Union Square bar nuts

February 6, 2010 at 5:57 am · Filed under American, Appetizer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) assorted unsalted nuts, including peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Maldon or other sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.

Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm. And once you eat these, you will never want to stop.

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Glazed Lemon Cakes

January 28, 2010 at 4:44 pm · Filed under Desserts

  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tin
  • 1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour, plus more for muffin tin
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) low-fat buttermilk, or plain low-fat yogurt
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated, plus juice, plus 2 tbsp (25 mL) more lemon juice for the glaze
  • 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ cups (375 mL) confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F (230°C). Butter and flour a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin or 12-cup regular muffin tin. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk mixture.

Divide evenly among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centre of a cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. (Or about 15 minutes for a 12-cup muffin tin. Start checking at the 10-minute mark.) Cool 10 minutes in tin, then cool completely on a rack.

Set rack over wax or parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir confectioners’ sugar with remaining lemon juice until smooth. Pour over cakes, spreading to edges with a small knife. Let set 30 minutes.

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Ginger Fried Rice

January 24, 2010 at 2:24 pm · Filed under Chinese, Rice

Time: About 30 minutes

1/2 cup peanut oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced ginger

Salt

2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried

4 cups day-old cooked rice, preferably jasmine, at room temperature

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 teaspoons soy sauce.

1. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.

2. Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Season lightly with salt.

3. Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

4. In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.

5. Divide rice among four dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

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Roasted Tofu with Leeks and Black Bean Sauce

January 9, 2010 at 2:59 am · Filed under Chinese, Tofu, Vegetarian

Serves 2

1 16-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Sauce
1 medium leek, white and some green part, cut into 2 inch sections
2 tablespoons fermented black beans, mashed with a fork
1 teaspoon oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup water
Arrowroot dissolved in water

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oil, salt and paprika. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes on each side.

Heat a wok to hot, add the oil. Swirl the oil to coat the wok. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and black beans. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the leeks. Stir-fry for a few minutes, add the water and cook until the leeks are tender.

Slowly add the arrowroot mixture and stir to thicken the sauce to desired consistency. Add the tofu and mix well. Serve with rice.

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Tofu Hijiki Squares

January 9, 2010 at 2:57 am · Filed under Japanese, Kebabs, Tofu, Vegetarian

Ingredients (makes 8 tofu squares):
1/8 c. dried hijiki
1 (14oz) pkg firm tofu, drain well
1/4 med. onion, chopped very fine
1+1/2 Tbsp pickled ginger (see picture below)
1/6 c. carrot, finely julienned
1 tsp dashi stock
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1+1/2 Tbsp mirin
1/2 fresh lime juice
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1-1+1/2 Tbsp bonito flakes (see pictures below)

In a medium sized bowl, soak dried hijiki in enough water for 30 minutes. Rinse hijiki 2-3 times and drain water very well.
In a large bowl, add hijiki, tofu, onion, ginger and carrot and mix together very well with hands.
In a separate small bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, dashi stock and lime juice. Pour the mixture into the large bowl and mix well. Add egg and continue to mix. Add panko and bonito flakes and again mix very well.
Take about half a cup of mixture and form into 2″ squares.

Heat non-stick skillet over medium, pour 1 Tbsp canola oil. After cooking one side for about 2 minutes or golden brown, flip on the other side and continue cooking for another 6-8 minutes.

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Kori Sukka (Mangalorean Dry Coconut Chicken)

January 9, 2010 at 2:11 am · Filed under Chicken, Indian, Sandwiches

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – ~2lbs
1 cup onions finely chopped
a few curry leaves
1 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste
~3 tbsp Oil

For Paste #1

Dry Roast:
8-10 dry red chilies
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
3 sliced garlic cloves
1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger pieces
For Paste #2
4 tbsp grated coconut
3 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Method

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and keep aside.

Make Paste #1:
In a small pan, dry roast all the ingredients in first part of Paste #1 and powder in a spice grinder. Add a little bit oil and fry the onions, cloves and ginger pieces till brown. Add to the same spice grinder, and blend without adding any water to make a smooth paste

Make Paste #2:
Grind the coconut, garlic and turmeric powder to form a coarse paste.

In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and fry paste #1 for about three minutes. Add the prepared chicken pieces and stir well to coat the chicken with the spice paste. Fry on high heat till the chicken pieces turn white and are well coated with the paste.

Add half a cup of water and salt to taste and cook covered till the chicken pieces are soft. Remove the cover and cook stirring frequently till the liquid is almost dry.

Add paste #2 and the tamarind paste to the pan and stir well to combine. Cook on medium high till the chicken is completely dry.

In the mean time, heat 1 tbsp oil in a separate pan and fry the chopped onions and curry leaves till the onion pieces start to brown. Add the fried onion and curry leaves to the prepared chicken and stir well to combine.

Delicious Kori (Chicken in Tulu) Sukka is ready. You can either have it in a sandwich like we did, or serve hot with rice.

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Vietnamese Chicken in Coconut Juice

January 2, 2010 at 3:10 am · Filed under Chicken, Vietnamese

This Vietnamese Chicken in Coconut Juice recipe is full of flavor and very simple to make. It is important to use a low heat so the chicken can be simmered slowly as this brings out the full richness and flavours of the dish. Coconut juice is the clear water inside a young coconut and can be purchased in cans or bottles from Asian supermarkets if you are unable to find any young coconuts.

Ingredients for Vietnamese Chicken in Coconut Juice

4 Chicken Breasts, each cut into 3 pieces
1 Cup Coconut Juice
1 Large Onion, diced
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
6 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) or sugar if preferred
1 Tsp Szechuan Peppercorns, finely ground
1/2 Cup Chinese Rice Wine
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Coriander leaves (for garnish)

Method

1. Pour the vegetable oil into a wok and place over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned

2. Add the onion, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, salt, MSG (or sugar) and peppercorns. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes.

3. Add the Chinese rice wine and coconut juice. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.

4. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve while hot

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Arroz Frito Chino (Belen’s recipe)

January 2, 2010 at 2:42 am · Filed under Pork, Rice

1 cup olive oil
4 cups white rice
Pork (cut into strips)
5 slices of ham
2 cups chopped onion
1 cups chopped red pepper
2 cups chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped garlic
1 cup pimiento de piquillo
Worschstire Sauce
Soy Sauce
salt
pepper

1. Cook rice — do not add salt

2. Marinate the pork in worschstire sauce (to taste), salt pepper, onions, garlic, red/green peppers

3. In a wok or large frying pan heat 1/2 cup olive oil, cook the pork and ham

4. In another bowl, mix the chopped onions, olive oil, red peppers, celery, carrots, green peppers – heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a pan and cook but don’t overcook

5. In a large pot combine the cooked rice and the mixture — add soy sauce to taste

6. Add the Pimiento de piquillo

7. Cook until ready – (Belen said just to watch it — she didn’t have an approximate time)

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Garlic-Sizzled Chicken (Pollo Al Ajillo)

January 1, 2010 at 9:41 am · Filed under Appetizer, Chicken, Spanish

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lb 3oz) Chicken Wings
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Paprika-I used 1 1/2 tsp of Paprika & 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
10 Cloves Garlic (2 whole & 8 chopped)
5 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
150ml (1/4 pint) Sherry (amontillado or oloroso seco or dry Sherry plus a little Brandy de Jerez)-I used Brandy
Chopped Parsley

Method

Cut off the wing tips and discard (use them for stock). Divide each wing into two joints. Rub the chicken pieces of chicken pieces with, salt, pepper and paprika. Smash two garlic cloves without peeling.

Heat the oil in frying pan or cazuela and add the pieces of the chicken and the 2 garlic cloves. Fry until the chicken is golden. Add the remaining chopped garlic and continue frying.

Then add the Sherry and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to garnish.

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Braised Pork Ribs and Hard-Boiled Eggs in Sweet and Sour Dark Sauce (“Five-One” Pork Ribs)

December 24, 2009 at 9:08 am · Filed under Chinese, Pork

Adapted from Winnie Leung

450 – 500g pork ribs — washed clean, patted dry and cut into smaller square chunks

5 Tbsp water

(A)
4 Tbsp dark soy sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

Adequate amount of cooking oil

(B)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed them with any one side of your knife (I use Chinese cleaver)
3 slabs fresh ginger

3 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and shelled

1. Prepare the pork ribs as directed, then marinate them with (A) together overnight.
**I place the mixture all in a bowl, cover it with cling wrap and then stick the whole deal in the fridge.
2. On the next day, remove the mixture from the fridge
3. Heat a saucepan/pot (that’s large enough to hold everything) over medium-high heat till it’s hot, then pour in some cooking oil and wait till it’s pretty hot
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then throw in (B) to sauté till fragrant over the now gentler, slower heat
5. Once you start to smell fragrance coming out of the sautéed garlic and ginger, dump in the pork ribs and marinade; stir the mixture continuously to cook them briefly (for 2 – 3 minutes)
6. Stir in the 5 Tbsp water and hard-boiled eggs to the mixture, then mix them altogether just to combine.
7. Slightly lower the heat and cover the whole deal with the saucepan/pot lid, then let it simmer to braise for 30 minutes–1 hour for the best result.
8. Once it’s done cooking, remove the whole deal from the heat. Now, scoop some of the pork ribs, eggs and the sweet-sour sauce over bowls of steamy hot rice! Serve!

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