Fried Cod with Mango Salsa

July 30th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Sweet and sour mango salsa. A little bit of cilli gives it a nice kick.

The white fish dressed up in a lovely yellow coloured summer dress today.

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— Fried Cod with Mango Salsa (serves 2) —

2 cod fillets

Some salt and pepper

Some plain flour

2 tablespoons butter

*****

— for mango salsa —

1 medium ripe mango, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons coriander leave, finely chopped

1/2 small red cilli, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

A pinch of salt and pepper

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Mix all the mango salsa ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Sprinkle the cod fillets with salt and pepper. Lightly dust each side with flour.

Heat the butter in a frying-pan, sauté the cod fillets over medium heat on each side until cooked and golden.

Transfer to serving plates and pour the mango salsa over the cod fillets.

Pork and Clams Alentejo Style

July 19th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a beautiful Alentejo (south Portugal) dish.

My portuguese friend made this dish for the Christmas party a few years ago. I was quite surprised when I saw it, because the combination of pork and clams was so unusual for me, and I couldn’t really imagine what does it taste like (I thought maybe my friend just put everything what he has in the fridge…).

The taste was amazing. Pork and clams work very well together, rich and flavouful taste.

I’m a big fan of this dish since then.

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— Pork and Clams Alentejo Style (serves 4) —

700g pork loin

20-30 clams, scrubbed

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped

3 potatoes

1 lemon

4 tablespoon olive oil

A pinch of salt and black pepper

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

*****

— for wine marinade —

200ml white wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon paprika

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

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Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes.

Mix all the marinade ingredient in a bowl, add the pork cubes and mix. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night.

Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and deep fry until golden brown. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot, stir-fry the chopped onion and garlic over medium heat until tender. Add the clams, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook until the clams open for about 5 minutes.

Drain the pork cubes (reserve the marinade). Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a fry-ng pan. Stir-fry the drained pork cubes over medium heat until golden brown. Add the reserved marinade, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer the cooked pork into the clam pot, mix everything together, stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the deep fried potato cubes and the chopped coriander.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Basil Tempura Squid

May 9th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is not a traditional, but tasty and refreshing basil flavoured tempura.

It’s not difficult to make light and crispy  tempura at home, if you know some tips;

1. Use ice-cold water for the butter.

2. Don’t over mix the butter.

3. Right oil temperature (170C/340F).

By the way, I like deep-fried basil leaves. Light though the leaves and it’s pretty.

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— Basil Tempura Squid (Serves 3-4) —

300g squid tube, cleaned

100g plain flour

1 small egg

150ml ice-cold water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

20 basil leaves (10 leaves for the butter and the other 10 for garnish)

Lemon wedges for serving

Vegetable oil for deep frying

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Wash the squid tubes and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the squid tubes into bite size and lightly dust with some flour.

Heat the deep frying oil to 170C/340F.

Wash the 10 basil leaves and pat dry with paper towels, deep-fry the basil until crispy.

Finely chopped the other 10 basil leaves, set aside.

Beat the egg in a bowl and mix with chilled water.

Place the flour, salt, baking soda and finely chopped basil leaves in another bowl, mix well.

Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture bowl, and very lightly fold in with just 5-6 strokes (the butter should be loosely mixed, but lumpy).

Dip the squid pieces one by one into the butter and deep-fry in the 170C/340F oil until golden.

Garnish with deep-fired basil leaves, serve with the lemon wedges and sprinkle salt if you wish.

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.

Paper Wrapped Salmon Fillet

February 22nd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

This is an excellent method of cooking a salmon fillet.

Slowly steam the salmon with sake in a paper is that keeps the salmon soft and very juicy, and all the flavour of ingredients are retained inside a paper package.

Also, it’s easy to clean up!

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— Paper Wrapped Salmon Fillet (serves 1 package) —

1 baking paper sheet (approximately 15 inch x 15 inch)

1 piece (150g) salmon fillet

20g spring onion

40g shimeji mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms (Shimeji mushrooms: base discarded, mushrooms separated. Shiitake mushrooms: sliced)

15g butter

1 tablespoon sake (rice wine)

1/2 garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon salt

A pinch of black pepper

1/2 tablespoon soya sauce

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Slice the garlic very thin, chop the spring onion diagonally.

Season the salmon fillet with the salt and the pepper, and place on a baking paper sheet.

Place the mushrooms, chopped spring onion in the side of the salmon, put the butter and sliced garlic on the top of salmon, sprinkle the sake.

Pull the paper edges together, folding edges tightly to make a paper bag. Make sure that there is space inside the paper for the hot air to steam the salmon.

Preheat oven to 180C/350F, place the paper package in a baking tray and bake in the middle of oven for about 20 minutes.

Cut cross on the top of the wrapped paper to open.

Drizzle the soya sauce and serve.

Lemon Sauce Lemon Sole

January 20th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Lemon sauce & Lemon sole & Lemon cloth.

Triple Lemons, and I feel refresh.

A little spoon of honey add a touch of sweetness to the lemon sauce but still allows the fresh lemon flavour. Delicious sauce for white fish.

