Cheddar Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
6 slices bacon, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup chopped scallion
3 Tablespoons all−purpose flour
2 cups shredded Canadian white cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Cooking:
1. Snipped fresh chives or minced scallions for garnish. In a 2−quart saucepan, heat the milk and the chicken broth over medium−low heat. Meanwhile, in a 4 or 5 quart Dutch oven, cook the
bacon, stirring, over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the red onion, celery, and scallion and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
2. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, add the heated milk mixture, and whisk until well blended. Return to the heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, or until thickened.
3. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and stir in the cheese, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth. Serve the soup hot, garnished with chives.

*pic from gettyimages

Thai-style Fish Cake

Ingredients:
10 oz mackerel flesh
2 lemon leaves
4 sprigs green string bean or suitable amount of peas
suitable amount of mint leaves
suitable amount of chili dices

Seasoning:
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp fish gravy
2 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp red curry paste
3/4 tsp Thai shrimp paste (mixed with some water)

Sweet and sour sauce:
1 tbsp Chinese parsley (chopped)
2 tbsp peanut (crushed and stir-fried)
1 tbsp tomato juice
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 red perennial chili (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 shallot (chopped)
1 1/2 tsp caltrop starch
3 tbsp water

Cooking:
1. Sauce: Mix all ingredients well. Cook over low heat until boiling. Add Chinese parsley and peanuts to form a sweet and sour sauce. The sauce can be made well in advance and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.
2. Scald and dice peas. Tear lemon leaves to pieces.
3. Wash mackerel and wipe dry. Scoop out its flesh with a spoon. Add 1/8 tsp salt. Mash the flesh with the back of knife. Add no. 1 and seasoning. Stir in one direction until sticky. Mold the mash into cakes of round and thin shape. Deep fry the cakes until golden. Serve with sweet and sour sauce. Garnish with mint leaves and chili dices.

*pic from gettyimages