Cantonese Steamed Radish Cake (Recipe)

Amy Van and Chris Tan have been so kind as to allow Gastronommy to publish some of the recipes from their book, Chinese Heritage Cooking, for you to try out at home. The first to be presented will be Steamed Radish Cake. This is one of my favorite comfort foods, having grown up eating my grandmother's lovingly made tins of it over the years. I'll have to do a side by side comparison of our steamed radish cakes one of these days.

Steamed Radish Cake
Serves 4–6

Lusciously soft when fresh from the steamer and crispy-crusted when fried up the next day, steamed radish cake is equally good either way. You can substitute some of the coarsely-grated radish with grated pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot or green daikon radish, to add a touch of colour to the steamed cake.

Cooking oil 2 tsp
Chinese sausages (lup cheong) 2, skin removed and diced
Shallots 3, peeled and minced
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and minced
Dried prawns (shrimps) 70 g (21/2 oz), soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained and coarsely chopped
Shaoxing rice wine 2 tsp
Rice flour 200 g (7 oz)
Sago flour 15 g (1/2 oz)
Wheat starch or potato starch 20 g (2/3 oz)
Lukewarm water 900 ml (30 fl oz)
Ground white pepper 1/2 tsp
White daikon radish 350 g (121/2 oz), peeled and cut in half
Salt 11/4 tsp
Garnishes
Chopped spring onion (scallion)
Crisp-fried shallots
Chopped red chilli
Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
Lightly toasted white sesame seeds

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add diced Chinese sausages and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and some of their fat has rendered. Dish out, leaving oil in pan.

2. Add shallots and garlic to pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add dried prawns and fry for another 1 minute. Add rice wine and fry until liquid has evaporated. Dish out to plate with Chinese sausages and set aside.

3. Sift rice flour, sago flour and wheat starch or potato starch together into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in water and pepper until smooth. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

4. Finely grate half the daikon and coarsely grate the other half. Mix grated daikon with salt. Let stand undisturbed for 20 minutes. Drain water from daikon, then squeeze well to remove excess liquid. Rinse well with fresh water, then squeeze dry again.

5. Combine daikon and rice flour batter in a wok or large pot. Stir constantly over mediumlow heat for 12–15 minutes, until thickened to the consistency of congee; make sure you scrape the bottom and corners of the wok or pot to break up any lumps as you stir. Turn off heat. Stir Chinese sausages and fried dried prawn mixture into paste.

6. Scrape paste into a well-oiled 23-cm (9-in) or 25-cm (10-in) round cake tin. The mixture should not be more than 4-cm (11/2-in) deep. Cover with aluminium foil. Steam radish cake over high heat for 45–55 minutes, until set and cooked through. Do not over-steam or radish cake will be too soft.

7. Place tin on a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve warm, sprinkled with garnishes. Alternatively, let radish cake cool completely, then cover and chill overnight. Slice chilled cake into slabs and pan-fry with some oil until crispy on all sides. Serve hot with garnishes or chilli sauce.

NOTE

• This recipe can be adapted to make yam cake. Replace the daikon with 300 g (11 oz) peeled taro. Skip step 4 and instead steam the taro until just soft, then break it roughly into chunks and small bits while it is still hot. Stir it into the batter with the sausages and dried prawn mixture in step 5 and proceed with the recipe as above.

Chinese Heritage Cooking is available in all major bookstores in Singapore and Amazon.   

Chinese Heritage Cooking

In an interview I was conducting for Esquire Magazine, I asked Christophe Megel, the CEO of At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy Singapore, what his thoughts were on preserving the local cuisines of Singapore.  He answered, "If anyone ever wants to learn about a cuisine, the first place I point them to isn't the kitchen.  I point them to the museums."  To first understand a cuisine, you must understand the history that influenced it.  But Singapore's cuisines, he points out, isn't being documented properly.  There may be the recipe here and there on the internet, but a list of ingredients isn't going to explain the techniques behind what makes bakchormee (A) so much better than bakchormee (B).

