beautiful food

“Breakfast Of Champions # 15 ” – Scrambled Eggs…..

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Don’t  you just hate it when you go to bed real late because you don’t have to work the next day and you look forward to sleeping-in in the morning, just to have your sweet dreams shattered by your inner alarm clock  at your regular get-up time (3.30am).  Why does my inner alarm clock not work when I forget to set my electronic alarm or when there is a power-out during the night ???  Anyway, since I was up and was going to watch a movie  ( Amour, by Michael Haneke ), a good breakfast was in order :

” Scrambled egg’s with naan, greek yogurt, Argentinian chorizo and sauted grape tomatoes, corn and peppers in herbed  garlic butter ”

Good start for the last day of 2012   🙂

Have a great day !   Live is Good !
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P.S.
Make sure you cook your eggs in the rendered chorizo fat after sauteing the sausages.
They’ll  loose a bit of their bright color but they gain so much flavor  🙂
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Chinese Pickled Cucumber

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Chinese  cucumber  salad.  涼拌黃瓜 (liáng bàn huáng guā)
This is a dish I make often at home. It is easy to prepare, economical , (say cheap if you want  :-). It holds up well in the fridge for a few day’s and I use it as appetizer, side dish or snack during any time of the day, but mostly late at night when I want something tasty, fresh and spicy.

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Ingredients :

Cucumbers,   cut into batons
White rice vinegar,
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Chili ,   diced  (substitute peper flakes if you must)
Soy sauce,   just a small amount, so as not to discolor cucumbers
Sesame oil,
Kosher salt,
Sugar,

Method :

Salt the cucumbers, cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Discard the salty juices which have collected. Ad all other  ingredients, adjust seasoning if necessary.

Note: For a variation add a teaspoon of finely diced ginger. You can substitute the cucumber with another vegetable such as radish, jicama, cabbage or Chinese cabbage.
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Curried Lentil Soup With Pork & Pork

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” Curried  lentil soup with pork, vegetables, potatoes, sun dried tomatoes, chilis and chicharones (the other pork) ”

Last night it was a bone chilling 68 F  outside, (this is Florida, folks),
so  this one-pot meal provided much needed  heat and comfort  🙂
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Ingredients :

Pork butt,   diced
Chicken stock,
Lentils,   any color will do
Bell peppers,   diced
Onions,   diced
Potatoes,   diced
Celery,   diced
Carrots,   diced
Sun dried tomatoes,   chopped
Garlic,   paste
Chicharones,
Butter,   substitute with olive oil if you prefer
Kosher salt,
Cayenne,
Maggi seasoning,

Method :

Saute onions, carrots, celery, sun dried tomatoes and garlic in butter until onions are translucent. Add curry powder, saute slowly for 30 seconds. Add pork, chicken stock and seasoning. Simmer until pork is tender. Remove pork, set aside, cover so it does not discolor. Add lentils to stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Add potatoes and peppers. Simmer until tender but not falling apart. Blend one quarter of the soup until smooth and thick. Return to pot, add pork and heat through. Adjust seasoning if required. To serve, sprinkle with chicharones.

Bon Appetit !   Stay Warm !
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More Udon

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” Udon Noodles,  Broccoli Rabe,  Shrimp  and Shiitake Mushrooms In Spicy Beef Broth ”
I still had some fresh udon noodles and the beef broth from a few days ago, so what better midnight snack  (1.30 am actually),  then a nice noodle soup. Obviously, this would be fine for any time of the day, breakfast, lunch, dinner or any time in between   🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Beef stock,   ( from beef ribs, see  HERE  )
Udon noodles,
Broccoli rabe,   blanched
Shiitake mushrooms,   soaked
Onion,   sliced
Shrimp,   peeled and deveined
Chilis,   sliced
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Cilantro,  chopped
Chili flakes,
Lime,   juiced
Kosher salt,
Soy sauce,
Sesame oil,
Sriracha sauce,

Method :

Saute onion, garlic, ginger, mushroom and shrimp.
Add all other ingredients except cilantro and sesame oil,
simmer for one minute. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning
if necessary. To serve, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle
with cilantro and chili flakes .

Bon Appetit !   Life is good !
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Parmesan Encrusted Pork Cutlet, Sauteed Potatoes & Chili Butter

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Merry  X-mas Everybody  🙂

After I jumped out of bed at 3.30am, thinking I’ll be late for work and realizing only after a quick shower and an even quicker breakfast (one banana and one cup of tea) that it is sunday and x-mas to boost, I took a long walk with Bella while pondering what to have for lunch. I was so hungry by mid morning that I had an early lunch  (late second breakfast ?,  or as we call it in southern Germany, “Vesper”)
Wonderful tasty breaded pork cutlet  with spicy sauted potatoes and  Scotch Bonnet & Garlic Compound Butter.
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Ingredient’s :

Pork cutlet,   seasoned with salt, cayenne pepper, roasted garlic paste and lime juice
AP flour,
Whole egg,   whisked
Bread crumbs,   mixed 50/50  with grated parmesan cheese
Peanut oil,   to saute
Butter whole,   to saute

Potatoes,   sliced, blanched
Red peppers,   diced
Scallions,   sliced
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Peanut oil,   to saute
Butter whole,   to saute

Method :

Season pork cutlet, dust with flour, dip into egg wash and bread with bread crumb / parmesan mixture. Saute in oil until almost done and golden brown. Replace oil with butter and saute until pork chop reaches 162 0n the bone. Remove absorbent paper.
Saute potatoes in oil until light golden and crisp. Add diced peppers, salt and cayenne. Drain oil and replace with whole butter. Saute until butter starts to foam and slightly changes color. To serve, sprinkle potatoes with scallion and top chop with chili butter.

