Caramelised Onion & Goat Cheese Tarts

June 1st, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

My mum always told me that onions make my brain work good.

I don’t know if there is any evidence of it, or maybe she just tried to make me eat onions.

Anyway, I eat onions today.

I need to be a little bit clever this week.

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— Caramelised Onion & Goat Cheese Tarts (4 x 4 inch tarts) —

1 onion

100g goat cheese

200g puff pastry

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Some fresh thyme leaves

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Preheat oven 200C/400F.

Slice the goat cheese thickly (4 slices).

Slice the onion thickly (4 slices). Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, place the onion slices and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until they start to soften.

Roll the puff pastry on a light floured work surface into a sheet. Cut 4 x 4 inch rounds from the pastry and place on a baking try lined with baking paper.

Place the goat cheese slice on the middle of pastry and put the fried onion on top.

Mix the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl and drizzle over the onion slices. Sprinkle the fresh thyme leaves.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Walnut Brownies

May 29th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Brownies & a cup of tea, and chatting with my sister.

It’s a nice Sunday afternoon.

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—Walnut Brownies (10 x 8 inch square baking tin) —

150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

150g plain flour

280g sugar

3 eggs

150g butter

100g walnuts, chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

A pinch of salt

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Cut the butter into small cubes and chopped the chocolate into small pieces. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.

Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl, whisk them until thick and creamy.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the egg mixture, gently mix together.

Place the four, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in another bowl and mix together.

Hold a sieve over the bowl of egg & chocolate mixture and sift the flour mixture, add the chopped walnuts. Gently fold until almost even mixture (do not over-mixing).

Pour the mixture into a baking tin lined with baking parchment.

Bake in a preheated 180C/360F oven for about 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the tin. Cut into squares to serve.

Spinach & Bacon Soufflé

May 25th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

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— Spinach & Bacon Soufflé (serves 2) —

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

100g spinach leaves

80g smoked bacon

50ml single cream

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

2 pieces of mozzarella cheese (30g each)

1/8 teaspoon salt

A pinch of ground nutmeg

Some olive oil (for frying)

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Cut the bacon into small pieces.

Heat some olive oil in a frying-pan over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crispy. Add the spinach leaves into the frying-pan and stir fry about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks, single cream, parmesan cheese in a large bowl and mix together until well combined. Season with the salt and nutmeg.

Beat the egg whites in another bowl until they form medium to firm peak, gently fold the egg white into yolk mixture.

Divide the bacon and spinach into 2 x 1cup ovenproof dishes and top with the egg mixture and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated 200C/400F oven for about 25 minutes until golden.

Classic Scones with Cream and Jam

April 28th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

London gets ready for the Royal Wedding and The Union Jack flags are hanging everywhere in town.

I think, that’s the reason why I wanted to make a very British dish today.

Cream tea.

This is such a lovely afternoon treat : )

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— Classic Scones with Cream and Jam (makes 10 scones) —

220g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

50g butter

150g plain yogurt

1 egg york, beaten

Some icing sugar (option)

Clotted cream

Strawberry jam

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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well and lightly rub in the butter.

Add the yogurt into the flour mixture to make the dough soft and easy to knead.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface board, put the dough out to thickness of about 2cm/3/4inch, cut out the scones with 5cm/2inch round cutter and place on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the scones with the beaten egg.

Bake for about 15 minutes until well risen and golden.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with the icing sugar, serve with some clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Herb Omelette with Smoked Salmon

April 6th, 2011 § Comments Off on Herb Omelette with Smoked Salmon § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.7

I came up with this omelette idea when I saw Easter eggs in a shop.

Egg is a symbol of the rebirth, and I believe that Japan’s rebirth.

I like eggs. They are reliable and I can cook them so many ways; sauces, savoury snacks and deserts etc. Very good friend in the kitchen.

This omelette is light, nutritious and cook in a flash.

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— Herb Omelette with Smoked Salmon (2 omelettes) —

3 eggs

1 tablespoon dill, chopped

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

100g smoked salmon

40 g rocket leaves

60g cream cheese

A pinch of salt and pepper

Some oil (for frying)

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Place the eggs and mayonnaise in a bowl and lightly whisk to combine. Add the chopped dill and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat a fringe-pan (about 8 inch in diameter) over medium-high heat and add a little bit of oil.

Pour the wharf amount of the egg mixture on to the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the egg mixture coats the surface evenly.

Cook the egg mixture for about 1 minutes, flip over and cook the other side for 20 seconds.

Transfer the omelette to a plate. Repeat the process and make another omelette.

Spread the cream cheese on the omelette, arrange the rocket leaves and smoked salmon and fold the omelette in half.

Chocolate Mousse

April 3rd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.6

Chocolate can boost your mood and makes you happy.

This is a sweet little treat for the weekend.

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— Chocolate Mousse (6 cups) —

200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

25g unsalted butter

3 tablespoons dark rum

120ml double cream

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon caster sugar

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60g dark chocolate (for decoration)

18 raspberries (for decoration)

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— Chocolate cups —

Cut out baking paper 12 inch x 2 inch, 6 strips.

Roll up one strip of the paper and place inside a 2&1/2 inch pastry cutter. Open out the paper and lines the cutter.

Set a bowl on top of hot water and melt the 60g chocolate, leave the melted chocolate until a little bit harder.

Holding the cutter with one hand, spoon the chocolate and put into the cutter, brush the chocolate up the side of the paper to make the top of cup irregular edge.

Carefully lift away the cutter and repeat to make 6 cups. Chill until set and peel the baking paper.

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— Chocolate Mousse —

Set a bowl on top of hot water and melt the chocolate, then stir in the butter until melted and add the rum. Stir gently until smooth.

Whip the double cream in a bowl.

Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until peaking, and whisk in the sugar.

Fold the cream, then egg whites into melted chocolate mixture until evenly combined.

Pour the mousse into the chocolate cups and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Topping some raspberries.

Smiley English Muffins

March 23rd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Light up Japan recipe –No.3

I was thinking about an energy-saving bread recipe for my friends in Japan, and I remembered English muffin! Yes!

You can make English muffins in a frying-pan, and it doesn’t take a long time to cook.

Eat a lot of smiley muffins, and you feel smiley : )

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— Smiley English Muffins (6 muffins) —

250g plain flour

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 &1/4 teaspoon easy dry yeast

1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)

200ml  milk (room temperature)

Some cornmeal for sprinkling

Some black olive

Some sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

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Place the flour, sugar, salt and instant dry yeast in a large bowl and stir together, mix in the butter and the milk.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface board and knead for about 10 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and roll to coat. Cover the bowl with cling film and and let rise about an hour in a warm place.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 pieces and shape into balls. Lightly coat the surface with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal, lay on a flat plate and cover the balls loosely with cling film and allow them to rise for about 40 minutes.

Arrange the black olives and sliced sun-dried tomatoes and make a smily face on the balls.

Heat a frying-pan until hot not burning, place muffins and cook them over low-heat for 5-7 minutes on each side.

Fig and Camembert Tarts

February 25th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Fig is written “無花果” in Japanese which means “fruit without flower”, so I believed that figs have no flowers.

I was delighted when I found out that the figs are actually flowers, inside-out flowers, and an interesting story about ‘fig wasp’ for pollination.

The nature world is amazing and the combinations of figs and honey are amazing too. Thanks wasps and bees, they are hard workers.

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— Fig and Camembert Tarts (4 tarts) —

200g puff pastry

2 figs

60g camembert cheese

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 table spoon honey

Some fresh thyme leaves

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Roll the puff pastry on a light floured work surface into a sheet. Cut out 4 round bases (approximately 2.5 inch diameter) and make a small rim with the remaining pastry.

Place the pastry bases on a baking paper.

Cut the camembert cheese into 4 pieces and place on the pastry.

Cut the figs into quarters, and arrange them on the camembert cheese.

Mix the mustard and the honey in a small bowl and drizzle over the figs.

Bake the tarts in a preheated 200C/400F oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry in crisp and golden.

Garnish with some thyme leaves.

Shiitake Mushroom Melts

February 19th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Shiitake mushrooms have a delicious rich flavour and remarkably rich in antioxidants.

This mushrooms help cleanse the blood, and are useful in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure, also they reduce cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. It’s understandable why they have been used in Chinese medicine for over 6000 years.

This is an easy healthy snack recipe. Enjoy full flavour of shiitake mushrooms and the full health benefits.

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— Cheese-stuffed Shiitake Mushrooms (serves 2) —

8 shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon dill, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Some black pepper

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Remove the shiitake mushroom steams.

Mix the finely chopped dill, the cheddar cheese, the mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Upside down the mushrooms and put the cheese mixture onto the mushroom caps.

Grill under a medium heat about 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and melted.

Sprinkle with some black pepper and serve.