France 2013 – This time on my own

The view from when I exited the Versailles. Simply breathtaking.

It’s been two years since my first visit to Paris; and I realised I still haven’t blogged about it. Nor Spain, or Us, or Japan. None of them.

But this time I refuse to let it come second to all my food posts cause you know what, it’s my first trip out, on my own. For a month. Yeah you heard me right a whole friggin month. No way am I going to let this awesome experience pass without jotting it down some way! And where better to do that than here?

Of course yall know what this is.

The Louvre Museum.

View from inside the Louvre.

I’m leaving tonight. And I’m determined not to let a moment slip past my fingers. An entire 30-days of memories to be recorded here. It’s all so frighteningly exciting ain’t it? Ooooh an oxymoron. My parents have been telling me how hard it is going to be to lug my 20-odd kilo luggage and another huge ass handcarry bag around Paris. But I wanted to tell them so badly that that’s actually the easy part. The really difficult part was the journey leading to tonight. Although I travel sorta frequently, it’s always been in a scheduled tour group, so everything had always been settled by the tour agency. The itineraries, food, time, lodging – everything. Finances-wise my dad’s got it all covered. I never had to worry about anything.

It’s so cute the way these trees outside the Notre Dame were cut!

Pierre Herme macarons.

This time I had to take care of everything. Every nitty gritty detail. From Google-Mapping our travel routes, sorting out accommodation, buying train tickets, incorporating food trips into our itinerary, to finding toilets (apparently toilets elude you in Paris). Once my dad asked me “Why are you always staring at your computer? You’ve been glued there for the whole afternoon.” I’m sorry dear daddy I kinda need all my attention and more time to sift through 30 tabs of TripAdvisor? So the past month or so have been a mad rush of packing, organising, and card making. Ohmygosh the number of cards I’ve made in the past 2 weeks is simply astounding. I swear I’ve made more than a dozen of them.

Some cards I made!

Now that all that’s been sorted through, I’m all set for France! Or so I think. But that’s what last-minute packing is for ain’t it? Now I hope I’ve gotten this right: Au revoir Singapour, tu me manque!

The day my DSLR failed me

A product of editing with the PicsArt application.

I used to be an Instagram hater (that I use it now doesn’t mean ANYTHING). Pfft what filters? Lo-fi? Hudson? X-Pro? Good photographers need #nofilters. No way is my good ol’ DSLR ever losing to some no-name-filtered-mobile-camera-picture. And I never thought there’d be a day I was grateful for mobile cameras and their numerous editing applications.

Today proved me wrong. Somehow my many DSLR shots just didn’t seem to work. The lighting was too harsh, even after manual adjustments. As with everything food-related, I have to take a picture with my phone and – yes – Instagram it. So imagine my surprise when I realise that the pictures I took with my phone turned out better than those in my camera! With a little editing those pictures turned out to be pretty decent. I guess mobile pictures and apps can possibly be passable with good lighting and a lil editing.

French toast breakfast I made for my Aunt for her birthday this morning!

Today’s my Aunty’s birthday, so I decided to give her the whole B-in-B shebang. Pancakes I’ve made way too often; so French toast it shall be. Another one of your sweet breakfasts, French toasts are usually accompanied by honey or maple syrup, and some caramelised fruits. I was afraid that would be a tad too sweet, so I decided to try my hand at making some salted caramel and creme patisserie. I had no worries about the latter cause I’ve made it before, but the salted caramel was a different story altogether. I never liked anything salty+sweet in my desserts; I don’t understand how that works. I’m only recently beginning to like it thanks to Milk and Honey’s Salty Malty gelato. That means I’ve never tried salted caramel anything, except for maybe that 1 or 2 “ok imma give it a shot” bites of sea salt caramel macarons. Which also means I wouldn’t know if I’ve nailed the flavour.

Being the daredevil that I am I gave it a shot anyway, and I’m pleased that my Aunty, and my family, seemed to really like it! So I guess I did get it right after all (: my only qualm was the crème pâtissière. Aunty ate hers the moment I served it up so the consistency was just perfect. The rest of my family decided to have theirs as tea, so they refrigerated it, and toasted it before eating. Totally unwise because overheating the creme patisserie caused it to curdle a wee bit. That aside everything else was wonderful, and this is definitely going into my list of BinB recipes!

