Food Archives - Page 27 of 56

Weekend at Jamie’s (Eat, Walk, Laugh in Minneapolis)

By threejamigos | March 31, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

I headed out to Minneapolis last weekend to see my girl. MISSED her so much I dropped everything I was doing, hopped on a plane and got out there. Really, what a good mom…through wet and snow and chilly temps, I went to visit my girl.

Did I mention she had tickets to Ali Wong?

Not a factor AT ALL. Nope, not at all.

I am still laughing a week later. She was HILARIOUS. For those wondering who is Ali Wong? She is a comedian, writes for Fresh Off the Boat, and has a couple of Netflix specials under her belt. A little rude, sometimes crude (ok, more than sometimes) but so damn funny. Ironic she is from the Bay Area but I went all the way to Minneapolis to see her, go figure.

I arrived in the afternoon so I had a couple of hours to kill before Jamie got home from work. Luckily, Minneapolis is a very easy city to get around. I took the light rail from the airport to Jamie’s house, 20 minutes to the US Bank Stadium which is right across the street from her AND less than 3 dollars for the ride!

How did I fill the hours pre and post Ali Wong? Lucky for me the weather was warm and balmy on the Minneapolis winter scale, about 30 degrees, perfect. I raided Jamie’s fridge, found a delicious chicken and mushroom soup and then headed out to walk the neighborhood.

If you ever get the chance to visit Minneapolis. Go. It’s a great city, very walkable, great art, awesome food, and a friendly Midwest vibe. A five-minute walk from her apartment took me to the river path and the Mill City Museum. My favorite for all things flour.

Worked up an appetite on my walk (just an excuse) and as soon as Jamie arrived home, we headed out for dinner.

Spoon and Stable, walking distance, delicious food. We started with a cheese plate (of course) and ended with dessert. In between? Squid Ink Pasta, Grilled Octopus, Creamed Spinach with those infamous Cheese Curds-I’m in dairy heaven…needless to say, we decided we needed to walk home too.

Ended with a delicious Buttermilk Panna Cotta.

Saturday found us hunting for a pop-up event at Lowry’s Meat Co. Two Guys, Chris and Yia, of Union Kitchen Mn, making delicious Hmong food in the Twin Cities. Today’s menu featured Khoa Poon, a Laotian bowl of comfort made with chicken, curry, coconut milk, lemongrass and a bunch of herbs-cilantro, mint, and basil. On top of the noodles sits an array of veggies-cabbage, radishes, sprouts and fried shallots. OMG, freakin’ delicious! Their second offering, Duck Pho, the slices of duck literally melted in my mouth, so good. It was so delicious I didn’t want to share with Jamie! Chris and Yia are cooking, sharing, and teaching folks all about Hmong food and culture. They’ll be “poppin up” @ #sociableciderwerks every week, check them out.

I love Minneapolis, just like Houston, it has become a melting pot of people and cultures. This is the America I envision, people from everywhere working hard, exchanging ideas, sharing their lives, food, culture, putting their unique stamp on America. I had the best bowl of pho ever and the most amazing bbq all in one day in Houston. Yep, that Houston-Houston, TEXAS. My next trip to Minneapolis we are going for Somali food. I can’t wait.

I still dream about this bowl of Khao Poon…so good.

Great Lakes = Lotsa Duck dishes. Damn good duck, that’s for sure.

Yia, one half of the Union Kitchen Team! I’m a noodle nerd groupie, what can I say. Addendum: I’m really excited for them, they are featured on Episode 3 of United Shades of America on CNN with W. Kama Bell ( I plan to watch when I get home from Japan).

Needing desperately to walk off lunch, we headed to The Minneapolis Institute of Art A wondrous exhibit “Sunken Treasures of Egypt” had us mesmerized.

This tablet stands at least 3 feet high. So impressive…until I found out it was a tax bill! Great art scene in Minneapolis, don’t miss it. Somethings stand the test of time…convoluted, BIG tax codes.

Our walk home from the Ali Wong Show gave us an excuse to cruise for food so we stopped at a Japanese joint right down the block from Jamie’s, Zen Box Izakaya. Their Kimchi Ramen is off the hook as is their grilled yellowtail collar.

Sunday morning: Study time

With a Korean language test looming on Monday when I return home, Jamie and I headed to her favorite bagel joint Rise for a breakfast bagel and coffee (lots of it) and study time.

On the way to Rise, the walk wouldn’t be complete without passing MTM. I know, many of you are thinking what? (Check it out on You-Tube) But, for those of you old enough to remember, I’m sure you are smiling right now, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Who can turn the world on with her smile…Go, visit Minneapolis, you’ll have a great time.

