An enhanced version of the recipe found in September 2012 edition of Cooking Light.
Ingredients:
To make the patties:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp peanut oil or canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup panko
Finishing the patties:
4 eggs
1/4 cup panko
Peanut or canola oil
Cheddar cheese with chipotle (optional but delicious)
Combine the ingredients for the patties in a food processor and process until combined but still pretty chunky.
Pour enough oil into a nonstick pan to cover the bottom. Preheat over medium heat.
Divide the mixture into quarters. Place remaining panko on a plate. Scoop up a quarter of the bean mixture, plop it into the panko, and press it gently flat. Then scoop up the patty and carefully lay it on the hot pan. Repeat with remaining bean mixture to form 4 patties.
You will note that panko is applied to only one side. If the patty sticks to the spoon when you press it flat in the panko, DO NOT PANIC. This is actually quite convenient. Let it stay stuck to the spoon and use that as an easy way to transfer the patty to the frying pan. Use a soft spatula to scrape it off the spoon and directly onto the hot pan.
Fry for 4 minutes, turn, and fry for 3 more minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove to drain on paper towels.
Pour excess oil and any burnt bits of panko out of the pan, and return to stove. Crack four eggs into the pan and cook until firm.
Top each patty with an egg. If you're using the cheese, put as much cheese as you like atop the egg - the hot egg melts it. Serve immediately.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Shortcut Chicken Pot Pie
A long time ago I posted a recipe for chicken pot pie "better than store bought." I still like that recipe, but since then I have gotten lazier about making it and now I have a much faster and incidentally somewhat cheaper version that is still delicious enough to serve to company.
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions (NOT in sauce, just plain onions), or more to taste
Breast meat of 1 rotisserie chicken
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup white flour
1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon or equivalent broth mix
Topping:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup pastry or cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 stick butter or stick margarine
2/3 cup milk
First, make the topping. Preheat the oven to 450. Also put a large pot of water on to boil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir. Chop the butter into small pieces and drop into the dry ingredients. Then, use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the pieces are no bigger than peas. Add the milk and stir gently until a dough forms. It will be stiff.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead carefully 8 times. Kneading a biscuit is not the same as kneading bread dough; each time you knead the dough, you will press it out flat to about an inch thick, then fold it in half. This creates the nice tender layers in the biscuit.
Roll the biscuit dough out into a shape that will fit into whatever container you're going to use for the pie. Basically, the topping is going to be one giant biscuit. You can use a pie plate or a rectangular Corningware, whatever you like that is about the right size. It doesn't have to be oven-safe.
Lay a sheet of tinfoil on a baking sheet that is safe to use at high heat. Most nonstick baking sheets are NOT SAFE at high heat. If all you have is nonstick sheets, then just use a double thickness of tinfoil.
Grease the tinfoil and then laay the giant biscuit on top. Carefully fold up the edges of the tinfoil to make about a 1/2 inch lip all the way around. This will catch any butter that melts out of the huge biscuit, so it doesn't drip onto your oven and smoke.
Bake the biscuit for 12 minutes or until golden. You will want to bake it a tiny bit longer than you usually bake biscuits to be sure it's cooked all the way through.
While the biscuit is cooking, make the filling. The water should be boiling now so just dump in the frozen veggies. Set a timer for 5 minutes and start working on the gravy.
For the gravy, whisk the flour directly into the cold milk until smooth. Then pour the milk mixture into a saucepan and add the water and bouillon and (optional) any herbs you want to add, such as a pinch of thyme, parsley, or sage. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat.
By now the veggies are probably done. When they are done cooking, dump them into a colander to strain out the water, then pour them into the pie plate (or other serving container that you're going to serve the pie in).
If you haven't already chopped the chicken, do it now, and then add the chicken pieces to the veggies.
Pour the gravy over the veggies and chicken, and stir gently.
By this time the biscuit is probably done baking. Carefully, using two large spatulas or pancake turners, lift the giant biscuit off the tinfoil and place on top of the gravy mixture.
Ta-daaa! Your chicken pie is done, and it is PERFECT. Eat it!
Variations:
You can use the whole chicken including dark meat if you like dark meat. I don't, so I feed the legs to Ariel (hubby). Or, you can cook your own chicken, but rotisserie is really really good so I don't recommend this unless you don't have access to rotisserie or it's too expensive.
You can use frozen mixed vegetables instead of peas and carrots, but you must pick out the green beans. They make the filling soggy.
You can also make drop biscuits instead of the giant biscuit if you don't want to bother rolling it out and kneading it.
You can save calories and carbs by making a half recipe of the biscuit topping. It will be thinner and bake in much less time, so check on it after 7 minutes.
Can't find frozen pearl onions? You can use frozen chopped onions instead of pearl onions. The pearl onions are nicer, but the regular chopped onions are fine if that's all you can get. Don't use the kind that comes in a sauce or your gravy will be too salty.
Don't have pastry flour? Substitute an additional 1/4 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/4 cup cornstarch.
Don't have whole wheat flour? Use 2 cups regular flour and leave out the pastry flour.
Don't have cream of tartar? Use an additional 1/2 tsp baking powder, although you should try the cream of tartar sometime. You might find you really like biscuits made with it.
Can't drink milk? Replace it with water. It will still be good. DO NOT use a milk substitute, because they will all make the gravy come out wrong. Lactaid milk is fine.
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions (NOT in sauce, just plain onions), or more to taste
Breast meat of 1 rotisserie chicken
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup white flour
1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon or equivalent broth mix
Topping:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup pastry or cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 stick butter or stick margarine
2/3 cup milk
First, make the topping. Preheat the oven to 450. Also put a large pot of water on to boil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir. Chop the butter into small pieces and drop into the dry ingredients. Then, use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the pieces are no bigger than peas. Add the milk and stir gently until a dough forms. It will be stiff.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead carefully 8 times. Kneading a biscuit is not the same as kneading bread dough; each time you knead the dough, you will press it out flat to about an inch thick, then fold it in half. This creates the nice tender layers in the biscuit.
Roll the biscuit dough out into a shape that will fit into whatever container you're going to use for the pie. Basically, the topping is going to be one giant biscuit. You can use a pie plate or a rectangular Corningware, whatever you like that is about the right size. It doesn't have to be oven-safe.
Lay a sheet of tinfoil on a baking sheet that is safe to use at high heat. Most nonstick baking sheets are NOT SAFE at high heat. If all you have is nonstick sheets, then just use a double thickness of tinfoil.
