I'm Day Dreaming about Sausage

I’ve been craving a certain type of Thai sausage that’s spicy and sour. I’ve never seen it on a menu here in the States, but it should be. Fortunately, there is a Thai woman my mother knows who can make these incredible sausages. Unfortunately, it’ll be 10 more days before I visit home and get my sausages.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to try my hand at sausage making. I’ve never used casings, and quite frankly, I’m a little intimidated by them. So I did a steamed sausage wrapped in foil. Easy and no mess!

Homemade Thai-inspired Sausage

• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
• 1 ½ tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 pound ground chicken or pork (I used a mixture of the two)

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients well. Split the mixture in 2 or 4, depending on the size of the sausages you want.

Lightly oil pieces of aluminum foil for rolling. To get the best shaped sausage use a flexible cutting board (or similar) to help you roll. It reminds me of rolling sushi. When you’re finished rolling, twist the ends shut. Place the sausages, seam side up, in a steamer set above boiling water. Steam for 15-20 minutes (if you don’t have a steamer that can fit the sausages, throw them into 375º for about 20 minutes). At this point, the sausage is done and can be served (let it sit for 5-10 minutes before opening and slicing). However, I like to pan fry them to give them a crispy outside.

Serve as an appetizer with dipping sauce* and lettuce leaves to wrap. Also makes a nice entrée with steamed white rice and your choice of veggie.

*My standard dipping sauce is 1 tbs fish sauce, 3 tbs rice vinegar, ½ tbs sugar and sambal oelek to taste.

There are Few Things that are Easier than This

What can I say? This stir-fry is not only fast to cook up, but even easier to prep. Did I mention it’s tasty too?

Pork Stir-fry with Basil

• 1 lbs pork or chicken, thinly sliced (recommend tenderloin or boneless, skinless thighs)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• ½ to 1 tbs fish sauce (to taste)
• 1 tsp sambal oelek (optional)
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• ½ to 1 tbs fresh lime juice (to taste)
• 1-2 handfuls of fresh basil leave

Make the sauce mix by combining the oyster sauce, ½ tbs fish sauce, sugar, ½ tbs lime juice, and sambal oelek.

I like to pick out about 5-10 nice basil leaves to fry and use as an edible garnish. Make sure they are completely dry, otherwise you’ll have oil popping everywhere. Get your wok really, really hot and add about 3 tbs oil (I like peanut oil). Add the basil leaves and fry until they are crispy, about 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

To the wok, add the garlic and fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds (don’t let it burn). Add the onion and stir-fry for about a minute. Add the meat and continue to fry until almost done. Hopefully your wok is hot enough to give the meat a little crust (that’s why I recommend cast iron). Add the sauce mix and continue frying. In less than 1 minute, if your wok is hot enough, you’ll see the sauce caramelize and get thick. Turn off the heat and add the remaining basil. Season with additional fish sauce and lime juice to taste. Garnish with the crispy basil leaves. Serve with steaming jasmine rice.

I Dreamt about Hummus

I must have been spacing when I looked at a two-pound bag of dried chickpeas and decided that would be sufficient for a couple portions of hummus. I soaked all 2 pounds overnight and woke up to about 20 pounds of chickpeas. Even after making 3 different types of hummus and one portion of falafel, I had to freeze a few cups. I don’t know if that’s advisable; I guess we’ll see when I thaw them.

The basic hummus recipe I use comes from my first cookbook (and still one of my favorites). A couple variations include using sun-dried tomatoes and roasted sweet peppers.

Basic hummus recipe (from Moosewood Cookbook)

• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• handful of Italian parsley
• 2 green onions, roughly chopped
• 3 cups cooked chick peas (about 2 cans worth)
• 6 tbs tahini
• 6 tbs lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp salt (or more to taste; probably less if using canned)

If you want to use dried chick peas, they must be soaked overnight first. Then boil them in plain water. DO NOT add salt, otherwise the chickpeas will not get tender. I learned this the hard way.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until you have a smooth paste. If the paste is too dry, you can add a little water or olive oil while it’s blending. I like to add a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cayenne just before serving.

Variation #1: add 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the kind stored in oil).

