Baked olive rice

To make the stock:
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
1/2 cup finely chopped black olive (can)
4 shallots
2 garlic
3 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Fry black olive with chopped shallots and garlic with olive oil. Add fresh milk, chicken stock, yoghurt, salt and pepper.
Once the stock comes to boil, take it off the stove.

To make the rice:
3 cups of long grain indian pastrami rice

Soak in water for 1/2 hour. Drain well.
Put in baking pan and pour the stock into rice.
Cover with aluminium foil and baked in oven at 200 degrees (preheated oven) for 20 minutes. Bring down temperature to 120 degrees and continue to bake for 10 mins.
Take out the pan from the oven but leave aluminium foil covered for 10 mins.
Serve with panfried salmon with alfredo sauce, rosemary chicken, black pepper beef or any meat of your choice.

going french

Lately, i have been reading up on french cooking. One of the books i definitely want to get my hands on is ‘The French Laundry’ Cookbook. This is a compilation of over 150 recipes of Thomas Keller, one of America’s finest chefs.

Avocado shake

I tried this at a vietnamese restaurant and love it. It costs $6 per glass. Decided to try it at home and it worked! Also brings back good memories of Karma cafe at Portland where they serve the yummiest avocado smoothie with bubbles.

1 avocado (ripe)
2 tablespoons of honey (according to taste)
1 cup fresh milk
ice-cubes (1 glass or according to the thickness you want)

Mix the avocado, honey, milk and ice-cubes in a juice blender till smooth.
Pour it out to serve.

Rosemary chicken

This is one of my dad’s best recipes. I had it since i was a kid and its my comfort food when i was in Melbourne. I can’t tell you the measurement coz’ its all according to taste. You just have to try it and modify the quantity according to what you like.

The marinate:
1 can of tomato puree
Honey
Oyster sauce
Sweet chilli sauce
Olive oil
Rosemary leaves (fresh or dried, McCormick brand will do)
Roast chicken seasoning (McCormick brand)
Salt
Black course pepper

4 boneless maryland chicken thigh
Small shallots, peeled and smashed

Marinate the chicken with the sauce and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Lay it out on a roasting pan and add the shallots.
Roast in the oven at 160 degrees for 50 mins, till the skin is brown.
Serve with baked potatoes or mashed potatoes and salad/cooked vegetables.

Bread & Butter pudding

half an unsliced white loaf
butter for spreading 

brown sugar 

1/2 pint milk, full fat is nicest 

dried fruit or other soft fruit (fig, sultanas or bananas)

pinch of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg

An oven proof dish/casserole 



Slice the bread into 3/4 inch thick slices and remove the crusts. Butter the slices all over, both sides and line the dish
Sprinkle over the dried fruit or other fruits. Sprinkle some brown sugar over that and add a cover of more buttered bread, covering all the fruit. Pierce the bread a few times and then slowly pour over the milk, letting it all soak into the bread before adding more. When the bread is really sopping with milk sprinkle more sugar over the top and then a little cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Bake in a low oven, approx 140 c, 275 f, gm 1 for a couple of hours until it rises up and the sugar caramelize s on top.


Serve hot with ice cream or cold with custard

How to make sweet shortcrust pastry

2 cups plain (all purpose) flour
3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
150 g (5 oz) cold butter, chopped
2-3 tablespoons iced water

Process the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough and process until just combined. Knead the dough lightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface or between sheets of non-stick baking paper until 2-3 mm (1/8 inch) thick, or whatever thickness required, and line the tart tin (use a 10 inch/26 cm pie dish or tart tin).

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (350 F). Place a piece of non-stick baking paper over the pastry and fill with baking weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 mins, remove the weights and bake for a further 10 mins or until the pastry is golden. Spoon in the filling and bake again as the recipe indicates.

Apple Pie

1 quantity sweet short crust pastry (see how to make shortcrust pastry, under ‘The Basics’)
1 egg, lightly beaten
sugar for sprinkling

Filling
8 green apples (1.2 kg) peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon almond meal

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (375 F). To make the filling, place the apples and water in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Cover and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally for 5 mins or until just tender. Drain and cool completely. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.

Divide the pastry into two-thirds and one-third. Roll out the two-thirds portion on a lightly floured surface until 3mm (1/8 inch) thick and place in a shallow 24 cm (9.5 inch) pie tin. Sprinkle over the almond meal and pack the apples tightly into the pastry shell.

Roll out the remaining pastry to fit over the top of the pie. Brush the rim with water, press the edges together and trim. Cut several slits in the top of the pastry, brush with the egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Serves 8.