Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk

I never get bored baking/eating baked chicken as there are lots of ways to prepare it! I accidentally stumbled upon this recipe by Jamie Oliver and I was hooked! This baked chicken in milk tasted obsulately fantastic! 

Really simple ingredients....sage leaves, lemon zest, garlic, cinnamon(not in pic) and milk.

Lightly browned the whole chicken in hot olive oil before putting in all the ingredients.

Yummy! Prepared some crusty bread and mopped up the tantalising curdled milk infused gravy.

Recipe ref: www.jamieoliver.com
Ingredient

• 1 large chicken, cleaned
• salt
• black pepper
• olive oil
• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• 1 handful of fresh sage leaves
• 2 lemon, zested
• 10 cloves garlic, skin left on
• 600ml milk

Method

1. Season chicken generously all over with salt & black pepper. Heat some olive oil in a casserole. Fry the chicken until golden all over. Put the chicken on a plate and discard the oil in the pot. 
2. Put the chicken back into the pot together with cinnamon, sage, lemon zests and garlic. Pour in milk. 
3. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 1 1/2 hour, basting with the cooking juice in between baking time.

Bake Along Event #93 with the theme: Bake/Roast Chicken with  Joyce, Zoe and Lena.

Roasted Kumquat Chicken

Oooh such a lovely golden glistening roasted chicken leg! This is a dish I could not make it as frequent as I've run out of kumquat jam! Kumquat season is over and not available in the market now, so not able to make some homemade kumquat jam at the moment. But I've still got plenty of pickled salted kumquats in the fridge.  Maybe I could substitute it with orange marmalade or apricot jam  if I am to bake this again :D

Homemade salted kumquats which I preserved for over 3 months :)

chopped preserved kumquat and other seasoning rubbed over chicken thighs and marinated overnight

Ingredient

• 3 whole chicken leg
• 5 salted kumquats
• 1 tsp kumquat brine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp kumquat jam

Method

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken leg.
2. Halved salted kumquats and remove the seeds. Chopped finely.
3. Combine chopped salted kumquats, brine, olive oil, sugar, water , black pepper and chilli flakes to form a paste.
4. Coat the chicken with the kumquat paste evenly on all sides. Leave to marinate overnight in fridge.
5. Line fresh basil on a baking sheet (optional). Place marinated chicken leg over and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 35 mins, turning once half-way through. At the last 5 mins, brush the kumquat jam all over the chicken leg.
6. Remove from oven at serve along with green salad.

Bake Along Event #93 with the theme: Bake/Roast Chicken with  Joyce, Zoe and Lena.

Millie Feuille Nabe (A Thousand Leaves Hotpot)

I think this is one of the most visually appealing dish I've ever made! Millie Feuille Nabe, a popular Japanese hotpot consist of pork/beef slices embedded between multi-layers of napa cabbage i.e. Chinese cabbage, simmered in a pot of homemade broth. 

This hotpot is really easy to assemble and takes not long to get it layer into the pot. My kids love all kinds of mushrooms, including me, therefore I've added more of it into this hotpot. I also skipped the dipping sauce in the original recipe but it does not affect the taste of this dish. The tender stewed cabbage and broth tasted so light and delicious that my family members enjoyed trememdously and request to make this again for them! 

Can't help but to take another shot of this lovely shrooms!

A pot of anchovies stock base for this thousand layers stewed cabbage

After adding in the stock, cover the pot and simmer in low heat for 30 mins until the cabbages are tender and is ready to be serve!

