Tag Archives: egg

O’Gourmet Food Hall Truffled Gnocchi

29 Jan

I have always been fascinated by gnocchi – those delicate, pillowy little Italian dumplings made from flour and potato. They seem so simple, and yet they are intimidating. It seems that there could be so many ways to stuff it all up. Because the key to making gnocchi is in the simplicity – some recipes call for just potato and flour and a bit of seasoning – you need to follow directions really closely, and you need to have top grade ingredients.

You can play around with gnocchi, but you really should try a basic recipe first. This one actually is quite simple and quick.  It includes the addition of an egg (for richness and flavour) and some diced truffles, but actually, you can forgo them if you want to. Or add other ingredients – parmesan and butternut come to mind, or spinach and garlic. But do try a basic version first. You need to get the feel of the dough, and the lightness of the handling.

Basically gnocchi have a base of potato that needs to be as dry as possible. There are a few ways to ensure that this happens. First of all, ensure you use starchy, not waxy potatoes. Russet are excellent. Next, bake the potato, dont boil it. Peel the potato after it has been baked, and then mash it lightly with a fork or put it through a potato ricer. Treat it very gently. Add the egg / seasoning if you are using, and salt and pepper. And finally, toss in the flour, a tablespoon at a time. This will ensure that you use the bare minimum of flour, which will avoid thick, heavy gnocchi, and a smooth supple dough.

It sounds like a lot to remember, but really its common sense. Gnocchi are delicate, therefore you need to treat them delicately. Use your hands, so you can feel the dough coming together, and go slow, and soft. It will work out, I promise. Plus, a home made gnocchi, even if it is a little tough, is a thousand times better than a store bought one, any day!

For about 60 – 80 gnocchi (serving 4 – 6 people, depending on greed and hunger)

  • 2 large russet potatoes (approximately 2 kg)
  • 1 large organic egg
  • 1 small truffle, grated or finely diced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 scant cup 00 flour (bread or pasta flour with high gluten content)

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).

Pierce the potatoes with a fork, and bake in the oven for about 30 – 45 minutes, or until a skewer or knife goes all the way through with little resistance.

Peel the potatoes while they are still hot. Put the potatoes through a ricer or mash very gently, in a large bowl. You dont want the potatoes gluey – fluffy is what you are looking for. A ricer is the best way to ensure this – and they are relatively cheap (I bought one from Ikea for less than RM50).

Break the egg into a small separate bowl, and finely grate the truffle over. I use a Microplane lemon zester to get very fine strips of truffle, but you can even chop the truffle finely if needed. Add a generous pinch of salt and peper, and whisk. You could add half a teaspoon of truffle oil if you like, but the entire point of gnocchi is to ensure the dough is not too wet, and not handled too much.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture, and pour in the egg/truffle concoction. Toss lightly with your fingers. The egg will not make the potatoes gluey if you have treated them properly to start with, but will definitely make them wet.

Measure out your flour. You will probably only use about half a cup of flour, but its useful to have extra if needed. Add the flour to the warm potatoes and egg by the tablespoonful. Toss gently after each addition with the tips of your fingers. You will see the flour slowly incorporating into the potatoes. After about a half a cup of flour, knead lightly and bring the dough together. Add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time, to get a smooth mixture that is not too sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work space, and let it rest for a few minutes. Place some wax paper on a large baking tin or cookie tray.

Divide the dough into four equal portions, and work with one portion at a time. Roll the portion out into a long thin sausage, and dust lightly with flour. Using a sharp knife, slice into small gnocchi sized portions. I usually cut about 1 – 1 1/2 inches. Using the tines of a fork, mark the gnocchi on one side, and place gently onto the cookie tray.

Let the gnocchi air dry for at least 10 – 15 minutes. You can store them in a ziploc baggie and freeze them, for up to six months. Or you can use immediately.

To cook gnocchi: Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Work quickly, and be ready to serve immediately. Gnocchi are not good cold! Have a warm bowl at the ready. Work with about 20 gnocchi at a time (or more depending on the size of your saucepan). Once the water is boiling, tip the gnocchi in, and allow them to bob to the top. This should take less than 3 minutes. Using a sieve, fish the gnocchi out, and place in the warmed bowl with a touch of olive oil or butter. Continue with the remaining gnocchi. Once all the gnocchi has been prepared, toss gently with warm sauce and serve immediately.

