A Series of Kitchen Experiments

Mussels, Champs and a Plate of Mixed Roasts are Best Eaten with Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:19:00 +0000

True to my title, a feast is not a feast without friends. Round it off with a nice beer or two and we had ourselves a jolly good time. Sorry of the lack of postings, there wasn't any lack of eating just a lack of time!

A couple of friends are over for the week. One of them is an old friend since college, and a foodie through and through. Born with a Malaysian palate and a passion for cooking, K and I make an excellent team in the kitchen. Have a look:

We've been planning to cook together for... years! And when the day came, shopping at Marche Atwater could not be any better. For the lack of a better word, it was like Christmas all over again. As we shopped, two of our companions tagged along and were sometimes forgotten as K and I poured over our list of ingredients to buy. Poor fellas. All was well again after we rewarded them with a feast. :)

What did we cook? Well...

...even though I said that we've been "planning" to cook together for YEARS, it took us about 1 hour to put what we wanted to cook together the day before. With Jamie Oliver's help and two cookbooks later, we decided to cook the mixed roast on a bed of cauliflower puree, the strawberry and haloumi salad, champ potatoes with peas, and a big pot of mussels inspired by the HopLeaf Bar in Chicago.

I have made the mixed roast platter before, here and here, so I am going provide you with the recipe for Champ Potatoes with Peas, and Hopleaf's Mussels. Jamie Oliver's Strawberry Salad with Speck and Haloumi can be found here.

We did not use the speck mentioned in the recipe and it was still the best salad we've had in a while. A little tip, if you only have a generic brand for balsamic vinegar, I suggest adding 1 tablespoon of honey to balance the flavor out. Otherwise, it might be a tad tart.

Hopleaf-inspired Mussels:
Mirepoix (finely chopped (1) carrot, (1) onion, (2-3 stalks of) celery)
3lb of fresh mussels
2 red chili, de-veined and chopped finely
2 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic
375ml of beer, we used a Hoegaarden
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, saute mirepoix, chili, bay leaves, garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted.
2. Add mussels in and toss them together before adding the whole bottle of beer in.
3. Cover and cook for approximately 8 minutes or until all the mussels are open. Discard the unopened ones because that's one dead shellfish you don't want to be eatin'.

Serves 2-3 gluttonous persons.

Champ potatoes with peas
Champ potatoes is like a cross between boiled and mashed potatoes. There is still a bite to them and with peas, the extra burst of sweetness gives a nice flavor and texture.

6 medium sized russet potatoes, cut into large 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup of frozen peas
3 stalks of scallions (green onions), chopped finely
2 tablespoon of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup milk

Method:
1. Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water and cook in a rolling boil for 25 minutes.
2. In the last minute of cooking, toss the frozen peas in.
3. When cooked, the potatoes will fall apart easily, which is perfect for this. To test, insert a fork in and it should break the potatoes apart rather easily. Reserve 1/4 cup of the potato water and drain the potatoes.

Combine the 1/4 cup of potato water with milk.

4. Add sour cream, scallions, milky potato water, salt and pepper into the potatoes and peas and with a large serving spoon, mix them together until the potatoes are combined well.

The end result of champs should be somewhat smooth and yet chunky from the bits of potatoes, peas and scallions.

It was the most satisfying dinner we've had in a while and there were leftovers. Our mixed roast had quails, a cornish hen and ginger and orange sausages and there are still quails and hens in the fridge for munching in the evening if we're feeling a little snippy.

:)

Pavlova, a beautiful mess

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:51:00 +0000

What happens when you have a new Kitchenaid Standmixer? Well, you make foods you would otherwise think twice of making. Like pavlovas.

A light and fluffy dessert made from the simplest ingredients is a treat to eat but a bitch to make. It's not a complex process to make pavlovas, it's just tedious as hell. Repetitive whisking of the egg whites and sugar until stiff, glossy peaks are achieved can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. And that is an almost true story. But the efforts are worth it as soon as you take your first bite.

I love my meringues with fruits, especially berries. Although, I don't mind if it's drizzled with passion fruit compote as well. Here's a relatively simple pavlova recipe for the hot and wet days of summer.

The catch-22 of this recipe is that it does not keep well. It must be finished the very day you make this. And it can look quite a mess; a beautiful mess.

Here's what you would need:

4 egg whites
1 cup of superfine granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon of corn starch

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 250F, or 120C. Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper, do not grease.

1. In a Kitchenaid Professional Standmixer with a whisk attachment *grins*, add your 4 egg whites into the mixing bowl and turn the power on to 7, or medium speed if you're using an electric hand beater. Add salt into the egg whites.

2. Gradually add sugar, as the machine whisk the egg whites into a frothy mountain. After adding all the sugar, turn the power up to 10 and leave it to whip for 5 minutes or until the egg whites are glossy, triple in size and has stiff peaks. Turn off the machine.

You now have a meringue. The consistency of the egg whites should remind you of a very soft marshmallow cloud. Very light and fluffy, almost like cream.

3. Toss the corn starch in and gently fold it into the meringue. Corn starch helps absorb extra liquid and prevents the meringue from sweating. it also gives the meringue more body.

4. Pour the meringue over the baking tray in a large dollop and with a spatula, shape the meringue into a 7-inch diameter disc.

5. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a light eggshell color tints the outer layer of your meringue. Once it's done baking, keep the oven door ajar and let the meringue cool in the oven. This will prevent it from collapsing.

Once it's cooled, you can top it with some whipped cream and berries. If you want to make this in advance, keep the cooled meringue in an air tight container or wrap it tightly, but gently, with saran wrap and keep it in a cool, dark place for up to 3 days.

And before I forget, this is my new Kitchenaid Standmixer. It's in sexy black. It will be my favorite kitchen gadget after my Shun knife.

Eggs in the basket

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:31:00 +0000

I don't know why it took me so long to make this. Ever since I saw it on V for Vendetta, I've always wanted to make my own egg in the basket. Whoever invented this must be Captain Practical - you get a nicely toasted bread with a nice eggy center. What is there not to love?

It's perhaps the simplest thing to make for yourself on a weekend when all you want is a cup of coffee and a nice eggy toast.

Eggs in the basket is the perfect breakfast with a nice little dollop of ketchup!

1 slice of bread
1 egg
butter
salt
pepper

Method:
Heat a skillet on the stove until hot.

