Lavender Creme Caramel

法式薰衣草焦糖燉蛋
Category: Dessert
Style: Fusion
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
3 cups whole milk or whipping cream, or a combination of both
2 tbsp dried edible lavender
3/4 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Procedures
Preheat oven to 325F.
Making caramel: In a think bottom pot over medium heat add 1 cup of sugar and 1/8 cup of water. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cook the liquid until it becomes golden brown. [be careful. Caramel is VERY hot.] Remove from heat. Add the remaining 1/8 cup of water to stop the cooking. Pour caramel into a baking dish and swirl around so that it covers the bottom of the dish.
Making custard: Heat the milk until it is just before boiling. Add lavender and let steep 5 minutes. Pass milk through a sift to remove the lavender. Add sugar and vanilla extract to milk and stir until dissolved.
Put eggs in a stainless steel bowl and whisk until broken.
Pour milk into bowl while whisking all the time.
Strain custard into prepared baking pan.
Place baking pan into a deep roasting pan half full with hot water. Bake until set, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Let cool and refrigerate completely, at least 3 hours.
To serve, break edges with a knife, and flip onto a plate. Pour any caramel remaining in the baking pan on the custard.

Tips
The viscosity of the custard depends on the proportion of milk and cream you use. If you use a larger proportion of cream, the custard will be thicker, which is more traditional. If you use a larger proportion of milk, the custard will be thinner and be more like Chinese steamed egg. Do experiment with the milk/cream proportion and find out your own perfect style and taste.

Secret Recipe BBQ Ribs

秘方烤肋排
Category: Meat, Entree, Pork, Potluck
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
1 slab baby back ribs or other kind of ribs, about 4 lb. Ask butcher to cut it in half lengthwise.
Salt and pepper
BBQ sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 cups vinegar
1 cup corn syrup
4 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder or 2 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp Tobasco pepper sauce

Procedures
Prepare a day ahead.
To make BBQ sauce: combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Put over high heat until boiling. Turn down heat to simmer, and reduce liquid to about 3 cups. It will take about 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. Separate into 2 portions: 2.5 cups as a marinade, and 1/2 cup for final brushing.
Preheat oven to 300F.
Season the ribs with salt and pepper, then smear 2.5 cups BBQ sauce on both sides of the ribs. Wrap each slab of ribs tightly in several layers of aluminum foil. Bake for 2.5 hours.
You can leave the pork in the foil and put them in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve, preheat oven to 400F. Remove pork from foil and put on a baking tray. Brush with remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce. Bake for 20 minutes to reheat. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes, or until top is a little bit charred. You can also reheat the ribs on a BBQ.

Tips
Baking the pork in the aluminum foil is the secret of this recipe. The pressure inside the wrap together with the sauce and meat juices make the meat very tender.
The ribs are very easy and clean to transport since it is all wrapped up in foil. If you use disposable baking tray and container for the sauce, you'll have nothing needed to bring home after the potluck!

Chilli Chicken Wrap

香辣燒雞手卷
Category: Sandwich, Lunch, Potluck
Style: Fusion
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
4 chicken breast halves
4 flour tortilla
2 red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
2 cucumbers, cut into thick strips
mayonnaise
lime juice
marinade
4 tbsp asian chilli paste
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix all ingredients of the marinade in a mixing bowl.
Cut chicken breasts into strips. Coat chicken with half of the marinade. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until done. Set aside to cool.
To assemble, place tortilla on a clean working surface. Put cooked chicken strips on top. Top with reserved marinade, mayonnaise, bell pepper and cucumber. Drizzle with lime juice. Roll tortilla up. Cut into 2 pieces and wrapped individually with waxed paper. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Tips
This is a great recipe for picnic or lunch pot-luck.
You can adjust the hotness of the sauce by using more or less chilli paste. Different kind and brand of chilli paste can taste very differently, so make sure you taste test the marinade before applying.

Homemade Caesar Salad

私房凱撒沙律
Category: Salad, Appetizer, Potluck
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
8 slices bacon
4 hearts of romaine lettuce, or two 8 oz pack of packaged romaine lettuce leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
croutons
1 baguette, sliced (24 slices)
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved
dressing
2 egg yolks
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp anchovy paste
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Procedures
Preheat broiler in oven.
Line bacon slices on a cookie sheet, put under broiler for 5 minutes or until golden. Drain fat and let cool. Cut into large pieces.
Cut or tear lettuce into smaller pieces. Put into a large mixing bowl. Chill until ready to serve.
To make croutons: Place bread slices on a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil. Put under the broiler for 1 minute or until golden. Rub each slices with garlic and set aside to cool.
To make dressing: Put egg yolks, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste and parmesan cheese in a food processor or blender until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add the oil and process until smooth and creamy.
To serve in a pot luck, pack lettuce, bacon, dressing and croutons separately. Just before serving, mix lettuce and dressing together. Garnish dish with bacon pieces and croutons.

Tips
You can buy packaged romaine lettuce at the supermarket, which can save you the time to wash and cut the lettuce.
The normal serving size of salad as an appetizer: 1.5 to 2 oz of greens per person. Double that amount for entrée.
You can buy anchovy paste at the fish department in supermarket. It looks like a tube of toothpaste.

Roast Vegetable Lasagne

燒雜菜千層麵
Category: Pasta, Entree, Potluck
Style: Italian, Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
6 tomatoes, thickly sliced, seeds removed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 large eggplant, thickly sliced
3 red bell peppers, cut into 8 pieces
2 zucchini, thickly sliced lengthwise
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
9 dried lasagne sheets (or use fresh)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
filling
2 lb ricotta cheese
1 pack fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place tomatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and mushrooms on baking trays lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender and golden.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt generously. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instruction. Drain and set aside. Skip this step if using fresh pasta.
To make ricotta filling: Whisk to combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Grease a 13 x 9 inches baking dish with olive oil. Line with 3 lasagne sheets. Place on top half of the vegetables, and about half of the ricotta filling. Top with another layer of pasta, vegetable and filling. Top with a final layer of pasta. Smear a little bit of ricotta filling on top, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.
To serve in a pot-luck setting, you can bake the lasagne the night before, keep it in the fridge and reheat in a 350F oven for 20 minutes or in a microwave. Or better yet, you can pre-assemble the lasagne at home and bake on-site.

Tips
When baking the lasange, put the baking dish on a foil-lined cookie sheet to catch the overflow of the sauce. This will save you from cleaning the oven afterwards.

Creme Brulee (revised)

法式脆糖燉蛋布甸
Category: Dessert
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
3 cups whole milk or whipping cream, or a combination of both
3/4 cup sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar for sprinkling
crushed ice

Procedures
To make custard:
Preheat over to 325F.
Making custard: Heat the milk with sugar and vanilla extract until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
Put eggs in a stainless steel bowl and whisk until broken.
Strain milk into bowl while whisking all the time.
Divide milk evenly into eight 4-oz custard cups..
Place custard cups into a deep roasting pan half full with hot water. Bake until set, about 35 minutes.
Let cool and refrigerate completely.
To make sugar topping:
Sprinkle sugar on top of custard. Tap out excess. Using a blow torch, heat sugar until caramelized. Let sit 1 minute and serve.
If you do not have a blow torch, use the following alternative method:
Set up rack in oven at 4 inches from top. Preheat broiler, use highest setting.
Put chilled custard in a deep roasting tray, then fill tray with crushed ice and cold water.
Sprinkle sugar generously on custard. Place roasting tray in oven, watch closely. Remove tray from oven when sugar is bubbly and caramelized, about 3-5 minutes. You may need to turn the tray often to evenly broil the custard.
Remove custard cups from tray, wipe dry. Let rest 1 minute or until sugar hardens. Serve.

Tips
The viscosity of the custard depends on the proportion of milk and cream you use. If you use a larger proportion of cream, the custard will be thicker, which is more traditional. If you use a larger proportion of milk, the custard will be thinner and be more like Chinese steamed egg. Do experiment with the milk/cream proportion and find out your own perfect style and taste.

