February 9, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged chicken, gravy, mushroom
After over a week of eating canned soup due to the winter bug, I am ready for some freshly cooked food. Something simple and quick, actually.
So, for one of those “I don’t know what to make for dinner” moments, this is a no-brainer, really. Grill or bake a chicken breast and top with gravy! How easy is that? And the gravy is wonderful. Try it!
And like I said before… brine the chicken ahead of time, if you can. It makes a whole lot of difference in taste and texture. You will be glad you did.
Ingredients (2 Servings):
2 Chicken Breasts
1/2 package Mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 tbs. Unbleached Flour
1 cup Chicken Stock
2 tbs. Unsalted Butter
Parsley, Thyme and/or Cilantro, finely chopped
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
Season the chicken breasts and cook it your way, baked or grilled.
To make the gravy, heat butter in saucepan (in medium heat) and cook mushrooms until dry and browning, 8 minutes. Add flour and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Whisk in the stock until fully incorporated and bubbly. If it’s too thick, just add more stock. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add herbs and salt & pepper to taste.
Serve chicken breast on a plate. Pour gravy on top and garnish with more herbs.
January 30, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Products, Recipes · Tagged capellini, italian, pomodoro, shrimp, tomatoes
This is both my lunch and dinner for today. A yummy no-brainer dish you can whip up in about 10 minutes. Very simple! Take a look at the photo. Now, aren’t you hungry yet? I know, I am!
So, no excuses now, ya hear?
Ingredients:
Capellini (or Angel Hair)
Uncooked Shrimp
Tomatoes, diced
Fresh Basil, chopped
Garlic Cloves, minced
Olive Oil
Parmesan, grated or shredded
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
Cook pasta to al dente, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium-low heated skillet, sweat garlic in oil for a few minutes. Turn heat up to medium and add tomatoes, shrimp, salt & pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, until shrimp is fully cooked. Be careful not to overcook shrimp. Turn off heat and fold in pasta and parmesan. Serve immediately.
January 27, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged omelet, torta
Ahh… the memories of youth! In the Philippines where I grew up, torta is a culinary heritage. A true comfort food. But it is no more than a simple omelet, really. The only thing different is that the eggs are whisked in along with the rest of the ingredients. It is actually similar to frittata, sans the cheese. And they are usually cooked as patties in a skillet, just like you would pancakes.
Torta is excellent served with rice, orzo, couscous, in a sandwich or simply snacked on by itself, dipped in a sauce. And you can dip it in almost any sauce you want… hot sauce, ketchup, thousand island dressing, hoisin, sweet chili, bbq sauce… anything, really!
Oh yeah, I actually made a few patties last night for a little potluck with friends. Quick and easy to whip up.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6):
1/2 lb. Ground Meat (Beef, Pork, Turkey, Bison, etc.)
1 Medium Russet Potato, diced
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Onion, finely diced
1 Tomato, diced
6 Eggs (4 whole, 2 whites only)
1 Bunch Scallions, finely chopped
Cilantro, chopped
Canola Oil
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
In a large skillet, thoroughly cook the meat and potatoes along with soy sauce, tomato, garlic and onions. Let it cool a little bit. In a bowl, combine cooled meat mixture with the eggs, cilantro and scallions. Season with salt & pepper and whisk until evenly incorporated. In the same skillet in medium heat, pour in just enough to form a thin pancake-size patty, one batch at a time. Cook both sides, flipping over after 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over brown the eggs. Transfer to a plate, cut in wedges (for bite-size servings) and garnish with cilantro leaves.
January 24, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged brining, chicken, garlic, parmesan
I happened upon a youtube video with Jamie Oliver whipping up a mean chicken parmesan, very quickly. There was nothing to it, really. Except that he pounded the chicken flat. Well, that’s easy, I thought. I’ve got everything I need minus the prosciutto. Oh well, the leftover turkey bacon will do for now. And I added some minced garlic which I think would be a shame, if you didn’t. It really escalates the depth of flavor. Also, I added a little balsamic vinegar at the end and I have to tell you… this dish turned out to be heavenly!
Oh yeah, it’s also worth the mention that brining the chicken in salted water not only fully flavors the meat but also keeps it moist and juicy, all throughout the cooking process. Just be careful with the amount of salt you use as the meat could end up being way too salty. As a rule… use 2 tbs. of salt per quart of water and brine overnight. If you only have a couple of hours to spare, double the amount of salt. Finally, rinse the chicken of excess salt and pat dry before cooking.