Grease the tinfoil and then laay the giant biscuit on top. Carefully fold up the edges of the tinfoil to make about a 1/2 inch lip all the way around. This will catch any butter that melts out of the huge biscuit, so it doesn't drip onto your oven and smoke.
Bake the biscuit for 12 minutes or until golden. You will want to bake it a tiny bit longer than you usually bake biscuits to be sure it's cooked all the way through.
While the biscuit is cooking, make the filling. The water should be boiling now so just dump in the frozen veggies. Set a timer for 5 minutes and start working on the gravy.
For the gravy, whisk the flour directly into the cold milk until smooth. Then pour the milk mixture into a saucepan and add the water and bouillon and (optional) any herbs you want to add, such as a pinch of thyme, parsley, or sage. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat.
By now the veggies are probably done. When they are done cooking, dump them into a colander to strain out the water, then pour them into the pie plate (or other serving container that you're going to serve the pie in).
If you haven't already chopped the chicken, do it now, and then add the chicken pieces to the veggies.
Pour the gravy over the veggies and chicken, and stir gently.
By this time the biscuit is probably done baking. Carefully, using two large spatulas or pancake turners, lift the giant biscuit off the tinfoil and place on top of the gravy mixture.
Ta-daaa! Your chicken pie is done, and it is PERFECT. Eat it!
Variations:
You can use the whole chicken including dark meat if you like dark meat. I don't, so I feed the legs to Ariel (hubby). Or, you can cook your own chicken, but rotisserie is really really good so I don't recommend this unless you don't have access to rotisserie or it's too expensive.
You can use frozen mixed vegetables instead of peas and carrots, but you must pick out the green beans. They make the filling soggy.
You can also make drop biscuits instead of the giant biscuit if you don't want to bother rolling it out and kneading it.
You can save calories and carbs by making a half recipe of the biscuit topping. It will be thinner and bake in much less time, so check on it after 7 minutes.
Can't find frozen pearl onions? You can use frozen chopped onions instead of pearl onions. The pearl onions are nicer, but the regular chopped onions are fine if that's all you can get. Don't use the kind that comes in a sauce or your gravy will be too salty.
Don't have pastry flour? Substitute an additional 1/4 cup whole wheat flour plus 1/4 cup cornstarch.
Don't have whole wheat flour? Use 2 cups regular flour and leave out the pastry flour.
Don't have cream of tartar? Use an additional 1/2 tsp baking powder, although you should try the cream of tartar sometime. You might find you really like biscuits made with it.
Can't drink milk? Replace it with water. It will still be good. DO NOT use a milk substitute, because they will all make the gravy come out wrong. Lactaid milk is fine.
Traditional Flan
This isn't your chef's creme caramel.
The apple pie, and indeed the pie in general, is American. It's a colonist's interpretation of an old world dish, namely a tart, but made with the available ingredients and techniques. Pie crust is the commoner's pate sucree. Similarly, this is the flan of the people, created with the ingredients available in tropical places like Mexico and the Philippines. It is not healthy.
Ingredients:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8* egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar (organic is ok)
2 tbsp water
Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a pie plate or similar ceramic or glass oven safe container. Prepare the filling by heating the canned milks in a small pot to almost boiling. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla lightly.
When the milks are hot, pour into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Set aside.
Make the caramel sauce by mixing together the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook without stirring until the sugar turns golden-brown.
Immediately pour the caramelized sugar over the bottom of the greased pie plate. It will turn rock-hard as soon as it cools, so try to pour it all over the plate and not in a mound in the middle, although don't worry about getting it evenly spread. It will melt and spread out while cooking.
Pour the egg filling on top and bake gently for half an hour, or JUST until the center is set. If you see the edges begin to puff up, you're overcooking it and must take it out immediately. However, this flan is much more forgiving than regular custard, since the canned milk does not curdle.
Variation: Reduced sugar
To make a reduced sugar version, simply replace the can of condensed milk with an additional can of evaporated milk plus about 1 cup of Splenda or equivalent heat-safe sweetener. You must use real sugar for the caramel, though.
* About the egg yolks: This number of yolks is a guideline. Some families use a whole dozen!! It's possible to use as few as 5. Basically, 8 is just the compromise number, so use however many you like.
The apple pie, and indeed the pie in general, is American. It's a colonist's interpretation of an old world dish, namely a tart, but made with the available ingredients and techniques. Pie crust is the commoner's pate sucree. Similarly, this is the flan of the people, created with the ingredients available in tropical places like Mexico and the Philippines. It is not healthy.
Ingredients:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8* egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar (organic is ok)
2 tbsp water
Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a pie plate or similar ceramic or glass oven safe container. Prepare the filling by heating the canned milks in a small pot to almost boiling. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and vanilla lightly.
When the milks are hot, pour into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Set aside.
Make the caramel sauce by mixing together the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook without stirring until the sugar turns golden-brown.
Immediately pour the caramelized sugar over the bottom of the greased pie plate. It will turn rock-hard as soon as it cools, so try to pour it all over the plate and not in a mound in the middle, although don't worry about getting it evenly spread. It will melt and spread out while cooking.
Pour the egg filling on top and bake gently for half an hour, or JUST until the center is set. If you see the edges begin to puff up, you're overcooking it and must take it out immediately. However, this flan is much more forgiving than regular custard, since the canned milk does not curdle.
Variation: Reduced sugar
To make a reduced sugar version, simply replace the can of condensed milk with an additional can of evaporated milk plus about 1 cup of Splenda or equivalent heat-safe sweetener. You must use real sugar for the caramel, though.
* About the egg yolks: This number of yolks is a guideline. Some families use a whole dozen!! It's possible to use as few as 5. Basically, 8 is just the compromise number, so use however many you like.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes
Our favorite cupcakes. Maybe. It's hard to choose.
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp boiling water
4 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Kahlua, divided
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar (or equivalent Splenda plus 1/2 cup milk powder)
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Frosting:
2 oz semisweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp Kahlua
Milk
In a small bowl, dissolve coffee granules in water. In another larger bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk, 1/2 cup Kahlua, oil, vanilla, and coffee mixture until blended thoroughly. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually combine the two mixtures. Beat thoroughly for fluffiness.
Pour into greased cupcake tins. Bake at 325 for 25 - 35 minutes until the cake springs back when gently touched. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Cool for 15 minutes more, then brush with remaining Kahlua. Cool.
