May 2012
6 posts
10 tags
Hungarian Beef Goulash
When I think of Hungarian food, the dish that comes to mind is goulash (gulyás). It’s a simple but very tasty and comforting dish, where beef is cooked slowly with onions and lots of paprika until tender and almost melt-in-your-mouth. The consistency is somewhere in between a stew and a soup, with slightly sweet and smokey flavours, and it’s typically served with Hungarian egg...
9 tags
Scallops Wrapped in Pancetta with Minted Pea Puree
I love the contrast of salty pancetta and sweet scallops. Here the minted pea puree gives the whole dish a bright, spring-like feel. Aside from adding a lot of flavour, the pancetta also helps protect the scallop from direct heat, keeping the meat moist and succulent.
[[MORE]]
Makes enough for 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as a main
12 large scallops 6 thin slices of rindless pancetta, or...
10 tags
Beef Wellington
Over a drink last weekend, a friend was talking about his typical dinners in Singapore. Food courts, takeaways, and occasionally a couple packets of instant noodles - it seemed like a home cooked meal was well overdue. After a few more drinks, Nick kindly volunteered me to cook Beef Wellington for six at our place the following night. Beef Wellington is a classic British dish, often served...
10 tags
Lasagne alla Bolognese
This is a recipe for a traditional Bolognese lasagne, with layers of Ragu alla Bolognese and creamy besciamella (or béchamel) sauce between sheets of lasagne pasta. The ragu or meat sauce is made by slowly simmering ground beef, pork and pancetta with some aromatics, a little tomato, white wine and milk. It takes around 2 to 3 hours of slow-cooking for the flavours to fully develop and the meat...
10 tags
Salmon & Dill Fishcakes with Poached Egg
These delicious and filling salmon fishcakes are perfect for a weekend brunch, or serve it with a simple green salad on the side for a weeknight dinner.
[[MORE]]
Makes 6 large fishcakes
200g fresh salmon fillet, roughly chopped 200g potatoes, peeled and quartered Quarter cup fresh dill, roughly chopped Juice & zest of half a lemon 1 free-range egg, beaten Panko breadcrumbs Flour Olive...
10 tags
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Risotto
This recipe is based on the classic dish, Risotto al Porcini, typically served as a primi or first course in an Italian meal. Here I’ve adapted the dish so that it can be served on its own, adding grilled portobello mushrooms on top and a little bit of chopped chicken livers in the risotto. Liver isn’t for everyone so you can choose to omit it, but I find it makes the dish more...
April 2012
8 posts
11 tags
Thai-Style Whole Baked Fish
This is my favourite way of cooking a whole fish - the flesh gets infused with the Thai flavours of ginger, lemongrass and lime. Traditionally, whole fish is typically cooked on a charcoal grill or wrapped in banana leaves. Here I’ve adapted to cooking with a modern oven, using bake instead of grill to avoid drying the fish out. The end result should be soft, moist flesh that just flakes...
8 tags
Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
I tried Yunnan cuisine for the first time during my trip to Beijing. Described as light and sophisticated, this cuisine uses a lot of mushrooms and herbs, and often tastes more like Southeast Asian food than typical Chinese food. Not a surprise, given that Yunnan province shares its borders with Vietnam, Laos and Burma. Since Vietnamese cuisine is one of my favourites, I was keen to try Yunnan...
10 tags
Chinese Cuisine Melting Pot
Having just returned from a trip to Beijing, I’ve gained a greater appreciation for the diversity of Chinese cuisine. In western countries, many people are familiar with Cantonese cuisine due to the large number of emigrants from southern China (including my parents). “Chinese food” is often synonymous with “Cantonese food”, though I think this is starting to...
10 tags
Two More Tapas Recipes
My final two tapas recipes are potatoes with garlic mayonnaise (Patatas Alioli) and chorizo fried with sherry wine. Patatas Alioli is a great accompaniment for meatier tapas dishes, while the spicy chorizo is delicious on top of fresh bread.
