Hand-Made Sushi (Nigiri-Zushi)

Khamis, 25 Jun 2009

Hand-Made Sushi (Nigiri- Zushi).

This is the classic sushi. Take about two tablespoons of prepared rice in your hand and shape into an oblong about 2 inches by 1 inch. Fillets of fish should just droop over the sides of the rice. Put a dab of wasabi on the top of the rice, and then the slice of fish. A butterflied cooked shrimp is especially popular, as is raw tuna. I have seen vegetables such as cucumber on rice like this, wrapped with a thin strip of nori, but seafood is the most common. Giant clam, conch, abalone, squid and octopus are also good this way, but the octopus can be quite chewy.

Eel is heated first, then placed on the rice. A narrow strip of nori is wrapped around rice and eel. Then tare sauce is dabbed onto the top and it is sprinkled with sesame seeds. The eel must be cooked, but not canned, it must be fairly firm like smoked fish. Actually, any smoked fish would be delicious in this manner. I have had trouble finding tare sauce, which might be described as thickened light soy sauce. It is neither too salty nor too sweet.

Hand Rolls

Hand Rolls.

A half of a nori is used for the hand roll. Place a tablespoon of rice on the side of the nori, spread evenly. Fill with cucumber, asparagus, cooked shrimp, crab, fresh tuna, smoked salmon, cooked eel, or whatever your heart desires. Then roll the nori into a cone by folding over the bottom corner and rolling. You will have to paste the cone together with some wasabi or crushed rice grains. Hand rolls also often contain some sushi mayonnaise.

Other Roll Sushi

Other Roll Sushi.

A cucumber roll contains just that. Likewise, a tuna roll or tekkamaki contains only tuna (raw). These rolls are made similar to the California roll above. The tuna should be cut into long pieces about 3/8 inch square in cross-section, and placed end to end. The cucumber is sliced into thin "squarish" strips, as for the California roll, and enough are placed on the rice to make the equivalent of a 3/8 wide and high pile of them (called kappamaki.)

A Campbell roll contains salmon, asparagus, and mayonnaise. Use the smallest asparagus spears you can find, or cut larger ones into smaller strips like the cucumber. Cut the salmon into long strips about 1/2- inch wide by 1/8-inch thick. The packages of smoked salmon you see in the deli sections of supermarkets is perfect for this. Spread some sushi mayonnaise along the edge of the roll. Place the salmon on top of this, and the asparagus on top of the salmon, and use an amount approximately equal to the salmon. Sushi mayonnaise is hard to find, but any rich mayonnaise can be used in its place.

A Virginia roll contains crab, eel, mushrooms and seasoned shredded cod fish (pink powder.) Virginians prefer to use real crab meat, but imitation will work just fine. At the starting edge of the rice, sprinkle some pink powder. Add the crab and eel, like the California roll above, with the eel replacing the avocado. Mushrooms are then placed like the cucumber is above.

Lately I have been finding Portobello mushroom slices in the produce section of supermarkets. I cut off and discard (or eat) the stem section, saute in a little butter, then make them into a mushroom roll.

A couple of years ago I joked about making a Spam roll. I actually did this as a joke at a meeting I was at, and was shocked at how salty the Spam tasted. When I learned that one of my co-workers was going to lunch for Spam rolls one day with her Japanese mother, I was treated with one of her mother's rolls. It was not as salty, but I do not know what was done to prepare the Spam, it seemed broiled or fried. I did not realize that the Japanese actually enjoy Spam rolls, but now I do.

Thick Roll Sushi (Futo-Maki)

Thick Rolled Sushi (Futo- Maki).

This roll is about 2 inches thick, hence the name futo-maki, or fat roll. The other sushi rolls could be called hoso-maki or thin rolls by comparison. This roll contains six to eight ingredients, most often six, and often the same six. These always include kampyo gourd, oboro or denbu pink powder, tamago omelet, and shiitake mushrooms. Other ingredients can include bamboo shoots, cucumbers, cooked eel, cooked carrots, and cooked spinach or other greens.

The nori sheets are cut in half and then quarters, so that a quarter sheet can be pasted onto the end of the half sheet to make a sheet half as wide as normal, and 1-1/2 times as long. The seam should be under the ingredients, and the sheets are pasted together with crushed rice grains. The roll is cut thinner into five slices.

The Basic California Roll

The Basic California Roll.

If you are going to introduce someone to sushi, this is the way to do it. A California roll contains crab meat, avocado, and cucumber.

Spread about a cup of rice on the sheet of nori, leaving about an inch of uncovered nori at one side. Do not pack the rice, rolling will take care of that. The rice should be less than a 1/4 inch thick -- you should be able to see nori through the rice. The biggest mistake is using too much rice.

Put avocado slices on top of the rice first, one slice thick, near the edge of the rice, the edge opposite the uncovered nori. Unwrap and split a piece of imitation crab meat lengthwise into two pieces. Place the two pieces end to end on top of the avocado. Then add several strips of cucumber next to the crab and on top of the avocado. (If you put the avocado on last, it is a lot messier to roll.)

