Blazing Hot Wok

Regional Recipes Brazil Round-up

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:42:00 +0000

If you've been anxiously waiting for the Brazil round-up, I'm sorry it's late. There is a good reason, which you'll read about shortly, but first I want to get to the submissions. Let's get started!

Picadinho de porco (minced pork) submitted by Marisa of The Creative Pot. It has chorizo! Need I say more?

Brazilian-style salmon fish stew submitted by Joanne of Eats Well with Others. If you're looking for a fish stew with bold flavors and vibrant colors, look no further!

Brazilian-style empanadas submitted by me. Succulent shredded chicken, green olives and hearts of palm in a butter crust. Yum!

Thank you to Joanne and Marisa. They are such terrifically reliable participants and all around good people.

Before revealing the next region, I want to make a quick announcement about the future of Regional Recipes. I was worried that with my increasingly busy schedule, I would have to end the event, but I am happy to announce that Joanne of Eats Well with Others has agreed to take over as host and administrator. At some point, the event main page and round-ups will be available on her site. Until then, information is still available at the RR link above. I'm glad the event will continue and it will be in good hands. Thank you, Joanne!

WOW! This may be the last time I choose the region. I better make it good, huh? Let's do the Middle East. Joanne is going to be hosting. Send your submissions to her at jhbruno87(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 on February 28.

Brazilian-style Empanadas

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:11:00 +0000

Happy New Year!! Better late than never, right?

Did you all start your diets yet? I keep thinking about it, but then I run across recipes like this one for Brazilian-style empanadas and it's just another excuse to delay. The (tentative) deadline is now January 15th...unless I find another excuse. ☺

As you can see, these empanadas are more like a pot pie, however the filling is quite different. It's not soupy but rather dense and savory on account of green olives. The crust is very buttery and flaky. The result is a hearty meat pie that is perfect served with a side salad. If you have a mini-muffin pan (and the patience) you could make a bunch of these to share at a gathering.

Brazilian-style empanadas
Adapted from Cookbrazil.com
Makes about 6 to 8 single serving (3 to 4 inch) pies

For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 1/2 oz cold butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs, divided (1 whole egg + 1 yolk for crust and white for egg wash)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
cold water, as needed

For the filling:
12 oz cooked, shredded chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped green olives
1/3 cup finely chopped hearts of palm or artichoke hearts (fresh or in water, not marinated)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs tomato paste
about 1/2 cup to 1 cup chicken broth
salt, to taste

The easiest way to make the crust is with a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, this can be done by hand using a fork.

Combine the dry ingredients with the butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour. Add one whole egg and the yolk of the other and pulse until they are incorporated. Pulse while adding enough cold water to just bring the dough together. Transfer to a clean surface and bring the dough together into a clump. If it's too sticky add a little more flour. If it's too dry, add a little more liquid, but do not knead it. Wrap the clump in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge while you make the filling.

For the filling, I used left over chicken. Use dark or white meat or a combination of both.

In a skillet, sautee the onions until soft. Add the olives, hearts of palm or artichokes and tomato paste. Mix well. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to incorporate it. Add the broth slowly in increments. Mix well after each addition. Use just enough liquid to get a pasty filling. Heat through and season with salt. Now it's ready to use.

To assemble the pies, roll out the dough to fit into the mini-pie pans so there is a little overhang. You'll also need a top. The dough is not very sticky, but you may need to lightly sprinkle flour on it every few passes. Roll out the dough as thin as you want, but not so thin that it breaks apart when you try to lift it or lay it in the mold. For the best results, use enough of the meat mixture to fill a little over the level of the mold, being sure to press down gently to compact the filling. Place the top on and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. To keep the pies from popping open, roll the seam inward (see photo). Alternatively, you could go for the traditional half circle shape. Be sure to pinch and roll the seam shut. If you just pinch the seam the empanada will come open during baking. Brush lightly with egg white and bake in 375F oven until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight region is Brazil. If you'd like to participate, please send your submissions to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by January 15th. Also, if you have participated in the past and would like to host, just let me know and I'll put you on the list.

Regional Recipes South Pacific Round-up!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Anyone else feeling the stress of the holidays? I got a late start this year and feel like I'm short on time. There are still a bunch of last-minute things to do. I suspect that you all are pretty busy too, so I want to send out an extra special Thank You! to the bloggers who were able to submit to Regional Recipes. Brevity is the theme here, so I'm going to just get to it!

Guamanian Red Rice submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. Rice flavored with roasted "chicken base" paste and colored with annatto seed powder. Oh, and there's bacon in it! What's not to like?

Macadamia Nut Pie by Joanne of Eats Well With Others. A new twist on an old favorite. This would make a great ending to any holiday meal!

Hawaiian Chicken Curry submitted by me. A delicious and festive curry that's easy enough for a weeknight meal.

Short but sweet. Thanks again to Joanne and Wandering Chopsticks for their submissions.

The next region/country: BRAZIL!

If you'd like to participate, please send submissions by January 15th to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. For more information on the rules, click here.

Hawaiian Chicken Curry

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:42:00 +0000

The quarter is finally over!! Hooray!! Now to get back to all the stuff I've been neglecting. Like laundry and housecleaning and Christmas. But first and foremost, I need to give my poor, neglected blog a little attention.

As you can see this is not a typical holiday dish. In fact, it's got nothing to do with the holidays whatsoever, but it is festive looking, no? That must count for something. It's also got a lot of contrasting textures going on, but somehow they all work together: succulent chicken, crunchy toasted cashews, fresh pineapple, and dried mango. And of course there's the creamy macaroni salad. Yes, I know it sounds strange to serve macaroni salad with a curry, but I was once told by a Hawaii native that no plate would be complete without macaroni salad. And rice, of course. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

I found the recipe for this chicken curry at Epicurious.com. Rather than following their method, I used my pressure cooker to get the chicken fork tender but I didn't otherwise change the recipe. It turned out well and the whole family loved it. Plus it can be put on the table in about an hour (by their method). So if you're looking for something a little different, this might fit the bill.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight region is the South Pacific. I'm hosting this round, so if you've got a regional recipe to share, post it and shoot me the info to include in the round-up. blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. And be sure to check back in a few days for the round-up.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:27:00 +0000

I'm generally terrible at posting things in time for holidays and special events, but I promised myself I was going to post something before Thanksgiving, even if it meant losing sleep. Fortunately, I haven't lost any sleep getting this done. This post, instead, cuts into my essay-writing time. Yes, sleeping and blogging are higher on the list than finishing any of the gazillion essays I have due in the next 2 weeks. I hope none of my instructors are reading this.

