Easy Does It

Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas (Potstickers)

Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

:
:
Gyōza (Japan), Potstickers (USA), Jiǎozi (China), Mandu (Korea), Maultaschen (Germany), Pierogi (Eastern Europe), Pelmeni (Russia), Ravioli (Italy) are just a few names for stuffed dumplings/dough pockets which are served around the World.
Nearly all cuisines have at least one variation of these delicious marvels. Some are eaten as snacks, others as appetizers or main courses, they are served dry or in soup, boiled, steamed, sauteed, fried or a combination of these cooking methods, some are big while others are small, some are sweet, some are savory.
Fillings can consist of almost anything you can think of, such as seafood, pork, veggies, fresh fruits, candied fruits, even soup (Xiao Long Bao— Chinese Soup Dumplings), etc, etc, etc.
Here you have a very simple, easy and quick version of Gyozas/Potstickers. The pork can be substituted with chopped shrimp for a different taste, or you can mix 2/3 of pork with 1/3 of shrimp, or cab meat, veggies, and so forth.
As for the folding, as usual, practice makes the master – but if you just want the dumplings without too much headache about complicated folding, just flip one side of the wrapper over into a half-moon, or, if you use square wrappers, fold into a triangle -done 🙂
:

Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
:
:

“Easy Does It” Dumpling Stuffing Recipe :
:

: 1 lb grd pork, 1/ cup finely diced carrots, 1 tblsp corn starch, 1 ea egg white, 1 tblsp toasted sesame seed oil, 1 tsp chili oil, a pinch of granulated garlic, a pinch of granulated ginger, 2 tblsp slices scallions, 2 tblsp chopped cilantro, soy sauce to taste

: mix well until there are no lumps

: lightly brush a wanton skin with water, add 1 ea tsp stuffing, close the dumpling, squeeze the edges tightly together (leave shape as is, or use fancy folding techniques), alternatively, use square wrappers

:
Click here for different Asian Dumpling Shapes
:
:

Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

:
:
:

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

:
:
:

: saute 10 ea gyozas in 1/2 tblsp peanut oil until lightly browned

: carefully (splatter), add 1 /2 cup lightly salted water, cover tight and steam until the water has evaporated and the gyozas start to saute again (you´ll hear the sizzle)

: remove the cover, saute another few seconds, plate and serve with dippings of your choice (I used Thay sweet chili sauce, wasabi, sriracha and yuzu/soy sauce

: Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

: Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

: Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

: Easy Does It # 37 – Homemade Gyozas ( Potstickers )

:
:
:
:

Easy Does It # 36 – Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

>
>

Dear Friend’s,
Although most of the followers of ChefsOpinion are culinary professionals who visit here and are subscribed via LinkedIn, there is also a large segment of direct subscribers via wordpress who are just starting to enjoy cooking on a basic or 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 (and even partially pre-cooked dishes) which otherwise might seem too complicated to some beginners.
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.
After all, just because you are not (yet ?) a professional chef should not prevent you from enjoying great food at home. 🙂
Enjoy !

>
>
The header of this post could also be “One For The Kid’s” – Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries, because most kid’s with a knack to help in the kitchen could do this delicious pie all by themself, especially with a pre-baked orio crust as I have used here (or with any pre-baked pie crust for that matter). 🙂
Although as simple and easy to prepare as can be, the flavor of this pie is exquisite, not too sweet and a bit tart at the same time, and the yogurt filling is as light, smooth and creamy as no other.
Very special indeed.

>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more “Easy Does It” on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for “One For The Kids” on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Pie on ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
See the full recipe at the bottom of this page…..
>
>
>
>

Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

>
>
>

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

>
>
>

: I sometimes make my pie shells from scratch, but nowadays’, (what with my tiny counter space), I usually purchase pre-made shells, of which there are some excellent brand’s out there

: serves 4-8

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

: Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries

>
>

Oreo And Yogurt Pie With Honey & Fresh Berries Recipe :
>

Crust
Store-bought orio crust
>

Filling
3 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2cups full fat Greek yogurt
1 egg yolk, whisked with a tiny pinch of salt
>
Garnish
Honey, to taste
Whipped cream
Berries or other fruit of your choice
Chocolate powder to dust
Castor sugar to dust
>

Prep
First – whisk the eggs and vanilla.
Then – whisk in the yogurt.
Brush the bottom of the crust thinly with a beaten egg yolk (moisture-proofing)
Bake the crust 3 minutes ( setting the egg for moisture proofing)
Add the filling to the crust
Place the pie into a pre-heated 375F oven and bake until the filling is set around the edges, but, when the pan is nudged, still quivers like soft Jell-O in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Check often in the last few minutes, as over-baking will destroy the silky-smooth texture of the filling.
Cool the tart on a rack.
Garnish as pictured or use your own imagination and/or personal preference 😊

>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 35 – Torrejas

Torrejas

>
Like most groups of lovers of traditional, old and beloved dishes, Torrejas have their fans divided into two main parts: on one side of the fence you’ll find the traditionalist’s, who don’t want to change a thing and believe that only the original recipe and ingredients are worthy of their love, and, on the other side of the fence, the folks who believe that nowadays we have access to better and more varied ingredients and therefore should try to improve recipes whenever possible, as long as the character of a dish is respected.
I personally respect both sides, depending on the dish involved. However, when it comes to Torrejas, I am a big fan of improving the original, which is just stale bread, dipped in milk or wine, then dipped in whole whisked eggs, sautéed and finally sprinkled with sugar. While there is nothing at all wrong with that, I believe you can agree that the version on this page outshines those simple, traditional Torrejas by a mile. (I can imagine the steadfast traditionalist’s reaching for their cannons right now……. 🙂
But anyway, don’t knock it until you try it. I am sure you too will become a convert, at least as far as Torrejas are concerned.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
>
Click here for an easy Cranberry/Pecan-Bread Recipe
>
Click here for more “Easy Does It” on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Pan Perdu (Arme Ritter) (French Toast) on ChefsOpinion

>
>
>

Torrejas

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

: carefully wash, drain and pat-dry 1 pint blueberries and 1 pint raspberries

: add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tblsp organic honey and 1/2 jigger vodka

: I really don’t need anything else ………. 🙂

: slice a cranberry/pecan bread into thick slices

: to soak the bread, use milk, red wine or, my favorite, Red Martini

: soak each slice of bread in the Martini

: whisk 3 whole eggs with 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 pinch of grd cinnamon and 1 tblsp organic honey

: dip ea bread slice into the egg mixture

: saute both sides of the Torrejas in 3 tblsp whole butter until golden

: almost………..

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

: Torrejas

>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla Cream And Blueberry Compote

>
>
I prepped this beauty, and a few more, a couple of days before I took off for Germany, thinking that I can keep posting at least twice weekly while on the road. Oooops, that did not work out as planned. But, this here little gem deserves the extra time spent on the computer when I could be exploring my old/new country.
Without further ado, here is the easiest to prepare, prettiest to look at and most important, “yummiest” sweet dish of the month 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more “Easy Does It” on ChefsOpinion
>
>
Click here for Angel Food Cake Recipe
>
>
Vanilla Cream Recipe :
Ingredients:
I cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, 1 dash organic vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean), 1 tblsp honey.
Method :
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a knife into a bowl. Bring cream, honey, and vanilla to a simmer, add 1 tblsp cornstarch slurry, simmer a few seconds, remove from heat, check/adjust taste and texture, let cool to room temperature.

>
>
P.S.
!!!!! If you use other than edible flowers, wrap the stems tightly in plastic film, then in aluminum foil, so that they don’t come into contact with the edible part of the dish. !!!!! Remove before cutting the cake !!!!!
>
>

Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla Cream And Blueberry Compote

Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla C And Blueberry Compote

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

: cut 1 medium size round angel cake into 3 rings (store-bought or homemade), see link to recipe on this page

: divide 2 cups of vanilla cream between the bottom-two of the rings, re-assemble the cake

: melt 4 oz of butter, add 4 cups of washed and dried, fresh blueberries, when simmering, add 1 tblsp corn starch slurry, simmer a few more seconds, remove from heat

: add 3 tblsp honey, 1 dash of organic vanilla essence and 1 tblsp lemon juice, stir to mix, check/adjust seasoning, let cool to room temperature

: fill the hole in the center of the cake with blue berry compote. If you value “Yummy” and abundance over beauty, pour more blueberries around the cake. Decorate with pomegranate seeds and a small bouquet of flowers.

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla C And Blueberry Compote

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla C And Blueberry Compote

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla C And Blueberry Compote

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla Cream And Blueberry Compote

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla Cream And Blueberry Compote

: Easy Does It # 34 – Angel Cake With Vanilla Cream And Blueberry Compote

>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

>
>
As I have mentioned before, I love to prepare my own pizza dough, pie dough, tortillas, fresh pasta, and a myriad of other things which are usually better (although not always) when home made.
On the other hand, sometimes this is just not very practical or sensible, for example at times when there is simply no time or space to do so.
Also, I have cooked just about anything one can cook, mostly? with good results, so I am not embarrassed to sometimes use good- quality convenience products, such as the crust I used for this pie. I actually bought it without a plan, just because it looked so delicious and I wanted to find out if it tastes as good and has the great texture it promised when I looked at it on the shelf in my neighborhood grocery store. Well – it did, even much better than I had expected 🙂
I absolutely love it and have used it already twice since I made this pie, once for an onion pie and once as a base for sandwiches.
It is supposed to be used for pizza, but for that, I will stick with my homemade dough for now.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Easy Does It on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

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

: pre-baked pizza shell

: brush shell with garlic oil

: top with sliced brie, scallion, mild chilies and grape tomatoes, sprinkle with fresh-ground black pepper and fresh or dried oregano

: bake at 400F until brie starts to melt, remove from oven

: top with finely sliced capocollo

: drizzle with EVO

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 32 – Italian-Style Sausage and Peppers

>
>
This dish proves once more that the simple things in live can give us great pleasure. Unfortunately, it can also proof that even the simplest thing can easily be screwed up.
I have never ordered this in an Italian restaurant, but I remember well that Maria used to order it often and that half the time when the food arrived she was bitterly disappointed by the lackluster mess which was set in front of her.
It is my humble opinion that if a chef feels that to serve such a simple dish is below his or her culinary honor and dignity, he/she should just leave it off the menu. But, if one decides to feature it on ones menu, one might as well does ones best !
(To see what I mean, pls click on this link and see what some folks deem good enough to serve in their restaurant or on their dinner table – while there are of course praiseworthy exceptions, the majority looks like the disappointing stuff I remember Maria got served too many times) 😦
As for the all-important taste, use the best ingredients which are available to you, season and execute with love and you can’t go wrong 🙂
Oops, a bit of venting here, so let’s get back to the task at hand, which is to show you how I like to prepare Italian-Style Sausage and Peppers. If done right, and with love and gusto, it is like so many simple dishes – a pleasure to look at, and most of all, a pleasure to eat.
It will be equally gratifying when served with pasta, rice, potatoes or just a hearty sour dough bread.
So, here it goes :
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Recipe for Easy Tomato Sauce
>
>
More dishes with tomato sauce on ChefsOpinion
>
>

Easy Does It # 32 – Italian-Style Sausage and Peppers

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

: saute sliced Italian sausages in olive oil until nicely browned

: add peppers, onion and garlic paste, saute until peppers and onions start to caramelize, add fresh basil and oregano

: add GOOD QUALITY (preferably freshly made) tomato sauce, fresh basil and oregano, simmer for three minutes, check / adjust seasoning

: grate Parmigiano Reggiano or other cheese of your choice over fresh cooked pasta, rice or sauteed potatoes

: top with the sausage/pepper stew

: grate more cheese on top of sausage/pepper stew

: Easy Does It # 32 – Italian-Style Sausage and Peppers

: Easy Does It # 32 – Italian-Style Sausage and Peppers

>
>
>
>
>>

Easy does it # 31 – Mushroom & Gorgonzola Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

>
>
And the award for best twice-baked potatoes goes to…………
No need to explain the virtues of this dish, just look at it and imagine
it would be in front of you right now
(anyone for a steaming, hot beauty ?)……….. 🙂
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Mushroom & Gorgonzola Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

potato, mushrooms, onion, garlic, gorgonzola, asiago

bake potatoes until soft in center, cut in half, remove flesh, lightly mash with grated asiago and diced gorgonzola

saute mushrooms in a sinful amount of butter, add to the potatoes, season with cayenne pepper and kosher salt, fill into potato shells

saute mushrooms and diced onions in a sinful amount of butter, add to the potatoes, season with cayenne pepper and kosher salt, fill into potato shells

sprinkle with grated asiago, bake until golden, sprinkle with sliced scallion and chili flakes

Mushroom & Gorgonzola Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

>
>
>

EASY DOES IT # 30 – Cinnamon Roll And Fruit-Pudding

Dear Friend’s,
Although most of the followers of ChefsOpinion 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 (and even pre-cooked dishes) which otherwise might seem too 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.

After all, just because you are not (yet ?) a professional chef should not prevent you from enjoying great food at home. 🙂
Enjoy !
>
>
>
If you are still looking for a great, delicious, good-looking and easy to prepare dessert for your upcoming x-mas feast (or any other feast 🙂 ), give this beauty a shot.
It will take all of about 15 minutes of actual prep time, yet the result is extraordinarily delicious.
I have served mine with just a bit of whipped cream, but a fruit coulis or chocolate sauce will add an extra layer of taste, texture and color.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
! Please find an update to this post at the bottom of this page !
>
>
>

Cinnamon Roll And Fruit-Pudding

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

: 6 ea store-bought or home-made cinnamon rolls

: break into large pieces, to 2 cups of whole milk add a few drops of vanilla extract, pour over cinnamon roll pieces, soak for 20 minutes

: meanwhile, dice apples , slice bananas

: saute apples in a bit of butter until lightly caramelized

: lightly squeeze milk from cinnamon rolls into a bowl, add 4 large eggs and 3 tblsp honey, whisk until smooth

: add apples, bananas and a generous handful of dried cranberries

: mix together without breaking-up the roll pieces

: fill into lightly buttered baking dish, sprinkle with 2 tblsp of sugar

: bake at 375F for about 1 hour

: when top of pudding is golden brown and pudding has almost set, remove from oven, loosely cover and let rest for 15 minutes

: serve cinnamon roll pudding with whipped cream

: Cinnamon Roll And Fruit-Pudding

: Cinnamon Roll And Fruit-Pudding

: Cinnamon Roll And Fruit-Pudding

>
>
Following, a few pics of the leftovers I served the next day 🙂 ( With added strawberry coulis )
>
>

: EASY DOES IT # 30 – CINNAMON ROLL AND FRUIT-PUDDING

: EASY DOES IT # 30 – CINNAMON ROLL AND FRUIT-PUDDING

: EASY DOES IT # 30 – CINNAMON ROLL AND FRUIT-PUDDING

<
<
<
>

Easy Does It # 29 – Home Made Chile Oil

>
>
You might ask yourself what’s the point in making your own chile oil, since you can buy it everywhere? The simple answer is quality and heat-level, since you have control of the quality of the chiles you use as well as the quantity of seeds you incorporate, by buying your own Chinese Red Peppers. (Or Tianjin Pepper, sometimes you’ll also find them referenced as Tientsin Peppers, named after the province in China where they are native). They closely resemble Cayenne and Japones Chiles and come in at between 50,000 – 70,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units). There are approximately 50 to 60 chiles per ounce. As with all chiles, the seeds pack most of the heat and the seeds can quickly overpower the fruit’s flavor. You might want to remove some of the seeds from the fruit in order to tone down the heat a bit. If you use the chile oil as dipping oil, you might also want to add some cinnamon and star anise for extra flavor to steep in the oil before straining. I have added neither, since I mostly use my chile oil as cooking oil and add additional flavors to the individual dishes during preparation as required.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

remove stems from chiles

cook in peanut oil until starting to change color, remove from heat

put oil with chiles in blender, blend until chiles are finely ground

let steep overnight

strain through fine mesh sieve

Home Made Chile Oil

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 28 – Banana-Walnut-Cake Pudding

>
>
So I am walking down the “forbidden” cake-isle at Publix, heroically ignoring every sweet temptation that beckons, almost reaching the end of the line and – BANG – there it was, the most delicious looking banana-walnut cake loaf you can imagine. Now, from my ( past 🙂 ) experiences with the Publix bakery department, their baked goods are pretty good, at least at the location I am shopping close to my home. I have been a huge fan of banana – walnut cake (and banana bread) ever since I had my first taste in the Caribbean many years ago. Sadly, I have not encountered many good versions over the years, with most of them being too sweet, too heavy, too dry and /or lacking strong banana taste or all of the above. Not so the one I got at Publix. Like so many of their baked goods, it was absolutely delicious. Very light, bursting with banana flavor and chock-full of walnuts, all for a very reasonable price.
(NO – I am not being endorsed by Publix, although maybe I should be 🙂 )
As soon as I got home, I dug into the first loaf, almost ate the whole thing and was a very happy camper (Probably shaved a day off of my life right there 😦 )
So the next day I had one more loaf and a bit from the first one. I decided to improve on a perfect thing and prepare “Banana-Walnut-Cake Pudding”.
Originally, bread pudding (or cake pudding) was prepared to utilize stale bread or cake and revitalize it with the additional moisture from the egg/milk custard. Nowadays, people are usually less frugal. However, bread pudding and cake pudding have proven to be a popular dessert in countless variations, made with any kind of savory bread or sweet baked goods, from cake to doughnuts to cinnamon rolls and so forth, and with a great assortment of different custards and different nuts, fruits, dried fruits etc. There are fantastic versions out there, impeccably prepared and a pure delight to eat. Unfortunately, as with many other such simple concoctions, a vast sea of less than stellar bread puddings and cake puddings can and will be found, ruining the reputation of this wonderful dish. Too often, it is dry, tasteless and overly sweet and the bread or cake used would have seen a more honorable end to itself by being tossed straight into the garbage.
Not so the baby you see below. It was very light, very moist, with a superb thin, crisp, caramelized crust on the bottom, not too sweet and with the added goodness of vanilla and Greek-yogurt.
All in all, definitely the very best cake pudding I have ever tasted.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>
P.S.
The usual practice of whisking the milk and eggs together before soaking the bread or cake results in a more firm (dry?) version, which is more suitable for a commercial application where one lets the pudding cool down a bit before cutting it into perfect shapes.
My way of soaking the cake in the milk first, then adding the eggs and mixing it all carefully to avoid the cake pieces to break up results in a much more moist cake, encased in a light custard, which together form a marvel of perfectly textured pudding ; There – I said it – perfect 🙂
>
P.P.S.
Because of the moist and almost creamy texture of the pudding, I decided not to turn the raspberries into a sauce as I originally had intended, which turned out to be a wise decision.
>
>