From the land of giraffes and hyenas... and Groundnut Stew

In this post, I spoke about the confluence of interests and passion. How finding a like-minded soul is such a beautiful thing. That the other two similarly fanatical friends - GM and P - were only going to be in Singapore together at the same time temporarily, was an opportunity I needed to seize before it slipped away.


By some stroke of luck, a couple of mutual friends had also just flown into Singapore either for their summer break or for to bask in Singapore's humid weather for good. GM helped arrange for a dinner potluck (on a weeknight, I wouldn't settle for less) and after some online discussion, we decided to take on the challenge of cooking from Africa.


It was serendipitous that two of the whole gang had been in Africa and stayed with a family for a while - long enough to pick up a recipe or two. One of which was for a Groundnut Stew. For some reason, the first image that popped into my mind was that of soft, braised peanuts floating freely in a thin sauce.


However, the stew turned out fairly thick but deliciously smooth. While you would assume it contained plenty of groundnuts, it actually did not. It simply contained juicy chunks of chicken, a few tablespoons of peanut butter, and a handful of peas thrown on top just before serving. GM graciously passed me the recipe, and while he hasn't exactly told me I could post it, it would seem terribly selfish not to share this with everyone else.


'There isn't really an "authentic" recipe I think. It was made for me in Ghana, and the recipe seems like what the cook told me was in it when I was there, so I think this is reasonably close. I also made some changes on my own, and much of it is to taste, so you can tweak the recipe as much as you like.' - GM

Served 6

Ingredients

500g chicken (I used chicken thighs), cut into small pieces

2 cups water

1/2 medium onion, quarter-inch dice

3 cloves garlic, minced (use a garlic press if possible)

1 tbspn minced ginger

Tomato paste,

2 tbspn 2 cups tomatoes, diced/minced finely (one can of chopped tomatoes with the liquid should do the trick)

Chili, minced, to taste (I used 2 large red chili)

Peanut Butter, about 4 heaped tablespoons (or to taste)

Some chicken powder (if desired)

sugar, salt and (white) pepper;

peas are optional (some recipes add okra or eggplant)

Method

Sear chicken pieces, skin side down, on high heat, in 2 tbspn oil till browned.

Overturn and brown other side then remove from pot.

On medium heat, fry onion till translucent with 1/2 tspn salt, then add garlic and ginger.

When fragrant add tomato paste and fry. Then, add diced tomatoes and chili.

When everything is well mixed and fragrant, add water, deglaze, and nestle the chicken pieces in the water.

Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer.

Simmer for about 1/2 hour (to get the chicken flavour running).

Add peanut butter in batches to the mixture, stirring to get a thicker, more homogeneous sauce. (Some recipes suggest taking some hot liquid out, and adding the peanut butter to it, and then stirring it into the mixture. I don't really see the purpose of this so I'd omit this step.)

Add chicken powder (1/2 to 1 tspn), sugar (about 1 tbspn), salt (1/2 tspn), and pepper to taste.

If the mixture gets too thick at any point, add water. (I might have added more water than 2 cups, and I find reserving the tomato juice from the canned tomato is a great addition.)

In The Mood For Food

I go stark raving 'mad' when surrounded by cookbooks. That just means I often prance excitedly towards the cookbook sections in Borders and Kinokuniya like a kid going to a candy store. I slowly scan through the sections, picking up new books that catch my eye or cookbooks by the latest chef-in-the-rage. My recent purchase is a bright pink cookbook with some really pretty pastel pink motifs sprawling over the hardcover.

While the colour caught my eye, the way the cookbook was organised kept my attention and kept me flipping through. It was organised according to our emotions. Lazy days, indulgent days, days you want to show off, days you just feel like something quick and casual, days when you want something soothing or comforting, or days when you feel you could do with a few pounds fewer.

In line with my mood for the weekend, and in preparation for a dinner with a couple of old friends, I chose some simple and comforting dishes from Jo Pratt's "In the Mood For Food". I didn't think fancy-schmancy food would fit the bill. I was thinking plenty of cheese, ham, butter and cream. I felt like something thick, smooth and chunky. And so it was that in my semi-lazy, I-want-to-let-my-hair-down-and-relax sort of mood, I chose a couple of easy recipes to play around with.


Sheepishly, I have to admit that while I initially balked at the recipe that used canned tomato soup to make, well, tomato soup, I still went ahead with it anyway. I was feeling incredibly lazy obviously. And my excuse was, well, I didn't have any. The recipe did however, come with some 'croque-monsieur croutons', which are ham and cheese sandwiches, toasted and sliced into little cubes. They were easy to prepare, cute, and easy to pop into your mouth. They didn't really go with the tomato soup the way normal croutons do but were great finger food anyway.

Mini Pot Pie Duo

For the mains, I copped out again and used store-bought frozen puff pastry to make mini pot pies. A Chicken and Leek Pot Pie recipe in the book called out to me while finding for a simple main course. I was worried however, that all that chicken, ham and cream would be too heavy. So instead of making one pie for each person, I broke that into 2 mini pies. I filled the other with a lighter tomato-based vegetable stew with smoked salmon bits and peas.

It was simply improvised from one of Jamie Oliver's recipes for a cauliflower dish. It just took plenty of peeled and chopped tomato chunks, onions, garlic and of course cauliflower florets. If I didn't have a clue about what order the ingredients should be put into the pot and for how long, and just added them altogether at once, I'm pretty sure simmering it until the cauliflower softens would still have yielded a pretty yummy vegetable stew to top off with a puff-pastry cover. In the end, the cauliflower with smoked salmon won the chicken and leek hands down.

And to end off on a sweet note, I flagged the crumble recipe. If there's ONE do-able dessert I had to recommend for people who feel instantly uncomfortable holding a whisk, it would have to be the crumble. Although Jo Pratt's crumble recipe didn't yield the kind of pastry I was looking forward to - buttery, literally crumbly and light - at least it satiated my sweet tooth. Replacing the mixed berries, I diced a punnet of strawberries and halved a big handful of grapes for a still luxurious and comforting dessert.

From Jo Pratt's In The Mood For Food
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 slices of white bread (brioche, if available)
butter
100g gruyere cheese (I tended towards mozarella), finely grated
2 thin slices of ham
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Method
Butter both sides of all bread slices and scatter half of the cheese over two of them.
Lay ham on top, scatter over the remaining cheese.
Add a twist of black pepper, top with remaining bread and press down firmly.

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Place sandwiches in the pan.
Leave for 1 or 2 minutes until th base is golden and the cheese is starting to melt.
Turn over and cook for a further minute, or until golden.
Remove from pan and leave to cool for 5 mins to make the croque-monsieurs easier to cut into cubes.

The Mortar and Pestle in Southeast Asian Cuisine

Friends who've visiting my home know what an absolute sucker I am for kitchen tools and gadgets. My latest kitchen accessory is actually something I just bought a few hours ago from Pantry Magic (Chip Bee Gardens) - Salt and Pepper Grinder. I have been lusting after it since I first lay eyes on it, and that to me is a sign that our souls belong together.

