Simple meal

Spaghetti with alfredo sauce top with marinated drumstick

First Try

Paella , a Spanish dish...It kinds of risotto of the Italian. I cooked this dish with luncheon meat and peas and you can said I added a Chinese twist to it.Paella mostly cooked with seafoods. Overall the cooking style is almost the same with risotto and it is up to you on what ingredients

to add in.

Chicken Dish......

This dish is pan fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes drizzle with mustard infused pan sauce

Home made cappuccino and espresso

Salmon Dish

A leftover salmon in a fridge, potatoes in the storage.....it means lunch. Salmon leftover will not be fresh so herbs oregano will spice it up, salt and pepper to taste. Pan fried is the easiest way to go. Sauce I used balsamic vinegar reduction with added stock for taste.(suppose butter sauce is better taste and presentation but well A filling lunch :)

Craving

This morning I craved for meat I means huge craving. This is my lunch I cooked steaks and potatoes with gravy.

My Lunch and My new toy

Last weekend I bought a new toy : Krups Expresso Machine..it was so fun o play with it.Making own latte, expresso and cappucino. The machine does look it tad bit complicated but it just wih a few turns here and there you can save some money buying coffee from the cafe and it may taste better to as you can make coffee that suits your own taste.The pictures above shows the machine and the cappucino i make my own.

Last picture is the lunch I make consisted of pan fried dory fillets with spinach and onions.Sprinkled with parmesan cheese do make the dish taste deeper as dory fish itself taste sweet but other then that dory fish really lacks the deeper undertaste to make it stands out from other finned relatives. Overall a filling lunch I should said

Missing in action

Hi ,its been so long I havent updated this blog but mind you I havent stop cooking...it is part of me bored and part of me having a photography withdrawing syndrome. But after this while my spirit rekindles and plus my affection for coffee have increased when i starting cooking so you will getting some extra info on coffee aparts from food in this blog.Keeps in touch everyone

Pasta Lunch

Just back from Langkawi holiday, totally worth the trip in my opinion. Starting working today, so I make a simple lunch from my normal staple ; spaghetti. I cooked with mushrooms, quails meat, chicken stock, basil. Very simple dish to make, once spaghetti cooked until al dente, simmer it with chicken stock with quails meat and mushrooms, add basil, salt and pepper for seasoning.Reduced stock to concentrate the taste and serve.You can replaced mushroom and quails meat with anything you like for example mussels, clams, prawns and chicken as to be said anything you like.

Fried Chicken Attempt

This morning I used some leftover chicken breast and cut into cubes to fry.I used just flour, eggs, salt and pepper to cook this dish. Very simple. Once done I used chopped parsley as garnish and used mustard and garlic chillies as dipping sauce for the fried chicken.Thinking of making caramelized onions as side dish but I am too lazy :)

My New Little Project

The Menu :

Starter & Entree :
Salmon carpaccio
Salad with vinaigrette dressing
Poached egg in butter sauce
Sauteed scallops in vinaigrette
Pan fried scallops with balsamic vinegar reduction
Sauteed prawns in garlic butter serve with goat cheese and bread
Gazpacho (chilled soup)
Asparagus soup
Mushroom soup
Broccoli soup
Cauliflower soup
Risotto

First course and Second Course :
Quails Stew
Pan fried Quails with red wine vinaigrette reduction
Lamb steak with pan sauce
Sirlion steak with mashed potato,salads and grilled tomatoes
Roast beef with sauteed vegetables
Porkchop
Pan fried salmon in butter sauce
Cod fillet with mustard infused butter sauce
Pan fried cod fillet with scallop in white wine reduction
Seafood Spaghetti
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Roasted Chicken breast with stuffings

Dessert :
Fried mozarella
Creme Brulee
Assorted cheese platter
Panna cotta

This rough menu will be my pet project starting on end of April, I will cook all this dishes on the menu and post in this blog.In process I will refined and rewrite this menu and each time I cooked the dish I will cross it off.Meantime this blog will have little update but I will occasionally post some food pic as well.

