Beef Stew

Since I don't have any special baking activities recently, I decided to post up my daily cooking here to keep you remember me :) I've stew quite often at home but never think of taking any pictures of it until my hubby mention to me. 

As I don't have a proper casserole which can be used on the hob to the oven, my stew was cooked in a normal pan then transfer to a slow cooker for further cooking process. I love to make stew simply because it's a one dish meal as it's easy to prepare and serve. Furthermore, it could be turned into different type of pie dish, either bake it with mashed potato, sliced potato, pastry or just have it straight with rice, pasta or mash that would not make me bore about it. I find the stew always taste better after the day it's cooked, so I normally cook more to keep in the fridge or freezer. Some people like to cook stew with stout but it's not for me and my hubby. So I use homemade chicken or beef broth to replace it, we love  it so much! Bon Appetit!

Recipe from Jamie Oliver. (I've slightly amended the recipe to suit our appetite)

Trim the ends off 1 big stick of celery and roughly chop • Peel and roughly chop 1 onions • Peel 1 carrots, slice lengthways and roughly chop • Put a casserole pan on a medium heat, fry 2 slices of chopped streaky bacon until slightly golden brown • Put all the vegetables, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary and thyme and the 2 dried bay leaves into the pan with 2 lugs of olive oil and fry for 10 minutes

 Add 300g beef  (cut into approximately 2cm cubes) and 1 tablespoon flour • Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup diced can tomatoes • Give it a good stir, then season with some sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper • Bring to the boil, put the lid on and either simmer slowly on your hob or cook in an 180C preheated oven for 3 hours • Remove the lid for the final half hour of simmering or cooking • When done, your meat should be tender and delicious • Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving, and taste it to see if it needs a bit more salt and pepper • You can eat your stew as it is with some mash potato and green peas at the side, or you can use it for pasta or even turn it into a beef pie. 

Craving Corner | HT | 6:30 PM No comments Read More

Homemade Pappardelle

I've been so slow for updating my blog recently and there is nothing else can help to cure my laziness. This pasta dish suppose to post on the last two weeks but I just couldn't help myself to move on uploading the pictures and click on the "new post". I still remember it's the time that Honey Bee Sweet also making homemade pasta and her spinach version is the real good one! My pasta machine had been on the sleep mode for about 3 years which I give the excuse of couldn't find any Tipo'00 flour in Singapore which I think is not true as I guess there must be somewhere selling it. It's just that I still haven't discover any places got this special flour for pasta. I insist to get this special flour otherwise I will not make it as I found it could produce a better texture. 

Last month, my friend bought me a pack of Tipo'00 flour from Europe and I really appreciate it and quickly took out my pasta machine to start on this Pappardelle. I've used to Jamie Oliver recipe so I try to recall to my previous attempt and hope it will success. The reason I choose to make Pappardelle because it's slightly expensive than normal dry pasta like angel hair, spaghetti, fettuccine. or linguine and the most important is, it's always my first choice in the pasta family just because I like the texture. But my pasta machine couldn't roll out to the width of Pappardelle. So what I can do is just fold it up and cut it with a knife. I'm quite happy with the result although it's slightly rustic but I really miss the real taste of fresh homemade pasta. 

I didn't make any fancy sauce to go with it but cook with the most simple and basic Italian cooking style like fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil right before serving. I like it very much and so much satisfaction on this fresh Pappardelle. It's real fun playing with the pasta machine again!

Sorry that I'm too lazy to post up the recipe but it can be easily get from Jamie Oliver's website as I followed exactly the same recipe of the fresh pasta and the classic tomato pasta. Cheers!

Craving Corner | HT | 12:30 AM No comments Read More

Fougasse 叶形烤饼

It has been quite a long time I didn't touch my mixer and oven. I do miss them and my hand do itchy but just can't help myself to get some energy to start with anything. Today, I feel a bit of strength to get into the kitchen. So, I decide to make something for breakfast and something savory that can suit my appetite. I flipped through 孟老师的100道面包 for reference and realized there is a Fougasse recipe which I haven't try before. As it's quite simple and I've all the ingredients on hand, without thinking much I quickly tuck into the kitchen and start making it.

Other than the herbs toppings recommended from the recipe, I would like to add some filling into the dough to make it much flavorful and tastier which is some fried back bacon, caramelized onion and cheddar cheese. I must say the result is so excellent! It taste really fantastic with the fragrant of herbs toppings. The crust is crisp and the fillings of back bacon, cheese and onion is a winner! This Fougasse do not need any companion as it taste good as it is. But it would be great to serve with soup, dippings or even half boil eggs for breakfast too. I will definitely bake this again. Very satisfy!