Tryin’ to Squash A Cold! (Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup)

By threejamigos | March 24, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

How does that old adage go? Feed a cold, starve a fever? The thought crossed my mind as I was miserably lying in bed, achy, congested, and generally feeling like crap. Thank goodness for laptops and search engines…I found a Scientific America article that addressed this very proverb and whaddya know, going all Mythbuster, Scientific America, not only debunked it, but concluded it really should be “Feed a cold, FEED a fever”. Yeah baby, I love science.

What is the perfect antidote when it is cold, when you are sick, when you crave comfort, but you are too tired to fuss? SOUP. Am I right? Yep, bowl therapy to the rescue. It didn’t take long to find a soup that fit the bill. From the blog Creative Bites, Pressure Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. Lucky for me I had bought a butternut squash at the market and had all of the ingredients handy. “Kold karma” pointed me to this quick (thanks to my Instant Pot) and easy, delicious soup.

Here’s the HARD part. The PREP. Yeah, no getting around peeling that butternut squash and dicing ALL THOSE vegetables. Well, I suppose you could buy pre-cut squash, diced onions and minced garlic, but that’s your call. It’s part of cooking therapy for me.

NOW, the EASY part. Prep was 90% of the game. You’re now sitting pretty on 3rd base ready to score, just a mere minutes from homebowl. Get it? I love the apples and red bell pepper, they add a nice sweetness. Saute the veggies in your Instant Pot. It’s important when you add the stock, really stir the bottom of pot to release all those bits of saute goodness. The pot is very sensitive to bits stuck on the bottom and will turn off as a safety precaution if the bottom isn’t clean. Add the stock, seal the pot, and then set the timer for 5 MINUTES. Yep, five minutes and quick release at the end. With the time it takes to come to pressure, you’re still only looking at 15 minutes of cooking time. Not bad.

I used an immersion blender in the pot to puree the soup. There are a lot of comments online about how it doesn’t work as well as a blender. BUTTERNUTS. Not creamy enough? Throw the immersion stick back in and blend some more. I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of creaminess (though I don’t think I am) to do this, as oppose to pouring HOT soup, in batches, into my blender. I’m saving my blender for smoothies and Margaritas.

Go ahead and play around with this soup recipe. It’s very forgiving. Got thyme? Substitute for sage. Got time? Skip the Instant Pot, roast the vegetables instead. See the prepped veggies above? Throw it all in a roasting pan, give it a good swig of olive oil, toss, salt and pepper and roast at 425 for about an hour). The vegetables caramelize in the oven and add a sweetness to the soup that’s “souper” yummy. Creative bites calls for goat cheese or cream cheese. I like cream cheese because it adds a whole lot of mouth feel and just a slight tanginess. You could probably use sour cream, creme fraiche or even just a touch of heavy whipping cream instead. This would lighten the soup but you might lose that creaminess.

FINISH WITH TOPPING MADNESS. Once your soup is done, garnish with ANYTHING your little heart desires. Toasted nuts or pepitas, bacon, sliced apples, or more BACON, croutons. Did I mention bacon? I was sent a mix of nuts as a soup topping by my Food52 Holiday Gift Swap buddy- it was perfect.

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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Instant Pot

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword butternut squash

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 tsp. diced garlic
1 tsp. fresh ground ginger
2 lb. butternut squash peeled and cubed 1 medium squash
1 medium apple peeled cored and chopped
1 tsp. sage Substitute thyme or curry powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3 c. chicken stock I used additional cup to thin down the soup a bit
3 oz. cream cheese Sub goat cheese
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
Salted Pepitas for garnish Or anything you like, like BACON BITS, spicy nuts, chives, sliced apple, sautéed wild mushrooms...
1 Tbsp Brown sugar, optional To add roasted squash’s sweetness

Instructions

Turn on the Saute function on Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, onions and bell pepper. Saute on high for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the cubed squash, apple, sage, chili powder, sea salt and chicken stock.
Place the lid on your Instant Pot and move the knob to seal. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and do a quick release of the pressure.
Using an immersion blender in the Instant Pot, puree the mixture. Add the cream cheese and Parmesan, stir to melt and continue to puree until very smooth.
Garnish and serve.

All I Want for Christmas is…PIE (Pecan Pie)

By threejamigos | March 15, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Well, this is embarrassing. I was supposed to post this during the holidays but instead, it has been languishing in my drafts file. What better day than Pi Day to post it.

Desserts for the holidays are a no-brainer. Pies or tarts are the order of the holi-DAY. The only sticky wicket in our house is what kind of pie will grace the table. Hubster is a traditionalist; he votes for Apple Pie every time. Jorge loves Pumpkin Pie. Jamie loves Peach Pie, and Jeffrey would like cheesecake to be added to the pie category. Me? I dream about the Key Lime Pie at Poorhouse Pies or Tartine’s Lemon Cream Tart (still a pie, right?).

