Corn, Carrot and Chive Savoury Muffins

Corn, Carrot and Chive Savoury Muffins

If you love savoury muffin, you would love to hold one of these warm muffin in your hands during the cold winter. These are the no guilt muffins which have only little sugar and oil. Maybe you can add some bacon to enhance the flavour. They also freeze well in the freezer. Enjoy!

Have a good weekend!


Ingredients:

265g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch of salt

240ml milk
3 tablespoons oil
1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup carrot, grated
1/2 grated cheese
pepita seeds for sprinkle

 Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients and the cheese and vegetables in a bowl. In a large bowl combine milk, oil and egg. Whisk until well combined.
2. Fold the flour and vegetable mixture into the milk mixture until nearly combined. Do not over stir.
3. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases and sprinkle some seeds over the top. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chinese BBQ Pork in Steamed Bun

After Cyclone Marcia hitting us making a big mess, Autumn is here! My little niece and nephew from Malaysia were overjoyed looking at the flood water and brown ocean as one of the highlight of their Aussie trip after staying at home for two days due to the bad weather. Our home became instantly so quiet after the visitors gone home. I am sure my little niece and nephew would have grown so much when I see them next time!

People were crowding at the street stall selling this bun at one of the night market I went to recently. Most of the people were enquiring rather than purchasing it. Maybe this is something new for them, a bit like a hamburger but not quite. The Chinese bun is steamed rather than baked. I actually like it more than the BBQ pork buns you get at Yum Cha. There is more pork and extra sauce and the vegetable making it a healthier option. You can substitute Chinese BBQ pork with Chinese roast duck for this recipe.

Chinese BBQ Pork in Steamed Bun

Ingredients:
Chinese BBQ pork, store bought or make your own
Chinese Steamed Buns, available at Chinese grocery store, I got them from Sunnybank Plaza
Hoisin sauce
Lettuce and Cucumber

Cut BBQ pork into thin slices, fill bun with layers of salad, top with BBQ pork then drizzle good amount of Hoisin sauce over. Enjoy!

Quiche Lorraine with French Salad Dressing

Life is always busy towards the end of the year! 

This week we celebrate my daughter's graduation from high school and my son's 14 years old birthday.  There is a lack of sleep trying to be the best mum I can from picking up my daughter from graduation party at 1am in the morning and baking a cake for my son at 10pm at night. The following month would be even busier with a family holiday and visit from families for Christmas. 

This is another inspiration from my daughter of the French salad dressing after her French trip. I have several attempts to try to make it to her liking.  The dressing is light and full of flavour, great for quiche and salad for the coming "hot summer".

Enjoy!

Quiche Lorraine 

Ingredients:

For the butter shortcrust pastry:
250g plain flour
125g salted butter, cold and diced
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:
200g diced ham
4 eggs
200ml thickened cream
50g grated cheese
salt and pepper
nutmeg

For the French dressing:
juice of half a lemon
1 gloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
olive oil
salt to taste

Method:

1. For the pastry: Blend the butter and flour in a blender in pulse motion till crumble, then add the eggs one by one and finally add the cold water.  Keep blending till it forms into dough.  Wrap the dough with glad wrap and fridge for at least 30 minutes or till it is harden. If you have a small blender, you may need to do it in two lots.
2. Roll the pastry between two sheets of non-stick baking paper to 24cm wide circle and about 5mm thick. You can put the left over pastry into the freezer for later use.
3. Place the pastry over the quiche pan and place a piece of baking paper over the top, then topped with baking beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes at 200c. Take off the baking beans and baking paper and brush the pastry with some egg white. 
4. Reduce the heat to 180c. Bake for a further 5-8 minutes or just before it starts to turn golden.
5. For the filling: Whisk the eggs with cream and cheese. Add in ham and flavour with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
6. Pour the filling mixture into the pastry case and bake for 25 minutes until is is golden. Serve with salad.
7. For the French salad dressing: Mix all ingredients together and add enough olive oil to make it a cloudy look rather than a creamy look.  If you want a creamy look, you can add some mayo into the dressing.

