Hiatus End-us

... As my kitchen supplies make their way via slow boat to the big apple.

Watched a documentary called Food Inc and it freaked the holy crap out of me. The industrialized world's food supply is a production line of yuck from the depths of hell. Even fresh food ain't safe any more.

Therefore, I'm making the decision to switch to organics from now on. It'll be more expensive but ultimately kinder on my health and the environment.

Stay tuned for great picks at my local farmer's market!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

These pay homage to the caramel apple. A moist soft cake with apple bits, smothered in a home-made caramel icing and topped with chopped walnuts. All it needs is a lolly stick down the middle to complete the effect!

• 70g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 30g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 apples, peeled and finely chopped

Preheat oven to 180C and line one 6-muffin tin with paper liners.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed, then reduce speed to low to mix in apples. Finally, add flour mixture and continue beating, scraping down sides of bowl.

Fill cups till half full and bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely while you make the caramel frosting.

• 225g light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 55g butter
• 1/8 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In a saucepan, bring the sugar and cream to a boil and boil for one minute. Add baking soda, and boil one more minute. Remove from heat and add butter, but do not stir yet.

Let the mixture cool, then beat well. Spoon into a piping bag with a round tip and let chill in the fridge until it's thick enough to pipe.

Pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake, then sprinkle some chopped walnuts over.

Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Can't decide if you want brownies or cookies? No problem, just combine the two into one bite-sized handheld piece of ooey-gooey chocolate heaven.

When I was a kid, I used to make these with brownie mixes, but I reckon since I'm an adult, I should make the grown-up version.

• 15g all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 70g brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 100g fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao or more), finely chopped if not using buttons
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 190C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt butter and chocolate in a metal bowl set over lightly simmering water, stirring till smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to warm.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, whip the eggs to break them up. Then add the sugar, espresso, and vanilla and beat on high speed for 15 minutes, until thick.

Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until partially combined (there should still be some streaks).

Add the flour mixture to the batter and carefully fold it in. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. If the batter is very runny, let it rest until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets and bake until puffed and cracked, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before removing from the baking sheets. Makes about 18 cookies.

Pretty in Pink Raspberry Macarons

I'm reduxing raspberry macarons just because they're so yummy. Instead of two-toned shells, It's pretty-in-pink with lots of heart-shaped sprinkles.

Use 2 - 3 drops of red food colouring, and don't forget the sprinkles!

Perfect feet and smooth shiny tops.

Smooth creamy raspberry buttercream

Assembled and ready to eat

Citron Vanilla Macarons

Just in the mood for prettiness today. I'm not going to mess around with new flavours so I'll split the batch and make classic citron vanilla in a Tiffany's shade of blue with white buttercream. With the other half, I'll redux pretty-in-pink raspberry macarons.

Macaron shells:

• 65g almond meal
• 80g icing sugar
• 40g caster sugar
• 50g egg whites, aged
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
• 3 drops sky blue food colouring

Preheat oven to 160C and prepare 2 baking trays lined with silicon sheets.

Sift almond flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat room temperature egg whites and caster sugar till stiff peaks form. Add dry ingredients to meringue and mix well until batter is smooth and thick. Add the lemon oil and tint the batter a pastel shade of blue.

From Tiffany's with love

Spoon the batter into a piping bag/gun with a 1/2-inch nozzle and pipe evenly onto the baking trays in 3cm globs, spaced about 4cm apart (the piped batter will spread about 1 cm). Scatter sprinkles of your choice (or none at all) and let the piped batter dry till the skin forms. Bake for 12 minutes.

Buttercream filling:

• 100g butter, softened to room temperature
• 150g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Beat butter till nice and smooth, then add icing sugar and vanilla paste and beat till light and creamy. Spoon into an icing bag and chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.

Pipe a hershey kiss-sized gob onto each shell and sandwich with another. Let sit in refrigerator overnight and warm up to room temperature before eating.

Spiced Almond Crusted Fish

I really should be eating more fish. It's high in protein and has the good fats to protect your heart.

Since I'm still on a health kick, Miss Z and I will be good girls and stay on track with something tasty and butt-friendly.