But the one holiday pie we all agree on is Pecan Pie. There is some wiggle room though, sometimes it shows up as a traditional pie or more often than not, it shows up as bite-sized tartlets. I love the little tartlets–I don’t have to share.

But the tartlets will have to wait for another day. This is all about pie, baby–pecan pie.

My favorite recipe comes from way back in the day from Michael Bauer’s book “Recipe for Success”. It’s a collection of recipes from his Chronicle column. The Butter Pecan Pie from Restaurant Chow in the City is a winner. You can call this post “a tip of my cap” to Mr. Bauer, who recently retired as the restaurant reviewer for the Chronicle.

Unlike most Pecan Pie recipes, there is an extra step in this one. The filling requires cooking on the stove before baking. This helps to make the filling smooth

I included the original crust recipe, but I normally use my tried and true. Your choice, but you are reading MY blog so….. 😛 Make sure to freeze the crust for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling and baking. The warmth of the filling can melt the crust before it properly bakes so don’t skip this step.

Though the recipe calls for pecan halves, I chop the nuts into pieces. Why? There is less smooshing of the pie as you cut into it with the smaller pieces. I opted for function over form. The recipe calls for light corn syrup, but I have used a mix of light and Lyle’s Golden Syrup or all Golden Syrup. The knock on pecan pie is it can be pretty sweet. The amount of butter in this recipe helps temper the sweetness. The original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon vanilla, but you can add up to 1 tablespoon. That also helps cut the sweetness. Another option is 1 tablespoon of bourbon if you’re feeling boozy.

Try not to overbake it. I know…what the heck does that mean?! The will pie continue to cook after it is taken out of the oven so try to remove the pie when it is set but the center still has a little jiggle left.

Life’s major decisions…

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BUTTER PECAN PIE

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword PecanPie

Servings 1 serving

Calories 695kcal

Ingredients

The Crust

-- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour + additional flour for rolling pastry
-- 1 teaspoon sea salt
-- 3/4 cup 6 ounces chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
-- 1/4 cup ice water

The Filling

-- 1 1/2 cups pecans halves and pieces
-- 1 cup C & H golden brown sugar
-- 1 scant cup light corn syrup or substitute Lyle's Golden Syrup
-- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
-- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
-- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-- 3 eggs lightly beaten
-- 1 teaspoon vanilla can use up 1 tablespoon, or add 1 tablespoon bourbon
-- Vanilla ice cream or lightly whipped cream

Instructions

To make the crust:

Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour and the salt in a food processor and mix briefly. Gradually add the butter to the flour mixture while pulsing the processor on and off, until the butter is cut into pieces the size of small peas. With the processor running, gradually add the ice water and process until large clumps form.
Remove the dough from the processor, shape into a ball, and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim any dough hanging over the edge. Crimp the edges decoratively. Freeze for 10 minutes.

To make the filling:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place rack in lowest position possible in oven.
Combine the pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, flour and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes.
Whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Stir about 1/2 cup of the hot sugar mixture into the eggs to temper them, then stir this mixture into the hot sugar mixture.
Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the custard has set and the nuts rise to the top, about 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, cover with foil. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8.

Pea Shoots and Leaves

By threejamigos | March 13, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Home Alooooone. The boys headed out to Minneapolis to visit Jamie and take in the Sharks-Wild game so it was me and Sammy hanging out at home. I decided to pamper myself and make a nice dinner for one. A nice piece of salmon, some brown rice, pickled veggies, and pea sprouts I bought at the Farmer’s Market. Love, love, pea sprouts, especially when prepared Chinese-style, stir-fried with ginger and garlic over high heat. Quick, easy, and delicious.

Eat Your Greens

Pea sprouts can be found in Asian markets, and often at farmer’s markets. Two varieties are available, one looks like small tendrils and the other looks a bit larger and resembles spinach. In fact, you could substitute baby spinach for this dish and it wouldn’t miss a beat.

The key is don’t overcook the pea sprouts. Have all the ingredients ready to go before you start cooking. It will only take a couple of minutes to stir-fry. It’s all about the prep. If you get the larger pea sprouts or use spinach, increase the cooking time by 1-2 minutes or just until the greens wilt and are tender.

The aromatics include garlic and ginger. Like more punch? Increase the ginger or garlic or add a dash of chili flakes to spice it up. I like finely chopping garlic and ginger as opposed to mincing. You get a hit of toasty garlic or ginger which I love. Paradoxically, The flavors seem brighter when you chop the aromatics as oppose to putting either through a garlic press, Don’t ask me why.

Salt can be used in place of soy sauce and oyster sauce. Start with 1/2 tsp salt and season to taste.

Kid factor, by the way, my kids LOVE this dish. Yep, kid-tested, kid-approved.