Variation #2: add 2 roasted red, orange or yellow bell pepper. I don’t recommend green, as they aren’t as sweet. Sometimes I buy roasted bell peppers in a jar, but I occasionally do it myself because I have a gas range top. I put the peppers directly on the burner and allow each side to char. It takes maybe 10 minutes. The I throw the peppers into a large Ziplock bag and allow to cool enough to handle. The skin then peels right off. Remove the seeds before using.

It Only took 32 Years

I had dirty rice for the first time about a month or so ago. How I went 32 years without ever tasting it is beyond me, considering I love Creole/Cajun food. The version I made was thrown together from several recipes (out of a gazillion) I found on the Internet.

Dirty Rice

• ½ to ¾ lbs chicken liver
• 1 lbs pork sausage (not in casing)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs Creole seasoning*
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 6-8 cups cold cooked rice (preferably long grain)
• oil for cooking
• salt and pepper to taste

This recipe makes a lot of rice, enough for 6 adults. That means you’ll need a very large skillet. It’s probably easier to start in a skillet, then move to a large stockpot when you mix in the rice. A large Dutch oven would also work well. I used my wok, which is perfect for this kind of dish because you can toss and mix without stuff flying out of the pan.

In a large skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs oil. When hot, add the livers and sauté until almost done, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool slightly. Chop the livers finely and set aside again. (Alternatively, you could chop the livers before cooking, but I have had an aversion to handling raw liver since freshman biology)

To the skillet, add the sausage and cook, breaking up the clumps, until the meat is browned. Add the livers back in, along with the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaves and Creole seasonings. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and continue to cook for a couple of minutes to bring everything to the same temperature. Add the rice and mix thoroughly, breaking up the clumps. Cook until the rice is heated through. Season well with salt and pepper.

The first time I had dirty rice, it was served with a steak. I served it with Creole-spiced tilapia fillets and sautéed zucchini. I imagine it can be served with just about any meat or fish or even eaten alone.

*For the Creole seasoning, you can buy it at any grocery store in the spice isle. I make my own using Emeril’s “formulation”: 2 ½ tbs paprika, 2 tbs salt, 2 tbs garlic powder, 1 tbs each black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme.

The Baby's Here!

I want to throw out a big CONGRATULATIONS to my coworker. She had her baby on Easter day. Tomorrow I will visit her and Bundle, and I will be bringing a big serving of comfort food in the form of chicken mole (I just hope it doesn’t make Bundle gassy).

There are so many mole variations, it’s overwhelming. My coworker grew up eating a mole made with peanut butter. I’ve seen recipes with cashews while others use almonds. Some recipes call for pumpkin seeds but I use sesame seeds. There are about a million different types of chilies to choose from. I still recommend trying to make the paste yourself at least once. It can be a bit time consuming the first time, but I think it’s worth it. The recipe I use (from Foodnetwork.com; click here for original) gives a double portion, so you can freeze half for future use.

Chicken Mole

• 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried Anaheim chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried chipotle chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1 ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup whole almonds or cashews (or even peanuts)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tbs black peppercorns
• 1 4-inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
• 1 tbs dried Mexican oregano
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 lbs chicken (highly recommend drumsticks and thighs)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbs brown sugar
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Most supermarkets (at least here in the West) have a little section with Mexican spices, including different dried whole chilies. If you can’t find the ones listed, use what you can find. If you don’t want too much heat, substitute the chipotle with another type (and cut back on the peppercorns). I recommend using at least two types of chilies to give the dish a more complex flavor.

Some people like to toast their spices before grinding them (I use a food processor). I don’t find it necessary, except for the chilies, for this dish (because I’m too lazy). Since I use roasted cashews, I don’t toast them either. If you use almonds, you should probably toast them (and you may want to shell them, although I don’t think it says to in the original recipe).

Start by tearing the dry chilies into pieces and toasting them in a dry skillet until they change color. Put them in a bowl with the raisins and cover them with hot water until they soften. Then drain and let cool.

Saute the onions and garlic until lightly brown. Then add the tomatoes. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Then set aside to cool.

In a food processor, first blend the cinnamon stick and peppercorns until the cinnamon stick is uniformly ground (you won’t get a fine powder, but the pieces should be small and about the size of kosher salt; the peppercorns may not grind well and that's okay). Add the nuts, sesame seeds, oregano, and thyme. Blend until you get a uniform mixture. Add the chocolate and blend until uniform. At this point, anything that goes into the processor must be at least room temperature to keep from melting the chocolate. Add the chilies and raisins and blend some more. Then add the sauteed tomato mixture and blend until you get a nice paste. Yield is about 4 cups, but you’ll only need 2 now. Freeze the remainder for later use.

Season the chicken with the lemon juice and salt. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add about 1-2 tbs oil and brown the chicken (in batches if necessary). Remove and set aside. In the same Dutch oven used to brown the chicken, add 2 cups of the mole sauce and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Scrape up the bits at the bottom of the pot and stir as needed to keep the paste from sticking/burning. Return the chicken and add 2 cups of chicken stock and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender. Season with salt. Serve with corn tortillas or rice and other Mexican side dishes.

Alternatively, the mole can be prepared in a crock pot. I almost always do it this way. I brown the chicken and simmer the paste in a skillet the night before and stick it all in the crock pot, which goes into the fridge. I’ll start the cooking (on 8 hour setting) before I leave for work, and everything’s done by the time I come home.

Friends and Food

The thing I love about living in Portland, and especially my neighborhood, is the sense of community. We have great neighbors, and during holidays someone is usually hosting some kind of gathering. Today it was an Easter potluck across the street. The host made an awesome roasted lamb with garlic and rosemary with a nice mint sauce. Another neighbor brought potato salad with peas and dill. There was also asparagus with a soy based sauce and toasted sesame seeds. I brought ham and sweet potatoes roasted with fresh ginger. I wish I could have taken pictures of the spread, but with helping to set up and chasing kids around, it just didn’t happen.


In the May addition of Fine Cooking magazine, there was a piece written by Bruce Aidells about how to buy and prepare the perfect ham. I found this article particularly helpful because I’ve never been able to make a decent pan sauce from a baked ham. Normally I don’t even use liquid when I bake ham, and I just serve some kind of mustard on the side. But Bruce's method seemed so easy, I decided to try his Maple, Tea and Cardamom Glaze and Sauce recipe. I ended up making a variation of his recipe (because I forgot to buy one of the main ingredients), but it still turned out good in the end.

This picture was taken on Thanksgiving 2008. The ham turned out as good as I remembered and the sauce was even better with the addition of Dijon mustard.

Ham with Thai Jasmine Tea, Cardamom and Cloves

• 1 bone-in ham (not spiral cut)
• whole cloves (about 1 tbs worth)
• 2 cups strong Thai Jasmine Tea
• 1 cup limeade
• ¼ cup + 1 tbs maple syrup
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 3 tbs light brown sugar
• 2-3 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs cold Thai Jasmine Tea (or cold water is fine)

I really don't recommend spiral cut hams because they tend to dry out. I like to use cardamom pods rather than pre-ground cardamom. I find they have a stronger flavor than the ground stuff, and they are way cheaper because I get them at an Indian market. If you don’t have Thai Jasmine tea, you could easily substitute with almost any other tea.

Start by scoring the fat on the ham. Dot the ham with the cloves, especially in the fatty areas. The cloves should push easily into the meat. Place the ham, flat side down, in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it. Don't forget to remove the plastic thingy they put over the bone.

Combine 1 cup of the tea, limeade and ¼ cup of maple syrup in a bowl. Pour this mixture into a roasting pan so that it comes ¼ inch up the side of the ham. Place the ham into a preheated 325º oven. Cooking time is about 15 minutes per pound for a regular oven and 12 minutes per pound in a convection oven. Add more tea as needed to keep the level of the liquid to ¼ inch.

To make the glaze, combine 1 tbs maple syrup, the crushed cardamom pods, brown sugar and 1 tbs hot water (I made this in advance to let the cardamom flavor develop in the glaze). When the ham is done, brush the glaze on the ham and raise the temperature of the oven to 425º. Allow the glaze to caramelize (watch it because it could happen in 5 minutes). Remove the ham from the oven and transfer it to a large platter. Cover the ham with foil and a few dish towels (I used a folded table cloth), and allow the ham to rest for at least 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, pour the liquid from the pan into a saucepan. Allow the liquid to settle for 5 or 10 minutes so the fat will rise to the top. Skim off the fat and bring the remaining liquid to a boil. Add the mustard and give it a whisk. Taste the sauce. If it tastes diluted or weak, allow it to reduce a bit to concentrate the flavors. It should have a hint of tanginess from the limeade and mustard, yet be sweet. The taste of the tea will be subtle. When you’re happy with the flavors, add about half the cornstarch mixture. The sauce should thicken quickly. Add more cornstarch mixture for a thicker sauce.

This is not a Recipe

If you ask 5 different people what ingredients are required to make som tom, you will get 5 different lists. Everyone seems to have their own version. Mom likes som tom Lao, which is more on the sour side. She uses a type of fermented fish juice in addition to fish sauce, sour cherry tomatoes, and limes. I prefer som tom Thai, which is a little sweeter while still having a bit of sourness (and usually no fermented fish juice). BTW the som tom served at Thai restaurants in the US resembles som tom Thai.

The bare minimum you’ll need are green papaya, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Thai chilies and a pinch of sugar. Tasty additions include any (or all) of the following: roasted unsalted peanuts, good quality dried shrimp, tamarind puree and snake beans (Chinese long green beans) cut into 1 inch pieces.

Green papaya is not like the Mexican papaya you will find at your local Safeway. It is firm and the flesh is white. When it starts to ripen, the flesh will get a little yellowish, but it will never taste sweet or get soft. Avoid buying the pre-shredded papaya, since you don’t know how long it’s been sitting there. It could be limp or mushy. One medium-sized papaya will give me at least 2 portions (each portion is enough for 2-3 adults). I usually cut it in half and wrap one half up tightly with plastic wrap. It should easily keep for 4 or more days in the fridge (so you could make som tom twice in one week!). To shred the papaya, I recommend this. It gives the perfect thickness and length every time. It cost me like $4 at my Thai market, but you can order it here (but you'll pay a premium).

I feel I should say something about the dried shrimp. I love it in my som tom (and other foods), but I rarely use it because the quality of the shrimp I can get here in the States sucks. The stuff mom brings from Thailand is so much better; there really is no comparison. Somehow she always seems to have an abundance, probably because she visits home about once a year and her friends are always bringing some back for her. It’s really not necessary for som tom, so if you can’t find any you like, no problem.

To make a proper som tom, you should use this. The entire set up shouldn’t cost more than $10-$15. The sole purpose of this mortar is to make som tom (although I do use it occasionally for pounding other Thai spices-but don’t tell mom. She wouldn’t approve). Over time it will become well seasoned. To keep it in good shape, rinse it with really hot water after use and dry it immediately. Same thing with the pestle.

I like to start by making the “dressing” first. I normally don’t measure it out, but I made an effort this time.

• 3 tbs tamarind puree (explained in this post)
• ½ tbs sugar
• juice from approximately half a lime
• 1 tbs fish sauce

Mix the ingredients in a small bowl and adjust amounts to suit your taste.

If you are using dried shrimp, soak them for 5 minutes then give them a good rinse and drain.

In your mortar, pound 1-2 cloves garlic and 2 chilies (for mild use one chili that is seeded; for hot use 3 or more) until they are nicely mashed. Add the dried shrimp and snake beans (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 1 inch pieces) if using. Pound a little more and use a spoon to scrape the food off the bottom and sides of the mortar. Add the tomatoes (about 1 large or 8-10 cherry tomatoes) then the shredded papaya on top. Drizzle about 1/3 to ½ of the dressing on top. Pound gently a few times, then scrape, making sure to turn the stuff at the bottom. You’re not trying to obliterate the food, just soften it to allow the flavors to blend together. Continue in this way until the salad is well mixed. Taste and add more dressing or any of the single ingredients until you get the flavor you want. Sprinkle with roasted peanuts, if desired. Serve immediately. This is not a dish you want sitting around for too long, or the lime juices will pickle the papaya.