Thank goodness that the book, Chinese Heritage Cooking was published last year by two of some of Singapore's most talented and knowledgeable food editors, Amy Van and Christopher Tan.  The book not only covers recipes from the five major dialect groups from China (Hokkien, Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakka & Foochow, and Teowchew), but it goes in depth about the history behind the Chinese population of Singapore, the traditions behind the various cultures, the evolution of the cuisines, and a guide to cooking and preparation techniques needed in the Chinese kitchen.

The recipes in the book range from familiar favorites found in Singapore and China to the less common dishes, and plenty of both hawker-simple and lavish festive dishes to choose from.  And most importantly, the recipes have been presented with enough detail to allow even novice cooks to attempt them, so that these heritage flavors can be passed on.

"I would also like to encourage every keen cook out there to record and preserve their family's edible heirlooms--recipes, cooking techniques, all the delicious things unique to their table--so that future generations can be blessed by these precious histories." -Christopher Tan

Amy and Chris have been so kind as to allow Gastronommy to publish some of their recipes here for you to try out at home.  The first to be presented will be Steamed Radish Cake.  This is one of my favorite comfort foods, having grown up eating my grandmother's lovingly made tins of it over the years.  I'll have to do a side by side comparison of our steamed radish cakes one of these days.

Chinese Heritage Cooking is available in all major bookstores in Singapore and Amazon.   

Cheap Eats: Northern Chinese cuisine in Singapore

Some of my greatest eating joys are whilst standing -- my tendency to eat in front of the refrigerator is a testament to that.  Roadside food, casual eateries, standing or perched on low plastic stools suit me just fine as long as the eats are finger lickin' good.

On a semi-related note, tonight I dined with fabulous company at 东北人家 (Dong Bei Ren Jia).  I don't have any photos, as tends to be my natural inclination when dining out -- believe it or not, I take photos for you more than for me.  Suffice to say, the northern Chinese cuisine hit the spot.  For a group of 7, we easily ordered over a dozen dishes to share (and didn't finish, because we greedily over-ordered) and enough Harbin Beer to drink to our heart's content... We left paying SGD $20 per head.  No frills, quick service, plastic table covers, and our gluten-free friend also had plenty to order from the menu.  Works for me.  Burp.

东北人家 (Dong Bei Ren Jia)
22 Upper Cross Street, Chinatown, Singapore 
Tel: +65 6224-5258

Writing Tips

This is typically the process I go about doing when I'm crafting pieces for magazines.  Men With Pens: How To Unblock Your Writing

1.  Brainstorm.  Dream.  Scribble.  Stop.
2.  Bulletpoint.  Draft.  Rough ideas.  Stop.
3.  Edit.  Tweak.  Polish.  Polish.  Polish.  Stop.
4.  Read fresh.  Edit if necessary.  Publish.

Work or Pleasure?

Or how about a lot of both.

From my notebook dedicated to my favorite quotes.

I dedicate this Valentine's Day to...

...Bacon.

How to get eggshell out of your yolk

Seeing how you're here reading this site, I'm going to presume you've cracked a few eggs in your life.  And that you know that even the best of us sometimes accidentally break a piece of shell into the mixture.  You also know that that little piece is excellent at eluding your digging fork or fingers.

Here's a little tip of the day!  The trick is to use another piece of shell to scoop it out.  The shell contains calcium carbonate, which gives it the sharpness to easily pierce through the slimy protein liquid.

No shells in this egg, baby.

Serendipitous Pairings (plus: Hediard Macaron Giveaway)

Taste Magazine was so kind as to feature Gastronommy again, this time for their February issue... "inspiring couples", serendipitous pairings and some such!  (See past coverage in Taste here)

You can view the whole magazine here: Taste Magazine, February (by Purple Sage)

Thanks again for the interview. You might recognize some other familiar faces in the feature, such as the super hot, super cool Fitness blogger, Fay Hokulani with her other half, Charles James Wright of Johnnie Walker Malaysia.  In fact, both of the other couples (I'Ling Noela Yee and Ben David Sorum of Hyde & Seek, Bangkok), are all pretty stunning -- I'm going to finish this ice cream sandwich here in my hand while I envy their perfect physiques.

If you want to join me in this indulgence-fest, Taste is having a giveaway, a box of 8 macarons from the French fine food boutique, Hédiard Paris.  Check out page 26 of their e-magazine for more details.  The contest ends at 3pm on 8 February.  That's this Friday, so get on it!

Incredible India [video]

I can't say I've ever had the pleasure of visiting India before.  Here's a rather stunning video that captures what it's like going on an eating trail in India.

A Day in India from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo.

This short film compiles three weeks of filming, traveling and eating in India into "one day". 

Created by: www.theperennialplate.com
In Partnership with Intrepid Travel: www.intrepidtravel.com/food/
Filmed & edited by:
Daniel Klein ( twitter.com/perennialplate/ )
Mirra Fine ( twitter.com/kaleandcola/)

Music by:
Cornershop: http://store.cornershop.com/
The Guadaloop: http://rawtapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-guadaloop-in-desired-in-the-3-worlds
aaronmaxwell: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/listen-aaronmaxwell-sunsets
After Effects by: http://www.squawkproductions.com/
Filmed on 5d Mark iii w Canon 24-70, 70-200 2.8 L

Singapore's Best Ice-Cream Sandwiches

What could be the best thing ever to arrive at your doorstep on Chinese New Year?

Lovingly made artisan ice-cream sandwiches.  This is, of course, given that someone was actually there to answer the door in time--otherwise, an angpao stuffed with hundred dollar bills might be the next best thing.

Pineapple tarts are a big thing in Singapore over the Chinese New Year holidays.  Pineapple tarts are sinfully delicious, but after the fifth box of them to arrive, most people start to tire of them.  Do it a little differently this year with The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.'s limited edition pineapple tart ice-cream cookie.

I thought The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. couldn't top my first love, Sugar+Spice (Christmas cookie special), but they've done it again with the buttery, crumbly golden cookie filled with pineapple ice-cream and generous chunks of candied pineapple.  There's no scrimping on the ice-cream either -- be prepared to tackle these darlings with two hands (unless you have big hands).  The first time I stopped by their pop-up stand, I KID YOU NOT, I ate two sandwiches in one go.  I would have ordered a third in the same half hour if I wasn't already borrowing cash from my friend already for the second one.

Huge sandwiches.  Can't.stop.eating.

Their current rolodex of flavors include Milk & Cookies (Tahitian vanilla bean ice-cream, Belgian chocolate chip cookie), After Eight (peppermint icecream, dark chocolate brownie cookie), Strawberry Shortcake (fresh strawberry ice-cream, shortbread cookie), Apple Pie (chunky apple ice-cream, crumble cookie), and their newest creation, Choco Noisette (chocolate-hazelnut ice-cream, dark cocoa cookie).

"Do you like Nutella?" one of the co-founders asked me.
Um, duh.
"Do you know how hard it is to make chocolate hazelnut into ice-cream?" He asked again.
Can't say I've thought very hard about the process before.  It was always a mindless process as I stuck my finger...giant spoon...knife into the jar.

Everything is made from scratch and with whole products.  That includes the fresh strawberries in the Strawberry Shortcake cookie, and more challengingly, whole hazelnuts are roasted then ground into a paste for the chocolate-hazelnut ice-cream cookie!  There's no team of twenty making these artisanal ice-cream sandwiches for you.  It's just the two of them for the most part (okay, someone else handles the deliveries), of whom even consider the cookie to ice-cream density, to ensure the cookies are biteable without ice-cream oozing out the sides.  If you ever meet the two founders, you might think they are the angels of ice-cream cookies, with their beautiful good looks and very satisfying cold-creations.

I'm a fan of Ice Cream & Cookie Co.  A huge fan. To top it off for the health conscious, all of their ice-cream cookies are "preservative-free, all natural, and free of harmful stabilizers and emulsifiers."

You can sample The Ice Cream Cookie Co's goods at Pistola, Cajun Kings, Caveau Wines & Bar by Les Amis, Violet Oon's Kitchen, or various pop-ups around town.  You can also order online for packs of 8, 16, or 24 sandwiches.  

I'm an idiot and didn't realize the cut off date for the Pineapple Tart sandwich CNY delivery was 27 January.  I truly apologize for that.  I have huge regrets, not just for your sake, but for mine!  I was planning to max out on that order.  Seriously scrumptious.  The cookies will be available for delivery from Feb 11-25, but place your orders soon.

