I Like Bananas, Bananas Are Good: Caramel Banana Panna Cotta

So I've been on a banana milk kick lately. If you don't know what it is I suggest you go to a nearby Korean supermarket and buy some. I can't really describe it, not really banana tasting (unless it's in an artificial way) but it's very creamy and not cloyingly sweet.



So panna cotta is good because it's just pretty much all banana milk but in a different state. Banana and caramel are lovely together so I added some caramelized bananas to add some other flavours as well as a different texture. Then for the top layer I added an evaporated milk. Evaporated milk have a more sweet and really complex flavour that tastes soooooooooo much better than regular milk (but is very fatty) so I added a small layer of it.

Caramel Banana Panna Cotta
Serves: 5 cups

Ingredients:
Banana: 1
Banana milk: 300ml (1 1/2 boxes)
Evaporated milk: 80ml
Gelatin: 5g (almost a pack, 2 teaspoons?)
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Evaporated milk: 80ml + 1/4 cup (um...makes more sense in context)

Instructions:

Evaporated Milk and Banana Milk Layers

1. First, add 1g (1/2 teaspoon?) of the gelatin and mix with 25ml of the cold evaporated milk, let it bloom for 5-10 minutes.

2. After, heat up 55 ml evaporated milk, when it starts to boil, add the gelatin mixture and mix until all dissolved.

3. Pour a thin layer to each cup evenly (you can use any small cups, I only had these jello ones but a ramekin also works), put in fridge.
4. Now repeat with the banana milk. Add 4 grams of gelatine to 100 cold banana milk ad let it bloom.
5. Heat up the rest of the banana milk and then add the gelatine mixture until everything is dissolved.
6. Let it cool.

Caramelized Bananas

1. Add the sugar to the pan, turn to medium heat.

2. When it starts to melt, turn down to low heat, stirring constantly. DON'T GET DISTRACTED!

3. When it gets to this colour, add the 1/4 cup of evaporated milk.

4. Add the bananas and turn up to medium heat and cook until bananas are soft.
5. When the bananas are soft, put it on a silicone mat or a piece of parchment paper to cool down.

6. When everything is cooled down, add a little of the banana milk gelatin mixture and the caramelized bananas.
7. Add the rest of the banana milk to the cups evenly and put in the fridge until firmly set. Best to put it overnight.



Plating
1. To unmold, heat up some water on a shallow pan (just a regular saute pan or something). Water must be lower than the height of your panna cotta cups.
2. When the water is boiling, put the panna cotta on it for 5 seconds.
3. Then using a small paring knife, cut around the edge of the panna cotta to loosen it from the cup.
4. Put a plate on top and flip upside down.




Banana Crown

1. Using a small paring knife, make an incision on an angle, push the knife to the center of the banana.

2. Make an other incision on the opposite angle (so it makes sort o a 'v').
3. Repeat that around the banana.

Ta-dah!



Enjoy!

Chorizo Madness: Eggplant Casserole, Miso Honey Bokchoy, Mashed Potatoes

Chorizos are great! So much flavour is such a small package. It has a smokiness, really salty, and a bit spicy. Like a very condensed pepperoni if I have to compare it with something.

So it's a great enhancer and a great way to spice up a few dishes. So I used it for my eggplant and mashed potatoes.

Eggplant casserole, it is baked with kimchi and chorizo then topped with cheese until golden brown.
Miso honey bok choy, it is stir fried with butter and mixed in a miso and honey sauce.
Mashed potatoes, with a kick from the chorizos.

This serves three people.

Eggplant Casserole



Ingredients:
Chinese eggplants - 3
Kimchi - 2 cups (by which I mean handfuls lol)
Chorizo - 1 stick (120g)
Kraft tex mex cheese mix (I can be trashy sometimes and it tastes good) - as much as you like
Cornstarch - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions:

1. Cut the eggplants in half, (like so they're equal), then in threes.
2. Add some oil in the pan at medium heat and give some browness to the eggplants. (Only half of the eggplants are in that picture)

3. Take the eggplants out, add a bit more oil to brown the chorizo (sliced), when there is some browned bits on the pan, add the kimchi and let the kimchi juice deglaze* the pan.

