lard guy

i'm pretty into anything spicy, tangy & salty, and the absolute best is when the three flavors combine.  larb gai is quick to whip up and can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer, or medium temperature any time of year.

LARB GAI

2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (available at Asian markets in the spice aisle)

16 ounces ground chicken breast (you can also use dark meat, pork or beef)

1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder, preferably Thai or Lao

8 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup slivered red onions

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

10 whole mint leaves

Iceberg lettuce leaves for serving

4 cups cooked sticky or jasmine rice, for serving.

Mix lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In an oiled wok on medium heat, cook the ground chicken, stirring to break up any chunks.  Remove from heat and place chicken in a mixing bowl, add the rice powder and chili powder and stir. Add in the onions, cilantro, green onion and mint.  Pour the lime, sugar and fish sauce mixture over the ingredients and stir to combine.  Spoon onto a plate and surround with mint and lettuce leaves. Serve with rice or scoop larb into lettuce leaves.

smiley side up

savory biscuits make the best bookends for bright and early weekend breakfasts. bake those biscuits and while they're still piping hot, stuff with your favorite morning meats. my go-to combo is ham, fried egg and better cheddar.

Smiley Breakfast Sammies for Two
2 fried eggs 
4 slices ham
2 slices cheese of your choosing
2 savory biscuits (recipe below)


Savory Biscuits
½ c milk 
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
¼ cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup grated cheese (cheddar or cheese of your choice)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat together the milk and the egg and then set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture, working until you have no butter lumps bigger than a pea. Add the green onions and cheese and toss to mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, reserving just a little bit of the milk-egg mixture to use as a glaze. Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon. Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead it a few times. Pat dough into a round, approximately ½-inch thick, and use biscuit cutter or small glass to cut into rounds. Place on an parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, glaze biscuits and bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and fill with your breakfast sandwich fixings.

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.

savory is the new sweet

Because I have a pretty serious aversion to sugar in the morning, and it's rough trying to find a baked good around town that isn't frosted, fruity or sweet, the savory dill scones from Macrina have been a long-standing favorite of mine. 

This version is snack-sized, seasoned with dill, green onions and quattro formaggio. They are great plain or with butter for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

SAVORY DILL SCONES

(Reminiscent of a favorite item of mine from Macrina Bakery)

½ c milk
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup white flour)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 tbsp dried dill
1/3 cup grated cheese (grated parmesan or quattro formaggio work well)
¼ cup finely sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat together the milk and the egg and then set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture, working until you have no butter lumps bigger than a pea. Add the dill, green onions and cheese and toss to mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, reserving just a little bit of the milk-egg mixture to use as a glaze. Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead it a few times. Pat dough into a round, approximately ½-inch thick, and cut into 12 or so small wedges. Place on an parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a rack.