recipes

Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Since breakfast was substantial and relatively late, lunch was late as well and will have to do for both lunch and dinner. Well, maybe there is a midnight snack on the horizon, we’ll see 🙂
The red jalapeno peppers I used here were exceptionally fruity and only mildly hot, so they were perfect for my taste and heat tolerance. Please adjust the amount and heat level to your own taste or eliminate the chilies altogether and replace with mushrooms, water chestnuts, bell peppers, green peas, carrots or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Click here for FAN (chinese steamed rice ) recipe

Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Preparation :
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season sliced chicken with salt, five spice powder and soy sauce, dust with cornstarch and stir fry in peanut oil

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remove chicken from wok, reserve

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saute chilies and scallions, remove from wok, reserve

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saute onions and garlic paste in garlic oil

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add soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, sesame oil and sugar, simmer until slightly thickened

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return chicken, chilies and scallions to sauce, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

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to serve, sprinkle chicken with white sesame seeds, rice with black sesame seeds

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Szechuan Chicken & Fan

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Fan (Chinese Steamed Rice)

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Croque Madam

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I am trying to vindicate the Croque Madame, who has been so brutally mistreated in so many kitchens lately that her true identity has been all but forgotten 😦
During the past couple of years I have ordered a croque monsieur (without fried egg) or croque madam (with fried egg) on several occasions late at night, usually in a hotel lobby or nightclub. What I have been served on every occasion has been less than stellar, to say the least. Typically what is being served nowadays is a grilled cheese sandwich wich has been stuffed with a few thin slices of ham and american sliced cheddar, topped with more sliced cheddar and then finished under the broiler. This is no doubt a fine ham and cheese sandwich but that’s where the similarities with a croque mensieur or croque madame end.
Both croques in it’s original form should be prepared in the following way:
Toast slices of rustic bread, top with bechamel to which a fine mustard has been added. Top first slice with cooked ham and lot’s of shredded Gruyere Cheese , top with a second slice of bread, cover with mustard-bechamel and plenty more shredded gruyere. Sprinkle with herbs de province or other herbs of your choice. Bake at 425 F until the bechamel/cheese bubbles.
There you have it – Croque Monsieur ! Top with fried egg for Croque Madame !

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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Preparation :
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mise en place

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toast thick slices of sour dough bread on bothe sides, mix bechamel with grey poupon mustard

toast thick slices of sour dough bread on both sides, mix bechamel with grey poupon mustard

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top bread with mustard-bechamel

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top with grated gruyere

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saute thick slice of ham on both sides

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top first bread with ham, sprinkle with grated cheese and scallions or herbs of your choice

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top with second slice of bread, sprinkle with scallions or herbs of your choice

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bake until cheese and sauce bubble

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almost…..

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meanwhile, fry eggs, season with cosher salt and chili flakes

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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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Croque Madam

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Tonight’s hot dog took a long, imaginary jouney from being a simple German veal bratwurst (kalbsbratwurst) to “The Well Travelled Hot Dog”.
Born in Germany, it went to France where it was joined by garlic aioli. On to Mexico for some ensalada de repollo con chipotle and from there to India to pick up freshly baked naan. From there to it’s final stop in the USA, where it became “The Well Travelled Hot Dog” 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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For Garlic Aioli recipe click here
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For Chipotle Coleslaw recipe click here
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For Naan recipe click here
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For more about German Bratwurst click here
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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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PREPARATION :
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saute bratwurst

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prepare chipotle cole slaw

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chipotle cole slaw

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top naan with bratwurst

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add cole slaw, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos, drizzle with garlic aioli

add cole slaw, drizzle with garlic aioli, sprinkle with pickled jalapenos

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog & Chipotle Cole Slaw

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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The Well Travelled Hot Dog

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Living in Florida does not necessarily lend itself to be inspired to cooking with mushrooms, but thankfully the markets around here carry small offerings of fresh mushrooms which I like to enrich by adding some good quality dried mushrooms. Today I got some fresh baby bellas, oyster mushrooms and botton mushrooms, to which I added dry shiitakes and porcini’s. To intensify the mushroom flavor even more, I added some porcini powder to the sauce as well.
And voilà – Mushrooms Galore 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Preparation :
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boil fusilli al buco until al dente, strain, reserve some of the cooking liquid

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saute diced onions and fresh mushrooms in butteruntil onions are opaque

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add garlic paste and re-hydrated mushrooms, saute until dry

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almost….

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add heavy cream, demi glace, merlot, sliced chives, porcini powder, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

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simmer until nape texture is reached, check / ajust seasoning

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add pasta and a small amount of fresh grated asiago cheese, blend well, if too thick, add a bit of the reserved cooking liquid

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Fusilli Col Buco With Mushrooms In Merlot Cream

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Steak Tartar

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Ok, folk’s, before you send me tons of anger and disapproval, I admit that this is not your typical, modern Steak Tartar. However, Larousse Gastronomique describes steak tartare as ground beef mixed with raw egg yolk. Wanna argue with Larousse?
Here now is my traditional version of this classic. I can assure you that both texture and taste are exceptional. Why screw with a classic , just to be “modern and innovative”, especially if it obviously does not appeal to most people who actually grew up eating this dish often? I, for example 🙂
If you are lucky enough to have a good butcher in your neighborhood who you can trust with the quality of the meat and the cleanliness and food safety of his shop environment, do as I do: Order a pound of freshly ground, most fat and all sinew’s removed striploin (in front of your eyes if possible, it will make you feel safer). Then proceed within the hour in your kitchen as follows.
In a ice cold bowl, mix the following items, fresh out of the fridge:
Chopped capers, finely diced onions, finely sliced scallions, chopped anchovies, chopped jalapeno, good quality mustard, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, hot sauce of your choice, raw egg yolk, garlic paste, a few drops of good quality oil of your choice. Mix everything well. Remove ground meat from fridge and lightly fold with the seasoning. Serve with bread of your choice and a couple of brewskies (Negra Modelo fits best for me).
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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mise en place

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seasoning

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Steak Tartar & Sour Dough Bread

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Steak Tartar

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Chicken Sandwich On A Pretzel Roll

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Sometimes, in our quest to make evermore beautiful, innovative, stunning, different food, we forget that a simple sandwich, if done well, can give enormous culinary satisfaction if it hit’s the right spot at the right time.
This afternoon was the right time for me to just have a sandwich, a cold beer and a good movie 🙂
The sandwich was a scrumptious Chicken Sandwich, the brewskies were Negra Modelo’s and the movie was Reservoir Dogs.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Garam Masala recipe
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Chicken Sandwich On A Pretzel Roll

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Preparation :
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score the top of a skinless chicken breast crosswise, season with cayenne pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic and garam masala, saute in butter until just done, remove to catting board, let rest for 5 minutes

score the top of a skinless chicken breast across, season with cayenne pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic and garam masala, saute in butter until just done, remove to cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes

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cut 2 bretzel rolls in half, reserve 2 top parts, top with romaine leaf and garlic aioli

cut 2 bretzel rolls in half, reserve 2 top parts, top bottom parts with romaine leaf and garlic aioli

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top with marinated red peppers

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top with cucumbers, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

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top with marinated red peppers

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top with garlic aioli

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slice chicken breast in thick slices

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top with garlic aioli ( notice how juicy the chicken breast is ! )

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Chicken Sandwich On A Pretzel Roll

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Chicken Sandwich On A Pretzel Roll

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Chicken Sandwich On A Pretzel Roll

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Sauteed Veal Breast

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I hate to use the moniker “deconstructed” when it comes to food.
Specifically, in order to de-construct something, wouldn’t you have to construct it first?
(Another term I hate is to “de-nature” food. I just hate these stilted monikers 😦
However, If I would use the term deconstructed, last nights dinner would qualify for the term.
For years I have been longing for “Gefüllte Kalbsbrust”, or stuffed veal breast. This is a common dish in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. You take the whole veal,breast, cut a pocket from end to end, then stuff it with bread stuffing similar to what you use for bread knödel or servietten knödel ( bread or napkin dumplings). Some folks use ground meat stuffing – but please – dont. 😦
I was craving this dish for years but the problem was multy faceted: Not the right veal available around here and the price for the proper veal prohibitive. What”s more, what will I do with a whole veal breast? I do eat a lot, but…….
So, When I went to my butcher on Friday, much to my surprise he had thick-sliced Canadian milk veal available, for the astounding price of $ 2.49 a pound. Obviously I was not able to make a “Gefüllte Kalbsbrust” with sliced veal breast, but I could prepare the second best thing – combine all the traditional ingredients into one dish 🙂
So there I went:
Veal breast, sour dough bread (the stuffing part), mushroom sauce and a red beet salad. What a wonderful meal, almost like the real thing.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Gefüllte Kalbsbrust
Source – SZ-Magazin.de

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Sauteed Veal Breast

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Preparation :
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sliced veal breast

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season veal with salt pepper and granulated garlic, sear very hot, then saute at low temperature very slowly until medium well

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meanwhile, saute finely diced onions in butter, add sliced shiitake mushrooms, add redwine and simmer until almost dry

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add heavy cream and demi glace, simmer until nape texture, check/adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

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almost…..