French Toast with Caramelized Bananas, Crème Pâtissière and Salted Caramel (serves 3)

Salted Caramel (will make more than required)
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon fleur de sel

Vanilla Crème Pâtissière
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour

Caramelized Bananas
3 bananas, separated
4 teaspoons of honey

French Toast
6 slices of bread
4 eggs
half cup of milk

The crème pâtissière and salted caramel should be prepared ahead.

To make the Crème Pâtissière:
1. Add the vanilla extract to the milk and bring the mixture to simmer, then remove from heat.

2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Whisk in the flour until combined. While continuously whisking, add a bit of the hot milk to the eggs then pour the egg mix back into the pot.

3. Place the pot over low heat and stir constantly until custard is slightly thick, rich and creamy. Be careful not to overcook the custard and curdle it. To avoid lumps, strain it while pouring into a bowl. Cover the surface directly with cling film to stop a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until needed.

To make the Salted Caramel:
1. First, make sure you have all of the ingredients ready. Once you start the caramel sauce you have to pay close attention so you don’t burn it. To begin, heat the sugar over medium high-heat. When the sugar starts to melt, start whisking the sugar. The sugar will clump up, but keep whisking. It will continue to melt. When the sugar is melted, stop whisking.

2. Continue cooking the sugar until it reaches a deep amber colour, watching it carefully to avoid burning the caramel.

3. As soon as the sugar reaches the dark amber colour, carefully add the butter. Whisk until all the butter is melted.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Whisk until cream is incorporated and caramel is smooth. Whisk in the fleur de sel

5. Let the caramel sauce cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Pour the caramel into a large jar and cool to room temperature, before storing it in the refrigerator up till a month.

To make the Caramelized Bananas:
1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium high-heat.

2. Working in batches of 3, heat drizzles of honey over the pan for about a minute. Add in the slices of bananas, leaving enough space between each slice to flip them. Leave the banana slices to cook and form a brown caramelized crust on one side before flipping it over. If the honey starts to bubble, reduce the heat and continue cooking.

3. Wash the pan after each batch. Place the caramelized bananas aside while you prepare the French Toasts.

To make the French Toast:
1. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a flatter, wider bowl/dish. Dip each slice of bread, both sides, into the egg batter until soaked through.

2. Heat up the pan over medium heat, then fry each side of the eggy bread slices until golden then set aside.

To assemble:
1. Spread the crème pâtissière thickly on one side of the french toast, then layer the bananas on top. Spoon a little caramel over the top and sandwich the lot with another slice of toast.

2. Serve with extra salted caramel sauce and scoops of ice cream if you have em!

Milk and Honey Gelato

I stumbled across this gelato shop on Facebook awhile back, and I was first drawn to its location. Nestled within the HDB estates of Bedok, I was extremely elated at its proximity. Finally somewhere claiming decent gelato around the East! Yet I felt a little worried for the shop. With that many artisan ice cream shops setting up over the island (30 gelatarias by Time Out Singapore’s last count a year back), would they be able to secure a loyal customer base in a heartland location? With so many alternatives what does it take for them to stand out?

Grandulia

A month and over 7 visits later, gone are my initial doubts. Milk and Honey Gelato serves – hands down – one of the best gelatos and waffles on the island. You can’t pit them against the big shots like Gelatissimo and Gelataria Italia who boasts a variety of flavours; but looking at the selection and quality of what they offer, Milk and Honey Gelato is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

Left to right: Grandulia and Shy Green Nut; Shy Green Nut and Irish Latte

I love how M&H has this Buddy Meal ($9) consisting of 2 scoops of gelato, a waffle, and a lemonade. First off they make a mean waffle. Crisp on the outside but absolutely fluffy on the inside, M&H’s waffles are probably the best I’ve had in Singapore. Soaked in the goodness of the accompanying melted gelato, each bite is a burst of flavours and contrasting textures. An absolute delight.