4. When the kimchi is hot, add the eggplants, then add enough water till it's half way. Turn the heat to low then cover with a lid. Eggplants will shrink down so you don't have to worry that it's too little water. Rearrange the eggplants once in awhile so they all get submerged in the liquid at some time.
5. When all the eggplants are cooked, preheat the oven to 350.
6.make a slurry with the cornstarch and just enough COLD water to dissolve it (so like 2 teaspoons of COLD water) and add it to the liquid. Turn the heat back to medium and wait till the liquid thickens into a more saucy (like pasta sauce) consistency. If it doesn't reach to a consistency to your liking you can add more slurry.
7. Add the eggplants to a pan, should be fairly large since you don't want to stack the eggplants too much. (In fact mines was mostly just one layer of eggplants and than cheese lol) Top the thing off with cheese (don't go too crazy now...)

8. Put the pan in the middle rack for ten minutes, than turn the temperature to broil, put the pan on the top rack and wait till cheese turns all golden brown.

*Note: What is deglazing? Well when you heat something up on the pan, there will eventually be some sort of brown bits stuck at the bottom right? Well that's all flavour, adding some liquid and then using your spatula to lightly scrape the bottom will get it off the pan and mixed in the liquid, adding tons of flavour to it. If the brown stuff turns black you shouldn't use it though because that is just burnt. Also non-stick pans don't do this so when making a nice sauce for your steak or pork chop, always go for the cast iron or stainless steel or something.

Miso Honey Bok Choy



Ingredients:
Bok Choy - 1 bag (1 pound maybe? It's about the same in all Asian supermarkets)
Miso - 1 1/2 tablespoon (or to taste)
Honey - 1 1/2 tablespoon (or to taste)
Butter

Instructions:

1. Wash the bok choy by cutting the ends and submerging it in water. Then dry it off in a salad spinner.

2. Melt butter in a pan at high heat. Add the bok choy.
3. When the leaves are wilted, turn down to low heat, add a bit of water and cover till the stems are soft.

4. Turn it back to high heat, when only a small amount of water remains, add the miso and honey. Stir evenly. You can always change the amount of miso and honey to your liking. There's no screw ups in stirfrying! Well don't burn it...
5. When the sauce is to the consistency and taste you like. Take it off the heat and it's done.

I love stirfrys, so easy and so many ways you can really make it your own!

Mashed Potatoes



Ingredients:
Russet Potatoes - 2 large
Chorizo - 1/2 stick (60g)
Milk - to taste
Salt and pepper - to taste

Instructions:
1. Peel and dice the potatoes, cut the chorizo in quarters (lik 4 long sticks) then slice into little pieces.

2. Put the potatoes and chorizo in a rice cooker*, add water to 1/4 way and turn it on to cook. Check periodically to make sure there is enough water.

3. When the cooker is on 'keep warm' make sure the potatoes are fully cooked (if not just add a bit more water and put the button on cook again) then add the milk until the right consistency, season.

Note: If you don't have a rice cooker, just boil a full pot of salted water, add the potatoes. After 14 minutes, drain the water out and then add the chorizo and milk and stuff. It won't have as much chorizo flavour but it'll still be good!

So this was actually a really easy meal. The chorizo made something relatively simple and sometimes a bit boring (like mashed potatoes) and made it sound and taste more special.

Keeping Your Cabbage Undercontrol: Kimchi

One of my favourite things to keep in the fridge. Why? Well first of all it's really easy to make, and I'm all about the easy. Second of all it adds instant flavour to everything. Since lately I've been kinda lazy with the stock making I'll just add some kimchi to water ad add some meat and vegetables and call it a jjigae (Korean stew).



I used this site as reference but made some changes cause I didn't like the result as much: http://drbenkim.com/how-make-kim-chi.htm

Cabbage Kimchi

Ingredients
Napa cabbage - 1 kg (very large one or two regular ones)
Salt - 1 cup
Apple - 1 1/2
Asian Pear - 1 1/2
Yellow Onion - 1
Fish Sauce - two table spoons
Honey - 2 tablespoons
Garlic - 2 heads
Ginger - 1/4 cup
Korean hot pepper flakes (Gochugaru) - as much as you want

Note: To be honest, I eyeballed a lot of the ingredients because for the sauce it's really suppose to be to your taste but these are the ones I used.

Instructions:

1. Cut the cabbage in half. With the end in tact, make cuts on the side like layers. Then from the top, cut vertically and then horizontally to make large rectangular pieces. Discard the ends. Basically cut it like how Gordan Ramsay is cutting into this onion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGBt3V0yvc but you know...bigger.
2. Wash the cabbage by submerging it in water and then dry it off with a salad spinner. It's fine if there's water left after spinning it. In fact there should be some water. Put the cabbage in a big container. I used my stock pot.
3. Add the salt (so you needed some water left on the cabbage for the salt to stick to) and mix it thoroughly and leave it there for several hours. Mixing the cabbage once in a while.
4. After several hours, there should be a lot of liquid and the cabbage should be wilted but not mushy or anything. You know, like how the texture of kimchi is. If it takes more than 4 hours...you'll probably need more salt.

