pink sauce for pasta

Pasta alla Vodka
serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 stick butter

1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 head garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 lbs pasta (penne, farfalle, cavatappi, rigatoni)

2 lbs cooked protein of your choice (chicken, shrimp, steak)

METHOD:
1. In a large pot, bring enough water to boil and cook pasta 2 minutes under al dente.

2. At the same time, make the sauce in large wide pot or skillet. Add olive oil, butter and melt over medium heat.

3. Add onions, kosher salt and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly careful not to burn the mixture.

4. Stir in tomato paste and then add vodka and let simmer for about 30 seconds to a minute to cook off the alcohol. Add marinara and continue stirring for another minute until bubbly. Gently stir in cream until sauce is uniform.

5. Add pasta, plus 1/4 cup of pasta liquid. Gently fold and combine until the sauce evenly coats all the pasta. You can add more liquid if the sauce gets too thick. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl or platter. Serve with prepared protein, and top red pepper flakes and grated parmesan if desired.

oven baked fish

Baked Sea Bass
recipe adapted from Epicurious
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 x 1 lbs sea bass or any oily white fish
1/2 head garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp coarse ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
lemon wedges

METHOD:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F.

2. Place fish in a shallow baking dish. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover fish with mixture.

4. Add wine to fish.

5. Bake fish for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with parsley or substitute with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle tomatoes around fish. Bake for 5-10 minutes longer until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily.

6. Drizzle with remaining pan juices and serve with lemon wedges. 

salmon spinach pasta

Salmon Spinach Lasagna

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 skinless salmon fillets

1 bag prewashed baby spinach

6 sheets dry pre-cooked lasagna

2 buffalo mozzarella, sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

For the béchamel:
2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup cream

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD:

1. Make the béchamel. In a small pot over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, continually whisking. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Stir in cream, pepper, lemon zest and juice. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Pre-cook the spinach in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. This should soften the leaves and reduce the volume by half. Set aside.

3. Preheat your oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan) and assemble the lasagna.

4. In a 9" square x 3" deep casserole dish, ladle in 1/4 cup of the béchamel. Place 2 lasagna sheets on the bottom and then arrange the salmon fillets on top in one even layer. You may have to trim your fillets to make it fit. Lightly season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Spread half the mozzarella slices evenly over the salmon. Add another 2 lasagna sheets and ladle over another 1/4 cup of béchamel. Add cooked spinach and top with remaining mozzarella slices. Top with the final 2 lasagna sheets and pour the rest of the béchamel over top, making sure that the surface of the lasagna is covered with sauce. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and parmesan over top.

5. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbly. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.

chimichurri

Chimichurri
makes about 1 cup
recipe adapted from Grandbaby Cakes

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

METHOD:
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth.

2. Serve with your favourite meat or fish dishes.

oyster and eggs

Chinese Oyster Omelette (煎蠔餠)

serves 4-6 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

300g baby oysters

1 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp tapioca starch

5 eggs

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and white pepper

1/2 cup chopped green onions

avocado oil for cooking

chopped cilantro for garnish

METHOD:

1. Combine cornstarch and oysters together. Under running water, mix gently by hand to remove any grit or shells. Repeat until oysters are cleaned. Drain in a colander. Sprinkle tapioca starch over oysters and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and a few dashes of white pepper.

4. In a large non-stick frying pan, add cooking oil and heat over medium high. When the pan is hot, gently spread oysters in a single layer. Leave to brown for 1 minute and then sprinkle green onions over and cook for another 30 seconds undisturbed.

5. Pour egg mixture over the oysters and swirl your pan around to distribute evenly. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the eggs are almost set. Flip the omelette over and turn off the stove, letting the residual heat in the pan finish cooking the dish for another minute or so.

6. Transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro before serving.

summer protein salad

Chicken Shrimp Halloumi Salad

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

12 large raw shrimp marinated with 1 tsp mix of smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper

1 brick of halloumi cheese

1/2 kabocha pumpkin, 1/4 inch sliced

3 cups baby spinach

2 cups chopped romaine

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch chunks

1/2 cup cooked farro, quinoa or brown rice

1/4 cup pesto 

4 tbsp sunflower seeds

METHOD:
1. In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium high and cook marinated shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side until done. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add the brick of halloumi. Leave undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until golden. Gently flip and repeat on the other side. Transfer to a cutting board and once cool, slice the cheese in to 1/2 inch wide pieces.

3. Steam or grill the pumpkin slices until tender. Set aside.

4. In a large serving bowl, add spinach, romaine, cucumber and farro or other grain of your choice.

5. Top with chicken breast, shrimp, halloumi and pumpkin slices.

6. Drizzle pesto over top, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve!

classic hong kong noodle dish not from singapore

Singapore Noodles (星洲炒米)
serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
For the noodles:
200g rice vermicelli
2 eggs, for an omelette

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned
1 bell pepper, julienned
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro sprigs for garnish
1 cup of thinly sliced char siu, cooked pork or chicken
1 cup of shrimp, squid or sliced fish balls
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce:
45 ml fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
15 ml water

METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, soak rice vermicelli in some warm water until soft and pliable, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a glass measure, make the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Set aside.