1. Spread butter on both sides of the bread.
2. Use a round cookie cutter, approx. 2.5 inches in diameter, and make a hole in the center of the bread.
3. You can toss the bread center away or just munch on it as a side. Put slice bread on the hot skillet and crack and egg into the hole. Don't worry if it spills over a little.

Make sure your heat is not too hot at this point. Lower it to a medium low heat once the egg hits the bread hole.

4. Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes and then flip over. And cook for another minute before serving.

Depending on how you like your eggs - runny, stiff, over-cooked - adjust your cooking time. I don't like my eggs overcooked so when I flip it over, I just let it cook for less than a minute so that the center of the yolk remains runny.

5. Serve with a dollop of ketchup or drizzle with your favorite honey or maple syrup.

I picked the latter. :)

I Heart Vanilla is finally here!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:34:00 +0000

After months of working on this project, I am happy to say that my new small business venture is finally, and officially, up and running!

Say hello to ♥ I HEART VANILLA ♥ , a store for all vanilla lovers and a source for all your vanilla needs! If you ever wondered about how to use, store or buy vanilla, our site offers not just the products but also the information on how to use vanilla in our Vanillapedia^TM.

Maybe you've seen that not-so-little advertisement on the right; that lovely brown banner that's been there for well over a month? Now that brown banner actually leads to our full website! I'm so excited, I can barely contain myself!

Let me give you the low-down of our business...

***Update*** About Shipping & Handling cost: It's included in the price you see on the site. If you're not from N. America (US/Canada), you must pick the Int'l (International) option because a different pricing group applies.

I Heart Vanilla only sells quality beans that has been hand-picked to ensure that every bean is plump, moist, and highly aromatic. To make sure of this, we have (well, I have) used these vanilla beans repeatedly to test for their quality and unfailingly, they surprise me with their flavor. It gives cakes, cookies, desserts a very beautiful, well rounded flavor, wafting with the scent of vanilla. I also use it as a flavor smoothing agent in recipes where many strong spices are used to blend their flavors together.

We carry two kinds of vanilla: Bourbon (v.planifolia) and Tahitian (v.tahitensis).

Both variation are excellent to use for baking and cooking. And yes they do smell different! While the overtone of vanilla is evident in both variation, Tahitian vanilla has a more floral and anise-like flavor to the bean. Many pastry chefs are always looking out for Tahitian vanilla because they are excellent in pastries and desserts! Bourbon vanilla on the other hand is that classic vanilla bean that we all recognize in vanilla ice cream. It has a very creamy and smooth flavor, perfect for creamy concoctions, baking and cooking.

We also sell vanilla products like our Vanilla Infused Sugars, Syrups and Extracts. Our extracts are not ready yet and won't be until December! Christmas gift ideas, anyone? ;) Also check out our recipe's page and join our Facebook group to get first dips on our promotions! We are TWITTERING TOO, so follow us!

If you don't already know, Shipping and Handling is included in the price of the products you see. Thus making our product one of the most affordable, high quality vanilla beans out there in the market.

I Heart Vanilla was founded by me and my father, while I was in KL enjoying the sweet tropical climate in Jan 2009. It happened pretty quickly when we decided to start a small-business on vanilla beans. And so we began our hunt for the best vanilla bean growers around that continent.

After searching high and low, we finally found our grower who harvest and cure vanilla beans the traditional way in the beautiful land of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Every vanilla pod is sun-dried for up to 6-8 months to carefully develop that flavor of vanilla we love and use! We are very lucky to have found a grower who has high respect for his vanilla orchids in both his farms at Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. No pesticide or preservatives are used, our vanilla orchids are naturally grown and cultivated on acres of pristine soil, cured, handpicked and bundle up.

May I interest you with a bundle? :)

Tau Yew Bak (Braised Pork in Soy Sauce)

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:15:00 +0000

I don't cook enough Malaysian dishes in my kitchen.

This is my mother's/grandma's Tau Yew Bak recipe that I grew up eating as a kid. This braised pork dish is comfort food to me as a big bowl of osso bucco are to the Milanese. The meat is braised for an hour or two in an aromatic dark sauce flavored with star anise, cinnamon, black peppercorns and a whole head of garlic.

It's a very Penang Hokkien dish. And in Penang, this dish is eaten with white rice and a dollop of sambal belachan.

There are many variations of this dish because it's really a provincial dish that went on a national scale. So every Chinese grandmother has their own way of making this dish but the basics are pretty much all the same - star anise, cinnamon, garlic and pork.

Traditionally, pork belly is used in this recipe. The lard is what makes Tau Yew Bak good but other cuts of pork are permissible as well. My mom likes to use several different cuts for more variety.

I used a meaty cut of pork ribs, and I asked the butcher to cut them into 1.5inch chunks for shorter braising time. You can put in big chunks of ribs in and cook it country-style, too.

Tau Yew Bak or Braise Pork in Soy Sauce
This recipe feeds 2-3 people

670g of pork ribs, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
1 head of garlic, papery skin peeled off
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1 star anise
1 stick of cinnamon, 3 inches in length (or if you can get your hands on some cassia, it would be the best)
1 teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice powder (optional)
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of oil
3 cups of water

Optional but commonly used ingredients: Potatoes (big chunks), bean curd sticks, fried tofu pieces, Chinese mushrooms, canned button mushrooms, eggs.

You may also use chicken in place of pork as well. It's equally delicious in a chickeny sort of way.

Method:
1. Pre-boiled the pork ribs in boiling water for 5 minutes to get rid of any impurities.
2. Drain water from the pot and heat it up with oil. Add the pork, garlic, star anise, black peppercorns and cinnamon in. Saute until aromatic.
3. Now, add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar in. Saute until the pork is completely covered by the dark sauces and the sugar began to caramelized a little.

Be careful not to burn the sugar. As soon as you see that the bottom of the pan begins to stick, add the 3 cups of water right away.

4. Add water as soon as caramelizing of the sugar begins. Scrap the bottom of the pan a bit with your spoon and let pot come to a boil.

If you are adding any of the optional ingredients listed above, you may add them right now. Make sure your potatoes are in big pieces so they are able to withstand long the long cooking time. I usually put them whole, if I'm using them. If you're using eggs put them in just before serving if you don't want to overcook them. Usually, overcooked eggs with gray rings around the yolk is not uncommon in this recipe. The star of the show is the fall-off-the-bone delicious meat and it's flavorful sauce.

5. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 1.5 hour.

Serve hot on steamed white rice and a dollop of sambal belachan. I served mine on some thick rice noodles because I had some on hand. Now, I cannot explain how wonderfully aromatic the meat is once cooked. It's simply the most nourishing smell for the soul. Don't waste any of the sauces, bread makes for a good vessel for soaking up the goodness!

The Cherry in the Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:54:00 +0000

You know the saying "The cherry on the cake"?

Eating this cherry cake is like the cherry on the cake to a perfect pre-summer evening meal. Never mind that it rained a little.

Fresh Bing cherries are used to make this dessert. It is a very moist cake with a balance of sweetness and a hint of sour. But first, you need to temper the cherries with some sugar to get rid of excess moisture. Failing this, you will have cherry craters within the cake because fresh cherries shrivel up during baking time.

You can go ahead and use sour cherries or a combo of cherries for this recipe but please don't use maraschino. They can be too sweet!

Cherry Cake Recipe:
1 and 1/2 cup of fresh cherries, halved and pitted (canned whole cherries can be substituted for fresh cherries).
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
3/4 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup of sugar + 2 tablespoon of sugar
Rind from 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod, beans scraped.
2 Eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp Kirsch (optional)

Method:

1. First you need to temper with your cherries. Add 2 tablespoon of sugar to the cherries, mix to combine and set them in a colander for all the excess liquid to drip. This process will take about 1 hour. After one hour, flavor the cherries with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and set aside.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan with some butter and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy with an electric beater. Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine.

I suggest not using the electric beater anymore from this point onwards so that you don't over beat your batter.

3. Add the lemon rind, vanilla beans (and kirsch if you're using) into the batter and mix well.

4. Mix the all the dry ingredients together; flour, salt, baking powder.

5. Alternately, add the flour and milk into the batter and mix well to combine.

6. Add the cherries in at the end, fold the batter until cherries are mixed through.

7. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the skewers comes out clean in the middle of the cake.

It is imperative to let the cake cool completely before cutting. Otherwise, it will be a crumbling, albeit tasty, mess!

This cherry cake is very simple to make and it is extremely delicious. It would keep well for 3-4 days before it starts to get stale. Keep the cake wrapped in saran wrap to preserve its moistness.

The Perfectly Seared Sirloin Steak with Lime Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:29:00 +0000

A warning to the vegetarians, this lengthy post is about cooking the perfect meat.

I am not much of a red meat-eater. But every once in a while I see a lovely, perfectly marbled sirloin at the butcher, I just cannot help myself. So this is a nice sirloin steak I got from one of the butchers at Atwater Market. Specs of the sirloin steak is 670g cut into the thickness of a 1-inch slab. I would not go for anything below 1 inch thick for a steak cut.

The sirloin is a very tasty cut of meat. Not quite as tender as a tenderloin, but not tough like chuck. Tenderloins are a little overrated, in my opinion. It's quite a tasteless cut despite it's exorbitant price tag. I would pick a sirloin any day.

My sirloin steak is cooked pretty simply. It's seasoned with salt, pepper and a little bit of garlic powder.

This recipe feeds 2-3 people.

670 grams of sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch slab
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Method:
1. Heat skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil until smoky hot.
2. Season steak with salt, pepper and garlic powder generously on both sides and sear the meat in the skillet. Do not move it around or touch it. Sear for 4 minutes and then turn over, sear for another 3-4 minutes.

A word of caution, if you have a fire detector installed in your home, it would be wise to disarm it or turn on your cooker hood on high. This will be a smoky event.

3. Take steak off the pan and onto a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Lime Dressing
Juice from 1/2 lime
Steak fond (What's a fond?)
1/4 cup of red wine (or any broth you have in hand)
salt
pepper

Method
1. In the same skillet, add lime juice and a bit of butter. Scrap the bottom of the skillet to get the fond out. This will make your sauce tasty.
2. Add the red wine/broth and let it simmer down to half. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour over steak as sauce.

It's imperative to not cut the steak while it's just off the pan. The juices will run out and you'll be left with a very leathery, dry steak. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. The thickness of the steak is equally important. The thicker the better, thin steaks will dry out faster than you say sirloin, so I recommend 1-inch and above.

Here's my cooking time for different steak thickness to achieve that pretty pink center in medium and rare.

Medium done:
1 inch cuts - 4 minute on each side
2 inch cuts - 7 minutes on each side

Rare:
1 inch cuts - 2 minutes on each side
2 inch cuts - 4 minutes on each side

Note: It is definitely worth it to get a cut thicker/bigger than you can finish. Extra steak can be used as sandwich meat the next day. It's better than any cold cuts you get at the grocery store.

That Mother-ship tomato salad is a great topping for the steak as well when it's all chopped up. :)

The Squash That Got Curried Away

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:41:00 +0000

Oh I don't believe it! Remnants of winter in my pantry, a lone butternut squash leans quietly at the very back of my sack of rice and onions. A sneaky one.

Pacing to and fro the fridge and cupboard, I realized that I also have a lot of unused curry powder from Malaysia too. I've been making my own curry spice when I needed some. I bet that pile of pre-packed curry powder have been feeling rather lonely too.

That lone butternut squash will be good for a vegetarian squash curry. On a bed of rice. With a cold lemony slaw.

I don't know about you but curried squash can be so delicious and yet so simple.

Check out the recipe after the jump!

I toasted some spices to go with the packet curry powder from Malaysia. I like my curries to pack a nice aroma with a spicy punch.

Butternut Squash Curry
2 cups of butternut squash, cubed
1 small carrot, cubed
1/2 cup spinach
2 onions, chopped finely
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon caraway
4-6 pods of cardamom
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 star anise
3 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 dried chili, deseeded
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Method
1. Toast the coriander seeds, cumin, caraway and cardamom until aromatic. Be mindful as to not burn the spices.
2. Pound the toasted spices in a mortar and pestle until all the spices are crushed.
3. In a same pan, heat oil and toss in the mustard seeds and star anise. When the mustard seeds starts popping, add the onions and garlic in. Saute until the onion is translucent.

