Category: Food
Galbitang-Korean Rib Soup-Finding Comfort In Souper Ways

Galbitang-Korean Rib Soup-Finding Comfort In Souper Ways

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The fires in California have cast an apocalyptic haze to our skyline.  We actually hit the water for an early morning row, but coming off the water we noticed we were the only ones left at the reservoir.  The pic confirmed, maybe rowing this morning wasn’t such a good idea. Bad for the body, but good for the mind and soul.  My trade-off.

That being my biggest problem means I consider myself pretty fortunate during these unprecedented times.  I try to do the little things, we order take-out from hole-in-the-walls. I buy from independent bookstores (for cookbooks, check out this post), talk to people, stay informed, advocate, and DONATE both time and money.

Another gut-punch

I started writing this post awhile ago already in a somber mood, not knowing that we would suffer more bad news, RBG had passed away.  Inspirational, amazing, tenacious, persistent, brilliant, a fighter to the end.  In this year of turmoil and devastating loss, we have yet more to endure.  Icons and role models we have lost, John Lewis, Chadwick Boseman, and now Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Dedicated to their chosen paths, dignified, courageous, filled with conviction, compassion, and honor.  Fighters…for all of us.  I am devastated.  All I can do is keep up the fight in whatever small way I can.

In times like these, I find myself longing for comfort food (making a ton lately).  Tonics to heal the heart.  Foods that nourish and renew the soul.  Dishes that say “hey, it’s okay, it’ll be better tomorrow”.

I decided to make a traditional Korean beef rib soup, Galbitang.  Similar to some of my father’s soups, they usually require love and time.  Lucky for me, I found a recipe for Galbitang from Korean Bapsang (a favorite site) made in an Instant Pot.  Yay, delicious, comforting soup in a fraction of the time.

The star of this soup is the short rib of course 

I used a combination of short rib and beef chuck, yummy.  But really, the supporting cast is just as important-onion, ginger, garlic, Korean radish, and soup soy sauce that add layers of flavor.

Soup soy sauce is specifically made for soups and stews, lighter in color and saltier than regular soy sauce, it adds umami to the soup.  In a pinch add a little bit of salt and regular soy sauce (which is too dark to use as a straight replacement).  I like Chung Jung One or Sempio for soy sauce.  Korean radish is sweeter and milder than regular radish, it’s delicious and refreshing in the soup.  You can find both at any Korean market. or online for the soy sauce. I am a food gadget and product junkie…if you live near me and want to try the soup soy sauce-call me. I’ve got lots.

The first, quick run through the pressure cooker is to remove the “scuzz” from the meat, you know impurities and gunk, so you have a nice clear broth. But keep the liquid from that initial go-around. It can be strained and used as your cooking stock-flavor bump starter.  Then just dump everything in your Instant Pot, except the radish, set it for 35 minutes and sit back and relax.  A ten-minute natural pressure release and you are ready for the last step.  Use the saute function, add the cut radish to the soup and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the radish looks translucent.  Dunzo.  Skim any oil off the top, garnish with green onions and serve immediately.  Serve with rice or with nangmyeon (noodles). It will make you feel all warm and happy.

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Instant Pot Galbitang (Beef Short Rib Soup)

Equipment

  • 6 qt pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pounds short ribs
  • 1 medium onion cut into halves
  • 2 large scallions white parts
  • 8 plump garlic cloves or 1 whole bulb If using bulb, cut into halves crosswise
  • 3 thin ginger slices 1-inch rounds
  • 2 Tablespoons soup soy sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 pound Korean radish cut into bite size pieces about 1.5-inch square, 1/3-inch thick
  • 3 ounces starch noodles nangmyeon soaked in warm water for 30 minutes - optional
  • 2 scallions finely chopped garnish

Instructions

  • Trim off any thick layer of surface fat. In the pot, rinse the ribs with cold water a couple of times to remove impurities. Drain, and fill the pot with enough water to cover the ribs.
  • Close the lid tightly. Press the “Manual” function and High Pressure, and using the “-” button, adjust the time to 2 minutes. Make sure the pressure switch is turned to “sealing”. When finished, carefully release the pressure.
  • Pour cooking liquid through a fine strainer and reserve. Thoroughly rinse the ribs and clean the pot.
  • Return the ribs to the pot, and add the onion, garlic, ginger and soup soy sauce. Add reserved cooking liquid and enough water to bring it to 10 cups, making sure the water level stays below the max line for the pot. Close the lid tightly. Pressure cook the ribs for 35 to 40 minutes, depending on how big the pieces of meat are. NPR 10 minutes.
  • Open pot and remove meat and aromatic vegetables with a strainer. Skim off the fat.
  • Put the ribs back in the pot along with the cut radish. Change the Instant Post setting to “Saute-normal”, and boil until the radish turns translucent, about 10 minutes-15 minutes. Add the optional noodles a couple of minutes before turning the Instant Pot off.
  • Salt and pepper to taste. Remove any remaining fat by skimming surface or chill the soup and discard solidified fat and reheat gently. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve. Typical, my kids love putting their rice in the soup. Ono!

