Tomato Tart

The other day on a train ride to San Francisco, a lady who sat next to me was eating her lunch in a container. It looks delicious, and I asked her what is it. She told me it tomato tart that her mother made for her, whenever she go home to visit her. This is the recipe from her. Thanks Brenda for sharing!

Remy's Ratatouille/Confit Byaldi

Bell peppers in vibrant colors of red, orange, and yellow were on sale at our local grocery store. They are just 99 cents a pound--such a deal! This is wonderful, as I wanted to make something light with vegetables for dinner tonight. These luscious and plump peppers inspired me to make a classic recipe made famous by Remy.

Curried Vegetable with Dried Figs Potpies

I love making potpies as they are perfect for this wintry weather. This recipe is full of flavor with root vegetables and spices to make a satisfying meal. Jean gave me a set of Le Creuset's enamaled cast iron Gratin baking dishes in sea blue and orange. I just love the pretty colors. Thank you Jean!

Savory Fennel, Onion, & Orange Zest Upside-Down Shortcake

Last night John and I had dinner at Coconut, a Caribbean restaurant in downtown Palo Alto. After the meal, we walked down a couple of blocks to Bell's, an independent bookstore (you don't find many around these days). It is a two story historic building with over 300,000 volumes of used and rare books. This place is definately for a voracious reader. We joked that this will be a perfect place for anyone in exile or retired.
I picked up a wonderful recipe book on savory baking by Mary Cech. It has quite a few of warm and inspiring recipes that I like to bake. This one is my favorite with caramelized onions baked upside-down--great for brunch or as a side dish. The recipe asked for fennel seeds, but I opted for fresh fennel, and I've added some plum dried tomatoes to enhanced the flavor of the balsamic vinegar. The onion fillings are wonderful paired with roasted lamb chops!

Steamed Fuzzy Melon, Dried Scallops with White Sauce

My dear friend, Wendy brought me a lovely gift box of Chinese dried scallops from Hong Kong. Dried scallop is a type of dried seafood product made from the adductor muscle of scallops. It is rich in calcium and minerals, and it is used in Chinese cuisine for soups, congee, or braised with other meats and vegetables. This is one of my favorite dish using dried scallops and fuzzy melon. Fuzzy melon or "mo qua" is a sweet and mild squash that has a fuzzy feel on the surface.

Ingredients:
1 fuzzy melon, scrape skin lightly with spoon
6 whole dried scallops, soak for at least an hour
1 egg white, lightly beaten
¼ cup chicken stock
1 tsp. cornstarch, mix with a little water
Steaming tray
Method:
1. Cut fuzzy melon into 1¼-inch thickness across in rounds. Use a teaspoon and gently scoop the surface in the middle to remove the seeds. It should be deep enough for the whole scallops to sit on top.
2. Heat a steamer rack with water to a rolling boil. Remove the dried scallops and place in a bowl and place in the steaming tray. Do the same with the melon rounds. Steam for 20-25 minutes to cook the dried scallops and melons. Remove and set aside.
3. Arrange the cooked melon on the dish and place each rounds with a cooked scallop.
3. Heat a frying pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add the cornstarch and enough chicken stock to make a white sauce. Bring to a light boil and stir in the egg white and cook for 1 minute. Remove and spoon sauce over melon. Serve immediately with rice.
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Stir Fried Bitter Melons with Prawns

Occasionaly, I have craving for bitter melons or bitter gourds in English. I must admit, bitter melons are not for culinary cowards as not everyone will have a palate for it. Most people are put off by the name and those who have tried it probably find it to be quite unpleasant. If it is cooked right it is quite delicious as it is a matter of acquired taste. Speaking of tastes, bitterness is one of the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty). In fact, bitter melon is a fruit and not a vegetable, and is perhaps the most bitter of all Asian vegetables. It is an oblong shape, with a light to medium green in color. The surface has irregular ridges and bumps that looks like warts. It is commonly cooked with beef or chicken, with strongly flavored ingredients such as black bean sauce, and other spices to neutralize the bitterness. Surprisingly, the bitterness does not impart on other ingredients, but rather give it a savory after-taste. My mother used to make a soup with meat as she believed to cleanse the blood and help lower cholesterol. Go ahead, and try this unusual healthy food---you might just like it!

