2022年4月22日 星期五

Pasta in tomato sauce

Taste awesome; best one cooked in a long time !!

ingredients:
- pasta 60gm only
- tomato x 2
- anchoves some
- garlic
- basil (so happen I have it today)

steps:
- cook pasta in boiling water for 11 min
- heat the pan, in the garlic slices, fry for a little while
- in the chili flakes
- then some anchoves, let it fry for a little while
- in the chopped tomatoes, better skined
- season it right with salt and sugar
- let it slowly cooked, with lid on, till done
- stir in right amount of full cream (so happen I have it)
- taste it
- then in the pasta, stir well, lastly some basil leaves
- it is important kill off heat before putting in basil; otherwise, they turn black immediately

NOTES
- a touch of basil aroma into the pasta; awesome
- very very tasty 
- mom likes it



2022年4月20日 星期三

蝦汁意粉

 Ingredients:

- 蝦頭去頭部所有垃圾備用


Steps
- heat the pan, place all heads onto it, low heat, squeeze some olive oil into the pan
- aroma of the shrimps gradually come out
- keep frying the heads till all become red and ready
- splash some white wine into it
- into it some tomato paste to add colour into the dish
- then adding some hot water to cook through for ca. 25 min maximum
- take away all shrimp heads
- keep cooking and reduce the broth to about one bowl

- in another pot, cook the pasta till 3 min before it is done
- take them out immediately and put into the broth to keep cooking till al dente
- into it chopped parsley, and ready to serve

Notes 20/4/2022
- to my surprise, very tasty, a mouthful of shrimp taste
- awesome; learnt how to do it !!!




Leek and pancetta quiche

 

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay

INGREDIENTS

- 120gm all purpose flour (used 120gm as from previous experience; next time try 130gm to leave some room for the edges of the crust; 120gm is just sufficient)

- 80gm of butter (previous experience used 60gm i.e. 50% as to flour; increase amount of butter on purpose to feel the difference) - too much butter; use 50% again 7/5/2022 

- 100gm+ pancetta and (gumcharlie)

- 3 whole eggs about 140 gm (excludes keeping some for egg wash)

- used 30gm of 35% fat cream (testing only; no idea at all)

- parsley, chopped

- grated cheese


STEPS:

- mixed the flour with butter, adding pinch of salt, and ca. 20gm of water (just reference to previous experience in doing pastry where I use 1/2 an egg);

- rest the dough in the fridge for at least 30 min to set;

- take the dough out; roll it out onto the 8" tin mould;

- use a fork to pinch holes at the bottom of the crust;

- pre-heat oven; bake the crust at 200 deg (or 180 deg C) for 10 min;

- aroma comes out after 10 min; take out the crust, brush it all over with egg wash;

- put it back into oven, the other side round, at 200 deg (or 180 deg C) for another 10 min;

- prepare the filling - saute the pancetta on pan, low heat until oil comes out; and become crispy;

- add into it the chopped leek, saute until caramelized and done;

- put into a seive to squeeze out excess oil;

- into the egg mixture the full cream of 30gm (testing only); add touch of salt and pepper

- adding sauteed pancetta and leek;

- shred some cheese into it; taste it.

- lastly some chopped parsley, and put it away into oven, at 200 (or 180 deg C) for 15 to 20 min until done


NOTES:

- smell wonderful even after a long time out from the oven
- wonderful taste coming from the oil of the pancetta, that plays a key role in this quiche
- the crust - next time trying GOLD MEDAL
- the crust taste butttery with a hint of salt
- I feel it is a little dry perhaps for the reason I baked all the way at 200 deg C
- all in all very happy with it

Notes 7/5/2022

- use less butter; 50% to flour (i.e. 135gm gram / 68gm butter) perfect amt to fit the mould
- use 180 deg C to bake the crust; and the whole quiche all the way thru
- use 3 eggs + left over from the egg wash egg, i.e. 3.5 eggs (just perfect amount)
- use a little more cream this time (just perfect for the mould)

Notes 23/5/2022
- rolling out the crust straight from dough w/o refridgering - next time roll out thickness evenly
- use cream of 40gm + filling and everything comes to ca. 338gm
- had doubts abt baking time; originally baked for 20 min, but had doubt if it is well done, baked for additional 7 to 8 min resulting the end product is somewhat DRIED
- crust adding zero salt (i forget !) and salted buttered is used; less salt is used in the filling, resulting end product is a little under but ok

Notes 26/5/2022 - SALMON QUICHE
- roll out the crust straight from dough again - to improve - insufficient liquid hence breaking up at edges when rolling out - ca 25gm egg + water is abt right
- forget to apply one layer of egg wash in the middle of baking of crust - some leaking out at the base when done
- half bake the salmon for ca. 10 min, before breaking them into pce when building the quiche
- use one lemon zest (smell wonderful !) but not enough; try two next time at least
- end product - wonderfully tasted - can taste the wonderful fragrance of thyme, fatness of the salmon, salt and pepper just right, buttery of the crust (use the expensive butter from Citysuper) - all in all excellent
- baked at 200 deg C, for 20 min, just right.