Salmon in Season again....

I cooked salmon for lunch since my wife worked in the weekend. Salmon fillets were pan fried and spinach was sauteed with garlic. Once done, balsamic vinegar was added at the side.

Quail Dish Again....

Nowadays I into spinachs, I love the texture and the taste of it.This side dish i cooked with onions.Quail was pan fried after it was marinated with thyms,olive oil, salt and pepper.

Tartar sauce ingredients are mayonaisse,mustard,shallot,lemon juice,parsley finely chopped, salt and pepper and as well relish optional.

Spinach and bacon risotto

Yesterday i cooked risotto for the 2nd time only, this time i use spinach and bacon to make this dish and i know we should use parmesan but i use mozarella instead.Mozarella taste a bit more salty than parmesan but it do well to subsitute parmesan.Cheers...

From my wifey.........

I know this isnt related with my blog but this one I received from my wife. Tag from my queen so I need to do this.

Rules:The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.Each player answers the questions about themselves.At the end of the post the player then tag people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leave a comment, letting them know they got tagged.Are you ready? Here we go...

Starting time : 3.46pm

Name : Ethan

Sister : None

Brothers : 4 younger bros

Shoe size : 5 or 6

Height : 165cm

Where do I live : Kuala Lumpur

Home sweet home: same as above

Favourite drinks: Coffee and soya bean

Favourite breakfast: Nasi lemak

Have you ever...
Been on a plane: Yes

Swam in the ocean:Yes

Fallen asleep in school: Yes during accounting class

Broken someone's heart: Yes

Fell off your chair: No

Sat by the phone all night waiting for someone to call: Yes

Saved e-mails: Yes my wifey emails

What is your room like: Comfy and nice

What's right beside you:Coffee and mp3 player

What is the last thing you ate: Yee mee in chicken herbal soup

Ever had...
Chicken pox: Yes

Sore throat:Yes

Stitches:Yes scar from dog attack

Do you...Believe in love at first sight:No

Like picnics:Yes

Who was the last person You danced with:My wife

Last made you smile:Jamie my son

You last yelled at:Jamie as well

Best feeling in the world:Seeing my wife and son laughing and smiling

Do you sleep with stuffed animals: No

What's under your bed:Dust

Who do you really hate:Litterbugs and stupid person

RANDOM

Q: Is there a person who is on your mind right now: My wife & Jamie

Q: Do you want children: A daughter

Q: Do you smile often:Yes

Q: Do you like your hand-writing:Never think about it

Q: Are your toenails painted:Of course no

Q: Whose bed other than yours would you rather sleep in:Jamie bed or my bros beds

Q: What colour shirt are you wearing: Grey

Q: What were you doing at 7:00pm yesterday:Working

Q: I can't wait till:Job of my dream

Q: When did you cry last: Cannot remember

Q: Are you a friendly person: Yes

Q: Do you have any pets: No

Do you sleep with the TV on? Sometimes

What are you doing right now?Filling this survey question

Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes

Can you handle the truth? Sometimes

Are you too forgiving? Yes

Are you closer to your mother or father? My mum

Who was the last person you cried in front of?Cannot remember

How many people can you say you've really loved?My wife, my son and my family

Do you eat healthy?Not at all

Do you still have pictures of you & your ex?No

Have you ever cried because of something someone said to you? Yes

If you're having a bad day, who are you most likely to go to?No one

Are you loud or quiet most of the time?Depends with whom I with

Are you confident?Yes

5 things I was doing 10 years ago...
1.Study in college
2.Working
3.Travelling
4.Reading
5.Shopping

5 things on my to-do list today...
Done

5 snacks I enjoy...No

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire...
1.Buy house
2.Travel around the world
3.Open restaurants and bars or cafe
4.Buy things for my family
5.Buy my dream car Maserati

5 places I have lived in...
I live in KL until present since I borned.

5 jobs I've had...
Promoter.
Shop supervisor
Customer service
Phone system technician
Business Development Executive

At last Im done.......