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in another pan, saute sour-dough bread in garlic butter until golden

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meanwhile, make a salad of red beets, raspberry vinagrette, diced onions and sliced scallions

meanwhile, make a salad of red beets, raspberry vinaigrette, diced onions and sliced scallions

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ready to plate the veal and sauce

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to plate, arrange veal on top of bread, spoon sauce over top, crown wiyh garlic/herb butter

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Sauteed Veal Breast

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Sauteed Veal Breast

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Easy Does It # 13 – Asian Style Pickled Cucumber Ribbons

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This is one of the most ingenious, simple, delicious, economical and pretty dishes out there.
Serve it as side dish, part of a fancy or simple salad, or as a snack.
Season it mild, medium or fiery hot.
Either way, I am sure you will love it and it may even become one of your go-to standby’s. 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Asian Style Pickled Cucumbers

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Preparation:
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wash cucumbers, pat dry

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cut cucumbers into fine ribbons with a sharp peeler, discard seed-parts. Seaso with plenty of kosher salt, let rest for 20 minutes

cut cucumbers into fine ribbons with a sharp peeler, discard seed-parts. Season with plenty of kosher salt, let rest for 30 minutes

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squeeze cucumbers, discard juice

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add finely sliced chilies, rice vinegar, garlic paste, sesame oil and a dash of sugar, mix well

add finely sliced chilies, sriracha, rice vinegar, garlic paste, sesame oil and a dash of sugar, mix well

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Usually, I have congee for breakfast, but today I just wanted a big bowl of this culinary marvel for lunch.
It is one of the most satisfying dishes out there, as long as it is properly seasoned and has the ingredients you long for at the moment. As far as congee goes – anything goes 🙂
Even the texture has no right or wrong. As long as you like it – that’s the right texture. I like mine fairly thick, tasty, spicy and with lot’s of “stuff” in it. I happened to have fresh chicken livers today, but you can use any protein you like, shrimps, scallops, chicken or whatever is handy. Maybe just vegetables? With egg or without? Many condiments or none?

Today I cooked my rice in a rich chicken stock, flavored with lots of grated ginger, garlic paste, kosher salt and ground chili pepper and a splash of fermented bean sauce. Once the porridge had the desired texture, I added medium-fried chicken livers, Chinese black mushrooms, cooked ham, corn, black beans, sesame oil, finely sliced chilies and scallions.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Congee recipes
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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Preparation:
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season with granulated garlic, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, five spice powder, add cornstarch, mix well

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fry in peanut oil until medium, remove to absorbent paper

fry livers in peanut oil until medium, remove to absorbent paper

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almost ………

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to porridge add livers, beans, corn, mushroom, chilies, scallions and sesame seed oil, check/adjust seasoning

to the porridge add livers, beans, corn, mushroom, chilies, scallions and sesame seed oil, check/adjust seasoning

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Chicken Liver Congee

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple

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In the late sixties and early seventies, this presentation of salpicon was at the forefront of culinary extravagance in Europe. Not because of the use of the salpicon, but because of the pineapple.
At that time,while everybody (most everybody) in Europe was familiar with canned pineapples, few had eaten a fresh one, simply because it was prohibitively expensive to fly in fresh fruit from the tropics or anywhere else for that matter. I remember having my first California strawberry outside of Germany’s strawberry season when I was 15 years old. We had a lot of food imports at the time, but most was carried in by truck or boat from other European countries and therefore more affordable. Even today, you will still find this pineapple presentation in many countries that cater to the less wealthy tourist’s. Often the chicken is replaced with seafood for an even more “exotic” dish.
So, many of my readers will probably enjoy this presentation for two different reasons:
One, because it is so old-fashioned that you don’t see it anymore,
or two, because they will remember it from “the old times”.
Either way, enjoy !

P.S.
Even without the pineapple presentation, who does not enjoy a chicken, veal or seafood salpicon once in a while? 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Chicken Velouté recipe
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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Preparation:
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soak triple washed long grain rice in cold water for one hour, drain , cook in salted boiling water until almost cooked, about 3 minutes, drain

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cover airtight and let steam another five minutes, fluff with fork

cover airtight and let steam for another five minutes, fluff with fork

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meanwhile, season chicken with salt and cayenne pepper, saute in garlic butter until half-cooked, add chicken veloute, bring to a simmer, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

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fill hollowed half pineapple with salpicon

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sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and finely grated parmesan

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bake until golden

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple

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to serve rice, sprinkle with chili flakes and black sesame seeds

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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Gratinated Chicken Salpicon In Pineapple With Rice

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