Nachos

July 1st, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

Sunday, hangover, a couple of DVDs to watch, and this big heap of Nachos.

I won’t get off the couch today.

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— Nachos (serves 2) —

100g tortilla chips

50g cheddar cheese, grated

Some sour cream

Some black olives, sliced

Some romaine lettuce, shredded

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— for Tomato Salsa —

2 tomatoes (medium), chopped into small cubes

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1 green jalapeno chilli, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt to taste (optional)

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— for Chunky Avocado Dip —

1 ripe avocado, peeled and stoned, cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

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To make the tomato salsa: mix all the salsa ingredients in a bowl.

To make the chunky avocado dip: mix all the dip ingredients in a bowl.

Arrange the tortilla chips on a heatproof plate. Sprinkle over the grated cheese.

Grill for about 3 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Top nachos with the shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, tomato salsa, avocado dip and sour cream.

Baked Cheesecake

June 27th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

This is a classic New York style cheesecake. Rich, creamy and dense.
Simply delicious.

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— Baked Cheesecake (7 inches round cake tin) —

100g digestive biscuits

50g unsalted butter, melted

300g cream cheese

150g sugar

200ml sour cream

2 eggs

100ml single cream

2 tablespoons corn flour

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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Crush the biscuits until fine, add the melted butter and mix well to combine.

Spread the biscuit mixture onto the bottom of spring form cake pan, pressing down firmly. Refrigerate the biscuit base while making the filling.

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl, add the sour cram and sugar, mix well. Add eggs 1 at a time, mix well. Add the single cream, lemon zest and lemon juice, mix well, and then add the corn flour and mix.

Pour the mixture through a strainer onto the biscuit base.

Place the cake pan inside a oven dish, pour hot water around the pan (wrap the pan first with aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking through the bottom).

Bake until set and golden on top about 1 hour.

Turn the oven off, and let the cake cool in oven with the door closed for a couple of hours.

Chill in refrigerator, preferably over night.

Roast Potatoes

June 15th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

Potatoes are very friendly. They can get on well with almost everything.

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— Roast Potatoes —

1kg floury potatoes, peeled and quartered

Extra virgin olive oil

1 bulb of garlic

Handful of  fresh rosemary sprigs

Sea salt and pepper

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Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.

Break the garlic bulb into cloves (unpeeled), lightly crush them. Pick the rosemary leaves from the stalks.

Place the potatoes in a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 6 minutes.

Drain well and let dry for two minutes then Return the potatoes to the hot pan and shake it around to chuff up the edges.

Place the potatoes, garlic and rosemary into the roasting tin.

Drizzle the olive oil generously over everything and toss with your hands.

Season well with sea salt and pepper.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Green Tea Chocolate Truffles

June 9th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

‘Matcha’ tea powder is made from the whole green tea leaf. Zen Buddhist monks in Japan began drinking Matcha as a meditational drink over 800 years ago, and it’s used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Matcha’s elegant bitterness blends well with creamy white chocolate.
Lovely green treat for a relaxing weekend.

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— Green Tea Chocolate Truffles —

300g white chocolate, finely chopped

100ml single cream

20g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons Matcha powder

Some Matcha powder for dusting

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In a small saucepan bring the single cream just to a boil, remove the pan from the heat.

Add the finely chopped white chocolate and butter in the pan, mix until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth with a rubber spatul. Shift in the Matcha powder and mix completely.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a small square baking pan or dish lined with non-stick baking paper.

Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until set.

Turn the mixture out onto a cutting board, peel off the baking paper, and cut the mixture into 3/4 inch squares.

Dust with the matcha powder.

Egg & Soldiers

June 5th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

This cute British snack is one of my favourite breakfast.

Simple, adorable and fun to eat. It makes me happy and smiley in the morning.

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— Egg & Soldiers —

eggs

breads

butter

A pinch of salt

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Toast breads and spread butter. Slice into strips.

In a sauce pan, bring some water to the boil. Using a spoon, carefully place the eggs in the pan. Cook them for 4-6 minutes.

Place the boiled eggs into egg cups. Slice off the top of the egg with a knife and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Serve with the toast strips.

Carrot Fritters with Avocado Yogurt Dip

May 31st, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

This is the emergency treatment menu for my facial sunburn.
Plenty of Vitamins :)

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— Carrot Fritters with Avocado Yogurt Dip (12 fritters) —

300g carrots, finely shredded

1 onion, grated

100g bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

A pinch of black pepper

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

*****

— for Avocado Yogurt Dip —

2 ripe avocado (medium size)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

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Mix the shredded carrot, grated onion, bread crumbs, beaten eggs and salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well with a hand.

Shape the mixture into 12 flattened rounds.

Heat the oil to 340F/170C, and deep-fry until golden. Place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

To make the avocado yogurt dip: Peel and stone the avocados. Mash them with a fork until smooth. Mix all the ingredients of the avocado yogurt dip together in a bowl.

Spaghetti with Sardines & Lemon

May 28th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

It’s been a long time since my last post.
I’ve been too busy lately, well, no, maybe it’s an excuse for being lazy…

I haven’t done much cooking, and I haven’t played much with my cat (sorry, Mika).

I shouldn’t forget what I like to do.

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— Spaghetti with Sardines & Lemon (serves 2) — 

160g spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tin sardines in olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1 lemon zest (grated)

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

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Add the spaghetti to lightly salted boiling water, cook until al dente (keep 2 tablespoons of pasta water).

Heat the olive oil and fry the garlic in a large frying-pan over medium heat, until the garlic becomes lightly golden. Add the sardine, sauté until sardines are golden. Season with salt and black pepper

Add the cooked spaghetti and 2 tablespoons of pasta water in the frying-pan, toss well.  Sprinkle with the grated lemon zest and chopped parsley.

Red Wine Risotto

April 15th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

I got drunk while I was cooking this red wine risotto (added the red wine to the risotto rice and to myself too).
And, I feel already happy even before I have the lovely bordeaux coloured Sunday lunch.

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— Red Wine Risotto (serves 2) —

50g butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

140g risotto rice

300ml hot chicken stock

300ml dry red wine

40g parmesan cheese, grated

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Heat the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.

Add the rice and thyme, stir for 5 minutes until the rice start to turn translucent at the edges.

Add half of the red wine, stir continuously until all the wine has been absorbed. Pour in a ladle of chicken stock, stirring continuously. When the stock has been absorbed, stir in another ladleful. Continue adding the stock in this way until all the stock has been absorbed.

Add the remaining red wine to the risotto, in the same way as the stock, stirring continuously until it has been absorbed. The rice should be al dente.

Stir in half of the grated parmesan cheese just before serving.

Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese on top of the risotto.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse

April 6th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

I have a good excuse to spoil myself with this creamy dreamy Baileys flavoured chocolate mousse today.

Happy Easter x

 

Chilled Soba Noodles with Avocado

March 26th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, they provide vitamin B1 and B2, and are rich in protein, minerals and fibers.

This chilled soba noodle dish is very refreshing, and very good for your health.

Served with traditional Japanese noodle sauce.

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— Chilled Soba Noodles with Avocado (Serves 2) —

160g soba noodles

1 avocado

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

150g mooli, grated

2 tablespoons chopped spring onion

1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

Some wasabi paste (optional)

*****

— for the sauce —

2 tablespoons mirin* (*sweet cooking alcohol; available in oriental grocery shops)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

100ml water

1/4 teaspoon dashi powder (available in oriental grocery shops)

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To make the sauce: place the mirin in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Add the soy sauce, 100ml of water and dashi powder to the mirin and then bring back to the boil. Remove from the heat, leave to cool.

Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying-pan over medium-low heat until golden.

Cook the soba noodles in large pot of boiling water until cooked (follow the package directions). Drain and rinse well under cold water and drain again.

Cut the avocado into small pieces, toss with the lemon juice.

Transfer the soba noodles to large bowl. Arrange the grated mooli and avocado. Sprinkle with the chopped spring onion and toasted sesame seeds.

Mix a little bit of wasabi paste into the sauce if you want. Drizzle the sauce over the noodles just before you eat.

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