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Bill Granger’s Ricotta Hotcakes with Honeycomb Butter – Danish Style

March 6, 2010 by trissalicious

Bill Granger's Ricotta Hotcakes - Danish Style

I remember when I was scheduled to have my First Communion – a few weeks before we had to prepare by going to our first confession.  For those who don’t know what this means, basically, you enter a little booth,  divided by a wall – one side sits a priest and one the other end is you.  You tell the priest your sins and transgressions and ask for forgiveness.  Some classmates planted this notion that the more sins we could confess, the better.  Not only that, the longer I could drag out my confessions – the more chances I would go to heaven.   So my first confession (and the subsequent ones for several years!) contained lots of trivial and irrelevant confessions from “I was angry with this friend”, “I did not finish my vegetables for dinner” or “I told my Mum I took a bath when in fact I just ‘wet’ the soap so she would think I did”

I can imagine the poor priest on the other end of the confessional wishing that this little girl would just shut up!

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Movida Rustica Review & Turron Recipe

March 2, 2010 by trissalicious

Movida's Turron

Late last year I found myself alone in Melbourne’s most famous Spanish restaurant, Movida.  I was sitting at the bar with eight (yes, EIGHT) dishes in front of me.   I was in Melbourne for three days doing a baking course and had asked my classmates for dinner recommendations.  The overwhelming response was to try Movida and despite warnings from everyone that it would be almost impossible to get a table, I managed to walk in and get a seat at the bar.  Luck was on my side!  So there I was, all alone with eight different tapas and because everything was riquisimo, I was secretly glad there was no one to share it with me!

The highlight of my meal was Movida’s hot chocolate ganache pudding with vanilla bean ice-cream and nougat.  There isn’t anything new with a warm chocolate pudding with ice cream is there?  I mean, that’s always going to be a winner – but when you add Frank Camora’s nougat or turron – the combination of a warm chocolatey pudding, cold and creamy vanilla ice cream and then THAT nougat… the lady beside me must have suffered from some serious dessert envy because even if she had eaten half her dessert, she pointed to my plate and asked the waiter “give me exactly what she’s having!”.

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Kulinarya Cooking Club Bakes Leche Flan

February 28, 2010 by trissalicious

Coconut Milk Leche Flan

In this month’s Kulinarya Cooking Club, we feature Leche Flan.   This popular Philippine dessert has its origins from the flan from Spain.  Melted sugar is poured over a ramekin or pudding container and allowed to caramelize.  Then over this, a custard mixture of milk, eggs, egg yolks and sugar (and a hint of flavouring like lemon, lime or vanilla) is poured.  The leche flan is then steamed on the stove top or baked in a bain marie.  Once done, instructions require the dessert to be cooled (usually a few hours) and then turned over on a plate.

To me, the most nerve wrecking moment is when I flip the leche flan dish over a plate – I hold my breath thinking, will the leche flan have set?  Will it break in half?  Or will it fall out in one piece?  Will it come out smooth and creamy?

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Daring Bakers Challenge : Trissamisu – errr… Tiramisu

February 27, 2010 by trissalicious

The Trissamisu... err... I mean Tiramisu

I must have been very ambitious as a child.  I remember one of my goals in life was to have a doll named after me.  One day, I would own my very own factory producing Trissa Dolls.  They would look exactly like me but in order to increase sales, I would sell Trissa Doll dresses as well – including of course a gymnastic costume, wedding gown, cooking outfit and so on.  Then I would branch out in to producing dolls to resemble my  sisters, brother,  Mum and Dad – and maybe even  our dog as well.  I guess it was my way of putting my mark on the world! 🙂 As I got older, my passion for dolls died down and my great ambition of a Trissa Dolls empire was forgotten…

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Family Gems

February 25, 2010 by trissalicious

Pate de Fruit

My first ever piece of jewelry was given by my grandmother in the first grade.   It was tradition in our family that a golden medallion with a religious carving was given to each grandchild celebrating their first Holy Communion.  As like many good young Catholic girls, this occasion was one of the most eagerly anticipated events in our school.  I was so excited to be wearing a beautiful white dress (I thought I looked like an angel – YIKES!), to finally feel “grown up” and receive Holy Communion and of course I also knew I would be receiving that gold medal like all my siblings and cousins before me.