• 2 firm-fleshed white fish fillets, skin off (I'm using cream snapper today)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the flour, spices and salt together in a shallow dish, and season with a few grinds of black pepper.

Lay out the egg, flour and almonds so coating can be done easily

Make sure the fish is washed and patted dry. First, coat the fish in the flour mixture and dust off  the excess. Coat one side of the fish in beaten egg, then another coat of flour. Finally, one more coat of egg and press on the sliced almonds. The whole point is to build up a nice crust on one side. Let sit for five minutes before frying.

Let sit for a few minutes before frying

Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderate heat. Fry the fillets crust side down till golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip over and sear the other side for another 2 minutes.

Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Serve with a lemon wedge and side of honeyed baby carrots.

Honeyed Baby Carrots

For some strange reason, I really like mini-sized food, and baby carrots are no exception.

They're sweet and tender all by themselves, but a small bit of honey gives them a nice glaze and the lemon and mustard punches up the flavour.

• 2 fistfuls of baby carrots, washed
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

Whisk together the honey, mustard, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Cook carrots in salted water until just tender. Drain and return to pot and add the butter, along with the rest of the seasonings and mix well. Serve with the spiced almond crusted fish.

Asparagus Pesto Pasta

This is most definitely a leftover mash-up. I have some pesto sitting in my fridge from the mozzarella and cherry tomato salad, week-old somewhat flaccid asparagus and a random assortment of pasta.

• 3 tablespoons pesto (you can make it yourself or use storebought)
• 1 bunch asparagus, washed and cut into 1.5 inch segments
• 2 servings pasta
• Grated parmesan reggiano
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

In a large pot, cook asparagus in salted water till just tender. Scoop the cooked asparagus from the water and set aside. In the same water, boil pasta till al dente and drain.

Return the pasta and asparagus to the pot, add pesto and give it a good stir to mix everything up. There's no need to add more olive oil as the oil from the pesto should be enough. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

Butternut squash is just da bomb. Together with some leftover carrot and a few pieces of sundried tomatoes for extra oomph, it's a perfect lazy day dinner.

Serves 2 for a meal and 4 for an appetiser.

• 1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and cubed
• 4 small red onions, sliced
• 3 sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 400 ml chicken stock
• 1/4 cup cream
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a pot over medium heat and saute onions till soft and translucent. Add squash and carrots and mix well. Add the stock, and top up with water if needed to cover everything. Throw in the sundried tomatoes, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

When the vegetables are tender, season with salt to taste, and add the cream. Pour the whole lot into a blender and whizz until you get a smooth creamy soup.

After Eights Macarons

Inspired by those thin mint choclates, I'm undecided about whether I'm eating macarons or toothpaste. Some folks love them, some hate them. I guess it all depends on how much you like mint.

A little unconventional as far as macaron flavours go, but what the heck. I like them. They're cute and pretty, and I can skip brushing my teeth afterwards.

I'll be doing the short version here, so for detailed step-by-step instructions and pictures of macaron technique, click here.

Macaron shells:

• 65g almond meal
• 80g icing sugar
• 40g caster sugar
• 50g egg whites, aged
• 3 drops green food colouring
• Green metallic sugar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 160C and prepare 3 baking trays lined with silicon sheets.

Sift almond flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat room temperature egg whites and caster sugar till stiff peaks form. Add dry ingredients to meringue and mix well until batter is smooth and thick. Tint the batter a pastel shade of green.

I love those sprinkles.

Spoon the batter into a piping bag/gun with a 1/2-inch nozzle and pipe evenly onto the baking trays in 3cm globs, spaced about 4cm apart (the piped batter will spread about 1 cm). Scatter metallic green sprinkles and let the piped batter dry till the skin forms. Bake for 12 minutes.

Aren't those feet so pretty?

Mint chocolate ganache:

• 85g fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao or more), finely chopped if not using buttons
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract

Melt chocolate with cream and butter in a metal bowl set over a pan of lightly simmering water (bowl should not touch the water), stirring until smooth.

