Recipe: Savoury Crepes with Cold Cuts and Cheese

We love pancakes, especially when it's topped with whipped cream, plump strawberries and maple syrup.... mm mmm! We've never tried making savoury pancakes at home, however as we have Emmental cheese in our fridge this week (thanks to Bottega Mediterranea), we decided to give it a go!

For savoury pancakes, it is best to make thin pancakes, aka crepes. The crepe is then topped with a rich, cream sauce made by melting butter and whisking in flour, milk and Emmental cheese. Emmental cheese is great for the job as it melts well. You can then top your crepes with ham, or any type of cold cuts - after some experimenting, our favorite toppings are salami Napoli, spicy salami as well as coppa (similar to prosciutto).

This was really good, I enjoyed the savory crepes immensely and am now a convert! Will definitely be making this again.

Savoury crepes with spicy salami, coppa and cheese

Savoury crepes with salami Napoli, mortadella, and cheese

Savoury crepes with cold cuts and cheese

Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from here

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes 3

Ingredients
For the pancakes / crepe
55g plain flour

A pinch of salt
1 egg

140ml milk
Oil for frying

For the cheese sauce
25g salted butter
25g plain flour

225ml milk
100g Emmental, grated
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For garnish

4 cherry tomatoes, sliced

A small handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

80g good quality smoked ham, or any cold cuts such as salami, coppa or prosciutto


1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the egg and milk together in another bowl. Slowly pour the egg-milk mixture into the dry ingredients, and whisk together until the batter is smooth. Set aside.

2. For the cheese sauce:  Melt the butter in a small pan, then whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute, then gradually add the milk, whisking continuously. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer for one minute until the sauce is thick and smooth. Stir in half of the cheese and season with black pepper.

3. For the crepes: Heat a 20cm/8in frying pan until very hot. Drizzle a small amount of oil and tip the pan to swirl the oil around. Ladle in about two tablespoons of batter mix and immediately tilt the pan from side to side to get a thin, even layer of batter to cover the base of the pan. Cook for around 30 seconds until the underside is golden then flip or turn with a pallete knife.

4. As soon as the pancake is turned, scatter over some ham or cold cuts, and then top with the cheese sauce. Garnish with basil, cherry tomatoes and more ham / cold cuts and a scattering of grated cheese. Season with more black pepper.

5. Once you’ve topped the crepe, the underside will be done. Slip it out of the pan onto a warmed serving plate. Serve immediately (open-faced or folded in half) or keep warm under some foil while you make the remaining crepes.

Note: You can get your cheese and cold cuts from Bottega Mediterranea. They offer free delivery service for orders above RM100.


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How to Cook the Perfect Baked Potato + French Potatoes

Last week, we attended an event showcasing French potatoes organised by Business France Malaysia. The French Embassy in Malaysia hosted a delegation of French key players in the French potato export industry, and the objective of their mission was to explore Malaysia's suitability as an export destination for French potatoes.

There are over 250 varieties of potatoes grown in France. Exporting over 1.7 million tones of potatoes annually, the French offering proposes three types of potatoes  possessing characteristics adapted to three specific culinary uses: baked/ mashed; stir fried/ steamed; and frying.

I took home some French potatoes, suitable for baking or mashing. French potatoes have very nice skin, we were told... which led me to using them for baked potatoes, since you eat them whole, skin and all.

Baked potatoes were one of my staples during uni days.. loved how simple yet delicious they were. Once baked, the potato can be paired with a multitude of toppings including cheese, baked beans, Coronation Chicken, Tikka Masala, and many more. The perfect baked potato should have a crispy skin and fluffy centre.

Simple, comforting and delicious!

How to Cook the Perfect Baked Potato

1. Select a suitable baking potato - in this instance, we used French baking potato, you can also use US Russet potatoes which are available in the supermarkets.

2. Using a brush, gently scrub the skin under running water, then pat dry with a kitchen towel.

3. Pierce the skin several times to allow steam to escape during the cooking process.

4. Rub with olive oil and sea salt.

5. Place the potatoes on a tray in a preheated oven (190C - no fan) and cook for 75-90 minutes, depending on their size. To test if they're ready, run a knife through the centre, it should go through easily.  Just before removing them from the oven, change to grill setting (high heat) and grill for about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes, to crisp up the skin.

