Warning: DOMElement::setAttribute() [function.DOMElement-setAttribute]: unterminated entity reference in /home/wekendchef/domains/theweekendchef.com.my/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-autolink/wp-autolink.php on line 253
Warning: DOMElement::setAttribute() [function.DOMElement-setAttribute]: unterminated entity reference in /home/wekendchef/domains/theweekendchef.com.my/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-autolink/wp-autolink.php on line 253
I was on the way to Sungai Petani last week and as I drove I was reminiscing about my late Dad and the delicious Norwegian sardines in tomato or oil, which he enjoys eating so much. As a kid then, I would always be looking forward to sinking my teeth into these wonderful tasting stuff. And whenever such a yummy encounter arose, I would – like any hungry eight-year-old with an appetite of a horse – quietly and strategically position myself near my Dad’s pot belly while he makes these yummy sandwiches with just sardines and thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.
Guess who got the first bite?
For some of us, the ‘firsts’ in our life – the first day at school, the first bicycle we owned, the first exam we took, the first girl or boy we had a crush on, the first pay cheque we receive, etc., etc. – somehow seem special and more often than not, unforgettable.
I have the privilege of being the first to write and contribute to The Weekend Chef and I must confess I am a bit nervous, excited and glad – glad to be a part of a new endeavour and adventure. And I am sure there will be many more that will be joining or contributing to this wonderful website and have a great time indulging in everything it is and hopes to be.
For now I will simply take my first step, contribute to this month’s recipes and help make your weekend lunch or dinner just that little bit more enjoyable.
So here …
I had the opportunity to cook for a family of four, their neighbours and a mystery guest over a weekend in May. I just love all these surprise encounters – makes my tiny brain work just that little bit harder to come up with something delectable.
I thought hard about the makan – it was lunch – so I played it safe and kept it simple and made a salad, something chicken, cooked some pasta, got some bread and let the host sweat it out and decide on the dessert (I think we had some fruits).
Oops … Almost forgot – we also had chicken rendang, which my Mum cooked (sorry folks, recipe not included here, maybe next time).
The salad is a combination of a potato salad and other fresh vegetables. I added alfalfa sprouts and quail’s eggs to give it a bit more look and to allow for some really sinful indulgence. The ingredients are easily available and can be prepared with minimum fuss. The salad is a good choice when you want something a bit “lively” and filling. Tartar sauce is quite a good alternative to mayonnaise, but no harm done if you use mayonnaise or even horseradish sauce for the potatoes.
I was not sure what to cook for the main course, but chicken is always a safe choice and so I decided on chicken fricassee. I first had chicken fricassee (or fricassee of chicken) many years ago when I was studying in Melbourne, Australia. I was working in the staff cafeteria of a hotel and my supervisor, a tall, sizeable Caucasian woman, probably of German or Austrian descent, in her fifties one day pointed her finger at this stew-like thingie and in her heavily accented and gruff voice said to me: “Voo, do you know what this is? It is chicken fricassee!” And all I could muster was an “Aah?”
I found the recipe for this versatile dish a few months ago; cooked the dish, ate it, loved it, made some changes to the ingredients and thought why not share it with everyone at The Weekend Chef.
Pasta, in this case – spaghetti, goes very well with the main course. However, you may opt to have bread or even rice. White or fried is fine. (I know of some people who just cannot live without rice.) It’s your choice.
So you have it … a three-course meal in less than two hours.
Here is a tip: Always try to serve the meal hot; it makes quite a difference.