4. Now, add the pounded spices and dried chili in. Saute for a minute or two and then add the squash and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for approximately 8 minutes or until the squash is slightly opaque on its sides.
5. Add the curry powder and turmeric powder in and saute to combine well. Pour the yogurt in with the spinach and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve the curry hot a bed of basmati rice and a side of lemony slaw (recipe below).

Lemony Slaw Recipe
1 pre-packed coleslaw vegetable mix (cabbages, carrots)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
50 grams of raisins (optional)
a big pinch of chili flakes
salt and pepper

Method:
1. Mix the lemon juice, mayonnaise, chili flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl until well combine.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Chill before serving.

The Mother-ship Tomato Salad on Roasted Salmon

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:22:00 +0000

This is a summer dish. Another homage to the sun.

And the tomatoes are faithful sun-worshipers, whose flavor will only ripen into a sweet, juicy goodness under the yellow heat of the universal fireball. What better way to showcase my displeasure over the cold, uneven weather that has plagued Montreal in the past week? A plate of sunny flavors is in order! Jamie Oliver's mothership tomato salad is my favorite summer recipe to make because it has more than one uses.

On other days, I would toss a bit of linguine into this tomato salad and finish off with some good parmesan cheese. This time I am using the tomato salad over a nicely roasted salmon dinner. The bright flavor of the tomatoes go extremely well with fish or seafood.

And I am sick of the autumn-like weather in spring!

More after the jump...

The mothership tomato salad is a vegetarian/vegan dish. It is good eaten on its own, with a bit of crusty bread, with a plate of pasta or simply chopped up as a salsa dip. So, it is your prerogative.

This Jamie Oliver recipe gives us a lot of room to expand. You can add whatever herbs you like but the most important ingredient in the recipe are the tomatoes - the rest just works itself out in the end. Get good tomatoes for this recipe, and get a variety of them. I used approximately 4-5 different kinds of yellow, orange, red, cherry, ox-hearts and medium sized tomatoes for this recipe. If you can grab some heirloom tomatoes, add it in as well. It will only add to it's deliciousness.

I made some changes to the recipe, adding whatever fresh herbs I had at hand. And this is how it goes:

The mother-ship tomato salad:
1 lb of tomatoes, different varieties
1/4 cup of good olive oil
1 garlic, minced finely
1 fresh red chili, mince finely - this is optional (you can sub with dried red pepper flakes)
2-3 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
10 basil leaves, torn
1 teaspoon of thyme, plucked
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Wash your tomatoes and cut the big ones into quarters and small ones into halves - bring them into a deep bowl.
2. Add the rest of the ingredient and toss them to combine and every tomato is coated with the herby goodness.
3. Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. Store in the fridge until needed.

This tomato salad keeps well for up to 2 days.

Roast Salmon
1 whole salmon fillet
salt
pepper
olive oil

Method:
1. Rub salmon with salt, pepper and olive oil evenly.
2. Pan-sear the salmon, skin side down in a hot pan for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp.
3. Roast the salmon in the oven at 350 F, for another 8 minutes.

You can also pan sear your salmon until done for this dish.

The Quick and Easy Meatballs Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:38:00 +0000

There's something just so delicious about biting into rotund, meaty, spiced balls cooked in a rich tomato sauce. MM mm! It's just so satisfying.

My mom would make soup with meatballs and we'd eat it with rice. It was so yummy and so simple. Granted there are some difference between the Chinese meatballs and Italian meatballs but they are equally good. My meatball and pasta is Chinese-inspired as my mom's Chinese meatball recipe includes ginger. So, I added ginger and my own, home-grown, basil leaves as flavoring. And if I may say so, ginger juice and meat goes hand-in-hand too. You can't go wrong there.

This is a very quick and delicious meatball recipe that goes with any pasta. I used Fusili because it is fast to cook. Check out the recipe after the jump!

Quick and Easy Meatballs Recipe
This recipe feeds 2-3 people, recipe can easily be doubled.

250grams of chicken breast, minced. You can use pork, beef and/or veal, if you please.
1 tablespoon of parmesan
2 tablespoon of breadcrumbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger and juice
10 leaves of basil, chopped
a pinch of flour
1 egg
dried red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Sauce:
1 cup of marinara sauce

Any shape of pasta, follow the cooking method on the package.

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together very well.
2. Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch balls.
3. Heat pan with some olive oil and sear the meatballs. Turning them over too cook evenly.
4. Once the meatballs are browned evenly on all sides, add the marinara sauce in and cook the meatballs with the marinara sauce on a simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Pour meatballs over your pasta and serve hot with some crumbly bread.

You can easily make this a very sumptuous meal by adding a bit of red wine to the marinara sauce while the meatballs bath in it luxuriously. And try using a different pasta or maybe sprinkle the pasta with some parmesan shavings. Or better yet, bake the meatballs in the tomato sauce with a nice chunk of mozzarella on top of each meatballs and serve when the cheese melts.

Yea..that sounds pretty good to me too.

Slowly but surely...

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:31:00 +0000

I'm almost done with the tabs on this site. I've finally completed the About Me section and I'm slowly putting together the recipes A-Z. Maybe I'll arrange it in alphabetical order or maybe I should arrange it in the form of genre. Slowly but surely getting there - just like my plants. :)

From the left: Cherry tomato, oregano, green peas (experimental), rosemary, and at the back stage some red chili plants.

I'm not sure if my ox heart tomatoes would grow well, it didn't the last time but here's to crossing my fingers. I got some pot-friendly tomato types this year, cherry tomatoes, pomodoros and speckled romans and they are flourishing. In the pictures the plants are in 6 inch pots but I am going to transfer them to 12 inch pots or bigger once I get more soil.

From the left: Silver thyme, radicchio and spinach (experimental), bay plant, speckled roman tomato, ox heart tomato, basil.

My herbs are growing splendidly. Since the demise of my basil plant mid-last year, I've bought a new one and this time I am going to make sure it lasts me at least 2 years. I have been reading a lot on planting vegetables and herbs and I'm trying to get the best out of limited space I have in our apartment and so far so good. I have a bay leaf plant, it suppose to grow into a tree but it's stunted due to the pot it's in. Can't wait to plant it on a cut-off barrel. I'm learning as I go and it's been quite satisfying. Oh yea, I talk to my plants too...they grow better that way. :)

Has anyone tried growing their tomato plants upside down? It looks really pretty and curiously functional. I might try it.

The Matahari Rhymes with Calamari

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Matahari means sun, in Malay.

