onion soup with cheese croutes

lovely, aromatic, comforting soup...adapted from Sophie Conran's Soups and Stews and Onions by Brian Glover...

100g butter

6 onions peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp rosemary and thyme

1.5 litres beef stock

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 baguette cut into 2 cm slices

2 cloves garlic, peeled

mozarella/parmesan/cheddar cheese

• melt butter in a large pan, add the onions and stew for 20 min until soft. turn up the heat and add the garlic, stirring for 2 min
• add in the sugar and herbs. reduce the heat and simmer for 45min-1 hour, stirring occasionally until the onions are nice and caramelized.
• bring the stock to boil in another pan, gradually pour into the onions. season with salt and pepper. simmer for another 10-20 min
• meanwhile preheat the oven to 150 degree celcius. place the slices of bread on a greased baking tray and bake for 15 min. rub the bread with the cut surface of garlic, then sprinkle with cheese over the slices.
• float the coutes on the soup the grill until the cheese melts.
• serve immediately

fettucine pesto primavera

this recipe was taken from Chef Wan's Simply Sedap 2....it is amazingly delicious..astray from the regular tomato or cheesy creamy pasta...

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 red capsicum, seeded and sliced

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 tbsp ready-made pesto sauce

400g fettucine, cooked until al dente

4 tbsp chicken stock

salt and blackpepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese to taste

• heat olive oil in pan. add garlic, capsicum, celery and fry for 1 min
• mix in the pesto sauce
• add cooked fettucine and toss until well-mixed. add the stock. toss a few more times and season to taste
• dish out and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and serve

fried spaghetti a la Ez

my version of fried spaghetti...making use of whatever available ingredients at home...

spaghetti, boiled  till al dante and drained

onion and garlic, chopped

fresh mushroom. sliced

celery stick, sliced

fresh parsley, chopped

sun-dried tomato, sliced
green bellpepper, diced

crabmeat sticks, sliced

chicken sausage, sliced

oil

tomato puree

lemon peel, finely chopped

sesame oil

• heat oil in pan, saute the onion and garlic till translucent. add in the mushroom, celery, bellpepper and cook till soft.
• add in the crabmeat and sausage.
• add in the tomato puree, mix well.
• put in the lemon peel, parsley, sun-dried tomato and cooked spaghetti and mix well until the spaghetti is well coated.
• season with salt and pepper
• add a dash of sesame oil
• remove from heat and serve

mushroom and tomato soup

chinese style dish, learnt from my dear friend, Kak Jasmeen..

onion, sliced
garlic, sliced
asam boi
dried mushroom, soaked
canned mushroom
tomato, wedged
water
oil
dash of sesame oil

• heat oil in pan. saute the onion and garlic. add a dash of sesame oil to it.
• add in mushrooms, saute till soft
• add in tomato.
• add in water and asam boi, bring to boil
• season with salt and pepper

crabmeat, tomato and mushroom open sandwich

a twist to a normal, typical sandwich...

2 slices bread (i used wholemeal bread)

dash of extra virgin olive oil

2 sticks of crabmeat

1 tomato, diced

button mushrooms, sliced

green bellpepper

salad leaves/lettuce

gherkins, sliced

onion, chopped

fresh yogurt

• heat oil in pan, saute the onion till translucent. add in crabmeat, mushroom, tomato and green bellpepper. cook till soft. remove from heat.
• to prepare the bread, splash some extra virgin on the bread and toast on pan till crusty.
• to assemble, spread some fresh yogurt on the bread. put the lettuce/salad leaves  and gherkins on top of that and spread the crabmeat mixture on top.
• serve immediately.

potato salad

i like potato salad so much... this is adapted from the Midweek Meals Made Easy..

5 potatoes, boiled and cubed

2 tbsp dijon mustard

4 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp plain yogurt

chopped parsley

2 boiled eggs, quartered

1/2 can tuna in water, drained

blackpepper

• prepare the dressing while the potato is warm
• add mustard, mayonnaise, yogurt and parlsey and mix well
• add in parsley and dash of blackpepper
• in a bowl put in the potato, tuna and eggs
• mix in the dressing
• put in the fridge before serving