蔬菜蛋餡餅

說起吃蛋，似乎一直沒有良好的印象；小時候害怕測驗考試「捧蛋」，長大之後害怕吃蛋隨之而來的膽固醇。

的確，吃一顆雞蛋便攝取了70%單日吸收膽固醇的限量。這個蛋餡餅需要兩顆雞蛋，必定超標。

但其實蛋黃含有的營養比一般肉類更高，但卡路里的含量則很低（只有70卡路里）。

注重健康的人可能只用蛋白，但蛋白的營養比蛋黃少得多。所以，只要一週不吃超過三顆蛋，對健康是有益而無害的。

這個餡餅很容易做，只要隨意找些蔬菜（這次用了洋蔥、紫色馬鈴薯、無花果、蘆筍），用橄欖油略炒後調味，加入兩顆雞蛋拌勻至剛熟，放進小盤中。再於表面上放上已煮熟的蔬菜作為裝飾。放進烤箱內烤熱（broil）一分鐘，令表面有少許焦黃，灑上香草（如龍艾 Tarragon）即成。蔬菜部分也可用蕃茄，青椒等代替。

Omelet "Flat" with figs, purple potato, asparagus, bacon, and onion

I didn't have a good impression about eggs: when I grew up having an "egg" in a test or exam will ensure a long "torture" from parents, and now as a grown up its cholesterol content scared me a way for while.

Granted, egg yolk contains 70% of expert-recommended cholesterol daily intake. And this omelet uses two eggs so I can imagine this recipe will scare some people away.

However the nutrients we get from egg yolk are far more than a lot of meat, while its calorie content is only 70 for a large egg.

For those health minded people they may think of using egg whites only. Unfortunately that will sacrifice a lot of flavour, as well as nutrients. Oh well, a few eggs in a week wouldn't be threatening to most people.

To make this omlete, gather the following ingredients (4 servings):
Onion, finely chopped .......... 1 small
Purple potato, small slices .... 1 small
Asparagus .............................. 12 stalks
Fresh fig, sliced ...................... 2
Large sized egg ...................... 8

1. On a hot pan add 2 table spoons of olive oil.
2. Sweat the vegetables until the onions are soft and transluscent.
3. Drop in the eggs and quickly mix them together with the vegetables.
4. Cook until the mixture is slightly set.
5. Transfer the mixture to creme brulee ramekins (I used a 5" wide, 1" deep).
6. Garnish with cooked vegetables.
7. Put it into an oven and broil on high heat for around 1 minute. This should create a nice golden yellow color. You may need to brown more depending on the power of your oven.
8. Serve hot.

There is a lot of variations to this dish, as you can change the vegetables according to your preference. For example, you can use tomatoes, green peppers, and olives and you'll have a Spanish style omelete.

金銀蒜豆豉蕃茄蒸鮭魚頭

今天在學校煮海鮮。 我們把鮭魚起肉後，它的骨和頭便要丟掉。對於中國人來說，魚頭是十分美味的。於是我二話不說，便跟 Chef 要了魚頭。她聽到有人要廢物利用，十分高興。

回家後，我把魚頭清理乾淨，切大塊，溺乾水分。豆豉小許用水浸片刻除去鹹味。蒜頭三塊切成蓉，一半用375度F的油炸至金黃色（大概半分鐘），取出，用廚房紙巾吸去油份，待用。

蕃茄去籽切丁（大小跟魚頭塊差不多），加入魚頭、豆豉、未炸過的蒜茸、蕃茄、少許鹽與黑胡椒碎（或以朝天椒代替）。拌勻。隔水大火蒸八分鐘，或至魚頭全熟。

取出之後灑上炸過的蒜蓉，加上少許檸檬汁和幾片九層塔葉裝飾便成。

炸過的蒜頭令魚頭更有質感和香味，而蒜香的味道也在蒸的過程中，浸入魚塊當中。放入蕃茄的原因除了令黑沈沈的豆豉和魚塊增加顏色之外，更令這道菜有微微的酸性，中和鮭魚的油膩感。

而豆豉則令整道菜更野味。鮭魚頭可用其他濃味多油的魚代替，如海鱸(Sea Bass)等。

Steamed Salmon Fish Head with Roma Tomato in Preserved Black Bean Sauce with Steamed and Deep Fried Minced Garlic

In today's class we cooked fish, and there were a couple of fish heads left for the trash. Since my parents and I love those stuffs (well, I guess it's common for Asian to eat anything, including heads and bones), I picked up a head and some fatty belly for free!

