When boredom sets in...

Hello guys, Im not sorry for the lack of post. I was not feeling it. It's been 7 months since I'm away from Brunei. I've been facing dilemmas. Looks certainly that I will be going back home in July or early August. I miss my daily job, I miss my kitchen, I miss having control of the stove. There's not much i can offer here as being moderate muslim with regards with all the wine and non-halal ingredients. Being a good chef is all about taste, taste and taste. It's been quite frustating when you got turned down to work alongside non-muslim good chefs. It's not a setback but honestly If I were to accept a job, It would mean me starting again from the bottom. Let's hope that I will get a work placement in London. I really need that experience. I'm off to Italy today.

Yesterday, my missus had some leftover bechamel sauce and i found half-cut lemon in the frigde. I made Lemon souffle with parmesan. In Italy would be Souffle' parmagianna al limone. A recipe I got inspired from Italy. Unique Remekin using Lemon Rind or skin.

Lemon souffle with parmesan cheese. Fantastico!

Happy Easter holiday

'Chilean Sea Bass' anyone?

Brunei Sheraton is promoting a delicious fish which swims in the sea of antartica. It is a Pantagonian toothfish?? (if my memory tells me right) and definitely not a bass and not from Chile. Why is it called Chilean sea bass? I dont know. It is said to taste buttery, tender and not so fishy. It has white texture like cod.

I dont think i could find this fish on the menu today in the uk. Perhaps some restaurants do. This fish is coming to an extinct since its been overfish. I never cook this fish before but i could imagine by just pan-seared fry it and a trickle of hot thai lemon dressing and a teriyaki sauce would be delicious.

I bet the fish would arrived in Brunei frozen. hehe of course. The "executive chef" of the hotel didn't quite promote this fish to why he should try and sell it to Brunei but fair enough he did not forget to mentioned the fish is cholestrol free and healthy to eat. I still think salmon has more omega nutrient.

If you honestly ask me whether i would go for $38 of frozen fish or $35 buffet rate at Empire hotel? what do u reckon? Be Bruneian yourself you would know the answer. Personally to me it's so undermining to our own 'local' catch. For example, Tuna fish caught from our own sea. Im sure there's alot of recipes got to do with tuna, an executive chef should know that. I could name few list of fish which we can get locally, the 'brahan' (ikan merah), local sea bass, 'ikan putih', ayam laut?? , siakap, the catfish and tons more.

One more thing, It is just cynical when tiramisu comes into place after a chef talked about healthy fish free from cholestrol. So would it be the dessert or the fish you are after? I wonder.

http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Mar07/080307/nite39.htm

Food and more Food

Pan seared sea trout, Scallop ravioli with vanila cream sauce. - French/italian combination

Roast Beef sirloin, yorkshire pudding and jus roti - traditional english (College)

Seared rack of lamb, rich saffrom mashed potato with tomato chutney and ceps gravy. (Cap & gown pub)

Smoked Haddock monte carlo with chive cream. (kitchen skill)

Pressed rich Chocolate cake brownie

Healthy italian

Quick sauce called PESTO. Rich in texture of green basil. You can use any types of pasta. A quick 2 minutes dish surely will impress your guest. Love it. all you need for your fresh pesto are:

toasted Pine nuts. (Best toast in a wok without any oil until lightly brown)

Fresh Basil leaves.

Parmigiana {Parmesan}. Blitz them all at once. with Some Garlic!!

A little bit extravagant here, Black Truffles. A unique fungus that grows below ground with pungent smell dan garlicky flavour. It is well used by great chefs and you can find them serve mostly in big restaurants and definitely michelin starred restaurants. It is rare and grow by itself. The one thing is in fact it's undesirable appearrance. Pooo :)

The word Truffle in my country would be 'Chocolate truffles'. You know, chocolate truffles :). I guess we were never told where the word 'truffle' actually comes from. A fresh truffle will still has its flavour and aroma. If you happen to order one from a restaurant and its tasteless, Return it back and ask for really Fresh truffles.

Pesto Pasta with black truffle.
MANJARI.......

Offal with Great Use

I was thinking to how would people back home (Brunei) would preceive me and for whatever kind of labels would be on my head. whether or not I intend to cook classical Bruneian dish remian sceptical to some food bruneian lover. I sat there and thinking what is Bruneian dish really. Suddenly 'soup Ekor' - Oxtail soup came crossed my mind. It wouldnt be much of a local dish but it's common. Rice being the staple food would always be great companion just as anything. I had a little chat with Chef Wright about oxtail dishes. He suggested me that its nice to go with meditaranean twist by using couscous. He also insist me on using apricot for it's sweet and lightly sour flavour.

To add that bruneian twist, well trying to, I found bread fruit from the local market. Believe me, back home in Brunei my dad grow lots of these beautiful fruit. We normally have it deep fry as afternoon high-tea during any weekends. Ithought that would be nice compliment and last. As planned, i thought of using chou-flour puree (cauliflower), but i believe this is all about eating the offal parts with nothing intervene the oxtail slices but the sauce.

slices of Ox-tail

Bread Fruit, It's ripped and changed colour. Fresh ones looks green.

Cut into half, white, soft seed in the middle.

Braised Oxtail, Ratatouille couscous with apricot, Roasted 'SUKUN' bread fruit and garlic & shallot confit.

Sukun [su- kon] ; Malay transalation for sweet bread fruit.

That apricot in the couscous relieve that fats in your mouth. That tangy, citrus flavour is just the perfect combination. I guess it work well with under-ripped manggo too.

Thanks to Chef Wright for his kind wisdom.