Epicurean Journeys

Turkey Turkey Turkey

2004-12-17T03:19:00.000Z

The Christmas Party
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 7 December 2004, Tuesday
Time: 8pm
Number of Guests: 100+++
Chef de Cuisine: Alex Yam
Sous Chef: Reverend Peter Geldard

The event of the year. The made event of the year. Décor, drink and turkeys! Christmas is in the air!

Fast Cook Traditional Turkey
Chef’s Notes: Turkey is not my favourite bird but it is a feature of our Christmas dinners. There are many who dread the long cooking times and the drying out of the flesh but here’s a little secret to get the turkey cooked real quick and real tender!

Ingredients:
9kg whole bronze turkey
250g butter
6 cloves garlic, crushed
8 tbps salt
½ tbps pepper
1 tbps dried mixed herbs
2 tsp olive oil

Instructions:
1. Clean out turkey and remove giblets and neck (use for stock). Pre-heat oven to Gas mark 6
2. Ensuring that the turkey skin is pat dry, spread salt, pepper and ½ tbps of herb on skin and inside turkey cavity. Set on lightly oiled baking tray.
3. Melt butter in olive oil in pot and ad garlic and remaining herb.
4. Using brush, spread melted garlic herb butter all over turkey.
5. Set turkey breast side down (NOTE: This is very important. Turkeys have most of their fat deposit in their back and by cooking it with the breast in the pan allows for the superheated fat to help speed up the cooking time and ensure that the meat maintains its moisture, it also reduces the number of times you need to baste turkey)
6. On Gas mark 6, seal turkey in oven for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, turn heat down to Gas mark 4 and leave for 2½ hours, basting every 50 minutes.
8. Return oven temperature to Gas mark 6 and if you wish to have the turkey browned all over, flip turkey carefully onto its back and leave for further 30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
10. Add half glass of red wine and 1 pint of boiling water to pan to dissolve juices and to use as gravy.
11. Serve with Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, sausage, mixed vegetables, stuffing and gravy.

Fare thee well sweet friend

2004-11-28T17:38:00.000Z

Sunday Lunch
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 28th November 2004, Wednesday
Time: 1pm
Number of Guests: 22
Chef de Cuisine: Ms Clara Benac Earle
Sous Chef: Mr Victor Orive Martin

Spanish Oranges
Chef’s notes: Clara’s final Sunday with us before she returns to Spain was made extra special by her provision of a wonderful recipe for dessert. This as really simple to make and students simply fell in love with it.

Ingredients:
11 sweet oranges
6 eggs
6 tbsp corn flour
1 can whipped cream
3 tbsp chocolate flakes

Instructions:
1. Slice oranges in half and remove juice using a manual juicer. Set aside 6 cups of juice. Reserve oranges halves in trays.
2. Pour orange juice into pot. Whisk eggs and add to pot with flour. Gentle whisk over a low flame till mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
3. Fill orange halves with the mixture and allow to set in fridge.
4. Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle of chocolate flakes.

Showing lots of thigh

2004-11-26T21:28:00.000Z

Dinner Experiments
Venue: Student Kitchen, St John Stone House
Date: 26th November 2004, Wednesday
Time: 7.30pm

Chicken Stew
Chef’s notes: Though many shy away from the sell-by meat in the discount section, I for one find it an amazing source of mature meats for stews and casseroles. Yes, they need to be cooked immediately, but it does not mean they can’t be frozen after cooking. This stew is simple to make and packs a little punch for the cold weather.

Ingredients:
6 large chicken thigh portions
6 firm tomatoes
4 medium size onions
18 large white cap mushrooms
1 red pepper
5 cloves garlic
1 dried chilli
1½ tsp ginger powder
1½ tbsp dark soy sauce
½ pint water
1 tsp corn starch
1½ tbsp oil

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in non stick. Pan fry chicken skin-side down till brown. Add whole chilli, garlic cloves and quartered onions.
2. Slice mushrooms, dice red pepper and quarter tomatoes before adding to pot. Add ginger powder, soy sauce and water. Let simmer on medium heat for 3 minutes before turning to low. Simmer for further 10 minutes.
3. Mix corn starch with some water and stir into sauce to thicken.
4. Serve with steamed rice or pasta and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Between a Chicken and a hard place

2004-11-21T23:53:00.000Z

Chaplain’s Dinner
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 21st November 2004, Sunday
Time: 8pm
Number of guests: 9
Chef de Cuisine: Mrs Judith Geldard
Executive Chef: Alex Yam
Sous Chef: Fr Peter Geldard

The Chaplain’s Dinner is one of the occasions that are arranged on a regular basis to get to know students better and a jolly good excuse to have some good food and wine.