I served a very simple sauce of spinach, wine, garlic and a touch of cream with these gnocchi. It was sublime!

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A Meal to Remember @ Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio

13 Dec

Sometimes a meal is a symphony of taste and texture and colour … and sometimes, its even more than that. A divine merging of friends and loved ones, family and comfort, intermingled with sublime food, cooked by an artist, with a sense of love and presence and drama. Last Friday night at Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio was like that – just pure joy. With Adi, Goddess, GoddessSpouse, AngelKitten, GoldenOro and Bubby, and MsTina… laughter flowed around us, wrapped us in warmth and happiness, and the food was a beautiful counterpoint to the joy in the room.

You cannot plan that kind of a night, you cant buy it or make it happen by force of will. It is an alchemical merging of all that is good and joyous. Thank you to Goddess + GoddessSpouse for hosting us. And thank you for Nathalie for welcoming us, yet again, with open arms and brilliant skill. We will be back next month! Meanwhile, feast on our memories 🙂

Joy

A potato galette with sauteed mushrooms, and a porcini foam. Simple, sensuous, lively flavours. Not too much, not too little. Just right to start with. This was the vegetarian choice and it made me happy.

A new take on duck liver with brioche – the brioche made into an apple tart tatin. A clever merging of two very French tastes.

Tuna Tartare with blini and chive cream… and a fresh green salad.

Snail napoleon – earthy, rich, beautifully presented. I tasted the accompanying sauces, and they were beautiful. Balanced, imbued with vegetable essence, gorgeous.

The vegetarian main course. Home made egg tagliatelle with green capsicum and a perfect parmesan porcini foam. Subtle and luxurious, elegant and beautiful. Incredibly satisfying.

The duck main course. According to those who ate it, it tasted truly of duck … gamey and wild and delicious. Served with a stunning hazelnut polenta and a blueberry stuffing. Clever and thoughtful all in one go.

Steak. Apparently, it was perfectly cooked. With a stuffed potato on the side. I like how this looks, the juxtaposition of the meat and the potato… Smart.

An intense caramel custard creme brulee – perfectly burnt crispy sugar crust, with a lime and thyme sorbet. What an interesting combination.

Trio of desserts – a pineapple foam, an incandescently good salted caramel macaroon, and a vanilla spoon biscuit, holding chocolate mousse, and a chocolate truffle. Mine!

Frozen chocolate mousse “gift” with a liquid river of raspberries running through it. So so so good. I could have buried myself in this plate and just whuffled.

A dramatic and architectural Mont Blanc – pureed chestnuts, whipped cream and crisp meringue. So beautiful!

Dried fruit croquant – crisp, caramelised, sticky, delectable.

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Vanilla White Chocolate Pudding

31 Oct

This week has been a week of baking, cookies and cakes… I havent posted for days, and I am feeling a little bit out of sorts – still adjusting to being home, seeing old friends, re-establishing ties. And the sweet week of readjustment (accompanied by 3 major bundt cakes and cookies) is about to end – tomorrow comes meetings, work and the usual immersion in daily life. Bills to pay, people to see…

So tonight, I decided, after a lovely dinner with Pingaling, to treat myself. This pudding is so luscious, so creamy and smooth, so soft and silken and unctuous, that you can spread it all over yourself and bathe in it. It is like being enveloped in love and hugs and vanilla and sugar and sweetness. Its easy to make (about 20 minutes or less in terms of actual work time) and it is amazingly adaptable – brilliant either warm or cold.

It would be a phenomenal base for a white chocolate ice cream (just cool in the fridge overnight, and pop into your ice cream maker!). It makes a brilliant accompaniment to any manner of cake, pie, pastry or crumble. It would be stunning as the filling for a deep dark chocolate cake or ginger cake (that could be iced with whipped cream!). Served with fruits (particularly berries), this is a dream. And thinned out with a little more milk or cream, its a surprising and delightful custard.

But somehow, tonight, all I wanted was a bowl of this pudding, and a few of Adi’s crisp haunting vanilla cookies. The worries and pressures of tomorrow can wait. Tonight is a good night 🙂

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk (though you can make it with low fat milk, it loses a bit in the richness – and of course you could add some cream but that is going just a tad overboard!)
  • 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped and/or 1 tbsp (or to taste) vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 egg yolks
  • Pinch of salt (I use Maldon or fleur de sel because I love the sudden pops of salty in all that sugary smoothness)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup (a few good ounces) white chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, and split the vanilla pod. Scrape the beans into the milk, and pop the pod in there too.

