Foie Gras with Shio-Koji Muscat (pickled muscat in fermented rice, koji) with Wasabi, Caramelised Fennel, Purred Celeriac



It is the marriage of Foie Gras and muscat!
I gained this idea from the one of the best foie gras restaurants in London, Club Gascon. We've been visiting there for nearly a decade and never missed their iconic dish (we believe): Foie Gras with Grape.

Shio Koji is a fermented rice preparation. In recent Japan, it became very popular for its delicate and healthy method of seasoning.

http://kojiya.jp/shiokoji/index.html


Pickle muscat in Shio-Koji

I removed seeds and skin of muscat pieces and pickled them with shio koji for a week.
In order to enhance the flavour, I add a tea spoon of wasabi. 



Got a pack of foie gras (around 1kg) from Ginger Pig. It was 28.49 pounds.





Celeriac puree

1. Peel the skin of a celeriac and cut into pieces. Soak in cold water for a while to remove out excess tannin.

2. Boil celeriac into tender then drain  water. 

3. Blend cooked celeriac with a table spoon of butter and a pinch of salt till becomes smooth (for 30-40 seconds).




Caramelised fennel

1. Slice fennel into 5mm.
2. Apply oil thinly and sprinkle sugar over each surface. Place them over the baking sheet.



3. Grill fennel in oven over 250c for 5-7 minutes till the sugar gets caramelised.


Cook Foie Gras

1. Slice Foie Gras in to 3 cm. Heat up a frying pan over high temperature and fry Foie Gras pieces until each surface is toasted.


3. Wipe the excess amount of oil with paper towels and set Foie Gras aside. Put a tablespoon of soy sauce and a tea spoon of balsamic vinegar into the pan to mix.
5. Place caramelised fennel, puréed celeriac in a large dish. Put Foie Gras and pour the sauce in the pan.  Put shiokoji muscat pieces with wasabi on the top of Foie Gras to serve.


It was a lovely Christmas brunch!

Total cost for two: 18 pounds (15 for Foie Gras, 3 for the rest of ingredients)
Total time to prepare: 40 minutes


Bolognese Rice Gratin 

When I run out of idea and energy, and when I got a ready made bolognese sauce in our fridge and some rice, I make this dish.

Just mix rice and bolognese sauce and top with white (Béchamel)
 sauce to heat in the oven.




Direction of Béchamel sauce for small amount

1) Melt 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a pan over small temperature.
2) Add 3/4 tablespoon of flour and mix well with spatula till the batter gets smooth then turn off the heat.
3) Add 200cc of fresh milk bit by bit. Each time when adding milk, mix well with the batter to avoid lumpy texture.
4) Once mix all portion of milk, warm up the batter over small heat until becoming to nice, slightly runny sauce. 

Instead for using rice, thinly sliced potato is also nice. Before adding the bolognese sauce, microwave the potato slices for 3-4 minutes to cook.

Total time to prepare: 10 minutes
Total cost: less than 0.5 pound

Toddler Bento Archive: 2nd Week of November

  • Rice with Soy Sauce Seasoned Dried Bonito Flake and Nori
  • Japanese Style Fried Chicken
  • Carrot and Spinach Korean Seasoning (Sesame oil, salt and tiny hint of Garlic) 
  • Tomato and Halloumi Cheese
  • Apple

  • Rice with Dried Shiso Leave
  • Shrimp, Spring Onion and Avocado Saute with Oyster Sauce and Mayonnaise
  • Tomato and Halloumi Cheese
  • Cucumber
  • Apple

  • Fried Rice with Spring Onion, BAcon, Carrot, Shiitake Mushroom and Egg
  • Teriyaki Salmon
  • Spinach Saute with Butter
  • Tomato and Cucumber

  • Bolognese Rice Gratin
  • Tomato 
  • Cucumber

  • Rice with Dried Shiso Leave
  • Hamburg Steak with Japanese Style Mushroom Sauce
  • Potato, Carrot and Cucumber Salad with Mayonnaise and Dill
  • Tofu with Soy Sauce

Toddler Bento Archive: 1st weeks of November



  • Rice with Sour Plum
  • Teriyaki Salmon
  • String Beans seasoned with Sesame, Soysauce and Sugar
  • Potato Salad with Cucumber, Carrot and Shiitake Mushroom
  • Cherry Tomato

  • Rice with Steamed Green Peas 
  • Teriyaki Chicken with Cherry Tomato
  • Deepfried Tofu with Spinach, Japanese Seasoning
  • Cucumber

  • Rice with Furikake
  • Deep-fried Chicken
  • Carrot seasoned with Butter and Salt
  • Spinach
  • Tomato
  • Cucumber

Toddler Bento Archive: 4th Week of October

  • Panda Rice with Sour Plum Cheeks
  • Grilled Salmon and Broccoli Miso Seasoning
  • Cucumber

  • Rice with Dried Shiso Leaf
  • Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli
  • Hash Potato with Seaweed Powder
  • Cherry Tomato
  • Apple

  • Rice Topped with Seasoned Minced Chicken and Egg
  • Broccoli
  • Cherry Tomato

  • Rice with Dried Shiso Leaf
  • Deepfried Tofu Topped with Chicken, Shiitake Mushroom, Carrot and Spring Onion Sauce
  • Spinach and Sausage Butter Saute
  • Cucumber



Toddler Bento Archive: 3rd week of October


  • Rice with Nori
  • Teriyaki Salmon
  • Cauliflower, String Beans, Shiitake Mushrooms, Carrot and Pork Saute with Oyster Sauce and Mayonnaise
  • Cherry Tomato and Cucumber Salad
  • Apple
  • Grilled Rice Balls
  • Boiled Broccoli 
  • Mackerel and Spinach Saute with Soy Sauce and Sugar
  • Boiled Cauliflower 
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cucumber


  • Rice with Hake Flake
  • Hamburg Steak with Red Wine and Tomato Sauce
  • Spinach and Carrot Saute
  • Boiled Broccoli
  • Cherry Tomato and Cucumber Salad


  • Rice with Hake Flake and Nori
  • Fried Chicken with Boiled Broccoli
  • Cherry Tomatoes 
  • Apple

Mackerel and Spinach salty-Sweet Stir Fry

I prepare mackerel almost once a week during winter. 
This is one of my favourite ways to prepare the mackerel.  
It is very tasty and easy to prepare.
I got this recipe from my favourite cooking magazine site, orange page:

Ingredients for two-three people

  • Fillet pieces of mackerel
  • Two hands full of spinach
  • Corn flour to dust mackerel pieces
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1.5 tablespoons of mirin (sweet sake)
  • 1.5 teaspoon of sugar
  • Salt
  • a pinch of Chilli flakes (this time I didn't involve this for my toddler) 

Directions
1. Slice mackerel into 1.5-2cm or into large bite sized. To remove the fishy smell, put pinches of salt over the mackerel and leave them for 3-4 mints. 
2. Heat up a frying pan and fry spinach with  a pinch of salt over medium temperature. 

3. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the spinach for 1-2 mints over small heat. Then set it aside.

4. Dust mackerel pieces with corn flour lightly.
 5. Wipe the frying pan with a paper towel, add 1.5 tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat it up over medium temperature. Fry mackerel pieces with chilli until the surface colour turns gold. Then cover the frying pan with a lid.
6. Cook mackerel pieces over small heat for 2-3 mints. 
7, Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin to dress mackerel (and chilli flakes). Turn off the heat. 
 8. Add the spinach and mix to serve. 

Nice to serve either in hot or cold.

Great for the lunchbox contents, too.

Time to prepare: 25 minutes
Total cost: 2.7 pounds (1.7 for mackerel fillet, 1 for spinach)


Sweet and Salty Caramelised Jerusalem Artichoke 



Ingredients

  • A handful of jerusalem artichoke pieces
  • Vegetable oil to deep-fry
  • 2 tablespoons of caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
  • Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Peel the skin of jerusalem artichoke and cut into small bite sized. Soak in water to remove tannin for some minutes. Set aside over a kitchen towel.

2. Deep-fry artichoke pieces in a small pan filled with 1cm depth of vegetable oil over small-medium temperature.


3. Set aside artichoke pieces over a kitchen towel to remove extra oil

4. In a small frying pan, add sugar and 1 tablespoon of water and make it caramel over medium temperature. Add honey in the end then turn off the heat.

5. Add artichoke pieces and soy sauce in the caramel pan. Mix well. Top with sesame seeds to serve.

Time to prepare: 25 minutes
Total cost: Less than 2 pounds

Yashin Sushi London

Visited Yashin Sushi some years ago. 
That experience is still unforgettable. 
Very tasty, delicate and innovative sushi in a very modern and stylish ambience.
Sushi of Gari in New York is very famous for the creative sushi but we prefer Yashin.


Chef's omakase. All were so delicious! 

Wagyu Carpaccio


Tofu Cappuccino

Total cost: We forgot. Surely around 250 including wine and champagne

Toddler Bento Archive: Second Week of October

  • Ginger Pork, Pac Choi, Carrot and Onion
  • Tomato
  • Broccoli 
  • Rice with Hake Flake and Nori
  • Cucumber and Apple

  • Deep fried Chicken 
  • Tomato and Asparagus Salad
  • Rice with Furikake
  • Apple

  • Rice with Dried Plum Leaf
  • Potato Glatin
  • Teriyaki Salmon
  • Broccoli with Mayonnaise 
  • Cucumber and Tomato Salad


  • Rice with Furikake
  • Hamburg Steak with Tomato and Red Wine Sauce
  • Potato and Carrot Butter Saute
  • Tomato and Apple Salad