Karaage: Japanese Fried Chicken Thighs

Equipment Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper Wire rack set inside a second rimmed baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towel Large dutch oven Tongs Wire Spider Strainer Skimmer Ladle Ingredients 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sake 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 garlic clove, minced ½ teaspoon sugar 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed and cut crosswise into 1 to 1½-inch-wide strips ¾ cup cornstarch 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying Lemon wedges Preparation Marinade In a medium bowl, combine: soy sauce sake ginger garlic sugar Add chicken and toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Dredge Chicken Place cornstarch in a wide bowl. Lift chicken from marinade, 1 piece at a time, allowing excess marinade to drip back into bowl but leaving any garlic or ginger bits on chicken. Coat chicken with cornstarch, shake off excess, and place on parchment-lined sheet. Reserve marinade. Heat Oil Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 325° F. While oil heats, check the chicken for white patches of dry cornstarch. Dip back of a spoon in reserved marinade and gently press onto dry spots to lightly moisten. Fry Chicken Using tongs, add chicken, 1 piece at a time, to oil in a single layer. Cook, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain the temperature between 300° F to 325° F, until chicken is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer chicken to the paper towel-lined rack. Serve with lemon wedges.

August 21, 2019

Four-Spice Salmon

Super easy pan-seared Salmon. Source https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014578-four-spice-salmon Ingredients 4 6-ounce skinned salmon fillets Salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander ¼ teaspoon whole or ground cloves 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seed or ground cumin 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 2 tablespoons peanut oil, grape seed or other neutral oil, or clarified butter Preparation Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Toast spices then grind them to a coarse powder in a coffee or spice grinder. Press some of the mixture onto the top of each fillet. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the oil or butter and, when it shimmers, place the fillets, coated side down, in the pan. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spice mixture forms a nicely browned crust. Turn the fillets and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the salmon just slightly resists when pierced with a thin-bladed knife.

July 3, 2019

Grilled Pastrami-Style Salmon

Super easy and delicious. This recipe can be varied in a number of ways as desired. Source http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-pastrami-style-salmon Ingredients 1 (1 ½-pound) center-cut salmon fillet 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon olive oil Cooking spray Preparation Prepare grill. Combine first 7 ingredients. Place salmon fillet, skin side down, on a cutting board or work surface; brush evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over salmon; gently rub mixture into fish. Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and chill 15 minutes. Place fish, skin side down, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

March 2, 2019

Special Chicken

This is a recipe that I made up. Equipment 14-inch cast-iron skillet Ingredients Olive oil, as needed 16 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 2 medium onions 2 shallots ¼ cup capers, rinsed 2 red bell peppers Juice of one lemon 3 chicken breasts; sliced into cutlets 16 ounces fresh spinach leaves; washed 1 ¼ cups chicken broth 3/4 cup white wine All-purpose flour (to dredge chicken) Preparation Prep Chicken Working with 1 breast at a time, starting on thick side, cut breasts in half horizontally. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour. Set aside. Cook Vegetables Heat olive oil in 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms- cook until soft. Add onions and shallots- cook until soft. Add bell pepper ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add capers and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Set aside. Cook Chicken Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 3 cutlets and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Finish Discard any oil remaining in skillet. De-glaze skillet with additional wine and/or broth. Add spinach; cook until wilted. Lay chicken atop spinach. Pour vegetables over chicken. Simmer until ready to serve. Serve.

January 31, 2018

Basic Tajine

A Tajine is a versatile clay pot with a conical lid which lends itself to slow cooked, flavor infused foods. The process in preping and cooking a dish is typically the same across most recipes: Brown meats in a skillet (or in the tajine if it’s compatible with your stove top) Cook root and other hearty vegetables. Add spices (like, Moroccan Seasoning). Layer the meats and spiced veggies into the tajine. Add cooking liquid. Cover and place into a cold oven. Cool at about 350°F for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Server with couscous, rice, quinoa, or other similar grain. Pre-soak To make the best use of a tajine pot, pre-soak the base and lid, submerged in water, for at least one hour before use. ...

November 13, 2017

BBQ Salmon

Recipe modified from source: http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/4374-bbq-wood-grilled-salmon Description Quick and easy salmon dish; nice smokey flavor with delightful BBQ notes. Serve with a crisp, fruity white wine. Equipment Gas or wood burning grill Wood Chips; preferably cedar Heavy-duty aluminum foil Pre-Prep Soak 2 cups of wood chips for 15 minutes. Pat salmon dry with paper towels- remove bones. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, make four 7x5" trays. Using tip of knife, perforate bottom of each tray. Divide wood chips among trays. Pre-heat Grill Pre-heat grill on high heat; clean, and prepare for searing meats. Ingredients 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 4 skin-on salmon fillets (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 1/4 inches thick) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon maple syrup Preparation In a small bowl, combine: ...

October 19, 2017

Ethiopian Style Chickpea Stew

Source http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/ethiopian-style-chickpea-stew Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 450°F Ingredients 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground coriander ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional) ½ teaspoon ground ginger 2 cans no-salt-added chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) , rinsed and drained 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped 1 medium red onion , chopped 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger , peeled and finely chopped 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 pound red potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks 4 carrots , cut into 1-inch chunks Preparation Spices Stir together in a small bowl; set spice mixture aside: Paprika Salt Allspice Black pepper Cardamom Cloves Coriander Cayenne Fenugreek Ginger Roast Chickpeas Toss chickpeas with a tablespoon of the oil on a large rimmed baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Roast chickpeas, stirring occasionally, until somewhat dried out and just golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes; set aside. Cook Base Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add to the pot: Garlic Onion Chopped ginger Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes more. Add Roasted Chickpeas Stir in and bring to a boil: Broth Potatoes Carrots Reserved chickpeas Finish Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes and carrots are just tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover pot and simmer until stew is thickened and potatoes and carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes more. Ladle stew into bowls.

September 26, 2015

Bean and Sausage Soup

This recipe was modified to remove the kale and yield more of a stew type of consistency. Source http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-and-white-bean-soup-106153 Equipment 8 quart soup/stew pot Ingredients 455 grams (1 lb) dried beans (half of each: Great Northern and Pinto) 2 onions, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 5 cups chicken broth 2 qt water 1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa (optional), sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick 8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces Preparation Soak Beans (I found this was not sufficient; needs a better method) ...

March 1, 2015

Sauced Shrimp with Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley

This recipe has been modified slightly to include the addition of dry white wine and reduction of butter from 3 to 1 tablespoons. Source http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sauteed-shrimp-with-lemon-garlic-and-parsley-51262060 Ingredients 1 pound fresh, medium-sized shrimp 1 bunch flat leaf parsley 4 cloves garlic 1 lemon ½ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoons butter Sea salt Freshly cracked pepper Preparation Clean and devein shrimp In cold water, clean and devein shrimp. Set aside on a paper towel to absorb any excess water. Saute In a large saute pan on medium-low heat, add enough olive oil to coat. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Add your shrimp so they are all even on the bottom of the pan. Add the zest of one lemon Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and flip. Deglaze with wine Add wine and deglaze pan. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. Finish Finish with: Handful of fresh chopped parsley The juice of the lemon One tablespoon of butter. Serve Serve hot with a baguette for dipping and/or with pasta. ...

March 1, 2015

Chráime

Ingredients 2 large baking potatoes 2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½ inch thick wedges 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed Chili peppers, quartered and seeded (your choice of the freshest available or personal favorite): 1 to 2 pimiento (cherry bomb) peppers (my personal favorite) –or– 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers (perfectly good, and readily available) –or– 1 to 2 serrano peppers (good for heat, but not much flavor) salt, to taste 1¼ to 1½ pounds of white fish fillets (tilapia, sole, halibut, or cod) 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 3 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 1 cup water ⅓ cup olive oil coarse salt, to taste Preparation In a large flame-proof casserole or Dutch oven, build the casserole: Set the potato slices on the bottom. Scatter the bell peppers, garlic, and chili peppers over the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Place the fish on top and sprinkle it with paprika and salt. Add the tomatoes and cilantro or parsley. Pour the water in at the edges. Sprinkle the top with oil Sprinkle generously with salt. Set the pan over high heat, cover, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through. Check the pan after 20 minutes; if there seems to be too much liquid, uncover the pan for the remaining cooking time. At this point, the casserole should be fully cooked and ready to serve, however, I’ve found that cooking for an extra hour, uncovered, over low heat really brings the flavors together and is really worth the extra time. ...

February 1, 2015