If you're not a big pumpkin pie fan, this pumpkin bread pudding is a good alternative. And you get to kill two ~~birds~~ turkeys with one stone. Let me explain. The pumpkin bread recipe makes such a large amount that you'll have enough to feed 8 to 10 people at dinner and make this dessert. How awesome is that?

For the pumpkin bread, I used this recipe posted by Sass and Veracity. However, I left out the rosemary because I knew I wanted to make a dessert with some of the bread and I'm not particularly fond of rosemary. And if you're wondering, I always use canned pumpkin to save time. Works same same, as they say :-)

The pudding recipe I always use is this one I found on All Recipes. How much bread will you need? Just enough to fill up an 8x8 pan. That's a little more than the 6 slices called for in the original recipe and I think it results in a more dense pudding. You may also consider substituting half and half for any part of the whole milk. Since the pumpkin bread doesn't have raisins, I threw those in. Or you could use a mix of raisin bread and pumpkin bread. If you decide to serve with the caramel sauce, you may consider cutting down on the sugar a bit. I think I used 2/3 cup.

I'm not even going to attempt to explain how to make caramel and luckily there are plenty of recipes and instruction on the Interwebs. It's easy once you've done it a couple times, but if you're a first timer, read through the method explained on Simply Recipes. Elise's method is easy to follow and her recipe makes a fairly thick sauce. I like my sauce thinner so I tend to use more liquid. No, the liquid does not need to be cream. I've used milk before and it was fine. For the sauce I made to go with the pumpkin bread pudding, I used 1 cup sugar, 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup coffee mixed with about 1/2 cup half and half.

The finishing touch is the whipped cream, but boy, wouldn't a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top just be spectacular?

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving everyone!

Regional Recipes Cuba Round-up!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:38:00 +0000

I know you all have been eagerly awaiting the Cuba round-up. Well, wait no longer! There may only be a handful of submissions, but they do a great job showcasing Cuban cuisine. Prepare for an appetite whetting! (Or is it to have your appetite whetted? Maybe I should just stick to plain old whet your appetite? Whichever you prefer, you get the point.)

Let's begin:

Arroz con salchichas submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Did you think Vienna sausages were only eaten in Vienna? Haha! The Cubans, like many other cultures, have taken these humble cocktail weenies and turned them into something delicious.

Pastelitos de guayaba y queso also submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Need a sweet finish for your Cuban-themed meal? (Or any other meal, for that matter?) Why not try these ultra simple pastries stuffed with guava and cheese? Careful though, they can be quite addictive.

Picadillo submitted by Eats Well with Others. Cubans sure seem to have the comfort food down! Ground beef sauteed with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, garlic, olives and spices severed over quinoa. How simple but satisfying does that sound?

Ropa vieja submitted by The Creative Pot. Beef slow cooked with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes and spices. Again, amazing how the Cubans have perfected hearty comfort foods despite the tropical climate. I suppose having a pitcher of cool, minty mojitos to wash it all down with helps :-)

Black bean soup submitted by me. Okay, maybe this is more of a stew. Add more liquid and it's a soup. Either way, don't forget the ham hock. It's a tasty, filling meal served over rice.

A big thanks to the bloggers who participated!

Now, I know that the end of the year is crunch time for everyone, what with the holidays, end of the fiscal year for some, end of the term for teachers and students, etc. So in choosing the next region, I asked myself where I'd want to go for a little R & R if I could escape the end of the year chaos. And that would be Hawaii or any of the other islands of the South Pacific for that matter. Basically I'm talking the little islands between the Americas and Asia, including New Zealand (but let's leave out Australia and Japan this time). Here's a map, if you're interested.

Can't wait to see what people come up with! I'm hosting next time. Send your submissions to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by December 15th. Hope you will participate!

Cuban Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:52:00 +0000

What is Cuban food? That’s the question I’ve been trying to answer these last 3 weeks and I’m still not sure I have it down. There’s the popular Cubano sandwich with so many variations that I’m not sure which is the original. (And should I care when they all sound so good?) Cubans seem to be fond of roasted pork, which they marinate in citrus, garlic, and cumin. I’ve done that, but I didn’t know it was Cuban. It was vaguely labeled “Carribean-inspired pork.” Mojo and sofrito are also words associated with Cuban cuisine, but they’re different from the Spanish versions. And despite popular belief, chilies and cilantro are not typically used in Cuban cuisine, although they are ingredients commonly found in other cuisines of the region. So how’s a girl supposed to sort it all out?

I did say soup, right? Well, it is a soup but I just ladled it over rice!

Overwhelmed (and underwhelmed) with all the information on the Interwebs, I just decided to "wing it", as they say, and cobbled together a recipe for black bean soup. It's got all the necessary components, like sofrito, cumin and bay leaf. It's also quite tasty, if I do say so myself.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 head garlic (approx 5 cloves), crushed
approx 1/2 to 1 tbs cumin seed
approx 1 tbs chopped oregano (thyme will also work)
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 cups black beans, soaked overnight
1 large ham hock (optional)

Make a sofrito by throwing the bell pepper, onion and garlic into a food processor and pulsing until you get a uniform mixture. In a large pot, add a couple of healthy glugs of olive oil (approx 3 tbs). When it’s hot, add the cumin seed followed by the sofrito. Cook until the sofrito gets soft and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes or so. Add the oregano and bay leaf. Add the beans (rinsed), ham hock (if using) and about 6 cups of water or chicken stock. The beans should be covered by the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until the beans are tender. Once the beans are tender, add salt to taste.

I used a pressure cooker, which took 20 minutes once it got up to pressure (15 psi) and allowed the pressure to release naturally. The beans came out perfectly tender as did the ham hock. I served the beans and shredded ham hock over long grain rice. It may not look like much, but I’ll tell you, this was a very delicious and comforting meal.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight's on Cuba. If you've got a Cuban recipe you're dying to share, I'm hosting and will accept submissions until Thursday. And definitely check back for the roundup at the end of the week.

Pickled Red Cabbage

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:16:00 +0000

Sometimes I wonder why pickled (braised?) red cabbage isn't more popular here in the States. I'll see it occasionally, like when I visit Ikea, but otherwise it's not something I run across very often. Sauerkraut, on the other hand, is more commonplace. Strange. I prefer pickled red cabbage over sauerkraut any day.

