Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Pasta in Tomato Sauce

This dish always reminds me of the scene from the movie No Reservations. The scene where Aaron Eckhart "cons" Abigail Breslin to start eating a bowl of pasta which got me wanting to eat this dish after watching the movie. I think it has do to with the way Abigail Breslin hungrily wolfs down the pasta.

Tagliatelle with Tomato Sauce and fresh basil

The basic pasta dish that and most likely the first pasta dish that most people here in Singapore encounter as a kid. This is more of a walk-through on the technique of making a quick pasta dish, rather than a full recipe.

This post will take you trough on whipping up this pasta dish in 15 minutes or less, with sauce that you pre-made yourself.

Ingredients to serve 2
160 - 180 grams store bought pasta (Or about 100 grams per person for a big eater)
2-3 cups tomato sauce (link here for recipe)
A splash of dry red wine (optional)
Handful of fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Steps:
1. Cook Pasta according to package instructions in salted boiling water. Remove strain the pasta. Dress with a little olive oil to prevent them sticking together. Set aside. (Note: Cook for 3/4 of the time stated on the package for Al Dente)

2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, pour all the sauce (and wine if using) onto the pan and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Allowing to reduce slightly.

3. Add in the cooked pasta and mix well. Allow the pasta to cook in the sauce for at least a minute or 2.

4. Portion into pasta bowls. Garnish and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Monday, December 30, 2013

The Basic Onion Tomato Sauce

The emphasis of this recipe is the basic tomato sauce that I like to use in alot of the dishes I cook at home. On its own, it makes a great pasta dish!. It keeps quite well in the fridge and can be used as a base for many variations for several different of dishes. If you look through some of the other recipes in this site, you'll probably come across a variation of this sauce in use. So I thought I would create an entry for this sauce so that I can just refer readers back to this page when I use this sauce. Saves me the typing.

Cauldron of Onion Tomato Sauce bubbling away
This sauce uses canned tomatoes and bottled Passata, both of which can be easily found in most Cold Storage or and at Fairprice.

Here is what you'll need for the sauce. Makes about 1 litre of sauce.

2 cans diced tomatoes. (I like to use the ones that say Plum or Romano. You can get whole canned ones and dice them yourself as well)
1 700g Jar of Passata.
2 yellow onions - diced
4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
few teaspoons of sugar to taste

Steps:
1. Prep the diced/chopped tomatoes. Remove from the can and strain them. discard the liquids. Set aside

2. Over medium heat, heat about 2-4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large saucepan or large deep sided saute pan. When oil is heated up (Rolls around easily in the pan) add in the onions and fry for 1 minute, then add in the garlic. Fry for a few more minutes until the onions become soft and translucent (Not brown).

3. Add in the tomatoes and fry for another 3-4 minutes. Then add in the passata. Mix well and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.

4. Add in the thyme and rosemary. You can tie the herbs together so that they are easier to fish out later. Allow to simmer over low heat for at least 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally, to prevent the bottom of the sauce from burning.

5. After the sauce is allowed to simmer and cook down, allow to cool and store. Use as needed.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes.

This is one of my favourite ways to cook potatoes at home. Its really easy and you get crispy tasty potatoes at the same time. My personal preference, is to cut them in to smaller chunks. About 1.5 cm across, this gives more of that wonderfully crispy surface area.
Oven Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients to serve 2

2-3 large Russet potatoes - washed and cleaned
2 sprig of thyme (leaves only)
2 sprig of rosemary (leaves only)
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced or grated.
1/4 - 1/3 cup Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:
1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

2. Cut the potatoes into small chunks, about 1.5 cm wide.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the herb leaves, garlic and olive oil. Mix well. Then add in the potatoes into the mixing bowl. Season assertively with salt and pepper as well at this point. Mix well.

4. On the largest baking/roasting tray that will fit in your oven, lay out the potatoes in a single layer, together with the herbs and garlic. Try to ensure that none of the potato chunks are not sticking together.

5. Roast in the oven for about 35- 45 minutes. Until nicely browned and crisp.

6. Serve with your favourite protein.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Braising is a great way to expand your options in the kitchen. Its also a way to keep costs lower as cheaper cuts of meat tend to be better for braising. Cuts like pork shoulder, belly, short ribs, brisket are all good cuts for braising. As opposed to the really expensive cuts like tenderloin and so on.
Braised Beef Short Ribs
This recipe takes you through a simple braising recipe for beef short ribs.

Ingredients to serve 4:
1 - 1.2 Kg meaty beef short ribs
2-3 cups red wine
1 litre / 4 cups beef stock (Chicken stock would work too)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 sprigs of thyme
1 whole head of garlic - cut in half horizontally
1 large yellow onion - roughly chopped
3-4 carrots - cut into large chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped Chives for garnish

Steps
1. Season the beef well with salt and pepper. Place a deepsided roasting tray on the stove and heat about 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When oil is heated, cook the beef, browning all sides well. should take about 10-15 minutes.

2. Next add the garlic (cut side down) and tomato paste in the pan together with the beef. Cook out the tomato paste by pressing it down on the pan a little. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add in the wine and stock. Using a wooden spoon or similar tool, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and mix well with the liquid.

3. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover with foil and then cook in the oven for about 3-4 hours.
(If you do not have a roasting tray that you can use on a stove, you can use a large deepsided sautee pan, and then transfer the beef to a deepsided baking/casserole dish just before going into the oven.)

4. Take the roasting tray out of the oven and remove the beef short ribs and carrots, set them aside. Strain the braising liquid and reserve the liquid. This will become the sauce. Scoop and discard the excess oil/fat from the sauce. Squeeze the garlic out of the skin and press through a strainer into the sauce and mix well. Optional Step: Reduce the sauce further in a saucepan over the stove if you want it thicker.

5. Divide the ribs and carrots equally onto dinner plates and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with chives and serve with crusty bread.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Gnocchi with Mushrooms

Gnocchi with Mushrooms
This is the recipe for the 2nd gnocchi dish I made from same batch of gnocchi that I made with the earlier recipe here. Its a great savoury dish with flavours that are awesome with gnocchi.