To make the frosting, combine the chocolate and Kahlua. Microwave for 10 seconds at a time until melted, stirring frequently. Add milk, a tiny bit at a time, until it reaches a spreading consistency. Remember that it will firm up as it cools. Spread over cupcakes.
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp boiling water
4 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Kahlua, divided
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar (or equivalent Splenda plus 1/2 cup milk powder)
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Frosting:
2 oz semisweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp Kahlua
Milk
In a small bowl, dissolve coffee granules in water. In another larger bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk, 1/2 cup Kahlua, oil, vanilla, and coffee mixture until blended thoroughly. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually combine the two mixtures. Beat thoroughly for fluffiness.
Pour into greased cupcake tins. Bake at 325 for 25 - 35 minutes until the cake springs back when gently touched. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Cool for 15 minutes more, then brush with remaining Kahlua. Cool.
To make the frosting, combine the chocolate and Kahlua. Microwave for 10 seconds at a time until melted, stirring frequently. Add milk, a tiny bit at a time, until it reaches a spreading consistency. Remember that it will firm up as it cools. Spread over cupcakes.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Avocado Bubble "Tea"
Bubble tea is a catch-all term for any drink that contains "bubbles", which are actually large, dark colored tapioca pearls. The Taiwanese word for these is Boba, and our use of Bubble is probably a corruption of this word. A shop selling bubble tea usually offers actual tea with bobas, but also usually offers smoothies with bobas, milk tea with bobas, and juice with bobas. The dark pearls are colored in a variety of ways, but the best ones are colored with purple potato and have a slightly sweet, molasses-y taste.
Making bubble tea at home has been a dream for a long time, since Ariel and I found a fantastic bubble tea shop in Seattle that uses real fruits for the smoothies instead of the more common flavored powders. It's called WOW, which stands for Wonder Of Worship, and is an Asian Christian hangout and board game den in addition to its bubble tea vending.
There's nothing like that within comfortable driving distance of us here in Stoneham. So, in case you're in the same boat, here's a bubble tea recipe. You can also just leave the bubbles out and have a smoothie.
Ingredients (per smoothie):
1 small ripe avocado
Milk, or milk alternative if dairy intolerant - I suggest coconut-almond milk
Sweetener to taste
3 drops vanilla extract, or more to taste
Ice cubes (optional)
Slice the avocado in half down to the pit. Twist the two halves apart and pop the pit out with a spoon; discard the pit. Hold each half in your hand and, using a blunt knife, slice the inner meat vertically and horizontally. Then scoop the meat out with a spoon. It will come out already nicely chopped.
Put the avocado meat into a small mixing bowl if you have an immersion blender, also known as a stick blender. If you don't have one, put it into the regular blender, and afterwards, go get an immersion blender ;) Add enough milk to just cover the avocado. You may need to add more later. Avocados are remarkably powerful thickeners.
Add a little sweetener. You can use any kind of sweetener, either natural or artificial. If you want to use natural, then I suggest half honey and half organic sugar. About a teaspoon of each to start with, you can always add more. Also add the vanilla.
Puree the mixture until smooth. You will be amazed at how velvety smooth the avocado makes it. Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
Next, either put in the fridge to chill, or add a few ice cubes and stir until it's at your desired temperature.
To make the bobas:
You will need to buy the right ones. Go online to Amazon and order the kind specially made for bubble tea. If you try to use regular tapioca, you will be disappointed! (Obviously, you will need to do this well in advance of making the smoothie!) Then, follow the directions to cook them. When they're done cooking, drain in a strainer, and put into a bowl of ice water to chill before adding them to your smoothie.
To drink a bubble tea, you will either need a jumbo bubble tea straw that is big enough to suck up the bobas, or you will need to use a spoon. Enjoy!
Making bubble tea at home has been a dream for a long time, since Ariel and I found a fantastic bubble tea shop in Seattle that uses real fruits for the smoothies instead of the more common flavored powders. It's called WOW, which stands for Wonder Of Worship, and is an Asian Christian hangout and board game den in addition to its bubble tea vending.
There's nothing like that within comfortable driving distance of us here in Stoneham. So, in case you're in the same boat, here's a bubble tea recipe. You can also just leave the bubbles out and have a smoothie.
Ingredients (per smoothie):
1 small ripe avocado
Milk, or milk alternative if dairy intolerant - I suggest coconut-almond milk
Sweetener to taste
3 drops vanilla extract, or more to taste
Ice cubes (optional)
Slice the avocado in half down to the pit. Twist the two halves apart and pop the pit out with a spoon; discard the pit. Hold each half in your hand and, using a blunt knife, slice the inner meat vertically and horizontally. Then scoop the meat out with a spoon. It will come out already nicely chopped.
Put the avocado meat into a small mixing bowl if you have an immersion blender, also known as a stick blender. If you don't have one, put it into the regular blender, and afterwards, go get an immersion blender ;) Add enough milk to just cover the avocado. You may need to add more later. Avocados are remarkably powerful thickeners.
Add a little sweetener. You can use any kind of sweetener, either natural or artificial. If you want to use natural, then I suggest half honey and half organic sugar. About a teaspoon of each to start with, you can always add more. Also add the vanilla.
Puree the mixture until smooth. You will be amazed at how velvety smooth the avocado makes it. Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
Next, either put in the fridge to chill, or add a few ice cubes and stir until it's at your desired temperature.
To make the bobas:
You will need to buy the right ones. Go online to Amazon and order the kind specially made for bubble tea. If you try to use regular tapioca, you will be disappointed! (Obviously, you will need to do this well in advance of making the smoothie!) Then, follow the directions to cook them. When they're done cooking, drain in a strainer, and put into a bowl of ice water to chill before adding them to your smoothie.
To drink a bubble tea, you will either need a jumbo bubble tea straw that is big enough to suck up the bobas, or you will need to use a spoon. Enjoy!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Delicious Blueberry Compote-slash-Syrup
This is great on pancakes, ice cream, angel cake, and as a topping to spice up less flavorful fruits like cantaloupe.
It is an excellent way to use frozen berries, which are much cheaper than fresh, and available year-round. They may also be more nutritious, since they haven't been sitting on a shelf, but instead were frozen and preserved right after being picked.
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen wild blueberries (about a pound)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener to taste
Optional: Lemon zest, OR orange zest, OR 1/4 tsp orange oil
Place the blueberries and the cinnamon in a small pot over medium heat. No need to thaw the berries first. Cook and stir.
