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Showing posts from October, 2012

Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

Here's an excellent Thai inspired appetizer, Sweet Chili Chicken Wings. This finger licking good chicken wings are pan-fried with garlic, then coated with sweet chili sauce, sambal oelek, and a few shakes of roasted sesame seeds. Yummy! Sweet Chili Chicken Wings Ingredients 6 (1 lb) Chicken Wings
 Sea Salt
 Freshly Ground Black Pepper 1 Tbsp Rice Flour
 2 Tbsp Peanut Oil 4 Cloves Garlic, whole 2 tsp Roasted Sesame Seeds Sauce ¼ Cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce 2 Tbsp Sambal Oelek or Sriracha 

Method

 Cut off the wing tips and discard (or, use them for stock). Divide each wing into two joints. Rub the chicken pieces of chicken pieces with, salt, pepper and toss with rice flour. Smash garlic cloves without peeling.

Heat the oil in frying pan and add the pieces of the chicken and the garlic cloves. Fry until the chicken is golden. Then add the sauce, stir, add in the sesame seeds until well coated, and sticky.

Brown Butter Financier

These delicate Brown Butter Financier cakes are a great afternoon tea/coffee treat. Made with brown butter, ground almond, eggs, flour, and sugar - these little cakes are delicious. The texture is soft, light, and moist. As usual, I decided to reduce the amount of sugar used in the original recipe as it's a tad too sweet for my palate. Brown Butter Financier Ingredients 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted, for brushing the molds 50 g Pastry Flour, sifted 
 5 g Corn Starch, sifted ½ tsp Baking Powder, sifted 4 Large Egg Whites 100 g Superfine Sugar
 50 g Ground Almonds A Pinch of Salt
 130 g Unsalted Butter 

 16 Financiers mold or Small Muffin Pans (12) Method

 Brush the molds with melted butter, and place them on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C).
 Place the egg whites in a large bowl, and beat lightly. Add sugar, ground almonds, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt each at a time and mix well without over mixing. Set aside. Brown th

Thai Basil Chicken

Thai Basil Chicken is one of those amazing dish that is so easy and quick to whip up. Just make sure you have plenty of steam rice ready as this stir-fry chicken is slightly spicy, delicious, and addictive! :-) Thai Basil Chicken Ingredients 2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped ½ Yellow Onion, diced 3 Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped
 3 Pieces (about 380g) Skinless & Boneless Chicken Thighs, diced 50 g Asian (Thai) Basil 1 1/2 Tbsp Peanut Oil

 Sea Salt to taste Freshly Ground White Pepper 2 Stalks Scallions, finely sliced

 Sauce
 2 tsp Oyster Sauce 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce

 2 tsp Soy Sauce 1 tsp Sugar 2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce

 ½ tsp Corn Starch
 2 Tbsp Water Method

 Combine the sauce ingredients and mix well.

Heat the oil in a wok over moderate heat and cook the garlic, onion, and chilies until fragrant. Turn the heat on high and toss in the diced chicken. Give a quick stir, mix in half of the basil, stir and add in the sauce.

 Bring the mixture to a boil and season

Chinese Scallion Pancakes or Green Onion Pancakes

I usually serve these flavorsome Chinese Scallion Pancakes or Green Onion Pancakes to my family as an in-between meals snack. As they love it so much, I would usually double the recipe when I am at it and just place the surplus in the freezer. Then, I will just simply reheat them in the oven over moderate heat as either a speedy breakfast or a snack again in a day or two. Chinese Scallion Pancakes or Green Onion Pancakes Ingredients Dough Scallions And Sea Salt Mixture Peanut Oil Dough 3 Cups (360 grams) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 
A Pinch of Sea Salt
 1 Cup (250 ml) Water Filling 6 to 7 Stalks Scallions, chopped 1 tsp Sea Salt 1 Tbsp of Roasted Sesame Oil Method Make the dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Bring the water to the boil, remove it from the heat to let is stop bubbling and then pour it on to the flour. Mix in quickly with the handle of a wooden spoon. When the mixture is cool enough to handle,

Chicken Sriracha Fried Rice

Chicken Sriracha Fried Rice Ingredients 3 ½ Tbsp Peanut Oil 
2 Pieces (400grams) Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breasts, cubed ½ tsp Red Chili Pepper Flakes 1 Tbsp Minced Ginger
 3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
 4 Large Egg 6 Cups Cooked Cold Rice
 1 ½ Cups Frozen Vegetables (carrot, peas, beans, & corn), thawed and drained
 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce 3 to 4 Tbsp Sriracha
 Sea Salt to taste
 Freshly Ground White Pepper
 4 Scallions, chopped 

 Method

 Heat 2 Tbsp of oil over medium to high heat on a frying pan and fry chicken with chili flakes until they are light golden in color. Push the chicken aside or dish out and set aside.

 Add in the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp of oil and fry the ginger and chopped garlic until fragrant. Then crack in the eggs let it set, and gently move it around. Toss in the rice and stir frequently make sure the rice is coated with the eggs. Add the vegetables, cooked chicken, stir well and mix in the soy sauce, dark soy

Vegetable Chowder

This Vegetable Chowder is a satisfying and wonderful soup for any cool weather days. It has a light creamy broth that's filled with chock-full of tender celery, carrots, corn, potatoes, and smoked bacon. Vegetable Chowder Ingredients 4 Rashers of Double-Smoked Thick-Cut Bacon, diced 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
 1 Large Carrots, peeled and diced (1 Cup)
 2 Ribs Celery, diced (1 Cup) 2 Medium Potatoes, diced (1¼ Cup) 1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf 3 ½ Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock 250 ml Whipping Cream
 2 Tbsp of Flat Leaf Parsley, finely chopped
 Sea Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper
 Method Heat the vegetable oil in a stockpot over moderate heat. Cook the diced bacon until crispy. Discard some of the oil, leaving about 1 ½ Tablespoon in the pot. Then add the onion, and stirring frequently until it is light golden in color. Mix in the carrot, celery, potatoes, bay leaf, corn, thy

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

This sun-dried tomato pesto pasta is the perfect solution for a quick and tasty vegetarian meal. Try making your own pesto, whenever possible, the recipe is in one of my previous post. Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Ingredients 300g Penne Pasta 6 to 7 Tbsp Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Sea Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Method Cook pasta as per manufacturer’s instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, and toss it with sun-sun-dried tomato pesto, and season with sea salt, black pepper, and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serves 2

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Ingredients 150 g Sun-Dried Tomatoes, coarsely chopped (softened with boiling water, if necessary) 1 Bag (About 100g) of Fresh Basil, rinsed and dry 
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped 
¼ Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
 1 Tbsp Red Chili Flakes
 1 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 
Sea Salt 
Freshly Ground Black Pepper 
3 Tbsp Grated Parmesan

 Method

 Combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, pine nuts, and chili flakes in a food processor. Pulse and chop until all the ingredients are roughly blended. Slowly add in the olive oil and continue to pulse and chop. Transfer to a large bowl and add the Parmesan. Check for seasoning.

Steak Sandwich with Pesto

Using the Pesto sauce which I made earlier, I prepared this quick and easy succulent Steak Sandwich with Pesto for lunch over the weekend. I topped it with a generous mixture of spicy greens and my family loved it. Steak Sandwich with Pesto Ingredients 2 Sirloin Steaks 3 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary 2 Cloves of Garlic Sea Salt Fresh Ground Black Pepper Olive Oil Unsalted Butter Homemade Basil Pesto Mixed Spicy Greens 2 Baguettes Method In a pestle mortar or a food processor, coarsely pound or process together the rosemary leaves, garlic, and sea salt. Add in some olive oil, black pepper, and whisk well.

Rub the marinade into the meat and refrigerate for two hours.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. 
Heat a large griddle cast-iron over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the meat on both sides and continue to cook in the oven, about 4 minutes per side, or cooked to your desired doneness. Remove the steak from t