Prawncrackers
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Posts posted by Prawncrackers
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Hmm, i love tuna tataki. Are those pan-fried potatoes with that fish, Shaya? If so, that is very posh fish & chips indeed!
This evening, we had duck leg confit, crushed potato, watercress and mushy peas:
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Now there's a sig line! Someone grab it right now.
Yoink, that one is definately mine!! Yay, i've got a signature line now. Thanks Maggiethecat, feels like i've joined the Forum anew again
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...Did you eat the crab and then photograph it on it's return journey?
I bet your wife was wishing the onions on the side we more than mere paintings!
Hee hee, the hot brown meat from a freshly boiled crab is my own personal treat!! I admit it looks like a burst colostomy bag but omigod does it taste good...
My wife runs a mile from this! Made some nice crab croquettes with the white meat for her and some guests later
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I think that banger looks quite appetising Henry dV, i would be very happy with that if i found it on my plate!
Here's my cook's treat from the weekend; hot crab back fat. My idea of food heaven, however my wife reckons i've wrung out a few used nappies/diapers. Looking at it again now, i can see what she means...
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Prawncrakers: What a spread! Potatoes w/ sausage and cheese, yum!
I knew the Spanish wouldn't fool anyone!!
Chufi, those gnocchi look really nice. I imagine them to be really delicate, light and melt in the mouth. I imagine because I'm ashamed to say that i've never tried gnocchi. It's one of those dishes that's never appealed to me on an Italian restaurant's menu. Is it difficult to make? Should i try it first in a restuarant before attempting it to get a feel for them??
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Huh? There's an anti-dinner thread! Excellent, i've had a few disasters in the kitchen recently but haven't been bothered to photo them (mostly dough related)!!
Think i'll read the whole of this thread for laughs first though
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Today i did a Spanish Dim-sum style meal (ok Tapas if you insist!
) . Clockwise from top right; Crab Croquettas with Saffron Aioli, Pulpo (fairground Octopus), Patatas y Choricitos con Queso, Deep-Fried Sprats with Celeriac Remoulade. Olives, anchovies and a batch of homemade sourdough to go with the lovely Arberquina olive oil (yum!). Enjoy...
Sorry no close-ups today, didn't want our guests to think i was more obsessive than they think i am already! They think i'm weird enough anyway eating this with chopsticks (bottom)...
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Whoops, my sincerest apologies for that milady. A CHOY!!
Cookwithlove, unfortunately i had both hands full so i couldn't take any photos of the wrapping process. I made quite a few this time round so it may be a few weeks before make another batch. Will make sure to take some photos next time and resurrect this thread. Hopefully you'll still be interested?
Dejah, love those links.
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I told my mother we should wrap them like this 'cause it's easier. She told me that I wanted wrapped like this because I wanted bigger dumplings--true. LOL.
Ya, your mother's dead right there!! It's probably the main reason i stopped making the pyramid shaped ones
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Do you remove the silver skin and fat when prepping a rack of lamb? I've had trouble getting it off without taking some meat with it. TIA.
I've just cooked a rack of lamb this evening (see the 'Dinner' thread)!! Personally i like to leave a thin even layer of fat on the lamb as it helps with the flavour. Also if you are making a crust, scoring the fat helps to stick it on. You do have to trim any silver skin off though as it will go gristly. The key to removing silver skin on any meat - sharp knife.
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Left work half an hour earlier today and found time to cook Peppered Rack of Lamb, Herb Crusted Sweetbreads, Asparagus, Crushed Jersey Mids & Red Wine Reduction. My wife was very pleased when she came home...
Not my usual mid-week fare, honest!!
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It is interesting that you combined the ingredients of Lor Mei Fan and the wrapping and presentation of Joong. Did you boil your creation in water? For how long?
Did you use only 2 bamboo leaves for 1 Lor Mei Fan/Joong? They must be very wide. I have not seen a wrapping done like yours: first along the length then wrapped across.
