Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes to go with Beef Stew

Ingredients

8 Russet Potatoes
200g of butter
2 Large pinch of nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
2 cups of milk


Method

• Cut potatoes into half and place in a steamer. Cover with a lid and steam for 20 mins until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
• Melt butter in a saucepan. Let it foam once and then let it continue to cook over low heat until it begins to brown. When it is just golden, take it off the heat and add the milk.
• Add brown butter, nutmeg, milk, salt and pepper to the potatoes. Mash potatoes in a bowl with a potatoe masher.

NOTE: For lazy sheep like me alternatively can just mash the potatoes then add in all other ingredients, no need to brown the butter also ok...but the potatoes must be hot in order to melt butter. ( All my sisters will love me for this shortcut. They must be thinking why so "mafan" one before they come to this point, haha. ) Anyway, mash potatoes is not the "猪脚"，opps its 主角.
Dun let it take over the glam of your beef stew la. Enjoy:))

Beef Stew

This beef stew was cook in a Thermal pot - I use Endo brand. I prepare this dish the night before the Tea Party on Sunday afternoon. Hmm... 17 hours in the pot, smells great. Dun worry it is still edible. Haha. Just need one more boiling point on the stove before serving . Best eaten with mashed potatoes.

I would suggest that you use fresh beef instead of frozen beef. Tasty more tender. I got this fresh beef from Cold Storage at Holland.

Ingredients

1 kg of beef, cut into medium chunks. ( You can use beef cubes, for me I use beef flanks )
3 tbsp of olive oil ( for browning the beef )
3 onions, chopped into big chunks
3 carrots, chopped into big chunks
3 stalks of celery, chopped into big chunks
1 head of garlic, peeled ( I am talking about 1 full head, NOT 1 clove ya )
3 cups of red wine
1/4 cup of tomatoe paste
1 can of beef stock ( I use 1 pc of knorr beef bouillon cube mix with about 3 cups of hot water )
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt & Pepper


Method

• Season beef with salt & pepper.
• Heat oil in a large pot. Add beef and brown it evenly and thoroughly.
• Remove beef and reserve on a plate.
• In the same pot, add onions to fry, follow by carrots and celery.
• Saute and make sure to scrape up every brown bits in the bottom of the pot until vegetables are caramelized.
• Add garlic, wine and tomotoe paste, stir well.
• Add beef stock, beef, bay leaves and fresh thyme, bring to a simmer, covered ( low heat for 2 -3 hours, if you are not using thermal pot )
• If you are using a thermal pot, boil the stew on the stove for 10 - 15 mins, remove from stove and put into the thermal unit. Hot delicious stew will be ready in 10 hours time ( the longer the stew cooks, the more flavour you will get, its yummy trust me lah )

Note: Should you find the stew not at the right consistency, that is not thick enough, you can thicken the gravy with corn starch mix with a few tbsp of water. Slowly stir into the stew, keep stirring the stew to reach your desired consistency.

Chocolate Elcairs

I made this Elcairs this afternoon, fairly easy. This stuff cannot eat everyday ya ... sure to will put on weight.

Nevertheless, Hubby loves it, he ate 4, comment from him is that its been so long since he last ate chocolate. So sheep me dun know its the chocolate he likes or the elcairs. But who cares he ate 4 leh...heehee.

You can consider to reduce the sugar in the pastry cream and use unsweeten baking chocolate as chocolate topping but beware unsweeten chocolate may taste a bit bitter.


Ingredients:

For Choux pastry

200 ml of water
120g of butter
1 cup of flour
a pinch of salt
5 eggs


For Pastry Cream

500 ml of cream ( I use 400 ml of pure cream instead )
250g of sugar ( I use 180g of sugar instead )

For Chocolate Topping

150g of baking chocolate
60g of butter


Method:

• Preheat oven to 190 degree C
• Place a small pan on medium heat. Add water, butter and salt, bring to boil.
• Once boiling, add flour to the pan of water and stir well with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth dough. Set aside to cool.
• Meantime prepare the pastry cream. Add cream and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk it continuously till the cream starts to form stiff peaks.
• Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for later use.
• Once pastry has cool down, add in one egg and thoroughly combine using the wooden spoon, then continue to add all eggs one by one until the dough has formed a smooth elastic appearance.
• Transfer dough into a piping bag.
• Cover the baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper or simply use a silicone baking mat.
• Pipe the pastry dough into a 3cm wide and 8 cm long, log shape cylinders.
• Place into the preheated oven and bake for 25 mins.
• While elcairs are baking in the oven, prepare chocolate sauce, place a pan with water on low heat, cover the pan with a bowl with chocolate and butter ( hot water bath ).
• Allow to melt slowly, stirring continuosly.
• Remove from the hot water bath once chocolate and butter is completely melted. Set aside to cool.
• Remove the elcairs from oven and allow to cool completely. When cooled, sliced the length of the elcairs with a sharp knife to make a slight opening, spoon the elcairs with cream.
• Dribble melted chocolate lengthways over each elcairs.
• Pop into the fridge to cool.
• Serve cold.
• Nice. Done!!! Enjoy:)))

Cherry Clafouti

I actually wanted to bake blueberry scones today but blueberry is not avail:((( only dried ones which will cost $9 dollars plus... a bit x for a first time try dish ... Haiz ... But then at this moment, light shine before my eyes, haha I saw this red & juicy cherries. They are begging me to buy them, so I decided to change plans. Instead I will bake this Cherry Clafouti - a french dessert. First try, a bit dark ya. Taste like egg tart, Hubby no like leh cos got the egg taste he says:(

The most exciting part is the removal of pits from the cherry, I use a DIY cherry pit removal gadget.

Erm... abit not the exact design, well there should be 2 fine hooks instead of 1, but my theory 不管是黑猫，白猫，能捉老鼠的就是好猫 ( I don't care if its a white cat or a black cat. It's a good cat so long it catches mice ), this Captain Hook did a great job removing all pits with no sweat...haha.

Ingredients

( I double up the Ingredients amount to make the above Cherry Clafouti, alternatively you can use the below recipe but in a smaller casserole dish )

1/2 cup of flour
2/3 cup sugar ( divide into 2 portion of 1/3 )
1 1/4 cup of milk
3 eggs
1 tbsp of vanilla
pinch of salt
A couple handful of cherries

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
• In a mixing bowl, whisk flour sugar, milk, salt till well combine there should be no lumps in the mixture
• Add eggs and whisk again
• Add vanilla, whisk again ( this is the egg custard batter )
• Butter the bottom of the cassarole dish, about a tsp of butter
• Pour in half of the batter, set in the oven for about 12 mins ( custard batter will set, so we can put the cherries won't sink to the bottom )
• Line the cherries on the cassarole dish, pour 1/3 sugar on the cherries and top with rest of the custard.
• Bake in oven for 40 mins.
• Cool till just warm, serve.

Blueberry Scone

Sorry for the late posting of photos. Actually made it last sat for a picnic cum kite flying at ECP. But then I forgot to take pictures...Sighzzz...so blur lor.

So this Friday, I die die must bake again so that you all will be convince that this recipe is worth trying. All scones are gone, my SF love it so much some even "ta-bao". Hee...

If like your scones a bit moist, try this blueberry scones recipe. If you like it a bit dry can try the scottish scones with raisins.

Btw, the recipe instruction says cut dough into triangles, which I did last sat. I think its a bit too big piece to digest alone, this batch I make in squares sizes.

Enjoy:)))

Ingredient

2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of grated lemon zest
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup of sour cream
8 tbsp of butter, cut into thick dice, refreeze ( 113 gram )
1 1/2 cups of frozen fresh blue berries


Method

• Whisk dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl



• In another bowl, whisk whole milk & sour cream together



• Add frozen butter into dry ingredients, mix quickly into the flour with hands, or cut with a pastry cutter, add liquid mixture into the bowl, fold into just combine dough.



• Heavily flour the table or working board ( for me, i use my silicone baking mat ), pour the dough onto the floured surface, gently & quickly knead the dough for 6-7 turns until it is just combine.



• Flour the table again, roll dough into a 12 inch square



• Fold the dough using triple ply technic, do the same triple ply fold on the sides too ( just like fold a letter ), this will form a small square dough.



• Put the dough on a floured plate, put into the freezer for 5 mins



• Roll the cold dough into a 12 inch square



• Add & press the frozen blue berry on the flatten dough



• Roll into a nice & tight log, if dough sticks, just add more flour



• Flatten the log slightly to about 4 inches wide



• Use a sharp knife, cut into 4 equal parts ( remember DON't cut directly on your silicon baking mat, do it on table or chopboard, anything flat surface but the S-mat... I will go mad...that is my favourite helper, actually i heartpain the $$ if my mat gets hurt:)



• Cut each dough parts into a triangle.



• Coat the top of the triangle dough with melted butter, sprinkle some sugar on the top of the dough



• Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degree celsius for about 18 to 20 mins ( make sure the scone is golden brown on the top & bottom )



• Cool the hot scones for about 10 mins before serving.

Noodle Salad ( Korean Style Cold Noodles )

This is a cold spicy dish. Light & Refreshing. Best for hot weather like Singapore.







Ingredients

2 bundles of soba noodles ( can purchase dried soba at NTUC or fresh made frozen soba from Korea store )
1 Japanese Cucumber cut into thin strips
1/2 Carrot cut into thin strips
2 Beaten Eggs, Fry in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cut into thin strips


Sauce

2 tbsp of Gochujang ( korean chilli sauce )
2 tbsp of rice vinegar ( can replace with apple cider vinegar )
1 tbsp of soya sauce
1 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of brown sugar
1 tbsp of sesame oil



Method

• Combine ingredients for sauce and blend well. Refrigerate to chill.
• Blanch noodles in boiling water then wash under cold running water. Alternatively can immerse noodles in a big bowl of ice water. Drain well.
• Mix noodles with chilled sauce and toss with Japanese cucumber, carrot, eggs.
• Serve cold.
  

Swiss Potatoe Rosti

Ingredient:

900g of Potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 Onion - Finely chopped
Salt to taste
Ground Black Pepper to taste
Butter/ Vegetable oil


Method

• Boiled potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water for 15 - 20 mins till barely tender ( test by poke potatoes with a knife of chopstick )


• Cool under cold running water ( no need to peel potatoes cos the skin will peel off when grated )


• Grate potatoes into a large bowl using the coarest blade of the grater.


• Mix in chopped onion, salt & pepper


• Heat butter in a 23cm frying pan. Add potatoe mixture and pat lightly into a large, flat round cake with a spatula. Add dots of butter on the top & sides of the potatoe rosti.


• Cook over low heat for 10 - 15 mins until underside is crusty & browned.


• Cover the frying pan with a plate, flip over the frying pan to empty rosti onto plate.


• Slide it back into the frying pan. Cook for anothe 10 - 15 mins until underside is crisp and well browned.


• Serve immediately

This is a simple recipe for tea break, specially when you have not much ingredient or snacks around. Enjoy:)))