You know how sometimes you're tempted to buy something but do not know if it is really worth your every dollar? Yet when you walk away from it you find yourself haunted by its image, its smooth curves and gorgeous colour? That's when you know you just have to get it or you'd never be able to have a good night's rest. And that's how it was for me and my bright red salt and pepper grinders.

But I digress.

The thing is, I have almost everything I really need to make things from pasta and bread to ice cream and waffles. But there are certain things that never crossed my mind to add to my collection of tools. One of them is a mortar and pestle set, and for many reasons. It is incredibly heavy, bulky, chunky, and requires much work. Compared to my snazzy looking brushed-steel food processor-with-20-horse-power-engine, the grey and rough mortar and pestle just looks dismal.

Yet, I felt like I had to give the mortar and pestle a chance. There has to be a reason why even after the invention of the food processor, many great chefs are still pounding their herbs and spices. And so when the National Museum's Life and Living - Food and Culture series came about, I readily went for the Mortar and Pestle class held by Christopher Tan (food writer and proficient pounder among others).

Frankly, if not for this workshop, I would never have stepped into the National Museum. A short tour of the Food section in the National Museum has effectively gotten me hooked. I never knew how funky and edgy the National Museum had become and fully intend to head back one day to walk through the exhibits at my own leisurely pace.

If not for this workshop, I would never have learnt the effectiveness of a mortar and pestle - how best to pound your food, and in what order. How different types of mortar and pestles suit different types of pastes and why. We learnt how to make a 2 sauces from scratch and learnt the 'science' behind the mortar and pestle.

Ideally, this is how cooking classes should be. They shouldn't just teach you what to do, but why we should do it that way. We should be learning things along the way, or I might as well just stay at home watching cooking shows.

The Food and Culture series has only just begun and I'm already thinking about which other part to go to.

A sip of tea

I love unwinding after a frantically hectic day at work. Today I swore to leave the office at 6pm, and I did! When I arrived home to a home still slightly softly lit by the evening light, I rejoiced at the feeling. Usually when I open the door, my mum would be watching tv and would ask me if I wanted to have some leftover dinner. This time, I could greet my parents when they came home!

To finally stop, take stock of life, and ponder about the next dinner party over a tiny pot of tea - feels supremely good. I really love dinner parties at the end of the week. It gives me something to plan for and look forward to throughout the week. It keeps me sane, and keeps my home (somewhat) neat.

French from French

I can still remember the huge relief I felt when I wrote the very last word, for my very last exam paper in University. I remember the lightness of being I enjoyed, walking back from the exam hall to my hostel. Despite all that happiness of having finished studying for good, and despite the fact that the past 15 years of my life had been just for that one scroll, I didn't attend my very own graduation ceremony for my 15 seconds of fame. As it was held in UK and it would have been astronomical to pay for my parents' tickets over and attending the ceremony without them would have been a little pointless.

So perhaps to make up for it a little in some warped way, I've been attending all my close girl friends' graduation ceremonies. Of course, being the photo-geek, I had been tasked to be the official photographer for the day. Not that I'm complaining, really. It gives me something to do while the star of the day relishes in her accomplishment, finding more similarly accomplished friends to take photos with.

Prawn Cocktail Salad

As Addy and her other half had their commencements (convocation, graduation, tomayto, tomahto) over the weekend, we decided that we'd get Val and partner together as well for a dinner celebration. Though it was also an excuse for me to stop thinking about work, which was mighty effective!




Admittedly, I had half a mind to call it off because I was simply knackered from fighting fire the entire week before. However, looking at Addy's beaming face, and Val's expectant face as we talked about dinner (in particular her DIY Creme Brulee), I could not bear to.


Despite sleeping late the night before, I rose early and headed to Cold Storage to stock up on ingredients for the French themed dinner. I conveniently picked a few easy recipes from Damien Pignolet's French to attempt for the very first time. While that made me feel a little apprehensive, I decided to just have absolutely faith in the recipes which have not failed me so far.


So for starters, the simplest of all entree recipes in the book was a prawn cocktail salad. With two extra set of hands, it was a tremendous breeze to make. I prepared the Marie-Rose sauce an hour in advance, had my girlfriends boil, peel and refrigerate the prawns, thinly slice the crisp and cold iceberg lettuce, then assemble. This whole thing ran on autopilot while I took my time arranging the bread bowl and prepping the mise en place for the second course.

While whipping up the Marie-Rose sauce (think Hollandaise sauce with tomato puree), my surprise turned to slow horror as the more olive oil I drizzled in, the thicker and more firm the supposed sauce became. I should have stopped at 100ml, but carried on like a girl whose fingers had been burnt from too many wrong decisions based on gut-instinct.

Besides that though, it was mostly 'to taste', to which I responded by being a little heavy handed on the salt since it was meant to go with plenty of finely sliced lettuce. Super refreshing, with a hint of the earthiness and almost floral scent of tarragon, and a cinch to prepare. Perfect to start off dinner parties on the right footing.

Pictured rather fuzzily here would be our second course of pasta. I had intended to make Grilled Duck Breasts but had problems finding for duck breasts sold by itself. It seems I have to buy entire ducks to get their breasts (heh) at NTUC/Cold Storage/Sheng Siong. So I gave up and switched to the easiest of all dishes - pasta.

Briefly roasted tomatoes (to the point of bursting, but not quite) with a small bottle of anchovies, some basil and plenty of portobello and white button mushrooms. Bucatini (long, tubular spaghetti) was introduced to me by my brother, and was disturbingly fun to eat. The cooking time is reduced, and when al-dente it is almost spongy. Val suggested (jokingly I assume) that if we ate bucatini the Japanese way (by slurping your noodle as loud as possible), we might end up whistling.

We then had stuffed (with pistou) tuna with potato and caper salad. I would never have made pistou before, but had a change of heart ever since the Pestle and Mortar class I attended at the National Museum just a few days before, that deserves an entire post in itself. It really was gratifying at the end of it, and surprisingly painless. And it has gotten me eyeing a certain mortar and pestle by now.

The tuna and potato with caper salad was a light interlude before the DIY Creme Brulee was brought out. May I just say at this point how absolutely fun it was, to let everyone torch their own! Not many of my friends have ever held a torch in their lives or even heard of the word 'caramelise'. So to have fine sugar crystals melt, bubble and morph into amber syrup then harden into a delicate, stained glass hiding some rich custard beneath, was a first for them. Served with a choice of vanilla or chai tea ice cream, it was a memorable finish to our dinner.

From the previous two tries, this version of creme brulee was a vast improvement. I got the recipe off the Baking and Pastry book from the Culinary Institute of America, that involved some stovetop cooking as well. But there's still plenty of room for improvement. While it was now soft, and virtually falling apart on the spoon, it was rich and thick. What I have been trying to achieve is something resembling a milk jelly - soft, light and incredibly smooth. I have a feeling I will need the help of some gelatin to achieve this effect, or using milk to replace some of the cream I used. My quest shall carry on!

