Feast for your senses

The Asian Age.  | RUPALI DEAN

Life, Food

Rustle up these easy-to-replicate recipes when guests come calling during this festive season.

Tomato and Feta tart (Serves 4)
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Chopped truffle: 2 tsp
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Chopped truffle: 2 tsp
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Chopped truffle: 2 tsp
  • Chinese green spring onion: 2 pc
  • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
  • Bok choy: 1 pc
  • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
  • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
  • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
  • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
  • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
  • Chicken stock: 150 ml
  • Sugar:  2 tsp
  • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
  • Chopped truffle: 2 tsp
  • Chinese green spring onion: 2 pc
  • Whole turkey, neck and giblets removed: 5 kg
  • Kosher salt: 2 cups
  • Melted butter: ½ cup
  • Peeled and chopped onions: 100 gms
  • Peeled and chopped carrots: 100 gms
  • Thyme: 20 gms
  • Bay leaf: 1 No
  • Dry white wine: 1 cup
  • Brussels sprouts: 200 gms
  • Baby potatoes: 200 gms
  • Seasonal root vegetables: 200 gms
  • Butter: 100 gms
  • Smoked turkey bacon: 100 gms
  • Whole turkey, neck and giblets removed: 5 kg
  • Kosher salt: 2 cups
  • Melted butter: ½ cup
  • Peeled and chopped onions: 100 gms
  • Peeled and chopped carrots: 100 gms
  • Thyme: 20 gms
  • Bay leaf: 1 No
  • Dry white wine: 1 cup
  • Brussels sprouts: 200 gms
  • Baby potatoes: 200 gms
  • Seasonal root vegetables: 200 gms
  • Butter: 100 gms
  • Smoked turkey bacon: 100 gms
  • TOMATO & FETA TART (Serves 4)

    Ingredients:

    • Unbaked pie crust: 1 No
    • Feta cheese crumbled: 1 1/2 cups
    • Medium shallot, diced: 1 No
    • Fresh thyme: 4 sprigs
    • Chopped basil: 1 tbsp
    • Kosher salt: 1/2 tsp
    • Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
    • Tomatoes sliced: 3 medium

    Method:

    • Preheat oven to 250 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Place the pie crust on a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough out to a 12 inch round.
    • Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
    • Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with the shallots, thyme leaves, basil, salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese and herbs.
    • Gently fold the edges of the dough over the tomatoes, covering about 2 inches of the filling. Pleat the dough every 2 inches.
    • Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the tomatoes are soft - about 40 to 45 minutes.
    • Cool for 10 minutes more. Serve warm.

    Ingredients:

    • Tofu, cut into squares: 24 pcs
    • Bok choy: 1 pc
    • Enoki mushrooms: 40 gms
    • Shiitake mushrooms: 40 gms
    • Black finger mushrooms: 40 gms
    • Vegetable oil:  4 tsp
    • Sliced garlic: 2 cloves
    • Finely grated ginger: 2 tsp
    • Dark soy sauce: 3 tsp
    • Light soy sauce: 3 tsp
    • Chicken stock: 150 ml
    • Sugar:  2 tsp
    • Truffle oil: 2 tsp
    • Chopped truffle: 2 tsp
    • Chinese green spring onion: 2 pc

    Method:

    • Chop and mix all the mushrooms.
    • Chop black truffles, ginger and spring onions.
    • Cut one piece of bok choy into two; blanch in boiled, salted water.
    • In a wok, sauté the mushrooms, truffle, ginger and garlic; add chicken stock, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add truffle oil and spring onions to the wok and put aside. Keep the sauce hot.
    • Deep-fry the 24 pieces of tofu until the outside is crispy and browned.
    • Stack the crispy tofu in a plate, add the sauce.
    • Garnish with bok choy and spring onion.

    TURKEY ROAST  (Serves 4)

    Ingredients

    • Whole turkey, neck and giblets removed: 5 kg
    • Kosher salt: 2 cups
    • Melted butter: ½ cup
    • Peeled and chopped onions: 100 gms
    • Peeled and chopped carrots: 100 gms
    • Thyme: 20 gms
    • Bay leaf: 1 No
    • Dry white wine: 1 cup
    • Brussels sprouts: 200 gms
    • Baby potatoes: 200 gms
    • Seasonal root vegetables: 200 gms
    • Butter: 100 gms
    • Smoked turkey bacon: 100 gms

    Method:

    • Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt.
    • Place the turkey in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture for 12 hours or overnight.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    • Thoroughly rinse the turkey and discard the brine mixture.
    • Brush the turkey with half of the the melted butter. Place the turkey on a roasting rack, breast side down in a shallow roasting pan.
    • Stuff the turkey cavity with onions, carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan and coat with white wine.
    • Roast the turkey uncovered for 3½ - 4 hours in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 75 degrees C.
    • Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand for about 30 minutes before carving.

    Prepare the vegetables:

    • Blanch the Brussel sprouts in salted boiled water and cool in ice after cooking.  
    • Peel and cut the root vegetables in cubes, wash the baby potatoes and keep in a container. Slice the smoked turkey bacon.
    • Mix all vegetables and cook slowly in a pan with butter, add salt, pepper and smoked turkey at the end.
    • Plate the roasted turkey in a dish with mixed vegetables, served with the turkey juice on the side.

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