Your Word Is A Lamp For My Feet

Not too long ago, I tried to "harvest" squid ink from fresh squid but it was not worth the trouble. Squid ink are available cheaply at gourmet stores and they can be kept in the fridge for a year.
I have been eyeing this Squid in its Ink recipe from The Harry's Bar cookbook by Arrigo Cipriani.

There is only one famous Harry's Bar in Venice, located on Venice's Calle Vallaresso, near the Piazza San Marco. Harry's Bar has been for five decades, the meeting place for artists, writers, royalty,maestros,divas and celebrities. The founder, Giuseppe Cipriani is also famous for inventing the famous Bellini coctail and Carpaccio which is a dish of thinly sliced raw beef. The bar is also well known for its risottos and dozens of pasta dishes.
The family has expanded their business to pastas, olive oils, sauces, cookbooks and kitchenwares. Today, you can find the Cipriani group of bars and restaurants in many parts of the world.

This dish  Seppie In Tecia Col Nero, Squid cooked in its Ink makes an excellent sauce for pasta. It is also good with risotto. In the cookbook, it is served with grilled polenta.

Seppie In Tecia Col Nero
Squid Cooked In Its Ink
Adapted from The Harry's Bar Cookbook
serves 6 as a main course

900g medium squid or 675 cleaned squid
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 large celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 1/2 cup dry white wine(375ml)
1/2 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including basil and parsley
125ml fish stock or water, if needed'
salt
freshly ground pepper
25g squid ink
Parsley, fresh red chilli slices to garnish



Method

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and garlic, and cook until softened and golden but not browned - about 5 minutes.

• Add the tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the squid, raise the heat to high, and toss for a few minutes. Then add the wine and the herbs and boil for 2 or 3 minutes more. Turn down the heat.

• Add in the ink, season with salt and pepper  and cook over low heat, partially covered, until the squid is soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally and add a little fish stock or water if the liquid evaporates. Taste the squid and adjust the seasoning.

Note: The long cooking time will not make the squid rubbery. When it is cooked that long, the squid develop a totally different kind of tenderness in texture.I cooked half a recipe and served with regular pasta, 

I have not been to the Harry's Bar in Venice so I can't tell if my version is similar in taste. My home made squid ink pasta definitely tastes better than those I have tried elsewhere.

I am also showing off my two new Le Creuset to you, bought at warehouse sales at 70% off list price. There were not many choice colours but I am happy with these two.

26" Buffet Casserole 

26" Stew/soup pot

Some of items on sale

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Books by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours.

The Mailbox Club

Since Sunday School started The Mailbox Club in July, we have 29 children who have completed the first series. There are about 6 to 10 lessons in each series at different level for children 5 to 12 years old.

These children will be receiving their certificates of completion during the children's camp in November.

Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

You Were Bought At A Price

 While waiting for my home made char siew braising in the wok, I cooked for myself a simple lunch.

皮蛋廋肉粥 Lean Meat and Century Egg Oat Porridge.

This is not only quick and tasty, but healthy because it is cooked with oat instead of rice! This recipe was inspired by Ellena of Cuisine paradise who made this back in 2009. I modified her recipe to 1 serve.

This porridge, similar to Cantonese style and texture, is so tasty that it is hard to tell it is made from oat. Cook this for your friends and family, and don't tell them it is oat, they will never know they are eating something that is good for them, and that will keep them full till the next meal!



皮蛋廋肉粥

Lean Meat and Century Egg Oat Porridge
serve 1

3 tbsp of quick cooking oat
20gm of mince pork
1 roughly chopped century egg
1/2 beaten egg, lightly beaten
200ml chicken stock (low sodium) + 150ml water
Chopped spring onion and conriader, to garnish
Pan fried shredded ginger, to garnish
pepper to taste

Method

• Marinate the mince meat with some light soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil.
• Pan fried shredded ginger till brown, remove ginger slices. 
• Fry the mince pork with the ginger oil and give it a quick stir until the meat are well separated and cook through.
• In a saucepan, boil the chicken and water together. When it comes to a boil, add in the oat. When the oat is boiling, add in the cooked meat and chopped century eggs. Remove from stove
• Drizzle in the beaten egg and give it a quick stir. Serve in the bowl and garnish with spring onion, coriander and ginger.

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up "Oat" organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Doreen of My little favourite DIY, and is hosted by Vivian of Vivian Pang Kitchen.

