Category: Food
Maple & Olive Oil Granola

Maple & Olive Oil Granola

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My favorite granola recipe, Jule’s Granola was given to me by a friend also coworker, years ago.  She brought a bag to work one day, and being a granola hater, I passed on trying it. She offered again and added, “This ain’t your Quaker Oats guy in the funny hat-boxed granola”.  To appease her, I grabbed a handful, tossed it in my mouth, and BAM!  So good, crunchy, flavorful, filled with nuts and dried fruit, and sweetened with maple syrup. Nutty, buttery, sweet, chewy, crunchy-in a nutshell, damn delicious.  Instantly, I became a GRANOLA CONVERT.

I just wanted to include this photo of my Granola Queen. It’s a blast from the past: her beautiful wedding in Hawaii.

Go-To Granola

I immediately asked her for the recipe and since then I have cranked out batches of granola for family and friends.  Every Christmas we buy cute canning jars to fill with granola which we then gift.  Each person dutifully returns their jar for more granola next year.

Who Knew?

Very happy with Jule’s Granola recipe I never thought of trying another recipe until now.  The powers of social media strike again.  A notification on my phone titled “Genius Granola has a Cult Following” popped up.  This caught my eye.  I quickly scanned the recipe.  It called for olive oil, various seeds, pecans, coconut chips, maple syrup, and brown sugar.  I compared it to my gold-standard granola.  Hmm,  no dried fruit, definitely more seeds, less oats, more maple syrup and sugar.  The olive oil in place of veggie oil caught my eye.

Recipe Breakdown

Oatmeal- Use Old Fashioned not quick or instant.   I added an extra cup of oatmeal (comments on the original as being too sweet), plus the amount of sweeteners compared to my fav recipe was significantly more.

Olive Oil– I happened to have a bottle of vanilla olive oil, so I used it. Mild, floral, citrusy olive oils

Adds- Add whatever mix-ins you like.  I didn’t have sunflower seeds so I used almonds and sesame seeds so what the heck that’s what I added.  Coconut chips from TJ are preferred but you could use large coconut flakes.

Dried Fruit- I love sweet & tart dried fruits in my granola.  I added a blend of raisins, cranberries, and blueberries.  Leave it out, add some in…your choice. Pistachios and either apricots or dried cherries would be smashing.

Sweeteners- The recipe calls for a combination of maple syrup and light brown sugar.  There were quite a few comments about the granola being too sweet.  So do I decrease the sweeteners (which many did by omitting the brown sugar) or add more oatmeal?

Spices- Change the flavor profile by adding cinnamon or even cardamon. (start with 1 tsp of cinnamon) or a Chai tea spice.

Baking: The original recipe is on Food52  by Nekisia Davis of Early Bird. Directions say to spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet. My advice is to divide the mixture in half and use two cookie sheets. The layer of granola in one pan is too thick and will not dry and crisp very well. You should still mix it every 10-15 minutes.

This granola is loose, not clumpy, and is perfect for ice cream or yogurt topping. Use it in Natasha Picowicz’s Nubby Granola Shortbread. If you like chunks of granola, make Jule’s Granola, which is still our family favorite (yes, we voted). This is a close second, though.

Now go and make a batch of my 2nd  favorite granola,

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5 from 2 votes

Olive Oil & Maple Granola

Homemade Granola with maple syrup and olive oil
Course Breakfast, Munchie, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword granola, maple syrup, oats, olive oil, pecans
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats Original recipe calls for 3 cups
  • 1 1/4 cups raw pecans coarsely chopped, although I was lazy and left them as halves
  • 1 cup coconut chips or flakes (large)
  • 1/2 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds sub slivered almonds

Sweeteners

  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

Optional

  • 1-2 cups dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, diced apricots, or dried cherries

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, syrup, oil, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt until well combined. Add optional spices if using.
  • Spread the mixture in an even layer split between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, for about 45 minutes total, until the granola is toasted. Halfway through baking, rotate sheets from top to bottom and turn each back to front.
  • Remove the granola from the oven; season with salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving.
  • Add dried fruit, after granola cools. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Do Ahead: The granola can be made 1 month ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
Blue-tifulberry Muffins from Zoe Bakes

Blue-tifulberry Muffins from Zoe Bakes

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I know, I know…I already have a few showstopper blueberry muffin recipes on 3Jamigos but I just found another one!  From Zoe Bakes, her Blueberry Muffin with Crumble Topping.  The crumble and a touch of lemon sets this muffin apart.  They’re delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.  During blueberry season, which happens to be right now, I head to our farmer’s market to load up on the tiny blue orbs.  First, I eat some out of hand when I return from the market.  Then I save some for fruit salads or a favorite spinach salad with hazelnuts, and avocado dressed in a honey mustard vinaigrette.  A portion gets frozen to be enjoyed later in the year.  But ultimately, the berries end up in baked goodies- there’s Blueberry Boy Bait Cake, Blueberry Hand Pies, Blueberry Cornmeal Cobbler,  Blueberry Cornmeal Mochi Cake… I feel like Bubba Gump, you get the picture.  I’m blue without blueberries.  Search blueberries on 3jamigos.com and a plethora of recipes will pop up.

