Saturday, March 31, 2012
Vietnamese Braised Garlic Pork Riblets
This is an easy Vietnamese recipe my mother makes and serves with rice and salad. Chinese restaurants also have a version of this they serve during Dim Sum but they usually add Chinese 5 spice, which you could easy do by adding 1 teaspoon of 5 spice to this recipe. They also have a version which is lightly battered and deep fried - one of my favorite Dim Sum dishes I have yet to learn how to cook properly.
Ingredients:
4 lbs Pork Riblets
2 tablespoons thick dark soy
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper, cracked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon of oil for marinade
1 tablespoon olive oil for pan
Directions:
Cut riblets into sections by cutting in between the bones. In large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and mix. Let marinade for about 2 hours. To cook, you can pan sear these on medium high heat in a non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 20-25 minutes. Or you can sear them in the oven on the middle rack on broil at 350 degrees with the oven door slighly ajar, just be sure to flip them when they start to caramelize (about 15 minutes), then finish cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Trader Joe's Vegetable Medley Clone
Photo of my clone recipe
It's not very often that I try to clone a recipe. In fact I've only cloned 6 now: This one, Cinnabon rolls, Trader Joe's Rosemary Raisin crackers and Starbucks Bliss Bars, Hollyhocks Bakery German Chocolate Cake, Beppo's Chicken Cacciatore. This should tell you how much I truly enjoy those particular dishes! Some have taken years to refine and others, like this one, a day.
I'm lucky to have a Trader Joe's store just a few blocks from my house. They have some of the best food products and one of them, which I love, is their Country Potatoes. For under $4 it's a great flavorful side dish. Problem was, I wanted a lot more then what the frozen package contains and I don't see paying for 2 of these packages for dinner. After some tasting and reading I created this clone recipe and I'm told it's better then theirs by some very critical eaters! Yukon potatoes adds a buttery taste without the use of any butter. Joyous me! It costs half of the price and gives me loads more for my money. This freezes beautifully uncooked, just make a double batch and place half in freezer bag.
Ingredients:
3 Large Red Potatoes, sliced
3 Large Yellow Yukon Potatoes, sliced
2 cup Green Beans
1 1/2 cup Mushrooms (I like using a mix of sliced Crimini and Chanterelle mushrooms)
2 tablespoons Chicken & Tomato Bouillon (Knorr's Caldo de Tomate)
1 tablespoon dried onions, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
In large mixing bowl place all seasonings and mix well. Add sliced potatoes and stir, making sure each slice is well coated. See figure 1.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large non-stick skillet on medium high. Add the potato mixture and sear, approx. 5 minutes.
- Once the bottoms brown flip to uncooked side. Since there are many slices you'll have to repeat to ensure most of the slices are browned.
- Add the green beans and mushrooms and stir. Cover with lid for about 10 minutes. Uncover and check to see if the potatoes and green beans are cooked enough for your preference. If not replace the lid and continue to cook. Once cooked, serve hot.
Cherries and Chicken. . .challenge accepted!
Last night I asked my guy what kind of chicken I should make for dinner. He smiled and said "cherries!" He was totally joking but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. The challenge was on. My first inclination was to incorporate the cherries into a balsamic marinade but I knew I wanted rice as a side (I'll work on that recipe some other night). I finally decided to use one of my favorite family marinades and tweek it just a smidge to work the cherries in. After all is said and done, this dish is a keeper and pretty too. The cherries added a slightly tart taste to the spicy sweetness of the marinade. The guys were surprised how well it turned out. ;)
Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken thighs or 3 chicken breasts cut in half or strips
1 tablespoon dried onion
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I use the Yoshida brand)
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, minced or paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon hot chili sauce
1 cup cherries, drained, but reserve juice. (I used the Trader Joe's brand Cherries in light syrup)
1/3 cup cherry syrup/juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
In a large bowl add all ingredients except the chicken and olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Add the chicken and a lightly season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides. About 8 minutes per side.
Add the wet mixture from bowl and stir to coat. See figure 1. Cook for about 3 minutes. Once the glaze thickens, turn down heat to medium low and cover with lid. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until chicken is done.
Serve with rice, crusty bread, cut up in a spinach salad or with your favorite side dishes.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Pork and Eggs stew? Seriously?
Okay to many of you pork and eggs is probably a very strange combination in a stew and you're thinking to yourself. . .ewwl, but hold on. . .some things you just gotta try first before dismissing from your culinary taste buds. Can you think of another pork and egg type dish? That's right Eggs Benedict, my all time favorite brunch dish. Yes I realize it's cured ham and poached egg with a smooth lemony sauce but still it is a combination that some genius thought to layer ontop of some yummy muffin and slather with sauce. Who knew right? Back to Thit Heo Kho Trung, this dish although unusual to most North Americans is a standard Vietnamese dish, more so than Pho Soup. If you like authentic Asian food then give it a try. It took my guy a bit of coaxing the first time I made this for him, but his Irish roots liked it much to my relief. Think of this as the comfort food equalilent to beef stew but Asian style. The stew is slow cooked until the savory pork chunks litterally falls apart with a fork, the hard boiled eggs are infused with the stew flavors and adds a richness to the pork that only yolks are able to do. Still not sold? Next time you're at a Vietnamese deli or restaurant ask for a small sample or bowl. This dish is usually eaten with rice and a side of fluffy warm french bread to soak up the broth. And a big plus in my book is it's so easy to make.
