Orange & Pastis Braised Baby Fennel

Instead of worrying if I'd have time or where I'd find time to come update with posts as well as recipe, you suspicion I'd begin the mini array of posts instead. Shorter posts with recipes geared toward the upcoming holidays or inspired by the engorgement of furnish as well as items you find each week end during the farmers market.

Depending upon the time as well as theme during hand, the small post might be shorter than others but this blog is the place of stress relief as well as comfort first as well as foremost. For you as well as for me. For my mom too so which she can see you don't "forget to eat". Seriously. Forgetting to eat? She had to be thinking about someone else.


In the spirit of creation it count as well as creation something good, you want to share the side plate you have been eating twice already this week: Orange & Pastis Braised Baby Fennel. Sweet, the small tart as well as full of the wonderful aroma of anise as well as citrus. B. pronounced it was similar to eating candied vegetables as well as you am so blissful you put 2 bunches of baby fennel in my basket during the farmers pen last weekend. He frowned. Now he's rubbing off his belly in approval. Ahah!

I am gripping this as my secret weapon depending upon the last menu for Thanksgiving. you must confess which you *can't* wait for for Thanksgiving this year as Tami from Running With Tweezers, her boyfriend Mike, Broderick from Savory Exposure as well as Chris from Mele Cotte are creation the expostulate from Atlanta to Charleston to spend the few days as well as applaud Thanksgiving during the house. Food! Slumber Party! Happy Hour! Farmers Market! Walks!


We have been talking about the food for the few weeks right away as well as there are the small wonderful meals in the works! Be prepared for the small sneak peeks as well as posts about the dinners. That's what you get when bloggers, bakers, food stylists, food photographers, food enthusiasts accumulate together around the table!

I am thankful for their gift of friendship as well as adore to us. These folks are similar to my second family as well as you am the propitious to have these few days with them in the gorgeous city.

** You still have until Sunday to enter the giveaway for Gluten Free Girl as well as The Chef Cookbook! Just conduct over there as well as put your name in the virtual hat! **

Orange as well as Pastis Braised Baby Fennel

Notes: It's one of those meals which need small in the form of active hands upon credentials as well as which cooks upon the own whilst you can tend to some-more dire issues. You can really use unchanging sized fennel for this recipe as well as do but the pastis by using the integrate of anise seeds as well as broth or H2O instead. The anise should be subtle sufficient to fool around up the healthy aroma of the fennel whilst the orange gives it the nice floral as well as honeyed note.

Serves 4

2 bunches baby fennel or 2 middle bulbs fennel (fronds discarded - keep them for salads!)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh orange extract (clementines right right away are perfect for this in the South East)
zest of one orange
1/4 to 1/3 cup Pastis (or homogeneous in H2O + 2 star anise)
1/3 cup water
salt as well as pepper to taste

Cut the baby fennels in half lengthwise. Heat the oil in the complicated saucepan (I similar to to use expel iron as much as possible) set over middle high feverishness as well as sautee the baby fennels ! until th ey begin to get golden. Add the orange juice, orange zest, Pastis as well as H2O as well as bring to the boil. Reduce the feverishness to the simmer, cover as well as prepare until the baby fennel is flare tender, 40 mins to an hour. Uncover as well as continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the liquids revoke to the syrup as well as coat the fennel completely. Adjust the seasoning with salt as well as pepper.
Serve hot.

Book Review & Writing Tips

Searching For Superlatives. Gu Yue Tien, Chulan Square, KL.

from Paranoid Android by Paranoid Android

(non halal)

Preserved Chinese Mustard

Sometimes, writing about food that is so devastatingly exquisite and beautifully thought out and breathtakingly innovative demands superlatives. When words fail, it is exasperating because I could never convey the exquisite pleasure of the stimulation of senses the food offers.

Oven Baked Calamari

Take for instance, the humble calamari. Not any Calamari, the mutant foot long ones perfectly Oven Baked until it is crunchy and slightly charred outside yet as tender as fish on the inside. Stuffed with sinful roe and intriguingly rich, slightly bitter yet delicately uni, the combination was so ethereal that it has dampened my appreciation of the normal grilled Calamari forever. Such is the price of perfection, especially when the richness was tempered down with the tanginess from a wedge of lemon and the sour and tart chili based dip. Breathtaking.