[[MORE]]
Patatas Alioli
3 medium potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks 1 egg yolk 2 garlic cloves, minced Quarter cup olive oil Squeeze of lemon juice Fresh...
7 tags
Prawns Sautéd with Garlic and Chilli
Prawns with garlic or Gambas al Ajillo is a dish you’ll find at almost every tapas bar and each will have their own recipe variation. It’s so quick and easy to prepare at home - perfect for my tapas night when I had four dishes on the go. You can also serve the dish on its own, either on top of a salad or tossed in linguine.
[[MORE]]
Dozen large prawns, de-shelled 3 garlic cloves,...
10 tags
Spanish Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Spanish meatballs or Albóndigas is an easy and tasty tapas to cook at home. It can also be served as a main course by tossing some pasta in the spicy tomato sauce, or with a simple green salad and bread to mop up the sauce on the side.
[[MORE]]
200g ground beef 200g ground pork or veal 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tablespoons Manchego, grated ? 2 Tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs ? 1 egg yolk,...
8 tags
Four Classic Spanish Tapas
Tapas bars have really taken off in Singapore - it seems like one is opening up every week. While some of them are very tasty (Jason Atherton’s Esquina Tapas Bar comes to mind), others are often hit-and-miss. This inspired me to have a tapas night at home, accompanied with some Rioja wine.
Tapas can be any small plates of food suitable for sharing and is always served with drinks. In...
7 tags
Chicken Liver Bruschetta Two-Ways
When fresh and properly prepared, chicken livers are rich, sweet and creamy. You can simply sauté them in butter, or turn them into a delicious paté. They also make a great topping for bruschetta, an Italian appetizer of toasted bread rubbed with garlic. Here I’ve made one bruschetta topped with liver slices and caramelised onions, and one with rustic Italian-style chopped livers.
...
March 2012
6 posts
12 tags
Italian Fish Soup (Zuppa di Pesce)
Naturally, for a country surrounded by coastlines, Italy has some amazing seafood. One of the places we visited was Cinque Terre, a collection of 5 historical villages on the beautiful, rugged western coast of Italy. I love the fresh vongole (clams) sautéd in white wine, olive oil, garlic with just a hint of peperoncino (red pepper flakes) - especially with a glass (or two) of Pinot Grigio and a...
10 tags
Peruvian Fish Ceviche
With its ancient ruins, beautiful coastlines, and delicious fresh seafood, Peru is definitely at the top of my travel wish-list. But as there are so many places to visit closer to home, I haven’t quite made my way there yet. Peru is also where ceviche, a popular Latin American dish made by marinating raw seafood in citrus juices, originated from.
One of the key differences between a...
12 tags
7 tags
9 tags
7 tags
Coq au Vin, a classic French recipe
I love cooking classic dishes like Coq au Vin - a truly tried-and-tested recipe so you know it’ll turn out delicious. A whole chicken is slowly braised in red wine with onions and bacon, resulting in a very rich and tasty sauce. This is a great dish to cook for guests as you can prepare it the day before and the flavours develop and get better overnight. Make sure you use a half-decent...
February 2012
10 posts
5 tags
Slow Roasted Pork
Sunday roasts are as much a tradition for Kiwis as it is for Brits. Nothing makes me feel more like I’m back home than roasting a whole chicken, pork shoulder, or leg of lamb in the weekends. Here I have roasted a de-boned leg of pork for 6 hours until the meat easily pulls apart. Don’t be intimidated by how long it takes - once you get the roast into the oven, you can go off to do...
9 tags
9 tags
Macaroni & Cheese with Pancetta
Lately I’ve noticed a renaissance for macaroni & cheese with many restaurants serving their own version of this classic dish - and it tastes nothing like mac ‘n’ cheese from a package mix. When I went out for my birthday dinner, we shared a delicious baked macaroni & cheese with stewed beef, kashkaval cheese, organic mushrooms and truffle oil. Although this was...
