August in Singapore

the pill, easy apple galette

Food news of the week:

A summery recipe today dedicated to the hours I spent in the kitchen just downstairs, where alexcrumb was born. Back home in Singapore, and I’ve already had my fill of some local food and favourite fancier spots. The aburi sushi (nigiri with the fish grilled lightly on one side) at Rakuichi with an old friend hit a home run, just as good as when I first went ages ago. The scallop was a little thin, and their mentaiko pasta not as toothy as its potential, but overall a solid 8/10. I love the way they serve this with dashi stock spruced up with some lemon. Then there’s Culina which serves a mean ribeye and the most gorgeous banoffee pie (below) I’ve had with a caramelised biscuit rim and silky custard. Sold at first bite.

Science of the week:

Metabolic health pioneer Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is known for her GAPS program, aimed at alleviating symptoms of neurological and psychiatric conditions like autism with the introduction of gut-healthy foods like bone broth and animal fats. Interestingly, she also shared her perspective on how hormonal contraception can negatively impact gut health. This is something I’ve been interested in myself for a while, since it aligns with studies suggesting that the pill can alter gut microbiota, leading to potential digestive and overall health issues.

Insight of the week:

I went to a Chinese fortune teller a couple days ago, something I’ve always wanted to try for fun! The experience reminded me of the fascinating ways superstition and science intersect, and how our beliefs can influence our perceptions and decisions. It was a powerful reminder of the human tendency to seek meaning in life.

Recipe of the week:

Being back in Singapore always reminds me of the time I spent testing recipes and food photography for my old blog, just downstairs in our old and familiar kitchen.

Apple galette (6-inches, serves 4-5)

Ingredients

For galette dough:

• 125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour

• 1.5 tablespoons sugar

• pinch of salt

• 80g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (I used half salted, half unsalted, just because I love a little extra)

• 2 tablespoons cold water

For apple filling:

• 3-4 small apples, sliced into thin slivers

• 30g melted butter

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (preferably dark muscovado, if you have that sort of thing lying around)

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg

For the glaze:

• 0.25 (a quarter) cup of your favourite jam (I used marmalade), warmed for a couple minutes in the microwave

Directions

Slice the apples and mix with the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 200C.

In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse until the biggest pieces resemble medium-sized peas. Slowly add in the cold water, continuing to pulse at a moderate speed. I only needed around 2 tablespoons. Grab a handful of dough and squeeze to see if it holds together. If it does, then it’s fine. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a round and slightly flattened ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Take the dough out from fridge and using a floured rolling pin on lightly floured surface, roll out until it’s approximately 11 inches wide. Place dough onto a greased, large baking dish lined with parchment.

Take your cinnamon and sugar-crusted apples and layer them, one by one in a ring spiral, with the outer edges 1.5-2 inches away from the edge of the dough. Continue layering in a ring, working your way to the centre of the circle. Once you reach the centre, you can bend a few slices to fit the very middle, like a rose. If you have extra slices, place them in random nooks around the ring, so they all fit nicely.

Now for my favourite bit: Take the outside edges of dough and fold them over, in sections around the ring of apples. Let it be loose and rustic and messy. Then brush the melted butter over the edges you folded over and the exposed apple slices. Yum yum. Sprinkle coarse (demerara) sugar over the whole thing.

Bake in the preheated oven on middle rack for 40 minutes. Leave it in the oven to cool before taking out.

Warm your favourite jam in the microwave for a few minutes, and using a pastry brush, brush it all over the galette. It is elegant, it is righteous. A gazelle of a tart.

Restaurant of the week:

Still some London ones to get through before they get lost at the bottom of my list forever. Daphne’s in Kensington seemed almost holier-than-thou before I visited, but its bright and floral interior is the most desirable for a girly 3-hour brunch, and something can definitely be said for its food.