Entrée
Smoked Salmon on Brown Bread with Salad
Chef’s notes: This simple starter is a breeze to make and, like many of the salads you have seen on this blog, offers a lemony tartness to kick start the appetite.

Ingredients:
400 g smoked salmon
1½ fresh lemons
1 tsp ground black peppercorns
1 iceberg lettuce
1 cucumber
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
1. Thinly slice smoked salmon and place into mixing bowl. Squeeze juice of lemons into bowl and mix in with ground black peppercorns. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Dice cucumber and peppers and shred lettuce into salad bowl. Add oil and balsamic vinegar and mix well.
3. Serve salmon on buttered thick-slice brown bread with salad on the side.

Le Plat Principal
Alex’s Salt Baked Chicken with Mixed Vegetables
Chef’s notes: This is my variation on the popular Chinese dish of Yim Gok Gai using grease proof paper and the simple dough mixture. Baked in the oven rather than the usual wok baking, the additional time required for cooking allows the chicken to absorb all the flavours of the seasoning.

Ingredients:
2 whole chickens (1½ kg each)
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
8 cloves garlic
50 g fresh ginger
1 stalk fresh lemon grass
1 fresh red chilli
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp pepper
24 tbsp salt
12 tbsp flour
24 tbsp water
1 roll Greaseproof paper
1 roll Baking paper

Instructions:
1. Place garlic, ginger, lemon grass, chilli, sesame oil, pepper, and 2 tbsp of dark soy sauce into electrical blender and blend into a fine paste. Divide into two equal portions.
2. Stuff each chicken with a portion of the spice mixture, making sure that the insides are evenly coated. Then coat skin with 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce each and set aside to marinate for an hour.
3. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7.
4. Mix flour water and 12 tbsp of salt to form a sticky dough. Divide into two portions.
5. Wrap chicken in two layers of greaseproof and a layer of baking paper. Seal the baking paper with the dough mixture before applying a final layer of baking paper.
6. Spread remaining salt on the bottom of baking tray and rest wrapped chickens above. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes of Gas Mark 5.
7. Crack baked dough with wooden mallet and unwrap, ensuring that none of the juices are spilled. Serve with boiled new potatoes, sugar snaps and Brussels sprouts.

Winter soup for an autumn night

2004-11-17T18:53:00.000Z

Dinner Experiments
Venue: Student Kitchen, St John Stone House
Date: 17th November 2004, Wednesday
Time: 6.30pm

Brussels Sprouts & Chestnut Soup
Chef’s notes: This is an absolutely lovely winter soup that I simply adore. Simple to make and with the heavenly aroma of chestnuts, this is an irresistible soup for those cold nights. With Christmas round the corner, turkey bones make a wonderful stock base for this recipe.

Ingredients:
250 g fresh Brussels sprouts
250 g pre-cooked chestnuts
1 ½ pint meat/vegetable stock
6 cloves fresh garlic
3 dried pequin chilli
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Boiled chicken or turkey breast
3 sprigs fresh parsley

Instructions:
1. Lightly grill chestnuts and then roughly chop.
2. Roughly chop sprouts and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in saucepan and fry crushed garlic till golden brown. Add sprouts and fry on low heat till softened. Add chestnuts and mix well.
4. Add stock and let simmer for 10 minutes. Crush pequin chillis into soup and simmer for further 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to food processor and blend till smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with shredded chicken or turkey and garnish with curly parsley. Toasted bread.

