2007年10月13日 星期六

努力的回報

今天為了要賺取一份非常非常珍貴、想要了很久的禮物,我努力作了幾道菜,與爹娘一同分享。

結果,禮物到手了,家人也吃得高興!

【牛骨蔬菜湯】
這道湯非常簡單,只要把小馬鈴薯三個、紅蘿蔔兩條、洋西芹一條、大蕃茄兩個,紅甜菜頭一個、洋蔥等切成大片。然後放進滾開的牛骨湯中(清雞湯或清水也可以),再滾開後轉中火,煮約45分鐘。喜歡的話可加進洋芫荽,因為我喜歡它清新的感覺。

其實,洋芫荽除了有助增加湯的味道,也有助減低血壓。

Vegetable beef soup
This soup is easy to make: 3 small potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 2 tomatoes, 1 beet, and 1 onion. Cut vegetable into big pieces, and put them into boiled browned beef stock (you can use chicken stock or plain water as well). Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 45 minutes. Put in parsley leaves at the end of the cooking process to enchance the flavour.

【韮菜炒蛋】
我相信很多人都會做這道菜。為了香口一點,我先炒香碎煙肉,逼出煙肉的油,(可千萬不要弄焦)。除去多餘的油之後,下已切粒的韮菜一起炒到軟身,然後把打好的六個蛋的蛋漿(隨韮菜的多寡而定,原則是蛋漿要能包裹著韮菜。)倒進鍋中。慢火將蛋液煎熟,這時可以輕微下一些油,以防蛋變焦。直到蛋液七八分熟的時候,放下數片千層疊葉,把蛋餅對合一起,即可裝盤,以免蛋變得過熟。
  調味的時候要小心,因為煙肉已有鹹度。蛋液在攪發時千萬不要太混,只要將蛋白跟蛋黃稍微混合即可,以免煮的時候出水。

Garlic Chives Scrambled Egg
Stir fry chopped bacons under medium heat to release its oil (but do not let them burned). Remove excess oil and add chopped garlic chives, and stir fry until soft. Add enough eggs to cover all garlic chives (slightly mix the eggs) and turn down the heat. Cook until the eggs solidify at the bottom while there is still liquid on the top. Fold the mixture into half and plate it.

Be careful when seasoning, since the bacon is already salted. Also do not stir to mix the eggs vigourously, since this will release water during the cooking process.

【焗秋令什菜】
秋天是根莖類植物的當令季節,所以這道菜所選的都是時令產品,不但甜美,而且價錢便宜。當中的材料其實不用那麼考究。我所選的蔬菜有黃蕪菁(Yellow Turnip)、粗根芹菜 (Celery Root)、紅蘿蔔、蒜頭、紅蔥頭(Shallot)、防風草根(Parsnip)等。切成大塊,混合橄欖油、鹽、黑胡椒碎、新鮮百里香葉碎。用375度F(190度C)焗至蔬菜變軟(約45~60分鐘,視乎大小而定。)即成。切勿把蔬菜焗得太乾身,不時地攪拌可使油充分塗抹在表面上。

Roasted Root Vegetables
This is a peasant style dish, and you can adjust your choice of vegetables that are in season. I used yellow turnips, celery roots, carrots, garlics, shallots, parsnip, and baby beets. Roughly cut all vegetables into large pieces of about the same size, mix with olive oil, salt, cracked balck peppercorn, and chopped fresh thyme leaves. Put the vegetables into a roasting pan and bake under 375F (190C) until the vegetables become soft (around 45-60 minutes, depending on the size). Do not over cook it since the vegetables will become bitter if they are too browned. Also stir occasionally to keep them coated with oil during the process.

【薑汁撞奶】
餐後的甜品是薑汁撞奶,也是很容易做的。
先把薑磨成泥,取大約一湯匙的薑汁放在碗中。煮熱全脂牛奶至70~80度C把熱牛奶倒進有薑汁的碗內,用湯匙輕輕攪拌,一分鐘後待奶凝固,便可食用。可隨意加入糖漿調味。牛奶的加熱的溫度很重要,70~80度C最為理想。若喜歡滑溜的口感,可以把牛奶加熱至85度C。

Ginger Milk
This is served as a dessert. Ground ginger and get its juice (about 1 tbsp) and put it into a serving bowl. Heat up around 250ml whole milk to 70-80'C (160-180'F). Mix milk with ginger juice and stir slightly. Let it stands for a minute until the mixture solidifies. Serve with sugar/syrup to taste.

2007年10月11日 星期四

蕃茄濃湯

 蕃茄是很有營養的食物,富有維生素C和礦物質。對高血壓、夜盲症、牙齦出血等患者,有一定的幫助。

 蕃茄的葉一度被認為有毒,不可以吃。可是有研究說,蕃茄的葉其實有一種物質,名叫 「tomatine」,可幫助身體減低吸收膽固醇。蕃茄葉也可以增加湯的鮮味,所以在煮湯最後半小時可加數片蕃茄葉。

 有人覺得蕃茄的表皮應除去,但我卻不同意。其實表皮是最有味道的一部份,丟掉便很浪費了。

 罐頭蕃茄要選沒有 「calcium chloride」的,因會令蕃茄變得很難溶化。

 牛骨湯令味道更濃,喜歡清淡一點的可用清雞湯代替。

Purée of Tomato Soup (Brown Stock Base)

【材料】
 無鹽奶油 unsalted butter ……………………… 50公克
 煙肉 bacon ……………………………………… 25公克
 洋蔥切粒 onion dice ………………………… 100 公克
 紅蘿蔔切粒 carrot dice ……………………… 80 公克
 西洋芹切粒 celery stalk dice ……………… 60 公克
 蕃茄切粒 tomato dice ……………………… 100 公克
 罐頭蕃茄 canned tomato …………………… 250 公克
 牛骨湯 browned beef stock ………………… 1 公升
 35% 鮮奶油 35% cream …………………… 100毫升
 九層塔 basil ……………………………………… 適量

 【香料包】
  百里香 thyme
  月桂葉碎 bay leaves
  奧勒岡草 oregano
  洋芫荽莖 fresh parsley stalks
  碎黑胡椒 cracked black peppercorn …………… 各適量

【作法】
 1. 於湯鍋中把奶油溶掉後,加入煙肉和蔬菜。中火略煮至洋蔥半誘明。
  Melt butter in a deep pan. Add bacon and vegetables and sweat.
 2.把蕃茄切粒和罐頭蕃茄加進鍋中,逐漸加入熱的牛骨湯。
  Add tomato and hot stock. Stir to a simmer and then add the spice bag.
 3.加熱至微滾,然後加入香料包。煮約一小時。其間要不時攪拌。
  Cook for an hour. Stir and skim as needed.
 4.把湯小心放入攪拌器攪爛,隔去渣後放回湯鍋中。調味。
  Puree in a blender and pass through a strainer.
  Put the liquid back to the pan and season to taste.
 5.把九層塔切碎,放入鮮奶油中打成起身。
  Garnish with basil cream and serve.