Ingredients:
4 lbs boneless country style pork, cubed into large chunks
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of jalapeno pepper or red & green chilies, sliced
10 to 12 hard boiled and peeled eggs
3 tablespoons of fish sauce
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly cracked
3 tablespoons of dark thick soy sauce (see ingredients reference)
8 cups of water
2 tablespoons of oil
Directions: Hard boil the eggs, peel and set aside. Heat the oil in a large deep pot on high and saute the onions and garlic. Now braise the pork by adding sugar to large pot along with the pork chunks, brown all sides on high heat.
Add the fish sauce, black pepper, thick soy sauce and jalapeno or chilies and stir. Add the hard boiled eggs.
Add the water and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil reduce heat to medium. Let simmer for at least 2 1/2 hours (I let mine cook for 3 to 4 hours). The more it simmers the softer the pork is and the more flavorful the eggs. The broth will reduce quite a bit, add more water a cup at a time as needed to keep the broth to mid level of the pot. The eggs will turn a nice yellowish beige color because of the dark soy, it's a good sign, don't panic. Once the stew has simmered to your preference, serve over rice and bread or just crusty french bread. If serving with rice I suggest only a few spoonfuls of the broth over the rice otherwise the rice gets very mushy. You can also drizzle a bit of sriracha (red chili) sauce or red chili pepper flakes over the servings if you're like me and want a bit more spice!
Note: Use your range fan, the fish sauce is pungent. Don't worry the dish tastes nothing like the smell of the fish sauce.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Still thinking about Santa Fe's fabulous burgers
The Southwest Prawns didn't curb my craving for Tex Mex, I needed. . .no wanted more! Darn those black beans and spicy sauces. After some deliberation I whipped up a batch of black bean & beef burgers. Enough for 2 nights and finally my craving is satisfied. These were seriously, super good! Usually I do stuffed burgers but these are my new favorites. Next time I'm making a double batch and freezing the patties. As you can see from the photo, I totally overloaded on the avocado and sauce. Little Ms. Messy me. Sometimes a gal just needs to get in there and eat and not worry about being tidy.
Ingredients (6 burgers, I think they were almost 1/2 pound each!)
3 lbs ground beef (90 percent lean)
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you like it extra hot)
1 cup black beans, drained
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon garlic, minced or paste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh
1/2 cup pickled jalapeno, chopped or sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon sriracha (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
1/4 cup salsa
For garnish:
Toasted hamburger buns, lettuce, avocado, tomato, salsa/mayo mixed up or chili sauce, cilantro and lime.
Directions: In medium sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Make into patties. Grill or cook on stove. Serve with garnish and sauce. Enjoy!
Not the same 'ol corned beef
This Saint Patty's Day I bought 2 corned beef briskets. Jay wanted his traditional corned beef and cabbage dish and Chad was craving Reuben's. My stepfather Nick told me a nifty new way to make Reuben's, rub some brown sugar and black pepper on top and but it under the broiler. Totally delicious in the sammy's and very easy. I served it with tomato soup which I doctored up and was pleasantly surprised by.
Ingredients (serves 6):
1 4'lb corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
8 slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon black pepper, freshly cracked.
12 pieces of rye, or dark rye bread
butter
Ingredients (Russian sauce):
2 cups sour kraut, drained
1/2 cup mayo
3 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sriracha (red chili sauce)
1 tablespoon hot horse radish paste
Directions:
Ingredients (serves 6):
1 4'lb corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
8 slices Swiss cheese
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon black pepper, freshly cracked.
12 pieces of rye, or dark rye bread
butter
Ingredients (Russian sauce):
2 cups sour kraut, drained
1/2 cup mayo
3 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sriracha (red chili sauce)
1 tablespoon hot horse radish paste
Directions:
- Fill deep pot with 2/3 water. Place the corned beef and seasoning packet in and set to high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium and let simmer for about 3 hours.
- Place cooked corned beef onto aluminum baking sheet or pan. Rub the black pepper and brown sugar ontop and on the sides of brisket. Heat oven to 350 degrees on broil. Place brisket on bottom rack and leave oven door ajar just a little bit. Let it broil until the pepper, brown sugar develops a nice caramelized crust. See photo below.
- To assemble sandwich: Slice brisket into thin strips. Place brisket strips, Swiss cheese and 2 heaping tablespoons of Russian sauce between 2 pieces of bread. Butter the top of the sandwiches.
- In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium high heat. Place the sandwiches, non butter side down onto skillet, place a lid on top and let grill for about 5 minutes. Once the bottoms of the sandwiches are golden brown, flip them making sure there's plenty of butter on the bread and pan. Replace cover and turn heat down to medium. Grill for an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until bottoms are toasted and cheese is melted.
- Serve with fries or with tomato soup. I used 2 cans of tomato soup, added the milk, 2 cups of cabbage, 1 tablespoon of dried basil, 1 teaspoon of dried garlic and a dash of black pepper. Was totally delicious.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Experimenting with cookie crack
The other day I was contemplating which cookie bars I would make; Gooey oatmeal caramel bars or Peanut butter chocolate bars. I wanted both but was not about to have two pans of cookie crack in my kitchen. I decided I would try to combine the two. These were pretty darn good but I need to make some tweaks before I share the recipe. The problem is that the two different layers after day 1 tended to separate from each other. The peanutty part is just a bit too fine (texture is like the peanut portion of a Reeses) to adhere well to the caramel oatmeal once fully cooled. Uff they were good though!! I'm sure there's an easy fix and I'll figure it out soon. These were too satisfying not to share. My boys loved them and one of them isn't a big sweets lover like the other.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
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