Roast Chicken

A dish everyone looking forward... the entire cooking process is so rewarding. The roasting aroma filled not only the Training Room but the other rooms as well. Our chicken breast is popular, as we separated the skin and chicken breast (make a "pocket"), stuffed in generous amount of butter + chopped garlic (mixed together).

We stuffed onion, lemon, entire sprig of fresh thyme, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper into the chicken cavity.

Rubbed the skin with salt and pepper and olive oil.

We make sure "Basting" process is done carefully. Fat and cooking juice from roasting tray were spooned over the whole chicken to moisten it. It is important to prevent the chicken surface from drying and enhance the taste of skin in particular. Every participants were given a chance to practice the carving skills and decide our favorite part of chicken for lunch...

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

50 g Butter

3 cloves Garlic (chopped)

Stuffed in chicken cavity:

1 bulb Garlic

1 no Onion
1 no Lemon

1 sprig Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Roast Gravy:

150 g Chicken Stock

2 Tbsp Flour

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Roating Vegetables (optional):

celeryLeekCarrotPotato
* Note: May boil (potato) and toss the vegetables in the pan before transfer to roasting tin after basting process.

Methods:

1. Rub the chicken inside and out with generous amount of salt and fresh ground black pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 200-220 degree C.

3. Separate the breast area skin (make a "pocket") and stuffed in garlic butter.

4. Stuff the garlic bulb, whole lemon, onion, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper into the cavity.

5. Pat chicken with kitchen towel, rub olive oil all over.

6. Transfer chicken on roasting tin and roast for 45 minutes.

7. Remove the roasting tin from oven and "baste" the chicken.

8. * Put the chicken back to the oven and roast for another 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

9. Allow chicken stand for 20 minutes after removal from oven before carving.
Roast Gravy:

1. Pour juice and fat from roasting tin to saucepan. Add chicken stock. Bring to boil.

2. Add flour to thicken the salt.

3. Lastly add salt and pepper to taste.

Egg and Potato Salad

"Never thought that potato can taste so good!" ... is the comment from some participants in the training room.
The potato simply absorbed flavor from mayonnaise and mustard. Together with hard-boiled egg make a perfect match! Never forget to highlight, the crunchy celery, pickled gherkin and onion enhanced the salad texture.

Ingredients:

• 5 nos Potatoes (large)


• 3-4 nos Egg


• 1/2 cup Celery (cubed)


• 1/2 cup Onion (chopped)


• 2-3 Pickled Gherkin (cubed)


• 1/2 cup or more mayonnaise


• 2 Tbsp English / Dijon Mustard


• To taste Salt


• To taste Pepper


• Dill / Parsley - garnished or chopped and mixed with salad

Methods:

1. Boil eggs

2. Boil potatoes with skin. May boil with bay leaf and fish sauce (optional).

3. Peel eggs and potatoes. Dice eggs. Slice or cut potatoes into any shape.

4. In a separate bowl, mixed mayonnaise and mustard well.

5. Add eggs, potatoes, celery, onion, gherkin, salt and pepper.

6. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

7. Serve cold.

Points I followed:

- I simply love to garnish with dill or mixed with chopped parsley. It fresh up the salad!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mushroom Soup is one of the popular (western) soup in this part of the world. Unfortunately, to many of the young generation, the instant powder/canned form or those found in the fast-food restaurant is their version of mushroom soup. Therefore, a few couldn't accept our freshly cooked original recipe... Of course, most of us enjoyed and asked for more...

To me, the most important is be able to introduce this homemade version... and I have made many mums became the best Cook in the eyes of their children when they used my recipe! It is very encouraging and joyous moment to see the satisfied faces.

Ingredients:

• 500 g *Mushrooms (sliced)


• 90 g Butter or Olive oil


• 2 nos Onion - medium (chopped)


• 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)


• 2-3 Tbsp Plain Flour


• 1.5 lit Chicken Stock


• 2 Bay Leaf (medium)


• To taste Black pepper (freshly ground)


• To taste Salt


• Parsley - garnish (chopped)

Methods:

1. Heat up butter and add in garlic and onions. Cook until soft but not brown. ~ 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add sliced mushrooms, cook over a high heat for 3 minutes, stir constantly.

3. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms, mix well to combine.

4. Pour in the hot chicken stock and bring to boil. Add bay leaf and leave the soup to cool for a few minutes.

5. Place soup in food processor. Blend well till smooth.

6. Return the soup into saucepan. Season with salt and peper and reheat until boiling.

7. Stir in the cream (optional). Garnished with chopped parsley.

Points I followed*:

- Used fresh white button mushroom, swiss brown mushroom (both large & small), fresh shiitake mushroom and canned button mushroom.

- If lighter color preferred, used more white button mushroom.- For those don't like the woody mushroom smell, reduced amount of shiitake mushroom.

White Stock

We carefully prepared our white stock, as we know it is essential to any quality sauce (for our roasted chicken) or soup (mushroom soup).

Points that we followed:
- cooked slowly/simmer
- should not be covered
- scum and fat were removed as they accumulate

Ingredients:

• 2 kgs Chicken Bone


• 5 lit Water


• 1 no Onion (large)


• 1 stick Celery


• 1 tsp Thyme


• 1 tsp Parsley


• 1 Bay leaf


• 5-7 Cloves


• 10 Peppercorns

Methods:
1. Wash bones in cold water.
2. Place bones in stockpot and cover with cold water. Heat to the boiling point (blanch).
3. Drain.
4. Cover bones with fresh water. Add vegetables and spices.

5. Simmer for ~ 3 hours. Remove scum as it accumulates.
6. Skim and strain.

Notes:If stock is not going to be used immediately, to prevent spoilage, it should be cooled as quickly as possible by placing the container in cold running water. It should then be refrigerated.

Food Production Practical

I have opportunity to impart my knowledge on food preparation to younger generation who are keen to learn how western style of cooking is being done. Most of them knows the name of the western menu but does not know how it was prepared. It was a pleasure to be able to share with them the western method of cooking for stock, soup, salad, meat, and dessert. Of course, one of the highlights that make the session more interesting is the vegetable cutting, especially onion chopping...