Saute

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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Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Cod used to be the cheapest fish you can buy – but look at it now : 4 pieces for $ 38.00 at the fishmonger ! 😦
But once in a while I have to splurge a bit and this cod just fit the bill 🙂
Tomorrow we’ll have dry bread again……
Not really, but I really wish basic food items would be priced a bit more affordable. Shops get fancier all the time, advertising cost’s millions and all these costs have to be covered by the food we consume.
But then again, we are blessed to have this abundance available to us, unlike many (most?) folks in the world who consider them self lucky just to fill their belly every (some) day with whatever scraps they can find.
So with that in mind, on to last nights feast –

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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good (For some of us at least, blessed as we are)

P.S.
if you wonder what happened to the other 3 pieces of fish – Bella had one and I had three 🙂
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Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

Sautéed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: Carrots & Scallions

: season cod filets with granulated garlic, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, dust with rice flour

: saute in butter until just done but not dry

: meanwhile, simmer carrots in perrier water and butter with a bit of sugar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper until perrier has evaporated

: saute carrots in the remaining butter until starting to caramelize, set aside

: add scallions, saute one more minute

: almost……..

: serve cod and carrots with fresh lemon wedge and thai chili sauce

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Soupe A L’Oignon Au Crème (Creamy French Onion Soup)

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If you think that french onion soup is one of the best soups in the world you are undoubtedly right. But did you ever eat its lesser known cousin, creamy french onion soup? Once you do, you’ll probably be hard pressed to decide which version is the better one, the more famous gratinated clear version or this creamy one, which I have enhanced here with toasted bread, toasted almonds and fried garlic chips. I am of course a huge fan of both versions, but for me, the creamy version is the clear winner.
Way back, during my youth in the old countries, these two variations alternated on the menus of many restaurants of all types and they also were a cold weather staple in many homes, where often lager beer was added for even more richness. 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for another variation of “Onion Soup”
Click here for “Classic French Onion Soup”
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Soupe A L’Oignon Au Crème (Creamy French Onion Soup)

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Preparation :

To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute onions and garlic in butter until onions have completely broken down, about 30 minutes, without caramelizing

: add flour,saute another 3 minutes without letting the flour changing color

: add chicken or vegetable stock, simmer until onions are VERY soft, (add some white wine if you are not off the wagon, as I am 🙂

: add heavy cream, season with kosher salt and white pepper, simmer another 3 minutes

: check / adjust seasoning

: toast a few slices of bread of your choice, I used seeded reye

: add bread slices to serving bowl, sprinkle with grated parmesan

: add soup

: top with toasted almonds (center), sliced chives (middle ring) fried garlic chips (outer ring)

: Soupe A L’Oignon Au Crème (Creamy French Onion Soup)

: Soupe A L’Oignon Au Crème (Creamy French Onion Soup)

: Soupe A L’Oignon Au Crème (Creamy French Onion Soup)

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Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Yesterday, on my way home from work , I told myself that under no circumstance will I cook and clean up the kitchen, I was just too tired and a bit under the weather.
So, while driving along university drive and contemplating where to stop for a bite or some take out, evaluating the choices a I checked out the restaurants along the way, I crossed off one after the other, knowing that none of them would be able to satisfy my craving for real, good, tasty food for a decent price. Eventually, as I drove by my favorite Asian Market, I made a quick stop to buy some octopus sashimi. I was not sure at this point what I would prepare with it, but I usually have enough stuff at home to fix a couple of good meals. When I got home, rice noodles, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic paste, grated ginger, chili oil, sesame oil, red chilies, green peppers and onions were the usual suspects. Together with the octopus they became a great and perfect dinner.
As usual, more often than not, if I want to eat exactly what I want, I have to prep it myself (and clean up the kitchen afterward 😦 ).
But as always, it was well worth the time and effort and I’ve saved a bunch of good dollars doing it 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Preparation :
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mix soy sauce, water, peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil, lime juice, chili oil, simmer for one minute, if too thick, add water, if too thin, add peanut butter

season octopus with kosher salt and chili oil, saute in VERY HOT pan with garlic oil for about 3 seconds, remove from pan, set aside

saute onion, green peppers and red chilies in garlic oil

add rice noodles which you had soaked in warm water for 10 minutes then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated

add rice noodles which were soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated

put noodles to one side of the pan, add some more garlic oil, add whisked eggs, scramble, cook until eggs are dry

add peanut sauce, mix well

stir fry for another minute, check / adjust seasoning

plate noodles on serving dish, top with octopus, sprinkle with chives and sesame seeds

Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Steak Salad

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Usually, part of the enjoyment of eating steak is cutting into a nice chunk of glistening meat and seeing it slowly but surely disappearing from the plate.
But for yesterday’s dinner, I just wanted to have some nice “finger food” to pick of a plate and sharing with madame while reclining on my chaise lounge, watching a great movie (The Grand Budapest Hotel).

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Steak Salad

Steak Salad

Bella say’s:
“Time to eat ! “

Bella say’s:
“Maybe not enough for the two of us ?! “

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Preparation :
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cut cucumbers and radishes into bite-sized pieces, season with plenty kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, let marinade for 20 minutes, discard liquid, add garlic oil and cider vinegar to taste

meanwhile, season striploin steaks or other steaks of your choice with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, saute in garlic oil until done to your liking, set aside

let steaks rest at least 10 minutes before cutting

plate salad on vinaigrette dressed romaine

top with steak, drizzle with chimichurri

top with steaks, drizzle with chimichurri

Steak Salad

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Ala Kiev

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How to improve on a chicken cordon bleu you ask? By preparing it ala kiev I say 🙂
Chicken ala Kiev – breaded chicken breast stuffed with garlic/herb butter.

