grated ginger

Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slice, With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche

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While traditional Osso Bucco is one of my favorite meat dishes, this version of braised sliced veal shanks is, in my humble opinion, far superior.
First, the crispy noodle pillow adds great texture to the soft texture of the meat.
Second, the marinated onions add great umami to the normally quite one-dimensional flavor of an original osso buco.
Third, and most importantly, the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, star anise and red wine (instead of white wine) make a great improvement to the regular, traditional seasoning of osso buco.
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Pls note, this is in no way a negative judgment of a great osso buco, but rather a testament to the fact that I love my food on the spicy, flavorful side. Let me live, please ………. 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slices With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

Crispy Noodle Pillow

Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slices With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

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Yucatan-style marinated onions are one of my go-to condiments to (almost) everything. (Sandwiches, roasts, braises, bbq´s, veggies, potatoes, salads, etc, you name it – I slap on a few Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche. 🙂
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: Cut red onions into fine slices, add apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, grd gloves, Mexican oregano, cumin, galic paste, kosher salt and chili flakes

: mix well, marinade overnightt

: Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche

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

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: 2 thick slices of veal shank

: carrots, celery root, carrots, onions, red wine,

: hoi sin sauce, dark soy sauce, sriracha

: gloves, star anis, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, chives

: dredge the veal in a/p flour seasoned with black pepper and kosher salt to taste, saute the veal and the veggies with garlic paste and grated ginger in peanut oil until the veggies have caramelized and the veal has browned

: add 1 qt of red wine, kosher salt, the seasoning sauces and the dried herbs to taste

: add 1/2 qt of tomato passata

: bring to a simmer, cook until meat is tender but NOT falling apart

: Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slices With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

: saute 1 1/2 cup cooked, dry noodles in 2 tblsp clarified butter, season with white pepper and kosher salt to taste, when crispy, repeat on other side

: Crispy Noodle Pillow

: top with osso buco

: nape with sauce, top with pickled onions and pickled chilies (optional)

: Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slice, With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

: Red Wine-Braised Veal Shank Slice, With Tagliatelle & Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche On A Crispy Noodle Pillow

: Yucatan Cebolla En Escabeche

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Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

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Today, I like to share a dish with you that I have prepared in its basic version hundreds of times over the years. It is a “a la minute” dish, so it requires no prolonged cooking and can be prepared on short notice (a la minute) and in just a few minutes of prepping and cooking.
The ingredients for the sauce are always the same – clarified butter, curry powder, turmeric powder, cumin, garlic paste, grated ginger, kosher salt, chicken, beef or vegetable stock, and heavy cream.
On the other hand, besides the sauce, anything goes. You can replace the potatoes, chick peas and shrimp with anything your heart desires and your belly craves – any poultry, any seafood, beef, veggies-only to make the dish vegetarian, even potatoes and tomatoes only (one of my favorites), and so forth…..
The sauce is what makes this dish so delicious and unique and I usually make more than the dish actually needs, so I can use the leftover sauce to flavor some rice or pasta, usually for a simple breakfast or a tasty midnight snack 🙂
The ratio of the ingredients for the sauce is also flexible and depends on the main ingredient you use.
While the basic sauce for two portions requires 1/2 cup stock, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 pinch of cumin, 1 tblsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp garlic paste, 1/4 tsp grated ginger and kosher salt to taste, I like to use more curry powder for beef and chicken dishes, more cumin for lamb, more liquid for starchy dishes, less liquid for vegetable variations, etc.
As usual, please let the recipe I give you here serve as a guideline, which you can/should adjust according to your own preferences 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for my opinion on “Authentic Recipes” on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for “Easy Does It Curry Sauce ” on ChefsOpinion
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Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

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Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

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Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: blanch, peel and slice 1 lb of small potatoes, pat dry, fry in 2 cup 375F peanut oil until lightly browned

: remove from oil with a slotted spoon, reserve

: season 1 1/2 lbs 21/32 shrimp with 1 tblsp lime juice, 1 tblsp corn starch and kosher salt to taste

: fry in 375F peanut oil for 1 minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve

: season the chickpeas with a pinch of curry powder, a pinch of cumin and kosher salt to taste

: saute in the remaining 275F peanut oil for one minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve

: slice 1 ea large jalapeno into thin slices, dust lightly with corn starch, saute in 275F peanut oil for one minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve, discard the peanut oil

: add 1 ea tblsp clarified butter to the pan, saute all spices and aromatics until fragrant (see the ingredients on this page)

: add the stock and heavy cream (see the ingredients on this page), simmer 2 minutes, remove from heat, check/adjust the seasoning, add all the previously sauteed ingredients except the jalapenos, mix well,

: place the curry on a deep serving bowl, top with the fried jalapenos, basil leaves, sliced chives and pickled chilies (optional); serves 4

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

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Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

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Duck and noodles – what’s not to like about that ? 🙂
Since I prepare roast duck often, duck soup is naturally on the menu just as much. Even just a few bones, skin, scraps, innards and the neck from one duck, added to chicken or vegetable stock and seasoning, is enough to prep a rich, tasty soup. Any veggie, pasta, even rice thrown-in, and you’ll be rewarded with a tasty and economical meal. You can also strain the stock and use it to fix a great congee for breakfast, just add some scallions and fried shallots and voilà, another satisfying quickie. ( Meal, that is ! ) 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for ROAST DUCK – PART ONE – “DUCK WITH DIRTY NOODLES”

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Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: for recipe and instructions for “Roast Duck”, click on the link on this page

: remove the meat from the legs and shred, remove the skin and all remaining meat from the carcasse and use to make the duck stock

: add the duck bones, the skin and scraps to 1 qt chicken or vegetable stock, add all the juices and 2 tblsp duck fat that have collected when roasting the duck(see pick next to the roasted whole duck) simmer for 30 minutes or until there is 1/2 qt stock left

: when the stock is reduced, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste and grated ginger to taste, simmer another minute

: meanwhile, soak 8 oz rice sticks in boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until soft enough to eat

: when the noodles are soft, drain and rinse, then stir with 2 tblsp toasted sesame oil

: with a slotted spoon, remove all bones and solids

: add 1 lb blanched, shocked and drained baby bok choy, simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: place the noodles in a large serving bowl

: top with 5 ea finely sliced red radish, the shredded duck meat and fresh cilantro, add the duck stock

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: Roast Duck – Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

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Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

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Here is a rib recipe that will take your Memorial Day BBQ (or any other BBQ day) to the highest level 🙂
While the marinade consists of a whole bunch of ingredients, there is nothing exotic or unusual about them and most of us who like to cook have these sauces/seasonings already in their cupboard. If not, just buy small amounts so you have no waste.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
If you like to cook the ribs outside on the grill, follow the same procedure as outlined below, but once they are tender from cooking them sealed in the pan on the grill, remove them from the braising pan and cook them on both sides on a very low-heat grill for another 30 minutes or so, until the ribs have nicely caramelized but are not burned 🙂
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Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute 2 oz of white sesame seeds until golden

: season a whole slab of pork ribs with kosher salt on both sides

: mix 1 cup soy sauce, 2 tblsp peanut butter, 3 tblsp honey, 3 tblsp hoisin sauce, 2 tblsp plum sauce, 1 tblsp fermented beans, 1 tblsp sambal olek, 1 tblsp sesame oil and (not in Pic – 1 tblsp garlic paste and 1 tsp grated ginger)

: rib marinade

: put ribs a in a braising pan, add 1 qt of water, pour marinade over the ribs

: cover braising pan air tight, bake at 375F until ribs are very tender but NOT falling apart, 2-3 hours, depending on the ribs

: when the ribs are tender, remove the cover, raise the temperature to 400F and cook the ribs until nicely caramelized, about 15-20 minutes (save any leftover braising liquid for your next stir fry)

: cut the slab into individual ribs, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve with pickled sweet and spicy chilies

: Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

: Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

: Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

: Best ! Ribs ! Ever !

