it's a street, it's a way to open stuff...

Sesame. It's also a nutty-flavored seed, an oil and apparently a plant with yellow blossoms and seed pods.  Dan and I made this sesame chicken for dinner earlier in the week, to go with the snappy fried rice.  It was pretty quick and introduced me to a new way of battering chicken. Since the batter contained cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda, it puffed up during frying and became light and airy.

Here's the recipe:

SWEET & SAVORY SESAME CHICKEN
For the chicken marinade/batter:
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tbsp.  water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cubed

For the sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. chile paste
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3-6 hot pepper pods
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

3 green onions, sliced for garnish
2 tsp. sesame seeds

In a medium bowl combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chile paste and chicken broth.  Set aside.  In another bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder and stir.  Pour in soy sauce, sherry, 2 tbsp. water and vegetable oil and stir until smooth.  Stir in chicken pieces until coated and marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, with a splash of oil saute the pepper pods and garlic in a separate pan.  Add in combined sauce ingredients (sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chile paste and chicken broth), and bring to a boil.  Dissolve the 1/4 cup of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water and add to the mixture.  Simmer and stir until sauce thickens and becomes clear.  Reduce heat to low.

Heat oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 375 degrees.  Drop in battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they cook to a nice golden brown and float to the top of the oil.  About 3-4 minutes.  Drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Add chicken to the sauce mixture and stir to coat the individual pieces.  Sprinkle with
sesame seeds and green onions to serve.  Serve with fried or steamed rice.

rice 'n roll

This is a jazzy side dish to go with any Chinese meal. This rice is quick, tasty and requires pretty minimal ingredients. I made it to go along with sesame chicken, but it would nicely accompany many different dishes. 

PORK FRIED RICE

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 bunch scallions, roughly chopped

1/2 cup leftover pork (I used Chinese BBQ pork)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed (plus any leftover vegetables you have on hand)

4 cups cooked white or brown rice

4 tablespoons soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and scallions. Cook, breaking up the eggs with a spoon until they are lightly browned. Stir in the meat, vegetables, rice, and the remaining oil. Increase heat slightly and cook until the rice is crispy, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce with 4 tablespoons of water. Pour the mixture over the rice.Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, 3 to 5 minutes.Season with the salt and pepper and serve, with extra soy sauce on the side.

quin whaaaa??

I'm always on the look out for a tasty new salad.  It's nice to have a big batch on hand for lunches and dinners throughout the week. this particular quinoa salad is filled with herbs, veggies, lemon juice and vinegar. plus it's pretty versatile in terms of herbs and veggies that can be included, and the freshness of the lemon vinaigrette makes it perfect for spring and summer. i just learned that quinoa is a close relative of beets and spinach, part of the reason why it's so healthy.  it's also extra good for you because of its high levels of protein, amino acids, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. to top it all off, it's gluten-free. go quinoa.  

Refreshing Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 cucumber, cubed

3 roma or on the vine tomatoes, cubed

4 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup italian parsely or cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup basil, chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

Rinse quinoa in cold water in a fine mesh colander and let drain well. Bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and bring to a full rolling boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer; simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let the quinoa slowly finish for another 10 minutes. Cool in the refrigerator.

Peel and dice cucumber. Dice the tomatoes. Thinly slice green onions. Chop fresh mint,  chop cilantro or parsley and basil. In a bowl mix together lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil.

When the quinoa has cooled, toss with cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, herbs and dressing.

i wouldn't really call it a flower

cauliflower or "cabbage flower" is something I ate a great deal of growing up, but never especially enjoyed.  it was usually served steamed, watery and on the bland side of things.  sometimes served with cheez whiz, which is a sauce that you can conveniently scoop out of a jar and melt, in order to easily pour over any vegetable. you can also add it to macaroni noodles for a "homemade" macaroni and cheese sauce or add salsa to it for a homemade chili con queso dip.

on a recent visit to New Orleans, we ordered a fried cauliflower appetizer served with a chile vinegar sauce.  Although everything is better fried, including the pickles, oysters, okra, chicken and dough that were also consumed on this NOLA trip, I try to steer away from the deep fried lifestyle at home. This appetizer opened my eyes to the flavor potential of cauliflower that is so often masked or subdued by steaming.  It also inspired me to pair it with something more acidic, to give it a little zing.

this is a good side dish for any meal, and is also nice served chilled in a salad.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and broken into small florets
4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan to finish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim cauliflower and set aside in a mixing bowl.  Mix garlic, lemon and olive oil in a small bowl.  Pour the lemon garlic mixture over the cauliflower and stir to coat the florets evenly.  Spread onto a cookie sheet or baking dish, and bake for 5-8 minutes or until tender.  The cauliflower may brown on one side, but that adds to the flavor.

Toss with parmesan before serving.

spring chicken

Calm and sunny spring days call for simple, flavorful food. Roast chicken and a salad make a tasty spring dinner. 