The berries will burst and give up a lot of juice. As long as you keep stirring, the berry syrup will become thicker and thicker. There is a "sweet spot" where the berry syrup has become concentrated and intensely flavorful, but hasn't become too thick or gritty from the seeds. Exactly how thick is up to you. Just keep spooning some out and looking at it. You will know when it's done because you will look at it and say "I wanna put that on my ice cream." (When it's too thin, you will look at it and say "Ick, that looks watery.")
Take it off the stove and add the sweetener at this time. It doesn't matter what kind you use, but do make sure it has cooled before you add nutrasweet (phenylalanine) if that's what you use. The flavor of the berries is strong enough to cover up the flavor of stevia if you choose to use it. How much you need will depend on the sweetness of the berries, which varies from bag to bag. Start with 1/4 cup (or equivalent) and taste.
If you chose to use the zest or flavoring, add it now.
NEXT: Some people like this as a compote, which means there are whole berries floating in a relatively thin syrup, while other people like it better as a thick syrup with no chunks, ie. a smooth puree. I like puree, Ariel likes chunks, so I puree half of it and then store the results in separate jars.
Note that this syrup is different from store-bought in that it has no preservatives. This will keep for only 2-3 days in the fridge. If you want it to keep for longer, then take it out every day or two and bring it to a boil, then cool and return to the fridge. Every time you boil it, you stop the bacteria and yeast from growing, and reset the shelf life.
WHY AND WHEREFORE:
Why wild blueberries? They are higher in antioxidants and have a stronger flavor, and are a little more tart, which I like. They are also a little more expensive, so feel free to use regular blueberries if the wild ones are too pricey.
Why cinnamon and citrus? That's just the traditional "berry cobbler" combo. You can also use 1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond flavoring, which is sophisticated and a nice treat. Also, you can include other berries, such as blackberries, to make a more complex flavor. Ginger and lemon is another fun twist. I haven't tried it, but I have seen fruit recipes that use 1/4 cup of zinfandel wine, too.
It is an excellent way to use frozen berries, which are much cheaper than fresh, and available year-round. They may also be more nutritious, since they haven't been sitting on a shelf, but instead were frozen and preserved right after being picked.
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen wild blueberries (about a pound)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener to taste
Optional: Lemon zest, OR orange zest, OR 1/4 tsp orange oil
Place the blueberries and the cinnamon in a small pot over medium heat. No need to thaw the berries first. Cook and stir.
The berries will burst and give up a lot of juice. As long as you keep stirring, the berry syrup will become thicker and thicker. There is a "sweet spot" where the berry syrup has become concentrated and intensely flavorful, but hasn't become too thick or gritty from the seeds. Exactly how thick is up to you. Just keep spooning some out and looking at it. You will know when it's done because you will look at it and say "I wanna put that on my ice cream." (When it's too thin, you will look at it and say "Ick, that looks watery.")
Take it off the stove and add the sweetener at this time. It doesn't matter what kind you use, but do make sure it has cooled before you add nutrasweet (phenylalanine) if that's what you use. The flavor of the berries is strong enough to cover up the flavor of stevia if you choose to use it. How much you need will depend on the sweetness of the berries, which varies from bag to bag. Start with 1/4 cup (or equivalent) and taste.
If you chose to use the zest or flavoring, add it now.
NEXT: Some people like this as a compote, which means there are whole berries floating in a relatively thin syrup, while other people like it better as a thick syrup with no chunks, ie. a smooth puree. I like puree, Ariel likes chunks, so I puree half of it and then store the results in separate jars.
Note that this syrup is different from store-bought in that it has no preservatives. This will keep for only 2-3 days in the fridge. If you want it to keep for longer, then take it out every day or two and bring it to a boil, then cool and return to the fridge. Every time you boil it, you stop the bacteria and yeast from growing, and reset the shelf life.
WHY AND WHEREFORE:
Why wild blueberries? They are higher in antioxidants and have a stronger flavor, and are a little more tart, which I like. They are also a little more expensive, so feel free to use regular blueberries if the wild ones are too pricey.
Why cinnamon and citrus? That's just the traditional "berry cobbler" combo. You can also use 1/4 - 1/2 tsp almond flavoring, which is sophisticated and a nice treat. Also, you can include other berries, such as blackberries, to make a more complex flavor. Ginger and lemon is another fun twist. I haven't tried it, but I have seen fruit recipes that use 1/4 cup of zinfandel wine, too.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Thickening Sauces
Sauces are jewelry of the kitchen wardrobe. But a sauce isn't usually very useful unless it is thick enough to cling to the food, and so it is necessary to thicken most sauces in some way. Here's a rundown of ways to do this, and keep in mind it works to thicken other things, too.
1. Starch powder: The most obvious method is to use a powdered starch like flour. Cornstarch, arrowroot, and tapioca all work, too, the main difference being that flour is cloudy whereas those other three are clear.
To thicken with starch, you must whisk the starch into a cool liquid, you cannot whisk it into a hot liquid or it will clump.
Alternatively, you can make a paste (also called a roux) using the flour and a small amount of either melted fat or water, and gradually, carefully whisk the rest of the liquid in a bit at a time. This is ideal when you want to cook the flour a little to make it develop flavor, but is not recommended for other starches.
One last way to incorporate it is to sprinkle it atop dry vegetables or meats while they are sauteeing. The flour clings to the veggies instead of clumping, and you can add the rest of the liquid all at once without worry.
Advantages: Readily available, foolproof if you follow directions
Disadvantages: Adds little or no flavor, adds carbs
Additional properties: Flour-thickened sauces get thicker as they cool, but cornstarch-thickened sauces tend to get thinner. Very stable once cooked and won't curdle, but might scorch.
2. Egg: Eggs, either whole or just the yolk, thicken any liquid into a rich and silky custard. The obvious use is for ice cream and custard sauce, but eggs can also be used to thicken mustard sauce and wine sauce to excellent effect.
The big problem is overcooking and curdling. Avoid this by heating the liquid to a boil, and then gradually whisking the liquid into the eggs (in a separate bowl), not the other way around. If necessary, return to the heat and cook a little longer, but stop instantly if the liquid begins to look clumpy. To rescue a clumpy sauce, put it into the blender and puree. It will be thinner but the clumps will go away.
Advantages: Delicious flavor and richness, adds nutrition
Disadvantages: Adds fat and cholesterol, adds allergens (eggs are allergenic), easy to mess up
Additional properties: Tends to gel slightly while it cools. Unstable, may curdle easily.
3. Onions: Onions will cook down into a pulp when simmered for a long time. This is most useful in stews. Use enough onions, and you will not need to thicken your stew with flour at all; it will make a delicious thick broth on its own.
Advantages: Extremely flavorful, healthy (it's a veggie!), non-allergenic for most people
Disadvantages: Takes a long time, not practical for anything but stew and tagine
Additional properties: Very stable. Won't curdle or change texture.
4. Pureed vegetables: Many cooked veggies can be pureed and added to sauces, or used as a sauce. The best are carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, and coconut milk (which is pureed coconut).
1. Starch powder: The most obvious method is to use a powdered starch like flour. Cornstarch, arrowroot, and tapioca all work, too, the main difference being that flour is cloudy whereas those other three are clear.
To thicken with starch, you must whisk the starch into a cool liquid, you cannot whisk it into a hot liquid or it will clump.
Alternatively, you can make a paste (also called a roux) using the flour and a small amount of either melted fat or water, and gradually, carefully whisk the rest of the liquid in a bit at a time. This is ideal when you want to cook the flour a little to make it develop flavor, but is not recommended for other starches.
One last way to incorporate it is to sprinkle it atop dry vegetables or meats while they are sauteeing. The flour clings to the veggies instead of clumping, and you can add the rest of the liquid all at once without worry.
Advantages: Readily available, foolproof if you follow directions
Disadvantages: Adds little or no flavor, adds carbs
Additional properties: Flour-thickened sauces get thicker as they cool, but cornstarch-thickened sauces tend to get thinner. Very stable once cooked and won't curdle, but might scorch.
2. Egg: Eggs, either whole or just the yolk, thicken any liquid into a rich and silky custard. The obvious use is for ice cream and custard sauce, but eggs can also be used to thicken mustard sauce and wine sauce to excellent effect.
The big problem is overcooking and curdling. Avoid this by heating the liquid to a boil, and then gradually whisking the liquid into the eggs (in a separate bowl), not the other way around. If necessary, return to the heat and cook a little longer, but stop instantly if the liquid begins to look clumpy. To rescue a clumpy sauce, put it into the blender and puree. It will be thinner but the clumps will go away.
Advantages: Delicious flavor and richness, adds nutrition
Disadvantages: Adds fat and cholesterol, adds allergens (eggs are allergenic), easy to mess up
Additional properties: Tends to gel slightly while it cools. Unstable, may curdle easily.
3. Onions: Onions will cook down into a pulp when simmered for a long time. This is most useful in stews. Use enough onions, and you will not need to thicken your stew with flour at all; it will make a delicious thick broth on its own.
Advantages: Extremely flavorful, healthy (it's a veggie!), non-allergenic for most people
Disadvantages: Takes a long time, not practical for anything but stew and tagine
Additional properties: Very stable. Won't curdle or change texture.
4. Pureed vegetables: Many cooked veggies can be pureed and added to sauces, or used as a sauce. The best are carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, and coconut milk (which is pureed coconut).
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
THE ULTIMATE CHEESEBURGER PIZZA
Requires capslock.
A note on ingredients: When trying to make take-out or fast food at home, don't spend too much on fancy ingredients. Use cheap mustard and store brand cheese, that sort of thing. If you use anything fancy and expensive, it just won't taste right. It might still be good, but it won't be right. For example, when making chicken pot pie, you must use frozen vegetables, and when making regular pizza, you must use canned store brand pizza sauce and store brand mozzarella. In this case, you will need to use cheap yellow mustard like you would find at a hot dog stand.
Ingredients for the crust:
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
About 1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 envelope (2 1/2 tsp) regular bread yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup warm water, about 115°
Toppings:
3 strips bacon
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 plum tomatoes
Shredded cheese (I like Colby or other mild cheddar, most people will prefer American; the volume is up to you, start with 2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely shredded lettuce
3 dill pickles spears
Ketchup and mustard
To make the crust, combine the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt, and garlic in a bowl along with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, combine the water and the yeast.
Add the water and the melted margarine to the flour mixture and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Gradually stir in more whole wheat flour until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour to keep it from sticking, for 4 minutes. Be gentle (but firm) since the dough has very little gluten, due to the corn, and will tear easily.
Roll the dough out to an oblong about 18 inches across. Rolling it bigger makes a thinner crust, smaller makes a thicker crust. Transfer to a well-greased baking sheet that is heat-safe to 500 degrees. This means NOT a non-stick sheet. No non-stick sheet is safe at this temperature! Use a double layer of tinfoil instead if you don't have any heat-safe baking sheets. Then use your fingers to "squish" in the edges of the crust, mounding them up to be thicker. Let rest while you prepare everything else.
Begin pre-heating the oven to 500 or as high as your oven goes. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, and pour out the drippings. Crumble the beef into the same pan and cook until done, stirring. Keep warm.
To prepare the tomatoes, cut off their tops, then cut in half width-wise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out and discard them. Then chop the tomatoes into diced bits about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. To prepare the pickles, cut out the seeds from the center of the pickle spears and discard. Then mince the rest of the pickle.
If the oven is hot, and the pizza crust has risen somewhat, you can begin to cook it. Spread the tomato bits over the crust and bake it for 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a little golden.
Remove the crust from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Return it to the oven and bake again, for 5 minutes this time. Check the pizza. If the cheese is beginning to brown, it's done. If not, bake another minute.
When it's done baking, apply the remaining toppings in this order: meat first, then onions, pickles, and lettuce. You can drizzle the ketchup and mustard over the whole thing yourself or, like I did, just put the ketchup and mustard squeeze-bottles on the table for people to serve themselves since some people like more mustard than others.
A note on ingredients: When trying to make take-out or fast food at home, don't spend too much on fancy ingredients. Use cheap mustard and store brand cheese, that sort of thing. If you use anything fancy and expensive, it just won't taste right. It might still be good, but it won't be right. For example, when making chicken pot pie, you must use frozen vegetables, and when making regular pizza, you must use canned store brand pizza sauce and store brand mozzarella. In this case, you will need to use cheap yellow mustard like you would find at a hot dog stand.
Ingredients for the crust:
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
About 1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 envelope (2 1/2 tsp) regular bread yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup warm water, about 115°
Toppings:
3 strips bacon
1/3 lb lean ground beef
4 plum tomatoes
Shredded cheese (I like Colby or other mild cheddar, most people will prefer American; the volume is up to you, start with 2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely shredded lettuce
3 dill pickles spears
Ketchup and mustard
To make the crust, combine the cornstarch, cornmeal, salt, and garlic in a bowl along with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, combine the water and the yeast.
Add the water and the melted margarine to the flour mixture and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Gradually stir in more whole wheat flour until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour to keep it from sticking, for 4 minutes. Be gentle (but firm) since the dough has very little gluten, due to the corn, and will tear easily.
Roll the dough out to an oblong about 18 inches across. Rolling it bigger makes a thinner crust, smaller makes a thicker crust. Transfer to a well-greased baking sheet that is heat-safe to 500 degrees. This means NOT a non-stick sheet. No non-stick sheet is safe at this temperature! Use a double layer of tinfoil instead if you don't have any heat-safe baking sheets. Then use your fingers to "squish" in the edges of the crust, mounding them up to be thicker. Let rest while you prepare everything else.
Begin pre-heating the oven to 500 or as high as your oven goes. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, and pour out the drippings. Crumble the beef into the same pan and cook until done, stirring. Keep warm.
To prepare the tomatoes, cut off their tops, then cut in half width-wise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out and discard them. Then chop the tomatoes into diced bits about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. To prepare the pickles, cut out the seeds from the center of the pickle spears and discard. Then mince the rest of the pickle.
If the oven is hot, and the pizza crust has risen somewhat, you can begin to cook it. Spread the tomato bits over the crust and bake it for 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn a little golden.
Remove the crust from the oven and top with the shredded cheese. Return it to the oven and bake again, for 5 minutes this time. Check the pizza. If the cheese is beginning to brown, it's done. If not, bake another minute.
When it's done baking, apply the remaining toppings in this order: meat first, then onions, pickles, and lettuce. You can drizzle the ketchup and mustard over the whole thing yourself or, like I did, just put the ketchup and mustard squeeze-bottles on the table for people to serve themselves since some people like more mustard than others.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Brown Rice Pudding with Brandy
Out of the blue, I acquired a craving for rice pudding. I insisted on brown rice for health purposes.
I've read that it's better to pre-cook the brown rice in water and then add it to the milk; I haven't tried this yet, so here's the traditional recipe.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup brown rice, uncooked
Optional: 1/4 cup golden raisins
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp brandy
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup splenda or equivalent sweetness
Combine the rice, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small pot. Bring to a low boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently. Cook, stirring frequently, for 45-60 minutes or until the pudding thickens to your preferred texture.
Add the brandy. Whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Then continue to cook, stirring constantly since it will burn easily at this point, until the alcohol from the brandy has evaporated. You can tell because the steam will stop smelling like booze.
Stir in the splenda and vanilla.
If you don't serve it immediately, this will thicken as it cools. It will also acquire a skin. To prevent this, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding.
Note on butter: The reason for the butter and the brandy is to cover up the bitter bite of the brown rice. I personally don't like the taste of brown rice on its own. The fat from the butter tempers bitterness, and whatever shines through anyway is swallowed up by the brandy. Spiced rum would also be tasty. I made this with 2% milk, so it's possible that using whole milk would not need butter.
Note on milk: You cannot substitute rice, almond, or soy milk effectively in this recipe. Soy milk will produce a runny pudding, though still edible; rice milk will not set at all but stay liquid like congee. I think, however, that the newly available coconut milk (not the kind in a can, the kind you buy in the milk department) might work well.
Next, I think I'll try this with wheat berries, or maybe farro!
I've read that it's better to pre-cook the brown rice in water and then add it to the milk; I haven't tried this yet, so here's the traditional recipe.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup brown rice, uncooked
Optional: 1/4 cup golden raisins
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp brandy
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup splenda or equivalent sweetness
Combine the rice, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small pot. Bring to a low boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently. Cook, stirring frequently, for 45-60 minutes or until the pudding thickens to your preferred texture.
Add the brandy. Whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. Then continue to cook, stirring constantly since it will burn easily at this point, until the alcohol from the brandy has evaporated. You can tell because the steam will stop smelling like booze.
Stir in the splenda and vanilla.
If you don't serve it immediately, this will thicken as it cools. It will also acquire a skin. To prevent this, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding.
Note on butter: The reason for the butter and the brandy is to cover up the bitter bite of the brown rice. I personally don't like the taste of brown rice on its own. The fat from the butter tempers bitterness, and whatever shines through anyway is swallowed up by the brandy. Spiced rum would also be tasty. I made this with 2% milk, so it's possible that using whole milk would not need butter.
Note on milk: You cannot substitute rice, almond, or soy milk effectively in this recipe. Soy milk will produce a runny pudding, though still edible; rice milk will not set at all but stay liquid like congee. I think, however, that the newly available coconut milk (not the kind in a can, the kind you buy in the milk department) might work well.
Next, I think I'll try this with wheat berries, or maybe farro!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Kabocha Squash Pie
I made this without a crust, so it's more like a flan than a pie, but you can make it with a crust. I recommend this crust: Flaky Tender Pie Crust
Kabocha squash is also known as a Japanese pumpkin. It doesn't look like a pumpkin, since it's green and flattened instead of round, but its flesh is orange and very smooth and sweet. In my opinion, kabocha is better than pumpkin if you are preparing a pumpkin recipe from a fresh vegetable instead of canned puree. Fresh pumpkins are irregular and often underripe, watery, or stringy; kabocha squashes are almost always sweet and fine-textured, and taste very similar to pumpkin. This is a Pumpkin pie recipe at heart.
Ingredients:
1 kabocha squash
Kabocha squash
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2/3 cup Splenda or equivalent sweetness
1 tbsp dark corn syrup (optional if you don't have it)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
To prepare the squash, cut it in half from top to bottom, and scoop out the seeds and guts with a large metal spoon. (Metal so that the hard edges can scrape it out.) Place cut-side-down on a baking sheet or plate, and roast at 400 until it's very tender, about 45 minutes but don't skimp - it won't overcook.
Turn the oven down to 325 and remove the squash. Scoop out the orange flesh and put in a large bowl. If there is a greenish, less-ripe layer under the skin of the squash, don't use it. Usually there is more than enough meat on one of these squashes that you can afford to be picky.
Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well with a spoon. If you have an immersion blender, this is a good time to use it. Don't use a food processor or blender, though, since that whips in too much air.
Spray a pie plate with cooking spray or rub with butter. Pour the filling into the pie plate and put in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until the filling is set. If it puffs up, you've overcooked it so take it out right away. It might be a little watery but it will still be very delicious so don't worry.
This can also be made with less seasoning and no Splenda, for a side dish you can serve at dinner instead of for dessert. It's delicious, easy and healthy.
