tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53502424521289669112024-03-29T06:02:02.511-05:00My Kitchen and I... global culinary adventures in a time traveling dreamer's kitchen ...
Come join the feast! The year is Asian.Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-18849298603724998982013-07-21T21:09:00.005-05:002013-07-21T21:30:42.045-05:00Cucumber pork stirfry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The garden has gone gadzooks out there, and I'm overflowing with Chinese cucumbers. I made a few sushi vinegar-sesame cucumber salads, which I really like, and discovered that Chinese cucumbers are crisper and crunchier than what we're used to.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUfhSOXLlL90JscHtLkzjCG2py8vZ_mebIP7j4xs7lgTDAFsFsxtv1m2gEQeSMts8Ni-fH9M8xrc80FQ24bDX56W-2cO_pCxNu_EGGmDVb2uFbd_dYBbTjSw4BK7hzmeltHKJV3PRysA7/s1600/IMG_0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUfhSOXLlL90JscHtLkzjCG2py8vZ_mebIP7j4xs7lgTDAFsFsxtv1m2gEQeSMts8Ni-fH9M8xrc80FQ24bDX56W-2cO_pCxNu_EGGmDVb2uFbd_dYBbTjSw4BK7hzmeltHKJV3PRysA7/s320/IMG_0915.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
They're also WAY more prolific.<br />
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I had a bushel basket or so left, and had eaten all the cucumber salads I wanted for awhile. That started me wondering. What else do Chinese people do with cucumbers? So I checked in with Aunt Google. Landsakes was I surprised. It seems the more normal way to eat cucumbers in Asian countries is to cook them in a stir-fry!<br />
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Do what you say? Cook cucumbers? Are you nuts!?!<br />
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I will admit I was very dubious at first, and I am a little bit nuts, too, so looking at this bushel basket full of cucumbers, I decided what the heck? Why not, if I don't like it, I don't have to do it again.<br />
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Let me tell you I will be doing this again soon. Like tonight soon. Stir-fried cucumber is not just good. It's GREAT.<br />
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These are amazing! How come we've never done this with a cucumber before? If you can get your hands on a Chinese cucumber at the market, you have just got to give this a try.<br />
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<b>Pork Cucumber stirfry</b></div>
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First get a batch of fluffy white rice going, then chop up the cucumbers and any other vegetables you like into bitesize pieces, like so:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpvtjhZ4OwLiG0cKC2Y8B0ShKENksuE123IzAGIRJnX39YuYUdO3PDc5krqD6_jZxcxcHQIoctrCo5O825UXrqSgRU66rph9pwKJQbmXfaO1uFjT-jh4AEuR9MfJsojExxAN3MWlK3HiC/s1600/IMG_0920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpvtjhZ4OwLiG0cKC2Y8B0ShKENksuE123IzAGIRJnX39YuYUdO3PDc5krqD6_jZxcxcHQIoctrCo5O825UXrqSgRU66rph9pwKJQbmXfaO1uFjT-jh4AEuR9MfJsojExxAN3MWlK3HiC/s320/IMG_0920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I did sweet gypsy peppers, yellow squash, cucumber, a little minced ginger, minced garlic and a handful of Thai basil. So fragrant! Oh and hot peppers, too. Of course. I like everything hot hot hot.<br />
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Marinate the pork in a mixture of equal parts soy and cornstarch, just enough to coat the pieces of meat. I'd say about 1 T of each will coat four servings of meat about right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbPbw5d1Kopbh009fngM-M8oTqceoz9QwhlUWU6NwpFslj87DT7LfNi_W-1Ypn8JtnFxN7UeudLYGErAlVc85xZyrH6UWPP7Por_vTdzM57USztkvCE4GnSpDZcZm8gpyG3I4Mjl-L9mp/s1600/IMG_8917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbPbw5d1Kopbh009fngM-M8oTqceoz9QwhlUWU6NwpFslj87DT7LfNi_W-1Ypn8JtnFxN7UeudLYGErAlVc85xZyrH6UWPP7Por_vTdzM57USztkvCE4GnSpDZcZm8gpyG3I4Mjl-L9mp/s200/IMG_8917.JPG" width="200" /></a>For sauce, measure out 4 T of yellow bean sauce (see left for characters) for about four servings. Add a tablespoon of xiao xing wine to your sauce. This is very similar to sherry.<br />
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Mix water and cornstarch separately, to serve as a thickener if needed.<br />
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Now that everything is assembled you're ready to go. If you've got a wok great, but don't sweat it if you don't. A heavy cast iron skillet can work. Position it so half is over the fire and half is not. That way you have a cool spot and a hot spot.<br />
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I like to stirfry the meat first. Once it's about halfway done, I push it to the cool spot. Then I add the longest cooking vegetables first, stirring them quickly around in the hot spot until they just start to brighten. Off they go to the cool spot where I mix them in with what's already there. I keep adding each vegetable, using the same process, until finally I've got it all in the pan together.<br />
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I stir fry the garlic and ginger last in a bit of oil on the hot spot, taking care not to cook more than 30 or so seconds. Garlic makes a burned rubber smell when stirfried in vegetable oils after about 60 seconds. (but not so in butter!)<br />
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I stir everything all around together and then dump in the beanpaste sauce. After it bubbles up, I add a little cornstarch mixture to thicken as needed. About this time, I hear an unexpected knock at the door and who is it? It's my neighbor, Peggy. Just in time for dinner!<br />
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I served this over rice, and both of us were amazed at just how good a stir-fried cucumber really is!<br />
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-26511518829491829702013-04-21T21:41:00.000-05:002013-04-24T20:38:08.462-05:00Lop Cheong and the Great Bean Sauce Search<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-KP2BZ9rcLhyHckNYHbu8Np4bR5ncpRFWcrUwLrQfzaJDWCixLG4rWHaT8eLlFoewgXSwnBc9yV8n_1UfDjyrrJ9vuWGdW5GVH8EjH_jwy3AiU0IxuPcuNbG1oj_6WIcKqgNM0IAfkEE/s1600/IMG_8834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-KP2BZ9rcLhyHckNYHbu8Np4bR5ncpRFWcrUwLrQfzaJDWCixLG4rWHaT8eLlFoewgXSwnBc9yV8n_1UfDjyrrJ9vuWGdW5GVH8EjH_jwy3AiU0IxuPcuNbG1oj_6WIcKqgNM0IAfkEE/s200/IMG_8834.jpg" width="200" /></a>This past weekend, I probably spent three or four hours trying to find a type of bean sauce in Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's book, "Mastering The Art of Chinese Cooking," that I swear does not exist on any Asian grocery store shelves. I had a copy of her characters, duplicated about as well as I could do by hand. Her strokes are not always clear in the book, as they are stylized to look very pretty and artistic. They look nice, but it makes true identification very difficult. One of the downsides to her book.<br />
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I looked at every jar at my usual market, and there were literally hundreds. Not all were bean sauce, of course. There was leek sauce, there was sesame paste, there was chili paste — but a surprisingly large portion were bean sauce. It was quite overwhelming!<br />
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And how could I choose just one? Especially when not one matched what I was looking for!<br />
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So I ended up coming home with six different jars of bean sauce, all with different characters, and none matching what I had been seeking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgximLrRxvOrZtqCC1sGTY1oFV4U8Tle4RWYft8OBCV0oX2VSa7C8vLFxLxgZF6Oq2EuaQNxslt0faRQbyRDLImSHORTzMJbDVLjzBvi7nqx88RQxdtMUOLDYU3mxGSjqXvk9PcKtp4EyzY/s1600/IMG_8912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgximLrRxvOrZtqCC1sGTY1oFV4U8Tle4RWYft8OBCV0oX2VSa7C8vLFxLxgZF6Oq2EuaQNxslt0faRQbyRDLImSHORTzMJbDVLjzBvi7nqx88RQxdtMUOLDYU3mxGSjqXvk9PcKtp4EyzY/s320/IMG_8912.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of these, I thought, is bound to work. I will just ask my friend Jeff which is closest. But he didn't recognize Yin Fei Lo's characters either. He thought it may be something old and not much used any more. He thinks I've gotten pretty close with this ground bean sauce, though.<br />
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So here are the characters for that, in case you, too, are looking for this mythical bean sauce. ;p~<br />
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Yin-Fei Lo's book says the ground version is a little saltier than what she recommends, so I will just use that and omit some salt elsewhere in the dish. In the meantime, if any of you know for sure what kind of bean sauce she means ... do tell! Here's a picture of the characters she gave.<br />
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I will be trying all these other bean sauces in all the same recipes to see which I like best, and eventually, I'll report back on which is good, better and best.<br />
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This shopping trip was building all the pantry ingredients for the recipes I'm going to make in coming days. Sort of a beginning Chinese pantry. I consequently had a lot of different ingredients on the list, most of which I found!<br />
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Surprisingly, I even found the bean curd juice, which I didn't expect. I had in fact looked for it two times before and never found it. Because of its characters, I was looking where the red bean sauces and cubes were kept. It was actually in a different aisle with soy sauces and vinegars.<br />
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I just about could have kissed that store clerk when she came around the corner with that bottle — but of course I did not say or do any such thing. Good thing, too. Apparently you do not kiss Chinese strangers, nor even joke that you might do so. Jeff says she would have thought I was a really crazy American. </div>
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That is OK, though, maybe. Because I AM really crazy. :)</div>
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My Chinese is not very good yet, but still good enough to get the store clerk to show me exactly where she'd found that bean curd juice. So now I can even locate it again if I decide it's a keeper. </div>
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The store clerk was quite proud of herself for finding this ingredient, and mentioned it was new. She herself didn't seem too sure about using it. She asked me something like ni zenme zuo le, 你怎么做了,which I took to mean she didn't know how I could make anything off the crazy grocery list she saw. </div>
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I didn't know how to tell her too much about that. So I just said, wo xiang zuo zhen de zhongguo cai. 我想做真的中国菜。I'd like to make real Chinese dishes.</div>
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She shook her head. I'm not sure if that's because my Chinese wasn't correct, or if she doesn't think the ingredients I'm buying are right. Maybe a little of both?<br />
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At any rate, after that trip, I have a lot of new ingredients to explore!<br />
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I'm also installing a new garden to grow some ingredients that I cannot readily get where I live. There's an evergreen variety of onion that is cold tolerant. And a green onion that's more like a micro green, to garnish sushi. I have a beautiful Thai basil, mizuna and tatsoi, shiso leaves ...<br />
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A broccoli that is heat-tolerant, called gai lan. I've had it at the tea house, and it is really great steamed with a little oyster sauce to finish the dish. I also bought some Malibar spinach which is heat tolerant and doesn't bolt. It's a vine, so it's a really great plant for small spaces, although it is not really spinach. It's just very similar.<br />
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There's a winter melon vine coming, balloon flower, Chinese and Japanese radishes — hen duo shucai 很多蔬菜! Exciting stuff to explore! And lots of digging to do. :(<br />
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With the warmer days getting so busy and jam-packed with digging and digging and digging, I've been sticking to some very simple easy dishes. This is one that surprised me, and it's so good and so easy, I've actually made it a couple different times now. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF70pQseOIfsVnm1RulJWwO2x1p17aM7DPGOPgktl39IiodKVvz3j8yxNrZwGjJQ6B3dv8lZfWpUL_vPryidyS5QZWzg3MFkUK7LWsddPM-sL7YuLgfYrOAD3GFofh9-j9yoSw2tBTUjOq/s1600/IMG_8822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF70pQseOIfsVnm1RulJWwO2x1p17aM7DPGOPgktl39IiodKVvz3j8yxNrZwGjJQ6B3dv8lZfWpUL_vPryidyS5QZWzg3MFkUK7LWsddPM-sL7YuLgfYrOAD3GFofh9-j9yoSw2tBTUjOq/s200/IMG_8822.jpg" width="200" /></a>It uses a Chinese sausage called Lop Cheong. This is a savory sweet style of sausage that according to some of my cookbooks will keep for weeks even without refrigeration.<br />
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However, my package said to refrigerate, so I did.<br />
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There are many different kinds of these sausages at the store. This is just the one that I was told is the most popular seller.<br />
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A store clerk also explained to me that on this particular package, the Chinese is written right to left instead of the usual left to right. So if you're buying a different brand, it may well be in reverse order.<br />
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Since making these I've discovered many more recipes with this ingredient, so you'll be seeing more of these in the near future, but in the meantime this simple dish is well worth making for a quick and easy lunch.<br />
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<b>Lop Cheong Steamed Rice</b></div>
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Measure out two cups of rice ....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDMwYJvjmT-duUYbZZQHTL9TNwZSa1ENVSBoasOghuQyHEr36lv5mYHZLdk0iyxCoJ8mx3wn8M3s99GaUnp_vaFEW3Kzq7EwG_3EtkpC7qUapKGYz0lWrjWU-ZxSpz5LtfoJyWxY7GnGP/s1600/IMG_8792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDMwYJvjmT-duUYbZZQHTL9TNwZSa1ENVSBoasOghuQyHEr36lv5mYHZLdk0iyxCoJ8mx3wn8M3s99GaUnp_vaFEW3Kzq7EwG_3EtkpC7qUapKGYz0lWrjWU-ZxSpz5LtfoJyWxY7GnGP/s200/IMG_8792.JPG" width="200" /></a>and place in a pot with four cups of water. Bring to a boil. Let the rice begin to swell a little.<br />
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Then place four lop cheong sausages on top and put the lid on it.<br />
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Cook for 15 minutes on low heat. Turn the heat off and let the pot sit for five minutes. And that is it. You are finished! If you want to fancy it up, you could shred some carrot to cook with the rice, but I think this is really good just like this.<br />
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I've been serving it with some fresh seasonal fruit and a batch of my cucumber salad. hen hao chi! :)<br />
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-34385407355907860862013-04-01T18:23:00.001-05:002013-04-21T21:52:00.752-05:00Sweet and crispy, fried honey walnuts — 核桃<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After making several versions of these so-called honey walnuts, I have begun to wonder if some people might skip making the recipe they've published in their cooking book or blog. I found so many bad versions of these wonderful walnuts!</div>
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The best version so far is in Yin Fei Lo's cookbook, Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking. She notes that these nuts do not traditionally contain honey, though they are called honey walnuts.</div>
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They do taste like honey, despite the lack.</div>
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I did find several recipes that advocated using honey to make these nuts, but after trying it a few different ways with honey, I really cannot recommend it. It sounds wonderful, but you lose the crispy, snap-crackle-pop texture that makes these nuts so special. Honey picks up moisture quickly, and a few hours later the nuts have already lost their zing. Honey also seemed to burn more easily.<br />
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Another method that didn't work well was to simply roll the nuts in sugar after boiling and then frying, essentially skipping a step in the usual four-step cooking process. This is tempting to try, and I tried it, but the results were far far superior reducing the syrup on the nuts before frying. You just can't skip that step.</div>
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Nor can you skip frying and bake these nuts instead. The texture that makes these so outstanding simply requires frying.</div>
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Baking won't do. I'm sorry.</div>
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It may not be totally traditional to add soy sauce to this recipe, but it did add a certain je ne sais quoi to the finished product, so my recipe includes it. I imagine it would also be quite nice to add a little fresh, five-spice powder after frying, which I will no doubt try next. I am also wondering what a black walnut would taste like prepared this way.</div>
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There are lots of possibilities, and these nuts are just too exceptional not to keep making them, so the experiments will no doubt continue.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They do look rather brainy, don't they?</td></tr>
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The Chinese have believed for millennia that walnuts are beneficial to the mind because they are shaped like little brains. A fanciful idea, which just happens to coincide with a little kernel of truth.</div>
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Walnuts as it happens are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, and current research has shown them to be brainy benefactors — but only in small doses. Too many, and that particular benefit is actually lost. So a tablespoon or so of these every now and then is therapeutic, but more than that may perhaps be mere indulgence — albeit a sweet mood-lifting one.</div>
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Walnuts are called Juglia Regis, which is Latin for Jupiter's nuts. They were considered a kingly food in Rome, served mainly to nobility. In China as well, these were something you served to impress guests.</div>
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The Mandarin for walnuts is hétáo (<span style="font: 16.0px STSong;">核桃</span>)</div>
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Several food writers and websites contend walnuts came to China as a gift from a prince of Persia to a Chinese diplomat, who subsequently grew them in the Sichuan province during retirement. A rather romantic story. I like it a lot.</div>
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But, walnuts have also been found in neolithic times around the camp fire, so in truth, I think our love affair with these nuts probably predates that wonderful little story, making the true origins of Jupiter's nut in China difficult to know for certain.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1IIWoyVQfa5L6s2XHXVy94OdWdY6IJlWUkOkSZvDKUAT9hG81ZM7Z4jthp9eHGgdJvzvA8ZLC8RWsyho_SEW8ExLvi0BOsvcvlpXNvI1sKftLr8XFUZZajTsNVSwtGtJxCtTvGyeaKI0/s1600/IMG_8435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1IIWoyVQfa5L6s2XHXVy94OdWdY6IJlWUkOkSZvDKUAT9hG81ZM7Z4jthp9eHGgdJvzvA8ZLC8RWsyho_SEW8ExLvi0BOsvcvlpXNvI1sKftLr8XFUZZajTsNVSwtGtJxCtTvGyeaKI0/s200/IMG_8435.jpg" width="200" /></a>Honey walnuts are fantastic eaten plain, but even more fantastic chopped and strewn over fresh fruit, such as a sliced banana or Asian pear.<br />
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The latter makes a particularly elegant, healthful dessert. A perfect and simple way to end a healthy meal.</div>
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Here's my version — a work in progress I might add — of the Chinese classic, honey-fried walnuts, based in part on Yin Fei Lo's excellent recipe in Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking.</div>
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<b> Honey Walnuts with Soy Sauce</b></div>
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Some recipes recommended removing the skins of these walnuts to remove the bitter tannins but I will tell you that is a Sisyphean task, one that is completely unnecessary. Boiling will do. I boiled my walnuts twice for about five minutes each time, tasted one of the nuts, and found the bitterness gone.<br />
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You could certainly boil them a third time if twice doesn't do the trick. And that will still take less time trying to remove the skins, with as one site suggested, a needle! All I can say to that is, are you kidding me?<br />
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Drain the walnuts and let them dry a little bit. You can speed this process by putting them in a warm 200 degree oven for a few minutes.<br />
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Heat 6 T water and 1 T soy sauce with 7 T sugar to each 14-oz bag of walnuts. When the sugar has dissolved add the nuts and stir continuously to coat them evenly with the syrup. Continue cooking these until the water is evaporated. Be careful not to over do this stage, as you don't want to burn them. They will look a bit like this.<br />
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Set them aside and heat some peanut oil. A thermometer doesn't hurt at this stage, but if you do not have one, then fry one walnut as a test, to ensure the oil is not too hot. You want to get the sugar coating them to a point just over 350 degrees — but no hotter — at the same time that the walnut reaches that characteristic snap-crackle-pop texture which make these nuts worth the effort.</div>
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Practice with a few nuts first to get the hang of it. The nuts on the left are too done. The nuts on the right are close, but could have cooked a little longer.<br />
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I recommend draining them on a lightly greased pan as they cool. If you put them on paper they. will. stick. And then you will have to throw them out or eat them with paper.</div>
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They will retain their crispness for about a week, after which they will still taste good, but won't have their snap crackle pop any more.<br />
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If you want to keep them crispy longer, store then in the freezer. They will be cripsy for months — if, that is, you can resist eating them all at once.</div>
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Good luck with that!</div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-9221793844348860692013-02-24T21:27:00.002-06:002013-04-02T15:53:47.744-05:00The tastiest soup — Fish and Lettuce <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I know it sounds crazy to put lettuce in soup, but this might be the tastiest soup I've had yet. It is so good! And so easy — you have to give this Chinese style recipe a try.<br />
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You know a friend recently asked me why I'm cooking all these Chinese dishes. Was it just to learn the language and culture? Or did I really like the flavors? Or is it just that cooking is some kind of hobby?<br />
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Of course, it's all of the above, and this week's recipe to me exemplifies all the good things I like about Asian foods.</div>
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Authentic Asian foods have a simplicity that is very appealing in today's complicated world. Everything is so fresh and goes together so quickly. It's all so pretty, and tastes so good, like something gourmet — yet without the gourmet prices.</div>
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But, best of all, cooking Asian foods every Saturday lets me have a little bit of an adventure and a little taste of culture, along with what is usually a tasty and very healthy meal. I might not be able to afford to travel to the places where these foods are made, but I can easily bring a bit of the tastes and fun of such travel into my kitchen every week.</div>
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For me this blog is a great adventure. A way to explore the world without leaving home, all while having a wonderful meal. And not only that, it's a chance to share that adventure with others who enjoy cooking. Because sharing an adventure makes it that much more fun.<br />
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At the end of last year, I was looking over my year in Asian cooking, thinking about what to do next. Maybe French, maybe Italian ... but as I was leafing through my cookbooks, I saw there was really still so much more to learn, so much more to explore, so many ingredients I have yet to try. I've only managed to scratch a very deep surface so far. Why, Chinese cooking alone has 8 distinct regional schools of cooking! Never mind Japanese, Malaysian, Korean, Phillipine ...</div>
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About that same time, I received an unexpected gift. The good folks over at Tastespotting were having some sort of giveaway on Asian cookbooks. I left a haphazard post with a legion of other hopefuls .... </div>
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And won three new cookbooks! How cool is that?</div>
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The books are "Asian Tofu" by Andrea Nguyen, "A Cook's Journey to Japan" by Sarah Marx Feldner, and "Flavors of Malaysia" by Susheela Raghavan.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7JXDXFVZBqH9kUUc4mvWMlk_JpH8lFX1vpAfK-KKmSbR33K_Z2FmCSOcHgyCVHzn3CDYyN2bP9SMnmKgVGKyJ5COaaJlMvQ38c85XGLxfy_xrnDyXIfn_fP-mJ1WpORPmV3sP8DNFTaW/s1600/IMG_7375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7JXDXFVZBqH9kUUc4mvWMlk_JpH8lFX1vpAfK-KKmSbR33K_Z2FmCSOcHgyCVHzn3CDYyN2bP9SMnmKgVGKyJ5COaaJlMvQ38c85XGLxfy_xrnDyXIfn_fP-mJ1WpORPmV3sP8DNFTaW/s320/IMG_7375.jpg" width="320" /></a>These are fantastic books! Of course I'm going to cook from them before this year is out ... How could I not?</div>
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So it was decided. I'm going to go with the cosmic flow for a bit longer here. Extend my year of Asian cooking into the year of the Snake! Maybe even indefinitely ... who knows? </div>
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It is a pretty fascinating area, and I'm definitely having too much fun to stop just yet. I'm looking forward to all the journeys to come, and the adventures along the way. Hope you will enjoy them with me as well.</div>
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For this week's recipe, something tremendously easy, tremendously healthy and tremendously delicious, fish and lettuce soup.<br />
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I don't typically think of lettuce as an Asian ingredient, but in fact iceberg and other lettuces do appear on Asian tables. They're not typically eaten raw, however, as we are most accustomed to eat them. They're almost always cooked a little bit. Considering the problems we've had lately with e coli contaminating lettuce and other vegetables, this soup really makes a lot of sense to me.<br />
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It's also extremely frugal for all the waste-not want-not cooks. I can never seem to eat up that big batch of lettuce before it expires, so here is a tasty and thrifty solution to that little problem. But, trust me here, you won't believe how good lettuce actually tastes in a soup. Make this once and you may find yourself making it again for its own sake, not just to use up lettuce while it's still fresh.<br />
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Of course, if you're dead set against trying lettuce in soup, you could always use some fresh spinach leaves instead. That would be quite wonderful as well.</div>
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I do apologize for the lack of photos this time. I took some lovely shots of the preparation, but something went wrong with the memory on my camera's disk. I had to reformat, and of course lost all my pictures. I took a picture the next day, but it was just not quite the same. Still, it should give you some idea what this delicious and easy soup looks like when finished. </div>
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<b>Fish and lettuce soup</b></div>
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<i>8 cups fish or chicken stock</i></div>
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<i>5 filets of swai or other favorite fish</i></div>
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<i>2 teaspoons ginger oil, divided</i></div>
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<i>2 T soy sauce</i></div>
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<i>2 T sunflower oil</i></div>
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<i>7 to 8 cups chopped lettuce</i></div>
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<i>one handful chopped or crushed cilantro</i></div>
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<i>1 T shaoxing wine or sherry</i></div>
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<i>sesame oil</i></div>
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Marinate the fish in 1 tsp of the ginger oil, soy sauce and and sunflower oil. If you don't have ginger oil, not to worry, just slice up a couple coin-sized pieces of ginger instead.</div>
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While the little fishies are marinating, bring the soup stock to a boil, along with the tsp of ginger oil and a handful of chopped cilantro.<br />
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Now here is a little side trip into some science of cooking, which as a chemist, interests me a great deal. Did you know that cilantro will help kill any fishy smell or taste? It is truly a secret weapon any time you're making fish stock or fish recipes, to kill out undesirable fishy odors and tastes.<br />
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My recommendation is to crush the handful of cilantro up a bit in a mortar, which will help destroy any soapy undertones. Add the crushed cilantro to your fish stock during the last 30 minutes of cooking, but no longer than that. The aromatics that do the trick are destroyed if you boil them too long. People will wonder, of course, how you have managed to get rid of the undesirable fishy flavors and leave only the good behind. You don't have to tell them, of course, it can be our little secret. :)</div>
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Meanwhile, divide the chopped lettuce into individual bowls, along with a sprig of cilantro for each.</div>
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Once the stock is boiling, slide the fish in all at once. Bring it back to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Put one fish filet on each bed of lettuce in a bowl. </div>
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Now if you want to save the other bowls for lunch the next day — which is what I did — then you may want to let the fish and the broth cool a little before adding it to the lettuce in your lunch containers. That way the lettuce won't be overcooked when you reheat your soup the next day.</div>
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Otherwise, go ahead and pour the boiling hot soup broth over each bowl of lettuce and fish. It will cook the leaves just enough and at the same time helps cool the soup to eating temperature more quickly.<br />
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Garnish with a bit of sesame oil — definitely a required flavor for this soup, but you can get it at Walmart in the Asian foods section— and serve along with some steamed or baked buns, as you prefer. I would add a little glass of champagne as well, or your favorite white wine, for a perfect meal.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-43526839762821375112013-02-11T00:19:00.001-06:002013-02-25T15:26:02.174-06:00Shredded sesame chicken — the ultimate brain food <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVk84O_8EeChQGSaURMRVvGDKa0AucU-a8SKG5Oh686gmwN2h6UlOOO22Mrsd3br4dcZZoXklghucydqauPaI8Sd-gtHw4taPUPEesr-hHiFIMfOMs1yeJoH7L14ZEA_l4CXm4m30ckxo/s1600/IMG_7564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVk84O_8EeChQGSaURMRVvGDKa0AucU-a8SKG5Oh686gmwN2h6UlOOO22Mrsd3br4dcZZoXklghucydqauPaI8Sd-gtHw4taPUPEesr-hHiFIMfOMs1yeJoH7L14ZEA_l4CXm4m30ckxo/s320/IMG_7564.JPG" width="320" /></a>This month's #letslunch theme is sports snacks. I'm not really all that into your typical sporting events, but I do like a good trivia night with friends.<br />
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Not that I'm any good at trivia ...<br />
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I'm definitely not.<br />
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I am however good at providing brain food, and this recipe is the perfect brain food ...<br />
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Not only is it reasonably healthy, and quite quite tasty for finger food, it's substantial enough to be a main dinner course.<br />
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I suppose it's even perfect snack food for any sporting event ...<br />
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If you insist.<br />
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The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines.<br />
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<b>Shredded Sesame Chicken</b></div>
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<i>1 cooked chicken, deboned</i><br />
<i>2 1/2 T tahini (peanut butter works too)</i><br />
<i>1 T sesame oil</i><br />
<i>2 T soy sauce</i><br />
<i>1 T vinegar</i><br />
<i>1 tsp ginger</i><br />
<i>2 cloves minced garlic</i><br />
<i>hot pepper oil</i><br />
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To make this, you simply boil a chicken and shred the cooked meat.<br />
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Mix all the other ingredients together and add to the shredded chicken. Sprinkle with some chopped green onions and black sesame seeds.<br />
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Serve it on some sesame rice crackers like this:<br />
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I told you it was easy didn't I? Now just try not eating it all before the party ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgsUvsEyQuHSt0PzXSww-MaQf5S1oAUsHGv8jMnzbxkjxmUcHXLXI1BFYYiXMrNlBv7mnm3BnYsTR7XsowxUU-2ERCsDOO6OQZTt7_1c3Aw7JZ4NyeaT-iO1YeiSSCKIlYoAJpZ38sEFt/s1600/IMG_7631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgsUvsEyQuHSt0PzXSww-MaQf5S1oAUsHGv8jMnzbxkjxmUcHXLXI1BFYYiXMrNlBv7mnm3BnYsTR7XsowxUU-2ERCsDOO6OQZTt7_1c3Aw7JZ4NyeaT-iO1YeiSSCKIlYoAJpZ38sEFt/s320/IMG_7631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">#LetsLunch is a digital monthly meet up of food bloggers and writers. Check out other posts from around the web here or on the hashtag #LetsLunch.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Cheryl's </b>Mongolian Buuz at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2013/02/mongolian-buuz-a-perfect-tv-dinner/" style="color: #cc6511; text-decoration: none;">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a></span></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</strong>‘s Korean and Curry Wings at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2013/02/letslunch-super-bowl-wings-two-ways.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots and Pans</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Taiwanese Beef Sliders at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2013/02/08/taiwanese-beef-sandwiches/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill</strong>‘s Spiced Pecans at <a href="http://eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com/2013/02/spiced-pecans-too-good-to-save-for.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eating My Words</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Karen</strong>‘s Sporting Eats at <a href="http://geofooding.blogspot.ca/2013/02/sporting-eats.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">GeoFooding</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Trio of Salsas from Oaxaca at <a href="http://spiceboxtravels.com/2013/02/08/a-trio-of-salsas-from-oaxaca/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong>‘s Sausage Rolls at <a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2013/02/08/who-doesnt-love-a-sausage-roll/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s Crabcakes with Chipotle Mayo and Citrus Salad at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2013/02/eating-with-spiritual-compassand-marcus.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook and Her Books</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rashda</strong>‘s Finger Lickin’ Good Curried Ribs at <a href="http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/2013/02/finger-lickin-good-curried-ribs.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Hot Curries & Cold Beer</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sonja</strong>‘s Sticky Ginger Beer Chicken Wings at <a href="http://foodnutzz.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/sticky-ginger-beer-chicken-wingsa-tv.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Foodnutzz</a></b></div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-45070121648818105772012-12-09T22:32:00.003-06:002013-02-26T10:44:52.848-06:00Epic Gingered Pork, Asian Pear sandwiches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHWJWbi6qZnE4X5sUs8f-wuNBGYnxUBy-_Tbcprki7Q20AlJGrxShcjdMREmJOh82vPk0ZcInXOdTyGhB9aKuH4cezFuKUZqNly1tfI6cTdak5lIARhl-nEUmf5uVS2f7opXE-vGXWgBH/s1600/IMG_6965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHWJWbi6qZnE4X5sUs8f-wuNBGYnxUBy-_Tbcprki7Q20AlJGrxShcjdMREmJOh82vPk0ZcInXOdTyGhB9aKuH4cezFuKUZqNly1tfI6cTdak5lIARhl-nEUmf5uVS2f7opXE-vGXWgBH/s320/IMG_6965.JPG" width="320" /></a>I don't know about you, but when I'm in the midst of the holiday season, there's no time to spend in the kitchen. <br />
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I still want to eat good healthy food, of course, but it has to be simple.<br />
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It has to be quick.<br />
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And, not at all least, it has to feel a little bit healthy.</div>
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And so was born this little sandwich — epic — if I do say so myself. It is great as a main course, but would also work on smaller buns, slider-style, for a fun party appetizer.<br />
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It's very easy to do. Use your favorite crockpot barbecue pork dressed up with a little bit of ginger and buy some sandwich buns. Or, if you're like me, you've got a lazy laundry day to make your own.<br />
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This is about as easy a sandwich bun recipe as it gets, and about as good, too. Just add 1/4 cup warm water to yeast and a pinch of sugar and flour. Let proof. Melt 1/4 cup butter with 2 T sugar, 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1 cup hot water. Let cool to lukewarm and add 1 beaten egg. Add about 3 cups of flour, or as much as needed to make a soft pillowy dough that isn't too sticky to shape. It should feel fluffy, like a pillow.<br />
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<span id="goog_450602021"></span><span id="goog_450602022"></span>Let it rise until double then shape into dinner rolls about 4 oz each, or half that size for sliders. You'll get about 8 sandwich buns or 16 slider buns. Dip the shaped buns in oil or melted butter then dip in the desired toppings, such as oatmeal, sesame seeds, poppy seeds — as you fancy — and then sprinkle with some cracked black pepper and a pinch of powdered garlic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYio-9JExcmiWb2mQxa__OgXg18RMsL4fsMFevR7AXJV6snqcLlkthR5Z_LHPy-dCNfGjwVlkGga-Xp9vAUTz48UGKgZ1hSv8ozHTz4Yg-3xiTQK_kIF3aaPwlnmRy9LWwmtWbBofCwGo/s1600/IMG_6856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYio-9JExcmiWb2mQxa__OgXg18RMsL4fsMFevR7AXJV6snqcLlkthR5Z_LHPy-dCNfGjwVlkGga-Xp9vAUTz48UGKgZ1hSv8ozHTz4Yg-3xiTQK_kIF3aaPwlnmRy9LWwmtWbBofCwGo/s320/IMG_6856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let them rise again until doubled and then bake in a steam-infused, 425-degree oven.<br />
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To infuse an oven with steam, put an empty old pan in the bottom of the oven and an old cookie sheet on the baking rack, then preheat the oven to 500 or so degrees. Now open the oven door and squirt a bunch of water in that bottom pan and a little bit of water on top of the old cookie sheet. I use a turkey baster. Shut the oven door and turn the heat down to 425. Let the oven go about 10 minutes, so the water has time to heat up. Open the door again and squirt a little more water on the old cookie sheet and slip the bread rolls right in. The oven temperature will have dropped by this time to the desired 425 degrees.<br />
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Bake the rolls 15 to 18 minutes, until nice and golden. Of course, you simply must test the rolls before you let anyone else eat one ... Just to make sure they're perfect. :)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D_hzSNKHyolUFh22S3SGLwl8c-axiQtv_Q8KIdZa6B9Xzh3PJ3TS-A2SDb0puYkS3FB6flFHqa0owxpBTGkRVe5Sy58lPUuEoUYnvJ0_jKJsS3WMKZgrvJr5LmpDSsVNp8QK1Ngw6z3p/s1600/IMG_6909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D_hzSNKHyolUFh22S3SGLwl8c-axiQtv_Q8KIdZa6B9Xzh3PJ3TS-A2SDb0puYkS3FB6flFHqa0owxpBTGkRVe5Sy58lPUuEoUYnvJ0_jKJsS3WMKZgrvJr5LmpDSsVNp8QK1Ngw6z3p/s200/IMG_6909.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7ZuUveN98rkX8oq6_RtVb7dCwIPqYgLMy2ei1jX13PHQ2tKDSxXnHR_kIFmqFLx15nPx0gruGkBU8uduAlwm_R5xMQvjkPd-zUrbQy-0C3m28-G-9u_w-Bv_g3acqN-F46xQ1mbfQDbv/s1600/IMG_6901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7ZuUveN98rkX8oq6_RtVb7dCwIPqYgLMy2ei1jX13PHQ2tKDSxXnHR_kIFmqFLx15nPx0gruGkBU8uduAlwm_R5xMQvjkPd-zUrbQy-0C3m28-G-9u_w-Bv_g3acqN-F46xQ1mbfQDbv/s200/IMG_6901.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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While the buns are cooling, slice a quarter of an Asian pear and drizzle with some lemon juice. You can just use a fork to juice the lemon. No special equipment required.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZC4AXQgjuujzC-0fvUdtngtCj3Y_bfCQnY-8H6A7CnsePcnNozjI0a4mH_abPtzeWYH3l8omVKcm-eJ3f8q_m9ZY-pVghGTvoTrtX8vCDYq3fT9sbe5hHifaEVaGDL-zwerB2D1qIKC_/s1600/IMG_6916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZC4AXQgjuujzC-0fvUdtngtCj3Y_bfCQnY-8H6A7CnsePcnNozjI0a4mH_abPtzeWYH3l8omVKcm-eJ3f8q_m9ZY-pVghGTvoTrtX8vCDYq3fT9sbe5hHifaEVaGDL-zwerB2D1qIKC_/s320/IMG_6916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Reheat your favorite barbecue pork recipe in the microwave. I used a ginger-infused version of your basic, pulled barbecue pork cooked in a crockpot.<br />
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Sprinkle those Asian pears with some more fresh cracked black pepper and a little fresh, minced ginger if you like.<br />
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Assemble the sandwich, pears piled on top.<br />
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Sprinkle with some fresh chopped green onion if you're feeling in the mood.</div>
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You know what to do next right?<br />
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I thought so. Enjoy the holidays, and some of these nice and easy, epic sandwiches!<br />
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-48492212728497970452012-11-11T12:46:00.005-06:002013-02-03T11:08:51.473-06:00Green Tomato Salad -- gratitude for abundance #letslunch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This spring I planted four tomato plants in the back corner of my mostly inactive garden, hoping for an abundance of red, ripe garden-grown tomatoes. But I guess I was a little late planting them. And then there was a drought, which didn't help matters.<br />
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The garden thus produced only two ripe tomatoes for me this year, and left me with a whole bunch of green tomatoes that have absolutely no chance of ripening before frost.<br />
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To say I was disappointed in my gardening efforts, would be understating things a bit. Nothing in my opinion is better about summer than a garden-ripe tomato. Slice one up on a plate, alternating with fresh mozzarella cheese, some olive oil, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and fresh-cracked black pepper. This is such a superb lunch, one I could eat every day.<br />
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Now I do remember how once upon a girlhood my grandmother would make bacon, lettuce, fried green tomato sandwiches. And those were good. She usually made them at the beginning of the season, to celebrate the ripe tomatoes soon to be had. I went to rescue a green fall tomato to eat a sentimental dinner in her honor, though I wasn't feeling too celebratory about it. Rooting around in the still healthy tomato plants, I was saddened by just how many green tomatoes there really were. Easily 7 quarts.<br />
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How sad, I thought, to just waste them. But frost was coming, and there are really only so many BLGT sandwiches a girl is willing to eat. If they were just a little further along ... But ripening such green tomatoes ... <br />
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Well, that's just about as substandard as it gets, to me anyway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More green tomato recipe ideas<br />
collected at <a href="http://pinterest.com/kitchenwench/green-tomatoes/">My Green Tomato Pinterest board</a></td></tr>
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Out of idle curiosity I googled green tomato recipes as I munched on my BLGT. There surely couldn't be much ... could there?<br />
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I was actually surprised. Curried pork stirfries, asian pear salads ... people had some really creative ideas for their green tomatoes.<br />
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And so I started think ...<br />
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What if my lack of red tomatoes was really abundance in disguise? If I were looking at these green tomatoes as something fabulous instead of something negative, what would happen?<br />
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A green tomato is really not at all untasty, I thought, still chewing on my sandwich. It is tart in a mild, fresh way. They'd do well, I thought, in a sweet-sour concoction. And they hold up to cooking far better than a ripe tomato, so they could actually make sense in a stir fry. They'd be good in a cheesy gratin, too. Wouldn't they make a dandy pickle, too?<br />
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And so I began to be thankful for what my garden had produced, instead of disappointed. I had green tomatoes! In great abundance! This wasn't a lack of ripe tomatoes. This was endless, delicious possibility, waiting to be realized.<br />
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This month, the #letslunch decided on the theme of gratitude. I'm thankful to them. If I had not been cogitating on the whole meaning of gratitude, I might not have had this little insight at all.<br />
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Gratitude. It's looking at your green tomatoes and seeing the endless, delicious possibilities, instead of the red, ripe tomatoes you didn't get.<br />
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Here then is a salad full of gratitude and abundance, and my best wishes to all of you for a joyous Thanksgiving with those you love. (And, should any of you have other ideas for delicious green tomatoes, please do let me know. I've got a plentitude left, even after making this salad!)<br />
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<b><i>Green Tomato Salad</i></b></h2>
First, marinate some steaks in oyster sauce and garlic. I scored the meat with diagonal slashes and worked the mixture into the crevices. I'd say about 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and one clove of garlic per steak is about right.<br />
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Now make a little cheese plate. Because the steaks need to marinate for a while. And you're going to be hungry. Plus this is about celebrating abundance, and nothing says abundance to me like a nice cheese plate with a good pinot noir.<br />
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In between munching on cheese slices, thinly slice four or five green tomatoes, thusly. You could quarter them for bite size pieces if you wish, but I kept mine whole for better presentation on the plate.<br />
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Mince some ginger, snip off some cilantro and deseed a pomegranate. All while nibbling on your cheese plate, of course. Have a sip of wine while you're at it. I'm not going to tell on you.<br />
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Did you know, by the way, that pomegranates are a symbol of abundance in some cultures? I didn't know until I was putting this blog post together, but I like that my salad which is about gratitude has such bright symbolism in it.<br />
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This salad goes together quickly, so now's a good time to start the grill. Hopefully your neighbors won't call the cops. Like mine did. Yes, they seriously did! Two firetrucks and three police cars showed up looking for a fire! Fortunately they didn't think my barbecue grill qualified. ;p~<br />
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Think it was a hint my neighbors wanted me to share my steak dinner with them?<br />
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Layer the tomatoes with the minced ginger, cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Slice a couple of limes and juice them using the simple fork method. I don't know about you, but I get as much juice that way as the more complicated gadgets.<br />
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Next, add the secret ingredient. I learned this little trick over at the She Simmers blog, linked in the upper right corner of this blog.<br />
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Her secret ingredient is fish sauce.<br />
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Kid you not! No I have not been drinking! Too much anyway ...<br />
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Trust me. Fish sauce is an umami flavor bomb. It will tame the tartness of this salad and really make your flavors pop.<br />
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I put about 1 tablespoon of it in this and added a pinch of sugar to taste. Leela calls this kind of salad dressing a yam. You can read more about her method at <a href="http://shesimmers.com/2012/10/spicy-tuna-salad-with-young-ginger-and-lemongrass-%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2.html" target="_blank">SheSimmers</a>.<br />
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Now that the salad is made and the cheese plate dutifully demolished, your steaks are probably lonely enough and quite ready for some loving on the grill. Don't make 'em wait any longer. Cook to your individual preference of course. I went with medium rare.<br />
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For good measure, I also grilled a rather plain, garlic-salted chuck steak, on the side. But I needn't have worried. The Thai-style steak recipe was actually the perfect blend of flavors for my green tomato salad. I'm going to have some great lunches this week!<br />
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In the meantime, I enjoyed a little of my green tomato salad as a side dish for that little side steak, on which I placed a generous dollop of blue cheese butter. Mmmmm ...<br />
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Yes it was as delicious as it looks. And no, I didn't share any of it with my stinky neighbors.<br />
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If you are interested in more green tomato ideas, I've started a <a href="http://pinterest.com/kitchenwench/green-tomatoes/">Pinterest Green Tomato Board</a>. The collection includes an article exploring the safety of eating green tomatoes. Turns out they contain a substance called tomatine that may bind with cholesterol and help the body get rid of it.<br />
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Be sure to check out these other posts from the #letslunch bunch while you're at it. Not only are they delicious, but they will make you think about the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2012/11/09/gratitude-a-plumb-cake-from-the-old-world/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Plumb cake"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Plumb’ cake</span></a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong> at Monday Morning Cooking Club</div>
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<a href="http://grongar.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/pain-au-levain/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Pain au levain"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Pain au Levain</span> </a>from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebecca</strong> at Grongar Blog</div>
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<a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/gratitude-letslunch.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Seafood chowder"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Seafood Chowder</span> </a>from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong> at A Cook and Her Books</div>
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<a href="http://zestbakery.com/blog/cracked-black-pepper-and-blue-cheese-crackers-gluten-free" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Crackeres">Cracked Black Pepper and Blue Cheese Crackers</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong> at Zest Bakery</div>
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<a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/gratitude-fried-rice/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gratitude Fried Rice</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong> at Spicebox Travels</div>
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<a href="http://inasouthernkitchen.com/2012/11/enjoy-the-moments/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Thanksgiving tablecloth tradition</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong> at In a Southern Kitche</div>
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<a href="http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/2012/11/soup-bowl-full-of-gratitude.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gratitude Soup</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rashda</strong> at Hot Curries and Cold Beer</div>
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<a href="http://freerangecookies.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/gluten-free-pumpkin-muffins-with-cinnamon-sugar/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar (gluten free)</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong> at Free Range Cookies</div>
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<a href="http://eleanorhoh.com/2012/11/09/gratitude-5-minute-wonder-soup/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="5 min soup">5 Minute Wonder Soup</a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanor</strong> at Wokstar<br />
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<a href="http://glassoffancy.com/2012/11/09/desserts-and-gratitude/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Plumb cake"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Pumpkin roll</span></a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Annabelle</strong> at Glass of Fancy<br />
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<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.joeyonan.com/2012/11/what-am-i-thankful-for-focus.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-color: initial; border-style: initial;">P</span>ickled Oyster Mushrooms</a></span> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe Yonan</strong> at Cooking for One<br />
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http://www.joeyonan.com/2012/11/what-am-i-thankful-for-focus.html</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858; font-family: Courier, 'Courier New', monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://saucyskillet.blogspot.com/2012/11/green-tomato-salad-gratitude-for.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Plumb cake"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Green Tomato Salad</span></a> from <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Renee</strong> at My Kitchen and I</span></div>
Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-48494187363403248132012-10-21T23:18:00.001-05:002013-02-03T11:10:32.605-06:00Sesame chicken "bat" wings for Halloween week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few weeks ago I ripped out my carpets, and since then I've been working on resanding the lovely hardwood floors that were hiding underneath. I've been so deep in dust, it's been hard to think about cooking anything, but today it was a beautiful day and sooner a later, a girl misses her kitchen, and a girl wants to eat a home-cooked meal instead of pizza, hot dogs and take-out Chinese.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NOll02uexXZW7lOHvPjWiao_4f_Ipt8ngFGjvbzJL3EpevpKoLSPKZAnt9AJL2xe-HT4qz2xHQsvfkLCytcTqA7RTWHSqL7uiZpPafm80kT2s9H01PJz7FIiniEzNa06ocRSaxieMhza/s1600/IMG_6067+-+Version+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NOll02uexXZW7lOHvPjWiao_4f_Ipt8ngFGjvbzJL3EpevpKoLSPKZAnt9AJL2xe-HT4qz2xHQsvfkLCytcTqA7RTWHSqL7uiZpPafm80kT2s9H01PJz7FIiniEzNa06ocRSaxieMhza/s320/IMG_6067+-+Version+3.jpg" width="319" /></a><br />
And so, with a beautiful Saturday — perhaps the last suitable for barbecuing outside — I decided to play hooky from the renovation project.<br />
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Time for some fun in the kitchen!<br />
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A few weeks ago the lovely #letslunch bunch challenged us to come up with a scary food idea. Even though I couldn't participate this time, the wheels in my head went to work any way. <br />
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My idea? Faux bat wings made from chicken wings.<br />
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This idea really turned out beautifully. I know I will be adjusting the spice mixture down the line, but my first stab at it was really pretty good.<br />
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Here's what I did:<br />
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First, I marinated the chicken wings in some lemon juice, soy sauce, shaoxing wine and cilantro for a few hours. Overnight wouldn't have hurt, but I didn't want to wait that long! <br />
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While the wings were making nice with the marinade, I prepared a black spice paste using 1/2 cup or so of black sesame seeds, the juice of one-half a lemon, a capful of sushi rice vinegar, some mushroom soy sauce, a little molasses.<br />
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Taste as you go of course. How else will you know how it's going to turn out?<br />
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I pounded some garlic and cilantro to add to the mixture. Tasted it and added some sesame oil until it seemed like a paste that would spread reasonably well. <br />
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Add some heat if you like. Some sichuan pepper wouldn't be out of bounds. I added a teaspoon. I think some smoked chipotle peppers would be fantastic too — anything really, that's a favorite. And the hotter the better, if you ask me. After all it is supposed to be scary food ... so turn up the heat!<br />
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Spread the spice paste over the wings like so: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vCFfAb5kYFTIoQFTMcOByVCF0uJVTk_4DBXB0Eyk5gzwXdLlJqEQBKCKQZb5zqWBr3gEwzez2wflwjlX4MbeRWuQQlqoOezi268oB5hMgArRx4sL2ozKMnSmUNCXgwVwZgmCXsBli7l0/s1600/IMG_6058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vCFfAb5kYFTIoQFTMcOByVCF0uJVTk_4DBXB0Eyk5gzwXdLlJqEQBKCKQZb5zqWBr3gEwzez2wflwjlX4MbeRWuQQlqoOezi268oB5hMgArRx4sL2ozKMnSmUNCXgwVwZgmCXsBli7l0/s320/IMG_6058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then skewer them so that they are all in an extended position. I found it easiest to do this by folding them up in their usual position, skewering and then extending the wing on the skewer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gKbsOVpSIUSDt8sES98sOSAZcofnpU2nJ5q7uDnylSEDHmTHX7naGmRUWvPRZ2miUkg9_I0A0mF9ETCYT_oDxEFECMskZSSdSi-nO7FHe2QQ0JoLIvbownt8ybFuicDbXyPrVJ30Q60h/s1600/IMG_6063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gKbsOVpSIUSDt8sES98sOSAZcofnpU2nJ5q7uDnylSEDHmTHX7naGmRUWvPRZ2miUkg9_I0A0mF9ETCYT_oDxEFECMskZSSdSi-nO7FHe2QQ0JoLIvbownt8ybFuicDbXyPrVJ30Q60h/s320/IMG_6063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Smoke or grill, as you prefer, and then sit back and enjoy. You've certainly earned it! <br />
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Here are links to all the other #letslunch scary food ideas. Some cool party ideas in here. Have a great Halloween, all!<br />
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<b>Lisa’s</b> Pretzel fingers at <a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2012/10/12/scary-food-an-interesting-challenge/">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a><br />
<b>Lucy’s</b> fabulously spooky Halloween cakes at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/scary-for-letslunch.html">A Cook and Her Books</a><br />
<b>Annabelle’s</b> Halloween Spice Cookies at <a href="http://glassoffancy.com/2012/10/12/lets-lunch-halloween-spice-cookies/">A Glass of Fancy</a><br />
<b>Linda’s</b> Pumpkin Spiced Flan at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/celebrating-day-of-the-dead-with-spiced-pumpkin-flan/">Spicebox Travels</a><br />
<b>Rashda’s</b> Spooktacular Stuffed Pumpkin at <a href="http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-spooktacular-stuffed-pumpkin-in-7.html">Hot Curries & Cold Beer</a><br />
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-65427514362581951282012-09-25T14:27:00.000-05:002013-02-03T11:12:19.928-06:00From Paris with Love — Saumon avec Sainte Nectaire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Tour Eiffel</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Monday I cooked breakfast and lunches for the week, a task I usually have finished on Saturday, so Tuesday found me doing a task I usually have done well before Sunday — writing this blog.<br />
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Everything has been a ker fuffel since I came back from Paris. My schedules just don't wanta sync up any more. It's like I need a vacation just to get over vacation. Does that happen to anyone else after vacation?<br />
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Paris has always had a reputation for its food, so I had some fairly high expectations. Of course, knowing that it was a fateful fish dinner that famously lured Julia Child into the world of French cooking, I made sure my first real meal was fish as well.<br />
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It was perfect. A white slice of succulence resting on a colorful bed of sauteed vegetables, topped with a dark green splash of basil pesto.<br />