Variation:
1. Pequin chilli is one of the hottest chillis around and I love its smoky and nutty flavor that goes well with stews and especially with bean or chestnut based soups. However, it has what scientists call a Scoville Heat Unit reading of about 40000 which translated into layman’s terms is hot, hoT, hOT, HOT! So if you still want to a kick to your winter nights but don’t want a scorcher, reduce number as required or substitute with mild chilli powder.
2. Instead of can or bottled chestnuts which tend to be slightly sweeter, you can substitute with freshly roasted chestnuts. For the average joe like me in the Southeast of England, a bottle of the best St Dalfour’s Classic Chestnuts serves me just fine.

Where art Beckett's Bones?

2004-11-17T09:24:00.000Z

CathSoc Meeting
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 16th November 2003, Tuesday
Time: 8.30pm
Number of Guests: 36
Chef de Cuisine: Alex Yam

With the weather turning cold and with many of the students probably feeling the “heat” of essay deadlines in week 8 of term, did not expect too many members to come round. Again, me of little faith, over 30 students came to hear Prof John Butler’s presentation on the ‘conspiracy’ behind St Thomas’ missing bones in Canterbury Cathedral. Luckily, had made enough fresh soup to feed everyone. Lots of fresh toast and cheese to go along as well.

Spicy Tomato & Mixed Bean Soup
Chef’s notes: To be honest, this was a complete chance invention of a soup under desperate circumstances. To my great surprise, this unlikely merger of tomato soup and Tuscan bean soup recipe was wildly popular with the students and all 40 portions flew off the servery before you can say “more soup”. Addition of chilli powder to help warm bodies on a crisp autumn night.

Ingredients:
3 kg tomatoes, chopped
250 g tomato puree
1 can flageolet/haricot beans
1 can butter beans
1 can cannellini beans
1 tbsp chopped basil
3 tsp chilli powder
2 bay leaves
12 cloves garlic
½ glass red wine
½ pint water
2 tbsp olive oil
200 g fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat 1½ tbsp oil in large stock pot and fry 2 cloves of crushed garlic, bay leaves, basil and chilli powder till fragrant.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato puree to pot and mix well. Bring to boil then lower flame and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Process butter beans in food processor till smooth and add to pot with whole cannellini and haricot or flageolet beans. Stir well.
4. Add water and red wine and season to taste. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
5. While soup simmers, slice remaining garlic into thin slivers. Heat remaining oil in shallow frying pan and then gently fry garlic till golden brown. Drain oil and sprinkle ½ tsp of kitchen salt on garlic. Let stand to crisp.
6. Serve soup with slivers of fried garlic and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Toast and cheese go well with this winter warmer

Variations:
1. Spoon crème fraiche into middle of bowl and swirl design using cocktail stick before adding garlic and parsley.
2. For the more adventurous or those with a taste for the spicy, replace chilli powder with 3 tsp of sambal olek.

Lunch Excusions

2004-11-16T14:51:00.000Z

Lunch Excursions
Venue: Student Kitchen, St John Stone House
Date: 16th November 2004, Tuesday
Time: 12.30pm

Spaghetti Bolognese
Chef’s notes: Bolognese must be one of the most well-known of pasta dishes the world over. Yet, like so many recipes, the making of Bolognese sauce has undergone great variation and change. To complicate things a little further, here’s a variation of mine, which incorporates both the traditional and a little of the avant garde, using the wonderfully cheap chicken livers available at this time of the year as well as an Asian touch of spiciness.

Ingredients:
4 oz lean beef mince
2 oz chicken liver
1 small onion
3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 oz tomato puree
½ sprig fresh rosemary
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp Worchester sauce
50 ml red wine
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil in saucepan and add minced garlic. When garlic turns golden brown, add onions and fry till transparent.
2. Mince chicken liver and add with beef mince to saucepan.
3. Finely chop ½ of the rosemary and add to saucepan with oregano, paprika and chilli powder. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, tomato puree and red wine.
4. Season with Worchester sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve on spaghetti al dente and garnish with rosemary. If preferred, grate fresh parmesan before serving.

