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. 

one pot saffron chicken

Saffron Chicken

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
4 lbs chicken thighs

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced 1" on a bias

2 tbsp flour

1 cup white wine

1/2 tsp saffron

sprigs of fresh thyme

kosher salt and ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken and brown in batches with the skin side down first for 3-5 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

2. Drain out excess oil from the pot. Add onion and carrots and cook for 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Mix in flour and cook for another minute. Add wine to deglaze your pot, scraping up any fond.

3. Return chicken to the pot and any accumulated juices. Add saffron and thyme. Give it a good stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

4. Lower heat, cover with lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Check every 10 minutes or so to make there's enough liquid. You can add a little water or broth. Once done, taste and season as desired. Serve hot with saffron basmati rice.

saffron eggs

Shashuka

recipe adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers (red and yellow) cut into 1" strips
2 tsp muscovado sugar
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme, picked and chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro

1 can (15 oz) plum tomatoes or 3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp saffron strands
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup water

4 eggs, room temperature

METHOD:

1. In a large saucepan, dry-roast the cumin on high heat for two minutes.

2. Add oil and sauté the onions for two minutes. Add bell peppers, sugar, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and half of the cilantro. Cook on high heat to get a nice colour.

3. Add tomatoes, saffron, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, adding enough water to keep it the consistency of a pasta sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It should be potent and flavoursome. This can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

4. Make 4 gaps in the mixture, and break each egg into them. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook very gently for 5-6 minutes, until the eggs just set. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with toasted baguette or sourdough.

your chicken needs some thyme

Baked Chicken with Thyme

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 lbs chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup white wine

kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 small bunch of fresh thyme

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan).

2. In a 9" square casserole dish, add chicken, cornstarch and white wine. Season with with salt and pepper. Toss and mix well until the marinade evenly coats each piece of chicken.

3. Roll each piece of chicken around a sprig of thyme. You can place any remaining sprigs on top or in-between the chicken.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes until fully cooked. Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes and/or other vegetable sides of your choice, using the juices from the pan as a sauce.

waffles

Homemade Waffles
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

2. Add in remaining ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter will appear lumpy, do not overmix. Let batter rest for 10-15 minutes before using.

3. Preheat your waffle iron. Pour in batter into the waffle iron grids, careful to not overfill. Close the lid and cook for 2 to 2.5 minutes. Flip waffle iron over and cook for another 2 to 2.5 minutes.

4. Turn waffle iron right side up, open the lid and carefully transfer your waffle with a spatula to a wire rack. Continue making waffles with remaining batter. Serve hot with your favourite toppings.

VARIATION - Taiyaki

1. If you have the fish shaped molds for your waffle iron, you can use this recipe to make Taiyaki.

2. Just fill the molds halfway with batter, then place 1-2 tbsp of your desired filling (eg. custard, chocolate, nutella, red bean paste) in the centre. Cover the filling with batter and gently add more batter to fill in the side of the fish molds.

3. Close the waffle iron lid and cook each side for 2.25 to 2.5 minutes. Serve hot.

cantonese brisket 炆牛筋

炆牛筋 (meng ngau lam)

serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

3.5 lbs rough flank (navel)/brisket/shank OR 2.5 lbs chuck roast and 1 lbs tendon

kosher salt

2 tbsp avocado oil

2" piece of ginger, sliced

Braising liquid:

1 cup Shaoxing wine

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 pieces star anise

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp sugar

Vegetables:

2-3 carrots, slice 1" bias

1 small daikon radish, cut into 1" pieces (optional)

chopped green onion for garnish

METHOD:

1. Parboil Meat - place beef/tendon into a medium pot, add some salt, cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. This process removes impurities and scum, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Discard water. 

2. In a glass measure, make the braising liquid by combining all ingredients. Set aside.

3. Cut beef into 2" pieces and leave the tendon whole. Set aside.

4. Instant Pot - turn on Sauté setting and add oil and ginger. Stir fry for 2-3 mins until fragrant and crisp. Add braising liquid and tendon. Stir to combine, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cancel Sauté setting.

5. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on High for 15 mins. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. Once the Instant Pot is safe to open (pressure is fully released when the float valve has dropped back into the lid), transfer tendon to a cutting board and cut into 1" pieces. Add tendon and beef into the pot, stir to combine.

6. Replace the lid, seal the Instant Pot, cook on High for another 15 mins. Allow it to release pressure naturally. Once it is safe to open, check that everything is fork tender. Transfer beef and tendon to a large casserole dish, cover and set aside. 