Notes

You can use chuck roast cut in chunks for 1/3-1/2 of meat but do keep at least half of the bone-in ribs in the soup.  
The radish can be either scrubbed or peeled, I prefer peeled. Korean radish is delicious, sweeter, milder without that bite radishes can have.
 
 

What a Difference a Week Makes

The wind shifted and the weather got better.  I know the fires rage on as does the pandemic and our political travails, but this day was a good day to row.  We all need a little respite from time to time.  I am rejuvenated..back to text banking, phone banking, and stress relief baking.
Piece of Cake, Chocolate Cake

Piece of Cake, Chocolate Cake

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Surprise!  You are going to love this.  Did you click on CAKE-TWO from Vanilla Cake Pan Cake just out of curiosity?  The shameless two for one plug?

The Vanilla Cake Pan Cake is actually a riff on the Original Cake Pan Cake, a chocolate cake. It’s just as easy to make and just as delicious.  During WWII butter and eggs were rationed which led to the fortuitous creation of this moist, chocolatey cake. After all, necessity is the mother of invention, and chocolate cake IS a necessity.

Can you imagine a more quintessential, comforting American dessert than a chocolate cake topped with a luscious chocolate frosting?  Didn’t think so.  AND IT IS SO EASY TO MAKE!!!! Five minutes of prep and then into the oven, that’s it.  Thirty -five minutes later a rich, chocolatey, sweet, scrumptious cake is cooling on the rack.

Going Loco over Cocoa (Primer)

The cake is so easy I thought I’d talk about cocoa powder which is the foundation of this cake. For a deep dive into cocoa, here is the link to King Arthur Flour,  Here is my highlight reel on cocoa:

Cocoa powder is the powder created from dry roasted cocoa beans, grinding them to create a paste (there’s still cocoa butter in the beans). The butter or oil is extracted from the paste leaving solids that are then pulverized into a powder, cocoa powder, ta-da!

The end product is Natural Cocoa Powder which is acidic.  Good examples are Ghiradelli, Scharffenberger, and Hersey’s.

Dutch-processed is a procedure that alkalizes that natural cocoa powder (neutralizes it) so it is no longer acidic. In the process, this mellows out the flavor and makes the powder darker.  Think Oreo Cookies! Since it is no longer acidic, but has a neutral pH.  Right about now you should be having flashbacks to freshman chemistry.

Confused?  You are not alone.  The best rule of thumb, use whatever the recipe calls for, sorry not much help.  Not to worry, let’s keep going…

Recipes without Leavening Agents

Use whatever cocoa powder you like, end of story. So simple.

Recipes with Leavening Agents ie. baking powder or baking soda

If a recipe calls for baking powder and cocoa, chances are you can use Dutch-processed cocoa. This is because you don’t need an acidic medium for baking powder to work. In a pinch,  you could use natural cocoa powder since you don’t need an acid to trigger baking powder.  Flavor and color will be different but your dessert will still rise.

Recipes with only baking soda will need acid to get it going, use natural cocoa. Stay away from Dutch-process cocoa since baking soda needs an acidic medium to work.  BUT, if your recipe also has an acid like buttermilk, citrus, fruit purees, brown sugar, molasses, you might be able to use Dutch-process, all these ingredients are acidic.

You can use Natural Cocoa for Dutch-process because if you need an acidic environment you are covered.  You can’t use neutral Dutch-process for Natural cocoa without an acidifier.

So, you have Grandma’s recipe for brownies or chocolate cake that calls for cocoa powder (unspecified).  Chances are what she had available in her day was Hersey or maybe Ghiradelli.  Use a natural cocoa powder.  If the recipe calls for baking soda, definitely use natural cocoa.

To the Rescue

King Arthur flour makes the Triple Cocoa Blend which is natural and Dutch-processed combined.  YEP, doing the happy dance cause I can use this for almost any recipe that calls for cocoa powder.  No thinking involved.

I used it for this cake.  Although it doesn’t matter because the cake also has vinegar, thus creating an acidic environment.  You can use any cocoa you want for this cake. The triple cocoa created a beautiful deep brown, moist, flavorful cake-delish.

The cake is ridiculously easy.  If you need a quick dessert, add sprinkles or jimmies and you have yourself a very fine celebration cake.