3. In a large non stick pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium high heat and make a thin omelette. Lift onto a cutting board and let cool. Slice finely into strips and set aside.

4. In the same pan, heat another 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add onions, carrots and stir-fry until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Add bell peppers and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes longer. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add another 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add meat, seafood and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add rice vermicelli and slowly drizzle the sauce over the noodles. Keep tossing the noodles until the sauce is completely incorporated. Add the vegetables, shredded omelette, green onions and toss well. Pour onto a serving platter, garnish with cilantro and serve.

cajun night

Jambalaya

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups andouille sausage, chopped

1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced

1 green, yellow or red bell pepper, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups white or brown rice, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 bay leaf

1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes

2 cups water + 2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced

2 chicken breasts, diced and seasoned 

1 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined and seasoned 

1 jalapeño, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

METHOD:
1. In a large wide mouth pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, sausage and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add bell peppers and garlic, cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Add rice, seasoning, spices and continue stirring until mixture looks dry and starting to just brown.

3. Increase heat and add tomatoes, parsley, water and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is almost tender. There should some liquid left in the rice, but add more water or broth if mixture dries out in-between.

4. Mix in chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Stir in shrimp and cook for 2 minutes until shrimp is just pink and there is very little liquid left in the rice. Top with jalapeños and cover with lid. Turn off heat and rest for 3 minutes to finish cooking, letting the rice absorb remaining liquid. Adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with cilantro to serve.

smothering technique

Étouffée
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter
7 tbsp flour

1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1-2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper

1/2 cup white wine
8 oz clam juice or shrimp stock
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
2 tsp crushed chili flakes
chicken broth

2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined (substitute: crawfish or scampi meat)
green onion slivers for garnish
3-4 cups of cooked white and brown rice

METHOD:
1. In a wide mouth pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Make a roux by whisking in flour. Continue whisking until the roux is golden brown or the colour of peanut butter.

2. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and cook until soft about 10 minutes. Add garlic, parsley, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Deglaze with wine, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot. Add clam juice, tomatoes, bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add some chicken broth. Adjust seasoning to taste and desired spiciness.

4. Add shrimp and cook until just done, careful not to overcook. Serve with rice and garnish with green onion slivers.

TIP: sauce can be made ahead of time and shrimp added when ready to serve.

east coast comfort food

New England Clam Chowder

makes about 5 cups

INGREDIENTS

5 lbs raw clams, scrubbed and cleaned

1 cup water

scraps of onion, celery, thyme, bay leaves

3 tbsp butter and bacon fat combination

1 onion, diced

1/2 tsp chopped thyme

1 bay leaf

2 cups new potatoes, diced

1 tbsp flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. In a large pot add the clams, water and vegetable scraps. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and steam for 10 to 15 minutes or until the clams are completely open.

2. Remove clams to a bowl and discard any unopened ones. Strain the steaming liquid and set aside.

3. Remove clams from shells and coarsely chop. Set aside.

4. In a large soup pot over medium high, add butter/bacon fat, onion, thyme, bay leaf and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

5. Add flour and cook for another minute. Add reserved strained steaming liquid and potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

6. Remove bay leaf. Add reserved chopped clams and heavy cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, but do not boil. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with biscuits or soda crackers.

coconut fish stew

Coconut Fish Stew

recipe adapted from RecipeTin Eats

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs firm skinless white fish fillets (such as cod), cut into 2 inch pieces

2 tbsp lime juice

kosher salt and pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4-6 of garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 14oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 14oz can of coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper

lime juice

cilantro chopped

METHOD:

1. In a medium bowl, combine fish with lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let marinate for 20 minutes.

2. In a wide skillet, heat coconut oil and brown fish. Remove and set aside.

3. Wipe skillet with paper towel to remove any leftover fish bits. Add olive oil, onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft and slightly brown. Add garlic and spices and cook while stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add peppers and combine well.

4. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add fish and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning as desired with additional lime juice (optional). 

6. Top with cilantro and serve with your favourite type of rice.

scallops prawns fish

Let's do large US scallops, Spanish red prawns and mackerel.

Spanish red prawns steamed with garlic celery parsley and white wine.

And also served sashimi style with caviar on top of pasta and sauce made from the shells.