Ingredients:
1 medium sized bitter melon
¼ lb medium prawns
2 tsp. black bean sauce paste
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with a little water
1 tsp salt
pinch of sugar
Method:
1. Cut bitter melon in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds and white rind in the middle. Slice into ¼-inch thick. Put in a bowl and rub the bitter melons with the salt. Le it sit for about 5-8 minutes. Gently squeeze the salt out and rinse off with water. Drained well.
2. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add in the bitter melon and fry for about 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate, return pan and heat 1 teaspoon of oil and fry the garlic, followed by the prawns.
3. When the prawns are almost cooked, stir in the sauces and bitter melons, continue to fry until the sauce has incorporate with the prawns and bitter melons. Season and adjust seasonings to your taste. Add in the cornstarch mixture to thicken. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 5-8 minutes (add some more liquid if you like more sauce).
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Grilled Asparagus with Pancetta

This is a simple and light dish for a weekend brunch. I love the flavor of pancetta with the asparagus spears. It also taste great with Holandaise sauce.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
12 asparagus spears
2 ozs. thinly sliced pancetta
2 slices bread (whole wheat or rye)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
sea salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat grill or broiler. Bring a pot of water to boil and prepare a bowl of ice water on the side.
2. Cook eggs for 8 minutes (longer if you don't want a soft center) in boiling water, remove and place in ice water to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel shells and cut into half or chop in small pieces.
3. Discard any tough ends of the asparagus spears, wrap a slice of pancetta around middle of a pair of spears. Grill wrapped asparagus until pancetta is crispy.
4. Cut two pieces of bread with a round biscuit cutter, remove the middle and discard edges. Brush both sides of bread with softened butter. Grill bread on each side and set aside.
5. Mix olive oil with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place a slice of bread on serving plate, drizzle with lemon/olive oil dressing; top with grilled asparagus and cooked egg.
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Chestnut and Fennel Corn Bread Stuffing

What is Thanksgiving without it's stuffing! A friend sent me this recipe years ago and I've decided to give it a try. You can easily substitute chestnuts with these ones that I found in the Asian grocery market. It is quite good and convenient.

Ingredients:

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into cubes

1 apple, cored and chopped into cubes
3 sticks celery, chopped into cubes
1 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 small red onion, minced finely

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup raisins

½ stick of butter

1 cup chestnuts, chopped

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 package corn bread stuffing mix

2-3 uncooked sausage, chopped

some melted butter for greasing

salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish or baking pan with melted butter. In a large skillet, brown sausage meat until cooked through and starts to brown. Drain excess fat and transfer sausage to a bowl.
2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic, fennel, celery and cook in butter until tender, stirring occasionally. Add in apples and cook for another minute, then add in the cranberries, chestnuts, raisins and bread stuffing and stir to mix. Stir in sausage, broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. (add more water or broth if you like a moister stuffing)

3. Transfer to baking dish, cover with lid or tent with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20-35 minutes. Remove lids or foil and bake for another 15 minutes until thermometer reads 165°F and is lighty browned.

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Brussels Sprouts, Squash with Vinaigrette Dressing

Brussels sprouts is a cultivar of the cruciferous family, which includes cabbage, collard greens, and kale. The leafy green buds, resembles miniature cabbages that offshoot from a single thick stalk is an interesting vegetable! It has a slightly bitter taste when it is overcooked. Instead of steaming or boiling it, I am going to pan roast them and serve it with a medley of fruits and vegetables for color.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
¾ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 small squash, cubed
½ cup sliced pancetta or bacon, diced
1 small red onion, sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup Vinaigrette dressing of your choice
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a skillet, heat some oil over medium heat and fry pancetta or bacon until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel. Add some more oil, and fry the onions until soft and slightly brown. Toss in Brussels sprouts and mix to combine for about 5 minutes, then add in the squash. Stir to mix.
3. Roast the vegetables until they are cooked through and golden.

