Category: Vegetarian
Whole Roasted Cauliflower Takoyaki Style-Ahead of the Game

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Takoyaki Style-Ahead of the Game

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So, you drew the short straw, didn’t you?  Yep, the proverbial boring Thanksgiving dish.  Vegetables, sheesh.  Auntie has drawn dessert, ugh, means lime green jello mold with pineapple.  Which is not dessert actually but it’s ok, she’s your Aunt.

Could be worse, you could have drawn salad.  Really, who goes for salad first on Thanksgiving?  Sure I take the customary 2 lettuce leaves and a crouton to make my plate look balanced.  It’s all for show I don’t actually eat it.  At least we can salvage the veggie dilemma.

I am here to make you the belle of the ball, a prince among paupers.  Along the way, we are demystifying the twenty-dollar whole roasted cauliflower.  Yeah, fess up, you have paid that much and didn’t even blink an eye when you did.

You will never order whole roasted cauliflower again.

Well, at the least, you won’t pay twenty bucks for it.

You don’t have to core it this much, I was a bit overzealous

Start with a nice looking head of cauliflower,  Wash it, trim off the outer leaves, (here is my hack) core the center stem with a melon baller if you have one. If not use a paring knife.  Coring shortens cooking time.

Slather the cauliflower top and bottom with olive oil.  I use a squirt bottle, a brush would work also.  Season with salt and pepper, again, top and bottom.  Place on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet.

That’s it.  Your work is done.  Your oven does the rest of the heavy-lifting. Roast for about 45-50 minutes.  Pierce it with a knife, if it goes through fairly easy, it’s done.  Out comes a beautiful toasty, crispy edged, soft- centered, delicious, cauliflower canvas, ready to be painted.

You can top your cauliflower with just about anything.  I have served it with roasted tomatoes, or brushed with a garlic and herb butter, it’s your cauliflower, go crazy.

My latest razzle dazzle topping was inspired by a recipe I found in a little book called Emily the Cookbook. Emily is a pizza joint in Brooklyn that is on my bucket list of places to try.  They serve a roasted broccoli dish that is based on the toppings for Takoyaki, a popular Japanese seafood-filled round pancake.  So simple, yet so good.  In fact, it’s so simple I’m using pics to show you how to make it.

All you need is Okonomi Sauce (preferred) or Tonkatsu Sauce (think Worchestershire/Steak Sauce but better), Kewpie Mayonnaise (Japanese mayo), Bonita Flakes (fish flakes) and green onions.

Squirt a bunch of the mayo (it even comes in a squirt bottle-how easy is that?) all over the top.

Then squirt a bunch of Okonomi Sauce on top.

Finish with a flurry of bonita flakes, green onions and some sesame seeds if you like. Want to keep it vegetarian? Instead of bonita flakes,  TJ’s has a fish-free furikake.

That’s it.  Easy and Monster tasty!

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Takoyaki Style Sauce

Easy and delicious way to serve cauliflower. Whole roasted with a umami bomb sauce.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Vegetable
Cuisine Fusion
Keyword Cauliflower, takoyaki sauce, Whole roasted cauliflower
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower 1.5-2 pounds
  • 3-4 tbsp good quality olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Takoyaki Sauce

  • Kewpie Mayonnaise
  • Okonomi Sauce
  • Bonita Flakes or Furikake
  • Green Onions for garnish
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  • Wash and trim cauliflower. Remove leaves and cut stem even with the bottom of the cauliflower. Using a melon baller or paring knife, core cauliflower stem. Take care not to cut too much, you want to leave the stalks connected to the stem.
  • Brush or squirt olive oil all over the top and bottom of the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper and a little garlic salt (optional). I have used Momofuku Savory Salt for a bit more punch. The sauce will give it alot of flavor though.
  • Roast for about 45-50 minutes.  Pierce it with a knife, if it goes through fairly easy, it's done.

Takoyaki Sauce

  • Can I call this a recipe? Basically squirt copious amounts of Kewpie mayo and Okonomi Sauce in zig zag lines all over the cauliflower. Sprinkle Bonita Flakes or Furikake all over and hit it with green onions and tossed sesame seeds let.
  • Done. Bring it to the table in all it's whole roasted glory!

