Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 kg Chicken with bone and skinless, stew cut
• 300 gm Plum tomato whole, in can
• 1 tbps Parsley, chopped
• 2 tbps Basil, sliced
• 5 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 2 nos White onion or Holland onion, chopped
• 3 pcs Bay leaf
• 300 gm Tri color capsicum or bell pepper, cut coarsely
• 150 ml Chicken stock or water
• Flour for dusting
• Olive oil for cooking
• Salt and freshly crack black pepper

Method:

1. In a bowl, season the chicken with salt, black pepper and paprika powder, dust with flour.
2. Pre heat a pan with olive oil, sear the chicken until all its surface is brown.
3. Then remove the chicken, deglaze the pan with chicken stock and water & place the deglazing liquid aside.
4. Then add the olive oil & sauté the chopped garlic and onion until fragrant, add in the capsicum & sauté for a few minutes before adding the chicken, deglazing liquid and tomato.
5. Add all the herbs and seasoning, cover the pan, let it braise for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Simple Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 no French loaf
• 250 gm Butter, unsalted
• 2 tbsp Lea & Perrins Sauce
• 10 cloves Garlic, chopped
• Parmesan Cheese – optional

Method:

1. In a bowl, add in the soft butter, garlic, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, L&P Sauce & mix well.
2. Spread over the French loaf, sprinkle with parmesan, then bake in an oven until golden brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkt Cannelloni, cylindrical shaped pasta
• 150 gm Pine nuts, toasted
• Parmesan cheese

Spinach and Ricotta Cheese filling:

• 600 gm Baby spinach
• 300 gm Ricotta cheese
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 no Onions, chopped
• 2 pcs Bay leaves
• 1 sprig Fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 150 ml Fresh cream (cooking)
• A pinch of nutmeg powder
• Fine sea salt and a pinch of black pepper

Method:

1. Pre heat the sauce pan with medium heat, melt the butter, then sauté the chopped onion and garlic until translucent, but not brown.
2. Transfer the mixture into a small container & place to one side.
3. In the same pan, pre heat the pan with high a heat, once the pan is smoking, add the olive oil and spinach, quickly sautéing the spinach until the spinach is cooked.
4. Then add the sautéed onion and garlic, mix well.
5. Pour in the cream, ricotta cheese, nutmeg and herbs.
6. Mix well, once the mixture is thickened adjust the seasoning.

Creamy mushrooms:

• 150 gm White button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Flat parsley, chopped
• 250 ml Fresh cooking cream
• 2 clove Garlic, chopped
• Fine sea salt and a pinch of black pepper

Method:

1. Pre heat the sauce pan on a high heat, melt the butter and olive oil, then sauté the garlic and mushrooms until they are slightly browned.
2. Then add the cooking cream, mix well, adjust the seasoning once it’s thickened.
3. Just before serving mix in the fresh chopped flat parsley.

Assembly:

1. Blanch the cannelloni (half cooked) in salted water, then soak the blanched cannelloni in cold ice water afterwards.
2. Then using a piping bag, pipe into the cannelloni the spinach filling & then arrange the cannelloni on your choice of plate or platter.
3. Pour the creamy mushroom sauce on top of the cannelloni, sprinkle it with parmesan cheese, then bake in an oven until golden brown.
4. Sprinkle with warm toasted pine nuts, just before serving.

Notes:

Chef Kasdi has served his cannelloni topped with whole roasted pine nuts which offer a great taste combination with the hot and sticky cheese topping. It is important to ensure that the Cannelloni sits on a small bed of sauce before it goes under the grill or in the oven for browning purposes, without the sauce it will burn and the cannelloni will stick to the bottom of the cooking receptacle of choice.

Happy Cooking!

Pesto:

• ¾ cup Grape seed oil
• ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves Roasted garlic
• 2 clove Garlic
• 3 cup Fresh basil leaf
• ½ cup Pine nut, lightly roasted
• ½ cup Freshly grated parmagiano reggiano cheese or any kind parmesan cheese
• Fine sea salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor; let it rest for at least 4 hours at room temperature before serving.

Garlic Butter:

• 250 gm Butter, unsalted
• 10 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Flat parsley, chopped
• A few drops of L&P Sauce
• Fine sea salt and a pinch of black pepper
• Your choice of bread although farmer loaf or any kind of crusty rustic bread is best.