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Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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Going shopping at the grocery store involves ever bigger monetary transactions 😦 .
I used to enjoy shopping for food, usually buying way too much food and therefore giving away much of it in order to avoid waste.
Well, those times are nothing but happy memories. Whereas spending $200 a week was usually plenty enough to buy enough perishables, groceries and general household supplies for our family of 3 humans and 3 dogs just a few short years ago, the same amount now hardly covers the basic needs just for myself and Bella.
(Hearing the politicians in power tell the story, America is doing better all the time ???? – I wonder who really still believes this crap ?! )
Real income for the masses has actually decreased during the past decade, while cost of living has increased at an alarming rate, and a large part of the population can’t afford the basics anymore, such as good nutrition, healthcare, proper clothing, proper housing, transport etc. MANY people have to make a choice which essentials they will enjoy and which one’s to forgo, because a combination all of them together is out of their reach.
And now for the good news:
Cornish Hens are still one of the most affordable proteins, at around $ 4.00 a pop in most big city supermarkets 🙂 Even secondary cuts of other proteins usually cost at least the same or more. In this context it is great that most folks are not so familiar with cornish hens, which results in less demand and therefore keeps the price at an affordable level.
So, there you have it: A great quality protein at an affordable price 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Cucumber Pickles

Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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

: cut cornish hens in half ( if you have guests for dinner, you might want to trim the legs and wings and remove the backbone; however, for a more informal meal, holding the hens with your hands and taking the meat of the bones with your teeth is part of the pleasure of eating poultry) 🙂

: season with 2 tblsp chili paste, 1/2 tblsp garlic paste, 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tblsp hoi sin sauce,1 tsp grated ginger and kosher salt to taste

: saute hens in 1 tblsp peanut oil on both sides until golden brown

: beauties …… 🙂

: add 1 cup chicken stock and 1/2 cup sherry, cover and simmer until cooked through and liquid has all but evaporated

: meanwhile, prepare the spicy cucumbers; cut 1 medium size cucumber on 4 sides, leaving and discarding the seedy center

: seedless cucumber batons

: season with 3 tbls sweet thai chili paste, 1 tblsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/4 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp sesame oil and dried chili flakes and kosher salt to taste

: Spicy Cucumber Pickles

: Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

: Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

: Ginger And Soy Braised Cornish Hens With Spicy Cucumber Pickles

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Shrimp Lo Mein ( 撈麵 )

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Of all the Chinese, Asian and Chinese/Asian-inspired dishes I prepare at home, the fast and easy to prepare Lo Mein is the one I cook most often. I usually vary the main ingredients according to what’s in my fridge and/or cupboard, but the basis are always Chinese wheat noodles, seasoned with oyster sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, grated ginger, garlic paste and chili paste. Sometimes I augment the seasoning with hoi sin sauce. As for the other main ingredients, I use vegetables, pork, beef, seafood, poultry or mushrooms, sometimes just one of them, sometimes more than one and sometimes all of them together. In all the years I prepared this dish, I never had one I did not love and I never get tired of it, no matter how often it flies in through my kitchen window 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: for 1 pound of dried pasta, mix 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tblsp chili paste, 2 tblsp oyster sauce, 4 tblsp soy sauce, 4 tblsp water or stock and 2 tblsp hoi sin sauce (optional)

: stir fry 1 tblsp garlic paste and 1 tsp grated ginger in 4 tblsp peanut oil until fragrant

: add baby bok choy, mild chilies, carrot julienne and onion julienne ,stir fry 1 more minute

: add shelled and deveined shrimp, stir fry another minute

: add chinese wheat noodles and sauce mix, stir fry until heated through

: check/adjust seasoning

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

: Shrimp Lo Mein (撈麵)

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Fiery Midnight Snack – Chilli-Noodles With Seafood And Egg

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Here is the thing – if yo are able to use anything fresh in preparing food – not frozen, not canned, not otherwise preserved – that’s usually the best way to go (although not always).
But, as I have mentioned before, we are not always so lucky as to have access to fresh, unprocessed food. Then, it is my honest opinion that as long as you use good quality preserved food, you will be able to prepare great dishes – just don’t skimp on the quality of the ingredients.
Having said that, if you have a well stocked larder and freezer, you are ready to prepare a wide variety of wonderful dishes without being a slave to store opening hours and store offerings.
Last night for dinner I shared a prosciutto sandwich with Bella at around 9.00 pm. Usually I can withstand any temptation of more food after that time of day, but while setting up to watch a great movie (A simple Plan) , hunger struck me with all its nasty temptations, (Bella of course is always in that state) :-), so I decided to whip up something fierce and satisfying for the both of us.
My larder revealed (among a lot of other goodies) rice noodles (Bánh phở), canned octopus, canned anchovies and canned mussels. In the freezer I had some leftover homemade lobster balls and a bag of titi shrimp. Together with fresh chilies, scallion and onions as well as garlic paste, grated ginger, chili paste, chili oil and sesame oil, this made for a very fiery, very satisfying midnight snack which, after the end of the movie, motivated Bella and I to go on a 1,5 hour early morning walk from 2.30 am to 4,00 am. Life is good !
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Bon Appetit ! Spice-up your Life !
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Chili-Noodles With Seafood And Egg

