Cornbread, Sage Stuffing by Quay Lo and Quay Po

This dish was product of a joint effort from Quay Lo and Quay Po.

At its heart, this is southern (U.S.) style cornbread stuffing. Yet it starts with a classic mirepoix and just gets better from there, depending on your flair and your taste on the day you make it. It may be too late for this Christmas, how about keeping it for the next?

You will need a frying pan, a two quart covered casserole or a large loaf pan, a large mixing bowl and a baking pan for cornbread.

Cornbread:

Ingredients:

(A)

1 C corn meal

1 C plain flour

¼ C sugar

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

(B)

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 egg

1 C milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 200C or 400F. Grease 8 inches square pan. Combine (A).  Add (B). Pour blend into prepared pan.  Bake for 20 – 25 mins.

Stuffing:

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups (approx 340 grams) onions finely diced

¾ cups (170 grams) celery finely diced

¾ cups (170 grams) carrots finely diced

3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter

½ cup fresh sage, finely chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

3 tablespoons (50 grams) freshly chopped thyme

3 cups (450 grams) cornbread, broken into pieces

8 slices white sandwich bread, toasted to lightly brown, in an oven and allowed to dry. Break into crumbs (don’t just allow bread to air dry. Toasting is added caramelization for your recipe.)

¾ cup chopped chestnuts

1 cup (approx 130 grams) dried cranberries

1 large egg slightly beaten

1 cup chicken stock

Method:

After the cornbread and bread crumbs are made it is time to prepare the mirepoix. So called the “holy trinity” of French cooking, it is nothing more than a mix of the carrots, celery, and onion, sweated in the frying pan on medium-low heat, with the butter. Avoid browning the butter or the vegetables. By now, your kitchen will have all those wonderful smells of the mirepoix and you will understand why so many great French dishes start out this way.

In a large bowl add bread crumbs and corn bread crumbs, and toss together.

Add the parsley, sage, and thyme as well as the chestnuts and cranberries, tossing all until well distributed.

Add the mirepoix mixture with all of the butter and toss again.

Salt and pepper to taste

Add the egg until well distributed.

Just a bit at a time, add the chicken stock, just until the mixture can easily be shaped with a spoon into a ball.

Slightly oil the casserole and gently spoon and press the stuffing mixture into the dish.

Bake covered for 35 minutes

Note: I like to use loaf pans and double the recipe. I freeze the second loaf taking care to seal tightly with plastic wrap, and again with a layer of aluminum foil. May be kept in your freezer for up to six months and is wonderful to have on hand to accompany roasted chicken, pork chops, or ham.

I laughed out loud. Read and I promise you will too.

I want to go "off topic" with something that still makes me laugh when I read it and I thought you might enjoy it too. My Quay lo travels extensively due to his business and the note below is what he wrote in an email to his daughter, who had shared an article on airport security with us one morning. The article was about the growing inconvenience and hassle of security checks when we travel, and highlighted the emerging use of revealing xray equipment. Stitch is specifically responding to his daughter's statement that she just grins and bears it because it is far better than no security.

My Quay Lo wrote:

*** You know, that is exactly how I survive the ordeal. I just keep telling myself that it is one of the signs of the time. If I rant, I rant to myself. Other then that, I just “bend over”, and occasionally say things like, “enjoy yourself?” or “could I get a copy of the picture?” to make it more lighthearted. I once had a female air security person, who had visions that she was Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry. She seemed intent on stripping me piece by piece. First it was remove the shoes. Then it was take out the wallet. Then it was remove the jacket. Then it was remove the belt…at which point I said “Hey, are we playing strip poker??!! Bcuz, I don’t have any cards”. The guy behind me laughed out loud but “Dirty Harriett” kept in character and only scowled. So I shut up and consoled myself that at least I gave one guy a laugh.

One of my regrets is that travel has become so tedious and wearying. Seats are smaller as my ass grows bigger. Leg room is shorter as my knees get stiffer. Meals are rarely a notch above animal feed. Toilets are barely large enough for me to stand up straight in. Passengers are ruder than ever before. Every time I schedule another flight I tend to want to say to myself “crap…another airport, another crappy airline, another hotel that will find 1,000 ways to irritate me”, and I remember how it used be a that each trip I took was preceded with a sense of excitement and adventure. Sometimes with these thoughts, I fall into one of those internalized curmudgeon rants about the “good old days” and "ain't it awful". Usually I jatr myself out of this reverie, realizing that isn’t really true, so I try to catch myself. The fact is that every face I see represents a new opportunity to learn something, and a new opportunity to make a friend. Not long ago I sat next to an Arabic businessman and we had one of the most congenial conversations two people could have. I have had, in my life, a thousand experiences like that. I once was behind a pregnant woman who fell backwards while climbing the stairs to the plane entry. (some problem with the gateway had forced the airline to bus us to the plane and enter this way). I caught her and managed to get her back on her feet. She was so gracious in her thanks that I felt good. But as I reached the plane’s hatch, the flight attendant said “great catch, sir”. The crew then went on during the flight to give me very attentive service. It made my day.

