Steamed mushroom custard

Mushrooms - Part 2.

Smooth, silky and nutritious.

Ingredients (makes 6):
20g butter
1 tsp sesame oil
1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced
50g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced thinly
50g enoki mushrooms, stems removed and halved lengthwise
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dashi granules
4 eggs
3 egg yolks
185ml whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp mirin
2 tsp Japanese soya sauce
A pinch of ground white pepper
3 chives, halved

Method:
1. In a small frying pan, heat the butter and sesame oil over a medium flame. Add the leek and cook for 3 minutes or until soft.
2. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6 minutes until wilted. Sprinkle the dashi in the pan and mix till dissolved.
3. Remove the pan from the flame and set aside to cool.
4. In a bowl, mix the eggs, egg yolks, cream, mirin, soya sauce, salt and white pepper.
5. Place the mushrooms in 6 ramekins and pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms. Steam for 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with chives and serve hot.

Tips:
Substitute the dashi granules with a quarter cube of chicken stock.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Sep 2008)

Chilled silken tofu and roasted tomato salad

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 packet FairPrice Silken Tofu
300g cherry tomatoes on the vine
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt flakes or coarse salt
1/2 tsp fine sugar
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
1/4 tsp sesame oil
3 basil leaves, finely shredded

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
2. Place the tomatoes, still on their vine, in a small baking dish together with the garlic.
3. Pour the olive oil over them and sprinkle with the salt and sugar.
4. Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes start to shrivel slightly.
5. Remove from the oven and cool.
6. Cut the tofu into eight even slices and arrange them on a serving dish.
7. Top with the tomatoes and garlic.
8. Spoon any olive oil left over in the baking dish on top.
9. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and sesame oil.
10. Scatter the basil over the dish and serve immediately.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Silken Tofu available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (6 Mar 2008)