Pork & Bean Enchiladas

There is so little I have known about Mexican food.  We make nacho, taco and tortilla quite a lot but that's probably what I have been up to.  Last year, I went to a Mexican themed party hosted by my dear American friend, she used her Mexican relative's recipes making a range of food including some chilli black bean and that was quite interesting.  I found that this enchiladas recipe from the newspaper using only kidney bean.  I modified it a bit adding pork and avocado & sour cream topping to suit my family's taste. I add the topping because it is quite dry with the mince and bean and I have to say that I love the taste of coriander in this dish.

Pork & Bean Enchiladas
(make 5 rolls)

Ingredients:
520g pork mince
200g tinned red kidney beans
500g tomato pasta sauce
1 onion, finely cut
3 garlic gloves
2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
grated cheese
salsa sauce
avocado
lite sour cream
fresh coriander
salt & pepper
5 Mission sun-dried tomato & basil wraps or any tortilla wraps

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan, cook onion and saute until onion starts to soften.  Add garlic and pork mince and cook till it changes to brown colour.  Add cumin, chilli powder, 1 cup of pasta sauce and 1/2 of the coarsely mashed red kidney beans. Simmer on low for a few minutes then add the rest of the whole beans.  
2. Divide the filling into 5 portions.  Fill the tortilla wraps with the filling and roll up, place the end downward.  Arrange tortilla into a baking dish, spread the rest of the pasta sauce over and sprinkle with grated cheese.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown in a preheated oven at 180c.
4. Mix the diced avocado with salsa sauce.  Cut the enchiladas half and arrange onto the serving plate. Top with avocado salsa mix and sour cream.  Sprinkle with some fresh coriander and serve with green salad.

Pumpkin and Ricotta Puffs with Avocado Green Salad

Mother's Day is one of the big promotion for retail stores and restaurants, you see the ads for gift ideas everywhere or ads for Mother's Day special at the local restaurants. We like to give kitchen appliances for my mother because she can use it to cook delicious food for us!  My husband bought me this Phillip's Air Flyer last year, although not a Mother's Day present but I just loved it!  It cooks wonderful crispy potatoes chips and chicken wings without using any oil.  It doesn't only fry food with less oil, you can also baked creamy potato gratin or pasta using its brownie pan.   It is a good kitchen helper that now sit permanently at my kitchen bench. The cooking time is shorter than a built in oven as it takes less time to heat up and the food get both sides cooked nicely.  The downside is that it only has a small cooking tray and the maximum temperature goes up to 200c.  However it's a great helper if you need an extra oven to cook up something small within a short time.

I roast the pumpkin using the Air Flyer and it takes only 12 minutes to get done.  Then I bake the puffs in the big oven.  The avocado salad goes well with the puffs, these day I just prefer something light liked this.  I'm expecting my kids to make me breakfast in bed, some raisin toast with a glass of oat milk would be nice!

Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Pumpkin and Ricotta Puffs with Avocado Green Salad
(make 8)

350g pumpkin
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
40g cashew, toasted and grounded
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon light ricotta cheese
extra 1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of chilli powder
2 sheets of puff pastry
egg wash for glazing

Avocado Green Salad:
Leafy Mixed
1/4 of a whole avocado
lemon infused olive oil
white rice vinegar

Methods:

1. Cut off the skin and seed of the pumpkin and cut into cubes.  Season with salt and oil, toss through.  Then place into the cooking tray of the Air Flyer and cook for 12 minutes at 180c.
2. Mesh the cooked pumpkin with the back of the fork, add in the cashew, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and season with the extra salt and chilli powder.
3. Cut the puff pastry into quarter, brush the sides with egg.  Place a heap tablespoon of pumpkin mesh on a corner, seal.  Repeat for the rest of the pastry.
4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Bake in hot oven, 230c until it puffs up and starting to turn golden brown, turn down to 180c until the puffs turn all golden brown. 
5. Rinse the leafy mix under the sink and drain, cut the avocado into cube, dress with the olive oil and vinegar.

Perfect Poached Eggs

On the Sunday Market, there usually a stall run by the local community group selling sausage in bread or bacon & egg burger for fundraising.  Egg is a cheap food with lots of nutrient.  We love a big breakfast which consists of egg, bacon, sausage, toasted bread with tomato and mushroom for brunch or lunch on a lazy Sunday.