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STIR-FRIED PEA SHOOTS-CHOW DAU MIU 炒豆苗

Ingredients

2 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped (2 julienned slices of ginger)
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 lbs young pea shoots loosely packed, can substitute baby spinach
2-3 teaspoon soy sauce Light or regular soy
1 tablespoons oyster sauce
2-3 T chicken stock

Instructions

Rinse the pea shoots thoroughly in cold water twice, drain.
Combine sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock in small bowl. Set aside.
In a large wok or skillet over high heat, heat oils add ginger, garlic. Stir fry about 1 minute until fragrant.
Toss in shoots. It will fill the pan and be difficult to toss initially, not to worry it will shrink down ALOT. Using tongs rotate pea shoots in pan.
Add soy-oyster sauce mixture. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the leaves soften and are tender.
Pour into a bowl and serve immediately nom-nom.

Jajangmyeon: K-C & The Sunshine Noodle Bowls

By threejamigos | March 7, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Another cold and rainy day in normally sunny California. To combat the soggy blues I pulled out my favorite therapy tools. A pot, a bowl, and a package of NOODLES. When you think comfort food, don’t tell me a fork, a knife, and a plate pop up in your mind. Me? A bowl, a big spoon, and a pair of chopsticks, that’s what I reach for.
The plan was to make a bowl of yummylicious noodles, curl up on the sofa and watch the new episode of Romance is a Bonus Book on Netflix. Yes, my current favorite Korean series.
I had a hankering for Zha Jiang Mian for my “TV dinner” which got me thinking why not a mash-up of the Korean & Chinese versions of Zha Jiang Mian? I started with my recipe for Zha Jiang Mian, I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel, I just wanted to tweak it. The sauce for my original recipe contains pork, aromatics, and the bean pastes. Veggies are julienned and added to the finished dish. I love the play on textures, the crunch of the cucumbers and carrots with the soft noodles and flavor-packed sauce filled with chunks of ground pork, it’s delicious.

Contrast this with the Korean version 짜장면 where a variety of veggies are cooked in the sauce. The play on textures is much more subtle but just as yummy. A variety of veggies went into my K-bowl version. I used diced zucchini, carrots, and potatoes. The carrots added some bite, the zucchini added moisture and that characteristic melt-y center and crispness from the skin. But my favorite addition is the diced potatoes (Yukon, don’t use Russets, too starchy). Potatoes have a characteristic dense, yet creamy feel, so good-like the center of perfectly cooked potato wedges. I used ground pork in my K-version, but often the pork is diced like the vegetables. Your choice.

Try both versions and tell me which one you like best although I think you’ll find both are equally delicious!

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Zha Jiang Mian 2 Ways

Zha Jiang Mian Korean style and Chinese Style, both delicious!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Zha Jiang Mian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Ingredients

6 oz. ground pork
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon oil plus 1 tablespoon
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
3 slices ginger minced finely
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons sweet bean sauce I used 2 T Hoisin/1 T Sweet Ben Sauce
3 tablespoons ground bean paste Reduce to 2 T
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 cup water
8 oz. fresh noodles flour-based noodle. Fresh or dry. I've used udon and a combination of spinach and plain

Additional Chinese Ingredients

4-6 fresh shiitake mushrooms* finely chopped
1 cup julienned carrots
1 cup julienned cucumbers
½ cup julienned scallions garnish

Additional Korean Ingredients

3 fresh shiitake mushrooms diced
1 medium Yukon Gold Potato* 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
1 small zucchini 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
1/2 cup carrots 1/2 inch dice for Korean version
1/2 small yellow onion diced
1/4 head cabbage shredded, optional
1/2 cup green onions chopped
1/2 cup cucumbers diced

Instructions

Marinade the pork with the following for 15 minutes: ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon oil, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper.
Heat a tablespoon oil in your wok over medium heat, add the marinated ground pork to the wok. Cook for a minute to brown it, and then add the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms* Stir fry everything together for another 2-3 minutes.
**Add the Hoisin, sweet bean sauce, bean paste, dark soy sauce, and water, stirring everything together well. Lower the heat and cover the wok. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions.
Top noodles with the sauce and garnish with the julienned carrots, cucumbers, and scallions.

Korean Style*

Stir fry pork, ginger, and garlic for 30 seconds add diced vegetables. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Continue with recipe**
If you like, add shredded cabbage in the last couple of minutes of cooking.
Place a mound of noodles in your bowl, top with sauce and garnish with cucumber and green onions. Plop yourself down in front of the telly and enjoy!