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Fish was in fact perfect every single time I ordered it in France, and so, when I wasn't sure what to get, I would seek out the "poisson." Pronounced like this: pwahsoh(n). The 'n' is almost, but not quite, silent.<br />
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Poisson in its many varieties never disappointed me in France, and I could only wish that my poisson would be so perfect every single time. It's usually good enough. But not perfect! What's the secret?<br />
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Of course I bought French cookbooks in hopes of finding that out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecyxLbKhN-Nu15J9QJXHspWDI_6QBssJYhqrRinnMGw-ltdWmPtZzVr0S74tYffmTu2XzI8b5E1GDlEo_6N8LC5p-csgCCGZYd102jZAbb3AcyjKnLHQ1jfCUeGvTuTzEVez3cuZPA8EP/s1600/IMG_5699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecyxLbKhN-Nu15J9QJXHspWDI_6QBssJYhqrRinnMGw-ltdWmPtZzVr0S74tYffmTu2XzI8b5E1GDlEo_6N8LC5p-csgCCGZYd102jZAbb3AcyjKnLHQ1jfCUeGvTuTzEVez3cuZPA8EP/s320/IMG_5699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The bottom cookbook was used, and the sort I thought a French housewife might own. Indeed, once I got home with it, I found a page marked by an envelope addressed to Madame and Monsieur Bernard, living at Avenue Franklin Roosevelt. How about that? <br />
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The other is a food tour of France, full of beautiful pictures, lots of history and culture.<br />
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These look like fun, but neither has a macaron recipe. And so I fear the purchase of French cookbooks is far from finit!<br />
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Another food that was always good in France was of course the cheese. You can't hardly go wrong with a French cheese can you? My favorite "fromage" — say it like this: Froh-Mahj and roll the 'r' just slightly — was called Sainte Nectaire. Here's a slice.<br />
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I first had this wonderful cheese at a restaurant in Montmartre, just around the bend on this charming street. We took pictures here until the sun began to set and it became too dark. Then we continued walking down the hill, curious to see what lay beyond.<br />
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I didn't get a photo of the restaurant — I'm sorry about that — but it took me by such surprise, I didn't even think to snap a picture. Just imagine a glow of warm yellow light surrounding a little gingerbread type house painted pink, trimmed with green shutters and pretty flowers. That should be fairly close.<br />
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We took an outdoor table nestled up against the restaurant and ordered plates of escargot, duck, cheese and salad, as well as a little champagne. At the end of this fabulous meal, a waiter asked how everything was. I told him, in French of course, that it was the best meal I'd had in France so far, and that I really loved the cheese.<br />
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"Je doit trouver plus de cette fromage," I said. My best French for, I MUST find more of this cheese!<br />
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He smiled, took the plate and left to get the bill.<br />
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Or so I thought.<br />
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Presently he had returned, but instead of the bill, a plate of fresh-sliced Saint Nectaire suddenly<br />
appeared before my eyes, along with a fresh basket of bread!<br />
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"What's this? Pour moi?"<br />
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I hadn't meant to order additional cheese right then — I couldn't have eaten another bite at the moment if I had tried — but I also wondered if he'd mistaken my comment as making an additional order on an already too expensive tab! Quel dommage!<br />
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But no, it was a gift. From a Frenchman to an American no less. Now who says the French are unfriendly and don't like Americans? Not me. I can't talk of the unfriendliness of the French at all. In fact, I found friendly French people just about every where I went. <br />
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So as you might have already guessed, this time there won't be an Asian recipe. In honor of that memorable little restaurant where I discovered wonderful French food and wonderful French people, this week's recipe instead features two of my favorite foods from France.<br />
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St. Nectaire and le poisson.<br />
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Bon Appetit!<br />
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<b>Saumon avec Saint Nectaire</b><br />
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Saint Nectaire is traditionally unpasteurized, but I did find a
pasteurized version at the airport which I could bring home with me. If you
can't find a Sainte Nectaire where you live, try any soft cheese with a
mild taste. Maybe brie would be a good option?<br />
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Take as many salmon fillets as you like or will fit in your pan and place them above some green onion and minced garlic just so. I used about one green onion and one garlic clove per fillet, scattering them evenly along the bottom of the pan.<br />
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Take a 40 gram slice of sainte nectaire cheese per fillet and mix it in a food processor with two eggs for every 4 to 6 fillets. Mix in a couple tablespoons of wine per filet. Spread the mixture on top of your fillets.<br />
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Bake at 400 degrees centigrade for about 20 minutes. The last five minutes of cooking take the fish out and pour the juices into a sauce pan. Add some liquid creme fraiche and reduce. Pour the reduction over the fish filets. Grind some fresh pepper over the filets and serve.<br />
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These amounts are a bit approximate. The original recipe from the official St. Nectaire site doesn't mention what to do when with the wine, and the original measurements were a little too dry. There was no liquid to add to the creme fraiche! So these are the measurements I would try the next time I make this otherwise excellent dish.<br />
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-73255417949094192812012-09-07T16:34:00.000-05:002013-02-03T11:14:04.489-06:00A Chinese Grandmother's Tofu — Mapo Doufu (麻婆 豆腐)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I first had Mapo Doufu on what was probably the coldest day of the year. We were in the midst of an ice rainstorm, and it was so cold, icicles were forming almost instantly on anything outside, living or otherwise. The streets had become slippery slides for automobiles and most of the sane and sensible were safely ensconced in warm homes underneath fuzzy blankets sipping hot cocoa, or perhaps something stronger.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26upgcENLNVb5H29u9xZHckdxgoPwdvpwj58pbdkaSLEBYNOqwpO17jmjimVMn99h1zqTNFoeSZvtI6yF9QLUXYF2b8t7iuKs54b1RbyolHJwKkeDxH0_GK2kgdPiS7-Nv6rG3Y2Xvu2A/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26upgcENLNVb5H29u9xZHckdxgoPwdvpwj58pbdkaSLEBYNOqwpO17jmjimVMn99h1zqTNFoeSZvtI6yF9QLUXYF2b8t7iuKs54b1RbyolHJwKkeDxH0_GK2kgdPiS7-Nv6rG3Y2Xvu2A/s320/IMG_5549.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece is fond of saying no one ever cheers after eating <br />
tofu but I beg to differ. I really like this dish. To me tofu has the<br />
consistency of fresh mozzarella and a similar blandness that <br />
allows it to blend well with almost any sauce. Unlike <br />
mozzarella, though tofu retains its shape and doesn't melt. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I, on the other hand, was walking the neighborhood taking pictures of nature's debacle. Just as I was about to call it an afternoon, I happened upon a poor postal worker with icicles hanging off the brim of her hat, delivering the last of the day's mail. She was a good sport and let me take a few pictures of her in such misery. It was then I noticed in the gathering grey twilight a little red and blue sign that said open in brash neon light.<br />
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It was the only cheery thing in sight. Downtown was otherwise locked up tight and the stores were all dark and vacant as mummy eyes. I wandered toward the sign with camera and curiosity in tow. Who was brave enough to remain open on a day like this, and what on earth were they doing?<br />
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It was a restaurant. Chinese takeout mainly, with a few tables for dining in. Nothing fancy.<br />
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Not only were they open, but they were still delivering! Heavenly days. This was the perfect addition to my weather story, so I settled in for a hot dinner, cold to the bone and hungry.<br />
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I asked the owner to just bring me something hot and spicy, anything he liked, and this is what I ended up with. Mapo doufu. Of course, the dish was a bit westernized. And it wasn't called mapo doufu on the menu. It was also not all that spicy. But it was good, and I was hungry. I didn't know enough about mapo doufu at the time to complain.<br />
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I took my curiosity online and read a little about the dish with the help of Aunt Google. The wicked pedia says it was invented by an old woman who had a pock-marked face and evidently had lived along a trade route of some kind. Her version was so good, the dish was named after her.<br />
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I would take this story with a grain of salt, considering the source, but the tale does seem pretty widespread and can be found in many cookbooks of no little repute. Maybe it's not true, relying as it does on one man's personal anecdote, but it does make a nice grandmother legend for this month's #letslunch post, which is honoring the launch of our own Patricia Tanumihardja.<br />
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No matter what country, grandma always knows how to make the best dishes eh? So when I started the year of Asian cuisine, I put ma po on my list of things to make. Now there is a recipe for mapo doufu in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Yin%20Fei%20Lo%20Mastering%20the%20Art%20of%20Chinese%20Cooking&linkCode=ur2&tag=mykiani-20" target="_blank">Yin Fei Lo's Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mykiani-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> that I want to make someday. I actually went to get the ingredients during my last trip to the Asian market, but, when I asked the store people to help me find the ingredients for it, I was taken to an aisle with row upon row of spice packets and handed one for this dish.<br />
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"This easiest way," the store lady said, nodding and smiling. Then she took me down another aisle. "I show you Japanese style."<br />
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Sure enough, there iss a Japanese Mapo Doufu, but it's called Mabo Doufu. It came in two strengths. Hot and Hotter.<br />
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The lady seemed very pleased she had figured out what I needed, and I didn't have the heart to say otherwise. Something to work on later, I decided. For now I would go ahead and try all the packets out. It would give me some comparison when I finally do make the dish from scratch, the way an Asian grandma might make it.<br />
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Now I don't know about you, but I think I'd like to spend the afternoon with an Asian grandmother, and learn all the tips and tricks from her kitchen. So I'm kind of excited about Patricia's book, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Asian%20Grandmother%27s%20cookbook&linkCode=ur2&tag=mykiani-20" target="_blank">Asian Grandmother's Cookbook</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mykiani-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I will no doubt be cooking from this book soon, which looks to be the ultimate collection of grandmotherly kitchen wisdom served alongside good food.<br />
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The #letslunch bunch has put together more superb grandmother recipes and stories as a send-off for Patricia's book, which I think was a wonderful idea. See the links below this recipe for their contributions. The #letslunch bunch sure knows how to give a cookbook a great send off eh?<br />
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<b>Ma Po Doufu</b><br />
<i>The <strike>Cheater's</strike> Easy Method</i><br />
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<i>1 firm bean curd cake</i><br />
<i>1 patty of equal parts beef and sausage</i><br />
<i>3 or 4 green onions sliced</i><br />
<i>Spice packet for mapo doufu</i><br />
<i>(aka just ask the nice store people to help you)</i><br />
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Drain the bean curd and cut into bite size cubes. Take a pan of water and add some salt. Boil the bean curd to remove the beany flavor and season up the cubes with some of the salty water. After a few minutes, remove from heat and drain.<br />
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Saute the meat until it is done, chop up the green onions. Now you're ready to put this dish together.<br />
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The recipe calls for 50 grams of pork (2 ounces), but I had homemade patties of half beef and half Italian sausage on hand. The flavors are actually perfect for this dish, so don't be afraid to experiment a little with the meat. You can add more or less, too, depending on your taste.<br />
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In fact, if you're vegetarian, you don't need the meat at all.<br />
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Once the meat is cooked, I like to drain off all the excess fat before I add the spice packet. Simmer a little while to blend the flavors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqC382-CZNu0FlrTSqieE8UxPkcMwtjVgAW3PsLWeb-7Qkw0BOjpFIng3312nBAOvu96PUArJmRFF0_YWWtdUCbMqasv1ZcxYiJkjU1xXjdup7I0jmMZdKXn3byOph6u71i5zAYHqHKQEK/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqC382-CZNu0FlrTSqieE8UxPkcMwtjVgAW3PsLWeb-7Qkw0BOjpFIng3312nBAOvu96PUArJmRFF0_YWWtdUCbMqasv1ZcxYiJkjU1xXjdup7I0jmMZdKXn3byOph6u71i5zAYHqHKQEK/s200/IMG_5535.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Now add your tofu cubes and stir it around gently, simmering a little while longer. The tofu will soak up the sauce and you'll get a very nice blend of flavor. The consistency and flavor of the tofu prepared this way actually reminds me a little of fresh mozzarella. It's bland, but takes the flavor of the sauce and makes something better than either part alone.<br />
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When the tofu has had a good simmer on, sprinkle with some chopped green onions and serve with rice if desired.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi-varyDTJ5FNHZ-L4devh53BEUdSMP5sWpK5SvkY0jCo9BHz4hlirLokjMfLfSTiBQcLuhZryn6XU5u2dwihnsBPronY9lAO2rvG_8_WzIToVwv9zjy9cBPkbFvQcDYeYlHnVLwbVsSW/s1600/IMG_3363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi-varyDTJ5FNHZ-L4devh53BEUdSMP5sWpK5SvkY0jCo9BHz4hlirLokjMfLfSTiBQcLuhZryn6XU5u2dwihnsBPronY9lAO2rvG_8_WzIToVwv9zjy9cBPkbFvQcDYeYlHnVLwbVsSW/s200/IMG_3363.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKMnhbnSKxv90xOfovMN9-YRAjks6eklXk6y1yuxJyWrtpplRrkYHskrU4Gbf3sUsFVJWRSvG8csE2EsrG1ZK9Asl1O_uL6zg_DvNtZX8VmzRRxPqu-EY9CvdtWp_SnFNVB_wao1f6n7z/s1600/IMG_5545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKMnhbnSKxv90xOfovMN9-YRAjks6eklXk6y1yuxJyWrtpplRrkYHskrU4Gbf3sUsFVJWRSvG8csE2EsrG1ZK9Asl1O_uL6zg_DvNtZX8VmzRRxPqu-EY9CvdtWp_SnFNVB_wao1f6n7z/s200/IMG_5545.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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The Chinese dish, at right looks a little redder. The Japanese dish is kind of orange. I think the Japanese version actually tastes a little sweeter and milder, kind of like a sweet and sour sauce with some sichuan spices thrown in.<br />
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Overall, I think I prefer the Chinese version a little better, but then again, I like it hot! Enjoy! And don't forget to check out the other great grandmother recipes from the #letslunch group below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26upgcENLNVb5H29u9xZHckdxgoPwdvpwj58pbdkaSLEBYNOqwpO17jmjimVMn99h1zqTNFoeSZvtI6yF9QLUXYF2b8t7iuKs54b1RbyolHJwKkeDxH0_GK2kgdPiS7-Nv6rG3Y2Xvu2A/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26upgcENLNVb5H29u9xZHckdxgoPwdvpwj58pbdkaSLEBYNOqwpO17jmjimVMn99h1zqTNFoeSZvtI6yF9QLUXYF2b8t7iuKs54b1RbyolHJwKkeDxH0_GK2kgdPiS7-Nv6rG3Y2Xvu2A/s320/IMG_5549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong>‘s Apple, Pecan & Raisin Gluten-Free Depression Cake at <a href="http://zestbakery.com/blog/apple-pecan-and-raisin-depression-cake-gluten-free" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Zest Bakery</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Karen</strong>‘s Semifreddo at <a href="http://geofooding.blogspot.ca/2012/09/ode-to-nana.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">GeoFooding</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Taiwanese Oyster Omelet at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/taiwanese-oyster-omelet/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patricia</strong>‘s “Many Grandmas” Asian Pickles at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/many-grandmas-asian-pickles/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook</a></b></div>
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cheryl’s </strong>Gambling Rice at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/09/gambling-rice-a-grandmothers-tale/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: rgb(185, 135, 65) !important; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="TITK">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a></b><br />
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<b><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy's Beaten Biscuits at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/kittys-biscuits.html" target="_blank">A cook and her books</a></strong></b></div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-75970997605503443482012-08-10T19:50:00.006-05:002012-09-12T10:20:36.112-05:00Sweet and Sour Salad #letslunch Farmer's Market Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">As I write this, I am actually on a plane heading to see a friend, and then off to Paris, which I like to think of as the Farmer's Market of the world. I have heard so much about the food in France and particularly the Farmer's markets, I cannot wait to at last see them for myself, and of course I will post some pictures once I return.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8ia1u7MGsNSlQvpmB0do9lNqE5PtQaNMsuwfUt7MZUoLpU49ToiVSA0yR9KonUQnr8zlKfKFXaMkzbbuh7X-72frBVetKq9I5qxS2IRULcEttwpeShyog5s6esXy0_3ix2ZhnZ2k1eR8/s1600/IMG_5170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8ia1u7MGsNSlQvpmB0do9lNqE5PtQaNMsuwfUt7MZUoLpU49ToiVSA0yR9KonUQnr8zlKfKFXaMkzbbuh7X-72frBVetKq9I5qxS2IRULcEttwpeShyog5s6esXy0_3ix2ZhnZ2k1eR8/s200/IMG_5170.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Farmer's markets are a wonderful thing, regardless of which country or community you are in, and my local Farmer's Market right now is all about the tomatoes. They are literally at every table, and they all look so gorgeous.</div>
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But tomatoes are one of the last things I think of when I think of Asian cuisine!</div>
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So I was surprised — pleasantly — a couple weeks ago when a Chinese friend presented me with a nice bag of garden grown tomatoes from his garden.</div>
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Ooo la la! It is nice to have friends, and it is even nicer to have friends who have garden tomatoes.</div>
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We both agreed that store bought tomatoes aren't worth eating, and that it was only garden-grown for us.</div>
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And so, inspired by this gift, I started reading about tomatoes and China, and discovered that after all, Chinese people do know and like this vegetable, even though their term for it is, quite literally, foreign eggplant.<br />
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(I will look up the pinyin and characters later, but presently I'm posting this from a plane, (believe it or not) and the quarters are close so it is a little bit inconvenient to do that right now.)<br />
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I found lots of recipes online that said the Chinese use tomatoes with scrambled eggs, and suggested it is a summer "cooling" dish primarily from Beijing, but most of the hardcopy cookbooks I own pegged the tomato as s soup or braising ingredient. In fact the book Mastering the Art of Chinese of Cooking by Yin Fei-lo has a delightful sounding chicken soup that I'm going to have to try soon. </div>
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She mentions in the recipe that tomatoes are commonly eaten in salads, though she doesn't say what kind. </div>
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That was actually just fine with me, because I felt such a fine gift of garden grown tomatoes deserved something special and unique. So, I am calling this creation Sweet and Sour Salad. It is largely inspired by my first, favorite Chinese dish, Sweet and Sour Chicken, probably because the friend who gave them to me owns a Chinese restaurant. His place always make me think of that childhood favorite, which my mom and I used to share along with an order of crab rangoon.</div>
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This is a beautiful salad that would work well at any picnic or potluck, and really any cuisine, despite the predominantly Asian flavors. It's got a wonderful sweet-tart taste that will make you want another bowl, but lucky for you, this is a healthy dish. You can enjoy that second helping guilt-free.</div>
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Iff you need more great ideas to use up the last of summer's garden goodies, see the other fine creations by the #letslunch bunch which will follow the recipe. </div>
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Bon appetit!</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Sweet and Sour Salad</h2>
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Dice into bite-size pieces:</div>
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<i>2 tomatoes</i></div>
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<i>1 red onion</i></div>
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<i>half a fresh pineapple</i></div>
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<i>half a green pepper</i></div>
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<i>2 green onions</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdtdxY2PFuh6i7SiGc8sn43v1KQuYIUWhCRe4MvKHvxWBOfNSI_WPVehRa_L8kguX237RW6AzfhpfKP_3_ujUJrpV3c_zoXdBPsnX5DWw8_3DJ5tgLXfe7EWLyjGY-USqJy7YFFSHhzQd/s1600/IMG_5123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdtdxY2PFuh6i7SiGc8sn43v1KQuYIUWhCRe4MvKHvxWBOfNSI_WPVehRa_L8kguX237RW6AzfhpfKP_3_ujUJrpV3c_zoXdBPsnX5DWw8_3DJ5tgLXfe7EWLyjGY-USqJy7YFFSHhzQd/s200/IMG_5123.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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To this add:</div>
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<i>one-inch piece of ginger minced fine</i></div>
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<i>2 T sesame oil</i></div>
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<i>2 T honey</i></div>
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<i>3/8 cup vinegar</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp soy sauce</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp fish sauce</i></div>
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<i>2 T minced cilantro</i></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmianykUIo2oZqYWwBHGMC9StIGuXmktytCCB7ez3ejmISzzWNpDNc568Wx7M1bZ6bynX6lh4FmO9LzkKBjZ6jcodmPxOznfogOdCU17AcXehBCKjiR5hDex0ULMc03EhhNAn-A8ZWSg7/s1600/IMG_5152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmianykUIo2oZqYWwBHGMC9StIGuXmktytCCB7ez3ejmISzzWNpDNc568Wx7M1bZ6bynX6lh4FmO9LzkKBjZ6jcodmPxOznfogOdCU17AcXehBCKjiR5hDex0ULMc03EhhNAn-A8ZWSg7/s200/IMG_5152.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Mix the ingredients well and allow it to season for a few hours or even overnight. Very light, very refreshing, great for any picnic, barbecue or any dinner where you need a colorful salad.</div>
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<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Tahoma; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/08/summery-mexican-chicken-stew-a-farmers-market-treat/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #e8c8c8; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(196, 115, 115); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #333333; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Summery Mexican Chicken Stew</a> from A Tiger in the Kitchen.</span></strong><br />
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Annabelle</strong>‘s Mixed Berry Shortcakes at <a href="http://glassoffancy.com/2012/08/10/lets-lunch-mixed-berry-shortcakes/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Glass of Fancy</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Yellow Watermelon with Red Chile at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2012/08/10/red-hot-yellow-watermelon/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Juliana</strong>‘s View from Les Halles Farmers Market at <a href="http://bilbaobab.tumblr.com/post/29115471328/les-halles-farmers-market-tours-france" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Chicken Scrawlings</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Farmers’ Market Fruit Galette at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/1683/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Zucchini or Cucumber Quick Pickles at <a href="http://freerangecookies.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/zucchini-or-cucumber-quick-pickles/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Free Range Cookies</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong>‘s Eveleigh Farmers’ Market (in Australia!) Winter Salad at <a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2012/08/09/a-trip-to-eveleigh-farmers-market-sydney-brussels-sprouts-and-beetroot/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s Sweet Auburn Curb Market (in Atlanta!) Tomato Gravy at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/08/atlantas-sweet-auburn-curb-market.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook and Her Books</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nancie</strong>‘s Carrboro, N.C., Farmers’ Market Vegetable Plate “Nicoise” with Spoonbread at <a href="http://nanciemcdermott.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/summer-farmers-market-vegetable-plate-nicoise-with-spoonbread-for-letslunch/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Nancie McDermott</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patricia</strong>‘s Kim-Chi-Style Corn at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/corn-kimch/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Renee</strong>‘s Sweet and Sour Salad at <a href="http://saucyskillet.blogspot.com/2012/08/sweet-and-sour-salad-letslunch-farmers.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">My Kitchen and I</a></div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-5308169741142339732012-08-05T08:00:00.000-05:002012-09-12T10:19:54.190-05:00Julia Child's Kunming Connection #Sundaysupper #CookingforJulia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>A post in honor of Julia Child's 100th birthday written for #sundaysupper #cookingforjulia ...</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mSEEB9Fn7mNrNjvuF3NLUh0OTR-P9SeUWndRIGplT2fNGWz7vQtutivcbNqHxqfN_vVv04P29hV-XUJSkSrU7J27GEHZT7_gP4cRd1WwCEZRq1UI6rcT8f9kXcCp36KXQ-4dDTaMHNmu/s1600/chinese+steampot+chicken+426kb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mSEEB9Fn7mNrNjvuF3NLUh0OTR-P9SeUWndRIGplT2fNGWz7vQtutivcbNqHxqfN_vVv04P29hV-XUJSkSrU7J27GEHZT7_gP4cRd1WwCEZRq1UI6rcT8f9kXcCp36KXQ-4dDTaMHNmu/s320/chinese+steampot+chicken+426kb.jpg" width="320" /></a>Everyone knows Julia loved French cuisine, but Julia's first culinary love was not French. Julia's first romance with food was in fact, nowhere near France. Her first love affair with food was in Kunming, China, where she and her future husband Paul slowly but surely fell in love.<br />
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Julia served in Kunming during the latter part of World War II, arriving in the city shortly after Paul. They were both in the OSS, the precursor of the CIA. The agents serving in Kunming were actually forbidden to travel out of bounds, but that did not stop Paul and Julia from seeking out new culinary adventures every chance they got.<br />
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The city's name by the way, translates roughly to the City of Eternal Spring, and the weather is mild year-round, similar to California, where Julia grew up. There are, in addition, many interesting cultural sites in hiding amidst the blue mountains and eucalyptus trees.<br />
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The Stone Forest is the first wonder of the world and in the sixth lunar month there's a festival celebrated there with folk dances and wrestling competitions. There is the Dianchi Lake, silhoutted by mountains in the shape of a sleeping woman. It's said the lake below are the lady's tears over the loss of a loved one. And there is a Taoist temple a Chinese general built for a woman he loved, which is today home to the third largest bronze bell in China.<br />
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Eternal love in the eternal city of spring ... It'd be a great place to say you fell in love with someone, no?<br />
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"American food in China was terrible; we thought it was cooked by grease monkeys," Julia recalls in a Washington Post article. "The Chinese food was wonderful, and we ate out as often as we could. This is when I became interested in food. There were sophisticated people there who knew a lot about food. I just loved Chinese food."<br />
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Julia learned about Peking Szechuan, Cantonese, Annamite and Fukien techniques while in Kunming, and she and Paul went on forbidden forays to out-of-bounds restaurants all the time, trying everything they could.<br />
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In a letter home, Paul admired Julia for being so gutsy and going with him on these food adventures, as well as her unflappability whenever they encountered adversity on these excursions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghY1sSzuj7mdGMHf4SjRZado6sWSzytU3982XOeY2rIlSobugg-y54btMMv2dBri8H3Ke7hYPFuACX47WXF36WC0NRTtlk4IMuH0NkS-cYqW2KKv39JbYthAwTEEXa3vcjZ5u01Muw5tzJ/s1600/IMG_4973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghY1sSzuj7mdGMHf4SjRZado6sWSzytU3982XOeY2rIlSobugg-y54btMMv2dBri8H3Ke7hYPFuACX47WXF36WC0NRTtlk4IMuH0NkS-cYqW2KKv39JbYthAwTEEXa3vcjZ5u01Muw5tzJ/s320/IMG_4973.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of their first meals together in Kunming is mentioned in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439163537/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1439163537&linkCode=as2&tag=mykiani-20">A Covert Affair by Jennet Conant</a>. It was bowls of eels and garlic.<br />
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Behind a nearby pink screen they could hear a rather unappetizing sound while they were eating. Apparently a general had drunk too much and become ill, and they could hear him vomiting behind the screen.<br />