5. While the cabbage is wetting itself you make the mixture. Chop the ingredients up (minus the pepper flakes), like just a dice for the apple and pears and onions. Peel and slice the ginger, and peel the garlic. Puree them in a food processor for a bit of water. Like the consistency in the picture.

6. Add the pepper flakes to your heart's content! I like them very spicy so I added quite a lot, also flakes can come in mild and spicy so if you don't like spicy. You can buy mild flakes. Also it will sometimes say hot pepper powder but it'll look like flakes.

7. Now just mix the mixture a little bit at a time to the cabbage until all the cabbage is well coated
8. Put in the container with a lid. If you like fresh kimchi and in no need for really sour ones just put it in the fridge now. If you're like me and enjoy the really sour kimchi it'll speed up the process considerably by storing it in a dark cool place (like a cupboard not in the kitchen or your basement) for a day and a half before putting it in a fridge. Or you can put the cabbage in a large clay pot and bury it in a hole in the ground but I think the fridge might be easier.

So what can you do now? Well beside soups and stuff like that, you can also use it in stirfrys, kimchi pancake, top it on burgers etc...but those are another post!

If this kimchi recipe made your head spin I also love this woman's blog so I would recommend her recipe: http://www.maangchi.com/ she's great!

Using Up Halloween Treats 3: Camamilk Cookies!

You know what's a good sensation? Having warm, sticky, gooey liquid exploding into your mouth...





Yep, biting into a caramilk! In case you don't have it wherever you are, it's a chocolate candy bar that are divided into small squares...and each square is filled with a gooey caramel!

The best part of it is you get chocolate and caramel side by side so you get chocolate and caramel and not have the flavours muddled up together. So I wanted to keep them more separate in my dessert. Also, since I already made a pie and I made a cake I thought it was the most logical place to go.


Cookies!

Now I'll confess, I was trying to make thin cookies but that didn't turn out. The good thing is...these are actually fantastic! The cookie was really light, airy, almost cake like and the chocolate and caramel made it special and it was just the perfect balance because you have the immense sugar rush from the candy but the cookie dough is more mild and subdue.

Caramilk Cookies
Serves: 14 cookies (they're rather large though)

Ingredients:

Caramilk: 10 small bars (so 20 squares)
Flour: 300g (2 1/5 cups)
Butter: 200g (almost 2 sticks, go wild!)
White Sugar: 50g (1/4 cup)
Brown Sugar: 50g (just for the sake of simplicity it'll be 1/4 cup, it's close enough, accurately it's supposed to be 11/50 of a cup)
Egg: 1 large
Milk: 60g
Salt: 1 pinch
Baking soda: 1 1/2 teaspoons

Instructions:
1. Break off the caramilk pieces into the neat squares and put in the freezer. I froze them so it'll be easier to mix them later.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until well incorporated.
5. Add the egg and milk until it's all mixed well.
6. Turn down the speed to it's lowest and add the flour mixture, when it's all in, turn up the speed to high.

End result.
7. Now add the frozen caramilk squares to the batter and mix with a spatula.

8. I used a soup spoon that they use for eating pho =P. Then I scooped it till bout that high, don't pack it in too much, just cusp it to make a shape like that. Each one was about 50g...almost 2 ounces!
9. Slide it down on the parchment paper (it'll be like ice cream scoop shape)
10. Put in oven at middle rack and take it out when the sides are bit brown, give it a light poke, insides should feel soft...like a moist sponge.

And then you patiently wait for it to cool down fi--



I expect no one to follow that last rule. Although I did last like...five minutes =O. But cookies are like best when they're fresh and the chocolate is all hot and velvety...mmmmmmmm...



Ahem...I mean, enjoy the cookies =)! Approved by my picky father.

Turkey Day 2011! Forth (and Final)

Part One: Appetizers
Part Two: Mains and Sides



Yes folks! What you've all been waiting for! A good ole' slice of pumpkin pie. Well the picture could be better but this was when I just started using the camera.

So...


