Archie and I have just started to be a little more adventurous in dining in new restos - despite almost 8 years of being together (4 yrs dating + 3 yrs and 8 months of being married) - I guess we we're just kinda lazy to do that. Or maybe just too happy with the usual? Anyway, I am just so glad that it's never too late. And yes, we're having fun! :P
As you noticed, we're late bloomers in Greek food appreciation. On our first CYMA dinner last March of '09 (Thanks to Madame, Russel, Kate and Noel for taking us there!), we definitely liked everything we ordered, especially their Roka Salata. After that night, we came back for it a couple of more times. I guess that's how we are when we really like something from a resto.
Archie is an avid salad eater so after much thought he said - the base dressing is a simple vinaigrette but it has a fruity twist. It took a while for us to discover the right additions to finally figure it out! Thanks to Sheila, of course! :)
The ideas for the dressing is inspired by the recipe from Yummy Mag Jan/Feb 2010 Ish page 76. Some sweets have been added to achieve the fruity twist in it.
Using romaine lettuce only is just fine, just as I did, but if you can mix it with arugula, go ahead if you can grab some in the market or grocery.
For the dressing, mix:
1/2 tbsp of garlic powder (for fresh finely minced garlic, use about 2 tsps only as it is too strong, unless you want it that strong, add some more)
1/4 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Whisk them altogether in a bowl, then add the sweets:
5 heaping tbsps of honey
2 tbsps of Raspberry Jam*
*Sheila said CYMA's got raspberry in it besides honey. So, I went to the grocery and grabbed a jar of Smuckers Raspbery Jam. Swak!
Mix them well until you see that the mixture becomes thick. Pour it over your salad greens, toss and top with the following:
Sun dried tomatoes
Candied walnuts
Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Fresh ground pepper
It was my first time to make candied walnuts and it was no joke! I used this as my guide. Whew!
It's great to know that I still have room for learning and appreciating new dishes and more room in my tummy for eating!
After the holidays, I know, I SEE and I FEEL that I have gained weight. Now my OPLAN is to TRY to eat salad only at night. Goodluck! :)
Happy weekend to all! Valentine's day is coming! Heart! :)
This one I learned from a good friend who is now happy in heaven. She came up with this in a retreat some decade and a half ago I guess, where she was OIC for the food committee. Just because she was left with very few resources, she came up with this fun and easy to make dessert. Funny this can be a Banoffee pie's neighbor!
And so I learned that you have to make do with what you have in the kitchen and you'll see that you can make something spectacular out of them.
On the photo you see:
Crushed chocolate chip cookies / Any butter cookie you like
1 Ripe Banana (lakatan)
Caramel syrup Chocolate Syrup (Hershey's or Clara Ole, or melted chocolate!)
*When my friend shared this with me, she said she used Chips Ahoy, ripe lacatan bananas and melted Hershey's chocolate!
No official measurements! Just assemble it in any order you desire!
I like to assemble it this way:
In a plate or cup, put the crushed cookies, then sliced bananas, pour the caramel and lastly the chocolate syrup!
You may also opt to add a little vanilla ice cream or whipped all purpose cream, and instead put them in a small clear glass to make it appear like a trifle, plus a cherry on top! :)
This one's for you Sab! I know you are smiling down on us!
Alright everyone, dig in!!! :)*this is an addition to my Banana festival moment. Simple, pero ROCK! bow!
Happy New Year everyone! :) I would like to start my first entry this year with something just out of the kitchen (and into my tummy) - yes, just today. Real time!
Have you tried Tin Hau Restaurant's Shrimps with Sliced Almond and Mayonnaise? If you have tried it and liked it, just like myself and my colleagues, you might want to try this recipe at home. I can say it's a bit bit close to Tin Hau's (minus the presentation. Hehe.)
I really don't know how Tin Hau made theirs... Lucky and blessed, sometime ago, my Mommy Tess told me to try something similar to it but using candied walnuts as garnish rather than almonds. Since I don't have candied walnuts, at least I have the almond slivers available. Thanks to our nearby Cocoa Pantry :)
For more ka artehan, I would like to name it Puffy Shrimps in Sweet Mayo-Coconut Sauce.
Here goes:
First make your Cream sauce:
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 to 2 1/2 tbsp condensed milk
2 tbsp coconut cream/ gata
mix them together and whisk until all flavors are incorporated. Set aside.
If I may suggest, start heating your cooking oil in your deep frying sauce pan before preparing the batter to save time and to have your shrimps "deep-fry" ready.
For this recipe, I used about 2 cups of canola oil in a small sauce pan.
For the Shrimps:
about 1/2 kilo medium sized shrimps - peeled and deveined (Suahe)
Batter:
About 3 6 tbps flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
About 3/4 cup or less of ice cold water
UPDATE 1/18/10 - after much recall over the phone with Andrea --- for the flour, I remember I used 3 heaping tbsp of flour, double checked it with measuring spoon and it turns out to be about 6 tbsp . You might want to add another teaspoon of flour (to the 6 tbsp) if you want to achieve a little more pasty consistency
Mix dry ingredients and add the ice cold water little by little until dissolved and becomes paste like. (realization w/ Andrea: like elmer's glue texture!)
Throw in the shrimps into the batter and set aside.
By this time the oil may be already hot and ready for the shrimps -
Throw in shrimps one at a time (do not over crowd them) and wait for about 2 minutes until you achieve a light golden brown color, then drain (Repeat process until all shrimps are cooked.)
REMINDER: Please be careful not to include your fingers.
Once done, mix them right away with the sauce, garnish with slivered almonds, or any nut you like (like my Mommy Tess, she uses candied walnuts) or serve as is. :)
The trick to having your shrimps stay puffy and crisp is to have your batter really ice cold, deep fry it, drain it, mix quickly w/ cream sauce and serve it immediately. AS IN PRONTO!
A new year is always equal to one having his/her own new year's resolutions... and one of my many many resolutions this 2010 is to do my best to make more new meals... and to write more. Here.
Everybody Happy!Enter text here.