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"It was fortunate our two gals were tough and worldly," Paul wrote in a letter back home. "There's something about a Chinese general vomiting a few feet away that might have taken the fine edge off the bowls of eel and garlic we were eating."<br />
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Julia and Paul spent much of their free time on these forbidden foodie forays, sometimes paying for it later with a bout of dysentery, but that didn't seem to deter them in the slightest.<br />
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According to a different book, the last meal Julia and Paul ate together in Kunming included spring rolls, long leaf cabbage and Yunnan ham, winter mushrooms with beet tops and last but definitely not least, Peking duck. Julia loved Peking Duck.<br />
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In a 1974 New Yorker interview, Julia told an interviewer, "I would be perfectly happy with only Chinese food. Either French or Chinese. Could live with only Chinese."<br />
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It was a surprising confession to many, but even though Julia never cooked Chinese food, she continued to eat it quite often. It was, after all, Chinese food that had brought her and Paul together in the first place, for what turned out to be an unforgettable lifetime romance.<br />
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One of the most ingenious dishes for which Kunming is known, is steampot chicken. Books about Julia's life tend to brush past her Kunming culinary adventures, so I am not entirely certain it is one of the many dishes Julia tried while she was serving in the Yunnan province, but it is certainly a dish worthy of trying if you ever go, and I suspect she would have sampled a dish the region is so well known for.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluNwaTudD89-Ma_ssoBpAAf1yAnOTwPZ2IZd5XT6d0171BZyt3pJM13IH4inMn85QhGhwhm3aDfOV-dAl_2851CKmozxAWXkuhJ2rLXjneTwrdrEPqZxK6q-vmzSk2R6WScGusTufprhT/s1600/IMG_4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluNwaTudD89-Ma_ssoBpAAf1yAnOTwPZ2IZd5XT6d0171BZyt3pJM13IH4inMn85QhGhwhm3aDfOV-dAl_2851CKmozxAWXkuhJ2rLXjneTwrdrEPqZxK6q-vmzSk2R6WScGusTufprhT/s200/IMG_4725.JPG" width="200" /></a>The Yunnan steampots are rather ingenious devices. Made from red clay in the Yunnan province, the Pot features a tube in the center with an opening at the top.<br />
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The device looks similar to a bundt cake or angel food cake pan, but has a lid, and is generally a lot prettier and more elegant than an old cake pan.<br />
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Especially when compared to MY old cake pan. :)</div>
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You layer the food in the pot by putting the longest cooking items on bottom. The pot is then set above a large tall pot with water in it. As the water boils, steam rises into the funnel and condenses on the clay pot lid. The purified distilled water has nowhere else to go but down into the slow-cooked ingredients, extracting more flavor drop by drop.<br />
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Just looking at this like a chemist, the method should slowly but surely extract more flavor from the ingredients than if you had added liquid all at once at the beginning. You're not concentrating the stock down, you're adding additional extraction agents steadily over time, getting more and more flavor into the broth and the food. Since none of the juices in the clay pot can escape, This broth does become very very rich, very very tasty in relatively short order.<br />
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The chicken itself is fall apart tender from the slow cooking, and full of flavors from the soup pot. The resulting texture of the meat reminds me a little of crockpot cooking, but the flavors are a lot more intense and pure with this method. This is a truly an ingenious cooking device, and now that I've tried it out and had such amazing broth, I really want one of the real pots for myself! :)</div>
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The steampot was invented by Chef Yang li of Jianshui County some 200 years ago. Steampot chicken is considered a family style dish in most of the articles I've read about it, but the dish has evolved over time. It now commonly includes medicinal herbs such as caterpillars and other meats such as Yunnan Ham, but it is also very traditional with just chicken if you'd like to skip the caterpillars. Like me. lol :)</div>
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This is an excellent way to make a lazy Sunday meal when you don't want to work very hard and prefer to spend the time hanging out with your family. The preparation time is maybe 20 minutes, and soon after, the whole house smells wonderful, and you yourself begin to feel great that such a good meal is on the way.<br />
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If you don't happen to have a Yunnan clay steampot, that is OK, you can still do this dish. You can approximate the ingenuity of the Chinese steam pot with a little ingenuity of your own. An angel food cake pan, a stock pot, some cheesecloth and a lid will allow you to give this ancient Chinese cooking secret a try. But I will warn you, there's no going back from that broth. I will bet you'll be wanting a steampot of your own once you taste it!<br />
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I hope you enjoy this recipe and this little bit of history on Julia whose 100th birthday is Aug. 15. For more great posts about #cookingforJulia with PBS from the #sundaysupper bunch, see the links given below this method.</div>
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Chinese Steam Pot Chicken </h2>
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Assemble the ingredients for your steampot. Below I have mushroom, onion, chicken, a little soy sauce and shaoxing wine, a one-inch piece of sliced ginger, two or three cloves of garlic, a red onion and some green onion, but you could put any ingredients you like in your steampot.</div>
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Place chicken in a medium-sized pot of water and boil briefly. Pour off the water and rinse the chicken to remove any remaining scum. </div>
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Put down a layer of green onions and top with the blanched chicken pieces. Add more green onions.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14px;">Next place mushrooms over the chicken, a layer of red onions, ginger, garlic and any other desired spices. Basically, you put the longest cooking things on bottom and the shortest on top. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14px;">Pour over this 1 T of soy sauce and 1/4 cup shaoxing wine. I added a pint of broth to this, but in retrospect, that was too much. The steam puts plenty of liquid into the pot in relatively short order. Next time I won't add any broth. </span></div>
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Place the pan over a stock pot with water in it that has a cheesecloth wrapped around the top rim. This helps prevent steam from escaping the pot. You could also seal the seam with parchment paper but I think that sounds pretty messy. This worked well for me to keep all the steam in the pot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7_dyG4srLPFjqlCrw5IOVSaKHgQZ5XHTuxWxXMYUCadkEVL5o2C8n8SECBJgR1O0bPcjBiP7Xe8TAD33BsrsJrhsAfvKmX0s1ExN1GP3JNTcVklfjNIHsTWiFqrhQncGw6yAzgpAx2HL/s1600/IMG_4802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7_dyG4srLPFjqlCrw5IOVSaKHgQZ5XHTuxWxXMYUCadkEVL5o2C8n8SECBJgR1O0bPcjBiP7Xe8TAD33BsrsJrhsAfvKmX0s1ExN1GP3JNTcVklfjNIHsTWiFqrhQncGw6yAzgpAx2HL/s320/IMG_4802.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K_jYN3XOvsucUAtE2ssnkHgnK_d_iFBYvE6i3iznmfovFigzZh9CV1DANqE1flgQACH17XcnbUdE8145_BDPeypLZuGug17H1CD0wSDtJiSbUy-IXNai3hsXzXWOvJC2frsndNLjk9Hl/s1600/IMG_4855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K_jYN3XOvsucUAtE2ssnkHgnK_d_iFBYvE6i3iznmfovFigzZh9CV1DANqE1flgQACH17XcnbUdE8145_BDPeypLZuGug17H1CD0wSDtJiSbUy-IXNai3hsXzXWOvJC2frsndNLjk9Hl/s320/IMG_4855.jpg" width="240" /></a>Put the lid on the pot and turn the burner on, bringing the water in the stock pot to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer your steam pot chicken for 3 to 4 hours. Your house will begin to smell really good!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resistance is futile.<br />
Go ahead, taste that broth.<br />
It is amazing!</td></tr>
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After three to four hours, the chicken can be removed from the steampot. Serve with some rice and some scallion pancakes and enjoy. This is such a great dish, and so easy. I know I'm going to have to go and buy a steampot now!</div>
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Here are more great recipes celebrating Julia Child's 100th birthday with #sundaysupper. Check them out!</div>
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<strong>#CookForJulia Breakfast</strong></div>
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Râpée Morvandelle by <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/rapee-morvandelle-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes and Writings </a></div>
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Croissants by<a href="http://www.cookistry.com/2012/08/croissants.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Cookistry </a></div>
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Cheese and Bacon Quiche by<a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/08/bacon-and-cheese-quiche-for.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Tora’s Real Food</a></div>
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<strong>#CookForJulia Lunch</strong></div>
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Tuna Salad Nicoise by<a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/tuna-salad-nicoise-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Magnolia Days </a></div>
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Blood Orange, Walnut, and Rocket Salad by Granny’s<a href="http://www.grannyssoutherncooking.blogspot.com/2012/08/sundaysupper-cookforjulia-beet-blood.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Down Home Southern Cooking </a></div>
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Croque Monsieur by<a href="http://blog.webicurean.com/2012/08/04/croque-monsieur-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Webicurean</a></div>
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Spinach and Cream Cheese Pancakes by <a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/08/05/spinach-and-cream-cheese-crepes-for-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Happy Baking Days </a></div>
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Julia’s Chicken Salad by <a href="http://mytrialsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/julias-chicken-salad-cookforjulia.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">My Trials in the Kitchen </a></div>
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Pissaladière Niçoise (Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives) by <a href="http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2012/08/sundaysupper-cookforjulia-pissaladiere-nicoise-vegetarian-style/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Wimpy Vegetarian</a></div>
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Provencal Tomato Quiche by <a href="http://blog.areyouhungry.info/2012/08/provencal-tomato-quiche-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Are you hungry?</a></div>
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Quiche Lorraine <a href="http://www.spoonandsaucer.com/quiche-lorraine/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Spoon and Saucer </a></div>
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Potato and Onion Soup (Potage Parmentier) by <a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/potato-and-onion-soup-potage-parmentier-for-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Shockingly Delicious</a></div>
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<strong>#CookForJulia Dinner</strong></div>
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Bouillabaisse by <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/08/bouillabaisse-a-la-marseillaise-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen </a></div>
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Boeuf Bourguignon by <a href="http://www.chelseasculinaryindulgence.com/2012/08/boeuf-bourguignon-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence</a></div>
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Orecchiette Con Broccoli Di Rape and Sausages by<a href="http://www.doggieatthedinnertable.blogspot.com/2012/08/orecchiette-con-broccoli-di-rape-and.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Doggie at the Dinner Table </a></div>
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Boeuf Bourguignon by<a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/08/boeuf-bourguignon-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks</a></div>
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Veal Stew with Onions and Mushrooms with Baked Cucumbers and Boiled Potatoes (Blanquette de veau a l’ancienne with concombres au buerre) by <a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/2012/08/blanquette-de-veau-a-lancienne-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Kimchi Mom</a></div>
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Salmon en Papillote by <a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/08/salmon-en-papillote-cookforjulia.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Girlichef</a></div>
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<strong></strong>Poached salmon with cucumber sauce by <a href="http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/julia-childs-poached-salmon-with-cucumber-sauce/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Katherine Martinelli</a><strong><br /></strong></div>
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Lobster Souffle and Deviled Chicken- <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/food-is-a-universal-language-cookforjulia-with-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends </a></div>
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Roasted Chicken with Julia’s Mustard Marinade by<a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/08/05/roasted-chicken-with-mustard-marinade-for-a-special-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> The Meltaways</a></div>
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Wild Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chicken- <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/08/WildMushroomStuffedChicken.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mama Mommy Mom</a></div>
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Puree of White Beans with Garlic and Herbs (Brandade á la Soissonaise)<a href="http://avocadopesto.com/2012/08/05/julia-childs-brandade-a-la-soissonaise-white-bean-dip-for-sunday-supper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Avocado Pesto</a></div>
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Poulet au Porto by <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/roast-chicken-port-wine-cream-and-mushrooms-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Family Foodie </a></div>
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<strong>#CookForJulia Sides</strong></div>
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Hollondaise over Blanched Asparagus by <a href="http://littleferrarokitchen.com/2012/08/julia-childs-hollandaise-sauce-over-asparagus-for-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Little Ferraro Kitchen</a></div>
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Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and Garlic (Gratin Dauphinois) by <a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/scalloped-potatoes-gratin-dauphinois-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Home Cooking Memories </a></div>
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Ratatouille by<a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/2012/08/ratatouille-cookforjulia-this.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Basic N Delicious </a></div>
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French-style country pate by <a href="http://lindaathompson.blogspot.com/2012/08/cookforjulia-french-style-country-pate.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">There and Back Again</a></div>
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White Bean Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips <a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/celebrate-julia-child-cookforjulia-during-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Momma’s Meals</a></div>
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Oeufs à la Diable by <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/08/cookingforjulia-with-oeufs-la-diable.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">What Smells So Good?</a></div>
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Soubise by <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/08/a-very-special-cookforjulia.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Weekend Gourmet</a></div>
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Ratatouille by <a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/2012/08/05/ratatouille-for-sundaysupper-as-we-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cupcakes and Kale Chips</a></div>
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<strong>#CookForJulia Desserts</strong></div>
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Cream Cheese and Lemon Flan by<a href="http://jcocina.com/cream-cheese-and-lemon-flan-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Juanita’s Cocina</a></div>
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Strawberry Sherbert in Cooky Cups by <a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2012/08/strawberry-sherbert-in-cooky-cups-cookforjulia-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cravings of a Lunatic</a></div>
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Creme Brulee by<a href="http://wineeveryday.net/2012/08/05/creme-brulee-and-2006-chateau-cameron-sauterne-to-celebrate-julia-childs-100th-birthday-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Wine Everyday</a></div>
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Mousseline Au Chocolat by<a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/08/mousseline-au-chocolat-cookforjulia-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Small Wallet Big Appetite</a></div>
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Peach Tarte Tatin by <a href="http://thatskinnychickcanbake.blogspot.com/2012/08/peach-tarte-tatinsundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</a></div>
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Cinnamon Toast Flan by <a href="http://vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/08/cinnamon-toast-bread-pudding.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen Notes</a></div>
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Dark Chocolate Crepes by<a href="http://familyspice.com/dark-chocolate-crepes-with-blueberry-cream-for-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Family Spice</a></div>
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Crepes Fines Sucrees by <a href="http://mangoesandchutney.com/2012/08/crepes-fines-sucrees.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mangoes and Chutney</a></div>
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Pommes Rosemarie:Apples Rosie <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/pommes-rosemarie-apples-rosie-sundaysupper-cookforjulia/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> The Daily Dish Recipes</a></div>
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Espresso Soufflé by <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/08/05/espresso-souffle/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chocolate Moosey</a></div>
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Best Ever Brownies by<a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/08/best-ever-brownies-cookforjulia.html#.UB5bqE1lT8Y" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> In the Kitchen with Audrey</a></div>
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Orange-Almond Jelly Roll Cake by <a href="http://mrsmamahen.blogspot.com/2012/08/orange-almond-jelly-roll-cake.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mrs. Mama Hen</a></div>
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Orange Spongecake Cupcakes by <a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/2012/08/05/cookingforjulia-sundaysupper-orange-spongecake-cupcake/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mama’s Blissful Bites</a></div>
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Orange Mousse with Greek Yogurt by <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/08/05/orange-mousse-with-greek-yogurt-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></div>
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Frozen Chocolate Mousse by <a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/08/frozen-chocolate-mousse-sundaysupper.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Big Bear’s Wife</a></div>
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Wine Pairings: Relishing Food and Wine; Thanks to Julia Child! by<a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/08/05/relishing-food-and-wine-thanks-to-julia-child-cookforjulia-sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> ENOFYLZ</a></div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-79431116685410580272012-08-01T00:27:00.001-05:002012-08-06T23:11:35.925-05:00Chinese Soup — 中国汤<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
I'm not really sure if I understand what makes a soup truly "Chinese."<br />
<br />
Is it just the ingredients put into it?<br />
<br />
Or more the philosophy behind it?<br />
<br />
Do Chinese people ever get in a hurry and just make soup on the fly out of whatever's on hand?<br />
<br />
Or is it always a slow-simmered yin-yang affair?<br />
<br />
Would they be adverse to a pre-made broth, as long as it was a homemade broth of the slow-simmered variety?<br />
<br />
Or is that idea too Western to be authentic?<br />
<br />
I've always got a few jars of slow-cooked stock in my freezer. There's some in quart jars for soup and some in pint jars for sauces. They're perfect when I have run into a challenging week. And this, my friends, has indeed been one of those weeks.<br />
<br />
I've been moving furniture since last week. Then on Sunday, a few wonderful people came over to help me get rid of my carpet. The previous owners, you see, had cats and I'm allergic to cats. And I was allergic to the carpet those cats had left behind. But now the carpet is gone and things are much better for me and that little thing called breathing.<br />
<br />
But, I've still got boxes and furniture stacked to the ceiling of my dining room. And my clothes are hanging in the bathroom whilst I patiently await floor refinishing and painted walls. The arrangement is OK. The stuff I have to have I can get to for now. But it's a bit like living in some sort of weird hotel with no room service. I feel like I should order a pizza and eat on the floor, not cook in the kitchen.<br />
<br />
So when I glanced at the fridge this week and started thinking of what to make for my lunches, I was really looking for something simple. Something easy.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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Soup came to mind.<br />
<br />
There was one fish left from my free fish feast. And I had some leftover picnic ham from feeding my volunteers. That sounded like the start of good soup, to my western mind anyway. So I started reading about Chinese soups.<br />
<br />
I didn't get very far in my reading before I felt a bit like Alice lost in Wonderland.<br />
<br />
中国汤 or in pinyin, zhong guó táng, are deceptively simple. (Say it something like this: jong (flat tone) gwah? tahng?)<br />
<br />
The Chinese think of soup like medicine, and there are actually restaurants where you visit the doctor first for a soup prescription. Ingredients are precisely measured and sometimes must even be cooked for a precise amount of time and consumed at certain times of the day.<br />
<br />
So while the Chinese soups look very simple and elegant, there's more to them than meets the eye.<br />
<br />
The books describe warming (yang) and cooling (yin) ingredients that cancel each other out to make the overall soup neutral, and thus healing. Pork is neutral, and ginger warming. Chicken, mutton and beef are all warming. But duck, frog and rabbit are all cooling.<br />
<br />
Cabbage and cauliflower? Cooling.<br />
<br />
Garlic? Definitely warming.<br />
<br />
But what was fish?<br />
<br />
The books I have didn't say! I had no clue. And Auntie Google was not much help.<br />
<br />
And then, not only the warming, the cooling and the neutral but there are also ingredients with humidity. Corn for example. Oysters, shrimp, mangoes and coconut, too. Those are neutralized with things like potatoes, carrots, apples, milk or honey.<br />
<br />
If these things are not balanced, the yin will be out of sorts with the yang, and nobody wants that. Especially not after they've played in sinus-wrecking dust all day!<br />
<br />
My head was hurting by now. The art and science of Chinese soups has developed over thousands of years. No way was I going to learn such a complicated system in one afternoon. So I adjourned my consideration of the science of Chinese soups to some ma po doufu instead at a favorite Chinese Restaurant, First Wok.<br />
<br />
Ma po is a very tasty Szechuan dish that is as easy to make as it is spicy, and I love eating it. Especially when I've got a sinus headache. Clears things right up. We will definitely visit the topic of Ma po soon, but for now I decided to just put away all the book stuff and do what I like to do best when I'm in the kitchen. Play with ingredients until I find something that tastes great.<br />
<br />
So my apologies to the experts out there on Chinese soup. They may rightly feel that this soup is too warming or too cooling, too dry or too humid. It does have a super tasty Maylaysian style broth, but may not be an authentic Chinese soup.<br />
<br />
I'll keep reading about Chinese soups, but in the meantime, I like to think this little venture was still in the spirit of things.<br />
<br />
It's a pot of good health, made of things on hand, combined in a way that's very pleasing to the palate and I think healthful to the stomach. Not only that, but it was uplifting to my spirits after a difficult week. I hope it will be for yours as well.<br />
<br />
Bon apetit!<br />
<br />
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</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>One Fish Mostly Ham </b><b>Soup</b></h2>
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In a large soup pot put:</div>
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<i>one quart of homemade concentrated broth</i></div>
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<i>one quart water</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTK1euTyzMfuEW2bIMuQR5Ui15fJPH89EqOXvNrxZ416j1B2oZL4nl0uZaVssn7T99avpbqRySNnhiYtl0u9gbp6LxKje1zYYF49Ew5uafQl-Tgypqb7weVVFkOhVmtmxoQgeAd6oLETU/s1600/IMG_4419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTK1euTyzMfuEW2bIMuQR5Ui15fJPH89EqOXvNrxZ416j1B2oZL4nl0uZaVssn7T99avpbqRySNnhiYtl0u9gbp6LxKje1zYYF49Ew5uafQl-Tgypqb7weVVFkOhVmtmxoQgeAd6oLETU/s200/IMG_4419.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One essential ingredient in a Chinese soup<br />
is slow simmered homemade broth.<br />
Make it on a slow Saturday, <br />
freeze for a fast week.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFrOAFRWEs13Q9hjffBlORfGu2NSRTfaEuecKoxSPb6FpXNqzHS-cyCKcx-CLakPQ9GqXDCCC9PPui-q3tvJqUB88_ACOHXuGaibWPD-es7LCyS1LekLCeswvjJ0iAnq-kJKQ4rXqpygs/s1600/IMG_4529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">Add:</span></a></div>
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<i>leftover ginger-sherry steamed fish ~ 4 oz</i></div>
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<i>leftover picnic ham diced ~8 oz</i></div>
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<i>Handful dried black mushrooms</i></div>
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<i>2 or 3 cinnamon sticks</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp or so of cardamon</i></div>
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<i>5 cloves</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ilyi4ZnAXAfWCmuadZ0FdDehop7ZpWGqTVhGRxwZSdFNjwXHw3nGWEbu_ML9QuohPrkWLJLyPx2yb8WjGaU_TKvcs2GOsCysRM1LdH5FWurS6Lvw6v_5hRAYt2fVqBUyJrsAZObyHZoZ/s1600/IMG_4498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ilyi4ZnAXAfWCmuadZ0FdDehop7ZpWGqTVhGRxwZSdFNjwXHw3nGWEbu_ML9QuohPrkWLJLyPx2yb8WjGaU_TKvcs2GOsCysRM1LdH5FWurS6Lvw6v_5hRAYt2fVqBUyJrsAZObyHZoZ/s200/IMG_4498.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Bring this to a boil for about 20 minutes so the mushrooms have time to reconstitute and the spices have time to blend. To this add:</div>
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<i>1 can baby corn</i></div>
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<i>1 green pepper chopped</i></div>
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<i>one-quarter red onion sliced</i><br />
<i>1 sprig basil</i></div>
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Continue cooking until the green peppers just begin to change but remain bright green.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFrOAFRWEs13Q9hjffBlORfGu2NSRTfaEuecKoxSPb6FpXNqzHS-cyCKcx-CLakPQ9GqXDCCC9PPui-q3tvJqUB88_ACOHXuGaibWPD-es7LCyS1LekLCeswvjJ0iAnq-kJKQ4rXqpygs/s1600/IMG_4529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFrOAFRWEs13Q9hjffBlORfGu2NSRTfaEuecKoxSPb6FpXNqzHS-cyCKcx-CLakPQ9GqXDCCC9PPui-q3tvJqUB88_ACOHXuGaibWPD-es7LCyS1LekLCeswvjJ0iAnq-kJKQ4rXqpygs/s200/IMG_4529.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
Add the rice noodles and boil another minute or so until they are done. Serve in a favorite large bowl and garnish with more basil.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dnOEkwe64RTXWb10CON8cZny7Jros3-lGK8y6RIWEOrAqe-cA_Nr1jenn3lb9ahqrEDkNwToCC1RKp4_Y-TSyzCMlwvxo1pII5giMMoQ6rYqDGczjgk_KphZPMHORgl591sUZ6qbCI12/s1600/IMG_4544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dnOEkwe64RTXWb10CON8cZny7Jros3-lGK8y6RIWEOrAqe-cA_Nr1jenn3lb9ahqrEDkNwToCC1RKp4_Y-TSyzCMlwvxo1pII5giMMoQ6rYqDGczjgk_KphZPMHORgl591sUZ6qbCI12/s200/IMG_4544.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Oh, and I did eat this bowl with a spot of pan-fried taters on the side. After all. There could be too much humidity in those little baby corns. And we wouldn't want that, now would we? :)<br />
<br />
Have a great week everyone!</div>
</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-32622610453161408392012-07-23T22:29:00.002-05:002012-08-01T17:45:59.597-05:00The Feast of the Free Fishes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX6jJKuwF2jbVDpEeo1xuffzmfEuCGz74V_9X6OeWkkSrtQ18PROvhGYKeNhpt-sr6l6_SbuodI3Bvp7uhvm5afI7KnlqFDkTfSBDf8F0XYdi4VYvF8pWZnjfQzSpwJg6mYPEcnfqz6z_/s1600/fishincelery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX6jJKuwF2jbVDpEeo1xuffzmfEuCGz74V_9X6OeWkkSrtQ18PROvhGYKeNhpt-sr6l6_SbuodI3Bvp7uhvm5afI7KnlqFDkTfSBDf8F0XYdi4VYvF8pWZnjfQzSpwJg6mYPEcnfqz6z_/s320/fishincelery2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients <br />
3 Free fish<br />
1/4 cup soy sauce<br />
2 T sherry<br />
1 inch pc fresh ginger minced<br />
mountain of celery leaves</td></tr>
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<br />
Once upon a month, I run up to a little Asian market on Olive Boulevard in St. Louis for a month's worth of cooking ingredients for my Asian cooking adventures.<br />
<br />
I say that it's little, but this market is not really that little. It's actually closer to the size of a super Walmart, and it's stuffed full of just about every imaginable ingredient. You can find chicken feet. You can buy all manner of fresh fish. You can find eels and a thousand varieties of tea. One time I thought they didn't have something I wanted, but then a store manager took me right to it.<br />