Serves 2
Ingredients for the gnocchi:
2 large baked russet potatoes (or 3 smaller ones)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup plain flour - plus extra for dusting
salt and pepper
1 egg - beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Rest of the stuff:
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
4 shallots - sliced or 1/2 purple onion - diced
150-200 grams Swiss brown or white button mushrooms - cleaned and halved/quartered (depending on their size)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock (use vegetable broth if you want a vegetarian version)
1 tablespoon butter
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped chives for garnish

Steps: (1-5 are copied from the earlier gnocchi dish)
1. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the potatoes. Set the flesh aside in the bowl, discard the skins. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or mash them.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the egg, thyme leaves, Parmesan and about 3/4 of the cup of flour. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands. Add in more flour from the remaining 1/4 cup, if the mixture remains very wet. When the mixture begins to come together, transfer to the well floured board and knead gently for about 4-5 minutes until the ball of dough is relatively dry to the touch.

3. Roll into a ball and cut into 2 halves. Roll each half into a long cigar. Then cut of individual pieces from the cigar. About 2-3 cm for each piece. Using a floured finger, make a small indentation in each gnocchi.

4. Place the gnocchi gently into a pot of boiling water. When the gnocchi start to float, take them all out of the water and drain.

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is heated, add in the gnocchi and saute them about 2-4 minutes per side. (depending on how brown you want them). Remove and set aside on a dish lined with paper towels.

6. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium, add in shallots and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until shallots soften then add in the mushrooms and fry for another 5 minutes or so, until the mushrooms start to brown and the released moisture from the mushrooms dry up. De-glaze the pan with the white wine, and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the chicken stock and allow to simmer for another minute or so. At the same time, gently scrape the lovely brown bits off the base of the pan, mixing them together with liquid.

7 Add in the butter and mix well. Add in the thyme leaves and gnocchi. Mix well and fry for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and dish onto 2 dinner plates. Garnish with chives and generously with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Hope you'll like this. Enjoy!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Spicy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

Great simple dish to do at home. Nice savoury flavours with the corriander cutting through. Light and fresh tasting. This meal for 2 can be done in 30-40 minutes. Adding lime juice at the end can help lift up the dish, make it fresher tasting.
Spicy Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

Ingredients for 2
180 grams Angel Hair Pasta
200 grams grey/tiger prawns - shelled and de-viened (reserve the heads)
4 cloves garlic - chopped/sliced
2 large chillies - sliced
2 stalks spring onion - sliced
handful of corriander - roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime (optional)
cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, place the prawn heads with 1 tablespoon of butter and cook until the prawn heads turn fully pink. Then add the chicken stock and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat and reduced by about 1/2. Strain and reserve the liquid. (You can cook the pasta or prep the herbs/chillies during this time)

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Angel hair usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Strain and set aside. Add a little olive oil to prevent from sticking together. 

3. In a large saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in the spring onion, chillies and garlic. Fry for 2 mins.

4. Add in the prawns and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Until prawns are almost cooked fully. Add in the stock and white wine. Allow to simmer for 1 minute and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix well and allow the butter to thicken the liquid to form a sauce. Then add in the pasta mix well with all the stuff in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Turn off the heat, toss with corriander and lime juice (if using). Dish on to 2 dinner plates or deep sided pasta dishes and serve immediately.

Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Gnocchi with Zucchini and Sweetcorn

Got inspired to make gnocchi recently. This is the first of two gnocchi dishes that I did from the same batch of gnocchi.

Gnocchi with Zucchini and Sweetcorn
A vegetarian dish that the wife really likes. Its light with delicate flavours. Browning the gnocchi gives it another dimension of flavour and texture, giving a crisp exterior and fluffy interior. The gnocchi's texture is then accompanied with the crunch from the corn and zucchini. Really enjoyable. Wife especially likes that the sweetness from the corn comes through the dish.

Serves 2
Ingredients the gnocchi:
2 large baked russet potatoes (or 3 smaller ones)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup plain flour - plus extra for dusting
salt and pepper
1 egg - beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Rest of the stuff:
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1/2 purple onion - diced1/3 cup diced zucchini
1/3 cup sweet corn kernels
1/4 cup dry white wine (Or cooking white wine)
1/4 cup vegetable stock (If non-vegetarian, chicken stock works better!)
1 tablespoon butter
handful of pea shoots for garnish (optional)
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan for garnish

Steps:
1. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the potatoes. Set the flesh aside in the bowl, discard the skins. Pass the potato flesh through a ricer or mash them.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the egg, thyme leaves, Parmesan and about 3/4 of the cup of flour. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything well with your hands. Add in more flour from the remaining 1/4 cup, if the mixture remains very wet. When the mixture begins to come together, transfer to the well floured board and knead gently for about 4-5 minutes until the ball of dough is relatively dry to the touch.

3. Roll into a ball and cut into 2 halves. Roll each half into a long cigar. Then cut of individual pieces from the cigar. About 2-3 cm for each piece. Using a floured finger, make a small indentation in each gnocchi.

4. Place the gnocchi gently into a pot of boiling water. When the gnocchi start to float, take them all out of the water and drain.

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is heated, add in the gnocchi and saute them about 2-4 minutes per side. (depending on how brown you want them). Remove and set aside on a dish lined with paper towels.

6. With the same saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in the garlic and onion. Fry for about 2 minutes. Then add in the zucchini and corn. Fry for another 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown slightly. De-glaze the pan with the white wine and stock. Cook for another 2 minutes then add butter cook for another minute. When the butter starts to thicken the sauce, add in the gnocchi and saute for another minute or so.

7. Dish onto 2 dinner plate and garnish with pea shoots (if using), a generous shaving of Parmesan cheese and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Hope you'll enjoy this as much as we did!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

This is one of those dishes that you'll get "oohs" and "ahhs" when you bring it out at a dinner gathering. And the fragrance that fills your kitchen when the bacon is cooking in the oven is just awesome.
Porkfection!
Wrapping the tenderloin can be a little bit tricky the first time, but you'll get the hang of it. Especially if you are one of those who do Swiss-rolls a lot.

Ingredients: (serves 2-4)
1 whole uncut pork tenderloin, about 300 - 350 grams  - cleaned and trimmed
About 300 grams streaky bacon (should get about 12 slices or so)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves only
4-5 sage leaves - finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic - minced
Salt and back pepper
Cooking oil for frying
Maple Syrup (optional)

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cover the prep surface with plastic wrap before starting this recipe to make it easier to wrap the pork in bacon and for an easier cleanup. I recommend at least 2 layers of cling wrap as this makes the cling wrap easier to handle.

2. Rub the thyme, sage and garlic all over the tenderloin. A little salt and generous amount of pepper. Place the tenderloin horizontally on the end plastic wrap that is closer to you.

3. Then in front of the tenderloin, on the plastic wrap, place the bacon vertically. Slightly overlap each slice until you cover the length of the tenderloin. Forming like a bacon blanket in front of the tenderloin.

4. Roll the tenderloin over the bacon, using the plastic wrap guide the tenderloin over the bacon first. Once you get a tight firm roll, discard the plastic wrap.

5. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. When the oil gets really hot, place the bacon-wrapped tenderloin, seam-side down, in the pan and sear until the bacon is browned, about 2 minutes per side. You should probably have to brown 4 sides.

6. Transfer the bacon-wrapped tenderloin to a roasting tray. Brush generously with maple syrup (if using) and cook the tenderloin in the oven until the internal temp reads about 62 degrees C. Probably about 10 minutes or so. Then let is rest outside the oven for about 5-10 mins before cutting.

Serve with mash and side salad.

Enjoy!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Pan seared Shrimp and Scallops with shrimp bisque

This is an amped up version of another dish I posted on this site. Tried to spruce it up a little since it was for our anniversary. The sauce was rich and flavourful. Not overcooking the seafood is key. The truffles took the flavours and aroma to another level. We really enjoyed this one, hope you will too!
Shrimp, scallops and breaded slipper lobster in a shrimp bisque and black summer truffles
Ingredients for 2
6 king tiger prawns - shelled and deveined (reserve the shells and heads)
6 scallops - with shells removed

For the sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion - roughly chopped
1 carrot - roughly chopped
1 stalk of celery - roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic - sliced/roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Pinch of cyanne pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs Italian parsley
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup cognac
1/4 cup single/whipping cream
2 cups chicken or fish stock

For garnish
Few stalks of chives for garnish
Few slices of black summer truffles (optional)
Drizzle of black truffle oil (optional)

To make the sauce:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the prawn shells and heads with the butter. Stirring occasionally. Cook until all the shells and heads turn pink and give off a nice fragrance. Then deglaze the sauce pan with the white wine and cognac.

2. Allow the liquids to simmer for 2-3 minutes and then add all other sauce ingredients in the list except the cream. Allow the liquids to simmer over a low heat until reduced by half. About 20 mins.

3. Strain the mixture and discard all the solids and reserve the liquid. This will form the sauce. In a small saucepan, continue simmer the sauce and add the cream. Mix well and allow to gently simmer for another 3-5 minutes then turn off the heat.

Cooking the Seafood:
1. Season the scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper. In a heavy based sauté pan over high heat heat some cooking oil. When oil is almost smoking, cook the shrimp and scallops. Sear them about 1-2 minutes per side then remove from the pan and set aside. Leave the pan on the stove, turn down the heat to medium low.

2. Deglaze the pan with the sauce. About 1 cup worth. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape off all the lovely brown bits from the base of the pan. Maxing imp them into the sauce.

3. Arrange the seafood in 2 shallow soup bowls or deep sided dinner plates however you prefer. Ladle half the simmered sauce over each plate of seafood. Garnish with chives and sliced truffles(if using). Serve immediately.

Note: The picture you see above has a slipper lobster (aka bug). To prep that, remove the tail flesh from the shell, clean it. Season with salt and pepper then coat it with flour and pan fry for about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towels.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Pumpkin Salad with Crackling Pork Belly

Made this for our anniversary dinner. The plating style is not something I'm used to but I decided to try something fancy since it was a special occasion. The wife likes it, so I must be doing something right.
Pumpkin Salad with Crackling Pork Belly

Pumpkin and macadamia were born to be best friends. They go together superbly. The pumpkin discs went well with the pork. The slight bitterness of the rocket with salty pork was awesome. Asparagus was great with the macadamias and puree.
Did I mention there was Pork belly with crackling, I mean do we really need anything else other than that?

Ingredients for 2
About 300 grams pork belly with skin on
About 1/2 of whole butternut squash
10 stalks of asparagus - bases trimmed
1 cup of rocket leaves - washed
1/2 cup of macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup Italian Parsley
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Prepare the pumpkin/squash
1. Peel the pumpkin and cut them into slices about 1.5 cm thick. (just estmate, does not have to be exact). An average sized squash should give you about 6 slices from the fleshy part of the fruit. (The upper part without the seeds)

2. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out discs from the slices. Set these discs aside.

3. Roughly cut up the rest of the pumpkin. Wrap them all in a large piece of foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degress for about 45 mins.

4. Place the baked pumkin pieces in a food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop out and set aside. You can pass the puree trough a find mesh seive for a even smoother puree. Mix in the butter and season with a pinch of salt. Reserve and set aside

5. In a saute pan, heat some cooking oil over a medium heat. When oil is heated, cook the pumpkin discs till they brown on the outside and soft in the middle. About 6 minutes per-side. (depending on the thickness) Set aside when done.

Roasting the pork
1. With a very sharp knife, score the skin of the pork with parallel lines about 1/2 a centimeter apart. (A stanley knife works great for this). The cuts you make should also get into some of the fat under the skin, but do not cut all the way to the lean meat under the skin. Salt the skin generously, making sure to rub the salt in the cuts. Pepper the sides as well.

2. Place pork on a baking dish and cook in the oven set to "grill" mode for 45 minutes. Until the skin
"crackles" fully. When done remove from heat. Cut into 2 and set aside.

While the pork is in the oven, prepare the rest of the stuff
1. To make the Vinaigrette, put all Vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor and blitz till smooth. Add a small splash of water if its too dry or too hard to blend. season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve and set aside

2. Toast the macadamias in a pan over medium heat until they brown. No oil needed. Reserve and set aside

3. Blanch the aspargus for 1 minute in salted boiling water. Then shock them in cold water. dress lightly with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

To plate, if you wanna try your hand and fancy plating, you can try "pulling" the puree across the plate. Dress the plate how ever you like. I found that plating in this general order helps.

Pumpkin Puree, Pork, Pumpkin discs, macadamias, asparagus, rocket and lastly the vinaigrette.

Enjoy.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Chocolate and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

My second dessert post finally. Had our anniversary dinner at home recently and wifey insisted to make at least one dish. I urged her to make dessert since she's the one with the sweet tooth.
Chocolate and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis topped with Vanilla Ice Cream
Resulting dessert is what you see here. Creamy and rich Panna Cotta, with the acidity of the coulis to cut through the richness. The crushed almonds give a nice crunch and nutty flavour. Topped with Ice Cream, need I say more?

This is a great dessert to serve at house parties. Can be made up to 2 days in advance. 

