garlic

” Dandanmian ” Chinese Noodles, Ground Pork & Vegetables

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” Dandanmian ” or ” Dan Dan Mian ” or “Dandan Noodles “.

There are many variations of this most simple dish, which originated as
street peddlers dish. Basic ingredients are ground pork, noodles,
spicy sauce with or without peanut- or sesame – paste.
Here is the Dandan I prepared for dinner yesterday
( I too do many variations of this dish) :
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Ingredients :

Chinese egg noodles, cooked, drained, coated with sesame oil
Ground pork,
Carrots, julienned
Bell peppers, julienned
Silver onions, peeled, blanched
White cabbage, coarsely sliced
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Cilantro, coarsely chopped
Oyster sauce,
Soy Sauce,
Chili oil,
Sesame oil,
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Chicken stock
Peanut oil

Method :

Saute pork in peanut oil until starting to brown.
Add garlic and ginger, saute until translucent.
Add chicken stock and all seasoning, simmer until
meat is soft. Add cabbage and peppers, simmer for
one minute. Add Noodles, mix well.
To serve, sprinkle with cilantro and drizzle with Chili oil.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Mock Pappardelle, Chorizo, Asparagus, Carrots & Gorgonzola “

My dilemma is:
I love pappardelle, but I seldom make fresh pasta
at home and I have never seen pappardelle on a store shelf,
at least not here in South Florida. The solution?
Use lasagna sheets. Break them into irregular shapes before
you cook them. The result was very satisfying for me and I will
resort to this many times to come, if, for whatever reason, fresh
pappardelle are not available or impractical to make from scratch
at the time. ( For whatever reason ) .
Don’t knock it before you try it ! 🙂
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Ingredients :

Pappardelle, cooked al dente, strained (or substitute pasta)
Chorizo, thinly sliced
Asparagus, blanched
Carrots, blanched
Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled
Garlic, paste
Black Pepper freshly ground, to taste
Salt, to taste
Olive oil

Method :

Saute garlic and chorizo in olive oil until garlic becomes translucent,
Add all other ingredients except gorgonzola, saute until all ingredient’s
are well combined. To serve, top with crumbled gorgonzola.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Breakfast Of Champions # 6 ” Farmers Omelette

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Today I finally found time again to do a proper breakfast,
after a week of peppermint tea and bananas.
During the week I get up at 3.30am and after a usual sleep time
of 3 to 4 hours, my desire to cook a full meal is usually subdued a bit 😦
Not today ! So here we go:
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” Farmers Omelette ”
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Ingredients:

Eggs, whole, whisked, seasoned with salt and cayenne
Grape tomatoes, whole
Asparagus, blanched
Carrots, blanched
Onion, julienned
Garlic, paste
Potatoes, blanched
Chorizo, thinly sliced
Chives, sliced (fresh or freeze dried)
Butter (substitute olive oil if desired)
Parmesan, grated
Salt, to taste
Cayenne Pepper , to taste

Method :

Sautee potatoes in butter (oil) until starting to change color,
add onion and saute until starting to brown.
Add garlic, saute until translucent, add all other vegetables
and seasoning and saute until heated through.
add eggs, cover tightly, lower heat and cook slowly until eggs are set.
to plate, invert onto serving dish, sprinkle generously with chives.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Bok Choy, Gnocchi & Spicy Italian Sausage “

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Today’s fusion confusion dinner 🙂
Whatever you want to call it, this is a wonderful concoction, worthy of an original name.
How about ” Boknocchi ” or ” Gnocchibok “? Gnocchoy ? 🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Bok Choy
Gnochi
Spicy italian sausage
Scallion
Oregano
Red bell pepper
Onion
Garlic paste
Olive oil
White wine
Cayenne pepper
Salt

Method :

Sautee sausage in oil until starting to brown, add onion and garlic,
sautee until translucent, add peppers and bok choy, saute one minute,
add gnocchi, wine and seasoning and – Voila !

This recipe lends itself for you to be creative !

Asian style : Substitute gnocchi with rice or egg noodles and
add asian seasoning such as soy, sesame oil, ginger, etc.

Indian style : Substitute gnocchi with diced potatoes and
add indian seasoning such as garam masala, lots of fresh coriander etc.
Use your imagination !

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Tomato Bisque

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This is one of those soups where I have to make enough for two day’s,
because one meal of it’s goodness is just not enough to satisfy the quarterly
craving that is nagging me 🙂

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Ingredients :

Tomatoes, 15 lbs
Onions, 1 lb
Celery, 1 lb
Garlic, 8 oz coarsely chopped
Rice, 4 oz uncooked
Olive oil, 1/2 cup
Heavy cream, 2 cup
Chicken stock 1 gall
Oregano, 1 bdl
Basil, 1 bdl
Cayenne, to taste
Salt, to tase

Method :

Add all Ingredients except cream to a large stock pot and simmer for about 2,5 hours.
Blend until VERY smooth. Add cream and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and serve.

