Bolognese Meat Sauce

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Today, I'm going to share with you one of the best, if not the best, beef bolognese recipe!

Although this recipe requires hours of preparation, it is not difficult, and your efforts will pay off. I've never had better beef bolognese in my life, not even in restaurants. This recipe is from my favorite italian cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Love her work, love her recipes, love her book!

I'd usually save at least my afternoon and evening to make this because you need at least three hours to simmer the sauce and that is not counting simmering the milk and wine before that. But, it is worth the time because you can make a huge batch and portion them out (like what I did in the picture) and keep them in the refrigerator (more on that in the after note). So I'd say if you have a day, give this a shot and savour one of the best beef bolognese!

Bolognese Meat Sauce (from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan)

Some things to note:
Ragu, as the Bolognese call their celebrated meat sauce, is characterized by mellow, gentle, comfortable flavor that any cook can achieve by being careful about a few basic points:

The meat should not be from too lean a cut; the more marbled it is, the sweeter the ragu will be. The most desirable cut of beef is the neck portion of the chuck.

Add salt immediately when sauteing the meat to extract its juices for the subsequent benefit of the sauce.

Cook the meat in milk before adding wine and tomatoes to protect if from the acidic bite of the latter.

Do not use a demiglace or other concentrates that tip the balance of flavors toward harshness.

Use a pot that retains heat. Earthenware is preferred in Bologna and by most cooks in Emilia-Romagna, but enameled cast-iron pans or a pot whose heavy bottom is composed of layers of steel alloys are fully satisfactory.

Cook, uncovered, at the merest simmer for a long, long time; no less than 3 hours is necessary, more is better.

Ingredients
(2 heaping cups, for about 6 servings and 1 1/2 pounds pasta)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrot
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
(see prefatory note above)
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 cup whole milk
Whole nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta
Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the table

Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring the vegetables to coat them well.

Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well, and cook until th beef has lost its raw, red color.

Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating - about 1/8 teaspoon - of nutmeg and stir.

Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, continue the cooking, adding 1/2 cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.

Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

Ahead-of-time note: If you cannot watch the sauce for a 3- to 4-hour stretch, you can turn off the heat whenever you need to leave, and resume cooking later on, as long as you complete the sauce within the same day. Once done, you can refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container for 3 days, or you can freeze it. Before tossing with pasta, reheat it, letting it simmer for 15 minutes and stirring it once or twice.

Variation of Ragu with PorkPork is an important part of Bologna's culture, its economy, and the cuisine, and many cooks add some pork to make their ragu tastier. Use 1 part ground pork, preferably from the neck or Boston butt, to 2 parts beef, and make the meat sauce exactly as described in the basic recipe above.

And that's my beef bolognese, all set and ready to go! :) Tweet

Victoria Sponge Cake

This divine looking cake that you're staring at is named after Queen Victoria, who loved to enjoy this with her afternoon tea. I've been really excited to share this recipe because not only does this cake look so pretty and taste delicious, it is really not as difficult to make as it looks.

A typical Victoria Sponge cake would consist of strawberry/raspberry jam with cream sandwiched by two sponge cakes, and is usually finished with just a simple dusting of icing sugar. I believe we can all give this a try! The most crucial step in this recipe is to make sure the eggs do not curdle when incorporated, so for a beginner, it is best to add it teaspoon by teaspoon. After that part, the rest is a breeze. I made mine with a little vanilla essence added, but that is purely optional.

Victoria Sponge Cake (from Delia Online)

Ingredients
4 oz (110g) butter (must be at room temperature)
4 oz (110g) caster sugar
2 large eggs
4 oz (110g) self-raising flour
Jam
Icing sugar

This recipe is for two 7-inch pans (at least 1.5-inch deep), but I only had 9-inch pans so I doubled the recipe and it worked fine.

Preheat your oven to 325F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until you get a pale, fluffy mixture that drops off the spoon easily (an electric hand whisk speeds this up considerably, but a wooden spoon will do).

Then in a separate jug or bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly together, then add them a little at a time, beating well after each addition. For a beginner, I would recommend just a teaspoonful of egg at a time: if you add it like this, it won't curdle. (Why shouldn't it curdle, you're thinking? Well, some of the hidden air that by now has been beaten into the mixture will escape if the mixture 'breaks' and as air is what makes a cake light, curdling will make it heavier.)

When the eggs have been incorporated, take a metal tablespoon, which will cut and fold the flour in much better than a thick wooden spoon. Have the flour in a sieve resting on a plate, then lift the sieve high above the bowl and sift about a quarter of it on to the mixture - then replace the sieve on the plate and lightly and gently fold the flour into the mixture (if you beat the flour in, you'll lose some of the precious air). Then repeat this until all the flour is incorporated: lifting the sieve up high above the bowl will ensure the flour gets a good airing before it reaches the mixture. Now the flour has been added you should have a mixture that will drop off the spoon easily when you tap it on the side of the bowl. If not, add some hot water, one or two teaspoonfuls or if you're using medium eggs you may need a tablespoonful more.

