Happy 2009
Happy New Year everyone! Things are getting back to normal here at Scarlett - Christmas decorations are getting ready to be switched out (I usually leave them up for 12 days of Christmas) with the Chinese New Year decorations. Sploshes of red will fill my already red-centered decorations and this year, the Chinese New Year begins on Jan 26. I hope to do more this year, maybe bake traditional goodies and cook lucky-named dishes. But more on that later!
For now, I am re-reading Nigella’s books and last night, I made these Sweet Sticky Spare Ribs. The marinade made the ribs delicious but I think it is a little lacking in salt. The next time I make this, I will probably sprinkle some kosher salt and a splash (1 tbsp) of soy sauce. This is reminiscent of the deliciously sweet ribs you find at Asian BBQ places but this one was less sweet and had good flavor. I will definitely make this again.
Sticky Sweet Spareribs by Nigella Lawson
Ingredients
- 4 fluid ounces (125 ml) Thai or Chinese sweet chili sauce
- 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) cranberry sauce (from a jar)
- 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) dark sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 clementine, juice and sliced rind
- 1 lime, juice and sliced rind
- 15 to 20 pork spare ribs
Directions
Place all the ingredients into a large freezer bag and mix well. Seal the bag and place it on a dish so that it can lie flat. Transfer the bag to the fridge and leave overnight to marinate.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Remove the ribs from the fridge and transfer them from the freezer bag to a roasting tin and cover loosely with aluminum foil. (I don’t add all the marinade to the roasting tin because I want the ribs to get caramelized and sticky). Transfer the roasting tin to the oven. Cook the ribs in the oven for 1 hour, turning them over after 30 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and remove the foil from the roasting tin. (If at this point your ribs are still sitting in a lot of liquid, drain some of the liquid into a bowl and continue cooking.) Cook for a further 15 to 30 minutes, or until the ribs are sticky and cooked through. (The liquid can be reduced on the stove to make a nice sauce.)
To serve, place the ribs onto a large serving plate. (I served them with rice, the gravy and marinated tomato wedges.)
Marinated Tomato Wedges
I sliced up some tomatoes into wedges, drizzled some olive oil and some Adobo seasoning with cumin. If you don’t have Adobo seasoning, you should think about getting some but as a substitute, some ground cumin, dried oregno and garlic/onion powder will do. Adobo seasoning has salt so if you are not using it, add a little salt as well.
Share This No commentsNigella and tea
I have no shame in declaring my love for Nigella so check out these ads that she is doing for Twinings Simply Tea.
- For Green Tea
- For Lady Grey
- For English Breakfast
God knows I have been steeped in tea these few days…
Share This 2 commentsBefore the cold took over…
I did bake my Christmas cookies and here is proof:
They were both pretty and scrummy.
I fell ill on Christmas evening and have been down since. I am feeling better and hope that I can ring in the New Year’s without a sniffle. It was a quiet holiday for me and I really needed rest. Maybe my body is trying to tell me that 2008 was way too busy and that I need to slow down in 2009. One can only hope, right?
Share This 6 commentsMerry Christmas
I have to admit that I do enjoy the cold and wintry Christmasses that I experience here but I will always miss being back in Singapore this time of year. It’s hard to be away from home and all you love most.
Merry Christmas, everyone and maybe next year we will be together again.
I’m dreaming tonight
Of a place that I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know
It’s a long road back
I promise you
I’ll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow
And mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
And I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
Please have snow
And mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
And I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
Cookie Delay
I thought that by this time of the holiday season, I would at least have one cookie picture to share but alas, I do not. At first, it was because my butter stash was low, then I got distracted by making some delicious pistachio fudge for gifts but now finally, I think that I am out of excuses.
The holiday whirlwind has once again foiled my cookie attempts for the season. (Mother nature has not helped either with some all-time high volumes of snowfall in the PNW.)
I hope to spend some time baking some cookies tonight but if I get distracted by the hot toddies and egg nog, you will forgive me?
Here’s a closeup of some beef bulgogi (recipe from My Korean Kitchen) that we made some weeks back, to sustain you.
Be safe out there, stay warm and try to keep your focus on the spirit of the holiday.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Share This No commentsSpiced Peaches
There’s just something about Nigella Lawson because I am constantly finding myself convinced to try her recipes. She just writes good, methinks.
I made spiced peaches for the holiday supper tonight, to accompany some baked ham.
Lucky Bamboo
I wasn’t always a big garden person, in fact, I was fairly sure that green fingers were not part of my lot in life. But I wasn’t willing to secede. I wanted some green in my life so I thought that I would start out safe with easy care indoor plants. Once I was sure that those would survive under my care, I experimented more.
My first indoor plant was the lucky bamboo, Dracaena sanderiana. They seem to thrive with a fresh change of water weekly but I could never understand why the leave tips often burned/turned brown. I learned from the article linked below that it is the flouride in our tap water that affects them.
This care guide in Organic Gardening has good information about taking care of your lucky bamboo. Thanks, Willi.
The lucky bamboo pictured here are not my first. I placed these in test tubes on a rack in the half bath during the remodel last year. The first lucky bamboo plants I ever bought travelled with us across the country in the car when we moved up to Seattle, they are now growing well in my bathroom where they enjoy the humidity and light.
Chocolate
One of my favorite food memories from our recent trip to Spain was the chocolate con churros. The churros were delicately sugared after being fried. They made the perfect dunking vehicle for the chocolate which was pudding-like but oh-so chocolate-y. It was a perfect post-dinner treat.
I recreated the chocolate at home on night last week but was too lazy to make some churros. Maybe next week.
Share This 3 commentsBragging about rendang
It is a blessing to be able to brag about your mum’s cooking and how lucky you are to enjoy her simple and delicious meals. Here is a perfect example - rich and warm spicy chicken rendang curry served with steamed rice.
Bliss, I do not take it for granted.
Recipe from James Oseland’s Cradle of Flavor.
Share This 3 comments6 years
I can safely say that I had no idea what this year would bring for the both of us when we last celebrated our anniversary. There have been so many different experiences and events that have changed us as a couple. Time apart, beautiful reunions, simple moments, long days full of tasks, goals achieved, getting drenched in Seville and covered in slate dust.
This post will not be able to cover it all but you will know about what I write of.
My beloved one, thank you for sharing this life with me. Even though it has required more effort than we had tried to foresee, it has provided more happiness and satisfaction than we could have ever predicted. Who knows what next year will bring, all I hope and wish for is that we will get to do it all over again.
Happy Anniversary with all my heart!