Around this time of year we eat a lot of this zingy stuff. It goes perfectly with hearty, cold weather foods, like pork roast or schnitzel. There's no shame in buying it, and I will do that occasionally (like when I visit Ikea ☺). However it's so much better when you make it yourself. For the most basic version, you only need red cabbage, sugar and vinegar, but there are so many ways to spruce it up (see the tips below).

Method: Cut out and discard the core from 1 small (or 1/2 to 2/3 of a large head) red cabbage and thinly slice the remainder. Do it as finely as you like; it's a matter of personal preference. In a large non-reactive pot over medium heat, add roughly an equal volume of granulated sugar and vinegar. For a small head of cabbage, that's about a 1/2 to 1 cup of each. Once the sugar dissolves, add the cabbage and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer until it reaches the desired texture, about 45 minutes to an hour. About 20 minutes through the cooking process, taste it. Then you'll know whether you need to add more vinegar or sugar or maybe even a little water if it's too acidic. Store refrigerated in a glass or plastic container, being sure to keep the cabbage submerged in the liquid. I've kept it for up to 2 weeks (we usually finish it off in that time).

Tips: It's okay to start out with less sugar. You can always add more as it's cooking if it doesn't taste balanced. I use white vinegar and a little apple juice (or lingonberry concentrate, also available at Ikea ☺). You can use a mixture of white and apple cider vinegar if you like. A little balsamic would probably work. I also throw in a cinnamon stick or two, a few cloves and a dash of salt. I've seen an old Danish recipe that recommends cumin seed. Fennel seed and allspice berries are an option. Some people add red wine. Some add shredded apple. Clearly this can be taken in a lot of different directions.

Wondering what to eat with pickled red cabbage? As you can see in the photo above, it goes great with Danish-style pate and Danish rye bread (guess where it's available ☺). It also goes well with Swedish or Danish meatballs, pork roast, bratwurst, roasted duck or confit, just to name a few. You could even serve it instead of cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving (blasphemy, I know!)

I'm submitting this post to Weekend Wokking, which is being hosted by Erbe in Cucina. The theme ingredient is cabbage. If you've got a cabbage recipe you're dying to share, send your submissions to scrivi(at)ilmeglioincucina(dot)it by 11:59 Nov 1st.

A Friendly Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:14:00 +0000

The highly anticipated Regional Recipes: Scandinavia round-up is now available for public consumption! Go check it out! Thanks so much to Joanne of Eats Well with Others for hosting and to the participants for their submissions!

For the next region, Joanne has chosen Cuba! I'm not very familiar with Cuban food, so this is going to fun and challenging for me. I'm hosting this time, so send submissions to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by November 15th. Hope you will participate!

Oh pork belly, how I will miss thee!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:30:00 +0000

The thing about pork belly is that it's highly addictive. Look at bacon. Who doesn't want to eat bacon at every meal everyday of the week? But even plain old roasted pork belly will do it for me. The meat is so succulent and the fat cap becomes so pleasantly crisp. Oh sure, I'm fully aware of how unhealthy it is, but it's not like we eat it every day. Just once a week. Just kidding! Okay, not really. We have eaten it once a week for the last 3 weeks (gasp!), but it's not likely we'll be eating it again for a while. Mostly because my local farmers' market, and thus my pork hookup, is packing up for the season. *Sigh*

To close out the pork belly eating season (at least at Chez Pedersen), I made a roasted pork belly short rib drizzled with a teriyaki sauce spiked with gochujang (Korean pepper paste). This dish was inspired by an evening out with my BFF (and our husbands, but we didn't really talk to them much ☺). We went to a sake bar that served a nice selection of Japanese and Korean specialities (kimchi bloody mary with kimchi shaved ice and goat curry udon, anyone?) to accompany the sake. Combining Korean and Japanese flavors is not something I admit to doing very often because I know it's bound to piss some people off, but I think the flavors can go very well together. They did in this case, anyhow.

Again, no real recipe, but so easy anyone can do it! The perfect cut of meat for this is pork belly with the bones still attached, sometimes called pork belly short rib. If you can't find pork belly or the short rib, butt or any other fatty cut will work (1.5 to 2 lb roast). Even better if it has the fat cap (one reason I love my pork guy; all the cuts come with fat cap!). Don't use tenderloin or a regular loin roast for this preparation because you'll be roasting this well over the 150 to 160F that's normal for pork.

To get this roast perfect, salt the meat with a generous amount of salt, score the fat cap, put it in a shallow roasting pan with a rack, then stick it into a 450F preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then lower the heat to 300F (or 275F with convection). The mantra is low and slow. In fact, you could go as low as 225F, but that would significantly increase the cooking time. Roast till the internal temperature reaches 200F (yes, 200F!). Depending on which cut you use and how big it is, roasting time could be about 1 hour per pound, so plan accordingly. Remember to let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting into it!

For the sauce, simply combine equal volumes of tamari (or regular old soy sauce) and mirin. Add sugar (or honey) and gochujang (Korean pepper paste) to taste. You can add a splash of sake if you've got it too. Heat the sauce over medium heat until it reduces and thickens a bit. Use it to drizzle over the sliced pork, or as a dipping sauce. If you go the dipping sauce route, spruce it up with toasted sesame seeds or a splash of sesame oil and grated fresh ginger. Serve with Japanese sticky rice and an assortment of Japanese pickles or kimchi.

Fried Pork Belly and Potatoes with Parsley Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:30:00 +0000

I think people are surprised when they learn that I am (semi) fluent in the Danish language and I am pretty familiar with traditional Danish cuisine. It's my Thainess that throws them off and I completely understand. I would probably be pretty surprised if I met a 6'3" Dane who could speak fairly fluent Thai and cook a mean green curry from scratch.

Anyhow, I purposely chose Scandinavia as the spotlight region for Regional Recipes because whenever cold weather sets in, I get an itching for Danish food. It's stick-to-your-ribs-warm-you-to-the-bone-comfort food. Besides, I'm a sweet and loving wife who likes to give Hubby a little taste of home every once in a while.

Originally I planned to make a traditional Danish-style pork roast with pork belly served with pickled red cabbage and potatoes but MIL assured me that fried pork belly with potatoes and parsley sauce was as Danish as it gets. And not only did she suggest this dish, she cooked it! All I had to do was snap a couple of pictures and dig in. So a big, fat TAK FOR MAD! goes out to my awesome MIL!

Apparently all Danes can make this with their eyes closed, it's that easy. In other words, if Hubby can do this without a recipe, anyone can! Simply cut the pork belly (remove the skin if you wish) into 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices, season generously with salt, and fry until wonderfully crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. In the mean time, boil some small, cute potatoes (skins removed) until tender. Just before you're about to serve, make the sauce by melting a couple tablespoons of butter and adding about 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to make a roux. Don't let it cook get dark. Add warm milk (about a cup to start with) while whisking vigorously to eliminate clumps. Turn up the heat a little bit. The sauce will be thin at first but will start to thicken up once it begins to simmer. If it gets too thick, add more milk. If it's too thin after it has been simmering for a few minutes, sprinkle in a little more flour while whisking vigorously. Once it reaches the desired consistency (see photo above), add salt and a healthy handful of finely chopped Italian parsley. Drizzle over the boiled potatoes and serve immediately.

Craving more Danish food? Try these:

karry sild (curried pickled herring)

leverpostej (Danish-style liver pate)

frikadeller (Danish meatballs)

lakridsis (licorice ice cream)

napoleanshatte (marzipan cookies dipped in chocolate)

This is my submission to Regional Recipes, where the spotlight region is Scandinavia. The host this month is Joanne of Eats Well with Others. Be sure to check her site on the 20th (or there abouts) for the round-up and she'll be announcing the next spotlight region.

Weekend Wokking Vinegar!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:11:00 +0000

It's time for the Weekend Wokking round-up and we're showcasing vinegar! It was awesome to receive such a variety of submissions using the theme ingredient. Thanks to all for participating and let's get started!

Pork Adobo submitted by Javaholic. Pork fans, rejoice! Pork simmered in a sauce of coconut vinegar, soy and fish sauces and a healthy amount of garlic. Drooooool!

Balsamic Roasted Potato Wedges submitted by TastyCurryLeaf. Need zing? A splash or two of balsamic added at the end roasting is a nice way to dress up humble potato wedges.

Goi Mit Non tom Thit Heo (Vietnamese Green Jackfruit Salad with Shrimp and Pork) submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. Never tried green jackfruit? Well here's your chance! It's tossed with shrimp, pork and a Vietnamese dipping sauce or fermented anchovy sauce.

Fagiolini aglio e aceto (French beans with garlic and vinegar) submitted by Urban Bites. A simple and delicious way to enjoy your green beans.

Mini Pavlovas submitted by MomGateway. What's better than this light and airy meringue dessert? How about the cute and elegant mini version!

Pig's trotters with ginger and vinegar submitted by Kits Chow. There are very few things better than slow cooked pork, especially trotters and hocks. These trotters are simmered in a slow cooker with black rice vinegar and brown sugar. I can only imagine how divine this tastes ladled over steamed rice.

Pickled green purslane submitted by Erbe in Cucina. Okay, I admit I'm ignorant when it comes to purslane but I do love all things pickled. Now I've got my eye out for it.

Tomato Jam submitted by me. Okay, nine tomato plants may have been overkill, but at least I found a delicious way to use up all those pounds of tomatoes I harvested this summer.

Thanks again to all who submitted! For the next theme ingredient, let's do cabbage. Oh, I know you're as excited as I am! If you're itching to join in, read over the rules then send your submissions to Graziana of Erbe in Cucina at scrivi(at)ilmeglioincucina(dot)it by 11:59 PM, Sunday, November 1st.

Regional Recipes: Spain!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:05:00 +0000

I remember reading a few years ago that Spain was the new France in terms of culinary prowess. Then Anthony Bourdain visited Spain and said it was “the very best place in the world to eat.” Well shoot, then it must be true!

I, for one, am in love with Spanish cuisine. I’ve always found the flavors are big, bold and so satisfying. The submissions for this month’s Regional Recipes are excellent examples. So let’s get to it!

Pimentos Relleños submitted by The Creative Pot. It’s Spanish stuffed peppers filled with brown rice, almonds, raisins and herbs and spices. A healthy and delicious alternative to peppers stuffed with minced meat.

Flamenco Eggs also submitted by The Creative Pot. A casserole made with chorizo, peppers, onions, tomatoes and eggs. Sounds like perfect brunch fare to me!

Patatas Bravas submitted by forkbootsandapalette. Potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce. Traditionally served as a tapa, it’s hearty enough to be a filling meal.

Chickpeas Romesco submitted by Eats Well with Others. Chickpeas in a flavorful sauce made of tomatoes, peppers, vinegar and nuts. And it’s vegan too!

Fingerling potatoes with Allioli submitted by Kits Chow. Can’t go wrong with the simplicity of delicious fingerlings and a creamy, garlicky dipping sauce.

Sangria with White Wine submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. There’s no fuss with this easy and refreshing sangria. Use your favorite white wine and whatever fruit you have on hand.

Philippine Beef Salpicao submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Yes, it’s from the Philippines, but they’ve suggested a Spanish version, substituting a combination of hot and sweet smoked paprika for Hungarian paprika.

Grilled vegetables with Garlic Sauce submitted by Erbe in Cucina. Don’t have a grill, you say? No problem, if you’ve got a broiler. Then serve the vegetables with garlic sauce!

Tomato soup seasoned with smoked paprika, crispy Serrano ham and manchego submitted by Blazing Hot Wok (that’s me!). The secret to tomato soup with big, bold flavor? Smoked paprika! The Spanish swear by it and I agree.

Thanks to all the bloggers who submitted! It’s awesome to get such a wide variety of dishes.

For the next region, we’re heading to Scandinavia! Home of pickled herring, Ikea and Alexander Skarsgaard! Just to clarify, we’re talking Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. I’m anxious to see what you all come up with. The host will be Eats Well with Others. Please send submissions (with a photo) to jhbruno87(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 on Oct. 15th. The round-up should be up around the 20th. Please note that late entries are accepted at the discretion of the host.

An easy Spanish-themed meal

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:15:00 +0000

The tomatoes are still going around here. I harvested enough to make a big batch of tomato soup dressed up with smoked paprika and toasts topped with crispy serrano ham and manchego.

Don't worry, I'm not going to post another recipe for tomato soup. I've already posted one using fresh tomatoes and one using canned tomatoes. You'll also be able to find a gazillion other versions on the Interwebs. But I will say the thing that makes this soup special is the smoked paprika. The Spanish swear by it and I would have to agree that it's pretty awesome. Regular old paprika just can't compare to its smoky flavor. So next time you make tomato soup, try using the smoked paprika to spice it up.