6. Cut open each potato. Add a generous slab of butter, and add your favorite toppings.

Recommended toppings:
a.Butter + chives + mild Cheddar.

b. Butter + baked beans + mild Cheddar

So fluffy :)

*******

We thoroughly enjoyed our baked potato lunch, made using French potatoes. Hopefully they will be available in Malaysian supermarkets soon!

French potatoes are extremely versatile and can be used in preparation of  various dishes. A variety of Malaysian and French dishes prepared using French potatoes were served to us at the event held at Gobo Upstairs, Traders Hotel KL on 23 February 2017. Thanks Business France Malaysia for having us!

Soy braised chicken and potatoes with aromatic spices

Hachis Parmentier (French version of Shepherd's Pie) and Bergedil

 French Fries and Gratin Dauphinois

 Malaysian-style chicken curry with potatoes

Aloo Gobi

Salade Nicoise

Vichyssoise - cold potato soup

Location: Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill, Level 6, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03- 2332 9888

GPS Coordinates: 3.154271, 101.715417

Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/kualalumpur/traders/dining/restaurants/gobo-upstairs/

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Recipe: Gnocchi with Chorizo, Mushrooms and Parmesan

Store-bought gnocchi is great for quick lunches as they cook in no time at all. For only RM10 per pack, each pack will yield 4 servings (that's two lunches for us), so it's definitely great value for money.

When The Unc came back from his holidays, he brought us some nice Spanish chorizo, as well as 30-month aged Parmesan, which I thought would work very well with gnocchi. Hence, this Gnocchi with Chorizo, Mushrooms and Parmesan dish was born. Super simple to make with delicious flavours - we would definitely be making this again! :)

Gnocchi with Chorizo, Mushrooms and Parmesan
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 6-7 minutes
Serves 2


Ingredients
250g store-bought potato gnocchi (1/2 pack)
100g grey oyster mushrooms, chopped
2 tbp olive oil
6cm length chorizo, thinly sliced and quartered
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A small handful parsley, finely chopped



1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top and then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well.

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute, until lightly golden, then add the chorizo and saute for a minute. Next, add the mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened.

3.Finally, add the cooked gnocchi and saute for about 1 minute until the gnocchi have a slight crispy crust on them. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve gnocchi immediately with generous shavings of Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.

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Recipe: Spätzle with Emmental & Caramelised Onions (Käsespätzle)

One of my favorite things to eat in Germany is spätzle. It is a type of soft egg noodle, aka German "pasta" and is commonly found in southern Germany. Since we couldn't find it in the German restaurant we visited in Cologne, we decided to try making it at home. And gosh it's so simple to make!

You will be able to find dried spätzle easily in the pasta aisle at the German supermarket. Cook it like you would pasta, in salted boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. We made Käsespätzle, aka spätzle with Emmental cheese and caramelised onions. To be honest, I was very tempted to buy a few packs of dried spätzle back home, but Emmental cheese is pretty expensive in KL, which would prohibit me from making this too often.

Back to my recipe, the onions are caramelised in some butter and then you add in the cooked spätzle as well as cheese. Delicious cheesy goodness, and very comforting too!

Käsespätzle (spatzle with Emmentaler cheese and fried onions)

Recipe by Baby Sumo

Preparation time: 1 minute

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
250g dried spätzle
100g emmental cheese, shredded
1 large onion, finely chopped
50g Butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley (optional)



1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spätzle and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or according to pack instructions.

2 In a frying pan over medium high heat, melt the butter and then add the onions. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, until slightly caramelised.

3. Then, add the cooked spätzle and gradually add in the shredded cheese. Give it a good stir, then season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

A taste of something new for BabySumoKids

Wine, spatzle and pizza = great night!

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Recipe: Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Mushrooms

We had half a pack of gnocchi left after we used half in this steak recipe. Sage and butter are two of the most common ingredients to pair with gnocchi, so we decided to use up the remaining half pack of gnocchi and cooked it with sage, butter and mushrooms, and finished it off with some white truffle butter for a decadent touch.

Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Mushrooms

As you can see, no meat is used in this recipe so it's suitable for Meatless Mondays. The mushrooms have a great meaty texture. Do remember to shave generous amounts of Parmesan cheese on top to give it the extra oomph.