You were bought at a price. Therefor honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:20

From The Rising Of The Sun

Good morning! Start your day bright and right with this hearty baked porridge from Bill Granger. Bill Granger is an Australian self taught cook and food writer. He owns Bills, a popular restaurant chains in Sydney, Japan and London. His restaurants are famous for breakfast dishes, notably his scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes.
I like to read Bill Granger's cookbooks and watch him on TV.  He looks like a nice family man doting on his three daughters. Bill Granger cooks in a very relax, laid back manner which is very pleasing to watch on screen. His style is wonderfully simple and straightforward.
This breakfast is a perfect start to his easy healthy cooking. This recipe is adapted from his book, Bill's Basics.



Baked Porridge
Bill's Basics

Preheat oven to 150C, scatter 135g oats, 75g roughly chopped hazelnuts, 75g roughly chopped sultanas or figs(I replaced with  frozen blueberries),  I tablespoon of soft brown sugar, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.

Pour in the milk,cream and vanilla extract(all combined in a jug), baked for 45 minutes

Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes to let the top crisp up.

Serve with cream, milk, yogurt or stewed fruits

Leftover can be kept in the fridge and re-heated the next day

Oat Porridge is one of my favourite breakfast food or anytime food. Years ago, when I was a busy mom with 3 young children, I used to cook for them oat porridge instead of rice. I usually made sweet porridge, adding honey and milk. I also prefer to use quick cooking rolled oats instead of instant ones. As for myself, I like oat porridge with condensed milk, something which I grew up with.



Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up 'Oats' hosted by Vivian Pang of Vivian Pang Kitchen, organised by Zoe and Doreen.

And this is also linked to Cook Like A Star 'Bill Granger' hosted by Zoe, Yen, and Mich

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

We Are Afflicted In Every Way

I never know baking tuiles can be such nerve wrecking.  There is no time to lose, Speed is the word..

Bake - 7-8 minutes in 180C oven

Assembly - roll or shape while still hot

Serve -  immediately

A successfully baked tuile breaks easily but rest assured nothing is wasted here because every crumbs is swiftly disposed of into this baker's tummy. These tuile crumbs are so delicious and additive.. 

This recipe is from The Chocolate Book. I cut a 6 inch circle drawn on a clear file as template. This half recipe makes  two 6 inch circle, and 3 scrolls, of which only 1 circle and 1 scroll survived the rolling and shaping.   It was quite a feat to roll and shape these delicate tuiles into scrolls and bowls!

Chocolate Tuile

Adapted from The Chocolate Book, Angelique Schmeink

Ingredients

2 tablespoon softened butter (30gm)

1/4 cup sifted icing sugar

a dash of vanilla extract

1 large egg white, lightly whisked with a fork

1/4 cup all purpose flour + 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder,sifted

Method

• Using a hand mixer, cream butter,sugar and vanilla to a paste.

• Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites.

• Continue to add the flour and cocoa in small batches and mix till batter is smooth.

• wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• Line a baking sheet and place a stencil on the baking sheet. Spread batter with an offset spatula.
• Remove template and bake for 8 minutes.

• Remove tuile from baking sheet, roll or shape immediately.

This post is linked to Bake-Along theme "Tuile" organised by Zoe, Lena and Joyce

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;perplexed,but not driven to despair;persecuted, but not forsaken;struck down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Seek The Lord

Miso glazed eggplant is a late discovery for me.  It has never occurred to me it would taste just as good as miso glazed cod. In the past, I have eaten eggplants cooked in several ways and styles, Peranakan, Italian,Malay Middle Eastern and Chinese. The Japanese style, a new found love is my favourite. This dish is a regular feature in many Japanese menus but I have never ordered it. Now, that I can cook this easily and cheaply in my home, I don't think I will order it in the restaurants.

If you are cooking this dish, try to get the Japanese eggplants which is smaller in size. The eggplant is first scored and baked in the oven till soft and tender. It is then glazed with miso sauce and grilled under a hot grill to caramelize the paste. What you get is creamy flesh with a salty-sweet and sticky topping, and a crispy skin below. It is really delicious with rice.


なすでんがく

Nasu Dengaku

Ingredients

4 eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon shiro miso paste
1/4 cup dashi stock (1 tsp dashi powder mixed with 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons sugar
oilive oil
white sesame seeds, toasted for garnish
green onions, sliced for garnish


Method

• Preheat oven to 180C.

• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, score crisscross and brush generously with olive oil all over. Bake uncovered in hot oven for 35 mins or till flesh is soft and tender.
• While eggplant is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine mirin,sake,miso,dashi stock and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat. Remove from heat when sauce is boiled.

• Brush eggplant with miso sauce generously and grill under hot grill for a minute or two.

• Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up "Tofu" hosted by Mich, organised by Zoe and Doreen

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 1 Chronicles 16:11-12