Remembrance Sunday

2004-11-14T20:58:00.000Z

Spice Heaven
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 14th November 2004, Sunday
Time: 1.30pm
Number of Guests: 33
Chef de Cuisine: Gabor Nagy
Sous Chefs: Mrs Judith Geldard, Rev. Peter Geldard, Alex Yam
Chef de garde manger: Mrs Judith Geldard
Pastry Chefs: Rev. Peter Geldard, Alex Yam

It was a fitting meal for a wonderful crisp Remembrance Sunday afternoon after the student Mass at the Franciscan International Study Centre’s Chapel on campus. Gaby’s Hungarian Gouslash sure got everyone hungry (no pun intended) for seconds and thirds and even the occasional fourth and fifth serving. A historic first for our Sunday lunches.

Entrée
Prawn Salad
Chef’s notes: Judith made a beautiful salad for dinner the previous week and with some fresh lettuce and cucumber in the larder, this wonderfully simple salad was whipped up in a giffy and was well received by the students.

Ingredients:
500g cooked medium-sized prawns
2 heads iceberg lettuce
3 mixed peppers
½ cucumber
3 tbsp prawn cocktail sauce

Instructions:
1. Wash lettuce leaves and drain. Hand shred into smaller pieces
2. Dice peppers and cucumbers.
3. Place lettuce, peppers, cucumber and prawns into salad.
4. Top with prawn cocktail sauce and mix well.
5. Serve with bread.

Le Plat Principal
Marhzgulyas – Hungarian Beef Goulash
Chef’s notes: Everyone is familiar with goulash but we have almost never had proper Hungarian goulash as cooked by a Hungarian. However, I must point out that the recipe I provide here is not strictly in accordance with the recipe we used to make the Goulash you see below, but rather, I have used my own recipe that uses more widely available ingredients. If you do want the original recipe, do leave a comment and I’ll try to have it posted.

Ingredients:
5 kg lean braising beef, in chunks
20 large onions
5 tbsp tomato puree
10 large potatoes
5 cloves garlic
5 tbsp paprika powder
1 tbsp chilli powder
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp cumin
3 dried parprika
2 large fresh chillis or paprika
2 pints vegetable or meat stock
1½ tsp corn starch
5 tbsp vegetable oil
500g orzo/rosa marina pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in large stockpot and fry chopped onions till soft and transparent. Add crushed garlic.
2. Add beef chunks and allow to braise over medium heat for 20 minutes.
3. Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. Boil in separate pot till soft. Set aside
4. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, paprika powder, chilli powder and stock. Turn heat to high to bring pot to boil. Then return to low heat and allow to simmer for 2 hours.
5. Add potatoes and further braise for an hour. Crush dried paprika into pot. Salt and pepper to taste
6. Allow to stand over night.
7. Bring goulash to simmer on low heat. Add cumin and braise for 10 minutes.
8. Thinly slice fresh chilli or paprika and add to pot.
9. To thicken sauce, add 1½ tsp of corn starch to cold water and stir into pot.
10. Serve over cooked orzo al dente or other soup pastas like stelle or seme de melone.

Chicken Balti
Chef’s notes: The Balti served for the afternoon was made for the vegetarians using Quorn chicken. This recipe here uses real chicken chunks which can easily be substituted with pork or even vegetarian alternatives like Quorn.

Ingredients:
500 g chicken breast, cubed
½ red pepper
½ yellow pepper
1 small onion
½ tbsp olive oil

Homemade Balti sauce:
2 onions
2 cloves garlic
20 g grated ginger
1 tomato
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp tumeric powder
2 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
20 g fresh coriander
½ can thick coconut milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Instructions:
1. To make sauce -
i. Heat oil in large saucepan and fry crushed garlic and grated ginger till golden brown. Add onions and try till soft and transparent.
ii. Chop tomatoes and add to saucepan with chopped coriander. Mix in all powdered spices.
iii. Pour in coconut milk and lower heat to simmer for 2 minutes.
iv. Remove from heat and transfer to food processor and blend till smooth.
2. To make dish –
i. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add chicken cubes and brown.
ii. Cube peppers and onions and add to frying pan.
iii. Add blended Balti sauce to pan and toss well.
3. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh coriander.