Serrano ham is like the Spanish equivalent of prosciutto. I like it best thinly sliced atop a piece of crusty bread, but if you're going to cook it, it needs to get crispy. Anything short of crisp and it can taste "gamey." I crisped the ham by putting the slices on a rack in a warm oven (250F) for about 10 minutes then adding the shredded manchego on top for about 5 minutes. That all gets layered above a toasted piece of crusty bread. Serve with marinated olives and a tossed salad with a nice vinaigrette and you've got an easy Spanish-themed meal.

I'm submitting this post to Regional Recipes. We're visiting Spain and I've already got a bunch of delicious entries. It's going to be a good round-up. I'll accept submissions until the 20th of September. Send them to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. Check back here on the 20th for the round-up as well as the next region.

A Happy Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Every year, come the end of summer, I'm swimming in tomatoes. This year I'm literally drowning. I planted about 9 starts and all of them have been producing beautifully. I've been harvesting the Sungold cherry tomatoes since about mid-July. The yellow pears were ready a couple of weeks after that. In the last 3 weeks, I've been getting a steady supply of the larger tomatoes. To put it all into perspective, during the peak I harvested over 6 pounds of the various cherry tomatoes and 8 lbs of the larger varieties...in one day. No kidding. Thank goodness it appears to be tapering off.

Thanks again to my awesome FIL, who built me another planter box, effectively doubling my garden to a whopping 36 sqft. Who says you need a lot of space to have a productive garden?

I'm sure I'll be jonesing for a decent tomato in February, but right now if I have to eat one more fresh tomato, I might die. Okay, not really. Rather than let all the tomatoes sit and rot on my countertop (yes, I tried to give some away, but my neighbors are in the same boat), I canned a big batch of tomato chutney. Actually this was the second batch. The first batch went straight into the freezer because I couldn't be bothered to bust out the canning paraphernalia.

Making a tomato chutney isn't hard, but it does require some babysitting. I simply took my 6+ pounds of cherry tomatoes and put them in a pot with 1 cup rice vinegar (regular white vinegar is also fine), 1 cup granulated sugar and salt to taste (optional if you're watching your salt intake). Then I just let it all reduce over medium heat. This took a long time...like 2 hours because the tomatoes have so much liquid that has to be cooked off. I stirred it occasionally at first then frequently toward the end to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. The 6+ pounds of tomatoes gave me 4+ cups of chutney, which I canned in 8 x 125ml jars (processed for 15 minutes using boiling water canner).

A couple of tips: As it's cooking down, taste it and add more sugar if you find it's not sweet enough. I always end up doing this. You can also add spices. I added copious fresh ginger to the first batch and it was fantastic, tangy and slightly spicy.

Chutneys aren't just meant to accompany Indian food. There are limitless ways to enjoy this one. My favorite is atop a nice sharp cheese with crusty bread. Or served with a grilled cheese sandwich. Or how about on a bacon and lettuce sandwich for an nontraditional but delicious BLT. I also like it mixed in with hummus and eaten with pita chips. You may also try adding fresh herbs, such as finely chopped mint, coriander and/or chilies before serving. Of course chutneys are good accompaniments to meat dishes and this one is good for everything from a roasted chicken to roasted lamb.

This is my entry for Weekend Wokking. This round we're celebrating vinegar and I'm the host! If you want to participate, send your entry to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by Oct 4th.

Simply Delicious White Bean Dip

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:59:00 +0000

The following recipe was inspired by a white bean spread from 3 Doors Down Cafe, one of my favorite places in Portland. I was pretty excited when one of the BFFs sent me the link to the original recipe, but when I looked it over, the ingredients weren’t what I expected. I didn’t remember tasting red chili and I would swear I tasted anchovy. Who knows, maybe my taste buds are just whacked? I played around with the ingredients a bit (because I’ve recently come to the conclusion I’m not a big fan of rosemary) and ended up with something pretty darn yummy and not completely far from the original. Enjoy!

Note: Boiling your own beans is definitely an option, but truthfully, I couldn’t be bothered this time. And since you’re going to buzz the whole lot, it won’t make much difference. At least that’s my opinion.

White Bean Dip

makes about 1 1/2 cup

1 can cannelli beans, drained and rinsed
1 large shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 or 3 sprigs Thyme
1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil and chopped parsley for garnish

Cook the shallot, thyme, anchovy paste and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add beans and about 1/4 cup water or chicken stock. Heat through. Puree mixture in blender until smooth and uniform. Add more water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

BTW, happy *hour* at Three Doors Down lasts all evening Tuesday thru Thursday and Sunday, so if you’re looking for me on those days, you know where I'll be. ☺

Ginger Ice Cream with Raisin Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:22:00 +0000

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think most people associate ginger with Asian food. Maybe because it's widely used in Chinese and Indian food? I know it makes frequent appearances in other Asian cuisines, but I wonder if it's as ubiquitous as people think. I wouldn't say it's widely used in the kind of Thai food I grew up eating. When it showed up on the table, it was most often served raw, as an edible garnish or something along those lines. Raw ginger isn't for everyone, but I love love love it. As much as I like the distinctive flavor, it's the spiciness that does it for me. Cooking ginger seems to quell the heat. I'm always a little disappointed when I taste something that is gingery, but lacks the spiciness.

A couple of weeks ago, I tasted a really delicious ginger ice cream at our neighborhood Japanese restaurant. It had the right amount of sweetness and spiciness. To my surprise, Sonny loved it and he asked if we could make it at home. Hey, no problem! I like making ice cream and eating it too!

I've made enough ice cream to where I don't usually need to go looking for a recipe, but after I made this, I figured I should check to see if a similar recipe was posted. I'm lazy and don't like to type up the method. As it turns out, the exact recipe is already posted. Lucky me! Click to go to Emeril's ginger ice cream recipe. If you like ginger and you like ice cream then do check it out. It's got a great texture and the sweetness and spiciness are well balanced. A couple things to note: 1) add the ginger after the cream is heated and let it steep for 15 or 20 minutes to retain the spiciness and 2) this ice cream freezes hard. I wonder if that has to do with the ginger juice? You'll want to let it sit out for about 10 minutes before trying to scoop it.

To go with the ice cream, I toasted some sliced almonds and made a raisin sauce. To make the sauce, simply soak about 1 cup raisins in about 2 cups hot sparkling pear until they plump up (white grape or apple juice would work just fine; I just happened to have the cider). They take a while to plump up. Puree the entire lot and push it through a fine mesh sieve. Lastly reduce the sauce to the desired consistency. Pretty easy.

I'm submitting this post to Weekend Wokking, hosted this time by MomGateway. We're celebrating ginger, so if you have a ginger recipe you're just dying to share, check out the rules then send your submission to momgateway(at)gmail(dot)com! The deadline is this 11:59PM Sunday, August 30th.

My very own taste tester.

Regional Recipes China Round-up!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Can you believe the summer is almost over? Seems like I closed my eyes in June and then poof! it’s suddenly the tail end of August. Maybe it’s because this summer has been jammed packed with stuff. Between vacations, visitors and school, time has just flown. But the one thing I haven’t been able to fit in is the blogging. I was hoping to participate in more events, but every time I got around to it, deadlines were passed or some other excuse came up. I’m hoping that with the new school year there will be a little more routine so I can get a better handle on dividing my time and fit some more blogging in. For now, here’s the round-up for Regional Recipes: China. Enjoy!

Broccoli beef submitted by gaga in the kitchen. Broccoli is one of the vegetables my son will actually eat without complaining so this dish appears on our table fairly regularly. And as gaga says, it’s easy. Tasty and easy? Can't beat that!

Lobster congee submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. I love love love congee and using lobster sounds so decadent. Doesn’t it look delicious? The only thing missing is a dollop of chili oil on the top :-)

Pork jowl with brown sugar rub submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Pork jowl is a wonderfully flavorful yet inexpensive cut of meat. I don't know why it's not more widely available. I can only imagine how delicious it was after two days in their brown sugar rub.

Crispy noodle cake with saucy stir-fry submitted by me. The contrasting texture of the crispy noodles and saucy stir-fry go very well together. And it tasted good too! :-)

Thanks so much to the participants. After the long break, I was afraid I might be the lone participant, but these ladies came through beautifully.

For the next region, let’s do SPAIN! I've been perusing through José Andrés’ book Made in Spain. The pictures are so inspiringly beautiful and I am determined to learn how to make a proper paella.

You can find out more about Regional Recipes here. Send your submissions to me by September 15th at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. I hope you'll participate!

Crispy Noodle Cake with Saucy Stir-fry

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:01:00 +0000

Did I mention I'm going back to school? No? I must have forgotten.

In case you're wondering, I'm getting my teaching credential to be a science educator. So far it's been swell. The instructors are awesome. My classmates are awesome. Everything's awesome except for the damned reading. Lord save me from the reading. If I'm not reading something as exciting as say, The Bourne Identity or The DaVinci Code, I'll be lucky to make it through a paragraph before nodding off. As you can imagine, reading about pedagogy has been slow going.

Anyhow, I decided to put the schoolwork aside for a day and concentrate on stuff I've been neglecting. Like the laundry. Paying the bills. My garden. My poor, neglected blog. Especially my poor, neglected blog. Working on it has always been an outlet, and with all that I've been cramming into my head lately, it's nice to be able let some stuff out.

The inspiration for this recipe came from Martin Yan's China. I was flipping through and I saw the noodle "cake" recipe and I remembered trying something similar at my neighbor's house. The combination of crispy noodles with a saucy stir-fry was great.

It's a pretty easy dish, but there was a fair amount of prep work because you have to boil the noodles and prepare stuff for the stir-fry. The actual cooking was the quick part. I think it took me about 45 minutes to put this on the table.

To flavor the stir-fry, I used fermented tofu with soy beans. I doubt you'll find this at your local supermarket, so a trip to your favorite Asian market is probably in your future. Otherwise, you can use fermented (yellow) soy beans, which your local market might carry. If you're not in the mood to track either down, then by all means, use your favorite stir-fry. I only recommend a very saucy one so the noodles can soak in the sauce.

Crispy Noodles with Saucy Stir-fry

Serves about 4

For the noodles:

8 or 9 oz dried wheat noodles (I use a Thai brand) or 1 lb fresh Chinese egg noodle
1/2 cup broth (I used a beef broth but chicken or even vegetable is fine)
a few tbs oil for frying

For the stir-fry

2 tbs fermented tofu with soy bean (or just fermented yellow soy beans)
2 Chinese cooking wine, divided
1 tbs thin soy sauce (or oyster sauce)
1 cup rich chicken or beef broth (use a good quality--it makes or breaks the dish)
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tsp cornstarch, divided
12 oz chicken, sliced for stir-frying
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
thumb-sized knob ginger, sliced into matchsticks
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Start by cooking the noodles. Drain and rinse well with cold water and drain again. Toss with a little oil to prevent them from sticking. Set aside until you're ready to fry them. If you can set them in the fridge, even better. They fry better the colder they start.

While the water for the noodles gets going, prepare the chicken by combining 2 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cooking wine. Turn the sliced chicken in the slurry and set side.

Make the sauce for the stir-fry by mashing the fermented tofu and soybeans until you get a paste. Don't worry if you don't mash every single soybean. Add 1 tbs cooking wine, the broth, thin soy sauce (or oyster sauce) and sugar. Mix until well blended. Stir in 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

It's best to fry the noodles in two batches. If you try to do it all in one go, you'll probably get a fat cake with a large amount of soft noodle in the middle. Trust me, you'll want to maximize the crispiness. In a non-stick pan (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet), heat a couple of tbs oil over medium heat. Add about half the cooled noodles, distributing them into an even layer. Add half the broth and cook until a nice crispy crust forms and the broth has evaporated. Watch the heat! You wouldn't want your noodles to burn. You may want to move the pan around every so often to distribute the heat better. Flip or carefully turn the noodle cake over and allow a crust to form on the opposite side. When you're satisfied slide the noodle cake onto a plate and keep warm until you're ready to serve.

When you cook the second cake, start heating your wok for the stir-fry. Once it's nice and hot, add some oil and fry the chicken. When the chicken is just about done, remove it and set aside. Add more oil if necessary, then add the garlic, ginger and bell pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the zucchini. After another minute add the chicken back in. Toss well then slowly add your sauce by drizzling it down the side of your wok. Hopefully it will begin to thicken on contact. If it doesn't, no worries. It will once it begins to heat through. Adjust flavor with more soy sauce if necessary. When the sauce has thickened, you're done! Divide the stir-fry over the two noodle cakes and serve immediately. I like to put out chili-garlic sauce as well, for those who like it spicy.

This is my submission for Regional Recipes. We're in China! If you'd like to participate, I'll take submissions until the 20th. C'mon, you know you want to! Send your submission to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. Be sure to include a photo (about 200x200) so I can include it in the round-up!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:15:00 +0000

I realize it’s been too long since my last post. You know how it goes—life gets super busy and the hobbies are put on the back burner. Normally, I wouldn’t feel too bad about it, but I’ve got a book sitting on my kitchen table that I promised to review. I’ve had it since, like, early June, and I can’t have it hanging on my conscience another day.

