With the Christmas festivities coming to an end, I finally had the time clean up my cooking tools and leave my helper to wash up the oven. It has been a wonderful and blessed Christmas with family and friends. It was a time to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, a time for fellowship with family and loved ones and of course singing traditional Christmas carols and exchanging gifts with one another. For me, nothing is more fulfilling than having family and friends sit around a table and enjoy the sumptuous food that has been prepared, having a good laugh at the year's events over a glass of wine or two.
Instead of trying completely new recipes during this Christmas season, I focused on refining them so as not to make guinea pigs out of my guests! Wifey and I did try a couple of new recipes which I will share in subsequent entries but for now, let's just enjoy this season's Christmas food entries! We start off with Wifey's latest creations!
1. Smoked salmon, caviar with cream cheese & dill on toast
2. Mozzarella balls with cherry tomatoes in balsamic reduction
3. Christmas spread with friends - Brofeifei did the vongole, XO Wings and ribeye in béarnaise sauce . Yummy salad and sausages were brought in by our beloved friends!
4. Slow roasted pork crackling - this was so popular that I had to grab for my share of crackling! Recipe for this can be found in my earlier entry.
5. Christmas roasted chicken - Recipe for this succulent chicken can also be found in my earlier entry.
6. Penne arrabiata with homemade tomatoes basil sauce
7. Portobello mushrooms with chopped tomatoes & cheese
8. Orange & fennel salad with roasted walnuts - wifey's creation!
"And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others" - 2 Corinthians 9:8
It has been a great year of cooking for loved ones and there will be more exciting recipes to try next year. Until then, have a truly Happy New Year from Brofeifei!
Key to searing your steak properly is to leave it alone! Yes, put it into a really hot pan and stop fudging it. From the last post, a few have asked me how long to sear a steak if you want it medium or well done. The answer really depends. It depends on the thickness of the steak and the temperature of your pan. You will get better once you have more experience searing your own steaks but here is a guide from simplyrecipes.com to speed up the learning process. Use your finger and poke at the steak while it is being cooked in the pan. Match it to the tenderness of your palm as it is pinched below.
Honestly, for me I would not recommend cooking a good juicy piece of steak anywhere beyond medium rare. Have fun and enjoy cooking for your loved ones!
The first "Tok Kong" recipe! A dish that is destined to impress your loved ones! Not many french restaurants in Singapore serve this dish anymore so will be a real treat if you can make your own. Trust me the effort is more than worth it cause it tastes really delicious! Served with sweet potato mash, it is heavenly. Just cooked this for Wifey and I trust, she has a sophisticated platte.
When you grill the steak, make sure you have a really hot pan because you want to sear the meat, not boil it. Turn the steak only after 1min on each side cause you want the sugars on the meat to caramelise. When you bite into it, it will be mmmm....
1. Boil sweet potato in hot water till soft. Drain and mash it up
2. Season with salt, pepper & dollop of butter. Set aside
3. Season rib eye on both sides with salt & pepper
4. Corn oil in hot pan. Wait for steam and sear rib eye on one side for 1min for medium rare
5. Add 2 gloves of crushed garlic, rosemary and thyme into pan
6. Sear the other side for 1 min. Add a dollop of butter and baste
7. Remove steak and let it rest for 5mins before serving
8. Remove burnt herbs from the pan and drain out any excess oil
9. Glaze the pan with a splash of sherry vinegar.
10. Add chopped shallots and mushrooms into pan to make sauce
11. Add a dollop of creme fraiche to thicken. Season with salt and pepper
12. Add handful of chopped tarragon and chervil into sauce
13. Lay steak on plate and drizzle with sauce
14. Add dollop of creme fraiche into sweet potato mash, mix and serve
Prep time: 15mins Cook time: 20mins Level: Tok kong!