Heat the milk over your lowest heat, until it just starts to steam and bubble around the edges. This might take a while, so be patient, and busy yourself with other things while it is happening.

Once the milk is just at the point of boiling, take off heat, and cover for 5 minutes to let the vanilla bean steep. If you are not using vanilla bean, allow the milk to cool down for about five minutes while you prepare the eggs.

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and add the egg yolks. Set the whites aside for another use. Add the salt and sugar, and begin to whisk. Let me just take a moment and state that I use light brown sugar in this recipe because I adore the slight caramel tones that the light brown brings to the flavour profile. However, if you prefer a very pristine pale pudding, without the caramel-y notes, feel free to use white caster sugar.

Whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved into the eggs.

Once the milk has cooled for 5 minutes or so, fish out the vanilla pod (if using), and whisk in the white chocolate. Whisk well to ensure that all the chocolate is completely melted (it should do this relatively quickly). Add a tablespoon or so of vanilla essence at this point and taste. You should have very strong vanilla and white chocolate notes. They should complement each other, but also be distinct. Adjust if you like.

Whisk about a third of the hot milk into the eggs, and continually whisking, add the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan.

Put the pudding over very low heat and whisk constantly until it begins to thicken and steam and tiny bubbles begin to pop onto the surface. Whisk in the butter.

You need to keep your nerve here. Too long, and you get sweet, expensive, useless scrambled eggs. Too soon, and it doesnt thicken enough. Do remember though, that pudding does thicken substantially as it cools down. Its a balancing act, but I rather take off too soon than too late! You can always give it a little more heat if it does not set up as you would like it to.

Hopefully, you will have rinsed the bowl you whisked the eggs and sugar in. Place a sieve over this bowl, and pour the pudding through, to ensure a beautiful smoothness.

You now have a difficult choice. You could eat some pudding immediately (who am I kidding, I always do! Cook’s treat) … or place greaseproof paper over the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for about 2 hours or so until it has cooled and thickened completely.

Enjoy in a myriad of ways… and be comforted 🙂

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Decadent French Toast

27 Oct

This has got to be one of the single most outrageous things I have ever dreamed up. It is completely, utterly, shamelessly decadent. It needs to come with its own health warning, and it certainly should not be consumed more than once a year. Its a full on aria of melted chocolate, hot eggy cream and crisp croissant. Every person I have made it for has stopped in their tracks and said “Oh I shouldnt!” … and then has proceeded to devour it with sybaritic delight.

Dont try and make this for more than two people – its too immediate and sensual. This is the joyful celebration morning after breakfast of the most sublime night before. You need to make it, and then eat it almost immediately, hot from the pan. Preferably in bed. With your fingers. Sharing one would probably be a good idea, but if you are terribly greedy, you could I suppose double the recipe and make two. Though to be honest, I dont think I could (or would want to) get through one whole one alone.

I have always always adored french toast. I love the slight custardy wobble of the eggs, the melting centre of the crisp bread, the salty sweet contrast. It used to be our holiday breakfast – something special and delightful. Im not sure what dark part of my true wanton self this recipe came from, but I bring it out now and then when I want to scare the neighbours 😉 I hope you enjoy it … and that it brings out the joyful sensualist in you!

Serves 2 happy people

  • 1 croissant (day old is best, but fresh is acceptable)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract (though preferably, you would scrape the vanilla seeds from a single bean instead)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp (really a smear) butter
  • 1 – 2 squares high quality dark chocolate

Split the croissant in half lengthways. I usually do this with a kitchen scissors to try and keep it as intact as possible. If the croissant is still quite fresh, toast it in a toaster very briefly. You want it to crisp up, not burn. I usually put it on the lowest setting, and pop the toaster before its time – when I smell that unmistakable warm croissant smell.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg, light brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Taste and adjust the vanilla. You want it as heavily perfumed with vanilla as possible.

Place the croissant halves in the bowl, and using a fork, lightly poke holes in the croissant to encourage it to absorb all the cream-egg mixture. Allow to sit for about 5 – 10 minutes.

Place a non stick pan over extremely low heat, and melt a tiny smear of butter into it.