Note :
Bisques were originally thickened with rice.
This made the bisque smoother and silkier than using flour or other thickeners.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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” Spaghetti With Beef, Veggies & Brie “

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Today’s lunch combined, amongst other goodies, two of my favorite food items :
Pasta and brie cheese 🙂
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Ingredients :

Spaghetti, cooked al dente, some cooking water reserved
Beef, finely julienned
Bell peppers, finely julienned
Onion, finely julienned
Tomatoes, thin wedges
Garlic, paste
Brie cheese, sliced
Butter, substitute with olive oil if prefered
Salt & cayenne pepper to taste

Method :

Saute beef in very hot fat for a few seconds, remove and reserve.
Saute veggies and garlic until garlic is opaque but still light in color.
Add pasta, half of the brie and a bit of the cooking water, salt and pepper.
Mix well until the cheese is melted.

Plate and garnish with more brie and some herbs.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

” Mafaldine Primavera “

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the true “parmesan” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Whenever I come across fresh mini veggies I tend to buy them and use them in a simple pasta dish such as this one.
No need for heavy sauce or other distraction from the freshness of the vegetables and the goodness of the pasta.
Pasta, vegetables, butter and / or olive oil, garlic, cheese and herbs all come together to be enjoyed in this simple yet most delicious dish.
Replace vegetables with any fresh vegetables you find at the market or whichever ones you might prefer.

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Mafaldine Primavera:

Ingredients:

Mafaldine, cooked al dente, strained, some of the cooking water reserved
Rainbow carrots, simmered until done but still crispy
Pearl onions, simmered until done but still crispy
Cherry tomatoes,
Butter, can be substituted with 50 or 100% olive oil
Parmigiano reggiano, grated
Fresh herbs, parsley / cilantro / basil / oregano, all or your preference only
Garlic, paste
Salt, pepper, to taste

Method:

Cook Mafaldine in boiling water until al dente, strain, reserve some of the water.
Saute garlic, carrots and pearl onions and garlic in butter or olive oil until garlic becomes fragrant but without changing color.
Add pasta, tomatoes, more butter or olive oil, most of your cheese, half of the herbs, some of the pasta water and salt and pepper.
Toss carefully so not to break up the vegetables or Mafaldine.
If consistency is to watery, add more cheese and toss again. If consistency is to heavy, add more of the pasta water.
Plate and sprinkle with more herbs and cheese.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

” Sadza ne Nyama ye Huku ” Zimbabwean Porridge with Chicken Stew

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Last night’s Zimbabwean style dinner.

If you don’t read the name of the dish but only the recipe, you might think I was dining on portuguese food. That’s because portugal had a large influence on shaping the traditional Zimbabwean cuisine. I don’t want to go into the political/ historical aspect of that time, so let’s just stick to the food. Chicken stew with tomatoes has been cooked in many countries around the world for centuries,and so has corn, which was introduced to Zimbabwe ( formerlySouthern Rhodesia), by the Portuguese way back then. Fried cornmeal is still a very popular side dish in Portugal and so is chicken stew with tomatoes. Since I did not have white corn meal in my pantry, I used yellow corn meal. Different color, same texture, taste and pleasure 🙂
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Excerpts from ifood.tv :
Sadza

” Sadza or sadza re chibage is an African version of porridge produced from cornmeal, mielie meal or maize meal and water. It forms the essential carbohydrate portion of African meals and is consumed in different forms in almost every African region. Due to the large variety of cultures and languages in the African subcontinent, the dish has a variety of names. For example, the local shona name for the porridge is Sadza in Zimbabwe while the local tribal Ndebele name for the same dish is isitshwala. In South Africa, the same dish is referred to as Mielie Pap while the Zambians refer to it as Nshima. The dish is given another name in Eastern Africa including the states of Kenya and Tanzania where it is named Ugali. In the tiny state of Malawai, it is referred to as Sima. Furthermore, a large variety of cooking techniques are used along with different recipes to make the same dish.

History

Originally, a porridge made from millet formed the essential carbohydrate component of every African meal. Millet was a staple crop in the continent and it was easy to grind to produce millet flour. However, Kenya started actively growing corn which was exported to every state in the African continent. The grain was then ground to produce cornmeal and used to make a thick porridge which slowly replaced millet porridges in meals.

Ingredients and Preparation

White corn meal or mielie meal is now commonly used to produce the sadza but a few versions do use yellow cornmeal too. Yellow cornmeal is commonly referred to as KENYA as it was originally imported from Kenya. If mealie meal cannot be found, cream of wheat, or Pillsbury Farina flour can be used. The actual method of preparation varies considerably but modern methods add the mielie meal to the water to mix it well. This paste is then poured into boiling water and cooked on a high heat continuously. As the sadza thickens, more mealie meal may be added. The sadza is done when the mixture pulls away from the pot and forms a ball. Traditionally, salt is not used to season the dish.

Serving

Sadza is prepared and served in a communal bowl from which each diner can serve himself. It can also be served in separate individual bowls from where diners pinch up small amounts, roll them into balls and then dip them into meat sauces, gravies, soya chunks, pumpkin leaves, sugar beans, spring beans or vegetable stews for consumption.

Popular Variations

Krummelpap is a South African version of Sadza prepared by ” ………. Read more HERE
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Sadza:

4 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 cups white cornmeal

1. Pour three cups water and the salt into a large pot and bring to a boil. Combine 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal with the water, stir well and set aside.

2. Reduce heat of boiling water to medium low and add the cornmeal and water mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for two to three minutes.

3. Slowly shake in the remaining cornmeal, mixing all the while. Stir constantly as the mixture begins to thicken and pull away from the pot, approximately one minute. Immediately transfer to a separate bowl and use a wooden spoon to shape it into a round shape. Allow the sadza to cool slightly, then carefully use your hands (wet them if necessary) to pull off bits of the sadza, shape if desired, and serve with the stew.

Chicken Stew:

2 yellow onions, diced, divided

2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds vine tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon to season the chicken

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, plus 1/4 teaspoon to season the chicken

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon to season the chicken

2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ pieces

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 bunch scallions, chopped

Vegetable oil

1. Coat a large, shallow pan with about two tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add two-thirds of the garlic to the pan and cook for about one minute. Toss in three-quarters of the onions and two-thirds of the ginger, cooking until the onions turn translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes.

2. Turn the heat up to a high flame and stir in the cayenne, black pepper, chili powder and salt. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, mashing them down every once in a while. Reduce the heat to low and simmer another 10-15 minutes, continuing the mash the tomatoes.

3. While the tomatoes cook down, pull out a separate, heavy pot. Coat the bottom with another two tablespoons of oil. Once hot, toss in the remaining onions, ginger and garlic and cook until the onions have turned translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes. As the onions and seasonings cook, season the chicken with the extra black pepper, chili powder and salt. Add the chicken to the pan and brown for approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

4. After the tomatoes have stewed, carefully scrape them into the cooked chicken. Add one cup of water, turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir in the parsley and scallions and cook another 5 minutes.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” No Frikadelle Tonight – It’s Beef Burger Time ! “

Tonight I will hopefully convince everybody that you can love
both, a good frikadelle and a good beef burger.
As usual, I will put my own twist on it.
Here we go :
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“ Cheeseburger My Way “
As you know, in order to get all the benefits of good quality ground beef, you must choose the best quality meat and handle it as little as possible. In this case I took two 14 oz striploin and grinded them at home with my cuisine art. In order to keep the meat from drying out, I made a pepper jack cheese and butter sandwich, which I then encased with the meat and shaped it loosely, avoiding to press it too much as to keep the texture of the meat loose and tender. The flavor added by the melting butter and cheese to the beef while it cooks takes the whole thing up three notches.

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Cut hoagie rolls or bun of your choice in half, spread generously with Butter and broil cut side until golden. Set aside.
Carefully spread the beef out on a cutting board in a ¾ # layer without squeezing it.
Sprinkle with kosher salt, black pepper and a dash of garlic powder.
Lightly mix without squeezing it.
Divide into four parts.
Put one part of the beef on a cutting board, top with the cheese / butter sandwich,
cover with another part of beef and form a loose patty.
Repeat with rest of ingredient’s.
Sautee in olive oil until it almost reaches the required doneness.
Discard oil, add two tablespoon of butter and sautee until butter starts to brown.
Let rest on absorbent paper for five minutes before serving.
Use garnish of your choice. For dipping I use ketchup, dijon and sriracha.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Breakfast Of Champions ” # 2

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” Rigatone Carbonara “, with tomatoes and Basil
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Bella and I sharing breakfast.
(Don’t worry, I have my own bowl, on the table. 🙂
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My version of “Carbonara” :
Wisk 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg with 1/2 cup milk,
2 tbsp parmesan, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Saute 3 cup’s rigatone in butter (use olive oil if you prefer), until
pasta becomes lightly crispy on a few spots.
Add egg mixture, tomatoes and chiffonade of basil and cook
until egg’s start to set. Share with a loved one .

Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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