Cream of asparagus soup

From The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook
Serves 4
Ingredients

6 bunches fine asparagus (total weight of approx. 1.2kg)
2 litres vegetable or light homemade chicken stock
300g trimmed and cleaned leeks
100g unsalted butter, plus 25g extra for drizzling
3 sticks celery, thinly sliced
65g plain flour
3 tbsp double cream
1 tsp white wine vinegar, for poaching
8 large, really fresh free-range eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:
Rinse the asparagus is cold water to rid it of any sand, then snap off the woody ends and roughly chop them. Put them into a pan with the stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the 4cm-long tips from half the asparagus spears. Roughly chop the remaining stalks.

Bring 2 small pans of water to the boil. Add some salt to one pan, drop in the asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes until just tender. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside. Add the vinegar and pinch of salt to the second pan and reduce the heat to low. Break one of the eggs into a teacup. Swirl the water with a spoon to create a whirlpool, drop in the egg and leave it to poach for 3 minutes, then carefully remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs, bringing the water back to the boil and then lowering again each time. Leave the poaching water over a low heat.

Cut off the really dark green leaves from the leeks (and discard or save for stock) and thinly slice the remainder. Melt 100g of the butter in a large pan, add the asparagus stalks, sliced leeks and celery, cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until soft but not browned.

Uncover, stir in the flour and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the asparagus-flavoured stock, cover again and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat, cool slightly and then liquidise the soup in batches until very smooth. Pass through a sieve back into a clean pan, bring back to a simmer and stir in the cream and some seasoning to taste.

Melt the remaining butter. Lower the poached eggs back into the simmering water and leave for 30 seconds, then remove and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and scatter over the asparagus tips. Place a poached egg into the centre of each bowl, season the top of each one with a little salt and pepper then drizzle over the melted butter and serve.

Aloo gobi

From Jamie’s Ministry of Food
Serves 4
Ingredients

1 medium fresh onion
2-3 green chillies (to your taste)
a thumb sized piece of fresh root ginger
a small bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 a cauliflower
500g potatoes
oil
knob of butter
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 level tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 220 c, 425 f, gas 7

1. Peel, halve and finely chop the onion. Finely slice your chillies. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks.

2. Discard the outer leaves of the cauliflower, break into florets and cut the thick middle stem into cubes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2cm cubes.

3. Put a large ovenproof pan on a medium to high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil and the butter.

4. Add the onion, chillies, ginger, coriander stalks, mustard seeds, turmeric and cumin and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until softened and golden.

5. Stir in the cauliflower, potatoes and coconut. Season with salt and pepper and add 400ml of water.

6. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer with the lid on until the veg are cooked and soft.

7. Check the curry regularly to make sure it’s not drying out, and extra water if necessary.

8. Give it another stir, then put the pan into the preheated oven for another 20 minutes.

SERVE with fluffy rice, sprinkled with coriander leaves and with some lemon wedges to serve.

Had a lunch party with colleague and gf, and M. M cooked a huge pot of pork vindaloo and indian roasted vinegar chicken. My contribution was a aloo gobi as a vegetable dish to complement the meats. Turned out quite successful I must say, I can’t really remember what aloo gobi tasted like because I haven’t had indian for ages, but I think it was pretty close enough.

With M around, I eat a lot more spicy food as that’s the kind of stuff she cooks, and so I have quite a lot of indian spices around. Guess this means I will be cooking more of such stuff over the weeks!

Spinach and feta cannelloni

From BBC GoodFood 101 Mediterranean dishes
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large sheets no-pre-cook lasagne
1kg frozen spinach , defrosted
200g pack low-fat feta cheese
generous grating nutmeg
large handful olives , pitted and chopped
1 tbsp capers , rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes
25g parmesan , grated

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the lasagne sheets in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 mins or prepare according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach, then mix with the feta, nutmeg and some seasoning. Drain the pasta, then cut each sheet in half vertically. Spoon 4 tbsp of the filling along the centre of each half, then roll up to enclose. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish.

Mix the olives, capers and tomatoes together in a bowl, season, then spoon over the cannelloni. Sprinkle with parmesan, cover with foil, then bake for 20 mins.

