Filed under: 15-Second Rave
Along with my recent move to my first house, I’ve also decided to give this blog a new home with a more appropriate address. It’s the exact same format, just with a more suitable name, http://donnacooks.wordpress.com (I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier!)
I’ve copied all the old posts from this blog to the new one. However, new posts (from today on) will only appear on the new blog.
Filed under: Recipes
I’m moving this Saturday to my house! This means I have to change my claim of “anyone can make my recipes in your average apartment kitchen with mediocre quality utensils from Target and IKEA” to “anyone can make my recipes in your average starter home kitchen,” same utensils 
This menu is from the last supper I hosted (and will ever host) in my apartment. I’ll miss the fantastic view of the pool from my balcony, but definitely not the small, cramped kitchen. I’m also looking forward to the gas burning range at the house along with my new fridge that will hopefully have a vegetable crisper bin that actually keeps vegetables crisp.
Appetizer: French Bread with Zucchini Au Gratin
The zucchini au gratin (recipe based off of Rachael Ray’s original) is like a creamy artichoke dip, but fresh zucchinis are a lot easier to slice and process than fresh artichoke! The nutmeg gives it a nice, earthy flavor. The dish is extra-cheesey, so think of it as a calcium source rather than a fat source (and keep your portions moderate). I put mine under the broiler a little longer because I like the taste and texture of semi-burnt cheese, but obviously you don’t have to do that 
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchinis, sliced into thin rounds
1 medium white onion, sliced into rings
2 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat broiler.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onions, season with preferred amount of salt and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until zucchini rounds are tender and onion are caramelized at the edges.
In the mean time, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When butter is completely melted, whisk in flour and and milk. Whisk over heat until milk mixture thickens and has a mostly even consistency throughout. Season with nutmeg and preferred amounts of salt and pepper. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
Transfer sauteed zucchini and onions to a casserole dish. Pour milk/Parmesan sauce over the veggies and cover with shredded sharp cheddar. Broil for 3-4 minutes until cheese is bubbly (or until desired cheese burntness, hehe)
Serves 6
Entree: Chicken with Black Bean & Mango Salsa
The black bean salsa recipe comes from the May 2007 issue of Shape magazine. The chicken marinade is just something I quickly made up with existing kitchen ingredients that worked out pretty well (according to my dinner guests)!
For the Black Bean Salsa:
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
4 cups boiling water
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1-10.5 oz can black beans, drained
a small handful of fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
black pepper
crushed red pepper (optional, only if you want the heat)
Place finely chopped red onion in a colander or strainer and douse with boiling water to soften. Immediately pour cold water over onions and drain (we’re blanching the onions to make them soft but still colorful). Transfer onion to a medium bowl and add in remaining ingredients. Chill in fridge for at least an hour (prefer overnight to really seal in the flavors).
For the Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp crushed cumin
2 tbsp lime juice
garlic powder
salt and black pepper
cooking spray
Pound chicken with a mallet between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap on both sides to tenderize. Place chicken breasts in ziplock bag with all remaining ingredients (except cooking spray) and marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour (prefer overnight).
Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add in marinated chicken breasts and cook approximately 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Top with prepared black bean salsa and serve.
Serves 4
Dessert: Orange Custard with Strawberry Sauce
I got the idea for this recipe from the May 2007 issue of Shape. However, I didn’t have any triple sec around so I had to change up the recipe and the presentation to suit a non-alcoholic version of this dessert.
For the Custard:
2 cups low fat vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp water, divided
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sugar, divided
1/3 cup orange juice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 1 tbsp)
In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, water, honey, and sugar until well combined. Set aside.
Pour orange juice into a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice until the powder is blended in and no longer visible. Heat gelatin/juice mixture over low heat and stir until gelatin is fully dissolved, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk warm gelatin mixture into yogurt mixture until well combined.
Pour custard into individual ramekins and referigerate at least 3 hours (or until set).
For the Strawberry Sauce:
1 cup strawberries, de-stemmed
2 tbsp sugar
Place ingredients in food processor and puree until mixture is chunk-less.
To Assemble:
4 ramekins of custard
1 cup strawberry sauce
strawberry halves
freshly grated orange zest
Top ramekins of custard with strawberry sauce, then sprinkle with orange zest. Serve with additional strawberry halves.
Serves 4
Filed under: Food Travelogues
Wednesday morning, we took a short train ride out to the Queen’s favorite place, Windsor Castle. We were in a hurry to catch the early train out to Windsor, so breakfast again consisted of a pasty-on-the-go. This time I sampled the steak and stilton pasty from West Cornwall Pasty Co., something that I soon regretted as stilton cheese is an acquired taste that I simply don’t have.