There are still great things out there to experience. And great places to discover. You can’t have these experiences sitting at home, I know that. So I think contemplating a trip becomes a question of overcoming inertia.”

Congrats, my dear, for overcoming yours, though that has always been a skill for you. You are one of those bubbly people that just see pleasure and adventure in everything. That makes me very proud and I hope it will always be that way for you.

Love, Dad ***

When my Quay Lo returns from his travel, he is always glad that he is home. Even a simple sandwich, his usual request after a long return flight and it is late in the day, will make him very happy.

Ham Sandwich

Ingredients:

3-4 slices of shaved ham

2 pcs whole meal bread

3 slices of plum tomato

1 pc of Romanian lettuce

1 tbs mayonnaise, 
1/2 tbs Dijon mustard,
and a dash of black pepper

some corn chips

Method:

Assemble all the above, Simple enough?

Blueberry cream cheese tart

The holidays were a blur of time this year, at least partially owing to the fact that we spent a lot of time in the kitchen where time seems to pass so quickly. So we are still catching up on posting some of the recipes that starred on our table this year. This post is for the blueberry and vanilla cream cheese tart that is very simple. I did not make this, Quay Lo did.

You will need two medium sized mixing bowls, measuring cups & spoons, a blending fork, a 12 inch tart pan or, optionally, 4-5 individual shallow ramekins, very lightly buttered.

Optional: A food processor and electric mixer

Ingredients

Crust: (note: your favorite graham crust will do very well here, while we prefer the following sweetened crust for this tart)

1/2 cup (63 g) powdered sugar 

1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour 

3/4 cup (170 g) butter, softened 

Filling:

6 ounces (170 g) cream cheese, at room temperature 

1 cup (126 g) powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 

1/4 cup (56 g) castor sugar 

1 can blueberry pie filling

Directions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

Combine powdered sugar, flour, and butter in a food processor, or combine in a mixing bowl with a blending fork until mixture is crumbly and less than pea sized and can easily be pressed into a ball between your hands. Roll out dough for an un-greased 12-inch tart pan or, cut dough ball into 4 equal parts and simply press each piece into individual, shallow, five inch ramekins, slightly buttered. Take care to press into indentations.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned, using pie weights or dried beans to fill the crust, to prevent it from buckling. Allow to completely cool on a rack and remove the weights.

Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar using a fork or a mixer until thoroughly blended. Clean the mixer utensils for next step.

In a separate bowl, add the heavy cream and the caster sugar. Beat until soft peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Spoon this mixture into the cooled pie shell and top it with blueberry pie filling or blueberry preserves. Refrigerate until well chilled and firmed. Serve with a sprig of mint leaf, thinly sliced strawberries if available, sliced maraschino cherries, or a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Chinese Rojak - A sweet memory with Mum

After so much of rich food from Christmas and New Year celebrations, it is a delight to have something light! ROJAK!

Rojak is just tossed salad of various fruits with belacan (prawn paste) dark sauce.  Different ethnic groups have different versions of "Rojak". The Chinese "Rojak" are mixture of cut up pineapple, cucumbers, guava, unripe papaya, green mangoes, bean sprouts and “youtiao” (dough fritters), and toss them with a sauce made of chilli, tamarind, lime and lime peel, and a prawn paste topped with lots of roasted ground peanuts is my favorite. The Malay version is about the same except that it contains tempeh (a patty made from cooked, fermented soya beans) and tahu goreng (fried bean curd). With Indian rojak, you usually choose which specific ingredients they would like.  These ingredients might include boiled diced potatoes, hard- boiled eggs, fried bean curd, vadai (fried dough with a chilli or prawn embedded in it) and fried squid, all served with a sweet chilli sauce.

Rojak has its origins in Indonesia where it is called ‘rujak’. A popular dish in east Java is rujak cingur which is similar to the Malay version of Singapore rojak except that it has a distinctive ingredient, cartilage from the nose of an ox (cingur). I have not had an Indonesian version of "Rojak" before.