The beautiful weather affects my mood is a very positive manner. Like my growing pots of herbs, vegetables and tomatoes, I felt like reaching my arms high for the sky. So, I am celebrating the return of summer with a calamari dish marinated with a coat of paprika seasoning, sauteed with some good olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon to finish. I name it Matahari Calamari. I have never made this dish before, I only followed what I felt like eating, so began another kitchen experiment...

The recipe for this Matahari Calamari is very simple. The star ingredient is the squid, so get the freshest you possibly can.

1lb of fresh squid, cleaned
1 teaspoon of paprika powder
1 clove of garlic, minced finely into paste
a pinch of flour
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
a few scrapes of lemon zest
a pinch of dried chili flakes
salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
a handful of yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh lemons wedges

Method:
1. Slice the squid into 1/2 inch thick rings.
2. Add the garlic, paprika powder, pinch of flour, oregano, dried chili flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper into the squid rings and mix to combine. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the pan until very hot and add the tomatoes. Saute for a few minutes before adding the marinated squid. You want to have small brown bits crisping up along the sides of the squid when it is cooked so keep sauteing and tossing until the squid is cooked through and the tentacles curled with crispy bits.

I don't like overcooking my squids. When cooking with squid there is a point where the squid becomes toughen and only more cooking time will soften them again, so it's best to not overcook. I like to cook my squid for no more than 5 minutes, so that they are soft and chewy but not rubber ducky chewy.

4. Serve with a generous dousing of lemon juice.

The Matahari Calamari is so yummy with the lemon juice, you feel like you're sitting under the sun eating this delicious squid you could swear that you could taste the sea breeze in your mouth. But that's what buying extremely fresh seafood does to anyone ;)

Peas and Broccoli Rabe Risotto

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:51:00 +0000

I was not been a big fan of risotto. My naivety in the past lead me to think that risotto is no different from rice porridge Chinese mothers cook for their sick child. What a bloody fool, I was. But no longer do I feel that way about this precious Italian home-style grub. It's simply the best comfort food in the world that can be cooked in so many ways.

My way is done with fresh peas and broccoli rabe. The burst of sweetness balanced by a mild green bitter flavor just MAKES this risotto. This is an absolutely ~~vegan~~ vegetarian meal...and I am no vegan, let alone vegetarian.

If you have tasted broccoli rabe, you would notice a slightly bitter green taste to the vegetable. It tastes very much like kailan or Chinese kale. When cooked, they become bittersweet and imparts a very deep and robust flavor to any dish. It was quite delightful paired with sweet peas.

It's important to not take shortcuts with risotto. It needs to be creamy and perfectly al dente in each grain of rice. That means you must lovingly stir the pot for 30 minutes until the rice becomes a creamy risotto - no cheating with adding any cream. And please use arborio rice for this recipe, normal rice just would not do.

Peas and Broccoli Rabe Risotto
serves 2-3 persons

1 cup of arborio rice
2 cups of vegetable broth, more if needed
1 cup of white wine
2 shallots, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of peas, frozen is fine
1 cup of chopped up broccoli rabe, reserve the chopped up stalks because you're going to use that first
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of grated parmesan,
salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method:

1. In a medium size pot, heat olive oil, garlic and shallots together and saute them until the shallots become translucent.
2. Add in your arborio rice and saute the rice with the garlic and shallots for about 3 minutes.
3. Now add in your chopped up broccoli rabe stalks in to cook with the rice, season with a pinch of salt. Add the white wine in and stir to make sure that no rice sticks at the bottom.

There is nothing fancy with risotto, just a lot of stirring and making sure that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. And this is what we will be doing in the next steps.

4. Stir in the vegetable broth bit by bit into the rice until it is all used up. Continue stirring as you cook the rice for another 15 minutes. As time goes by, you'll find that the risotto becomes thicker and creamier but each grain of rice are still nicely holding their shape. In fact, you will notice that the outer layer of the rice is becoming more translucent with a white bit in its center grain. Continue to stir frequently, it is imperative.

5. After 15 minutes of constant stirring, add the remaining broccoli rabe in and resume stirring. Add a bit of broth if you find that your risotto is too thick. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes more, don't forget to stir.

6. Add your peas in and cooked for a few more minutes. Take it off heat, and add your parmesan cheese in. Mix well and season with a bit of freshly cracked black pepper and salt.

Before serving, drizzle a little bit of good quality extra virgin olive oil over the risotto for a nice finishing.

Seat back and admire that little plate of creamy, rich risotto that smells irresistibly out of this world.

My shrooms' post got an award

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:17:00 +0000

My first award ever!

I am extremely honored by this award.

Thank you Jessi of Mushroom Council for awarding me Mushroom Recipe of the Week! The aforementioned recipe was for my Marinated Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar and Shallots post and it will be featured The Mushroom Channel blog for the world to see.

Do check out the Mushroom Council's website for an extensive collection of recipes and tips on how to cook, use and ignite your passion for this delicious fungus family.

Quick Chicken and Scallop Carbonara

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:05:00 +0000

I came back feeling famished. I wanted to slurp something quick and filling because I skipped breakfast that day. Pasta is in order, but with tomato sauce? I felt like something creamy so I decided to make myself a fettuccine carbonara with some chicken and scallop (and a handful of peas and spinach for color!)

Who said you have to eat bad when you're in a hurry?

I need to give Nigella a kiss for creating the shortcut way to carbonara. It's as easy as 1 egg and 1/4 cup of milk for that creamy sauce that spares none of the flavor. Usually, carbonara calls for bacon fat and bacon bits to flavor the sauce but because I did not have any at hand at the time I decided to use chicken and scallops (they were frozen but nothing like a quick zap in the oven won't help).

So here's what you need to make a quick carbonara pasta for two, even though one greedy person could probably finish this up in no time!

Chicken and Scallop Carbonara

150gram of chicken breast, cubed
50 grams of frozen baby scallops, defrosted (if you're using large scallops, I would suggest you don't waste it on this dish)
1 sundried tomato, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 shallot, chopped
a handful of frozen peas
3 cubes of frozen spinach
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/4 cup of milk
3-5 tablespoon pasta water
1 tablespoon of grated parmesan (I used padano, but you can go ahead and use reggiano or romano if you like)
1 large egg
Salt & Pepper to taste

Pasta
1 bundle of fettuccine (about a quarter diameter of a bundle
1 pot of boiling water, salted well

Method:

1. Cook your pasta in water that in a rolling boil. Make sure you salt the water well, I suggest 1 heaping teaspoon for every liter of water. While your pasta is cooking, you can start cooking your sauce.