Out at Windsor Castle, we caught a better and less crowded changing of the guards ceremony than at Buckingham Palace:
Then we hopped on the train back to London for an afternoon at the British Museum. But first we were in need of lunch. Checking out my trusty Frommer’s guide, we sought out Hakkasan (8 Hanway Place), a high-class creation by Alan Yau, creator of the giant Wagamama chain that we had visited in Bath. As it turns out, though tucked away in a back alley in a basement, Hakkasan is currently ranked #17 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list by Restaurant magazine. Considering the fact that I have never visited any of the exclusive establishments on the list (only 8 in the US), this was an exciting adventure for me.
Hakkasan exterior:
The sign for Hakkasan is so small at the end of this alley that we almost missed it. Though the entrance is unassuming (to put it nicely), descend the stairs and you’ll find yourself in a trendy and stylish space.
Hakkasan reception area:
Luckily for us, Hakkasan serves dim sum during lunch hour as we were not travelers with a £60/person/meal budget. Most small dim sum plates range from £4 to £9, definitely more affordable. Here are the dishes we sampled:
Mango Spring Roll and Braised Duck Roll with Winter Bamboo Shoot
The crispy mango spring rolls, filled with large prawns and scallops, had a great texture. However, I found it odd that it was served with mayonnaise instead of a soy-based dipping sauce. I think I actually liked the shrimp roll with a soy-vinegar shallot sauce at Babe’s Noodle Bar in Playa del Carmen better. The braised duck rolls were decadent. Rich, but not too fatty, in a mild, semi-sweet sauce next to flavorful shiitake mushrooms wrapped in a soft and chewey rice-flour shell with the surprise crunch of the bamboo shoot.
Char-Siu and Mui Choi Cheung Fun
This is basically Chinese BBQ pork wrapped in a thin rice-flour sheet. I did enjoy how the pork pieces were just the right size to manage, not in chunks like they are at most dim sum restaurants I’ve been to. The sauce was similar to a char-siu roast sauce, but slightly less sweet. This was my companion’s favorite dish as he is a huge fan of Chinese BBQ pork.
“Creme Brulee”
I put the name in quotes because it’s more like a custard since the dessert is not torched like a creme brulee. Inside the custard, chunks of fruit like mango slices and melon balls give it some excitement. The lace basket cookies on top were a nice touch.
It was a light lunch since we were planning on going to proper afternoon tea that day. And at £23, it was a relatively economical way to satisfy a fanciful whim. We certainly didn’t dress appropriate for this outing, though. Surrounded by trendy Chanel and D&G donners, our request for “the free water” seemed ridiculously out of place (everyone else was drinking beer, wine, champagne, or Voss). Oops.
We spent the afternoon goofing around the British Museum, which can be exhausting as the place is huge.
My feet were screaming at me after seeing about a third of the museum. It was time for a tea break.
Perched on the third level in the middle of the main atrium, the Court inside the British Museum serves their modern version of proper English afternoon tea for £10 per person. It’s not as ritzy or formal as the version at the Ritz Carlton, but the location and the view are hard to beat.
Crustless fingerling sandwiches (one with ham, mayonnaise, and tomato, one with cucumber and herbed cream cheese, and one with smoked salmon and butter) and scones with raisins served with raspberry preserves and clotted cream. You get your choice of teas (I chose traditional afternoon blend) and sugars:
The selection of four different sugars was amusing, though I did find the cubed brown sugar the most easily dissolvable in the tea (available at Central Market). I found the whole experience fanciful and delightiful, or maybe that’s just the caffeine, sugar, butter, and cream talking (afternoon tea is not exactly a diet snack).
After wandering around the British museum until closing time, we found ourselves having a couple of pints right across the street at the Museum Tavern. It’s a lovely, low key kind of place, not overrun with tourists as one would expect.
For dinner, we had reservations at Launceston Place (1 Launceston Pl) to celebrate one of our host’s birthday. We did a little planning ahead and booked a table for London Restaurant Week, meaning that a 3-course dinner with a glass of bubbly is £25. Launceston Place bills its cuisine as modern British and the Restaurant Week menu certainly followed suit.
Appetizers: Fennel Soup with Fried Oyster or Grilled Sardines with Fennel and Ginger
Of these two, I had the creamy fennel soup which I really enjoyed. The oyster toppers were another story. Though the batter was airy and light (similar to the batter used on fish & chips), the oysters themselves were tasteless. I’m not a big fan of oysters anyway, and this dish only added to my aversion. I had a couple of bites of the grilled sardines, which had a nice, light flavor, but were difficult to eat because of the hard to see bones (restaurant was dimly lit).
Entrees: Breast of Guinea Fowl with Gnocchi, Mushrooms, and Madeira or Sea-Bass with Mussel and Saffron Relish
My companion and I went half/half on these dishes, so I got a good feel for both. The madeira sauce was a great complement to the tender, juicy guinea fowl but the gnocchi were hard and flavorless. I guess there’s a reason why they’re usually served in a thicker sauce. The fish entree was good, but the saffron sauce didn’t really stand out (tasted almost like the grilled sardines appetizer).
Dessert: Chocolate Mousse or Lemon Cheesecake (not pictured):
The chocolate mousse was decadent and dense, much more dense than one would expect from the “mousse” misnomer. Dense or light, the intense chocolate flavor was a dream for a chocoholic. The roasted figs added a great accent flavor. The lemon cheesecake, ironically, was light and airy and delicious. Perhaps they should’ve named it lemon mousse.
Our third day in London took us through some fancier fares, all thoroughly enjoyable but none easy on the pocketbook. After a long day, it was time to get in a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we head for Scotland.
Onto Day 6
Back to Day 4
Filed under: Recipes
This bean “soup” is thick and reminds me of a white vegetarian chili. It’s very simple and healthy!
Tuscan Bean and Pasta Stew (recipe from May 2007 issue of Shape magazine)
12 oz uncooked pasta that holds sauce well (such as macaroni, shells, or penne)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups minced onion (I used red onion for extra color)
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sage
1 tsp salt
10 oz fresh baby spinach
2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
handful of fresh basil leaves, minced
3 cups cannellini beans (comes in canned variety)
freshly ground black pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, set aside.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and half the garlic, saute for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and soft. Add in thyme and sage and half the salt, and saute for 5 more minutes, until the onions start to brown.
Add in spinach, tomatoes, and remaining garlic and salt to the onion mixture. Cook covered over medium het for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the spinach has wilted. Add the basil, cannellini beans, and cooked pasta. Heat on low for 5 minutes or until pasta is heated throughout.
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and serve.
Serves 4
Filed under: Food Travelogues
There’s just so much to see in this city! We got an early start on Day 4 and headed for St. Paul’s Cathedral. An early start on a Tuesday meant that we were click-clacking with quick footsteps in the Tube stations with daily commuters, marching to the general hurried pace of the city, and frequently running into opposing pedestrian traffic when unsure which way to turn or which side of the tunnel to keep to (sometimes it’s left, sometimes it’s right, I don’t know how these people do it). When we finally surfaced at St. Paul’s Tube Station and caught our breaths, it was time for some breakfast.
Paul, with its simple and elegant exterior and sidewalk tables and location directly adjacent to St. Paul’s Cathedral (what a coincidence!), caught our eye. A bakery with 250+ locations in France, Paul now has outposts in the UK, Spain, Holland, Turkey, Morocco, Lebanon, Kuwait, Dubai, Japan, and the US (3 locations in Florida). Inside, it reminded me of the Dallas-based La Madeleine’s, only smaller.
Everything looked so tasty! I decided on a quiche Lorraine and a cafe au lait and my companion ordered an apple lattice tart with a hot chocolate. At a mere £8, this is a much better deal than La Madeleine’s (if you ignore the exchange rate)!
The quiche Lorraine, with its rich creamy cheesy smoky bacon filling, was perfect for this somewhat chilly morning.
The apple lattice tart was a real winner. The airy pastry had just the right amount of glaze on top, not too sweet, not too bland.
I would definitely recommend eating at Paul when visiting St. Paul’s (this one’s for you, Tanya).
We spent the morning touring St. Paul’s Cathedral and then headed south for the Tate Modern Museum. I love visiting modern art museums because they give you great ideas for DIY art. I’ll definitely need more wall decor for the new house so the Tate was an excellent place to get some ideas.
St. Paul’s Cathedral:
Wandering around the south bank of the Thames, we found ourselves at Southwark Cathedral, whose history dates back to 852. The church has been renovated numerous times due to fires and general maintenance since then, but the entire church has never been demolished in any of these efforts. As a result, the various architecture styles of the historic periods are reflected throughout the different sections of the church (Norman, Gothic, Reformationist, Elizabethan, and Victorian) Not one of the most grand or beautiful cathedrals in London, but certainly one of the most architecturally interesting due to the haphazard collection of historic styles.
West End of Southwark Cathedral constructed in the mid-1500’s:
On a fair weathered weekday during lunch time, the small churchyard on the south-side of the cathedral seems to be quite the popular gathering place for local office workers. We noticed many of them had similarly packaged sandwiches that appeared appetizing. We followed our noses and instincts and found the source:
Tucked under the railway arches on the south side of Southwark Cathedral, Cafe Brood is a small coffee shop/cafe that draws quite the lunch crowd (1-6 Green Dragon Ct, Borough Market). But their “BBQ” isn’t the smoked sausage, ribs, and brisket that we think of, it’s simply a term for open flamed grilling.