The Filling of Roe and Uni (Sea Urchin)

Stepping into Gu Yue Tien from the busy and traffic clogged streets itself is therapeutic. An oasis of calm an sanity greets you as you climb up the stairs into the main dining area which is decorated in Neo-Chinese style. It is not overtly fancy or ostentatious, but functional and clean, with 6 private dining rooms on both sides of the restaurant.

Bacon Salad

We had ordered lunch "Omakasen" style, and left the tedium of deciding what to order to the chef. The first dish did not impress me at all. It was Bacon salad, served with red and green corals with Thousand Island dressing. Although the Salad was faultless and their beautiful bacon smoked in-house was beautifully balanced in flavour and texture, it did not dazzle my palate.

Clams and Apple Salad

By the time the second course arrived, I was ready to eat my words. The Giant Clam and Apple Salad was a creation of pure genius. It was a melange of flavours, sweet, sour and salty with some spiciness from chili. Not only that, the flavour of the chewy clams were brought alive by apples which were crunchy in contrast.

Fish Cake with Cheese Stuffing

Even the plain old fish cake was given a new lease of life. It was playfully filled with some melted Cheddar Cheese. I would never have thought that Cheese and Chinese food could have such a happy union.

Wok Fried Beef with Mushroom Reduction and Tempura

The Pan Fried Beef served with Mushroom Reduction, served with Wasabi Sauce and Tempura Spinach was a revelation of the Chef's ability to fuse Western, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. The beef was delightfully tender and the perfectly fried Spinach complemented the dish very well.

Close up of the Spinach Tempura

I have often thought of Chinese Food as being rather stodgy and conventional, but Chef Frankie has given Chinese Cuisine a different revelation, bringing with it some really new and exciting flavours and and Western inspired plating.

Braised Pork Knuckle

I am not a fan of Pork, and will refrain from commenting on the next dish, which was Braised Pork Knuckle with Preserved Vegetables (Mooi Choi) and Pumpkin Puree.

Mooncakes for Dessert

That was one of the most interesting Chinese Meals I have had this year. In fact, I am anticipating a return to try out the rest of their menu after my break, and will keep you posted.

Gu Yue Tien
Lot 5A Chulan Square
Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6.03.21.48.08.08.

Gluten-Dairy-Sugar-Free Homemade Granola

Something pretty remarkable happened. we stepped in my kitchen as well as baked something but flour but divert or eggs or butter as well as but sugar.

I was wide-eyed. we was nervous. This arrange of thing is approach out of my sugar/butter/flour comfort zone.

It turns out we competence have the brand brand new comfort zone.

A new, tasty comfort section giveaway of all of the fats as well as flours we know as well as love.

I proposed this hulk batch of everything-free granola with gluten-free oatmeal.

While oatmeal in itself is gluten-free actual, safe gluten-free oatmeal is done of gluten-free processing equipment.

Its hardcore.

Since Im starting all out, we used Coconut Oil instead regular old olive oil.

My friend Tracy got me absolutely obsessed with coconut oil. It comes in the jar. Its opaque as well as solid during room temperature. Its tall in fat but improved for your physique than butter or oil. Its got acids which your physique loves. Kinda rad. Oh! Bonus!! It tastes similar to voluptuous sexy coconut. we loooove this stuff.

I additionally used macadamia as well as cashew bulb butter as well as sugar as the binder. Crazy stupid delicious.

If youre not feeling fancy, however feel giveaway to make use of extra-virgin olive oil as well as almond or peanut butter as the binder. Still delicious. To be sure.

Th is granola is super lovely. It has the brilliance from coconut oil as well as the macadamia bulb butter feels so indulgent. Its easily honeyed as well as utterly satisfying. we served my granola over vanilla yogurt. Yes. Dairy. Im just the insurgent similar to that.

Gluten Dairy Sugar Free Homemade Granola

makes about 9 cups of granola

Print this Recipe!

