Saturday, December 25, 2010

The Daring Cooks December 2010 Challenge: Poach to Perfection!

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

I haven't try to poach egg before and I thought it would be not so difficult.
I saw it many times in (cooking) comics and it's seems really easy. (Just throw eggs into water) And after I have join this challenge, I realize that, of course , it has to be that easy because they are not in real life. :D

And now it's time to show my (un)perfect poach. Haha...




I decided to combine my poached egg with spaghetti again.
And this time it's quite different because this spaghetti is sweet.
It might feel strange at the first time but I think the taste is smoother along the way.

Again, I used recipe from my favorite "Pasta Pasta" book.


Pasta with poached egg, mozzarella, and tomato.

Ingredients

Capellini 50 grams
Boiling water 1.5 Liter
Salt 1 tablespoon
(Synthesis salt 2/3 tablespoon)

Mozzarella 30 grams
Ripe tomato 1
Basil 4-5 leaves

A ingredients
Olive oil 1 tablespoon
Sugar 1 tablespoon
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Pepper to taste

Olive oil 2 tablespoons
Poached egg 1
Pepper to taste


Direction:

I. Poach egg

Ingredients
Eggs (size is your choice)
Splash of vinegar (for poaching)
  • Add salt and a splash of vinegar (any kind will do). I added about a tablespoon of vinegar to my small saucepan (about 3 cups of water/720 ml of water), but you may need more if you’re using a larger pan with more water.
  • Crack eggs directly into the very gently simmering water (or crack first into a bowl and gently drop into the water), making sure they’re separated. Cook for 3 minutes for a viscous but still runny yolk.

In this book, it also suggest another way to poach egg by using instant noodle cup by put egg (with shell) in the cup. Pouring hot water about 8 part of the cup, cover with foil and wait for 25 minutes.
But I didn't try this method because I don't have any instant noodle cup. But I think I should keep some to make this experiment next time.

II. Spaghetti

  • Rubbing mozzarella and knead it to square shape size 1.5 c.m. Cut tomato into square shape size 1 c.m. Leave core and seeds. Coarsely chop basil and combine all 3 ingredients with A ingredients. Stir.
  • Put salt in boiling water, break half of capellini and put it in the pot.
    Boil as long as suggested and bring to cold water. Drain.
  • Combining cooked capellini with olive oil and mix with mozzarella mixture in the first bullet. Mix well.
  • Bring to plate. Put poached egg on top. Serve.
Enjoy :)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

・Spaghetti Basil Sauce ・

Another of my "Home alone" breakfast that I would like to introduce is "Spaghetti Basil Sauce".
I tend to cook many of spaghetti dishes because it is quick and easy.
Especially when I have this book - Pasta Pasta. That I already introduced here.



As I said, most of the recipes in this book require only a bowl and microwave.
And what I like most is it does not ask for many ingredients for each dish and because of less seasoning, so the taste and aroma will reflect the quality of ingredients that you use.

Let's get started.


・Spaghetti Basil Sauce ・
1 servings


Ingredients

Spaghetti 100 grams
Boiling water 1.5 Liter
Salt 1 tablespoon
(Synthesis salt 2/3 tablespoon)

Basil sauce
Basil 1 pack (20 grams)
Sliced garlic 2 cloves
Sliced red chili 1
Olive oil 1 tablespoon
Grinned white sesame 1 tablespoon
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
(Synthesis salt - use a pinch)
Pepper to taste


1. Divide basil, chop and leave some for decoration.
2. Put salt in boiling water, break half of spaghetti and put it in the pot.
Boil as long as suggested .
3. Prepare heatproof bowl mix basil, garlic, red chili, olive oil.
Wrap with a little open at the edge. Bring to microwave (600 watts) for 1.30 min.
4. Take the bowl out of the microwave, open (BE CAREFUL OF THE HEAT!!),
add grinned white sesame, salt, and pepper. Stir.
5. Mix sauce mixture with cooked spaghetti. Decorate with basil.




Enjoy :)

Friday, December 3, 2010

・Sophie Dahl's Omelette Arnold Bennett ・

Hi! everyone.

Since this week I'm alone in the house.
So I don't have pre-packed breakfast from my mom and I have to make it myself.
Sometimes I quite jealous those who can drink only coffee and count that as their breakfast.
It looks so easy, compare to me that have to eat a big meal breakfast.

But once you start eating a real meal on your breakfast, you can't turn back to your "coffee only" breakfast again.
You will be super starving and won't have any energy to do things.
(Am I too dramatize ? ;b)

Another shameful reason is that my stomach is a super grumpy one. If you don't feed it on time, it will rumbling like it says "Feed me... feed meeee......". LOL LOL
It's sound is super loud and will increasing the volume until I feed it.

And because I have to take care of everything before I leave the house, feeding cats, dogs, and fish, I have to choose less complicated and quickly prepared recipe.

And I found this,



What I love about the recipe is all ingredients are basic ingredients that most kitchens already has plus the procedure that is quick and easy.
I did adjust a little by adding cooked rice to help me survive until noon. (As I said, I need a BIG meal breakfast. :) )
And because I didn't have creme fraishe so I made it up by adding yogurt into whipping cream. Here is the direction. (Thanks to khun Pook from Dailydelicious. :) )

Now... my failure's turn, see .. even the easiest recipe, I still made mistake.
How incredible I am. LOL LOL

I bring the omelette out of the oven too soon and the egg still raw. - -'

But it is easy to fix, I just put it back in the oven. Haha..
And I garuntee that the taste is still good.
I think this is a great combination like Miss Dahl said; Parmesan, eggs, and fish these ingredients brings a spectacular taste and aroma. Ummm... :9


And this is Lamewliving's version of Omeltte Arnold Bennett.


Tada !!






Yum. :)