Braided Pesto Bread

Posted on May 2, 2018 by missamateurchef

Perfect with a glass of sauvignon blanc!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water
1 package active-dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoonkosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions:

Combine the water, yeast, and sugar until blended. Let stand in the bowl for about 5 minutes until the mixture appears foamy.
Add the milk (at room temperature), olive oil, and salt to the yeast and mix until just combined. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mix after each addition until combined into a homogeneous mass.
Scrape the raggedy dough from the edge of the mixer bowl. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will be less sticky and become smooth on the surface. It will clear the sides of the bowl.
Cover dough with a large kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot in the kitchen. Allow to rise for 1 hour until it has almost doubled in size. The dough should be smooth and puffy-looking.
Preheat the oven to 200°C and prepare egg wash by whisking the egg and water in small bowl and set aside.
When the dough has risen, lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto it and divide it into 3 equal pieces.
Lightly flour a rolling pin. Roll one piece of dough into a rough 8-inch square. It should be about 1/8 inch in thickness.
Spread pesto on the dough, leave a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Use a pastry brush to brush a small amount of the egg wash over the exposed edge.
Lift up the pesto-covered edge and roll it up, as tightly as possible. Pinch the seam closed with your fingertips. Gently roll the tube back and forth until it spreads lengthwise to about 10 inches long.
Line up 3 rolled tubes on a sheet of parchment, positioning the thin ends toward you. With a very sharp, long knife, make a lengthwise slash through each, cutting a deep slit halfway down the depth of the tube; make sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom.
Braid the tubes together, crossing one of the outer tubes gently over the middle one. Then cross the other outer tube up and over the new middle one. Repeat, working your way down to the end. Half of the tube should be braided. Then turn the parchment paper around and braid the other side, from the center point to the end, so that the entire loaf is braided. Tuck under ends if desired.
Let the bread rise for another 30 minutes before baking.
When the loaves have risen, uncover and brush well with the egg wash.
Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C. Bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, turn the pan 180° from its original position every 15min to ensure even baking, bake until the bread is brown and crusty.

Ribatei 里葉亭

Posted on April 8, 2018 by missamateurchef

The place is located at Yokohama – a bit far from the city centre of Tokyo, but it definitely worths a detour. Looking like any other other yakitori restaurant from the exterior, but u will be surprised to enjoy the very high quality skewers they serve here.

Using only the finest Miyazaki chicken (sashimi grade) and the best charcoal available. Above all, the grilling technique is perfect!

Masters in action!

The best chicken liver skewers- served still pink at the centre, surely not for the faint of heart!

The oh-so-good chicken cartilage.

Chicken kidney with ginger paste on top.

Meaty chicken thigh.

My favourite of the night – chicken aorta! So plump, fatty and juicy!

Ribatei (里葉亭)

045-251-7676 (+81-45-251-7676)

3-2 Fukutomicho Nakadori Naka-ku Yokohama Kanagawa

No Knead Crusty Raisin and Walnut Bread

Posted on March 11, 2018 by missamateurchef

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1g instant yeast
3/4 cup raisin
½ cup of walnut
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
350ml warm water (about 35°C)

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water and honey. This should result in a sticky dough, if it is not sticky to the touch, add a few spoonful of water. Gently shape the dough into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will be doubled in size and covered in air bubbles.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper.

3. Using a very sharp knife, gently score an X into the top. Leave dough alone for 30 minutes.

4. During this 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 246°C. Place the dutch oven (with the lid) inside for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and tucking it all– the parchment paper included– inside the pot. Cover with the lid.

5. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Lemon Butter Sauteed Clams

Posted on March 1, 2018 by missamateurchef

Woohooo It’s starting to feel a lot like spring!

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m so ready for the change in season! Awaken your taste buds with this lemony dish after winter’s heavy meals.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb littleneck clams, scrubbed and cleaned
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, mined
1/4 cup dry white wine
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Directions:

Heat up a skillet on medium heat.
Add the butter and saute the garlic until slightly browned.
Add the clams into the skillet, and quickly toss around.
Add the wine and cayenne pepper. Cover the skillet and let cook for 1 minute, or until the clams are all open.
Add the lemon juice and parsley, stir to combine well. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Merry Cherry Sponge Cake

Posted on February 21, 2018 by missamateurchef

Let us eat cake, it’s somebody’s birthday somewhere. Oh, in fact it’s everyone’s birthday today!

Ingredients (yield two 4-inch cakes):

150g butter, at room temperature
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
10-12 cherries, stoned and halved

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease two 4-inch cake tins with butter and flour.
Lay the cherries at the bottom of the cake tins.
In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and creamy.
Fold in the flour until well incorporated. Transfer to the prepared cake tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.
Serve while still warm!

Ferrero Rocher Cookie

Posted on February 16, 2018 by missamateurchef

Happy year of the dog everybody!

Chinese New Year is the time when you visit your friends and relatives, very often those you only see during this time of the year, and got “interrogated” by them =.=. Gift plays an important role in Chinese culture, so you never go empty-handed! If you pay attention to TV commercials enough, you may notice that many of the most popular gift items among Hong Kongers are, interestingly, not Chinese produces. Kjeldsens Cookies, Almond Roca, Sugus, Ferrero Rocher… just to name a few. Ferrero Rocher is particularly popular in Hong Kong for its golden package, a color Chinese people love for it symbolizes wealth. I’m not a superstitious person, but I do like their creamy, nutella-like centres!

And…. Surprise, surprise! They are equally nice when made into cookies!!