Som tom is perfect with sticky rice. Or wrap in cabbage or lettuce leaves. It’s also a great side dish to grilled meats like this.

Now I'm Glad I Didn't get the Salsa

This last Christmas, a coworker gave me this. She gave the other coworkers salsa. As everyone else dug into their salsa, I sat staring at the jar, wondering what the hell it was. She didn’t actually know either, but heard it was good from “another Asian lady” (she meant well so I wasn’t offended). I put it in my pantry with every intention of finding out what it was, but it got pushed to the back of the shelf, and eventually I forgot all about it. Then a couple of days ago, hubby found it while looking for a snack.

After doing a quick Google search, I believe it’s Gochu-jan, or Korean chili paste (anyone in the know, please correct me if I’m wrong). Proceeding under that assumption, I found a recipe for a Korean-style grilled beef (yes, this is the second one this week) and let me tell you, it was good. Click here to see the original recipe on Foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Ming Tsai (an old culinary hero of mine).

Korean-style Grilled Beef

• ½ cup Korean chili bean paste (also called gochu-jan)
• 2 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup canola oil
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• 1 ½ bunch chopped scallions
• ½ bunch chopped cilantro
• 1 tri tip steak (about 1 ½ to 2 lbs)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal for garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• 1 portion dipping sauce (recipe below)

Put everything, except the meat and oils, into a food processor and blend. As you’re blending, slowly add in the oils. Reserve at least ½ cup of the marinade for making the dipping sauce. Use the rest to marinate the meat overnight. Take the meat out of the fridge about an hour before grilling. Season with salt and grill to medium-rare. I actually seared the beef on cast iron and finished it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

The original recipe used 3 lbs of hanger steak, which is not easy to find. I used tri tip. If you can’t find those, flank steak would be another option. These three cuts of beef should not be cooked more than medium (optimally medium-rare), otherwise they will be dry. Please let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it, especially the tri tip. It is a thicker cut of beef and needs time for the juices to settle. Slice the meat thinly and against the grain. Another tasty option would be to use pork sirloin or tenderloin.

Serve with Japanese rice and kimchee (see the original recipe for cucumber kimchee). And don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Dipping sauce:
½ cup of reserved marinade
½ tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon

Mix everything in a bowl and enjoy. It’s great for dipping tofu too!

Karrysild (Curried Pickled Herring)

One thing I’ve learned about the Danes is they’re adaptable. This is so true for hubby. He went from eating frikadeller and potatoes to eating fiery Thai food without breaking a sweat. He should have been born Thai. Although he never asks for it, I know he wouldn’t mind a dose of the food he grew up on every once in a while. Luckily for him, I actually know how to make traditional Danish foods because I interned at a Danish restaurant in Copenhagen for 6 months.


Pickled herring is a Danish staple and the Danes eat it with gusto. It's quite an acquired taste in terms of flavor and texture. The texture is not quite as raw as sushi. It's like ceviche, only more "cooked" because it's stored in the brine. The basic pickled herring is sour and pungent but it comes in several flavors in addition to the basic. The only one I enjoy is the curry flavor. At the restaurant we made our own curry sauce. It was so easy and far superior to the stuff from a jar.

Curried Pickled Herring

• 2 tbs chopped sweet pickles
• 2 tbs chopped onions (I recommend sweet)
• 1 ½ to 2 tbs toasted mild curry powder
• 6 tbs mayonnaise (lite is okay)
• 20-oz jar of herring in wine sauce, drained

Mix all of the ingredients together and let it sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Adjust the taste by adding more curry powder or mayonnaise.

Traditionally, herring is eaten atop Danish-style rye bread, which is dense and loaded with seeds. I wouldn’t recommend the soft rye breads because they will get soggy. Trader Joe’s recently started carrying the Danish rye, but if you aren’t close to a TJ then those small pumpernickel cocktail squares will do. Ikea also sells an excellent mix that just needs water and it's ready to bake.

Also try serving with hard-boiled eggs and additional chopped sweet onions and capers.

(Kinda an aside: I took this dish to a Superbowl party once, and instead of eating it with the rye bread, the guys were eating it with tortilla chips. To hubby this was equivalent to eating salsa with a croissant).