2. In a hot pan, heat up your olive oil and toss in your shallot, garlic and sundried tomato. Toss to combine and saute. Once you smell the garlic, put in your chicken pieces and saute until chicken is cooked through. Season with some salt and pepper. Let it sit on the pan to brown the sides a little bit.

Give your fettuccine a stir to see how it's doing.

3. Go back to your pan and saute the chicken pieces a bit more, add your baby scallops in and saute the pan again. Add your frozen spinach in and scoop a few tablespoon of your hot pasta water into the pan. Cook until the spinach is wilted and water dissipates from the pan.

Check your pasta, it should be almost done. Take 1 strand of fettuccine and test it by eating. It should not taste floury at all. If it's one, scoop the pasta out of the pot and into the pan.

4. Now that your pasta is in the pan, toss the pasta with the other ingredients for a quick saute. Throw in your frozen peas and saute the pan again. Season with some salt and pepper, add pasta water and milk in. Let the pan come to a simmer.

5. Once the pan is heated and starting to simmer, add your parmesan in and crack the egg into the pan. Now, you have to work very quickly - stir the pasta as soon as the egg touches the pan and lift the pan off the heat. The heat in the pan should be enough to cook the egg and milk through into a creamy sauce. If you think it's not quite done, put the pan over the stove again and let it heat a bit more, while stirring vigorously.

Do not over-cook, you don't want a scrambled egg carbonara.

Once the sauce has reached an off white creamy consistency, your pasta carbonara is done. Serve it hot!

Marinated Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar and Shallots

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:50:00 +0000

Store this in a sterilized mason jar and keep it in your fridge for an indefinite period of time. Top it on crusty bread and toasts, top it on fish and chicken or steak -- it is delicious! Marinated mushrooms with balsamic vinegar and shallots is the best all-in-one condiment/side dish that goes well with almost anything. Make A LOT if you want it to last. My 2-lbs of marinated mushroom barely lasted 9 days.

And it does not need to cost you a bomb... Would you believe me if I told you I made this recipe with less than $5?

I bought white button mushrooms at the 99cent basket at my grocery store. Sure, the mushrooms may look less than pretty with plenty of bruises and spots - but they were not rotten. They were just basically too bruised for consumers to want to pay premium price for them. And for this recipe you do not need pretty looking mushrooms. In fact, if you had used perfectly nice button mushrooms, you would not be able to tell the difference if it was cooked with bruised mushrooms. So 99cents x 3 for 2-lb's worth of mushrooms, $1 for 5 shallots (and I only used 3) and balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar that's already in my pantry costs $0 and the grand total for this recipe is $3.97. So enough convincing, let's grease it up.

Marinate Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar and Shallots
2-lb of white button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp cloth.
3 shallots, diced finely
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pepper, more or less
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Prepare your mushrooms by slicing them width-wise simply. They do not need to be too thin, maybe about 1/2cm thick or so.

2. Heat pan on medium-high heat until oil is hot - I would suggest cooking your mushrooms in portions so it cooks evenly and not steam. Toss in your mushrooms, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and saute until the mushroom is completely wilted and slightly browned around the edges.

The key to this recipe is indeed in the method of preparation. Mushrooms contain a lot of moisture, which is one reason why they bruise easily. You need to get rid of the water in the mushroom by sauteing them for this recipe to work. And to do that effectively, do not overcrowd your pan. Cook your mushroom in batches - it is a little tedious but well worth it -- and your arms will thank you too.

3. Once your mushrooms are sauteed well, you will notice that they have reduced from a mountainous pile of mushroom slices into a modest, and delicious, looking mound. Add the shallots in and toss them together with a pinch more salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Give the mushrooms a few more toss before adding the sugar in.

4. Now it is time to add the balsamic vinegar in. Make sure your pan is still hot when you add your vinegar it. It has to sizzle and sputter. Pour the vinegar around the pan so that it will evaporate excess water as the vinegar flows to the middle of the pan; instant caramelization! Toss your mushrooms and vinegar concoction again and let them cook for another 2-3minutes.

They are ready....

They are delightful when eaten hot, warm and cold - on bread, crackers, chicken, fish and steak. These marinated mushrooms is really cool, easy-going, and yummy. It's almost like you're dating a surfer dude where anything goes and still sparks-a-flyin'. I'd recommend this to any first timer.

;)

That Ultimate Crispy Basil Butter Breadcrumb Salmon

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:12:00 +0000

This is a Tyler Florence inspired recipe that I made for a dinner reception for 6! In my opinion, when you are having guests over for dinner, seafood is the best option for a main dish simply because it's fast and easy to cook. Salmon is such a forgiving fish; top it with a basil butter breadcrumb for that extra crisp, this is a meal that 1) won't screw up, 2) guarantees impressiveness and 3) pleases the crowd.

The recipe is even simpler, you can do most of the prep ahead of time....

Crispy Basil Butter Breadcrumb Salmon

1/4 cup Basil Butter + 1/4 cup for stuffing (recipe for basil butter compound below)
5 slices of stale bread, cut away the brown parts
6 x 4oz of salmon; in my case a slab of salmon fillet, cleaned and descaled that weighed around 700grams give or take
salt
pepper
lemon wedges, for a quick drizzle before serving

Method:
Preheat your oven to 500 F. You want your oven to be extremely hot when you put your fish in. Also, prepare a oven pan to cook your salmon on, nicely oil.

1. First, we will ready the basil butter breadcrumb that promises that ultimate crispiness. What you need is a food processor; tear the bread into smaller pieces and then blitz until they become crumbs.

2. Once that is done, add your compound butter in and blitz a the bread and butter a few time until they are well combined. You should have a golden crumb that is speckled green. Now set that aside and prepare your fish for application!

You can make the basil butter breadcrumb a day in advance as well, keep it in the fridge.

3. Your slab of salmon should be free from scales and bones. Put the salmon on cutting board and do diagonal slits vertically on the salmon, skin side, just half way through. You will be stuffing some basil butter along those slits after. Do make sure that your salmon is absolutely dry, the paper towel is your best friend for the next step to work.