7. Defat the remaining sauce and then strain it into a regular medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add carrots and daikon (if using) and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Thicken the sauce with a corn starch slurry if desired.

8. Pour vegetables and sauce over beef and tendon. Garnish with green onion and serve with rice and other side dishes.

easy bolognese

Cannelloni

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

For the Bolognese:

2 lbs (1 kg) combination ground beef, pork or Italian sausage

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 head of garlic, minced

3/4 cup cream

1 can (15 oz) chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

kosher salt and pepper

For the cannelloni:

1 package dry pre-cooked cannelloni

1 large jar (700g, 25 oz) passata or marinara sauce

4 buffalo mozzarella, sliced

1 cup shredded parmesan

METHOD:

1. Make the Bolognese. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Season all the meat and add the ground pork/sausage and brown for 5-10 minutes. Add ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes until all the meat has browned. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Pour in cream while stirring. Cook for another 2 minutes, continuously stirring, until bubbly and the meat has absorbed most of the cream. Add tomatoes, making sure to scrape up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pot. Stir in basil and parsley. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often. Adjust seasoning as desired. Turn off heat and set aside until ready to use.

3. Assemble the cannelloni. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan).

4. In a 9 x 13" casserole dish, pour a third of the passata. Stand up a cannelloni tube vertically on the sauce and use a small spoon to carefully stuff each with the Bolognese. It's okay if some of the meat falls into the dish. Line up each stuffed cannelloni on the sauce in an even layer.

5. Pour the remaining passata over the cannelloni. Top with mozzarella slices and then sprinkle parmesan all over. Bake for 50-55 minutes until bubbly. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.

TIP - Bolognese can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Bolognese can also be used to make lasagna, ravioli or Spaghetti Bolognese.

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.

british sponge cake

Victoria Sponge

recipe adapted from Mary Berry

makes one 8" cake or one 6" cake + 6 cupcakes 

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

2 sticks (1 cup or 225g) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

good quality raspberry or strawberry jam

whipped cream frosting

sliced/whole berries for decoration

icing sugar

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 160C fan). Grease baking pans and line with the bottoms with a round of parchment. If making cupcakes, use a self-standing cupcake holder rather than a liner. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients. Set aside.

3. In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer, cream sugar and butter together on medium for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides in-between. Add eggs in one time, fully incorporating each one and scraping down the sides.

4. On low speed, add half the flour mixture and mix until just combined, scrapping down the sides. Do not overmix. Use a spatula and pour batter into prepared pans. Only fill halfway and tap out any air bubbles.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake is golden brown and has shrunk a little from the sides. Do not open the oven until at least 20 minutes in or else your cakes will deflate. Cakes are done when they are springy to the touch. Let cakes cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. While cakes are cooling, prepare your whipped cream frosting. Chill until ready to use.

6. To assemble, choose the cake layer with the best top, then put the other cake top-down onto a serving plate. Spread with jam, add sliced berries and then whipped cream. Place the other cake layer on top (top-side up). You can sprinkle some icing sugar or top with whipped cream and decorate with berries. Serve with extra whipped cream on the side.

easy as pie

Dutch Apple Pie

makes one 9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 unbaked frozen 9-10” pie crust (Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee)

For the Pie Filling:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

6 apples (5 Granny Smith + 1 Fuji/Pink Lady), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, slightly melted

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C or 190C Fan).

2. In a large bowl, make the filling by mixing together the dry ingredients. Combine and toss in apples slices, lemon zest/juice and vanilla. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, make the topping by mixing together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Use a spatula and stir in butter and nuts if using. The topping should be thick and crumbly. Set aside.

4. Remove your prepared pie crust from the freezer and spread the apple filling evenly into the crust. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.

5. Bake for 20 minutes first, then rotate and place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from burning. Lower the heat to 375F (190C) and bake for another 30-35 minutes.

6. Let the pie cool for 3 hours at room temperature before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

pad thai simplified

Pad Thai

serves 4

INGREDIENTS
For the Pad Thai sauce:

2" piece of tamarind paste + 1/2 cup of boiling water

4 tbsp brown sugar

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 ground white pepper

For the dish:

250g Pad Thai noodles

250g chicken breast, sliced thinly

8-10 shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 eggs (to make an omelet)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup dried shrimp, minced (optional)

1 cup Chinese chives cut 1"

2 cups bean sprouts, plus some for garnish

Cooking oil for stir-frying

For serving:

1 tbsp crushed chili flakes

2 tbsp peanuts, crushed

1 Thai lime, cut into 4 wedges

METHOD:

1. In a small glass bowl, add the tamarind paste and cover with boiling water. You can add more water to make sure the paste is completely submerged. Let soak for 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile in a glass measure, make the Pad Thai sauce by combining the rest of the ingredients. Once the tamarind paste is finished soaking, use a fork to break up any remaining solids and remove any pits. Pour the tamarind into the glass measure. Mix well and set aside.