Watch video in full screen here (link here)

Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Mushrooms
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 7-8 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
250g store-bought potato gnocchi
150g grey oyster mushrooms, chopped
2-3 tbsp salted butter

1 tbp olive oil
1 tsp white truffle butter
1/2 pack sage leaves
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Parmesan cheese
5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Salt and freshly ground pepper



1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add the gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top and then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well.

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil and salted butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute, until lightly golden, then add the sage leaves and saute for a few seconds. 

3. Then, add the mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened. Finally, add the cooked gnocchi and saute for about 1 minute until the gnocchi are coated in butter, then toss in the white truffle butter. Season with salt and pepper. 

4. Serve gnocchi immediately with generous shavings of Parmesan cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes.

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Recipe: Tomato Bruschetta with Burrata Cheese and Basil Pesto

This tomato bruschetta with burrata cheese and basil pesto, is an upgrade from our usual brushetta recipe. Tomato, mozzarella and basil is a classic Italian combination, so it's no surprise this worked out beautifully. As I mentioned previously, burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, so if you can't find burrata easily, you can substitute it with mozzarella.

Enjoy - an easy, delicious antipasto. Always a hit with our family!

Tomato Bruschetta with Burrata Cheese and Basil Pesto
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 burrata or mozzarella cheese
3 large Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 baguette
2-3 tbsp homemade pesto (recipe link here), or store-bought
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
Salt




1. Brush bread with olive oil. Place bread under a hot grill for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.

2. Mix 1 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar. Add tomatoes and season with salt.

3. Top bread with tomatoes, burrata cheese and basil pesto. Serve immediately.

Note: You can purchase burrata cheese from this location.

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Recipe: Steamed Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce and Basil

Whenever I run out of ideas of what to cook for a quick lunch, a box of frozen mussels always comes in handy. This time, I steamed them in a spicy tomato sauce - I added in some chilli flakes to give a hint of spiciness to the tomato sauce and dried basil, as well as some fresh basil just before serving.

Simple and good!

Steamed Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce and Basil

Video Recipe (watch in full screen here) 

Steamed mussels in spicy tomato sauce and basil
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 11-13 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
900g frozen NZ mussels

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, sliced

1/2 can tomato puree (approx 200g)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp chilli flakes
5-6 cherry tomatoes
A small handful fresh sweet basil

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, add the oil and the chopped garlic and onions. Saute for about 1 minute until lightly golden, then add the tomato puree, water, dried basil and chilli flakes. Bring to the boil and once boiling, add the mussels.

2. Place lid on and allow to steam for 10-12 minutes. You may open half way through and give it a quick stir.

3. Sprinkle basil and cherry tomatoes over the mussels before serving. Serve with crusty bread, or any toast bread to soak up the lovely sauce/juices.

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Recipe: Fusilletti with Pesto, Parma Ham and Cherry Tomatoes

One of our families favorite pasta sauce is pesto. Particularly the homemade version. Our boy especially enjoys the whole pesto-making process, be it with the pestle and mortar or the food processor (lately we've been using the latter as it's more convenient). It begins with plucking the sweet basil leaves from our garden, washing them, spinning them dry, measuring all the ingredients and then popping them into the food processor.

Instead of spaghetti, we are using fusilletti which we got from here - they're thinner, smaller versions of fusilli.  They go really well with pesto sauce. We topped the pasta with some Parma ham, crispy bacon, cherry tomatoes as well as Parmesan cheese. Very tasty!

Fusilletti with Pesto, Parma Ham and Cherry Tomatoes

The pesto-making process (watch in full screen here)

Fusilletti with Pesto, Parma Ham and Cherry Tomatoes
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5-8 minutes
Cooking time:  5 minutes
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
150g fusilletti pasta
1/2 quantity Pesto (recipe here)
2 slices Parma ham
3 slices streaky bacon, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes, or according to pack instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

LA FABRICA DELLA PASTA I FUSILETTI (you can get fusilletti from here)

2. In a frying pan over medium high heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

3. Toss the pasta in pesto until well coated. Tear the Parma ham into smaller pieces and top on the pasta. Garnish with bacon and cherry tomatoes, grate generous amounts of Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

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