Indian chickpeas and vegetable soup

From BBC More One-pot recipes
Serves 4
Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion , chopped
1 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
1 garlic clove , chopped
1 tbsp garam masala
850ml vegetable stock
2 large carrots , quartered lengthways and chopped
400g can chickpeas , drained
100g green beans , chopped

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry for 2 mins, then add the garam masala, give it 1 min more, then add the stock and carrots. Simmer for 10 mins, then add the chickpeas. Use a stick blender to whizz the soup a little. Stir in the beans and simmer for 3 mins. Pack into a flask or, if you’ve got a microwave at work, chill and heat up for lunch. Great with naan bread

For a soup that’s a bit different and packs a bit of a kick, this is a pretty good recipe. And if you are like me and you love all things spicy, this is brilliant!

I didn’t use a stick blender to whizz the soup so it’s not as thick as it should be at least according to the recipe. Reason is simple. I don’t have one (which leads on to the next question which is should I get one? Jury is still out on this.) Anyway if you want something less thick, the obvious answer is don’t use a stick blender!

To make it a bit meatier and because I have leftover bacon from the coddled pork, I added two slices of bacon to the soup. FYI.

David Lebovitz’s Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Whole Foods was having a one-day sale on organic strawberries so I got J to drive me there and we bought 3 pounds dutifully. With so many strawberries, what better way than to test my new (and unused) ice-cream machine. I was initially hesitate about a frozen yogurt recipe but it turned out to be the BEST strawberry ice-cream we’ve ever tasted (I would love to try it again by sticking to the recipe exactly).

Soaking strawberries in sugar for 2 hours to get the nice bright colours out.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
About 1 quart (1l)

French yogurt is astoundingly good and I suggest you use a good-quality, whole milk or Greek-style yogurt for best results.

1 pound (450g) strawberries, rinsed and hulled
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
optional: 2 teaspoons vodka or kirsch
1 cup (240g) plain whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Slice the strawberries into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch (if using) until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.

Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Pulse the machine until the mixture is smooth. If you wish, press mixture through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds.

Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

I made a mistake and bought 2% fat plain yogurt instead of whole milk yogurt, so I added some light cream to give the yogurt a bit more fat content for freezing. It could freeze better – but still really good!

Also I did not use alcohol because we don’t have any at home but I can’t imagine how much better the ice-cream will taste! 4 ingredient ice-cream! I love this recipe.

French Toast with Grilled Bananas

Ingredients (serves 2)

6 slices of stale bread (I used Tuscany soft grain country bread from Trader Joe’s)

1 cup of soy milk (you can use regular milk if you want)

2 eggs

pinch of salt

pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon

butter

Method:

1. Beat the eggs with the milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt

2. Heat up a frying pan with some butter.

3. Place bread into egg mixture (do not soak for too long or the bread will fall apart) and place on frying pan, fry each side till golden brown.

4. Grill some bananas ( I used a blow torch).

5. Serve french toast with grilled banans, strawberries and drizzle with good quality maple syrup.

I love french toast breakfast. This is my favourite breakfast to make when I want to be fancy on weekends. And I always prefer the home-made versions because I can regulate the amount of sugar/butter I use. I think this is a healthier version of french toast than what we get outside. And way more affordable too.

Sherried onion soup with saffron

Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
pinch of saffron threads
50g blanched almonds, toasted and finely ground
750ml chicken stock
3 tbsp sherry
1/2 tsp paprika

To garnish
2 tbsp flaked, toasted
chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy pan over a low heat. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to ensure that they are thoroughly coated in the melted butter, then cover the pan and cook very gently, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden yellow.

Add the saffron threads to the pan and cook, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes, then add the finely ground almonds and cook, stirring the ingredients constantly, for a further 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and sherry into the pan and stir in 1 tsp salt and the paprika. Season with plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

Pour the soup into a food processor and process until smooth, then return it to the rinsed pan. Reheat slowly, without allowing the soup to boil, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning.

Ladle the soup into heated bowls, garnish with the toasted flaked or slivered almonds and a chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

This is one of the most interesting soups I have made. The ground almonds give the soup a distinctive taste; a taste which is close to that of soups found in posh restaurants (ok, I am still far away from that but I am getting there…one day…)

Salmon fillet with a salsa verde crust / Braised peas with spring onions and lettuce

Ingredients

Salmon fillet
1½–2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 small handful of capers
1 small handful of gherkins pickled in sweet vinegar
6 anchovy fillets
2 large handfuls of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
1 bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked
1 handful of fresh mint, leaves picked
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 tablespoons really good extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Enough breadcrumbs to cover the surface of your salmon fillets

For the salsa verde, finely chop the garlic, capers, gherkins, anchovies and herbs and put them into a bowl. Add the mustard and vinegar, then slowly stir in the olive oil until you achieve the right consistency. Balance the flavours with freshly ground black pepper, a bit of salt and maybe a little more vinegar.