For most of my childhood I thought that it was probably the most important family heirloom that my Mama (how we all called her) could ever give me.  I remember being at school one day realizing I had lost it.  I was in tears and was frantic searching my classrooms, the bathrooms and the school cafeteria for it.  A few hours later I remembered I had removed it and placed it in my gym bag (yes, even then I was already misplacing things!).  What a relief!

While I still treasure my little medallion, I know now that there are greater things my Mama (how we always called her), left me.

Strawberry, Orange and Grape Flavoured Jellies

Take for instance the importance of family.  Nothing can be more telling than how she managed to get all her children, grandchildren and occasionally other close family and friends, to gather at her house every Sunday lunch.  If you asked me what was on for the weekend – the first thing I would always say was, “we have Sunday lunch at Mama’s house”.   I think she got the formula right when she made sure each meal was so delicious that it made these gatherings worth dropping everything for.

Did I tell you that my Mama’s house was also a summer camp and concert ground?  Yup, that’s right.  Every summer all the cousins would be dropped of at her house and we’d spend the entire day eating, swimming, and concocting silly games to keep ourselves occupied.  I remember one summer when all the girls discovered Duran Duran.  Oh my… We’d start the day watching one of their videos (in those days we would watch it on the “betamax”!) and then proceed to have our own concert.  The older cousins got to pick first who they wanted to “be”.  I thought it extremely unfair that my older sister got to be Simon Le Bon when I thought I looked more like him (yes, I don’t know where I got the idea that I looked like him when he looks nothing like a little Asian girl).  However, I was lucky enough not to be the youngest who was always stuck being Andy Taylor!  🙂

Whether it be Sunday lunch, summer camp or one of the holiday gatherings – Mama always kept us together.   In my own home, this tradition continues on until today.  It might not exactly be on Sunday, but at least once a week, we will gather together for a family meal.

Then of course there’s my love for cooking which I am 100% sure I got from her.  When people tell me “you would make your Mama proud”  or “you’re just like your Mama”.  Well, it just makes me want to sing and I can’t stop smiling!

Family and food – these are the jewels my Mama left me.

Pate de Fruit

These little Pate de Fruit remind me very much of little gems and well, truth be told they taste amazing.  The recipe is adapted from Cannelle et Vanille.  I used her ratios to make strawberry, grape and orange pate de fruit.  The recipe it seems can be doubled and tripled with the same successful results.

Recipe

  • 120 grams fruit puree, strained
  • 3 grams yellow pectin – I used citrus pectin
  • 15 grams sugar
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 30 grams glucose
  • 4 grams lemon juice

For the strawberry, I pureed 200 grams in a food processor and strained this to yield the 120 grams.

For the grape, I pureed  385 grams to yield 240 grams (strained) – this recipe I doubled.

For the orange, I first boiled two oranges (seedless) for ten minutes, cut the tops and bottoms and pureed the flesh and juice in a food processor – I did not strain the mixture but used the pulp and juice for the mix.  I measured out 360 grams and tripled the rest of the recipe above.

For the instructions below, this assumes you are going to only make one quantity.

  1. Spray a pan with some flavourless oil (I used grapeseed) and line with plastic wrap, making sure to remove the air from the edges.
  2. Mix the pectin with the 15 grams of sugar.
  3. Place the fruit puree in a saucepan and bring to a light boil.
  4. Add the pectin and sugar mixture and mix with a wooden spoon.
  5. When it comes to a boil, add the rest of the sugar.
  6. After 3 minutes add the glucose.
  7. Continue to mix  and cook to 106C.  This took me around 10 to 15 minutes depending on whether I was making a single or double or triple quantity.
  8. Stir often so that the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom.
  9. Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove from heat and quickly pour into the container.
  10. Allow to harden for a few hours and then cut into desired shapes.
  11. Coat with granulated sugar.