---

Grilled Mackerel

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp oyster sauce

juice of 1 lemon

grated fresh ginger

4 pieces of mackerel

METHOD:

1. Combine all the ingredients and marinate the mackerel for 10 minutes.

2. Grill for 5 minutes or until fish flakes for doneness.

3. Top with some chopped green onion or cilantro. Serve with your favourite Asian greens and rice.

---

Prawn Bisque

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup or 56g)

1 carrot, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 head of garlic, chopped

1/4 Italian parsley, chopped

6-8 cups prawn stock

6-8 prawns, peeled and deveined

1 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper

dash of cream, chives or green onion for garnish

METHOD:

1. Make the prawn stock. Place all shells in a large stock pot and cover with water. Simmer for 1-2 hours. Discard shells and strain before using.

2. Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium. Add carrots, onions and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Add garlic and parsley. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add prawn stock and bring to a boil. Flash cook the prawns just until they're slightly pink, but not fully cooked through, about 10 seconds. Cut prawns into small pieces and set aside.

4. Lower heat and simmer soup for an hour.

5. Use a hand blender and puree the soup until smooth. Add bread crumbs to thicken and puree again to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning as desired.

6. Divide cut prawns evenly into serving bowls. Ladle the boiling soup over prawns. Garnish with cream and herbs if using. Serve immediately with a baguette or other crusty bread.

let's have surf and turf

Fresh to our table...

 

Australian southern rock lobster tails make a delicious salad starter.

USDA skirt steak turns into carne asada. 

Colorado lamb rack with garlic and rosemary serve as our main dish.

And for dessert, Momofuku's compost cookies...

...fresh out of the oven!

feeling lucky

Have you ever seen double yolks from a single egg? We cracked 4 eggs and got 2 sets of twin yolks. We're feeling lucky...

We love oysters and were recently introduced to Shigokus from Taylor Shellfish Farms. They are plump, sweet and so perfect that all you need is a splash of lemon juice to bring out their ocean-y flavour.

 We also love these roasted sesame seeds from Osaka.

 Great for topping our salads and pork chops.

We love freebies and these samples of BroccoLeaf and Kalettes didn't disappoint. Kalettes are a cross between kale and brussel sprouts, and BroccoLeaf is basically the leafy part of broccoli that you usually trim away.

We also got a sample of nutrient dense red leaf lettuce. It was larger than the regular variety and extra crunchy. Perfect for making lettuce wraps.

on a Quest

Chef Que Vinh Dang invited us to the soft launch of his new restaurant Quest. We were excited as we missed his private kitchen TBLS.

Our culinary treat kicked off with Hamachi sashimi, cherry tomato jelly and sea grapes.

Fresh Alaskan King crab with avocado, enveloped in a rice paper roll.

Beef tartar had flavours reminiscent of Vietnamese beef pho.

A perfectly seared Hokkaido scallop served with sweet corn.

A lovely piece of seared Alaskan Black Cod, served on a bed of sugar snap peas.

Charred pork belly with taro and brussel sprouts rounded out our mains.

And to complete our delicious and indulgent meal, a moist almond cake topped with grilled pineapple and homemade salted caramel ice cream.

mexican with a twist

We were invited to CHINO during their soft opening earlier this month.

This cool new Kennedy Town hangout with former NOBU chef Erik Idos at the helm serves modern Mexican infused with and inspired by Asian ingredients.

Tortilla chips fresh out of the fryer. Served with pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa, guac and our personal favourite, a very unique and delicious shiso leaf salsa.

Grilled local corn with chipotle, kewpie mayo and queso oaxaca.

Pumpkin and sweet potato kakiage with lobster and uni.

For the vegetarians out there, black bean and mushroom soft tacos.

For the meat eaters, a chili glazed wagyu steak served with king trumpet mushrooms.

Other items on the menu we tried were house made vegetable and jalapeno pickles, a fresh local white fish ceviche, mushroom mizuna salad, a very crisp shrimp tostada, a filling and moist chicken tostada that was topped with a nice gooey fried egg, and a spicy and warming tortilla soup made with a chipotle and dashi broth. We loved how the do it yourself fish tacos were presented; each morsel of lightly battered and fried sea bass nestled in between the filleted fish.

For dessert we had CHINO's take on tres leches which was made with the addition of Thai tea. It had a Japanese cereal topping that gave the moist and dense cake a nice crunch. Alas we finished it too quickly to get a photo.

here there everywhere

It's fun and interesting to see how produce ends up on our tables. Last summer, we visited some table grape farms in Central Valley, CA. One of the largest producers in the region is Sun World and we got a chance to see the labour intensive process it takes to get grapes from vineyard to distribution. And now this summer at a supermarket in Toronto, we see the product at the next stage, ready for the consumer on the retail shelf. These grapes have trucked quite the distance to get here.

Beautiful Hass avocados while we were visiting St. Louis, MO. They are just a lovelier shade of green when they don't have fly to HK.

Back in HK, it's back to business with 3 different food shows occurring during the same week.

It's also Alaskan King Salmon season and we are fortunate to nab one. It was over 14 lbs and just barely fit on our counter.

Arrived by air and super fresh.

Wild salmon really does taste so much better than the farmed variety.

Next week we're expecting a shipment of these baby rainbow carrots from CA. The colours are amazing.