Turkey with parsley marsh

Ingredients

4 turkey breast fillets, each about 150g/5oz in weight

FOR THE GLAZE:
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp prepared mustard
2 tbsp zested orange rind
3 tbsp orange juice
2 tsp ground ginger

FOR THE PARSLEY MASH:
450g/1lb potatoes, peeled
350g/12oz parsnips, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk or natural low fat yoghurt
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Parsley sprigs and orange slices to garnish
Salad or freshly cooked vegetables to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5, 10 minutes before cooking. Wipe the turkey breast fillets and make 3 diagonal slashes across each breast. Gently heat the ingredients for the glaze and spoon over the turkey fillets.

2. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 25-28 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Baste the turkey occasionally with the glaze.

3. Meanwhile, chop the potatoes and parsnips into small chunks then cook in lightly salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly then mash with seasoning to taste and the milk or yoghurt. Beat well with a fork until creamy then stir in the chopped parsley.

4. Arrange the mash onto 4 individual warmed plates and top with the glazed turkey fillets. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs and orange slices. Serve with salad or freshly cooked vegetables.

Oooishi~desu!

Yummy Poached egg and asparagus

Take poached egg and asparagus to another level with this fancy breakfast dish of poached egg with asparagus rubbed in hazelnuts, brioche crumbs and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Ingredients

For the asparagus
16 asparagus spears
For the brioche crumb
½ loaf brioche
100g/3½oz hazelnuts, toasted
50g/1¾oz butter
4 tbsp maple syrup
For the poached hen eggs
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 hen eggs
Preparation method
For the asparagus, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the asparagus spears and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Technique: How to cook asparagus

Drain the asparagus and place into a bowl of ice cold water.
For the brioche crumb, put the brioche and hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until a crumb is formed.
Heat a large frying pan and add the butter. Once melted, add the brioche and hazelnuts and toast until golden-brown. Stir in the maple syrup.
Remove the asparagus from the water and drain on kitchen paper.
Place the crumbs on a plate and roll the asparagus in the crumbs.
For the poached eggs, bring a small pan of water to a gentle simmer and then add the vinegar.

Technique: How to poach an egg

Stir the simmering water vigorously to create a vortex, and then carefully crack two of the eggs into the water. Poach for 2-3 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking, then carefully remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
Repeat the process with the remaining two eggs.
Alternatively, if using later, drop the poached eggs straight into iced water and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the poached eggs and cook for one minute just to heat through. Drain on kitchen paper.
To serve, divide the crumbed asparagus spears equally among four serving plates. Place one poached egg on top of each serving of asparagus.

Oooishi~desu!

Pork BBQ in American style

Low and slow cooking is the secret to tender American-style barbecue. The sauce is optional.
Equipment and preparation: These instructions are for a gas-powered barbecue, but a barbecue with a lid can be used if the coals are very low.

Ingredients

For the pork
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 x 2.2-2.7kg/5-6lb pork shoulder, preferably with bone in and skin on (ask for a “Boston butt”)
2 handfuls hickory chips (other types of wood chips can be substituted, such as oak or apple wood)
1 disposable aluminium foil shallow pan
1 smoker box (see recipe tip)
For the vinegar-BBQ sauce
475ml/17fl oz cider vinegar
250ml/9fl oz water
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2¾ tsp fine sea salt
4 tsp hot pepper flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

For the pork, in a small bowl, mix the salt and sugar until combined. One to three days before you plan to grill, generously sprinkle the salt-sugar rub over the entire pork shoulder, covering every surface. You may not need the full quantity of rub. (A good rule of thumb is two teaspoons per pound of meat.)
If you’re lucky enough to have a shoulder with skin on it, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, leaving an inch or so between the lines. Try to work some of the rub into the scorings. Refrigerate the pork shoulder uncovered. Bring to room temperature before you put it on the grill.
Soak the wood chips in water for about 30 minutes; set aside.
Prepare a gas-powered barbecue for smoking. On a section of the grill that won’t receive direct heat, place a disposable pan or tray beneath the cooking grate and directly on the bottom bars or lava rocks (whichever your grill has). Fill the pan about halfway with water; this will catch drippings and keep the inside of the grill moist.
Set the cooking grate back on the grill. Adjust the burners so the temperature in the grill is somewhere between 95C/200F and 150C/300F. Keep the burners under the drip pan off, and those not under it on.
Drain the wood chips and place them in a smoker box. If you don’t have a smoker box, you can make one by piercing holes all over a shallow and narrow foil-covered aluminium pan.
A few minutes before putting the meat on the grill, set the smoker box directly over the heat source. (Smoke works best early in the cooking process.)
Place the shoulder on the grill above the drip pan, skin or fat side up. Cover the grill and roast the pork shoulder for 4 to 6 hours. The time it takes will vary depending on your piece of meat, the grill, and the cooking temperature. Lower temperature is better but takes much longer to cook. Whichever temperature you choose, check occasionally to make sure it does not exceed 150C/300F or fall below 95C/200F. When the temperature of the interior of the meat is 90C/195F, it should be done.
Don’t be alarmed if the temperature of the pork shoulder rises quickly and then stays at 150°F for a long time (sometimes for several hours). This is called the “stall.” Be patient and wait for it to reach 90C/195F. Check to see if the meat feels relaxed to the touch or if you can pull it apart with a fork. If it resists, give it another 30 minutes. The meat should by now be a deep brown color.
If the outside of the shoulder doesn’t have some dark, crispy areas (i.e., bark or, if you started with skin, crackling), crank up the temperature to 260C/500F for a few minutes. (Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.) Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
For the vinegar-BBQ sauce, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, hot pepper flakes, and black pepper in a medium-size bowl and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved; set aside.
Either pull the pork shoulder apart with a fork or roughly chop with a cleaver, incorporating crispy bits of crackling (if you have it) or bark. Mix in a generous splash of the vinegar BBQ sauce; adjust the seasoning, making sure there’s enough acid (vinegar) and salt. Put the remainder of the sauce in a pitcher on the table. Serve with soft rolls. Coleslaw and beans and rice make good accompaniments.