Notes

From the Japanese cookbook, Just One Cookbook. Kewpie imposter recipe!
For 1 cup of American mayonnaise (like Best Foods), add 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. For 1 Tbsp of American mayonnaise, add 1/2 tsp rice vinegar and 1/8 tsp sugar.
Uncle Gary’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Uncle Gary’s Sweet Potato Casserole

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Every Thanksgiving I look forward to my cousin Gary’s Sweet Potatoes.  As sure as there will be a turkey on the table, his sweet potatoes will also be there.  Drenched in butter and brown sugar and covered in a blanket of toasty mini-marshmallows,  it is the veggie-carb highlight for me.   As I make my way around the table, I’ll squish everything else to one side of my plate to make room for those bedazzled yams.  I’ll angle the spoon just so as to get “more than my share” of warm, gooey, toasty marshmallows.  I’ll go back for seconds and then pack a little box (ok, not so little) to take home.

I LOVE those Sweet Potatoes, so does everyone in our family and anyone who has shared a Thanksgiving meal with us.

Now I am going to share them with you.

You’re welcome.

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Uncle Gary's Sweet Potatoes

I will go on strike if Uncle Gary's Sweet Potatoes are not at our Family Thanksgiving feast.
Course holiday dish, Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine American
Keyword marshmallows, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 6 sweet potatoes medium sized
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp orange juice or rum
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon ground
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg or mace ground
  • 1 bag mini-marshmallow 10 ounce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow baking dish or casserole (9x13 pan)
  • Prepare and boil whole yams or sweet potatoes until soft but not falling apart. Drain, set aside to cool. Once cooled, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
  • Arrange slices, overlapping, in a buttered, shallow, baking dish or casserole
  • Dot with butter, sprinkle lightly with salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with orange juice or rum.
  • Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly or glazed looking
  • Remove from oven and scatter the marshmallows over the top.
  • Bake again until the marshmallows are warmed through and start to brown.
  • Serve immediately.
Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms (Thanksgiving Favs)

Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms (Thanksgiving Favs)

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I love Thanksgiving.  Unlike other holidays that seem focused on family, Thanksgiving is a free-for-all.  We invite everyone we can think of, especially those that can’t make it home, to join the feast.  Each person brings their own family favorite to share.  We have a table filled with a cacophony of dishes, Uncle Gary’s Sweet Potatoes, Sticky Rice Stuffing, Chinese Roast Duck, Lox and crackers, Stir-fried Bok Choy, Baklava…anything goes.  It all tastes wonderful, enhanced by the lively, happy chatter of friends and family we don’t see often enough.

Reelin in the Years

The stalwarts of our Thanksgiving table include Uncle Gary’s Sweet Potatoes.  Non-negotiable to the point that Uncle Gary and Sweet Potatoes are synonymous.  Sweet potatoes, copious amounts of butter, brown sugar, topped with mini-marshmallows, what’s not to love?  Over the years Uncle Gary (yes, a real person, my cousin) has tweaked his recipe, adding pineapple, boooze, marshmallow cream, only to be met with a chorus of “it’s good BUT not as good as your regular sweet potatoes. Why mess with perfection?

The other must-have is the Chinese American contribution to Thanksgiving, Gnaw Mai Fan, or Sweet Rice Stuffing.  A mixture of glutinous rice (sweet rice), bits of Chinese sausage (lop Cheung), mushrooms, green onions, dried shrimp (umami bomb), bbq pork, and roasted chestnuts is now in vogue, the gluten-free option to classic bread stuffing.

Confession Time

Ok, I have a confession.  I am the maker of the Gnaw Mai Fan or Sweet Rice Stuffing that graces our feast every year, but I LOVE traditional bread stuffing.  Yep, I’m a stuffing girl.  After making the VAT of Sweet Rice Stuffing for everyone else, I use to pull out the teeny box of Stove Top stuffing in the pantry to whip up for me.

