Kitchen Caliente!

Mmm...three cup chicken. I love three cup chicken (san bei ji) because of the intense flavors.

The recipe is straightforward. Cut chicken into large chunks, brown the pieces on all sides, then throw in at least three cups of loosely packed Thai basil for every cup of chicken that you have. The rest of the recipe is about keeping a 1:1:1 ratio of soy sauce:rice wine:sesame oil, but here's what I did for two whole legs and two wings.

Brown the chicken in some oil, making sure there are at least five thick slices of ginger in the oil to lend flavor. When the chicken's brown, add the basil. You can kind of see what the ratio's like above. I used 1/2 cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. You want it to cover the chicken halfway, so add more of each until you can do that. Add a teaspoon of sugar, and taste the mix to see if you like it. Simmer over low heat until the sauce turns slightly sticky and caramelizes all over the chicken. Serve with rice. I know I'm missing ingredients, but this is the simplest way to get a simple chicken basil dinner.

The photo above is of the chicken right after I added the wet ingredients, so when it's done it should look a lot darker brown and more dry all over.

If you're feeling frisky, light the rice wine on fire! Obviously I was trying to be careful while doing this, so I had to wait for it to die down before grabbing the camera. A few seconds before this, the fire was actually burning blue. Aren't my matching red pots cute? I love ROSS.

I also made these today and devoured five not fifteen minutes after they came out of the oven. I know, I'm bad news for the waistline (plus, cookies should be allowed to cool a little). But I'm going on a road trip, and that means we need car food! I'll report back on my food adventures when I return. Til then, ta ta loyal readers. Happy eatings and drinkings.

Ling Cod and More...

We're trying hard to cook more Asian food, meaning no more being lazy and cooking one dish meals. It's time consuming, but tastes so good.

The star of the meal tonight was ling cod. I found a huge steak at 99 Ranch for $6. Here's how I cooked it:

• 3 tablespoons yellow miso
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or 2, to taste)
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup chicken stock

Whisk everything together, cover the cod steak with the marinade, and let sit in the fridge for at least four hours. I'm guessing up to 10 hours would be fine, and after that it might get too salty. Wipe the marinade off the cod before you start cooking, but save the rest of the marinade.

When you're ready to cook, heat up a skillet with a tablespoon of oil and brown the cod over medium heat for five minutes on both sides, or until golden brown.

Add some daikon that's already been cooked through, the rest of the marinade, and half a can of chicken stock or water. Cover and simmer for ten minutes for a two inch thick, 1.5 pound fish steak.

Watercress soup is just pork bones simmered until they start to fall apart, then daikon added until it's tender, and watercress thrown in during the last five minutes after the soup has been brought up to a boil. Salt to taste. I love watercress, and this could be a meal all by itself.

My first try at green rice! A little mushy, but I decided I'd rather have it a bit too soft than too hard my first try. I soaked my usual two cups of medium grain (Japanese) rice for a few hours, then drained the rice and set it aside. In a blender, I pureed a tablespoon of oil, a quarter cup of chicken stock, one small onion, a cup of frozen spinach, and a big handful of cilantro. I added enough chicken stock to make two cups of liquid, and used that to cook my rice instead of water. What a great way to sneak vegetables into empty carbs!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

As promised, one final photo to add to this post:

I haven't done a post with numerous photos in awhile. Apologies, followed by atonement!


Mmmm, red velvet. I'm sick of paying $1.75 at the bakery, so I made a whole bunch myself. I have to wait for my handy helper to frost all these babies, but I couldn't wait to post them (more photos to follow!). I used Paula Deen's recipe, linked here.

Red velvet batter really is red! I don't know if it was the food coloring I bought or what, but I think I may have to cut back on the food coloring next time. This was scary. The batter actually dyed the white paper cups completely red, if you'll take a look at the first photo.

My hand, after copious scrubbing. It's a good thing I tend to clean as I cook, because otherwise I'm sure someone would have seen my kitchen and had me arrested for murdering some kind of small rare mammal with pink blood. I am so not a lady.

The breakfast that fueled this baking frenzy: Heinz English style baked beans, tomatoes, levain, Branston Pickles, and coffee. Yes, English inspired if not quite traditional. Yummy!

Okra

I have nothing terribly exciting to say about okra, but these photos were so pretty I had to post them.

Okra buying tips:

• the green ones and the red ones taste exactly the same, so buy whatever color you like. The difference is less noticeable than in different colored bell peppers
• buy okra about the length of your middle finger. Any larger and they get very woody and tough. A few I got that were longer than my hand were almost impossible to cut through. A real waste.

Other than that, you're on your own. We use okra in gumbo and stews because J likes them so much, but I'm really not a huge fan of the slimey interior or the grassy flavor.

