broth

Chinese Pork Dumplings In Tamarind Broth

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Chinese dumplings in soup – there must be a thousand and one variations. Different stuffings, different shapes, different wrappers to enclose the dumplings, dumplings without wrappers (spherical), different broths/soups, thick soups, clear soups, different vegetables to include in the soups, etc, etc, etc.
Then there are all the other Asian countries who have their own traditional versions of all of the above. So, basically, there is probably a MILLION and one recipes out there, one better than the other. 🙂
I have prepared many different ones myself over the decades, both while working in Asia and learning from the locals, as well as creating my own versions of some of the ones I learned to prepare over the years.
The point is, there are too many Asian dumpling soups to mention, but here I give you the most basic, delicious and quick version there is. Once you master this, you will be able to build on that knowledge and practice, preparing your own versions with the ingredients which are the most easy to obtain, the most affordable and the most delicious for your own preferred taste and texture. For this basic recipe, I suggest that you use store-bought wanton wrappers, ground pork and tamarind broth. Then, next time, move on to shrimp, lobster, scallops, chicken or whatever protein you prefer, then use any vegetables or mushrooms you have at hand, any broth/soup such as chicken, beef, fish, sour, spicy, with or without egg, thickened or clear, with or without garlic, with or without ginger, sesame oil, chili oil, fresh lime, calamansi, or – WHATEVER !
Just try to make the whole soup a harmonious combination of flavors and textures. 🙂
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for  CHINESE NEW YEAR EGG DUMPLING SOUP ( 蛋饺 ) ( DAN JIAO )  on  ChefsOpinion    (Click here to read about : The Year of the Pig begins on Tuesday February 5, 2019)

Click here for more  Dumplings  on  ChefsOpinion

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P.S.
To prepare the tamarind broth, season chicken beef, seafood or Vegetable broth with tamarind paste or granulated tamarind to taste
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Just a pretty set………

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Pork Dumplings In Tamarind Broth

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Pork Dumplings In Tamarind Broth

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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Gordon Bond

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Beef , Shiitake And Mung Bean Noodles In Ginger/Garlic Broth

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Here  you have one of these dishes were you can have a meal fit for a king with a minimum effort of labor and a very reasonable cost of ingredients.
Just plan ahead and either cook the beef the day before you want to eat the soup, or, if you want to have it for dinner after work, start the beef and it’s broth as soon as you get up in the morning. Bring it to a simmer, let it cook for as long as you can before you leave the house, then just let the beef cool in the broth until you get home. Also at that point, soak the shiitake in some of the hot broth during the day. From there it will only take another 10 minutes to finish this sexy beauty (the time to cook the noodles) and voilà ! –  ready for a soup as good (or better) as you can get in your favorite noodle-house. 🙂

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Beef , Shiitake And and Mung Bean Noodles In Ginger.Garlic Broth

Beef , Shiitake And Mung Bean Noodles In Ginger/Garlic Broth

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Beef , Shiitake And and Mung Bean Noodles In Ginger.Garlic Broth

Beef , Shiitake And Mung Bean Noodles In Ginger/Garlic Broth

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic/Ginger Broth

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Usually  we use this cut of the animal to make Osso Buco (originally done with veal shanks), but I love me a hearty soup more than anything else, so I decided to prepare this dish with some pork shanks my friend Curtis dropped off last time he came to visit. Great, simple dinner, bursting with flavor and texture 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Pork Shank's & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Pork Shank's & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Preparation :
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simmer pork shank's in stock seasoned with star anis, cinnamon, garlic paste, black pepper, salt and grated ginger until tender but NOT falling apart

simmer pork shank’s in stock seasoned with star anis, cinnamon, garlic paste, black pepper, salt and grated ginger until tender but NOT falling apart

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meanwhile, blanch green beans and cook lai fen pasta (rice flour bucatini)

meanwhile, blanch green beans and cook lai fen pasta (rice flour bucatini)

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add beans to soup

add beans to soup

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add diced peppers, onions and lap cheong (chinese sausage), check/adjust seasoning

add diced peppers, onions and lap cheong (chinese sausage), simmer two more minutes, check/adjust seasoning

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add lai fen to serving bowl

add lai fen to serving bowl

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to serve, top noodles with meat, vegetables and broth, sprinkle with chopped cilantro

to serve, top noodles with meat, vegetables and broth, sprinkle with chopped cilantro