Fortunately, those days are over.  A savory bread pudding with mushrooms from Epicurious satisfies my stuffing craving.  Filled with onions, peppers, ‘shrooms, croutons and bound by eggs and cream, it is deliciously decadent.  Make sure to toast the bread, it makes a difference.  Use a French batard that has a nice crust and a fairly tight, soft crumb.  For an extra rich, creamy version, use Challah or Brioche.  Substitute leeks for some or all of the onions for another yummy tweak.

Pros– lots of veggies, bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, onions, moist, scrumptious, adaptable,

Cons-lots of eggs, heavy cream and butter, and cheese, but hey, it’s a holiday!

I do tweak the recipe just a touch. Use half and half in place of at least half of the heavy cream.  You could probably reduce this further by using chicken stock for part of the half and half too.  I also substitute olive oil for half of the butter used to saute the veggies. The recipe is below.

It’s All About the Pies

I know how Gary feels, typecast for Thanksgiving, not being given the option to bring something different for the feast.  It is ASSUMED we will bring pies.  Lucky I love to bake, as does Jamie.  The pie parade includes traditional Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie, Tartine’s Lemon Cream Tart and a gorgeous Cranberry Curd Tart.  Choice and color to the dessert table.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Parmesan Cheese

Decadent, savory bread pudding with mushrooms, peppers, onions and cheese held together by a rich creamy egg custard.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Savory Bread Pudding with mushrooms
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

The Dry

  • 1 1-pound loaf crusty country-style white bread (A Frence Batard preferred over Ciabatta which has bigger holes)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 large garlic clove minced

The Stuff

  • 6 tablespoons 3/4 stick butter Can use half butter, half olive oil
  • 1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms such as crimini, button, portobello, and stemmed shiitake, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion can replace half to all of onions with leeks
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
  • 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper use any color bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (Italian flat leaf parsley)

The Wet

  • 3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream substitute half and half for 50% of cream,
  • 8 large eggs yes, 8
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

The Bread

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread and discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups loosely packed).
  • Place cubes in very large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss to coat. Spread cubes out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to same very large bowl.

The Veggies

  • Melt butter/olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté until soft and juices have evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables and parsley to bread cubes.

The Binder

  • Whisk heavy cream, eggs, salt, and ground pepper in large bowl. Mix custard into bread and vegetables. Transfer to prepared dish. Let sit for min. of 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
  • Bake stuffing uncovered until set and top is golden, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes.

Notes

This rich, custard-like stuffing is also a great main-course option for vegetarians.

 
Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta: The Joy of Cooking and Baking

Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta: The Joy of Cooking and Baking

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Gosh, she is going to think I am a stalker!  I read an article in the NYT about pastry chefs and how they are coping with the pandemic.  The restaurant industry has been hit hard but many have found ways to adapt to the new norm.  I am struck by the creativeness and ingenuity, not to mention the pastries-YUM, that have been born during COVID.

One of the pastry chefs featured in the article is Joy Cho.  Her resume, boys and girls, is that of a heavyweight-pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, Ivy League education…and yet she found herself out of a job when the pandemic hit.  THIS led to her booming Brooklyn home business of absolutely scrumptious Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes.  Inspired by a Brownie Bundt Cake pan, these Gem Cakes are all the rage…in Brooklyn.  Lucky for us she shared her recipe on Epicurious so those of us who are geographically challenged could try them.

The Gem cupcakes (in my case) were a big hit with the fam and friends so I set my sights on a couple of other recipes she created.  Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta was first on the list followed by Banana Mochi Cake.

The Real Deal

This Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta fusion is an explosion of flavors, spicy and sweet from the Gochujang, acidity from the tomatoes, saltiness, and umami from Parmesan Cheese-all bound together by butter and cream. It’s delicious.  She bakes, she cooks, SuperCho spreading joy everywhere.

Not familiar with Gochujang?  Think of it as the Korean counterpart to Miso, the Japanese all-purpose condiment.  Made of red chilies, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and sweeteners.  It’s complex and delicious.  You can find it at most Asian markets or online.  Look for the spice level icon!  It runs the gamut from mild to hair on fire heat level.

