Category: Sides
Japchae-Oppa! Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles, Op Op

Japchae-Oppa! Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles, Op Op

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I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for the hubby. Since it was an impromptu event, I kept it simple. Just a handful of friends on a Friday night to help him celebrate another year.  The menu included his favorites, cheesecake, apple pie, and sushi from our favorite place. Badabing, easy peasy-done.  Then I started to worry, what if folks don’t eat fish?  Then I thought, what if I don’t have enough food?  A cardinal sin…so I added a few more of his favorites, Korean short ribs, Galbi, Ceasar Salad, and Japchae, a delicious Korean noodle dish.

The Skinny on the Noods

Japchae is Wes’s favorite noodle dish.  It starts with sweet potato noodles also called glass noodles (당면 Dangmyeon) for their transparency.  The noodles have a bit more elasticity and bite than wheat pasta and absorb seasonings well.  Season the noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar, which gives the noodles that characteristic delicious garlicky, sweet-salty flavor.

The beauty of this dish is its flexibility.  Serve Japchae as a simple side dish, banchan, or as a main dish made with protein and vegetables.  Vary the kinds of vegetables and protein, but always include shiitake mushrooms, yellow or red onions, and secret sauce (ok, not really a secret just the Korean quadfecta of soy, garlic, sugar, and sesame).

Beyond that, go CRAZY!

Add wood ears-fungi for crunch, carrots, spinach, zucchini, or watercress for veggies and chicken or beef for protein. Other additions include slices of fishcake and strips of scrambled egg.  Knock yourself out.

Wes’s birthday version included chicken, carrot, zucchini, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach.  Yummo.

The key to this dish is advanced prep work.  Julienne vegetables, cut chicken into bite-sized strips, and make the sauce.  Soak the noodles, shiitake mushrooms, and black fungus in water. The noodles should be soaked in room temp water for an hour or two, so start your prep early.  You could make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the protein and marinating sliced shiitake mushrooms or pressed tofu.

Korean Jap Chae

My go-to recipe for Japchae is from a favorite cookbook called Hawaii’s Aloha Recipes published by The Japanese Women’s Society of Honolulu.  My copy is food-stained, pages tattered, filled with handwritten notes.  In short, well worn and well-used.  It’s my favorite cookbook for down-home Hawaiian/Asian cooking. Wirebound with few photos, but filled with treasured family recipes and stories-books like this one were created by folks to raise money for their church, temple, or community.  A reflection of who we are and the foods we have eaten for generations.

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Aggie's Japchae, Oppa Korean-Style, Sexy Noodles Op Op

Classic Korean Noodle Dish, Japchae a family favorite
Course noodles, Side Dish
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword japchae

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of glass noodles sweet potato noodles
  • 1/2 pound flank steak or chicken cut into strips
  • 1 cup carrots julienned
  • 1 cup string beans French cut or zucchini strips
  • 1/2 cup yellow onions sliced
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in hot water until soft. Squeeze excess water, remove stem and julienned
  • 1/2 bunch watercress or spinach
  • 1/2 cup black fungus soaked and cut into strips
  • green onions

Seasoning for noodles:

  • 4 T soy sauce
  • 2 T sesame oil
  • 1.5 T granulated sugar
  • 1 T roasted sesame seeds
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Marinade for protein

  • 1/2 tsp fresh garlic minced
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 3/4 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp prepared sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Soak noodles in room temp water for 1-2 hours until soft then drain. Alternatively boil for 7 minutes, drain and cool. Cut into 3-4 inch lengths. Set aside.
  • Cut beef or chicken or pork into strips. MIx seasonings and combine with protein. Set this aside too.
  • In a frying pan or wok, heat 1-2 T oil, add shredded carrots and fry just until tender. Don't overcook. Sprinkle with a little salt. Remove to plate.
  • Follow same procedure with zucchini or string beans. Add to plate with carrots.
  • In same wok, add 1 T oil and 1 tsp sesame oil, heat and add yellow onions, sir fry for approximately 1-2 minutes. Add chicken (beef), fry until half done, add mushrooms and wood ears and spinach, fry until meat is completely cooked.
  • Add noodles and sauce to wok, add carrots and zucchini to pan. Mix to combine.
  • Garnish with green onions and eggs.