Here are the ingredients for 2-3 (depending on the size of your remekins)
Chocloate Panna Cotta
125ml - Whipping cream
125ml - full cream milk
20 grams sugar
5 grams cocoa powder
20 grams dark chocolate
1.5 teaspoon gelatine powder
1/2 cup roasted almonds  - (blitzed in a food processor to desired consistency)
Some store bought good quality vanilla ice-cream

Vanilla Panna Cotta
125ml - Whipping cream
125ml - full cream milk
20 grams sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoon gelatine powder

Raspberry Coulis
1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen will do fine, just thaw them first)
juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon sugar

Steps:
1. Place milk, cream, cocoa powder, dark chocolate and sugar into a small pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Heat until the all the chocolate has melted. Stir gently, mixing well.
Add gelatine powder in a small cup or bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of milk(room temperature) and mix well. The gelatine will probably not dissolve but stir to prevent the powder from forming clumps.

2. Add the gelatine mixture into the pot. Remove from heat and stir until the gelatine is fully dissolved.

3. Divide the mixture among ramekins and leave to cool. Pouring the mixture into a small pitcher first will help make the distribution a lot easier. (Much easier than pouring straight from the pot)

4. Place the chocolate panna cotta into the fridge for a 2 hours at least, until set before starting on the vanilla panna cotta.

Moving on to Vanilla Panna Cotta

Follow the exact same steps as the chocolate panna cotta above but replacing cocoa powder and dark chocolate with the vanilla extract. Wait until the vanilla panna cotta has cooled. (Pouring the hot vanilla mixture will melt your chocolate panna cotta) Pour the vanilla mixture into the ramekins,  covering the chocolate panna cotta. Place into the fridge for a 2-3 hours at least, for them set.

Raspberry Coulis:
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing down on the solids. Discard the seeds. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve:
1. Turn out the panna cotta in a shallow bowl. Placing the ramekins in the warm water bath for 10-20 seconds can make turning out the panna cotta a little easier.

2. Pour the coulis around the panna cotta and place some fresh raspberries around. Top it off with crushed almonds and vanilla ice-cream. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Eggplant Sitrfry with Corriander and Chillies

Eggplant Sitrfry with Corriander and Chillies
Got inspired to do this dish while watching masterchef Australia one evening. Think it was Kylie Kwong during a masterclass episode. Can't remember the exact recipe so I went with what felt right. Results were awesome.

Great savoury dish to go with any Asian Meal. Especially if you like corriander and garlic. Its dish with bold flavours and it packs a punch too. As a meat lover, I'd say this is a great way to get your veg intake.

Ingredients to serve 2-4:
1 large egg plant
1 handful corriander - roughly chopped (I usually just use the whole pack from NTUC or Cold Storage)
2 stalks spring onion - sliced
2-3 large chillies - sliced
5-7 cloves garlic - finely chopped/minced
1 knob of ginger - finely chopped/minced
soya sauce
salt
sesame oil

Steps:
1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise in to 2. The slice each half into 1cm pieces.
(Optional step:- lightly salt all the eggplant pieces and leave on the tray/dish for about 1 hour. The salt will draw out the moisture from the eggplant. After, drain the liquid and rinse the eggplant pieces thoroughly and dry with paper towels just before step 2)

2. In a wok or large saute pan, heat about 3-4 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is really hot, add in the cut eggplant and stirfry until they are lightly browned on all sides. Remove and set aside on a dish with paper towels to soak up some of the oil from frying.

3. With the same wok, there should be a little oil. If not, add about 1 tablespoon. Lower heat to medium and add in garlic, ginger and chillies. Fry for about 3-4 minutes but do not let the garlic burn. Drizzle the with a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil.

4. Add in the eggplant and stir fry for another 2 minutes or so. Drizzle with soya sauce to taste. Turn off the heat and add the corriander and spring onions. Mix well in the wok and dish onto a serving plate. Serve immediately. Best served with steamed rice.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Spicy Thai Style Chicken Salad

Thai style grilled chicken salad
Was looking to make something spicy for dinner on day and we had chicken thighs in the fridge. So I went out got some lemongrass and corriander and lettuce.

Tangy, savoury, sweet and spicy at the same time. A very refreshing dish to have on its own but this salad goes great with any south East Asian themed meal as well. Ingredients are relatively low cost but the dish still delivers a great meal. Definitely punches above its weight.

Serves 2 (As a meal) or 4-6 as a side dish.

Ingredients:
For grilled chicken
2 boneless chicken thighs (I get them all the time at Cold Storage, 2 for S$4.79)
2 tablespoons grated fresh lemongrass
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chilli sauce
3 cloves garlic - grated/finely minced
Juice of half a large lime

Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chilli sauce.
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of half a large lime
2 chilli padi - sliced
1 clove of garlic - minced/grated

Rest of the stuff
1/2 purple onion - sliced
2-3 cups lettuce - roughly chopped
1/2 cucumber - sliced
1 bunch of corriander - roughly chopped
3 stalks spring onion - chopped to 1-2 cm lengths.
1 tomato - sliced into strips
100 grams rice vermicelli

1. To prepare marinade for the Thai style grilled chicken, mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl. Place the chicken thighs one at a time in the bowl. Ensure the chicken is well coated/covered with the marinade. Place the chicken in a resealable bag, pour the remaining marinade into the bag. Seal and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

2. To cook the chicken, grill (skin side up) in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for about 35 minutes.

3. While the chicken is cooking, you can prepare the dressing and veg. Mix all salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

4. Cook the vermicelli according to package instructions. Then allow it to cool. (you can place it in the fridge or use some ice cubes.

5. In a large salad bowl, mix all the vegetables with the vermicelli thoroughly. Then pour in the dressing, tasting as you go. Mix everything well.

6. Serve the chicken in cut pieces on top of the veg. Drizzle the chicken with juices from the roasting pan and serve.

Enjoy!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Mushrooms with white wine vinaigrette and tarragon

This is a great appetiser or side dish that you can prepare up to 2 days ahead. Tastes great served warm, and even better when left in the fridge for at least a day. Its an earthy dish with a sweet and sour tone, made fragrant with the fresh tarragon. Serve with crusty bread, its great as a vegetarian appetiser.
Mushrooms with white wine vinaigrette and tarragon

Very important note in preparing this dish is to get the mushrooms caramelised to a nice brown colour on the outside.

Ingredients to serve 4-6

400-500 grams white button mushrooms - kept whole
2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3-4 sprigs of tarragon - leaves only
1 purple onion - sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
cooking oil for frying
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

1. In a large saute pan, heat some cooking oil over medium high heat. When oil just about starts to smoke, add in the mushrooms and saute for about 4-6 minutes. Until they release their moisture and  start to brown. (Most of the browning will occur only after the moisture is released).

2. When the mushrooms are browned, add in the sliced onions and saute for another 2 minutes.

3. When onions soften and brown a little, add the vinegar and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Drizzle a little Extra Virgin olive oil and add the tarragon leaves. Mix well. (This will help to form a vinaigrette that will allow the mushrooms to soak up flavour)

5. Serve immediately or chill and serve the next day.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Stir Fried Bean Sprouts with Silver Fish

Stir Fried Bean Sprouts with Silverfish
Bean sprouts are arguably the cheapest vegetable here in South East Asia. Very nutritious and high in fibre. It is also one of those veggies that pose a challenge to parents, when trying to get their kids to eat them.

This is a really tasty dish, common in Chinese households here in Singapore. Quite easy to prepare.
The silverfish is an optional addition, but I like the additional savoury hit and crunch that they give.

Ingredients for 4
300 grams bean sprouts, - husks and tails removed
1/2 tablespoon soya sauce (or to taste)
3 cloves of garlic - sliced/chopped
5 stalks of spring onion - cut into 2 inch lengths
1 regular chilli or 2 chilli padi - thinly sliced
Cooking oil
crushed White pepper

2 tablespoons fried silver fish (optional) - See here for silver fish preparation.

Steps:
1. In a wok or large frying pan, heat some oil over medium high heat. When oil is heated, add in the garlic and chillies (if using), and fry for about 1 minute. Until the garlic just starts to turn brown.

2. At this point add in the bean sprouts and fry until they start to soften a little. About 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with Soya Sauce and White pepper to taste.

3. Add in the spring onions, stirfry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. When done, dish onto a serving plate.

4. Garnish with silver fish on top and serve hot.

Note: The cooking times for the bean sprouts are highly subjective as there are varying preferences on how well cooked one would prefer their "tou geh". I like them a little on the well cooked side. There are those who like them on the raw side, with a good crunch.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Korean Style Spicy Chicken (Dak Galbi)

A popular dish in Korea. The name "Dak Galbi" actually means "Chicken Ribs" but there are no ribs in this dish. In fact the recipe that I am sharing here uses boneless chicken thighs. Its grilled or pan fried chicken that is marinated in a spicy Korean chilli paste called "Gochujang" (Pronounced - Go - Choo - Jang). Gochujang is usually made of chillies, rice flour and fermented soya beans and seen almost everywhere in Korea.

Dak Galbi
Can't really say how authentic this recipe is but I did this recipe twice at a BBQ and it was a hit both times. This recipe is my rendition of the Korean dish.

Here is what I used to serve 4.

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless chicken thighs. (about 500-600 grams)
thinly sliced spring onion for garnish.

Ingredients for marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons Gochujang
1 yellow onion - roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
white pepper - crushed or powder

Steps:

1. Chop the chicken thighs into hunks, about 1-2 inches across.

2. Place all marinade ingredients into a blender or food processor and turn it into a puree.

3. Mix the marinade with the chicken thoroughly and seal with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is fine too.

4. To cook the chicken, pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees celsius. Spread the chicken pieces on a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 25-30 mins.

Garnish and serve with steamed rice or even in a bread roll with some shredded lettuce/cabbage.

Optional Step, if you have leftover marinade in the container/bowl you marinated the chicken in, you can transfer all the marinade into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. It can be served as extra sauce.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Pork Chops in Brine

Soaking the chops in a brine is a great way to impart flavour into the pork chops. It lifts the flavour of the chops to another level. Finishing the chop in the oven helps it to cook more gently and evenly.

Bone-in Pork Chops with Oven Baked Potatoes and Onion Jam

Ingredients for 2
2 pork chops bone-in (about 350-400 grams each)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil for pan searing

Brine
2 sprigs of fresh parsley - roughly chopped
2 sprigs of fresh sage - roughly chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary - leaves only, roughly chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves only
5 cloves of garlic - roughly chopped
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar (White wine vinegar is fine as well)
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 cups of water

Steps:
1. In a large bowl or container, mix the vinegar, water and lemon juice. The add in the sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Then add in all the herbs. Place the chops in the liquid and ensure they are fully submerged. Add a little more water (maybe a teaspoon or so of vinegar) to the brine if there is not enough liquid to cover the chops. Soak the chops in the brine for at least 4 hours or even overnight.

2. When ready to cook the chops, Preheat your oven to 130 degrees celsius. Take the chops out of the liquid and pat really dry. Season with salt and pepper. If any of the herbs or garlic from the brine stick to the pork chops, just leave them on.

3. Now heat some oil in a cast iron skillet (or thick based frying pan) over high heat. When the pan gets really hot, place the chops into the pan and sear for about 2 minutes. Turn the chop over, with the seared side up, place the pan in the oven for another 20 minutes or so. (Cooking times depend on the thickness of your chop, mine were about an inch thick). I sprinkled some dried rosemary before the chops entered the oven, but that's just a personal preference.

Note, if your pan cannot enter the oven, just transfer the chop to a baking dish. Preferably heated as well. If the baking dish is cold, the cooking time in the oven should be a few minutes longer. You can just finish cooking on the pan too, about 4 minutes per side.

4. Serve wtih a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil together with your preferred sides.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Pulled Pork Sandwich

This is a recipe for braising or slow cooking pork shoulder. I use shoulder because it has a good ratio of fat vs muscle. During the cooking process, the fragrance of the spices will fill the kitchen, if not the whole home. (Then again, depends on how big your home is. I live in a humble HDB flat.)

Open Faced pulled pork sandwich. Top it off with a sunny side up and it reminds me breakfast.
Fork tender pork shoulder and crusty grilled bread, simply awesome. It'll save you money too, as pork shoulder is a cheaper cut compared to tenderloins. It also has less fat than the belly. At the end of the braise, the stock is reduced to a gravy like substance that is packed full of flavour, use it as a drizzle on your sandwich. Note that the spice rub is a guideline, you are free to use your own preferred spices.

Ingredients
500grams pork shoulder - (should be in 2 pieces instead of 1 whole piece, allows more surface area for the rub.)
1 yellow onion - sliced
4 cloves garlic - lightly crushed
2 sprigs of thyme
2 - 3 cups chicken stock

Rub
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Steps:
1. Mix all rub ingredients together. Coat the pork fully and generously with the rub.

2. In a casserole dish or deep sided baking dish, line the bottom with half the onions. Then place the pork on the onions.

3. Place the thyme and garlic around the pork and then cover with the rest of the onions. Lastly pour in the chicken stock. Enough to at least submerge the pork halfway.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in an oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 3 hours. Until the meat is fork tender.

5. Pull apart the meat with a fork and serve with toasted bead with some barbeque sauce and some of the braising liquid.

Enjoy!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Stir Fried Beans with Minced Pork

Stir Fried Beans with Minced Pork
This is a common household stir fry dish and incorporates meat and veg together. Coupled with a pot of soup and served with steamed rice, you'll have a meal that is served commonly in Chinese households here in Singapore. How well you cook to beans will determine how much crunch they retain.


Ingredients:
1 pack of green beans - cut in to 2 inch lengths
70-100 grams of minced pork
1/3 cup of grated carrot strips (optional)
1 tablespoon of dried shrimp - chopped in small pieces
3 cloves of garlic - chopped
3 shallots - sliced
3-4 thin slices of Ginger
2 chilli padi / bird's eye chilli- sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
white pepper
soya sauce

Steps:

1. Season the mince pork with sesame oil, 2 teaspoons soya sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.

2. Blanch the beans in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and shock them in cold water. Drain and set aside.

3. Over medium high heat, in a wok or large saute pan heat some cooking oil. when oil is heated, stir fry the pork until there is some browning. Make sure you break up the mince into smaller bits as you fry. Remove from the wok/pan and set aside when done.

4. In the same work, add a little oil, fry the dried shrimp until crisp and add in the garlic, shallots, ginger, chilli and carrots(if using). Fry until the garlic and shallots just start to brown and release their fragrance. Then add the cooked pork and blanched beans and stir fyr for 1-2 mins more. Drizzle a little soya sauce to taste.

5. Dish onto serving plates and serve immediately.

Note: Well cooked beans means less crunch. There are those who find the tartness of raw veg rather unappealing. If you are one of these people, you can blanch the beans slightly longer, maybe up to 3-4 minutes.

Have your household way of cooking beans? Do share!

Enjoy!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Chicken Thighs with Scallion and Ginger Sauce

Chicken Thigh with Scallion and Ginger Sauce
This is a great tasting savoury dish to go with any East Asian meal. The aroma just hits you when the plate of chicken lands on the dinner table. Makes you just wanna dive right in. This sauce goes great with chicken wings as well. Just adjust the cooking times accordingly. Both the wife and I enjoyed this dish. I will definitely make this again sometime soon. 

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Thighs - cut into large chunks
4-5 stalks scallion/spring onion - roughly cut up
2-3 tablespoons ginger - skinned and roughly cut up
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon corn flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Sesame oil
Soya Sauce
White pepper

Steps:
1. Marinate chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon of soya sauce, dash of white pepper, 1 tablespoon corn flour and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Mix well and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.

2. To make the sauce, put all the scallion, ginger, 2 teaspoons soya sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, with some white pepper in a food processor and blitz till you get a paste. Its alright if the texture is slightly grainy. Set aside in a large bowl.

3. Pre-heat your oven to 190 degrees celsius. Cook chicken on the oven for about 25 minutes. (Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your chicken chunks)

4. Remove the cooked chicken from the oven. Toss the chicken with the sauce in the large bowl and put it back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes. Just for the sauce to dry up a little and stick to the chicken.

5. Dish on the serving plates and serve immediately.

Note: for step 3, you stir fry instead of cooking in an oven if you prefer.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Baked Chicken Breast with Leek and Mushroom Cream Sauce


Chicken Breast with Leek and Mushroom Cream Sauce
Leek, mushrooms and cream are a great combo anytime. Together with a succulent chicken breast, this makes for a great meal. Baked Chicken Breasts soaked in a rich, creamy and fragrant sauce, what's not to like?

Ingredients for 2:
2 Chicken breast portions - boneless (About 200 grams or so per person)
Paprika
Thyme

For the Sauce
100 grams Swiss brown mushrooms - cut into quarters. (You can use white buttons as well)
1 leek - quartered lengthwise and then sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (optional)
200ml cream

Salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil for frying


Steps:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Season the chicken breasts assertively with salt pepper and some paprika and thyme.

2. Place chicken in oven and cook for about 20 minutes. (cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken meat) Chicken breast can overcook rather easily, so know your oven. =)

3. To make the sauce, heat some oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. When oil is heated up, add in the leeks and saute for 2 minutes and then add in the mushrooms. Saute until the the moisture released by the mushroom are almost evaporated and mushroom start to brown lightly. About 6-8 minutes

4. De-glaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar. Allow to simmer for a minute. Then add in the cream and lower the heat. Turn off the heat just before the cream starts to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve warm together with the cooked chicken breasts, garnished with fresh parsley.

To have it child friendly, you can omit the white wine, vinegar and paprika.

Enjoy! Leave a comment on how yours went!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree

This dish is inspired by something that I had when I was out with the wife one evening. It was a rather interesting combo, which inspired me to try it at home. I do recall seeing something similar on MasterChef Australia.
Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree

Can't go wrong with bacon and scallops. The parsley vinaigrette adds an acidic hit that cuts through quite nicely.

Ingredients to serve 2.
6-8 large scallops - seasoned with salt and pepper
2 rashers of streaky bacon
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Cauliflower Puree
200 grams cauliflower - roughly cut into large chunks
1/2 cup milk
1/2 yellow onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
handful of fresh parsley - finely chopped or blitzed in a food processor.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

1. Cook bacon in an oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes, until crispy. While the bacon is in the oven, mix all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Or you can use a jar and shake it really well. When bacon is done, remove and allow to cool for a short while. Then break up the bacon into bits.

2. Boil the cauliflower in salted water for about 3-4 mins. Remove from water when cooked and set aside.

3. Over medium heat, fry the onions and garlic until they soften, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add all the puree ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Reserve/set aside when done.

5. Heat a tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a saute pan. When pan is really hot, sear the scallops about 30-45 seconds on each side. Remove from pan and set aside when done.

6. Spoon half the puree onto each serving dish. Place scallops on the puree itself and then garnish with bacon bits and the vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Spaghetti with Sausages, Tomatoes and Basil


Spaghetti with Sausages, Tomatoes and Basil

This is a simple dish can be done in about 30 minutes or less. Tastes great and also child friendly. The savoury sausages, sweet and tangy tomatoes together with fresh basil make a awesome combo. Even the wife who is not a fan of sausages like this one. There is a reason that tomatoes and basil make a classic combo, this is one of the dishes that reminded me of that.

Here what I used to serve 2.

