French Dip with Caraway Focaccia Bread and Horseradish Chives Cream Cheese

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 3 hours | Cook time: 3 hours

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If you haven’t guessed it already, my last three published recipes have been gearing up for this one! This recipe makes the most incredible juicy roast beef sandwich that is balanced with a subtle hint of horseradish masked in the chives cream cheese, and placed between soft fresh focaccia bread topped with caraway seeds. The homemade jus made from the roast beef drippings bring it all together in this amazing sandwich. *chef’s kiss*

I’m going to admit, this combination of flavours is not my original idea. This sandwich is a copycat to a French dip that we had at WINNER Bakery in Brooklyn on 7th Ave a few months ago. If you’ve never been, you should definitely hit them up. There’s usually a queue but their sandwiches and breads are well worth it! I tried this sandwich for the first time a few months ago when I was strolling home from the farmer’s market, and the combination of flavours were so good that I had to bring Toby back to try it. I wanted this sandwich all the time, but at $20 a pop for a small sandwich and the long queue, it wasn’t going to be an everyday sandwich. I thought about this sandwich frequently and knew I just had to give it a go and try to make it myself – and I did! In my humble opinion (and Toby’s), I think my version is even better than the original with a more flavourful jus. I use a focaccia instead of a bun and fresh roast beef. The best part is that I can pack on as much roast beef and cream cheese I want and have it again and again. This recipe make enough for at least 6 sandwiches (if you’re a cream cheese fiend, you may want to double the horseradish chives cream cheese portion).

Where it all began – the French Dip sandwich at WINNER Bakery, Brooklyn

Everything is made from scratch in this recipe. I mean everything, from the bread to the roast beef to even the prepared horseradish. It is a labour of love so you’ll need to dedicate your morning to this. The good thing is, there’s a lot of waiting (ie. for the beef to come to room temperature, for the dough to proof, for the beef to cook), so you can do multiple steps while you’re waiting to cut down on the overall time to make this sandwich. If you’re in a rush, you can cut corners by using store bought roast beef deli slices, pre-made jus, and any kind of sandwich bread. The only thing you can’t buy is the horseradish chive cream cheese, which is pretty easy to whip up anyway. I’d highly recommend not cutting any corners to get the full experience of this beauty.

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:

Roast Beef:
- 2 lbs chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
- 2 + 2 Tbsps salt
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Caraway Seed Focaccia:
- 1 x basic dough ball
- Olive oil drizzle
- Salt
- 1/4 cup Caraway seeds
Au Jus:
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 Tbsp Worccestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsps red wine (ie. pinot noir)
- +/- butter
- +/- beef bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:
- 1 package (8oz/226g) of plain cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsps (7g) of fresh chives, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsps horseradish (or more to taste) – check out how to make your own horseradish from scratch here
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Roast Beef:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before. Rinse, pat dry and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.

You can make the caraway focaccia bread in this time.

After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C (if it’s not already preheated from baking the focaccia). Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.

Prepare a baking tray with a metal rack over top and place the beef on the rack. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the outside one more time. If you have a layer on your beef, face the fat layer on top so the fat will drip onto the meat as it cooks. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the middle of the beef if you’ve got one. Bake in the preheated oven at 400˚F/200˚C for 15 minutes to start the browning process, then turn the heat down to 325˚F/163˚C and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 120˚F/49˚C (roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on the size of your beef).

You can make the horseradish chives cream cheese in this time.

Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.

You can make the au jus in this time.

When rested, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

Use a knife or deli slicer to slice the beef into thin pieces

Caraway Focaccia Bread:

Follow the recipe for Easy Focaccia Bread. When you get to the toppings part, use 1/4 cup caraway seeds and a sprinkle of salt with the olive oil. Bake according to instructions at 400˚F/200˚C for 20-25mins.

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.

Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:

In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, and the horseradish 1 teaspoon at a time until desired taste (horseradish can be very strong and some brands are hotter than others, so add small amounts until you’re happy).

Au Jus:

Once the roast beef has finished cooking, collect the drippings from the roast tray into a small saucepan. You should have about 1/4 cup (if not, add enough butter to make it 1/4 cup).

Add 1 cup of beef stock, 1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsps of red wine to the saucepan and heat on MED heat until simmering. Taste and adjust salt as needed. To make it a more robust beefy flavour, add in 1 beef bouillon cube.

Assembly of the sandwich:

Slice the focaccia into desired sandwich size rectangles, then slice it horizontally.