Lunch Today

This past few days i didnt cook anything since my wife made nice home cooked dinner.Today i made dory fillet for lunch today with spinach and asparagus as side dish

Big Breakfast

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Pan Sauce

Last afternoon I use leftover chicken breast and vegetables to make this dish.......is a bit of a rush so i make pan sauce rather than other sauce that required more attention.So here it is...

Menu

Most probable menu I will prepare :

Starter & Entree :
Salmon carpaccio
Salad with vinaigrette dressing
Poached egg in butter sauce
Sauteed scallops in vinaigrette
Pan fried scallops with balsamic vinegar reduction
Sauteed prawns in garlic butter serve with goat cheese and bread
Gazpacho (chilled soup)
Asparagus soup
Mushroom soup
Broccoli soup
Cauliflower soup
Risotto

First course and Second Course :
Quails Stew
Pan fried Quails with red wine vinaigrette reduction
Lamb steak with pan sauce
Sirlion steak with mashed potato,salads and grilled tomatoes
Roast beef with sauteed vegetables
Porkchop
Pan fried salmon in butter sauce
Cod fillet with mustard infused butter sauce
Pan fried cod fillet with scallop in white wine reduction
Seafood Spaghetti
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Roasted Chicken breast with stuffings

Dessert :
Fried mozarella
Creme Brulee
Assorted cheese platter
Panna cotta

What would you like ?

Lamb with Pan Sauce

All I can said this dish was a failure, sauce is good but the texture of the lamb ruined it(old goat)....blast.

The younger the lamb is, the smaller the lamb will be, however, the meat will be more tender. Sheep mutton is meat from a sheep over two years old, and has a less tender flesh. In general, the darker the colour, the older the animal. Baby lamb meat will be pale pink, while regular lamb is pinkish-red.

My attempt

My attempt on presenting the foods with better outlook....need to try again :)

Beef Parts

UPPER HALF

Chuck - Most common source for hamburger
Rib - Short ribs, rib eye steak
Short loin - From which strip steaks are cut
Sirlion - less tender than short loin but more flavorful
*Tenderloin - Most tender from whick filet mignon is served
*Top sirlion
*Bottom Sirlion
Round - Lean cut,moderately tough.Lack of fat and marbling does not allow round steak to tenderize

LOWER HALF

Brisket - Often associated with barbecue beef brisket
Shank - Used primarily for stews and soups; it is not usually served in any other way due to it being the toughest of the cuts.
Plate - Produces short ribs for pot roasting and types of steak such as the outside skirt steak for say fajitas and hanger steak. It is typically cheap, tough and fatty meat
Flank - Used mostly for grinding, except for the long and flat flank steak, best known for use in London broil. Once one of the most affordable steaks on the market, it is substantially tougher than the loin and rib steaks, therefore many flank recipes use marinades or moist cooking methods such as braising. Popularity and leanness have resulted in increased price

Lunchies

Journey

Its been a while when i started my interest in culinary cooking...a lots have been learned and a lot of guinea pigs have been used..hehe. Its about time to take on a more complex recipes like duck confit, ratatouile etc and i will be more attentive to the presentation of the dish as well. Thanks to my muse my wife...she the one that make me strive for perfection and to do better.
Look for more great food ahead..

Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Michael "Tony" Bourdain (born June 25, 1956) is an American author and chef. He is well known for his 2000 book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and is the host of Travel Channel's culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
A 1978 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a 28-year veteran of professional kitchens,[1] Bourdain is currently a "Chef-at-Large" whose home base is Brasserie Les Halles,[2] where he was executive chef for many years.