Orange Pate de Fruit

Strawberry Pate de Fruit

Grape Pate de Fruit

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Just my luck!

February 22, 2010 by trissalicious

Quenelles with Nantua Sauce

Aux Lyonnais Quenelles of Fish with Nantua Sauce

One of my must-go-to Bistros in Paris is Aux Lyonnais which is located in the second arrondissement.  The restaurant, of course, is dedicated to celebrating the cuisine of Lyon.   I love to go to this restaurant, because you can get a three course meal for around 35 Euro, considering of course that the restaurant is owned by Alain Ducasse, one of the most highly decorated Michelin starred and influential chefs in the world.   The one dish that I fell in love with on my first trip (which I continue to order on every visit) is the Quenelles of Fish in Nantua Sauce.  In fact, if you look at one of my very first posts here, you will see the dish and how it was served.

The quenelles are poached fish dumplings usually made from pike (a speciality of the Lyon region).     The dish is baked in the oven to finish but not before a rich and creamy bisque (usually made from crayfish) like sauce is poured generously over the mousse like dumplings.

I like to think of myself as pretty smart and resourceful.  When you have the internet at your finger tips, its easy to search for recipe you want to try and recreate.  So I searched high and low for the Aux Lyonnais Quenelle recipe but with no success!

The thing is, sometimes, it’s better to be lucky that smart!

I had given up hopes of ever making this recipe one day until I browsed through the Coco Cookbook and realized that the Quenelles were a featured recipe!  The recipe is of David Rathgeber who headed the Aux Lyonnais kitchen.  It was by pure luck that I opened the cookbook and the page I landed on showed a picture of the beautiful quenelles!  I said to myself, they look familiar and sure enough, here was the recipe from Aux Lyonnais!

Finally, leave it to husbands to give you compliments in a weird sort of way.  When he asked me what we were eating, I explained we were having quenelles of fish.  He said:

“What is a quenelle?”

“Like a fish patty” I said, trying to think of the closest thing that he could relate to.

As he polished off the last dumpling, he said, “I don’t think you made the recipe correctly.  These fish patties aren’t like the patties I’ve tried before.  I feel like I am eating a cloud.”

Well, considering that he finished the whole lot – I considered it confirmation that I had made the recipe correctly!

Quenelles of fish in Nantua Sauce

Recipe – Adapted from Coco, recipe from David Rathgeber

Quenelles of Fish in Nantua Sauce (the recipe serves six but I simply halved the recipe)

For the quenelles

  • 750 grams pike fillets, skinned (I used ling fish as I couldn’t find pike)
  • 350 ml light cream
  • 150 grams butter, softened
  • 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
  • salt and pepper
  1. Bone the pike fillets, process in a food processor and then add the cream, eggs, egg yolks and butter.  Beat until smooth and add salt and pepper.
  2. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and rest in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
  3. Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add some salt and then reduce the heat to 80C.
  4. Shape the fish mixture into quenelles between 2 large spoons and place them in the water to cook (over a low heat) for 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Carefully remove the quenelles and drain.
  6. Store in a cool place.

For the crayfish (see note below)

  • 15 crayfish
  • olive oil for frying
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • sprigs of parsley
  • 200 ml cognac
  1. Remove the intestines from the crayfish, also removing the heads and tails to use separately.
  2. Heat the oil in the pan and sear the tails with the garlic and parsley.
  3. Remove from the heat and deglaze with the cognac and rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the tails and peel them, leaving the last ring of shell attached.  Set aside.
  5. Strain through a sieve the cooking liquid.

For the sauce

  • Olive oil for frying
  • 1 onion, cut into 3 mm cubes
  • 1 celery stark, cut into 3 mm cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • sprigs of parsley, chopped
  • 25 grams butter
  • 100 ml cognac
  • 150 ml white wine
  • 3 ripe tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 stalk of fennel, chopped
  • salt and white pepper
  1. Heat the oil and add the crayfish heads.  Cook for 5 minutes until brown.
  2. Add the onions, celery, garlic and parsley and butter and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes.
  3. Deglaze with the cognac and the white wine, then flambe the pan.
  4. Add the tomates and fennel and cook for 1 hour over gentle heat, adjusting the seasoning if necessary.