6 cups gluten-free oats (old fashioned or quick cooking)

1 crater raw almonds

1 crater raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 crater raw sunflower seeds

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 crater coconut oil, melted to the glass (or substitute additional virgin olive oil)

3/4 crater macadamia bulb butter (or substitute natural peanut butter)

1/4 crater as well as 2 tablespoons sugar (or substitute maple syrup)

3/4 crater golden raisins (or any dried ripened offspring we like, optional)

Place dual racks in the center as well as top third of the oven as well as preheat to 350 degrees F. Line dual baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray easily with in progress spray as well as set aside. In the large bowl, toss together oats, nuts as well as salt. In the middle bowl, kindly whisk together the melted coconut oil (or evoo), bulb butter as well as honey. Pour the oil reduction over the oats as well as nuts as well as stir well. Make certain which every bit of oats as well as nuts is covered in the little of the oil mixture. Spread the granola reduction onto the dual baking sheets from corner to edge. Bake for 15 mins as well as carefully mislay the pans from the oven to toss as well as stir the oats. This will safeguard which the reduction cooks as well as browns evenly. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove as well as stir. Repeat until reduction has cooked the sum of 30 to 40 mins as well as the oats have been dim as well as golden. Allow to cold utterly prior to storing in an airtight container.

See Some Cool, Strange & Funny Stuffs

Norwegian Seafood Gala Dinner 2010

Time really does fly. When Marian Eu invited me to a Norwegian Seafood Gala Dinner, we fast checked my blogpost on a similar event, as well as found out it was some-more than a year ago. Visions of salmon spawning, caviar swimming around in vast bowls, sea hold up of all sorts lying on a smorgasboard table came to mind.

It was really deja vu, a packaged foyer of a Mandarin Oriental Ballroom, with a leader guests all ready to go up to a nines. This year, us "press" people were during slightest ready to go reasonably as well as didn't stick out similar to a moose in a salmon school. The ladies looked dapper, as well as a guys looked spiffy.

Again, seafood as distant as a eye can see, roughly similar to a object that never set on a British empire. The outrageous King Crab sat together with a hulk monkfish in a centrepiece ice sculpture. It was as yet half of a Baltic sea had reappeared in Mandarin Oriental. Astounding choice. The Norwegians certain know how to horde a feast.


Platters as well as Platters of Salmon, other white fish, yabbies, mini lobsters, aristocrat crabs, cooked in each approach conceivable, from sashimi (okay, that's not a cooking method), to tandoori, to satay. Food served in each temperature, cold, hot, lukewarm. Quite a visible as well as culinary feast this eventuality is, as well as not to mention a free issuing wine.




The beautiful environment of Marian's!


His Excellency, Mr Arild Braastad a Ambassador of Norway, regaling us with tales as well as story of a Vikings. Complete with illustrations from that lovable comic strip, Hagar a Horrible, he outlined a differences between all a assorted Vikings from Scandinavia. The Swedish Vikings, with their Ikea Ships as well as Abba music, a Danish Vikings, a Finnish Vikings as well as of course, a most eminent as well as dauntless of them all, a Norwegian Vikings.


Entertainment for a night was a really own homegrown ALLEY CATS.


One of a highlights of a night is a "Oscar" presentation, or a Malaysian Norwegian Business Council (MNBC) Innovation Award whereby a company is selected for most appropriate superb performance. A Norwegian company, that is. So you really wouldnt be removing Sime Darby winning anything. The leader for a night was Wilhemsen Maritime Services.


Our plates were piled with all sorts of goodies. Because of a SHEER variety, in order to maximize a exposure, you could only take tiny morsels of each item, as well as rarely went back for seconds, as there was simply no space. My personal favourite was a assorted egg roe coupled with a scrambled eggs. Ah, a simple things of life.


Just look during those gobules of roe. Ah, bursts of essence that raze in a mouth.


Fresh sashimi, with chunks for aristocrat crab.





This chocolate torte with a tangy lingonberry jam was simply to die for, yet a rest of a desserts were rather ordinary.


The princess cake.... such a flattering icing.



For a extensive write up on a entire night, check out Ciki's Blogpost HERE.

My New Year's Resolution is that we must revisit Norway soon. we goal we can afjord it flattering soon.