3. Soak your Pad Thai noodles in boiling water to soften and make pliable. This should take 5-10 minutes or follow package instructions. Drain noodles and set aside.

4. Season chicken breast with salt, 1 tsp soy sauce and cornstarch. Set aside. Season shrimp with salt and 1 tsp corn starch. Set aside.

5. In a large non-stick pan, add 1 tsp of cooking oil and make your omelet. When done, transfer to a cutting board to cool. Slice into strips and set aside.

6. Add 2 tsp cooking oil to the pan and sear the chicken until almost done, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan. Do the same for the shrimp and also set aside when done.

7. Add onions to the pan and stir-fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and dried shrimp (if using) and stir-fry for another minute. Add back chicken, shrimp and noodles. Pour in the sauce and toss well together. Toss in Chinese chives and bean sprouts.

8. Transfer to serving platter and top with sliced omelet and extra bean sprouts. Serve immediately with chili flakes, crushed peanuts and lime wedges on the side.

atypical marbled pound cake

Matcha Pound Cake

recipe adapted from The Kitchn
makes 1 small 7" Bundt cake

INGREDIENTS
1 + 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick (1/2 cup or 112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 tbsp matcha powder

METHOD:
1. Preheat your oven to 325F (160C or 150C Fan). Grease a small 7" Bundt or tube pan. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between and scraping down as needed. Add vanilla and mix well.

4. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low. Add sour cream and continue to mix on low. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in remaining flour.

5. Divide half the batter into the small bowl that was holding the flour. Set aside. Add in matcha powder to the mixer bowl batter and gently mix until just combined.

6. Add half the yellow batter first to the pan. Then add both batters in alternating scoops and swirl with a knife or skewer. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

7. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely for another 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

VARIATIONS:

• Chocolate Marble - substitute the matcha powder with 2 tbsp of cocoa powder.
• Earl Grey Lemon - instead of matcha powder, add 1 tbsp ground Earl Grey tea leaves, grated rind of 1 lemon and the juice of it to the whole batter.

going bananas

Banana Pecan Cake

makes 1 small 7" Bundt cake

INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 stick (1/2 cup or 112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

METHOD:
1. Preheat your oven to 325F (160C or 150C Fan). Grease a small 7" Bundt or tube pan. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of your mixer, cream butter and sugar on high speed until soft and fluffy. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between and scraping down as needed. Add vanilla, bananas and mix well.

4. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low. Add sour cream and continue to mix on low. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in remaining flour and pecans. Do not overmix.

5. Scoop batter into greased pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

6. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. You may need to run a knife around the pan edges to help remove the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

gingerbread in cake form

Guinness Gingerbread Cake

makes 1 small 7" Bundt cake

INGREDIENTS:
1 + 1/4 cups (180g) flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks (150g) unsalted butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup (75ml) Guinness or substitute with 1/2 cup (100ml) milk 

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 325F (160C or 150C Fan). Grease a small 7" Bundt or tube pan. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

3. Add brown sugar, butter, egg and mix well. Fold in Guinness/milk until just combined. Do not overmix.

4. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Rotate pan halfway through baking.

5. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about an hour.

crackling

Crispy Pork Belly

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

4 lbs whole pork belly slab, sliced lengthwise into 4 pieces 

distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup Kosher salt

For the marinade:

juice of 1 lemon

1/8 cup honey

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Marinate the pork belly the night before. In a shallow dish large enough to hold the slab of pork belly, combine marinade ingredients.

2. Place pork belly in dish with the skin side up. Rub skin with vinegar and pat a layer of Kosher salt on top. Cover with foil and marinate in fridge overnight. 

3. The next morning, remove pork belly from the fridge and set aside the foil cover for a later use. With the pork still in the marinade dish, use a piece of paper towel and remove the salt. It’s okay if some of the salt falls into the marinade.

4. Transfer the pork belly to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to score and prick the pork belly skin; about a 1/4 inch apart. Cut through the skin and fat, but not into the meat. Then cut each of the 4 pieces of pork belly in half so that you have 8 fat pieces.