The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. Facebook Page, follow for updates on new flavors or order at orders@icecreamcookieco.com

Blow+Bar = Glam hair + wine

Need some ideas for a girls' night out this Valentine's Day?  Or maybe you need a short pampering session away from the family-overdosage over the Chinese New Year holiday.

Singapore has its first salon dedicated to hair blowouts. The concept is already popular in cities such as Los Angeles, New York and London. Startout a girls’ night out with a hairwash, blowout and a few glasses of vino. Blow+Bar is ideal for a happy hour weekday sesh, pre-weekend outings, or events like bridal showers or really, anything you need some glamming up for.  I was invited for a complimentary blowout last month--how could I say no?

Founders Diana Goh and Ashley Soh found a cozy spot along Rodyk Street for their salon setup. Save for the mirrors and the sinks in the back, at first glance, the salon looks more like a minimalistic modern looking bar for coffee or wine. Diana and Ashley want their visitors here not just for the dolling-up, but for the fun socializing experience too (this is where the wine and cocktails come in).

Both Diana and Ashley come from a beauty background, having worked with two of some of the best beauty brands out there: SK-II and L’Oreal. Especially after Ashley’s years of experience at L’Oreal, she brings her knowledge and appreciation of good hair maintenance to the salon. All hair treatments use the best of Kerastase and L’Oreal products for every mane that is under Blow+Bar’s care. Basic blowouts (includes a wash and most excellent massage), ranges from $35-48. Other services include hair repair treatments, manicures or full scalp rituals are also available as add ons. Blow+Bar also offers trims, perms, and hair coloring.

And don’t worry about the lack of socializing if you are flying solo for your appointment at Blow+Bar. The stylists are ever so friendly and are up for lending advice from your hair troubles to your dating woes.

Blow+Bar
Robertson Quay, 7 Rodyk Street
#01-32 Watermark
Tel: +65 6238-7338
https://www.facebook.com/Blowplusbar

Recipe: Revenge Cake for Steve Aoki

You may remember my experience of having a cake thrown at my face by Steve Aoki during Avalon's 1st Anniversary event (click to see the photos and story behind that).  He's returned to Singapore for another round at Avalon and so my chance for revenge came up.

I asked him one question before the deed was done: Have you ever been caked BACK before?
His reply:  Never.  Only by personal friends.

Then...

THE TASTE OF REVENGE CAKE

with a Singapore twist.  Unfortunately pandan cake doesn't stick as well.

...but it does taste more delicious.

The best I could do trying to find a cake for the last minute idea.

As you might expect, coming from a guy who gets part of his daily workout from lifting people into crowd surfing rafts, he was a good sport about getting a revenge cake to the face.

Earlier in the evening, Steve Adelman of Avalon surprised me with an appropriate shirt.

Now to create a one-time I GOT CAKED BY GASTRONOMMY shirt...

Cool fact: Food is another one of Aoki's many passions.  He owns 4 restaurants in the United States -- and it ain't Benihana's.  Can you figure out which ones are his?

(you can see more photos from last year's event on Steve Aoki's website)

Best Crabs in Singapore

BEST SINGAPORE CRABS

This is a highly debatable topic, whether among locals or visitors.  Based on my countless experiences to the following restaurants and others, here are my favorites of the moment.  My absolute favorite crabs are listed at the bottom of this post, under Other BEST Crabs.  Plus, here are two tips.
Crab Tip 1: For those who are squeamish or lazy about peeling your own crabs, a number of the chain restaurants have service staff who will put on gloves and de-shell it for you.
Crab Tip 2:  But it always tastes better when you do it yourself.
(Read here for Best of Brunch in Singapore, or What to Eat for the First Time Visitor in Singapore)

Best for Chilli Crab

(or Chili crab, spelled with one 'L' for my fellow American readers)

Tung Lok's Chilli Crab

Jumbo Seafood read more here

Eat: Their secret ingredient is peanut sauce, making the gravy richer and creamier.  They have multiple locations, but I recommend their East Coast outlet.

Address: Blk 1206 East Coast Parkway #01-07/08, East Coast Seafood Centre Singapore 449883

Tel: +65 6442-3435
http://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/

Tung Lok Seafood

Eat:  The chef uses the unusual combination of orange juice and tomato sauce for a subtle and refreshing touch to Singapore's famed chilli crab.  The crab quality in general is top notch, fresh and succulent.  I've only been to their Orchard Central location, so that's the one I'll be listing (the other is in Jurong).

Address: Orchard Central #11-05, 181 Orchard Road, Singapore 238896

Tel: +65 6834-4888

http://www.tunglokseafood.com/

Best for Black Pepper Crab

Black Pepper Crab

Long Beach Seafood
Eat: My friends at Appetite magazine and I concluded that the black pepper crab here is more complex and refined than the other major seafood restaurants.
Address: 25 Dempsey Road Tel: +65 6323-2222
or 1018 East Coast Parkway Tel: +65 6445-8833
http://www.longbeachseafood.com.sg

Mellben Seafood read more here
Eat: Likewise, I've found that the black pepper crab here is more complex tasting than competitor restaurants' that generally taste of just plain black pepper and butter.  Mellben also never failed to serve us fresh and ultra-meaty crabs in the dozen times I've been.

Address:  Blk 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-1222 Tel: +65 6285-6762

or 211 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh Tel: +65 6353-3120

Best for White Pepper Crab

Long Beach's White Pepper Crab

Tung Lok Seafood
Eat: Their Sri Lankan crabs in this dish has that sharp white pepper spice that hits your nose in a way that you can appreciate.  Consistently well cooked with excellent service to match.
Address: Orchard Central #11-05, 181 Orchard Road, Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6834-4888
http://www.tunglokseafood.com/

Long Beach Seafood
Eat: They use Alaskan King Crab for their white pepper dish.  The price is outrageously high (we're talking hundreds of dollars per crab), but it won't fail to impress in visuals or on the taste buds.
Address: 25 Dempsey Road Tel: +65 6323-2222
or 1018 East Coast Parkway Tel: +65 6445-8833
http://www.longbeachseafood.com.sg

Other BEST Crabs 

(MUST TRY!  I prefer these over chilli crab and pepper crab these days.)

Mellben's Claypot Crab Beehoon

Mellben Seafood read more here
Eat: The claypot crab beehoon is unbeatable.  I always dream about the spiced, milky broth; a wealth of umami on the palate with what must be crab roe boiled into the stock.

Address:  Blk 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-1222 Tel: +65 6285-6762

or 211 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh Tel: +65 6353-3120

3 Hao Crab Delicacy (or No. 3 Crab Delicacy)
Eat: I've been bringing friends for their Curry Crab the entirety of 2012 and am still not tired of it.  I'm surprised how little it's mentioned these days, because the curry crab is something special with its savoury laksa curry.  This is a crab listing, but you also have to try the Teochew style cabbage chicken.
Address: 265 Outram Road, Singapore 169059
Tel: +65 6327-2148
http://www.3crab.com

No Signboard Seafood (Geylang) read more here
Eat: Salted egg crab at their Geylang outlet is intense on the salted egg, in a good way.  No Signboard used to be one of my favorites for chilli crab, since their gravy is more reminiscent of curry rather than overly tangy with tomato sauce.  Unfortunately, the last 4-5 visits to their Esplanade and now shuttered East Coast outlet consistently served me disappointingly meatless crabs.  If I go these days, it's for their wonderful deep fried baby squid, cereal prawns, and salted egg crab.
Address: 414 Geylang Road, Singapore 389392
Tel: +65 6842-3415
http://www.nosignboardseafood.com

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant read more here
Eat: The "Kopi" Crab is the newest Singapore crab innovation in town.  The saccharine glaze is made of three varieties of coffee beans and apple marmalade, then flambéed tableside with coffee liquor. 
Address: Flower Dome, Gardens By the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive #01-10, Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6604-6604, reservations@majesticbay.sg
http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/dining/majestic-bay.html

Lousiana-Style Cajun Crabs
There seems to be an influx of NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) restaurants in Singapore.  Here's the full list.

---

If you don't see certain places listed it means one or more of the following:
1.  I didn't think it deserved to be there.
2.  It slipped my mind!  Remind me, please.
3.  I didn't have the time/stomach space/cash to check it out yet.

If you think a place deserves to be considered, please message me, twitter me or leave a comment below.

Kopi Crabs at Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant (Singapore)

My fingers still linger with a scent reminiscent of buttered popcorn and burnt caramel.  I just finished dinner at the two month old Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant.  Just hours ago, I was sucking the crab legs dry, savouring the saccharine glaze of Chef Yong Bin Ngen's "Kopi" Crab 冠华咖啡焗肉蟹.  Why haven't chefs come up with this sooner?

The sweet, sticky glaze is made of three types of coffee beans, apple marmalade and plum sauce.  It is cooked with Sri Lankan mud crabs no larger than 1.4 kg (the ideal size, says chef), then flambéed tableside with coffee liquor.  The concept of cooking with coffee isn't entirely new in Singapore -- there's barbecue coffee pork ribs found at most cze chars, allegedly made popular by Chef Sam Leong.

Admittedly, the kopi sauce doesn't match the natural crab flavour with the same symphony as pork and coffee does, but there is still an addictive harmony that leaves you reaching for more.  The best parts are the exposed meat ends, charred with a crunchy layer of caramel-sweetness. I'm always happy to see good new mud crab recipes come out in Singapore--god knows I'm tired of bringing visitors for chilli crab every month.

I'm putting the kopi crab alongside my other Singapore crab favorites, curry crab, claypot crab beehoon, and salted egg crab.  While you're here at Majestic Bay, be sure to try the mee sua with braised baby abalone 小小鲍鱼面线 ($24 for 2-4 pax, $36 for 5-8 pax).  The broth is rich and creamy and the baby abalone is oh-so-soft.

The restaurant is located in Singapore's new Gardens By the Bay.  Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant specializes in live seafood, Chinese cuisine with a focus on Cantonese dishes.

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant
Flower Dome, Gardens By the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Drive #01-10
Singapore 018953
Tel: +65 6604-6604, reservations@majesticbay.sg

photos provided by Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant

New Year's Eve: Ricotta Dip with Country Bread

Chef Inspired Recipes: Victoria on FoodForLifeTV (Ricotta Dip)

It's been a fantastic 2012.  I don't even want it to end!  But alas, New Year's eve is here and now we celebrate the end of this year into the new.  Tonight, thirty of us will be gathering at a friend's house for a black tie pot luck (we should be dressed our best to ring in the new year!).

I don't have much time to prepare today and everyone else seems to be bringing heavier dishes like roasts and potatoes.  So I'm turning to one of my favorite quick antipasto recipes.  Andrew Carmellini's A Voce ricotta cheese dip.  It sounds simple, and it is, but the dish blew me away the first time I had it at A Voce NYC all those years ago.

Urban Italian offers Andrew Carmellini's signature ricotta recipe

One of the keys to the spectacular nature of this dip is, as always, the ingredient(s) involved.  Carmellini uses a particular Sardinian sheep's milk ricotta, whereas most ricotta you'll find at specialty stores are made of cow's milk.  The second key is to whip in a splash of milk for extra fluffiness against the denseness of the cheese.  This results in a richer, tangier, velvetier ricotta dip that will usually have guests scraping the bottom of the bowl for.

Here's Carmellini's recipe for the dip:

Sheep's Milk Ricotta Antipasto
adapted from Urban Italian

serves 6
Ingredients
2 cups Sardinian sheep's milk ricotta (if you can't find this, use sheep's milk or regular cow's milk ricotta)
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp fleur de sel
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbls dried oregano
2-3 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Grilled Country Bread rubbed with garlic, for serving

1. Beat the ricotta and the milk together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle (or in a medium bowl with a whisk) until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the fine sea salt and mix well.
2. Place the mixture in a serving bowl. Generously sprinkle the sea salt, pepper, thyme and oregano over the top.
3. Top with the olive oil, which will settle on and around the cheese.  Add sliced fresh figs or shaved truffles. Serve with grilled bread.

Happy New Year!