Ingredient

• 450gm thinly slice pork (I used pork collar shabu shabu)
• 1 napa cabbage
• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 package brown beach mushroom
• 1 package white shimeiji mushroom
• 1 package enoki mushroom
• 200gm bean sprouts, trimmed

Stock

• 2.5L water
• 1 pc dried kelp (12cm x 5cm)
• 1/4 cup dried anchovies
• 1/2 radish, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 3 dried shittake mushrooms
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 

Method

1. Prepare the stock first. This can be made in advance and stored in fridge if desired. 
2. Place all stock ingredients, except soy sauce and salt, together with water into a pot. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add soy sauce and salt to taste.
3. Cut away ends of napa cabbage. Separate leaves, wash and drain dry.
4. Place one cabbage leave on a working surface, place 3 slices of pork over. Layer with another cabbage leave and pork slices ending with another layer of cabbage. Repeat another set of the layerings till pork slices are used up. 
5. Cut the cabbage stacks into 3 sections. Adjust width according to the depth of the pot you are using.
6. Layer the bottom of the pot with bean sprouts. Turn cut side up of the cabbage stack and fill up the pot from the edges and work your way towards the center. 
7. Fill up the centre with mushrooms. Add stock and fill up to cover the cabbage layers.
8. Cover and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for about 30 mins till cabbages are softened. Serve immediately.

Recipe ref & modified from : kimchimari.com

Roast Buttermilk Chicken with Bacon

This is another baked buttermilk chicken dish. Sound similar to my previous post  but actually they are completely different. This chicken drumstick is moist and tender, infused with smoky bacon flavours. The original recipe did not include the bacon. I just wanted to clear the bacon therefore tried this wrapping method and it turned out really well!

before baking

Ingredient

• 12 chicken drumsticks
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp honey
• 12 slices bacon

Method

1. Place the chicken drumsticks in a large ziplog bag and add in buttermilk and oil.
2. Add the crushed garlic, crushed pepper, salt, cumin and honey.
3. Seal the bag and squish everything in the bag to mix the marinade and coat the chicken. Best marinate overnight in fridge.
4. Preheat oven to 200 deg cel. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag, shaking off the excess marinade. Wrap each drumstick with a slice of bacon. Place drumstick on a lined baking sheet, bake for 30-35 mins or until the bacon is golden brown and drumsticks are cooked through.

Recipe ref : 'Nigella Express' by Nigella Lawson

Bake Along Event #93 with the theme: Bake/Roast Chicken with  Joyce, Zoe and Lena.

BLT Salad with Baked Buttermilk Chicken Fillet

Finally I'm back to join this Bake Along event after resting for a long time! I've several delicious baked chicken recipes in my blog draft box, hopefully I've enough energy and time to share with you all :) 

BLT salad...with homemade croutons! yummy!

Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Salad
Ingredient

• 8 slices bacon
• 250gm baguette, sliced into 3/4" cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 500gm romaine-lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Salad dressing (mix well)

• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg cel. Arrange bacon on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 mins till browned & crisp. Transfer onto a kitchen paper to absorb excess oil. Cool and crumble into large pieces.
2. Toss cubed bread with olive oil. Season with salt & black pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake till golden brown, for about 20 mins, tossing halfway through.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes and croutons. Drizzle in salad dressing and toss evenly to mix. Serve immediately.

Recipe ref : Martha Stewart

First time using cornflakes to coat the chicken pieces, it does give some crunch but loses its crisp after cool down. So they are best serve immediately after baking!

Baked Crunchy Buttermilk Chicken Fillet

Ingredient

• 500gm chicken fillet
• 2 cups buttermilk

For coating

• 3 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
• 3/4 tsp old bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Method

1. Combine buttermilk & chicken fillet in a mixing bowl. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour in fridge.
2. Toss cornflakes, old bay, thyme, rosemary and paprika in a large mixing bowl. Remove 1 slice of fillet at a time from buttermilk, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge in cornflake mixture.
3. Transfer coated pieces onto a greased baking sheet, lightly coat each pieces with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel, turning pieces halfway through, until crisp and cooked through, about 30 mins. 
4. Cool down slightly and serve immediately with salad on the sides.

Recipe ref : Martha Stewart

Bake Along Event #93 with the theme: Bake/Roast Chicken with  Joyce, Zoe and Lena.