Ingredients (1 Serving):
Chicken Breast, pounded flat
2-3 Strips of Turkey Bacon
1-2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Parsley, Thyme and/or Cilantro, finely chopped
Parmesan, grated or shredded
Lemon, zested
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
Butterfly chicken breast, then pound to flatten. If chicken was brined, season with pepper. If not, use both salt and pepper. Lay butterflied chicken on a surface and spread on top minced garlic, herbs (whatever you have), lemon zest, parmesan and cover with strips of bacon. In a medium heated skillet, drizzle a little olive oil and lay breast with bacon faced down and cook for about 6-7 minutes. Flip over and cook another 7-8 minutes or so, until chicken is just cooked but not overcooked. Transfer to cutting board, let rest for at least 5 minutes then slice into strips or pieces. Serve on a plate, garnish with lemon zest, more herbs and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
January 21, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged curry, green curry, shrimp, thai, thai curry
Okay, so I have a big bag of frozen shrimp. What to do, what to do. Ah, that can of green curry that’s sitting patiently in the pantry, I hear it begging me to use it already. Why not? And there’s a big can of coconut milk, as well. Hmmm, let’s see, what else do I have left? Carrots, scallions, leftover mushrooms and baby bok choy that I was going to use for something else. Oh well…
Man, this stuff is hot!!! Spicy hot, that is. Amazingly, the green curry paste is hotter than the red variety. Anyhow, regardless of what you see in your local grocery store, don’t use anything other than the Thai-imported Maesri Brand which, unfortunately, can only be found in Asian markets. As far as I know, anyway. But they are worth hunting down, for sure.
It’s very easy to make this dish. In fact, it’s the same way I make my Red Curry Chicken, except of course this uses the green version and it has shrimp. But you can use chicken or other meats, I just happen to have a ton of shrimp in the freezer, right now. And you can use whatever vegetable you prefer. I usually add bell peppers, eggplant and onions but bok choy and mushrooms are all I’ve got, at the moment. But hey, however you do it, I promise you, it’ll be mighty good!!
January 17, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged grits, shrimp, southern food
Even though I lived in the South for years, I never had a chance to try shrimp & grits. I know! That’s like going to New York and not seeing Broadway. Anyway, I was watching the Charleston episode of No Reservations last week and was enamored by the sight of this southern staple being quickly whipped up in the kitchen, that I just had to go make it myself, already!
I was going back and forth on the DVR trying to capture the sequence of events in the making of this dish. It seemed pretty simple. And I’m glad to say it, indeed, was a breeze to make. Plus the flavors are just amazing! You oughta try it to believe it!
But as with anything, of course, I had to make little tweaks just to accommodate my preferences (by using healthier alternatives). Though for the most part, the whole process is pretty fundamental and can easily be adjusted to one’s liking.
Now, enough talk already! Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients (1 serving):
Quick Cooking Grits (1/4 cup)
Uncooked Shrimp, peeled (a few pieces)
Turkey Bacon, diced (1 strip per serving)
Unbleached Flour (1/4 cup)
Cajun/Creole Seasoning Powder
Mushrooms, sliced (a few pieces)
Garlic, minced (1 clove)
Scallions, finely chopped (1-2 tbs)
Hot Sauce
1/2 Lemon
Directions:
Cook and season grits to your preference. Usually, one serving consists of 1/4 cup grits and a cup of water. See package for further directions. Also, you can use broth for the liquid. At the end, add a dab of butter and some grated cheese of your choice.
Now, season flour with Cajun seasoning powder and lightly coat shrimp. Shake off excess flour and set aside on a plate.
In a skillet, cook diced bacon until crisp. Set aside bacon on a plate lined with paper towels. Leave the drippings on the skillet. Now, since we’re using turkey bacon here, there might not be enough grease left, just add a little cooking oil then.
Saute mushrooms in skillet for a few minutes. Add shrimp, garlic, scallions and a little hot sauce and saute for another couple of minutes. Add a little water to create a roux and keep stirring for another couple of minutes.
Right at very the end, squirt a little lemon juice and serve over grits on a bowl. Garnish with crumbled bacon, more scallions and a lemon wedge.