You can ask your fish counter to help you clean your salmon or you can do so yourself; though it's not really recommended. Imagine fish scales flying all over the place, and yes, they do get in your hair. So, get the kind man or woman behind the fish counter to do it for you.

4. Once the slit is done, season with some salt and pepper. Use a spatula and scoop a goop of softened compound butter. Smear the butter against the slits first to get the butter within those pockets. After that take another scoop of butter and smear the butter along the slits to close them up. You will have a nicely buttered up salmon.

You can make this the night before, or the same morning. Keep the fish in the fridge until 1 hour before cooking time. The compound butter infuses it's basil flavor into the fish; it is just absolutely amazingly moist, tender and flaky - you will never thought fish could taste this good!

5. Now, that your salmon is all buttered up, it is the perfect vehicle for carrying the basil butter breadcrumb. Top the salmon with a layer of basil butter breadcrumbs and then shift the fish, carefully, to an oven pan that's been lightly oiled. Cook for 15 minutes, take the fish out of the oven and let it sit, cover with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with some lemon juice and lick your forks clean.

I promise you that is perhaps the best salmon dish you would have ever tasted. The texture of the salmon is silky, moist and juicy with taste that has a nice hint of basil and lemon that melts in your mouth. It WILL convert none fish-loving people into a fish-lover. True story.

Basil Butter Compound
you can make this in advance

3 cups of fresh basil leaves
1 lb unsalted butter
juice from 1/2 lemon
pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until well combined. It's A LOT of butter so keep unused butter wrapped in a foil in the freezer. This basil compound butter is excellent on toast, fish, chicken and even to melt on steaks.

Soothing Vanilla and Cardamom Flan

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:48:00 +0000

I love the combination of vanilla and cardamom. It reminds me of a gentle chai-flavor that soothes even the most unruly nerves. Real vanilla beans are an incredible spice. It has a very ethereal flavor that smooths out and blends with other spices and yet it does not lose its own identity. I could eat this flan everyday because it is just so delicious and not too sweet...

These days, I have been extremely busy. Busy with a new food-related project (I can't wait to share it with you guys!) and busy with life in general. I just wish it would be more fun, hopefully when the weather clears and summer arrives I will be able to go for another vacation! For now, it will have to make-do with something flan-tastic like this vanilla and cardamom scented flan.

It is very easy to do, as are most of my attempts at making sweet things. Here's what you need:

Vanilla and Cardamom Flan

1 Vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pods reserved
8 cardamom seeds, de-shelled and grind into a powder
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2 tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks
1 egg
a very small pinch of kosher salt

Caramel:
1/4 cup sugar

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.

1. Pour your milk and cream into a sauce pan. Stir to combine them well and throw in your cardamom powder, vanilla seeds and pods. Heat the milk and cream until it is *almost* boiling and let it steep for 15 minutes. It is important that you do not boil the dairy.

2. While the milk and cream is steeping with the vanilla and cardamom, oil 4 ramekins with some butter. Set them on a roasting pan-filled a 1/4 way up with hot water. Set them aside.

3. Combine your egg yolks and whole egg in a mixing bowl and whisk until they are well incorporated.

4. After 15 minutes, start pouring 1/4 of the milk/cream mixture into the eggs for tempering. Whisk well as your pour. Do remember to remove your vanilla pods before that. You could run the mixture through a sieve for that extra velvety texture when it sets, but I just could not be bothered - this is suppose to be a soothing dessert, not a cumbersome one, and it tastes just well. :) Now, pour the rest of the milk/cream into the eggs and whisk to combine well. Set your flan mixture aside, while you make your caramel sauce.

5. On a pan, heat sugar on medium heat until it starts to melt. Once it reaches a light amber color, turn off the heat and pour the caramel into the ramekins to cover the bottom. They should start to set rather quickly.

6. Pour the flan mixture over the caramel until it reaches 3/4 full in the ramekin.

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes in the oven. Once it's ready, loosen the flan and flip it over a plate and serve it piping hot... or cold, for that matter. It is delightful both ways

The very Quick Pasta Primavera

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Can you feel it? Can you feel that warmness in the air? That wet smell of melting ice, all the other things that unfreezes with it after months of winter cold never fails to bring out the joy in me. My pasta primavera is all about spring cleaning the fridge. I have a few bits of vegetables here and there that needed to be used so here goes.

This pasta primavera is extremely easy and is as easy as 1-2-3. You can use fresh mushrooms, spinach or even green peas but I used these vegetables because it was what I had in my fridge. I promise you this pasta recipe is quite effortless. You can start chopping your veggies while you wait for your pot of water to boil and your pasta is cooked. It's a time saving meal that is food of goodness and good for you.

Of course, if you have some bacon in the fridge, it doesn't hurt to pop that into the microwave for 4-5 minutes. When it's brittle, crumble the bacon bits over the top of your pasta and that does wonders.

Pasta Primavera ala Spring Cleaning @ No. 348
1 lb dried spaghettini
1 large ripe tomatoes, diced into big chunks
3/4 zucchini, diced
1 cup of diced green beans/string beans
3 sundried tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil a big pot of water heavily salted. When it comes to a rolling boil, add your spaghettini in to cook for 7 minutes and no more.
2. In the mean time, in a large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients in well and heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.
3. Once your pasta is cooked, add about 1/4 cup of pasta water into the bowl of vegetables and add the rest of the pasta in piping hot. Stir to mix well and serve hot!

This pasta is also very good to eat in room temperature. As I said, it is as easy as 1-2-3. See, that did not take much effort at all, did it? :)

Nuts about Natto, you?

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Recently, I started to develop a liking to certain sticky, off-smelling Japanese condiment. It started in Malaysia. Natto, is definitely not for big babies. The stickiness is enough to send any 200lb adult cringing and grappling for the exit.

There was the initial uncertainty as I swirled the bowl of Natto with my chopsticks. I had just finished an incredible Japanese meal at Shun. It's modestly decorated, but every bit traditional, Japanese restaurant nearby my Malaysian home in Subang Jaya. On usual days, Shun is a regular haunt for Japanese businessmen. They would sit in a line at the counter drinking their name-tagged sake. If the restaurant has a steady Japanese clientele, you know you're in for something good. But that's another story for another day.

