梅菜煎肉餅

Fried Pork Patties with Preserved Vegatables
Category: Meat
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
4 oz 梅菜芯
2 tsp 砂糖
1 lb 絞豬肉
醃料
1 tbsp 生抽
2 tsp 砂糖
4 tsp 生粉

Procedures
梅菜芯用水沖洗乾淨，抹乾，切成幼粒，加入砂糖，拌勻，備用。
絞豬肉可買現成的，或買枚頭豬肉剁或絞碎。加入醃料拌勻，略醃約十分鐘。
將梅菜加入豬肉中拌勻，再做成約一吋半直徑的肉丸。
燒熱鑊，下少許油，改用中火。將肉丸排放鑊中，輕輕壓成肉餅形，煎至兩面金黃色並熟透便可。如鑊不夠大，可分幾次將肉餅分批煎熟。

Tips
這是傳統的梅菜蒸肉餅的變奏。用煎的方法，使菜式更加香口。
不同品牌的梅菜的鹹度有所不同，可以調節醃料中生抽的份量來平衡。

火腿奶油津白

Siu Choy with Cream Sauce and Ham
Category: Vegetable
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
一棵 紹菜
一小塊 金華火腿
1 tsp 雞粉
1 cup 清水
四片 薑片
獻汁
1 cup 鮮奶
1 tsp 雞粉
3 tsp 生粉

Procedures
紹菜洗淨，切成大段。
金華火腿切薄片，略為蒸熟，將火腿汁分開，備用。
在鑊中燒熱清水，加入雞粉及薑片。放紹菜在湯中煮至熟透，撈起排放碟上，約十分鐘。
將鮮奶，雞粉，生粉及蒸火腿汁拌勻，煮至稠身，淋在紹菜上，再排上火腿片，即成。

Tips
如果想獻汁味道更濃滑，可用全脂奶，甚至混合鮮奶和忌廉來作獻汁。

白雪雪老少平安

Snow White Savory Steamed Pudding
Category: Fish
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 lb 白魚漿
一條 滑豆腐，約240g
一只 雞蛋
適量 蔥花，蒸魚豉油，滾油
調味料：
1 tsp 鹽
少許 白胡椒粉
1 tsp 生粉

Procedures
白魚漿放在一個大碗內，加入調味料拌勻。
再加入雞蛋拌勻。
滑豆腐剪去包裝袋開口，將豆腐擠出，加進魚漿內拌勻。
將魚漿放在碟上，隔水蒸約15-20分鐘至熟透即成。
在完成前五分鐘，將蔥花灑在表面，略蒸。
上菜前，淋上適量蒸魚豉油及滾油，即成。

Tips
傳統的老少平安，是用鯪魚肉做成。但市面的鯪魚肉，很多時候都有碎骨，並不真正老少「平安」。改用白魚漿，除了沒有碎骨，沒有魚腥味，而且顏色雪白，賣相更美觀。
除了蒸的做法，此食譜也可以用煎的，只要將生粉的份量增加至約4 tbsp（或更多，視乎豆腐的濕度），用鑊逐少煎成小圓餅便成。

台式三杯雞

Taiwanese Stewed Chicken with Trio of Ingredients
Category: Meat
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1.5 lb 雞肉，可用雞腿或雞胸去骨，切成大塊
20粒 大蒜
20片 薑片
2 tbsp 黑麻油
1/4 cup 米酒
1/8 cup 生抽
1/8 cup 老抽
3 tbsp 糖
兩札 蔥，切段
適量 九層塔，切碎（可以不用）

Procedures
燒熱鑊，加入麻油。炒香薑片及大蒜至金黃色。
加入雞塊，炒至表面熟，加入米酒，生抽，老抽及糖，改用小火煮，約十分鐘。
加入蔥段，改用大火，將汁煮至乾，加入九層塔拌勻即可上碟。
吃前可再灑上少許麻油。

Tips
傳統的三杯雞，麻油，醬油和酒的份量應該相同，每樣一小酒杯，所以稱為三杯雞。但現代人較著重健康，所以本食譜將麻油的份量減少。
如果沒有黑麻油，可用普通麻油代替。

New York Cheesecake with Mocha Ganache

紐約芝士餅配摩卡巧克力濃醬
Category: Dessert
Style: America
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
Crust
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1.5 cups graham-craker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
Cheesecake
2 lb cream cheese, room temperate
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated.
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt
Ganache
6 oz dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp coffee liqueur
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Procedures
To make crust:
Preheat over to 350F.
In a microwavable mixing bowl, melt butter. Stir in graham-cracker crumbs and sugar until crumbs are moist. Pour mixture into a 9-inch springform pan; press firmly to form a crust. Bake until set, 12-15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
To make chessecake:
Reduce oven temperature to 275F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
In another bowl of the electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add sugar and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Drizzle in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in sour cream and salt. Remember to scrape down side of bowl.
Fold whipped egg white into batter. Pour batter into crust.
Bake cheesecake until set, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Run a paring knife around the outside of crust, loosening it from pan. When cool, cover tightly with plastic; refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
To make ganache:
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter melted. Remove from heat, let cool slightly.
Pour chocolate ganache over cheesecake. Chill until chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.