Douceur
Palacsinta – Hungarian Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Chocolate Sauce
Chef’s notes: Palacsinta is traditionally a Christmas treat in Hungary made with layered crepes and cottage cheese with vanilla flavouring. Here is a English variation on the theme with lemon curd. This recipe makes 12.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 whole egg
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 ¼ cup fresh milk
¼ cup soda water
2 drops vanilla essence
1 jar lemon curd
1 jar chocolate fudge sauce
Butter

Instructions:
1. Mix flour, egg, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla essense and soda water into fine batter. Process with hand whisk or on slow speed with machine whisk till smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes
2. Heat lemon curd and chocolate sauce in microwave. Set aside.
3. Grease small non-stick skillet with butter and make palacsinta pancakes using prepared batter.
4. Serve by spreading lemon curd on palacsinta and roll before drizzling hot chocolate sauce over surface.

Variation:
1. Sprinkle icing sugar before serving.
2. Squeeze of lime or lemon over pancakes.

Bon Fire Night & Good Morning America

2004-11-05T23:44:00.000Z

CathSoc Party
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 2 November 2004, Tuesday
Time: 7pm
Number of Guests: 98
Chef de Cuisine: Reverend Peter Geldard
Sous Chef & Grill Master: Alex Yam

Our annual Guy Fawkes feast has been made ever more interesting by the once in four year occurrence of Super Tuesday in America. Vote Americana was an amazing gathering of students, staff, and many friends to debate, analyse, and just generally have fun watching the American elections unfold.

Mulled Wine
Chef’s Notes: A wonderful and easy to make drink for the cold late autumn and a great Christmas staple. Can be made in copious amounts with cheap red wine and helps warm up guests.

Ingredients:
6 bottles red wine
1½ pint orange juice
1¼ pint water
48 oz caster sugar
8 oz cinnamon powder
4 oz ground nutmeg
2 oz ground cloves

Instructions:
1. Heat wine in large pot on low flame. Do not boil.
2. When wine begins to steam, add caster sugar, cinnamon powder, ground nutmeg and cloves.
3. Add orange juice and water and continue to heat on low flame for 10 minutes.
4. Serve in pre-warmed wine glasses.

Baked Potatoes
Chef’s Notes: The traditional compliment to Guy Fawkes or Bon Fire Night. This easy recipe can be prepared in advance with the salt helping to crisp the skin.

Ingredients:
80 russet or baking potatoes
10 oz kitchen salt
5 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:
1. Turn oven on to Gas Mark 5 to pre-heat.
2. Score potatoes with large cross on one side and coat with oil and salt.
3. Bake on middle tray until tender when pierced with sharp knife, about 1½ hours
4. Serve with butter, or cheese, coleslaw, or tuna.

Alternative Notes: To make Salt Baked Potatoes, use russet potatoes brushed with beaten egg whites, and crust the potatoes in kosher or coarse sea salt before baking. To serve, crack off as much salt as desired.

American Beef Burgers
Chef’s Notes: The usual suspects for any good old BBQ. Padre’s brand new gas grill was a great time saver and made the preparations a whole lot more fun.

Ingredients:
Beef patties
Burger buns
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Various condiments

Instructions:
1. Thinly slice tomatoes and lettuce, set aside.
2. Pre-heat gas BBQ to medium heat.
3. Cook beef patties on grill, turning over after 2 minutes. Ensure patty is thoroughly cooked before serving.
4. Slice buns in half and lightly toast on grill for 10 seconds.
5. Sandwich cooked patties with layer of lettuce and tomatoes between toasted buns and condiments.

Natural Pure Apple Juice

2004-10-30T15:16:00.000+01:00

Duskin Pure English Apple Juice - so fresh and so pure it's like eating a real apple... my daily morning natural sugar booster.

