VEGETABLES: If you like sweet potatoes, you would love this recipe.

HERB-TOPPED SWEET POTATO BISCUITS:

 

 

  

1 lb. sweet potatoes                                        

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

2-3 tbsp. light brown sugar                                 

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt                                                        

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ cup unsalted butter                                      

1/3 cup milk

1 egg yolk                                                       

1 tbsp. 18% cream

small herb sprigs---mixed herbs like rosemary, thyme or sage

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Pierce skin of sweet potatoes and bake them, unwrapped, for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender.  Cool. Scoop out about 1 ½ cups of flesh and mash with a fork. Add in milk and mix until incorporated.

 

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper together into the work bowl of a food processor with steel blade attached. Add in butter until process with on/off action until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sweet potato mixture and process on/off  to form dough. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Turn sweet potato dough out on floured surface, pad into ½ -inch thickness. Cut with cookie-cutter into 2-inch rounds. Transfer rounds to greased baking sheet. Beat egg yolk with the cream and brush tops with this mixture. Press a small sprig of herb on top. Bake 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.  

VEGETABLES: There is no fancy preparation to spice up this everyday vegetable dish to make it attractive looking and tasty.

GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES:

 

 

 

1 lb. green beans, trimmed                                          

3 tbsp. butter               

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced                       

1 medium green pepper

2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped           

2 tbsp. finely chopped basil leaves

½ cup sour cream                                                       

salt and fresh-ground pepper

¼ tsp. baking soda

 

 

 

Slice green beans diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Half the green pepper, seed, remove fibrous ribs and cut into pieces.

 

Add baking soda & salt into a large pot of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; then add in the beans. Cook, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.

 

In a heavy skillet, melt butter, add onion and green pepper and cook over medium heat until soft but not brown. Add tomatoes and basil, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add in beans and toss well together. Lower heat to low and beat in sour cream, salt and pepper. Heat through and taste for seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter to serve.  

VEGETABLES: For those with no peanut allergy, this version of the popular Indonesian salad is quite enjoyable.

GADO GADO:

 

 

 

2 small potatoes & carrots

½ lb. French beans                                                      

1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks

2 oz, bean sprouts                                                       

2 cooked bean curds or tofu, cut into cubes               

½ lettuce leaves, separated

8 hard boiled eggs, quartered                                      

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

peanut sauce:

    1 ½ cups crunchy peanut butter                  

    3-4 hot red chilli, sliced

    4 shallots, sliced                                         

    2-inch piece of ginger

    3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced                        

    2-3 tbsp. palm sugar, or brown sugar

    ½ tsp. shrimp paste                                     

    1 tbsp. tamarind paste

    1 cup coconut milk                                     

    1 stalk lemon grass, sliced thinly

    1 tsp. salt                                        

    cooking oil

 

 

 

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and peel.  Cut into slices, then into match sticks; and keep warm in a large bowl. Cook carrots and beans separately in salted boiling water just enough to retain crispness. Drain; then cut carrots into matches. Add both to the potatoes, together with bean sprouts and cucumber. Re-heat tofu, season with salt to taste and drain on paper towels before adding to the vegetable mixture.

 

Dissolve tamarind paste in ¼ cup hot water. Strain and set aside. Make a paste with shallot, garlic, ginger, salt, shrimp paste, chilli, and the tamarind paste. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine peanut butter with the paste. Add coconut milk gradually to incorporate into the paste, stirring constantly. Add lemon grass. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Add about ¼ cup water if mixture gets too thick. Simmer 2 minutes more. Adjust seasoning.

 

To serve, warm the vegetables. Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Top with the tofu, vegetables and the hard-boiled eggs. Pour sauce over to serve.

VEGETABLES: Fennel is not a common or popular vegetable to cook at home. So, you will dazzle family & guests with this production.

FENNEL WITH ANCHOVIES, GARLIC AND SAMBUCCA:

 

 

 

4 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved, chopped                   

4 tbsp. olive oil

6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry                      

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

4 oz. Sambucca or anise liqueur

 

 

 

Blanch whole fennel bulbs in boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fork tender.  Remove and refresh in an ice bath made with adding ice into a large bowl of cold water. Drain well and cut each fennel bulb into halves.

 

In a heavy non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Arrange fennel pieces, cut side down, on the skillet and cook slowly until golden brown.  Add garlic to pan and turn bulbs over. Mash anchovies into a paste and add to pan. Cook 1 -2 minutes until pan is very hot.