I prefer to place the nori on a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the bamboo mat, to keep the avocado and rice out of the mat. Slowly fold the mat over, tucking the end of the nori to start a roll. (Keep lifting up the mat and plastic wrap as you go.) Lessen the pressure slightly to straighten out the roll, if needed. Then continue rolling with medium pressure.

Remove roll from mat and cut into 6 or 8 even pieces. Important Tip: Keep the knife very moist to prevent sticking, remoistening before each cut. First cut the roll in half, then fold the two halves together and cut into thirds (6 pieces) or quarters (8 pieces). Sushi bars usually serve the roll sliced into 6 pieces, but 8 is easier. Turn the pieces on end and arrange on platter.

Tip: Sometimes, if the end pieces are quite uneven, the ends are cut off at the one-third point and stood on end. Then, the other section is cut in half at a slight angle. All pieces will then look more alike when stood on end.

Some sushi bars make an "inside out" California roll. The rice is spread over all of the roll, there is no uncovered edge as above. Then the nori is turned over onto the plastic wrap so it is rice-side down. The ingredients are placed on one edge and the roll is rolled as before. After rolling, the roll is rolled in toasted sesame seeds prior to cutting, or sesame seeds can be sprinkled on top after cutting. Optionally, flying fish roe can be used in place of the sesame seeds (it actually tastes better, but sesame seeds are easier to find).

Sushi Omelet - Tamago

Preparing Sushi Omelet (Tamago).

Thin egg sheets. Yield: 4-6 sheets. With chopsticks, beat 4 large eggs with 1 Tablespoon sugar (or more to taste) and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour through fine-holed strainer into glass measuring cup to remove any membrane. Heat skillet and oil well. pour a small amount of the egg mixture (1/6 to 1/4 of the total) into the skillet and tilt pan to spread. When the bottom has set, remove from heat and carefully lift up egg sheet taking care not to tear the sheet. Turn over and return to heat and cook lightly for a few seconds until the second side is golden. Carefully remove and drain. Repeat.

Thick egg sheets. Yield: 1 sheet. Use same recipe, but cook entire amount at once. Cooking is similar. The preferred pan is a 9-inch square tamago pan.

Americanized medium thick egg sheet. Yield: 1 sheet. Beat two large eggs with 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour into well-greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 300 F oven for 15 minutes. Carefully flip egg sheet onto paper towel and drain. (I would be tempted to cook all of these in a similar manner, possibly using a square baking pan.)

Tamago yaki. Yield: 1 roll or sheet. Beat four large eggs, 4 Tablespoons dashi (stock, see below), 1 Tablespoon sugar (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon mirin (sweet rice wine), 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, and salt to taste. Strain as before. In a well-oiled tamago pan, pour in about a quarter of the mixture and spread as if making a crepe. As the mixture cooks, and as it bubbles and sets, roll it and move to the back of the pan. Reoil the pan and add more mixture, being sure to get some under the roll. Again, as it cooks, roll the roll to the front of the pan, then move to the back. Repeat until all the mixture is cooked. Remove the roll from the pan and roll as if for a sushi roll and squeeze out excess liquid. It can be rolled into a round or rectangular shape, then is sliced when cooled.

Dashi. A basic stock, usually made from dried bonito flakes and dried kelp. You can use instant dashi, called dashi-no-moto, which is like a bouillon cube. You can also substitute any other stock if you don't like the fishy taste.

Japanese Mayonnaise

Japanese Mayonnaise (Tamago- no-moto)

I usually find it easiest to buy Japanese mayonnaise, from either an Asian market or from Hughes Market supermarkets in the Southwest. It comes in a convenient plastic squeeze bottle. Several people have asked about a recipe for this mayonnaise, and I recently found the following one.

3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 oz (50 g) white miso *
1 cup salad oil
salt to taste
sprinkle of white pepper
a pinch of grated yuzu**, lime, or lemon peel
* miso is salty paste of fermented soy beans. It is available
in Asian markets and some health food stores. White miso is used
for soups and dressings.
** yuzu is a Japanese orange used only for its rind. Kaffir
lime used in Thai or Malaysian food is an alternative, as is lemon or
lime rind.
Beat the egg yolks and lemon juice with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Continue to beat, adding the salad oil a few drops at a time until the mixture begins to emulsify. Keep on adding the rest of the oil, then stir in the miso and the seasonings.

Refrigerate in a squeeze bottle.

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Back to previous topic (Ginger).

Jump to next topic (California Roll).

Pickled Ginger

Pickled Ginger (Gari or Shoga)

In a sushi bar, you will be given a small heap of pickled ginger as well as a small glob of wasabi. The purpose of the wasabi is to mix with soy sauce in the small dish that included with your place setting. (Start with small amounts of the wasabi, mix it with the soy sauce, and sample. Repeat until it tastes more like the wasabi than the soy sauce, or until it tastes "right" to you.) The ginger is used to cleanse the palate between bites of sushi. It does not take a lot of the ginger to cleanse the palate, so the small pile should be enough for several rolls. If you consume all of either, by all means ask the sushi chef for more.

People have asked if the ginger root in grocery stores is the same ginger that is pickled for sushi. It is, and up until now I have recommended that you buy it in jars at Asian markets. I recently found a recipe for making your own pickled ginger, and will share that with you.