Place the croissant halves, cut sides up, into the pan, and pour over any remaining liquid. Saute very gently. You will start smelling the most incredible scents… be patient, it only gets better!

After about five minutes or so at low heat, flip the croissants over, cut sides down, and saute again for a few minutes or until you are confident that most of the cream-egg mixture has been cooked through.

While the croissant is slowly cooking, chop the chocolate into thin shards.

Flip the croissant again, and scatter the chocolate shards over the two halves. Give it about a minute (the heat will start melting the chocolate), and then very gently, flip one half of a croissant directly over the other so that you have reassembled the croissant. Let cook for a little while longer until you are sure that most of the chocolate has melted, and then gently slide onto a plate to serve.

Enjoy!

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Creamy Eggs

2 Aug

Creamy EggsEggs are humble things, but they taste spectacular, and they add their special golden glow and richness to lots of different dishes. They therefore should be treated with great honour and respect. I love making things with eggs – custards, quiches, cakes, ice creams. But sometimes, what I really want is the perfect egg in all its glorious eggy-ness. When that happens, I turn to this recipe for creamy eggs. Well, in all honesty, these eggs are scrambled, but the methodology and the finished product are just so different from the regular garden variety scrambled eggs that we started to call them differently. They deserve it.

These eggs are creamy to the point of custard, but still most definitely not. They are scrambled, and yet silky, unctuous, rich and light in a way that eggs whipped in a pan could never be. The secret is in the preparation, and because of that, these creamy eggs are really a gift of love. They take a while to make – may be 15 minutes – may be half an hour. It all depends on your heat source, on how well you cushion your eggs from the heat, and how many people (and thus how many eggs) you are feeding. As a result, I would not make this for more than 4 people – but I prefer making it for just 2. Or even, as a gift to myself, for just one. For breakfast or a light supper, these eggs are perfect.

These eggs are also really good for someone who isnt feeling very well. They are so easy to eat. They slip down the throat, and fill the belly. Their golden colour, and tantalising scent perk up even the most jaded or weary of appetites…

Remember though, as a cook, this is a meditative dish. The constant stirring, the thoughtfulness about thickness and balance, the tasting… you have to be in the present when you make these eggs, and what you put into them is what you get out of them. Make sure that you are happy and loving when you make this dish, because if you arent, you will surely taste it in the eggs.

You can serve these eggs with lots of things. For non-vegetarians, snippets of silky smoked salmon layered atop the eggs seems like silk on velvet. For the rest of us – the sharpness of basil or another herb, snipped fine, might be a perfect contrast to the sublime richness of the eggs. To be honest though, I serve them with nothing but a crack of black pepper and a silver spoon, nestled in a pretty bowl like golden curds. Sometimes toast might get a look in – just for that crunchy contrast, but honestly, you need nothing but these eggs to bring sunshine and smiles to those you love… incluing yourself!

For each person, you will need:

  • 2 fresh organic eggs (preferably at room temperature)
  • 1/2 tsp sour cream or creme fraiche
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp cold butter cut into tiny slivers
  • Bain marie – double boiler set up

A bain marie or double boiler can easily be made by putting a metal bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Just make sure the bowl doesnt touch the water, and have a kettle of boiled water standing by in case you need to replenish the water at a critical moment. Start off by filling the saucepan about 1/4 full with water, and setting over low heat to come to the boil.

Meanwhile, break the two eggs into a bowl, and very gently, mix in the sour cream or creme fraiche with a fork. Try not to beat the eggs or whip them or form too many bubbles in the mixture. Water and air are the enemy of creamy eggs – they form steam which help puff up the eggs as they cook. You want something much deeper and darker and sensual. Fluffy eggs have their place – but not here!

Crack some black pepper and a pinch of salt over. You can adjust later. You just want a tad right now.

Once the water is boiling, put the metal bowl on top of the saucepan, and slide your eggs in. No butter, no oil. Just eggs and a little sour cream. With a spatula, start stirring the eggs…. Find a pace and rhythm that works for you. Figure eights usually do it for me. Watch the eggs carefully, and just keep stirring and stirring. Slow and even, no sudden movements, just a gentle silky pattern. You will see the cream slowly dissolve into the eggs, and the mixture go from slightly glossy and transparent to thick and yellow and opaque.