Bourdain was born in New York City but grew up in Leonia, New Jersey. Bourdain has French ancestry on his father's side; his paternal grandfather immigrated to New York from France following World War I.[3] Bourdain attended Vassar College, and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978. Currently, Bourdain is honorary Chef-at-Large of Brasserie Les Halles, where he held the title of executive chef for nearly a decade. When he is not traveling, Bourdain lives in Manhattan.
Bourdain married his highschool girlfriend, Nancy Putkoski, in the 1980s, and they remained together for two decades before divorcing; Bourdain has cited the irrevocable changes that come from traveling widely as the cause of the split.[4] He currently lives with his second wife, Ottavia Busia. Together, they have one daughter, Ariane, born on April 9, 2007; the couple were wed on April 20, 2007.[5]

In Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain describes how his love of food was kindled in France—when he tried his first oyster on an oyster fisherman's boat as a youth while on a family vacation. Later, while attending Vassar College, he worked in the seafood restaurants of Provincetown, Massachusetts, which sparked his decision to pursue cooking as a career. Bourdain graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978, and went on to run various restaurant kitchens in New York City—including the Supper Club, One Fifth Avenue, and Sullivan's—culminating in the position of executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles beginning in 1998. Brasserie Les Halles is based in Manhattan, with additional locations in Miami and, at the time of Bourdain's tenure, Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, Japan.

Chicken with greens

An attempt of new presentation..........need to try again :)

Ingredients and Tools

Pictures above show the tools and ingredients i mostly use when I cook.

I have 3 knifes as shown above : From top paring knife, normal chef knife and a santoku knife.Noted the different between the chef knife and santoku is the tip of the blade. Santoku knife is actually modified from a chef knife by the Japanese to adapt to their cooking styles. Santoku blade design allow a more accurate and acute cutting especially fish.

Second picture : Top left to right - White wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar.

Bottom left to right - chives, oregano, basil, rosemary, parlsey, thyme, dill and black pepper.I bought dried herbs for easier storage and it can last longer. Dried herbs flavor is so inferior to fresh one so last week i bought a pot of fresh basil and parsley to grow by myself. Hope they will grow well at my backyard.

Fried Pork Chop

After a weekend getaway in Genting, Im back to ground level. My fridge have been refilled and my culinary odyssey resume. This afternoon I made fried pork chop dish.

Ingredients I use : Flour, eggs, bread crumbs and pork chop of course.

Methods :

Heat up the oil preferably use peanut oil for the flavor. Beat up the egg for eggwash the chop.Flour on one bowl and bread crumbs on one bowl. I add rosemary into the bread crumbs for flavor as well. First dip the chops on the flour, after that eggwash the chops to bind the flour.Once done, dip into the bread crumbs and fully cover the chops. Shake off any excessive crumbs and put aside.When the oil heat up, put the chops in to fry until golden brown.Once done put aside to serve.You can use tomato sauce or chilli sauce to dip or whatever dip you prefer.

Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller (middle)

Thomas Keller (born October 14, 1955) is an American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook writer. He and his landmark restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley, have won multiple awards from the James Beard Foundation, notably the Best California Chef in 1996 and the Best Chef in America in 1997, and the restaurant is a perennial winner or top 4 finisher in the annual Restaurant Magazine list of the Top 50 Restaurants of the World. In 2005, he was awarded the highest, three star rating in the inaugural Michelin Guide for New York for his restaurant per se, and in 2006, he was awarded three stars in the inaugural Michelin Guide to the Bay Area for his restaurant The French Laundry, making him one of only two chefs in the world with two simultaneous three-star restaurants.

Salmon

This is the lunch I made yesterday : Pan fried salmon fillet in butter sauce

Quails Stew

This is a lunch I made today. Actually stew is a very simple dish to do. All you need are vegetables. I used celery,red pepper, carrots and tomatoes,mushrooms,bacons, quails, bouquet garni : bay leaf,thyme and parsley.I used bacons as well for the smokiness. First heat up olive oil in a pan and pan fried the quails.It doesnt need to be cooked thoroughly as we will put it in the stew to cook. Once browned,put the quails aside. Second part of the procedure is sauted the vegetables. Once down,pour in the chicken stock to cover the vegetables,put in the bouquet garni(add in white wine as well if desired). Add salt and pepper to taste.Once done, put in the quails to cook.Simmer for about 20-40 mins and serve.