Siapa pun mengakui bahwa kuliner di Indonesia sangat banyak ragamnya, mulai dari aneka racikan nasi, yang menjadi makanan wajib orang Indonesia, ragam kue, sayur dan lauk pauk, hingga aneka minuman.

Dengan banyaknya jenis kuliner tersebut, industri kuliner menjadi salah satu industri yang berkembang saat ini, seiring dengan berkembangnya pariwisata dalam negeri.

"Ditetapkannya kuliner menjadi subsektor industri kreatif yang bisa jadi kebanggaan di luar negeri. Dalam hal ini, kuliner menjadi menjadi wisata minat khusus," ungkap Dirjen Pengembangan Destinasi Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif, Firmansyah Rachim, di Hotel Dharmawangsa, Jakarta, Jumat (14/12/2012).

Banyaknya ragam kuliner Indonesia mengakibatkan sulitnya mendefinisikan mana yang termasuk makanan khas Indonesia. Karena itu perlu ditetapkan jenis makanan tradisional yang dapat menjadi ikon, mewakili kuliner Indonesia di event nasional dan internasional.

Menurut Firmansyah, terdapat 70 jenis calon ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia, yang kemudian dikerucutkan menjadi 30 ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia. Kuliner tersebut terdiri dari kuliner pusaka, tradisi dan unggulan, mulai dari makanan pembuka, hingga penutup.

Landasan pemilihan 30 ikon  kuliner tradisional  Indonesia tersebut, ungkap Firmansyah, berdasarkan beberapa kriteria. Pertama, bahan baku harus mudah diperoleh, baik di dalam maupun luar negeri, yang kedua kuliner tersebut telah dikenal oleh masyarakat luas, serta ada pelaku profesional praktisi kuliner tersebut.

Tiga puluh ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia, yang diseleksi oleh Kelompok Kerja buatan Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif, yang terdiri dari para praktisi dan pakar kuliner, yaitu Ayam Panggang Bumbu Rujak Yogyakarta, Gado-gado Jakarta, Nasi Goreng Kampung, Serabi Bandung, Sarikayo Minangkabau, Es Dawet Ayu Banjarnegara, Urap Sayuran Jogjakarta, Sayur Nangka Kapau, Lunpia Semarang, Nagasari Jogjakarta, Kue Lumpur Jakarta, Soto Ayam Lamongan, Rawon Surabaya, Asinan Jakarta, Sate Ayam Madura.

Berikutnya Sate Maranggi Purwakarta, Klappertaart Manado, Tahu Telur Surabaya, Sate Lilit Bali, Rendang Padang, Orak-arik Buncis Solo, Pindang Patin Palembang, Asam Padeh Tongkol Padang, Nasi Liwet Solo, Es Bir Pletok Jakarta, Kolak Pisang Ubi Bandung, Ayam Goreng Lengkuas Bandung, Laksa Bogor, Kunyit Asam Solo, serta Nasi Tumpeng. Ke-30 ikon kuliner ini ditetapkan sebagai ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia di dalam maupun luar negeri.

Menteri Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif Mari Elka Pangestu mengharapkan dari ke-30 ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia ini, akan akan disajikan berbentuk menu, mulai dari makan pembuka hingga minuman.

"Pemilihan kuliner tradisional tak berhenti pada 30 ini. Kita mulai dari 30 ini selanjutnya kita implementasi, kenapa kita memilih kuliner tersebut, dengan cerita yang ada di balik kuliner. Nantinya setiap destinasi wisata harus punya ikon dan kuliner unggulan. Karena kuliner adalah bagian dari tourism," ujar Mari.

"Ditetapkannya 30 ikon kuliner tradisional Indonesia, diharapkan menjadi makanan yang wajib dimasak pada setiap event nasional atau internasional di Istana Negara," tambah Firmansyah.

Sumber: kompas.com

I have hardly use DUCK meat as one of my ingredient while planning for our daily meals. I guess the only dish that I known how to cook by using whole/portion duck is to make "Braised Duck with Dark Soya Sauce" which is a well-like dish in most Asia families. Not long ago, I have read up a recipe and post fromJacob over at Cook.Snap.Eat.Love where he takes the effort and time to prepare Duck Confit as a main course to host a few food bloggers on a tasting session(read more HERE). 

