Family Meal Recipe - 6. Mandarins with Cointreau

Ingredients (for 6):

• Mandarins - 9
• Cointreau - 4 tbsp
• Demerara sugar - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla ice cream - 6 scoops

Procedures:

1. Squeeze the juice from one third of the mandarins.

2. Peel the remaining fruit and break into segments.

3. Arrange the segments in a bowl in a flower shape, allowing one whole fruit per person. Spoon over the Cointreau.

4. Sprinkle with the sugar.

5. Pour over the mandarin juice.

6. Just before serving, place a scoop of ice cream on top of the fruit.

Family Meal Recipe - 5. Japanese-style Bream

Ingredients (for 4):

• Gilthead bream - 1
• White parts of spring onion - a bunch
• Sprigs from fresh coriander - 6
• Fresh root ginger - 20 g
• Sunflower oil - 3 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1.5 tsp

Procedures:

1. Scale the fish and cut the fins away from the body.

2. Cut along the belly from the small opening near the tail, to just under the head.

3. Remove the guts using your hands or a spoon.

4. Rinse under cold water to remove any blood.

5. Make 3 deep cuts along the body of the fish.

6. Thinly slice the onion.

7. Pick the leaves from the coriander.

8. Thinly slice the ginger, without peeling it.

9. Wrap the fish loosely in a large square of baking parchment.

10. Fill the bottom of the steamer with water and bring it to the boil.

11. Season the fish with salt and steam for 12 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily from the back bone.

12. While the fish is cooking, pour the oil into a saucepan with the ginger and cook over a medium heat until the ginger begins to fry.

13. Once the fish is cooked, transfer to a serving dish and scatter with the onion and coriander.

14. Carefully spoon over the hot ginger oil so that the onion and coriander start to sizzle.

15. Finish with a tablespoon of soy sauce.

Family Meal Recipe - 4. Farfalle with Pesto

Ingredients (for 6):

• Water - 3 litre
• Salt - 2 pinches
• Farfalle - 600 g
• Extra-virgin olive oil - 120 ml
• Pesto sauce - 450 g
• Parmesan cheese - 180 g

Procedures:

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large pan. Season with the salt, then add the farfalle.

2. Stir once, then boil the pasta for 11-13 minutes until tender but still firm to the bite.

3. Grate the Parmesan cheese while you cook the pasta.

4. Reserve some of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.

5. Tip the pasta back into the pan, then stir in the oil to prevent it sticking together.

6. Add the reserved cooking water to loosen the pesto, and stir well.

7. Serve the farfalle in a soup plate or shallow bowl.

8. Spoon over the pesto sauce.

9. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top to serve.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Alto 88

This Italian restaurant is located in Regal Hong Kong Hotel, Causeway Bay. I called them up today to confirm my booking and found that there is a function which basically occupied the whole restaurant but luckily the restaurant is able to put us in a private room with the table facing the window. With good privacy and comfort, even though we could not see the beautiful harbour view because we are on the other wide of the restaurant, the late afternoon sunset and good weather helped set up a good mood for the dinner.

We went for Chef Giuseppe Maria Brancati Tasting Menu, which has 6 courses and I also took the wine pairing. First course was a Sicilian Red Prawn and Seared Foie Gras. The portion is small but in fact appropriate so we would not be so full at the end, the dish is on a sweet melon gazpacho, providing the right level of sweetness to enhance the flavors of the prawn and matching well with the foie gras as well, just similar to how a Sauternes work in typical French cuisine. The wine paired was a Vermentino di Sardegna from Cantina Argiolas.

Next is a Broad Beans Cream, a soup prepared from broad beans puree with a Pecorino cheese and pear ice cream, as well as crunchy Parma ham. The cheese and pear ice cream provides an interesting contrast in temperature to the soup, plus nice flavors of goat cheese. The deep fried Parma ham further gave an extra crunchy dimension to the soup. The wine paired was a Arneis Langhe from Ceretto.

The third course is my favorite on the night, a Risotto 'Acquerello' which has squid and prepared using squid ink. The risotto has the perfect texture, with the creaminess, chewiness, flavors all very well balanced. There is also a bacon note on the risotto which I found appetizing and in fact offered good complement to the taste overall. There is also some Tabasco sauce or similar I suspect which gave a bit of spicy to the risotto. I could easily finish twice the portion in no time. The wine paired was a Soave Classico from Pieropan.

Fourth is Italian Red Mullet in anise and Porcini mushroom consomme, with caramelized garden vegetables. The fish is marinated well and full of flavors, and being soaked in the consomme there is some additional savory flavors. The vegetables are cooked to caramelized to bring in a degree of sweetness too. The wine paired was a Viognier from Michele Satta.

Maybe because of the function on the night, or as the staff told me there is no suitable substitute recommended by the chef, I stick to the menu with the fifth course being a Roasted Beef Rump with Three Kinds of Herbs. The beef is tender and lean, roasted nicely, and served with a prune sauce to provide good sweetness to bring out the taste of the meat. On the side is a Pumpkin and Ginger Quenelle, with also Horseradish Chips, again contrasting the soft and crunchy texture. The wine paired was a Nebbiolo d'Alba from Ceretto.

On dessert it was a Tuile Roll, with Tangerine Reduction and Hazelnut Cream on the inside, and a Grand Marnier and Cinnamon Bavarois accompanying. The roll is crispy and the cream also of the right sweetness level to be satisfying but not heavy. The wine paired was a Moscato d'Asti from Ceretto, and this was a wonderful choice as the acidity and slight fizziness of the wine complement nicely with the dessert.

Finishing with a coffee, I found this meal very satisfying, with good food, nice environment and decor, comfortable setting, attentive and friendly services. It is definitely a restaurant I would recommend to others and also come back again. The bill is $2100, with a 20% discount because of credit card promotion, a fairly reasonable price as a result.

My overall rating is 70/100.

Family Meal Recipe - 3. Almond Biscuits

Ingredients (for 6):

• Egg white - 1
• Sugar - 60 g
• Ground almonds - 135 g
• Whole toasted Marcona almonds - 12

Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Put the egg whites into a bowl. Using a free-standing mixer or electric hand-held whisk, beat the whites to soft peaks.

2. Add the sugar.

3. Whisk the whites again until stiff and glossy.

4. Add the ground almonds, then use a rubber spatula to fold them carefully into the meringue until evenly combined.

5. Try to preserve as much of the air in the meringue as possible.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon of the mixture onto the tray, spacing them well apart.

7. Place a whole almond on top of each mound.

8. Bake in the oven for 14 minutes or until pale golden and slightly cracked.

9. Cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

10. Serve alone or with ice cream.

Family Meal Recipe - 2. Mackerel with Vinaigrette

Ingredients (for 6):

• Mackerel, 200 g each - 6
• Ripe tomatoes - 3
• Small dried chilies - 3
• Extra-virgin olive oil - 200 ml, plus 1.5 tbsp
• Pickled capers - 2 tbsp
• Sprigs fresh thyme - 6
• Black olive paste - 2 tsp
• Fresh basil - 3 sprigs

Procedures:

1. Cut the fins from the fish with kitchen scissors. Cut out the gills.

2. Slit the fish down the middle, leaving two halves joined by the head. Snip out the backbone with scissors.

3. Cut a small cross into the bottom of each tomato, then blanch them in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds.

4. Plunge into a bowl of iced water.

5. Skin the tomatoes.

6. Cut in half, scoop out the seeds and cut into 5-mm cubes.

7. Slit the dried chilies in half and remove the seeds.

8. Finely shred them.

9. Put the diced tomato into a bowl, add the first quantity of olive oil, the shredded chili, capers and thyme sprigs.

10. Season with salt and pepper.

11. Loosen the black olive paste with most of the remaining olive oil.

12. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and put the fish in the pan skin side down. Fry the fish for 3 minutes, or until golden underneath.