Remove bowl from heat and let cool a little, then add mint extract and stir well. Let stand at room temperature until cooled completely, spoon into a piping bag and chill for an hour till firm.

Pipe a dollop of ganache onto one side of each shell, the size of a Hershey's Kiss. Gently press down to sandwich the two sides together. Let sit in refrigerator overnight and warm up to room temperature before eating.

Dishwashing revelations

It's pretty amazing what pops into my head while I'm doing the most mundane tasks.

Over a stack of dirty dishes from last night's chicken pie dinner, I realised what the right answer to the most dreaded question a man can hear.

"Baby, am I fat?"

Four little words to send chills down a man's spine, put the fear of god in him, and the distinct possibility of enforced celibacy for the rest of his natural life.

Before I reveal the right answer, I really need to start with the only two reasons why normal women ask that question. Yes, there are only two reasons. And the caveat is normal. This does not take into consideration crazy people nor any other dysfunctional self-image issues.

The first is: She knows she hasn't gained weight and is just fishing for compliments or reinforcement of her fabulousness.

The second is: She knows she's gained weight and is looking to see if you've noticed her ass is the size of a Mack truck.

The right answer is the honest answer.

Look at it this way. If you can clearly see that she's looking great, then a "Not at all honey, you look fabulous" will please her to no end because it comes out sincere.

On the other hand, if she is putting on a few sizes, then a gentle acknowledgement that's she's gained a few kilos, an offer of support to shed it and a "... and I love you no matter what" is probably the best bet. It may not be what she wants to hear but at least she knows you're not lying through your teeth. So, she'll pout a bit, deny you boom-boom for a couple of days, but chances are, you won't be hearing that question until she asks you again for the first reason. Haha...

Country Chicken Pie

Darn it! Forgot to take photos. I'll post the recipe and redux it another day.

It's a pie-a-thon. Between the leftover Key Lime Pie and today's chicken pie, I'm all pied out. Use storebought pastry if you don't want to make it from scratch and it's a quick pie fix.

• 500g all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 450g cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch bits
• 1 cup iced water, plus more as needed

Whizz the flour, butter, salt and sugar in a food processor or mixer with a dough hook until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then, dump in all the water at one and continue mixing until the dough starts massing around the blade/hook and pulls away from the sides. Pull the dough on a floured surface and knead lightly so that it comes together and roll into a ball. Cover with cling wrap and let it chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

• 1 large chicken breast, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 8 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 small potatoes, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

Roll the chicken cubes in flour till evenly coated. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot and sear the chicken until brown. Add the onions and fry till soft and translucent. Throw in the carrots and potatoes and give it a stir, then add the remaining flour and continue stirring till everything is mixed well. Pour in the chicken stock until the meat and veg are covered.

Add the mushrooms, mustard, thyme and pepper to the stew and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1 - 2 hours till vegetables are tender.

Once stew is cooked, add salt to taste and remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Now, to assemble the pie.

Grease a 10-inch pie tin. Using 2/3 the dough and roll out evenly until you have a circle with a 3-inch edge larger than your pie tin. Gently press the dough sheet into the pie tin, leaving the edges untrimmed.

Roll out the remaining dough into a circle with a 1-inch clearance for the top. Pour the cooled filling into the pie tin, and place the dough sheet on top and press the edges of the top and bottom crust together gently.

Trim the dough so you have a 1/2 inch clearance of dough, then pleat the edges inward to form a nice crust. You can also use the back of a fork to create pretty lines.

Pierce a few holes in the top of the pie to let steam vent and brush over an egg wash (1 beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water).

Bake pie at 200C for 30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Pure

Over at DF's birthday BBQ the other day, I got to talking to this dude who enjoys cooking too. Over our conversation, I realised that I'm a purist when it comes to food.

Sure, I like a bit of experimentation, mostly with a few ingredients in classic recipes. But when it comes to out and out mash-ups and fusion, I'm not your gal.

Peking duck pizza... chendol creme brulee... Sounds good in theory, but just not my cup of tea. Some things were created just perfect, so who am I to screw around with that?

There are some things in life that are good just pure, simple and the way they are.

