Charred Cauliflower with Brown Butter Cauliflower Purée | 香烤椰菜花扒兩食

附中文食譜

To many people including myself once upon a time, cauliflower on its own just screamed bland, boring and bleh. And then charred cauliflower "steaks" and whole roasted cauliflowers started appearing everywhere, offering a satisfying, meaty meat-alternative worthy as a main event. I have been dying to jump on that bandwagon for long, and the opportunity finally presented itself when I lay my eyes on a crate of gorgeous cauliflower at a market in Amsterdam.

Indeed, plain steamed or blanched cauliflower may taste rather uninspiring. Roasting cauliflower and giving it a little char brings out its hidden sweetness and nutty aroma, thereby transforming it into something else mouthwatering. Here cradling my heavy head of cauliflower in my kitchen half a planet away, I decided to let it shine and be the star ingredient in a delicious main course two-ways.

For those of you looking to curb your carbohydrates intake, rejoice! Cauliflower purée is not only creamy and comforting like mashed potatoes, it is also healthier and, well, much lower in carbs. Being free of starch, cauliflower purée also has the benefit of not being prone to over-whipping like potatoes can be. So whip it all day and it will still be lusciously creamy!

Puréed cauliflower can be made first by simply boiling or steaming the vegetable, but boiling leaches flavor and nutrients out of the florets and steaming does little to enhance the flavor. By roasting we bring out the rich, nutty flavors - resulting in a purée that is complex and robust in flavor and eliminating any need for excessive seasoning. Stirring in a touch of brown butter adds depth and a magical toasty flavor that perfectly rounds out the nuttiness of the cauliflower. 

For a more luscious, full-bodied purée, go for heavy cream as your choice of liquid, or use chicken stock for a more savory direction. Of course you can also use regular milk or plant-based milk like I did! Last but not least, serve with a dollop of fresh homemade pesto or chimichurri to take the experience up a notch! Click below for my pesto recipe:
Fresh Homemade Pesto 

Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk, cream, or chicken stock
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: fresh pesto or chimichurri, to serve

Directions

Charred Cauliflower Steaks

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Remove the tough outer leaves from cauliflower and halve the cauliflower. From top to bottom, cut two large 3/4-inch thick steaks, one steak from each of the two halves.

2. Season the steaks with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sear the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.

Brown Butter Roasted Cauliflower Purée

 1. Roughly chop the remaining cauliflower into small pieces until they resemble crumbs. Place on a foil-lined baking tray, toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, flipping cauliflower halfway through roasting, about 18 minutes or until cauliflower is browned and tender.

2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Watch closely as butter foams up and begins to deepen in color from golden tan to a toasty brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl once you smell a nutty aroma.

3. In the same saucepan, add roasted cauliflower crumbs and choice of milk/cream/chicken stock. Bring to a simmer then cook gently until cauliflower has softened in the liquid, about 5 minutes. Reserve a small amount of cooked liquid. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend cauliflower to form a smooth purée, adding more liquid if necessary to reach desired consistency. Fold in brown butter and serve warm.

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【 香烤椰菜花扒兩食 】

在疫情的威脅下，公眾都減少了外出。今個情人節，倒不如就與情侶齊齊煮餐溫馨晚餐。忘了訂玫瑰花也別操心，有椰菜花代替啊～！ 又一走肉主食主意，或作可口拌菜，配上牛排烤雞就最適合不過了。

材料：
椰菜花                               1 大顆
牛油                                   30 克
牛奶/鮮奶油/高湯          250 ml
初榨橄欖油                      適量
海鹽、黑椒                      適量

做法：

香烤椰菜花扒

1. 預熱焗爐至 200C/400F。將椰菜花一開為二，再於每邊切出一件 0.75 寸厚的椰菜花扒。兩面撒點海鹽和黑椒簡單調味。
2. 鑄鐵鍋燒熱，注入橄欖油。平放椰菜花扒，每邊煎 3 至 4 分鐘至金黃色。
3. 把椰菜花扒連鍋放進焗爐烤 8 至 10 分鐘。