10 tags
Tom Yum Soup with Prawns
Did you know that Tom Yum soup is claimed to have immune boosting properties? So not only is it great comfort food for wet and gloomy days, it also helps you fight off cold and flu viruses! Tom Yum soup is one of the most popular dishes in Thai cuisine - and it should be very, very spicy. You’ve probably ordered Tom Yum soup at Thai restaurants. You may even have cooked it at home with a...
8 tags
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Xao Xa Ot)
Like Anthony Bourdain, I absolutely adore Vietnam - the scenery, the people, and most of all, the food. Vietnamese cuisine is known for its use of fresh ingredients and unique mix of east and west influences, particularly Chinese and French. I love walking down the streets of Hanoi or Saigon, trying any food stall that looks or smells good, from banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches with paté) to pho...
10 tags
Laotian Chicken Salad (Larb Gai)
In the forgotten country of Laos, the small city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the crown jewel. It’s surrounded by majestic mountains, with beautiful temples next to French colonial architecture, where you’ll be greeted by the kind and peaceful Laotian people. It was certainly the unexpected highlight of my month-long trip around Indochina. The prominence of food...
6 tags
One Chicken Three Ways
This week I’m going to cook some dishes that make full use of the wide range of ingredients available in this part of the world. I bought a large chicken (from a supermarket, not a wet market as per the photo above) and some fresh South East Asian ingredients like coriander, lemongrass, lime, chilli, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. These are all wonderfully fragrant ingredients that,...
8 tags
10 tags
Osso Buco with Gremolata
Osso Buco, meaning hollowed bone in Italian, is a classic Milanese specialty. I had a delicious rendition of this dish in a cosy osteria hidden away in the romantic city of Verona. The Osso Buco here was tenderly falling off the bone with a rich, flavourful vegetable stew, and the marrow in the centre of the bone was, of course, heavenly. So when I see veal shank at the supermarket, I’m...
9 tags
Izakaya-style braised pork ribs
Japanese Izakayas, like English pubs and Spanish tapas bars, are first and foremost a place to drink and talk with your friends - the food is there to accompany the drinks. And what delicious food. Yakitori (skewers), grilled fish, sashimi, karaage (deep fried chicken) - all served tapas-style and designed to be shared.
The first dish I tried at an Izakaya in Japan was Buta no Kakuni, or...
January 2012
10 posts
12 tags
Food for keeping warm in Japan
Instead of spending Chinese New Year in bustling and balmy Singapore, I escaped to snowy Furano - a sleepy little ski town in the middle of Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan). To survive the below freezing temperatures, as low as -20°C at night, I indulged in Japanese kare (curry) カレー, nabe (hotpot) なべ物, and noodle soups like ramen ラーメン and udon うどん.
Inspired by my time in Japan, this...
8 tags
Ragu Napoletano
Ragu Napoletano is an Italian meat sauce made by slowly simmering whole chunks of meat in tomato sauce. This is a great sauce to make with cheaper cuts like beef chuck, pork short ribs, and veal shank - perfect for Singapore where freshly imported meat is priced at a premium. These cuts are also the most flavourful parts of the animal so cooking slowly until the meat starts to fall apart gives...
8 tags
A simple curry from scratch
Why make curry from scratch when there are plenty of ready-made pastes available, as well as thousands of curries that can be found in Singapore hawker centres? Well, I love the amazing aroma of a freshly-made curry and the ability to adjust the heat and spices to my liking. With this simple Indian-style curry recipe, you can add any meat or vegtables to make a complete meal.
Here I added...
7 tags
Sunday night roast chicken
Roast chicken is the ultimate comfort meal and perfect for a lazy Sunday night in. This is my go-to recipe and never fails to deliver a juicy and delicious bird.