After going through Jacob's recipe plus some others similar recipes online, I find making Duck Confit was rather complicated and time consuming for my standard as a home cook. So after much consideration, I think I better settle for something easier which I could managed and keep that big project aside for the time being. 

CRISP DUCK WITH APPLE AND ORANGE SAUCE

This is a pretty easy dish with minimum preparation but comes with delicious combination of savory crisp duck, crunchy fresh apple plus salad greens swam in pool of aromatic spiced orange sauce. Personally I love the sweet and tangy taste of the orange sauce which really goes well with the whole combination and especially on the crisp duck.

Here I used half portion of the duck(which included the duck breast fillet and drumstick) instead of two duck fillets because I have left over from the previous dish on braised soya duck. If you are getting the duck from the wet market poultry stalls, you could also ask them to help you de-bone the fillet which would be easier for you.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Duck Fillets, skin on
1/2 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Dash of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Red Delicious Apple, sliced thinly
2 Servings of Salad Greens

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking tray.

2. Make shallow incisions diagonally across skin of duck apart 1cm apart, rub sea salt into skin.

3. Place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, add duck, skin-side down and cook for 8 minutes until skin is crispy.

4. Transfer to wire rack, skin-side up and bake for 12 - 15 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and stand on wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing it.

5. Using a vegetable slicer or knife, sliced the apple thinly and place it on the duck slices on prepared plates.

6. Drizzle some orange sauce on the apple and duck mixture, top with some salad greens and homemade rosemary and garlic flatbread on the side and serve warm with extra orange sauce.

Orange Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange
125ml of Orange Juice
60ml Cup Water
2 Star Anise

Method:-

1. Place orange marmalade, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, star anise and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

2. Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes, until sauce reduced and sightly thickened. Strain and serve warm.

ROSEMARY AND GARLIC FLATBREAD

A flatbread is a simple bread made with flour, water, salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened which is made without using yeast or sourdough culture similar to the recipe shown below. And in order to make the above crisp duck salad more filling, I decided to pair it with some homemade Rosemary and Garlic Flatbread which could be used to wrap up the crisp duck salad.

Recipe adapted and modify from Australia Masterchef website HERE.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
125g Plain Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
65ml(1/4 cup) Lukewarm Water
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary
Extra Flour, dusting
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Method:-

1. Combine olive oil and lukewarm water in a jug.

2. Process flour, salt and rosemary in a food processor or alternatively place them in a large mixing bowl.

3. Slowly add olive oil and water mixture to the flour to form a dough.

4. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Rest dough for at least 30 minutes

5. Divide dough into 6 dough balls, roll out flat and fry(without oil) for 2 minutes each side or until golden.

6. Brush with melted butter. Keep warm and serve together with the Crisp Duck salad above.

Other than making your own flatbread from scratch you could also purchase those ready-made "Wraps/Tortilla " which are available in most leading supermarkets. I am sure you would like this dish as much as I do, and if duck fillets are not available in your area or liking you could always replace it with chicken fillets. And furthermore if you could get hold of kumquat marmalade I am it would add extra and unique flavour to this dish too. Enjoy! 

 
Parmigiana (a short form of Parmigiana di melanzane) is a Southern Italian dish made with a shallow-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese, tomato sauce and baked before serving. But here we are making a quick version of this "Avocado Chicken Parmigiana" where tender chicken breast schnitzel is topped with bottled tomato pasta sauce and fresh avocado together with generous amount of grated Mozzarella cheese. 

AVOCADO CHICKEN PARMIGIANA
(Quick and Easy version)

You could serve this Chicken Parmigiana with some garden salad on the side together with a bowl of hot soup and bread or use the chicken as a topper to make a pasta dish. And I am sure your guest would be impressed by this dish which is so easy to prepare and yet healthy in sight as well as taste.

(serves: 4 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breast Fillets, halved lengthways
1/2 Cup Plain Flour
2 Tablespoons Fresh Milk
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Dried Breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil/Cooking Spray
1/2 Cup Tomato Pasta Sauce
2 Avocado, Sliced
1/2 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Salad Green, to serve

Method:-

1. Place chicken breast in a clear plastic bag(alternatively between 2 sheets plastic wrap), using a rolling pin or meat mallet pound until 0.5cm thick.

2. Place flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plate and lightly whisk milk and egg together in a shallow bowl.

3. Coat 1 piece of chicken breast in flour(shaking off excess), dip in egg mixture then coat in breadcrumbs using your fingertips pressing on to secure.

4. Place on prepared baking tray lay with foil or baking paper, repeat the same process with the remaining chicken breast with flour, egg and etc.

5. Lightly spray or brush the prepared chicken with oil, bake for 8 minutes(turning after 4 minutes to have evenly colours on the breadcrumbs) in preheated 200 degree Celsius(392°Fahrenheit) fan-forced oven.

6. Remove from oven and spread each chicken breast with 1 heaped tablespoon of pasta sauce. Arrange avocado slices over sauce and sprinkle with decent amount of mozzarella cheese.

7. Return to oven and bake for another 5 - 7 minutes or until golden and chicken is cooked through.

8. Serve with either garden salad or use it as a main topping on cooked pasta.

Personally I love this dish because it is so easy to prepare and yet full of flavour. The tender and juicy chicken breast is infuse with the mixture of sweet and savory taste from the tomato sauce, melted cheese and buttery flavour of the avocado which makes it a great combinations. Furthermore the garden salad at the side also adds in extra texture and flavour to balance the taste.

Hope this would be a great idea for your quick and easy weekend dish for your family or friends. For more ideas on using Avocado you can refer to my other recipes 

Pumpkin Granola Bar

Pumpkin Granola Bar

My family loves granola and our my favourite granola supply come from "maameemoomoo" who always surprise us with her innovative flavoured granola like honey, pumpkin and chocolate. And since we have missed out Sherie's pumpkin granola during Halloween orders, I decided to try making something similar to satisfy our craving. So with a twist and some research which I Google, I manage to bake some decent Pumpkin Granola Bar instead.

Although my granola bar might not taste as good as Sheri's but at least I happy with the end result and also it's a challenge for me to bake something with such a long ingredients list too.

PUMPKIN GRANOLA BAR

These golden granola bars are made with pumpkin puree, applesauce and honey which are so flavorful when mixed with the chewy rolled oats, cranberries, chocolate chips, spices and etc. Each bite is full of delicious autumn flavour which makes the whole process of time and effort worth. 

(Make: 16 x 26cm (base measurement) | Preparation: 30 minutes | Baking: 45 minutes)

Ingredients:
3 Cups (260g) Rolled Oats
1 Teaspoon Mixed Spices
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1/4 Cup Apple Sauce
1/4 Cup Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup (60g) Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup (40g) Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Roasted Almond
1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds

Method:-
1. Preheat the oven to 180° degree Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and crease a 3cm deep, 16cm x 26cm brownie pan and line it with baking paper, allowing 2cm overhang on all sides.

2. In a large bowl, whisk rolled oats, mixed spices and salt together.

3. In another bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin puree, apple sauce, honey and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour pumpkin mixture over rolled oats and stir well till oats are moist.

5. Stir in dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, roasted almond and chia seeds till combined.

6. Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown as pumpkin puree adds moisture to the oats mixture and you don't want them to be under bake. 

7. Remove, cool completely and using a sharp knife and cut it into 12 - 14 bars.

Ingredients For Pumpkin Puree:
400g Pumpkin, cut into 1" Cubes
1 Tablespoon Water

Method:-
1. Place pumpkin cubes and 1 tablespoon of water in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Cook over high heat for about 15 minutes or until pumpkin is soften when mashed with a fork.

3. To get a nice and smooth consistency you can either mash or blend the cooked pumpkin with a fork or hand blender.

Ingredients For Apple Sauce
~ 2 Granny Smith Apples, cored and chopped
~ 1 Tablespoon Sugar ~ 1/4 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
~ 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
~ 1/4 Cup Water

Method:-
1. Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until apple soften and melt.

Although these granola bar might look crispy due to it's colour but for your information they are actually more of the chewy type instead. But with the crunchy almond and nutty flavour from the chia seeds as well as chocolate chips and cranberries this pumpkin bar definitely taste awesome with all it's goodness.