Potato Croquettes

INGREDIENTS:-

500g U.S Potatoes, peeled
50g Frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted

200g Minced pork
1tbs Soy sauce
2tbs Sugar
1tbs Sake / Mirin

Butter

Plain flour
2 Eggs, beaten with 1tbs of vegetable oil, mixed very well
Japanese bread crumbs / Panko
Oil for deep frying


INSTRUCTIONS:-

1) To make croquettes. Cooked peeled potatoes in a pot of water till soft. Drained and mashed finely. Set aside.
2) Season mince pork with all the seasoning and set aside.
3) Melt a little butter in a pan and add vegetables. Give the vegetables a quick stir and simmer till it absorbs all the butter.
4) Add seasoned minced pork. Break up the pieces as much as possible while cooking. Cook until all liquids are dried up.
5) Add cooked meat to mashed potatoes and mix well.
6) Prepare a square / rectangle tray, lined with cling wrap. Placed mashed potato mix in and mould according to thickness you prefer or tray per size.
7) Using a butter knife to cut in the equal rectangle shapes. Cover up with remaining portion of the cling wrap or just use another piece so it does not get dry. Put it in the fridge for 15-20 mins or until it is completely cooled down.
8) Once it is cooled down, cover each piece in flour, then dip it into the egg mixture and lastly, coat it with bread crumbs.
9) Heat up a pot of oil at medium heat and when oil is hot enough, add in croquettes one at a time. Serve it with mayonnaise or tomato ketchup or just eat it on its own.


NOTE:-

1) If too much to finish, can freeze unused portion at point no. 8. I used cling wrap to wrap the croquettes up in pairs before putting them in a freezer bag to be placed in the freezer. You can pack the croquettes according to your meal size.

2) To make DOMO monster using the croquette.
- Stain a piece of cheese with red food coloring, put it back in the fridge to dry.
- Take another piece of cheese, using a decoration knife or straw to cut out teeth.
- Cut the red cheese into squares to form the mouth and place teeth on it to form DOMO's mouth.
- Using a hold puncher, punch eyes out using seaweeds.
- Assemble parts on croquettes after croquettes are cooled down.


[adapted recipe from Anna The Red's Bento Factory]

Mushroom Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS:-

Mushrooms of your choice (my preference would be Swiss brown or portabella mushrooms)
Mix shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella)
Baguette

Butter
A dash of salt
A dash of pepper
A dash of Italian seasoning
Truffle Oil (optional)


INSTURCTIONS:-

1) Slice mushroom into bite size and set aside.
2) Melt butter in a pan. Add in mushroom when butter is melted and heated up. Give mushroom a quick stir and let it simmer for 1 - 2 mins.
3) Add in salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Simmer mushroom again till all the juice dries up. Lastly add in a dash of truffle oil.
4) Slice baguette and top it with mushrooms. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in oven at 230C till cheese melt and browned. Serve hot.

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Puff Pastry

Ingredients:-

30g butter
1 tbsp plain flour
100g white button mushrooms (chopped)
100g Swiss mushroom / brown mushrooms (chopped)
1/2 cup stock
40ml fresh cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 egg yolk (beaten)
1 puff pastry sheet


Method:-

1) Melt butter in a pan. Add flour and stir till it turns yellowish then add in chopped mushrooms. Fry till mushrooms softens.
2) Add in stock slowly and allow it to boil before adding fresh cream. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Pour soup into over-proof bowl. Brush the edges with a little egg then cover bowl with puff pastry. Brush the surface with some egg. Poke some holes on the pastry before baking to prevent cracking.
4) Place in preheated oven of 220C and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or till pastry turn brown.


Notes:-

1) To get a smoother soup, you can blend the soup in a blender before pouring into the bowl. Alternative, you can minced up the mushrooms instead.
2) For richer soup, add more cream. Add cream to the consistency of your liking.


[adapted recipe from Cooking for Kids by Pancy Seng]

Mango Strawberry Bruschetta

Ingredients (Serves 4):-

Bread of your choice, sliced

6 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup sliced or diced strawberries
1 cup diced mango


Method:-

1) Heat skillet over high heat. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir constantly and cook ingredients until sugar melts and and mixture begins to bubble. Approximate time, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2) Add strawberries and still until juice begins to exude and berries are heated through, roughly about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3) Add mango, give it a quick stir and remove from heat.
4) To serve, toast sliced bread and top with berries and mango. Garnish with mint if desire.


Note:-

1) You can spread mascarpone cheese for the extra flavour.
2) Topping can be served warm or chilled. Personally, I prefer the toppings to be chilled.
3) Topping can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozed for up to 1 month. To rehead, microwave on High for about 1 minute (defrost first, if necessary).


[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine December 2008 issue]

Prawn, Mango, Pineapple Salad

Ingredients:-

3 - 4 prawns
1 mango, peeled & cubed
1 small canned pineapples, diced
1 small japanese cucumber, diced

Lettuce leaves for garnish
Mango Puree


Method:-

1) Blanch prawns in a pot of boiling water. Remove from heat. Cool prawns before removing shell and slice prawn into 1/2 length-wise.
2) In a bowl, add mango, pineapple and cucumber. Toss them to mix them well.
3) Place lettuce leaves on serving plate. Scope a few spoonful of salad onto the leaves. Place prawns on top of the salad.
4) Drizzle some mango puree sauce over salad.


Note:-
1) For mango puree, I've used ready made ones bought from Phoon Huat.


[adapted recipe from Food & Travel Magazine July 2007 issue]