To finish the dish

  • 500 ml light cream
  • pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 140C.
  2. Arrange the quenelles in an ovenproof dish and add half the crayfish cooking liquid, so that the quenelles are half covered.  Bake for 20 minutes, until slightly rise.
  3. In a pan, gently heat the remaining cooking liquid, with the cream, adding the crayfish tails to in.
  4. Remove the quenelles from the oven and pour the cream sauce and crayfish tails to it.

Delicious with buttered rice

Note: I didn’t have crayfish but I had a frozen bag of prawn heads and tails which I used for the sauce.  Whenever I am preparing prawns, I will keep the heads and tails (raw) in a bag in the freezer and in recipes such as this, comes very handy.

I’ve also typed out the recipe pretty much as it was in the book but note that I didn’t use crayfish (as mentioned above).  However, I think if you don’t have access to crayfish, you can also use prawns or lobster.

Lastly, the recipe is long and involves many processes.  Trust me, it is worth it.  This is bistro cooking at its finest!

Coco Cookbook is published by Phaidon.

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Cooking Lessons

February 14, 2010 by trissalicious

Eggs and Caviar with "Soldiers"

More than seven years ago I attended my first ever cooking class.  Actually, it was a week long “Introduction to Cooking” class at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE).  My husband (then fiance) was studying in New York and that time I visited him he had accepted a summer internship which meant long days (and nights) at his new office.  I was starting to take an interest in cooking and decided a crash course at ICE would keep me occupied during the day.

The course was spread over five days – each day a new technique was introduced – for example pan-frying, braising, roasting, baking etc.  The first hour of the usually six to seven hour class was having our instructor talk through the logic behind why a certain technique was used for cooking.  For instance, pan frying was used when you wanted to cook something very quickly, usually reserved for the more “expensive cuts” or fish.  Braising was used to ensure a very tough piece of meat was cooked long enough to break down tough connective tissue and usually reserved for the “cheaper cuts”.

I still remember how in awe I was when our instructor would take us around the kitchen and show us different ingredients and equipment.

On the second day she gathered us around the kitchen and showed us a basket of freshly picked herbs.   There were over ten different herbs that day and she asked for each one:

“Can anyone tell me what this herb is?” she asked.

Believe it or not, I could not identify a single one!  Everyone else in the class was so switched on and I could only wonder how they managed to identify each herb with ease.

Finally, she took out one that I thought I almost recognized.  It was a dark green herb, long and slim.  “Scallion!” I shouted.  Finally glad to have contributed to the day’s discussion.

“Actually, very close, from the same family, but these are chives” replied our instructor.

Even the one I was fairly certain of, I got wrong!

That day, after class I decided that I would stay back and ask Ms. King to help me identify each and every herb and in order that I wouldn’t forget, I drew each one in my little notebook, certain that I would never again forget.

The only thing that I didn’t realize is that when I got home, I guess in part due to my really bad drawing skills, almost all the herbs looked exactly the same!

In was only years later, with constant practice, that I managed to learn and identify every herb by heart.

Eggs and Caviar

Another thing I learned in Ms. King’s class was how to make scrambled eggs, french style, with soldiers.  That day she took out an egg topper and showed us how to cut the tops of eggs so that we could re-use them and fill them with scrambled eggs.  I think that day’s lesson may have been how to use  the stove top and so she taught us how to scramble eggs over a bain marie. While the resulting eggs were fantastic, I honestly taught that the extra 20 or so minutes spent watching the eggs turn into a soft and buttery mass was not worth the effort.

What was worth the effort though were the adorable and  buttery “soldiers” that was used as a “spoon” to dunk into the scrambled eggs.

On our last day I learned that our instructor, Ms King, had written a cookbook called Fish.  I asked her if she could kindly sign my copy.

“Sure.  Is there anything in particular you want me to write?” she asked.

“If you wouldn’t mind, could you put ‘To my best student’?”  I replied.

She just gave me a big laugh and said to collect the book after the class.

