Roast Duck

Last summer when I went to Beijing, I ate Peking duck almost every other day. Being a Shanghai native, my taste buds could not adjust to Beijing cuisine, with the exception of Peking roast duck. I wanted to make Peking duck at home but after reading a few recipes, I was frightened... very frightened. Strange and foreign equipment that do not belong in a kitchen such as a bicycle pump was required. I'm sorry but my bicycle pump is covered in cobwebs in the garage and I’m not venturing into the unknown any time soon to inflate my duck. The next step was to ladle boiling liquid onto the duck with one hand while skillfully suspending the duck over the pot of boiling liquid with another. Pot of boiling water, slippery duck, and clumsy me? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Then I had to hang the duck for a day to dry out the skin, some people even hang their duck in the bathroom. Can you imagine walking into your bathroom and seeing a duck dangling from the shower rod? That would be quite the sight. Basically "authentic" Peking duck was out of the question. The next best thing was duck with Peking-style flavors that could be done in a day.

The main problem with duck is that it is really fatty so all the fat needs to be rendered out for the skin to be crispy. I wanted a duck with beautifully bronzed crispy skin with succulent meat without devoting my entire weekend to it. This duck was done in about 2 hours. The flavors were really excellent but the skin was not as crispy as I would have liked. Next time I will try Saveur’s 5 hour roast duck recipe.

Roast Duck
Adapted from Tyler Florence’s Chinatown Steamed and Roasted Duck

1 duck
4 green onions
3 (1/4 in) slices of ginger
2 star anise
peel of one orange
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dark soy sauce (light soy can be substituted)

Steaming the duck helps render out some fat. Remove the giblets and cut off excess skin and fat. Stuff the duck with the aromatics: green onion, orange peels, ginger, and star anise. Steam the duck for 30 minutes. I used a large Dutch oven with a steamer insert on the bottom to prop up the duck. You can also use a roasting pan and a v rack, and tightly seal the pan by wrapping it with foil.

Using a fork, bamboo skewer, toothpick, any pointy object, poke holes all over the duck skin but do not pierce the meat. Be sure to poke plenty of holes in the "armpit region" of the duck where there are a lot of fat deposits. Make the dry mix, combine the salt, five spice, and pepper in a bowl. Remove and reserve the stuffing and rub the dry mix all over the inside and outside of the duck. You can steam the duck early in the day and at this point you can let the duck dry in the fridge to roast later.

Stuff the duck with the aromatics again. Baste the duck with the honey soy sauce mixture. Prop up the duck on a rack set on a roasting pan or tray and roast at 375ºF for 30 minutes, breast side down. Flip the duck breast side up and roast for another 30 minutes. Pour off fat from the tray if too much accumulates. Tent the parts that are getting too dark with foil.

Serve with hoisin sauce. Remember to keep the bones to make duck stock.

Campanelle with Italian Sausage, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Broccoli

If I could pick an official pasta for Spring, it would be Campanelle. Shaped like a dainty bell or flower, campanelle is Italian for “little bell” or it is also called gigli meaning “lilies." Not only is it pretty but it's a very functional pasta because the funnel-like shape is perfect for holding a little smidgen of sauce. I'm sure it'd also be lovely for pasta salads because it is just too cute!

I love spontaneously created dishes that turn out surprisingly well. Last night the original plan was to eat leftovers but Steven announced that he wanted pasta. Being the accommodating cook that I am, I poked around in the fridge and we tried to pull together a decent pasta dish. The other day he mentioned how he really liked the sun-dried tomatoes we had, so I got those out of the fridge. Then I gathered a crown of broccoli along with the remainder of some roasted garlic. I dug out some Italian sausages from the freezer and defrosted two. What started out as a random hodgepodge of casually thrown together ingredients transformed into a delicious pasta dish.

I added just a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar at the end to brighten up the flavors and it worked really well. Fresh herbs would have made this dish even better but the Italian herb blend is always a staple in my pantry.

Campanelle with Italian Sausage, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Broccoli

2 Italian sausages
1 broccoli crown, cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed of excess oil and minced
3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed or minced (can use regular garlic)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Italian herb blend (fresh herbs would be better)
salt and pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 C grated Parmesan
8 oz. campanelle

Cut the broccoli crown into small bite size florets. The remaining stem pieces can be cut into small matchstick pieces and cooked with the florets. I like to peel off the outer fibrous layer.

Remove the Italian sausage from the casing. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and brown the sausages, breaking the sausages into small bite size pieces. Lower the heat to medium and fully cook the sausage pieces. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, boil a pot of water, and cook campanelle to al dente. Drain when finished.

Wipe the skillet clean, return to stovetop over medium heat, and add 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add broccoli florets, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and saute for about 1 minute. Then add Italian sausage and a tablespoon of water and cook until broccoli is at desired tenderness. Add drained pasta and toss everything together. If the pasta looks too dry add a bit of water, about 1 Tbsp, to loosen it up.

Off heat, drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the pasta and toss to distribute evenly. Add half of the grated parmesan to mix into the pasta then use the remainder to top the pasta.