I must share this sweet memory about me and Mum with you. When I was like 5 or 6 years old, we used to go to a place called "Old Town" in our hometown Ipoh to eat this heavenly dish.  We went there at least once a week until we moved to Kuala Lumpur when I was 9 years old but then whenever we return to visit our relatives in Ipoh, we never fail to pop by this rojak stall to have a big plate of it.    


This rojak stall had the most simplest set up. The tables and chairs were made up of wooden palettes. The rojak is truly special. The fruits and sauce were served separately. The sauce was divine and so far I have not tasted any that is even near after the old man passed away.  Everyone in my hometown knew about this rojak stall. People from abroad knew about it too. Yes, it was that famous!  It was also the most expensive rojak in Ipoh but no one complains because it was the best Chinese Rojak ever! 

Large adapted from Singapore Local Favorites:

Ingredients :

100g pineapple (rind removed)

100g yam bean (peeled)

100g green mangoes

100g young papaya

100g cucumber

50g bean curd puffs

50g dough fritters

1 tsp red ginger plant bud (bunga siantan - shredded)

150g roasted peanuts (ground)

50g bean sprouts (scalded)

Sauce:

4 tbsp prawn paste

1.5 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tbsp lime rind

5 tbsp sugar

some fresh chilies (ground finely)

Method :

Cut pineapple, yam bean, cucumber, green mangoes, young papaya, guava, bean curd puffs and dough fritters into pieces. Mix red ginger plant bud,  3/4 of the ground peanuts and all Sauce ingredients in large bowl. Add pineapple, yam bean, cucumber, green mangoes, young papaya, bean curd puffs and bean sprouts. Toss and mix well till ingredients are well-coated with sauce. Transfer to serving dish. Top with dough fritters and remaining ground peanuts and serve.

Red ginger plant bud is one of the "must have" in this Chinese-style rojak.  It adds a heavenly flavor to the dish. This is available at most wet markets.  One tip though, do not be stingy on ground peanuts because it is necessary to make this dish really tasty.

Rojak is a Malay word and what is means it "a mixture" or "a melting pot". It is also a popular salad of all kinds of local fruits unique to Malaysia and Singapore. ENJOY!

Pork & Duck Terrine with cranberries & hazel nuts - featured in Group Recipies (12/25/10)

If you are a regular reader, you already know that my hubby loves to cook and most of the western cuisine recipes are from him. He has been the main cook for our Christmas dinners the past several years but due to his back problem this year, he has to leave the cooking to me. However, he just could not stay away from the kitchen. While I was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping, he sneaked into the kitchen and cooked. When I returned home, I could smell the fragrance of food even before I opened our main door. Know what? He made this wonderful dish and he told me he thinks it is worth it even if his back hurts because of all the standing during the cooking. This is truly a dish filled with passion and I am sure this will 'WOW' our guests when served.

Pork and Duck Terrine with Liver

Before baking

Putting a heavy brick on top of the terrine to slough off some of the fat and make the terrine more dense

After baking

After it is removed from the loaf pan

Ingredients:

2 deboned duck breasts , about 300g/10oz each, skin on

200 g (approx 8 ounces) sliced bacon (can use pancetta)

700 g (approx 1 ½ pounds) pork shoulder, cubed

120 ml (1/2 cup) milk

3 shallot , roughly chopped

5 slices of day old bread

2-3 whole cloves

200 g pork, duck or chicken livers, roughly chopped

6 black peppercorns

2 teaspoons coriander seed

2 cloves of garlic

Generous pinch of ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Cognac

2 eggs, lightly beaten

75 g shelled nuts (chestnuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios)

75 g (1/2 cup) dried cranberries

Method:

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the duck breasts and skin in a shallow dish, then place in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Discard the shriveled bit of skin that remains, then pour the duck fat into a bowl to cool. Roughly chop the cooked duck meat and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Roughly chop the pork, three slices of bacon, and liver to a coarse texture and mix with the chopped duck in the bowl.

3. Tear up the bread and soak in the milk for 5 minutes. 
Squeeze the milk out of the bread and put in a food processor with the shallots and garlic. Pulse the processor to get a coarse texture, then add to the bowl.

4. Grind the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cloves to a coarse powder (pestle and mortar works just fine). Stir in the cinnamon. Add the spices to the meat along with 4 tbsp reserved duck fat, the Cognac, the eggs, and 2 tsp salt. Mix together very thoroughly – the best way is to use your hands.