At the end of the class, I collected my book, and found she had kindly written the dedication I asked for!

Eggs and Caviar served with Soldiers

Scrambled Eggs with Caviar and Buttery Soldiers

Recipe (serves 2)

  • 4 fresh eggs
  • 1 teaspoon chives
  • 3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • large dollop of butter for the scrambled eggs and for the soldiers.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • dollop of caviar for topping (optional)
  • 4 slices of white toast, edges removed, and cut with a serrated knife into 4
  1. Using an egg topper, cut four eggs open and empty the contents onto a bowl.  If you don’t have an egg topper, I have seen people use a serrated knife before, just be careful when doing so.
  2. To clean the egg shells, bring a pot of water to the boil and carefully submerge each shell for a few seconds. Remove and allow to dry.
  3. Now, lightly beat the eggs, chives and cream into a bowl.
  4. In a pan, heat the butter until melted and quickly add the eggs.
  5. Over low heat, gently stir the eggs until they come together in a soft mass.  Be careful not to overcook the eggs (as they won’t taste as good and they will be difficult to spoon back in to the shells)
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Spoon the eggs back into the shells and top with some caviar.
  8. To make the soldiers (this can be done before the eggs are made), heat some butter in a pan and then add the pieces of toast.  Heat the toast until nicely browned and then remove the toast, add more butter to the pan and heat the other side.

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Forgiveness

February 10, 2010 by trissalicious

Mario Batali's Fritelle di Cioccolato

Forgiveness is a funny thing…  we all know it’s hard to forgive… but also sometimes,  just as hard to ask forgiveness as well.

I remember as a child going over to my friend’s house playing in the family lounge room.  I took her wedding barbie and she started chasing me for it.  Things somehow got a little rough and she accidentally hit an antique cabinet which housed one of her Mom’s  favourite figurines.  Who was to blame we weren’t exactly sure.  Of course she physically knocked over the figurine, a little Chinese Budha made from ivory… but I took her barbie doll and hence that’s what started the commotion in the first place.  For a few minutes, we were in an impasse as to what to do.  Were we going to try and find some glue to fix it up, blame the dog or fess up?  In the end, she asked me if I could just tell her Mom that I did it.

I shrugged my shoulders and said yes.

When we were older, I asked her why she asked me to confess when we were equally to blame or if not, she was more at fault that I was.

“Because I knew you wouldn’t mind saying sorry.” she told me.

Adapted from Mario Batali's Molto Mario

I guess, to a certain extent it’s true.   It must be a family trait.  One of the first things that bewildered my husband about my family was the number of fights we could have in one meal.  The most he counted, or so he says, was four different topics over the course of one very long lunch.  Not arguments – but blown out fights, with shouting and crying.  Not really surprising when you have a family of six very very VERY stubborn and opinionated people.  He said, when he thought that the topic had been resolved, he was surprised that a few minutes later a new issue was brought up.

But also, he was even more amazed at the ease at which we were willing to say sorry and the ease that we were willing to forgive.

In the Philippines, sometimes, they say this is a bad thing.  People say you have a “pusong mamon”, or a soft heart.  To some – as sign of weakness….

Call me naive but I personally like to think that I’m an eternal optimist.  Anyway, how pleasant can life be if you can’t find it to forgive?  After all, at some point in time  don’t we all make mistakes?  Further, as I’ve learned from past experiences – how awful to go through life thinking you’ve hurt someone and not being able to apologize for it?

Deep fried pillows with chocolate and pistachio

Forgive the dramatics.  It must have been the trip last week that’s brought about the introspection.  One night, we were having dinner, we all must have been tired, hungry and cranky and some petty comment led to another and before we knew it, we were in the train station arguing.  Can you imagine all of us ladies shouting at each other in front of so many strangers?  I can laugh about it now but back then – it was serious stuff.  So to cut the story short – it was all my fault.  I said somethings to my Mom that I shouldn’t have.  And I knew it.  I knew I had to apologize but I didn’t know where to begin.  Believe me, sometimes it’s just as hard to apologize as it is to accept it.

