Lamb shanks in cranberry sauce

Never know that lamb shank will taste that great. After eating it once at the Pastano in the casino, really curious to know how it was cooked. The one they served is braised lamb shank with honeyed onion. So started to google online for recipe but came across this one that is cooked with cranberry juice & red wine. To use red wine , very interesting so had a go with it and really love it to the core. Actually from this website can really find many great dishes http://www.taste.com.au/ . Do try it out. Instead of using whole berry cranberry sauce, I use cranberry juice.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp               Olive oil
1 tbsp               Garlic chopped
6                      Lamb shanks
20g                  Butter

2 tbsps             Plain flour
1 1/2 cups        Chicken stock
1 cup                Red wine
275g jar           Whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup             Fresh rosemary sprigs
mashed potato, to serve
steamed green beans or any greens, to serve

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based, flameproof dish over high heat. Or you can just stew it over the stove under middle heat.
2. Cook shanks, in two batches, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.
3. Melt butter in dish until sizzling.Add in the chopped garlic. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and slowly add stock, wine and cranberry sauce. Season with salt and pepper, return to heat and bring to the boil. Add lamb and rosemary.
5. Cover dish, transfer to oven and bake for 1 hour. 
6. Remove lid and bake for a further 30 minutes or until shanks are tender. Serve with potato and beans or greens.

Salmon & mushroom Baked rice

I missed the salmon baked rice from Swenson so much that I seriously cannot take it anymore till i went online to search for the recipe but very disappointed not much information on it.Came across one that was close but still not the one so I did some experiment on it. First try failed as the taste  of the rice is too plain and Jing jing enlighten me saying maybe the rice can be like those you find from Indian shop maybe yellow rice, and butter rice came to my mind straight. So on my second attempt, with a cup of cooked rice I stirred fried again with garlic and butter, it tasted so much better. Also i did not add much tomato paste on my first attempt therefore it seem dry. So on the second attempt , I add more paste and added it to the mushroom over the heat for 5 mins.This really make the mushroom much tastier.and with the top I had the egg mixed with the cheese. Overall on my second attempt the taste was there but still not like what I wanted.

So third attempt was a must, this time round I fried the rice grain with garlic, butter and salt then cooked the rice like normal.. When the rice was cooked, the smell of the rice was heaven but when tasted kind of disappointed a little as it was not tasty enough lack of butter. With the cooked rice, I stirred it with more salt, butter and garlic to get the right taste.With the top, this time round I did a change by adding the egg to the salmon.Close to perfection except for the rice. Never say die so finally i got the rice right so here you go

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup             Rice
• 20-25gm       Butter
• 3/4 Tsp        Salt
• 2 Tsp            Garlic (Chopped)
• 6-8               Mushroom (Sliced)
• 1 Tbsp           Oil
• 4-6 Tbsp       Tomato paste
• 1 1/4 Cup       Water
• 150 gm           Salmon slices
• 1                     Egg (Beaten)
• 1/2 Cup           Shredded Cheese
• 1/4 Tsp            Pepepr

Methods:

1. For the rice, wash it clean.
2. Then heat up the pan and add in the butter then garlic.
3. Till the butter fully melted add in the washed rice grain.
4. Stir fried it for a min or two then add salt and pepper.
5. Once ready pour it into the rice cooker.
6. Add in 1 Cup of water like cooking normal rice.
7. Place the cooked rice in a baking dish.
8. Then for the mushroom, add the oil to a pan then stirred fried it till cook.
9. Then add in the tomato paste and the remaining water.
10. Till the mixture not too watery or dry.
11. Pour it over the rice.
12. Then mix the salmon and the egg together.
13. Pour it over the mushroom, then add the cheese on top.
14. Preheat the oven to 200deg
15. Then put into the oven for 20-25mins or till the top turn golden brown.

Looks like many steps but once u do it, its no problem already. Really very easy and simple.The most important thing is very nice.

Potato salad

Once we had this BBQ for the whole house and each suppose to make or buy something. So my English house mate, Kim decided to make potato salad for us. When I got my first try of it, it was really great and when I wanted to get more so sad no more left. This will make me remember her for imparting her recipe to me. I made this for my big birthday bbq and Auntie Theresa was impressed with it. For last year X'mas, she specifically  asked me to make this. She tried so many potato salad and felt that this is really nice so folks here you are. For the original one, Kim only use the normal mayonnaise but is too sour for me so I will add in Japanese mayonnaise which is more on the sweet side. Just add whatever to suit your taste. As this is only a rough estimation

Ingredients:

• 7-8              Small washed Potatoes
• 1                  Tomato (Deseed and diced small)
• 1 Cup            Cucumber (diced)
• 1/2 Cup        Gherkins (diced)
• 1Tsp             English mustard
• 6Tbsp          Japanese Mayonnaise
• 3Tbsp          Mayonnaise
• 1/2Tsp         Salt
• 1/2Tsp         White pepper

Methods:

1. Boiled the potatoes for 10mins or till the fork able to go through easily.
2. Peeled off the skin and mashed it into chucks.
3. Add in the diced cucumber, tomato and gherkins.
4. Add in the english mustard and mayonnaise.
5. Mix it well and add salt and pepper.

Tuna pasta

Ever since I had the pasta at Madtongsan as side dish, I just love it and will alway ask for more. After eating it a few times, so I decided to make it myself by exploring it with my taste bud and eye sight. Turns out great and love by others.

Ingredients:

• 1                  Red onion (Finely chopped)
• 1                  Carrot (Shredded)
• 1 Can            Kernel Corn
• 300gm        Small spiral pasta
• 4 Tbsp        Mayonnise
• 1 Can            Chunky tuna
• 1/4 Tsp       White pepper

Methods:

1. Boil the pasta with a sprinkle of salt.
2. Drain the water off and pour into a bowl.
3. Drain the water from the corn and pour into the bowl.
4. Add in the chopped onion and shredded carrot.
5. Add in the Mayonnaise, tuna and pepper.
6. Put in the fridge for 30-45 mins.
7. Serve chill.