Pandan Chiffon Cake

Tools n’ Shit

• x2 large mixing bowls (preferably metal for the egg whites)
• x1 small mixing bowl
• large sieve 
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• large 9-10” bundt cake pan
• muslin cloth
• spatula
• food processor 
• electric whisk

Ingredients

• 20 pandan leaves (frozen is fine) + 5 tbsp water (makes ½ cup juice)
• 8 egg whites 
• 7 egg yolks
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 ¼ cup sugar ( 1 cup for egg whites + ¼ cup for egg yolk mixture)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tsp vegetable oil to grease pan 
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Snip the pandan leaves into small 1cm strips (horizontally) and place in the food processor with the water. Pulverize till pulpy. (Add an additional tablespoon of water at a time if needed, you dont want too much – JUST enough for it to keep things moving)
3. Place muslin cloth in a small bowl and place pandan pulp on top. Squeeze muslin cloth to extract juice from pulp, into the bowl. You’ll need 1/2 a cup. Add more water to compensate if needed.
4. Separate 7 egg yolks and 8 egg whites into the two large mixing bowls. 
5. Sprinkle the cream of tartar onto the egg whites, and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. 
6. Add 1 cup sugar into egg whites about a tablespoon at a time, continuing to whisk on high speed. Set aside.
7. Into the bowl with egg yolks – add coconut milk, pandan juice and vegetable oil. Whisk on high until blended. Set aside.
8. Sieve into the egg mixture; Flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk on medium till JUST blended.
9. With your spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture one large dollop at a time till fully incorporated.
10. Pour the ½ tsp of oil into the bottom of the bunt pan, and rub around to coat. Only grease the bottom half of the pan. Leave the top 2 inches of the sides ungreased.
11. Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
12. Gently remove from oven and set aside to cool for at least an hour. 
13. Run a knife around the sides of the bundt pan, and tip upside down onto a plate to release the cake. 
14. Eat.

Boozy cracked black pepper n’ port cranberry sauce

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup Port wine
• Zest of 1 orange
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
• 1 packet gelatine (7g) 
• 8 oz mini marshmallows (1/2 a bag)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients BUT the gelatine, pepper and marshmallows,  in a medium sized saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. 
2. Add in bloomed gelatine, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the berries have popped, about 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Stir in Pepper. Cool the mixture for about 30 minutes (till still barely warm but wont melt marshmallows) then fold in ½ bag of marshmallows.
4. Grease jello mold and pour the cranberry sauce into the mold, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
5. Un-mold onto a plate. Serve with your Turkey dinner.

Oatmeal cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1 egg
• 1 ¼ cup butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 to 1 ½ cups flour
• 3 cups oats
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

 

Oven 375

Cook 9 – 11 mins (chewy – crisp desire)

 

Jamaican banana bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
• ¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt/sour cream
• 3 tablespoons dark rum OR apple cider
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lime

Glaze – Cook till bubbling and slightly syrupy

• 1/4 cup rum
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

*Spoon over top of loaf as soon as it’s outta the oven

Bake @350 for 1 hour

 

Italian sausage meatball pasta

Ingredients:

• 8-10 campari tomatoes (quartered)/ 1 pack cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2 sausages
• bunch of basil (julienned)
• olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves – thin sliced
• salt/pepper to taste
• parmesan (grated) for serving

Directions:

1. Sauté meatballs (extract from casing and roll into balls) – remove and set aside
2. Cook pasta in boiling water till ALMOST cooked, but not fully cooked through. (allow to cook through with the sauce, later)
3. saute olive oil and garlic – add tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook down till saucy, and tomatoes start to break down/liquify.
4. Add back meatballs and almost cooked pasta. Add pasta water as needed (roughly 1-2 cups. Aiming for dish to be slightly saucy one pasta has cooked through) and simmer till sauce has married and pasta is cooked.
5. Add basil and stir through.
6. Top with parmesan. Eat

Italian sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs pork
• 1 ½ tbsp sherry/dry red wine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp minced onion
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cayenne
• ¼ tsp ground anise/ ½ tsp absinthe
• ½ tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tpsp chopped fresh parsley/oregano/marjoram 
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Best Pancakes

 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp butter (melted)

 

Directions:

1. Whisk all wet ingredients together
2. Sift in dry ingredients and whisk till JUST combined (do not over whisk)
3. Allow batter to rest in fridge for at least 1 hour before cooking
4. Cook on medium heat, greased, heavy bottomed pan/griddle
5. Roughly ¼ cup of batter per pancake. When air bubbles form, flip to brown other side.

Paella

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
• 1 habanero pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
• 4-6 cloves minced garlic 
• 2 cups white basmati rice
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp fennel
• ¼ tsp anise
• 1/2 lb shrimp
• 1/2 lb squid (sliced into rings)
• 1/2 lb small (bay) scallops
• 1 lb mussels
• 1 kielbasa sausage, cubed, ¼ inch thick
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• salt/pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions/garlic and cook over medium-low till fragrant, add peppers and cook over medium heat for 5 more minutes.
   
3. Lower heat and Stir in the rice, stock, saffron, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Stir the rice gently with a wooden spoon, and return it to the oven to bake uncovered for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.
5. Transfer the paella back to the stove top and add the wine. Cook the paella over medium heat for 1 minute, until absorbed by the rice.
6. Turn off the heat. Add the seafood, kielbasa, and peas and stir gently. Cover the paella, and allow it to steam for 15 minutes w lid on.
   
7. Sprinkle with the parsley, garnish with lemon wedges. Eat.

Quick pickled onions

 

Ingredients:

• 150 ml Apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 black peppercorns – crushed
• 6 coriander seeds – crushed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds – crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium red onion – sliced 

1. Put all the above in a sterile jar. Shake it. Leave it for at least an hour. Eat it.

 

Tomahawk

Tools n’ Stuff:

• Large cast iron skillet/heavy-bottomed pan
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Food processor/blender
• Tongs
• Over mitts

 

Ingredients:

• 30-40oz tomahawk steak/ bone-in ribeye
• 10 garlic cloves
• 12 sprigs rosemary (leaves only, set stems aside)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Salt 
• Pepper

 

1. In food processor, blitz garlic, olive oil and rosemary
2. Cover tomahawk in 1/2 the marinade, place in ziplock and refrigerate for minimum 3 hours, or overnight.
3. Add red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to remaining marinade, blitz again and reserve. This will be your “Rosemary Chimichurri” to serve cooked steak with.
4. Remove tomahawk from fridge 1/3 hour before cooking – let it come to room temp.
5. Set oven to 350
6. Wipe all of the marinade off the tomahawk. Pat dry with paper towels.
7. In large cast iron skillet – heat up butter and rosemary stems. 
8. Liberally season steak with salt and pepper all over.
9. On high heat – sear all sides of steak. 1 min each side. 
10. Lower heat to medium – cook both large sides of steak. 5 mins 1st side. 3 mins 2nd side.
11. Wrap “bone handle” of tomahawk in foil.
12. Leave in skillet same side down as you just cooked, and place in over for 10 mins.
13. Remove and let rest for 15 mins
14. Carve and serve with “Rosemary Chimichurri”