5. Lightly grease a 1-litre loaf pan. Line the pan with the bacon (or pancetta), slightly overlapping the slices and leaving enough overhanging the edges to cover the top.

6. Press half the mixture into the pan leaving a slight indentation down the middle. Scatter the pistachios and cranberries over all, then cover with the remaining meat mixture. Fold over the bacon strip and augment with more so as to cover the entire loaf. Cover the dish tightly with foil, then place all into a roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish.

7. Bake for 2 hrs, remove foil, then bake for 15 minutes more to brown the top. When completely cooled, remove from pan and wrap in fresh foil and chill. For the best flavor, let the terrine chill in the fridge for at least 2 days before eating. The flavors will mature and blend.

Oops, where's the paprika!!??

Hi Everyone, This is "hubby" dropping in for a quick note to share with you a very interesting link to information about paprika and a super simple recipe. So why suddenly an interest in paprika? I was looking through our collection of recipes for something to do with chicken as I am preparing the main dish for this evening's dinner. I thought of paprika and it's brilliant red color. It is the season after all. As I scanned the list under chicken I found it, slapping my forehead and muttering "oh yeah" to myself. Chicken Parisienne jumped out from the screen and I remembered that paprika is the primary spice, along with salt and black pepper. That should be just the ticket in this creamy white dish. I was good until I realized that we were out of paprika. That sent me back to the computer, this time to search for paprika substitutes. In the process I found the page in the link that follows and learned something rather extraordinary about paprika. Apparently it's use is all about the color and not so much as a flavoring agent. That is, of course, unless you use the smoked Spanish paprika which will impart some smoky flavor. Here, I'll let you read for yourselves if interested in the wonders of paprika, but do come back if you want a very-simple-but-good-enough-to-serve-company recipe. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/paprika-substitute.html

Here is what you will need for this no fuss recipe:

A two quart baking dish with cover, a medium sized mixing bowl, a whisk, and a measuring cup

.

1 tbs of vegetable oil

4 lg. chicken breasts

12 medium sized Crimini mushrooms (Italian brown)

1/2 c. chicken stock

1 c. sour cream

1 c. half and half or light cream

1/2 c. dry white wine

2 rounded tbs all purpose flour salt/papper to taste

Paprika to taste (may substitute chili powder

Optional: garlic to taste (I use three full bibs of fresh garlic)

Method: Oil the inner surface of the baking dish with a brush or a soaked paper towel. Wash, pat dry, and debone chicken breast, placing them in the oiled baking dish.

Slice mushrooms about 1/2 cm (3/8inch) thick and spread over the chicken breasts

Combine chicken stock, white wine, sour cream, light cream, and flour in the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork. Pour this mixture over the chicken and sprinkle generously with paprika (or somewhat more sparingly with a mixture of chili powder and allspice).

Bake at 175C (350F) degrees for about 1 hour, or until tender. Serve over your choice of white rice or egg noodles. (I like the noodles which I toss slightly with a pat of butter and a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley.

Sprinkle a little more paprika on the chicken after plating. The contrast between the green flecks in the noodles and the red on the chicken qualify this dish for a pre Christmas, celebratory, dinner. Serves 4 people. (You can stretch this to 5 or 6 chicken breast without adding any liquid)

Potluck is a good idea for Christmas

I think potluck is a good idea for any party that needs to cater for a big crowd, especially when the host does not want do too much cooking. Yesterday, my son, Nick attended a Christmas party at his boss’ home. It was a potluck party so I prepared a few things for his contribution.  I made salsa, grilled vegetables, beef burgundy and coconut speculas.  It was my first time making the beef burgundy and fortunately it turned out quite delicious.  So the next time I cook this again, I will share the recipe with you all. 

I made some Belgium speculas but somehow when the first tray of cookies were done and I tried one, I did not like it because it was too sweet.  In order to cut down the sweetness, I added dessicated coconut to the next batch of dough and the cookies tasted much better. I do not know if they is such thing as coconut speculas, if not, then let the name be borned yesterday. LOL!

I was eager to know if his colleagues enjoyed the food I prepared. It was around 10pm that I received a thank you sms from Nick to say they did. I can’t tell you how happy I was.  I guess the best reward for any cook is to know that people enjoyed what they cooked. Do you agree with me?

Beef burgundy

Coconut speculas

spicy mango salsa

grilled mixed vegetables