Ingredients

100g butter plus a knob
2 shallots finely chopped
450 gms Arborio rice
750ml – 1 litre fish or light chicken stock (hot)
350 – 400 gms raw peeled prawns
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp mascarpone
12 scallops, orange roe and side muscles removed
1 bunch chives finely chopped
½ bunch basil chopped

Directions

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan and cook the shallot gently until soft but not coloured. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated in butter.

Add the hot stock gradually, about 200ml at a time, stirring each addition in well, until the rice is just tender, this will take about 20 minutes. How much stock you need will depend on the type of rice you use. Add the prawns when the rice is done but still al dente, then season and add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the prawns over so they cook on both sides, and when they’re done, add the mascarpone and fold it in.

Leave the risotto to sit for 5 minutes while you fry the scallops for a minute on each side in a knob of butter in a frying pan. Add these to the risotto and sprinkle with chopped chives and basil.

1kg lean minced beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 x 660g jars passata with basil
400g dried cannelloni tubes

For the topping

50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml whole milk
140g soft cheese with garlic and herbs
140g parmesan grated

Directions

For the filling, dry-fry the beef in a non-stick pan on a medium-high heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned – about 10 mins. Remove and set aside. Add the oil and cook the onion for 5 mins, until soft. Add the garlic for 1 min more, then tip in the beef and 1½ jars of the passata sauce and the sugar. Simmer for 20 mins while you make the white sauce.

Heat the butter in a small pan. When foaming, stir in the flour for 1 min. Add the milk gradually, stirring all the time to achieve a lump-free sauce, then bubble for 2 mins while stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the soft cheese with seasoning until dissolved. Set aside, covered with cling film to stop a skin forming.

To assemble, pour the remaining tomato sauce into the base of 2-3 large baking dishes or 12 individual ovenproof dishes or foil containers. Spoon the beef into the cannelloni tubes using a teaspoon and lay on top of the sauce. Pour on the white sauce, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

If freezing, allow to cool, then freeze wrapped well in cling film.

To eat straight away, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook for 40-45 mins until the pasta is tender and topping golden. Defrost frozen cannelloni thoroughly, then cook as above for 50 mins-55 mins (or see tip).

Recipe Tips

To cook from frozen, cover with foil and cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 1 hr 15 mins (at this stage it should be defrosted). Then remove foil, increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook for 30 mins more until piping hot. If you froze single portions, check 15 mins before the end of each stage – they may cook quicker.

When we’re on one of our diets (LOL) we don’t really want any sugar in our desserts! If possible we don’t even want any dessert. Actually, make that, we CAN’T have dessert!

So I found a way to make Tiramisu which we can eat when we are on any diet that calls for sugar-free and low carb. It was truly amazing!

The technique is the same as Gordon Ramsay’s Easy Tiramisu – but I’ve substituted sugar for “Sweet and Low” one for one sugar and instead of Savoiardi biscuits, I have used Karen’s Almond Cookies recipe which I’ve modified.

Tiramisu can be high in calories and fat but have one of these dessert glasses of Tiramisu and it’ll be ok!

MAKING the Almond Fingers

1 cup almond flour or sometimes called “almond meal” 
1 tbsp cooled, melted butter  
2 eggs  
2 tbsp Sweet & Low or equivalent liquid 
1 tsp baking powder  
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 175º C.

In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly then add all the other ingredients. Mix well into a paste. You can also use a food processor.

Grease an 8” x 8″ baking pan and spread the paste evenly.

It’s helpful to cover the paste with a sheet of plastic wrap, then gently press on the plastic to spread it evenly. Peel off the plastic and discard.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool then turn it out and cut into even-sized fingers.

NOTE: These almond fingers can be frozen and they will keep for up to 6 months!

MAKING the Tiramisu Filling

(For 6 dessert glasses)

250 gms mascarpone cheese 
200 gms whipping cream
3 tbsp Sweet & Low or equivalent liquid
2 tsp vanilla extract 
3 shots Espresso, (or 3 tsp instant coffee made up to the size of 3 espresso coffees) cooled
Unsweetened chocolate for grating
6 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Place the mascarpone cheese in a bowl and leave it to come to room temperature. It should become creamy and soft. Set aside.  

In another bowl, pour out the whipping cream, add the sugar and beat with a whisk or use an electric whisk. Whisk only until the cream starts to peak and stop – careful not to over whip as the cream will turn clumpy and eventually become butter! 

Add the vanilla extract to the the cream and blend it in. Add one shot of the cooled espresso or instant coffee and mix it in. 

Pour the cream mixture into the cheese and mix everything into a smooth creamy consistency. 

MAKING UP THE TIRAMISU

Get your dessert glasses ready. 

In a flat container, mix the balance of the espresso or instant coffee with 100 ml of water. Dip each finger into the coffee mix. Soak only one side but make sure that its not dripping liquid. Place at the bottom of the dessert glass.