Serves 2

Links:

This will be my entry for Presto Pasta Night. Be sure to check out this week's roundup on Friday.

Coffee Ice Cream

Sometimes when I'm on the bus commuting to and from work, I like to think about flavor combinations (white chocolate with green tea, almond extract with lychee). Sort of like matching colors or clothes, but instead debating whether certain flavors compliment each other. I spent some time thinking about which ice cream flavor would be best for the Nutella brownie ice cream sandwich. In the end I chose coffee because the chocolate and hazelnut flavors combined with coffee reminded me of a hazelnut mocha.

Most of the coffee ice cream recipes I found called for instant espresso powder so I went out and bought some (I read that Medaglia D’Oro is a good brand). Since I had never made homemade ice cream before, I researched how to make the ice cream base. Some recipes were simply shocking - one called for an alarming 9 yolks! Most recipes used either a 2:1 (resulting ice cream of around 15% milk fat) or 1:1 (20% milk fat) ratio of whole milk to heavy cream and a ratio of 2:1 yolk to liquid. This got me thinking, was it possible to make homemade ice cream taste rich and creamy but use less cream and less yolks? In this recipe, I used only 2 yolks (since I had used 2 whites the day before) and 2 cups half and half, which is a combination of milk and cream that is around 11% milk fat.

I think I skimped too much on the milk fat and yolks in this recipe. The custard did not thicken either because I did not heat it up sufficiently since I didn’t have a thermometer I was afraid of overcooking the custard or because the yolk content is too low. Overall the conclusion from this first experiment is that the ice cream was okay but not perfect. The consistency was not icy but it wasn’t creamy either (unfortunately the photo makes the ice cream look really icy for some reason). Half and half and 2 yolks just isn’t enough for the rich and smooth mouth feel of really excellent ice cream. Next time, I’ll have to use more egg yolks and more cream.

Coffee Ice Cream
2 C half and half
2 egg yolks
1/2 C sugar (it was a little too sweet for me so next time I will use 6 Tbsp instead)
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
Optional: 1/4 C chocolate covered coffee beans, chopped.

Whisk yolks with sugar until the mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. It should fall from the whisk in ribbons.

In a saucepan heat 1 cup of half and half until 180º (I didn't have a thermometer so I just winged it). While whisking the yolks, slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of the hot half and half into the egg mixture, repeat with another 1/4 cup until the whole cup of the half and half has been added. This tempers the egg yolks and brings them up to a warm temperature without scrambling them. A neat trick is to wrap a damp kitchen towel around the base of your mixing bowl. This prevents the bowl from slipping around on the counter and frees your hand from holding the bowl to both drizzle and whisk.

Whisk in the espresso powder and salt to the custard mixture.

Add the custard mixture back to the saucepan over medium low heat and heat it up to 180º. The custard is supposed to thicken but mine didn’t. To test if it is thickened enough, dip a spoon in the custard and run your finger along the back of it, if the edges remain clean then it's done, if the edges run and blurs then it's not thick enough.

Chill the custard in the fridge for a few hours until cold. After the custard is chilled, whisk in the vanilla extract and the remaining cup of half and half. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. A few minutes before the ice cream is done add the chopped chocolate covered coffee beans if using.

Links:
Elise has a great coffee ice cream recipe that uses whole beans (can be made with decaf beans). I’ll have to try making coffee ice cream this way next time.

Nutella Brownie - Browniebabe of the Month

I’m not a big peanut butter fan but I can eat Nutella by the spoonful. My goal was to make a Nutella-esque brownie by using Nutella in the batter and topping the brownies with hazelnuts. I have to admit, I sometimes use boxed brownie mixes but I found that making them from scratch is almost as simple. The perfect brownie is dense, chewy, fudgy, and devoid of nuts but these brownies are an exception to the nut rule.

Nutella Brownies
6 tbsp butter
3 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/4 C nutella
1/2 C sugar (I used 6 Tbsp)
2 eggs
1/2 C flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C hazelnut, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a square baking pan with 2 sheets of aluminum foil perpendicular to each other. This makes the brownies really easy to lift out. You can also grease the foil but I didn't.

Roughly chop chocolate and cut butter into small pats. Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler or on low power in the microwave. I used the microwave at 30% power and stirred every minute; it took about 3 minutes.

Whisk in nutella, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add flour and mix until just incorporated (do not over mix).

Spread into baking pan and scatter chopped hazelnuts on top of the brownies. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.**

Start checking the brownies at 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies should come out with moist crumbs (if it comes out clean then the brownies have overbaked). It is better to underbake than overbake.

Notes:
*I found that the brownies did not have enough hazelnut flavor so next time I use some hazelnut liqueur, like Frangelico, or extract.
**Because I used a glass baking pan, I lowered the oven temp to 325ºF but I had to bake for almost 30 minutes.

Links:
I'm going to submit this recipe to Myriam for the Browniebabe of the Month Event.


Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich



I really thought I was on to something new by using brownies for ice cream sandwiches. But Google told me I wasn't the first only one who thought of this idea. So much for being the pioneer of a new dessert.

Cut brownies into the desired size of ice cream sandwich. Chill brownies in the freezer for 20 minutes so it is easier to slice. Slice the brownie in half horizontally. Add about 1/4 C ice cream to the bottom half of the brownie and smooth out the top and sides. Add the top half and lightly pat down the sandwich. Chill the sandwich in the freezer for another 20 min before serving.

I used coffee ice cream for the sandwich. The chocolate, hazelnut, and coffee flavors were reminescent of a hazelnut mocha.

Pork Katsu

The other day I was playing with Steven’s Nintendo DS and made some (virtual) pork katsu with Cooking Mama. Cooking Mama is a game that allows players to “cook” various meals by performing tasks such as chopping vegetables, pouring batter, kneading dough, etc. using the DS touchpad and stylus. For the pork katsu, the first task was to make slices in the meat. After a few swipes with the stylus, Mama said I did a very good job. Next, I had to tenderize the meat and with a few taps on the touch screen, my pork chop was fully tender. Following that I had to tap on the pork in a tray of flour, flip, tap again, then into the egg, swirl around, and onto another tray. Okay sounds easy enough. The first 3 cutlets went pretty well. But on the fourth cutlet, I couldn't get the pork to flip for the life of me. And there it sat on the tray of flour while I furiously drew on the screen to try to flip it and yelled at the handheld console. Then, I ran out of time. Boo, only 3 out of 4. I breaded the cutlets with panko and fried them until they were golden brown. Finally, I artfully arranged my food on a plate and waited for my score. Only a 91, a silver medal, all because that last cutlet just wouldn’t flip in the flour. I told Steven that cooking in real life isn’t nearly as frustrating as cooking in Cooking Mama (he's better at virtual cooking than I am). In fact, I made (real) pork katsu last night and I had no trouble flipping it in flour.

Pork katsu or tonkatsu is deep fried pork cutlet served with katsu sauce, a Worcestershire-like sauce. According to Wikipedia, it is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. Ironically, pork katsu was originally invented in the late 19th century as a sort of Western style dish to appeal to Japanese tastes, but over the years it has become more and more Japanese and is now served with rice and miso soup. It was one of my favorite lunches during my undergraduate days.

Traditionally, pork katsu is deep fried but I have a confession to make: I, Amy Chen, am scared of deep frying. I love deep fried foods but I’m just too scared to do it at home. I don’t trust my cheap candy/fry thermometer that takes eons to read a temperature (There will be an oil fire before it says the oil is 350 degrees). Purists will be shocked but I panfried the pork instead and it still turned out pretty crunchy.

Pork Katsu
4 boneless pork loin chops
Salt and pepper
Flour (about 1/4 C)
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/2 C panko

Katsu Sauce
1/4 C ketchup
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

I buy bone-in loin chops and debone the chops myself and keep the bones for soup (plus it's cheaper this way).

Make a slice through the fat and silverskin (tough whitish fiberous membrane) that surrounds the outer edge of the chop every 2 inches around the chop. This helps the chops flatten more evenly and prevent them from curling when cooked. Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet until 1/4 in thick. Use the waffle surface (spiky side) to tenderize the meat and the smooth side to pound the chop to a thin even layer (the bottom of a pan also works).

Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chop then dredge the pork cutlet in flour and shake off the excess. Then coat the chop in beaten egg and bread with panko. Repeat for each cutlet.

Heat 1/4 in of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Place the pork chops in the hot oil and fry each side until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and pat off the excess oil.

Cut into bite size pieces before serving. Serve with rice and katsu sauce (optional: miso soup and cabbage)

Serves 4.

Sticky Rice Siu Mai

There’s a potluck party at work tomorrow and I wasn’t sure what to bring. I remembered I had some siu mai wrappers tucked away in the freezer somewhere so I decided to make some sticky rice siu mai. Cantonese style siu mai (shu mai or shao mai) is filled with ground meat, like pork and shrimp, and is commonly served at dim sum. Another kind is the Shanghai style siu mai which is made with sticky rice.

Stick Rice Siu Mai
1 C glutinous rice (also called sweet rice)
1 C water
2 Chinese sausages
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Tbsp dried shrimp
1 green onion
1 clove of garlic
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/8 tsp white pepper
30 siu mai wrappers (siu mai wrappers are round like potsticker/gyoza wrappers only thinner)

Rehydrated dried shrimp and dried mushrooms in some hot water for 5 minutes.

Rinse and drain glutinous rice, add water and steam for 30 twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, finely dice Chinese sausages, mushrooms, shrimp, green onion and mince the garlic.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a skillet or wok and stir fry the sausage, mushroom, shrimp and green onion for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant and some pieces are lightly browned. Add garlic, oyster sauce, white pepper and stir fry another few seconds. Remove from heat and stir in steamed rice and 2 tbsp water to help loosen the mixture. Let the filling cool until it is warm or room temp before making the siu mai.

