Currently I feel like I ran out of energy, I’m dying to recharge my batteries. But when? Besides the wedding and the house construction time, energy and money are rare. All the invitations are out already, the confirmations come in one after the other, we had a test-dinner and talks with the priest, it seems that everything falls into place now as it is only 1.5 months to go ’til the wedding. The construction work still gives me a headache. Even though we are not doing anything ourselves, it seems that we both have to invest a whole lot of work, my partner even much more than I do. Beginning of last week I woke up and had a message of my “Maid of Honour” in my inbox, saying “go, check this blog you like, he’s writing about how to win a trip to the Maledives”. I was wide awake instantly. The sweet sound of H-O-L-I-D-A-Y, the thought of sea, sand and idling – like a dream come true! So from that day on I had nothing than coconut on my mind, sketching pictures of me underneath a coconut tree on the back of my used post-its. I have the feeling that anything that comes close to a holiday is far out of reach and I definately need a break. Bearing all this in mind I formed a plan for my entry to the competition.

Me underneath the Kurumba coconut palm tree

or: Kurumba Coconut Sweet Potatoe Polenta with Terriyaki Chicken and Green Beans…

• 250 g cocnut milk
• 250 g water
• 1 chili
• 125 g polenta
• 300 g sweet potatoe, diced
• 75 g coconut milk, creamy
• 2 chicken breasts ( you could also take prawns but I am allergic)
• terriyaki sauce
• 250 g green beans

Clean the chicken breasts and marinate with terriyaki sauce for some time. Cut the chili and get rid of the pips. Mix  the coconut milk with the water in a pot and add the chili. Put on the stove and bring to boil and let brew for some minutes.In another Pot bring water to boild and cook the sweet potatoe dice for 10 minutes. Fish the chili parts out of the coconut-water-mixture and stir in the polenta. In order to prevent clots only stir in one direction and add the polenta slowly. Reduce the heat to a minimum and let it swell also for 10 minutes. Meanwhile everything is cooking fry the chicken in a pan slowly. Drain the sweet potatoe dice and puree with 75g of creamy coconut milk. Cook the beans in the rest of the hot water. When the polenta is ready blend with the sweet potatoe puree.

You can either pipe the sweet potatoe polenta with a piping bag or transfer it to a large flat casserole and cut when it cooled a little  into coconut tree shape. Scatter the green beans on top as palm leafs and arrange the chicken underneath. Enjoy together with your beloved ones and dream yourself away underneath atropical palm tree. I also added a tomatoe-head and carrot stars. And -wush- I am on a holiday in my mind.

I hope you keep your fingers crossed for us that this wins us a Honeymoon on the Maledives.

 

And if you fancy a sweet dessert there goes another recipe I tried out:

Hot Coconut Brownie with Coconut Rum Icecream and Coconut Brittle

For the Ice cream:

Make sure to chill all ingredients so that they all have the same temperature.

• 2 large eggs
• 75 g dark brown sugar
• 200 g heavy cream
• 200 g coconut milk, creamy (80% coconut)
• 2 tbsp brown rum

Whisk the eggs until light, fluffy and almost doubled their size. Slowly whisk in the sugar at low speed, so that the egg mass stiffens. Add the coconut milk, cream and rum and whisk to blend, do not overbeat. And tadaaa, the ice cream base is ready. Easy, huh? If you have an ice cream maker, transfer the mixture to the maker and let it freeze. Without machine transfer into a box and freeze, make sure you stir the mass from time to time until it is completely frozen.

For the Brownies:

• 125 g dark chocolate
• 125 g butter
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 125 g dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp brown rum
• 125 g flour
• 50 g cocoa powder (cacao amaribe gives it the best chocolate taste)
• 125 ml coconut milk, creamy (80% coconut)
• 125 g chopped dark chocolate
• optional: Chocolate rum balls (e.g. Casali)

Melt the chocolate with the butter and let cool until lukewarm. Line a 9 inch square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 200° C. Again whisk  eggs until light, fluffy and almost doubled their size. Slowly whisk in the sugar at low speed, so that the egg mass stiffens. Reduce speed and incorporate the chocolate butter mixture und the rum until blended. Sift the flour and cocoa powder and fold in 2 parts alternating with the coconut milk. Last stir in the chocolate pieces and transfer to the tin. Optionally push chocolate rum balls into the dough here and there. Bake for 20 minutes, the center of the brownie should be still fudgy.

For the coconut briddle:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp coconut flakes

Put the sugar and butter in a pan and let it melt. Then add the coconut and stir well until it reaches a tasty brown colour. Let cool between sheets of parchment papaer and break into small pieces.

Then it is time to put the parts together. Heat the brownie in the microwave and top with 2 scoops of icecream. Then add some cream if you like and scatter coconut brittle over this piece of chocococoart. Then grab two spoons and enjoy the whole thing with good company.