Keep stirring. (Thats the basic recipe. Eggs and stir!) Your eggs will go through quite a few stages. They will start gaining thickness, and will look like golden oatmeal porridge. Basically, what you are doing is cooking the water out of the eggs, and encouraging the proteins to thicken and cream. This takes time and gentleness – in heat and in touch. Go fast, and your eggs will respond and go rubbery.

When they look like thick oatmeal porridge, you can add a little bit of cold butter for silkiness and smoothness and creamy taste. But you dont have to if you dont want to. What you should do at this point is taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Keep stirring. 🙂 When the eggs look like a firm cottage cheese or ricotta, take them off the heat immediately.

Serve atop crisp toast, or in a bowl with a silver spoon.

Taste the love.

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Egg in the Hole

4 Jul

This was one of the first things I ever learned to make. Fried bread and egg, yes. Good breakfast (if a little ott). But cut a square (or circle) out of the bread, and drop the egg into it, and you suddenly have magic. Children love this (I know I did) – they are fascinated by it and love to dip the bread into the golden yolk. I remember making this on seaside trips, for parents’ birthdays, and just because I could!

Its wonderful as breakfast, but its also awesome for a light supper (with a salad of tomato and onion perhaps), or even a late snack whilst watching the World Cup! Its very satisfying because there is something playful about this meal – but its also really really tasty.

If you can, please try and make this with an organic egg. Because the ingredients are so simple: bread, egg, butter and seasoning, it is imperative that you use the best quality ingredients. An organic free range egg is a thing of beauty. Its yolk is a golden orange, and the taste is completely totally eggy. The white is bright and tastes clean and clear. These may cost more, but they are so worth it. The creature that gave you her egg is living a good life, rather than battery raised chickens, and you can taste that lack of stress and sadness in the egg. When I do eat animal products (egg, milk, cheese, etc) I do try to get the organic, free range variety. Not only are there stronger protections in place for the animals to ensure that they lead happy lives, but quite simply, the taste cannot compare. It is just so much better. I would rather have one egg in the hole every two weeks, and have it taste 20 times better. Its about the choice, but its also about my sensual pleasure.

For each egg in the hole you will need:

  • 1 strong slice white or brown bread, preferably home made
  • 1 tsp (or more) softened butter
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Take the bread, and cut a hole in the centre. I usually make a square, but you could cut a circle, or even use a cookie cutter to make an interesting pattern.

Butter the bread on both sides, as well as the cut out square.

Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt and pepper over the bread.

Place bread on a non stick pan, over low heat. Let the bread fry/toast in the butter on both sides, until browned to your liking.

As soon as both sides of the bread are brown and toasted (dont forget to flip the cut out square!), crack the egg into a pouring cup measure. Salt and pepper the egg.

Take a small amount of butter and drop it into the open hole in the bread. With your spatula, lift one side of the slice of bread, and pour the egg white through the hole. The lifting will allow the white to flow around the edges of the bread. Try and pour as much of the white  out as possible, creating a layer of egg white on the bottom side of the bread. Once all the egg white has been poured through, gently pour the egg yolk straight into the hole. Let the yolk cook for as long as is your preference. I personally like it a little liquid, but also slightly squidgy.

Salt and pepper just before serving.

Enjoy!

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The Lodge Egg Sandwiches

20 Jun

When I was a child, we used to visit The Lodge on our way up to Fraser’s Hill, a resort just outside Kuala Lumpur. I used to obsess about the egg sandwiches at The Lodge – they were the highlight of our trip! I thought about them for ages, and finally decided to make them one night when we were watching the World Cup. So easy and quick, but totally satisfying.

This recipe makes 4 sandwiches

  • 8 slices white bread, toasted on the lowest setting
  • Soft butter
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Salt and pepper
  • Dash of milk or cream

Toast the bread very lightly – you basically just want to warm it and get a crisp exterior going. As soon as its been toasted, butter well.

Meanwhile, beat eggs, egg yolk, salt and pepper and a dash of milk or cream together. Use a fork, and don’t beat too crazily – you just want it combined gently.

Over medium heat, add a bit of butter to a non-stick pan, and add the eggs. Use a rubber spatula, and mix very gently. The eggs will be golden colored and very creamy because of the extra yolk. It should take only a few minutes before you have very gently scrambled eggs. Divide between four pieces of bread, top with a buttered slice of bread and press down well. Cut into half and serve immediately to grateful and hungry hoards.


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