<br />
There is, I will warn you, an odd smell when you walk in the door. I don't know what it is. But if you can get past that intimidating smell, there's a whole new realm of new and exotic cooking ingredients awaiting exploration. I say realm, because there is such a kingly amount of ingredients — but the prices won't set the peasants back too much either.<br />
<br />
Last trip, the fresh produce aisle sported my favorite bing cherries for 99 cents a pound, and a large bunch of what looked to be organic green onions for only 99 cents! Closer to home I'd have paid $2.99 a pound for the cherries and $1.99 for the green onions. These weren't on my list, but I know a good deal when I see one, and the cherries were delicious!<br />
<br />
I don't know that this is the "best" Asian supermarket in all of St. Louis. But it is right across from the King Wonton tea house where I had my first steamed pork bun, so it's earned a soft spot in my heart. It's definitely worth a stop at both places if you're looking for a little adventure at reasonable expense, but if you go, you absolutely must stop at the teahouse for steamed buns. I insist.<br />
<br />
On the way home last time, I stopped off at a gas station to refill my tank and whilst rearranging my bags, I felt something cold among the double dark soy sauce and chrysanthemum tea. Something cold and ... squishy.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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Now I didn't buy anything perishable this time ... so what could that be in my bags? That cold squishy stuff!? I was a little apprehensive, but opened the bag quickly. There, shining like dull silver, were three fresh fish! They were cleaned and ready to be cooked.<br />
<br />
I don't know how they landed in my groceries exactly. I had a lot of things, but the person ahead of me only had two bags. Unfortunately for that person, he left one of those bags, I guess. St. Louis was by then too far for me to turn back.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtM4CivopeqIlJW52hSleBH7T7_yEJ-Bi5YGYG5bbBptrYf3mx9nnYxu1lv5ayeaXvtJCrUsywHElsSyGUAnTDe5F8KxuaIYaPjp-jVmwj3uWBWX4wnJ9nWyZd8CU3L9QdjprkiSO-Nak/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtM4CivopeqIlJW52hSleBH7T7_yEJ-Bi5YGYG5bbBptrYf3mx9nnYxu1lv5ayeaXvtJCrUsywHElsSyGUAnTDe5F8KxuaIYaPjp-jVmwj3uWBWX4wnJ9nWyZd8CU3L9QdjprkiSO-Nak/s200/IMG_1020.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone know what these are?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had no idea what the fish were, and the package just said fresh fish. But that's the beauty of the recipe I'm about to share. You don't even need to know what kind of fish you have. This recipe works with any fish. It nullifies that fishy taste so many people dislike in, well, fish, and gives it a delicate savory flavor that's hard to describe, but very delicious.<br />
<br />
This is a steamed recipe, very moderate in fat, and only takes about 20 to 25 minutes on the burner. If you don't have a bamboo steamer, no problem. Just place a metal strainer above a pot. This will do just as well.<br />
<br />
I initially found this procedure described in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688075894/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mykiani-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0688075894">The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome</a>. He didn't really give the dish a name, but I am sure you can guess what I will call it from now on! With apologies to that unfortunate shopper, of course.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><b>Feast of the Free Fish</b></span><br />
Cut a one-inch-piece of ginger, peel and pound the piece with a meat mallot to a nice fine mince. No need to be too gentle with it. The crushing releases the flavor, and it's good therapy, too, so swing away! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehLNtaOPbyFwaYMOxINzdYktx4EPvmYNZkOBUrq_nop_WVti11cxbBNnm0Ju-Uqx6fWT7XUbPHtIm2V_BRDSS2_f7camjy6-g0QvLd_o10glfowp2J5UOUC7ZN9qQ2TudMpH7DKZvPDLi/s1600/minced+ginger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehLNtaOPbyFwaYMOxINzdYktx4EPvmYNZkOBUrq_nop_WVti11cxbBNnm0Ju-Uqx6fWT7XUbPHtIm2V_BRDSS2_f7camjy6-g0QvLd_o10glfowp2J5UOUC7ZN9qQ2TudMpH7DKZvPDLi/s200/minced+ginger.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Place the ginger in a large size ziplock baggy along with your 3 free fish</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-RupXCWjVkrenOIBr0TqXFbE-AMx_bVDATMTownFOCtSnSDyLdCPgxUZOi8Sz3I3wTX48lK_DgHf6Sp1JHu6odBd9AeloOpyQL1I_415Z02Rn9B71inlkeFVkZRUyV-BJlj17SEzzaJH/s1600/fish+in+a+ziplock+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-RupXCWjVkrenOIBr0TqXFbE-AMx_bVDATMTownFOCtSnSDyLdCPgxUZOi8Sz3I3wTX48lK_DgHf6Sp1JHu6odBd9AeloOpyQL1I_415Z02Rn9B71inlkeFVkZRUyV-BJlj17SEzzaJH/s200/fish+in+a+ziplock+bag.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Add 1/4 cup or so of soy sauce and 2 T of Sherry and press the air out of the bag. Marinate these fish for 20 minutes or so.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWihCMPHJzcOztuO9xCW01NYB_RggvPyQ8njOBpbAZ6pY8fUEWMdGQPT-Z8DBS0cD7GVvOQ5BgOmm5VoiZxW8dsBY3ND5diVIErvNc8B9Vt05GomnDN56rahBd5WvWJQY_F9jC56-cQ6Ql/s1600/fish+w+marinade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWihCMPHJzcOztuO9xCW01NYB_RggvPyQ8njOBpbAZ6pY8fUEWMdGQPT-Z8DBS0cD7GVvOQ5BgOmm5VoiZxW8dsBY3ND5diVIErvNc8B9Vt05GomnDN56rahBd5WvWJQY_F9jC56-cQ6Ql/s200/fish+w+marinade.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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While the fish are marinating tear the leaves from a bunch of celery. You want a small mountain of good green stuff, so tear all the leaves off. Spare none of them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhauTdvkAfIoyV9Srk_D9-M0b9M81vFQ3kYkXOPhPFHQGpeykpZCf_FHgFpcxJ_yiIBZ2DRSbiI2sF4DKVMp-nzCkTu9zeev3f5FJtEg5RPHQAs1fnUEfyfy65eaCRuu0uGVEEozoALJl/s1600/mountain+o+celery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhauTdvkAfIoyV9Srk_D9-M0b9M81vFQ3kYkXOPhPFHQGpeykpZCf_FHgFpcxJ_yiIBZ2DRSbiI2sF4DKVMp-nzCkTu9zeev3f5FJtEg5RPHQAs1fnUEfyfy65eaCRuu0uGVEEozoALJl/s200/mountain+o+celery.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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After the fish are done marinating, stuff the fish full of celery leaves. Yes, I mean to the gills. :) </div>
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<br />
A bamboo steamer is probably ideal for this but guess what, I don't have one, and I bet you don't either. No problem. We improvise. A simple metal strainer will work just fine. Place it over a saucepan with about an inch of water in the bottom. Not so high that water touches the strainer, but enough so you don't run out. (On the other hand if you do run out, no big deal. Just add more water.)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Now add the three free fish to your improvised steaming contraption.<br />
You can kind of bend the tails so they fit just right.</div>
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Now cover the mess with a lid. Yes there will be some openings. Steam will escape, and that's perfectly fine.<br />
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Steam the fish 8 to 10 minutes until just before done. You want them to be a little tender, but not falling apart yet. Gently transfer the fish to an iron skillet and arrange the remaining celery over and around the fish.<br />
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Add a shot of sherry, a shot of chicken broth, and a little more minced ginger, maybe some salt and a favorite pepper. Finish cooking the fish over the bed of celery for about 10 minutes until it is all tender and good. Serve over a nice plate of rice. I stewed mine with a little bow of seaweed that I found at the market in some aisle where I found twenty million different kinds of seaweed but no nori. It's cute no? Tasty too. :)<br />
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If you're having a party to share your free fish with others, the Frugal Gourmet mentions finishing these in a fish-shaped pan over a burner right at the table. I like the idea. Sounds bold and fun. Nice presentation. Good conversation starter. Easy to do. It'd be a great idea for a party. But I was just making lunch, so I finished mine over the stove. The boring way.<br />
<br />
But then I stuffed one-half of one fish into a little box with some togarashi seasoned rice and some of those fresh, found cherries from the market for a lunch that was anything but boring! Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37Jn6mUJBaJZ0g8Xr43lbIK4EnN6yxxtODlnsipD0uBSIs21LJef8WcKvVBSMSqfrFEBrUICeb41o2PYMLMz-AJ2wYMB5vBP3rFCIc_g119i7POKhpTq62nzY-GfmA8e5nu_dSfvNZgcP/s1600/my+nice+lunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37Jn6mUJBaJZ0g8Xr43lbIK4EnN6yxxtODlnsipD0uBSIs21LJef8WcKvVBSMSqfrFEBrUICeb41o2PYMLMz-AJ2wYMB5vBP3rFCIc_g119i7POKhpTq62nzY-GfmA8e5nu_dSfvNZgcP/s320/my+nice+lunch.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite part of cooking adventures. A lunch that's<br />
worth talking about at the office. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-45306954235790664782012-07-15T03:35:00.001-05:002012-07-25T07:41:05.762-05:00Totally Cool Green Hummus & beef satay #sundaysupper beat-the-heat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Now I know this is not a very Asian dish. Forgive me, please. But I was having my very own personal Iron Chef moment. It was the end of the month, and just about everything was running low. I didn't even have any soy sauce!<br />
<br />
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All I could find in the pantry for protein were some lentils I'd bought last year and never did anything with. And in the freezer there was some asparagus and a bit of feta cheese.<br />
<br />
I started out making a lentil salad. It didn't thrill me. But I couldn't let it go to waste, either. I have a rule since coming back from Haiti, and I just can't help it. It may not make any difference whatsoever, but food in my kitchen doesn't go to waste if I can help it. No matter what!<br />
<br />
Putting away the dishes, dusting, finishing the laundry, it seemed as if I were doomed to another lentil salad the next night. Then, as I trudged to the kitchen, a lightning bolt struck.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Why couldn't I make hummus out of lentils? It would be uh, green, but did that really matter?<br />
<br />
Now my neighbor walking by with her dog thought this dish looked ... interesting. And I'll admit I figured this was another one-shot deal. But I was totally wrong. This hummus was really really good! After my last lunch dollop was finally gone, I found myself craving another batch. I changed up the ingredients a bit, and that was even better.<br />
<br />
This was a keeper. This was lunch worthy. This was party worthy. Heck yeah, it was even blog worthy.<br />
<br />
This is a great beat-the-heat recipe for summer. One pot and 20 minutes is all the heat you need for a week's worth of light lunches. As an appetizer, it has good presentation, and it's a conversation starter. It's moderate in fat, high in fiber, has many vitamins and minerals — but unlike most dishes you can say that about, this one actually tastes great!<br />
<br />
Lentils, I have decided, level the hummus playing field. Hummus lovers will try it. I's a new twist on a beloved theme. But hummus haters will give it a whirl, too, because there is no beany taste to contend with here. Lentils are a legume that have an earthy flavor all their own.<br />
<br />
For this post, I've paired the hummus with a little beef satay, so you're getting a double decker this week. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmGVGDbRCez7-yaFun-Q8MRiwjiOaK41HDjOn3aDWNbl93qDkwDlBYyNJzbj8avyol2GCnI1Yh3SytDrHrHZSzw7IgMvHX-ozA-esPAumvEJWzSpCCaPVW4jHgKUMaoq8AbhV8BiDQfji/s1600/IMG_2768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmGVGDbRCez7-yaFun-Q8MRiwjiOaK41HDjOn3aDWNbl93qDkwDlBYyNJzbj8avyol2GCnI1Yh3SytDrHrHZSzw7IgMvHX-ozA-esPAumvEJWzSpCCaPVW4jHgKUMaoq8AbhV8BiDQfji/s200/IMG_2768.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Ingredients: Lentils, dill, olive oil,<br />
feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice,<br />
spinach, salt, pepper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Totally Cool Green Hummus</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>my beat-the-heat #sundaysupper lunch</i></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">In a medium-sized sauce pan cook:</span></h2>
<i>1 1/2 cups of dried lentils </i><br />
<br />
with as much water as directed on the package.<br />
<br />
Add to the pot:<br />
<br />
<i>1 10 oz box of chopped spinach, drained</i><br />
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When the lentils are soft and the water is all absorbed, take the pot off the fire and let the ingredients cool. Mix into the pot according to your tastes:<br />
<br />
<i>1 5 oz tub of feta cheese</i><br />
<i>2 to 5 T olive oil (ie to taste)</i><br />
<i>1/3 to 2/3 cup lemon juice </i><br />
<i>1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh dill </i><br />
<i>2 or 3 cloves crushed garlic</i><br />
<i>salt and pepper to taste</i><br />
<br />
Puree this mixture in small batches until it is smooth and creamy and uniformly green.<br />
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<br />
I use a lot less olive oil than most folks might for hummus, and a lot of dill and lemon, so adjust as needed for your taste. Dress it up with a green pepper smiley face for the kids. Or your own inner child. Whichever excuse you're most willing to admit to. :)<br />
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<br />
And now about that satay ...<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I decided to pair the latest batch of hummus with a little satay to Asian things up a bit, which makes for a really elegant patio style lunch, but I also have a secret reason for it. One all recipe planners need to know.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Iron in vegetarian sources like spinach or lentils is non-heme and doesn't really absorb all that well. You'll get maybe 2 to 13 percent of a vegetarian sourced iron. But by pairing your non-heme iron with just a dab of a heme source such as in satay, you substantially increase the iron absorbed.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim180TeJzX8XVapJElJJ_2Mn8q2NgxaZ2b5qU2DUNr3KW9tOHEFxr7IqGRXtZVAfZbmHefA8rll2lOK0dX5LNpe_TuMuQ9yQI5ZWClsfvoy0CsAMPuSOrI0j9Dx-KcsXYEfNQRKCa52fwh/s1600/IMG_3076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim180TeJzX8XVapJElJJ_2Mn8q2NgxaZ2b5qU2DUNr3KW9tOHEFxr7IqGRXtZVAfZbmHefA8rll2lOK0dX5LNpe_TuMuQ9yQI5ZWClsfvoy0CsAMPuSOrI0j9Dx-KcsXYEfNQRKCa52fwh/s200/IMG_3076.JPG" width="200" /></a>You can find satay recipes all over Asia, and they run the gamut, with all sorts of ingredients and instructions, most of which sound wonderful. But if you want the true masters of the art, go for something Indonesian.<br />
<br />
Indonesia has so many wonderful versions of satay, you could easily devote an entire cookbook to them. The idea for satay may have originated in the Middle East, but Indonesia took it and made it into an art all their own.<br />
<br />
Many of the Indonesian recipes call for galangal. It looks a bit like ginger. But doesn't really taste like it. And I didn't have any for my impromptu efforts. Nor was I sure how well it would go with Mediterranean flavors ...<br />
<br />
Another thing I learned from reading my scattered Asian cookbooks is that satay doesn't refer to peanuts at all.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGU10t2n6a7J7NsABfYwdNPK4D0pytMWYsy-baO2i7C5XoJLSsS4fVcmXyGNgTFfHL1yH_uBTFc79Bhv7xra6USOfOZu8bUnmRfmn2d6HHKBfvzbAPkj8-RdpXGbto2TsVI0yjJQ75kq2A/s1600/IMG_2971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGU10t2n6a7J7NsABfYwdNPK4D0pytMWYsy-baO2i7C5XoJLSsS4fVcmXyGNgTFfHL1yH_uBTFc79Bhv7xra6USOfOZu8bUnmRfmn2d6HHKBfvzbAPkj8-RdpXGbto2TsVI0yjJQ75kq2A/s200/IMG_2971.JPG" width="200" /></a>In America, satay usually presents with a peanut sauce and we have all learned to associate the name with that. But the word actually refers to sticking meat with a sharp pointy object. So any marinated meat threaded on a skewer and barbecued to perfection is satay, regardless of peanut sauce.<br />
<br />
With those things in mind, I decided to keep my hummus satay very simple and just use what I have begun to think lightheartedly of as the Magic Cloak of the Holy Trinity.<br />
<br />
The Holy Trinity is the ginger, garlic and green onion. The Magic Cloak is the soy sauce and sesame oil.<br />
<br />
As a marinade, I will tell you this goes with almost any meat and almost any recipe. It blends in without being noticed, yet improves the overall flavor. Now that's some holy kitchen magic if you ask me!<br />
<br />
Give it a try. You'll be amazed at how simply good this marinade really is.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxEAwjB1nvQLaC4uBavJy-eiKoMOXoLztbn63XvEGVjAKTuDWvWrFr853Tti5QmfFKk8xLvsBQEp3-6SjLJIRn8roYVqH_EezcFX68n0EwmmPz3oFQrMo27iatWLNy9qqkzRqHNL_jhz4/s1600/IMG_3105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxEAwjB1nvQLaC4uBavJy-eiKoMOXoLztbn63XvEGVjAKTuDWvWrFr853Tti5QmfFKk8xLvsBQEp3-6SjLJIRn8roYVqH_EezcFX68n0EwmmPz3oFQrMo27iatWLNy9qqkzRqHNL_jhz4/s200/IMG_3105.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Beef Satay</span><br />
Into thin squares about one inch wide slice:<br />
<br />
<i><br />1 partially frozen beef steak</i><br />
<br />
Place the slices in a ziplock baggie and pour over it:<br />
<br />
<i>1/4 cup or so of soy sauce</i><br />
<i>1 tsp or so sesame oil</i><br />
<i>1 or 2 T chopped green onion</i><br />
<br />
Close up the bag, pressing the air out, and marinate for 15 minutes. Thread the beef on skewers and grill them on the barbecue grill or on the stove in an iron skillet for 1 to 2 minutes each side, until they are as done as you like. Serve each salad with one or two skewers, for a very cool summer dish.<br />
<br />
And if your neighbor walking by thinks that green hummus is just a little bit odd, well, hey, that's Totally Cool. That way, you don't even have to share!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yLMMpGgR2N61_rc0eI2OjA5020SdB69rRsrUgJaO8U0dEQ_Yn6nV37q5uhijRZaKf82KMVZeCmmkRlbWlmpiZdKFnaxJFN8FNjznaWpH0z6l1hjOJi4YpLpyw1Ug2MLAUL8Gzfgl0PTN/s1600/IMG_3183+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yLMMpGgR2N61_rc0eI2OjA5020SdB69rRsrUgJaO8U0dEQ_Yn6nV37q5uhijRZaKf82KMVZeCmmkRlbWlmpiZdKFnaxJFN8FNjznaWpH0z6l1hjOJi4YpLpyw1Ug2MLAUL8Gzfgl0PTN/s320/IMG_3183+-+Version+2.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
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Wine recommendation</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><em><strong>2011 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé</strong> from South Africa<br />by <a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/07/15/beat-the-heat-sundaysupper-wine-pairings-for-cool-food/#comment-1821" target="_blank">enofylzwineblog.com</a></em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i>Thanks for visiting My Kitchen and I. For more great beat-the-heat recipe check out these other great #Sundaysupper recipes!</i></div>
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<i><strong>#BeatTheHeat Appetizers:</strong></i></div>
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<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Grilled Loaded Baked Potato Skins ~ <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with KP</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Sweet & Tangy Chili Lime Fruit Salad ~ <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></i></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><strong>#BeatTheHeat Salads, Soups, & Sides:</strong></i></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Cool Cucumber Salad ~ <a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Momma’s Meals</a></i></li>
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<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Cold Cucumber and Orzo Salad ~ <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mama.Mommy.Mom</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Chilly Dilly Cucumber Soup with Shrimp ~ <a href="http://www.patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Comfy Cuisine</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Mom’s Creamy Pea Salad ~ <a href="http://bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Greek (Yogurt) Potato Salad ~ <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Family Foodie</a></i></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><strong>#BeatTheHeat Main Dishes:</strong></i></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><strong></strong>Rainbow Slaw with Steak and Chipotle Crema ~ <a href="http://cbsop.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cooking By The Seat of our Pants</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken ~ <a href="http://www.makedinnereasy.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Make Dinner Easy</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Rolling with Kimbap ~ <a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Kimchi Mom</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Ranch Chicken Tacos ~ <a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Serrano Ham, Mozzarella and Arugula Sandwiches ~ <a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen Notes</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Asian Veggie Lettuce Wraps ~ <a href="http://thelemonbowl.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Lemon Bowl</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork ~ <a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cupcakes and Kale Chips</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>No Bake Pizza ~ <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Meltaways</a></i></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><strong>#BeatTheHeat Desserts:</strong></i></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><strong></strong>Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://www.supperforasteal.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Supper for a Steal</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>No-Cook Egg-Free Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chocolate Moosey</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Peach Sorbet ~ <a href="http://magnoliadays.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Magnolia Days</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">No One Likes Crumbley Cookies</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Icebox Chocolate Pie ~ <a href="http://www.doggieatthedinnertable.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Doggie at the Dinner Table</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Honey and Elderflower Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Small Wallet Big Appetite</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Blackberry Lavender Popsicles ~ <a href="http://www.girlichef.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Girlichef</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Frozen Chocolate Bananas ~ <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with Audrey</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Strawberry-Lime Margarita Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://www.cookistry.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cookistry</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Elegant Fruit Jellies ~ <a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Happy Baking Days</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches ~ <a href="http://thatskinnychickcanbake.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://bakerstreet.tv/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Baker Street</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Vanilla Peach Swirl Frozen Yogurt ~ <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Espresso and Toasted Almond Semifreddo ~ <a href="http://themessybakerblog.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Messy Baker</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Mango Ice Cream ~ <a href="http://www.queensnotebook.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Queen’s Notebook</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Raspberry Mousse ~ <a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Basic and Delicious</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>White Apricot & Honeysuckle Sorbet ~ <a href="http://familyspice.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Family Spice</a></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Biscoff Ice Cream Cupcakes ~ <a href="http://jcocina.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Juanita’s Cocina</a></i></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<i><strong>#BeatTheHeat Drinks & Cocktails:</strong></i></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://jcocina.com/wp-content/themes/JuanitasCocina2/images/postbullets.png); background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #686f0c; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><strong></strong>Shirley Temple ~ <a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/" style="color: #c20003; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cravings of a Lunatic</a></i></li>
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<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-57199068014591431152012-07-10T00:09:00.001-05:002012-07-17T16:47:08.937-05:00Chinese tea eggs 茶叶蛋 -- great breakfast for on the go<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ5P75JtXGNVNqafk3iKKiuA-6kLRXMaE7Kjo1rGWpQo5oXp2_S2SPXqiITX4tGDcWarXd5ZmOKCpPLoJJZZh6YZT_N50mHV80Y_eCDlpYokAosc05V-Vz2wFSapCC1FrwKPkUseOn4uQ/s1600/IMG_1213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ5P75JtXGNVNqafk3iKKiuA-6kLRXMaE7Kjo1rGWpQo5oXp2_S2SPXqiITX4tGDcWarXd5ZmOKCpPLoJJZZh6YZT_N50mHV80Y_eCDlpYokAosc05V-Vz2wFSapCC1FrwKPkUseOn4uQ/s320/IMG_1213.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great beat-the-heat recipe because you can cook an<br />
entire week's worth of breakfasts in one pot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first place I found these little gems mentioned, I thought the recipe book referred to them as Japanese tea eggs, but a friend from Japan says he never heard of these before.<br />
<br />
Then I saw eggs just like them in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3833148942/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3833148942&linkCode=as2&tag=mykiani-20" target="_blank">Culinaria Southeast Asia: A Journey Through Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia</a>. They were called cháyè dàn (茶叶蛋 ), pronounced chah-yay dan where the marks represent rising or descending tone respectively. You could think of it like saying chah? yay! dan!<br />
<br />
The Chinese tea eggs were prepared exactly the same way as the other cookbook had specified. So I think these really are Chinese. Not Japanese, as I had been thinking all this time.<br />
<br />
In any case, these marble eggs have become my go-to summer breakfast. They look very elegant no? But they are so seriously simple, a child could make them. And they are a great beat-the-heat recipe. You can cook an entire week's worth of breakfast in one pot in just 20 minutes! They are Super fast! Super easy! What's not to like?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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These will pair very well with the steamed pork buns in my previous post. Just add some fresh fruit in season to complete the meal. That'd be blueberries right now. And that's exactly what I had for breakfast the day I made these eggs. Enjoy :)<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq4sBOmrUZrOn2nukBsW5RuDSe1Dv85ekjMQR5BXezs8q-hRQqI1BN_mDms7-gCNnImgx_Bfz6Xm0xySVYOUj0Qk4dvj-NUurPxQu3dbi4TSqNBlpKlpxdhkB-bsj3bdQo-GEh3t5ku0a/s1600/IMG_2917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq4sBOmrUZrOn2nukBsW5RuDSe1Dv85ekjMQR5BXezs8q-hRQqI1BN_mDms7-gCNnImgx_Bfz6Xm0xySVYOUj0Qk4dvj-NUurPxQu3dbi4TSqNBlpKlpxdhkB-bsj3bdQo-GEh3t5ku0a/s200/IMG_2917.JPG" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients: eggs, soy sauce,<br />
star of anise, black tea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px;">Tea eggs</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>茶叶蛋 </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i>cháyè dàn</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In a medium-sized sauce pan place:</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>5 to 10 eggs</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>water to cover</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Boil about 20 minutes. The last three minutes add:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>3 black tea bags </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>four or five star of anise </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>1 tablespoon of soy sauce</i></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjZ1n0ULBDhwacAZUJAyFXU2pP7HkUPlRFATiIedKzVYorbmTrWWD7FG-7ypQSoi_JjkyI2ffZTdwtpzQK33RH4AkvYTeE8iwiw0eg0XG2t9yhWG4uzDrrhPINUR5r3PECAkrdfb8I6iX/s1600/IMG_3154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjZ1n0ULBDhwacAZUJAyFXU2pP7HkUPlRFATiIedKzVYorbmTrWWD7FG-7ypQSoi_JjkyI2ffZTdwtpzQK33RH4AkvYTeE8iwiw0eg0XG2t9yhWG4uzDrrhPINUR5r3PECAkrdfb8I6iX/s200/IMG_3154.JPG" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cookbooks recommend<br />
simmering 3 or 4 hours<br />
but that puts a sulfur ring<br />
around the yolks. Instead<br />
I just steep them in the fridge<br />
two or three days before eating.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Remove the eggs from the pan after the 20 minutes are up and let them cool enough to handle.<br />
<br />
Crack them gently, leaving the shells on the egg. You'll have spider vein cracks all over the egg.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvmtteX7FoTfs8nN5AsIhKi1WqZiqhRGSaPbdSnvJ2kOZ1lbgSaxlXn7io5vNPWwWtl1FPWw6TnANYmOLF7m1_r2dNFdjdfsfwzuqK_vmvJt1e-BuGeoqAuzqAtDaFWuEkMOv7N6IvhxU/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvmtteX7FoTfs8nN5AsIhKi1WqZiqhRGSaPbdSnvJ2kOZ1lbgSaxlXn7io5vNPWwWtl1FPWw6TnANYmOLF7m1_r2dNFdjdfsfwzuqK_vmvJt1e-BuGeoqAuzqAtDaFWuEkMOv7N6IvhxU/s200/IMG_3157.JPG" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not gonna lie. Wantonly<br />
breaking all the eggs is fun. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Place the eggs back in the pan with the tea water and let them steep overnight. They will keep all week in the liquid, picking up more flavor each day.<br />
<br />
When you're ready for breakfast, you can simply peel and eat them ....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0WdIfR8R2YF2vRZ1W3Qjvyy_R44yNCzF0a56CWwAZUK18QRoDoQkIEk1LMRUKX3Ol47R0gh1xjCtF1FoOFpPGmUK5mQ5Mbo9hyMTM5mRrEnBmLzWQD3pKqGhohLpumMcMrHTOtG8h216/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0WdIfR8R2YF2vRZ1W3Qjvyy_R44yNCzF0a56CWwAZUK18QRoDoQkIEk1LMRUKX3Ol47R0gh1xjCtF1FoOFpPGmUK5mQ5Mbo9hyMTM5mRrEnBmLzWQD3pKqGhohLpumMcMrHTOtG8h216/s320/IMG_1227.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Or you can slice them up and sprinkle with some sesame seeds and a splash of sesame oil and soy sauce. You could even add sliced green onion and red pepper flakes if you're feeling feisty. Sometimes, I do.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlDSWvqR_2ypgtwXyv1RxeB4PZqL1DeqPBJoQPcPcbQZdbJFCnVNVIDdsQ7Dy8Ur9371Tkj476Q3naHBepAYsTpJH90nnreEVapMtL4cKiWtbmuUyffU3Kz47dqx2tMs-pAns9rzbgt7Z/s1600/IMG_1252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtlDSWvqR_2ypgtwXyv1RxeB4PZqL1DeqPBJoQPcPcbQZdbJFCnVNVIDdsQ7Dy8Ur9371Tkj476Q3naHBepAYsTpJH90nnreEVapMtL4cKiWtbmuUyffU3Kz47dqx2tMs-pAns9rzbgt7Z/s320/IMG_1252.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>
<br /></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-73403409531929998102012-07-01T21:44:00.001-05:002012-07-17T16:48:11.850-05:00Steamed Buns with BBQ pork -- perfect food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A little while back a friend took me to an authentic tea house in St. Louis, where I had my first steamed bun. It was love at first bite. These little beauties are called baozi (包子), pronounced like you're saying bow in bow-wow followed by zit without the "t."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs1EkTwY1VkrfnRqrL40OED84Fw_4H3Vs4d28IBCDtI634BC9mYQTLW-NoPP7k_oCmbhoaVnc_WJuiDqqdYOlEhw0jQxC2FYTfpQWK0lpKIb1IjUE4UQmAr3ja8vpdtx4K_ftR_hk70QK/s1600/IMG_1134+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs1EkTwY1VkrfnRqrL40OED84Fw_4H3Vs4d28IBCDtI634BC9mYQTLW-NoPP7k_oCmbhoaVnc_WJuiDqqdYOlEhw0jQxC2FYTfpQWK0lpKIb1IjUE4UQmAr3ja8vpdtx4K_ftR_hk70QK/s320/IMG_1134+-+Version+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamed buns take just 15 minutes on the <br />
stovetop and they're done. That makes <br />
them the perfect summer bread. They're also<br />
ideal for using up any little dab of leftover<br />
barbecue that isn't quite enough for a meal.<br />
Check below for more great barbecue<br />
ideas from the #letslunch bunch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The version I had were filled with a little barbecue pork, and they were Delicious. I have been craving them every day since eating the first one. So of course I had to learn to make them! Right away!<br />
<br />
Can you say addictive? These certainly are.<br />
<br />
I like them for breakfast. They're great with lunch, too. Why not have one for dinner? They'd make a nice little snack before bed. Gee, one more couldn't hurt, could it?<br />
<br />
What is that five buns already?<br />
<br />
I can't stop eating them!<br />
<br />
These are ideal for using up any dab of leftover barbecue that's not quite enough for a meal. They are also a good excuse to squirrel away a couple of ribs before dinner where no one but you can find them. Save everyone else's waistline right? Because, we're thoughtful like that.<br />
<br />
These buns will reheat well if you want to steam several at once, but the dough also keeps well for three to five days in the refrigerator or you can freeze them. That way you can steam a fresh bun any time you want. Although I warn you, that power may be dangerous to your waistline. These things are that good!<br />
<br />
The buns only take 15 minutes on the stovetop start to finish, which is why they are the perfect summer bread. There's no oven to preheat. It's just 15 minutes on the stovetop in a bamboo steamer and then a little round ball of blissful bread filled with a delicious barbecue is all yours.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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Bamboo steamers are very inexpensive and you can find them at any Asian market. They are really very simple and easy to use. You'll want to use a little lettuce or parchment paper so food doesn't stick. Fill a pan with an inch or so of water. If the level gets low, add a little more water as the cooking proceeds.<br />
<br />
This steaming method makes this a great beginner's bread recipe. The steam gives the bread all kinds of lift, making the dough light and fluffy even if you didn't get the kneading just right. So don't be afraid to try these even if you have never had much luck with bread recipes. This may be just the trick for you.<br />
<br />
The small steamer has room for six buns at a time, three on each level. Or ...<br />
<br />
You could put some sherry-soy-ginger marinated fish in the lower compartment, along with a vegetable like Chinese spinach. Voila, amazing dinner, ready in just 15 minutes. How's that for fast, fresh and frugal? I think Chinese people really know how to cook!<br />
<br />
These buns would do well with other fillings, or even plain, but with the Fourth of July, there's bound to be plenty of barbecue on hand. This is something differently delicious to do with leftovers, likely to be small in amounts of course, since BBQ itself is so good. It might give you the excuse you need not to eat that second helping of ribs — but I don't know what you'll do about that second helping of buns. You're on your own there. :)<br />
<br />
The method below is adapted from the excellent cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688075894/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0688075894&linkCode=as2&tag=mykiani-20">The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome</a>. I also see an excellent version in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811859339/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0811859339&linkCode=as2&tag=mykiani-20%22%3EMastering%20the%20Art%20of%20Chinese%20Cooking%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mykiani-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0811859339%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's book Mastering the Art of Chinese Cuisine</a>. Both recipes omit the use of salt, but I found the buns didn't really taste right without it. You can try it both ways, and see which way seems best to you.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Baozi</h2>
<b>包子</b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
In a medium size bowl measure out:</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<i>4 1/4 cups regular flour</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Take 2 cups of that and put into a large bowl. Add:</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<i>1 cup milk</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Stir until smooth and set aside. Stir together in a small bowl:</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<i>1 1/2 T yeast</i><br />
<i>1/2 cup lukewarm water</i><br />
<br />
Let the yeast proof, adding a pinch of the dry flour. I like to add a pinch of the sugar too for good measure. When the yeast is ready, add it to the wet flour mixture along with:<br />
<br />
<i>1 T sesame oil</i><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<i>1 T sugar</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<i>1/2 tsp salt</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can and knead just until smooth. Let the dough rise until double in bulk. If you are going to store your buns in the refrigerator then at this point refrigerate the dough while preparing the filling.<br />
<br />
In a medium-sized pan, stir together:<br />
<br />
<i>1 T hoisin</i><br />
<i>1/2 T oyster sauce</i><br />
<i>1/2 tsp sesame oil</i><br />
<i>1 T soy sauce</i><br />
<i>1 tsp corn starch</i><br />
<i>2 T rice wine</i><br />
<i>a pinch of ginger</i><br />
<i>2 chopped green onions</i><br />
<br />
Cook the sauce until thickened. Stir the sauce into:<br />
<br />
<i>3/4 cup leftover barbecued pork ribs</i><br />
<br />
Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Cut in half and roll each into a long cylinder. Cut the cylinders into pieces about the size of a golf ball. Make a depression in each piece and fill with 1 tsp or so of the filling. Wrap the dough around the filling and pinch the ends together, tearing off any excess dough.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2ox1nHAcSufHAS1Xzquf9-vmyxlmqSco2gRgLZwLQPx-4UE_CdJ5PbqwBn2SX_Kpj14OHXDGM-JzOXSTJawaOZP018HlsRAzvkS35GlGyJYfswdExyV-x3P4nC6lPCzGHOPfswLQ4i_l/s1600/IMG_1074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2ox1nHAcSufHAS1Xzquf9-vmyxlmqSco2gRgLZwLQPx-4UE_CdJ5PbqwBn2SX_Kpj14OHXDGM-JzOXSTJawaOZP018HlsRAzvkS35GlGyJYfswdExyV-x3P4nC6lPCzGHOPfswLQ4i_l/s200/IMG_1074.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were a little too big after rising. <br />
Golf ball size seems to work better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Store the buns in plastic wrap by folding about two inches of plastic wrap over the first bun, just far enough that its covered. Place the next bun on top of the folded plastic wrap. Keep placing buns over and under the two-inch flap so that each bun is separated from its neighbor by plastic wrap. Leave a little space between buns. They will rise a little in the refrigerator.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDtK8uuMhaLwZzhwN9HgwxOp5ajq1JMb3F58_2_ju6vDivNdwctkwgspMU80AYGGI5KOMsS-6Eu2JWHCv-gRO336kj-ejN7iFkqVAlE143tNmIZnlQcsfoUdV_5EX8fNm5qL-93jq3skr/s1600/IMG_1082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDtK8uuMhaLwZzhwN9HgwxOp5ajq1JMb3F58_2_ju6vDivNdwctkwgspMU80AYGGI5KOMsS-6Eu2JWHCv-gRO336kj-ejN7iFkqVAlE143tNmIZnlQcsfoUdV_5EX8fNm5qL-93jq3skr/s200/IMG_1082.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plastic wrap flap goes over <br />
and under the buns separating each one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When you run out of room, fold this sectioned row of buns over to completely enclose the buns. Twist the ends together and store in a ziplock bag until ready to use.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZawCHU5yalfv5TDPbmciYvgKLE7oVxiajoPXpMNREmFIEagU1nHPM_x3rhivyaPQ50p57HGf_PcOgcLtuSUHLYHBQXCdq6TewXrqKWzbgtsLs9pZ6TSK06e9qwWrUboXrGZN8YEKcnvL1/s1600/IMG_1093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZawCHU5yalfv5TDPbmciYvgKLE7oVxiajoPXpMNREmFIEagU1nHPM_x3rhivyaPQ50p57HGf_PcOgcLtuSUHLYHBQXCdq6TewXrqKWzbgtsLs9pZ6TSK06e9qwWrUboXrGZN8YEKcnvL1/s200/IMG_1093.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The buns will rise a little in the refrigerator.<br />
Leave more space than I did.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To steam one or more buns, place seam side down on a square of parchment paper in a bamboo steamer.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7iEWxzhXmuP-y04qLRZn7t9RFmxmDbGvcgxnL013it3uhy-9AOOyYpGIqg7W4gxo8_kg82enkSui0tptYyX2uwQyK5Mf3_zWRcYc-KUUuf1TCCBbGAnyo01S03BPkPhHU_E9IPGj6q34/s1600/IMG_1123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7iEWxzhXmuP-y04qLRZn7t9RFmxmDbGvcgxnL013it3uhy-9AOOyYpGIqg7W4gxo8_kg82enkSui0tptYyX2uwQyK5Mf3_zWRcYc-KUUuf1TCCBbGAnyo01S03BPkPhHU_E9IPGj6q34/s200/IMG_1123.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any filling you like will work in these.<br />
I like bbq pork with sesame seeds on top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. Place an inch or so of water in a pan and set the steamer in the pan.<br />
<br />
You can drizzle a little sesame oil on the top of the buns at this stage and sprinkle some sesame seeds on the buns if you wish. A little sesame oil in the water won't hurt a thing, it will help infuse the buns with flavor.<br />
<br />
With the buns in the steamer bath, turn the burner on for about 15 minutes. You'll get a little extra rise this way. Once the water boils I would turn down the heat to let the water simmer gently, steaming the buns to perfection.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Awly9p-OzippXjOX65XktMSumoNoyWVCfYVjj55l2yCMDaVW7IP7gJTvnxBaNvYOtY2b9eXt0aBLeHysO44TCbOXoR6843Im-1zZJWQqTh9BVa2b9LDasLLsaL6OkqWNwzLBBBgW243C/s1600/IMG_1185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Awly9p-OzippXjOX65XktMSumoNoyWVCfYVjj55l2yCMDaVW7IP7gJTvnxBaNvYOtY2b9eXt0aBLeHysO44TCbOXoR6843Im-1zZJWQqTh9BVa2b9LDasLLsaL6OkqWNwzLBBBgW243C/s320/IMG_1185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
Now go enjoy your perfect summer bread with a nice bowl of your favorite Asian soup and a bottle of Blue Moon. Well that's what I did with mine anyway. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDBzgZiwhGjxSCeJpd12Puyj2gHQfi_iWexuulgWaike9qXH4fks1gEneKesLVPzram9WK77-jCUcF9zSbEp0F2BEH_8b-4Wqb7mWS09oxnF8NfQxTvbgr30F71JUNmnZW-tOeWwjBK-H/s1600/IMG_1207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDBzgZiwhGjxSCeJpd12Puyj2gHQfi_iWexuulgWaike9qXH4fks1gEneKesLVPzram9WK77-jCUcF9zSbEp0F2BEH_8b-4Wqb7mWS09oxnF8NfQxTvbgr30F71JUNmnZW-tOeWwjBK-H/s400/IMG_1207.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that two buns on my plate? <br />
Why yes, I believe so!<br />
Now how on earth did that happen?<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
More great barbecue ideas coming soon from the #letslunch bunch. Keep checking this post, there are more links to great recipes incoming soon!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aleana</strong>‘s Home-made Ketchup, Relish & Mustard (BBQ-Friendly Condiments) at <a href="http://frybabyfry.blogspot.ca/2012/07/homemade-ketchup-relish-and-mustard-bbq.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eat My Blog</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong>‘s Grilled Pulled-Pork Pizza with Roasted Corn (Gluten-Free) at <a href="http://zestbakery.com/blog/grilled-pulled-pork-pizza-roasted-corn-gluten-free" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Zest Bakery</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</strong>‘s Miso-Glazed Grilled Veggies and Polenta at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2012/07/letslunch-miso-glazed-grilled-veggies.html#" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots and Pans</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Working Mama’s Pork Tenderloin Bao at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2012/07/12/working-mamas-pork-tenderloin-bao/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill</strong>‘s Steven Raichlen Ribs Interview at <a href="http://eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com/2012/07/ribs-epitomize-barbecue-for-steven.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eating My Words</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe</strong>‘s Grilled Cabbage (and Smoky Cabbage and Udon Slaw) at <a href="http://www.joeyonan.com/2012/07/lets-lunch-glory-of-grilled-cabbage.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Joe Yonan</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong>‘s BBQ Salmon with Tahini Dressing and Fresh Herb Salad at <a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2012/07/13/bbq-salmon-with-tahini-dressing-and-fresh-herb-salad/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s Taj Ma Hog & Not-So-Secret BBQ Sauce at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/07/barbecue.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook and Her Books</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nancie</strong>‘s Thai Grilled Chicken Wings with Sweet Hot Garlic Sauce at <a href="http://nanciemcdermott.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/lets-lunch-thai-grilled-chicken-wings-with-sweet-hot-garlic-sauce/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Nancie McDermott</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat</strong>‘s Korean-Style Beef Shortribs (Kalbi) at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/kalbi-or-korean-beef-short-ribs/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Renee's</strong> Steamed Buns with BBQ Pork at <a href="http://saucyskillet.blogspot.com/2012/07/steamed-buns-best-summer-bread-recipe.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">My Kitchen And I</a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cheryl's </strong><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Chicken Satay BBQ Singapore style at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/07/chicken-satay-bbq-singapore-style/#more-3587" target="_blank">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-41373371243016695922012-06-17T00:08:00.005-05:002012-07-08T17:27:58.226-05:00Persistence Pizza<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-5ZEnqBBjwycnz5LyVYpY0HTat51EF3gPVBNMC1MQpu2yG1jwLY_5hsAShbTNA7_EKSIrgnRriEV67wr3ojfCOOoStRtKF0zea7CNrmCi0LtbQ4k5uOAOEEe6b2KcVdNMC1D2ccRoxbM/s1600/IMG_1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-5ZEnqBBjwycnz5LyVYpY0HTat51EF3gPVBNMC1MQpu2yG1jwLY_5hsAShbTNA7_EKSIrgnRriEV67wr3ojfCOOoStRtKF0zea7CNrmCi0LtbQ4k5uOAOEEe6b2KcVdNMC1D2ccRoxbM/s320/IMG_1275.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pizza I made at the Kitchen Conservatory.<br />
It was indeed as delicious as it looks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">#<i>letslunch</i></span><br />
<br />
In my family, dad's stubbornness is legend.<br />
<br />
Grandma often told us the story of how the willful toddler hadn't gotten his way and held his breath until he passed out!<br />
<br />
Yes, my dad is that stubborn.<br />
<br />
And I have inherited this persistence.<br />
<br />
Which I refuse to call stubborn, actually. That word has a negative connotation, and I believe this is a powerful gift. No, we don't give up when others would. Is that truly bad? Society needs a few people like that don't they?<br />
<br />
I have actually been trying to bake bread since my 20s. Back then, I baked a lot of bricks instead. So many that the ex purchased a bread machine for me, presented with the words, "You'll never be able to bake a decent loaf of bread on your own. So I got you this for Christmas. Just use it instead."<br />
<br />
But of course I don't give up that easily ...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Over the years, I've tried out many recipes and theories. Things improved, but never quite arrived. But by my mid-30s, I could make a convincing coffee can bread and reasonable pizza crust. Nothing exceptional though.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJnNWil2jSPFKmaRKmQ5w7I1Ly6AonhvnP8XNGBeTsbkEzXpcZS7fJTQf8AorUR9j62jKxRx-dbcRJNf54GC_s7XrOFxD3ezGNLbCRL44nTXJuclPbN1BKdi_CKZN3G5kE5HW0QxRvH6f/s1600/IMG_1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJnNWil2jSPFKmaRKmQ5w7I1Ly6AonhvnP8XNGBeTsbkEzXpcZS7fJTQf8AorUR9j62jKxRx-dbcRJNf54GC_s7XrOFxD3ezGNLbCRL44nTXJuclPbN1BKdi_CKZN3G5kE5HW0QxRvH6f/s320/IMG_1279.jpg" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovely daughter, Shelby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Recently, my daughter's taken an interest in cooking. And since she's going to have her own kitchen now, a cooking class seemed in order, to start things off right. Pizza being a favorite, that led us to a cooking class with Chef Sam, the evil genius behind Mad Tomato's tasty pizza.<br />
<br />
The first thing I noticed about Chef Sam's dough was that it was pillow soft.<br />
<br />
Mine's usually mattress firm.<br />
<br />
His dough bounced back but not really all that much.<br />
<br />
Mine's usually like a rubber band.<br />
<br />
His dough was actually a little bit sticky.<br />
<br />
Mine's always decidedly non-stick.<br />
<br />
Back home I decided to start my latest effort with his recipe as a base. I would say it's my best effort yet. Close enough, I think, that no one these days would suggest I give up and buy a bread machine.<br />
<br />
I can't really thank Chef Sam enough for his pointers. Nor can I thank my dad enough for the most important ingredient of all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Persistance Pizza </span></b><br />
1 lb 4 oz high gluten bread flour<br />
5 g dry instant yeast<br />
4 g sugar<br />
8 g sea salt<br />
1 T olive oil<br />
3 c water<br />
minced garlic<br />
<br />
<br />
Mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of warmed water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a half tablespoon or so of the flour and a little pinch of the sugar. Let the yeast proof five to 10 minutes to verify it is alive and active.<br />
<br />
Put two cups or so of the remaining flour into a bowl and stir in the rest of the water. Add in as much flour as you can easily stir around. Let that sit while the yeast is proofing. I based this on a two-step method developed by Raymond Calvel. According to him, salt interferes with the absorption of water, and doing it this way will produce a more manageable dough with less exposure to oxygen and thus more flavor. I found his process mentioned in the bread section of Harold McGee's fine book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0684800012/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mykiani-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0684800012%22%3EOn%20Food%20and%20Cooking:%20The%20Science%20and%20Lore%20of%20the%20Kitchen%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mykiani-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0684800012%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:non" target="_blank">"On Food and Cooking, the Science and Lore of the Kitchen,"</a> which is an absolutely great book for any cook to have.<br />
<br />
I add the rest of the sugar and salt to the rest of the flour. After about 15 to 30 minutes, I stir the oil, yeast water, minced garlic and the rest of the flour into the flour and water mixture.<br />
<br />
This dough initially feels quite sticky but becomes less so as you knead it. The dough initially looks a bit ragged, but gradually begins to smooth and come together. It should still be quite soft, like a pillow, and smooth when you are done kneading it, but still a little sticky. It will have a little spring to it, but not too much. You don't want your dough to snap back like a rubber band.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMinfBr8lPFQhqQGRmoWFJiRsCkBzipCLyZdRKN0APsPAb5USdx60iYd2WGDxE5sJpflKgfZcFgfkmvuI7de3qXB4VKJud93FBGDmdmzG6eGKkOY3Q37-I_xStIiW-xrab47aUNzNeKYm/s1600/IMG_2217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMinfBr8lPFQhqQGRmoWFJiRsCkBzipCLyZdRKN0APsPAb5USdx60iYd2WGDxE5sJpflKgfZcFgfkmvuI7de3qXB4VKJud93FBGDmdmzG6eGKkOY3Q37-I_xStIiW-xrab47aUNzNeKYm/s200/IMG_2217.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now put the dough in the refrigerator and let it rise overnight in the cold. A slow rise gives the best flavor. Take the dough out the next day and divide it into four pieces. Let the one you're using rest about 10 minutes, then shape it into a pan such as an iron skillet and let it rise for 30 minutes. Press the Focaccia ingredients into the bread and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.<br />
<br />
The other three can be refrigerated and used over the next three days, or you can freeze them. They will become a little more stretchy rubber bandery if you freeze the. You can parbake them for pizza shells if you prefer and the quality is almost as good.<br />
<br />
<i>Cooking notes: Chef Sam uses 5 oz of olive oil in his recipe, but I didn't want that much fat in my pizza crust. The texture of my bread did not seem to suffer for the reduction in oil. He also uses cold water, but I like to proof my yeast to be sure it's active so I used some warm water.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Chef Sam also demonstrates a great technique for stretching and pulling out a pizza dough. It's a little hard to describe in text, but I highly recommend his class at the Kitchen Conservatory in St. Louis, www.kitchenconservatory.com.</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt1m60SGZmrJHQXdtt-kcVZS-obyKr-xzIRrbAobu9CRJRyKHTxRGNeOuWw2Ie2Ku2ziXu3hAFQVZ4KPiSXplHfqvj2F8bw6D0zuOBCxrdXtc9FhyphenhyphenlN2H4sBPM9MoZpugtcLSwcFMq_FF/s1600/IMG_2229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt1m60SGZmrJHQXdtt-kcVZS-obyKr-xzIRrbAobu9CRJRyKHTxRGNeOuWw2Ie2Ku2ziXu3hAFQVZ4KPiSXplHfqvj2F8bw6D0zuOBCxrdXtc9FhyphenhyphenlN2H4sBPM9MoZpugtcLSwcFMq_FF/s320/IMG_2229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A truly ideal bread for focaccia, and outstanding<br />
pizza crust as well. This had sauteed mushrooms, onions,<br />
basil, almonds, feta and cheddar cheeses and some<br />
soy sauce steak strips. It was a great dinner!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
For more great dad-inspired recipes, check out these other great posts from the #letslunch bunch.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aleana</strong>‘s Homemade Scottish Oatcakes at <a href="http://frybabyfry.blogspot.ca/2012/06/homemade-oatcakes.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eat My Blog</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong>‘s Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks & Uncle Andy’s Chimichurri Sauce at <a href="http://zestbakery.com/blog/grilled-rib-eye-steaks-uncle-andys-chimichurri-sauce" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Zest Bakery</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanor</strong>‘s Salmon Bok Choy Soup at <a href="http://eleanorhoh.com/2012/06/07/remembering-dad-on-fathers-day/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Wok Star</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</strong>‘s Ham and Rice at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2012/06/letslunch-food-to-honor-dads.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots & Pans</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill</strong>‘s Root Beer-Glazed Onion Dip at <a href="http://eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com/2012/06/on-dad-and-onions-love-story.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eating My Words</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Taste of Diversity at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2012/06/how-my-father-handed-down-a-taste-for-diversity/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Karen</strong>‘s Klondike Bars at <a href="http://geofooding.blogspot.ca/2012/06/honoring-dad.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">GeoFooding</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Sesame-Ginger Chicken Wings at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/sesame-ginger-chicken-wings-and-a-lesson-in-frugality-2/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spice Box Travels</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong>‘s Hot Sugary Lip-Smacking Jam Donuts at <a href="http://t.co/DksjjwCQ" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s Granddaddy’s Skillet Fried-Corn with Bacon at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/06/skillet-fried-corn-with-bacon.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook and Her Books</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patricia</strong>‘s Egg Candy at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/?p=1275&preview=true" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rashda</strong>‘s Beth Howard’s Apple Pie at <a href="http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/2012/06/comfort-of-pie-words-when-missing-dad.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Hot Curries & Cold Beer</a></div>
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebecca</strong>‘s Harry Cohen’s Matzo Brei at <a href="http://grongar.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/harrys-matzo-brei/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Grongar Blog</a></div>
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<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sonja</strong>‘s Spicy Smoked Paprika Lamb Shank Goulash at <a href="http://foodnutzz.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/for-my-dadspicy-smoked-paprika-lamb.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Foodnutzz</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Courier, 'Courier New', monospace; line-height: 19px;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Cheryl’s</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858;"> </span>Mee Pok Ta<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858;"> </span>at<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #585858;"> </span><a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/06/mee-pok-ta-this-ones-for-dad/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Cheryl Tan"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Tiger in the Kitchen</span></a></span></div>
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Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-32737032357851206352012-06-01T15:18:00.003-05:002012-06-17T01:32:21.313-05:00Winter Melon Soup 冬瓜汤 — Wonderful!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My sister gave me a wonderful book exploring the cuisines of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia called<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0841603707/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=mykiani-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0841603707%22%3E%3Cimg%20border=%220%22%20src=%22http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=0841603707&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=mykiani-20&ServiceVersion=20070822%22%20%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mykiani-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0841603707%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Culinaria Southeast Asia</a>. She knows how interested I am in Asian cuisines, so this was almost the perfect gift for me. There are so many interesting pictures and stories in this book, I know it's going to be a fascinating trip!<br />
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The first recipe I made from the book did not disappoint. This was a very interesting soup, traditionally made with winter melon and flavored with ham. The book lists it under Singapore, but the Chinese friends I spoke with knew about this soup and say it is more widespread.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR_oyQnkeUm8z-fJ4m6Mw0zlOjI8GKV6DjC0ROWgStKOeB1vSBkIPI9uWkL1VMZvoIm5HW5peyJ7R9JKOOvpb1q1_xou3nz1VITeMhnuYxWf-Ln_v4Yc-dWjOB2P8xnkRGFwaYT4WcbB3/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR_oyQnkeUm8z-fJ4m6Mw0zlOjI8GKV6DjC0ROWgStKOeB1vSBkIPI9uWkL1VMZvoIm5HW5peyJ7R9JKOOvpb1q1_xou3nz1VITeMhnuYxWf-Ln_v4Yc-dWjOB2P8xnkRGFwaYT4WcbB3/s200/IMG_0024.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">According to Chinese medicine, winter melon<br />
is a cooling soup and should be eaten in summer.<br />
Properly prepared, it is a "detoxifying" soup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Winter melon itself has no flavor, but has the intriguing ability to soak up whatever flavors you cook it with.<br />
<br />
In fancier restaurants, the winter melon serves as its own soup tureen. The seeds are scooped out of the inside and the outside is then carved with beautiful figures and symbols for good luck and fortune. These carvings are so elaborate, they can take an entire afternoon or more to finish. The soup is then steamed for five hours. So it is very labor intense and must be ordered in advance. I'm told it can cost a few thousand dollars for this soup!<br />
<br />
But you can enjoy the same flavor at home for much less, even if it doesn't come with elaborate carvings of fantasy creatures on the outside. The key ingredient ...<br />
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The key ingredient, winter melon, can be found in most large Asian markets and won't set you back more than two or three dollars for a couple of large chunks. The melon isn't usually sold whole, however, so if you want a whole melon for a soup tureen, you'll probably have to grow your own melons. I saved a few seeds from my last melon soup to give that a try.<br />
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Most recipes for winter melon use Chinese ham to flavor the melon. Virginia ham has a very similar flavor profile if you want to be very authentic. But most any ham will be fine. Abalone is also a common ingredient in this soup, but terribly expensive, not to mention an endangered species. I think scallops are a very suitable substitute.<br />
<br />
Lotus seeds are found in Asian markets, but if you don't have access to them you could use white navy beans instead. The texture and flavor are very similar. Even their potassium levels are similar, so you're not changing the nutritional profile much at all. You could also use fresh portobello mushrooms instead of dried shitake — but I will say, the dried mushrooms are a bit chewier and the flavor more concentrated, so give them a try first. Once you're used to the texture, you may find you quite prefer them in soups at least.<br />
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Lastly, I used a cornish game hen instead of chicken breast for my version of this soup because I just liked the flavor profile better.<br />
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Regardless of when you're supposed to eat this soup, summer or winter, I think this is a fun soup to make and a great lunch any day of the year! Hope you enjoy this wonderful Winter Melon Soup. :)<br />
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</div>
<b>冬瓜汤</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>(dong1 gua1 tang1)</i></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Wonderful </span></b></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Winter Melon Soup</span></b></span></i></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYXJdlKiLHOkBpoRWyWMnYIBqbwOuO6zGdHwDXGqxSPQGB2IkNh3czmnqnmz3-r5xK6PtsISiw5b_t2PmDzO-cLvLjQCE4C_rN1DEHCvvBYKH399TsFTV5wUv5yf3KQjgQ_UCAy2yyIM4/s1600/IMG_0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYXJdlKiLHOkBpoRWyWMnYIBqbwOuO6zGdHwDXGqxSPQGB2IkNh3czmnqnmz3-r5xK6PtsISiw5b_t2PmDzO-cLvLjQCE4C_rN1DEHCvvBYKH399TsFTV5wUv5yf3KQjgQ_UCAy2yyIM4/s320/IMG_0014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I made the soup with abalone and with scallops.</div>
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Traditional recipes call for abalone, shown above, </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