(A) 200g Bread flour / 50g plain flour / 10g caster sugar / 1/2 teaspoon salt / 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast / 150g water / 10g unsalted butter

(B) 1 red onion (finely chopped and stir fry with some salt until soften) / 2 slices back bacon (finely chopped and stir fry until crisp and golden) / 100g cheddar cheese (diced in small cubes about 1 cm)

(C) 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper / 1/4 teaspoon sea salt / 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves / 1/2 dried basil leaves / 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Mix ingredients (A) except butter with a dough hook until everything form into a dough. Add in the butter and continue the kneading process until a smooth dough.


2. Let it proof for 60 minutes while you prepare ingredients (B) and (C). Fry the onion until soften and the bacon until crisp and golden brown then set aside to cool. Cut the cheddar cheese in small cubes about 1cm. Mix all the prepared ingredients (B) together and divide into 7 portions. Mix ingredients (C) in another small bowl except the extra virgin olive oil.


3. Divide the dough into seven portions and fill each dough with mixture (B) and shape them into small ball. Let them rest for 10 minutes.


4. Roll out each doughs into an oval shape and cut a few strips on the flatten doughs. Brush the dough with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle over some ingredient (C).


5. Proof for about 20 minutes and bake at 200C preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

PS: The crust of Fougasse will turn soft the next day. To get a crusty crust, reheat it in the oven at about 150C for less than 5 minutes.

Bread Corner | HT | 12:26 AM No comments Read More

Homemade Hamburger

I make this burger quite often so I thought it would be much easier for me to prepare some for a bloggers meet up last week. The bun and meat actually made ahead of time that sitting in the freezer until I need it. I'm so sorry to Edith as I didn't make extra for her family members. So I post up this recipe here for your reference and for any bloggers that you had tried and like it. Please feel free to make it and remember to make a big batch to freeze it so that you could have homemade hamburger in no time whenever you crave for it. Cheers!

Recipe for the patties:

• 250g minced pork
• 250g minced beef
• 1 big onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• some sea salt and ground black pepper
• a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• a tablespoon Djon mustard
• 1/2 beaten egg
• 80g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

1. Fry the onion with some olive oil in a pan for few minutes until softened. When the onion completely cool down, mix it to the meat.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and half of the breadcrumbs and mix well. (if the mixture is too sticky, add a few more breadcrumbs)
3. Shape the meat into the size you like and place on a tray with greaseproof paper.
4. Sprinkle some bread crumbs on top of each burger and press down gently. Chilled in the fridge for 3-4 hours or in the freezer if not using it immediately.
5. Fry the burger in a little oil on medium high heat for few minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.

To assemble the burger, spread some salted butter on the buns and grill it on a griller or pan fry for a few minutes until it slightly turn crisp.

Spread some djon mustard or mayonnaise on the bottom part of the buns and then top with some lettuce. Layer with the meat then follow by cheese kraft and freshly sliced tomato and finally the top part of the buns. Enjoy!

For big burgers, make it into 8 buns and 8 slices of meat or like the party mini burger 20 buns and 20 slices of patties. Some

above pictures shown are big burger in 4 inches diameter size whereas some pictures shown are small in 2 1/2 inches diameter size just like the mini burger sit on my hand. I normally make the buns first then the patties. So that the patties had got the same size with the bun and can be fixed nicely between the buns too as I hardly estimate what size of the dough will expand after proofing.

Recipe for 8 buns (approximately 60g for each dough or make more into small little buns):

210g bread flour / 56g plain flour / 20g milk powder / 42g

caster sugar / half teaspoon of salt / 6g yeast / 30g beaten eggs / 85g water / 84g water dough / 22g unsalted butter

Recipe for the water dough "water roux":

Cook 125g water with 25g bread flour at medium low heat, keep stirring until it become thicken and no lumps left. If you've a candy thermometer, measure it until the temperature turn to 65C then turn of the heat. I didn't measure it with thermometer, so I cook it until quite liquid consistency like the baby porridge. Transfer to a clean bowl to cool down.

Methods:

• Place all the ingredients for kneading except the butter until everything come together and become a smooth dough then add in the butter a little at a time.
• Let the dough slowly absorb the butter then turn to speed two if you are using kitchenaid mixer. Knead until the dough no more sticking at the side of the mixing bowl and the dough should be very smooth and elastic.
• Let it proof for 40 minutes in a clean bowl cover with cling warp.
• Divide the dough into even size of 8 portions or any size you like it to be then let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Shape the dough into smooth round shape. Prepare some water on a a clean plate and place a kitchen towel on the top. Damp the surface of each dough and run the damp surface around a bowl of sesame seeds. Place the dough on a baking tray and let the it proof for 40 minutes. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

Breadcrumbs, Craving Corner | HT | 9:28 PM No comments Read More