Prawn Cocktail Salad
Adapted from French - Damien Pignolet
Serves 6

Ingredients
24 medium prawns (1.2 kg)
1/2 an iceberg lettuce, washed and sliced thinly (keep chilled)
6 lemon cheeks (chilled and sliced just before serving)

For Marie-Rose sauce
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped into 4 parts
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt
2 egg yolks
100ml olive oil
lemon juice
1 tsp tomato puree
1 knife tip cayenne pepper
1-2 tbspn chopped tarragon leaves

Method
Place half the prawns in boiling water for a few minutes or until it turns entirely pink.
Immediately remove from water and dunk in ice water.
Repeat for the other half.
Peel the shells off the prawns, leaving the tails intact.
Devein, cover and chill in fridge.

Rub garlic cloves around the inside of a bowl.
Whisk mustard, egg yolks and a pinch of salt together.
Drizzle in olive oil in a thin stream while whisking vigorously.
Add tomato puree, cayenne pepper and lemon juice (to taste).
Season with more salt if necessary.
If too thick, dilute with some water or chicken stock, 1 tsp at a time.
Add 1 tbspn tarragon leaves and chill sauce.
Just before serving, add additional 1 tbspn tarragon leaves.

To serve:
Fill a glass with lettuce.
Dip 3 prawns in Marie-Rose sauce and lay on top of lettuce, then top off with one unadorned prawn.
Add one lemon cheek to each glass and serve.

Cooking from Europe

Mozzarella and Prosciutto

The joy of meeting people who are just as crazy about cooking as you are (though I think I am pretty mild) is just impossible to describe. Most of the times, I try to hold my tongue when in fact I wish I could share my excitement at having perfected Creme Brulee (which by the way I haven't, but have to by Sunday), or at having discovered this fantastic waffle recipe that beats any waffle I've ever eaten. That is because I would then very uncontrollably launch into a high-pitched speech on the technicalities of cooking or how I so feliticiously decided on giving the recipe a go.

But to meet someone who doesn't only indulge me by listening intently to my every word, but also tell me that he has been trying various egg tart recipes for the past five days? Now that's seriously insane. Insanely wonderful.

To meet another who gets just about as excited as I am about cooking, and mulls over the potluck theme as long as I do just adds to my happiness. Then bringing these two individuals, GM and P, together and inviting a spunky old friend, SY, at a tiny potluck made for such an enjoyable dinner. This is the precise dinner I referred to in my previous post. The one that was so long, but too short. That knocked me out till the next day when I was meant to shave.

SY and I looking really blur, literally. Courtesy of P.

After much ding-donging back and forth through emails and sms-es (did I mention we were all a little crazy about cooking?), we finally settled on cooking from a single continent. This would give us plenty of leeway to get creative. I decided that SY would do the starter since she is possibly nowhere near as manic about cooking as the other three of us are, though always game to try the latest kid on the block.

It was incredibly heartening to know that since SY returned from US, she had not stepped into the kitchen. And that her first time handling real food, was for us! As she stepped through the door, she bore luscious balls of buffalo mozzarella (alliteration on the wrong words!) and paper thin prosciutto. The combination of which brought back beautiful memories of Rome where I had tucked into a platter of prosciutto wrapped mozzarella. If I'm not wrong, it was drizzled with some olive oil and sprinkled with a special combination of herbs her mom had.

Glorious Moussaka

P decided on a Moussaka, most closely associated with the Greeks or Turks. Moussaka always has eggplant but may contain almost anything else imaginable. The Moussaka P concocted by bringing two recipes together had pork mince, egg plant, onions (all the crying was worth it), tomatoes, yogurt, eggs and cheese. As the sauce bubbled away and spilled over the deep dish in the oven, I couldn't wait to work through the crisp top layer to the soft and oozy mince at the bottom.

Paella with Prawns, Chorizo , Red Peppers and Peas

I'm sure GM hummed and hawed as long as I did to choose what to cook for the dinner. He finally settled on Paella (Spain), for which he used a recipe from America's Test Kitchen (the irony!). This website is pretty cool though, and suits GM's style of cooking to the T. Like a science experiment, he would go through the recipes and stick to the recipe as closely as is humanly and financially possible. So even though I had a paella-like pan that would have passed off almost perfectly as a paella pan, he chose to use my Staub cast-iron dutch oven instead simply because the recipe said so.

Perhaps it was because he used the Dutch Oven or perhaps it was just the recipe. A crunchy layer of paella formed at the bottom of the cocotte, just like what you would find at the bottom of your traditional claypot rice. I really enjoyed that part the best, and found out that GM had to put it over the stove for a little just before serving in order to achieve that effect. So having the patience to allow your food as much time it needs to blossom definitely pays off.

Pour, close till golden brown and serve.

As for my little contribution, I took the easy way out and prepared all the ingredients one would need for some DIY Belgian Waffles. Waffle batter, check. Salted Caramel Sauce, check. Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar, check. Vanilla Ice Cream, check. And I am not tooting my own horn, but I've really never tasted any waffle as good as that. It was so crisp on the outside (partly because it was eaten straight out of the waffle pan), and incredibly light and airy inside.

Drizzle Salted Caramel, top with ice cream and tuck in.

Certainly helped that the caramel was smooth and not too sweet, that the strawberry sauce was chunky with a slight tang, and that the vanilla ice cream was rich, smooth and delicious. The accompaniments just had to be prepared a day in advance, and the waffle batter in the morning. This would leave you plenty of time to go for a leisurely swim, shine your silverware, set the table and enjoy the rest of the evening.

While scanning the web for waffle recipes, I could not find one that would promise light, crisp waffles. That is until I decided to google yeasted waffles. Deeply embedded in one of the nooks of my brain sat 'yeasted waffles = crisp waffles'. So when I read this article, I couldn't wait to jump straight into it. Though it is a little time consuming, I swear it is worth it. At this time, I am not inclined to attempt any other waffle recipes but this one, over and over and over again.

For Yeasted Waffles click here.

Over and done under 10 Minutes

In ten minutes, what I took many months thinking about, was over and done with. Up to now, I still walk around thinking I still have a full head of hair, until I catch my odd and unfamiliar reflection in the mirror or habitually raise my hand to stroke my ponytail.

The night before:
I thought I would be too excited/nervous/horrified/regretful to sleep, but I was too worn out from a great dinner party at my place that I just collapsed into deep, deep slumber.

The morning:
I woke up at 9, remembering that I was to meet Fel for 'The Last Brunch'. We headed to Marmalade Pantry to catch some Mushroom and Spinach Tart. I still felt like this was any other Sunday. I stopped by the Thai Festival at the Thai Embassy, bought a dress and was on my way. I didn't want to be late, but I certainly wasn't rushing to shave my head.

At Novena:
The gravity of the deed dawned on me and hit me hard.

I saw many clean shaven heads walking around me, with a few women among them too. Phew, I wasn't alone. Oh dear, that's how little hair they're leaving behind?

