Goat Milk

Celebrate lunar new year around the world with the full gamut of special treats and auspicious foods in a banquet for friends and family.

Crisp, hot spring rolls dipped in sweet and spicy sauce – there’s nothing like it for Chinese New Year.

Spring Rolls

Who doesn’t love a hot, fried spring roll dipped in sweet spicy sauce? Making them yourself ensures a maximum freshness of flavor.

This recipe requires less than 30 mins Preparation time, less than 10 mins Cooking time, Serves Makes 8

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil, plus extra for deep-frying
• 200g/7oz skinless chicken breast fillets, chopped into small pea-sized pieces
• 4 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
• 75g/3oz beansprouts
• 2 large spring onions, finely sliced lengthways
• 1 small carrot, julienned
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tbsp light soy sauce
• sea salt and ground white pepper
• 16 ready-made large spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen (available from Asian supermarkets)
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Directions:

• Heat a wok until smoking and add the groundnut oil, then add the chicken and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Season with soy sauce and five-spice powder, then remove from the wok and set aside to cool for ten minutes. Wipe the wok clean with kitchen paper.
• Place the grated ginger, beansprouts, spring onions and carrot into a bowl, then add the chicken and mushrooms and season with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sea salt and ground white pepper. Stir well to combine.
• Lay two spring roll wrappers one on top of the other (the extra thickness will prevent the skin from breaking) and position so that the corners are pointing upwards, downwards and to the sides.
• Spoon two tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the wrapper. Brush each corner of the wrapper with the cornflour paste, then bring the two opposite corners on the sides together and, keeping your finger on those edges, bring the bottom corner towards the middle and then roll the pastry up tightly towards the top corner. Tuck the top edge in and seal it with a little of the beaten egg yolk. Repeat with the remaining spring roll wrappers and filling.
• Heat the wok over a high heat and fill the wok to a quarter of its depth with groundnut oil. Heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 15 seconds. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully lower the spring rolls in small batches into the oil and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Transfer the spring rolls onto a plate and serve immediately.

These spiced pears with goat cheese are a beautiful way to dress up your dinner!

And, they are super easy to make, and the aroma from the cooking pears will make your house smell magnificent!

A versatile dish, they can be served warm or cold as appetizer/salad dish, or as dessert.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 ripe pears
• 3-4 ounces chevre goat cheese
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 lemon, or about 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground ginger, or 1/8 tsp. dried ginger
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Prepare a baking dish by coating the bottom with half of the lemon juice.
• Combine the water, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a bowl and mix well.
• For the pears – Ripe pears are fairly soft, so you’ll want to be extra gentle in handling them during preparation.
• First, cut the pears in half lengthwise, using a very sharp knife to avoid bruising them. Then, core the pears by scooping out the center &mdash a serrated grapefruit spoon works well for this. Finally, peel the pear halves, and place cut side down in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remainder of the lemon juice over the pears.
• Add the spice mixture to the baking dish, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for about 35-40 minutes until the pears are tender, but still hold their shape well.
• Remove from the oven, and gently turn the pears over.
• Using about 1/2 ounce goat cheese for each pear, press the cheese into a spoon to mold it into an oval shape, then carefully place in the center of each of the baked pears.
• Return to the oven, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly warm and soft.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon, a spoonful of the spiced syrup, and a drizzle of honey for each pear.

Serving Suggestions:

These spiced pears make a delicious and beautiful dessert when served warm, straight from the oven.

However, they can also double as a salad or appetizer.

For a salad, chill the cooked pears thoroughly before adding cold goat cheese and honey. Serve on a bed of spring greens, or a leaf of Romaine lettuce.