Seared Asian Steak and Mushrooms on Mixed Greens with Ginger Dressing (recipe by Bon Appétit, November 2010)
My notes: Here’s a mouth watering dinner salad that is fun to make too. Rib-eye steak and baby bella mushrooms are a delectable combination, and the ginger in the asian dressing gives it a nice punch of flavor. I added a cup of cilantro to the lettuce greens and it tasted great. The dressing would also be perfect on a cucumber salad or as a marinade.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon plus 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 12-ounce rib-eye steaks
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 8 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered
- 8 cups mixed greens
Preparation
Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil, minced ginger, chili-garlic sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil in small bowl. Add cilantro and stir to blend. Set dressing aside.
Rub 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil over each side of each rib-eye steak. Sprinkle steaks with salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds; press firmly to adhere. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer sautéed mushrooms to plate. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to cutting board. Slice steaks. Toss mixed greens with dressing in large bowl; divide greens among plates. Top with steak slices and mushrooms and serve.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
October 24, 2010
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: I love dips of all types. Here’s one that’s guilt free. Serve it with red pepper strips, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or pita chips for a healthy snack or appetizer. It would be a great addition to a kid’s lunch box too.
Ingredients
- 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2/3 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, drained
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- kosher salt
- optional garnishes: fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Preparation
Add to food processor garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and kosher salt. Process all ingredients. Adjust olive oil to taste. Put in serving bowl and sprinkle extra extra olive oil on top if you wish. Optional: Garnish with fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Ideas
Great with falafel sandwiches. For a similar recipe, try Michael’s Hummus with Toasted Pita Chips or Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips. If you like the flavor of tahini, Jersusalam Salad is nice too.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Bulgur, Garbanzo Bean, and Cucumber Salad
October 23, 2010
Bulgur, Garbanzo Bean, and Cucumber Salad (recipe by Bon Appétit, October 2010)
My notes: Healthy eating can be as easy as cooking some bulgur wheat, mixing a simple dressing, and adding a few fresh ingredients and a couple of items from the pantry. This light salad is something you would expect to find behind a gourmet deli counter. It would be a perfect vegetarian main dish, or as an accompaniment to a baked fish or my roasted chicken salad with dried cherries and peanuts. Hothouse cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and dill are available all year long in the produce section at supermarkets, so this is a nice idea for any season.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole grain quick-cooking bulgur (11 to 12 ounces)
- 2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
- 2 1/2-pint containers small red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
- 1 cup diced roasted red peppers from jar
- 2/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Ingredients note: Bulgur wheat can be found in natural food stores, Middle Eastern specialty grocers, and some traditional grocery stores. Look for jarred roasted red peppers in the Italian section of grocery stores.
Preparation
Cook bulgur in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add garbanzos and next 4 ingredients.
Whisk vinegar and cumin in small bowl. Whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper; pour over bulgur to coat salad. Season with salt and pepper
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
Thai Style Wide Noodles in Gravy (Lard Nar)
October 17, 2010
Thai Style Wide Noodles in Gravy (Lard Nar) (recipe adapted from ImportFood.com)
My notes: A kind person on Chowhound.com recommended ImportFood.com, which has a collection of authentic Thai recipes and videos to accompany groceries they sell. Their lard nar tastes as good as any I have ever had in a Thai restaurant. Be sure to use a non-stick frying pan or wok as indicated, or you will end up with a sticky mess to clean up.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces wide rice noodles (dried) or 16 ounces fresh wide rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon black soy sauce (also called dark sweet soy sauce)
- 1/2 lb. chicken breast, cut into thin slices
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch, divided
- 1 tablespoon Maggi Seasoning
- 3 cups chicken stock, divided
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon yellow bean paste (also called soybean paste)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups broccoli (or gailan), about 5 ounces, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- freshly ground pepper
Preparation
If using dried noodles, soak in a large bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain well. If using fresh noodles, separate them with your fingers in a large bowl. Toss noodles with one tablespoon of oil and black soy sauce.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix chicken with one tablespoon tapioca starch and Maggi seasoning. Marinate for 10 minutes.