I kept thinking “okay, in the next two minutes, I will say sorry”… and then two minutes passed.

Then I thought “I will apologize when we are inside the train and sitting down”… and then we got on and sat down.

“I will apologize when we get off our stop”… but still I couldn’t.

I knew I was wrong but somehow I couldn’t find the courage to open my mouth and say sorry…

Until we reached the night market and then I said sorry.

She said something I will never forget.  “It’s okay Trissa.  I’m used to being a punching bag.”  She said it… no malice… not to make me feel bad… but just the truth.

I tell you – I don’t think I could have felt more low.

But an hour later we were all back in the hotel room.  Laughing at how my sister could have gotten so many blisters from walking. Oohing and aahing about our buys.  All was forgiven.

Fritelle di Cioccolato

So… what does this have to do the with delicious pillow like chocolate fritters that I made from Mario Batali’s cookbook?  Nothing really… but I hope you will forgive me for it.

The recipe can be found here.  The only things I have changed are

  • I did not use the apricot jam
  • I substituted pistachios for the hazelnuts

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Alone

February 7, 2010 by trissalicious

Smoked Salmon "Tartare" ... for one

Smoked Salmon Tartare adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook

December and January were extremely busy months.  Between trying to spend as much time with my parents who were here on holiday, trying to finish work commitments and catching up with friends for the holidays, I still don’t know how I managed to get out a number of posts as well!  Then I spent last week away for work in Hong Kong and it was the perfect opportunity as well to meet up with the Blog Monster and my sisters and my Aunt for some long over due bonding.   I can’t remember the last time all the “girls” in the family went away together.   On the weekend we arrived for instance, we started at 10 am when the stores were just opening, spent most of the day in the malls around Central and Kowloon.  We’d break two or three times during the day for meals and gorged on roast goose at Yung Kee and dim sum at the Metropol restaurant.  At the end of our trip we were such familiar faces at Yung Kee that when I went there on my last day to meet the Blog Monster, I  thought they had not yet arrived so I asked for a table for four and the lady at the reception area told me “ah, your family is already seated upstairs!”

At night we’d have dinner, usually at a Chinese restaurant and then hit the night markets and come home close to midnight.    Both The Geisha and The Blog Monster had to put band aids to protect their feet from all the blisters that were forming from all the walking.  My arms were so sore from carrying so many bags that someone thought I had broken out in hives (I said it wasn’t hives, it was just the marks the shopping bags had made on my arms!).

As usual, the Blog Monster was hilarious as she tried to haggle with the shop keepers at the night markets.

“How much for the chinese tea pot?” she asked.

“120” the shop keeper replied.

I thought, “A bargain!” and was ready to pull out my wallet.

“120? Ahhh tooo expensive!  I’ll pay you 50 for it!” The Blog Monster said.

And back and forth went the Blog Monster and the Shop Keeper for at least 10 minutes.

“She’ll never get away with it!” I thought to myself.

But somehow, she managed to get me the tea pot for 50 HKD plus a ceramic brush for free!

So you can imagine, coming home on Saturday was pretty strange.  After more than two months of a constant stream of guests, parties and get togethers, I found myself… alone.

Smoked Salmon "Tartare" adapted from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Cookbook

While I do love the companionship of my husband, family and friends, I sometimes relish the thought of having my own quiet time.  Where there is no need to align my schedule to anyone else’s.   There is no need to worry that what I make for dinner will not be to everyone’s liking.   No need to share the box of my favourite mint chocolates with anyone else.

My husband had gone on a business trip to the US the same time I left and is due back mid this week.  So for now, it’s just me and of course the dogs, Baci and Bizou.    Times like this reminds me of the period in my life when my husband was studying his MBA in New York.  I was in the Philippines living with my parents but they would be away for months at a time visiting my family in Australia.   So very often I would find myself preparing dinner for one – myself.  One of the dinners I used to often have was a smoked salmon sandwich.  On a toasted baguette, with cream cheese, capers, red onions and some rocket – a simple and satisfying meal.

Salmon "Tartare"

Of course dinner for one doesn’t have to be boring.  In fact, one of the things I enjoy most is taking the time prepare a beautiful meal.  For once there is no one in the background saying “hurry up and stop trying to style our dinner, we’re hungry!” In fact, when I have the time, the ritual of preparing the meal is as enjoyable as eating it!

This Smoked Salmon “Tartare” was adapted from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Cookbook.  As you can see, it’s not really a tartare (as I did not chop the salmon finely as a tartare should be done) but it has all the makings otherwise.  The recipe below is for one serving (of course!) but since this makes a very pretty starter, feel free to increase quantities if you are making it for guests.

Recipe

  • 50 grams smoked salmon
  • 1 hard boiled egg, white and yolk separated and finely chopped
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chives, finely chopped
  • a few capers, rinsed, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sour cream (or creme fraiche which is what is used in the Bouchon cookbook)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Smoked Salmon "Tartare"

  1. Lay the salmon on a large plate.  Use a sharp knife to cut the salmon into a circular shape, leaving at least 3 cm between the salmon and the rim of the plate.
  2. In a little bowl, mix the shallots and the chives together, add some olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Now lay the chopped egg yolks around the smoked salmon.
  4. Next lay half of the shallot and chive mix after the yolks.
  5. Add the egg whites around the shallot and chive mix and then finally another layer of the shallot and chive mix after the egg whites.
  6. Finally, lay a quenelle of sour cream over the smoked salmon.

Dinner for one...

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A Berry Nice Berry Mousse

January 28, 2010 by trissalicious

Berries and Cream

Did I tell you the Blog Monster went back home?  Last Sunday.  It’s been almost a week since she left and while I can tell you I am missing her… my kitchen must be missing her much more.  Gone are the days when the refrigerator was so full that an actual free space was more coveted that Hong Kong  prime real estate.  Today, I opened it, and it was almost empty.  Now I don’t need to fight with anyone for kitchen space – but somehow I miss having to compete over kitchen time.

There  was none of the usual tears when she left though.  The reason being I knew I was going to see her in a two days!  That’s right – there’s going to be a Blog Monster reunion this Saturday!  Not only that – my two other sisters will also be joining us.  It’s been ages since the “girls” had a week away.  Shopping, eating, and shopping some more… It’s going to be fabulous!

So while I say good-bye for a bit (see you back in early February!!) – I will be enjoying the company of the Blog Monster once again!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a treat which was inspired by a dessert I had when I took my Mum to Quay Restaurant a few days before she left.

Berries with a Vanilla Mousse

How could I let my Mom leave without trying Quay restaurant?  She’s probably the only one in my family willing (and wanting) to sit down for more than three hours enjoying the food of one of Sydney’s best restaurants.  The dessert I had at Quay was called Cherries and Berries.  It was a plated dessert of various coloured cherries, assorted berries, a sorbet and what seemed like their vanilla mousse.  This is the super simplified version – but when you have berries as good as what we’ve got nowadays, you just really have to let the berries talk!

Berry Berry Nice!

Recipe – adapted from Quay Restaurant (original post here)

  • 250 ml milk
  • 50 grams caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
  • 1 1/2 sheets titanium gelatine (7.5 grams) soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
  • 250 ml cream
  • 70 ml egg whites ( about 2 eggs from 55 gram eggs)
  • 125 grams caster sugar
  • Berries in season (I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries)
  1. Heat the milk, 50 grams sugar and vanilla bean until just simmering.
  2. Squeeze water from the gelatine and whisk into the milk until dissolved.  Cool slightly (15 to 20 minutes), strain into a bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggwhites, gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form.
  5. Fold the cream and meringue gently through the cooled milk mixture.
  6. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until set (around 6 hours)
  7. Top with your choice of berries

Berries and Vanilla Mousse

Oh and, by the way, a big thank you to everyone who has left a comment for the Blog Monster.  I feel like you all know her already.  I wanted to give you an idea of how she looked like as well as show you some of the “friends” she met while she was in Australia.  Enjoy!

The Blog Monster & Friends (Margaret Fulton, Tetsuya Wakuda & Tony Bilson)

Stumble It!

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