To make the siu mai, form a C shape with your fingers and thumb much like if you were to hold a cup. Place the wrapper on top of your index finger and thumb. Add less than a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Cup the siu mai with your index and thumb forming a collar around the top of the siu mai and squeeze lightly. While holding the siu mai, use the back of a spoon to push the filling in and flatten the bottom with the bottom of your palm.

Steam for 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately

Yields 30 siu mai.

I hope my coworkers like them. :)

Bok Choy

Sometimes when I cook vegetables, I like to keep it simple, just a quick stir fry with a bit of salt. Nothing else, no garlic, ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, etc. etc. Just oil and salt. This way it keeps the flavors clean and refreshing. There are so many varieties of bok choy it's sometimes hard to keep them straight. The kind of bok choy I most often use is baby bok choy, the variety with light green instead of white stalks. When it comes to most Chinese vegetables, bigger isn’t always better, the smaller ones are sweeter and more tender. Even in the same plant, I find that the inner leaves are much sweeter and tastier than the outer ones.

There are also many ways to cut bok choy. Some prefer to chop the leaves and separate the greens from the stalks since the leaves cook faster. Others like to cut the entire bok choy in half lengthwise or in quarters and cook it in large segments. What I like to do is take each leaf and slice down lengthwise to get about 1/2 in strips, leaf intact. I think it’s prettier this way and it’s more manageable to eat than a huge quarter segment.




Stir fried Bok Choy
Bok choy (1 head per person)
Salt
1 tsp vegetable oil per 2 bunches bok choy

Wash each leaf to get rid of the dirt, especially in the spoon-like area in the bottom. Slice 2 or 3 times lengthwise down the leaf for strips.

Heat oil in a wok or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the bok choy and salt; cook stirring frequently. Cook until all the leaves are wilted then for another 1 minute and serve.

Links:
Check out Elise's Baby Bok Choy with Sherry and Prosciutto recipe.

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is one of Steven's favorite foods since he really loves hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dishes. It's a one pot meal that has pretty much everything: starch, various meats and seafood, and a trio of veggies (plus or minus tomato). There are so many variations to jambalaya it's almost dizzying; it can be made with chicken, shrimp, ham, duck, even alligator, tomatoes (Creole style) or without (Cajun style).

I still don’t understand the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisine but one thing common to both is the “holy trinity”: onion, bell pepper, and celery. These three aromatic vegetables make up the backbone of many dishes in the Bayou. Other notable trinities include the French mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) and bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf), the Italian soffritto (olive oil, onion, and garlic) and a trinity of tomato, basil, and garlic, and many more.

Chorizo or linguica can be substituted for andouille but since they're less spicy so you may need to increase the amount of cayenne and maybe add some paprika. I've heard great things about smoked paprika. I'm not sure how much salt I added because I rarely measure it (maybe around 1/2 tsp), I just taste and work my way up.

Jambalaya
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on, and trimmed of excess fat
8 oz andouille, cut into 1/4 in coins
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper
1 rib of celery
1 1/2 C long grain rice, rinsed well (I used short grain since it was all I had)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne
Additional paprika or smoked paprika (optional)
14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained but reserve juice
2 C chicken stock
1/2 C reserved tomato juice
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
Parsley or green onion tops for garnish

Finely chop onion, bell pepper, and celery to a 1/4 in dice or pulse in a food processor (do not puree).

Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken skin side down and brown for 5 minutes; turn and continue browning for 3 more minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add sausage; brown, stirring occassionally, for 3 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.





Drain excess fat from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan (Don’t pour this down the drain or it will clog the pipes). Add the vegetables and cook while stirring and scraping up the browned bits until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the rice, cayenne, paprika if using, and toast for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato juice, browned sausage, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Remove the chicken skin (try to remove in one piece to make chicken crisps but this is optional) and nestle the chicken thighs skinned side down in the pan.

Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. This is when I peel and devein my shrimp. Stir once keeping the thighs on top, cover and simmer again until the chicken is fully cooked, about 10 more minutes (juices run clear). Remove the chicken thighs and bay leaves and scatter the shrimp over the top of the rice (cooking the shrimp at the end helps keep them from becoming rubbery). Cover and simmer another 5 minutes (4 -5 minutes for small shrimp, longer time for larger shrimp).

Meanwhile shred the chicken with 2 forks. After the shrimp turns pink, remove from heat and add the shredded chicken. Stir to incorporate everything.



Garnish with fresh parsley or green onion tops and serve with Tabasco.

Serves 6

Optional: Chicken Skin Crisps
Leaving the skin on the thighs and cooking them in the jambalaya turns beautifully browned skins to a flabby mess that adds more grease to the dish. Both Steven and I like chicken skin but I realize not everyone is a fan of it, so this is completely optional.

After removing the chicken skins from the thighs, instead of tossing them, I sprinkled some salt and pepper on top and baked them in the toaster oven at 300º F for about 5 - 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway. This renders most of the grease out of the skin and leaves them super crispy. Drain them on paper towel and serve with the jambalaya on the side or crumbled on top.