I queue up, register, change into my 'Hair For Hope' T-shirt. Shucks, I should have taken the 'S', but I'm almost always an M or an L. Let me fold up my sleeves, at least I'll look better.

I walk out and see Fel there, waiting for me with a camera in hand. "Last photo before you shave!" Oh dear, so it is.

I start queueing to shave and realise my friends and family aren't here yet. I stand around and wait, meanwhile I try to look down, pretending to look for something in my bag as I tear a little. Why are there tears?

My grandma comes and excitedly gives me a hug, introduces me to a friend of hers and wishes me good luck. Soon, everyone is here and there's no other reason for me to delay. I walk up the stage and my heart suddenly quickens double speed. Badaboom, badaboom, badaboombadaboombadaboom.

I sit down, feel the shaver contact my scalp and immediately, tears stream down my face as I sheepishly smile and wipe them away. I try not to think about it, close my eyes and think about how the little ones must feel. How this is kind of loss is nowhere near what they have to go through.

I finally stop crying and realise how many cameras are on the shavees. A couple of strangers were even taking a video of my entire process and I wonder if I could collect some royalty fees for that if they post it up online. My hair'stylist' gives me a rub on my head and tells me I'm done. But I know my ponytail is still left. I give a nervous laughter and tell him he's 'siao'.

When it is finally done, the tears have dried up and my friends shower me with words of encouragement. Photo after photo was taken and I got a shock when I saw my photo on the camera viewer.

It definitely takes a little getting used to, and I still feel as if my hair is still there. But it definitely feels a little cooler, my hair dries super quick, very little shampoo is needed (or should I be using shower gel?) and I can't wait for it to grow out so that I can try funky hairstyles.

Of course, more crucially, I managed to raise about $4000 (at last count) in total. And I hope the little ones feel the support everyone is giving them.

In Oscar Awards Ceremony style, I'd like to thank everyone for being so generous with their donations and encouragement. For those who would still like to donate, the online donation website is still up. Just search for Daphne Yuan and donate via your credit card. OR, contact me at amoebamoron@gmail.com to arrange to donate through other means. I'll be keeping my pledge card till 14 July 2007!

Molecul... Avant Garde Cuisine

Support me in my bid to raise money for the Children's Cancer Foundation through Hair For Hope 2007. Read more about it here.

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Vanilla Ice Cream with Raspberry Petals and Green Tea and Olive Oil Dust

El Bulli and The Fat Duck are 2 of the many restaurants on my 'Go-Before-You-Die' list. However, I can understand why some people might be averse to the food served there. I don't think the motivating factor of the chefs in such restaurants is to satiate the appetites of their guests, but rather to bring a whole new gastronomical experience to revive worn out palates.

My first personal experience with anything similar to that cuisine (Avant Garde Cuisine, so I learnt) was with my Gourmet Whip. I followed a few recipes from The Cook's Book and made 21st Century Tortilla, as well as a Basil Foam to accompany some rich tomato soup that I took from Justin Quek's Passion and Inspiration. It was pretty fun to play with and I'm only starting to understand how it works as well as appreciate that a little goes a long way.

Edward Voon of Aurum

So when I heard about Aurum a few months ago, I was thoroughly excited. While I was waiting for the restaurant to work out the intial kinks (as any new restaurant would have to do), I was also on the lookout for dining companions willing to shell out SGD$165 for a single meal, and who would not balk at such unique food (for lack of a better word).


But when I was at Palate Sensations a while ago for a corporate bonding session (which was fun by the way), Lynette told me of the upcoming cooking class by Aurum, at Aurum, when I was gushing over one of Aurum's brochures. I immediately jumped onto the opportunity even though it was not a hands-on class. My curiosity about the restaurant needed to be addressed before it killed the cat.

So on Saturday morning, I let my dragonboat teammates down by skipping the practice session, and instead headed to The Cannery for the class.

Though the highchairs were really uncomfortable, though the arrangement of the demonstation meant that some had to stand the entire 2 over hours, and despite the lack of hands-on, I would have spent that $100 again if they had a part 2. At the end of the session, I had tasted 4 items on their menu, as well as 3 small 'snacks' - Parmesan Cheese (foam) on toast, Green Olive 'Ravioli', and Carrot Cotton Candy. Understanding that we would not be able to lay our hands on some of the 'ingredients' required in the preparation of the snacks (Algin, Xantham gum, Calcium), they did not provide these recipes.

-

However, other recipes (although slightly sketchy) were handed out at the beginning of the class. Unfortunately, the dish that I enjoyed the most - Confit of Salmon on Broccoli Cous Cous Salad with Cured Salmon Tartare and Mango Relish - was the one that I neglected to snap. Understandable since I simply could not wait to tear apart the slow poached salmon confit flake by flake.

-

That was, among the others, the most accessible recipe. Other than the vacuum packed bag, I can get everything required on the dish. Arguably, I can attempt the Crackling Suckling Pig (pictured above) and French Fry as well, but I'm not going to allow my oven to run for 14 hours straight. As for the dessert (top picture) that requires nitrogen, unless I can snitch some nitrogen from a science lab (anyone?), I doubt I'll be able to attempt it anyday soon.

It was an amusing class, with some technique and science (and hell of a lot of big, expensive machines) involved. Perhaps most amusing was the mix of characters attracted to the class - culinary students, tai-tais, men in tight t-shirts, and curious individuals like me.

When looks don't (really) count

Support me in my bid to raise money for the Children's Cancer Foundation through Hair For Hope 2007. Read more about it here.

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One fine afternoon, I received a text from my brother that said 'I bought Chewy Juniors!'. I had never heard of it and frankly the name was not very inspiring. It brought to mind a certain muesli bar that used to be all the rage in my junior college days, that I have since gotten entirely sick of.

When he rang me up to share his very amusing excitement, the first thing I practically (and affectionately) hollered into the phone to him was 'What the hell are chewy juniors??' His description was 'They are like cream puffs, but flat. And instead of the puff being soft, they are chewy!'

I thought they really just sounded like a batch of cream puffs gone very very wrong. But when I went home and very cautiously chewed on one (of the two left for me), they.... well, they really grow on you. At first you think they're not really thaaat impressive. But the more I chewed (and chewed and chewed and chewed), the more I got hooked onto their... chewiness.

I simply cannot carry on with this post because there's just no other way to describe them other than that, chewy. Apparently they sell like hotcakes, and there's always a long queue. But being located in the rather ulu Tanjong Pagar Plaza, it's no wonder 'westerners' like me don't hear about them much.

Chewy Juniors
Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-18.

Finally, Creme Brulee

Before I bought my blowtorch, I swore I would attempt Creme Brulees once I laid my hands on one. After I did, I resolutely declared that the only thing standing between me and the perfect creme brulee is a ramekin. Plain, simple ramekins - preferably a set of 6 at least. And when a very generous friend gave me a set that had sentimental value to her, I waited and waited. And waited and waited until today, to make Creme Brulee.