(I'm trying to distract you with sexy James Mcavoy)

Pumpkin Pie
Servings: 1 pie

Ingredients:
Pie dough: 225g (recipe found here)
Pumkin: 1/2 a small sized baking pumpkin (200g)
Evaporated milk: 100ml
Cloves: 1 1/2 teaspoon
Allspice: 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon
Egg: 1 large
Brown sugar: 100g (or to taste)
Vegetable oil

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut and gut one half of the pumpkin.
2. Rub some oil on it, put the pumpkin on a pan and into the oven, middle rack.
3. In the meantime, shape the pie dough in the pan and blind bake (which means bake the pie crust first), seen here
4. When the pumpkin is soft, take it out and turn down the oven to 275
5. Scoop out all the pumpkin flesh, add the spices, milk and sugar and blend in a food processor (or mash it with a fork)
6. Add the egg.
7. Add the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust, bake it in a shallow water bath. Bake until the mixture is set, like custard.
8. Let it cool before even attempting to cut it.

So there you have it! My whole thanksgiving meal. It was a bit tiring but something quite rewarding making a meal and sharing it with your closest friends. And by sharing I mean showing off. Also you can make a long ass blog post about it. Priorities...

But all in all it was a fun night and when you get to eat your delicious food and hang out with friends...you forget about the meltdown you had 24 hours prior.

Can't wait till Christmas!

Turkey Day 2011! Third Phase

For part one which have the appetizers.



Right, there's no turkey on turkey day, oh noes! The truth is I am not that big of a fan of turkey and it's just so damn temperamental so I'm going to be Chinese and cook pork! I used pork shoulder because it has more fat and therefore is juicy longer than a regular tenderloin.

For sides I made mushroom casserole, potato rosti, and pan fried vegetables.

Garlic Pork Loin:
Servings: 5

Pork shoulder: 1 (like around 1kg?)
Garlic: 1 1/2 heads
Salt and pepper: to taste
Butter: 1/2 stick

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Peel the garlic cloves, boil hot water, add the garlic in until soft but still somewhat firm.
3. Trim the outer fat layer and connective tissue on the pork loin.
4. Poke holes around the loin with a knife and stuff the garlic clove in it.
5. Rub the loin with some oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Put the loin in oven, until it is 145 degrees in the middle (light pinkness), Fahrenheit of course
7. Let butter soften at room temperature, rub it all over the loin.
8. Turn the oven to broil until the outside is brow, flip and repeat.
9. Let it rest for five minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Casserole



Ingredients:
Portabello mushrooms: 5 big ones
Cremini mushrooms: 2 small packs
Shallots: 5
Cream: 150ml
Wine: 150ml
Mozzarella: 200g
Butter
Flour: 1 tablespoon

Instructions:
1. Slice the portabello and cremini mushrooms.
2. Melt some butter in a pan at medium heat, add the mushrooms and some salt.
3. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the flour and put on low heat, stir for a minute.
4. Add the white wine, turn the heat to medium again.
5. When the wine has thicken, add the cream and stir until the cream thicken as well.
6. Put the mushrooms onto a loaf pan, top it off with sliced mozzarella.
7. Turn the oven to broil and put the pan under until the cheese is melted and browned.

Potato Rosti
Serving: 2 rostis


My favourite way to eat potatoes. You get the big potato flavour and texture because it's thick and it's really just potatoes nothing else so the flavour's like unadulterated but also the nice caramelization from frying it on a pan. At the same time because you shredded it first, it feels a lot fluffier than just simply roasting potatoes!

Ingredients
Russet potatoes - 5
Salt and pepper - to taste
Butter

Instructions
1. Heat salted water in medium heat.
2. Wash the potatoes, scrub with a sponge until clean. Put potatoes in pot.
3. When the potatoes are half cooked (fork should be going in with a little resistance), drain and cool.
4. Leave the potatoes in the fridge overnight.
5. The next day, using a grater, shred the potatoes, don't rub it back and forth the grater though, you have to push it down and then take the potato back to the top and push it down, like just in one way don't go up and down.
7. Heat up just enough butter to cover a non-stick pan at low heat, you need bout an 8 inch pan. Add half the potatoes, salt and pepper.
9. Cover with the lid, when the bottom is nicely browned, put a plate on top, flip it around so it's on the plate with the browned part on top and slide it back on the pan.
10. Cover and wait till the bottom is golden brown.
11. Repeat with the second one.

Note: Russets are best because they are the most starchy out of the common varieties so they are less held together and more fluffy, you want a soft texture with a rosti so you go with this kind of potato. As opposed to like the red potato which will be more firm.

Pan Fried Vegetables
Servings: 8



Ingredients:
White asparagus - 1 bunch
Radish - 1 small bag (20 radishes about)
Carrots - 3
White wine
Butter
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Boil salted water.
2. Cut carrots into matchsticks, radishes in half, and trim off the ends of the asparagus on a diagonal bias.
3. Blanch the vegetables first until a fork can go through them but they can't be mushy. (one minute for radishes, 30 minutes for asparagus, and 2 minutes for carrots about)
4. Melt butter on a large pan at medium high heat. Add the vegetables, stir quickly, adding some pepper and white wine to taste.