Tips
This recipe is modified from a traditional cheesecake recipe. It makes a light, airy and smooth cheesecake. If you prefer a more traditional and firm texture, do not separate the eggs, just add whole eggs into the batter, and remember to use the paddle attachment of the electric mixer instead of the whisk attachment.

Apple Tart Tatin

泰坦蘋果撻
Category: Dessert
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 pack frozen puff pastry, about 200g, thawed
6 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brandy

Procedures
Preheat over to 375F.
Roll out pastry to 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut a disc the size of your cake pan. Chill until ready to use.
Peel, core and cut up apples into quarters. Submerge in lightly salted water if not used immediately. Drain when using.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. As soon as butter is melted, add brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until blended and bubbling. Add brandy (watch for flames) and stir. Pour into an 8-inch cake pan.
Arrange apples on top of sugar.
Poke holes in pastry with a fork and place on top of apples.
Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is rich golden brown and apples are tender.
To serve, turn out onto a platter, so that apples are on top. Watch for syrup that might drip. Serve warm.

Tips
"Tatin" is a special baking technique where a puff pastry shell covers juicy ingredients when baked, and served upside down so that the pastry will become a "tart shell" on the bottom.
You can also make individual tart tatin. Use ten 4-oz custard cups instead of 8-inch cake pan. Cut apples into smaller pieces and trim the pastry to fit the custard cups. You may need to use a whole pack of puff pastry. Reduce baking time to 20 - 25 minutes.

Easy Tiramisu

簡易提拉米蘇
Category: Dessert
Style: Italian
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
500ml Mascarpone Cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Espresso Coffee, room temperature (or use espresso powder)
1 tsp Coffee Liqueur (such as Kahlua)
500ml Whipping Cream
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
1/3 cup Sugar
Ladies Fingers
Cocoa powder

Procedures
Take cheese out of fridge ahead of time and let sit until it is warmed to room temperature.
If using espresso powder, make espresso according to manufacturer's instruction. Let cool completely.
Prepare coffee dipping liquid: mix prepared and cooled espresso with Coffee Liqueur in a shallow bowl.
Put whipping cream, vanilla extract and half of the sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. whisk on high speed until stiff.
Put mascarpone cheese and the rest of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until fluffy.
Fold half of the whipped cream into the whipped cheese.
To assemble, put a layer of cheese at the bottom of the container. Dip ladies fingers into coffee liquid, then layer on top of the cheese. Spread another layer of cheese on top of the ladies fingers. Repeat until all cheese and ladies fingers are used. Top with remaining whipped cream.
Chill covered until served. Dust with Cocoa powder to garnish.

Tips
Be careful not to over-soak the ladies fingers or it will become too soggy. Briefly soak on side on the cookie, about 3 seconds, then flip it over. The liquid will automatically wet the unsoaked side.

Italian Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis

意大利奶酪配草莓醬汁
Category: Dessert
Style: Italian
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
Strawberry Coulis
1 lb fresh strawberries, washed and hulled, or use frozen
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
zest and juice of one lime (about 1.5 tbsp juice)
pinch of salt
Panna Cotta
2 cup homo milk
2.75 tsp gelatin powder (or increase to 4 tsp if you want to serve the panna cotta inverted)
6 tbsp sugar (=approx. 1/2 cup)
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups whipping cream

Procedures
To make Strawberry Coulis:
Defrost strawberries if you use frozen.
Put all ingredients in the food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pass through a sieve to remove solids. Chill.
To make Panna Cotta:
Pour milk into a medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin powder on the surface evenly. Let stand 5 minutes to hydrate the gelatin.
Meanwhile, place 8 ramekins on a baking tray.
Put milk and gelatin mixture over medium heat, until milk is almost boiling and gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in sugar and salt until dissolved.
Stirring constantly, slowly pour cream into saucepan. Add vanilla and stir until combined.
Strain mixture into a large measuring cup, and distribute it evenly among the rameskins (about 4oz each). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
To serve:
[normal] spoon strawberry coulis on top of panna cotta in ramekins. Garnish with mint leaves.
[inverted] Use a paring knife to loosen the edge of the panna cotta from the ramekins. Dip rameskin in hot water for 5 seconds, wipe dry, and then invert onto serving plate. Spoon strawberry coulis around. Repeat with remaining panna cotta.