Ingredients (yield 12 pieces):

6 Ferrero Rochers (freeze them before baking)
1 cup (packed) all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter (1 stick), softened
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Place the Ferrero Rochers in the freezer until firm, about an hour. Remove from freezer and hit with a hammer in a zip-loc bag a few times until they’re broken into chunky pieces. Put back in the freezer until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the full egg, then the vanilla, mixing until smooth. Add flour mixture in three parts, stirring until just combined after each addition.
Stir in ½ the Ferrero Rocher pieces. Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Place the remaining Ferrero Rocher into the tops of the cookies, pressing them into the dough slightly.
Bake for around 10 minutes until edges are nicely browned. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter and Jam Rolls

Posted on January 7, 2018 by missamateurchef

Peanut butter has always been one of my favourite food. That’s been the case ever since I was a little girl. I may have developed a more refined palate over the years ( at least I hope I have… ). Still nothing- not the finest caviar, the most aromatic truffles or the flakiest croissants, can beat the pure joy of eating peanut butter straight from the jar. Haha, yes, still doing that, feel no shame for that!

Hope u like this bread roll idea as much as I do! There is just something about those two flavors that brings back childhood memories ♥

Ingredients (yields 6 rolls):

Dough

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/8 cup butter
1 egg

Filling

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup jam

Honey for glazing

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine 1 cups flour, 1/8 cup sugar and pinch of salt, set aside.
In a sauce pan, melt butter and milk until warm. Let cool to about 40 degrees C.
Once yeast has proofed, add in milk/ butter mixture along with an egg to the flour mix.
Stir to combine the remaining flour gradually, until dough starts to pull away from bowl.
Dump out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, add in additional flour as needed, about 5 minutes.
Cover the dough and let rise in warm place until doubled.
Once doubled in size dump the dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll out into a 12″x15″ rectangle.
Spread peanut butter over the dough (leaving 1” at the edges), then dollop jam over top, spread unevenly.
From long side, roll the dough up, cut off edges and then cut into 6 equal rolls using dental floss.
Place rolls cut side up in a greased muffin pan and cover again and let rise until doubled.
Once risen preheat oven to 180 degrees C, bake for about 20minutes.
Apply honey evenly using a brush, then bake for 10 minutes more.
Serve warm!

Fluffiest Overnight French Toast

Posted on January 1, 2018 by missamateurchef

As the year ends, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what you have accomplished and look ahead to your new goals.

Cooking, hoarding recipes, photographing food and, of course, eating, have been my lifelong passions. Two years ago, I started the page << Miss Amateur Chef >>, this has changed my life and taken my obsession with food to a whole new level. The kitchen has always been my place of solace; working in the kitchen, testing recipes bring not only joy but beautiful memories. This little project of mine allowed me to properly document my favorite recipes- which I believe can now live on forever =)

Let’s start the new year with a scrumptious breakfast! This French toast is a real crowd pleaser, it comes out best when you work with thick slices of loaf bread and allow them to soak in the mixture overnight. “Preparation is the key to success”- this applies to cooking and everything else in life. May all our preparation in 2017 make us FIERCE and UNSTOPPABLE in 2018!!!

Ingredients:

4 thick slices Brioche
1 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Beat together egg, milk, salt, cinnamon and vanilla.
Soak slices of bread in mixture overnight, until saturated.
Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat, cook bread slices on both sides until golden.
Serve hot with maple syrup and berries.

Braised Short Rib with Sautéed Vegetables

Posted on December 25, 2017 by missamateurchef

So this is Christmas…

We all have a holiday tradition or recipe that we hold so dear and near to our hearts, don’t we? One that we keep making the same way for years and never get bored with. Boeuf bourguignon is one of such dishes for me. Hearty and so packed full of flavour. It is a must in our house in the winter months.

This Christmas I am trying to make an elevated version of beef stew based on Gordon Ramsay’s recipe with a few modifications: cutting down the amount of red wine and adding in extra tomatoes cause I like a little more acidity in the sauce. The vegetables are sautéed instead of adding to the stew at the very beginning so to avoid a soggy texture.

p.s. This is my first time working with pearl onions and they are truly god-sent!

Ingredients:

Olive oil, for frying
3 thick-cut meaty beef short ribs
Minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato purée
250ml bottle red wine
1 cup beef stock
100g pancetta lardons
6-8 small chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and halved
6-8 pearl onions
Carrots (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tomatoes cut in wedges

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Season the short ribs thoroughly, then panfry in the dutch oven for 10–15 minutes to brown well on all sides.
Add the minced garlic, pushing it to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato purée and heat for a minute or two to cook it out. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits at the bottom. Put in tomato wedges.
Bring everything to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half, then add stock to nearly cover the ribs. Bring to the boil again, basting the ribs with the juices.
Put the dutch oven in the preheated oven for 3–4 hours, until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone.
About 10 minutes before the short ribs are ready to come out, peel the pearl onions and boil them for 5 minutes.
At the same time, panfry the pancetta for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden. Add the mushrooms and carrots, cook for 4–5 minutes until tender. Drain off any excess fat.
When the short ribs are ready, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Spoon off any excess fat from the beef cooking liquid.
Serve the short ribs topped with the hot pancetta and mushrooms and the sauce poured around.

Gingerbread men

Posted on December 22, 2017 by missamateurchef

Soft in the centers, crisp on the edges, perfectly spiced =) No holiday cookie platter would be complete without our beloved gingerbread men!

Ingredients (yield 12 pcs):

1.5 cups flour
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add golden syrup, egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.
Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired.