Thursday, March 11, 2010

Kencangkan Kulitmu dengan Agar-agar Bubuk

Alkisah, seorang ibu berusia 65 tahun dengan kulit wajah keriputless (halah opoo iku keriputless) maksudnya tidak banya keriput. dia mempunyai kebiasaan menggunakan masker yang terbuat dari bubuk agar2.

Caranya: campurkan 1 sendok makan agar2 bubuk dengan sedikit air matang suhu kamar, kemudian oleskan ke seluruh wajah dan leher selama 20 menit. Jika sudah terasa kencang, bersihkan dengan air hangat.

Science awamnya, agar2 yang terbuat dari rumput laut atau ganggang laut (sea weed) memang kaya zat nutrisi. mineral dan vitaminnya sangat diperlukan dalam regenerasi sel2 kulit. Kandungan lignan didalamnya mencegah timbulnya kanker, sedangkan kandungan fucan mencegah terjadinya peradangan.source: Nirmala magz

Good Enough for Company

Here are two dishes worthy of company.  Weeknight meals around here are usually pretty basic (remember the concept of slopping the hogs as I've mentioned before) but I stepped it up this week.  (Uh-oh, Henry, look out - what do I want this time?  Another trip to Cambodia?  A trip to Costa Rica with my friend Cynthia so we can get face lifts?)  Haha, I wouldn't turn down either one!



LIZ'S (SEMI-NOT TERRIBLE FOR YOU) CHICKEN PICCATA

Henry says he would eat cardboard if it had capers on it.  No wonder he likes this!

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (more about this later)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 cup dry white wine (I used Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc or "swill" as we call it around here)
2 cups chicken stock (yup, I used the stuff in a box - at least it was organic, free-range)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley (optional)


Place one chicken breast on a sheet of waxed paper.  Cover with another sheet of waxed paper.  Use a mallet or rolling pin to pound it out, so you have a 1/4-inch cutlet.  Set aside on a baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining breasts then season well with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over high heat.  When pan is hot, add 2 of the cutlets and cook until browned and golden on one side, about 5 minutes.  It is ready to turn when it no longer sticks to the bottom of the pan.  Turn and brown the other side, about 3 minutes more.  Set aside on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining olive oil and chicken breasts.  Do not wash out saute pan.


Cover chicken with foil and place in a 200-degree oven to keep warm. 

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and wine to the skillet.  Stir to loosen all of the browned bits on the bottom and cook until mixture bubbles and starts to reduce.  Add chicken stock and continue to cook over high heat until mixture reduces by half, about 6 minutes or so.  Reduce heat to medium-low, add capers and butter and continue to cook until butter melts.  Taste to adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Transfer chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.  To serve, place one chicken breast on serving plate and nap with sauce and capers.  Sprinkle with Italian parsley if using (I didn't because I didn't have any).

Serves 2 - 4, depending upon how hungry your hogs are.

The next recipe doesn't even pretend to be good for you, but oh, it's really good.  It would impress the hell out of your dinner guests should you decide you are willing to clean your house and actually invite some people over.  It does require the purchase of truffle butter (which isn't exactly cheap) but is a whole lot cheaper than fresh truffles and the cost evens out when you figure a little goes a long way and you're not serving meat to your guests anyhow.  (Hey, I can rationalize ANYTHING).



PASTA WITH TRUFFLE BUTTER  (from Ina Garten's "Back to Basics')

I am not a fan of truffle oil.  But truffle butter is another thing entirely.  Try it, you'll like it!

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 oz. white truffle butter (the container I purchased was 2 oz. and I used half.  It's potent!)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 oz. fettucine or pasta of choice (I used farfalle because it's what I had on hand)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 oz. Parmigianno Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  In a large saute pan, heat cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.  Add the truffle butter, salt and pepper to taste and reduce heat to low.  Add truffle butter and stir until it melts.  Keep warm over very low heat.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente (I really don't need to tell you how to cook pasta here, do I?)  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.  Add it to the cream mixture and toss to blend.  Add as much of the reserved pasta water as needed so pasta is creamy.  Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper or truffle butter as needed.


Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and garnish with the chives and shaved Reggiano.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3 or 4-5 as a side dish or appetizer

Okay, so here's the postcript about salt and pepper. 

As far as I'm concerned, both are crucial to most recipes (unless you are baking - then pepper, not so much).  I keep mine in small ceramic dishes, so I can sprinkle it on by "feel" as opposed from shaking it from a salt cellar or grinding it from a pepper mill.  I think you get a lot more control that way.  If you work in a restaurant, that's how it's done.

But of course, you want freshly ground pepper, so here's the solution.  Grind it up yourself in a coffee grinder, pour it into your ceramic dish and there you go.  Freshly ground black pepper at your fingertips!


Okay, I'm done now.  Here's to slopping the hogs ... or not.








Southern Fried Chicken - Dixie Style: Food Tip of the Day - Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Firstly, I have to apologise for not having a photograph to include along with today's food tip of the day. The simple reason for that is that this is not something I have ever endeavoured to make, therefore I do not have an appropriate representation in my extensive archives. I could of course simply include a photograph of a chicken dish that I have prepared at some point in the past and hope that it serves to stimulate your interest and your taste buds...???

OK, the image is not of the delectable Southern Fried Chicken which I hope to promote today but at least it is chicken. The recipe which I am including today for you to take a look at is by a lady who brands herself as, "DixieMockingbird," on Hub Pages. I actually only came across this lady's presence and database of extensive, delicious recipes today but I was so excited by them, I deemed to include her immediately on this blog.

The particular page to which I refer for Southern Fried Chicken includes not only extensive textual instruction, it includes a number of wonderful photographic representations of the dish. I very much hope that you will check it out via the link below:

Perfect Fried Chicken - The Real Southern Deal

I have found two further sources for this lady's recipes which you may also wish to consult if you have enjoyed that which is linked to above. Links are below:

The Thrillbilly Gourmet
The Thrillbilly Gourmet (Right here on Blogger!)

Additional Bonus Today!

By coincidence, it was pointed out to me in an e-mail but a few days ago that I have not included any musical entertainment on the blog for a while. Well, today affords me the opportunity to not only rectify that situation but to incorporate my all-time favourite recording by my all time favourite singer...

This is dedicated to, "DixieMockingbird," with my thanks for her excellent recipes.

Simply click on the arrow in the centre of the screen below to listen to the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, sing, "An American Trilogy..."