160 grams Spaghetti - Cooked according to package instructions. (you can use your preferred pasta.)
1x 400g can of diced tomatoes
3 pork sausages (about 250-350 grams) - pre-cooked. Roughly cut into 1cm chunks.
half yellow onion - diced
3 cloves of garlic - chopped
handful of fresh basil - roughly chopped.
Parmesean cheese for garnish
salt and pepper

Steps:

1. In a frying pan, heat some oil (about 1 tablespoon) over a medium high heat. Saute the sausages chunks for about 2-3 mins, stopping when almost all the chunks have achieved some browning. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Turn down heat to medium.

2. In the same pan, add in the chopped onions and garlic and fry for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat until they soften.

3. Add sausages back into the pan, together with the can of tomatoes. Mix well and allow to simmer over low heat. (you can use this time to cook the pasta. You and start boiling the water for the pasta even before you start step 1)

4. Add in the cooked pasta and basil, mix well and dish onto pasta plates. Garnish generously with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Enjoy!.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Roasted Chicken and Baby Spinach Salad

I thought this up when I needed a carb-free dinner one evening. But you could serve roasted potatoes on the side as a carb element. Its an easy to do chicken salad dinner. Basically oven roasted chicken on a simple salad.

Grilled Chicken and Baby Spinach Salad

The chicken was really great, the lemons added a nice hit of acidity to chicken as well as the salad. The dressing was light and refreshing. The lemon infused roasting juices helped to lift the salad up with its acidity. Nice and fresh veg don't really need a heavy dressing.

Ingredients for 2
2 boneless chicken thighs

spice rub:
1 tablespoon parika
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Rest of the stuff:
1 Lemon - Thickly sliced. Should get about 6 slices at most from a whole lemon.
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1.2 cup rocket leaves
Parmesan cheese.
1 tablespoon mixed seeds (use your favourite seeds, e.g pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds etc)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Steps:
1. Mix all spice rub ingredients together in a large bowl. Coat both chicken thighs fully and place them in a resealable bag, pour any remaining run into the bag. Mix well, shake the bag a little, don't be shy about it :)

2. Lay the lemon slices on a baking tray. Use them as a base for the chicken. Lay the chicken on the lemon slices, skin side up. Its alright if the chicken is alot larger than the base of lemon slices. Cook in a preheated oven 180 degrees celsius for 35 minutes.
(optional but I like to do this. Use the grill function for the last 3-5 minutes.)

3. While the chicken is cooking, you can prep the salad. Mix all the salad greens well. Season with salt and pepper and toss with Extra Virgin olive oil and mixed seeds.

4. Optional - When the chicken thighs are cooked, cut them up into more manageable sizes.

5. Dish the salad onto individual dishes and garnish generously with Parmesan.

6. Lay the chicken on the veg, drizzle with the lemony roasting juices. Serve with more freshly ground pepper if you like.

Enjoy.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Asian Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Spicy Garlic Shrimp
A really tasty dish that packs a punch. Serving it over steamed rice is ideal. The rice just get soaked in the sauce. Simmering the shrimp heads with chicken stock really draws out the flavour from them, bringing this whole meal to the next level.

Ingredients:
400-500 grams shrimp/grey prawns - shelled and deveined. (weight was with shells on)
Note: Reserve all the heads and some shells for the sauce.
5-6 cloves garlic - sliced
2 shallots - sliced
1 large chilli - sliced
2 chilli padi/bird's eye chilli - sliced (replace with large chilli if your heat tolerance is low)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cups chicken stock (optional but highly recommended - water is an acceptable substitute.)
1 teaspoon light soya sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Cooking oil for frying

Steps:
1. Heat up a small saucepan over medium low heat. When heated, add in the shrimp heads. You should heat a low sizzle immediately. Stir them a little and add 2 teaspoons unsalted butter and stir well. Keep stirring occasionally until the prawn heads turn fully pink/red. At this point add in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil.When the stock starts to boil, turn down the heat and gently simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and generous amount of pepper. Strain the mixture and reserve the "prawn stock". You may discard the shells/heads.

2. In a saute pan, add some oil and heat over medium heat. When pan is well heated, add in the shrimp. Cook each side for about 20 seconds, until almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil in the same pan. Heat up the oil and then add the garlic, all the chillies and shallots into the pan.  Stirring frequently, fry the ingredients until they start to turn brown.

4. Add the "prawn stock" into the pan and allow to simmer for about 1 minute. Then add in the shrimp and light soya sauce and rice vinegar. Mix well and turn off the heat.

Serve on steamed rice and garnish with fresh coriander.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Italian Style Roasted Chicken Thigh

I had a similar dish at an Italian restaurant recently and it left me feeling rather unsatisfied. The chicken was under seasoned and the skin was not rendered well enough. That inspired to try this at home.
Italian Style Roasted Chicken Thigh with Pan Roasted Vegetables and Chorizo
Wifey agreed that this time around it was much better than that we had. The awesome smell of rosemary permeated the house during the oven roasting. Simple yet tasty combination. The chorizo add a nice kick to the dish.You can call it rosemary chicken thigh I guess as it will be the primary fragrance and flavour.

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken thighs
1 cup pumpkin - cut into chunks
1 red pepper - cut into pieces about 1 - 2 inches across
Handful of asparagus - tough bases trimmed
50 grams of chorizo - sliced
Leaves of 2 Springs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic - sliced/chopped
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
oil for frying

Marinade:
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary - leaves only (or 1 tsp dried leaves)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves only (or 1 tsp dried leaves)
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of lemon juice

Steps
1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place chicken thighs in the bowl and fully coat the chicken in the marinade. When done, place them in resealable bags. Pour remaining marinade into the bag. Mix well my massaging the bag a little. Re-seal and place in fridge for at least 20 mins. Longer if you have more time.

2. When ready to cook, place chicken thighs skin side up on a baking/roasting tray. Cook in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 40 minutes. (Cooking times may vary depending on the size of your chicken) Use grill mode for the last 3 minutes to crisp up the skin.

3. While the chicken is in the oven, you can start to cook the vegetables. In a saute pan over medium heat, brown the pumpkin about 3-4 minutes per side. When the pumpkin softens, remove from heat and set aside.

4. Wipe the pan down and add a little oil. Saute the red peppers until they begin to blister and soften. When done, remove and set aside. 

5. Add the chorizo to the pan, fry until they just about turn crisp, the add the garlic and fry for another minute or so. At this point add the asparagus, red pepper, pumpkin, butter and thyme leaves. Saute for another minute or so. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from pan.

6. Dish the vegetables onto dinner plates. Place the cooked chicken thighs on the vegetables and drizzle the roasting juices onto the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with herb of your choice.

