pretty little things

I really got a fetish for pretty mini food! Love to see many of them lined up neatly on a plate, almost too god to devour! As usual, this was my attempt to make some hors d'oeuvres for a Christmas get-together.

Somked salmon devil egg

Wasabi shrimp & crab cucumber cups

crabcakes, fishcakes, not that kinda cakes

This is by request of my friend San who tried my crabcakes and wants the recipe. These are probably the easiest things to make and freeze for weekday dinners. You can also do mini versions to impress your guests at dinner parties!

What you need
1 large potato
250gm frozen crabmeat, soaked in hot water for while OR
1 can tuna or salmon or any fish
seasoning: pepper, salt, mixed dried herbs
optional: some chopped parsley
1 egg
oil
panko flakes (japanese breadcrumbs) or any kinda breadcrums

Let's cook!
1. Skin and cut potato into quarters. Place in bowl, cover with water then microwave for about 11mins till soft.
2. Drain water from potato and mash it up.
3. Add crabmeat/fish, plus seasoning and chopped parsley. Mix it all together.
4. Crack the egg in a separate bowl, beat it then add half the egg into the crab/fish mix and mix well together.
5. Heat enough oil to shallow fry (about halfway up the cakes is fine).
6. Pour the panko onto a plate, roll crab/fish mix into balls (big or small) then lightly flatten them.
7. Dip the balls into the remaining egg lightly then coat with panko. Fry till golden brown, then flip over and fry the over side.
8. Drain and serve with homemade garlic aioli :) or make giant cakes and serve with side salad as a main.



These are wonderfully light and yummy! Somewhat like croquettes!

i heart canapés

I really love canapés! Not so much to eat them but more for the presentation of many tiny little things arranged on a plate just look so nice! Yes I know it's crazy haha! So at any opportunity I get, I'll try my hands at making canapés. Honestly, mini stuff are not always easy to do as it's more time consuming. But it's worth all the effort when you guests go oohh and ahh over them hehe! Here's some I made for a recent dinner party at home. Aren't they the cutest??


Mini scallops on avocado corstini with bacon dust



Mini shrimps on avocado corstini with bacon dust



Mini crabcakes with aioli

weekend dinners

Saturdays is chef's day off and we usually eat out. But last Sat, due to the unbearable heat, we came home early after a day at the Peranakan Museum, so I whipped up a Creamy Tomato Scallop & Prawns Pasta for our dinner. Ok I know this sounds weird but see I like tomato-based pasta and the hubs of course likes cream. So I thought why not combine the 2 and there you go...a new recipe!! I love Sundays! It's not just family day, it's also to complete my chores and whip up something special for dinner for us. Last week, a good pal of mine posted a yummy-licious shot of her Braised Lamb for dinner and she was kind enough to share her recipe. So I gave it a shot and boy were we pleasantly and happily surprised. It was yummy beyond words! The meat was so flavourful and it fell off the meat nicely! Thanks Siska! Bless your sweet soul for the yummers recipe! Will definitely be making this again soon! P/S: Siska babe, you know I still follow and make the potato salad recipe that you taught me when I was like 16! And it still rocks my world! Just made it again tonite...happy camper!!

celebrities-inspired dinner for a b-day gal

Have MIA-ed from bloggin for awhile but have not stopped cooking. Last Sat, by requested of the b-day girl S, I whipped up a 3-course dinner that was inspired by 2 great chefs. Hmm actually I think it's 1 celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsey; while the other is my fav cooking author, Donna Hay. Enough of words, here's the evidence.

Starters: Creamy Asparagus Soup with Char-Grilled Sea Scallop

Mains: Mushroom Gratin Tenderloin with Herb Roasted Potatoes

Desserts: Chocolate Fondant Pudding served with Vanilla Ice-Cream