I think the reason I hummed and hawed my way till today was because I imagined that something so delectable would involve long, tedious procedures akin to making macarons. To my tremendous surprise, they took much less than the 5 hours that I took to make macarons previously. In fact, I only needed a measuring cup, a whisk, a bowl, ramekins and a blowtorch. Of course, plenty of egg yolks and heavy cream, a little sugar and good ol' vanilla pods.

Who would have known, without looking at the recipe, that making Creme Brulees would be so easy and fun? My first attempt at it however, resulted in something less than desirable. The filling was chalky, dry and almost hard, which I attributed to the oven that I had not gotten acquainted with before.

Each oven has its own character. Some are quick-tempered and firey: fast to heat up, and tend to reach a temperature higher than required. Others could be sloth-like and unflappable: which means that you should preheat it much earlier than you think you need it, and need to jack the heat up a little in order for it to reach the temperature required to make your cookies puff up. My guess was that the oven was a little too hot for the liking of the Creme Brulee.

However, back in the comfort of my tiny kitchen and with my own petulant oven, I found the recipe needed slight tweaking as well. While it was definitely a better version compared to the first attempt, there's still some way yet before it can attain the ethereal quality that I have in my mind's eye. What I have pictured is something that surrenders more than willingly to the slightest touch of the teaspoon, like the best steamed egg pudding you've ever had, that would bulge in the middle under its own weight if inverted onto a plate.
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What I have somewhat mastered however (after torching so many Creme Brulees) is how to give the Creme Brulee a beautifully thin, crisp caramelised sugar lid with a gorgeous brown hue. While my first few Creme Brulees started out charred at the edges, all it took was a tiny adjustment to the size of the flame and a gentler nursing of the fine sugar from crystals into a golden liquid, then solid again.

Still, the recipe will have to undergo a few more tries before it can be shared with anyone. Once it has been perfected, I can see it bringing much joy and excitement to a dinner party by letting everyone torch their own Creme Brulees. A DIY Creme Brulee, wouldn't that be cool!

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Hot Flavour of the Month

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New kid on the block? Hardly, really. When Chubby Hubby wrote about it here, it understandably shot up to the top on the 'who's who' list in the food scene. I had paid it a visit earlier on and got a seat easily. After the fateful entry however, not only was I turned away, I could not get a reservation for the rest of the month! Even the lady boss looked extremely frazzled by the busy state of affairs.

Now that things have quietened down slightly, it is easier to make a reservation, and if you're lucky, you could even walk in unannounced and get a seat (though I would rather err on the side of caution than make a futile trip down).

I love this place. From the atmosphere to the food. From the conscientious service to the Maccha Au Lait (Iced Green Tea with Milk).

The appetisers are presented in a small 2 tiered basket, come in 6 different varieties, and have never been the same each time I return. But I've never once disagreed with any of them. The most interesting item I had ever tried was some tiny raw cuttlefish/squid morsels that were marinated in a light wasabi sauce.

The last time I was there, the set dinner came with a little serving of light green tea tiramisu. My favourite choice if dessert would have to be the chef's selections though. Perhaps it is the element of surprise when the dessert comes, or that when I had it to share with a friend, there was a great variety of textures to tease and please.



What pleases me the most about the place however, is not so much the food, but the pace. It is almost like a sanctuary for me, a place I can run to when I have been too caught up in work that I have not taken enough time off for myself and need somewhere to hide.


Hide among the faux moss and beautiful lacquer ware. With homely Japanese food and a great book. Ahhhh......

Fig and Hazelnut Cake

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Alright, you caught me there. Those aren't figs, but both fruits have a whole load of crunchy black seeds, no? It was meant to be a luscious Fig and Hazelnut Cake from Bill Granger, but as a matter of convenience, I changed the fig to kiwi. The little drizzling of honey just before serving feliticiously cut through the tang of the kiwi. Though still delicious on the whole, I can imagine how much more delectable they'd be if made with figs instead.



I must admit, my reason for making this cake was a purely superficial one. I wanted to use the beautiful rectangle tart pan that I had purchased from The Pantry Magic (which I almost religiously drop in everytime I am in the area) at Chip Bee Gardens a while ago.

I almost always end up buying something when I'm there, and take my own time looking at things I've probably seen a thousand times before. The next thing on my list would be the gorgeous set of red salt and pepper grinder, tall and elegant, and absolutely fitting with my home decor.

I had half a day off yesterday and decided to warm my kitchen a little with some baking, almost immediately after I woke up at 11. I picked out May's issue of delicious, then flipped to the flagged page with a photo of the glorious, almost luminous cake. By 12pm, the cake was in the oven and would be taken out half an hour later.

After cooling, I sliced it up into 2 inch slices and wrapped them in some parchment paper, secured with a little ribbon, and distributed them to friends with a little note to drizzle with honey before eating. They were a hit and a great mid-day snack to have with some light, citrus tea. Such simple pleasures, such great times.

Fig and Hazelnut Cake

Serves 4-6

Bill Granger's recipe from delicious magazine (May 2007)

Ingredients

225g toasted hazelnuts (ground)

2 tsp orange zest

75 g plain flour

110g raw sugar

40g unsalted butter (and then some), melted

1 egg, plus 1 eggwhite

1 tbs marsala or other sweet wine

6 fresh figs

Honey, to drizzle

Whipped cream or mascarpone, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and grease a 10cmx34cm rectangular loose-bottomed tart pan.

Finely grind the hazelnuts in a food processor.

Add the flour, zest, sugar, butter, egg, eggwhite and marsala and process to combine.

Add 2 figs and pulse to roughly chop into the mixture, then spread in the tart pan.

Cut each remaining fig into six wedges and sit on top of the mixture, skin side down.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool slightly, then remove from pan.

Drizzle with honey just before serving with cream or mascarpone.

Tak Glam 'Picnic'

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Eating out of takeaway boxes with plastic cutlery probably isn't your idea of a great dinner. It probably even looks slightly miserable. Nevertheless, I had a great time with Addy at Chip Bee Gardens, right outside Da Paolo Gastronomia. Although we were mildly disturbed by a few mosquitoes mercilessly feeding on us the moment we settled down, they soon got their fill and moved on.

This definitely wasn't the first time I visited Da Paolo Gastronomia. As a tiny outlet specialising in ready made food for takeaway, I imagine it attracts couples who have little time or energy to cook, and is sick of eating out or eating hawker food out of cardboard boxes. As a simple treat that can be simply reheated and enjoyed in the total privacy of your own home.

Addy and I were able to enjoy it in the cool evening air, soft evening blue-tinged light, totally undisturbed.

All we had to do was take our pick of Salmon and Spinach in Puff Pastry, Saffron Risotto with Prawns; Marinated Artichokes, Grilled Asparagus and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms; request to have them briefly heated up; carry it out to one of the two alfresco tables; tuck in and do a little chin-wagging.

