Green Peppercorn and Gouda Wafers

These wafers are my input for a New Year bash tonight.

Green Peppercorn and Gouda Wafers



(makes about 1 dozen)

Gouda Gift Box

55g butter, softened
55g Gouda or firm goat cheese, shredded
1 tsp crushed green peppercorns
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp cold water

• Cream butter until fluffy.
• Beat in the cheese, peppercorns and salt.
• Fold in the oatmeal, flour and water.
• Knead briefly to form a dough.
• Roll into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking pan.
• Flatten with a floured fork forming hatch pattern on top.
• Bake at 175 C for 15-17 mins.
• Cool on pan for 2 mins before removing to wire racks.

(Recipe from here)

Banh Mi Part 1: Asian Refrigerator Pickles

I made this in advance for the Banh Mi I plan to make sometime next week.

McCormick Pickling Spice

Asian Refrigerator Pickles

A: (toss together)

1/3 cup thinly sliced kyuri
1/3 cup thin strips of red bell pepper
3 tbsp thinly sliced daikon
1.5 tbsp julienned carrot

B:

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp pickling spice, tied in cheesecloth
2 tsp sea salt

• Bring ingredients B to a boil.
• Simmer on low heat for 5 mins.
• Pour the mixture over ingredients A
• Cover and keep chilled up to 2 months.
• Stir once a day for 1 to 2 days to blend flavors.

(Recipe from here)

2011 Flavor Forecast

This flavor combination of Popcorn and Herbes de Provence was my first pick from McCormick's 2011 Flavor Forecast list. I'll no doubt be trying more recipes from the list in the days to come. Until then, Happy Holidays...

101 Surprising Flavor Combinations

Cheesecake Tart with Popcorn Crust and Berries

Popcorn Crust:

1/2 cup unsalted popped popcorn
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp Herbes de Provence

• Finely grind the popcorn.
• Blend well with remaining ingredients.
• Press onto the bottom of a foil-lined small tart pan.
• Bake at 175 C for 8 mins or until light browned.
• Cool on a wire rack.

 
Whisk together:
35g light cream cheese, softened
2.5 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1/4 tsp agave nectar

Ancho Paste Roast Poussin

Another whole poussin. This time a spiced-up version for Christmas Eve.

Ancho Paste Roast Poussin

1 whole pousssin, butterflied

Spice paste:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
1 1/8 tsp ancho chili powder

Good Meat

1 1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 1/8 tsp sweet paprika
3/8 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• Smear the paste all over the poussin.
• Cover and keep chilled overnight.

Wun Sen Pat Dtao Huu Yii

I added shreds of egg omelette to the dish for a more substantial meal.

Wun Sen Pat Dtao Huu Yii
(Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Mushrooms and Fermented Bean Curd)

75g dried glass noodles, soaked in warm water for 20 mins

1 egg, lightly beaten, fried into an omelette and shedded

Thai Street Food

Pound into a paste:

1 small clove of garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp chopped coriander roots
1/8 tsp grated ginger
Small pinch of salt


1 chinese cabbage leaf, shredded
1 large oyster mushrooms, sliced
1 shiitake mushroom, sliced
1 cube of fuyi (white fermented bean curd), mashed

A:
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp pickled garlic syrup

Sweet Corn and Miso Soup

After debating whether to broil the corn without the husk for a more roasted flavour, I decided to follow the original recipe as it is.

Broiled Corn Planks

Shiro Miso Paste

1 ear of corn, with husk

• Broil on high heat for 5 mins per side (husk will blacken).
• Cool for 10 mins before peeling off the husk and silk.
• Halve the corn and slice off the kernels with a knife.
• Set aside the 2 largest slabs of corn kernels.
• Clingwrap and keep chilled.
• Reserve the rest of the kernels and corn cobs.

Corn Stock

1 corn cob, top and bottom trimmed, cut into chunks
1 tbsp white miso paste

Calamari Couscous

Paranoid about overcooking the squid, I immediately removed the pan from the heat when the mixture turned dry-ish.

Calamari Couscous

90g cleaned squid bodies

Knack Fish & Seafood Cookbook

1 small clove of garlic, crushed

• Puree the above into a coarse paste.
• Cook in a nonstick pan over medium heat
• Stir to prevent the mixture from sticking.
• Cook until the mixture firms up and form small pieces
• Remove from heat when mixture becomes dry.
• Cool immediately in a ice bath.
• Chop the squid in a food processor when cool until couscous-like.
• Keep chilled.

(Recipe from here)

Calamari Crackling

 Part of Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot's Sweet Corn and Miso Soup ensemble.

Calamari Crackling

Ideas in Food

A:
20g cleaned squid tentacles
15g cleaned squid bodies
1/4 tsp squid ink


B:
1/8 tsp salt
Dash of sugar
Ground white pepper

40g tapioca flour
1/2 tbsp boiling water

• Puree ingredients A into a paste.

What I Eat

This image-filled book takes you on a journey, tummy-wise, all over the world. For me, this was a real eye-opener on the diversity of food being consumed for sustenance by people in different regions and within different professions. Arranged according to calorie intake, they range from 800 calories to a whopping 12,300 calories.