Kabocha squash is also known as a Japanese pumpkin. It doesn't look like a pumpkin, since it's green and flattened instead of round, but its flesh is orange and very smooth and sweet. In my opinion, kabocha is better than pumpkin if you are preparing a pumpkin recipe from a fresh vegetable instead of canned puree. Fresh pumpkins are irregular and often underripe, watery, or stringy; kabocha squashes are almost always sweet and fine-textured, and taste very similar to pumpkin. This is a Pumpkin pie recipe at heart.
Ingredients:
1 kabocha squash
Kabocha squash
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2/3 cup Splenda or equivalent sweetness
1 tbsp dark corn syrup (optional if you don't have it)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp vanilla
To prepare the squash, cut it in half from top to bottom, and scoop out the seeds and guts with a large metal spoon. (Metal so that the hard edges can scrape it out.) Place cut-side-down on a baking sheet or plate, and roast at 400 until it's very tender, about 45 minutes but don't skimp - it won't overcook.
Turn the oven down to 325 and remove the squash. Scoop out the orange flesh and put in a large bowl. If there is a greenish, less-ripe layer under the skin of the squash, don't use it. Usually there is more than enough meat on one of these squashes that you can afford to be picky.
Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well with a spoon. If you have an immersion blender, this is a good time to use it. Don't use a food processor or blender, though, since that whips in too much air.
Spray a pie plate with cooking spray or rub with butter. Pour the filling into the pie plate and put in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until the filling is set. If it puffs up, you've overcooked it so take it out right away. It might be a little watery but it will still be very delicious so don't worry.
This can also be made with less seasoning and no Splenda, for a side dish you can serve at dinner instead of for dessert. It's delicious, easy and healthy.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Brandy Chicken
A variant on something the recipe book called Drunken Turkey.
Ingredients:
4 bone-in chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion, about 3 medium
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp chicken bouillon
5 garlic cloves, sliced
Optional: 1/2 tsp Penzey's Boquet Garni (sp?) herb mix, 6 whole allspice berries
Saute the onions in a wide Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat until beginning to soften.
Make room for the chicken breast to touch the bottom, pushing the onions aside, and lay the breasts skin-side down. Cook, occasionally pushing the chicken around in order to keep the onions from sticking, for 6 minutes or until the bottom of the pot is showing golden-brown bits stuck to it.
Add the spices and garlic. Combine the bouillon and the broth; pour over the chicken. Add the brandy.
Raise the heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until the steam no longer smells like alcohol. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and fully cooked, turning occasionally.
If the liquid is watery at this point, then you can remove the chicken and boil the liquid to make it more concentrated. It will never become thick like a gravy; it's more like a very rich and concentrated broth.
To serve, pull off the skin and cut the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin, and slice the meat. Plate the meat and spoon the pan sauce and the onions over it.
If you're worried about fat, you can peel the skin off BEFORE cooking the meat, in which case you need to be more careful about the meat burning. Alternatively, you can pour the pan sauce into a bowl and place it in the fridge until the fat rises to the top, then skim it off. That is more flavorful but also rather time consuming. The usual method of pouring off the fat doesn't work well because of the onion chunks.
Ingredients:
4 bone-in chicken breast halves
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion, about 3 medium
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp chicken bouillon
5 garlic cloves, sliced
Optional: 1/2 tsp Penzey's Boquet Garni (sp?) herb mix, 6 whole allspice berries
Saute the onions in a wide Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat until beginning to soften.
Make room for the chicken breast to touch the bottom, pushing the onions aside, and lay the breasts skin-side down. Cook, occasionally pushing the chicken around in order to keep the onions from sticking, for 6 minutes or until the bottom of the pot is showing golden-brown bits stuck to it.
Add the spices and garlic. Combine the bouillon and the broth; pour over the chicken. Add the brandy.
Raise the heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until the steam no longer smells like alcohol. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and fully cooked, turning occasionally.
If the liquid is watery at this point, then you can remove the chicken and boil the liquid to make it more concentrated. It will never become thick like a gravy; it's more like a very rich and concentrated broth.
To serve, pull off the skin and cut the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin, and slice the meat. Plate the meat and spoon the pan sauce and the onions over it.
If you're worried about fat, you can peel the skin off BEFORE cooking the meat, in which case you need to be more careful about the meat burning. Alternatively, you can pour the pan sauce into a bowl and place it in the fridge until the fat rises to the top, then skim it off. That is more flavorful but also rather time consuming. The usual method of pouring off the fat doesn't work well because of the onion chunks.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Korean Stuffed Mushrooms
I'm kind of on a Korean kick lately!
Ingredients:
4 portobello mushrooms
1 lb lean ground beef
1 bunch scallions, chopped fine
1 tsp garlic powder or equivalent minced garlic
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 ounces firm tofu
Tempura batter (my recipe is very loose - I dump some flour or cornstarch into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, then add water until it is the right texture. That is to say, thick enough to coat but thin enough that it drips freely. I make more as needed and don't get fussy about it.)
Optional:
Canola oil, enough to fully coat the bottom of a skillet
Wash the tops of the mushrooms. Remove the stems, and use a butter knife to gently scoop out the gills.
Mix the beef and seasonings and tofu together until well combined. You're less worried about overmixing than usual because the tofu and mushrooms keep it moist - go ahead and mash it together fully.
Stuff the mushroom caps with the beef mixture. Pack it in tight so they stay together.
Now, if you are going to fry them, then heat the oil to medium-high heat. Dip the mushrooms in the batter and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. This is not for the faint of heart. If you cook the mushrooms a little too long, they will suddenly do what mushrooms do best and release their liquid. This will cause oil to spatter everywhere and is both dangerous and scary. Do not leave them unattended while cooking, and cover your hands with oven mitts so you can quickly move the pan if necessary without getting spattered by oil. The payoff for this is a delightfully crispy, dumpling-like dinner which you can then dip in soy sauce like a pot sticker!
If you don't want to fry them, then heat the oven to 450. Dip the shrooms in the batter and lay them on a heat-safe baking sheet. Note that most non-stick baking sheets are NOT safe at such a high heat and should not be used above 400. If you don't have a non-non-stick baking sheet, just use tinfoil. Spray them with cooking spray, then bake them for 12 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. If you overcook them they will be wet from the mushrooms, but it is less of a problem than if you were frying them.
You can also bake them with no batter at all, but you can't fry them without batter.
These make incredible lunches the next day. I like to dip them in a sauce made of chopped scallions and soy sauce, like what you dip dumplings in at a chinese restaurant.