13. Cook on the second side for 3 minutes, then lift the fish onto a serving plate, flesh facing upwards. It should be golden and juicy.

14. Pick the smallest leaves from the basil sprigs. Spoon the tomato vinaigrette over the fish, scatter with the basil leaves then add a few spots of black olive paste. 

Family Meal Recipe - 1. Miso soup with Clams

Ingredients (for 6):

• Water - 1.3 litre
• Daishi powder - 2 tsp
• Red miso paste - 100 g
• Silken tofu - 450 g
• Small round clams - 400 g

Procedures:

1. Pick over the clams, discarding any that are damaged. Put the clams into a large bowl, cover with salted cold water and leave for 1 hour. This will help the clams to purge themselves of any sand.

2. Pour the water into a large pan and add the dashi powder and red miso paste.

3. Process with a hand-held blender until well mixed.

4. Cut the tofu into 2-cm cubes.

5. Place tofu into serving bowls, allowing 5 per person.

6. Rinse the clams under cold water.

7. Bring the soup to the boil, then add the clams.

8. Cook for 3 minutes or until the clams open. Remove from the heat.

9. Lift the clams out of the soup with a slotted spoon.

10. Place the clams on top of the tofu in the serving bowls, discarding any that have not opened.

11. Add the remaining tofu to the soup and blend until creamy and smooth.

12. Ladle the soup over the clams and tofu and serve.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Indonesian Sate House

This is not a restaurant but only a small takeaway snacks stall, located in the food street of Sau Kei Wan Main Street East. Just beside the park, you won't miss it as the aromas of charcoal and grilled meat could be smelled quite far away. And despite only in this neighborhood for the first time, I had no difficulty finding it.

Already with quite a few people queuing, I ordered four different skewers, one each of pork, chicken, mutton and squid. It took a short while for the chef to prepare, as the skewers were 'reheated' through grilling on charcoal. And frankly I think there is nothing better than grilling by charcoal fire, with a particular aroma and right temperature to keep the meat juicy.

First I tried the lamb, which is nicely marinated and grilled. The satay sauce is also nice though personally I think a stronger peanut flavor and a bit more spicy would make it even more superb. And there is also quite a big piece of fat on the skewer that maybe for some it too fatty.

Next is the pork, again marinated well and the meat is not chewy, with the right tenderness in texture and good taste. Among the three meat skewer this would be my favorite.

The chicken honest speaking is a bit disappointing. It is not bad but just on texture and taste it could not compare with the lamb and pork. But of course it is leaner.

However, the best of the day is the squid. It is grilled perfectly and not having any tough rubbery texture to make your jaw tiring in chewing, but is in fact easy to eat. The tentacles are also nicely done. Really my recommendation among the four.

Not able to have a seat, under a hot summer late afternoon, it is not possible for me to have more. You may want to order takeaway but when it has cooled down it would not be as good also, so that would be a challenge. But still I would recommend you to try if you like satay, and going out to enjoy street food is part of our memories too.

My overall rating is 33/100 (mainly just because of the environment).

Ah Sir's Recipe - 25. Baked Curried Fish

Ingredients (for 4):

• Fillet of sole - 4 pcs
• Lemon juice - 1/2
• Butter - 1 oz
• Apple - 2
• Whipping cream - 6 oz
• Dry white wine - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 1.5 tsp
• Curry powder - 1.5 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Mango chutney - 1.5 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Procedures:

1. Defrost the fillet and wipe it dry with kitchen paper. Then marinate with lemon juice for 15 minutes.

2. Season the fillet with salt and white pepper powder.

3. Brush butter on the baking tray and place the fillet on top.

4. Peel the apple and cut into small pieces. 

5. Blend the apple with whipping cream, white wine, sugar, curry powder, chili powder, salt and white pepper powder.

6. Coat the fillet with the curry paste. Then put in oven to bake for 20 minutes under 200 deg Celsius.