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King Arthur's Original Cake Pan Cake

Course Cake
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate cake, easy recipe, king arthur flour, One pan cake
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 177g
  • 1 cup sugar 198g
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural 21g
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder substitute and instant coffee powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar, cider or white 14g
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil 67g
  • 1 cup cold water 227g

Icing

  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 255g
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half 113g

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8" square or 9" round pan that's at least 2" deep.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
  • Combine the vanilla, vinegar, vegetable oil, and water in a separate bowl.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
  • Serve the cake right from the pan; warm from the oven, it's wonderful with a big glass of milk. This is a great VEGAN by accident recipe! Dust with powdered sugar and serve with berries.

Chocolate Icing

  • Or, once cool, frost the cake with chocolate frosting:
  • Heat the chocolate chips with the half-and-half until the chips melt. Microwave or doubleboiler. Stir until smooth, and pour/spread over the cake. For a non-dairy icing, substitute 1/3 cup cold-brewed coffee (or water) for the half-and-half.
  • Store cake, well covered, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Vanilla Cake Pan Cake, ABC-Easy as 123, That’s How Easy Cake Can Be

Vanilla Cake Pan Cake, ABC-Easy as 123, That’s How Easy Cake Can Be

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This is your lucky day!  This post is a twofer.  That is I will be posting two recipes today! Ok, maybe not so lucky as we are smack dab in the middle of a smokefest alternating with a heatwave and this post is about baking.  Although, the upside is both cakes are INCREDIBLY easy to make so your time in the kitchen will be minimal.  You can wait until it cools down if you are in a hot zone, either way, these should be in your “need a quick homemade dessert right now” file.

But Why a Twofer?

Funny you should ask.  I sat down to write a post on CAKE-TWO, thinking I had already posted this Vanilla Cake Pan Cake recipe.  Nope, not to be found.  It is on my Instagram (shameless plug) but apparently I had yet to wax poetically about that cake on my blog.  My bad.

Both recipes are from King Arthur Flour and are INCREDIBLY EASY TO MAKE.  This is one bowl baking territory.

Without further ado, CAKE-ONE.

A couple of months back,  at the start of COVID, I needed a simple cake for a virtual birthday celebration for a friend.  Since it was virtual, the fam and I would be eating most of it, so quick, easy, and small were my guidelines.  Vanilla Cake Pan Cake on King Arthur Flour fits the bill.  Get this, no butter and no eggs.  Not gonna lie, I was dubious, no butter, no eggs?  It works!  Oil as the fat, baking soda and baking powder as the leavening agents, and vanilla for flavor.  A nice little tasty cake. The cake itself is vegan, if you use a butter sub for the frosting, the entire cake can be vegan.  This cake falls in the stupid easy category.  The frosting is a classic buttercream.  You could forego the frosting for a generous dusting of powdered sugar and some berries.  But if you need a festive cake, frosting with sprinkles or jimmies is the ticket.

So, need a quick dessert?  Here’s your answer. Now, onto the second post. Heh, heh, heh.  CAKE-TWO

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Vanilla Cake Pan Cake

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 241g
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water 198g
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil 99g
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 149g
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar or white vinegar 21g
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 14g
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter, regular at room temperature 57g
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted if lumpy 283g
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons water about 28g

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” square or 9” round pan that’s at least 2” deep.

To make the cake:

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the water, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. It's OK for a few small lumps to remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top feels set, the edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and either serve the cake warm from the oven or allow it to cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Frosting

  • To make the frosting: Beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until no large pieces of butter remain. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the water, beating to incorporate. Add enough additional water, a teaspoon at a time, to make a spreadable frosting.
  • Leaving the cake right in the pan, if desired, use a spatula or flat knife to apply the frosting.
  • Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
Itching for Fuzzy Melon Soup (Mo Gwa Tong=毛瓜汤)

Itching for Fuzzy Melon Soup (Mo Gwa Tong=毛瓜汤)

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Now don’t freak over the term Fuzzy Squash or Melon.  This squash does have a fuzzy exterior but it is scraped off before cooking.  You are left with a sweet, mild, squash that is wonderful in soups, as a side dish with Chinese sausage and bean thread noodles, or stuffed with meat filling and steamed-my favorite, but for another post.  We’re talking soup today.

But Let’s Start with Soup ABCs

We can break down Chinese Soups into two categories, quick soups and long, slow simmer soups.  We tend to have quick soups on weekday workdays and save slow simmered soups (老火湯,) for the weekend.  Both types are delicious of course.  Many of the slow simmered soups are thought of as tonics.  Various herbs are added for their health benefits.  Valid?  I’m not sure, I just know they are delicious and comforting.  But if you ask my 90+-year-old mom, she would say she is living proof.