Coq a la Biere

啤酒焗雞
Category: Entree, Meat, Chicken
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
6 pieces chicken parts, such as breasts or thighs
1 lb baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
6 shallots, peeled
2 tbsp brandy
1.5 cup pale ale / beer
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tbsp dried
2 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and halved if large
1/2 cup whipping cream

Procedures
In a pot over high heat, add olive oil and butter. Cook chicken until browned all over. Remove from pot and set aside. Pour off fat except about 2 tbsp.
In the same pot over high heat, add shallot, stirring occasionally until browned lightly. Add carrot, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add brandy, and cook until liquid evaporated. Add chicken, ale, stock and herbs, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, uncovered, and cook for 75 minutes. Liquid should reduce to less than half.
About 10 minutes before the chicken is ready, in a separate pan over high heat, add olive oil and butter. Saute mushrooms until tender.
Remove chicken from pot and put on a platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. Remove bay leaf, thyme sprigs and parsley sprigs from pot.
Add mushroom and cream to pot, cook for another 15 minutes over medium low heat. Serve chicken with vegetable and sauce.

Cream of Roasted Garlic Soup

烤蒜子忌廉湯
Category: Soup
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
2 bulbs garlic, unpeeled
2 medium brown onions, diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or use 2 tbsp dried
1 kg russett potatoes
5 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup whipping cream

Procedures
Preheat oven to 350F.
Separate garlic into cloves. Place unpeeled cloves on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for at least 20 minutes or until garlic is soft. Remove from oven and let cool. Squeeze garlic flesh into a small bowl, discard skins.
Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a large pot, cook onion and thyme, stirring, until onion softens. Add potato; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until potato is just tender. Stir in garlic, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Blend or process soup until smooth. You may need to do this in batches. Return soup to pot, and reheat until hot.
Just before serving, stir in cream. Divide into serving bowls, and garnish with extra cream and thyme.

Tips
The longer you cook garlic, the more creamy in texture and subtly nutty flavour it becomes.

Tuna Tartare with Avocado Salsa and Parmesan Crisps

吞拿魚他他配牛油果莎莎及帕爾瑪芝士脆餅
Category: Appetizer
Style: Fusion
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 fresh long red chilli, sliced very thinly
400g tuna sashimi
1 avocado, chopped finely
3 small tomatoes, seeded, chopped finely
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves (or cilantro)
Chilli Lime Dressing
1/2 fresh long red chilli, sliced thinly
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 to 3 limes)
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves or stem
2 tbsp olive oil

Procedures
Preheat oven to 400F
Combine cheese and chilli in small bowl. Drop 1 tbsp of cheese mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Repeat until all cheese mixture is used. (you may need to do this in batches) Bake in oven for 3 minutes or until browned lightly. Remove from oven; stand until parmesan crisps set.
Meanwhile, place ingredients for chilli lime dressing in mixing bowl and whisk well.
Using a clean knife and cutting board, cut tuna into 5 mm cubes. Place in a medium bowl and mix in half the dressing. Toss to combine.
Place avocado, tomato, onion and coriander in another medium bowl with remaining dressing; toss to combine.
Press a quarter of the tuna into a ring mold set on a serving plate; remove ring. Top with salsa. Repeat with remaining tune.
Serve tartare with parmesan crisps.

Tips
Tuna sold as sashimi has to meet stringent guidelines regarding its handling and treatment after leaving the water. Buy from a reliable supplier.
If you do not have a ring mold, make one with an empty can (such as a salmon can) by cutting open both ends with a can opener.

PP959 Christmas Dinner 2006 Procedures

Menu
Pistou 法式蔬菜清湯
Roast Leg of Lamb 蒜香烤羊腿
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese 帕爾馬芝士烤鮮蘆筍
Herbed Potato 香草烤馬鈴薯
Mini Baked Alaska 迷你火燒雪山

Preparation Procedures
3 hours before
Preheat oven to 500F
[lamb] clean and cut celery, carrots, onions and garlic
[lamb] prepare leg of lamb. Put vegeables and lamb on roasting pan, put into oven

2.5 hours before
[asparagus] clean asparagus, put on baking sheet
[potato] clean potato, but don't cut yet
[soup] cut all vegetables

2 hours before
[lamb] take garlic out, let cool
Set table

1.5 hours before
[soup] cook soup

1 hour before
[potato] cut potato, dress and put into the oven
[lamb] make gravy
[dessert] separate eggs

0.5 hour before
[lamb] take lamb out of the oven and let rest
[asparagus] sprinkle chesse on asparagus and put into oven

Just before serving
[asparagus] & [potato] take out from oven
[soup] serve soup
[lamb] carve lamb

While eating
[dessert] beat egg whites

After meal
[dessert] guest assemble their own dessert. Blow torching is fun!