Apply a layer of the horseradish & chives sour cream onto one slice of the bread, then sandwich a few slices of roast beef in between. Serve with the jus. Done! Serve immediately with a hot jus.

Summarized Recipe:

French Dip with Caraway Focaccia Bread and Horseradish Chives Cream Cheese

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 3 hours | Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

Roast Beef:
- 2 lbs chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
- 2 + 2 Tbsps salt
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Caraway Seed Focaccia:
- 1 x basic dough ball
- Olive oil drizzle
- Salt
- 1/4 cup Caraway seeds
Au Jus:
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 Tbsp Worccestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsps red wine (ie. pinot noir)
- +/- butter
- +/- beef bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:
- 1 package (8oz/226g) of plain cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsps (7g) of fresh chives, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsps horseradish (or more to taste)
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Roast Beef:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.
- You can make the caraway focaccia bread in this time.
After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C (if it’s not already preheated from baking the focaccia). Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.
Prepare a baking tray with a metal rack over top and place the beef on the rack. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the outside one more time. If you have a layer on your beef, face the fat layer on top so the fat will drip onto the meat as it cooks. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the middle of the beef if you’ve got one. Bake in the preheated oven at 400˚F/200˚C for 15 minutes to start the browning process, then turn the heat down to 325˚F/163˚C and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 120˚F/49˚C (roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on the size of your beef).
- You can make the horseradish chives cream cheese in this time.
Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
- You can make the au jus in this time.
When rested, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

Caraway Focaccia Bread:

Follow the recipe for Easy Focaccia Bread. When you get to the toppings part, use 1/4 cup caraway seeds and a sprinkle of salt with the olive oil. Bake according to instructions at 400˚F/200˚C for 20-25mins.

Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:

In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, and the horseradish 1 teaspoon at a time until desired taste (horseradish can be very strong and some brands are hotter than others, so add small amounts until you’re happy).
- Making your own horseradish:
  - 1. Add 240g 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).
  - 2. 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.

Au Jus:

Once the roast beef has finished cooking, collect the drippings from the roast tray into a small saucepan. You should have about 1/4 cup (if not, add enough butter to make it 1/4 cup).
Add 1 cup of beef stock, 1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsps of red wine to the saucepan and heat on MED heat until simmering. Taste and adjust salt as needed. To make it a more robust beefy flavour, add in 1 beef bouillon cube.

Assembly of the sandwich:

Slice the focaccia into desired sandwich size rectangles, then slice it horizontally.
Apply a layer of the horseradish & chives sour cream onto one slice of the bread, then sandwich a few slices of roast beef in between. Serve with the jus. Done! Serve immediately with a hot jus.

February 10, 2025December 24, 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

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)

Date Published: Jan 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <30 mins, Asian, appetizers, healthy, low cal, sides, Taiwanese
Serves: 1 plate | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 28 mins (+ 2 hours marinating)

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Drunken Chicken is a traditional Chinese savoury appetizer dish served either cold or at room temperature. Fair warning, if you don’t like alcohol, you’re not going to like this dish. I grew up with this dish and I absolutely hated it when I was a kid because of how strong the alcohol flavour was. It was almost always served as part of a 10 course prix-fixe meal at fancy Chinese restaurants during get-togethers with extended families, work dinners, or wedding banquets. Any time there’s any occasion to celebrate, drunken chicken makes an appearance. Now as an adult and being more accustomed to alcohol, I found a new appreciation for this dish. It’s unique and is a nice way to open your palate before the hot stir frys come out, and the salty cool alcohol flavours gives a good break from hot spicy foods.

This recipe is ridiculously easy and cooks up quickly. Make sure you use good quality Shaoxing Wine for this dish since it’s 50% of the marinade – you’ll taste the difference. You’ll need to marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or better if overnight, so make sure you give yourself enough time before serving.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
4x 3mm slices of ginger
2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
Ice water bath
1 tsp granulated sugar
1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.

Add just enough water to cover the chicken

After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.

When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.

With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).

While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.

Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.

Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Drunken Chicken (a Chinese cold dish)

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone in or out
1 Tbsp kosher salt flakes + more to taste
4x 3mm slices of ginger
2 spring onions, trimmed and cut 4cm lengths
Ice water bath
1 tsp granulated sugar
1.5 cups (375ml) Shaoxing Wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbsp goji berries

Directions:

In a pot or a deep pan (with a lid), arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and add in 1 Tbsp salt, ginger slices, and spring onions. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Put the lid on and turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the water to a boil, then turn it down to LOW to let the chicken simmer for 8 minutes.
After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and let the chicken sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on (do not open the lid until the timer is up or else you’ll let the heat escape). Prepare an ice water bath for the chicken in this time.
When the timer is up, check that the chicken is cooked (internal temp should be at least 165˚F/74˚C). If it hasn’t cooked, simmer it for a bit longer, otherwise remove the chicken and place it in the prepared ice water bath. This will allow the skin to firm up with a bouncy texture.
With the remaining broth, turn on the heat again to MED-HIGH and let the broth simmer until the liquid has reduced to about 1.5 cups (15-20 mins).
While the broth is reducing, once the chicken has cooled, remove it from the ice bath and remove the bone with your hands (if present). Slice the chicken and place it in a glass or non-reactive bowl with a lid.
Once the broth has reduced, strain it into a measuring cup and add in the equivalent amount of Shaoxing wine into the measuring cup (ie. if you have 1.5 cups of broth, you will add to it 1.5 cups of the wine), 1 tsp sugar, and the goji berries. Stir until the sugar dissolves and taste. You should have a very savoury alcohol-tasting broth.
Pour the alcohol/broth mixture into the bowl with the sliced chicken and cover. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When serving, strain the liquid from the chicken and serve chilled. Enjoy!

January 6, 2025December 18, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce

Date Published: Dec 17th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 17th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins, healthy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Get ready to save this to your repertoire, because this easy one pan herb-crusted baked fish recipe is so simple and quick to put together that you’ll end up with a 5 star dish with loads of flavour in very little time! There’s also minimal clean up, perfect for a busy weeknight dinner (or just those days you just don’t feel like putting in much effort).

The fish is cooked in a rich lemony creamy sauce that melds perfectly with the juices released from the fish while baking and the crust provides the aroma of herbs while giving a crunchy texture that contrasts the soft fish. Feel free to pair it with whatever side you like – I’d recommend something with a crunch such as asparagus or broccolini.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 portions (roughly 750g/1.6lbs) of fillets of any mild white fish, cut to the same size, skinless & boneless (ie. cod, tilapia, halibut, barramundi, sole…etc.) – I use cod but any white fish will do
Salt & pepper
Herb Crust:
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Sauce:
- 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 – 1 tsp mayonnaise over each fillet
To garnish: fresh parsley, chopped
Serve with: any crunchy vegetable side dish (ie. green beans, cabbage, roasted fennel…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Rinse and pat dry your fish fillets then salt and pepper both sides and set aside.

Make the crumb mixture: In an oven-proof wide base pan*, mix the crumb mixture together: 1/2 cup panko, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pinch of salt. Toast the mixture in the pan on LOW-MED heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then transfer it to a shallow bowl or plate and set aside to let it cool.

Make the sauce: In the same pan you used to toast the breadcrumbs, melt the 1 stick of butter on LOW-MED heat. Then add in the minced onion, and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Next add the 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsps Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsps lemon juice, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix everything around and taste to adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed. Turn off the heat. Don’t worry if your sauce tastes a bit too strong at this point, it will mellow out once you bake it with the fish.

Crumb the fish: Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise onto one side of each fish fillet (~1/2 – 1 tsp of mayonnaise depending on the size of your fillet), then place the fillet mayonnaise-side down into the toasted crumb mixture (from step 3) and gently press down to get the crumb mixture to stick to the fish. Place the fillet crumb side up into the sauce in the pan (from step 4). Repeat with the rest of the fillets until they are all crumbed.

Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is fully cooked (~10-15 minutes for a 2cm thick fillet). The fish is done when it is no longer translucent and flakey, or the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145°F/63°C.

While the fish is baking, you can prepare a quick side dish such as blanched green beans or steamed broccoli. I recommend something crunchy to contrast the soft texture of the fish.

Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley overtop the fish before serving and pair with the vegetable side dish of choice. Enjoy!

*Note: if you don’t have an oven-proof pan, make everything in a regular pan and pour the sauce into a 9×13″ baking dish and lay the fish overtop.

