Rice Porridge with Pork and Peanuts

Ingredients

2 cups short-grain rice
3/4 cup skinned raw peanuts
2 chicken stock cubes
water to cover rice by 4-inch
8 oz lean pork, sliced and shredded
2 teaspoons cornstarch
liberal sprinkling of white pepper
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
few very thin slices pig’s liver (optional)

Garnishes

1/2 cup oil
6-8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 shallots or 1 medium red or brown onion, thinly sliced
1-2 fresh red chilies, sliced
pickled radish
fresh coriander leaves
light soy sauce
eggs (optional)

Method

1. Wash rice thoroughly, then put into a deep saucepan with peanuts, stock cubes and water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes until a mushy porridge results. Add more water during cooking if necessary to ensure a fairly liquid consistency.
2. While rice is cooking, sprinkle pork with cornstarch, pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil and leave aside while preparing the garnishes.
3. Heat oil and gently fry garlic until golden. Remove from oil and drain. Fry shallots in same oil until golden brown then set aside. Put all garnish ingredients in separate small dishes.
4. Using oil in which garlic and shallots were fried, stir-fry pork over high heat until it changes colour. Reduce heat and fry for about 2 minutes, then add to the cooked rice porridge. Simmer pork in porridge for 10 minutes, then add pig’s liver (if using) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
5. Serve porridge in bowls, sprinkled with a liberal amount of ground white pepper. Each person adds garnishes to taste, breaking a whole egg into the porridge and stirring around to cook it as desired.

Source: Singapore Food

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Today’s Comic

Mini Bacon and Egg Pastries with Cheddar

Ingredients

butter, for greasing
1 lb 2 oz prepared basic pie dough
all-purpose flour, for rolling
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
12 lean bacon slices, diced, cooked, and drained well
12 small eggs
pepper
generous 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease a deep 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured counter and cut out 12 circles approximately 5 inches in diameter. Use to line the cups of the muffin pan, gently pleating the sides of the dough as you ease it into the molds. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the mustard into the base of each pastry shell and top with a little of the bacon.
3. Break an egg into a cup, spoon the yolk into the pastry shell, then add enough of the white to fill the pastry shell about two-thirds full. Do not overfill. Season to taste with pepper and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the tops of the pastries.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is set and the cheese is golden brown. Serve warm, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Makes 12 pieces.

Source: Brunch

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Today’s Comic

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo

Ingredients

8 chicken pieces such as thighs and drumsticks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons hot paprika
1/4 cup dry sherry or vermouth
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, with juice
1 bay leaf
1 strip orange zest
3 ounces Spanish dry-cured chorizo, thinly sliced
2/3 cup pitted black olives
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Sauté the chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil a large frying pan over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Remove any fat from the pan.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the paprika, sherry, tomatoes, bay leaf, and orange zest. Bring to a boil.
5. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over low heat until chicken is tender, 35-40 minutes.
6. Add the chorizo and olives and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Modern Mediterranean Cooking

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Today’s Comic

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients

1-1/4 lb center-cut pork loin, trimmed
1 egg
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, cubed
1 red pepper, cubed or cut into small triangles
2 scallions, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2/3 cup Chinese pickles
1 cup clear rice vinegar
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1-1/4 cups sugar
oil for deep-frying

Method

1. Cut the pork into 3/4 inch cubes and put it in a bowl with the egg, 1/2 cup of the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water. Stir to coat all of the pieces of pork.
2. Heat a wok over high heat, add the oil and heat until very hot. Stir-fry the onion for 1 minute.
3. Add the pepper and scallions and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the pickles and toss together to combine. Add the rice vinegar, tomato ketchup and sugar and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Combine the remaining cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, add to the sweet-and-sour mixture and simmer until thickened. Set aside.
6. Fill a wok one quarter full of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F, or until a piece of bread fries golden brown in 15 seconds when dropped in the oil.
7. Cook the pork in batches until golden brown and crispy. Return all of the pork to the wok. cook until crisp again, then remove with a wire strainer or slotted spoon and drain well.
8. Add the pork pieces to the sauce, stir to coat, and reheat until bubbling. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Food of China

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Today’s Comic

Pea, Basil and Feta Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups frozen peas, quickly defrosted (you can use the pan you’ll fry the fritters in)
3/4 cup plain/all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2/3 cup whole milk
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
30 fresh basil leaves, torn into small shreds
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and black pepper, to season
3-1/2 oz prosciutto, to serve

Roasted Tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. For the roast tomatoes, put the halved cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until the tomatoes are lightly caramelized. Turn the oven off.
4. Make the fritters. Lightly defrost the peas over medium heat in a saucepan.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, egg, milk and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Stir in the crumbled feta, torn basil and defrosted peas. Season well.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the frying pan/skillet. Spoon 1-1/2 tablespoons of batter per fritter into the hot pan. Cook the fritters in batches over medium heat until you see small holes appearing on the surface.
7. Gently flip with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Transfer to the still-warm oven while you make the rest.
8. Serve the fritters with the roasted tomatoes and prosciutto.

Makes 1 serving.

Source: 100 Ways with Eggs

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Today’s Comic