焦香牛油椰菜花蓉

1. 把剩餘椰菜花切碎，鋪放在蓋了錫紙的烤盤上，撒上適量橄欖油、海鹽和黑椒，烤約 18 分鐘。
2. 牛油以中慢火煮溶，期間會起泡。
3. 偶然用膠刮攪拌，煮至牛油開始呈現咖啡色小塊及聞到焦香後可以熄火。
4. 將焦香牛油倒入耐熱容器內備用，以防燒焦。
5. 鍋裡加入烤好的椰菜花碎及牛奶或高湯。 慢煮約 5 分鐘至椰菜花變軟。
6. 將部分煮過椰菜花的牛奶或高湯留起備用。用攪拌器把椰菜花打成蓉 ，期間慢慢一點點的加入牛奶或高湯調整濃度。
7. 最後將準備好的牛油加進，伴勻，香香滑滑的椰菜花蓉就完成喇。

在碟上塗一層椰菜花蓉，再放上香烤椰菜花扒，最後淋上剩餘的 brown butter 即成！配上新鮮自製 pesto sauce 就更份外滋味！

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Honey Butter Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Wilted Baby Spinach | 蜜糖牛油烤蕃薯菠菜苗沙律

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, families across North America are reuniting and busy putting their final touches on the menu for the most significant celebration of the year. Sweet potatoes, yams, and pumpkins take center-stage in family kitchens far and wide alongside the requisite roasted turkey. Everywhere seems to hum with joy and the anticipation that this meaningful holiday brings.

Even though Thanksgiving may not be celebrated in Hong Kong, this could hardly deter me from injecting a dose of fall festivity into my kitchen. With just a handful of ingredients and no more than a few simple steps, the following recipe - adapted from Food Network host Robert Irvine's original - will surely warm up your day and have you scrambling for seconds.

Perfect as a side for a magnificent Thanksgiving spread, and no less stellar as a filling, nutritious meal on its own, this flavorsome roasted sweet potato dish trumps an ordinary mash or green salad. What's more? With so few steps and so little to wash, this dish might just be your answer when you have too much on your plate preparing for the Great Turkey Dinner.

What you'll need...
2 medium to large sweet potatoes, cleaned (peeling optional), cut into 1.5-inch cubes
Drizzle of vegetable oil, to toss and coat
Half a red onion, or 3 shallots, sliced
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
1 tablespoon honey
Small knob of butter* (less than 1 tablespoon)
Handful of pecans

*Note: Using quality butter makes a world of difference since the butter is the ingredient that brings together the entire dish. Or, add some flair with Whipped Maple Cinnamon Butter (recipe), and substitute honey with pure maple syrup! 

Looking for a simple yet festive side dish for your next Thanksgiving Dinner? Give this warm salad a try!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes in oil to coat. Place on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

2. Remove briefly from oven and toss in the onions and pecans and continue to roast until potatoes are tender, approximately another 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, have the honey, butter, and baby spinach handy.

3. Transfer sweet potatoes to the same large bowl. While piping hot, drizzle honey over the potatoes and add in the butter, mixing well. Gently toss in spinach. The heat from the potatoes will wilt the greens.

4. Serve warm and drown in the heavenly aroma of roasted onions and honeyed, melting butter! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

《蜜糖牛油烤蕃薯菠菜苗沙律》

材料：
蕃薯  2  隻（可去皮、切成約 1.5 寸小塊）
食用油  少量
洋蔥  半個  或  乾蔥頭  3  個（切絲）
菠菜苗  400 克
蜜糖  1  湯匙
牛油  20  克
胡桃  適量

做法：
1. 預熱焗爐至 180C。
2. 將蕃薯置於大碗中，加入少量油並略為攪拌，然後放於烤盤上，焗 15 分鐘。
3. 十五分鐘後，拌入洋蔥和胡桃，繼續焗至蕃薯和洋蔥熟透，約 15-20 分鐘。
4. 將焗好的蕃薯和洋蔥取出並置於大碗中。趁熱加入蜜糖和牛油，攪勻，然後再拌入菠菜苗。熱力會把菠菜變得軟身。完成！