But This is About Quick and Easy

I learned how to make this soup from my Dad, the King of “dinner on the table in less than an hour”. To start, marinate ground pork for a couple of minutes (ok, more like 10-15min), then fry it with a couple of slices of ginger until it is no longer pink.  Add water or chicken stock along with the rehydrated mushrooms and salted turnip and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Toss in the squash, bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup simmers for another 15 minutes or until the squash is translucent.  Finish by adding the tofu, and egg and simmer for a couple of minutes to cook the egg.  Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed. Garnish with scallions, and bada bing bada boom, ready to eat.  My kids always throw rice into their bowls of soup, just like I did when I was a kid.  This soup is a favorite, right after Corn Soup.  This is down-home Cantonese soul food, da best.

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5 from 3 votes

Fuzzy Melon Soup

Down home Cantonese Soup, Fuzzy Melon Soup is quick and easy
Course One dish meals, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Fuzzy Melon Soup, mo gwa tong
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 fuzzy melon Scraped and cut into slices, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 salted turnip Separate pieces, you will have a center chunk wrapped with a slice of root and leaves. Use 1 piece, either the slice, or leaves or the center chunk, rinse the piece you are going to use lightly with cold water to remove salt. Return remainder to bag for later use.
  • 3 dried shiitake mushrooms Soaked in hot water to soften (20 minutes)
  • 8 cups water or 1:1 chicken stock:water or add 1 heaping T Better Than Boullion Chicken base to water.
  • 1-2 slices fresh ginger Smash slices with the flat of a cleaver or knife to help release flavors
  • 1 block tofu (1/2 carton tofu) soft, medium, or firm, diced to 1/2-3/4 inch cubes if using firm tofu.
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1 stalk green onion diced
  • 2-3 springs cilantro garnish
  • 1 tsp soy sauce

Marinade for Pork

  • 3/4 cup ground pork
  • 1 tsp rice wine
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt and a dash of white pepper

Instructions

  • Combine marinade ingredients with ground pork. You can use chicken or turkey if you like. Let sit for 10-15 minutes
  • Scrape fuzzy melon with a knife to remove fuzz and top layer of melon. Once scraped it should still be light green in color. You can use a peeler but it will take more of the squash than necessary and the pale green layer will be removed. It's NBD. Cut melon in half lengthwise and then cut each half lengthwise to create quarters. Cut each quarter crosswise into ~1/4 inch thick slices. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 tsp of vegetable or peanut oil in a medium saucepan (3-4 qt). Add ginger and pork. Saute' until pork loses pinkness.
  • Add water/stock, mushrooms, and turnip to saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a low boil for 15 minutes. You can add soy sauce at this point or before tasting for salt in the next step.
  • Add squash to stock, bring back to a boil and immediately reduce heat again to a low boil. Cook until squash looks opaque rather than white and has softened but still retains its shape (about 10-15 minutes). Taste and season with salt if needed.
  • Add tofu and heat through. Once soup is hot again, lower heat to a gentle simmer or turn it off. Stir soup with chopsticks or spoon in one direction, add egg in a slow steady stream to create egg ribbons in soup (like egg drop soup). Or crack the egg into soup and let it poach without breaking the egg up. My dad always let me have the egg, lol. Daddy's little girl.
  • Garnish with green onions or cilantro, serve immediately.

Notes

Remove mushrooms from soup, thinly slice mushrooms and add them back to the soup. 
The egg is optional if you don't want to add it, fine.  My dad would crack the egg into the soup and let it poach, the winner gets the egg (or whoever whined enough to get it).
Salted Turnip-here is a link to a description of the one I use.  Found in most Asian markets, in particular Chinese Markets
Best Damn Banana Bread-Slipping in A New One

Best Damn Banana Bread-Slipping in A New One

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There are things you take for granted, things that are constants within your own universe.

For example, I have made the same banana bread forever.  A recipe from my kids’ pre-school teacher WAY BACK in the day.  Every time I strayed and tried a different recipe my family’s response was “it’s not bad, but it’s not Teacher Heidi’s banana bread”.  Convinced,  I boldly titled it “Best Damn Banana Bread” on 3Jamigos.

So, there I am, sitting on the can this morning, taking in all the bad news of the day, fires, hurricanes, pandemic, political craziness, when Wes slides the door open (please, don’t tell me you lock your bathroom door at home)  and says…

”I like this banana bread more than your usual”

Say What?

Thus proving we are living in crazy times, I almost fell off my “throne”.  I had just received a copy of Dominique Ansel’s new baking book, Everyone Can Bake.  (Now, that is a constant in my universe-buying cookbooks) and had yet to make anything from it. Fortunately, while perusing the blogosphere, I found My Baking Addiction’s (Boss Blog) post on Ansel’s Banana Bread.  Rave reviews all around.  Never one to shy away from a banana bread challenge, I decided to have a go of it.