Mini Baked Alaska

迷你火燒雪山
Category: Dessert
Style: American
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 small tub vanilla ice-cream
1 pack roulade cake
Meringue>
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Procedures
To make meringue: Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating until sugar dissolves between additions. Beat until stiff and glossy.
Cut 1 slice of roulade cake and place on a small dish. Scoop 1 ball of ice cream and place on top of cake. Spread meringue mixture over ice cream to enclose completely. Repeat with remaining cake, ice cream and meringue mixture to make 8 servings. Using a torch, burn meringue until browned lightly. Serve immediately.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

帕爾馬芝士烤鮮蘆筍
Category: Side, Vegetable
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1-1/2 lb asparagus
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil

Procedures
Preheat oven to 450F
Wash and trim asparagus, drain.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Roast until asparagus is tender and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pistou

法式蔬菜清湯
Category: Soup
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
2 small zucchini, diced
2 small bakers potatos (such as russet), cleaned and diced
2 small onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrot, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup macaroni
3 L chicken broth
pesto to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Procedures
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until onion is coloured.
Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add potato, peas and corn and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top. Simmer for about 20 minutes
Add pasta, zucchini and eggplant and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta and vegetable is tender.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls . Add pesto and cheese to taste.

Tips
The vegetable should be diced to about 1/4 inch. It should be an elegent soup, so don't make the vegetables too chunky.
Simmer means heating without boiling. If you see the soup rolling, it means the heat is too strong.
Remember to skim the scum (the foam) off the top of the soup from time to time. This will make the soup clear.

Poached Plums in Port Wine served with French Vanilla Ice Cream

砵酒浸西梅配法式雲尼拿雪糕
Category: Dessert
Style: French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cups Port wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
6 plums, halved and seeded

Procedures
Stir the water, port, sugar and cinnamon in medium saucepan, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Add plums; simmer, uncovered, over low heat, about 30 minutes or until just tender.
Remove plums from syrup; drain.
Bring syrup to a boil; boil uncovered for 10 minutes or until syrup is reduced to about 1 cup. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon.
Serve plums with syrup, warm or cold with French Vanilla Ice Cream.

Tips
This recipe is also good for poaching pears and peaches.

Chateaubriand

傳統法式燒牛柳配蔬菜拼盤
Category: Entree, Meat
Style: French
Difficulty: Medium
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 kg medium potatoes, cut into 1 cm thick slices
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
750g beef eye fillet or tenderloin (about 1.5 lb)
400g tomatoes on the vine
400g baby carrots
350g broccoli
250g zucchini
Bearnaise Sauce
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
2 green onions, chopped finely
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp dried tarragon

Procedures
Preheat oven to 400F
Heat butter and half of the oil in large frying pan; fry potato, turning occasionally, until browned lightly. (You may need to do this in batches). Transfer potatoes to a roasting tray lined with non-stick aluminum foil, sprinkle top with chives. Set aside.
Heat remaining oil in a medium oven-proof pot, sear beef on all sides, until browned all over. Place pot in oven; roast beef, 20 minutes, or until beef is cooked as desired.
Meanwhile, place tomatoes on the roasting tray with the potatoes and roast along with the beef. Remove from oven when beef is done, or when tomatoes and potatoes are tender. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, steam carrots, broccoli and zucchini until just tender, about 10 minutes.
Serve sliced beef with potato and vegetables on a large serving platter, accompanied with sauce.
To make Bearnaise Sauce
Combine vinegar, peppercorns, tarragon and onion in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half. Strain over medium heatproof bowl; discard peppercorns and onion.
Whisk yolks into liquid in bowl until combined. Set bowl over medium saucepan of simmering water; gradually whisk in melted butter in thin stead stream until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon. Cover to keep warm.

Tips
This dish is named after the 19th-century author Francoise Chateaubriand. It has always been a special occasion dish.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure the beef is cooked to the desired doneness.

Roast Leg of Lamb

蒜香烤羊腿
Category: Meat
Style: French, Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 frozen leg of lamb, defrost in advance
1 pack fresh rosemary
3 heads garlic
carrots, celery and onions for the roasting pan
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures
Preheat oven to 500F
clean carrots, celery and onions. Cut into large chunks and line bottom of roasting pan.
Wash and pat dry leg of lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Put leg of lamb on roasting pan and sprinkle rosemary on top..
Cut top off the 3 heads of garlic. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Put garlic besides the lamb on the roasting pan.
Roast for 5 minutes. Then turn heat down to 375F and roast until done, about 2 hours.
Take garlic out after roasting for about 1 hour. Let cool. Scoop out garlic flesh. Mesh completely.
When the lamb is done, take it out from the oven. Cover meat with a piece of aluminum foil, face down, and let rest for about 20 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, heat a little butter in a saucepan. Add flour, fry until it forms into a lump. Slowly add beef or chicken stock to dilute, and it will become a thick gravy. Add meshed roasted garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Slice meat and serve with gravy.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Roast

煙肉烤豬
Category: Meat, Entree
Style: French, Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 boneless pork loin (3 pounds)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp finely chopped rosemary, plus several sprigs
1 pack bacon, thinly sliced
2 small onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock

Procedures
Preheat oven to 375°. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sear pork on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat.
Rub pork with chopped rosemary. Wrap with bacon, overlapping strips slightly. Use toothpicks to secure bacon, if necessary. Place a rosemary sprig on top; tie pork with kitchen twine, and remove toothpicks. Return pork to skillet. Scatter onions and rosemary sprigs around pork. Roast in oven, basting occasionally with cooking juices, until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer pork and onions to a platter; cover to keep warm.
Make pan sauce: In a small bowl, combine butter and flour. Place skillet over medium heat. Add stock, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce liquid slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter mixture; cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pork, and drizzle with sauce. Serve with onions

Salt & Pepper Baby Octopus with Salad and Aioli

法式椒鹽小八爪魚配蒜香蛋黃醬
Category: Appetizer, Salad
Style: Fusion, French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
500g baby octopus, cleaned and halved
2 tsp coarse salt
3 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
150g organic salad greens
1/2 English cucumber, sliced thinly
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
Aioli
1 egg yolk
2 to 3 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Dressing
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil

Procedures
To make aioli
Blend egg yolk, garlic, mustard and vinegar until combined. With motor operating, gradually add oil in thin steady stream; process until aioli thickens slightly. Stir in juice.
To make salad
Place salad greens, cucumber, tomato and dressing in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Set aside.
To make baby octopus
Combine octopus, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a frying pan, stir fry octopus until browned lightly and cooked through.
Serve octopus on salad with aioli and lemon wedges, if desired.

Tips
Aioli is a traditional mayonnaise-like sauce which can be served as a dip with most vegetables.

Creamy Watercress Soup

西洋菜忌廉湯
Category: Soup
Style: Fusion, French
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 6

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
1 small yellow onion (about 80g), chopped
4 green onion, chopped
3 medium potatoes (about 600g), diced
5 cups chicken stock
350g watercress, washed and trimmed (about 2 bunch)
6 tbsp sour cream (about 1/3 cup)

Procedures
Heat oil in large saucepan, cook onion and leek, until vegetables soften. Add potato and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until potato is almost tender.
Reserve several sprigs of watercress for garnish; stir remaining watercress into pan. Simmer soup, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until potato is completely tender.
Blend or process soup, in batches, until smooth. Reheat soup in same pan, then divide among serving bowls. Top each with 1 tbsp of sour cream. Garnish with reserved watercress sprigs.

Tips
Potato is added to give body to the soup.
Soak peeled and diced potato in water when not ready to use to prevent from discoloring.