Every season on Top Chef a panel of celebrity judges is brought in to judge the "Last Meal" or "Last Supper" Challenge, where contestants are tasked with creating the best meal of their lives based on a celebrity judge's favorite food. On one of these episodes Thomas Keller, renowned chef and owner of The French Laundry, declared that he's spent his life perfecting his recipe and technique for a simple roasted chicken, and considers it the last meal he'd ever want to eat in this lifetime. Roast chicken has always been one of my favorites, and something my mom made a lot growing up. I figured, with such a bold declaration, it was at least worth trying once before my last meal. Because what if I want to eat it a couple more times before my last meal rolls around? I was very impressed, Thom's life's work has not gone unnoticed. This is one tasty hunk of meat.

THOMAS KELLER'S SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN

(Recipe courtesy of Thomas Keller's Bouchon)

3-5 pound whole chicken

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons minced thyme

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird. Now, salt the chicken, by pouring salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan or baking dish, and when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Serve with a simple salad, and bread to soak up some of the juices.

a sauce for all seasons

i am in love with rhubarb. i could eat it every day. year round. for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. in oatmeal, in a cake, baked into a pie, atop ice cream.  on a boat or in a train. with a fox. in a box. you get the idea.


Now that you understand my love, please also understand that i am always looking for new recipes that kindly feature my favorite ingredient and maximize it's special flavor.  


here is a winner. this is a rhubarb sauce that you bake in the oven with a little white wine and a little sugar, and then serve with any and all items that your heart desires. this sauce would pair well with items such as toast, oatmeal, ice cream, cake, by itself, yogurt and others. endless possibilities.


I paired it with a sweet (but not too sweet) cornmeal cake, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. so good. so special. please make it and enjoy.  

sauce.

cake.

cake. sauce. whip cream. good. 

mariners bobble head. weird.

CORNMEAL CAKE WITH ROASTED RHUBARB SAUCE
(both recipes courtesy of Orangette)


ROASTED RHUBARB SAUCE
(4 to 6 servings)
2 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
½ cup sugar
½ cup crisp white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1 tsp vanilla

Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the rhubarb in a Dutch oven or other deep oven-safe pot. Add the sugar, wine, and vanilla, and stir to mix. Bake (uncovered) for about 30 minutes, or until very tender, giving the pot a gentle stir about midway through to ensure that the rhubarb cooks evenly.

CORNMEAL CAKE
1 ¼ cups cake flour
6 Tbs fine yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk, preferably whole
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” round cake pan with butter or cooking spray, and then dust the pan lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.

In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and vanilla extract. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar gradually, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until smooth and fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest, and beat to incorporate. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan; then invert it onto a plate, and turn it topside up onto a rack. Cool the cake to room temperature.

Whip the cream. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, and beat it on medium speed until it begins to thicken. With the beaters running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar, and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks.


Serve cake with a spoonful of the sauce and a plop of whipped cream.

carbon era

the much famed Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, an Italian staple, is filled with delicious ingredients that can be found within most cupboards and fridges year round. often referred to as "coal miner's spaghetti", it is said to have been created by charcoal workers looking for a sturdy meal after a long day of physical exertion, otherwise known as a meal that sticks to the ribs. it's also thought that Italians began making this dish in WWII when there was an influx of eggs and bacon supplied by U.S. troops, and that soldiers brought the recipe back to their homes when they returned from war. whatever the origin, it's full of flavor and has a certain nostalgic appeal, perfect for a night spent watching many an episode of Mad Men and admiring Donald Draper in the company of good friends.


I made other versions of this a few times before posting it, and found it to be slightly bland. Trial and error led me to the addition of garlic, and higher-quality bacon cooked more crisply. Also, salt and pepper are key because this is truly a minimalist dish.

bacon, onions and garlic cooking.

Cheese and egg mixture.

the finished product.  bacon was a little on the dark side, hence the browner color.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

• 5 oz bacon or pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano blend, finely grated 
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut bacon or pancetta into 1/3-inch dice, then cook in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fat begins to render, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 10 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, cheese, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Drain spaghetti in a colander and add to onion mixture, then toss with tongs over moderate heat until coated. Remove from heat and add egg mixture, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.

spicy & savory tamale pie with polenta

my mom introduced me to this delicious Tex-Mexican standby. It's a great one to keep in your arsenal of easy recipes, as it's good on a warm spring or summer day, or even in the winter when you're looking for something spicy.  Basically, a dish for all seasons, as they say.  Plus, it's pretty much all the same ingredients as tacos, but it changes things up by using polenta rather than tacos.

Tamale Pie with Polenta
For filling:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 packet taco seasoning (I use spicy)
1 can of seasoned chili or pinto beans
1 (8 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa or enchilada sauce
1 cup grated cheese
For Polenta:

3 cups water

1 cup corn grits

1 tsp. salt

Begin by heating olive oil, add onion, garlic and pepper, saute and add ground turkey and taco seasoning.  Saute until turkey is cooked through.  Add can of chili or pinto beans and the can of mexican tomatoes.

In a separate pot make the polenta. Bring the salted water to a boil and slowly stir in polenta.  Stir for about 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add more salt if needed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x12 baking dish or pie pan.  Spread polenta in a thin layer on the bottom of the pan.  Cover with turkey and veggie filling.  Cover with salsa or enchilada sauce. Cover the entire mixture with cheese.  Bake for 15-25 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.