Grandulia is essentially a gelati-fied version of a Ferarro Rocher. Rich and chocolatey with a slight hazelnut aftertaste, this is a favourite among customers. It was well-executed, but I thought there was no oomph factor distinguishing it from its countless Rocher counterparts. Decent but not outstanding. The Irish Latte on the other hand is a clear winner. The intense fragrance of the coffee cuts through in every bite, yet is pleasantly rounded off with a milky flavour. I loved it from the very first bite. And what’s best is that it goes well with every other flavour, bringing a freshness to the pairing. Shy Green Nut’s a new flavour launched about 2 weeks back. Essentially pistachio-flavoured gelato mixed with specks of chocolate chips, unique is probably the best word to describe it. I love that they absolutely nailed the nuttiness, but the numerous chunks of chocolate chips overwhelmed the subtle nutty pistachio flavour. It ended up being more like a chocolate chip gelato. A few days ago I decided to give it another shot, and I’m glad that they took our feedback and cut down on the chocolate chips! The chocolatey taste was still pretty strong, but at least there’s a distinct pistachio flavour to it.

Choc-a-Baby and Black Beauty

We were introduced to their signature flavour, the Choc-a-Baby, on our very first visit. Deep, dark, and intensely chocolatey, this is any dark chocolate lover’s ultimatum. Though it is indeed wonderful, there are many gelataria offering really good dark chocolate gelatos (for example the amazing dark choc series exclusively available at Lido’s Gelatissimo) so I’d say save your tummy space for the other more special flavours. One being the Black Beauty. I. Love. Black. Sesame. Ice. Cream. Have I told you I love black sesame ice cream? Imma say it again I absolutely ADORE black sesame ice cream. And M&H blew me over with theirs. I’ve tried black sesame ice creams/gelatos everywhere I saw them, and this is hands down one of the best I’ve had. It stands out because of that subtle roasted seeds aroma that comes out from the gelato. Somewhat like how sencha would compare against matcha. If there’s one flavour that’ll keep me coming back, it’s this. It’s a MUST-TRY. Even if you’re a hater. You never know if this would be the turning point in your life. Do try it soon .as this is one of their special flavours that’s only made periodically.

Balsamic Strawberry and Salty Malty. Pardon the horrendous photos these were from my phone with really bad lighting!

If there ever were two flavours that were made for each other, it’s these. The Balsamic Strawberry and Salty Malty are simply a match made in heaven. The peeps at M&H definitely got it right when they told us that eaten together, it’s their rendition of strawberry cheesecake. The Balsamic Strawberry is a breath of fresh air. It’s similar to the usual berries-based sorbets – slightly icier, sour and tangy – with the balsamic adding an interesting and unique spin. It’s still sour, but in a different way. You really have to try it to understand. I was a little apprehensive about the Salty Malty because I never got this sweet-salty thing. I do love Horlicks though, and this is by far one of the best Horlicks-ish gelatos I’ve tried. Extremely creamy, with malt being the overpowering flavour, there’s an underlying subtle saltiness that really complements the malt and rounds up every bite. Simply amazing. Thanks to this flavour I’m this close to becoming a salty-sweet dessert convert.

While their gelatos are undoubtedly amazing, what truly makes M&H shine is the wonderful people behind it. The bosses have always been very welcoming, and the staff never fail to greet us with a smile. Every past visit Clarence, one of the bosses, would personally bring our waffles to us, listen to feedback on his products, and humbly accepting them. It’s this interaction and care for their customers that really makes M&H a joy to visit.

Banana and nutella waffles combi – an idea that Clarence was developing. He gave this to us for free and we gladly lapped up the chance to be his guinea pigs.

Next time you’re around the East, be sure to check out this wonderful gelataria that is Milk and Honey Gelato.

Milk and Honey Gelato
Bedok Block 86
Bedok North Street 4
S(460086)
9786 9754

The BEST Muffins EVER.

The title’s not just a declarative. It’s an imperative. Period.

I’ve baked several muffins to date, and yes I’ve made some pretty delish ones like my Citrus Muffins, but this is hands down the best I’ve made thus far. It’s not because of the fillings that went into it, cause pfffwt we all know cheese/carrot/apple muffins ain’t a stroke of genius. It’s the base recipe that makes these muffins shine.

