Showing posts with label Savory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Savory. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Cheese Crackers

Backstory
Once upon a time, I was at home after eating crazy sweet desserts all day. I needed something to nibble on, but I didn't want it to be too salty etc. I was also craving the flavor of cheese spread and so I just ran into the kitchen and started to bake
What to Expect
If you are looking for junk food, this recipe is only half fitting. Its healthier than junk food ( self proclaimed ) and you can taste subtle cheese.
Ingredients
a) Stick of butter as long and wide as your index finger ( yeah it also worked for my friends )
b) Two tablespoons of cream cheese
c) One teaspoon of salt
d) One teaspoon baking powder
e) One cup of plain white flour
f) Whipping cream
g) One egg
Procedure
a) Melt butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the salt. Crack in one egg and whip until mixed.
b) Sift in flour and baking powder, fold and then knead until the consistency of dough.

Like bread or cookie dough, check if it tends to be springy when using a rolling pin. If it isn't, then its more of a pastry dough.
c) Cut shapes of your preference with a cookie cutter and a rolling pin. Smoothen surface with flour for ease.
I am not skillful, so I tend to use lots of flour just to do this. Flour on surface, rolling pin and both side of the dough.
d) Line on baking paper on baking tray and spread whipping cream on top so that it retains its shape when baking.
e) Preheat oven to 200'C, and bake for 5 minutes.

Consumption
Eat when binge eating or eat with dips. I know I made two sizes, the smaller one is for when I want to binge and the larger one is for dipping. Yeah, I binge eat when I am depressed 
Not overly crispy. Texture is unique. A must try.

A different rendition is also available: Spicy Cheese Crackers. A video tutorial is up on Youtube, but instead of giving you the link, I will try to put it up here.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz3W-eBIclI

Video


Savory Tiramisu ( One Layer )


Back story
I saw Cho Ahran making Savory Tiramisu on Master chef, and then I thought to myself that it would be nice to start making savory dessert instead of the normal desserts I usually make. Also, I didn't follow Ahran's recipe but rather tried to innovate and build as I go along.
What to Expect
If you don't like the taste of Pasta Sauce, then I will tell you straight up that you will freaking hate this. Expect something different and unique!

Ingredients
a) Lady Fingers ( Or as my Aussie friends say, sponge fingers )
b) Two cans of diced tomatoes
c) Brown Sugar ( I used three tablespoons )
d) Minced Meat of your choice
e) Ketchup ( Half a cup mixed with water )
You can use any sauce you like for the taste
f) Thickened cream
g) Sour Cream ( Sprinkle some salt)
h) Spices ( Oregano and Basil )
I) Big Onions ( Add garlic if you love them )
j) Olive Oil

Procedure
a) Slice Big Onions and fry in pan with olive oil till golden brown. When golden brown, throw in the minced meat and fry until cooked.
Season the minced meat with a little salt and pepper first. I usually add a dab of oyster sauce but yeah, I'm Asian. "What the heck is Fish Sauce, and why does it taste like death?" Quoted from Monti, Masterchef Season 3.
b) Pour in the diced tomatoes, Ketchup water mix and the sugar and stir. Taste along the way and improvise if you need to.
c) When done, separate the liquid and the other things in the pot. The liquid will be used to dip the lady fingers in.
d) Dip the lady fingers and build the base of the Tiramisu.
I know people who soak the lady fingers. Their Tiramisu becomes soggy and quite scary really. Just dip and take it out. Count to three quickly if it helps.
e) Spread the solids separated from the liquid mixture on top of the lady fingers evenly.
f) Whip the thickened cream and sour cream together and then pour on the base of the Tiramisu.
People tell me they hate this part cause its hard. I tell them just concentrate on covering all gaps, the unevenness will fix themselves later in the oven.
g) So preheat the oven to 160'C and wait.
h) Now, sprinkle the oregano and basil on the Tiramisu.
If you are a fan of cheese, you can sprinkle some mozzarella on top before baking.
I) Bake for around half an hour while constantly checking on the Tiramisu. This will allow the cream to even themselves out and let them give a better aroma while the lady fingers absorb the sauce.
j) Serve hot or warm.
My friend tried my recipe but used mascarpone instead. He said it tastes better. But I don't know.
Sure, my recipe goes against the conventional rules ( I mean baking a Tiramisu? Seriously ) but you know what, YoLo. 



Baked Lamb Loin sitting on a bed of Salad

Ingredients
Part A : Lamb Loin
a) Lamb Loin DUH
b) Seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Rosemary
- Fried Onion/ Garlic :/
- Whatever seasoning you like and love and adore, even your boyfriend's hair EHEHEH

Part B : Uh um, Salad :/
Part i : The Actual Salad
a) Spinach
b) Grated Carrots
c) Chopped Blue Kraut (Or as my fellow Asians say, red cabbage open_mouth )
d) Cabbage
e) Up to you really, I know people who suggest adding in Feta, Goat Cheese, Haloumi, Lettuce, Assortments of nuts (Pecan, Macademias, Pistachios), Lettuce and other things you can put in salads, and again, I dont despise people who put in their boyfriend's hair or anything, as long as its edible is the rule in salads

Part ii : The Dressing
a) Olive Oil
b) Rice Wine Vinegar
c) One or two drops of fish sauce (Yes, sounds crazy but it is true)
d) Apple Cider Vinegar
e) Soy Sauce
Experiment with the dressing until you find the best mix of flavors, mine is a teaspoon of everything except the fish sauce

Procedure (Damn its simple)
Part A : The Lamb Loin
a) Get ready a baking tray, lined with aluminium foil. Preheat your oven to a 180 degrees Celcius. Lay your Lamb loins down on a bed of roses, sink it in a river at dawn.. I mean lay the loins on the aluminium foil in the baking tray and season them to your preference. Rosemary should be sprinkled on top of the lamb loins.
b) Bake for half an hour or so, until you can smell the aroma. Took me more than half an hour to get the lamb to be done medium well at a 180'C, but if you are experienced then you can use whatever temperature you like to speed up the process. It is up to you to cook either rare, medium rare or well done. I like mine well done - to check if it is well done, press your index finger against your thumb for the texture you should feel when you poke the lamb loin.

Part B : Seriously? You need a procedure for Salad!?
a) Mix the ingredients in 'Part i' in a small bottle so you can shake it well.
b) Chop the ingredients in 'Part ii' to your liking and put them in a salad bowl
c) Toss ingredients well.
Procedure for Plating
a) Prepare a clean plate
b) Decorate the base of the plate with a bed of tossed salad
c) Lay the lamb chop on the bed of salad like a sleeping prince
d) Garnish with fried garlic and onions
e) Use a high quality camera to take a picture of it, and preferably edit it before posting to instagram
f) Consume
The salad can be prebought if you are too lazy to make it from scratch