Produced in Kingston, Canterbury, and pressed fresh on the farm, there's a vast range of single variety juices produced under the Duskin Farm label. Moi two favourites are Worcester and Jonagold. The Worchester Pearmain apple reaches its peak sweetness in September and has a unique strawberry flavour that stands out well in pressed juices. The Jonagold is a hybrid of two of my favourite apples - the Jonathan and Golden Delicious. It has a superb flavour, combining the mild sweetness of Golden with the tartness of the Jonathan.

Dinner Fusion

2004-10-30T14:36:00.000+01:00

Dinner Experiments
Venue: Student Kitchen, St John Stone House
Date: 29th October 2004, Friday
Time: 8.30pm

Cooking for just one person can mean that dishes can get monotonous after awhile. Have embarked on weekly experiments to fuse/concoct meals. Here’s this week’s recipe.

Spaghetti with Wasabi Mayo Prawns
Chef’s notes: Wasabi Prawns, a very fusion-ish blending of Japanese and Cantonese cuisine, makes a wonderful accompaniment to pasta in white wine sauce. With the tartness of the wine pairing wonderfully with the sweetness of the prawns and the sharpness of the wasabi and rocket leaves.

Ingredients:
15 oz cooked prawns
2 tsp mayonnaise
1 tsp wasabi powder
1 tbsp corn flour
1 egg white
2 tsp furikake seasoning
50g spaghetti
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp butter
2 stalks spring onion
2 oz rocket
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp chopped coriander
3 tbsp vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Water
Oil

Instructions:
1. Bring water to boil and salt. Boil spaghetti till al dente.
2. Mix wasabi powder with 1½ tsp of water and mayonnaise. Blend together into smooth paste with back of spoon. Reserve.
3. Add 1½ tbsp of water to corn flour and mix well. Coat prawns with beaten egg white and mix with corn flour mixture.
4. Heat oil on high heat and deep fry coated prawns till golden brown. Remove and drain.
5. Mix with wasabi mayonnaise and sprinkle 1 tsp of furikake on surface. Reserve.
6. Heat butter in frying pan and add spring onions, garlic and rocket. Soften on low heat. Add vegetable stock and reduce by half before adding white wine. Add cooked spaghetti, mix well. Season to taste.
7. Serve with wasabi prawns and garnish with remainder of furikake and coriander.

CCF Dinner & Discussion

2004-10-29T09:56:00.000+01:00

Chinese Christian Fellowship
Venue: Dining Room, St John Stone Annex
Date: 26th October 2004, Tuesday
Time: 8.00pm
Number of Guests: 6
Chef de Cuisine: Alex Yam
Sous Chef: Harry Ching

CCF’s Dinner and Discussion hosted by Harry at the St John Stone Annex saw Sainsbury thin crust pizzas as starters. Though state of kitchen in the annex was ‘suspect’, there was sufficient space for a quick stir-fry.

Quick & Easy Singapore Chow Mein
Chef’s Notes: To be honest, there are many ‘Chinese’ dishes that I’ve never heard of till I came to the UK. Aromatic Crispy Duck stands out, while Singapore Chow Mein is an obvious one as well. This is a quick and simple recipe for those emergency situations.

Ingredients:
10 oz bee hoon (Chinese rice vermicelli)
20 oz small cooked and peeled prawns
25 oz chicken breast
2 medium onions
1½ tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp fine sugar
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil

Instructions:
1. Soak bee hoon in cold water for 30 minutes and drain. If preferred, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds and return to cold water for 5 minutes before draining.
2. Cube chicken breast and dice onions.
3. Heat oil in wok or frying pan. Brown onions and add chicken. When chicken is done, add cooked prawns and sugar.
4. Add softened bee hoon to the wok and stir fry briskly on high heat. Add light and dark soya sauce and mix to distribute color evenly. Season to taste.
5. Serve and garnish with sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

SJS Dinner Club Opening Dinner

2004-10-25T01:38:00.000+01:00

St John Stone Dinner Club
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 24th October 2004, Sunday
Time: 7.30pm
Number of guests: 8
Chef de Cuisine: Alex Yam

Wine:
Bourgone Pinot Noir Louis Josse 2002
Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Le Tour du Breil 2002
Spirits:
Pimm’s No. 1
First Estate Reserve Port Taylor’s Quinta & Vineyard

The opening dinner of the academic year for the SJS Dinner Club saw regulars and new members gathering for a private candlelit meal in the clubroom of St John Stone House.