5. Place the pork belly back in the marinade dish uncovered and return to the fridge so it can rest until ready to roast later, about 6 hours or more.

6. On a baking sheet large enough to hold the pork belly, place the unused foil on top. Add a wire rack on top of the foil. Set aside. 

7. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan). Transfer pork belly from marinade dish and place on top of the wire rack with the skin side up. Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and golden brown all over.

8. Increase heat to 425F (220C or 210C Fan) and roast for another 20-30 minutes until the skin is extra crispy. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  

9. Slice thinly, using the cuts as guides. Serve with crunchy vegetables, lettuce wraps, pickled onions, kimchi, Dijon mustard and/or other preferred condiments to offset the richness of the meat.

the best of two pie worlds

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

makes one 9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS

1 unbaked frozen 9-10” pie crust (Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee)
egg wash (1 egg yolk + cream)

Pumpkin Filling:

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1 can 15 oz 100% pure pumpkin puree

Pecan Topping:

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Garnish:

sea salt

freshly whipped cream

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C or 180C Fan).

2. Pre-bake pie crust with pie weights for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, remove weights and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin filling ingredients and whisk until smooth. Don’t vigorously beat or over mix. This will create air bubbles which will cause the filling to rise like a soufflé in the oven.

4. Pour filling into pie crust. Brush edges with egg wash. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the centre is still a little wobbly (to prevent the filling from over baking and cracking). Use a pie shield if the edges brown too quickly.

5. While the pie is baking, make the pecan topping. In a small bowl, add pecans and brown sugar. Use a fork to mix and drizzle in the maple syrup. Remove the hot pie from the oven and gently spread the topping on top.

6. Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Cover edge of crust with pie shield to prevent over browning.

7. When done remove pie from the oven and cool on wire rack for 3-4 hours. Pie can be stored covered at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

8. Serve at room temp with a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly whipped cream.

TIP:
- You can pre-bake the pie crust 3 days ahead of time. Cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

carrot cupcakes

Carrot Cake
recipe adapted from Grandbaby Cakes
makes one 9 inch round layer cake or 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup olive oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs

2 large carrots grated (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped roasted walnuts, pecans or almonds, plus more for decorating

Cream Cheese Frosting

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C or 170C Fan). Grease and line cake pans or muffin tins with cupcake liners if using.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl of your stand mixer, beat sugar, oil and vanilla together on medium until well mixed. Beat in eggs.

4. On the slowest speed, add dry ingredients in increments.

5. Fold in carrots, pineapple and nuts.

6. Fill cupcake liners with batter half full. Do not overfill. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes (35-40 minutes for a cake) or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting (about 30 minutes).

7. Make the frosting. Decorate as desired and top with nuts.

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.

instead of mashed potatoes

Cauliflower Au Gratin
recipe adapted from Delish
serves 6 (recipe can be doubled to serve a crowd)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cauliflower, cut up into pieces
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk, heated

2 tsp thyme
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper

2 cups shredded Gruyère and/or white cheddar
1/2 cups grated Parmesan
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

METHOD:
1. Grease a 9 x 9" baking dish. Set aside.

2. In a medium pot, fill with water and heat to a boil. Add cauliflower and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and place cauliflower into the greased baking dish. Set aside.

3. Discard water and heat butter in the same pot over medium high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. 

4. Pour in hot milk and keep whisking until mixture is thick and bubbly. Off heat, stir in thyme and red pepper flakes (if using). Mix in 1 cup of Gruyere. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

5. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower. Sprinkle remaining Gruyere and parmesan over top. Place in oven on the highest rack and broil/grill for 5-10 minutes until the top is golden brown. Garnish with parsley (if using) and serve as a side dish.

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Potatoes Au Gratin
recipe adapted from Delish
serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
6 baking starchy potatoes (russet or yukon gold), peeled and sliced thinly 1/4"
2 tbsp butter, plus more for pan
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cups milk
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère and/or white cheddar
1/2 cups grated Parmesan

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C or 180C Fan). Butter a 13 x 9" baking dish. Set aside.

2. In a small pot, heat butter over medium high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream, milk, thyme, salt and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Layer a third of the potato slices into the prepared baking dish. Ladle a third of the cream sauce on top. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Sprinkle Gruyere and/or cheddar over top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.