Slide the cherry tomatoes into the oven and while they are roasting, start your sauce.  Gochujang and tomato paste are browned in a pan, don’t skimp, you want the sauce to deepen in color and really caramelize. It reminds me of cooking Indian food, flavor is coaxed from spices and aromatics by frying them first.  Add cream and stock to the Gochujang and tomato paste, reduce it, and then add the Parmesan Cheese.

Finally, add the roasted tomatoes and a bit of honey (really rounds out the sauce nicely so don’t skip it).  It’s all about getting the most flavor out of each ingredient and then binding them together. Serve the sauce over rigatoni but feel free to pick any shape hearty enough to stand up to this thick, rich sauce.

This is so good.  Put it on your pasta bucket list. NOW

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5 from 3 votes

Tomato Gochujang Cream Pasta

A spicy, rich, delicious pasta dish made with tomatoes and Gochujang (Red Pepper Paste). The Korean twist on this pasta dish will have you asking for seconds.
Course noodles, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword cherry tomatoes, gochujang, joy cho, pasta
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 2-3 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chile paste, depending on your spice preference
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 T Honey or Agave Syrup to taste

Pasta

  • 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta shape of choice, should be able to stand up to a thick sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cherry tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, until they soften and begin to burst.
  • While tomatoes are roasting, prepare sauce. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and add minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and gochujang to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste and gochujang caramelize. It will begin to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot in places, so reduce the heat if they begin to burn.
  • Add the heavy cream and chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken and the tomato paste and gochujang are fully dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the Parmesan and several generous cranks of freshly ground black pepper. Season the sauce with salt to taste and a couple drizzles of honey.
  • Continue to reduce the sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes, then gently stir in the roasted tomatoes.
  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some pasta water to thin the sauce if it seems a little thick.
  • Drain the pasta, then toss it in the warm sauce and serve immediately with a few more cranks of black pepper and Parmesan Cheese. Garnish with a few sprigs of parsley or basil.
Mayak Eggs to Momofuku Eggs-Eggtraordinary

Mayak Eggs to Momofuku Eggs-Eggtraordinary

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Originally this post was going to just be about the latest Korean craze, Mayak Eggs (마약계란).  Tik Toks, Reels, IG Stories, folks “egging” everyone on to try Mayak Eggs.  The eggs are cooked Ramen Style (we’ll get into that later) and soaked in a bath of soy sauce, sweetener, chilis, garlic, and green onions.  Yep, pretty darn tasty, a flavor explosion of sweet, salty, spicy, and garlicky.

Egg-a-Licious

Ramen Style eggs are cooked in a pretty specific way.  Bring water to a boil and carefully drop your eggs in the boiling water. Let them boil for 6 minutes before immediately plunging them into an ice bath to stop the cooking.  The end result is a soft-boiled egg, where the egg white is cooked through but still tender and the yolk is just beginning to set around the edges. The center of the yolk is oozy, unctuous, and scrumptious, perfect in a bowl of ramen.

I have a confession to make…

I didn’t cook my Mayak Eggs this way.  A couple of years ago, (you all know I LOVE kitchen gadgets right? Donut pan, meat grinder, Instant Pot….) I bought an egg cooker.  Yep, a good for only one thing gadget, cooking eggs.  So I used it for my Mayak Eggs.

Well, I am not going to tell you to go buy an egg-cooker (don’t do it) so I needed to make Six Minute Ramen Eggs for myself.  I still had Mayak Eggs in the fridge so I decided to make Dave Chang’s Momofuku Ramen Eggs.  His recipe was part of Food52’s 10 all-time favs, so this was an easy call.

6 Things You Need to Know

  • Both these recipes are incredibly EASY.
  • Both are riffs on a soy sauce-based brine to flavor the eggs
  • Plan to make them in advance as the eggs need to sit in the brines for awhile
  • Mayak means drug in Korean.  Yes, they are addicting-that good
  • The longer the eggs are left in the brine the more color and flavor they will absorb

I saved the best for the last…

  • The hardest, most frustrating THING will be peeling those damn eggs!

Key points before the deep dive into the unappealing task of peeling.

Do You Mayak?

The sauce for the Mayak Eggs is delicious on rice or noodles. The soy sauce and sweetener (you can use corn syrup, rice syrup, or honey) balance each other so it is okay to leave the eggs in the brine/sauce to store.  The aromatics, garlic, chilis, scallions pump up the flavors in the sauce and take the eggs to a whole new level.  Absolutely delish.  Mayak Eggs can be served as a banchan (side dish) or as a topping on a bowl of rice (my fav) or noodles.  I tossed one in my bowl of Congee, along with a splash of the sauce this morning.  Delicious.

For less spicy eggs, de-seed and/or de-vein the chilis or reduce the number of chilis.  You can definitely play with this sauce and make it your own.  Add a little fish sauce for a briny flavor or a Ponzu instead for citrus notes.  Go crazy, it’s all good.

Dave is a Good Egg

Momofuku Eggs are closer to a traditional ramen egg. Not only great with ramen or Udon, but also delicious as part of a rice bowl like Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice Bowl or Buta no Kakuni (Japanese Pork Belly) or Simple Minced Pork Bowl.  The brine is salty.  Marinade your eggs for no more than 4 hours and use a low-sodium soy sauce.  Once made, the eggs can be stored sans sauce in an airtight container.  For a sweeter egg, add another tablespoon of sugar.

It’s the Big Egg…Here’s the Hard Part…Peeling

The goal is to end up with a smooth, pristine, beautiful egg…after peeling it.  The eggs are a little softer than a hard-boiled egg adding another layer of difficulty. Peeling without leaving little divots in the eggs, not an easy task.

  • Boil enough water such that the water level is one inch over the eggs.
  • Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to the water. ( I see just as many recipes that don’t include this-optional)
  • When the water comes to a boil, carefully lower the eggs into it.
  • For the first minute of boiling, stir the eggs around the pot, this helps center the yolk.
  • Boil (not crazy boil, gentle rolling boil) for 6 minutes for a runny yolk, an additional minute for a jammy egg.
  • Have an ice bath ready to transfer the eggs into.
  • Allow eggs to cool for 5 minutes in the ice bath.
  • Crack the eggshell by tapping on it with a spoon.  Carefully peel the eggshell off along with the membrane between the shell and egg.  It helps to peel the egg in water or under running water.
  • Invert your teaspoon so the bottom is facing you, and slide it under the eggshell and membrane, lift the spoon to separate the shell from the egg.
  • Rinse any shell fragments off eggs and place them in brine.  Done!
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Mayak Eggs

Delicious and easy, Mayak Eggs are the perfect rice or noodle bowl accompaniment
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American
Keyword appetizer, egg, Mayak eggs, momofuku egg, ramen egg
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Servings 6 servings10

Ingredients

Cookin' Da Eggs

  • 4-6 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar

Da Marinade

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce I use Sempio 701 Soy Sauce for this dish
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup rice syrup corn syrup or honey
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 to 4 green onions chopped
  • 1 green chili chopped (optional)
  • 1 red chili chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Cookin Da Eggs

  • Heat enough water to cover 6 eggs by 1 inch in a pot. Add salt and vinegar and bring it to a rolling boil. Using a slotted spoon add eggs to water. Cook the eggs for 6 minutes for runny yolk or up to 10 minutes (Nooo, don't do it!) for hard-boiled eggs. While eggs are cooking, make a water bath of ice and water in a medium-size bowl. When the eggs are done, Immediately transfer them to the ice water bath. Cool for 5-7 minutes before peeling.

Da Sauce (marinade)

  • Combine soy, water, and sweetener and stir to blend. Add garlic, green onions, chilies and sesame seeds, stir.
  • Peel the eggs carefully without damaging them (easier said than done) and place in an air-tight container. Pour the sauce mixture over the eggs, cover and store in a refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight before serving.
  • It will last 5 to 7 days in fridge!
  • Drizzle with sesame oil! Serve with hot steamed rice.
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Momofuku Marinated Ramen Egg

Momofuku 6-minute eggs perfect topping on ramen or by itself as a snack
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Keyword egg, ramen egg
Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar addtional tablespoon for a sweeter egg
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce low-sodium or Tamari
  • 4-6 large eggs

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and sugar to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the sherry vinegar and soy sauce.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully put the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes and 50 seconds, stirring slowly for the first 1 minute. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. When the eggs are done, transfer them to the ice bath.
  • Once the eggs are cool, (5-7 minutes) peel them in the water. See notes above.
  • Transfer the eggs to the soy sauce mixture and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours, making sure they are completely submerged or occasionally rotate eggs.
  • Remove the eggs from the sweet and salty marinade. You can save the soy sauce mix for another round of eggs, if you wish. Refrigerate eggs in a tightly sealed container.
Pudding In the Late Night Hours Calls for Chocolate

Pudding In the Late Night Hours Calls for Chocolate

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Life is on hold as we await the results of the 2020 presidential election.  I swore I wasn’t going to agonize over the process leading to the final result.  My plan was to ignore CNN, Twitter, WAPO, NYT…I decided to watch Hamilton for the umpteenth time, followed by my favorite K-drama.  As they say…

The Best Laid Plans

A quick sneak peek at Twitter and I was hooked.  It has been an agonizingly slow crawl to the finish as the Biden/Harris ticket chips away at the vote count in the battleground states. There I was tabbing back and forth between my K-drama and Twitter.  At 2am I had to stop the madness, I resorted to my favorite stress-buster activity, COOKING followed by my second favorite stress reliever-EATING.

Win-Win

At that time of the night, I needed something delicious, and comforting.  I had been eyeing a recipe in NYTcooking for a chocolate pudding made with oat milk.  Many of my friends are dairy intolerant or vegan so I am always on the lookout for desserts that fit the bill.  The fact that this pudding was quick and easy made this a no-brainer for my sleep-deprived, anxiety-riddled brain.

This pudding is so ridiculously easy and so incredibly delicious bookmark this post now.  You will thank me.  I used Planet Oat Milk but the recipe states you can use soy or almond, I’m sticking with oat milk.  I used Dutch-processed cocoa which gives the pudding its intense dark color.  You can use natural cocoa which will give you a lighter-colored pudding, either is fine.  Whisk the dry ingredients together, cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Slowly add the oat milk and then cook it over medium heat, STIRRING constantly so it doesn’t scorch and stays lump-free and smooth.  I used TJ’s Dark Chocolate Pound Plus Bar which resulted in a rich, intense chocolate flavor.  Experiment with different chocolates to change the sweetness and chocolate intensity.

Topped off the pudding with cocoa nib crumble from Manresa and I was in business.  Yummy.  I imagine an infinite variety of toppings would be lovely like softly Whipped Coconut Cream, whimsical sprinkles, flaked coconut, cookie crumbs, or fresh berries.

My little bowl of chocolate pudding did the trick, calmed my nerves, and gave me the courage to…GO TO BED!

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5 from 3 votes

Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding

A delicious chocolate pudding from NYT Cooking that is dairy free and vegan
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Pudding, dairy-free, Dark chocolate, oat milk, Simple Bread Pudding, vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups (480 milliliters) oat milk or soy or almond milk
  • 3 to 4 ounces (85 to 115 grams) bittersweet bar chocolate finely chopped, I used TJ's Dark Chocolate, which is accidentally vegan 😉
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly stir in the milk and stirring constantly until smooth and combined.
  • Cook over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture continuously, scraping the bottom, sides, and corners of the pan, until the pudding thickens, begins to bubble, and coats the back of the spoon or spatula, 5 to 10 minutes. Careful to not let the pudding scorch on the bottom and corner of the pot, lower heat if it cooks too fast or starts to scorch.
  • Add the chocolate and stir vigorously until the pudding is very thick and smooth, about 30 seconds longer.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Spoon the pudding into a serving bowl or individual cups or ramekins. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. It will thicken as it cools. Garnish with whipped cream, sprinkles or chocolate chips or cookie crumbles. Use your imagination!

Notes

Before refrigerating, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a “skin” from forming on top.
The pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Quick Fix: Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

Quick Fix: Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

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

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

Quick and Easy

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

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

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Cabbage with Butter and Soy Sauce

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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Notes

Okay, for you carnivores...saute' diced bacon (2 slices), omit salt and use half the butter with the bacon fat.  
CORNfirmation, Summer is Here! (Elote-Grilled Mexican Street Corn)

CORNfirmation, Summer is Here! (Elote-Grilled Mexican Street Corn)

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I consider my weekly trip to our local Farmer’s Market as my sanity break from COVID-19.  As the weather warms not only are more folks coming out but the variety of fruits and vegetables at the market has also blossomed.  As the apples and pears bid us goodbye-cherries, stone fruits, and berries have slid into those same spots without missing a beat.

My usual routine on Sundays is to head over to our local farmers market.  I line up around 8:30, before the market opens at 9:00, to grab my half flat of strawberries.  All my “ducks” are in a row so I then hop over to the next kiosk for microgreens and mushrooms, veggies at Live Earth Farm, and then cherries on the corner along with my Asian veggie fix.  I wrap up my shopping at the fresh blueberries stand and then sit on a bench with my buds to catch up.

This past Sunday, I added a stop.

Fresh Corn is Back Baby!

There I was, waiting in the strawberry line when I noticed a new stall next to the strawberries, FRESH CORN.  This signals the beginning of summer.  Everybody have corn tonight, uh-huh, uh-huh.

The Paint

Most of the time we boil or steam the corn and happily munch on them unadorned, a sprinkle of salt perhaps.  My new favorite way to serve fresh corn is as Grilled Mexican Street Corn called Elote.  Shuck the corn and throw them on a hot grill until they are nicely charred.  Remove and slather corn with mayonnaise or a 50:50 blend of mayonnaise and sour cream or Mexican Crema.   If you have an aversion to mayo, you could use just sour cream or melted butter.  I use a brush to “fine-tune” how much mayo I spread on each cob to appease my guilt about the calories.

The Sprinkles

The essential ingredient for corn sprinkles (cute, eh) is chili powder.  A purist will get specific chili powders like ancho or guajillo, which can be purchased online or at any Hispanic market.  These are specifically dried chilis ground into powder.  Chili Powder found in most supermarkets is actually a blend of chilis and other spices like cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne.  ANY of these work for Elote.

AND THEN…You can try commercial products made to mimic the flavors of Elote and enhance your “street food” dish.  I like Tajin, a blend of chilis, lime, and salt.  Think of it as the granddaddy of the Mexican spice blend.  Lately, TJ’s has jumped on the bandwagon and has a Chili Lime seasoning blend and in their Everything But The…line, an Elote blend that contains Parmesan, Chipotle, cumin, and cilantro, which sounds pretty darn delicious.

The Fixins’

The finishing trifecta for your Elote.  Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija Cheese or in a pinch, Parmesan cheese, and finally a squeeze of lime all over the corn.

Done, so good.

For those of you who just can’t stand corn between your teeth, after grilling, scrape the corn off the cob. Put the corn in a bowl and add the sprinkles and fixins’ on top, voila, a delicious, colorful Corn Salad, and no flossing.  Check out Serious Eats’s Esquites-Mexican Street Corn Salad.

Enjoy

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Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Fresh corn on the cob marks the summer season. Elote or Mexican Street Corn, a delicious way to highlight fresh corn, grill and top with mayo, chili, cheese and lime.
Course Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine Hispanic, Mexican
Keyword Corn on the cob, Elote, Fresh corn
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 ears corn shucked and cleaned
  • 1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise or use a blend of Mayo and sour cream or Crema
  • Chili powder See post for variations
  • 1/3 c. crumbled cotija cheese or Parmesan in a pinch
  • Freshly chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred all over, about 10 minutes.
  • Brush corn with a layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle with chili powder, cotija, and cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges.