Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce

May 13th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce 1

Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce 2

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— Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce (serves 2) —

400g pork tenderloin fillet

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

*****

— for Cherry Sauce —

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup black cherries, pitted

60ml port

100ml chicken stock

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

A pinch of salt

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Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C.

Sprinkle the pork all over with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a frying-pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook 4 minutes on each side until browned.

Transfer the pork to a baking pan, roast for about 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, saute the shallot until softened.

Add the cherries, port, stock, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened to a light syrup consistency.

Slice the pork tenderloin and drizzle with the cherry sauce.

Double Cooked Chips

April 20th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Double Cooked Chips 1

This chips are so delicious. Good things take time, but they are worth it.

Double Cooked Chips 2

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— Double Cooked Chips (serves 4) —

800g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or king edward)

2 litres groundnut oil or sunflower oil for deep-frying

Flaked sea salt

Your favourite dipping sauce

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Cut the potatoes lengthways  into 1cm thick chips, rinse well under cold water for 10 minutes and then drain.

Put the chips into a large pan of cold and lightly salted water, bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until just soft to the point of knife.

Drain and pat dry with kitchen papers. Lay the chips on a tray lined with kitchen papers and allow them to cool. Put them in the fridge until cold.

In the heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil to 130C, and add the chips. Don’t over crowed the pan. Fry chips for about 10 minutes until cook through but not over cooked.

Remove, drain, pat dry and refrigerate the chips until cold.

Heat the oil to 180C and add the chips. Cook until crisp and golden. Drain and sprinkle with sea salt.

Red Wine Poached Pear Tartlets

April 10th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Red Wine Poached Pear Tartlets 1

Drunken pears for a drunken night.

Red Wine Poached Pear Tartlets 2

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— Red Wine Poached Pear Tartlets (makes 8 tartlets) —

4 pears, under-ripe

300ml red wine

250ml water

170g brown sugar

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2 wide strips lemon zest

300g ready-made puff pastry

1 tablespoon butter, melted

30g walnuts pieces

30g blue cheese, crumbled

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Peel the pears without removing the stalks. Cut in half and remove the core.

Place the red wine, water, brown sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low, add the pear and simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.

Remove the pear from the sauce pan, set aside to cool.

Bring the wine liquid to a boil and simmer gently until syrupy.

Preheat oven to 200C / 400F.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut out 8 circles (approximately 4 inch dimeter).

Cut the pear into slices, leaving the stalk end intact.

Place the pastry on a baking sheet, arrange the pears in the centre of circles. Brash the rims with melted butter.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden.

Drizzle with the wine syrup, sprinkle with the walnuts and blue cheese.

Tomato Cream Crab Pasta

March 31st, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Tomato Cream Crab Pasta 1

Waiting for spring too long. I’ve been lazy too long. Eating long noodles.

Life is short. Got to move.

Tomato Cream Crab Pasta 2

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— Tomato Cream Crab Pasta (serves 2) —

1 dungeness crab

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 small red chilli, very finely chopped

4 tablespoons white wine

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

180g spaghetti

120 ml single cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Some fresh parsley, finely chopped

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Clean and chop the crab into pieces. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a wok over medium heat, sauté the shallots until softened. Add the garlic and chilli, sauté for a further 1 minutes.

Add the crab and fry for 2 minutes. Add the white wine, cover with a kitchen foil or lid and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the canned chopped tomatoes and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half in volume.

Add the spaghetti to lightly salted boiling water, cook until al dente (follow the package directions).

Add the single cream to the tomato sauce, season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Add the cooed spaghetti to the wok, toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Camembert Cheese Potato Cakes

February 1st, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a regional snack of my hometown Hokkaido.
The combination of butter and soy sauce is very popular in Japan, it works perfectly well with this potato cakes.

Hokkaido must be covered with snow as far as the eye could see now.
Everything is white. I miss the scenery.

Camembert Cheese Potato Cakes 2

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— Camembert Cheese Potato Cakes (makes 12 cakes) —

500g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

80g corn flour

1/3 teaspoon salt

100g camembert cheese, cut into 12 pieces

30g butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

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Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and mash. Add the the corn flour and salt, mix everything together well with your hands.

Divide the potato mixture into 12 portions, take one portion in your hand, press a piece of camembert cheese into middle. Shape the potato cake into a cake.

Heat the butrter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the potato cakes for about 5 minutes each side or until they are golden, crisp and heated through.

Heat the soy sauce and sugar in a small sauce pan over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickens and syrupy. Drizzle the sauce over the potato cakes.

Cinnamon Rolls

January 21st, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Blue Monday –– Today is the most depressing day of the year, according to British psychologist Cliff Arnall.

Hmm… maybe that’s true.

It’s always a good idea to make bread when I feel depressed.
Kneading and punching the dough is a stress buster, the smell and taste of fresh and warm bread makes me happy.

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— Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12 rolls) —

50g butter

200ml milk

500g strong white flour, plus extra for working

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2/3 teaspoon salt

7g fast action dried yeast

1 egg, beaten

vegetable oil for greasing

*****

 – for filling –

100g brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

100g butter (softened), plus extra for brushing

70g raisin

50g walnuts, chopped

*****

– for cream cheese topping –

50g cream cheese

80g icing sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon milk

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Place the butter and milk in a small sauce pan over a low heat. Warm until the butter has melted, and let it cool until it’s lukewarm.

Place the flour, caster sugar, brown sugar, salt and fast action dried yeast in a large  bowl and stir together. Mix in the milk mixture and the beaten egg.

Knead the dough on a flour surface board for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the oiled bowl, cover the dough with cling film and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Transfer the dough onto a flowered surface board and Punch down. Roll out to 30cm x 40cm.

To make the filling, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Evenly spread the softened butter onto the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture, and then the raisin and walnuts. Starting from the long edge, roll up the dough to form a log and slice into 12 pieces.

Place on the lightly oiled baking tray, cover with cling film and allow them to rise for about 45 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven 200C / 400F.

Brash the rolls with a little malted butter and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make the topping, mix all the topping ingredients in a small bowl, mix together until smooth. Drizzle the topping over the rolls.

Steak & Guinness Pie

January 10th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Dug up the buried yummy Guinness stew, yay! Happy New Year.

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— Steak & Guinness Pie (serves 4) —

800g braising beef steak, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 black pepper

2 tablespoons plain flour

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

300ml Guinness

200ml beef stock

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5 springs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

400g Puff pastry dough

1 egg, beaten

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Season the beef with the salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the flour and toss around until coated.

Heat the butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the beef and fry until browned.

Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes, then add the carrot, celery and garlic, cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the Guinness, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf in the pan. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Remove from the heat and place into a deep pie dish and leave to cool completely.

Heat the oven to 200C / 400F.

Roll out the Puff pastry on a floured surface until slightly larger than the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip of pastry, brash the rim of the pie dish with beaten egg and stick the pastry strip around the rim, pressing it down. Brush the pastry rim with more beaten egg and lay the pastry lid on the pie. Seal the pastry edges with a folk, cut a couple of holes in the pastry to let the steam escape. Brash all aver with the remaining beaten egg.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Mushroom Dip with Bagel Chips

December 18th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Chip and dip, chip and dip, chip and dip . . . it’s very difficult to stop.

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— Mushroom Dip with Bagel Chips (serves 3) —

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

300g button mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons white wine

200g cream cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

A pinch of ground black pepper

*****

– for bagel chips –

3 plain bagels

50ml extra olive oil

2 clove garlic, peeled and crashed

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Melt the butter in a frying-pan, sauteé the onion and garlic over a medium heat until the onion became translucent.

Add the mushrooms and sauteé for 5 to 7 minutes until the mushrooms turn brown. Add the white wine and cook until all the liquid is evaporated. Let cool slightly.

Place the mushroom mixture, cream cheese and salt into a food processor and puree until smooth. Mix in the chopped thyme and ground black pepper.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

*****

Preheat the oven 350F / 180C.

Slice the bagels vertically into very thin slices.

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat until the garlic became golden, remove the garlic from the oil.

Lightly brash the oil on the bagel chips. Bake until golden brown.

Serve with the mushroom dip.

Pear Tarte Tatin

December 9th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Sweet and warm, a little spice and upside down.

That’s what I want in my life right now.

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— Pear Tarte Tatin (serves 4) —

3 pears

80g butter

80g sugar

1 vanilla pod, split

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

200g puff pastry

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Preheat oven to 200C / 400F.

Peel, core and cut the pears in half.

Melt the butter in a 8 inch ovenproof frying-pan, add the sugar and cook over a medium heat until golden. Add the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and star anise to the frying-pan.

Lay the pears, cut-side up, to the frying-pan, then cook in the sauce for 8 minutes.

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a a 1/4 inch thick, cut out a 9 inch circle. Cover the pears, tucking the pastry down the sides of the tin and pierce the middle of the pastry disc.

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Leave the tart to stand for 5 minutes, then put a large plate over the top of the frying-pan and invert.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pasta with Pistachio Cream Sauce

November 28th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

I thought, I spaced out for a little while, and it’s already the end of November. . .

Time flies too fast, please wait for me.

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— Pasta with Pistachio Cream Sauce (serves 2) —

2 tablespoons olive oil

40g shelled pistachio nuts, ground in a blender or very finely chopped

2 shallots, finely shopped

1 clove garlic, minced

180ml double cream

Salt

160g linguine

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

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Heat the olive oil and sauteé the shallots and garlic in a large frying-pan over a medium heat, until the shallots become translucent.

Add the grounded pistachio and sauteé for about 1 minute.

Pour the cream and keep stirring for another minute, add salt to taste and remove from the heat.

Add the linguine to lightly salted boiling water, cook until al dente (follow the package directions). Drain, reserve some of the cooking water.

Add the linguine to the frying-pan of pistachio sauce,toss well with the sauce and add the cooking water if necessary.

Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and fleshly ground black pepper.

Scotch Broth

October 22nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Cold, wet, foggy, sentimental and hungry. A Perfect day for soup.

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— Scotch Broth (serves 4) —

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

400g lamb shanks

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 leek, sliced

2 small turnips, chopped

1 little vegetable stock

1 bay leaves

30g peal barley

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

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Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Sauté the onion until they are lightly golden brown. Add the chopped lamb and brown. Add the carrots, leeks, turnips and sauté for about 3 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock, bay leaf, and peal barley in the saucepan, bring to boil and reduce the heat to low. Season with salt and black pepper, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Stir through the chopped parsley.

Tofu Steak with Teriyaki Sauce

October 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

My vegetarian friend taught me “freezing-tofu” method, and this is the first time I put tofu in the freezer.

Yes, freezing tofu does change the texture, it became more meat like and chewier, also soaks up sauces more than normal tofu.

It’s perfect with the sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

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— Tofu Steak with Teriyaki Sauce (serves 2) —

400g water-packed firm tofu

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sake

1/2 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon corn flour

1 tablespoon sesame oil

some spring onion, finely chopped (for garnish)

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Place the unopened tofu package into the freezer. Let it freeze for overnight.

Defrost the tofu and squeeze out the excess water.

Cut the tofu block into 4-6 blocks.

Lightly coat the tofu blocks with the corn flour.

Combine the mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar and water in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat a frying-pan over medium heat with the sesame oil. Fry each side of the tofu until lightly golden.

Add the teriyaki sauce in the frying-pan and shaking the frying-pan gently and cook both side until the sauce has thickened.

Garnish with the finely chopped spring onion.

Olive and Rosemary Bread Rolls

September 27th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Flowers for you.

 

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— Olive and Rosemary Bread Rolls (8 rolls) —

350g strong white flour

1 teaspoon salt

7g fast action dried yeast

200ml warm water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

80g Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Some Kalamata olives and rosemary leaves for decoration (optional)

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Brash a baking tray and the inside of a large bowl with oil.

Place the flour, salt and fast action dried yeast in another large bowl and stir together, mix in 200ml warm water and the 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Knead the dough on a floured surface board for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the oiled bowl, cover the dough with cling film and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Transfer the dough onto a floured surface board and Punch down. Flatten it out and sprinkle over the olives and rosemary. Fold up and knead for 3 minutes. Leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and shape into balls. Lightly coat the surface with oil and sprinkle a little flour on top.

Arrange some olives and rosemary leaves on the balls (optional).

Place on the oiled baking tray, cover the balls loosely with cling film and allow them to rise for about 40 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven 200C / 400F.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden.

Creamy Pumpkin Risotto

September 23rd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Creamy pumpkin risotto. Dreamy pumpkin head.

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— Creamy Pumpkin Risotto (serves 2) —

1 tablespoon butter

4 sage leaves

40g butter

300g pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

160g risotto rice

100ml white wine

500ml hot chicken stock or vegetable stock

50ml single cream

40g parmesan cheese, grated

Black pepper

Some shaved or grated parmesan cheese for garnish

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Place the 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying-pan and heat over medium heat. Place the fresh sage leaves into the heated butter and cook until crispy (about 30 seconds each side. Don’t make them brown). Remove them on a kitchen paper. Set aside.

Melt the 40g butter in a flying-pan over medium heat, add the chopped pumpkin and stir-fry until just tender. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped shallots and garlic, sauté over medium heat until softened.

Add the risotto rice, stir for 5 minutes until the rice start to turn translucent at the edges.

Add the white wine, cook and stirring until all the wine has been absorbed.

Add the cooked pumpkin and pour in a ladle of chicken stock, stirring continuously. When the stock has been absorbed, stir in another ladleful. Continue adding the stock in this way until all the stock has been absorbed.

Add the single cream, stirring until it has been absorbed. The rice should be al dente. Stir through the grated parmesan cheese.

Transfer the risotto to serving plates, sprinkle with black pepper, garnish with parmesan cheese, top with the sautéed sage leaf.

Japanese Style Salads (aemono)

September 12th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

These simple dressed salads are called aemono (it means “dressed things”).

Aemono are usually served very small portions, meant to accompany main dishes or as appetisers.

There is wide range of ingredients and dressings for aemono. Today’s recipe is one of the most basic and popular aemono dressings – Karashi-ae: mustard dressing, and Goma-ae: sesame dressing (this sweet and nutty flavored sesame dressing is my favourite one!).

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— Tenderstem Broccoli with Mustard Dressing (serves 2) —

1/2 teaspoon karashi mustard paste or english mustard

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon dashi stock
(see how to make dashi stock, and dashi stock for vegetarian)

100g tenderstem broccoli

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Mix the mustard, light soy sauce and dashi stock in a bowl.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add a pinch of salt. Cook the tenderstem broccoli until soft but still crunchy (about 30 seconds – 1 minute), rinse in cold water and drain.

Cut the tenderstem broccoli into 1.5 inches. Toss with the mustard dressing.

 

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— French Beans with Sesame Dressing (serves 2) —

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

100g french beans

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Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying-pan over medium-low heat until golden.

Transfer the roasted sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle, grind the sesame seeds into a paste. Add the sugar and soy sauce and mix well.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add a pinch of salt. Cook the french beans until soft but still crunchy (about 30 seconds – 1 minute), rinse in cold water and drain.

Cut the french beans into 1.5 inches. Toss with the sesame dressing.

Vietnamese Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry

September 4th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a traditional Vietnamese curry.

The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes and coconut milk contrast against the curry spices, giving the dish a depth of flavour.
Sweet and strong – just like the Vietnamese women who I met in the mountain.

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— Vietnamese Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry (serves 2) —

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric

250g skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped galangal or ginger

1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped

1- 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes (adjust chilli to your taste)

200g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)

1/2 tablespoon palm sugar

300ml coconut milk

Hand full of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Cooked basmati rice (for serving)

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Combine the curry powder and ground turmeric in a small bowl.

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and coat with the half of the spice. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan, stir-fry the chopped shallots, galangal and lemon grass over medium heat until fragrant.

Add the spiced chicken, the rest of spice and chilli flakes and then stir-fry about 2 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and stir-fry another 2 minutes.

Add the nuoc mam, palm sugar, coconut milk and 50ml of water. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or the chicken is tender. stirring occasionally.

Add the coriander leaves.

Serve with basmati rice.

Grilled Rice Balls with Spicy Miso

August 28th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

In Japan, children are taught not to leave even one grain of rice in your rice bowl, because there are seven rice gods residing in every single grain of rice, so we shouldn’t waste them.
This custom to ‘finish all the food served for you’ contains expression of gratitude for food and appreciate farmers who produced the food.

Anyway, I calculated how many rice gods in this rice ball when I was making them today.

100g of rice = about 4300 grains of rice.
I used 300g of rice for 8 small rice balls.
So, 11287 rice gods residing in each rice ball.

Mmm… they must feel so cramped.

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— Grilled Rice Balls with Spicy Miso (8 rice balls) —

300g rice (Japanese short grain white rice, or sushi rice)

420ml water

Some salt

2 tablespoons spring onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons miso paste (light brown coloured miso is preferred)
*please see this link for more information about miso

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

Some sesame oil for frying

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

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Rinse the rice in a clod water, changing the water several times until the water runs almost clear.

Drain the washed rice in a sieve and place in a saucepan.

Pour 420ml water in the pan and cover with tight-fitting rid.

Bring to the boil over high heat and let cook for 2 minute. Reduce the heat to the lowest and simmer (always cover the pan with a rid) 15 minute. Remove from the heat, still covered, and leave the pan for another 10 minutes.

Place the chopped spring onion, miso paste, mayonnaise, sugar and chilli powder in a small bowl and mix together. Set aside.

Divide the cooked rice into 8 equal portions.

Wet the palms of your hands and then lightly sprinkle them with salt.

Form the rice into circle shape.

Heat a frying-pan on medium heat with a little bit of sesame oil. Fry each side of the rice balls until lightly golden.

Transfer the rice balls onto the baking tray. Spread the miso mixture on the rice balls.

Preheat broiler, position the backing tray approximately 6 inches away from top heating element. Broil about 5 minutes, until the miso mixture starts to brown.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

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