Valentine's
Day brings about tens of thousands of flowers made ready in florists,
supermarkets, and even at the roadside. Chocolates of every shape
and flavour vie for attention. Soft plush teddies and bunnies wink
at passersby. All of this in honour of a celebration of love. In
2014 Valentine's Day brought with it something else, it was the birth
of Unleash Your Taste, and it
has grown with thousands of readers ready to celebrate the first
anniversary.
Unleash
Your Taste has been a daily
expression of the love of life and the love of food. The goals for
Unleash were simple,
to present recipes in easy, plain language and to endorse one basic
principle: that anyone can cook.
So
I decided to avoid the trap of repeating ideas like heart-shaped
pancakes or for that matter anything heart shaped. Instead I offer a
few recipes that warm the heart as they excite the taste buds. After
all love should last far more than one day's celebration, and a
favourite recipe comes to visit your kitchen over and over again.
Think
of food as an extension of the emotions that you feel for your
partner, your family and friends, and for yourself, dare to be
different. These recipes come from varying cultures
with
one commonality shared; an explosion of taste that is subtle and
sweet lingering in your memory. Isn't that what love is?
A big thank you to all who have stopped
to taste and savour the joys of cooking with Unleash Your Taste.
Today a new year begins with new adventures to discover and new
friends to bring home to entertain your senses.
Tamarind
Meatballs
3 oz tamarind in a block
1 cup boiling water
1 stalk lemongrass
2 eggs
1/2 cup jasmine rice, cooked
3 tbsp grated ginger root
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lbs ground pork or beef (or mixture)
1 can coconut milk
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp Thai red or yellow curry paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
chopped fresh cilantro & mint
Add tamarind to bowl of boiling water and
let stand for 30 minutes.
Trim of dry layers of lemongrass. Cut
stalk in half lengthwise.
Remove tender inner core and mince to
make 1 teaspoon.
Cut remaining in half, hit with broad
side of knife to bruise and set aside.
Beat eggs with fork in bowl.
Stir in minced lemongrass, rice, 1
tablespoon of grated ginger, salt & pepper.
Blend in ground pork.
Make into small balls and place on baking
sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until no
longer pink inside. Transfer and chill.
Strain soaked tamarind through fine mesh
strainer, pressing pulp with spatula
to extract as much tamarind as possible.
Discard solids.
Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk until bubbling.
Add reserved lemongrass, remaining
ginger, garlic and curry paste.
Saute for about 2 to 3 minutes till
ginger and garlic are fragrant.
Add tamarind water, remaining coconut
milk, sugar and fish sauce, bring to a boil stirring often.
Reduce heat and boil gently for 15
minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove lemongrass, transfer to container
and chill.
To serve boil extra rice and place 2
meatballs on top and pour enough sauce.
(Serves 6)
Potato
& Mushroom Frittata
2 tbsp butter
1lb mixed mushroom, sliced
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh,
minced
1 medium oblong potato, peeled
12 eggs
1/2 cup cream (any type)
1
cup Gruyère
cheese, shredded
Melt butter, saute sliced mushrooms, 1/2
teaspoon salt, pepper and rosemary for
10 to 15 minutes or till golden brown.
Shred potato on coarse side of box cutter
– 1 cup.
Strain excess liquid and stir into
mushroom to evenly combine.
Whisk eggs in bowl until frothy.
Whisk in cream, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp
pepper.
Pour over potatoes and mushrooms and
sprinkle with cheese.
Bake
for about 25 minutes at 400°
then let stand to cool.
(Serves 4-6)
Coconut
Chicken Stir Fry
Coconut Stir Fry Sauce:
2 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 1/2 fl. oz sweet soy
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chili flakes
1/2 fl. oz fish sauce
4 chicken breasts cubed
2 tsp sesame oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup carrots, julienne
1/2 cup red onion, julienne
3/4 cup yellow pepper, julienne
1/4 cup green onion, bias cut
1/4 oz ginger, minced
4 fl. oz chicken stock
4 fl. oz white wine
2 tbsp basil, chopped
2 3/8 cup coconut stir fry sauce
24 - 31/40 shrimp
3 1/2 cup rice noodles, cooked
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
Heat pan to high, add sesame oil.
Take one fresh egg, crack into pan,
scramble and add chicken.
Cook chicken with egg till chicken is 3/4
cooked then set aside.
Bring
heat back to pan; add carrots, red onion, yellow pepper,
green onion and ginger.
Saute for 3 to 4 minutes then add
remaining eggs and scramble together with vegetables,
cook till egg is done.
Add chicken stock and chicken back to pan
and cook for 2 -3 minutes, then set aside.
Deglaze pan with white wine, add chopped
basil, coconut sauce
and cook on low till sauce bubbles.
Remove from pan, serve as a bed to
vegetable chicken mix.
(Serves 6)
Pastitsio
olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp clove
salt & pepper
2 lbs lean ground beef or lamb
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk, heated
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
275 g penne pasta
3 eggs
3/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt
Heat oil and add onions, cook till soft.
Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano,
cinnamon, thyme, allspice, cloves, salt & pepper and cook
for 2 minutes or till fragrant.
Increase heat and add meat, cook till
meat is no longer pink
and juices evaporate (about 15 minutes).
Stir in crushed tomatoes and vinegar and
bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 40
minutes, stirring often until sauce thickens.
Discard bay leaves, season with salt and
pepper and set aside.
Melt butter over medium heat, sprinkle
flour in and cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
Pour in hot milk whilst whisking.
Reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes
till sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and whisk in nutmeg, 1
cup parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. Set aside.
Cook pasta till desired tenderness and
set aside.
Butter an oven pan (baking dish).
Pour in 1 cup of cheese sauce into pasta
and toss to coat.
Spread on the bottom, then spread meat
sauce evenly over the top.
Whisk eggs in bowl, whisk in yoghurt, add
remaining cheese sauce and whisk till blended.
Spread gently over meat sauce and
sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese.
Bake
at 375°
for about 1 hour or until sauce bubbles and top browns.
(Serves 6)
Fettuccine
All By Itself
1 box or pack of fettuccine of choice
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
1 small red onion, chopped finely
2 tbsp white truffle oil
1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped for
garnish
Saute finely chopped red pepper and onion
till onion is translucent and set aside.
Boil and drain fettuccine, put in large
bowl and drizzle with truffle oil
(white truffle oil is more reasonable on
cost).
Mix
in sautéed
peppers and onions, then dust down with parmigiano-reggiano cheese
and mix through well.
Serve with a garnish of fresh dill.
(Serves 4-6)
Easy
Chocolate Mousse
2 eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp brandy or favourite liqueur
Beat eggs and granulated sugar for
approximately 3 minutes.
Heat 1 cup whipping cream until hot, do
not boil.
Pour hot cream into egg mixture and mix
gently until combined.
Put egg and cream mixture into saucepan
and heat stirring constantly for approximately
5 minutes until combined mixture
thickens, but do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate
till all is melted.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours,
stirring occasionally, add brandy or liqueur.
When chocolate mixture is cooled beat
remaining whipping cream to get high peaks.
Remove chocolate from fridge and
gradually fold through the whipped cream until
everything is combined and smooth.
Serve as is or garnish with chocolate
shavings and fresh mint.
Pastel
De Nata
1 sheet puff pastry
6 egg yolks
150 g caster sugar
2 tbsp corn flour
680 ml homogenized milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon peel
For the custard:
Dissolve the cornflour with milk and
strain into saucepan; add sugar, egg yolks
and vanilla extract, mix well.
Add cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
Cook mixture over medium heat, mix
constantly until it thickens.
Pour through and sift again into bowl and
remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
Cover custard with cling wrap and press
wrap down onto the surface of the custard, set aside to cool.
If using puff pastry as a sheet, roll out
sheet then cut into 3 inch squares.
Fill muffin tins and bake at 375°
for about 15-20 minutes till puff tarts are lightly golden.
If using prepared tart shells, bake for
15 minutes till lightly golden,
let cool and fill with custard mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes at 375°
to have custard set, dust with icing sugar and serve.
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