Blueberry-Vanilla Panna Cotta

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #10, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month, 

Williams-Sonoma, Cooking From The Farmers' Market 

by Jodi Liano & Tasha DeSerio

The last recipe I've made for this month from the cookbook, Cooking From The Farmers' Market. A cold dessert, Blueberry-Vanilla Panna Cotta.

Simple and easy, pretty quick to make. Of course, those blueberries are not from the farmers' market, they are imported. Unfortunately blueberries are not grown over here. Wish they were!

I've used frozen blueberries.

I've made the panna cotta in the evening and left to chill overnight in the refrigerator.

We enjoy it the next evening. Makes a lovely after dinner dessert.  Next time I will try with our local tropical fruits!

Blueberry-Vanilla Panna Cotta
(adapted from Williams-Sonoma : Cooking From The Farmers' Market)
makes 4 servings
2-1/2 tsp (1 package) unflavoured gelatin
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) whole milk
2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) heavy (double) cream
1/4 cup (2 oz/60gm) sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups (8 oz/250gm) blueberries, plus extra for garnish

In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the milk. Let stand for about 2 minutes. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sugar. Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the cream and add the pod. Heat, stirring, until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Let cool briefly.

Remove the vanilla bean. Slowly add the warm cream to the gelatin mixture, stirring constantly until dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and 2 cups blueberries and then pour into four 3/4-cup (6-fl oz/180 ml) ramekins, dividing evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight.

Run a thin knife around the inside of each ramekin, and invert onto a dessert plate. Garnish with blueberries and serve right away.

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Pork, Broccoli & Crisp Garlic Saute

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #10, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month, 

Williams-Sonoma, Cooking From The Farmers' Market 

by Jodi Liano & Tasha DeSerio

The star ingredient : Broccoli

An easy stir-fry dish. I have replaced the beef with pork fillet. And have used more garlic cloves, probably about 8. If you love garlic, then 3 cloves is not enough!

A tasty vegetable stir-fry, great dish as part of a main meal, with rice.

Beef, Broccoli & Crisp Garlic Saute
(adapted from Williams-Sonoma : Cooking From The Farmers' Market)
makes 4 servings
1 lb (500gm) flank or skirt steak (I've used about 300gm pork fillet)
1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 8 cloves)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups (8oz/125gm) small broccoli florets
3 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
cooked white rice for serving

Cut the beef across the gtrain into strips 3 inches (7.5cm) long and 1/4 inch (6mm) thick. In a bowl, stir together the cornstarch, salt, sugar, baking soda, and 2 tbsp water. Add the beef and stir until well mixed. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a frying pan over high heat, add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels.

Add the beef, broccoli and 2 tbsp of the wine to the pan and cook until the beef is opaque and the broccoli is tendeer, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce andf the remaining wine and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to warmed plates and accompany with steamed rice.

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Rustic Tomato & Mozzarella Tart

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #10, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month,

Williams-Sonoma, Cooking From The Farmers' Market 

by Jodi Liano & Tasha DeSerio

The star ingredient : Tomatoes

I have a few slices of frozen puff pastry which I want to use up. Found this Rustic Tomato Tart recipe and made them for brunch. Recipes uses both yellow and red tomatoes, but I have used all red tomatoes as I could not find any yellow tomatoes.

Simple and quick to make. I have added slices of sandwich ham in some of the tarts, and leaving a few without. 

Bakes up really crispy and crunchy, and the tomatoes, with the garlic butter and cheeses, tastes really  yummy! 

Rustic Tomato & Mozzarella Tart
(adapted from "Williams-Sonoma : Cooking From The Farmers' Market)
makes 6-8 servings
2-3 ripe red and yellow tomatoes, about 8 oz (250gm) total weight, cored and cut into slices 1/4 inch (3mm) thick
salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 by 10-inch rectangle of frozen puff pastry, cut in half and thawed in the refrigerator
3/4 cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
4 tbsp good hard cheese, such as Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
olive oil for drizzling

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400F (200C). Place the tomato slices on paper towels, season with salt, and let drain, 30-60 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic and butter. Place the puff pastry rectangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment (baking) paper. Brush with the garlic butter and season with salt. Leaving a 1/4-inch border, sprinkle the pastry evenly with the mozzarella and 2 tbsp of the Parmesan. Arrange the tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp Parmesan. Bake until puffed and golden, 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and drizzle with the olive oil and serve right away.