Optional:

  • Fry 1 well beaten egg in an oil pan. Tilt pan to spread egg mixture into a thin sheet. Turn once. Remove and cool. Cut egg into thin strips.
  • Dish can be served warm or room temperature.
Stuck on Sticky Rice (Gnaw Mai Fan)

Stuck on Sticky Rice (Gnaw Mai Fan)

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When the holidays roll around and the feasting begins, you can find me eyeing the array of side dishes on the table.  Yep, scoop me some sweet potatoes, pour on the creamed spinach, and pile high the mashed potatoes. While everyone oohs and ahs over the turkey, I’ll be laser focused on the sides, like the STUFFING.  I adore stuffing, especially my mom’s bread stuffing, but my second favorite is a Chinese rice dish.  It’s called Gnaw Mai Fan. Sounds delicious right? No? Also known as Sticky Rice Dressing, it is the Asian contribution to the Thanksgiving table.

You start with sweet (glutinous) rice, add fragrant shiitake mushrooms, sweet & salty Chinese sausage aka Lop Cheung, dried shrimp, and finish with a generous amount of green onions.  Sounds easy right? It is, but the hurdle is getting the ingredients, unless you have an Asian market nearby.

Primer for Sweet Rice Dressing

Moving from left to right; long-grain rice, green onions, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, and dried shiitake or black mushrooms. Behind the mushrooms is the short grain sweet rice (or glutinous rice) and in the back are bottles of oyster sauce and soy sauce used to season the rice. Yep, two kinds of rice.  I mix the glutinous rice with regular long-grain rice to lighten the rice mixture.  All of these ingredients can be found in most Asian markets.  The dried shrimp and sausage can be found in the refrigerator case.  Sauces to use?  the following two are key.  I swear by Lee Kum Kee Oyster Sauce and Lee Kum Kee’s Premium Soy Sauce are my go-tos, but Pearl Ridge and the Korean brand Sempio 501 are good too.

Soak, Soak, Baby

Soak the dried mushrooms and shrimp in warm water for approximately 15 minutes or until soft.  Drain and reserve the soaking water from the mushrooms and shrimp. Wash your long grain rice and drain.  Add the glutinous rice and long grain to your rice cooker.  Yes, your rice cooker.  I have absolutely no idea how to cook rice in anything else but a rice cooker (use the measuring cups that come with your rice cooker).  Strain and add reserved liquid from mushrooms and shrimp to the pot, add chicken broth to make up the difference. Place Chinese sausage on top of the rice and turn on the rice cooker.

Prep the other ingredients while the rice is cooking.  Optional additions include ground seasoned pork, char siu (bbq pork), bacon, and roasted chestnuts.  It’s your rice dish, go crazy.  I usually add seasoned ground pork or chicken.

In a pickle, I have used Japanese short-grain or sushi rice in place of the glutinous and long grain rice combination.  Shhh, don’t tell my Mom!  My kid has made this for his Friendsgiving celebration to rave reviews.

This dressing works well as stuffing for turkey or chicken, use it just like any bread stuffing.  If served on the side, add the pan drippings to the rice for a flavor boost.

Garnish with cilantro and scallions.

And It’s Gluten Free!

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Gnaw Mai Fan-Chinese Sweet Rice Stuffing

A traditional Cantonese Rice dish to use in place of stuffing during Thanksgiving!
Course Main Course, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian
Keyword gnaw mai fan, Sweet Rice Stuffing
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long grain rice using the rice cooker mesuring cup
  • 2 cups sweet rice using the rice cooker measuring cup
  • 4 lop cheung steamed with rice, removed and diced
  • 1/2 cup char siu (bbq pork) Reduce lop cheung to 3 and substitute diced barbecue pork
  • 4 dried black mushrooms (shitake mushrooms) soaked in warm water until soft, diced, reserve soaking liquid (use 1-1.5 cups of water)
  • 1/4 cup small dried shrimp soaked in warm water with black mushrooms
  • 2 slices fresh ginger size of a quarter
  • 3-4 cups chicken stock you can use commercial low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 green onions chopped

Ground pork and marinade

  • 1/3 cup ground pork or chicken
  • 1 tsp each sherry, oyster sauce, soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • dash of salt
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • 1 slice ginger

Seasonings

  • 1-2 Tbsp Soy Sauce Premium LKK Chinese Soy Sauce or Korean Soy Sauce (Sempio)
  • 1-2 Tbsp Oyster sauce Lee Kum Kee brand-Lady, boy in boat label

Garnish

  • Cilantro
  • Green onion

Instructions

  • Cook rice in rice cooker with reserved soaking liquid from mushrooms and shrimp and chicken broth.
  • Marinade ground pork for 10-15 minutes.
  • Heat pan, add 1 T oil, when hot, add ginger and fry 30 seconds, add drained dried shrimp and 1 t water, sauté 30 seconds then add ground pork, saute just until pork is no longer pink.
  • Add mushrooms and lop cheung. Sauté additional minute or two.
  • Add green onions, saute' another 30 seconds and remove from heat.
  • Pour rice into large mixing bowl. Fold in sautéed ingredients, mix soy sauce and oyster sauce together and add to rice. You will probably need more, just use a 1:1 ratio of soy sauce to oyster sauce.
  • Mix thoroughly.

Notes

Leftovers can be pressed and shaped into rice balls for a tasty portable snack-thumbs up from my kids!
So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

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When I was a kid there was a definite hit list of vegetables we absolutely hated.  My brother and I had all sorts of tricks to avoid eating them.  We would stuff our mouths full of peas, run to the bathroom and spit them out.  We weren’t too big on brussels sprouts or cauliflower either, we would drop them in our napkins and again run to the bathroom to toss them out.  In defense of these veggies, our vitriol came not from the veggies themselves, but from the method of preparation.  Peas were often from a can (uh-huh, how many of you remember canned peas, greenish-gray mush balls-bleah). Cabbage and cauliflower were boiled-just the smell emanating from the kitchen would make us run and hide.  Brussels sprouts were absolutely horrible, bitter, sulfurous, and barely edible.

These days the quality of today’s produce is so much better. We can go to our local farmer’s market and find just picked brussels sprouts and cauliflower, vine-ripened tomatoes or corn that was still on the stalk that morning.  We have also discovered new ways to cook said vegetables that are INFINITELY better than boiling or steaming.

FOR EXAMPLE. I love roasted vegetables.  Roasting brings out the sweetness in veggies like cauliflower or brussels sprouts, making them absolutely delicious. Perusing Meera Sodha’s Made in India I came across a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric, and Lemon. My first thought? Oh yeah, SO making that.

The recipe, like many in the book, calls for a mortar and pestle to grind the spices.  I know what you are thinking, oh please, you don’t have a mortar and pestle do you?  Way back when I graduated from pharmacy school I received a set of spatulas from Eli Lily (pharmaceutical gorilla) and a mortar and pestle.  They have served me well…just not in my profession.  The spatulas and the mortar and pestle were long ago re-purposed and added to my culinary gadget collection.  The mortar and pestle proved to be the perfect tool for grinding spices and making the spice paste for this dish.

The cauliflower is blanched for a quick minute, seasoned with the spice oil which gives it a vibrant golden yellow hue.  Pop it in the oven for a quick roast and yep, dunzo, dinner is ready.  A bowl of warm cauliflower, crispy on the edges, creamy in the center seasoned with cumin and turmeric in just thirty minutes.  I am thinking about adding cubed potatoes the next time I make this, a riff on Aloo Gobi.