4. Remove and toss in cranberries. Transfer to platter and dress the top with remaining pancetta or bacon. Serve warm with dressing on the side.

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Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes

This is a great dish to serve over the Thanksgiving holiday dinner. You can use garnet yams or sweet potatoes, but I prefer the Japanese sweet potatoes. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs sweet potatoes or yam, scrubbed clean
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 tsp. paprika (use 1 tsp. for less spicy)
1½  tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste
3½ Tbsp. olive oil
Baking tray
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely grind corander and fennel seeds in a coffee grinder. Pour into a bowl and mix in the rest of the spices.
3. Dry the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Put into a large baking tray and toss potatoes wedges with oil and spices until well mixed.
4. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove and turn wedges once or twice to cook through for another 15-20 minutes until tender and golden in color. Remove and serve warm.

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Ruby Beets with Feta Cheese and Maple Glazed Pecans

Here is a simple and delicious salad that uses beets and cheese. You can add leftovers roasted chicken or turkey and you have a wholesome and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
5 medium sized beets, scrubbed clean
1 package mixed fresh baby salad greens, washed and drained
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh orange juice
4 Tbsp. feta or goat cheese
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
¼ cup pecans
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Steam beets with enough water until tender. Drain and cool, peeled and slice in ½-inch slices.
2. Place pecans in a saucepan over medium heat to toast. When it starts to brown, stir in the maple syrup to coat evenly. Remove from heat on freezer paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil to make the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In individual plates, arrange greens and beets. Sprinkle cheese and pecans over greens. Drizzle with dressing or serve on the side.
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Tri-Colored Vegetable Terrine

This is a light and flavorful appetizer that is wonderful to serve on any occasion.
Ingredients:
2 cups tomato juice
1 large red pepper, quartered, cored and seeds removed
1 large yellow pepper, quartered, cored and seeds removed
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise
3 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup raisins
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. powdered gelatin
5 Tbsp. olive oil
Method:
1. Broil red and yellow peppers until skins are slighty blackened. Remove and set aside.
2. Arrange eggplant and zuchinni slices on a baking tray. Brush them with a little oil on both sides and cook under the broiler until tender and golden.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and add onion, raisins and vinegar. Stir and cook gently until onions are soft and raisins has absorbed most of the juices. Remove and let mixture cool.
4. Brush inside of terrrine (or a glass loaf pan) lightly with some oil. Line with plastic wrap and leave a little of wrap hanging over the sides of the terrine.
5. In a saucepan over low heat, add tomato juice and gelatine. Stir to dissolve and remove from heat.
6. Place a layer of peppers in the bottom of the terrine and pour some tomato juice over to cover. Arrange the terrine with a layer of eggplant, zucchini, tomato and raisins mixture, and peppers. Pour a layer of tomato/gelatine mixture after each layer of vegetables. Add the remaining gelatine mixture on top and give the terrine a sharp tap on the table to help settle the juice and compact the vegetables. Cover the terrine and chill well to set.

7. Turn out the terrine, remove the plastic wrap. Cut into thick slices and drizzled with a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing.
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Fried Collard Greens with Smoked Apple Bacon

I was at Trader Joe this weekend and they were serving this delicious uncured apple bacon to shoppers. I took a bite and it was really good! It has a nice apple flavor and I like it as it is not as salty. What a perfect coincidence, as I went in to get some bacon for tonight's dinner. This would be wonderful with collard greens that I got from the farmers market. Beside collard greens, it is great with dinosaur kale (lacinato). Yummy!
Ingredients:
2 bunches collard greens, cut in bite sized
1 red onion, sliced thinly
4 ozs bacon, sliced thinly
half cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and add in bacon to brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and fry until the onions is beginning to soften and absorbed most of the bacon oil.
2. Add in the wine and simmer for about 3-4 minutes to reduce the liquid. Add in greens and seasonings. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes until greens are tender. Serve hot with rice.
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Seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts/Sukjunamul