4. Remove foil and sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake for another 15-20 minutes uncovered until the top is golden brown. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

homestyle steamed chicken

Cantonese Style Steamed Chicken with Mushrooms
serves 4-6 as part of a main dish

INGREDIENTS:
1 lbs (500g) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
10 medium dried shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup dried cloud ear mushrooms
1/3 cup dried lily buds (optional)
1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely sliced into thin slivers
1 green onion, chopped

1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

METHOD:
1. Under running water, rinse mushrooms and lily buds (if using) separately to remove any grit. Lily buds will need the tough ends trimmed off after rinsing. Place each in 3 separate bowls. Cover with water and soak until rehydrated, about 30 mins to 1 hour. Once softened, you can cut off the shitake mushroom stems to speed up the process.

2. When mushrooms and lily buds are fully hydrated, slice the shitake mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices. Reserve the water and set aside. Squeeze out any remaining water from the other mushrooms and lily buds. Set aside.

3. In a large shallow dish, add chicken, ginger and 1/4 of the chopped green onion. Add marinade ingredients and some of the reserved shitake soaking liquid, about 2-3 tbsp. Mix well until most of the liquid is absorbed into the chicken. Toss in mushrooms and lily buds. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

4. Let chicken mixture come to room temperature before cooking. Give the dish a quick mix to make sure there is very little to no liquid.

5. Over medium high heat, steam chicken for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest for 2 minutes in the steamer. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and serve immediately.

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.

vietnamese chicken

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken

serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
3.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs (can substitute with 1" thick pork shoulder/butt)
1 lbs (500g) thin rice noodles

1 head butter or Boston lettuce
2 carrots, shredded
2 cucumbers, halved and thinly sliced

1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup Thai Basil leaves
1 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Rice or prawn chips

Chicken Marinade:
3/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
4 lemongrass stalks (juicy lower stem, about 3 inches), crushed and finely minced
1/2 head of garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp ground pepper

Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce):
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup warm water

2 tbsp cup sugar

2 tbsp lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Thai red chili, minced

METHOD

Marinate the Chicken:
1. In a large shallow dish, place chicken in a single layer.
2. Make the marinade by mixing ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours.

Make the Nuoc Cham:
1. Combine dipping sauce ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

Ready to Serve:
1. Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 1-2 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

2. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. Grill or broil chicken until cooked through and lightly charred, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Place lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, herbs and nuts (if using) in serving bowls on the table. Slice chicken on a bias 1/2 inch thick. Serve with noodles, vegetable toppings, nuoc cham and chips.

parm it

Eggplant and Chicken Parmigiana

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

For the eggplant parm:

1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise 1/4" thick
kosher salt

1/4 cup chopped basil and parsley

1 cup shredded mozzarella (or 4 oz thinly sliced buffalo mozzarella)
extra basil for garnish

For the chicken parm:

1 1/2 lbs chicken cutlets (12-16 pieces)
kosher salt and ground pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella
chopped parsley for garnish

For the breading station:

1 cup flour
3 eggs beaten with 1 tsp of water
2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving

For frying and assembly: 

grapeseed or canola oil for frying

4 cups marinara, heated

METHOD:
1. Season eggplant with salt and place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels and eggplant. Repeat as needed. Top with paper towel and another baking sheet, weighing it down with a heavy pot. Let eggplant sit for 45-60 minutes to release its liquid.

2. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

3. Prepare 3 large shallow bowls for the breading station:
    - flour   
    - beaten eggs, water
    - panko, garlic, oregano, parmesan
     
4. Coat eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture and then panko mixture. Set aside on a plate.

5. In a wide deep pan over medium high heat, add 1/4 inch oil. When pan is hot, but not smoking add eggplant. Careful not to crowd the pan and work in batches. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper lined plate to drain. Press immediately with more paper towel to absorb extra oil.

6. Combine basil, parsley and 1 cup of mozzarella, set aside. In a small square baking dish, add 1/2 cup of marinara, place 1 layer of eggplant (you may have to cut eggplant to fit) and top with 1/3 cup of cheese mixture. Repeat layers like a lasagne. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes until eggplant is custardy.

7. While eggplant is baking, make the chicken parm. Season chicken and coat each piece in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture and then panko mixture. Set aside on a plate.

8. Wipe clean any eggplant residue from the frying pan. Heat another 1/4" oil over medium high heat. When pan is hot, but not smoking add chicken. Careful not to crowd the pan and work in batches. Cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper lined plate to drain.

9. Once the eggplant is done baking, remove from oven and let rest 20-30 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil and extra parmesan.

10. In a large baking dish, add remaining marinara sauce and place chicken on top. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over chicken and bake for 10-12 minutes until melty.

11. Garnish with parsley and serve with additional parmesan on the side.