Ingredients:
4 portobello mushrooms
1 lb lean ground beef
1 bunch scallions, chopped fine
1 tsp garlic powder or equivalent minced garlic
3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 ounces firm tofu
Tempura batter (my recipe is very loose - I dump some flour or cornstarch into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, then add water until it is the right texture. That is to say, thick enough to coat but thin enough that it drips freely. I make more as needed and don't get fussy about it.)
Optional:
Canola oil, enough to fully coat the bottom of a skillet
Wash the tops of the mushrooms. Remove the stems, and use a butter knife to gently scoop out the gills.
Mix the beef and seasonings and tofu together until well combined. You're less worried about overmixing than usual because the tofu and mushrooms keep it moist - go ahead and mash it together fully.
Stuff the mushroom caps with the beef mixture. Pack it in tight so they stay together.
Now, if you are going to fry them, then heat the oil to medium-high heat. Dip the mushrooms in the batter and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. This is not for the faint of heart. If you cook the mushrooms a little too long, they will suddenly do what mushrooms do best and release their liquid. This will cause oil to spatter everywhere and is both dangerous and scary. Do not leave them unattended while cooking, and cover your hands with oven mitts so you can quickly move the pan if necessary without getting spattered by oil. The payoff for this is a delightfully crispy, dumpling-like dinner which you can then dip in soy sauce like a pot sticker!
If you don't want to fry them, then heat the oven to 450. Dip the shrooms in the batter and lay them on a heat-safe baking sheet. Note that most non-stick baking sheets are NOT safe at such a high heat and should not be used above 400. If you don't have a non-non-stick baking sheet, just use tinfoil. Spray them with cooking spray, then bake them for 12 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. If you overcook them they will be wet from the mushrooms, but it is less of a problem than if you were frying them.
You can also bake them with no batter at all, but you can't fry them without batter.
These make incredible lunches the next day. I like to dip them in a sauce made of chopped scallions and soy sauce, like what you dip dumplings in at a chinese restaurant.
Bibimbap (Korean One-Bowl Meal)
This iconic Korean dish has many incarnations and is excellent for using up extra bits of vegetables, though I usually go out to shop especially for it since I have favorites and want to be sure I have the stuff I like. This is healthy by almost anyone's standards, except for the sugar which can be left out if necessary (but is delicious).
Ingredients:
Seasoned spinach
1 box fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark sesame oil
t tbsp garlic powder or 8 cloves minced garlic
Cooked brown rice
Eggs
You'll notice I didn't specify a number of eggs or an amount of rice. This is because there's one egg per serving, and the number of servings depends on how much each person will eat. Also, the amount of rice depends on how much rice you like. I only eat about 1/2 cup of cooked rice but Koreans eat way more.
To prepare the spinach, thaw it and then gently saute over medium heat in its own liquid until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the seasonings and set aside.
To prepare the cucumber, just mix it together and set it aside, separately. Incidentally, to make matchsticks, you will first cut the cucumber in half to make two shorter pieces. Then cut the pieces lengthwise into planks, then stack the planks two or three high and slice them into thin strips. Then shorten them by cutting crosswise once or twice.
Prepare the carrots by cutting them the same way, then steaming in a small amount of water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside.
Prepare the beef by sauteing over high heat until it's well browned. Then add the sugar, garlic, and soy sauce or tamari. Simmer until the liquid is thick enough to coat the meat in a nice sauce. Set aside.
In the same pan, lower the heat to medium and crack eggs over it. Fry them sunny-side-up to your desired degree of doneness. I like to break the yolks and spread them out so they are totally opaque and cooked, because I think liquid yolks are gross, but it is more authentic for them to be liquid, so if you like your eggs that way then by all means, go for it.
Serve the meal by placing some rice in the bottom of the bowl. Then spoon some of each thing over the rice in little piles around the bowl: spinach, cucumber, carrot, mushrooms, and beef like a tasty rainbow. Place a fried egg over the top of each bowl and serve.
You're supposed to break up the egg and stir it together when you're ready to eat it. If you have a liquid egg yolk, the yolk forms a sauce that would be tasty if you like that sort of thing. This is also supposed to be served with sriracha or korean hot sauce. If you like it, then go for it; otherwise, it's also good without the heat.
The leftovers are even better. It's delicious as lunch the next day, even cold.
Ingredients:
Seasoned spinach
- 1 frozen block of chopped spinach
- 1 tsp dark sesame oil
- 1 tsp reduced sodium tamari / soy sauce
- 1 english cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp rice or cider vinegar
1 box fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark sesame oil
t tbsp garlic powder or 8 cloves minced garlic
Cooked brown rice
Eggs
You'll notice I didn't specify a number of eggs or an amount of rice. This is because there's one egg per serving, and the number of servings depends on how much each person will eat. Also, the amount of rice depends on how much rice you like. I only eat about 1/2 cup of cooked rice but Koreans eat way more.
To prepare the spinach, thaw it and then gently saute over medium heat in its own liquid until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the seasonings and set aside.
To prepare the cucumber, just mix it together and set it aside, separately. Incidentally, to make matchsticks, you will first cut the cucumber in half to make two shorter pieces. Then cut the pieces lengthwise into planks, then stack the planks two or three high and slice them into thin strips. Then shorten them by cutting crosswise once or twice.
Prepare the carrots by cutting them the same way, then steaming in a small amount of water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside.
Prepare the beef by sauteing over high heat until it's well browned. Then add the sugar, garlic, and soy sauce or tamari. Simmer until the liquid is thick enough to coat the meat in a nice sauce. Set aside.
In the same pan, lower the heat to medium and crack eggs over it. Fry them sunny-side-up to your desired degree of doneness. I like to break the yolks and spread them out so they are totally opaque and cooked, because I think liquid yolks are gross, but it is more authentic for them to be liquid, so if you like your eggs that way then by all means, go for it.
Serve the meal by placing some rice in the bottom of the bowl. Then spoon some of each thing over the rice in little piles around the bowl: spinach, cucumber, carrot, mushrooms, and beef like a tasty rainbow. Place a fried egg over the top of each bowl and serve.
You're supposed to break up the egg and stir it together when you're ready to eat it. If you have a liquid egg yolk, the yolk forms a sauce that would be tasty if you like that sort of thing. This is also supposed to be served with sriracha or korean hot sauce. If you like it, then go for it; otherwise, it's also good without the heat.
The leftovers are even better. It's delicious as lunch the next day, even cold.
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