Summer Gazpacho | 夏日西班牙番茄凍湯

As the height of summer draws upon us, nothing quite beats a midday iced lemonade or a cooling cup of gazpacho. Forget about hours slaving away in a steamy kitchen stirring soup over a hot stove - keep things simple and fresh with gazpacho! Gazpacho is a quintessential Andalusian summer soup bursting with ripe-from-the-garden flavors. Chilled and raw, this soup is truly a breeze to make, requiring only to be made hours in advance for flavors to mingle and develop - making gazpacho an ideal starter for brunch, summer entertaining, weeknight dinners, or even picnics. A refreshing gazpacho effectively opens up the appetite; it is also the most effortless way to get fresh vegetables into your diet!

An idyllic summer picnic at the beach with Jayla; cooling off with chilled gazpacho and jámon ibérico for a touch of Spain! [Gold Coast Beach, Hong Kong, Jun 2019]

Not unlike the other world revered Spanish classic - paella -, gazpacho generates heated debates over what constitutes the most authentic recipe. Nevertheless, I believe we would all agree that the gazpacho as we all know it would typically involve tomatoes, cukes, some type of pepper, good olive oil, bread, and seasoning. Regional variations in taste and produce as well as culinary creativity have brought other interpretations of gazpacho into mainstream, with melon-based, green, or even white-hued gazpacho being some of the most recognized.

In my book, there is no one way to do a smashing gazpacho. There are infinite ways to tailor this hot-weather soup to your liking. Some like it chunky, others velvety smooth. You may prefer it spicy; and some prefer to go without bread. There are, however, ways where gazpacho can go really wrong. At its worst, I've made gazpacho that tasted like watered down salsa, or worst yet - a gazpacho that tasted more of bell peppers than anything (eww). You also want to make sure your gazpacho does not leave you with an invincible garlic-onion breath unless Dracula's in town.

Personally, I prefer to leave out the bread as I find it diluting the amazing flavors. Furthermore, the addition of olive oil to the vegetables produces a creamy emulsion and gives enough of a body to the soup, hence it could do without the extra boost. Besides, leaving out the bread keeps the gazpacho gluten-free and suitable for most special diets!

While peeling cucumbers help yield a more vibrant gazpacho, keeping the peel on maximizes nutrients

The recipe I share here is but one way that I love my gazpacho. I once swapped bell peppers out for a mildly hot, long red pepper - and could not turn back since. I tend to eyeball my ingredients, tasting and adjusting along the way, so use the measurements loosely as a reference and always start with smaller quantities of garlic and onion and add more as desired.

No cooking required: blitz everything with a blender or immersion blender

Pair this gazpacho with waffles for a complete and easy weekend brunch!
Sweet Potato and Bacon Waffles (click for recipe)

What you'll need... (for two)
3 - 4 medium tomatoes
1 long red pepper*
1 Persian or baby cucumber
1 clove garlic
1/4 of an onion
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

*Note: substitute with red bell pepper for a non-spicy version
To serve: sliced or diced cucumber and tomato | chives | croutons  

Directions...
1. Core and cut tomatoes into large chunks. Peel and de-seed cucumber. De-seed pepper and remove pith.

Tip: gloves are recommended to protect your fingers when de-seeding hot peppers - the heat will sting!

2. For a smooth consistency, add tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, olive oil, salt and pepper, and part of the garlic and onion to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more garlic and onion as needed. For a coarser texture, reserve some of the ingredients and pulse briefly and mix in with the soup.

Tip: for best result, blitz the olive oil together with other ingredients rather than whisking it in afterwards

3. Chill the soup for at least two hours or overnight. To serve, divide soup into small bowls and garnish with cucumber and tomato, chives, a crack of sea salt and black pepper, and enjoy with croutons if desired. ¡Buen provecho!

Do you have your own favorite gazpacho recipe? 
Share with me or leave a comment! #alvinspenthousekitchen 
Find me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and follow my Facebook Fan Page!