Links:
Jambalaya at Simply Recipes

Truffled Scrambled Eggs

This is the first dish in which I used my new white truffle oil. As much as I love pure and unadulterated scrambled eggs (Steven not so much), adding a few drops of truffle oil transforms a simple and homey to a complex and luxurious dish. Steven couldn't stop raving about these eggs, when normally he doesn't care for scrambled eggs.

Truffle Scrambled Eggs
3 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
salt and pepper (about 1/8 tsp salt and 1 grind of pepper)
2 tsp butter
a few drops of white truffle oil (about 1/4 tsp)

Beat eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Do not overbeat; stop when all the yolk is incorporated.

Heat butter in a 8 in nonstick skillet over medium high heat. It is key to use an appropriately sized pan for the number of eggs you're cooking. Pour in eggs before foaming has subsided.

Push and fold the eggs from the outer rim into a mound in the center. Do not swirl or break up the egg as it cooks. Keep the eggs constantly moving. Cook until eggs are no longer runny but still wet and shiny (almost underdone), only about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from heat, add truffle oil, fold a few more times to incorporate into the egg. Eggs will continue to cook off heat so serve immediately.

Serves 2.

The recipe can be doubled to serve four. The eggs will need to be cooked in a larger skillet 10 in or 12 in and for a longer amount of time about 1 - 1 1/2 min.
Be careful not to overbeat or overcook scrambled eggs, otherwise they will be tough.

Links:
Check out these gorgeous scrambled eggs by Bea of La Tartine Gourmande

I'm submitting this for Weekend Breakfast Blogging #9. Thanks to Sig for hosting and letting me know about the event!

Trader Joe's White Truffle Oil

Steven and I have always wondered what truffle tastes like. Does it have a unique taste or can it be compared to something else; is it absolutely spectacular? Why is it so prized and sought after? Will we like it? Recently I discovered that Trader Joe's sells both white and black truffle oil and at $9 a bottle this is a steal! It is a seasonal item so I was very happy to find that my local Trader Joe's had it in stock. I debated if I should buy both bottles or just one, if one bottle then which kind? I did not know much about truffles but I settled on a bottle of white truffle oil because I thought it was milder and would have more diverse applications (I later found out this is not necessarily the case).

Truffle oil is a good quality olive oil infused with the aroma of truffles. Truffles are a type of fungus that live in harmony with oak trees, and other deciduous trees, buried underneath the soil. They can sell for up to $2000 per pound! Apparently, truffles emit a scent very similar to the male pig sex hormone, which explains why female pigs were used to find these prized morsels (nowadays they use dogs because pigs often ate the truffle). Truffles and truffle oil are very pungent and pack quite the punch so a little goes a long way (a dish can be easily ruined by using too much truffle); it can be used on pasta, salad, risotto, foie gras, poultry, eggs, potatoes, etc.

Truffle oil should be stored in a dark cool place and used within 3 to 4 months. I can't see myself using the entire bottle in such a short amount of time so after opening, I closed it tightly, wrapped some plastic wrap around the top, and placed it in the fridge. It might turn cloudy after a while but that will dissipate when it warms up to room temp (in a dark place).

The truffle flavor is very hard to describe; to me it is unlike anything I have ever tasted and has a taste of its own. It didn't remind me of walnuts or mushrooms, like others have suggested. Honestly it was a bit... strange at first but the flavor grew on me. It imparts so much depth and body to whatever food it mingles with but it's not something I would use regularly.

California Rolls - How to Make Sushi Rolls

Sushi is my absolute favorite food but I did not always love it. In my teenage years I was appalled by the thought of eating something raw so I only ate "cooked" sushi, such as the California roll. The California roll represents my stepping stone into the world of sushi and it's something that I am still very fond of.

Maki (sushi roll) is fun and easy to make at home. The only equipment required is a bamboo rolling mat. I purchased mine at an Asian market for a little over $1. Nori (toasted seaweed layer) can be also be purchased at Asian markets. You can experiment with many different ingredients to fill your sushi rolls.

California Roll
4 C cooked sushi rice
6 sheets nori
8 oz imitation crab meat
1 large ripe hass avocado, 1/2 in sticks
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into sticks

bamboo mat
bowl of water
rice paddle/spatula

Optional:
roe
toasted white sesame seeds

Prepare sushi rice.

Cut the avocado and cucumber into strips. I peel the cucumber then cut it in half lengthwise and deseed with a small spoon, then each half into quarters, and finally each quarter in half again for 8 strips of cucumber.

You can use imitation crab chunks or sticks. Sticks are a bit easier to manage but for you can cut each chunk and half and line them up. Although imitation crab meat is usually ready to eat, I like to blanch it in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute to bring it up to a warmer temperature.

Optional step: toasting nori sheets
Hold a sheet of nori with tongs and pass it over a medium heat burner a few seconds each side. Nori burns very easily so be careful when doing this. This will help the nori stay crisp after adding the rice.

Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on a bamboo mat. If there are any lines on the nori they should be horizontal (the longer side of the nori sheet should be horizontal). Spread 2/3 C of sushi rice on 3/4 of the nori; it is easiest to use a paddle or spatula but you can use your hands (wet your hands with water before spreading the rice otherwise it'll stick everywhere). The rice should be spread to the bottom, left, and right edges but not all the way up to the top. Room is left on top for sealing the roll later.

Place filling (cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab strips) on the rice about 3 in from the bottom of the sheet.






Using the bamboo mat, roll the bottom of the sheet tightly over the filling. Continue to roll keeping the mat as tight as possible, pulling back the mat as you go, until you reach the top of the nori sheet where there is no rice. Use some water and dab along the top to wet the nori sheet then finish your roll. The water will help seal the roll.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll down the middle. Then cut rolls about 1 1/2 wide from the middle to the edges. Usually the edges are uneven, with bits of filling sticking out, so I eat those myself before I serve the sushi (a little snack for the cook) or you can push the filling back in and serve those rolls with the end face down to hide the imperfection.


Yields: 6 maki logs, around 40 rolls
Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger



Other sushi rolls that I like to make at home are the Philidelphia/Seattle roll (salmon, cream cheese, avocado or cucumber) and the Unagi/roasted eel roll (unagi, egg, cucumber). Feel free to mix and match with whatever you like.

Links:
A different rolling guide and instructional video for making sushi rolls from Food Network.

Another maki sushi link from Coconut & Lime.

How to Make Sushi Rice

To make sushi you must start by making sushi rice. You must use sushi or short grain rice, preferably Japanese rice; long grain rice cannot be used. The most consistent and convenient way to cook rice is to use a rice cooker, but not everyone has one so rice can also be cooked in a saucepan on the stove top. A rice paddle is efficeint for stirring the rice but a spatula can be used also.

Sushi Rice
2 C short grain rice
2 C water
1/4 C rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Rinse rice 3 to 5 times and drain in a sieve. Some recipes say to rinse until the water runs clear but I find this excessive and unneccessary.

Add rice and water to rice cooker or saucepan. Saucepan cooking instructions: Bring the rice to a boil over high heat. Then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes (do not open). Remove from heat and let it rest covered (do not open, the rice is still cooking) for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir sugar and salt with the rice vinegar to dissolve; you can microwave the solution for 20 - 30 seconds to help it dissolve faster.

After the rice has rested, pour the rice vinegar solution over cooked rice. Use a paddle or spatula to fold the rice and evenly coat the grains with the vinegar. Be careful to not smush the grains.

Let the rice cool to body temperature. Sushi rice is easiest to work with when it is still warm. To speed up the cooling process, you can fan the rice as you fold.

Now you can use the rice to make maki rolls or nigiri.

Yields 4 cups of cooked rice. I find that this is enough for 6 maki rolls, using about 2/3 C of rice per sheet.

Links:
Sushi rice at Coconut & Lime

Baked Potato Soup

Imagine a baked potato with all your favorite toppings but in soup form. March brings so much temperamental weather to Seattle, sunny one minute then overcast and raining the next. This soup is perfect for a cold and wet afternoon that happens all too often these days.

I think the best part of the soup is the fried potato skins; they're reminiscent of the crisp skin of a baked potato. I use milk in this recipe because it's something that's always in my fridge, but half and half can be substituted for a creamier soup. Alternatively, you can increase the amount of stock and use a cup of cream instead of milk for an even richer soup.

Baked Potato Soup (inspired by Cook's Country)
5 Russet potatoes, scrubbed (I'm a terrible estimator of weight, I'd say around 2 lbs?)
1 medium onion, chopped
6 oz bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 C chicken stock
2 1/2 C milk (at least 2% milk fat)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper

Toppings:
Cheese: shredded cheddar, Gruyere, etc.
Sour cream
Chives or green onions

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and fat has rendered. While the bacon is cooking, peel the potatoes in wide strips and save the peels without skin damage or buds. Chop potatoes into 1/2 in cubes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.

Add the potato skins to the fat in the pot and cook for about 4 minutes. At this point you can continue crisping in the bacon fat another 4 minutes or bake the skins in the oven. I find it more convenient to finish crisping in a toaster oven and continue cooking the rest of the soup. I spread them in a layer on a piece of foil and bake for another few minutes at 300ºF, checking every few minutes so they don't burn. Bake until skins are golden brown, then transfer to the paper towel lined plate with the bacon.

After cooking the potato skins, drain the excess fat. Add the onions and cook for 6 minutes over medium heat until golden brown and soft.

Add minced garlic and flour and cook for another minute.

Add chicken stock, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. I usually also add half the bacon then reserve the rest for garnish later but you can reserve the bacon entirely for garnish later.

Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Cook for about 7 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Then add milk, bring to a bare simmer, and remove from heat.

Remove the bay leaf and puree about half the soup. You can blend in a batches with a blender, or use an immersion blender (I usually just use a whisk and mash the potatoes by hand). This will give the soup a smoother consistency and also make it thicker. If you prefer a smoother consistency just puree the entire thing but I like my soup a bit chunky.

Serve the soup with crispy potato skins, bacon, and whatever toppings you desire.

Serves 4 to 6.

Links:
Elise makes a wonderful Ham, Potato and Leek Soup
Peabody concocts a Potato Cheese Soup

Chinese Daikon Cake (Luo Buo Gao)

Daikon is a type of Asian radish that looks like a large white carrot. Commonly used in many Asian cuisines, it is the main ingredient of daikon cakes. Daikon cake is a popular dim sum dish but traditionally, it is served during Chinese New Year. The cakes are first steamed, keeping the cake very tender, then pan fried giving each slice a crispy exterior.

Chinese Daikon Cake (Luo Buo Gao)
2 1/2 to 3 C coarsely shredded daikon (around 1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
1 Chinese sausage, finely diced
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
2 Tbsp small dried shrimp, finely diced
1 - 2 green onion stalks, thinly sliced
2 C rice flour (do not use glutinous rice flour)
1 3/4 C water
salt and white pepper
oil

Soak dried mushrooms and dried shrimp in hot water. You can do this in the same bowl or seperate bowls.

Peel and shred daikon. Lightly pack into measuring cups for the most accurate measurement.

Mix rice flour with remaining cup of water.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a skillet or wok and stir fry chinese sausage, rehydrated shiitakes, shrimp, and green onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Add daikon, 3/4 C water, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Meanwhile, grease a square cake pan or loaf pan and start the steamer.

Stir in the rice flour water mixture then spread into the greased pan. Steam for 50 minutes.

Cool or chill overnight. After cooling, cut the cake into 1/4 in slices and pan fry until both sides are golden brown.

Serve with soy sauce or soy sauce paste (thicker version of soy sauce).

Other recipes:
Turnip cakes at mmm-yoso!!!

Banana Bread

jump to the new blog for banana bread recipe

Roast Red Pepper and Sundried Tomato Tart

I love roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and puff pastry individually but combining them in a tart seemed like a delicious idea. This is another good hors d'oeuvre or appetizer. If I were to make this again I would layer the roasted red pepper on top of the sundried tomatoes, rather than scattering the tomatoes on top, so they don't burn. You can also add some fresh herbs, bacon pieces, and or goat cheese but I decided to keep the flavors simple.

I use the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets because making puff pastry from scratch takes hours and is a hassle. Each box contains 2 square sheets and each sheet yields 9, around 3 x 3 in tarts. When I first made these, I put the peppers and sun-dried tomatoes on unbaked pieces of puff pastry. Then I ran into the problem of sun-dried tomatoes burning and the puff pastry not puffing. So this can be remedied by first prebaking each piece of puff pastry until they're puffed but not entirely golden brown, around 10 minutes (the baking instructions for the puff pastry states 15 minutes at 400ºF is sufficient so I baked for 10 minutes). The toppings are added to the pastry and the tart is finished baking at a lower temperature.

Roasted Red Pepper and Sundried Tomato Tart
1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 3 x 3 in squares
2 roasted red bell peppers, sliced into strips
2 - 3 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes (Trader Joes jar is excellent), minced

Optional:
Fresh herbs
Goat cheese
Bacon

Keep the puff pastry squares chilled until ready to bake.

Roast the bell peppers. You can do this on a gas stove top or roast under the broiler.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Bake the puff pastry for 10 minutes, until each piece is golden. Remove the pastry and lower the oven temperature to 350ºF.

Spead 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of sundried tomatoes on each piece of puff pastry. Then layer strips of red pepper on top of the tomatoes.

Bake at 350ºF for 5 - 10 minutes, until the tart edges are golden brown.

Serve warm.

Yields 9 tarts

Shrimp and Edamame Dumplings

The mark of a good dim sum restaurant is a good shrimp dumpling. Har gow/xia jiao should be steaming hot, magically translucent, and expertly pleated. The wrapper should be tender and the dumpling should be bursting with fresh, pink shrimp with a slight essence of toasted sesame oil. Unfortunately, there are so many ways to go wrong. If the dumpling falls apart when you go to pick it up, then the wrapper is too fragile but if the wrapper is thick and rubbery, that's no good either. If there is too much bamboo, then they definitely skimped on the shrimp. All in all, a seemingly simple shrimp dumpling can be rather complicated.

My innate curiousity left me wondering how these dumplings are made; in particular, how the wrappers are made because they are so different from the usual dumpling or potsticker wrappers. So I researched some dim sum making and discovered that xia jiao can be made at home, albeit some of the ingredients were not commonplace pantry items. But I'm still missing a piece of the puzzle because as much as I try, I can only come to a close approximation. The dumplings I make are decent, but they're not perfect, like a good dim sum restaurant. Maybe this is a good thing because maybe not everything can be or should be made at home.

In this variation of the shrimp dumpling, I added some soybeans (edamames) to give it some bright green color. The edamames can be omitted and replaced with more shrimp for a traditional dumpling. The secret why the dough becomes translucent after steaming is because it is made with wheat starch.

