Easy Focaccia Bread

Date Published: Jan 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: breads, how-to, easy, <30 mins, appetizers, basics, pastry, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 1 pan | Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 25 minutes

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Making your own focaccia bread is incredibly easy and so customizable. With this recipe, you can make any flavour of focaccia you like and you can be as creative and artistic as you like. Go crazy with your focaccia art!

This recipe uses my basic dough recipe, which can be used for so many other things as well – think halloumi cheese pie, za’atar manakish (Lebanese flatbread), pizza dough, flat bread! You can follow the recipe for the basic dough here, but I’ve also outlined the gist of the recipe in a series of photos in this post.

My Go-To Basic Dough

This is my go-to recipe for a basic bread-based dish (ie. flatbread, pizza, manakish, cheese pocket…etc). It only requires 5 ingredients + water and comes together so easily. Make it an hour or two ahead of time and…

Keep reading

by Abby July 13, 2020December 22, 2024

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

One ball of basic dough, after proofing: follow the instructions here
- 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) warm water
- 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
+ Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
- I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia): follow the instructions here, I’ve summarized the process in a series of photos below.

1 Tbsp active dry yeast + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges. Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).

Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for another 20 minutes to relax the dough.

Use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air pockets.

Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.

Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.

After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:

One ball of basic dough, after proofing:
- 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) warm water
- 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
+ Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
- I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia)
Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges.
Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes to relax the dough.
- If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).
After 20 minutes, use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air bubbles.
Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.
Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.
After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

January 31, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

How to make horseradish from scratch

Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

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I’m not a fan of horseradish, but recently I needed a small amount for a new recipe I was trying out and for whatever reason I couldn’t find any jarred horseradish at the bodegas near me. Surprisingly, I did manage to find fresh horseradish root instead. I’ve never used fresh horseradish before (I thought the shop worker was giving me a parsnip 😅), but a quick google search showed how easy it was to make my own prepared horseradish. So here I am, sharing another recipe with everyone on what I’ve learned and to document it incase I’m ever in the same situation again in the future. Preparing your own horseradish is actually super easy and you can tailor it to how spicy, mild, or salty you like. The best part is that it keeps in the fridge for months, which perfect if you go through a jar of horseradish super slowly like me.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop up the horseradish root.

2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup). Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.

3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Done!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Summarized Recipe:

How to make horseradish from scratch

Ingredients:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Wash, peel, and chop the horseradish root.
Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
- Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.
Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

January 26, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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Roasted garlic is one of those magical ingredients that’s packed with so much flavour and yet so easy to make. It’s so versatile and easy to use – you can put it in so many things to easily add an extra depth of flavour or just spread it over plain toast with a drizzle of olive oil for a quick snack. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make and the best part is that it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week covered in olive oil so you can make a bit extra and continue to use it throughout the week without putting in the effort. 🙂

If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).

Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.

Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 mins, take it out of the oven, carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Garlic (a how-to guide)

Date Published: July 20th, 2024 | Last Updated: July 20th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, easy
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Garlic bulbs – however many you’d like to roast
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
Prepare a small square baking tray and pour in a drizzle of olive oil.
Slice the base off of the garlic bulbs (the flat side – see photo) and dip the exposed side into the olive oil and place the bulbs in the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Make sure all the exposed garlic cloves are covered in oil so it doesn’t burn.
Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
After 40 mins, take it out of the oven and carefully remove the foil and let the roasted garlic cool down. Once cool enough to handle, gently remove the garlic cloves from the outer layer. Done!

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Date Published: Feb 13th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 13th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Czech, sides, breads, vegetarian
Serves: 8-10 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 1.5 hours total (20-30mins per dumpling)

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What are Czech Dumplings or Knedlíky?

Knedlíky or dumplings are a staple side dish in Czech food. I see it as THE carb in a Czech meal. Similar to noodles in Asian food or pasta in Italian food, if there’s something rich, saucy, or soupy, you bet it’ll be served with a knedlíky.