 

Add sambucca liqueur and swirl it through the pan. Continue cooking until alcohol evaporates, about 1 minute.

 

Use tongs to transfer fennel bulbs to a serving platter. Chop reserved fennel fronds and add to remaining liquid in pan and heat through. Pour sauce over fennel to serve.

VEGETABLES: If you fancy making deep-fried onion rings at home, this receipe will produce reasonably good result.

DEEP FRIED ONION RINGS:

 

 

 

2 large sweet yellow onions                            

batter:

    1 cup milk****                                                      

    1 egg, slightly beaten

    1 cup + 2 tbsp. all purpose flour                             

    ½ tsp. salt

    3 tbsp. oil

    freshly ground black pepper                                               

oil for deep frying

 

 

 

Peel onion, and slice into ¼ -inch thickness. Separate the slices into rings.

 

Make batter by adding flour and salt gradually into egg and milk (or beer) mixture in a large bowl. Using a wire whisk, mix flour in well, whisking to beat up lumps. Let stand 30 minutes before using. Add in 3 tbps oil.

 

Heat enough oil for deep frying in a deep-fryer or a large saucepan until 375 degrees F. or until tested ready.

 

Dip each ring into batter to coat, let excess batter dip back into the bowl. Drop rings into oil carefully and cook a few rings at a time. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Keep cooked onion rings warm in a 250 degree oven while cooking the rest.

 

Sprinkle onion rings with freshly-ground pepper before serving

 

 

****Alternately, use beer to substitute for milk, but omit egg and oil in batter.****

VEGETABLES: Easy to follow recipe to produce crunchy and green broccoli to go with any main dish.

BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC:

 

 

 

½ head broccoli                                                          

2 tbsp. cooking oil

½ tsp. salt                                                                    

2 tbsp. sliced garlic

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

 

 

 

Wash and drain broccoli, cutting off and discarding the tough ends, and peeling the remaining stems. Slice stems into ¼-inch slices diagonally and break up the florets.

 

Heat oil in a saucepan over high heat until hot. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cayenne pepper, if using.  Continue to cook, at medium-high heat, tossing and sprinkling with a little water, for about 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender but still a little crunchy.  Add salt and pepper. Toss well and serve.           

VEGETABLES: This is a type of fusion Chinese cooking to serve cabbage in a delicious way.

 

CHINESE CABBAGE WITH WHITE SAUCE奶油白菜:

 

 

 

2 ½ lbs. white Chinese cabbage

½ cup cooked ham, cut into strips

                               

sauce:

    1 cup milk

    3 tbsp. cooking oil                                                  

    3 tbsp. all purpose flour

    1 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. sugar, or to taste

    1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water              

    ¼ tsp white pepper

 

 

Wash and trim white cabbage, cutting lengthwise into halves, then quarter each half.  Cook in boiling water with salt added for 5 minutes.  Transfer cooked cabbage to a bowl, pour over chicken/vegetable stock and let soak for 30 minutes.

 

In a large saucepan, heat cooking oil over medium heat until hot, add flour. Whisk in well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove pot from heat and gradually pour in milk, whisking well to mix in and to prevent lumps. Return to heat and cook mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste and white pepper

 

Just before serving,  remove cabbage from stock, drain well then reheat cabbage until hot. Add stock into sauce and cook to heat through. Transfer cabbage to a serving platter and sprinkle with cook ham. Pour in sauce to serve.  

 

 

NOTE:  Other Chinese vegetables, such as bok choi, baby bok choi or Chinese broccoli can be substituted. 

VEGETABLES: If you are game to experiement with chayote, an unusually flavourful vegetables, please give this recipe a try.

CHAYOTE STUFFED WITH CHEESE:

 

 

 

4 chayote****                                                

3 tbsp. boiling water

1 cup grated Swiss or Cheddar cheese

salt and fresh-ground pepper

dash Tabasco sauce                                        

2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs

4 tbsp. butter

 

 

Cut chayote into halves lengthwise. Cook in boiling water until flesh is soft.  Drain and cool.

Remove core. Use a spoon to scoop out flesh, being careful not to break the shells; and reserve 6 half-shells.

 

Mash flesh and drain off any liquid. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter; then add in chayote flesh. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese and cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper and Tabasco. Transfer chayote back into reserved shells.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange stuffed chayote side by side in a large baking dish. Sprinkle each shell with 1 tsp. breadcrumbs and dot with bits of butter. Pour ½-inch boiling water around shells.  Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, adding more boiling water to pan if necessary to keep the ½-inch level. Remove and serve.

 

 

****NOTE:   Chayote is a green-coloured squash that tastes like honeydew melon and shaped like a pair of "praying hands". It is called "Buddha's hand彿掌瓜 in China. Nutritionally, half a cup of cooked chayote only has 28 calories. To buy, pick firm young ones, the harder they are, the younger and better they are. To cook: no need to peel unless it is old. Just quarter and cook in boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, and dressed with butter and lemon juice to serve.****

VEGETABLES: This is an easy and delicious vegetarian dish that can be cooked ahead to accompany any meal.

CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE:

 

 

 

1 large head cauliflower                                             

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup finely chopped celery                                    

cooking oil

cheese sauce:

    2 tbsp. each melted butter & flour                                                              

    ½ tsp. salt    

    1/8 tsp. mustard powder                                         

    1 ¼ cup hot milk

    1 cup shredded Swiss cheese or other cheeses of choice                                        

    ½ cup cornflake crumbs

 

 

 

Break cauliflower into florets and cook until tender-crisp in a steamer or in small amount of salted water. Drain. Transfer to an oiled 1 ½-quart casserole.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

 

In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over high heat and cook mushrooms and celery until tender.  Reduce heat to low and stir in flour, salt and mustard. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in hot milk until mixture is smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to boil. Reduce heat and cook sauce for 10 minutes.  

 

Add cheese and stir until melted.  Pour sauce mixture over cauliflower.  Combine crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over casserole.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling hot.

CHINESE VEGETABLES: This is one of my favourite vegetarian dishes. It takes a little time to prepare, but the result is more satisfying than eating French fries.

DEEP FRY TARO BALLS香芋球:

 

 

 

¾ lb. taro****                                                            

½ large carrot

cooking oil

seasoning:

    ½ cup chopped fresh coriander                  

    ½ tsp. white pepper

    1 ½ tbsp. sugar                                            

    1 tsp. each salt & light soy sauce                                        

    2/3 cup all purpose flour +  ¼ tsp. baking soda

cold water                                                                   

 

****Taro is a root vegetable that is available from Chinese supermarket****.

 

 

Peel carrots and taro and finely shred them into a large bowl. Add in seasoning ingredients and just enough water to make a sticky paste that binds the vegetables together.

 

In a heavy saucepan over high heat, heat enough oil for deep-frying until very hot. Use a tablespoon to scoop up taro and carrot mixture and drop them into hot oil. Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

 

Cool, strain and save oil for other uses.

CHINESE VEGETABLES: This is my version of cooking green-leafed vegetables without using a wok.

COOKING CHINESE VEGETABLES:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. bok choi, baby bok choi, choi sum, or Chinese broccoli or rappini                        

1 tsp salt                                                                     

1 tbsp. cooking wine

2 tbsp. cooking oil                                                      

3 to 4 thin slices fresh ginger

 

                                                           

 

 

Wash vegetables and cut or tear into serving size.

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add in 1 tsp oil, then the vegetables. Cover pot and bring water back to a boil. Remove lid, turn down heat to medium and allow vegetables to sit in water to blanch for 1-2 minutes to soften. Drain vegetables into a colander.

 

Heat wok or saucepan over high heat until very hot. Add rest of oil and the ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add vegetables and cook over high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but still green and slightly crunchy. Add cooking wine and salt, toss well. Remove from wok and serve.

CHINESE VEGETABLES: This is a tried & true recipe to prepared pickled vegetables that stimulate the appetite before a banquet or feast.

CANTONESE PICKLED VEGETABLES 廣東泡菜:

 

 

 

2 ½ lbs. mustard greens大芥菜, leaves separated                    

1 cup salt                                                                    

20 cups water

4 cups sugar                                                                

4 cups water

1 cup vinegar                                                              

 

 

 

Wash mustard-green and drain well. Cut them into strips about 2-inches long.

 

Bring 20 cups of water to a boil. Add salt and dissolve it carefully. Put mustard greens in a large glass container with lid, and add salted water to completely cover vegetables. Put  lid on container, and let stand for 2 days. Drain salt solution off and leave vegetables in the container.

 

Bring 4 cups water, vinegar and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Allow solution to cool completely; then pour it into the jar of vegetables. Allow to soak for 3 days before using. Use as appetizers.

VEGETABLES: If you like cabbage and eggplant, you will be delighted with this recipe that is a vegetarian meal in itself.

CABBAGE AND EGG PLANT IN CHEESE SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 x 2-lb cabbage, cored and shredded                        

1 ¼ cup chopped onions

2-3 tbsp. cooking oil                                                   

1 lb. egg plants, peeled and diced

sauce:

    ½ cup butter                                                

    ¼ cup all purpose flour

    1 lb. grated medium or sharp Cheddar cheese              

    ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

    1 tsp. each salt, dry mustard & Tabasco sauce                                            

    white pepper to taste

    2 cups beer

1 cup fresh bread crumbs                                           

½ tsp. paprika

 

 

 

Cook cabbage in a pot of slightly-salted water over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

 

In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Cook onion until soft. Add egg plant. Cook mixture until onion is golden and egg plant is soft, adding a little more oil to skillet if necessary. Add egg plant mixture to cabbage.

 

In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, make roux by melting butter and adding in flour. Cook roux for 3 minutes, stirring. Add cheese, ¼ cup at a time, stirring in well after each addition.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in beer, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Return to heat and cook over medium heat until mixture is just boiling. Add in rest of sauce ingredients. Simmer sauce gently for 5 minutes. Stir in cabbage and egg plant mixture and heat through.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer egg plant-cabbage mixture to an ovenproof serving dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and paprika. Bake 15 minutes. Serve hot.

VEGETABLES: This is a simple recipe to serve mushrooms at their best.

BAKED MUSHROOMS WITH MADEIRA WINE:

 

 

 

4 tbsp. butter                                                               

2/3 cup Madeira wine                                     

1 lb. brown or white button mushrooms                                                         

1 clove garlic, sliced

salt and pepper                                                           

chopped parsley to garnish

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Use a little of the butter to grease a large flat baking pan.  Arrange mushrooms in one layer in the pan and dot evenly with garlic slices and the rest of the butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and pour on the wine.

 

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley.

 

 

NOTE:  A combination of mushrooms can be used--such as fresh ceps or porcini mushrooms, portobello, shitake and oyster mushrooms.

VEGETABLES: Corn on the cob has to be the most popular vegetable for BBQ. Please give this version a try.

BARBEQUE CORN IN THE HUSK:

 

 

 

8 fresh young corn cobs                                             

½ cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped                                             

4 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

butter to serve                                                             

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Peel back the corn husks, leaving them intact.  Pull off the white silks, then wash and pat dry corn cobs.

 

Combine oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and brush mixture over each cob. Pull up the husks and tie together at the top with string. Steam corn over boiling water for 5 minutes; then remove and pat dry.

 

Cook corn cobs on a hot barbeque for 20 minutes, turning often. Spray with water during cooking to keep them moist. Serve hot with knobs of butter.

VEGETABLES: This recipe requires a bit of skill and time to produce. But serving potato "souffle" from oven-to-table will solicit such praises from family & guests that it is well worth the effort to produce it.

POTATO SOUFFLE:

 

 

 

2 lb. potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold                       

¼ cup olive oil

3 egg yolks                                                                 

5 egg whites

1/4 cup roasted garlic, mashed                        

1 tbsp. chopped chives

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Cut potatoes in half and cook them in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain, cool slightly, peel and cut potatoes into cubes and transfer to a large metal bowl.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Use an electric hand beater to whip potatoes, adding salt and pepper to taste, as well as olive oil and the egg yolks to it to mix well. Beat until smooth and without lump

 

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold egg whites and garlic into potato mixture.

 

Grease 6 ramekins and fill them with potato mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until soufflé is puffed and golden.

 

Sprinkle with chopped chives to serve.

VEGETABLES: Since potato cakecake is my favourite comfort food, this version of it is equally wonderful for me.

CHINESE STYLE POTATO PANCAKES薯仔餅:

 

 

 

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and grated                                 

1 tbsp. chopped green onion

¼ cup chopped Chinese sausage                                 

4 dried mushrooms, soaked                            

2 tbsp. dried shrimp, soaked and chopped                  

cooking oil

seasoning:       

    1 tsp. salt                                                    

    1 tbsp. tapioca starch

    dash of white pepper and sesame oil

 

 

 

Drain grated potatoes into a colander and let sit 10 minutes before transferring to a large bowl. Dice mushroom caps and add it, together with the other ingredients and seasoning, into the grated potatoes.  

 

In a heavy non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat until very hot. Ladle potato mixture into hot oil, pressing it flat with a spatula to form a round patty.  Cook until browned on one side, flip over and cook the other side. Repeat with rest of potato mixture, adding more oil to pan as necessary.

 

Drain on paper towels before serving.