Spicy Baked Potato Wedges

Ingredients (Serves 1) - 200g roasting potatoes - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder (adjust according to your preference) - 1 tsp dried parsley - 1 dried bay leaf (optional) - 1 tsp garlic powder - sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Directions 1. Scrub potatoes clean, dab dry with paper towel and slice lengthwise to wedges. 2. Coat potato wedges with extra virgin olive oil. Add cayenne powder, dried parsley, bay leaf and garlic powder. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to mix well. 3. Arrange potato wedges one layer in an oven-safe tray and bake at preheated oven of 200C for about 40 minutes, or until the potato skin is wrinkled.

Bacon Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients Serves 4 - 150g streaky bacon, stacked on top of each other and thinly sliced - 8 baby potatoes (scrubbed & skin on), halved or quartered - 5 cloves garlic, mashed - 2 dried bay leaves - sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Directions 1. Toss bacon slices in a large saut pan, add a splash of water and begin heating the pan over a medium-high heat. When the water evaporates and the bacon begins to brown, turn the heat down and continue cooking until the bacon is browned and crisp. Set aside the bacon oil and the bacon bits. 2. Par boil the potatoes in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Add par-boiled potatoes in a roasting tray, and coat the potatoes with bacon oil. 3. Season the potatoes with sea salt and pepper. Add garlic and bay leaves. Roast the potatoes at 200C for about 20 minutes, or until the skin is wrinkled. Top with the previously prepared bacon bits.

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic, Lemon & Thyme

Ingredients (Serves 2) - 20 medium to thick stalk asparagus (do not use pencil-thin types) - 5 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped - 5 garlic cloves, slightly mashed - 3 thin slices lemon - lemon juice - 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (for better results, dip them in hot water for 30 seconds before use) - 2 dried bay leaves (optional) - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Directions 1. Prepare the asparagus by trimming & discarding the bottom ends and removing the outer skin on the stalks. 2. Coat asparagus with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Arrange asparagus spears one layer on a roasting tray. For convenience of cleaning, you can line the tray with aluminium foil. 3. Top asparagus with chopped garlic, lemon slices, thyme, bay leaves and garlic cloves. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice (not too much you want a mild citrus flavour but not sour taste). 4. Roast the asparagus in pre-heated oven of 200C for about 20 minutes, or until the tips start to brown slightly.

Baked Nacho Chips with Bacon, Cheddar & Jalapenos

Ingredients (serves about 6) - 6 slices (about 100g) bacon roughly chopped - 1 onions finely diced (the original recipe calls for 2 onions but I used one large onion to suit my personal preference) - 1 jalapeo chilli, seeds removed and minced - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese - 1 bag restaurant style Tortilla chips (I used plain tortilla chips) Directions 1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon. 2. Let brown and then add onions and jalapeno and cook until they have softened and are beginning to caramelize. 3. Cool slightly and then pour into a bowl and add grated cheese. Toss to combine. 4. Spread the tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet and top each one generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture. 5. Bake at pre-heated oven of 200C (400F) for 10 minutes or so until chips are golden and cheese is melted and bubbling.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Ingredients Serves 4 - 320 g spaghetti - 1 kg fresh clams (vongole) still in their shells (thats the longest and most difficult option, but surely the best one) OR 1 jar preserved clams OR 1 pack frozen clams - 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided - 1 garlic clove - glass white wine - 1 small bunch of parsley - 1 small piece of chili pepper (optional)

Directions 1. If you are using fresh clams, first you have to put them in salted water for a few hours so they will expel all of their sand. Then wash them, put them in a pot with nothing else, cover them and put them on the stove for a few minutes until they are all open. Let them cool and patiently remove all of them from their shells. Alternatively, you can also leave some or all in the shells for decoration. If you are using preserved or frozen clams, just skip all of the above.

2. Put a large pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic clove on the stove. When it is hot, add the clams and let them cook a little bit (not much as they are practically already cooked during the opening procedure). Add the wine and let it evaporate. Turn off the stove, remove the garlic clove and add chopped parsley and crushed pepper if you like. 3. In the mean time, cook spaghetti until al dente. Remember to put a little bit less of salt than usual in the water. 4. Put the drained spaghetti in the pan with the clams. Turn on the stove and shake the pan energetically to mix pasta and clams well. If the pasta is becoming too dry, you can add a little bit of its cooking water. 5. Turn off the stove and then add the remaining olive oil. This is called olio a crudo and gives a special touch to the dish. 6. Put into 4 pasta dishes and serve while its still hot!

Scallops Aglio e Olio

Ingredients (Serves 2) - 2 servings of pasta - 10 fresh large white scallops - sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper - 4 tbsp fine olive oil - 8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped - 2 chilli padi, sliced (optional, can also substitute with 1/2 tsp chilli flakes) - a handful (I usually use a whole packet) Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped - butter Directions 1. Fill a pot with water (enough to submerge pasta) and about 1 tbsp sea salt. Bring the water to a boil and then cook pasta according to the timing indicated on the packet. Drain and set aside the pasta, reserving some pasta water for later. 2. Heat a deep pan and add a small knob of butter. Spread the melted butter evenly over the pan either by swirling the pan, or using a spatula. 3. Season scallops with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, then arrange one layer on the pan. Allow one side to sear and brown before flipping over to the other side using kitchen tongs. When both sides of the scallops are browned, take out and set aside on a plate. 4. Add olive oil to the pan with the scallop juices and browned bits. When the oil is

heated, add chopped garlic and chilli padi/chilli flakes (if using). Saute till the garlic turns light brown. 5. Off the flame and let garlic cook for a few more seconds and turn a lovely golden brown. Add cooked pasta, 1-2 tbsp reserve pasta water, 3/4 of the chopped parsley and 20g butter, cut to small knobs. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Mix well to coat the pasta evenly, ensuring the butter is melted fully. 6. Dish pasta to serving plates and top with the cooked scallops and the remaining chopped parsley.

Cream of Portobello Mushroom Soup

Ingredients (Serves 4 6) - 25g butter - 3/4 large white/yellow onion, chopped finely - 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed - 1 tbsp plain flour - 850ml vegetable/chicken/mushroom stock (see cooking note 1) - 650g portobello mushrooms, chopped to large chunks - 5 fresh sage leaves, chopped finely - 100ml white wine - 100ml double cream/thickened cream (see cooking note 2) - sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper - chopped fresh parsley (for garnishing) Directions 1. Melt butter in large and deep saucepan. And the onions and garlic, and cook over gentle flame till the onions have just started to caramelised (soft, translucent, shrunken). This takes about 4 minutes. 2. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute more, then gradually stir in the stock. 3. Add the mushrooms and bring to the boil. Dont worry if it seems like a lot of mushrooms, they will shrink considerably when they are cooked.

4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the sage. 5. Remove a couple of ladlefuls of the mushrooms, chop them to small pieces and set aside. 6. Process the remaining soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. 7. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the wine & cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. 8. Warm through, without boiling. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped mushrooms you reserved in step 5, parsley and a few drops (or swirls) of cream. Serve with toast. Cooking Notes: 1) Woh Hup brand of Concentrated Mushroom Stock for the stock base by dissolving 1 tsp of stock for every 200ml of water. This stock works really well for this soup and is very convenient. 2) The original recipe calls for double cream, which is something common in UK. However, double cream is quite rare in Singapore pretty expensive. substituted this with thickened cream containing 35% milk fat and it does the job well and is so much cheaper and easier to find at our local supermarkets. 3) Ingredients substitution: substitute portobello mushrooms with wild mushrooms. can also substitute the sage with fresh thyme (1 tsp).