Bon Appetit !   Live is Good !
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Beef Ribs, My Way

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” Beef rib’s with fresh horseradish and cabbage, apple and avocado slaw”
Boiled  (simmered, actually)  beef  has a long tradition in many cultures.

Usually, we boil brisket, neck. shanks, cheeks, tail, and any other part
which is rich with fat and / or connective tissue. There is only one rule :
Slowly does it ! As far as I am concerned, the best condiment to go with
boiled beef is horseradish. The German traditional dish :
“Gekochte Rinderbrust mit Meerettich Sauce”,
(Boiled Beef Breast with Horseradish Sauce ) , usually served with steamed
white cabbage and steamed or roasted potatoes, is to die for. In my opinion,
the very best part of the animal for “boiling” are the ribs. The texture when
cooked right (very slow, very tender but NOT! overcooked) is just unequaled
by any other cut for this preparation. An added bonus is the rich beef stock
you get, which I usually have for breakfast the next two or three day’s
(See also :   Breakfast Of Champions # 11 ” Millefanti In Brodo Di Carne “  )

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Beef :

Ingredient’s :

Beef ribs,   cleaned of excess (but not all) fat
Black pepper corn,   crushed
Tomato,   fresh, crushed
Star anis,   crushed
Ginger,   sliced
Garlic,   sliced
Kosher salt,
Lime juice

Method :

Simmer all ingredients until beef is tender, but NOT overcooked.
Strain stock and reserve for other uses.

Slaw :

Ingredient’s :

Red cabbage,   finely sliced
Avocado,   sliced
Chilis,   sliced
Apple,  sliced,
Onion,   sliced
Apple vinegar,
Cayenne pepper,
Kosher salt,
Lime juice
Walnut oil,

Method :

Salt the cabbage and let rest for twenty minutes.
Squeeze and discard all salty juice. Add all other
ingredients and mix carefully so as not to break
up the apples and avocados.

Horseradish :

Grate finely and mix with a bit of limejuice ans kosher salt.

To finish dish, sprinkle with scallions or chives and drizzle with chili oil.
Serve with pretzel or rustic sour dough bread.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Udon, Seafood & Bok Choy

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As far as I am concerned, all noodles could be udon noodles.
I just love them in any prep variation, be it with seafood, beef,
mushrooms, in a soup, sautéed, stir fried, any which way will do it for me 🙂
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Click here to read all about UDON
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Ingredient’s :

Udon noodles,   fresh, from your Asian market
Mixed seafood,  any type you prefer
Baby bok choy,
Onion,   sliced
Cilantro,   coarsely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Soy sauce,
Sherry,
Sriracha,
Oyster sauce,
Sesame oil,
Chili oil,
Lime juice,
Peanut oil, to saute

Method :

Saute seafood in very hot peanut oil, remove onto absorbent paper. Add onion, garlic and ginger and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add noodles, bok choy, soy sauce, oyster sayce, sriracha and a bit of sherry wine and saute until noodles are heated trough. Remove from heat, add seafood and sesame oil, mix well. To serve, drizzle with lime juice and chili oil, sprinkle with cilantro.

Note:
As you can see from the mis en place picture, I used inexpensive  (but nevertheless good) mixed seafood since this was only a go-between snack. For a more elegant and important meal, use large prawns, scallops, lobster, mussels, etc. However, the taste of the dish and the texture of the noodles should be satisfying either way.

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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If Hot Dog – Good Hot Dog !

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If  you do it – do it right !
Even a simple hot dog can
give tremendous culinary pleasure.

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Spicy italian sausage,
Garlic bun
Gorgonzola,
Kosher pickles,
Butter sauteed onions
Chili flakes

Pickled slaw of red and white cabbage, cucumber & onion,
Scotch bonnet sauce,
Ketchup,
Dijon mustard

=  Good Hot Dog  🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Breakfast Of Champions # 14 ”Ham & Cheese Sandwich”

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Sautéed  Wrap With Ham, Sharp Cheddar, Pecorino Romano, Egg, Spinach & Sriracha.
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Saute spinach with onions and garlic paste in butter.
Cook eggs and ham in butter.
Sprinkle grated pecorino on wrap, top with ham,
sprinkle with sharp cheddar, top with spinach,
sprinkle with more pecorino. Top with egg.
Drizzle with sriracha. Roll into tight cylinder,
Enclose tightly with aluminium foil to prevent roll
from opening while sautéing. Cut into thick slices.
Saute slowly in butter until the cheese inside the roll
has melted and a golden, crispy crust has formed on
top and bottom.  Enjoy with a glass of ice cold milk.
What a great way to start the day  🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Flank On Peperonata

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“Flank On Peperonata”

Or, as you might read on a “up to date” , “modern” menu :

Tender Wagyu kobe beef, dry aged for 42 days and 7.5 hours, sautéed in extra extra extra virgin olive oil on a finely tuned $ 200k aga stove in a guy fieri designed kitchen, accompanied by farm raised baby bell peppers from a farm 370 yards away from our kitchen, perrier-washed grape tomatoes, organic grown pearl onions which were hand selected and washed by  a young, 16 year old future master chef , and lightly, delicately and expertly sprinkled with cilantro which has grown undisturbed by such adversaries as snow and sandstorms on a sunny slope in the beautiful napa valley…………….blah blah blah ……

But then, to each his/her own cup of tea   🙂

Here we go :
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Read also :  Food’s Biggest Scam : The Great Kobe Beef Lie !
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Bon Appetit !   Live is Good !
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