Popcorn chicken gizzards (Korean Food)

Popcorn chicken gizzards (Dakmoraejumeoni twigim) recipe ingredients and direction here.

Delicious snack made with chicken gizzards, salt, ground black pepper, vegetable oil, ginger, starch powder, flour, sweet rice flour and baking soda.

Lamma Island Seafood Outing

I'd always love to have seafood at Lamma Island. I would say Lamma Island has the best eating environment among all the famous live seafood spots in Hong Kong. See I was eating at a seaside restaurant below.

November and December has the best weather in Hong Kong - clear sky, sunny but cool - ideal for outing. I've therefore taken a day off and went on an outing along with a seafood lunch with my sister.

The tour started at Pier 4 in Central and took about 30 minutes to arrive at Yung Shu Wan. The scenic leisure walk to Suk Ku Wan is about 90 minutes which is easy for people of all age. I even bought fish snacks and shrimp paste kind of souveniors on the way.

Seaside restaurant at Lamma Island

Mantis Shrimp (HK$160)

You may not believe, only 2 minutes after we picked our seafood, the king-size mantis shrimp was delivered to our table, stir fried with salt and pepper. we could still sense the 'heat of wok'.

Scallop with garlic and jelly noodle (HK$25@)

The steamed scallops looked plain, but delicious though.

Steam Live Fish (HK$160)

There was an argument between the two of us. We both like live seafood. But my sister is far more demanding. She wants 'free range' seafood, i.e. fishes that survive naturally in the sea; and I don't mind fishes being manually raised in tanks. There are difference in price, and of course quality of meat and taste. Well, the one we had was from a tank!

Fried Rice (HK$45)

The seafood we picked didn't fill our stomach, so we decided to have a dish of fried rice. I thought we used to be served free soup, but not this time. Inflation! Free items gone!

Live Seafoods

There were plenty of live seafood for our choice. The shop owner told us whether we do A La Carte or set menu, the seafood supply are the same. While we enjoyed picking our favourite choices, set menu also looked good, especially for those who wanted a better budget control. Take the 2/3 persons set menu below for example, they had steamed prawns and stir fried vegetables on top of what we had, and the price of HK$468 was only $53 more than we paid. I must say it's quite a good deal. No wonder a lot of foreigners like to go for set menus.

Lunch Date: December 2, 2011 (Friday)
Cost: HK$415 (US$53.2), no service charge
Lamma Hilton
Suk Ku Wan, Lamma Island
Tel: 29828290

More information about Lamma Island.

Hong Kong Food Blog - Lamma Island Seafood Outing

Macau Luxury Dinner

I had a day off yesterday and visited Macau. Well I would want to include some Macau food info in this blog. Because people visit Hong Kong always visit Macau together. I’m a frequent Macau visitor, and would want to share with you my dining experience there.

Jardin De Jade had my favourite dish – smoke duck – on their menu at very attractive price - MOP40/half and MOP68/whole – according to some information at the Macau Pier.

First, we were completely happy with the lovely and clean environment along with the friendly waiters.

We had some default appetizers (vegetable, ham and pumpkin) so we can start eating even before ordering.

Jardin De Jade - we had little booth, a semi private dining area.

The Appetizer - Vege, ham, pumpkin - MOP20. Lovely, colorful and well presented. We liked it.

Drunk Chicken - One of our favourites. I had never heard my sister kept saying 'yummy' while eating. In fact, this drunk chicken was extremely pleasing and delicious. We even tried to drink the soup. Very yummy and delicious. (MOP66)

Smoke Duck 樟茶鴨 - it's great that I find a place nearby to eat my favourite smoke duck. I don't need to fly to Beijing for it, at least. But the info from the pier was absolutely out dated. On the menu, it was MOP78/half and MOP108/whole. But the strange thing was that we paid only MOP55 at last for a half duck. We didn't know why we were offered the discount.

Buns to go with the duck. Same as eating Peking duck. Freshly steamed, hot and soft. Extremely comfortable to eat with the duck. And also we were served some sweet and sour sauce.

Abalone Mushroom with Vegetables. As a matter of balance diet, we always order vegetables. They were cooked with chicken broth, tasted very well. (MOP52)
Briased noodle. We always want some rice or noodle to wrap up a meal. This Yangzhou style noodle in soup is light, healthy and yummy. (MOP42)
I liked also the utencils from this restaurant. They are all tailored made. Tea pot, chop sticks, napkins, everything had their trademark on it.
The hotel where the restaurant situated is celecrating its 5th anniversary. I thought this could be the reason we had discount on the signature dish (smoke duck). I took this photo becasue I wanted to turn that $5,000,000 into real cash. Unfortunately I had no luck in this trip and end up losing money.

Dinner date: November 29, 2011
Number of People: 2
Cost: MOP285 (US$35.5), inclusive of 10% service charge
Restaurant name: Jardin De Jade 蘇浙匯
Restaurant address: 6/F, Star World Hotel, Macau
Restaurant telephone: 853-8290-8638

Note: This restaurant has a branch in Hong Kong (at Sun Hung Kai Centre in Wanchai).

Hong Kong Food Blog - Smoke Duck from Macau

Pulut Panggang Recipe (Grilled Glutinous Rice in Banana Leaves)

Pulut panggang literally translate to English as "Grilled Glutinous Rice in Banana Leaves". This kuih is made with pulut rice, grated coconut, dried prawns, coriander and belacan. Delicious Malay kuih wrapped in banana leaves.

Ingredients for Pulut Panggang:

• 1 lb. (500g.) pulut rice (soaked overnight)
• 1 grated coconut (for santan)
• pinch of salt
• cooking oil for brushing
• some banana leaves (dipped into boiling water; cut into 6 inch/15cm. squares) 

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 young grated coconut (use white flesh only)
• 2 Tbs. dried prawns (soaked, drained & pounded)
• 1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder (roasted)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• salt to taste

Pounded:

• 2 buah keras
• 8 small onions
• 2 red chillies (seeded)
• 1/2 in. (1cm.) cube belacan
• 4 Tbs. cooking oil

Method:

1. Drain soaked pulut rice.
2. Add 1 cup water to grated coconut for santan and squeeze out 1 1/2 cups santan.
3. Mix drained pulut rice with santan and salt. Steam till cooked (do not allow it to become too soft).
4. Dry-fry the young grated coconut over low heat till very lightly browned. Pound till fine.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons cooking oil over low heat and fry dried prawns till dry and fragrant. Dish out.
6. Heat another tablespoon cooking oil. Mix coriander powder with pounded ingredients and fry till fragrant. Add fried dried prawns, sugar and salt and mix well.
7. Place a tablespoonful of pulut rice on one edge of a banana leaf, spreading it along the leaf. Put some filling on it and cover with another tablespoonful of pulut rice.
8. Roll up and secure ends with toothpicks. Repeat procedure till all ingredients are used up.
9. Brush with oil and grill, for 20 mins. turning rolls periodically.

Printable Version - Pulut Panggang

How to make Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe for Macaroni and Cheese. Made with cheddar cheese, butter, milk, parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and macaroni.

Ingredients for Macaroni and Cheese:

• ½ cups butter
• ½ cups flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan or Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• cooked macaroni

Method:

1. Make a roux using half cup of butter (a stick) and half a cup of flour.
2. Add 4 cups of heated milk and stir until smooth to complete the white sauce.
3. Add cheese and cayenne pepper.
4. Finally, mix with a pot of cooked pasta.

Alternate Recipe:

• 8 oz (by weight) elbow macaroni
• ½ cups milk
• ¼ cups butter
• ½ cups cheese (of the chef's preference)
• 1 egg
• dash of dried parsley and oregano
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Fill a pot with water, and add Macaroni and salt. Bring to boil stirring occasionally. While waiting to boil, in pot heat milk, and grate cheese into milk. This should create a basic cheese sauce. If too thin, add more grated cheese, if too thick, add more milk.
2. When Macaroni becomes soft (chef's discretion) drain. Melt butter in pot and replace macaroni (without water). Stir until macaroni is completely covered. Add 1 egg, unscrambled. Stir until completely incorporated. Add cheese sauce, and herbs. Stir well, and serve hot.

Printable Version - Macaroni and Cheese

Source - Macaroni and Cheese

Pulut Durian

Dessert recipe for Pulut Durian. Glutinous Rice in Sweet Durian Pudding or Durian with Sticky Rice.

Ingredients for Pulut Durian:

• 1kg glutinous rice
• 500ml coconut milk
• pinch of salt
• 300gm sugar
• 1 durian
• 2 screwpine leaves (or optionally, pandan paste)

Method:

1. Steam the glutinous rice with a pinch of salt until it is cooked.
2. Combine the flesh of durian with coconut milk, sugar, salt and screwpine leaves / pandan paste, and boil them until its sauce thickens.
3. Serve it hot with the rice.

Printable Version - Pulut Durian

Luxury Dinner at Special Price

In Hong Kong, there are many ways of eating good food at reduced price. One way I do it is by taking the special offers from restaurants. I receive a leaflet in my mail box from U Banquet for their special promotions. All my favourite foods are there. So I decided to take my family members there and enjoy an economic luxury dinner.

Chicken Broth with S…k Fin (intended typo)*
HK$368 (US$47)

Wow, a lot of s…k fin! Depends on the type of s…k fin, it could be very expensive. But I paid HK$368 only which is good for four persons.Chicken broth usually required a lot of cooking time in order to become milky white, thick and rich in taste. Essence of the broth is the ingredients. Cantonese restaurants usually serve the ingredients and here is our chicken.

*Notes about my intended typo. It is meant to escape from keyword searches. Everytime I write about s...k fin, I receive complaints from environmental fans. I was forced to remove my last post on the topic. Though I feel deeply sorry for the s...ks, I'm unable to control myself in front of yummy food and low price. My apologies anyway to the s...ks and environmental fans. Here is a good news that s...k fans may want to know: S...k Fin off menu beginning January 2012 - Peninsula Hong Kong.

Cantonese Mutton Hot Pot 羊煲腩HK$98 (US$12.56)

Cantonese mutton hot pot is served on real fire. We really love this in winter days which keeps us warm. Apart from mutton, we have tofu sheets, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, mushrooms and plenty of gingers. And there is a special kind of preserved bean curd sauce. The whole combination is meant to make the mutton less smelly and more delicious.

Spinach with Garlic Cloves in BrothHK$55 (US$7)

As a matter of balance of diet, we must have a dish of vegetable. The beauty of Cantonese cuisine is simple yet delicious. And spinach is extremely healthy, not oily and rich in fiber.

Steam Live Fish - $0 Apart from the special price items, here comes the free items. This fish is not too big, but just good for the four of us. The best thing about it is 'FREE'. The chef mastered timing extremely well, and the fish was JUST cooked. Very fresh and delicious!

Snow Ear Fungus and Red Dates Dessert - $0

The snow ear fungus dessert is a Chinese delicacy cooked with white snow ear fungus (雪耳), lotus seeds (蓮子), dried red dates (紅棗) and rock sugar (冰糖). I love this dessert as it is beneficial for facial beauty because the ingredients used are highly nutritious. It is another free item of the night and of course very yummy.

Chinese Birthday Bun - HK$14@ (US$1.8)

Although we were pretty full, we still wanted to share half a birthday bun. None of us were born in November, but we simply love it. This buns were exceptionally good, not only because it is cheap. It is BIG and steam to order. The most important thing is that it has a very thin cover and lots of stuffing. Many chefs were unable to produce a bun with thin cover and thick stuffing. The stuffing consists of lotus seed paste and egg yolk (similar to that of mooncakes). Very yummy!

Dinner date: November 15, 2011
Cost: HK$668 (US$85.6), included 10% service charge
Restaurant name: U Banquet
Restaurant address: 3/F, 288 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Restaurant telephone: 852-2811-9628

Hong Kong Food Blog - Luxury Dinner

How to Make Green Bean Syrup

Weather is turning cool and dry in Hong Kong. Per Chinese calendar, winter began Tuesday November 8 in 2011. 立冬, one of the 24 weather festives - time to enjoy some hot and sweet desserts. One of the most traditional and easy-to-make Hong Kong Cantonese desserts is Green Bean Syrup. Every dessert shop would have this on their menu, but home made is cheap and you can tailor to your own taste.

Home Made Green Bean Syrup 綠豆沙

Home-Made Old Hong Kong Cantonese Dessert –
Green Been Syrup with Seaweed and Herbs

Ingredients:
• green beans
• seaweeds
• herbs (optional) (臭草*)
• sugar

* The herb itself is very fragrant, but I don’t know why it is called the opposite – bad smell grass.

Directions
1. Soak the green beans for a few hours. Overnight if possible.
2. Soak the seaweeds until soft and cut into slices of your own preferred width.
3. Boil 8 bowls of water.
4. Add green beans, turn heat down after boiling.
5. Let it simmer for 20 minutes. Then turn heat off.
6. Cover for 20 minutes.
7. Add seaweeds and herb.
8. Turn heat on and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Add sugar and then turn heat off.
10. Cover for 20 minutes before serving.

NOTE: The alternation between simmering and covering is important to let the syrup become very silky and smooth.


Bar sugar is usually used in making green bean syrup. But I have some red sugar which has a flavour of ginger. I tried to use it and find that my green bean syrup taste extremely well. Did you notice that my green bean syrup has a tint of red?
Hong Kong Food Blog - Green Bean Syrup Dessert

How to cook Kangkung Belacan

Kangkung, also spelled kangkong belacan is a common dish in Singapore. This dish is easy and simple to make. Kangkung Belacan is a classic Malay recipe stir fried with spices and served hot at dinner!

Ingredients for Kangkung Belacan:

• 300gm Kangkung (Water Spinach)
• Oil
• Salt and msg to taste

Spice Paste:

• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked in hot boiling water until softened, drained
• 3 chilies
• 3 red onions, peeled, sliced
• 2 garlics, peeled, chopped
• 1 teaspoon belacan (Shrimp Paste)

Method:

1. Grind the spice paste ingredients until smooth
2. Put the cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add the spice paste and cook for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.
3. Add in Kangkung, and stir-fry at high heat until well mixed (This should take less than 2 minutes!).
4. Add salt and msg to taste. (Add very little salt to taste as the belacan is already salty)
5. Do not over-cooked! Kangkung tend to softened very fast.
6. Searve hot over steamed rice and bbq fish.

French Toast for Breakfast

French toast is a common breakfast item made by frying a piece of bread soaked in an egg batter. French toast is usually served with toppings similar to those used for pancakes, waffles, and toast.

Ingredients for French Toast:

• 1 egg for every 2 slices of bread
• approximately 1/4 cup (60ml) milk (more for softer, less egg-like French toast; less for firmer, more egg-like toast)
• 2 slices bread (I cut 1" thick slices of French bread)
• butter (best), margarine, or oil

Optional:

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or similar extract
• 1/4 - 1 teaspoon nutmeg, cinnamon or other powdered spice suitable for sweet items
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Makes roughly 2 slices of French toast.

Method:

1. In a bowl mix eggs and milk, and optional ingredients as desired.
2. Heat up a frying pan, skillet or griddle to a medium-low temperature.
3. Use butter, margarine, or cooking spray on the pan.
4. Soak a slice of bread in the egg-milk mixture and place on pan; repeat until pan is full.
5. Brown both sides of the French toast.
6. Serve on plates, usually two slices per person, with toppings as desired.

Tips:

• The goal is to get both sides of the French toast nicely browned, while making sure the center is cooked. Using excessive heat could scorch the outside of the toast while leaving the inside undercooked.
• Also, unless you are making French toast for dozens of people, it is easier to make sure that each slice of bread is evenly soaked in the egg and milk mixture if you make it up in small batches, one egg and 1/4 cup of milk and two slices at a time in one bowl. Then soak the two slices until almost all of the mixture has been absorbed. If your bowl is small, place the two slices on top of each other, then keep switching their position and flipping them (so that all four faces will be down into the mixture) until the mixture is absorbed.
• The cooking process is too short to use most raw spices, but some fresh herbs might be very tasty.

Don't forget to print this recipe

Cafe Too Tea Buffet

It seems tea buffet at Cafe Too had a price increase. But I have re-gained my confidence of eating at Island Shangri-La. Unlike the terrible experience at Waterside Terrace the other time, Cafe Too is much closer to 5-star.

Tea buffet is relatively inexpensive, though my boss said we may be eating the left overs from lunch buffet. Anyway, what I enjoy is keep eating. I still have one cash coupon, so I paid very little for a very nice tea buffet.

My table was nearby the Indian corner, and I had fun watching the chef making naan breads. See video below. Kind of playing magic!

OK, here is my naan bread. Does it look nice?
To go with the naan bread, there are spicy fish sauce, sweet mango sauce and couple other sauces. And of course we enjoyed the chicken and vegetable curry. Though we were busy eating with fingers, it was fun playing around with the naan bread.
Spicy fish sauce and sweet mango sauce
The noodle booth is also next to my table. I also enjoy watching the chef taking orders and producing a bowl of hot and delicous noodle in just minutes or even seconds.

Here is my cooked-to-order Minced Meat Noodle with Black Fungi. A little bit sour but yummy.
The other ingredients available are vegetables and meats.
Guests just placed an a la carte order, and the bowl of noodle will be ready very soon. Of course there are various kind of sauces for guests to add on.
Dessert lovers should find their favourites here. Ice creams of various flavour, tarts and cakes, fresh fruits, instantly made pancakes...Thai sytle pomelo salad, mango and sticky rice in coconut sauce, Japanese shushi and sashimi...The Chinese corner is relatively less attractive with some finger foods, fish and chip, and some dim sum.
Finally, I really enjoy making the Malaysian Kacang madly with the plenty of ingredients provided. The one I have here contains laichee, mango, pineapple, coconut meat, grass jelly, red beans, milk and coconut juice. Unfortunately the service lady was busy and didn't provide me with ice. Well I'm still very happy with it.
To wrap my my tea buffet with a cup of cappuccino, I was extremely full and had to go to the nearby Hong Kong Park to walk off some food.

Cafe Too
7/F Island Shangri-La
Tea Buffet only available on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays, 3.30-5.30pm
HK$268 (US$34.4) + 10% service fee for each person

Hong Kong Food Blog - Tea Buffet at Cafe Too

How to make Vegan Pancakes

Vegan recipe ideas for family. Simple and delicious. This Pancake recipe is vegan; it contains no animal products of any kind.

Ingredients for Pancakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup soy milk
• vegetable oil

Method:

1. Mix all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
2. Mix soy milk into the dry ingredients.
3. Heat a griddle until water sprinkled on it quickly evaporates. Spread a thin film of oil on the griddle.
4. Pour pancake batter on griddle to form 4- to 5-inch circles. Bubbles should start forming.
5. When the underside is light brown, flip the pancake.
6. When the other side is light brown, serve.

Variations:

• Banana pancakes: add one well mashed banana to the batter.
• Chocolate pancakes: add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the batter.
• Walnut pancakes: add 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts to the batter.
• Cranberry pancakes: add 1/2 cup dried cranberries to the batter.

Any of the above ingredients can be mixed together.

Notes:

• Don't over mix! Over mixing will produce gluten; this will inhibit rising and make the pancakes rubbery.
• Optionally, you can serve your pancakes with syrup or jam.
• Substituting rice milk for soy milk may make the pancakes fall apart more easily.

Don't forget to print this recipe

Image Credit: kalavinka

How to make Mozzarella Sticks

Quick and easy appetizer recipe. Mozzarella Sticks (top) and Mozzarella bites (right). Coated in a simple batter and quickly deep fried to golden perfection. Good to go with marinara sauce! View or print recipe here.


Image credit: Montauk Beach, Jessica Nunemaker

How to make Tartar Sauce

Tartar sauce is a popular accompaniment to fish contains a number of vegetables and herbs, which are blended together with mayonnaise and then refrigerated. Transform your mayonnaise into a delicious tartar sauce.

Ingredients for Tartar Sauce:

• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp of sweet pickle or dill relish
• 1 tbsp of minced onion
• salt and pepper to season

Method:

1. Combine the mayonnaise, relish and minced onion in a small mixing bowl, stirring thoroughly to mix the flavours well.
2. Add the lemon juice.
3. Season with the salt and pepper and stir well.
4. Cover the bowl with cling film and place Tartar Sauce in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.
5. Serve Tartar Sauce with deep-fried fish, seafood or fish cakes.

Don't forget to print this recipe

Photo Credit: krtrumpet

How to make Marinara Sauce

Making marinara sauce from scratch? Marinara (mariner's) sauce is a southern Italian tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs (such as basil), and onion. Italians refer to marinara only in association with other recipes. For instance, spaghetti alla marinara literally translates to mariner's spaghetti. However, tomato sauce alone in Italy is called salsa al pomodoro or pummarola.

Ingredients for Marinara Sauce:

• 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 225 grams (8 ounces) Spanish onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or one half teaspoon dried)
• 4 teaspoons fresh basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 85 grams (3 ounces) red bell pepper, diced
• 1.3 kilograms (1 pound and 14 ounces) skinless plum tomato, crushed by hand
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan until it shimmers.
2. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat for about 2 minutes until onions are translucent.
3. Add the thyme, basil and bell pepper.
4. Cook five minutes more.
5. Add the tomatoes and sugar.
6. Bring to a boil and then lower to a light simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt to taste.
8. Serve hot by ladling over pasta, seafood or rice.

Don't forget to print this recipe

The above recipe is based on the one by world-renowned chef Mario Batali
Credit: Cookbook

How to make Spaghetti Bolognese meat sauce

This Halal version of Bolognese meat sauce  recipe is great for making in large quantities and freezing. You can make up to 20 times the recipe and frozen in four-cup (1 litre) servings for your family to enjoy the pasta sauce over and over without having to start from scratch each time. If making bulk recipes, be sure to simmer for hours, or even a full day, occasionally stirring up from the bottom of the large pot to ensure the contents at the bottom does not burn, adding stock as needed to keep the right consistency. The goal is to have the flavours mix and make the home smell delicious!

Ingredients for Bolognese meat sauce:

• ¼ lb (125 g) turkey ham or bacon, cut into cubes
• 1 lb. (450 g) beef lean or medium ground
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (225 ml) coarsely chopped onion
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped celery
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup (50 ml) coarsely chopped fennel bulb, if available
• ¼ cup (50 ml) butter
• 1 cup (225 ml) canned plum tomato
• ½ cup (125 ml) grape juice (substitution for red wine)
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock (preferably fresh, but canned beef stock will do)
• ¼ cup (50 ml) tomato paste
• 1 strip of lemon rind
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. (450 g) spaghetti pasta
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese for garnish, preferably freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix the coarsely chopped onion, carrot, celery and fennel (optional) together and finely chop them (this is called a battuto in Italian, or a finely chopped mixture of vegetables and herbs to flavour a dish)
2. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the battuto
3. Cook, stirring occasionally until very lightly browned
4. Add this mixture to a heavy pot
5. Heat the olive oil in the skillet the battuto was browned in and when the oil is hot, add the beef and stir to break up lumps, cooking until well browned
6. Add to the battuto in the pot
7. Add the grape juice to the skillet the beef was in and stir on high heat, scraping any brown bits stuck to the pan
8. Add the tomato paste and stock and stir until well mixed and add this mixture to the pot
9. Drain and coarsely chop the plum tomatoes and add them to the pot
10. Add the bay leaf and lemon rind
11. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, with bubbles barely breaking the surface
12. Simmer, stirring occasionally for an hour (or more), until thick
13. Add pepper to taste, and salt if necessary to taste

Pasta Spaghetti:

1. When the sauce is ready, bring a gallon (4 litres) of water to a full boil over high heat in a large potAdd the pasta, give it a brisk stir to ensure it is all covered by water and not clumped together. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until al dente (firm but not hard, there should still be a bit of 'bite' when chewing pasta, rather than soggy and mushy)
2. Drain the pasta well and serve immediately
3. Remove the bay leaf and lemon rind, then spoon the Bolognese sauce over the pasta and have guests garnish with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Don't forget to Print this Recipe

Credit: Cookbook

How to make Pesto

Pesto is a sauce that can be used as a sauce for pasta or meat, or can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. One classic use is to spread the pesto onto slices of bread which are then toasted. The word "pesto" derives from the Italian for pestle, pestello. This recipe substitutes Romano cheese for the usual Parmesan.

Ingredients for Pesto:

• 4 oz (100g) fresh basil
• Approx. 8 oz (200g) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or a 1:1 mixture.
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 cloves garlic
• Freshly ground salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C). If using, Toast the pine nuts in an ovenproof pan for 10–15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to prevent excessive browning or burning. In a small frying pan (skillet), heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil on medium heat. Crush the garlic and sauté in the oil until soft, about 2–3 minutes. Combine the basil, garlic, cheese, pine nuts and oil in a mortar and pestle until it forms a smooth paste, or use a food processor or blender and chop finely, slowly adding the oil to reach the paste-like consistency.
2. The Pesto sauce can be used immediately, covered with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerated in an airtight container for one week, or frozen for several months. The cheese can be omitted to allow longer storage, as it is the most likely ingredient to spoil. Grated cheese can then be added before use.
3. It's possible to store it in jars for longer, but it's advisable to add a little extra olive oil on top of the filled jar, otherwise the top of your pesto will turn brown as it oxidizes in the air.

Notes, tips and variations

• Traditionally, a mortar and pestle is used to make the sauce. The crushing action of the mortar and pestle produces a more intense flavour than the chopping action of a food processor. If using a food processor you can simulate the additional flavor given by the mortar and pestle method by placing the basil leaves in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rubber mallet or rolling pin prior to use.
• Good quality Parmesan cheese may replace the Pecorino for a milder taste. Crumbled feta cheese also works well for a different taste.
• A common change to the recipe is to replace some or all of the pine nuts with sunflower seeds, walnuts, pistachios or almonds. This significantly reduces the cost of the sauce. Besides being cheaper, it is also necessary for people with nut allergies.
• For a creamy sauce, take two tablespoons of the pesto in a pan and heat on medium-low. Add one cup light cream and bring to a simmer. Use for pasta. Serves two.
• The pine nuts can be replaced with an equal quantity of sun-dried tomatoes.
• You may change the taste by changing the base of the pesto from basil to other easily obtained herbs/vegetables. Some variations include using cilantro (coriander, for a more aromatic taste) or spinach (more "bang for your buck", as spinach is much cheaper than basil, yet still has its own distinct flavor).
• Try to mix up the standard basil/garlic combo by introducing shallots (sweet onions) into the mix, as it adds a slightly sweet taste to the paste.
• Mix fresh chives, marjoram and thyme with the basil to produce something akin to Valdostano-style pesto.
• Another variant replaces the basil with equal parts of leaf parsley and spring onions. Arugula may also be substituted for basil with surprising, spicy results.
• For another variation of a creamy sauce, add cream cheese to the recipe.
• A vegan variation can be made by mixing walnuts, fresh basil, olive oil and small amounts (such as a table spoon per cup) of white miso paste.

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