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients; spread over the bread, and toast in an oven until golden brown, then serve with pesto as a dip.

Notes:

Chef Kasdi has rubbed his bread chunks with the pesto before toasting, when doing this you must ensure not to burn the topping when grilling, you can toast the bread first and rub the toast with the pesto if you desire to do this, the choice is yours.

Happy Toasting!

Ingredients:

• 1 dozen Fresh live oysters
• 1 can/163 ml Tomato juice
• 2 nos Juice from ripe roma tomatoes
• 5 tbsp Lemon grass juice from 3 stalks, ground with water
• 50 ml Freshly squeezed pineapple juice
• 1 tsp Finely chopped red chili
• 1 tsp Finely chopped coriander leaf or Chinese parsley
• A few drops of Tabasco
• Fine sea salt and a pinch of cracked black pepper

Method:

Mix all the ingredients; let them chill at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with celery stick.

Notes:

Chef Kasdi has presented his shooters in shot glasses on a bed of crushed ice for effect. When we do this, the ice will ensure that the oysters stay very chilled and will taste fresh.

Happy Slurping!

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole duck
• 250 g Peanut oil or corn oil
• 60 g Sesame oil
• 60 g Shao xing wine
• 400 ml Chicken stock
• 250 g Dark soya sauce or thick soya sauce
• 40 g Rock sugar, crushed
• 5 g Star anise
• 40 g Dried chili, chopped
• 20 g Spring onion, white part only chopped
• 40 g Ginger, fine slice
• 10 g Garlic, fine slice
• Sea salt

Preparation:

1. Cut the duck into 8 large pieces.
2. Score the skin and fat of each piece in a diamond pattern with a sharp tipped knife.
3. Toss the duck in sea salt, heat the oil and fry the duck pieces until golden brown on all sides, remove and keep warm.
4. Heat the sesame oil, add the star anise, dried chillies, spring onions, ginger, garlic and fry them until they smoke.
5. Add the duck and sauté all the ingredients together, add the wine and flambé.
6. Add the stock, soy and bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 1 hour.
7. The meat is ready when it pulls away from the bones easily – the jus/cooking liquid should be reduced by 2/3 from the original amount.
8. Finish the dish with rock sugar and cook until the meat is glazed/caramalized.

Notes:

The recipe is donated by Chef Bob who is currently the Executive Chef of the Kanpei Restaurant and Bar in Kuala Lumpur which is the capital of Malaysia.

Sincere thanks to Chef Bob and Happy Cooking!

Shallow fried Chicken Picatta

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces Chicken breast – skinless
• 60 gm Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbps Parsley, chopped
• 2 nos Whole egg
• Flour for dusting
• Salt and freshly crack black pepper

Method:

1. In the bowl crack the egg, beat until its mixed well, then add the parmesan cheese and parsley.
2. Flatten the chicken breast, using the back of a heavy knife, rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
3. Season the chicken with salt and freshly crushed black pepper, then dust it with flour, dip in the parmesan cheese and egg mixture, then shallow fry with oil and butter until its golden brown.

Mesclun Salad with pine nut-berry dressing

Ingredients:

• 150 gm Mesclun salad or mixed salad
• 200 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 50 ml Sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 60 gm Pine nuts, roasted
• Any kind of berries – such as blueberries or cranberries

Method:

1. In a bowl, add in the Dijon mustard
2. Using a whisk, slowly pour in the olive oil while stirring until emulsified.
3. Then add the roasted pine nuts, berries, vinegar and adjust the seasoning.
4. Just before serving, mix the salad leaves for presentation and serve.

Simple Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

• 150 gm Mayonnaise, preferably Heinz or Lady’s Choice
• 3 nos Gherkins and a little brine liquid from the gherkin bottle
• ¼pc Lemon

Method:

1. Chop the gherkins, then add in the mayonnaise, adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
2. Then squeeze lemon juice, keep chilled and serve.

Ingredients:

• 400 g Cod fillet, portion to 100gm each
• ¾ cup All purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• A pinch Paprika powder
• 1 cup Beer – optional, you can change to milk/water
• Flour for dusting
• Oil for deep frying
• Lemon, malt vinegar and tartar sauce

Method:

1. In a bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder, salt, paprika powder and mix well.
2. Then gently pour in the beer, water or milk and gently mix well until all is dissolved.
3. Let the mixture rest in a chiller for at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in the deep fryer or wok to 380°F.
5. Lightly dust the cod with flour, then dip the fillet in to the batter, then transfer it to the hot oil & cook until golden brown.
6. Remove from the oil and make sure it is totally dry by using a strong paper kitchen towel.

When I first went back to England after being away for so long, I could not help but feel that the English Fish & Chips was a dying tradition. Though for good health reasons, I did not see the shops being replaced by a more healthy option. This is a tribute to the traditional fish & chip shop, for which we used to walk miles in the middle of winter to go for their “one of each” and eat them out of newspaper on our way home.

Notes:

The oil must be nice and clean to ensure it reaches the desired temperature and to ensure that the fish does not absorb too much oil. The batter should not be too thick and should run off the fish just leaving a thin coating to cook around the fillet. If the batter is too thick, the outside will be cooked and the inside may be still wet and raw.

Ingredients:

• 1200 g Low gluten flour or soft flour
• 600 g Butter
• 600 g Sugar
• 3 nos Eggs
• 150 ml Cold milk

Apple Filling:

• 1.1 kg apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups sliced and about 900 grams sliced)
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (15 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

Method:

Dough

1. Beat butter and sugar until creamy, slowly add the cold milk, eggs and flour.
2. Beat just until all the ingredients are mixed well, do not over beat.
3. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

For the filling

1. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add in sugar and apple.
2. Stir the sugar and apple mixture well and let it start to cook
3. Then add all other ingredients and simmer u8ntil they are cooked, soft and shiny
4. Let the mixture cool before we assembling the pie.

Notes:

Chef Kasdi has served his apple pie with a light vanilla pod sauce and chocolate ice cream, however you can serve it with whatever flavor of sauce & ice cream you and your loved ones desire.

Happy Cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1370 g Banana, ripe
• 600 g Brown sugar
• 300 g Sugar
• 275 g Corn oil
• 11 Eggs, whole
• 1 tbsp Black pepper corn crushed
• 675 g Soft flour or cake flour
• 50 g Baking powder
• 375 g Fresh cream
• A pinch of salt
• Raspberry compote:
• 500 g Raspberry puree
• 200 g Fresh raspberry
• 140 g Sugar
• 250 ml Water
• 25 g Corn flour or trique powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Preheat an oven.
2. In a cake mixer, beat the sugar and eggs until all the sugar is dissolved and then add in the bananas.
3. Beat until all the banana is mixed with the egg mixture, and then add the corn oil and fresh cream.
4. Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder and slowly add the flour mixture in to the batter.
5. Pour in a baking mould and bake at 180’C for 45mins
6. For raspberry compote, slowly simmer all the items until the mixture turns thick.

Note:

Chef Kasdi has served chunks of this deliciously moist bread with the raspberry compote after the bread has been lightly dusted with icing sugar….absolutely divine with a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea.

Happy Baking!

Chef Kasdi has outdone himself with his sea bass fillets making them look great with his easy to assemble presentation.

He achieves good height and they have become very pleasing and appetizing to the eye.

Great stuff, Happy New Year and Happy Cooking!

Ingredients:

• 285gm/ 10oz uncooked prawns, peeled tail on
• ¾ cup All purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• A pinch Paprika powder
• 1 cup Beer—optional, you can change to milk/water
• Oil for deep frying
• Lime wedges

Method:

1. Peel the prawns leaving the tail intact.
2. In a bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder, salt and paprika powder mixing well.
3. Then gently add the beer/water/milk, mix well until all is dissolved & allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes in a chiller.
4. Heat the oil in an electric fryer or wok at 380°F.
5. Dip the prawns in the batter then fry them batch by batch until they are golden brown.
6. Remove from the oil & drain them dry on paper towels.
7. Best served hot with cocktail sauce, lime or any dip you desire.

Notes:

It is very important you ensure that the prawns after frying dry off properly on a paper kitchen towel to ensure that all the extra oil is taken away from the dish. As with any fried items the oil must be hot and clean to ensure the dish does not absorb too much oil. Chef Kasdi has garnished his prawns with finely chopped chives and a large lime wedge.

Happy Cooking!