I have to thank Julie Goodwin for her advice in her cookbook, Our family table on how to make perfect poached eggs as I have given up making poached eggs so long ago.  I think it's such a fuss playing with something so soft with hot water. She has a simple way to do to make a smooth egg with running yolk and if I'm not beware of my cholesterol, I could eat more than one egg! Opps!

Julie also mentioned that there are so many names for poached egg breakfast such as eggs Benedict is served with ham and English muffin in hollandaise sauce, eggs Royale is served with smoked salmon and eggs Florentine is served with spinach.  I prefer my poached eggs with bacon with low fat honey mustard sauce on toasted turkish bread. What about you?

Perfect Poached Eggs

1. Pour water into a large non-stick deep pan till it is about 4cm of water (that would be enough to cover the egg), bring to the boil then lower the heat so the water is barely simmering. 
2. Crack one egg gently on the side of the pan and carefully lower it into the water with a spatula.  Then leave the egg by itself as the egg will gather the bilk of its white to itself and don't worry about the stringy floaty bits.
3. Crack another egg and do the same. Julie suggests you can cook 4 eggs at a time but I only do one or two at a time. You need to strain the water or replaced with fresh one after few batches.
4. After 3 minutes or when the egg whites looks cook through, lift the egg out with a slotted spoon  and drain the excess water.  Slide them straight onto the serving plate.   

French Toast with Strawberry and Maple Syrup and HK Style French Toast

French Toast with Strawberry & Maple Syrup

I made this french toast with strawberry on Monday for breakfast and I thought I should write something about french toast in Hong Kong style.  And this also reminded me of this special man, my old neighbour from Hong Kong.  When I was little, he took me to the cafe and french toast was my favourite food.  He would tell me not to put too much syrup as it's not healthy.  It is so easy to pour too much syrup on french toast just like dipping hot chips with tomato sauce.  Then on Thursday night, my sister rang and told me that he'd pass away at 91 years old.

We called this beautiful man Uncle 4, as he was the fourth child in his family.  Many Chinese call their senior, uncle or auntie rather than Mr. or Mrs.  Although my family had no relation to Uncle 4, he was like a god father to us.  Every Sunday, he would take my sibling and I for outings.  We would go to western style cafe, then we would go to different places like museum, botanic garden or playground.  He taught me how to use knife and fork, helped me with my English homework, spoiled me with things that my parents won't get me such as expensive running shoe and a BMX.  At Christmas, he would take us to have Christmas Feast.  When I was small, I liked to sit on his lap to watch TV together.  When he knew that we were moving to Australia, he was very sad as he had no children and his wife had passed away few years ago.

Every time I travelled to Hong Kong, I would visit him and I tried to call him every now and then.  He told me that his friends list was getting shorter as many had passed away but he was looking forward to reach 100.  Then this year on his birthday, he told me not to call him again.  Two months ago, he told me that he had been feeling weak and I could only tell him to take care and eat plenty.  I am feeling sad as I can't hear his voice again but I believe that his spirits is always there.  Angels would look after him.  Let's celebrate his life with two of the french toast.

French Toast with Strawberry and Maple Syrup


Ingredients:
1 slice of white bread
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon sugar
butter
fresh strawberries
maple syrup

Method:
Beat eggs and mix with milk and sugar.  Heat 1/4 cup oil in pan.  Dip the bread into the egg mixture and pan fry till golden brown on both sides.  Serve with butter, strawberries and maple syrup.

HK Style French Toast 

Hong Kong Style French Toast

Ingredients:
2 slices of white bread
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon sugar
butter
golden syrup

Method:
Butter one of the bread and sandwich it.  Beat the eggs and add in milk and sugar.  Dip the bread into the egg mixture.  Pour enough oil in pan and deep fry the bread till golden.  Serve with extra butter and plenty golden syrup.

Note:  HK french toast is deep fry with a crispy texture, you can use thick toast instead of 2 slices of bread.

Strawberry and Pecan Salad

When I think of strawberry, I always associate it to something sweet such as pancake, tart or shortcake.  Then I saw other bloggers making strawberry salad.  So I thought if you can put tomato into salad, strawberry should work as good as that!  I like this salad as it has the crisp of the lettuce, sweet and sour from the strawberry and tomato and the crunch from the pecan.  It is a good accompany to my seafood quiche.  

Strawberry and Pecan Salad

Ingredients:

strawberry

cherry tomato

lettuce

baby spinach leaves

cucumber

pecan nuts

apple cider vinegar

balsamic glaze

Method:

Wash and sliced the vegetables and fruit, chopped the pecan nuts.  Pour in the apple cider vinegar and then some balsamic glaze over the salad.  

Seafood Quiche

Egg, Tomato and Spinach Tarts

Kids have started the 2 weeks winter holiday and I'm taking the opportunities to relax and do a bit of craft.  I have been knitting scarfs and baby jumper for family and friend.  I love knitting in winter as it is the best thing to do while watching TV and it keeps you warm as well.  I hope I don't sound too much like an old granny.  We had this egg and tomato tart on Sunday for lunch.  I served it with baked beans with toast and pan-fried bacon wrapped in pineapple.  It was actually a breakfast and lunch together as we slept in.  

Have you got problem with filo pastry tearing into pieces after using the packet once or twice?  Instead of throwing away the pastry, I cut up into small square pieces to fit into the muffin pan.  The presentation is so nice and I am going to make this for breakfast next time if I have guest visiting me.  I also served this with HongKong style borsch soup that I will post later.  We really enjoy this relaxing and cosy Sunday lunch. 

Egg and Tomato Tarts

(make 4)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 bacon rashers, cut the shortcut bit into small pieces and use the rinds to roll up pineapple pieces OR

2 shortcut bacon, cut into small pieces

filo pastry, about 15cmx15cm

baby spinach leaves

4 cherry tomatos, halves

1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped

oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180c.  Grease the muffin cups with oil.
2. Lightly pan-fried the bacon, leave aside.
3. Place 3 sheets of pastry into the muffin tin, brush with oil.  Repeat the process two more times until the tin is well covered.  
4. Line the pastry cases with few spinach leaves, place the tomato cut side up, add some bacon pieces and chopped onions.  Carefully break an egg into the case.  If you are using a muffin tray, fill the unused hole with water.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the egg white has set.  Use a knife to lift up the tart and stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Tzatziki Wrap

There are two "I have not" in this post.  First, I have not make tzatziki before and secondly, I have not have it in a wrap.  I usually have tzatziki as a dip with crackers.  The store bought one isn't as condense and it hasn't got as many cucumber as the homemade one.  I think I will keep this as my regular recipe. This recipe is low-fat making it a healthy lunch choice.

  

Chicken and Tzatziki Wrap
(serve 4)

Ingredients:
4 sheets of lavash bread
8 butter lettuce leaves
1/4 red onion, sliced
4 chicken thighs, skinless
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
salt and pepper


For the tzatziki sauce:
1/2 continental cucumber
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g low-fat natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped mint
freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, garlic and cumin.
2. Seed and grate the cucumber then sprinkle with salt.  Leave for 10 minutes, squeeze and drain the juice.  Mix the cucumber with yoghurt, lemon juice, mint and pepper.
3. Pan fry the chicken,  add the coriander to the chicken when it's half cooked.  Slice the cooked chicken.
4. Place two lettuce leaves on the bread, top with the chicken, onion and spread with the tzataiki.  Roll up and cut into 2-3 pieces.  Repeat for the other bread.

Source: Adopted and modified from the cookbook "Ready, Steady, Lucnchbox - cooking for kids and with kids" by Lucy Broadhurst.

Pork Chop Roll Vietnamese Style

After the post of pork burger, I have readers visit my blog searching for the recipe of pork chop burger.  Pork chop burger is another famous dish in Macau.  I missed the chance to taste it when I visited there last time.  It was featured in Hong Kong's cooking and travel show, the bun supposed to be crusty on the outside and soft inside, and the meat should be tender.  It would be something I have to try next time when I'm in Macau.

As I have no idea of the taste of Macau's famous pork chop burger, I could only make something that I can manage.  I find this vietnamese style bread roll in the supermarket which is perfect to work with pork chop, then I get an idea to create this pork chop roll.  I marinate the pork chop with lemon grass and fish sauce to give it a strong favour.  A little of dijon mayonnaise and tomato sauce are just enough to give it a kick.  Delicious!
  
Pork Chop Roll Vietnamese Style
(serve 2)

Ingredients:
2 Crusty Vietnamese Rolls
2 pork loin chops
tomato, sliced
butter lettuce
red onion, sliced
dijon mayonnaise
tomato sauce

For the marinate:
1 teaspoon garlic mince
1 1/2 tablespoon lemongrass powder
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3-4 teaspoons raw sugar

Method:

1. Trim off excess fat from the pork chop.  Remove the bone as you don't want to bite onto the bone.  Use a meat mallet to pound pork thinly.  If you don't have a meat mallet, you can use the back of the knife pounding.  This helps to tender the meat.
2. Mixed the marinate in a small bowl and season the meat with the marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat pan with 1/3 oil, pan fry the pork until brown and well cooked on both side.  Half the pork chop vertically.
4. Butter the bread roll, fill it with lettuce, tomato, onion, pork chops and the sauce.

pounding the pork chops

absorb excess oil with kitchen paper

a cross-section look of the bun

Lemon & Pepper Chicken Burger with Garlic Mayonnaise

Well, it is May already, hasn't the year gone fast?  I decide that I should work on a special theme each month to cook something that I always want to make or something I have never done before.  In that case, I can challenge myself as well as extending my knowledge of cooking skills.  My theme for May is "Chicken." Chicken is so versatile that it can be stewed, baked, poached, steamed, smoked, grilled, crumbled, stir-fried as well as currying, make into meatballs and patties, roasting whole or being chopped and cooked into pasta or baked in pieces into crusty pie.  This chicken burger is a low sodium recipe as lemon and pepper with garlic are enough to bring the favour for this meal.  Add some bacon if you wish.  I have never made mayonnaise before (because of the fat content I'm worrying about) and I think it's worth the effort to do it if you are having it moderately.  It tastes much better than the bottle one sell in the store.

How about my sweet dessert and cake?  It is too dangerous to talk about chocolate, caramel, cream, butter and sugar for a month, I will post some of them in between when I find some good recipes.



Lemon & Pepper Chicken Burger with Garlic Mayonnaise
(serve 4)

250g chicken mince
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 piece of stale bread
1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon sour cream
4 burger buns
rocker leaves

Garlic Mayonnaise:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon garlic mince
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
extra cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Place the chicken in a mixing bowl, add the onion, lemon rind, pepper and sour cream.  Soak the bread with some water and chop into pieces, add into the chicken mince and mix until thoroughly combined.  You can add a bit of salt to the mince if you want.  Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions.
2. Heat oil in pan, pan fry the patties on both sides until cooked.  Serve the patties with buttered buns with rocket leaves and mayonnaise and extra pepper. 
3. To make the mayonnaise,  place the egg yolk, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and 1/2 of the oil in a food processor bowl.  Gradually add a bit more oil to the mixture until it reaches a thick consistency, season with sugar and salt.  If you don't eat raw egg, cook the sauce on top of a double saucepan over simmering water.  Do not allow water to touch base of bowl or top saucepan, whisk mixture constantly until it is warm enough, add more water if it becomes too thick.

Pork Burgers with Caramelised Onion and Crumbed Mushroom Salad

I tried the crumbed mushroom salad when I was dinning at a steak house a while ago.  It was served as a vegetarian meal and I was quite surprise how nice it tasted. (only if you like mushroom)  The restaurant used button mushroom and I gave it a change using portabello, the giant mushroom.  The mushroom is very meaty so you don't need a lot of it.  It goes nicely with the pine nuts and salad.  What a way to have the fungus!  And the burger, I don't think burger franchise will make enough money if they don't sell pork burger in Hong Kong.  Many Chinese prefer pork than beef in their diet but you can hardly find a place selling pork burger in Australia.  You can see the cultural differences from that point of view. 

