooks us bull’s eyes for dinner, there is not a chip in sight.
When Jac cooks with onions, it’s “heavy onion” all the way. Here, lots of sweet caramelised fried onions I know that this isn’t everyone’s idea of a bull’s eye egg. How do you cook a bull’s eye?
The salad Jac serves with the bull’s eye consists of mixed salad greens, cucumber, bread and butter pickles and marinated mushrooms. It’s a really tasty meal.
Salad of mixed greens, cucumber, bread and butter pickles and marinated mushrooms Over the years, I’ve used the word “bursty” to describe certain foods. Sweet corn kernels, perfectly cooked prawns, and egg yolks that look like this… this is bursty, just begging to be pierced with a fork.
This is bursty After my first few bites I say: “I love this! How come this is the first time you’ve cooked this in our 15 years together?”
Then: “TRUFFLE, NOOOOO!”
I grab the kitten who’s just landed on the table, her paws narrowly missing my bull’s eye.
At six months old, Truffle still refuses to learn Rule Number 1 in our house: Cats are not allowed on tables.
At 10+ years, Pixel has much better impulse control and is sitting nearby, watching the dinner show. Truffle wriggles in my hands as I lift her off the table, tap her on the nose and say firmly: “No. NO.” This happens several times during the meal – kitten reprimanded, older cat looking unmistakably smug and no doubt entertained.
Truffle and Pixel are getting on well, but Pixel’s always on alert for kitten attacks
Pixel on the left, Truffle on the right. Competition
Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win one of five double passes to see Jiro Dreams of Sushi, opening 10 May at selected Australian cinemas. Closes tomorrow, Saturday 12 May 2012 at 9pm AWST (Perth time). Check out the details, watch the trailer and enter!