but I honestly think the scallops taste better.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We'll add the ingredients in order of cooking time, from longest to shortest.<br />
<br />
First bring to boil<br />
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<i>Four to five cups chicken broth, preferably homemade</i><br />
<i>2 ham hocks</i><br />
<i>1/2 cup dried shitake mushrooms, rinsed</i><br />
<br />
Reduce the heat and simmer from 1 to 4 hours, or as you like, to make a nice flavorful broth. You can soak the mushrooms first and mince them if you like smaller pieces, but I just skip that step since I'm boiling them for so long.<br />
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Once the broth is to your liking, add<br />
<br />
<i>1 cornish game hen</i><br />
<i>1 can bamboo shoots, drained</i><br />
<i>1/4 cup lotus seeds, soaked 30 minutes in rice wine, bitter green centers removed</i><br />
<i>1 T rice wine</i><br />
<i>1 fresh ginger root, minced</i><br />
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Simmer until the game hen is almost done, about 20 minutes, then add<br />
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<i>winter melon flesh, cut into bite-size cubes, rind removed</i><br />
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Simmer until translucent, about 10 minutes, then add<br />
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<i>1/2 cup scallops</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI2j7zJKy5J5lGGp21sQJr4PaUC7lk5HzUNw54sdEknVIAaJAyscRvd-MROEcRJZdK_b4a_9jUgzP0d9GHsB8_IUAPURE0-EhBctSOyRrVmDv1h9ab0heOTMNTxQ2z5Sg1vVY0wrd6LLn/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI2j7zJKy5J5lGGp21sQJr4PaUC7lk5HzUNw54sdEknVIAaJAyscRvd-MROEcRJZdK_b4a_9jUgzP0d9GHsB8_IUAPURE0-EhBctSOyRrVmDv1h9ab0heOTMNTxQ2z5Sg1vVY0wrd6LLn/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just look at that! A warm golden broth,<br />
and pretty emerald onions.<br />
Good in any season, if you ask me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Simmer until the seafood is done, taking care not to overcook. I would say it takes 2 or 3 minutes at most, but certainly not more than 10.<br />
<br />
Salt the mixture to taste and serve with a garnish of fresh chopped green onions on top.<br />
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I served my soup with some steamed pork buns, for a nice light lunch.<br />
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</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-27909445901770477412012-04-29T21:54:00.007-05:002012-07-27T10:34:06.100-05:00Asian-spiced Quick Pickles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOKB9UnL1zGR8Tn31dscHa5afGI3aGaLwuGXuS7AVy0zWwUWJ-UVew2nr0kDit78kaGnrTEgCi-yMssbch6ivRNKeBuxc3tJ6MQZnDKKQ833tuG4ikQGyOEWSi3bUYYpMzRjriAnzGlV2/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOKB9UnL1zGR8Tn31dscHa5afGI3aGaLwuGXuS7AVy0zWwUWJ-UVew2nr0kDit78kaGnrTEgCi-yMssbch6ivRNKeBuxc3tJ6MQZnDKKQ833tuG4ikQGyOEWSi3bUYYpMzRjriAnzGlV2/s200/IMG_0870.JPG" width="200" /></a>Been rethinking this blog a little bit. Seems like it got away from what I intended it to be.<br />
<br />
Soo ... after some time thinking ...<br />
<br />
I have deleted a few posts that I intended for another purpose, left some posts that still don't really fit but have no other purpose, and moving forward ...<br />
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Here's a little recipe I wrote last week, a bit of fusion courtesy of my lovely Grandma Bibb's quick pickle recipe. This was kind of a brainstorm whilst making a little bowl of tuna chirazashi. Most of the recipes I've seen just have plain cucumber, and, after trying that a few times, I realized I just really don't like plain cucumbers in my sushi bowl. I thought about how my grandma used to make quick pickles, and wondered how it would taste with rice vinegar and sesame oil instead.<br />
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It was QUITE delicious, even if I do say so myself, in a bowl of chirazashi. It's also a delicious snack on its own. I hope you enjoy this dish. Try it, I know you'll like it! :)<br />
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For more great fusion recipes, check out the #letslunch bunch on twitter or follow the links below the recipe.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><b>Asian-spiced quick pickle</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9jjmo1qjRf2gNQ3n5glTJFrooEjyCq6AmTj8fBVZAg61oPaFo5a-ondF8qGKwhAjByZJ1FvrEwIiPoqeIwyuZkt4KKbTxJnO3KGc7gs6ug68LisnhfDXEhTWOVrSnPuH3P5JdAaXfOcX/s1600/IMG_0828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9jjmo1qjRf2gNQ3n5glTJFrooEjyCq6AmTj8fBVZAg61oPaFo5a-ondF8qGKwhAjByZJ1FvrEwIiPoqeIwyuZkt4KKbTxJnO3KGc7gs6ug68LisnhfDXEhTWOVrSnPuH3P5JdAaXfOcX/s200/IMG_0828.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<b>Peel and slice 1/4 inch-thick one</b></div>
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<i>cucumber</i><br />
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Leave a thin strip of green for decorative purposes.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC37Bu0N3M4l_PLL-Y-p8bfkrIXb0ni6-oZxtpDAjKBmMptGG45MExWJ3gl3jFcyHh18ONtSI5ehiGVuy54n47x0qwYzr6KXXhFPoyZUXLqEfiOpTtkXzaEvsT9SfseJVj25UQpco_JnU/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC37Bu0N3M4l_PLL-Y-p8bfkrIXb0ni6-oZxtpDAjKBmMptGG45MExWJ3gl3jFcyHh18ONtSI5ehiGVuy54n47x0qwYzr6KXXhFPoyZUXLqEfiOpTtkXzaEvsT9SfseJVj25UQpco_JnU/s200/IMG_0837.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<b>Pour over these slices,</b><br />
<i>Rice wine vinegar</i><br />
<i>small amount of sesame oil</i><br />
<br />
<b>Sprinkle with</b><br />
<i>sesame seeds</i><br />
<i>pinch of sugar</i><br />
<i>dash of soy sauce</i><br />
<i>one sliced green onion</i><br />
<i>crushed red pepper if desired</i><br />
<br />
Let rest 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Voila, quick pickles with a decidedly Asian twist. These are a delicious in a bowl of tuna chirazashi, but do well as a side dish on their own or a mid-afternoon snack. :)<br />
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More Great Fusion dishes from the Let's Lunch Bunch! To join the group just send a tweet with #letslunch.<br />
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong>‘s Gluten-Free Azuki Bean Bundt Cake at <a href="http://www.zestbakery.com/sweets/cake-sweets/azuki-bean-bundt-cake-gluten-free/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Zest Bakery</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanor</strong>‘s Wok Picadillo at <a href="http://eleanorhoh.com/2012/04/27/wok-picadillo/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Wok Star</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ellise</strong>‘s Salty Lime Sablés (Margarita Cookies) at <a href="http://cowgirlchef.com/2012/05/04/salty-lime-sables-margarita-cookies/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Cowgirl Chef</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</strong>‘s Kimchi Bulgogi Nachos at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-letslunch-food-across-two-cultures.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots And Pans</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Felicia</strong>‘s Mexican-Lebanese Hummus at <a href="http://alwayshungry-felicia.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-time-i-never-had-life-lesson-from.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Burnt-Out Baker</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Taiwanese Fried Chicken at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2012/05/taiwanese-fried-chicken/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill</strong>‘s Southern Pimento-Stuffed Knishes at <a href="http://eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com/2012/05/southern-knishes-hold-mishegas.html?spref=tw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Eating My Words</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe</strong>‘s Grilled KimCheese Sandwich at <a href="http://www.joeyonan.com/2012/05/lets-lunch-grilled-kimcheese-sandwich.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Joe Yonan</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Karen</strong>‘s Ukrainian-German Cabbage Rolls at <a href="http://geofooding.blogspot.ca/2012/05/sprichst-du-deutsch.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">GeoFooding</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Leigh</strong>‘s Venezuelan-Italian Cachapas Con Queso at <a href="http://www.leighnannini.com/blog/2012/5/4/bridging-two-cultures-a-venezuelan-italian-treat.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Leigh Nannini</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Project Runway Pelau: Rice & Beans Trinidad-Style at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/pelau-a-taste-of-trinidad/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</strong>‘s Sunday Night Jewish-Chinese Brisket at <a href="http://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2012/05/04/jewish-chinese-brisket/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/fusion-of-tastes.html?spref=tw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook And Her Books</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maria</strong>‘s Spanish Shrimp with Bacon, Cheddar & Chive Grits at <a href="http://www.mariasgoodthings.com/?p=444&preview=true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Maria’s Good Things</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nancie</strong>‘s Chili-Cheese Biscuits with Avocado Butter at <a href="http://nanciemcdermott.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/letslunch-sandra-gutierrezs-chili-cheese-biscuits-with-avocado-butter/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Nancie McDermott</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patricia</strong>‘s Buttery Tofu, Pasta & Peas at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/tofupastaandpeas/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patrick</strong>‘s Kimchi Jigae and British Mash at <a href="http://www.patrickglee.com/2012/05/04/kimchi-jigae-and-mash/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Patrick G. Lee</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rashda</strong>‘s Mango Cobbler at <a href="http://hotcurriesandcoldbeer.blogspot.com/2012/05/traveling-with-mangoes-across-time.html?spref=tw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Hot Curries & Cold Beer</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Renee</strong>‘s Asian-Spiced Quick Pickles at <a href="http://saucyskillet.blogspot.com/2012/04/asian-spiced-quick-pickle.html?spref=tw" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">My Kitchen And I</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steff</strong>‘s Chicken Fried Steak at <a href="http://kitchentrials.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/coming-home/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Kitchen Trials</a></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Vivian</strong>‘s Funky Fusion Linguini at <a href="http://www.vivianpei.com/2012/05/lets-lunch-the-fusion-episode/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #cc4d22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Vivian Pei</a></div>
<div style="font-weight: inherit;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111; font-family: Molengo, 'Trebuchet MS', Corbel, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Cheryl</strong>‘s Goan Pork Curry at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/05/goan-pork-curry-tacos-crossing-two-cultures/#more-2937" style="color: #a01e22; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a></span></div>
</div>
</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-43749322746056939962012-01-08T01:36:00.000-06:002012-01-17T15:37:51.273-06:00An Aztec-inspired chili<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7aqZP6hj0jq68zbZ7pBv-EwSMTou8z_37RR23cmp6xCJZZYc516x6m1ghXmIWNLCvGBsEktQcA6zDqBsNzpwscIZpcJSKXWiBMZ-MVhr9L8vX72ZB798KaLHphB8mE1g_wG6IC0ilraI/s1600/Chilibowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7aqZP6hj0jq68zbZ7pBv-EwSMTou8z_37RR23cmp6xCJZZYc516x6m1ghXmIWNLCvGBsEktQcA6zDqBsNzpwscIZpcJSKXWiBMZ-MVhr9L8vX72ZB798KaLHphB8mE1g_wG6IC0ilraI/s320/Chilibowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#letslunch January challenge — chili. <br />
My take — Aztec.<br />
Go <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/01/keema-chili-texas-by-way-of-india/" target="_blank">here</a> for more great chili recipes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cowboys on the trail are often credited with the invention of chili, but given that chile peppers were being traded throughout the Americas thousands of years ago, I have to wonder if it doesn't predate the wild west by quite a wide margin.<br />
<br />
Smithsonian researchers have found the starch grains characteristic of chiles at seven sites ranging from the Bahamas to southern Peru dating as far back as 6000 years. One cave had as many as 7 different kinds of chiles!<br />
<br />
Chile peppers are almost always found in the company of corn, according to the researchers, and I have read where some native Americans claim the first chili had no beans, only corn. In Panama, chiles were found with both corn and yams, which to me sounds quite delicious!<br />
<br />
Other common foods those ancient chefs worked with ....<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Yes, indeed, there were beans. As well as achira, arrowroot, leren, yucca, tomatoes, palm fruit, algarrobo, peanuts, pacay tree fruits and squash. Squash and gourds were often used as containers for holding food, and eaten, too, according to starch grains found on the ancient teeth of the Americas. Perhaps bowls of chili were served in an edible squash bowl?<br />
<br />
Meatwise, there were domesticated ducks and turkeys at the time the Spaniards dropped by. It's been noted also that the ancients hunted small game such as lizards, small birds and, uh, insects.<br />
<br />
No, there are no insects in my chili. Or lizards.<br />
<br />
From a museum trip last year, I know Aztecs scooped out turtle shells to use, and I am sure they would not have wasted that turtle meat with hungry mouths nearby! They did catch and eat fish, too. Given that they would eat insects and blue algae, I really don't think it a stretch to presume they would also eat delicious crab meat, shrimp and lobsters if they lived near the coast.<br />
<br />
From the sophistication of their chocolate recipes, I also don't think it's too large a stretch to believe that they had discovered the delicious character of chili long before any cowboy can lay claim to the dish. Wouldn't these people, whose royalty drank their esteemed flavored chocolate drinks from gold cups, be smart enough to put corn, beans, tomatoes and chiles together, along with whatever delicious meat they had available that day?<br />
<br />
I think so!<br />
<br />
And so, with all the reading I'd done on the ancient chefs of meso America, I went on safari to the local grocery store, tracking down whatever "game" was on hand for a delicious Aztec-inspired chili. At first I had a vague notion of throwing a couple lobster tails into the mix, but unbelievably there were none. Anywhere! All sold out! Folks, is there some new health benefit to lobsters that I've missed? Please tell me if so.<br />
<br />
I settled for shrimp and crabs instead. And then I spied a Cornish game hen. A small game bird! I plucked that small game bird from the freezer bushes and took him right home. (After paying, of course.) Along with a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio!<br />
<br />
I think the little bird gives this dish a really nice presentation. In fact, the whole thing is a wonderful conversation starter. It was also quite fun to make, and, if I do say so myself, terribly delicious to eat! Fortunately for all our waistlines, this chili is fairly lowfat and healthy. No New Years resolutions need be broken here!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOGt7oOUdCN5Xwd-KbyVdADDUzuRVpP0FNqetJpJPlfO5iwcQpWzF74q8hZyjS9liGvRimDHYKbRQbVomTA5tpdt46kCt2Kw_CpZs7WQb8yPRxc3N855f-u8NFb4efFVWwe8NjO6bHkVV/s1600/ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOGt7oOUdCN5Xwd-KbyVdADDUzuRVpP0FNqetJpJPlfO5iwcQpWzF74q8hZyjS9liGvRimDHYKbRQbVomTA5tpdt46kCt2Kw_CpZs7WQb8yPRxc3N855f-u8NFb4efFVWwe8NjO6bHkVV/s320/ingredients.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients: corn, avocado, dried ancho chile<br />
sweet potato, garlic, Cornish game hen, shrimp<br />
crab, jalapeno, black beans, picante sauce<br />
chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, lemon juice</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Aztec-inspired chili</span></b><br />
<br />
In a medium-sized stock pot simmer on low heat<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>4 cups cooked black beans</i><br />
<i>3 crushed cloves of garlic</i><br />
<i>2 dried ancho chiles chopped</i><br />
<i>1 tsp smoked paprika</i><br />
<i>1/4 tsp smoked chipotle</i><br />
<i>2 cups picante sauce</i><br />
<i>1 skinned Cornish Game Hen</i><br />
<br />
Since the chicken is stewed in flavorful sauces, there is no real loss of flavor or quality in leaving out the skin. In fact the juices will penetrate the meat better without the skin, while reducing the fat in the dish considerably. A win-win!<br />
<br />
While the chicken is simmering, boil in a pot of salted water for two or three minutes<br />
<br />
<i>1 dungeness crab</i><br />
<br />
The crab meat doesn't have to be done all the way. You just want it to let go of the shell. Let the crab cool, then take all the meat out of the shells and peel a dozen or so shrimp. Add all the shells to the pot of water you just boiled the crab in. Simmer for about one hour on low to create a nice dab of flavorful stock.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkzkgdDmvsxjpfIjeYF0bpLLYSUfRqrkEniLS5uPgi6sFUJ8i6w8jki05ax2GvdsfNAiQtCHSGZ0L0QBK0ZIABoHRsUQlPnbO_Ar3bhZ3cnHiIUft0f5I3fjydtMl7h2yogd_YPLiW7Z9/s1600/roasted+sweetpotato.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkzkgdDmvsxjpfIjeYF0bpLLYSUfRqrkEniLS5uPgi6sFUJ8i6w8jki05ax2GvdsfNAiQtCHSGZ0L0QBK0ZIABoHRsUQlPnbO_Ar3bhZ3cnHiIUft0f5I3fjydtMl7h2yogd_YPLiW7Z9/s200/roasted+sweetpotato.JPG" width="200" /></a>In a 425 degree oven roast<br />
<div><div></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><i>four shucked ears of corn</i></div><div><i>two sweet potatoes</i><br />
<i>2 jalapeno peppers</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyst2CU0c6JaFi-QfDS7Cj8pHKsPQKOdzyzys3SpaZCVOejvxCMG3aqvw6Qqet-3B852vlX6LgEE82zNIt-f_U3Cm64rdrlM0Q7w44J9ymdzx3waKtK2-0m5gXcPhgKxnplSdVUYy7jbK/s1600/roastedcorn2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyst2CU0c6JaFi-QfDS7Cj8pHKsPQKOdzyzys3SpaZCVOejvxCMG3aqvw6Qqet-3B852vlX6LgEE82zNIt-f_U3Cm64rdrlM0Q7w44J9ymdzx3waKtK2-0m5gXcPhgKxnplSdVUYy7jbK/s200/roastedcorn2.JPG" width="200" /></a>I laid the husks on top of the corn rather than leaving them in the husks, because I wanted the corn to brown and caramelize a bit. I wrapped the sweet potatoes in foil. I figure our ancient chefs would have cooked these things directly in a wood fire, getting a nice smoky quality to all the ingredients. So when the corn and sweet potatoes were done, I sprinkled them generously with more smoked paprika.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYiZ_7wga4YY3uJ0HhxC1n8jBOm_XhNALLxzLap0nm1I-OuNPixmjqvtHhEkskh4tahbDcov29bF5R0fXPqQE1xBPwXw561-sMJAcF_ak0hc79rjosUcrHt8tvtt3vofH-RSUgj30KM3Y/s1600/IMG_5187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYiZ_7wga4YY3uJ0HhxC1n8jBOm_XhNALLxzLap0nm1I-OuNPixmjqvtHhEkskh4tahbDcov29bF5R0fXPqQE1xBPwXw561-sMJAcF_ak0hc79rjosUcrHt8tvtt3vofH-RSUgj30KM3Y/s200/IMG_5187.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished chili<br />
presented well &<br />
tasted great!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Peel the skin off the roasted jalapeno and chop it up. Add it and the corn, cut from the cob, to the simmering pot of chili. Add the leftover corn cobs to your simmering seastock, if you like.<br />
<br />
When the seastock is finished, add it to the chili pot along with the peeled shrimps. Cook two minutes, then add the dungeness crab meat and cook until it is heated through.<br />
<br />
Taste the chili and adjust seasonings to your liking, adding some salt and more chipotle pepper to your taste. The corn does make this chili taste a bit sweeter than you may be used to. I liked it, but you can add some lemon juice to zing it up a bit if sweet chili isn't your thing. I added about one capful and found that sufficient.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MsAmDUCt4Ow7qjE_HrHQYtE_gmXbYLMRSBaKTtSHAQBJcLR_y_uPhojdKtefG8vsj2hVA1N3U99XdG4rqgtvHsU7VYTU09uzLBSk8pO5Qy6JAzYrHkqKZFZkk_LIH1X1DS1nbnoO7vMM/s1600/mybowl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MsAmDUCt4Ow7qjE_HrHQYtE_gmXbYLMRSBaKTtSHAQBJcLR_y_uPhojdKtefG8vsj2hVA1N3U99XdG4rqgtvHsU7VYTU09uzLBSk8pO5Qy6JAzYrHkqKZFZkk_LIH1X1DS1nbnoO7vMM/s200/mybowl.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each bowl gets some sweet potato,<br />
shrimp, crab meat <br />
and Cornish game hen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Put a serving of sweet potatoes in a bowl to one side. Add some chili to the other side. Top with two or three shrimp, some of the crab meat and a portion of Cornish game hen, our small game of the day. Garnish with avocado if desired.<br />
<br />
This was just great served with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio! Enjoy!<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">More great Chili recipes from the #letslunch bunch!</span></b><br />
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<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</strong><br />
<strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cathy</strong>‘s Chunky-Style Cowboy Chili at <a href="http://www.showfoodchef.com/2012/01/cowboy-chili-chunky-style.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Showfood Chef</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charissa</strong>‘s Clean Out Refrigerator Night Cassoulet, A “Frenchified” Chili at <a href="http://www.zestbakery.com/events/lets-lunch/cassoulet-a-frenchified-version-of-chili-for-lets-lunch/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Zest Bakery</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ellise</strong>‘s Chicken Tinga Chili at <a href="http://cowgirlchef.com/2012/01/06/chicken-tinga-chili/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Cowgirl Chef</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</strong>‘s Dave’s Chili at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2012/01/letslunch-daves-chili-recipe.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots and Pans</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Felicia</strong>‘s Low-Concept Vegetarian Chili at <a href="http://alwayshungry-felicia.blogspot.com/2011/12/half-fast-cooking-low-concept.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Burnt-Out Baker</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</strong>‘s Chinese New Year Chili at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2011/01/chili-for-chinese-new-year/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe</strong>‘s Texas Bowl O’ Red at <a href="http://www.joeyonan.com/2012/01/lets-lunch-texas-bowl-o-red.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Joe Yonan</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Karen</strong>‘s Hawaiian Chili at <a href="http://geofooding.blogspot.com/2012/01/hawaiian-chili.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">GeoFooding</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</strong>‘s Smokin’ Hot Vegan Vaquero Chili at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/smokin-hot-vegan-vaquero-chili/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</strong>‘s “Full of Beans” Chili at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2011/12/full-of-beans.html?spref=tw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook And Her Books</a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.625em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat</strong>‘s Miso Chili Con Carne y Wasabi Sour Cream at <a href="http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/miso-chili-con-carne/#Letslunch" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook</a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cheryl</strong><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">'s </span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Keema Chili at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2012/01/keema-chili-texas-by-way-of-india/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a></span></span></div></div></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-54523636561179134002011-12-22T15:32:00.000-06:002012-01-08T15:53:46.968-06:00Shelby's Rainy Day Potato Chowder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_5E5_7gR8Y/TvOg5NkRYUI/AAAAAAAAARA/O3nba84VCLY/s1600/shelby+soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N_5E5_7gR8Y/TvOg5NkRYUI/AAAAAAAAARA/O3nba84VCLY/s320/shelby+soup.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot sauce is the secret to the<br />
zing in this potato chowder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today I came home from work to find a delicious lunch of soup and cheese sandwiches awaiting me, created by my daughter, who is visiting for Christmas break. It was a gray and rainy day, but I confess the soup certainly brightened things up! That's the power of good soup. It just does something good for the soul.<br />
<br />
You'll enjoy this dish. It's so easy to prepare and healthy and delicious to boot. A definite keeper!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<br />
<b>Rainy Day Chowder</b><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">by Shelby</span></i><br />
<br />
In a medium-sized sauce pot, melt<br />
<br />
<i>2 T butter</i><br />
<br />
and saute<br />
<br />
<i>1 cup each frozen peas, corn</i><br />
<i>1/2 cup frozen carrots</i><br />
<i>1/4 cup chopped onion</i><br />
<br />
Stir together<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>4 tsp cornstarch</i></div><i>4 cups skim milk</i><br />
<br />
To the saucepot add the milk mixture and<br />
<br />
<i>1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions</i><br />
<i>2 tsp hot sauce</i><br />
<i>1 can evap milk</i><br />
<i>2 cups cooked, cubed potatoes</i><br />
<i>salt and pepper to taste</i><br />
<br />
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Let soup sit for 10 minutes to thicken and cool while you prepare your favorite cheese sandwiches and serve it with some Christmas carols for an extra Merry lunch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S5TYjX0qLGw/TvOg6fqNMMI/AAAAAAAAARI/zfHSwu7XCjY/s1600/soupnsandwich.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S5TYjX0qLGw/TvOg6fqNMMI/AAAAAAAAARI/zfHSwu7XCjY/s400/soupnsandwich.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Served with lovely <br />
two-cheese sandwiches</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-44986895433155754032011-12-19T01:50:00.000-06:002011-12-27T04:53:11.213-06:00A detailed guide to the ultimate Red Velvet Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>Solving dry red cake with a little cake science </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
The Red Velvet Cake of my memory was soft and fluffy. Perfection on a plate topped with buttery, creamy vanilla icing. The ultimate Christmas Cake.<br />
<br />
The cake on this plate, however, was not my Grandmother's Red Velvet Cake. Oh, it was pretty enough. It was sweet enough. And it tasted OK. But it was dry. Very. Dry. Compared to my Grandma's cake, this cake was a piece of the Sahara desert on my tongue.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXdqFyPkJPZnwBJDsfUExyHYCx_YnkNGjsbDxJaCSWUwgYIru_AtZ3IPNjar9fKA62H1vJNhwGycCFvor5lFUCILAbeH0QaEVdhNOqKTFrCn6siU1A303tgCKN1qBmFSQuGfndUFSOTm/s1600/dry+cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXdqFyPkJPZnwBJDsfUExyHYCx_YnkNGjsbDxJaCSWUwgYIru_AtZ3IPNjar9fKA62H1vJNhwGycCFvor5lFUCILAbeH0QaEVdhNOqKTFrCn6siU1A303tgCKN1qBmFSQuGfndUFSOTm/s320/dry+cake.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first attempt at Grandma's Red Velvet cake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I had followed grandma's recipe to the letter, of course. I measured the ingredients exactly. And I followed all the typical cake advice. My ingredients were at room temperature. I didn't over-mix the cake or over-bake it. I waited a full 30 minutes before taking it out of the pan. I'd done none of the things experienced bakers advise against. Yet the cake had still gone wrong. Why was my Red Velvet Cake so dry?<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Now I don't, as a rule, bake cakes often. I am an occasional cake baker at best. There's just too much fat and sugar in a cake for me to feel good about eating even one piece of such confections, much less baking a whole cake to eat! But this cake is very special. My grandmother has made it for as many Christmases as I can remember. It goes back easily more than 30 years in our family. Grandma died earlier this year, so I volunteered to bake this special cake for Christmas at our family's celebration. I really really wanted things to come out well with this cake.<br />
<br />
I asked friends who are experienced bakers what they knew about Red Velvet.<br />
<br />
"I tried one of those once," one said. "It turned out very dry. I have no idea why. I didn't over-mix it." <br />
<br />
"I just use a mix," said another.<br />
<br />
I scourged the Web with Auntie Google, looking for clues. In blog comments, many bakers said their attempt at this cake was dry as well. Fellow bakers offered tips to address the issue of course, but none that differed from advice I'd already followed. I also asked professional bakers if there was anything about the red dye that made the cake prone to dryness, but none knew of any such issue. I turned next to my trusted,"Science and Lore of the Kitchen," by Harold McGee, and reread the section on cakes.<br />
<br />
And finally began to understand what had happened.<br />
<br />
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The secret to this great cake</span></b></i><br />
Of course we have all been told many times not to over-mix batters. That develops gluten in the flour and toughens the end result. My grandmother always said the less you handle any dough the better. And that advice has always proved true in general and yet ...<br />
<br />
The thing is, Red Velvet Cake is a nearly impossible confection. You can only stuff so much fat and sugar into a moistened flour mixture before the whole structure becomes impossibly weak and collapses to its knobby little knees. So a bit of gluten in that sort of cake is not necessarily a bad thing. It can strengthen the flour structure, keep it light and airy and tall. Grandma's recipe didn't say how long to beat the cake, but looking at recipes online, most recommended times I found quite surprising. One popular blogger's recipe advised a minute on medium and two on high!<br />
<br />
So I mixed up a new cake, making an experiment of beating times. I poured off one layer using the old method, beat one layer for a minute on medium, and beat the third and last layer an additional two minutes on high, cringing a bit as I did so. It seemed like sacrilege to beat a cake for so long!<br />
<br />
But the winner ultimately was indeed the third layer, beaten one minute on medium and two on high.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">And then a new mistake is committed ...</span></b><br />
<br />
Having settled on that beating time, I baked a new cake for a party I was going to that evening. I couldn't resist nibbling a corner of the finished warm cake, just to see how I'd done. It was so light and fluffy and delicious! My cake was going to work! I danced around the kitchen a little, I was so happy.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXd2O50j5LZxK8BxMiYpe6bc-mqYvHbOGp9ExPcwmNJUYHbiAzwFKsbpcjVf9CqNmOv2quiUQfMgMglgaqzW_GArscBQqQY8rFjHIdaTmEGKxOE0aJgRyKGCLAq_3hPmeLAMwNYD8YRM0/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXd2O50j5LZxK8BxMiYpe6bc-mqYvHbOGp9ExPcwmNJUYHbiAzwFKsbpcjVf9CqNmOv2quiUQfMgMglgaqzW_GArscBQqQY8rFjHIdaTmEGKxOE0aJgRyKGCLAq_3hPmeLAMwNYD8YRM0/s320/large.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;">This became a Red Cake Disaster Trifle. Looks a bit</div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;">like an earthquake, doesn't it?</div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>And then I made a terrible mistake.<br />
<br />
See, this whole cake-baking thing was taking way longer than expected, and I was kind of in a hurry by now. The cake was still a bit warm to touch, but it had sat the recommended 30 minutes. So I went ahead and started constructing my party idea for the cake. And the whole blessed thing fell apart on me when I went to put the top down! It had still been too warm and tender to handle. *sigh*<br />
<br />
So the whole mess became Red Cake Disaster Trifle instead. This earthquake dessert was in fact well-received despite the mess it truly was— but of course, that's not the result I wanted to achieve Christmas day!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finally perfection is reached ...</b></span> <br />
<br />
So Sunday, continuing my little personal quest, I baked grandma's sacred Red Velvet Cake once again. This time I was patient. Very. Very. Patient. I did not touch those cooling cake layers for 45 minutes! No cake corners were nibbled! I didn't even so much as breathe near that pretty little cake! I went in the other room with a glass of wine and distracted myself with Christmas carols and Twitter. I tried not to even think about my cake, lest the weight of my thoughts prove too much for it!<br />
<br />
Once the layers were completely cool and firm, I constructed the cake -- gently -- icing it with care. Cut myself a tiny piece. Drew a deep breath. Closed my eyes and took a tiny nibble. The buttery icy hit my tongue first, followed by that taste of light and fluffy chocolate perfection beneath.<br />
<br />
Ahhh ... the taste of bliss.<br />
<br />
That taste is why there was always a piece of cake missing from the center of grandma's cake every Christmas. This was the cake of my memory. Grandma would have been proud.<br />
<br />
As for whether I can do it again ...<br />
<br />
I am hoping so, but please, keep your fingers crossed for me on Christmas day!<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grandma Bibb's Red Velvet Cake</span></b><br />
<i>(also referred to in urban legends as the $200 chocolate cake)</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCRcSEHAqRrRmpuu5LmOGEBCdzyaEl_DcSZnjUSzpcoCCb3xgi-tI1VrBUybPSV_YgndMbBgrOfZkGfDGUPGrMTVZEUgMFTh7ByQVqar20ze_vOvlDZWerh7ylI7TObDxGCbFHDLa8tkK/s1600/redcake+ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCRcSEHAqRrRmpuu5LmOGEBCdzyaEl_DcSZnjUSzpcoCCb3xgi-tI1VrBUybPSV_YgndMbBgrOfZkGfDGUPGrMTVZEUgMFTh7ByQVqar20ze_vOvlDZWerh7ylI7TObDxGCbFHDLa8tkK/s320/redcake+ingredients.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients, from left clockwise:<br />
1/2 cup crisco & 1 1/2 cup sugar;<br />
1 cup butter milk; 1 tsp baking soda;<br />
1 tsp vinegar; 2 1/4 cups flour & 1 tsp salt;<br />
1/4 cup cocoa, 1oz food coloring, <br />
1 oz water; 1 tsp vanilla extract</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For a moist Red Velvet Cake first preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, cream<br />
<br />
<i>1 cup crisco</i><br />
<i>1 1/2 cup sugar</i><br />
<br />
Make sure to measure all dry ingredients so that they are level and thus as exact as possible.<br />
<br />
Once the sugar mixture seems light and fluffy, a bit like whipped cream, Add:<br />
<br />
<i>2 beaten eggs at room temperature</i><br />
<br />
Continue beating this well, scraping down the sides. The purpose of this step, essentially, is to mechanically beat as much air into the ingredients as possible, to help the cake stay light and fluffy.<br />
<br />
A note about the choice of Crisco for the shortening. You can of course use other fats such lard and butter, but modern shortenings like Crisco contain small bubbles of nitrogen and emulsifiers which helps disperse more air into a cake upon baking.<br />
<br />
My grandmother always swore by Crisco in this cake, though I don't think she knew that information necessarily. These days they have butter-flavored Crisco, so that is an option. Or you might try 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup crisco as another option. Butter creams best at 65 degrees, while creams Crisco best at 75 degrees. I would just stick with Crisco.<br />
<br />
Add in alternating batches, folding gently to avoid pressing any air out of the mixture:<br />
<br />
<i>1 tsp salt mixed in</i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>2 1/4 c sifted flour</i></span></i><br />
<i>1 cup buttermilk at room temperature</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Make a paste out of</i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><i>3 T to 1/4 cup cocoa</i></i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><i>1 oz red food coloring</i></i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><i>1 oz water</i></i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Grandma's original recipe only calls for 1 tsp of cocoa, however, 1 tsp of cocoa doesn't make anything like a paste with 2 oz of liquid. Most of the Red Velvet Cake recipes call for a quarter cup of cocoa, which does make something more like a paste with 2 ounces of liquid. So I tried the recipe with both 3 T and then 1/4 cup cocoa. Both seemed acceptable taste-wise. I'd go with 1/4 cup because I love chocolate. Make sure it is not dutched cocoa, however, as that will change the chemistry of this cake entirely.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The more usual amount of food coloring in the cake is 2 oz, so I made a test batch both ways. Two ounces does produce a deeper red, but I don't particularly like the idea of all the red dye in the cake, and it's an expensive ingredient. I found one ounce sufficient red for me. I'm even thinking it's possible to get buy with half a bottle of dye or less. Will test this out in future.</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Add the paste of cocoa and red dye to the batter along with</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><i>1 tsp vanilla</i></i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div>Now beat the cake on medium speed one minute, then two minutes on high. You'll notice the cake batter begins to get smoother, kind of glossy. The ridges from the beating no longer disappear. These seem to me signs that the cake has developed enough structure to hold together.<br />
<br />
One last step for a little more air in the cake. Measure out in separate containers:<br />
<br />
<i>1 tsp baking soda</i><br />
<i>1 tsp vinegar</i><br />
<br />
Mix the vinegar into the baking soda, holding it over the cake batter to catch everything. Quickly add this mixture, stirring to incorporating it evenly. I stop the beating 30 seconds early, add the vinegar and baking soda, and then continue beating for the last 30 seconds. I don't think you would want to do this step before you mix the cake for three minutes as you'd just be using up all the reaction perhaps. But I could be wrong about this. I would appreciate any opinions from more experienced cake bakers on this point.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1EeF7cW4Xix3UYLIh4us2k66bNYSmQrRUYtgdFeLGvpuIcwHU8BUORTf3PMOAj23ZQpPh3Kz8rGAJXsQ3UAEEx_EbTRFmoaG7sRW0Iquhf-RC4g1mLe66p4I8dOYPOVP2d2n-47BFn8M/s1600/prepared+pans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1EeF7cW4Xix3UYLIh4us2k66bNYSmQrRUYtgdFeLGvpuIcwHU8BUORTf3PMOAj23ZQpPh3Kz8rGAJXsQ3UAEEx_EbTRFmoaG7sRW0Iquhf-RC4g1mLe66p4I8dOYPOVP2d2n-47BFn8M/s200/prepared+pans.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I dust the rims of the cake pans <br />
with cocoa then place a square<br />
of aluminum foil on the bottom.<br />
This way the cake slides out very easily.<br />
The best pans are probably going<br />
to be plain old square or round.<br />
Grandma always used a rectangular<br />
pan and made a single layer cake.<br />
I tried it with a xmas tree pan<br />
and found the ends get too done.<br />
You can cut the nubs off and eat them<br />
I suppose, but if you want a christmas<br />
tree shape it's probably best to just<br />
use a rectangular pan<br />
and cut it to shape after it bakes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pour the batter into two cake tins that have been dusted with cocoa powder. I like to put a square of foil on the bottom of the cake pan so that the cake turns loose easily once baked. When you invert the pan, the cake will slide out very easily and the foil can be peeled off the bottom of the cake without any damage to the layer's integrity.<br />
<br />
Bake the cake in two layers at 350 degrees for between 30 and 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Granny used to bake the cake in a single sheet, so that can work, too. The original recipe says this takes 30 minutes, but I found it took more like 45 minutes, hence the wide range I'm giving you.<br />
<br />
I have an oven thermometer to check the temperature for me, and if you don't have one, you need to get one. The thing is, accurate temperature is very important with any cake. You don't want to bake the cake too much below 350, or the cake will set too slowly. Air bubbles will build slowly, grow too large, coalesce even, and that results in a coarser, denser texture. If you are too much higher than 350, the outer edges will set long before the center is done. You'll have a dry cake that is too brown on top.<br />
<br />
So preheat the oven to 350 and make sure the baking rack is in the center of the oven. Slide the cake in quickly and close the door. Don't open that door until the cake gets close to being done. Test each layer with a toothpick without sliding the rack out, if you at all can. The less motion with this cake the better. Cake is a tender structure. The egg and starches that will ultimately hold the cake in place are very soft and pliable until the cake has cooled.<br />
<br />
So when you do take the cakes out, minimize any jiggling. Smoothly slide the cake out with one potholder while holding the other level with the baking rack. That way the cake slides onto the potholder without any wiggling. The cake can then be gently slid off the potholder in the same manner onto another level surface, preferably away from the hot oven. Let the cake layers rest a full 30 to 45 minutes before you try to do anything with them. They will smell great and highly tempting to nibble on a corner, but it's still too delicate. Trust me, things can still fall apart quite easily from here!<br />
<br />
While you are waiting, make the icing for the cake.<br />
<br />
Measure out<br />
<br />
<i>3 T flour</i><br />
<i>1 cup of milk</i><br />
<br />
Stir a little milk into the flour to make a smooth paste. Gradually add more milk until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Cook the mixture until thick and cool, stirring constantly. If it should decide to lump up on you, you can put it in the blender for a few seconds and smooth it back out. No worries.<br />
<br />
In a medium sized bowl add:<br />
<br />
<i>1 cup sugar</i><br />
<i>The contents of two vanilla bean pods</i><br />
<i>1 stick butter at room temperature</i><br />
<br />
Yes you can use vanilla extract of course. But this will taste ever so much better with real vanilla, trust me! And if you want to know where you can get a cheap supply of beans, check out the Indrivanilla folks, linked at right. I purchased a pound of beans from them at 33 cents a bean in bulk. This is quite a bargain, and they even gave me a couple free samples! Amazing customer service, and the quality of the beans was just fine.<br />
<br />
I use one less stick of butter than the original recipe calls for. I think it tastes better this way, and it still makes plenty of icing for one cake.<br />
<br />
Cream the butter sugar and vanilla so that it is light and fluffy, then blend it gently with the flour mixture once it has cooled to room temperature. Don't blend too soon or beat this too much. You don't want your icing to taste more like a floury tapioca pudding!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl98M1bUaaEbReU_fselgv9_g0EhiOP4LW6v8Ut5zGQYix5dGYtswdvnT-Nwv1F343h0O_qoXKPbgyabSqwD6iEEgjQA6Vpnsy9p_asET8E0ZDogBKfW10yb3IinO11-pnrYK3JV8wYu7/s1600/finished+redcake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl98M1bUaaEbReU_fselgv9_g0EhiOP4LW6v8Ut5zGQYix5dGYtswdvnT-Nwv1F343h0O_qoXKPbgyabSqwD6iEEgjQA6Vpnsy9p_asET8E0ZDogBKfW10yb3IinO11-pnrYK3JV8wYu7/s320/finished+redcake.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished cake! The test cake was<br />
still acceptably moist and tender four days later, so it<br />
should keep fairly well if made the night before. Just wrap<br />
it well in plastic wrap. Don't put your cake in the refrigerator<br />
however. Refrigerators speed the staling process for breads<br />
and cakes. You can freeze the cake, but the cake<br />
becomes a little bit denser, and to me not quite as fresh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once the layers are fully cooled, you can construct the cake, or you can wrap them in aluminum foil and heavy plastic wrap to freeze for up to three weeks. When you're ready for the cake, take the layers out of the freezer and unwrap. They will take about three hours to thaw.<br />
<br />
To construct the cake, put one of the cake layers on a serving platter and spread a generous layer of icing over the top. Place the second layer of cake on top of this. Now spread the entire cake with a very thin layer of icing. Crumbs will likely get stuck in the icing and it will look messy. Not to worry. Put the cake in the freezer for a few minutes to harden the icing. Now take the cake back out and put a thicker layer of icing on. It will be beautiful and crumb free!<br />
<br />
<i>Have a question I didn't answer? Post a comment and I'll try to see if I can help you with your cake.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-54223818162273506612011-12-10T16:51:00.000-06:002011-12-27T04:53:51.676-06:00Seriously Addictive Cranberry Christmas Salsa!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqiSNFgnNXMI8h5JJrhBiSexW9Zma06gbdkfZu5cVesqd2n-r8u5cqBrPLmFrzFAumZH0GL50mpXbJnvxwWfylfDs7QWvM2mOj3ThVNZvJjVt3qxwoVY77-21eLq50o0rRwBQ9k4rb7Ed/s1600/cranberry+salsa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqiSNFgnNXMI8h5JJrhBiSexW9Zma06gbdkfZu5cVesqd2n-r8u5cqBrPLmFrzFAumZH0GL50mpXbJnvxwWfylfDs7QWvM2mOj3ThVNZvJjVt3qxwoVY77-21eLq50o0rRwBQ9k4rb7Ed/s200/cranberry+salsa.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><b>Warning! Super a</b></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><b>ddictive salsa!</b></span></i><br />
<a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2011/12/auntie-janes-potato-gratin-a-singaporean-christmas-casserole/#more-2224" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999; font-size: small;"><i>More </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999;">festive Holiday Sides here</span></i></span></a><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Have a cooking blog? </span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Wanta join </i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23LetsLunch" target="_blank">#letslunch</a></span></i><i>?</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Just send a tweet </i><i>to</i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> @cheryltan88 </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">with #letslunch in the tweet!</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Part of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23LetsLunch"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999;">#letslunch</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"> series. </span></i><br />
<br />
Have you seen the price of tomatoes in the store lately!?<br />
<br />
Ridickerous ain't it?<br />
<br />
Cranberries on the other hand ...<br />
<br />
Cranberries are fresh and in season.<br />
<br />
Cranberries are festive and feisty.<br />
<br />
Cranberries are 48 cents a bag and will do quite nicely!<br />
<br />
Pick up a bag, heck take two. You're gonna need a double batch of this stuff. It is seriously addictive! This salsa has a sweet-tart tang and a smoky, chipotle bang that keeps you coming back for more. One bowl ain't gonna be enough, trust me! <br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cranberry Christmas Salsa</span></b><br />
<i>by Renée</i><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUApIrtJk1ttmGbzdRtiDIGYuA2Yjrjp9RJe1Xc94ulivyjsWlwPOtZn6XyoSV3il4VbvOxw_N_-xFYk-ejEV2RtCX26WGOf8W-R5pE4mdav8oo03xErcIHa3zGQ8000XnrRZlxhTJvK9/s1600/ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUApIrtJk1ttmGbzdRtiDIGYuA2Yjrjp9RJe1Xc94ulivyjsWlwPOtZn6XyoSV3il4VbvOxw_N_-xFYk-ejEV2RtCX26WGOf8W-R5pE4mdav8oo03xErcIHa3zGQ8000XnrRZlxhTJvK9/s200/ingredients.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients: Cranberry, center,<br />
and, clockwise from left,<br />
jalapeno, onion, ginger, <br />
chipotle pepper, pineapple, <br />
cilantro, limes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In a saucepan cook until slightly juicy<br />
<br />
<i> 1 bag of chopped cranberries</i><br />
<i> 2 tsp minced ginger</i><br />
<i> 1 tsp salt</i><br />
<i> 1 to 2 tsp smoked chipotle pepper </i><br />
<i> 1 tsp cinnamon</i><br />
<i> Juice from 1/2 a lime</i><br />
<i>Secret ingredient: 1 tsp cumin</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Don't cook this too long. You're just blending flavors a bit to take the tannic edge off the cranberries. If you want less spicy heat, substitute some liquid smoke for the powdered chipotle pepper, to your taste.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">In a small skillet quickly sear </div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><i>1/2 medium onion diced</i></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><i>1 chopped jalapeno pepper</i></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Again, don't cook for too long. You're just taking the edge off those onions and blending that jalapeno pepper a bit. Add this to the cranberries. Also add</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><i>a handful of crushed cilantro (optional)</i></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><i>1 chopped fresh pineapple</i><br />
<i>1/2 cup sugar</i></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Crushing cilantro helps modulate that soapy flavor which so many folks dislike. Cilantro is the authentic salsa seasoning, but this salsa is great without it, too. I tried mint as a substitute and I felt like the cilantro tasted better.<br />
<br />
I kept the pineapple fresh because it has an enzyme in it that prevents the cranberries from gelling up. That gives the dip a more usual salsa consistency.<br />
<br />
Stir things up well and give this a taste test. Add more sugar if the cranberries turned out tarter than expected, or a pinch more salt if you think it's too sweet. This is incredibly delicious and gets more so after an overnight chill in that deep dark refrigerator. Serve the dip with some red and green tortilla chips and try not to eat — er I mean test — it all before the party!<br />
<br />
Psst! You can also sneak some onto salmon or chicken, too, for a super easy, super tasty, super healthy lunch! I won't tell on you because that's exactly what I did!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTpxbmgcJYjU6aysmhghtu58cu5fw5KmGILua-_R66kQ6KR4CzYTJBkIR3aCeRyegnV8KCutt8lEbjnFrSFcXqWmO84M6WA7ONH50Rq-HCeLwuvuzXfvV415io_9HqW0URNNtCuOK0V2E/s1600/salmon+with+cranberry+salsa.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTpxbmgcJYjU6aysmhghtu58cu5fw5KmGILua-_R66kQ6KR4CzYTJBkIR3aCeRyegnV8KCutt8lEbjnFrSFcXqWmO84M6WA7ONH50Rq-HCeLwuvuzXfvV415io_9HqW0URNNtCuOK0V2E/s320/salmon+with+cranberry+salsa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuEl7oF4olp-kXTi03hjOAsunROj9KdwzX-QU33zdnEP9Wxlvt9r4L_ZV7nE45_u5V1_TDx6IRFoV4Fq-JUsW1KBXHfQ_3oz2weUfP21yi5kzTEt_CYNwdFTLOHxZVmlMvr3-U8vDrxnW/s1600/salmon+cranberry+salsa+and+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuEl7oF4olp-kXTi03hjOAsunROj9KdwzX-QU33zdnEP9Wxlvt9r4L_ZV7nE45_u5V1_TDx6IRFoV4Fq-JUsW1KBXHfQ_3oz2weUfP21yi5kzTEt_CYNwdFTLOHxZVmlMvr3-U8vDrxnW/s320/salmon+cranberry+salsa+and+salad.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This mix makes a refreshing salad. Toss in some blue cheese,<br />
chop up the salmon, drizle with some balsamic vinegar and<br />
a spritz of olive oil. Voila! Great lunch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<i>Cooking notes addendum — I tried this with fresh mint. It was OK, but I don't think that's the way to go. Cilantro is better. I also tried a subsequent batch with some cumin. Now that was a worth while addition. I've amended the ingredients accordingly. I found this works better if you don't cook the cranberries and sugar together. The sugar tends to juice up the cranberries before they are cooked to where you want them.</i><br />
<br />
For more crave-alicious holiday appetizers or party platters, visit <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/ham-and-asparagus-roll-ups-recipe/" target="_blank">This Week's Cravings</a>. <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2011/12/auntie-janes-potato-gratin-a-singaporean-christmas-casserole/#more-2224" target="_blank">Festive Side Dishes</a> from the <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23LetsLunch" target="_blank">#letslunch</a> bunch are as follows:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheryl's <b>Potato Gratin</b> at <a href="http://atigerinthekitchen.com/2011/12/auntie-janes-potato-gratin-a-singaporean-christmas-casserole/#more-2224">A Tiger in the Kitchen</a><br />
Charissa‘s <b>Coconut Date Balls</b> at <a href="http://www.zestbakery.com/holiday/christmas/coconut-date-balls-and-a-gluten-free-dinner-on-vashon-island/">Zest Bakery</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanor</span>‘s <b>Easy Festive Stir-Fry</b> at <a href="http://eleanorhoh.com/2011/12/09/easy-festive-side/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Wok Star</a><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ellise</span>‘s <b>Lime-Chipotle Carrots</b> at <a href="http://cowgirlchef.com/2011/12/09/lime-chipotle-carrots/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Cowgirl Chef</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma</span>‘s <b>Mom’s Hot Crab Dip</b> at <a href="http://kitchendreamer.blogspot.com/2011/12/letslunch-festive-sidesfamily-sides.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dreaming of Pots And Pans</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Felicia</span>‘s <b>Chinese Butterfly Cookies</b> at <a href="http://alwayshungry-felicia.blogspot.com/2011/12/eating-butterflies-festive-treats-for.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Burnt-Out Baker</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Grace</span>‘s <b>Fruitcake</b> at <a href="http://hapamama.com/2011/12/of-loaves-and-fruitcakes/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">HapaMama</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe</span>‘s <b>Maine Homestead Holiday Dishes</b> at <a href="http://www.joeyonan.com/2011/12/holiday-dishes-at-maine-homestead.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Joe Yonan</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</span>‘s <b>Baked Salad</b> at <a href="http://freerangecookies.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/bake-me-a-salad/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Free Range Cookies</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Linda</span>‘s <b>Trinidadian Baked Pastelles</b> at <a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/tea-and-infamy-with-a-side-of-kaya-toast/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://beautifulmemorablefood.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/trinidadian-baked-pastelles/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spicebox Travels</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lisa</span>‘s <b>Potato Latkes</b> at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=232234256847493" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monday Morning Cooking Club</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lucy</span>‘s <b>“Not My Mama’s” Black-Eyed Peas & Greens </b>at <a href="http://acookandherbooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/not-my-mamas-black-eyed-peas-greens.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A Cook And Her Books</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maria</span>‘s <b>Grandma Dorothy’s Deviled Eggs</b> at <a href="http://www.mariasgoodthings.com/?p=297" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Maria’s Good Things</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Patrick</span>‘s <b>Baby Pecan Pies</b> at <a href="http://www.patrickglee.com/recipes-2/baby-pecan-pies/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Patrick G. Lee</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebecca</span>‘s <b>Grandmother Martha’s Potato Kugel </b>at <a href="http://grongar.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/marthas-potato-kugel/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Grongar Blog</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steff</span>‘s <b>Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble</b> at <a href="http://kitchentrials.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/sweet-potato-casserole/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Kitchen Trials</a><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Victor</span>‘s<b> Roasted Parsnips, Carrots & Delicata Squash</b> Tossed With Sauteed Mustard Greens at <a href="http://www.thetasteoforegon.com/2011/11/14142/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #660033; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Taste of Oregon</a></div></div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5350242452128966911.post-28515103404582706132011-12-05T22:39:00.000-06:002011-12-13T12:36:12.689-06:00Turkey Faux Pho — an Asian inspired soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3h0k06wS-95Qd-EULrRJVToESwBExYPla3vPiaVXK-ZW6ShD3Y-kjQ4w0hpUj1Y3PSfSSg74Vj8t87jJ3iIW3FOeqJKi44P_09yr4cdP9awZXxgJmv2RUeWf3XtcDtqbcTdqTGmfVUHu/s1600/IMG_4568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3h0k06wS-95Qd-EULrRJVToESwBExYPla3vPiaVXK-ZW6ShD3Y-kjQ4w0hpUj1Y3PSfSSg74Vj8t87jJ3iIW3FOeqJKi44P_09yr4cdP9awZXxgJmv2RUeWf3XtcDtqbcTdqTGmfVUHu/s320/IMG_4568.JPG" width="320" /></a>There is just one problem with a batch of good broth. Those little bitty tiny bitty bits of meat on the bones! Now I belong to the waste not want not school, so I have to pick the meat off the bones and use it somehow. But what do you do with 3/4 cup or so of teeny tiny pieces of meat?<br />
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I had been experimenting a bit with making some sort of meatballs but most of my test versions fell apart, oh well! Back to the drawing board!<br />
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But this time, I turned the idea on its head a bit. Instead of a meatball, why not a wonton? This turned out quite well. Delicious, fairly easy, healthy and frugal. All the right stuff. Here's how to make it ...<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hot Turkey Faux Pho Soup</span><br />
<i>by Renée</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXApRailt1mctRGMwjdbbsBFl0LGKcHdcjnqaRbxekZ0cyqot_ftyc6zm_kKBzgYh5olGnpIgDrKoEXmKv_cDUVnOiZ2L8Csjgx8R_KxqYVbyMb4-YHQLe7Cf375iidoaR1I-uBSItsPW/s1600/IMG_4536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieXApRailt1mctRGMwjdbbsBFl0LGKcHdcjnqaRbxekZ0cyqot_ftyc6zm_kKBzgYh5olGnpIgDrKoEXmKv_cDUVnOiZ2L8Csjgx8R_KxqYVbyMb4-YHQLe7Cf375iidoaR1I-uBSItsPW/s200/IMG_4536.JPG" width="200" /></a>Combine in a small bowl:<br />
<i>3/4 cup minced turkey</i><br />
<i>1 tsp minced ginger</i><br />
<i>1 large clove minced garlic</i><br />
<i>1 T or so sliced green onion</i><br />
<i>1/4 tsp or so red pepper flakes</i><br />
<i>2 tsp dark soy sauce</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLKiRhYeChpPqa_hQHP9u2BYs-eKT175Z0qsYYCzfrmWughwA1bxtrTMmLIyWZ02Lm4pAPuqM3Y9Wq6Cxwjad0Fez472H0IDMOKAYqwruM8Q0cmZO1CnvjCZOelqT1RY4JX88X0DY62Dm/s1600/IMG_4541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLKiRhYeChpPqa_hQHP9u2BYs-eKT175Z0qsYYCzfrmWughwA1bxtrTMmLIyWZ02Lm4pAPuqM3Y9Wq6Cxwjad0Fez472H0IDMOKAYqwruM8Q0cmZO1CnvjCZOelqT1RY4JX88X0DY62Dm/s200/IMG_4541.jpg" width="150" /></a><i>juice from 1/2 lime</i><br />
<i>1 splash fish sauce<br />
2 tsp cornstarch</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Place one tsp of filling in a wonton wrapper, working quickly so they don't dry out too much. Fold the wrapper over and seal the edges with a little egg. Crimp the two corners of the triangle's widest base together .<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFG4z6LrAUgMBzOy4Xg7q3EnbMl2TsU17W1BnWAbvvn9k3ZvStv7GPpswt5huas7zrTlVkMt93i0LLg9WGiQ7xAtHrbNNTBA1V37n_x-WUcYpT5QbInSG2xIRK8ty01XAtcY66dOea0Mv/s1600/IMG_4542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFG4z6LrAUgMBzOy4Xg7q3EnbMl2TsU17W1BnWAbvvn9k3ZvStv7GPpswt5huas7zrTlVkMt93i0LLg9WGiQ7xAtHrbNNTBA1V37n_x-WUcYpT5QbInSG2xIRK8ty01XAtcY66dOea0Mv/s200/IMG_4542.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSkYPqwrvxmvCjUCVMMsOorVS5PIKnYmmmXpvu0vmu9Gi_97_s9kn6QunyKDQ7KuCIQRlaHzMH3LwJ05VM-Douzezh1_OJ0TKArpMzQ6F4yDeulnJuxxGPd5T8ts_oMBYNKPCpWaoF74f/s1600/IMG_4547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSkYPqwrvxmvCjUCVMMsOorVS5PIKnYmmmXpvu0vmu9Gi_97_s9kn6QunyKDQ7KuCIQRlaHzMH3LwJ05VM-Douzezh1_OJ0TKArpMzQ6F4yDeulnJuxxGPd5T8ts_oMBYNKPCpWaoF74f/s200/IMG_4547.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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Bring to boil and let simmer for 20 minutes or so:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe-etoSgVp_q9iavjNz5kGnhXZRI3ChR9dkt8YRn5zn-yYZMf_lhzjKW0SrH8JA7USmqmfumg1zK4QJFogAr2JDP7mHlqynAP9xCii_rv4kuDEWr1bnjO79Q4WlhCx8uX0Hd1CTf91pS0/s1600/IMG_4555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe-etoSgVp_q9iavjNz5kGnhXZRI3ChR9dkt8YRn5zn-yYZMf_lhzjKW0SrH8JA7USmqmfumg1zK4QJFogAr2JDP7mHlqynAP9xCii_rv4kuDEWr1bnjO79Q4WlhCx8uX0Hd1CTf91pS0/s200/IMG_4555.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>3 or 4 cups turkey or chicken broth</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfe-etoSgVp_q9iavjNz5kGnhXZRI3ChR9dkt8YRn5zn-yYZMf_lhzjKW0SrH8JA7USmqmfumg1zK4QJFogAr2JDP7mHlqynAP9xCii_rv4kuDEWr1bnjO79Q4WlhCx8uX0Hd1CTf91pS0/s1600/IMG_4555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><i></i></a><i>2 or 3 star of anise </i><br />
<i>1 cinnamon stick</i><br />
<i>a pinch of cardamon</i><br />
<i>a pinch of ginger</i><br />
<br />
These are the traditional spices used for Vietnamese Pho soup. They make a really nice complex flavored broth. After the broth has simmered a bit add:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQEiW5ufWTPWzHsEBuyMHn-RV3Fi8ju6kxqGuN_i1gB7pq_884-DuPr6ya109zG1tD1r6tjbDe5kLJL6Ki85LX_LvX_ZX4gA7yTBawu4FV4zJZu9OGYUiizXN9CTRJEFEFGdgXTcj-T6-/s1600/IMG_4558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQEiW5ufWTPWzHsEBuyMHn-RV3Fi8ju6kxqGuN_i1gB7pq_884-DuPr6ya109zG1tD1r6tjbDe5kLJL6Ki85LX_LvX_ZX4gA7yTBawu4FV4zJZu9OGYUiizXN9CTRJEFEFGdgXTcj-T6-/s200/IMG_4558.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>3/4 cup grated carrot</i><br />
<i>wontons one at a time</i><br />
<br />
Let the soup return to boil. Cook the wontons for 3-5 minutes, to ensure they come to temperature and are cooked through.<br />
<br />
Ladle some soup and wontons into a bowl. Dip a ladle into the boiling soup that contains<br />
<br />
<i>thinly sliced napa cabbage leaves</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWQZnToHKLyjARE5drcXVeU1PJipDtkkqm8l1tua1NwPekReM5Z-tqinJEA-eI1MmMnRE4XnCqVb3eowTqP9iRNy7zyHJDFocSSEbcncgv-ML8wBi5fBb9fw3RbmtgYfFjdiA51gNIghh/s1600/IMG_4566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWQZnToHKLyjARE5drcXVeU1PJipDtkkqm8l1tua1NwPekReM5Z-tqinJEA-eI1MmMnRE4XnCqVb3eowTqP9iRNy7zyHJDFocSSEbcncgv-ML8wBi5fBb9fw3RbmtgYfFjdiA51gNIghh/s200/IMG_4566.jpg" width="200" /></a>Cook the cabbage just a few moments so that the leaves change color but are not wilted. Add to the soup and garnish with your choice of<br />
<br />
<i>Fresh cilantro, mint, Thai basil or coriander</i><br />
<i>sliced jalapeno</i><br />
<i>Sriracha sauce</i><br />
<br />
This was a delicious soup!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Reneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13175561423379584537noreply@blogger.com2