Pork Burgers with Caramelised Onion and Crumbed Mushroom Salad
(serve 4)

Ingredients:
4 burger buns
250g pork mince
1 slice of stale bread
1 large onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon corn flour
freshly cracked black pepper
breadcrumb
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra sugar
BBQ sauce

Crumbed Mushroom Salad:
2 portabello mushroom, thickly sliced
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon parmesan cheese powder
breadcrumb
80g leafy mix
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cut the bun and spread with butter. Set aside.
2. Soak the stale bread with some water and mesh into the mince.  Add in 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, salt, soy sauce, sugar, corn flour and pepper.  Mix well with your hand to form 4 patties and crumb them with breadcrumb.
3. Mix the cheese powder into 1/2 cup breadcrumb and crumb the mushroom with egg then set aside.
4. Heat enough oil in pan and cook the petties and mushroom until cooked and golden colour.  
5. Then cook the rest of the onion, sliced till it is soft.  Add the balsamic vinegar and extra sugar to it until it is caramelised.
6. Put some leafy mix at the base of the bun, top with the meat patties, caramelised onion and BBQ sauce. 
7. Mix the olive oil and vinegar with salt and pepper.  Pour over to the mushroom salad.  Serve the burgers with salad.

Chicken Wraps with Avocado and Salsa

There are many types of bread in the market that can be used for wraps.  Although I am not a shopper that is sensitive to things like perservatives, colouring or MSG, I would like to choose a product which is both natural, healthy and tasty.  If you read the labels of the wraps, many of them contains perservatives and soy.  I would not choose that product for my kids, at least not all the time.  I don't quite understand why the manufacturer uses soy flour to make bread, isn't bread made from wheat flour?  Maybe it helps to improve the texture of the bread.  It would be different if the bread is specified for people with a sensitive diet such as gluten free.  For ordinary people like me, I would have consumed a lot of soy from hidden product such as bread and cracker plus the normal amount I am taking from soy milk, tofu and soy sauce.  I am not sure if taking too much soy would be bad for you but I would like to choose bread that are made without soy.  Vitastic's Sorj Wraps is the brand I recommend as it does not have perservatives and soy.  It is thin and it does not crack when you roll it up.  However, it does mould quickly, keep in the fridge and toast the left over bread for dip.

Chicken Wraps with Avocado and Salsa
(serve 2)

Ingredients:
2 sheets of Vitastic White Sorj Wraps
3/4 cup chicken pieces
baby cobbs lettuce
1/2 avocado
Salsa sauce (store brought)
shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan and cook chicken until cook.
2. Lay the wrap onto the chopping board.  Place the lettuce onto the wrap, followed by avocado, chicken, cheese and salsa sauce.  Roll the wrap and cut it into half and serve it with green salad.

Chicken & Mushroom Filo Parcels with Green Salad in Vinegar Dressing

This is one of my favourite lunch special at our local French restaurant.  The place has set lunch offering a choice of main and dessert.  At dinner time, it is the choice of a three course meal.  I like the set dinner idea as I don't have to worry over ordering and know how to pay for before my booking.  Quiche and Cream Brulee are the popular dish on the menu.  Their seafood quiche is my favourite that it is so rich and buttery.  I have great difficulty in choosing French dessert, I wish I could have every one of them listed on the menu.  Bon Appetite!    

24 pieces of 23cmx23cm filo pastry
2 pieces of chicken thighs, cut into fine pieces
1/2 cup mushroom, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 glove of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons low-fat cream
1/2 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
salt & pepper
paprika
oil
extra oil for brushing

Green Salad:
Coral lettuce, red coral lettuce, red onion, avocado and tomato

Vinegar Dressing:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of garlic, chopped
pinch of salt

Method:

1. Heat the pan with oil, add in onion, garlic, chicken and finally add in the mushroom.  Stir through the ingredients until they are nearly cooked.  Add in water, milk and cream and let it steams for a minute or two.  
2. Season the chicken and mushroom with salt and pepper. Thicken the sauce with the cornflour mix.  The sauce should be quite thick, thicken it with more cornflour mix if needed.
3. You'll need 6 sheets of filo pastry for each parcel.  Lay out the first 2 sheets of pastry, brush it throughly with oil.  Then add 2 more sheets of pastry over the 1st layer and brush it with oil again.  Finally add the last 2 sheets of pastry over the 2nd layer.  Put 1/4 of the chicken and mushroom mix onto the pastry and gently fold over the two sides and top sides as in a parcel shape.  Brush over the top with extra oil and sprinkle it with paprika.
4. Preheat the oven at 180c.  Place the filo parcels onto the grease lined baking tray and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the edges turn golden.  Serve with green salad.  

