Butter scallop

This is a very simple but yummy side dish i cooked for a japanese themed dinner. I used frozen whole scallops and removed the outer mantle and the shell to stir fry this dish. 

The scallop itself will secrete it's own juice and favour out so there is no need for salt. I have added kikkoman soya sauce in this to improve the taste. If you find the scallop sauce is salty enough, then there is no need to add the soy sauce.

Pan's experimental kitchen: Homemade butter scallop
Cooking skill needed: Level 1
 
Ingredients: 
Scallop (defrosted, outer mantle removed and washed)
3 cloves of garlic
1 small ginger 
a tsp of soya sauce
a little parsley
a knob of butter & 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:
1. Mince garlic and set aside
2. Grate the ginger and set aside
3. chop some parsley (according to your liking)


Cooking:
1. Heat put the pan and add olive oil
2. Then add butter and garlic, fry till light brown.
3. Add in the ginger and then scallop and stir fry for about 4 mins
4. Add a tsp of soya sauce
5. Mix and stir fry till scallop* is cooked (mine took about 6mins in total)
6. Turn off fire and add parsley.

*Note: do not overcook the scallop as they will become rubbery! *

Serve and enjoy! 

Vongole with asparagus and moonblushed tomato

The sweetness in white clams cannot be easily replaced and it just makes the pasta so yummy. Try it to believe it!

I made it with sides of moonblushed tomato (recipe can be found at the link), boiled asparagus and a poached egg. Loved the colours in this dish!

Pan's experimental kitchen: Homemade vongole with asparagus (for 3 pax)
Cooking skill needed: Level 2
Ingredients: 
1 packet of baby asparagus
4 cloves of garlic
A handful of parsley
1 bag of frozen clams (mine had about 30 clams)
Spaghetti (i made enough for 3 pax)
Moonblushed tomato
3 poached eggs (i used silicon cups to help)
some butter and olive oil

Preparation:
1. Mince 4 clove of garlic
2. Cut baby asparagus to remove the thick ends
3. Chop parsley
4. Wash clams

Cooking:
1. Boil water and cook asparagus till tender. Poach egg when asparagus is done.
2. In a separate pot, boil water, add salt and cook spaghetti till almost al dente
3. While cooking the spaghetti, sautee the garlic in butter and olive oil till lightly brown, add clams, salt and pepper and cook on LOW fire for about 7 mins. Discard clams which did not open.
4. Turn off fire, add spaghetti, mixed herbs, parsley and a touch of cayenne pepper and a tbsp of pasta water. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve vongole with aparagus, moonblushed tomato and poached eggs.

Bon appetit!

Homemade mushroom bacon cream pasta

Making my own cream sauce from scratch just gives me the satisfaction knowing that now, i can make my own cream sauce. Besides that, it is all natural with no preservatives!

For this recipe, i'm making it from milk, which takes a longer time as compared to using heavy cream but this, you can control the thickness of the cream. It is also a french style making the sauce from roux.

Pan's experimental kitchen: Homemade mushroom bacon cream pasta (for 3 pax)
Cooking skill needed: Level 2

Ingredients:
1 quartered small onion
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups milk
a pinch of herbs de provence, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, 1 pc of bay leaf
a small box of brown mushroom
100g bacon (i used back bacon)
a handful chopped parsley
Spaghetti

Preparation:
1. Slice mushroom and cut bacon into squares
2. Bring out butter from the fridge to soften at room temperature

Cooking:
1. In a small pot, melt 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour to cook in LOW heat for a few minutes
2. Add the sliced onions, bay leaf and stir
3. add in 2 cups of milk slowly while whisking. Continue to whisk until the milk is reduced to desired thickness. (mine took about 10mins) Season with herbs, a dash of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
4. Put spaghetti into salted boiling water to cook till just before al dente
5.  In a pan (no oil), fry bacon till crispy. Take out and set aside.
6. Add mushroom in the same pan and cook for about 5mins. (when water almost dried)
7. Add the milk mixture (strain to remove the onion and bay leaf) to the mushroom and simmer on LOW heat.(add milk if too thick) Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Add bacon, pasta and chopped parsley and mix well.

Serve immediately! Bon appetit!

Nama chocolate (non alcoholic version)

Who can resist yummy melt in your mouth chocolate? Please pardon the finger prints.. wanted to lay my hands on it until i realised that i have not taken any pictures of the final product!

Here are some links that i read before making my own nama chocolate:

http://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/nama-chocolate/
http://www.thebakingbiatch.com/2013/07/nama-chocolate-royce-rum-version.html
http://wokkingmum.blogspot.sg/2013/06/homemade-nama-chocolate.html

Alot of tips were given by the cooking experts in the 3 website above, so no tips from the level 1 novice me. :)

All ingredients were bought from Phoon huat, total cost is about $10. Mine is a non alcoholic receipe.

Pan's tiny kitchen nama chocolate recipe
Cooking skill needed: Level 1

Ingredients:
200ml whipping cream
400g dark couverture chocolate (55%)
cocoa powder for dusting

1. Line baking sheet in the container (mine was in a squarish glass pan)
2. Heat the whipping cream until you can see small bubbles on the side of the pan and turn off fire
3. Add the chocolate in and stir until you get a smooth mixture (see pic below)

4. Pour the chocolate into the container and smooth the surface (i did bang twice to release air bubbles)

5. Put in the fridge for till hardened. (Mine was overnight)
6. Take out and cut into desired size and dust with cocoa powder.

Enjoy!!!

Asian olive tomato pasta

The chinese olive lends a unami taste to the tomato sauce, bringing this pasta up to a whole new level!

Pan's tiny kitchen asian olive tomato pasta:
Cooking level 2

Ingredients -
1 onion bulbs
2 clove garlic
1 stalk of leek
1 portion Silver fish
Some parlsey (garnishing)

Sauce -
1 can tomato pasta sauce
2 scoops chinese olive in oil (AAA brand)
a dash of chinese black vinegar
a dash of sugar


Preparation:
mince garlic and onion
Cut rings of leek

Cooking:

Stir fry silver fish till light brown, set aside in paper towel
Stir fry garlic and onion in oil till fragrant
Add leek and some water n cook till leek is cooked
Add pasta sauce, olive, vinegar and sugar
Salt to taste
Add parlsey for garnishing