The food was not cheap, nor as unbelievably tasty as I had hoped. It is also unsurprising that texture had been compromised as a result of the reheating, and using a microwave nonetheless. Although aesthetically tempting, the Salmon and Spinach in Puff Pastry was not as exciting on the palate. The dish that did stand the test of taste and texture was the Stuffed Portobello Mushroom - excellent.

The entire experience was pleasant though as they have a wide variety of very bewitching food that sounds incredibly enticing. The desserts and bread were particularly alluring but we resisted them to avoid overstuffing ourselves, even though I had thoroughly enjoyed some of them before.

After having said all that, we did finish every morsel in those little plastic boxes. It is a great place to get food to stock up for a picnic, if you want something a touch more luxurious with virtually no effort. It's a bonus that the food is nicely packed into convenient containers, with all the necessary cutlery you would need. No preparation, other than a picnic mat, would be needed.


da paolo gastronomia (HV)
43 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-74,
Chip Bee Gardens, Holland Village.
Tel: 6475 1323

da paolo gastronomia (bt)
501 Bukit Timah Road, #01-01,
Singapore 259760.
Tel: 6468 7010

Hours: Open daily 9.15 amto 9 pm

Mad about typography.

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I have been spending my time productively.

Very productively indeed.

Someone pull me out of this madness!

Tea For Four

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Catching up with girlfriends over tuna mayo sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches and onion relish open face sandwiches couldn't feel more chic. Add cranberry/raisin scones and pseudo-treacle tarts to the menu and the gathering over tea was complete. It wasn't perfect, owing to the treacle tarts that never were due to some mistrust of a certain recipe. But more importantly, it was a simple enough menu to prepare in a few hours, and fuelled us more than adequately for a long evening of gossip.

Simple Strawberry Jam

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When a menu whittles down into something so simple - sandwiches and a dessert, I tend to look at even the simplest of things that we often buy off the shelves.

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Mayonnaise - while requiring just a tad more effort on your part, is definitely not overly complicated and is extremely gratifying when something so ethereally light and delicate has been achieved. Combine it with tuna flakes for incredibly tasty and fluffy tuna-mayo sandwiches.

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Strawberry Jam - is usually almost as easy to make your own jam than it is to buy from the grocery stores. It is important to add slightly less sugar than is required in the recipe however, just in case you don't have a sweet tooth. I'm still learning how to adjust it to the average person's tastebuds since I am known to have a really high tolerance for the sweets.

Bitter Spiced Marmalade

If you have slightly more time to spare, you might want to consider making a Bitter Spiced Marmalade. Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me remember where I got the recipe from, and what the exact proportions were for the recipe. It did require a fair amount of time, simmering the oranges for 40 minutes to remove some of the bitterness commonly found in the skin, and chopping them before simmering them with sugar and spices.

However, I still found it a worth my time at the end of the day. I am slowly beginning to appreciate incorporating some of the bitterness of oranges in desserts, and in this case jam. It was a great counterbalance to the sweetness and spices (admittedly, I may have been a little heavy handed with the cinnamon and cloves). I also kept it rustically chunky, although a part of me was also inclined to keeping it in big chunks to save me a little bit of time and effort.

My girlfriends may have preferred the strawberry jam to the marmalade, but my mum and I finished the marmalade in no time in the following days. Always, always make a little more jam than you think you need for the day, so that you can have a sublime breakfast the next day.

Luxurious homemade jam with freshly baked, crisp, flaky croissants (get them frozen Swiss Bake - Takashimaya, Cold Storage Guthrie House/Centrepoint/Holland V/KAP) surely cannot be faulted.

Dapur Babah

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Considering the amount of time I spend with Fel, it would be silly not to visit her hometown at least once. So when I was assigned to travel to Jakarta as part of my study trip, I embraced the opportunity. I certainly didn't get much help from her though, when I asked about the places worth visiting and food worth eating. "Jakarta is very dangerous! Just stay in your hotel!"

Thankfully, there was the Kris Flyer Magazine on the plane, with a few restaurant recommendations. One of which was Dapur Babah elite, a restaurant peppered with odd and interesting artefacts. The description of the place and food certainly whet my appetite enough to convince a gang of about 14 to come along.

We might have been a little too rowdy, but the service staff did everything within their means to make sure that we got everything we needed and wanted. Even though one of the menus almost caught fire, and even though we didn't order any dinner sets after having gotten them to print dinner set menus for each one of us, they still accomodated us throughout our meal and smiled as we walked out.

Great service aside, the food was incredible. A selection of Javanese, Dutch and Peranakan dishes fill the menu, with some rather amusing English translations. The prices were really reasonable, and absolutely worth your dollar.

Ironically, I remember the rice with most fondness. Ironic on two levels, because rice is often just the side-kick of any meal, and because I have never been inclined to filling my precious and limited stomach space with rice. However the rice at Dapur Babah stole very much of the limelight on my plate.

Of course, the other dishes were also outstanding. Unfortunately, I did not have the foresight to keep one of their menus, and cannot remember the names of the dishes that I managed to try. One of the two desserts that we managed to try was both intriguing and yummy at the same time. It had little chewy bits (almost like tang yuan/glutinous rice balls) floating in a light and slightly salty coconut broth.

I find it a great plus that they even have a separate vegetarian menu. It is a restaurant worth visiting, even if you only had 3 hours to spare in Jakarta. I really can't think of any restaurant in Singapore that is anything like Dapur Babah in terms of atmosphere.

Dapur Babah élite
Jalan Veteran I / 18, Jakarta Pusat 10110
Tel: +62 (21) 385 5653,
Fax: +62 (21) 385 3040

Hair For Hope

Alright, here's when I really need all your attention and help.


I'm going to be BALD. Have I got your undivided attention now?


I really need your help.



Background

Every year, the Children's Cancer Foundation organises a 'Hair for HOPE' event, getting volunteers to shave their heads to support their cause.

In essence, it is a publicity stunt to raise awareness, as well as funds that will go towards improving the quality of lives for the chlidren and their families. It is also intended to be a sign of support for the little ones going chemotherapy sessions and facing hair loss - this was the trigger point for me in my decision to shave my head.

As you can imagine, making the decision was a tough one. Going through with it will definitely be tougher. As the date to shave my head looms nearer, I can already feel a sense of dread. But I hope that with all your support, this action of mine will be a worthwhile one.

My Cry For Support

Here is where YOU can help me, or more specifically, children with cancer -I would be OVER THE MOON if you could donate as generously as possible.

Sure, if you all decide that supporting me would be a waste of your time, I will still go on to shave my head. But I'm hoping you'll agree with me that the extra $100 sitting in your wallet would be better spent on the Children's Cancer Foundation than on that designer shirt/dress (or atas meal for some of you) that you've been saving up for the past week/month/year.

How To Donate

1. Visit http://www.ccf.org.sg/hfh/webApp/listShavees.php, find for DAPHNE YUAN and donate using your credit card. (It would also be good to let me know via email -see below- how much you've pledged online, just so I can let Santa know who has been good this year)

or

2. Email me at amoebamoron@gmail.com with the amount you're willing to donate, and your name. I'll make arrangements with you to collect the donation from you after I receive my pledge card on the 20th June.


Where To Catch Me Bald

1 July 2007 (Sunday) at Velocity@Novena
Time will be updated via website: http://www.ccf.org.sg/hfh/index.php

There is of course, no minimum amount that you can donate. Still, I hope that my action (i.e. shaving head) will provoke you guys into digging a little deeper into your pockets.

If you're still not convinced that this is not worth your time/effort/money, email me and give me a chance to tell you more about this cause that I feel so much for, that I am willing to sacrifice my long locks for.

Please do help me help them!

Rest assured that I will give everyone the blow-by-blow account of the entire experience, from the night before the event to the moment the electric shaver is placed on my scalp.

With love,
KitchenCrazyDaffy

(Somewhat) Sad News

My laptop has finally thrown in the white towel. After years of massive photo-downloading, relentless blogging, and slave-driving (through the nights for assignments due the following morning), my laptop has blanked out, and refuses to start up. I can't even see the photo of Chocolate Macarons that I had kept as my wallpaper since the day I made them (which is really long ago).

As I type, my sweet, sweet brother is hunched over my laptop trying to salvage it. Alas, the light at the end of the tunnel is diminishing.

In other sad news, my bunny Moka fell ill while I was away. He had been pooping uncontrollably around the house (before that, he usually scampers back into the cage to poop), and running around our feet in quick circles, sometimes both at the same time. Although this doesn't sound like anything more than ill-discipline and mischief, I can assure you he is typically more docile than that unless provoked by my growling brother. He (Moka) has gotten better though, and is now a happy camper back in his old hideout.

Still, I wish I could give him some home-baked treat. It doesn't make sense that I can cook for the people I love but can't for the bunny I adore. If anyone has any recipe for bunny treats, please share!

F-Stop Cafe

I haven't been making much ice-cream lately, the last excuse being the inability to get hold of my usual 1 litre carton of whipping cream. But 4 litres of whipping cream later, my ice-cream production is still nought, zilch, nada.

I have, however, been dreaming up of different flavours and presentation. Between two slices of shortbread, as pseudo-popsicles or simply in a pretty little glass with plenty of childhood toppings. (Thinking up of dinner or lunch menus has become a great digression to keep me awake during terribly boring talks that I've had to attend in the past few weeks.)

Yet, an experience at a little-known cafe along South Bridge Road managed to humble me with just one spoonful of ice-cream. While I had been mentally putting together unique flavours, I had gotten sidetracked from the fundamentals - texture. On my flight back from Hanoi (another entry on that another time soon), I managed to catch an episode of Heston Blumenthal's teevee debut - In Search of Perfection. In it, not only did he went in hunt of great tasting milk for the base of his ice cream, he also emphasised the importance of (ironically) icy-free ice cream. He waxed lyrical about how using nitrogen helped him turn creme anglaise into flawlessly creamy and smooth ice cream.

But at F-Stop Cafe, the ice-cream was not just smooth, it was 'chewy'. So 'chewy' that it resembled pizza. It was deliciously dense, and like a rose bud, took its time to blossom. It lingered in my mouth, leaving behind the lightest layer of chocolate perfume. The grape flavour had tiny bits of grape, was similarly 'chewy' and not at all like the other artificially sweetened fruit ice creams I've tried. The texture of Rum and Raisin was slightly different, most probably due to the addition of rum, which is resistant to freezing. Perhaps using 'chewy' to describe ice cream is a little baffling, but I'm pretty sure that if you try it yourself, you'll agree with me that 'chewy' is an apt description.

I have not spoken to the ice-cream maker himself to find out the secret, nor have I been able to re-create the texture, but rest assured it is on my list of things to do before I die. As far as I know, the ice-cream is only available in that shop. The F-Stop Cafe is a photography-cafe, where photographers can gather and talk all things technical without feeling like nobody understands. Apparently, Singaporean Canonians and Olympians gather there regularly discussing photographs, new upgrades etc...... My motivation for now is purely limited to the ice-cream, and I fully intend to conquer each flavour.

Cafe F'Stop

17/19 South Bridge Road.

Walk down along Jazz@South Bridge

Hazelnut Shortbread

Everytime I endeavour cookies, I tend to pick those whose dough keeps well in the chiller or freezer, so that I can retrieve them for any emergencies. By keep well, I mean that they can be pre-shaped but would not require too much space in the refrigerator. Friends who have taken a peek into my refrigerator sometimes get a little (perhaps slightly understated) taken aback by how packed it is. It is probable, however, that with just some proper organisation (something I swear to get down to in my lifetime), my refrigerator can be trimmer.

Digression aside, all that means that shortbread cookies that are shaped into logs, refrigerated and sliced only before baking have a permanent place in my repertoire of recipes. Flipping through Gordon Ramsey's Just Desserts on one of those rare slow nights, I spotted a simple enough recipe for Hazelnut Shortbread. Coincidentally, I had all the necessary ingredients at the moment and started working on the dough immediately.

I shaped it into 4 logs, that I have since used up on different occasions. As after dinner souvenirs for girlfriends, as a post-lunch accompaniment to Gryphon's vanilla sencha tea, as a way to show my appreciation or care, or simply to let my mum know that I love her (Mothers' Day is coming up, and one can never start giving too early).

Buttery, crumbly, delicately thin and rich, with the amazing aroma of hazelnuts, they disappear almost as quickly as they are baked. I had already tripled the quantities, but still wish I had made a few more logs to leave behind for my family as I'll be overseas for the next week or two.

I have had friends comment that my family must feel so fortunate to have an almost loony daughter who would bake way past midnight just to destress, as they get to enjoy the foods of my labour. But I realise that I usually share these with my friends more than I do with my family, and they sometimes get a wee bit neglected.

I guess it is never too late to repent.

Hazelnut Shortbread

From Gordon Ramsey's Just Desserts

Makes about 20

Ingredients

200g plain flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

125g unsalted butter, softened

90g caster sugar

1 large free-range egg, beaten

50g finely ground roasted hazelnuts

Method

Sift flour with salt.

Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Gradually work in the egg.

With the mixer on its slowest setting, add the flour a spoonful at a time, then the nuts.

Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.

Lift the dough on to a sheet of cling film.

Shape into a roll, about 4cm in diameter and wrap well.

Chill for at least 2 hours until firm.

To bake, preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius.

Slice off rounds of dough, 5mm thick.

Place on a non-stick baking sheet and prick lightly with a fork.

Bake for about 20 minutes until very pale golden.

Leave on the baking sheet for a minute, then lift on to a wire rack.

For a classic appearance, sprinkle with sugar as they cool.

Dough keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator, or for yonks in the freezer - just let it defrost in the chiller section overnight or at least a few hours. If dough is too hard to slice cleanly, dip knife into a cup of hot water and wipe dry with the kitchen towel before slicing.

