Creamy Risotto

On a weekday, when you do not know what to make for dinner, this risotto is simple and only takes 30 minutes to prepare. I got the smoke duck from cold storage. Just heat the duck up when your risotto ready and served. Easy preparation but you just need to stand 20-25 minutes in-front of the stove. Slow cooking but worth the effort.

Recipe from http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/478/Creamy_Risotto37324.shtml

Ingredients:

- 1/2 onion, chopped (omit cause my girl don't like onion)

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1/4 cup butter, divided

- 1 cup uncooked rice (use Arborio rice)

- 1/3 cup dry white wine

- 2 cups chicken broth

- 3 cups water

- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

- salt and ground white pepper, to taste

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Non-stick pan - cook onion and garlic until soft in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add rice and stir 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add wine, stir until absorbed. Increase heat to medium high, stir in 1 cup broth and cook uncovered, stirring frequently until broth is absorbed.
3. Continue stirring and adding remaining 1 cup broth and water, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding another, until rice is tender and mixture has a creamy consistency. It will take approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper, heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until mixture is creamy about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips:  added button mushroom (white and brown) and small cherry tomatoes for extra taste.

Jelly Marshmallow Cheesecake

This recipe was from many years back when I attended a Shiseido Cooking workshop. The original recipe calls for strawberries and strawberry or raspberry jelly crystal. Because strawberry not in season at the moment, so I changed it to peaches from the can and pineapple jelly crystal. Taste is milk and not too strong but it also tasted good.....yum

Ingredients Pie Base:

225 gm  biscuit crumbs (digestive or oatmeal)
90 gm salted butter (use foil butter, low water content)
1/4 tsp salt

Method:  

1. 1     Line 8 to 9" square pan with plastic wrap. Make sure the wrap flows out of the pan for easy removal of the cake later.
2.             Large metal bowl:  Mix the butter and biscuit crumbs together and press into removable round base mould.  Set aside in the fridge to chill it.

Ingredients Marshmallow Flan layer:

500 gm full cream milk (Magnolia or Daisy)
260 gm marshmallow
140 gm Nestle cream or 180 gm phillidelphia cream cheese
1 tbsp gelatin crystal
¼ tsp agar agar
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

Method:

1.    Non-stick pot - bring full cream milk to boil.

2.    Slowly dissolved agar agar and marshmallow into hot milk over lower heat, add in Nestle cream/cream cheese stirring continuously. (Fire must be off)

3.    Pour mixture onto biscuit layer and set aside to cool. Chill in fridge to just let it set and not hardened.

Ingredients Strawberries Crystal layer:

Strawberries, halved (or mango/peaches)
250 ml hot water
1 packet strawberry Jelly crystal (added extra 1/2 packet konnyaku jelly)
1 tbsp gelatin crystal
¼ tsp agar agar powder

Method:     dissolved jelly and agar agar in hot water and when slight cool, pour jelly gently onto Marshmallow vanilla Flan layer. Chill in fridge till well set for about 4 hours.