Egga-licious Down Home Cooking (Steamed Egg with Shiitake Mushrooms)

By threejamigos | March 5, 2019 | Comments 2 comments

There are dishes that with the first bite I am instantly transported back to the dinner table of my childhood. My dad clanging pots and pans, putting the finishing touches on our meal. Me or my brother setting the table and my mom cleaning up in my dad’s “kitchen wake” (big job, trust me). A typical meal would be corn soup, stir-fried greens with oyster sauce and ginger, soy sauce chicken from our favorite Chinese deli, and a steamed dish. The steamed dish might be minced pork patty with salted duck eggs or steamed eggs with clams. These are the dishes of my childhood, my soul food.

Asian Soul Food

So, this past month, Food 52 featured Fuscia Dunlop’s Every Grain of Rice in their cookbook club. Listed is a recipe for steamed eggs. Bam, I’m 10 years old again watching my dad cook, hoping he will give me a morsel to “taste-test”. I flipped to the page with the recipe and hmmm, honestly, her egg dish didn’t look that great. (In her defense I tried a couple of the other recipes in the book and they are delicious). It looked a bit overcooked and bubbly on the top. My dad’s steamed eggs were silky smooth and soft, kind of like silken tofu or Japanese Chawan Mushi. Both are savory custards with tidbits of shrimp, bbq pork, or clams, indescribably delicious.

Guess what, I have never made this simple, homey, delightful dish and I’m not sure why. I love it. My kids love it. My niece Marisa REALLY loves it. Hello, what was I waiting for? I reached out to my bro for tips on how to make dad’s steamed eggs, he’s smart, he makes it all the time.

There is some wiggle room to the ratio of egg to liquid in this dish. Four eggs to one and a quarter to one-half cups of water. I replaced the water with low sodium chicken stock to amp up the flavor. The TRICK to mind-boggling silky, smooth custard is to steam the eggs over very low heat. Low and slow so you don’t get bubbles or overcooked eggs.

Add-Ins

Following Fuscia’s recipe, I added shiitake mushrooms and opted for diced Chinese sausage (lop cheung) instead of ground pork. The mushrooms add a nice earthiness and the sweet & salty sausage provides both flavor and texture. My dad liked dried shrimp or bbq pork. Ham or ground chicken or pork would work well. I mixed the ‘shrooms and sausage into the egg mixture before pouring it into the bowl. Next time I will scatter them on the bottom of the steaming bowl and pour the eggs over so they don’t float to the top as much. But really, NBD it will still be delicious.

Remember LOW AND SLOW, the key to a silky, smooth, damn that’s delish, egg custard. WORD.

The dish is done when the center is just set and does not jiggle too much. Garnish with green onions (mandatory) and cilantro (optional). Heat the peanut or vegetable oil until you see wisps of smoke, then immediately pour it over the green onions. This brings out the flavor of the aromatics and gives the eggs a nice sheen. Drizzle with soy sauce and/or oyster sauce on top. Ready, set, EAT.

Get out the bowls of rice and then follow my kids’ lead. Stir the eggs into your rice so it’s all smooshed together and goopy, grab a spoon and start shoveling.

Microwave Magic

Now you can make steamed eggs in the microwave! I recently bought Cook Anyday microwave cookware and whaddya know, the microwave works well for dishes that are steamed!!!

Put your ingredients all in one bowl, zap it, bring it to the table, off chance you don’t eat it all….toss the bowl in the fridge. Truly one-bowl cooking! I cooked at 300 watts or 50% power (I have a teeny 600w microwave) for 8 minutes, or until the custard is barely set in the middle, and jiggles gently if shaken. If it’s too runny, add time at 50% power in 30-second increments. Let rest with the lid on for 1-2 minutes to let the egg gently finish steaming.

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Chinese Steamed Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms

A silky smooth, soft savory custard flavored with mushrooms. Perfect with a bowl of rice. this is Asian soul food.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, cantonese

Keyword crispy roasted mushrooms, lop cheung, Steamed eggs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

4 eggs whisked
1.5 cups warm water substitute all or part with chicken stock. Liquid should be lukewarm
2 dried shiitake mushrooms soften in warm water and diced
1 lop cheung (Chinese sausage) diced, substitutions include ham, little clams, fresh or dried shrimp
2 tsp rice wine
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch of each white pepper and sugar

Optional (for garnish)

2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 green onion finely chopped
cilantro for garnish
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 drops toasted sesame oil optional
2 tsp oyster sauce optional

Instructions

Heat water in a wok or large saute pan with a steamer insert.
Combine eggs, water or stock, salt, rice wine, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add mushrooms and Chinese sausage to egg mixture.
Pour mixture into a shallow heatproof bowl or pyrex pie plate. Place in steamer and cover. Steam over low heat for 20-25 minutes. The eggs should look set and not jiggle in the middle but not look dry.
Heat peanut oil in a small saucepan until wisps of smoke form. Garnish eggs with green onions and pour hot oil over the green onions and egg.
Drizzle with soy sauce and/or oyster sauce over top.
Serve immediately with rice.

MIcrowave Cook It!

Put your ingredients all in one bowl, zap it, bring it to the table, off chance you don't eat it all....toss the covered bowl in the fridge. Truly one-bowl cooking! I cooked at 300 watts or 50% power (I have a teeny 600w microwave) for 8 minutes, or until the custard is barely set in the middle, and jiggles gently if shaken. If it’s too runny, add time at 50% power in 30-second increments. Let rest with the lid on for 1-2 minutes to let the egg gently finish steaming.

NO Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, Pssst….You Got 5 Minutes?

By threejamigos | March 1, 2019 | Comments 2 comments

This past weekend we had a retreat for our political action group. I know what you are thinking. This is a fun, food, foto, blog. You promised NO politics Deb. Not to worry. I only mention it because I was once again tasked with bringing desserts including a vegan one to the retreat.

First, I made the butter, sugar, and flour dessert, a delicious Tunisian Orange Cake (next post) from Zingerman’s. Which did not leave me with much time to crank out a vegan dessert. What to do, what to do. I went straight to the blog site Minimalist Baker, an amazing site filled with simple, quick, plant-based food to find a recipe . The last time I looked there, I found a yummy Banana Pecan Shortbread that knocked my socks off.

Second, I found another gem. 3 Ingredient-No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies. 5-10 minutes is all you need to put these bad boys together. Yep, from the pantry to your mouth, 5-10 minutes. In fact, it will probably take you longer to read this post than to make these cookies. You will find this recipe in the STUPID EASY category. I almost feel like creating a new tag, INCREDIBLY STUPID EASY or STUPID SQUARED-stupid easy and stupid delicious.

The first step, whirl the oatmeal in your food processor or blender until it resembles coarse flour. Add (PITTED-ya never know) dates, make sure your dates are soft and moist. It will help keep the cookies together. Pulse to combine, add the peanut butter and let her rip.

Scoop up approximately 2 tablespoons of dough and form into balls. Press with a fork, just like classic peanut butter cookies, and…DUNZO. That’s it. Well, not quite done, take it to the next level. Melt chocolate chips and dip these babies into it to cover half the cookie. Then you’re done. Too much work to melt chocolate? Add 1/4-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips to the dough right before shaping the cookies.

Chill the cookies and serve to everyone…not just your Vegan friends. Think of these as a cross between peanut butter cups and an oatmeal cookie. Delish.

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3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Delicious peanut butter cookies made with just 3 ingredients! No baking required, stupid easy to make, cross between a cookie and a peanut butter cup! Vegan!

Course cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword NO Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings 12 cookies

Author Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats old fashioned gluten-free
1 Pinch sea salt optional
3/4 cup medjool dates pitted // measured after pitting
1/2 cup natural salted peanut butter creamy or crunchy

CHOCOLATE GLAZE optional

1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips "accidental" vegan chips
1 tsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Add oats and salt (optional) to a food processor and blend into a flour. Add dates and blend for 30 seconds more or until finely chopped.
Add peanut butter and blend until a dough forms.
Scoop out 2-Tbsp amounts of dough and carefully form into mounds. Place on a parchment-lined pan or tray.
Use the back of a fork to create a cross hatch on the top of the cookies
Place chips and oil in a heatproof bowl. Melt chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power, stirring occasionally until it is melted and has a sauce-like consistency
Dip the cookies in (about halfway), let excess drip off, and place on a parchment-lined pan or tray. Freeze 10 minutes or place in fridge until chocolate hardens,
Cookies can be kept in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Optional: Instead of glaze, add 1/4-1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips to dough right before shaping.

Muffin been the Mochi that Caught My Eye (Butter Mochi Muffins)

By threejamigos | February 21, 2019 | Comments 64 comments

Always searching for new and different treats, I came across an article that spotlighted Third Culture Bakery in Berkeley. The baker is an alum of Cal (Go Bears) who chose food over toxicology (good choice) and thus Mochi Muffins made with sweet rice flour were put on the map. Though I haven’t made it to Berkeley to try one, I found a couple of recipes online that sounded scrumptious, so it was off to the rices! Update: I just posted a new mochi muffin recipe, Mango Mochi Muffins made with mango tea and freeze-dried mangos! It’s small-batch baking, only 8 regular size delicious muffins.

My Sweet Rice, Oh My Rice

For the uninitiated, mochi (sweet rice flour) is a cornerstone of Asian treats. Sweet rice is PULVERIZED into flour to which water and flavorings are added. It ends up looking like the BLOB, really. It can be flavored, baked, steamed, fried and made into countless delicious treats both sweet and savory. During New Year’s, Japanese families gather to pound mochi in a tradition called Mochitsuki. Just for your viewing pleasure here is Mitsuo Nakatani, Japanese Mochi Master. Enjoy.

Traditional mochi starts with steamed rice and is pounded and shaped into sweet or savory rice cakes. Mochi muffins and Hawaiian Butter Mochi start with sweet rice flour, mixed with liquids, and baked. Since I don’t foresee any of us pounding mochi, let’s make muffins and Hawaiian Mochi. Infinitely easier and pretty darn tasty.

Back on the Muffin Trail

If you have ever had Manju from Shuei-Do Sweet Shop in Japantown in San Jose, or Butter Mochi from Hawaii and liked it…you’re going to love these. If you haven’t had mochi, this is a good introduction. Not quite as gooey as Manju and definitely not cakey like a muffin, it’s a delicious hybrid of the two. A touch of sweetness, crispy on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, and crunchy from the generous sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. It’s different but delicious. If that wasn’t enough, they are GLUTEN-FREE. You’re welcome.

Rice, Rice, Baby

The most important item in the pic is the Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour by Koda Farms. This is the go-to brand. You can definitely find it in any Asian store (along with the sesame seeds), and if you’re lucky, at some of your larger local markets. Take a walk down the international/ethnic food aisle.

I found quite a few recipes for Mochi Muffins online and finally settled on one from a beautiful blog called Snixy Kitchen. Her batch made 12 muffins, which made her recipe the frontrunner as most made 24. As yummy as they are, what am I going to do with 24 muffins?!

The batter comes together in a snap: melted butter, coconut milk, egg, brown sugar, and rice flour. Stir together and pour into a muffin tin. Boom, done. My batter was thicker than some of the posts I’ve seen. This may account for the slight dome mine had. I also found a recipe from Saimin Noshrat in the NYT. I think I may try a couple of her tweaks the next time I make these. Trust me, there will be a next time. I will use light brown sugar, substitute evaporated milk for some of the coconut milk, and brown my butter. Not to worry, a full report will follow. Hmmm, can’t wait to make another batch.

The longer you leave these in the oven, the less gooey and more cake-like they will be. The first batch was baked for 60 minutes. I think I should have pulled them out sooner, I like gooey. Now I check at 40 minutes and pull them out around 45 minutes. To test them, use a knife to poke the center of a muffin. It should come out fairly clean with a bit of crumb.

More Mochi Madness

After making these muffins if you like the chewiness, definitely try the Hawaiian Butter Mochi Muffins, inspired by Aloha Kitchen by Alana Kysar. A little less flour and a bit more liquid kick up the gooey, buttery, lusciousness of these bites. Bake them in a muffin tin for crispy edges. I ADORE both of these muffins.

These are soooo good, a little more squishy, very buttery, topped with shredded coconut.

Also check out Peanut Butter Mochi from A Common Table by Cynthia Chen McTernan. Delish! LOVE, love, LOVE

If you would like to try traditional Japanese Mochi, here are my recommendations: Fugetsu-Do in Little Tokyo in LA, the oldest family-owned Japanese Shop in the US, Shuei Do Manju Shop in San Jose, and in my hometown of SF, Benkyodo Company in Japantown (now closed😢😢😢 ). All family-owned artisan shops.

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4.53 from 19 votes

Butter Mochi Muffins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Asian-American

Keyword coconut milk, Gluten free, mochi muffin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Ingredients

1/4 cup (2 ounces )unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing pans sub brown-butter
2 cups (320 grams) mochiko sweet rice flour Koda Farms
1 cup (200 grams) organic dark brown sugar* light or dark brown sugar will work
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 13 ounce can full-fat coconut milk Sub evaporated milk, half to all
2 large eggs room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses optional, added for flavor or use Golden Syrup or honey
1½ tablespoons each black and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Grease the sides and top of a 12-cup muffin tin well with soft butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, vanilla, and molasses.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until completely combined.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup all the way to the top.
Sprinkle the tops with black and white sesame seeds.
Bake 45-50 minutes until the top is brown and crispy and the muffin springs back when poked with a finger. Bake for less time. for muffins that are chewier and less cakey. Muffins are done when a skewer comes out relatively clean and the tops are brown.
Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Can be frozen and thawed at room temp.

Notes

Organic dark brown sugar is richer and more caramel-y than conventional, but you can use regular brown sugar.

Any muffin tin will do, but for ultimate crispy exterior, use a dark non-stick muffin tin.

If using a light muffin tin, you may have to bake the muffins a little bit longer.

If keeping them for longer, they'll lose their crispiness after a day or two in storage, put them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp again before eating.

Oyako Donburi Hmmm, Maybe the Chicken and the Egg Came Together?

By threejamigos | February 15, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

I am soooo excited! We are adding a new category to 3Jamigos! The kids have flown the coop and are making their own way, Jeff in the City close by (yippee), Jorge in Korea teaching (so far away) and Jams currently working and freezing her tush off in Minneapolis (half of so far away). Luckily we have FaceTime, phones, texting and when that just won’t do, flights. Just an airplane ride away.

A California-Texas kinda gal, winter in Minneapolis is a new experience for Jamie. Down jackets, scarves and gloves are now a part of her wardrobe vernacular, as is staying indoors. The winter weather has her looking for activities inside to keep her busy. For Christmas, we gave her knitting needles, yarn and starter lessons from Wes on how to knit. Big hit, knitting up a storm haha.

Jamie has always loved to bake and cook. She’s a natural, and with this weather, she has been doing alot more cooking and baking.

A recent call went like this:

Mui (her nickname): Mom, can you send me your Oyako Donburi recipe? Is it easy to make?

Me: Sure. Yep, it’s pretty easy. One pan, a couple of eggs, chicken, and onions.

Mui: That sounds good, I love rice bowls and I can bring the leftovers to work.

LIGHTBULB MOMENT: Hey, why don’t we both make Oyako Donburi and then post about it? You have done spots before on 3Jamigos. We’ll alternate picking recipes to make and blog about!

THUS a new 3jamigos category was born, M&M which stands for Mom and Mui. Mui means little sister. We have been calling Jamie Mui since Day One.

Oyako Donburi is the perfect dish to launch M&M. Chicken, sliced shiitake mushrooms, onions are cooked in a savory-sweet sauce of soy sauce, sake, dashi. Lightly beaten eggs are then poured on top of the chicken and sauce and simmered until just cooked through, then the chicken and egg mixture is placed on top of hot rice. Watch your kids, hubby, neighbors, everybody gobble it up. So delicious, classic Japanese soul food.

So without further adieu, our inaugural M&M post by Jamie on making Oyako Donburi in cold & snowy Minneapolis.

HELLOOOO WORLD/readers of 3jamigos.com. It’s ME. J A M I E. Ya know, that crazy girl who moved to Minneapolis to live in -30 DEGREE WEATHER. Nope, that wasn’t a typo. It really was NEGATIVE 30 on my drive into work last week. GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL PEOPLE. (I know that doesn’t really make sense, but global warming is causing polar vortexes normally over THE NORTH POLE to break apart and dip down to lower parts of the globe). It’s so cold that you can’t stand outside with exposed skin for more than 5 minutes without getting frostbite. FROSTBITE. Schools were closed. The roads were empty. But I still had to go to work. Once I got over that, it really wasn’t bad. They are GREAT about paving and salting the roads, so it was actually a breeze getting to and from work.

BUT enough about me. Let’s talk about the fact that my mom and I decided to start a mother-daughter blog where we cook the same dish separately and talk about it, AND THE FIRST DISH WE PICKED JUST HAPPENED TO TRANSLATE TO “Parent (chicken) and child (egg).” Damn, we are GOOD, people. You couldn’t even make this stuff up. I mean, I guess you could. It would make a great lifetime/hallmark movie. Ok. Enough interruptions. Let’s get down to the food.

Okayo Donburi. The ultimate comfort food. It’s a mix of chicken and eggs (parent and child) with a sweet/salty/chickeny sauce and sautéed onions. Pour it over some rice, and all the stresses of your day melt away. The best part? It is SO easy to make.

Chop up some onions, slice some mushrooms, toss it into the pan with some chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar, and top it off with some eggs and chicken. E A S Y and so foolproof even my mom could make it and she suuuuckkss at cooking (if you couldn’t tell). I like to add in extra mushrooms and chicken. Sometimes extra onions. Pretty much extra everything. It is that good. Mom used to make it all the time when I was little, and it was one of my favorite dishes then too. So far, I’ve made it 3 times since winter started. That’s how good it is.

So now, for lack of a better conclusion, stop reading this post and go make it. Go!

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Oyako Donburi

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Oyako Donburi

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
4-5 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced, red onion can be used
1 green onion sliced on the diagonal
2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked to soften, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce Mixture

1 cup dashi (fish based stock) can substitute low sodium chicken broth
5 T soy sauce
2 1/2 T sugar can cut to 2 T
21/2 T mirin substitute sake to decrease sweetness
cilantro garnish if desired

Instructions

In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs and set aside.
Heat saute' pan, add vegetable oil then onions and mushrooms, fry for 1-2 minutes until onions are soft. Add sauce mixture, heat through.
Add chicken and lower flame to medium-low. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning the chicken over. Cook until chicken loses pinkness
Add eggs evenly over top of chicken. Cover and cook over low heat until eggs are just cooked should not be dry.
Garnish with green onions or cilantro and nori strips
Divide into portions and serve over rice. If desired, individual portions can be made. Quarter ingredients and use a small omelet pan to make.