Dinner Munching (Part III) - Fruit Tart

In making this tart, I was stepping way out of my comfort zone. This is not just the mud-is-seeping-into-my-shoe kind of discomfort, but more like the rolling-around-in-mud-with-worms-swimming-in-my-hair (which I had to do once in primary school at a nasty camp) kind of discomfort.

I never liked the rubbing-in method that I had first learnt about in secondary school. When Miss Amy Goh demonstrated it, I thought it incredibly unhygienic that our fingers had to muck around in the dough for such extended periods of time. This also sort of explains why I bake few breads, and when I do, I use my bread machine that relieves me of any contact with the dough. Before any rubbing-in or kneading, I never fail to sanitise my hands as much as I can, short of exfoliating the entire outer layer of my skin.

Being an extremely tactile person (which explains my fascination with all things furry), one would think I would take to rubbing-in like a (daffy)duckling to water. Still, I find myself skipping recipes that call for any hands-on work, literally.

During dinner, I told Jac that the last time I made a tart was in secondary school, but it had slipped my mind that I did actually make an apple tart more recently (2 years ago) in Paris. However, unlike many tart/pie recipes, that recipe did not call for too much direct contact with the dough except for the part where we have to roll out the dough and line the tart pan. Also, my aunt had a beautiful and huge wooden table, absolutely conducive for rolling or kneading, but that is unfortunately something I lack at home.

However I figure that there's no running away from tarts or pies all my life. Instead of running away from it, I decided to face my fear. This is also how I came to decide upon the politics part of my degree, and I'm glad I did it.

Similary, I'm glad I made the fruit tart. I am also glad that I left plenty of time to prepare for it during the day. While the pastry cream used to fill the tart up could be made, cooled and refrigerated beforehand, and the fruits could be added just before serving, the tart cases needed a fair bit of work.

You'd need to rub the butter into the flour, lifting your hands as high as you can manage without coating your kitchen with a fine layer (if you are lucky) of flour, mix the water and egg yolk into the flour mixture with a knife until a dough comes together, turn the dough out onto cling film, refrigerate or freeze (depending on your needs) it, roll it out between two pieces of baking paper, line your tart pans (I used 4 small individual tart pans), place some crumpled baking paper on top and fill with pie weights (or rice), then bake, and remove to cool.

And to think I took the recipe from a dessert book that is more tailored for the busy cook, with little time to spare. They did not have to tell me not to overwork the dough since the last thing I wanted was more playing with the dough, which got more tricky to work with the longer it was out of the fridge and under my irritatingly warm fingertips.

But the final result was truly rewarding, and can be attested by my girlfriends' praises. Not just for the pastry cream, which I had made before and loved for its taste and easy preparation method, but also for the crispy and crumbly tart base.

These individual tarts were more elegant and easy to serve compared to big 8-10 inch tarts. But this is definitely something I would make only if other parts of the dinner are much less involved.

Sweet, Rich Shortcrust Pastry (for fruit tarts)

From Sweet Food (Murdoch Books)

Makes 375 g worth of shortcrust pastry, enough to line the base of a 23 cm pie dish or 5 small round individual tart pans

Ingredients

250g plain flour, 125 g chilled butter (chopped into small pieces), 2 tbspns caster/icing sugar, 2-3 tbspns iced water, 1 beated egg yolk

Method

Sift flour and 1/4 tsp salt into a large bowl.

Add chopped butter and rub it into flour using fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in sugar.

Make a well in the centre, add in egg yolk with iced water, and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting rather than stirring action. The mixture will come together in small beads of dough.

Add more water if necessary, a tsp at a time, until dough comes together. Test the dough by pinching a little piece between your fingers - if it doesn't hold together, it needs more water. Use just enough to hold the pastry together - if it is too wet it will toughen and may shrink on baking; if too dry, it will be crumbly.

Gently gather the dough together and lift out onto a lightly floured surface.

Press dough into a ball and flatten slightly - don't knead or handle the dough too much.

Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to cover the base and side of the 5 tart pans. Remove the top sheet and invert the pastry into the tins, allowing any excess to hang over. Trim with knife and prick the base several times with a fork.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes, place crumpled baking paper over and fill with pie weights or beans. Then bake for 15 minutes in a 200 degrees celcius preheated oven, or until crisp, dry and lightly golden. Allow to cool.

For Fruit Tart: Fill with pastry cream, decorate with raspberries or other mildly sour fruits. I thinly sliced apples, fanned them out, sprinkled sugar over them and caramelised the sugar with a blow torch. Let your creativity loose with this tart.

Dinner Munching (Part II) - Fish and Spinach

Sorry for the bad photograph, I'm still learning how to take photos in low-lighting with my camera without it appearing grainy or blur. It certainly doesn't help that no matter how I try, spinach puree cannot be made to look appetising.

However, it was the spinach puree recipe that I spotted first in Damien Pignolet's French. Instead of being enriched with cream and plenty of butter, transforming spinach into something absolutely heavenly but unbelievably unhealthy, it simply required pear puree.

Damien Pignolet recommended eating this with steamed or pan-friend fish, a piece of advice I took up but looked to Jane Lawson's Cocina Nueva for. Her Almond Crusted Hake piqued my interest, but was tweaked to include ground hazelnut instead of ground almond. It was breaded in the afternoon and chilled until just before serving where it needed 3 minutes (and then some) on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Even the spinach puree could be made in the afternoon and reheated just before serving.

This was especially useful because it left me plenty of time to prepare dessert, which required much more time, patience and effort.

I quite like the spinach puree and agree that it goes well with fish. Being a little fruity, it was definitely different and possibly a great way to get children to eat their greens by actually making spinach tasty, without negating its health benefits with cream or butter. The fish had the most wonderful aroma while being fried, and a delightfully earthy hazelnut taste.

Unfortunately I have learnt to be a little smarter and informed about my choice of fish for future use. As all the fish were labelled in Chinese, I had no idea what kind of fish I was purchasing and relied only on price to differentiate quality. I would have preferred a more tender, flaky fish to go with the puree. Embarassingly, I still don't know what I had served my girlfriends!

Spinach and Pear Puree

From Damien Pignolet's French

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

100g pear, such as Beurre Bosc or Packham, peeled and cored

400g spinach, well-washed and coarse stalks discarded

salt and freshly ground pepper

a few gratings of nutmeg

2-3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

a few drops of lemon juice

Method

Boil pear until soft (10-20 minutes) then drain.

Boil spinach in plenty of quite salty water for 5 minutes until very soft.

Drain well and press out most of the moisture with the back of a spoon- the spinach should not be too dry.

For the smoothest result, puree the pear and spinach in a blender rather than a food processor.

Add the oil and season to taste, adding the lemon juice to freshen (do this only just before serving if you're preparing this in advance).

This very special recipe is adapted from Michel Guerard's Cuisine Minceur, a book dedicated to 'lean cuisine', as we would call it today. I like to serve it with steamed or pan-fried fish, and it is also excellent with roast partridge or guinea fowl.