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— Lemon Sauce Lemon Sole (serves 2) —

2 fillets lemon sole

A pinch of salt and pepper

Some flour

Some vegetable oil for flying

Some parsley for garnish, finely chopped

*****

– for the lemon sauce –

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon honey

3 tablespoons white wine

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder

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Sprinkle the lemon sole fillets with a pinch of salt and pepper. Lightly dust each side with flour.

Heat some oil in a frying-pan, sauté the lemon sole fillets over medium-high heat on each side until golden.

Transfer to serving plates and keep them warm while making the lemon sauce.

Melt the butter on a pan, add the white wine, increase heat to high and bring to boil.

Add the chicken stock and honey, stir until completely blended over medium heat.

Remove the pan from heat, add the lemon juice and grated lemon zest and stir everything well.

pour the lemon sauce over the sautéed lemon sole and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Rosemary Calamari Fritti

January 13th, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I was looking up ‘rosemary’, and I found that the name has Latin origin ‘ros marinus’ meaning ‘dew of the sea’.

Pretty name!

OK, I want to use the dew of the sea to calamari, because he came from the sea.

And, it was a good idea. The rosemary brings lively flavour and note to this recipe.

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— Rosemary Calamari Fritti (serves 2) —

260g calamari tubes, cleaned

5 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons corn flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

50ml water

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, very finely chopped

A pinch of salt and pepper

Lemon wedges for serving

Oil for deep-frying

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Rinse the calamari tubes under water and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the calamari tubes into 1/2 inch rings.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 170C/340F.

Mix well the flour, corn flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the beaten egg, 50ml water, very finely chopped fresh rosemary, salt and pepper into the bowl and mix everything together.

Toss the squid rings into the flour mixture to coat, and deep-fry the coated calamari rings until pale golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with the lemon wedges.

Miso Yogurt Marinated Cod

January 4th, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

Miso is fermented soya bean paste, made from soya beans and normally rice or barley are mixed with salt and koji (a formentation starter) and allow to ferment for six months to five years

It comes in many colours, creamy white, yellow, red brown and dark brown, etc..

Usually the light coloured miso has light flavour and dark coloured miso has strong flavour.

Also yogurt is the queen of fermentation food product as you know.

Both fermentation foods pull together and made a great result to a piece of fish.

The cod fillet became tender and savory.

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— Miso Yogurt Marinated Cod (serves 2) —

2 pieces cod fillet

80ml miso (light brown coloured miso is preferred)

100ml yogurt (plain)

Some flat-leaf parsley for garnish, finely chopped

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Mix the miso and yogurt  in a bowl.

Put the miso yogurt mixture into a shallow container, place the cod, and coat all sides with the mixture, cover and refrigerate for overnight.

To cook, lightly wipe off any excess miso mixture (but don’t rinse it off).

Preheat broiler, place the cod on a baking sheet and position the backing tray approximately 6 inches away from top heating element. Broil about 7-10 minutes, until nicely golden and flakes easily.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Stuffed Baby Squid with Coriander & Feta

January 3rd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Happy New Year.

If you feel still tired after New Year’s drinking like me, this is the perfect dish.

Squid contains a lot of taurine (amino acid) which reverse liver damage caused by alcohol.

The only thing is, this dish goes well with white wine…

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— Stuffed Baby Squid with Coriander & Feta (serves 2) —

500g baby squid

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoon coriander, finely chopped (leave a little for garnish)

40g feta cheese

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

Some olive oil for frying

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Cut off squid tentacles, chop into small pieces and set aside.

Clean the squid tubes (remove all inside parts).

Cut the feta cheese into small cubes.

Mix well the chopped tentacles, bread crumbs, finely chopped coriander, fish sauce and olive oil in a bowl, add the feta cheese cubes and mix again gently.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the squid tubes to three-quarters fill the tubes. Fasten the opening closed with a cocktail stick.

Heat some olive oil in a frying-pan over a medium heat and fry the squid for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally.

Sprinkled with chopped coriander and serve.

Salmon, Spinach & Cheese Spring Rolls

December 28th, 2010 § 0 comments § permalink

Usually, spring rolls are used different type of dough sheets.

But, Filo pastry sheets works very well for this salmon spring rolls.

Just a little bit careful when you handle the pastry sheets, because it’s a fragile.

Be gentle, and then, here is the delicate textured nice spring rolls.

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— Salmon & Spinach Spring Rolls (6 rolls) —

1 piece salmon fillet, boned and skinned

80g Cheddar cheese

100g baby spinach

1 teaspoons soy sauce

A pinch of salt and pepper

6 sheets of filo pastry

Lemon wedges for serving

Cooking oil for deep-frying

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Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper and slice into 6 sticks approximately 3 inches by 1/2 inch.

Slice the Cheddar cheese into 6 sticks (same size as the salmon sticks).

Add the spinach for a large pan of slightly salted boiling water, cook 15 seconds. Drain the spinach in a colander, cool down and squeeze out the excess water. Sprinkle the soy sauce on the spinach and mix well.

Lay out one filo pastry sheet with a corner pointed toward you. Place a salmon stick, a Cheddar cheese stick and 1/6 of the spinach on the filo sheet.

Roll up the filo sheet the corner facing you. When half way, fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a little bit of water on the final corner to help seal the spring roll.

Heat the oil to 170C/340F and deep-fry the spring rolls until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with the lemon wedges.