Tips
Handle gelatin with care. If unsoaked gelatin is added directly to hot liquid, the outside of each granule expands instantly and forms a gel coating, preventing the inside from becoming hydrated. The center of each gelatin particle then remains hard and undissolved.
Also, do not add a spoonful of gelatin to cold water all at the same time. Because the gelatin will form a lump. The outside of the lump will also form a gel coating, preventing the inside from becoming hydrated. The gelatin with then remain a lump and undissolved.

Chicken Breast in a Bag 紙袋烤雞胸

Category: Entree, One-dish Meal
Style: American
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 2

Ingredients
1 bunch green onion, finely chopped
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 14oz can of lima beans, drained
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 tsp dried Italian herb mix
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Procedures
Preheat oven to 450F
Cut chicken breasts into strips in the size of chicken fingers.
Put a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a cookie sheet.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, including chicken breasts.
Put all ingredients in the centre of the aluminum foil. Cover with another piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Tightly seal all four edges to form a bag.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until done.

Quick Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

簡易沙拉配私房意大利黑醋醬汁
Category: Salad, Appetizer
Style: Italian
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 2

Ingredients
1 pack prepared salad greens
1 large tomatoes, cut into segments
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp ground mustard
1 pinch salt
black pepper to taste

Procedures
In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients of vinaigrette and whisk until combine. Or you can put all vinaigrette ingredients in a small no-leaking glass jar and shake until combine.
Put all salad ingredients into bowl. Mix until all vegetables are dressed with vinaigrette. Serve.

Tips
Store bought ready made salad dressings contains many unhealthy chemicals, including preservatives and stabilizers. Homemade salad dressings are much healthier and not difficult to make at all.

Asian Style Cold Noodle 亞洲風涼拌麵

Category: Pasta, One-dish meal
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 2

Ingredients
8 oz dried Chinese style white noodle
2 eggs
100 g sliced ham
1/2 English cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp toasted sesame
cilantro leaves, to garnish
dressing
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chili oil (optional)
1 clove garlic, meshed

Procedures
Heat a large pot of water, season generously with salt. When water is rolling, add Chinese noodle and cook according to package instruction. Empty noodle into a large colander and put under running water. Wash until the noodles and cooled. Drain.
Meanwhile, put cucumber in a mixing bowl and mix in 1 tsp salt. Let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out all liquid and drain.
Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl, season with salt. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a little bit of oil. Fry egg until solidify into a sheet of egg. Remove and put on a cutting board to briefly cool. Cut into thin strips.
Cut ham into thin strips.
In a large mixing bowl, dilute peanut butter with sesame oil. Mix in the rest of the dressing ingredients. Add noodle, mix well.
To serve, place dressed noodle in serving bowl. Top with ham, egg and cucumber strips. Top with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro leaves.

Tips
The ingredients can all be made ahead and store in the fridge. Do not mix with dressing until ready to serve. Mix noodle with a little bit of sesame oil to prevent from sticking together when storing.

Roasted Fish Fillet with Cherry Tomato 車厘茄烤魚柳

Category: Entree, One-dish Meal
Style: American
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 2

Ingredients
2 pieces 8oz-each white fish fillets, such as cod, skinned and pin-boned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb cherry tomato, halved
1 piece bocconcini cheese, tear into small pieces
2 tbsp dried basil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
pasta
8 oz dried pasta
2 tbsp pesto
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Procedures
Preheat oven to 425F
Place fish fillet in an oiled roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Mix tomato, basil and bocconcini with 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl and then place on top of fish fillet.
Sprinkle over the parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and season with salt generously. Add pasta and cook according to package instruction.
Drain pasta and put back into the pot to keep warm. Mix with pesto and parmesan cheese. Serve with fish.

Lamb Cutlet with Couscous 煎小羊扒配北非小麥飯

Category: Entree, One-Dish Meal
Style: African
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 2

Ingredients
4 lamb cutlets of 1 rack of lamb cut into 8 slices
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 pinch red chili flakes
1 tub hummus
Couscous
3/4 cup couscous
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon

Procedures
Put lamb cutlets on a dish in one layer. Mix ground cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of lamb cutlets.
Put couscous and dried parsley in a large bowl. Add boiling water until just covered. Set aside.
Heat frying pan over high heat. Add a little oil, and place lamb cutlets in pan. When the cutlets have browned on one side, flip them, and add onion, thyme and chili to pan.
When lamb cutlets are cooked through, remove them from the pan. Add 1/2 of water to pan to deglaze. Cook until the water is reduced to 1/3, and onions are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
The couscous should be done by now. Mix in chopped tomatoes, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
To serve, place couscous on plate, top with lamb cutlets and onions, followed by a big spoon of hummus.

Tips
Buy lamb from New Zealand if you do not like the lamby flavour of lamb.