Eat

Just Like A Chef

Readers at a recent Simply Her cooking workshop received clever food presentation and preparation advice. AMANDA JAYNE LEE brings you the best tips.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Readers at a recent Simply Her cooking workshop received clever food presentation and preparation advice. AMANDA JAYNE LEE brings you the best tips.

My Reading Room

Chef Jimmy Chok demonstrates how to present food.

My Reading Room

Three-cup Braised Chicken with Assorted Mushrooms

My Reading Room

Open-face Parma Ham Melon with Mandarin Orange Compote.

My Reading Room

Readers had the opportunity to taste each dish.

My Reading Room

Slow-cooked Salmon with Seaweed and Simple Soya Glaze.

WHAT: The Simply Her Cooking Workshop in January at Tott, in collaboration with Fairprice Finest and helmed by Chef Jimmy Chok. He demonstrated three recipes: Three-cup Braised Chicken with Assorted Mushrooms, Slow-cooked Salmon with Seaweed and Simple Soya Glaze, and Openface Parma Ham Melon with Mandarin Orange Compote.

COOKING SALMON

• When freezing fish, cover each piece with cling wrap and press out the air. Frozen air bubbles create ice pockets that could lead to spoilage when the fish thaws.

• Season fish with salt only after cooking. Doing so beforehand draws out the moisture and leaves you with dry fish.

• Salmon is best cooked at 55 deg C as its protein doesn’t break down. You know the salmon protein has broken down when white bits come off the fish – lower the heat immediately.

• To test if the salmon is cooked, slide the blunt end of a piece of cutlery into the middle. If it slides in easily, it’s done.

PRESENTING YOUR FOOD

• To give your dish a gourmet look and finish, garnish with an odd number of elements. An even number, such as four pieces of carrots, will look incomplete to the eye.

• Serve food in the direction you faced it while plating – it plays a part in how your guest sees the dish and makes a world of difference.

• Buy a large wooden chopping board for special occasions. Dishes served on it look extra impressive against the raw, natural look of wood.

MAKE YOUR OWN…

Balsamic vinaigrette. Combine 2 tbsp of sugar and a bottle of black vinegar in a pot. Turn up the heat and leave to simmer until the liquid has reduced to about one-third of the original amount. As long as the mixture is kept from boiling, the vinegar and sugar should turn into a thick sauce. Store in a squeeze bottle and make more to top up when needed.

Orange tea. Turn old oranges into a sweet drink to help soothe the throat. Steam the oranges for 2 hours, then blend into a puree.

More: salmon