So that's the mains and sides. Pork > turkey definitely. Still very juicy and have a strong kick with garlic. Also the vegetable sides are delicious and very hearty to complete with the feel of a comforting but interesting meal.

Turkey Day 2011! First and Second Phase

Well, being Canadian, this was actually in October but I was lazy and forgot to post my photos till it was...November lol. So let's just pretend it's because I like celebrate with our neighbours down south (America: Canada's pants).

So like last year, I designed the menu and did most of the cooking.

First Course
Potato and Leek Soup

Second Course
Stuffed Campari Tomatoes
Smoked Salmon Rolls

Third Course
Roasted Garlic Pork
Mixed Mushroom Casserole
Potato Rosti
Pan Fried Vegetables

Forth Course
Pumpkin Pie

Yea, I had ambitions! The key is to plan ahead as much as possible, and I did most of the prep the day before.

Anywho...on to the food!

First Course

Potato and Leek Soup
Servings: 8 - 10 people (I had a party of five but they like seconds lol)



Ingredients:
Russet potatoes: 5, peeled and diced
Leeks: Three big nice ones
Chicken stock: 2L
Ginger: 1 sizeable chunk (bout 100g)
Butter: 1 1/2 sticks (175g, hey it's the holidays!)
Salt and white pepper: to taste

Instructions:

First of all lemme channel my inner hillbilly


LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH!!

1. Heat up your stock at a low heat, a simmer, there shouldn't really be any movements in the liquid.
2. Referring to the leek diagram, cut out section one, the darkest green part, it's very flavourful but really tough so you will use it to flavour the stock. Clean it by submerging it in some water first than throw it in with the chicken stock.
3. Peel the ginger and slice it thinly, add that to the stock as well.
4. Now wait for an hour or so, or until the stock seems have a nice flavour of ginger and leek.
5. Divide the leeks into section 2 (light gree) and 3 (white) , save maybe one leek's worth of section 3 for later. (That's a bad leek btw, you should choose a leek with more white parts than that!)
6. For the rest of the leeks, cut the end of them and then cut it in half vertically, then you can see the different layers, run them under the water while flipping through the layers...much like a book.
7. After they are wash, just slice them horizontall, thinly.
8. Melt half a stick of butter in low heat, then add the sliced leeks, add a two pinches of salt.
9. After the leeks have sweated out a lot of moisture and they are really soft, add the stock.
10. Peel and cube the potatoes, add them to the stock. Cover the pot with a lid and turn to high heat.
11. When the potatoes are very soft (check after 15 minutes) you should blend it till smooth. Turn it down to low heat.
12. Add the rest of the butter, and season with salt and white pepper (black pepper makes it look like specks of dirt).
13. If you like the consistency then it's good, if you want it to be thinner you can add more water or stock, if you want it to be thicker, let it simmer out some more liquid!
14. For the leek you reserved, cut it in half, wash it, then separate the layers and julienne it. You place a few slices as garnish for the soup.

This soup is really simple but elegant while being comforting. Like drinking a baked potato!

Second Course



Stuffed Campari Tomatoes
Servings: It makes 20



Ingredients:
Campari Tomatoes - 10
Ricotta - 125g
Chives - 30g
Salt - to taste

Instructions:
1. Cut the tomatoes in half, using a serrated spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp.
2. Mix the ricotta with a bit of salt and the chopped chives.
3. Using a towel, dab the tomato halves dry, scoop the cheese mixture into the tomatoes.

THAT'S IT!! You can experiment with cheeses too, I personally prefer goat but my friend really hates goat cheese and goat products.

Smoked Salmon Rolls
Servings: 7 rolls (times are hard and salmon is expensive)



Ingredients
Stuffed Salmon - a small pack (7 pieces)
Apple - 1/2
Small Cucumber - 1 (50g)
Celery - 1/2
White wine vinegar - to taste
Olive oil - to taste
Honey - to taste
Chives - 4 strands
Salt - to taste

1. Julienne the cucumber, celery, and apple.
2. Make dressing by mixing the vinegar, olive oil, honey, and salt.
3. Mix with the julienne fruits and vegetables.
4. Lay out the smoked salmon, add some of the vegetable mixture at the end of the salmon, and roll the smoked salmon.
5. Cut the chives in half, horizontally and gently use it to tie the salmon roll.

Yea, easy right?! These two appetizers are quick to make and make your dinner look seemingly classy!