Potstickers

This is what real postickers look like:

Yup, if you make them right the dough will actually melt during cooking, form a thin crispy layer on the bottom of the pan, and slide off onto your plate in one round connected mass. I've only seen one or two restaurants in California do potstickers correctly in my lifetime.

The problem is, it's hard to get the dough to melt if you use pre-packaged dumpling skin. And no one has the time and skill to make her own skins anymore. But it is possible to at least get a thin crispy ring around each dumpling if you do the following:

Pour a tablespoon of oil onto a nonstick pan. The pan should be small enough that all the dumplings you want to eat will fit on the pan with no more than an inch between the dumplings. Ideally it'll be more like half an inch of space or less between the dumplings (but don't squish them all together either).

Over medium heat, warm the dumplings (straight from the freezer) until they are light brown on the bottom. Then add enough water to cover the dumplings halfway and let the water come to a boil. Turn the flame down as low as it will go and let the water steam the dumplings. The water will also melt the dough a little, which will form the crispy bottom layer later.

When almost all the water is gone, the remaining water will have enough dough in it to be a gooey bubbly mess. Remove the lid and let the water boil off. The gooey bits will solidify and brown. When it's a little lighter than the photo I have, turn off the flame. Mine's slightly overcooked because I had to run and do laundry, but it wasn't actually burnt.

Let the potstickers sit for at least three minutes so that the bottom crust will release easily from the pan. If you try to take it out while the pan is piping hot it will most likely fall apart. Invert the pan onto a plate and everything will come out at once. And yes, the dumplings will be upside down, but that's all part of the fun. I chipped one off so you can see that it really is a dumpling. Cute, no?

Note: you will most likely be unable to achieve this crispy crust with frozen dumplings from a market. You'll have better luck i fyou have a local dumpling shop that sells them frozen by the bag, or if you make a bunch yourself and keep them in the freezer like I do.

Pink Kombucha!

Look at this and tell me you wouldn't at least want to try a sip.

This is one of my fizziest creations yet. I've come to accept that kombucha, being a living organism, will sometimes perform better than others and there's not much I can do about it. This particular batch was made with green tea with a few hibiscus blossoms tossed in. It didn't take more than five blossoms to dye the entire batch this gorgeous color, and the flavor wasn't changed much. But it's much prettier this way.

Dinner was pesto (Genovese basil is amazing at the farmers' markets right now!) with tomatoes, rotini, and extra toasted pine nuts. We had side dishes of buffalo mozarella and smoked salmon while enjoying the season premier of The Simpsons and The Family Guy. Good times.

Pork Aspic

Here's another one of J's specialties:

Aspic is just congealed gelatin. If you want a lengthy description, click here.

Take a few pounds (2-3) of pork feet and put in a pot with enough water to just cover all the bones. Throw in one or two pieces of chicken. Dark meat with bones work better, so we used one thigh. Bring to a boil and let simmer until all the meat is broken down and falling apart. Basically, cook it way past the stage that you would at all want to eat it, adding a little water if it drops below 3/4 of the original amount. You can add a little salt or soy sauce to the aspic, but it's not necessary.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then strain out the liquid into a loaf pan. Pick off the pork skin and meat, removing all bones and gristle. Break the meat and skin into small chunks. Pick off the chicken meat, discarding the bones and skin. Shred. Put the pork meat, pork skin, and chicken meat into the loaf pan with the liquid, distributing somewhat evenly.

Refrigerate until set, and scrape off the top layer of fat that forms (save it for another dish; stay tuned for what I do!). Serve with cilantro and a drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce.

Aspic is really quite delicious, and if you leave out the pork skin (why?!) it's not very fatty at all. The fat floats to the top, so it's just gelatin and lean meat. The texture is bouncy, the flavor is meaty, and overall it's a refreshing cold snack or side dish that's a little out of the norm.

Grapefruit Marmalade, Part 1

Pretty, huh? I have to wait two weeks to see how they set up, but so far so good on this foray into canning.

I combined two recipes into what I hope will be a holy union, but I'll hold off on posting my methodology in case it turns out to be a disaster.

So far, I can say that grapefruit marmalade smells way better than orange marmalade, and the color is prettier too. If this works out I'll have to try blood orange marmalade, which I loved getting from the farmers' markets in San Francisco. June Taylor's stand always had blood orange marmalade with small chunks of oranges instead of love slivers, and it was amazing on bread (especially challah style bread with a lot of eggs and butter in it).

Dates Galore!

I finally noticed a stand at the farmers' market today that was selling figs by the pound instead of by the box. I don't need forty dates, but seeing the little nuggets of pure sugar always makes me want a few.