Adapted from Robert Irvine's recipe on Food Network
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Bae-Chu Kimchi: Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi | 傳統自家製韓國泡菜

附中文食譜

Kimchi - the national dish of Korea and staple side dish on every Korean table - needs no formal introduction. Recognized long for its range of health benefits, this fiery, fermented vegetable side dish is rooted in tradition. Among the hundreds of kimchi varieties in Korea, the Napa cabbage variety, also known as pogi kimchi or tongbaechu kimchi, is the most iconic and common and is generally referred to by the catch-all name, kimchi.

Nowadays, one can easily skip the seemingly labor intensive process of making kimchi and purchase kimchi sold in jars or vacuum packs in supermarkets, but there is something irreplaceable in old-fashioned, authentic homemade kimchi.

Great kimchi starts with good, fresh Napa cabbage!

As with almost anything homemade, you get to tweak and customize.
And it's not just how spicy or mild you want your kimchi to be. Various salted seafood is used in kimchi to add a depth of flavor and to aid in the fermentation process. Whether it is salted shrimp, squid, or dried fish, the complex pungency of seafood is truly irreplaceable in kimchi. But if you are like me who is allergic to crustaceans, omit the shrimps and go with dried pollack and even anchovy paste for the unmistakable essence of the sea.

Eat it straight, as a banchan, or get creative: a batch of kimchi opens up infinite culinary possibilities

Making kimchi is like a mini science project.
Admit it, you were religiously watering and watching your beansprouts grow as an elementary school kid. Making kimchi from scratch is so much more fun than that. You get to get in and dirty, watch it ferment, and reap the benefits of all that effort in as short as a few days as it ripens!

You are participating in an age old tradition. 
Aside from adding a human touch to what you eat, making homemade kimchi allows you to experience hands-on the wisdom, knowledge, and tradition passed down from grandmother to mother, mother to daughter, generation after generation for centuries in Korea. As I made my own kimchi in my kitchen, I could almost hear the stories and laughter shared among women who gather for gimjang, where enormous quantities of kimchi is prepared communally to last through the harsh winter. Try it, you'll know what I mean.

A major bucket list item gets checked off.
Making kimchi, nevertheless, is not a once-in-a-lifetime event. It only gets better with practice!

Don't attempt to leave the gloves out!

After much research and trial, my recipe is based loosely on Korean American Chef Esther Choi's recipe which has been passed down from her grandmother. I have modified certain steps in preparation to make it simpler for home cooks. Apple or pear puree is added for a nice tinge of sweetness, whereas Korean dried pollack adds immense depth of flavor to the kimchi.

It's fall... kimchi making season! So get them gloves on and let's make some!

What you'll need...
1 head of Korean Napa cabbage, cut lengthwise, quartered
5 tablespoons rock salt
70g of Korean dried pollack (bugeochae), shredded
1 medium daikon radish (1lb), cut into 2-inch matchsticks
1 small carrot, cut into 2-inch matchsticks (optional)
1 bunch of scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Seasoning:
1 small apple or nashi pear, peeled and cored
2 inches fresh ginger
1 head of garlic
1 small onion
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup anchovy sauce (I used the filipino Bagoong Balayan)
1/4 cup lance fish sauce, or Thai fish sauce
3 tablespoons salted shrimp (saeujeot)*, chopped
2 tablespoons glutinous rice flour
1 cup Korean red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru), or more to taste
*Note: for a crustacean-free version, substitute salted shrimp with anchovy fillets or paste.

Prepping and salting the Napa Cabbage

To split a Napa cabbage in half, cut a slit in the base of the cabbage up to a third of the total length of the cabbage, gently pull the two halves apart. Repeat for each half to quarter the cabbage.


Add 1 1/2 cup of water inside a basin, dissolve 2 tablespoons of rock salt, wet the quartered Napa cabbage inside the basin and sprinkle salt between each layer of leaf. Let rest for at least two hours, turning them over every 30 minutes.