Seated at table were: Reverend Peter Geldard, Mrs Judith Geldard, Mr Harry Ching, Mr Alex Yam, Ms Natalie Mitchell, Mr Andrew Capone, Ms Luisa Decuir-Viruez, Ms Pamela Ann See, Ms Sarah Nogaro

Entrée
Yum Woon Sen – Thai Style Glass Noodle Salad
Chef’s notes: A wonderfully refreshing salad to start of the meal. The delicate hint of lime with crunchy, rather than sloppy or chewy, glass noodles helps clears the palate for a heavier meal and preps the appetite.

Ingredients:
5 oz mung bean noodles
50 cooked medium prawns – deshelled and halved
10 large fresh closed cap mushrooms
4 stalks fresh celery
6 stalks fresh spring onion
2 oz fresh coriander
1 head Lollo rosso lettuce
Mixed rocket, watercress and spinach
7½ tbsp fresh lime juice
6¼ tbsp nam pla – Thai fish sauce
1½ tsp fine sugar
Pepper to taste
Water

Instructions:
1. Soak mung bean noodles for an hour in cold water. Blanch quickly in boiling water for 1 second and return to cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Slice mushrooms, celery and spring onions thinly.
3. Wash lettuce thoroughly to remove soil and lay leaves on bottom of individual salad servers. Serve small portions of mixed rocket, watercress and spinach on lettuce.
4. Place prawns in salad mixing bowl with lime juice and let stand for 1 minute. Add mung bean noodles, mushrooms, celery and spring onion. Add nam pla, sugar and pepper to taste. Mix and let stand in fridge for 2 minutes.
5. Serve on lettuce.

Potage
Tuscan Bean and Rosemary Soup with Red Pepper Relish
Chef’s notes: Have previously made Tuscan Bean Soup with fresh cannellini and butter beans. Use of canned beans saved 12 hours of cooking time. Made a variation with a red pepper relish to bring a light summer touch to a cold autumn night.

Ingredients:
5 cans Cannellini beans
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 medium carrots
2 large onions
3½ cloves of garlic
2 liters vegetable stock
Parma ham
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Relish:
2 large red peppers

Instructions:
1. Finely grate carrots. Chop onions and crush garlic. Finely chop rosemary.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan and add carrots, onions, garlic and rosemary. Let soften on medium heat for 4 mins.
3. Add cannellini beans and stock. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Remove ¾ and blend till smooth in food processor. Return to saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste.
5. Grill peppers till charred, then put in plastic bag until cool. When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel and de-seed. Put peppers in liquidizer with pinch of salt and 2½ tbsp of water and puree. Season and reserve.
6. Serve soup with red pepper puree swirled on top. Grill parma ham till crisp and garnish on soup before serving.

Le Plat Principal
Toeji Pok-kum – Korean Pork Pot Stew (Chef’s variation)
Chef’s notes: Originally Tahk Pok-kum or Chicken Pot Stew, decided to vary the meat to bring into use the wonderful pork shoulder joints that are so widely available at this time of the year. Roasted pork first to remove excess oil and bring additional flavour to dish.

Ingredients:
2 lbs pork shoulder joint
5 cloves garlic
4 oz pine nuts
3 red peppers
10 medium onions
1 can bamboo shoots
5 tsp roasted sesame seeds
5 tbsp dark soya sauce
1½ tbsp sugar
2 tsp ginger powder
2tsp corn starch
Water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Roast pork on Gas Mark 4 for 1½ hours plus 20 minutes for every pound.
2. Remove park from pan and reserve under foil. Spoon 2 tbps of dripping.
3. Chop garlic and red peppers. De-skin onions and leave whole. Fry garlic, red peppers and onions in dripping on medium heat for 5 minutes in large saucepan. Add bamboo shoots.
4. Place whole roast joint into pan and add 1½ pint of water. Add dark soya sauce, sugar and ginger powder. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
5. Add starch and pine nuts and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.
6. Remove roast joint and slice thinly. Serve with whole onion, peppers and sauce. Garnish with sesame seed. Steamed white basmati rice on side.