8 oz. (250 g) ginger root
3 fl oz (90 ml) rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons mirin *
2 Tablespoons sake **
5 teaspoons sugar
mirin is a very sweet rice wine used only for cooking. You
can substitute a teaspoon of sugar for a Tablespoon of mirin, or
an equal amount of sake.
sake is a rice wine that often accompanies sushi. Dry sherry
is a potential but inferior substitute.
Scrub the ginger under running water as you would a potato for baking. Blanch in boiling water for one minute and drain.

Combine mirin, sake, and sugar in a small pan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Cool.

Place the ginger into a sterilized jar and pour the cooled vinegar over the ginger. Cover and keep 3-4 days before using. Will keep refrigerated for up to one month.

The pale pink color develops as it ages, however, you might want to add a small amount of red food coloring.

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Back to previous topic (Omelet).

Jump to next topic (Mayonnaise).

Preparing Sushi Rice

Preparing Sushi Rice (Shari or Sushi Meshi).

Rice cooked for sushi should be slightly harder in texture than for other dishes. You will need approximately one cup of cooked rice for each roll. It is easier and better to make too much rice than too little. Every recipe for sushi rice is different, but they all work. You might find a recipe on the bottle of rice vinegar, on the bag of rice, or on the package of nori.

Most recipes call for rinsing the raw rice until the water runs clear, but I often neglect this. The reason it is rinsed first is to remove talc from the rice. Most rice seems to be coated now with some sort of cereal starch, rather than talc, so rinsing could be omitted. They also suggest letting the rinsed rice drain in a colander, or zaru, for 30-60 minutes. It's up to you. Just promise me one thing -- that you will not use instant rice, converted rice, or brown rice. The rice you use should be short-grained rice, preferably Cal-Rose.

A fairly consistent recipe is to use equal amounts of rice and water, which will make the same number of cups of rice as the total of the rice and water. Another book mentions adding water until it is one inch above the rice, but I would go with the one-to-one ratio. The rice and water are brought to a quick boil, boiled for 1 minute, covered, simmered for 20 minutes, and let stand for 10 minutes after removing from the heat. It is optional to add a piece of kombu to the water and rice while it is brought to a boil, then removed. Another option is to add a few drops of sake or mirin to the water, but it will make little difference when the vinegar is added afterward.

Put the hot rice in a large bowl and pour sushi vinegar evenly over the surface of the rice, mixing it into the rice with quick cutting strokes. You should use one tablespoon of vinegar per cup of rice. Fan the rice at the same time to cool the rice quickly. What I often do is pour the vinegar into the pan and stir it in, then spread the rice out on aluminum foil on a cookie sheet to cool. If you are keeping track of the terminology, a hangiri, handai, or sushi oke is a rice cooling tub, and a uchiwa is a rice cooling fan.

If you cannot find sushi vinegar, you can make your own. To make sushi vinegar, combine 1/3 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, and a dash of MSG (optional) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve everything, and remove from heat.

~SHUSHI~

Foodstuffs Needed and Where to get it.

You will need rice, which I will describe in greater detail in the next topic. You will also need the following items, some of which are optional:

  • nori, toasted seaweed sheets, available even at Von's and other supermarkets now

  • wasabi, Japanese horseradish mustard, comes in cans of powder, just add water

  • gari or shoga, sliced ginger, a condiment used to reset the taste buds

  • shredded daikon radish, optional

  • su or awaze-zu, sushi vinegar, see Rice section below

  • imitation crab sticks, for California rolls, pieces will also work if you can't find the sticks

  • kappa, cucumber -- I usually use the European cucumbers since they are longer and there is less waste

  • avocado -- make sure they are ripe, the dark-skinned variety is easier to peel

  • sakura denbu, seasoned shredded cod fish (pink powder)

  • hari hari zuke, pickled vegetable mix (yellow)

  • ao shiso no mi, prepared beefsteak plant seeds (green)

  • shiso sakura, pickled radish and ginger with beefsteak plant (pink)

  • kampyo, seasoned Japanese gourd (dark yellow)

  • nametake chazuke, prepared mushrooms

  • shoyu, soy sauce, mixed with the wasabi for dipping the sushi, low-salt is available now

I usually get my things at the local Hughes Market or Ralph's here in Oxnard, California. Any Japanese or Asian market will have all of this, and a whole lot more. The crab, cucumbers and avocados are available at most markets.

Equipment Needed

One of the advantages of sushi is the lack of equipment needed. First and foremost, you will need a very sharp knife. The classic sushi knife is called a bento knife, but any sharp knife will do. It is made of razor-sharp carbon steel with a Ho wood handle that does not get slippery when wet. I got my large knife years ago through the mail from Williams Sonoma. My smaller bento knife is from Joyce Chen. I got it at an international marketplace sort of store in the mall at Tyson's Corner. (I used to have another mailorder source, but it appears to have folded. Will add new sources as I learn of them, and would appreciate knowing of any you may find.)

  • Mike Bergman (augment@world.std.com) has suggested The Japan Woodworker as a source of knives.
The second most important tool you will need is a bamboo mat or hot pad, called a sushimaki sudare or a makisu. This is used to roll the sushi. A wooden spoon can be used to spread the rice onto the nori, or you can get a wooden or plastic rice paddle, or shamoji. (You can also use your hands, like a sushi chef, but the rice is very sticky.) These can be found almost anywhere, but I get mine from Hughes Markets. Anything else is completely optional.

Sushi masters always seem to use a pair of metal chopsticks to pick things up with. I searched all over for a set, and finally found them in a Japanese department store at the end of Ala Moana Plaza in Honolulu. And they really are useful, but you can use your fingers or regular chopsticks as well. At the same store, I also got a wooden sushi press, called an oshiwaku, to make oshi. A number of things would work just fine, including a hamburger press.

~SHUSHI~

The content of this page is suitable for children of all ages. However, the procedures that involve cooking rice or omelets, slicing ingredients and rolls with sharp knives, and so on, should only be done with close adult supervision. To resurrect and paraphrase a cliche, the family that rolls sushi together stays together.

List of Topics

Itadakimasu! (Bon Appetite!)

Middle Eastern Receipes - Stuffed Omelet

Rabu, 24 Jun 2009

Stuffed Omelet



________________________________________
Medina – Saudi Arabia

Because of Medina's very warm climate, the diet is light, though spicy.
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound meat, ground
20 peanuts, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 eggs, beaten
Garlic in oil in skillet
ADD butter and nuts. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

STIR in onions, sugar, soy sauce and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Reserve.

COOK eggs in oil in skillet making 2 large cakes.

PLACE half the filling on each cake.

FOLD in half and serve.

YIELD 2 cakes.

SUGGESTED MENU: Stuffed Omelet, mashed potatoes, coffee or tea.
From "Arab World Cook Book" by Nahda Salah
available through International Promoters of Art Inc.

Pakistani Cookery - Cooking With B.J.


Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

- 4 chicken quarters, skinned
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
For marinade:
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
-1 tbsp.
garlic paste
- 1 tbsp. ginger paste

- 1 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
- 1/2 level tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt

- 1\2 teaspoon tandoori coloring,
- Ghee or butter for basting

Tandoor chicken is the most popular and the best-tasting. It is cooked in a special tandoor (clay oven) in Pakistan, which is not commercially available in many countries. But in some places household-model tandoors are available. The recipe given here is designed for the conventional oven and charcoal grill. The result is very much to satisfaction.
1.
Prick the chicken all over with a fork and using a sharp knife make diagonal slashes 1/2-inch deep, 1 inch apart on each chicken quarter. Place chicken in a large dish.
2. Add lemon juice and rub into the slashes and all over. Cover and marinate for 1 hour.
3.
Mix all the ingredients of the marinade in a small bowl and pour over the chicken pieces and mix, turning and tossing, to coat all the pieces well.
4. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight, turning several times. Note: Take out the chicken from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking, to bring it at room temperature.


To Roast in the Oven:
Preheat oven to 4
50°F. Place chicken pieces on an extra-large shallow roasting pan, preferably on a wire rack. ( Discard the leftover marinade). Brush chicken pieces with ghee or butter. Set the pan in the middle of the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through, basting and turning occasionally. Transfer to platter and serve.


To Grill Outdoors:

Fire the coal well in advance,
grill is ready when a layer of white ash forms over the surface of the coal. This is the point, when the coal is at its hottest. Place the grill at least 5 inches away from the heat. Place chicken pieces, over the grill, basting with ghee or butter and cook for 8 minutes, without turning. Basting with ghee or butter, turn and grill the other side for 8 minutes. Continue turning and basting, until chicken is cook through, about 12-15 minutes for each side. Transfer chicken to platter. Decorate with sliced onion and tomato. Serve chicken immediately, and accompanied by Nan and raita.




TUSCAN WOMEN COOK - Amazing Setting

Selasa, 23 Jun 2009


oin us for a memorable week of culinary and recreational activities in the medieval Tuscan hilltop village of Montefollonico—one hour south of Florence and two hours north of Rome. Come live the Tuscan lifestyle!

For lovers of Italian food, we offer a unique hands-on opportunity to participate in small groups as Tuscan women cook. The local women of Tuscany will share their techniques, special ingredients, and family recipes. Our classes are ideal for cooks at all experience levels. And you'll join them a tavola to enjoy what you've prepared.

For wine lovers, we're situated in the heart of Brunello de Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano country, and border on the Chianti wine region. This is the center of the new Italian wine renaissance!

Your first-class accommodations will be at the four-star Hotel La Costa. You will enjoy the great care to detail that Paolo and Paola Masini, the owners of La Costa, give to the hotel, the restaurant, and, most importantly, to their guests. Under their watchful eyes, La Costa has been transformed into one of Tuscany's finest hotels, all the while keeping its original Tuscan style, charm, and ambiance.

Hotel La Costa is the ideal place to discover the history, charm, and culinary secrets of the Tuscany region in a glorious and relaxing atmosphere. Each of the attractive 15 guest rooms is unique in style and has been lovingly restored. All rooms are air conditioned and include a minibar, satellite TV, a safe, hairdryer, direct dial telephones, and Jacuzzi shower or bathtub. A new swimming pool with outdoor shower and solarium is likely the spot where you will want to wear your complimentary bath robe while enjoying a cocktail from the beautiful bar.

Our guests enjoy sipping a cool glass of Prosecco under the huge castagno tree on the hotel's oversized terrace, while admiring one of the most breath-taking panoramas in the world, the spectacular Chiana Valley, with views of Cortona, Lake Trasimeno, and Umbria. Great attention has been given to La Costa's amenities.

Vineyards and olive groves hug the hillsides, wild flowers paint the valleys, and medieval castles sit perched on hilltops. Every morning, fragrant aromas drift in from the kitchen at La Costa as you open the shutters and enjoy the intoxicating country air and greet the sun-washed landscape scented with fresh herbs from the garden.

You are invited to explore the surrounding area and make the program as structured or unstructured as you wish. Be prepared to rejoice in the scenery and rejuvenate your soul. Everyone loves Tuscany as you simply become one with all the elements. Enjoy the quiet days and cool nights. Come here to relax by the swimming pool! Come here to cycle, trek, or soar in a hot air balloon! Find more special activities here! But by all means come!

PREGO Tuscany cooking class!

TUSCAN WOMEN COOK


Indulge yourself in the Tuscan lifestyle and discover the region's passion for food and wine. The best cooks in all of Tuscany, the local women, teach our classes. They'll share regional techniques, ingredients, and family recipes that have been passed down over the centuries.

Put on your apron, gather around the old farmhouse table, get wrist-deep in pasta dough and learn Tuscany cooking from the source. You'll learn first-hand how to make gnocchi, tagliatelli, and pici--thick strings of handmade eggless pasta made originally in the area of Montefollonico.

Morning classes include both hands-on cooking and demonstrations at local country homes, plus visits to food artisans, olive oil producers, local food markets, and food festivals. We will stop and buy the day's ricotta and Pecorino cheeses from local farmers. The classes are taught in Italian and are translated into English. Tuscan Women Cook is an insider's view of true Tuscan seasonal cuisine.

This area of Tuscany produces several of Italy's greatest wines, including Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, "the king of wines", and the great Chiantis. One afternoon, we will all gather for a special wine tasting in the 700-year-old cellar of Vittorio Innocenti, the local wine master. Vittorio has degrees in both agriculture and philosophy and produces some of the area's best Vino Nobile and Vin Santo. The locals say, "Vittorio makes wine from the heart." It's easy to understand how the Tuscan people can talk about the characteristics of wine deep into the night.

At both lunch and dinner, you'll dine in a variety of Tuscany's finest restaurants, humble local osterias, and the private homes on Tuscan farms. There will even be an opportunity to dine at La Chiusa in our village of Montefollonico and sample the lamb with rosemary oil or duck with fennel, or both if you're so inclined. Conde Nast called this Michelin-starred restaurant "the best country inn in Italy."

There will be plenty of free time to explore the area on your own and in small groups. Outings often include day trips to any of the wealth of local towns or cities within striking distance by car.

For the shopaholics and those looking for a taste of a chic and trendy Italy, the discount outlets of Prada, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana, along with local factories that produce specialty items for Giorgio Armani and Burberry, are just a short drive away. (Italians call them spaccio.) When you return from your day of shopping, we'll welcome you with a refreshing apertivo before dinner.

You'll want to take advantage of local markets, festivals or sagre, and flea markets. Depending on the time of year, you may have the opportunity to visit the Palio in Siena, Tuscany's best antiques market in Arezzo's Piazza Grande, the donkey races in Torrita di Siena, the olive oil festival in San Quirico D'Orcia, or even experience first had the picking and crushing of the season's grape--what Tuscans call Vendémmia.

Click here for a sample daily schedule of our Tuscany cooking school.

For lovers of Italian food, we offer a unique hands-on opportunity to participate in small groups as Tuscan women cook. The local women of Tuscany will share their techniques, special ingredients, and family recipes. Our cooking classes in Italy are ideal for cooks at all experience levels. And you'll join them a tavola to enjoy what you've prepared.

MANGIAMO!

SOUP



SEAFOOD CHOWDER
ITEMS
Prawn - 60 gm
Red Snapper (cube) - 60 gm
Butter - 150 gm
Water/fish stock - 1 liter
Potato (dice) - 250 gm
Onion (chopped) - 150 gm
Flour - 70 gm
Milk - 500 ml
Heavy Cream - 70 ml
Seasoning - to taste

METHOD
1. Steam or boil prawn and red snapper in a covered until cooked.
2. Strain the broth through a filter or cheese cloth and reserved it.


PRAWN BISQUE
ITEMS
Prawn shells - 200 gm
Mirepoix - 300 gm
Butter - 100 gm
Garlic (chopped) - 2 cloves
Tomato Paste - 3 tbsp
Prawn or fish stock - 2 litre
Flour - 100 gm
Heavy Cream - 60 ml
Prawn (peeled & deveined) - 200 gm
Sachet d' pieces - 1 piece

METHOD
1. Saute the garlic and prawn shells in hot fat until they turn a bright red or pink.
2. Add the mirepoix and allow it to sweat.
3. Add the tomato paste, cook until the tomato paste lightly caramelized (a process known as 'pince')
4. Add the flour and cook until the flour well cooked.
5. Add the stock and sachet d'pieces and simmer for approximately 1 hour, skim the surface as necessary.
6. Checked the flour as the soup develop, remove and discard the sachet d'pieces when the flour extraction is reached.
7. Strain through a chinois, pressing the solids well to extract the liquid. Reserved the liquid.
8. Puree the solids and return them to the pot.
9. Reincorporate the liquid until the proper consistency is achieved.
10. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Add the cream and adjust the seasoning.
11. Dice the prawn, saute and add into the soup.

PUREE OF CARROT SOUP
ITEMS
Carrot - 200 gm
Potato - 120 gm
Onion (sliced) - 80 gm
Bay leaf or sachet d pieces - 1 pieces or sachet
Butter - 60 gm
Cream - 60 ml
Seasoning - to taste

METHOD
1. Sweat the carrot, potatoes and onion in butter
2. Add in stock, bay leaf or sachet d pieces and bring to full boil, establish a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer until all ingredients are soft enough to puree easily.
4. Adjust the flavour as the soup develops, remove the bay leaf/sachet d pieces
5. Strain, reserving the liquid, puree the solid and return them to pot.
6. Gradually reincorporate the liquid until the soup reaches the consistency.
7. Add the cream and adjust the seasoning.


CREAM OF MUSHROOM
ITEMS
Button Mushroom (sliced) - 250 gm
Onion (sliced) - 100 gm
Butter - 30 gm
Chicken stock - 750 ml
Bay leaf (optional) - 1 piece
Cream - 80 ml
Flour - 80 gm
Seasoning - to taste

METHOD
1. Sweat the cauliflower and onion in the fat.
2. Dust with flour and stock out the roux.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4. Establish a simmer.
5. Add the bay leaf.
6. Cook the vegetables until tender.
7. Discard the spices when the proper flavor is reached.
8. Strain, blend and reincorporate the liquid to the proper consistency.
9. Simmer again for 10 minutes and add in cream and adjust seasoning.
10. Garnish with parsley leaves.


CONSOMME
ITEMS
Chicken stock (remoillage) - 1.5 litre
Chicken meat (minced) - 150 g
Mirepoix (minced) - 100 g
White egg - 1 no
Tomato paste (optional) - 1/2 tbsp
Onion brulee - 1/2 no
Bay leaf - 1 no
Salt - to taste

METHODS
1. Place minced chicken meat, minced mirepoix, egg white and tomato paste in a bowl
2. Mix the ingridients together untill well combined.
3. Make the ingridients in a round shape and place in the suitable stockpot or steam kettle.
4. Add cold chicken stock above the level of the ingridients and put bay leaf.
5. Simmer slowly until the soup become a clear broth. Skim the scum.
6. Add in onion brulee to give colour and flavour to the soup.
7. Srtain the soup with using cheese cloth.
8. Before serve garnish the soup with julienne carrot, leek and chicken.



SALAD



CHICKEN SMOKED

Items
Chicken breast - 1 pieces
Apple cider vinegar - 50 ml
Minced shallot - 1 no
Minced garlic - 1 clove
Corn oil - 100 ml
Salt, Pepper and Paprika - to taste

Method
1. Marinate the chicken breast with all the ingridients for 1 hour-1 night
2. Grill for 30 minutes




CHEF SALAD

Items
Cheese strip - 30 gm
Hard boiled egg (divide into 4) - 1 no
Roast chicken strip - 100 gm
Sausage - 1 no
Lettuce - 50 gm
Tomato wedges - 1 no
Carrot (Julienne cut) - 50 gm
Green and red capsicam - 20 gm
Onion ring - 20 gm

Method
1. Mound the lettuce on the chilled salad plate.
2. Arrange all the items one by one into the plate.
3. Garnish the plate with tomato wedges.
4. Serve with selected salad dressing.

POTATO SALAD

Items
Boiled Potato ( diced ) - 3 nos
Mayonaise - 50 g
Vinegar - 20 ml
Onion (chop)
Persley (chop)
Seasoning

Method
1. Combined diced potato with vinegar and chopped onion.
2. Leave the mixture for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Combined with mayonaise and seasoning to taste.
4. Arrange a service dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley.





SET OF SALAD


My Cook - POTATO

LYONNAISE POTATO
Items
Potato (sliced and boiled) - 240 gm
Onion (sliced) - 1 no
Salt
Pepper
Worchestsare Sauce
Butter - 50 gm

Method
1. Heat rhe butter in the saucepan
2. Sauted sliced onion until sweat
3. Add in boiled potato and continue saute
4. Season with salt, pepper and worchestsare sauce


PILAF RICE WITH CHICKEN FRICASSE
Items
(for Pilaf Rice)
Onion (diced) - 20gm
Garlic (chopped) - 5gm
Butter - 20gm
White Rice (long grain) - 240gm
Chicken stock - 450ml
Bay Leaf - 1 piece
Seasoning

Method
(for Pilaf Rice)
1. Sweat the garlic and onion in the butter
2. Add the rice, bay leaf and stir it to coat with the butter
3. Add in, hot stock and seasoning
4. Bring liquid to boil, cover the pot and simmer it for about 18 to 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
5. Slow the fire and let the rice dry little bit.

(for Chicken Fricasse)
Chicken, boneless, slice - 2 nos
Salt
Pepper
Oil - 30 gm
Onion (diced) - 30 gm
Garlic (chopped) - 1 cloves
Flour - 20 gm
Chicken stock - 200 ml
Bay Leaf - 1 pieces
Thyme
Heavy cream - 150 ml
Carrot (dice and blanched) - 100gm
Leek (dice) - 100gm

Method
1. Season the chichen with salt and pepper. Saute the chicken in oil for 1 minute browning it.
2. Scatter the onion and garlic over the chicken. Cook the chicken turning it often to 5 minutes.
3. Sprikle the flour over the chicken. turning it to coat evenly. Cool the chicken 5 minutes.
4. Deglace the pan with chicken stock.
5. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Cover the pan and braise the chicken untill its fork lenter about 30 minutes.
6. To finish, add the heavy cream and vegetables to the chicken. Simmer the chicken for a few minutes and serve it with pilaf rice.


DUCHEESE POTATO
Items
Potato - 5 nos
Egg Yolk - 1 no
Butter - 40 gm
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg (optional)


Method
1. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water until they are just tender
2. Drain and dry the potatoes, keeping them hot and puree them
3. Add in the egg yolks, butter and seasoning
4. Place in a piping bag with large stor tube
5. Pipe out into neat spiral on to lightly greased baking sheet
6. Brown lightly in a hot oven or under the salamender
7. Remove from the oven and brush with the salamender
8. Serve hot.



BAKED CHEESE POTATO CAKE
Items
Potato (boiled) - 8 nos
Parmesan Cheese - 80 gram
Mozarella Cheese - 60 gram

for "Bechamel"
Milk - 60 ml
Roux - 100gm
Onion (chopped) - 50gm
Salt
Pepper
Egg - 1 no
Thyme

Method
1. Cut the potato in 1/2 cm arrongen in a baking tray
2. Make a bechamel sauce and a yeased in the potato. Sinble with cheese.
3. Baked in the oven 350'F about 30 minutes.

Petua untuk awek yang merajuk-lelaki sahaja,perempuan tidak boleh

1. bila awek mula mengamok baling² barang

Petua yang mesti diamalkan:korang cuba sambot ape yg dorang baling tu. inilah masanyer korang nak tunjuk kepantasan korang menjadi goal keeper.

2. bile awek korang mule menjerit tak pasal² menengking, membebel tanpa henti

Petua yang mesti diamalkan:korang menyanyilah sekuat hati dengan penuh perasaan mengikut melodi sebenar penyanyi asal. inilah masenyer korang nak tunjok yg sore korang sedap giler!

3. bile awek korang tenong korang cam nak telan (garang arh konon!)

Petua yang mesti diamalkan:korang senyom jek pandang awek korang tuh! inilah masenyer korang tunjok betapa comelnyer muker korang ketika senyom!

4. bile awek korang hambik sumer barang² dia bungkos ala² nak lari rumah

Petua yang mesti diamalkan:korang tolong kemaskan barang² dia. hambik semua barang² dia masokkan dlm plastik sampah kaler itam tuh. inilah masenyer korang nak tunjok betapa rajinnyer korang, ringan tulang dan suka membantu.

5. bile awek korang menangis akibat terlalu marah dan sakit hati hingga mengalirkan airmata

Petua yang mesti diamalkan:korang ketawalah berdekah² hingga terguling². inilah masenyer korang nak buktikan bahawa korang berusaha buat awek korang gumbira ketika dia sedang berduka, sedih dan terluka! hehehe…

Sekiranya anda berjaya mengamalkannya:anda adalah seorang yang amatlah hebat.

Rahsia tarikh lahir anda....

Haahaha...Mari-mari belajar mengira tarikh lahir,Cara nie didapati ketika saya menonton wanita hari ini

Berikut adalah cara-cara mengiranya :-

3+7+1990=2000,Seterusnya,tambahkan setiap nombor itu satu persatu:-
2+0+0+0,no bertuah si polan bin si polan nie adalah 2.Jadi 2 bermaksud:-

"PENDAMAI"
It's me!!!

Keterangan no lahir
1. Ketulenan

Hadir dengan idea baru
Mempunyai idea dgn cara tersendiri
Golongan ini merupakan yg pling jujur dan boleh bljr dgn baik teknik diplomasi
Mereka suka mengambil inisiatif dan suka menjadi yg terbaik dan kebiasaannya adalah pemimpin ataupun boss
Bekerja sendiri adalah pilihan terbaik mereka

2. Pendamai

Dilahirkan sbgai diplomat
Mereka selalu memikirkan dan peka terhadap perasaan org lain sebelum mngambil kira dirinya sendiri
Secara semulajadi sangat analitikal dan suka mengikut kata hati
Tidak suka berdendirian
Persahabatan sngt penting buat mereka dan mendorong mrk untk berjaya did lm hidup, ttp mrk snggup utk brsendirian jika hubungan yg dijalinkan tidak serasi
Sangat pemalu dan perlu bljr utk meningkatkan nilai kendiri(self esteem) dan meluahkan perasaan secara terbuka tanpa berselindung