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Pork Shank's & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Pork Shank's & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

Pork Shank’s & Lai Fen In Garlic Ginger Broth

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Easy Does It # 6 – Express Ramen

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Dear  Friend’s
Although most of my followers are culinary professionals, there is also a large segment of followers who are just starting to enjoy cooking on a slightly higher than basic level. I have therefore decided to publish, under the moniker “Easy Does It“,  from time to time some very basic recipe variations of dishes which otherwise might seem complicated to some folks. I will break them down to the easiest, most simple instructions, so that those of you who are intimidated by elaborate recipes will be able to prepare these dishes properly, adjusted to your taste and liking, right from the get-go.
Enjoy :-)
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In  the foodie world everybody act’s as if  ramen  has been invented yesterday morning. In reality, it has been around forever, being a very special and revered dish in it’s original form. However, since the instant variety has been invented, it has been the stable of millions of students and other young folks around the world. It is simple to prepare, costs only pennies and is filling and tasty.
I have made many different types of  ramen soups over the past few decades, starting out with the instant form as a young kid. Gradually I started adding “stuff” to my soups, roast pork, chicken, beef, any kind of seafood, herbs, vegetables, cooked eggs, whisked eggs, poached eggs, you name it, it has found its way into my ramen. But even when I make it from scratch, I still use store bought ramen noodles. Some Asian specialty shops have good quality ramen, so if you can, splurge a little  on quality. In a pinch, angel hair pasta cooked  al dente,  with a bit of baking soda added to the water, is a reasonable fine substitute.
However, today I want to show you how to make a simple ramen from the instant variety. Discard the seasoning packages that comes in the packs. Use a good home made pork stock (substitute with chicken stock if you prefer), season with  miso,  grated ginger, garlic paste, sea salt, soy sauce, sesame oil and sake.

Bon Appetit !    どうぞめしあがれ  (Douzo Meshiagare)
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to serve, add egg yolk to the soup (substitute with cooked egg if you prefer)

to serve, add egg yolk to the soup (substitute with cooked egg if you prefer)

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Express Ramen

Express Ramen

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Dear Friend’s, to help support this blog, please be so kind and click on the video on the bottom of this page.
(You don’t have to watch it, just click once)   Thank you 🙂
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Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

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Sunday  dinner was simple today. I did not feel like spending too much time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up, so it was a simple stew with biscuits. Nevertheless, it tasted and looked wonderful and the chicken was especially well received by Bella 🙂
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Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

Chicken In Saffran Broth, Vegetables & Cream Biscuits

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Ingredient’s :

Chicken drumsticks,
Corn on the cob,   shucked, cut into pieces
Cauliflower,   rosettes, blanched
Potatoes,   peeled, diced
Shiitake mushrooms,   stem removed, quartered
Leeks,   sliced
Onions,   diced
Chilis,   select for your favorite heat level
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Cilantro,   chopped
Saffran threads,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Chicken stock,

Method :

Simmer chicken, garlic, and ginger in lightly seasoned stock for 10 minutes. Add corn and simmer for another 15 minutes, Add all other vegetables and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add saffran and let steep for another 20 minutes. Return to heat until hot. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with cream biscuits on the side.
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Cream Biscuit Recipe Click Here
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Bon Appetit !   La vie est bien !

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Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

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Saturday  lunch should be quick, light and delicious !
Well, here you go :
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Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

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Simmer chicken drumsticks in chicken broth seasoned with kosher salt, maggi, freshly ground black pepper, grated ginger and garlic paste until tender but not falling apart. Add blanched cauliflower florettes, diced white cabbage and diced green bell peppers. Bring back to simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat, add grape tomatoes. Adjust seasoning if required. Ladle over orzo (risoni) and sprinkle liberally with cilantro and finely grated parmigiano reggiano
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P.S.
If you ever wonder why I add grape tomatoes to so many of my dishes, here is why: First, I love the color accent it lend’s to many dishes. Second and even more important, I love the way they “pop” in the mouth and give you that instant tomato goodness. There you have it  🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Have A Great Weekend !
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” Zuppa Pavese “

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There was a time when this was on nearly every Italian restaurant’s menu.
Unfortunately, over time, it was watered down at most places to a thin,
packaged chicken broth with a thin slice of white bread, an egg yolk and
a bit of crappy cheese sprinkled on top. Of course people stayed away from that crap.
However, when properly done, with love ( and a good appetite ), this soup is
pure soup-heaven.
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All about  Zuppa Pavese
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Ingredients :