Turns out that the “sandwiches” we saw were actually burgers, at least by Cafe Brood’s definition. A thin, large patty of lean ground beef is grilled over the open flame, topped with cheese if so desired, then sliced up and placed inside a crusty French roll and topped with roasted red bell peppers, sauteed onions, fresh arugula, and mild red salsa.
My companion’s “cheese burger”:
It’s not a traditional burger by any means, but the infusion of Spanish flavors and the crusty French bread made it a fresh gourmet lunch at a bargain price (£4.75).
Inside the large pan in the grilling photo is paella, which was my choice for lunch (£4.30).
Paella topped with chorizo:
The chorizo was mildly spicy (flavored by mild Spanish paprika), not at all like the fiery loose ground Mexican chorizo we’re used to in Texas. The paella was well seasoned but had a tad too much olive oil for my taste.
We spent the afternoon touring the Tower of London, which is an exhausting feat if you want to see the entire complex. It is a worthwhile stop if you’re travelling with children (who seem to be fascinated by the horse statues, armour, towers, etc) but I wouldn’t recommend it to adult-only groups unless you are the type of traveller that absolutely needs to hit up every tourist-must.
View of Tower Bridge from outside Tower of London:
At sunset, we went on the British Airways London Eye. At £14.50 per person, I would have normally said “no” to this tourist trap, but my feet were so tired from touring the Tower of London that I was willing to pay for 30 minutes of sit-down time with a great view. If you feel the need to spend the money for this ride, I would recommend going at sunset. The views of the city were fantastic.
I could tell there was some sort of banner on the Parliament Building from the London Eye. So we we got off the ride, I went to take a closer look.
Yes, that banner says “Tony Hearts WMDs.” It’s not actually on the Parliament Building but rather being held by a crane so it appears as such from this perspective, symbol of a Greenpeace UK protest. Politics aside, it was amusing if nothing else.
In the evening, we headed towards Knightsbridge for shopping (actually, window shopping since the area’s quite expensive) followed by a beer break before dinner. We ended up at the The Nags Head in the tranquil backstreets near busy Knightsbridge (53 Kinnerton St), a small 300-year-old pub loved by regulars as it was jam packed on this Tuesday evening.
The Nags Head had the title of “London’s smallest pub” until 1970, when the downstairs eating area opened. It is one of few true freehouses (not part of a chain) left in London and that small number continues to diminish. In a freehouse, the landlord does whatever he wants. In this case, the Nags Head bans cell phones and there are no TVs in sight. All this old world knick-knack charm comes at a price though, a pint of Adnam’s Broadside was a surprising steep £3.30.
The Nags Head was so crowded that we only had chair seating and no table. So we wandered some more to look for dinner. If you think The Nags Head is out of the way, The Grenadier (18 Wilton Row), a Frommer’s recommendation, was even more tucked away in the Belgravia mews and even harder to find. The Grenadier is a small pub with an older, well-dressed clientele that has a formal dining room in the back. If you want a semi-upscale dinner, head for the formal dining room. If you just want some casual pub fare and cheaper prices, good luck trying to land a table in the front.
The Grenadier is also rumoured to be a haunted pub, dating back to its military days when the Duke of Wellington’s Grenadier Guards used the upstairs portion as their mess hall. A young guard named Cedric is said to have once cheated at cards while dining at the pub and subjected to a savage beating by his comrades, resulting in his death in September of an unknown year. Because of this incident, the pub is known for supernatural activities during the month of September. You can read more about the Grenadier’s haunted past here.
No suspicious activities were happening at the Grenadier on this March night, except for the two tourists that were far under-dressed (that would be us). We managed to snag a small table by the door and ordered another traditional pub fare entree for dinner, bangers and mash.
Tender, mild sausages atop a bed of creamy buttery mashed potatoes smothered in a red onion gravy sprinkled with parsley… comfort food doesn’t get any better than this. It’s not healthy, but it is comforting and goes great with a couple of brews. At least we cut the calories by splitting the plate?
But then we made up for it by ordering dessert.
Steamed rich treacle sponge pudding served with warm, creamy traditional English custard is the perfect ending to a winter evening. Too bad it wasn’t quite winter. The flavor of the pudding reminded me a lot of maple syrup. Made from everything bad for you, every bite of this entire meal (£17 for entree, dessert, and 2 pints of brew) was a guilty pleasure.
Onto Day 5
Back to Day 3