You're right they are like a Joong/Lo Mei Fan hybrid!! Though I would never boil them as i suspect the flavour would be lost. Instead, from frozen they take 20-25 mins to steam. When i'm feeling lazy they are the perfect size for a meal with some veggie accompaniments, or just as a mid-day snack. In fact, they seem to go walking when my wife's around - i'm sure she gives them away to her work colleagues!
I usually use 3 leaves for 1 'pillow', but if they are big leaves you can get away with using 2. I'm pretty sure my mum and i aren't alone in wrapping them this way as i've seen other old timer 'Hak Gar' folk do it this way.
I would make regular savoury joong but i never seem to have any leftover roast pork/duck around - surprise
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As i had some spare time yesterday, i decided to make up a batch of Lo Mei Fan to store in the freezer. This is what i would call a ready meal!!
When wrapping them up in the usual way taught by my mum, i realised that the way i was wrapping them wasn't in any recipe i'd ever seen for Lo Mei fan (or Joong). I wrap them with two horizontal bamboo leaves first then roll a third one to around it all to form a pillow shape. In every recipe i've ever come across, it's just two leaves folded to make a pyramid shape. I suppose the pyramid shape it better to eat as street food but the pillow shape is more substantial.
My family is originally from Hong Kong, is the way i'm doing it a regional variation? If so, what other variations are out there. I'm always keen to learn new techniques, anybody have any other ways of wrapping theirs?
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K8memphis, i can't believe you've photographed your lunacy!
Please, i hope no one else dices anything in their hands!!
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This morning, it was a simple baked craster kipper with an egg...
I'm definately a savoury man when it comes to breakfast.
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Does bone-in rib count as steak? Because that's my favourite way of doing it, simply pan-fried. The following was served on dressed watercress with Maris Piper potato chips fried in duck fat (yum!!).
If there's no bone-in rib available, then just rib-eye will do. I'm very lucky to have a reliable source of fine Aberdeen Angus, Hereford and Welsh Black beef. The following is a pic of the great marbling of the Angus rib-eyes...
Basically, rib is king when it comes to steak!!
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[That looks beautiful. Do you mind describing how you cooked your duck (so to speak)?
Of course i don't mind! I don't know where I got the original idea from but I’ve adapted this dish over a few years now and am happy that it's finally presentable!!
Firstly take two duck breasts and score the fat. I've only ever used English Gressingham duck breasts for this dish as they are much meatier than the Chinese ones. (Though I wouldn't recommend trying to roast Gressingham duck Cantonese style - far too fatty!). I digress already..., take two tbl of Sichuan pepper, two cloves, one quarter of star anise and heat in a dry pan till the pepper starts to pop. Remove the spices from the pan and grind them to a fine powder, discard any hard bits of clove or anise that is left. Mix the spices with a tbl of coarse sea salt and rub all over the duck breasts. Leave to cure overnight on some kitchen paper to soak up the juices.
Next day, take your duck breasts and wipe off as much of the cure as possible, though leave some of the spice in between the scores of the skin. The first complaint I had from my wife/guinea-pig was that it was too salty, so be careful with the salt and wipe as much off from the flesh side. Now it's time to prepare your wok-smoker.
Line your wok with at least two layers of foil (I’m assuming you are using a wok as I’ve never used a dedicated smoker), ensure you have a tight fitting lid and a rack for the meat that will fit inside comfortably. Mix together half a cup each of tea leaves & rice and a quarter cup of sugar and scatter evenly onto the bottom of your wok. What kind of tea leaves you are asking? To keep the Chinese theme, I originally started with Lapsang Soushong as I thought the already smoky flavour would enhance this dish. However, I found that this was far too strong. I now use ordinary English loose tea (PG Tips to be exact - but you can use any old Assam blend I suppose or experiment with flavoured tea). Always, the temptation with smoking is to get as much smoky flavour into the meat as possible but in this dish subtlety is the key. The rice gives the smoke a nutty edge but also acts to regulate the heat in the tea and sugar and prevents them from burning too quickly, nothing worse than the acrid smoke from burnt sugar. Start your wok up on a medium heat and put the lid on. Check, when the mixture starts to smoke gently then turn the heat down, place your duck breasts skin side down so the smoke permeates into the fat first. I smoke the skin side for ten minutes then flip it over to smoke to flesh side for a further five minutes.
When the smoking is done your breasts should be light golden colour. They should still be raw though as this is only a gentle smoking (half way between cold and hot smoking). Set the duck aside, discard all the smoking paraphernalia inside you wok and put it back onto a medium heat. No additional oil is required; fry your duck breasts skin-side down over a medium heat for about 6 minutes till the skin is crispy. Tip off the excess fat then fry the flesh side for further two minutes, then leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes or so… (In this resting time, I did some plain egg fried rice…) rare meat is anathema to most Chinese but this method gives a wonderful moist even pinkness to the meat with no hint of rawness.
Blimey, I’ve just realised how much I’ve written! Though I’m not that surprised as this is a truly wonderful dish with some amazing flavours. I’ve been toying with the idea of sauce but can’t think how one could enhance this dish. A sauce would confuse the balance of the sweet, savoury, spicy flavours and spoil the crispiness of the skin.
Please try this recipe out and let me know what you think. The flavours are pure Chinese but the techniques are a fusion of east and west. It’s really quite straightforward, in fact, it’s a one pot-dish!!
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Tea-smoked Duck Breast with Fried Rice. Hadn't done this wonderful dish in a while.
Cured in Sichaun Pepper, Clove, Star Anise & Sea Salt overnight. Gently smoked over tea, rice and sugar then pan-fried. The balance of the flavours was just right tonight, my best yet! Enjoy....
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Tonight it was Tea-smoked Duck Breast with Egg-Fried Rice. Deliciously complex flavours make this dish a winner. Have had several goes at this, tonights' was the best yet!! Enjoy....
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Yay, it's the weekend again. This year's asparagus has come in a couple of weeks early and i was lucky enough to get some that have been picked this morning. Simply roasted they were absolutely delicious, I did roast rib of beef and lots of bernaise with them... enjoy!
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Tonight, Pan-fried Sea Bass and Prawns with Red Cabbage and Butternut Squash...
Why is red cabbage called red cabbage when it's bluey-purple?! Dunno, but it's a good combination with the squash (wasn't so great with the fish though!!)
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Today, i did slow roasted rolled belly of pork. It was like a porchetta - stuffed with anchovy, lemon, rosemary and garlic. But unlike porchetta, i leave the skin on for some crispy crackling. I love the weekend!
Domestic Goddess, how do you have the time to take individual photos of that lovely spread? I bet your family didn't thank you for making them wait ....
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Huh??!! How did that link get there in the last post. I'm confused.
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now those lines have gone!! is this your doing insomanic, lay gow mut?
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For my wife and i today i cooked Razor clams in Black Bean sauce, Squid and Gai Lan in Oyster sauce, Pork Spring Rolls with dip. Very Cantonese, very full - i need to lie down....
Sorry about the blurry-ass pic, was in a hurry. It's that Chinese thing - have to eat it while it's hot!!
Soft Shell Crab
in Cooking
Posted
Soft-shelled crabs, hmmmmm <<insert Homeresque drooling noise>>
Had a batch of these in my uncle's chinese restaurant last weekend, they are truly wonderful. I've had great success with these at home just tempura-ed. If you really don't fancy deep-frying at home then i second Pierogi's motion to bread them.
A thai-style dipping sauce goes wonderfully with these: birds-eye chilli, half a small shallot, small spring of corinader all chopped finely, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy, 2tsp fish sauce, 3 tsp cold water.