Rinse each quarter well under running water to remove the salt. Squeeze out excess water and let drain in a colander.

Making the rice gruel

In a small saucepan, add the rice flour and 2 cups of water over medium heat. Whisk constantly. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.

Making the seasoning paste

1. In a blender, blend together the apple, onion, garlic, and ginger with the mirin.
2. Soften the dried pollack with some lukewarm water. Drain.

3. In a big bowl, combine the rice gruel, apple mixture, daikon radish, carrot, scallion, dried fish, and the rest of the seasoning ingredients and massage everything well to become a paste.

Bringing everything together

Bring the drained cabbage quarters into the mixture and spread the paste onto every single leaf. Tightly pack the kimchi into jars or containers with fitted lids or cover tightly with plastic. 

Allow the kimchi to sit in room temperature for at least two days, or longer for a stronger flavor. The warmer and more humid the environment is, the faster the kimchi will ferment. Store in refrigerator once the kimchi begins to ferment and use as needed. Refrigerating slows down the fermentation process, which makes the kimchi more and more sour as time goes on.

【 傳統自家製韓國泡菜 】

材料：
韓國旺菜  1 棵
粗鹽  5 湯匙
韓國鱈魚乾  70 克
韓國大根蘿蔔  1 磅
甘筍  1  枝
大蔥  數棵

泡菜醃料材料：
蘋果或梨  1 個
薑  2 吋
蒜瓣  6 個
洋蔥  1 小個
味醂 60 毫升
鯷魚露  60 毫升
魚露  60 毫升
韓國蝦醬  3 湯匙*
粘米粉  2 湯匙
韓國辣椒粉  100 - 120 克
*備註：如有對貝殼類海產敏感，可以罐頭鯷魚或鯷魚醬代替蝦醬。

旺菜出水做法：
1. 於旺菜底部切一刀，用手把旺菜輕輕撕開兩半，再分為共四份。
2. 於大盤裏加入一碗半清水及 2 湯匙粗鹽，沾濕旺菜，再於每片葉之間灑上剩下的粗鹽，硬的部份多灑一點。
3. 完成後待其軟化出水，每半小時翻轉一次，共約 2 小時。
4. 徹底洗去鹽份，輕輕擠去多餘水份，晾乾備用。

米漿做法：
於小鍋裏加入粘米粉和兩碗清水用中火煮至糊狀，期間不停攪拌。熄火晾涼。

泡菜醃料做法：
1. 大根、甘筍切絲，大蔥切段。
2. 韓國鱈魚乾搣成絲，加入少量清水待其軟化。
3. 蘋果/梨去皮去芯切粒，加入薑、蒜、洋蔥和味醂打成蓉。
4. 於大盤子裏加入大根、甘筍、大蔥、蘋果/梨蒜蓉、鱈魚乾絲、蝦醬/鯷魚、鯷魚露、魚露、米漿和韓國辣椒粉，用手拌勻所有醃料再作調味（謹記帶手套啊！）
5. 加入旺菜，並於每片葉之間塗滿醃料至完全覆蓋。
6. 完成後把泡菜放在玻璃盒或陶瓷煲內，加蓋封好。
7. 放在室溫發酵 2 天後放入雪櫃，泡菜會繼續慢慢發酵。隨時享用！

備註：
－ 泡的時間越長味道越酸，泡菜汁中培養出來的各種益生菌也更多。
－ 較成熟的泡菜最適合煮食泡製出其他菜式。
－ 調味很隨意，亦視乎材料原來的質素及味道。調味可加亦可減。

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Chef Esther Choi: http://www.foodparadisetv.com/food/vlogs-clips/the-best-korean-kimchi-recipe/

Last-Minute Apple and Mint Cabbage Slaw

附中文食譜

My mother was a phenomenal home cook and a natural entertainer. Old family friends fondly recall the days when my mother threw banquet-style feasts at our large Chinese antique table, wooing a dining room full of guests with course after course of meticulously presented dishes fit for emperors and empresses.

