Education 37

Chicken Pot Pie ???????

For the filling

500g chicken breast, cut small cubes

170g button mushroom, cut small cubes

100g mixed vegetables

80g yellow onion, chopped

500ml chicken stock (I use homemade chicken stock)

25g butter

2tbsp olive oil

4tbsp plain flour

1 and 1/4tsp salt or taste

Pepper

6pcs store-bought puff pastry (4�x4�), thawed

1 egg, light beaten

Method

1. Melt butter and olive oil, add in onion, saut� till aroma.
2. Add in chicken, stir fry till colour changed. Then add in button mushroom and mixed vegetables, stir to mix well.
3. Add in plain flour, stir to mix well, add in chicken stock, season with salt and pepper, cook till sauce is thicken.
4. Spoon chicken filling in each of the ramekin or baking dish, brush the ring with egg, place one piece puff pastry on top.
5. Use a fork, lightly press the edge to seal, make a small cut at the centre. Brush egg on the puff pastry.
6. Bake at pre-heated oven at 200C for 20mins or till golden brown.

Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic ?????? 

1 whole chicken ~1.2kg (I use kampong chicken )

2 celery stalks, including leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

4 sprigs of thyme (I replaced with dry thyme)

4 sprigs Italian parsley

40 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2tbsp olive oil

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 small onion, cut into wedges

1/2cup white wine

1 and 1/2tsp sea salt or to taste 

Method

1. Preheated the oven to 200C. Put a chopped celery stalk and 2 sprigs each of the rosemary, thyme and parsley into the chicken cavity. Add 6 cloves of garlic.
2. Brush the chicken liberally with some of the oil and season with oil. Scatter about 10 more garlic cloves over the base of a large casserole dish. Put the remaining sprigs of herbs, chopped celery, carrot and onion in the casserole.
3. Put the chicken in the dish (breast side up). Scatter the remaining garlic cloves around the chicken and add the remaining oil and the wine. Cover and bake for 1hour, or until chicken is tender the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
4. To serve, carefully lift the chicken out of the casserole dish. Strain off the juices into a small saucepan. Pick out the garlic cloves from the strained mixture. Spoon off the fat from the juices and boil for 2-3mins to reduce and thicken a little
5. Cut the chicken into serving portions, pour over a little of the juices and scatter with garlic. Toast the baguette slices, spread soft flesh squeezed from the garlic on the bread, serve with chicken.

Recipe adapted from cookbook �a little taste of France with minor changes, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage and browned butter sauce and baked beef balls ??????? 

*serves for 3 pax

To make pumpkin gnocchi

180g mashed pumpkin (roasted)

150g plain flour or cake flour

1 small egg (~50g)

a pinch of salt 

Method

1.Pre-heat oven to 180C.

2.Bake pumpkin (cut into thin slices) for about 5mins or till tender.

3.Mash the pumpkin, add cake flour, egg and salt. Mix until all well combined (the dough is sticky).

4. Lightly dust the dough with flour and dust worktop with more flour, pinch a small dough and roll them into classic gnocchi shape with the special board otherwise you can use fork to roll them. Place them on a large sheet which dust with flour. 

To cook crisped sage and brown butter sauce

A small bunch of fresh sage leaves

2tbsp unsalted butter 

Method

1. Bring a large pot water to a boil; add 1tsp salt. Add in the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (about 1min), continue to cook until tender for few more seconds. Drain the gnocchi and set aside.
2. Heat up a frying pan, add the butter when pan is hot. Let butter sit undisturbed until almost all melted and outside edges have begun to caramelize. Quickly swirl the skillet and add minced sage. Let cook for 30 seconds longer, season with salt and pepper to taste and add gnocchi to skillet to toss with sauce and rewarm if necessary. Serve immediately. 

Baked Beef balls

200g minced beef

2tbsp chopped yellow onion

1/2tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2tsp parmesan cheese powder

 A pinch of dried oregano and parsley

3tbsp fresh milk

2tbsp bread crumbs

1/2tbsp natural yogurt

Method

1. Add all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix well. Divide the mixture into 15 portions and shape into round balls. Place them on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 180C for 15mins (no fan), then increase to 210C (fan forced) to further brown the beef balls for 5mins.

Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Roast Pumpkin and Chorizo Pizza ?????????

*makes 2 pizzas 

Pizza dough

250g bread flour

1tsp instant yeast

10ml olive oil

1tsp sugar

3/4tsp salt

140ml water 

Toppings

100g Chorizo, sliced

120g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

160g coarsely grated mozzarella

80g tomato paste (add a pinch of salt and mix well)

Sweet basil leaves, optional 

Method

1.     For the pizza dough, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl and combine.

2.     Add water and olive oil, mix to combine, knead till smooth. Add dough in another clean and greased large bowl, cover the bowl and put in warm area to let it proof to double in size, about 1hour.

3.     Preheat oven to 200�C. Place the pumpkin on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper to season. Toss to combine. Roast for 10 minutes or until almost tender.

4.     Turn the pizza dough out onto a worktop and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

5.     Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal or course polenta (omit if you don�t have), roll dough into a round circle on prepared baking sheet.

6.     Spread tomato sauce evenly over dough, top with chorizo slices, roasted pumpkin cubes, sweet basil leaves and sprinkle with cheese.

7.     Bake at 180C on middle rack (fan forced) for 15-17 minutes or until crust is golden. 

Reference: here, Recipe by Sonia a.k.a Nasi Lemak Lover