【 夏日西班牙番茄凍湯 】

炎炎夏日 最適合整碗清新醒胃嘅 Gazpacho! 毋需開火烹調，不入廚房嘅朋友仔都能輕易炮製。冷湯的做法變化多端，以下是我的 指定食譜 — 醒神健康之餘帶點辛辣，保證另你喝不停口！不妨整定用便攜壺帶去沙灘野餐啊～！

材料：

蕃茄                           3 - 4 個

紅尖椒*                      1 隻

青瓜仔                       1 隻

蒜瓣                           1 瓣

洋蔥                           1/4 個

初榨橄欖油               1 1/2 湯匙

雪莉醋或紅酒醋       2 茶匙

海鹽、黑胡椒           適量

* 喜歡不辛辣的朋友，可改用紅燈籠椒

裝飾：蕃茄、青瓜薄片| 蔥花 | 麵包脆粒

做法：

1. 蕃茄切件。青瓜去皮、去籽、切段。紅椒去籽、切片。

2. 將上述材料放入攪拌機內或用手持攪拌捧打至幼滑再作適當調味。如想增加口感，不妨預留一些蔬菜粒。

3. 放入雪櫃冷凍 2 小時或過夜，風味更佳。隨喜好加上裝飾，即成！

Did you make this recipe? 
Share with me or leave a comment! #alvinspenthousekitchen 
Find me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and follow my Facebook Fan Page!

Sweet Potato and Bacon Waffles | 蕃薯煙肉窩夫

附中文食譜

Growing up, waffles were hardly part of my breakfast repertoire. We didn't grow up with a waffle maker at home. Although Hong Kong-style waffles were sold everywhere at hawker stands - generously slathered with peanut butter and condensed milk and sold side by side with egg puffs - I never really developed strong memories of waffles since street food was strictly off limits in my family.

Much in the same way as American style pancakes, waffles always felt to me like empty calories heavy with flour and laden with sugar - nothing more than a vehicle for the river of syrup or pat of butter, or the occasional bells and whistles.

Things started evolving for me when fried chicken and waffles became a thing in the U.S., something of a national obsession really. Don't get me wrong - chicken and waffles have been around for ages, with origins purportedly rooted in the South, but the formidable duo has seen a revival of late as brunch grew to become the top trend in American cuisine and beyond. In an instance, the humble waffle has been propelled to the center stage and under the global spotlight as an increasing number of restaurants worldwide are adding the combo to their menu and coming up with their own signature variations, be it savory or sweet. Waffles were no longer just for breakfast; neither are they simply just plain or sweet. My attitude towards waffles shifted. Next thing I know, I developed a craving for fried chicken and waffle and make a beeline for my favorite spot every time I land in New York.

End of last year, I picked up a multi-function sandwich maker at an appliances blowout sale that came with a waffle griddle. The machine hasn't seen daylight since until this past weekend when I decided a lazy "brunch for dinner" was in order for my little get-together with a couple of good friends. And by lazy, I mean it was just going to be waffle and gazpacho, no cooking required. I wanted the waffle to be the main event, something that was at once comforting, healthy, and satisfying. I also did not want flour to be the bulk of the waffle. So I looked to sweet potato - and sure enough - sweet potato waffles is a thing.

"Brunch for Dinner": a cozy, happy, celebratory weekend reunion!

Sweet potatoes are considered low on the glycemic index scale - meaning the carbohydrates are slowly digested, absorbed, and metabolized and do not cause a spike in insulin levels. Not only are these wholesome sweet potato waffles low in carbs and calories (make them even better for you without the bacon - but hey, baaaaacon), they are naturally gluten-free. Most recipes on the internet call for coconut flour to be incorporated into the mixture, but considering that in some parts of the world coconut flour is not readily available or is plain costly, I recommend other nut flours or cornstarch as a gluten-free substitute.

In this savory version of sweet potato waffles, bacon, spring onions and a touch of garlic powder give incredible flavor, while paprika brings subtle heat that plays off the mild sweetness in the sweet potatoes. Top the waffles with more crisp bacon, a gorgeous, runny sunny-side-up and a generous sprinkle of chopped spring onion, and finish with a light drizzle of maple syrup and hot sauce for a delicious sensory experience. Pair the ensemble with a refreshing, appetizing cup of gazpacho (recipe to come soon!) and you have a complete brunch suited for any time of the day!

What you'll need... (for two)
1 medium sweet potato (2 cups grated)
1 bunch spring onion, chopped
3 tablespoons cornstarch*
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Large pinch of sea salt
1 slice bacon (optional)
2 eggs, beaten

To serve:
Bacon | Fried or poached egg | Avocado | Maple syrup | Hot sauce | Chopped spring onion

Note*: substitute with 2 tablespoons of coconut flour

Directions...
1. Peel and grate the sweet potato. Give the shredded sweet potato a few quick pulses in a food processor if necessary to break down any long strands. Important: lay grated sweet potato out on paper towels. Place another paper towel on top and press down to absorb as much liquid as possible.

