cooking

Pasta With Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew-Pesto And Ricotta

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Question : Who love’s a bright-green, traditional, heavenly aromatic basil pesto?
Answer : Just about everybody does, that’s who. (Including myself)
However, for my very own personal taste, I prefer to pair traditional pesto with light and airy gnocchi, while I love to marry a rustic pasta like penne rigate, rigatoni, farfalle or bucatini with a more complex pesto such as this Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew-Pesto.
I hope that the Italian purist’s out there will forgive me and maybe even agree with my opinion that a non-traditional pesto such as this Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew-Pesto can elevate a simple pasta to even greater culinary bliss than a one-note basil/pine pesto nut will ever be able to do. In my humble opinion, anyway……. 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Pesto on ChefsOpinion
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Pasta With Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew Pesto And Ricotta

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: to 1 cup sun dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil add 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup salted cashew nuts, 2 tblsp garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: pulse with hand mixer until coarsely chopped

: add 1 cup tightly packed basil leaves and 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, pulse again until basil is coarsely chopped, check/adjust seasoning

: Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew Pesto

: meanwhile, cook and drain 1 lb pasta, add 1/2 of the pesto (reserve left over pesto for other use)

: mix pasta and pesto

: divide pasta onto four serving plates

: sprinkle pasta with fresh-grated parmigiano reggiano, top with 2 oz ricotta, sprinkle with small basil leaves ; serves 4

: Pasta With Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew Pesto And Ricotta

: Pasta With Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew Pesto And Ricotta

: Pasta With Sun-dried Tomato/Cashew Pesto And Ricotta

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Cordon Brie

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I had been thinking of and lusting for chicken cordon bleu the whole day long, so on my way home I stopped at the store to buy the ingredients.
They should have been : Two large, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, a pack of sliced ham and a pack of sliced swiss cheese.
However, when I got home I realized that I had forgotten the swiss cheese. At first I wanted to rush back to the shop to get the swiss cheese, but when I took the eggs for the breading out of the fridge I saw a lovely brie cheese and made an executive decision – “tonight’s chicken cordon bleu shall contain brie instead of swiss”.
During dinner, I decided that from now on, ALL cordon bleu in my house will be made with brie. Brie is so much more tasty and runny than swiss, so it makes the perfect filling.
Long live ” Cordon ~~Bleu~~ Brie ” !
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
If you are a light eater, you might want to cut each cordon brie into half before breading to yield 4 four portions instead of the two I prepared for Bella and I
– one to be served hot for tonight, the other one to be served cold (room temperature) tomorrow.
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Honey/Yogurt Dressing:
Mix 1/3 cup mayo, 1/3 cup greek yogurt, 1 tblsp honey, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste; whisk until smooth, check/adjust seasoning
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Cordon Brie

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Preparation :
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: peel and cut 1 medium size avocado into bite-size pieces, cut 6 ea red radishes into wedges, add the heart of 1 small endive and 2 oz of yogurt dressing

: Endive, Radish And Avocado Salad In Yogurt Dressing

: cut the 8 oz breasts horizontally into 4 cutlets, score lightly to avoid shrinkage

: to each of two cutlets, add 1 slice ham and one 3 oz slice of brie

: top both pieces with 1 slice ham each

: top both with the remaining two cutlets

: whisk two whole eggs with 2 tblsp shredded parmesan cheese, 1 tsp sriracha, 1/2 tsp garlic paste and kosher salt to taste

: flour, egg mix, bread crumbs

: saute both cordon brie in 4 tblsp vegetable oil until almost done, discard oil, add 2 oz whole butter, finish cooking on both sides; serves 2 VERY large portions or 4 regular portions if cut in half before breading

: Cordon Brie

: Cordon Brie

: Cordon Brie

: Cordon Brie

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Nasi Goreng

Restaurant Version Nasi Goreng >

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Nasi Goreng can be had in one version or another in many Asian countries. Actually, it is the national dish of Indonesia, where it can be eaten at any time of the day from road side hawker carts to 5 star restaurants and in any home.
As with so many Asian dishes I learned about in Germany the 60’s, the”Nasi Goreng” of my youth was usually made with curry powder, which qualified the dish as “exotic” :-).
In later years, while working and travelling in Asia, I got to know the real stuff, usually seasoned with sambal ulek and kecup manis, garlic, sauteed and fried shallots and soy sauce.
However, even back then when I was a kid and enjoyed the curry powder versions, the standard accompaniments (Garniture) were the same as you’d find in a good restaurant then and now anywhere around the world, where appearance is almost as important as taste : Kroepek (shrimp crackers), sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, fried eggs, fried shallots and satay’s with peanut sauce.
Today, after coming home from work, “Garniture” was not in the forefront of my mind but rather a hearty, spicy, quick to prepare dish which would hit all the buttons of my culinary lust 🙂
So here it is : Nasi goreng without the bells & whistles but at it’s tastiest !
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
As you can see in the picture, I used fresh-cooked rice. Day old rice is of course preferable for any fried rice, including nasi goreng, but I needed to have my fix NOW.
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Nasi Goreng

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Preparation :
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: stir fry 1 1/2 cup diced chicken and 1 1/2 cup peeled and deveined shrimp in 2 tblsp peanut oil, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste; add 2 sliced medium hot chilis, 1 small finely sliced onion 3 cups cooked rice, 1 tsp sambal olek, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 2 tsp kecap manis, 1 tsp soy sauce

: add kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, stir fry until well mixed and the rice starts to “pop”, check/adjust seasoning; put the nasi goreng on a serving dish, sprinkle with fried shallots

: top nasi goreng with 3 fried eggs, sprinkle with chili flakes and sliced scallions; serves 3

: Nasi Goreng

: Nasi Goreng

: Nasi Goreng

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Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli In Tomato Sauce, Aji Amarillo And Pangrattato

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Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli In Tomato Sauce, Aji Amarillo And Pangrattato

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After three relaxing days of mostly doing nothing, today I decided to spend a bit of time in the kitchen and treat myself to a wonderful dish I absolutely love, but which, because of the space-constraints in my tiny kitchen, I don’t prepare often enough.
It gives me great pleasure to make fresh pasta, but in a small workspace the flour needed to dust the surface while rolling and kneading the dough can be a bit messy 😦
However, today the craving for this dish won against the aversion to mess and I went ahead and prepared what must be one of the best pasta dishes to ever come out of my (tiny) kitchen 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Pangrattato-Instructions on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for Tomato Sauce Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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Salsa Aji Amarillo:
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Ingredients :
3 oz queso fresco
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp garlic paste
4 ají peppers (seeded and deveined)
1/2 teaspoon huacatay paste
4 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp raw peanuts
kosher salt, to taste
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Method :
Chop peppers, onion, saute in 2 tblsp olive oil until soft. Put sauteed vegetables and all other ingredients into a blender, process until creamy and smooth. Check/adjust seasoning.
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Pasta Dough :
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Ingredients :
2 ¹⁄₂cups A/P flour
3 -4 eggs (depending on size)
^{Kosher salt to taste}>
Method :
Sift the flour onto the work surface, make a well in the center
Add the eggs, one at a time, add the salt.
Mix the eggs, then add a little flour at a time from the well, until all the flour has been used.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding flour if dough is too sticky.
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Filling :
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Ingredients :
1 cup ricotta cheese, softened
²⁄₃cup pumpkin, peeled, finely diced, cooked tender, drained, cooled
¹⁄₄cup fresh-grated parmesan cheese
1 whole egg, beaten
fresh-grated nutmeg, kosher salt salt and cayenne pepper to taste

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Method :
mash pumpkins and ricotta, add all other ingredients, mix well
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Ravioli :
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Method :
Roll pasta into thin sheets, cut into wide strips, brush edges lightly with water
Add filling at equal distance
Fold over the sheet of pasta, squeeze-out air
Cut out the individual ravioli shapes using pastry cutter or shape cutter, press with a slightly smaller scalloped ring to give a “crimped” appearance
Cook 5-7 minutes in boiling water, depending on the thickness of the dough and filling
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Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli In Tomato Sauce, Aji Amarillo And Pangrattato

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: saute breadcrumbs in butter

: pangrattato

: boil ravioli until done, about 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness and amount of filling, drain, toss with 3 tblsp olive oil

: add tomato sauce to serving dish

: add ravioli

: drizzle ravioli with more tomato sauce, sprinkle with parmigiano romano

: drizzle with salsa aji amarillo

: sprinkle with pangrattato

: sprinkle with finely sliced chives

: Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli In Tomato Sauce, Aji Amarillo And Pangrattato

: Pumpkin & Ricotta Ravioli In Tomato Sauce, Aji Amarillo And Pangrattato

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Not your Ordinary Balls

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Veal Meatballs in Pesto Cream With Garlicky Spaghetti And Concasse

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These meatballs resemble “Konigsberger Klopse” more than “Italian Meatballs”.
Made of veal, simmered, then served in veloute, they look and taste very distinct from the meatballs most folks are familiar with.
I hope that with this post I can convince you that there is more to meatballs than the usual suspects in tomato sauce.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Veal Meatball Recipe:

Ingredients:
20 oz ground veal
2 whole eggs
1/2 cup panko
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp dijon mustard
kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method:
Mix all ingredients well, shape 6 golf ball sized spheres, simmer in lightly salted water until done, about 15 minutes
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Veal Meatballs in Pesto Cream With Garlicky Spaghetti And Concasse

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: simmer meatballs in 1qt lightly salted water until cooked through, about 15 minutes, remove meatballs, cover, keep warm; strain stock, reduce to 1/2 qt

: saute 1 tblsp flour in 1 tblsp butter, add the stock, simmer slowly for 8 minutes, add 1/2 cup heavy cream

: add a few sprigs of curly parsley and 3 tblsp pesto

: blend until smooth, check/adjust seasoning

: add meatballs to sauce

: saute 1 tblsp garlic paste in 2 tblsp olive oil until fragrant

: add 1 cup peeled/diced tomatoes, saute another minute

: add 8 oz cooked spaghetti, add kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, mix well

: divide pasta into 2 deep plates

: divide the meatballs with the sauce between the 2 plates

: sprinkle with grated parmigiano romano; serves 2

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Goan Chicken Curry

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This is the very best chicken curry – at least for me and my own, personal taste.
While it is neither typical Indian, nor Indonesian or Malay, it is a bit in the style of Goa. Goan food is much influenced by the Portuguese, so the ingredients and seasoning often differ a bit from the usual Indian suspects. In the 70’s I spend a few months in Goa, living in cheap housing right on the beach. If one was able to forgo typical western luxuries such as A/C, running water and fork and knife, living on $ 3.00 a day was possible most of the time.
Those were the days of free love, cheap booze and even cheaper “tobacco”, so life was a constant,carefree blast. And to top it all off, the food, even as it was dirt-cheap, was always great, tasty, in abundance and available around the clock. (Important because of the “tobacco”) 🙂
Although I don’t have any recipes from that time and place of food I actually ate then and there, I am always reminded of my time in Goa when I prep and eat the curry featured here.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Goan Chicken Curry

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Preparation :
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: Saute julienne of 1 large onion in 2 tblsp ghee

: add 3 bay ea leaves, 1 tblsp tomato paste, 3 tblsp curry pwd, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp crushed mustard seeds, saute until fragrant

: add 1 tsp garlic paste, saute another minute

: add 8 pc boneless chicken thighs, 1 tblsp flour (optional)

: mix all ingredients well, saute another minute

: add 1 qt chicken stock, season with kosher salt to taste

: slowly simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes

: almost……

: add 8 ea small cooked potatoes and 8 oz cooked garbanzos

: add 8 oz coconut milk

: simmer for another 10 minutes, add 4 oz grape tomatoes, check/adjust seasoning; serve with steamed rice or naan; serves 4

: to serve, sprinkle with toasted almonds (optional), chopped cilantro and top with a dollop of yogurt

: Goan Chicken Curry

: Goan Chicken Curry

: Goan Chicken Curry

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Pearl Burgers

Pearl Balls

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Pearl ~~Balls~~ Burgers :
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DON’T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD !
When we were kids, most of us had to be told not to play with our food in order to install respect and gratitude towards our daily nourishment, which in my case, immediately after WWII in Germany, was not nearly as guaranteed and abundant as is now for most of us.
But, decades later, like any professional chef, I love to “play” with food, either to improve a dish’s taste, appearance, profitability, or just for the heck of it. 🙂
“Just for the heck of it” happened today.
I was well on my way to prepare traditional “Chinese Pearl Balls”, which I love dearly and I prepare quite often for myself at home. They are easy and quick to prepare, look wonderful and they serve perfect as snack, appetizer or main course in a multi-course meal.
However, today I had the urge to “play with my food” a bit and the following was the result. Both versions of the burgers were outstanding in taste and especially in texture, and I will definitely prepare them again 🙂
Because of their size and the additional liquid added to the ground meat, the pearl burgers were much more juicy than regular pearl balls, which tend to dry-out quickly when removed from the steam. The burgers without the rice coating were very juicy as well, with the additional bonus of the taste/texture-enhancement resulting from the maillard reaction.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
As mentioned above and as you can see in the prep-pictures below, I added much more water to the ground meat as one would to regular pearl balls, since holding their shape was not an issue for the patties as it would have been shaping the pork into spherical shapes. The added moisture made a huge difference in the final product.
P.P.S.
Serve with Kecap Manis or other dipping sauce of your choice.
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Click here to read about Maillard Reaction
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Click here for Kecap Manis Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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Pearl Burger

Asian Flavored Pork Burger

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Preparation :
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: mix 2 lbs ground pork, 4 ea stalks sliced scallions, 1 tblsp sesame oil, 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp chili paste, kosher salt to taste and 1 cup water or unsalted chicken broth

: soak 1 cup long grain rice overnight in water; next day, drain rice and pat dry

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: divide pork into 4 patties, dip 2 ea on both sides in the soaked rice

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: saute the 2 plain patties on both sides in peanut oil until golden and cooked medium-well – (the carry-over heat will finish the cooking process) ; serves 2

: place one ea of the pearl patties on a lightly oiled plate or parchment paper, steam in 2 steamer baskets (one above each other) until medium well – (the carry-over heat will finish the cooking process) ; serves 2

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: Asian Flavored Pork Burger

: Steamed Pearl Burger

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: Asian Flavored Pork Burger

: Pearl Balls Burger

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Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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English – Rice Porridge; Japanese – Okayu; Korean – Jukin; Thai – Jok; Tagalog – Lugao, Burmese – Hsan Pyok.

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In my own experience, there’s no food more simple and more comforting than a bowl of congee, which is basically just rice cooked with a lot of liquid until it forms a soft porridge.
Congee can be enjoyed any time of the day (or night 🙂 and there are as many recipes and methods for making congee as there are restaurants, homes, mothers and grandmothers to prepare them. However, the basics are just water and rice, cooked until thickened to the texture you prefer, anywhere from very liquid to quite thick.
In this basic form, congee has provided a full belly as well as help against minor ailments since ancient times.
Additional ingredients and condiments for congee are limited only to ones fantasy, taste and wallet. (Lobster anyone?)
For some of the more adventurous variations of congee click HERE
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: cook 2 cup rice of your choice in lightly salted water until it has the texture of thin porridge and the rice is VERY soft

: meanwhile, saute 12 oz spicy sausage cut into thick slices and 1 medium size onion cut into julienne in 1 tblsp peanut oil until sausage and onion start to brown

: just about………

: add the rice porridge to the sausage/onions

: add 2 cup tighly packed fresh spinach, remove from heat

: mix all ingredients; to serve, sprinkle with fried scallions; serve with sesame oil, chili paste and soy sauce; season to your own preference; serves 4

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

: Spicy Sausage And Spinach Congee

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Lazy Udon

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Throughout all the years I have spent in the food-industry, I came across many folks who proclaimed their jealousy about the fact that I, as a chef, eat better than anybody else they know.
Reading private food blogs, one would assume that this might be the case not only for chefs, but also for food bloggers, since most of the food published at least looks better than what shows up daily on the average household’s table.
While some bloggers are fortunate enough to eat the high level food they publicize on their sites at all times, most of us less fortunate bloggers neither have the time,the money nor the desire to eat gourmet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In my own case, I usually prepare food that is (in my opinion) fit to publish about every other or every third day, including down to earth comfort food. The rest of the time, I eat the same simple food as most other folks do, although probably prepared with a bit more love and interest in the end result as most home cooks (or chefs at home) will muster day-in and day-out. This however does not mean that the food I don’t publish is poor or crappy.
The meal I had for lunch today is just such an example. I prepare similar noodles quite often, using slightly different ingredients such as different pasta, different veggies and different seasonings (although the seasoning used here is pretty standard for my “Lazy Noodles” dishes). At once extremely simple, easy to prepare and cheap, it is at the same time pretty to look at and super yummy. If prepared with love and attention to detail, food like this does not have to hide itself behind any “gourmet” food 🙂
Not that I want to eat like this all the time, but in reality, food like this makes perfect sense as alternative to the high-end stuff.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Kecap Manis Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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Lazy Udon

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Preparation :
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: udon noodles, scallions. preserved chilies, kecap manis, garlic paste

: cook 8 oz fresh udon noodles until done but still chewy, drain, toss with 1 tblsp sesame oil

: stir fry 1/2 tblsp garlic paste in 1 tblsp peanut oil until fragrant, add 5 ea whole chilies and 3 ea sliced scallions, stir fry another minute

: add the udon noodles and 1 cup kecap manis

: stir fry another minute, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: Lazy Udon

: Lazy Udon

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Bulalo (Kansi) Beef Marrow Bone Soup

Beef Marrow Bone

The first time I had the pleasure to eat this soup I fell in love with it. It was at “Pistang Filipino”, an open air arts and craft center in Manila. (Little did I know then (1974), that a few years later I would be living next door for nearly five years). However, during my first visit, a couple of friends and I went there to have a proper, traditional “Pinoy” dinner. It turned out to be one of the best meals in my entire life. Pancit sotanghon and pancit bihon, huge grilled prawns for $1 a piece, kare kare, adobo, lechon, sisig, sinigang, bulalo and a whole lot of other wonderful dishes, all spread out on a huge buffet. There were woven bamboo plates with palm leaves to put your food on and coconut shell spoons for the soups. Most of the food was eaten using one’s fingers as utensils. Lined up along one wall were water containers with spouts to facilitate hand washing before and after the meal. The food and entertainment (tinikling , traditional Philippine folk dancing) was superb and to this day I remember almost every minute of that evening. Years later when I lived next door, I went there once or twice a month, mainly for the bulalo . However, I quickly became less enthusiastic about the tinikling. While beautiful to watch, its accompanying music, which was always played at maximum levels, kept me awake many a night until the wee hours 😦
Such is my love for bulalo that until this day I prepare it at least once a month. I mostly use thick sliced shank (osso buco), but when available, I buy a whole leg bone and have the butcher cut it into 4 pieces, 2 of which I use at once and 2 which I freeze for the next going of bulalo or any other beef soup.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here to watch a video of Tinikling
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Bulalo

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: 2/4 of a whole beef leg bone

: blanch the bones once in plain water, drain, cover again with cold water, bring to a slow simmer, season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper

: simmer bones until meat and collagen are very tender but NOT falling apart, you should have about 2 qt stock (if not enough, add water; if too much, simmer until 2 qts remain

: remove bones from stock, strain stock

: remove all meat, collagen , and bone marrow, set aside

: add 1 small head of quartered white cabbage, simmer for 4 minutes

: add 3 bunch baby bok choy, 5 ea halved cherry tomatoes, 2 ea quartered corn on the cob, 4 ea stalks of sliced scallions, simmer 2 more minutes, remove from heat