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.

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.

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.

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

Garlic Herb Shrimp with a Potato and French Bean Salad

It's a public holiday and the weather is sunny but cool. Perfect for a cold salad lunch.

Mrs O is cooking dinner today and I'm super excited for her. It'll be nice to get together and chit chat with all the peeps.

This serves 2 for an entree and 4 for an appetiser.

For the salad:

• 4 small potatoes
• A fistful of french beans, cut into 3-inch sections
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix (you can get this at Cold Storage in tubes)
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
• 2 handfuls salad greens

Boil the potatoes with skin on until tender, then cut into bite-sized cubes. Do the same for the french beans and let them cool to room temperature.

To make the dressing, whisk together the creme fraiche, mustard, roasted garlic paste and herbs and season to taste with pepper and salt.

Chuck the cooled potatoes and french beans into the dressing, mix well and place in the fridge to chill while you make the shrimp.

• 8 large tiger prawns
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian herb mix
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground salt and pepper

Peel and devein the prawns, and season with 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and stirfry the prawns, along with all the seasoning juices. Be careful not to overcook and remove the prawns from heat once they turn red. Let cool to room temperature.

To assemble the salad, place a handful of salad greens on a plate and spoon a mound of potato and french beans over. Arrange the prawns on top and drizzle with the leftover prawn juices.

Smelly garlicky deliciousness. Remember the mouthwash before kissing!

Other healthy things:

• Spiced braised lamb shanks with grilled vegetables
• Crabmeat waldorf salad
• Spice-rubbed grilled chicken salad
• Black pepper and mushroom steak with lemon-scented broccoli

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Salad

Since I've been defeated by chicken eggs, I will take my fury out on the chicken itself.

Yet another opportunity to try out the Egyptian spice mix for chicken. Once again, I don't know what's in it, but here's my best guess on replicating it.

Burn in my spices and oven you fowl thing!

Serves 2 for entree, 4 for appetizer.

• 1 large chicken breast with skin on, deboned
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix the spices with the olive oil and lemon juice till everything is evenly blended. Rub the chicken breasts evenly with the spice paste till well coated and leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Roast, skin up in a 180C oven for 20 - 30 minutes until skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 20 minutes. In the meantime, make the salad and the dressing.

• 2 servings salad greens
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

Chuck everything into a jar with a tight screw-on lid and shake the heck out of it. Alternatively, you can whisk until emulsified. Pour over greens and toss well. You can skip this altogether by using your favourite bottled dressing of choice.

To serve, slice the chicken breast on the bias and serve atop a bed of salad greens.

Other healthy things:

• Spiced braised lamb shanks with grilled vegetables
• Crabmeat waldorf salad
• Black pepper and mushroom steak with lemon-scented broccoli
• Garlic herb shrimp with a potato and french bean salad

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

So much for healthy eating. An interstitial on Food Network came on last night about Taiwanese Beef Noodles and a bulb went off in my head.

OK, it may be a stretch but it's kind of healthy. I didn't add too much oil and it's a soup nonetheless. I'll keep deluding myself into thinking this is healthy. Ohm ohm ohmmm....

Serves 2:

• 300g beef brisket, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon chilli bean paste
• 3 shallots finely sliced
• 1 knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 spring onion, cut into half
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 beef stock cube
• 2 large bowls of water
• Light soy sauce to taste
• 2 servings narrow kway teow

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat. Sear beef cubes till browned and set aside.

In the remaining oil, saute ginger, anise, whole peppercorns and cinnamon stick till fragrant, then add shallots and continue sauteing until soft and translucent. Add the bean paste and saute, then pour in the water, followed by rice wine, dark soy sauce and stock cube. Throw in the spring onions and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 3 hours until beef is soft and tender.

When soup stock is ready, season with light soy sauce to taste, strain and set the beef aside. Parboil the kway teow in boiling water until tender and drain. Place noodles in a bowl, add meat and ladle soup over.

Crabmeat Waldorf Salad

I am shamelessly ripping this off from Suburbia. But for a healthy spin, I'm using creme fraiche instead of mayonnaise and loading up on herbs for a fresh flavour.

Serves 2 as entrees, 4 as appetisers.

• 2 cups cooked crab meat
• 1 green apple, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche (you can substitute with plain unsweetened yoghurt if you can't find creme fraiche)
• 2 teaspoons chopped mixed Italian herb mix
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• Juice and rind of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salad greens
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

Make the dressing for the leafy greens first with 1/2 the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 teaspoon herb mix, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, salt and pepper. Pour everything into a jar with a lid and shake till emulsified.

Next, place the creme fraiche, lemon juice and rind, herbs, remaining mustard, pepper and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the crabmeat, walnuts and apple into the dressing and mix well.

Toss the salad greens with the dressing and place a portion on a plate. Spoon a mound of the crab mixture over and sprinkle some walnuts to finish off.

Other healthy things:

• Spiced braised lamb shanks with grilled vegetables
• Spice-rubbed grilled chicken salad
• Black pepper and mushroom steak with lemon-scented broccoli
• Garlic herb shrimp with a potato and french bean salad

Spiced braised lamb shanks

I have a whole bunch of spice powders from Egypt that I haven't used yet. I'm not entirely sure what's in them, but it smells like a mix of cardomom, anise, pepper and god-knows-what else.

Obviously, it's not easy to get and I don't know how to replicate it, so dump in your favourites spices, or leave them out completely for a classic braised lamb shank.

Braising is actually an extremely healthy method of cooking. It requires very little oil and the meat is slow cooked to absorb the flavour of fresh herbs, spices and the braising liquid. If you skim off the oil and fat from the meat, you'll be left with a richly flavoured and sin-free dish.

Serves 2:

• 2 lamb shanks, fat trimmed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 shallots, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons spice powder
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 beef stock cube
• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• Freshly ground salt and pepper 
• Dry red chilli flakes and paprika (if you like some heat)

Wash and pat dry the lamb shanks. Season with salt and pepper, then coat in flour.

Heat about 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over high heat and sear the lamb shanks till brown on all sides. Remove the meat and reduce heat to medium. Chuck in the onions, shallots and garlic in the remaining oil and saute till soft and translucent.

Add the spice powder and gently saute the mixture until the spices start to get fragrant. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and pour in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the stock cube and top up with water till the meat is just covered. For a richer flavour, you can also use red wine instead of water. But since the spices in this recipe take centrestage, I'm omitting the wine to let the spice flavour come through.

Season with the herbs, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 - 3 hours until meat is tender.

Other healthy things:

• Crabmeat waldorf salad
• Spice-rubbed grilled chicken salad
• Black pepper and mushroom steak with lemon-scented broccoli
• Garlic herb shrimp with a potato and french bean salad

Guinness Beef Pie

Beef and booze, all wrapped up into buttery pastry. Artery clogging and oh so sinful.

It's quintessential pub grub and I've been meaning to make it for ages. I'm amazed at how similar it is to Boeuf Bourguignon in terms of technique and ingredients. Substitute Guinness for wine and it's basically the same thing. Goes to show that good food is good food no matter where you are in the world.

Since I'm doing a pie, I'm using more flour for a thicker gravy. If you want to have it as a stew, use 2 tablespoons of flour instead of 3.

And if you can't be arsed with making your own pastry, store-bought shortcrust or puff pastry works just as well.

• 800g beef brisket, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 small carrots, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 8 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 spring of rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 sprig of thyme, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 330ml can of Guinness
• 1 beef stock cube
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5 portion of shortcrust pastry
• 1 beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water

Wash and pat dry beef cubes. Roll them around in some flour till evenly coated and set aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over high heat and sear the beef cubes till browned and set aside.

In the same pot, turn the heat down to medium and saute onions and garlic till soft and translucent. Add the butter, carrots and potatoes and saute for a few minutes. Next, add the beef cubes, sprinkle the flour over and mix well.

Pour in the Guinness and top up with water till ingredients are covered, add the stock cube and herbs and season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 hours till meat is tender.

Add mushrooms to the stew and cook for a further 10 minutes. In the meantime, roll out the shortcrust pastry and preheat the oven to 200C.

To assemble the pie, pour the stew into an ovenproof baking dish and cover the pie with the pastry. Trim the edges so that you have a 1.5 inch perimeter. Scrunch the edges down into the side of the dish and use the back of a fork to make little lines.

Pierce a few holes in the top of the pie and brush with the egg and water mixture. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown and serve immediately.

Rosy Borscht

Man... I've been putting this off for ages and the beets and parsnips in the fridge are almost qualifying for senior citizen benefits.

This version is more vegetable based, with only the beef or chicken stock providing the meat factor. However, if you prefer a meatier soup, start by simmering a slab of stewing beef in the stock. When nice and tender, shred fine and set aside. Then follow the recipe below, making sure that the vegetables are finely diced and sliced. Skip the blending and add the beef strips at the end for a chunky meat and veggie soup.

Serves 2 for a meal and 4 as an appetizer:

• 500ml beef or chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 beetroot, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 1 potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Sour cream
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic till soft and translucent.

Add beets, carrots, parsnip, potato and bay leaf and mix well.

Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 50 minutes to an hour until vegetables are tender.

Add the cabbage, leek, dill and vinegar and continue to simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes till cooked through. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the bay leaf and pour the contents of the pot into a food processor and blend till thick and smooth. If you prefer a chunky soup, skip the blending and serve as is.

Dot with a glob of sour cream for some flavour and contrast and serve hot.

More for the last meal:

• Buttermilk pancakes
• Perfect scrambled eggs
• Saffron-scented pumpkin and apple soup
• Panfried foie gras with a balsamic raspberry reduction
• Crabmeat pasta in a creamy tomato sauce
  
• Shrimp paella
• Triple chocolate cake
  
• Lemon meringue pie

Roast Chicken with Lemon & Thyme

Today I'm going back to basics because there's nothing as delicious as a perfectly roasted chicken.

Over the years, I've picked up techniques from people and books, and combined them into what I think makes for a great recipe.

• 1 chicken
• 1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic paste
• Freshly ground salt and black pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock

Remove leaves from one stalk of thyme and finely chop, putting the rest aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, juice of half the lemon (save the skin), thyme, garlic paste, salt and pepper.

Wash and clean the chicken, removing the head and feet. Make sure the chicken is patted dry with paper towels, both inside and out.

Squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon into the cavity of the chicken, rubbing well. Stuff in the cloves of garlic, remaining two sprigs of thyme and the lemon rinds into the cavity. Using a skewer, "sew" the skin to close the cavity.

Stuffing the cavity with the lemon and herbs keeps the bird moist and as the chicken cooks, imparts a rich lemon and herb flavour to the meat.

Now, you want to truss the chicken. Trussing keeps the wings and legs close to the chicken and the wingtips tucked under. This allows the chicken to cook evenly, without the wings and legs drying out, as well as prevents the wing tips from burning.

First, tie a loop of twine around the neck of the chicken. Then cross over the back and loop around the wing tips.

Make another cross and bring the twine to the front of the chicken. Bring the leg ends together and tie off with the twine.

Place the prepared chicken in the bowl of marinating liquid and coat well all around. Leave the chicken breast down and cover with cling film. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Prepare a baking dish with a small wire rack at the bottom and pour in the chicken stock.

The reason I like the bird elevated is that the bottom cooks nice and crisp. I really hate for the bottom to swim around in the juices and get all soggy.

Why the chicken stock at the bottom of the pan? In the hot oven, it turns to steam, and keeps the bird moist and juicy. It also catches the drippings from the chicken for a nice jus to go with the roasted bird.

Roast at 160C for 1 hour, making sure you rotate it every now and then so it roasts evenly. Use the leftover marinade to baste. In the last 15 minutes, crank up the temperature to 190C so the skin gets golden and crisp.

When done, remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes. In the meantime, pour the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan and boil until reduce until thick for a nice jus.

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

I'm giving gnocchi another chance, and trying out Cuz from Canada's suggestion.

Panfried in butter, then finished off with some lemon juice at the end, the sauce is a classic French brown butter sauce. The green zucchini and mushrooms should make for a nice light complement.

I'm making this as a side, so have ready 2 small portions of gnocchi for this recipe.

• 1/2 zucchini, diced
• 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

Cook gnocchi in a large pot of salted water until they float to the surface.

In the meantime, saute zucchini and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons butter in a frying pan until tender. Remove from pan and set aside.

When the gnocchi are cooked, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and saute gnocchi until the butter browns slightly. Add the cooked zucchini and mushrooms and toss well. Add the lemon juice right at the end, along freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste and serve immediately.

Leek, Mushroom and Bacon Quiche

Ack. It's the curse of the fridge clean-out day, plus the sheer laziness of not wanting to go to the supermarket.

I thought I'd do quiche again, seeing that the earlier post didn't have too many pictures. And besides, I love quiche, and it will make a good lunch for tomorrow as well. I'm going to do the short version here, so click here for more details on technique and excessive blah blah blah.

For the shortcrust dough:

• 125g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 110g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch bits
• 1/4 cup iced water, plus more as needed

Dump in all the dry ingredients into the food processor or mixer with a dough hook, throw in the butter and shortening. Whizz it around until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the water slowly, until the dough starts to clump onto the blade or hook into a single mass. Remove and place onto a floured surface. Knead lightly until it forms a consistent ball. Roll it up into a ball and cover with cling wrap. Chill an hour in the fridge before using.

Preheat oven to 190C and grease a quiche tin. Roll out the dough in a circle 2 inches larger than the quiche tin on a floured surface.

Place the dough sheet over the greased quiche dish, gently press down into the bottom. Trim the excess dough 1/4 inch from the edge and crimp with your fingers to make the edge of the crust.

Prick the bottom with a fork. Place a piece of parchment or greaseproof paper over the crust, then fill with rice/ dry beans/ ceramic or glass baking beans. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes till light golden brown.

For the filling:

• 2 eggs
• 240ml cream
• 1/2 stalk leek, sliced
• 3 mushrooms, sliced
• 4 rashers bacon, sliced and browned
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon butter cut into pea-sized dots

Lightly beat eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a bowl. Arrange the sliced leek, mushrooms and bacon in the crust, then pour over the egg and cream mixture. Dot with butter and bake at 190C for 25 - 30 minutes or until quiche has puffed and browned.

Shrimp Paella

The Spanish equivalent of a cross between nasi biryani and sar po fan (claypot rice). Surreal but tasty nonetheless. A little bit of writer's block today so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 150g smoked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large onions, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 600ml (or more) chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 500g shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add smoked ham, onions, and bell pepper, and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Stir in saffron water and paprika, then 3/4 of the broth and rice. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Arrange shrimp on top of rice, top with olives, and drizzle with the leftover (or more) broth to moisten. Cover and cook until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 6 minutes.

More for the last meal:

• Buttermilk pancakes
• Perfect scrambled eggs
• Saffron-scented pumpkin and apple soup
• Rosy borscht
• Panfried foie gras with a balsamic raspberry reduction
• Crabmeat pasta in a creamy tomato sauce
  
• Triple chocolate cake
  
• Lemon meringue pie

Panfried Foie Gras with a Balsamic Raspberry Reduction

This is simple, yet utterly decadent.

Personally, I don't eat foie gras because I have peasant tastebuds, but since GBF loves it, I'm going to spoil him today.

The thing that makes foie gras great is it's rich, fatty and buttery flavour, but it can be too much, so often a bit of of an acid contrast is needed to liven it up. I chose raspberries for two reasons. One, I have leftover frozen raspberries from jam making day. Two, it has a strong flavour that won't disappear in the foi gras. But mostly because I have leftovers.

• 2 pieces goose or duck foie gras, cleaned
• 10 raspberries
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Pinch of salt

In a saucepan, combine raspberries, water, vinegar, honey and salt. Bring to boil, stirring constantly to break up and liquify the berries. Once the sauce has reduced by half into a thick liquid, strain to remove seeds.

The key to frying foie gras is a very hot pan and quick cooking. If you let the foie gras cook too long, you'll end up with a puddle of very expensive goose fat. In a smoking hot skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear one side for 2 minutes until golden brown, then turn and do the other side.

Once cooked, remove from pan and drizzle over the reduction. Garnish with a side of greens and serve.

More for the last meal:

• Buttermilk pancakes
• Perfect scrambled eggs
• Saffron-scented pumpkin and apple soup
• Rosy borscht
• Crabmeat pasta in a creamy tomato sauce
  
• Shrimp paella
• Triple chocolate cake
  
• Lemon meringue pie

Crabmeat Pasta in a Creamy Tomato Sauce

Love eating this in restaurants. Hate that there's never enough crabmeat. Solution? Make it myself at home and load up on the crab.

The last time I remember eating this was at Surburbia at Sentosa. It's one of my favourite restaurants, mostly because it's quiet, set amidst lush greenery and the food is pretty good too. A perfect hideout on manic weekday nights.

I'm pulling out all the stops tonight. Premium crabmeat, organic plum cherry tomatoes, wild Greek oregano and pink Australian sea salt.

Fine dining at home? Totally, absa-f**kin-lutely possible.

Serves 4:

• 4 cups cooked crabmeat
• 1 can roma tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 4 basil leaves, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste

If you're using frozen or raw crabmeat, make sure it's thoroughly thawed and drained nefore you start. Heat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of butter, saute till done and set aside.

In a pot, heat up olive oil on medium heat and saute the garlic till soft and fragrant. Add canned tomatoes and break up into small bits with your spoon. Add wine, oregano and basil and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and let simmer till liquid has reduced by half and is nice and thick.

Just before serving, add the crabmeat, cherry tomatoes and cream to the sauce and let simmer for 2 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Add cooked pasta (preferably linguine) and mix well.

To serve, place a small mound of pasta on a plate, and top off with a generous helping of sauce and meat. Delish.

More for the last meal:

• Buttermilk pancakes
• Perfect scrambled eggs
• Saffron-scented pumpkin and apple soup
• Rosy borscht
• Panfried foie gras with a balsamic raspberry reduction
• Shrimp paella
• Triple chocolate cake
• Lemon meringue pie

Grilled Red Pepper and Sundried Tomato Pasta

Homemade roasted peppers are just the bestest of the best. I occasionally make large batches of these and store in jars with olive oil. They keep well and make great additions to salads, pasta and just generally everything.

To roast the peppers, simply grill them whole over the stovetop until the skins have blackened in the fire. In my case, since my stovetop is a hotplate, I'm just placing them on the hotplate till they get as blackened as possible, then using my butane torch to finish off the job.

Pop the peppers into a plastic bag for a few minutes. This lets the steam loosen the skins from the peppers. Then remove them and peel skins off, slice them to remove the stem and seeds, and you're ready to rock and roll.

Serves 2:

• 1 roasted bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 2 pieces of sundried tomatoes, sliced into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• A pinch of chilli flakes or 1 teaspoon finely diced red chilli
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Splash of white wine
• Freshly ground salt and black pepper

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and saute garlic and chilli till soft and fragrant. Add peppers and sundried tomatoes and mix well. Add a splash of white wine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Throw in the cooked pasta and toss till well coated, and sprinkle your choice of crumbled feta or grated parmesan reggiano over before serving.

Other items on the Red, White and Ooohhh menu:

• Mozzarella and cherry tomato salad
• Boeuf bourguignon with mashed potatoes
• White chocolate and cherry cupcakes
• Red rubies in coconut milk
• Raspberry macarons with a buttercream filling
• Cream scones with homemade raspberry preserves and freshly made whipped cream

Boeuf Bourguignon

There's the full-on Julia Child's version, then there's my busy-working-woman-with-no-time-and-a-very-small-kitchen version.

Essential ingredients are basically the same - beef, a full-bodied red wine, bacon, onions and mushrooms. Omit the oven and enter the slow cooker for pain-free cooking.

This is the kind of dish you start in the late morning, leave it in the slow cooker and go do other things, then come back to it an hour before dinner for the final prep. A throw-together-and forget-about-it kind of dish.

Today, I'm a lazy-ass. And since it's just dinner for 2 with Miss Z, I'm skipping mashing the potatoes, and throwing them into the stew instead, along with celery, for a one-dish meal.

Serves 4:

• 10 rashers of bacon, sliced
• 600g of lean stewing beef, cubed
• 1 carrot, sliced into half-inch slices
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 bottle red wine (Bordeaux, Burgundy or a Beaujolais is good)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced 
• 1 stalk fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 300g button mushrooms, quartered
• 10 small pearl or small white onions, peeled and left whole
• Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute the bacon in 2 tablespoons of olive oil till brown and crisp over high heat. Remove from oil and set aside.

Pat dry the beef cubes, damp beef will not brown nicely. In the oil and bacon fat, sear the beef till browned and sealed, and set aside.

In the same fat, saute the onions till soft and translucent, then add the carrots and saute for a futher few minutes. Add the beef and bacon back to the pot, sprinkle on the flour and mix well, letting cook for a further 3 minutes.

Pour the entire bottle of wine in, topping up with some water to make sure the ingredients are just barely covered. Add tomato paste, garlic, stock cube, mustards and herbs to the stew and mix well. bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a low simmer for 3 hours. At this point, you can also transfer to a slow cooker set on high.

3 hours later, stir in the mushrooms and onions and simmer for another 1 hour. By this time, the stock would have reduced to a thick gravy. To serve, spoon a mound of mashed potatoes into a shallow bowl making a deep well in the centre and ladle a generous serving of stew into the well. Crusty garlic bread is also great for mopping up the thick sauce.

Other items on the Red, White and Ooohhh menu:

• Grilled red pepper and sundried tomato pasta
• Mozzarella and cherry tomato salad
• White chocolate and cherry cupcakes
• Red rubies in coconut milk
• Raspberry macarons with a buttercream filling
• Cream scones with homemade raspberry preserves and freshly made whipped cream