Teriyaki Chicken Ciabatta

It is getting common to find asian flavour in western meal creating the fusion style of cuisine.  By using exotic ingredients, we can explore different flavours that can compliment each other to create delicious meal.  Allowing our taste buds to try and experience new taste is one of the main reason for us to love food and keep cooking more.  This teriyaki chicken ciabatta does not need too much dressing to add favour to the meal as the chicken already absorb the full favour from the marinate.  The clean and crispy salad balances the sweet soy favour which is a good combination of the east and the west.     

Teriyaki Chicken Ciabatta

Serve 4

Ingredients:

4 ciabatta rolls

2 pieces of chicken thigh fillets

1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

low-fat mayonnaise 

mixed green salad (baby spinach, purple coral lettuce, red onion and capsicum) 

Method:

1. Slice the chicken fillets thinly into big thin pieces so that it will not take long to cook through in the pan.
2. Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, mirin and sugar for at least 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat the grill to high setting.  Slice the ciabatta rolls in half horizontally and spread both sides with butter.  Toast the cut sides until slightly crisp.  Remove from the grill immediately.
4. Heat oil in a hot pan.  Place chicken pieces into the pan and turn the heat to slow.  Turn over the chicken a few time to get an even cook of both sides.  Pour the rest of the marinate juice onto the chicken until it glazes over the chicken.
5. Arrange the green salad onto the bottom of the rolls, place chicken over the salad and drizzle with mayonnaise. Finish up with the top buns. Oashi!   

Chicken & Avocado Toasted Fingers

A while ago, I ordered a focaccia with chicken and avocado at our local cafe and was truly disappointed with the quality of the food as the avocado had turned black.  It was a pre-made one that had probably been sitting in the display fridge for a couple of days.  The so called CHEF just reheated it and handed it to the waitress.  I wonder if it is that difficult to put fresh avocado onto the bread just after it is ordered?  I would much prefer the quality of cafe food in our town a decade ago before the franchises invaded all the Mum & Pop's small businesses.  That time, everything was freshly made on the premises including cakes and the menu was very simple.  It would only be sandwiches, toasted fingers and a few light meals.  I remember I ordered a serve of toasted fingers on a busy day.  The waitress told me that I'd have to wait as it needed to be grilled.  It's worth for the wait as I enjoyed the meal thoroughly.  It's disappointed to see that my local cafe only emphasis on speed as everything was pre-made that could be served right away and had to forgone the freshness in quality. 

Toasted fingers is not in the cafe menu anymore and it is replaced by other gourmet meals such as thick toasted sandwich and focaccia bread.  Somehow, I really miss my good old favour of toasted fingers.

            

Chicken & Avocado Toasted Fingers

serve 2

Ingredients: 

2 slices of bread

1 cup of cut up roasted chicken meat

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup low-fat grated cheddar cheese

green salad 

Method:

1. Butter the bread, top up the bread with chicken and avocado fillings.  Seasoned with pepper.  Sprinkle enough amount of cheese to cover the bread.
2. Place the bread into a grill under high heat until the edge of the bread and the cheese turn golden brown.  Cut each of the toast into 3 finger long pieces and serve it with green salad.  

Chicken Bagels with Green Salad in Balsamic Dressing

Bagel is an interesting looking bread.  It's ring shaped with a glossy surface.  Besides kneading and resting, it needs to be boil before baking in the oven.  This Jewish bread roll can be purchased in supermarket but they are not popular in cafes that hardly any of them has it in the menu.  I have not seen it selling in my local bakery either.  I would image a warm, fresh bagel would be crisp on the surface and soft in the centre.  Traditionally, it is served warm with cream cheese and smoked salmon.  The only way I have had it in a cafe is with roast chicken and gravy.  Occasionally I would make chicken bagel for lunch when I am in the mood.

Chicken Bagels with Green Salad in Balsamic Dressing      
Serve 4

Ingredients:
4 poppyseed bagels
meat from half of a roasted chicken, cut into pieces
butter
Green salad (Spinach, coral lettuce, red onion, beetroot and cucumber)
Instant gravy

Salad dressing:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon olive oil
extra balsamic glaze

Methods:

1. Split open the bagels into halves.  Place them onto a baking tray with the cut side up and butter them all.  Grill bagels under the grill on high heat until nicely toasted.
2. Mix the salad dressing ingredients until well combine.  Toss through the green salad.  Drizzle the salad with extra balsamic glaze if you wish.
3. Place chicken onto the base of the bagel and then drizzle some warm gravy over the chicken.  Top the other half over the bagel.  Serving with the green salad.

Chicken Panini Salad Rolls

I like bread as much as I like rice.  I like bread in different size and shape, white or wholemeal, sourdough or rye, fresh or toast....  Somehow I like panini the best because it is soft, the triangular shape is so different and I'm attracted to its white flouring surface.  Our local bakery used to sell it for everyone but it only cater for the cafes now.  When I was shopping in the nearby town the other day and found it from the delicatessen, I would not miss my chance and grabbed a packet home straight away.  The end result was making me very happy indeed.  This is a low sodium version, you can add a piece of fried bacon to make it a fuller meal if you wish.

Chicken Panini Salad Rolls
Make 2

Ingredients:
2 panini rolls
2 pieces of boneless Chicken thigh
2 pieces of 100% cheddar cheese
green leaf of lettuce & spinach
grated carrot
sliced tomato
sliced onion
sliced mushroom
thai sweet chilli sauce
butter
garlic, paprika and pepper for seasoning

Methods:

1. Slice the bread into two layers.  Butter the bottom halves.  Place the cut sides up and place cheddar cheese over the top halves. Place the bread on the baking tray and grill in the oven on high till the cheese is melted and the side of bread crisp.  This process does not take long so don't leave it unattended.
2. Marinate the chicken with garlic, paprika and pepper for 10-15 minutes.  Pan fry chicken fillets in a non-stick pan until cooked.  Meanwhile, cook onion and mushroom as well.
3. To assemble the roll: place tomato at the base of the bread, then carrot, green leaf, onion and mushroom.  Place chicken over the top of the salad and drizzle some sweet chilli sauce over the chicken.  Finally, place the top halves with melted cheese on top of the bread.  

Father's Day Special: Banana Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce

Australia's Father's Day is on the first Sunday in September, it is also the first week of Spring.  Gardening and hardware tools are the popular gift ideas for this occasion.  We have just put in new mulch for our garden and I have planted some pansies and roses in the pots.  What a life to have by having these sweet, fluffy pancakes at the veranda surrounded by blooming flowers this Father's Day!

Banana Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce    
Serve 4

Ingredients for pancakes:
1 cup self-raising flour
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 thinly sliced banana
extra sliced banana and whipped cream to serve

Ingredients for Butterscotch Sauce:
30g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup low-fat thickened cream

Methods:

1. Sift flour into a bowl.  Add sugar.
2. Make a well in the middle of the bowl, add in egg and then gradually stir in buttermilk, maple syrup, melted butter until smooth.  Finally fold in sliced banana and rest for a few minutes.
3. Grease a non-stick pan with butter.  Change the heat from high into medium.  Spoon or pour the batter into the pan until the pancake is about 8cm in diameter.  Flap over the pancake when bubbles appear around the edges.  Cook pancake until golden brown on both sides.  Make 12 pancakes.
4. To prepare the butterscotch sauce: Melt butter and sugar in a pan.  Stir in cream.  Bring to the boil, keep stirring.  Set aside.
5. To serve: Stack 3 pancakes on top of each other on a plate and drizzle the warm butterscotch sauce over the pancake, serve with extra sliced banana and whipped cream.