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees. Spoon the salsa verde over the surface of the salmon fillet. (Keep the rest for another day!) Add the breadcrumbs on top of the salsa verde. Bake for 15 -20 minutes depending on the size of your fillet.

From Cook with Jamie
Ingredients

a knob of butter
olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon flour
285ml chicken or vegetable stock
6 spring onions, trimmed, outer leaves discarded, and finely sliced
400g fresh or frozen peas
2 little gem lettuces, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
good-quality extra virgin olive oil

Slowly heat the butter and a good lug of olive oil in a pan. Add the flour and stir around, then slowly pour in the stock. Turn up the heat and add the spring onions, peas and lettuce with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the lid on and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Taste, correct the seasoning and squeeze in a little lemon juice. Serve drizzled with a splash of good oil. It’s fantastic served with a piece of fish.

The braised peas is a classic French dish and I have cooked Gordon Ramsay’s version previously with chicken. I love the natural sweetness of this dish. So had this with salmon fillet with a salsa verde crust which is something I came up with on a whim. I think my mom had a recipe where she did something similar with pesto rather than salsa verde. Measurements are a bit off as I made the dish up. So adapt it to your own situation. You can always keep the leftover salsa verde; just remember to add a layer of olive oil to it before you store it in the fridge.

Easy Homemade Granola

 

Easy Homemade Granola

adapted from “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (I used grapeseed)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole almonds (I used chopped almonds)
1/3 cup of chopped dates
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I ran out of parchment and used aluminium foil instead, that might explain why my granola got a little burnt)

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them: Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture. ( I did not do that…hehe)

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the dates and cranberries over the granola.

Let it cool completely before transferring into an air-tight container. Or before the husbands starts eating it.

J has been raving about Cafe Fixe’s homemade granola for ages and has suggested buying boring supermarket granola to quell his craving. However, being rather the expert on granola, I know that the supermarket brands will never satiate his craving. One visit to Cafe Fixe revealed that a pound of that granola costs $18 and we were not about to spend that money. I reasoned that if it’s homemade, I can do it. So I did it.

Granola making took about 30 minutes. With the base of oats and cinnamon, salt and honey mixture, one can basically add any kind of nuts, grains and dried fruits as one liked. I bought the rolled oats (because we eat steel-cut oats at home) and basically threw together the granola with whatever I had at home. Now we have a really pleased husband who, for the first time, gave my cooking a 10/10. And this is slightly burnt granola.

Cantaloupe Sago with coconut milk

Rock Melon (or cantaloupe) Sago with Coconut Milk

Cantaloupe (Rockmelon) Sago  Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole cantaloupe
• 1/4 cup of sago (tapioca pearls)
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• Water

Method

Cut cantaloupe into half, cut 1 half of the fruit into small cubes and chill in fridge.

Blend the other half into a puree and chill in fridge.

To prepare sugar syrup, bring to boil 1 bowls of water in a pot with the sugar. Stir until water has reduced to half Allow to cool to room temperature. Chill sugar syrup in the fridge.

To prepare sago, soak sago in cold water for 30 minutes before straining and boiling till sago turns translucent. Strain the sago and leave sago in strainer soaked in cold water and chill.

To serve, combine about cantaloupe cubes and cantaloupe puree and sago in a bowl. Stir in coconut milk and sugar syrup to your liking. Drizzle coconut milk on top of bowl before serving. I had a little jar of coconut milk on the side for my guests to add more if they like, and some do like more coconut milk than others.

Before I discovered (good) cakes and chocolate, this was my all-time favourite dessert. You can find it in Cantonese restaurants as a dessert course and I remember my mom making it when I was a child. It never dawned upon me to make it myself, or eat it even after I got older and fancy European desserts took over my tastebuds. But I thought it would be fun to make a healthy Chinese desserts at my dinner party last night and boy, was it a hit. I love it that it is healthy, vegan and so easy to make.

Oh, usually people use honeydew, but I never liked the sickly green colour and always preferred the sweeter cantaloupe.