My mother would begin planning weeks in advance, polishing our heirloom silverware set retrieved from the depths of storage, orchestrating her nine-course menu to ensure a seamless score for the palate.

Not a single detail escaped her. Whether it is the wreath of paper-thin cucumber half moons encircling her Poached King Prawn Salad; or the individually rolled and plated hand towels accompanying her famous Wok Fried Crabs with Ginger and Scallions - my mother executed each and every facet of her performance with precision.

Yes, my mother was a perfectionist, and she took her craft seriously. Her banquets were venerable culminations of an extraordinary culinary gift and a life dedicated to feeding her family well.

Only one thing, if any, was often missing from her banquets. Her.

Having inherited a passion for cooking and home entertaining, I periodically throw party gatherings at home, once catering up to fourteen hungry friends cramped into a tiny apartment. While my parties are never going to be full-blown formal banquets like my mother's, they invariably involved extensive planning and certain levels of stress, ranging from sheer stage fright to virtual breakdowns.

Entertaining means spending time with your friends!

The culprit? Over-ambition, poor time management, occasional kitchen mishaps (i.e. the oven rack that collapsed under the enormous weight of a three-pound pumpkin cheesecake circa 2011. Both the cake and I survived, though). Oh, and obviously, the lack of a dish washing machine is much to blame. Nonetheless, nothing can be worse than disappearing from your own party, slaving away in the heat of the kitchen and getting frazzled by things like cream that is yet to be whipped.

It took me years to finally understand Nigella Lawson's philosophy in entertaining. Entertaining means "spending time with your friends, not anguishing alone in the kitchen." And here are my two cents:

Things need not be perfect nor utterly life-changing. And, in my opinion, it is perfectly okay to cheat once a while with store-bought frozen pastry.

When deciding a menu for a party, creating dishes that are simple yet presentable is just as important as designing a coherent menu. When you are already busy dancing your solo through the dinner preparations, the last thing you need is yet another side dish that requires more complicated choreography. This is where this beautiful cabbage slaw comes into rescue.

With no more than a few ingredients and requiring just minutes to assemble, this slaw is perfect to toss together just minutes before your guests show up.

Salads always add a delightful touch to a dinner spread, complementing and balancing out other heavyweight dishes, helping to cleanse the palate in between. Without any mayonnaise, buttermilk, or even yogurt, this zingy and crunchy slaw is refreshingly light and tangy sweet, melding beautifully with mains like smokey meats, barbecue, and Mac 'n' Cheese without contributing any heaviness.

I first had this salad at Ribs and Burgers, Brisbane (some of the best ribs I ever had!) made a few tweaks, and now it became my go-to salad for my party gatherings. Check out my previous party featuring this colorful slaw!

This simple yet elegant slaw adds a wild burst of summery colors and festivity to any party!

What you'll need...
3/4 head small green cabbage (approx. 480g)
1/2 head small red cabbage (approx. 200g)
2 Granny Smith apples
A handful of fresh mint (approx. 20g)
A few sprigs of fresh parsley (approx. 10g)
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Lemon zest
1 tablespoon white sugar

Suggested additional toppings:
Raisins
Toasted Pine nuts

Directions...
1. Finely shred cabbages, discarding the core. Set aside. Core apples and chop into matchsticks. Zest lemon and squeeze juice over the chopped apples to prevent oxidization.

2. Finely chop mint and parsley. Toss cabbage, apples and lemon juice, herbs, and sugar together and finish with desired toppings.

Notes: 
＊ Select apples that are firm and crisp.
＊ If making this salad ahead of time, sprinkle lemon juice over the chopped apples and keep chilled separately from the cabbage in the refrigerator. Toss all ingredients together at the last minute.