I couldn't decide what I wanted, so bought two of each kind and a small twig of unripe Barhis dates. Aren't they cute? Barhis dates are the only ones that can be eaten before they're ripe. They're crunchy and sort of have the sweetness of an apple with the crispiness of hard coconut meat. The lady let me try a ripe one as well. Ripe Barhis dates are extraordinarily soft, smooth, and sweet (yes, even more so than other dates) with a very thin skin. I didn't buy any because they're very expensive, but they are a little larger and lighter colored than the date on the far left.

Of course, I forgot my pen and paper today. Does anyone know which date is which? She actually had about ten kinds; the ones I chose were more sweet and moist. The ones on the other table were drier and eaten more for texture and date flavor.

Niu Nan (Beef) Noodle Soup

Niu nan soup is a tendony, slightly more chewy cousin to niu ro mien (the standard Chinese beef noodle soup). I love noodle soups, so it was of course time to add this to the repertoire. Each slab of niu nan is about three pounds, so split this recipe in half and keep half the meat in the freezer, or plan to invite a couple people over to help out.

Let's make one thing clear: I have no idea what niu nan is called in English. Near as I can tell, it's a cut of brisket with tendons still attached to both sides. I don't think Westerners even butcher cows in a way that yields a cut of meat in this form, so there's no name for it. The market translated it as "beef plate," but if anyone knows more details I'd really appreciate it.

Look at the underside of it; it's so weird looking! It almost looks like someone grafted tofu skin to beef. Anyway, those of you who don't like things like tendon or cartilage should steer clear of niu nan. This recipe can be made with beef shanks, or any other stew appropriate cut of beef.

For one slab of niu nan (about 3 lbs):

• 10 slices of ginger (one large knob)
• 10 cloves of garlic (one bulb, peeled and crushed just til they break open)
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce (or four Thai chilis, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon star anise (my stars are all broken, but maybe four whole ones?)
• four scallions, white parts only, sliced once the long way
• 1/2 cup rice wine or shao shing wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 quart chicken or beef stock
• 1 quart cold water
• 1 slab niu nan, whole
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 large daikon, peeled nad cut into large chunks
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 leafy green of your choice (bok choi, spinach, ong choy, a-chai, tong hau, Chinese broccoli, etc.)

Using the sesame oil combined with the vegetable oil, sautee the first nine ingredients (everything above the oil) until fragrant. It should take about five minutes for the ginger and garlic to start browning around the edges. Use the rice wine to deglaze the pan, then pour everything into a large pot containing the stock and water. Immerse the beed in the liquid, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer for four hours. Start checking at the three hour point, and stop simmering when the tendons finally break down to a chewable consistency. It could take awhile.

About an hour and a half into the simmering, add the soy sauce and adjust other seasonings. Don't worry if the spiciness seems a little too forward at this point; it will mellow out and seep into the meat over time.

Remove the beef and let it cool until you can handle it. Meanwhile, strain the solids out of the broth and adjust the seasoning. Slice the beef against the grain into slices about half an inch thick. Try to have both meat and tendon in each slice. Put the meat back into the strained broth, bring to a boil, and add daikon. Simmer until the daikon are cooked through, then add your leafy greens. When those are done, you're ready to eat! Serve with white pepper, chili sauce, and cilantro on the side.

Notes to self: I've been advised to add five spice powder (or cinnamon), a little tomato paste, and Chinese licorice (gan chao). Will have to do that and report back.

Sausages and Garlic

Chinese sausages and sliced raw garlic is about as easy as Taiwanese food gets (unless you're in the habit of stuffing your own sausages, I guess). Sausages are a yummy thing to keep in the freezer for those days when I don't want to cook, and there's always garlic in the house.

Cabbage sliced thin and stir fried with dried shrimp (I pour in the soaking liquid for extra fishiness) is somehow the perfect accompaniment to sausages. Everything, of course, is eaten with rice. This is the Taiwanese equivalent of a TV dinner. Aside from the rice, everything else takes about fifteen minutes. Here's what I did:

When you prepare your rice for steaming, put two links of sausage and a cut up cob of corn into the raw rice. The corn and sausage will steam, saving you cooking time. More importantly, they'll also impart a little flavor to the rice. Meanwhile, soak a handful of dried shrimp in a few tablespoons of warm water.

When the rice is done (during its resting time), slice up some cabbage. Sautee the dried shrimp in some oil until fragrant, then stir fry the cabbage. Add the liquid, cover, and let the cabbage cook through. Remove the lid and stir fry a little more to evaporate most of the liquid. Set aside. Slice the sausages, and use the same pot you used for the cabbage to brown the sausage on all sides. Slice up the garlic while you do this, and put the corn on the same dish as the cabbage. Voila! You'll be done in about as much time as it took me to type this post.