In another small bowl combine 1/2 cup chicken stock with remaining 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, and set aside.
Heat a 12″ non-stick frying pan or large non-stick wok over high heat. Add another tablespoon of oil to pan until almost smoking hot, and stir fry noodles until golden brown. Return noodles to the large bowl.
Heat same frying pan to medium high and add one tablespoon of oil. Add chicken mixture and garlic, and fry until chicken is golden brown color. Mix in yellow soy bean paste. Add remaining
2 1/2 cups chicken stock. When stock starts to boil, add fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Let it cook a few minutes. Mix in tapioca chicken stock mixture. Add broccoli and cook until crisp tender and the “gravy” thickens. (Do not overcook the broccoli!)
Pour the broccoli and chicken with gravy over the noodles. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper to taste.
Other Thai Favorites
Michael’s Crazy Chicken Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Pad Siew
Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Do you have any great recipes which use wide noodles? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Classic Caramel Apples
October 10, 2010
Classic Caramel Apples (recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.)
My notes: Candy making is pure magic when it goes well, and these caramel apples are so much fun to make. The homemade caramel is a beautiful, golden brown color with a soft, smooth texture, and a little taste of butter. It sticks well to the apples too. I noticed quite a few recipes out there that call for melting down individually packaged squares of caramels–not this one! It’s the real deal.
It seems that in recent years those make-at-home caramel apple kits with the perfect sheets of caramel have all but disappeared from grocery store shelves. That’s OK because this is my new standard. You will need a candy thermometer. If you don’t have one, it is worth going out and purchasing one at a kitchen store.
Wooden sticks for caramel apples: Martha Stewart uses wooden craft sticks for caramel apples. I’m going to look for those for my next batch. I made due with 4 1/2″ bamboo skewers. Asian grocery stores stock them for satays, and they are extremely cheap–about a half dollar for a pack of hundred of them.
Ingredients
- 6 wooden craft sticks
- 6 medium apples, any variety, stems removed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease with butter.
Wash and thoroughly dry apples. Insert sticks into tops of them.
Prepare an ice-water bath.
Clip a candy thermometer to a large heavy saucepan. Over medium-high heat bring cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in saucepan. Continue to cook until mixture reaches 245 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
Place pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Dip bottom of each apple in caramel. Using a spoon, coat apples. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes (or overnight). Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.)
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite caramel recipes? I’ve seen some tempting caramel corns, popcorn balls, and caramel cakes out there. If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave your feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
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Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai
October 9, 2010
Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai (recipe adapted from Kasma Loha-unchit)
My notes: Despite our love of Thai food here in the U.S. there is a curious lack of information about its ingredients and preparation. I think that this in part stems from our fear of the unknown. Indeed, shopping in an Asian grocery store can feel like being in a foreign country. However, if you locate a friendly grocery store and ask for some help in finding the ingredients, you’ll be well on your way.
I’ve been waiting for some time now to “come across” an authentic pad thai recipe. I think I have finally found my definitive source in Kasma Loha-unchit, a Thai native and cooking teacher. Despite a laundry list of unfamiliar ingredients, pad thai isn’t as daunting to make as it appears. After all, it’s a simple stir-fried noodle dish that is common “street food” in Thailand.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. dried or 1 lb. fresh thin rice noodles (gkuay dtiow or ban pho in Vietnamese)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nahm bplah)
- 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 2 tablespoons palm or coconut sugar
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1/3 lb. fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and butterflied
- 3/4 cup firm pressed tofu, cut into thin strips about an inch long, half an inch wide and a quarter inch thick
- 4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute half a medium sized onion)
- 1/4 cup small dried shrimp
- 1/4 cup chopped sweetened salted radish
- 1-2 teaspoons ground dried red chilies
- 3 eggs, scrambled
- 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts, and more to garnish
- 1 cup garlic chives, cut into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces
- 2/3 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
- 4 green onions, sliced (optional)
- cilantro, a few sprigs
- 1 lime, cut into small wedges
Preparation
Soak the rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water until the noodles are limp but still firm to the touch. Dry noodles will take much longer than fresh, from 40 minutes to an hour. When the noodles have softened, drain and set aside.