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Asparagus Omelet with Chives & Garlic

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #10, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month, 

Williams-Sonoma : Cooking From The Farmers' Market

by Jodi Liano and Tasha DeSerio

The star ingredient : Asparagus

Bought some lovely thin asparagus spears from the farmers' market, to make this omelet dish for dinner. Simple and quick dish to cook. The asparagus are first trimmed of tough ends and cut into one inch pieces. The recipe calls for the asparagus to be boiled in salted water for about 3 minutes. But I have however use my simpler method. I placed the asparagus pieces in a microwaveable bowl, sprinkle some water and a pinch of salt. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Drain and proceed with the recipe.  I use Chinese chives from my garden pot.

The omelet is cooked over the stove for a few minutes, then finished the cooking in the oven until the omelet is set. Cut into wedges and serve.

Very nice omelet. We had this as part of a meal with rice, and the family likes it.

Asparagus Omelet with Chives & Garlic
(adapted from "Williams-Sonoma" - Cooking From The Farmers' Market)
makes 4 servings
1/2 lb (250gm) thin asparagus spears, tough ends removed
4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
8 fresh chives, snipped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 large eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325F (180C).

Cut the asparagus into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the asparagus, and parboil for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold running water, drain again, and pat dry.

(I microwaved the asparagus pieces, place in a microwavable bowl, sprinkle some water and a pinch of salt, cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Drain). 

In a medium frying pan over low heat, warm 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chives, garlic, and asparagus and saute until the asparagus is tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Add the asparagus mixture and season with salt and pepper.

In an 8-inch (20-cm) ovenproof nonstick frying pan, warm the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the eggs are set around the edges, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to the oven and cook until set, 7-9 minutes. Let cool briefly.

Invert the omelet onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve right away.

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Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry : Cookbook Countdown #10

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown #10, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

************************

My selected cookbook for this month, 

Williams-Sonoma, Cooking From The Farmers' Market 

by Jodi Liano & Tasha DeSerio

A lovely book with delicious recipes from "farm-to-table-cooking". There are two main sections categorized as Vegetables and Fruits. Each section is divided into chapters featuring the different veggies and fruits. Though I cannot find some of the ingredients locally, there are many more that I can get from our local market and supermarkets. 

The first recipe I've tried from this book is Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry.

The main star of the recipe : Sugar Snap Pea

A simple and easy dish to prepare, with minimal ingredients. Healthy dish of stir-fry, using chicken breast strips which is quickly seared in some oil, season to taste with some salt and oyster sauce, then remove and keep aside to be added to the peas later. The sugar snap peas is sliced into half at a diagonal and is stir-fry in a little oil until crisp-tender, about 1-2 minutes. (I've added two garlic cloves, chopped finely, then saute in a little oil until light brown and fragrant, before adding the sugar snap peas).The chicken pieces is then added in, stir everything together, and stir-fry for a minute or so. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately, with some soy sauce.

A great stir-fry dish as part of a meal with rice.

Chicken & Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry
(adapted from "WS Cooking From The Farmers' Market)
Makes 4 servings
1lb (500gm) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips
3-1/2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) (scant 1/2 teaspoon)
2 tsp cornstarch (cornflour)
salt
1 tbsp oyster sauce
3/4 lb (375gm) sugar snap peas, halved crosswise on the diagonal
2 cloves garlic, minced (my addition)
cooked white rice for serving
soy sauce for serving

In a bowl, toss the chicken strips with 1-1/2 tbsp of the peanut oil, the baking soda, and the cornstarch. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil. When it is hot, add the chicken, spreading it out as much as possible. Season with salt and sear for 1 minute without stirring, then stir until opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the oyster sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Return the wok to high heat, add the peas, and stir-fry until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Transfer to a platter and serve right away with rice and soy sauce.

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #10 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray