Smell My Food™

Traditional Chinese Beef Stew(Improvised)

2009-04-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Traditional Chinese Beef Stew

Yield 6 serves

Quantity Ingredients

1300g Beef Brisket / Beef Stew

4tbsp Peanut Oil

Sauce for Braising

Quantity Ingredient

2 ml tomato paste/ fermented red bean paste (individual preference)

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

4 tbsp shaoxing wine(optional)

4 tbsp thin soy sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 whole star anise

1 tsp roasted and crushed szechwan peppercorns

1 tsp five spice powder

1tsp ginger juice (Slice ginger into small strips and squeeze)

1 large Carrot (Rough cut)

2 tsp sugar

1400ml cup water/beef stock

-Method-

1. Trim the outer layer of fats from the beef. Cut it into 1 1/2 inch strips and then into cubes.

2. Heat up the wok on high fire and add in 3tbsp of peanut oil. Brown the meat on all sides and set it aside.

3. Heat up the crock pot and add in 1tbsp of peanut oil. Fry the garlic and then add in the tomato paste/fermented red bean paste.

4. Pour in the hoisin sauce,soy sauce,peppercorns with the other spices.

5. Deglaze with shaoxin wine and add in the water and sugar. Bring them to a boil.

6. Add the beef to the sauce, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and braise for 2hrs. Then add in the carrots and now pour in the ginger juice. Cook for approx 30 - 45 mins till carrots and beef are tender.

7. Garnish with chinese parsley.

Beef Facts

Always use Beef that has marbles(white linings in the meat) for stewing as they give off a strong beefy flavour and adds on to the sauce. By Braising and Stewing, the meat is infusing the flavours with the sauce and vice-versa.

Lemon Lime Bitters

2009-04-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

The adventures of Lemon Lime Bitters....~

Crepes a la Normande

2009-04-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Aka French Pancakes 'Normandy"(apples) style

Crepe Batter

Yield : 6 serves

Quantity Ingredients

80g Baker's Flour
100ml Milk
80ml Cream
3 each Eggs
20g Melted Butter
5ml Calvados
Pinch Salt
Pinch Sugar to taste
Pinch Grated lemon zest

-Method-

1. Sift the flour.
2. Mix all the wet ingredients together.
3. Combine the wet ingredients and flour until smooth
4. Add the melted butter and mix in
5. Add the salt,sugar and strain
6. Add the zest
7. Rest for 30 mins
8. Heat up the pan with moderate/low heat.
9. Cook the crepes by pouring a little batter into a seasoned crepe pan until the bottom of the pan is just coated.
10. Cook the crepe until no raw batter is left on the surface of the crepe.
11. Turn the crepe over to cook until both asides are golden brown.

Filling

Yield: Two Serves

Quantity Ingredients

3 each Golden Delicious apples(apples)-peeled and cut into macedoine
30g Butter
Pinch Vanilla Sugar
10ml Calvados
Apricots glaze(to be brushed on after product)

-Method-

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan
2. Add the apples,sugar and Calvados
3. Place a lid on the saucepan and sweat until tender and fully cooked
4. Remove the lid and dry out until no liquid is left. Do not caramelise the apples
5. Place the warm apple filling inside the warm crepes; roll up or fold over into quarters
6. Brush with apricot glaze and reheat if needed
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve with cinnamon flavoured Creme Chantilly.

*Creme Chantilly - Whipped cream flavoured with vanilla and sweetened with sugar
Chantilly is a district outside Paris that used to supply the city with dairy produce, notably its fresh cream. The local patissiers also used sweetened cream in their pastries and cakes.

*Calvados - Apple brandy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvados_(spirit) -

*Macedoine - A style of cut. (cube shape) refer to video.