There are a few different kinds of dumplings, but the two most common ones I’ve seen in Czech are the fluffy bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) and the denser potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky). The lighter bread dumplings are made with a yeast dough so it’s fluffy but still with a bit of structure and chew and best served with a saucy dish such as svičkova to soak up all the flavours whereas the potato dumplings are much more dense and is like eating a side dish of potatoes that can balance the richness of a dish such as something served with sauerkraut like a vepřo knedlo zelo. Of the two, the bread dumplings are more commonly seen and you can very easily buy them at the supermarket in Czech instead of making them fresh, but I don’t think anyone will be angry if you use them interchangeably. This recipe is for the potato dumplings (bramborové knedlíky). If you want to make the bread dumplings, you can find the recipe here.

Bread Dumpling / Houskové Knedlíky – lighter, fluffier

Do I need to use a special type of flour?

These dumplings are traditionally made with ‘sharp flour’ or ‘continental flour’ which is a coarser flour made from hard wheat that is common in Europe, but actually super difficult to find in regular grocery stores. As a result, this recipe uses a 3:2 ratio mix of all-purpose flour and farina/cream of wheat to achieve the same texture.

Although these dumplings are pretty easy to make, please allow enough time to cook them all. If you don’t have a big pot, you may have to cook them one or two at a time (which is what I always end up doing) and it takes 20-30 mins each time (allow 1.5 hours to cook all 4). If you’ve got extra pots and the stove space, boil them all at once in separate pots so they’re all ready at the same time! I don’t know why it took me so long to think of this.

How do I freeze leftover knedlíky?

Every recipe for knedlíky I’ve seen always makes WAY more than what you need. My guess is that since you’re going through all the effort of making them, you might as well make a bigger batch and freeze them to have on hand. This recipe is no different. If you follow the instructions, you’ll have enough knedlíky for 8 – 10 people. I had thought about halving the recipe when I was writing it, but then remembered how well they keep in the freezer and how easy it is to have dumplings in a pinch when you’re short on time or too lazy to put in the effort, so I left the proportions alone.

I find it best to freeze leftover dumplings in slices rather than a log so it defrosts quickly. You can either freeze them in single portions or altogether in a bag, but make sure you separate the slices a little so it’ll be easier to separate when you only want to defrost a few slices. I freeze them in a ziploc bag or you can wrap it up in cling wrap individually.

To defrost and reheat: The best way to get the best texture is to steam them, especially if you are reheating from frozen. However, I’m lazy and I take out my desired portion and leave it in the fridge the night before then microwave them with a sprinkle of water before serving.

*Note: This recipe and its instructions have been adapted from Cook Like Czechs (who’s got way more beautiful-looking dumplings than I could ever achieve – check it out).

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

900g yellow/Yukon gold potatoes
260g (1.5 cups) all-purpose flour
160g (just under 1 cup) cream of wheat/farina
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
1 tsp kosher/cooking salt
1 egg, whisked

Directions:

Prepare the potatoes (make ahead of time): Boil the potatoes with the skin on until soft and easily pierced with a fork (20-30mins). Drain the potatoes and let it cool down completely (1-2 hours, or overnight). Once cooled, peel and discard the potato skin and use a hand grater to finely grate (use the small grating hole) the peeled potatoes into a bowl and set aside.

To save time, boil the potatoes the day before and let it cool overnight then peel and grate it the next day. Don’t peel or grate it too early or else the potato will start drying out.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cream of wheat, corn starch, and salt. Add in 1 whisked egg and the grated cooked potatoes. Use your hands or a stand mixer and work the dough until you get a smooth, soft, homogenous dough ball. Add a little extra flour if the dough is too sticky.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (roughly 330g each), each formed into fat logs (see photo). Make sure the length of your log does not exceed the diameter of your pot. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect logs. You’ll hardly notice when you serve them as slices.

Lightly boil a pot of water. Gently lower 2 logs into the water (if you have a small pot, you may want to cook just one at a time to not overcrowd them). Let them boil for 25 – 30 minutes. Occasionally move them around in the water to ensure they are not stuck to the bottom of the pot. They will start to float when they’re roughly halfway cooked. To check if they’re cooked, you can slice off a piece and try it – you should get a dense bread-y texture with a little bounce.

Tip: To save time and if you’ve got extra pots and the stove space, boil them all at once in separate pots so they’re all ready at the same time!