The recipe comes together quickly. It calls for melted butter, 4 bananas, eggs, flour…pretty standard although it is quite generous with the butter and bananas.  I decided to tweak the recipe so I added diced apricots, substituted mace for nutmeg, and finished with Midwest Made’s crunchy sugar topping with a touch of cinnamon. (Technique for sugar from Midwest Made Banana Bread)  

Nota Bene

Ansel’s book calls for an 8 x 4.5 loaf pan.  NOPE.  I used a 9×5 loaf pan and had extra batter for 3 muffins. Don’t try to pour all the batter into an 8 x 4.5 pan, it will overflow creating havoc in your oven.  My Baking Addiction used a 10 x 5 pan.  I filled my loaf pan to approximately 3/4-inch below the top edge.  Baking time was around 1 hour and 15 minutes, halfway through I covered the top with foil so it wouldn’t get too dark.

It’s everything banana bread should be-dense, moist, and banana-y.  The bits of apricot gave the bread a tart, sweet, component. My bet is dried strawberries, blueberries, or a tropical fruit medley would work too.  If you like nuts, toss a handful of chopped walnuts in with the apricots or sprinkle on top of the loaf before baking.

Nota Nota Bene

The beauty of this recipe is you can make it by hand…and you absolutely should!  I was befuddled (omg, who uses that word), a couple of times I have made this bread it sinks in the middle.  I now think it is because I used a mixer and inadvertently beat too much air into the bread causing it to fall in the center.  This is truly a one-bowl recipe to make by hand.

So, I now have two Best Damn Banana Bread recipes but as they say, variety is the spice of life.  Try both, tell me which one reigns supreme.

 

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Banana Bread, Yet Another Best Damn BB

Banana Bread by Dominic Ansel. Easy and delicious!
Course quick breads
Cuisine American
Keyword Banana Bread, dominic ansel
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar 400grams
  • 2 cups flour 250 grams
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
  • ¾ teaspoon nutmeg 2 grams can substitute mace
  • 1 teaspoon salt 5 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 5 grams

The Wet Ingredients

  • 3 eggs 150 grams
  • 4 overripe bananas, mashed 400 grams, approx 2 cups
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 200 grams
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced substitute dried berries, or tropical fruit medley, optional
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 10" x 5" x 3 ½" loaf pan and set aside. If you use a smaller pan, fill until the batter reaches 3/4-1 inch below the top edge. Excess batter can be used for muffins or mini-loaves.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and baking powder.
  • In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and the mashed bananas together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together until the dry ingredients disappear. Stir in the melted butter until fully incorporated. If using, fold in dried fruit and nuts.
  • Pour the batter into prepared pan* Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check loaf halfway through, if the crust is browning too quickly, cover with foil. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
  • *Optional: Mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Wet finger tips and mix sugar mixture until it clumps. Sprinkle evenly over top of batter. Or use your favorite streusel topping.
Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies-Take Two

Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies-Take Two

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The search continues for a thin, crispy chocolate chip cookie just like my grandmother use to make.  My first try was a Tate’s Chocolate Chip Cookie facsimile by that guru of American desserts, Stella Parks.  While absolutely scrumptious-buttery, caramelized, slightly chewy in the middle with crispy edges, they just weren’t my grandma’s cookies. So…

I took a different tack

I googled, buttery, crispy, thin cookies, leaving out the chocolate chips.  Surfing the Pinterest pics that popped up, I came across a photo for Crisp Almond Cookies from Chocolate, Chocolate, and More.  It looked promising.  The cookies were thin with golden edges and a light, flat, center.  They looked a whole lot like my Pau Pau’s cookies but without the chocolate.

So I made the recipe for Crisp Almond Cookies and added mini chocolate chips to the dough.  The recipe is straight forward, classic cookie making protocol.  Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs, dry ingredients, nuts and finally fold in chocolate.  Tips for this particular recipe include soft butter (not melting) and room temperature eggs since you want the cookies to spread.  Once again I used a tablespoon ice cream scoop to portion out the dough leaving 2-3 inches between each scoop.

The Grandma Test

These cookies looked a lot more like my grandma’s cookies.  These were crisper than Stella’s and buttery, without the caramelization.  (My test group actually LOVED the caramel flavors of the Stella Park cookies) I think the inclusion of almonds lightened the cookie and make it less chewy and a touch crisper, again more like Grandma’s.  I liked them a lot, definitely getting closer to ground zero for Pau Pau’s cookie.  I will try it with walnuts next time since that is the nut she used in her recipe. I don’t think it will change the texture but may add that characteristic walnut flavor.  The use of baking powder instead of baking soda also reduces browning.  It didn’t make these cookies cakey, which you might expect.

I arbitrarily added 1 cup of mini-chips to the dough.  I didn’t want to overwhelm the cookies with chocolate.  I ended up with more than 3 chips a cookie but I think Grandma would be okay with a bit more chocolate.  I would not put more chocolate.  In fact, I might decrease the amount to 3/4 cup in the spirit of her cookies.  You could substitute a good quality chocolate sprinkle instead, a suggestion from my kid- the Sprinkle Cookie King.  The recipe makes quite a few cookies but luckily you can easily half the recipe.

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Crisp Almond Cookies with Chocolate Chips

I took a recipe for Crisp Almond Cookies and added Chocolate Chips! Buttery, crisp with a hit of chocolate, a delicious combination.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Crisp Almond Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butter softened (337 g) (salted butter)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar 200 g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280 g Use a moderate protein flour like Gold Medal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 g
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt 0.7 g If using unsalted butter increase salt to 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 cup finely chopped almonds 112 g
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips sub good quality chocolate sprinkles

Instructions

  • Cream together butter and sugars, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in eggs and vanilla and beat again.
  • Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to dough, one third at a time until all added. Stir in almonds.
  • Fold in chocolate chips
  • Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon), place dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet three inches apart (these cookies spread.) Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8-9 minutes. Until edges turn golden. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to racks to cool completely.

Notes

Recipe is easily halved.  If you are looking for a crisp almond cookie, buttery and sweet, just leave out the chips!

The search continues…but we are headed in the right direction.
Thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, In Search of Grandma’s Cookie

Thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, In Search of Grandma’s Cookie

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My grandmother, who we called Pau Pau, was the classic iron fist in the velvet glove.  She was outspoken and strong-willed, bossy, pragmatic, the protector of her family.  

Not gonna lie. She was kind of scary.  I see where my mom gets her strength, her willfulness, and her disciplinarian streak.  When my brother and I got in trouble, it was mom we answered to, not dad, Mr. Marshmallow.  

This isn’t surprising about my grandmother. After all, you have to pretty tough to be a new bride, leave your family, get on a boat (pregnant), and travel thousands of miles to a place where you don’t speak the language and nobody knows your name.

She Was a Bad Ass

My mom next to Pau Pau and Auntie Jessie on Granpa’s lap, four more kids followed.

It was a tough life, six kids, my grandfather working different jobs-farmer, grocery store clerk, restaurant worker, and moonshine maker.  Ultimately, they settled in Chinatown and Pau Pau ran a sewing factory, all the kids pitched in and worked the factory.  She employed other Chinese women struggling to make ends meet and care for their families.  Her six kids grew up to serve in the military, become business owners, a chemist at Stanford, an elementary school teacher, and the first Chinese woman real estate broker in the City. 

Ours is the story of the immigrant dream of America

Growing up we spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s house in Chinatown. We usually migrated to the dining room while she cooked up a storm in the kitchen.  In one corner of the dining room was a memorial to my grandfather complete with his picture, incense, banners to ward off spirits, and dishes of food. Food is such an integral part of life, like so many Asian parents, feeding us was her way of showing that she cared for and loved us.  She cooked mainly Chinese food.  Two exceptions, both sweets, were fruitcake (amazingly good, no one used her fruitcake for a doorstop) and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Pau Pau’s Chocolate Chip Cookies were thin, crispy, and buttery.  I could eat a zillion of them, I’m sure I tried.  She always kept a tin of cookies on her dining table to tempt everyone that visited. 

I remember watching her make cookies.  She flattened each ball of dough and carefully placed 3 chocolate chips on each cookie then finished with a sprinkle finely chopped walnuts. When I asked her for the recipe she rummaged through her cabinet, pulled out a package of Nestle’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, and tossed it to me.  I was incredulous, no way were her cookies the same as the Nestle’s Toll House Cookies.  Years later I asked my Aunt if she had Pau Pau’s recipe, nope, but she did recall Grandma would melt chicken fat if she didn’t have enough butter.  

So armed with bits and pieces of info, I set out to replicate those darn cookies.  I found a recipe on Serious Eats by Stella Parks for “Thin, Crispy CCC, just like Tate’s (never had em).  They were buttery, caramelized, sweet, but only the very edges were crispy while the center was a bit chewy.  Not the cookies of my childhood.  Disappointed I threw the cookies in a Tupperware and left them on the table.

My kids inhaled them.  In fact, my nieces, my moms’ coffee group (which met practicing COVID guidelines) loved these cookies.  It’s all about expectations.  I wanted crisp, buttery, light, and just a couple of chips just like Grandma’s.  

But if I didn’t compare these to the cookies of my childhood, they’re really darn good.  The best analogy, thanks to my kid is as follows.  It’s like you’re going crazy looking for your lost keys…and you find your lost wallet.  Yay!  But damn it, you still haven’t found your keys.  

Here are my notes and the recipe for Stella Park’s Thin, Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Make them soon. 