Douceur
Poires Bourguinonne – Cooked Pears in Burgundy with Orange and Peach
Chef’s Notes: A delightful autumnal dessert. Using conference pears rather than the usual dessert pears as they are plentiful during this season and have a delicate taste that goes well with burgundy. It is also usually seedless which is a wonderful advantage.

Ingredients:
10 unripe conference pears
1 pint red burgundy wine
½ pint water
10 oz sugar
5 tbsp red currant jelly
Pinch of nutmeg powder
Fresh cream

Sauce:
5 fresh Clementine orange
1 can peach
1 tbsp red currant jelly
25 ml single malt whiskey
25 ml sweet port

Instructions:
1. Peel pears while retaining stalk. Segment the oranges.
2. Put water, wine, nutmeg, jelly and sugar into pan. Stir over a low heat till all sugar and jelly have dissolved.
3. Put in pears. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until pears are a rich red hue. Spoon syrup over pears while cooking.
4. Remove pan from heat and cool in fridge for 1 hour. Ensure pears are not exposed to air.
5. Heat peaches in own syrup in small saucepan. Add orange segments, jelly, whiskey and port. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes till oranges have paled slightly.
6. Gently slice off small portion of bottom of cooled pears to allow flat base to stand pears. Serve pears in center of small plate and spoon orange and peaches around. Drizzle fresh cream.

After desserts, port was served and the Chef de Cuisine proposed a toast to the health of all guests.

Bodiam Castle Picnic

2004-10-17T11:43:00.000+01:00

CathSoc-Christian Focus Annual Picnic
Venue: Bodiam Castle
Date: 16th October 2004, Saturday
Time: 1.00pm
Number of Guests: 48
Pastry Chefs: Rev Stephen Laird, Rev Peter Geldard, Br Antony Jukes, Br Brendan O'Connor, Br Alex Yam

The chaplaincy's annual trip to Bodiam Castle and Rye features our picnic lunch by the perimeter walls of Bodiam Castle:
Ham and Lettuce Sandwich with Mustard Relish
Tuna and Cucumber Sandwich with Mayonnaise & Vinegar
Cheese and Pickle Sandwich
Corn Beef Sandwich
Walker's Original Crisps
Walker's Cheese & Onion Crisps
Choco Fingers
Clementine Oranges
Diet Coke
Lemonade
Still Mineral Water

Those in the know of our little private joke should have a smile appear across their face when they hear of sandwiches.

Chilli Con Carne Evening

2004-10-12T23:38:00.000+01:00

CathSoc Meeting
Venue: The Clubroom, St John Stone House
Date: 12th October 2004, Tuesday
Time: 8.15pm
Number of Guests: 19

Tuesday nights are usually a real gamble, sometimes we have food, sometimes we don’t. That’s pot “luck” for you.

Chilli Con Carne
Chef’s notes: Just like every Nyonya matriarch has their own Ayam Buah Keluak or Babi Pongteh recipe, we have our own variations on every possible recipe. Here’s Padre’s popular Chilli recipe put into use (with variations again)

Ingredients:
5 lb minced beef
3½ tbsp chilli powder
5 tsp cumin
3 tsp garam masala
5 large onions
2 tsp sweet paprika
2½ pint stock
3 tsp ground pepper
6 cloves garlic
1 tins kidney beans (large)
1 tins chopped tomatoes (large)
8 tbsp tomato paste
salt to taste
Oil

Instructions:
1. Dice onions into small cubes and mince the garlic. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in large heavy bottom stockpot. Add pepper, cumin, garam masala, paprika and chilli powder and fry on low heat for 30 seconds till fragrant.
2. Add onions and garlic and gently soften. Add minced beef and fry till brown.
3. Stir in tomato paste into mince and add stock and chopped tomatoes. Bring to oil then simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes before adding kidney beans.
4. Simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring often. Add salt and more chilli to taste.
5. Serve with fragrant steamed rice.