Sunday, June 3, 2012

Chef Chan Kwok DBS Masterclass @ AFC Studio

ChiefChan

I am very honoured to attend Chef Chan Kwok DBS Masterclass at AFC studio. Chef Chan Kwok was recently honoured with two prestigious awards - Chef of the Year and Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year in the 2011 World Gourmet Summit Summit Awards of Excellence (the equivalent of culinary Oscars). He is currently the Group Master Chef of Hua Ting Restaurant at Orchard Hotel Singapore.

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Throughout the night, Straits Wine Company was on site wine pairing chef Chan Kwok's dishes with one of the top selling wines Urlar from Gladstone, New Zealand.

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Braised Shimeji Mushrooms with Winter melon topped with Salmon Roe 4.8/5

The first dish chef Chan Kwok prepared was the Braised Shimeji Mushrooms with Wintermelon topped with Salmon Roe. To be frank I was a bit doubtful about the dish, I thought it would turned out bland. How wrong was I to doubt the master! The execution of the dish was almost flawless. The melon which is naturally flat in taste and texture was enchanced by the salmon roe and shimeji mushrooms. The sauce gave the dish the body, bringing the whole dish together.

Wine pairing: Urlar Riesling 2011
Aromas include lime zest, ripe feijoa's mandarin peel and citrus which combine beautifully with the soft mid palate texture and persistent finish. Produced to enjoy now, riesling is the pefect aperitif.

Ingredients
- 200g of Winter Melon
- 30g of Shimeiji Mushrooms
- 5g of Salmon Roe

Seasoning
- 1/5 tsp of Salt
- 1/4 tsp of Chicken Essence Powder
- 200g of Chicken Stock
- 1/2 tsp of Corn Starch

Method
1) Remove skin and seeds of the winter melon.
2) Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt to marinate the winter melon.
3) Soften the melon tissue and dig a small hole.
4) Stir fly the shimeiji mushrooms with a little salt and chicken essence powder. Stuff the cooked mushrooms into the winter melon.
5) Add all seasoning in a pan and cook till the sauce thickens.
6) Pour the sauce into the stuffed winter melon.
7) Top the salmon roe and it is ready to be served.

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Pan Fried Sea Perch on Crispy Rice 4.8/5

When chef Chan Kwok demonstrated his second dish, Pan Fried Sea Perch on Crispy Rice I began to have a better appreciation of his culinary philosophy. In my humble culinary knowledge, I enjoyed how the chef used simple ingredients and seasoning to lift the entire dish to a new height. The sea perch was cooked to perfection, lightly crisp on the outside and moist inside. The crispy rice cracker gave the dish a contrasting texture which was very enjoyable while the sauce gave the whole dish its life.

Wine Pairing: Urlar Sauvignon Blanc 2011
The 2011 vintage has delivered zesty gooseberry, passionfruit, and citrus flavours with a hint of capsicum. While it remains a distinctively New Zealand sauvignon blanc the palate is full with great weight and length. The wine is suited to all occasions but particularly well matched to seafood.

Ingredients
- 100g of Sea Perch
- 1 slice of Crispy Rice
- Corn Starch
- 300g of Cooking Oil
- 20g of Spring Onion
- 5g of Diced Ginger

Seasoning
- 200g of Chicken Stock
- 1 tsp of Light Soya Sauce
- 1/2 tsp of Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp of Sugar
- 1 tsp of Corn Starch
- Dark Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil

Method
1) In a wok, heat up some cooking oil.
2) Deep fry the crisy rice. Place it on a clean plate and put aside.
3) Marinate sliced perch with corn starch on a clean cloth and pan fy till cooked.
4) Place pan fried perch on top of the crispy rice.
5) Place all seasoning in a wok and cook till the sauce thickens.
6) Pour the sauce on top of the sea perch and it is ready to be served.

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Sauteed Kurobuta Pork with Assorted Capsicums 4.2/5

The third and last dish was Sauteed Kurobuta Pork with Assorted Capsicums. Yet another well executed dish with beautiful sauce and contrasting textures. Chef Chan Kwok also gave us a tip in marinating the pork cubes. Adding just a little bit of egg will make the meat smoother in the texture.

Wine Pairing: Urlar Pinot Noir 2010
An enticing nose of ripe red fruits and dark chocolate which combine with flavours of sweet dark plums intermingled with savoury notes and exotic spices. This wine is elegant and refined with a seamless rich texture through the palate.

Ingredients
- 200g of Kurobuta Pork
- 50g of Green Capsicums
- 50g of Red Capsicums
- Sliced Ginger, Garlic and Onion Stalks

Seasoning (1)
- 1/2 tsp of Light Soya Sauce
- 1/3 tsp of Sugar
- 1/3 tsp of Chicken Essence Powder
- 1/3 tsp of Corn Starch
- 1/4 piece of Egg

Seasoning (2)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp of Maggie Soya Sauce
- 3 tsp of water
- 1/2 tsp of Sugar
- 1/2 tsp of Chicken Essence Powder

Method
1) Dice the Kurobuta Pork into 2cm x 2cm cubes and marinate it with seasoning (1) for 30 minutes.
2) Remove the seeds of the capsicums and dice the capsicums.
3) Cook the capsicums briefly and put aside.
4) Preheat the cooking oil in the wok.
5) Put the kuributa pork in the wok and pan fry till almost cooked.
6) Add seasoning (2) and capsicums in the pan and fry with a high flame till it turns a little bit starchy.
7) The dish is ready to be served.

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Custard Pastry 4.5/5

Chef Chan Kwok gave us a little surprise at the end of the dinner. He has prepared a dessert for us. The Custard Pastry was very lovely and delicate, a perfect ending to a great night of food and wine. The custard pastry is available at Hua Ting restaurant.


The AFC Studio
Orchard Central
#07-02
181 Orchard Road
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 68344829 (AFC studio)
Tel: +65 68358838 (office)
Website: http://www.theafcstudio.com

2 comments:

  1. I like your Braised Shimeji Mushrooms with Winter melon topped with Salmon Roe photo!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I like the sea perch dish photo more.

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