What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets

Pear and Cranberry Crostata : Assembling

To savour the original roasted pear version, roast the pear mixture at 200 C for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Pear and Cranberry Crostata

Toss together:

Rustic Fruit Desserts

1 bosc pear, peeled, halved and cored
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp grated ginger

• Place the pear mixture into a small slow cooker.
• Cook on high for 1-2 hours or until tender.

1 recipe Pâte Brisée
1 recipe Frangipane (bring to room temperature)1/8 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Pear and Cranberry Crostata : Frangipane

Having decided to go for a 'pear-ing' of hazelnut and pear, I substituted the almond flour with an equivalent amount of hazelnut flour.

Ready for Dessert:

Frangipane

1 tbsp hazelnut flour
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp beaten egg
1/4 tsp all-purpose flour
Drop of vanilla extract
Small pinch of salt

• Cream butter and sugar until light.
• Beat in the hazelnut flour.
• Beat in the egg followed by the flour, vanilla and salt.
• Keep chilled up to 1 week (bring to room temperature before using).

(Recipe from here)

Pear and Cranberry Crostata: Pâte Brisée

A component a day... This three-component recipe comprises of the Pâte Brisée, frangipane and the final assembling.

Flour: Spectacular Recipes

Pâte Brisée

35g flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
32g unsalted butter, 2 pieces

Whisk together:

1 quail's egg yolk
1/2 tbsp cold milk

• Briefly whiz dry ingredients with butter into a coarse crumble.
• Add egg mixture and process until dough starts to come together.
• Dump the dough out onto a work surface.
• Smear in the butter until a dough forms.
• Clingwrap and flatten into a disc.
• Chill for at least 4 hours (keeps up to 4 days).

  
(Recipe from here)

Poulet de Cornouailles Laqué

I replaced the whole poussin in the recipe with a chicken breast. Serve this with yesterday's Noix Macadamia Sablées au Sirop d'érable et Curry (Maple Syrup and Curry Macadamia Nuts).


Poulet de Cornouailles Laqué
(Glazed Cornouaille Chicken)

1 skin-on, bone-in, whole chicken breast

Brine:

Cuisine du Nord

470ml water
1 tbsp coarse salt
1 tsp allspice berries
3 cloves

• Boil all ingredients for the brine.
• Allow to cool before submerging the breast.
• Cover and brine overnight in the refrigerator.

Glaze:

3 tbsp dark rum
2 tbsp soy sauce

Noix Macadamia Sablées au Sirop d'érable et Curry

As the year draws to a close, I figured it's time to try out a few recipes from some of the Top 10 Cookbooks for 2010.

Noix Macadamia Sablées au Sirop d'érable et Curry

Taste Buds and Molecules

(Maple Syrup and Curry Macadamia Nuts)

1/4 cup salted macadamia nuts
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp Madras curry powder

• Roast the nuts at 180 C for 5 mins or until golden.
• Bring maple syrup to a boil.
• Simmer until it reaches 234°F.
• Stir in the nuts and curry powder before pouring onto parchment paper.
• Spread out and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.
• Serve with Poulet de Cornouailles Laqué (recipe to follow).

(Recipe from here)

Meatless Monday: Black Sesame Seed-Crusted Vegetarian Quiche

Use a savoury pastry case for the crust if liked. The pumpkin can be roasted alongside the pastry at 200 C (in my case I had leftover cooked plain pumpkin).

Black Sesame Seed-Crusted Vegetarian Quiche

Crust: (mix to form a dough)

Global Baker

3/8 cup flour
3 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/8 cup besan
1/2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp agave
1/2 tbsp canola oil

• Grease a small tart tin with a removable base.
• Dust the inside with semolina.
• Roll out the dough and line the bottom and sides of the tart tin.
• Brush the crust with oil and dock the bottom.
• Blind bake at 180 C for 10mins.

A:
35g pumpkin, 1/2 cm cubes, cooked
35g leek, sliced
25g fennel, 5mm slices
1 asparagus spear, 2cm lengths

Julekrydret Ribbe : Roasting Day

Sunday Linner was the whole portion of pork with gravy plus 2 side dishes (surkål and tyttebær - sour kraut and lingonberry relish respectively).


Julekrydret Ribbe : Roasting Day

Lingonberries

1 recipe Julekrydret Ribbe (see previous post)

• Arrange the meat skin side up on a roasting pan.
• Place an upturned small tart mould underneath the center of the belly ((this allows the excess fat to drain off).
• Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pan and cover the pan with foil.
• Roast at 230 C for 35-40 mins.
• Remove the foil and continue roasting until the skin turns crispy.
• Remove and rest for 15 mins before slicing.
• Serve with gravy, surkål (sauerkraut), lefse, apples, cranberries, etc for a proper Christmas feast.

Note: Toss apples and sausages (if liked) into the pan during the last 15 mins of roasting time.

(Recipe from here)

Julekrydret Ribbe

Merry Ribbe-mas... The belly can be cured up to 3 days if liked but I opted for 1.5 days.