Health update: guess who's up to jogging 2.5 miles without stopping? One of these days I think I might actually conquer this thing that runners call "the wall!"

Chocolate Truffles

This was easier than I thought it'd be, and the flavor possibilities are endless! I made two batches. One's flavored with wildberries jam, the other with peppermint oil.

• 2 cups chocolate chips (use the best chocolate you can find, or it's not worth the trouble)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• flavoring agents (I'll explain)
• coatings (also explained later)

First, decide if you want to flavor the cream. You can use fresh mint leaves, slices of ginger, or even something more unusual like tarragon or rosemary. Basically, if it's a fresh herb you'll want to put it in the cream while the cream's still cold.

Heat the cream over medium heat until it's just below boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for five minutes. Stir to melt the chocolate, and place the bowl over a double boiler only if the chocolate refuses to melt.

Now is your second chance to add flavor. For example, a tablespoon or two of jam, three tablespoons of a liquer, a teaspoon or two of vanilla, a few drops of peppermint oil, etc.

Let the chocolate cool until it's hard enough to hold shape. Using your fingers or two teaspoons, form the chocolate into irregular shapes. I like to make my truffles small because I don't like holding a second half of a truffle while I eat the first half.

As you shape the truffles, drop them into your choice of coating. Cocoa powder, powdered sugar, superfine granulated sugar (for a little crunch), finely chopped nuts, or sprinkles are good coatings.

I haven't learned how to temper chocolate, and I'm too impatient to roll perfectly round balls, so the other kind of truffle (soft inside, crispy shiny outside) is for now out of reach for me. Maybe some other time!

Here's where I get all Martha Steward on you. See what I did here? A cute piece of paper, and the box immediately goes from "re-used takeout box" to "kind of cute." Now I can write a little message on it when I take it to a BBQ on Monday.

Frozen Yogurt

Thank you, Mark Bittman. Your cookbook How to Cook Everything has been great so far.

Today, I struck a blow for frozen yogurt lovers everywhere. Those who have been to Pinkberry in West Hollywood know that traffic Nazis swarm the area like vultures over a ripe abandoned carcass. A few weeks ago, in a moment of weakness, I made J drop me off while I ran in for some yogurt. He drove off, circled a few blocks, and came back for me. Luckily, the line wasn't ridiculously long.

A few days ago, a ticket came in the mail! They ticketed him for circling the block! He didn't even stop, except to drop me off and pick me off, and the ticket was actually issued down the street so obviously they ticketed him while he was driving. Is that even legal?!

So today, I did two things. First, I send a letter of complaint to the traffic department. Then, I sat down and made myself a HUGE batch of the best frozen yogurt ever. Sweet, tangy, and full of the best ingredients money can buy. Organic milk and cream, whole fat Greek yogurt, and unbleached sugar. I topped it with frozen blueberries and frozen blackberries I picked in Portland, and a few pieces of fresh mango. All that was still cheaper than a single large yogurt at Pinkberry, and a helluva lot cheaper than a $40 ticket.

I hate them so much. I'm officially boycotting their product. Mark, you are my hero. It's not exactly like Pinkberry's, but I think with less sugar and a tangier (lower fat) yogurt it's going to come really close.

• 1 1/4 cup whole milk (I used low fat milk + cream)
• 4 gg yolks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (I would use 1/2 cup next time), divided in half
• 2 cups Greek yogurt (I would suggest Fage or Trader Joe's Greek Style, full fat or 2%)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt half the sugar in the milk and heat over low heat until steam rises from the milk. Do not boil, but don't panic if you get it to the point of bubbling a bit. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Slowly, by dribbles, add half a cup of milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously to prevent curdling. When the egg yolks are thinned out, pour it slowly back into the milk, whisking continuously.

Cook the custard over medium low heat, stirring often. You'll need to cook until the mixture is somewhere between 175 and 180 degrees, or until you can coat the back of a spoon with it and the custard will hold a line if you run your finger through it. I find the spoon test more effective than my thermometer.

Cool the custard in an ice bath or uncovered until it's room temperature. Whisk in the vanilla and yogurt, then chill overnight. Churn in ice cream machine, then put in freezer.

It's not as decadent as homemade ice cream, but people who like the tang of good yogurt will probably enjoy this. I personally think it goes better with fruit than real ice cream does. And if you use low fat ingredients, less sugar, and a ton of fruit it's an incredibly delicious frozen treat that's as healthy for you as a bowl of yogurt, half an egg yolk, and no more sugar than you'd get out of a tablespoon of jam or honey. Much tastier than flavored yogurts (bleh!), and probably less sugary too.