Year of the Dragon Delights 2024 Part 1 of 2 

2024/2/10 Saturday

New Year Feast 2024 By Chef Kar

Venue： Home of Johnny and Michelle 

Time：Sunday 2024/01/07 ; Sunday 2024/01/14 

Photographer: Johnny

This year Lunar New Year is Year of the Dragon and falls on Saturday February 10, 2024. I , Johnny and Michelle celebrated Lunar New Year in advance. We are looking forward to the new prospect. I prepared 10 lucky dishes to share with them. 10 dishes are 100% perfect! There will be 2 parts. Let everyone slowly digest, obtaining endless delight.

This Year of the Dragon Delights Menu was designed by Michelle.

1.《Golden Chicken Announces Good News》

Herb Roasted Chicken

I invented a new method of baking a young chicken by using similar method of baking a turkey. Ingredients are fusion of those of Chinese and western. In the western way, plating a turkey, the breast of the turkey is facing the sky while its back is down to the floor. In the Chinese way, plating a chicken is just the opposite, the back of the chicken is facing the sky while its breast is down to the floor.

Ingredients: Young Chicken, olive oil, salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, shallots, garlic, tangerine peels, carrots, chicken soup stock, water

Brine: chicken, salt, water

Chicken Soup Stocks: Chicken Bones, onions, bay leaves, salt and black pepper, water

Marinade: brined chicken, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, onions, garlic, tangerine peels, olive oil, salt, black pepper,

Cranberry Sauce: roasted chicken juice, chicken soup stock, cranberries, sage  leaves, sugar, salt, black pepper, corn starch, water

Garnish: Brussel sprouts, radish, baby eggplants, fried gluten

2.《Wealth Flows In》

8 Spices Braised Beef Shank

 "Digital Beef Shanks" are two strips of beef shank. Each cow has only two little strips. When a shank is sliced, each slice looks like money. Because four legs of a cow support the whole body and do exercise, the muscles of the legs are very Sturdy, full of beef tendon.

8 Spices are tangerine peel, cinnamon, aniseed, Sichuan pepper, fennel, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg. Daikon is also sliced to gold coin shape. Therefore, Wealth Flows In is implied.

Ingredients: Digital Beef Shank, tangerine peel, cinnamon, aniseed, Sichuan pepper, fennel, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, onions, shallots, garlic, ginger, spiced black bean, fermented red bean curd, rock sugar, oyster sauce, salt, Shaoxing wine

Garnish: Daikon, dill

My old friend Sunny just returned home from the hospital. He was not convenient to walk. I asked my old friend Johnny to drive me to his home. I specially gave him the combo plate of Herb Roasted Chicken + 8 Spices Braised Beef Shank to share. The following photos were taken by him.

3.《Gold and Silver Full House》

Braised Abalone

Since the shape of abalone looks like ingot,  a common saying: "one bite of abalone is one bite of gold".

Ingredients: frozen fresh abalone, chicken soup, shallot, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, rock sugar, salt

I used frozen fresh abalone. The method of preparation is similar to that of dried abalone which is soaked in water and swollen up.

 

Method of Preparing Candy Abalone:

First, remove the flesh of abalone from the shell; cut off the intestine and small piece of gristle at the head end; trim off the frill and lip. Sprinkle some salt on the meat and brush the surface of the meat with tooth brush. Rinse with cold water.

I invented a new method of braising fresh abalone: Pour the secret abalone sauce below into a stainless steel container. Put the cleaned abalone in the sauce. Place the container over a steaming pot. Cover the steaming pot with lid. Use extremely low fire to braise for 4 to 5 days. Be patient.

Secret Abalone Sauce: chicken soup base, ginger, shallot, garlic, onion, Shaoxing wine (Hua Diao), oyster sauce, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, rock sugar, salt

Side dishes: Bread stuffings, rice with mixed vegetables & abalone sauce, noodle with red onions and abalone sauce

Garnish: Baby Oyster Mushrooms, Baby Bok Choy, Baby Carrots

4.《Step Up》

6 Colour Layered Cake

First layer is green beans (green), second layer is shredded coconut (white), third layer is pomegranate (purple), fourth layer is split peas (milky yellow), fifth layer is mango(Golden yellow), sixth layer is red beans (red)

Ingredient: Agar Agar, gelatin, green beans, shredded coconut, pomegranate, split peas, mango, red beans, coconut milk

5.《Abundance Year After Year》

Steamed European Sea Bass

European Sea Bass is mainly distributed in Europe waters of Atlantic coast, including Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Temperate zone and subtropical of  North Atlantic. It is a  popular edible fish because of its tasty meat. Its meat is exquisite, soft and tender, in white or pink colour. It contains low fat but high quality in protein and many important nutrients, namely, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and calcium.

European Sea Bass is suitable to many cooking methods, including grill, pan fry, steam and braise. However, steaming is most healthy and delicious.

Ingredients: Sea Bass, soy sauce, vegetable oil, shallot, green onion, ginger, sugar

Garnish: green onion, shallots, ginger, red pepper

Kung Hei Fat Choi! 

May all your hopes be fulfilled.

Next， Year of the Dragon Delights 2024 Part 2 of 2

Publisher： Chef Kar Delight