I used four fingers for each of my dessert glasses. You can break each finger into smaller pieces to make it fit in your glass. 

Divide the filling into six portions and spoon in a portion into each glass and flatten it out with a small spatula.

I only used one layer but you can create another layer by soaking another set of the cookies and placing them on top of the first layer of filling. Follow with another layer of filling.

Chill for at least 20 minutes. Just before serving, grate a bit of chocolate over the top then dust with cocoa powder.

NOTE: To make one single Tiramisu in a dessert bowl, line the whole bottom of the bowl with the coffee dipped fingers, spoon the filling over it then repeat 2-3 times till the bowl is full in alternating layers. Chill for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.

Decorate just before serving.

We all love Tiramisu and Paolo’s near our apartment in Kuala Lumpur made the best! He had them in individual dessert glasses and made two versions – with and without alcohol. Unfortunately, Paolo has retired and closed down his restaurant. Most of the time Tiramisu in restaurants are far too sweet and outside Kuwait, they usually use Marsala liqueur.

I discovered this video by Gordon Ramsay and he shows how easy it is to make Tiramisu. His recipe is below and it is not sugar-free nor carb-free.

[youtube]8HlqQqP6Mcw[/youtube]

INGREDIENTS
(Makes 6 dessert glasses)

150 ml whipping cream
8 oz mascarpone cheese (1 tub purchased)
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp icing sugar (divided into 2 portions)
3 shots of espresso coffee, cold
26-30 savoiardi biscuits (“lady’s fingers”)

Decoration:
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Dark chocolate, shaved or grated (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

Take out the mascarpone cheese, place it in a bowl and leave it to soften at room temperature.

In another bowl, put the whipping cream and 4 tbsp of the sugar and whip. I used a hand mixer. only until it becomes almost stiff peaks. Do not over beat or it will become clumpy and even turn to butter. Set aside.

Add the vanilla extract, one shot of the COLD espresso to the softened mascarpone cheese and whisk till medium soft peaks. Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold in. Mix well with a whisk. Set aside.

Add some water to the 2 shots of cold coffee and add 2 tbsp icing sugar if desired. Set up the dessert glasses or martini glasses.

Dip the lady’s fingers” (savoiardi biscuits) in coffee mixture one at a time (watch the video) and place in the glasses, breaking the biscuits to fit.

Add a portion of the mascarpone cream mixture to each glass and level out if desired. Place in fridge to chill and set. It only takes 20 minutes!

To serve, grate some dark chocolate if desired. Sprinkle the cocoa powder.

If you want to make the tiramisu in a single dish, (it should be quite deep) dip the biscuits in coffee and lay them one by one to cover the base of the dish. Pour half of the cheese and cream mixture over the biscuits. Level with a spatula. Sprinkle some chocolate powder if desired. Arrange another layer of biscuits dipped in coffee over the mixture then, pour in the rest of the cheese and cream mixture. Chill. Just before serving, grate some dark chocolate if desired. Sprinkle the cocoa powder.

So I guess from now on, this is how we make Bolognese sauce for spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne or cannelloni.

450 gms 85% fat minced beef

1 stalk celery

1/2 medium-sized onion

3 cloves garlic

1 can stewed tomatoes

2 tsp oregano

salt to taste

Fry the minced beef till all the water is gone. Mince all the vegetables in food processor and add to the meat when all the water is gone.

Puree the stewed tomatoes and add to the pan when the vegetables are cooked. Add salt to taste and simmer till all the liquid is gone from the tomatoes.

When I’m cooking this in Kuwait, it actually reminds me of Malaysian-style spicy noodles that I eat it with a pair of chopsticks. LOL

INGREDIENTS

For one serving

80 gms spaghetti

3 cloves garlic

5 guindilla (Spanish dried chilli)

70 gms peeled, deveined shrimps

3 leaves fresh basil

15 gms fresh parseley

1 tsp tomato puree

2 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the spaghetti and boil according to instructions on the packet until al dente. Check when it has been boiling for 6 minutes by biting a piece of the spaghetti. If not al dente enough, let it boil for another minute or two until the right firmness is reached.

Peel the garlic, smash it with the blade of a knife the cut into 1/2 cm widths, Mince the parseley and shred the basil.

In a pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute it – don’t let it become crispy. Lower the heat. Crush the guindilla between your thumb and index finger and add to the garlic. Fry a little on this low heat then add in the spaghetti. Fry the spaghetti mixing it well with the garlic and the guindilla to let it absorb the flavours and get coated in the olive oil. Add salt to taste and the herbs.

Add the tomato puree and stir well for 2 minutes or so.

Increase the heat, make a well in the centre of the pan – i.e. move the pasta to the sides of the pan – and add the shrimps. It should only take a while to cook on the high heat. Stir well and move the pasta around to spread out the shrimps.

 

Bolognese sauce made with 1/2 kg minced beef (See Spaghetti Bolognese)

9 lasagne leaves

Shredded Parmesan cheese

For the Béchamel:

3 – 4 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour

400 – 500 ml fresh or UHT milk

salt to taste

Prepare the Bolognese sauce first.