My recent reunion party features this light and refreshing slaw to balance out heavier dishes like Slow Cooked Pork and Bean Chili and Broccoli, Asparagus, and Spinach Mac 'n' Cheese

《清新薄荷椰菜蘋果莎拉》

材料：

Mint and lemon add a pop of freshness to this slaw

青椰菜  3/4 個（約 480 克）
紫椰菜  1/2 個（約 200 克）
青蘋果  2 個
薄荷葉  約 20 克
義大利香葉  約 10 克
鮮檸檬汁  約半個檸檬
檸檬皮碎  隨意
砂糖  1 湯匙

其他配料：
提子乾
松仁

做法：
1. 椰菜去芯，切成幼絲備用。
2. 蘋果去芯，切成火柴條。
3. 檸檬表皮擦成碎碎，再在蘋果絲上榨檸檬汁，以防止氧化。
4. 薄荷、義大利香葉剁碎。把以上材料拌勻，拌入砂糖再撒上其他配料即成！

備註：
1. 建議選用果肉較爽脆而不粉的蘋果，如青蘋果。
2. 如欲提早準備此莎拉，可先切好所有材料，把沾了檸檬汁的蘋果切條跟其他材料分開冷藏，最後才加入拌勻。

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Brown Butter Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Sage, and Almonds

附中文食譜

My love affair with brussels sprouts was a relatively recent one - not more than seven years - when I first encountered these bittersweet, bite-sized buds in America. I used to sauté them till al dente then dip them in mayonnaise - a perfect contrast for their tinge of bitterness. If you asked me, I never quite understood why kids have such profound abhorrence towards brussels sprouts, or any vegetables for that matter - but then again, growing up I did not have a choice of what to eat. I ate everything... seriously, for the love of food. I wasn't the slimmest boy next door, either.

It was really back in early 2013 when my love affair with brussels sprouts reached new heights after pigging out at Manhattan Beach Post, LA, just minutes away from the miles-stretch of Southern Californian beach. It was my first time meeting my high school buddy Pablo's better half, Brooke. Pablo and Brooke were mad in love with each other (and still are), and I, was mad in love with the Roasted brussels sprouts, emmental, hazelnuts, sage - a creation by chef and co-owner David LeFevre - a dish that hit me like a tsunami of intense flavors and textures.

This tasty dish will convert any remaining brussels sprouts skeptics

Brooke & Pablo at MB Post, LA [Feb 2013]

Roasted brussels sprouts caramelized with brown butter, are you kidding me? Ever since then, this seems to be the only way to cook and do justice to brussels sprouts. Brown butter is essentially butter that has been browned, adding a rich, nutty and toasty aroma to all that it graces, be it sweet or savory. If butter makes anything good, as the controversial Paula Deen swears by, then brown butter makes anything phenomenal. Just do it with moderation, as with everything.

It took me years to finally post this tweaked recipe that I have been too selfish longing to share all along. I tend to use whatever nuts, cheese and herbs I have on hand and in my garden. I have once tossed in sweet, garlicky Taiwanese sausages with astounding results, and another time dumped the brussels sprouts onto a bed of rocket and added a swig more of balsamic glaze and made an incredible warm salad. If you are concerned about the caloric intake from butter, use less, toss the brussels sprouts in olive oil, season, roast in oven, and finish off by pouring the brown butter over the top.

Cast iron will get you the unbeatable charred results fast and can go straight into the oven!

What you'll need...
1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
4 tablespoons butter, sliced
Pancetta, diced (optional)
Small handful of almonds, roughly chopped and toasted
6-8 leaves fresh sage, chopped
Grated Emmental, Gruyère, or mature cheddar
A dash of balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar

Directions...

1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F.

2. In a small saucepan, heat butter on low heat. Once melted the butter will foam up then subside. Stir occasionally with a spatula and, watching closely, remove butter from heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl shortly after golden brown specks (browned milk solids) begin to appear and you smell a nutty, toasty aroma.

3. On a cast iron or non-stick skillet, pour in most of the brown butter, reserving some for later. Add pancetta (if using) and brussels sprouts, cut side down, and cook on medium heat until the cut sides are charred.

4. Lightly season with salt and pepper, pour remaining brown butter over and roast for 7-8 mins until just cooked through.

5. When done, remove from oven and top with grated cheese, toasted almonds, and sage. Finish off with a dash of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!!