Excuse me it’s time for me to run TO the dinner table.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower around 1 1/4 pounds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 5 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two oven trays with foil and bring a deep-sided pan of water to a boil.
  • Wash the cauliflower, pull off the leaves from around the side, and discard. Break the cauliflower into small, fairly even-sized florets and set aside.
  • Put the cauliflower into the saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then drain really well. Let it dry for around 5 minutes in its own steam; if it is waterlogged it won’t crisp up nicely in the oven.
  • Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin along with the salt, then add the chili powder and turmeric, followed by the oil. Mix it all together really well.
  • Lay the cauliflower out onto trays in one layer and drizzle the spicy oil over it. Make sure the cauliflower is well coated
  • Put trays in the oven for around 30 minutes, shaking them every 10 minutes or so to ensure the florets roast and brown evenly. If they start to burn, loosely cover them with foil.
  • Put the roasted cauliflower in a dish or bowl, and squeeze the lemon over the top before serving.
  • Adapted From “Made in India” by Meera Sodha

Happy birthday Claire!
Love Letter to Rice (Garlic Rice)

Love Letter to Rice (Garlic Rice)

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On one of our weekend food treks, hubby and I headed to East San Jose in search of egg rolls and banh mi. Right in front of the entrance to the market was a display of different dried pasta on sale including tiny little pasta shaped like letters. Woohoo!  Haven’t seen pasta letters in ages. When the kids were little I would make rice pilaf using alphabet pasta. The kids loved it and called it “letter rice.”  They would spell their names and challenge each other to spell as many words as possible on their plates. We were totally bummed when our market stopped carrying our beloved alphabet pasta. A search of other markets came up empty so  I resorted to using star and rice-shaped pasta. Not the same, but a good life lesson for my kiddies…you can’t always get what you want.

I took a picture of the display with my phone and sent it to the kids with the exclamation “LETTERS!” then I bought a couple of bags (ok, more than a couple) to have on hand for when they come home.

Letter rice is a fusion of rice pilaf and Hainanese Chicken Rice, a Singaporean dish of poached chicken and rice.  The broth from the poached chicken is used to cook the rice for a double flavor whammy.  The rice is first sautéed with the Asian trinity of garlic, ginger and onions, tossed in a rice cooker (because I don’t know how to cook rice any other way), and cooked in the reserved stock.

IT IS STUPID EASY.  Maybe not as easy as making plain rice but with little effort you can jazz up your rice making it delicious and fun to eat.  Kid-tested, kid- approved.

Mains that aren’t “saucey” beg for letter rice as an accompaniment.  Letter rice in our house accompanies barbecued ribs or chicken, grilled fish, and STEAK. Yum.

Like many of the recipes, this one lends itself well to changes.  Tweak the Asian trinity.  Onions can be replaced by shallots, or use only garlic and omit the ginger and onions.  Having steak?  Use beef stock instead of chicken. Vegetarian? Use mushroom or vegetable stock instead.  I throw in dried mushrooms to intensify the flavor.  You can use all rice and skip the letters (auugh, why would you skip the cute shaped pasta), it all works.

The recipe is easy to remember.  For every cup of uncooked rice, use 1 fat clove of garlic (or 2 skinny ones), 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/2 shallot.  For each cup of rice or pasta, use 1 tablespoon butter or oil.  Saute’ the aromatics first, and when they begin to brown add the pasta and rice.  Watch your garlic carefully, do not let it burn or it will be bitter.

The quirky part of this recipe is I only know how to cook rice in a rice cooker (I should be embarrassed-I am).  I use the cup that comes with the rice cooker to measure my rice but a standard 1 cup measure for the pasta.  For 2 cups of rice,  use 1 cup of pasta and fill the rice cooker with the stock up to the 3 cup line.  Yep. Easy peasy if you have a rice cooker…

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Love Letter to Rice (Garlic Rice)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long grain or basmati rice (measured in standard cup that comes with the rice cooker its equivalent to 3/4 cup
  • 1 standard measuring cup any small shaped pasta stars, letters, acini de pepe, or orzo
  • 3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil or 50/50 of each

Aromatics

  • 3 large cloves of garlic finely chopped (garlic lovers or those living among vampires feel free to increase the amount of garlic)
  • 1 shallot finely chopped (or 1/4 yellow onion or 1 green onion green and white parts, finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger

Liquid

  • Homemade or low sodium chicken broth can substitute beef or vegetable stock approximately 3-4 cups
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup dried sliced shiitakes or dried mushroom mix optional

Garnish:

  • green onions
  • cilantro leaves
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

  • Melt butter or oil in pan
  • When butter is fully melted add garlic, shallots and ginger and saute' over medium heat until garlic begins to brown.
  • Add pasta and rice to pan. Stir to coat rice and pasta with oil thoroughly.
  • Put rice and pasta mixture in rice cooker and fill to the three cup line. If using dried mushrooms add them at this point.
  • Set to cook and you're done!

Back from school for the summer, Jordan requested “char Siu” style barbecued ribs and letter rice which prompted this post!  Here is the marinade for the ribs. Grill over indirect heat for 25-30 minutes in a covered bbq.  Flip and baste halfway through, then baste ribs with honey and grill over direct heat to slightly char ribs.

I remember my mom yelling at my brother and me “STOP PLAYING WITH YOUR FOOD, JUST EAT IT!”  Where is the fun in that?
Call Me Old Fashion (Devon’s Mom’s Potato Salad)

Call Me Old Fashion (Devon’s Mom’s Potato Salad)

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Ninety degree weather welcomed us home from Nashville yesterday.  Apparently Mother Nature is giving us one last summer hurrah and it’s a doozy.  Perfect time to fire up the grill and send summer off with some classics-dogs, burgers, corn on the cob and POTATO SALAD.  Ok, all I really want is the potato salad.  The rest is just window dressing and for your benefit.  I LOVE potato salad.

On our Houston trip our meal at Lucille’s Soul Food included potato salad.  The potato salad was vinegar based and not made with mayonnaise.  Yes, it was tasty, but for me, a good old fashion classic potato salad is made with GOBS and GOBS of mayonnaise.  When I was a kid my mom would buy the little plastic tubs of potato salad at the grocery store.  Sweet and tangy, flecks of red and green from the pimento and relish all held together with Miracle Whip aka as sweet mayo…  Yep, fond memories for me.  I also love the Japanese version of potato salad which omits pickles, has diced carrots, cucumbers, ham and corn instead and is held together by Kewpie Mayonnaise.  So good.  It’s the first thing I attack in a Bento Box.

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For the longest time I was content with squelching my potato salad cravings by having it as a side with a deli sandwich.  Never thought of actually making my own until one day my co-worker Devon brought her Mom’s Potato salad to a potluck. I had flashbacks of those long ago summertime picnics as I shamelessly stuffed my face.  Devon, “I NEED your Mom’s potato salad recipe.”  Lucky for me she said yes.

What’s in it?  White rose potatoes, plenty of mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, red onions, sweet gherkins, ballpark mustard (no fancy schmancy mustard needed), celery seed, Beau Monde seasoning and salt & pepper .  Over the years I have tweaked the recipe, but, at its core, it is still a  classic potato salad.  I have substituted sour cream for a portion of the mayo, added diced celery for extra crunch or diced bell peppers for sweetness and color.  If Wes makes it he will add a dollop of sweet relish for good measure.

The key is to boil your potatoes until they are really soft but not falling apart.  When you mix it together you want some of the potatoes to stay in little chunks and some to breakdown.

If you like old fashion potato salad..look no further..this is potato salad heaven.

Call Me Old Fashion…Devon’s Potato Salad

  • 7 medium white potatoes (boiled until very soft, cooled and peeled, diced)
  • 3 hard boiled eggs (peeled and mashed)
  • 1/2 medium red onion (diced)
  • 3 sweet gherkins (diced)
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • a couple of dashes of Beau Monde seasoning
  • ~1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp ball park mustard
  • juice from the gherkins to moisten
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • milk to moisten as needed
  • Riffs:
  • 1 stalk of celery (diced)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream to replace equal amount of mayo
  • 1/2 cup diced red or green bell pepper
  • dollop of sweet relish to finish

How to boil potatoes

  • Devon’s mom boils the potatoes whole therefore so do I. But you can cut them up and boil them which would significantly reduce cooking time.
  • Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water (an inch above potatoes)
  • Add 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
  • Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it boils turn heat down to keep the water at a gently simmer.
  • Whole potatoes will take approximately 40 minutes to cook. Test by piercing the potato with a knife or fork. It should be tender enough that the knife meets with little resistance.
  • Drain and rinse under cool water. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
  1. You pretty much know the drill..go ahead and make it your own! Add corn or peas or try it with fancy mustard, its up to you! I have even added diced chicken or ham to the salad.
  2. Place potatoes in a large bowl add mayonnaise and mustard first and then everything else!
  3. Mix well but gently so you don’t break up the potatoes too much.
  4. Season, stir, taste and tweak as you want.
  5. Put your salad in the fridge to chill and to let the flavors come together.
  6. Garnish with parsley or chopped scallions before serving
Melon, Mozzarella and Prosciutto & Basil Oil (Can’t Take the Heat, Get out of the Kitchen)

Melon, Mozzarella and Prosciutto & Basil Oil (Can’t Take the Heat, Get out of the Kitchen)

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Summer has announced itself with a bang. This past week has seen temperatures touching in the 90’s.  I’m not turning on the stove.  Lucky for me I have my own barbecue guru, Wes.  So while he stood outside in the heat barbecuing the least I could do was throw together a cool and refreshing salad with the melon I had picked up at the Framer’s Market.

I pulled out a favorite recipe I found on Epicurious years ago, Brochettes of Melon, Prosciutto and Fresh Mozzarella.  The original recipe called for threading melon, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella on skewers.  When I am going to a party I will go the extra mile and do this but for a casual meal I cut the melons into bite size chunks, tear the prosciutto into strips, throw everything including the mozzarella into a bowl and finish it with the basil oil.  Much quicker and just as tasty, the perfect dish for a hot summer day.  The basil oil is a breeze to whip (or whisk) up.  Just 2 ingredients, EVOO and minced shallots but it definitely brings this dish to the next level.  Delicious!  Try this salad NOW while the cantaloupes are super sweet and juicy.

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And to go with our melon salad, Grilled Vietnamese Chicken.  Big bold flavors that include lemongrass and fish sauce.  The marinade is easy to put together and it only needs a couple of hours to sit before grilling.  Its so good it deserves its own post which you can find here (it’s here!).

I’m so happy summer is here!  Enjoy!

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Can’t Take the Heat, Get out of the Kitchen...

Ingredients

  • Adapted from Epicurious-Brochettes of Melon Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella
  • 1 small about 2-pound cantaloupe, halved crosswise, seeded, cut into 6 wedges, peeled
  • 6 small fresh water-packed mozzarella balls or one 8-ounce ball * drained
  • 6 thin slices prosciutto cut in half lengthwise, gathered into ruffle
  • 6 8- inch wooden skewers

Basil Oil

  • 1/2 cup EVOO olive oil
  • 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish
  • 1 medium shallot quartered

Instructions

  • Cut each cantaloupe wedge crosswise in half. If using large mozzarella ball, trim and cut into 6 cubes. Alternate 1 melon piece, 1 piece ruffled prosciutto, 1 mozzarella ball or cube, 1 more prosciutto piece, and 1 more melon piece on each skewer. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.)
  • For basil oil: Using on/off turns, puree olive oil, 1/3 cup basil, and shallot in processor until basil and shallot are finely chopped.
  • Arrange skewers on platter. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Garnish with basil sprigs.

And now for my stupid easy rendition!

  • Forget the skewers
  • Cut cantaloupe into bitesized 1" pieces (add watermelon if you like) and place on platter
  • Add mozzarella balls
  • Shred prosciutto and toss on top of melon and cheese.
  • Drizzle with basil oil and garnish plate with basil sprigs
A Brief Cookie break (Mushroom Matar)

A Brief Cookie break (Mushroom Matar)

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As I fixate on cookies for the holiday season, Wes continues his quest for interesting, delicious vegetarian dishes.  Not surprisingly this often means Indian food.  We had stopped at our favorite hole in the wall one evening and tried their Mushroom Matar.  We weren’t disappointed.  Peas and mushrooms surrounded by a sweet savory sauce.  The dish was a respite from the heat of the Biryani and Palak Paneer.  I am a wimp when it comes to spicy so I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.  I greedily wiped the last bits of sauce off the bowl with my naan beating Wes to the punch.  Dude, you snooze you lose.

We found a tasty recipe on the website/blog Veg Recipes of India.  A wonderful blog that contains a treasure trove of useful information, step by step instructions, photos and recipes for novices like Wes and me. I found the dish actually tasted better the next day as the spices seemed to meld together a bit more.  The recipe and step by step instructions for Mushroom Matar can be found on  Veg Recipes of India.

Enjoy!  Now back to my cookie obsession…..
Let The Vegy Times Roll (Roasted Brussels Sprouts)

Let The Vegy Times Roll (Roasted Brussels Sprouts)

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Our foray into eating vegetarian would have ended a long time ago (for me it may have never started) if it were not for the Fab Five, mushrooms, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, eggplants, and potatoes.  Admittedly, vegetables have always been relegated to the side dish category, an afterthought to that juicy ribeye or grilled chicken.   Vegetables were like breadth requirements, something you were required to have.  Taking meat out of the diet meant finding ways to bring vegetables front and center, making them the star attraction. Just steaming broccoli or microwaving frozen corn wasn’t going to cut it anymore.

DSC00932The magic bullet, roasting.  With winter upon us (which in Californians’ warped minds means temperatures in the low 50’s..brrr, put on a sweatshirt) we have taken to roasting our vegetables, especially the fab 5.  Roasting intensifies the flavor of the vegetables,  the caramelized edges add a smoky sweet flavor and everything ends up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We often roast or grill portabello mushrooms that stand in well for burger patties or diced and mixed with roasted potatoes, corn and poblanos for a taco filling, yum.

Meat?  Who needs meat?

Lucky for me brussels sprouts and cauliflower are trending.  Every restaurant serves sprouts or cauliflower roasted, grilled, or stir fried.  I never jumped on the kale bandwagon but give me a bowl of sprouts or cauliflower and I’m happy, happy, happy.  Perusing online I found a recipe adapted from Denis Lee’s Namu.  It looked easy to make and sounded delicious.  For Namu’s recipe you can stir fry or roast the brussel sprouts first.  I roasted my vegetables and used a combination of both.  The recipe calls for soy dashi (a combination of fish stock and soy sauce) and ponzu (citrus soy sauce).  Both products can be found in any Japanese market.  Don’t sweat the soy dashi, there are hon dash’s or sauces made for noodles that you can easily substitute.  The bonito flakes are also found in Japanese markets.  To make this kinda vegetarian, omit the guanciale (bacon, pancetta) and substitute shaved parmesan for the bonito flakes to add some salty contrast.  For the soy dashi, try a mushroom broth 1:1 with soy sauce.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu, Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts Can use cauliflower cut into bite size pieces.
  • 1 ⁄4 lb. guanciale Use pancetta or bacon instead did not boil
  • 1 tablespoon fried garlic Use chopped garlic and roast with vegetables
  • 4 oz. ponzu
  • 4 oz. soy dashi
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil Shichimi or Togarashi spice Bonito flakes

Instructions

Adapted from Lick My Spoon

    I use cauliflower or brussel sprouts or a combination of both, cut into bite size pieces. Use pancetta or bacon in place of guanciale. Roast vegetables with bacon and chopped garlic, no need to blanch vegetables. Finish in skillet.

      FOR THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS:

      • Half the heads keeping the leaves together.
      • Optional step: Blanch the Brussels sprouts. Always blanch in a large pot (large enough that it won't stop boiling when you drop the sprouts into it) of water with a healthy dose of salt (2-3 tablespoons). While waiting for the water to boil, prepare an ice bath. Boil the sprouts until they turn bright green, then immediately shock them in the ice bath. This can be done up to a day in advance and the sprouts can be stored, in the refrigerator covered. The Brussels sprouts or cauliflower can either be roasted or pan fried.

      TO ROAST:

      • Roast the sprouts, chopped garlic and bacon/pancetta in the oven at 400 degrees F until golden brown with enough olive oil to coat, making sure to stir it every 10 minutes or so to get an even color. Cook al dente as you will be sautéing to finish the dish. (~35 minutes)
      • Once everything is nicely browned, add ponzu and soy dashi. Be careful as the pan will be very hot and will sizzle when you add the wet ingredients.
      • Let this reduce to the desired flavor, making sure to regularly toss the sprouts, it can be pretty salty so taste as you go along.
      • Top with shichimi and bonito flakes.
      Aloo Gobi (Spice Up Your Life)

      Aloo Gobi (Spice Up Your Life)

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      Pity the guy who doesn’t attend the “Health and Wellness” lecture presented at work but depends on colleagues to give him or her (in this case, Wes the hubby) the highlights and takeaways from the lecture.  For the last month since, Wes has gone total vegy (his colleague that went to the lecture lasted only 36 hours sans meat).  I love meat but being the loyal and loving wife (my friends are laughing heartily right now) I am also living the vegy life.  I have fallen off the bandwagon (lots, totally busted on Instagram) but usually without him present.  Hey, a girl needs her protein.

      What we have found is there are certain cuisines that lend themselves well to vegetarianism (is that a word?) like Indian cuisine.  We have had Indian food no less than once a week so it is about time we try making it at home.  Our first attempt, Aloo Gobi, well known thanks to the movie Bend It Like Beckham, is a bowl of yumminess comprised of potatoes and cauliflower, not too spicy but packed with flavor.  The starchiness and density of the vegetables gives the dish a great mouth feel and punch to suppress your carnivore cravings.  I looked at lots of recipes and the first thing I noticed was there are about a GAZILLION different spices used in Indian food, most of which I have never used. I fought the urge to give up and call our favorite Indian restaurant for take out.

      DSC02441

      Lucky for me I have a co-worker I can go to for Indian cooking advice.  I have peppered her with questions regarding all the different spices, how to use them, how long to saute’ the vegetables, how to prep the beans or lentils, on and on. My takeaways for newbies attempting Indian food; find a good Asian or Indian grocery store, time and patience is required to toast the spices and aromatics and have lots of cute little bowls (Thanks Snookies) to hold your spices.

      Tips for the recipe.  Its really important to toast the spices & aromatics in the oil to develop flavor.  I actually added the garam masala in with the tumeric and salt.  I also used dried coriander (1 tsp) instead of the cilantro stalks.  I personally think it was too tomato-ey, I would use 1 fresh tomato chopped in place of the canned tomatoes.  I pre-cooked my potatoes and cauliflower by steam microwaving each for 3-5 minutes.  The vegetables should be cut into bite size pieces. I used 2 potatoes instead of 3 and tossed in some eggplant for good measure.

      Print Pin

      Aloo Gobi from Bend It Like Beckham (food.com)

      Ingredients

      • 1 ⁄4 cup vegetable oil
      • 1 large onion peeled and cut into small pieces
      • 1 bunch fresh coriander cilantro, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped
      • 1 small green chili chopped into small pieces (or one teaspoon chili powder)
      • 1 large cauliflower leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths
      • 3 large potatoes peeled and cut into even pieces
      • 2 8 ounce cans diced tomatoes
      • fresh ginger peeled and grated (1 generous tablespoon)
      • fresh garlic chopped (1 generous tablespoon ~4 cloves)
      • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
      • 2 teaspoons turmeric
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 2 teaspoons garam masala

      Instructions

      • Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan.
      • Add the chopped onion and one teaspoon of cumin seeds to the oil.
      • Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent. Will take 10-15 minutes
      • Add chopped coriander stalks, two teaspoons of turmeric, and one teaspoon of salt.
      • Add chopped chillis (according to taste) Stir tomatoes into onion mixture.
      • Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly.
      • Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan).
      • Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce.
      • Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).
      • Add two teaspoons of Garam Masala and stir.
      • Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.
      • Turn off the heat, cover, and leave for as long as possible before serving.