Summarized Recipe:

Herb-Crusted White Fish with a Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

4 portions (roughly 750g/1.6lbs) of fillets of any mild white fish, cut to the same size, skinless & boneless (ie. cod, tilapia, halibut, barramundi, sole…etc.) – I use cod but any white fish will do
Salt & pepper
Herb Crust:
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Sauce:
- 113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 – 1 tsp mayonnaise over each fillet
To garnish: fresh parsley, chopped
Serve with: any crunchy vegetable side dish (ie. green beans, cabbage, roasted fennel…etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
Rinse and pat dry your fish fillets then salt and pepper both sides and set aside.
Make the crumb mixture:
- In an oven-proof wide base pan*, mix the crumb mixture together: 1/2 cup panko, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pinch of salt.
- Toast the mixture in the pan on LOW-MED heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown then transfer it to a shallow bowl or plate and set aside to let it cool.
Make the sauce:
- In the same pan you used to toast the breadcrumbs, melt the 1 stick of butter on LOW-MED heat.
- Then add in the minced onion, and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Next add the 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsps Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsps lemon juice, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix everything around and taste to adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed. Turn off the heat.
- Don’t worry if your sauce tastes a bit too strong at this point, it will mellow out once you bake it with the fish.
Crumb the fish:
- Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise onto one side of each fish fillet (~1/2 – 1 tsp of mayonnaise depending on the size of your fillet), then place the fillet mayonnaise-side down into the toasted crumb mixture (from step 3) and gently press down to get the crumb mixture to stick to the fish.
- Place the fillet crumb side up into the sauce in the pan (from step 4). Repeat with the rest of the fillets until they are all crumbed.
Bake in the preheated oven until the fish is fully cooked (~10-15 minutes for a 2cm thick fillet). The fish is done when it is no longer translucent and flakey, or the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145°F/63°C.
- While the fish is baking, you can prepare a quick side dish such as blanched green beans or steamed broccoli. I recommend something crunchy to contrast the soft texture of the fish.
Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley overtop the fish before serving and pair with the vegetable side dish of choice. Enjoy!

*Note: if you don’t have an oven-proof pan, make everything in a regular pan and pour the sauce into a 9×13″ baking dish and lay the fish overtop.

December 17, 2024December 10, 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

Haluski – a yummy buttery cabbage & noodle dish

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy, Czech, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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I’ll be honest, I had never heard of Haluski before until one day I was googling recipes for inspiration on how to use up my week old leftover cabbage in the fridge, so there’s no heart felt nostalgia or travel memory associated with this dish to fill up this post. I simply saw it, tested a few recipes, and decided on this version that I’m sharing today because it’s tasty.

From my Google research, Haluski is a central/eastern European dish with arguable origins of either Poland, Solvakia, Hungary, or Ukraine – Toby thinks there’s even a Czech version too. It’s essentially bacon, onions, and cabbage cooked in butter and bacon fat, then mixed with fresh cooked egg noodles. It’s quick and easy, a little oily (from the butter and bacon fat), and definitely delicious. Give it a try!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

3 Tbsps butter
400g (~6 strips) of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med cabbage (~1kg), cored and diced
4 portions (~10oz) of egg noodles – or alternatively nokedli
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter until it starts to lightly brown – you’ll smell the aroma of brown butter.

Then add in the bacon and sauté until browned and lightly crispy.

Next, add the garlic and onions. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and lightly browned.

Next, add in the diced cabbage and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the cabbage has softened and lightly browned.

While the cabbage is cooking, cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.

Once the cabbage has cooked, add in the cooked egg noodles, freshly ground black pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Mix it around and taste to adjust salt as needed. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Haluski – a yummy buttery cabbage & noodle dish

Ingredients:

3 Tbsps butter
400g (~6 strips) of thick cut bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med cabbage (~1kg), cored and diced
4 portions (~10oz) of egg noodles – or alternatively nokedli
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter until it starts to lightly brown – you’ll smell the aroma of brown butter, then add in the bacon. Sauté the bacon until browned and lightly crispy.
Next, add the garlic and onions. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and lightly browned.
Next, add in the diced cabbage and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the cabbage has softened and lightly browned.
While the cabbage is cooking, cook the egg noodles in salted water according to package instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.
Once the cabbage has cooked, add in the cooked egg noodles, freshly ground black pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Mix it around and taste to adjust salt as needed. Done!

April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

Date Published: Mar 5th, 2024 | Last Updated: Mar 5th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, side dishes, salads, mains, <30 mins, easy, quick, healthy, low-cal, Taiwanese, vegetarian
Serves: 2 as mains, 1 large plate | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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This recipe came to me on a search to use up leftover salad ingredients to clear the fridge before our 2 week vacation overseas. It’s quick, easy, flavourful, and kept us on track of our healthy eating goals! This dish is like a cross between a smashed cucumber salad and a tomato egg stir-fry (番茄炒蛋).