 《焦香牛油烤球芽甘藍》

材料：
球芽甘藍  1 磅（洗好切半）
牛油   50 克
義大利培根切粒  少量（素食可免）
杏仁切片  15 克 
鼠尾草  6-8片
芝士磨碎（如 瑞士艾曼托，格律耶爾，或 成熟車打）少量
義大利巴薩米可醋  少量

做法：
1. 預熱焗爐至 160C / 320F。
2. 杏仁放入焗爐烘香。
3. 牛油用慢火煮溶，期間會起泡。
4. 偶然用膠刮攪拌，煮至牛油開始呈現咖啡色小塊及聞到焦香後可以熄火。
5. 將焦香牛油倒入耐熱容器內，以防燒焦。
6. 焦香牛油預留少量備用，其餘的倒在鑄鐵鍋或易潔鍋上。
7. 將球芽甘藍切面向下連同培根平鋪在鍋上，用中火慢煎至切面呈深啡色。
8. 用鹽及鮮磨黑椒輕輕調味，淋上剩餘焦香牛油，再放入焗爐烤至熟透，約7-8分鐘。
9. 烘好後取出並撒上芝士，杏仁，鼠尾草，最後加上少量巴薩米可醋即成。慢用！

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Thai Stir-fried Morning Glory | 泰式飛天炒通菜 | Phad Pak Bung Fai Daeng

附中文食譜

Phad Pak bung fai daeng - popularly known as "stir-fried morning glory" - one of the most recognizable Thai vegetable favorites that is ubiquitously served from streetside to restaurants across Thailand, is as easily, and quickly, prepared at home. The ingredient list is so short and sweet, the dish can practically be whipped up in a flash, literally.

Stir fry like you mean it over a blazing flame - and the dish is ready in a flash!

The main ingredient of this stirfry is obviously pak bung jiin (jiin: Thai for China/Chinese), commonly known as kangkong, Chinese water spinach, or ong choy (蕹菜) in different cultures. This Chinese variety is not to be confused with its Thai counterpart, which tends to be larger in the stalk. Like many stirfries in Thai cuisine, the Chinese influence on this dish is undeniable, as is most evident in the use of a wok on very high heat (hence fai daeng, blazing "red fire" in Thai) and the seasoning ingredients.

Water spinach is not only easy to wash, it is super uncostly by the bunch

What makes it distinctly Thai, nevertheless, is its generous use of fish sauce, oyster sauce, fermented soybean paste, chili, and a touch of sugar, which gives the dish its signature savory and sweet followed by a pang of fire. I sometimes substitute Thai fish sauce with a secret ingredient - Bagoong Balayan, a turbid, fermented anchovy sauce produced exclusively in the Batangas, Philippines that imparts an even richer, more pungent "fishy" flavor than fish sauce.

This dish is so tasty, so hot, and ready in seconds, it literally flies - hence its moniker "Flying Pak Bung" in Thai, which also explains why this popular dish is often translated as "飛天炒通菜" in Chinese.

What you'll need...
1 large bunch water spinach
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 large cloves of garlic
3 bird eye chilis
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fermented bean sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water or chicken broth

Directions... 

Smashed whole red chilis are easy to spot and pick out after plating 

1. Wash water spinach and drain. Cut into 3-inch segments, separating stalk and leaf. Give the garlic cloves and whole chilis a good whack. Place stalk in a large bowl and top with smashed garlic and chilis.

2. In a small bowl, mix together oyster sauce, fermented bean sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water/chicken broth.

3. In a large wok over very high heat, heat oil until beginning to smoke. Dump stalk, garlic and chilis all at once into the wok, followed by the sauce. Briskly stir fry, then quickly add the remaining leafy portion of the water spinach and stir fry to coat well with sauce. Remove from heat at once when the vegetables wilt, turn bright green and tender-crisp, and transfer to serving platter immediately. The whole process takes barely a minute.