Make the sauce while the noodles are soaking. Combine fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar in a small bowl. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Adjust flavors to desired taste of salty, sour, and sweet, and set aside.
Heat a large wok over high heat until it is smoking hot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and quickly stir fry the shrimp until it turn pink and is almost cooked through. Sprinkle lightly with some fish sauce and remove from the wok.
Swirl in 3 tablespoons of peanut oil to coat the wok surface and wait 20 to 30 seconds for it to heat. Add the tofu, frying 1 to 2 minutes until golden. Add garlic and stir fry with the tofu for 15 to 20 seconds. Follow with the sliced shallots and cook another 15 seconds. Then add the dried shrimp, sweetened salted radish, and ground dried chillies. Stir and heat through a few seconds.
Add the noodles and toss well with the ingredients in the wok. Stir fry 1 to 2 minutes, and when most of the noodles have changed texture and softened, push them to one side of the wok. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the cleared area and add eggs. When the eggs have set, cut into small chunks with the spatula and toss them in with the noodles.
Add the sauce. Stir well to evenly coat noodles. If the noodles are still too firm, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water over them to help cook. Adjust flavors by adding more fish sauce or tamarind juice; if the noodles are not sweet enough, sprinkle in a small amount of granulated sugar. Toss in bean sprouts and the garlic chives. Sprinkle with half the chopped peanuts and return the shrimp to the wok. Stir until the garlic chives are partially wilted.
Transfer to a serving platter or onto individual sized serving plates. Garnish with the remaining bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. Squeeze lime juice over each portion before eating.
Serves 4 as a one dish lunch. Adapted from Kasma Loha-unchit.
Other Thai Favorites
Michael’s Crazy Chicken Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Pad Siew
Thai Style Wide Noodles in Gravy (Lard Nar)
What are your favorites?
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Rigatoni with Shrimp, Calamari, and Basil
October 3, 2010
Rigatoni with Shrimp, Calamari, and Basil (recipe by Bon Appétit, September 2010)
My notes: Chocked full of plenty of shrimp and calamari, this light rigatoni dish comes from new restaurant Marea in New York (“The 10 Best New Restaurants in America,” Bon Appétit, September 2010). Seafood lovers will love the clean, simple flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, divided
- 14 ounces cleaned calamari (bodies only; tentacles reserved for another use), divided
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large)
- 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
- 1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
Preparation
Place half of shrimp in medium bowl. Slice half of calamari crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings and place in small bowl.
Coarsely chop remaining shrimp and calamari; place in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until shrimp mixture is finely chopped. Transfer to another medium bowl.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat 5 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp mixture; stir until shrimp and calamari are just opaque, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice and peas; simmer until flavors blend, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside; cover to keep warm.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved whole shrimp and sauté 2 minutes. Add calamari rings to shrimp; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until just opaque, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add chopped shrimp and calamari sauce, 1/2 cup cheese, and 1/2 cup basil and toss to blend.
Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Top each serving with sautéed shrimp mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil. Pass additional cheese separately and serve.
Calamari sourcing and prep notes: Surprisingly, my grocery store Jewel in Chicago does not sell calamari. However, I found a one pound bag of prepared, frozen squid rings at my local Asian supermarket, which I thought was really convenient. I simply sliced some of the thicker rings in half to get as close to 1/3″ wide as possible. Make sure calamari (and shrimp) is completely dry. I wrap it up in a flour sack towel and squeeze out the moisture.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