3. Ceria

Mereka sangat kreatif, ceria, mesra, romantik dan senang dibawa
berunding
Mereka suka memulakan sesuatu tetapi jarang dapat menghabiskan
Mereka suka membuatkan org gembira dan sanggup melakukan apa
sahaja utk mencapainya
Mereka sangat popular dan idealistic
Golongan ini perlu belajar utk melihat sesuatu dgn lebih idealistic

4. Konservatif

Golongan ini sangat peka dan tradisional
Mereka sukakan arahan dan sesuatu yang rutin
Mereka hanya akan bertindak apabila faham sepenuhya ttg apa yg perlu dilakukan
Mereka sanggup bekerja keras dan sanggup melakukan sesuatu kerja dgn sendirian
Mereka mudah tertarik dgn aktiviti luar dan merasai pertalian dgn alam sekitar
Mereka beusaha utk sabar, tekun dan adakala dianggap degil
Mereka perlu belajar bersikap lebih fleksibel dan bersikap lbh baik terhadap diri sendiri

5. Perintis

Mereka adalah perintis
Secara semulajadi mrk mmpunyai sikap ingin tahu dan suka mngambil
risiko serta sangat bersemangat
Mereka perlukan kepelbagaian dan tidak suka disekat
Dunia ini adalah sekolah mereka, mrk memerhatikan setiap peluang utk
Mempelajari sesuatu dlm setiap situasi yg ditempuhi
Persoalan yg bermain difikiran mrk tidak pernah berhenti
Golongan ini dinasihati melihat sesuatu dgn teliti dan mendapat semua
fakta yg diperlukan sebelum membuat kesimpulan

6. Romantik

Golongan ini adalah idealistic dan memerlukan sesuatu sbb utk berasa
gembira
Hubungan kekeluargaan yg kuat adalh pnting buat mereka
Perasaan mereka mempengaruhi keputusan mereka
Mereka sngt suka utk mmbantu dan mnjaga seseorang
Mereka sngt setia dan blh mnjadi guru yg terbaik
Mereka suka seni muzik
Mereka menjadi teman setia kpd sesiapa yg mnjalin persahabatan
secara serius
Golongan ini perlu bljr apa yg perlu diubah dan apa yg tak perlu
diubahnya

7. Intelektual

Golongan ini adalah Pencari. Selalu menyelesaikan sesuatu yg
tersembunyi dan sukar menerima sesuatu perkara dgn mudah
Perasaan mereka tidak mempengaruhi keputusan mereka
Mereka suka mempersoalkan apa yg ada disekeliling mrk, tp tidak suka
dipersoalkan
Mereka dikenali sbgai ahli falsafah, sngt berpengetahuan dan suka
bersendirian
Mereka gemarkan perkara berteknikal dan berkebolehan utk mnjadi
penyelidik yg baik utk mnyelesaikan sesuatu perkara
Mereka sngt suka berahsia
Mereka hidup dalam dunia mrk sendiri dan perlu bljr mnerima kejadian
dunia sebenar

8. Penyelesaian

Golongan ini adalah penyelesaian masalah
Mereka adalah professional, berterus terang, penilai yg baik dan sngt
tegas
Mereka mempunyai perancangan yg hebat dan suka hidup dlm suasana
kehidupan yg terbaik
Mereka sngt suka mengendalikan manusia dan menganggap manusia
sebagai objektif
Mereka akan memberitahu org dgn cara tersendiri bahawa dia adalah
adalah ketua
Golongan ini perlu belajar utk membuat keputusan berdasarkan
keperluan sendiri drpd keperluan org lain

9. Pelakon

Golongan ini mempunyai kebolehan utk mnghiburkan org lain
Mereka sngt penyanyang dan pemurah
Dengan daya tarikan yg ada mrk tidak mempunyai masalah utk berkawan
dgn sesiapa sahaja dan bg mrk tiada sesiapa pun yg dianggap asing kpd
mereka
Mereka mempunyai personality yg pelbagai sehingga menyukarkan org
sekeliling utk memahami mereka
Mereka umpama binatang sumpah-sumpah yg blh berubah dan
Menyesuaikan diri mengikut persekitaran
Mereka mempunyai nasib yg sngt baik ttp juga blh menderita akibat
terlalu bergantung kpd nasib dan perasaan (mood)
Untuk berjaya golongan ini perlu membina landasan kasih sayang
Isnin, 22 Jun 2009

My Best Friend....Wan....


My Housemate
[dari kiri: Pepen, Aliffe, Iwan, Wan, Apizz n Kubie-kubie]


My Partner
[Mr.Bie-Bam @ BamBino]


Penang Mai
[Am-Cher]



The Compenies
[Kubie-kubie, Am-Cher n Bam-Bino]


Time celebrate birthday boy
[Birthday Kubie-Kubie yg ke 19]


We in Front of Politeknik Johor Bahru
[Ewan, Pepen, Wan n Me]







UTM Bloggers


Photobucket
Sah Milik : http://mrundercover90.blogspot.com/. Dikuasakan oleh Blogger.