2. Preheat waffle maker or waffle iron.

3. In a small frying pan, cook the bacon (if using) until desired crispiness, drain excess fat and crumble the bacon. In a large bowl, mix together all the waffle ingredients including the crumbled bacon until thoroughly combined.

4. Once the waffle maker is hot, grease with bacon fat or spray with nonstick spray. Spread sweet potato batter evenly onto the waffle maker, making sure it's packed down lightly. Close machine and let cook until golden brown and slightly crispy, flipping once if necessary, about 8 - 10 minutes. Remove and repeat with remaining batter.

5. While waffle is cooking, prepare toppings of choice. If making waffles in batches, lay cooked waffles on a rack and keep warm in an oven. Transfer to a plate and top with desired fixings, enjoy!

 【 蕃薯煙肉窩夫 】

非一般的格仔餅啊！近年美國掀起炸雞窩夫熱潮、加上週末嘆 Brunch 的文化漸催普及化，窩夫不再只局限於早餐或作甜品～ 早餐當晚餐又何樂而不為呢？ 用蕃薯製作的格仔餅鹹中帶甜，低卡高纖零麩質、不會令血糖飆升，配上培根煎蛋蘑菇和蕃茄凍湯，是完整完美的「早餐」啊！

材料（兩人份量）：
蕃薯                                200 克
蔥                                    1 小札
粟粉*                             3 湯匙
紅椒粉 (paprika)          1 茶匙
蒜粉                                1/2 茶匙
海鹽                                1/4 茶匙
煙肉                                1 片（可免）
雞蛋                                2 隻

伴碟：煙肉 | 太陽蛋 | 水煮蛋 | 牛油果 | 楓糖漿 | 辣醬 | 蔥花
備註*：粟粉可用 2 湯匙椰子粉代替，更為理想

做法：
1. 蕃薯去皮刨絲，建議用食物處理器把蕃薯絲略為打碎。
2. 蕃薯絲鋪在廚房紙上再放上另一層廚房紙，用力按壓，把多餘水份吸乾。
3. 煙肉煎香，切成碎片 (如使用)。
4. 雞蛋打成蛋液、蔥切成蔥花，保留少許綠色部分作裝飾用。
5. 把所有窩夫材料拌勻備用。
6. 窩夫機預熱，掃上少許油，鋪上適量蕃薯蛋漿，蓋好烘至呈金黃色和帶脆，約 8 - 10 分鐘。伴上自己喜歡的配料，即成！

備註：如分批製作窩夫，建議將弄好的窩夫平放焗爐架上用微溫保暖。

[Follow me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and check out my Facebook Fan Page!]

Gluten-free Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust | 玉米派皮雞肉派 — 不含麩質

As I write, I have just completed my two intensive weeks working at Sweetpea Cafe, Hong Kong's only entirely gluten free patisserie serving up decadent cakes and healthy brunch classics. How it all happened was almost like a dream. Just a month ago my friend and I wandered the quaint backstreets of Central and walked into Sweetpea for an afternoon of cake, coffee, and conversation. I gawked at the cake display, started conversing with the friendly and bubbly owner Angel, took a bite of the delightfully fluffy Tiramisu cake, and it didn't take much else for me to fall in love with this place.

My eyes rested on the "We Are Hiring" sign. With my annual two-week leave just weeks away, the idea of hitching an interim job here at Sweetpea Cafe sprouted. I stayed up all night. The next thing I know, I texted Angel with my proposal in the morning, and she responded: "I'd say yes in a heartbeat!" BAM, the stars aligned. I dropped my original plans of a (rather expensive) cooking holiday in the rustic countryside of Brittany, France and landed a part time job working in a charming little patisserie in my hometown. Call it a working holiday or apprenticeship, it was a dream come true in every sense for me to work in a cafe, to experience the operations behind the scenes and to open my eyes to the harsh reality of running a business in Hong Kong.

The two weeks had gone by in a blink. My experience reminded me of the television show on one of the travel channels where the host ventures around the world to master a new skill in two days' time. My two weeks were no short of challenges, discoveries, failures, stress, laughter, and sense of achievement. To fully delineate my experience in today's entry would be nearly impossible, so I will leave it at that for now and draw our attention back to the yummy dish of the day... Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Crust - and it's gluten free!

Thanks to Sweetpea Cafe and my Toronto-based cousin whom I worship for her talents and stamina in everything she does, I have become increasingly interested in gluten-free cooking and diet. I began digging around in books and online and in groceries in the U.S. and decided to experiment a little. I even bribed my flatmate to haul a ton of assorted flours back from Toronto (where they are readily accessible and affordable) in efforts to create my own blend of gluten free flour.

What we have today is my all-time favorite, Chicken Pot Pie, topped with golden cornbread instead of the traditional shortcut pastry. It's like taking a baby step towards making gluten-free choices. The cornbread adds such a delectable crunch and flavor to the creamy filling that I am not so sure I miss the buttery pastry crust so much anymore! The following recipe is based on my Individual Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust post from 2015 but is modified and improved. As for the crust, it's basically a cornbread baked on top of the filling, so it would work perfectly on its own any other time! This recipes produces a cornbread that has a perfect crumb - neither too dry nor too cakey!

What you'll need...
For the pie filling:
3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 - 3 ribs celery, diced
6 cremini mushrooms, stems intact, diced
3 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup chicken broth (from cooking the chicken thighs)
1/2 cup warmed milk
Thyme, fresh or dried

For the Cornbread Crust:
1 cup gluten-free cornmeal
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparing the Chicken Pot Pie Filling

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add bay leaf (and any unwanted vegetable trimmings) and chicken thighs and cook for 8 minutes. Turn heat off and leave chicken in the pot covered for another 5 minutes. Rinse chicken under the tap and let cool in refrigerator while prepping the other ingredients to allow for easier cubing. Reserve chicken broth.

2. Heat butter in a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to combine with the vegetables, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup of broth and bring to a boil. On low heat, stir in warmed milk, cubed chicken, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and stir until mixture thickens.

Making the Cornbread Crust Topping

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
Whisk together dry ingredients, add milk, eggs and butter, mixing until just combined. Pour batter over pie filling and bake (line with baking tray to catch drips) for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm!

《玉米派皮雞肉派 — 不含麩質》

最近對不含麩質飲食的興趣日益增長，
決意把個人最愛的 Chicken Pot Pie 研製出更健康的無麩質版本，
希望更多人能夠愛上這道傳統美式菜！

雞肉派 材料：
去皮去骨雞上髀肉  3 件
月桂葉  1 塊（可免）
牛油  1 湯匙
洋蔥  1 小隻
蒜頭  3 瓣  剁碎
甘筍  2 條  切粒
西芹  2-3 條  切粒
啡蘑菇  6 隻  切粒
不含麩質麵粉  3 湯匙
雞高湯  120 毫升
牛奶  120 毫升 用微波爐叮暖
百里香  適量

做法：

1. 滾水加入月桂葉和雞肉，用中火煮 8 分鐘後熄火加蓋焗 5 分鐘。將雞肉取出洗淨並放進雪櫃片刻，以便稍後切粒。雞湯去油備用。
2. 鑄鐵鍋燒熱後加入牛油，炒香洋蔥、蒜頭、甘筍、西芹及蘑菇，約 5 分鐘。
3. 加入麵粉拌勻，約 1 分鍾。
4. 倒入 120 毫升雞高湯，拌勻並用中火煮至沸騰。
5. 將火收細，加入牛奶、雞肉粒和適量百里香及調味，待材料稍微呈糊狀後熄火備用。（假如沒有鑄鐵鍋的話，可將材料倒進適合焗爐的盤子內備用）

不含麩質玉米派皮 材料：
不含麩質玉米粉  150 克
不含麩質麵粉  120 克
砂糖  50 克
發酵粉  1 湯匙
幼鹽  半 茶匙
黃原膠  1/4 茶匙
雞蛋  2 隻
牛奶  240 毫升
牛油  30 克 溶掉

做法：
1. 焗爐預熱 180 度。
2. 把幹成分拌勻，拌入牛奶、雞蛋和牛油。
3. 拌勻後倒在鍋中的雞肉材料上，放入焗爐焗 25-30 分鐘，或知呈金黃色以及牙簽能夠乾淨拔出。慢用！

[Follow me on Instagram @alvinckl and @alvin.penthousekitchen and check out my Facebook Fan Page!]