Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach

Taken from Wolfgang Puck's Masterclass.

Ingredients:

900g spinach

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups bechamel sauce

1 tsp salt

0.5 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1) Heat up some olive oil on a pan on medium heat. 

2) Add the spinach in, bit by bit, and cook until wilted (but not soggy). It should take around 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little bit of water if required.

3) Chop the spinach as finely as possible, and place it in a pot.

4) Warm the bechamel sauce, and gradually add it into the spinach while mixing. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a little bit of milk.

5) Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese

For this recipe, feel free to substitute the cheeses with other types of cheese such as parmesan cheese or aged cheddar.

Ingredients:

150g macaroni

1 cup of bechamel sauce

1 cup cheddar cheese

0.25 cup mozzarella cheese

0.25 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Salt

Black pepper

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celcius.

2) Cook the macaroni, then let it dry it as much as possible.

3) Add the bechamel sauce slowly into the macaroni and mix it well.

4) Now add the cheddar and mozzarella cheese in and mix it well. 

5) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6) Spread out the macaroni mixture in an oven-proof pot or skillet, and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. 

7) Put the skillet into the oven until the top is golden brown. It should take around 8 to 12 minutes.

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce is commonly known as a mother sauce, and is one of the fundamental blocks of French cuisine. It serves as the base sauce for lasagna, croque monsieur, mac and cheese, and many other dishes.

It can also be used to make other sauces, such as cream sauce, mornay sauce, soubise sauce, and so on.

Ingredients:

0.25 cup flour

5 tbsp unsalted butter

3.6 cups milk

2 egg yolks

0.5 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1) Heat the milk in a pot until it is just about to boil. Keep an eye on it - once it boils, it will overflow very quickly, messing up your stove and kitchen. Set the whole pot aside.

2) Warm the unsalted butter over medium heat until it is melted. 

3) Lower the heat and add the flour slowly, stirring it continuously with a metal whisk until is smooth. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. If the mixture starts to get brown too quickly, take the pot off the fire occasionally. 

4) Add the milk to the butter mixture, ladle by ladle while stirring. Cook it for around 12 minutes. Again, if your fire is too strong, take the pot off the fire occasionally to prevent it from overcooking.

5) Turn off the fire. Add in the egg yolks, one at a time, and quickly whisk it into the mixture.

6)) Add the salt and nutmeg, mix it well, and the sauce is ready.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

3 boneless chicken breasts

6 strips of bacon

Salt

Black pepper

0.4 cup creme fraiche

0.25 lemon 

Parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius.

2) Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper.

3) Wrap the bacon around the chicken breasts and place them on an oven-proof skillet.

4) Place the skillet into the oven for 25 minutes.

5) Change the oven mode to grill and increase the temperature to 250 degrees Celcius for around 2-3 more minutes, or until the bacon turns crispy.

6) Take the skillet out from the oven and remove the chicken breasts. 

7) Add the creme fraiche and lemon juice in the skillet. Turn on the heat and mix well.

8) Drizzle the mixture over the chicken breasts and garnish with some parsley.