chicken liver pate

Chicken Livr Pate

I always believe that I can cook anything. I would just need to go round it a few times in order to cook it right.

Like cooking "Chicken Liver Pate" - it seemed to be difficult at first, then when you get to cook it a few times. You will learn how to cook it.

Anyway, I like mine served with Melba Toast or French Baguette.

Find below a simple recipe by Angela Griffin (from BBC food)

Ingredients

220g/8oz butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
450g/1lb chicken livers, trimmed and cut in half
1 tbsp brandy
1 tsp mustard powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf, to garnish
2-3 fresh cranberries, to garnish


Preparation

1. Melt 110g/4oz of the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and fry until softened, but not coloured.

2. Add the garlic and chicken livers and fry the livers until golden-brown all over and cooked through. Add the brandy and mustard powder and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Place the liver mixture and 55g/2oz of the remaining butter into a food processor and blend until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Transfer the pâté into a serving ramekin or small dish and decorate with a couple of cranberries and a bay leaf.

5. Melt the remaining 55g/2oz of butter in a clean pan. Skim off the froth and pour the butter over the pâté. Transfer to the fridge to chill, then serve from the ramekin when ready.

riya's cheese plate

Riya’s Cheese Plate

It’s my Playboy's B Day.. So, I managed to invite a few of his mates for a cosy chat at my place before taking off for dinner at a fancy restaurant.

To host a brief party of 4-6 people, a cheese platter seems to be a perfect choice. My Partner doesn’t like much of eating but he loves dairy products - especially, cheese ; hence a treat of a small cheese plate with a few of decent bottles of champagne.

Too bad that I couldn't find decent blue (stilton) at any supermarkets – Normally, I always have “blue” cheese in my plate. (seems to me that Brit loves "stilton")

Find below a few tips and tricks, you'll be surprised how quick and easy it is to put together a fancy cheese platter



Cheese
Try to serve a variety of textures and flavors in one plate. Most cheese belongs to one of four basic categories: aged, soft, firm, or blue. For a good variety, choose at least one from each group. Below are some examples.

Aged: Aged Cheddar, Aged Provolone, Comte, Goat Gouda
Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, (Double-Cream) Brie or Brie de Meaux, Brillat-Savarin
Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fontina, L’Emmental
Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Danish Blue, Stilton

Note : You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep

Tip: Always make sure the cheese is brought to room temperature - remove the cheese from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving.



Accompaniments
Besides Cheese, Try to offer variety of accompaniments on the plate

Fresh Herbs: Use some fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, to finish off the garnish.
Fresh Fruit: Figs, Pear, Green Apple, Strawberries, Gooseberries, Green & Red Grape (seedless is highly recommended)- try "caviar grapes" a bit pricey but very cute & adorable!
Dried Fruit: Dried Cranberries, Dried Apricots
Roasted Nuts: Almonds, Pistachios
Bread & Crackers: Get Raisin bread, nut bread, sunflower seed loaf, sourdough bread or French baguette, bread with herbs and then get very thin, crispy, salted crackers for soft cheese.

Jarred condiments and vegetables are conveniently to get from any decent supermarkets or good deli-s. Try sweet (fruit) preserves, honey, chutneys, & artichoke’s heart.

Serve : 4

po pia : deep-fried spring rolls

Po Pia : Deep-Fried Spring Rolls

1 pack frozen spring roll wrappers
1 pack of vermicelli, soaked 20 mins in water, cut
4 chinese dried mushrooms, soaked 20 mins in water
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander roots and stems
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of finely chopped bamboo shoots
1 small carrot, finely grated
1 cup of bean sprouts, chopped
1 cup of finely minced pork or chicken
2-3 tablespoon soy sauce
a pinch of sugar
vegetable oil for deep frying

Preparation

*using a mortar, pound the coriander root, black pepper and garlic until finely blended.
* in a pan, heat olive oil
* add the paste (mixed of coriander root, black pepper and garlic), fry till aromatic
* add minced pork, keep stirring to break the pork
* add bamboo shoot
* add carrot
* add dried mushroom
* add vermicelli & bean sprout, keep stir-frying
* season with soy sauce and a very little of sugar
* remove into the mixing bowl and keep aside to cool it down a bit
*place a spring roll wrappers on the flat board and put a full tablespoon of pork in the centre.
*wrap filling of stir-fried the minced pork/chicken. (if you cook both of them a the same time, wrap them in different style. so, you know which is pork or chicken)
*if the spring rolls wrapper does not seal well, use egg yolk to help seal the wrapper.
*deep fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes until golden.
*drain on paper to absorb the excess fat.

*serve with sweet plum sauce

tung thong : deep-fried thai crispy wantons

Tung Thong : Deep-fried Thai Crispy Wantons

5 to 10 wanton wrappers
5 to 10 of spring onions, cut vertically (3-5 inches) to tie the wantons
1 cup minced pork
2 teaspoons coriander root, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of black pepper, finely ground
½ teaspoon soy sauce
2 cups vegetable oil

*using a mortar, pound the coriander root, black pepper and garlic until finely blended.
*then mix with minced pork and soy sauce in a mixing bowl.
*place a wanton wrapper on your palm and put a teaspoon of pork in the centre.
*wrap the minced pork and then tie it tightly with the spring onion.
*if the wanton does not seal well, use egg yolk to help seal the wrapper.
*deep fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes until golden.
*drain on paper to absorb the excess fat.

*serve with sweet plum sauce

pork satay

Pork Satay with Peanut sauce


1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of palm sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 kilo of boneless pork loin, cut into 3 inch long by 1 inch wide by ¼ inch thick strips
bamboo skewers, soaked in water for a few hours
1 cup of thick coconut cream

Combine curry powder, turmeric, palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and oil.
Toss pork strips with marinade.
Thread 3 or 4 pork strips onto the skewers, weaving in-and-out, sideways, in a ribbon fashion.
Marinate for 30 minutes or longer.
Preheat grill.
Brush strips with thick coconut cream.
Place (brushed side down) over hot coals for 1 to 2 minutes or until charred and cooked.
Turn over, brush with coconut cream and grill until cooked.
Serve with Peanut Sauce.


Peanut Dipping Sauce

4 ounces of freshly roasted, unsalted, peanuts
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 ounce chopped onion
1 to 2 tablespoon red or Massaman curry paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce
8 tablespoons coconut milk
4 to 6 teaspoons lime juice, to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons brown sugar

First grind or crush the peanuts to a fairly fine powder.
Then combine them with the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice), to form a smooth sauce.
If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little chicken stock.
Now add the lime juice, tasting as you progress to check the balance of flavors is correct.

Note:
Use red curry paste with beef or pork satay, Massaman with chicken. If you are doing shrimp satay then use half the quantity of Massaman paste.


Aa Jaad - Cucumber Pickle

1/4 cup of rice vinegar
2-3 medium cucumber, peeled
½ cup red onion, thinnly sliced
cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 small fresh red or green chili
1 tablespoon of sugar
a pinch of salt
a dash of black pepper

In a medium bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar & salt are dissolved. Keep it aside to cool down.
Cut cucumber roughly.
Add cucumber, red onion, cilantro and chili into vinegar dressing; toss until combined.
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.