Note: Vegetable combination is to your preference. Based on what you feel works for you and your household. Squash, potatoes and zuchinni come to mind. Do note that differernt vegetables have varying cooking times. E.g, carrots take a whole lot longer.

Enjoy!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Baked Garlic Onion and Anchovy Cheese Dip

Here’s an easy to make dip that easily impresses. It’s awesome with chips, crackers, vegetable sticks (Asparagus, Carrot Sticks etc..) Its also great used as a spread over bagels and/or bread. 


 
Ingredients:

250gm cream cheese (That’s the whole tub)
1 cup whipping cream
2 heads baked garlic - cooled to room temperature (See note below on baking garlic)
2 stalks spring onion, very finely chopped
1 x 80gm Tin of anchovies (minced in a food processor or finely chopped with a knife)

Steps:
1. If the cream cheese is hard (just out of the fridge) leave it out of the fridge for a while to let it soften.

2. Empty out the tub of cheese into a larger mixing bowl. Squeeze out the baked garlic into the cheese. (Remember to remove the hard roots). Add in the spring onions and anchovies as well. Fold in the garlic and onions into the cheese, ensure they mix well. Season with pepper.
 
3. Gradually add in the cream and fold it into the cheese mixture.

4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold later.

Note: Baking Garlic:- Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Warp a whole head of garlic in aluminum foil (single layer will do) and bake for 40 mins.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Simple Sautéed Shitake Mushrooms with Shishito Peppers

I was inspired by the mushroom side dish I had a Cut a couple months back. Decided try my own rendition of it when I saw a pack of Shishito peppers while walking around Isetan Orchard with the wife.
Sautéed Shitake Mushrooms with Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers is a thin skinned pepper that is not very spicy but lends a very nice fragrance to this dish. Not as tart or fruity are other more fleshy peppers that we usually find in our local supermarkets. This is a very simple and easy dish to prepare and a great complement to almost any meal.

Ingredients:
1 shallot - sliced
250 grams shitake mushrooms - half them if they are very large
6 Shishito peppers - stalks removed
Soya sauce and ground black pepper for seasoning
Handful of bonito flakes for garnish

Steps:

1. Heat some cooking oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

2. When oil is heated, add in the peppers and fry for about 2 minutes.

3. Add in the shallots and fry until the shallots soften and the peppers start to wrinkle and brown slightly on the edges.

4. Add in the mushrooms and continue to fry for another 3-5 minutes. When mushrooms are almost done, turn of the heat and add in the soya sauce and ground black pepper to taste.

5. Dish onto plates and garnish with bonito flakes.

That's all there is to it. Simplicity at its best! Hope you'll enjoy this recipe.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Spicy Dry Ramen Tossed with Sesame Oil and Soya.

Had a dry noodle craving at home so I tossed this together. Beats having to eat instant noodles. The fresh vegetables add a refreshing textural element. I used Bonito flavoured soya (cause I happened to have it in the fridge) but you can use regular Soya, or even Yuzu Soya for a fruity dimension.

Spicy Dry Ramen with all the garnish
Served Warm, tossed in Soya, Chilli Oil (Layu), Sesame Oil, Garlic oil, Sugar, Cayenne Pepper and Rice Wine Vinegar. Served with fresh veg and a 6 minute egg. Its deceptively addictive.

Here's what I used for 2:

160 grams egg noodles/ramen

Garnish
1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce (About 3-4 leaves)
1 Large chilli - thinly sliced
Handful of bonito flakes
Handful of shredded Nori
2 stalks of spring onions - sliced
3 tablespoons Dried Sakura Ebi - Toasted in a oven at 190c for 5 mins.
2 eggs - Boiled for 5-6 minutes in boiling water then placed in cold water.

You can mix and match your favourite vegetables for the garnish, or based on what you have in the fridge at that time.

Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons - Bonito Soya
2 teaspoons Chilli Oil (Layu)
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sugar1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (omit if you are not into spicy)
2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Garlic oil

(You can prepare garlic oil by frying 2 cloves of sliced garlic in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until they turn golden brown)

Steps:

1. Mix all sauce ingredients together in large mixing bowl.

2. Boil ramen/noodles according to package instructions. When done, toss noodles in the sauce mix. When noodles are well coated with sauce, dish into separate bowls.

3. Remove shell from eggs and place on noodles.

4. Top with all other prepared garnish and serve immediately.

It require a little effort in prep, well worth it. Just be sure you prepared all your garnish before you cook you noodles. Once you start to cook your noodles, everything will happen quickly.


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Grilled Corn Salsa

A refreshing side dish to have with a meal. Goes great with Asian dishes too.
Grilled Corn Salsa
The sweetcorn and red pepper complement each other well, with lime and coriander cutting through the sweetness. Grilling or roasting the corn brings out a slight hint of nutty flavour. Highly enjoyable. Really easy to do as well.

Ingredients:
2 sweetcorns - with husks peeled.
1 red bell pepper - diced
1 shallot - sliced
1 clove of garlic - sliced
Handful of corriander leaves - roughly chopped.
1 tablespoon spring onion - sliced (optional)
Juice of 1/2 a large lime.
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1. Grill sweetcorn over an open flame in an oven set to grill, until the corn just starts to char on the outside. The Kernel should still be moist on the inside, you do not want to dry them out.

2. When corn is grilled, removed the kernels from the cob. You can do this by cutting the cob in half, then stand it vertically on the chopping board. Use a spoon or blade to scrape the kernels down. Place the kernels in the bowl, discard the core.

3. Heat some oil in a saute pan over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in the diced red peppers, garlic and shallots. Fry for about 3-5 minutes, to get the tartness out of the peppers. Fry until the peppers start to soften. Remove the the pan and set aside and allow to cool.

4. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Oven Grilled Chicken Thighs

This is an easy-to-do grilled chicken dish. Just season the chicken, chop the veg and into the oven. Ready in 40 minutes but actual work done is about 15-20 minutes. 
Oven grilled Chicken Thighs
The juices of the chicken, flavoured with the seasoning will mix in with the veg below, adding flavour and also acting like a dressing for the veg. I adjusted the height of the baking dish to be closer to the top heating element, for a crispy finish on the skin.

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken thighs (You can get them at most Cold Storage outlets at S$4.99 for 2)

Seasoning:
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cyanne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
(You can mix and match the herbs to your liking)

Other ingredients:
300 grams brussel sprouts - halved
2 large carrots - chopped into chunks and blanched in boiling salted water for about 5 mins.
1 large yellow onion - roughly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
5 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 Teaspoon duck fat (optional, you can use olive oil instead)

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