The recipe calls for a moderate protein flour like Gold Medal AP Flour.  Do not use King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill both of which have a higher protein content.  It will throw off the texture and the spread.  Stella’s recipes are tested with Gold Medal, readily available, and easy to find, that is unless there is a pandemic.  I tried these with White Lily, a low protein Southern flour.  The cookies were soft and barely held their shape.  My kids liked them (lifetime members of the ooey-gooey cookie club), I thought they were too soft.  I used GM for the second batch, the extra protein provided needed structure and crispness, a winner.

Make the dough in a food processor which Stella says is key. Place dry ingredients into the processor and whirl to combine.

Pulse butter into the dry mix until crumbly, add chips, and process 1-2 short pulses.  Pour the dough into a bowl and add egg and vanilla, knead until it comes together. Put the soft dough in the fridge to firm it up so it is easier to scoop.  With a tablespoon scoop, I measured out over 60 cookies, more than the expected yield.  The cookies took 10-11 minutes to bake to a deep rich caramel brown.

The search continues for Grandma’s cookies but I will gladly make another batch of these.

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Thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stella Parks version of Tate's thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Crispy, buttery studded with chips, delicious and easy to make!
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate chip cookies, Crispy, stella parks, tates, thin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces med protein all-purpose flour such as Gold Medal blue label or Whole Foods 365 blue label (about 1 3/4 cup, spooned; 225g)
  • 8 ounces light brown sugar not dark brown (about 1 cup, firmly packed; 225g)
  • 3 1/2 ounces raw cane sugar not white (about 1/2 cup; 100g)
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 8g or table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons 8g baking soda 8g
  • 8 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 16 tablespoons; 225g)
  • 8 ounces assorted chocolate chips preferably no darker than 70%, see note (about 1 1/3 cups; 225g)
  • 1 large egg straight from the fridge, well beaten (1 3/4 ounces; 50g)
  • 1/2 ounce vanilla extract about 1 tablespoon; 15g

Instructions

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, light brown sugar, raw cane sugar, salt, and baking soda. Process until well-combined; add cold butter and pulse to form a dry and powdery mix; comparable results cannot be produced by hand or with a stand mixer. Add chocolate chips and pulse once or twice to combine.* Chill to make it easier to handle dough.
  • Transfer the cookie "mix" to a large bowl; add egg and vanilla, stir well; the mixture will seem alarmingly crumbly and dry at this stage. Once the wet ingredients have been absorbed, knead mixture by hand until it comes together like classic soft dough.
  • Divide into about 56 portions with a 1-tablespoon scoop. If you like, these can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months; soften to about 68°F (20°C) before baking.
  • Arrange portions on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan (do not use a silicone mat), leaving about 2 or 3 inches between cookies to account for spread. Bake until thin and golden brown, with an even color from edge to center, about 16 minutes (check earlier). I used a tablespoon scoop, yield over 60 cookies that took 10-11 minutes to bake.
  • Cool cookies directly on the baking sheet until room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and continue cooling an hour more; the cookies will not be fully crisped until then. At cool room temperature, the cookies will keep at least six weeks in an airtight container.

Notes

*The mixture can be refrigerated up to one week in an airtight container or used immediately in the next step.

Quick Fix: Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

Quick Fix: Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

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I love cabbage.  This has been a recent revelation.  I’m not quite sure why cabbage has grabbed my attention but I find myself throwing it into a variety of dishes-salads, curries, soups, and stir-fries.

With a head of cabbage in the fridge and little time,  I needed a quick side dish for dinner.  A recipe form Eric Kim on Food52 popped into my head, asparagus with soy sauce and butter.  Why not trade the cabbage for the asparagus?

Quick and Easy

Shred cabbage, not too finely so it retains some crunch, and set it aside. Heat a pan large enough to hold the cabbage.  Melt the butter, add the cabbage and cook until it wilts.  Add soy sauce, and stir fry until the butter and soy sauce bubble.  Season with pepper and salt if needed.  Bada Bing Bada Boom, done.

Substitute ponzu soy for a touch of citrus or dashi soy for seafood twist or an equal amount of oyster sauce adds flavor also.  Garnish with sliced green onions.

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Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword brown butter, cabbage, soy sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 head of green cabbage shredded into 1/2 to 3/4 inch strips
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce or substitute Ponzu or Soy Dashi or use 1 T oyster sauce and 1 T soy sauce
  • Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a skillet over high heat and melt the butter. Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly wilted. Add the soy sauce and cook for another minute or until the butter and soy sauce bubble up into a sticky glaze. Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

Okay, for you carnivores...saute' diced bacon (2 slices), omit salt and use half the butter with the bacon fat.  
Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza, Knighted by King Arthur… Flour That Is

Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza, Knighted by King Arthur… Flour That Is

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In this topsy turvy year, where flour has been in short supply since the COVID crisis, King Arthur Flour selected a pizza as their recipe of the year.  It’s easy to make with the caveat it does require a good amount of time, so plan in advance.  But it is so worth the time, it’s delicious.  

Years of pizza filled kids’ events-birthday parties, sports parties, playdates at Chuckie Cheese, and school functions, have left me with an aversion to pizza.  But the kids have grown up, no more bad pizza, only pizza by choice, my choice.  

During quarantine, our daily routine always includes someone asking, what’s for lunch?  To which Wes has lately been replying, how about pizza?  A couple of friends have raved about King Arthur’s 2020 recipe, Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza which meant, pizza time baby.

Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza-Doing the Happy Dance

If you haven’t ever made your own bread, this is a great place to start.  This is one of those insanely popular, deservedly so, no-knead bread recipes.  Zero intimidation, a little bit of folding and lots of raves at the end, yep, it’s a keeper. The extended rest time gives rise (lol) to a crispy, airy, yummy crust.  The center is soft and pillowy and as you move to the perimeter it takes on a nice crunch.  

I’m sure the flour shortage during the time of COVID was pushed to new heights with this recipe. I used a 00 flour from Central Milling, I was out of KA AP flour.  You could sub bread flour by Gold Medal of Pillsbury as the protein content is a little higher and closer to King Arthur AP flour.  You make the dough, let it rest overnight in the fridge before putting on the final touches, TOPPINGS and then baking.

So a day later, take the dough out of the fridge and  smoosh it into a cast-iron skillet, I used my Staub pan or a 9-inch cake pan would work too.  But, keep in mind a heavy bottom skillet, especially cast-iron, enhances the crispiness.

Toppings

The King Arthur Flour recipe is all about the crust, no toppings so I went in search of a BOSS tomato sauce for the pizza.  First and last stop, Serious Eats.  New York Style Pizza Sauce, easy, tasty, a little spicy, a little sweet, a touch of basil, onion, and oregano, the perfect match.  Then the killer, butter is added to the sauce, which accentuates the crust.  OMGoodness, make this pizza.

Toppings are whatever your heart desires.  Our usual includes sausage and the triple-play of mushrooms, onions, and peppers.  Pre-cook toppings first.  My latest kick is adding arugula or micro-greens to the finished pizza.

Let me reiterate…Make this pizza, SOON.

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Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza

King Arthur Flour 2020 Recipe of the Year Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian-American
Keyword Crispy Cheese Pan Pizza
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 1 day
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Cast-iron skillet or heavy bottom pan

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 240g I used 00 flour from Central MIlling
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water 170g
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 13g
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan 18g

Toppings

  • 6 ounces mozzarella, grated about 1 1/4 cups, loosely packed* 170g
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce 74g to 113g homemade or storebought
  • freshly grated hard cheese and fresh herbs for sprinkling on top after baking optional
  • handful of fresh greens like arugula optional
  • toppings of choice

Tomato Sauce from Serious Eats

Instructions

  • Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. I really like using a scale.  Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon (13g) of the olive oil in a medium-large mixing bowl.
  • Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour, about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball; cover the bowl.
  • After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90° each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.
  • Re-cover the bowl, and after 5 minutes do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat; then another 5 minutes, and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It'll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor; this long rise will also add flexibility to your schedule.
  • Refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It'll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor.
  • About 3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prep pan. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons (18g) olive oil into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet that’s 10” to 11” diameter across the top, and about 9” across the bottom. Heavy, dark cast iron will give you a superb crust; but if you don’t have it, use another oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet of similar size, or a 10” round cake pan or 9” square pan. Tilt the pan to spread the oil across the bottom, use a brush to spread some oil up the edges, as well.  
  • Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back; that’s OK, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling/pressing. At this point the dough should reach the edges of the pan; if it doesn’t, give it one more 15-minute rest before dimpling/pressing a third and final time. 
  • Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy and jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
  • About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4" to 5" from the top heating element). Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (a scant 1 cup) evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust completely for those crispy, caramelized edges. Spread small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese. The first cheese layer helps prevent sogginess from the sauce. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.
  • Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom). If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom's not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes. Home ovens can vary a lot, so use the visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you’ve achieved the perfect bake.
  • Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool a little then transfer to a cooling rack or cutting surface. No soggy crusts.

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New York-Style Pizza Sauce

Perfect sauce for King Arthur Crispy Chessy Pan Pizza
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian-American
Keyword New York Style Pizza Sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Equipment

  • Food mill, food processor, or hand blender

Ingredients

  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 medium cloves garlic grated on microplane grater (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 2 6-inch sprigs fresh basil with leaves attached
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled and split in half
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  • Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and large pinch salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, basil sprigs, onion halves, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting (bubbles should barely be breaking the surface), and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2, about 1 hour.
  • Discard onions and basil stems. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

The sauce makes enough for 2 12 inch pizzas so you will have plenty.  Keep the onion, don't discard it.  This sauce would probably work over some pasta too, with that onion!