Thanks again to a dear Marian for a invite, as well as of course, a thanks to His Excellency a Norwegian Ambassador for a fanciful event, that was perfectly executed as well as thoroughly enjoyable.
Living & Leisure Buzz

Teh Tarik Place, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara

I regularly find it the onslaught when determining where to eat when we're during The Curve. This is presumably due to the fact which we've encountered countless next standard restaurants here in this selling mall.

Initially, you longed for to try Bumbu Desa (Indonesia's leading restaurant chain) portion authentic Sundanese food, however when you stepped into the outlet, the food suddenly didn't interest to me anymore. Perhaps an additional day.

After the little deliberation, you finally finished up during Teh Tarik Place, the place portion internal dishes such as nasi lemak, roti canai, murtabak, curry laksa as well as nasi kerabu. An intensely renouned place with the working throng as you witnessed which day. Prices have been reasonable; the throng especially went for the worth set lunch (RM6.90-RM7.90) which came with the main plate of duck / seafood / beef / mutton, rice, unfeeling as well as drink.


This place reminded me of The Warung in Midvalley, minimalist taste as well as laidback.

Limau Ais (RM2.50) as well as Teh O Limau Ais (RM3.10)

I fancied the little noodles, so my order was for the Mee Goreng Mamak (RM6.10). A hawker favourite, this boiled noodle plate was brimful with inexhaustible amounts of chicken, prawns, tofu, tomatoes, potatoes as well as cucur udang (prawn fritters). It was the decent plate of noodles, moist as well as tasty with the reduction of sweet, delectable as well as spicy flavours.

Hubby had the Nasi Goreng Ayam! (RM8.10 ), boiled rice served with the piece of low boiled duck as well as the little crispy keropok ikan (fish crackers). The duck was the little cold, presumably low boiled much progressing prior to the place got busy.

Verdict: Food was decent as well as cost is very affordable. One of the improved food places we've eaten during in The Curve.

Any readers care to suggest the little good restaurants/eateries in The Curve?

Location: Teh Tarik Place, Lot GF, 36 & 36A The Curve, 6 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 016-2138854

Website: http://www.tehtarikplace.my/

GPS Coordinates: 3.157485, 101.611176

Living & Leisure Buzz

creamed onions with bacon and chives

Could anything be easier than creamed onions? we mean, its cream, as well as afterwards it is onions. And you cook them together. The end. Or maybe a commencement of an additional square of justification which we can take a simplest thing as well as have it, er, long-winded. First, we concerned Thomas Keller, or rather, he beckoned me. we was removing a pedicure a couple weekends ago (figuring Id put my family as well as also those other moms at a gym category we took a baby to out of their misery) as well as upon a armrest was which weeks New York Magazine, boasting Thanksgiving recipes from some good New York chefs within. Obviously, we turned there first as well as though, again, creamed onions have been unequivocally just thickk thickk cream as well as onions thus not inherently interesting, a recipe was from Thomas Keller as well as he is a master of receiving a clearly elementary as well as making it amazing. we was in.

Next up, anticipating pearl onions. Look, we did not go to each stand in Union Square upon each day which a Greenmarket was open, but we looked once or twice as well as didnt find them. we finally systematic them from Fresh Direct, cringing anticipating which theyd be shipped from Timbuktu or someplace median around a globe, usually to sense which theyd been grown in New Jersey. Just like me! Win.

... Read a rest of creamed onions with bacon as well as chives upon smittenkitchen.com

smitten kitchen 2006-2009. |permalink to creamed onions with bacon as well as chives | no criticism to date | see more: Photo, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

See Some Cool, Strange & Funny Stuffs

Starbucks Malaysia More food choices on its new menu!

Starbucks has got brand new food options upon a menu!

Im not fond of chain- cafes food; though many unfortunately, some-more often than not, (*frown*) we find myself in Starbucks for business meetings as well many times a week for my liking.

Yet we cant deny that Starbucks is an ideal assembly point. Easily recognisable, accessible everywhere & many importantly, there is FREE WIFI supposing for convenient browsing.

Coincidentally, a Yuletide season is upon us, as well as as a result a Christmas Toffee Nut Latte and Peppermint Mocha done their appearances again. Overall feedback upon a Toffee Nut Latte was as well honeyed while a a Peppermint Mocha was rarely recommended from those who have tried it. Myself sipped a Mango Passion for a 1st time & immediately got bending as it was not as well honeyed or sour. Very refreshing & easy to drink.

I had a opportunity to sample their brand new food menu with some friends usually last week as well as Im giving thumbs up to a delectable & oh-so-Malaysian Kapitan Pie, RM6.90, with a pleasing flaky fritter layers. we adore a curry filling though we do goal Starbucks can look in to augmenting a portion as we felt similar to we was eating usually fritter after a while. The OZZIE ROLL, RM5.50, a normal flavorful sausage beef encased in butter puff fritter was ok.

* pleasing flaky pastry

CHOCOLATE TUXEDO. RM9.00.
This decadent baked sweat bread is a winner!

Chocolate ganache as a tip layer, with well-spoken white chocolate mousse & a singular centre of dejected chocolate (Oreos) biscuit interconnected with some-more chocolate mousse, this baked sweat bread makes any meetings at Starbucks tolerable. LOL.

Below: Im loving a layers! Alternating layers of choc sponge, choc ganache..white choc mousse, dejected oreos baseHHmmmm..

Peanut butter creme brule. Another rarely recommended cake! Well, it could be that we adore peanut butter as a result we liked this, though a tough to go wrong with chocolate & peanut butter anyway, both a compare thats meant to be paired!

MARBLE CHEESE CAKE. RM9.00. A reduction of premium cheese as well as finest peculiarity chocolate creates a pleasing marbling outcome of this cake. The chewy base is done up of reduction of chocolate chips, dejected cashew nuts as well as cocoa.

Buttery scone with blueberry filling as well as crumbly top. RM7.50. A total let-d! own. we had improved at The Haute Food Co in Plaza Damas.

BLUEBERRY CHEESE CAKE. RM9.00.
With honeyed as well as tangy blueberry filling sandwiched in a centre as well as surfaced with whole blueberries, this baked sweat bread is a pleasant spin-off from a normal cheese cake.

JAZZY LEMON CHEESE CAKE. RM9.00. The name says it all. Slightly zesty, well-spoken light baked sweat bread that is an ideal preference for a obtuse guilty treat.

.

BUTTERSCOTCH CINNAMON ROLL. RM4.80.
Essentially, it is cinnamon hurl surfaced with sticky butterscotch toffee coated walnuts as well as sprinkled with cinnamon powder.

If we are seeking for a some-more substantial meal, a CHICKEN PASTA STACK RM14.90 could be a good choice. The square cut lasagne-like dish would definitely fill we up improved than a other pastries, given a pasta sheets are so thick! The sheets were generously laden with tomato sauce, seasoned with herbs & artificial flavouring with pieces of chicken (not much really) & diced vegetables. A thick covering of cheese surfaced off a ensemble.

T! oasted s andwich, RM6.50. Wholemeal bread filled with scrambled eggs seasoned with artificial flavouring & sliced sausages. To tip it off, a cover of this triangularly cut sandwich is widespread with bchamel sauce as well as sprinkled with cheese. we privately would have preferred a improved peculiarity sausage, for example similar to a a single used in a OZZIE ROLL.

Bagel Sandwich: RM6.90. This is actually an aged item. we have systematic it once prior to during a single of my meetings. The scrambled eggs; seasoned with peppers & tossed with red & green bell peppers for a sharp tinge as well as surfaced with slices of sausages as well as cheese were decent for a quick snack. My advice: Eat it when a hot.

Meet an additional aged timer, a Tiramisu.

And a Shepherds Pie, that is a single of a best offered food object in Starbucks ever given it was featured in a menu.

ESPRESSO ECLAIRE. RM3.80.
Soft as well as light choux fritter filled with silky well-spoken rich espresso filling, surfaced with dark chocolate. we find this as well dry & positively ordinary.

**All food equipment are right away accessible at all vital Starbucks outlet.

Oh, we didnt get to try a NEW Choc Cherry Muffin & we have heard a good! Well, we know right away what Ill be ordering for my next assembly in Starbucks!

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