Oooishi~desu!

Chinese Hot and sour soup

Make your own version of this Chinese restaurant classic, filled out to a generous main course with noodles and chicken.

Ingredients

For the soup
1 tbsp groundnut oil
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 handfuls fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 red chilli, de-seeded, finely chopped
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
700ml/1 pint 5fl oz vegetable stock
220g/8oz canned bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
pinch ground white pepper
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
For the noodle 'pot'
200g/7oz cooked egg noodles
2 small handfuls beansprouts
8 baby sweetcorn, sliced
1 spring onion, sliced
100g/3½oz cooked chicken, shredded

Preparation method

For the soup base, heat the oil in a wok, then fry the ginger and shiitake mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the chilli, Shaoxing rice wine, vegetable stock, bamboo shoots and the seasonings. Bring to the boil, then add with the cornflour paste, stirring well, until thickened. Keep warm over a low heat.
For the noodle pot, layer the cooked egg noodles, beansprouts, sliced baby corn and spring onions in a plastic pot or serving bowl. Top with shredded chicken, then spoon the soup over the ingredients. Give the noodle pot or bowl a good stir and serve immediately.

Ooiishi~desu!

Singapore-style noodles

Make this takeaway favourite at home with our quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients

2 tbsp groundnut oil
1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger
1 red chilli, de-seeded, finely chopped
5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp ground turmeric
100g/3½oz smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and sliced
1 handful julienned carrot strips
1 handful beansprouts
100g/3½oz leftover chicken, shredded
250g/9oz dried vermicelli rice noodles, pre-soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained
1 tsp crushed dried chillies
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 free-range egg, beaten
dash toasted sesame oil
2 spring onions, sliced lengthways

Preparation method

Heat a wok until smoking and add the groundnut oil, then stir fry the ginger, chilli, mushrooms and turmeric for a few seconds.
Add the bacon and cook for 15-20 seconds, then add the red pepper, carrots, beansprouts and cooked chicken. Stir-fry for one minute.
Add the noodles to the wok and toss for 1-2 minutes, then season with the chillies, soy sauce, oyster sauce and vinegar. Stir well to combine.
Pour the beaten egg into the wok and stir gently for one minute, or until the egg is cooked through. Season with a dash of sesame oil, then pile the stir-fry onto a serving plate and garnish with the sliced spring onions.

Ooiishi~desu!

Vietnamese Oyster

Perk up the oyster with a palate-awakening taste of Vietnam.

Ingredients

4 shallots, finely diced, plus 2 extra, sliced
30g/1oz pickled grated ginger, plus 50ml/2fl oz pickling juice
1 red chilli
75ml/3fl oz rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
50g/2oz sugar
25ml/1fl oz soy sauce
25ml/1fl oz fish sauce
4 limes, juice only
oil, for shallow frying
12 oysters, shells scrubbed clean, shucked
To serve
chopped fresh coriander

Preparation method

Place the shallots, ginger, chilli, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil in a saucepan and heat gently until reduced by one-third. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar and soy sauce, and set aside to cool
Stir the pickling juice, fish sauce and lime juice into the mixture until well combined.
Heat 1cm/½in of the oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (Caution: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Add the sliced shallots and shallow fry, stirring now and then, until crisp and richly golden-brown. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on plenty of kitchen paper.
To serve, spoon the vinaigrette over the oysters in their shells and top with fresh coriander and crispy shallot rings. Serve over crushed ice.

Oooishi~desu!

Indonesian beef rendang

A rich Indonesian curry made with coconut milk and melting tender beef. Really famous in Sumatra.

Ingredients

2 lemongrass stalks, dry outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
3 medium-sized red onions, quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled
25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
75g/2½oz chunk galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
3 plump red chillies, roughly chopped without deseeding
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1.5kg/3lb 5oz beef chuck steak (or any good braising beef), trimmed and cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar or palm sugar
2 tsp tamarind paste or freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
ground black pepper
toasted coconut flakes, to serve (optional)

Preparation method

In a food processor combine the lemongrass, onions, garlic, ginger, galangal and chillies. Blend to a fine paste (you may need to remove the lid and push the mixture down a couple of times with spatula until the right consistency is reached).
Heat the sunflower oil in a large flame-proof casserole and fry the paste gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for two minutes.
Add the beef to the pan and stir to coat in the paste and spices. Cook for five minutes, stirring constantly until the meat is very lightly coloured all over. Pour the coconut milk and 400ml/14fl oz cold water into the casserole. Add the lime leaves, cinnamon stick, sugar, tamarind paste or lime juice, soy sauce and salt and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat and leave to gently simmer uncovered for about 2½-3 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender and the sauce is very thick, glossy and rich. Stir the beef occasionally towards the beginning of the cooking time then more often as the coconut milk reduces. You don’t want the sauce to stick. Season to taste with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the curry into warm serving dishes, pick out the kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon stick, and sprinkle with the toasted coconut, if using.

OOoooishi~desu!