Chicken stock,  seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg  (or beef stock if you prefer)
Sour dough bread,  thick sliced
Roasted garlic paste,
Whole egg,  very fresh
Pecorino romano,  (or parmigiano reggiano if you prefer)
Italian parsley,  chopped

Method :

Spread some roasted garlic paste on bread, saute or grill on one side until golden.
Remove, sprinkle finely grated cheese on the other side, gratinate until golden.
Meanwhile, heat your serving dish until very hot. Heat your broth until simmering.
Place bread in serving dish, individual portion or family style, one large slice per person.
Carefully crack one egg on each slice.Ladle soup over eggs, careful not to break them.
The eggs should be covered by the broth. Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top.
The soup is now ready to serve, but if you like your eggs more done, bake in oven a few
minutes until the eggs are done to your liking.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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” Tortellini En Brodo ” (Shrimp Dumplings In Broth)

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When  I was growing up in germany in the 5o’s, newly arrived immigrant workers who had started new restaurants featuring their own countries food, had opened up a whole new world of culinary delights to regular folk’s who could not afford to go to the more established restaurants. These restaurants were usually too expensive for the working class people. However, it was much more affordable to dine at one of the myriad of quickly sprouting ethnic restaurant’s, opened by families who had recently immigrated to Germany, which at the time was in dire need of workers to the fill hundreds of thousands open job’s during the “Wirtschaftswunder” years. I remember the first time I saw and had the opportunity to savor such exotic treats as pizza, gyros, cevapchichi, tortellini, shashlik, paella, baklava, gelato, etc, etc. It was a time of constant culinary adventure for our family. We tried to experience as many new dishes as possible and had a wonderful time exploring food we never before had heard of, much less seen or eaten. Like I said, there was a time (a few years after WWII ) when even pizza was new and exotic to us. One of my greatest favorites was “tortellini in brodo”. Here is my version of this great soup :
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This Image Source: BrowsingRome

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This Image Source: BrowsingRome

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I have made these tortellini with frozen won ton wrappers instead of a regular pasta dough. The wontons wrappers cook much faster then regular pasta dough, so for the filling I used chopped cooked shrimp,  mixed them with egg white, white wine, salt and pepper .

Bon Appetito !   Life is Good !
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” Veal Broth With Matzoh Ball’s & Veal Rib’s “
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For many year’s I buy most of my beef, morcilla and chorizo from an Argentinian butcher in Hialeah who sometimes calls me for “specials”.
Usually those are offal and other cuts he has difficulty selling to his American customers, but which he knows I treasure. His older Latino and Haitian customers are also not afraid of that stuff, but the younger crowd usually prefers more mainstream cuts. Wednesday he called me because he had some “specials”. To my surprise, when I got there the specials were veal ribs. It is beyond me why he called me for these, because clearly everybody loves ribs. ( Maybe he was just trying to be nice, not usually one of his outstanding attributes  🙂  Anyway, for $4.50 a pound I did not complain and came home with 10 pound of them (Plus some other goodies)
So here we go :
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Soup:
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Simmer ribs with celery, carrots, onions, leek, garlic, ginger, star anise and chopped tomatoes until ribs are tender, about 2 hours.
Remove ribs, set aside. Strain broth, season with salt, cayenne pepper, lime juice and maggi seasoning.
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Matzo Balls Recipe: 
1 cup matzo meal
3 eggs
3 tblsp oil or rendered chicken fat
1/4 cup seltzer (exact amount depends on the size of the eggs and the coarseness of the matzo meal)
3 tblsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Mix all wet ingredients together, then fold in matzo meal, salt and pepper and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Shape into golfball sized balls, drop into boiling water, cover, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until fully cooked (cut one in half to check if it’s done).


To serve, combine ribs, broth and matzo balls , sprinkle with
chopped cilantro or sliced chives. Grated parmesan optional.
(Not kosher, but I use it anyway)
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Es gezunterheyt !   עס געזונטערהײט !   Life is Good !
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” Braised Chicken, Garbanzos & Potatoes “

Enjoying a light, delicious and healthy soup for lunch.
Cream cheese & parmesan raviolini, spicy veal meatballs,
shrimp and broccoli rabe in chicken broth.
Life is Good !   🙂