Announcement

This site will be migrating to a new address.
Please visit me at @Køkken and change your subscription to this blog to my RSS Feed

You Will Be Redirected!

Please do not leave any more messages on this blog. I will not be publishing or responding to any more comments left here. You will be automatically redirected to http://www.atkokken.com All posts have been migrated. You will be able to locate any posts by performing a quick search at my new site. Thank you.
Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Spaghetti With Creamy Garlic Prawns

Pin It
GarlicSpg5

This one is for the serious aromatic lovers - garlic, leek and parsley- this recipe has it all in generous portions.

I am thankful that I am not allergic to to any of the aromatic vegetables. I have a colleague in Italy who is allergic to garlic and I don't know how he overcome meal time challenges at one of the gastronomic capitals of the world. I imagine it to be pure torture.
I am also fortunate that I happen to love the distinctively pungent aromas of wonderful herbs and vegetables such as garlic, parsley, coriander, celery etc. I well up in frustration when friends I dine with reject herbs with a strong smell. I try hard to be tolerant but it will always remain beyond my comprehension.

In a world laden with processed food and additives, garlics boost our immunity and minimise heart ailments. Leek on the other hand,is a great source of fibre and has laxative, antiseptic and anti-arthritic properties.

GarlicSpg2

GarlicSpg8
Cooking a recipe like this will have all your neighbours thinking that you are a great cook. The aroma is intoxicating and evokes imagery of sizzling gourmet food. It doesn't hurt when the recipe is really easy to manage.
So who's afraid of the aromatics???

GarlicSpg7(250)
Spaghetti With Creamy Garlic Prawns
Recipe:

2 tbsp Olive oil
16 Raw medium size prawns, shelled and deveined
30g Leek chopped
40g Garlic, minced
1/2tsp Chilli flakes
125ml Dry white wine
50ml Cream
250g Spaghetti
3 tbsp Chopped flat leave parsley

Method :

1. Season prawns with salt. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and prawns to the pan and cook at high heat for 2-3 mins or until cooked. Remove from the pan, cover and keep warm.

2. Start cooking pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. (I used tagliatelle which required me to cook for 12mins hence I start early here)

3.Heat the remaining oil in the same pan, add the leek and cook, stirring over medium heat for 2-3 mins or until softened. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and stir for 1 mins.

4. Pour in the wine and simmer for 4 mins or until reduced. Add the cream and simmer for 3 mins or until just thickened.

5. The pasta should be ready and drained by now.

6. Stir parsley into the sauce and season with salt to taste. Return drained pasta into the pan and stir to coat.

7. Divide among serving bowls and top with prawns.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Steamed Prawns With Egg White and Chinese Wine

Steamed Prawns2
Pin It
Steamed Prawns4
Pin It

Steamed Prawns3
Pin It

This is my second attempt to deplete the egg whites left over from my Lapis cake. Baking 6 Pistachio Dacquoise cookies did not quite help to make a dent in my bowl of egg whites and I desperately want to move away from sweets and butter for a short while.

This is a very handy recipe for seafood preparation at home.  The original recipe which I referred to featured steamed crabs instead of prawns but prawns work just as well and is more accessible for every day family meals.

The last prawn dish I cooked was a crispy golden fried prawns which is well received by all young and old. However, I have been brought up to remember that the best way to cook fresh seafood like fish, prawns and even crabs would be to steam them to retain as much of the original goodness of the ingredient as possible. Hence one of the most popular dishes served in seafood restaurants here is still steamed prawns or white water poached prawns in their shell.

What I like about this recipe is how the flavours of ginger, sesame oil and Chinese wine - each distinct enough on its own- meld together to result in a well balanced subtlety that is at the same time refined yet comforting.

I don't think this turned out quite right. I believe I did not control the heat well enough... having done which, I believe would result in a tofu like smoothness in the egg white. Well, I have no trouble at all repeating this again the next time I buy a batch of fresh prawns at the wet market...

Steamed Prawns3(250)
Steamed Prawns With Egg White & Chinese Wine
Reciepe (Adapted from Home Cooking With Sam&Forest)

300g            Fresh Prawns
5cm knob    Ginger, finely sliced.
Dash           Chinese cooking wine

Seasoning
1 (40g)        Egg White
4 tbsp (40g)Chicken stock
Pinch          Salt
Pinch          Sugar
Dash           Sesame oil

Garnish
Coriander leaves

Method :
1. Shell prawns to leave only the tail end intact. Devein and wash.
2. Lay prawns on a steaming plate.
3. Pour seasoning over prawns and sprinkle ginger over the prawns.
4. Set up steamer and wait until water is boiling. Place prawns in a steamer and steam over medium to high heat for 10mins until prawns are cooked.
5. Pour Chinese wine over prawns, garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately while hot.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Seafood Rice Congee

Seafood Congee2

Seafood Congee1

SEafood Congee8

When I was younger, Chinese New Year holidays was exceptional, quite unlike the other festivals or public holidays that we knew. For one thing, we got to wear new clothes (yes, it was a big deal. We never used to buy new clothes all the time like the way we do now) , feast on goodies like barbequed minced meat, love letters and pineapple tarts which would only be available during Chinese New Year.  Of greater impact was the fact that all shops would be closed for almost 2 weeks. The whole city came to a standstill - roads were deserted, shop fronts were shut. Competent housewives, gripped by a sense of urgency and panic,  would have stocked up their fridge with enough food ingredients to feed the family for almost 2 weeks.

Things are markedly different now. Business earnings take precedence over traditional observation. Major supermarkets now remain opened throughout the holiday period. Hence there is less need to hoard over food stuff.... the disappearing sense of panic to some extent, diluted the buzzing excitement that we used to feel during the festival.

Despite today's convenience, food still remains abundant in households. In my family, we find ourselves staring at gargantuan portion of white rice, chicken, roast duck and various types of seafood like prawns, crab meat, fish maw and scallops.

Last year, I cooked this fish maw soup with the left overs in the fridge.  This year, I choose to throw these ingredients into a light and comforting rice soup.

Soupy and easily digested, this is a perfect one dish meal to atone for the gluttony we have been indulging in over the past few days.

Simple to make but still big on flavours.

Pin It   

Seafood Congee6(250)

Seafood Rice Congee
Recipe :

4                   Diced scallops
4                   Prawns, shelled and deveined
1 tbsp           Oil
500ml           Chicken stock
200g             Cooked rice
Dash             Salt
Dash             Sugar
Dash             Sesame oil
Dash             Huatiao chinese cooking wine

100g             Cooked Crab meat
2 tsp             Chopped coriander stems
1                  Piece of fish maw, soaked and cut into strips
10                Thin slices of abalone

Marinade
1                   Egg white
1/4 tsp          Salt
1/4 tsp          Sugar
Dash            Sesame oil
3 tsp             Corn flour

Garnish
Chopped spring onion
Crisp fried shallots

Method :

1. Combine scallops, prawns together with Marinade and marinate for 1 hour.
2. In a pot, heat up some water and poach (1) for 20 seconds. Set aside.
3. Heat up a wok and add oil. Fry cooked rice for 1 minute and add chicken stock. Add seasoning.
4. Continue to heat rice and stock until soup starts to boil. Add coriander stem. Add (2) and heat until boiling.
5. Ladle rice soup into serving bowl and garnish with spring onion and fried shallots. 

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Crispy Golden Prawns With Lemon Mayonnaise

Prawns1

Prawn10

Prawn3

The Chinese culture is most particular about celebrating auspiciousness. For a happy occasion like the Chinese New Year that celebrates a new beginning, we are even more mindful about surrounding ourselves with auspicious symbols. When I was young, we were not allowed to sweep the floor on New Year's Day, for fear that we would be sweeping all the good luck away. Almost all the dishes and food we serve during the festival have been given a clever twist to evoke an aura of good luck and prosperity.
Fish, for example is a favourite dish to serve during Chinese New Year meals because to have fish can also be interpreted to be as having surplus.We are generally not allowed to finish all the food served during our reunion dinner on New Year's Eve... it is bad luck to have an empty rice pot on New Year's Day. The pineapple tart, due to the way it is pronounced in Chinese is made to sound like the arrival of prosperity and success, hence its popularity.

Prawn dishes are also popular during Chinese New Year because these little crustaceans are pronounced as 'Har' in cantonese which can be construed to sound like laughter (hahaha) symbolising happiness in abundance....

Battered fried prawns may be deep fried and laden with calories and cholesterol but they are still popular among young and old. I am giving this a little Spanish tapas twist by pairing it with a tangy homemade Lemon Mayonnaise. Served wrapped with lettuce, it makes this a little less guilty to indulge... This is an egg white,beer laden batter which is crispy and light. If you are looking for a interesting way to serve your Happy Prawns this year, I encourage you to give this a try.

Pin It  

Prawn6(250)
Crispy Golden Prawns With Lemon Mayonnaise
Recipe :

1.0kg               Medium sized prawns (Grey tiger prawns is fine)
Oil for deep frying

Seasoning (A):
1 tsp                 Chicken Powder
2/3 tsp              Salt
2/3 tsp              Sugar
Dash                Sesame Oil
1 tbsp               Potato Starch

Batter:
85g                   Plain flour
125ml               Light beer
2 tbsp                Olive oil
2                        Egg white

Mayonnise:

4                        Garlic cloves
2                        Egg yolks
1tbsp                  Lemon juice
1tbsp                  Finely grated lemon zest
300ml                 Sunflower / Canola or grapseed oil (neutral oil)
Pinch                  Sea salt & pepper

Method :

Mayonnaise
1. Transfer garlic to food processor and add the egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest. Process briefly until just blended. With the motor still running, gradually add the sunflower oil through the feeder tube until it is emulsified.

You can either serve the mayonnaise in a dipping bowl or drizzle over the prawns like the way I did for mine.

Battered Prawns
1. Wash and devein prawns and marinate in Seasoning (A) for 5-10mins.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the batter together and let set it aside for 5- 10mins.
3. Heat frying oil until hot.
4. Coat the marinated prawns in the batter and deep fry until the prawn turns golden yellow.
5. With a slotted spoon, remove prawns from oil and let it blot on oil absorbant paper to remove excess oil.
6. Serve with mayonnaise and lettuce.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Bill Granger's Spaghettini With Crab, Lime And Chilli

Crab Spaghetti1

Crab Spaghetti8

I am currently in love with Bill Granger's recipes. This is possibly the fourth time I have cooked from his cookbook. Previous attempts included the poached peach in Rose Water, crumpets and more recently the souffle pancake.. I bought his cookbooks after my third trip to Sydney last year and after my third visit to his restaurant Bills at Darlinghurst. I recall an avid recipe book collector friend once told me that somehow, she did not feel compelled to own his books because the recipes were so simple.
I totally agree with her on the simplicity part but boy, simple as they may be, they do work so beautifully.

Take this spaghettini number for example, as the forward to the recipe claims, it is an Asian-European fusion recipe that really works. It literally takes less than 10mins to put together and the flavours are so refreshingly addictive!  The zestiness of the citrus juices married beautifully with the chopped spring onion,coriander (the recipe called for parsley which I did not have) and crab meat. I went a little bit further by throwing in some chopped coriander roots and a dash of Old Bay seasoning and the end result, I swear, is totally restaurant worthy!
Crab Spaghetti7

I wish I had tried out this recipe earlier then I would most definitely have cooked it for the last party I hosted... with a dish so easy to put together, I would have more time to mingle with the guests than slogging over the stove!

Pin It

Crab Spaghetti4(250)
Spaghettini With Crab, Lime And Chilli (adapted from Bil's Sydney Food)
Recipe :

150g               Crab Meat
Juice & zest    2 limes
Juice               1 lemon
1 clove           Garlic, crushed
1/4 cup           Chopped coriander
1/4 cup           Chopped green spring onions
1 small            red chilli, finely chopped
1 stock            Coriander root, finely chopped
1 tsp                Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Dash               Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup            Extra Virgin Olive oil
200g               Spaghettini

Method :

1. Place crab, lime and lemon juices, lime zest, garlic, cordiander, coriander root, spring onions , chilli, sea salt and pepper , Old Bay in a bowl and stir in olvie oil to combine. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

2. Cook Spaghettini in rapidly boiling salted water in a large saucepan, according to manufacturer's instructions. Drain well.

3. Toss pasta into crab mixture and serve in individual bowls.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Seafood and Asparagus Risotto

I have finally jumped on the FaceBook bandwagon... Follow me at FB...

Risotto1


Rice1

Risotto2

I had some vague idea about Risotto. Somewhere in the back of my mind is a dusty impression of some recipe I had read somewhere... an impression that involves the cook standing over the stove stirring non-stop and at some point, adding white wine. Then came Hell's Kitchen's superimposing impression of Gordon Ramsay sending back plates of sub-par risottos cooked by the contestants...

When I came across Bill Granger's Crab and Asparagus Risotto in his bright and breezy Bills Food, I decided it is time for me to cook my first Risotto. This recipe does not call for white wine and works with a simple list of ingredients. In retrospect, if this is a representative recipe of Risotto, then, it is actually quite simple to prepare - all one needs is alot of patience.

Throughout the preparation, I was able to keep my work bench quite bare and clutter free... the first sign of a simple recipe. If you have 30 mins to stand in front of the stove and stir patiently, you will be rewarded with a wholesome, tasty one dish meal.

I used Canaroli Rice which absorbed the stock well to yield a nice creamy risotto.  In addition to the crab meat, I had also added in some fresh scallops and dried scallops to intensify the flavour.
More hands-on in its preparation than the Chinese congee/rice porridge, the risotto tastes richer and more creamy than the former. Just like the Chinese congee, this is best served while it is hot. By the time I finished photographing the plated portion, it had cooled down and turned somewhat cakey. (kuih like) I had to add more stock and heat it up again.

With a whole kilo worth of Canaroli Rice sitting in my pantry now, this will not be the last time you see a Risotto recipe on this blog...:)


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Hei Bee Hiam - Sambal Udang Kering

HBH 6

HBH 6

HBH 3

I did it! For the longest time, I have been telling everyone that one of my culinary resolution for the year is to bake bread. I have finally succeeded baking a very soft sweet bun and the reason I am cooking this dish today is to use it as a filling for the sweet buns a little later.

This is another Nyonya/Peranakan dish that features dried shrimps fried with an assortment of spices. This recipe which is found in Shermay Lee's The New Mrs Lee's Cookbook Vol. 1, uses Tamarind juice to lend moistness and vibrancy to the traditional versatile dish.
As with most Nyonya dishes, the cooking part is easy but the prep work calls for alot of chopping, slicing and pounding. As such, to make all the effort worthwhile, this dish is normally prepared in a bigger batch and kept in the fridge to be enjoyed over a week.

HBH 1

This is delicious when served with steamed white rice. With the dumpling festival just round the corner, this can also be used as a filling for the rice dumpling. A more common snack food would be the Lemper Udang which is a sweet glutinious rice roll filled with this Hei Bee Hiam.

So, what is your favourite way of enjoying the Hei Bee Hiam?

HBH 4(250)

Recipe 300g Dried shrimps
Garlic 6 cloves
Shallots 10
Lemon grass 2 stalks
Red chilli 2
Green chilli 2
Tamarind paste 1 round tbsp. (assam paste)
Water 6 tbsp

Oil 120ml (I used 100ml hence my hei bee hiam is a little dry)
Sugar 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp

Rempah
Tumeric 1/4 thumb size
Belachan 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Wash dried shrimps and soak it in hot water for 10 mins. Drain and pound/process to get minced shrimp paste.

2. Prepare garlic, shallots and lemon grass by slicing them thinly.
3. Cut red and green chilli into fine slices.
4. Peel tumeric and pound with belachan to get a paste.
5. Prepare Tamarind juice by mixing paste with 6 tbsp of water. Rub the tamarind paste in water. Drain juice through a strainer.
6. Heat up a wok until smokingh hot.
7. Add oil. Reduce heat. Add in shallots and garlic. Fry quickly for 1 min. Add chilli and lemon grass and fry for another minute. Use a strainer, remove and drain oil into wok.
8. In the remaining oil in the wok, fry the rempah over high heat. Sprinkle some water and fry for about 2 mins. Reduce heat and add in dried shrimps. Fry for 2 minutes and add in the drained shallots from (7).
9. Add in Tamarind juice, sugar and salt.
10. Continue to fry over low heat until the shrimps become dry.
11. Cool down and store in air tight container.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Prawn Mousse Ravioli with Meyer Lemon Butter

Ravioli 2

Ravioli 1

Ravioli 6

When my first experiment with the Meyer Lemons turned sour (no punt intended), I promised myself that I would not lose heart. With the remaining 3 precious fruits sitting in my refrigerator, I tried my best to lock in the taste of the sweet tartness and the scent of the mild floral zest in my memory...refluxing the phantom flavours over and over on my palate... wondering, imagining, fantasising about how the floral citrusy flavours would work with different ingredients.

I was sure of one thing and that is, I had wanted to abandon desserts and work with something that is more savoury. Picking the brains of ZenCanCook over Twitter last weekend, I found new direction. Stephane had shared that the unique floral aroma of the Meyer Lemons would go well with fish and crudo. This immediately reminded me of the memorable Fluke Sashimi With Yuzu dressing I had at Nobu.... it was simply sublime.

Armed with these new inspirations, the 1/2 kg fresh sea prawns I had bought in the morning and my new Kitchen aid pasta roller attachment, I set my mind on making a Ravioli dish,filled with a prawn mousse which I had seen in one of the Junior Masterchef tag challenges with Justin North and Matt Moran.
The recipe in the challenge dresses the Tortellini with prawn oil which I felt could over power the flavours of the Meyer Lemon. I opted instead for a simple Lemon Butter sauce.

Ravioli 5
The verdict? Almost sensational.... ;) . The mild tartness of the Meyer Lemon was perfect as a dressing for the Ravioli and the floral aroma of the zest in the dressing and the prawn mousse was simply delightful. The flavour was refined and very elegant. What I can improve on, though, is my pasta. I wish I could get it thinner and more pliable. I am guessing that I did not knead and rest the dough enough to get the right silky and soft texture.

Two Meyer Lemons used up and one more left. I would be happy to simply juice it and enjoy it as a tall cold  lemonade :)

Recipe :
Pasta & Prawn Mousse (Adapted from Junior Masterchef)
Pasta Dough

200g type ‘00’ flour (I used plain flour)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch sea salt

Prawn Mousse

600 g green prawns, whole (about 300 g prawn meat).
¼ teaspoon flaked salt
1 egg white
120 ml cream
zest of ½ a lemon

Lemon Butter Sauce
112g   Unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
2 tsp   Lemon zest
1 tbsp Meyer Lemon Juice
Method :
1. Pasta Dough

Combine flour, eggs, olive oil and salt in food processor. Process until mixture forms a ball.
Remove dough from processor and knead briefly on a lightly floured bench until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature.

2. Prawn Mousse

Remove the heads from the prawns then peel the tails to remove all of their shells.
Take the prawn meat and remove the intestinal line by running a small knife along the back of the prawn tail, then scrape out the intestinal track then discard.

Process prawn meat, salt and white pepper in a food processor until a coarsely chopped. Add egg white and blend until mixture is smooth. Add cream and lemon zest and process until just combined. Avoid over mixing. Place into a piping bag and refrigerate

3. RavioliDivide dough into three balls. Flatten each ball into a disk and pass through the pasta machine on the widest setting. Fold pasta in half, lengthways and repeat without changing the roller settings. Cut pasta if it gets too long. Gradually narrowing the pasta machine settings 1 notch at a time. Roll the pasta through until the finest setting. Run through 3 times then cut out 3 rounds with a 10cm round cutter.

To make the Ravioli, brush one half of each circle with egg place a little of the prawn mousse in the center of each circle (about the size of a 20cent piece) and top each with another wrapper, pressing it around the edges to seal in filling.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp of salt into the water. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2-3 mins.
4. Sauce Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a frying pan, add 1/2 the amount of  butter and heat until just bubbling and frothy. Transfer first batch of Ravioli into pan using a slotted spoon along with 2 tbsp of pasta cooking liquid. Add 1 tsp of lemon zest and add half of the lemon juice. Swirl to combine. Transfer to plate.

5. Repeat with the next batch of Ravioli.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Herbed Crumbed Sutchi Fillet

Baked Fish 3

Baked Fish 2

Baked Fish collage 1

Fish & Co,as many in Singapore and Malaysia would know, is a popular local western seafood restaurant chain. Their fish and chips is outstanding and has a loyal following in Singapore. Since their establishment in 1998, the company has expanded their business to include a Teochew Restaurant(Chaozhou Inn) , a Mediteranean Fusion  western restaurant (F.I.S.H) and now, as I have just learnt, a quality seafood wholesaling and distribution business.

The food & beverage business is a very competitive industry in Singapore. Not only has Fish & Co. made their business sustainable, I am impressed that they have actually identified market needs and opportunities and found ways to bring additional value to the market. Specialising in processed seafood with longer, more economical shelf life, Oceana Seafood, Fish & Co Group's distribution arm, distributes a range of Black Tiger Shrimp, Fish Fillet, Mussel, Sea Bass and Squid.
When I was asked to develop a recipe with their frozen Sutchi Fillet, I was keen but had my reservations. The Sutchi fish, a specie of the shark catfish is primarily fished from the big rivers in Asia . The flesh of the Sutchi is flaky and tender making it very suitable for a battered or breaded fry... and yes, Fish & Co. uses this for their famous Fish & Chip dish. I don't normally cook with frozen fish, with the exception to the cod and I have never really liked river fish due to their muddy odour. As much as I was tempted to just deep fry it to mask any possible fishy staleness and muddy smell, I decided to take a chance and work with a more healthy recipe that would call for baking it with herb infused bread crumbs.

Baked Fish1

Baked Fish 8
The bread crumbs gave the fish a lot of structural stability,making it easy to handle. The use of fresh bread crumbs needs to be stressed. I pulverised some lightly toasted baguettes for my crumbs but you can use practically any kind of bread you have. The fresh crumbs bring a whole new dimension of texture to the dish. Upon baking, the crisp bite from the herbed crumbs contrasted beautifully with the tender flaky flesh of the Sutchi fillet. Served with a light squirt of fresh lemon juice, I am not coy to proclaim that this is one the tastiest fish dish I have ever prepared. I would gladly order this in a restaurant or serve it at a formal dinner.

Available at NTUC Fairprice and priced at S$3.30 per packet of 3 long fillets, this, I feel is one of the most economical way to enjoy a fish dish.

So, share with me if you will - have you ever prepared Sutchi fillets? How did you prepare it?

Baked Fish 6(100)

Recipe :
1 cup (70g) Fresh bread crumbs
1 tbsp Chopped dill
1 tbsp Chopped flat leaf parsley
Dash Salt & Pepper
50g Melted butter
2 fillets Oceana Sutchi Fillet (thawed)

Preparation :
1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Mix bread crumbs, chopped dill and parsely together with salt and pepper. Add melted butter to bread crumbs and mix well.
3. Season fillet with salt and pepper on both sides.
4. Pack (2) onto the top of fillet and bake in the oven at 200C for 20mins or until fish is cooked.
5. Serve with lemon wedge and salad.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Crabcakes with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise

Crabcake 6

Crabcake 4

Crab cake 1

During the 2 weeks that I was 'trapped' in New Jersey, I had the worst meals of the trip at the company cafeteria. However, one of the highlights of the trip also happened amidst the meetings and debates... For team building exercise, the whole group of us went to Viking Cooking School for a cooking-bonding session. Although I have done similar sessions in Asia, I was still brimming with excitement as we walked into the Viking Range Showroom. I was especially mesmerised by their range of sturdy, rugged-looking stoves and ranges. When I eventually got to cook over these heavy-duty ranges, I was really impressed by the intensity of the heat from the open flame burner. These would be perfect for Chinese cooking where cooking in a  wok over high heat imparts a unique essence to the food known as 'wok hei' ( translated literally to read wok's energy).

Anyway, I digressed... we were split into groups of 3 and given a recipe pack to prepare 6 dishes for our dinner. We had picked an advanced recipe pack which featured Fish and Shellfish Cookery. The Vikings team literally spoon fed us throughout the whole session, demonstrating every step and ensuring that we followed instructions. As a result of which, it was not as challenging for me and I got a little restless during the session. However, the recipes yielded some delicious preparations which I couldn't wait to replicate.

Crabcake 7

The dish that I enjoyed most are these crabcakes with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise. Meaty and tasty, these were perfect for yesterday's New Year's Eve party. To all who continues to drop by my humble blog, I wish to usher in the new year with you with this delicious crabcake and may today be a great start to an amazing 2011 with good food in abundance!

Crabcake(100)
Recipe :
Crabcake
2 tbsp Mayonnaise
1.5 tsp  finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 green onions, green tops only, finely minced
1 tsp seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
1 large egg white
2 tbsp Japanese breadcrumbs
400g crab meat (jumbo lump)

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Position rack in the center of the oven.
2. Combine mayoonaise, parsely, green onions, seafood seasoning, egg white and breadcrumbs together ina mixing bowl.
3. Gently fold in crabmeat, coating it thoroughly. Chill in refrigerator for at least 15 mins.
4. Place a medium, non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tbsp canola oil and heat through. Lightly oil the insides of a round food ring/cutter. Place food ring on pan and spoon one fourth of the crabmeat mxiture into the ring. Press gently to pack tightly. Carefully lift the round ring straight up. Repeat with the remaining crab meat.
5. Cook crabcakes until the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 mins. Carefully turn each crabcake over. Cook for 1 min, then transfer pan to oven and cook for additional 5 mins.
6. Transfer crabcakes to warmed plates. Garnish wtih lemon wedges and serve with lemon dill mayonnaise.

Lemon Dill Mayonnaise

1 large pasteurized egg yolk.
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard.
1 tsp finely minced lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup canola oil
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/8 tsp fine salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper.

1. Briskly whisk together beaten egg yolk, mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice until it is pale yellow in colour, about 1 min.
2. Pour oil (drop by drop at the beginning) very slowly while whisking constantly and vigorously. After the first few drops of oil has been absorbed pour the rest of the oil in a slow steady stream into the mixture while whisking energetically.
3. Keep whisking until mayonnaise becomes smooth.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails