watermelon refresher.

It's the time of summer where watermelons are just bursting with juice and mind-blowingly sweet. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them.

Watermelon Refreshers (I am terrible at coming up with names! ><;): Simple, quick and wonderful for entertaining. Garnish with a sprig of mint for a nice added touch of elegance.

Watermelon Refreshers

We'll need:
2 cups  fresh watermelon, seeded and cubed.
1 cup sparkling water (or club soda)
1-2tbls honey or sugar (optional)
juice of 1/2 medium lemon or 3 limes

ice cubes
sprigs of mint for garnishing

Utensils:
measuring spoons/cups
blender
sieve
a large jug
tumblers or glasses for serving

~Place all ingredients except for the mint into the blender and blend until there are no visible chunks of watermelon. Strain the watermelon mixture into the jug and pour into individual glasses or tumblers filled with ice. Garnish with mint and serve!

crepes suzette.

The sun finally decided to pay The City a visit today. One of those rare occasions where it'll peek through those billowy clouds and bequeath unto the cityscape that blissfully warm sunlight. Unfortunately, the sun doesn't like to linger too long around here, always worrying that it's overstaying its welcome. By the time the afternoon came around, the sky returned to its monotonous gray as the cold slipped through once more, sending shivers down spines and jackets on children.

And so, in a mad attempt to retain that evanescent warmth of the sun~ I've decided to make crepes suzette. There's nothing like that taste of orange to remind me of those long summery days drenched in heat, under that endless blue sky. Along with the fact that there's a whole crate of oranges that needs to be used up. >_>;;

Crepes Suzette
(adapted from Desserts: 365 Delicious Step-by-Step Recipes by Martha Day)

1 recipe prepared French crepes (adding 1tbls orange zest and 1tbls Gran Marnier[optional])

6tbls unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 large orange and lemon
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2tbls Gran Marnier (orange liqueur||optional)
1/4 cup cognac and/or brandy  (optional)

orange segments to decorate*

Utensils:
measuring spoons/cups
fork
large frying pan
matches (preferably ones with a long handle)
pairing knife

~Melt the butter in the frying pan over medium-low heat, then stir in the sugar, the rinds and juices along with the Gran Marnier, if using. Bring the mixture to a boil until thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Place a crepe in the pan, swirling gently to coat with the sauce. With the fork, fold it in half, then in half again, forming a triangle and push to the side of the pan. Continue heating and folding the crepes until all are warm and covered with the sauce.

Optional part: Pour the cognac and/or brandy over the crepes, light a match and carefully hover the flame over the pan until the liquor is ignited. Put out the match and toss in the sink (not in the trash bin!!). Allow the flames to burn off. Serve immediately.


*To "supreme" or cut the orange into segments. With a pairing knife, cut off the ends and prop it flat-side down, cutting away the remaining skin on the sides. Then carefully cut the flesh out from between the white membranes and you have just "supremed" an orange. =)

herb roasted chicken.

The herbs in the garden are thriving... for once. Everything I plant seems to wither on me a week into its life in my little abode.

Oh, the soft warm summer breeze, carrying with the the sweet scent of tarragon and thyme and perhaps rosemary. I wish. It's mainly foggy and cold here in The City.  Though, on occasion we are blessed with sunshine and a taste of summer heat, which is best spent lounging under a tree with a good book or at the beach with someone.

This recipe is quite versatile. You can substitute the herbs here for any of your favorite. I've chosen tarragon and lemon thyme.

Herb Roasted Chicken

We'll need:

1x 3lb 8oz whole chicken (preferably free-range and hormone free)
1/2tsp salt
2tbls unsalted butter (softened)
3 sprigs of tarragon
3 sprigs of lemon thyme
2 cups chicken stock

Utensils:

paper towels
measuring spoons/cups
roasting pan
foil
saucepan

>>preheat oven to 400F<<

~Rinse the chicken in running water, thoroughly cleaning the cavity, washing out all the blood and impurities. Then, dry with the paper towels and place in the roasting pan, breast side up. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with salt and rub the butter evenly underneath the skin, concentrating on the breasts so to prevent them from drying up in the cooking process. Next, stuff the herbs into the cavity of the chicken.

~Pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan and cover with foil. Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 1hr 20mins or until the juices run clean when pierced with a knife. Remove the foil in the remaining 30mins to brown. If it still isn't brown enough, you can use the broiler (but I don't suggest putting it under for more than 15mins, as that will result in a very dry chicken). Once the chicken is out of the oven remove it from the pan and place on a plate or cutting board to let cool. Drain the juices into the saucepan and place on a burner set to medium. Reduce the sauce until half (about 5~10mins). You can also add a spot of butter to "finish" the sauce.

~Carve the chicken and pour the sauce over it~ serve!

Curry Croquettes (カレークロケット)

Comm is finally over! I can finally direct my attention and effort toward this blog (along with my art site)~ So expect more frequent updates from now.

Anyway, I digress~ onward to the curry croquettes! So, as I've said, if you've a bit of leftover filling, egg wash, and panko from the curry bread recipe, you can totally make use of them in this recipe. =)

Curry Croquettes (カレークロケット)




We'll  need:
4~5 medium-sized russet potatoes (peeled, boiled and cooled)
left-over curry filling from the curry bread (or just halve the recipe)
1.5 cups  vegetable of choice (blanched and diced) or frozen vegetable medley

-egg wash-
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs

left-over panko (or 1.5 cups)

Oil for frying
ketchup, tonkatsu or okonomiyaki sauce for serving (optional)


Utensils:
large mixing bowl
spatula
measuring cups
fork
two shallow dishes
baking sheet lined with parchment
heavy pot
candy thermometer
frying spider
cooling rack or a a few dishes lined with paper towels

~In the mixing bowl, mash the potatoes with the fork until there are no visible lumps of potato. Then add the curry filling into the bowl, mix with spatula until evenly incorporated. Next, add the vegetables and mix well. With wet hands, carefully shape the potato mixture into balls (as large or as small as you like) and place onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm (about 20-30mins).

~In one of the shallow dishes prepare the egg wash by whisking together the eggs and milk. Place the panko in the other. Remove the potato balls from the freezer and quickly dredge in the wash and then in the panko crumbs, return each prepared croquette back onto the baking sheet. Fill the heavy pot halfway with oil and heat on med-high, until it reaches 350F (about 8-10mins). Fry the croquettes, two or three at a time, until golden (about 10-15mins).  Remove with the spider and place on a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plates to drain.

Serve with tonkatsu or okonomiyaki sauce, or if those aren't available, you can use ketchup or even steak sauce.

Curry Bread（カレーパン) pt. 3: Pulling it all together!

大変 申し訳ありません、皆様~　お待たせいたしました！My apologies for the wait~  Here's the final installment of the three-part curry bread recipe. It was tough, all that curry-making and dough kneading, but we survived. Phew. Now let's start putting the two together and fry up some curry bread!

Crisp exterior, giving in to cotton soft bread as the burst of curry sets the palate ablaze in a symphony of textures and flavors... it... it's almost too much to handle in one bite. *_*

We'll need:

1 recipe beignet dough
1 recipe curry filling
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Egg Wash: 2 eggs + 1/4cup milk

Oil for frying

Utensils:
rolling pin
knife (or pizza cutter)
2 shallow dishes
baking sheet/parchment paper
frying spider
heavy pot
paper towel-lined plates or cooling rack

~Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Place it on a lightly floured surface and give it 4~5 kneads. Then roll the dough out into a rectangle about 0.5in thick. With the knife or pizza cutter, cut  into 1.5x1.5in pieces. Next, roll out the cut pieces into a circle, until it's about 0.25in thick. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the eggs and the milk in a shallow dish. Pour out the panko on another dish and set the two aside.

~Place 2~3tbls of the curry filling into the dough and pinch the sides together. Next, dip the filled dough into the egg wash and then cover evenly with the panko. Place it on the parchment or baking sheet and repeat until the dough is used up. Let the curry bread rise on the parchment/baking sheet for 30mins. Fill the heavy pot half-way full with oil and place over medium-high heat, until it reaches 350F. Then, place the dough in and fry until golden (about 10-15mins), turning it halfway through the cooking process. Remove from the oil with the spider and let drain on the paper-towel lined plates or on a cooling rack.

*Note: The curry bread can be baked instead of fried. Just omit the panko and brush with egg wash. Place in a pre-heated 350F oven and bake until golden (about 25-30mins).

**Worry not if you've some left-over filling~ I'll have a recipe up for curry croquettes next.