Once cooked, remove each log from the water onto a cutting board or drying rack and stab it a couple times with a chopstick or a fork to release the steam. Let it sit for a few minutes to slightly cool down, then slice into 1.5cm slices and serve!

Some examples of knedliky served in traditional Czech dishes:

Summarized Recipe:

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Ingredients:

900g yellow/Yukon gold potatoes
260g (1.5 cups) all-purpose flour
160g (just under 1 cup) cream of wheat/farina
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or potato starch
1 tsp kosher/cooking salt
1 egg, whisked

Directions:

Prepare the potatoes (make ahead of time): Boil the potatoes with the skin on until soft and easily pierced with a fork (20-30mins). Drain the potatoes and let it cool down completely (1-2 hours, or overnight). Once cooled, peel and discard the potato skin and use a hand grater to finely grate the peeled potatoes into a bowl and set aside.
- To save time, boil the potatoes the day before and let it cool overnight then peel and grate it the next day. Don’t peel or grate it too early or else the potato will start drying out.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cream of wheat, corn starch, and salt. Add in 1 whisked egg and the grated cooked potatoes. Use your hands or a stand mixer and work the dough until you get a smooth, soft, homogenous dough ball. Add a little extra flour if the dough is too sticky. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (roughly 330g each), each formed into fat logs (see photo). Make sure the length of your log does not exceed the diameter of your pot.
- Don’t worry if they’re not perfect logs. You’ll hardly notice when you serve them as slices.
Lightly boil a pot of water. Gently lower 2 logs into the water (if you have a small pot, you may want to cook just one at a time to not overcrowd them). Let them boil for 25 – 30 minutes. Occasionally move them around in the water to ensure they are not stuck to the bottom of the pot. They will start to float when they’re roughly halfway cooked. To check if they’re cooked, you can slice off a piece and try it – you should get a dense bread-y texture with a little bounce.
- Tip: To save time and if you’ve got extra pots and the stove space, boil them all at once in separate pots so they’re all ready at the same time!
Once cooked, remove each log from the water onto a cutting board or drying rack and stab it a couple times with a chopstick or a fork to release the steam. Let it sit for a few minutes to slightly cool down, then slice into 1.5cm slices and serve!

February 13, 2024February 11, 2025

Abby6 Comments

Rendering Pork Fat: Making Lard

Date Published: Oct 24th, 2023 | Last Updated: Oct 24th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: tips, tricks
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

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Using lard instead of cooking oil adds an extra depth of flavour to any dish – think stir-fry noodles, fried rice, sautéed veggies. You can buy ready to use lard at any grocery store, but I find homemade lard to have an extra smokiness that you just can’t get beat. Although a little time-consuming, it is SO easy to make your own lard at home and also a little satisfying to watch all the fat melt down. Try it yourself! The finished lard will last for up to 6 months in the fridge.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg of pork belly/fat – with or without skin, chopped 2cm pieces
3/4 cup water

Directions:

In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add in the pork belly and water. After a minute or two, the water will start turning murky and start to evaporate.

When the water evaporates, turn the heat down to MED-LOW and let the fat slowly start to melt to a clear oil.

Continuously spoon out the clear oil into a heat-proof bowl as its produced (you don’t want to leave the pork sitting in a pool of oil or else this will start frying the pork). This is a slow process and will take roughly 45mins – 1hr. Be sure to toss the pork pieces occasionally. It’s done when the pork pieces are dried and crispy and no longer rendering fat. Turn off heat.

When the pork is dried and no longer producing much oil, turn off the heat

Once the oil cools, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. If there are any big floaties in your oil from the pork, strain the oil first before storing. It will solidify once cold and you can use it as needed when cooking. This will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Summarized Recipe:

Rendering Pork Fat: Making Lard

Date Published: Oct 24th, 2023 | Last Updated: Oct 24th, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: tips, tricks
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1kg of pork belly/fat – with or without skin, chopped 2cm pieces
3/4 cup water

Directions:

In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add in the pork belly and water. After a minute or two, the water will start turning murky and start to evaporate.
When the water evaporates, turn the heat down to MED-LOW and let the fat slowly start to melt to a clear oil. Continuously spoon out the clear oil into a heat-proof bowl as its produced (you don’t want to leave the pork sitting in a pool of oil or else this will start frying the pork). This is a slow process and will take roughly 45mins – 1hr. Be sure to toss the pork pieces occasionally. It’s done when the pork pieces are dried and crispy and no longer rendering fat. Turn off heat.
Once the oil cools, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. If there are any big floaties in your oil from the pork, strain the oil first before storing. It will solidify once cold and you can use it as needed when cooking. This will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

October 25, 2023October 25, 2023

AbbyLeave a comment

Vegan Parmesan

Date Published: Feb 8th, 2022 | Last Updated: Feb 8th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: basics, easy, healthy, how-to
Serves: 1.5 cups | Prep time: 1 minute | Mix time: 30 seconds

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I’m not vegan, nor could I ever go vegan, but I do often try to cut down my intake of dairy for health reasons. The hardest part of cutting down dairy is the cheese. My idea of a perfect picnic is a giant cheese board with crackers and fruit pastes. Mmmmmm. I could eat cheese all day every day. I’m a cheese fiend!

Although I have yet to find a replacement for an ooey gooey cheese, I have found a replacement for Parmesan from Minimalist Baker. This recipe uses nutritional yeast as the source of its cheesy flavour and it’s super easy to whip up. Although it won’t melt, you can still use it anywhere you’d use Parmesan. I sprinkle it over pizza, pasta, and add it to savoury baked goods like tuna cakes.

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a strain of deactivated yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that is often used in baking, brewing, and wine-making. The yeast is grown, deactivated, dried, and packaged. It has its own nutritional benefits, but best of all it has a nutty cheesy flavour. It’s a very popular vegan product as a cheese replacement. You’ll usually find nutritional yeast in the health food section. A little goes a long way!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

180g (1.5 cups) cashews (raw or roasted/salted)
6 Tbsps nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (skip if you’re using salted cashews)

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you get a consistency that looks like parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Done! Use immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Summarized Recipe:

Vegan Parmesan

Ingredients:

180g (1.5 cups) cashews (raw or roasted/salted)
6 Tbsps nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (skip if you’re using salted cashews)

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you get a consistency that looks like parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Done! Use immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

February 8, 2022February 8, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

How to Cook Dumplings – 2 ways!

The only type of dumplings I ever had growing up were boiled dumplings because my mom always said it was the healthiest and didn’t need any extra oil. It was also the fastest and easiest method to cook them when you’re whipping up a large batch to feed a family of 5! When I moved out from home, I learned how to pan-fry them from my fellow dumpling-loving friends. Pan-frying takes a little extra effort, but the yummy crunchiness is worth it. I find boiling is best for dumplings that have a filling with a stronger flavour such as my lamb and onion dumplings. Pan-frying is better in fillings with a lighter flavour such as these vegetable dumplings where you can notice the extra fried toastiness.

Every Asian household tends to have their own little variation in how they cook their dumplings and there are a few methods to cooking them. In this entry, I’m sharing the two ways I cook my dumplings: pan-fried and boiled.

A. Pan-frying

You’ll need a flat wok or pan with a lid for this method. The method is essentially first steaming the dumplings with a bit of water and oil. The steam from the water cooks the filling and the skin of the dumpling, then the remaining oil cooks the bottom of the dumplings for crispiness. 👌

1. Heat up a flat wok or pan on MED heat. Add a drizzle of neutral oil and place the dumplings fat side down on top of the oil then add in 1cm of water.

Try not to crowd the dumplings so they don’t stick together and makes it easier to flip.

2. Put a lid on over the wok and let the dumplings steam.

3. Once all of the water evaporates, remove the lid and check the bottom of the dumplings for a golden brown colour and flip them over. If they’re not yet golden brown, continue cooking the dumplings.

4. Once the bottoms are golden brown, flip them over and cook the other side of the dumplings until golden brown. You can add a little oil to the pan so they brown up a little faster.

5. Serve while hot with your favourite dipping sauce!

B. Boiling

This method is a lot more straight-forward. You’re essentially boiling the dumplings until the insides are cooked. Make sure your dumplings are sealed well, otherwise the filling will fall out in the boiling process. Try not to over boil it, or else the skin will become too soggy and break apart. If your dumplings are stuck together from the freezing process, just throw them in the pot altogether. Do not try to break them apart of else the skin will break. They will naturally separate in the pot.

1. In a large pot, fill 2/3 of the pot with water and bring it to a boil.

2. Once the water is boiling (we want a big boil where the water is moving vigorously, not just a simmer), gently drop in the dumplings, careful not to splash yourself!

3. When the water starts boiling again, add in a cup of cold water.

4. When the water starts boiling again, add in ANOTHER cup of cold water.

5. When the water boils a fourth time, the dumplings should be ready. The dumplings should be floating and you’ll see little pockets of air under the skin to signify the inside is cooked. If not, boil them for a little longer.

(See in the photo how the dumplings are floaty and pillowy with small pockets of air in them –>)

6. When the dumplings are cooked, strain them from the pot and transfer to a plate. Add a drizzle of sesame oil (or neutral oil) and mix it around to prevent them from sticking together. Serve with your favourite dumpling dipping sauce!

Dumpling Recipes:

Czech Tomato Gravy (over Sliced Beef) – Rajská Omáčka

Vepřo knedlo zelo (pork, dumpling, sauerkraut) – a Czech national dish

Czech Potato Dumplings – Bramborové Knedlíky

Lamb and Onion Dumplings

Vegetable Dumplings

December 25, 2021December 25, 2021

Abby3 Comments

How to Roast Red Peppers

Date Published: Sept 26th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 26th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: how-to
Prep time: 10 mins (depending on how many you’re roasting) | Cook time: 20 mins

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This past weekend we came across a clearance produce sale and got 45 red peppers for $10!! Say wuuuuut! We can never pass up a good deal…but now we’re stuck with 45 peppers 😂. I’m not a huge fan of eating red peppers raw unless in small amounts in a salad, but roasted is another story! Roasted red peppers are super versatile and so easy to add to any dish including salads, marinades, soups…etc. Therefore I decided to roast pretty much the entire box! They also last much longer when kept roasted in an air tight container. This how-to guide is how I roast red peppers.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Olive oil
Red peppers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 230˚C (450F).

Cut the peppers in half and get rid of the stalk and seeds.

Brush the outside of each peppers with olive oil and arrange them on a baking dish lined with aluminum foil or a reusable liner (caution: baking paper can burn at high temperatures).

Bake in the preheated oven until the skin wrinkles, collapses, and the outside is charred (~15-20 mins).

Transfer the peppers to a heat-proof bowl and cover for 10 mins to let it steam. This will let the skin peel off easily. Tip: don’t let it steam for too long or else the skin will become too fragile and be harder to peel off in one piece (I learned this the hard way). Remove the skin and discard. Your peppers are now ready to use!

Storage:

They store well in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week.
Store them in olive oil for 2 weeks.
Place in a freezer bag and store for longer.

Summarized Recipe:

How to Roast Red Peppers

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Red peppers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 230˚C (450F).
Cut the peppers in half and get rid of the stalk and seeds.
Brush the outside of each pepper with olive oil and arrange them on a baking dish lined with aluminum foil or a reusable liner (caution: baking paper can burn at high temperatures).
Bake in the preheated oven until the skin wrinkles, collapses, and the outside is charred (~15-20 mins).
Transfer the peppers to a heat-proof bowl and cover for 10 mins to let it steam. This will let the skin peel off easily. Tip: don’t let it steam for too long or else the skin will become too fragile and be harder to peel off in one piece (I learned this the hard way). Remove the skin and discard. Your peppers are now ready to use!

September 26, 2021January 2, 2024

Abby2 Comments

How to butterfly a Chicken Breast

Date Published: August 20th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 20th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: how-to
Serves: — | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: —

Butterflying a chicken breast sounds fancy but it’s so much easier than I initially thought. You’re essentially just cutting the the thickness of the breast in half and opening it up, effectively doubling the size of the chicken! This is how you get giant schnitzels at restaurants and if you pound down the breast it becomes even bigger like the famous Hot Star Taiwanese Big Fried Chicken.

Other than doubling the size of your chicken, butterflying a chicken breast also evens out the thickness and helps the chicken cook more uniformly, especially when you’re breading it for a parma, schnitzel, or a katsu. It only takes a couple of minutes and all you need is a knife and cutting board.

I’ve included photos and tried to be as descriptive as I can in how to butterfly a breast. If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! Let me know if a video would be helpful as well. You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

What you’ll need:

Chicken breast
Cutting board
Sharp kitchen knife

Directions:

Start off by rinsing your chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels. Lay them flat on a chopping board.

The breast on the left has the side piece cut off whereas the right breast still has it intact for comparison.

2. Cut off the small side piece of meat located on one side of the breast (see photo above). Note: Some butchers sell chicken breast with this small piece already cut off so don’t worry if you can’t locate yours. Set aside this piece for another use.

Starting at the thicker side, slice the breast in half, keeping your knife parallel with the chopping board but don’t cut all the way through

3. Starting at the thicker side (opposite side of where you just cut off the small side piece), take your knife and cut the thickness of the breast in half, keeping the knife parallel to the chopping board. Do NOT cut all the way through the breast. Stop when there’s about 2cm left from the edge, then open up the breast.

Stop cutting when you get near the end of the breast. Open it up and done!

4. Congratulations! You have just butterflied a chicken breast. Repeat with the other breasts.

Recipes that use this method:

Pesto-Crusted Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

Baked Chicken Katsu Parma

Baked Chicken Katsu

August 20, 2020August 20, 2020

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How to Make Brown Butter

Date Published: August 10th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 10th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: how-to, basics
Serves: — | Prep time: 2 minutes | Cook time: 5-8 minutes

Brown butter is literally butter than has been “browned” by cooking it down. The process is as easy as placing butter on a skillet and waiting until it’s brown. No other ingredients needed other than butter itself. The end result is this beautiful fragrant nutty magical brown liquid that adds amazing flavour and depth to a dish. Although it’s very easy to brown butter, there is room for error so that’s why I’ve written a step-by-step guide with photos on what to look out for to ensure you get a perfectly browned butter every time.

Butter itself is not only fat. It’s composed of 1) fat, 2) water, and 3) milk solids and all 3 of these will separate during the process of browning butter. In a nutshell when you brown butter, you melt it down and the water content will evaporate as the mixture sizzles. Once the water has evaporated, you’re left with fat and milk solids. The milk solids will toast during the process which is what gives us the nutty bold flavour so make sure you scrape as much milk solids out of the pan when transferring! The water content of butter is roughly 13-17% (thanks Google), which means that the amount of brown butter you end up with will be 13-17% less than the amount of better you started with (ie. 100g of butter will result in 83-87g of brown butter) so make sure you calculate properly how much butter you need to start with for your recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Butter (either salted or unsalted)
- I like to use unsalted butter which is what most baking recipes call for and I add my own salt at the end for savoury dishes.

Directions:

Cut the butter into even sized cubes so they melt evenly.

Heat a skillet (ideally one with a silver and white bottom so you can easily see the colour changes) on MEDIUM heat and add the butter to the skillet.

The butter will go through several stages during this process. Make sure you’re frequently stirring during this whole process to keep everything moving:

Butter blocks will all melt to a liquid state and sizzle.
The butter continues to sizzle and you’ll start to notice white foam forming. These are the precious milk solids.
The foam will start to subside a little and the mixture will start to brown (timing will depend on how much butter you put in the pan, but usually 5-8 minutes). You will notice that some of the milk solids will have sunk to the bottom of the pan and start to turn brown. KEEP AN EYE ON THESE MILK SOLIDS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN!
Once the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turns toasty brown, the brown butter is done and quickly transfer the contents to a heat-safe bowl. Done!
- DO NOT leave it in the pan, otherwise the heat from the pan will continue cooking the butter. There are only a few seconds between brown butter and burnt butter, so once those solids are toasty brown, you’re done! There should be a a delicious nutty aroma that fills the air. Make sure you get all the milk solids out of the skillet when transferring because that’s where most of the flavour is!

Recipes that use brown butter:

Brown Butter Thyme Mushrooms

August 10, 2020August 20, 2020

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