January 13, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged mediterranean, mushroom, paillard, portobello
Seems like I’m on a French cooking streak here, lately. Blame it on PBS! I was watching an episode of Avec Eric last weekend and was inspired by the chicken paillard Chef Ripert was preparing. However, I have been eating chicken for almost two weeks straight now and didn’t want anymore, at the moment. So, I thought of using a portobello mushroom instead.
Well, it’s flat enough, I thought. As you may know, paillard is usually a piece of thinly sliced or pounded meat (usually a chicken breast, veal or beef) that is cooked quickly in high heat and topped with some kind of salad or whatever. But this time, I didn’t want to use meat as a base. The portobello turned out to be fantastic, though. And with the Mediterranean flavors as a topping, I am definitely happy with my choice of ingredients.
By the way, the amount of my ingredients are all approximated. Feel free to switch things around, or even create your own flavors. I just happened to like this combination.
Ingredients:
2 Portobello Mushrooms (stem removed)
2 tbs Raisins (boiled)
1/2 cup White Wine
1 tbs Shallot (chopped paper thin)
1-2 cloves garlic (chopped paper thin)
1 large tomato (halved, seeds removed, diced finely)
1/4 cup Assorted Olives (pitted, halved or diced)
1/4 cup Roasted Red Bell Peppers (diced)
1/4 cup Goat Cheese or Feta (diced)
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil
Sprinkle of Pine nuts or Almonds
1 tbs Capers
1 Lemon
Fresh Ground Pepper
Directions:
Boil raisins in white wine, drain and pat dry. In a mixing bowl, combine shallot, garlic, tomato, capers, raisins, olives, roasted bell peppers, goat cheese, nuts, a grind of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Coat mushroom cap lightly with olive oil and lay upside down, on a baking pan. Top with salad mixture and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake in 450F oven for about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a plate, top with chopped basil and squeeze lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
January 11, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged almonds, amandine, pasta, spaghetti
I have to admit, that reduction sauce from the chicken roulade was mighty tasty. I knew I had to make it again and use it as a pasta sauce, this time around. So, here you go… an Italian dish with French flavors, if you will. And since I still had some leftover meat from the roulade, it took less time to prepare.
Now, however you want to whip up this dish, just don’t skimp on the almonds and cilantro. They’re the star flavors here. By the way, I used cilantro instead of parsley simply to break away from tradition. Okay, no. It’s because cilantro is all I have at the moment. But I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed, in the least!
Oh, and please, use organic ingredients whenever possible. They truly make a heck of a difference in quality and taste.
Ingredients (2 servings):
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
1 cup Chicken Stock
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1 tbs finely chopped Leeks
3 tbs chopped Cilantro
1 tbs butter
1 tbs Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
Chicken Breast (cooked and diced)
Diced cooked Veggies (Zucchini, tomato, broccoli, etc.)
1 lb. spaghetti
1 Lemon (cut in half)
Directions:
Cook spaghetti to al dente.
Using a sauce pan, toast almond slices in medium-low heat, stirring often until golden brown. Set aside half. Put the other half inside a plastic sandwich bag and pound to crush and grind. You can also use a mortar & pestle, food processor or coffee grinder to do this job.
Now, saute minced garlic and chopped leeks with olive oil in medium low heat until leeks are soft and translucent. Add in the ground almonds, wine and stock. Turn up heat to high and let boil, uncovered. Reduce liquid to half its original amount, about 15 minutes more or less. At this point, the liquid will thicken a little. Whisk in the butter, mustard, 2 tbs cilantro and the juice of half a lemon. Salt & Pepper to taste.
Add in some of the reduction sauce to the spaghetti just enough to coat every strand. Add in meat and veggies, combine and transfer to a plate. Pour some more sauce on top, if desired. Garnish with the remaining almond slices, cilantro and squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon. If you have French fried onions, you can add some on top for extra crunch.
January 6, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged cilantro, panini, turkey, veggie chips
I went to Sprouts the other day and shoveled up some fresh veggie chips in a bag. Man, those are good! I immediately thought of doing grilled cheese to go with it but I happen to have some deli slices of smoked turkey and turkey bacon from last week. And they have to be used up already. Now, the only thing missing is soup. Too bad I don’t have any right now. Oh well…
Okay, no exact recipe here, folks. I just threw in whatever’s in the fridge and pantry. On this one, I mixed in finely chopped cilantro and bacon salt with olive oil mayonnaise and slathered it on 3 slices of dill rye. I slipped in a few turkey slices, 3 strips of turkey bacon, a couple slices of provolone and more whole cilantro leaves. Then I placed it on a panini grill pan in medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. And there you go. Now, do yours!
January 3, 2010
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Recipes · Tagged chicken breast, rolls, roulade, stuffing
I’m back from my road trip and back in the kitchen. First meal of the year? Well, I just happened to be watching America’s Test Kitchen and they were doing stuffed chicken. I liked what I saw but I just had to put my own little twist to it. In this case, I added almonds to the stuffing, which gave it some crunch. Plus I took a lot of shortcuts because I’m hungry already!
So anyway, here’s what I came up with. Still pretty involved but definitely worth your patience. By the way, I’ve never pounded meat before and I must admit, the first cutlet got pretty beat up. Oh well, it still came out great! But I’m just gonna let the picture and the recipe do the rest of the talking.
Oh, and one last word. The truth is, you can create your stuffing anyway you want it. I just happened to like these ingredients. And the reduction sauce is simply fantastic! I feel like a real chef now. 
So hey, get cookin’!
Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts (boneless and skinless)
Canola Oil
1 package Mushrooms (cleaned and sliced thin)
1 small Leek (chopped)
2-3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 cup Zucchini (sliced thin)
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
1 Lemon (cut in half)
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
1 cup low-sodium Chicken Stock
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tbs Butter
Salt & Pepper
Cooking Twine
Directions:
Cut the breasts horizontally, like slicing a hotdog bun, being careful to keep the halves attached. Place cutlets on a cutting board, cover with clear wrap and pound gently until they’re thin, making sure not to poke a hole on the flesh. Set aside.
Meanwhile, toast the almond slices on a skillet in medium-low heat, stirring often until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Heat some oil on the same skillet and cook the mushroom slices and leeks together for about 10 minutes or so. Add the garlic, almond slices, a little salt & pepper and stir for a couple more minutes. Then add some chopped cilantro and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon. Stir until liquid dries out, about a couple more minutes. Now, transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse until minced.
Using a spatula, spread mixture evenly over each cutlet, roll like sushi and secure by tying twine around each roll. Salt & pepper the outside of the rolls. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat and sear all sides of each roll until golden brown. Add the sliced zucchini and pour white wine and stock just until the rolls are almost fully immersed. Add more stock if necessary. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Transfer the rolls to a cutting board, the zucchini slices to a plate and set aside.
To make the sauce, turn the heat back up to medium-high, squirt some mustard on the liquid, whisk the butter in until melted. Let the liquid reduce to half the original amount. Turn off the heat, add the rest of the cilantro and squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon. Re-season with salt & pepper if necessary.
Cut the twine from the rolls and slice into thin pieces. Serve on a plate with zucchini slices and top with the sauce. Enjoy!
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Canola Oil
1package Mushrooms (cleaned and sliced thin)
1 small Leek (chopped)
3-4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
1 lemon
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbs butterDirections:
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December 17, 2009
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged comfort food, egg noodles, ground bison, noodle soup
First of all, this will be my last recipe post for this year. Starting tomorrow, I will be embarking on a road trip that’ll have me circling around the rocky mountains for two weeks straight. I’ll be eating out for a change! But I will be back in my kitchen in the new year. See you then.
Okay, honestly, I just wanted a simple chicken noodle soup to warm me up on a cold winter night before I begin my trip. But I’ve got a ton (well, more like a quarter pound) of ground bison meat left over from making the lettuce wraps last week. This has got to go now!
I remember back in the day when my mom would often prepare creamy macaroni soup with ground beef. It was total comfort food. So, I thought of making something similar using the leftover bison meat. Definitely, a healthier version on every side.
Wow! That took me back in time. Except that I had to be aware that I’m working with a bland meat here and that seasoning is key to extracting as much flavor as possible. My mom would always make the soup so creamy but I didn’t want to rely too much on the cream so I only put a few tablespoons of milk. And I even use low-fat. You can use whole milk or even half and half and a little goes a long way with those.
Ingredients:
A couple handful of Egg Noodles
1/4 lb. Ground Bison (or any ground meat)
1/2 Frozen Peas & Carrots (or any diced vegetables)
1/2 Shallot (or onion)
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
Low-Sodium Chicken Stock (or whatever stock/broth you prefer)
Olive Oil
Finely chopped Parsley (or Scallions)
Salt & Pepper
Milk (or Half & Half)
Directions:
In a pot or dutch oven, cook ground bison in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper along the way. When the meat is almost done, add the garlic and some parsely and cook through for a few more minutes. Then add as much frozen peas & carrots as you want and pour in the stock, just enough to make the right amount of soup. When it starts to boil, add some egg noodles making sure that they’re all submerged enough to cook evenly. Just eyeball it, either add more stock or add less egg noodles. Stir and let it boil uncovered, until noodles are cooked, about 8 minutes. Re-season as needed. Turn off the heat and gradually pour in as much milk as you need. This depends on how creamy you want your soup to be. Ladle soup in a bowl and garnish with more parsley.
December 15, 2009
· Filed under Beverage, Food, Products · Tagged hemp milk, milk, non dairy
I’ve nothing against milk. I miss it. I can use a little of it for cooking purposes but for some reason, I’ve gradually become lactose intolerant and can’t gulp a whole glass without it wreaking havoc in my system. Yet, the lactose-free variety just don’t seem to be cutting it for me, anymore. For awhile, I was drinking soy milk but got tired of it, eventually. One day, I was going to pick up a carton of rice milk (which is good but a little bland, in my opinion) when I saw this one, right beside it.
Hemp milk! Hmmm… I thought it was a joke but then I got curious and wanted to at least give it a try. So I took one home and immediately poured a glassful and drank it slowly, like I was wine tasting. To my surprise, it tasted superb! Way better than soy or rice milk, in fact. Very creamy and even had a hint of (cough, cough!) grass!
Source: noshtopia.com
Nutrition-wise, it simply is a winner. A whopping 46% on the calcium scale? But forget about all that. I mean, this stuff is simply good! I can guzzle it up before and after sleep, no problem. And in fact, I have been for the past few months now. It’s been my preferred milk alternative. However, I have yet to try the hemp ice cream! I hope to find those on the shelves as I’m sure those are a sure treat, as well.
I also want to try almond milk. I get a feeling it’ll be another winner, too. Alas! Too many choices to make. Though for now, I’m really enjoying hemp milk and will probably stick to it for awhile.
December 14, 2009
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged casserole, cottage pie, gratin, humble pie, peasant food, shepherd's pie
Here’s my accidental take on the ol’ classic cottage pie. It’s supposed to be some kind of peasant food from a long time ago, made with humble ingredients. But since the ingredients I have at hand are all I have at the moment, I have to make do with them so nothing goes to waste.
Well, let’s see. I’ve got a little more bison meat leftover from a couple dishes I made earlier. A large russet potato that’s been sitting around for too long now. And a few more things in the fridge and pantry enough to make me some tasty peasant pie.
I’ve seen a lot of shepherd’s/cottage pie recipes and the one thing they seem to have in common besides the meat and potatoes, is the Worcestershire sauce. But I don’t have any right now and I’m not about to run to the store just for that. So, I simply used Liquid Smoke as a substitute. And, man oh man! Well, I’m just gonna let you try it for yourself!
I’m not gonna tell you how to make mashed potato. I’m sure you already know how to do it and you probably even have your own favorite recipe. Mine was roasted garlic-flavored with a little milk and butter substitute. Very simple but it works for me. Okay, here’s how I put everything together…
Ingredients (for 2 servings):
1 large Potato (and everything else you need to make your own mashed potato)
1/3 – 1/2 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, bison, etc.)
1/2 cup Frozen Peas & Carrots (thawed in microwave, liquid strained)
1/2 cup Finely Diced Mushrooms
1/2 can Cream Corn
1 Minced Shallot (or 1/2 onion)
2-3 Minced Garlic Cloves
Olive Oil
Breadcrumbs
Shredded/Grated Parmesan
Brown Gravy (homemade or store bought)
Parsley (optional)
French Fried Onions (optional)
Directions:
Make your own mashed potato the way you want it and set aside. Preheat oven to 375F.
Brown the meat with a little oil in a skillet. When almost done, add the garlic, shallot and mushrooms and stir until meat is cooked through. Add the frozen peas & carrots and stir one last time.
Using a gratin dish (or 2 smaller ones for single serving), spread a bed of the meat mixture and sprinkle some parmesan cheese. Now, add a layer of mashed potato on top and sprinkle with more parmesan and breadcrumbs to fully cover the top. Stick in the oven for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve straight from the dish or transfer to a plate. If you want, garnish with parsley and French fried onions. Serve with brown gravy on the side.
December 13, 2009
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged baking, blackberries, dessert, slump, walnuts
Ten packs of blackberries for ten buck? What a deal, right? After all, they’re usually four bucks a pop. Yeah, that is until I was eating blackberries for breakfast and dessert for over a week straight! Finally, I was like… Is there any other way I can use the rest of them? Really? Because frankly, I’d like to have something else for breakfast now. Well, I stumbled on a basic slump recipe on Epicurious and thought I’d use that to get rid of blackberry traces in my fridge, once and for all! Oh, and I discovered one more package of walnuts left in the pantry, as well. Hmmm. Everything else, I still have in good quantity… so, off I went to preheat the oven and prep.
Since I’m not that well versed in baking (yet), I opted to stay as close as possible to the original formula lest I end up with burnt rubber. The only thing I did differently was that I added walnuts and replaced the butter with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Oh, and I also added a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. That’s more than pushing it, I thought. But, oh well…
Hmmm… not too shabby for a neophyte baker, I tell ya! Though, I thought it would’ve been really fabulous with ice cream. But I don’t have any at the moment. Maybe I’ll stop by the store tomorrow and grab a quart. I said… maybe!
Ingredients:
3 6oz packs of Blackberries
1/2 cup Walnuts
1 cup Unbleached Flour
1 cup Organic Raw Cane Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Low-Fat Milk
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 tbs. Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Rinse blackberries in tap water, pat dry with paper towel and spread around a 6-cup gratin dish. Sprinkle 3/4 cup sugar evenly and reserve the rest for the batter mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and whisk until evenly distributed. Pour mixture on top of the blackberries and bake in oven for about 40 minutes or until top is golden. Allow to rest and cool for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
December 12, 2009
· Filed under Cooking, Food, Ingredients, Recipes · Tagged asian, ground bison, lettuce wraps, tofu
For dinner the other night, I wanted to do a lettuce wrap with tofu but also wanted a little meat on it. At the store, I was trying to decide on either lean ground beef or turkey when I spotted the bison meat on sale. Usually, these guys cost twice as much as the beef version but this time, it was the same price almost. Now, I thought it’s probably because I had to eat it within the next 24 hours before it goes bad… but no! It was good for another week or so. Cool!
Bison meat is very healthy. It’s actually more nutritious than chicken. The only beef (no pun intended) I have about it is that it’s a little on the bland side. Since it has very little fat, you really have to rely on seasonings to help bring out some flavor. I’ve had bison burgers in the past and I gotta tell ya, I’m just tired of pouring in so much ketchup just to liven it up, y’know. So in this dish, I seasoned it liberally with Chinese five spice, some soy sauce and fresh ground pepper. After all, with flavor challenged ingredients like bison and tofu on the forefront, you just gotta help kick it up a few notches ‘cuz they won’t do it by themselves.
But hey, I will tell you that this dish totally rocks! It is so refreshing and so filling. And you can easily make it vegetarian by simply omitting the meat and maybe doubling the amount of mushrooms.
Ingredients:
1/3 lb Ground Bison
3-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Frozen Peas & Carrots
1 Portobello Mushroom, finely diced
1/2 bunch Scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
1/2 of 14oz package Tofu, cut into half inch cubes
Butterhead Lettuce (Bibb or Boston)
Lemon Wedges
Fresh Ground Pepper
Soy Sauce
Chinese Five Spice
Canola Oil
1 tbs. Pure Sesame Oil
Directions:
In a dutch oven (or large skillet), brown ground bison in a little canola oil over medium heat, seasoning with soy sauce, five spice and ground pepper as it cooks. When it’s almost done, add garlic, onions, peas & carrots, mushrooms and stir for about 5 minutes or so. Mix in the hoisin sauce and pure sesame oil. Stir to incorporate evenly. Turn off the heat and gently fold in the tofu being careful not to mash the cubes. Spoon mixture on lettuce leaves. Do not overload! Squeeze a little lemon juice and eat like you would a taco!