Shrimp and Edamame Dumplings
Dough:
1 1/4 C wheat starch (You can find wheat starch and tapioca starch at Asian markets)
1/4 C tapicoa starch
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 C boiling water

Filling:
8 oz shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 C soybeans/edamame (if omitted, replace with 4 oz. shrimp)
2 Tbsp bamboo shoot, minced (this can also be omitted)
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp rice wine (Shao Hsing wine)

Peel, wash, and devein shrimp. Then chop, leaving some pieces small and some larger, and add to a mixing bowl.

Boil edamame for 2 minutes. Squeeze each bean out of the membrane layer that covers each bean. Roughly chop and add to shrimp.

Add minced bamboo, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and corn starch to the filling and mix. Chill in the fridge while making the dough, allowing the flavors to develop.

Add wheat starch, tapioca starch, oil, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add boiling water at once and stir to bring the dough together.

When the dough can be handled, gently knead for 30 seconds to a minute. The dough will white and very smooth.

Break off about 2 tsp to 1 Tbsp of the dough and roll into a ball. Keep the rest of the dough covered. Using the side of a cleaver or the bottom of a pan flatten the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to a 3in circle. If a thinner wrapper is desired, roll the wrapper out after flattening.

Add about 2 tsp of the filling in the center of the wrapper and make pleats along half the wrapper. Overlap sections of the dough to create pleats, using your thumb as a guide. When half the circumference of the wrapper is pleated, seal the dumpling by pressing the pleated side with the unpleated side to form a crescent shape dumpling. If desired a triangular shape can be made by pressing the edges of the wrapper together at three points along the edge of the wrapper towards the center to seal in a triangular purse shape.

Before making the rest of the dumplings, begin boiling water for your steamer. Steam the dumplings for 8 to 10 minutes. The dumplings will become translucent after they cool for a bit after steaming.

Serve immediately.

Storing: These dumplings can be frozen but they must be steamed first. Then steam to reheat.

Yields about 24 dumplings.

Cast Iron Guide

Being a former college student, my kitchen is rather sparse. Of the four pans I own, a 10 in cast iron skillet is one of them and I simply adore it. It's virtually nonstick and is excellent at retaining heat. It makes an amazing steak, perfect southern cornbread, and is my go-to bacon pan. Anything smaller than a 10 in is not very functional and anything larger than a 12 in is just too heavy. With proper seasoning, a cast iron skillet becomes nonstick after time and iron is an excellent heat conductor. However, they are rather heavy and it takes time to develop a seasoned surface. This will be a guide on how to season and take care of cast iron cookware.

Scrub a new unseasoned skillet with steel wool or a wire brush to removed the protective wax coating then wash with mild, soapy water. Avoid using soapy water on the pan after this.

A preseasoned pan should also be seasoned before use. Do not wash with soapy water, instead use a stiff brush and scrub the inside under very hot water. Then dry the pan on the stovetop.

Use a paper towel to rub the skillet with lard, Crisco, or bacon fat. It is best not to use a liquid oil like vegetable oil because it leaves a gummy residue and goes rancid faster. Do not use olive oil or butter because they will smoke and burn very quickly.

Put the greased skillet upside down in a 350ºF oven (this way the fat doesn't pool at the bottom) for about an hour. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on a rack below the skillet so excess fat can drip onto the foil.

Let cool before use.

Note:
Avoid cooking wet or acidic foods, like tomatoes, in a cast iron because it will slowly dissolve the seasoning.

After cooking, do not wash cast iron with soapy water. The soap will ruin the seasoning and the taste will absorb into the porous iron and impart a soapy taste to food.

If there is food stuck to the pan, pour some kosher salt into the pan and use it to scrub away the food particles.

Always dry the pan throroughly before storing because water will cause the iron to rust. The most effective way to dry the pan is heat it on the stove top. Paper towels and dish towels may be used but it might leave fibers on the pan.

If the pan begins to rust, use steel wool or a wire brush to scrub it off and reseason.

I love to cook bacon in my cast iron because as the bacon cooks, the pan gets seasoned at the same time.

Poached Egg Trick

I had the most beautiful poached duck egg at Campagne. The yolk was completely encapsulated in a delicate white orb. This method for poaching eggs produces a morespherical egg rather than a flat poached egg.

What you'll need is a pot of simmering water, an egg, a small cup or bowl, and microwavable plastic wrap.

Bring water to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Use a small bowl or cup and push a piece of plastic wrap into the cup.

Crack an egg into the plastic wrap and tie the top with a small strip of plastic wrap or a piece of twine.

Gently lower the egg into simmering water.

Poach in simmering water uncovered: 3 minutes for runny yolks, 4 minutes for slightly firm runny yolks.

Use a fork or tongs to fish out the egg and gently slide the egg out of the plastic wrap.

I was a little hesitant about using the plastic wrap but it did not melt so it seems fine to me. One way to minimize the time the egg spends in plastic wrap is once the white has solidified enough, you can cut the plastic wrap and slip the egg out into the water but I haven't tried this. If you have health concerns, there are other ways to poach an egg.

Elise has another poached egg trick on her blog Simply Recipes.