This is one of the many side dishes (banchan) that comes with your Korean meal. You can serve this warm or cold.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb mung bean sprouts
1 spring onion, chopped finely
¾ tsp. soysauce
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
½ tsp. garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
dash of pepper
1 Tbsp. sesame toasted sesame seeds
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and blanched bean sprouts. Remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Remove and squeeze most of the water and put in a larger bowl.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve warm or cold with rice.
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Steamed Artichokes with Lemony Mustard Sauce

There are many ways to cook an artichoke. I've seen it baked, stuffed, grilled, or deep-fried. The most common method is steaming it with water and served with butter. This is just how I like mine, steamed and peels each overlapping leaf and dipping in a tangy lemon sauce. The best part is the heart at the bottom of the artichoke. It is covered with inedible fuzzy hairs (called the choke). After removing the "choke" with a spoon or a knife is the best part of this vegetable. Here is my version of a simple and elegant way to serve artichokes.
Ingredients:
4 large to medium artichokes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, cut in wedges
¼ tsp. sugar
¼ salt
Lemon Sauce Dip:
3 stalks scallion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup lemon juice
4 Tbsps. brown rice vinegar (white will do)
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. thyme
2 Tbsps. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

1. Soak artichokes in water for about 10 minutes to remove any bugs (just in case). Using a sharp knife cut an inch from the top and remove the base of the stem. Remove any tough outer leaves, and snip the tip end of each leaf evenly. Rub each end of the leaves with lemon wedges.

2. In a large stainless steel pot, add the artichokes, half of the lemon wedges, sugar, salt and garlic. Add water to completely cover the artichokes. Cover and bring to a fast boil, reduce heat to simmer for about 30-35 minutes until tender. Turn off heat, drain artichokes upside-down to remove excess water. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes (or serve it warm).

3. In a medium sized bowl, add all of dipping ingredients and whisk well to incorporate. Season to taste. Serve artichokes on a large platter with lemon wedges and sauce in separate smaller bowls.

Notes: Artichokes will discolor if cooked in a cast iron or an aluminum pot. Another good idea is to include lots of napkins or place little bowls of water to wash your hands.

My artichoke plant.

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Stir Fried Spicy Sweet Potato Leaves

Sweet Potato leaves (Ipomoea batatas) remind me of my childhood growing up in Malaysia. Behind the house next to the outhouse, the sandy plot was covered with rows of sweet potatoes. When it is time for harvesting we had sweet potatoes almost everyday, boiled, steamed, baked, or fried. The leaves are good forage for pigs and other domestic animals, so eating this is much looked down upon in some areas as food of the poor. My mother would picked through the leaves and keep the young shoots and stems for cooking. The taste is bland so it is often cooked with a spicy sauce or sambal. I've tried making a curry with this and it's not too bad.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of sweet potato leaves
3 dried chilles, presoaked
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 shallots, peeled
1 Tbsp. dried shrimps, washed and presoaked
Method:
1. Pick and strip the leaves from the branches, keeping only the young shoots and stems. Cut it into 2" strips. Washed and drain well.
2. Bring a large pot of water (filled halfway) to boil on high heat. Blanch the leaves for about 5 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water. Drain and keep for later.
3. Pound or chop the chillies, garlic, shallots, and dried shrimps finely.

4. In a large skillet, heat some oil over high heat. Add the chilli mixture and fry over medium heat till fragrant. Add the greens and season to taste. Serve hot with rice.