[[MORE]]
1 whole chicken (free-range, if possible) 1 onion, peeled and halved 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled Half a lemon Herb butter (see recipe here) 1 cup white wine or chicken stock 1 Tablespoon flour, melted 1 Tablespoon butter Salt...
3 tags
9 tags
Ma Po What?
Ma Po Tofu is a classic Chinese dish from Sichuan province, and the first dish with tofu I happily ate. Ma Po Tofu was also the start of my affinity towards spicy Chinese cuisine. You can always separate a good Sichuan restaurant from an average one by the quality of their Ma Po tofu. It should be spicy enough to make your lips slightly numb with the strong fragrance of Sichuan peppercorns,...
7 tags
Northern Chinese lamb dumplings
Chinese dumplings (jiao zi) are a popular dish for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Traditionally, extended families gather to make jiao zi together as it symbolises wealth and prosperity. Although typically filled with ground pork, vegetables, and ocassionally prawns, I fell in love with lamb dumplings in Shanghai. The strong, gamey lamb flavour is balanced by the sweet onion, spices, and fatty...
9 tags
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
On a recent trip to Italy, one of my biggest culinary revelations was Spaghetti alla Carbonara. The traditional recipe has no cream, no chicken, no vegetables - just good quality pancetta, eggs and cheese. This authentic Italian Carbonara tastes richer and more luxurious than any Carbonara I’ve had before.
Pancetta seems to be a rare ingredient in Singapore - no supermarkets and very few...
8 tags
Spanish omelette for breakfast
This is more of a Spanish-inspired omelette because traditionally the potatoes are fried in plenty of oil which I find too heavy for breakfast. My interpretation is a lighter and fresher omelette, topped with chorizo, chilli and cherry tomatoes.
[[MORE]]
Makes enough for two
1 large potato, halved and thinly sliced Quarter red onion, roughly diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tablespoons olive...
11 tags
December 2011
7 posts
8 tags
Home sweet home cooking
Coming home to New Zealand after 9 months away has made me really appreciate the amazing produce this country has to offer. Angus beef, Bluff oysters, Central Otago Pinot Noir, and flat white coffees - these are just some of the delicious foods and drinks I’ve missed. Arriving in Wellington on Christmas day, I was greeted by beautiful blue skies and a sparkling turquoise harbour.
Being a...
3 tags
7 tags
The main event
Turkey not cooked well can be quite dry and flavourless. That’s why I’m using both herb butter stuffed under the skin and bacon draped over the breasts to add extra moisture and flavour. Basting ? regularly will also help the turkey re-absorb as much of its own juices as possible.
[[MORE]]
Roast Turkey with Chilli, Lemon & Herb Butter
4 to 6kg turkey, fresh or frozen 1 lemon,...
6 tags
The night before Christmas dinner
The night before the big dinner I prepared the Chilli, Lemon & Herb Butter and Apple Cranberry Sauce with Chilli & Lime. Both of these can be stored in the fridge overnight, and in fact will develop in flavour.
[[MORE]]
Apple Cranberry Sauce
1 cup of cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 apple peeled and diced Zest and juice of 1 large lime 1 red chilli deseeded and julienned ? Quarter red...
7 tags
Christmas side dishes
To complete the Christmas meal, I made 3 simple side dishes - Spicy Pork Stuffing, Roast Potatoes with Chilli and Tumeric, and Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette. These are classic accompaniments to turkey but I’ve tried to add some modern touches to the recipes.
[[MORE]]
Spicy Pork Stuffing
300g minced pork 150g chorizo, or 2 sausages decased Half an onion, finely diced 3 cloves...
9 tags
Cooking (pre) Christmas turkey dinner
Every supermarket, cafe and restaurant around Singapore seem to be offering “freshly” roasted turkeys with accompanying stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings. Asking around, I’ve discovered that many Singaporeans have already ordered their ready-made Christmas meal even though they don’t really enjoy eating turkey, finding the meat too dry. I wish they could...
4 tags