While the sauce is cooking you can pre-boil lasagne leaves according to instructions on the package. Drain and lay them flat on a plate so they don’t stick to each other.

Lay 3 lasagne leaves on the base of an over-proof casserole dish or Pyrex. Pour 1/2 of the Bolognese sauce and spread evenly over the leaves. Lay three more lasagne leaves and add the balance of the sauce. Lay the last 3 lasagne leaves.

Pre-heat over to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Prepare the Béchamel:

• Heat the butter over a medium fire and when melted, add the flour. Stir for approximately 5 minutes on a slow fire. DON’T LET IT TURN BROWN OR BURN.
• Add a little milk and stir. Keep adding the milk and stirring until a smooth consistency is achieved. You may need 400ml milk or more. Add some salt and remove from heat.

Pour the Béchamel over the lasagne leaves, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes until the cheese has turned golden brown.

This recipe makes up to 4 servings depending on how much sauce you like in your Spaghetti!

1/2 kg minced beef
1 large onion, minced
5 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can mushrooms, drained and sliced
1 can stewed tomatoes
5 tbsp tomato puree
1 – 2 tsp dried oregano flakes
3 tbsp olive oil for frying
2 cups water
1 Maggi beef cube
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a heavy saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the sliced mushrooms on medium heat till somewhat dry. Careful, they tend to jump if the heat is too high!

Remove the mushrooms, add a little more oil if necessary and fry the minced beef until all the water is gone. Remove and add to fried mushrooms.

Add 1 tbsp oil if necessary and fry the minced onions and garlic till fragrant and the onions are transparent and soft. Don’t let them brown.

Add the tomato puree and stewed tomatoes. Stir well, cover and let simmer until all the water is gone and the sauce is somewhat dry. Rub the oregano flakes between your palms and add to the sauce together with salt to taste. Let it continue to simmer until the sauce is completely dry – do not let it burn!

Add 2 cups water, the beef cube and the fried mushrooms and minced beef. Mix well and cook till most of the water is gone.

To serve, dish out the spaghetti on a plate and spoon the sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan if you like.

Genovese (green) Pesto is a paste made from garlic cloves, fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese, pounded together and diluted with fine olive oil that is not too strong in flavor. It is said that olive-oil-based pesto is known as the oldest oily sauce in gastronomic history. Genovese pesto was traditionally enjoyed as an accompaniment to pasta.

The traditional way or the modern way?

Many cooks who want a fresh pesto save time by making pesto with a food processor or blender, but the traditional method is to use a mortar and pestle.

Pounding in a mortar releases more of the essential oils without cutting through the cell walls of the ingredients, yielding a silky, chunky texture with a refined flavor. Pesto made with a mortar and pestle also will yield a brighter color from the crushed herbs. While the texture is more uniform, the flavor is not balanced and may be too sharp. Using the food processor creates a pesto where the oils are not as intensely released because the cell walls are cut through.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 cup

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves

Salt

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the basil, remove the stems and lightly pack the leaves in a measuring cup until the desired amount is reached. Immerse the leaves in cold water and use your fingers to wipe away residue. Shake off the water and roll the leaves in a paper towel to dry or spin in a salad spinner. Be sure the herbs are well dried, because water makes it difficult to pound or puree the leaves.

The adage, “the fresher the garlic, the fresher the flavor,” is the key to making proper pesto. Peel the garlic and smash with the back of a knife if you like.

Pine nuts, or pignolia, are the traditional nuts used in pesto. While they can be added raw, toasting nuts in a dry pan and seeds in an oiled pan until golden, releases essential oils for a more intense flavor. While nuts can be toasted in the oven, they can be easily controlled from burning by using a stovetop. Make sure the nuts have cooled to room temperature before using them because warm nuts make pesto soggy. Walnuts are often used in stronger pestos and milder nuts such as pine nuts, unsalted pistachios or almonds are used in delicate pestos. For those with nut allergies, olives and capers, in addition to other ingredients, are good substitutes for nuts.

Begin by sprinkling coarse sea salt into a mortar and pound the garlic, salt and pepper together with the pestle.

Add a portion of the nuts and basil leaves along with a tablespoon of the olive oil and continue pounding, occasionally stirring everything together. Turn the pestle gently so that the basil leaves are torn rather than cut. Add more leaves and nuts and a little bit of oil. Continue crushing and stirring, adding more nuts and herbs while taking care not to add too much oil so it won’t be difficult to combine the ingredients.

When a thick and fairly smooth paste is reached, slowly add the grated cheese and remaining oil, until it is incorporated into the pesto.

Pestos will keep in the refrigerator for three or four weeks. Pack the pesto into a small container, cover with a thin layer of olive oil and cap tightly to seal in the flavor and to avoid oxidation. Exclude as much air as possible to prevent loss of color, moisture and spoilage.