Easy does it - Tomato and onion relish

Image via Wikipedia

Brought to you by FairPrice

FairPrice Pan Fry Satay takes the elbow grease out of this perennial favourite

ANNETTE TAN

food@newstoday.com.sg

Satay is one of those all-time favourites that can take ages to make but is eaten in seconds.

From the marinating of the meat and preparing of the accompanying peanut sauce, to the slow grilling process, it can take almost an entire day, not to mention plenty of effort, to yield this dish of succulent skewers of marinated meat.

FairPrice Pan-Fry Satay takes all the elbow grease out of satay without sacrificing flavour and tenderness. Its chicken, mutton and beef varieties (all of which are halal) are free of MSG and preservatives. They are made by following a traditional recipe, using fresh and good quality ingredients that include various herbs and spices.

My personal favourite is the chicken satay, which is juicy, moist and extremely tasty.

The accompanying peanut sauce is also delicious and not too greasy.

Best of all, FairPrice "healthier choice" Pan-Fry Satay can be ready in just minutes. Take it out of the freezer, give it a whiz in a microwave to defrost and then pan-fry until the marinated meat is slightly caramelised.

And to make them easier to eat, they do not come on skewers.

Still, for purposes of presentation - if, perhaps, you're having guests over - you can skewer the meat with bamboo sticks after frying it. No one would ever know that your satay came from a vacuum pack.

I'm not a fan of raw onions or cucumbers. So, I decided to serve my satay with a side of tomato and onion relish.

Refreshing and tasty, this salad is a great accompaniment to any spicy dish (especially sambals and curries). Its piquant combination of tomatoes, onions, coriander and lemon cuts through any oil and helps cool the palate.

FairPrice Pan Fry Satay ($6.06, 500g) is available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Tomato and onion relish

Serves 4

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• 4 ripe tomatoes (preferably vine), diced
  
• A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 tbsp sugar
  

1. Place onion and lemon in a glass or plastic bowl (don't use a metal bowl as it will react with the onion and acidity of the lemon juice, affecting the taste). Mix, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
   
2. Place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mix well. Serve.
   

From TODAY, Food – Thursday, 17-Sep-2009

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Heart attack fells wine-loving chef

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

A late post, but a tribute to a great cook… we often watch his cooking shows, and amused at how 'commonly' he approached the kitchen, not to mention his cooking style – makes cooking for an ordinary person something not to be dreaded, but with fun…

----------

Keith Floyd was a familiar face on television for nearly two decades.
AFP

LONDON - Mr Keith Floyd, television's original celebrity chef, has died after suffering a heart attack. He was 65.

Mr Floyd, who was born Dec 28, 1943, was best known for his enthusiastic presenting style, dress sense and ever-present glass of wine. He revealed earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer.

British chef Marco Pierre White described his death as a "sad day for the nation".

"The thing which is very sad is a little piece of Britain today died which will never be replaced ... His ability to inspire people to cook just with his words and the way he did things was extraordinary."

Mr Floyd's death was announced yesterday morning by Mr James Steen, who ghostwrote his autobiography.

Mr Steen said the chef had suffered a heart attack while watching television at the home of his partner, Ms Celia Martin, in Dorset on Monday night.

He had returned to Britain from France around three weeks ago to start chemotherapy for bowel cancer.

Mr Floyd presented television cookery programmes from around the globe in a television career that began with Floyd on Fish in 1984. His enthusiasm for his craft - coupled with his consumption of substantial amounts of wine as he cooked - made him one of the most distinctive television chefs, and he was a familiar face on the screen for nearly two decades.

His last show, in 2001, was Floyd's India.

Mr Antony Worrall Thompson also paid tribute to his fellow chef, saying he had helped Britons enjoy food and cooking. "All of us modern TV chefs owe a living to him," he said.

"He kind of spawned us all. He turned cookery shows into entertainment. He made cooking approachable and fun. He made us relax about food.

"Until Keith came along, people were very uptight about eating out, and he helped us to chill out about it."

Married four times and divorced four times, Mr Floyd was as tumultuous in his life as in his presenting style. He opened several restaurants, his first in Bristol in the '60s, but suffered financial problems throughout his life and was declared bankrupt in 1996.

He was convicted of drink-driving in 2004 and banned from driving for 32 months.

Mr Floyd started out his career as a reporter on the Bristol Evening Post before joining the army, where he rose to the rank of second lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment. He wrote more than 20 books, many of which went straight into the best-seller lists.

His latest autobiography, Stirred But Not Shaken, in which he described his battles with the bottle, is due to be published next month. He is survived by a son and a daughter. AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 16-Sep-2009

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Sour cream, chives and shrimp dip

Brought to you by FairPrice

A sure-fire hit

FairPrice Hot & Spicy Chicken Nuggets make for a zesty knock-out snack in more ways than one

ANNETTE TAN

food@newstoday.com.sg

These small bites pack a real punch. The "Hot & Spicy" labelling is not an exaggeration. One bite and you'll get a fantastic kick from the spice in these crispy and incredibly easy to prepare chicken nuggets.

Like FairPrice's popular original Chicken Nuggets, you can either deep-fry or shallow-fry these. I sometimes find it easier to just lay them out on a foil-lined baking tray and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C. They still emerge crisp. And there's little washing up to be done after.

Whichever way you choose to prepare them, rest assured these wonderful snacks are trans fat- and preservative-free, and Halal - making them truly suitable for your whole family and friends.

You can serve them with ketchup or chilli sauce on the side. Personally, I like them with any kind of mayonnaise dipping sauce.

Otherwise, this tangy sour cream and chives dip makes for a nice accompaniment that counters the spiciness of the nuggets with the cooling qualities of cream. The bits of fresh shrimp also lend an added dimension, making it a "surf '*' turf" special of sorts.

Enjoy!

FairPrice Chicken Nuggets and Hot & Spicy Chicken Nuggets ($6.45, 850g each) are available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Sour cream, chives and shrimp dip

Serves 4-6

• 300g fresh prawns, peeled and de-veined
  
• 450g light sour cream
  
• A handful of chives or 4 sprigs of spring onions
  
• 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• 1 tsp FairPrice salt
  

1. Place prawns in a saucepan of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove and cool.
   
2. Once cool, roughly chop prawns.
   
3. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients till well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
   
4. Chill in the fridge for an hour before serving with FairPrice Hot & Spicy Chicken Nuggets.
   

From TODAY, Food – Thursday, 10-Sep-2009

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Easy Crab Cakes

Image via Wikipedia

SAUCE OF COMFORT

FairPrice Mayonnaise is a nifty kitchen essential and incredibly yummy, too

ANNETTE TAN

food@newstoday.com.sg

Of all the condiments in my pantry, mayonnaise is the one I turn to most often. I use it as a dip for all kinds of party food, in sandwiches and as part of a dressing for a mean potato salad.

Mayonnaise also helps to bind fried patties, like the crab cakes in the recipe featured below. Sometimes, when I'm too lazy to go through the motions of picking the sweet flesh of crabs from their shells, I use prawns instead. Simply peel and de-vein the prawns, boil and then chop.

Alternatively, you could use pasteurised crabmeat, but it must be said that nothing beats the flavour of fresh crabmeat.

I was delighted to discover that FairPrice now has a range of dressings including Mayonnaise, Mayo Light (for those watching their waistline), Mayo Garlic (for extra kick), Coleslaw, Tartar Sauce and Thousand Island.

They are all delicious and wonderfully easy to use. With my bottle of FairPrice Mayonnaise, I whipped up this easy and tasty dish that appeals to just about everyone.

So, make a big batch and serve it with a saucer of FairPrice Thousand Island or Tartar Sauce on the side for that extra indulgence.

FairPrice Mayonnaise, FairPrice Tartar Sauce, FairPrice Thousand Island and FairPrice Coleslaw ($2.35, 250ml) are available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Easy Crab Cakes

Serves 4

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  
• (or fresh hot mustard)
  
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 2 tbsp FairPrice Mayonnaise
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice
  
• 450g crabmeat
  
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  
• 1/2 tsp FairPrice salt
  
• 1/2 tsp FairPrice ground black pepper
  
• FairPrice Canola Oil for frying
  

1. In a bowl, combine parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, eggs and mayonnaise, lemon juice, crabmeat, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
   
2. Mix well, but gently, so you don't break up the crabmeat too much.
   
3. Form thick patties with your hands and refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.
   
4. Pour oil into a frying pan so it comes to about 4cm up the pan.
   
5. Heat oil until it starts to shimmer and then fry the crab cakes (in batches if necessary) until golden brown (about 1 minute on each side).
   
6. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
   
7. Serve warm.
   

From TODAY, Makan – Thursday, 03-Sep-2009

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