If you ever wonder why this dish is named "Flying Morning Glory", give it a try at your own kitchen and it will all make sense

《泰式飛天炒通菜》

材料：

通菜  600 克

生油  1 湯匙

蒜頭  4 瓣

指天椒  3 隻

調味料：

蠔油  1 湯匙*

豆醬  1 湯匙

魚露  1 湯匙*

砂糖  1 茶匙

水或上湯  60 毫升

做法：

1. 通菜洗淨切段，約三寸長，置於大盤內備用（建議嫩葉分開）。

2. 蒜瓣和指天椒略拍扁，放在切好的通菜上面。

3. 調味料拌勻備用。

4. 熱鑊下油，傾入通菜、蒜、指天椒及調味料，用大火快速翻炒再加入嫩葉兜勻。

5. 當通菜顏色變得鮮豔之後馬上熄火，上碟即成。過程僅需一分鐘！ 

*備註：食素者可選擇以生抽取替魚露和李錦記香菇素蠔油代替蠔油。

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Kabocha no Nimono | Sake Braised Japanese Pumpkin

We may be no stranger to Japanese cuisine - as diverse as it can be - given its international presence and penetration into pop culture and our day-to-day diet. But when it comes to Japanese home cooking, it is an infinite universe yet to be fully explored and appreciated by food-lovers the world over.

Outside of the usual dining favorites, namely sushi, tonkatsu, ramen, yakitori, shabu-shabu (the list is really rather inexhaustible, to our bellies' delight), my exposure to authentic Japanese home cooking has been admittedly limited. It was that moment during my first ever kaiseki experience at a picturesque hillside hot spring ryokan near Mount Aso, Kyushu, that struck a chord in me.

Food as nourishment, food as an art: my life-changing, virgin experience in kaiseki at Yamaguchi Ryokan and Ryokan Sanga, Kyushu, Japan | Mar 2013

While kaiseki (懐石料理) - the highly ritual multi-course traditional Japanese meal characterized by small portions, subtle flavors, and impeccable, artful presentation - may rightfully be compared to Western haute cuisine, it most certainly is grounded on values that carry through conventional, ordinary home cooking with its emphasis on simplicity and fresh seasonal ingredients.

Frolicking in lush and serene greenscape by the creek, Kurokawa

I've recently been invited to a friend's place for Japanese style home cooked dinner. With many years of working with a Japanese chef, he swiftly prepared a light but satisfying meal featuring primarily vegetables - with the help of relatively few seasonings.

In stark contrast to most Asian cuisines driven by a variety of sauces and condiments, a large number of dishes in Japanese home cooking are created from just five basic seasonings: mirin, sake, sugar, soy sauce, and dashi (だし, a light stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu seaweed). One of the many secrets behind Japanese home cooking is "simplicity" - complement the primary ingredients with a delicate touch of seasoning, rather than dominating them; let the natural flavors sing.

One of the dishes made that night was this irresistable braised kabocha (かぼちゃの煮物). Unlike conventional methods of simmering, the pumpkin is first seared at high temperature then finished in the classic seasonings to enhance flavor and texture. A great case in point, a simple handful of seasoning brings out the sweetness of the pumpkin. Topped with barely seasoned pan-fried chicken mince, this simple dish promises to astound with umami.

To prepare...
1 (~450g) kabocha (alternately use Australian kent pumpkin)
1 cup Japanese sake
1 cup bonito kombu dashi
2 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoon white sugar (or brown sugar for a richer taste)
2 tablespoon Japanese shoyu
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the minced chicken... (optional)
100g ground chicken 
1 tablespoon mirin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Vegetable oil for pan frying

1. Remove seeds and cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces leaving the skin on. On medium heat, add vegetable oil to skillet and lightly sear the surface of pumpkin chunks, skin-side down first. Stir occasionally to evenly brown the pumpkin, about 4 minutes.

2. Cook pumpkin covered until fork tender on medium heat, 5-8 minutes (cooking time varies depending on type of pumpkin). Add sake, dashi, mirin, shoyu, and sugar and bring to a low boil. Cook until reduced. Plate and set aside.

3. On medium heat, pan fry minced chicken (if using) in a small pan with vegetable oil. Season with mirin and sea salt. Top pumpkin with minced chicken and serve. いただきます！

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