Stewed Pork Belly with Wood-ear Mushroom in Red Yeast Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs pork belly w/ the rind
1/2 package dried wood-ear mushroom, soaked for 30 minutes.
2 Tsp red yeast sauce
4 slices fresh ginger
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup chinese rice wine
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
2 spring onions
2 Tsp rock sugar
1 Tsp cooking oil

Directions
1. Cut the pork belly into large chunks, keep the rind. Drain the water soaking the wood-ear mushroom and lightly rinse the mushroom. Remove the tough core of the mushroom and cut them into bite size
2. Pad the pork belly dry with a piece of paper towel. In a hot frying pan, add in the cooking oil. Fry the pork chunks until both sides are golden and set a side.
3. On a medium size stew pot, add in the ginger slices, spring onions, cinnamon, star anise, cooking wine, soy sauce, rock sugar and red yeast sauce. Boil the ingredients until simmer.
4. Add the fried pork belly and the wood-ear mushroom in the pot. Cover and stew for 40 minutes on medium flame.
5. Serves the dish hot with steamed rice.

Serves 4-6

Persian Cucumber Salad with Fresh Peppermint

Ingredients
3 Persian cucumbers, cut into chunk
1/8 cup shallot, diced finely
1/2 cup chopped peppermint
3/4 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, mix the Persian cucumber, shallot and peppermint together. Season with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Serve as side for main dish, or quiches

Serves 4

Kabocha Squash Quiche

Ingredients

For the crust
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp champagne vinegar

1 9″ pie pan or French tart pan

For the filling
3 large (or 5 small) eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 crumbled goat cheese
3/4 lb kabocha squash
1/2 cup fresh sage
5 pieces sliced prosciutto
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
3 pinches ground nutmeg
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
Pinch of salt & fresh ground pepper
2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

To make the crust
1. Mix the flour, salt, and sugar for 1 minute in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix just until you have a crumbly, sandy mixture.
2. In a small bowl, stir the ice water and vinegar together. Drizzle in the liquid while the mixer still running in medium speed. Mix until a dough forms.
3. On a flour dusted work surface, shape the dough into a disk. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
4. Place the dough on a flour dusted work surface. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and start rolling it outward from the center. Lift up and rotate the dough a quarter turn every minute to ensure even rolling. Keep rolling until the circle is at least 2 inches larger than the pie pan.
5. Transfer the crust to the pan. Make sure the dough settle completely on the pan. At the edge, tuen the crust under the pan (not under the rim of the pan) to make a thick edge.
6. Trim the edge of the crust by using the forefinger of one hand to push the thick dough rim outward while pushing inward with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand. Repeat around the edge to make a rickack pattern.
7. Cover the crust and chill it for 30 minutes, or overnight, before filling.

To make the filing
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the kabocha squash to ~ 1″x1/4″ cubes.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Scatter the kabocha squash in the baking sheet. Drizzle in the olive oil. Season with fresh sage, salt and fresh pepper.
3. Bake the kabocha squash for ~ 25 minutes. Remove the baked squash from the oven and let it cool fore later use.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk until smooth. Stir in the cheese, baked squash, prosciutto parsley and Tabasco.

To bake the quiche
Place the chilled pie crust on a baking sheet, and pour the egg mixture into it.
Bake for 50 minutes, until the quiche is slightly puffed and golden brown on top. Check for doneness by sticking a knife into the custard. It should come out clean, though it may look wet. Serve hot or room temperature, cut into wedges.

Serves 6-8

Orange Flavoured Almond Squares

Ingredients
Crust
¾ lb unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Almond filling
½ lb unsalted butter
½ cup good honey
1 ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp grated orange zest
¼ cup heavy cream
1 ¾ lb sliced almonds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F

For the crust
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add them to the butter-egg-sugar mixture on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 x 12x 1-inch baking sheet. Smooth the dough surface with a spatula. Bake for 10~15 minutes until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

Hint: This crust is rather Crisp. If you like a moist crust, use 1lb butter and 3 eggs.

For the almond filling
Combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and almonds. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Smooth the filling evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25~30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. If needed, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into 1½” x 2 ½” squares and serve.

Crispy tempura batter

Ingredients:
3/4 cup beer(do not use a dark beer!)
3/4 cup rice flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil
seasoning salt

Directions:
1. In a bowl whisk beer with the rice flour until very smooth.
2. Add in salt and garlic powder and cayenne (if using).
3. Let sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes.
4. Heat oil to 375 degrees.
5. Dredge the fish or veggies into the batter coating completely with batter, letting any excess drip off.
6. Deep-fry turning once until golden (about 3 minutes).
7. Transfer to a piece of brown paper (a brown paper bag will do for this!).
8. Season with seasoning salt.

Servings: 4

Homemade Lemon Curd

Yield four containers of 12 oz. lemon curd

Ingredients
zest of 4 large meyer’s lemon
juice of 4 large meyer’s lemon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter

Directions
Melt the butter and set a side for later use. Process the lemon zest and sugar in a food processer until the zest is well mixed with the sugar. While processing, slowly add in the lemon juice. Finally add in the eggs process them with the mixture. Pour the mixture and melt butter in a 2 QT sauce pan and cook with a medium high to high heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is thicken. Pour the lemon curd into containers and let cool.

Serves with shortbreads, cookies, or spread it on a toast

Fried Mackerel Stuffed with Spice Paste

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 hardtail mackerel
3 fresh red chilies
5 dried chilies
6 large shallots
3 stalks fresh lemon grass
1/3 cup yellow ginger
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
2/3 tablespoon tamarind pulp, soak in 1/2 cup of water, extract juice and discard pulps
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup oil

For the Spice Paste -
Blend the fresh chilies, dried chilies, shallots, lemon grass, yellow ginger and tamarind extract with a mini food processor. Seasoned the spice paste with salt and sugar. Set aside to stuff the mackerel.

Directions
1. Clean and rinse fish with water. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep slit from the back of the fish along the bone. Repeat the same on the other side of the fish.
2. Stuff the spice paste into the fish on both sides of the slit. Rubbed the fish stomach with remaining spice paste.
3. Heat up 1/4 cup oil in a wok and deep fried the fish until cooked. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Honey Lavender Shortbreads

Honey lavender shortbread is unique to me because of its exquisite flavour and subtle fragrance, only to be appreciated by those with discriminating and deep sensitive taste. The fullness of lavender scent is meant to be enjoyed in a relaxed and tranquil mood. Welcome to the zen world of fine baking.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs corn starch
1/2 cups confectionary sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz. unsalted butter, in room temperature
1 1/2 Tbs dried lavender buds
1/2 tsp baking powder
granulated sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions
1. In an electric mixer, cream the butter with honey, corn starch and confectionary sugar until they blend well. Add in flour, salt, baking powder and dried lavender buds to the mixture until it forms a soft dough.
2. Split the dough into two portions and wrap them with clear plastic wrap. Tighten the two ends of the dough and let them chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes
3. Roll the dough flat, about 1/3 inch thick on a working surface dusted with flour. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut the the dough into desired baking shape. For a rustic looking shortbread, simply cut the log of dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet and sprinkle the granulated sugar on the cookie surface (optional).
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degree and bake the cookies for 10~11 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Make 18 ~ 20 cookies

Salmon Fried Rice w/ Fresh Thymes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
4 cups of cooked short grain rice
2/3 lb salmon fillet
2 beated eggs
1 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced to fine strips
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 Tsp freshly chopped sage
5 Tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 Tsp ketchup
2 Tsp soy sauce
5 Tsp of cooking olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Directions
Seasoned the salmon fillet –
Trimmed the salmon skin away and cut it into small cubes, each cube is about 1/2 inch size.
Seasoned the salmon cubes with salt, pepper and rubbed sage. Let it chilled in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Making the fried rice -
1. In a hot wok, add 2 Tsp of olive oil to scramble the beated eggs. Put it a side for later use.
2. Add the remaining olive oil and chopped onion into the hot wok and stir fried until you smell the aroma of the onion. Then add in the salmon cubes and stir fry until the salmon are mostly cooked.
3. Add the cooked rice, scrambled eggs and green bell pepper strips into the wok and stir fry them well with the salmon and onion for 3-5 minutes. Season the fried rice with the chopped sage, fresh thyme, ketchup, soy sauce, salt and pepper.
4. The fried rice is done when the grains are visibly seperated from each other.

Pineapple Shortcakes

Pineapple shortcakes are not my new invention. You can find them in any asian grocery stores, but those pineapple shortcakes are mostly filled with winter melon paste seasoned with artificial pineapple flavor. No wonder they taste so different from the pineapple shortcakes I remember. Craving for my childhood favourite, I finally rolled up my sleeves to try to bake some. Starting from processing the pineapple jam… To make a long story short, they become the darlings to almost everyone in my social circle.

For pineapple filling –
Ingredients
1 ripen golden pineapple
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large cinnamon stick

Method:
1. Processed the pineapple to smallest dices as possible, cut off the core.
2. In a 2 Qt saucepan, add in the crushed pineapple, sugar and cinnamon stick. Cook the ingredients using medium heat until the liquid is completely evaporated and the crushed pineapple turned golden. Discard the cinnamon stick
3. Using a hand blender, blend the crushed pineapple to the form of pineapple jam.
4. Set aside and let it cool in the fridge before use

Tips: Stir constantly using a wooden spoon to avoid burning.

For the shortcakes dough -
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 sticks/8oz. of unsalted butter in room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg yolks (save 1 for making egg wash)
4 Tsp icing sugar/powder sugar
2 Tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
30-45 Whole cloves

Methods:
1. In an electric mixer, beat the butter. Start with a slow speed and then gradually increase the beating speed until it is fluffy and light in color.
2. Add in icing sugar, 2 egg yolks and cornstarch they are well combined with the butter.
3. Slowly beat in the flour and salt until they are combined and detached from the mixer bowl.
4. Shaped the dough in to a tube, approx. six inches long. Wrapped the dough with clear plastic wrap. Compress the dough firmly and secured both end by twisting them tightly.
5. Put the dough in the fridge to chill for approx. 30mins

Tips: egg yolks will make the shortcakes extra crumbly. Cornstarch will absorb extra moisture contained in the egg yolks to make the shortcakes firmer.

To complete the pineapple shortcakes -
1.On a floured surface, divide the chilled dough into 30 equal rounds. (you could divide the rounded dough to half if it is too much for one filling.)
2. Flatten the dough with the palms and put the pineapple filling in the middle and use the dough to cover the filling.
3. Use your palms to round and shape it up.
4. Add a bit of water into the remaining egg yolk and mix it up evenly. Brush the pineapple shortcakes with the egg yolk wash.
5. For round shape pineapple shortcake, Stuck a piece of whole clove on the top of the shortcake.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the pineapple shortcake for 25mins. Let it cool for about 15mins before serving.

(make approx. 30-45 pieces, depending on the size of the shortcakes)