Secret Recipe Pan Fried Chicken Steak

秘方煎雞扒
Category: Meat
Style: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 4

Ingredients
4件 去骨雞上髀
調味
1/2 tsp 鹽
1 tbsp 生抽
1 tsp 糖
1 tsp 蒜蓉粉
1 tsp 雞粉
1 tsp "口急"汁

Procedures
雞扒洗淨，抹乾水。加入調味料，醃最少半小時。
燒熱鑊，下少許油，放入雞扒，先煎雞皮那一邊，半熟後反轉再煎，至全熟，盛起切件上碟。

Tips
如想減少油煙，將雞扒放進375F焗爐內焗約30分鐘至熟亦可。

Shanghai style Spinach Salad

滬式涼拌菠菜
Category: Appetizer
Style: Chinese, Shanghai
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 4

Ingredients
1 磅 菠菜，洗淨晾乾
半罐 雪菜
1塊 五香豆腐干
調味
3 tbsp 生抽
3 tsp 糖
3 tsp 麻油

Procedures
燒熱水一鍋，加少許糖，鹽和油，將菠菜灼熟，撓起，瀝乾水。可用手將菜盡量擠乾。切成碎粒，放涼。
用剛材煮菜的水，將五香干放入煮一會至熟。放涼，切成碎粒。
雪菜切碎粒。
將調味料開勻，加入其他材料拌勻即成。

Singapore Medicinal Pork Rib Soup

星州肉骨茶
Category: Soup, Meat
Style: Chinese, Singaporean
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
2磅 排骨
1包 肉骨茶料
15粒 蒜頭，原粒去皮
1 tsp 白胡椒粒
調味
1/3杯 生抽

Procedures
燒熱一鍋水，放入排骨，煮至表面熟，取出（出水）。將已出水的排骨洗淨。
燒熱另一鍋水（約三公升），放入排骨，肉骨茶料，蒜頭及白胡椒粒同煮，用大火煲約兩小時，其間煲蓋要半開。
臨吃前，下生抽調味。

Garlic Oven Fries

蒜香烤薯條
Category: Sides, Vegetables
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
4 russett potato
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures
ß Wash and peel potato. Cut into think wedges and put on a roasting tray in one layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Put potatoes in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Tips
Add one tbsp of egg white to make fries crisper.
Use non-stick aluminum foil for best result.

Easy Microwave Ratatouille

簡易微波爐香草雜菜匯
Category: Sides, Vegetables
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 Japanese eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 garlic gloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1 zucchini, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Procedures
In a large microwave-safe bowl, mix eggplant, onion and garlic with olive oil. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, stir halfway through.
Add remaining ingredients and microwave on high for another 6 minutes, stir halfway through. Cook longer if you prefer softer vegetables.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze

燒豬柳配意大利黑醋濃汁
Category: Meat
Style: Western
Difficulty: Easy
Portion: Serves 4

Ingredients
2 lb pork tenderloin (about 4 pieces)
salt and pepper
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
balsamic glaze
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Procedures
Preheat over to 425F.
Place pork tenderloin on roasting rack. Season generously with salt and pepper. Smear mustard over pork. Place in the oven and roast until done, about 20 minutes.
To make balsamic glaze: put all ingredients in a small sauce over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Tips
When roasting meat, use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat are roasted to perfect doneness.

French Onion Soup

法式洋蔥湯
Category: Soup
Style: French
Difficulty: Medium
Portion: Serves 8

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 lb yellow onions
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry or red wine or brandy
4 cups beef stock
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 french baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
8 onces Gruyere, Asiago or Mozzarella cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater, about 3 cups
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Procedures
Slice onions into 1/4-inch half circles.
Melt butter in a large dutch oven or heavy-pot on medium low heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkler with sugar, and cook, stirring as little as possible. Cook until onions are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, about 30 minutes. You can also place the pot in a 300F oven after the initial sauté-ing for 1 hour to achieve similar result.
Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler. Sprinkle cheese over toast, and place under broiler again until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges.
To assemble: ladle hot soup into bowl, and place a cheese toast on top of soup. Serve immediately.

Tips
It is easier to make the cheese toast separately, because to melt the cheese directly on the soup like most traditional methods requires broiler-proof soup bowls which most family do not have.
We need to cook the onion as slow as possible so that the flavour will intensify.
You can also mix different kinds of onions (such as red onions and white sweet onions) to create different flavour.
Use low sodium beef stock to avoid overly salty soup.