As I was stirring my natto with my chopsticks, I realized in wonder that it gets even more viscous. It's stickiness drags in long stringy trails as I bring the soy-natto concoction to my mouth. It is not my first time eating Natto but this time around, I found that I actually enjoyed the taste of these fermented soybeans. Soy sauce gave it a nice flavor I can definitely start a craving for, and I do.

Time to stock up on some natto!

Chocolate Chip Mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:25:00 +0000

Mint is my favorite flavor. I think it goes very well with cream base desserts, which is why I would always pick mint on chocolate, milkshake, ice cream, booze and cakes. Mint always reminds me of my younger days chewing compulsively, deliciously on a Wrigley's gum or two. It was *the* gum then.

Sometimes we all need a reminder of something happy, something carefree and something deliciously innocent. On days like these, and I means days like when you feel like butter spread over too much bread, I like to make/bake food that reminds me of happier and carefree days.

Mint is my favorite flavor. Chocolate is my vice. I decided to make chocolate mint cupcake for tea, which turned out very nice.

Please use good mint extract for this recipe because it's worth every bit of it.

Chocolate mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting
1.5 Cups of Minty Cream Frosting (recipe to follow)
1.5 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 cup chocolate chip
1/2 cup of milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350F or 180C.
1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside for later.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add the eggs, one at a time.
3. Alternately, add the flour and milk and mix well -- half way through the flour and milk, add your chocolate chips, vanilla extract and mint extract in. Combine well and continue mixing flour and milk until it is all used up.
4. Spoon the cake mixture into cupcake mould, three quarter way full.
5. Bake in the oven for 23 minutes. Let it cool completely before spreading your fresh cream frosting on with the back of your spoon and sprinkle with some colorful sprinkles, if you wish.

Mint Cream Frosting
1 cup of cooking cream
1/2 teaspoon of mint extract
3 drops of green food coloring (0ptional)
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Method:
Combine the cream, mint extract, food coloring and powdered sugar together and whip until it creates stiff peaks. Spread over cupcakes.

This cupcake is a real pick-me-upper so do yourself a favor, have a minty cuppy cupcake ;)

P.S. Now I know the frosting is not green enough but that's my bit for St. Patrick's Day. Cheers, with Guinness and pot pies!

Vanilla Extract: Part Deux

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Here's my vanilla extract at 3 months old as compared to 36hours old. The color of the extract is significantly darker but with a hint of amber. It smells incredible. The harsh alcohol smell has mellowed down and is replaced by a sweet, steady aroma of the vanilla. Even so, at 3months, it is nothing more than vanilla flavored alcohol. It needs at least 6 months before the extraction process is complete. Although 1 year is preferable too.

On the left is the extract at 6 months, on the right is the extract at 36hours.

I can't wait until the 6th of June, when it's 6 months old. But it does not stop me from stealing a few drops here and there! By the way, vanilla extracts get better with time too. They turn into this deep, rich and full bodied liquid that only time can give. I think, this is my most prized possession in the pantry right now :)

A heartwarming bowl of Prawn Mee

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:40:00 +0000

One of my favorite comfort food is Prawn Mee (or Hokkien Mee to Penangites) in Malaysia. While my mother's Pan Mee still top my list but a piping hot bowl of Hokkien Mee comes to a close second. It makes it even better when the Hokkien Mee is prepared by my mom on a rainy day.

When it's raining outside, as it has been for a week and a half in Malaysia, outdoor activities takes a rain check while indoors becomes a perfect brewing pot for interesting conversations. Imagine slurping noodles swimming in an intensely flavored broth made from pork bones, shrimps and spices, while talking about ...everything and nothing at all. :)

I need to ask mom for her recipe. Staring at that picture is just making me hungry all over again!

Easiest Tiramisu Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:23:00 +0000

If you have been a long time reader of my blog, you will realize that I prefer making savory foods than sweet foods. I prefer cooking than baking or making desserts because I am not exactly a big fan of desserts or anything sweet...and I feel that the precision needed to make desserts to be a tad too tiresome. So the desserts I make are usually easy and good to eat - just like this Tiramisu.

There is no baking involved, which is an added appeal, only lots of whisking. I did not add any other flavoring except for vanilla extract and coffee. Surprisingly, after letting it set for a day in the fridge, the tiramisu tasted rather chocolaty with a coffee overtone. It was quite delightful!

While the tiramisu was delightful, I have to admit that I cheated. I could not find mascarpone in the supermarkets here in Malaysia where I live, and I did not want to drive downtown for a tub of cheese. Staying true to the simplistic nature of this recipe, I got Philadelphia cheese. But because it's got a heavier texture than mascarpone, i've added egg whites into the mix to lighten it up - and it worked!

Easiest Tiramisu Recipe

2 blocks of Philadephia cheese, soften
3 eggs, separate the yolks and whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
200ml strong coffee (3 teaspoon instant coffee + 3 teaspoon sugar)
26 lady finger biscuits
2 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
1. Cream the cheese and sugar until light and fluffy with a hand whisk in a large bowl. Add the eggs yolks in one at a time and mix well each time.

2. Now you can start beating the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks in another bowl. Make sure your whisk is clean and do not have a drop of oil all or your whites won't rise.

3. Next you want to fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture but first do a little tempering by mixing 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture first. This will aid the folding process. Once that is done, add the remaining egg whites into the cheese mixture and gently fold them together. Do not over mix.

4. In an 8x8 inch bakeware, dip each of the lady fingers into the coffee mixture and line the base of the bakeware. And then layer the ladies finger with the cheese mixture. Continue with another layer of coffee dipped lady fingers and layer it again with the cheese mixture. You should end with a layer of cheese mixture on the top.

5. Dust with cocoa powder and let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving.

But greedy me, i couldn't wait after 3 hours of setting to have a taste so my slice looks a little droopy. My next slice was eaten on the next day, and boy was I floored by the flavor. A little bit of time goes a long way in making a huge difference in the Tiramisu's texture and taste. Time allowed the cheese and coffee to marry into a perfect harmony. Oh, I love how it tastes more chocolatey than coffee! :)

This blog has hit 100,000 + visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:12:00 +0000

OMG, at the risk of sounding like a young nubile, easily excitable schoolgirl fresh out of highschool with lu-lus, I am happy to say that my blog has crossed it's 6 figure mark in unique visitors! I didn't even realize it till just now but it's true!

*does a little dance*