Simple, versatile, with ingredients you can grab from your pantry right now, this is the best basic recipe I found so far. And with a few tweaks of my own it yields the softest and moistest muffin. I’ve been looking for such a recipe for a really long time cause my friends and family prefer moister muffins. If cakey fluffy ones are your preference this might be slightly a bit too moist, though fluffy enough for me I’d say.

The base recipe’s really versatile, and everything stays the same except for the 150g of added flavours. Be creative with your muffin fillings! Pistachio and chocolate chips; citrus and coconut; cheese and raisins; the possibilities are endless. Let your imagination run wild with this amazing recipe (:

Cheese, Carrots and Apple Muffins (makes 12)

220g spelt flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 medium carrot, grated
*1/2 apple, grated
*100g cubed cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line muffin trays with cases.

2. Sift the flour with the baking power and salt.

3. Mix the wet ingredients together. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Mix everything till its just combined and not overmix it.

4. Pour in the grated carrots, apple, and cubed cheese into the mixture and fold it in till just combined.

5. Divide the batter into the muffin trays, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

*These ingredients can be substituted with 150g of whatever ingredients and flavours you desire!

Sun-dried Tomato and Carrot Stovetop Frittata

Yes, those are not omelettes. No, omelettes and frittatas are not the same.

According to my best friend (it’s Wiki this time), there are four key differences between a frittata and a conventional omelette.

1. Optional ingredients are combined with the beaten egg mixture while the eggs are still raw rather than being laid over the mostly-cooked egg mixture before it is folded, as in a conventional omelette. Frittatas can hold a deeper filling and yield a fluffier result.
2. The mixture is cooked over a very low heat, more slowly than an omelette, until the underside is set but the top is still runny.
3. The partly cooked frittata is not folded to enclose its contents, like an omelette, but it is instead either turned over in full, or grilled briefly under a broiler to set the top layer,or baked for around five minutes.
4. Unlike an omelette, which is generally served whole to a single diner, a frittata is usually divided into slices.

So you see I’m not being a food snob! There are real tangible distinctions between a frittata and an omelette!

But of course there are similarities too. Besides the glaringly obvious fact that both are made of eggs, frittatas and omelettes are easy, utterly delicious, and extremely versatile. Frittatas can be vehicles for almost any veggies, cheeses, or meats you happen to have around. When you have leftovers, you can make frittatas. When you have random ingredients and no recipe in mind, you can make frittatas. Heck even when you have egg cravings you can make frittatas!

What may come as a shocker to most is the sheer amount of eggs required in this recipe. “The cholestrol!!” was a comment on my instagram post. While it’s true that egg yolks have a lot of cholesterol – and so may weakly affect blood cholesterol levels – eggs also contain nutrients that may help lower the risk for heart disease, including protein, vitamins B12 and D.For most people, cholesterol in food has a much smaller effect on blood levels of total cholesterol and harmful cholesterol than does the mix of fats in the diet. In fact moderate egg consumption – up to one a day – does not increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals and can be part of a healthy diet.

And what better a dish to make when you have a non-stick pan? The thing about frittatas is that it can only be made using non-stick pans. Essentially a one pan dish, you have to be able to cleanly remove the frittata wedges from the pan, or else it’ll just look like some scrambled eggs-y mush. Tefal’s Comfort Touch Sauté-pan comes in real handy here. Not only does it boast Tefal’s signature non-stick qualities, its raised sides allow for more fillings, a thicker frittata, and neat straight edges. I must admit it was a breeze cooking this frittata with the sauté-pan. Easy and fantastic as a light meal, I guess frittatas will be making more of an appearance in my house!

Sun-dried Tomato and Carrot Stovetop Frittata (serves 4-6)

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 jar of sun-dried tomato, drained and roughly chopped
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Whisk the eggs, milk and soy sauce till lots of air bubbles are formed.

2. Pre-heat the sauté-pan. Over medium-high heat, sweat the garlic and olive oil a little before adding in the carrots and sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Add the onions to the pan, sweat them for a minute, then add the remaining vegetables and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and any moisture has evaporated.

3. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and give it a stir. Make sure the egg mixture covers the vegetables. Put the lid on the pan and cook the egg for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your pan. The frittata is ready when a toothpick stuck into the middle of the egg comes out clean.

4. Remove the egg from the pan and cut into 8 wedges. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS
Dairy-free – replace milk with coconut or nut milks.

More savoury – throw in a handful of parmesan cheese into the egg mixture.

More substantial – replace a carrot with some chickpeas or cannellini/white/kidney beans.

Spicy – add 2 tablespoons of chilli flakes when sautéing the vegetables, and add a few dashes of tabasco into the egg mixture.

Other fillings – any kinds of fillings, meats or vegetables, can be used in frittatas. Just make sure that there is enough egg mixture to cover the the ingredients.

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Mummy’s Day Lunch: Miso Cod with sautéed Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms

Cod = expensive = restaurant-quality dish.

I’m sorry for falling victim to one of the biggest culinary clichés ever. I’ve been trying real hard to resist the “Cod” current that seems to have taken over every contemporary European restaurant, but it seems I’ve failed terribly Inspired by ONAKA’s concept of fusing Asian and Western elements, this dish is a fusion between Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature Black Cod with Miso and one of my dishes a while back (the Miso Aubergine).

I like that the saltiness slight spice of the miso sauce cuts through the oiliness of the cod; while pungent garlic and crunchy asparagus adds an extra textural contrast to the dish. What many people don’t know, is that miso is an extremely good source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and most importantly probiotics. Probiotics are important to maintaining a balanced and healthy intestinal tract, yet the consumption of probiotics are often overlooked. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and miso contains high levels of probiotics.

It looks – and certainly sounds – fancy, but this dish is really pretty straightforward. Not only are preparations kept to a minimum, the non-stick quality of Tefal’s pans ensured the success of this dish. For one, flipping the cod while pan-searing could cause it to drastically reduce in size as it leaves chunks of flesh behind on a normal pan. Tefal’s non-stick cookware however ensures that the cod flips well and sears evenly.

But wait. The best part of this dish is that if you are a confident and calm cook, both components could be cooked at the same time! This means no more frustration over how-to-keep-my-veggies-warm. The cod was left to pan-sear on Tefal’s Comfort Touch Frypan, while the vegetables were simultaneously sautéed in their Comfort Touch Sauté-pan.

Simple; elegant; and tasty – I think it’ll suffice to say I’ve re-established my status as Mummy’s Number 1 child *fists air*

Miso Cod with sautéed Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms (serves 2)

Miso sauce (makes more than required)
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 medium chili
5g nugget ginger
3 teaspoons roasted sesame oil

2 fillets of cod, not overly thick
1 package fresh oyster mushrooms, cut into small chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
Handful of baby asparagus, diced*
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Using your mortar and pestle, pound the ginger nugget along with the chili to a fine paste. Alternatively, blitz them together if you own a food processor. Mix in the remaining ingredients for the miso sauce.

2. Rinse the cod fillets and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Slather the fish with miso sauce and place in a dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave to steep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight, depending on the amount of time you have on hand.

3. When you are ready to cook, pre-heat both the sauté-pan and frying pan over high heat.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low for the frying pan, and lay the cod fillets on the pan, cooking lid-on for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of your cod.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pre-heated sauté-pan, then add the sliced garlic and sauté over medium heat till it is lightly browned. Toss in the asparagus and sauté for 1-2 minutes, before throwing in the mushrooms and sautéing a few minutes till its tender.

6. Meanwhile, brush the cod fillets with a little more of the miso sauce while it sears, before flipping it over. This time leave the cover off, cooking for 3-5 minutes. Occasionally brush the fillets with the miso sauce.

7. Take the sautéed vegetables off the heat and begin plating. The cod fillets should be ready as you finish plating the vegetables. Place the fillets over the vegetables, before drizzling a little of the remaining miso sauce over the dish.

*If baby asparagus are not available, normal asparagus could be used in place. Simply increase the time to sautéing it to 3-5 minutes.

VARIATIONS
Vegetarian – replace the cod with big portobello mushrooms, slices of halloumi, or eggplants as in my Miso Aubergine

No cod – other oily fishes like salmon and trouts could be used. Alternatively, seafoods and crustaceans like prawns, squids, crayfish and lobsters could be used in place. This recipe works best with seafood as they have a naturally succulent flesh that meat does not.

No asparagus – replace with other tougher vegetables like vegetables, corn kernels, broccoli, or even beans and chickpeas.

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Sauté-pan VS Frypan: Artichokes Casserole with Peas and Prawns

I am not joking when I say I spent hours tugging at my hair trying to think of the perfect dish that will showcase the qualities of the Tefal pans we received.

Yes you read that right; it’s a plural. Pan-s.

At the conclusion of the cooking workshop, we were given 2 pans from the Tefal Comfort Touch pans series, namely their Comfort Touch Sauté-pan and Comfort Touch Frypan. The fact that they are 2 distinct pans, with 2 distinct forms, makes it kind of obvious that the pans are functionally different. So what should I cook in each pan to best showcase its properties?

I know for a fact that sautéing and pan frying are 2 very different cooking techniques. Sautéing is essentially a method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of oil or fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. It refers to tossing smaller cut pieces of food while cooking, in order to facilitate fast cooking while simultaneously giving the food a nice browned exterior. On the other hand, pan frying refers to cooking larger pieces of food quickly, flipping it on both sides.

After consulting my best friend (her name’s Google by the way) I realised that both pans are better suited for different kinds of dishes. And thus I came to the conclusion that 3 very different recipes should do the trick! First off: the sauté-pan.

While I had many fancy ideas running through my head after our meal at ONAKA, I realised that as home cooks, we don’t always have the luxury of making stocks, pre-roasting ingredients, nor spending time gathering spoonfuls of ingredients from various corners of the kitchen. I’m just a student, and I get really annoyed when I have to make dishes that calls for many different spices and ingredients in minute quantities. That’s kind of the reason why I almost never make curries. Now think about those mothers who have to attend to flit between attending to the stove and their screeching kids. Sometimes all we need are one-pan dishes that are simple and utterly delicious.

When sautéing, the contact between the food and the pan is brief, thus whether it’s meat or vegetables it’s important that the food be naturally tender. With that in mind, I decided on a Artichokes and Peas with Prawn Casserole.

In a nutshell, I sautéed aromatic vegetables, before adding in the peas, sautéed prawns, artichokes, shredded turkey breast and finally a little chicken stock. Over medium heat with the lid off, I allowed the dish to simmer and reduce for about 15 minutes, tested it for seasonings, then dished it up straight in the pan. We ate it with a loaf of sourdough bread to soak up the juicy goodness.

Prepared and dished out in a mere 30 minutes, I was delighted with how this dish turned out! I was a little apprehensive at the start cause I have never cooked with artichokes before given how it’s so hard to come by in Singapore. But I recently got my hands on this jar of marinated artichokes and so I thought, why not? Simple, savoury and hearty, the pan was wiped clean within 10 minutes. It’s definitely a keeper.

Artichokes and Peas with Prawn Casserole (serves 2)

1 jar of marinated artichokes
200g of de-frosted shelled peas
1 slice of turkey breast, cut into thin strips/cubes
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 splash of white wine
100 ml of chicken stock
3 tablespoons coconut milk
12 prawns, shelled

1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pre-heated sauté-pan, then add the sliced garlic and sauté till it is lightly browned. Add in the prawns, season and sauté them for a couple of minutes until they change color. Remove and reserve.

2. In the same pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and fry the turkey and onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the artichokes and peas and sauté for another minute.

3. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate before adding the stock and coconut milk. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook lids-off for 10-15 minutes depending on how wet you’d like your casserole.

4. Check for seasonings. If it turns out too dry for your preference, stir in a little stock or water. Serve with slices of sourdough bread.

VARIATIONS
Fresher spin – squeeze one lime into the casserole

Vegetarian – use some vegetable stock instead. Replace the prawns with slices of tomatoes/carrots/other root vegetables, or omit the prawns and stir in some shredded buffalo mozzarella cheese before serving.

No coconut milk – replace with evaporated milk or cream, or omit entirely for a clearer soup and simmer it 5-10 minutes longer.

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