Here's the receipe:

Ingredients:
Head of salmon, Fresh ......... 1
Roma tomato ....................... 3
Garlic, minced .................... 3, minced
Preserved black beans ......... 10 g
Basil leaves, small ........... a few
Salt and cracked black pepper conrns to taste

1. Gut, wash and clean the head. Cut it into large pieces (large enough for one bite). Drain out excess water and set aside.
2. Rince and soak the preserved balck beans in cold water.
3. Take half of the minced garlic and deep fry it at 375'F until golden brown (about 30 seconds).
4. Dice and seed the tomatoes. Keep the skin on for more flavour.
5. Mix the fish head pieces with the rest of uncooked garlic mince, preserved black beans, and tomato dices. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black peppercorns. (Do not put too much salt since the preserved black beans are salty).
6. Steam the fish head for 8 minutes, or until well done.
7. Sprinkle the deep fried mince garlic, and garnish with a few small basil leaves (or chopped chives).
8. Serve hot.

The reason for the deep fried minced garlic to add extra color and texture, while the garlic steamed with the fish provides flavour. The tartness of tomato dice remove some of the oily feel of salmon head. Adding preserved balck beans greatly improve the flavour of the dish.

薑汁南瓜湯

最近天氣開始變涼了，多倫多的街道上遍地黃葉，街頭的蔬菜店鋪也陸續擺放了大大小小，林林總總的南瓜。想不到這樣一年將到盡頭。

我小時候不太喜歡吃南瓜，覺得太乾，味道太濃。但其實南瓜是眾多瓜類中營養最豐富的，而且，多吃有抗癌的作用，更可以抗衰老。

今天作的這個湯非常容易，只要把南瓜（1.5kg)皮除去，切成小塊。將牛油放入湯鍋中，加入南瓜粒、薑絲一湯匙、和蒜蓉一湯匙。用中細火把南瓜煮爛（約45分鐘）。其間要攪拌。煮爛南瓜之後，便放入牛骨湯。煮滾後熄火。加入五湯匙薑汁，再用攪拌器攪勻。調味後即成。

西芹濃湯

Cream of Celery and Celeriac with Lovage

【材料】
無鹽牛油 Unsalted Butter ................................. 50克
麵粒粉 Flour ...................................................... 40克
洋蔥，切碎 Onion, Diced ............................................ 60克
韮蔥(白色部份)，切碎 Leek, White part only, Diced .... 60克
西芹頭（根部），切碎 Celery Root, Diced .............. 200克
西芹莖 Celery Stalk ...................................... 60克
熱雞湯 Chicken Stock (heated up) ................... 1.5公升
35% 牛乳 Cream ................................... 120毫升
獨活草葉 Lovage .................................... 1塊

【香料包】
黑胡椒碎 Black Peppercorn, cracked
月桂葉碎 Dried Bay leaves, cracked ................. 各適量


【作法】
1.西芹莖去皮，切成粒。
Wash, peel and dice the celery.
2.在湯鍋中融化牛油，加入各種蔬菜。
Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Add vegetables.
3.慢火將蔬菜煮軟，約數分鐘。
Sweat vegetables for a few minutes.
4.混入麵粉，煮至聚成一團（約一分鐘）。放置待冷。
Add flour to make aromatic roux.
Cook until the mixture clumps together (around 1 minute).
Let it cool down a bit.
5.慢慢加入熱雞湯，攪拌。
Add in hot chicken stock gradually.
Stir the mixture while adding the stock.
6.加熱至湯滾，改慢火至微滾。加入香料包，其間攪拌。
Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and add spice bag.
Stir frequently.
7.煮30至40分鐘。
Simmer for 30-40 minutes.
8.除去香料包，濾渣。
Disgard spice bag and strain.
9.把湯倒入小鍋內，加入牛乳。加熱至滾開。
Pour into a sauce pan, add 35% cream and bring it to a boil.
10.熄火後調味，放入獨活草葉碎。
Add the chopped lovage and adjust seasoning.
11.伴以起士烤麵包。
Serve with Bénédictin Cheese Croûtons.