Grapefruit and prawn salad, Caramel chicken, Cake aux Fruits, Orange & Strawberry Cream, Butter cookie

Grapefruit and prawn salad

2 ruby grapefruit
40g (1/2 cup) cashew
20 cooked prawns, peeled and deveined
20g (1 cup) mint leaves
1 small butter lettuce, washed and dried
dressing (below)

1. Peel the grapefruit by slicing off both ends. Stand the end of the fruit on a board, and following the curves of the grapefruit, slice off all the peel with a sharp knife. Make sure the pith is also removed. Slice out segments of the grapefruit by cutting in between the membrane. Set aside.

2. Place a frying pan over a high heat and when hot, add the cashews. Cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly roasted. Remove from the heat and roughly chop. Set aside.

3. Place the grapefruit, prawns, and mint in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

4. Arrange the lettuce leaves on serving plates. Top with the salad and sprinkle with the roasted cashews.

Dressing

60ml (1/4 cup) fish sauce
60ml (1/4 cup) lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 red Asian shallots, or 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
2 small red chillies, finely chopped

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful

I was born in a Monkey year. So, here I am :))))

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Thread: DMC

Caramel chicken

Today I tried this new recipe from Bill Granger's cook book called "Bill Open Kitchen". This guy is amazing. His recipe is so easy to follow, his ingredients are simple, and the dish tastes fantastic! I love him!!! When my hubby heard what I said, he stopped eating, rolled his eyes: "You LOVE HIM???" Oh well...

8 chicken thigh fillets, skinless, chopped in half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the chicken and oil in a bowl and toss to combine.

2. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat until hot, add the chicken, and cook for 2 minutes on one side (until lightly brown), turn and cook for another minute. Remove from the pan.

3. Reduce the heat to medium (add a little extra oil if needed), add the onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Return the chicken to the pan, sprinkle liberally with black pepper, add the soy sauce, and stir to combine.

5. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Increase the heat to high, add the sugar, and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce is rich, dark, and syrupy.

7. Add the fish sauce and stir to combine.

8. Place in a serving dish and serve with steamed rice and green vegetables.

Cake aux Fruits

Cake batter
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/3 cups (150g) candied fruits, diced (I didn't use this ingredient)
2/3 cup (75g) raisins (I use 225g in substitute of candied fruits)
2 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds (I also skipped this one, simple because I'm too lazy to walk to the market)

Rum soaking syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
3 tablespoons rum (or to taste)

I had so much syrup left over that I would suggest you reduce the amount accordingly.

Garnish (I skipped this part because it's too sweet for me)
Candied cherries and angelica (optional)
3 tablespoons apricot jam, melted and strained

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack slightly below center level.

2. Cut a sheet of parchment to fit the bottom of an 8x4-inch loaf pan. Place the paper in the pan and butter the paper and slides of the pan, set aside.

3. Sprinkle the pan lightly with sugar, shaking to coat evenly, and pouring out the excess.

Cake batter:

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until light.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, until blended.

3. Sift the flour again with the baking powder in another bowl.

4. Add the fruits and raisins to (3), tossing to coat.

5. Lower the mixer speed and add the flour mixture, mixing until not quite blended.

6. Finishing mixing the batter by hand, using a rubber spatula.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tapping it once or twice on a work surface to eliminate bubbles and smoothing it gently with a rubber spatula.

8. Sprinkle the almonds over the surface.

9. Bake for 55 minutes.

Rum soaking syrup:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stiring until the sugar has dissolved (about 4 minutes).

2. Add the rum, and remove from the heat.

Assembly:

1. Cool the cake in its pan for about 10 minutes.

2. Invert the cake gently, lift off the pan, then turn the cake over again gently, right-side up.

3. While the cake is still warm, slowly brush it with the syrup.

4. If desired, decorate the cake with halved candied cherries and cup-up pieces of candied angelica.

5. Glaze the cake, brushing a light coating of the melted and strained apricot jam over the surface.

Orange & Strawberry Cream

1/2 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup strawberry yogurt
3/4 cup orange juice
Scant 1 1/4 cups frozen strawberries
1 banana, sliced and frozen

1. Pour the plain and strawberry yogurts into a food processor or blender and process gently.

2. Add the orange juice and process until combined.

3. Add the strawberries and banana and process until smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into tall glasses and decorate with slices of strawberry on cocktail sticks (you could add some slices of orange as well).

Butter cookie

My cookie jar is empty again (no more Tuiles aux amondes). So, I make these new butter cookies according to noinieu's recipe. It tastes quite good, but don't expect something extraordinary.

3/4 cup unsalted butter (leave at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. Use electric mixer to mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts.

2. Mix well flour with salt and baking powder. Pour this mixture into (1) and blend.

3. Place (2) on a waxed paper, and roll the dough into thin layer of about 3mm thick.

4. Cover (3) with another waxed paper and put in the fridge for an hour.

5. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into your favorite shapes.

6. Place the cookie in the baking tray, and bake at 350F for 6-10'.