Mango & Blueberries Quinoa Salad

Love this pretty healthy quinoa salad which tasted so refreshing in this scorching weather! Easy to whip up to without creating an oily mess in the kitchen. Less cleaning less sweaty.....hehehe.....

Ingredient

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup fresh mango cubes, 
• 1/2 cup cucumbers cube
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 10 sweet basil leaves

Salad dressing (mix well)

• 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• zest from 1 lemon
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve several times. Place the rinsed quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 mins until the quinoa swelled and cooked. Drain away excess away over a colander and let it cool in room temperature.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, combine blueberries, mango, cucumbers and dried cranberries and chill in fridge till use.
3. Prepare the salad dressing and chill.
4. To serve, stir in half of the salad dressing and mix gently.
5. Stir in fruit mixture and shredded basil leaves. Serve immediately with the other half of the dressing at the side.

Recipe ref : veggiebelly.com

Homemade Mango Ice-cream

Arrgghh super hot weather again! Great to have a big cone of ice-cream too cool down!

Only 3 ingredients for this homemade mango ice-cream...hehehe ignore the green mangoes in this picture as I'm waiting for it to ripen for my 2nd batch of ice-cream. You will need ripen mangoes for this ice-cream recipe, you don't want to risk having to taste sour ice-cream right? 

topped up with more mangoes and enjoyed!

Ingredient

• 500gm fresh mango flesh
• 300ml heavy cream
• 200ml condensed milk

Method

1. Place mango flesh and condensed milk in a food processor and blend till fine. Transfer the puree into a mixing bowl.
2. In another clean mixing bowl, whisk heavy cream until firm peak. 
3. Fold 1/2 of the whipped cream into the mango puree. Fold in the remaining cream into the mixture.
4. Pour the mixture into a container and chill in the freezer overnight until the ice-cream is set.

Recipe ref : Kenneth Goh

Noodle Week #3 - Trishaw Noodle (Kang Chia Mee)

Once upon a time in the 1960s, this trishaw noodle (拉车面) was a staple and cheap food for the trishaw pullers along the old Chinatown of Singapore. A bowl of this simple noodle cost a few cents during that time and was enough to fill up their tummy. You won't find this easily available around the hawker centre now. I only know one particular stall that sells this noodle dish which is located at Maxwell Market. I never patronise this stall before so no comments :D I get to know this noodle dish as my parents used to cook it for us frequently during our childhood days. Fast and simple and of course easy to fill up our hungry tummies too hahaha....

See is really simple ingredients! Dried shrimps, shallots, choy sum (cai xin) and flat yellow noodles. But I went the extra mile by preparing a pot of simple chicken stock (forgotten to place the stock in the pic :p) instead of just using plain water. The final noodle gravy should taste slightly peppery and not overly salty. I seen my parents added sliced cucumber instead of cai xin, I will try this next round. 

You have to serve this noodle dish immediately all else the thick sweet gravy will all be soaked up by the yellow noodles! Hehehe therefore  I also have to chop chop chop finish shooting before it turn a bowl of gluey mass. This noodle is delicious and simple to prepare which I will bookmark in my daily menu.  Hopefully they will remember the taste when they grow up and pass on this 'extinct' food to the next generation.

Ingredient

• 30gm shallots, peeled and sliced
• 30gm dried shrimps, soaked
• 500ml chicken stock
• 500gm flat yellow noodles
• 100gm cai xin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add in noodles and blanch briefly. Drain away water. (this step is not necessary but I prefer this step as it helps to remove excess grease and alkaline taste of the noodle.)
2. Heat 4 tbsp oil in wok, add shallots and fried till golden brown. Remove fried shallots and use for garnishing later.
3. Add dried shrimps into the shallot oil and fry till brown and crisp.
4. Add in cai xin and noodle and stir to mix evenly.
5. Pour in chicken stock and seasoning and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 mins until the gravy thickens. There should be still ample of gravy left, do not boil till it dries up! Serve immediately with fried shallots.

Noodle Week # 2 : Mee Goreng (Malay Seafood Noodles)

Whenever I order takeaway food from Tze Char stall, my most frequent orders are Hor Fun and Mee Goreng. Hor Fun for the kids and Mee Goreng just for myself! hahaha....Not really satisfy with the taste of this Mee Goreng, still need some fine tuning on the seasoning. I've reduced the amount of chilli paste to suit my kids so is not spicy enough for me. Though taste is not up to my standard, but my man and kids happily polished them up without any negative feedbacks. ^0^ Maybe next round I will just cook 2 adult servings spike with more chilli paste *.*

Lots of ingredients! Noodle and beansprouts not in picture :D

Ingredient

• 500gm flat yellow noodle
• 10 shallots, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 piece firm beancurd, cubed
• 200gm shelled prawns
• 200gm fresh squid, sliced into rings
• 80gm green peas
• 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and cubed
• 1 potato, peeled & cubed and boiled till cooked
• 150gm bean sprouts
• 2 stalks spring onion, sliced
• green chilli, for garnishing
• green limes, for garnishing

Seasoning Sauce (mix well)

• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp sweet dark sauce
• 1/2 tbsp chilli paste (can increase to 1-2 tbsp if u want it spicier)
• 5 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 60ml water

Method

1. Blanch the noodles in boiling water for 2 mins, drain and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan, fry the beancurd cubes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in wok, add shallots and fry till crisp and brown. Remove and set aside.
4. With remaining oil in wok, add garlic, peas and tomatoes and fry for 2 mins.
5. Add in potato cubes and fry for another 2 mins.
6. Add in prawns and squid and fry on high heat for 1 min.
7. Add in noodle and seasoning and toss to mix evenly.
8. Stir in beancurd, beansprouts and spring onion. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
9. Turn off heat and serve immediately with crispy shallots, green chilli and green limes.

Noodle Week #1 : Prawn Noodles

Finally I have cleared the big pack of frozen prawn shells in my limited freezer space. Simply love this hearty bowl of homemade prawn noodles! Simple rich and flavourful broth, not a dish to be consume daily though. Happy with my first attempt on cooking this prawn noodle, another dish which I'm able to prepare for my family gathering in the future. But now have to start collecting more prawn shells/heads first ^0^

Rich soup base made up of prawn shells, pork bones, anchovies, rock sugar and some seasoning.

Garnish with cooked prawns, pork slices, fish cakes, beansprouts, kangkong & fried shallots

Recipe ref : Annielicious Food

Ingredient

Soup Base

• 1 kg fresh prawns (plus extra prawn shells & heads I've kept in freezer)
• 2 pcs pork big bones, blanched in boiling water and rinsed well
• 30gm dried anchovies
• 35gm rock sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp chicken stock granules
• 50gm fried shallots
• 1.5L prawn broth
• 1.3L water

Condiments

• cooked prawn meat from the 1kg prawn
• vermicelli and yellow noodles
• fish cakes
• lean pork, cooked & sliced 
• beansprout
• kangkong
• fried shallots

Method

1. Boil 1.5L water in a pot, blanch the prawns till cooked. Remove the prawns and allow to cool down sufficiently before removing the shells and prawn head. Reserve the prawn broth. 
2. In a wok, add 5 tbsp oil. Fry all the prawn shells/head until fragrant. 
3. In a stock pot, add in fried prawn shells, pork bones, anchovies, rock sugar, prawn broth and water. Bring to boil and cook on high heat for 5 mins.
4. Turn down heat to low and simmer for 20 mins.
5. Add in fried shallots and continue to simmer on low heat for another 20 mins.
6. Add in salt & chicken stock to taste. 
7. Discard all prawn shells, anchovies and pork bones and the soup is ready.

To assemble : Boil a pot of water, cook the noodles, beansprout and changing briefly. Drain well. Place them into a bowl. Add in cooked prawn meat, lean pork slices, fish cakes and ladle in the hot prawn soup. Garnish with fried shallots and serve immediately!