In our efforts to be more healthy in this new year, we stocked up on fresh salad ingredients in bulk from Costco just over a week ago and have been slowly getting through it before our trip (it’s amazing how long cos lettuce keeps in the fridge!). It’s the night before our flight and we managed to finish all the leafy greens, but I still had one cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes left. Toby has not been a fan of this batch of cherry tomatoes and says they’re too tart for him (I think it’s fine), so instead of making a basic chopped cucumber and tomato salad, I looked for other options that might mask the tomatoes, but to also be quick and easy so I could start packing. I came across this recipe from Bon Appétit. It came out beautifully and so easy the first time. I’ve made some adaptations and added in exact measurements and ended up with this recipe to share!

What is Asian Smashed Cucumber Salad?

Smashed cucumber salad is a very popular Chinese starter/side dish. It’s served cold and in its essence is a mix of cucumber, salt, raw garlic, and some sort of acid (usually black vinegar). It’s supposed to light and refreshing, yet still have a punch of garlicky saltiness to be savoury. There are many variations out there and some people will add in sesame seeds, chilli, ginger, and/or cilantro. You’ll commonly see this dish not only in nice restaurants, but also in small street-side shops in Taiwan. It’s quick, easy, and takes minimal effort and ingredients. An Asian smashed cucumber salad does not traditionally have tomatoes nor eggs in it, so if you want to go the OG route, leave them out, but I prefer this version because it bulks it up and balances the dish out so it’s not so punchy in flavours and you can eat a whole bowl in one sitting as a main meal.

Smashing is important!

A key component to this dish is smashing the cucumbers. If your cucumbers look like they’ve been chopped, then you haven’t smashed them enough. You want the outside skin to crack and the inside to be crushed, but not flattened. Smashing cucumbers allow the marinating sauce to penetrate deeper and infuse the flavours better. It’s also a good way to relieve some stress 😜.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cucumber (English hothouse – those long ones)
1/2 Tbsps cooking salt
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup black vinegar
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 green onions/scallions, sliced
1/4 tsp white pepper
Drizzle of sesame oil
2 Tbsps of chilli crisp (or more to your liking) – you can substitute with chilli oil instead

Directions:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo).

Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 30 minutes to allow excess water to be released. After 30 mins, discard the released cucumber water and place the cucumber in a mixing bowl.

Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, black vinegar, and sugar to the cucumbers. Mix everything together and let it marinate for another 30 minutes.

Make the eggs: While the cucumber and tomatoes are marinating, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Mix in green onions and a pinch of salt. Heat a pan on MED HIGH heat and add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Let the pan get hot (it’ll be ready when the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke) then add a drop of egg. The oil is hot enough if the egg drop puffs up right away. Add in the rest of the egg mixture carefully and the edges should start to puff within a few seconds. Once the edges are slightly browned, use a spatula to gently move the egg around to cook evenly. You want big chunks of scrambled eggs that’s slightly crispy on the edges but still soft and moist (see photo). This should take less than 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and scoop the egg into the bowl with the marinating cucumber and tomatoes.

Add white pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a few spoonfuls of chilli crisp. Mix everything around, taste and adjust salt or sugar to taste. You should have a tangy, sweet, and salty dish. Serve immediately on a wide bottom dish so the liquid pools outwards.

Summarized Recipe:

Asian Smashed Cucumber Tomato Egg Salad

Ingredients:

1 cucumber (English hothouse – those long ones)
1/2 Tbsps cooking salt
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup black vinegar
2 Tbsps granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 green onions/scallions, sliced
1/4 tsp white pepper
Drizzle of sesame oil
2 Tbsps of chilli crisp (or more to your liking) – you can substitute with chilli oil instead

Directions:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Use a large knife on its flat side to smash the cucumber until cracked then slice into bite sized pieces (see photo). Place the smashed cucumber in a strainer over a bowl and mix in 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Let the cucumber sit for 30 minutes to allow excess water to be released. After 30 mins, discard the released cucumber water and place the cucumber in a mixing bowl.
Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, black vinegar, and sugar to the cucumbers. Mix everything together and let it marinate for another 30 minutes.
Make the eggs: While the cucumber and tomatoes are marinating, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Mix in green onions and a pinch of salt. Heat a pan on MED HIGH heat and add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Let the pan get hot (it’ll be ready when the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke) then add a drop of egg. The oil is hot enough if the egg drop puffs up right away. Add in the rest of the egg mixture carefully and the edges should start to puff within a few seconds. Once the edges are slightly browned, use a spatula to gently move the egg around to cook evenly. You want big chunks of scrambled eggs that’s slightly crispy on the edges but still soft and moist (see photo). This should take less than 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and scoop the egg into the bowl with the marinating cucumber and tomatoes.
Add white pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a few spoonfuls of chilli crisp. Mix everything around, taste and adjust salt or sugar to taste. You should have a tangy, sweet, and salty dish. Serve immediately on a wide bottom dish so the liquid pools outwards.

March 5, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Spicy Asian Tuna Salad

Date Published: July 4th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 4th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sides/salads, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10mins | Cook time: 5mins

Jump to recipe | Watch the video

Last weekend Toby’s dad took us deep sea tuna fishing with a fishing charter in Portland, Vic. My fishing experience is fairly limited but thankfully the charter set up all the rods for us, so all we had to do was wait until a tuna caught on and we take turns reeling them in. Luckily mine didn’t put up too much of a fight but Toby’s gave him a good workout. There was a limit of two tuna per person. We drove around for hours and caught some here and there, but alas we were two fish short of our max. We were on the boat for roughly 6 hours total. We took 4 fish home in total, ranging from 10-15kg (good thing Toby’s parents have a big freezer back on the farm). We youtube’d how to fillet a tuna and we filleted one tuna that night and have been eating it ever since. I’ve been scrambling to find some good tuna recipes and came upon some asian-inspired ones and played around with them. This recipe is the result of it! (I also used up some tuna in the salmon chowder recipe and subbed out the fish type – turned out delicious!)

This recipe has asian-inspired flavours. Some ingredients aren’t very traditionally asian (like the cranberries and raw carrots), but they have their role to play and I promise the overall flavour packs a punch! You end up with a mildly spicy, kinda sweet, crunchy, sesame tuna salad in the end. This recipe is easy and comes together quickly! You can watch the video below to guide you through the recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp asian chilli paste or sambal (I like to use the Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli oil (drained), but any chilli paste should do – you may want to adjust the proportions if your chilli sauce is very spicy). You can even use sriracha.
- 1 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated

200g cooked or canned tuna, flaked and drained well
- You can use canned tuna, but for my purposes I was trying to use up the tuna fillets from our fishing trip so I quickly cooked the tuna in the oven at 180˚C for 10mins and flaked it for this recipe.
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbsp green onions, chopped (~2 stalks)
1/3 cup carrots, chopped finely
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 Tbsp lemon juice

I was quite conservative with the spice level in this recipe – just spicy enough to leave your mouth with a slight tingle. You can choose to omit the chili powder altogether if you’re not into spicy or even double it if you’re a spice fiend. The spiciness of your chili paste will also determine how spicy your tuna salad is.

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sesame oil, light soy sauce, asian chilli oil, honey, ginger. Set aside.

In a bigger bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients: tuna, cranberries, green onion, carrots, sesame seeds, chili powder and lemon juice. Once combined, add in the dressing and mix until incorporated. Serve!

You can serve this as a snack or appetizer or side dish. My favourite way to serve this is in some lettuce leaves as wraps. The crisp and freshness of the lettuce cuts through the heaviness of the salad. You can also have it with crackers or spread in a tortilla to make a burrito or even between some bread to make an easy tuna salad with a punch. I also like to serve it with lemon wedges for extra zing!

Watch the Video Tutorial!

Summarized Recipe:

Spicy Asian Tuna Salad

Date Published: July 4th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 4th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sides/salads, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10mins | Cook time: 5mins

Ingredients:

Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp asian chilli oil (I like to use the Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli oil (drained), but any chilli oil/sauce should do – you may want to adjust the proportions if your chilli sauce is very spicy)
- 1 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp ginger, grated

1 1/2 cups (200g) cooked/canned tuna, flaked and drained
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbsp green onions, chopped (~2 stalks)
1/3 cup carrots, chopped finely
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sesame oil, light soy sauce, asian chilli oil, honey, ginger. Set aside.
In a bigger bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients: tuna, cranberries, green onion, carrots, sesame seeds, chili powder and lemon juice. Once combined, add in the dressing and mix until incorporated. Serve!

Notes:

You can serve this as a snack or appetizer or side dish.
My favourite way to serve this is in some lettuce leaves as wraps. You can also have it with crackers or spread in a tortilla to make a burrito or even between some bread to make an easy tuna salad with a punch.

July 4, 2020September 6, 2020

Abby3 Comments