Night time slows, raindrops splash rainbows
Perhaps someone you know, could sparkle and shine
As daydreams slide to colour from shadow
Picture the moonglow, that dazzles my eyes
And I love you

Just lying smiling in the dark
Shooting stars around your heart
Dreams come bouncing in your head
Pure and simple everytime

Now you're crying in your sleep
I wish you'd never learnt to weep
Don't sell the dreams you should be keeping
Pure and simple everytime

Dreams of sights, of sleigh rides in seasons
Where feelings not reasons, can make you decide
As leaves pour down, splash autumn on gardens
As colder nights harden, their moonlit delights
And I love you

Look at me with starry eyes
Push me up to starry skies
There's stardust in my head
Pure and simple everytime

Fresh and deep as oceans new
Shiver at the sight of you
I'll sing a softer tune
Pure and simple over you

Black Pepper and Mushroom Steak

This is really kind of old school. It brings me back to when mum brought me to Jack's Place for a meal. It's still around, and they still serve their steaks in old-fashioned hotplates with cow's heads and tails. Yes, I know I'm eating cow, I really don't need to be reminded of that.

Anyway, I'm not in the mood for any major wash-up tonight, so the steak and the sauce will all be cooked in one pan. Yes, you heard me. One pan.

• 2 beef steaks, any cut of your choice
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the shallots and mushrooms. When tender, remove from heat and wipe down the skillet with a paper towel.

Pat dry the steaks and lightly season with some salt to taste. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the skillet over high heat and cook steaks to preferred doneness. When cooked, set aside to let meat rest.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet, along with the meat juices and reduce heat to medium. Add the flour and mix well to make a roux. Pour in the water and whisk well. The liquid will boil and thicken into a gravy. Once that happens, add the pepper, mushrooms and thyme and continue to cook until the gravy reduces to the right consistency.

Serve steaks with a generous helping of sauce and a side of lemon-scented broccoli.

Other healthy things:

• Spiced braised lamb shanks with grilled vegetables
• Crabmeat waldorf salad
• Spice-rubbed grilled chicken salad
• Garlic herb shrimp with a potato and french bean salad

Lemon-Scented Broccoli

Hated by George Bush, loved by me. And since I'm no Bush fan, more power to me.

• 1 small head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized piece
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice and rind of half a lemon
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, rind, olive oil, salt and pepper until emulsified. Alternatively, you can use a jar with a screw on cap and shake well.

Cook broccoli in salted boiling water until tender, then drain and let cool slightly. Toss the broccoli in the vinaigrette and serve with the black pepper and mushroom steak.

Other healthy things:

• Spiced braised lamb shanks with grilled vegetables
• Crabmeat waldorf salad
• Spice-rubbed grilled chicken salad
• Garlic herb shrimp with a potato and french bean salad

Key Lime Pie

Ahh, another Saturday in Singers. After last night's delicious pig-out at Mrs O's inaugural cookfest, I'm feeling a need for a dessert that won't leave me feeling bloated.

Miss Z is coming over for a jog later, and I've decided to finish up the healthy series by getting the black pepper and mushroom steak with lemon-scented broccoli done for dinner. The Key Lime Pie will be a nice light finish to the meal with a tart tang.

Since it's just the two of us tonight and my fridge can't deal with any more leftovers, I'm making half the recipe into a mini tart. The recipe below is for a 9-inch pie and should serve about 6 - 8 people.

• 10 pieces Digestive biscuits
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 70g  unsalted butter, melted
• 400g sweetened condensed milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 140ml fresh or bottled lime juice
• 180ml chilled whipping cream

Preheat oven to 180C.

Whizz the biscuits in a food processor until you have crumbs the texture of fine sand. Stir together the crumbs, melted butter and sugar until combined, then press the mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie tin. Bake crust for 10 minutes and let cool while you make the filling.

Whisk together condensed milk and yolks in a bowl, then add lime juice and whisk until combined well (mixture will thicken slightly). Pour filling into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Cool pie completely then chill for another 3 hours.

Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Serve pie topped with a dollop of cream.