Now that I’m ready to say something about this book, I realize I don’t really know what goes into a book review. Is it as easy as saying whether I like the book (or not) and why (or why not)? I’m sure there’s more to it, but I’m just going to put my opinion out there and let you decide what to make of it.

Right. I should probably mention the name of the book...Cooking from the Heart: The Hmong Kitchen in America by Sami Scripter and Sheng Yang. And what did I think of it?

I like it! The book isn't filled with artistically arranged food shots (there are few, but most recipes aren't accompanied by a photo), but instead we get the author's personal story, comments about the food, and stories, poems and pictures that show us a little of Hmong-American life. I like that the recipes, while allowing Western alternatives for hard to find ingredients, don't lose their boldness. But the true reason I like this book is I feel a connection to the food; it feels so familiar to the Northerneastern-style Thai food I grew up eating. The nostalgia alone is enough for me to give it a fantabulous review. If you want more information about the book, the authors, Hmong food and recipes I encourage you to visit Cooking from the Heart.

The recipe I've decided to share is for a spicy bamboo salad. I chose it because it reminded me of the bamboo salad Mom used to make. As the author says, the flavors in this dish are bright and bold, and I would have to agree. The cilantro gives it a really nice freshness. If you're worried about the shrimp paste, there's no need. It complements the bamboo; I think you'll be surprised how well the flavors go together.

Spicy Bamboo Salad

Thai chili peppers (to taste), grilled
1 large can shredded bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed well
2 cups Vietnamese cilantro (regular cilantro is fine), roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tsp shrimp paste (kapi, Vietnamese-style or even anchovy paste is fine)
fish sauce, to taste
salt, to taste
fresh lime juice, to taste (my own optional amendment)

Grilling small Thai chilies is challenging, so I recommend toasting them on a dry skillet until they start to brown.

In a large mortar, pound the garlic, chilies and cilantro until you get a uniform paste. Add the shrimp paste and incorporate well. Add the drained bamboo shoots and pound them lightly, turning with a spoon until they are uniformly coated with the spice paste. Be careful not to use too much force. You’re not trying to annihilate the bamboo shoots. Season with fish sauce, salt and lime juice (if using).

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Goes well with simple, grilled meats or fish and rice.

Supertastic Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:24:00 +0000

The Vegas crew have been gone a few days and I think the dust is finally settling. Good Lord, entertaining 3 kids with very different personalities is exhausting! In addition to the kids, there was Mom, Auntie and my not-so-baby baby brother. They were actually very good guests, always cleaning up after themselves. As an added bonus, Mom and Auntie did all the cooking during their visit. It was like I was the guest in my own home, which I’m not at all complaining about. Problem is, now that they are gone, I can’t seem to find anything in my kitchen and I have to get back into the habit of shopping and cooking. Quite honestly, I'm not in the mood.

As you can imagine, we ate a lot of Thai food, and I hope to share some recipes in the (nearish) future. However, this time, I’m going to share a chicken dish taught to me by my auntie. It’s an Italian-style breaded chicken recipe she learned from her Polish MIL. I realize to most, breaded chicken doesn’t sound particularly exciting, but the beauty is in its simplicity, versatility and supertastic deliciousness. Throw in the fact that I’ve never seen my auntie cook or eat anything besides Thai food, so this was a really nice surprise!

Italian-style breaded chicken (aka chicken parmesan)
Feeds 3 to 4

2 large chicken breasts
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
½ grated Parmesan cheese
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 to 2 eggs, beaten
oil for pan-frying
2 cups of your favorite marinara, warmed
a handful of shredded mozzarella (or shredded Parmesan)to top

In a deep plate or pie dish, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic and onion powders. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Butterfly the chicken breasts to get 4 pieces. Pound each piece thin (think scaloppini or paillard).

In a large bowl, mix the chicken, eggs and a pinch of salt.

Warm enough oil (about 1 inch or so) in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, dredge the chicken pieces in the bread crumb mix, make sure they are coated well and add them to the frying pan. Don’t crowd the frying pan otherwise the chicken will end up extra greasy (NOT yummy!). Flip over once, and when they are done remove to a paper towel or rack above a cook sheet (my preference).

Serve Olive Garden-style (hey, don’t laugh! That was THE Italian restaurant in Vegas until about 1999…no kidding) ladled with warmed marinara and mozzarella sprinkled on top and a big bowl of spaghetti. Or eat it like my Auntie does, sans marinara, with rice and chili dipping sauce. For realz.

Now that you've read so far, you get to see cool pics of the Vegas crew!

Baby brother. I freely admit he got the looks and I got the brains :-)

The Three Stooges, better known as Moody, Tweeny and Whiny (from left to right). Whiny's mine; the other two are his cousins.

Mom and Auntie acting like tourists. Oh, right! They are tourists.

Weekend Wokking Cilantro Round-up (Finally!)

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:07:00 +0000

Cilantro. My favorite herb/garnish/breath freshner.

It is without a doubt the best herb on the planet. Think I’m joking? I’m not. And neither are these guys. But rather than go on about how wonderful cilantro is, I’m just going to get to the submissions so you can experience the awesomeness for yourselves.

Aguadito de Pollo (Peruvian Chicken Soup) submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. Most soups are cold-weather food to me, but cilantro adds so much bright, fresh flavor, I bet this soup is perfect even on the warmest days. The vibrant green color even reminds me of warm weather!

Cilantro-coconut milk pasta submitted by Yasmeen of Health Nut. A twist on the typical creamy pasta sauce, using instead coconut milk and a generous dose of cilantro.

Thai prawn toasts with coriander submitted by Erbe in Cucina. This is one of my favorite snacks due to the taste and texture. Nothing beats the flavor of prawns and cilantro in a crispy yet chewy package.

Cilantro Horchata from the [eatingclub]vancouver. Okay, I find this intriguing. Horchata made with a cilantro infused simple syrup. Sounds different enough that I want to try it.

Strawberry cilantro salsa on grilled flank steak also submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. First the cilantro horchata, now strawberries and cilantro. Is there nothing cilantro doesn’t go with?

Vietnamese Tofu Sandwich submitted by Pink Bites. Like Vietnamese summer rolls, but on a bun with a peanut butter-hoisin-mayo spread, fresh vegetables and a healthy sprinkling of cilantro leaves. Sounds like perfect summer food!

Grilled corn with spicy cilantro butter submitted by TastyCurryLeaf. Speaks for itself; simple but delicious.

Cilantro shrimp Chinese dumplings submitted by Javaholic. These dumplings were made from scratch, including the wrappers! FROM. SCRATCH. And there’s cilantro. Awesomeness.

Garlicky Pork Stir-fry submitted by me. Easy and family-friendly stir-fry flavored with a paste made of cilantro roots, white peppercorns, and garlic in a soy-based sauce.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the cilantro challenge! The next theme ingredient will be cheese! Wonderful, glorious cheese! Any kind of cheese you want! The host will be Yasmeen of Health Nut. Please send submissions to yasmeenhealthnut(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 PM, Sunday, August 2nd.

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Oh hi! I’m finally back. Seems like I’ve been on one long vacation. First Mexico, then after only a few days home, our neighbors invited us to join them at the beach. As if we’d say no to extending our vacation! So we re-packed our bags (they weren’t really unpacked) and headed to the Oregon Coast for the long Independence Day weekend. I guess it’s not surprising that I’m finding it hard to come out of the vacation stupor. I'm sorry if I've been slow at responding to emails and comments. Suppose I better come to quick, though. Mom and the whole Vegas crew are arriving on Friday. Lord, save me!

I also need to get my butt in gear seeing as how I’m hosting Weekend Wokking and wouldn’t it be just shameful if I didn’t have an entry? (Good thing I’m the host and Wandering Chopsticks is such an understanding gal because the deadline’s already past. The round-up goes up tomorrow or the day after :-) Anyhow, cilantro is the theme ingredient, and luckily for me I’ve got some growing in the garden. Or rather, I had. It bolted while I was away, and there’s not quite enough to take from the younger plants. No problem since I use the roots.

I’m not going to launch into the awesomeness of cilantro roots because I’ve already done that and you can read about it here. I’ll just go straight to the dish, a pork stir-fry flavored with a paste made of garlic, white peppercorns and cilantro roots. Don’t forget the dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Pretty simple, but tastes great! Spruce it up with tomato and cucumber slices and serve with the dipping sauce.

Garlicky Pork Stir-Fry

Serves 3 to 4

½ oz cilantro roots, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp white peppercorns (black is okay too)
1 pound pork, sliced for stir-frying
1 to 2 tbs oyster sauce
1 to 2 tbs light soy sauce (regular is fine too, but use less)
1 tsp sugar
fish sauce to taste

For the dipping sauce:

Juice of 1 juicy lime
fish sauce, to taste (about 1 tbs)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
chopped chilies, to taste
white sugar, to taste (about 1 to 2 tsp)

Using a mortar, pound the cilantro roots, garlic and peppercorns until you get a uniform paste. You want to make sure to thoroughly break down the cilantro roots because they can be tough and fibrous otherwise. Mix the paste with the pork and allow to marinate for about ½ hour.

Meanwhile make the sauce by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar.

Make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients and adjust flavor to taste.

When you’re ready to stir-fry, get your wok good and hot. Proper heat is the trick to this dish. If your wok is not hot enough, the meat is not going to sear. Instead it’s going to release juices. The wok also has to be hot enough to caramelize the sauce once it hits the wok. Otherwise you will have a watery, boring dish. This dish should be fairly dry and the flavors concentrated.

Use about 3 tbs oil. Grapeseed or another vegetable oil is good; olive oil is bad for stir-frying. Once the meat is seared and just about done (approx 2 to 3 minutes), add the soy sauce mix down the side of the wok and toss the meat to coat. It’s done when the sauce is caramelized and the meat is cooked through. Adjust flavor with fish sauce, if necessary. Total cooking time is about 4 or 5 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce and steamed jasmine rice. I like to serve sliced tomato and cucumber on the side as well.

Hasta luego, peeps!

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:24:00 +0000

In less than 12 hours we'll be on a plane headed down south for a much need family vacation. Obviously I won't be posting. Or checking email. Or answering my phone. Instead, I'll be basking by a pool with my Kindle and the occasional cocktail. I'll probably eat a taco or two as well.

See you in July!

Berry Crumble

noreply@blogger.com (dp) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0000

I love this time of year. Not just because the weather warms up significantly. Our summer doesn't normally start before July 4th, but it has been unusually warm for the past month. Maybe Mother Nature decided to give us a break after the cold, snowy winter (another unusual phenomenon). I'm totally not complaining.

Hand in hand with the warm weather comes sugar sweet berries and fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, marionberries, cherries. I just can't eat enough of them. In fact, I always buy a ton of whatever is available with the intention of making jams, syrups, pies, ice cream, but instead I just end up gobbling them down. (Note to self: don't eat an extra-large bowl of cherries before a night on the town!)

I finally did manage to throw together some berry crumbles (for the first time) and all I can say is WOW! I've never been a big fan of crumbles because they are usually served with a pile of fruit and just a sprinkling of topping. I like there to be a good amount of crusty topping in every bite. Making the dessert in ramekins works perfect to give the right amount of topping to fruit. Plus they look super cute, don't they?

Making a crumble is so easy, easier than making a pie because there aren't any crusts to roll out. For the topping, I used Ina Garten's recipe. For the filling, I used my berry pie filling, but any pie filling would work.

Berry Crumble
Makes 1 large pie-sized or 6 ramekins
For the filling:
1 ½ lbs (4 to 5 cups) berries (I used raspberries and blueberries)
¾ oz (3 tbs) cornstarch
5 ½ oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
2 tbs lemon juice

For the topping:
4 ½ oz (1 cup) all purpose flour
2 3/8 oz (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
2 1/8 oz (1/3 cup packed) brown sugar
pinch of salt
8 oz (1 stick) cold butter, diced
1 5/8 oz (½ cup) quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1 5/8 oz (1/2 cup) sliced almonds

Begin by making the topping. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and butter until you get a coarse mixture. I like to add the oats and pulse a couple of times to break them up a little. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the almonds. Mix in the almonds making clumps (although it will still be pretty loose).

In another large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch and mix until all the cornstarch is mixed in with the sugar. Add the fruit and lemon juice and carefully mix, trying not to mash the fruit. Transfer the fruit into a large baking dish (or ramekins) and press the topping on. I like to make sure the fruit is completely covered. Bake in a 350F oven (on a sheet pan to catch the juices) until bubbly and the topping is golden.

Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream.

Here's a tip: if you use ramekins, the dessert can be wrapped and easily reheated. They'll keep in the fridge, well wrapped, for about a week. I bake the crumbles until they are just golden and then reheat them under a broiler to crisp them up and warm the filling.