Notes 28/5/2022 - SALMON QUICHE 2 x 60 dia
- do NOT do small size again; can hold only a small amt of filling
- crust - DO IT TOO THICK; ONE EVEN BREAK A CORNER AND LEEKING FILLINGS
- taragon - little aroma; thyme - a lot more aromatic
- FRENCH TOMATOS - excellent taste when baked
- one tart crust is not even baked !!!!
- DO NOT DO SMALL TART AGAIN


Notes 31/3/2025 - salmon quiche 
- 130gm cake flour (left from some time ago; hence dry) + 50% of butter i.e. 65gm of butter + ca. 30gm of water to make a short crust
- just about the size of the ring (next time try rolling out exactly the size of the ring for even thickness overall
- blind bake 180 deg C for 10 min; take it out, brush egg wash, and bake for another 10 min, 180 deg - smelling beautifully
- prepare one leek, sliced into dices, sauteed in pan till camerized, then adding bits of NZ king salmon (marinated w/ salt and black pepper beforehand)
- when crust is ready, take it out
- beat 3 whole eggs + 30gm of cream, adding the fillings, seasoned to taste
- pour into the crust - amount is JUST RIGHT
- put it back into the oven, bake for another 20 min till bubbling, at 180 deg C
- smell wonderful taste of salmon and butter
- let it cool down before serving

- taste - crust not as fluffy as lemon tart crust made many times before (perhaps egg was used instead of water ?? or cake flour is too old i.e. dry and resulted in somewhat tough
- NZ salmon fattiness taste wonderful
- too eggy; not silky and smooth in texture (perhaps overcooked?? or add in cheese would make a difference ??
- afterall, taste wonderful. 
- add lemon zests next time








2022年4月18日 星期一

tapa - spanish style garlic shrimp

 

Ingredients:

- one box 500gm of frozen Malaysia white shrimp (on sale; hence buy this) at $75; used half i.e. 250gm
- when still at frozen stage, cut off the heads and put away in fridge for later use
- place frozen shrimp in running water till it become defrosted; drained; and dried it with kitchen towel
- add some salt to marinate them, and put away in fridge for hours till tight (the 2nd time I put away marinated shrimps overnite in fridge; did not at all affect the quality when cooked the next day).

Prep:

- sliced garlic, not too thick nor thin, right thickness
- extra virgin olive oil
- fakes of dried pepper
- parsley, chopped

Cooking:

- slow heat, in the olive oil, in the garlic slices, slowing fry
- in the red pepper flakes
- in the shrimp frying for ca. 30 sec (or till done)
- and in some parsley, and it is done


NOTES 18/4/2022

- no experience; hence undercooked the shrimps !  sweetness not fully come out; and most of all, I po the next morning

- garlic; red pepper flakes; parsley - just the right taste coming out

- do a salad with apple / orange / and cooked shrimps - complimenting each other - sweetness + savoury.



NOTES 20/4/2022

- put away marinated shrimps overnite before cooking; to my surprise, quality not being affected at all.

- shrimps well cooked (or slightly over cooked !) sweetness of shrimps come out; taste wonderful.





2022年4月15日 星期五

Sou Vide lamb rack 慢煮羊架

 

from Ricky Cheung


Ingredients:

- olive oil 100gm
- thyme, some
- garlic, sliced, some
- lamb rack, ca. 450gm, one pce
- mustard seed paste 30gm
- parsley, chopped
- lemon zest, one

How:

- heat the olive oil in a pan, slightly hot, in the garlic slices + thyme, slow heat, cook for a minute, set aside to cool down

- heat the pan with oil, high, sear the lamb rack outside to golden brown, about 2 minutes. do not overcook !  take out the rack, and let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes

- put the lamb rack into a GLAD bag, pour into it the olive oil with thyme and sliced garlic

- dip the bag into water, by way of high water pressure in squeezing out all air inside, and seal the bag

- prepare for Sou Vide - 60 deg / 45 min - RARE.  or, 65 deg / 45 min - MEDIUM RARE

- after 45 min, take out the lamb rack from the bag, wipe dry the meat with kitchen towel

- heat the pan with oil, high, quickly seal the skin / outside of the lamb rack, in ONE MINUTE

- separately, mixed the mustard seed with chopped parsley and lemon zest

- ready to plate.


NOTES:

- tried 16/4/2022 after hiking; very hungry

- exceeded my expectation; just cooked to the perfection; pinky tender 

- forget the step in searing the outside skin of the lamb rack before deeping it into the bag

- it can be improved by searing; must sear the fat around to brownish

- it is just PERFECT TIMING - 65 deg C / 45 min. BRAVO !!