 Zoe of All Trades

If by chance you aren’t familiar with Zoe Francois, let me fangirl about her for a moment.  Zoe is based out of Minneapolis.  She started in a different career but ultimately pivoted to food, working as a pastry chef and co-writing cookbooks.  Her easy, friendly, personable style , million-dollar smile and great dessert recipes have given rise to cookbooks, videos, and a TV show.  I love her show, which is filled with great tips, techniques, and ideas.  It also highlights the folks and local businesses in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  I have a soft spot for the Twin Cities having visited often (even in the winter) when Jamie lived there.  Her book, Zoe Bakes, sits on my frequent flyer bookshelf on my island and I can’t wait until her next book, Zoe’s Cookies, comes out in September.

How the Muffin Crumbles

As much as I love Hummingbird High’s Levain Bakery Blueberry Muffins, my family is crumble-crazy.  There was never a question if we would make Zoe’s muffins, the question was when.  With blueberry season in full swing, the time was now.  I brought home a quart of blueberries from my favorite purveyor, Triple Delight, and set upon making these muffins.

Make the crumble first as it needs to chill a bit, toss it in the fridge while making the batter.  The crumble is a little on the sweet side, maybe I’ll add nuts next time and a pinch of salt. It’s a classic crumble topping, butter, and brown sugar with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon.  Work the butter in with a pastry blender or your fingers, it should look like coarse lumpy sand.  Stash it in the fridge.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and yolk along with the vanilla and combine well.  It may look slightly curdled but will smooth out after adding the dry ingredients.  Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple of times during the process.  It makes a difference.

Add flour mixture with sour cream or buttermilk in two portions.  Do not overmix.  The batter will be fairly thick and stiff.   Finally, fold the blueberries into the batter by hand to avoid crushing the berries.

I love these tulip-shaped muffin tin liners but traditional cupcake papers will work too. Use an ice cream scoop (#20) to portion the batter into a muffin tin.  Sprinkle the chilled crumble equally over the batter.

Bake the muffins until golden brown on the edges.  The middle will be lighter than the edges.  Remove from oven, serve warm.  Enjoy!

While blueberries are in season make these muffins.  They can also be made with frozen blueberries.  Do not thaw, fold the frozen berries into the batter.

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Blueberry Muffins

A tender, fine crumb muffin studded with sweet blueberries and topped with a buttery crumble topping. Perfection from Zoe Bakes
Course Breakfast, Muffins, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberries, Blueberry Muffins, muffins, streusel, zoe bakes
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Topping

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour bleached or unbleached will work 60g
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar well packed 125g
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature 57g

Muffins

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups spoon and sweep 240g all-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached)* Use 210gm if using KA flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/8 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

Cream Mixture

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature 86g
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar 30g
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 whole egg room temperature
  • 1 yolk room temperature

Liquid Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sour cream or buttermilk crème fraîche or yogurt work too! 135g
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries** 175g
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare the topping by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until it turns into uniform clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Prepare regular muffin tins with 7 LARGE liners. (You can bake regular sized muffins by dividing it into 12)
  • Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl, set aside.
  • Cream the butter, sugars and zest together on medium speed, in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla. Add the egg and yolk, one at a time, mixing on low just until combined. It may seem a bit curdled, because it is a lot of liquid to add to that amount of butter. It will all come together in the end.
  • Add half the flour and half the sour cream. Mix on low until combined. Add the remaining flour and sour cream.
  • Toss the blueberries with flour and if using frozen berries immediately fold them into the batter with two or three gentle stirs. If you over mix, the batter will turn purple and then gray. Scoop into the muffin liners.
  • Sprinkle the topping over the muffins. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a tester comes out with moist, but not wet, crumbs. If you are baking smaller muffins, bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

*If you use King Arthur Baking all-purpose flour, your muffins will not be as soft and fluffy, because it has more protein, so use a few tablespoons less.**If you use frozen blueberries, keep them frozen until the last minute.
These muffins can be frozen. Thaw them out and reheat in a warm oven for about 10 minutes to serve.
Gochugaru Salmon with Crispy Rice-Yet Another Eric Kim Winner

Gochugaru Salmon with Crispy Rice-Yet Another Eric Kim Winner

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Another winner from Eric Kim, NYTcooking columnist, cookbook author, and writer.  Like many of his recipes, this one is very approachable, comes together quickly, and packs a one-two punch of flavor and texture.  The first time, I didn’t bother making the crispy rice.  MISTAKE.  The salmon and glaze are delicious but the crispy rice pushes it to the next level.

I have made so many of his recipes that I have an index of his recipes included in my post about his delightful pound cake.  If you love Sara Lee’s poundcake, you’ll love his version.  Here is the Eric Kim Hall of Food, so far…

Links are included for the ones I have written notes for so far.  One day, I will get through all of them, I hope.

Back to the Fish

Cooked rice-Make this dish when you have leftover rice.  Instead of making fried rice with it (come on, everyone makes fried rice with day-old rice), plan on making the crispy rice cake for this recipe. Short grain is stickier so works well for the rice cake.

The Star- 4 fresh salmon fillets, skin on.  Salt and pepper the fillets and fry until the skin is nice and crispy.  Try not to overcook the salmon,  it’s fine when slightly undercooked.

Before the fish gets sauced,  pan-frying for nice crispy skin.  Imagine that generic video everyone does running a knife over the skin to prove how crispy it is…yep.

The Sauce-pantry staples except for perhaps Gochugaru which is Korean chili pepper flakes (coarse ) or powder (fine). It’s spicy, smokey, and sweet. Find it at most Asian Supermarkets, definitely at H-Mart and Ranch 99. I recommend doubling the sauce, it’s that good.

The sauce comes together quickly. Key ingredient.  Allow it to come to a boil to caramelize the sauce.

Add cold butter to create a delicious, smooth, creamy emulsion.

Crispy Rice- Adds time and work to the dish, but it is so worth it!  The crispy rice adds a textural element.  The rice soaks up the flavor from the oil left in the pan from the fish.  Delish!

Serve this with sliced cucumbers, pickles, fresh kimchi, any banchan, or blanched spinach.

Enjoy!

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Gochugaru Salmon With Crispy Rice

Another winner from Eric KIm, NYT Cooking columnist and author of Korean American. Gochugaru Salmon with Crispy Rice. Quick, Easy and Delicious
Course dinner
Cuisine Asian-American, Korean-American
Keyword crispy rice, gochugaru, maple syrup, quick and easy, Salmon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 skin-on salmon fillets 6 ounces each
  • Kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil I use peanut oil
  • 4 cups cooked white rice preferably leftover rice, and short grain which is a bit stickier so it stays together

Sauce

  • 4 teaspoons gochugaru powder or flakes is fine
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, kept whole

Garnish & Sides

  • Toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle on fish when done
  • Sliced cucumbers or pickles for serving (optional)
  • Any Banchan you like, kimchi, potato salad, spinach your choice

Instructions

  • Season the salmon on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and sear the salmon fillets skin side down until the skin is browned and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes. The salmon will begin to turn pale coral as the heat slowly creeps up the sides of the fish; you want that coral color to come up about two-thirds of the way for a nice medium-rare.
  • Carefully flip the salmon and cook the second side until the flesh feels firm, another 1 to 2 minutes. When you press it, it should not feel wobbly. Transfer the salmon to a plate skin side down and keep the pan with the rendered fat over the heat.
  • Add the rice to the fat in the pan and spread in an even layer, packing it down as if making a rice pancake. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bottom is lightly browned and toasted, about 5 minutes. You should hear it crackle.
  • Flip the rice like a pancake, using a spatula if needed. You may not be able to flip it all in one piece, but that’s OK. Cook until lightly toasted on the second side, another 1 to 2 minutes. Go longer if you want crispier rice, but the trifecta of crispy-chewy-soft tastes wonderful.
  • While the rice is cooking, stir together the gochugaru, maple syrup, rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • When the rice is done, divide it evenly among the plates. In the now-empty pan, add the gochugaru mixture and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until it bubbles up and reduces significantly, 15 seconds to 1 minute. It should look pretty sticky.
  • Turn off the heat and add the cold butter, stirring with a wooden spoon or tongs until fully melted and incorporated into the gochugaru mixture. Pour this glaze over the salmon and serve with cucumbers or pickles.

Notes

You can find gochugaru, or red-pepper powder, at Korean or Asian supermarkets or online. Store in the freezer, it lasts a long time without degrading.
I use a non-stick skillet that doesn't brown or crisp food like a cast iron pan.  It may take significantly more time to brown and crisp rice.
Jam Caves, Scandinavian Thumbprints

Jam Caves, Scandinavian Thumbprints

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The first time I visited Kantine in SF  it was raining cats and dogs (where does that saying come from?).  I made the mad dash from my car into their very cute and inviting space.  I ended up with a Semlor-a cardamon-flavored bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream,  and a terbike, similar to an almond croissant.  Finally, I couldn’t resist grabbing the last Jam Cave left on the platter.

Located on Market Street in San Francisco, in between Downtown and the Castro. It’s a lovely stop for Scandinavian treats.

Think Thumbprints

After perusing their pastry case and saying “I’ll take one of those, and one of those, and…” I sat down with a cup of coffee and pulled out the Jam Cave. Are you thinking, what’s a jam cave?  Think thumbprint, a buttery, tender, rich, thumbprint filled with a sweet-tart jam.  I took a bite of my Jam Cave and returned to the counter, grabbed a copy of her Scandinavian from Scratch, scanned it for the Jam Cave recipe, and bingo, found it. I left with a box of pastries and a signed cookbook. The little voice in my head whispering make these cookies soon.

