Combination long soup

- 6 oz thick egg noodles
- 5 dried black mushrooms, soaked
- 2 oz lean pork, cut into fine shreds
- 2 oz chicken boneless, cut into fine shreds
- 6 oz chinese cabbage, cut into 2-inch squares
- 2 oz button mushrooms, diced
- 2 slices fresh ginger, chopped
- 6 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock powder
- 1 tablespoon light soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Pinch of sugar, salt and white pepper

Soak noodles in boiling water to soften, about 12 minutes, then drain well.
Squeeze water from black mushrooms, remove stems and slice thinly.

Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan and add chicken stock powder, soya sauce, sherry and seasonnings.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry pork and chicken shreds for 1½ minutes.
Add to the soup with ginger.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, then add noodles and cook until just tender.
Add black mushrooms and cabbage and simmer until softened, then just before serving add in button mushrooms and heat through.

Garnish with fresh coriander.

BON APPETIT

Szechwan stewed beef

- 1½ pounds lean flank beef cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 shallots sliced
- 6 slices fresh ginger
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 fresh orange peel chopped
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns lightly crushed
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce
- ¾ cup dark soya sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour

In a large saucepan, place shallots, meat, ginger, broken star anise and orange peel.
Cover meat with cold water and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 2½ hours.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Remove meat from the stock and drain well, then cut or break the meat into smaller pieces, set aside.
Strain stock back into the pan and add the pre-mixed sauce.
Bring to the boil and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic and peppercorns on moderately high heat for ½ minute.
Add meat and stir-fry on high heat until well coloured.
Return to the stock with garlic and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes more.

Transfer to a deep dish and serve with steamed white rice.

BON APPETIT

Pineapple and lychee chicken

- 1 pound chicken bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon poultry marinade
- 2 egg whites
- ¾ cup cornflour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 rings canned pineapple, diced
- 12 canned lychees, drained
- 2 shallots, cut in small pieces
- Deep-frying oil

Sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornflour

Season the chicken pieces with poultry marinade, leave 20 minutes.
Mix egg whites with cornflour, adding a little cold water to make a thickish batter.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Heat deep oil in a wok.
Coat the chicken pieces with the batter and place one by one in the hot oil.
Fry to a deep golden brown, then remove and drain well.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons oil and stir-fry garlic and shallots for 1 minute.
Pour in the sauce and bring to the boil.
Add chiken, pineapple and lychees and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes clearer.
Spoon into a serving dish and serve.

BON APPETIT

Poultry marinade

Makes about ½ cup
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon white pepper
- 4 slices fresh ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced

To prepare marinade, measure ingredients into screw-top jars.
Shake well and keep refrigerated until needed.

BON APPETIT

Stir-fried shrimps, peas and cashews

- ¾ pound raw shrimps, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon seafood marinade
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 2 oz frozen green peas
- 3 oz raw cashew nuts
-2 shallots, chopped
- 4 slices fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- Pinch of salt and white pepper
- Deep-frying oil

Sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- ½ teaspoon cornflour

Wash shrimps and pat dry.
Season with seafood marinade and add beaten egg white and cornflour.
Mix well and leave for 10 minutes
Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Heat deep oil in a wok, put the cashews in a wire strainer or perforated ladle and place in the oil.
Fry to a light golden brown, lift out and drain on absorbent paper.

Add shrimps to the oil and fry for ½ minute, drain.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil and fry shallots and ginger for ½ minute.
Add peas and stir-fry on high heat for 1½ minutes.
Return shrimps to the wok and season with sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper.
Stir briefly, then pour in the sauce.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens and clears.
Add the cashews and mix well.

Garnish with slivers of thinly sliced red chilli and sprigs of parsley.

BON APPETIT

Szechwan chilli prawns

- 1½ pounds raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 3 shallots finely chopped
- 1½ oz bamboo shoots, drained and finely chopped
- 6 slices fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Deep-frying oil

Sauce
- One-third cup water
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons chilli oil or chilli sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- Pinch of salt and white pepper

Rinse prawns and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Coat with cornflour and set aside.
Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Heat deep oil in a wok.
Drop in prawns and deep-fry for 1 minute, remove and drain.
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons oil and stir-fry shallots,bamboo shoots, ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil.
Return prawns and simmer until sauce thickens and becomes clear, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with sesame oil and finely chopped shallot.
Serve.

BON APPETIT

Sweet and sour prawns

- 1 pound raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons seafood marinade
- 2 eggs, seperated
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 3 shallots, shredded
- ½ each green and red peppers, cut in small cubes
- 1½ oz preserved chow chow or chinese pickles
- Deep-frying oil

Sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 3 oz brown sugar
- 4 slices fresh ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- Pinch of salt

Rinse prawns and pat dry.
Season with seafood marinade.
Add lightly beaten egg whites and the cornflour, mix well and leave for 10 minutes.
Place ¾ cup cornflour in a plastic bag.
Lightly beat egg yolks and mix with the prawns, then drop into the bag.
Shake vigorously to thickly coat prawns with the flour.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Heat deep oil in a wok.
Shake excess cornflour from prawns and place in the oil.
Fry for 2 minutes, then lift out and drain.
Reheat the oil and deep fry prawns ½ minute more, drain well.

Pour off the oil but 2 tablespoons and fry shallots and peppers briefly.
Add sauce and bring to a boil.
When bubbling, add the chow chow and cook on moderate heat until the sauce thickened slightly and become clear.
Add prawns and stir to coat with the sauce.
Heat through and serve.

Note: For extra flavor, prepare the sauce several hours in advance and reheat before serving, but do not fry the prawns until ready to serve.

BON APPETIT

Seafood marinade for chinese cooking

Makes about ¼ cup
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 8 slices fresh ginger, minced

To prepare marinade, measure ingredients into screw-top jars.
Shake well and keep refrigerated until needed.

BON APPETIT

Best Classic Carrot Cake

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons baking soda

- ½ teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 3 large eggs

- 2 cups sugar

- ¾ cup vegetable oil

- ¾ cup buttermilk

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 2 cups grated carrot

- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

- 1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut

- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation

1. Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
2. Stir together first 4 ingredients.
3. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

BON APPÉTIT

Bacon, Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza Bites

Ingredients

• 5 cups all purpose flour , (approx)5 5cups cups(1.25 L) (1.25 L) all purpose flour, (approx)
• 2 tbsp olive oil 2 2tbsp tbsp(30 mL) olive oilolio(30 mL)
• 1 tbsp liquid honey 1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) liquid honey
• 1 pkg active dry yeast , (2-1/4 tsp/11 mL)1 1pkg pkgactive dry yeast, (2-1/4 tsp/11 mL)
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds 3 3tbsp tbsp(45 mL) (45 mL) sesame seeds
• 1-1/2 tsp salt 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tsp(7 mL) (7 mL) salt

• Topping:
• 6 oz thick-sliced bacon , diced (about 1-1/3 cups/325 mL)6 6oz oz(170 g) (170 g) thick-sliced baconthick-sliced bacon, diced (about 1-1/3 cups/325 mL)
• 2 cups thinly sliced red onion 2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) thinly sliced red onion
• 1 bunch green onions , cut in 1-inch pieces1 1bunch green onions, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) pepper
• 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese 2/3 2/3cup cup(150 mL) (150 mL) grated Romano cheeseRomano cheese
• 6 oz goat cheese , crumbled (about 1-1/4 cups/300 mL)6 6oz oz(170 g) (170 g) goat cheese, crumbled (about 1-1/4 cups/300 mL)

Preparation

In bowl, stir together 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour, oil, honey, yeast and 2 cups (500 mL) warm water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until bubbly and almost doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

With wooden spoon, stir in all but 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the remaining flour, sesame seeds and salt to form ragged dough. Turn out onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.

Divide dough in half. Place each on greased 16- x 12-inch (40 x 30 cm) rimmed baking sheet. Pressing with fingertips and gently pulling at edges, stretch to fit pans.

Topping: Sprinkle bacon, red and green onions, and pepper evenly over dough; top with Romano cheese.

Bake in bottom third of 450°F (230°C) oven until bottom of crust is golden, about 18 minutes. Sprinkle goat cheese over top; bake until cheese is slightly melted, about 4 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut each pizza into 36 squares.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: January 2011

BON APPETIT