Now divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins - if you want to be very precise you could place both tins on the balance scales (I've never bothered because, quite honestly, I don't mind if one sponge is fractionally larger than the other.) Place them on the centre shelf of the oven, and they'll take about 25-30 minutes to cook. When they are cooked, the centres will feel springy when lightly touched with a little fingertip and no imprint remains. I think the secret of success here is to be patient and not to have crafty peeps halfway through: a sudden rush of cold coming into the oven can cause the cakes to sink.

When they're cooked, remove them from then oven, then after about 1 minute turn them out on to a wire cooling tray, loosening them around the edges with a palette knife first. Then carefully peel off the base papers and leave the cakes to cool completely before sandwiching them together with jam and sifting a little icing sugar over the surface.

Then fillings can vary from just jam or a mixture of jam and whipped cream, to lemon curd or chocolate fudge icing. Also you can flavour the cake mixture with grated lemon or orange rind or a few drops of vanilla extract. For a coffee flavour, dilute a tablespoon of instant coffee with a dessertspoon of hot water. For a chocolate flavour, take out a level tablespoon of flour and replace it with a level tablespoon of cocoa.

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Kabuki

At the gatecrash of my wedding, one of the questions my hubby had to answer was, what is my favourite food. Without hesitation, he replied, "sashimi!". And he is right! Sake, Ikura, Ebi, Hamachi... I love them all! So imagine my trepidation when I came to America, wary that I may not be able to find good japanese food.

The truth is, I have been able to find good Japanese food, but not good sushi. I've been to several restaurants so far and many of their sushi rice lacked flavor. It is almost like just plain japanese rice, without a tinge of rice vinegar or mirin. The problem is not with the ingredients, but mostly the rice itself. I'm not sure if I am just too used to the way we Singaporeans have our sushi, but I was certainly disappointed. After several failed visits to different restaurants, I decided to make my own sushi rice at home (which is another story/recipe altogether).

However, my dismal feelings about the state of sushi in LA ended when I visited Kabuki. I first read about this restaurant in the newspapers, where it was voted by readers as the best japanese restaurants in Pasadena. When I saw that, I just had to give it a shot. I tried their special (picture above), which is a spicy roll topped with seasonal raw fish, and this is the first restaurant I've been to that actually sold decent sushi! Their roll was tasty, and it had a good crunch when I bit into it. The toppings were fresh, though I would have liked it even more if they came with uni and hotate.

Salmon and tempura lunch set.

One thing worth noting about Kabuki is their value for money set lunches. For $10.95, I can have a set meal, choosing between chicken, beef or salmon teriyaki and tempura complete with rice (you can opt for brown rice), salad and miso soup. Their miso is mediocre, but I love their salad dressing, which is sweet, salty and tart all rolled into one. They have other items on their set lunch menu too, such sushi and chirashi set meals.

I ordered the beef to be cooked to medium, which is the way I like it, with a nice pink centre. The beef tasted not bad, though the texture was a little too sinewy for me. My friend thought her salmon was ok, but would have preferred a bigger slice. Other than those slight misses, Kabuki is a place I'd return to because it serves good food with affordable prices. They also served us a side of edamame beans before our meal, which is a nice bonus.I hope their other sushi, besides their special roll, is equally good because I'd be coming back to try them again!

Kabuki
88 W Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105 Tweet

Heirloom Bakery & Cafe

When I see the word heirloom, images of vibrant red, juicy heirloom tomatoes pop to mind! I wonder if that is why they gave it that name?

I brought my Singaporean friend to Heirloom Bakery & Cafe for brunch a few days ago. Even though it was a weekday morning, the place was packed! It was our first time there and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. What made an impression on me was not only the food, but the people. The lady who took our orders was chirping away, and such cheerfulness is certainly contagious. You feel welcomed before even taking a bite!

I loved the casual feel of the place, which is nestled in a corner of a quiet neighbourhood. We started off with a scone, which was pretty decent. They didn't give me a coffee menu when I asked for it, but they make your usual latte and mocha, etc. I ordered their pressed sandwich, which consists of provolone (yum), salami, egg, tomatoes and pesto dressing. 

This was, to me, the highlight of the day. It was simply delightful! The country bread was toasted just right, not burnt, the melted provolone cheese paired well with the grilled tomatoes and the pesto dressing gave it the tint of herb without overpowering the cheese. The portion was big enough, making it really value for money.

My only gripe was that they got my friend's order wrong. She wanted mushrooms on a side, but they ended up scrambling her mushrooms with her eggs, which didn't turn out very good. But the lady apologised for the error, and we were ok with that. It's not an error hideous enough to stop me from coming back.

They have a daily special menu on top of their usuals, as well as a range of sweet treats such as brownies and cupcakes. While this is not the best brunch I've eaten, I'd say with the friendly staff and cosy ambience, I'd definitely make a trip back to check out their other stuff.

Heirloom Bakery & Cafe
807 Meridian Ave
South Pasadena, CA 91031

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Baked Hoisin Chicken

While searching for recipes online a few months ago, I would often come across the ingredient "hoisin sauce". I never had any on hand at those moments so one day, I decided to buy a bottle to put on standby.

As fate would have it, after I did that, I never saw a recipe calling for that ingredient anymore. Still, I was adamant about using it and decided to just bake the bird with it. I love how the sauce reminds me of one of my favourite dishes, peking duck! Maybe I should try making that someday. Meanwhile, here's the recipe I used. I'm not even sure if I should call it a recipe because it is so simple. Some recipes would steam the chicken and then spread the hoisin sauce over it. However, I prefer to bake both the chicken and sauce together because I love how the sauce will caramelize on the chicken skin towards the end. The result? A plate of tasty chicken that is sweet and salty on the outside, and juicy and tender on the inside. YUMS!

Baked Hoisin Chicken
(serves 2)

Ingredients
4 pieces of chicken thigh
3 ounces of hoisin sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce)

Marinate your chicken thighs with the hoisin sauce and place it into a ziplock bag. Ensure that all the air has been pressed out before zipping it up. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat your oven to 400F. Place the chicken thighs on a baking tray with its skin facing up. Chicken is a self-basting bird so it would not get stuck onto your baking tray without an aluminium foil. However, if you want to prevent the hoisin sauce from sticking/staining your baking tray, then you can layer the aluminium foil on the baking tray.

Bake the chicken thighs for 15 minutes before flipping them over, with the skin facing downwards. Cook for 10 minutes before flipping them back up. Cook the chicken for another 10 minutes or until the chicken thighs turn a dark golden brown (like the photo above). Depending on the size of the chicken thighs, some may get burnt quicker than others. So, always keep a watchful eye on them and not let the skin get charred! Tweet

Creamy Corn Korokke

I love korokke! Not so much those potato kinds, but the creamy ones that ooze with bechamel sauce and stuffed with corn nibblets. I used to over snack on those in Secondary school. Being in a foreign land brings out even the most distant cravings, and so I decided that it is time for a korokke that afternoon!

Luckily, making one doesn't require much ingredients and you probably have most of the stuff in your own kitchen. Although the origins of a korokke is not from Japan but France (korokke = croquette), it is has been deeply embraced by the Japanese and have since been modernised to include various stuffings. You can add to the bechamel sauce corn nibblets (like me), or crabmeat, tuna, etc. But whichever ingredients you decide to use, make sure that they are cut into small pieces. The last thing you want is a 3-inch crabmeat snaking its way out of your otherwise perfect korokke!

Creamy Corn Korokke
(makes 5 to 6 pieces, depending on the size of your korroke)

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for the sauce, and some for dusting
440ml of milk, warmed (stir it over a low fire or place it in a hot water bath)
150g of corn nibblets
panko
1 egg, beaten
Canola oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter with a little bit of oil over low heat. Blend in the flour and stir for about 2 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from heat. Make sure the sauce is not bubbling before pouring in the milk. Beat the mixture vigorously with a whisk to blend the milk thoroughly with the roux.

Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil, stirring it constantly. Reduce the sauce until it is viscous and consistent, with no lumps. Add salt and pepper to taste. This is your homemade bechamel sauce. When you are satisfied with it, add in the corn nibblets, stir it through quickly and remove it from heat.

Pour your creamy corn mixture into a tray or container and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. Then, put it into your freezer until the mixture becomes semi-solid (it has to be manageable when you take it out to roll it in flour and panko).

Meanwhile, prepare pour out your panko onto a plate, and the flour onto another separate plate. Take out your creamy corn mixture and shape it into round balls, about 3-inch wide. Here's the process: Coat it with flour, then egg, and lastly panko. If your mixture is still somewhat creamy and you are pressed for time (like me), depending on the dexterity of your hand, you can still give it a shot, as long as the mixture is not falling apart all over your hands and you get a decent panko ball at the end.

Heat your oil on a skillet over high heat. You need at least oil that is half and inch deep to get a good crsip. Make sure that the oil is heated to about 365 F. My favourite way of checking this is using a wooden chopsticks. Just stick it in. If there are bubbles forming at the side, your oil is ready. If not, until it is. Make sure your wooden chopsticks/spoon is not coated with oil when you test, because you won't get those bubbles even if your oil is very hot.

Fry your korokke in the oil until each side is golden brown. I'd advise against putting all in at one shot, because you need space to flip your soft korokke in the pan, and you don't want to risk bursting it. In the event that it does burst, just continue frying and try not to let the cream spread too much into the oil. Putting two korokke into the pan at one time would be good.

So there you have it! Homemade creamy korokke! Best to pair it with an episode of The Simpsons like what the hubby and I did. :) Tweet