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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How to cook rice noodles:
Place rice noodles in a deep bowl. Bring a good amount of water to boil. Pour the boiling water over the rice noodles until they are completely submerged. Stir the noodles to prevent from sticking. Check often to see if they’re cooked through. This will take 1 – 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles. Once the noodles are tender, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Toss them with a bit of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other if you’re not going to use them right away. If you use the noodles in a stir-fry, under-cook them or they will become mushy. If used for soup, you can cook the noodles straight in the soup.

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: steep noodles in boiling water, drain, rinse with cold water

: whisk whole eggs with kosher salt

: saute sliced onions until light brown, add chopped anchovy fillets, saute until anchovies are dissolved

: add garlic paste, grated ginger, fresh chillies, scallions, saute until fragrant

: push vegetables to the side of the pan, add eggs

: cook eggs until set

: add noodles, kosher salt, chili paste and chili oil, stir to mix

: add seafood, stir to mix

: check / adjust seasoning

: Chili-Noodles With Seafood And Egg

: Chili-Noodles With Seafood And Egg

: Chili-Noodles With Seafood And Egg

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The Bollywood

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During the year I was living in Karachi, Pakistan, a large part of the TV programming besides the national programming were Indian music shows and Indian movies of the “Bollywood” Variety, which I came to appreciate and like, so much so that I actually miss it sometimes. So, in honor of the great “Bollywood” shows and movies, I name this sandwich “The Bollywood” 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

The Bollywood

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: marinade boneless chicken tighs overnight in a paste of ghee, garam masala, cumin, allspice, lemon juice, yogurt, paprika, cinnamon, grated ginger, garlic paste, black pepper and kosher salt

: bake chicken on a rack at 425F until cooked through (165F in the center on the bone)

: meanwhile, make a salad with halved grapetomatoes, diced seeded cucumbers, diced chillies, chopped parsley, garlic paste, yogurt, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: toast naan, brush with butter or ghee, sprinkle with kosher salt

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

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Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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The other day I roasted a whole duck to have for dinner but when it was almost done a friend called me to invite me for dinner, so I put the whole shamuckus in the fridge for the next day to be used. The following dish was the result and I must say – what an extraordinary satisfying result it was, both visual and taste-wise, which just goes to show (again) that sometimes leftovers are better than the original. (Mind you – not alway’s – but often enough)
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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Preparation :
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: soak rice sticks in water for five minutes, drain

: remove all bones from duck,, discard bones

: saute slivered garlic in peanut oil until crisp and golden, set aside

: saute sliced onions in peanut oil until caramelized but not crisp, set aside

: pure goodness………

: saute duck in very hot peanut oil until skin is crisp but meat still juicy

: add chilies and grated ginger, saute a few seconds until chilies blister

: add rice sticks, equal parts of hoi sin sauce, chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet thai chili sayce and ketchup )don’t scoff on the ketchup, it adds acidity and sweetness as well as richness to the dish

: mix all ingredients well, add a dash of sesame oil, check / adjust seasoning

: add bean sprouts and scallions

: almost there………..

: plate noodles on a deep plate or bowl

: sprinkle with more scallions

: add onions

: sprinkle with crispy garlic

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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Shrimp And Lap Cheong Fried Rice

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Leftover rice –
soup, congee or fried rice ? – that was the question ! 🙂
Well, this time the decision came easy because I also had a few slices of cooked ham and a few small shrimp in my fridge, along with some peppers and fresh eggs. And besides, I’ll have a good fried rice anytime 🙂
This version is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes to prep and execute. Just make sure you use day-old rice – fresh cooked rice is too moist and will not result in good fried rice !
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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