My favorite treats by Kantine are Cardamon Morning Buns, Caramel Slices, (notes here), and Jam Caves.

It didn’t take me long to pull out the book and make her delicious Jam Caves.

The dough is shaped into logs and cut into eight pieces.  I found it easier to roll the pieces into balls, slightly flattening each and creating the depression for the jam.  Instead of my thumb, I used my heart-shaped stamp made by the hubster.

You can use your thumb to make a circular jam indentation or your pointer finger pressed in a V to make a heart shape. I have a heart-shaped stamp courtesy of the hubster.

Sprinkle raw sugar or Demerara Sugar before baking and filling with jam.  Transfer the jam to a squeeze bottle with a large nozzle.  The recipe calls for black currant jam, feel free to use your favorite jam.  I like raspberry jam. A squeeze bottle makes quick work of filling the cookies.

The weight and volume of the powdered sugar in the recipe looked a little off.  I made a command decision to go by weights.  It was a good decision as the cookies turned out pretty darn yummy.  But, just to be sure, I visited Kantine to try one of their Jam Caves and compare.  Lucky for me, Nicole was there so I asked her about the recipe.  Yep, use the weight measurement.  No scale?  Use 1/2 cup of powdered sugar not 1/3 cup as stated in the book.

Scandinavian Whoppers

Feel free to roll the dough into a longer log and cut 10-12 pieces for slightly smaller cookies.  Reduce baking time accordingly.  These are bakery-sized cookies almost 2 inches in diameter.  Roll the dough into a longer log and cut into 10-12 pieces for smaller cookies.  Reduce baking time accordingly. The cookie is softer, and less short than a classic thumbprint. My guess is that egg yolks contribute to the lighter, cakier, texture.

This would make a great addition to any holiday cookie box.

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Jam Caves

Jam Caves, the Scandinavian version of thumbprints are buttery, tender, filled with jam, perfect with tea or coffee. Adapted from Scandinavian from Scratch
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine scandinavian
Keyword cookies, jam, jam caves, Kantine
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

Cream mixture:

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 256 grams
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66 grams
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 62 grams
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 384 grams
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to finish

To Finish Cookies:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
  • ¾ cup black currant jam or jam of choice 150 grams

Instructions

  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Line 13 by 18-inch (33 by 46 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium until soft and creamy, pausing halfway through to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The dough will be fairly thick. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
  • Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then roll each ball of dough into a log about 12-16 inches (30 cm) long. Cut each log into 8-12 cookies at 1½-inch (3.5 cm) intervals and arrange them on the prepared baking trays, spaced 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart.
  • Use your thumb to make a careful depression in the top of each cookie. Your thumb should come about ¼ inch shy of the baking tray. Be careful not to push all the way through the dough. As you press down, the cookie will expand into a rounded shape. Don’t worry if the edges of the dough crack a little.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each cookie with the egg wash, focusing on the edges. Sprinkle the tops with the demerara sugar.
  • Drop a heaping teaspoon of the jam into the center of each cookie.
  • Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking trays halfway through from top to bottom and front to back, until golden at the edges and the jam is set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container, where they will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

Notes

Makes 16-24 cookies. 
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Copycat (凉拌黄瓜)

Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Copycat (凉拌黄瓜)

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Adding to the cucumber salad recipes on 3Jamigos, I recently came across a copycat of Din Tai Fung’s cucumber appetizer.  Just in case you aren’t familiar with Din Tai Fung.  It is a global restaurant conglomerate from Taiwan that specializes in noodles and dumplings.  There’s one in the Valley Fair mall in San Jose. The running joke in my house is wild horses could not drag me to a mall, I hate shopping.  But put a RamenNagi, a Somi Somi, a Marugame Udon, or a Din Tai Fung there?  I’m all in, Babee.  It’s off to the mall we go.

I love cucumbers as a side dish to a rice bowl like Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice, Lu Rou Fan or  Jia Yi Turkey Rice.  Perfect as a Banchan or appetizer at Korean BBQ.  It’s crispy and refreshing, the ideal way to balance a meal.

Cucumber Madness

Ok, confession time.  My mom taught me how to draw the bitterness out of a cucumber by doing the following.  Cut the end of the cucumber off, take that end piece, and place it back on the end, kinda like putting it back together, and rub the exposed side of the cucumber with the cut end.   Apparently, this draws the bitterness out of the cucumber. Does this make sense?  Don’t know, but my mom told me always to do it so I do.  If nothing else, cut off the ends of the cucumber and throw those out.  I hear that’s where the bitterness is concentrated.  Do you rub the ends of cucumbers?  Enquiring minds want to know. 😉

Here are two other refreshing cucumber recipes from the  3jamigos archives…yep, crazy for cukes.

Cool Hand Cuke (Cucumber Salad from A Common Table)

Cool as a Cucumber Banchan (Simple Asian Cucumber Salad)

And now, try this one…a take on Din Tai Fung’s Cucumber Salad. 凉拌黄瓜真的很好吃!

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Cucumber Salad Din Tai Fung Wannabe

Quick and easy cucumber salad that’s a lot like Din Tai Fung’s
Course Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine Taiwanese
Keyword appetizer, cucumber salad, quick and easy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Salting Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

The Star

  • 1 lb cucumber Persian or English
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

The Dressing

  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
  • 1/2 tbsp chili oil or chili crisp
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

Garnish

  • Toasted white sesame seeds
  • thinly sliced green onions (scallions)

Instructions

  • Slice cucumbers into ½” rounds and place in a large bowl or colander. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse off the salt with water and place cukes on a paper towel. Pat cucumbers as dry as possible.
  • In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, grated garlic, chili oil and sesame oil.
  • Add dry cucumbers to the bowl and mix with the dressing to combine. Let marinate in fridge for 10-30 minutes. Garnish with roasted white sesame seeds and scallions serve.
Shrimp in Lobster Sauce (No Lobster Here, “Ha Ha Ha” )

Shrimp in Lobster Sauce (No Lobster Here, “Ha Ha Ha” )

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Yet another recipe from the gorgeous cookbook, Made Here created by Send Chinatown Love. In a recent post, I wrote about the Made Here cookbook and shared one of its recipes,  Taiwan Bear House’s Lion’s Head Meatballs.  Based in New York, Send Chinatown Love, is a grassroots group created by young, POC professionals in response to the pandemic.  Their goal was to support hard-hit businesses in and around Manhattan’s Chinatown.  Most businesses in Chinatown are small, family-run shops that depend on a cash-only, in-person model. Which didn’t work during the pandemic. Additionally, anti-Asian sentiment kept folks away.  As a result, it was bleak in most Chinatowns throughout the country.

Kudos to Grassroots

Send Chinatown Love raised funds & awareness for NYC Chinatown. They purchased meals from local restaurants with donations, and then distributed them to those in need in the community. Volunteers taught businesses how to create websites, use alternative payment systems, and create social media accounts to broaden their reach. And then (drum roll please), they published a cookbook, Made Here which highlights these small businesses by sharing their stories and recipes.  It’s a beautiful book filled with photos, drawings, and tiny text (my one complaint due to my old eyes).  100% of the proceeds go back to the community.  You can order the book here, it makes a wonderful gift.

Shrimply Delicious and Easy to Make

Wing Hing’s recipe for Prawns in Lobster Sauce caught my eye.  It is an iconic Cantonese-American dish with absolutely NO lobster in it.  Rather, it has sauteed prawns in a sauce made with ground pork, chicken stock, and egg.  It is a riff on an old Chinese dish, Lobster Cantonese.  Cantonese American chefs recreated the dish using shrimp (widely available and cheaper) instead of lobster but kept lobster in the name to refer to the velvety sauce.  Now that’s what I call great marketing.

Assemble your ingredients first, mise on place is essential in Chinese cooking, especially in wok or stir-fry recipes.

The Ingredients

Shrimp- For an everyday meal, use medium size (21-25/pound) to large prawns (16-20/pound).  For special occasions splurge on jumbo shrimp (10-12/pound) Clean, peel, and devein shrimp.  This will be the most time-consuming part of the recipe.

Shaoxing wine- Chinese wine for flavor

Chicken stock- Base for sauce

Peas-For contrast and color, fresh peas would be lovely but frozen peas are fine

Egg-For flavor and texture. The raw egg is stirred into the simmering sauce to create ribbons of eggs

Cornstarch-To thicken sauce

Scallions- For garnish and flavor

The ROI for this dish is great.  It only takes minutes to make, yet the chorus of oohs and aahs it elicits will make you smile.

Eggs are not only used to thicken the sauce but also to add richness and creaminess.  Without ⬆️ , With ⬇️ 🍳🥚

I like to serve it over steamed rice, but it would be equally yummy over noodles.

Enjoy!

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Sauteed Prawns with Lobster Sauce

Classic Cantonese American Dish, Shrimp in Lobster Sauce that doesn't have lobster. Delicious and easy to make. Adapted from Made Here from Send Chinatown Love
Course main dish, seafood
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword Cantonese cooking, Lobster sauce, prawns, shrimp
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces raw peeled and cleaned shrimp 16 to 20 per pound
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
  • 1/4 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Aromatics

  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger minced

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine or Sherry
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp sugar

Thickener

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons stock or water
  • 1 large egg, beatened

Garnish

  • 1/2 cup green peas fresh or frozen
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • Steamed white rice for serving or noodles would work too

Instructions

  • Peel shrimp. Using a small paring knife, butterfly shrimp, shallow cut down the length of the shrimp (don't cut through). Devein and rinse shrimp with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel and set aside.
  • Crack egg into a small bowl and whisk to blend.
  • Combine chicken stock, toasted sesame oil, wine, sugar, white pepper in bowl, set by stove.
  • In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons stock or water, set aside.
  • Heat oil over high heat in a large frying pan or wok, swirl oil around pan. Add ground pork and season with salt. Cook for a couple of minutes until pork loses its pink color, tossing frequently.
  • Add shrimp to pan and cook for thirty seconds or until shrimp just turn pink.
  • Add chicken stock mixture and reduce heat to medium-low, then add peas. Pour cornstarch slurry into pan and stir to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a simmer to thicken sauce about 1-2 minutes. Once sauce has thickened, reduce heat to low.
  • Whisk egg and drizzle all over the sauce in a thin stream. Let sit undisturbed to allow the eggs to start to set, about 10-15 seconds. Gently stir in one direction with a spatula or cooking chopsticks to create ribbons of egg.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sliced green onions
  • Serve with freshly steamed rice.
Kolasnittar-Caramel Slices from Kantine

Kolasnittar-Caramel Slices from Kantine

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Okay, I cannot tell a lie, my geography knowledge sucks.  I sat down to write this post on one of my favorite bakeries in San Francisco, Kantine, and on the cookbook, Scandinavian From Scratch, by owner, Nichole Accettola.  Tap, tap, tap on my keyboard, “Heavenly Scandinavian pastries inspired by her time in Copenhagen”, WAIT.  Isn’t Copenhagen in Denmark? Didn’t she live in Scandinavia?  Is that a country?  But her Jam Caves are Swedish.  I quickly Googled Scandinavia. Holey Moley, Scandinavia refers to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.  Nordic refers to the Scandinavian countries PLUS Finland and Iceland.  Uh, where does Switzerland fit in, all those ⛰️ and 🏞️?  My bad, it doesn’t.  🤦🏻‍♀️  It took a cookbook and delicious pastries for me to learn my geography..sheesh.

I DIGRESS

I stopped by Kantine to get coffee and a treat. Lucky for me, Nichole was there (I’m a cookbook groupie) for a couple of questions, a photo-op, and a quick conversation.  She recommended the Kolasnittar, a simple, unassuming flat, rhombus-shaped cookie.  One bite and I knew I was going home and baking those bad boys. They’re buttery, caramel-forward, with crispy edges, and a slightly chewy center. What a cookie.

Get this Cookie Party Started

I gathered the ingredients for Kolasnittar or Caramel Slices and realized I didn’t have corn syrup.  So I rummaged through my pantry and pulled out the Golden Syrup.  Golden Syrup is made from sugar cane and has caramel undertones due to the manufacturing process.  It worked like a charm.

The process for making these cookies is “kinda” like making biscotti without twice baking.  The dough is shaped into logs and then flattened into a strip.  If you have a scale, weigh the dough and divide it into 4 equal portions or just eyeball it.  Roll each piece into a 12-inch log and transfer the log to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Place two rolls on each cookie sheet, be sure to space them out (min. 2.5 inches in between).  Flatten each log into a 1/2-inch thick, 1.5-inches wide strip, keeping each around 12-inch length.  The dough will spread quite a bit while baking.

Take the cookies out when the edges are darker brown and the middle golden brown. Remove from oven and slide cookies and parchment onto a cutting board.  While the cookies are still warm, slice each loaf diagonally into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.

Let them cool completely.

Enjoy!

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KOLASNITTAR (Caramel Slice Cookie)

A delightful, buttery, crispy-edge, chewy-middle, caramel-flavored cookie from Scandinavian bakery, Kantine. The recipe is also in their book, Scandinavian from Scratch by author-owner Nichole Accettola
Course cookies, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, European, scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword cookies, Kantine, scandinavian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

Butter Mixture

  • 7 ounces 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 200g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup. 100g Substitute Golden Syrup 1:1
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300g King Arthur preferred
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt I use Diamond Kosher, for table salt, use 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions

  • Line two baking sheets (approximately 13x17 inches, 33x46cm) with parchment paper. Preferably sheets without a lip.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla on medium speed, beating until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer midway to scrape down the sides.
  • With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix until it’s well combined. Do not overbeat.
  • Lightly flour the countertop and scrape the dough onto the counter, kneading it gently until it’s smooth. Divide the dough into four equal parts. A scale really helps here.
  • Roll each portion into a log that’s 12 inches (30cm) long. If the dough cracks lengthwise while you’re rolling it, roll the dough a little toward you and use your thumbs to coerce the dough into the crack, then finish rolling the log, easing dough back into the crack as you go. Don’t worry if the logs are not perfectly smooth. They’re going to spread quite a bit when baked.
  • Place each dough log, evenly spaced on the baking sheet, (2 logs per sheet) then press the logs down to flatten them so they’re about 1/2-inch (1cm) thick and 1 1/2 inches (3,5cm) wide. Make sure there’s at least 2 inches (5cm) of space between each log and at least an inch (2,5cm) away from the edges of the pan.
  • Refrigerate the dough on the baking sheets for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and adjust the racks in the oven to the top and bottom third of the oven. Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets and switching them on the racks, from top to bottom, midway during baking.
  • I usually bake one sheet at a time. Halfway through rotate the sheet. (If you want to bake them later, cover them with kitchen towels and keep them in the refrigerator.) Bake until the dough is golden brown across the top with browned edges, 16 to 18 minutes.
  • Slide parchment paper with cookie logs onto a cutting board.
  • Cut the flat, former cookie logs diagonally and crosswise each cookie should be 1.5 inches in width. Transfer the cookies from the baking sheets to a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Lions Head Meatballs (Made Here… in Chinatown NY)

Lions Head Meatballs (Made Here… in Chinatown NY)

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A slew of small mom-and-pop stores and restaurants in NYC Chinatown were hit especially hard during the pandemic.  In response, Send Chinatown Love, a volunteer community organization, was created to help these struggling businesses.  Donations to Send Chinatown Love were used to buy meals from local restaurants and distribute them to the elderly and vulnerable community members. A win-win.  Their volunteers also taught businesses how to modernize their business practices and broaden their reach via the Internet.  Even as the pandemic has receded, Send Chinatown Love has continued to help not just Chinatown but other Asian communities in New York.

A friendly greeting and words of affirmation in the recipient’s native language on a decorated postcard accompany every delivered meal.  This is the care and compassion of the organizers and volunteers of Send Chinatown Love.  Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?  So while we were in New York, I made postcards and delivered them to a cute little bakery, Partybus Bakeshop with yummy breads & treats in Chinatown.  I hope my postcards helped brighten someone’s day.

Labor of Love

Send Chinatown Love’s latest foray is a self-published, GORGEOUS cookbook, titled Made Here.  Proceeds from the book go back to the community fund.  This wonderful compendium is filled with recipes, stories, and photos of local businesses.  The chapter on Taiwan Bear House in Chinatown included their Lion’s Head Meatballs (狮子头) recipe.  A homey dish made from ground pork and poached in a flavorful, light broth with cabbage (lion’s mane).  It is a quintessential Taiwanese dish.

Flashback to 17

Well…the last time I had Lion’s Head Meatballs I was 17 years old and sitting at a table in an army barrack in Taiwan. Across from me, a grinning Taiwanese soldier urged me to EAT.  Yo, it was sus, but I tried it and it was delicious. That was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Berkeley.  I was in a student exchange program in Taiwan.  My mom and dad sent me alongside other Chinese American kids sent by their parents, to discover their Chinese roots.  We learned a bit of Mandarin and Taiwanese culture, and a lot about having a good time.  We vastly outnumbered the teachers and chaperones so it was easy to sneak out to roam the streets and night markets in Taipei.

I was one of the youngest on the trip. This meant, bars and nightclubs were off-limits (I am not messing around in a foreign country, nope).  But shopping, wandering the streets, and absorbing everyday life in Taipei was fair game.  My fondest memories were of the food, especially at the night markets.  I stuffed myself silly with Guo Tieh (Potstickers), Xiao Loong Bao (Shanghai Dumplings), and omelets filled with briny oysters. We gawked at the old men tossing live shrimp into a bowl, splashing them with whiskey which caused them to jump on the plate. But as they slid into a drunken stupor, I watched folks pop them into their mouths, eek!  Was I brave enough to do the same?  I’ve blocked that memory.

This was my first exposure to street food and night markets. To this day whenever we travel we look for the local street markets. ❤️

The meatballs resemble the lion’s head and the cabbage is its mane.  Use your imagination.  Use pork with a bit of fat, I recommend 80%-20% pork to fat.

This recipe is super simple so embellishing is easy.  I like adding chopped water chestnuts for crunch and diced scallions for color and flavor.  The trick to tender meatballs is to stir the mixture vigorously, in one direction only until the meat feels sticky.  Preferably, use a pair of chopsticks to stir.  The logic?  Don’t know, my mom told me to do this and it works.

 

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5 from 1 vote

Lion's Head Meatballs (狮子头)

A classic Taiwanese Dish, Lion's Head Meatballs are savory, comforting and delisious, Adapted from the cookbook, Made Here, from Send Chinatown Love
Course dinner, homestyle, main dish, Meat, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese
Keyword Beef and Vegetable Soup, Lion's Head Meatballs, Made Here, Taiwanese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground pork 80-20 percent pork-fat
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Shaoxing wine or sherry
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce good quality, preferably a Taiwanese soy sauce, light if not, use Kikkoman Organic + 1 tsp sugar)
  • 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated or minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt or 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp. ground white pepper
  • 1 scallions trimmed and finely chopped, optional
  • 4 ounces water chesnuts chopped, optional

FOR THE BROTH:

  • 1 small head Napa Cabbage or regular cabbage end cut off and roughly chopped (you could use a small head of regular cabbage, cored and chopped)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 1- in. piece of ginger sliced into planks
  • 3 sheets of kombu dried kelp each sheet should be approximately 3x3 inches/piece
  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom
  • 1 tsp salt

Garnish:

  • 2 stalks scallions
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

Broth:

  • Wipe kelp with a dry cloth or paper towel to remove white powder (salt residual). Set aside.
  • Fill a large pot with 10 cups of water. Add ginger, shiitake mushroom, kelp, and 1 tsp salt. set over medium-high heat. As soon as it begins to boil, turn down heat so stock is just simmering. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, do not let it boil as the kelp will get bitter. Once done simmering, strain stock to remove kelp, ginger, and mushroom. Return stock to pot and keep warm while making meatballs.

Meatballs:

  • In a large bowl, combine ground pork, seasonings, garlic, ginger, and scallions plus water chestnuts if using. Mix thoroughly.
  • Using a pair of chopsticks or a long spoon, stir mixture vigorously in one direction only, until the mixture looks sticky or tacky. Scoop up the meat and slap it back into the bowl a couple times. This process helps to tenderize the meat.
  • Form the meat into 4-6 balls, roughly the size of tennis balls. (ok, I like them a bit smaller so make 6-8). Traditionally they are HUGE.
  • Gently drop meatballs into simmering stock and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the meatballs float and are tender.

To Serve:

  • Just before poaching the meatballs, bring stock to boil and drop in napa cabbage. Boil cabbage for 2 -3 minutes or until just tender. Remove from broth and set aside.
  • Before serving taste broth for seasoning. If needed, add a bit of finishing soy sauce or soup soy to add saltiness and depth of flavor.
  • Place cabbage in bowl followed by a meatball. Fill bowl with additional broth. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. If you are like my kids you will put a scoop of rice in your bowl then ladle in the soup.

Notes

This dish can also be made as a braised dish.  But I am a soup fan.
 
Glazed Butter Cake, Found

Glazed Butter Cake, Found

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I excitedly headed to the city a couple of months ago to pick up my copy of Erin French’s new book, Big Heart Little Stove. I became a fan after reading her biography and watching her show, The Lost Kitchen.  Her food is simple and beautiful.  She focuses on sourcing amazing locally-grown products from small farms.  If you watch her show, you know the setting for The Lost Kitchen is a historic, gorgeous stone grist mill set next to a waterfall.  The dining room exudes rustic charm and gives guests a birdseye view of the kitchen area.  In short, the setting is breathtaking.

On one episode she served a Glazed Butter Pound Cake with a poached donut peach and creme anglaise.  I adore a pound cake and knew I would be looking for the recipe.  Growing up, I loved pound cake, especially Sara Lee’s or Ping Yuen Bakery’s Pound Cake.  Many of you are familiar with the iconic Sara Lee version (HERE is a love letter & recipe to that very cake by Eric Kim, his version is SPOT ON), however, only folks around my age or older who lived or frequented San Francisco Chinatown, will be familiar with Ping Yuen Bakery & Cafe version. Conveniently, located downstairs from my parent’s office, we often stopped there to buy deli items and baked goods to bring home.  I always lobbied for their buttery, fine-crumb pound cake.

Pound Cake Groupie

The cake is in her new book and in my book, you can never have too many butter-pound cake recipes.  First, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and follow with alternating the dry ingredients with the buttermilk into the batter.  Finish the cake with the butter and confectioner’s sugar glaze.

Vanilla paste with its seeds also works well in this cake.

There’s my postcard! Iykyk

Bake in a 9×5 loaf pan until golden brown.  It took approximately 45 minutes instead of the 25 minutes listed in the directions.  Start testing for doneness at 20 minutes. If the top gets too dark, cover it with foil.

Icing, Icing, Baby

Glaze cake with the butter-powdered sugar icing.  The addition of vanilla and almond extracts adds a ton of flavor.  Feel free to substitute rum or Bourbon for the almond extract.  The glaze gives the cake a shiny donut-like finish.

Serve with fresh berries, whipped cream, creme anglaise, or by itself.  Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.  Enjoy!

 

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Glazed Butter Cake

Delicious, simple but elegant butter cake, flavored with vanilla and almond. From Erin French's newest book, Big Heart, Little Stove
Course Cake, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword erin french, Glazed butter cake, loaf cake, lost kitchen
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 9x5 loaf pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt or 1/4 tsp reg salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 stick unsalted butter 8 tbsp or 4oz.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk shake well before measuring
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste

Butter Glaze

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter 8 T or 4 oz
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract substitute rum extract or rum or bourbon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch loaf pan, line with parchment, set aside.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy ~ 5 minutes
  • Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the next egg.
  • With the mixer on low, add approximately 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter, mix until combined then add 1/2 of buttermilk, again mix until well combined. Repeat this process, ending with the flour mixture. Add vanilla and mix just until combined.
  • Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until cake is golden brown and a cake tester in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Note, my cake took about 45 minutes. Begin testing at 20 minutes. Remove cake and place it on a rack to cool. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

Glaze

  • In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and 1/4 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Remove pan from heat and let glaze cool a little. Whisk in vanilla and almond extracts. As the glaze cools it will thicken slightly.
  • Allow cake to cool and remove from pan. Brush the bottom, sides and the top generously with the glaze.
  • Slice and serve. Feel free to add berries, whipped cream or a creme anglaise.