Christmas fireside stories

Julekrydret Ribbe (Christmas Spiced Pork Ribs)

500g pork belly with skin 

Mix together:
3/4 tsp rough salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp anise seed, ground

3/4 tsp whole cloves

• Score squares through the skin with a knife (belly should be partially frozen).
• Rub the salt mixture thoroughly into the skin and over the rest of the belly.
• Insert the whole cloves within the grooves of the skin.
• Place in a ziplock bag and store in the refrigerator for 1.5 days.

(To be continued on Sunday...)

Luo Han Guo Shan Yao Bai He Xue Er Tian Geng

Still suffering from a dry cough, this dish supposedly soothes an inflamed throat.

Luo Han Guo Shan Yao Bai He Xue Er Tian Geng
(Arhat's Fruit, Mountain Yam, Lily Bulb and Snow Fungus Dessert)
 
A:
300ml water
35g soaked Xue Er (snow fungus)
20g Shan Yao (mountain yam), peeled and sliced
1/4 Luo Han Guo (Arhat's fruit), tied in cheesecloth

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen

B:
1/2 Bai He (fresh lily bulb), peeled
20g rock sugar or to taste
5g wolfberries
 

• Boil ingredients A for 10 mins then thermal cook for 2-3 hours.
• Add ingredients B and simmer for 5 mins

(Recipe from here)

Mushroom Stroganoff Sauce

Food & Cooking of Russia

Another version I'd consider trying is Cook's Illustrated Better Beef Stroganoff.

Mushroom Stroganoff Sauce

A:
1/2 tsp butter
1/4 onion, finely chopped
35g sliced portobello mushrooms
1/8 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of salt

B:
1/8 cup white wine
1/8 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Inside-Out Stroganoff Pie

Inspired by this Inside-Out Spaghetti Pie from Better Homes and Gardens, I decided give this beef stroganoff version a go.

Inside-Out Beef Stroganoff Pie

A:
2 tbsp evaporated milk
1/8 cup dry bread crumbs
1.5 tbsp minced onion

Pie

1/2 clove of garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 ground black pepper

115g lean ground beef        

• Add meat to ingredients A and mix well.

Almost-Meatless Monday: Kwati

I opted for a 5-bean mixture of black beans, green mung beans, chickpeas, red kidney beans and broad beans. Want more? The complete list (9 in total) can be found here.

Kwati (Nepali Mixed Beans Soup)

85g mixed beans of your choice

Rainbow Bean Mix

• Soak the beans overnight.
• Rinse and allow the beans to sprout for 2 days.

1/2 tsp ajwain seeds
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
400ml water
85g mutton bone, chopped
1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped

Chopped cilantro for garnish.

• Fry ajwain in oil until brown.

Crabe Farci à l'Africaine

A dish with myriad shades of red - red shell, red rice, reddish-tinged brinjal,,,

Crabe Farci à l'Africaine (African Stuffed Crab)

A:
3/4 Nyanya Chungu (I used a small indian brinjal), diced
1 piri-piri pepper
1 shallot, minced
1/4 tsp crushed garlic
Pinch of salt

75g cooked red rice
1.5 tbsp tomato paste
45g fresh crab meat
Salt, sugar and pepper

1 crab shell

Toss together:
1 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp oil

• Saute ingredients A in oil over high heat.

Lamb Belly with Pistachio 'Pebbles', Apricots, Mint and Capers

The lamb belly had been sitting in the fridge for close to 16 hours before I decided to roast it.

Lamb Belly with Pistachio 'Pebbles', Apricots, Mint and Capers

1 recipe Lamb Belly (see previous post)

Simply Lamb

• Rinse and pat dry the lamb belly.
• Place on a parchment lined pan and roast at 130 C.
• Remove when internal temp reaches 63ºC.
• Lay a piece of parchment over and top with a sheet pan.
• Weigh down with 1 or 2 cans.
• Place in the refrigerator to cool.
• Sear in a pan skin side down until crispy.

'Pistachio Pebbles':

1/8 cup shelled pistachios

Lamb Belly

I came across this recipe whilst searching for a lamb bacon recipe and decided to go for it considering that it only requires an overnight stay in the fridge.

Lamb Belly

I Love Bacon!

250g lamb belly

Mix together:
1/2 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
Pinch of pimentón de La Vera (smoked paprika)

• Measure out 5.5g of the salt and sugar mixture.
• Use this amount to coat the lamb belly.
• Seal belly in a ziplock bag and chill overnight.

(Recipe from here)

Aiseu Ttottia Patpija

Use green tea ice cream in place of avocado ice cream if liked.

Aiseu Ttottia Patpija 

Korean Kitchen

(Red Bean Ice Cream Tortilla Pizza)

1 x 6 inch flour tortilla
1/4 cup Pat AngGeum (sweet azuki bean paste)
1/4 cup diced rockmelon
1/8 cup dried mulberries
Avocado Ice Cream (see previous post)
1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
Chapsal dduk (sweet rice cake)

• Brush tortilla on one side with melted butter.