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Kale and Boiled Potatoes

This is a nice side dish to serve with any meat dish. I bought some dinosaur and russian kale from the farmer's market in Davis. The dinosaur kale or lacinato is great saute with olive oil and season with sea salt and lemon juice.
Ingredients:
1 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinato)
1 bunch russian kale
3 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup chicken or vegetarian stock
8-10 new potatoes
1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Washed and cut vegetables. In a skillet heat 1 Tbsp. oil on high, toss in vegetables and garlic till it is cooked. Add some stock, lemon juice and season to taste.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in a pinch of salt to water, then potatoes. Simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or test potatoes with skewer for doneness.
3. Arrange kale and potatoes on a dish and serve warm.
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Stir Fried Shredded Potato

I've had this dish a couple of times and it was really good! It's a simple dish of shredded potatoes, a popular dish originated in the northern parts of China. Do you know that China is one of top ten exporters of potatoes beside Russia, India, and the United States? In addition to this, potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, protein, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. What a wonderful and creative way to cook a spud---and perhaps a song to its honor!
Ingredients:

1 large white potato, Yukon
1 small jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly
1 small red pepper, sliced thinly
2 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. white vinegar
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 sprigs spring onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Wash and peel the potato.  Slice it across in thin slices, and then juliened in uniform strips, like French Fry, but thinner. Rinse in water several times to remove starch, gently squeezing out the water. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add potatoes and vinegar and fry for about 10 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir fry for another 5 minutes, season to taste. The potatoes should be abit on the crunchy side but not raw.
Note: Shredding the potato creates more juice and makes it soggy to cook, thus sticking to the pan.
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Vegetables Curry/Sayur Lemak

Sayur Lemak is Malay for vegetables cooked in rich spicy coconut milk. The word, "Sayur" is vegetables and "Lemak" is rich flavor in Malay. This is a simple dish and is also one of my favorite--I could eat this everyday!
Ingredients:
1 small cabbage, sliced in thick pieces
1 firm beancurd, or deep fried tofu (from Asian supermarkets)
1 small eggplant, sliced in small chunks
1 can coconut cream, diluted with 3/4 cups of water
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped in chunks
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
Spices:
3-5 red chillies (if you like it spicy)
2 candlenuts
3 shallots
1 small piece turmeric, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp. dried prawns, washed and soaked in some warm water (optional)
Method:
1. Blend spices to a smooth paste. Heat oil in deep pot and fry spices till fragrant until water evaporates and oil comes through. Add tomatoes and fry for another 5 minutes.
2. Add a little coconut milk to the spice mixture and stir to mix well, then gradually add the rest of the coconut milk. Bring to a oil.
3. Add the egg plants, cabbage, beancurd, and simmer till vegetables are just cooked.
4. Serve warm with rice.
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Pumpkin Curry with Beancurd/Tofu

A coworker in my office told me about a pumpkin curry that he had at a nearby Thai restaurant. This reminds me that I don't have any posting for a vegetarian dish. Hence this recipe.
Ingredients:
1½ cups Kabocha pumpkin, pre-cooked and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 can coconut cream, mixed with 3/4 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. red or yellow curry paste (Mae Ploy brand, from Asian grocery stores)
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. tumeric powder
1 tsp. galangal powder
1 tsp. honey or sugar (optional)
½ cup carrots, cubed
¼ cup fresh peas or edamane (optional)
¼ cup firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 kaffir leaves
1 small fresh chilli for garnishing
2  Tbsp. oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F and roast pumpkin till slightly golden for about 20 minutes. Remove skin when cool and cut in cubes. The flesh will be slightly crunchy. Set aside.
2. Mix the curry paste and spices with a little together in a bowl. Heat oil in a skillet, fry spices with the kaffir leaves till fragrant. Add half of the coconut milk and mix it well with the curry spices, then the carrots and peas if used.
3. Simmer on low heat to cook the carrots, then add pumpkin, tofu and the rest of the coconut milk and stock. If you like more sauce in your curry, add a little more stock or water as the pumpkin tends to thicken the curry if you let is simmer too long. I like a little bite in the pumpkin. Serve hot with rice or naan bread.
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