P.S.
Don’t tell my cardiologist !

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Ala Kiev

: pounded chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper

: top with cooked ham

: top with edam or gruyere

: top with herb/garlic butter

: roll the ham and cheese around the butter

: fold the ends

: top with another breast, tuck ends under, bread with flour, egg and bread crumbs

: saute in peanut oil, replace oil with butter for the last minute of cooking

: serve with small salad and lemon

: Chicken Cordon Bleu Ala Kiev

: Chicken Cordon Bleu Ala Kiev

: Chicken Cordon Bleu Ala Kiev

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Steak Sandwich & Salad

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This is the perfect, lightning quick meal that is at once fast to prepare, needs minimum prep work and packs a real punch in the satisfy-department 🙂

Bon Appetit Life is Good !

Steak Sandwich

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spread a french roll with butter and garlic paste, saute until golden

saute onion slices in butter until caramelized, top each slice with two eggs, fry to sunny side up, season with sea salt and cayenne pepper

season 16 oz striploin steaks with sea salt and cayenne pepper, grill to desired doneness, top each bread with one steak, top with egg/onion, add banana peppers. Feeds two hungry guy’s (Darryl and I on this occasion 🙂

Steak Sandwich

frissee, arugula, onions, chilies and anchovies in dijon vinaigrette

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(You don’t have to watch it, just click once) Thank you 🙂
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Grilled Portuguese Sardines

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During the time Maria and I were living in Madeira, Portugal, we usually had grilled sardines at least twice a week. There was this beautiful restaurant, built into a cave in the rock’s below our apartment building, just a three minute walk, which served these wonderful, fresh, juicy, tasty sardines off a wood fired grill. Adorned with just lemon wedges, a small green salad with onions and rustic sour dough bread, this was the perfect meal every time and I remember them very fondly, both for the great food, as well as the romance the surroundings provided to Maria and I.
I usually had all my dinner’s in Madeira with a bottle (or two) of Gatão Vinho Verde, while Maria usually stuck to her diet coke.
While shopping for food on saturday, I came across these great looking (frozen) Portuguese sardines and I just had to get them. I prepared them the way they are usually prepared in simple restaurant’s and homes by the sea – some sea salt inside and out, brushed with olive oil and quickly grilled or sauteed. Then a squirt of lemon or lime and voilà – sardine heaven.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

– and yes, Bella and I had all twelve of them at once…….. 🙂
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Grilled Portuguese Sardines

: Portuguese Sardines

: Season With Sea Salt

: Grill

: Served With Sauteed Potatoes And Greens

: Grilled Portuguese Sardines

: Grilled Portuguese Sardines

: Remnants Of A Great Dinner

: Gatão Vinho Verde

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Pork Medallion “Almondine”

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Yesterday’s late lunch, pork medallion in almonds, creamed spinach, sauteed grapes.
I knew it was turkey for dinner at my friend’s house, so no turkey at home. I did make and take the sidings though, creamed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, gravy and walnut-cranberry stuffing.
Anyway, here is lunch. Enjoy 🙂

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Ingredients :

Pork medallion,
Almond‘s, slivered
Bread crumbs, fine
Egg, whole, whisked
AP flour,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Peanut oil, to saute

Spinach, washed, stems removed, chopped
Onions, diced
Garlic, paste
Heavy cream,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Nutmeg, grated
Butter, to saute

Grapes,
Butter, to saute

Season pork with salt and pepper. Dipp in flour,
egg and mixture of half breadcrumbs, half almonds.
Saute slowly to make sure almonds don’t get to dark
and bitter. However, oil must be hot enough to prevent
Breading to get soggy.

Saute onion and garlic until translucent, add cream
and reduce until thickened. Add spinach and seasoning,
cover with more cream and simmer until cream has reduced
again and texture is creamy.

When pork is done, remove onto absorbent paper.
Add a bit of butter and grapes to the pan, saute a few seconds
until grapes are warm. Spoon butter and grapes over pork.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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” Salmon Parisienne, Bean & Mushroom Ragout “

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When I cooked this dish last knight I realized that I have not seen anything ” a la Parisienne ” on a menu for many years. What a shame that so many classic dishes and methods simply disappear from the repertoire of our younger chef’s. Granted, old fashioned and steeped in tradition might not be practical or popular on a daily basis. But I feel we should not completely stop to learn and enjoy the classics. How long before we all get sick and tired of the one hundred’st version of grilled fish with salsa ? Let’s mix it up a bit ! Mix the classics with the modern, the traditional with the new, the tried and proven with the daring 🙂 I vote for a greater repertoire for our younger food enthusiasts in order to keep the spirit of our culinary profession vibrant and alive !
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Ingredients :

Salmon filet, cleaned, skinless, marinated w.salt. pepper, lime juice
Whole egg, to dip fish
Flour, to dust fish
Butter, to saute fish

Baby portabellas, quartered
White beans, cooked
Red peppers, finely diced
Garlic, paste
Onion, diced
Scallion, sliced
Scallion , whole
Salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Butter, to saute vegetables

Method :

dredge seasoned fish in flour, coat with whisked egg, saute until
egg is tender and fish is cooked but still juicy. Remove to absorbent paper.

Saute onion and mushroom in butter until onions are translucent and
mushrooms start to brown.
Add Garlic paste, saute another minute. Add peppers, whole and sliced
scallions and seasoning.
To plate, put ragout on plate, top with salmon and garnish with whole scallion.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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